and not only to make everything a subject
of prayer, but to expect answers to their petitions which they have
asked according to his will and in the name of the Lord Jesus. Think
not, dear reader, that I have _the gift of faith_, that is, that gift of
which we read in 1 Cor. xii. 9, and which is mentioned along with "the
gifts of healing," "the working of miracles," "prophecy," and that on
that account I am able to trust in the Lord. _It is true_ that the faith
which I am enabled to exercise is altogether God's own gift; it is true
that he alone supports it, and that he alone can increase it; it is true
that moment by moment, I depend on him for it, and that if I were only
one moment left to myself my faith would utterly fail; but _it is not
true_ that my faith is that gift of faith which is spoken of in 1 Cor.
xii. 9. It is the self-same faith which is found in _every believer_,
and the growth of which I am most sensible of to myself; for by little
and little it has been increasing for the last six and twenty years.

This faith which is exercised respecting the Orphan Houses, and my own
temporal necessities shows itself in the same measure, for instance,
concerning the following points: I have never been permitted to doubt
during the last twenty-seven years that my sins are forgiven, that I am
a child of God, that I am beloved of God, and that I shall be finally
saved; because I am enabled by the grace of God to exercise faith upon
the word of God, and believe what God says in those passages which
settle these matters (1 John v. 1; Gal. iii. 26; Acts x. 43; Romans x.
9, 10; John iii. 16, etc.). Further, at the time when I thought I
should be insane, though there was not the least ground for thinking so,
I was in peace; because my soul believed the truth of that word, "We
know that all things work together for good to them that love God." Rom.
viii. 28. Further: When my brother in the flesh and my dear aged father
died, and when concerning both of them I had no _evidence_ whatever that
they were saved (though I dare not say that they are lost, for I know it
not), yet my soul was at peace, perfectly at peace, under this great
trial, this exceedingly great trial, this trial which is one of the
greatest perhaps which can befall a believer. And what was it that gave
me peace? My soul laid hold on that word, "Shall not the Judge of all
the earth do right?" This word, together with the whole character of
God, as he has reveale