PRINCETON • NEW JERSEY PRESENTED BY The widovT of George Dugan, *96 BX 9184 .A5 H3 1905 "■^ Harper, James . An exposition in the form o:^ question and answer of the <each of covenant. Q. 2. How then can the eating of the forbidden fruit be fitly called the "first sin" of Adam and Eve? A. It was the first completed sin, or the first oiitivard act of disobedience to God. "Sin, when it is finished (or full-grown), bringeth forth death." Jas. i :i5. Q. 3. Did God in the covenant threaten death for sin merely? A. No; but for sin carried into outward action. "In the day thou eatest thereof," it was said, "thou shalt surely die." Q. 4. Point out some aggravations of this sin, that is, some features of it which contributed to its heinous- ness. AN EXPOSITION OF A. a. It was done against great condescension on the part of God in binding Himself by covenant to His creature, God was en- titled, independently of any covenant, to man's fullest obedience; but still more so in view of the signal favor done in enter- ing into a covenant relation with Adam; b. Already Adam and Eve were amply supplied with food nutritious and pleasant. Gen. 2:16; 3:2; c. The sin was definite and palpable. There are some forms of sin so subtle that one may not easily know when he is on the point of yielding to them ; but no such plea can be urged in regard to the sin of eating the forbidden fruit, a sin committed by the whole man, both soul and body; d. The most fundamental ingredient in this sin was unbelief. God had said expressly to Adam, "thou shalt not eat of it ; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" ; but the Tempter contradicted Him, and with the Tempter Adam and Eve sided; e. If our first parents stood in this transaction sponsors for their natural posterity, as we believe was the case, and were aware of this responsibility, as seems most proba- ble, their sin assumes a darker hue. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Gen. 2:16; 3:2, 3; Jas. 1:15. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 89 QUESTION XVI. Did all mankind fall in Adam's first trans- gression? ANSWER. The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself but for his posterity, all man- kind descending from him by ordinary genera- tion sinned in him and fell with him in his first transgression. Q. I. How does it appear that the covenant made with Adam included also his posterity? A. a. Several other arrangements which at first sight might seem to relate only to the first pair are found to refer also to their offspring. For instance, the right and duty to subdue and replenish the earth, the law of marriage, the curse of toil pro- nounced upon Adam and of travail upon Eve, attached to Adam's posterity as well as to himself and Eve. It would seem anomalous were it otherwise with the covenant ; b. The fact of the universal sinfulness of our race can best be accounted for on the supposi- tion that it is the fruit and penalty of Adam's sin as our covenant head ; c. The parallel intimated in Scripture between the way of justification in Christ and of condemnation in Adam favors this view. If the merit of Christ is our justifying righteousness, the demerit of Adam as our representative is the primary ground of our condemnation, i Cor. 15:22; Rom. 5: 19; 90 AN EXPOSITION OF d. It is expressly declared in Scripture that "through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin ; and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned" (Rom. 5:12, R. V.). This seems certainly to mean that when Adam sinned the human race represented by him sin- ned ; while, on the other hand, when Christ obeyed unto death, all whom He represented might be said to have kept the precepts of the law and borne its pen- alty. Rom. 5 \ig. Q. 2. Why may not the sinful condition of Adam's posterity be ascribed simply to physical connection with him, without reference to a covenant? A. a. This conception would, to say the least, af- ford no relief from the moral difficulty presented; h. If a covenant was indeed made with Adam, it would be nothing singular if it extended to his progeny as well as to himself. In other covenants made by God, as, for in- stance. His covenant with Noah, with Ab- raham, with the Israelites at Sinai, such comprehensiveness is exemplified ; c. On this supposition the human nature of Christ must have been vitiated, for He was physically connected with Adam ; d. If on the ground of mere natural descent we are involved in the guilt of Adam's first sin, why should not the guilt of some of his sins subsequently committed descend upon us? Clearly in Rom. 5:15-18 only one sin of Adam is reckoned to his pos- terity, that, namely, by which he broke the covenant. Q. 3. Did Adam in the covenant represent Christ? A. No. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 91 Q, 4. How may this be proved? A. a* Adam, being a person, properly represented persons ; but Christ as man was not a per- son; h. Had the human nature of Christ been repre- sented by Adam, it must have shared in his fall and been disqualified for making atonement; c. Had Adam kept the covenant, our race would not have needed a Saviour. But it was to glorify God in the salvation of sinners of our race that Christ came into this world, Jno. 3:16; I Tim. 1:15. The coming of Christ in our nature hinged not on the making of the covenant with Adam, but on the breaking of it ; d. The unique mode of Christ's conception can be accounted for solely on the ground that it was the purpose of God that, while of our race, Christ should not be of it in such a sense as to be represented by Adam.* Q. 5. In which of Adam's sins were his descendants implicated? A. In his first sin. Rom. 5:12, 15-18. By that one completed sin the covenant was broken. Adam ceased then to be a covenant head. His subsequent sins attach- ed to himself personally, or if they afifected his posterity they did so only by way of evil example or suggestion. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. •Rom. 5:12-19; I Cor. 15:22; Gen. 3:13-19. Note. Dr. W. G. Shedd, in his ardent advocacy of the Real- istic, or Solidarity, theory as to the relation between Adam and his posterity, has been led to use language *See Note at end of Question XVI. 92 AN EXPOSITION OF touching the humanity of Christ which, in our view, savors of blasphemy. He very plainly held that the human nature of Christ needed to be both justified and sanctified. His language is often vague and sometimes seem.s self-contradictory; but the drift of it is as just in- dicated. Two or three extracts from his "Systematic Theology" will confirm the remark just made. "Had Christ been born of Mary's substance in the ordinary manner, He would have been a sinful man. His humanity prior to His conception was an unindividual- ized part of the common human nature. He was the 'seed of the woman,' the 'seed of David.' As such simply, His human nature was like that of David and Mary, fallen and sinful. It is denominated 'sinful flesh' in Rom. 8:3. It required perfect sanctification before it could be as- sumed into union with the Second Trinitarian person, and it obtained it through the miraculous conception." Sys. Theol., Vol. I., p. 81. "Theologians have confined their attention mainly to the sanctification of Christ's human nature, saying little about its justiti cation. But a complete Christology must include the latter as well as the former. Any nature that requires sanctification requires justification, because sin is guilt as well as pollution. The Logos could not unite with a human nature taken from the Virgin Mary, and transmitted from Adam, unless it had previously been delivered from both the condemnation and the corruption of sin. The idea of redemption also includes both justifi- cation and sanctification, and it is conceded that that por- tion of human nature which the Logos assumed into union with Himself was redeemed. His own humanity was the first fruits of His redemptive work. 'Christ the first-fruits, afterwards they that are Christ's.' i Cor. 15: 23, Consequently the doctrine is not fully constructed unless this side of it is presented. So far, then, as the guilt of Adam's sin rested upon that unindividualized por- tion of the common fallen nature of Adam assumed by the THE SHORTER CATECHISM 93 Logos, it was expiated by the one sacrifice on Calvary." Sys. Theol., Vol. II., p. 82. Dr. Shedd claims that his view has received the sanc- tion of many orthodox theologians, John Owen among the number; but we do not think the claim can be estab- lished. Edward Irving, however, might be quoted in its favor. Fatal to the opinion put forward on this subject by Dr. Shedd are the two following considerations : 1. If the human nature which Christ assumed was, prior to the instant of assumption, sinful, what need was there for the miraculous conception? In other words, why did not Christ have a human father as well as a human mother? The fact that in His case there was a deviation from the ordinary mode of generation is pre- sumptive evidence that some good reason for the devia- tion existed. And what reason can there have been ex- cept this, that the guilt and corruption of our fallen na- ture might not pass through to Him? The miraculous conception of the human nature of Christ can be account- ed for only on the ground that He was not to have any participation in our sin. He was made in "the likeness" only "of sinful flesh." He was made sin, but in such a sense that "He knew no sin." He took part with us in flesh and blood, but not in sinful flesh and blood. 