excluding none that will come unto him c. Q. 64. What is the invifible church? A. The invifible church is the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one under Chrift the head d, Q. 65. What special benefites do the members of the invi fible church enjoy by Cbrift. A. The members of the invifible church, by Chrift, enjoy union and communion with him in grace and Glory e. Q. 66. What is that union which the elect have with Chrift? A. The union which the elect have with Chrift is the work of God's grace f, whereby they are fpiritually and myftically yet really and infeperably, joined to Chrift as their head and husband g; which is done in their effectual for the work of the miniltry, for theedifying of the body of Chrift. Mark 16.15.And hefaid untothem, goye into all theworld,and preach the gospel to every creature., 16, He that believeth and is baptized, fhallbefaved; but he that believeth not fhall be damned. c John 6.37. All that the Father giveth me, thall come to me; and him that cometh to me, I will in no wife caft out. 64.dEph. 1.10. That in the difpen fation of the fulness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Chrift, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, evenin him.v. 22. And hath put all thingsunder his feet,and gave him to be the head overall thingstothe church, ".23.Whichishisbody, the fulnels of him that filleth all in all. John 1.16. And otherfheep I have, which are not of this fold: them alfo mult I bring,andthey fhall hear my voice; and there fhall be one fold,andonefhepherd. John. 11.52. And not for that nation only, but that alfo he fhould gather together in one, the children of God that were fcattered abroad. 65.e John 17.21. That they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee; that they alle cal may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou haltsent me. Eph. 2. 5.Even when we were dead in fins, hath quick ned us together with Chrift,(bygrace yeare faved.) v. 6. Andhathraifedusup together, and madeus fit together in heavenly places, in Christ Jefus, John 17. 24.Father, I will that they allo whom thou haft given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory which thou haft given me: for thou lovedft me before the foundation of the world. 66 f Eph. 1.22. And hath put all thingsunder his feet, and gave him to be thehead over all things tothe church. Eph. 2. 6. And hath raised us up together,and hath madeusfit togetherinheavenly places,in Chrift Jefus.v.7.That in the agesto come he might fhewtheexceeding riches ofhis grace,inhis kindness towards us, through Chrift Jefus. v. 8 For by grace are ye faved, through faith: and that not of your felves; it is the gift of God, g1 Cor.6, 17.Buthe thatisjoined unto the Lord, is one fpirit. John 10. 28 And I gave untothemeternal life,and they fhall never perifh neither thall any pluck them outof my hand, Eph. 5. 2b. For thehusband is theheadofthewife,even as calling h. A. Effectual calling is the work of God's Almighty power and grace i,whereby (out of his free and efpecial love to his elect, and from nothing in them moving him thereunto k) he doth in his accepted time invite and draw them to Jefus Chrift, by his word and spirit; favingly enlightning their minds, 67.1 John 5.25. Verily, verily I fay unto you, The hour is coming, and nowis,whenthe dead fhall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear fhall live. Eph. 1,18. The eyes of yourunderstandingbe, ing enlightned; that ye may know what isthe hope of his calling; and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the faints: v. 19. And what is the exceeding great nels of his power to us-ward,who believe,according to the working of his mighty power.,20. Which he wrought in Chrift, when he raifed him from the dead,and fet him at his own righthandinthe heavenly places. 2. Tim. 1.8 Be not thou therefore afhamed of the teftimony of our Lord,nor of me his pri. foner, but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the golpel,according to the power of God; v. 9. Who hath faved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Chrift Jefus,before the world began. k Tit.3.4.Butafter that thekind nefs& love of God our Saviour toward man appeared. v. 5. Not by works of righteoufnefs which we have done, but according to his mercy he faved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the holy Gholt. Eph, 2. 4.But God, who is rich in mercy,for his great love wherewith he loved us, v. 5, Even when we were dead in fins, hath quiekned us together with Chrift (by grace ye are faved). 7, That in the ages to come he might fhew the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness toward, us, through Chrift Jefus, v.8. For by grace ye are faved,thro' faith; and that not of yourselves: It is the gift of God. ".9. Not of works, left any man fhould boaft, Rom, 9. 11, For the children being not yet born,neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might ftand, not of works, but of him that calleth, 12 Cor. 5. 