October 19

PART III.—Lamentations 3:24.

SEEING that Jesus is the soul's all-sufficient, constant, and eternal portion, is it not desirable to ascertain how he may be obtained? This portion is God's gift to the world. In the gospel, God reveals and offers this gift for our acceptance. And all he requires from us is, cordially, by faith, to receive him as the salvation of our souls. This portion, then, is received by faith. Faith is the soul's coming to him — the soul's cordially embracing him as the unspeakable gift of God. It is not the mere assent of the mind to the truth concerning Christ; but the warm and hearty opening of the soul to him: for it is required that we believe in him with our hearts, and make confession of him with our mouths, to salvation. And as Christ is thus received, so also he is thus enjoyed. We must live by faith in the Son of God. It is the province of faith to make use of Jesus as a portion to supply all the wants of the soul. Faith feeds upon him as the bread of life, rests upon him as the rock of ages, and looks constantly to him as the author and the finisher of the work of salvation. And as this portion is enjoyed by faith, so also it is thus retained. We hold it by faith. Ceasing to believe, we become again poor, and wretched, and blind, and miserable. Ceasing to believe, the portion is lost, and all the promises are forfeited. The apostle exulted, in the prospect of martyrdom, that he had "kept the faith." Keeping the faith, and thus only is the portion kept. How important, then, is faith! how desirable that it should increase, and grow stronger and stronger, that we lose not the great and glorious reward. With grateful affection to God, and in the exertion of faith and hope and obedience, let us be found constantly looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, unto eternal life.