October 13

PART II.—John 9:35.

If we believe in Jesus, we shall possess his holy spirit in our hearts; “for if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” But if we have received Jesus, then will his spirit bear witness with ours that we are the children of God.” If we believe in Jesus, we shall ardently love him. Faith works by love. It will produce to him warm and holy affection. He will be infinitely precious to our souls; for “to them that believe he is precious.” His name will be as ointment poured forth. Our souls will feel the power of his constraining love, and we shall exclaim, “we love him, because he first loved us." Our souls will delight in him, and our lips will exalt and magnify our God and Saviour. Then will he be to us the fairest among ten thousand, and the altogether lovely: then will he be our soul's light, and joy, and life, and all-in-all. If we believe in Christ, then shall we be subject to his authority, and obedient to his commands. Real living faith will produce works of holy obedience to the authority and will of Christ. We shall feel his laws to be imperative, and we shall run with cheerfulness in the ways of his statutes and ordinances, to do them. "I will show thee," says the apostle James, "my faith by my works." Finally, if we believe in Christ, we shall be zealous for his glory, and be ready to suffer for his sake. We cannot be indifferent to the cause of him whom we supremely love. We shall be the enemies of the world, and by faith gain a victory over it. We shall feel the necessity of following Christ whithersoever he goeth. We shall take up his cross, and, going without the camp, gladly bear his reproach. Do these signs exist in us? Are we perfectly conscious that Christ is ours, and that we are his? Do we feel assured that we believe in the Son of God? Do we constantly rely upon the divine mercy, and thus realize the holy sentiments of the poet, who says:

"By faith I plunge me in that sea — Here is my hope, my joy, my rest:

Hither, when hell assaults, I flee,

I look into my Saviour's breast:

Away sad doubts and anxious fear —

'Mercy' is all that's written there!"