tent and unbelieving by the accursed death of Christ is, "If they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" If Jesus Christ, in whom there was nothing naturally fitted to feed the flames of divine justice, suffered so dreadfully in the expiation of sin, what shall their sufferings be in eternity, whose sins render them as the dry wood, fit only to be burned?

At the same time, the fact that Jesus Christ submitted voluntarily and vicariously to an accursed death, disarms death of its terrors with regard to the believer. Death was unspeakably terrible to Christ, that its terrors might be mitigated to his followers. Our Lord bore the curse of us; and the curse can never rest on him and on his people too. They must submit to death as a penalty; but it is the last penalty they will ever have to pay; and then, through the merit of the divine sufferer, an entrance shall be ministered to them abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of their Lord."

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gregational Magazine for February, the first of my letters to you, which (having been written in brotherly familiarity, and by one whose illness rendered him incapable of the least continued thought) was by no means fit to appear before the public. But the motives which induced you to this friendly indiscretion, if I may so call it, were such that I cannot, my dear brother, be very severe with you for what you have done.

"I repeat to you, that I am far, infinitely far, from thinking, that you intended to wound or hurt us. I had not even the smallest suspicion of such an intention. But your articles being entitled, On the Religious Opinions of the Swiss Dissenters,'* it appeared to me impossible but that the majority of readers would attribute to us the errors which are detailed under that title.

"I must repeat to you also, my much respected brother, (for I attach to this very great importance,) that I disapprove, with the strongest feelings of horror, any way of preaching which could have the smallest tendency either to represent faith as a frigid assent of the

THE EXILED SWISS MINISTERS, TO DR. J. P. SMITH.

(To the Editors.)

GENTLEMEN-In transmitting the following communication from my much valued friend, I need only to supply an inadvertent omission in my last. I ought then to have said, that my correspondent's second letter, as well as his first, was written without his having the smallest idea of its being brought before the public eye.

J. P. S. "Dear Sir, and much honoured Brother-The first feeling of my heart is to assure you of my_entire affection and respect. This is a short expression; but, believe me, it is sincere.-I was not a little surprised to find, in the Con

its place delusions of the imagination, which are the destruction of all religion, or to turn it into a pillow of security to impenitent and careless hearts.

"In the remarks which you prefixed to my first letter, you say that I have omitted the principal point in the discussion, namely, WHAT is the formal proposition, presented to the mind, the cordial belief of which is saving faith? I had indeed glanced at that subject, but only in a transient manner. I will now say something

*The title to the first of those articles was prefixed, not by the writer, but by the Editors. In the title to the subsequent letters, it was expressed as the doctrine attributed to some of the Swiss Christians.-ED.

more exact, to show the way in which I view that part of our topic, leaving you to make what use of it you may think proper. Not that I design to treat at full length on FAITH, enumerating the different feelings and acts of the soul which precede it, which prepare its way, which constitute it, which are associated with it, or which flow necessarily from it. I wish only to endeavour to present it in its most abridged and simple form of expression, according to the word of God.

"Among several methods of putting the question in a clear point of view, (which would all lead to the same result, if care were taken to embrace the whole

comprehension of the promises of God, and the descriptions which his word gives of the faith of believers,) one may present the following, under a form in some sort mathematical

PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS.

"FAITH in the Gospel, is believing the glad tidings. Jesus commenced his ministry by preaching, Repent and believe, (ev r evayyed,) in the glad tidings.' Mark i. 15.

"What these glad tidings announce, is the forgiveness of sins. Among the many passages which prove this, it may suffice to cite that application of the truth which the Lord has himself left us, at the moment of giving the commission to his disciples to go and preach the Gospel through the whole world. Luke xxiv. 46, 47. 'It was necessary that the Christ should suffer, [the French version, in exact accordance with the original,] in order that repentance and the forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name among all nations.' We derive the same conclusion, from comparing this last passage with Mark xvi. 15. in which the Saviour gives his disciples the same charge, in these words, Preach the glad tidings,

the

I

(the literal translation of Greek,) to every creature.' scarcely need to add the grand passage in Acts xiii. 38, 39.

"Having laid down these preliminaries, I now adduce a series of propositions, which appear to me to form a very simple chain of reasoning.

"Prop. I.-The thing to be believed, is the intelligence announced.

"Prop. II.-Faith is believing that intelligence announced, and believing it really and truly As it is announced.

"Prop. III.-The intelligence announced is the forgiveness of

sins.

"Prop. IV. This forgiveness of sins is promised to every man who hears the intelligence of it.

