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cribed to the human nature, or the properties of the human nature be ascribed to the divine nature of Christ?

A. Though it be improper to ascribe the properties of the one nature to the other nature; yet by virtue of this near union of both natures in one person, there is a communication of the properties of each nature to the person of Christ.

Q. 22. How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man?

A. Christ being the son of God, became man, by taking to himself a true body and a reasonable soul, being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and born of her, yet without sin.

Q. 1. Was it a voluntary act in Christ, the son of God, to become man?

A. Yes; because he took on him the human nature, that he might be thereby fitted to be our redeemer. Deb. x. 6. 7. In burnt offerings, and sacrifices for sin, thou hast no pleasure. Then said I, lo, I come. Hub. i. 16, He took on him the seed of Abraham.

Q. 2. Was Christ, the son of God, a real man, like unto other men?

A. Christ, the son of God, was a real man, taking to himself the two essential parts of man. 1. He had a real body of flesh, and blood and bones; not a fantastical body, which is a body only in appearance.Luke xxiv 39, Behold my hands and my feet, handle me, and see, for a spirit hata not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. 2. He had a real rational soul, and bis divine nature did not supply the place of the soul. Isaiah lii. 10, Thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin. Matth. xxvi. 38, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death.

Q. 3. Was the birth of Christ like unto the birth of other men?

A. No; for Christ was born of a virgin, namely, the Virgin Mary. Isaiah vii. 14, Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son. Matth. i. 24. 25, And Joseph took unto him Mary his wife; and knew her not till she had brought forth her first-born Son, and he called his name Jesus.

Q. 4. How could Christ be born of a virgin?

A. It was a miraculous conception by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the Virgin Mary. Luke i. 94, 35, And Mary said to the angel, How shall this be seeing I know not a man? And the angel said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall cou.e upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also, that holy thing which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God.

Q5. Was Christ born in sin, like unto other men? A. No; for however Christ took upon Lim, the nature of man, and many human infirmities, yet he was perf ct. ly fee from sinful infi mities. Heb. iv. 15, We have not a higa priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Q. 23. What offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer?

A. Christ, as our Redeemer, executeth the office of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king, both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation.

Q. 1. What is it to execute an office?

A To execute an office, is to do or perform what belongeth to the office.

Q 2. How many offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer?

A. There are three offices Christ doth execute as our Redeemer. 1. The office of a prophet. Acts iii. 22, Moses truly said 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 unte you. 2. The office of a priest. Heb. v. 6, Thou art a priest forever, after the order of Melchis edec. 3. The office of a king. Psal. ii. 6, Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Sion.

Q. 3. In what estate doth Christ execute these offices? A. 1. Christ doth execute these offices in his estate of humiliation here on earth. 2. Christ doth execute these offices in his estate of exaltation now in heaven.

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Q. 24. How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet?

A. Christ executeth the office of a prophet in reveal> ing to us, by his word and Spirit, the will of God for our

salvation.

Q. 1. What doth Christ reveal to us as a prophet?

A. Christ, as a prophet, doth reveal unto us the will of God for our salvation.

Q. 2. What is meant by the will of God which Christ doth reveal?

A. By the will of God which Christ doth reveal, is meant the whole counsel of God, or whatever God would have us to know, believe, and do, in order to salvation. Q. 3. Whereby doth Christ reveal unto us the will of God for our salvation?

A. Christ doth reveal unto us the will of God for our salvation, 1. By his word. John xx. 31, These things are written, that ye might be ieve that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing, ye might have life through his name. 2. By his Spirit. John xiv. 26, But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Fa ther will send in my name, he shall teach you all things. Q. 4. Which is the word of Christ, whereby he doth reveal to us the will of God?

Col.

A. The whole book of the scriptures of the old, especially of the new testament, is the word of Christ. iii. 16, Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.

Q. 5. How are the whole scriptures the word of Christ, when but a small part of them were spoken by his own mouth?

A. The whole scriptures are the word of Christ, forasmuch as the prophets and apostles, and other pen-` men of the scriptures, wrote not their own word, but the word which they had from the Spirit of Christ. 1 Pet. i. 10, 11. Of which salvation the prophets have inquired, searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ, which was in them, did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, &c.

Q. 6. Is the word of Christ, without his Spirit, suffi cient to teach us the will of God for our salvation?

A. The word, without the Spirit of Christ, is insufficient to teach us the will of God for our salvation, because it is by the Spirit of Christ only, that we are enabled to discern and receive the things which are necessary to salvation. 1 Cor. 11, 14, 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 discerned.

Q. 7. Is the Spirit of Christ, without his word, sufficient to teach us the will of God for our salvation?

A. Christ by his Spirit, without his word, could teach us the will of God; but he doth not, neither hath promised now to do it, since the whole will of God necessary to our salvation, is revealed in his word: the word of Christ, without his Spirit, cannot; the Spirit of Christ, without his word, will not teach us the will of God for our salvation.

Q. 25. How doth Christ execute the office of a priest?

A. Christ executeth the office of a priest, in his once offering up of himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, and reconcile us to God, and in making continual intercesssion for us.

Q. I. What is the first part of Christ's priestly office? A. The first part of Christ's priestly office, is, his offering up sacrifice to God for us. Heb. viii. 3, Every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices; wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.

Q. 2. What is a sacrifice?

A. A sacrifice is a holy offering rendered to God by a priest of God's appointment.

Q. 3. Was Christ a priest of God's appointment?

A. Yes; for he was called and anointed by God to this office. Heb. v. 4, 5, 6, No man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron : so also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said, Thou art a priest forever, after the order of Melchisedec.

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Q. 4. What sacrifice did Christ offer to God for us? A. Christ did offer unto God for us, the sacrifice of himself. Heb. ix. 26, But now once in the end of the world hath he appeared, to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Q. 5. Did Christ offer the sacrifice of himself often? A. No: but he offered the sacrifice of himself once only, this being sufficient for our sins. Heb. ix. 28, Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many.

Q. 6. Wherefore was it that Christ did offer the sacrifice of himself unto God for us?

A. Christ did offer the sacrifice of himself unto God for us, 1. That hereby he might satisfy God's justice for us. 2. And that hereby he might reconcile us unto God. Q7. How doth it appear that Christ did satisfy God's justice by the sacrifice of himself?

A. 1. Because Christ's sacrifice of himself was of sufficient worth to satisfy God's justice, infinitely offended by our sins, being the sacrifice of him, who, as God, was of infinite dignity. 2. Because this sacrifice of Christ was accepted by God in the behalf of sinners. Eph. v. 2, Christ hath loved us, and hath given himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God, for a sweet smelling savour. 3. It doth further appear, because Christ in his death, who was our sacrifice, did bear our sins, or the punishment due for our sins; and wherefore did he bear them, but for the satisfaction of God's justice? 1 Peter ii. 24, Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree. And he is said to give his life a ransom for many, (Matth. xx. 28) which ransom was God's satisfaction.

Q. 8. What is the consequent of the satisfaction Christ hath given to God by this sacrifice of himself?

A. The consequent of Christ's satisfaction by this sacrifice, is our reconciliation unto God. Eph. ii. 16, That he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross.

Q. 9. What is the second part of Christ's priestly office?

A. The second part of Christ's priestly office, is his making intercession for us. Isa. liii. 12, He bare the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

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