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in ancient days, who, by a faithful submission to thy holy will, obtained a good report, and, confessing themselves to be pilgrims and strangers upon earth, looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

"It is required of us, O Lord, to deny the lusts of the flesh, and to crucify our earthly affections. To thee, O God, and to thee only, we look for help so to do; confessing our weakness, and bewailing our rebellious disposition. We know that we cannot please thee by any efforts or exertions made in our own proper strength: leave us not, therefore, we earnestly supplicate thee, to our own lusts and passions. Let not sin have dominion over us. Hedge us in on the right and on the left, lest we forsake thy way; and suffer us not to depart from thee, or to take the management of our concerns into our own hands. Bless unto us the instruction with which thou hast favoured us; grant that those who watered, and those who are watered, may be equally the objects of thy divine favour. Finally, we beseech thee, guide us through this life by thy counsels, and afterward receive us into glory.

"And now to God the Father," &c.

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CHAPTER IX.

Secondly, that I should believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith.

WHEN the young party were again assembled in the presence of their excellent and highly revered instructress, they conversed for some time on the history of Constantia, comparing her character with that of Theodosia and the lady of the manor failed not to observe, that the happiness of the one, and her excellent conduct under affliction, with the unhappiness of the other, even when in the most prosperous situation, were owing to the different states of their respective feelings. As one possessed a will subdued and agreeable to that of God, so the other was continually the prey of wayard inclinations and vehement desires, which never could be satisfied. And the lady of the manor concluded this part of her discourse, by again pointing out, that no creature can enjoy true happiness until the lusts of the flesh are subdued within him; inasmuch as these lusts work in opposition to the will of God, and are constantly exciting gloomy and dissatisfied feelings, not only towards the Creator himself, but towards parents, ministers, magistrates, and all who are placed in authority under God. But," continued the lady of the manor, we must now leave this subject which has so long occupied our attention, and proceed to other parts of the Church Catechism." She then requested Miss Louisa to say what her godfathers and godmothers had promised for her, secondarily, in her baptism.

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The young lady answered, "Secondly, that I should believe all the articles of the Christian faith."

"Before we proceed to an explanation of this part of the Church Catechism," said the lady of the manor, "I think it proper to point out to you, my dear young people, an idea which has more than once suggested itself to me when considering the baptismal vow. Our Church Catechism, as I have before remarked, though an excellent form of words, and containing much that is truly admirable in a very short compass, is, I fear, from its extreme succinctness, often liable to lead ignorant persons into error, and therefore should be seldom used without some judicious explanation. In that part of it, falling under our late and present consideration," continued she, "it is stated that the sponsor undertakes three things in the name of the child: first, that he shall 'renounce the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh; and, secondly, that he shall ‘believe all the articles of the Christian faith.' To a hasty observer," proceeded she," it might appear, from the arrangements of the articles of this vow, that it was held by our Church as a possible and probable thing, that the renouncing of sin in its various forms, should go before faith; whereas we are told, that without faith it is impossible to please God; and that he who cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him, (Heb. xi. 6.)—although, independent of the authority of Scripture, the experience of six thousand years proves, without the shadow of a doubt, that all attempts made by man to dwell in his own strength have either utterly failed, and ended in open shame, or in what perhaps is still more to be dreaded, in self-exultation and an impious attempt to establish the independence of the creature in defiance of the Creator. not, however, presume to hint, that the pious compilers of our Church Catechism," continued she, “had any ideas of this kind: we rather wonder at their producing a work with so few defects; at the same time, we well know that no production of man can be perfect. We are anxious, however, to give faith its proper place before works, the place allowed it by our articles, which are to this purpose: 'Albeit that good works, which are the fruits of faith, and follow after justification, canno VOL. II.

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put away our sins, and endure the severity of God's judgment; yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, and do spring out necessarily of a true and lively faith; insomuch that by them a lively faith may be as evidently known as a tree discerned by the fruit.— Works done before the grace of Christ, and the inspiration of his Spirit, are not pleasant in the sight of God, forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Jesus Christ, neither do they make men meet to receive grace, or (as the school-authors say) deserve grace of congruity: yea rather, for that they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done, we doubt not but they have the nature of sin.' (12th and 13th Articles of the Church.)

"Man is naturally disposed to exalt himself, and lower his Maker; but faith confines the creature to his own humble place, and establishes the Almighty on that throne from which proud man would willingly pluck him in order to exalt the idol self. Faith, then, we presume," proceeded the lady of the manor, "must be antecedent to the renewal of our nature, and should therefore be the first gift demanded by the parent and the sponsor at the hand of infinite mercy and free grace, in order to the formation of the character of the young Christian.

"And now, my dear young people," continued the lady of the manor, "before we proceed any further, I think it right to endeavour at least to explain to you the nature of faith. Faith, in its simplest form, is a dependence on the veracity of another. This kind of trust is called faith, because it relies on the truth of a promise; and an individual is said to keep his faith inviolate, when he strictly performs the promise which he has made to another. Faith is commonly distinguished by divines into four kinds, namely,-Historical Faith, Temporary Faith, Faith of Miracles, and Justifying Faith.

"Historical Faith, my dear young people," proceeded the lady," is a bare assent of the mind to the truths revealed in Scripture, and is thus spoken of by St. James: Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.- Was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out an

other way? (James ii. 17, 25.) He who believes that the mere matters related in history concerning an individual are true, may be said to possess an historical faith: but, inasmuch as this bare belief has no influence upon his conduct, his faith is merely historical; and, in consequence, is dead, cold, and fruitless. This kind of faith is possessed by devils; for, as St. James says, Thou believest that there is one God; the devils also believe, and tremble. (James ii. 19.)

Temporary Faith," continued the gentle instructress, "rises one degree above historical faith. Together with the knowledge of, and assent to, revealed truths, it is connected with some degree of approbation, and a certain pleasure in receiving and hearing these truths; but this joy arising from the mixture of some worldly consideration, it soon vanishes and comes to nothing. Of this kind of faith our Saviour speaks in the parable of the sower, (Matt. xiii. 21.)-He that receiveth the seed into stony places, receives it with joy--he understands it, he assents to it, he hears it gladly, considers and approves of it; yea, it springs up in an outward profession and reformation: yet hath it not life in itself, but dureth for a while; for when tribulation and persecution arise because of the word, the professor of such a faith is by and by offended. There are multitudes of persons in this present day whose faith is of this description-many who, being attracted by some fine preacher, make a temporary and splendid profession, and, being encouraged thereto by the praises of their fellow-creatures, seem to be making rapid advances in the heavenly road: but presently, finding some difficulty in the way, or being removed into those scenes and that kind of society where excitements to appear religious no longer exist, they fall away, and the glory of their professsion evaporates as the dew of the morning.

"The third kind of faith," continued the lady of the manor, "is the Faith of Miracles; that is, a firm assent of the mind to some particular promise concerning any miraculous event. With reference to this species of faith our Saviour thus speaks in Matt. xvii. 20.—Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to

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