at during His earthly ministry, was man's "unbelief." (Mark vi. 6.)
We shall do well to i emember this, if we ever try to do good to others in the matter of religion. We must not be cast down because our words are not believed, and our efforts seem thrown away. We must not complain of it as a strange thing, and suppose that the people we have to deal with are peculiarly stubborn and hard. We must re- collect that this is the very cup of which our Lord had to drink, and like Him we must patiently work on. If even He, so perfect and so plain a Teacher, was not believed, what right have we to wonder if men do not believe us ? Happy are the ministers, and missionaries, and teachers who keep these things in mind ! It will save them much bitter disappointment. In working for God, it is of first importance to understand what we must expect in man. Few things are so little realized as the extent of human unbelief.
We should observe, for another thing, in these verses, the high honour Christ puts on faith in Himself. The Jews had asked Him, — " What shall we do, that we might work the works of God ?" In rejDly He says, — " This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." A truly striking and remarkable expression ! If any two things are put in strong contrast, in the N'ew Testament, they are faith and works. Not working, but believing, — not of works, but through faith, — are words familiar to all careful Bible-readers. Yet here the great Head of the Church declares that believing on Him is the highest and greatest of all " works ! " It is " the work of God."
Doubtless our Lord did not mean that there is anything meritorioLis in believing. Man's faith, at the very best, is feeble and defective. Regarded as a "work," it cannot stand the severity of God's judgment, deserve pardon, or