The touchstone...

-Spurgeon, THE NECESSITY OF INCREASED FAITH "He that believes on the Son of God has eternal life abiding in him." It becomes each of us more earnestly to inquire whether we have true faith or not. O, my brethren, there are a thousand shams in the world- a thousand imitations of faith; but there is only one true vital saving faith. There are scores of "notional" faiths- a faith which consists in holding a sound creed, a faith which bids men believe a lie, by wrapping them up with assurances of their safety, when they are still in the gall of bitterness and the bonds of iniquity, a faith which consists in presumptuously trusting to ourselves. There are scores of false faiths; but there is only one true one. Oh! as you wish to be saved at last; as you would not be self-deceived and go marching to damnation with your eyes shut, take your faith in your hand this morning and see whether it is genuine sterling coin. We ought to be more careful concerning our faith than of anything else. True, we ought to examine our conduct, we ought to search our works, we ought to test our love, but, above all, our faith: for if faith is wrong all is wrong; if faith is right, we may take that as the touchstone of our sincerity.