Preface

The substance of the following little treatise was given to my congregation some few years since, in a course of week-day sermons. It occurred to me at the time that peradventure what had instructed my own flock might be of some small service to others; but for some reason or other the matter was laid aside. The intention then coneeived is now fulfilled, though amidst innumerable occupations, and some painful circumstances in my relative circle.

My mind was led to this subject, and has been sometimes helped in passing through it, by a similar course of sermons, contained in the works of Dr. Manton, that very celebrated homiletical divine among our great ancestors, the Nonconformist ministers ejected from the Hstablished Church in 1662. No one will dispute the title I have justly applied to zm, who is informed that he published five bulky folio volumes of pulpit discourses; one of which contained a series of sermons on the hundred and nineteenth Psalm. One is ready to ask, where did the writers of those days find readers of their ponderous tomes of theology? We answer, among all the professors of spiritual religion, who had both more love for the subject, and il PREFACE.

more leisure to study it, than we of this age, and who had scarcely any other books to read. ts With a deep conviction and a due sense of the extreme prolixity, scholasticism, bad taste, and verbosity — not to speak of occasional mysticism, distorted evangelism, and somewhat spurious theopathy — of most of the writers of — that celebrated school, I confess to a strong partiality for them. We have no occasion, I am convinced, to be ashamed of our ancestors. In surveying their works, we feel something like the descendants of some noble families, when they bring out from their wardrobes and museums the rich dresses and antique furniture of their forefathers, who may smile at many things that now appear grotesque, but which still are valuable in themselves, and proofs of affluence, and exhibitions of former wealth and grandeur. The sound, rich theology of the first Nonconformists, when modified by the aids of modern exegesis — their deep devotion — their extensive knowledge of the great text book of all preachers — their constant aim to improve the heart, to guide the conscience, and to sanctify the life — in short, their thorough understanding of what is the true object of the Christian preacher, and their undiverted endeavour to accomplish it, render their works worthy to be held in everlasting remembrance: and which when read and studied with all the corrective advantages of modern criticism, cannot fail to benefit those who will hold converse with them. Who in a right frame of mind can read Owen, notwithstanding his antiquated style, his obscure scholasticism, and extreme wordiness; or the fervent Baxter; or the sublime Howe; or, passing from the Nonconformists to Episcopal writers, the copious Barrow, the meditative Hall, and above the rest, the sweet and unctuous Leighton, whose every page is redolent with the odour of that Name which is above every name — without profit? No; we cannot spare the works of these men. Nor ought they to be retained upon our shelves for show, but not for use, like pieces of old armour on the walls of a museum, which have had their use, and are only retained as memorials of the past. If the light and accuracy of modern criticism and philosophy shall do nothing more than rub off the rust that time has deposited upon these sacred weapons, and adapt them more perfectly to the tactics of modern warfare, it will perform a valuable service; but to abandon them altogether for other instruments, of entirely new construction, and even of new material, will be to exchange the theology of the Bible for a dubious philosophy, and to throw away ‘‘the armour of God,” for a human invented panoply. Men that studied their Bibles, either by the light of the martyr’s taper, or amidst the gloom of a dungeon, might be supposed, if the secret of the Lord be with them that fear him, to have known much of the mind of the Spirit.

The following treatise is a humble effort to follow, with unequal steps, I admit, the example of these great men in the selection of their topics, and their mode of treating them. But between my book and Manton’s there is as much difference in value as there is in bulk. Yet some will read mine who will never see his.

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The design of this work is to aid the Christian in the practice of theology, rather than the divine in the study of it. I write for the disciple, not for the teacher. To awaken the sinner, guide the inquirer, and aid the believer in the path of life — rather than to lead the student through the intricate labyrinths of controversy or into the depths of profound Biblical knowledge — is the highest object which my literary ambition has ever led me to seek, or my own consciousness will ever lead me to hope that I can obtain.

