The Life of faith (Summit Books)

Originally Published in 1793THE design of this little Treatise, is to display the glory and all-sufficiency of the Lord Jesus Christ, and to encourage weak believers to glorify Him more, by depending and living more upon His all-sufficiency. Whatever grace He has promised in His Word, He is faithful, and He is almighty to bestow, and they may receive it of Him freely by the hand of faith. This is its use and office, as a hand of instrument, having first received Christ, to be continually receiving out of Christ's fulness. The apostle calls this "living by faith," a life received and continued with all the strength, comforts, and blessings belonging to it, by faith in the Son of God ; and he also mentions the work of faith, its working effectually in the hearts and lives of believers, through Christ strengthening them, and its growing in them, yea growing exceedingly from faith to faith, by the power of Him who loveth them. This is the subject ; and it properly belongs to those only who have obtained the true faith, given them of God, and wrought in their hearts by His Word and Spirit. Such persons meet with many difficulties every day to try their faith, and to hinder them from depending continually upon the Lord Christ for all things belonging to life and godliness. By what means these difficulties may be overcome, is plainly taught 'in Scripture, is clearly promised, and is attained by faith, which becomes daily more victorious, as it is enabled to trust, that He is faithful who promised. The strengthening of it I have had all along in view, hoping to be the means, under God, of leading the weak believer by the hand, and of removing hindrances out of his way, until the Lord thoroughly settle and establish him in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.