Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1863 edition. Excerpt: ... THE GOSPEL RECEIVED IMPLICITLY. " The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart; for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness."--Romans X. 8--10, N the preceding chapters we have been chiefly occupied with the recognition of Divine truth, but we now come to consider its reception in the heart, that measure and degree of faith which is less conviction than possession, being itself the substance of things not as yet seen. This faith, the soul's rich, unborrowed wealth, is not taken on trust from other men's minds, nor even from the words and promises of Scripture; it is the spirit's grasp upon these very words, the heart's appropriation of these very promises, making them indeed our own. What Locke speaks of natural science holds especially true in spiritual life, " that a man only has as much as he really knows and comprehends. What he believes only and takes on trust from the floating of other men's opinions (though these opinions may happen to be true) is but borrowed wealth, which, like fairy money, though it were gold in the hand from which he received it, will be but leaves and dust when it comes to use." Opinion holds truth in its hand, experience holds to it by the heart, and to experience only is it given to work within the soul that intimate persuasion of God's love which raises it up to the victory which overcomes the world. A living faith is a loving faith; how can it but believe in the love by which it lives? It knows Him in Whom it has believed, and needs no other strength and wisdom than such a knowledge implies. It has ceased to confer with flesh and blood. For the allurements of sense, for the doubts of reason, for the assaults of spiritual wickedness, it has gained one answer, " I have found Him Whom my...