A. All the promises of a pardon and peace flow out of it. A. All the promifes of defence, protection, and deliverances. A. Hence we learn the completeness of Chrift for all the wants of his people; Col. ii. 10. And ye are complete in him. Q. 10. What is the second inftruction? A. Hence we learn the folly and mifery of all those hypocrites that clofe partially with Chrift. Q. 11. What is the third inftruction; A. Hence we learn the fingular dignity of the Lord Jefus: None ever having had all thofe offices but Chrift. Q. 12. What is the last instruction? A. That faith is a confiderate act; and requires much deliberation. Of Chrifl's Prophetical Office. Quest, 24. WOW doth Chrift execute the office of a prophet? Het A. Chrift executeth the office of a prophet, in revealing to us by his word and Spirit, the will of God for our falvation. Q. I. What doth Chrift's prophetical office imply? 4. It implies man's natural blindness and ignorance; 1 Cor. ii. 14. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually difcerned. Q. 2. What else doth it imply? A. That Chrift is the original and fountain of all that light which guides us to falvation; 2 Cor. iv. 6, 7. For God who commanded the light to fhine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jefus Christ. Q. 3. How doth Christ teach men the will of God? A. He doth it by external revelation of it; Acts iii. 22. For Mofes truly faid to the fathers, A prophet fhall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me, him fhall ye hear in all things, whatsoever he shall say unto you. And by internal illumination; Luke xxiv. 45. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the fcripture. Q. What need then of man's ministry? A. Very much; for Chrift hath inftitued minifters as inftruments, by whom he will teach us; Eph. iv. 11, 12. And he gave fome apoftles, and fome prophets, and some evangelists, and fome pastors, and teachers, for the perfecting of the faints, for the work of the miniftry, for the edifying of the body of Chrift. Acts xxvi. 18. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of fins. Q. 5. Can no man favingly know the will of God without the teachings of Chrift? A. No; though common knowledge may be obtained in a natural way, yet not faving; Matth. xi. 25. At that time Jefus answered, and faid, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou haft hid these things from the wife and prudent, and haft revealed them unto babes. Q. 6. How appears it that Chrift is appointed to this office? A. We have the written word for it; Acts iii. 22. For Mofes truly faid unto the fathers, A prophet fhall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me, him fhall ye hear in all things, whatfoever he fhall fay unto you. Q. 7. What is the first instruction from hence? A. None need be difcouraged at their natural weakness, if Chrift be their teacher; Matth. xi. 25. At that time Jefus anfwered and faid, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou haft hid these things from the wife and prudent, and haft revealed them unto babes. Pfalm xix. 7. The teftimonies of the Lord are fure, making wife the fimple. Q. 8. What is the second inftruction? A. That it is a dreadful judgment to be spiritually blinded under the gofpel; 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. But if our gofpel be hid, it is hid to them that are loft; in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, left the light of the glorious gospel of Chrift, who is the image of God, fhould fhine unto them. Q. 9. What is the third inftruction? A. That prayer is the beft expedient to obtain faving knowledge; James i. 5. If any of you lack wifdom, let him afk of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. Q. 10. What is the last inftruction? A.Learn hence the tranfcendent excellency of the knowledge of Christ above all other knowledge; Phil. iii. 8. Yea, doubtlefs, I count all things but lofs, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jefus my Lord. Quest. 25. How Of Chriff's Priesthood. WOW doth Chrift execute the office of a priest?. A. Chrift executeth the office of a priest, in his once offering up of himself a facrifice to fatisfy divine juftice, and reconcile us to God, and in making continual interceffion for us. Q. I. What is the priesthood of Chrift in general? A. It is his expiation of our fins by the facrifice of himself, and obtaining God's favour for us; Col. i. 20. And (having made peace through the blood of his crofs) by him to reconcile all things unto himfelf; by him, I fay, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. Q. 2. What are the parts of Chrift's prieftly office? A. It hath two parts. First, Oblation, or offering of himself; Heb. ix. 14. How much more fhall the blood of Chrift, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without fpot to Cod, purge your confciences from dead works, to ferve the living God? Secondly, Interceffion for us; Heb. vii. 25. Wherefore he is able alfo to fave them to the uttermoft, that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make interceffion for them. Q3. What is the end of Chrift's oblation? A. The end of it, as to God, was to fatisfy his incensed justice; Rom. iii. 25. Whom God hath fet forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remiffion of fins that are past, through the forbearance of God. And as to men, to put away their fins; Heb. ix. 26. For then muft he often have fuf fered fince the foundation of the world; but now once in the end of the world, hath he appeared to put away fin by the facrifice of himself. Q. 4. What is the first difference between Chrift and other pries? A. Other priests offered the blood of beafts; Chrift his own blood; Heb. ix. 12. 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. Q. 5. What is the fecond difference? A. They offered many facrifices; Chrift perfected all by one offering, Heb. x. 14. