Q. 60. Can they who have never heard the gospel, and so know not Jesus Christ, nor believe in him, be saved by their living according to the light of nature? A. They who, having never heard the gospel, know not Jesus Christ, and believe not in him, cannot be saved ", be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature, or the laws of that religion which they profess; neither is there salvation in any other, but in Christ 60. Rom. x. 14. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? °2 Thess. i. 8. In flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Ver. 9. Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the him not. glory of his power. Eph. ii. 12. That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. John i. 10. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew Ver. 11, He came unto his own, and his own received him not. Ver. 12. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. P John viii. 24. I said therefore unto you, that, ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. Mark xvi. 16. He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 91 Cor. i. 20. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? Ver. 21. For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. Ver. 22. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: Ver. 23. But we preach Christ crucified, unto the. Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; Ver. 24. But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. : r John iv. 22. Ye worship yé know not what we know what we worship; for salvation is of the Jews. Rom. ix. 31. But Israel," which followed after the. law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Ver. 32. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law for they stumbled at that stumbling-stone. Phil. iii. 4. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If. any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Ver. 5. Circum cised the eighth dry, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benja niin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Ver. 6. Concerning zeal, persecu ting the church; touching the righ K teousness Christ alone, who is the Saviour only of his body the church'. Q. 61. Are all they saved who hear the gospel, and live in the church? A. All that hear the gospel, and live in the visible church, are not saved; but they only who are true members of the church invisible". Q. 62. What is the visible church? A. The visible church is a society made up of all such as in all ages and places of the world do profess the true religion", and of their children *. teousness which is in the law, blameless. Ver. 7. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ, Ver. 8. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, Ver. 9. And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. Acts iv. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. Eph. v. 23. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 61. John xii. 38. That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Ver. 89. Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, Ver. 40. He hath blinded their Q. 63. What eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. Rom. ix. 6. Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect: for they are not all Israel which are of Israel. Mat. xxii. 14. For many are called, but few are chosen. Mat. vii. 21. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Rom. xi. 7. What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded. W 62. 1 Cor. i. 2. Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. 1 Cor. xii. 13. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. Rom. xv. 9. And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy, as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the t Q. 63. What are the special privileges of the visible church? A. The visible church hath the privilege of being under God's special care and government; of being protected the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. Ver. 10. And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. Ver. 11. And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. Ver. 12. And again Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in him shall the Gentiles trust. Rev. vii. 9. After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands. Psal. ii. 8. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Psal. xxii. 27. All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. Ver. 28. For the kingdom is the Lord's: and he is the governor among the nations. Ver. 29. All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him; and none can keep alive his own soul. Ver. 30. A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. Ver. 31. They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this. Psal. xlv. 17. I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever. Mat. xxviii, 19. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Ver. 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Isa. lix. 21. As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord, My Spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever. X1 Cor. vii. 14. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. Acts ii. 39. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Rom. xi. 16. For if the first-fruit be holy, the lump also holy; and if the root be holy, so are the branches. Gen. xvii. 7. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. 63. Y Isa. iv. 5. And the Lord will create upon every dwellingplace of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a fla ming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence. Ver. 6. K 2 And tected and preserved in all ages, notwithstanding the opposi tion of all enemies; and of enjoying the communion of saints, the ordinary means of salvation, and offers of grace by Christ to all the members of it in the ministry of the gospel, testifying, that whosoever believes in him shall be saved, and excluding none that will come unto him. 7 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day-time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain. 1 Tim. iv. 10. For therefore we both labour, and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, especially of those that believe. 2 Psal. cxv. 1. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but-Ver. 2. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? &c. Ver. 9. O Israel, trust thou in the Lord he is their help and their shield, &c. [See the psalm throughout.] Isa. xxxi. 4. For thus hath the Lord spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them; so shall the Lord of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof. Ver. 5. As birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it, and passing over he will preserve it. Zech. xii. 2. Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege, both against Judah and against Jerusalem. Ver. 3. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be ga Q. 64. What thered together against it. Ver. 4. In that day, saith the Lord, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness; and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness. Ver. 8. In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them. Ver. 9. And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. a Acts ii. 39. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Ver. 42. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. b Psal. cxlvii. 19. He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. Ver. 20. He hath not dealt so with any nation and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord. Rom. ix. 4. Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises. Eph. iv. 11. And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and Q. 64. What is the invisible church? A. The invisible church is the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one under Christ the head. Q. 65. What special benefits do the members of the invisible church enjoy by Christ? A. The members of the invisible church by Christ enjoy union and communion with him in grace and glory. Q. 66. What is that union which the elect have with Christ? A. The union which the elect have with Christ is the work of God's grace', whereby they are spiritually and mystically, and teachers; Ver. 12. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Mark xvi. 15. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Ver. 16. He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth. not shall be damned. John vi. 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 64. d Eph. i. 10. That in the dispensation of the fulness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in him. Ver. 22. And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Ver. 23. Which is his body, the fulness of hìm that filleth all in all. John x. 16. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice: and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. John xi. 52. And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the yet children of God that were scattered abroad.. 65. John xvii. 21. That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. Eph. ii. 5. Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved,) Ver. 6. And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. John xvii. 24. Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. 66. f Eph. i. 22. And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church. Eph. ii. 6. And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus; Ver. 7. That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Ver. 8. For by grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, K 3. g 1 Cor. |