is soon know and believe far more truth than any saint upon earth. "If I haye faith, so as to remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing." All those who have true faith, love all the doctrines of the gospel, which are nothing but truth respecting God and his creatures, as they perceive the evidence of them. They love to be constantly, and perfectly, and forever, in the hands of the only wise God, whose efficient will, causes and directs all their affection, and conduct, and circumstances, in a manner which is infinitely desirable on the whole; and who will make all the sin, and sorrow, and darkness which they see and feel, subserve the interests of his universal, and absolutely perfect kingdom. In the light of truth respecting God, no person can have tue faith in his name, without exercising supreme affection to all the great and glorious perfections of his character, and rejoicing in him alway, and in all things. True faith also implies that the glorious and affecting realities of natural and revealed religion, are present to our view. Fith presents "the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen" by the natural eye, directly before our mental sight. By faith in the divine prediction, during the long period in which the ark was build ing, Noah frequently saw the an guish and despair of a guilty and expiring world, sinking under the just displeasure of their holy Creator. By true faith, we can easily look back, and see the present created system, rising from nothing into existence, by the word of God. And in the exercise of true faith in the sure testimony of Jehovah, we qan as easily look forward and behold the interesting and solemn events that will transpire at ita final conflagration. By true faith real Christians often look forward to the great day, and "See the Judge enthron'd, the flaming guard, The volume open'd, open'd every heart, A sun-beam pointing out each secret thought." At the sound of the last trumpet, by true faith they can now see both small and great, assembling all together, for the first and last time, to witness the developement of all hearts, to see the revelation of the righteous judgment of God, and to receive their final sentence. While sinners are making a mock at sin and its consequences, while they are secure and joyful in life, fondly hoping that God will not do good nor inflict evil,' or illing and contending with their Maker; by true faith real Christians see them standing speechless and self-condemned before his bar, and about to sink into endless and inexpressible ruin. And by faith they often anticipate with affecting sensibility, those bitter reflections, which will wring their souls with anguish, as long as they shall exist. From that world of despair, where they know and feel they deserve to be, and would be immediately, but for the infinite and sovereign grace of God, by faith they can turn to heaven, where eye bath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man, the glory and blessedness, which are prepared for the redeemed. And by faith, they often have a joyful and affecting foretaste of those sensations which will arise from that new song of redeeming love, which no angel's tongue can sound.—-But the most solemn, joyful and glorious object, which faith presents to the view of the true Christ jan, is the infinite Jehovah. In his character centres every thing that is amiable and glorious, and worthy of supreme love, confidence and affection. In this light which is disclosed by faith, saints see true light respecting themselves, and all other creatures, objects and events, By faith they behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord, and are changed into the same image from glory to glory. Could stupid or deluded sinners only see God, as he is, as real Christians, by faith, do actually see him, their stupidity and vain hopes would instantly be destroyed, and leave them in distress, if not despair. It is this present view of the affecting relaties of the invisible world, which has given true Christians such zeal, and fortitude, such firmness and self-denial in the cause of Christ. Hear the striking and just description of true faith by the great apostle to the gentiles, who was himself a bright example of it "And what shall I more say for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and of Barak, and of Samson and of Jepthae; of David also, and of Samuel, and of the prophets; who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire,escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women also received their dead raised to life again; and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. And others had trials, of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea moreover of bonds and imprisonment; they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword; they wandered about in sheep skins, and goatskins,being destitute, afflicted, tormented; of whom the world was not worthy" I will only add, that true faith implies perfect confidence in the power, wisdom, and goodness of God, and perfect submission to both his secret and revealed will. While in the exercise of true faith in God, real Christians always de sire that God will accomplish all his holy and wise designs, form and dispose of every creature as he sees best for the highest good of his universal kingdom, and direct all earthly changes and events in perfect subserviency to his own blessed will. When Christians embrace the faith