this life perfect in any a, but growing up to perfection b. Q. 78. Whence arifeth the imperfection of fanctificationin believers ? A. The imperfection of fanctification in believers arifeth from the remnants of fin abiding in every part of them, and the perpetual luftings of the flesh against the fpirit; whereby they are often foiled with temptations, and fall into many fins c, are hindred in all their fpiritual fervices d, and their beft works are imperfect and defiled in the fight of God e. 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 fate of grace? A. True believers, by reafon of the unchangeable love of God, righteoufnefs:for he is a babe.v. 14. But ftrong meat belongeth tothem that are of full age,even those who byreafonofulehave theirfenfes exercifed todifcernbothgoodandevil. a 1 John 1.8. And if we fay that we have no fin, we deceive our felves, and the truth is not in us. v.10. If we fay that we havenotfinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. b 2 Cor. 7: 1. Having therefore thefe promises, (dearly beloved)let us cleanfe ourselves from all filthi nefs of the flesh and fpirit, perfectingholinefsinthefearofGod. Phil,3. 12. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after,if that I may apprehend that for which alfo I am apprehended of Christ Jefus, v. 13. Brethren, I count not my felf to havé apprehended: but this, one thing I do,forgetting thofe things which are behind, and reaching forth unto thole things which are before, v. 14. I prefs towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Chrift Jefus. 78. cRom.7.18.For I know that in me, (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is prefent with me, but how to perform that which is good,I find not. v. 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. Mark 14.66. to the end. And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high prieft, &c. Gal.2.11. But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. v. 12. For before that certaincame from James, he did eat with the Gentiles; but when they were come, he withdrew, and separated himfelf, fearing them which were of the circumcifion. d Heb. 12. 1. Wherefore, feeing we alfo are compaffed about with fo great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay afide every weight, and the fin which doth fo easily befet us, and let us run with patience the race that is fet before us. e Ifa. 64. 6. But we are all as an unclean thing,and all our righte oufneffes 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. And it fhall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Ifrael fhall hallow in all their holy gifts: and it fhall be always upon his forehead, that they may be ac cepted before the Lord. 79. f Jer. Godf, andhis decree and covenant to give them perfeveranceg, theirinfeparableunion with Chrift h, his continuall interceffion for them i, and the spirit and feed of God abiding in them k. can neither totally nor finally fall away from the ftate of grace but are kept by the power of God thro' faith unto falvation, Q. 80. Can true believers be infallibly affured that they are in the estate of grace,and that they shall perfevere therein unto Salvation? A. Such as truly believe in Chrift, and endeavour to walk in all good confcience before him n, may, without extraordinary revelation, by faith grounded upon the truth of God's promises,and by the spirit enabling them to difcern in them 79. f Jer. 31. 3. The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, faying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee. g2 Tim.2.19.Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth fure, having this feal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Chrift depart from iniquity. Heb. 13.20. Now the God of peace,that brought again from the dead our Lord Jefus, that great fhepherd of the sheep,through the blood of the everlasting covenant, v. 21. Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleafing in his fight, through Jefus Chrift; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Sam. 23. 5. Although my houfe be not fo with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and fure for this is all my falvation, and all my defire,although he make it not to grow. 2 hi Cor.1.8.Who fhall alfo confirm you unto the end,that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jefus Chrift. v. 9. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto thefellowship ofhis Son Jefus Christ our Lord. i Heb.7.25.Wherefore he is able felves alfo to fave themto the uttermoit: that; come unto God byhimseeing he ever lievethtomakeinterceffion for them. Luke22. 32. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not and when thou are converted, ftrengthen thy brethren. k John 3. 9.Whofoeveris born of God, doth not commit Sin; for his feed remainethin him and he cannot fin, because he is born of God. 1 John 2. 27. But theanointing,which ye hath received of him abideth in you: and ye need not that any man teach you: but asthe fame anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie: and even as it hath taught you, ye fhall abide in him. 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 fhall never perish,neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. m1 Pet. 1.5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto falvation, ready to be revea◄ led in the laft time. 80. n 1 John 2. 3. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 03 • 1 Cor. felves thofe graces to which the promises of life are made o, and bearing witness with their Spirits that they are the children of God P, be infallibly affured that they are in the estate of grace, and fhall perfevere therein unto falvation 9, Q. 81. Are all true believers at all times affured of their prefent being in the estate of grace, and that they shall be faved? A. Affurance of grace and falvation not being of the effence of faith r, true believers may wait long before they obtain it f; and, after the enjoyment thereof, may have it weakned and intermitted, thro' manifold diftempers, fins, temptations o 1 Cor. 2. 12. Now we have received, not the fpirit of the world, but the fpirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 1 John 3.14.We know that we havepaffed from death unto life, because we love the brethren: he that loveth not his brother, abideth in death. 7,18. My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue,but in deed and in truth. v. 19. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and fhall affure our hearts before him. v. 21. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not,then we have confidence towards God. v. 24. And he that keepeth hiscommandments, dwelleth in him, and he in him and hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the spirit which he hath given us, 1 John 4. 13. Hereby we know that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. v. 16. 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, Heb. 6. 