olation of the marriage-bed and | xvii. 27. or on days occasionally covenant, Prov. vi. 35.. set apart for fasting or thanksgiving, İsa. xxii. 12, 13. than at other times. Q. 27. What is the aggravation of sinning against convictions of conscience? A. This kind of sinning is an offering violence to ourselves, contrary to the checks of that judge and reprover which every one has in his own breast, Rom. i. 32. Q. 30. How are sins aggravated from the circumstance of thePLACE in which they are committed? A. An offence is more heinous, if it is done in a land of gospel light, Isa. xxvi. 10; or if it is committed in public, or in the pres 66 Q. 28. What is the evil of sin-ence of others, who are thereby ning deliberately, obstinately, and likely to be provoked or defiled, with delight? 2 Sam. xvi. 22." A. It argues a giving a kind of defiance to the Almighty, Exod. v. 2; a rooted hatred of him, Rom. iii. 7; and a strong evidence of judicial blindness and hardness of heart, Zech. vii. 11, 12. Q.29. What aggravation do sins receive from the circumstance of TIME? Q.31. What improvement should we make of this doctrine of sin in its aggravation? A. To be more humbled and abased before the Lord, under a sense of our sins thus aggravated, Ezra ix. 6; and likewise so much the more to admire the riches of pardoning mercy, as extended to A. They are more heinous if the very chief of sinners, 1 Tim. committed on the Lord's day, Jer. 'i. 13. 15. QUEST. 84. What doth every sin deserve? ANSW. Every sin deserveth God's wrath and curse, both in this life, and that which is to come. Q. 1. What do you understand by the desert or demerit of sin? A. It is that in the nature of sin, which of itself deserves all that wrath and curse, which God in his infinite justice has entailed upon it, Gal. iii. 10. Q. 2. What is it in the nature of sin, which, of itself, deserves this wrath and curse? A. It is the opposition and contrariety thereof to the holiness of God expressed in his law, Hab. i. 13; which is the very thing that constitutes the enormity or heinousness of it, Jer. xliv. 4. Q. 3. Can wrath be ascribed unto God, as it is a passion? Larger Cat. Quest. 151. sect. 4. A. No: for all passions, properly speaking, are inconsistent with God's absolute unchangeableness, Mal. iii, 6. and independency, Acts xiv. 15. Q. 4. What then is to be understood by [God's wrath]? A. That most pure and undisturbed act of his will, which produces most dreadful effects against the sinner, Isa. xxxiii. 14. Q. 5. What are these dreadful effects, which the wrath of God produces against the sinner? A. All the miseries of this life, death itself, and the pains of hell for ever.t ↑ All which see explained, part 1. On the misery of man's natural state. Q. 6. Is the desert of sin separable from the nature of it? A. Such sins as are in their own nature so small and trivial, that they do not deserve eternal A. No: because sin being the very opposite of God's holy na-punishment. ture and righteous law, cannot but deserve his wrath and curse; Rom. vi. 23. Q. 7. If every sin deserves God's wrath and curse, must not the sins of believers deserve the same likewise? A. Whatever be the desert of their sin, their persons can never be exposed, or liable to God's vindictive wrath, either in this life, or that which is to come, Zeph. iii. 17. Hos. xiii. 14. Q. 8. Why cannot the persons of believers be liable to the wrath and curse of God? A. Because of their union with Christ, Rom. viii. 1. who has fulfilled all righteousness for them, ver. 33, 34; or answered all the demands of law and justice in their room and stead, chap. iv. 25. Q.9. What do the Papists mean by venial sins? Q. 10. Are there any sins in this sense venial? A. By no means; for the least sin, being committed against a God of infinite perfection, must, on that account, be objectively infinite, and consequently deserve an infinite punishment, 2 Thess. i. 9. Q. 11. May not smaller offences be atoned for, by human satisfaction or penances? A. "Even the least sin-cannot be expiated; but by the blood of Christ," Heb. xi. 22. 1 Pet. i. 18, 19.* Q. 12. What may we learn from the desert of sin? A. The amazing love of God, in transferring the guilt and punishment of sin, upon the glorious Surety, making "him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him," 2 Cor. v. 21. QUEST. 85. What doth God require of us that we may escape his wrath and curse, due to us for sin? ANSW. To escape the wrath and curse of God, due to us for sin, God requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life, with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption. Q. 1. What weighty argument or motive (amongst many others,) doth the scripture afford, for essaying the practice of what [God requireth of us?] A. That though we are enjoined, to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling; yet, we are at the same time assured, that "it is God which worketh in us, both to will and to do, of his good pleasure," Phil. ii. 12, 13. Q. 2. Does God require any thing of us in point of duty, without promising suitable furniture, for the performance thereof? A. No; for he has said, "I willcause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judg ments, and do them, "Ezek.xxxvi. 