hake off the Egyptian yoke, Exod ii. 23.: no more are finners of mankind capable to extricate themfelves from a ftate of fpiritual flavery in which they are naturally inthral led. 'Rom. v. 6, the Ifraelites were brought out of Egypt with a frong hand, and a firetched out arm, Pial. cxxxvi, 2.; fo are we out of our fpiritual th aldom, by the mighty power of God allenarly, Pfal. cx. 2, 3.; the Egyptians were deftroyed, when ifrael were delivered, Exod. xiv. 28. fo principalities and powers were tppiled Col. ii. 15, tranfgrafin flatshed, Dar, ix 24 and death unit nged, 1 Cor. xv. 5, when our redemption was accomplished, ver. 57. Q24. Seeing the deliverance of Ifrael, which was typical of our spiritual deliverance, was brought about by divine power, without the payment of a price, will it follow, that our spiritual redemption was without a price alfor? A. By no means; uniefs the fimilitude betwixt the type, and he antitype did hold in every refpect, which it cannot poffibly do for, though there be a refemblance betwixt them in fome things, yet there is always a difparity in others; as might be made evident in every one of the fcripture types and metaphors, whereunto divine things are compared; for inftance, Jonah was alive in the whale's belly, whereas Chrift was actually dead in the grave. Q. 25. Since God brought all the Ifraelites, without excursion, out of Egypt, doth it from thence follow, that Chrift redeemed all mankind from their fpiritual bondage? A No: becaufe the ifraelites did not typify and reprefent all mankind, but the elect only, Pfal. cxxxv. 4• Q. 26. How do you prove that the elect only and not all mankind were redeemed by Chrift? A From the Father's gift of them to him from eternity, John xvii. 6; from his reprefenting them in his death, John x 11.; and from his interceffion within the veil for them only, John xvii, 9. I pray for them; I pray not for the world, but for them which thou haft given me. 2. 27. Are the purchase and interceflion of Chrift precifery of the fame extent ? A. Surely they are; for, his interceffion being founded on his purchase, and confifting in a prefenting the merit thereof before the throne Heb. ix. 24. it clearly follows, that the one can be no more extenfive than the other, John xyii. 21. Father, I will that they also whom thou haft given me, be with me where I am. 2. 18. How then are thefe fcriptures to be explained, which feem to speak of an univerfal purchase of all mane kind; fuh as, that Chrift died for all, 2 Cor, v. 15.; that he tafted death for every man, Heb, ii. 3; that he is the propitiation for the fins of the world, John ii. 2.; and the like? A They are to be explained in a limited fenfe, of fome only, and not of every individual of mankind; as the lke general terms are undoubtedly to be understood in other places of fripture, fuch as, Col, 1. 6 and Rev. xiii 3 for, if it is alleged, that the above feripture expreffions prove an univerfal purchase, it may be faid, with the fame parity of reafon, that they prove an univerfal application thereof, which few will affert. 22.29 Doth not the univerfd offer of Chrift prove the univ.rid redemption of all, at leaft, within the visible church? A. No: it only proves the unquestionable duty of all to believe, upon the call and command of God, I Jo iii. 23.i and the infinite intrinfic worth of the fatisfaction of Chrift for the falvation of all, if it had been fo defignes, chap. iv. 14 Q 30 Doth the redemption purchafed by Chrift bring any benefit or advantage to the reprobate world? A. It is owing thereunto that the gospel is fent among them, John iv. 4.: that temporal judgements are fhortened, Mark xiii, 20.; and it is on account of the elect, who are to fpring of them, that they are preferved for a while in this world, Kom xi, 3c, but then thefe, or the Fke benefits, are not to be confidered as the fruit of Chrift's purchase to the reprobates themselves, but to the elect only, who are liv ing among them, 2 Cor. iv. 15 ar, who are to defc.nd from them, ifì, vi 13. Q31. Wherein confifts the fpiritual bondage we are naturally under, and redeemed from by Chrift ? A It confifts in our being under the wrath of God, Jo. iii. 18.; the guilt, power, and pollution of fin, Rom. viii. 7.; the tyranny of Satan, Eph ii. z.; the fnares and temptations of the world, J hn ii. 16.; and in our liableness to the pains of hell for ever, Mat. xxv. 46. Q. 32. What right had Chrift to be our Redeemer from this ftate of fpiritual bondage? He had a right of property, and a right of propinquity. Q. 33. How had he a right of property? A. As he is God, he is the original owner Rom. ix. 21; and as he is Mediator, he has the elect giftèd unto him by his Father, John xvii. 6 34. How hath he a right of propinquity? A He hath it by the legal union which fubfifted betwixt him and us from eternity, in virtue of his being made a furety of a better teftament, Heb. vii. 22.; and by the af fumption of our nature in time, whereby he became our kinfman, and is not afhamed to call us brethren, Heb. ii. 11, 2. 