CHAPTER VI. FAITH. "Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief.” WE come now to the true ground of comfort in sickness-our Faith. We cannot gain Peace with God without true Repentance; but if Repentance be true, step by step with it goes Faith. The two cannot be separated. But what we It is easy to talk about Faith. want in sickness is,-to have Faith. We want that simple trust in God, which brings Peace. We want to hold the hand of one who feels for us, and will not fail us in our hour of need. We want to stand upon a rock, which no storm can undermine. We want to find a shelter to save us from all assaults of the enemy. By Faith we grasp that Hand. By Faith we stand upon that Rock. By Faith we hide behind the merits of that Saviour. And this simple Faith springs from laying hold of what we know of God, as He has revealed Himself. Consequently it is very important for the Christian to have a clear idea of this Revelation, which God has given, that he may know what his Faith should cling to. This Revelation of God is called-"The Christian Faith." And the power of the soul (which is the first of the three great Graces of the Holy Spirit) by which we grasp and cling to this Revelation of God, is also called-Faith. And when by Faith a man is able to lay hold of "The Christian Faith," and to rest calmly upon God, thus made known to him, then he may be said in deed and in truth to have Faith1. All revelation may be summed up in one sentence-"God is Love." And the different forms in which He has shewn His love, are expressed in the different Articles of the Creed. 1 It should be distinctly understood that many a man, who has had full opportunity of knowing "the Christian Faith," has not Faith; because he does not exert this power of the soul to rest on God thus revealed to him. On the other hand, many a heathen shows a certain kind of faith, though through lack of knowledge he has not faith in the Christian Faith. SECTION I. Faith in God the Father. Faith tells us that God is our Father-the Father of all the world by creation: but the Father of us Christians, in another and closer way, by adoption-that he loves us as a father loves his children, only infinitely more; that He is always watching over us and protecting us; that He sends us everything that happens, or, at least, allows it to happen to us; and that although some things seem to be great evils, He so orders them all that they are made to be good things to us, unless through our own fault. And do you not want to have this truth to cling to and to be able to cling to it? Then grasp this truth firmly and rest upon it. For it is most clearly revealed. "Ye are all the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in Heaven give good things to them that ask Him." And again, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning." Prayer for Trust in God the Father. ALMIGHTY and most merciful Father, from whom cometh down every good and perfect gift, and who hast taught us, by our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take no anxious thoughts about our life, but to trust all to Thy Fatherly care; Give me grace to rest with perfect confidence upon Thy goodness and love; help me to cast away all faithless and murmuring thoughts; strengthen me to believe in Thee as my Father in Heaven, and in all my sufferings here on earth patiently to commit myself into Thy Hands, knowing that Thou wilt never fail Thy children who put their trust in Thee; and this I beg for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Lord of all power and might, who art the author and giver of all good things; Graft in our hearts the love of Thy Name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of Thy great mercy keep us in the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Collect for Seventh Sunday after Trinity.) We humbly beseech Thee, O Father, mercifully to look upon our infirmities; and for the glory of Thy Name turn from us all those evils that we most righteously have deserved; and grant, that in all our troubles we may put our whole trust and confidence in Thy mercy, and evermore serve Thee in holiness and pureness of living, to Thy honour and glory; through our only Mediator and Advocate, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Litany.) PSALM LXXI. In te, Domine, speravi. IN Thee, O Lord, have I put my trust, let me never be put to confusion : but rid me, and deliver me, in Thy righteousness; incline Thine ear unto me, and save me. Be Thou my strong hold, whereunto I may alway resort: Thou hast promised to help me, for Thou art my house of defence, and my castle. O let my mouth be filled with Thy praise: that I may sing of Thy glory and honour all the day long. Cast me not away in the time of age: forsake me not when my strength faileth me. Go not far from me, O God: my God, haste Thee to help me. As for me, I will patiently abide alway: and will praise Thee more and more. My mouth shall daily speak of Thy righteousness and salvation for I know no end thereof. : I will go forth in the strength of the Lord God: and will make mention of Thy righteousness only. Thou, O God, hast taught me from my youth up until now: therefore will I tell of Thy wondrous works. Forsake me not, O God, in mine old age, when I am gray-headed until I have shewed Thy strength unto this generation, and Thy power to all them that are yet for to come. |