Q. 46. What is it to [live unto righteousness]? A. To have our nature fo quickened by the power of grace, as to love and obey the commands of righteousness in our life, Rom. vi. 13. Q41. From whence is it that this death unto fin, and life unto righteousness do fpring? A. They fpring from the virtue that is in the death and refurrection of Chrift to render his mystical members conformable to him in them; That like as Christ was raised up from the dead, by the glory of the Father, even fo we alfo fhould walk in newnefs of life: for, if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be alfo in the likeness of his refurrection, Rom. vi. 4, 5. Q42. Why hath the death and refurrection of Chrift fach a conforming virtue ? A. Because he died and rofe again as a public perfon, Eph. ii. 5, 6. and merited this conformation or fafhioning of his mystical members to his image, Phil. iii. 10. Q43. Wherein confifts the excellency of fanctification ? A. It is the end and defign of our election, Eph. i. 4.; of our effectual calling, 2 Tim. i. 9.; of our justification and deliverance from the law as a covenant, Kom. v. 14and of our adoption, Eph. i. 4, 5.: it is the end both of mercies and croffes, Rom ii. 4. Ifa. xxvii. 9.; and, in a word, it is the end and defign of all the precepts of the law, the promise of the gofpel, and the operation of the Spirit of God. . Q44. Whence arifeth the neceffity of holiness, or fanctification? 3; A. From the holy nature and will of God; for it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy, 1 Pet. i. 16.; and this is the will of God, even our fanctification, 1 Theff. iv. and from the death of Chrift, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himfelf a peculiar people, zealous.of good works, Tit. ii. 14. Q4. For what good end and use is fanctification neceffary? A. Not for juftification before God; but for evidencing our juftification and faith, James ii. 18. It is neceffary for glorifying God, Matth. v. 16. and fhewing forth his praise, 1 Pet. ii. 19.; for adorning the doctrine of God our Saviour, Tit. ii. 1c.; for proving our union to Chrift, John xv. 5, 6.; for promoting inward peace and rejoicing, Pfal. 4 exix. 165. 2 Cor. i. 12., for maintaining fellowship and communion with God. John xiv 21, 23.; for making us meet for heaven, becaufe without holiness no man fhall fee. God, Heb. xii. 14.; for making us ufeful to men on earth, Tit. iii. 8.. for toping the mouth of calumny when we are reproached as evil doers, Pet. iii. 16. Q. 46. What is the meritorious cause of our fanctification? A. The blood of Chrift, Heb. xiii. 12. Wherefore Jefus alfo, that he might fan&ify the people with his own blood, fuffered without the gate. 47. Whence flows the fanctifying or purifying virtue of the blood of Chrift? A. From the atoning virtue thereof, Heb. ix 14. Q. 48. What is the inftrumental caufe of our fanctifi cation ? A. The faith of the operation of God, Acts xv. 9. Q o. What is the examplary cause thereof? A. The copy that Chrift hath caft us by his obedience and f fferings, in fo far as imitable by us, Pet. ii. 21, 22. 9. 51 What are the marks of fanctification? A. A heart refpect to all God's commandments, and loving them becaufe they are holy; a hatred of fin, and avoiding of all ap; earance of evil; a fpirit of watchfulness and warfare against fin; a delight in doing good; a con verfation becoming the gofpel; and an habitual improvement of the blood of Chrift, by faith and prayer, for cleansing from the filth of fin, and of the precious promifes for that end, a Cor. vii. 1 Pet. i 4. 2 Q. 52. What are the chief motives and inducements to fanctification? A. The will of God commanding, 1 Pet. i. 15: the love of Christ constraining, 1 Cor.v. 14.; the dignity of resembl. ing God thereby, Lev. xix. 2.; and the indignity of refembling the devil by the want thereof, John viii. 44. Q3. What should we do to be fanctified? A: We fhould fly to Chrift by faith, touching the hem of his garment for healing and purification, for we are fanctified in Chrift Fefus, 1 Cor. i. 2.; we fhould pray for the Spirit of fanctification, through whom only the deeds of the body can be mortified, Rom. viii. 13.: we fhould af fociate with faints, for he that walketh with the wife, fhall be quife, Prov. xiii. 2c.; affociation begets affimilation: we fhould make a right use of God's word and rod, fabbaths and facraments. 36. QUEST. What are the benefs which, in this life, do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, or fanctification? ANSW. The benefits which, in this life, do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and fanctification, are, affurance of God's love, peace of confcience, joy in the Holy Ghoft, increase of grace, and perfeverance therein to the end. Of ASSURANCE. 