Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-10-27
&eadiuq fur the Sabbath.
CONDUCTED BY
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
(Original ]
FAITH.

CAl1Hs
In every gospel sermon there is something
said about faith No matter what may be
the text, or what the occasion, no sermon is
complete without having faith interviewer into
it. Every Sabbath, all over Christendom,
something is said to illustate what is meant
by faith, and yet it is to be feared that many
persons have very confused ideas as to the
nature and Office of faith. Ask the average
Christian what he understands by faith, and
you will, in too many instances, receive
very unsatisfactory answer. He will possibly
reply, II understand it, but cannot express
it," 1t is true, some men understand some
things which they cannot explain in the Ian
guage of the learned; but in their own Ian
guage they find very little difficulty in ex-
planning, and that clearly, all that they thor
oughly understand.
Whoever says he understands thing, but
cannot explain it, is simply mistaken. The
reason he cannot explain it, is because he does
not understand it. This is true in respect to
those who say they understand faith, but can
not. explain it. They are only bathed in
Christ Jesus.
Faith is we'll defined to be "a saving grace
whereby we receive and rest upon Jesus
Christ alone for salvation as he is offered in
the gospel" This definition is certainly
clear, and it is as certainly rigidly Scriptu
raj. The first thing mentioned is, that it is
Saving grace" To say that it is a grace
does not distinguish it from many other
things. Everything we have and enjoy may,
with the utmost propriety, be called grace
Whatever God gives US is grace. The air
we breathe, the water we drink, the food we
eat and each and all the circumstances by
which we are surrounded in life-nay, even
life itself-is a grace. God bestows them
upon upon US. But they are not saving
graces. We may enjoy these and still not be
saved. Faith, however, is sauing grace We
must have faith in order to be saved, and
if we have faith, we certainly will be saved.
This, however, is true of many other graces,
Repentance is a saving grace. Jesus Christ
was raised prince and saviour to give re-
pentance. We must repent or we cannot be
saved, and whoever repents will certainly be
saved.
Faith is that particular grace which eDa'
bles its possessor to receive Jesus Christ as
his saviour, to accept him as his redeemer,
to take him as his mediator. More than this,
it is that grace which enables the one possess
ing it to rest upon Jesus Christ alone for sal
vation. The object of faith is Jesus Christ
and nothing else.
Faith is belief in testimony. That faith
which is absolutely necessary in order to sal
vation, is belief in the testimony of God con-
corning his son Jesus Christ. Hence, it in
cludes the whole Bible, all its promises and
all its threatenings.
Faith may be viewed as an endowment OF
the soul, and also as the exercise of that en-
dowment; or, in other words, we may view it
as power to believe and as the actual exercise
Of that power.
The ability to accept and rest upon Jesus
Christ for salvation is certainly wrought in
all who possess it by the Holy Spirit. The
exercise of this power or ability is just as
certainly an act of the individual possessing
the power.
The Holy Spirit convinces the sinner of his
sin and misery, of his lost and ruined condi-
ton, of his own utter inability, and of the
utter inability of all other creatures to res
cue him from his lost condition, and enables
him to give his hearty assent to the truths Of
the gospel, and also to rest upon Christ and
his Righteousness as presented and offered in
the gospel for the pardon of all his sins, and
for the accepting of him as righteous in the
sight of God.
Faith, in the order of nature, is preceded
by knowledge. We must have faith in order
to be saved; but in order to have faith, we
must have knowledge. "Fath cometh by
hearing, and hearing by the word Of God"
There are some people who can not be saved.
Not because Jesus Christ is not able and will
ling to save them, but because they are so
grossly ignorant. Not ignorant of what is
transpiring in the world, but ignorant of the
Bible. They never read the Bible and never
attend church. They refuse to use the means
by which the holy spirit operates upon the
hearts of men. God has seen fit to establish
channel through which he communicates
the grace offaith. Ordinarily it may be said
he never communicates it in any other way,
or through any other channel.
Faith may be called growing grace. 1t
increases from small beginning until it is
finally merged into fruition. 1t is not always
equally strong. 1t grows and strengthens as
the means for its growth are used, and be-
comes weak and languishing as these are neg
lected. Its correct measure is the belief in
the testimony of God AS belief in this is
strong, faith is strong and as this is weak,
faith is weak.
Ras- The greater your wants, the greater
Gods goodness in supplying them. The
greater your enemies, the greater display of
Gods power in subduing them. The greater
your unworthiuess, the greater his grace in
saving you. The greater your trials, the
greater the comforts of his Spirit, and the