How Doth the Spirit Apply to Us the Redemption Purchased by Christ?

Answ. The Spirit applieth to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ, in our effectual calling.

Q* Wrhat is the general end and fruit of Christ’s undertaking, Incarnation, offices, and states, with respect to his people? A. Their eternal redemption.

Q. What call you their redemption? A. Their

deliverance from all evil, and possession of all happiness.

g. Why is our redemption said to be purchased £ M 2

A. Because Christ gave the price of his blood for it. Q. Have we by nature any interest in this redemption? A. No j we are without God in the worlds Eph. ii. 12. Q^ Are we by nature inclined, or able to receive an interest in it?

A. No j vie forsake our own mercy, Jonah ii. 8. O. How then do we become sharers of redemption? A. We are by God made partakers of it, Isa. lv. 3, 4» O How are we made partakers of it? A. By the application of it to us, Isa. lxi. 10. Ezek. xxxvi. 25, — 31.

Q. What do you understand by the application of redemption? A. The making of it ours in possession.

££ ir* what do the purchase and application of redemption differ? A. The purchase is Christ’s work without us, and is the cau-e; the application takes place upon and in us, and is the effect of the purchase.

O. When 0<d Christ’s redemption begin to be applied? A. Soon after the fall of Adam, Gen. iii. 15. O. Kow was redemption applied before Christ purcha* sed it by his death? A. It was applied upon the credit of Christ’s engagement to purchase it in due time.

Q. Can we pros t by Christ’s purchase, if it is not ap~ plied? -A. No; no more than by buying food and

cjoaths, &c. without using them, Heb. ii. 3. and iv. 2.

Qj Plow was the application of redemption typified of old? A. By the sprinkling of the blood of the sacrii’ce upon the people, Hsb. ix. 13, l4.#Exod. xxiv, &.c.. Q. What are the different kinds of the application of redemption? A. An outward application of it in bap-

%i»m, and an effectual application of it, 1 Pet. iii. 21. Q* Can the outward application alone do us good? A. No *, for it changeth not our nature or state. Q. What is an effectual application of redemption? A. That which giveth us a real and actual share of it. O. Who is the effectual appiier of redemption? A. The Holy Spirit, John xvi. 14. Q. Do not the Father and Son also apply it? A. Yes ‘y but they do so by the Holy Ghost, John xvi* Q. Why is the appiier of redemption called the Hu/ij Ghost? A. He is holy in himself*, and it is his office to make us holy, in applying redemption to us.

£J. Why is he called the Spirit of Christ? A. He

proceeds from Christ *, and Christ purchased his coming, and sends him to apply redemption to us, John xvi. 7.

Q. Did Christ purchase the Holy Spirit? A. Christ purchased the Spirit’s gifts and influences in applying redemption *, but not his being, which is independent.

O. To whom doth the Spirit apply redemplion?

A. To the elect only, for whom only it was purchased.

Q. How doth he apply it to converted infants?

A. Immediately by himself without the word.

Q. How doth he apply it to such as have the use of reason?

A. By means of the wTord of God, Psalm ex. 2, 3.

Q. What doth that teach us? A. To cry, that

God’s word may, by his Spirit, be made effectual for our salvation, Psalm cxix. 18. 2 Thess. ii. 13. and iii. 1.

(X How doth the Spirit apply redemption to us?

A; By uniting us to Christ, in whom it is lodged.

Q. To whom are v e by nature united? A. To

the first Adam cs fallen, Rom. v. 12. I Cor. xv. 22.

Q. By what bond are we united to him?

A. By the bond of the broken covenant of works.

Q. How is our union to fallen Adam, and to the law, the devil, the world, and our lusts, dissolved? A. By our spiritual marriage and union to Christ, Rom. vii. 4’.

Q. To what of Christ doth the Spirit unite us?

A. To his person, Rom. vii. 4. Isa. liv. 5.

Q* Why cannot we share of redemption without union to Christ’s person? A. Because all the blessings of redemption are lodged in his person, and received with him.

Q. What do you understand by union to Christ?

A. Our being joined to, or made one with him.

Q. Doth this union make believers one essence or indi-’ vidual person with Christ? A. No; Rev. iii* 20.

Q. How then doth it make Christ and believers ONE?

A. It makes them one body mystical, of which he is the head, and they are the members, 1 Cor. x-ii. 12.

Q. How can we be united to Christ, when his human-nature is in heaven, and we on earth?

A. We are united to his person, which is every where.’

Q^ Doth this union unite us- to- the other persons in trie Godhead y A. Yes; in and through Christ, John xvii.

Q. Is there any other union between Christ and his Ms

people, besides this mystical union? A. Yes; there is

also a legal union, or union in law, Isa. Liii. 4, 5, 6.

Qj What call you the legal union? A. That which is between Christ as a surety and his elect seed.

Q. What is the connection of these two unions?

A. The legal union is the foundation of the mystical*

Q. Wherein dolh this legal and mystical union differ?

A. In their order of nature and time, in relation of the parties united, and in the bonds of union.

Q. How do they differ in their order of nature and time? A. The legal union is the cause, and was made

up from all eternity but the mystical is the effect, and is made up in the moment of conversion, Rom. vii. 4.