35. What doth God's delivering Ifrael out of the land of Egypt teach us, with respect to his church and people in general? A. It teacheth us, that as affiction is the lot of the Lord's people, in this prefent evil world, fo deliverance therefrom is fecured in due time, Pfal. xxxiv. 19. Many are the af flictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth them out of them all. Q36. What is the difference betwixt the afflictions of the godly, and thofe of the wicked? A. The fictions of the godly are the chastisements of a gracious Father flowing from love, and defigned for their profit, Heb xii. 6, 1c., but the afflictions of the wicked are the punishments of an avenging Judge, flowing from wrath, and defigned for their ruin and deftruction, Eccl. V. 17: Q37 What improvement ought we to make of our fpiritual redemption? A. It should excite us to and fast in the liberty wherewith Chrift hath made us free,and not to be entangled again with the yoke of bondage, Gal, v. ; to afcribe all the praise of our fpiritual liberty to our glorious Deliverer, Rev. i. 5, 6.; and to teftify our gratitude and thankfulness to him, by a converfation becoming the gofpel, Phil. i. 27, 45. QUEST. Which is the first command mment ? ANSW. The first commandment is, Thou halt have no other gods before me. 46. QUEST. What is required in the first commandment? AN. The first commandment requireth us to know, and acknowledge God to be the only true God, and our God; and to worship and glorify him accordingly. 21. Why are most part of the commands of the law delivered in negative terms? A. Because negative precepts are of the stricteft obligation, binding always and at all times. Q. 2. Why is the first commandment, in particular, fə expreffed? A. Because of the perpetual propenfity of our natures, fince the fall, to depart from the living God, through an evil heart of unbelief Heb. iii. 12. 23. Why is this commandment fet in the front of all the reit? A. To teach us, that the having JEHOVAH to be, our God is the leading and fundamental duty of the law, Ex. xv. 2. which sweetly and powerfully influences obedience to all the other commands of it, Pfal, cxviii. 28. 24 What influence has obedience to the first, upon obedience to the other precepts of the law? A. As obedience to the firft commandment, is to believe that God is our God, upon the gift of himself to us, in these words, [I am the Lord thy God]; fo, without believing this it is impoffible we can do any thing elfe that will pleafe him, Heh. x. 6. ; for, whatsoever is not of faith is fin, Rom. xv. 23. 25. Why do this, and other commands, run in the fecond perfon fingular, THOU, and not in the plural, you, or YE ! A. To fignify, that God would have us to take his commandments, as fpoken to each of us in particular, as if we were mentioned by name. 2. 6. What is the connection betwixt the preface and the first commandment? A. The preface reveals and exhibits the object of faith, and the first commandment injoins the duty of believing on that object: the one makes a grant of other warrants us to lay hold on it. grace; and the 27 Are the preface and first commandment of equal extent? A. Yes: every one to whom the promise in the preface is revealed, is obliged, by the command, to believe it, with application, John iii- 18. 28. Can the obligation of the law be in the leaft weakened by the grace of the gofpel published in the preface ? ~ A. So far from it, that it is impoffible for any man to fhare of the grace of the gofpel published in the preface, but in a way of believing, injoined in the firft command of the law, Rom. iii. 3. Do we make void the law through faith God forbid. 29 What are the chief duties required in the first commandment, as thus connected with the preface? A. [To know and acknowledge God to be the only true God and our God; and to worship and glorify him accordingly] 2 10. What KNOWLEDGE of God doth the first commandment require? A. It requires us to know that God is; and that he is fuch a God as he hath manifefted himself to be in his word; Heb. xi. 6. Q. What hath God manifested himself to be in his word? A. He hath manifefted himself to be, The Lord, the Lord God merciful and gracious, long fuffering, and abun dant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thoufands, forgiving iniquity, tranfgreffion and fin, and that he will by no means clear the guilty, namely, without a fatisfaction, Ex. xxxiv. 6, 7.; or, he hath manifefted himself to be in Chrift, reconciling the world to himself, 2 Cor v 19. Q12 What is it to [know] God as he is in Chrift? A. It is to know that he is well pleafed for Chrift's righ teoufnefs fake, because he his magnified the law, and made it honourable, Ifa. xlii. 21. Q.13.How is the knowledge of God ufually diftinguish ed? A. Into fpeculative or common, and practical or faving knowledge. |