shows that it is so suicidal and unreasonable a sin, that even the Son of God regards it with surprise.
We can never be too much on our guard against un- belief. It is the oldest sin in the world. It began in the garden of Eden, when Eve listened to the devil's prom- ises, instead of believing Grod's words, " ye shall die." — It is the most ruinous of all sins in its consequences. It brought death into the world. It kept Israel for forty years out of Canaan. It is the sin that specially fills hell. " He that believeth not shall be damned." — It is the most fool- ish and inconsistent of all sins. It makes a man refuse the plainest evidence, shut his eyes against the clearest tes- timony, and yet believe lies. Worst of all, it is the com- monest sin in the world. Thousands are guilty of it on every side. In profession they are Christians. They know nothing of Paine and Voltaire. But in practice they are really unbelievers. They do not implicitly be- lieve the Bible, and receive Christ as their Saviour.
Let us watch our own hearts carefully in the matter of unbelief. The heart, and not the head, is the seat of its mysterious power. It is neither the want of evidence, nor the difficulties of Christian doctrine, that make men unbelievers. It is want of will to believe. They love sin. They are wedded to the world. In this state of mind they never lack specious reasons to confirm their will. The humble, child-like heart is the heart that believes.
Let us go on watching our hearts, even after we have believed. The root of unbelief is never entirely de- stroyed. We have only to leave off watching and pray- ing, and a rank crop of unbelief will soon spring up. No
Ill
prayer is so important as that of the disciples, " Lord, increase our faith."*