Of the demerit of fin,
An Exposition of the Affembly's Catechism.
them both. And through the meritorious, fatisfying blood of Chrift ; Eph. i. 7.Inwhom wehave redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of fins, according to theriches of his grace.
Q.11 . What is the firſt inference hence ?
A. Though some fins are more heinous than others, yet no finner ſhould abſolutely deſpair of mercy ; for the vileft have been pardoned ; 1 Cor. vi. 11. And ſuch were ſome of you :
But ye are waſhed, but ye are fanctified, butyeare justified, &c.
Q. 12. What is the ſecond inferencehence ?
A. That there are different degrees of torments in hell, pro. portioned to the different degrees of ſins on earth ; Matth. xl.
21, 22. Wo unto thee, Chorazin, wo unto thee, Bethfaida :
For if the mighty works which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented longago in ſackcloth and aſhes. But I say untoyou, it ſhall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon, at theday ofjudgment, than foryou.
Q. 13. What is the third inference hence ?
A. That great finners, when pardoned and received tomercy, ſhould excel all others in love to Chriſt ; Luke vii. 42, 43.
Which of them will love him moſt ? Simon anſweredandfid, I ſuppoſe that he towhom he forgave moſt. And he faidunto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
Q. 14. What is the laſt inference hence ?
A. Letno manneglect Chriſt becauſe his fins are not ſo heinous as others ; becauſe the leaſt ſin withoutChriſt is damning :
Rom. vi. 23. For the wages of fin isdeath, &c.
And greater finners areoftencalled, when leſſer are not ; Matth. xxi. 31 , 32. The publicans and harlots go intothe kingdom of God beforeyou.
Of the Demerit of Sin.
Queſt. 84. Whatdoth everyfindeſerve?
A. EveryfindefervethGod's wrath andcurse, both in this life, and that which is to come.
1. Wherein doth the evil of finprincipallyconſiſt ?
A. Itconſiſts principallyin the offence it gives, andthe wrong itdoth toGod; Píalm li. 4. Against thee, thee onlyhave I finned, anddone this evil in thy fight.
2.2. What is the firſt offence and wrong findoth toGod ?
A. Itconſiſts in its enmity toGod; Rom. viii. 7. Becauſe thecarnalmindis enmity agaiſtGod, &c.
Expreſſed in ſcripturebywalking contrary tohim; Lev. xxvi. 40. Theyhave alſowalked contrary to me. Fighting againstGod; Acts v. 39.
VOL. VIII.
An Exposition of the Assembly's Catechism.
Leſt haply ye be even found to fight againstGod. Andrefifting his Spirit ; Acts vii. 51. Ye do always reſiſt the holyGhost.
९. 3. Wherein is its enmity toGod further discovered in ſcripture ?
A. It is diſcovered under the names and notions of hatred of God; Rom. i . 30. Backbiters, haters ofGod, &c. Rebellion againstGod ;
I Sam. xv. 23. For rebellion is as the ſin ofwitchcraft, &c. And deſpiſing the commandmentofGod; 2Sam.xii.
9. Whereforehaft thoudeſpiſedthe commandmentofthe Lord ?
९. 4. What are the attributes of God that fin wrongs?
A. Itwrongs all his attributes ; for it flights his ſovereignty :
Exod. v. 2. And Pharaoh faid, Who is the Lord, that I ſhould obey his voice, to let Ifrael go ?
Reſiſts his power ; 1Cor. x.
22. Are we ſtronger than he ?
Deſpiſeth his goodness ; Rom. ii. 4. Or deſpiſeſt thou the riches of his goodness, &c. Taxeth his juſtice ; Ezek. xviii. 25. Yet ye ſay, the way of the Lord is not equal, &c. And clouds his holiness ; Jam. ii. 7. Do nor they blafpheme that worthy name, by the which ye are called ?
Q5. What doth fin deſerve in the courſe of justice from God?
L A. Itdeſerves all temporal and eternal effects ofGod'swrath, on the fouls and bodies of finners, allwhich in ſcripture gounder the name of death ; Rom. vi. 23. For the wages of fin is death, &c.
९. 6. Can theſe ſufferings fatisfyGod for all this wrong ?
A. No, they cannot ; and therefore they must, and shall be eternal on the damned; Matth. v. 26. Verily, I ſay unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paidthe uttermost farthing. Mark ix. 44. Where their wormdieth not, andthe fire is not quenched.
. 7. Shall all ſinners bear the desert of their ſins ?
A. No ; all that are out of Chriſt ſhall ; but Chriſt hath freed believers from it; John iii. 18. He that believethon him , isnot condemned, &c.
९. 8. But is it not hard, that finners ſhould fuffer eternally for the fins of a few years ?
A. No, it is not ; for the evil of fin is not tobe meaſuredby thetime in which, but by the object against which it is committed ; Pfalm li. 4, 5. Against thee, theeonly have I finned, and done this evil in thy fight, &c.
Q. 9. Whatlearnwe from hence ?
A. Hence inthe firſt place we learnthe impoſſibility of fatisfying God's juſtice for the leaſt ſin that ever we committed;
Jobvii. 20. Ihave finned, what ſhall I do unto thee ? &c.