ton, Pa., L. G. Bell, Tenn., A. D. Montgomery, Va., N. Murray, Pa., J. F. Price, Ky., J. Montgomery, Ill. J S. Galloway, O., I. Chase, N. Y., J. Dufour, Ind. Governeur, N. Y., J. Witherspoon, N. C.,terson, 2, Pa., G. S. Boardman, N. Y., S. NEW AUXILIARIES. Rock Hill, O., Flemingsburg, Ky., Fal Account of Cash received by the Board of Missions of the General Assembly of Treasurer. $30 00 100 00 50 Annapolis, Ohio, donation from Alex. Patterson, through Rev. R. Henry and A. O. do. D. A. Sayre, 4.00 9 50 Browsnville Congregation, donation from Mrs. M'Kee, by A. O. Patterson, per 1 25 Bethel Congregation, Aux. Soc. Jn. M'Cown, for ensuing year, per S. Thompson, Tr. 50 Charleston, Suraloga co. N Y. donation from H. B. 50 5.00 Coles co. Ill. donation from a friend to Missions, per Rev. Isaac Bennett, do. do. Erie Congre'n. Pa. from treasurer, by Rev. J. Eaton, per S. Thompson, Trea. Laurel Hill Congre'n, four members aux. soc. for ensuing year, Rev. J Guthrie, Louisville, Ky. from the Young Men's Mission'y Soc. per Rev. J. F. Price, Mulberry, Ky. aux. soc. by J. Venable, per A. Hamilton, 50 00 5 00 5 00 23 75 200 Mount Pleasant Congre'n, West Moreland co. Pa., Dr. J. Gladen, a member of the aux. soc. by A. O. Patterson, per S. Thompson, Trea. Meadville, Pa. collected at monthly concert in Presby'n church, by Rev. W. Bushnell, per S. Thompson, Treas. 1 00 30 00 5 75 4 00 91 00 Mary Ann, O. aux. soc. by Rev. Jas. Cunningham, per J. Cunningham, Trea. 17 85 New Lisbon, O. Presby'n Congre'n per C. Vallandingham, Treas. New Lexington, O. Collections per Rev. S. J. Miller. New Castle, Pa. Slippery Rock aux. soc. per R. Semple, Pittsburg, Pa. donation from Miss Nancy Knox, in place of this sum subscribed to Am. S.S. U. per hands of Rev. J. Patterson, per S. T. Tr. 25 00 sundry collections in synod, Penna. Run Congre'n. Ky. from Mr. Lynn, do Mr. J. Rynhard, per do Pleasant Valley O. Presby'n congre'n per C. Vallandingham, Trea. donation from Robert Wallace, Esq. Rochester, N. Y. 1st Presby'n Ch. 50 cent subscriptions, per L. A. Ward, Salem, N. J. aux. soc. per Rev. Mr. Parker, Union Town, Pa. donation from N. Ewing, Esq. per West Carusle, O. aux. soc. by Rev. J. Cunningham, per J. Cunningham, Trea. 1 75 7 00 2 50 38 79 10 00 the Valley of the Mississippi, per Rev. J. Culbertson, Upper Buffalo, Pa. aux. soc. per Rev. W. C. Anderson,* The following sums of money were received during the month of May last, by the Rev. W. C. ANDERSON, but have not been acknowledged until now: 8 25 4 62 13 62 28 62 37 25 40 00 9 48 3 08 36 00 $1,634 55 THE CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE. NOVEMBER, 1831. Heligious Communications. LECTURES ON THE SHORTER CATE not necessary to my present pur CHISM OF THE WESTMINSTER AS- pose-You may find them all men SEMBLY OF DIVINES-ADDRESSED TO YOUTH. LECTURE LXI. In the former part of this course of lectures, when treating of justification, adoption and sanctification, and on the offices executed by Christ as our Redeemer, it was found necessary to explain, to some extent, the nature of saving faith, and of repentance unto life; without this, it would have been impracticable to do any justice to the subjects then discussed. But faith and repentance are of such vital importance in the economy of redeeming mercy; they enter so intimately and extensively into all the gracious exercises of the true believer, that they justly claim a particular and formal treatment; and we accordingly find a distinct notice and description of them, in the unrivalled summary of theological truth contained in our catechism. The first of these these graces is thus defined, in the answer which is to be the subject of the present lecture-"Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel." Faith, it is important to remark and remember, is a term of various signification in the holy scriptures. The whole of these I shall not enumerate, as such an enumeration is VOL. IX.-Ch. Adv. tioned by Cruden in his Concordance, under the word FAITH, and it may be useful to examine them at your leisure. He specifies, as all the systematic writers do, four principal senses of the term, which we shall notice distinctly. I. Historical or doctrinal faith. This is a simple assent to the truths of divine revelation, both historical and doctrinal; which is yielded by many, probably by the most of those who have received a religious education. Of those who are embraced in this description, some may take more interest than others in the contents of the sacred volume; but so long as none of them have more than a speculative or intellectual conviction of its truths, they have nothing beyond what the apostle James denominates a dead faith, and which he tells us the devils possess as truly as they-"the devils believe and tremble." It has been justly remarked, that persons of this character give their attention chiefly to those things in the volume of inspiration which interfere the least with their sinful passions, and occasion the least disturbance to their consciences in a carnal and unregenerate state. Yet even this intellectual knowledge and reception of biblical truth, may have considerable influence in restraining men from gross vice; and it may be found of great practical benefit, if 4 C they are ever brought to make serious business of religion; but unless what they know and assent to as true, shall reach deeper than their understanding and judgment, it will not save their souls, but aggravate their final condemnation. II. There is a temporary faith which not only receives the truths of scripture, but, as our Saviour teaches in the parable of the sower, "receives them with joy,"—that is, divine truth produces a sudden and powerful effect on the natural affections of these "stony ground hearers." They appear for a time to be earnestly engaged in religion, and may perhaps show more warmth and zeal than the true disciples of Christ; nay, even upbraid them for their coldness and want of activity in the cause of