1 2 and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death in which they are by nature, to grace of salvation by Jesus Christ, enlightening their minds, spiritually and savingly, to understand the things of God, taking away their 3 heart of stone and giving unto them a heart of flesh, renewing their wills, and by his almighty power determining them 4 to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ; yet so, as they come 5 most freely, being made willing by his grace. 2. This effectual call is of God's free and special grace alone,6 not from anything at all foreseen in man, nor from any power or agency in the creature, co-working with his special grace, the creature being wholly passive therein, being dead in sins and trespasses, until, being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit, he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it, and that by no less power than that which raised up Christ from the dead. 8 3. Elect infants, dying in infancy, are 9 regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit, who worketh when, and where, and 10 how he pleaseth; so also are all other elect persons, who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the word. 4. Others not elected, although they may be called by the ministry of the word," and may have some common operations of the Spirit, yet, not being effectually drawn by the Father, they neither will, nor can truly 12 come to Christ, and therefore cannot be saved; much less can men that receive not the Christian religion 18 be saved, be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature, and the law of that religion they do profess. 1 Eph. ii. 1-6. 2 Acts xxvi. 18; Eph. i. 17, 18. 3 Ezekiel xxxvi. 26. 8 Eph. i. 19, 20. 9 John iii. 3, 5, 6. 10 John iii. 8. 4 Deut. xxx. 6; Ezek. xxxvi. 27; Eph. 11 Matt. xxii. 14, and xiii. 20, 21; Heb. CHAPTER XI. OF JUSTIFICATION. 4 3 1. Those whom God effectually calleth, he also freely 1 justifieth, not by infusing righteousness into them, but by 2 pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as 3 righteous; not for anything wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone; not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness, but by imputing Christ's active obedience unto the whole law, and passive obedience in his death, for their whole and sole righteousness, they 5 receiving, and resting on him, and his righteousness by faith; which faith they have not of themselves: it is the gift of God. 6 2. Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification; yet it is not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by love. 7 3. Christ, by his obedience and death, did fully discharge the debt of all those that are justified; and did by the sacrifice of himself, in the blood of his cross, undergoing in their stead the penalty due unto them, make a proper, real and full satisfaction 8 to God's justice in their behalf; yet, inasmuch as he was given by the Father for them, and his obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead, and both freely, not for any thing in them, their justification is only of free grace, that both the exact justice and rich grace of God might be 10 glorified in the justification of sinners. 9 4. God did from all eternity decree to 11 justify all the elect, and 1 Rom. iii. 24, viii. 30. 2 Rom. iv. 5-8; Eph. i. 7 31 Corinthians i. 30, 31; Romans v. 17-19. 4 Phil. iii. 8, 9; Eph. ii. 8-10. 5 John i. 12; Rom. v. 17. 6 Rom. iii. 28. 7 Gal. v. 6; James ii. 17, 22, 26. 8 Heb. x. 14; 1 Peter i. 18, 19; Isa. liii. 5. 6. 9 Rom. viii. 32; 2 Cor. v. 21. 10 Rom. iii. 26; Eph. i. 6, 7, ii. 7. 11 Galatians iii. 8; 1 Peter i. 2; 1 Tim. ii. 6. Christ did in the fulness of time die for their sins, and 1 rise again for their justification; nevertheless they are not justified personally until the Holy Spirit doth in due time 2 actually apply Christ unto them. 5. God doth continue to 3 forgive the sins of those that are justified; and although they can never fall from the state of 4 justification, yet they may by their sins fall under God's 5 fatherly displeasure; and in that condition, they have not usually the light of his countenance restored unto them, until they humble themselves, confess their sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith and repent ance. 6. The justification of believers under the Old Testament, was in all these respects 7 one and the same with the justification of believers under the New Testament. CHAPTER XII. OF ADOPTION. 1. All those that are justified, God vouchsafed in and for the sake of his only Son, Jesus Christ, to make partakers of the grace 8 of adoption; by which they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and 9 privileges of children of God; have his 10 name put upon them, 11 receive the spirit of adoption, 12 have access to the throne of grace with boldness; are enabled to cry Abba, Father; are 18 pitied, 14 protected, 15 provided for, and 16 chastened 13 1 Rom. iv. 25. 2 Col. i. 21, 22; Titus iii. 4—7. 5 Psalm lxxxix. 31–33. 6 Psalm xxxii. 5, 51; Matthew xxvi. 75. 7 Gal. iii. 9; Rom. iv. 22—24. 8 Eph. i. 5; Gal iv. 4, 5. 9 John i. 12; Rom. viii. 17. 10 2 Corinthians vi. 18; Revelation iii. 12. 11 Rom. viii. 15. 12 Gal. iv. 6; Eph. ii. 18. 13 Psalm ciii. 13. 14 Prov. xiv. 26. 15 1 Peter v. 7. 16 Heb. xii. 6. by him, as a father; yet never 1 cast off, but sealed, 2 to the day of redemption, and inherit the promises, 3 as heirs of everlasting salvation. CHAPTER XIII. OF SANCTIFICATION. 1. They who are united to Christ, effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them, through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection; are also 4 further sanctified, really and personally, through the same virtue, 5 by his word and Spirit dwelling in them; 6 the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed, and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified; and they more and more quickened, and 3 strengthened in all saving graces, to the practice of all true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. 7 12 9 8 2. This sanctification is 10 throughout, in the whole man, yet imperfect 11 in this life; there abideth still some remnants of corruption in every part, whence ariseth a continual and irreconcilable war; the flesh lusting against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh. 3. In which war, although the remaining corruption for a time may much 13 prevail, yet through the continual supply of strength, from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, 14 the regenerate part doth overcome; and so the saints grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, 15 pressing after an heavenly life, in evangelical obedience to all the commands which Christ, as head and king, in his word hath prescribed to them. CHAPTER XIV. OF SAVING FAITH. 1. The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls, is the work of the Spirit of Christ 1 in their hearts, and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the 2 word; by which also, and by the administration of Baptism, and the Lord's Supper, prayer, and other means appointed of God, it is increased 3 and strengthened. 4 3 2. By this faith, a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the word, for the authority of God himself; and also apprehendeth an excellency therein 5 above all other writings, and all things in the world; as it bears forth the glory of God in his attributes, the excellency of Christ in his nature and offices, and the power and fulness of the Holy Spirit in his workings and operations; and so is enabled to cast his soul upon the truth thus believed; and also acteth differently upon that which each particular passage thereof containeth; yielding obedience to the 7 commands, trembling at the threatenings, and embracing the 9 promises of God, for this life and that which is to come. But the principal acts of saving faith, have immediate relation to Christ, accepting, receiving, and resting upon 10 him alone, for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace. 11 8 9 3. This faith, although it be different in degrees, and may be weak, or strong, yet it is in the least degree of it, different in the kind or nature of it (as is all other saving grace) from the faith 12 and common grace of temporary believers; and therefore, though it may be many times assailed and weakened, yet it gets 13 the victory, growing up in many to the attainment of a full 14 assurance through Christ, who is both the author 15 and finisher of our faith. |