[Footnote 1:  Romans iii. 27, 28; Galatians ii. 16, iii. 2.]

[Footnote 2:  The religious teacher is often asked to define the act of faith, and explain the way and manner in which the soul is to exercise it. “How shall I believe?” is the question with which the anxious mind often replies to the gospel injunction to believe.  Without pretending that it is a complete answer, or claiming that it is possible, in the strict meaning of the word, to explain so simple and so profound an act as faith, we think, nevertheless, that it assists the inquiring mind to say, that whoever asks in prayer for any one of the benefits of Christ’s redemption, in so far exercises faith in this redemption.  Whoever, for example, lifts up the supplication, “O Lamb of God who takest away the sins of the world, grant me thy peace,” in this prayer puts faith in the atonement, He trusts in the atonement, by pleading the atonement,—­by mentioning it, in his supplication, as the reason why he may be forgiven.  In like manner, he who asks for the renewing and sanctifying influences of the Holy Ghost exercises faith, in these influences.  This is the mode in which he expresses his confidence in the power of God to accomplish a work in his heart that is beyond his own power.  Whatever, therefore, be the particular benefit in Christ’s redemption that one would trust in, and thereby make personally his own, that he may live by it and be blest by it,—­be it the atoning blood, or be it the indwelling Spirit,—­let him ask for that benefit.  If he would trust in the thing, let him ask for the thing.

Since writing the above, we have met with a corroboration of this view, by a writer of the highest authority upon such points.  “Faith is that inward sense and act, of which prayer is the expression; as is evident, because in the same manner as the freedom of grace, according to the gospel covenant, is often set forth by this, that he that believes, receives; so it also oftentimes is by this, that he that asks, or prays, or calls upon God, receives.  ’Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you.  For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.  And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive (Matt. vii. 7, 8; Mark xi. 24).  If ye abide in me and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you’ (John xv. 7).  Prayer is often plainly spoken of as the expression of faith.  As it very certainly is in Romans x. 11-14:  ’For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.  For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek:  for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him; for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.  ‘How then shall they call