The second question is, when faith begins first to breed in the heart? Answer. When a man begins to be touched in his conscience for his sins, and, upon feeling of his own spiritual poverty, earnestly hungers and thirsts after Christ and His righteousness above all things in the world. Christ says, “I will give to him that thirsteth of the well of the water of life freely” (Rev. 21:6). This promise declares that in thirsting there is a measure of faith. To eat and drink Christ the bread and water of life is to believe in Him. And to hunger and thirst, having as it were a spiritual appetite to Christ, is the next step to this eating and drinking. Therefore this must be remembered, that the professors of the gospel, yea teachers of the same, that [lack] this sense of their unworthiness and this thirsting, are far wide, what gifts soever they have. For they are not yet come to the first step of true faith.

William Perkins | The Works of William Perkins, ed. Paul M. Smalley, Joel R. Beeke, and Derek W. H. Thomas, vol. 2 (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2015), 214.

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Post authored by:

• Tony Phelps

  

  Tony grew up in Rhode Island. He was educated at BA (University of Rhode Island) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He worked in the insurance industry for ten years. He planted a PCA church in Wakefield, RI where he served for eleven years. In 2015–18 he pastored Covenant Reformed Church (URCNA) in Colorado Springs. He is currently pastor of Living Hope (OPC). Tony is married to Donna and together they have three children.

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