Of the creation, ibid
An Expofition of the Affembly's Catechism. tohim that formed it, why haft thou made me thus ? Hath not the potter power over the clay, ofthe fame lump to make one veſſel to honour, and another to dishonour ?
Q. 6. What is the third inſtruction from the creation ?
A. ThatGod only is the proper object of worship ; Jer.x.
11. Thus ſhall he sayunto them, The gods that have not made the heavens, and the earth, even they ſhall periſh from the earth, and from undertheſe heavens .
Q. 7. What is the fourth inſtruction fromhence ?
A. That Chriftians ſhould not fear the power of creatures, fincethey derive theirbeing and power from God ; Ifa. liv.
16, 17. Behold, I have created the ſmith that bloweth the coals in the fire,that bringeth forthan inſtrument forhis work; and I have created the wafter to destroy; no weapon that is formed against thee ſhall profper.
Q. 8 What is the fifth inſtruction from hence ?
A. That Atheism is a fin against natural light and reaſon; Rom. i. 20. For the inviſible things ofhim from the creation ofthe world are clearly ſeen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and godhead ; fo that theyare without excuſe.
Q.9. What is the fixth inſtruction from hence ?
A. That God's glory is the end of all being ; Col. i. 16.
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and thatare in earth, viſible and inviſible, whether theybe thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him and for him .
Q. 10. What is the ſeventh inſtruction from hence ?
A. That there is anunnatural rebellion in fin, ſmiting at him that made and preſerves our being ; Iſa. i. 6. I have nouriſhed and brought up children, andthey have rebelled againstme.
Q. 11. What is the eighth inſtruction from hence ?
A. ThatGod can in a moment revive and ſave the church when at the lowest ebb ; Iſa. lxv. 18. Behold, 1create Jerufalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
Q. 12. What is the laſt inſtruction from hence ?
A. That it is eaſy with God to revive a dejected foul; Ifa.
Ivii. 19. I create the fruit of the lips ; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, faith the Lord; and I willhealhim.
Queſt. 1.H Of Man's Creation .
OW did God create man ?
A. God created man male and female, :
An Expofition of the Affembly's Catechifm.
after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over the creatures .
Q. 1. How didGodcreateman?
A. God createdmanin hisown image ; Gen. i. 27. SoGod createdman in his own image, inthe image of God created he him, male and female created he them .
Q. 2. What is meant bythe image ofGod ?
A. Not a reſemblance ofGod in any bodily thape or figure, but inholiness; Eph. iv. 24. And that ye puton the new man, which afterGod is created in righteouſneſs and true holineſs.
Q. 3. In what gracesdid man reſembleGod ?
A. Infuch a knowledge ofGod himself, andthe creatures, which made him happy ; Col. iii. 10. And have put onthe newman, which is renewed in knowledge, after the imageof him that createdhim.
Q. 4. Inwhat other graces did this image conſiſt?
A. Inrighteouſneſs as well as holiness ; Eph. iv. 24. And thatye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteouſneſs andtrueholineſs.
Q. 5. What isthe firſt inference fromhence ?
A. The deplorable miſeryof the fall ; Rom. v. 12. Wherefore as by one man fin entered into the world, and deathby fin, andfo death paſſed uponall men, forthat allhave finned.
Q. 6. What is the ſecond inſtruction from hence?
A. Thebeautyof holiness, which is the image ofGod, and the excellency of man ; Pfalm xvi. 3. But to the faints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is allmydelight.
Q. 7. What is the third inſtruction from hence?
A. We have infinite cauſe tobleſs God for Chriſt, who repairs this loſt image inhis people ; Eph. iv. 23. And be renewed inthe ſpiritofyourmind.
Q. 8. What is the fourth inſtructionfrom hence ?
A. That thedeſpiſers ofholineſs are the deſpiſers ofGod ; for holiness is God's image.
Q. 9. What is the fifth inſtruction from hence ?
A. The excellency of fanctification, which defaces the image of Satan, and draws the image ofGod uponthe foulof man.
Queſt.
11 .W Of Divine Providence.
HAT are God's works of providence ?
A. God's works of providence, are his
An Expofition of the Affembly's Catechism. most holy, wife, andpowerfulpreferving andgoverning allhis creatures, and all their actions.
Q. 1. How doth it appear that there is adivine providence?
A. It appears by plain ſcripture teftimonies ; Heb. i. 3 .
Upholding all things by the word ofhis power.
Col. i. 17.
