Her sons, in foreign land that died, They sat them down in silence there, Behind them lay broad Moab's plains, This said, the aged mother shed Her daughters, weeping at her side, Sat silent, nor a word replied; Deep, deep regret, that thus should part, I too will follow thee not slow; Thy comforter, to cherish thee; Till reach'd they Bethlehem's green ascent. Published by JOHN JOHNSTONE, at the Offices of the ScorrisH CHRISTIAN HERALD, 104, High Street, Edinburgh, and 19, Glassford Street, Glasgow ;-JAMES NISBET & Co.. and R. H. MOORE, London; D. R. BLEAKLEY, Dublin; and W. M COMB, Belfast; and sold by the Booksellers and Local Agents in all the Towns and Parishes of Scotland; and in the principal Towns in England and Ireland. Subscribers in Edinburgh and Leith will have their copies delivered at their own residences regularly, by leaving their addresses with the Publisher, or with John Lindsay & Co., 7, South St Andrew Street.-Subscribers in Glasgow will, in like manner, have their copies delivered, by leaving their addresses at the Publishing Office there, 19, Glassford Street. Subscription (payable in advance) per quarter, of twelve weeks, 1s. 6d.-per half-year, of twenty-four weeks, 3s.-per year, of fortyeight weeks, 68.-Monthly Parts, containing four Numbers each, stitched in a printed wrapper, price Sixpence. Printed at the Steam-Press of Ballantyne & Co., from the Stereotype Plates of Thomas Allan & Co. FAITH. BY THE REV. JOHN MACFARLANE, AN attempt to be independent of God, seems to have been the cause of man's fall. To induce a dependent spirit is one of the principal designs of the revelation that makes known the means of his recovery. Every creature, from the very law of its being, holds whatever it possesses and enjoys, by the favour of the Creator. And it should seem that every intelligent creature that has retained its innocence, not only admits the existence, but rejoices in the consciousness of its unceasing obligations to divine goodness. It is not the least conclusive, therefore, of the evidences of our apostacy, that we should not only desire to be, but actually imagine that we are "as gods, knowing good and evil;" that we should naturally dislike the idea of being indebted to a higher power, for every good quality that can adorn our nature, and for every enjoy ment that can bless our lives. But the very language employed to denote the dispositions that distinguish the believer, reminds him to whom he owes them all. The qualities he possesses are denominated graces, a word that refers them to a divine operation. Grace means favour. It is the term by which the unmerited goodness and compassion of God to our fallen race, is usually expressed. By a very natural extension of its meaning, it is made use of to mark the existence of whatever good quality has been introduced into the human breast. By such a form of expression the Christian is taught to view every virtue he possesses, as the gift of him "who giveth unto all men liberally, and upbraideth not." Faith lies at the foundation of all the other graces of the Christian life, and is the source whence they all proceed. Besides being the gift of God, and as such, excluding the idea of personal merit in its possessor, it is a gift of such a kind, that its possession, in the highest degree, can never be the subject of self-estimation. The man who believes, upon undoubted evidence, that he is labouring under a grievous malady, can never value himself on account of that belief; nor can he who is deeply indebted to a generous benefactor, ever imagine that the consciousness of his friend's PRICE 1d. generosity diminishes the amount of his obligation. The appointment of Faith therefore, as the way by which we are introduced to the blessings of the Gospel, is admirably adapted to induce that humble and dependent spirit, which is itself an essential part of our salvation. This fundamental quality of Christian character, is usually called Faith in Christ, and very properly so, because he is the special object towards whom it is exercised. But it comprehends a belief of the whole record that has been given us upon the authority of God. Just as the expressions, the cross of Christ, or Christ crucified, by an allusion to the leading and peculiar doctrine of the Gospel, are intended to include the whole, so Faith in Christ implies the belief of all the great truths which have a reference to the salvation of man through a mediator. Of this saving Faith, it may be remarked, in the first place, that it is the gift of God. This constitutes an essential point of difference between saving Faith, and the simple belief of an undoubted fact. It requires no supernatural operation upon my mind to induce the belief that I am a mortal creature, but a divine influence can alone induce the belief that I am a fallen and ruined creature. Wherein does the difference consist? Not in the manner of believing, but in the nature of the truths believed. There are not two ways in which we can believe. But we cannot believe what we do not know. Now, in regard to the first of these statements, namely, that I am a mortal creature, I can fully comprehend the proposition. I witness the universal operation of a law, that consigns to death every living being upon earth. I feel that the seeds of mortality are in my frame, and, with an assurance as complete as that I live, I know that I must die. But in the other truth, namely, that I am a sinful and ruined creature, there are many