11. And we defire, that every one of you do fhew the fame diligence, to the full affurance of hope unto the end: v.12. That ye be not flothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promiles. p Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit itself beareth witnefs withourSpirit,that we are the children of God. q1John5.13. These thingshave written unto you,that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 81. r Eph. 1, 13. In whom ye al fo trufted after that ye heard the word of truth, the golpel of your falvation: in whom alfo after that ye believed, ye were fealed with that holy fpirit of promife. flfa.50.1o. 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 trust in the Lord, and Itay upon his God. Pfal.88.throughout. v. 1. O Lord God of my falvation, I have cried day and night before thee. v.2. Let my prayer come before thee; incline thine car unto my cry. v.3. For my foul is full of trouble: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.---v. 6. Thou haft laid me in the lowest pit, in darknefs,in the deeps. v.7, Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah..9. Mine eye mourneth by reafon of affliction: Lord I have called daily upon thee, I have ftretched out my hands unto thee. v.10. Wilt thou fhew wonders to the dead?-v. 13. But unto thee have I cried, O Lord, and in the morning fhall my prayer prevent thee. v. 14. Lord, why cafteft thou off ptations and de fertions t: Yet are they never left without fuch prefence and fupport of the spirit of God, as keeps them from finking into utter defpair v. Q.82. What is the communion in glory, which the members of the invifible church have with Chrift? A. The communion in glory which the members of the invisible church have with Chrift, is in this life w,immediately off my foul? why hideft thou thy face from me? v. 15. I am afflicted and ready to die, from my youth up, while I fnffer thy terrors, I am diftracted,&c. t (Pfal. 77. 1. to the 12. verfe.) v. 1. I cried unto thee with my voice: even unto God with my voice, and he gave ear unto me. v. 2. In the day of my trouble I fought the Lord: my fore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refufed to be comforted. v. 3. I remembredGod,and was troubled: I complained, and my fpirit was overwhelmed.-.---v. 7. will the Lord caft off for ever? and will he be favourable no more? &c. Cant. 5. 2. I fleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh,faying, Open to me, my fifter, my love, my dove, my undefiled for my head is filled with dew,and my locks with the drops of the night, v. 3. I have put off my coat, how fhall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how fhall I defile them? v. 6. I opened to my beloved,but my beloved had with drawn 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 anfwer. Pfal. 51, 8. Make me to hear joy and gladness. That the bones which thou haft broken, may rejoice: v. 12. Reftore unto me the joy ofthy falvation,and upholdme with thy free fpirit. Pfal. 31. 22. For I faid in my hafte 1 am cut off from beforethine eyes, neverthelefs thou heardit the voice of my fupplications, when I cried unto thee Pfal.22. 1. My God, myGod, why halt thou forfaken me? why art thoufo farfrom helping me,and from the words of my roaring? v.1 John. 3. 9.Wholoeverisborn of God, doth not commit fin; for his feed remaineth in him: and he cannot fin becaufe, he is born of God. Job 12. 15. Though he flay me, yet will I truft in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. Pfal. 73. 15. Ifi fay, I will speak thus: behold, I should offend againftthe generation of thy children.. 23. Nevertheless, I am continually with thee: thou bat holden me by my right hand. Ha. 54, 7. For a fmall moment have I for faken thee, but with great mercics will I gather thee.. 8. In a little wrath I hide my facefromthee for a monent; but with everlasting kindnefs will I have mercyonthee, faith the Lord thy redeemer..9. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: For as I have fworn that the waters of Noah fhould nomore go over the earth; so have I sworn thatI would notbewroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. 7. 10. For the mountains fhalldepart,andthe hills fhall be removed, but my kindne's fhall not depart from thee,neither fhall the covenant of my peace be removed, faith the Lord that hath mrecy on thee. 82.w2 Cor. 3. 18. But we all with open face,beholding as in a glass, the glory of the Lord are changed into the fame image, from glory to glory, even as by the spirit of the Lord, 0 4 * Luke ately after death x, and at last perfected at the refurrection and day of judgment y. Q.83. What is the communion in glory with Chrift, which the members of the invifible church enjoy in this life? A. The members of the invifible church have communica ted to them, in this life, the firft-fruits of glory with Chrift, as they are members of him their head, and fo in him are in terested in that glory which he is fully poffeffed of z; and as an earnest thereof, enjoy the fenfe of God's love a, peace of confcience, joy in the holy Ghoft, and hope of glory b As, on the contrary, fenfe of God's revenging wrath, horror of confcience, and a fearful expectation of judgment, are to the wicked the beginning of their torments, which they shall endure after death c. Q. 84. Shall all men die? A. Death being threatned as the wages of fin d, it is ap pointed unto all men once to die e; for that all have finned f xLuke23.43. And Jefus faid unto him, Verily I fay unto thee, To day fhalt thou be with me in paradife. yi Theff. 4.17. Thenwe which are alive, and remain, fhall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and fo fhall we ever be with the Lord, 83 z Epb. 2. 5,Even when we were dead in fins, hath quickned us together with Chrift,(by grace ус are faved )v.6. And hath raised us up together, and made us fit together in heavenly places,in Chrift Jefus. a Rom. 5. 5. And hope maketh not afhamed,becaufe the love of God is thed abroad in ourhearts,by the holy Ghoft which is given un to us. Compared with 2 Cor.1.22. Who bath alfo fealed us,& given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. b Rom.5.1.Therefore being ju, fified by faith, we have peace with God thro our Lord Jefus Chrift. .. By whom alle we have accefs byfaith into this grace wherein we fond, and rejoice in hope of the Q..85. glory of God.Rom.14.17.For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink,but righteoufnefs, and peace and joy in the holy Gholt. c Gen.4.13.And Cain faid unto the Lord, My punishment isgreater than I can bear. Mat.27.4.Saying, I have finned,in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they faid, What is that to us? fee thou to that. Heb. 10. 27. But a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries: Rom. 2.9. Tribulation & anguifh upon every foul of man that doth evil, of the Jew, first and also of the Gentile. Mark 9.44. Where there wormdieth not, and the fire is not quenched, 84.d Rom.6. 23. For the wages . of fin is death;but the gift of God it eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. e Heb.9. 27.! .And asit is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. f Rom. 5.12. Wherefore,asbyone man fin entred into the world,and death by fin;and fo death palled us pon all men,for that allhavefinned 85. g 1 Cor.. |