voice of Christ himself, and not of men, 1 Thess. i. 5. and ii. 13.

Queft. 16. How can we believe it is the voice of Chrift himself in the offer, when Christ is now in heaven, and we hear no voice from thence ?

Anfw. The voice of Chrift, founding in his written word, is more fure than a voice from heaven itself, 2 Pet. i. 18, 19.; and it is this voice of Chrift in the word, that is the ftated ground of faith, Rom. i. 16, 17.

Queft. 17. How is Christ offered in the gospel ?
Anfw. Freely, as well as fully, Rev. xxii 17.
Queft. 18. To whom is he offered ?

Anfw. To Us finners of mankind, as fuch, Prov. viii. 4.

Queft. 19. Have we any natural inclination to embrace the gofpel-offer?

Anfw. No we must be perfuaded thereunto,

2 Cor. v. 11.

Queft. 20. Will moral fuafion, or arguments taken from the promises and threatnings of the word, perfuade any to embrace Chrift?

Anfw. No the enticing words of man's wisdom will not do; nothing lefs will be fufficient, than the demonftration of the Spirit, that fo our faith may not ftand in the wifdom of men, but in the power of God, 1 Cor. ii. 4, 5

Queft. 21. Have we any ability of our own to believe in Chrift, or embrace him?

Anfw. No: we must be enabled thereunto by the Spirit of faith, 2 Cor. iv. 13.

Quelt. 22. By what means doth the Spirit perfuade and enable us to embrace Chrift?

Anfw. By CONVINCING us of our fin and mifery, INLIGHTNING our minds in the knowledge of Chrift, and RENEWING our wills.

Quest. 23. What is the object of conviction, or, what are we convinced of ?

Anfw. Of

.

Anfw. Of our fin and mifery, Acts ii. 37. Queft 24. What fin doth the Spirit convince us of? Anfw. Both of original and actual fin, particularly of unbelief, Mark vii. 21. John xvi. 9.

Queft. 25. What is the mifery he convinces us of? Anfw. Of the mifery of lofing communion with God; and being under his wrath and curse, in time, and through eternity, 2 Cor. vi. 14, 15. Ifa xxxiii. 14. Queft. 26. How doth the Spirit convince of fin and mifery?

Anfw. By the law, Rom. iii. 20. By the Law is the knowledge of fin particularly, by the law precept, is the knowledge of the evil nature of fin; and by the law-threatning, the knowledge of the guilt and defert of it.

Queft 27. In what capacity doth the Spirit convince of fin?

Anfw. As a spirit of bondage working fear, Rom. viii. 15.

Queft. 28. Have all had an equal measure of conviction, who have been perfuaded to embrace Chrift? Anfw. No: fome have had more, and fome lefs, Acts ix. 6. and xvi. 14.

Queft. 29. What measure of conviction is needful? Anfw. Such a measure as to let us fee, that we are finners in heart and life, loft and undone under the curfe, and utterly unable to recover ourselves, as being legally and morally dead, Rom. vii. 9.

Queft. 30. Why is such a measure of conviction neceffary?

Anfw. Because, otherwife, we can never see the need we ftand in of Chrift, as a Saviour, either from fin or wrath, Matth. ix. 12, 13.

Queft. 31. In what fenfe is fome meafure of conviction neceffary?

Anfw. Not as a condition of our welcome to Chrift, nor a qualification required in us, to warrant us to believe on him, but as a motive to excite us to make

ufe

ufe of our privilege of free access unto him, Hof. xiv. 1. Matth. xi. 28.

Quest. 32. Have not some been under deep legal convictions, and yet never effectually called?

Anfw. Yes: Judas went to hell under a load of this kind of conviction, Matth. xxvii. 3, 4, 5.

Queft. 33. Is not the INLIGHTNING of the mind, in the knowledge of Chrift, necessary to the embracing of him?

Anfw. Yes: for, how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? Rom. x. 14.

Queft. 34. What is the fubject of this illumination? Anfw. The mind or understanding, which is the eye of the foul, Eph. i 18. The eyes of your underftanding being inlightned, etc.

