As we have seen, the Divine arrangements are that our faith should rest in the power of God, by resting in the word that the apostles delivered. If it should rest in anything else it cannot rest in God's power. God has arranged for His people to have the strongest consolation possible. The promise to Abraham, "In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed," is the foundation promise in the gospel of Christ. We are told that, in order to our having a strong consolation, God confirmed that promise with an oath, thus giving His promise upon oath. The apostle says: "For God, when he made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, swear by himself, saying, "Verily blessing, I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee;" and so, having steadfastly endured, he obtained the promise. For men, indeed, swear by the greater; and their oath establisheth their word, so that they cannot gainsay it. Therefore God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of the promise the immutability of His counsel, set an oath between Himself and them; that by two immutable things, wherein it is impossible for God to lie, we that have fled [to Him] for refuge might have a strong encouragement to hold fast the hope set before us."—Heb. 6: 13–18. Conybeare. The Christian resting his faith in the word delivered by the apostles, and confirmed, as recorded in the New Testament rests in the power of God, and has as his surety the two immutable things, the promise and oath of God. His promise should be sufficient, but in our behalf He backed His promise by His oath, that our consolation might be doubly strong. How strange it is that people claim to have faith in God, but refuse to take His testimony on oath! How the warnings of God, though given in Infinite mercy, are unheeded!! The first Christians, we are assured, continued steadfastly in
