is our judge, the Lord is our law-giver, the Lord is our king, he will fave, us.

Q. 7. Have the people liberty to compare the laws of God and men, and judge how they agree, or differ?

A. Yes; their judgment of difcretion is both commanded; 1 Cor. i. 10, 15. I fpeak as to wife men; judge ye what I fay. And commended; Acts xvii. 11. These were more noble than those in Theffalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and fearched the fcriptures daily, whether those things were fo.

Q. 8. What is the only rule for our obedience to God?

A. The will of God revealed in the fcriptures is our only rule of obedience; Ifa. viii. 20. To the law and to the teftimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Q. 9. But if a man have a voice, a vifion, or a dream, feeming to hint the fecret will of God, may he not obey it?

A. Yes; if it be confonant to the revealed will of God in the word, otherwise not; Deut. xxix. 29. The fecret things belong unto the Lord our God; but thofe things which are revealed, belong unto us, and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

Q. 10. What is the first instruction from hence?

A. That it is highly finful and dangerous to difobey the known will of God in any thing; Rom. i. 18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness. Luke xii. 47. And that fervant which knew his Lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, fhall be beaten with many stripes.

Q. 11. What is the second inftruction?

A. That is a bleffed man, who confcientiously labours to obey the will of God, fo far as he can difcover it; John xiii. 17. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. Gal. vi. 16. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy.

Q. 12. What is the third inference?

A. It is highly finful and dangerous to command others, or obey commands from others, which are not according to God's command; Hofea v. 11. Ephraim is oppreffed, and broken in judgment, becaufe he willingly walked after the commandment. Jer.vii. 31. And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the fon of Hinnom, to burn

their fons and their daughters in the fire, which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart,

Queft, 46, and 41.

Of the Moral Law.

THat did God at firft reveal to man for the rule of his obedience?

W

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

Q. 41. Wherein is the moral law fummarily comprehended? A. The moral law is fummarily comprehended in the ten commandments.

law?

1. Is every man under the direction and obligation of a

A. Yes; man being a reasonable creature, is capable of, and fitted for government by law, which other creatures are not; and being an accountable creature to God, muft needs be under a law; Rom. ii. 15. Which thew the works of the law written in their hearts; their confciences alfo bearing witnefs, and their thoughts the mean while accufing, or elfe excufing one another.

Q. 2. How could man be under a law before the law was given by Mofes ?

A. Before ever the law was given at Sinai, all the race of Adam had a law written in their hearts, viz. the light of reafon, and dictates of natural confcience; Rom. ii. 14. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, thefe having not the law, are a law unto themselves. And befides this, the church had the revealed will of God to direct them; 2 Pet. i. 19, 20. We have alfo a more fure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well to take heed, as unto a light that fhineth in a dark place, until the day dawa, and the day-star arise in your hearts. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the fcripture is of any private interpretation.

Q3. What is the meaning of the moral law?

A. It is not a law to direct and order our manners; but a law that binds univerfally and perpetually, as the ten commandments do thofe to whom they are promulged, and the light of nature doth all others; Rom. ii. 14. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these having not the law, are a law unto themfelves. Luke xvi. 17. It is easier for heaven and earth to pals, than one tittle of the law to fail,

Q4. Why is it faid to be fummarily comprehended in the ten commandments ?

A. Because much more is included in every command, than is expreft, as our Saviour fhews in his expofition of it; Matth. xxii 40. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Q5. Doth the moral law bind Chriftians under the gospel? A. Yes, it doth, as a rule to order their converfations by; Jam. ii. 8, 9, 10. If ye fulfil the royal law according to the fcripture, Thou fhalt love thy neighbour as thyself; ye do well: But if ye have refpect to perfons, ye commit fin, and are convinced of the law as tranfgreffors; for whofoever fhall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, is guilty of all.

Q. 6. Is the moral law the fame thing with the covenant of works, and impofed for the fame end?

A. God never defigned the law to be the way of man's juftification fince the fall; Gal. iii. 21, 22. Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid ! for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness would have been by the law; but the fcripture hath concluded all under fin, that the promife by faith of Jefus Chrift might be given to them that believe. But it was promulged to convince man of fin; Rom. vii. 7. What fhall we fay then? Is the law fin? God forbid! Nay, I had not known fin, but by the law; for I had not known luft, except the law had faid, Thou shalt not covet. And bring them to Chrift; Gal. iii. 24. Wherefore the law was our fchool-master, to bring us unto Chrift, that we might be juftified by faith.

