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62d Q.-Are we thus justified by our own righteousness?

A. We can have no righteousness of our own as creatures; but by the new birth, or regeneration, we are made one with Christ, as the branch with the vine; so that his obedience and righteousness, his death, sufferings, and victory, become ours, not by an outward imputation, but by a real inward participation of his divine nature and righteousness; by which as we are sanctified, so are we justified.

Isaiah Ixiv. 6. We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnessés are as filthy rags.

John xv. 4. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine: no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5. 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 xvii. 20. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word: 21. That they all may be one, as thou Father, art in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in

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1 John ii. 29. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

Rom. v. 17. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace, and of the gift-of righteousness, shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. 19. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners; so by the obedience of one, shall many be made righteous.

Rom. x. 3. For they [Israel] being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

1 Cor. i. 30. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteous. ness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31. That according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

2 Cor. v. 21. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Titus iii. 5. Not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit; 6. Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.

63d Q.-Should not the soul press after a further attainment in holiness, notwithstanding it may have known its sins forgiven?

A. Certainly it should, for though, in the state already described, it becomes a child of God, yet that state is comparable to infancy, in which the soul is inexperienced.in the many snares and wiles of the enemy; but if it maintain the watch and persevère in its. course, it will, after many conflicts and probations, arrive at the state of a young man in Christ, and obtain the victory over the wicked one.

1 John ii. 12. I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.

Mark xiii. 37. What I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch.

1 Cor. ix. 24. Know ye not that they which run in a race, run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run that ye may obtain. 25. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things: Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.

Phil. iii. 8. I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things. 11. If by any means I might attain to the resurrection of the dead: 12. Not as though I had already attained; either were already perfect. 13. But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14. I press toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

2 Peter iii. 17. Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. 18. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Eph. vi. 10. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

1 John ii. 14. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

64th Q.-May not the soul which thus obtains the victory over sin, attain to a state of perfection, or freedom from sin ?

A. Yes, for as the soul advances to a state of maturity in Christ, righteousness or holiness becomes, as it were, the element in

which it lives; the contrary nature and spirit which once had the dominion, and brought ́ it under condemnation, being crucified and slain, Christ reigns unrivalled in the heart, and it is sanctified and made perfect according to its present capacity; "yet doth this perfection still admit of a growth; and there remaineth always in some part a possibility of sinning, where the mind doth not most diligently and watchfully attend unto the Lord."*

Rom. vi. 18. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. 20. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 22. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness.

2 Cor. vii. 1. Dearly beloved, Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Eph. iv. 11. And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists: 12. For the perfecting of the saints : 13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

Col. i. 21. And you that were sometime alienated, and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled, 22. In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable, and unreprovable in his sight. 27. 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: 28. Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

Barclay's Apology, Prop. viii. (8th edit. p. 241.))

Matt. v. 48. Be

ye

therefore perfect, even as your

Father which is in heaven is perfect.

1 Thess. v. 23. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Peter v. 10. The God of all grace who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 11. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever, Amen.

65th Q.-Is it possible for those who have been renewed by the grace of God that brings salvation, finally to fall away from it?

A. Yes; we are therefore exhorted to make our calling and election sure; for if, through unwatchfulness, any fall away after they have tasted of the heavenly gift, and been made partakers of the Holy Spirit; they make shipwreck of faith; and the relapsed state of such is more hopeless than their first unconverted state.

1 Cor. ix. 27. I keep under my body and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast-away.

2 Peter ii. 20. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome; the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

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