Page images
PDF
EPUB

we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;. which he shed on us abundantly; through Jesus Christ our Saviour: That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Eph. 2. 8-10. Tit. 3.5-7. || Eph. 1. 7. and 2. 5-7. Rom. 5. 20, 21.

Do you love the soul-humbling doctrines of salvation by grace?

49. Are not all who enjoy the light of the glorious Gospel, called, invited, and entreated, freely and cordially to accept of salvation?

1

Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am GOD, and there is none else.- Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine, and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. And the Spirit and the bride say, come, and let him that heareth say, come, and let him that is athirst come. And WHOSOEVER WILL, let him take the water of life freely. Is. 45. 22. and 55. 1, 2. Rev. 22. 27. || Ez. 18. 21, 22. Is. 1. 18-20. and 2. 10.

How inexcusable must you be if you fail of salvation?

50. Has God any pleasure in the misery and destruction of the wicked, in itself considered?

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD; and not that he should return from his ways and live.- Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering; not knowing that the goodness of Gop leadeth thee to repentance?- Say unto them, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? 2 Pet. 3. 9. Ez. 18. 23. Rom. 2. 4. Ez. 33. 11. Is. 30. 18. 1 Tim. 2-4. and 1. 14, 15. Ez. 18. 32.

The PURPOSES of GOD are the rule of HIS conduct, his commands the rule of ours. Do you approve the secret will of GOD? Are you in any measure conformed to his revealed will? 51. What is the tenor of the covenant of grace?

Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul

shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a GOD, and they shall be to me a people. Is. 55. 3. Heb. 8. 10. || Jer. 31. 33. and 50. 5. Gen. 17. 7. Ps. 103. 17, 18.

Have you by faith embraced the precious covenant in which GOD engages I WILL, and ye SHALL? Have you a stable hope in it?

52. Who is the Mediator of the NEW covenant, or covenant of grace?

Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such a high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens. But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the Mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. For there is one Gon, and one Mediator between GOD and man, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. Heb. 8. 1, 6, 8, 12. 1 Tim. 2. 5, 6. || Gal. 3. 19, 20. Heb. 7. 22. and 12. 24, 25. Is. 42. 6.

Do you look to GOD for blessings, only through this glorious Mediator? Do your prayers and praises ascend in his name?

53. Is Christ both able, and willing to save penitent sinners of every description?

This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.- Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such a high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.- Whom Gon hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteous.ness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. 1 Tim. 1. 15. Heb. 7. 25, 26. Col. 2. 9. Rom. 3. 25. | John 1. 1, 14. and 10. 25, 30. Is. 45. 22, 23. Rom. 3. 24-26. Phil. 2. 9-11.

Have you felt yourself the chief of sinners? Are you penitent and believing?

54. Why was it necessary, that the Mediator between the Father and sinners should be man?

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect. through sufferings. And for this cause he is the Mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. Heb. 2. 14, 9, 10. and 9. 13-15. || Gal. 4. 4, 5. Heb. 2. 16. and 4. 14-16.

Do you discern the admirable wisdom of GOD in the incarnation of Christ? Can you glory in his cross?

55. What is the Scripture doctrine of the ATONEMENT?

But Christ being come a high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood; he entered once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls, and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to Gon, purge your conscience from dead works, to serve the living GOD.Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of Gon, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. My little children; these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: For he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Heb. 9. 11~14. Is. 53. 4—6. 1 John 2. 1,2. || John 1. 29. Heb. 10. 19-24. 1 Pet. 2. 24. and 3. 18.

Can you renounce all dependance on your own doings for justification, and rely on the atonement? Do you build your hopes of heaven exclusively on this?

56. Was the humiliation of Christ designed to display the glory of God, in the sanctification and salvation of perishing sinners?

And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.- And Jesus answered them, saying, the hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. Looking unto Jesus the author and the finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of Gon. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. John 1. 14. and 12. 23, 27, 28. and 15. 8. Heb. 12. 2, 3. 2 Cor. 8. 9. || Mat. 5, 17. Rom. 5. 19. Heb. 2. 17. Rom. 4. 25. Phil. 2. 5-8.

Have you beheld the glory of divine grace in the humiliation of Christ? Does it fill you with admiration and gratitude'

57. Is Christ King in Zion?

Him hath GoD exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. Wherefore GoD also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of GOD the Father. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.- The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion; rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: The Lord

hath said unto me, thou art my son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Acts 5. 31. Phil. 2. 9-11. 1 Cor. 15. 25. Ps. 110. 1, 2., and 2. 6-8. || Rev. 14. 11-16. and 1. 8. and 3. 21. || Ps.

2. 12.

Do you rejoice that the King of Zion is now extending his conquests in our world? Have you submitted to him? Are you governed by him and aiding his conquests?

58. Are any of the human race given to Christ in the covenant of redemption?

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing: but should raise it up at the last day. No man can come unto me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him; and I will raise him up at the last day. Is. 53. 10, 11. John 6. 35, 37, 39, 44. || and 10. 14-16 26-28. and 17. 6-11. Is. 42. 5-7.

Are you pleased that some are given to Christ? Do you rely on sanctification as the only sure evidence of being given to him?

59. Are some of mankind adopted as children and heirs of God?

Blessed be the GoD and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love; having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved.Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the suns of GoD: therefore the

« PreviousContinue »