unseen but ever-present Lord? If He be for us, who can be against us? Then welcome tribulation, hurricane, and darkness; for still, as of old, when the wind was contrary, and his disciples toil-worn, and weary, still they persevered, and then He was nearest to them. Only let us do likewise; let us trust and wait, firmly believing that in His good time He will manifest himself that He will walk with kingly power over the subject waves,--and that a glad calm will be spread abroad by His presence, and that we too, if we believe, shall speedily arrive at the haven where we would be.

SERMON XIII.

JOHN IX, 35.

"DOST THOU BELIEVE ON THE SON OF GOD?"

It may seem strange that in addressing a congregation of professed Christians, I should select for my text this question, "Dost thou believe on the Son of God?" And yet, in times like the present, it is alas! both necessary and proper, "all are not Israel, who are of Israel." This is, indeed, an important question; important, not only to him, to whom it was addressed, but to each and all of us. It is most fearful to contemplate the amount of unbelief at this day: and yet if we are acquainted with our Bible, we shall not be surprised that such should be the case, though we cannot but be deeply affected that such is the fact. "When the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" When Christ comes again, to judge the quick and dead, will men be found living as if they

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really expected it? The question evidently implies a negative answer, i.e. that men will not be living as if they really expected it that with many, at least, it will be far otherwise. Though the language of the passage has reference only to the time of Christ's second personal coming, the mournful truth implied in it, belongs to us, and to every age of the

world.

You are aware that the portion of Scripture, from which the text is taken, refers to the miraculous cure of the man who was born blind? I will not recite the passage, but simply remind you of the malice and envy of the chief priests and rulers;-of the fear and duplicity of the parents ;-the honesty of the man himself;-his expulsion from the synagogue ;his being found of Christ, and the important question proposed; "Dost thou believe on the Son of God? "—the expected Messiah? To this, he answered and said, "Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him ?" As if he had said, I have that belief, but who and where is he, that I might show my belief in him by becoming his disciple? Upon this Jesus declared Himself to be the Messiah, the expected Saviour. "And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe, and he worshipped Him." This worship was the result of the man's belief that Jesus was the Son of God, the expected Messiah, and consequently was a religious worship, which our Lord did not refuse.

Let us seriously consider the question urged. "Dost thou believe on the Son of God."

The question refers to Christ as the Son of God.

The appellation, Son of God, is applied in Scripture both to angels, and to men. Angels are so called by Job, "When

the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy." Believers are frequently represented as such. "To as many as received him," i. e. Jesus, "by faith, to them gave he power to become the Sons of God": i.e. He grants them the privilege of son-ship, and adopts them into God's family.

Angels are the sons of God by creation: believers are the Sons of God by adoption and regeneration: but Christ is the Son of God in a sense only applicable to Himself. He is the Son of God, "the only-begotten of the Father." He posseses the nature of God, equality with God; has the names of God, the perfections of God; and to Him Creation, providence, and redemption are ascribed, as well as to the Father. While he is "the child born, and the Son given," he is "the mighty God, the everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace.

This question refers to faith in the Son of God. "Dost thou believe on the Son of God?"

Faith in Christ is that act of the mind by which we apprehend Christ as he is revealed to us in the word of truth. It is the act of the heart or affections, by which we heartily welcome him into our souls, and it is the act of the will, by which we cordially submit to Him, and render cheerful obedience to His laws. Faith worketh by love; and love appears in acts of devotion to God, and of benevolence to man. "If ye love me," said Christ, "keep my commandments." Scripture abounds in metaphorical representations of the grace of faith. It is beholding Christ, or looking to Him; it is fleeing to Him; walking in Him; laying hold of Him; receiving Him; resting on Him.

But observe, and observe carefully, that the question relates to our personal, individual faith in Christ. "Dost thou believe?"

It does not relate to others, but to ourselves. It does not refer to mere information or opinion, but to faith. It does not ask in reference either to the past or future, but to the present. "Dost thou believe?" My brethren, ask each of yourselves this important question, and rest not satisfied till you can answer it to the entire satisfaction of your soul. "Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith."

And, to assist you in doing this, the most momentous work in which you can be engaged, we shall attempt a Scriptural solution of the question.

If we believe on the Son of God, we shall remember the means by which we are brought into this happy state.

Faith is not natural to us by nature we are unbelievers, far from God, and strangers to his Son. An important change has taken place; our eyes have been opened to see Christ— our ears have been opened to His word-our hearts have been opened to His truth—and our souls have been brought to rely upon Him, and upon Him alone, for eternal Salvation.-We shall be able to say with the man referred to in the text, "one thing I know that whereas I was blind, now I see.”

If we believe on the Son of God, we shall experience the influence of His Spirit on our souls. Attend carefully to this point, for it is one of unspeakable importance. Many, I fear, know very little about it. Yet, "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." Let it, therefore, be ever borne in mind, that if a man have not the Spirit of Christ, whatever he may profess, he is no disciple of His. For "the

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