The Assembly's Shorter Catechism Explained

Question: What benefits do believers receive from Christ at the resurrection?

Answer: At the resurrection, believers being raised up in glory, shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgment, and made perfectly blessed in the full enjoying of God to all eternity.

Question: Will not all others of mankind be raised as well as believers?

Answer: Yes; "There shall be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust," Acts 24:15.

Question: How do you prove, that there will be a general resurrection of the dead?

Answer: From the power of God, which CAN raise them, and from the scriptures, which affirm that he WILL do it; by which two arguments, our Lord proves the doctrine of the resurrection, against the Sadducees, Matt. 22:29 - "Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err; not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God."

Question: How does it appear that God CAN raise the dead?

Answer: Since his power was able to speak the world into being out of nothing, surely the same power can as easily raise up the bodies of men out of their former dust, and put them into order after their dissolution, Rom. 4:17.

Question: What scripture instances has God given of his power in raising the dead?

Answer: In the Old Testament; the son of the widow of Sarepta was raised, when he was but newly dead, 1 Kings 17:22; the Shunamite's son, when he had lain dead a considerable time, 2 Kings 4:35; and the man cast into the sepulchre of Elisha, when they were burying him, chap. 13:21. In the New Testament; the daughter of Jairus, Mark 5:41, and Dorcas, Acts 9:40, were both raised to life, when lately dead; the widow's son in Nain, when they were carrying him out to bury him, Luke 7:12, 15; and Lazarus, when dead four days, John 11:39, 44.

Question: How can the dust of men's bodies be distinguished and separated, when the ashes of many generations are mingled together?

Answer: With men it is impossible, but not with God; for, whoever believes an infinite understanding, Psalm 147:5, must own, that no mass of dust can be so intermixed, but that God perfectly comprehends and infallibly knows how the most minute particle, and every one of them is to be matched; and therefore knows where the particles of each body are, and how to separate them one from another.

Question: How is it evident from the scriptures, that God WILL raise the dead?

Answer: From several passages therein, which expressly affirm that he will do so, such as, Dan. 12:2 - "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." John 5:28, 29 - "All that are in their graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth: they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation." See also Job 19:26, 27; Acts 24:15.

Question: How did our Lord prove the resurrection against the Sadducees, who held only the five books of Moses as most authentic?

Answer: From Ex. 3:6 - "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." From whence he argues, Luke 20:37, 38 - "Now, that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he called the Lord, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob: for he is not the God of the dead, but of the living."

Question: What is the force of this argument for proving the resurrection?

Answer: It amounts to this: he is the God of their persons, and not the God of their souls only; and therefore, though their souls, in a separate state, love, worship, and praise him; yet their bodies must also be raised out of the dust, and be restored to life by the soul's resuming its possession, that they may, as living persons, or men, having soul and body united, love, serve, and adore him; and have the full enjoyment of all the blessings contained in his being their God, Heb. 11:16.

Question: Will the self-same body that dies be raised again?

Answer: Yes; it will be, for substance, the same body that will be raised, though endued with other qualities. The very notion of a resurrection implies as much; since nothing can be said to rise again, but that which falls.

Question: How do you prove from scripture, that the self-same body that dies, shall be raised again?

Answer: Death, in scripture-language, is a sleep, and the resurrection, an awakening out of that sleep, Job 14:12; which shows the body rising up, to be the self-same that died; and the apostle tells us, that it is this mortal, which must put on immortality, 1 Cor. 15:53; and that Christ shall "change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body," Phil. 3:21.

Question: How do you prove this from the equity of the divine procedure?

Answer: Though the glorifying of the bodies of the saints cannot, in a strict sense, be said to be the reward of their services or sufferings on earth; yet it is not agreeable to the manner of the divine dispensation, that one body serve him, and another be glorified; that one fight, and another receive the crown.

Question: Will the same bodies of the wicked, which are laid in the dust, be also raised again?

Answer: Yes; that the same body which sinned may suffer: it being unsuitable, that one body be the instrument of sin here, and another suffer in hell for that sin.

Question: By what means will the dead be raised?

Answer: "The Lord Jesus himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God," 1 Thess. 4:16; and at his alarming voice, which shall be heard all the world over, the scattered dust of all the dead shall be gathered together, dust to its dust; and likewise every soul shall come again to its own body, never more to be separated.

Question: In what order will they be raised?

Answer: "The dead in Christ shall rise FIRST," 1 Thess. 4:16.

Question: What will become of those who shall be found alive at the second coming of Christ?

Answer: They shall not die, and soon after be raised again; but they shall be changed, in some such manner as Christ's body was on the mount, when transfigured; and they shall become like those bodies of the saints which are raised out of their graves, 1 Cor. 15:51.

Question: In what time will the dead be raised, and the living changed?

Answer: "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump," 1 Cor. 15:52.

Question: What will be the difference between the resurrection of the godly, and that of the wicked?

Answer: The godly shall be raised by virtue of the SPIRIT of Christ, the blessed bond of their union with him, Rom. 8:11; and they shall come forth out of their graves with unspeakable joy, Isaiah 26:19 - "Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust:" but the wicked shall be raised by the POWER of Christ, as a just Judge; and they shall come forth with unspeakable horror and consternation, as so many malefactors, "to be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power," 2 Thess. 1:9.

Question: In what state and condition will the bodies of believers be raised?

Answer: They shall be raised up in glory, 1 Cor. 15:43.

Question: What is meant by the glory in which they shall be raised?

Answer: That they shall be incorruptible, glorious, powerful, and spiritual bodies, 1 Cor. 15:42-44 - "It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption; it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body."

Question: What do you understand by the bodies of believers being raised incorruptible?

Answer: That they shall leave all the seeds of corruption behind them, in the grave; and be for ever incapable of any pain, sickness, or death: that they shall have an everlasting youth and vigour, no more subject to the decays which age produces in this life, Isaiah 33:24.

Question: Why are their bodies said to be glorious?

Answer: Because they shall "be fashioned like unto Christ's glorious body," Phil. 3:21; not only beautiful, comely, and well proportioned, but full of splendour and brightness; for they shall "shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father," Matt. 13:43.

Question: Why are they said to be powerful or strong bodies?

Answer: Bec:use they shall be able to bear up, under an "exceeding and eternal weight of glory," 2 Cor. 4:17; and rest not day and night, but be, without intermission, for ever employed, in the heavenly temple, to sing and proclaim the praises of God, Rev. 4:8; weariness being a weakness incompetent to an immortal body.

Question: In what respect will they be spiritual bodies?

Answer: Not in respect of their being changed into spirits, (for they shall still retain the essential properties of bodies,) but in respect of their spirit-like qualities and endowments: they shall be nimble and active, and of a most refined constitution; for "they shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more;" and they shall never sleep, "but serve him day and night in his temple," Rev. 7:15, 16.

Question: What will follow immediately upon the resurrection of the dead?

Answer: The day of judgment, Rev. 20:13.

Question: What kind of a day will the day of judgment be?

Answer: It will be a day of wrath and vengeance to the wicked, 2 Thess. 1:8, 9; but a day of complete redemption to the godly, Luke 21:28.

Question: What will be the privilege of believers in the day of judgment?

Answer: They shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted, Matt. 25:23.

Question: What is it to be acknowledged by Christ in that day?

Answer: It is to be owned by him, as the blessed of his Father, for whom the kingdom of heaven is prepared, Matt. 25:34 - "Then shall the King say to them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

Question: What is it for believers to be acquitted in the day of judgment?

Answer: It is not only to be vindicated from all calumny and false aspersions cast upon them here, 1 Cor. 4:5, but to have all their sins declaratively pardoned, Acts 3:19.

Question: What is the difference between the acquitting of believers, when they are justified in this life, and the doing of it in the day of judgment?

Answer: In this life, believers are acquitted secretly, out of the sight of the world, and frequently without any intimation of it to themselves; but, then, the acquittal shall be pronounced in the most solemn and public manner.

Question: Is not this what is meant by their being openly acknowledged and acquitted?

Answer: Yes; for it shall be done before God, angels, and men, Rev. 3:5; Matt. 25:34- 41.

Question: Why will it be done so openly?

Answer: For the greater honour and comfort of the saints and the greater shame and confusion of their enemies, Isaiah 66:5 - "Your brethren that hated you, and cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified; but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed."

Question: On what account shall they be acquitted in that day?

Answer: On the very same account they are justified here; namely, for Christ's righteousness sake, imputed to them, and received by faith alone, Rom. 3:24.

Question: What benefits shall believers receive after the day of judgment in heaven?

Answer: They shall be made perfectly blessed in the full enjoying of God to all eternity, 1 Thess. 4:17 - "So shall we be ever with the Lord."

Question: What is it to be perfectly blessed?

Answer: It is to be entirely free from all misery, and fully possessed of all happiness, Rev. 21:4, 7.

Question: In what does the highest pitch of happiness consist?

Answer: In the full enjoying of God, the chief good, Psalm 73:25.

Question: In what way and manner will God be fully enjoyed in heaven?

Answer: By such a perfect knowledge of him as shall have no measure set to it except what arises from the finite capacity of the creature, 1 Cor. 13:12; for otherwise a creature's comprehensive knowledge of an infinite being is impossible, Job 11:7.

Question: How many ways will God be perfectly and satisfactorily known?

Answer: Two ways; the one is by sight, which will satisfy the understanding; and the other is by experience, which will satisfy the will.

Question: What is it that will give the greatest satisfaction to the bodily eyes in heaven?

Answer: A beholding that glorious and blessed body, which is united to the person of the Son of God, Job 19:27.

Question: Will not the glory of the man Christ Jesus be unspeakably superior to the glory of all the saints?

