hail Finally We have often heard this doctrine introduced in the pulpit in such a way as to weaken the force of what has been previously said on behalf of God and righteousness. When the sacred scriptures speak of the cause of good, they ascribe every thing to God's Holy Spirit. The writers seem to have no fear of going too far. And it is the same with them, when they exhort, or warn, or expostulate they discover no apprehension of going so far as to render void the grace of God. In all their writings, the one never seems to stand in the way of the other: each is allowed its full scope, without any apparent suspicion of inconsisBut is it so with us? If one dares to extency between them. hort sinners, in the words of scripture, to repent and believe the gospel, he presently feels himself upon tender ground; and if he does not recede, yet he must qualify his works, or he will be suspected of disbelieving the work of the Spirit! To prevent this, he must needs introduce it, though it be only to blunt the edge of his exhortation Repent and believe the gospel: I know, indeed, you cannot do this of yourselves; but you can pray for the Holy Spirit, to enable you to do it.' It is right to pray for the Holy Spirit, as well as for every thing else that we need, and to exhort others to do so; and it may be one of the first petitions of a mind returning to God, Turn thou me, and I shall be turned: but to introduce it instead of repenting and believing, and as something which a sinner can do, though he cannot do the other, is erroneous and dangerous. Yours, &c. A. F. LETTER III. My dear Brother, I WISH, in this letter, to state the principle and general outlines of what I shall attempt. In observing different systematical writers, I perceive they have taken different methods of arrangement. The greatest number proceed on the analytical plan, beginning with the being and attributes of God, the creation of the world, moral government, the fall of angels and men, and so proceed to redemption by Jesus Christ, and the benefits and obligations resulting from it. One eminent divine, you know, has treated the subject historically, tracing the gradual developement of divine truth as it actually took place in the order of time.* These different methods have each their advantages; but it has for some time appeared to me, that the greater number of them have also their disadvantages; so much so, as to render truth, in a systematical form, almost uninteresting. I do not know how it may prove on trial, but I wish to begin with the centre of Christianity-the doctrine of the cross, and to work round it; or with what may be called the heart of Christianity, and to trace it through its principal veins or relations, both in doctrine and practice. If Christianity had not been comprehended in this doctrine, the Apostle, who shunned not to declare the whole counsel of God, could not have determined to know nothing else in his ministry. The whole of the Christian system appears to be presupposed by it; included in it, or to arise from it: if, therefore, I write any thing, it will be on this principle. In its favour, the following things may be alleged. First: It accords with truth. All things are said not only to have been created by Christ, but for him. All things in creation * President Edward's History of Redemption. therefore, are rendered subservient to his glory as Redeemer ; and being thus connected, they require to be viewed so, in order to be seen with advantage. Secondly By viewing all divine truths and duties, as related to one great object, as so many lines meeting in a centre, a character of unity is imparted to the subject, which it would not otherwise possess, and which seems properly to belong to the idea of a system. A system, if I understand it, is a whole, composed of a number of parts so combined and arranged as to show their proper connexions and dependencies, and to exhibit every truth and every duty to the best advantage. The unity of a number in one great object, and so forming a whole, gives an interest to the subject, which it would not otherwise possess. It is interesting, no doubt, to view the works of nature as revolving round the sun as their centre; but to view nature and providence as centering in the glory of the Redeemer, is much more interesting. : Thirdly The object in which all the parts of the system are united being CHRIST, must tend to shed a sweet savour on the whole. We have often heard the epithet dry applied to the doctrines of the gospel, especially when systematically treated: but this must have arisen from the faults or defects of the system, or from the uninteresting manner of treating it, or from a defect in the hearer or reader. The doctrine of the gospel, if imparted in its genuine simplicity, and received in faith and love, drops as the rain, and distils as the dew upon the tender herb. may not be able thus to impart it: but whether I do, or not, it may be done and so far as I or any other may fail, let the fault be imputed to us, and not to the doctrine of God our Saviour. Fourthly There is a singular advantage attending the study of other truths through this medium. We might know something of God and of ourselves through the medium of the divine law; and it is necessary, for some purposes, to understand this subject as distinct from the gospel. But a sense of the holiness and justice of God, contrasted with our depravity and guilt, might be more than we could bear. To view these great subjects, on the other hand, through the cross of Christ, is to view the malady through the medium of the remedy, and so never to want for an antidote of despair. With the idea of all divine truth bearing an intimate relation to Christ, agrees that notable phrase, in Ephes. iv. 21. The truth as it is in Jesus. To believe the truth concerning Jesus, is to believe the whole doctrine of the scriptures. Hence it is, that in all the brief summaries of Christian doctrine, the person and work of Christ are prominent. Such are the following: Brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also you have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For 1 delivered unto you among the first principles, that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures: and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.—Great is the mystery of godliness, God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.—This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.-This is the record, that God hath given unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.-He that believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God.-Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the son of God? Fully aware that this golden link would draw along with it the whole chain of evangelical truth, the sacred writers seem careful for nothing in comparison of it. It is on this ground that faith in Christ is represented as essential to spiritual life. See John vi. 53-56. Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. We may be Christians by education, may be well versed in Christianity as a science, may be able to converse and preach and write in defence of it; but if Christ crucified be not |