A. A pofitive, enjoying, and affured Confidence, Ifa. xii. 1, 2. xxxii. 17. and xlv. 25.

Q. How do you prove that Believers may attain to fuch a Degree of Confidence?

A. Because they are enabled by the Spirit of God to fpeak with fuch a Certainty, Job xix. 25. I know that my Redeemer liveth, &c. And 2 Tim. i. 12. For I know in whom I have believed, and I am perfuaded, that he is able to keep that, which I have committed unto him against that Day. And Rom. viii. 16. The Spirit itself beareth Witness with aur Spirit, that we are Children of God. 2dly, To have this Confidence, we find the Promife John xiv. 20. At that Day you fhall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. And we are exorted to 2 Cor. xiii. 5. Examine your felves whether you be in the Faith, &c. And the Fruits of Faith are, Boldness, a full Aflurance, and Joy, Heb. iv. 16. Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace, &c. And 1 Pet. i. 8. Yet Believing, ye rejoice with Joy unspeakable, and full of Glory.

Q. But is this not Rafbness, and mere Imagination? A. No. For this Faith and Confidence is wrought by the Power of God in my Heart; by his Spirit and the Ministry of the Gospel, Rom. x. 14.

Q. Is not this the true effential Act of Faith?

A. No. But only a Defcription of the highest Degree to which Man can arrive by the Grace of God. Q. Wherein confifteth the essential Act of Faith?

A. It is an Act of the effectually called and convinced Sinner, wrought in him by the Word and Spirit of God, by which he receives Jefus Chrift, according to the Teftimony of the Gospel; and offers himself, with Denial of Self-Righteousness, unto him to be juftified, fanctified, and faved only by him. Q. Why do you call this a true Faith?

1

A. To diftinguish the true Faith from other Kinds of Faith, fuch as a Faith that endureth for a while, but in Time of Tryal or Temptation, vanifheth,

Luke

Luke viii. 13. 2d, There is a dead Faith; for which fee James ii. 26. 3d, There is a Faith that is of ourfelves, and not of the fpecial Grace of God, Eph. ii. 8. 4th, There is a Faith that standeth in the Wisdom of Men, and not in the Power of God, 1 Cor. ii. 5. 5th, There is a Faith that feems to be holy, but is not thoroughly acceptable to God; because it is not the most holy Faith, 2 Pet. ii. 20.

Q. As there are fo many Kinds of Faith, what are the Properties of the true Faith?

A. Three Things. 1, A right Knowledge of what God hath revealed in his Word, as necessary to Salvation; especially of Chrift, who is powerful to deliver us from Mifery. 2d, An affenting to the Word of God. 3d, A receiving of Jefus Chrift wholly, and only with a Trust in him.

Q. How do you prove that there ought to be a right Knowledge of Faith?

A. From Ifa. liii. 11. By his Knowledge shall my righteous Servant justify many. John xvii. 3. And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Fefus Christ, whom thou haft fent.

Q. How do you prove that there ought to be an Assent to the Word of God?

A. From John iii. 33. He that hath received his Teftimony, bath fet to his Seal, that God is true. And without this we cannot trust in Christ.

Q. What follows hereupon?

A. The effential Act of Faith, by which we receive Jefus Chrift, wholly and alone, to trust in him with Self-Denial.

Q. Do you find our believing in Chrift, defcribed by receiving him?

A. Yes, very amply, John i. 12. But as many as received him, to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God; even to them that believe on his Name. Col. ii. 6. As ye have therefore received Chrift Jefus the walk ye in him. And John xliii. 44, &c.

Lord, fo

And be

fides

fides this, there is no Word which is fo expreffive to explain the effential Act of Faith, as that of our receiving Chrift.

Q. What is implied in receiving of Christ alone?

A. That we forfake ourselves, and reject all falfe Means, Matt. xvi. 24. If any Man will come after me, let him deny himself. Luke xiv. 33. So likewife whofoever he be of you, that forfaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my Difciple. 2dly, That we have a great Defire and Love for Chrift, P. lxxxiv. 2. My Soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord; my Heart and my Flesh crieth out for the living God. 3dly, To truft in him, that we may be juftified, Pf. ii. 12. Bleffed are all they that put their Trust in him. Q. What is implied in receiving of Chrift wholly?

