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Q. 106. Who is the executor |perties, conditions, promises, of his testament? the order of obedience, in their A. Although in testaments end and design, the manner of among men, the testator and their administration, and in their executor are always different effects. persons, because the testator dying, cannot live again to see his will executed; yet here the testator, who was dead, is alive for evermore, as the executor of his own testament, by his Spirit, Rev. i. 18. Rom. iv. 25.

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Q. 109. Why is believing on Christ the appointed mean of instating sinners in the covenant and legacies thereof?

A. Because hereby the grace of the covenant is preserved entire, to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed, Rom. iv. 16.

Q. 110. How may persons know, if they are savingly and personally within the covenant of grace?

Q. 112. Wherein do these two covenants of works and grace differ in their nature?

A. The covenant of works was a covenant of friendship, and supposed the parties to be in a perfect amity; but the covenant of grace is a covenant of reconciliation, and supposes man to be at variance with God, and enmity against him, 2 Cor. v. 19.

Q. 113. Wherein do they differ as to the parties contractors?

A. In the covenant of works, the parties contractors were, GOD and innocent Adam, representing all his natural seed; but in the covenant of grace, the parties are, GOD, and CHRIST the second Adam, representing all his spiritual seed, Psal. lxxxix. 3, 4.

Q. 114. How do they differ in their properties?

A. The covenant of works, as standing with the first Adam, was but short lived; but the covenant of grace, which stands fast with the second Adam, is an everlasting covenant, Heb. xiii. 20: the covenant of works A. If they have found them- denounced nothing but wrath selves unable to dwell any lon- and curse upon the transgresger within the boundaries of sor; but the covenant of grace the covenant of works, and is full of blessings to the sinner, "have fled for refuge," from in Christ, Eph. i. 3. that covenant, "to lay hold

Q. 115. Wherein do they dif

upon the hope set before them," fer in their conditions? Heb. vi. 18. A. The condition of the coQ. 111. Wherein do the co-venant of works was only the venants of works and grace DIF-perfect obedience of a mere FER from one another? man, bearing no proportion to A. They differ in their na- the life promised; but the conture, parties, contractors, pro-dition of the covenant of grace

is the perfect righteousness of God-man, which is fully adequate to the promised reward, Jer. xxiii. 6.

Q. 116. How do they differ in their promises?

A. The promises of the cove. hant of works were strictly conditional; but the promises of the covenant of grace, as respecting us, are absolutely free, Jer. xxxi. 33, 34.

Q. 117. Wherein do they differ in the order of obedience?

A. In the covenant of works, duty, or obedience, was the foundation of privilege; acceptance first began at the work, and then went on to the person, if the work was perfectly right: but, in the covenant of grace, this order is quite inverted; for therein privilege is the foundation of duty; and acceptance first begins at the person, and then goes on to the work, because flowing from a principle of faith, Gen. iv. 4. compared with Heb. xi. 4.

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was dispensed by God absolutely considered; but the covenant of grace is dispensed by a Mediator, who is himself the ALL of the covenant, Isa. xlii. 6.

Q. 120. Wherein do these two covenants differ in their effects?

A. The covenant of works wounds and terrifies a guilty sinner; but the covenant of grace heals and comforts a wounded soul, Isa. xlii. 3: the covenant of works shuts up to hell and wrath; but the covenant of grace casts open a door of escape, John x. 9. and xiv. 6.

Q. 121. What may we learn from this whole doctrine of the covenant of grace?

A. That it is our duty to be. lieve that JESUS CHRIST is the Saviour of the world, and our Saviour in particular, by his Father's appointment, and his own offer; and that by the same appointment and offer, his righteousness, which is the condition of the covenant, and eternal life, which is the promise thereof, are ours in respect of right thereto, so as that we may lawfully and warrantably take possession of the same, and use them as OUR OWN, to all the intents and purposes of salvation: John iv. 42.-"We know that this is indeed the Christ, the SAVIOUR of the WORLD:" Luke i. 47.-"My spirit hath rejoiced in God, MY SAVIOUR."

QUEST. 21. Who is the Redeemer of God's elect? ANSW. The only Redeemer of God's elect, is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was, and continueth to be God and man, in two distinct natures, and one person, for ever.

Q. 1. What is the greatest wonder that ever the world saw?

A. The incarnation of the Son of God, John i. 14. Jer. xxxi. 22.

Q. 2. What makes this the greatest wonder?

A. Because thereby two natures, infinitely distant, are united in one person; hence called a great mystery, 1 Tim. iii. 16.

Q. 3. Was this great event foretold before it came about?

A. Yes: God spake of it "by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began," Luke i. 70.

Q.4. By what names did they speak of his coming?

written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms" concerning the Messiah, are literally fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth, Luke xxiv. 44.

Q. 7. How doth this appear? A. By comparing every prophecy and promise concerning him in the Old Testament, with the exact accomplishment thereof in the New, Acts iii. 18.

Q. 8. What silencing questions may be put to the Jews, who deny that the Messiah is yet come in the flesh?

A. They may be asked, Where is the sceptre of civil government, which was not to depart from Judah until Shiloh came, according to Gen. xlix. A. By a variety of names, 10? Where is the second temsuch as Shiloh, Gen. xlix. 10; ple, into which the Messiah Messiah, Dan. ix. 25; Immanuel, was to come, and to make the Isa. vii. 14; the Branch, Zech. vi. glory of it greater than the glo12; the Messenger of the covery of the former, by his personant, Mal. iii. 1; and several nal appearance therein, accordothers. ing to Hag. ii. 9? Where is the sacrifice and oblation now offered? has it not long ago ceased, according to Dan. ix. 27? And where is the family of David, out of which Christ was spring, according to Isa. xi. 1? is it not now quite extinct?They are utterly incapable of answering any of these.