particulars involved, which I must apprehend, before it can be said to be the object of my faith. I must have some adequate perception of the nature of the law, of which sin is the transgression, and death the penalty. I must be aware of my obligations to keep that law. I must perceive that I have failed to do so; that the degradation of my spiritual nature, and my liability to death, in all its latitude of meaning, is the ne 370 those against whom they must be shut for ever. cessary consequence of sin. All this I must know, | lay open, in prospect, the gates of paradise to And hence the necessity of a divine operation in the production of Faith, not to bring into existence a new faculty of mind, not to give the power of using, in a new manner, the faculties that already exist but to awaken from the sleep in which sin has lulled the soul, to dispel the cloud of ignorance with which sin has overspread the mind, to remove the disinclination to embrace the truth Without with which sin has invested the heart. that holy and quickening influence, there may be a general belief of Scripture facts, and a general acquiescence in Scripture doctrines, as matters of testimony and of opinion, but not as matters of To open the eye real knowledge and conviction. of the mind to the perception of the truth concerning our state, and the means of deliverance from it, which is essential to the existence of saving Faith, is the special work of the Holy Spirit. As Faith is the gift of God, so is it a necessary gift. It has pleased God, who, it will be allowed, may dispense his own favours as he may appoint, to limit the blessings of the Christian atonement to those who believe. While the merit of that atonement is infinite, it is rendered available for the salvation of those only who exercise Faith in it. Among the numerous passages of Scripture, illustrative of this truth, which must occur to the Christian reader, none are more conclusive than the words of our blessed Redeemer himself, when instructing an inquirer in the nature of the Religion which he came to introduce, "He that believeth is not condemned, but he that believeth not, is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." Although we would not say of Faith, that it is a condition of our pardon and acceptance, if that expression may be objected to, as savouring somewhat of previous qualification upon the part of the recipient of a free gift; it may be truly said, that it is the only channel through which pardon flows to man; that by the express appointment of God, it is indispensable to our present acceptance, and to our future well-being; that destitute, of it, we are left under the penalty of a broken law, and involved in the additional guilt of presumptuously rejecting an offered deliverance. They who, notwithstanding the express and unequivocal declarations of the word of truth upon this subject, would profess to be too charitable to suppose that such importance will at last be attached to the possession of Faith; who, from a morbid sensibility, or an over-weening conceit of their superior judgment, as more liberal and enlightened than the contracted views of the Bible, would take leave to surmise, or more boldly to avow, that the absence of this quality will not be a sufficient ground for exclusion from heaven; they impiously dare, not with the hand of charity, but of presumption, to But the appointment of Faith as the means by which the righteousness of Christ is conveyed to man, for his re-admission to the divine favour, is not an appointment of mere will. That which is the instrument of his justification, becomes the means of his sanctification. The truths which are the objects of Faith, are of such a kind, that the belief of them restores the soul to holiness, which is just another word for salvation. Hence our blessed Saviour prays in behalf of his disciples," Sanctify them through thy truth-thy word is truth." To those who have misapprehended the nature of the salvation which the Gospel provides, and our condition requires, it has ever appeared unaccountable, that the possession of Faith should be represented as primarily and indispensably requisite to secure its blessings. But when it is considered that the great system of truth, of which Christ is the foundation and topmost stone, is that, the knowledge and belief of which is the means of restoring the soul to the possession of spiritual excellence,-when we remember, that the Gospel of Christ is the instrument by which the heart is melted into godly sorrow, and inspired with love to God, and moulded into an assimilation to the pattern of all goodness, the necessity of Faith must powerfully appear. It arises, indeed, from the very nature of the case; for what can the effect of the most solemn and affecting statements be upon those who disbelieve them? The faith of the Gospel is not an assent to truth, which has no practical and purifying tendency; but a belief of truth, which, as soon as it is believed, forms in the soul all the qualities which shall spring up to eternal life. Of this essential principle of the divine life it is further to be observed, that it may be possessed in different degrees. It has indeed been held as an opinion, that Faith, being a simple act of the mind,-an acquiescence in the divine testimony,if it exist at all, it must be complete. Without, however, entering into the minute and subtle distinctions which this question involves, the intimations of Scripture upon this subject