mendous display of the covenant of works upon the Israelites? A. It tended to beat them off in some measure, from that self-confidence which they had expressed before the publication of the law, Exod. xix. 8; and to discover the necessity of a Mediator, and of faith in him as the sole foundation of all acceptable obedience, Rom. xvi. 25, 26. Q. 28. How doth it appear that it had this effect? it requires God to be worshipped, is naturally moral, founded in the very nature of God; but as it enjoins, that he be worshipped on such a particular day of the week, it is positively moral, founded only in the will of God. Q, 33. What is the difference betwixt the commands that are expressed in affirmative, and these that are expressed in negative terms? A. What God forbids is at no time to be done, Rom. iii. 8; what he commands is always our duty, Deut. iv. 8, 9; and yet 'every particular duty, is not to be 'done at all times, Matt. xii. 7.'* Q. 34. Why are negative precepts binding at all times? A. Because what is forbidden is at all times sinful; and ought never to be done, on any pretext whatsoever, Gen. xxxix. 9. A. From their own words to Moses, after the terrible sight which they saw, Deut. v. 27.— "Speak thou unto us all that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee; and we will HEAR [that is, believe] and DO." On which account the Lord commends them, ver. 28. "They have well said all that they have spoken: O that there were such an heart in them!" Q. 9. In what respect had they said well in what they had spoken? A. In as much as they had made faith, or believing, the source and A. That it is perfect, Psal. xix. spring of acceptable doing: for, 7; spiritual, Rom. vii. 14; and ex"whatsoever is not of faith is sin,' "ceeding broad, or most extensive, Rom. xiv. 23. Psal. cxix. 96. Q. 30. How many commandments are commonly allotted to each of these two tables of the law? A. Four to the first table; containing our duty to God; and six to the second, containing our duty to man. Q. 35. What are the peculiar properties of the law of the ten commandments? Q. 36. What rule is to be observed for the right understanding of the perfection of the law? A. That it binds every one to full conformity in the whole man, unto the righteousness thereof, 'and to entire obedience for ever; Q. 31. How are the precepts, so as to require the utmost perwhich are naturally moral, distin-fection in every duty, and to forguished from those that are but bid the least degree of every sin, positively so? 'Matt. v. 21. to the end, James 'ii. 10.'t A. The precepts which are naturally moral have, in them, an innate rectitude and holiness which is inseparable from them; but the precepts which are positively moral, have their rectitude, not from their own nature, but from the positive command of God. Q. 32. What example may be given for the illustration hereof? A. The fourth commandment, as *Larger Cat. Quest. 99. Rule 5. Q. 37. What rule is to be observed for understanding the spirituality of the law? A. That it reacheth to the thoughts and motions of the heart, as well as to the words and actions of the life, Deut. vi. 5.‡ Q. 38. What rule is to be observed for the right understanding of the breadth or extent of the law? A. That, as where a duty is (manded, all the causes and means commanded, the contrary sin is of it are commanded also, Heb. x. forbidden, Isa. lviii. 13.; and where a sin is forbidden, the contrary duty is commanded, Eph. iv. 28. so, when any duty is com : 24, 25.; and when any sin is forbidden, all occasions and temptations thereunto are forbidden likewise, Gal. v. 26.* QUEST.42. What is the sum of the ten commandments? ANSW. The sum of the ten commandments is, To love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind; and our neighbour as ourselves. Q. 1. How is the sum of the ten commandments divided in this an swer? A. Into the sum of the four commandments in the first table, which contain our duty to God; and into the sum of the six commandments in the second table, which contain our duty to man. Q. 2. What is the sum of the four commandments in the first table, which contain our duty to God? A. It is [to love the Lord our God, with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind,] Luke x. 27. Q. 3. Why is this called "the first and great commandment," Mat. xxii. 38? Q. 6. What is the nature of that love which is the comprehensive duty of the law? A. It is such as flows from faith, as the source and fountain of it; for, "faith worketh by love," Gal. v. 6. Q. 7. What ought to be the supreme object of our love? A. [The LORD,] or JEHOVAH himself, as he is OUR GOD, Deut. xxx.6. Q. 8. How many ways may the Lord be said to be [our God]? A. Two ways; either by external revelation and offer; or, by special property and possesssion. Q. 9. To whom doth he make the external revelation, and offer of himself as their God? A. Because the duties of the A. To all such