2. The justification and sanctification of Christ's human nature must have proceeded upon the basis either of atonement, or of simple sovereignty. If on the basis of atonement, then who made this atonement? If it be said that Christ atoned for Himself, then He, as well as we, must have needed salvation. But He is never said in Scripture to have saved Himself. If on the basis of sim- ple sovereignty, then why might not all the elect have been saved on the same ground? And what need was there for any atonement? If pressed by the question, "How could a holy nature spring from the Virgin tinc- tured with sin"? we may answer that the flesh of Mary 94 AN EXPOSITION OF apart from her person, or detached by the Spirit of God in the moment of conception, was not sinful. The body viewed apart from the soul is devoid of moral character, as much so as is the ground on which we tread. The in- stant in which the matter of the body of Mary was de- tached by the Spirit to form the body of Christ that mat- ter was sinless; and only in the instant in which it was united with the soul of Christ did it as a constituent of His complex human nature assume a moral character. This view assumes the truth of the theory of Crea- tionism, which is that the soul is not propagated, as is the body, but by a direct act of God is united with the body in the moment of quickening. This we take to be the correct theory, and indeed the only one admissible, in regard to the formation of the human nature of Christ. QUESTION XVII. Into what estate did the fall bring man- kind? ANSWER. The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery. Q. I. Did the disobedience of Adam and Eve bring them into a dire change of attitude toward God and His law? A. Yes. Their act changed their state and char- acter. Q. 2. What evidence of this was given? A. This has already been in substance furnished under a previous question, but may be reproduced here : a. After eating the forbidden fruit they sought to hide from God. This conduct betrays both dread and dislike of their Creator; b. When questioned as to their conduct they sought respectively to shift the blame to some one else ; THE SHORTER CATECHISM 95 c. God passed sentence on them as guilty. Gen. 3:15-19; d. Death, a word to denote all evils, became the doom of the race. Rom. 5:12, 17; 6:23; Gal. 3:10. Q. 3. Is it clear that the state of sin and misery into which Adam and Eve fell passed over also to their na- tural descendants? A. Yes. Rom. 5:12, 19; i Cor. 15:22; Eph. 2:1-3. Q. 4. Ought not the thought of our deplorable state by nature to produce within us deep sorrow, self-abase- ment, and yearning for deliverance? A. Assuredly so. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Ps. 53:2, 3; Rom. 3:9, 19; Gal. 3:22; Eph. 4:17-19; Gen. 3:15-19- QUESTION XVIII. Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell? ANSWER. The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell consists in the guilt of Adam's first sin, the want of original righteousness, and the corrup- tion of his whole nature, which is commonly called Original Sin, together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it. Q. I. How many, and what, features of man's fallen state are here enumerated? A. Four, namely, guilt, lack of original righteous- ness, corruption of his nature, and actual sin. Q. 2. What is guilt? A. Used, as it often is, loosely, the word "guilt" is equivalent to sin ; but in strict usage it is employed to de- note just liability to punishment for sin. 96 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 3, When Christ undertook to bear our sins did He become guilty? A. Yes. Our sins, as to their punishment, became chargeable to Him. 2 Cor. 5:21; Is. 53:6, 10; Ps. 40:12; 69:5. Q. 4. Did Christ, however, when He assumed our guilt become corrupt? A. No. 2 Cor. 5:21 ; Heb. 4:15 ; 7:26. Q. 5. Did all of Adam's natural descendants incur guilt through his sin? A. Yes. Rom. 5:12, 16, 18, 19. Q. 6. How could they incur guilt from Adam's sin? A. Through the fact that he represented them in the covenant. Q. 7. Which of Adam's sins is chargeable to his off- spring? A. His first completed sin, or that by which he broke the covenant which God had made with him. Hav- ing violated the covenant, he ceased to be the legal rep- resentative of his progeny. He had been tried and had failed. There was no renewal of the covenant ; but the penalty of the broken covenant attached to him and to those whom he represented. Rom. 5:15-19. Q. 8. What is the second element, or feature, of the sinful estate incurred by the fall? A. "The want of original righteousness." Q. g. In what did this original righteousness con- sist? A. In the perfect conformity of man's nature to the law of God. Q. 10. Can a nature before it has begun to act, or while it is inactive, be either holy or sinful? A. Yes. Action is the fruit, but the nature is the root, and as is the one so is the other. Matt. 7:17, 18; Luke 6:43-45. Q. II. How was man's original righteousness lost? A. By the act of disobedience in the matter of the forbidden fruit. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 97 Q. 12. Was the withdrawal of the Spirit a part of the penalty incurred by that sin? A. Yes. The house of the soul was then left deso- late. Q. 13. Was the holiness which characterized our first parents in the beginning of their existence produced by the Holy Spirit? A. There is reason to believe that all the holiness that has marked angels and men proceeded from the Holy Spirit. Q. 14. Why is the word "want" instead of the word "loss" used in the answer now under consideration? A. In the case of Adam and Eve there was a loss of something which they actually possessed. Their nat- ural descendants come into the world destitute of holi- ness. In the one case there was a loss. In the other case there is a lack. Q. 15. What is the third feature of man's fallen es- tate? A. The corruption, or positive degeneracy, of his whole nature. Q. 16. What is the nature of this corruption? A. It is the alienation of the soul from God, and the perversion of both soul and body to evil. Rom. 8:7; Eph. 2 :3. Q. 17. Would not a state of mere apathy, or indif- ference, toward God be sinful? A. Yes. The absence of love to God in the case of a responsible creature is at variance with the moral law, which enjoins us to love God. Q. 18. Is man, as fallen, averse to God, and not merely lacking in love? A. Yes. Rom. 8:7; Jno. 3:19. Q. 19. Has God ever infused into any of His crea- tures a sinful disposition or impulse? A. No; Jas. i :i2. But He may judicially, or in the way of punishment, withdraw from a creature, leaving 98 AN EXPOSITION OF him to his own impulses and the temptations of others. Rom. 1 :28-30. Q. 20. Did man by the fall become as wicked as pos- sible? A. No; but his whole nature became vitiated. Growth in sin is possible as well as growth in holiness. A grain of poison may vitiate a glass of water, but not so much so as an ounce would.* Q. 21. What is the fourth aspect, or feature, of our fallen estate? A. A condition of actual transgression, or the out- come of our fallen nature in the form of evil thoughts, desires, purposes, and outward acts. Q. 22. What evidence is there that such an evil bent marks our race? A. a. History bears witness to the melancholy charge ; b. The best men have been most ready to ac- cuse themselves of a propensity to sin, and to confess that for any holiness in them they were indebted to the grace of God. Ps. 51:2-5; Rom. 7:14-25; Eph. 2: i-io; Tit. 3:3; c. Regeneration is declared to be necessary in order even to see aright the Kingdom of God. Jno. 3:3. 5; d. The depraved tendencies of our race are am- ply declared in Scripture. Ps. 53 :3 ; Jer. 17:9; Eph. 2:1-3; I Pet. 4:2, 3; Rom. 8:7. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Rom. 7:5; 8:7, 8; 1:28-30; Jno. 3:19; Ps. 53:3; Jer. 17:9; Eph. 5:19-21. Note. The reference of the clause, "which is commonly called Original Sin," may be, indeed is, a matter of de- *See Note at the end of Question XVIII. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 99 bate. Some contend that the relative, "which," repre- sents all the items specified in the foregoing part of the answer, namely, "guilt," "want of original righteous- ness," and "corruption," and that the declaration is to the effect that these constitute what is "commonly called Original Sin." Others understand the reference to be limited to the clause "corruption of his whole nature," and that the tenor of the statement is that the corruption of our nature is commonly called Original Sin. This we take to be the correct view. In its favor are two points, First: The verb is in the singular, "is" not "are;" the latter of these would properly be used if its subject em- braced three items. Second : The word "commonly" is introduced to indicate that in ordinary or popular usage the corruption of our nature is that feature of our fallen state which is suggested by the phrase "Original Sin," But it is not intimated that this exhausts the import of the phrase. Taken in its fulness, the expression "Orig- inal Sin" comprehends the "guilt of Adam's first sin, the want of original righteousness, and the corruption of our whole nature." QUESTION XIX. What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell? ANSWER. All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, are under His wrath and curse, and so made liable to all miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell forever. Q. I. What are the chief elements of the misery which man by his fall incurred? A. a. Loss of fellowship with God, his Creator; h. Subjection to God's wrath and curse. 100 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 2. Did a sense of guilt operate in Adam and Eve on their fall to produce dread and, with dread, dislike of God? A. Yes, and consequently they tried to hide from Him. Q. 3. Did God's friendly intercourse with the souls of these offenders cease? A. Yes. On their acceptance of the Tempter's word instead of His, God in judgment withdrew from them, while still continuing to sustain them in being. Q. 4. Was this withdrawal an unspeakable loss to them? A. Yes. Spiritual death now took hold of them, and, in them, of their natural offspring, i Cor. 15:22. Q. 5. What is the second item of the misery into which man was brought by the fall? A. The wrath and curse of God. Eph. 2 :3 ; Gal. 3 : 10; Rom. 3 :i9. Q. 6. Are we to understand by "the wrath" of God a boisterous, or tempestuous, passion? A. No. By "the wrath and curse of God" we are to understand a calm and unchangeable opposition to sin, and purpose to punish it. Q. 7. Is there in this wrath any malignity? A. No. To none of His creatures, considered as His creatures, does God bear ill-will. Only as sinners do they incur His displeasure. Q. 8. Could not God have preserved His creatures from sinning, and so from incurring His displeasure? A. We must hold that He could. The Scriptures authorize, and even require, us to beseech God to keep us from sin, which implies power on His part to do so, even in the case of those already fallen, and, of course, in the case of the unfallen. Q. 9. Why then did not God prevent the rise of sin? A. We cannot tell; yet we feel confident that the existence of sin in the universe is compatible with the THE SHORTER CATECHISM 101 holy character of God, and will in some way be made to display His glory. Q. 10. To what evils is man exposed as the result of God's wrath and curse? A. Miseries in this life, dissolution of soul and body, and endless sufferings. Q. II. Mention some of the miseries in this life which flow from the fall. A. Hard toil, poverty, sickness, the seething of evil lusts and passions, the gnawings of conscience, and evil forebodings. Q. 12. Do all ungodly men experience those mis- eries? A. They are all liable to them; but God may allow to some of our fallen race comparative exemption from certain forms of temporal evil. As to the time and man- ner of punishment God acts as a sovereign. Ps. 73 -.3-5 ; 49:16, 17; Eccl. 8:11; Luke 16:25. Q. 13. What is the "death" represented in the an- swer as a part of the penalty of sin? A. Not spiritual death, for