are sufficiently express and satisfactory. We read of Abraham, that he was "strong in the faith." An apostle alludes to some of the saints in New Testament times, as being "weak in faith." Our blessed Lord admonishes his disciples in such language as this, "O ye of little faith." And these disciples address this prayer to their Master, "Lord, increase our faith." Such expressions can leave no doubt in the mind that takes its views from the unerring standard of inspiration, that the Faith of the Gospel may be possessed in different degrees, and that we may grow in it as in every other Christian attainment. It is readily admitted, that wherever true Faith really exists, there will, in every case, be a full, and therefore an equal, reliance upon the divine testimony; but it is not difficult to perceive, that divine truth may be better known, more frequently present to the mind, and more influential upon the feelings and conduct of one individual than of another, and even of the same individual at different times. What believer has not felt, that at certain seasons, external temptations were apt to prevail, and worldly and self-righteous thoughts to arise within him, from the want of a full and realizing view of the truths of religion, or in other words, from the weakness of his Faith? As in a sound and vigorous bodily constitution all the parts grow together, so as to promote the strength and symmetry of the whole, so the increase of each of the graces of the Christian life will correspond with the growth of the rest. Our faith will become more extensive in its range of objects, in proportion as our views of Divine truth become more accurate and enlarged. As the existence of prejudice, and the love of sin, are the greatest obstacles to the reception of the truth, so the strength of our faith will advance with our progressive ad vancement in holiness. JOHN STEVENSON, AN AYRSHIRE CHRISTIAN OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. No. I. COMMUNICATED BY THE REV. DUNCAN MACFARLAN, Minister of Renfrew. : THE following memorial, which contains a characteristic sample of the practical Christianity of our pious forefathers, is conceived and expressed in language still familiar to the great bulk of the people, and all its statements are duly authenticated. In proof of this last property, we shall here subjoin the original attestation prefixed to the entire narrative when first published:"What you have in the sheets I sent, I wrote from his papers, and from his mouth. Many ministers in Carrick, and eminent Christians, have frequently heard him tell the matters of fact which you have before you. He was the most eminently pious man I ever knew, adorned with all the Christian graces and virtues. His life was a life of prayer, meditation, and holiness. He was a good husband, one of the best parents, a kind neighbour, a choice Christian friend. He excelled in meekness, modesty, and sympathy; shined in every station and relation wherein God placed him. And, in a word, he was one of the most knowing, judicious, solid, devout Christians I ever was acquainted with. I appeal to all the ministers and Christians in Carrick for the truth of the above character, and for the matters of fact contained in this tract. (Signed) "WM. CUPPLES, Minister." "Kirkoswald, 20th May 1729." "MY DEAR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN,Knowing that I must shortly put off this tabernacle, and being fully persuaded of the reality that is in Religion, and that godliness is great gain, I cannot but leave some testimony behind me, of my real concern for your never-dying souls, which I choose to commit to writing, that, when I am gathered to my fathers, ye may at your leisure read what God has done for my soul, and may be thence encouraged to set your hope in God. I shall, in the first place, give you an account of some exercises of soul I have met with in my pilgrimage. "The first time I found my heart sensibly engaged to the good word and way of the Lord, was in the days of my youth, when there was little or no open vision, because faithful pastors were driven into corners. The Lord, in his providence, brought me to hear Mr Thomas Kennedy, once minister in Lasswade, but at this time thrown out of his charge by persecution. The place where I heard him was in the hall of Killechan, when Then and there I he lectured on the 129th Psalm. fell in love with the Word and ordinances of God, and have, through grace and under several tribulations, adhered to the purity of doctrine, discipline, government and worship, which is now established in the Church of Scotland. After my heart was thus disposed seriously to work out my own salvation, I fell under great discouragement, first, because of my ignorance, and, secondly, because of my want of Christian experience. As to the first, the Lord made me hope it would be cured; and the word on which he caused me to hope was, 'Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasure; find the knowledge of God.'-Prov. ii. 3-5. then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and bore this word on my mind, and I took it as the ground of my sure hope; and I must own, to his glory, that he has sent his word and healed me of this plague in a competent measure. As to my discouragement for want of experience, the Lord brought to my mind the words of Hosea,- Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.'