you; but ye are washed, but ye are fanctified, but ye are jus tified, &c. Q 12, What is the fecond Inference hence? A. That there are different Degrees of Torments in Hell, proportioned to the different Degrees of Sins on Earth, Mat. xi. 21, 22. Woe unto thee Chorazin, Woe unto thee Bethfaida; for if the mighty Works which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in Sackcloth and Afbes. But I say unto you, it shall be more, tollerable for Tyre and Sidon at the Day of Judgment than for you. Q. 13. What is the third Inference hence? A. That great Sinners when pardoned and received to Mercy, fhould excell all others in Love to Chrift, Luke vii. 42, 43. Which of them will love him moft? Simon anfawered and Jaid, I suppose that he to whom he forgave most. And he faid unto him thou haft rightly judged. Q14. What is the laft Inference hence ? A Let no Man neglect Christ, because his Sins are not fo hainous as others, because the leaft Sin without Chrift is damning, Rom. vi. 23. For the Wages of Sin is Death, &c. And greater Sinners are often called, when leffer are not, Matth. xxi. 31, 32. The Publicans and Harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you. Of the Demerit of Sin. Quest. 84. W HAT doth every Sin deferve? A. Every Sin deferveth God's Wrath and Curfe, both in this Life, and that which is to come. Q. I. Wherein doth the Evil of Sin principally confift? A. It confifts principally in the Offence it gives, and the Wrong it doth to God, Pfal. li. 4. Against thee, thee only have I finnid, and done this Evil in thy Sight. Q. 2. What is the first Offence and Wrong Sin doth to God? A. It confifts in its Enmity to God, Rom. viii. 7. Because the carnal Mind is Enmity against God, &c. Expreft in Scripture by walking contrary to him, Levit. xxvi. 40. They have alfo walked oontrary to me. Fighting against God, Acts V. 39. Left haply ye be even found to fight against God. And refifting refifling his Spirit, Acts vii. 51.-Ye do always refift the Holy Ghoft. Q. 3. Wherein is its Enmity to God further difcovered in Scripture? A. It is difcovered under the Names and Notions of Hatred of God, Rom. i. 30. Back-biters, Haters of God, &c. Rebellion against God, 1 Sam. xv. 23. For Rebellion is as the Sin of Witchcraft, &c. ment of God, 2 Sam. xii. 9. Commandment of the Lord? And defpifing the Command- Q. 4. What are the Attributes of God that Sin wrongs? A. It wrongs all his Attributes, for it flights his Sovereignty, Exod. v. z. And Pharaoh faid, who is the Lord, that I hou d obey his Voice, to let Ifrael go? Refifts his Power, 1 Cor. x. 22.-Are we ftronger than he? Defpifeth his Goodnefs, Rom. ii. 4. Or defpifeft thou the Riches of his Goodnefs, &c. Taxeth his Juftice, Ezek. xviii. 25. Tet ye fay the Way of the Lord is not equal, &c. And clouds his Holiness, Jam. ii. 7. Do not they blafpheme that worthy Name, by the which ye are called? Q5. What doth Sin deferve in the Courfe of Juftice from God? A. It deferves all temporal and eternal Effects of God's Wrath, on the Souls and Bodies of Sinners, all which in Scripture go under the Name of Death, Rom. vi. 23. For the Wages of Sin is Death, &c. Q. 6. Can thefe Sufferings fatisfy God for all this Wrong? A. No, they cannot, and therefore they must, and shall be eternal on the Damned, Matth. v. 26. Verily I fay unto thee, Thou shalt by no Means come out thence till then haft paid the uttermoft Farthing, Mark ix. 44. Where their Worm dieth not, and the Fire is not quenched. Q. 7. Shall all Sinners bear the Defert of their Sins ? A. No, all that are out of Chrift fhall, but Christ hath freed Believers from it, John iii. 18. He that believeth on him is not condemned, &c. ( Q. 8. But is it not hard that Sinners fhould fuffer eternally for the Sins of a few Years ? A. No, it is not; for the Evil of Sin is not to be meafured by the Time in which, but by the Object against awhich it is it is committed, Pfal. li. 4, 5.—Against thee, thee only have I finned, and done this Evilin thy Sight, &c. Q. 9. What learn we from hence ? A. Hence in the first Place we learn the Impoffibility of fatisfying God's Juftice for the leaft Sin that ever we committed, Job vii. 20. I have finned, what shall I do unto thee, &c. Pfal. cxxx. 3. If thou Lord shouldst mark Iniquity, O Lord, who fall ftand? Q10. What's the fecond Inftruction hence ? A. Hence we fee the Neceffity of a Mediatour betwixt God and us, Pfal. xl. 6, 7. Sacrifice and Offering thou didst not defire, &c.-Then faid I, lo, I come in the Volume of the Book it is written of me. Q. 11. What is the third Inftruction hence? A. That the greatest Suffering is rather to be chofen than the leaft Sin, Heb. xi. 25. Chufing rather to fuffer Affliction with the People of God, than to enjoy the Pleafures of Sin for a Seafon. Q 12. What is the fourth Inftruction hence ? A. It teacheth us what an invaluable Mercy, the full, free and final Remiffion of Sin is, Pfal. xxxii. 