For the Hopkinsian Magazine. ON TRUE FAITH. the gospel cannot be turned from their purpose of declaring the [Concluded from page 357.] whole counsel of God, when there REMARKS.-1. If true faith has are favourable appearances respectbeen properly described, then it ing a revival of religion? How of should be faithfully and frequently ten has it been said of late, that preached in time of revival. In- frequently preaching some particudeed, this subject holds such a lar and offensive doctrines, destroys prominent place in the scriptures, and prevents revivals? There are and in the examples of the apos- no subjects, respecting which mantle's preaching, that many who are kind in general are so much disunwilling to have the peculiar and posed freely and decidedly to give self-denying doctrines of the gos- their opinion, as they are respectpel preached with plainness in time ing the truth, and especially the of revival, for some reason or other, utility, of the peculiar doctrines of will admit that the doctrines of the gospel; and certainly nothing faith and repentance, if no others, else so much betrays their hearts. ought then to be preached. This For, if true faith implies the belief general and popular admission is and love of all known truth, then undoubtedly correct; for true faith to deny the truth or utility of the is every where in the scriptures re- leading doctrines of the scriptures, cognized as an essential condition manifests a heart destitute of true of salvation. We have the divine faith, without which, says the apostestimony, that "without faith it is tle, it is impossible to please God. impossible to please God, and what- 3. If true faith is grounded on soever is not of faith, is sin." True love, repentance and faith, are the lowest possible conditions of salvation, and are the proper and scriptural answer to the inquiry, "What must I do to be saved." the evidence of divine truth, then all that faith which is founded upupon error and delusion, is false and dangerous. There is now, and ever since the apostacy of mankind always has been, much more false faith in the world, than true.Thousands and millions of mankind have built their religious faith upon impressions, dreams and visions, or the misapplication and perversion 2. If true faith implies a cordial love of divine truth, and rejoicing in it, then those who are habitually displeased, disheartened and discouraged by the full and faithful exhibition of divine truth, manifest of the promises of the Bible; but all by such conduct that they are destitute of the faith of the gospel.How often is it said that some particular doctrines, even if they are true, are unprofitable, or of a pernicious tendency. It is more common of late for such persons to impeach the utility, than the validity of divine truth. How uniformly are such persons discouraged from making vigorous and persevering efforts to promote a revival of religion, when faithful ministers of such faith is groundless, absurd, and extremely dangerous. All false religion is grounded upon some false notion of the divine character, divine goodness, divine mercy, or the ultimate design of God, who has "made all things for himself, yea even the wicked for the day of evil." 4. In view of this subject, it is easy to see what is the true prayer of faith. It is simply the combination of prayer with true faith. It can ever be effectually refuted, without denying and refuting the first principle upon which that and many other destructive errors are founded? It is said in scripture that God "will have all men to be saved," and that he is "not willing that ny should perish, but that all should come to repentance." If the Arminian construction of these texts is correct, then who can stand against the false notion of the pray is praying with true faith in God, believing he is what his word and works declare him to be, and believing he will fulfil all his purposes, predictions, threatenings and prom ises, in such a manner, in such a time, and to such an extent, as he thinks best. The true pr yer of faith implies perfect confidence in the wisdom, power, and goodness of God, supreme love to him, perfect submission to his will, holy and ardent desires for the objects prayer of faith, or any other scheme or ed for, a present view of the affect ing realities of the invisible world, and a proper sense of our dependence, unworthiness, and necessities. Nothing is so well adapted to lead us to pray without ceasing, as true faith, which implies a present, just, and ffecting view of God and heaven and the world of woe; and of the true character, condition, dependence and necessities of ourselves and others around us.What is falsely called the prayer of faith, may with more propriety be called faith in their prayers, feel ings and impressions. But all such faith is delusive, vain and dangeLet a person give himself up to follow his peculiar feelings and im ressions, and he invites the great adversary to lead him captive at his will, until by blindness and self-deception, he has destroyed many others, if not himself. It becomes every Christian, and especially every minister of the gospel, after the example of the discriminating and faithful in past ages, to lift up his voice against such visionary, dangerous and destructive notions of faith, and by de-cribing and