Faith,  provided  it  be  a  true  and  living  faith,  receives
the  word  of  God  simply  on  the  authority  of  him  that
revealed  it".  It  staggers  not  at  any  difficulties  either
in  the  dispensations  of  his  providence,  or  the  decla
rations  of  his  grace.  Conscious  of  man's  inability  to
comprehend  even  the  most  common  matters  in  their
full  extent,  the  believer  submits  his  reason  to  God,
and  receives  without  gainsaying  whatsoever  divine
wisdom  has  revealed0.  Now  the  interference  of  God
in  the  government  of  the  world,  even  in  the  falling  of
a  sparrow p,  or  of  the  hairs  of  our  headq,  is  most
clearly  asserted  in  the  inspired  volume  ;  and,  on  that
account,  no  occurrence  whatever  is  suffered  to  weaken
the  conviction,  that  all  things  are  under  his  immediate
and  entire  controul1.  Nor  do  the  difficulties  that  are
in  Scripture  at  all  lessen  its  authority  in  the  believer's
eyes  :  whatever  he  cannot  account  for  as  arising  from
the  circumstances  under  which  the  Scriptures  have
been  handed  down  to  us,  he  puts  to  the  score  of  his
own  ignorance,  and  contentedly  says,  "  What  I  know
not  now,  I  shall  know  hereafter8."  And,  as  to  all
the  heresies  that  have  been  broached  in  the  Christian
Church,  he  has  one  way  of  repelling  all :  he  "  com
pares  spiritual  things  with  spiritual ';"  not  hastily
rejecting  any  plain  declaration  of  God,  because  he
cannot  discern  its  harmony  and  agreement  with
some  other  declaration :  he  rather  looks  to  God  for
the  teachings  of  his  Spirit ;  and  keeps  his  mind  ready
to  embrace  whatever  may  tend  to  his  own  humilia
tion,  or  to  the  glory  of  God.  If  it  be  thought  that
still  he  will  be  as  open  to  receive  error  as  truth,  we
answer,  that  God  has  promised  to  "  guide  him  into  all

n   1  Thess.  ii.  13.  °  Jam.  i.  21.  P  Matt.  x.  29.