of the gospel, perfect confidence in God, always and immediately takes the place of a vain, foolish, and criminal confideuce in themselves, and they desire above all things, that God will turn, move, and govern them and all others, not as they may think best, but as he pleases, which to them is always best. Though their Heavenly Father has made innumerable and explicit promises to bestow both temporal and spiritual blessings upon his people in answer to their faithful prayers and exertions, yet they know from the perfections of his character, that he has reserved to his better judg ment, the manner how, the time when, and the degree in which he will fulfil them. All the promises, therefore, which God has made to them, they know are not only consistent with perfect confidence in divine wisdom, and submission to the divine will, by which I mean a cheerful willingness to be denied our particular requests, if God pleases to deny us; but they also know that the conditions of these promises actually imply and require these prominent Christian graces. In the exercise of true faith, real Christians know that it is best on things after Christ has delivered up the kingdom to the Father. the whole, for God to make some peace and create some evil, cause The apostle says, "Then comsome joy and some sorrow, and eth the end." What end? The form some persons into vessels of end, which God proposed in all his mercy and some into vessels of works of creation, providence, and wrath. And how much light and redemption. God had one ulihow much darkness, how much mate end in creation; and when joy and how much sorrow, how that is completed, he will never much sin and how much holiness it propose another, but cease from is best should exist in this world, all his works of creation. After er in the world to come, they know the day of judgment, there will be is known only to God, who only is nothing new created, whether aniinfinite in understanding. And by mate, or inanimate, whether ratrue faith, the more they see of the tional, or irrational. If this world incomprehensible and infinitely be then destroyed, no new one perfect character, works and ways will then be created. If the sun of God, and of their own nothing- and moon and stars will then be ness, foolishness, and vileness; the destroyed, there will be no more more earnestly do they desire to sun, moon, or stars, to all eternity. turn perfectly, and forever, from Heaven and hell will be the only all their own vain, foolish, and worlds in the universe. And in criminal self-confidence, self-de these worlds, there will be no more pendence, self-will, and selfish in- changes, or revolutions. All things terests, to their holy, wise, power will be put into a state of stability. ful, and sovereign Creator. In him All the inhabitants of heaven will and in him alone, they know they forever remain there. Angels can place unshaken, entire, and shall no longer come and go from fearless confidence. They know world to world, as they have done, he is able and disposed to fulfil all and will do, till the end come. All his predictions, purposes, and the raised and glorified saints will promises, according to their true be immutably fixed in the mansions meaning and intent. They know of bliss, and never leave those if they only perform their duty realms of light. And all the spirfaithfully, that God will withhold its in prison, whether human or anno good thing from them, which gelic, will be confined in chains of he sees will in reality be for their everlasting drkness. Neither Sagood, in its relation to time and tan, nor any of his legions, will be eternity, and for his own glory, allowed any longer to have access which they desire above all other to the friends of God, and give objects. them any more disturbance. Such a stability will be consistent with that perfection, to which all things will be brought Saints and angels will be perfect in holiness and happiness; and all the enemies of God will be perfect in sin and misery. But this perfection will admit of constant and perpetual increase. Saints and angels will increase in III. What will be the state of holiness and happinss, as long as To be continued. ILLUSTRATION OF 1. COR. XV. 24. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father. Concluded from page 337. I am now to show, they exist; and all the outcasts from God will increase forever in enmity, wretchedness, and despair. Then will the last prediction, in the last chapter of the Bible, be fulfilled, He that is unjust, fet him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still." And then, as the apostle says, "In the dispensation of the fulness of times, God will gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in him." This is the declaration of Scripture, which entirely accords with the dictates of reason. For every perfect scheme, or mode of conduct, must have an accomplishment, and come to an end.It is absurd to suppose, that God should form a plan of eternal revolutions, which never should meet in one great and glorious end. But it is entirely reasonable to suppose, that he should form one perfect plan, and make all his creatures and works subservient to it, until it was completed; and that then he should make all, who had been friendly to it, and instrumental in promoting it, share in all the good, which resulted from its accomplishment; and on the other hand, that he should punish all those, who opposed and obstructed it. Hence, both reason and Scripture lead us to rest in this conclusion, that when the end comes, and Christ delivers up the kingdom to the Father, there will be a final period of all revolutions and changes, and all holy and unholy beings will be fixed in a state never to be changed to all eternity. The illustration which has been attempted of the interesting passage at the head of this essay, seems naturally to suggest the following REFLECTIONS. 