Question 86

Why call you Faith in Iesus Christ a grace?

1. Because it is not from nature.^a 2. Because it is given, and wrought of free grace.^b

Why call you Faith a saving Grace?

Because where it is truly wrought, it brings the person in whom it is to Salvation.^c

Doth it not then much concern us to know what this Faith is, and to labour after it, when we cannot be saved without it?

Yes.

Is this Faith only the believing that Christ died for sinners?

No, for the Devils and Damned in Hell believe this.

Or is it an implicite Faith, or a blind Faith (which the Popish Doctors perswade the people to rest in) to believe as the Church believes, though they know not what the Church believes?

No.

Why so?

1. Because, to believe as the Church believes, when we know not what the Church believes, is to put out our own eyes that we may take a Guide; and if by the Church must be understood the Church of Rome, it is to take such a Guide as either cannot, or will not guide us aright: which is in effect to refuse our own mercies, and to run an unnecessary hazzard of our eternal Salvation.^*

How do we by an implicite Faith in the Church of Rome refuse our own mercies?

Because without personal knowledge, denied us by that corrupt Church, (which yet God hath given us for this very end, to make the true Religion judicially our own) all the Ordinances of God, viz. our Praying, Singing, Reading^d and Hearing the Word of God,^e Catechizing,^f Meditating,^g holy Conferences,^h and receiving the Sacraments,ⁱ will be altogether unprofitable to us and in vain.

And how do we hazzard our eternal Salvation by it?

Because we do hereby follow the pernicious waies of that Adulterated Church which holds such doctrines that do very much endanger it.^j

What other reason have you to prove that this blind implicite Faith is not a justifying and saving Faith?

2. Because it secludes that knowledge which is a necessary ingredient incorporate into the very nature and essence of true saving Faith. Isa. 53. 11. Ioh. 17. 3. 1 Ioh. 5. 20. Acts 26 18. Rom. 10. 9. 2 Tim. 1. 12. 1 Pet. 3. 15.

Is this justifying saving Faith a keeping of the Commandments of God, or obedience to his Laws, as Socinians affirm?

No. 1. Because obedience is the fruit and effect of Faith.^k 2. Because union with Christ, Justification and Adoption are the fruits of Faith, and not of works or obedience.^l

Is this saving justifying Faith a full perswasion of the heart, or an assurance that our sins are pardoned and that our souls shall be saved?

No, because we must be justified and pardoned before we can believe that we are justified and pardoned, else we should believe a Lie.

What then is this true saving Faith?

It is our hearty accepting, receiving and resting upon Christ alone for Salvation, as he is offered to us in the Gospel.^m

Is Christ offered to us in the Gospel as our Prophet, Priest and King?

Yes. Isa. 33. 22.

And is it not true Faith except we take Christ as a Prophet to be guided, as a King to be ruled, and as a Priest to be saved by him alone?

No. Acts 3. 22. Iohn 14 26. and 16. 14 Heb. 7. 21, &c. Acts 2. 36. 1 Tim. 6. 14 15. Mat. 2. 2. Iohn 1. 49. Zach. 9. 9. Luke 19. 37, 38.