still.

And no less necessary is faith on the other side. The recipient must
exercise trust. This lame man, no doubt, like the other that Paul
looked at in a similar case, had faith to be healed. That was the
length of his tether. He believed that he was going to have his legs
made strong, and they were made strong accordingly. If he had
believed more, he would have got more. Let us hope that he did get
more, because he believed more, at a later day. But in the meantime
the Apostles' faith was not enough to cure him; and it is not enough
for you that Jesus Christ should be standing with all His power at
your elbow, and that, earnestly and enthusiastically, some of
Christ's messengers may press upon you the acceptance of Him as a
Saviour. He is of no good in the world to you, and never will be,
unless you have the personal faith that knits you to Him.

It cannot be otherwise. Depend upon it, if Jesus Christ could save
every one without terms and conditions at all, He would be only too
glad to do it. But it cannot be done. The nature of His work, and the
sort of blessings that He brings by His work, are such as that it is
an impossibility that any man should receive them unless he has that
trust which, beginning with the acceptance by the understanding of
Christ as Saviour, passes on to the assent of the will, and the
outgoing of the heart, and the yielding of the whole nature to Him.
How can a truth do any good to any one who does not believe in it?
How is it possible that, if you do not take a medicine, it will work?
How can you expect to see, unless you open your eyes? How do you
propose to have your blood purified, if you do not fill your lungs
with air? Is it of any use to have gas-fittings in your house, if
they are not connected with the main? Will a water tap run in your