Difficulties Associated With Articles Of Religion Among Particular Baptists

46 2 LONDON BAPTIST CONFESSION 1689 giving to them a heart of flesh189; renewing their wills, and by His almighty power determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ190; yet so as they come most freely, being made willing

by His grace191.

2. This effectual call is of God’s free and special grace alone, not from anything at all foreseen in man, nor from any power or agency in the creature192, being wholly passive therein, being dead in sins and trespasses, until being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit193; he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it, and that by no less power than that which raised up Christ from the dead194.

3. Elect infants dying in infancy are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit195; who works when, and where, and how He pleases196; so also are all elect persons, who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word.

4. Others not elected, although they may be called by the ministry of the Word, and may have some common operations of the Spirit197, yet not being effectually drawn by the Father, they neither will nor can truly come to Christ, and therefore cannot be saved198: much less can men that do not receive the Christian religion be saved; be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature and the law of that religion they do profess199.

11. Of Justification 1. Those whom God effectually calls, he also freely justifies200, not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous201; not for anything wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ’s sake alone202;3 not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing Christ’s active obedience 189 Ezek. 36:26 190 Deut. 30:6; Ezek. 36:27; Eph. 1:19 191 Deut. 30:6; Ezek. 36:27; Eph. 1:19 192 2 Tim. 1:9; Eph. 2:8 193 1 Cor. 2:14; Eph. 2:5; John 5:25 9 Eph. 1:19, 20 194 Eph. 1:19, 20 195 John 3:3, 5, 6 196 John 3:8 197 Matt. 22:14, 13:20,21; Heb 6:4,5 198 John 6:44,45,65; 1 John 2:24,25 199 Acts 4:12; John 4:22, 17:3 200 Rom. 3:24, 8:30 201 Rom. 4:5-8, Eph. 1:7 202 1 Cor. 1:30,31, Rom. 5:17-19