convenience, be called "saving faith," while we
take care not to confound the operation of the
mind in believing with the truths on which it is
exercised. Some of these leading truths, which
will be habitually kept present by the believing
food which sustains
soul, as constituting the very
the spiritual life, it may be refreshing, as well as
profitable, more distinctly to notice.

That the divine and human natures exist in mysterious union in the person of Jesus Christ, is not only in itself an essential article of the Christian faith, but is the only solid basis on which our hopes can rationally rest upon him as our Saviour. Unless he were possessed of the divine nature, he never could have merited any thing for us. A created being, no matter how exalted the order to which he belonged, could have no powers or faculties which he had not received; and having received them, the full em

gave them can never be more than his duty. On the other hand, as we have already seen, unless Christ, though a divine Being, had assumed the human nature, he could not have been in a capacity to bear our sins, and carry our sorrows, and to suffer in our room and stead, as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. This occupying of our place, which he could do only in our nature, is what is denoted by the word vicarious, which so often occurs in the writings of divines upon this subject. The "vicarious" sufferings of Christ mean the sufferings which he endured in our room and stead.

1. Then, I observe, that "saving faith" implies the receiving Christ Jesus in the character, and attributes, and offices, in which he is set before us in the Gospel. In his essential charac-ployment of them in the service of him who ter, he is a divine person, equal with God the Father. In the economy of redemption, he is "Jesus Christ," or the "anointed Saviour," and also "the Lord," or Ruler," having all power These committed to him in heaven and earth. fundamental articles of our faith are revealed with a clearness and copiousness corresponding with their importance. As we never can be more appropriately employed than in contemplating the glories of the Redeemer's character, as constituting the secure foundation of all our hopes, it may be pleasing and profitable to advert to some of the passages in which they are unfolded. No familiarity with them can ever make them pall upon the ear of him to whom "Christ is precious." The Gospel of John opens with a full and "In the clear statement of our Lord's divinity. beginning," says he, "was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All The same was in the beginning with God. things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." Again, all the attributes of Deity are ascribed to him in the name "Emmanuel, God with us." He whom Peter acknowledged to be "the Christ, the Son "I and the of the living God," says of himself, Father are one," and declares it to be the Father's will, that "all men honour the Son, even as they honour the Father." Now, if Christ were a mere creature, however exalted, such honour would neither have been required nor permitted. It would have been idolatry; and we know who hath said, "My glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images."

The faith of the Christian, then, is equally remote from the ancient heresy of the Docete, who denied the human nature of Christ, and asserted that his sufferings existed merely in appearance; and from the modern heresy of the Socinians, who affect the name of Unitarians, who deny the divinity of our Lord, and therefore reject that which alone could give efficacy to his sacrifice for sin. Though we have called this last heresy modern, as, in some respects, it is, yet, substantially, it is as old as the days of the apostles; for even in the infancy of the Church there were men who "denied the Lord that bought Let it be our care, with lowliness, and them." humility, and dependence on the teaching of the Holy Ghost, to follow the divine record; and let the name of Emmanuel, God with us, and in our nature, fill our hearts with every lowly and lofty Let faith fan the flame of heavenly sentiment. love, and so shall we taste a felicity which no "honour the Son, words can utter, while we even as we honour the Father, who sent him."

2. "Saving faith," implies believing that our 3. Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ implies Lord Jesus Christ assumed human nature in the perception of the suitableness of the salunion with the divine, that he might be in a "For vation that is in him to our circumstances. The capacity to work out human redemption. verily he took not on him the nature of angels; illustration of this truth constitutes a prominent but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Where- feature of the New Testament, and its influence forms one of the great moving principles of the fore in all things it behoved him to be made like Christian character. Jesus Christ gave himself unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high-priest in things pertaining to God, an offering and a sacrifice without spot unto God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and Heb. ii. 16, 17. The same inspired apostle tells" purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous us (Phil. ii. 5-8,) that "Jesus Christ being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death even the death of the cross."

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of good works." Now there is salvation in none other, "for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we can be saved, but the name of Jesus."