that is suggested under "loss of communion with God;" nor eternal death, for that is indicated in the following clause, but physical death, that is, the judicial sundering of soul and body. Q. 14. Do not believers in Christ undergo the sep- aration of soul and body? A. Yes ; but not separation as a penalty, that is, ju- dicial separation. To the believer there is no condemna- tion, and therefore no penalty. Rom. 8:1. On the con- trary, death is gain to him. Phil, i :2i. Q. 15. Is it proper to say that physical death is a consequence of sin, but a penal consequence in the case only of the impenitent and unpardoned ? A. Such seems to be a proper statement, i Cor. 15: 55-57- Q. 16. What is the third branch of the misery to which man became liable by his fall? 102 AN EXPOSITION OF A. "The pains of hell for ever," or eternal punish- ment. Q. 17. What is meant by the "pains of hell"? A. The sufferings to be endured after death by all who die impenitent. Q. 18. In these sufferings shall both body and soul share? A. There is good reason to think so. Q. 19. Why may it be believed that the body shall be affected? A. a. The bodies of the wicked shall be raised, and raised for a purpose. Dan. 12:2; Jno. 5: 29; b. The body is the partner of the soul, and shares in much of the sin done by men in this life. It is meet that it share also in the punishment that follows. Jno. 5:29; c. Indirectly the body suffers in this life through its connection with the soul. Why not also in the future world? d. Certain representations of Scripture favor this view. Is. 66:24; Luke 16:24. Q. 20. Even if it could be proved that the body shall not be a source, or seat, of suffering, would the doctrine of future punishment be on that account disproved? A. No. The soul is the real and ultimate seat of suffering. Q. 21. What shall be the nature of the suffering of the soul in the future state? A, a. There shall be a sense of the loss incurred ; h. There shall be remorse, or the gnawing of conscience, which even in this life can cause unspeakable anguish ; c. Despair shall take possession of the soul ; d. An oppressive sense of the wrath of God shall fill the soul. This formed the most bitter ingredient of the substitutionary suffering of Christ. In His case it was, however, intensified by His love to His Father; THE SHORTER CATECHISM 103 e. It is not improbable that the lost, both human and angelic, will become mutual torment- ors. Rom. 1 :3i ; Tit. 3 :3. Q. 22. How long shall these sufferings continue? A. To all eternity. Q. 23. What grounds are there for this belief? A. These have already been suggested under ques- tion 12, but may fitly receive further notice here: a. Sin, being an attempt to dethrone and even destroy God, Who is infinitely excellent, is an infinite evil, and, as such, deserves infinite punishment. But no mere crea- ture can in a limited time bear an infinite punishment. Therefore the punishment of the sinner must be endless; b. The wicked will after death continue to sin, and this sin in turn calls for punishment, so that even if every sin did not entail a perpetuity of punishment, continuance in sin would involve continued punishment; c. The only one competent to expiate sin is Christ. Jno. 1:29; Rom. 3:24; 2 Cor. 5: 21; Heb. 9:26; 10:12; I Pet. 3:18. If so, expiation of sin by the offender either be- fore, or after, death is precluded; d. According to the Scriptures, salvation is en- tirely of grace. See Rom. 3:24; 5:20, 21; 6:23; Eph. 2:8. If so, it is not through expiation on the part of the sinner either in this world or in the next ; e. The sufferings of the wicked in this world do not sanctify them. Is. i :5. Why should it be supposed that sufferings after death would sanctify them? But sanctification is an essential element of salvation. Heb. 12:14; 104 AN EXPOSITION OF f. The tone of Scripture is to the effect that in this life alone is the opportunity of salva- tion enjoyed. Prov. 1:28; 14:32; Is. 55: 6; Rev. 22:11 ; g. The fact that in Scripture no command or warrant is given to pray for the dead dis- countenances the notion that after death the impenitent shall have an offer of sal- vation. The Apostles do not seem to have prayed for Judas Iscariot after his death; h. All the proofs derivable from Scripture of an eternal election to salvation and of a definite atonement, and these are many, are adverse to the doctrine of Universal- ism ; i. The eternity of the punishment of those who die in their sins is plainly declared in Scripture. See Dan. 12:2; Matt. 18:8; 25:41, 46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 12:59; 2 Thess. I -.g; Rev. 20:10, 15; Matt. 26:24. Q. 24. Answer the objection that the words "eter- nal/' "everlasting," "forever," as used in Scripture do not necessarily denote unending duration. A. a. No stronger words than these can be found to signify absolute perpetuity; b. These words are to be understood in an un- limited sense, unless there is something to forbid this, either in the nature of the case, or in the context, or in some other statement of Scripture; c. It is significant that our Lord used some of these strong terms in reference to the continuance of future punishment when addressing the Jews, who, with the ex- ception of the Sadducees, held the doc- trine of eternal punishment. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 105 Q. 25. What general answer may be given to the objection that universal salvation is taught in such texts as Acts 3:21 ; Rom. 5:18; Eph. i :io; Col. i :20? A. It may at least be said that these texts may, without doing violence to them, be interpreted in entire harmony with the doctrine of the eternal punishment of those who die impenitent. Q. 26. Does not the consideration of God's good- ness forbid acceptance of the doctrine of endless punish- ment? A. a. We are not always able to determine what is, and what is not, compatible with Divine benignity. There are many conditions in this world difficult to account for in con- sistency with the principle that the Ruler of the world is infinitely good ; b. Even for governmental purposes eternal pun- ishment may be of signal value, although this is not the fundamental reason why God punishes; c. Justice is an attribute of God as well as love. Vengeance belongs to Him, and the claims of justice must be honored. Rom. 12:19; d. While God is in Himself infinitely benignant, the actual outflow of this goodness to- ward His creatures is sovereign, and not a matter of necessity. Just as God, al- though omnipotent, does not do every- thing He could, so, while boundless in goodness, He is sovereign as to the exer- cise of it; e. The restoration of Satan and the other evil angels might, equally with the salvation of all men, be inferred from the goodness of God; yet in all the Bible there is not found one hopeful word in regard to their restoration. 106 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 27. Are there not some who contend that the finally impenitent shall be annihilated, or shall cease to exist as conscious beings? A. Yes. The doctrine of "Destruction," or "Condi- tional Immortality," is advocated by many. Q. 28. What are the main considerations urged in favor of this view? A. a. The fact that in Scripture the doom of the wicked is described as "a destruction," "perdition," or a "ceasing to be." Job 21:30; Ps. 37:38; 52:5; 103:4; Is. 1:28; Matt. 10:28; Matt. 7:13; Jno. 3:15, 16; i Cor. I :i8; 2 Thess. i :g. b. The relief which this view gives in respect to the claims both of justice and good- ness. Justice, it is said, is satisfied by the destruction of the transgressor; while goodness is not outraged by his suffering perpetually. Q. 29. Present some objections to this view. A. a. The terms "death," "destruction," "perish- ing," and their equivalents, used in Scrip- ture, do not necessarily mean extinction either of being or of consciousness. One who may be very inactive or dead in one respect may in another be very active and much alive. Hos. 13:9; Eph. 2:1; i Tim. 5 :6. b. The eternal life of the righteous is not merely an eternal consciousness, but a blissful consciousness perpetuated. So, the con- trasted eternal death of the wicked does not mean an eternal unconsciousness, but an endless, wretched consciousness. In other words, the contrast lies not in the duration, but in the character, of the con- scious existence; THE SHORTER CATECHISM 107 c. In the punishment of the wicked there are de- grees proportioned to the degrees of sin. Matt. 10:15; 11:22, 24; Luke 12:47, 48- But if annihilation is the punishment, there can be no degrees ; it is the same in all; d. The punishment of the wicked shall be ever- lasting, as much so as shall be the bless- edness of the righteous. Matt. 25 -.4,6. But extinction must terminate punish- ment. How could one who ceases to ex- ist be undergoing ptJnishment? Punish- ment must end with his existence. Q. 30. What lessons are most impressively taught by the answer now surveyed? A. a. The awful nature of sin. h. The wisdom of seeking escape from "the wrath to come." TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Prov. 14:32; 2 Thess. 1:9; Rom. 12:19; i Cor. 1:18; Matt. 25 :46. THE WAY OF RECOVERY. QUESTION XX. Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery? ANSWER. God, having out of His mere good pleasure from all eternity elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery and to bring them into an estate of salvation by a Re- deemer. 108 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. I. What are the principal matters presented in this answer? A. a. The election of some members of our fallen race to life everlasting; b. The method adopted by God for carrying this election into effect. In brief, election and the covenant of grace are the topics in- troduced here to notice. Q. 2. What does the word "election" mean? A. Selection, or choosing out. Q. 3. In what light were men viewed in the act of election? A. As fallen and justly exposed to punishment. They were chosen to salvation, and were regarded as in a state of sin and condemnation. Jno. 3:16; 2 Thess. 2: 13; I Jno. 4:10. Q. 4. Could God in justice have left our race to perish? A. Yes. Our salvation is ascribed to the grace of God as its source, that is. His free, unmerited, sovereign favor. Rom. 6:23; 3:24; 5:8; Eph. 1:4-6; 2:4-10; 2 Tim. 1:9. Q. 5. Was there, then, no reason why God chose one man rather than another? A. All of God's acts are most reasonable and wise ; but merit on the part of one man rather than of another is not the reason for the selection God makes. Deut. 9: 6; Rom. 9:11, 12; Eph. i -.4. Faith and obedience are the product, not the ground, of the election of any to salva- tion. Eph. 2:8. Q. 6. Is there ground for saying that the elect are few in number? A. No. See Matt. 8:11; Heb. 2:10; Rev. 7:9. Q. 7. To what did God elect members of our race? A. To everlasting life, or a full salvation. 