Faith and faith _only_ is the seed rooted and grounded in the truth,
and (to use a Bible figure) it becometh a tree, and produces all the
fruits of the spirit-love, joy, meekness, temperance, long-suffering,
forbearance. This is what the apostle calls the "righteousness of
faith" in contradistinction to "the righteousness of the law,"
produced by fear. Paul compares faith to a good olive tree. "The Jews
through unbelief were broken off," and "thou (the Gentile) standest by
faith." Jesus says; "if ye have faith as a grain of mustard-seed, ye
shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place, and it
shall remove." Here, in parable, faith is represented as removing
mountains of sin. He further says--"Thy _faith_ hath made thee
whole";--not thy works. Paul exclaims, "Faith works by love, purifies
the heart and overcomes the world." John says, "and this is the
victory that overcometh the world even our faith."

It is a certain fact, that none of these salutary effects are ascribed
to human works. The apostles in no instance say, that _works_ purify
the heart, or overcome the world--or that this is the victory, even
your _works_; The whole is ascribed to _faith_; because that is the
living tree on which the good fruits grow. Works are, in scripture,
called fruits. "By their _fruits_ ye shall know them"--that is by
their _works_. "A good tree cannot bring forth evil _fruit_." To carry
out this figure, we would remark that, fruit can have no existence
till the tree is first produced. Therefore in a gospel sense, no good
works, acceptable to God, can be produced without a true and living
faith. The apostle declares, "without faith it is impossible to please
God." The gospel being good tidings, or news, are you satisfied that
thing necessary? I presume all denominations will assent to the fact,
that faith is the first religious exercise of the creature. We shall
then obey the command of the apostle, and "contend earnestly for the