--Hos. vi. 3. And from this I was made to hope, that the Lord would, in due time, acquaint me with the experience I wanted, and grant me especially an experimental knowledge of himself. And I own, to his praise, that he has been as good as his word. He "On the back of this, I was violently assaulted with atheistical thoughts of God, and so far oppressed with them, that my bodily strength became impaired thereby to a great degree. At that time I was ignorant of Satan's devices, and too closely kept the devil's secrets, by not unfolding my distressed case to some Christian friend. But this I always found, that these unworthy thoughts of God filled me with horror, and I neither allowed them nor entertained them. But, at the time, I could not discern that they were Satan's fiery darts, but charged them on myself, which increased my trouble. However, it pleased the merciful God to rebuke the tempter, by making the divine perceptions shine in on my soul, while I was gazing on that wonderful part of creation-the sea. And he gradually manifested himself to me more and more, when viewing his works, till at length I saw his glorious being and perfections shine forth brightly even in a drink of water with which I refreshed myself, and afterwards in every pile of grass and every flower in the field, till I was thus made firmly to believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him. This happy outgate from the fearful pit and miry clay, filled my soul with great joy and delight; and long after, I was enabled to read God in all his creatures, with great satisfaction.* It may be interesting to some, to compare with this a similar experience of the great Edwards, who, though eminent in the possession of intellectual gifts, was, nevertheless, dependent for such views of God and his works, on the same divine teacher with this Ayrshire peasant. "Not long after I first began to experience these things, I gave an account to my father of some things that had passed in my mind. I was pretty much affected by the discourse we had together. And when the discourse was ended, I walked abroad alone, in a solitary place in my father's pasture, for contemplation. And as I was walking there, and looked up on the sky and clouds, there came into my mind a sweet sense of the glorious majesty and grace of God, that I knew not how to express. I seemed to see them both in a sweet conjunction-majesty and meekness joined together. It was a sweet, and gentle, and holy majesty, and also a majestic meekness; an awful sweetness; a high, and great, and holy gentleness. After this, my sense of divine things gradually increased, and became more and more lively, and had more of that inward sweetness. The appearance of every thing was altered. There seemed to be, as it were, a calm sweet cast or appearance of divine glory in almost every thing. God's excellency, his wisdom, his purity and love seemed to appear in every thing; in the sun, moon, and stars; in the clouds and blue sky; in the grass, flowers, trees; in the water and all nature, which used greatly to fix my mind. I often used to sit and view the moon tions?' 66 Though, after this sensible and sweet covenanting with God, on the Hill of Craigdow, I always studied to improve this covenant relation with God, according to my various conditions, temptations, necessities, and distresses, yet the most memorable time of my renewing this covenant was at Craigdarroch in Nithsdale, in the year 1686, where, in secret prayer, the Lord disposed me to do so, and wonderfully condescended to bring me, as it were, nigh to his seat, and filled my mouth with arguments; allowing me to plead with him as a man does with a reconciled friend. There, I was helped with great enlargement, to renew and adhere to the everlasting covenant; and there the kind God manifested himself to me otherwise than to the world. And I may say, that truly my fellowship was with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ, in as sensible a way, and eminent a degree, as ever I met with, before or since, although many times he has been kind to my soul.' " [In his after experience he had many changes, and was sometimes in very deep distress. But we shall add only one other extract, as farther illustrative of the inward exercise of his mind.] "After a considerable time-1678-I heard Mr John | whose faithfulness and mercy endure to all generaCunningham, in the churchyard of Kirkmichael, preaching on Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.'-2 Cor. v. 20. What he mainly insisted on was, that, by nature, we are in a state of enmity against God, and had need to be reconciled to him. When he opened up this state of enmity against God, I was filled with fear, that I was still in that state; yea, I was persuaded and convinced in my apprehension that I was so. I was made to see clearly the evil and danger of being in such a state; and the answer of the Almighty stuck fast in me, I concluding that I was one of the unwise sons that had stuck long in the place of the breaking forth of children, and had not got fully out of the state of nature. When he came to apply his doctrine, he exhorted all to come out of this state of enmity, and expostulated seriously with us, in order to enforce the exhortation. Both doctrine and application had great weight with me, and made me go away, longing to be reconciled to God, and resolved never to be easy till it were so. After this, and on the 12th of August of the same year, I heard Mr John Welsh, on Craigdow Hill, who preached on the same text, but insisted