A. The Houfe of God; which is the Church of the living God, I Tïm. iii. 15.

Q. How do you prove it, that thofe only who are elected and called, are the true Members of the Church?

A. From Rev. xvii. 14. Thefe fhall make War with the Lamb, and the Lamb fhall overcome them; for he is Lord of Lords, and King of Kings; and they that are with him are called, and chefen, and faithful. And I Pet. i. 1, 2. Peter, an Apostle of Jefus Chrift, to the Strangers fcattered throughout Pontus Galatia, Cappadocia, Afia, and Bythinia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through Sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and fprinkling of the Blood of Jefus Chrift, &c. Rom. viii, 29, 30.

Q. Are they, who are only externally called, the true Members of the Church?

A. No, whilft they never are called by the Work of the Spirit in Conjunction with the Word, and altho' they exercise external Profeffion of Faith, so that they are hardly to be distinguished, yet they are not Members of the true Church.

Q. What Reafon can you give for it?

A. Because they are defcribed as Chaff, Matt. iii. 12. Bad Fish, Matt. xiii. 48. Veffels to Dishonour, 2 Tim. ii. 20. And the Defcriptions of the true Members as good Wheat, the good Fish, the Wife, the Bride of Chrift, his People, Inheritance, Sheep, &c. never can be applied unto them, Rev. xxi. 2. xxii. 17. Matt. i. 21. P. ii. 8. John x. 15.

Q. Why do you call the Church a Chriftian Church? A. Becaufe Chrift alone is the Head of the Church, Eph. i. 22, 23.

Q. Is not the Pope the Head of the Church?

A. No; but the true Antichrift, 2 Thef. ii. 4. 9. 10. Q. What Relation hath Chrift to the Church?

A. He, or the Father in Christ hath chosen them, Eph. i. 5.4.

Q. What doth he more as their Lord?

A. He

A. He gathers them by an effectual calling, 2 Tim. i. 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; whereby we may fee that it is not by our Merit, but out of his meer good. Pleafure, that we are chofen and called.

QOut of what Nation and State hath he called them? A. Out of all Mankind; and alfo out of an Estate of Darkness and Mifery, Col. i. Gal. iii. 28, Rev. v. 9. Q. To what End hath he' called them?

A. ft, To believe in Chrift, Acts xiii. 48. And as many as were ordained to eternal Life believed, Tit. i. r. 2dly, To the Communion of God and his People, i Cor. i. 9. 3dly, to Virtue and Glory, 2 Thef. ii. 14. Q. What are the Means he makes ufe of to call us? A. The Operation of the Spirit in Conjunction with his Word, Jef. lix. 21. 2 Cor. v. 19, 20. And Acts xvi. 14. How the Lord opened the Heart of Lydia when the heard the Apostles.

Q. When did he begin to gather them?

A. From the Beginning, under the Promises of the Law and the Golpel, and will do it to the End of the World, Matt. xxvii. 19, 20. Rev. xxi. 25, 26. Q. What doth be more as their Lord and Proprietor? A. He now defends. and maintains them by his Spirit and Word against all their Enemies, Zach. i. 5, 8. P. xxii. 5. And Matt. xvi. 18. So that the Gates of Hell fhall not prevail against them.

Q. What are the Properties whereby this Church is diftinguished from others?

A. That he is an Only, Holy, Catholick and Chriftian Church.

Q. Why do you call it an Only Church?.

A. Becaufe there is one only Head; for as there is but one Body, fo there is but one true Church, Song. vi. 9. My Dove, my undefiled is but one, he is the only one of her Mother, And Eph. iv. 4. There is one Body

す

and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one Hope of your calling.

Q. Why do you call it Holy?

A. Not because of any external Holiness, or that it is perfect here on Earth; but because it is holy in Chrift by his Spirit, Phil. i. 1. Separated and Sanctified in Chrift to all good Works, Eph. v. 26, 27. Q. Why do you call the Church Catholick?

A. ft, Because it maintains the fame Doctrine which hath been always. 2dly, Because it confifts of all Nations, and is not more confined to any Place, as it was in former Days.