Byhim all things conſiſt. Luke xii. 6, 7. Are not five ſpar-_ rows fold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten beforeGod ; but eventhe very hairs ofyourhead are allnumbered.
Q. 2. How elſe is providence evinced ?
A. By fcripture emblems ; as Jacob's ladder, Gen. xxviii.
12, 13. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder ſet upon the earth, and the top ofit reached to heaven; behold the angels ofGod aſcended anddefcended on it: And Ezekiel's wheels,
Ezek. i. 20. Whitherfoever the ſpirit was to go, they went, thither was their ſpirit to go, and the wheels were lifted up over against them, for the ſpirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
Q.'3. What farther ſcripture evidence is there ?
A. Thefure accomplishment of ſcripture predictions ; as Ifrael's captivity, and deliverance from Egypt and Babylon ;
Chrift's incarnation ; the rife and ruin ofthe four monarchies ; Dan. ii. 31. Thou, O king, faweſt, and, behold, a great image, whoſe brightneſs was excellent, ſtood before thee, and the form thereof was terrible. Dan. vii. 3. And four great beaſts came up fromthe ſea, diverſe one from the other.
Q. 4. What is its firſt act aboutthe creatures?
A. It ſuſtains, preferves, provides for them ; Pfalm cxlv.
15,16.
The eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou giveft them their meat indue ſeaſon ; thou openeſtthine hand, and fatisfieft the defire of every living thing, anddefendeft them from danger.
Pfalm xxxvi. 6. Thy righteouſneſs is like the great mountains, thy judgments are a great deep ; O Lord, thou preferveft man and beast.
Q5. What is the ſecond act ofprovidence about the creatures?
A. It rules and governs the creatures and their actions ; Pfalm lxvi. 7. He rulethby his power for ever, his eyesbeholdthe nations; let not the rebellious exalt themſelves.
Q. 6. How manifold is divine providence ?
A. It is common and general over all, orſpecial and peculiar to fome men ; 1 Tim. iv. 10. Who isthe Saviour ofall men, eſpecially ofthoſe thatbelieve .
Q. 7. How is providence exerciſedabout ſinful actions ?
An Exposition of the Affembly's Catechism.
A. Inpermittingthem ; Acts iv. 16. Inreſtrainingthem ; Pfalm lxxvi. 10.
Surely the wrath of man ſhall praiſe thee, and the remainder of wrath ſhalt thou reſtrain.
And overrulingthem togood; Gen. 1. 20. But as for you, ye thought evil against me, butGod meant it untogood, tobring topaſs, as it is this day, to ſave much people alive.
Q. 8. What are the properties of providence ?
A. It is (1.) Holy; Pfalm clv. 17. The Lord is righteous, in all his ways, and holy in allhis works.
(2.) Wife; Pfal. civ. 24. O Lord, how manifold are thy works ! in wisdom haſtthou made them all.
(3.) Powerful ; Dan. iv. 35. And all the inhabitants ofthe earth are reputed as nothing, and he doth according to his will, inthe armies ofheaven, andamong the inhabitants of the earth, and none can ſtay his hand, or ſay unto him, What doft thou ?
Q. 9. What is the firſt inſtruction from it ?
A. That God's people are ſafe amidſt all their enemies and dangers ; 2Chron. xvi. 9. For theeyes ofthe Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to thew himselfſtrong inthe behalfofthem whoſe hearts are perfect towards him.
Q. 10. What is the ſecond inſtruction ?
A. That prayer is the beſt expedient to profperity and fucceſs ofour lawful affairs; Pfalm cxlv. 18. The Lord is nigh unto all them that callupon him, to all that callupon him in truth.
Q. 11. What is the third inſtruction from it ?
A. That God's people ſhould reſt quietly in the care ofhis providence for them in all their ſtraits ; Matth. vi. 26. Behold the fowls ofthe air, for they fow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet our heavenly Father feedeth them : are not ye much better than they ?
Q. 12. What is the laſt inſtruction from it ?
A. That it is no ſmall privilege to be adopted children of God, andthe members of Chriſt ; for all is ordered for their eternal good ; Eph . i. 22, 23. And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things tothe church, which is his body, the fulness ofhim that filleth all in all.
Queſt. 12.WHAT ſpecial act of providence did God Of the Covenant of Works. exerciſe towards man, in the eſtate whereinhewas created ?