The believer, convinced that he is by nature and practice a sinner, and therefore under the condemnation of the divine law, sees, in the

our.

research, or in the accuracy and extent of their infor mation. And so firmly did he retain what he learned, that, till the day of his death, he was more critically and accurately acquainted with Greek and Latin than most persons are when they have just finished their course of study. But the best testimony to his classi cal acquirements is a certificate of Sir D. K. Sandford, the celebrated professor of Greek in Glasgow College, in the following terms :-" Mr Robert Whyte was for several sessions a student of the Greek class in this University, and his whole conduct and progress through that course of study has left on my mind an ineffaceable impression of both his moral and intellectual deserts. He is a very good scholar and a most meritorious young man, distinguished by great ardour and assiduity in learning, by excellent temper and extreme modesty, by soundness of knowledge and correctness of demeanHe has been frequently and justly the subject of academic praise and honours; nor can any one of his standing give fairer promise of a respectable career in whatever province of intellectual exertion his choice or his fortune may hereafter place him." Another branch of knowledge in which he excelled was mathein his favour in the terms of Mr P. Wilson, professor of Mathematics in the Andersonian University of Glasgow:-" Having been a student with me for two winters I had ample opportunity of forming a correct estimate of his scientific acquirements, and I can have no hesitation in stating it as my opinion, that he is one of the best mathematicians that I have had under my care. The zeal with which he prosecuted his studies, and the correct knowledge which he exhibited of the different parts of abstract science which came under review, led me to form a very high estimate of his attainments."

readiness with which they solved a question, but he was never satisfied unless he understood thoroughly the nature of the process and the reason of the result, and this is very properly supposed to have laid the foundation of the future eminence which he attained in mathematical science, as well as to have contributed to the accuracy of all his knowledge. When learning English Grammar he could not merely distinguish easily the different parts of speech, but apply correctly the most intricate rules of syntax, and this talent appeared more conspicuous and useful after he began to study Latin. The testimony to his general behaviour at school is more striking and, to a Christian, more touching. He was not merely gentle and docile, and remarkable for the propriety of his conduct, but attentive and industrious. So far from complaining that too much was at any time exacted of him, he never thought he did enough. A desire to be at the head of his class, though he often enjoyed that honour, was no part of his ambition; he was stimulated by the higher motives of a desire of information and a sense of duty. It was seldom, very seldom, that he needed the smallest reproof or correction, and when it was administered, instead of resenting it, and becoming sullen and rebel-matics, and I take leave to produce a similar testimony lious, he was humbled and ashamed, and regarded it as a substantial benefit." The worthy man concludes his testimony to the character of his esteemed pupil with this declaration, as true, I doubt not, as it is affectionate: "Indeed a master may teach half a century before he meet with a scholar in all respects like Mr Whyte. I myself have conducted a school for thirty years, and taking him all in all, I have never met with his equal, nor do I ever expect to meet with it again." His habits of industry and research, and his intelligence and propriety of conduct he carried into every situation; so that when he was at home, instead of being carried away with amusement or even business, he was habitually seen with a book in his hand. In what way soever others might be employed, he was usually to be found in some retired place busy with his favourite study, from which it was difficult to recal him; and even when dragged away, and dispatched for some purpose, he has been known to forget by the way the errand on which he was sent, not from carelessness and far less stubbornness, but because his mind was entirely engrossed with the subject | of his present researches. By his habitual industry he soon made such acquirements as can be attained at a country school, and before he left it, he had read all the popular works on theology and history which were within his reach, and was pretty well acquainted with the ancient histories of the Egyptians, Chaldeans, Persians, Greeks, and Romans, together with the modern civil and ecclesiastical histories of his own country.

In the year 1819 he went to the large academy of Kilmarnock, where he enjoyed every possible facility and assistance in the prosecution of his classical studies under the late Mr W. Thomson, rector of that academy, who was a distinguished scholar and successful teacher. In this favourable situation, he not merely supplied the defects almost inseparable from an education in the country, but distinguished himself from most of his school-fellows. At length he and his friend, the Rev. Mungo Parker, now in Brechin, fairly started off from their class-fellows and pursued their studies, together, with kindred zeal and remarkable success. When they went to Glasgow College in 1822, they continued to distinguish themselves even on that arena of competition, and amid rivals from all parts of the country and from seminaries of the greatest celebrity. On such a field there might be persons of quicker apprehensions and more ostentatious qualities than Mr Whyte, for he was more solid than showy, and was always as remarkable for concealing as others are for displaying their talents and acquirements, but few excelled him in diligence of

