know the grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift, that though he was rich, yet for your fakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be made rich. Q.9. What is the third instruction! A. That the greatest fins are capable of remiffion to believers; John i. 29. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the fins of the world. Q. 10. What is the fourth instruction ? A. That thofe that be in Chrift need not fear the denial or want of any other mercy; Rom. viii. 32. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all; how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Q. What is the fifth inftruction? A. Hence we learn how impious it is to afcribe any part of the glory of redemption to any other befides Christ. 1 Q. 12. What is the fixth instruction ? A. This teaches us the miferable condition of all that are out of Christ, and the neceffity of their damnation, he being the only Redeemer. Quest. 1. Of the Manner of Chrift's Incarnation. W AS Chrift's incarnation a voluntary act in him? A. Yes, it was; for though he had a command to die for us, John x. 18. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself; I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. Yet he came willingly; Pfalm xl. 6, 7. Sacrifice and offering thou didst not defire, mine ears haft hou opened; burnt-offerings, and fin-offerings haft thou not required; lo, I come; in the volume of thy book, it is written of me. Ver. 8. I delight to do thy will, O my God, yea, thy law is within my heart. Q. 2. Was the body of Chrift a real and true human body? A. Yes, it was a true and real body, not the appearance and fhape of a body only; Luke xxiv. 38. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled, and why do thoughts arife in your hearts? Ver. 39. Behold my hands, and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and fee, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you fee me have. Q. 3. Had he a true human foul as well as a body? A. Yes, he had a real human foul also, and all the natural faculties and powers thereof; Matth. xxvi. 38. Then faith he unto them, My foul is exceeding forrowful, even unto death. Q. 4. Was he then in all refpects like to other men? A. No, his conception was not like others; `Ifa. vii. 14. Be hold, a Virgin fhall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call his name EMANUEL. And he had no fin in him as others have; Heb. vii. 26. For fuch an High Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners. Q. 5. Did Chrift put off the human nature at his afcenfion? A. No, he did not, but carried it up to glory, and now is in our nature in heaven; 1 Tim. iii. 16. Received up into glory. Q. 6. Why did he affume our nature? A. That he might die in it for our falvation; Heb. ii. 5. And deliver them, who through fear of death were all their life fubject to bondage. Q. 7. Why did he rife in it after death? A. He raifed it from the dead for our juftification; Rom. iv. 25. Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised-2gain for our juftification. Q. 8. Why did he afcend in our nature into heaven? A. To be a Mediator of interceffion in our nature; Heb. vii. 25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermoft that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make interceffion for them. Q. 9. What is the firft inftruction from hence? A. That the body of Chrift is not every where, but is contained in heaven; Acts iii. 21. Whom the heaven must receive, until the times of reftitution of all things. Q. 10. What is the fecond inftruction? A. That Chrift is full of tender compaffions to his people's infirmities; Heb. iv. 15. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without fin. Q. 11. What is the third inftruction? A. That great and admirable is the glory defigned for the bodes of believers; Phil. iii. 21. Who fhall change our vile bodies, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to fubdue all things unto himself. Q. 12. What is the last instruction? A. That the bodily eyes of believers after the refurrection, fhall fee Chrift in glory; Job xix. 26, 27. And though after my skin worms deftroy this body, yet in my flefh fhall I fee God, whom I fhall fee for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another. The End of the Seventh Volume. |