A. When Godhad created man, he entered into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of perfect obedience, forbidding
An Expofition of the Affembly's Catechifm. him to eat ofthe tree of knowledge ofgood and evil, upon pain of death.
Q.1 . What was God's covenantwithAdambeforethe fall?
A. Itwas to give life and happineſs upon condition ofperfect perfopal obedience ; Gal. iii. 12. The law is not of faith; but the man that doth them, ſhall live inthem.
Q. 2. Was this covenant made only with Adam, or with him andhis pofterity?
A. It was made withhim, andallhis natural poſterity, deſcending in the ordinaryway ofgeneration from him ; Rom. v. 12. Wherefore as by one man fin entered into the world, anddeath by fin, and to death paffedupon allmen, for that allhave finned.
Ver. 14, and 18. Nevertheleſs, death reignedfrom Adam to Mofes, even over them thathad not finned after the fimilitude of Adam's tranfgreffion, who is the figure ofhim that was to come: Therefore as by the offence of one, judgmentcame upon all men to condemnation ; even ſo by therighteouſneſs of one, the free gift came upon all men untojuftification of life.
Q. 3. Was Adam able to performtheobedience required of him inthat covenant?
A. Yes ; for he was made upright ; Eccl. vii. 29. God mademanupright; buttheyhave fought outmany inventions.
Q. 4. Had this covenant any Mediator ?
A. No ; he neither had, nor needed any Mediator for fatisfaction, becauſe no finwas inhim; nor interceffion, forhe wanted nothing.
Q. 5. Did this covenant admitofno repentance, nor ac cept any ſhort endeavours ?
A. No, it did not; but ſentenceth and curſeth the tranf greffors of it, for the least breach; Gal. iii. 10. Curſedis e veryone that continueth notin allthings which are written in thebook ofthe law to do them .
Q. 6. How was this threatening fulfilled, ofdying the day he eat, feeing he lived 930 years ?
A. He died fpiritually that day; andthough the fentence onhis bodywas reſpited in order to pofterity, yetthen his body received the death's wound, ofwhich afterward hedied.
Q. 7. What is the firſt inference from Adam's covenant ?
A. Miferable are all they that grow on the natural root of the firſtAdam : Gal. iv. 21, 22. Tell me, ye that defire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law ? For it is written, thatAbraham had two fons, the one byabond-maid, the other by a free-woman.
An Exposition of the Affembly's Catechism.
Q. 8. What is the ſecond inference?
A. That God is juſt in all the punishments and miſeries that come upon man; yea, infants that never finned after his fimilitude; Rom. v. 14. Nevertheleſs death reigned fromAdam to Mofes, even over them that had not finned afterthe fimilitude of Adam's tranſgreſſion.
Q.9 What is thethird inference ?
A. The glorious privilege of believers, who are under a better covenant, eſtabliſhed upon better promises ; Heb. viii.
6. But now hath he obtained a more excellent miniſtry, by howmuch alſo he is the Mediator of a better covenant, which is eſtabliſhed upon better promiſes.
Q. 10. What is the laſt inference?
A. That we should pity the unregenerate, eſpecially our own among them ; and labourto plant them inthe ſecond
Adam:
Of the Fall of Man.
ID our firſt parents continue in the eſtate Queft. 13.D wherein they were created ?
A. Our firstparents being left to the freedom of their own will, fellfrom the estate wherein they werecreated, byfinning againstGod.
Q. 1. How doth it appear that man is fallen ?
A. By the fcripture hiſtory: An account ofit is in Gen. iii.6, 7. Andwhen thewoman ſaw that the tree was good forfood, andthat itwas pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to bedefired to make one wiſe, ſhetook ofthe fruit thereof and did eat, and gave alſo unto her husbandwith her, andhedid eat.
Andthe eyes ofthem both were opened, andthey knew that they were naked, and they ſewed fig-leaves together, andmade themselves aprons ; and theyheard the voice ofthe
LordGod walking inthe garden in the cool of the day; and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the prefence of the Lord God, amongstthe trees ofthegarden.
Andthe ſad experiencewe all have of it in ourſelves ; Rom. v. 12. Therefore as byone man fin entered into the world, and death by fin, and ſodeath paſſed upon allmen, for that all have finned.
Q. 2 How could man fall, ſince hewas made upright ?
A Though he was upright, yethis willwas mutable ; and byabuſingthat libertyhefell; Ecclef. vii. 29. Lo, this only have I found, thatGodhath made manupright,buttheyhave foughtoutmany inventions.
VOL. VII.