and with more or less of other truths mingled with it, it will be needful to inquire with what correctness, and to what extent, it must be exhibited in order to become effectual to salvation? That object, we have maintained, must at all times be one and the same, and cannot in itself be changed, that it must be known to be believed, and must be taught to be known, and that there is no more nor less of salvation in the faith than in its object. Let us banish the thought for ever that anything else can in the least degree be saving. Let us repudiate the something else, just because it is something else. We do not want to know what that something else is which is proposed to be substituted for the old truths of the gospel, it is enough for us to know that it is something else. We are bound to examine it, we may be told, before we reject it. Not, we reply, if we do not want it, and are thoroughly satisfied with what we have. We are wedded to the truth we have embraced, and it is sinful and revolting to speak to us of the charms of any other. We have no need, therefore, or inclination for something else. The fact that it is something else is sufficient to convince us that it is something false, and something at once to be rejected and condemned. This sentiment we reiterate, because of its great import, and the necessity for keeping it in mind in our subsequent inquiries. Whatever additions may be made to the presentation of the one object of saving faith can be no part of that object, and in obscure representations the only question that can arise is, whether it be really there or not? It is in itself so distinct that its presence or absence may without much difficulty be discerned. Once know what it is, and it will be easy to know where it is. It is not needful, nor, indeed, possible that the whole gospel should be presented at one view; but so perfect is the system that the whole is virtually contained in any one of its essential parts, and so simple is it, both in its oneness and harmony, so fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, that each part contains the whole as well as the whole every part. Substitution, for instance, atonement, imputed righteousness, are parts, each one of which includes the whole. Whatever is not the gospel, on the other hand, has no resemblance to it, no kindred tie, but is in direct opposition to it. It is absurd, therefore, to suppose that anything can be so like the gospel as to be taken for it, or so like the one salvation as to be mistaken for it. It is either the gospel or no gospel, either salvation or no salvation. Nor is it for one moment to be supposed that a proposition in which the great salvation is contained and one in which it is not contained, may approach so near to each other that there shall not be a hair's-breadth between them. Souls do not thus tremble on the balance between heaven and hell. The merits of the creature, in whole or in part, are the ground of the one, and the merits of Christ are the entire ground of the other. To rely upon Christ is to look to him for all our wisdom, all our righteousness, all our sanctification, and all our redemption, and to rely in the least upon ourselves is to reject him altogether. It is marvellous that some who do know the gospel should fancy at times that they can see it where it is not. It is so unlike everything else that they ought to know it at once. It is so bright and sparkling that everywhere it discovers itself.

If there be any doubts whether the real gospel be in any sermon or treatise, it is sufficient evidence that it is not there. When not distinctly stated and made the most prominent object, it is not there. If it cannot be seen plainly it is not seen at all. The reason is, that it is so unlike all the other works and ways of God, and so independent of human deductions and imaginations, that it cannot be blended with them. While we hold, therefore, that the gospel admits of degrees of revelation, we do not hold that in itself it admits of limitation of any kind. If a part be revealed which virtually includes the whole, that part may become the object of saving faith. If no essential part be there, there is no gospel at all. As to resemblances, it has none; and as for being concealed under new terms and illustrations, if not seen by faith, it might as well not be there at all. There is no half-and-half gospel. In proportion as it stands alone it is effectual to salvation; in proportion as it is mingled with other sentiments it loses its power to save. Its shadow, even, may have a healing power, as in the ancient types, but then it must be its own shadow, not distorted by other objects placed in the same light. Every aspect in which he who is the object of saving faith is presented for that purpose in the Scriptures is one of entireness and not of degree. Is he "the way"? It is not part of the way, but the whole. Is he "the truth"? He is the one particular form of truth, and the whole of the truth upon which saving faith depends. Is he "the life"? The first act of life received from him has no degrees. Life and death have nothing in common, and there is nothing between them. Even so, there is nothing in common with Christ and any other object of faith, and there is nothing between them. As the faith of justification in all men is the same, it is probable that its object is substantially the same both in kind and degree, and that degrees both of knowledge and of faith belong to its accompanying and consequent effects. "I," saith Christ, "am the door." Every one who is saved must enter by that door, some it may be with greater confidence and alacrity than others, but the door is the same, and the act of entering is the same to all.