20, Now then we are ambaffadors for Chrift,as tho'God did befeech you by us; we pray youin Chrift's ftead,be yereconciledtoGod. Comparedwith2 Cor.6.1 Wethen as workers together with him, beseech you alfo, that ye receive not thegrace of God in vain, , 2. For he faith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of falvation have I fuccoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, nowis the day of falvation, John 6. 44. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath fent me draw him; and I will raise himupatthe laft day. 2 Theff.2 13 minds m, renewing and powerfully determining their wills n fo as they (altho' in themselves dead in fin) are hereby made willing and able freely to anfwer his call, and to accept and embrace the grace offered and conveyed therein o. Q. 68. Are the elect only effectually called? A. All the elect, and they only, are effectually called p; although others may be and often are outwardly called by the miniftry of the word 9, and have fome common operations of the spirit r; who, for their wilful neglect and But we are bound to give thanks alway toGod for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord,becaufeGodhath from the beginning chofen you to falvation, through fanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth: v.14. Whereunto he called you by our gofpel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jefus Chrift. m Acts 26.18. To opentheireyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan untoGod,that theymayreceiveforgivenefs of fins, and an inheritance among themwhich are fanctifiedby faith that is in me. 1 Cor.2.10. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God. v.12. Now we have received, not the fpirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. n Ezek. 11. 19. I will give them one heart, and i will put a newfpirit within you: and I will take the ftony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh. Ezek. 36.26. A new heart alfo will I give you, and a new fpirit will I put within you, and 1 will take away the ftony heart out of your flesh, and I will giveyou anheart of fleth. 7.27. And I will put mySpirit within you, and caufe you to walk in my ftatutes, and ye fhall keep my judgments, and do them. John 6.45. It is written in the prophets, And they fhall be all taught of God, Every man therefore that hath con heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. o Eph.2.5. Even when we were dead in fins, hath quickned us together with Chrift, (by grace ye are faved.) Phil. 2. 13. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleafure. Deut. 30. 6. And the Lord thy Godwill circumcife thineheart, and the heart of thy feed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy foul, that thou mayeft live. 68, p Acts 13.48.And when the Gentiles heard this, they wereglad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life, believed. q Mat. 22. 14. For many are called, but few are chofen. r Mat. 7. 22. Many fhall fay to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophefied in thyname? and in thy name have caft outdevils? & in thy name have done many wonderful works? Mat. 13. 20. But he that received the feed into ftony places, the fame is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy re ceiveth it: v. 21. Yet hath he not root in himfelf, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation orperfecution arifeth because of the word, by and by he is offended. Heb. 6. 4. For it is impoffible for thofe who were once enlightned, and have tafted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the holy Ghost, v.5. And have talt. ed contempt of the grace offered to them, being juftly left in their unbelief, do never truly come to Jefus Christ f. Q. 69. What is the communion in grace, which the members of the invifible church have with Chrift? A. The coummunion in grace, which the members of the invifible church have with Chrift, is their partaking of the vertue of his mediation, in their juftification t, adoption v, fanctification, and whatever else in this life manifefts their union with him w. Q. 70. What is justification? A. Juftification is an act of God's free grace unto finners , in which he pardoneth all their fin, accepteth and ac.. counteth ed the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,*v. 6 If they fhall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance. John 12.38. That the faying of Efaias the prophet might be fulfil led, which he fpake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?, 39. Therefore they could not believe,becaufethat Efaias faid again. v. 49. He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should notfee with their eyes, nor understand with their heart,and be converted, and Ifhould heal them.Acts 28. 