to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils." the unfruitful works of darkness."

Have no fellowship with

Indeed, the result of this whole discussion should be, to lead us to prize the Bible more, and give heed to it with the greater diligence and confidence. It is "a light unto our feet, and a lamp unto our path." It is a light shining in a dark place." There is nothing more striking than the difference between the Scripture representations of the future world, which we know are true, and those which are given by the revealers of modern times. The former are solemn, weighty, exciting, impressive, some of them awfully, gloriously so. While the latter, as one says, are "so uniformly and monotonously silly, that we are compelled to think, if these are really the spirits of the dead, in dying they must have lost what little of common sense they ever possessed. If these are actual specimens of the spirit-world, then this world, however hard and imperfect, is altogether the most respectable part of God's creation."

In the Bible, there are frequent accounts of persons who were literally raised from the dead,-who actually returned from the spirit-world to this. But they returned, in every instance, with sealed lips. In no instance do we hear them making disclosures. But our modern revealers of things unseen pursue a very different course. They practise no reserve. They go into the minutest particulars,-sometimes into the most disgusting details, and publish, as one expresses it, " a penny magazine of the spiritual world."

The result of all our inquiries then should be, to bind us more closely to the Bible; to lead us to cling to it, and follow it as our sole and sufficient guide, in things pertaining to the future world. God has told us in his word all that we need know respecting that world. He has told us all that he intends we ever shall know, until we get there. He has told us enough to awaken the most lively interest, and the most earnest care. And what he has told us, we have on his own infallible authority. It is to be depended on. It is the word of him that cannot lie.

Let us, then, study his holy word. Let us believe it, love it, and live according to it. Let us diligently prepare for that world on which we are so soon to enter, and not be vainly trying to pry into its secrets, nor be running after those who can know no more of the subject than we do ourselves.

SERMON DCXXI.

BY REV. E. CUTLER,

PASTOR OF THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN ST. ALBANS, VT.

THE TRIUMPHS OF FAITH IN THE PREACHER.

"And the dove came in to him in the evening, and lo, in her mouth was an olive-leaf pluckt off. So Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth."-Gen.

viii. 11.

THE incident recorded in the text occurred while Noah was shut up in the ark, aground "upon the mountains of Ararat." To identify the Ararat has required considerable research. The location of it as now generally received, however, has been objected to on account of the distance of olive trees; none being found nearer than the province of Akhaltzikhi and the basin of the ancient Colchis, a hundred or more miles away. But tourists, who have mentioned this objection to the monks of Echmiadzin, have been met with the shrewd refutation, that it would not be very hard work for a pigeon to fly to Akhaltzikhi and back again in a day. And when compared with some recent experiments on the fleetness of carrier pigeons, the reply of the monks appears satisfactory. "And the dove came in to him in the evening." The phrase in the evening is important as a beautiful though undesigned coincidence with geographical facts, and as a caution against being hasty in questioning the statements of "holy men-moved by the Holy Ghost." The mission of the dove was one of inquiry. Though mute, she was expected to give an intelligible report. She returned with an olive-leaf. On examining the stem, Noah perceived that it had been "pluckt off;" that is, taken, not afloat, but fresh from the tree. And by this "evidence of things not seen," he "knew that the waters were abated from off the earth." To faith was awarded the olive-leaf.

The text, if now rightly interpreted, proposes "for reproof," and "for instruction in righteousness," THE TRIUMPHS OF FAITH IN THE

PREACHER.

In treating of this subject, it is proper to consider,

I. The meaning of faith.

Faith is of different kinds. There is a natural, and a supernatural or Christian faith. And it is possible to confound either kind with the other, and curiosity with both. Curiosity and faith have reference alike to something beyond our immediate beholding. But the object of faith is definite and clear, while that of curiosity is indefinite and vague. Curiosity is a longing after something without any knowledge of what it is to be. Faith is a grasping after something which though "not seen" is yet known. Curiosity is satisfied with the obtaining of any thing-no matter what. Faith is satisfied with nothing less than the definite object it

* Bib. Rep. ii. 204; vii. 395.

