THE WAY OF FAITH: WHAT TO BELIEVE Romans 9:8: The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith which we preach.

The thing to be believed, in seeking salvation, either in pardon or entire sanctification, is theWORD OF GOD, especially as embodied in the exceeding great and precious promises of the Bible. For this reason the apostle Paul calls it ( Romans 10:8) the word of faith; that is, the word to be believed, and which, when believed, brings salvation. Often earnest seekers of salvation are exhorted to believe, to trust; just what they are most anxious to do, but they do not know what to believe. Hence their efforts to believe are like beating the air; they do not bring salvation. What all seekers need to have made known to them is, that the thing they are to believe is theWORD OF GOD. It is the only sufficient ground of faith; it is the word of faith whosoever believes it shall be saved.

When a boy thirteen years of age, I became deeply convicted of sin, and earnestly anxious to be saved. I went to an altar of prayer in the midst of a glorious revival of religion in my native town. There for three nights I sought the Lord in the pardon of my sins, All who spoke to me told me to believe, and nothing was I more anxious to do than to believe; yet no one told me what to believe. I presume they thought I knew; but I did not.

Finally, on the third night of my struggle, an old saint of God came to me, and laying his patriarchal hands upon my head, as I bowed there bewildered and almost disheartened, he said: Son, Jesus says if you come to him, he will receive you and save you; believe his word, and you shall be saved. I did it instantly, and as instantly the peace of pardon and the joy of salvation filled my soul. Just so soon as I knew what to believe, I did it quickly, and was saved. Praise the Lord, for the word of faith, which, when believed, brings salvation!

A few years since, a college friend, a graduate of the Ohio Wesleyan University, was bowing with many others as a seeker of full salvation. His conviction of inbred sin was pungent, and his struggle intense for deliverance from it. As I knelt by him to encourage and instruct him, he said: O, give me a promise, give me a promise! He seemed to know that he must believe Gods Word in order to be saved fully, but Satan was just then so darkening his mind that his memory could not recall any one of its many precious promises, although he was well versed in the Scriptures, and was a superior Bible-class teacher. I repeated in his ear, as he was begging for a promise, this: Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him. ( Hebrews 7:25.) The words were scarcely off my lips before he exclaimed: That is what I wanted; I believe it; praise the Lord, O my soul, I am fully saved. Ever since he has known the joy of a full salvation. This word of faith is sufficient. It is the word of the Lord, more immutable than the stars in their celestial order, or the eternal hills in their grand repose. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. This word is indorsed to us in the name of Jesus, written in his own blood. All the promises of God in him are yea, and in him are amen! This word is the very voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to our hearts.

Whosoever believes it shall not be confounded. How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, Is laid for your faith in his excellent word This word of faith is available. It is nigh thee, says the apostle, even in thy mouth and in thy heart. It is the truth our minds have accepted and our lips have professed, but which we have been slow to believe as the very word of God. There is not a gospel-enlightened soul, either sinner or believer, but knows and has in his heart the word of truth, which is able to make him wise unto salvation. The word to be believed has been put in our mouths and lodged in our hearts by the instructions of home, or the teachings of the Sabbath-school, or the preaching of a living ministry. It is at hand. No new revelation, or interpretation, or further light of the Holy Spirit is essential to faith. The word is nigh us, even within us. Whosoever will believe shall be saved. This word of faith if effectual believed, it is found to be spirit and life. As chemical action immediately ensues when the proper fluids come in contact with the proper metals in the electrical jar, producing the ethereal fiery current, so the moment the soul believes the word of faith, spiritual action ensues; life, light, warmth, rest, satisfaction, instantly possess the heart. The full virtue of the word of faith passes at once into the soul when touched by its faith. The word when believed is immediately the power of God unto salvation to the soul.

If the word believed be, He is just and faithful to forgive us our sins, the peace of pardon is at once realized. If it be, Having these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord, trusted, immediately Refining fire goes through the heart, Illuminates the soul; Scatters its life through every part, And sanctifies the whole.

Or, should the word accepted in faith be, Receive ye the Holy Ghost, the Pentecostal power suddenly fills the soul.

When, therefore, we believe the word of faith, simultaneously therewith is effectuated in us all the salvation, power, and blessedness proffered to us in the exceeding great and precious promises of God. For when received, not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, it effectually worketh in them that believe. (See 1 Thessalonians 2:13.) This has been verified times without number by Gods children. Our peace is in believing; according to our faith it is done unto us; to them that believe, he is precious as a justifier, or sanctifier, or anointer, with power.

Mrs. Phoebe Palmer was wont to say: The Holy Spirit speaks to my heart by theWORD, and when I believe it, I at once experimentally apprehend, as Jesus has said, that his words are spirit and life. Life effectual is the Word in any soul when believed by it. Faith the mighty promise sees, And looks to that alone; Laughs at impossibilities, And cries: Hallelujah, tis done!

A sufferer who was rapidly declining under the progress of a painful disease, and had been earnestly seeking for the white robes of entire cleansing from sin in her heart, in which to meet the king in his beauty without abashment, said to me, as I entered her sick-room one morning:

Last night the Holy Spirit threw out to me a line of promise. I seized it, and I am now gloriously saved. Her abundant entrance in to life eternal, a few weeks later, proved that her confidence in the word of faith was not misplaced, but brought the true end of faith, even the salvation of her soul.

So it is ever; just when the trembling sinner puts faith in some sweet promise of Gods Word, he finds it A sure support against despair.

The moment the child of God, seeking full redemption in the blood of the Lamb, begins to sing, In the promises I trust, in the same breath will continue:

Now I feel the blood applied; Jesus saves, he saves me now.