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Q. 8. But if a man reform his life, and live foberly and justly for time to come, may he not that way efcape God's wrath O and curfe?

A. No; fobriety and reformation are duties, but it is faith and regeneration that puts men into Chrift, and out of danger; Matth. v. 20. Except your righteousness (hall exceed the righte oufnefs of the Scribes and Pharifees, ye fhall in no cafe enter into the kingdom of heaven. Tit. iii. 5. Not by works of righteoufnels, which we have done, but according to his mercy he faved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the holy Ghoft.

Q. 9. Do all believing and penitent finners efcape God's Wrath and curfe?

A. Yes, they do, and shall for ever escape it; Rom. viii. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jefus, &c. Col. i. 12, 13. Giving thanks unto God the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the iaheritance of the faints in light; who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath tranflated us into the kingdom of his dear Son. John v. 24. He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that fent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is paffed from death unto life. Q10. What is the fir inference hence?

A. Hence it appears how falte and dangerous the Antinomian doctrine is, which teaches that our fins are pardoned before they are committed, or we either believe or repent; contrary to Acts xxvi. 18. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of fin, and inheritance among them which are fanctified by faith that is in me. James v. 20. He which converteth the finner from the error of his way, fhall fave a foul from death, &c. Acts x. 43. To him give all the prophets witnefs, that through his name whofoever believeth in him (hall receive remiffion of fins.

Q. II. What is the fecond inference hence?

A. Hence it follows, that it is dangerous on the one fide not to strive in all the ways of duty for Chrift and falvation, cpntrary to Luke xiii. 24. Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many, I fay unto you, will feek to enter in, and fhall not be able. And as dangerous, on the other fide, to reft in, and depend on our own works and duties; Phil. iii. 9. And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Chrift, the righteousnefe which is of God by faith.

Q. 12. What is the third inference hence ?

A. Hence we learn the miserable state of all unbelievers, and impenitent perfons; the curfe and wrath of God lies upon them; Gal. iii. 10. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curfe, &c. And their mittimus for hell is already made; John iii. 18. He that believeth not, is condemned already.

Q13. What is the fourth inference hence?

A. Hence we learn the happy ftate into which faith and repentance bring the fouls of men; Acts xiii. 38, 39. By him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be juftified by the law of Mofes.

Quest. 86.

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A. Faith in Jefus Chrift is a faving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the golpel.

Q. What is the root or cause of faith?

of faving Faith.

Hat is faith in Jefus Chrift?

A. Not the power of man's will; Eph. ii. 8. For by grace are ye faved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: But the Spirit of God; Gal. v. 22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, long-fuffering, gentleness, goodnefs, faith. John i. 12, 13. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the fs of God, even to them that believe on his name; which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Q. 2. How doth the Spirit of God ordinarily produce faith?

A. By the preaching of the word he ordinarily begets it; Rom. x. 17. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God; though fometimes he doth it immediately.

3. Who are the proper fubjects of faith?

A. Convinced and fenfible finners are the proper fubjects of faith; John xvi. 8, 9. 10. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of fin, of righteoufnefs, and of judgment. Of fin, because they believe not on me: of righteoufnefs, because I go to my Father, and ye fee me no more of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

Q. 4. What is the feat or habitation of faith?

A. Not only the head or understanding, but principally the heart and will; Rom. x. 10. With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, &c. Acts viii. 37. And Philip faid, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.

Q5. But is not the affent of the understanding true faith?

A. The mere affent of the understanding to the truths of fcripture, is not such a faith as will fave the foul; James ii. 1

19.

Thou believeft that there is one God; thou doft well: the devils alfo believe, and tremble.

Q6. What is the act of faith that justifies a finner ?

A. It is the receiving of Chrift, by the full and hearty confent of the heart that justifies us; John i. 12. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the fons of God, even to them that believe on his name.

7. What is the object of faith?

A. The primary object of faith is the perfon of Chrift, and the fecondary his benefits; Ifa. xlv. 22. Look unto me and be faved, all the ends of the earth, &c. Phil. iii. 8, 9. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but lofs, for the excellency of the knowledge of Chrift Jefus my Lord: For whom I have fuffered the lofs of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Chrift; the righteoufnefs which is of God by faith.

Q. 8. May not a man look partly to Chrift, and partly to his own works and duties for righteousness ?

A. No; he muft eye Chrift only, and exclude all others, or he cannot be justified; Phil. iii. 9. And be found in him, not having mine own righteoufaefs, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Chrift: The righteousness which is of God by faith. Rom. iv. 5. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that juftifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteoufncfs.

