435
INCREASED FAITH
NO. 32
A SERMON DELIVERED ON SABBATH MORNING, JULY 1, 1855,
BY THE REV. C. H. SPURGEON,
AT NEW PARK STREET CHAPEL.
“And the apostle said unto the Lord, increase our faith.”-Luke 17:5.
V
ERILY
if the apostle said this, one and all of us had need take up the prayer. If the twelve mightiest in the army of the Lord of hosts had need of such a supplication, what shall
we
say who are but the interior soldiers-the feeblest saints? If ye hope to win the day, does it not well become us to pray, “Increase our faith?”
It is a matter of dispute as to the occasion when these words were uttered. Some think that we must look at the connection of the chapter for the explanation. Jesus Christ had been teaching his disciples that if their brother should trespass against them seven times a day, and seven times a day turned again to them, saying, I repent, they were to forgive him, and that constrained the apostle to say “increase our faith.” They conceived it to be so hard a duty incessantly to pardon and constantly to forgive, that they felt unable to accomplish it without a large increase of faith. Others think-very possibly with greater truth-that the prayer was offered when the apostles endeavored to cast out the evil spirits from the poor demoniac and failed in the attempt. “And they said to Jesus, why could not we cast him out? And he said, verily, if ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea, and it should obey you.” Then they said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” However, whatever was the occasion in this particular instance we shall always find good enough occasion for presenting the