A. It is receiving his whole Person in both Natures, in his Offices and States, Cant. v. 16. He is altogether lovely. And concerning his Offices, 1 Cor. i. 30. Who has been made by God for us, Wisdom and Righteoufness, and Sanctification and Redemption.

Q. Is this receiving of, and trusting in Chrift, the Effence of Faith?

A. Yes. Elfe our Faith proceedeth not from our Heart, Acts viii. 37. And Philip said, if thou believeft with all thine Heart, thou mayeft. 2d, Elfe it could not be diftinguished from any other Kind of Faith. 3d, It is difbelieving Chrift when we do not trust in him, for without fuch Truft we have no Union with him, John iii. 36. He that believeth on the Son, hath everlafting Life; and he that believeth not the Son, fhall not jee Life, but the Wrath of God abideth on him.

The 22d Question of the HEIDELBERG CATECHISM.

QWHAT is a true Christian necessarily obliged

to believe?

"A. All

"A. All that is promifed in the Gofpel; and "what the Articles of the univerfal and conftant "Faith of all Chriftians contain in Abstract (which "are Twelve in Number).

The 23d Question of the HEIDELBERG CATECHISM.

Q.

WHAT do thefe Articles contain?

"A. I believe in God the Father, Al"mighty Maker of Heaven and Earth. And in "Jefus Chrift, his only Son our Lord, who was "conceived by the Holy Ghoft, born of the Virgin "Mary, fuffered under Pontius Pilate, was cruci"fied, dead and buried. He defcended into Hell, "The third Day he arose again from the Dead. He "afcended into Heaven, and fitteth on the Right "Hand of God the Father, Almighty. From thence "he fhall come to judge the Quick and the Dead. "I believe in the Holy Ghoft, the Holy Catholick "Church, the Communion of Saints, the Forgiv"nefs of Sins, the Refurrection of the Body, and "the Life everlasting."

Q. Do you find thofe Twelve Articles in the foregoing Order in the holy Scripture?

A. No. But the Subftance of them is taken from the Word of God.

Q. Are thefe Twelve Articles in the foregoing Order Jufficient for a true Chriftian to believe?

A. No. Unless they are explained according to the Word of God, together with the other Principles of Faith included therein, fuch as the eternal Election; the Satisfaction of Chrift; -Justification by Grace; and the Doctrine of the Sacraments.

Q. If there be a Neceffity for believing thefe Principles, why are they not particularly expreffed in the Twelve Articles of Faith?

A. Those

A. Those Twelve Articles were compofed out of the Scripture, in a Time when there was no Difpute. about Belief of those Principles; and many other Chriftian Principles must be fuppofed to be admitted, although not particularly comprised in the twelve Articles; fuch as the holy Scripture, and the Covenant of Grace.

Q. Is this Form of Faith a Prayer?

A. No. In a Prayer we afk fomething of God; but herein we make a Profeffion of Faith to God, and to the World.

Q. What do you conclude from what has been faid?

A. That the Catechift hath fully anfwered his Intention, which is, to convince his Difciple of the Neceffity of a true Faith, by a clear Demonftration, that such only who poffefs this Faith can truft in Jefus Christ their Redeemer, and that they are united to him. By which Faith, all Careleffnefs is banished, and the right Way to an eternal Confolation plainly exhibited.

Q. Doth it not appear also that this is the pure

Doctrine?

A. Yes. It evidently appears, because it is fuitable to the Gospel Rule of Faith in Chrift, as the only Means of faving Comfort; and also because it is according to the Doctrine of Mofes, the Prophets and Apostles.

Q. What may we infer from thence?

A. That every one, who defires to be saved by the Lord Jefus, ought to inform himself in, and to examine himself whether he be in the true Faith, 2 Cor. xiii. 5.

Q. What is the principal Sign of Faith?

A. A real Defire of the Soul, fpringing out of a forrowful Experience of our Mifery, and longing, above all Things to be united to Chrift, which is called the unfeigned Faith, 2 Tim. ii. 5. And this Defire is the true Reason that Faith is fo often com

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