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.

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Mrs. Harriet Olympas. The question I could not answer but from my own experience. 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 doubt

less 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 too abstract, but it is now well answered. We shall

proceed to more simple and intelligible matters. How many kinds of faith do the scriptures speak of, William ?

William. They say there is but one faith.

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Olympas. But that may be "the truth" simply: for instance, when we are commanded to contend for the faith formerly delivered to the saints," it denotes truth handed down through them.

William. I read of "faith unfeigned," and I presume that one epithet always implies another: there must, therefore, be two kinds of faith-viz. a feigned and an unfeigned faith.

Olympas. These terms do not represent two sorts of faith, but two sorts of professions of it. There are the sincere believer and the pretender. Edward. There are a dead faith and a living faith.

Olympas. But a dead faith, like a dead man, represents not a distinct thing, but the same thing in another state. As the same man may be living or dead, so the same faith may be dead or alive.

Thomas. I understood you to say that there were a true faith and false faith.

Olympas. I did. But true faith is the belief of truth; and a false faith is the belief of falsehood. Remember that faith is faith, and neither more nor less. Many "believe a lie;" still they have faith. They are deceived in the object; but they are persuaded of its truth. So far as believing is concerned, like seeing or hearing, the act or operation is uniformly the same; but the object may be very different. He that believes the truth has true faith, and he that believes a falsehood has false faith. Do you remember, Reuben, the remarks

of Evangelicus, the preacher, who staid with us all night, last Christmas, on the power of faith? Reuben. I think he represented the power of faith to be in the object rather than in the subject. He showed us that we may have weak faith or strong faith; but the soul-subduing, salutary, and all-conquering power of faith was in the thing believed rather than in the believer. It was what Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, &c. believed that imparted to them the power by which they obtained for themselves an eternal fame.

Olympas. This brings us back to the place of beginning. This examination of faith originated in the account given of Abel's acceptance at the altar, and Paul's comment upon it. It was by faith that Abel obtained acceptance and a good report, God testifying of his gifts. We simply argued from the fact of Abel's faith, that revelations and promises were more full and clear than we now suppose were enjoyed by the antediluvians.

Reuben. How could Adam say to Eve on the day of her creation, "And for thee henceforth shall a man forsake father and mother, brother and sister, and to thee shall he adhere as his own flesh," before the relations of father, mother, brother and sister existed? How did he know any thing about fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters?

Olympas. I shall put this question round your class. Can any of you explain this mystery?

Thomas Dilworth. It does not so read in my Bible. Adam does not mention brother or sister in the whole affair, nor does he say anything about adhering to Eve as his own flesh.

Olympas. True, Reuben has not put the question as it is in the book; still the difficulty is the same: for as yet there was nothing revealed about father, mother, wife or child. Adam seems to have been wiser than his years or his experience. If we will allow our Lord to interpret this passage we shall find an easy solution of this apparent difficulty. The words are not Adam's: they are God's own institution of marriage in his own language. It is not altogether evident that Adam even uttered them; but whether or not, it was God who spoke through him. Do you remember, William, the passage in which the Saviour comments on this transaction?

William. In Matthew's Testimony, nineteenth chapter, fourth and fifth verses, it is thus explained: "Have you not read that he that made them at the beginning made them a male and a female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh: therefore they are no more two, but one flesh."

Olympas. The matter is decided. Jesus says that these words are the Creator's and not Adam's. What, therefore," adds Jesus, "God has joined together let not man put asunder." This addition in Matt. xix. 6, makes these words not only God's, but it presents them in the form of an institution. It is worthy of note while we are called back to this subject, that God has positively condemned both celibacy and polygamy in this transaction, with all that accompanies them. Can you tell, Reuben, how celibacy is condemned?

Reuben. I know not, unless it be in the reason