CHAPTER XII
Of Adoption
All those that are justified, God vouchsafeth, in and for His only Son Jesus Christ, to make partakers of the grace of adoption: by which they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children of God, have His name put upon them, receive the spirit of adoption, have access to the throne of grace with boldness, are enabled to cry, Abba, Father, are pitied, protected, provided for, and chastened by Him as by a father; yet never cast off, but sealed to the day of redemption, and inherit the promises, as heirs of everlasting salvation.
Eph. i. 5; Gal. iv. 4, 5; Rom. viii. 17, John i. 12; Jer. xiv. 9; 2 Cor. vi. 18; Rev. iii. 12; Rom. viii. 15, Eph. iii. 12; Rom. v. 2, Gal. iv. 6; Ps. ciii. 13; Prov. xiv. 26; Matt. vi. 30, 32; 1 Peter v. 7; Heb. xii. 6; Lam. iii. 31; Eph. iv. 30; Heb. vi. 12; 1 Pet. i. 3, 4; Heb. i. 14.
CHAPTER XIII
Of Sanctification
They who are effectually called and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them, are further sanctified, really and personally, through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection, by His Word and Spirit dwelling in them: the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed, and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified; and they more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces, to the practice of true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.
1 Cor. vi. 11; Acts xx. 32; Phil. iii. 10; Rom. vi. 5, 6; John xvii. 17; Eph. v. 26; 2 Thess. ii. 13; Rom. vi. 6, 14; Gal. v. 24; Rom viii. 13; Col. i. 11; Eph. iii. 16, 17, 18, 19; 2 Cor. vii. 1; Heb. xii. 14.
II. This sanctification is throughout, in the whole man; yet imperfect in this life, there abiding still some remnants of corruption in every part: whence ariseth a continual and irreconcilable war; the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.
1 Thess. v. 23; 1 John i. 10; Rom. vii. 18, 23; Phil. iii. 12; Gal. v. 17; 1 Peter ii. 11.
III. In which war, although the remaining corruption, for a time, may much prevail; yet through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate part doth overcome; and so, the saints grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Rom. vii. 23; Rom. vi. 14; 1 John v. 4; Eph. iv. 15, 16; 2 Pet. iii. 18; 2 Cor. iii. 18; 2 Cor. vii. 1.
CHAPTER XIV
Of Saving Faith
The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls, is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts; and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word: by which also, and by the administration of the sacraments, and prayer, it is increased and strengthened.
Heb. x. 39; 2 Cor. iv. 13; Eph. i. 17,18, 19; Eph. ii. 8; Rom. x. 14, 17; 1 Pet. ii. 2; Acts xx. 32; Rom. iv. 11; Luke xvii. 5; Rom. i. 16, 17.
II. By this faith, a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word, for the authority of God Himself speaking therein; and acteth differently upon that which each particular passage thereof containeth; yielding obedience to the commands, trembling at the threatenings, and embracing the promises of God for this life, and that which is to come. But the principal acts of saving faith are accepting, receiving, and resting upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace.
John iv. 42; I Thess. ii. 13; 1 John v. 10; Acts xxiv. 14; Rom. xvi. 26; Isa. lxvi. 2; Heb. xi. 13; 1 Tim. iv. 8; John i. 12; Acts xvi. 31; Gal. ii. 20; Acts xv. 11.
III. This faith is different in degrees, weak or strong; may be often and many ways assailed, and weakened, but gets the victory; growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance through Christ, who is both the author and finisher of our faith.
Heb. v. 13, 14; Rom. iv. 19, 20; Matt. vi. 30; Matt. viii. 10; Luke xxii. 31, 32; Eph. vi. 16; 1 John v. 4, 5; Heb. vi. 11, 12; Heb. x. 22; Col. ii. 2; Heb xii. 2.
Of Adoption
All those that are justified, God vouchsafeth, in and for His only Son Jesus Christ, to make partakers of the grace of adoption: by which they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children of God, have His name put upon them, receive the spirit of adoption, have access to the throne of grace with boldness, are enabled to cry, Abba, Father, are pitied, protected, provided for, and chastened by Him as by a father; yet never cast off, but sealed to the day of redemption, and inherit the promises, as heirs of everlasting salvation.
Eph. i. 5; Gal. iv. 4, 5; Rom. viii. 17, John i. 12; Jer. xiv. 9; 2 Cor. vi. 18; Rev. iii. 12; Rom. viii. 15, Eph. iii. 12; Rom. v. 2, Gal. iv. 6; Ps. ciii. 13; Prov. xiv. 26; Matt. vi. 30, 32; 1 Peter v. 7; Heb. xii. 6; Lam. iii. 31; Eph. iv. 30; Heb. vi. 12; 1 Pet. i. 3, 4; Heb. i. 14.
CHAPTER XIII
Of Sanctification
They who are effectually called and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them, are further sanctified, really and personally, through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection, by His Word and Spirit dwelling in them: the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed, and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified; and they more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces, to the practice of true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.
1 Cor. vi. 11; Acts xx. 32; Phil. iii. 10; Rom. vi. 5, 6; John xvii. 17; Eph. v. 26; 2 Thess. ii. 13; Rom. vi. 6, 14; Gal. v. 24; Rom viii. 13; Col. i. 11; Eph. iii. 16, 17, 18, 19; 2 Cor. vii. 1; Heb. xii. 14.
II. This sanctification is throughout, in the whole man; yet imperfect in this life, there abiding still some remnants of corruption in every part: whence ariseth a continual and irreconcilable war; the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.
1 Thess. v. 23; 1 John i. 10; Rom. vii. 18, 23; Phil. iii. 12; Gal. v. 17; 1 Peter ii. 11.
III. In which war, although the remaining corruption, for a time, may much prevail; yet through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate part doth overcome; and so, the saints grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Rom. vii. 23; Rom. vi. 14; 1 John v. 4; Eph. iv. 15, 16; 2 Pet. iii. 18; 2 Cor. iii. 18; 2 Cor. vii. 1.
CHAPTER XIV
Of Saving Faith
The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls, is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts; and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word: by which also, and by the administration of the sacraments, and prayer, it is increased and strengthened.
Heb. x. 39; 2 Cor. iv. 13; Eph. i. 17,18, 19; Eph. ii. 8; Rom. x. 14, 17; 1 Pet. ii. 2; Acts xx. 32; Rom. iv. 11; Luke xvii. 5; Rom. i. 16, 17.
II. By this faith, a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word, for the authority of God Himself speaking therein; and acteth differently upon that which each particular passage thereof containeth; yielding obedience to the commands, trembling at the threatenings, and embracing the promises of God for this life, and that which is to come. But the principal acts of saving faith are accepting, receiving, and resting upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace.
John iv. 42; I Thess. ii. 13; 1 John v. 10; Acts xxiv. 14; Rom. xvi. 26; Isa. lxvi. 2; Heb. xi. 13; 1 Tim. iv. 8; John i. 12; Acts xvi. 31; Gal. ii. 20; Acts xv. 11.
III. This faith is different in degrees, weak or strong; may be often and many ways assailed, and weakened, but gets the victory; growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance through Christ, who is both the author and finisher of our faith.
Heb. v. 13, 14; Rom. iv. 19, 20; Matt. vi. 30; Matt. viii. 10; Luke xxii. 31, 32; Eph. vi. 16; 1 John v. 4, 5; Heb. vi. 11, 12; Heb. x. 22; Col. ii. 2; Heb xii. 2.
