The Efficacy of Strong Faith

Hebrews xi. 34. — ““Who, through faith out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.”

The purpose of this discourse is to set forth Faith, as the principle of Christian strength, progress, and victory. It is no slander to say that religion is not making itself felt on every side, as at some favoured periods in the history of the Church. Individual professors, individual churches, large bodies of associated Christians, nay, the Church itself, are not putting forth a characteristic energy. In these respects, we compare disadvantageously with primitive Christians; with the Reformers and their immediate successors; with the great Nonconformists of the Commonwealth times; with the associates and followers of Whiteiield; and even with some whom we can remember, in revival days, thirty years ago. While we ascribe the efficiency to God, and refer the operation to his sovereignty, it may yet be safely said, that the power of these persons and communities, and their consequent increase and diffusion, may be traced to the intensity of their inward fires. No man strongly influences others on any subject which does not strongly influence himself. Some there are, in all ages, who make no impression on any around them, in regard to any subject. They accomplish nothing, because they feel nothing. The reservoir is void; nothing can flow from it. There is no fund of high aspiration and swelling wishes. Their views are limited by the paltry circle of daily wants, gains, appetites, and comforts. To such a man, his own household and his own business constitute his world. For this he enslaves himself, for this he amasses, for this he makes provision in his will; of this he dreams. We lay such men out of our inquiry, in examining the secret of influence. They have none. In the words of the Roman poet.

they are “born to consume the crops.” But there are others, discoverable without going beyond the domain of worldly men, who cause themselves to be felt far and near, and are remembered, and, in a certain sense, active, after they are dead. Such are found in every profession, and to such the great changes in the world are to be attributed.

Looking now at instances which occur to our view in common life, we shall perceive that energy and success arise from the choice of a distinct object in life, and from a deep persuasion of certain truths, or what are held as truths, according to which the conduct of life is ordered. This may be called the faith of the natural world. A man of this class cannot live in a pent-up circle. He lifts himself to an eminence, and secures a wide horizon. He seeks to alter the state of affairs. He forms large plans, and executes them. His survey takes in society, and future generations. Though often eminently prosperous for himself, he becomes the stimulator, example, guide, and benefactor of others. By happy devices, and by courageous adventure, he shows (it may be in commerce, or any productive labour) that the slow and contracted methods wliicli lie found in use, may be replaced by others more rapid and effective. His success calls others into the arena. The wisdom of one becomes the policy of many; until we have sometimes found the whole mode of procedure in some department of worldly enterprise revolutionized by one or by a few leading spirits, in the course of a single generation. These are what we denominate men of influence, as they are certainly men of energy. And it lies directly in the line of our investigation to inquire, what, after all, is the secret of their streno;th? Philosophic minds will not sit down contented with an answer which refers all these results to fortune, to happy hits, to pure chance. The persistency of effort, in such persons, their constancy of operation, and the uniformity with which they repeat their experiments, assures us that the cause must be within themselves. If we endeavour to trace the stream up to the fountain, we shall probably attain some satisfaction on this interesting point. When, therefore, we find any man, of any profession, eminently successful, influencing large circles, and operating on society, “vve shall always observe the following conditions as present. He is always at work. This needs scarcely be said. The matter in which he thus makes himself known is his great business, to which every thing else gives place. Other men may take up the same by the way, for amusement, or during a short period; but for him, it is the grand affair of life, and he never lets it go. Now I beg you to observe, that where this is the case, the individual always has a definite end in view; and no man leaves his mark on society, who has not a definite end. It may be very sordid; no more than the accumulation of substance. It may have added to it the vanity of being first in his own line of business, or the ambition of wielding power by these means; or the love of that excitement which belongs to every successful chase. But success in this particular mode of activity is present to his mind, as the great object of his life, and to this he makes every thing else subservient. He has an aim in life, and he lives for it. The higher the value he sets upon this end, the more intense will be his activity.

