80 REFLECTIONS ON THE WONDERS AND poison through every vein, and threatened him with a dreadful and inevitable death, this man would lie under a vast and two-fold obligation to his kind benefactor. Yet how insignificant would be these obligations compared with those under which every heir of heaven is brought. He, like this ruined but favoured criminal, has enjoyed a double deliverance from death and ruin, from condemnation without and the plague of sin within. How divinely amiable does God appear as exhibited in the Scriptures, and how infinitely glorious a scheme is that for human redemption! The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, conjointly the infinite and everlasting God, are all represented as acting their part in the wonderful scheme. The Father pities an undone world, and cherishes love so infinite, that he gives his beloved Son to be the sinner's sacrifice. He sends him into this world, by one dreadful offering of himself, to atone for sins unnumbered, and for guilt that deserved eternal wrath. The Son, acting his part in the wonderful plan of mercy, assumes human nature, and comes to be a willing victim. He dies, and accomplishes his Father's purposes, and his own. The scheme of mercy has proceeded so far, that God can now be just, and criminal man be saved; sin be punished, and the sinner be forgiven; for the Son of God has atoned for sin, and brought in an everlasting righteousness. He rises from the dead, and his Father thus declares that justice has no more claim upon him. He rises to heaven, to pursue the work of mercy in which he laboured while upon earth. But all the parts of this amazing scheme are not yet developed. The agency of the Spirit is now introduced to complete the wonderfully gracious plan. He enlightens the mind, subdues the soul, disposes it to adore the Father's love, to rest on the Son's sacrifice. He renews its dispositions, forms it to a meetness for heaven, and trains it up for that happy state. Thus God begins the scheme, God carries it forward, and God completes it. From first to last it is divine. It began in divine love, it ends in human happiness promoting the divine glory. It began in heaven, was pursued on earth, and ends in heaven. It began in eternity, was carried on in time, and when completed extends its effects to all eternity. This transitory world is the theatre on which the most wonderful part of this plan was acted; but it originated in the eternal world, and is completed there. Man, the object GOODNESS DISPLAYED IN MAN'S REDEMPTION. 81 of this scheme of mercy, stands infinitely indebted to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Had the kindness of either been withheld, man would have been for ever undone. The atonement of the Son would not benefit the sinner, were the influence of the Spirit withheld, nor would the influences of the Spirit prepare him for heaven, were an interest in the atonement denied him; nor would either have been exerted for him, if the Father had not so loved the world as to give his only-begotten Son for human salvation. O, see God acting all through this scheme of mercy, and filling up the wondrous whole. See man, the object of the eternal Father's pity, of the Son's sufferings, and of the Spirit's influence. See every one that reaches the abodes of light, indebted, eternally indebted, to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Among the nations of the saved, not one can or ever will be found not thus indebted. Not one of whom it can be said, He owes his happiness to other friends, or other sources; he owes salvation to the purity of his heart, to the vigour of his exertions, to the merit of his labours, or the severity of his sufferings. Among the countless myriads of the great multitude that no man can number, not one such will be found. The agency of God will be seen to have been exerted for them all; the Father to have loved them all; the Son to have atoned for them all; the Spirit to have renewed them all. The salvation of each and all, will be seen as of God, from first to last. Thus, while God shines conspicuous through all the scheme of love, while God is seen beginning, pursuing, completing the wonderful plan, the praise, the endless praise, will be the Lord's. Adore this mysterious love; admire this amazing plan of mercy; and pray to be the ineffably happy partaker of this unsearchable grace. CHAPTER IV THE CHRISTIAN LIFE A LIFE OF FAITH. § 1. IT. is said respecting the author of the Night Thoughts, that in his garden he had the painting of a seat, which, at a distance, appeared really a seat, but when the spectator drew near, he perceived the deception, and read the words, Invisibilia non decipiunt. The things unseen do not deceive. How true! how important! "All, all on earth is shadow, all beyond is substance, The Christian, while described as devoted to God, is represented as actuated by a principle, which makes him familiar with things unseen, more familiar than with the things of time and sense. That principle is Faith. Faith in all cases, means confidence in the truth of certain propositions which are presented to the view of the mind. I am told there is such a country as India. The evidence of this proposition is such, as convinces my mind of its truth. I believe, or I have faith, in the statement. When convinced of this truth, I might be unwilling to take a voyage to India, but if willing to undertake it, should have no apprehension of finding that no such country existed. In this case, and many others, what is faith but confidence in the truth of certain propositions? Confidence, resting upon sufficient evidence. Less than this may be thinking a statement probable, but it is not believing. I may think it probable that a certain person will prove a kind friend, and this may influence my conduct, but I do not actually believe this, till the evidence convinces my mind that he is indeed a friend. If the truths thus presented to my view are truths which immediately concern myself, belief in them produces corre THE NATURE OF FAITH. 