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believe on Him？ but； Lord； I believe； and worshipped Him： and so both
professed and acted faith in Him。 So the father of the lunatic （Mark
ix。 23； 24） and the eunuch （Acts viii。 37）； they all； both Christ's
enemies and His disciples； knew that faith in Him was a believing that
the Man Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God； the Messiah； and Saviour
of the world； so as to receive and look for salvation in His name。
（Acts iv。 12。） This was the mon report； published by Christ and His
apostles and disciples； and known by all that heard it。
〃If he yet ask； What he is to believe？ you tell him； that he is not
called to believe that he is in Christ； and that his sins are pardoned；
and he a justified man； but that he is to believe God's record
concerning Christ； （1 John v。 10…12。） And this record is； that God
giveth （that is； offereth） to us eternal Life in His Son Jesus Christ；
and that all that with the heart believe this report； and rest their
souls on these glad tidings； shall be saved。 （Rom。 x。 9…11。） And thus
he is to believe； that he may be justified。 （Gal。 ii。 16。）
〃If he still say that this believing is hard； this is a good doubt； but
easily resolved。 It bespeaks a man deeply humbled。 Anybody may see his
own impotence to obey the law of God fully； but few find the difficulty
of believing。 For his relief and resolution ask him； What it is he
finds makes believing difficult to him？ Is it unwillingness to be
justified and saved？ Is it unwillingness to be so saved by Jesus
Christ； to the praise of God's grace in Him； and to the voiding of all
boasting in himself？ This he will surely deny。 Is it a distrust of the
truth of the Gospel record？ This he dare not own。 Is it a doubt of
Christ's ability or good…will to save？ This is to contradict the
testimony of God in the Gospel。 Is it because he doubts of an interest
in Christ and His redemption？ You tell him that believing on Christ
makes up the interest in Him。
〃If he say that he cannot believe on Jesus Christ because of the
difficulty of the acting this faith； and that a Divine power is needful
to draw it forth； which he finds not； you must tell him that believing
in Jesus Christ is no work； but a resting on Jesus Christ。 You must
tell him that this pretence is as unreasonable as if a man； wearied
with a journey and not able to go one step further； should argue； I am
so tired； that I am not able to lie down；' when indeed he can neither
stand nor go。 The poor wearied sinner can never believe on Jesus Christ
till he finds he can do nothing for himself； and in his first believing
doth always apply himself to Christ for salvation； as a man hopeless
and helpless in himself。 And by such reasonings with him from the
Gospel； the Lord will （as He hath often done） convey faith； and joy and
peace by believing。〃Robert Traill's works； 1696。 Vol。 I； 266…269。
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XVIII/
〃UNSEARCHABLE RICHES〃
〃Unto me； who am less than the least of all saints； is this grace
given； that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches
of Christ。〃 Ephesians iii。 8。
IF we heard that sentence read for the first time； I think we should
all feel it was a very remarkable one； even though we did not know by
whom it was written。 It is remarkable on account of the bold and
striking figures of speech which it contains。 〃Less than the least of
all saints；〃〃Unsearchable riches of Christ；〃these are indeed
〃thoughts that breathe and words that burn。〃
But the sentence is doubly remarkable when we consider the man who
wrote it。 The writer was none other than the great Apostle of the
Gentiles； St。 Paulthe leader of that noble little Jewish army which
went forth from Palestine nineteen centuries ago； and turned the world
upside downthat good soldier of Christ who left a deeper mark on
mankind than any born of woman； except his sinless Mastera mark which
abides to this very day。 Surely such a sentence from the pen of such a
man demands peculiar attention。
Let us fix our eyes steadily on this text； and notice in it three
things：
I。 First； what St。 Paul says of himself。 He says； 〃I am less than the
least of all saints。〃
II。 Secondly； what St。 Paul says of his ministerial office。 He says；
〃Grace is given unto me to preach。〃
III。 Thirdly； what St。 Paul says of the great subject of his preaching。
He calls it 〃the unsearchable riches of Christ。〃
I trust that a few words on each of these three points may help to
fasten down the whole text in memories； consciences； hearts； and minds。
I。 In the first place； let us notice what St。 Paul says of himself。
The language he uses is singularly strong。 The founder of famous
Churches； the writer of fourteen inspired epistles； the man who was
〃not behind the very chiefest apostles；〃 〃in labours more abundant； in
stripes above measure； in prisons more frequent； in deaths oft；〃the
man who 〃spent and was spent〃 for souls； and 〃counted all things but
loss for Christ；〃the man who could truly say； 〃To me to Eve is
Christ； and to die is gain；〃what do we find him saying of himself？ He
employs an emphatic parative and superlative。 He says； 〃I am less
than the least of all saints。〃 What a poor creature is the least saint！
Yet St。 Paul says； 〃I am less than that man。〃
Such language as this； I suspect； is almost unintelligible to many who
profess and call themselves Christians。 Ignorant alike of the Bible and
their own hearts； they cannot understand what a saint means when he
speaks so humbly of himself and his attainments。 〃It is a mere fashion
of speaking；〃 they will tell you； 〃it can only mean what St。 Paul used
to be； when he was a novice； and first began to serve Christ。〃 So true
it is that 〃the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of
God。〃 （1 Cor。 ii。 14。） The prayers； the praises； the conflicts； the
fears； the hopes； the joys； the sorrows of the true Christian； the
whole experience of the seventh of Romansall； all are 〃foolishness〃
to the man of the world。 Just as the blind man is no judge of a
Reynolds； or a Gainsborough； and the deaf cannot appreciate Handel's
Messiah； so the unconverted man cannot fully understand an apostle's
lowly estimate of himself。
But we may rest assured that what St。 Paul wrote with his pen； he
testily felt in his heart。 The language of our text does not stand
alone。 It is even exceeded in other places。 To the Philippians he says；
〃I have not attained； nor am I already perfect： I follow after。〃 To the
Corinthians he says； 〃I am the least of the apostles； which am not meet
to be called an apostle。〃 To Timothy he says； 〃I am chief of sinners。〃
To the Romans he cries； 〃Wretched man that I am I who shall deliver me
from the body of this death？〃 （Phil。 iii。 12； 1 Cor。 xv。 9； 1 Tim。 i。
15； Rom。 vii。 24。） The plain truth is that St。 Paul saw in his own
heart of hea