Q. 4. What means doth the Spirit use in applying Christ ?
A. The external means he makes use of, is the ministry of the gospel ; 1 Cor. iii. 5. Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed ?
Q. 5. Is this sufficient of itself .?
-/. No, the blessing and power of the Spirit must accompan}^ it, or Christ cannot be apphed \ 1 Thess, i. 5, 6. For our gospel came
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not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance, as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.
Q. 6. To whom doth the Spirit apply Christ ? A. To those that were given him of the Father before the world was; Acts xiii. 48. And as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. Johnxiv. 17. Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot re- ceive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him ; but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Q. 7. Is the application of Christ to a soul finished at once ?
A. Though the first act of faith unites the soul to Christ, yet it is a continued act ; 1 Pet. ii. 4. To whom coming, as unto a Hving stone.
Q. 8. What learn we from hence ?
A. What a destitute thing the soul is that is out of Christ ; Rev. iii. 18. Because thou sayest I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing ; and knowest not that thou are wretched and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.
Q. 9. What else doth it teach us ?
A. The riches and dignity of believers. Christ and all his purcha- ses are theirs ; 1 Cor. iii. 22, 23. Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Ce- phas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come ; all are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's.
Q. 10. What else doth it teach us ?
A. The righteousness of God in the destruction of all unbelievers; John V. 40. Mark xvi. 16. He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved ; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Of our Union with Christ
Quest. 30. iioW doth the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ ?
A. By worh'mgjmth in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.
Q. 1. Can none have saving benefit by Christ, but such as are united to him ?
A. No, for as Adam's sin could not hurt us, except we liad been in him ; so Christ's redemption cannot profit us, except we are in him; 1 Cor. i. 30. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, afid sanctification, and redemption.
Q. 2. What are the bonds of this union ?
A. The Spirit on God's part; 1 John iii. 24. And he that keepeth his commandments, dwelleth in him, and he in him; and hereby we know thg^t he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given
11)2 AN EXPOSITION OF THE ASSEMBLY'S CATECHISM*
US. And faith on our part: Eph. iii. 17. That Christ may dwell ill jour hearts by faith.
Q. 3. What is the first property of this union?
A. It is an intimate union ; Eph. v. 30. For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
Q. 4. What is the second property •'*
J. It is an union never to be dissolved ; Rom. viii. 35, 88. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ? Shall tribulation, or dis- tress, or persecution, famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword ? For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor princi- palities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Q. 5. What is the third property of this union ?
A. It makes Christ, and all that he hathpurchased, become ours; I Cor. iii. 22, 23. AH are yours, and ye are Christ's ; and Christ is God's.
Q. 6. What is the fourth property of this union ?
A. It is the foundation and root of all our spiritual and acceptable obedience ; John xv. 4. 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.
Q. 7. What is the first inference from hence ?
A. That saving grace in the saints is immortal, being secured to them in and by Christ ; Col. iii. 3. Your life is hid with Christ in God.
Q. 8. What is the second inference ^
A> That the relation between Christ and believers is very near and intimate ; Eph. v. 30. For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
Q. 9. What is the third inference .?
A, That believers need not be afraid to go down to the grave ; Rom. viii. 38, 39. For I am persuaded, that neither death nor life, — nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. And this union holds after death ; Mat. xxii. 31, 32. But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob ? God is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living.
Q. 10. W^hat is the fourth inference .?
A. That in wronging and persecuting the saints, men wrong and persecute Christ himself; Acts ix. 4. And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Q. 11. What is the fifth inference?
A. That in relieving and refreshing the saints, we relieve and re- fresh Christ himself; Matth. xxv. 35, 36. For I was an hungered,
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ftnd ye gave me meat ; and I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink ; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me ; I was sick, and ye visited me ; I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Ver. 40. Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto mc.
Q. 12. What is the last inference.?
A. That there is a sympathy in Christ, under all the pressures and grievances of his people; Heb. iv. 15. We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but wa» in all points tempted like as we arc, yet without sin.
Of Effectual Calling.
Quest. 31. ?T HAT is effectual calling.?
A. Effectual calling is the icork of God's Spirit, •where!??/ convinc^^ ingus of' our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the know- ledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade aiid enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel.
Q. 1. What makes the difference between effectual and ineffectual calling ?
A. Ineffectual calling is, when men have nothing but the external sound of the gospel ; Matth. xx. 16. For many be called, but few chosen. Effectual is, when the Spirit works in conjunction with the word ; John vi. 45. It is written in the prophets, iVnd they shall be all taught of God ; every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.