27. Q. 3. Can we [escape the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin,] * Larger Cat. Quest. 152. See the necessity of satisfaction proved, part 1. On Christ's priestly office. by any thing we can do of our-funto life, which God requires of selves? them? A. No surely; for "all our righteousness are as filthy rags," Isa. lxiv. 7; and, "by the works of the law, shall no flesh be justified," Gal. ii. 16. Q4. Why then doth the answer say, that to escape the wrath and curse of God, due to us for sin, [God requireth of us, faithin Jesus Christ,repentance untolife, and a diligent use of all the outward means]? A. Because, though these duties, as performed by us, can neither give a title to, or possession of eternal life; yet God appoints and requires them, both as they are MEANS of conveying and improving the salvation purchased, 1 Cor. i. 21. and likewise, as they are EVIDENCES of our interest therein, when conveyed, John vi. 47. Q. 5. Why doth God require [faith in Jesus Christ] as the sovereign means for escaping his wrath and curse? A. Because there is salvation in no other; there being "none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved," Acts iv. 12. Q. 6. What encouragement have we, to essay believing in Jesus Christ? A. There cannot be a greater encouragement than this, that faith is the gift of God, Eph. ii. 8; and accordingly the promise runs, "I will say, It is my people, and they shall say, The Lord is my God," Zech. xiii. 9. Q. 7. Why is [repentance unto life] required? A. Because it is the inseparable fruit and effect of faith or believing, Zech. xii. 10.—“They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him." Q.8. What encouragement have sinners of mankind, privileged with gospel light, to look for, or expect this blessing of repentance A. They are warranted to expect it on this ground, that as Christ has received gifts for men, Psal. lxviii. 18. so "him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel." Acts v.31. Q. 9. Why doth God require of us[thediligent use of all theoutward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption]? A. Because a neglect or contempt of the means of divine appointment, for communicating the benefits of redemption, is, in the sight of God, the same thing as a neglect or contempt of these inestimable benefits themselves, Luke x. 16.-He that despiseth you, despiseth me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that Q. 10. Can our believing, repenting, and diligent using of means, as they are acts of ours, be the procuring cause of our escaping wrath, or founding our title to life and salvation? A. No; for, "by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight." Rom. iii. 20. Our security from wrath, and title to heaven, are founded on the imputation of the surety righteousness alone, Isa. xlv. 25. Q. 11. What would be the consequence of making our faith, repentance, and good works, the procuring cause of our escaping the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin? A. This would be a setting aside the satisfaction of Christ, and mak. ing a saviour of our duties, than which nothing could nail us more effectually down under the curse, Gal. iii. 10." As many as are of the works of the law, are under the curse." Q.12. Have unbelieving and impenitent sinners any warrant to conclude, that they have escaped the wrath and curse of God, due to them for sia? A. No surely; for, "he that believeth not, is condemned already," John iii. 18; and our Lord says, "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish," Luke xiii. 3. Q. 13. Is our escaping the wrath and curse of God suspended on the condition of our faith, repentance, and diligent use of the outward means? in the hearts of the elect, by the Spirit of God, as the fruits and effects of Christ's purchase and mediation, Zech. xii. 10. Q. 19. What are the external or outward means? A. They are the ordinances of divine institution, and appointment; such as, the word, sacraments, and prayer. Q. 20. How is faith in Jesus Christ connected with salvation? A. No; for, if any promised bles- A. As it is the hand that resing were suspended upon the ceives Christ and his righteouscondition of our personal obedi-ness, as the all of our salvation, Psal. Ixviii. 