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are fanctified. Q. 6. What was the facrifice Chrift offered to God? A. His body; Heb. x. 10. By the which will we are fanctified, through the offering of the body of Jefus Chrift once for all. And his foul; Ifa. liii. 10. When thou shalt make his foul an offering for fin. Q. 7. Whence is the efficacy of this facrifice? A. From the divine Perfon to whom that foul and body was united; Acts xv. 28. Feed the church of God, which he hath purchas ed with his own blood. Q. 8. What is the first inference from hence? A. That believers are discharged by Chrift from all their fins and debts; Acts xiii. 39. And by him, all that believe are justified from all things. Q. 9. What is the fecond inference? A. That it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of an absolute God; Luke xxiii. 31. For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry? Q. 10. What is the third inference ? A. That it is impoffible for man to fatisfy God for his own fins; Pfal. cxxx. 3. If thou, Lord, fhouldeft mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? Q. 11. What is the laft inference? A. That the Chriftian religion only fettles the confcience in peace; i Heb. ix. 14. How much more fhall the blood of Chrift, who through the eternal Spirit offered himfelf without fpot to God, purge your confciences from dead works to ferve the living God? Queft. 26. How Of Chriff's Kingly Office. W doth Chrift execute the office of a king? A. Chrift executeth the office of a king, in fubduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in reftraining and conquering all his and our enemies. Q. 1. How manifold is Chrift's kingdom? A. Twofold. First, Internal in men's fouls; Luke xvii. 21. Behold, the kingdom of God is within you. Secondly, External, over all the world; Eph. i. 22. And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be Head over all things to the church. Q. 2. What is the end of Chrift's providential kingdom? A. The good and falvation of the church; John xvii. 2. As thou haft given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou haft given him. Q3. Wherein doth he exercise his kingly power? A. In reftraining his, and his people's enemies; Pfalm lxxvi. 10. Surely the wrath of man fhall praife thee; the remainder of wrath fhalt thou restrain. Q: 4. How elle is it exercifed? A. In protecting his church amidst all enemies; Exod. iii. 3. And Mofes faid, I will now turn afide, and fee this great fight, why the bufh is not burnt. Q. 5. What inftruments doth Chrift ufe? A. Angels are miniftring fpirits to him; Heb. i. 14. Are they not all miniftring fpirits, fent forth to minifter for them who fhall be heirs of falvation? And men, yea, the worst of men; Rev. xii. 16. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon caft out of his mouth. Q. 6. In what manner doth Chrift rule the world? A. By fupreme power; Rev. xix. 16. He hath on his vefture, and on his thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords. And perfect wisdom; Eph. i. 11. In whom alfo we have obtained an inheritance, being predeftinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counfel of his own will. Q7. What learn we from hence? A. That the church is faved amidst all dangers; Jer. xxx. II, For I am with thee, faith the Lord, to fave thee; though I make a full end of all nations, whither I have fcattered thee, yet will 1 not make a full end of thee. Q. 8. What is the fecond inftruction? A. That the godly may fafely truft to Chrife's care; 2 Chron. xvi. 9. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to fhew himself strong in the behalf of them whofe heart is perfect towards him. Q. 9. What is the third instruction? A. That all plots against the church fhall furely be defeated; Ifa. liv. 17. No weapon that is formed against thee thall profper. Q. Jo. What is the fourth instruction? A. It gives the faints full fatisfaction in all conditions; Rom. viii. 28. And we know that all things work together, for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to his purpose. Q. II. What is the laft inference? A. We should not stand in a flavish fear of men; Ifa. li. 12. I, even I am he that comforteth you; who art thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the fon of man, which shall be made as grass. Quest. 27. W Of Chrift's Humiliation. HEREIN did Chrift's humiliation confist? A. Chriff's humiliation confifted in his being born, and that in a low condition, made mader the law, undergoing the miferies of this life, the wrath of God, and the curfed death of the cross; in being buried, and continuing under the power of death for a time. Q. 1. What doth Chrift's humbling of himself import? A. His voluntarinefs in the deepest point of felf-denial; Pfal. xl. 7. Then faid I, Lo, I come; in the volume of the book it is written of me. Q. 2. What was the first act of Christ's humiliation? A. His taking man's nature on him, with all its finless infirmities; Rom. viii. 3. God fending his own Son in the likeness of finful flesh, and for fin condemned fin in the flesh. Q. 3 What is the fecond part of his humiliation? A. That mean life he lived in this world, which obfcured his divine glory; Mark vi. 3. Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary? Q. 4. What was the first thing in Chrift's life that humbled him? A. The poverty of it; Mat. vii. 20. And Jefus faith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nefts; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. Q. 5. What was the fecond thing in his life that humbled him? A. The temptations of Satan, to which he was fubject; Mat, iv. I. Then was Jefus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil, and that for our fakes. Heb. ii. 17. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren. ver. 18. For in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to fuc cour them that are tempted. Q. 6. What was the third thing in Chrift's life that humbled him? |