Q. 9. Is it enough to eye the perfon of Chrift only in believing? A. No; we must eye the perfon of Chrift, as cloathed with all his offices; Acts xvi. 31. And they faid, Believe on the Lord Jefus Chrift, and thou shalt be faved, and thine house. Our ignorance needs him as a prophet, our guilt as a priest, our fins and enemies as a king.

Q. 10. Is true faith exclufive of all fears and doubts?

A. No; it is not, but true believers are troubled with many fears and doubtings; Ila. I. 10. Who is he among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his fervant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light, &c. Mark ix. 24. And straightway the Father of the child crieth out with tears, Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief.

Q. I. Is no man actually justified till he believe?

A. No, he cannot be juftified actually till he believe actually; Gal. iii. 22. But the fcripture hath concluded all under fin, that the promife by faith of Jefus Chrift might be given to them that believe. John iii. 18. He that believeth on him, is not

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condemned: But he that believeth not, is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

12. Is every man that believes juftified immediately and fully upon his believing?

A. Yes, he is; Rom. v. 1. Therefore being juftified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jefus Chrift. John v. 24. He that heareth my words, and believeth on him that fent me, hath everlasting life, and fhall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Q. 13. What is the true character or defcription of a believer? A. He is one that having been convinced of his fin and mifery, and of his own and all other creatures inability to fave him, and of the ability and willingness of Chrift to fave him, lets go all hold and dependance on creatures, and his own righteoufnefs, and cafts himself entirely upon Chrift for righteousnets and life.

Of the Properties, Signs, and Means of Faith.
"Hat is the first property of faith?

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A. It is a molt precious grace; 2 Pet. i. t. To them that have obtained like precious faith with us, &c. And must needs be so, seeing it is the bond of our union with Chrift; Eph. iii. 17. That Chrift may dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye being rooted and grounded in love. That by which we are juftified; Rom. v. 1. Therefore being juftified by faith, &c. And that by which our fouls do live; Heb. ii. 4. The juft fhall live by faith.

2. What is the fecond property of saving faith?

A. The fecond property of faith is this, that it is the most ufeful grace in this world to a believer, it being the foul's eye; Heb. xi. 27. By faith he forfook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: For he endured, as feeing him who is invifible,

c. It is hard to apprehend Chrift; Phil. iii. 12. That I may apprehend that for which alfo I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. It is cordial in a fainting feafon; Pfalm xxvii. 3. I had fainted, unless I had believed, &c.

Queft, 1.

Q3. What are the foundations that fupport faith?

A. The first foundation or prop of faith, is the power of God; Rom. iv. 20, 21. He staggered not at the promise through unbelief, but was ftrong in faith, giving glory to God. And being fully perfuaded, that what he had promifed, he was able alfo to perform. Heb. vii. 25. He is able alfo to fave them to the uttermoft that come unto God by him, &c.

Q4. What is the fecond prop of faith?

A. The truth and faithfulness of God in his promifes; Heb. x. 23. Let us hold faft the profeffion of our faith without wavering, for he is faithful that hath promifed. Heb. vi. 18. That by two immutable things, in which it was impoffible for God to lie, we might have a strong confolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.

the faith of the faints?

2.5. What encourages

A. The manifold, fweet, and fenfible experiences of others; Pfalm lxxiv. 14. Thou breakeft the heads of Leviathan in pieces, and gaveft him to be meat for the people inhabiting the wildernefs. And efpecially their own experiences; Jofh. xxiii. 14. Ye know in all your hearts, and in all your fouls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God fpake concerning you; all are come to pafs unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.

Q. 6. What is the first fign of a weak faith?

A. Staggerings in our affent to divine truths, argue the weaknefs of faith; Rom. iv. 10. He staggered not at the promife of God through unbelief, but was ftrong in faith, &c.

Q. 7. What is the fecond fign of a weak faith?

A. Inability to truft God in time of danger, evidenced by finful hafte to avoid it; Ifa. xxviii. 16. He that believeth, thall not make hafte.

8. What is the third fign of a weak faith?

A. When we cannot live purely by faith, except we have some fenfible encouragement; John xx. 25. Except I fhall fee in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thruft my hand into his fide, I will not believe.

Q. 9. What is the fourth sign of a weak faith?

A. When a new temptation makes us easily let go our former confidence; Luke xxiv. 21. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Ifrael: And befides all this, today is the third day fince thefe things were done.

10. What is the fifth fign of a weak faith?

A. The prevalence of carnal fears, in times of trouble, argues weak faith; Matth. viii. 26. And he faith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? &c.

Q. What is the fixth fign of a weak faith?

A. Too much carefulness and anxiety about the things of this life; Matth. vi. 30. Wherefore if God fo clothe the grafs of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 12. What is the first benefit of a strong faith? VOL. VIII.

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