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the God that is above. This was the fin of Pharaoh: Exod. 2. Aad Pharaoh faid, Who is the Lord, that I thould obey his voice, to let Ifrael go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Ifrael go.

5. What other fin is heinous in God's account?

A. The fin of idolatry is a most heinous fin, and goes nearer to the heart of God than other fins do; Ezek. vi. y. And they that escape of you, fhall remember me among the nations whither they fhall be carried captives; because I am broken with their whoith heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols; and they hall loath themselves, for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations. Jer. xliv. 4. O do not this abominable thing that I hate.

Q. 6. What is the most heinous of all the fins in the world-? A. The fin against the holy Ghost is the most heinous of all other fins, and (hall never be forgiven by him; Matth. xii. 31. All manner of fin and blafphemy thall be forgiven unto men ; but the blafphemy against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiven

unto men.

Q. 7. From whence doth this fcripture aggravate fin?

A. The Spirit of God in fcripture aggravates and estimates fin, from the degree of light and knowledge men fin against ; Luke xii. 47. And that fervant which knew his Lord's will, and prepared not himfelf, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many ftripes. Joha xv. 22. If I had not come, and spoken unto them, they had not had fin: But now they have no cloak for their fin.

Q. 8. What is the fecond thing that aggravates fin?

A. The more mercies any man fins againft, the greater is his fin; Rom. ii. 4. Or defpifeft thou the riches of his goodnefs, and forbearance, and long-tuffering, not knowing that the goodnefs of God leadeth thee to repentance? And especially when it is against fpiritual mercies, and means of falvation; Heb. i. 3. How shall we escape, if we neglect so great falvation? c. fo

Q. 9. Are heinous and crying fins capable of forgiveness ? A. Yes; great and heinous fins are capable of forgiveness, upon true repentance; If. i. 18. Though your fins be as fcarlet, they fhall be as white as fnow; though they be red like crimson, they fhall be as wool.

Q10. From what fountain doth the pardon of all fins, both great and fmall, flow?

A. They all flow from the free grace of God; Luke vii. 4f, 42. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave

them both. And through the meritorious, fatisfying blood of Christ; Eph. i. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of fins, according to the riches of his grace.

Q. 11. What is the first inference hence ?

A. Though fome fius are more heinous than others, yet no finner fhould abfolutely defpair of mercy; for the vileft have been pardoned; 1 Cor. vi. 11. And fuch were fome of you : But ye are washed, but ye are fanctified, but ye are justified, &c. Q. 12. What is the second inference hence ?

A. That there are different degrees of torments in hell, pro. portioned to the different degrees of fins on earth; Matth. xi. 21, 22. Wo unto thee, Chorazin, wo 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 fackcloth and ashes. But I fay unto you, it fhall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon, at the day of judgment, than for you. Q. 13. What is the third inference hence ?

A. That great fingers, when pardoned and received to mercy, should excel all others in love to Chrift; Luke vii. 42, 43. Which of them will love him moft? Simon anfwered and f.id, I fuppofe that he to whom he forgave moft. And he faid unto him, Thou haft rightly judged.

Q: 14. What is the last inference hence?

A. Let no man neglect Christ because his fins are not fo heinous as others; because the leaft fin without Chrift is damning ; Rom. vi. 23. For the wages of fin is death, &c. And greater finners are often called, when leffer are not; Matth. xxi. 31, 32. The publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

Qeft. 84.

Of the Demerit of Sin.

Hat doth every fin deferve?

A. Every fin deferveth God's wrath and curfe, both in this life, and that which is to come.

Q. Wherein doth the evil of fin principally confift ?

A. It confifts principally in the offence it gives, and the wrong it doth to God; Pfalm li. 4. Against thee, thee only have I finned, and done this evil-in thy fight.

2. What is the firft offence and wrong fin doth to God? A. It confifts in its enmity to God; Rom, viii. 7. Becaufe the carnal mind is enmity agaift God, &c. Expreffed in fcripture by walking contrary to him; Lev. xxvi. 40. They have alfo walked contrary to me. Fighting against God; Acts v. 39: VOL. VIII.

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Left haply ye be even found to fight against God. And refifting his Spirit; Acts vii. 51. Ye do always refift the holy Ghost.

e. 3. Wherein is its enmity to God further discovered in fcripture ?