2 Thess. 2:13; Rom. 8:29, 30. Q. 8. Does this include all the preparatory steps, as well as the final issue? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 109 A. Yes. Rom. 8:29, 30; 2 Thess. 2:13; Eph. 1:4. Q. 9. If God chose only some members of our race, and not all, is He not chargeable with partiality? A. No; but He shows His sovereignty, Q. 10. Does not this charge of partiality proceed on the assumption that men have some claim upon Di- vine clemency, or right to salvation? A. Yes. Q. II. But is it true that men have a right to salva- tion? A. No; otherwise our salvation would not be, as it is declared to be, of grace. What is due to fallen men is death (Rom. 6:22^). Salvation is a gift to which they are not for any merit in them entitled. • Q. 12. In leaving one non-elect does God do him a wrong? A. No ; for no man has in his fallen state a right to be saved. Q. 13. Might God in perfect justice have left all men to perish in their sins, even as He left the fallen angels? A. Yes. If He could not, the salvation of men Is a matter of right to them, and not a sovereign boon. But this is unscriptural and anti-scriptural. Q. 14. Does not the statement in Acts 10:34, "God is no respecter of persons," contradict the doctrine of election? A. No. The meaning of that statement is that a good man, whatever his nationality, is approved by God. Q. 15. On the other hand, is it not true that God has made distinctions among men? A. Yes. Some are born poor, others rich; some amidst gospel light, others in Pagan darkness; some with high mental endowments, others with a scanty out- fit of natural gifts. Q. 16. Is there not thus within the natural sphere a marked parallel to that which occurs in the spiritual sphere ? 110 AN EXPOSITION OF A. Yes. There is an election in both. Q. 17. Does not the doctrine of election, as now ex- plained, tend to discourage and paralyze those who ac- cept it? A. a. Like other wholesome doctrines it may be perverted ; b. The assurance that of our guilty race God will save some, nay, a vast multitude, should cheer, not discourage; c. In His Word God makes to men as sinners, not as elect, a full offer of salvation by Jesus Christ; d. To decline this offer on the ground that we do not know whether or not we are elect- ed is insufferable arrogance, as well as supreme folly. It is to say, "God indeed offers me Christ as a Saviour; but I will not accept the offer till I know whether or not I am among the elect." Q. 18. Has any one ever been lost who truly de- sired to be saved? A. No ; many indeed have been lost who desired to be saved from punishment, but never one who truly de- sired to be saved from sin, as well as punishment. Q. 19. What measure did God adopt for carrying into effect His electing decree? A. He entered into a covenant with a view to the deliverance and full salvation of all the elect. In affirm- ing that the Scriptures afford ground for saying this, we must guard against gross conceptions of God's action. We are, for instance, not to think of God as first forming a purpose to save ; then determining the number and in- dividuals to be saved ; and afterwards planning how to carry into effect the projected salvation. Finite minds must act thus gradually. Not so the Divine mind. Q. 20. What indications are there that in the ever- lasting counsel of the Three-One God an arrangement THE SHORTER CATECHISM 111 having the features of a covenant was made for the sal- vation of the elect? A. a. Certain persons of our race are said to have been given by the Father to the Son to be saved. Jno. 6:37; 10:29; 17:2, 6, 9, 12, 24; h. The appointment of the Son to redeem those thus given is clearly declared. Jno. 3 :i6, 17; 4:34; 6:29; Gal. 4:4, 5; c. The Son freely accepted the appointment, and undertook the work of redemption. Jno. 5:30. 36, 37; 6:38; 8:28, 29, 42; 9:4. Phil. 2:17; d. Promises were made to the Son conditioned on His acceptance and accomplishment of the work assigned to Him. Ps. 2:7, 8; 22:29-31; 72:8-11; Is. 53:10; Acts 2:33; e. The Son asks the fulfilment of these promises. Jno. 17:4, 5; Heb. 10:12, 13; 12:2; /. The parallel drawn between Adam and Christ in Rom. 5:14-19 and i Cor. 15:22, 45-47 is most easily accounted for on the as- sumption that each stood as a covenant head; g. In several passages express mention is made of a covenant through which salvation comes to men. Ps. 89 :3, 4, 28, 34-37; Heb. 10:29; 13:20. Q. 21. Who were the contracting parties in this covenant? A. God, the Father, on behalf of the Trinity, and God, the Son, as representing head of the elect of our race. Q. 22. Was the Holy Spirit not a party to this cove- nant? A. Yes; He in full sovereignty concurred. Q. 23. Why say that He "concurred"? 112 AN EXPOSITION OF A. Because He performs an important part in the salvation of men, and, being co-equal with the Father and the Son, must have freely consented to the covenant ar- rangement. Q. 24. What was the condition of this covenant? A. In its wider sense this included the assumption of our nature by the Son of God and the rendering of obedience even unto death in the room of the elect. In its narrower and stricter sense, the condition was His obedience and death as the substitute and surety of those given to Him to be redeemed. Rom. 5:19; Phil. 2:6-8. Q. 25. What was the promise of this covenant? A. In its more restricted sense the promise was that full salvation should be secured for the elect. In its wider sense it guaranteed in addition a great revenue of honor to the Redeemer Himself. Phil. 2:6-11; Heb. 12:2; Is. 53:10, II. Q. 26. Was there any penalty attached to this cove- nant? A, No; for He who undertook to perform the con- dition could not fail. He did indeed bear a penalty; but that was a weighty part of the condition to be fulfilled, a penalty due to our breach of covenant, not to failure on His part. Ps. 69:4. Q. 27. How is this covenant commonly designated? A. It is ordinarily styled "the covenant of grace." Q. 28. What fitness is there in assigning to it this title? A. Because it is a fruit of God's unmerited favor to sinners of our race. Q. 29. Was not "the covenant of works" also a covenant of grace? A. It was ; for it expressed great condescension on the part of God toward our race. Q. 30. Why then is the covenant made in eternity with a view to our salvation called "the covenant of grace"? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 113 A. Because of the evidence it bears of the tran- scendent goodness of God toward us. It is the covenant of grace, not by way of exclusion, but by way of pre- eminence. Q. 31. What was the special purpose of this cove- nant? A. To deliver a great multitude of human beings from a state of ruin, and establish them in a state of sal- vation. Q. 32. How was this change to be effected? A. By a Redeemer. Q. 33. Why could not God by a word of power have effected this result? A. Because He is just as well as good, and must, even in delivering sinners, exact punishment for their sins, and commend His law to their reverence and obe- dience. Q. 34. What feature of men's state is suggested by the fact that their Saviour is called "a Redeemer"? A. That they were captives, needing both to be ransomed and rescued. Q. 35. In what respects are fallen men captives? A. a. They are in the bondage of sin. Jno. 8:34; Rom. 6:16-19; h. They are thralls of Satan. Eph. 2:1-3; Heb. 2:14, 15; I Jno. 3:8; c. Above all, they are in the grasp of justice, the justice of the omnipotent God. They are for these reasons in need of a Redeemer, and of one mighty to deliver. •Q. 36. What feelings should be excited in us by a contemplation of this needed and provided redemption? A. Profound feelings of shame, of dependence, and of gratitude. Ps. 51:2-5; 103:1-4; 130:3, 4; 2 Cor. 9:15. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Eph. 2:4-7; Rom. 3:25, 26; 5:8; 8:29-32; 2 Thess. 2: 13 ; 2 Tim. i :9, 10. 114 AN EXPOSITION OF QUESTION XXI. Who is the Redeemer of God's elect? ANSWER. The only Redeemer of God's elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, Who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was and continueth to be God and man, in two distinct natures and one person, for ever. Q. I. What is the literal meaning of the word "Christ"? A. Like the word "Messiah," it means "anointed." Q. 2. To what custom does the word point? A. That of formally setting men apart to certain dignified offices by the process of anointing with oil. Q. 3. What offices were thus signalized? A. Those of prophet, priest, and king, i Kings 19: 16; Ex. 28:41; Numb. 3:3; I Sam'l. 10:1; 2 Sam'l. 2:4; 5:3; Is. 61:1. Q. 4. With what was Christ anointed as the Re- deemer? A. With the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit. Is. 61:1; Jno. 3:34; Acts 10:38. Q. 5. What is the import of the word "Jesus"? A. It is a compressed form of the word "Joshua," or, more fully, "Jehoshuah," which means "Jehovah helps." Q. 6. Was this name given to the Redeemer by Di- vine direction? A. Yes. See Matt, i :2i. Q. 7. What does the word "Lord," as a part of the Redeemer's name, indicate? A. His majesty. In the Greek translation of the Old Testament the word "Kurios," which means "Lord," is used as the equivalent of the Hebrew form of the name "Jehovah." Applied to the Redeemer, this name is an assertion of His supreme deity. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 115 Q. 8. What is the relation of the Redeemer to the First person of the Godhead? A. He is the Son of the First person of the Trinity. Jno. 3:16. Q. 9. Is he the Son of the Godhead? A. No. In that case He would be the Son of Him- self. Q. 10. Is Christ the Son of the Holy Spirit? A. No. He is related as Son only to that person of the Godhead who is distinctively called the Father. Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:33. Q. II. Was not the human nature of Christ a pro- duct of the Spirit's energy? A. Yes. Luke 1 135. Q. 12. Yet was the Spirit the father of that human nature ? A. No. His relation to it was that of creator, or former, not of father. Q. 13. Do the Scriptures ever speak of two fathers of Christ? A. No. He Himself often speaks (as recorded) of His Father, never of His fathers ; and the father whom He recognizes is Divine. Jno. 5:17-27, 37; 8:54; 10:29, 36; 17:5. Q. 14. Yet is not mention made in Scripture of His parents? A. Yes. See Luke 2:27, 41, 43. Mary also spoke of her husband, Joseph, as His father. Luke 2 :48. But in these instances regard is had to appearances, inasmuch as Jesus seemed, and was commonly supposed, to be a son of Joseph. Luke 3:23; 4:22. Q. 15. Does not Christ often speak of Himself as "the Son of Man"? A. Yes; but never as the son of any particular man. The phrase "Son of Man" seems intended to de- clare that Jesus of Nazareth was really human, and not only this, but also that He was, in some sense, a descend- 116 AN EXPOSITION OF ant of the first human pair, and so the kinsman of those whom He came to redeem. Q. 1 6. Is Christ's filial relation to the First person of the Trinity eternal and necessary? A. Such is the belief of the Trinitarians in general. Q. 17. Do any who hold the doctrine of the Trinity deny this? A. Some, not many, of them do so. Q. 18. What views have been put forward as to the grounds of this title by Trinitarians? A. a. Some say that this title is founded on the in- carnation of the Second person of the Trinity, Luke i :35 being adduced as the chief evidence for the view ; b. Others hold that this title is given to Christ because of His resurrection from the dead. Acts 13 :33 and Rom. 1 14 being re- lied on as proof; c. Still another view is that the title in question belongs to Christ in virtue merely of His mediatorial ofifice, appeal being made in proof to Matt. 16:16 and Heb. 5:5; d. The view generally and, we believe, justly held by the orthodox is that Christ is the Son of God by "natural, necessary, and eternal generation." Q. 19. What do these three qualifying words sig- nify? A. "Natural" is meant to declare that Christ is the Son of God not by adoption or by a figure of speech, but by a real, original relation. "Necessary" indicates that this relation is not the product of a decree, but is as original and radical as the very being of God. "Eternal" is used to affirm that this relation antedates time, as God Himself does. Q. 20. Present proof of the doctrine of the eternal Sonship of Christ. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 117 A. a. If the title "Son of Man," applied to Christ, declares Him to be truly man, the title "Son of God," given to Him, implies that He is God; b. By His resurrection Christ was not consti- tuted, but only declared to be, the Son of God. Rom. 1 :4; c. Christ is represented to be the "Son of God" in a unique sense. See Jno. i :i4, i8 ; 3 :i6 ; 5:18; Rom. 8:3, 32; I Jno. 4:9. But what would there be unique in His Sonship if it was founded on His incarnation, or mis- sion, or adoption, or resurrection? Might not Adam, and the Apostles, and all be- lievers, and Lazarus of Bethany be distin- guished on like grounds? d. The Son, as such, existed before His incarna- tion, and even before the creation of the world. Jno. 3:16, 17; Gal. 4:4, 5; Heb. i : 2 ; I Jno. 3 :8. e. If Christ is not the Son of God eternally, the Father is not the Father eternally ; and, if so, wherein lies the distinction of per- sons? f. The texts chiefly relied on to disprove the doc- trine of the eternal Sonship of Christ may be fairly interpreted in harmony with it. For instance, the utterance of the angel, as recorded in Luke 1 135, may mean that the human nature of Christ should be so intimately related to the Second person of the Trinity as to receive the appellation "Son of God." Q. 21. What is meant by the statement that the "Son of God became man"? A. Not the change of the Divine into a human na- ture; but the assumption of a human nature by the Son of God into personal union with Himself. 118 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 22. Why is the notion of the change of the Di- vine nature into a human nature inadmissible? A. Because, as has already been seen, God is immu- table. To cease to be God would be an infinite change. Self-annihilation is no prerogative of the living God. Be- sides, after assuming our nature, Christ claimed to be God. Q. 23. Was the human nature of Christ produced by Him? A. Not directly. In concurrence with the Father, He commissioned the Holy Spirit to prepare the nature to be assumed; but the assumption was the direct act of the Son. Phil. 2:6, 7; Heb. 2:14; Ps. 40:7, 8. Q. 24. After this assumption how many were the natures of Christ? A. Two, that of God and that of man. Q. 25. Was there any compounding, or blending, of these natures? A. They were, and are, distinct. It is impossible that the Divine should be changed into the human, or the human changed into the Divine. Q, 26. How may this close union without transmu- tation be partially illustrated? A. A human person consists of a body and a soul, a material and an immaterial substance, mysteriously combined and co-operative; yet each retaining its own properties. Q. 27. Do these two natures of Christ constitute two persons? A. No. Q. 28. What is this doctrine of the duality of the natures of Christ and the unity of His person called in systematic theology? A. It is called the doctrine of "Hypostatic Union." Q. 29. How may the practical importance of this doctrine be shown? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 119 A. If He Who died on the cross was not God, we have only a human Saviour. Q. 30. Offer some proof of this doctrine of the union of two natures in one person. A. a. Christ never speaks of Himself and the Son of God. He never says, "I and the Son of God," or "I and the Son of Man," although He.uses the expression "I and the Father," and distinguishes Himself from the Spirit. Jno. 5:17, 37; 10:29, 30; 14:26; 15:26; 16:7, 13, 14; h. Diversity of nature, yet unity of person, are clearly suggested in many texts. See Jno. 16 :28 ; Rom. i :3, 4 ; 9 :5 ; Phil. 2 :S-i i ; Heb. 2:14, 15. c. The two natures of Christ are presented as at once contrasted and combined. Rom. 1:3, 4; 9:5; Phil. 2:6-9. This fact mili- tates at once against the monophysite doc- trine held by Copts and Armenians, which is that the two natures were blended, and against Nestorians, whose doctrine may be called the "bipersonal" view of Christ. Q. 31. Are the acts and qualities of the one nature of Christ attributed to the other nature? A. No; but they are attributed to the one person of Christ, just as in the case of men we speak of them as being tall, or short, when we refer only to their bodily stature, or as intelligent, when we refer only to their minds ; the properties of either constituent of our nature being ascribed to the entire person. Q. 32. Will the Son of God retain His human na- ture for ever? A. Yes. Q. 33. What grounds are there for so thinking? A. a. There is no reason to think that any of the ordinary members of our race shall be- come extinct. Why should the human na- ture of Christ become so? 120 AN EXPOSITION OF b. The exaltation of the human nature of Christ would have an inglorious termination, should His humanity come to an end. c. The possession of a human nature is essential to the priesthood of Christ, and His priest- hood shall never cease. Heb. 7 124, 25 ; Rev. 7:17; I :i8; 21 :23. Q. 34. Of whom is Christ the Redeemer? A. a. Not of angels. The holy angels do not need redemption, and for the wicked angels no redemption is provided. Heb. 2:14, 16; 2 Pet. 2 14. b. Not of all men ; for many of them shall perish. c. Only of those human beings chosen in the sovereign pleasure of God to be saved. Eph. 1:3-7; Jno. 10:11; 17:2; Matt. 1:21. Q. 35. Is there any creature who shares with Christ the honor of redeeming sinners? A. No. Jno. 14:6; I Tim. 2:5; Heb. 1:3; 2:14, 15; Rev. 1 :5. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Matt. 1 :2i ; Jno. 10:11; 17 :2 ; Rom. i :3, 4 ; 9 :5 ; Phil. 2:5-11; Heb. 2:14, 15; 7:24, 25. QUESTION XXII. How did Christ, being the Son of God, be- come man? ANSWER. Christ, the Son of God, became man by tak- ing to Himself a true body and a reasonable soul, being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and born of her, yet without sin. Q. I. How does this question of the Catechism dif- fer from the one immediately previous? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 121 A. That has regard to the fact, this to the inanner, of the incarnation. Q. 2. What are the two constituents of human na- ture? A. A body and a soul ; the former, material, the lat- ter, immaterial. Q. 3. Why is it said that Christ took "a true body"? A. To affirm the reality of His body, and so to repu- diate the notion, which had some currency probably even in apostolic times, that Christ took only the semblance of a human body. Q. 4. What speculation lay at the root of this false tenet ? A. The opinion that matter is evil and productive of evil. Q. 5. Present proof that Christ took a real human body. A. a. Every text which declares that Christ .was a man affords proof; for a material body is an essential part of our nature. Jno. 8: 40; Phil. 2:8; I Tim. 2:5; b. Texts prove this which declare that He took, or became, flesh. See Jno. 1:14; Rom. i; 3; 9:5; I Tim. 3:16; c. Texts which state that He was born of a woman form proof. See Matt. 1 125 ; Gal. 4:4; Luke 2:7; d. Texts which describe Him as characterized by such bodily affections or susceptibilities as hunger, thirst, weariness, sleep, contribute proof. See Matt. 4:2; Mark 4:38; Jno. 4:6,7; e. Texts which tell that He was crucified, buried, and raised, point in the same direction. Jno. 19:18, 34, 40; 20:27; I Cor. 15:4. Q. 6. What is intended by the expression, "a rea- sonable soul"? A. A rational soul, such as belongs to human beings. 122 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 7. Has any other view ever been propounded? A. Yes. The Arians of ancient times taught that the Logos, or pre-existent Son of God, performed in Jesus of Nazareth the part of a soul. Q. 8. To this view what general objection is there? A. This would involve a denial of the fact of the real humanity of Christ. If He did not possess a human soul, He could not properly be called "man," Q. 9. Prove that the Son of God assumed a human soul. A. a. Texts already adduced to prove that He be- came man avail for this purpose ; b. Mention is expressly made of His soul, or spirit. See Matt. 26:38; Jno. 11:33; 12: 27; 19:30. Q. 10. How was the human nature of Christ pro- duced ? A, a. Not by natural generation, for He had no human father (Matt, i :i8-2o) ; and his mother, even when she gave birth to Him, was a virgin. Luke i •.34, 35 ; Matt, i :25 ; b. The production of this nature is attributed to the Holy Spirit. Matt. 1:18, 20; Luke i: 35;Heb. 10:5; c. Yet although miraculous agency was at work, the conception and birth, so far as the ma- ternal sphere was concerned, were natural and normal. Q. II. Was Christ born free from the taint of sin? A. Yes. Luke 1:35; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; 7:26. How He could be has already been considered under Question XVL of the Catechism. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Luke 1:35; Jno. 1:14; i Tim. 2:5; 3:16; Jno. 12:27; 19:30; Heb. 10:5. