them into relationship; if reasoning should see a gulf between, yet reason would leap the chasm. Lame and impotent conclusion, if such a mighty lever as the gospel, is to fulfil its work of lifting a small percentage of the race from sin and woe! if elements so nicely blended to reach, redeem, and educate the universe of souls, shall prove unequal to the office which the Almighty contemplated, and thus a thickly-peopled Tartarus stand as the last sequence in a train of influences that were commenced for the regeneration of humanity! Even if we had no clearer light of Scripture to assure our hopes, to doubt the universal sway of Christian truth and love, would be to deny that goodness is best and strongest in God's moral realm. The only fitting climax of belief in the universality of Christian theories concerning God, and duty, and Jesus's character, and spiritual life,—the only conclusion our hearts are willing to accept, is the eloquent declaration of the great apostle's faith," And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all."

T. S. K.

ART. XIII.

The Nature and Conditions of Salvation, according to the New Testament.

WE have given, in a former publication, the substance of about all that we have now to offer on this topic. But the subject is a very important one. To say nothing of its importance when considered in itself, it is sufficient to observe that its relations are so intimate with many other doctrines of the gospel, that our views of this cannot fail to modify our views and our language concerning them. Another motive with us, is, that we often find it treated, even by Universalists as well as by others, in certain ways that do not seem to us quite coincident with the method

at least, if they be altogether reconcileable with the meaning, of the Scriptures. We may therefore be excused for again attempting to present the New Testament doctrine, both in its principle and in its form also, though it should be at the expense of some repetition. Let us advertise our readers, however, that on several of the points embraced in the general subject, we shall do little more than to state the way in which they are treated by the New Testament, as we understand it, and then refer to the article alluded to, for a fuller and perhaps a more satisfactory illustration.

What is salvation? we mean, in the religious sense. Where is it effected, in this life, or in the next, or in both? and by what agency, human, or divine? Is it conditional, according to the common practical usage of this epithet, or does it take place without any conditions on our part? Are there two kinds of spiritual salvation, one by grace, to be conferred on us hereafter, and the other by our efforts, to be wrought out here, or are both the same? How does the New Testament treat the subject in these respects? These are the questions which have suggested the present inquiry, and which it is our aim to furnish the means of answering just so far as the Scriptures pronounce upon them. In attempting this, it will perhaps be the better way not to confine ourselves very strictly to the order in which the questions have been set down, nor to a separate discussion of each in precise form. A freer manner of treating the general subject will probably lead to a clearer apprehension of it as a whole, without material detriment to the particulars.

By salvation, wherever the term is used in the religious sense, the New Testament means deliverance from sin and guilt, reconciliation both of the understanding and of the heart to God; in other words, spiritual soundness of the mind. The direct idea is not, as we think it is commonly supposed to be, that of admission into heaven hereafter, entrance into the future state of eternal blessedness, and of security from future torment, nor of any thing else that belongs exclusively to another world. It is true that some of these, as consequences, may be more or less remotely implicated in it; but the simple idea itself is that of moral renovation within us. This will appear from

two general facts. In the first place, wherever the inspired writers happen to give any thing like a definition of Christian salvation, or wherever they connect any explanatory phrases with it, they define it to this purport. For example, they explain it to be salvation " from sin," redemption "from iniquity;" they assert that it is effected" by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit; that it is attained by " repentance," by "faith," by "knowledge of the truth;" they speak of being saved as the same with being "quickened" from moral death, being "raised up" from our trespasses and sins, and "made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus,"—that is, being brought into the faith and spirit of Christ, without respect of time. Such is the general purport of all the explanatory language that we anywhere find connected with the term salvation, or with the phrase to be saved, when these are used in the religious sense. In the second place, when they are used with reference to a physical process, as is the case in the original text much oftener than appears in our translation, they have the analogous signification of healing, restoring to corporeal and vital soundness, making alive, or preserving from death. Thus, the sick were saved, or, as it is rendered in our version, healed, made whole; so, too, with those who had been possessed by demons, and whose cure is often called their salvation; and so likewise the deceased daughter of Jairus is said to be saved, that is, restored to life. We mention the habitual employment of the term salvation in these cases of a physical nature, because this use throws much light on the central idea denoted by the word, even when it occurs in the other, or spiritual, sense; though the texts under the latter head appear, when brought together, to be explicit enough in themselves. The reader may see the New Testament usage, in both of these respects, pretty fully exemplified in the Universalist Expositor, vol. vi. art. iii.