Answer: Yes, surely; for, though the saints shall shine forth as the sun, yet not they, but the Lamb, shall be the light of the heavenly city, Rev. 21:23.

Question: What is it that will make the glory of the human nature of Christ, shine with a peculiar lustre, in the eyes of the saints?

Answer: It is the indissoluble subsistence of that nature in the person of the Son, as the everlasting bond of union between God and them, John 17:23 - "I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one."

Question: Is not the blissful sight of God in heaven, something else than the sight of that glory, which we will see with our bodily eyes, in the man Christ, or in the saints, or any other splendour and refulgence51 from the Godhead whatsoever?

Answer: Yes; for no created thing can be our chief good and happiness, nor fully satisfy our souls; and as these things are somewhat different from God himself, so the scriptures assure us, that we shall see God, Matt. 5:8, and see him as he is, 1 John 3:2.

Question: How will the saints see God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in heaven?

Answer: Not with their bodily eyes, in respect of which, God is invisible 1 Tim. 1:17; but with the eye of the understanding, being blessed with the most perfect, full, and clear knowledge of God and divine things, of which the creature is capable, 1 Cor. 13:12.

Question: What is the difference between believers seeing God here, and their seeing him there?

Answer: Here they have only a sight, as it were, of his back parts: but there they shall see his face, Rev. 22:4; it is but a passing view they can have of him here, but there they shall eternally, without interruption, feed the eyes of their souls upon him, Psalm 17:15 - "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness."

Question: What will the eyes of the saints be eternally fed upon?

Answer: They will be for ever contemplating his infinite love, his unchangeable truths, and wonderful works, with the utmost complacency and delight, Psalm 16:11 - "In thy presence is fulness of joy, at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."

Question: How will the saints in heaven contemplate the infinite love of God towards them?

Answer: They shall be admitted to look into his heart, and there have a clear, distinct, and assured view of the love he bore to them from eternity, and will bear to them for evermore; for he has said, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love," Jer. 31:3. "Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord," Matt. 25:23.

Question: How will they contemplate God's unchangeable truths?

Answer: The light of glory will be a complete commentary on the Bible, and will disclose the whole treasure hid in that field, Psalm 36:9 - "In thy light shall we see light."

Question: Will there be any occasion for written or printed Bibles in heaven?

Answer: By no means, for the unchangeable truths of God, recorded in that holy book, will be indelibly stamped upon the minds of the redeemed company, as the subject of their everlasting song, Isaiah 59:21 - "My words - shall not depart - out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever." 1 Pet. 1:25 - "The word of the Lord endureth for ever."

Question: What comprehension will they have of the wonderful works of God, particularly of creation?

Answer: Their knowledge of all the creatures will then be brought to perfection, and they will see, that in wisdom he has made them all, Psalm 104:24.

Question: What views will they have of adorable providence?

Answer: They will see the checkered web of providence spread out at its full length, and that there was a necessity for all the trials and troubles they met with in time, 1 Pet. 1:6.

Question: How will the saints in heaven contemplate the glorious work of redemption?

Answer: It will be the matter of their eternal admiration; they shall for ever and alternately wonder and praise, and praise and wonder, at the mysteries of wisdom and love, goodness and holiness, mercy and justice, that shine through the whole of that glorious device, Rev. 1:5, 6.

Question: What is the experimental knowledge the saints shall enjoy of God in heaven?

Answer: It is the participation of the divine goodness in full measure, accompanied with a most lively sense of it in the innermost part of their souls, Rev. 7:17 - "The Lamb shall lead them to living fountains of water;" which are no other than God himself, "the fountain of living waters," Who will fully and freely communicate himself to them.

Question: In what respect will the communication of God, to the experience of the saints in heaven, be full?

Answer: In as much as they shall not be limited to any measure, but the enjoyment shall go as far as their most enlarged capacities can reach, Psalm 81:10.

Question: Will the capacities of the saints above be of equal size?

Answer: As there will be different degrees of glory, (the saints in heaven being compared to stars, which are of different magnitudes, Dan. 12:3;) so, some capacities will contain more, and others less, yet all shall be filled, and have what they can hold, Psalm 16:11.

Question: In what will consist the freedom of God's communicating himself to the experience of the saints in heaven?

Answer: In the unrestrained familiarity which he will there allow them with himself; he shall walk in them, 2 Cor. 6:16; his fulness shall ever stand open to them, there being no veil between him and them, to be drawn aside, for they shall see him face to face, 1 Cor. 13:12.

Question: What will be the result of the free communication, and full participation of the divine goodness in the upper sanctuary?

Answer: Perfect likeness to God, and unspeakable joy: hence says the Psalmist, "I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness: - In thy presence is fulness of joy," Psalm 17:15, and Psalm 16:11.

Question: Why will perfect likeness to God follow upon the beatific vision of him?

Answer: Because the seeing of God in all his matchless excellencies, no more "through a glass darkly, but face to face," cannot but be attended with a swallowing up of all the imperfections of the saints, into a glorious transformation to his blessed image, 1 John 3:2 - "We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is."

Question: Why is the communication, and participation of God in heaven, accompanied with unspeakable joy?

Answer: Because of the undoubted certainty, and full assurance which the saints have of the eternal duration of the same: the enjoyment of God being always fresh and new to them, through the ages of eternity; for they shall drink of living fountains of waters continually springing up in abundance, Rev. 7:17.

Question: Why will the saints in heaven have an undoubted certainty of their full enjoyment of God to all eternity?

Answer: Because the everlasting GOD himself will be their eternal life and happiness, 1 John 5:20 - "This is the true God and eternal life." Isaiah 60:19 - "The Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory." Hence it is said of heaven, that "the glory of God doth lighten it;" and that the Lamb is the light thereof, Rev. 21:23.

Question: What improvement ought we to make of these benefits which believers receive from Christ at the resurrection?

Answer: We should "be diligent, that we may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless," 2 Pet. 3:14; and occupy the talents he has given us, until he come, Luke 19:13; we should "judge ourselves, that we may not be judged," 1 Cor. 11:31; and because "the end of all things is at hand," we should "therefore be sober, and watch unto prayer," 1 Pet. 4:7; yea, we should "hope to the end, for the grace that is to be brought unto us at the revelation of Jesus Christ," 1 Pet. 1:13.


The Assembly's Shorter Catechism Explained

Question: What is the duty which God requires of man?

Answer: The duty which God requires of man, is obedience to his revealed will.

Question: Why are the principles of faith, in the Shorter Catechism, treated of, before duties of obedience?

Answer: To show, that man's duty cannot be rightly performed, unless it flow from a belief of these principles, as the root and spring of it, Heb. 11:6.

Question: What do you understand by man's duty?

Answer: That which he owes to God, out of love and gratitude, Luke 17:10.

Question: What is it that man thus owes to God?

Answer: Constant and universal obedience, 1 Sam. 15:22.

Question: From whence does our obligation of obedience to God arise?

Answer: From his universal supremacy, and sovereign authority over us, as rational creatures, Lev. 18:5, who depend entirely upon him, for our "life, and breath, and all things," Acts 17:25.

Question: What motive or excitement have Christians, above others, to the duties of obedience?

Answer: They have the revelation of God's free love, mercy, and grace in Christ, bringing salvation to them, which should teach them to "live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world," Titus 2:12.

Question: What is the only rule and measure of our obedience?

Answer: The revealed will of God, Isaiah 8:20.

Question: Why is our obedience limited to God's revealed will?

Answer: Because it is necessary that God should signify to us, in what instances he will be obeyed, and the manner how our obedience is to be performed; otherwise, it would rather be a fulfilling of our own will than his, Micah. 6:8.

Question: Where has God revealed his will, as the rule and measure of our obedience?

Answer: In the scriptures of the Old and New Testament, 2 Tim. 3:16.

Question: What is the difference between God's secret and revealed will?

Answer: His secret will is reserved to himself, as the rule of his own procedure; but his revealed will is made known to us, as the rule of our faith and obedience, Deut. 29:29 - "The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but those things which are revealed belong unto us, and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law."

Question: Is it not agreeable to the revealed will of God that we give obedience to the just commands of our lawful superiors?

Answer: Yes; for thus we are commanded, 1 Pet. 2:13 - "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man, for the Lord's sake."

Question: What is the difference between the obedience we should yield to God, and that which we should give to our lawful superiors?

Answer: We should obey God for himself, or out of regard to his own authority, as the very ground and reason of our obedience; but we should obey our superiors, only in the Lord; or, as their commands are agreeable to his will, Eph. 6:1 - "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right."

Question: What is our duty, when the commands of superiors are contrary to the commands of God?

Answer: In that case we ought, without the least hesitation, "to obey God rather than men," Acts 5:29; Dan. 3:18.

Question: Why ought God to be obeyed rather than men, when their commands are opposite?

Answer: Because, "God alone is the Lord of the conscience, James, 4:12, and has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men, which are in any thing contrary to his word," Acts 4:19.54

Question: What is the nature of that obedience which is acceptable to God?

Answer: It is such as flows from a vital union with Christ, and faith in him, as the principle of it, John 15:4, 5; is performed in a due manner, Psalm 5:7; and aims at the glory of God, as its highest and ultimate end, 1 Cor. 10:31.

Question: What encouragement does God give us to essay a universal obedience to his revealed will?

Answer: That he requires nothing of us in point of duty, but what he promises strength and furniture for the performance of, Ezek. 36:27 - "I will - cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them."


The Assembly's Shorter Catechism Explained

Question: What did God at first reveal to man, for the rule of his obedience?

Answer: The rule which God at first revealed to man for his obedience, was the moral law.

Question: How are the laws of God distinguished?

Answer: Into natural and positive.

Question: What is the law of God natural, or the law of nature?