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 123 QUESTION XXIII. What offices doth Christ execute as our Re- deemer? ANSWER. Christ as our Redeemer executeth the offices of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king, both in His estate of humiliation and exaltation. Q. I. What title of Christ expresses, perhaps, most comprehensively and explicitly His work in saving men? A. Mediator. See i Tim. 2:5; Heb. 8:6; 12:24. Q. 2. How may the functions of Christ as Mediator be* classified? A. Into those of prophet, priest, and king. Q. 3. Is this classification made in Scripture? A. Not expressly; but the facts which warrant it are presented in Scripture. Q. 4. Is this classification of old standing? A. Yes. The historian Eusebius, who died A. D. 338, gives it, not as a novelty, but as a familiar distribu- tion. Q. 5. Are not these offices the counterpart of our need? A. Yes. They correspond to our spiritual ignor- ance, our guilt, our self-will, and our exposure to ene- mies. Q. 6. Did Christ, while in this world, exercise these functions ? A. Yes. "He taught as one having authority." He offered Himself a sacrifice for sin. He exhibited, at times, unbounded power. Matt. 7:29; Heb. 9:26; 10:12; Acts 10:38. Q. 7. Did the Son of God before His incarnation ex- ercise the offices of prophet, priest, and king? A. Yes; although not every part of these offices. For instance, His work of obedience and suffering, the 124 AN EXPOSITION OF chief feature of His priesthood, could not be performed until He assumed our nature. Q. 8. Did He act as the prophet of the Church be- fore His incarnation? A, Yes; there is ground to believe that it was He who in the garden of Eden made the first announcement of the gospel and from Sinai gave forth the law. Jno. i : 9, i8; Acts 7:38; Mai. 3:1. Q. 9. Did He act as a priest before His birth in Bethlehem? A. He did not perform the sacrificial function of His priestly office before His assumption of our nature ; but the intercessory part of that office He could and did exe- cute. Is. 8:17; 62:1 ; Zech. I :i2, 13. Q. ID. Did He act as king before His incarnation? A. Yes. Gen. 48:16; Ex. 23:20, 21; Josh. 5:13, 14. Q. II. Did He perform the functions of prophet, priest, and king during the period of His sojourn in the earth ? A. Yes. He taught with majesty, offered Himself as a sacrifice for sinners, interceded for them, and gave signal proofs of His royal dignity, real, though obscured. See Jno. 8:12, 26; Heb. i :r; 10:12; Jno. 14:13; 16:15; 17:2. Q, 12. Does Christ, now exalted, continue to act as prophet, priest, and king? A. Yes. He still teaches by His Word and Spirit, intercedes for, rules, and protects His people, and, it would seem, will perpetually sustain such relations to them. Q. 13. Which of the three offices indicated is the most fundamental? A. That of priest. Q. 14. Why should it be so regarded? A. Because the great business of the prophetic office is to exhibit the priestly work of Christ as the ground of the sinner's salvation; while the business of the kingly THE SHORTER CATECHISM 125 office is to lead men to trust in Christ as the atoning Sav- iour and to recognize His authority. Q. 15. Yet are these offices so separable that it is possible for us to receive Christ in one office, but not in the others? A. No. Christ is not thus divided. We must re- ceive Him in all His mediatorial offices, or else we re- ceive Him in none. Each office implies, or draws with it, the rest. They cannot be divorced from each other. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Jno. 1:18; Acts 7:38; Mai. 3:1; Zech. 1:12, 13; Jno. 8:26; Heb. 1:1; 7:25; Jno. 14:6. QUESTION XXIV. How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet? ANSWER. Christ executeth the office of a prophet in revealing to us by His Word and Spirit the will of God for our salvation. Q. I. According to Scriptural usage, what is the meaning of the word "prophet"? A. One who speaks by authority for another, and particularly for God. Q. 2. Mention an instance confirmatory of this defi- nition. A, Such is found in Ex. 4:14-16, where we are in- formed that Aaron was constituted a prophet for Moses, his duty being to express in words to Pharaoh the mind of Moses. Ex. 7:1, 2. Q. 3. Is the very prevalent notion correct that only one who foretells events is a prophet? A. No. He who is an authorized spokesman for God is a genuine prophet, whether his utterances be in the form of prediction, or praise, or history, or doctrine. 126 AN EXPOSITION OF Q, 4. Do the Scriptures teach that Christ, as Re- deemer, performs the part of a prophet? A. Yes. See Deut. 18:18, 19, compared with Acts 3 :20-24. In Is. 9 :6 He is called "Counsellor," that is, one giving counsel. In Is. 55 14 He is described as "a wit- ness," or one testifying "to the people." In Is. 61 :i, 2 He is announced as one who should bring good tidings to men. See further Jno. 1:18; 8:26, 28; i2:z^4-5o; 17:6, 8, 26. Q. 5. What is the scope of Christ's prophetic office? A. To make known to men the truth pertaining to their salvation. Jno. 3:32-34; 7:16-18; 8:12, 31, 32; 12: 44-50; 17:6, 8, 26; Acts 3:22, 23. Q. 6. How does Christ perform the work of a prophet? A. By discovering to men their true spiritual condi- tion and the only way of deliverance and life. Q. 7. What is the twofold discovery which Christ makes of these things? A. That by His word and that directly by His Spirit; or an objective and a subjective revelation. Q. 8. Did not Christ in His own person make, in times bygone, a discovery to men of God's will and char- acter? A. Yes. During the time of His earthly sojourn He was a manifestation of God, an infallible teacher of morals, and of the way of salvation. Luke 4:16-21; 24: 27, 44, 45- Q. 9. Even before His incarnation did He not di- rectly impart to certain persons a knowledge of their duty and privileges? A, Yes. There is some ground to believe that it was He Who revealed to Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden salvation by the seed of the woman, and at a later date proclaimed from Sinai the Ten Commandments with a gospel preface. Q. 10. What ground is there for the belief just ex- pressed? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 127 A. In brief it may*'be said that this view receives support from Jno. i:i8; Acts 5^:38; Mai. 3:1. Q. II. How does Christ indirectly, or mediately, make an outward discovery of truth to men for their sal- vation ? A. a. By the Scriptures, which are the Word of Christ. Col, 3:16; h. All teachers of the truth "as it is in Jesus" are qualified and used by Him for the pur- pose of showing and commending the way of life. Eph. 4:11-13; 2 Cor. 5 :20. Q. 12. Did Christ directly inspire the writers of the Scriptures and others who from time to time, as prophets, made known the mind of God? A. No. The Holy Spirit performed this part; but He did it as the Spirit of Christ and as a witness for Him. See I Pet. i :i i ; Jno, 14 :26 ; 15 -.26 ; 16 114. Q. 13. Is the objective, or outward, revelation of saving truth all that is needed in order to our spiritual en- lightenment? A. No. There is requisite, besides, a power to per- ceive the excellence of such truth and its suitableness for us. I Cor. 2:14; Jno. 3:3; Ps. 119:18; Acts 26:18; Eph. I :i7, 18. Q, 14. Who is the direct, or immediate, author of this perceptive power, or this capacity to discern and ap- preciate spiritual truth? A. The Holy Spirit. Jno. 3:5; 14:26; 16:13, 14; Rom. 8:13, 14; I Cor. 12:3. Q. 15. Does the Holy Spirit in so operating act, however, as the agent of Christ? A, Yes, Jno. 14:26; 15:26; 16:7; Acts 2:33; Rom. 8 '.g. This fact is suggested by the word "His" in the an- swer; the form being "His Word and Spirit," not "the Word and Spirit." TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Deut. 18:18, 19; I Pet. I :ii ; Eph. 4:11, 12, 18; Acts 2:33; Jno. 16:7; Rom, 8:9; i Cor, 12:3, 128 AN EXPOSITION OF QUESTION XXV. How doth Christ execute the office of a priest? ANSWER. Christ executeth the office of a priest in His once offering up of Himself a sacrifice to satisfy Divine justice and reconcile us to God, and in making continual intercession for us. Q. I. Is the word "priest" used in Scripture both in a literal and a figurative sense? A. Yes. The Levitical priests were priests in a lit- eral sense, while all believers are, as such, represented to be priests, but only in a figurative aspect. See Rom. 12: i; Eph. 5:2; Phil, 4:18; Heb. 10:19-22; 13:15, 16; i Pet. 2:5-9- Q. 2. What are the special functions of a literal priest? A. a. In general terms to act in behalf of men God- ward. Heb. 5 :i ; b. Particularly to present sacrifice to God for men. Heb. 5 :i ; 8:3; c. To intercede with God for men. Heb. 6:20; 7 :24, 25 ; 9 :24. Q. 3. Do the sacred writings describe Christ as ex- ercising priestly functions? A. Yes, very distinctly. Ps, 110:4; Heb. 3:1; 4: 14; 5:5, 6; 7:23-28. Q. 4. How do Unitarians and many not so called, although closely related, regard the priesthood of Christ? A. They contend that He was a priest in a figura- tive sense merely, even as all Christians are required to be, in self-denial, in benevolent acts, in labors and pray- ers for the well-being of men. Q. 5. How do such people try to offset the fact that in Scripture Christ is said to have offered Himself as a sacrifice? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 129 A. By adducing texts to prove that the same sac- rifice is demanded of all Christians, and in a good meas- ure rendered by them. Rom. 12:1; i Pet. 2:5; Rev. 1:6. Q. 6. How does the sacrifice offered by Christ differ from, and excel, that which any of His followers can offer? A. a. In intrinsic value, and that in a twofold re- spect. It was perfect both as to matter and motive, whereas that of the disciples of Christ never is ; while, besides, Christ's sacrifice was that of a Divine person ; b. In voluntariness. In the case of Christians it is a matter of obligation to seek to pro- mote the well-being of their fellowmen, and even to practice self-denial for this purpose. Self-sacrifice for the good of others is the law of their being, both as creatures and as new creatures. But in becoming man Christ freely assumed, and till death bore, the responsibilities of His people. c. In vicariousness. Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice in the very room and stead of His people, so that what He did and suf- fered might be reckoned legally as done and borne by them ; whereas the sacrifices which Christians make, while beneficial to others, are not reckoned in law as made by those others. Q. 7. What are the parts of Christ's priestly work? A. The offering of sacrifice and the making of in- tercession. Eph. 5:2; Phil. 2:7, 8; Heb. 7:25-28; 10:12-14. Q. 8. What did Christ offer as sacrifice? A. a. Not any animals such as the Levitical priests presented. Heb. 9:12, 13; h. But Himself, that is. His human nature, con- sisting of body and soul. Phil. 2:7, 8; Heb. 10:5, 10; I Pet. 2:24; Is. 53:10, 11. 