A. No; Man did not only lofe Communion with God, but fell under his Wrath and Curfe, Eph. ii. 3. And were by Nature Children of Wrath, even as others. Q. 4. Doth the Wrath and Curfe of God then lie on all Men ? A. It lies on all the Unregenerate in the World, Gal. iii. 10. Curfed is every one that continueth not in all Things which. are written in the Book of the Law, to do them. But Believers are delivered from it by Chrift, 1 Thef. i. 10. Even Jefus, which delivered us from the Wrath to come. Q. 5. How are the Miseries of Men by the Fall divided?' A. They are divided into the Miseries of this World, and of the World to come. Q. 6. What are the Miferies that come on them in this World? A. The Miseries of Life; as Sickness, Pain, Poverty on the Body, Fear, Trouble, Sorrow on the Mind, and at last Death itself, Rom. vi. ult. The Wages of Sin is Death. Q. 7. What are the Miferies after this Life ? A. The Pains and Torments of Hell for ever, Pfal. ix. 17. The wicked shall be turned into Hell. Q. 8. What are the Torments of Hell? A. Pain of Lofs, and Pain of Senfe, Mat. xxv. 41. Depart from me ye curfed into everlasting Fire. Q.9. What learn you from hence ? I A. The woful State of the unconverted. Miferable here, and miferable to Eternity. Q. 10. What else learn we hence ? A. The great Salvation Believers have by Christ from all this Mifery, Heb. ii. 3. How shall we efcape if we neglect fo great Salvation, which at the first began to be Spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by them that heard him. Of the Salvation of God's Elect, and of the Covenant of Grace. Queft. 20. D' ID God leave all Mankind to perish in the State of Sin and Misery? A. God having out of his meer good Pleasure from all Eternity, elected fome to everlasting Life, did enter into a Covenant Covenant of Grace, to deliver them out of the Eftate of Sin and Mifery; and to bring them into an Estate of Salvation by a Redeemer. Q. 1. Are fome Persons chofen to Salvation, and others left? A. Yes: God hath chofen fome to Salvation, and paffed by others; as the Scriptures fpeak. See Rom. viii. 30. Moreover whom he did predeftinate, them he also called. And Jude v. 4. For there are certain Men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this Condemnation, ungodly Men, &c. Q. 2. Did God chufe fome because he forefaw they would be better than others? A. No: God's Choice was not on forefeen Works; but meerly of his Grace, and good Pleasure of his Will, Eph. i. 5, 6. Having predeftinated us unto the Adoption of Children by Jefus Chrift unto himself, according to the good Pleasure of bis Will, to the Praife of the Glory of his Grace. Q3. Is this Election of God made in Time, and that according as Men ufe their free Will, or from Eternity? A. Election is an eternal Act of God before the World was, and depends not on Man's ufing his Free-will; as appears from Eph. i. 4. According as he hath chofen us in him, before the Foundation of the World, that we should be holy, and without Blame before him in Love. Q4. Shall all that be elected, be called, and faved? A. Yes, the Scripture is full and plain for it, Acts xiii. 48. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the Word of the Lord, and as many as were ordained to eternal Life, believed, Rom. viii. 30. Moreover, whom be did predeftinate, them he also called, &c. Q5. By whom are the Elect saved? A. By Chrift the only Redeemer, Tit. iii. 4, 5, 6. But after that the Kindness, and Love of God our Saviour towards Man appeared not by Works of Righteousness which we have done, but according to his Mercy, he faved us, by washing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghoft, which he fed on us abundantly, through Jefus Chrift our Saviour. Q. 6. Is there no other Way of Salvation but by Christ? 12. Nei 12. Neither is there Salvation in any other; for there is none other Name under Heaven given among Men, whereby we must be faved. Q. 7. What learn you from God's Election ? A. What Caufe we have to admire Free-grace in our Choice, who were no better than others, Eph. ii. 3. And were by Nature Children of Wrath, even as others. Q. 8. What is the fecond Inftruction ? A. It teaches us Humility, we made not ourselves to differ; but the free Grace of God made the Difference, 1 Cor. iv. 7. For who maketh thee to differ from another ? Q. 9. What is the third Inftruction? A. It teaches us Diligence to make our Election fure to ourfelves, by our Calling, 2 Pet. i. 10. Wherefore the rather Brethren, give Diligence to make your Calling and Election fure. Q. 10. What is the fourth Inftruction? A. It is Matter of Comfort to God's Elect, amidst all Dangers in the World, 2 Tim. ii. 19. Nevertheless the Foundation of God ftandeth fure, having this Seal, The Lord knoweth them that are bis. Quest. 