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faith most precious in the sight of God is not that founded on the miraculous, but faith blind and unquestioning. There is, in one respect, a close analogy between faith and contrition, for just as contrition is imperfect or perfect according as it springs from fear of sin's material consequences or from the pure love of God, so faith is imperfect or perfect in proportion as it climbs gradually upwards on the evidence of miracles, or soars above and beyond them directly to the throne of God. The primary object of Christ's ministry was, that men might believe in Him to life everlasting on the evidence, not of His works, but of His words. It was only when His words failed of their effect that He had recourse to signs and wonders, saying: " If you believe not My words, believe at least My works." The miracles of His lifetime and of the Church's earlier years were wrung from an unwilling Christ by the very necessity of the case: viz., because He had to deal with a stiff-necked, stubborn, unbelieving race. " Unless," He says, " you see signs and wonders you believe not." What thanks to you if, having seen them, you believe? Ah! how Christ's sacred heart must have longed for some one who would first openly confess Him and afterwards, if need be, seek evidence to strengthen his faith! How it must have thrilled with pleasure when it found such a one — when the poor father of the lunatic boy fell at His feet crying: " Lord, I believe. Lord, help my unbelief! " Brethren, this is the truth I would have you learn this morning — the secondary position of mira-