"Prop. V.-Therefore, for every man who hears it, to believe, is to believe in the forgiveness of sins, as promised to himself: in other terms, it is to believe in the promise of the forgiveness of his own sins.

"Thus, FAITH, to every man who hears the Gospel, is believing in the forgiveness of his sins, which God, in his unspeakable mercy, promises him through the blood of the everlasting covenant.

It is only with respect to Prop. IV., that I can conceive it possible that there may be an obscurity of ideas, which may produce an appearance of difficulty. But this, I think, will be entirely removed, and the question put into the clearest light, by referring to the preaching of the apostles themselves. In Acts xiii. 38, 39, we see in what way those great servants of God delivered their message: Be it known unto you, men and brethren ;' thus they apply their preaching directly to the persons present before them: that by this person [dia Tourov] is announced unto you the remission of sins;' announced unto you, to each one in particular to whom the

apostle was speaking. And through him whosoever believeth, is justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses;' ye, each of those individually who heard the apostle declare these things. So likewise, in Acts ii. 39, after the Apostle Peter has proclaimed the forgiveness of sins, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, which is the seal thereof, (see 2 Cor. i. 21, 22.; Eph. i. 13, iv. 30.; 1 John ii. 20, 27,) he adds, The promise is unto you; you, the very persons who heard him thus preach.' He further adds, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call the promise is, therefore, made to all who are called by the voice of the Gospel. Again, let us take Eph. i. 13. Ye also, when ye had heard the word of truth, the glad tidings of your salvation; in which, [ev, i. e. evayyedɩw, the Gospel, the glad tidings,] after ye had believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.' What was that word which they had heard, the word of truth?' It was theglad tidings of their salvation;' their salvation, theirs in particular. In what had they believed? In the glad tidings of their salvation;' theirs in particular. After what were they sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise?' Surely it was, after having believed in the glad tidings of their salvation;' their own salvation. I do not see how the most determined opposer could resist such a passage.

6

"If even the word of God had not been thus particular, bare common sense would tell us that the promise, being absolutely general, includes an absolute and strict particularity. To suppose that a message addressed to all sinners, does not respect each sinner in particular, is a contradiction in terms. It is an absurd notion, which a great number of persons

have in their minds, without suspecting it, which holds them in the bondage of a vague uncertainty, obstructs their spiritual progress, and deprives them of the happy liberty, and the open-hearted joy of the children of God.

"An example may be of service to some persons. Ten state-prisoners are expecting their execution.

A herald from the King enters their condemned cell, and cries out, Mercy from our Sovereign! Pardon for all! Let those who believe this testimony from him come forth, and pour their tears of gratitude at their Monarch's feet.' Nine come forth with joy; but one stays in his dungeon. Some kind friend says to him,

"

What, you! Do not you believe this? O, yes,' says he, I certainly believe the promise of pardon made to us all; but I do not know whether I should believe it for myself in particular; whether I have any personal interest in it. My friend,' replies the messenger of the glad tidings, ' either you have lost your senses, or you say what you know not to be true; but it is clear that you do not believe the promise as made to all the ten, because you do not believe it for yourself, who are one of the ten.' We may further suppose this tenth offender, absorbed in the feelings of his dreadful criminality, thus replying to the herald's words, My ears have, it is true, heard the news of pardon; but my heart dares not believe that it can possibly have any respect to me, me who am a thousand times more base and vile than all the rest. Did not you then hear the words ALL? Pardon for ALL?'

All! what? All without exception;'- Yes, indeed; it is all, absolutely all. Here is the King's writ of pardon: read it yourself.' It is true; all! no exception; all! Then I believe.' He quits his prison, and runs to mingle his tears of love with those

of his companions, at the feet of the Prince who has loved him.

"One might argue the nature of faith by a course of reasoning even more simple, perhaps, than the preceding, and founded on 1 John v. 9-11, for we should not proceed a step without the support of the Bible.

"Faith is believing the testimony of God.

"What is this testimony of God? It is, that he hath given to us eternal life.'

"Therefore, faith is believing that God hath given to us this eternal life in Christ Jesus, his Son and our Saviour.

"Can any person need to be told that the word us implies each one of us; the collective term implying the distributive.

"It is indispensable to remark here, that very many persons, who have not yet attained to this clear view of the divine promise, are, nevertheless, real believers, and children of God, making Jesus, the Saviour, their only refuge. But it is generally, perhaps we might say always, the case, that, before the end of their mortal course, a day comes in which the clouds which deprive them of the bright shining of the Sun of Righteousness are dispelled, and their doubts vanish away before the distinct contemplation, and the full enjoyment of God's all-gracious promise.

