strength, beauty, and symmetry of the whole edifice. Thus, the free and unconditional exhibition of the Saviour to men as sinners is deemed by some that have no small pretensions to orthodoxy, a questionable or a very unimportant point; and yet it may be safely affirmed, that scriptural views of this article are intimately connected with right apprehensions of the grand doctrine of justification by the grace of God. To give another instance-a fastidious reader may be apt to presume that Paul descends to frivolous matters, and trifles in a manner hardly befitting the dignity of an Apostle, when he requests Timothy to bring with him the cloak which he had left at Troas, or when he intermingles a weighty exhortation relating to the discipline of the Church with this condescending suggestion, “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities:" Yet, not to mention other useful purposes which such passages are calculated to serve, it has been ably demonstrated by Paley, that these references to minute circumstances and occasional interruptions of the sense, so exactly according with the natural ease and freedom of epistolary writing, afford a powerful argument for the authenticity of the Epistles of Paul, and consequently for the Divine authority of all the doctrines and precepts they contain.

From these remarks, however, let none conclude, that all the facts and truths of Scripture are of equal importance with regard to their matter; and let none suppose that such was the opinion of Witsius. Who would choose to affirm that the birth of John the Baptist is a fact of equal moment with the birth of our Lord, or that the doctrine of infant-baptism is no less important than that of the atonement? If, in the code prescribed for the regulation of our conduct, there are duties which may justly be denominated "the weightier matters of the law," it seems to follow, by parity of reason, that the system of truth revealed for the direction of our faith, contains some doctrines "weightier" than others; that is, more strikingly illustrative of the Divine perfections, and more immediately and powerfully conducive to the glory of God, in the comfort, holiness, and final happiness of man. Nor have we cause to complain that we are furnished with no means of ascertaining the relative importance of truth, or, as to this point, are left entirely "to the guidance of our own fallible and fanciful ideas, or the diversity of human sentiment ever variable and fleeting." The same unerring oracles which show us what is truth, discover, to a certain extent at least, what is the most important truth. See Isaiah xxviii. 16. 1 Cor. xv. 1-4. 1 Tim. iii. 15, 16. The Scriptures do not enable us, indeed, to dis

tinguish precisely, in every instance, betwixt essential and non-essential doctrines. It is impossible, as our Author shows, to form an exact list of fundamental points; nor was such a list necessary. But the whole of his reasoning, in his second Dissertation, proceeds on the supposition that, while some doctrines are fundamental, there are others which, though Divinely attested and unquestionably useful and salutary in their own place and proportion, are not fundamental. And to deny or overlook this distinction, is, in reality,, more injurious to the cause of truth and the interest of genuine religion than some are aware. Unhappy consequences, no doubt, have arisen from the abuse of this distinction. But the denial, and even the neglect of it, has also been productive of very considerable mischief. To represent all the doctrines of Scripture as of equal magnitude and necessity, serves to give an unnatural and distorted view of Divine truth, exceedingly derogatory to its beauty and credit ;—to create a pharisaical attachment to subordinate articles unfavourable to the right improvement of the most essential, and injurious to the interests of personal piety;-to proscribe mutual forbearance from the list of Christian duties, and to contract, beyond measure, the terms of Christian communion ;-to give rise, in fine, either to a blind and implicit uniformity, or to endless strife and divisions.

NOTE X. Page $3.

Few readers will need to be informed, that the term Consubstantial was employed to designate the true divinity of Christ as a Person of the same substance or essence with the Father. At the Council of Nice in Bithynia assembled by Constantine, A. D. 325, the doctrine of Arius was condemned, and Christ declared μocios T πατρί, "consubstantial with the Father."*

Whoever is inclined to question the expediency of Creeds and Confessions, might peruse, with advantage, Walker of Dundonald's Vindication of the discipline and constitutions of the Church of Scotland, Dr Erskine's Sketches of Church History, vol. i. pp. 1-15. and Dr Dick's Sermon on this topic from 2 Tim. i. 13.-There is considerable force in the observations of Witsius himself respecting the propriety of including in a Confession of faith some articles not absolutely fundamental, and of employing, for the illustration and defence of the truth, well-chosen terms not contained in Scripture.

See the Nicene Creed, and Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History, vol. i. p. 414. et seq. VOL. I.

31

15.

Nor can it be denied, that those who have zealously contended for making Confessions extremely short and general, and for entirely excluding from such formularies all expressions, however consonant to sacred writ, that are not literally the very language of Scripture, have often discovered a predilection for the most radical and pernicious errors. Our candid and venerable Author, however, must not be understood as accusing of damnable heresies every individual, or every Church, that questions the propriety of having a very long Confession, or of loading a Creed with a great multitude of human expressions. Much less is he to be considered as imputing heresy to those who refuse to esteem it almost as criminal and presumptuous to alter or improve a Confession of human compilation, as to attempt an alteration or improvement of the sacred volume itself. Our first Reformers, though well aware of the expediency and utility of subordinate standards, manifested a deference for the supreme rule of faith and practice, highly deserving the respect and imitation of their professed admirers. It may suffice to quote the following passage from the Preface to the Old Scottish Confession, authorised by Parliament in the year 1560.