may

seeks. Curiosity is a vane-veering "with every wind of doctrine." Faith is a needle-by which the voyagers of probation nothing wavering are guided "into their desired haven." Faith be defined in general inward sight, or that which supplies the want of sight. What sight is to the body, faith is to the spirit. When our sight is bounded by the horizon, faith looks beyond; and we are none the less confident of the reality of the objects of our faith, than of that of the objects of our sight. When we have come to the first horizon, our faith has become sight to the second. Thus our faith becomes sight, and our sight follows our faith, till our sight can no longer be bounded, and our faith is swallowed up in our ⚫ immediate beholding. And thus, "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

Natural faith is comprehended entirely within the sphere of natural objects. In one sense all men live by this kind of faith. One need only reflect upon the power of motion in the body, and the connection of that power with the will, to be convinced of his dependence upon natural faith in even walking by sight. Men sow and gather and eat by natural faith. It is by this faith that we engage in the various pursuits of the world. And it varies in degree according to the dangers and difficulties with which our enterprises are beset.

But Christian faith is concerned with spiritual things; those heavenly and divine" things not seen as yet." This kind of faith is possessed only by such as have been born of the Spirit. This is that faith by which a man is "justified from all things." It is this supernatural faith by which a man is united to Christ as a branch to the vine; by which a man prays and labors and contributes of his substance for the spiritual reformation of a wicked world; by which the missionary to foreign lands casts his bread upon the waters, and by which he finds it again after many days. This is so superior to natural faith, as by common consent to need no qualifying terms to distinguish it. Supernatural or Christian faith is the faith treated of in the Scriptures. "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac," notwithstanding the promise, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: "accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead." By faith, many a saint, now in heaven, has suffered the most cruel martyrdom. This supernatural faith is a spiritual eye by which its possessor discerns spiritual things; with which he looks through Revelation, as with the natural eye he looks through a telescope, and beholds the Star of Bethlehem, the Sun of Righteousness, eternity folded up and comprehended in time in the person of the Saviour. And this is the faith contemplated in the subject of this discourse.

II. The conditions upon which faith may become triumphant.

A triumph pre-supposes a conflict. Faith is antagonist to unbelief. If faith is "able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand," it is appropriately called triumphant. But unbelief presents itself in a variety of forms. Sometimes it presents itself simply as unbelief; and then it may be either the remnant of "sin dwelling in" the renewed heart, or the entire unbelief of the heart "dead in trespasses and sins." Sometimes it presents itself as cold indifference; and then faith, seeming to itself to fight as beating the air, often becomes disheartened, and 66 weary in well-doing." Unbelief may then arouse and advance towards faith in the form of doubt, to see if faith is in earnest. Again it presents

itself with sword in sheath as if to surrender, a spy and a traitor. It may come again as temptation, offering faith large gain to surrender herself. But perhaps unbelief is never so formidable as when it presents itself as persecution; armed with frowns and sneers, by-words and hisses, "cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover bonds and imprisonment," hunger, cold, and nakedness, racks, stones, swords, and fire. Conquering the enemy in all these forms, faith "obtains a good report." But the conflict is without cessation, except when there is a victory on one side or the other. It commences in the believer's own heart; and when faith has become victorious there, it is assailed by a world of unbelief without. There is a triumph of faith within, therefore, before there can be any manifestation of faith without. But the conflict within is invisible; and the triumph of faith in that conflict is made manifest by its subsequent conflict with the world. This latter conflict alone attracts observation. In the conflict of faith with unbelief, the opposing forces are apparently unequal. Faith appears like an individual against a host. And because faith, singlehanded, takes the field against "principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places," the conflict has a peculiar interest.

