The first pinciples [sic] of the doctrine of Christ together with stronger meat for them that are skil'd in the word of righteousness, or, the doctrine of living unto God, wherein the body of divinity is briefly and methodically handled by way of question and answer / published at the desire and for the use of the Church of Christ in Norwich in New-England by James Fitch.
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- Title
- The first pinciples [sic] of the doctrine of Christ together with stronger meat for them that are skil'd in the word of righteousness, or, the doctrine of living unto God, wherein the body of divinity is briefly and methodically handled by way of question and answer / published at the desire and for the use of the Church of Christ in Norwich in New-England by James Fitch.
- Author
- Fitch, James, 1622-1702.
- Publication
- Boston :: Printed by John Foster,
- 1679.
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- Subject terms
- Catechisms.
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http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A39582.0001.001
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"The first pinciples [sic] of the doctrine of Christ together with stronger meat for them that are skil'd in the word of righteousness, or, the doctrine of living unto God, wherein the body of divinity is briefly and methodically handled by way of question and answer / published at the desire and for the use of the Church of Christ in Norwich in New-England by James Fitch." In the digital collection Early English Books Online 2. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A39582.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 17, 2024.
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Page 43
Answ. The parts of Application are union to Christ, that is Oneness in relation to Christ, and Communion with Christ, that is having in common with Christ, the blessings he hath purchased, and the manner of Applica∣tion of these is either internal, and mystical, this is pro∣per to true believers, or external and visible, and this Hipocrites have in common with true believers.
Application may be considered either in the parts of it, or adjunct manners. 1. The parts of it, that is such parts as doe constitute it, and of which it doth consist, union to Christ, Communion with Christ.
1. Vnion to Christ] that is an Oneness in relation to Christ, whereby they are Christs, and Christ is theirs.
1. Not an Essential Oneness, to be one in Essence with Christ, this is proper to the three persons thus to be one.
2. Not a personal Oneness, this is proper to the hu∣mane nature of Christ to be one with his divine nature to subsist inseperably in the same person.
3. Such a relative oneness, so that the Lord Christ owneth the Soul, and the Soul owneth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and as true∣ly one with Christ in a spiritual sense, as the bridegroom and the bride. Cant. 6. 3. Revel. 22. 17, 20. Eph. 1. 11, 12, 13.
2. Communion with Christ, whereby we have in common with Christ the blessings he hath purchased. Eph. 1. 3. As a woman by mariage hath the benefits of a mariage relation in common with her husband.
2. This union to, and communion with Christ may be considered in respect of the manners of it, in which we have the distribution of the subject from its adjuncts, and those considered, as proper or common,
1. Proper to true Believers, and ariseth out of the special nature of application, is that internal and mysti∣cal sincere union to, and communion with Christ, which although it may be seen by him who hath it, and may be seen by others as to the Judgement of Charity, but can∣not
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be seen by others as to the Judgement of verity and infallibility, and therefore may be called inward and my∣stical, Rom. 2. 28. and this is proper to true believers.
2. Or that which is common (namely) an external and visible union to, and Communion with Christ. 1. In words they speak as such. 2. In works outwardly they practice as such, who have union to Christ and commu∣nion with him. 3. And therefore to the Judgement of rational Charity appear to be such. 4. And have really an external and visible union to Christ, as Christ is the head of his visible Church. 5. But this is that which hi∣pocrites have in common with true believers, Rom. 2. 28.
Let us begin with that which is internal and mystical union to Christ.