A. It is difcovered under the names and notions of hatred of God; Rom. i. 30. Backbiters, haters of God, &c. Rebellion against God; 1 Sam. xv. 23. For rebellion is as the fin of witchcraft, &c. And defpifing the commandment of God; 2 Sam. xii. 9. Wherefore haft thou defpifed the commandment of the Lord? 4. What are the attributes of God that fin wrongs? A. It wrongs all his attributes; for it flights his fovereignty; Exod. v. 2. And Pharaoh faid, Who is the Lord, that I fhould obey his voice, to let Ifrael go? Refifts his power; 1 Cor. x. 22. Are we ftronger than he? Defpifeth his goodness; Rom. ii. 4. Or defpifeft thou the riches of his goodness, &c. Taxeth his juftice; Ezek. xviii. 25. Yet 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 fin deferve in the courfe of juftice from God?

A. It deferves all temporal and eternal effects of God's wrath, on the fouls and bodies of finners, all which in fcripture go under the name of death; Rom. vi. 23. For the wages of fin is death, &c.

Q. 6. Can these fufferings fatisfy God for all this wrong?

A. No, they cannot; and therefore they muft, and fhall be eternal on the damned; Matth. v. 26. Verily, I fay unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermoft farthing, Mark ix. 44. Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

e. 7. Shall all finners bear the defert of their fins?

A. No; all that are out of Chrift fhall; but Chrift 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 finners fhould fuffer eternally for the fins of a few years ?

A. No, it is not; for the evil of fin is not to be measured by the time in which, but by the object against which it is committed; Pfalm li. 4, 5. Against thee, thee only have I finned, and done this evil in thy fight, &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 fin that ever we committed; Job vii. 20. I have finned, what shall I do unto thee? &c.

Pfalm cxxx. 3. If thou, Lord, fhouldst mark iniquity, O Lord, who fhall ftand?

Q. 10. What is the fecond instruction hence ?

A. Hence we see the neceffity of a Mediator betwixt God and us; Pfalm 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 least fin; Heb. xi. 25. Chufing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of fin for a feafon.

Q. 12. What is the fourth inftruction hence?

A. It teacheth us what an invaluable mercy the full, free, and final remiffion of fin is; Pfalm xxxii, 1. Blessed is he whofe tranfgreffion is forgiven, and whofe fin is covered, &c.

Q. 13. What is the fifth inftruction hence?

A. It vindicates God in his feverest ftrokes on finners; Hof. vi. 5. Therefore have I hewed 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 instruction ?

A. Hence we learn the infinite nature of Chrift's fufferings Rom. viii. 32. He that fpared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how fhall he not with him alfo freely give us all things?

Queft. 85.

Of what God requires of us.

What

Hat doth God require of us, that we may efcape his wrath and curfe due to us for fin? A. To efcape the wrath and curfe of God due to us for fin, God requireth of us faith in Jefus Chrift, repentance unto life, with the diligent ufe of all the outward means, whereby Chrift communicateth to us the benefits of redemption.

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Q. 1. What are the things required of us to escape God's wrath and curfe due to us for fin?

A. The things required of us, are, (1,) Faith in Jefus Chrift; Acts xvi, 31. And they faid, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be faved, and thy houfe. (2.) Repentance for fin; Acts iii. 19. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your fins 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 strait gate: For many, I fay unto you, shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

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Q. 2. Are these things in man's power to perform, that God réquires of him?

A. Though they are our duties, yet we have no power in ourfelves by nature to perform them, but the power is of God; 2 Cor. iii. 5. Not that we are fufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves, but our fufficiency is of God,

Q. 3. But if men be in Christ, and juftified from eternity, what need of this?

A. Though God from eternity decreed, and Chrift lọng fince perchafed the falvation of the elect; yet have they no union with Chrift till they believe; Eph. iii. 17. That Chrift may dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye being rooted and grounded in love. Nor remiffion of fin; Acts iii. 19. That your fins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing fhall come from the presence 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. 12, That at that time ye were without Chrift, being aliens from the common wealth of Ifrael, and ftrangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.

Q4. If it be God that can only work thefe graces in us, to what purpose is our striving?

A. God's working doth not exclude man's ftriving, but more excites and obliges us to it; Phil, ii. 12, 13, Work out your own falvation with fear and trembling: For it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do, of his own good pleasure, Q. 5. To what purpofe 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; 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 use of means?

A. No, it is not; for Christ himself enjoins it; Luke xiii. 24. Strive to enter in at the strait gate, &c. And fo did the apostles 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.

7. Is there no efcaping of God's wrath and curfe without faith and repentance?

4. No, it is impoffible to escape them; John iii, 18. He that believeth not, is condemned already. Heb. ii. 3. How shall we efcape if we neglect fo great falvation?

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