Answer: It is that necessary unalterable rule of right and wrong, founded in the infinitely holy and just nature of God, to which men, as reasonable creatures, cannot but be indispensably bound, Rom. 2:14, 15.

Question: What do you understand by positive laws?

Answer: Such institutions as depend only upon the sovereign will and pleasure of God, and which he might not have enjoined, and yet his nature remain the same; such as, the command about not eating the forbidden fruit, and all the ceremonial precepts under the old dispensation.

Question: Where were the dictates of the law of nature originally inscribed?

Answer: A fair copy of them was originally written upon the heart or mind of man at his creation; because he was made after the image of God, Gen. 1:27.

Question: Do these dictates become just and reasonable, because they are commanded; or, are they commanded, because they are just and reasonable in their own nature before?

Answer: They are commanded, because they are just and reasonable in their own nature, antecedently to any divine precept about them, being founded in the very holiness and wisdom of God, Psalm 111:7, 8.

Question: Did the dictates of the law of nature undergo any change or alteration in the mind of man, after the fall?

Answer: The law of nature, being the natural instinct of the reasonable creature, implanted in the soul by God himself can never be totally erased or obliterated, as to its common and general principles, and immediate conclusions flowing from them; though, with reference to such native consequences as are more remote, it is grossly corrupted, and even altered and perverted, by the vicious and depraved nature of man, Rom. 1:21, 32.

Question: What are the common and general principles of the law of nature, which are still engraved, in some measure, upon the minds of men, even where they have no written law?

Answer: They are such as these; that God is to be worshipped: parents to be honoured: none are to be injured: that we should not do to others, what we would not wish them to do to us; and the like.

Question: How do you prove that these, and the like principles, are still ingrained in man's nature, even where there is no written law?

Answer: From Rom. 2:14 - "The gentiles, which have not the law," namely, the written law, "do by nature the things contained in the law."

Question: How does it appear from men's own consciences, that they have innate principles of right and wrong implanted in their natures?

Answer: From their consciences excusing or accusing them, as they commit actions manifestly agreeable or disagreeable to these innate or inbred principles, Rom. 2:15.

Question: What are the horrid, though native, consequences, of denying innate principles of right and wrong?

Answer: The denial of this saps the foundation of all religion, natural and revealed; subverts all difference between moral good and evil; and, consequently, opens a wide door to gross and downright atheism.

Question: Is there any difference between the law of nature and the moral law?

Answer: Although the same duties which are contained in the law of nature, are prescribed also in the moral law, yet there is this difference, that in the law of nature, there is nothing but what is moral; but in the moral law there is something also that is positive, namely, the means of worship, and circumscribing the particular day for the observance of the Sabbath.

Question: What is the meaning of the word moral, when applied to the law?

Answer: Though the word literally has a respect to the manners of men, yet, when applied to the law, it signifies that which is perpetually binding, in opposition to that which is binding only for a time.

Question: Was there any express revelation of the moral law made to Adam in his state of innocence?

Answer: He needed no express revelation of this, because it was interwoven with his very nature in his creation after the image of God, Eccl. 7:29 - "God made man upright."

Question: Why then is it said in the answer, that the moral law was the rule which God at first revealed to man?

Answer: Because it was so distinctly written in his heart, and impressed in his nature, that it was equal to an express revelation.

Question: Is the moral law to be viewed only as the RULE of our obedience?

Answer: It must be viewed also as the REASON of it. We must not only do what is commanded, and avoid what is forbidden in the law; but we must also do good, for this very reason, that God requires it, and avoid evil, because he forbids it, Lev. 18:4, 5 - "I am the Lord your God, ye shall THEREFORE keep my statutes, and my judgments."

Question: Are the precepts of the moral law of immutable obligation, so as that they in no case can be dispensed with?

Answer: With respect to God, those precepts which do not flow absolutely and immediately from his own nature, may, in certain particular cases, be altered or changed, provided it be done by his own express appointment; but with respect to man, all the precepts of the moral law are of immutable obligation, and none of them can in any instance be dispensed with by him, Matt. 5:18.

Question: Did not God dispense with the law against manslaughter, when he commanded Abraham to offer his only son Isaac for a burnt-offering upon one of the mountains in the land of Moriah, which he was to tell him of? Gen. 22:2.

Answer: Though Abraham, it would seem, looked upon this mysterious command of his sovereign Lord, to be peremptory, in as much as he immediately took journey with his son, to put the divine order into execution; yet in the issue it proved only to be probatory, to discover to Abraham himself the reality of his faith, and the submissiveness of his obedience to God, as flowing from it, ver. 12, 16, 17.

Question: Would Abraham have been guilty of murder, had he been permitted to sacrifice his son, on this occasion?

Answer: No; because he had the warrant of the most unquestionable authority, even the authority of the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, for so doing, ver. 2.

Question: Is the moral law a perfect rule of life and manners?

Answer: It is so perfect that nothing can be superadded to it, or corrected in it, Psalm 19:7 - "The law of the Lord is perfect."

Question: Did Christ supply any defects of the law, or correct any mistakes in it?

Answer: No; he acted the part of an interpreter and defender of the law, but not of a new lawgiver; as is evident from his explaining the law, and vindicating it (Matt. chapters 5, 6 and 7) from the corrupt glosses that were put upon it.

Question: Did not Christ say, John 13:34, "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another?"

Answer: This commandment was not new as to the substance of it, for it is the sum of the second table of the law, Matt. 22:39; and therefore called an "old commandment, which we had from the beginning," 1 John 2:7, 2 John ver. 5; but it is called new, because it was enforced with the new motive and example of Christ's unparalleled love to us, imported in the words immediately following: "As I have loved you, that ye also love one another."

Question: Is the moral law abrogated under the New Testament?

Answer: By no means; for Christ came not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it, Matt. 5:17.

Question: Can righteousness and life be attained by the moral law, since the fall?

Answer: No; for, "by the works of the law, shall no flesh be justified," Gal. 2:16.

Question: Of what use, then, is the law to men, since righteousness and life cannot be attained by it?

Answer: It is, notwithstanding, of much use, both to unregenerate sinners and to saints; "for the law is good, if a man use it lawfully," 1 Tim. 1:8; that is, in a suitableness to the state in which he is, either as a believer or unbeliever.

Question: Of what use is the law, to unbelievers, or to unregenerate sinners?

Answer: It is useful to discover to them their utter impotence and inability to attain justification and salvation by the works of it; and thus it is a schoolmaster to bring them to Christ, that they may be justified by faith, Gal. 3:24.55

Question: How is the law a schoolmaster to bring sinners to Christ?

Answer: By requiring spotless holiness of nature; perfect, personal, and perpetual obedience in this life; and full satisfaction for sin: which none of mankind being capable of, they are thus shut up to see the need they stand in of Christ, who has done all these things for them; "for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness, to every one that believeth," Rom. 10:4.

Question: Has the law this effect upon all the unregenerate?

Answer: No; the most part of them remain deaf to the dictates of the law, both as to their sin and danger, and are therefore rendered inexcusable, Rom. 1:20.

Question: Of what use is the law to the regenerate, or to believers?

Answer: It is of use to excite them to express their gratitude and thankfulness to Christ for his fulfilling it as a covenant, Rom. 8:3, 4; by their studying conformity to it, both in their hearts and lives, as the RULE of their obedience, Rom. 7:22, and 12:2.56

Question: How can the moral law be the rule of obedience to believers, when it is said of them, Rom. 6:14, that they are not under the law?

Answer: Though they are not under the law as a covenant of works, to be either justified or condemned by it, yet they are under it as a rule of duty, and account it their happiness and privilege to be so, 1 Cor. 9:21.

Question: What may we learn from the nature of the moral law in general?

Answer: That God having so clearly pointed out his own nature, and in a manner expressed his very image in it, Lev. 9:2, we ought to loathe and abhor ourselves for our want of conformity to it, and our innumerable transgressions of it, Psalm 40:12; and fly to the Lord Jesus, that by his righteousness imputed, the righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in us, Rom. 8:3, 4.

Question: What other laws did God give to the Jews, besides the moral law?

Answer: He gave them also the CEREMONIAL and JUDICIAL laws.

Question: What was the CEREMONIAL law?

Answer: It was a system of positive precepts, respecting the external worship of God in the Old Testament church; chiefly designed to typify Christ, as then to come, and to lead them to the knowledge of the way of salvation through him, Heb. 10:1.

Question: What were the principal ceremonies about which this law was conversant?

Answer: They were such as respected sacred persons, places, and things.

Question: Who was the chief sacred person among the Jews?

Answer: The high priest, who was ordained for men in things pertaining to God, Heb. 5:1.

Question: In what respect was he a type of Christ?

Answer: His being consecrated with a plentiful effusion of the holy anointing oil typified the immeasurable communication of the Spirit to Christ, Psalm 133:2; John 3:34; and his bearing the names of the children of Israel upon his shoulder, and in the breast-plate, signified that Christ is the representative of all his spiritual seed, and has their concerns continually at heart, Isaiah 49:3, 16.

Question: Were not the other ordinary priests of Aaron's family likewise types of Christ?

Answer: Yes; for in as much as they daily offered sacrifices according to the law, Heb. 10:11, they were typical of him, who "now once in the end of the world, hath appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself," chap. 9:26.

Question: What were the sacred places under the old dispensation?

Answer: The tabernacle and temple.

Question: What was the tabernacle?

Answer: It was a movable and portable tent, secured from the injuries of the weather, by several coverings; the whole planned by God himself, and executed by Moses in the wilderness, precisely according to the pattern showed him on the mount, Heb. 8:5.

Question: How was it enclosed?

Answer: By a large or spacious court, open above, but hung round with curtains of fine twined linen, five cubits, or seven and a half feet high, Ex. 27:18.

Question: When and where was the temple built?

