Two Short Catetchisms

Q. 1. How come we to have this saving faith? A. It is freely bestowed upon us and wrought in us by the Spirit of God, in our vocation or calling. John vi. 29, 44; Eph. ii. 8, 9; Phil. i. 29; 2 Thess. i. 11. Q. 2. What is our vocation, or this calling of God? A. The free, gracious76 77 act of Almighty God, whereby in Jesus Christ he calleth and translateth us from the state of nature, sin, wrath, and corruption, into the state of grace and union with Christ, by the mighty, effectual working of his Spirit in the preaching of the Word. Col. i. 12, 13; 2 Tim. i. 9; Deut. xxx. 6; Ezek. xxxvi. 26; Matt. xi. 25, 26; John i. 13, iii. 3, 8; Eph. i. 19; Col. ii. 12; 1 Cor. iv. 7; James i. 18; 2 Pet. ii. 20; Acts xvi. 14. Q. 3. What do we ourselves perform in this change, or work of our conversion? A. Nothing at all, being merely78 wrought upon by the free grace and Spirit of God, when in ourselves we have no ability to any thing that is spiritually good. Matt. vii. 18, x. 20; John i. 13, xv. 5; 4871 Cor. xii. 3, ii. 5; 2 Cor. iii. 5; Eph ii. 1, 8; Rom. viii. 26; Phil. i. 6. Q. 4. Doth God thus call all and every one? A. All within the pale of the church are outwardly called by the Word, none effectually but the elect. Matt. xxii. 14; Rom. viii. 30.