free and efpecial love to his elect, and from nothing in them moving him thereunto*) he doth in his accepted time invite and draw them to Jefus Christ, by his word and Spirit'; favingly enlightening their minds", renewing and powerfully determining their wills", fo as they (although in themselves dead in fin) are hereby made willing and able, freely to answer his call, and to accept and embrace the grace offered and conveyed therein. Q. 68. Are the elect only effectually called? in the heavenly places. 2 Tim. I. 8, 9.-Who hath faved us and called us with an holy call. ing, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Chrift Jefus, before the world began. k Tit 3. 4. 5. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, not by works of righteoufnefs which we have done, but according to his mercy he faved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghoft. Eph. 2. 4 to 10. God who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in fins, hath quickened us together with Chrift, (by grace ye are faved) Not of works, left any man fhould boaft. Rom. 9. 11. According to election might kand, not of works, but of him that calleth. 1 2 Cor. 5. 20. Now then we are ambaffadors for Chrift, as though God did befeech you by us; we pray you in Chrift's ftead, be ye reconciled to God. 2 Cor. 6. 2. Behold, now is the accepted time: be hold, now is the day of falva tion. John 6. 44. No man can come to me, except the Father who hath fent me draw him: and I will raife him up at the laft day. 2 Theff. 2. 13. 14. But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, becaufe God hath from the be ginning chofen you to falvation, through fanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth: whereunto he called you by our gofpel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jefus Chrift. m Acts 26. 18, To open ly called"; although others may be and often are outwardly called by the miniftry of the word, and have some common operations of the Spirit'; who, for their wilful neglect and contempt of the grace offered to them, being juftly left in their unbelief, do never truly come to Jefus Chrift. Q. 69. What is the communion in grace, which the members of the invisible church have with Christ? A. The communion in grace, which the members of the invifible church have with Chrift, is their partaking of the virtue of his mediation, in their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of fins, and in. heritance among them who are fanctified by faith that is in me. n Ezek. 11. 19. And I will put a new fpirit within you; and I will take the ftony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flefh. Ezek. 36. 26, 27. o John 6. 45. And they fhall be all taught of God. E. very man therefore, that hath heard and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Phil. 2. 13. For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure, Deut. 30. 6. Eph. 2. 5. p Acts 13. 48. And as many as were ordained to eternal life, believed. q Mat. 22. 14. For many are called, but few are chofen. Mat. 13. 20. 21. But he that received the feed into ftony places, the fame is he that heareth the word: yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation, or perfecution ariseth becaufe of the word, by and by he is offended. Heb. 6. 4, 5, 6. But my f Pfa. 81. II, 12. people would not hearken to my voice: and Ifrael would none of me: So I gave them up unto their own hearts' luft: and they walked in their own counfels. John 12. 38, 39, 40. That the faying of Efaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he fpake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because Efaias faid again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they fhould not fee with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I fhould heal them. Acts 28. their justification', adoption", sanctification, and whatever elfe in this life manifefts their union. with him". Q. 70. What is juftification? A. Juftification is an act of God's free grace unto finners, in which he pardoneth all their fin, accepteth and accounteth their perfons righteous in his fight'; not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but only for the perfect obedience and full fatisfaction of Christ, by God imputed to them", and received by faith alone". 25, 26, 27. John 6. 64, 65. Prov. I. 24 verfe to the 32. Pfalm 95. from verfe 9 to the end. t Rom. 8. 30. Moreover, whom he did predeftinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he alfo juftified; and whom he juftified, them he also glorified. v Eph. 1. 5. Having predeftinated us unto the adoption of children by Jefus Chrift to himself. w I Cor. 1. 30. But of him are ye in Chrift Jefus, who of God is made unto us wifdom, and righteoufnefs, and fancti fication, and redemption. x Rom. 3. 