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grace, and enableth to the exercise thereof; in the former, fin is pardoned"; in the other, it is fubdued; the one doth equally free all believers from the revenging wrath of God, and that perfectly in this life, that they never fall into condemnation; the other is neither equal in all, nor in this life perfect in any3, but growing up to perfection".

v Ezek. 36. 27. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my ftatutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them.

w Rom. 3. 24, 25. Being juftified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jefus Chrift: whom God hath fet forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to declare his righteoufness for the remiffion of fins.

x Rom. 6. 6, 14. Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of fin might be deftroyed, that henceforth we fhould not ferve fin. For fin fhall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

y Rom. 8. 1, 33, 34. There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Chrift Jefus. Who fhall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? z Heb 5. 12, 13, 14. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that

For

one teach you again which be
the first principles of the ora-
cles of God; and are become
fuch as have need of milk,
and not of ftrong meat.
every one that ufeth milk, is
unfkilful in the word of righte
oufnels, for he is a babe. But
ftrong meat belongeth to them
that are of full age, even
thofe who, by reafon of ufe,
have their fenfes exercised to
difcern both good and evil I
John 2. 12, 13, 14.

If

a 1 John 1. 8, Ic. we fay that we have no fiu, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we fay that we have not finned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

b 2 Cor. 7. 1. Having there. fore these promifes, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthinefs of the flesh and fpirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Philip. 3. 12, 13, 14. Brethren, I count not myfelf to have apprehended: but this one thing forgetting thofe things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which

do,

Q. 78. Whence arifeth the imperfection of fanctification in believers?

4. The imperfection of fanctification in believers arifeth from the remnants of fin abiding in every part of them, and the perpetual luflings of the flesh against the fpirit; whereby they are often foiled with temptations, and fall into many fins, are hindered in all their spiritual fervices, and their best works are imperfect and defiled in the fight of God.

Q. 79. May not true believers, by reafon of their imperfections, and the many temptations and fins they are overtaken with, fall away from the ftate of grace?

A. True believers, by reason of the unchangeable love God, and his decree and covenant to give them perfeverances, their inseparable union

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that ye cannot do the things that ye would. Heb. 12. 1, Let us lay afide every weight and the fin which doth so easily befet us.

e lfa. 64. 6. But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteoufneffes are as filthy rags, and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Exod. 28.38.

f Jer. 31. 3. I have loved thee with an everlasting love ; John 13. 1.

g Heb. 13. 20, 21. Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our

with Chrift", his continual interceffion for them', and the Spirit and seed of God abiding in them, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the ftate of grace', but are kept by the power of God through faith unto falvation".

Q. 80. Can true believers be infallibly affured that they are in the estate of grace, and that they fball perfevere therein unto falvation?

A. Such as truly believe in Christ, and endeavour to walk in all good confcience before him",

Lord Jefus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlafting covenant, make you perfect. 2 Sam. 23. 5.-Yet hath he made with me an everlafing covenant, ordered in all things, and fure. Ifa. 54. 10.

h1 Cor. 1. 8. Who fhall alfo confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jefus Christ.

i Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able alfo to fave them to the uttermoft, that come unto God by him, feeing he ever liveth to make interceffion for them. Luke 22. 32. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.

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ye need not that any man teach you; but as the fame anoin. ting teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie and even as it hath taught you, ye fhall abide in him.

1 Jer. 32. 40. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts that they fhall not depart from me. John 10. 28. And I give unto them eternal life, and they fhalf never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand.

m 1 Pet. I. 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto falvation.Phil. 1. 6.—He that hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jefus Chrift.

n 1 John 2. 3, And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. Aās 24. 16.

may, without extraordinary revelation, by faith grounded upon the truth of God's promifes, and by the Spirit enabling them to difcern in themfelves thofe graces to which the promises of life are made, and bearing witness with their fpirits that they are the children of God", be infallibly affured that they are in the eftate of grace, and fhall perfevere therein unto falvation".

Q. 81. Are all true believers at all times affured of their prefent being in the estate of grace, and that they fhall be faved?

A. Affurance of grace and falvation not being of the effence of faith", true believers may wait

o 1 Cor. 2. 12. Now we have received not the fpirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 1 John 4. 13, 16, Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. I John 3. 14, 18, 19, 21, 24. We know that we have paffed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. Let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and fhall affure our hearts be fore him. Beloved, if our

heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God. And he that keepeth his com. mandments dwelleth in him, and he in him; And hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us.

p Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit itfelf beareth witnefs with our fpirit, that we are the children of God.

q John 5. 13. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life.

r Eph 1. 13. In whom ye alfo trufted after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your falvation in whom alfo after that ye believed, ye were ftaled with that holy Spirit of promise.

long before they obtain it'; and, after the enjoyment thereof, may have it weakened and intermitted, through manifold diftempers, fins, temptations, and defertions: yet are they never left without fuch a prefence and support of the Spirit of God, as keeps them from finking into utter despair'.

Q82. What is the communion in glory, which the members of the invisible church have with Chrift?

A. The communion in glory, which the members of the invifible church have with Chrift, is in this life", immediately after death*, and at last

flfa. 50. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his fervant, that walketh in darknefs and hath no light? let him truft in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. Pfa. 88. throughout.

t Pfa. 77. I. to the 12. verfe. Will the Lord caft off for ever? and will he be favourable no more? Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promife fail for evermore? hath God forgotten to he gracious? hath he in anger fhut up his tender mercies? Cant. 5. 2, 3, 6. I fleep,-I have put off my coat, how fhall I put it, on?-My beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone my foul failed when he fpake: I fought him, but I could not find him; I called

:

him but he gave me no answer Pla. 31. 22. For I faid in my hafte, 1 am cut off from before thine eyes-Pfa. 30. 6, 7. and 51. 8, 12.

v Job 13. 15. Though he flay me yet will I trust in him.-Pfa. 73. 13, 14, 15, 23. Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou haft holden me by my right hand. I John 3. 9 Ifa. 14. 7. to the 11. verfe.

w 2 Cor. 3. 18. But we all with open face beholding as in a glafs, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the fame image, from glory to glory; even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

x Luke 23. 43. And Jefus faid unto him, Verily I fay unto thee, To-day fhalt thou be with me in paradife.

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