enforcing the true faith of the gospel, lay the axe at the root of all fatal error and delusion And to those, who see the danger attending the late theory falsely called the prayer of faith, I would respect fully submit the enquiry whether it rous. species of Universalism? If God desires, all things considered, that all should come to repentence nd be saved, or constantly have his Holy Spirit, and be perfectly free from sin; then it is j st as certain that all men will be saved; and even that there is not, and never has been, and never will be, any sin in the world, as it is that God governs the moral world, and works in men to will and to do of his own good pleasure. But it is not true that God desires, all things considered, that all men should have his Holy Spirit, or that any man should have it constantly in this life. The moral imperfection of Christians in this life, will be the occasion of forever displaying the grace of God, and of exciting the peculiar and joyful feelings they will have in singing the "new song which none can learn but those who are redeemed from the earth." It is certain that the peculiar felicity of saints in heaven, will be promoted by their sinfulness in this life. And it is certain that the best possible system of holiness and happiness includes "vessels of wrath, fitted to destruction." And how many it is best should remain totally sinful, and how imperfect it is best for any and every saint to be, the all-wise God only knows But it is a matter of rejoicing that he knows, and that he has determined the charac ter and destiny of every individual. And no man can be holy, as he is holy, without perfect submission to his will, and choosing the existence of both natural and moral evil, in himself and others, in the same sense in which God does, that is, for the glory of God and the highest good of his kingdom. It is devoutly hoped, that every friend of true religion will see the necessity and importance of maintaining this ground, which only will enable Christians to stand against fatal error. into the most astonishing and dangerous credulity respecting the professions of human beings, and the most exaggerated favorable reports which are in circ lation? What blindness respecting men and things, and the "signs of the times" has usually accompanied false faith? But how much soever, those, who are deluded by this false faith, may be deceived respecting others; they are commonly more deceived resp cting themselves. How often have they mistaken presumption for trust in God, fiery zeal for engagedness in religion, self-sufficiency for eminent piety, and self-seeking for devotedness to the cause of Christ? How often under the deluding and binding influence of a false faith, have persons, even in their religious exercises, their prayers and preaching, indulged in practices, not only disorderly and indecent, but absolutely immoral and profane? Such self-deception is never more prevalent, than in seasons of great religious excitement, and is one of the most successful means, employed by the great Adversary, to disparage revivals of religion. See Pres. Edwards' "Thoughts on the Revival of Religion in New-England, 1740." 5 Iftrue faith founded on proper evidence, always leads its possessor to confidence in God and not in himself; then it is not strange that false faith, which is always founded upon error and delusion, has generally led its votaries to exercise a criminal and dangerous confidence in themselves. Some, under the influence of false faith, have fondly dreamed that they could forgive sins, work miracles, or reveal future events. Some, by means of false faith, have thought they possessed so much true faith, goodness, influence and importance, that they could promote true conversions and revivals, where, and when, and to the extent they pleased! Many, by this means, have Finally. In view of this subject, been led to exercise such presump- let Christians live and walk nd tuous self-confidence, as without pray in true faith. This is the the least fear to "rush in where an- victory, says the apostle, which overgels fear to tread," pray without sub- cometh the world, even our faith. mission for any and every spiritual Every where in the Bible and in blessing they desired; direct infi- divine providence God has maninite wisdom where, and when, and fested that Christian faithfulness on what individual, or number of is the appointed me ns of procur individuals, to bestow his grace; ing divine f vors. It is as true and with unheard of presumption, now, as it ever was, that God “will claim the fulfilment of divine prom- be inquired of by the house of Israises in the particular manner in el," before he grants his people sigwhich they thought best! By n favors. By terrible things in trusting to their impressions and righteousness," God has often anfeelings, how many have been led swered the cries of his people who have called upon him out of a pure heart. But whatever great and glorious events have taken place in answer to the faithful prayers and exertions of God's people in time past, by far more terrible and joyful events are yet to be expected.The long and obstinate and ungrateful war which mankind have carried on with their holy and soverign Creator, and his true church upon earth, is yet to be closed. And as much as this conflict has exceed