A. Because much more is included in every command than is ex- prest, as our Saviour shews in his exposition of it ; Mat. xxii. 40. On tliese two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Q. 5. Doth the moral law bind Christians under the gospel ?
A. Yes, it doth, as a rule to order their conversations by ; Jam. ii. 8, 9, 10. If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; ye do well : But if ye have res- pect to persons, ye commit sin, and arc convinced of the law as transgressors ; for whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, is guilty of all.
Q. 6. Is the moral law the same thing with the covenant of works, and imposed for the same end ? A, God never designed the law to be the way of man's justifica-
S20 AN EXPOSITION OF THE ASSEMBLY'S CATECHISM.
tion since the fall; Gal. iii. 21, 22. Is the law then against the pro- mises 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 scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But it was promulged to convince man of sin ; Rom. vii. 7. What shall we say then ? Is the law sin ? God forbid ! Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law ; for 1 had not known lust except the law had said. Thou shalt not covet. And bring them to Christ ; Gal. iii. 24. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster, to bring us unto Christy that we might be justified by faith.
Q. 7. 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 Thess. ii. 8. Then shall that wicked one be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming ; but assumes power to dispense with God's laws to others.
Q. 8. What is the second inference hence ?
A. That man dieth not as beasts die ; which are under no moral law, and therefore capable of no sin ; but must come to judgment after death ; Eccl. iii. 21. Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth ? Heb. ix. 27. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, so after this the judgment.
Q. 9. Wlmt is the third inference hence ?
A. That though the actions of men naturally considered are tran- sient, yet their consequences and effects are permanent ; an act is soon done, a word soon spoken, a thought soon thought ; but when done, spoken, or thought, they are placed to account ; Gal. vi. 7, 8. Be not deceived, God i^ not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap ; for he that soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption ; but he that soweth to the spirit, shall of the spirit reap life everlasting.
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 sinned without law shall also perish without law ; and as many as have sinned in the law, shall be judged by the law.
Q. 11. What is the fifth inference from hence ?
A. That those who have sinned against the clearest light, and best helps, will, if they die impenitent, be judged to the greatest misery ; Matth. xi. 23. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto hea- ven, 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
AN EXPOSITION OF THE ASSEMBLY'S CATECHISM. 22t
remained until this day. Heb. ii. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation.
Q. 12. What is the sixth inference from hence?
A. That we are to prize the moral law highly, as a rule of life ; Ps. cxix. 105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unta my path : So are we to bless God for the gospel dispensation, by which only we can attain to justification and salvation ; Heb. xii. 22. But ye are come to mount Sion, and unto the city of the hving God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels.
Of love to God and Man.
Quest. 42. ? 7 HAT is the sum of the ten commandments.^
A. The sum of the ten commandments is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind, and our neighbour as ourselves.
Q. 1. What is the sum of the ten commandments ?
A. To love the Lord our God with a supreme love, and men with a sincere love, in and for him ; Mat. xxii. 37, 38. Jesus said unto him. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment : The second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself
Q. 2. What is the first thing contained in our supreme love to God ?
A. It implies tlie loving of God purely and absolutely for himself The excellencies that are in him ; Cant. i. 3. Thy name is as oint- ment poured forth ; therefore the virgins love thee. And the benefits we receive from him ; Psal. cxvi. 1. I love the Lord, be- cause he hath heard my voice and my supplication.
Q. 3. What is the second property of this supreme love ?
A. Supreme love denotes 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 supreme love ?
A. It causes the soul to depreciate and slight all other things in comparison of God's glory, and an interest in Christ ; Acts xx. 24. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy ; Phil. iii. 8. I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.
Q. 5. What is the fourth property of supreme love ?
A. It centers the soul in God as its only rest ; Psal. cxvi. 7. Re- turn unto thy rest, O my soul. And cannot be satisfied till it come to the full enjoyment of liim ; 2 Thess. iii. 5. And the Lord direct
S22 AN EXPOSITION OF THE ASSEMBLY'S CATECinsST.
your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.
Q. 6. Why must we love God with a supreme love ?
A. Because such a love only suits 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 shall separate us from the love of Christ ?
Q. 7. What is it to love our neighbour as ourselves.