2.1. Are not juftification, adoption, and fanctification pregnant with many bleffings? A. Yes; their name may well be called GAD, (Gen. xxx. 11.) for troops of bleffings attend them; fome in this life, fome at death, and the best of all in the life to come. Q. 2. What are the benefits which do flow from them in this life? A There are five of them mentioned in the anfer, namely, affurance of God's love, Rom. v. 5.; peace of confci ence, Rom. v. 1.; joy in the Holy Ghoft, Rom xiv. 17 ; increafe of grace, Prov. iv. 18.; and perfeverance therein to the end, 1 Pet. i. 5. Q3. Which of thefe benefits flow from a fight and fenfe of justification, adoption, and fanctification! A. [Aurance of God's love, peace of confcience, and joy in the Holy Ghoft] 24. Which of them belong to the being of a juftified, adopted, and fanctified state? A [Increase of grace, and perfeverance therein to the end.] Q5. Do all juftified, adopted, and fanctified perfons, enjoy affurance of God's love, peace of confcience, and joy the Holy Ghoft, at all times? A. Though they have them radically in their juftification, adoption, and fanctification, yet they have not always the · fenfible poffeffion of them, but are frequently filled with doubts and fears about their gracious fate, Job xxiii. 8, 9. Ifa. xlix. 14. Q. 6. Whence is it that they who have affurance, peace, and joy in the root, have not always the fenfible poffeffion of thefe benefits? A. This flows fometimes from a fovereign caufe in God, to keep down a spirit of pride after fpecial manifeftations, 2 Cor. xii. 7.; and fometimes from a finful caufe in believers; fuch as, untenderness in their walk, Ifa. lix. 2.; refting upon a manifeftation, Luke ix. 33, 34.; or quenching the kindly motions and operations of the Spirit, Eph. iv. 3c. 27 Whether is it the affurance of fenfe, or the affur. ance of faith, that is mentioned in this anfwer? A. It is the affurance of fenfe, or the fenfible [affurance of God's love]. 28. What is, the difference betwixt the affurance of faith and the afurance of fenfe? A. The object of the affurance of faith is Chrift in the promife, James ii. 23.; but the object of the affurance of fenfe is Chrift formed in the foul, 2 Tim. ii. 12. ; or, which is the fame thing, the affurance of faith is grounded on the infallible word of God, who cannot lie; but the affurance of fenfe upon the person's prefent experience of the communications of divine love. 2. 9. How may affurance of God's love be faid to [accompany or flow from juftification]? A. in fo far as therein we fee his love to us, in pardoning our fins, and receiving us into his favour, Pfal. ciii. 3, 4. Q. ic. How may it be faid to accompany or flow from [adoption]? A. In fo far as therein we fee his love to us, in bringing us into his family, and pitying us, like as a father pitieth his children, Pfalm ciii. 13. 21. How may it be faid to accompany or flow from 【fanctification]? A. In fo far as therein we fee his love to us, in killing our corruptions, and quickening his graces, Rom. vii. 1,14. 2. 12. How do you prove that the fenfible affurance of God's love is attainable? A. From the command to give diligence to attain it, 2 Pet. i. 10. ; and from its being actually attained, by many of the faints; fuch as, Job, chap. xix. 25, 26. David, Pfal. Ixxiii. 26 Paul, 2 lim. iv. 7, 8. and many others. 213. How are the faints brought unto this privilege? A. Sometimes by a track of holy and felf denied diligence in the way of commanded duty, Ifa. xxxii. 17.; and fometimes by the Spirit itfelf, bearing witness with their fpirits, that they are the children of God, Rom. viii. 16, 2. 14. What may afford comfort to a believer, when at any time he loses this affurance? A. That the covenant stands fast with Christ, Pfal. lxxxix. 28. that the love of God, is invariably the fame, Zeph, iii. 17.; and that he will in his own time return with wonted loving kindness, Ifa. liv. 7. 8. Q. 15. What is incumbent on believers for recovering the affurance of God's love, when they have loft the prefent fense of it? A. To be humbled for fin, as the procuring cause of the Lord's departure, Pfal. xl. 12.; to justify God and to condemn themselves, Dan. ix. 7, 8.; and to wait in the exercife of prayer and fafting, for the returns of his love, Ifa. viii. 17. 2. 6. Of what advantage to believers is the affurance of God's love? A. It animates to the practice of every commanded duty, Pfal. cxix. 32.; it fupports under all trials and afflic tions, Pfal. xxiii. 4; and it fills the foul with the love of God because he first loved us, 1 John iv. 19. Q. 17. How may we know if we have the well-grounded affurance of God's love? A. If it flow from faith acted on Chrift in the promise, Eph. i. 13.; if it fill the foul with an humble and holy wondering at the condefcending goodness of God, 2 Sam vii. 18.; and if it beget ardent defires after nearer conformity to God here, and the full enjoyment of him hereafter, Joha iii. 2, 3. 9. 18 What is the difference betwixt a true affurance of God's love, and a falfe and prefumptuous confidence? A. True affurance makes a man more humble and selfdenied, Gal. ii. 19, 28.; but prefumptuous confidence puffeth up with fpiritual pride and felf conceit, 2 Kings x. 15, 16. the one excites to the practice of every commanded duty, Pfal, cxix. 32.; but the other encourages floth and |