to call, by his word and Spirit, out of that state of fin and death, in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ; enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly, to understand the things of Godd, taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them an heart of slesh; renewing their wills, and by his almighty power determining them to that which is good; and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christs; yet so as they come most freely, being made willing by his grace". 1. a Rom. 8. 30. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he alfo called, and whom he called, them he also juftified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified. Rom. 11. 6. What then? Ifrael hath not obtained that which he feeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded. Eph. 1. 10, 11. That in the difpenfation of the fulness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Chrift, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in him. b 2 Thess. 2. 13, 14.---God hath from the heginning chosen you to falvation, through fanclification 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. 2 Cor. 3. 3. 6. Forafmuch as ye are manifeftly declared to be the epiftle of Chrift ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of flone, but in fleshly tables of the heart. Who also hath made us able minifters of the New Testament, not of the letter, but of the fpirit; for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. c Rom. 8. 2. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, hath made me free from the law of fin and death. 2 Tim, 1. 9, 10. Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Chrift Jesus before the world began; but is now made manifeft by the appearing of our Saviour Jefus Chrift, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gofpel. See alfo Eph, 2. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. d Acts 26. 18. To open 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 inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. I Cor. 2. 10, 12. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit fearcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things II. This effectual call is of God's free and fpecial grace alone, not from any thing at all foreseen in man', who is altogether passive therein, until, being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit, he is thereby enabled to answer e Ezek. 36. 26. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the ftony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. f Ezek. 11. 19. And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. Deut. 30. 6. And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy feed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy foul, that thou mayest live, See alfo Ezek. 36. 27. g John 6. 44, 45. No man can come unto me, except the Father which hath fent me, draw him. Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. h Cant. 1. 4. Draw me, we will run after thee. Pfal. 110, 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning: Thou haft the dew of thy youth. John 6. 37. II. i 2 Tim. 1. 9. Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Chrift Jesus before the world began. Tit. 3. 4, 5. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Rom. 9. 11. children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth, See also Eph. 2. 4, 5, 8, 9. For the k 1 Cor. 2. 14. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; For they are foolishness unto this call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it'. III. Elect infants, dying in infancy, are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit", who worketh when, and where, and how he pleaseth". So also are all other elect persons, who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the wordo. IV. Others not elected, although they may him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually difcerned. Rom. 8. 7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Eph. 2. 5. Even when we were dead in fins, hath quickened us together with Christ; (by grace ye are faved.) 1 John 6. 37. All that the Father giveth me, shall come to me; and him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. Ezek. 36. 27. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgements, and do them. John 5. 25. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour iscoming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear, shall live. John 6. 37. Ezek. 36. 27. III. m Luke 18. 15, 16. And they brought unto him alfo infants, that he would touch them; but when his dif ciples saw it, they rebuked them:-But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid then not; for of fuch is the kingdom of God. Acts 2. 38, 39. Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Chrift, for the remiffion of fins, and ye fhall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost: For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call, n John 3. 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the found thereof, but. canft not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; fo is every one that is born of the Spirit. ο Acts 4. 12. Neither is there falvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be faved. be called by the ministry of the word", and may have some common operations of the Spirit, yet they never truly come to Christ, and therefore cannot be faved": much less can men, not profeffing the Chriftian religion, be saved in any other way whatsoever, be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature, and the law of that religion they do profess'; and to affert and maintain that they may is very pernicious, and to be detested'. IV. p Mat. 22. 14. For many are called but few are cho fen. q Mat. 13. 20, 21. But he that received the feed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it:---Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: For when tribulation or perfecution arifeth because of the word, by and by he is offended. r John 6.64, 65, 66. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him..--And he faid, Therefore faid I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. John 8. 24. I faid therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your fins: For if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your fins. f Acts 4. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other: For there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be faved. John 14. 6. Jesus faith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me. John 17. 3. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. t 2 John 10. 11. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God fpeed.-For he that biddeth him God speed, is partaker of his evil deeds. Gal. 1. 6,7,8. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you, than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. T CHAP. XI. Of Fustification. HOSE whom God effectually calleth, he also freely justifieth"; not by infufing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their fins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous: not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ's fake alone: not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing the obedience and fatisfaction of Christ unto them, they receiving I. a Rom. 8. 30.---Whom he called, them he also justifi ed. Rom. 3. 24. Being justi. fied freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Chrift Jefus. b Rom. 4. 5, 6, 7, 8. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.---Even as David also defcribeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteoufness without works, faying, Bleffed are they whose ini. quities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered...-Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute fin. 2 Cor. 5. 19, 21. To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trefpaffes unto them: and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.--For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no fin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Rom. 3. 22, 24, 25, 27, 28. Tit. 3. 5, 7. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.---That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs, according to the hope of eternal life Eph. 1.7. In whom we have redemption through his blood, |