Quest 86, Of Saving faith,
An Exposition of the Affembly's Catechism.
Q.12. What is the third inference hence ?
A. Hence we learn the miferable ſtate of all unbelievers, and impenitent perſons; the curſe and wrath ofGod lies uponthem;
Gal. iii. 10. For as many as are of the works of the law are underthe curſe, &c. And their mittimus for hell is already made;
John iii. 18. He that believeth not, iscondemned already.
Q.13 . What is the fourth inference hence ?
A. Hence we learn the happy ſtate into which faith and repentancebringthe fouls of men; Acts xiii. 38, 39. By him all thatbelieve are justifiedfrom allthings, fromwhich ye couldnot be juftifiedby the lawof Moſes.
Queſt. 86.W Ofsaving Faith.
Hat is faith in Jeſus Chriſt ?
A. Faith in Jesus Christ is afavinggrace, whereby we receive and rest upon him aloneforfalvation, as he is offered tous in the gospel.
Q. 1. What is the root orcauſe of faith ?
A. Not the power of man's will ; Eph. ii. 8. For by grace are ye faved through faith, and that not of yourſelves; it is the gift of God: But the Spirit of God ; Gal. v. 22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, long-fuffering, gentleneſs, goodneſs, faith.
John i. 12, 13. But as many as received him, to them gave hepower tobecomethe fours of God, even to them thatbelieve on his name ; which were born, not ofblood, nor ofthewill of the flesh, nor of the willof man, but ofGod.
Q. 2. Howdoth theSpiritofGod ordinarily produce faith ?
A. By the preaching of the word he ordinarily begets it ; Rom . x. 17. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by theword ofGod; though ſometimes he doth it immediately.
3. Who are the proper ſubjects of faith ?
A. Convinced and fenfible finners are the proper ſubjects of faith; Johnxvi. 8, 9. 10. Andwhenhe iscome, he willreprove theworldof fin, of righteouſneſs, andofjudgment.
Of fin, becauſe theybelieve not on me: of righteouſneſs, becauſe Igo : tomy Father, and ye ſee me no more ofjudgment, becauſe theprince of this world is judged.
Q. 4. What is the feat or habitation of faith ?
A. Not only the head or underſtanding, but principally the heart and will ; Rom. x. 10. With the heart manbelievethunto righteouſneſs, &c.
Acts viii. 37. And Philip faid, If thou believeſt with all thine heart, thou mayeſt.
Q. 5. But is not the affent of the underſtanding true faith ?
A. The mere aſſent of the understanding to the truths of ſcripture, is not fuch a faith as willfave the foul; James ii. 19.
An Expofition of the Affembly's Catechism .
Thou believeſt that there is one God ; thoudoſt well: the devils alſo believe, and tremble.
6. What is the act of faith that juſtifies a ſinner ?
A. It is the receiving of Chriſt, by the full and hearty conſent of the heart that juſtifies us ; John i. 12. But as many as receivedhim, to them gave he power to become the fons ofGod, even tothem that believe on his name.
7. What is the object of faith ?
A. The primary object of faith is the perfon of Chriſt, and the ſecondary his benefits ; Iſa. xlv. 22. Look unto me and be ſaved, all the ends of the earth, &c.
Phil. iii. 8, 9. Yea, doubtleſs, and I count all things but loſs, for the excellency of the knowledge of ChriſtJeſus my Lord : For whom I have fuffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Chriſt, and be found in him, not having mine own righteouſneſs which is of the law, but thatwhich is through the faith of Chriſt ; the righteousnesswhich is ofGod by faith.
Q8. Maynot aman look partly to Chriſt, and partly to his own works andduties for righteouſneſs ?
A. No ; he muſt eye Chriſt only, and exclude all others, or hecannotbe juſtified ; Phil. iii. 9. And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Chriſt : The righteouſneſs which is ofGod by faith. Rom. iv. 5. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteouſneſs.
Q. 9. Is it enough to eye the perfonofChriſtonly in believing?
A. No; we must eye the perſon of Chriſt, as cloathed with all his offices ; Acts xvi. 31. And they said, Believe on the Lord
Jeſus Chriſt, and thou shalt be ſaved, and thine houſe.
Our ignorance needs him as a prophet, our guilt as a prieſt, our fins and enemies as a king.
Q. 10. Is true faith excluſive of all fears anddoubts ?
A. No ; it is not, but true believers are troubled with many fears and doubtings; Ila. 1. 10. Who is he among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his ſervant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light, &c.
Mark ix. 24.
And straightway the Father of the child crieth out with tears, Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief.
Q. 11. Is noman actually justified till he believe ?
A. No, he cannotbe justified actually tillhe believe actually ; Gal. iii. 22. But the ſcripture hath concluded all under fin, thatthepromiseby faith ofJeſus Chriſt might be given to them that believe.
John iii. 18. He that believeth on him, is not
An Expofition of the Affembly's Catechism. condemned: But he that believeth not, is condemned already, becauſe hehath not believed in the name of the onlybegotten
Son ofGod.
