supposes that when we maintain that we must believe in order to be pardoned and accepted, we are driving a bargain with God. In illustrating this idea, he goes about and about it, till his movements grow absolutely tiresome and sickening. But it all comes to this that we propose a quid pro quo; that we exercise faith, and get forgiveness in return; and that thus we are guilty-all in the spirit of selfishness of engaging in a mercantile transaction with him whose name is love, and who will not sell his blessings. This is very unworthy misrepresentation. The views of faith which we entertain are such as to divest it entirely of what is meritorious. Faith, indeed, we hold to be essentially an acknowledgment of our utter unworthiness and destitution. It is a humble application to, and confident reliance upon, the appointed Redeemer alone, for all the spiritual blessings that we need. We know that in him is treasured up every thing which is necessary to our deliverance and salvation. And therefore, we cast ourselves upon his grace, and power, and sufficiency. In truth our faith has less of self, and looks less to self, than does the faith of Mr. Erskine. His faith has for its first or rather sole object, the proposition which predicates of his own state that it is a pardoned state. This is what he thinks of, and rests upon, and rejoices in. Our faith casts its regards away from ourselves altogether, because it can find no resting place in ourselves, and throws and fixes itself upon Christ that it may draw from him those mercies which he and none but he can communicate. Besides, how often must I remind Mr. Erskine of his own confession, that the pardon is in Christ, and that unless he take Christ, which can only be done by believing, the pardon cannot be his? When, therefore, he believes in Christ, it is--it must be, with a view to the pardon, or he must be considered as indifferent to the pardon. And thus, in getting the pardon he has to use a means, he has to fulfil a condition, he has to do something, without which the pardon can in no sense or degree become his. What else can he affirm of our believing in order that we may be pardoned? But granting that this were incorrect, let us only advance a step, and Mr. Erskine is beyond all question involved in the same predicament. He cannot be saved without faith. Though he is pardoned by Christ's death whether he believes or not, Christ's death does not give him salvation. That he may be saved or sanctified, he must exercise faith. And from the vast importance he attaches to sanctification as "the ultimate blessing" to be sought for, he cannot fail to aim at the acquisition of it by the instrumentality which is requisite to secure it. That instrumentality is faith. And, as we believe, in order that we may be pardoned, so he believes, in order that he may be saved. He is, therefore, in this respect as great a self-seeker, as great a bargain-maker with God, as great a purchaser of the Holy Ghost with money as we are; and it is worse than preposterous to be comparing us to Simon Magus, while all the time he himself is as sacrilegious as was the Sorcerer. Mr. Erskine is quite slanderous when he says that our religion is "just an endeavour to obtain forgiveness." Our religion teaches us to aspire to the possession of every blessing that is provided for us in the Gospel. But he is labouring to establish the selfishness of the system; and therefore he must be indulged with some false colouring. And so he goes on, "if a man's religion continue to be of this kind, it really makes little difference what it is that he does in order to obtain forgiveness. One may build an hospital, another may indulge a penance, another may lead a sober and upright life, another may endeavour to do what he calls believing in Jesus Christ, but whilst the object is to obtain forgiveness, the whole acting of the man is a con tinued self-seeking-he is fawning on his father for his estate."* Observe how slightingly Mr. Erskine speaks of believing in Jesus Christ-how he degrades it by putting it on a footing with penance—how he makes no account of it at all! And observe how he makes a sinner's anxiety to be forgiven by that holy and gracious God whom he has offended, one of the worst species and expressions of a selfish temper! And above all, observe how beautifully he condemns himself, while he thinks of nothing but pouring ribaldry and contempt upon those who differ from him! So a man who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ, according to the divine behest, that he may obtain "redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins," is characterised by all the meanness of a son "fawning on his father for his estate!" Be it so. And when Mr. Erskine asks of God, that he may receive what he needs, is he "fawning on his father for his estate ?" When he observes any of the ordinances of his religion that he may profit thereby, is he "fawning on his father for his estate?" And when he believes the fact of his personal forgiveness, that he may be sanctified and made happy, is he "fawning on his father for his estate?" Let Mr. Erskine withdraw the charge that he has preferred against his opponents, or let him be content to stand convicted of all the sycophancy and baseness and impiety that are implied in making use of faith, to "fawn upon God." * Introductory Essay, p. xi. Some very shallow disciple in Mr. Erskine's school has written a tract, which is industriously circulated, on the precept, "Be careful for nothing," and very strongly inculcates the folly and sinfulness of our being anxious even for the salvation of our souls! INDEX. Absurdities indulged in by the advocates of Universal Pardon, 340. Adam and Christ, parallel between, 203. Affliction, deliverance from, 32. All men, in Rom. v. explained, 207, 211. Antiquity of the doctrine of Universal Pardon, 259. Apostacy, guilt of, 182. Arminian Scheme, more consistent than the modern scheme of universal redemption, 386. Assurance of Faith, origin of the doctrine of Universal Par- Authorised Standards of the Church, why does not Mr. Ers- Authority on matters of religion, human, 275. Catechism, Larger, quoted as to faith, 313. Shorter, ditto, 313. Changeableness of Mr. Erskine's religious opinions, 462. Christ sanctified to the office of Redeemer, 183. Christianity, a system, 348. Commonwealth, heresies in the time of the, 260. Confession of Faith, Westminster, quoted as to Justification, 60. as to Faith, 312. Controversy, vindicated, 249. respecting Universal Pardon, by whom stirred, 253. |