ready, by Scripture, or sense, or reason. Only we are bound by the command of God thus to assure ourselves." To assure ourselves that something is true, of the truth of which we have no evidence from "Scripture, or sense, or reason!" This surpasses all. Surely such belief is not faith.

Sp. M. No; its true name is presumption. Faith is a reliance upon testimony. It is believing upon evidence. Presumption is believing without evidence.

Th. Then doubting my own good estate, is not of course to be discouraged as unbelief.

Sp. M. No; for you may have reason to doubt it.

Ard. What is a good definition of faith in Christ?

Sp. M. A cordial reception of the truths of the Gospel. In the Gospel the way of salvation through Christ is presented to the understanding and the heart. The understanding may assent to it, while the heart is opposed. That is no doubt the case with the devils, and will be the case with all the finally impenitent. They will have a clear and correct understanding of the truths of the Gospel, but they will not embrace them. The faith of devils is not a faith of the heart. But justifying faith embraces those truths in the heart. With the heart man believeth unto righteousness."

Th. Why should faith, rather than repentance, or any other Christian grace, be the appointed condition of pardon and eternal life?

This

Sp. M. Because it is through the atonement of Christ that we obtain pardon and salvation. And a cordial approbation of what Christ has done, and of the way of salvation through him, seems, therefore, to be the proper condition of pardon. exercise has what Christ has done for its direct object; while repentance has sin for its direct object, and consists in loathing and abhorring it and ourselves on account of it, for its own evil nature, according to that declaration by the prophet, "Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations."

CHAPTER LXVII.

notions

Thoughtful. I am inclined to think that these wrong of faith may have some influence in producing a complaint, which I have sometimes heard made against particular preach

mind

ers, that they did not preach Christ. I have one in my at this time, who preached for months together, almost entirely about Christ. He preached the divinity of Christ, the divine and human nature of Christ, the atonement of Christ, the offers of mercy through Christ, the humiliation and exaltation of Christ, the doctrines of Christ, the precepts of Christ, the temper of Christ, the example of Christ, the safety of trusting in Christ, Christ judging the world, and the like. But the complaint was only the more grievous, that he did not preach Christ. I inquired, and tried to find out what was meant by it; but I could obtain very little light on the subject. I suspect, however, I have got it now: He did not exhibit Christ as these erroneous notions of faith exhibit him. He did not call upon his hearers to "have faith in Christ, that he means your good" in every thing he does. Whatever view he took of Christ, he exhibited him as seeking the glory of his Father as his great end; and making every less interest subordinate to

that.

Ardent. Of course, that would not please those who wanted a Christ to make their good his great object.

Sp. M. I suppose the minister preached things about Christ, which the complainers did not wish to hear; and omitted to preach what they did wish to hear. That was doubtless the reason of their complaints.

Th. So that they would easily take occasion to say, he preaches about Christ, and has a great deal to say about him; but he does not preach such a Christ to me as I want.

Sp. M. But if he preached such a Christ as the Lord Jesus indeed is, such a Christ as died to make atonement, and rose again, and received the government of the world at his Father's hand, and is now administering it for the accomplishment of the great work on which he came into the world; if he preached the same Christ into whose likeness we must be renewed, whose spirit we must possess, whose example we must follow; the same Christ who will judge the world, and decide the everlasting state of every one; it is of great importance that they be reconciled to him now, while the door of mercy is still

open.

Ard. Alas! how many who now stand high in their own estimation, are giving evidence, from time to time, as divine Providence brings out their true temper, that the truth is not in them.

"What strange perplexities arise!
What anxious fears and jealousies!
What crowds in doubtful light appear!
How few, alas, approved and clear !

"And what am I? my soul awake,
And an impartial survey take;
Does no dark sign, no ground of fear,
In practice or in heart appear?

"What image does my spirit bear?
Is Jesus formed and living there?
Say, do his lineaments divine

In thought, and word, and action shine?

"Searcher of hearts, O search me still;
The secrets of my soul reveal;
My fears remove, let me appear

To God and my own conscience clear."

Th. I should like to inquire of our host, what he thinks of some language which is very common, such as that Christ satisfied the law by suffering its penalty, and the like.

Sp. M. I think it is adapted to convey erroneous ideas, which many of those who use it do not mean. What is the penalty of the law?

Ard. I suppose all will agree that it is eternal death.

Sp. M. But none can think that the Lord Jesus Christ suffered eternal death in the space of three days. They must think he suffered something equivalent, and not the penalty itself.

Ard. Perhaps so. And yet some say, that Christ, being God as well as man, could suffer vastly more, in the same time, than any mere man; and therefore he might suffer as much, in his life and death, as would have been suffered by those he redeems, if they had endured the penalty of the law in their own persons.

