A. The least grass of the field, hair of our heads, or worm of the earth, is not exempted from his knowledge and care. — Job xxxix. ; Ps. civ. 21, cxlv. 15; Jonah iv. 7; Matt. vi. 26-29, x. 29, 80.
CHAP. VII. -Of the Law of God.
Q. 1. Which is the law that God gave man at first tofidfil?
A. The same which was afterwards ^ ^vritten with the finger of God in two tables of stone on Mount Horeb, called the Ten Command- ments.— Rom. ii. 14, 15.
Q. 2. Is the observation of this law still required of us ?
A. Yes, to the uttermost tittle. — Matt. v. 17; 1 John iii. 4; Rom. iiL 31 ; James ii. 8-10; Gal. iii.
Q. 3. Are we able of ourselves to^^ perform it?
A. No, in no wise ; the law is spiritual, but we are carnal. — 1 Kings viii. 46; Gen. vi. 5; John xv. 5; Rom. vii. 14, viii. 7; 1 John i. 8.
Q. 4. Did, then, God give a law which could not he kept?
A. No; when God gave it, we had power to keep it; which since we have lost in Adam. — Gen. i. 26; Eph. iv. 19; Rom. v. 12.
Q. 5. Whereto, then, doth the laiu now serve?
A. For two general ends; first, "to be a rule of our duty, or to discover to us the obedience of God requhed; secondly, "to drive us unto Christ— "^ Ps. xix. 7-11; 1 Tun. i. 8, 9.— "Gal. iii. 24.
Q. 6. How doth the law drive us unto Christ ?
A. Divers ways ; as, first, * by laying open unto us the utter dis- ability of our nature to do any good; secondly, "by charging the wrath and curse of God, due to sin, upon the conscience; thirdly, " by bringing the whole soul under bondage to sin, death, Satan, and hell, — so making us long and seek for a Saviour. — * Rom. vii. 7-9 ; Gal. iii. 19.— "Rom. iii. 19, 20, iv. 15, v. 20; Gal. iii. 10.— " Gal. iii. 22; Heb. ii. 15.
' This law of God bindeth us now, not because delivered to the Jews on INIouut Horeb, but because written in the hearts of all by the finger of God at the iirst.
^ After the fall, the law ceased to be a rule of justification, and became a rule for sanctification only.
^ It is of free grace that God giveth power to yield any obedience, and accept- eth of any obedience that is not perfect.
THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST. 477
CHAP. VIII — Of the State of Corrupted Nature.
Q. 1. How came this weakness and disability upon us?
A. By the sin and^ shameful fall of our first parents. — Eom. v. 12, 14.
Q. 2. Wherein did that hurt us, their posterity ?
A. Divers ways; first, "in that we were all guilty of the same breach of covenant with Adam, being all in him ; secondly, *" our souls with his were deprived of that holiness, innocency, and righteousness wherein they were at first created ; thirdly, " pollution and defilement of nature came upon us; with, fourthly, "^an extreme disability of doing any thing that is well-pleasing unto God ; ^ by all which we are made obnoxious to the curse. — "John iii. 36; Rom. v. 12; Eph. ii. 3. —''Gen. iii. 10; Eph. iv. 23, 24; Col. iii. 10.— "Job xiv. 4; Ps. li. 7; John iii. 6; Rom. iii. 13. — ""Gen. vi. 5; Eph. ii. 1 ; Jer. vi. 16, xiii. 23; Rom. viii. 7. — "Gen. iii. 17; Gal. iii. 10.
Q. 3. Wherein doth the curse of God consist ?
A. In divers things ; first, " in the ^ guilt of death, temporal and eternal; secondly, "the loss of the grace and favour of God; thirdly, "guilt and horror of conscience, despair and anguish here; with, fourthly, ** eternal damnation hereafter. — "Gen. ii. 17; Rom. L 18, V. 12, 17; Eph. ii. 3.— 'Gen. iii. 24; Ezek. xvi. 3-5; Eph. ii. 13.— "Gen. iii. 10; Isa. xlviii. 22; Rom. iii. 9, 19, Gal. iii. 22.— ''Gen. iii. 10, 13; John iii. 36.
Q. 4. Are all men horn in this estate?
A. Every one without exception. — Ps. li. 5 ; Isa. liii. 6 ; Rom. iii. 9-12; Eph. ii. 3.
Q. 5. And do they continue therein?
A. Of themselves^ they cannot otherwise do, being able neither to " know, nor " will, nor " do any thing that is spiritually good and pleasing unto God. — "Acts viii. 31, xvi. 14; 1 Cor. ii. 14; Eph. v. 8; John i. 5. — ^'Jer. vi. 16, xiii. 23; Luke iv. 18; Rom. vi. 16, viii. 7. — " John vi. 44 ; 2 Cor. iii. 5.
• This is tliat which commonly is called original sin, which in general denoteth the whole misery and corruption of our nature; as, — 1. The guilt of Adam's actual sin to us imputed; 2. Loss of God's glorious image, innocency and holi- ness ; 3. Deriving by propagation a nature — (1.) Defiled with the pollution, (2.) Laden with the guilt, (.3.) Subdued to the power of sin; 4. A being exposed to all temporal miseries, leading to and procuring death; 5. An alienation from God, with voluntary obedience to Satan and lust; 6. An utter disability to good, or to labour for mercy; 7. Eternal damnation of body and soul in hell.