Chapter 14: Saving Faith

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1. 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 1in their hearts; and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the 2word; by which also, and by the administration of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, prayer, and other means appointed of God, it is increased 3and strengthened.

2. By this faith a Christian believeth to be true 4whatsoever is revealed in the word, for the authority of God himself; and also apprehendeth an excellency therein 5above all other writings and all things in the world; 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 6cast his soul upon the truth thus believed; and also acteth differently upon that which each particular passage thereof containeth; yielding obedience to the 7commands, trembling at the 8threatenings, and embracing the 9promises of God for this life and that which is to come; but the principal acts of saving faith have immediate relation to Christ, accepting, receiving, and resting upon 10him alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of his grace.

3. This faith, although it be different in degrees and may be weak 11or strong, 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 12and common grace of temporary believers; and therefore though it may be many times assailed and weakened, yet it gets 13the victory; growing up in many to the attainment of a full 14assurance through Christ, who is both the author 15and finisher of our faith.

  1. 2 Corinthians 4:13; Ephesians 2:8 ↩︎
  2. Romans 10:14,17 ↩︎
  3. Luke 17:5, 1 Peter 2:2; Acts 20:32 ↩︎
  4. Acts 24:14 ↩︎
  5. Psalm 19:7,8,9,10, 119:72 ↩︎
  6. 2 Timothy 1:12 ↩︎
  7. John 15:14 ↩︎
  8. Isaiah 66:2 ↩︎
  9. Hebrews 11:13 ↩︎
  10. John 1:12; Acts 16:31; Galatians 2:20; Acts 15:11 ↩︎
  11. Hebrews 5:13,14; Matthew 6:30; Romans 4:19,20 ↩︎
  12. 2 Peter 1:1 ↩︎
  13. Ephesians 6:16; 1 John 5:4,5 ↩︎
  14. Hebrews 6:11,12; Colossians 2:2 ↩︎
  15. Hebrews 12:2 ↩︎