"O for a strong, a lasting faith, And call the joys of heaven my own." Not thus, however, do we judge or feel, when professors, remarkable for nothing but talking about their experience, speak of their assurance, and security, and cloudless hopes. Their strong faith seems very much akin to presumption. We cannot help feeling as if it were both better and safer, to be weak in faith, than to be strong in their way of believing. Besides, it is a very general persuasion amongst those whose piety is most exemplary, that the faith of assurance is sail, which very few have ballast enough to carry, or prudence to manage well. Now, I readily grant that these are facts which ought not to be overlooked, nor allowed to have but little weight, on this subject. Caution is, indeed, peculiarly becoming on But, after bonesty veging in the in cannot forget that God at the Lamn samp strong faith. Ifky pores tr answer the question— 17 1 faith in God than Aratan of Abraham is act anget What He promises iʼn nove i me the Gospel is not less irer kann he promised under de kommers God is not a man hat he men son of man, that he shania this, by filling the ma jeme i Covenant. At the finess fime e p forth his Son to redeem het bete eurse of the law, by becoming a me 17. heart in believing, that He hat and :: T "O for a strong, a lasting faith, And call the joys of heaven my own." Not thus, however, do we judge or feel, when professors, remarkable for nothing but talking about their experience, speak of their assurance, and security, and cloudless hopes. Their strong faith seems very much akin to presumption. We cannot help feeling as if it were both better and safer, to be weak in faith, than to be strong in their way of believing. Besides, it is a very general persuasion amongst those whose piety is most exemplary, that the faith of assurance is sail, which very few have ballast enough to carry, or prudence well. to manage Now, I readily grant that these are facts which ought not to be overlooked, nor allowed to have but little weight, on this subject. Caution is, indeed, peculiarly becoming on such a point as saving faith. Yea, it is necessary for there are presumers in the Church, as surely as there are sceptics in the world. But, after honestly weighing all these facts, I cannot forget that God and the Lamb deserve strong faith. I frankly confess that I cannot answer the question,-Why should I have less faith in God than Abraham had? The God of Abraham is not changed in truth or love. What He promises in answer to prayer, under the Gospel, is not less free or faithful than what he promised under the Abrahamic covenant. God is not a man that he should lie; nor the son of man, that he should repent. He proved this, by fulfilling the great promise of that covenant. At the fulness of time, He sent forth his Son to redeem the world from the curse of the law, by becoming a curse for them. We ought not, therefore, to be very slow of heart in believing, that He that spared not his own Son, but " gave him up to the death for us all," will also, "with him, freely give us all things." This would, indeed, be believing a great deal but still, not more than God has promised; not more than God is able to perform; not more than He has actually performed to millions and myriads, who were as guilty and unworthy as we can be. I must, therefore, press and ply you with the question, Do not God and the Lamb deserve strong faith from you? Can you assign any reason, why you should stagger at their promise, through unbelief, or fear, or suspicion? You certainly cannot assign nor conceive one reason for doubt, if God and the Lamb allow sinners to put as much faith in their promises, now, as they allowed Abraham to put and that, they do both warrant and command! God does not, indeed, speak so openly to usas he did to Abraham; but He |