As I have no wish, however, to give a full view of his intellectual character and literary attainments, I shall not prosecute this matter farther, but only remark, in general, that, animated with a thirst of knowledge, and now enured to habits of patient and persevering study, he pursued with similar assiduity and success his whole course of learning. Like a man who is greedy of gain though from far other motives, "he rose early and sat up late, and did not eat the bread of idleness." So long as his health permitted, he did not allow himself more than five hours of sleep during the night. Whilst such exertions were rewarded by the attainment of great accomplishments, they perhaps sowed the seeds of that disease which cut short his valuable life, and deprived the world of the fruits of his labours. It need hardly be told, that he added rapidly and habitually to the stores of his information, and became one of the most accomplished of his cotemporaries; and there was a precision and accuracy in all his knowledge the result of his patient attention and invincible purpose to understand thoroughly every subject to which he applied his mind. He was an excellent Theologian, and in a special manner was mighty in the Scriptures." He had long delighted in the study of his Bible, and could explain it in the clearest and inost satisfactory manner. This was felt sensibly at a later period by those who heard him lecture in public, and in a still more interesting manner in private by the sick and dying, as well as by those in good health, who were inquiring the way to Zion.

I have said all this of his talents and acquirements as a scholar for two reasons, because they were all in the end sanctified and consecrated to the service of God; and because, he was so modest and retiring that he was not fully known even by his class-fellows, and some who might think themselves well acquainted with him. Still he was known by them to a considerable extent, and in all respects to advantage. much talent and worth could not pass unnoticed nor

So

unappreciated. Though modest and prudent, he was not silent and repulsive. He was communicative and even cheerful; and whilst he never by any mistake offended any one, he made himself agreeable to all. The best of friends see faults in one another and sometimes have misunderstandings and quarrels, but no one found fault with Mr Whyte, nor quarrelled with him. And those who knew him best admired him most, and were fully persuaded of his serious impressions. It is not my intention, however, to dwell upon his religious character till I have disposed of the facts in his short but interesting history.

remarkable prayers, they conceived for him the highest respect and admiration, have ever since taken the liveliest interest in his situation, and missed no opportunity of endeavouring to promote his views in the Church, or of ministering to him under sickness and at the approach of death, and that, too, without any selfish feeling, and from no other motive but Christian esteem and affection. By appointment of the presbytery, he continued to preach in Dreghorn every alternate Sabbath till the end of May 1834, though he ceased to live in the parish after the death of the Rev. W. Wodrow. This appointment was renewed by the decision of a majority of the presbytery, but his continuance in the parish was prevented by a protest and appeal against their resolution by the Rev. Mr Campbell of Kilwinning, on the ground that it was injurious to the presentee. So far, however, from resenting a step which broke up his connection with an attached people, he cheerfully acquiesced in it, immediately engaged to assist Mr Campbell in his parish, and associated with him with perfect cordiality. During this engagement four discourses were preached in Kilwinning every Lord's day, there being sermon both in the parish church and at a village in the country every evening. He divided the whole public duty with the parish minister, and here, as elsewhere, recommended himself alike to pastor and people. Mr Campbell, though not agreeing with him in ecclesiastical politics, formed the highest opinion of his worth and accomplishments, and continued to show him the greatest respect till the day of his death.