chiefly on We beseech you, be ye reconciled to God.' In speaking to these words, the Lord helped his servant, not only to shew what it was to be reconciled to God, but also earnestly to press reconciliation, and to make a free, full, and pressing offer of glorious Christ, as Mediator and the great peacemaker, who was to make up the breach, and bring about this much needed reconciliation. Being fully convinced how greatly I needed this reconciliation and days-man, who is the only way to the Father, with all my heart and soul did I cordially and cheerfully make the offer welcome; and, without known guile, I did accept of and receive glorious Christ, on his own terms, and in all his mediatorial offices; and I did give myself away to the Lord in a personal and perpetual covenant, never to be forgotten; accepting of God for my Lord and my God, and resolving, that though strange lords had had dominion over me, yet henceforth, I would be called only by his name, whom I had thus avouched for my only God and Lord. Upon this I took the heavens, earth, and sun that was shining upon us, as also the ambassador that made the offer, the clerk that raised the psalms, to witness in the great judgment day, that I had uprightly and cheerfully entered into this everlasting marriage covenant, and resolved, through grace, to be stedfast in his covenant till death. After this my soul was filled with joy and peace in believing. It was a joy unspeakable and full of glory, I having now got good hope through grace, that though he was angry, yet now his anger was turned away, and he had become my salvation. I rejoiced in the thought of my new relationship to God the Saviour, and felt the ravishing sweetness of a reconciled state; and went away firmly resolving, that I would walk all my days in the exercise of humility and repentance; that I would fear the Lord and remember his goodness, in having condescended to stoop so low as to pardon a rebel, and be reconciled and pacified towards me, after all I had done. And all my bones do even now cry out, Who is a God like unto thee, a God keeping covenant, and for a long time; and so, in the daytime, spent much time in viewing the clouds and sky, to behold the sweet glory of God in these things; in the meantime singing forth with a low voice, my contemplations of the Creator and Redeemer. And scarce any thing among all the works of nature, was so sweet to me as thunder and lightning. Formerly, nothing had been so terrible to me. I used to be a person uncommonly terrified with thunder, and it used to strike me with terror when I saw a thunder-storm rising. But now, on the contrary, it rejoiced me. I felt God at the first appearance of a thunder-storm, and used to take an opportunity at such times, to fix myself to view the clouds and see the lightnings play, and hear the majestic and awful voice of God's thunder, which oftentimes was exceeding entertaining; leading me to sweet contemplations of my great and glorious God," 6 "Some time after this, our minister not being able to preach, I went to Girvan on the Sabbath, to hear Mr Stewart, and as he closed his forenoon sermon, Satan stood at my right hand to resist me, and charged me with my filthy garments, setting all my sins and the plagues of my heart before me. Between sermons I retired to the fields, to think on a text of Scripture which came to my mind, and suited my case. The words were these, 'If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.'1 John i. 8. 9. From this I saw that it was most consistent with the faithfulness and justice of God, to forgive his people their sins, and that he was by these attributes engaged to do so. Wherefore I concluded, that though I was very guilty, yet God was just and faithful to forgive his people's sins. On this it was suggested, that he was indeed faithful to forgive sin, but it was only his people's sin; and I was desired to shew, by Scripture marks, that I was one of them. I owned the truth of this suggestion, and endeavoured to read my evidences of grace. But alas! the enemy had taken me at a catch; for the cloud I was under was so great that I could not see to read my character. Nevertheless, I was sure of one mark, namely, that I loved the brethren, even all who bore God's image. But it was again suggested, that one swallow did not make summer, and that one mark did not prove me a real Christian. This so confounded me, that the enemy was permitted to rejoice over me, and trample on my faith and hope, for three full weeks; whereupon I resolved that I would no longer keep the devil's secrets, but would open my case to some of God's messengers, if happily I might find an interpreter, one among a thou sand, that could shew unto man his uprightness. my own minister I could not go, for he was himself in trouble at the time. Therefore, I went to Mr Stewart and opened my case to him. But comfort found I none; for the comforter that should and only could relieve my soul, was yet far from me. Having taken my leave of Mr Stewart, Satan assured me that I was acting with the basest hypocrisy; saying I was in distress, when there was no such thing, and that I had not lied to man only, but also to the Holy Ghost. This new accusation greatly perplexed me; being on the Thursday, I was sorely buffeted till the following Sabbath, when, early in the morning, Scripture marks of my interest in Christ did throng into my mind, with great sweetness and power. I was now able to read my evidences, and To |