If lie be one who rises higher in the intellectual and moral scale, and seeks to benefit multitudes, instead of living to himself, we must include this in his aim. It is his fixed purpose to make his power felt on a circle of fellow-creatures, large or small. To this he resolutely and unceasingly bends his energies. But we must go further. We never fail to notice, if we examine deeply, that the man of influence is in some sense a man of fixed principles. He has some definite truths, or supposed truths, which are the law of his whole action. I add, “supposed truths,” because faith is so mighty an agent, that even error may become energetic and j)ropulsive, if only it be believed strongly enough. This man of power has his beliefs, on matters connected with his own successes. These are the tenets of his worldly creed. They may be few, but not the less operative. They may be concealed, but sagacious observers will divine them from his conduct. Nay, he may not be able to express them; for there are implicit as well as explicit principles of action. Not every wise administrator can verbally interpret his own schemes; not every pLilosoplier can, like Franklin, embody in distinct enunciation the precepts of Jife. But tkere they are; and they are the secret of Lis activity and Ms influence. A revolution in these would instantly change the entire current of his life. They are really the motive-powers of the whole complex machine. His belief, I repeat it, of certain principles, gives origin to all he effects. This belief is concerned in the very choice of an object, and in adapting and employing all means. Upturn these principles, and you invert or nullify the whole man. Suppose, for example, that his field is commerce. Convince him that worldly wealth is undesirable, that commerce is not the way to attain it; convince him that his own branch of trade is unfortunate; convince him that his mode of conducting affairs is ruinous; and you have already cut the sinews of all his activity, and consequently destroyed all his power. Such is the efficacy of principles, even in things which it is not common to refer to this source. Examples might be added, which would yet more directly evince the operation of a natural secular faith uj)on the influential conduct of mankind. All can perceive, that in every such case, the energy, persistency, and success of the action will be in proportion to the strength of inward conviction. Belief has its degrees, and he who believes feebly, will strike faint blows.

‘Now it will need no long array of argument to show, that this influence of inward conviction must be more direct and powerful, in cases where the effect is sought to be produced through the very medium of supposed truth, and where the effort is directed towards bringing men over to their own opinion. “If you would have me weep,” said the ancient, “weep yourself.” Still more justly, “If you would have me believe, believe yourself.” To show the great strength of the principle, allow me to cite the case of those who teach error. The power of such men is in their belief. It is a vulgar and suj)erficial blunder, to suppose that many or most of these inculcate known falsehood. They believe, and believe strongly. They are not only deceivers, but “being deceived.” They are blind, as well as leaders of the blind; and in countless instances they are followed by misguided multitudes. The very finnness and vehemence of their persuasion, act on them with a perpetual momentum, and sometimes confer a sort of sublimity on their character. No man ever influenced great masses, who had not some leading opinion deeply impressed on his own mind. According to his belief of its truth and its importance, will be the efficacy of his endeavours. In all the instances which we have supposed, there has been an inward persuasion of some supposed truth, and an inward fervour in carrying it out in practice; all which may be fitly used to illustrate the power of high religious principle and feeling, in the vastly higher work which we have to perform in our Christian life.

Thus are we brought to the heart of the subject proposed for consideration, namely, that faith is the principle of strength, progress, and victory.