In this work I have selected what none will deny is the great principle of the spiritual life, of the Christian character, and of holy conduct. There zs such a thing as the spiritual LIFE. Religion is nothing apart from it. Without this, however correct may be its outward form and expression, it is a picture or a statue; it may bea beautiful one, but it is dead. Faith is the expression of this life, or rather it is the principle of life itself which developes in all other expressions of it. The spiritual life is subject of course to all the varieties which mark the course of our physical vitality; and hence the reality of what is called experimental religion or religious experience. There is perhaps no subject less understood or more abused than this. Man is a being possessed of the various faculties of intellect, will, passions, and conscience. Religion is designed to influence all these, for it takes the whole soul under its guidance, influence, and impulsion. It gives light to the intellect, determination to the will, emotion to the heart, tenderness to the conscience, and purity to the imagination; and brings out the effect of this joint operation of the soul in all the beauties of a holy life. It falls from heaven upon the whole soul like the solar ray upon the prism, which divides and distributes the distinct and separate colours over the whole glassy substance. But men are apt to distort this beautiful consummation, and represent religion too much as consisting only, or in the predominance, of one colour.,

There have been, so to speak, different schools, distinguished by the predominance they give in their representations of the influence of religion over one or other of the faculties of the soul. Some, like Sandeman, or Walker of Dublin, have resolved it into the intellect, and made true personal piety to consist of correct knowledge, almost to the exclusion of the affections; and have presented religion in the form of an icicle — clear, but cold. Others, like Mr. Finney, have made it to consist almost exclusively of the determination of the will: this is to render it like a sceptre of iron — stern, inflexible, and powerful; but still hard. cold, and unfeeling. Others, like Madame Guion, Thomas a Kempis, and perhaps some of the modern Methodists, give too great a prominence in experimental religion to the emotions: this is to exhibit religion as the morbid excitement and variations produced by stimulants, rather than the sober feelings and steady continuous action of health. Others again, such as Papists, Puseyites, and many of a better school, resolve nearly the whole of experimental religion into the imaginaal PREFACE.

tion, and make it consist of the soul’s intercourse, through this faculty, aided by the senses, with persons, places, and events of deep historic interest: this is to make it consist of a species of poesy, which delights the subject of it with its pathetic and beautiful mental pictures, pleasing associations, and brilliant images, while perhaps the intellect is uninformed, the will unsubdued, and the conscience unenlightened.

It is very clear to some observant minds, that there is in this age a species of religious writing emanating from the evangelical school of divinity, and included in its experimental department, which partakes far too much of the soft, the pensive, the plaintive, the sentimental, to constitute a robust and healthful piety, and which is the more seductive on account of its seeming deep-toned spirituality. There is unquestionably considerable mental luxury in those hours and frames of meditative stillness and tender emotion, which are indulged and enjoyed when such works are perused, in which all that is spiritually pathetic appeals to all that is susceptible in our nature, and the sweet cordials of luscious consolation are administered by the hand of gentleness, from the tasteful cup of elegant and touching composition. And such reading no doubt tends to foster the esthetical part of religion. Yet it is a question whether this kind of works does not substitute for a healthy personal religion, a vague emotional mysticism — a weak solution of religious feeling and poetic sentiment; whether it does not enervate the soul and render it less athletic in mortifying corruption — less disposed to cherish

PREFACE, Vii

and exercise a self-denying and warm-hearted philanthropy, and more inclined to indulge the tastes of the religious recluse, than of the evangelist and the reformer of this dark, wicked, and wretched world.

There is also another series of once popular and widely circulated devotional and theological works, but now forgotten, or nearly so, amidst the multitude of more modern ones that have superseded them in public favour, to which I would for a moment allude, especially as bearing a resemblance in name to this treatise, I mean Romaine’s “Tife,” “Walk,” and “Triumph of Faith.” Of these works it may be said, they are each the reproduction of the other, and all three are books of one idea — but that one how

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great and glorious — “‘ CHRIST 1S ALL:” or put in another form, “THE LorD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” With what delight the intelligent and devout believer, whose creed and whose heart are replete with Christology, may and must read these works, I need not say; but he must be an intelligent and devout believer to do so. He must be like their author, so entirely in the holy spell and fascination of the cross of Christ, as to be able to look at nothing else. This was the case with Romaine: he so constantly walked and basked in the noontide glory of the Sun of Righteousness, that he had eyes for no other object. He was so engrossed with the great orb of gospel light, that he saw not even the wide and glowing landscape of beauty which that Sun revealed and illuminated. His faith was only or chiefly faith in Christ for justification. He shut up his readers to faith, and shut up that faith to Christ. It was

