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Some have an idea that faith is a business of no great difficulty. They wonder why any should make such ado about believing: they think it an easy thing to believe, and so trouble not them. selves much about it, do not make it their business to look after it. Those who think thus show plainly that they never did believe, that they do not so much as know what it is to believe.

1. Faith is the gift of God. Not the work of man's hand, or head, or heart. Something without him, not in him naturally; something above him, out of the reach of nature. It must be reached down by the hand of God, or man can never come by it. Not a gift of nature, but of grace.

2. Man is naturally unwilling to receive it (John 5:40). Coming is believing, but men refuse to come.

3. This opposition is so strong that it requires an exceeding mighty power to overcome it. The power of nature cannot master it, but only the power of Divine grace put forth in a special manner for this very purpose. Such a power is required to raise sinners cut of the grave of unbelief, as was requisite to raise Christ from the dead (Ephesians 1:19, 20).

(Bishop Horne.)

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KJV: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

WEB: He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned.