opened he their understanding, that they might understand the fcripture.

C

Q. What need then of man's miniftry?.

A. Very much; for Chrift hath inftituted minifters as inftruments, by whom he will teach us; Eph. iv. 11, 12. And he gave fome apoftles, and fome prophets, and fome evangelifts, and fome paftors, 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.

1

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 thefe things from the wise 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, whatsoever he fhall fay unto you.

Q7. What is the first inftruction from hence?

A. None need be difcouraged at their natural weakness, if. Christ 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 fecond inftruction?

A. That it is a dreadful judgment to be fpiritually blinded under the gospel; 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. But if our gospel 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 Christ, who is the image of God, fhould thine unto them.

Q. 9. What is the third inftruction?

A. That prayer is the best expedient to obtain faving knowledge; James i. 5. If any of you lack wifdom, let him alk of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it fhall be given him.

Q. 10. What is the laft inftruction ?

A. Learn hence the tranfcendent excellency of the knowledge of Christ above all other knowledge; Phil. iii. 8. Yea, doubtless, I count all things but lofs, for the excellency of the knowledge of Chrift Jefus my Lord.

Of Christ's Priesthood.

OW doth Chrift execute the office of a priest?

H 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. 1. What is the priesthood of Chrift in general?

Quest 25.

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 himself; 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?

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A It hath two parts. First, Oblation, or offering of himfelf; Heb. ix. 14. How much more fhall the blood of Chrift, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, 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.

Q. 3. What is the end of Chrift's oblation?

A. The end of it, as to God, was to fatisfy his incensed juftice; Rom. iii. 25. Whom God hath fet forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to declare his righteoufnefs for the remiffion of fins that are paft, through the forbearance of God. And as to men, to put away their fins; Heb. ix. 26. For then must he often have fuffered 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.

Q4. What is the firft difference between Chrift and other priests?

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 second 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 Christ 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 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 fecond inference?

A. Ihat it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of an abfolute 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; Pial. cxxx. 3. If thou, Lord, fhouldeft mark iniquities, O Lord, who fhall stand?

Q. 11. What is the last inference?

A. That the Chriftian religion only fettles the conscience in peace; Heb. ix. 14. How much more fhall the blood of Chrift, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without fpot to God, purge your confciences from dead works to serve the living God?

Of Christ's Kingly Office.

Quest. 26.

How

OW 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 restraining and conquering all his and our enemies.

Q. 1. How manifold is Chrift's kingdom?

A. Twofold. First, Internal, in mens 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 flefh, that he fhould give eternal life to as many as thou haft given him.

Q3. Wherein doth he exercife his kingly power?

A. In reftraining his, and his people's enemies; Pfalm Ixxvi. 10. Surely the wrath of man fhall praise thee; the remainder of wrath fhalt thou restrain.

Q. 4. How elfe is it exercised?

A. In protecting his church amidst all enemies; Exod. iii. 3. And Mofes faid, I will now turn afide, and see this great fight, why the bush is not burnt.

Q5. What inftruments doth Christ use?

A. Angels are miniftring fpirits to him; Heb. i. 14. Are they not all miniftring fpirits, fent forth to minifter for them who shall be heirs of falvation? And men, yea the worst of men; Rey. xii. 16. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and fwallowed 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 wifdom; Eph. i. 11. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predeftinated ac- ' cording to the purpofe of him who worketh all things after the counfel of his own will.

Q. 7. What learn we from hence?

A. That the Church is faved amidst all dangers; Jer. xxx. 11. 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 I not make a full end of thee.

Q. 8. What is the second inftruction ?

A. That the godly may fafely truft to Chrift's care; 2 Chron. xvi. 9. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to flew himself strong in the behalf of them whofe heart is perfect towards him.

Q9. What is the third instruction?

A. That all plots against the church shall furely be defeated; lia. liv. 17. No weapon that is formed against thee fhall profper.

Q. 10. What is the fourth inftruction?

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 who are the called according to his purpose.

Q. What is the last inference?

A. We fhould not stand in a flavish fear of men; Ifa. li.

12. I, even I am he that comforteth you; who art thou, that
thou shouldest be afraid of a man that thall die, and of the fon
if man, which fhall be made as grass.

Of Chrift's Humiliation.

Quest. 27.

WE

Herein did Chrift's humiliation confift?
A. Chrift's humiliation confifted in his be
ing born, and that in a low condition, made under the law, under-
going the miferies of this life, the wrath of God, and the curfed
death of the erofs; in being buried, and continuing under the
power of death for a time.

Q.1. What doth Christ'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 in-
firmities; Rom. viii. 3. God fending his own Son in the like-
nefs of finful fleth, 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 obfcured his divine glory; Mark vi. 3. Is not this the carpenter, the fon of Mary?

Q4. 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 nefts; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

Q5. What was the fecond thing in his life that humbled him?

A. The temptations of Satan, to which he was fubject; Mat, iv. 1. Then was Jefus led up of the Spirit into the wildernefs, 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 fuffered, being tempted, he is able to fuccour them that are tempted.

Q. 6. What was the third thing in Chrift life that humbled him?

A. His fubjection to the law; Gal. i. 4. But when the fulnefs of the time was come, God fent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.

Q7. What was the fourth thing in Chrift's life that humbled him?

A. The revilings and contradictions of finners; Heb. xii.