The servant sets out on his mission, and believes that he understands his errand.  Being arrived, he addresses him as follows—­Son, your father is very rich, and he has not willed you five thousand dollars, nor given it to you on record; and he never will, unless you first believe that he has.  But, replies the son, according to your message, if I should believe that he has given me five thousand dollars, I should believe a lie.  Let my father give the money, deposit it in some bank; send me evidence of the fact, and with joy I will believe him.  Well replies the servant you are a disobedient, stubborn unbeliever!  Because, if you would only believe so, it would be so, and you would have the money in two years.

You perceive (dear reader) that this servant has presented no truth for this son to believe.  He wishes to give this son the impression that the obtaining of this fortune depends on his believing, and not on the testament record, and faithfulness of his father.  In fact, he denies the existence of the father’s will, and the record, and requires the son to believe a lie so as to create the truth.  The servant does not understand his message, and the son does not know on what certainty to rest for the money.

In the same manner we are called upon to secure an interest—­an eternal life in the Saviour.  They will not admit its existence till we believe.  Then belief must create it.  But may we spend our last breath in convincing poor sinners that it is already secured in Christ for them, so that they may believe, and live by faith on the son of God.

This father sends another messenger.  He tells this son of the goodness of his father, and that he has willed him five thousand dollars, that the will is put on record, and that this fortune will be put into his possession in two years.  The son does not believe it.  Now he is an unbeliever.  But does his unbelief alter the truth of the will or of the record.  No.  The certainty, of his obtaining the money, rests on the faithfulness of his kind parent.  This servant perseveres, uses convincing arguments and the son at length believes he is saved by faith from all his miseries, and he rejoices with joy unspeakable.  But his believing does not make the record any more true than it was before he believed it.  It simply alters his present condition by kindling in his bosom the joys arising from faith and anticipation.—­ We have now answered the objections that would naturally be brought forward by those who believe that our eternal salvation is predicated on conditions.  As works are not the requirements of the gospel only so far as they flow from faith in the truth, and as faith must precede works, therefore the truth of our eternal life in Christ, must exist previous to our believing.  Consequently all conditions are excluded from the gospel covenant.