25. And when they agreed not among themfelves,they departedafter,that Paul had fpoken one word, Well fpake the holyGhoft by Efaias the prophet,untoouriathers,v.26 fay ing, Go unto this people, and fay, Hearing ye fhall hear,and fhall not understand; andfeeing ye fhall fee, and not perceive, v. 27. For the heart of this peopleiswaxed grofs, and their ears, are dull of hearing, and their eyes have theyclosed; left they fhould fee with their eyes,and hear with their ears,and underftand with their heart,andfhould be converted, and I fhould heal them, John 6. 64. But there are fome of you that believe not. For Jefus new from the beginning,whothey were that believed not, and who fhould betray him, v. 65. And he faid, Therefore laid Iunto you,that no man can come unto me,except it were given unto him of my Father. Pla). 81. 11. But my people would not hearken to my voice: and Ifrael would none of me.v.12. So I gave them up unto their own hearts lufts; and they walked in their own counfels. 69. tRom,8.30.Moreover,whom he did predeftinate, them he allo called: and whom he called, them he allo juftified; and whom he ju ftified, them he alfo glorified. v Eph. 1.5, Hving predeftinated us untothe adoption of childrenby Jefus Chrift to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. w I Cor, 1,30. But of him are ye in Chrift Jefus, who of God is made unto us wildom,& righteousness, and fanctification,and redemption, 70. XRom,3.22.Even the righteoufnefs of God which is by faith of Jefus Chrift unto all, and upon all them that believe; for there is no difference. 7.24.Being juftified freely by his grace, through the redemption thatis in Jefus Chrift; v, 25, Who,God hath fet forth to be a propitation through faith in his blood,to declare his righteoufnefs for the remiflion of fins that are past, through the forbearance of counteth their perfons righteous in his fight y; not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them Z, but only for the perfect obedience and full fatisfaction of Christ, by God imputed to them a, and received by faith alone b. Q. 71. How is justification an act of God's free grace? A. Although Christ, by his obedience and death, did make a proper, real, and full fatisfaction to God's justice in the behalf of them that are justified c; Yet in as much as God * of God. Rom.4.5. But to him that a Rom. 5. 17. For if by one worketh not, but believeth on him mansoffence,death reignedbyone; that juftifieth the ungodly,hisfaith much more they which receive ais counted for righteoufnels. bundance of grace, and of the gift of righteoufnels fhall reign in life by one, Jefus Chrift. v. 18. Therefore as by the offence of one, judg ment came upon all men to con demnation; even fo by the righte oufnefs of one, the free gift came upon all men unto juftification of life. v. 19. For as by one mans dilobedience many were made finners: fo by the obedience of one, fhallmanybemaderighteous. Rom. 4.6. Even as David alfo defcribeth the bleffedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteoufnefs without works, v. 7. Saying, bleffed are they whofe iniquities are forgiven, and whofe fins are cove red. v. 8. Bleffed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute fin. y 2 Cor. 5. 19. To wit, that God was in Chrift,reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trefpaffes unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation, 7, 21. For he hath madehim to befin for us, whoknew no fin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Rom. 3. 22. Even the righteoufnefs of God which is byfaithof Jefus Chrift unto all,and upon all them that believe; for there is no difference, v. 24. being juftified freely by his grace,throughthe redemption that is in Jefus Chrift: v. 25. Whom God hath fet forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to declarehis righteoufnefs for the remiffion of fins that are past, through the forbearance of God. v. 27. Where is boafting then? it is excluded. By what law? of works? nay; but by the law of faith. v. 28. Therefore we conclude, that a man is juftified by faith without the deeds of the law. z Tit.3.5, Not by works of righteoufnefs,which we have done,but according to his mercy he faved us by the washing of regeneration, & renewing of the holy Ghoft. * v.7. That being juftified by his gracewe fhould be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Eph.1.7.In whomwehave redemption through his blood, the forgivenefs of fins, accordingto theriches of his grace. b Acts 10. 43. To him give all the prophets witnefs,that through his name whofoever believeth in him,fhall receive remiffion of fins. Gal. 2. 16. Knowing that a man is not juftified by theworksof thelaw, but by the faith of Jefus Chrift, even we have believed in Jefus Chrift; that we might be juftified by the faith of Chrilt, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law fhall no flesh be juftified. Phil. 3. 9. And be found in him,not having mine own righteoufnefs which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Chrift, the righteousness which is of God by faith. 71. c Rom. 5.8. But God commend. |