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the endless miseries of hell which we have deserved for sin, and every hour are exposed unto, which doth wound our hearts, consciences, and filleth us with perplexing care, what to do to be saved, John xvi. 8. And when he is come he will reprove (or convince) the world of sin, Acts ii. 37. Now when they heard this they were pricked in their hearts, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do.

Q. 5. Whereby doth the Spirit convince us of our sin and misery?

A. The Spirit convinceth us of our sin and misery, by the law, and threatnings thereof, Rom. iii. 20. By the the law is the knowledge of sin, Gal. iii. 19. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

Q. 6. What knowledge of Christ doth the Spirit enlighten our minds withal, after the conviction of our sin and misery?

A. The Spirit doth enlighten our mind, after the conviction of our sin and misery, with the knowledge: 1. That Christ only can save, and that he is all sufficient to do it, Acts iv. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved, Heb. vii. 25. Whereby he is able to save them to the uttermost, that come unto God by him. 2. That Christ is willing to save all that come unto him, John vi. 37. He that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out. 3. That Christ hath undertaken to save us, and is faithful to perform it, Heb. ii. 17. That he might be a merciful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people?

Q. 7. Wherein doth the Spirit enlighten us with the knowledge of Christ?

A. The Spirit doth enlighten us with the knowledge of Christ by the discoveries of Christ in the gospel, opening our eyes to discern him there discovered, Acts xxvi. 17, 18. To whom I send thee, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness unto light, &c.

Q 8. What is the work of the Spirit of God in our effectual calling upon our wills?

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A. The working of the Spirit of God in our effectual calling upon our wills is to renew them.

Q. 9. What is it for our wills to be renewed?

A. Our wills are renewed, when the Spirit doth put new inclination and dispositions into them, Ezek. xxxvi. 29. A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the heart of stone out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Q10. Are we not able to renew our own wills, and to turn from sin unto Christ ourselves?

A. No: It is the almighty power of the Spirit of God, that doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ by faith, Eph. i. 19, 20. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead.

32. Q. What benefits do they which are effectually called, partake of in this life?

A. They that are effectually called, do in this life partake of justification, adoption and sanctification, and the several benefits which in this life do either accompany or flow from them.

33. Q: What is justification?

3 A. Justification is an act of God's free grace wherein he pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in his sight, only for the righteousness of Christ, imputed to us and received by faith alone.

Q. 1. Wherein doth our justification consist?

A. Our justification doth consist, in two things: 1. In the pardon of our sins. 2. In the acceptation of us as righteous.

Q. 2. Who is the author of our justification?

A. God is the author of our justification, whose act it is, Rom. viii. 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

Q. 3. Doth God justify us freely, or because of some merit in ourselves?

A. God doth justify us by an act of free grace, Rom. iii. 24. Being justified freely by his grace: 'S

Q. 4. Through whose righteousness is it, that we are justified?

A. We are justified through the righteousness of Christ, Rom. iii. 24. Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption which is in Christ.

Q. 5. How is the righteousness of Christ made our's? : A. The righteousness of Christ is made our's, by imputation, Rom. vi. 6. David described the blessedness of the man unto whom the Lord imputeth righteouness without works..

Q. 6. What is it for the righteousness of Christ to: be imputed to us?

A. The righteousness of Christ is imputed to us *when though it be subjectively in Christ, or the righte ousness which he wrought, yet by God it is accounteds our's as if we wrought it ourselves in our own persons. Q. 7. What is that righteousness of Christ which is imputed to us for our justification?

A. The righteousness of Christ which is imputed to us for our justification, is his whole obedience to the law in our stead, and that both his passive obedience in all his sufferings, especially in his death whereby we have the pardon of our sins, Eph. i. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins. And his active obedience also, whereby we are accepted as righteous in his sight, Rom. v. 29. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners: so by the obedience of one, shall many be made righ

teous.

Q. 8. Whereby do we receive and apply this righteousness of Christ?

A. We receive and apply this righteoutness of Christ by faith, Rom. iii. 22. Even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all that believe.

Q. 9. Are we justified by faith only, and not by works, at least in part?

A. We are justified only by faith, and neither in whole, nor in part by works, Gal. ii. 16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus, Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ."

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Q. 10. How is it then said, James ii. 24. Ye see then, how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only?

A. t. The apostle Paul doth plainly and positively affirm, and by many arguments prove justification by faith without works, in his epistile to the Romans and to the Galatians; and to be sure the apostle James being inspired by the same Spirit in writing his epistle, doth not realy contradict this doctrine. 2. The apostle James doth not in this chapter treat of the justifiication of our faith in the sight of God, but of the justification of our faith in the sight of men and thus he doth assert, that justification is by works, verse 18. I will -shew thee my faith by my works; faith justifieth our person's, but works justifieth our faith, and declares us to be justified before men, who cannot know nor see our faith, but by our works.

Q.-11. How do we prove that we are not justified by works?

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A. 1. Because the whole world is guilty of sin and those that are guilty of sin, cannot have a perfect righteousness of works, and those that have not a perfect righteousness, cannot be justified in the sight of God. Thus the apostle covinceth both Jew and Gentile of sin, in the first and second chapters to the Romans, and this. That, as chap. iii. 2. every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may become guilty before God; and therefore inferreth, ver, 22. By the deeds of the law, no flesh living shall be justified. 2. Because if we were justified by works, the reward would be of debt, and not of grace, Rom. iv. 4. Now to him that worketh, is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But the reward is not of debt but of grace; and they that are justified are uot justified as righteous with a righteousness of works, but as ungodly, ver. 5. He justifieth the ungodly. 3. Because Abraham the father of the faithful, though he had a righteousness of works, yea, works wrought in faith, yet he was not justified by his works and if he were justified without his works, so are all others that are justified, justi. fied without works, Rom. i. 2. For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory: but Abra

ham had not whereof to glory before God, therefore he was not justified by works.

Q. 12. How do ye prove that we are justified by faith only?

A. 1. It is positively asserted and concluded from several arguments by the apostle, Romans iii. 20. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the law. 2. There being such a thing as justification, and justification cannot be by works, as hath been proved; and there being no other way of justification but by faith, it must be by faith. 3. The righteousness of Christ is perfect and sufficient for our justification; and by faith his righteousness is received and made our's in the account of God: therefore we are justified by faith. 4. Justification by faith, doth give God all the glory, and excludeth all boasting in man therefore it is by faith, Rom. iii. 27. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? By the law of works? Nay; but by the law of faith. 5. Abraham was justified by faith, and all others are justified the same way?

Q. 13. How doth faith justify?

A. Faith doth justify not as a work in us, but as an instrument which applieth the perfect righteousness of Christ without us, where we are justified.

Q. 14. May we be justified by faith in Christ's righteousness without us, although we have no righteous. ness within us?

A. We are justified only by faith in Christ's righ, teousness without us, but this justification is always accompanied with sanctification, which is a righteousness wrought within us, without which our justification, cannot be true. By the same faith whereby our persons are justified, our hearts also are purified, Acts xv. 9. Purifying their hearts by faith.

34. Q. What is adoption?

A. Adoption is an act of God's free grace, whereby we are received into the number, and have a right unto all the privileges of the sons of God.

Q. I. How many ways may we be said to be the children of God?

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