The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1869-07-21
[Terms--- 90 per Annum, In Advance.

essentially consisted, and which de-
pended for its existence upon union
with God. Sin broke that union,
and separated man from the fountain
of holiness and blessedness. Three
things may be considered as essential
to the spiritual well-bcing of man,
viz: that he should resemble God in
the holiness Of his character; that he
should lorc him suprcmcly as the
satisfying portion Of his soul and that
he should have free and uninterrupt-
cd communion with him. Indeed
fellowship with God is the life of no.
, liness and love.
But the sinner has lost the divine
image. The form of his moral nature
is dcpravity, tho very opposite of
holiness. Instead Of love, the carnal
mind is cnmity against God. Instead
of communion, man is alienated from
God, and shuus his society. This is
his misery and his ruin. 1t is the
utter destruction Of all spiritual we'll
being.
Now as God has provided for our
physical wants and sufferings, in the
treasure.housc Of nature; for our so
cial wants and evils, in the constitu-
tion of man and society, in the appli-
cation of natural principles and laws,
(aided by Revelation, 10 far as they
are republished) so God has provid-
ed for our spiritual wants and misc
ries,in the Scriptures. Nature, and the
historical development of mankind,
are the great sources Of the knowl-
edge we need as material, rational,
and social beings a supernatural re-
velation is tho only source Of
knowledge, which meets our moral
aud spiritual necessities and sull'erings.
The truth of nature is not fitted to
meet our wants as sinners. If met at
all, it must be by other knowledge
than that furnished by the light Of
nature and of other knowledge, then,
IL must be that it is supernatural, and
this is just what the Bible claims to be.
A knowledge Of natural relations and
necessary principles may be nll-suni-
oient for m unfallen being. Adam
had no need to transcend tho natural
relations he sustained to God and his
fcllow-man, nor tho necessary princi-
pies of morality and religion given in
tho stinn'nrc Of his being. But sin
has modified onr relations to God and
completely changed our moral charac-
ter. Hence n knowledge of these
new relations, and now moral and
spiritual wants must be made known
by special revelation.
The first want of sinner is pardon
and acceptance, ,deliverance from guilt
and condemnation, and recon ella.
tion with God, securing peace of con. /.
science and hope of heaven. Tho
second want is new principle of lifo,
or holiness, implanted aud sustained
by tho supernatural power of tho
Spirit, applying supernatural truth,
securing dclivcrcnce from the power
of indwclling sin.
The next want is strength and con-
ISOLATION amid the duties, temptations,
and sorrows of lifc. This is supplied
by the communications of divine grace
in connection with tho promise Of tho
covenant.
Another want is personal intercourse
with the Triune God. This is in fact
tho primo want of tho soul, that in
which its very life and felicity con-
sists. t''" 1 ''@5 1''t".
There was first necessity for tho
atonemeDt Of Christ, to change our
relation to the laws Of God, and tbon
for tho renewing and sanctifying spir-
it to change our depraved heart. Tho
first secures righteous state. Tho
second, q holy nature, in sympathy
with Gods moral perfections, which
qualities us for loving communion.
Hence the necessity of spiritual
knowledge. The knowledge of Christ
and his atoning work, is necessary for
our justifiction. The knowledge Of the
HolyiSpirit and bis peculiar mission is
requisite to our sanetiGcation. Tho
knowledge Of our relation to "God and
, Father of our L. j. c." and our
, covenant God in him, is essential to
afford us spiritual consolation. The
, love Of the Father, the merit Of the
Son, the strength Of the Holy Spirit,
meet oil tho wants of the sinner. "This
is life eternal, to know thee the truo
God, and jesus Christ whom thou hast
, sont." owe arc saved by the wash.
! ing of regeneration and the renewing
Of The lf,ly Ghost" 1t is by means
of the truth, intellectually apprehend- :
cd, and experimontally received, that
oprj fallen natures are renewed, And
when in regeneration, tho principle Of
holiness is implanted, tho new life is
sustained and nourished by spiritual
truth, under the tuition of the Holy
Ghost. eve purify ourselves, in
obeying tho truth through tho Spirit"
The discussion of this part Of the
subject conducts US to the same prac-
tioal lesson, as the former. = II is our
duty and our interest to seek for mo-