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What is the use of merely knowing, that there is a breastplate, a helmet, a sword, and a shield, by which a Christian may be able to stand? What is the use of complimenting their power as great, or their polish as splendid, or their device as beautiful? If you need them, take them; if you admire them, put them on. They are not like the armor in the ToWER of London, hung up to be gazed at, or to remind us of the good soldiers which Christ had in former times. He wants good soldiers still; and, as formerly, "women" amongst them, who will not accept "deliverance" from the cruel mockings of the world, nor from the scourges of Satan at the expense of a good conscience.

No. V.

VARIETIES, FROM MISTRUST.

Is it your desire to glorify God? You know and confess that it is your duty. There are also some ways of glorifying God on earth, which you would be glad to try, if you had the means. Were you wealthy enough to found a mission in China, where the gospel was never fully preached; or in Asia, where its golden candlestick has long been extinguished; or in the yet unvisited wilds and islands of Africa and the Pacific; would not you help to fill the earth with the glory of God? Were you even wealthy enough to relieve (without injury to yourself) all the real poverty in your neighborhood, and thus to bring all the poor under the gospel, would you not count that way of glorifying God to be both duty and pleasure? Or, could you write a book in favor of the gospel, which would command as much attention, and take as strong a hold upon the public mind, as the works of Shakspeare or Milton,would you not feel bound to trade with that talent at once, and thus to glorify God with your spirit, by pouring all its intellectual wealth and splendor around the cross? Or, were it only signified to you, as to Peter, “by what death you should glorify God," would you not prepare for that death with much diligence, that thus your triumph or tranquillity might illustrate and commend the power of faith?

None of these things, upon this scale, may be within your power. There is, however, one way of glorifying God, which is completely within your reach, and would remain so, even if you were in abject poverty, or had only a weak mind: for God condescends to consider himself glorified, by strong faith." We learn this pleasing fact, from the history of Abraham. "He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory unto God."

Perhaps you are ready to say,-"I feel as unequal to exercise strong faith, as I am unable to bestow much charity. There is nothing so weak in my piety, as my faith. I have, at times, strong convictions, strong fears, strong desires; but strong faith, I am a stranger to. I can say at any time, with the poor man in the gospels, "Lord, help thou mine unbelief:" but I cannot always preface this prayer as he did, by saying, "Lord, I believe." Indeed, I hardly know what to think of myself,

when I examine whether I am in the faith. I can neither class myself with believers, nor with unbelievers. I have not the real peace of the former, nor the false peace of the latter. The state of my mind seems something between both. Besides, I become fluttered, and confused, and intimidated, whenever I go far into the question of saving faith."

You are not singular in all this. Many feel exactly as you do on this point. Indeed, all Christians, are, at times, more or less embarrassed on the subject of faith. In general, however, those who are most jealous and fearful of the genuineness of their own faith, have least occasion to be so. Perhaps this is the case with you? I do not throw out this hint, that you may drop the question, nor that you may take for granted the reality of your own faith in Christ; but that you may sit down with composure to examine "whether you be in the faith."

In

Now the weakness of your faith may, perhaps, arise, in part, from your being somewhat afraid of strong faith. We are not always thinking of Abraham, when we think of the faith of assurance. They are not often very like him, in character or spirit, who say most about their assurance. general, those who are most like him in humility and holiness, say least about their own faith; and even the little they do say, is uttered in the spirit in which Abraham prayed,-"Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak." Thus, between the "much speaking" of those who are least humble, and the almost silence of those who are most humble, we are in no small danger of becoming rather suspicious of the tendency of strong faith itself. Whilst we look at it, and judge of it, in Abraham or in Paul, or in the death-song of "such an one as Paul the aged," we feel no more doubt of its holy tendency, than of its happy influence. In the presence of such examples, we catch ourselves exclaiming,

"O for a strong, a lasting faith,

To credit what th' Almighty saith;
To trust the merits of His Son,
And call the joys of heaven my own."

Not thus, however, do we judge or feel, when professors, remarkable for nothing but talking about their experience, speak of their assurance, and security, and cloudless hopes. Their strong faith seems very much akin to presumption. We cannot help feeling as if it were both better and safer, to be weak in faith, than to be strong in their way of believing. Besides, it is a very general persuasion amongst those whose piety is most exemplary, that the faith of assurance is sail, which very few have ballast enough to carry, or prudence to manage well.