Answer: It was built by Solomon, at Jerusalem, on Mount Moriah, four hundred and eighty years after the children of Israel came out of Egypt; and, consequently, about the same number of years after the tabernacle was set up in the wilderness, 1 Kings 6:1, compared with 2 Chron. 3:1.

Question: Was the plan of the temple the contrivance of human skill?

Answer: No; like the tabernacle, it was devised by God himself; for David gave to Solomon, his son, the pattern of the whole of it, as he had it, by the Spirit, 1 Chron. 28:11, 12. And after enumerating several particular parts of the model, "All this," said David, "the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern," verse 19.

Question: What did the tabernacle and temple typify?

Answer: Among other things, they both of them typified the human nature of Christ, which was assumed into union with his divine person, John 2:19, 21.

Question: How many apartments were there, in these sacred places?

Answer: Besides the large outward court, to which any of all Israel had access, who were not ceremonially unclean, there were, both in the tabernacle and temple, two sacred apartments; the first, called the holy, and the second, the most holy place, separated by an embroidered veil of cunning work, Ex. 26:31-34.

Question: What did these several apartments signify?

Answer: The outward court might signify the church visible, consisting in a mixture of saints and sinners; the holy place, the church invisible on earth, made up only of the true members of Christ's mystical body; and the holiest of all represented heaven itself, or the church triumphant in glory.

Question: What were the sacred things, in the outward court, which was before the tabernacle?

Answer: They were these three; the laver, the sacrifices, and the altar on which they were offered.

Question: What was the laver?

Answer: It was a brazen vessel for holding water, made of the mirrors, or polished pieces of brass, presented by the "women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation," Ex. 38:8.

Question: Where was it situated?

Answer: "Between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar," Ex. 30:18.

Question: Why was it placed there?

Answer: That Aaron and his sons might wash their hands and their feet thereat, when they went into the tabernacle, or when they came near to the altar to minister, under no less penalty than death, verse 19-21.

Question: Why was this ordinance of the priest's washing at the laver, enjoined under so severe a penalty?

Answer: To point out the absolute necessity of the application of the blood and Spirit of Christ to the soul, as that without which there can be no escaping of eternal death, 1 John 1:7, compared with Rom. 6:23.

Question: What was the subject matter of the sacrifices?

Answer: Such of the clean beasts and fowls, specified by God himself, as were perfectly free of any blemish or imperfection, Lev. 22:20.

Question: What was signified by the sacrifices being without blemish?

Answer: The spotless holiness and purity of the human nature of Christ, which was sacrificed for us, 1 Pet. 1:19.

Question: What were the instructive ceremonies that were used in expiatory sacrifices or burnt-offerings?

Answer: The sins of the offerers were to be typically laid upon the head of the sacrifice, Lev. 1:4; next, it was to be slain by blood-shedding, ver. 5; and then, it was to be consumed wholly, or in part, with fire upon the altar, ver. 9.

Question: What was signified, by charging the sins of the offerers upon the head of the sacrifice?

Answer: That the sins of an elect world were laid on Christ, to be expiated by him, Isaiah 53:6.

Question: What was typified, by shedding the blood of the sacrifice unto death?

Answer: That the blood of Christ was to be "shed for many, for the remission of sins," Matt. 26:28.

Question: What was signified, by consuming the sacrifice with fire upon the altar?

Answer: That the whole of that infinite wrath, which was due to sinners, and would have been consuming them for ever, was poured out upon the glorious Surety, and endured by him, Isaiah 53:10.

Question: Upon what altar were the sacrifices offered and consumed?

Answer: Upon the brazen altar, or altar of burnt-offerings, which was placed without, before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, Ex. 40:6; intimating, that the sacrifice of Christ, was to be perfected on this earth, John 19:30.

Question: What was typified by this altar?

Answer: As the altar sanctifieth the gift, Matt. 23:19, so this altar typified the divine nature of Christ, as giving infinite worth and value to the sacrifice of the human nature, because of the personal union, Heb. 9:14.

Question: From whence originally came the fire, which was kept burning on the altar of burnt-offering?

Answer: It came originally and immediately from God himself; for when Moses was dedicating the tabernacle in the wilderness, "there came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed, upon the altar, the burnt-offering, and the fat," Lev. 9:24. And afterwards at the dedication of Solomon's temple, "when he had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt-offering and the sacrifices," 2 Chron. 7:1.

Question: What was signified by this fire coming immediately from before the Lord, or from heaven?

Answer: It :ignified God's acceptance of, and acquiescence in, the obedience unto death of his own eternal Son, typified by all these expiatory sacrifices, Isaiah 42:21.

Question: Why was the fire never to go out, but to be kept ever burning upon the altar? Lev. 6:13.

Answer: To show that it was not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sin, Heb. 10:4; and therefore to teach the people, under that dispensation, to look to the atoning blood of the Messiah, as that only which could quench the flame of divine wrath against sin, and be "an offering and sacrifice to God, for a sweet smelling savour," Eph. 5:2, in which he might eternally rest.

Question: What were the sacred things in the holy place, called the first tabernacle? Heb. 9:2.

Answer: They were the candlestick, the table with the shew-bread, and the altar of incense.

Question: What was typified by the CANDLESTICK?

Answer: That all true spiritual light is conveyed to the church only from Christ, John 1:9, 18; and that, as the branches were supplied with oil from the body of the candlestick, so all the members are supplied out of the fulness of Christ for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him, chap. 3:34.

Question: What was meant by the SHEW-BREAD, which was always set forth upon the table? Ex. 25:30.

Answer: That in Christ, who is the bread of life, there is food continually for starving sinners of mankind, John 6:35; and that we may ever come to him for supply, because, "in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily," Col. 2:9.

Question: What was typified by the altar of INCENSE, which was placed immediately before the veil? Ex. 30:6.

Answer: The incense which was continually burnt upon this altar, every morning and evening, Ex. 30:7, 8, (after the sacrifices were offered without, upon the altar of burnt-offering,) typified the prevalent intercession of Christ, founded upon his meritorious oblation, 1 John 2:1, 2.

Question: What were the sacred and significant things contained in the most holy place, or holiest of all, as it is called? Heb. 9:3.

Answer: The apostle to the Hebrews says, that "the tabernacle which is called the holiest of all, - HAD the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant, overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; and over it the cherubims of glory, shadowing the mercy-seat," Heb. 9:4, 5.

Question: Did the golden censer, like other sacred utensils in the most holy place, remain in it perpetually?

Answer: No; it remained no longer than the high priest continued within the veil, sprinkling the blood of the sin-offering "upon the mercy seat, and before it," Lev. 16:14, during which time the cloud of incense, kindled with coals of fire from the altar of burnt-offering covered the mercy-seat, ver. 12, 13; and then, when the high priest retired from the most holy place, he carried off the golden censer with him to the altar of incense, where it lay till there was next occasion for it.

Question: Why then was the holiest of all said to HAVE the golden censer?

Answer: Because the principal use of it, was to carry in burning incense to the most holy place, along with the blood of the sacrifice on the great day of atonement, once every year, Lev. 16:12, 13.

Question: What was typified by this cloud of incense carried in by the high priest to the most holy place, along with the blood of the sacrifice once a year?

Answer: The infallible prevalency of Christ's intercession, because of the infinite merit of his satisfaction, Heb. 7:25.

Question: What was the most eminent pledge of the divine presence, in this most holy place?

Answer: The ark with the mercy-seat that covered it, Ex. 25:21, 22 - "Thou shalt put the mercy-seat above upon the ark - and there will I meet with thee, and I will commune with thee."

Question: What was put within the ark?

Answer: Nothing but the two tables of stone, on which the Ten Commandments were written by the finger of God at Mount Sinai, 1 Kings 8:9 - "There was nothing in the ark, save the TWO TABLES of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb."

Question: Were not the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, put within the ark, as it would seem from Heb. 9:4?

Answer: No; it is expressly said, that both these were appointed to be laid up BEFORE the testimony, not IN IT, Ex. 16:34, and Num. 17:10.

Question: What did the golden pot that had manna signify?

Answer: The inexhaustible provision of all spiritual blessings laid up in Christ, for the members of his mystical body, John 6:54, 55.

Question: What was typified by Aaron's rod that budded?

Answer: The fixed choice that God had made of Christ, to the office of priesthood, he being called of God, as was Aaron, Heb. 5:4.

Question: For what end was the ARK of the covenant properly made?

Answer: It was for holding the two tables of the law, which are called the testimony, Ex. 25:16, says God to Moses, "Thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee."

Question: Why were the tables of the law called the two tables of testimony? Ex. 31:18.

Answer: Because they testified the will of God to mankind as the unerring rule of duty, Isaiah 8:20.

Question: Why were these tables put into the ark?

Answer: To signify that the law, which was broken by the first Adam, was put up, as fulfilled in the second, Isaiah 42:21, that there might be "no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus," Rom. 8:1.

Question: Why were these tables called the tables of the covenant, and the ark containing them, the ark of the covenant? Heb. 9:4.

Answer: Because the Ten Commandments, written on these tables, were the matter of the covenant of works made with Adam, as the head of his posterity, Rom. 10:5, and the fulfilment of them, both in point of doing and suffering was the condition of the covenant of grace, made with Christ, as the representative of his spiritual seed, Matt. 3:15.

Question: What was the mercy-seat?

Answer: It was a plate of solid gold, exactly fitted to the breadth and length of the ark, (Ex. 25 ver. 10 and 17, compared,) so as to be a lid, or covering to the tables of the covenant, which were within it, ver. 21.

Question: Why was it called the mercy-seat?

Answer: To intimate, that God is propitious and merciful to sinners, only through the meritorious satisfaction of Christ, Rom. 5:21.

Question: What was signified by its being a lid, or covering, to the tables of the covenant?