2. 12. Is every man that believes juſtified immediately and fully upon his believing ?
A. Yes, he is ; Rom. v. 1. Therefore being juſtifiedby faith, we have peace with Godthrough our Lord Jesus Chriſt.
Joha v. 24. He that heareth my words, and believeth on him that ſentme, hath everlasting life, and ſhall not come into condemnation; but is paſſedfromdeath unto life.
Q. 13. What is the true character or deſcription ofabeliever ?
A. He isone that havingbeen convincedof his finandmiſery, andof his own and allother creatures inability to ſave him , and of the ability and willingness of Chriſt to save him, lets go all hold and dependance on creatures, and his own righteoufneſs, and cafts himſelf entirely upon Chriſt for righteousnets and life.
Hat is the first property of faith ?
W A. It isa moſt precious grace; 2 Pet. i. 1.
To them that have obtained like precious faith with us, &c.
And muſt needs be ſo, ſeeing it isthe bond of our union with Of the Properties, Signs, andMeans of Faith.
Queft. 1.
Chriſt ; Eph. iii. 17. That Chriſt may dwell in your hearts by faith, thatye being rooted and grounded in love.
That by which we are justified ; Rom. v. 1. Therefore being juſtified by faith, &c.
And that by which our fouls do live ; Heb. ii. 4.
The juſt ſhall live by faith.
Q2. What is the ſecond property of ſavingfaith?
A. The second propertyof faith is this, that it is the moſt useful grace in this world to a believer, itbeing the foul's eye ;
Heb. xi . 27. By faith he forſook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of theking: For he endured, as ſeeing him who is invifible,
&c.
It is hard to apprehend Chriſt ; Phil. iii. 12. That I may apprehend that for which alſo I am apprehended of Chriſt Jeſus.
It iscordial in afainting ſeaſon ; Pfalmxxvii. 3. I hadfainted, unleſs I had believed, &c.
९. 3. What are the foundationsthat ſupport faith?
A. The firſt foundation or prop of faith, is the powerof God ; Rom. iv. 20, 21. He ſtaggered not atthe promiſe through unbelief, butwas ſtrong in faith, giving glory toGod.
And being fully perfuaded, that what he had promiſed, he was able alſo to perform.
Heb. vii. 25. He is able alſo to ſave them to the uttermost that come untoGod by him, &c.
Q4. What is the ſecondprop of faith ?
An Exposition ofthe Affembly's Catechism.
A. The truth andfaithfulness ofGod inhis promiſes ; Heb. x. 23. Let us holdfaſt the profeffion of our faith withoutwavering, for he isfaithful that hath promised. Heb. vi. 18. That by two immutable things, inwhich itwas impoffible forGod to lie, we mighthave a ſtrong confolation, whohave fledfor refuge to lay hold upon the hope fet beforeus.
2.5. What encourages the faith of the faints ?
A. The manifold, ſweet, and ſenſibleexperiences of others ; Pſalm lxxiv. 14. Thou breakeſt theheads of Leviathaninpieces, and gaveſt him tobe meat for the people inhabiting the wilderneſs. And eſpecially their own experiences ; Joſh. xxiii. 14.
Ye know in all your hearts, and in all your fouls, that not one thing hath failedof all the good things which the Lord your
God ſpake concerning you ; all are come to paſs unto you, andnot onething hath failed thereof.
Q. 6. What is the firſt ſign of a weak faith ?
A. Staggerings in our affenttodivine truths, argue theweaknefs of faith; Rom. iv. 10. He ſtaggered not atthe promife of God through unbelief, but was ſtrong in faith, &c.
Q. 7. What is the ſecond ſign of aweakfaith ?
A. Inability to truſt God in time of danger, evidenced by finful hafte to avoid it; Ifa. xxviii. 16. He that believeth, thall not make haſte.
8. What is the third ſign of a weak faith ?
A. When we cannot live purely by faith, exceptwe have fome ſenſible encouragement; John xx. 25. Except I shall fee inhis hands theprintof the nails, and put myfinger into the printof the nails, andthrust my hand intohis fide, Iwill not believe.
९. 9. What is the fourth ſign of a weak faith ?
A.When a new temptation makes us eaſily let go our formerconfidence; Luke xxiv. 21. Butwe trusted that it had been he which ſhould have redeemed Ifrael : And beſides all this, todayis the thirdday ſince theſe things weredone.
९. 10. What is the fifth ſign of a weak faith ?
A. The prevalence ofcarnal fears, in times oftrouble, argues weak faith ; Matth. viii. 26. And he faith untothem, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith ? &c .
Q.11. What is the fixth ſignof aweak faith ?
A. Toomuch carefulness and anxiety about the things ofthis life; Matth . vi. 30. Wherefore if God ſo clothe the grafs of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrowis caſt into theoven,
Thallhe not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith ?
Q. 12. What is the firſt benefit of a strong faith ?
VOL. VIII.