I. There are many passages in the word of God which show the excellency of faith; but there is only one passage which contains an exact definition of faith; and that you will find in the first verse of the eleventh chapter of Paul’s epistle to the Hebrews:—“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”—or, as it may be read—the confidence of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. I am surprised that divines have taken so little notice of this passage, in treating of the nature of faith. Generally, they wander in the wilderness without a guide; they put out to sea without compass, chart, or helm. Some of them make faith every thing, and others make it almost nothing. According to the apostle’s definition, it consists of these two things:—a conviction of the truth of the gospel testimony relative to things invisible, and a confidence in the character and word of the invisible Testifier. This is a common-sense definition. Here is no mystification or obscurity. In this way the term faith is understood by all men. In the ordinary transactions of business, we seldom mistake each other on this subject; why should we in the great concern of salvation pending between us and God? Here is a man who has a note for an amount sufficient to support him comfortably, were he to live a thousand years. Still he appears very unhappy—full of doubts and fears about his future subsistence. Ask him—“Friend, what think you of that note? is it genuine?” “O yes,” he replies, “I am perfectly satisfied that it is genuine.” “What is the reason, then, that you are not more cheerful and happy?” “Alas, I have no confidence in the bank.” The man is without faith. True, he believes—he believes that the note is not a counterfeit—he is well satisfied of its genuineness; but such a belief is not sufficient, while he is suspicious of the bank—produces no change in his feelings or his conduct. But if, in addition to his conviction of the genuineness of the note, he could be satisfied of the goodness of the bank, then you should find him quite another man. These two things united constitute faith:—Believing the truth of the gospel respecting things unseen; and trusting in the power and faithfulness of God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, to fulfil his promises. This is the faith that justifieth the ungodly; this is the faith that overcometh the world.