ed all others in its length, injustice and obstinacy, so much more unexpected, complete and terrible will be its termination. God will ere long arise in bis glory and majesty, and "shake terribly the whole earth." He will soon "plead his own cause," "avenge his own elect," and vindicate the honor of his great name. It will then be known whose cause is just, whose arm is almighty, and whose glory is abore the heavens. And since God has connected means and ends; it is probable, if not cert in, that the faith and zeal and prayers of the righteous, will correspond with the greatness of their deliverance, and the joy of their salvation. S. C. as it came from God, is truth; and, as found in man, is obedience to truth. The real welfare of christianity, therefore, never can require that those who profess it should be ignorant of its princi ples; and, if the existing system of measures involves the necessity of such ignorance, it is so far radically defective. 'KNOWLEDGE,' in religion, as in every thing else, ́ 16 POWER;' and the efforts of knowl edge in doing good, while they are incomparably less toilsome than the efforts of ignorance, are at the same time incomparably more productive. The consequence of such a state of things, is, that the religion of the present day consists too little in the knowledge of Divine Truth, and too much in the excitement of the animal feelings, and the corresponding movements of the lips and the hands. That kind of preaching which requires thought in the hearer, and is calcul ted to inform his mind, is in many places, from a mere unwillingness to think, ceasing to be popular; and it is therefore giving place to another kind, which either merely excites his feelings, or informs him how he feels, or occasionally impets him to benevolent action. The conse quence will be a failure on the part of ministers to instruct their people, and a wide-spread ignorance in the people of the great principles of christianity. If our fathers established these principles sufficiently, their knowledge was not, like their est tes, hereditary; nor shall we acquire it, but as they did, by study and research. The Christians of the present day know indeed, better than their father's knew, how to give, and how to tabour; but in the duty of being able to giv very man a reason for the hope t is in them, the church of America has most obviously mind. The effect of novel-reading is more deleterious than that of poetry, because the excitement is in general more powerful; and that the novelist relies more simply on the passion of curiosity for producing gratification, than the poet does, who seeks to please by more refined means. is, that by the practice of novelThe consequence reading, the imagination becomes diseased, as the effect of an unnatural excitement, which, not being carried off by any correspondent exertion of a practical kind, is thrown back as it were on itself.― In real life, the mind becomes strengthened by being accustomed to the contemplation of danger and suffering. In other words, fear and pity are lessened and become weaker in our minds, in proportion as we learn to govern and suppress imaginations in encountering danger and relieving misery. Indefimite objects excite the strongest emotions, because they are viewed through the medium of imagination; but let us become acquainted with their true shape and nature, and we begin to wonder how they affected us so powerfully.— But there is no analogy between the influence of real sorrows, and the effect produced by the contemplation of imaginary ones. mind is not strengthened by being The made to feel, but by the exertion requisite to subdue and govern the feeling. Bishop Butler has a striking passage bearing on this subject. gone backward. This ignorance appears in some instances to be rendering our revivals of religion scenes of animal excitement, instead of what they ought to be, the triumphs of truth over the conscience and the heart. Let this evil not be checked, and the time, perhaps, is not distant, when great numbers who profess to be the disciples of Christ, not being 'rooted and grounded in the truth,' will be blown about by every wind of doctrine.' Having taken their opinions on trust, from a favorite teacher, when he is removed, they will become a prey to those, who with cunning craftiness lie in wait to deceive.' The great danger of our churches arises from their ignorance of theology, and their consequent willingness to mi take excitement for piety. These very evils pervaded New-England during the memorable revival of religion in 1740; and, when they had prevailed for a season, subsided into the torpor of sixty years. Let me suggest for your encouragement, brethren, that you can discover the truth of God; and that that truth, perceived, loved and obeyed, will make you holy. Let it therefore never be said of you, as by an Apostle, it was said of the Hebrew christians, 'For when, for the time, ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God.'" 'As habits belonging to the body are produced by external acts, so' (remarks the learned Prelate) 'habits of the mind are produced principles; that is, by carrying by the exertion of inward practical them into act; the principles of obedience, of veracity, justice, and charity. Resolutions to do well are properly acts. But going over |