Now, I readily grant that these are facts which ought not to be overlooked, nor allowed to have but little weight on this subject. Caution is, indeed, peculiarly becoming on such a point as saving faith. Yea, it is necessary for there are presumers in the church, as surely as there are sceptics in the world. But after honestly weighing all these facts, I cannot forget that God and the Lamb deserve strong faith. I frankly confess

my difficulty is, to believe them in my own case. It is there, that my faith staggers."

There

that I cannot answer the question,-Why should I have less faith in God than Abraham had? The God of Abraham is not changed in truth or love. Yes; and well it may stagger, if you thus want What he promises in answer to prayer, under the to be sure of your calling and election, before you gospel, is not less free or faithful than what he venture to believe the glad tidings of the gospel. promised under the Abrahamic covenant. God is You are, indeed, perfectly right in your opinion not a man that he should lie; nor the son of man, that, in general, the promises belong to specific that he should repent. He proved this by fulfil- characters, and are adapted and addressed to cerling the great prontise of that covenant. At the tain spiritual states of mind. Of this fact, you fulness of time, he sent forth his Son to redeem ought never to lose sight. Whoever regards a'l the world from the curse of the law, by becoming the promises as made to mankind promiscuously, a curse for them. We ought not, therefore, to be understands neither their excellency nor their devery slow of heart in believing, that he that spar-sign. The greater part of them are, emphatically ed not his own Son, but "gave him up to the death and exclusively, "the children's bread." for us all," will also, "with him, freely give us all are, however, many of them (and these neither things." This would, indeed, be believing a great weak nor equivocal) the only and express object deal: but still, not more than God has promised; of which is, to multiply the children of God, or to not more than God is able to perform; not more win sinners to become the sons and daughters of than he has actually performed to millions and the Lord Almighty. Yes; one class of the great myriads, who were as guilty and unworthy as we and precious promises are entirely occupied with can be. the manifestation of that matchless love which I must, therefore, press and ply you with the God bestows, in order that we may be made his question, Do not God and the Lamb deserve strong children. Nor is this all: the whole of them faith from you? Can you assign any reason, why have it as much for their object to reconcile the you should stagger at their promise, through un-world unto God, as to endear God to the church. belief, or fear, or suspicion? You certainly cannot assign nor conceive one reason for doubt, if God and the Lamb allow sinners to put as much faith in their promises now, as they allowed Abraham to put; and that, they do both warrant and command! God does not, indeed, speak so openly to us as he did to Abraham; but he speaks as honestly, and even more explicitly. He does not call us by name, nor with an audible voice from heaven; but he does better: he puts into our hands the written copy of the everlasting covenant, ratified by his own oath and the blood of his Son, pledging all the eternal honor of the Godhead, that whosoever believeth in Christ shall not perish.

Now, really this strong assurance from the lips of God, deserves strong faith. For, what could he say or do more, in order to warrant implicit and imperishable faith in his promises? We really ought to be ashamed, yea shocked, at the bare idea of placing but little faith in them, seeing they are so great, so precious, and so true. Why; if you cannot trust them, what could you trust? What could be so satisfactory as the assurance, that “it is impossible for God to lie?" This fact, all history, all experience, all the universe rise up to attest and confirm. Neither voice nor vision from heaven, could amount to so much encouragement as this one fact. I must, therefore, repeat, that strong promises from the God of truth and love, deserve strong faith; nor can we have any good reason for withholding it from them.

