The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-08-10
No Justification.

The following extracts from the writ
ings of deep students of the Word of
God, of eminence in the church of Christ,
and OF ripe experience Of the Christian
life, relate to subject of prime impor-
lance, and one which cannot be too often
pressed upon the attention of our readers.
1t is rare in these days to find so much
fundamental truth, and so we'll ex-
pressed, within such brief space.
The way and grounds of vital union
to Christ should be thoroughly and
abundantly set forth and cleared up in
preaching. The nature of saving faith,
as distinguished from all the entangle-
ments with which unbelief would en-
barrass it; It's naked essence, as simple
trust in Christ and His righteousness,
should be, in one form and another. a
frequent theme of preaching, and habit
ually interviewer with the whole texture
OF our discourses. This must be done,
even if we incur the danger of seeming
repetitions. 1t is the grand requisite to
the birth of the soul into the kingdom of
God. Simple and rndimentary at it is in
Christian teaching, free justification is an
article in which men born under the
covenant of works are dull learners.
There always are those in every congre-
CATION who are thinking and inquiring
on the subject of religion, but who have
never known what it is to believe on
Christ to the saving of the soul. There
are always babes in Christ, and weak be-
levers, who tremble and stumble in their
Christian walk, because they have no
adequate view of the free, gratuitous,
and full justification which faith en-
braces and insures merely for the taking.
AT this point, too, not a few older Chris
ttians, when, for the time they ought to
be teachers, have need that one teach
them which be the first principles of the
doctrine of Christ Many ministers
have been surprised, in conversations
with the sick and dying, to find persons
who have been their hearers ali their
days, IN mist on this simple and vital
question How can sinner be justified
before God? They know, indeed, in GEN
eral that it is not by their own, but by
Chrlst's righteousness; yet, until the
Spirit takes the scales from their ewes
they will be found in some form to be
working up righteousness of their own.
They will think they must in some wav
make themselves better, before they can
be fit to go to Christ, or he can receive
them. 1t is of great Importance
that all inquiring, doubling, trembling
souls be brought to see clearly the true
nature of justification, which inures to
those that believe on Him that isstiGetb
the ungodly, that SO they may stagper
not at the promise, but be strong in faith.
giving glory to God. Nor can the
preacher well expend too much of his
strength here. All the liberty where
s win Christ maketh Free all filial con-
nauence, love and devotion; all holy
e'Iength and courage to serve God with
o .l fear, in holiness and righteousness
oil oil the days Of our lives; all that is
sweet, genial, and buoyant, in our spirit
!; SSl state, depend upon it. Thus there
D. peace and joy in believing"
,,is. q Repertory and Princeton Re-
''el9' October, 1856
pr Chalmers, in his Lectures on the
v'On.:e.'s, has an admirable passage on the
'"' IN which the peace and JOY mentioned