prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you; except ye be reprobates. 2 Cor. 13. 5.

Q. Was the apostle earnest, that this inward birth of Christ should be brought forth in any?

A. My little children, of whom I travail in birth again, until Christ be formed in you. Gal. 4. 19.

Q. What saith the same apostle, of the necessity of this inward knowledge of Christ, and of the new creature beyond the outward?

A. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh; yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore

if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold all things are become new. 2 Cor. 5. 16, 17.

But ye have not so learned Christ; if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: that ye put off, concerning the former conversation, the old man which is corrupt, according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Eph. 4. 20, 21, 22, 23, 24.

Q. Is this Christ within, the mystery of God and hope of glory, which the apostle preached?

A. To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is, Christ in you the hope of glory, whom we preach. Col. 1. 27, 28.

Q. Doth the apostle any where else press the putting on of this new birth?

A. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. Rom. 13. 14. Q. Doth he write to any of the saints, as having put off the old, and put on the new man?

A. For as many of you as have been baptised into Christ, have put on Christ. Gal. 3. 27.

Seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in know

ledge after the image of him that created him. Col. 3. 9, 10.

Q. What speaketh Christ himself, of the necessity of this new birth?

A. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3. 3.

Q. Of what seed cometh this birth?

A. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 1 Pet. 1. 23.

Q. What doth the apostle Paul witness of himself concerning this new life?

A. I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. Gal. 2. 20.

Q. What is the preaching of the cross of Christ?

A. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish, foolishness; but unto us that are saved, it is the power of God. 1 Cor. 1. 18.

Q. What effect hath this cross in the apostle? And how much preferreth he the new creature, to all outward and visible ordinances and observances?

A. But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world: For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. Gal. 6. 14, 15.

Q. What speaketh Christ of the unity of the saints with him?

A. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. John 14. 20.

Abide in me, and I in you; as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me: I am the Vine, ye are the branches; he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing. John 15. 4, 5.

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe in me through their word: that they all may be one; as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe

that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me. John 17. 20, 21, 22, 23.

Q. What saith the apostle Paul to this purpose?

A. For both he that sanctifies, and they that are sanctified, are all of one; for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren. Heb. 2. 11.

Q. What saith the apostle Peter?

A. Whereby are given unto us, exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 2 Pet. 1. 4.

CHAPTER V.

Concerning the light wherewith Jesus Christ hath enlightened every man: the universality and sufficiency of God's grace, to all the world, made manifest therein.

Q. Wherein consists the love of God towards fallen and lost man?

A. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3. 16.

In this was manifested the love of God towards us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 1 John 4. 9.

Q. What is intended here by the world? all and every man, or only a few?

A. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. Heb. 2. 9.

And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2. 1, 2.

Q. Methinks the apostle John is very plain there, in mentioning the whole world, which must be not only the saints, but all others, seeing he distinguishes the world from himself, and all the saints to whom he then wrote: What saith Paul elsewhere in this matter?

A. Christ in you, the hope of glory, whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. Col. 1. 27, 28.

I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men : for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 1 Tim. 2. 1, 3, 4, 6. Q. What is the apostle Peter's testimony in this?

A. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

2 Pet. 3. 9.

Q. Are there any more scripture passages that prove this thing.

A. Say unto them, as I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Ezek. 33. 11.

The Lord is gracious, and

anger, and of great mercy.

full of compassion; slow to The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works. Psalm 145. 8, 9.

To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself. 2 Cor. 5. 19.

Q. Seeing then by these scriptures, it appears that the love of God is held out to all, that all might have been, or may be, saved by Christ; what is to be judged of those who assert, that God nor Christ never purposed love nor salvation to a great part of mankind, and that the coming and sufferings of Christ never were intended, nor could be useful to their justification; but will and must be effectual for their condemnation, even according to God's purpose; who from their very infancy to their grave, with

held from them all means of salvation? What saith the scripture to such?

A. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. John 3. 17.

I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me, should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not; for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. John 12. 46, 47.

Q. From what scripture then came these men to wrest an opinion so contrary to truth?

A. For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of him that calleth, it was said unto her, the elder shall serve the younger; as it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. Rom. 9. 11, 12, 13.

Q. I perceive in that scripture it was only said, before the children were born, the elder shall serve the younger; these other words (Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated) are mentioned out of the prophet Malachi, who wrote them many hundred years after both were dead: doth not the scripture mention any other cause of God's hating Esau, than merely his decree? What saith the same apostle elsewhere?

A. Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birth-right: for ye know how that afterward when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected. Heb. 12. 16, 17.

Q. But seeing that such allege, that it is because of Adam's sin, that many, even children, are damned; doth not the scripture aver, that the death of Christ was as large to heal, as Adam's sin could be to condemn ?

A. For if through the offence of one, many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man Jesus Christ. Therefore as by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. Rom. 5. 15, 18. Q. That proves abundantly, that Christ's death is of