WE ARE CHILDREN. GAL. 3: 26. "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." ROM. 8:17. "And if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ." COLUMBIA, PA. WE are children, ransomed children, Saved from sin and death by thee. We are children, erring children, We are children, helpless children, We are children, pilgrim children, Where the radiance of the throne Blessed Jesus! sweet to see L. M. L. "FRIEND OF GOD," OR, THE EXCELLENCY OF FAITH AND A HOLY LIFE. No. II. (Continued from page 8.) A FRIENDSHIP such as we have described, contains the elements of perpetuity. But among sincere and permanent friends, some are more highly valued than others. In addition to that congeniality of feeling, which is essential to all true friendship, there are in some cases, a fervour and refinement of affection far "Above the common walks of virtuous life:" a friendship like David's and Jonathan's, who "loved each other, as he loved his own soul." Our Saviour bestowed on all his disciples, the endearing appellation of "friends;" but John was distinguished above the others, in being called by way of emphasis, the "disciple whom Jesus loved." So it was with Abraham. God had many other friends, both before and after his day; constituted such by the same evangelical faith which he possessed, and some of them were eminent believers. But in none of those ancient worthies, was faith so illustrious in its manifestations as in Abraham-none whose confidence in the Divine wisdom, power, and goodness, was so firm and unbounded; whose obedience was so prompt, cheerful, and self-denying; who was so bright an example of those graces and virtues, which are the fruit of faith; so fine a model of religious fidelity to his children and household, and so eminent for his devotional feelings and heavenly frame of mind. In some of these particulars he may have had his equals, but as a whole he excelled all others. THE STRENGTH OF ABRAHAM'S FAITH. It is mentioned by Paul, as one of the properties of Abraham's faith, that it was "strong." (Rom. 4:18-21.) Reference is had to his belief in the promise of a son, from whom was to descend the Messiah-that "seed," in whom "all families of the earth should be blessed"-the promise being made, when he and Sarah, his wife, were far advanced in age. Phrase after phrase, is employed to describe and honour his faith with regard to that promise. "Who against hope, believed in hope-being not weak in faith, he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; being fully persuaded that what he had promised, he was able also to perform." Our faith is strong, in proportion to its freedom from every worldly element: when it consists in a reliance on God's promise alone, without connecting with it any subsidiary ground of evidence, or support; and when the thing believed is highly improbable, according to any known or conceivable process of human reasoning. To believe a man's testimony, or to confide in his promise, under circumstances like these, would be to confer upon him extraordinary honour. No higher tribute could be paid to his veracity or fidelity. The promise made Abraham was of this character; and his believing it, with a firm unwavering confidence, "gave glory to God." This promise, accorded not with experience or observation. It was not deducible from the established connection between cause and effect. The history of our race, furnished no such example, and the analogies and laws of nature were wholly against it. Yet he entertained no more doubt of its fulfilment, than as though he could have foretold the result, by the clearest logical argument, or by mathematical demonstration. GOD had promised, and he felt the need of no further assurance. doubted neither his ability nor his love. Persons of weak faith, would have asked for some sensible sign; but his confidence in God was so firm and unbounded, that those difficulties which would have produced doubt in most others, totally disappeared. The "God of glory" who had manifested himself to him as the God of grace, and had won his faith, his affections, his heart, was the Almighty;" and his power and faithfulness were to his mind a sure guarantee for all he had promised. This strong, childlike confidence, was pleasing to God; and to show his special regard, he distinguished him from men of sense and of sight, by calling him his friend. 66 He Without particular attention to the scope of the Apostle's argument, the reader may be liable to connect the words (v. 22), "and therefore, it was imputed to him for righteousness," with the immediate context, and hence infer that Abraham's faith was imputed to him for righteousness, because it was strong. This, however, is a mistake, and will lead to erroneous views concerning justification. This verse is an inference, not from the immediate context, but from the whole preceding argument, commencing at the beginning of the chapter; the design of which was to show that Abraham was justified by faith in opposition to the deeds of the law, and not by a strong, in distinction from a weak faith. In bringing the argument to a close, he noticed the extraordinary manifestation of his faith, with reference to the birth of Isaac; but this was incidental to his main design-an expansion of his argument, but not essential to the specific object he had in view, which was to exhibit that faith which must be exercised by all believers, in order to justification. "It is of faith," says he (v. 16), "that it might be by grace, to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed." Sure to all the seed: i. e., to all true believers, and not to those only who should attain to an eminent degree of faith. God is glorified when sinners believe in Christ, even with a tremulous faith. Indeed, special tenderness is exercised towards