The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1885-08-12

gushing it from that which was made
with Israel when brought out of Egypt.
This, st. Paul says, waxed old, and was
ready to vanish away. At the opening
of the Christian dispensation, these pre-
dictions were fulfilled; and as the writ
ings of the Apostles and evangelists relate
principally to the dealings of God with
His Church, in the days of the Messiah,
the mediator of the new covenant; this
part of the sacred volume has received
the apellation of the New Testament,
or Ne1V Covenant and that part which
was published before his coming, is called
the Old Testament, or Covenant. Thus
they are distinguished from, but are by
no means opposed to each other.
With the explanations we have made,
and the distinctions drawn, upon the
authority of distinguished theologians,
we still hold, in the language of w.
Robertson Smith, of Aberdeen, 1.-The
great value of historical criticism is that
it makes the Old Testament more real to
us, Christianity can never seperate itself
from its historical basis on the religion
of Israel; the revelation of God in
Christ, cannot be divorced from the
earliest revelation on which our Lord
built. In all true religion, the New rests
upon the Old. No one, then, to whom
Christianity is a reality can safely ac-
quiesce in an unreal conception of the
Old Testament history" Though our
Lord came to supercede the law, he did
so in the language of the distinguished
author Just cited: "by fulfilling it, or,
more accurately, by filling it up, and
supplying in actual substance the good
things which the law presented only a
shadow and unsubstantial form. The
law according to the Epistle to the He
brews, was weak and improbable, it
carried nothing to its goal, and must give
way to better hope, by which we draw
near to God" Heb. vii: Is, l9.-THe old
Testament IN the JeaOish Murcb.-.Snaith.
This subject is truthfully and beauti-
fully presented in the Presbyterian Con-
fession of Faith, Chap. VII. Gods coUe-
7ao1at a0ith man. Born under the penalty
of covenants of works, pardon from the
beginning was provided and extended
through merciful Father anticipating
the fall, by the relief of the covenant Of
grace. The free will of man, made him
subject to the sovereignty Of his God, and
mercy relieves him from the law he vio-
lated, by interposition of the Son of God,
the bearer of salvation to all who sinned,
from Adam to the end of time.
Had Adam stood his probation with
out shining, his posterity would have
been forever confirmed in holiness and
in the favor OF God. "The fall hath ut
terly cut man off from ever obtaining life
by the law, as a covenant. - Willard.
"Salvation partly by the law and part
ly by the gospel, is impossible. Grace
and works are utterly opposed to each
other as schemes Of acceptance with God.
.-Pl1naer. Here is an explanation of the
combination OF grace and works. Paul
says if salvation is "by grace, then it is
no more of works. Otherwise grace is no
more grace But if it be of works, then
it is no more grace. Otherwise work is
no more work" Rom. xi: 6. No two
things are more opposite than grace and
works.-PJsln1e2. at is sad mistake
when we confound grace and works III.
Christ is become of no effect unto
you, whosoever Of you are justified by the
law; ye are fallen from grace" Paul,
Gal. V: 4.
Here is the beautiful and pleasing
truth beyond the dispute Of the critic,
and independent of the learning of the
scholar. For by grace are ye saved,
through faith and that not of your.
selves it is the gift of God" Eph. ii: s..
" Both faith and works are Gods work
manship both are necessary for saliva
ton. 1.-THE term good works, is never
used in the New Testament, for ritual
obedience, or moral virtue as practised
by unbelievers, or for any other works
than :" the fruits of the Spirit. "-Scott.-
Commentaries. Eph. ii: s.
Here let the infdel of every shade and
cast, pause; misapplied science, perverted
intellect, even under the phases of natural
law, with beclouded rationalism, can
never say or do anything that can throw
shadow over the bright and eternal
light Of the covenant of grace, or impair
the faith it implants in the truth of
Christianity.
Emf n n aia Sro