I think we have already discovered the cause of our inefficacious and drooping church life. We make little impression on the world, because we believe so little, and that little so weakly. If our faith were strong, we should feel ardently, speak boldly, act strongly, and conquer certainly. Leaving out the special and divinely-constituted power of faith, all the analogies we have been considering go to confirm this view. Wherever a man strongly believes, he is successfully active, in the proportion of his other powers. In this sense we may say, “This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” If this spring be wanting, all power is gone. Faith may be defined, a persuasion of the truth. Evangelical faith is a persuasion of Gospel truth. Viewed in its origin, it is the product of Divine influence. Viewed in its connection with preceding exercises, it arises from spiritual apprehensions of the truth. In the matter of our personal pardon and acceptance, it takes hold specially of the promise of grace in Jesus Christ; but faith has its wider range, in which it embraces as true the whole round of revelation. And that which concerns us now, is, that the hearty conviction of God’s truth is the great strengthening, operative and triumphant principle. Universally, as a man’s faith, such will be his spiritual power. He cannot afiect others save with that which first affects himself If faith wavers or declines, the entire Christian character is enfeebled. We see this at once in regard to great fundamental points. Let. any one begin to totter about the being of a God, and he is palsied for every religious feeling and effort. Or concerning whatsoever truth he may harbour doubts, he will be unmanned for the whole corresponding class of emotions and acts. But faith may suffer not only in its extent, but in its intensity. We may deny no one doctrine — we may hold the complete system, in a certain way; but a way so faint and low as scarcely to differ from unbelief, and thus to be totally inoperative.

It is just in this modification that faith exists in many Christian professors; and can we wonder if they bear little fruit? How different a creature is one who is all on fire with the persuasion of Gospel verities. He is transformed. The instance of Saul of Tarsus at once occurs to us; for we are able to contemplate him imder two opposite faiths. The first, that of Judaism and Pharisaism, was as sincere as the second. There was no feigning. He verily thought he should do God service by violence and murder. His faith was of 3-iG THE EFFICACY OF STRONG FAITH.

falsehood; but it was not inert. It propelled him. It made him a persecutor, a blasphemer, injurious; it caused him to breathe forth threatening and slaughter, and to make havoc of the Church. His second faith, as you know, came to him suddenly. He has a new attraction, and moves in a new orbit. Straightway he has become a new man. He preaches that Jesus whom once he blasphemed. The whole remainder of his life is a motion derived from this new impulse. Does any man doubt whether Paul believed? Does any man doubt whether his belief was the impelling power of his activity? It was faith that made him. His former principles, his former life, were obliterated by this new force. “The life that I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God.” No wonder he speaks perpetually of faith; it perpetually operated in him, urging him to endurance, to utterance, and to action. He writes to the Corinthians, expounding the principles of his extraordinary life, and showing that his contempt of difficulties, and his earnestness of labour, arose from his exalted apprehension of the truth of the Gospel; and this was faith. For this cause, he fainted not. And thongli “already delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake,” He reveals the secret iipliolding power of his ministerial work when he adds: “We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak.” Behold the source of prophetic and of apostolic utterance! The deep persuasion of a single great truth may sway a man s character and actuate his life. Let it be the resurrection, or the judgment, or justification by faith — it casts its broad shadow over the whole prospect; every day of life feels its impression. Was it not something like this, which gave tone and dignity to the mind of Martin Luther? If he had not possessed one vast truth — if he had not believed it strongly — he would never have been so out of weakness made strong; he would never have so put to flight the armies of the aliens. It is a great blessing to a man to be fully charged with one sublime idea. It elevates him to somethins: of its own stature. It preserves him from the calms and stagnations, in which too many of us dream away our lives. There is something which he believes. Faith has the throne, and wields the sce23tre. He need never look about for wherewithal to interest his vacillating mind. He possesses the luxury of a cherished truth. Oh! know ye not that this is sweeter than the honeycomb — richer than rubies? Ye, whose minds were never really awakened to any thing intellectual or spiritual, ye have a world of bliss into which yet to enter! Early disciples felt this, especially under the words of the Great Teacher. When once they heard him speak as never man spake, they were smitten with his heavenly voice, and received into their bosoms a secret, on which to ponder without weariness as long as they lived. Thus, also, many came from their philosophies, all unsatisfying, to the apostles and primitive teachers of Christianity. They believed, and the new truths lived in them as mighty forces, propelling them to speech and act. In reformation times, how many from all parts of Europe came to sit at the feet of Luther and of Calvin? The great re-discovered doctrine of free salvation had become their darling belief, and they were wrought upon accordingly.