After having finished, much to his own honour and the satisfaction of his teachers, his course of study, and after being for some time engaged in teaching, both in private families and a public academy, in which it is a remarkable fact that he enjoyed as much the ardent affection of his pupils as the entire esteem of their parents, he was licensed to preach the Gospel by his native Presbytery of Irvine on the 30th April 1833. Soon after he was licensed, he had an opportunity of preaching before the late pious and excellent Rev. W. Wodrow, minister of Dreghorn, who was so much delighted and edified with his discourses, that he declared that his was just the style of preaching which he would like to procure for his own people. And as Mr Wodrow was already labouring under that disease which cut short his valuable life and ministry, he engaged Mr Whyte for his assistant. Accordingly, he began to preach regularly at Dreghorn on the second Sabbath of October 1833. Though this was a very arduous In the beginning of February 1835 he commenced undertaking for so young a preacher, and he was almost his labours as a Missionary in the town of Kilmar overwhelmed, as we shall afterwards notice, by a sense nock. That large town and parish, which now conof the magnitude of the work, and his insufficiency for tains a population of about twenty thousand souls, the performance of it, yet he acquitted himself with had only two Churches in connection with the Esso much talent and fidelity that the parish became de- tablishment, till the new church of St. Marnoch's cidedly attached to him, and wished to obtain him for was opened last year. Before this time there was their future minister. The unhappy disputes which not accommodation for three thousand within the have arisen in that parish about the settlement of its pale of the Establishment. To supply the deficiency, ministers are unfortunately known throughout the various dissenting houses have been built, and filled Church and the country; and, therefore, I allude to with respectable ministers, yet, as always happens the subject, without making the slightest reflection in such circumstances, there are many careless and upon any of the parties concerned, simply for the pur- worthless persons, who neglect all religious ordipose of noticing how the prudence and propriety of Mr nances, and are living in guilt and misery. Mr Whyte Whyte's conduct were displayed in these trying and was one of the best possible persons to send abroad critical circumstances. Though exposed to the temp- amidst such a population. His fidelity and zeal sustation of seeking an early and valuable settlement tained him in the performance of his arduous duties, among an admiring and affectionate people, he never his clear understanding and accurate information enfor a moment fanned the flame that prevailed, nor made abled him to deal with the ignorant and persons of the slightest attempt to defeat the object of the patron unsound principles, and his perfect prudence and proand presentee, so as to bring about his own appoint- priety of conversation and conduct qualified him to ment. And no man has so much reason to admire and mingle with men of all opinions, both in politics and love him in this respect as the present incumbent of religion, without either offending or misleading any of that parish. Mr Whyte left it on the very evening of the them. I venture to say, he enjoyed the most cordial funeral of his kind and beloved friend, which took esteem of persons of the most opposite sentiments. place in January 1834, and studiously avoided return- In a way peculiar to himself, he held his own firm and ing to it, except when called thither for the discharge | decided opinions, and yet did not alienate the hearts of of official duty, that he might not mar the prospects, others from him, so as to close their ears against innor hurt the usefulness of the future pastor of a peo-struction. Besides visiting the people in their own ple who loved him unfeignedly. And no man can repeat a rash word, nor mention an unbecoming thing which he did, either on that or, so far as I know, on any other occasion. But if he was admired and loved in the parish, he was still more valued and esteemed in private, and the longer any one knew him the more he delighted in him. During his ministrations in Dreghorn he lived in the manse, and one or other of the members of Mr Wodrow's father's family had the management of his household affairs. In this manner they became intimately acquainted with Mr Whyte, and being pious and intelligent persons, could appreciate and esteem his wisdom and worth. And when they saw "how holily, and justly, and unblameably he behaved himself among them," and felt how sincerely they enjoyed his intelligent and serious conversation, and joined in his

houses several days every week, he preached twice every Sabbath-day at canonical hours in two school rooms in different parts of the town. He enjoyed great acceptance, both in private and public, and what was far better, God honoured his labours by making him useful to the souls of various persons. He led some to attend upon public worship who had long neglected it, and was privileged to be the instrument of leading others from darkness to light, and from the power of sin and Satan to the service of the true and living God. The attachment of these persons to him was remarkable, and accordingly, when he returned, after he had been some time in Lochwinnoch, to preach on the sacramental fast-day at Kilmarnock, a number of them were collected at the gate of St. Marnoch's to have an opportunity of seeing and speaking to their old

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instructor. Many of those persons whom he brought to attend his ministrations in the missionary stations "being now clothed and in their right mind," have become regular members of St. Marnoch's congregation. Such are some of the fruits of Dr Chalmers' plan of "excavating" a degenerate population, and leading them back to their attendance upon the worship of God and the ordinances of religion. Nor was it to those only among whom he statedly laboured that he recommended himself. In the large town of Kilmarnock he was often called to mingle with the more affluent and influential inhabitants, and by them he was esteemed, not merely on account of the propriety of his conduct and the urbanity of his manners, but the more intelligent and serious among them enjoyed and profited by his rational and serious conversation. I am persuaded, however, that none esteemed him more than his fellow-labourers in the ministry. The venerable Dr M'Kinlay has naturally retired, in a great measure, from extraordinary duties, though at the age of eighty years he preaches regularly and vigorously every Lord's day; and as the mission was not connected with Mr Hamilton's parish, he was not brought into so close a connection and frequent intercourse with that amiable and good man, but Mr Strong, the second minister of the Low Church, took a special interest in the mission, and provided for it. This active and popular young minister, who was nearer Mr Whyte's age and standing, gave the best proof of his esteem and affection for him, by treating him like a companion or a brother.

regularly and frequently, and by them his ministrations were most highly valued. His easy and accessible manner, his admirable explanations of the Scriptures,-and his patient and kind attention to all in circumstances when the mind is most susceptible of serious impres sions, had a most salutary effect. In a word, when it was found necessary he was ready to serve every one, and never, by any accident, offended any person. Those who knew him best, were loudest in his praise, and he soon became a universal favourite; he gained in the esteem and affection of his people every day he lived among them.

