A 1 A. All the promises of a pardon and peace flow out of it. A. All the promises of defence, protection, and deliverances. Q. 9. What is the first instruction ? A. Hence we learn the completeness of Christ for all the wants of his people; Col. ii. 10. And ye are complete in him. Q. 10. What is the second instruction ? A. Hence we learn the folly and mifery of all those hypocrites that close partially with Chrift. : Q. 11. What is the third instruction; A. Hence we learn the fingular dignity of the Lord Jesus: None ever having had all those offices but Chrift. Q. 12. What is the last instruction? A. That faith is a confiderate act; and requires much deliberation. Quest. 24. Of Christ's Prophetical Office. OW doth Christ execute the office of a pro Hphet? A. Chrift executeth the office of a prophet, in revealing to us by bis word and Spirit, the will of God for our falvation. Q. 1. What doth Christ's prophetical office imply? A. 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 Christ 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 shine 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 Chrift. Q. 3. How doth Chrift teach men the will of God? A. He doth it by external revelation of it; Acts iii. 22. For Moses truly faid to the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raife up unto you of your brethren, like unto me, him shall 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 scripture. Q. What need then of man's ministry? A. Very much; for Christ hath institued ministers as instruments, by whom he will teach us; Eph. iv. 11, 12. And he gave some apostles, and fome prophets, and some evangelists, and fome paftors, and teachers, for the perfecting of the faints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. 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 savingly know the will of God without the teachings of Christ? A. No; though common knowledge may be obtained in a natural way, yet not saving; Matth. xi. 25. At that time Jesus 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 Christ 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 shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me, him shall ye hear in all things, whatsoever he shall say unto you. Q. 7. What is the first instruction from hence? A. None need be discouraged at their natural weakness, if Christ be their teacher; Matth. xi. 25. At that time Jesus 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. Pfalm xix. 7. The testimonies of the Lord are fure, making wife the fimple. Q. 8. What is the second inftruction? 4. That it is a dreadful judgment to be spiritually blinded under the gospel; 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, should shine unto them. Q. 9. What is the third instruction ? A. That prayer is the best expedient to obtain saving knowledge; James i. 5. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. Q. 10. What is the last instruction? 4. Learn hence the transcendent excellency of the knowledge of Christ above all other knowledge; Phil. iii. 8. Yea, doubtless, I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. Queft. 25. Of Chriff's Priesthood. OW doth Christ execute the office of a priest? A. Christ executeth the office of a priest, in his once offering up of himself a facrifice to fatisfy divine justice, and reconcile us to God, and in making continual interceffion for us. Q.1. 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 cross) by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 1 Q. 2. What are the parts of Christ's priestly office? A. It hath two parts. First, Oblation, or offering of himself; Heb. ix. 14. How much more shall the blood of Chrift, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your confciences from dead works, to serve the living God? Secondly, Interceffion for us; Heb. vii. 25. Wherefore he is able alfo to fave them to the uttermoff, that come unto God by him, feeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. Q. 3. What is the end of Christ's oblation? A. The end of it, as to God, was to fatisfy his incenfed justice; Rom. iii. 25. Whom God hath fet forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of fins that are past, through the forbearance of God. And as to men, to put away their fins; Heb. ix. 26. For then must 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 sin by the facrifice of himself. Q. 4. What is the first difference between Christ and other priets? A. Other priests offered the blood of beasts; Christ 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 second difference? A. They offered many facrifices; Christ 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 sacrifice Christ offered to God? A. His body; Heb. x. 10. By the which will we are sanctified, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And his foul; Ifa. liii. 10. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for fin. Q. 7. Whence is the efficacy of this facrifice ? A. From the divine Person to whom that foul and body was united; Acts xv. 28. Feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. Q. 8. What is the first inference from hence ? A. That believers are difcharged 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 second 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, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall ftand? Q. 11. What is the last inference? A. That the Christian religion only settles the conscience in peace; Heb. ix. 14. How much more shall the blood of Chrift, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your confciences from dead works to serve the living God? Of Chriff's Kingly Office. Quest. 26. HOW of a king, in fubduing OW doth Christ execute the office of a king? A. Chrift executeth the office us to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all bis and our enemies. Q. 1. How manifold is Christ'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 Christ'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. Q. 3. Wherein doth he exercise his kingly power? A. In restraining his, and his people's enemies; Pfalm lxxvi. 10. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee; the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain. Q. 4. How else is it exercised ? A. In protecting his church amidst all enemies; Exod. iii. 3. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and fee this great fight, why the buth is not burnt. Q. 5. What instruments doth Chrift use ? A. Angels are ministring spirits to him; Heb. i. 14. Are they not all ministring spirits, fent forth to minifter for them who shall 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 cast out of his mouth. Q. 6. In what manner doth Christ rule the world? A. By fupreme power; Rev. xix. 16. He hath on his vesture, and on his thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords. And perfect wisdom; Eph. i. 11. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predeftinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel 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 save thee; though I make a full end of all nations, whither I have scattered thee, yet will 1 not make a full end of thee. Q. 8. What is the second instruction? VOL. VI. Aa 1 1 ۱۷ A. That the godly may safely trust to Christ's care; 2 Chron. xvi. 9. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him. Q. 9. What is the third instruction? A. That all plots against the church shall surely be defeated; Ifa. liv. 17. No weapon that is formed against thee shall profper. Q. 10. 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. 11. What is the last inference? A. We should not stand in a flavish fear of men; Ifa. li. 12. 1, 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. Queft. 27. W Of Chriff's Humiliation. HEREIN did Christ's humiliation consist? A. Chriff's humiliation consisted 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 cursed death of the cross; in being buried, and continuing under the porver of death for a time. Q. 1. What doth Christ's humbling of himself import? A. His voluntariness in the deepest point of self-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 sending his own Son in the likeness of finful flesh, and for fin condemned fin in the flesh. Q. 3 What is the second part of his humiliation ? A. That mean life he lived in this world, which obscured his divine glory; Mark vi. 3. Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary? Q. 4. What was the first thing in Christ's life that humbled him? A. The poverty of it; Mat. vii. 20. And Jesus faith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. Q. 5. What was the second thing in his life that humbled him? A. The temptations of Satan, to which he was subject; Mat. iv. Ι. Then was Jesus 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 fuccour them that are tempted. Q. 6. What was the third thing in Christ's life that humbled him? |