130 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 9. Did the Divine nature of Christ have any part in this sacrificial work? A, Yes, in different respects. a. This nature, in other words, the eternal Son of God, condescended to assume as an in- separable adjunct the human nature ; b. The Divine person of the Son, in conjunction with the Father, through the Holy Spirit, sustained the assumed human nature in its work; c. Owing to the personal union of the two na- tures of Christ, the work done in and by His human nature contracted unbounded merit, for it was the work of One Who was at once God and man. Acts 20:28; I Cor. 2:8; d. The Divine nature and the human nature in personal union presented the latter in sac- rifice to God. Christ acted and still acts in both natures as priest. Q. 10. Does the sacrifice rendered by Christ once, that is, during the time of His humiliation, suffice to se- cure the salvation of all for whom it was rendered? A. Yes. It needs neither repetition nor addition. Heb. 7:27; 9:25-28; 10:12-14. Q. II. How do Roman Catholics practically deny the finality and sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice which cul- minated on Calvary? A. By their dogma touching the "sacrifice of the mass." Q. 12. What is the purport of this dogma? A. It is to the effect that when a "priest" pro- nounces certain Latin words over the elements of the Lord's Supper, these are changed into the body and blood, soul and divinity, of Christ, although no token of the change is observable by the bodily senses ; and that this product forms a sacrifice to be offered by the priest THE SHORTER CATECHISM 131 to God for the sins of the living, and also of the dead who are in purgatory. Q. 13. Show in brief the gross falsity of this doc- trine. A. a. It rests on the unscriptural and absurd doc- trine of transubstantiation, touching which something will be said under a future question ; b. It assumes that a creature can offer Christ as a victim; c. It detracts from the worth of the offering which Christ made of Himself; d. It conflicts with the teaching of Scripture as to the finality and completeness of Christ's atoning work during His earthly sojourn. Rom. 3:24, 25; 8:32, 34; 10:4; Heb. 7:27; 9:12, 25-28; 10:10, 12, 14, 18. Q. 14. Did the sacrifice which Christ made consist of suffering only? A. No. It involved obedience to the precepts, as well as submission to the penalty, of the law. Ps. 40:8; Matt. 3:17; Phil. 2:8. Q. 15. Did the spirit of obedience pervade the suf- ferings of Christ? A. He suffered lovingly toward both the law and the Lawgiver. See Jno. 14:10, 11; 17:4, 8. Q. 16. Did Christ freely take upon Him the cove- nant obligations of His people? A. Yes. I Pet. 1:18, 19; 2:24; 3:18; Rom. 10:4. Q. 17. Indicate the obligations meant. A. a. The rendering of perfect obedience to the pre- cepts of the law. Adam was bound in the covenant made with him to obey God per- fectly in order to have confirmation in God's everlasting favor; and if any one would be saved, he must meet this re- quirement. Matt. 19:17; Gal. 3:10, 12; 132 AN EXPOSITION OF b. The meeting of the penalty due to us for sin original and actual. Rom. 6 123 ; Gal. 3 :io, 13; 2 Cor. 5:21. Q. 18. Did Christ in His character as priest and surety fully meet this twofold obligation for His people? A. Yes. Rom. 3:26; 10:4; 5:19; i Cor. 1:30; Heb. 9:28; 10:15. Q. 19. What is meant by the clause, "And reconcile us to God," which occurs in the answer? A. It means to secure for us the favor of God, or His positive friendship. Christ not merely removed the penalty of His people's sin; but also provided for them acceptance with God and a title to His everlasting friend- ship. Q. 20. How may pardon and acceptance be distin- guished from each other ? A. "Pardon" is the cancelling of guilt, or obligation to penalty. "Acceptance" denotes the right and recep- tion of one to positive favor. Q. 21. Is there a double reconciliation effected by Christ's sacrifice? A. a. Yes. God, as a just sovereign, receives sat- isfaction for the sins of the elect, and so His judicial displeasure toward them is re- moved ; b. By His sacrifice Christ provided for the re- moval in the case of the elect of that en- mity to God which exists in fallen man.* Q. 22. How is this aversion to God on the part o£ men removed and love to God installed in its place? A. By the gracious operation of the Holy Spirit. Rom. 15 :i3. Q. 23. Did Christ by His sacrifice secure for all His people this gracious operation? A. Yes. Tit. 3:5, 6; 2:14; Acts 2:33; Jno. 16:13, 14. *See Note at the end of Question XXV. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 133 Q. 24. What is the second branch of Christ's priest- ly office? A. Intercession. Rom. 8:34; Heb. 4:14; 6:20; 7: 25; 9:24; I Jno. 2:2. Q. 25. How does Christ now intercede? A. By appearing in behalf of His people before His Father with the claim that the promises in their favor made to Himself as their representative be in due time fulfilled. Heb. 9:24; 7:25. Q. 26. Why is this intercession requisite? A. a. Not because there is any reluctance on the part of the Father to bestow upon the elect the blessings won for them by Christ. Rom. 8:32; Jno. 10:17; 16:23, 2y; b. That the connection between the atonement of Christ and the salvation of His people might be made and kept clear. Jno. 14:6; Eph. 2:18; Rev. 8:3. Q. 27. For whom does Christ intercede? A. For those, and only for those, given to Him to be redeemed, and for whom He gave Himself as a sacri- fice. Rom. 8:32-34; Jno. 17:9, 20. Q. 28. Before their conversion, what benefits ac- crue to the elect from Christ's intercession? A. a. He seeks and secures for them access to the means of grace, so far as may be necessary for their salvation. Gospel truth is either brought to them, or they to it. Rom. 10: 14, 15. 17; h. He provides that they shall not die before ob- taining regeneration and justification. To die in sin is to be lost. Jno. 8:21 ; c. He secures their preservation from falling into the unpardonable sin ; d. He seeks that at the time stipulated in the covenant of grace they shall be regener- ated, and so vitally united to Him. 134 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 29. After conversion, what benefits accrue to the elect from Christ's intercession? A. Support, protection, and guidance. Luke 22 132 ; Jno. 17:20, 21 ; Rom. 8:34. Q. 30. What benefits are secured to His people at death by the intercession of Christ? A. Victory over death and entrance into glory. Jno. 17:24; Phil. 1 :2i, 23. Q. 31. Will the intercession of Christ for His people cease ? A. a. Certainly not till they shall have been brought to glory, both as to body and as to soul. Heb. 7:25; b. Probably not even then. He will continue to be a guarantee of their stability, and it will never be left out of sight that their permanence in glory is due to His work. Rev. 7:17; 21 :22, 23. Q. 32. Does not the statement now made conflict with the teaching of i Cor. 15:24, 28? A. Not necessarily. These texts announce some change in the relation of the Son to the Father in the government of the world, but not a complete termination of His mediatorial relation to His people. The perpetui- ty of His mediatorship is implied in verse 28; for it is only officially that He is subject to the Father. Note. The expression, "And reconcile us to God," which occurs in the Shorter Catechism in the definition of Christ's priestly office, may be, indeed has been, variously understood. Some have supposed it to signify the re- moval of our enmity to God and the production of love to Him instead. Others regard it as denoting the removal of God's legal, or judicial, displeasure toward us as vio- lators of His law. Still others would interpret the ex- pression as inclusive of the two ideas just stated. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 135 While heartily holding that Christ, as a priest, offered Himself to expiate His people's sin, and to procure grace for the removal of their enmity to God; yet I am of the opinion that the clause "reconcile us to God" was meant to express establishment in the favor of God. By the atoning work of Christ, not only was God's judicial anger turned from us, but also His everlasting favor was se- cured; and this latter fact, I think, is indicated by the clause "reconcile us to God." The clause, "satisfy Divine justice," points to expiation ; while the other clause, "rec- oncile us to God," points to propitiation. This inter- pretation may be vindicated on three grounds : First: The word "reconcile" was often used in a former age as equivalent to "conciliate." Beyond doubt this is its meaning in our authorized version of Matt. 5 : 24, "First be reconciled to thy brother." Second: In the answer to the corresponding ques- tion of the Larger Catechism, we find instead of the ex- pression, "reconcile us to God," the less ambiguous state- ment, "Make reconciliation for the sins of His people." Third : The change of our hearts from a state of en- mity to one of love toward God, while provided for by Christ as priest, proceeds more directly from Him as king. Ps. 45-3-5; 110:3; Acts 5:31; Eph. 4:8, 15, 16. One point which must be ever kept clear is that Christ did not offer Himself to produce for us the love of God, but to provide a way for its outgoing to us consist- ently with justice, and to insure such outgoing. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Eph. 5 :2 ; Heb. 9:12, 13 ; Is. 53 :io, 1 1 ; i Pet. 2 124. QUESTION XXVI. How doth Christ execute the office of a king? ANSWER. Christ executeth the offfce of a king in sub- duing us to Himself, in ruHng and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all His and our enemies. 