and met this faith.  After the Lord had thus told him what He wished—­a faith that could fully trust Him—­the nobleman cried the second time, “Sir, come down ere my child die.”  Seeing his earnestness and his trust, Christ said, “Go thy way; thy son liveth.”  And then we read that the nobleman believed.  He believed, and he went his way.  He believed the word that Jesus had spoken.  In that he rested and was content.  And he went away without having any other pledge than the word of Jesus.  As he was walking homeward, the servants met him, to tell him his son lived.  He asked at what hour he began to amend.  And when they told him, he knew it was at the very hour that Jesus had been speaking to him.  He had at first a faith that was seeking, and struggling, and searching for blessing; then he had a faith that accepted the blessing simply as it was contained in the word of Jesus.  When Christ said, “Thy son liveth,” he was content, and went home, and found the blessing—­the son restored.

Then came the third step in his faith.  He believed with his whole house.  That is to say, he did not only believe that Christ could do just this one thing, the healing of his son; but he believed in Christ as his Lord.  He gave himself up entirely to be a disciple of Jesus.  And that not only alone, but with his whole house.  Many Christians are like the nobleman.  They have heard about a better life.  They have met certain individuals by whose Christian lives they have been impressed, and consequently have felt that Christ can do wonderful things for a man.  Many Christians say in their heart, “I am sure there is a better life for me to live; how I wish I could be brought to that blessed state!” But they have not much hope about it.  They have read, and prayed, but they have found everything so difficult, If you ask them, “Do you believe Jesus can help you to live this higher life?” they say, “Yes; He is omnipotent.”  If you ask, “Do you believe Jesus wishes to do it?” they say, “Yes, I know He is loving.”  And if you say, “Do you believe that He will do it for you?” they at once say, “I know He is willing, but whether He will actually do it for me I do not know.  I am not sure that I am prepared.  I do not know if I am advanced enough.  I do not know if I have enough grace for that.”  And so they are hungering, struggling, wrestling, and often remain unblessed.  This state of things sometimes goes on for years—­they are expecting to see signs and wonders, and hoping that God, by a miracle, will put them all right.  They are just like the Israelites; they limit the Holy One of Israel.  Have you ever noticed that it is the very people whom God has blessed so wonderfully who do that?  What did the Israelites say?  “God hath provided water in the wilderness.  But can He provide the table in the wilderness?  We do not think He can.”  And so we find believers who say, “Yes, God has done wonders.  The whole of redemption is a wonder, and God has done wonders for some whom I know.