Answer: That the broken law was so hid or covered by the glorious Surety, who answered all its demands, Rom. 8:33, 35, that it could accuse none before God, who had "fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before them," Heb. 6:18.

Question: What was it that peculiarly belonged to the mercy-seat?

Answer: The "cherubims of glory shadowing it," Heb. 9:5.

Question: What was represented by these cherubims?

Answer: They represented the ministry and service of the holy angels to Christ and his church, Heb. 1:14.

Question: Why called cherubims of glory?

Answer: Because God manifested his glory from between them, Ex. 25:22, and gave gracious answers with respect to his church and people, Num. 7:89.

Question: How did they shadow the mercy-seat?

Answer: By stretching forth and spreading their wings over it, intimating their readiness to fly upon Christ's errands on all occasions, Psalm 104:4.

Question: In what posture were the faces of these cherubims?

Answer: They looked one to another, and towards the mercy-seat, Ex. 25:20.

Question: What did this posture of their faces signify?

Answer: Their looking one to another, signified their perfect harmony in serving the interests of Christ's kingdom, Ezek. 1:20; and their looking towards the mercy-seat, signified their desire to look, with the most profound veneration and wonder, into the adorable mystery of redeeming love, 1 Pet. 1:12 - "Which things the angels desire to look into."

Question: Who was allowed to enter into this most holy place?

Answer: The high priest alone, without any to attend or assist him, Lev. 16:17; and in this he was an eminent type of Christ, who has the whole work of redemption laid upon his shoulders, "And of the people there was none with him," Isaiah 63:3.

Question: When did the high priest enter into the holiest of all?

Answer: Only once every year; namely, on the great day of atonement, which was appointed to be a solemn anniversary fast, under that ceremonial dispensation, Lev. 16:29, 30.

Question: In what manner did the high priest enter within the veil?

Answer: He was expressly required to carry along with him the blood of the sacrifice, slain without the tabernacle, at the altar of burnt-offering, and the golden censer full of burning incense; without both which, he might by no means enter within the most holy place, Lev. 16:12-16.

Question: What was typified by this solemnity?

Answer: It typified the perpetual efficacy of the blood of Christ in heaven, for all the blessings and benefits for which it was shed on earth, Heb. 12:24.

Question: Is the ceremonial law, or any part of it, obligatory now, under the New Testament?

Answer: Although the divine truths, couched and signified under the ceremonies of God's own institution, be unchangeably the same, yet the observance of the ceremonies themselves is abrogated by the death and satisfaction of Christ, in whom they had their full accomplishment, John 1:17.

Question: How do you prove that the ceremonial law was abolished by the death and satisfaction of Christ?

Answer: From the utter destruction, many ages since, of the temple at Jerusalem, where only it was lawful to offer sacrifices; which adorable Providence would never have permitted, if these ceremonial institutions had been intended to subsist after the death of Christ, of whom it was foretold that he should "cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease," Dan. 9:27. See also Jer. 3:16 - "In those days, saith the Lord, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the Lord; neither shall it come to mind, neither shall they remember it, neither shall they visit it, neither shall that be done any more."

Question: What may we learn from the whole of this typical dispensation?

Answer: That as the ceremonial law was a shadow of good things to come, Heb. 10:1, so it is a perpetual evidence of the faithfulness and power of God, in the full accomplishment of all the blessings that were prefigured by it, John 1:17.

Question: What was the JUDICIAL law?

Answer: It was that body of laws given by God, for the government of the Jews, partly founded in the law of nature, and partly respecting them, as they were a nation distinct from all others.

Question: What were those laws which respected them as a people distinct from all others?

Answer: They were such as concerned the redemption of their mortgaged estates, Lev. 25:13; the resting of their land every seventh year, Ex. 23:11; the appointment of cities of refuge for the man-slayer, Num. 35:15; the appearing of their males before the Lord at Jerusalem, three times in the year, Deut. 16:16; and the like.

Question: Is this law abrogated, or is it still of binding force?

Answer: So far as it respects the peculiar constitution of the Jewish nation, it is entirely abrogated; but in so far as it contains any statute, founded in the law of nature, common to all nations, it is still of binding force.


The Assembly's Shorter Catechism Explained

Question: Wherein is the moral law summarily comprehended?

Answer: The moral law is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments.

Question: What is it to be summarily comprehended?

Answer: It :s to be briefly summed up, in such few and well chosen words, as to take in a great deal more than what is expressed, Rom. 3:9.

Question: Where is the moral law thus briefly summed up?

Answer: In the Ten Commandments, Deut. 10:4.

Question: Where is the law more largely and fully set forth?

Answer: In the whole scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, Psalm 119:105.

Question: By whom were the Ten Commandments first pronounced and promulgated?

Answer: By God himself, Exod. 20:1; "GOD spake all these words."

Question: Whether was it God essentially considered, or God considered as in the person of the Son, who spake these words?

Answer: It was the three-one God considered as in the person of the Son, who was the speaker of them; as is evident from Acts 7:37, 38, where the Prophet, whom the Lord was to raise up unto the Jews of their brethren, like unto Moses, is expressly called the angel which spake to him in Mount Sinai. See also Heb. 12:25, 26.

Question: What was the peculiar work of God about these words, after he had spoken them with an audible voice, in the hearing of all Israel?

Answer: He wrote or enjoyed them with his own finger, on two tables of stone, Deut. 9:10.

Question: Was each of these tables written on both sides?

Answer: It is said expressly that they were, Ex. 32:15. "The tables were written on BOTH their sides; on the one side, and on the other were they written."

Question: What did this signify?

Answer: The tables being fully written on both sides, signified that nothing was to be added to the words of the law, or taken away from them, Deut. 4:2; and likewise, that the whole man, soul, spirit, and body, must be sanctified wholly, 1 Thess. 5:23.

Question: How often were the commandments written on tables of stone?

Answer: The first being broken by Moses, on occasion of the idolatry of Israel, Ex. 32:19, the Lord condescended to write on two other tables, the very same words that were on the former ones, chap. 34:1.

Question: Was there any difference between the first two tables and the second?

Answer: The first two, which were entirely the work of God, (the polishing as well as the engraving,) were broken beneath the mount, Ex. 32:16, 19; but the second, which were hewed by Moses, the typical mediator, were put into the ark, Deut. 10:3, 5.

Question: What spiritual mystery was represented by this?

Answer: That though the covenant of works, made with the first Adam, was broken and violated by him, yet it was fulfilled in every respect by Christ the true Mediator, who "restored that which he took not away," Psalm 69:4.

Question: Why were the Ten Commandments written on tables of stone?

Answer: To intimate the perpetuity, and everlasting obligation of the moral law, Psalm 111:8.

Question: What was signified by their being written with the finger of God?

Answer: That it is the work of God, alone, to put his laws into the mind of sinners, and to "write them in their hearts," Heb. 8:10.

Question: Where was the law of the Ten Commandments thus expressly revealed?

Answer: At Mount Sinai, which is also called Horeb, Deut. 5:2.

Question: In what form was the law of the Ten Commandments given out at Mount Sinai?

Answer: In the form of a COVENANT, Deut. 5:2 - "The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb." Accordingly, the Ten Commandments are called the words of the covenant, Ex. 34:28; and the tables of stone are termed the tables of the covenant, Deut. 9:9.

Question: Was the Sinai transaction in the form of the covenant of works, or in the form of the covenant of grace?

Answer: There was, on that solemn occasion, a repetition of BOTH those covenants.

Question: In what order were these two covenants repeated on Mount Sinai?

Answer: The covenant of grace was first promulgated, and then the covenant of works was displayed, as subservient to it.

Question: How does it appear that the covenant of GRACE was first promulgated?

Answer: From these words in the preface, prefixed to the commands, I am the Lord thy God, spoken to a select people, the natural seed of Abraham, as typical of his whole spiritual seed, Gal. 3:16, 17.

Question: How are the Ten Commandments to be viewed, as they stand annexed to this promulgation of the covenant of grace on Mount Sinai?

Answer: They are to be viewed as the law of Christ, or as a rule of life, given by Christ the Mediator to his spiritual seed, in virtue of his having engaged to fulfil the law, as a covenant, in their room, Rom. 7:4.

Question: How does it appear that the covenant of WORKS was likewise displayed on Mount Sinai?

Answer: From the thunderings and lightnings, and the voice of the living God, speaking (the words of the Ten Commandments) out of the midst of the fire, Ex. 20:18; Deut. 5:22, 26.

Question: What was signified by the thunderings and lightnings, and the voice of God, speaking out of the midst of the fire?

Answer: These awful emblems represented that infinite avenging wrath, which was due to all of Adam's family, for the breach of the covenant of works, by which the whole of God's holy law was violated and infringed, Gal. 3:10.

Question: Why did God make a display of the covenant of works in such an awful and tremendous manner?

Answer: That sinners of mankind might be deterred from the most remote thought of attempting obedience to the law as a condition of life; and be persuaded to fly to, and acquiesce in the undertaking of Christ, who engaged his heart to approach unto God, as Surety in the room of an elect world, Jer. 30:21.

Question: If both covenants, of grace and works, were exhibited on Mount Sinai, were not the Israelites, in that case, under both these covenants at one and the same time?

Answer: They could not be under both covenants in the same respects, at the same time; and therefore they must be considered either as believers or unbelievers, both as to their outward church state and inward soul frame.

Question: In what respects were the believing Israelites, in the Sinaitic transaction, under both covenants?

Answer: They were internally and really under the covenant of grace, as all believers are, Rom. 6:14, and only externally, under the above awful display of the covenant of works, as it was subordinate and subservient to that of grace, in pointing out the necessity of the Surety-righteousness, Gal. 3:24.

Question: In what respects were unbelievers among them, under these two covenants of works and grace?

