What Is Faith in Jesus Christ?

Answ. Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving
grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him
alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the
gospel.

O. Why is faith called a grace? A. Because

it beautifies our soul, and is freely given by God to us.

Q. Why is it called a saving grace?

A. Because it interests us in Christ and his salvation.

Q^Who is the alone author or worker of faith?

A. God in Christ by the Holy Ghost, Eph. ii. S.

Q What is the general immediate object of faith?

A. The whole word, especially the promise of God.

Qji Who is the peculiar immediate object of faith?

A. Christ in his person and offices, held forth in the word.

O. Is not God also the object of faith?

A. Yes; by Christ we believe in God, 1 Pet. i. 21.

Q. WThat is the subject or seat of saving faith as an habit

A. Our whole soul, mind, and will, Rom. x. 10.

Q. What is the work or exercise of saving faith?

A. Receiving and resting on Christ, John i. 12.

Q. Are receiving and resting on Christ two different things? A. No j receiving is the beginning of resting, and resting is the continuance of receiving.

Q; Wherein doth faith find and receive Christ?

A. In the free promise of the gospel, Rom. x. 6, 8.

Q. How do we by faith receive and rest on Christ as found in the promise? A. By believing the promise

to be true and good in itself, suited to our case, and to be accomplished to us in particular, 1 Tim. i. 15.

Q. Can faith, or any other grace, be so described, as to make graceless persons rightly understand what it is?

A. Though they may think and talk rationally of it yet till they experience it, they never properly know it..

Q; Whether doth saving faith lie in assent or consent?

A. In both *, for with the whole heart man believeth. Q. What mean you by the assent of faith in Christ? A. Its crediting the promises as true to us in particular.

Q. What mean you by the consent of faith in Christ?

A. The acquiescence of our heart in the method of salvation through Christ, as every way suited to our undone case, and embracing him as in the promise, to save us according to the riches of his grace, 1 Tim. i. 15.

Q, What are the best descriptions of the exercise of faith in Christ?

A. The scripture representations of it.

O- How is faith in Christ represented in scripture?

A. As a persuasion, a looking,, coming, running, fleeing, flying, and entering into Christ, a receiving and buying of him, a resting and leaning on him, a believing, trusting, living, dwelling, and walking in him, &c.

O. VVhy is faith so variously represented in scripture?

A. To shew the extensive improvement which raith, as a principle, makes of Christ in his manifold relations to us.

Q. Why is faith represented as a persuasion?

A. Because it discerns and credits the absolute certainty and truth of God’s word and promise, Heb. xi. 13.

Q. Why is faith called a looking to Christ? A. Because it views him as a most glorious object, Isa. xlv. 22.

Q. Why is faith called a coming- to Christ?

A. Because by it we leave our natural state, and come to Christ as our glorious friend and home, Matth. xi. 2S.

Q. Why is faith called a running to Christ?

A. Because by it we come to him quickly, and with all our might, Prov. xviii. 10. I-a. xl. 31.

Q. Why is faith called a fleeing to Christ?

A. Because by it we, as men pursued, escape for our life to Christ as our saviour and hiding-place, Heb. vi. 19.

Q. From what pursuers do we flee to Christ?

A« From God’s avenging justice, a broken law, raging lusts, a malicious devil, and an ensnaring world.

Q^Why is faith called z.fiijing to Christ?

A. Because by it we, through supernatural influence, come swiftly to Christ as a Prince exalted, and rock higher than we, Isa Ix. 8.

O. Why is faith called an entering? A. Because it

brings us to salvation through Christ as the door, John x.

Q. Why is faith called a receiving of Christ I

A. Because it takes hold of him as God’s great gift* John i. 11, 12.

Q. Why is faith called a buying of Christ?

A. Because by it we deliberately receive him as our enriching portion, and glorious ornament, Rev. iii, IS.

Q. With what price does faith buy Christ? A. It

buys him without money, and without price, Isa. lv. 1, 2.

Q. How doih it this? A. As in receiving Christ,

we neither offer, give, nor promise any price for him.

Q-. Do not we by faith give up ourselves to Christ as a price? A. No; wTe only give up ourselves to him as

monsters of guilt and pollution, to be freely pardoned, purged, and saved by him, 1 Tim. i. 15. Isa. i. 18.

Qj Why is faith called a putting on Christ?

A. Because by it we apply him as our glorious robe of righteousness, and sanctification, Rom. xiii. 14.

Qj Why is faith a resting on Christ?

A. Because it lays down our weary soul on Christ as a resting-place and lays the whole burden of our salvation upon the sure foundation of his person and offices, as exhibited in the firm charter of his promise, Psalra xxxvii. 7.

Qj With what is our s,oul naturally wearied?

