"Why! it is only a promise." Infidelity deplored and indulged.

the bill and read, "The President, Directors, and Co., of the Bank, promise to pay, &c., one hundred dollars."

"Do you call that one hundred dollars ?" rejoins your friend: "why, sir, it is only a promise of that amount." "6 True," say you; "but the paper of that institution is just the same with me as the gold." Here is faith-faith that recognizes the thing promised in the promise.

How pleasing to the proprietors of a moneyed institution must such demonstrations be, of confidence reposed in their veracity! Does not the above illustration agree with, "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature?" Thus it is that "faith is the substance of things hoped for."

Go where infidelity and skepticism are most deeply deplored, even to the ambassador for God, whose absorbing employ is to defend the Bible as the word of the Lord, and, with David, "in God to praise his word." Remind him of the requirement, "Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord," and then ask, "Are you living in obedience to this command ?" "No." 66 Why not?" "I cannot say why, unless it be my unbelief." Unbelief! In what does he mean that he lacks confidence? Not in himself; for he will tell you at once that he does not expect any good thing from himself. Not

What! believe without other evidence. What God writes he speaks.

in the ability of God to make him holy, for this he acknowledges.

Give him the oft-repeated direction, "Cast yourself wholly on Christ for salvation from all sin, and then claim the promise, 'I will receive you,' and thus cleanse yourself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God," what would he say in reply? "What! must I rely upon the word of God without any other evidence?" As much as to say, "I do not conceive this to be a sufficient foundation for my faith to rest upon, and unless some external or internal communication apart from, or added to this, be given, I cannot believe that I receive the thing desired."

Does not this imply unbelief in the Scriptures, as the voice of God? Were that voice audibly uttered, would it be doubted? What makes the difference? Infidelity! Skepticism! Doubting whether the written word be in reality the same as the voice of God. If that voice were heard it would be believed: it is not heard, therefore it is doubted. Can these doubting ones say with perfect truth, that they believe the BIBLE to be the WORD OF GOD? It is, therefore, I express my painful convictions, that the Scriptures are not generally received as the word of God. Faith is not sufficient without sense. "Except ye see signs and wonders ye will not believe," is a reproof as truly deserved

Divinity of the Word.

Faith touches Christ.

now, as in the days of Christ. The Bible is the WORD OF GOD. The awful sublimity of this truth is strikingly exhibited in Rev. xix, 13: "His name is called The WORD OF GOD." Here the word is personified as Christ himself. Also John i, 1: "In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with God, and the WORD WAS GOD." "He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my Word, hath ONE that judgeth him, the WORD that I have spoken, the same shall judge him at the last day." In many other passages is the WORD OF GOD thus personified, as identical with God himself. In relying upon it, efficacious influences ought to be expected as confidently, as were healing influences from touching Christ when he was on earth; for in relying upon the word, we in verity rely upon Christ, and touch him as truly as though his bodily presence were with us, and we were permitted to lean upon him. But who believes the Bible to be the word of God? Does sister B- -? Does brother B- ? Lord help us to believe it; not as a “dead letter," but to apprehend it as SPIRIT and LIFE. Our difficulties about faith will all be at an end, when we believe the BIBLE to be the wORD OF GOD. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Yours, in the truth of the gospel.

"Believe that ye receive."

Conditions.

No XXXI.-TO MRS. B.

Presumption taken fór faith-Doctrines abused-The assertion, "Believe that you have it, and you have it," not Scriptural-Importunate prayer unanswered-An unauthorized petitioner-The Pharisee-The seeker of sanctification-The lame and blind offered in sacrifice. The backslider's prayer-Divine direction sought in vain-Meddling with secret things-Why some parents cannot believe-Unholy hands lifted up.

MY DEAR SISTER IN JESUS,-Again I address you in further answer to your inquiry in relation to the text, " What things soever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." In my former communication on this theme, the Lord blessed me with gracious refreshings from his word, while endeavoring to set forth his faithfulness. But the subject is so preeminently important, and so extensive in bearing, that I cannot feel satisfied without presenting some additional remarks, in order to a fuller illustration of my views.

There are conditions which must be carefully met; otherwise it is impossible really to believe that we receive. On this account, many who are continually asking and receive not, are disposed to regard this most precious passage as difficult to be understood. I have even heard those who have quoted it, as illustrative of the way in which the answer to their petitions had been apprehended, found fault with as not being orthodox.

"Shall we give it up?"

False Version. No Answer.

I am aware that there are those who have wrested this, as they do other scriptures, to their own destruction. But shall we give up a portion from our Father's hand so replete with instruction in simplifying the way of faith? Shall we give it up, I ask, because it has been abused? As well might we give up the doctrine of free grace, or salvation by faith; for Universalists have abused the former, and Antinomians the latter.

I have occasionally heard, with grief, the remark, from persons whom I have regarded as entirely sincere, "Only believe you have it, and you have got it." This has been said when there was apparently an entire unfitness in the individual addressed for the reception of such an exhortation. And then, the phraseology is not Scriptural, and is liable to a construction wholly unauthorized by the passage of which it claims to be a version.

But there are those who shrink from this text, imagining that their experience does not furnish corroborative testimony in favor of its truthfulness. They fix on some given point, relative to which frequent prayer has been made, and attempts to exercise faith long persisted in; but in fruitlessness of result they have turned despairingly away, conscious that the things desired had not been granted.

Such may,

may, on examination, find that they started from a wrong point. The thing desired