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And we may add here, it is the uniform testimony of those who have been enabled to live the life of faith, that they have always found God faithful to his word; they have had wisdom, and humility, and gratitude, and peace of spirit, and purity of heart, just as they have asked for it, when they have fully committed themselves into God's hands, and have asked fully believing in God's promise, and in the actual bestowment of the blessing in its proper time and place, according to the promise.

[The following is an extract from a letter, which I had the pleasure of receiving some years since from a pious young man, a member of the Baptist church, now no longer living, I introduce it here, as illustrating, to some extent, the practical application of the doctrines of this chapter.]

After speaking of his deliverance from his former bondage to sin, the writer adds; "I humbly trust that God has in some measure taught me how to live, from moment to moment, by simple faith. A truly blessed and glorious way. This is the highway of holiness, cast up for the ransomed of the Lord to walk in. JESUS is now a charming name. JESUS is now all, and in all, to me. I can now say 'God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I am crucified unto the world.' I found all my prayers, tears, and earnest desires unavailing. I spent days in fasting and prayer. At the midnight hour and at early dawn I prayed for ho

liness. But still I found my soul destitute of holiness, the pearl of great price. I found this [course of proceeding,] however, blessed to me; at times greatly so. And the power of sin was in a great measure broken. At length God was pleased to show me that I must believe, that I do receive the things that I ask for. In a moment I saw my error. I had long been convinced, that I staggered at faith; that unbelief was my great sin; and accordingly would direct all my forces to this point. I tried to believe. I prayed for faith. I sought for faith earnestly. Sometimes it seemed that Christ was near me, and the prize almost within my reach; and I would say in my heart and aloud, 'Lord, I do believe;' and then I would watch my heart to see what the effect was. But at this time, [after having made these various efforts,] it was clearly revealed to me, that I was waiting for EVIDENCE, the evidence of sight before I would believe; and that I was unwilling to take the evidence God had afforded, viz. his inviolable word and promise. I saw now, instead of praying for faith, [without exercising it,] instead of seeking for it, looking for and expecting it, [without having it,] I must believe. It appeared to me a reasonable command, Reckon yourselves dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord;' and I resolved, that I would obey this command; for it was my imperative duty. I would believe, because God had commanded it. It seemed a fearful step to take. It was an hour of conflict, but Jesus triumphed. I saw that all other means had failed; and this

was my only resource. I accordingly entered into an engagement with God, that henceforth, until faith should be exchanged for sight, I would never doubt; I would live in the entire surrender of my whole being to God, believing that he accepted the sacrifice, and that I was wholly the Lord's. I have found my God a FAITHFUL GOD. And my whole soul exclaims, glory, glory be to Thee, Oh God, for this living way of salvation through faith in Christ. May a humble, holy life praise my Redeemer for his unspeakable goodness to me, and an eternity complete and perfect what time begins."

"Jesus, the life, the truth, the way,
"In whom I now believe;

"As taught by Thee, in FAITH I pray,
"Expecting to receive.

"Forgive, and make my nature whole,
"My inbred malady remove;
"To perfect health restore my soul,

"To perfect holiness and love."

CHAPTER SEVENTH.

Of Assurance of Faith.

It is worthy of notice, both as a religious and an historical fact, that in a number of Christian sects a distinct and well defined modification of personal religious experience has for many ages been known and recognized under the denomination of

ASSURANCE OF FAITH.

The confession of Faith, adopted by the Congregational Churches in England in 1658, and afterwards adopted with some slight variations by the American Congregational Churches in 1680, has the following expressions, in a chapter especially devoted to this subject.-"Such as believe in the Lord Jesus, and love him in sincerity, endeavoring to walk in all good conscience before him, may in this life be certainly assured that they are in a state of grace; and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God which hope shall never make them ashamed. This certainty is not a bare conjectural and probable persuasion, grounded upon a fallible hope, but an infallible assurance of faith, founded on the blood and righteousness of Christ, revealed in the Gospel, and also upon the inward evidence

of those graces, unto which promises are made, and on the immediate witness of the Spirit."

The phraseology, which is employed to indicate this form of experience, seems to have had its origin in the following passage in Hebrews. "Having, therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having a high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart, IN FULL ASSURANCE of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." Heb. 10: 19-22.

In the early periods of this country, when the piety of our ancestors was chastened and invigorated by heavy afflictions, the instances of ASSURANCE OF FAITH seem to have been frequent. Many were the cases of individuals, men of wonderful prayer and faith, who could say with the Apostle, "I am persuaded, that neither life nor death, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." And it is a matter of thankfulness, that instances of full assurance, though less frequent than it is desirable they should be, are not unknown even now.

The basis of this form of religious experience, as the name given to it itself indicates, is FAITH. And in this respect, it stands undoubtedly on the same footing with every other form of true religious experience. Nor do I know that the faith, which

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