believing, I get a new life, and a hope, a peace, a joy,
and a rest to my soul, that I never had before; if I get self-control,
and find that I have a power to resist evil and to do good,
I have pretty good proof that I am in the right road to the "city
which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." And if
things have taken place, and are now taking place, as recorded in
God's Word, I have good reason to conclude that what yet remains will
be fulfilled. And yet people talk of doubting. There can be no true
faith where there is fear. Faith is to take God at His word,
unconditionally. There cannot be true peace where there is fear.
"Perfect love casteth out fear." How wretched a wife would be if she
doubted her husband! and how miserable a mother would feel if after
her boy had gone away from home she had reason, from his neglect, to
question that son's devotion! True love never has a doubt.

There are three things indispensable to faith--knowledge, assent, and
appropriation.

We must know God. "And this is life eternal, that they might _know_
Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent" (John
xvii. 3). Then we must not only give our assent to what we know; but
we must lay hold of the truth. If a man simply give his assent to the
plan of salvation, it will not save him: he must accept Christ as his
Saviour. He must receive and appropriate Him.

Some say they cannot tell how a man's life can be affected by his
belief. But let some one cry out that some building in which we
happen to be sitting, is on fire; and see how soon we should act on
our belief and get out. We are all the time influenced by what we
believe. We cannot help it. And let a man believe the record that God
has given of Christ, and it will very quickly affect his whole life.

Take John v. 24. There is enough truth in that one verse for every
soul to rest upon for salvation. It does not admit the shadow of a
doubt. "Verily, verily"--which means truly, truly--"I say unto you,
He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me,
hath--_hath_--everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation;
but is passed from death unto life."

Now if a person really hears the word of Jesus and believes with the
heart on God who sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world, and
lays hold of and appropriates this great salvation, there is no fear
of judgment. He will not be looking forward with dread to the Great
White Throne; for