83 spondent emotions and conduct. I am told of some impending danger, that threatens me with ruin. Belief in the statement excites concern, alarm, and endeavours to avoid the threatening evil. I am told of some important advantage offered to me. Belief in the statement leads me to embrace the offer, and seize the proffered good. If I merely think it probable that such danger threatens, or such good is offered, I cannot be said to believe either the one or the other. I think it likely, that is all; and the mere likelihood, though it may excite some degree of alarm or desire, will probably do nothing more. Saving faith contains a confidence in the truth of those statements, which the gospel makes respecting the Lord Jesus Christ; in other words, the mind is convinced of the certainty of the discoveries of the Scripture respecting him, and his salvation. That in this case, as well as where the subjects of time are concerned, this confidence is a principal part of faith, is evident from the divine word.a In saving faith, with this conviction of the truth of the great discoveries of the gospel, is united the cordial acquiescence of the heart in this way of salvation. The Scriptures declare that it is with the heart man believeth unto righteousness." When the believing patriarchs are represented as persuaded of the promises, it is added, and embraced them. Jesus Christ appears to represent coming to him as the same thing as believing on him, and believers on him are said to receive him. As the heart is represented as the seat of the affections, to believe with the heart, suggests not merely the idea of confidence in a truth proposed, or a friend revealed, but the cordial affectionate reception of that truth. And such is the case with every believer in the Son of God. Am I convinced that sin has undone me? Am I anxious for that salvation, which I feel beyond the attainment of human efforts? While in this state of mind, am I convinced that it is indeed a faithful saying, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners? This is a declaration full of comfort. I feel it suited to my condition. I perceive the Son of God such a Saviour as my wants require. My heart welcomes this Saviour, and cordially acquiesces in this scheme of mercy; I rest on his (a) Rom. iv. 20-22. Heb. xi. 13. Heb. xi. 1. (d) Jolin vi. 35. (c) Heb. xi. 13. (b) Rom. x. 10. (e) John i. 12, 84 THE CHRISTIAN JUSTIFIED BY FAITII. promise, and intrust my all for eternity to his care. can say, Lord, I believe. Now I Let it not be imagined that the view now given of saving faith, would insinuate that God is not its giver. He is strictly its author, as he enlightens the mind, and disposes it to form a correct judgment respecting the certainty of gospel truths, and as he disposes the heart to acquiesce in the gospel scheme of salvation, and leads the penitent to commit his eternal all to the Lamb that was slain. § 2. The Christian lives by faith, as by faith in the Son of God he is delivered from condemnation, and made the heir of eternal life, and as faith directs his conduct and governs his life. While believers are thus represented as forgiven, justified, and accepted with God through faith; the Scriptures explicitly declare that this is not in consequence of some virtue existing in faith itself, but in consequence of what the Son of God has done and suffered, whose people they become by faith. Before they believe they are ungodly, and after they believe are still unworthy. f The atonement of the blessed Jesus, is that on which justifying faith more especially fixes. Hence it is described as FAITH IN HIS BLOOD. The expression is remarkable. It is not faith in his divine commission, faith in his rich benevolence, faith in his gracious promises, faith in his lovely character, but FAITH IN HIS BLOOD. And as a propitiation for sin it is, by faith in his blood, that the soul enjoys the benefits he bestows. The Socinian has faith in his divine commission: what will it avail him? the Mahometan has the same. The humble disciple has faith in his blood. The importance of a faith which thus fixes on the atoning death of the Saviour, appears inculcated by himself, in the most solemn manner, when he, in a figurative discourse, represented his flesh and blood as the meat and drink of his disciples. § 3. The nature of faith is illustrated in the word of God by a reference to its effects. It is represented as a strong confi dence in the truth of divine declarations or promises; a confidence doubtless resting on the divine character, and so strong as to lead its possessors cheerfully to follow wherever God directed them to go, and cheerfully to perform whatever God (f) Rom. v. 9, 10. Eph. i. 7. (c) Rom. iii. 25. |