A. No mere man since the fall is able, in this life perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but doth daily break them in thought, word, and deed. EXERCISE. Who is not able to keep God's commandments? What kind of man is not able to keep God's commandments ? Since what time is it, that no mere man has been able to keep God's commandments? What is no mere man able to keep? Where is it, that no mere man is able to keep God's commandments? In what manner can we not in this life, keep God's commandments? (We cannot keep them perfectly.) What commandments can we not keep perfectly? What do we break? How often do we break God's commandments? (Daily.) What do we do daily? Whose commandments do we daily break? In what do we daily break God's commandments? In what do we break God's commandments, besides in our word and deeds? In what do we break God's commandments, besides in our thoughts and words? In what do we break God's commandments, besides in our thoughts and deeds. In how many ways do we daily break God's commandments? (Three.) What is the first way here mentioned, in which we break the commandments of God? (In our thoughts.) What is the second? (In our words.) What is the third? (In our actions.) EXPLANATIONS. Mere man, Person who possesses only the nature of man. Fall, Transgression of Adam. This life, This world. Perfectly, Completely. Keep, Obey. Daily, Every day. Break, Disobey and transgress. Thought, word, and deed, The thoughts of his heart, in his speech and conversation, and in the outward acta of his life. PARAPHRASE FORMED. No [Person who possesses only the nature of man, since the [transgression of Adam,] is able, in [this world,] [completely o [obey] the commandments of God, but doth [ever, say] [disobey and transgress] them, in [the thoughts of his heart, in his speech and conversation, and in the outward acts of his life.] DOCTRINES SEPARATED AND PROVED. 352. No mere man since the fall, is able to keep the commandments of God perfectly.-Eccles. vii. 20. There is not a just man upon earth that doeth good, and sinneth not. 353. Adam before the fall, was able to keep God's law perfectly. Eccles. vii. 29. God hath made man upright. 354. Our Lord Jesus Christ, not being a mere man, did in this life perfectly keep the commandments of God. Isa. xlii. 21. The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable. 355. All men in this life, break the commandments of God daily. Gen. vi. 5. Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 356. The saints, removed from this life to heaven, perfectly keep the commandments of God.-Isa. lvii. 2. Each one walking in his uprightness. 357. We all daily break the commandments of God in our thoughts.--Gen. viii. 21. The imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth. 358. We all daily break the commandments of God in our words and conversation.-James iii. 8. The tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 359. We all daily break the commandments of God in our actions.Rom. vii. 19. The good that I would I do not, but the evil which I would not, that I do. 83. Q. 83. Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous ? A. Some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others. EXERCISE. What is heinous ? (Sin.) In whose sight is sin heinous? What is sin in the sight of God? What are more heinous than others in the sight of God? (Some sins.) Than what are some sins more heinous? (Than other sins.) In what are some sins more heinous in the sight of God than other sins? (In themselves.) By reason of what are some sins more heinous than others? (Of several aggravations.) What are aggravated sins said to be in the sight of God? EXPLANATIONS. In themselves, In their own nature. By reason, On account. Several, Many different. Aggravations, Circumstances accompanying them, which make them still more evil and hateful than they otherwise would be. More heinous, Much more wicked and atrocious. PARAPHRASE FORMED. Some sins [in their own nature,] and [on account] of [many different] [circumstances accompanying them, which make them still more evil and hateful than they otherwise would be] are [much more wicked and atrocious] in the sight of God than [other sins which are not so aggravated.] DOCTRINES SEPARATED AND PROVED. 360. Some sins are in themselves more heinous in the sight of God than others.-1 John v. 16. There is a sin unto death; I do not say ye shall pray for it. 361. Aggravations make sin more heinous in the sight of God.-Matt. xxiii. 14. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. 84. Q. 84. What doth every sin deserve? A. Every sin deserveth God's wrath and curse, both in this life, and that which is to come. EXERCISE. Whose What deserves God's wrath and curse? wrath and curse doth every sin deserve? What sins deserve God's wrath and curse? What doth every sin deserve besides God's wrath? What doth every sin deserve besides God's curse? In what doth every sin deserve God's wrath and curse? (Both in this life and the next.) What is to come? (Another life.) What deserves God's wrath and curse in this life? Where doth sin deserve God's wrath and curse besides in this life? How many things 'does it here say that sin deserves ? (Two.) What is the first thing which it is here said that sin deserves? (God's wrath.) What is the second? In how many states is it here said that sin deserves God's wrath and curse? (Two.) What is the first state here mentioned, where sin deserves God's wrath and curse? (In this life.) What is the second? What is it that deserves God's wrath, both in this life and the next? EXPLANATIONS. Every sin, Every single sin which we commit, in thought, word, or deed, however trivial it may in itself appear, and although it may not be accompanied with any ag-` gravated circumstances. Wrath, Anger. Curse, Sentence and infliction of severe punishment. That which is to come, In the state of being after death. PARAPHRASE FORMED. [Every single sin which we commit, in thought, word, or deed, however trivial it may in itself appear, and although it may not be accompanied with any aggravated circumstances,] deserveth God's [anger,] and [sentence and infliction of severe punishment,] both in [this world,] and [in the state of being after death.] DOCTRINES SEPARATED AND PROVED. 362. Every sin deserves the wrath and curse of God in this life.-Gal. iii. 10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. 363. Every sin deserves the wrath and curse of God for ever in the world to come. Rom. vi. 23. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 85. Q. 85. What doth God require of us, that we may escape his wrath and curse due to us for sin ? A. To escape the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin, God requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life, with the diligent use of all the outward means, whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption. EXERCISE. What is required of us? For what purpose are faith, repentance, and the use of means required of us? (To escape the wrath and curse of God..) To whom are the wrath and curse of God due? For what are the wrath and curse of God due? What are due to us on account of sin? Whose wrath and curse are due to us for sin ? Who requires from us faith? From whom does God require faith? For what purpose does God require faith ? |