I know quite well what you are now thinking about. You have been ready to say again and again, whilst reading this essay,-"But how can I be sure that the promises are meant for me? They are the children's bread; and I am not sure that I am a child of God. They belong to the penitent, the humble, the hungering and thirsting aiter righteousness; and I am afraid to class myself amongst them. Besides, I find no difficulty in believing firmly the truth of the promises themselves, or their faithfulness in the case of others:

Consider this fact, and remember it. It will clear your way, mightily and rapidly, to the point at which all the promises can be appropriated and enjoyed by yourself. What you have now to believe with a strong faith, is not your own election, adoption, or conversion. You cannot, and ought not, to believe these things firmly, until you have more evidence of their truth, in your own experience. Strong faith on these points, can only be warranted by the fruits of faith in your heart and life. But whilst this is true, it is equally true, that even now, and as you are, and however you feel, there are both great and precious promises which you are fully warranted to believe, with all the faith of assurance. The promise, "Seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened," belongs as much to you, and deserves your entire faith, as the promise, "I will never leave you nor forsake you," belongs to the dearest children of God. What more, therefore, would you have, in order to warrant and welcome you to hope in Christ for your own salvation? God says, "You shall find,” if you seek: "it shall be opened,” if you knock. Unless, therefore, you want to find without seeking, or to be admitted into the household of faith without knocking, your way is as open as promises can make it.

If this view of the matter do not remove your difficulty, you have, in some way, mistaken the nature of faith itself, as well as the character of strong faith. It may be, that one cause of the weakness of your faith, is, that you tried at first, to believe more than was necessary at first; and thus by grasping at every thing in the gospel at once, you got a firm hold upon nothing. I do not throw out this hint in the way of reproof at all; but just to throw you back upon first principles, and in upon your own recollections.. I know too well, (to wonder or blame,) how naturally your mind desired all the comforts and securities of the covenant of grace, when you first saw all your wants and dangers. You then wished to be sure of your election, sure of your adoption, sure of your pardon, sure of your acceptance, sure of

your

union to Christ, sure of your participation of resemblance to those who are truly pious. Any the Spirit, and sure of your final perseverance. likeness we bear to "the excellent of the earth," You saw your need of all this; and, therefore, helps us to hope that we are not altogether stranyou sought for all this, and tried to believe all the gers to the grace which made them so excellent. promises in which this host of spiritual blessings We see and deplore the sad difference there is beare presented to the church. But your faith was tween them and ourselves, and sometimes feel too weak. You were not able to believe so much discouraged as well as reproved by it, because we for yourself! Can you wonder, now that you can hardly see how we can ever come up to their look at the case in this light? Do you not see, standard: but still, we cling to the fond hope, that that the infant hand of faith cannot grasp so we have something of their spirit, or a spark of much at once? Is it not obvious, that by thus the same grace. We cherish this hope the more trying to lay hold on every thing, it can get no freely, because our conscience bears us witness, sure hold upon any thing? Just suppose, for a that we really desire to be more like the Chrismoment, that, instead of this, you had set yourself tians we admire most, and would be very glad to to believe one point in the gospel, at first. Suppose get over that in which we chiefly differ from them. that point had been the promise, that "whosoever Another thing very encouraging, is, that we shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be can trace some resemblance between their early saved;" or the assurance, that "the blood of experience and our own. Few things, perhaps, Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin." Either of please or surprise us more than the discovery, these great truths is quite sufficient to give any that some of the loveliest and most happy Chrissinner a good hope through grace; or at least, to tians had to struggle hard, at first, with many of create hope enough to keep him praying: and the same doubts, fears, and temptations which that (every Christian will tell you) is the best now harass us. This, we did not expect to find kind and degree of hope, eventually. Now, do in the experience of the very holy and happy. you not see how your faith, if it had confined it- We imagined that, from the first, their conversion self at first to the willingness of God and the must have been so complete, as to place them power of Christ to save you, might have soon be- above all such conflicts between the flesh and the come strong faith? Consider: the willingness of spirit. We took for granted, that they had never God, and the ability of the Lamb, are not doubt-found it difficult to believe, or to hope, or to pray. ful nor dark truths. If any thing be clear or sure, they are unquestionable and resplendent facts. Their strong evidence is calculated to produce strong faith. They win the confidence they ask for, when they are duly weighed. Well; this is the GOSPEL! This is just what a sinner should believe, when seeking mercy through the blood of atonement. His language should be, "God is willing, and Christ is able, to save even me." Why then should not you go back to this point, if, after all your efforts to get higher, you are still in doubt as to the reality of your faith? Why not try for a time what you can make of believing these two truths? Until you have strong faith in them, your faith in every other part of the gospel must remain very weak.

