71. Faith and Trust
Faith and Trust
ONE SCRIPTURE I DARE GRIP—James Durham, when on his death bed, was for some time under considerable darkness respecting his spiritual state, and said, “After all that I have preached or written, there is but one scripture I can remember, or dare grip; tell me if I dare lay the weight of my salvation upon it? ‘Whosoever cometh unto Me, I will in no wise cast out.’“ He was told: “You may depend upon it, if you had a thousand salvations at hazard.” NOT SEEN, YET BELIEVED.—When Dr. Arnold was suddenly stricken with his mortal agony, he was seen, we are told, lying still with his hands clasped, his lips moving, and his eyes raised upward, as if engaged in prayer, when all at once he repeated, firmly and earnestly, “And Jesus said unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen thou hast believed; blessed are they who have not seen and yet have believed.”
INTERCESSION OF CHRIST.—When Aaron entered the most holy place, he was bound to carry the names of the tribes of Israel upon his shoulders and upon his breast—on his shoulders, in token that he bore the burden of their wickedness and their infirmities; upon his breast, in token of his love and care for them as next his heart. Such a High Priest is our Advocate. “We have not a High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” He died to make satisfaction. He lives to make intercession. We are on His shoulders, to have our burdens borne for us. We are near His heart, that He may both die and live for us. It is a most glorious thought: we have in Heaven One we can think of, know, believe, love, delight in; One whom no accident can disable, no quarrel can estrange, no death remove: for He ever liveth to make intercession for us.
PARTNER WITH CHRIST.—As merchants who are partners are partakers of all the profits, losses and damages which grow of their business, so Jesus Christ, by reason of that society we have together with Him, gives us a part, and we, likewise, give Him of all that we have and possess. The difference is in this, that the gains and losses amongst men are equal and common amongst them all; but here we gather up all the fruits that arise of the righteousness of Jesus Christ: He, on the contrary part, chargeth Himself with all the damages and losses that come of our sin and disobedience.
TRUSTING ARAB GUIDE.—A man, on visiting the Great Pyramid in Egypt, learned an illustration of complete trust. The ascent of the “Great Gallery” was difficult, but the descent was much more so along a narrow and slippery shelf, the only light being a bit of candle held by one of the Arab guides. At length they came to a sharp corner, the path beyond being several feet lower, narrower, and still slippery, and over a deep chasm; and, to make it worse, the candle had gone out. Here he was required to trust himself to an Arab, to be carried on his shoulders round the corner over the chasm, and set down on the other side. This he hesitated to do. “Let me rest one hand on the rock, and the other on you,” he said. “No; you must rest both on me,” was the answer. “I will try myself, and you shall help me.” “No; you lean all weight on Arab,” he continued. “But wait till I see what you are standing on.” “No; you are quite safe resting on Arab.” “But I am heavier than yon think.” “You quite safe if you trust all to Arab.” He saw there was no alternative, and did as he was told and was carried safely to the other side.