Faith becomes truly and distinctly heroic only when it contends with difficulties which seem overpowering. And the grandeur of a triumph is in proportion to the greatness of the difficulties overcome. Generally the outward obstacles are not very great; consequently the triumphs of faith are usually small. The greater the progress of faith, the less remarkable is every succeeding step. As faith gains the ascendency, and moves onward, "conquering and to conquer," the enemy is reduced, and the din of the conflict is drowned in the notes of victory. "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." But it is only once in an age that we see a man triumphantly believing against time and persecution, improbabilities and apparent impossibilities, a light and an exemplar for the multitude-a true hero in the "fight of faith." And as faith is a light to the soul, it becomes most conspicuous in times of the greatest spiritual darkness. Not only is its brilliancy increased by the contrast, but its flame is expanded by the very efforts which are made to extinguish it. There might be such a prevalence of piety that the faith of the most devoted servant of God would be no more conspicuous than a candle lighted at noonday. And there have been times when from the scarcity of piety the faith of a single servant, even though he followed his Lord afar off," ," has been like the Aurora Borealis at midnight. There seems to be a preparation in time as well as in men for the formation of eras in the history of the world. And heroes in sacred history, as well as in profane, are both the instruments and the productions of the revolutions which give them celebrity. It is natural to look for the conditions requisite to the most extraordinary triumphs in those who are possessed of faith in the highest degree. And for the highest degree of faith, it is natural to look to those whose special office is to recommend it to others. Unless faith is first triumphant in themselves, they can hardly expect it to be so in those upon whom they urge it. It were unnatural that soldiers should be courageous while their leaders are "fearful and faint-hearted." Of all heroism, that is the greatest which is called forth in defence of righteousness and truth. And all sacred heroism is emphatically the heroism of faith. Such was the heroism of those ancient worthies "who

through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens."

III. Some of the trials of faith peculiar to the preacher.

The preacher of the gospel has most if not all the trials of faith which are common to all Christians. He has also some trials of faith which are altogether peculiar to himself. And some trials of faith which are common to others are rendered peculiar to him by the greater intensity to which his furnace is heated. It is notorious that the preacher is often made the subject of oppression, for the very reason that he is a preacher. He is often slandered and otherwise maltreated for his very faithfulness to "rebuke with all authority." Not unfrequently, too, professing Christians even, to whom he ministers, will not suffer him to "live of the gospel" in the full sense of the scriptural provision; justifying themselves, however, on the ground, not that their love of the gospel is but little stronger than their love of money, but that a liberal support even, to say nothing of any justly due overplus, would greatly endanger his Christian humility. Accordingly it would not be surprising if, in some of his frequent emergencies, he should be strongly tempted to resign his high commission. And "the man that endureth temptation " may well be considered victorious over a trial of faith at a point where the flesh is peculiarly weak. Again, the inefficiency of the faith of Christ's professing followers for whom he "labors in word and doctrine," sometimes subjects the preacher's faith to a severe trial. It is sometimes difficult to reconcile their apparent zeal and fervency in ordinary duties with their "neglect of the weightier matters." The preacher is apt to distrust that faith which does not evidently "work by love." He witnesses many things which suggest the Scripture, "All men have not faith." His courage is diminished. He is prone to conclude that the gospel, as proclaimed by him, is not "the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth."

As

The faith of the preacher is subjected to another trial from the obstinacy of the unbelief of the world around him. His mind is much employed with such themes as seem fitted to lead the unbelieving to Christ. His thoughts engross his affections. He prays God to make the word effectual. Here and there, perhaps, an unbeliever seems deeply moved. Perhaps a multitude are mentally exclaiming, "Almost thou persuadest." But they go from the sanctuary, and their serious impressions are lost in "the cares of this world;" while the preacher is hopefully and prayerfully preparing a message from God unto" the awakened and alarmed. the Sabbath returns he delivers his message; but with the same result as before. And the process may be repeated till his expectation is destroyed from its own intensity, and almost in despair he exclaims, "Who hath believed our report!" Then it is that to him the exhortation to "be not weary in well doing," is like the irony of Elijah to the prophets of Baal. Moreover, the faith of the preacher is often tried in view of the magnitude of his work, and the conscious weakness of the instrument. He is singlehanded, and yet is required to preach the gospel to men who are at "enmity against God," and are ready to "wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction." And he is required to preach so faithfully that their blood shall not be required at his hand. Knowing full well that "the natural