What is it but weak here also? Do you not believe that God is willing to save you! Do you really doubt the ability of Christ to deliver you from the wrath to come? If so-you must be very unhappy whenever you think of your own case. I would not, for worlds, doubt either truth. My heart would break, or my reason expire, if I suspected that God was unwilling or Christ unable to save me. But, as they have not said so, I do not suspect the willingness of the Father, nor the power of the Son. Why should I suspect either, when neither forbid me to hope? Nothing short of a prohibition to hope, could warrant despair: and as there are express commands, as well as beseeching invitations to hope in Christ, despair and despondency must be as criminal as they are unwise.

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No. VI.

VARIETIES FROM MODESTY.

Ir is both gratifying and encouraging to be able to trace in our own character and spirit, any real

This difficulty we thought peculiar to ourselves. And, as to treachery of heart, weakness of purpose, changeableness of feeling, and floods of vain and unholy thoughts, we were almost sure that no real Christian had ever felt as we did. We heard, of course, our pious friends speak of their having had to go through deep and dark waters, and to sustain some heavy burdens: but we did not allow ourselves to suspect that unbelief, or the prevalence of a wrong spirit, or the pressure of temptation, entered into their trials. We thought that they could only mean, the trial of their faith and patience, by afflictions or losses: not by the plagues of the heart, or by the treachery of the conscience.

It was, therefore, no small help to us, when we found out that "no strange thing had befallen" us, in having to struggle so much against fightings without and fears within. We were not, of course, glad that others had hearts as bad as our own, nor that grace met with much opposition in all hearts: but we were glad to know the fact itself. It proved to us, that our case was neither desperate nor singular: and thus prevented us from giving up all hope and effort, as useless in our own case. It showed us, that the day of small things ought not to be despised; seeing it had often been followed by years of great things in the experience, character, and career of many.

We have then been somewhat encouraged by discovering, that the beginnings of our piety, had parallels in the early experience of the best. Did it ever occur to you, whilst marking this with pleasure, that just in proportion as you are of "one spirit" with the saints on earth, you are of "one spirit" with the saints in heaven also? If you have never followed out this sweet thought for your own encouragement, it is well worth your while to do so now. The fact is fraught and fragrant with strong consolation, to all who are

anxious to be sure that they have been "made to drink into one spirit" with the children of God on earth for, if the persuasion that you had done this would cheer you, how much more cheering to discover that your best principles and desires are in harmony with the leading principles of the whole family in heaven? You are quite sure that their views and feelings and desires are right. You see at a glance, that they cannot err nor mistake. And, do you not see also, that so far as your spirit resembles theirs, even you are right too? Consider this. The great principles which prevail in heaven are not natural on earth; do not spring up by accident in the human mind; nor can they be learnt, so as to be loved, by human means. Whoever loves them, has been taught by the Spirit of God. You have as certainly been illuminated and led by him, if you try to think and feel and act towards the Saviour as the saints in glory do, as these saints have been perfected by the Holy Spirit. Yes; the same hand that completed their sanctification, has begun your sanctification, if you are trying to enter into the spirit of heavenly principles.

Do not say, on reading this, that neither your principles nor feelings will bear to be tried by a heavenly standard. It is not so true as it is plausible, that, if some earthly standards of piety make you ashamed and even afraid of yourself, comparison with perfect spirits must overwhelm your hopes altogether. This is plausible, but it is not true. In some things, indeed, it is only too true, that you bear none of the image, and breathe none of the spirit of the family in heaven; and in nothing are you very like them. There is some pride even in your deepest humility: some sloth in your most cheerful obedience: and much weakness in your strongest faith and love. I neither forget nor palliate this, in you or myself. We may well hide our heads in the dust, when we compare ourselves with holy men and women of old, even when they were not perfect; and, now that they are holy as God is holy, or " without spot before the throne," we may well shrink, and that not a little, from all comparison with them. Indeed, as to the degree of their holiness, there is no comparison between us and them: it is all contrast or dissimilarity.

real participation in their great principles must have sprung from divine teaching.

