The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 432

;

FAITH

392

edge of the one is spiritual and that of the other is not, we answer: (i) While it is true that the knowledge of the converted is different from that Their historical of the unconverted, yet the matter remains the same. knowledge, if assented to, is historic faith in the one as well as in the other. (2) The Scripture never makes the spirituality of historic knowledge the distinctive feature of saving faith. (3) This is certain that the knowledge

an unconverted person is not spiritual. And from faith itself one can never ascertain whether he truly believes this he can learn only from the fruits, and that would be altogether wrong.

of faith of

;

"Fourthly, saving faith believes in God, in Christ, and does not stop

Word, but through the Word reaches the Person of Christ and trusts Him. Neither do I pray for these alone, but for them also who shall believe on Me, through iJieir word' (John xvii. 20). This alone gives faith its point, nature, and perfection wherefore Scripture says that saBelieve on the Lord Jesus Christ ving faith is to believe in God, in Christ and thou shalt be saved' (Acts xvi. 31). To believe in Christ is faith itself and not the fruit of faith, which it must be if faith be mere knowledge and assent. at the

in

'

;

'

:

" Fifthly,

it

is faith itself

that unites the soul to Christ, appropriates

the promises, satisfies the conscience, gives access to the throne of grace

Him Father (Ephes. iii. 17 John iii. 36 Rom. v. i But mere assent to the truth can not do any of these things. You may assent as long as you please, but that will never make a single promise your own it will not unite the soul to Christ, nor will it give Hence mere assent is not saving faith. boldness to call Abba, Father. It may be said that it is the work of the assenting mind to accept Christ and to trust in Him, and so the above-mentioned results flow from the assent of the truth. But I answer (i) That mere assent as such can not have such results, but that they are its fruits that the assent must first work acceptance and trust in Christ hence it is the form of faith, and not and boldness Ephes.

iii.

to call

12)

;

;

.

;

'

'

:

;

;

its

Moreover, Scripture ascribes

nature.

not to

its fruits.

teries of the Gospel,

Christ, appropriates the promises, etc. is

also absurd to say that

;

• :

He

that obeyeth not the

'Let not your heart be troubled

•Where with

is

fear.

thy faith?

Hence

'

(Luke

true faith

Brakel's characteristic

Son

is

'

things.

And

it

therefore

not the rejection of the truth

(John

—believe

viii. 25).

is

unites to

not assent, but trust.

is

of the Gospel, but failure to trust in Christ. '

itself,

the mys-

but since this would be absurd,

"Sixthly, the opposite of saving faith

Son

these things to faith

mere assent works these

certain that saving faith

it is

all

The same may be said of the knowledge of that it has the same effect, that this also

(2)

'

He

iii.

36,

also

in

that believeth on the

Dutch Translation)

me' (John

In the last text faith

is

xiv.

i)

;

;

contrasted

not assent, but trust."

is

that he considers faith, not as an in-

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