himself, what is proved by his history, that he "laboured more abundantly than they all:" his trials were severer, his efforts in the cause of the gospel more widely extended. So amongst the early Christians, when they "who had lands or houses, sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles' feet :" those who had such possessions, and made this sacrifice, gave clearer proofs of zeal and earnestness, than they who received the produce of the same, when "distribution was made. to every man according as he had need."4 Again, some who received the word, and kept it, and were "added to the church," retained their comforts, their families, and homes. But others gave themselves up to aid the progress of the gospel: like Aquila and Priscilla, of whom St. Paul says, that "for his life they laid down their own necks: " 5 to whom not only he "gave thanks, but all the churches of Christ." Onesiphorus was another, who stood by the apostle at a time of special danger, for he "oft refreshed him, and was not ashamed of his chain," when he was imprisoned at Rome. So he speaks of Tychicus, that he was "a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellow-servant in the Lord." And so it is written of Dorcas, that she was "full of good works and alms-deeds which she did," insomuch that her death was the cause of general lamentation. 8 It is the same in every age. As in the heavens above us there appear stars innumerable, and no two stars have the same precise size, or the same brightness: 3 1 Cor. xv. 10. 4 Acts iv. 34-37. 5 Rom. xvi. 11. so amongst the disciples of Christ, there are different natural capacities, and different degrees of grace; there is in some much, in others little zeal; in some much, in others little self-denial; in some a perfect command over the evil passions, in others, a daily conflict, and sometimes hardly an effectual conflict, against the remainder of sin. Some are scarcely able to rise above the temporal things which draw them downwards. Others soar upward as on eagles' wings, and though still encompassed with the flesh, and dwelling here below, have "their conversation in heaven." But as the stars, though differing from one another in glory, have all some brightness: and as they all agree in this, that they are governed by the same laws, and obey the will of their Creator: so it is, and must be, with all those who receive the word: they set before them, as the rule of life, the precepts of their heavenly Father; they endeavour to bear "fruit unto holiness;" they all have the "testimony of their conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity," according to the will of God, and not according to the course of this world, they are desiring to walk before God in righteousness. For this they know ;-there can be no other proof that they have understood, and received, and kept the word, except that they bring forth fruit, whether it be thirty, or sixty, or an hundred fold. XL. NATURE OF CHRISTIAN FAITH. MATT. viii. 5-13. 13. And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way, and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour. THESE words were spoken to a Roman officer, by birth a heathen, but brought by the providence of God to serve in Judea. This person was in distress, because a servant, and one dear and useful to him, was lying at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. He had heard the fame of Jesus; indeed, we must suppose, from the confidence which he expressed, that he had seen proofs of his power. So he laid aside the prejudices which as a Roman he would feel towards one who was a Jew; and came, and opened his grief. Jesus at once replied, "I will come and heal" thy servant. The man by his answer displayed both his own humility, and his sense of our Lord's majesty: saying, "Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me; and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it." Then Jesus said unto the cen turion, Go thy way: and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee." These last words especially deserve attention, as illustrating the nature of that FAITH to which the promises of the gospel are annexed. For this is not always rightly comprehended. Faith is sometimes spoken of as if it were supposed to be a peculiar faculty, connected with religion alone, and differing from any feelings or principles by which mankind are actuated in dealing with the things of this present world. Whereas, in fact, it is the principle which runs through the whole of human life, the principle which is called into exercise in the events and transactions of every day. The object, indeed, of faith is peculiar, when it is directed towards the Saviour of the world: but the nature of faith is the same in respect to the gospel, as when we give credit to the words, or put our trust in the power, of the fellow creatures with whom we are concerned in the ordinary course of human affairs. One reason, perhaps, why the nature of faith is sometimes misunderstood, may be found in the fact that the word is used in two different senses in the New Testament. Both senses are equally important, but they are not identically the same. The word faith, in our version, sometimes signifies belief in the word of God, as delivered in Scripture, and sometimes signifies reliance on Jesus Christ, as our Mediator and Redeemer. St. Paul, in writing to the Hebrews, describes faith as "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."1 Here he manifestly refers to that belief in the word of God which makes things revealed 1 Heb. xi. 1. no less plain to us, than if they were evident to our senses, and we could see or handle them. As when the Christian is said to "walk by faith," and not "by sight:" to be governed by what he believes, and not by what he actually sees; believing in that heavenly kingdom which the Scriptures disclose to us, no less firmly than if he saw its King seated upon his throne, and the "faithful servants" entering in. But the same apostle writes, in his letter to the Romans, "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through Jesus Christ." And again, "By grace are ye saved, through faith; not of works, lest any man should boast." And elsewhere, he speaks of "the righteousness which is by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all, and upon all them that believe." It is clear that in these later passages, the word faith means something very different from a mere belief in the Scriptures, that they proceed from God: something more than a belief in the promises which they hold out to all who obey his word. The faith which St. Paul intends, when he "desires to be found not having his own righteousness, but that which is through the faith of Christ :" 2 is not faith of the same kind as that which Noah showed, when "moved with fear" of the threatened deluge, "he prepared an ark for the saving of his house;" or the same as Abraham showed, when he believed the Divine promise, that a son should be born to him in his old age. In the case of Noah and Abraham, there was belief in the word spoken, that it would prove true. Whereas St. Paul speaks of faith in a person, that he could save from 2 Phil. iii. 9. |