Of Effectual Calling.

HAT is effectual Calling?

Quest. 31. W
WHA.

A. Effectual Calling is the Work of God's Spirit, whereby convincing us of our Sin and Mifery, enlightening our Minds in the Knowledge of Christ, and renewing our Wills, he doth perfuade and enable us to embrace Jefus Chrift, freely offered to us in the Gospel.

Q. 1. What makes the Difference between effectual and ineffectual Calling?

A. Ineffectual Calling is when Men have nothing but the external Sound of the Gospel, Mat. xx. 16. For many be called, and few chofen. Effetual is, when the Spirit works in Conjunction with the Word, John vi. 45. It is written in the Prophets, And they shall be all taught of God; every Man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

Q2. What is the firft Act of the Spirit in Effectual Calling?

A. Conviction of Sin, John xvi. 8. And when he is come, be will reprove the World of Sin.

Q. 3. Do the Called of God hear any Voice from Hea

ven?

A. Ordinarily it is a Call without Sound, yet as efficacious as an audible Voice from Heaven.

Q. 4. What is the fecond Act of the Spirit in our Effectual Calling?

A. The Illumination of the Mind in the Knowledge of Chrift, Acts xxvi. 18. To open their Eyes, and to turn them from Darkness to Light, and from the Power of Satan unte God.

Q. 5. In what Things doth it enlighten them?

A. In this, That Chrift is their only Remedy, 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 faved. And their all-fufficient Remedy, Heb. vii. 25. Wherefore he is able alfo to fave them to the uttermoft that come unto God by him.

Q. 6. What is the third Act?

A. His renewing of the Sinner's Will, and making it flexible, Pfal. cx. 3. Thy People shall be willing in the Day of thy Power, Ezek. xxxvi. 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.

Q. 7. Can no Man come to Chrift till thus enabled ?

A. No, it's not in the Power of Man's Nature or Will, till thus renewed and enabled, Eph. i. 19, 20. And what is the exceeding Greatness of his Power to ufward who believe, according to the working of his mighty Power, which he wrought in Chrift, when he raised him from the Dead, and fet him on his own right Hand in the heavenly Places, John vi. 44. No Man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him.

Q. 8. What Sort of Men are most ordinarily called?

A. The poor and mean ones in the World, 1 Cor. i. 26. For ye fee your calling Brethren, how that not many wife Men after the Flefb, not many mighty, not many noble, are called; but God hath chofen the foolish Things of the World to confound the wife; and God hath chofen the weak Things of the World to confound the Things which are mighty.

Q. 9. What is the firft Inftruction from it?

A. Souls effectually called are never loft, Rom. xi. 29. For the Gifts and Calling of God are without Repentance. Q. 10. What is the fecond Inftruction ?

A. All Things co-operate to their good, Rom. viii. 28. For we know that all Things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his Purpose. Q. 11. What is the third Inftruction?

A. It is dangerous to refufe God's Call, Prov. i. 24. Becaufe I have called, and ye have refused, I have stretched out my Hand and no Man regarded.

Q. 12. What is the laft Inftruction ?

A. That Chriftians are obliged to walk fuitable to their heavenly Calling, 1 Thef. ii. 12. That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his Kingdom and Glory.

of

Of the Concomitants of Vocation.

Queft. 32. Wally called partake of in this Life?

HAT Benefits do they that are effectu

A. They that are effectually called do in this Life partake of Juftification, Adoption, Sanctification, and the feveral Benefits which in this Life do either accompany, or flow from them.

Q. 1. Are all that be effectually called, juftified?

A. Yes, God justifies all, and every Soul that obeys and anfwers his Call, Rom. viii. 30. Whom he called, them he aljo juftified.

Q. 2. What other Benefits have the called in this Life? A. They are all the adopted Children of God, Eph. i. 5. Having predeftinated us unto the Adoption of Children, by fejus Chrift unto himself, according to the good Pleafure of his Will.

Q. 3. Are thofe all the Benefits the called receive?

A. No, they are not only juftified and adopted, but also fanctified, 1 Cor. i. 30. But of him are ye in Chrift Jefus, who of God is made unto us Wisdom, Righteoufness, and Sanctification, and Redemption.:

Q. 4. Do these three Bleffings come fingly to the called? A. No, they are all accompanied with Multitudes of other Bleffings flowing from them, Eph. i. 3. Bleed be the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, who hath blessed us with all Spiritual Blefings, in heavenly Places in Chrift.

