water and of the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.[1]
CHAPTER V.
On the Necessity of Preparation for Justification, in the case of Adults, and whence it proceeds.
[This synod] furthermore declares, that, in adults, the beginning of the said Justification is to be taken from the preventing[2] grace of God, through Jesus Christ, that is to say, from His vocation, by which, without the existence of any merits on their parts, they are called; that so they, who through sins were turned away from God, may, through His quickening and assisting grace, be disposed to turn themselves unto their own justification, by freely assenting to, and co-operating with that said grace: so that, while God toucheth the heart of man by the illumination of the Holy Ghost, neither is man himself utterly inactive while he receives that inspiration, inasmuch as he is also able to reject it; yet is he not able, without the Grace of God, by his own free will to move himself unto justice in His sight. "Whence, when it is said in the sacred writings: Turn ye unto me, and I will turn unto you,[3] we are admonished of our liberty: when we answer; Turn thou us, O Lord, unto thee, and we shall be turned,[4] we confess that we are prevented by the grace of God.
CHAPTER VI.
The Manner of Preparation.
Now they are disposed unto the said justice, when, quickened, and assisted by divine grace, conceiving faith byhearing,[5] they are freely moved towards God, believing those things to be true which have been divinely revealed and promised, and this especially, that the impious is justified of God by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus;[6] and when, understanding themselves to be sinners, they, through the fear of divine justice, whereby they are profitably agitated by turning themselves to consider the mercy of God, are raised unto hope, trusting that God will be propitious to