Q. 5. Is he now actually come into the world?

A. Yes, long ago: and "it is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world," 1 Tim. i. 15.-"not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved," John iii. 17.

Q. 6. How do you prove, that our Lord Jesus Christ is the true promised Messiah?

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Q. 9. What doth the title of a [Redeemer] suppose with reference to the redeemed?

A. Bondage and captivity to A. By this one argument; sin, Satan, the world; death, that "all things which were and hell, through the breach of

the first covenant; hence called lawful captives, Isa. xlix. 25.

Q. 10. Are all mankind, the elect of God as well as others, under this bondage and captivity by nature?

A. Yes: as is evident from Eph. ii. 1, 2, 3.

Q. 11. Why is Christ called the [only] Redeemer of God's elect?

A. Because there was none capable of the vast undertaking but himself, Isa. Ixiii. 5.

Q. 12. How doth Christ redeem the elect from their spiritual bondage and captivity?

A. By price and power; or by ransom, 1 Pet. i. 19. and conquest, Isa. xlix. 25,

Q. 13. What ransom or price did he lay down?

A. His own life, Matt. xx. 28. "The Son of man came-to give his life a ransom for many."

Q. 14. How doth Christ redeem by power or conquest?

A. When, by his word and Spirit, he looses the bonds of the captives, and says "to the prisoners, Go forth; and to them that sit in darkness, show your selves," Isa. xlix. 9; and thus spoils principalities and powers,

Col. ii, 15.

Q. 15. Why is the Redeemer called [Lord]?

A. Because, as God, he "whose name alone is JEHOVAH, is most high over all the earth," Psal. lxxxiii. 18; and, as Mediator, all power in heaven and earth is given unto him,

xxviii. 18,

Q. 17. Why is he called [Christ]?

A. CHRIST in the Greek, and MESSIAH in the Hebrew language, signify one and the same thing, John i. 41. to wit, the Anointed, Acts x. 38; which implies his designation into his mediatory office, and his being fully quali fied for it.

Q. 18. Whereupon is Christ's sufficiency, for the great work of our redemption, founded?

A. Upon the infinite dignity of his person, as [being the eternal Son of God], 1 John

v. 20.

Q. 19. Is Christ the Son of God by nature, or only by office?

A. Christ is the eternal Son of God by nature; his Sonship is equally natural and necessary with the Paternity of the Father, Matt. xxviii. 19. 2 John

ver. 3.

Q. 20. What would be the danger of asserting, that Christ is called the Son of God, only with respect to his mediatory office?

A. This would make his perwill and good pleasure, as it is sonality depend upon the divine John iii. 16; and consequently certain his mediatory office did,

he would not be the self-existent God.

Q. 21. Might not the Sonship of Christ be the result of the divine will, though his personality is not so?

A. No: because his Sonship is his proper personality: and Matt. therefore to make his Sonship the result of the divine will, is to overturn the personal properties of the Father and Son, and consequently to deny both, 1 John ii. 23.

Q. 16. Why is he called [Jesus]?

A. Because he saves his people from their sins, Matt. i. 21.

Q. 22. How do you prove, from scripture, that Christ's Sonship is distinguished from his office?

A. From John vii. 29; where Christ, speaking of his Father, says, "I know him, for I am FROM him, and he hath SENT me." Where it is evident, that his being FROM the Father, as to his eternal generation, is distinguished from his being SENT by him, as to his office.

Q. 23. What did this glorious person, the eternal Son of God, become, that he might be our Redeemer?

A. He [became MAN], John i. 14. Gal. iv. 4.

Q. 29. Why is he said to have but [one person]?

A. In opposition to the error of the Nestorians, who maintained, that each nature was a person; or, that he had two persons.

Q. 30. How doth it appear, that the two natures of God and man are united in the person of the Son?

A. From Isa. ix. 6. "Unto us a child is born-and his name shall be called-The mighty God." It neither being possible nor true, that he who is the child born could be the mighty God, but by union of the divine and human natures in one per

Q. 24. When he became man son, Rom. ix. 5. 1 Tim. iii. 16. did he cease to be God? Q. 31. Will ever the union betwixt the two natures be dissolved?

A. No; but he became Immanuel, God-man, Matt. i. 23. Q. 25. What is the import of the name Immanuel?

A. It imports, that God is in our nature; and that a God in our nature, is not against us, but a God with us, and for us, to save us from the hands of all our enemies, Luke i. 71.

Q. 26. What moved God to become man, in the person of the Son?

A. Nothing but matchless and undeserved grace and love, 1 John iv. 10.

Q. 27. How many [natures] hath Christ?

A. Two: namely, the nature of God, and the nature of man, 1 Tim. iii. 16.

Q. 28. Why are they called [two distinct] natures?

A. In opposition to the error of the Eutychians of old, who maintained, that the two natures were mixed or blended together, so as to make but one

nature.

A. By no means: for he continues to be our Kinsman, Priest, and Representative, in both natures for ever, Heb. vii. 24, 25.

Q. 32. Does not each nature, notwithstanding of this union, still retain its own essential properties?

A. Yes: the divine nature is not made finite, subject to suffering or change; nor is the human nature rendered omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent, as the Lutherans, contrary to scripture and reason, do affirm.

Q. 33. Are not the acts and works of either of the two natures, to be ascribed to the person of Christ?

A. Yes: because all he did and suffered, or continues to do, as Mediator, must be considered as personal acts, and from thence they derive their value and efficacy, Acts xx. 28.

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