A. With the labour of wickednesc and vanity, or Ie« gal fears of God’s wrath, Matth. xi. 28 Ezek. xxiv. 12.

Q. Why is faith called a leaning on Christ? A. Because thereby we, as weak in ourselves, depend on Christ as our staff, stay, and supporting friend. Song. viii. 5.

Q. Why is faith called a believing in Christ?

A. Because it not only credits what he says, but receives himself upon his word, Heb. xi. 13. Gal. ii. 16.

O. Why is faith called a trusting in Christ?

A. Because it removes doubts of his ability and willingness to save, and fears of his not performing his pro* mise, Eph. i. 12.

Q. Is there no doubting in faith? A. There is no

doubting in the nature of faith, but great doubting is often mixed with faith in our heart, Matth. x”v. 31.

Q. Why is faith called a living in or on Christ?

A. Because it daily improves him as our spiritual food? and living and life-giving head. Gal. ii. 20.

Q. Why is faith called a dwelling in God or Christ?

A. Because by it we abide in and with God in Christ as our sure habitation, Psalm xc. 1. and xci. 1.

Q. Why is faith called walking in and with Christ? A. Because it makes use of him as our way, guide, and sweet companion, in bringing us to God and glory, Col. ii. 6.

Q. Why is faith called a waiting on Christ? A. Because it always expects nearer access to, and greater blessings from Christ, than we have yet received, Psalm lxii. 1, 5.

Q. Why is faith called an yielding to God, and submitting to his righteousness? A. Because by it we humbly give up ourselves to God, that, through Christ’s righteousness, he may give us his- promised blessings. Q^ Why is faith called an hungering and thirsting? A. Because it begets in our soul a painful desire that nothing but Christ and his righteousness can satisfy.

Q. Why is faith called an eating the flesh, and drinking the blood of Chijist? A.. Because with desire and delight it receives and lives on Christ in his person, natures, offices, relations, and righteousness, John vi. 32, — 57. Q. How is saving faith distinguished in its degrees ?. A. Into a weak and strong faith, Matth. viii. 10. Q. What are the signs of a weak faith? A. Much

carnal fear and care about this world, sinful haste to a~ void danger, quitting former confidence, and staggering at God’s promise, when we meet with temptation, desertion, or other cross providences, Mat. vi. 30. and xiv. 31. £). How may weak believers know they have any faith? A. If their weakness in faith be their heavy burden. Q. What are the causes of weakness in faith? A. Carnal security, neglect to exercise faith, much remaining ignorance of Christ, quenching of the Spirit, careless improvement of divine ordinances, &c. Q. What are the evidences of strong faith? A. Much undervaluing of self-rightecusness; crediting God’s promise when providence seems to contradict it ‘y refusing to doubt of his love when he hides his face, and smites us j and earnest study to have the loss of created comforts made up in God himself, Job xiii. 15, Rom. iv. 19, 20.

Q. What axe the advantages of strong faith?

A. It brings much glory to God, and good to our soul.

Q. How doth strong faith give much glory to God?

A. As it refuseth to doubt of his love, wisdom, power, and faithfulness., even when his providence seems to countenance such doubts, Job xiii. 15. Rom. iv. 19, 20.

O. How doth strong faith do much good to our soul?

A. It keeps it quiet and easy under trouble, makes us bold in approaching to God, fills our heart with spiritual joy, and strongly disposeth us to duty, Isa- xxviii. 16.

Q. Is faith rightly distinguished into a faith of reliance and a faith of assurance? A. No; the reliance

-and assurance of faith are properly one and the same.

Q. What’ is meant by the full assurance of faith?

A. Faith’s prevalency over unbelief, by which it either contemns, or excludes doubting, Heb. x. 22.

Q. When doth faith contemn the doubts of unbelief?

A. When Christ’s glory is clearly manifested to our souU

Qj W7hen doth it perfectly exclude doubting?

A. The moment in which it is swallowed up in vision.

Q. What are the properties of saving faith?

A. It is an humble, precious, and useful grace.

Q, Wherein doth its humility appear? A. It brings

nothing to God but guilt and sin to be taken away, and receiyeth Christ for our all in all, Phil. iii. 8, 9.

O. How is faith precious? A. As it believes precious promises, receives a precious Chi 1st, saves our precious souls, and makes us precious saints, 2 Pet. i. 1.

O. Kow is faith a most useful grace? A. It is our

spiritual hand to receive Christ, arms to embrace him, mouth to feed on him, eyes to behold his beauty, ears to hear his voice, feet and wings to carry us to him, and neck to unite us with him, Sec. Song iv, vii, &c.

O* ,How is it that we live by faith? A. As we by

it daily depend on Chris, as our resurrection and our life.

Qj Kow is faith a shield to. us? A. It places the

power, wisdom, end love of God, and the righteousness of Christ, between us and all danger, Eph. iv. 16.

