circulat cross to coming of Christ, in the power of his Word and Spirit, to subdue all nations to himself, by the numerous and various plans of Christian enterprise every where to be seen. What provisions are made for ing the Word of God,-for sending out the Missionaries all lands,-for promoting education at home and abroad, for facilitating the progress of the forerunners of the Messiah. Again we may say, 66 every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together." The vast improvements in commerce and science, will be auxiliaries to the cause of Christ. The world is in the attitude of waiting and expectation, while the Church stands ready, in the most extensive preparations, for the universal spread of truth and godliness. Look at the fact, that one man has been raised up, in the person of the honoured Carey, to give the Scriptures a voice in about forty different languages, or dialects. And shall this, and other preparations like it, be in vain? No, that is not the way of God's providence, the labour of the Church in his service shall not be in vain. Surely, then, the present is a time when no labours for the cause of Christ should be diminished. And passing by every other, it is a time when the press should be especially brought into requisition. Whenever a great effort is made for the cause of Christ, Satan puts forth his power to counteract it. He is doing so now, and perhaps the most powerful weapon he is using, is the press. How contrary to Christ, and His religion, are the great mass of our periodical publications. The Newspapers of the day are, to a great extent, the abettors of infidelity and irreligion. No doubt, there are many honourable exceptions; but a great change is needed yet. And it ought to be made speedily. The Reformation was greatly advanced by means of printing, and the same engine ought now to he worked again for the second Reformation. Religious periodicals, in particular, ought to be greatly encouraged; because it is thus the efforts of Satan will be best met. There are not so many books published now, contrary to true religion, as once were. We have no Hume among us. But lighter and more dangerous productions are very prevalent. These ought to be supplanted by better. Let the Tract be put into the place of the filthy ballad; let Newspapers be established, to be conducted on principles strictly religious, as is done in America; let the monthly and weekly publications, in defence of truth and righteousness, be encouraged and circulated. Let the Church bring a cheaper and better article to the market than the world can afford, and it will find purchasers. On these principles, we rejoice in the labours of all our religious periodicals, so far as they are true and faithful. And on the same grounds we claim the generous and increased support of the Christian public, in behalf of our own little work. We have, for seven years, las boured in it gratuitously and cheerfully; we are willing to continue in the service; and we say to the friends of Evangelical truth, especially to ministers, and elders, and students, "Come over and help us." END OF VOLUME VII. THE ORTHODOX PRESBYTERIAN. No. LXXXV. OCTOBER, 1836. VOL. VIII. BIBLE INSTRUCTION. No. XXI. FAITH. Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." Acts xx. 24. In the Scriptures, the object of faith is sometimes represented to be God. "Without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Heb. ii. 6. In this sense, faith implies a just apprehension of the divine character, with a corresponding confidence in him and submission to him. It is synonymous with trusting in God, the ordinary expression of the Old Testament agreeing to faith in God,-the customary language of the New Testa ment. More particularly, the special object of faith is the Lord Jesus Christ. "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." Whatever knowledge we have of God, whatever confidence we exercise towards him, whatever submission we render to him, arises from the revelation which he has been pleased to make of himself in Jesus Christ. It is through him only the sinner has access to God, and, therefore, is he the special object of his faith. It is in this sense we shall at present treat of it, endeavouring simply to expound the comprehensive, accurate, simple, and beautiful definition of it by the Westminster Divines. "Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the Gospel." Every expression in the definition is fraught with meaning, and we shall closely follow the train of thought suggested by it. 1. Faith in Jesus Christ is a grace. This term is employed to mark it as a principle wrought in the soul by the power of the Holy Ghost. In this view, it is distinguished from what has been called the faith of miracles and an historical faith. A man may be endowed with the power of working miracles, while he is not the subject of saving faith. It was so with Judas and, in the day of judgment, we are informed, many shall say to Christ, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name done many wonderful works ?" to A whom he will say, "I never knew you, depart depart from me, y that work iniquity." Or a man may be satisfied with the testimony on which a narrative is proposed for his may honestly admit that it is true, while yet there is no gracious principle in his soul. He may receive the whole Gospel history, without a saving faith in him who is its great subject. Or he may be convinced by argument, or satisfied by evidoctrines proposed for his assent, in the Scrip dence, that thwhile he is destitute of true faith in him who and sufferings, to the end of time, he counts his own, saying, "In all your affliction I am afflicted;" while one of his servants, speaking of his own trials, says of them, "I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for his body's sake, which is the Church." Col. i. xxiv. At the same time, a practical and healing virtue accompanies the principle of faith; for, as the branch is nourished by the vine, so the sinner grows in grace, by virtue of his connexion with Christ. "Out of his fulness have we all received,;" and grace for grace that is, not merely abundance of grace, but grace answering to grace, a grace in the soul of the believer, corresponding to every grace in the moral character of Christ,-patient as he is patient, pure as he is pure, holy as he is holy, and benevolent as he is benevolent. Faith is, therefore, treated in the Scriptures as having a twofold operation,-justifying the person and sanctifying the soul; justifying, by laying hold of the righteousness of Christ, and sanctifying, by its practical influence on the heart. In the former operation it carries the sinner wholly out of himself, and he is "justified by faith without the deeds of the law;" for " the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, is unto all, and upon all, them that believe ;" and in the latter it lays its hand on the whole man, and engages him heartily and wholly in the service of God. Thus, the sinner is altogether saved by faith. And O! how delightful and mighty the influence which is exerted by this principle over the life of man. See this as it is exemplified in some of the ancient worthies. "By faith, Noah being warned of God, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed, and he went out, not knowing whither he went by faith, Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; by faith, Gideon, and Barak, and Samson, and Jephthae, and David, and Samuel, and the prophets, subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions; while others had trial of cruel mockings and Scourgings, and bonds and imprisonment, were stoned, were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword, wandered about in sheep-skins, and goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented; they wandered in deserts and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth." Heb ii. 7-38. Under all these difficulties and duties, faith was the principle by which they were directed and sustained. Surely it is not too much to say we are saved by faith, and to acquiesce in the definition, that it is "a saving grace.”doist noqu i mbaodje 876 III. "Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive Christ." This is the action or out-going of the principle, as soon as it is produced by the Holy Spirit—It is varis & |