SALVATION IS THROUGH FAITH. Τιν ημιν ηκεις τε Θες φημην φέρων ; Εσθλην. Εσιν δε ποιον τοπος; Ερευνάτε, και ορατε. "Oh how unlike the complex works of Man, "Stand the soul-quick'ning words--BELIEVE, and LIVE.*” THE great Theme, upon which our intellectual powers are now employed, is a matter of the highest consideration to our purity, peace, and perfection, as Beings created for an eternal state. If it be * Ω Διος αδυεπης φασις, Αμφι σοι αξόμενος. viewed as of secondary importance, either it is not understood, or, it is treated with neglect and contempt. We may affect the interests of Morality, and we may plead the cause of Virtue*; but, there can, in fact, be neither the one, nor the other, without it. There may be the name, and the profession; but, there cannot be the substantial Thing, upon the principles of divine Revelation. In the discussion of this immortal Theme, it has been made appear-not in a style of declamation, or superficial essay, *Notwithstanding the numerous disquisitions upon these interesting subjects-to which the writer has been in a long and constant habit of paying the closest attentionhe may confidently affirm, they are most of them fundamentally defective-in not contending, that, there can be no christian Morality, or Virtue, but upon Principles, and Motives, purely christian: of which, both ancient and modern Philosophy appears to be equally ignorant. Not but what Morality, upon any principles, however selfish, and worthless, is a great political good-and, as such, should be encouraged. A nation of Immoralists would constitute a second kind of Hell. which proves nothing; but, of reasoning, and argument-that, The whole human Race, as virtually represented in their original Progenitor, are, by nature, and with respect to the Favour, the Image, and the Glory of God, in a lost condition*: that, Mankind are not their own Saviours; they cannot save Themselves; they have no natural ability, no moral sufficiency, for this vast undertaking; they must, therefore, be indebted to some superior agency for their Salvation: and that, • A person must excel in the most subtle art of torturing truth from its plain and obvious meaning, who can extract any other interpretation from Rom. v. 12-19. I would ask any man of an honest mind, and a sound understanding, whether this passage does not obviously import, and clearly assert, that the whole human Race are involved in the Sin, Guilt, and Condemnation, of the first Disobedience. An ingenuous Infidel, would, I think, very readily admit, that this is the unsophisticated sense of the words, however he might deny the truth of the doctrine. It may indeed be questioned, whether such a character as an ingenuous Infidel can exist. If ever we be saved, we must be saved entirely by GRACE; that is, by the free, unmerited, and sovereign Goodness of "The God of our Salvation." It must be wholly an Act of Grace*. These great leading Theses of Christianity are not seen, or acknowledged, because, they are neither regarded, nor studied, by the generality of people of any class. The most intelligent in all other branches of Literature are frequently the most ignorant in these matters. "To study a thousand vain and unprofitable things, and never to learn how to be saved: to load the memory with a great multitude of heathen names and the history of profane and impious Characters, while we are totally ignorant of that of Jesus Christ: to dispute about some critical trifle, and not to attend to God himself in the affairs of eternity to strive incessantly about the letter of the Law, and not to be at all solicitous about the spirit of it: this is almost an exact description of the employment, in which innumerable persons spend their life, who are called "the learned men, and the wits, of the Age!"—Is not a remark, which was uttered some centuries ago, too well adapted to our own times? Surgunt indocti, et rapiunt cœlum. The contemptible affectation of uncommon Learning, uncommon Ideas, uncommon Systems, and uncommon Language, lest we should be thought to judge, or to speak, according to the principles and style of common sense, has done infinite injury to the cause of Truth, Science, Philosophy, Religion, and Virtue: not only in respect of a few conceited Individuals, but, to the public Mind. After having demonstrated, as we hopefor, demonstration is our plan-these fundamental positions of the christian Veritywe proceed to the establishment of our next Assertion: for the confirmation of which, we mean to explain the peculiar Nature of that FAITH, through which we are saved, and its Instrumentality in our Salvation. What then is, SECTION IV. The peculiar Nature of the Faith, through which we are saved? Most of the controversies, by which the minds of men have been agitated, and perplexed, with respect to the doctrine of Salvation by Faith, have originated, either in a want of clear ideas in the use of the terms, or, from not understanding the true scriptural nature of Salvation, and Faith. Whenever these are properly comprehended, the dispute will terminate: a consum |