-“ PROTESTING that if any man will note in this our Confession any article or sentence repugning to God's holy word, that it would please him, of his gentleness and for Christian charity's sake, admonish us of the same in writing. And we - - - - do promise unto him satisfaction from the mouth of God (that is, from his Holy Scriptures) or else reformation of that which he shall prove to be amiss."*

NOTE XI. Page 37.

Our Author, when entering on his illustration of Saving Faith, very properly reminds us that the Understanding and the Will are not separate and independent principles, but faculties appertaining to one and the same soul, and closely interwoven in their various operations. In his treatise on the Covenants, he refers to Scotus on this topic, and also quotes a passage from Scaliger to the same effect. If the sentiments of men of science are of any importance on this subject, we might avail ourselves of the authority of one of the most profound Philosophers of the eighteenth century, who, after adverting to the common division of the powers of the human mind into the powers of the understanding and those of the will, proceeds to

• The Collection of Confessions, printed at Glasgow 1761, pp. 25, 26. + Book iii. ch. 7. sect. 5.

remark that we are not to conceive of this division, “ as if in those operations which are ascribed to the understanding, there were no exertion of will or activity, or as if the understanding were not employed in the operations ascribed to the will." Having illustrated this position, he concludes with the following words: "It is therefore to be remembered, that in most, if not all, operations of the mind, both faculties concur; and we range the operations under that faculty which hath the largest share in it."*

On all spiritual subjects, however, the plain dictates of sacred writ are far more satisfactory than the most respectable human authority, or the most ingenious discussions of any philosopher. And whoever examines the language of Scripture with attention and candour, will be apt, one should think, to acquiesce in the remark which Dr Owen makes in his Catechism, with regard to the seat of Faith-" It is in the understanding, in respect of its being and subsistence; in the will and heart, in respect of its effectual workings." The proper object of faith, without doubt, is truth. To believe, is, primarily, an act of the understanding. Yet the doctrines of the cross are of so spiritual and humbling a nature, and so contrary to the corrupt bias of the human will and affections, that they are never sincerely believed till the whole soul is regenerated by the Spirit of God; and it is equally certain that whenever the faith of these glorious and interesting doctrines is produced in the human understanding, it cannot fail to have corresponding effects on the dispositions and movements of the heart. The Scriptures every where represent the faith of God's elect as a vital and holy principle. It works by love, purifies the heart, overcomes the world, and renders those who believe in God careful to maintain good works. How widely different such a faith must be from that which terminates in mere speculation, and is " a simple act of the understanding, having no moral virtue or holiness attached to it," it is unnecessary to say. See Dr Erskine's Dissertation on the nature of Saving Faith, and Fuller's Letters on Sandemanianism.

It may be alleged, with some appearance of reason, that our Author, in this Dissertation on Faith, would have treated the subject to greater advantage, had he more scrupulously distinguished between faith strictly so called, and its various attendant graces and holy fruits. Owing to the self-righteous disposition of the human heart, the inconsiderate reader may deduce erroneous conclusions from his extensive and somewhat desultory mode of explaining the

• Dr Reid's Essays on the Intellectual Powers of Man, Essay i, ch. 7. p. 67.

matter, and be led to place that confidence in the operations and fruits of faith which ought to rest solely on its glorious object. But let not the Author be mistaken, or blamed to excess. With laudable solicitude, be it remarked, he warns his readers, in the 6th and 19th sections, against misapprehensions injurious to the freedom of grace in the justification of believers. It was his decided conviction, that men are justified by faith, not as a work or duty, not as a principle of holy obedience, or as the surrender of the soul to Christ as Lord and King, but merely as an instrument by which the meritorious righteousness of Christ is received and applied. His sentiments on this topic are clearly stated and defended in his Treatise on the Covenants,* and in his Irenicum.†

NOTE XII. Page 41.

Amongst the points which it is necessary for a man to know in order to his becoming a believer, the Author very naturally mentions, in the first place, the doctrine of our corrupt, ruined, and helpless state. This is a doctrine which, however repugnant to the selfexalting imaginations of the human heart, and how much soever it has been impugned and derided, is clearly taught in the sacred records, obviously implied in the whole system of revealed truth, strongly supported by fact and experience, and powerfully confirmed by the dictates of every enlightened conscience. The natural tendency, too, of this humbling tenet, is highly salutary. The man who truly knows and believes it, is prepared to glorify God by a cordial approbation of the scheme of mercy, to acquiesce in Christ as “all his salvation and all his desire," and successfully to cultivate humility, meekness, patience, contentment, self-denial, and every other Christian grace. Ignorance, and inconsideration with regard to this doctrine, as well as direct and avowed opposition to it, are extremely pernicious.

The formularies of the Protestant Churches in general, and the writings of the most eminent Reformed Divines,‡ discover the high importance attached to the doctrine of man's lost and helpless state among all that are sound in the faith. It is truly gratifying also to see this necessary article expressly stated and ably defended in a Summary of Christian Divinity written by Platon, late Metropoli

Book iii. Chap. 8. Sect. 47-56.

+ See Mr Bell's Translation of that work, chap. x. p. 108, et seq.

See Calvin's Institutions, Dickinson's Discourse on Original Sin," Edwards on "the Christian Doctrine of Original Sin," Halyburton's Great Concern, Boston's Four-fold State, Richard Taylor's Discourses on the Fall and Misery of Man and on the Covenant of Grace, Haweis' Fifteen Sermons, &c.