TO THE EDITOR OF THE CHRISTIAN LADY'S MAGAZINE.

MADAM,

In one of her communications, your valuable correspondent G. E. M. professes herself ready to explain any passage of her writings which is not sufficiently clear to the comprehension of her readers, though she is unwilling to enter upon controversy. I trust she is also ready to correct any sentence which is pointed out as incorrect.

Allow me, therefore, through the medium of your Magazine, to inquire whether she intends the expression pages 241, 242, "cursed by the sweet gift of nature," to be understood literally? If she does, I would further ask, is it right for a Christian to sanction by her practice one of the evil customs of the sinful inhabitants of this world, who upon every practicable occasion, shut God out of his own creation (and their thoughts), endeavour to forget even His existence, by calling His gifts, the "gifts of nature," the delicate and beautiful traces of His finger upon the flower and the butterfly, they style the "pencilling of nature," and the grand though awful bursting of the thunder clap, is in the language of this God-contemning age "the voice of nature." I feel convinced that G. E. M. will shrink from adding her name to the list of those, who in this manner rob God of his glory; and I would affectionately urge it

upon all who love his name to be careful lest, by a loose or hasty style of speaking and writing, they appear to fall into the custom of these practical atheists. Let them never fail to acknowledge Him the God of nature in all his works.

My next question relates to the word "cursed." Believing, as I do, that G. E. M. regards a talent for music, to be the gift of God, though inadvertently she calls it the "gift of nature; now, can the term cursed apply to it?-if it is the sweetest gift He bestows upon his creatures in this jarring world, surely as it comes from his hands, it is no curse. No, it must be the perversion of the talent; the abuse of the gift to the dishonour of the giver, which turns it into a curse. The gift is a blessing, and nothing but sin can render it a curse. G. E. M. will I trust, forgive these remarks, and believe that they are made in the simple desire of placing before my Christian friends, the necessity of being careful that their words are always such as shall minister grace to those who hear or read them.

MARGARET.

THEOLOGICAL ESSAYS.

JUSTIFICATION.

I HAVE endeavoured to prove, in a former paper, that works do not justify. I shall now shew how the scriptures teach us that we are justified by faith only.

And

By justification it must be understood that, though sinners, we are treated as if we were righteous. For the bible tells us that God "justifieth the ungodly." This gracious treatment of us is entirely for the worthiness of Jesus Christ. His blood, we are instructed, "cleanseth from all sin." "He hath made him, to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." therefore we may fairly state the doctrine, that God, pleased with the satisfaction of Christ, for his sake, remits our punishment, receives us to his favour, and accounts us his dear children by adoption. This is, in no degree, deserved on our part; hence justification is of grace, yet not unrighteous grace, for Christ has satisfied the law's demands; so that God is just, at the same time that he is justifier of the guilty.

Christ, in making his atonement, assumed our nature, and was "obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." The dignity of his person stamped illimitable value on his sufferings; and

therefore, his one oblation, once offered, sufficed for man's redemption. And this is testified by our Saviour's resurrection from the dead. Had any part of man's ransom been unpaid, he would still have been left under the power of death. But God manifestly shewed his full acceptance of the atonement by raising him from the grave, and setting him at his own right hand in heavenly places. We are thus assured that help is laid on One mighty to save.

It is frequently said that Christ took the sinner's place; and without impropriety, for we read of his 66 being made a curse for us." But we must not infer that there is any change or permutation of persons in justification, so that Christ, on the one hand, is the sinner, or that man is perfectly righteous, on the other. It is a full answer to such a doctrine, which some men have maintained, that Christ is declared in scripture to be an offering" without spot." (Heb. ix. 14.) And besides, the righteousness, whereby we are justified, is not actually in us. It is perfect,' says Hooker, (Discourse of Justification) but not inherent.... If it be in us, then is it ours, as our souls are ours, though we have them from God, and can hold them no longer than pleaseth him; for if he withdraw the breath of our nostrils, we fall to dust: but the righteousness wherein we must be found, if we will be justified, is not our own, therefore we cannot be justified by any inherent quality.' Hence St. Paul desires to be found in Christ, "not having," he proceeds, "mine own righteousness, but that which is through the faith of Christ."

Christ shed his blood for the sins of mankind: but the benefit of his bloodshedding is received only by

the faithful. "God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life." We must apprehend Christ by faith, if we would be saved by him. This faith is not a mere assent to the enunciation of truth-for such a faith the devils have-it is rather the cordial acceptance of Christ's salvation, a sure trust that God will according to his promise, for his sake, forgive our transgressions, and remember our iniquities no more. It is of this, that we are told, "the just shall live by faith."

Faith is not a meritorious work. It is intrinsically of no value, except as it links us to the Lord Jesus Christ, for whose worthiness we are accounted righteous. And it is wrought in us by God. "For by grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." (Eph. ii. 8.) And thus the connexion is made between the soul and Christ. He sends forth his Spirit, to draw us to him: we, so acted on, stretch forth the hand of faith, and receive his mercy. Thus we dwell in Christ, and Christ in us; we are one with Christ, and Christ with us.'

In this way all the glory of salvation is rendered to God; his character and attributes are honoured. His justice has her victim: his compassion has free scope. Contrarieties are seen to coalesce. Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other."

And it is only by this doctrine that any wellgrounded hope of everlasting life can subsist in the human mind. Were justification by the deeds of the law, we never could be satisfied that our works were sufficient to do away the severity of God's