Q. How do you farther diftinguish this Church?

A. As one, wherein true Believers live, and fpiritually fight under Chrift on Earth; and as one, that becomes a triumphant Church afterwards in Heaven, Eph. vi. 12. And Heb. vi. 12, 22, 23

Q. Do they belong to one Congregation?

A. Yes; thefe are a feparated People, who have their peculiar King, Laws, and Privileges, Num. xxiii. 9. Acts v. 13. 2 Cor. vi. 17.

Q. What doth the Catechift further confejs concerning the Church?

4. That he believeth himself to be a living Member of it, as rifen from the Death of Sin. Eph. ii. 5. Whilft Chrift lives in him, Gal. ii. 20. And he lives for Chrift, 2 Cor. v. 15. And alfo a Fellow-Citizen with the Saints, and of the houshold of God, Eph. ii. 19, 22. And that he fhall continue fuch eternally, 2 Tim. i. 12. For I know whom I have believed, and I am perfuaded, that he is able to keep that, which I have committed unto him against that Day.

The 55th Question of the HEIDELBERG CATECHISM.

Q. WHAT do you mean by the Communion of

Saints?

A. ft, That

"A., That all Believers in general, and every e one in particular, have a Communion with Jefus "Chrift, as his Members, and that they partake in

his Riches and in his Gifts. 2dly, That every one ought to know, that he is obliged promptly " and chearfully, to employ all the Gifts, which he has received, to the Profit and Salvation of the other Members."

The 56th Question of the HEIDELBERG CATECHISM.

Q. WHAT do you believe of the Remiffion of Sins?

"A. That in Confideration of the Satis

"faction made by Jefus Chrift, God will no longer "remember my Sins, or my corrupt Nature, against "which I am to fight all my Life long; but that "he graciously gives me the Juftification of Christ "Jefus, that I may never come into Judgment before him."

The 57th Queftion of the HEIDELBERG CATECHISM.

WHAT Comfort does the Refurrection of the
Body give you?

"A. That not only my Soul, upon the leaving "this Life, fhall be immediately carried up to Heaven, to be united to Jefus Chrift, it's Head; but "that my Body alfo being raifed again by the Power "of that divine Redeemer, fhall be re-united to my "Soul, and rendered conformable to the glorious "Body of Jefus Chrift.”

The 58th Queftion of the HEIDELBERG CATECHISM.

Q. AND what Confolation do you receive from the Article of eternal Life?

"A. That

"A. That as at prefent I perceive in my Heart a Beginning of eternal Joy, I fhall after this Lift ་ enjoy that perfect Happiness, which the Eye hath "not feen, or Ear heard, neither hath entered into “ the Heart of Man, to conceive, wherein I fhall praife God to all Eternity."

་་

Q. What Benefits bath the Lord beflowed upon the Church?

A. Very precious and faving Gifts by Grace, Eph. 1.3. Bleed be the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, who hath blessed us with all fpiritual Bleffings in beavenly Places in Chrift. And i Pat. i. 3.

Q. What are the Gifts?

A. Four; of which we receive two in this Life, the Communion of Saints, and the Remiffion of Sins; and two after this Life, the Refurrection of the Body, and eternal Life.

Q. What do you mean by the Communion of Saints? A. Not a bodily, but a spiritual Communion, whilst God (concerning temporals) hath put every one into Poffeffion of their own, forthe good Ufe of which, each one is accountable unto him, Prov. xxii. 2. The Rich and the Poor meet together; the Lord is the Maker of them all.. A&is N. 4. Whilft it remained was it not thin own, and after it was fold was it not in thine own Power. And 2 Cor. xiii. 13.

Q. Doth the Scripture mention a fpiritual Communion? A. Yes. John i. 3. That ye alle may have FellowShip with us; and, truly, our Fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son. Jefus Chrift.

Q. Wherein doth this spiritual Communion consist?

A. In two Things; it, That every one of the true Believers has a Right to partake of Jefus and his faving Grace, and fucceed even as Children unto the Eftate of their Parents, Rom. viii. 17. And if Children, then Heirs, Heirs of God, and joint Heirs with Chrift; if lo be we fuffer with him, that we may be alfo glorified together. 2dly, That every one lays out their

Gifts