Even in our later times, how have our hearts rejoiced, if we have been favoured to alight on a teacher, who is all alive with some vital truth of Christianity; who expounds, illustrates, and enforces it; who dwells on it, to the weariness, perhaps, of many, but not to ours. We almost learn to love the instructor, for the sake of his lesson. But the lesson, after all, is that which feeds our faith.

The majority of Christian professors, I know very well, have no great interest in Divine truth. They could give up this or that tenet of their creed, without feeling much loss. Little could they comprehend the spirit of dying for one’s faith. At times, all sects and all confessions seem to them alike. But he who has clung to the doctrine of Jesus, as to a life-boat after shipvreck, knows no such apathy. His great belief is ever before him. It is the enkindlino: cause of all his ardours. It excites him to an energy which he never felt in the days of his ignorance. All merely secular verities, however acknowledged as important in their place, grow dim and fade and die out, in comparison, as stars before the rising sun.

Above all, the belief of Jesus Christ, in his person and his work, his excellencies and his invitations, his dying and his reign — when once settled on the throne in any heart, destroys all rivals, and becomes the principle of true Christian strength. Christ is formed in the heart the hope of glory. If any thing can make a weak believer strong, it is this. Hence, O my beloved brethren, in much infirmity, but with an unspeakable earnestness, am I thus constantly endeavouring, in my imperfect way, to win you to the contemplation of the Lord, and to faith in him. It is only by faith in Jesus, that these signal effects can be wroudit. We mio-ht take up all the important doctrines of the Gospel, one by one, and show how each in its turn becomes a source of power and a means of victory. No man can be any greater or any stronger, in Christianity, than his faith. There can be no addition to real faith, without an accession of religious strength. And (using a distinction already noticed) this faith, which is thus important, may be increased in two respects, as to its extent and as to its intensity.

(1.) If the principle of Divine faith is in

US, we may be continually adding to the objects of faith; that is, to the doctrines which we believe. New objects or ideas, and new relations between them, rise upon the discovery of the believer, as new stars and planets before the gaze of the astronomer; and each he hails as the revelation of his God. Truth is the fulcrum of the lever, faith. Particular truths are so many polished stones, which faith builds into the wall of the spiritual temple. The doctrines of religion therefore nourish faith. In proportion to our faith, will be our desire for the increase of knowledge. No docti’ines will be unimportant, though some will lie closer to our bosom than others. But doctrine — doctrine — doctrine — is that which faith desires. It is lamentable that the Christianity of our day desires it not. There is a craving for what is a contradiction in terms — teachmg which is not doctrinal. The cry is for literature, for illustration, for exhortation, for imagination, for eloquence, for any thing but truth. If faith ever rises to manly vigour, it must be by enlarging the mind’s acquaintance with the whole extent of saving truth. Believers who would be strong and healthy, must not be detained upon the milk of babes, but must aspire to strong meat, and go on unto perfection. For faith to be strong and conquering, we must have variety of food. The entire truths of religion must enter into the regimen. Indeed, no one would greatly err, who should begin with the elements of doctrine, and go on to fill up the whole scheme of theological truth. This is the way to acquire bone, muscle, and sinew. The best sign of spiritual health is a sound appetite for solid truth. And this is the first mode of strengthening faith, namely, in its extent, or the knowledge of its objects.

