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upon him as taken into his service.

62. Q. But if, afterwards, the servant change his mind, and return that earnest, or lose it?

A. Then, he is a faithless servant, for he has broken his word, and refuses to belong to his master's household.

63. Q. To whom does God give "this earnest" of His HOLY SPIRIT?

A. Only to those who enter His service, with faith in Him, believing that, He is their LORD and MASTER in Heaven.

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For, in like manner as our SAVIOUR rose again for our justification" before He sent His HOLY SPIRIT upon His Apostles; so also must we be "justified by faith," ere we can be "sanctified through the SPIRIT." 64. Q. Prove what you say from Scripture.

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A. After that ye believed" in CHRIST, says the Apostle, "ye were sealed with that HOLY SPIRIT of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance."— Eph. i. 13. 14.

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65. Q. What is an inheritance ?"

A. It is the property which children receive from their father.

66. Q. Of what inheritance is the HOLY GHOST an earnest given to us?

A. It is "an earnest" of an inheritance "incorruptible, and undefiled and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us."-1 Pet. i. 4.

67. Q. Why is the kingdom of God called inheritance?"

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our

A. Because God is our FATHER, and we are His

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CHILDREN by adoption, through JESUS CHRIST, His Son; and if children, then heirs, and joint-heirs with CHRIST" to His kingdom.

And, believing, we are made ONE with CHRIST, by His SPIRIT in us; when God gives us of His SPIRIT, it is a sure pledge that He has called us to His kingdom and glory" and that His good-will towards us is, “to make us meet partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light," having made us pass "into the kingdom of his dear Son."

Eph. i. 5.-Rom. viii. 16. 17.-1. John iii. 24. iv. 13. Rom. viii. 9.-1. Thess. ü. 12.-Col. i. 12. 13.-Gal. iv. 7.

68. Q. And why are we said to be "sealed" with the HOLY SPIRIT?

A. Because the HOLY GHOST sanctifies us, by changing us into the "image" of God.

Therefore does Scripture say, that GoD "seals us" with His SPIRIT, because HIS SPIRIT leaves in our heart, the image of GOD, as a pledge that we are His.

2. Cor. iii. 18.-Eph. i. 10. 14. iv. 30.-2. Cor. i. 22.-2. Tim. ii. 19.

69. Q. It is plain, from what you have quoted out of

Scripture, that the HOLY GHOST is given to us to make us holy; for unless we be holy we shall never see GOD. You have also said that if we do not " hold fast" and "keep unto the end" that gift of GOD'S SPIRIT, we must fall from the grace of God, and come short of his rest;" how can all that be, if it be true, as we know it is true, that "CHRIST has saved us," and that we be "saved through faith?”

A. CHRIST, and HE ALONE, has delivered us from eternal death, by doing for us what we never could have done ourselves, which was "to reconcile His Father to us, through the blood of His Cross. But now, "much more, being reconciled, shall we BE SAVED BY HIS LIFE"--by the life which He gives us, namely, HIS SPIRIT.

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'FOR WE ARE COMPLETE IN HIM," who redeemed us by His Cross and precious Blood; who JUSTIFIED us by His resurrection; and who SANCTIFIES us by His HOLY SPIRIT in us.

Therefore, OF HIM, AND THROUGH HIM, and to HIM, ARE ALL THINGS: TO WHOM BE GLORY FOR EVER. Amen."

Rom. v. 10. xi. 36.-Col. ii. 10.

GOD, who, didst teach the hearts of Thy faithful people, by the sending to them the light of Thy HOLY SPIRIT; Grant us by the same SPIRIT to have a right judgement in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort, through the merits of CHRIST JESUS Our SAVIOUR; who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the same SPIRIT, one GOD, world without end. Amen.

Collect for Whitsunday.

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ARTICLE IX.

THE HOLY CATHOLICK CHURCH, THE COM

MUNION OF SAINTS."

1. Q.

Rehearse the ninth Article of your faith?

A. "THE HOLY CATHOLICK CHURCH, THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS."

2. Q. What do you profess to believe in this Article? A. "I believe that, there is a company of men called a Church, which is one, holy, of every country, and the members of which are joined together by one Spirit."

3. Q. What is "the Church ?"

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A. "The HOUSE of GOD, which is the Church of the living GOD, the pillar and ground of the truth." 1. Tim. iii. 15. Heb. x. 21. 1. Pet. iv. 17. 4. Q. Tell me, first, what is meant by a house." A. 'A House" means, not only "a building," but also, "the family," or 'household," that lives together in it.

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5. Q. How, then, is the Church the house of GOD?"

A. The Church is not made with hands,

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a family;" it is a House eternal in the heavens, the

builder and maker of which is GOD" the FATHER;

"who hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of JESUS CHRIST from the dead ”

1. Cor. v. 1.-Heb. xi. 10. iii. 4.—1. Pet. i. 3.

6. Q. And why is the Church also called "the household of GOD?"-Eph. ii. 19.

A. As in "a household" there are children as well as servants, who are all subject to the Head of the house; so also in the Church.

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who

The FATHER of it is, GOD; the CHILDREN are, all those whom He adopts unto Himself, out of all nations under heaven; the SERVANTS are, the ANGELS, are sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation ;" and the HEAD of this household is, CHRIST, as SON over His own house;" "of whom the whole family in heaven and earth, is named.—Heb. i. 14. iii. 6.—Eph. i. 5. iii. 15.—Gal. iii. 26. iv. 5. 6. -St. John i. 12.

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7. Q.

Explain to me how CHRIST is the Head of that family in heaven and earth, called the "household of GOD," the Church.

A. CHRIST is the HEAD of it, because "GOD GAVE HIM TO BE THE HEAD over all to THE CHURCH, which is HIS BODY."

8. Q.

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Eph. i. 22. 23. iv. 15. 16.—Col. i. 18.- -Heb. ii. 7.8. How is the Church, the Body" of CHRIST? A. Because it lives through Him, "who is the HEAD and the SAVIOUR of the Body."

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So we, being many, are ONE BODY in CHRIST, and every one members one of another."

"For, as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many,

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