1. Of the Covenant of Grace. W HAT is the Covenant of Grace? A. It is a new Compact or Agreement made with Sinners, out of meer Grace, wherein God promifeth to be our God, and that we fhall be his People, and to give everlasting Life to all that believe in Chrift, Jer. xxxi. 33. But this fhall be the Covenant that I will make with the Hanfe of Ifrael, after thofe Days, faith the Lord, I will put my Law in their inward Parts, and write it in their Hearts, and will be their God, and they fhall be my People. Q2. How doth this Covenant differ from the Covenant of Works. ; A. They differ many ways; but principally in three Things: First, the Covenant of Works had no Mediator the Covenant of Grace hath a Mediator, Heb. xii. 24. And to Jefus the Mediator of the new Covenant: Secondly, in the former, no Place was found for Repentance. In the Second, God me a God admits it, Heb. viii. 10. For this is the Covenant that I will make with the Houje of Ifrael, after thofe Days, faith the Lord, I will put my Laws in their Minds, and write them in their Hearts, and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to People, ver. xii. For I will be merciful to their Unrighteousness, and their Sins will I remember no more: Thirdly, In their Condition, the former requires exact Obedience, the latter Faith, and fincere Obedience, Mark xvi. 16. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be faved. Q3. May a Sinner that hath no Worthinefs at all of his own, be taken into the Covenant of Grace? A. Yes, he may, Ifa. xliii. 25. I, even I, am he, that blotteth out thy Tranfgreffions for mine own jake, and will not remember thy Sins. This Covenant is not of Works but of Grace, Rom. xi. 5, 6. And if by Grace, then it is no more of Works, otherwife Grace is no more Grace; but if it be of Works then it is no more Grace, otherwife Work is no more Work. Q. 4. Is this Covenant changeable, or an unchangeable Covenant? A. No, it is not changeable, but everlafting and unchangeable for ever, Ifa. liv. 19. For the Mountains fall depart, and the Hills be removed, lut my Kindness fhall not depart from thee, neither shall the Covenant of my Peace be removed, faith the Lord, that hath Mercy on thee. Q5. What are the principal Things bestowed in this Covenant? A. God himfelf, and in and with him Pardon and Salvation, Jer. xxxi. 33. I will be their God, and they shall be my People. Q. 6. Can no Sin be forgiven out of this Covenant? A. No, God pardons none out of this Covenant, John iii. 18. But he that believeth not, is condemned already. Q. 7. What is the firft Inftruction hence? A. Hun bled and believing Sinners have fingular Support from this new Covenant, 1 John ii. 12. I write unto you little Children, becaufe your Sins are forgiven you for his Name Jake. Q. 8. What is the fecond Inftruction from hence? A. That it is the great Concern of all Men to examine whether they be in this Covenant, or no, 2 Cor. xiii. 5. Examine yourselves, whether je be in the Faith, prove your own felves; know ye not your own felves, how that Jefus Chrift is in you, except ye be Reprobates. Q9. What is the third Inftruction ? A. See here the miserable State of the wicked, which have no Interest in it, Pfal. 1. 16. But unto the wicked, God faith, What haft thou to do to declare my Statutes, or that thou fhouldft take my Covenant in thy Mouth? Q. 10. What is the last Inftruction? A. That Chriftians are obliged to walk as People in Covenant with God, 1 Pet. ii. 9. But ye are a chofen Generation, a royal Priesthood, an holy Nation, a peculiar People; that ye fhould fhew forth the Praifes of him, who hath called you out of Darkness into his marvellous Light. Quest. 21. Of the only Redeemer. W HO is the Redeemer of God's Ele&t? A. The only Redeemer of God's Elect, is the Lord Jefus Chrift, who being the eternal Son of God, became Man, and fo was, and continueth to be God and Man, in two diftinct Natures, and one Person for ever. Q.1. What doth the Name Redeemer fignify? A. It fignifies one that frees another out of Captivity and Bondage, as Christ did, Mat. xx. 28. And to give bis Life a Ranfome for many. us? Q. 2. What was the Mifery from which Chrift delivered A. A twofold Mifery, viz. Sin and Hell. First, Sin, Mat. i. 21. Thou shalt call his Name Jefus, for he shall fave bis People from their Sins. Secondly, Hell, 1 Thef. i. to. Even Jefus, who delivered us from the Wrath to come. Q. 3. How did Chrift deliver us from this Mifery? A. First, By Price: Secondly, By Power. By Price, 1 Pet. i. 18, 19. re are not redeemed with Silver and Gold from your vain Converfation, received by Tradition from your Fathers: But with the precious Blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without Blemish, and without Spot. By Power, Col. i. 13. Who bath delivered us from the Power of Darkness, and bath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son. Q. 4. When was the Redemption wrought by Chrift? A. it |