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a noble seclusion I admit, and yet it may be doubted whether it was a scriptural one. Christ is the centre of the Christian scheme, but there is also a circumference; and a true faith, while it begins at the centre, does not stop there, but radiates through all the intermediate spaces to the outer circle. Romaine’s works, spiritual, evangelical, and experimental as they are, must be considered by every judicious mind as defective, — they are not a fair impress of the New Testament as a whole: there is, if not too much of Paul, too little of James; if not too much of the epistle to the Galatians, too little of the Sermon upon the Mount. Or to give another illustration, he dwelt almost exclusively on the justifying faith of the epistle to the Romans, without taking up either the justifying works of the epistle of James, or the general faith of the eleventh chapter of the epistle to the Hebrews. What was the consequence? Just what might have been expected: he prepared the way for theoretic Antinomianism, and many of his hearers when he died became the admirers and followers of that notorious personification of spiritual pride, presumption, and arrogance, William Huntington. For what zs Antinomianism? The gospel abstracted from the law and resting upon a basis of sovereign mercy, instead of being founded upon the principles of moral government — a scheme intended to subvert the law, while mercy is exercised towards its offenders. A true faith therefore, must be exercised as much towards all the duties of the law as towards all the blessings of the gospel.

It has been my object in the present volume to combine,

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as far as I could, the theoretical, practical, and experimental, in the representation of personal religion. In true godliness, there must be some great truths received in the exercise of intelligent faith: these must be felt in their influence upon the affections, and carried out in practical and visible operation in the life. We cannot conceive of a true religion which does not affect the whole man; nor can we conceive of a true revelation which is not adapted to produce such a religion. Now it is the glory of Christianity that it does this. It addresses itself to all our faculties; it meets us in all our changeful circumstances; and is adapted to all our conditions of existence. If this de so, then a true faith must be that which, as a principle of action, is as extensive as the details of the Bible, or as the varieties of our situation and experience. There is no exercise of true religion with which faith has nothing to do. No religious duty can be performed, whether relating to God the Father or Christ; to Providence or grace; to God or to man; to justification, sanctification, or consolation; to prosperity or adversity; to life, death, or eternity; which does not involve the exercise of faith. In the Christian life, it is the vital blood which, gushing from the renewed heart, flows through the whole frame ot godliness, carrying warmth, health, and strength to its minutest parts, and to its very extremities. Where this comes not, there is coldness and death. This constitutes the pulse of the soul, which indicates, as it beats feebly or vigorously, the state of the soul’s health, and its degree of vigour and vitality.

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It is therefore quite apparent that I have not too much widened the sphere of faith in giving it the varied application set forth in this volume. Too many, like Romaine, - have opened for it only one channel to flow in, and that is justification. If too much prominence has not been given to doctrinal instruction, too little has been devoted to that which is practical. It is not knowledge, so much as love, which constitutes the Christian — the love which is the working of faith. Few can make high attainments in knowledge, but all may grow illimitably in the exercise of the holy, submissive, and kindly feelings. There is nothing now so much needed by and for Christianity, as an earnest exemplification of Christ’s own teachings in his Sermon upon the Mount, founded on the apostle’s doctrine of justification by faith. This exhibited by the church in the sight of all the world, would establish the law by faith; would preach louder than a thousand voices; would be more eloquent than ten thousand volumes; would carry to the minds of many a deeper conviction than the most conclusive logic; and do more to recommend the system of orthodox doctrine than the most powerful and attractive rhetoric. Let those who would see the error of many false systems of religion, and see the nature of the true one, ponder deeply the apostle’s saying, “ln Jesus Christ, neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision; but FAITH WHICH WORKETH BY LOVE.”

JoA. J.

COON a HN PS,

CHAPTER ok: PAGE

Faith in General.: 2: 5: = ‘ 1L
CHAPTER II.

CHAPTER III.

Faith in relation to Sanctification 3 ‘ 5! 5: 56

CHAPTER IY.

The Joy of Faith. 82
CHAPTER V.

The Work of Faith A:: 107
CHAPTER VI.

Faith’s Victory over the World::::: 131
CHAPTER VII.

Faith in Prayer.: A:::: 155

CHAPTER VIII.
Faith in Hearing the Word.:: ‘ - ay B88
a
CHAPTER IX.

Strong Faith, including the Assurance of Faith

CHAPTER X.

Faith in reference to the Blessings of this Life

CHAPTER XI.

Faith’s Exercise in reference to Affliction

CHAPTER XII.

Faith in reference to Death j 4

CHAPTER XIII.
Faith in its Relation to Heaven