Queft. 35. What is the object of illumination, or that wherein we are inlightned?

Anfw. In the knowledge of Chrift, Phil. iii. 8. Queft. 36. Who is the author of faving illumination in the knowledge of Chrift?

Anfw. The holy Spirit; who is therefore called, the Spirit of wifdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, Eph. i 17.

Queft. 37. What cafe is the mind in, before it be inlightned by the Spirit?

Anfw. In grofs darkness and ignorance, as to the things of the Spirit of God, 1 Cor. ii. 14. Eph. v. 8. Queft. 38. What is it in Chrift, that the Spirit inlightens the mind in the knowledge of?

Anf. In the knowledge of his perfon, righteoufnefs, offices, fulness, etc. John xv. 26. fays Chrift of the Spirit, He fhall teftify of me.

Queft. 39. What are the diftinguishing properties of faving illumination?

Anfw. It is of an humbling, fanctifying, tranfforming, and growing nature, Job xlii. 5, 6. John xvii. 17. 2 Cor. iii. 18. Hof. vi. 3.

Quest. 40.

Queft. 40. What is the neceffity of this illumination, in order to the embracing of Chrift?

Anfw. Because, without it, there can be no difcerning of his matchlefs excellency, inexhauftible fufficiency, and univerfal fuitableness, without which there can be no comfortable embracing of him, Pfal. ix. 10. They that know thy name, will put their truft in thee.

Queft. 41. By what means doth the Spirit inlighten the mind in the knowledge of Chrift?

Anfw. By the means of the gospel, Rom. x. 17. Queft, 42. Doth not the RENEWING of the will accompany the illumination of the understanding? Anfw. Yes: when the Lord fball fend the rod of his ftrength out of Zion, there fhall be a willing people in the day of power, Pfal. cx.. 2, 3:

Queft. 43. Wherein confifts the renovation of the will?

Anfw. In working a new inclination and propenfity therein to good, and a fixed averfion to that which is evil, Ezek. xxxvi. 26.

Quest. 44. Doth the Spirit use any violence or compulfion, upon the will, in the renovation thereof ?

:

Anfw. No he makes us willing in the day of his power, Pfal. cx. 3.

Queft. 45. What is the natural difpofition of the will before it be renewed?

Anfw. It is wicked and rebellious, full of enmity against Chrift, and the way of falvation through him, Jer. xvii. 9. John v. 40.

Queft. 46. Can any man change, or renew, his own will?

Anfw. No more than the Ethiopian can change his fkin, or the Leopard his fpots, Jer. xiii. 23. Quest. 47. What neceffity is there for renewing the will, in order to the embracing of Chrift? Anfw. Because, till this be done, the natural ILL

WILL, that is in finners againft Chrift, in ALL his offices, will be retained, 2 Cor v. 17.

Quest. 48. Wherein appears the ill-will which finners bear unto Chrift as a Prophet?

Anfw. In the conceit of their own wifdom, and flighting the means of inftruction, Prov. i. 22. and xxvi. 12.

Quest. 49. How do they manifeft their averfion to him as a Priest?

An/w. In going about to establish their own righteousness, and refufing to fubmit themfelves unto the righteoufnefs of God, Rom. x. 3.

Queft. 50. How do they manifeft their oppofition to him as a King?

Anfw. In their hatred of holinefs, love to fin, and faying, upon the matter, concerning him, We will not have this man to reign over us, Luke xix. 14. Queft 51. What may we learn from the doctrine of effectual calling?

Anfw. That the gifts and calling of God are without repentance: that all things work together for good,---to them that are the called according to his purpose ; and that it is our duty to walk worthy of God, who bath called us unto his kingdom and glory, Rom. xi. 29. and viii. 28. 1 Theff. ii. 12.

32. QUEST. What benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this life? ANSW. They that are effectually called, do in this life, partake of juftification, adoption, fanctification, and the feveral benefits, which, in this life, do either accompany or flow from them.

Queft. I. In what respects are they, who are effectually called, the happicft perfons on earth?

Anfw. In