This conclusion is not so easily drawn, and cannot be so safely drawn, from your resemblance to your pious friends on earth. I do not say that it is unsafe to draw it from likeness to them. I have already shown, that it is both useful and encouraging to do so at first. It is not, however, the surest ground to go on: for as we do not know the heart of any man or woman fully, we cannot be absolutely certain that likeness to them is conversion to God. In the case of glorified spirits, however, there is no room for any hesitation. We are absolutely sure of their sincerity, simplicity, and perfection: and therefore, if we have any real fellow-feeling with them, we have real evidence of having passed from death to life.

Is there then any thing in your HUMILITY akin to their humility? They veil their faces before God: they fall down before the throne: and even when they stand around the throne of God and the Lamb, they sing of nothing but the wonders of the grace which brought them to glory. Now this, all this, you intend to do when you join their company. Like them you will be glad to have eternity all before you, and the throne all open to you, in order to express, for ever, your adoring wonder and gratitude, that one so unworthy as and made meet for the inheritance of the saints yourself should have been put among the children in light. Well; is there any thing of this spirit in your humility now? Does your conscience bear you witness, that you lie low before God in the dust of self-abasement; that you are ashamed, and pained, and burdened, on account of your sins and short comings; that you can hardly bear to think of your own vileness and weakness, nor see how you can ever forgive yourself; that you feel at times as if your heart would break, and your soul melt within you, through heaviness and shame, because of your guilt and ingratitude? This is the humility, in an earthly form, of the saints in heaven. They, indeed, no longer weep. nor groan, nor sigh, nor blush, in the presence of God. His hand has wiped away all tears from their eyes, and his smile banished all pain from their hearts: but this wonderful love has only deepened their humility. The very absence of all sorrow and sighing, leads their spotless spirits to pour out the fulness of their gratitude, with as much modesty as rapture. Their most breathless pauses of wonder and joy occur, when they remember what they were on earth! Thus they are all as fully "clothed with humility," as with the white robes of righteousness and holiness.

You see clearly, that I am not about to flatter or compliment you. As, however, I must tell you plainly that, if you "have not the spirit of Christ, you are none of his," I feel equally bound to remind you, that whatever you have of it, is really a part of heavenly piety, and as truly likeness to the saints above, as it is to the saints below. Now, although the degree of their humility is, Now, I remind you of this fact, because whatever of course, inimitable on earth, the kind of it is not agreement you may be able to trace out between so. To be ashamed and bowed down in spirit by your own spirit and their spirit, will be more easily the remembrance of sin, is real humility in hea traced up to the Holy Spirit, than even the points ven and on earth. And, are not you so! O, in which your experience resembles that of Christians on earth. For, do you not see, that if you think at all, feel at all, desire at all, as saints and angels do in heaven, there must have been some heavenly influence shed upon your heart, and some divine change passed upon your spirit? For as neither saints nor angels have taught you their creed or their emotions, and as you did not begin your piety by trying to copy their example, all

yes, if a sense of guilt and unworthiness lie heavy on your heart, you have drunk into the same spirit, which leads all the armies of the redeemed to prostrate their crowns, and to fall on their faces, before the eternal throne. And this is not less true, if you are chiefly pained and ashamed, because your penitence is not so humble as you feel it ought to be. Your humility would not be genuine, if you were quite satisfied with its depth.

The best part of it, is your sense of its defects as der, that angels should desire to look into the a whole, and your desire to sink lower in all low-cause of this wonderful consummation? There is liness of mind before God.

Well; what do you think now of your own penitence, after having thus looked at heavenly penitence? Of course, you are more ashamed of its imperfections than ever. So you ought. But still, you are conscious of some fellow-feeling with the church of the first-born in heaven. You also wish for more of their meek and lowly spirit. It commends itself to both your judgment and your taste. Your heart does not rise against it, as something repulsive or mortifying. You can say with truth, "Blessed are they that mourn."Well; what is all this, but proof that you have been taught of God, and thus that you are training up for the perfect and eternal humility of heaven?