31. John i. 12. ence, it would be the very form of the covenant of works, Rom. x. 5. "Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doth these things, shall live by them." Q. 14. When do carnal and unregenerate men, turn the dispensation of the covenant of grace, into the form of the covenant of works? A. When they separate the duties of faith, repentance, and the diligent use of the means, from the promises of the covenant, and hope to make themselves accepted with God by their personal performance of these duties, Rom. x. 3. Q. 15. What CONNECTION have faith, repentance, and the use of outward means, with salvation? A. They have the connection of appointed means prescribed by God himself, which, by his blessing, are subservient for such a valuable end; being themselves a part of salvation, and evidences thereof, 2 Thess. ii. 13. Q. 16. How are the means of salvation usually distinguished? A. Into internal and external. Q. 17. What are the internal means? A. Faith and repentance, with the other graces that accompany or flow from them. Q. 18. Why called internal, or inward? A. Because they are wrought Q. 21. How is repentance unto life connected with salvation? A. As it consists in that godly sorrow for sin, flowing from faith, which is both the exercise and ornament (in some measure) of all the travellers Zion-wards, while in this world, Jer. 1. 4. 2 Cor. vii. 11. Q. 22. How is the diligent use of outward means connected with salvation? A. As it is by them that [Christ communicates unto us the benefits of redemption], Prov. ii. 1-16. Q. 23. Could he not communicate the benefits of redemption, without the outward means? A. Whatever he could do, yet his ordinary method is to honour his own ordinances, as the means of communicating these benefits to us, which we are not to expect but in the use of them, Prov. viii. 34. Rom. x. 17. Q. 24. What USE doth God require us to make of the outward means? A. He requires us to make [a diligent use] of them. Q. 25. What is a diligent use of the outward means? A. It is an embracing every opportunity offered in providence, for attending upon God in them, looking earnestly for his blessing upon them, by which they only will be efficacious for our spiritual benefit, 1 Cor. iii. 6, 7. QUEST. 86. What is faith in Jesus Christ? ANSW. Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel. Q. 1. What are the several kinds of faith mentioned in scripture? A. They are these four: historical, temporary, the faith of miracles, and saving faith. important article of revealed religion; as the miracles of Moses under the Old Testament, and of the apostles under the New. Q. 8. Was not the faith of miraQ. 2. What is historical faith?cles, in the days of our Saviour A. It is a bare assent to the truth and his apostles, conferred upon of what is revealed in the word, some who were not in a state of without any real affection or re-salvation? gard to the things revealed there in. Such a faith as this may be found in devils, James ii. 19; and in wicked men, Acts viii. 13. Q. 3. Why called historical? A. Not merely because it believes only the histories of the Bible; but because it assents to the truths revealed therein, as being little or no way concerned in them, or without any particular application of them to the soul, Acts xxviii. 26. Q. 4. What is temporary faith? A. It is such as, together with an assent to the truth of divine revelation, is also accompanied with some slight and transient motion upon the affections; which may endure for a while, and then evanishes, Matt. xiii. 20, 21. Q. 5. Has this kind of faith any influence upon the practice? A. It may be, for a time, accompanied with an external reformation from some grosser sins, 2 Pet. ii. 20. A. Yes; both the extraordinary gift of the faith of miracles, and the ordinary and common gifts of the Spirit, were conferred upon some, who, we are assured, will be utterly rejected of God, Matt. vii. 22, 23. "Many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not PROPHESIED in thy name? and in thy name have CAST OUT DEVILS ? and in thy name done many woNDERFUL WORKS? And then will I profess unto them, I never KNEW you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Q. 9. What is saving and justi fying faith? A. It is that faith in Jesus Christ, which is described in the answer, "whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation," &c. Q. 10. Why is this faith de scribed in the answer, called a [GRACE]? A. Because it is the gift of God, freely bestowed upon the sinner, Q. 6. What is the faith of mira- Eph. ii. 8. who has no antecedent cles? worth, value, or good qualification, A. It is that peculiar gift, where-whereof he can boast, 1 Cor. iv. 7.. by a person believes, that by the power of God, something shall be effected by him which is quite above the power of all natural causes, 1 Cor. xiii. 2. Q. 7. On what occasion has God bestowed this faith upon any? A. For the confirmation of some extraordinary mission, or of some Q. 11. Why a [SAVING] grace? A. Because wherever true faith is, there salvation is already begun, which shall certainly be consummated in due time, John iii. 36. Q. 12. Where is the connection established betwixt faith and salvation? A. Faith being the gifted hand |