Q7. What is the first inference from hence?

A. Hence we learn the abominable nature of Popery. The Pope being that lawless one, who will not be bound by the laws of God himself; 2 Thef. ii. 8. Then fhall that wicked one be revealed whom the Lord fhall confume with the Spirit of his mouth, and fhall deftroy with the brightness of his coming; but affumes power to difpenfe with God's laws to others. Q. 8. What is the fecond inference hence?

A. That man dieth not as beafts die; which are under no moral law, and therefore capable of no fin; but must come to judgment after death; Ecclef. iii. 21. Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the fpirit of the beaft, that goeth downward to the earth? Heb. ix. 27. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, fo after this the judgment. Q.9. What is the third inference hence?

A. That though the actions of men naturally considered are

tranfient, yet their confequences and effects are permanent; an act is foon done, a word foon spoken, a thought foon thought; but when done, fpoken or thought they are placed, to account; Gal. vi. 7, 8. Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man foweth, that fall he also reap; for he that foweth to the flesh, fhall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that foweth to the spirit, fhall of the spirit reap life everlafting.

Q. 10. What is the fourth inference from hence?

A. That God will proceed with men by different rules in the day of judgment, according to the different laws they lived under in this world; Rom. ii. 12. For as many as have finned without law fhall alfo perish without law; and as many as have finned in the law, fhall be judged by the law.

Q. 11. What is the fifth inference from hence?

A. That thofe who have finned against the cleareft light, and beft helps, will, if they die impenitent, be judged to the greatest mifery; Matth. xi. 23. And thou Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shall be brought down to hell; for if the mighty works which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. Heb. ii. 3. How fhall we escape if we neglect so great falvation?

Q. 12. What is the fixth inference from hence?

A. That as we are to prize the moral law highly, as a rule of life; Pfalm cxix. 105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path: So are we to blefs God for the gofpel difpenfation, by which only we can attain to juftification and falvation; Heb. xii. 22. But ye are come to mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels.

Quest. 42.

Of love to God and Man.

WH

Hat is the fum of the ten commandments? A. The fum of the ten commandments is to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, with all our foul, with all our ftrength, and with all our mind; and our neighbour as ourfelves.

Q.1. What is the fum of the ten commandments ?

A. To love the Lord our God with a fupreme love, and men with a fincere love, in and for him; Matth. xxii. 37, 38. Jefus faid unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy foul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment: The fecond is like unto it; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Q. 2. What is the first thing contained in our fupreme love to God?

A. It implies the loving of God purely and abfolutely for himself. The excellencies that are in him; Cant. i. 3. Thy name is as ointment poured forth; therefore the virgins love. thee. And the benefits we receive from him; Pfalm cxvi. 1. I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my fupplication.

Q. 3. What is the fecond property of this fupreme love? A. Supreme love devotes the whole man to God and Christ: So that in life and death that man designs the glory of God as his main end; Rom. xiv. 7, 8. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself; for whether we live, we live unto the Lord, and whether we die, we die unto the Lord; whether we live therefore or die, we are the Lord's.

Q. 4. What is the third property of fupreme love?

A. It caufes the foul to depreciate and flight all other things in comparison of God's glory, and an intereft in Chrift; Acts .xx. 24. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, fo that I might finish my course with joy; Phil. iii. 8. 1 count all things but lofs for the excellency of the knowledge of Chrift Jefus my Lord.

Q5. What is the fourth property of fupreme love?

A. It centers the foul in God as its only reft; Pfalm cxvi. 7. Return unto thy reft, O my soul. And cannot be fatisfied till it come to the full enjoyment of him; 2 Thef. iii. 5. And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Chrift."

Q. 6. Why muft we love God with a fupreme love?

A. Because such a love only fuits the transcendent excellency of God; commands all we are and have for God; and is the only love that will continue to the end; Rom. viii. 35. Who fhall feparate us from the love of Chrift?

Q7. What is it to love our neighbour as ourselves?

A. It is the exact obfervation and practice of the golden rule of Chrift; Matth. vii. 12. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men fhould do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.

Q. 8. Are all men to be loved alike, and with the fame degree of love?

A. No; tho' we muft love all men with the love of benevolence, yet the faints only with the love of complacency; Pfal. xvi. 3. But to the faints that are in the earth, and to the excellent in whom is all my delight. Pfalm xv. 4. In whofe