Chapter 14
Of Saving Faith
- The grace of faith, whereby the elect
are enabled to believe to the saving of
their souls, is the work of the Spirit of
Christ in their hearts,1 and is ordinarily wrought by
the ministry of the Word;
2 by which also, and by the
administration of baptism and the
Lord's Supper, prayer and other means
appointed of God, it is increased, and
strengthened.3
- By this faith, a Christian believeth
to be true whatsoever is revealed in the
Word for the authority of God
Himself;4 and also
apprehendeth an excellency therein above
all other writings and all things in the
world:5 as it bears
forth the glory of God in His attributes,
the excellency of Christ in His nature
and offices, and the power and fullness
of the Holy Spirit in His workings and
operations; and so is enabled to cast his
soul upon the truth thus
believed,6 and also
acteth differently upon that which each
particular passage thereof containeth;
yielding obedience to the
commands,7 trembling
at the threatenings,8 and embracing the promises
of God, for this life, and that which
is to come;9 but the
principle acts of saving faith, hath
immediate relation to Christ,
accepting, receiving, and resting upon
Him alone, for justification,
sanctification, and eternal life, by
virtue of the covenant of
grace.10
- This faith, although it be different
in degrees, and may be weak, or
strong,11 yet it is
in the least degree of it, different in
the kind, or nature of it, (as is all
other saving grace) from the faith and
common grace of temporary
believers;12 and
therefore, although it may be many times
assailed and weakened, yet it gets the
victory,13 growing up
in many, to the attainment of a full
assurance through Christ
14 who is both the author and
finisher of our faith.15
Footnotes:
1. 2Co
4:13; Eph 2:8.
2. Ro
10:14,17.
3. Lk
17:5; 1Pe 2:2; Ac 20:32.
4. Ac
24:14.
5. Ps
19:7-10; 119:72.
6. 2Ti
1:12.
7. Jn
15:14.
8. Isa
66:2.
9. Heb
11:13.
10.
Jn 1:12; Ac 16:31; Gal 2:20; Ac 15:11
11.
Heb 5:13-14; Mt 6:30; Ro 4:19-20.
12.
2Pe 1:1.
13.
Eph 6:16; 1Jn 5:4-5.
14.
Heb 6:11-12; Col 2:2.
15.
Heb 12:2.
©1998 Limerick Free
Baptist Church
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Free Baptist Church of Limerick