It might have been supposed that, in these circumbe stances," as he ne'er did change, so he ne'er would have wished to change his place." And neither woul he if he had always enjoyed the clear prospect of a permanent settlement in Loch winnoch. But as ΠΟ active steps were taken for sometime towards the erection of a new church, and he became doubtful about his prospects there, he accepted, though he did not seek, invitations to preach as a candidate for two other places. In both of these he failed of success. This disappointment affected his modest and sensitive mind very much, for instead of viewing it as he ought to have done, as an evidence that he might sometimes fail in a comparative trial, he looked upon it as a proof that he was not likely to succeed in this, the chief way now, of obtaining a situation in the Church. But his faith and resignation, humility and devotion, were just the more remarkably displayed under these disappointments. "I desire," said he, in a letter to a very kind and valued friend, ** I desire to resign myself to the disposal of Providence. If God sees meet to continue me in some subordinate place in the Church the most humble is too great for my deserts. What good may yet flow from this disappointment it is impossible at present to say, but faith bids me confide in this that it shall yet prove for good. In the meantime I would desire to improve it by seeking to be more deeply humbled under a sense of my unworthiness of any, the least office in the Church,to be more submissive to His high and holy will, and to be more diligent in the work to which I am at present appointed. The time will soon be when we must all give in our account, and then if not sooner, perhaps, I shall see the goodness of God in keeping me in a station befitting my abilities, rather than in one more accordant with my ambitious selfish wishes. When we have to give an account of our stewardship, he who has a situation of least responsibility, and the charge of fewest souls, will find his responsibility sufficiently great." His best friends at Lochwinnoch rejoiced at this disappointment, not because they were indifferent to his feelings, but because it secured the continuance of his ministrations among them. Active measures were immediately taken to build a new church, and nothing then troubled him except the temporary appre

Mr Whyte made no attempt to find a better situation than the one he occupied in Kilmarnock, for one of his principles was not to seek for any place but to go where Providence called him. Perhaps he exercised too much delicacy regarding this matter, and certainly went beyond the maxim of the famous Philip Henry, who was wont to say that "we should follow providence and not force it." In the spring, however, of 1836, he was invited to preach at Lochwinnoch, where the Missionary station had become vacant, in consequence of the removal of the Rev. Mr Munro to Rutherglen, and as there was the prospect of a new church, he complied with the invitation, and was chosen by a large majority. On the third Sabbath of April he commenced his labours in this new sphere, where he continued till his last illness. This situation, though in other respects easy and comfortable, was, in one respect, difficult at first. Mr Munro, besides being a person of excellent talents and warm affections, was a native of the place, and in his case this operated to his advantage instead of disadvantage. He knew every person thoroughly, and had a claim upon the sympathies of many of them; and with that tact and talent at making himself agreeable, for which he is remarkable, he could gain more ascendency over them than any other person. Besides, his public preaching being remarkable for clear-hension of another popular election, from which be ness and earnestness, fancy and feeling, made a great impression, and he soon became a great favourite. The people, deprived of such a person, could not turn at once, with entire cordiality, to another; and Mr Whyte required to be known for some time in order to be fully appreciated and valued. He was modest and prudent in his behaviour, and cautious and reserved in his conversa. tion with strangers; and his discourses were rather solid and serious than showy and pathetic. But he soon gained the approbation and esteem of the wise and good, and incurred the censure of none. By becoming more communicative as he increased in acquaintance, the stores of his mind were opened, and the excellences of his character were developed. His hearers soon found that his discourses were replete with instruction and Gospel truth, and had all the most salutary tendency. He was always at his post and regular in the discharge of every duty. This enabled him to visit the sick and dying

shrunk, after the disappointments with which he had so lately met. This feeling, however, soon passed away; and I have no doubt that after the erection of the church he would have been appointed to it, and every wise and good man rejoiced in the prospect of having so able and faithful a minister of the New Testament permanently settled among them. He now addressed himself steadily and without distraction to his work, and was as happy as he was highly esteemed. Here he stood more than in any former situation upon the footing of a regular minister. He had the superintendence of the town population of the parish, which he visited not several days every week, like Missionaries in larger places, but once or twice a-week as he found it convenient. In a town containing a population of somewhat less than three thousand souls he did not meet either with the misery or crime that prevail among a larger population, but moved about among a well