God. Yet after all, the root of the matter is not in them-" He hath not root in himself, (saith the Saviour) but dureth for a while; for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended." Instances of this temporary faith are numerous and mournful. In great revivals of religion especially, when there is much that is calculated to awaken the sympathy and excite the passions of men, there are commonly a considerable number who deceive both themselves and others, with an apparent engagedness and zeal in religion, which proves to be only transient. This has raised a prejudice in some minds against all religious revivals. But it is surely an unjustifiable prejudice. "What is the chaff to the wheat, saith the Lord ?" Great harvests of souls are gathered into the garner of life eternal in these revivals-notwithstanding the instances of backsliding and apostacy which too often follow them. But the danger there is lest men take up with something for religion which will not stand the test of time and temptation, does certainly furnish a most cogent reason, why the utmost care should be taken to pre vent so deplorable and fatal a mistake. It is a reason why there should be much sound and discriminating doctrinal preaching and instruction, in times of revival; why ministers and others who converse with inquiring souls, should treat them with great fidelity, mingled with great tenderness; and why an open and formal profession of religion should not be precipitated, but delayed till there has been some suitable period for the probation of those who hope they have passed from death unto life. The truth is, that it is no easy matter for any man to discriminate at once, either in himself or others, between truly gracious affections and their various counterfeits. I am ready to think that any one will be effectually convinced of this, who will read with care the excellent treatise of President Edwards on this subjectwhich he wrote in consequence of the great revival that he witnessed in the former part of his ministry, and which he was greatly instrumental both in promoting and defending. It has been justly remarked-and the fact is enough to make both ministers and people tremble-that when persons have apparently gone far and felt much in religion, whether in revivals or at other times, and then fall away, and become careless and insensible, they are the least likely of all men, to be ever awakened or softened afterwards. They seem to be examples of that awful dereliction, so fearfully described in the sixth chapter of the epistle to the Hebrews. I must here remark, that it is not merely in times of persecution for religion, or when those who profess it suffer opposition, shame and reproach, that a faith which is not sound and saving betrays itself. Without the occurrence of any thing of this kind, there may be a gradual subsiding of those spurious affections and feelings which were once so ardent, and which were mistaken for the evidences of a renewed heart; and the subject of them, under no other influence than that of a carnal and worldly spirit, may, in the strong language of the apostle Peter, "return as a dog to his vomit, and as the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire." Nor have we any reason to doubt, that the kind of faith of which we have been speaking, although in this instance it may not strictly be called temporary, will delude many, till the delusion vanishes in the light of eternity. Hence the solemn warning of the Saviour himself "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us: and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence you are: depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity." III. The faith of miracles is mentioned in the holy scriptures. The exercise of this faith was confined we believe, to the primitive church. It consisted in a firm belief that the possessor of it would, by the power of God accompanying his act, be able to perform a miracle himself; or that, by the same power, he would become the subject of one, wrought in his favour. We have examples of both these kinds of miraculous faith, clearly recorded in the New Testament. To the first, there is a reference when our Saviour said, (Matt. xvii. 20,) "Verily I say unto you, if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." Of the second kind, we have an example in the lame man at Lystra, in regard to whom it is said (Acts xiv. 9, 10,) "The same heard Paul speak; who steadfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet, and he leaped and walked." In like manner our Lord said to two blind men (Matt. ix. 29, 30,) "According to your faith be it unto you, and their eyes were opened." We might be ready to suppose that this faith would be found only in eminently holy persons, and doubtless it was possessed by a number of such, in the first age of the church; but we have unquestionable evidence that it was not confined to sanctified men. The apostle Paul says (1 Cor. xiii. 2,) "Though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing." And our blessed Lord expressly declares (Matt. vii. 22, 23,) "Many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works? and then will I profess unto them, I never knew you, depart from me, ye that work iniquity." By this singular dispensation it would appear, as indeed the apostle seems to intimate in the chapter to which I have referred, that it was the design of God to give a conspicuous proof, that the most shining gifts were valueless-were absolutely nothing-in the matter of our salvation, without the simple principle of love to God and man, which the humblest and most obscure believer might as certainly and fully possess, as those who were the most distinguished in the church; yea, might possess what they might lack, and lack to their eternal undoing. You are aware that the papists maintain that miraculous powers are still possessed and exercised in their church: and the credulity with which the "lying wonders" |