John iii. 14. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 17. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Rom. v. 18. Therefore as by the offence of one, judg. ment came upon all men to condemnation: even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

John xi. 25. Jesus saith unto her [Martha], I am the resurrection, and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; 26. And whosoever liveth, and believeth in me, shall never die.

2 Cor. v. 14. because we thus

For the love of Christ constraineth us, judge, that if one dicd for all, then were all dead: 15. And that he died for all, that they which live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Gal. ii. 20. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God.

SECTION II.

53d Q.-How does Christ offer himself to mankind as a Saviour from sin?

A. He offers himself immediately and universally to mankind by his Spirit. He also offers himself by the Scriptures; and by his servants, whom he commissions to preach the gospel of life and salvation; and both these direct men to his Spirit within them: which if they resist not, but receive into their hearts in living faith, he redeems them from their fallen state of death and darkness, and translates them into a state of life and light; in which

they become sons of God, and heirs of a happy and glorious immortality.

1 Cor. xii. 7. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

Gal. iv. 6. God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts.

Eph. ii. 18.

Through him [Christ] we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Eph. iv. 7.

Unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

John v. 39. Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify 40. And ye will not come to me, that ye might

of me.

have life.

Rom. xv. 4. Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning; that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

2 Cor. v. 20. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

Acts xx. 32. And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

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.

John i. 9. That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

Col. i. 12. Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. 13. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.

Titus iii. 7. That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

54th Q.-What is understood by living faith?

A.-A firm trust in the power of Christ alone for righteousness and salvation; and a confidential hope in the promises of God in Christ: it is indeed, as the Apostle describes it, "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

See the Proofs to the following Answer.

55th Q.-Is not faith then essential to a Christian?

A. Certainly, "for without faith it is impossible to please God."

Mark ix. 23. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

Luke vii. 48. are forgiven. peace.

And he [Jesus] said unto her, Thy sins 50. Thy faith hath saved thee; go in

Rom. i. 17. For therein [in the Gospel] is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Rom. iv. 20. He [Abraham] staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God: 21. And being fully persuaded that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 23. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24. But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.

Heb. x. 35. Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. 36. For ye have need of patience; that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 38. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

Heb. xi. 1. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 3. Through faith we

understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. 4. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. 5. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him; for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him.

1 Peter i. 5. Who [you] are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness, through manifold temptations: 7. That the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise, and honour, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8. Whom having not seen, ye love: in whom though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

56th Q.-To what is man indebted for this living faith?

A. To the grace or Spirit of God, which brings salvation, redeems from the corrupt fallen nature, and forms in man a new birth or life unto holiness.

Gal. v. 22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, goodness, faith, &c.

Eph. ii. 8. By grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.

Heb. xii. 1. Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.

2 Peter i. 1. Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us, through the righteousness of God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

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: 13. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

1 Peter i. 21. Who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God. 22. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit: 23. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever.

57th Q.-Can any man be saved without experiencing this new birth?

A.-No, for as we could not partake of the nature of the first Adam but by a natural birth from him, so we cannot partake of the heavenly nature and righteousness of Christ as the second Adam, but by being born again of the Spirit.*

John iii. 3. Jesus answered and said unto him [Nicodemus,] Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 5. Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit.

Rom. viii. 13. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

*"Do not the means and manner of redemption show the nature of the fall? By disobedience, man died to his Immanuel or first state; by a new birth produced by the operation of the Holy Spirit, this state is regained." Hints on Regeneration, by Richard Phillips, 2d edit. p. 15.