Answer: They were only externally, and by profession, in respect of their visible church state, under the covenant of grace, Rom. 9:4; but internally, and really, in respect of the state of their souls, before the Lord, they were under the covenant of works, chap. 4:14, 15.

Question: Which of the two covenants was the principal part of the Sinai transaction?

Answer: The covenant of grace was both in itself, and in God's intention, the principal part of it; nevertheless, the covenant of works was the more conspicuous part of it, and lay most obvious to the view of the people; for they SAW "the thunderings and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking," Ex. 20:18. "And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake," Heb. 12:21.

Question: What effect had this tremendous display of the covenant of works upon the Israelites?

Answer: It tended to beat them off, in some measure, from that self-confidence which they had expressed before the publication of the law, Ex. 19:8; and to discover the necessity of a Mediator, and of faith in him as the sole foundation of all acceptable obedience, Rom. 16:25, 26.

Question: How does it appear that it had this effect?

Answer: From their own words to Moses, after the terrible sight which they saw, Deut. 5:27 - "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, 29 - "They have well said all that they have spoken: O that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!"

Question: In what respect had they said well in what they had spoken?

Answer: In as much as they had made faith, or believing, the source and spring of acceptable doing; for, "whatsoever is not of faith is sin," Rom. 14:23.

Question: How many commandments are commonly allotted to each of these two tables of the law?

Answer: Four to the first table, containing our duty to God; and six to the second, containing our duty to man.

Question: How are the precepts, which are naturally moral, distinguished from those that are but positively so?

Answer: 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.

Question: What example may be given of this for illustration?

Answer: The Fourth Commandment, as 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 entirely in the will of God.

Question: What is the difference between the commands that are expressed in affirmative, and those that are expressed in negative terms?

Answer: "What God forbids is at no time to be done, Rom. 3:8; what he commands is always our duty, Deut. 4:8, 9; and yet every particular duty is not to be done at all times, Matt. 12:7."57

Question: Why are negative precepts binding at all times?

Answer: Because what is forbidden is at all times sinful; and ought never to be done, on any pretext whatsoever, Gen. 39:9.

Question: What are the peculiar properties of the law of the Ten Commandments?

Answer: That it is perfect, Psalm 19:7; spiritual, Rom. 7:14; and exceedingly broad, or most extensive, Psalm 119:96.

Question: What rule is to be observed for the right understanding of the perfection of the law?

Answer: "That it binds every one to full conformity in the whole man, unto the righteousness thereof, and to entire obedience for ever; so as to require the utmost perfection of every duty and to forbid the least degree of every sin, Matt. 5:21, to the end, James 2:10."58

Question: What rule is to be observed for understanding the spirituality of the law?

Answer: That it reaches to the thoughts and motions of the heart, as well as to the words and actions of the life, Deut. 6:5.59

Question: What rule is to be observed for the right understanding of the breadth or extent of the law?

Answer: That, as where a duty is commanded, the contrary sin is forbidden, Isaiah 57:13; and where a sin is forbidden, the contrary duty is commanded, Eph. 4:28; so, when any duty is commanded, all the causes and means of it are commanded also, Heb. 10:24, 25; and when any sin is forbidden, all occasions and temptations to it, are likewise forbidden, Gal. 5:26.60


The Assembly's Shorter Catechism Explained

Question: What is the sum of the Ten Commandments?

Answer: 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.

Question: How is the sum of the Ten Commandments divided in this answer?

Answer: 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.

Question: What is the sum of the four commandments in the first table, which contain our duty to God?

Answer: 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 10:27.

Question: Why is this called "the first and great commandment?" Matt. 22:38.

Answer: Because the duties of the first table have a more direct relation to God, as being the immediate object of them, or, because love to our neighbour should flow from love to God, as the proper fountain and principle of it, 1 John 5:1.

Question: What is meant by the sum of the commandments?

Answer: The comprehensive duty of the law, which includes all other duties in the bosom of it, Rom. 13:9.

Question: What is the comprehensive duty of the law?

Answer: It is LOVE; for "love is the fulfilling of the law," Rom. 13:10.

Question: What is the nature of that love which is the comprehensive duty of the law?

Answer: It is such as flows from faith, as the source and fountain of it; for "faith worketh by love," Gal. 5:6.

Question: What ought to be the supreme object of our love?

Answer: The Lord, or JEHOVAH himself, as he is our God, Deut. 30:6.

Question: How many ways may the Lord be said to be our God?

Answer: Two ways; either by external revelation and offer; or, by special property and possession.

Question: To whom does he make the external revelation and offer of himself, as their God?

Answer: To all such of mankind, without exception, as have the word of this salvation sent to them, Proverbs 8:4; Heb. 8:10.

Question: When is he our God by special property and possession?

Answer: When by faith we are united to Christ, 1 Cor. 3:23, in whom mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other, Psalm 85:10.

Question: What is it to love the Lord our God with all our heart?

Answer: It is to love him unfeignedly, without hypocrisy or dissimulation, Rom. 12:9.

Question: What is it to love him with all our soul, and mind?

Answer: It is to have an intelligent, cordial, and affectionate love to God; expressed in all the duties, in which any power or faculty of the soul can be exercised, Isaiah 26:8, 9.

Question: What is it to love the Lord our God with all our strength?

Answer: It is to love nothing so much as God, Matt. 10:37; and nothing but in subordination to him, Luke 14:26.

Question: How may we know, if we have such a supreme love to the Lord our God?

Answer: If we love him purely for himself and his own matchless excellency, as shining in the face of Jesus, Song 1:3; if we account all things but loss in comparison of him, Phil. 3:8; and if we centre in him as the only resting-place of our souls for ever, Psalm 73:25, 26.

Question: What is the sum of the six commandments in the second table, which contain our duty to man?

Answer: It is to love our neighbour as ourselves, Matt. 22:39 - "The second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

Question: Why is the sum of the second table said to be like unto the sum of the first?

Answer: Because the duties of the second table are enjoined by the same authority as those of the first, James 2:10.

Question: In which of the two tables is the lawful love of ourselves contained, seeing it is not expressly mentioned in either of them?

Answer: 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 10:27 - "Thou shalt love - thy neighbour AS thyself."

Question: What is lawful self-love?

Answer: 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. 10:31.

Question: Whom are we to understand by our neighbour?

Answer: All of mankind to whom we have any way access to be useful, either as to their temporal or spiritual good, Luke 10:36, 37.

Question: What is it to love our neighbour as ourselves?

Answer: It is to love him as truly and sincerely as we do ourselves, Eph. 5:29 - "No man ever hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it."

Question: Should our love to our neighbour be as great as it is to ourselves?

Answer: 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. 12:9.

Question: What is the rule according to which our love to our neighbour should be regulated?

Answer: That we do to others what we would have them do to us, Matt. 7:12.

Question: How is this rule to be explained for preventing the abuse of it?

Answer: 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.

Question: Why are we enjoined to esteem others better than ourselves? Phil. 2:3.

Answer: 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. 1:14, 15, and have the seed of all sin in us, which would soon spring up into the worst of actions, if not restrained, Rom. 7:23.

Question: What is the difference between the love we should have to all in general, and the love we should have to the saints in particular?

Answer: We should love all men in general, with a love of benevolence, and likewise of beneficence according to our ability, Gal. 6:10; but we should love the saints with a love of complacency and delight, Psalm 16:3.

Question: How ought our love to extend itself to our enemies?

Answer: By forgiving them, and praying for them, Matt. 5:44; Acts 7:60.

Question: What may we learn from the sum of the commandments?

Answer: 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. 1:5.


The Assembly's Shorter Catechism Explained

Question: What is the preface to the Ten Commandments?

Answer: 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.


The Assembly's Shorter Catechism Explained

Question: What does the preface to the Ten Commandments teach us?

Answer: The preface to the Ten Commandments teaches us, That because God is the Lord, and our God, and Redeemer, therefore we are bound to keep all his Commandments.

Question: What is a preface?

Answer: It is something spoken before, or a preparatory introduction to the following discourse.

Question: :re these words, I am the Lord thy God, &c. to be understood as a preface to all the commandments, or to the first only?

Answer: 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 enjoined in it.

Question: Why are the above words prefixed as a preface to all the commandments?

Answer: Because they are designed as so many reasons and arguments to enforce our obedience to them.

Question: Why does God give reasons to enforce obedience to his commands, when his will is the supreme law?

Answer: To manifest his amazing condescension, in dealing with us in a suitableness to our natures as rational creatures, Hos. 11:4.

Question: How many reasons or arguments are there in this preface, by which God enforces obedience to his law?

Answer: 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.

Question: Which of these three is the formal reason of obedience?

Answer: The first, namely, God's essential greatness, as he is "JEHOVAH, the Most High over all the earth," Psalm 83:18; though, at the same time, his relative goodness, as our God, and the deliverance he has accomplished as our Redeemer, are invincible arguments and motives to obey him, Lev. 19:36, 37.

Question: What is the strength of the first argument for obedience, taken from God's being the Lord?

Answer: 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:"61 therefore, all obedience and subjection is due to him, Lev. 20:8.

Question: In what lies the strength of the second argument for obedience to God's law, taken from his being our God?

Answer: 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. 20:7.

Question: What does God make over to us in the word, when he makes a grant of himself in it to be our God?

Answer: He makes over to us whatever he is, Hos. 13:4, and whatever he has, Psalm 84:11, as God, to be ours freely and eternally.

Question: What does he make over to us when he makes a grant of whatever he is?

Answer: He makes over to us both what he is essentially, and what he is personally.

Question: What does he make over to us when he makes a grant of what he is essentially?

