The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-03-27
For TIE CENTRAL PRzsB4rER1AN.
INCREASE OUR FAITH. -

This little sentence is very often used in
prayer. But do all who use it know Its
meaning? think not. Nor do believe
that the disciples themselves thoroughly un-
ders.oOd it until Christ had given them the
Instructions which follow their use of it.
We shall see more of this presently. First
we must decide what faith is. The shortest
and best answer that l ever saw is this:-
"Faith is conscious weakness and nothing
ness, leaning upon OmnipOtence." This,
being accepted as true, will set aside some
ideas Of faith which many hold. One very
general notion is that the possession of faith
Is the possession of a conscious pOa0er in
believers. This is by no means true. Let
US illustrate the point htte. Turn to
Matt. Xvii; 1920. We see there that the
Apostles had very difficult case to deal
with, and that they failed signally. Why
Christ says that they could not cast out that
devil, "because Of their unbelief." Not
that they had no faith at all, and so were not
Christians. But with respect 90 tlis failure,
the answer is given. They did not believe
that they could cure the case before them,
and they could not. But why? They were
in the habit of working miracles in Christ's
name. But in this instance they made sue
cess a question of their O'oR POWer; why
could not we cast him out?' 1t was not a
question Of their power at all, but of the
power Of Him in whose name they were to
work. And their failure shows that in them,
faith had created no new power, else they
could not have failed.
But look now at Luke xvii: SO. Christ
had proposed some very difficult duties to
His followers. What is harder for human
nature than the continued forgiveness of re-
peated injuries? Who is equal to fOrgiving
"seven times in day." 1t is generally
true that people find it hard to get over one
offence. And if that be repeated, though
forgiveness be spoken, We are apt to say,
"See that you do not sin again" Or per-
haps use that haLfChristian saying, {" l can
forgive you, but l cannot forget" Now
the disciples were "human nature, and no
doubt felt, as We do, unable to comply with
such a command. So their prayer, In
crease our faith"-as if the increase of their
quaRtity of faith, was all that was needful
or as If this increased faith was to be in-
crease Of power in them. Therefore in both
cases Christ rebukes that notion, using each
time the illustration of "the mustard seed.
"If We have faith as a grain of mustard
seed, We shall say unto this mountain, re-
move hence to yOnder place; and it shall
remove; and nothing shall be impossible
unto you. In Luke: "Ye might say unto
this Sycamine tree, Be thou plueked up by
the root; and be thou planted in the sea;
and it should obey you" VIII any say,
"faith never wrought such things, and can
not" So be it. For faith, considered only
as power resident s bslieuers, can of itself
do nothing. The power is not in faith, nor
in the man possessing faith, bat in Him to
u0bOm faith looks-in the object of faith
So then the question is not, "what can the
believer do!'-but "what can He do il
whom the believer trusts?" Is anything
too hard for the Lord ' With God moth
ing is impossible" Strong in faith, means
strong in God. q can do all things through
Christ Jesus, which strengthenetb me, say:
Paul And in Hebrews, 11th chapter, We
see that faiths wondrous exploits are after
this fashion, "Out of weakness were made
strong"
There was "great faith" And what Ii
thatY 1t is a total ignoring of SELF that w
may lean altogether on OmnipOtence. Anc
the more we put self out of the account, tn,
more utterly this is done, the greater is our
faith. The grain of mustard seed" i
small, but it is perfect It is not the guam
tity Of faith, but the reality of it. Coz
stretches out His 0mnipotent Arm, and say
to all, Lean on it, and be saved Leal
on it. and let it work in and for you. Max
no questions Of what you can do. TIL
question, and the only one, is what cal