The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 433

BRAKEL AND COMRIE herent habit, but as an outgoing act of the heart tion with this, that the organ of faith

understanding, but chiefly in the

and

its

393 ;

and, in connec-

seat are not in the

will.

Comrie, on the other hand, taught that faith

is the increated and which is to \}q persuaded. Explanation of the Heidelberg Catechism" (ii., 312) we

inherent habit, the principal In his

"

moment

of

read:

"The question, 'What is true faith?' is very important, deserving most careful consideration for they only that have true faith can be saved. For altho in faith itself there is no inherent saving power, God has established such a connection between salvation and the imparted ;

faith, that without the latter no person young or old can be saved. Children as well as adults must hereby be incorporated into Christ, for there is no salvation in any other.

"This question is terribly wrested and distorted by those that always speak of faith as an act or acts. Reading the definition of faith (Heidelberg Catechism, question 21), they say that this describes, not the nature and character of faith, but its perfection and highest degree. We will see

how

the Reformers have defined faith as an instrument according foundation of the divine Word, in harmony with the doctrine

to the true

of free grace

and

in its relation to justification,

principle of works of the semi-Pelagians, as

and not according

many now do

;

who

to the

also say

that the authors of the twenty-first question did not describe the true faith of which the preceding answer had shortly spoken, showing that they only can be saved that are engrafted into Christ and receive all His benefits

how

by a true faith

is it

they had

;

but that they described the works of

and speak

of a high

and perfect degree

every one of the redeemed,

we have been i.e.,

of faith,

which

is

we

take the words of the Catechism in their No, beloved, the question refers to the same faith of which

actual sense?

adults;

But what man, not attained by faith.

possible that the authors of the Catechism could forget just stated as the essential condition of salvation for every

if

speaking, the faith essential to

the imparted faith, which

we have

all,

children as well as

defined as an imparted

faculty and habit, wrought in the elect by the Holy Ghost with re-creating attd irresistible po7i'er, when they are incorporated into Christ ; by which they receive all the impressions which God the Holy Ghost imparts unto them through the Word {regarding children in a manner unknown to us) and by which they are active according to the nature and the contents of the Word, the objects of which are revealed to their souls. Hence the reality or sincerity of the imparted faith does not depend upon ,

the acts of faith, but the sincerity of these acts depends upon the reality

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