Setting out, then, with this as the Scriptural signification of the word, it would seem unnecessary to pursue the argument further to show that salvation is often attained in this life, we mean, in the degree in which reconciliation to God, through faith and repentance, is here attained; that it is effected by human agency as well as by the divine; and that it is conditional on our part, in the sense

in which any thing whatsoever is conditional with us. Let us keep it in mind that Christian reconciliation to God is itself the salvation spoken of in the New Testament. Wherever the former is found, the latter is found, and in the same degree; for they are but different ways. to express one thing in substance. And, now, we suppose that nobody will question the exercise of human agency, as well as of the divine, in the work of reconciliation, of turning from our sins unto righteousness, and in maintaining the life of the gospel in our souls. Nor will it be denied that all this depends, we mean immediately, on certain conditions, as much as the acquisition of knowledge, or of wealth, or of any thing else, depends on certain conditions; and that, in all practical respects, we ought to be addressed, and treated, as responsible agents in the work,-no matter how we dispose of the purely metaphysical and extra-Scriptural problems involved in

the case.

On several accounts, however, it may still be needful to bring forward the New Testament treatment of these points. Do the apostles speak of salvation as having already taken place with persons who were still living in this world? The fact is as follows: They call the Christians "the saved," that is, already saved; we are told that "the Lord added to the church daily those who were saved," (such is the proper translation,)—implying that only those who were already saved were fit subjects of admission; " unto us who are saved," says St. Paul, the preaching of the cross is the power of God; "by grace ye are saved," says he to the Ephesians, that is, are already saved, for the Greek participle is in the perfect tense; and he explains the whole, at the same time, as equivalent to their having been quickened from their former state of moral death in trespasses and sins, and raised up to a heavenly frame of mind in Christ Jesus. Again he says, "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us [mark when, and how,] by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." To the same purport he says, God "hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." VOL. VII. 18

198 The Nature and Conditions of Salvation, [April,

Plainly, the apostles understood that this salvation by grace from trespasses and sins, this salvation through faith, regeneration, and the renewing influence of the Holy Spirit, had been already experienced by their brethren. In passing from this point, we refer our readers again to the examples quoted in the article alluded to. It should be observed, however, by way of caution, that while the New Testament thus recognizes Christians as already saved, it does not seem to regard their salvation as by any means perfected, at present; for they are sometimes directed still to accomplish the work. To the Philippians he says, "ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence;" yet, notwithstanding their obedience, he enjoins it upon them, in the next words, "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." And he charges Timothy, who was already a faithful minister, "Take heed unto thyself and to the doctrine; continue in them; for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee." The consistency of this with the foregoing position, is readily seen. If there be

growth "in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ," salvation is of course a progressive work, and it ought to be constantly pursued by us through life. Indeed, judging from the nature of the case, we conclude that it will never be perfected, till mortality be exchanged for immortality.

We proceed to inquire, how the New Testament treats the subject of Christian salvation in respect to human agency. And here we cannot but ask, whether the general recollection of our readers does not suffice at once to call up the fact, that it is habitually spoken of, by the inspired teachers, as a matter which men may neglect to their hurt, which they may reject, or successfully accomplish, which it deeply concerns them to strive for, and that faith, repentance, fidelity to Christ, are the conditions prescribed for attaining it. True, it is also said to be by the grace of God," not of works, lest any man should boast." This, too, is an essential principle in the matter. not be overlooked, much less denied. We shall endeavor, in the sequel, to recognize it in full as the New Testament proposes it. But then it is plain, at the outset, that it must not be held in any such light, nor employed in any

Let it