Answer: All his glorious attributes and excellencies to be ours, Ex. 34:6; his infinity, to be the extent of our inheritance, Rev. 21:7; his eternity, to be the date of our happiness, John 14:19; his unchangeableness, to be the rock of our rest, Mal. 3:6; his wisdom, to direct us, Psalm 73:24; his power, to protect us, 2 Chron. 16:9; his holiness, to sanctify us, Ezek. 16:14; his justice, to justify and preserve us, Rom. 3:26; his goodness, to reward us in the way of grace, not of debt, 1 John 2:25; and his truth, to secure us in the accomplishment of all his promises, Heb. 10:23.

Question: What does he make over to us, when he makes a grant of what he is personally?

Answer: He makes over himself in the person of the Father, to be our God and Father in Christ, 1 Pet. 1:3; in the person of the Son, to be our Redeemer and Saviour, Isaiah 48:17; and in the person of the Holy Ghost, to be our Sanctifier and Comforter, John 14:16.

Question: What is it that he makes over to us, when he makes a grant of whatever HE HAS?

Answer: As he has 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. 3:21; for instance, he has life, for the quickening of us who are dead in trespasses and sins, Eph. 2:1; righteousness, for the justifying of us who are guilty, Isaiah 45:25; and redemption for delivering us who are lawful captives, chap. 49:24, 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. 2:9.

Question: 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?

Answer: It also strengthens and enables us to obey God, Ezek. 36:27, 28.

Question: How does the revelation of God's being our God, strengthen and enable us to obedience?

Answer: In as much as by the revelation of this, the Holy Ghost is conveyed as the immediate efficient of holiness, Gal. 3:2; and Faith is produced in the soul, as the spring and fountain of it, chap. 5:6.

Question: Why does God front his law with this grant of himself as the Lord our God?

Answer: Because it comprehends all the promises of the covenant, and all the blessings that are wrapt up in them, and therefore is the best encouragement to the obedience of faith; for, because he is our God, he will give us one heart, and one way; he will not turn away from us to do us good, but will put his fear in our hearts, that we shall not depart from him, Jer. 32:38-40.

Question: Why does God make this declaration of his grace in the present time I am and not in the future, I WILL be thy God?

Answer: To show that God's covenant of promise is always a solid ground and foundation for the present actings of faith, in every case and circumstance in which we can be situated, James 2:23.

Question: Why does God, in this grant, address the sinner in the singular number, I am thy God?

Answer: That every individual sinner, to whom the revelation of his grace may come, should believe it with a particular applicatory faith, Zech. 13:9 - "I will say, It is my people; and they shall say, The Lord is MY God."

Question: How may we know, if ever we have, by faith, received the offer and grant that God makes of himself in the word?

Answer: By our love and esteem of him, Ex. 15: by our reposing entire trust and confidence in him, Psalm 18:2; by our likeness and conformity to him, 1 John 3:3; and by our longing after the full fruition and enjoyment of him, Psalm 73:25.

Question: What is the THIRD ARGUMENT, in the Preface, for enforcing our obedience?

Answer: It is in these words: - which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

Question: How are these words explained in our Catechism?

Answer: Of our spiritual redemption by Jesus Christ; for, the preface to the Ten Commandments teaches us, That because God is the Lord, and our God, and REDEEMER, therefore we are bound to keep all his commandments.

Question: In what lies the strength of this argument, for enforcing our obedience to the commands of God?

Answer: It lies in this, that as he brought Israel of old out of their bondage in Egypt, so he delivered us out of our spiritual thralldom; and therefore we should "serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life," Luke 1:74, 75.

Question: In what respects did the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt resemble our spiritual redemption by Christ?

Answer: The Israelites were made to serve the Egyptians with rigour, Ex. 1:14; so sinners, by nature, are under the most cruel bondage and servitude to sin and Satan, 2 Pet. 2:19; the Israelites were not able of themselves to shake off the Egyptian yoke, Ex. 2:23; no more are sinners of mankind capable of extricating themselves from a state of spiritual slavery in which they are naturally inthralled, Rom. 5:6; the Israelites were brought out of Egypt, "with a strong hand and a stretched out arm," Psalm 136:12; so are we, out of our spiritual thralldom, by the mighty power of God, Psalm 110:2, 3; the Egyptians were destroyed, when Israel were delivered, Ex. 14:28; so principalities and powers were spoiled, Col. 2:15, transgression finished, Dan. 9:24, and death unstinged, 1 Cor. 15:55, when our redemption was accomplished, ver. 57.

Question: Seeing the deliverance of Israel, which was typical of our spiritual deliverance, was brought about by divine power, without the payment of a price, will it follow, that our spiritual redemption was also without a price?

Answer: By no means; unless the similitude between the type and the antitype held in every respect, which it cannot possibly do; for, though there be a resemblance between them in some things, yet there is always a disparity in others; as might be made evident in every one of the scriptural types and metaphors, to which divine things are compared: for instance, Jonah was alive in the whale's belly, whereas Christ was actually dead in the grave.

Question: Since God brought all the Israelites, without exception, out of Egypt, does it not from thence follow, that Christ redeemed all mankind from their spiritual bondage?

Answer: No; because the Israelites did not typify and represent all mankind, but the elect only, Psalm 135:4.

Question: How do you prove that the elect only, and not all mankind, were redeemed by Christ?

Answer: From the Father's gift of them to him from eternity, John 17:6; from his representing them in his death, John 10:11; and from his intercession within the veil for them only, John 17:9 - "I pray for them; I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me."

Question: Are the purchase and intercession of Christ precisely of the same extent?

Answer: Surely they are; for, his intercession being founded on his purchase, and consisting in a presentation of the merit of it before the throne, Heb. 9:24, it clearly follows, that the one can be no more extensive than the other, John 17:24 - "Father, I will that they also Whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am."

Question: How then are those scriptures to be explained, which seem to speak of a universal purchase of all mankind; such as, that Christ died for all, 2 Cor. 5:15; that he tasted death for every man, Heb. 2:9; that he is the propitiation also for the sins of the whole world, 1 John 2:2; and the like?

Answer: They are to be explained in a limited sense, of some only, and not of every individual of mankind; as the like general terms are undoubtedly to be understood in other places of scripture; such as Col. 1:6, and Rev. 13:3; for, if it is alleged, that the above scripture expressions prove a universal purchase, it may be said, with the same parity of reason, that they prove a universal application of it, which few will assert.

Question: Does not the universal offer of Christ prove the universal redemption of all, at least within the visible church?

Answer: No; it only proves the unquestionable duty of all to believe, upon the call and command of God, 1 John 3:23; and the infinite intrinsic worth of the satisfaction of Christ for the salvation of all, had it been so designed, chap. 4:14.

Question: Does the redemption purchased by Christ bring any benefit or advantage to the reprobate world?

Answer: It is owing to it that the gospel is sent among them, John 4:4; that temporal judgments are shortened, Mark 13:20; and it is on account of the elect, who are to spring of them, that they are preserved for awhile in this world, Rom 11:30; but then these, or the like benefits, are not to be considered as the fruit of Christ's purchase to the reprobate themselves, but to the elect only, who are living among them, 2 Cor. 4:15, or who are to descend from them, Isaiah 6:13.

Question: In what consists the spiritual bondage we are naturally under, and redeemed from by Christ?

Answer: It consists in our being under the wrath of God, John 3:18; the guilt, power, and pollution of sin, Rom. 8:7; the tyranny of Satan, Eph. 2:2; the snares and temptations of the world, 1 John 2:16; and in our liability to the pains of hell for ever, Matt. 25:46.

Question: What right had Christ to be our Redeemer from this state of spiritual bondage?

Answer: He had a right of property, and a right of propinquity.

Question: How had he a right of property?

Answer: As God, he is the original owner, Rom. 9:21; and as Mediator, he has the elect given to him by his Father, John 17:6.

Question: How has he a right of propinquity?

Answer: He has it by the legal union which subsisted between him and us from eternity, in virtue of his being made a surety of a better testament, Heb. 7:22; and by the assumption of our nature in time, by which he became our kinsman, and "is not ashamed to call us brethren," Heb. 2:11, 12.

Question: What does God's delivering Israel out of the land of Egypt teach us, with respect to his church and people in general?

Answer: It teaches us, that as affliction is the lot of the Lord's people, in this present evil world, so deliverance from it is secured in due time, Psalm 34:19 - "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all."

Question: What is the difference between the afflictions of the godly, and those of the wicked?

Answer: The afflictions of the godly are the chastisements of a gracious Father, flowing from love, and designed for their profit, Heb. 12:6, 10; but the afflictions of the wicked are the punishments of an avenging Judge, flowing from wrath, and designed for their ruin and destruction, Eccl. 5:17.

Question: What improvement ought we to make of our spiritual redemption?

Answer: It should excite us to "stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and not to be entangled again with the yoke of bondage," Gal. 5:1; to ascribe all the praise of our spiritual liberty to our glorious Deliverer, Rev. 1:5, 6; and to testify our gratitude and thankfulness, to him, by a conversation becoming the gospel, Phil. 1:27.


The Assembly's Shorter Catechism Explained

Question: Which is the First Commandment?

Answer: The First Commandment is, Thou shalt have no other gods before me.


The Assembly's Shorter Catechism Explained

Question: What is required in the First Commandment?

Answer: The First Commandment requireth us to know and acknowledge God to be the only true God, and our God; and to worship and glorify him accordingly.

Question: Why are most part of the commands of the law delivered in negative terms?

Answer: Because negative precepts are of the strictest obligation, binding always, and at all times.

Question: Why is the First Commandment, in particular, so expressed?

Answer: Bec:use of the perpetual propensity of our nature, since the fall, to depart from the living God, "through an evil heart of unbelief," Heb. 3:12.

Question: Why is this commandment set in front of all the rest?

