Union and American. [volume] (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1875-1877, 1876-03-30

eousness, out the righteousness
which is,of God by faith"
3. 1t implies a full surrender Of
the soul to Christ to be saved. Faith
is coming to Christ, beholding Hin,
a participation in the satisfaction
and s~arityship Of Christ, by q ful
and complete surrender Of all int
HIS hands. Jesus saysr "TAt
bread chat I will give is my ads
&C ce pit We eat the flesh Of I'll
Son of man, and drink his blooc
re have no lifein you. Whose eat
eth my flesh and drinketh my bloor
hath eternal life.
4. Faith is q constant act. Ii
is the vital principle, that %actuates
the Christian throughout the whole
of his earthly pilgrimage, he walk
by faith, prays in faith, reads ano
worships in faith, labors in faith,
fights in faith, stands by faith, ano
finally dies triumphantly by faith.
There can be no Christianity with
out faith. ~ E G 20
II. We notice the eXcellencv of
faith denominated in the text, pre-
c5ous Faith. The word precious,
means valuable, of great price,
costly, faith worth a great price,
and faith which cost a great price.
II must be Of infinite value, for the
objects of it, spiritual blessings,
we're purchased by the Redecmer's
blood, and is the instrument by
which the soul realizes salvation.
Faith is precious.
l. AS to its author. We cannot
of ourselves exercise the grace of
faith. Absolutely, 1t is the gift of
God, but includes the free exercise
of the will Of the creature in con
cert with the action Of the Holy
Spirit. Thus God works in us, to
will and to do. This is clearly set
forth in the following scriptures:
But as many as received Him, to
them gave he power to become the
sons Of GLd, even to them that be.
lieve on His name. No man 4
come to me, except the Father
which has sent me draw him.
For unto you it is given in the
behalf of Christ, not only 90 be
lieve on him, but also to suffer for
his sake. Looking unto Jesus, The
author and fnisher Of our faith.
How precious must that faith be,
which the power of God alone car
enable the p~enitent to exercise,
2. AS to its object. 1t rests, it
depnds upon the Great prophet of
the church, the atoning Priest, and
intercessor. The faith Of the
Christian rests not on flesh and
blood, not on sand, not on q broken
reed. But on the Almighty King,
the faithful and true Witness, the
Rock of ages against whom the
gates of he'll can never prevail.
How precious then must be this
faith that has so firm a basis, that
will support in every trial, in every
season, a foundation firm and in
vincible.
Faith is the Mountain Rock.
Whose summit towers on high,
Secure above the tempests shock,
An inmate of the sky.
Fixed on a prize of greater wrath,
II views with scorn the things of earth
Behold Christ in the dignity of
his person!
In the power of his grace, in the
freeness of his salvation, in the
expansive willingness Of his heart
to save.
And it must be conceded that
the faith which embraces him is
precious,
3. 1t is precious for the soul.
The blessing ofsalvation. The hand
of faith reaches down from the
cross, the blessing of pardon, for
the most heinous and blacklist
crimes. Justification from all con
demnation, free and perfect liberty.
What q precious blessing is this.
Adoption follows the exercise Of
faith, the arms Of the eternal Faith
er, expand to receive the returning
out cast and prodigal, and the door
of the Church and heaven fly open
70 %rnrniun him who WINS the heir of