and by the grace of God, we may rise again, and amend our lives.

Q. Who are therefore to be condemned?

A. They who say they can no more sin, as long as they live here; or deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent.

Scripture Proofs.

Revelation ii. 5. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works.

Isaiah lv. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Acts iii. 19. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

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Deadly sin," or the "sin unto death," (1 John v. 16.) is here to be understood as opposed to sins of ignorance and infirmity. It is open blasphemy against Christ, and his religion. But God is waiting to be gracious;- "Him that cometh unto me," says the kind friend of sinners, "I will in no wise cast out." The "sin not unto death," mentioned in the same verse, is the sin of surprise. The sin against the Holy Ghost, alluded to in this article, was that of the Pharisees, in attributing the miracles of our Saviour to the power of the devil.

XVII..

OF PREDESTINATION AND ELECTION.

Predestination to life is the everlasting purpose of God, whereby (before the foundations of the world were laid) he hath constantly decreed by his counsel, secret to us, to deliver from curse and damnation, those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honor. Wherefore they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God, be called according to God's purpose by his Spirit, working in due season: they through grace obey the calling: they be justified freely : they be made sons of God by adoption: they be made like the image of his only-begotten Son Jesus Christ; they walk religiously in good works, and at length, by God's mercy, they attain to everlasting felicity.

As the godly consideration of predestination, and our election in Christ, is full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort to godly persons, and such as feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ, mortifying the works of the flesh, and their earthly members; and drawing up their mind to high and heavenly things: as well because it doth

greatly establish and confirm their faith of eternal salvation, to be enjoyed through Christ, as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards God; so, for curious and carnal persons, lacking the Spirit of Christ, to have continually before their eyes the sentence of God's predestination, is a most dangerous downfall, whereby the devil doth thrust them either into desperation, or into wretchlessness, [carelessness] of most unclean living, no less perilous than desperation.

Furthermore, we must receive God's promises in such wise as they be generally set forth to us in Holy Scripture: and, in our doings, that will of God is to be followed which we have expressly declared unto us in the word of God.

Q. What is predestination to life?

A. Predestination to life is the everlasting purpose of God, whereby, (before the foundations of the world were laid,) he hath constantly decreed, by his counsel, secret to us, to deliver from curse and damnation, those whom he hath chosen in Christ, out of mankind, and to bring them, by Christ, to everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honour.

Q. What happens to those who are endued with so excellent a benefit of God?

A. They be called, according to God's purpose, by his Spirit, working in due season; they, through grace obey the calling; they be justified freely;

they be made sons of God by adoption; they be made like the image of his only-begotten Son Jesus Christ; they walk religiously in good works; and at length, by God's mercy, they attain to everlasting felicity.

Q. What is the character of the godly consideration of predestination, and our election in Christ?

A. It is full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort to godly persons, and such as feel in themselves, the working of the Spirit of Christ, mortifying the works of the flesh, and their earthly members, and drawing up their mind to high and heavenly things.

Q. What else doth it?

A. It doth greatly establish and confirm their faith of eternal salvation, to be enjoyed through Christ; and also doth fervently kindle their love towards God.

Q. Is absolute predestination here meant ?

A. I think not because if it were, Reprobation must apparently follow, which is denied in several passages of Scripture; We are elect only, "according to the fore-knowledge of God." 1 Peter i. 2. Again, Romans viii. 29, "For whom he did fore-know, he did also predestinate, to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren.”

Q. What is a most dangerous downfall?

A. For curious and carnal persons, lacking the spirit of Christ, to have continually, before their eyes, the sentence of God's predestination; whereby the devil doth thrust them either into desperation, or into wretchlessness of the most unclean living, no less perilous than desperation.

Q. How are we required in this article, to receive God's promises?

A. In such wise as they be generally set forth to us in Holy Scripture.

Q. Repeat some of his promises?

A. Proverbs xx. 22, "Wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee." John vi. 37, "Him that

cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out."

Q.

doings?

What will of God is to be followed in our

A. That which we have expressly declared to us in the word of God.

Q. What is God's will towards mankind in general?

A. 1 Timothy ii. 1. "He will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy ii. 6. "He, (Christ,) gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time." Ezekiel xviii. 31, 32. "Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart, and a new spirit; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth,

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