Answer: To teach us, that the having JEHOVAH to be our God, is the leading and fundamental duty of the law, Ex. 15:2, which sweetly and powerfully influences obedience to all the other commands of it, Psalm 118:28.

Question: What influence has obedience to the first, upon obedience to the other precepts of the law?

Answer: As obedience to the First Commandment, is to believe that God is our God, upon the gift of himself to us, in these words, I am the Lord thy God; so, without believing this it is impossible we can do any thing else that will please him, Heb. 11:6; for "whatsoever is not of faith is sin," Rom. 14:23.

Question: Why do this, and other commands, run in the second person singular, THOU, and not in the plural, YOU, or YE?

Answer: To signify, that God would have us to take his commandments, as spoken to each of us in particular, as if we were mentioned by name.

Question: What is the connexion between the preface and the First Commandment?

Answer: The preface reveals and exhibits the object of faith, and the First Commandment enjoins the duty of believing on that object: the one makes a grant of grace, and the other warrants us to lay hold on it.

Question: Are the preface and First Commandment of equal extent?

Answer: Yes; every one to whom the promise in the preface is revealed, is obliged, by the command, to believe it, with application, John 3:18.

Question: Can the obligation of the law be in the least weakened by the grace of the gospel, published in the preface?

Answer: So far from it, that it is impossible for any man to share of the grace of the gospel, published in the preface, but in a way of believing, enjoined in the first command of the law, Rom. 3:31 - "Do we make void the law through faith? God forbid."

Question: What are the chief duties required in the First Commandment, as thus connected with the preface

Answer: To know and acknowledge God, to be the only true God, and our God; and to worship and glorify him accordingly.

Question: What KNOWLEDGE of God does the First Commandment require?

Answer: It requires us to know that God is; and that he is such a God as he has manifested himself to be in his word, Heb. 11:6.

Question: What has God manifested himself to be in his word?

Answer: He has manifested himself to be, "The Lord, the Lord God merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty;" namely, without a satisfaction, Ex. 34:6, 7; or, he has manifested himself to be in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, 2 Cor. 5:19.

Question: What is it to know God as he is in Christ?

Answer: It is to know that he is well pleased for Christ's righteousness' sake, because he has magnified the law, and made it honourable, Isaiah 42:21.

Question: How is the knowledge of God usually distinguished?

Answer: Into speculative or common, and practical or saving knowledge.

Question: What is the speculative or common knowledge of God?

Answer: It is only a floating knowledge of him in the head, without any saving influence or efficacy upon the heart and practice; as is to be found in ungodly persons or hypocrites, who may "profess that they know God, but in works they deny him," Titus 1:16.

Question: What is it to have a saving and practical knowledge of God?

Answer: It is to have such a lively apprehension of his relation to us as our God in Christ, as is accompanied with an habitual conformity to his will, in heart and life, 1 John 2:3, 4.

Question: What are the evidences of true saving knowledge?

Answer: It is an experimental, Col. 1:6, interesting, Psalm 41:11, sanctifying, 2 Pet. 1:8, and humbling knowledge, Job 40:4, 5.

Question: What is it to acknowledge God?

Answer: It is to own, avouch, and confess him, both in secret, and before the world, Rom. 10:10, - "With the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

Question: Why are the knowing and acknowledging of God joined together?

Answer: Because wherever the saving knowledge of God is implanted in the heart, there will be always some evidences of it, either to ourselves, or others, discovered in the life, Dan. 11:32 - "The people that do know their God, shall be strong, and do exploits."

Question: What should we know and acknowledge God to be?

Answer: We should know and acknowledge him to be the only true God, and our God.

Question: What is it to know and acknowledge God to be the only true God?

Answer: It is to believe and profess, that he alone, and none else, is possessed of all infinite perfection, and that the perfections of the divine nature are most eminently displayed and manifested in the person of Christ, our only Saviour and Redeemer, Hos. 13:4 - "Thou shalt know no God but me: for there is no Saviour besides me."

Question: What is it to know and acknowledge God to be our God?

Answer: It is to profess our relation to him, as his people, upon the faith of the grant that he makes of himself to us as ours, in the word; Deut. 26:17, 18; Psalm 48:14.

Question: Can we know and acknowledge God to be our God, (as required in this commandment) unless we believe in Christ?

Answer: No; for "no man cometh unto the Father but by me," says Christ - "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father," John 14:6, 9.

Question: Is not faith, or believing in Christ, a gospel precept only, and not required in the law?

Answer: By no means; for, in the gospel, strictly and properly taken, as it is contradistinct from the law, there can be no precept; because the gospel in this strict sense, is nothing else than a PROMISE, or glad tidings of a Saviour, with grace, mercy, and salvation in him, for lost sinners of Adam's family; according to the following scriptures, Gen. 3:15; Isaiah 61:1-3; Luke 2:10, 11.

Question: Since faith and repentance are duties consequently to the entrance of sin, and the revelation of the gospel, must they not therefore be new precepts, not given to Adam in innocence?

Answer: Though there was no occasion for the exercise of these duties in an innocent state; yet Adam being bound by the law of creation, (particularly the Ten Commandments, given him in the form of a covenant of works,) to believe whatever God should reveal, and obey whatever he should command; no sooner was the gospel revelation made, than the very same law, which bound him, while in innocence, to believe in God as his Creator, obliged him, when fallen, to believe in God as his Redeemer, now revealed and made known to him; and likewise to turn from sin to God, Rom. 3:31.

Question: Whence is it that the obligation of the law is so extensive, as to bind to the belief of whatever God shall reveal?

Answer: This arises from the absolute perfection of the law, which being a complete rule of all obedience, cannot but fasten the duty, the same moment that the object is revealed, Psalm 119:96 - "Thy commandment is exceeding broad."

Question: What is the absurdity of making faith and repentance new gospel precepts?

Answer: The absurdity is, that by this another righteousness is introduced in our own persons, than the righteousness of Christ, as the immediate ground of our pardon and acceptance before God.

Question: How does this absurdity necessarily follow from the aforesaid doctrine?

Answer: If Christ, as our surety, has fulfilled the precept, and endured the penalty of the moral law, according to Gal. 4:4, 5, then it cannot but follow, that this law of faith and repentance, not being fulfilled by him, must be fulfilled by ourselves, in our own persons, as our righteousness before God: and thus another ground of justification is established, besides the Surety righteousness, contrary to Gal. 2:16, and 3:21.

Question: What is the doctrine of our Larger Catechism on this head?

Answer: That believing and trusting in God (which is the same with faith,) "being careful in all things to please him," and "sorrowful when in any thing he is offended," (which is the same with repentance,) are among "the duties required in the First Commandment:" and that "unbelief - distrust - incorrigibleness - and hardness of heart, or impenitency, (according to Rom. 2:5, there quoted,) are among the sins forbidden in it."62

Question: What does God require of us in this commandment, as the evidence of our knowing and acknowledging him to be the only true God, and our God?

Answer: That we worship and glorify him accordingly, Matt. 4:10 - "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."

Question: What is it to worship God?

Answer: It is to make him the supreme object of our esteem, Psalm 71:19, desire, Psalm 73:25, and delight, Psalm 142:5, and that not only in our secret devotions, but likewise when joining with others in any religious exercise, Psalm 111:1.

Question: What is it to glorify him?

Answer: It is to ascribe all possible glory and perfection to him, Ex. 15:11, and, in all our actions, to aim at the advancement of his honour and glory in the world, 1 Cor. 10:31.

Question: What is imported in our being required to worship and glorify him accordingly?

Answer: It imports, that since God commands us to know and acknowledge him, not only to be the true God, but our own God, in virtue of the covenant grant he makes of himself in the word; it becomes us, in all our actions, religious and civil to behave towards him, as standing in such a near and intimate relation to us, Psalm 45:11; 1 Cor. 6:20.

Question: Can we glorify God aright, unless we acknowledge him to be our God in Christ?

Answer: No; for, unless we acknowledge a God in Christ, as our God, we make him a liar, in saying, I am the Lord thy God, and rebel against his authority in the First Commandment, which is, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me."

Question: Is believing the promise, then, the foundation of all acceptable worship and obedience?

Answer: Yes; for all true obedience, is "the obedience of faith," Rom. 16:26, and "without faith it is impossible to please God," Heb. 11:6.

Question: In what manner are we required to worship and glorify God?

Answer: Both inwardly in our hearts, John 4:24, and outwardly in our lives, Matt. 5:16.

Question: How are we to worship God inwardly in our hearts?

Answer: By trusting, Isaiah 26:4; hoping, Psalm 130:5, and delighting in him, Psalm 37:4; by thinking and meditating upon him, Mal. 3:16, Psalm 63; devoting ourselves to him, Isaiah 44:5; and by being filled with grief, when he is offended by ourselves or others, Psalm 38:18, and 119:136.

Question: How are we to worship and glorify him outwardly in our lives?

Answer: By praying to him, and praising him with our lips, Psalm 142:1, and 145:21; by being zealous for his glory, Psalm 69:9; careful to please him, Col. 1:10; and by walking humbly before him, Micah. 6:8.

Question: What improvement ought we to make of the covenant grant in the preface, I am the Lord thy God; and the precept enjoining the belief of this, Thou shalt have no other gods before me?

Answer: That it is the duty of every one of us, without waiting till we find gracious qualifications wrought in us, instantly to lay claim to a God in Christ, as our God, Psalm 95:7; this being what he requires in the first place, as the foundation of all other acts of obedience, 2 Chron. 20:20.

Question: If it is an external federal relation to the visible church, which God asserts in the preface, when he says, I am the Lord thy God, how can the First Commandment warrant the faith of a special relation?

Answer: As the command always warrants a particular application of every general promise, so the external federal relation which God bears to the visible church, becomes a special one, the moment that the promise is believed with a particular applicatory faith, Jer. 3:22.