The nature of faith is illustrated in a very interesting manner, by the case of Jolin. The sinfulness of his own state he knew, and felt deeply. He did not, however, seek to excuse himself, or to palliate his offences: he did not think that past services would be any compensation to God; that any circumstance of his life or character would skreen him from Almighty wrath; or that by repentance he might be pardoned through the mere mercy of his Heavenly Father. In himself, therefore, he had no ground of hope whatsoever: he was as a debtor who had nothing to pay; as a sick man whose case was desperate: but he felt an assurance that Christ was able to pay his debt, and to cure his disease, and that in his own particular case, he would do it; and he himself did in heart, what the high priest did with his hands, transfer all his sins to the atonement. Thus he came to feel, not indeed presumptuously, but with confidence, that all his sins were laid upon the sacrifice; and he was able to contemplate the Saviour’s mercies instead of his own merited doom as a sinner. The ground of this assurance in his mind was an acceptance of the simple testimony of God, that he would blot out his transgressions. He believed in this word of promise, and joy in believing was at once imparted to him. The simplicity with which Jolin received the testimony of God in this instance characterized his religious experience during the whole of his remaining course. The Scriptures were as a message of God to his soul. He received them as feeling there could be no doubt but every word of them was true. I often, said Mr. Hall, in the after part of his history, tried to persuade him that it was, naturally speaking, an incredible thing that God should have come in the flesh and atone for sin. But he always said that he believed it, because it was so written in the book which is the truth.