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e John, 4: 42; 1 Thes. 2: 13; 1 John, 5: 10; Acts, 24: g Isa. 66: 2. h Heb. 11 13; 1 Tim. Acts, 16 : 31; Gal. 2: 20; Acts, 15:

14. f Rom. 16: 26. 4:8. i John, 1: 12; 11.

III.

k

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 all other saving grace, from the faith and common grace of temporary believers;1 and, therefore, though it may be many times assailed and weakened, yet it gets the victory, m growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance through Christ," who is both the author and finisher of our faith.°

k Heb. 5 13, 14: Rom. 4: 19, 20: Matt. 6: 30, and 8:10. 1 Job, 8: 13; 1 John, 3: 9. m Luke, 22: 31, 32; Eph. 6 16; 1 John, 5: 4, 5. n Heb. 6 11, 12 and 10: 22; Col. 2:2. o Heb. 12: 2.

CHAP. XV.

OF REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE AND SALVATION.

I.

SUCH of the elect as are converted at riper years, having sometime lived in the state of nature, and therein served divers lusts and pleas

ures, a God in their effectual calling giveth them repentance unto life.

a Eph. 2: 1, 2, 3; Tit. 3: 3, 4, 5; 1 Pet. 4: 3. b Rom. 8:30; 2 Tim. 1:9; Acts, 11: 18.

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d

II.

Whereas there is none that doeth good and sinneth not, and the best of men may through the power and deceitfulness of their corruptions dwelling in them, with the prevalency of temptation, fall into great sins and provocations;" God hath in the covenant of grace mercifully provided that believers so sining and falling, be renewed through repentance unto salvation. c 1 Kings, 8: 46; Eccl. 7: 20; Jam. 3: 2. 65 3, and 40: 12; Rom. 7: 21, 23; Jer. 17:9; Heb. Luke, 22: 31. f 2 Sam. 11: 27; Luke, 22: 57, 58, 60. g Luke, 22 : 32, 61, 62; 1 John, 1 : 9.

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3:13.

Matt. 6: 13;

d Psal.

III.

h

This saving repentance is an evangelical grace, whereby a person being by the Holy Ghost made sensible of the manifold evils of his sin,i doth by faith in Christ humble himself for it, with godly sorrow, detestations of it, and self-abhorrency, praying for pardon and strength of grace, with a purpose and endeavor by supplies of the Spirit, to walk before God unto all well-pleasing in all things.m

k

h Zech. 12: 10; Acts, 11: 18. i John, 16: 7, 8, 9; Ezk. 18 30, 31, and 36: 31; Psal. 51:4; 1 John, 3: 4.

k Zech. 12 10; Jer. 31: 18, 19; Joel, 2: 12, 13; Isa. 30 22; Amos, 5: 15; Psal. 119: 128; Ezek. 6: 9; 2 Cor. 7:11. 1 Psal. 51, per tot. m Psal. 119: 6, 9, 106; 2 Kings, 23:25; Col. 1: 10.

IV.

As repentance is to be continued through the whole course of our lives," upon the account of the body of death, and the motions thereof; so it is every man's duty to repent of his particular known sins particularly.P

n Matt. 6: 11, 12; Psal. 51: 17. Rom. 7: 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24; Gal. 5: 17. P Psal. 19: 13, and 18: 23, and 51: ; Luke, 19:8; 1 Tim. 1: 13, 15.

V.

Such is the provision which God hath made through Christ in the covenant of grace, for the preservation of believers unto salvation, that although there is no sin so small, but it deserves damnation; yet there is no sin so great that it shall bring damnation on them who truly repent; which makes the constant preaching of repentance necessary.'

q1 Pet. 1:5. r Rom. 6: 23, and 5: 12; Matt. 12: 36. s Isa. 557; Rom. 8: 1; Isa. 1: 16, 18. t Mark, 1:15; Acts, 20: 21.

CHAP. XVI.

OF GOOD WORKS.

I.

GOOD works are only such as God hath commanded in his holy word, and not such as without the warrant thereof are devised by men out of blind zeal, or upon any pretence of good intentions.b

a Mic. 6 8; Rom. 12: 2; Heb. 13: 21. b Matt. 15:9; Isa. 29: 13; Rom. 10:2; Job, 16:2; 1 Sam. 15: 21, 22, 23; 1 Pet. 1: 8.

II.

f

These good works done in obedience to God's commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith, and by them believers manifest their thankfulness, strengthen their assurance, edify their brethren, adorn the profession of the Gospel, stop the mouths of the adversaries," and glorify God, whose workmanship they are created in Christ Jesus thereunto, that having their fruit unto holiness they may have the end eternal life.1

k

1 Pet. 2: 9.

c Jam. 2 18, 22. d Psal. 116 12, 13; e 1 John, 2:3, 5; 92; Matt. 5: 16. 1. h 1 Pet. 2 15. 8. k Eph. 2 10.

2 Pet. 1: 5, 6, 7; 2: 9, 10. f 2 Cor.

i

g Tit. 2: 5, 9, 10, 11, 12; 1 Tim. 6 : 1 Pet. 2: 12; Phil. 1: 11; John, 15: 1 Rom. 6 22.

III.

Their ability to do good works is not all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christm And that they may be enabled thereunto, besides the graces they have already received, there is required an actual influence of the same Holy Spirit to work in them to will and to do of his good pleasure; " yet are they not hereupon to grow negligent, as if they were not bound to perform any duty unless upon a special motion of the Spirit, but they ought to be diligent in stirring up the grace of God that is in them." Ezek. 36: 26, 27. n Phil. 2 13, and o Phil. 2: 12; Heb. 6: 11, 12; 2 Isa. 64: 7; 2 Tim. 1: 6; Acts, 26:

m John, 15: 4, 6; 4:13; 2 Cor. 3: 5. Pet. 1: 3, 5, 10, 11; 6, 7; Jude, 20, 21.

IV.

They who in their obedience attain to the greatest height which is possible in this life, are so far from being able to supererogate, and to do more than God requires, as that they fall short of much, which in duty they are bound to do.p

P Luke, 17: 10; Neh. 13: 22; Job, 9: 2, 3; Gal. 5; 17.

V.

We cannot by our best works merit pardon of sin, or eternal life at the hand of God, by reason of the great disproportion that is between them, and the glory to come; and the infinite distance that is between us and God, whom by

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