such. "A bruised reed he will not break, and the smoking flax he will not quench." It does not follow, however, that he is not more glorified by a strong than a weak faith; or that the former is of no special benefit above the latter. Though our justification, when it occurs at all, is complete, the evidence of pardoned sin, and the comfort flowing from it, will be very different in the two cases. He who comes to Christ with doubt and hesitation, from an apprehension that he will not be welcome, or that his demerits surpass the efficacy of Christ's blood, may nevertheless rely on the Divine promise with sincerity and hope. But he will seldom experience joy and peace in believing. These are the fruit of that strong faith which takes God at his word, without looking to any other quarter for corroborating testimony or encouragement. Spiritual comfort flows from him; and this kind of faith is the golden conduit through which it is communicated in large measures to the soul. The reason is, that this expresses much more than a weak faith, the homage due to his adorable perfections, and is accordingly more pleasing in his sight. It is a more full and acceptable tribute, paid by conscious unworthiness to infinite merit; of conscious weakness to Divine strength; and of conscious guilt and ill-desert, to unbounded grace and mercy. Reader, have you a desire to obtain an interest in Christ? In exercising faith in him, you will be much aided by thinking of him as a friend. The fact that he is able to save, derives its chief encouragement to us, from our knowing and feeling that he is also willing. The power of an enemy is terrible-that of a friend inviting. The former repels, the latter attracts; the one excites fear, the other hope and confidence. In coming to him, therefore, view him as on a throne of grace; as the "friend of sinners;' whose pity towards us was manifested by the surrender of his own life for our salvation; and who possesses now the same kind and compassionate heart that he did then. Are you a disciple of Christ? Avail yourself of the special encouragement afforded by this high relation, to trust in God's providence. Though not able to point to a Scripture promise addressed to us by name, as Abraham could; yet if we can, upon good evidence, call God our friend, in that highest and best sense in which this term was applied to him, we can by an easy and legitimate process, enjoy the full benefit of those "exceeding great and precious promises," which are recorded in the sacred volume. Those promises are designed for God's friends-for each and every one of them whenever and wherever they might sojourn on earth. Hence if we are his friends, we are authorized to appropriate them to ourselves, as a part of our Christian inheritance. What stronger ground of confidence exists among men than friendship? "A friend loveth at all times;" and to the extent of his ability, we feel sure he will assist us in time of need. God is a "friend that sticketh closer than a brother." He knows all our wants; yea, he anticipates them all before they are known to ourselves; and he possesses infinite ability to supply them. And besides, he has made this promise-"I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee," with many others equally precious. Is not this sufficient to inspire confidence? Do you want any stronger security than the promise of your heavenly friend? "O thou of little faith, wherefore dost thou doubt?" If you would enjoy "strong consolation," seek to obtain strong faith. And to this end open the treasury of God's promises, and by faith appropriate them to your own condition. Contemplate his love,-uttering and confirming those promises. Consider his all-pervading providence, and his tender care for all his people. And connect therewith, the devout and earnest prayer "Lord, increase our faith." ABRAHAM'S OBEDIENCE OF FAITH. Abraham's faith was characterized by a prompt, cheerful, and self-denying obedience. Two instances of this are particularly mentioned. One when God commanded him to leave his country, his kindred, and his father's house, and take up his abode in Canaan. (Gen. 12: 1-4.) The Apostle Paul denominates his obedience to that command, the obedience of faith. "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed, and he went out not knowing whither he went." (Heb. 11: 8.) He knew nothing of that country, nor the way thither. But if he had known, there were to the eye of sense no such attractions in the land of Canaan, at that time, as to induce him, for the sake of an inheritance there, to leave his own sunny clime in Chaldea, and to alienate himself from all his early associations, his secular interests, and his worldly prospects. But the "God of glory" who appeared to him, issued the command, "Get thee out of thy country," &c., and he promptly obeyed. The Divine authority over him was fully recognized, and his readiness to yield to its requirements was cheerfully and practically acknowledged. His obedience, however, was not merely a subjection to the mandate of a ruler, though this would have been obligatory. God is our moral governor, and has an infinite right to control and guide us according to his good pleasure. But another element entered into his obedience, which modified its character and made it peculiarly pleasing to God. It was of the same nature and under the same influence with the obedience of Paul, when the risen and ascended Saviour met him on his way to Damascus, and by the glorious manifestation of himself, made him, first a trophy of his grace, and then a herald of the cross. Paul tells us, that "when it pleased God to reveal his Son in him, he conferred not with flesh and blood," but proceeded immediately to fulfil his mission as an apostle to the Gentiles. So it was with VOL. V. NO. 2, 5 |