Sp. M. This would involve the doctrine of the Godhead suffering. For if Christ suffered only as a man, a doctrine embraced by the Church generally, it is plain that he could not, in any short time, have suffered what one individual will suffer in an endless duration. The connection of the divine and human natures, in the person of Christ, gave value to his sufferings, though it did not increase their quantity. Considering the dignity of his person, the brief sufferings he endured were sufficient to honor the law, and declare the righteousness of God, and thus open the way for a free and full pardon to be offered to sinful men.

Th. Are there not other objections also to the representation that Christ suffered the penalty of the law?

Sp. M. Yes. The penalty of the law, as endured by those that are lost, must include remorse of conscience, as well as the displeasure of Jehovah. The Lord Jesus Christ could never have endured this without consciousness of guilt; but he al

ways felt conscious of innocence. And he never felt himself to be an object of the Father's displeasure; for the Father uniformly said of him, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Th. Is not this notion inconsistent with that leading Gospel doctrine, the forgiveness of sins?

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Sp. M. Certainly. For if the penalty is endured, it is not remitted. Pardon, forgiveness, and remission, are the same thing. If a debt is paid, it is not remitted. If the punishment which the law demands is fully endured, nothing is remitted. Forgiveness of sins is the remission of the punishment which those sins deserve. And this is the Gospel method of salvation. It is not by having the penalty of the law endured by ourselves, or by a surety for us. It is by having it remitted. Paul said to his countrymen, of Christ, Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins." Our Lord said of the sacramental cup, "This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many, for the remission of sins." Peter said to Cornelius, "To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins." The Psalmist prays for the pardon of sin: "For thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity; for it is great.' The Gospel doctrine, then, in all ages of the world, has been, and is, not the doctrine of the payment of debts, but of the forgiveness of sins. The punishment which sinners deserve, is freely remitted, for the sake of Christ's atoning blood, to all that repent and believe.

Th. To teach, then, that Christ suffered the penalty of the law, is to teach a justification by law, and not of grace; and it takes away the Scripture doctrine of forgiveness altogether.

Sp. M. It does so. But I trust that many who use this language do it without thinking of its import, and do not mean to deny the forgiveness of sins.

Th. Then they ought to be more careful of their language; and not adopt a phraseology which must lead their hearers astray.

Ard. Those also who expect to be saved by suffering all the punishment which their sins deserve, exclude themselves from the salvation of the Gospel. If the Gospel offers forgiveness of sins, those who expect to get to heaven by any other means, will be disappointed. And if any suffer, in their own persons, all that their sins deserve, whether that is done in this life, or after death, that excludes them from forgiveness. The convict who comes out of prison, after having endured all that the law denounces for his crimes, is not pardoned. He comes out

as matter of right, and claims his discharge by the law. There is no pardon in the case.

The pilgrims were now beginning to think it time to be going on their way, and they spent the evening chiefly in making inquiries of Mr. Spiritual-mind, and in receiving cautions and directions, to guard them against the dangers to which they were likely to be exposed. Then said

Ard. I suppose there will be no particular danger in passing By-path meadow, since Giant Despair was slain by Great-Heart and his company, and his castle demolished.

Sp. M. Another giant has taken possession of the premises, and erected a stronger castle, the Giant Presumption. He has numerous bands of men under his direction, which are continually roaming the country, and doing unspeakably more mischief than was ever done by Giant Despair.

Ard. How shall we guard against his power, and the wiles of his emissaries?

Sp. M. By keeping close in the straight and narrow way, and refusing to be persuaded to go a step out of the way, on any account. Though a giant in strength, he prevails more by his subtilty. He calls himself, and is called by his followers Great Faith. You will meet with his emissaries under many names and disguises. Perfectionists, Unionists, Campbellites, Millerites, Annihilators, Universalists, Mormons, Transcendentalists, Swedenborgians, Fourierites, Anti-punishment men, &c., all engage harmoniously in his service. Having filled the region formerly occupied by Giant Despair, it is thought he is aiming to get possession of the Delectable mountains. But as yet, those who carefully consult the King's book, and walk according to its directions, escape, while those who are careless of their ways, are continually getting entangled and overcome by him.

So the pilgrims went on their way; and they had not gone far before they saw a man in the road before them, apparently waiting till they should come up, whom they afterwards found to be Mr. New-way; and when they came up, he addressed them as follows:

I perceive you are pilgrims, and that the fashion of your garments is the same as was that of our grandfathers. And I suppose you will be as particular with your opinions also, as with the cut of your garments.

Th. We are quite satisfied with both; and especially after all the new things which have been offered to us, which we have not found in accordance with the old rule, the King's book.

N. W. I have made some discoveries in theological science,