V. God doth not continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified : And although they can never fall from the state of justification p, yet they may by their fins fall under God's fatherly difpleasure, and not have the light of his countenance restored unto them until they humble themselves, confefs their fins, beg pardon, and renew their faith and repentance q. to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; v. 6. Which he thed on us abundantly, through Jefus Chrift our Saviour; v. 7. That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. V. o Mat. vi. 12. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. John i. 7. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanfeth us from all fin. v. 9. If we confefs our fins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our fins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John ii. r. My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye fin not. And if any man fin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Chrift the righteous. v. 2. And he it the propitiation for our fins and not for ours only, but also for the ins of the whole world. pLuke xxii. 32. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. John x. 28. And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. Heb. x. 14. For by one of. fering he hath perfected for ever them that are fanctified. q Pfal. Ixxxix. 31. If they break my ftatutes, and keep not my commandments: v. 32. Then will I VÍ. The visit their tranfgreffion with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. v. 33. Nevertheless, my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him, nor fuffer my faithfulness to fail, Pfal. li. 7. Purge me with hyffop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than the snow. v. 8. Make me to hear joy and gladness: that the bones which thou haft broken may rejoice. v. 9. Hide thy face from my fins; and blot out all mine iniquities. v. Io. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. v. 11. Cast me not away from thy prefence; and take not thy holy Spirit from me. v. 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy falvation: and uphold me with thy free Spirit. Pfal. xxxii. 5. I acknowledged my fin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid: I faid, I will confess my tranfgreffions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my fin. Mat. xxvi. 75. And Peter remembred the words of Jesus, which faid unto him, Before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly. I Cor. xi. 30. For this caufe many are weak and fickly among you, and many fleep. v. 32, But when we are judged, we are chaftened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world, Luke i. 20, And behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because VI. The justification of believers under the Old Testament was, in all these respects, one and the fame with the juftification of believers under the New Teftament r. A CHAP. XII. Of Adoption. LL those that are justified, God vouchsafeth in and for his only Son Jesus Christ, to make partakers of the grace of adoption a: By which they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children of God b; have his name put upon theme, receive the spirit of adoption d, have have access to the throne of grace with boldness e, are enabled to cry, Abba, Fatherf; are pitied g, protected b, pro vided for i, and chastned by him as by a Father ; yet never cast off, but fealed to the day of redemption m, and inherit the promises n, as heirs of everlasting salvation 0. because thou believest not my words which shall be fulfilled in their feafon. VI. r Gal, iii. 9. So then they who be of faith, are blessed with faithful Abraham. v. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree. v. 14. That the bleffing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles, through Jesus Chrift: that we might receive the promise of the Spirit, through faith. Rom. iv. 22. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. v. 23. Now it was not written for his fake alone, that it was imputed to him; v. 24. But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. Heb. xiii. 8. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. 1. a Eph. i. 5. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Chrift to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. Gal. iv. 4. But when the fulness of time was come, God fent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, v. 5. To redeem them that were under the law, c Jer. xiv. 9. Yet thou, O Lord, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name, leave us not. 2 Cor. vi, 18. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, faith the Lord Al mighty. Rev. iii. 12. Him that overcometh, will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerufalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my T CHAP. XIII. Of Sanctification. HEY who are effectually called and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them, are farther fanctified really and perfonally, through the vertue of Chrift's death and refurrection a, by his word and Spirit dwelling in them: them b: the dominion of the whole body of fin is destroyed c, and the several lufts thereof are more and more weakned and mortified d, and they more and more quickned and strengthened in all faving graces e, to the practice of true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord f. e Eph. iii. 12. In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. Rom. v. 2. By whom alfo we have access by faith into this grace, wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. fGal. iv. 6. And because ye are fons, God hath fent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. g Pfal. ciii. 3. Like as a Father pitieth his children: so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. b Prov. xiv. 26. In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge. ¿ Mat. vi. 30. Wherefore if God fo clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to morrow is caft into the oven, fhall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? v. 32. For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. I Pet. v. 7. Cafting all yo care upon him, for he careth for you. & Heb. xii. 6. For whom the Lord loveth, he chaftneth, and scourgeth every fon whom he receiveth, your / Lam. iii. 31. For the Lord will not caft off for ever. m Eph. iv. 30, And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are fealed unto the day of redemption. n Heb. vi. 12. That ye be not flothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 01 Pet. i. 3. Bleffed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Chrift, who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the refurrection of Jesus Chrift from the dead, v. 4. Το an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you. Het. i. 14. Are they not all ministring spirits, fent forth to minifter for them who shall be heirs of falvation? I. a 1 Cor. vi. 11. And such were fome of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are juflified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. Als xx. 32. And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them who are sanctified. Phil. iii. 10. That I may know him, and the power of his refurrection, and and the fellowship of his fufferings, being made conformable unto his death. Rom. iv. 5. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death: we shall be also in the likness of his refurrection. v. 6. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of fin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve fin. 11. This fanctification is throughout in the whole mang; yet imperfect in this life, there abideth still some remnant of corruption in every part h: whence arifeth a continual and irrecon b John xvii. 17. Sanctify them thro' thy truth, thy word is truth. Eph. v. 26. That he might fanctify and cleanfe it with the washing of water by the word. 2 Theff. ii. 13. But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren, be loved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to falvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth. c Rom. vi. 6. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of fin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve fin. v. 14. For fin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace. d Gal. v. 24. And they that are Chrift's, have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts. Rom. vili. 13. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. Col. i. 11. Strengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience, and longsuffering with joyfulness. Eph. iii. 16. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man: v. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye being rooted and grounded in love, v. 18. May be able to comprehend with all faints what is the breadth and length, and depth and height; v. 19. And to know the love of Chrift, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. f 2 Cor. vii. 1. Having therefore these promifes, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Heb. xii. 14. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall fee the Lord. II. g 1 Theff. v. 23. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly: and I pray God your whole spirit, and foul, and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. h1 John i. 10. If we say that we have not finned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. Rom. vii, 18. For I know that in me (that is, in my fleh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me, but how 1 : 80 The Confeffion of Faith... Chap. XIV. concileable war; the flesh lufteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh i. : 1. III. in which war, although the remaining corruption for a time may much prevail k, yet, through the continual fupply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate part doth overcome /. And fo the faints grow in grace m, perfecting holiness in the fear of God n. T CHAP. XIV. Of Saving Faith. HE grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to how to perform that which is good, i Gal, v, 17. For the flesh lufteth III. k Rom, vii, 23. But I fee another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of fin, which is in my members. / Rom, vi. 14. For fin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace, 1. John v. 5. For whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcom eth the world, even our faith. Eph. iv. 15. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ. v. 16. From whom the whole body fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every part supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body, unto the edifying of itself in love. m 2 Pet. iii. 18. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Chrift: To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. 2 Cor. iii. 18. But we all with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. n 2 Cor. vii. 1. Having thereforethese promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness. of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. I. a Heb. x. 39. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the foul. & 2 Cor. |