Q. How do they differ in the relation of the parties united? A. In the legal union, the elect, as bankrupt dyvours, are united to Christ as surety; but in the mystical union, the elect, as Christ’ ys purchased bride, are united to him as their husband and head of influence.

O. What are the bonds of the legal union? A. God’s, everlasting love, and covenant transaction with Christ.

Qj What are the bonds of the mystical union?

A. The Spirit on Christ’s part, and faith on our part*

Q. Wherein doth Christ come near us, in order to make up the mystical union?

A. In the gospel, Rom. x. S.

Q. On whose side doth the uniting work begin f*

A.* On Christ’s side, not en ours, 1 John iv. 19.

£h How doth it begin? A. Christ’s Spirit, by the word, enters into our heart, and takes hold of it in his name, Psalm ex. 2, 3. Acts xxvi. 17, 18.

Q. Can our soul give the Spirit any actual welcome, when he first enters our heart?

A No •, our soul is then quite dead in sin, and can da no good thing., Eph. ii. 5.

Q. What is the immediate effect of the Spirit’s entering into our soul? A. He quickens us, forming faith, and all his other graces, in our heart, Eph. ii. 1, — S, 22,

Q. How can the word be a mean of our first quickening in regeneration, when we have no faith to receive it?

A. The Spirit, as he in the word enters our heart, Ives faith much in the same way as God created the world, by speaking to nothing, and calling it into being and existence, Eph. ii. 5. Rom. iv. 17.

Q. What is the immediate effect of the Spirit’s quickening us? A. We believe the quickening word of the gospel-promise, and receive Christ in it, 1 Thess. ii. 13.

Q. At what ‘time doth the Spirit enter into, and quicken the souls of the elect?

A. At the time fixed in the decree of election and covenant of grace, Ezek. xvi. 8.

Qj Whether are we united to Christ as saints or as sin«» ners? A. In the very uniting act we are changed

from sinners to saints, Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27.

Qj What of a believer is united to Christ?

A. His whole man, soul and body, 1 Cor. vi. 15, 19.

Q. What are the properties of this union which the Spirit makes up between Christ and his people?

A. It is a real, spiritual, mystical, close, and indissolvable union.

Q^Why call you it a real unien? A. Because believers are as truly united to Christ, as the members of our natural body to the head, 1 Cor. xii. 12. John xvii. 21.

Q/Why do you called it a spiritual union?

A. Because he that is joined to Christ is one Spirit with him, 1 Cor. vi. 17. £

‘Qj. How are believers one spirit with Christ?

A. The same spirit dwells in both ‘, and they have the same mind in them that was in Christ Jesus, Phil. ii. 5.

Qj Why is it called a mystical union?

A. Because it is so wonderful, and full of mysteries.

O. What are some of the mysteries in this union?

A. Hereby Christ lives and dwells in believers; and they live in, and on, and walk in Christ, and dwell in God, &c. Gal. ii. 20. John xv. and xVii.

Q. How is it a close and intimate union?

A. It is closer than all unions among natural things, and like the union of Christ with his Father, John xvii. 21. Q. Why is it called an indissolvable union P

A. Christ and believers can never be separated, nor the bonds of their union be broken, John x. 28.

Q. How is the Spirit an inviolable bond of union?

A. He never departs from believers after his entrance into their hearts John xiv. 16. Isa. lix. 21.

Q. How is our faith an inviolable bond of union?

A. The Spirit preserves its habit from ever failing, and influences it to acts in time of need, Luke xxii. 32.

Q. Whether does the habit or act of faith bind the soul to Christ? A. Both; but chiefly the habit.

Q. What is the mystical union compared to in scripture? A. To the union between husband and wife, head and members, root and branches, foundation and building.

£X How doth this mystical union resemble the union of husband and wife? A. The marriage union is voluntary, and gives each an interest in the other, and whatever belongs to them so is the union between Christ and believers, Isa. lxii. Ezek. xvi. Song ii. 16.

Q. How doth it resemble the union of root and branches?

A. The root bears the weight of, and gives sap to the branches; so doth Christ to believers, John xv.

Q. How doth it resemble the union between head and members? A. The head governs, and gives light and.

life to the body •, so doth Christ to believers.. Q. How doth it resemble the union of foundation and building? A. The foundation supports the building j.

so doth Christ the believer, 1 Cor. iii. 11. Isa. xxviii. 16. Q. How are those who are united to Christ ordinarily called? A. Believers, saints, godly, righteous, ckc.

Q. Why are they called believers? A. Because they credit or believe God’s word, and live by faith, Gal. ii. 20. Q. Why are they called saints? A. Because they

are made holy in heart and life, 2 Pet. i. 4. Isa. lxii. 12.

Q. Why are they called godly $ A. Because they

fear God, and study to be like him, Matth. v. 48.

Q. Why are they called righteous? A. Because they are clothed with Christ’s righteousness, and study to practise what is just and righteous, 1 John iii. 7.

Q^How ought saints to improve their union to Christ? A. In studying holiness, and intimate fellowship with Christ, Rom. vii. 4, 6. John xvi.

Q^What ought sinners to do with respect to it? A. To lament over their union to Satan, the law, and their lusts, and seek after a speedy marriage with Christ.