Arabic, we might hear the sound of words, as from Sinai, and say "we believe, Lord, that thou hast spoken the truth; but we know not what the truth is which thou hast spoken." Were the doctrine of Christ's deity, or the proposition that the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are one God, as perfectly unintelligible to me as a statement of a truth in the Chinese tongue, I should still say, "Lord I believe all thy propositions upon these subjects to be true; O teach me to understand the truth contained in them." We believe "that God is a spirit;" and we understand in part what is meant by the terms; but did we understand less, we might still believe as firmly as we now do, that the proposition is true; because we have previously judged that God is faithful, and that he has uttered this testimony concerning himself. This, however, could not be the case, were our belief dependant on our own perceptions of the truth, and not founded on the character of the testifier, and our knowledge that he has asserted those propositions to which we give our assent.

The different operations of the mind in believing have acquired different names, which are chiefly derived from the objects about which the faculty is employed, or from the effects which result from our faith. Hence we speak,

1. Of faith in our senses; because we fig.

C

uratively consider them as testifiers, and be. lieve their evidence concerning external ob jects:

2. Of faith in human testimony; because we believe the assertions of faithful men, who are competent to judge in those matters to which we give our assent:

3. Of historical faith, because we judge some history to be true:

4. Of the faith of miracles, because miracles were the object of it, or followed the exercise of it:

5. Of temporary faith, because its duration is short; and

6. Of saving faith, because its object is the testimony of God concerning the Saviour; and its résult, everlasting salvation.

If you assent to the proposition, that what you see, hear, feel, smell or taste, actually exits, you give credit to your senses: if you judge that another man has told you the truth concerning any thing which he knows, you have faith in human testimony: and if you are persuaded, that the facts narrated in the Bible actually occurred, you have historical faith. The apostle in describing the operations of faith, in the epistle to the Hebrews, says, (chapt. xi. v. 3.) " through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God; so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." This is one of the simplest operations of

59

faith, and is possessed by all who assent to the historical proposition, that God created all things. This faith millions have who will never be saved.

·

The faith of miracles was peculiar to inspired persons. Inspiration was essential to it; and every operation of it was a judgment that God would, according to his intimation, perform a miracle. Concerning this belief our Lord said to his apostles, "if ye have faith as a grain of mustard-seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place,' and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." Mat. xvii. 20 Of this kind of faith Paul declares, that it is inferior to LOVE; for says he, "though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, (i.e. love) I am nothing." 1 Cor. xiii. 2. It was in consequence of the communication of this apostolical grace that Jesus said, "whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven," for all who exercised this faith were made acquainted with the secret counsels of Jehovah, and could declare, in ancient times, things not yet done; or could command, and the wheels of nature stood still. Because of God's determination to give this faith to the writers of the sacred volume, he said to Peter "I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven;" and to all his brethren, who were called to the same peculiar ministry, "if two

of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father." Father." With the apostolic age this faith ceased; and if any church, bishop, or pope, demands reverence for infallibility, or pretends to hold the keys of Peter, we require that miracles should be wrought in proof of a divine inspiration.

Tempory faith is but too common in every age. It is such a belief of some portion of divine truth as is produced by natural causes, and such as was exemplified in the case of Herod Antipas, who "feared John, knowing that he was a just man, and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him he did many things, and heard him gladly." Mark vi. 20. When Jesus "was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men.” John ii. 24. "These have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away." Luke viii. 13. In tempory faith, Jesus Christ the Saviour is not the object primarily regarded; and from any other faith but that which is spoken of in the text, a sinner may fall away, into everlasting perdition. The way is now prepared for me to treat exclusively

OF SAVING FAITH.

An excellent description of it, we find in

"the Shorter Catechism." "Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel."

Let us contemplate, Ist, THE ORIGIN; IIdly, THE NATURE; and IIIdly, THE PRINCIPAL OPERATIONS, of saving faith.

I. Under the term, origin, I comprehend not only the first cause of the existence of saving faith, but all the secondary causes: or, every thing which is antecedent to it, and at the same time connected with it, by the constitution of God. Faith is said to be a grace, or something given to the sinner by the Holy Spirit. It is the gift," or the grace "of God." Ephes. ii. 8. "Unto you it is given, in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake." Philip i. 29. Jesus is said to be, (Heb. xii. 2.) "the author and finisher of our faith ;" and we are said to be justified, and to live, by "the faith. of God," by "the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ," by "the faith of the Son of God," because we live by the faith which Christ gives us. If faith is not an effect of the Spirit, there is no propriety in denominating it a grace, or a work of the Holy Ghost.

We conclude that God is the first cause of our faith. But how does the Spirit communicate this grace? Is not faith an act? Yes, it is an operation of the human mind, but it