nothing like this, amongst all the ongoings or results of visible or invisible things. This is the moral image of God multiplying itself, now that physical creation has stopped; and magnifying itself more than another creation could do. O, it is not from compulsion, nor in mere obedience to law, that angels look into the sufferings of Christ! The results of his sacrifice, and of the intercession founded upon it, are for ever telling with such effect upon all the moral movements and enjoyments of all worlds, as to keep the new song for ever new, and the universe its widening, willing, welcoming temple. It is in gratitude, and from a deep sense of unspeakable obligation, and not in compliment nor from custom,-that all angels cry aloud, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain." He Another prominent feature of the spirit of is of more worth to them-than all the glories of heaven, is, the love and gratitude it breathes to creation; than all the wisdom of Providence; than the Saviour. He is, emphatically, "all in all," to all the wealth of eternity: for he alone is "the all the armies of heaven. The very angels, who brightness of the Father's glory, and the express need no Saviour, desire to look into the sufferings image of his person." Only in Christ crucified is of Christ, and the glory which shall for ever follow the heart of God fully unveiled; and as their chief them. Did you ever mark the distinction which happiness must for ever spring from his love, anangels thus make between the sufferings of Christ, gels may well sing, "Worthy the Lamb;" seeing and every thing else they study or admire? Of the Lamb is both the mirror and the miracle, the nothing else is it said, that they "desire" to look alpha and omega, of the paternal love of their into it. They do look into every thing which the God and our God, of their Father and our Father. universe presents to their notice. Their eye Now, how far do you sympathize with them, in ranges the whole array of the works of Creation this preference and pleasure? How near are you and Providence, and tries, no doubt, to penetrate "come to the innumerable company of angels," in the arcana of both. They are as full of eyes to thus recognising and admiring the Lamb" in the discern and enjoy, as heaven itself is full of won- midst" of every thing, and as the glory of all ders. Nothing, however, interests or affects them things? Mark well both your sentiments and so much, as the sufferings of Christ. The Lamb emotions, now that you see all angelic eyes turned "in the midst of the throne," is in the midst of to him, and hear all angelic harps tuned to him, every thing to them! In the midst of universal equally as "to him that sitteth upon the throne!" nature; for by him were all things created, visible"What think ye of Christ ?"-How do you feel and invisible. In the midst of universal Provi- toward him? Are you gratified-delighted-stidence; for by him all things are upheld and regu-mulated by the love and allegiance, the homage lated. In the midst of universal government; and gratitude, thus given to the Saviour by all the for he is head over all things; thrones and dominions, principalities, and powers, being subject to him. In the midst of universal knowledge; for "the Lamb is the light" of heaven. In the midst of universal glory; for he is the source and centre of all the "exceeding and eternal weight of glory." By looking into his sufferings, therefore, angels see every thing else, in its true character and chief design: for the full meaning of all things, is seen through the "rent veil" of his humanity, and only through it. Indeed, apart from the atonement, the moral order of the universe is all mystery, and the light of nature all darkness, in heaven itself as well as on earth; for one thing is for ever going on in heaven, which neither suns nor systems, laws nor oracles, can explain the peopling of heaven with the reconciled and sanctified enemies of God, from the earth. This world is thus the wonder of all worlds; for, This is no accident! This is not one of the what are stars moving in their courses, or suns forms which a refined taste or a powerful imagi wheeling around the magnetic centre of creation, nation can give to the desires of the heart. No, or both flashing their splendors upon the vacant indeed: it is not in this direction, that genius spaces of infinity; compared with immortal spirits, leads, or that mere education can draw the affeconce earthly and unholy, and alienated; but now tions of the soul. The holy Spirit has come near in the image of God, advancing to the throne of both as a teacher and a sanctifier to the soul, that God, and taking a place and a part before it, which comes thus near to the innumerable company of angels themselves might covet? Who can won-angels, in thought and feeling.

heavenly hosts? If so you have "drank into the same spirit" with them. How else could you enter into, and participate in, their highest views and holiest feelings? Nature does not teach these lessons, even in heaven: who then but the SPIRIT could have taught you on earth?

Thus, it was not in compliment at all, nor in prophecy merely, that Paul said to believers, "Ye are come to an innumerable company of angels." He was stating a fact in Christian experience, as sober as it is sublime. We "are come" to the same conclusions as angels, in regard to the Godhead, the glory, and the grace of the Saviour.We "are come" to the same resolution as angels, "to crown him, Lord of all." We "are come" to the same maxim as angels, to desire to look into the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

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