1, 2. Blefed is he whofe Tranfgreffion is forgiven, and whofe Sin is covered, &c. Q13. What is the fifth Inftruction hence? A. It vindicates God in his fevereft Strokes on Sinners, Hof. vi. 5. Therefore have I bewed them by the Prophets: I have flain them by the Words of my Mouth, and thy Judgments are as the Light that goeth forth. Q. 14. What is the last Inftruction ? A. Hence we learn the Nature and infinite Value of Chrift's Sufferings, Rom. viii. 32. He that fpared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all: how shall be not with him alfo freely give us all Things? Queft. 85. us for Sin? Of what God requires of us. W HAT doth God require of us, that we may escape his Wrath and Curfe due to A. Toefcape the Wrath and Curfe of God due to us for Sin, God requireth of us Faith in Jefus Chrift, Repentance P unto unto Life, with the diligent Ufe of all the outward Means, whereby Christ communicateth to us the Benefits of Redemption. Q. I. What are the Things required of us to escape God's Wrath and Curfe due to us for Sin? A. The Things required of us, are, (1.) Faith in Jefus Chrift, Acts xvi. 31. And they faid, believe on the Lord Jesus Chrift, and thou shalt be faved, and thine House. (2.) Repentance from Sin, Acts iii. 19. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your Sins may be blotted out, &c. (3.) Diligent ftriving in the Ufe of all God's appointed Means, Luke xiii. 24. Strive to enter in at the ftrait Gate: for many, I say unto you, fhall feek to enter in, and shall not be alle. Q. 2. Are thefe Things in Man's Power to perform that God requires of him? A. Though they are our Duties, yet we have no Power in ourfelves by God, 2 Cor. ure to perform them, but the Power is of 5. Not that we are fufficient of ourselves to think any Thing as of ourselves, but our Sufficiency is of God. Q. 3. But if Men be in Chrift, and juftified from Eternity, what Need of this? A. Though God from Eternity decreed, and Chrift long fince purchafed the Salvation of the Elect; yet have they no Union with Christ, till they believe, Ephef. iii. 17. That Chrift moy dwell in your Hearts by Faith, that ye being rooted and grounded in Love. Nor Remiffion of Sin, Acts iii. 19. -That your Sins may be blotted out, when the Times of refreshing fhall come from the Prefence of the Lord; but lie under Wrath as others do, Eph. ii, 3, 12. And were by Nature the Children of Wrath even as others. Ver. xii. That at that Time ye were without Chrift, being Aliens from the Commonwealth of Ifrael, and Strangers from the Covenants of Premife, having no Hope, and without God in the World. Q. 4. If it be God that can only work these Graces in us, to what Purpose is our striving? A. God's working doth not exclude Man's friving, but more excites and obliges us to it, Phil. ii. 12, 13. Work out your own Salvation with Fear and Trembling: Fot it is is God which worketh in you both to will and to do, of his own good Pleasure. Q. 5. To what Purpose is it to ftrive in the Ufe of Means, except we knew we were elected ? A. The Knowledge of our Election is not antecedent to our Diligence, but our Diligence is required antecedently to that Knowledge, 2 Pet. i. 10. Wherefore the rather, Brethren, give Diligence to make your Calling and Election fure, *&c. Q. 6. Is it not legal to put natural Men upon striving in the Ufe of Means? A. No, it is not; for Chrift himself enjoins it, Luke xiii. 24. Strive to enter in at the ftrait Gate, &c. And fo did the Apoftles after him, Acts viii. 22. Repent therefore of this thy Wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the Thought of thy Heart may be forgiven thee. Q7. Is there no efcaping God's Wrath and Curfe without Faith and Repentance? A. No, it is impoffible to escape them. John iii. 18-He that believeth not, is condemned already, Heb. ii. 3. How shall we elcape if we neglect fo great Salvation. Q. 8. But if a Man reform his Life, and live foberly and justly for Time to come, may he not that way escape God's Wrath and Curfe? A. No, Sobriety and Reformation are Duties, but it's Faith and Regeneration that puts Men into Chrift, and out of Danger, Matth. v. zo. Except your Righteousness shall exceed the Righteoufnefs of the Scribes and Pharifees, ye shall in no Cafe enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, Titus iii. 5. Not by Works of Righteousness, which we have done, but according to bis Mercy be faved us, by the Washing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Q. 9. Do all believing and penitent Sinners efcape God's Wrath and Curfe? A. Yes, they do, and shall for ever efcape it, Rom. viii. 1. There is therefore now no Condemnation to them, which are in Chrift Jefus, &c. Col. i. 12, 13. Giving Thanks unto God the Father, which hath made us meet to be Partakers of the Inberitance of the Saints in Light; who hatb delivered us from the Power of Darkness, and hath tranflated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, Joh. v. 24. He that heareth my Word, and believeth on him that fent me, hath everlasting Life, and fall P 2 - not |