(2.) The other is not less important, though it respects the subject rather than the object of faith. In regard to the former, the question is. What do I believe? In regard to the latter, the question is. How, or how strongly do I believe? And surely we all need a great increase in the intensity of our faith. Remark, that we are now considering faith as a principle which forms the character to strength and influence. In this regard, every thing depends on its height, its glow, its bursting force. Amount of knowledge is good, just as fuel is good; but when we speak of expansion and progress, what we want is, fire — ^fii’e! Faith must not be a lethargic assent, but a concentrated burning heat. It is this intensity of conviction and persuasion which has made the Pauls, the Luthers, the Whitefields, of the Church; or (as all cannot be heroes) which has inflamed to generous action those humbler believers, who have been blessed to the salvation of many souls. It is really wonderful to see how much greatness can be conferred on a common man, by the warming, actuating power of faith. Out of weakness he is made strong; he waxes valiant in fight. Thus the inert ball of iron receives velocity and resistless force from the heat and expansion of the cannon’s chamber. It ought to encourage every believer who has a strong conviction. Let the truth which lies within his breast be raised to a red heat, and its influence becomes decisive. He may seem to himself to be as nothing; but God’s truth in him is operative; the neighbourhood feels it. Where the truths which animate him are sjrand truths — where he holds them with a gi-asp that nothing can disengage or relax — where Ms soul is steeped in them, day and night — where he delights in them — communication follows spontaneously. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh — the manner speaketh — the behaviour speaketh — the very visage speaketh. A man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost sends forth influence at every pore. His whole body is full of light, which he radiates on every side. It is not stir, it is not factitious effort, it is not learning, it is not eloquence; it is faith, it is holiness. Though Moses was slow of speech, his countenance shone when he came down from converse with God. Fill a soul up to the brim with realizing and absorbing persuasion of capital truth, and it runs over. There is a holy contagion in strong faith. To increase our influence for God, it is not so necessary to prescribe rules, as to believe mightily, with that faith which is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. Kindle this fire, and the flame of love shall presently break forth in holy, irresistible action. O my brethren, this is what we need, to give our religion actuality, and to produce results in the Cliurcli like those wliicli we witness in the world, among men who are deeply in earnest, and borne onward by their ruling passion. Give us men and women with whom religion is the great and the one thing, and we shall soon behold some effects to remind us of the days of the Reformation, and the times of early faith. Coals must be brought to our lips and hearts by the hands of the seraphim. Fire must descend from heaven to touch the dead logs on our altar. There must be communication with heaven. The Holy Ghost must awaken these ardours. Pentecostal cloven tono:ues must hover over our assemblies. The adversary will cry, “These men are fall of new wine “; but we shall confidently rejoin, “Christ, having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.” Are we convinced that our lack of power in the Church arises from our lack of faith? Then let us concentrate our souls on the great awakening truths of

revelation. Let us redouble our application to the Word of God. Let us give ourselves to prayer for the influences of the Holy Spirit. Happy would this hour be, if I could impress on any the truth, that a single soul, actuated by Divine faith, becomes a centre of power. We undervalue individual influence. We ascribe too little to what may be accomplished by eminent piety in ourselves. In a community like ours, no one believer can attain to unwonted fervour, without conferring benefit on others. The conflagration which wraps the mountain forest or the boundless prairie in sheets of flame, and seems to set the heavens on fire, had its commencement in one spot — perhaps in a single spark. Revival must begin somewhere. Let each of us pray that it may begin in his own soul. Disdain not the communications of God sent down to your solitary closet. Hojdc for great exaltation of faith from your private study of inspired truth. Aim, my Christian brother, at attaining high and commanding faith. Be strong in faith, giving glory to God. It is, in a certain sense, your whole work. Without it, you can do nothing; with it, you can do all things. It is the place to begin. It is the spark to be kindled. The work is near home; nay, it is within you. The moment for effort lias arrived. Defer it not till the morrow. God asks of you to determine what son: of Christian you will be. Upon instants like these, sometimes depends the whole cuiTent of life. Dream not of a progress in the Church, without a progress in individuals. Fancy not an elevation of others, but seek to be exalted in faith yourself. If this thought be well lodged in you, the exhortation will not have been in vain. Gen every window of the soul to the rays of heavenly light. Accej)t it, and be mighty; for all things are possible to him that believeth.