of mankind, withfirst table have a more direct rela-out exception as have the word tion to God, as being the immedi- of this salvation sent unto them, ate object of them; or, because Prov. viii. 4. Heb. viii. 10. love to our neighbour should flow from love to God, as the proper fountain and principle of it, 1 John v. 1. Q. 4. What is meant by the [SUM] of the commandments? A. The comprehensive duty of the law, which includes all other duties in the bosom of it, Rom. xiii. 9. Q. 5. What is the comprehensive duty of the law? A. It is LOVE; for "love is the fulfilling of the law," Rom. xiii. 10. Q. 10. When is he our God by special property and possession? A. When by faith we are united to Christ, 1 Cor. iii. 23. in whom mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other, Psal. lxxxv. 10. Q. 11. What is it to love the Lord our God [with all our heart.] A. It is to love him unfeignedly, without hypocrisy or dissimulation, Rom. xii. 9. Q. 12. What is it to love him [with all our soul and mind]? Larger Cat. Quest. 99. Rule 4. 6. A. It is to have an intelligent, cordial, and affectionate love to God; expressed in all the duties, wherein any power or faculty of the soul can be exercised, Isa. xxvi. 8, 9. Q. 13. What is it to love the Lord our God [with all our strength]? A. It is to love nothing so much as God, Matt. x. 37; and nothing but in subordination to him, Luke xiv. 26. Q. 14. How may we know, if we have such a supreme love the Lord our God? to A. If we love him purely for himself, and his own matchless excellency, as shining in the face of Jesus, Song i. 3; if we account all things but loss in comparison of him, Phil. iii. 8; and if we centre in him as the only resting-place of our souls for ever, Psal. Ixxiii. 25, 26. Q. 15. What is the sum of the six commandments in the second table, which contain our duty to man? A. It is to love [our neighbour as ourselves]. Matt. xxii. 39. " The second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Q. 16. Why is the sum of the second table said to be like unto the sum of the first? A. Because the duties of the second table are enjoined by the same authority with those of the first, James ii. 10. Q. 17. In which of the two tables is the lawful love of ourselves contained, seeing it is not expressly mentioned in either of them? A. It is fairly implied and supposed in both tables, particularly in the second where love to ourselves is made the example and pattern, according to which we should love others, Luke x. 27. "Thou shalt love-thy neighbour as thyself." Q. 18. What is lawful self-love? A. It is an aiming at our own happiness, in subordination to the glory of God which ought to be our chief and ultimate end, 1 Cor. x. 31. Q. 19. Whom are we to understand by [our neighbour]? A.All of mankind, unto whom we have any way access to be useful, either as to their temporal or spiritual good, Luke x. 36, 37. Q. 20. What is it to love our neighbour [as ourselves]? A. It is to love him as truly and sincerely as we do ourselves, Eph. v. 29. "No man ever hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it." Q. 21. Should our love to our neighbour be as great as it is to ourselves? A. It is not required that it be as great in degree, but only that it be as sincere and free of hypocrisy, as it is to ourselves, Rom. xii. 9. Q. 22. What is the rule according to which our love to our neighbour should be regulated? A. That we do to others what we would have them to do to us, Matt. vii. 12. Q. 23. How is this rule to be explained for preventing the abuse of it? A. That we do as we would be done to, from a well-informed judgment; and by such as place themselves in the same relations, and in the same circumstances with us? Q. 24. Why are we enjoined to esteem others better than ourselves, Phil. ii. 3? A. Because the more of the grace of God we have in our hearts, we will the more clearly see that we ourselves are the chief of sinners, 1 Tim. i. 14, 15. and have the seed of all sin in us, which would soon spring up into the worst of actions, if not restrained, Rom. vii. 23. Q. 25. What is the difference betwixt the love we should have to all in general, and the love we should have to the saints in parti- [ cular? A. We should love all men in general, with a love of benevolence, and likewise of beneficence, according to our ability, Gal. vi. 10; but we should love the saints with a love of complacency and delight, Psal. xvi. 3. Q. 26. How ought our love to extend itself to our enemies? A. By forgiving them, and praying for them, Matt. v. 44. Acts vii. 60. Q. 27. What may we learn from the sum of the commandments? A. That charity, or love, which is the end of the commandment, ought to flow from a pure heart, and a good conscience, and faith unfeigned, 1 Tim. i. 5. QUEST. 43. What is the preface to the ten commandments? ANSW. The preface to the ten commandments is in these words, I am the Lord thy God,which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt,out of the house of bondage. QUEST. 