To the children of men there is nothing of more importance than faith, for "without faith it is impossible to please" God. It is by faith in the gospel that we are saved (Rom. 1:16, 17); it is only by faith that we become partakers of the righteousness of God. The study of faith is therefore important. Says the Epistle to the Hebrews (11:1): "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." The Revised Version renders: "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the proving of things not seen." The margin reads: "Now faith is the giving substance to things hoped for, the test of things not seen." Faith is, therefore, grasping as real the things for which we hope, but do not see. It is counting the thing as already ours, though it may not be visible. Faith is founded on God's word, on what God says in that word. It is a belief, not only that God is, in all his infinity of attributes, but that he is a rewarder of all who diligently seek him as he has promised. Heb. 11:6. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Rom. 10:17. Faith is, therefore, based, not on men's word, not on what we desire God's word to be, not on what men say God's word is, not on what creeds say it is, not on our opinions of what it is—not on any or all of these is faith based, but on God's word itself, as the word of God. It will do us no good to accept of the word of men as the word of God, unless it is the word of God. Men may indeed be the bearers of the word of God, and, if so, we should accept it as such; but it is our privilege to know from the Scriptures that it is God's word. It will do us no good to accept the word of God as the word of men, for this is making the means of salvation of none effect. Some persons will say, "I will accept of the words of Christ, or of Paul, but I cannot accept the writings of Moses." This is measuring the Master, not by his skill, his power, or his ability, but by the various instruments upon which he plays. The word is given through Paul, the scholar, through Peter, the fisherman, through Amos, the herdsman, through Ezekiel, the priest, through Daniel, the prince, through David, the shepherd-king, through Moses, the statesman, through Ezra, the scribe, breathing the various characteristics of the men, but it is all of God, and to profit us it must be received as from God. "For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe." 1 Thess. 2:13. The power of faith is the power in the word on which it is based. Man's word is no more mighty than the man. The history of the race demonstrates the nothingness of man and his word. But in God's word is all the power of God. "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth." God said, "Let there be light, and light was." He speaks, and the deaf ears are unstopped, the mute tongue speaks, the blind eyes see, the dead are raised, the proud waves of the sea are stilled, the leper is cleansed, sin's chain is broken. This is the power of God's word; and this word all came to us through Christ Jesus, and it all centers in him, the Living and Incarnate Word; for "in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made." "For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell." "He is before all things, and by him do all things consist." His glorious might is expressed by the phrase "upholding all things by the word of his power." Heb. 1:3. The power of faith is the power of the word of God, the power of Christ, the Incarnate Word, through whom the word came. By receiving the word of God. The word may be spoken to us, and we may hear it and profit nothing. Of the Hebrews it is said that "the word preached did not profit them, because they were not united by faith to them that heard it." Heb. 4:2, margin. The power of God is in his word. His will concerning man is expressed in that word. 2 Tim. 3:16. God "worketh all things after the counsel of his own will." Eph. 1:11. Therefore, if man puts himself in the way of God's will, as expressed in his word, he will be in the way of God's working. And this is what faith is, choosing God's way, God's will, God's word, in all things. God speaks to us in his word; we submit, willingly submit, to the word, knowing it is best; and the power of the word is assured to us to do what the word commands. Jesus said to the poor cripple at the pool, who had no power, "Rise, take up thy bed and walk;" he submitted to the command, he received the word, and the spirit and life of the word (John 6:63) gave him power to walk. He says to the poor, wretched sinner, who has no power to do right, "Love God, obey his will," and the poor, trembling soul receives the word, chooses God's will, submits willingly to obey, and the almighty power in the word works obedience in him; the Spirit of God in the word sheds abroad in his heart the love of God. Rom. 5:5. God promises deliverance from the enemy to him who casts himself upon his mercy, and faith grasps the deliverance which is in the promise by submitting to its conditions, by receiving it for what it means. Then God "worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure," and "none can stay his hand." Just as broad as God's word; and God's word includes in its exceeding scope every duty of life, every method of work, every principle of right. The Scriptures are "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." As, therefore, the word of God embraces every duty, and every principle governing all moral conduct, and all that has a bearing upon moral character, and as the power to do all duty acceptably to God rests in the word which enjoins the duty, expresses the principle, or pledges the promise, so our faith must lay hold of this power, or we will fail of God's glory. The glory of God is his character, his goodness, his righteousness. Ex. 33:18, 19. This is reflected in his law, which is "holy, and just, and good." Rom. 7:12. The transgression of that law is sin, and anything which comes short of that glory is sin. 1 John 3:4; Rom. 7:7; 3:20. That is, man need not willfully to go contrary to God's law in order to sin; he may endeavor to keep that law, but in his own strength, of his own power, he falls short of God's righteousness. Faith lifts the soul to Christ, and appropriates his righteousness and his power, and in Christ the man of faith is complete.402Col. 2:9, 10. Therefore, "whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Rom. 14:23), because it comes short, it misses the mark of God's righteousness. But all that we do should be done for God's glory. "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Cor. 10:31. As faith in Christ and his word is all that will enable us to do this, therefore faith should mould all that we do. The tests of faith always come respecting unreasonable things; that is, we are called out upon new, untried ground, and asked to trust God upon his naked word in respect to things which are against reason from a human view. Not that faith is unreasonable, for it is most reasonable. Is it not reasonable to submit to and receive the word of Him who is infinite in wisdom, power, and love? But looking at it in human wisdom, we would say, as the majority do say in their hearts, "It is unreasonable to do what God bids, and to believe what he says." Let us consider some illustrations. "Through faith we understand that the worlds [ages] were framed [adjusted] by the word [command] of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." Heb. 11:3. Rotherham renders: "By faith we understand the ages to have been adjusted by declaration of God; to-the-end that not out of appearances should that which is seen have come into existence." The same thought is presented in Heb. 1:2, where it says of Christ that through him God also "made the worlds," literally, "ordained," or "constituted the ages." This term aionas, rendered "worlds," properly "ages," Olshausen says always refers to times. The meaning of the declaration in Heb. 1:2 and 11:3 is, then, that in the very beginning Infinite Knowledge, knowing all things that would befall man and his earthly home, marked out all the ages, dispensations, and epochs of earth's history; and these God has predicted in his word. "When the fullness of the time" was reached, in different periods of earth's sad history, the flood came, the children of Israel were delivered, the law was given, the Christ came and died, and will come again to redeem his own, and will come with his own to judge the wicked. In all these dispensations of God's providence there was nothing that came before which, to human reason, indicated they would come to pass. God's word declared them; faith received. Faith understood by God's prophetic word that the divine hand had adjusted the ages, and, when predicted, the change would come. Science might dispute the possibility of a flood; Noah believed God's word. Out of the things not seen the flood came; out of the things not seen by Pharaoh, the deliverance of Israel came; out of the things not seen by the Jews, God destroyed him who had the power of death, and heaven and righteousness were in the seeming defeat; and so out of things not seen, but which are said by Infinite Power, faith wins the victory. "For we walk by faith, not by sight." Faith grasps the invisible word and obtains the visible deliverance. The substance of it all is in the living word; faith makes it its very own by receiving it. And every example of faith in Hebrews 11 illustrates these great facts. Faith is based on God's word and has reference to present duty revealed by the present truth of God. It looks ever to the present and before, but never backward. Much more might be said. We have merely touched the great subject, have shown but a few treasures of the mine, but a few pearly drops from the ever-flowing River of Life. We must pause now; but, reader, Christian brother or sister, fellow-sinner, judgment bound, have you this faith? Are you willing to trust God, to depend upon his word, to be his and his alone? Christ died that you might. God grant that you may.