V. Is faith in the one salvation absolutely needful for salvation? Must there be faith? Must there be faith in one particular object? And must that one object be the salvation which is in Christ; that, and that only, at all times and under all circumstances? We reply, Yes! Will not the mere desire for salvation suffice? Will not faith in the mercy of God suffice? Will not faith in God for salvation suffice, without faith in the salvation which he has provided? We reply, No! It is not enough to feel the want of some salvation. This may lead to a knowledge of the true salvation, but is of no other use. The salvation by Christ must be known to be desired, and be desired to be obtained. The salvation desired apart from the meritorious work of Christ is quite another thing. It has no agreement with it, and is in fact in opposition to it. Many desire to be saved, but not in God's appointed way. If upon the ground of their own merits, they are opposed to the true salvation; if upon the ground of the mere mercy of God, they ignore it. The salvation sought from mercy alone is a different salvation altogether from that sought from the mercy of God in Christ. It is mercy for deliverance from hell. That is all. It is

not mercy for reconciliation to God, for freedom from sin, for true holiness, to glorify God and to enjoy him for ever. All that is asked is deliverance from the punishment of sin, and that upon no other ground than because it is the punishment of sin; and is it likely that for this the whole salvation procured by Christ would be bestowed? There is no faith in such a salvation, and consequently it would be given without faith. Must the salvation, then, be in the faith? Must the salvation that is in the object be the object of faith? We reply, Yes! If it be asked, In what degree? we reply that, as we have shown, it is a question of fact and not of degree; that between trusting in Christ alone for salvation, and trusting in whole or in part in any other ground, a great gulf is fixed. It is either looking for a salvation. provided by God, or it is not; and it is either trusting in Christ for that salvation, or it is not. Salvation from suffering is what all men are willing to receive, but the salvation by Christ no man is willing to receive until he is made willing by the Spirit of God. Is it not so, that the true gospel puts before men a salvation which they are not of themselves willing to receive, and that the aim of all other gospels is to provide a salvation which men are of themselves willing to receive? To be saved by grace alone, through the merits of a substitute on our behalf, is not a salvation which man of himself can receive. To let God do the whole work and have the whole glory, and to be in heaven, and continue there for ever, upon the ground of having equally deserved with others to be in the lowest hell, is a salvation which the natural man receiveth not, neither can he know it, because it is spiritually discerned. Yet this is the salvation provided for man, and there is no other. All efforts to tone it down, and to make it something less than it really is, are as useless as to alter any other work of God. It must be accepted as it is, or rejected. The faith that accepts it as it is, is the only faith that is saving, and is said therefore to be a faith which stands not in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

They are not the interests of man only that are to be regarded in his salvation, but the honour of God must also be considered. This must have a place in the object of saving faith. Indeed, it cannot be real faith without it, because it has nothing to rest upon. If we see no reason in God himself for our salvation, while we cannot but see some reason for our condemnation, there can be no faith for salvation. Faith must have some plea. Mercy is no ground of appeal, so far as we only are concerned; and so far as God is concerned, it must be mercy in opposition to justice or in harmony with it. If in opposition to it, there is nothing for faith to lay hold of; if in harmony with it, the reason of that harmony must be seen. Hence, not mercy merely, but mercy and truth, are presented in the Old Testament Scriptures as the object of faith. "God shall send forth his mercy and truth." Not mercy by herself, but mercy and truth. "Oh, prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve them." "Thou art plenteous in mercy and truth." "Mercy and truth shall go before thy face." There may be truth without mercy, but not mercy without truth. "Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens, and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds." Mercy is accompanied by truth, however high it may climb. It never

soars above it. "The paths of the Lord are mercy and truth." There are no paths of mercy with him without truth. "Mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace," other names for mercy and truth, "have kissed each other." They kissed each other in the covenant of grace. They kissed each other most fervently at Calvary. They kiss each other as often as they meet in the salvation of a soul that was dead and is alive again, was lost and is found. "Let not mercy and truth forsake thee. Write them upon the table of thine heart. So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man." Mercy not founded upon truth deserves not the favour of God or man. It is not mercy alone, therefore, that we are to look for in God, but mercy accompanied by truth; not mercy in contradiction to the threatenings of the law, but in harmony with them. This is the mercy which becomes the object of saving faith.