"It is also important to observe, that many persons who are truly the subjects of the saving work of the Divine Spirit, if they were asked whether they believe in the forgiveness of their own sins, would suppose that they ought to look upon such a decisive belief as partaking of the character of rashness; while the fact is, that they do sincerely and internally believe that they are the subjects of saving grace, though they do not, so to speak, enunciate to their own minds the express proposition affirming this. The evidence of

this internal persuasion lies in the holy peace of soul which they enjoy. A truly serious person, trembling upon the brink of eternity, but in a state of uncertainty between an immortality of joy and a condition the most dreadful, could not enjoy such peace; it would even be sinful. But however for a time veiled by darkness of mind, the seal of the Spirit has been by grace impressed on the heart; and when that darkness is at last driven far away, such Christians will have reason to say,

Surely the Lord was in this place,' and had given me the proof of it too; yet I knew it not.'

"I shall only add, without enlargement, a few further observations, which I regard as essential to a correct view of this momentous subject.

"I. BELIEVING is believing with the heart, Rom. x. 2; it is believing with all the heart, Acts viii. 37; it is believing, not with a false and sinister heart, but with an honest and good heart, Luke viii. 15. Now it is the heart that God requires, Prov. xxiii. 19, 26; it is the heart which must be opened to his word, Acts xvi. 14; it is heartily [de bon cœur, French version of ασμένως,] that the word is to be received, Acts ii. 41; it is in a heart which is right in the sight of God, Acts viii. 21.

"II. Believing with the heart in the remission of sins, necessarily includes the repentance of the heart. For how could a man embrace cordially, that is, with the full acquiescence of his heart, the remission of sins in Christ; when his heart did not feel his need of that remission, and such a remission as it really is in the Lord Jesus Christ?

"III. The promise of the remission of sins includes, by implication, the promise of sanctification. An infinitely HOLY God can bestow none but a holy forgiveness. For such a God as our God to promise salvation by grace, is to

promise holiness. 1 Cor. i. 30; 2 Cor. v. 17; John xv. 1, 4, 5; 1 Cor. vi. 11.

"IV. Feelings inseparable from believing with the heart in the glad tidings, are the abhorrence of sin, and the earnest longing of that heart towards God's commandments, and his grace to enable to fulfil them. It is impossible that a man, who has been enabled by the Holy Spirit to believe in his heart that his sins have assuredly been expiated by the awful agonies, the deep abasement, the shame, the curse, and the infinitely precious blood of the Son of God; that a man whose heart believes the inexpressible mercy by which God has given him pardon, salvation, and life, for ever, and of free grace; it is impossible that such a man should not regard sin with the utmost horror, and the holy service of his God as his greatest delight; it is impossible that he should not proclaim, from his very inmost soul, the declaration of a war of extermination against all sin, and a vow of consecration, without reserve, to his God who has loved him without limit and without reserve. God purifies the heart by faith,' saith the Bible.

"Farewell my dear brother; I am happy in the thought that you believe in the entire esteem and sincere affection with which I am, &c. &c.

* * *, Feb. 15, 1827.”

#

*

I happened to be present a short time since at a meeting of ministers, where the subject was discussed, and was much gratified by the opinion (founded on what I conceive to be correct and enlightened principles), expressed by two gentlemen, whose influence in the Christian world is deservedly great, and whose attachment to Congregational principles admits not the shadow of a doubt. Their avowed opinion was this, that in the anticipated union of Congregational Churches in London and its vicinity, the use of the Liturgy, so far as their influence went, would not constitute an insuperable obstacle, provided the church desirous of uniting was formed and regulated on Congregational principles. This avowal was accompanied with a reason, which appeared to me unanswerable. “We maintain the indisputable right of Christian churches to regulate their affairs independently of control by other ministers or churches; on what principle, consistent with this right, can we prescribe to any church the manner in which its worship shall be conducted? Has it not as undoubted a right to adopt a form of prayer as to use free prayer; and if a form, why may it not adopt the Liturgy of the Church of England, either entire, or omitting or altering any part as they may deem expedient.' this principle I am content to rest the case; here are churches regularly organized, electing their own officers, admitting their members, and regulating their affairs as Congregational Churches; are we to refuse to recognise them as such, because they think proper to conduct their worship in a manner somewhat different from ourselves? Would not such conduct be an infringement of the privileges we deem so valuable, and of the prerogative for which we so zealously contend? The question is important; if these sentiments be correct, the mere adoption of the

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