1. Jesus Christ must be God, as well as man. He has, upon his shoulder, the government of the world, a burden too heavy to be sustained by any created being.If Christ were merely a man, or an angel, or a super-angelic being. infinitely inferior to God in knowledge and wisdom, it would have been conferring upon him too high an honour, and imposing upou him too great a task, to commit to his management and controul all the vast and complicated affairs of the universe, from his resurrec tion to the end of time. If the Father only were God, could be consistently abdicate the throne of the world in favour of a being infinitely inferior to himself? And how would such à creature be capable of so conducting all the concerns of time, as to cause all creatures, things and events to conspire to accomplish the original desigu of God in the work of creation.— To be capable of this, a being must see the end from the beginning, comprehend the whole scheme of providence, see through all the relations of things and events, and have power to govern, not only the elements of nature, but the hearts of men. But who, that has not in finite understanding and almighty power, is sufficient for these things? There can scarcely be a greater absurdity, than to admit, that Christ governs the world, and t the same time, to deny, that he is God manifest in the flesh. 2. As many of mankind will undoubtedly be saved, as can be, consistently with the ultimate end of God in the creation and gov ernment of the universe. Christ is King of Zion, and Head over all things. He, who took upon him human nature and gave his life a ransom for men, has power and ae thority to make whom he pleases willing to comply with the terms of salvation. We may be assured, therefore, that he will subdue to himself the hearts of as many of the rebellious children of men, as can be saved, consistently with the glory of God and the greatest good of the intelligent universe. He will continue to make his people willing, in the day of his power, until his benevolent soul is fully satisfied. All whom the Father gave him in eternity, shall be brought to bow to his sovereignty, before he delivers up his kingdom. He will not resign his royal office, until all the predictions and promises found in scripture, respecting the spread of the gospel and the conversion of Jews and Gentiles, shall be fulfilled. 3. The doctrine of universal salvation is absurd. It is manifestly absurd, to suppose, that all mankind are punished for their sins, as much as they deserve, in the present life: this supposition sets aside the work of Christ and the grace of the gospel, and is repugnant to the plainest matter of fact. To suppose, that any of mankind will be saved, withont a change of heart, without reconciliation to God, without repentance, is contrary to the dictates of reason, and the express declarations of Christ and his apostles. That all mankind experience a change of heart and become the friends of God, in this life, or previous to the day of judgment, is so contrary to all that is seen and known of the characters and conduct of men, as well as to the plainest representations of the general judgment, that few, if any, will undertake to maintain such a position. The only ground, then, which remains, for the doctrine of universal salvation, is this, that there will be an essential change in the characters of many of the human race, after the day of judg ment. But this is contrary, not only to the design of the general judgment, but to the nature and end of the mediatorial kingdom of Christ. The reign of Christ is de signed to prepare all mankind, and all creatures and things, for the judgment of the great day; when the end of creation, providence and redemption will be attained, and all things be fixed in a state of absolute stability. It is absurd to suppose, that Christ will continue his mediatorial work, and add new subjects to his spiritual dominion, after he shall have delivered up his kingdom, and brought all things to the result which was determined in the eternal council of the Divine will. 4. Time is the most important portion of eternal duration. Time began with creation, and will end with the day of judgment. During this period, all creatures and things have been in a state of fluctuation. Innumerable changes have passed, and are passing, over both the nat ural and the moral world. All these changes are designed and produced, to make preparation for the final consummation of all things, at the termination of Christ's kingdom; after which, there will be no essential alteration in the state of things, or in the character and condition of intelligent creatures. All the interests of eternity will be the result of the events of time. The few thousand years preceding the end of the world, are to fix and determine the state of the universe, through endless duration. important, then, is time! Upon this short and hasty period of duration, f.hang everlasting things.' How 5. All the living are in a most solemn and interesting situation. They are in a state of probation |