44. What doth the preface to the ten commandments teach us? ANSW. The preface to the ten commandments teacheth us,That because God is the Lord, and our God and Redeemer, therefore we are bound to keep all his commandments. A. To manifest his amazing Q.1. What is a [preface]? A. It is something spoken before, condescension, in dealing with us or, a preparatory introduction to in a suitableness to our natures as a following discourse. rational creatures, Hos. xi. 4. Q. 2. Whether are these words, [I am the Lord thy God,] &c. to be understood as a-preface to all the commandments, or to the first only? A. They are to be understood as a preface to them all, though they stand immediately connected with the first, as being the ground of the particular applicatory faith in a redeeming God, which is therein enjoined. Q. 3. Why are the above words prefixed as a preface to all the commandments? A. Because they are designed as so many reasons and arguments to enforce our obedience to them. Q. 4. Why doth God give reasons to enforce obedience to his commands, when his will is the 'supreme law? Q. 5. How many reasons or arguments are there in this preface, whereby God enforces obedience to his law? A. Three; the first is, because he is THE LORD, or JEHOVAH; the second, because he is OUR GOD; and the third, because he is our REDEEMER. Q. 6. Which of these three is the formal reason of obedience? A. The first, namely God's essential greatness, as he is "JEHOVAH, the Most High over all the earth," Psal. Ixxxiii. 18; though at the same time, his relative goodness, as our God, and the deliverance he hath accomplished as our Redeemer, are invincible arguments and motives thereunto, Lev. xix. 36, 37. Q. 7. What is the strength of the first argument for obedience, taken from God's being [THE LORD]? A. The strength of it lies in this, That because God is JEHOVAH,' the 'eternal, immutable, and almighty God, having his being in and of himself, and giving being to all 'his words and works:"* therefore, all obedience and subjection is due to him, Lev. xx. 8. us, Rom. iii. 26; his goodness to reward us in the way of grace, not of debt, 1 John ii. 25; and his truth, to secure us in the ac complishment of all his promises, Heb. x. 23. Q. 12. What doth he make over to us, when he makes a grant of what he is personally? A. He makes over himself in the person of the Father, to be our Q. 8. Wherein lies the strength God and Father in Christ, 1 Pet. of the second argument for obedi-i. 3; in the person of the Son, to ence to God's law, taken from his be our Redeemer and Saviour, Isa. being [OUR GOD]? xlviii. 17; and in the person of the Holy Ghost, to be our Sanctifier and Comforter, John xiv. 16. A. It lies in this, That because he makes himself over to sinners of mankind, by a new covenant grant, in the word of divine revelation; therefore, this ought to sweeten all his commands, and powerfully excite us to the obedience of them, Lev. xx. 7. Q. 9. What doth God make over to us in the word, when he makes a grant of himself therein to be our God? Q. 13. What is it that he makes over to us, when he makes a grant of whatever HE HATH? A. As he hath all the good things we can possibly need in time, or through eternity, so he makes them all freely over to us in the promise;-"All things are yours," 1 Cor. iii. 21: for instance, he hath life, for the quickA. He makes over to us what-ening of us who are dead in tresever he is, Hos. xiii. 4; and what-passes and sins, Eph. ii. 1; righteever he hath, Psal. Ixxxiv. 11; as ousness, for the justifying us who God, to be ours freely and eter- are guilty, Isa. xlv. 25; and renally. demption for delivering us who are lawful captives, chap. xlix. 24, 25. In a word, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him," 1 Cor. ii. 9. Q. 10. What doth he make over to us when he makes a grant of whatever HE IS? A. He makes over to us both what he is essentially, and what he is personally. Q.11. What doth he make over to us when he makes a grant of what he is essentially? A. All his glorious attributes and excellencies to be ours, Exod. xxxiv. 6; his infinity, to be the extent of our inheritance, Rev. xxi. 7; his eternity, to be the date of our happiness, John xiv. 19; his unchangeableness, to be the rock of our rest, Mal. iii. 6; his wisdom, to direct us, Psal. lxxiii. 24; his power, to protect us, 2 Chron. xvi. 9; his holiness, to sanctify us, Ezek. xvi. 14; his justice, to assoil Q. 14. Is this grant that God makes of himself to us in the word, to be our God, no more than a mere argument, or motive to enforce our obedience? A. It also strengthens and enables us thereunto, Ezek. xxxvi. 27, 28. Q. 15. How doth the revelation of God's being our God, strengthen and enable us to obedience? A. In as much as by the revelation hereof, the Holy Ghost is conveyed as the immediate effi* Larger Cat. Quest. 101. |