.Q. How is fatih our victory P

A. It employs the power of- Christ to slay all our spiritual enemies, 1 John v. 4.

Qj How doth faith work all its great work in us?

A. By doing nothing of itself, but employing God in Christ to do all in and for us, Isa. xxvi. 12. Phil. ii. 13»

Q. What is the ground and foundation of our faith?

A. The boundless power, faithfulness, and love of Ged, through the infinite merit of Christ, as indorsed and made over to us by his word and oath, Heb. vi. IS.

Q. What are the marks of true faith? A. Poverty in spirit, purity in heart, love to God and man, and a regard to the whole law of God, Matth. v. 3, — 10.

Q. Doth faith ever evidence its own reality?

A. Yes j a vigorous act of faith will convince us of its reality and saving nature, as much as any marks of it.

Q. What then is the best way to recover lost evidences of faith? A. Vigorously to renew our acts of faitH

on some promises applicable to the chief of sinners.

Q. Why ought the promise believed on to be so extensive? A. Because otherwise unbelief will deter us from laying hold on it, Luke xxiv. 25.

Q. For what doth saving faith receive and rest on Christ? A. For salvation, Gal. ii. 16”. Isa. xlv. 22.

Q. For what kind of salvation doth faith rest on Christ?

A. A great, sure, wTell-ordered, and eternal salvation.

Q. How is it a great salvation? A. It springs from

God’s great love, was bought with a great price, and saves us from the greatest evil to the highest happiness.

O. From what great evil doth this salvation free us?

A. From the filth, guilt, and power of sin •, and from Satan, the world, death, and hell, Ezek. xxxvi. 25, — 28.

Q. To what great happiness does salvation bring us?

A. To grace and glory, nay, to God himself, Rev. v.

Qj. For what salvation doth faith receive Christ as a prophet? A. For salvation from ignorance and

blindness, to spiritual knowledge and light, Isa. Ix. 1.

Q. For what salvation doth it receive him as a priest?

A. For salvation from sin’s guilt, and God’s abhorrence of us and our works, to perfect righteousness in phrist, and divine acceptance of our persons and duties in him, 2 Cor. v. 21. Eph. i. 6. Rom. iii. 24, 25. Gal. ii. 16.

Q. For what doth faith receive Christ as a King?

A. For salvation from bondage, disorder, danger, and death; to life, liberty, order, and safety, Ezek. xxxi. 25.

Q. For what salvation doth faith receive Christ in his natures and relations? A. Not for any other branches of salvation, but for sweetening and enhancing the salvation flowing from his offices, Psalm xvi. and xxiii 1,-6.

Q. In what manner doth faith receive and rest on Christ for salvation? A. It receives and rests on him alone,

Q. Why on him alone? A. Because there is no salvation in any other besides him, Isa. xlv. 22. Acts iv. 12.

Q. Must we then, in receiving Christ, renounce and contemn all we think good in ourselves? A, Yes,

Q. What must we renounce in receiving Christ as our prophet? A. Our own wisdom and knowledge, as

ignorance and folly, 1 Cor. iii. 18. Prov. xxx. 2, 3.

Q. What must we renounce in receiving him as our priest?

A. Our own righteousness as filthy rags.

Q, What must we renounce in receiving him as outking? A. Our own strength, will, and pleasure.

Qj What roust we renounce in receiving God in Christ as our portion? A. Our ally as loss and dung, to win him,

Q. May we not rest on our good works as a mean of re - commending us to Christ a sa Saviour? A. No; w-s

must come to Christ as our Redeemer and Physician, as every way lost and diseased in ourselves, 1 Tim. i. 15.

Q. Must we turn from sin, in-order to come to Christ by faith? A. We cannot do so; and to essay it, is a robbing Christ of his distinguisfiedhonour, 1 John iii. 18.

Q. Why so? A. Because God hath appointed Christ ALONE, not »r, to be the Saviour from sin, Matth. u 2.

Q. Could Christ save us, if we were turned from sin before we came to him? A. No; Christ is sent to save only lost and ungodly sinners: nor could persons turned from sin receive the chief branch of his salvation, viz. deliverance from sin, Luke xix. 1G. Matth. ix. 13.

£y. Are we then to come to Christ with resolutions to continue in sin? A. No; that is blasphemous and impossible, as Christ is infinitely holy, and saves from sin.

Q. In what form then must we come to Christ A, As guilty and vile sinners, to be turned from sin by him*

Q. Can we come to Christ of ourselves? A. No j

the Father must draw us •, and faith is the gift of God*

Q. What then must be done? A. Immediately attempt to believe 5 pray for the drawing power and Spirit of God to work faith in us, and ardently seek his coming in the ordinances of his grace See Quest. 31.