22, 24, 25. Even the righteoufnefs of God, which is by faith of Jefus Chrift unto all, and upon all them that believe; for there is no difference. Being juftified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jefus Chrift. Rom. 4. 5. y 2 Cor. 5. 19, 21. To wit, that God was in Chrift, re conciling the world unto himfelf, not imputing their trefpaffes unto them. For he hath made him to be fin for us, who knew no fin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Rom. 3. 22, 24, 25. Even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Chrift unto all, and upon all them that believe. z Eph. 1. 6 & 7. Wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved; In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of fin,. according to the riches of his grace. Rom 3. 28. Therefore we conclude, that a man is juftified by faith without the deeds of the law. a Rom. 3. 22, 24, 25. Being juftified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jefus Chrift. -Whom God hath fet forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood. Rom. 5. 17, 18, 19. Much more they who Q. 71. How is juftification an act of God's free grace? A. Although Chrift, by his obedience and death, did make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God's juftice in the behalf of them that are justified: Yet in as much as God accepteth the fatisfaction from a furety, which he might have demanded of them; and did provide this furety, his only Son", imputing his righte receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteoufnefs, fhall reign in life by one, Jefus Chrift. By the obedience of one, fail many be made righteous. Róm. 4. 6, 7, 8. Even as David alfo defcribeth the bleffedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, &c. b Rom. 5.1. Therefore being juftified by faith, we have peace with God. Acts 10. 43. To him gave all the prophets witnefs, that through his name whofoever believeth in him, fhall receive remiffion of fins. Gal. 2. 16. Phil. 3. 9. Rom. 3. 25, 26. c Mat. 20. 28. Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minifter, and to give his life a ranfom (or price of redemp. tion) for many. See alfo I Tim. 2. 6, 1 Pet. 1. 18, 19. For as much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as filver and gold-but with the precious blood of Chrift, as of a lamb without blemish and without fpot. Rom. 5. 8, 9, 10. While we were yet finners, Chrift died for us. d Dan. 9, 24, 26.—Ifa. 53. 6, 10, 11, 12. And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruife him, he hath put him to grief: when thou fhalt make his foul an offering for fin, he fhall fee his feed, he fhall prolong his days, and the pleafure of the Lord fhall profper in his hand. He shall fee of the travail of his foul, and fhall be fatisfied.-There. fore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he fhall divide the fpoil with the ftrong: because he hath poured out his foul unto death; and he was numbered with the tranfgreffors; and he bare the fins of many. Heb. 7. 22. By fo much was Jefus made a furety of a better teftament. Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how fhall he not with him alfo freely give us all things? oufness to them, and requiring nothing of them for their juftification but faith', which also is his gifts, their juftification is to them of free grace1. Q. 72. What is justifying faith? A. Juftifying faith is a saving grace, wrought in the heart of a finner by the Spirit and word of God'; whereby he, being convinced of his fin and mifery, and of the disability in himself and all other creatures to recover him out of his loft condition", not only affenteth to the truth of the promife of the gofpel", but receiveth and refteth upon Chrift and his righteousness therein held That we e 2 Cor. 5. 21. might be made the righteoufnefs of God in him. Rom. 4. II. I Cor. 1. 30. f Rom. 3. 24, 25. Whom God hath fet forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood. Acts 16. 31. g Eph. 2. 8. For by grace are ye faved, through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. h Eph, 1. 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of fins, according to the riches of his grace. i Heb. 10. 39. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the faving of the foul. k 2 Cor. 4. 13. We having the fame fpirit of faith. Eph. 1. 17, 18, 19. That the God of our Lord Jefus Chrift, the Father of glory, may give unto you the fpirit of wisdom and revelation, in the knowledge of him. I Rom. 10. 14, 17. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Rom. I. 16. m John 16. 8, 9. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of fin, and of righteoufnefs, and of judgment: Of fin, because they believe not on me. Acts 16. 30. Sirs, what muft I do to be faved? Acts 2. 37. Eph. 2. I. Acts 4. 12. Rom. 7. 9. n Eph. 1. 13. In whom ye alfo trufted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your falvation. |