a lover of music; and skilled in playing on in struments, one would think, when he invented both stringed instruments and wind instruments.

Olympas. Were any other of Cain's posterity famous for useful arts, Elizabeth ?

Elizabeth. Yes: Tubal-cain was "an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron.”

Olympas. Hence we may learn that men of the world are more apt to be enterprizing men in all temporal affairs than the sons of God. They are more devoted to such improvements as pertain to this life, because it is to them the only life of which they have any idea, and for which they have any relish. You must not therefore conclude when you hear persons praised for their enterprize and ingenuity, that such are at all either rational or exemplary characters, unless their enterprize be for the promotion of the spiritual and eternal happiness of men. Cain and his sons down to the first polygamist Lamech, the father of these great inventors, sought stimulus to their minds from worldly pursuits, because they had it not in religion. The other branch of the Adamic family was renouned for piety, and this for carnality and worldly prudence.

CONVERSATION IV.

HAVING read a second time the fourth chapter of Genesis, Olympas proceeded to ask general questions on some points slightly touched in past conversations.

Olympas. I promised, this morning, to interrogate some of the elder members of my household on faith at this lesson. I hope you have all been thinking of it to-day. Tell me, Thomas, the sum of our winter lesson on faith.

Thomas. You have frequently taught us to discriminate between the definition of a word and the description of a thing. The word faith means belief of testimony, or the persuasion that a report is true. It therefore implies four things:- -One that reports the hearing of the report the understanding of the report—and the assenting to it as true. If it be assented to, the report is believed if it be not assented to, it is either doubted or disbelieved; for you say that there are but three states of mind concerning any report.

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Olympas. True: every report appears to us true, untrue, or doubtful. When it appears true, it is believed; when it appears untrue, it is disbelieved; when it appears neither true nor untrue, it is doubted. You say faith implies four things: A reporter, or a witness-hearing-understand ing -and assurance. Can you refer to the Scripture, Edward, that so represents the subject?

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Edward. Paul to the Romans says, 'Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." But how do you make four things out of this brief account of the matter? The 66 word of God" is the testimony; for if he did not speak w✪ could not hear. That hearing comes by speaking is as certain as that faith comes by hearing. If no one speaks, nothing can be heard, if nothing be heard, nothing can be understood; if nothing be understood, nothing can be believed. speaks the ear hears-the soul perceives-the heart believes. So that a voice, an ear, an understanding, and a heart, are all essential to the faith that saves the soul.

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Olympas. But is there not something peculiar to saving faith, contradistinguishing it from every other faith? Tell me, Thomas, what that is?

Thomas. I remember only this difference, that God must always either speak the saving truth himself, or sanction those who speak it.

Olympas. You mean, then, that saving faith is the belief of saving truth for it is not the believing, but the thing believed, that saves the soul, purifies the heart, and overcomes the world.

Thomas. Yes, sir; the power of believing, is as much in the belief or things believed, as the power of seeing is in the sight, or of eating in the food. It is neither eating nor drinking that sustains life, but the things eaten and drank. So it is not believing, but the thing or truth believed that saves the soul.

Olympas. Saving faith is therefore the belief of saving truth. Now as God alone can speak, propound, or inspire saving truth, the faith that

saves the soul has this peculiarity—that the truth believed is divine or inspired; and, therefore, no man can say that Jesus is Lord but by a divine testifier as well as a divine testimony. Any other peculiarity in the faith of the gospel, Edward?

Edward. This faith having a person rather than a thing for its final object, has always in it the idea we call confidence. Hence you say that we both believe Christ and believe in him, because he is both the testifier and the testimony.

Olympas. Not only the testifier and the testimony, but because the testifier Jesus is so placed before us in the testimony as to constrain our confidence in him and affection for him. Thus faith in Christ works by love. Demons believe Christ, but cannot believe in him. Why is it, William, that demons can believe Christ and not believe in him?

William. Because, I presume, Christ offers them nothing in himself. He makes them no proposition-no offer. He shows them no favour; therefore no promise, no trust, no hope, and no love.

Olympas. Very just, William. No promise, no trust, no hope, no love. If then, demons believe, they must hate and tremble, because their evil nature and evil deeds call for vengeance; and the guilty always hate the avenger. Are there not some wicked men, think you, who, like the demons, believe and tremble?

William. If there were none such, I know not why James should have brought up their case.

Olympas. Tell me, Thomas, in the fewest words, the difference between the faith of a reprobate and a Christian.

Thomas. The latter believe in Christ-the former only believes him. The Christian trusts in Christ, because he appropriates all his testimony. The reprobate does not trust in him because he cannot appropriate his promises.

Olympas. There are those who reject a part of the testimony of Christ, and receive a part of

it.

But is not this an error of the understanding, rather than of the heart? or, to express myself more familiarly, are there not persons who only believe a part of the testimony, because of their ignorance or prejudice, who are nevertheless well disposed to Christ, and not under the influence of a reigning depravity?

Thomas. I cannot answer this question.

Olympas. Can any of you?-- -All are silent. Well, mother, we must call upon you.

Mrs. Harriet Olympas. The question I could not answer but from my own experience. I remember for a time I did believe Christ without trusting in him, without appropriating any of his promises. I was not happy. But so soon as I discovered certain promises which suited my case, I not only believed Christ, but believed in him, I therefore conclude that all are not reprobates who do not trust in Christ. Some there doubtless may be. But many, like myself, badly educated, believe only a part of the testimony, and either understand not or observe not other parts of it. I am now assured that all who know the gospel will trust in Jesus, not only as the Messiah, but as their own Saviour and Redeemer.

Olympas. I believe my question was abstract, but it is now well answered.

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