A. That there are different degrees of torments in hell, propor- tioned to the different degrees of sins on earth ; Mat. xl. 21, 22. Wo unto thee, Chorazih, wo unto thee, Bethsaida : For if the mighty works which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But
So8 AN EXBOSITION OF THE ASSEMBLY'S CATECHISM.
\ say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon, at the day of judgment, than for you.
Q. 13. What is the third inference hence?
A. That great sinners, when pardoned and received to mercy, should excel all others in love to Chrisi; Luke vii. 42, 43. Which of them will love him most? Simon answered and* said, I suppose that he to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
Q. 14. "What is the last inference hence ?
A. Let no man neglect Christ, because his sins are not so heinous as others; because the least sin without Christ is damning; Rom. vi. 23. For the wages of sin is death, &c. And greater sinners are often called when lesser are not ; Mat. xxi. 81, 32. The publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
Of the Demerit of Sin.
Quest. 84. V V HAT doth every sin deserve ?
A. Every sin descrveth God's wrath and curse, both in this life and in that which is to come.
Q. Wherein doth the evil of sin principally consist ?
A. It consists principally in the offence it gives, and the wrong it doth to God ; Psalm h. 4. Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight.
Q. 2. What is the first offence and wrong sin doth to God ?
A. It consists in its enmity to God ; Rom. viii. 7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, &c. Expressed in scripture by walking contrary to him ; Lev. xxvi. 40. They have also walked contrary to me. Fighting against God; Acts v. 39. Lest haply ye be even found to fight against God. And resisting his Spirit ; Acts vii. 51. Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost.
Q. 3. Wherein is its enmity to God further discovered in scripture ?
A. It is discovered under the names and notions of hatred of God ; Rom. i. 30. Backbiters, haters of God, &c. Rebellion against God ; 1 Sam. XV. 23. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, &c. And despising the commandment of God ; 2 Sam. xii. 9. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord ?
Q. 4. What are the attributes of God that sin wrongs?
A. It wrongs all his attributes ; for it slights his sovereignty; Exod. V. 2. And Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice, to let Israel go ? Resists his power ; I Cor. x. 22. Are we stronger than he ? Despiseth his goodness ; Rom. ii. 4. Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, &c. Taxeth his justice ; Ezek. xviii. 25. Yet ye say, the way of the Lord is not equal, &c. And clouds his holiness ; Jam. ii. 7. Do not they blaspheme that worthy name, by which ye are called ?
Q. 5, What doth sin deserve in the course of justice from God?
AN EXPOSITION O'F THE AS8EM1BLY*S CATECHTSM. ^59
J. It deserves all temporal and eternal effects of God's wrath, on the souls and bodies of sinners, all which in scripture go under the name of death ; Rom. vi. 23. For the wages of sin is death, &c.
Q. 6. Can these siifferings satisfy God for all this wrong?
J. No, they cannot; and therefore they must, and shall be eter- nal on the damned ; Matth. v. 26. Verily, I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. Mark ix. 44. Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
Q. 7. Shall all sinners bear the desert of their sins ?
A. No, all that are out of Christ shall ; but Christ hath freed be- lievers from it ; John iii. 18. He that believeth on him is not con- demned, &c.
Q. 8. But is it not hard, that sinners should suffer eternally for the sins of a few years ?
A. No, it is not; for the evil of sin is not to be measured by the time in which, but by the object against which it is committed ; Psal. ii. 4, 5. Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight, &c.
Q. 9. What learn we from hence .^
A. Hence in the first place we learn the impossibility of satisfying God's justice for the least sin that ever we committed ; Job vii. 20. I have sinned, what shall I do unto thee.'' &c. Psalm cxxx. 3. If thou. Lord, shouldst mark iniquity, O Lord, who shall stand ?
Q. 10. What is the second instruction hence ?
A. Hence we see the necessity of a Mediator betwixt God and us ; Psal. xl. 6, 7. Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire, &c. Then said I, Lo, I come : in the volume of the book it is written of me.
Q. 11. What is the third instruction hence ?
A. That the greatest suffering is rather to he chosen than the least €in ; Heb. xi. 25. Chusing rather to suffer affliction with the pco])le of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.
Q. 12. What is the fourth instruction hence ?
A. It teacheth us wliat an invaluable mercy tlie full, free, and final remission of sin is; Psal. xxxii. 1. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered, &c.
Q. 13. What is the fifth instruction hence?
A. It vindicates God in his severest strokes on sinners ; Hos. vi. Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets : I have slain them by the words of my mouth, and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.
Q. 14. What is the last instruction?
A. Hence we learn the infinite nature of Christ's sufferings; Rom. viii. 32. He that spared not his own Son, but dehvered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all tilings?
260 AN EXPOSITION OF THE ASSEMBLY'S CATECHISM.
Of what God requires of us.
Quest. 85. ? ▼ HAT doth God require of us, that we may escape his wrath and curse due to us for sin ?
A. To escape the ivrath and curse of God due to us for sin, God reqiiheth qfusja'iih in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life, with the diligent use of all the outward means, wherehy Christ cornmnnicatetli to us the benefits of redemption.
Q. 1. What are the things required of us to escape God's wrath and curse due to us for sin ?
A. The things required of us are, (1.) Faith in Jesus Christ ; Acts xvi. 31. And they said. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (2.) Repentance for sin ; Acts iii. 19. Repent ye, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blot- ted out, &c. (3.) Diligent striving in the use of all God's appointed means ; Luke xiii. 24. Strive to enter in at the strait gate : For many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
Q. 2. Are these things in man's power to perform, that God re- quires of him .'^
A. Though they are our duties, yet we have no power in ourselves by nature to perform them, but the power is of God ; 2 Cor. iii. 5. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of our- selves, but our sufficiency is of God.