This reconciliation of mercy and truth in the salvation of fallen man enters into the very nature of that salvation, and renders it indispensable as an object of saving faith. It includes the mediation, substitution, atonement, and imputed righteousness, which we have shown to be essential to that object. This method of salvation was taught from the first entrance of sin. The teaching of the Old Testament is, that without shedding of blood there is no remission; and the teaching of the New Testament is, that it is the blood of Jesus Christ, God's own and equal Son, that cleanseth from all sin. This we maintain must be in the faith, that it may plead both mercy and truth for salvation. The necessity of not only being saved by Christ, but of believing in Christ for salvation is taught in the plainest terms, both by Christ and his apostles. "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness," said Christ, "so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life; " which teaches, as plain as words can teach, that as those only who looked at the brazen serpent for healing were healed, so those only who look to the cross of Christ for salvation are saved. "If ye believe not," he said, "that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." What is this but to declare, that all who believe not Christ to be really what he is, and trust not in him as such for salvation, must die in their sins? The testimony of Paul is, "Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ;" that is, the faith that does not rest on him for salvation is without a foundation. Again he says, "God our Saviour will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." None, it is here implied, can be saved without coming to the knowledge of the truth. If it be inquired what truth, the explanation follows: "For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all." That he is a mediator between God and man, and that he gave himself a ransom for all, has no saving power to any withont their coming to the knowledge of these truths. If this does not prove the necessity of faith in the substitutionary work of Christ for salvation, no other words can. When to Timothy Paul says, "From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus," he intimates that even the Old Testament Scriptures were not able to make wise unto

salvation except through faith in Christ Jesus. Men may be made wise by the Scriptures without this, but not wise unto salvation. The testimony of Peter is, "There is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." Salvation, he says, must not only be through his merits, but in his name. In his name it must be sought, and in his name it must be given. The testimony of John is," He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." How have him? By believing, he says, upon his name. There is eternal life for man in Christ, but only by believing in his name. Faith, then, we avow, in the real salvation is indispensable to salvation. None feel they have the life of salvation and exhibit its fruits without it.

VI. What influence should this subject have upon professed teachers of Christ's gospel? Supposing their principal aim be the salvation of the souls of their fellow men, supposing that salvation to come by faith alone, and supposing the salvation to be in the faith so far only as it is contained in its object, their course is clear, and there need be no deviation from it. If, as we have seen, salvation be not in the teaching, it cannot come out of it. "Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?" Make the sermon good, and the fruit will be good. If it should be said that it may indirectly lead to salvation, so may a thousand other things which have no tendency towards it in themselves. If salvation be the object of the sermon, salvation must be its subject. If addressed to saints only, there should be that in the discourse by which sinners may learn how they too may be saved. The object of saving faith should be implied, at least, in every sermon if not expressed. The sermon should not be intelligible without it. Nor can the experimental and practical parts of Christianity be severed from the doctrinal. The whole life of the true Christian is a life of faith in the Son of God. The object of saving faith is the same to the end of his course. "I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness." This faith becomes the fruitful source of all holy obedience. Instead, therefore, of the one object of saving faith becoming monotonous by its continual presentation, it is of boundless variety and extent; much as the sun is the source of all the beauties of mountains and valleys, of lakes and rivers, of fields and flowers, of light and shade, and yet in itself is ever the same. This is the old gospel, and here only we are safe. If there be the least doubt upon the matter, we are on the safe side. Others do not deny that our gospel may lead to heaven, only it is not absolutely needful, as they suppose, and they have discovered an easier way. It is better, we think, to be doubly sure than to run the least risk in a matter of everlasting moment. Better go beyond the saving-point, if possible, than come short of it. In our opinion, however, both cannot be right. If ours be salvation, theirs is not. It is another gospel, which brings no blessing, but a curse. If theirs be salvation, ours is not, because it is founded upon error and not upon truth. Let us be thorough gospellers, taking the truths of the divine word in their utmost extent of meaning, sin in its utmost depth, and grace in its utmost height, and we are sure to be right. This is most for the divine glory, and, therefore, most for our good.