Q. 5. What are the Mercies flcwing from Juftification ? A. They are great and manifold, Rom. v. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Therefore being juftified by Faith, we have Peace with God, through our Lord Jefus Chrift, by whom alfo we have Accefs by Faith into this Grace wherein we ftand, and rejoice in the Hope of the Glory of God.

.I

Q. 6. What are the Benefits flowing from Adoption?

A. Free Access to God, Eph. iii. 12. In whom we have Boldness and Access with Confidence by the Faith of him. · And a Title to Heaven, Rom. viii. 17. If Children, then Heirs. Q. 7. What Bleffings accompany Sanctification?

A. Union with Chrift, Heb. ii. 11. For both he that fanctifieth, and they who are janctified, are all of one. And Right

to

to the Inheritance, A&ts 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 which are fanctified.

Q. 8. What is the first Lesson from hence?

A. That they are Enemies to their own Souls, who obey not the Gospel-Call, 2 Thef. i. 8. In flaming Fire, taking Vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jefus Chrift.

Q. 9. What is the fecond Leffon from hence?

A. That the Eflate of Believers abounds with fpiritual privileges, 1 Cor. iii. 22, 23. Whether Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the World, or Life, or Death, or Things prefent, or Things to come, all are yours, and ye are Chrift's, and Chrift

is God's.

Q. 10. What is the third Leffon from hence?

A. That all the Believer's Privileges are not in Hope, but fome in Hand, 1 John iii. 1. Behold what Manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the Sons of God.

Q. 11. What is the fourth Leffon ?

A. The greatest Sufferers for Chrift have no Reafon to repent their Call, Rom. viii. 18. For I reckon that the Sufferings of this prefent Time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that fhall be revealed in us.

Q. 12. What is the laft Leffon from hence?

A. That we have infinite Reafon to blefs God for the Gofpel, by which we are called, 2 Thef. ii. 14. Whereunto be called you by our Gospel.

Quest. 33.

Of Fuftification.

HAT is Juftification?

WH

A. Juftification 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 Chrift imputed to us, and received by Faith alone. Q. 1. What are the Parts of Juftification?

A. It confifts of two Parts: First, the Pardon of Sin, A&ts xiii. 39. And by him all that believe are jußified from all H Things

Things from which ye could not be juftified by the Law of Mofes Secondly, The Acceptation of our Perfons as righteous, Rom. v. 1, 2, 3. Therefore being juflified by Faith, we have Peace with God, through our Lord Jefus Chrift, by whom alfo we have Accefs by Faith into this Grace wherein we ftand, and rejoice in Hope of the Glory of God.

Q. 2. Whofe Act is it to justify Sinners?

A. It is the Act of God alone, Rom. viii. 33. It is God that juftifth. Man's juftifying of himself is nothing, Luke xvi. 15. And he faid unto them, Ye are they which justify your felves before men, but God knoweth your Hearts; for that which is highly efteemed among ft Men, is Abomination in the Sight of God, Nor other Mens juftifying of us, Rev. iii. 1. I know thy Works, that thou kat a Name to love, and art dead.

Q3. Is there any Thing in Man to merit his Juftification?

A. No, it is an Act of Free-Grace in God, Rom. iii. 24. Being juftified freely by his Grace, through the Redemption which is in Jefus Chrift.

Q. 4. If it be not for any inherent Righteousness, how then?

A. It is for the Righteoufnefs of Chrift imputed to us, Rom. iv. 6. Even as David alfo defcribeth, the Blefjedness of the Man unto whom God imputeth Righteoufnefs without Works. Q5. How is Chrift's Righteoufnefs made ours?

A. By Application of it to us by Faith, Gal. ii. 16. Knowing that a Man is not justified by the Works of the Law, but by the Faith of Jejus Chrift, even we have believed in Jefus Chrift, that we might be juftified by the Faith of Chrift, and not by the Works of the Law; for by the Works of the Law fall no Flesh Le juftified.

Q. 6. Is it not partly by Chrift's Righteoufnefs, and partly our own ?

A. No: by Chrift's Righteoufnefs, without any Mixture of ours, Rom. iii. 28. Therefore we conclude, that a Man is juftifed by Faith without the Deeds of the Law.

Q.7. But doth not James Jay otherwife, Jam. ii. 14. What doth it profit, my Brethren, though a Man, fays he, hath Faith, and have not Works, Can Faith fave him?

A. The two Apoftles contradict not one another. Paul

fpeaks