Another instance of the same kind we have in Peter, who, at the command of Christ, "went down out of the ship, and walked on the water to go to Jesus: but when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith! wherefore didst thou doubt ?” It is plain his faith was weakened by the boisterous wind, and the swelling of the sea, while he looked at these more than the power and grace of the Lord Jesus.

At another time, "Jesus said unto his disciples, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the Sadducees. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith! why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many ye took up?" In this passage it appears, that their minds were disturbed because they had forgotten to take a sufficient quantity of bread with them, before they came into the ship; and comparing their small provisions with their situation, they became uneasy and dejected, not remembering and depending on the power and goodness of their compassionate Master.

As the two disciples were going to Emmaus, they talked together of all those things which had happened at Jerusalem, relating to the death and resur

rection of Christ. "And while they communed together, and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them: but their eyes were holden, that they knew him not." Having heard the subject of their conversation, and their jealousies about himself, he said unto them, "O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?" This weighty reproof strongly implies, that these disciples were more attentive to the appearances of things, than to the various testimonies of God by the prophets, concerning these very things.

Thomas, who was not with the rest of the disciples when Jesus came and stood in the midst of them, on the evening of that day he rose from the dead, refused to credit their word, when they afterwards told him, "they had seen the Lord. He said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe." In this case we may see, that leaning to the evidence of sense, is a fatal obstruction to believing.

The centurion, who applied to Christ to heal his servant, sick of the palsy, and grievously tormented, said, "Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say unto this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, I have not found so great

faith, no, not in Israel." The singular eminence of his faith consisted in this, that he was persuaded Christ had sovereign power over all distempers, and could, at his pleasure, command them off from his servant, wherever he was, and whenever he would. The woman of Canaan was another eminent believer. She came to Christ to have her daughter cured, who was grievously vexed with a devil." She cried unto him; but he answered her not a word. His disciples besought him, saying, Send her away, for she crieth after us: but he answered and said, I am not sent, but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she, and worshipped him," notwithstanding these discouragements, "saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. She replied, Truth, Lord; yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table. Then Jesus said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith!" Her faith rested wholly upon the power and grace of Christ, and therefore she clave unto him with the most fixed resolution, under every discouragement, regardless of appearances.

From these examples of the weakness and strength of faith, two things are exceedingly manifest. (1.) That faith is great or strong, only while it steadfastly views its objects as God hath presented them in the testimony of his word; and therefore remains unshaken in its confidence and expectation, because God, who hath spoken and promised, is "faithful and true, the only wise God, and the Lord God omnipotent, who calleth things which be not, as though they were." (2.) That faith is "weak," or

"little," when a person, judging according to the principles of sense, questions the declarations and promises of God, or hesitates about them, or disputes in his own mind against them, raising objections, and improving every improbability as an argument against his belief of God's word, and dependence upon God's promises. All the instances of strong and weak faith that have been mentioned, confirm the truth of these observations.

On the whole it appears, that there is one, and but one, fatal principle of all that doubtfulness, wavering, and discouragement, which are to be found in weak believers; and that is, their "looking at those things which are seen," whether by the natural senses or by reason, or by reflections upon the feelings of their own souls. Hopes or fears, proceeding upon such views, are dishonouring to God, and highly injurious to a life of faith. But there are

many things that co-operate to weaken the faith of believers, by diverting their attention from the bare testimony of God, and fixing their minds on objects of sense. I shall mention a few particulars on this head, that have a most peculiar influence this way. Com

1. We are naturally creatures of sense. forts we enjoy are present to us; agreeable prospects, that seem to fall within our reach, stimulate our ambition, and gladden our hearts; and we feel affliction grievous and hard to be borne. In this situation, it is too common for the people of God to adopt the language of the carnal world, "Who will show us any good?" or, in their prosperity, to say with Job, "We shall die in our nest, and we shall multiply our days as the sand:" or, in the day of their dis

tress, to conclude with Jacob, that all things are against them. The presence of sensible things gives them a very great advantage upon the carnal mind, over the objects of faith, which are not seen, and only hoped for.

2. The wisdom of the flesh is against our belief of the divine record. We suppose we cannot be mistaken, when we form our expectations concerning events, according to the usual operation and energy of natural causes. Guided by this maxim, the saints have judged it prudent to dispute the truth, and deny the possibility of the promises of God him self. Sarah could not at first believe that "she would have a son, because she was old." Moses thought it incredible, that all the congregation of Israel should have flesh for a whole month, that they might eat of it in the greatest abundance, because all the flocks and herds, yea, all the fishes of the sea, seemed too little to suffice such a multitude. The church concluded, that "her way was hid from the Lord, and her judgment passed over from her God," because she was brought very low. These reason> ings, that exalt human wisdom against the knowledge of God, by opposing the order of nature to the credibility of Jehovah's word, must be cast down.

3. The pride of corrupt nature resists the design of revealed grace. The humbling truths of the gospel teach us to deny self, to account all our own righteousness but as filthy rags, and to reckon ourselves in every view but unprofitable servants. They direct us, as lost and needy sinners, to the unsearchable riches of Christ, for the abundant supply of all our wants. But the proud heart remonstrates against