Of what God requires of us,
An Expofition of the Affembly's Catechism. br Plalmcxxx. 3. If thou, Lord, ſhouldſt mark iniquity, O Lord, who ſhall stand ?
९. 10. What isthe ſecond inſtruction hence ?
A. Hence we ſee the neceſſity ofa Mediator betwixtGod and us; Píalm xl. 6, 7. Sacrifice and offering thou didſt not defire, c. Then ſaid I, Lo, I come : in the volume of the book it iswritten of me.
Q.11 . What is the third inſtruction hence ?
A. That the greateſt ſuffering is rather to be choſen thanthe leaſt ſin ; Heb. xi. 25. Chuſing rather to fuffer affliction with the people ofGod, thantoenjoy thepleaſures of fin for a feafon.
Q.12 . What is the fourth inſtruction hence ?
A. Itteacheth us what an invaluable mercythe full, free, and final remiffion of fin is; Pfalm xxxii. 1. Bleſſed is he whoſe tranfgreffion is forgiven, and whoſe ſin is covered, &c.
९. 13. What is the fifth inſtruction hence ?
A. ItvindicatesGod in his ſevereſt ſtrokes on ſinners ; Hof. vi. 5. Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets : Ihave flain themby thewords of my mouth, and thy judgments are as the light thatgoeth forth.
Q. 14. What is the laſt inſtruction ?
A. Hencewe learn the infinite nature of Chriſt's fufferings ; Rom. viii. 32. He that ſpared not his own Son, but delivered himup for us all, how shall he not with him alſo freely give
us all things ?
Ofwhat God requires of us.
Queſt. 85. What doth God require of us, that we mayefcapehiswrath and curſedue tous for fin ?
A. To escape the wrathand curse of God due to us forfin, God requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life, with the diligent use of all the outward means, whereby Chrift communicateth tous the benefits of redemption.
Q. 1. What are the things required of us to eſcipe God's wrath and curſe dueto us for fin ?
A. The things requiredof us, are, (1.) Faith in JeſusChriſt ; Acts xvi, 31. And theyfaid, Believe on the Lord Jesus Chriſt, and thou shalt be ſaved, andthyhouſe.
(2.) Repentance for fin; Acts iii. 19. Repentye therefore, and be converted, that your fins may be blotted out, &c.
(3.) Diligent ſtriving in the ufe of allGod's appointed means; Luke xiii. 24. Strive toenterinatthe ſtrait gate: For many, Isay unto you, ſhallſeek to enter in, and ſhall not be able .
M 2
An Exposition ofthe Affembly's Catechifm.
Q.2. Are theſe things in man's power toperform, thatGod requires of him ?
A. Though they are our duties, yetwehave nopower in ourſelvesby nature to perform them, but the power is of God ;
2Cor. iii. 5. Not that we are fufficient of ourſelves to think any thing as of ourselves, but our fufficiency is ofGod.
Q3. But if men be in Chriſt, and juſtified from eternity, what need of this ?
A. Though God from eternitydecreed, and Chrift long fince purchased the falvation of the elect ; yet have theynounion with Chriſt till they believe ; Eph. iii. 17. That Chriſt may dwell in your hearts byfaith, thatye being rooted andgrounded in love. Nor remiſſion of fin ; Acts iii. 19. That your fins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing ſhallcome fromthe prefence of the Lord.
But lie under wrath as others do; Eph. ii. 3, 12. And were by nature the childrenofwrath, even as others.
Ver. 12. That at that time yewere without Chriſt, being aliens from the common wealth of Ifrael, and ſtrangers fromthecovenants of promife, having nohope, and withoutGod in the world.
Q. 4. If it beGod that can only work theſe graces inus, to what purpoſe is our ſtriving ?
A. God's working doth not exclude man's ſtriving, butmore excites and obliges us to it; Phil, ii. 12, 13, Work out your own falvation with fearand trembling : For it is God which worketh in you, both to willand todo, of hisowngood pleaſure,
5. Towhatpurpoſe is it to ſtrive in the use of means, except we knew we were elected ?
A. The knowledge of our election is not antecedent to our diligence, but our diligence is required antecedently to that knowledge ; 1 Pet. i. 10. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to makeyour calling and election fure, &c.
Q.6. Is it not legal toput naturalmenupon ſtriving in the uſe of means ?
A. No, it is not; for Chriſt himself enjoins it ; Luke xiii.
24. Strive to enter in at the ſtrait gate, &c.
And so did the apoſtles after him ; Acts viii. 22. Repent therefore of this thy wickedneſs, and prayGod, if perhaps the thought of thyheart maybe forgiventhee.
Q.7. Is there no eſcaping of God's wrath and curſe without faith and repentance ?
4. No, it is impoſſible to eſcape them; John iii, 18. Hethat believeth not, is condemned already. Heb. ii. 3. How ſhallwe oſcapeifwe neglect ſogreat ſalvation ?
An Exposition of the Affembly's Catechism.
Q.8. But if a man reform his life, and live ſoberlyandjuſtlyfor time tocome, may he not that way eſcapeGod's wrath andcurſe ?
4. No; fobriety and reformation are duties, but it is faith andregeneration that puts men into Chriſt, and out of danger;
Matth. v. 20. Except your righteouſneſs ſhall exceed the righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Pharifees,ye hall innocafeenter intothe kingdom of heaven.
Tit. iii. 5. Not by works of righteouſneſs, whichwe have done, but according to his mercy he ſavedus, bythewaſhingof regeneration, and renewing of the holyGhoſt.
९. 9. Do all believing and penitent ſinners eſcape God's wrath and curſe ?
A. Yes, they do, and ſhall for ever eſcape it; Rom. viii. r.
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Chriſt Jeſus, &c.
Col. i. 12, 13. Giving thanks untoGod the Father, which hath made us meetto be partakers of the inheritance of the ſaints in light; who hath delivered us from the powerof darkness, and hath tranſlated us intothe kingdom of his dear Son.
John v. 24. He that heareth myword, and believethon him that fent me, hath everlasting life, and ſhall not come intocondemnation; but is paſſed fromdeath unto life.
Q. 10. What is the fir inference hence ?
A. Hence it appears how falteanddangerous the Antinomian doctrine is, which teaches that our fins are pardoned before theyare committed, orwe eitherbelieve or repent ; contrary to Acts xxvi. 18. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkneſs unto light, and from the power of Satan untoGod, that they may receive forgiveness of fin, and inheritance amongthem which are ſanctified by faith that is in me.
James v.20. Hewhich converteth the finner from the error of his way, ſhall ſave a foul from death, &c.
Acts x. 43. To him give all the prophetswitneſs, that through his name whofoever believeth in him hall receive remiffion of ſins.
Q. 11. What isthe ſecond inference hence ?
A. Hence it follows, that it isdangerous on theone ſidenot to ſtrive in all the ways of duty for Chrift and ſalvation, contrary to Luke xiii. 24. Strive to enter in at the ſtraitgate ; for many, I ſay unto you, will feek to enter in, and ſhall notbe able. And as dangerous, on the other ſide, toreſt in, anddependon our own works and duties ; Phil. iii. 9. Andbe found inhim, nothavingmine own righteouſneſs, which is ofthelaw, butthatwhich isthrough the faith of Chriſt, the righteousness which is ofGodby faith.