136 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 1. As a person, of the Godhead, is not Christ al- mighty? A. Yes. This has already been shown. Q. 2. When we speak of Christ as king, do we re- fer to Him simply as a person of the Godhead? A. No. His official, or mediatorial, sovereignty is meant. Q. 3. Is Christ a king in a twofold respect? A. Yes. As God, He has in common with the Father and the Holy Spirit all power and universal sway. This sovereignty is sometimes styled His "essential king- ship." Q. 4. Can He ever divest Himself of this royalty? A. No ; not any more than He can cease to be God. Q. 5. Before creation was He a king? A. Yes, in the sense of being omnipotent, and, therefore, able to create and control a universe. Q. 6. Is Christ a king in another sense? A. Yes. As Mediator He is by the Father, acting for the Trinity, invested with all authority for the pur- pose of saving sinners belonging to the human race. Matt. 20:18; Eph. 1:20-22. Q. 7. Is Christ, then, a king in this secondary, or official, sense? A. Yes. See Ps. 2:6-12; 45:6, 7, II ; 72:4, 8, II, 17; 110:1-3; Is. 9:6, 7; Zech. 9:9; Jno. 18:37; Eph. 1:20-22. Q. 8. Which of the offices of Christ is the most fun- damental? A. His priestly office. As prophet. His great work is to reveal Himself as priest making atonement by of- fering Himself as a sacrifice for His people. As king. His great work is to lead men to submit themselves to the acceptance of that way of salvation which by His priestly work has been opened to them. Q. 9. When did the Son of God begin to act as mediatorial king? A. Immediately after the fall of man, when He seems to have prescribed the use of animals for sacrifice THE SHORTER CATECHISM 137 to foreshadow the sacrifice to be rendered by Himself in the "fulness of time," and when, as there is some ground for thinking. He "subdued" to Himself by the agency of the Holy Spirit the hearts of Adam and Eve. Q. 10. What is the special domain of Christ's media- torial kingship? A. His Church. Ps. 2:6; 48:2; 110:2, 3; Is. 11 :i- 9; Zech. 6:12, 13; Eph. i :22; Phil. 2:9-11; Col. i :i8. Q. II. In what two aspects does the Church of Christ appear in Scripture? A. In brief, as the professing and as the possess- ing religious society. Other terms, and these more gen- erally in use, to express the same distinction, are the "Church Visible" and the "Church Invisible?" - Q. 12. What is meant by the Church Visible? A. The company consisting of those who more or less fully profess the true religion, together with their children, i Cor. i :2; Rom. 9:4; i Cor. 7:14. This is the professing Church. Q. 13. What is meant by "the Church Invisible"? A. The company of the elect who have been, or are to be, brought into a saving union with Christ, the Head. Eph. 1:22, 23; Jno. 10:16; 17:21, 24. Q. 14. What are the prerogatives of Christ as king of the visible, or professing, ecclesiastical society? A. a. To prescribe its form of government. Acts 1 :2, 3 ; Eph. 5 :23 ; Col. 1:18; Rev. 2:1; h. To dictate the method of appointing men to office in the Church. Luke 6:13; 24:48, 49; Eph. 4:11, 12; c. To prescribe the ordinances of worship. Matt. 28:19, 20; Acts I :i ; I Cor. 11:23; d. To enjoin the discipline to be maintained. I Cor. 5:4; 2 Thess. 3:6; Rev. 2:14, 20; e. To accompany the administration of His ordi- nances with spiritual power issuing in the conversion, sanctification, and glorifica- tion of the elect. 138 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 15. Is the dominion of Christ as Mediator over the universe subservient to the interests of His Church, particularly of His true disciples? A. Yes. Eph. 1:22; Heb, 1:14; Rev. 3:9, 10; Matt. 28:19, 20. Q. 16. Do men, as fallen, readily accept Christ as king? A. No. Jno. 15:18, 24; Rom. 8:7; i Cor. 12:3; 2 Cor. 4:4; 10:5; Jno. 5:40. Q. 17. How does Christ overcome this hostility? A. By His Word and Spirit. The Word is the out- ward means and the Spirit the agent in opening the heart to receive Christ in all His offices. Ps. 119:18; Acts 2:33; Jno. 16:7-14; I Cor. 2:12, 14. Q. 18. Having subdued His people and secured their allegiance to Him, what more does Christ as media- torial king do in their behalf? A. He rules them, and protects them from becom- ing the prey of the craft and power of their foes ; nay, He overwhelms in shame and ruin all of His and their enemies. Jno. 17:7, 9, 11, 15; i Cor. 15:24-26; Heb. 2: 14, 15; I Jno. 3:8. Q, 19. Is allegiance to a civil government which fails to recognize the mediatorial kingship of Christ war- rantable? A. a. Yes. Civil government is founded in nature, not in grace ; b. Daniel and others held even office under heathen kings, and are not censured in Scripture for so doing; c. Believers in common with others are com- manded to honor the king, or the civil power, as such. Rom. 13:1-7; i Pet. 2: i3» 14; d. Children, in like manner, are to honor their parents, even though these do not honor Christ. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 139 Q. 20. Is it the duty of civil governments which en- joy the light of the gospel to acknowledge the suprem- acy of Christ and His law? A. Yes. Ps. 2:10-12; 12:10, 11; Phil. 2:9, 10. Q. 21. Yet is it warrantable for the civil power to intrude upon the domain of conscience, where God alone is Lord? A. No. Acts 4:19; 5 :29. But it is one of the most difficult questions which confront the civil magistrate to guard on the one hand against disloyalty to Christ, and on the other against interfering with the rights of con- science. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Ps. 2:y; Matt. 28:19, 20; Eph. 1:20-22; Phil. 2:9-11; Heb. I :i4; Eph. 4:11, 12; i Pet. 2:13, 14; Eph. 5:23-29. QUESTION XXVII. Wherein did Christ's humiliation consist? ANSWER. Christ's humiliation consisted in His being born, and that in a low condition; made under the law; undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God, and the cursed death of the cross ; in being buried, and continuing imder the power of death for a time, Q. I. What different items of the humiliation of Christ are here specified? A. Eight: namely, birth; birth in lowly condition; subjection to the law, to the miseries of this life, to the wrath of God, to the painful and disgraceful death of the cross, to burial, and to temporary detention as death's prisoner. Q. 2. Is it proper to count the assumption of our nature as an element of Christ's humiliation? 140 AN EXPOSITION OF A. This may be called an act of condescension, rather than of humiliation ; for now, when His state of humiliation is ended, He still retains the human nature. Q. 3. Was the fact of being born of a woman a part of our Lord's humiliation? A. Yes. In this respect He presented the appear- ance of complete dependence on a mere human being. Q. 4. Could the Son of God have become man with- out being born? A. Yes. Adam was human, yet never was born ; and a human nature might directly and independently have been provided for Christ. Q. 5. Mention a second item of this humiliation. A. Christ was born of a woman in lowly station, although of lofty lineage. Q. 6. What indications are there of the limitations of Mary's temporal estate? A. a. Her husband, Joseph, was an artisan of some kind, most probably a carpenter. Matt. 13:55; b. There is reason to believe that Jesus, instead of being sent to some seat of education, contributed to the support of the house- hold by working with Joseph. Mark 6 :3 ; c. The offering made by Joseph and Mary after the birth of Jesus indicates their poverty. Luke 2:24; Lev. 12:8; d. In His public ministry Christ seems to have been dependent for temporal subsistence on the charity of those whom He had helped. Matt. 8:20; Luke 8:3; 10:38; Jno. 12:2. To this it may be added that on the cross He commended His mother to the care of John, as if she needed help and a home. Jno. 19:27. Q. 7. State a third element of the humiliation of Christ. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 141 A. He was made under the law. Gal. 4:4; Rom. 5:19. Q. 8. How could it be humiliation in His case to come under the law of God? A. a. He himself in essential unity with the other persons of the Godhead was the fountain of the law, and not subject to it; h. He, the Lord of the law, submitted Himself to it as to precept, and, should He break it, as to its penalty also. Q. 9. Under what law did He thus voluntarily come? A. Pre-eminently the moral law, which is emphat- ically the law of God for our race. Q. 10. Did Christ, besides, come under those by- laws prescribed to the Israelites of Old Testament times? A. Yes. It behooved Him "to fulfil all righteous- ness." The moral law bound the Israelites to observe carefully and heartily the precepts, ceremonial and judi- cial, prescribed to them as a distinct people ; and, by vir- tue of His birth as a Jew, Christ came under those enact- ments. Q. II. Did Christ come under the law in its cove- nant form, and as broken in that form? A. Yes; He took the place of sinners before the law in order to bear the penalty due to them, and fulfil in their room the precepts of the law, thus securing to His people full forgiveness and favor with God. Rom. 3:21, 22; 5:19; 10:4; I Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 4:5, 6; Z-^Z- Q. 12. In what sense are the people of God de- livered from His holy law? A. In this, that their pardon and their title to Divine favor do not depend on their suffering and serv- ing, but on Christ's obedience unto death. Q. 13. Are they, then, freed from the law as a rule of life? 142 AN EXPOSITION OF A. Nay; their obligation to keep it as a rule of life is increased unspeakably by their deliverance from it in its covenant aspect. Rom. 12:1; Gal. 2:19, 20; Rom. 6. 14; Tit. 2:14; Rom. y.S. Q. 14. Are the sins of believers against the law as a rule of life covered by the atoning work of Christ? A. Yes. Ps. 103:3; Micah 7:18; Jno. 5:24. Q. 15. Mention a fourth element of Christ's humil- iation. A. His "undergoing the miseries of this life." Q. 16. What in general is meant by the phrase, "the miseries of this life"? A. The limitations, or infirmities, of our nature, together with the ills to which, since the fall, men are in common subject. Q. 17. What are the limitations, or weaknesses, at- taching to human nature in, at least, the present life? A. Susceptibility to hunger, thirst, fatigue, bodily pain, mental pain, or grief. Q. 18. Did Christ become actually subject to these forms of trial? A. Yes. Matt. 4:2; Jno. 4:6, 7; 19:28; Luke 22: 44; Mark 14:34. Q. 19. Is there ground to think that Christ became subject to bodily disease? A. No. ■ a. We never read in the inspired record that He was sick. The words in Matt. 24:36, "1 was sick," are by the context shown to re- fer not to Himself personally, but to His people, with whom He is identified by cove- nant and sympathy; b. Bodily disease would have hindered Him in His arduous work. "He went about do- ing good;" c. He took our nature in purity. In His soul there was no sin, and in His body there were no seeds of disease. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 143 Q. 20. How then is the statement made in Matt. 8:17 to be explained, "Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses (or diseases)"? A. a. This cannot mean that our Lord was actu- ally afflicted with every disease and phys- ical disability found among men. He was not a leper, for instance, nor a cripple; h. The meaning is that the cures wrought by Christ were performed by Him in proof, and in accordance with the spirit, of His great mission to deliver men from sin, the source of bodily maladies. Q. 21. Specify a fifth item of our Lord's humilia- tion. A. His undergoing the wrath of God. Q. 22. What is the wrath of God? A. Not a blind rage, or tempestuous fury, fitful and transient, though terrible while it lasts; but a calm op- position to sin, and an inflexible demand that it be ade- quately punished. Q. 23. Prove that Christ came under this dire wrath. A. Scripture abounds with statements not only that Christ suffered, but also that He suffered to expiate the sins of others. See Is, 53:10, 11, 13; Zech. 13:7; Matt. 27:46; Rom. 8:3; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13; Heb. 9:28; i Pet. 2 :24 ; i Jno. 2:1; 4:10; Rev. i :5 ; 5 '.9. Q. 24. Was there any thing in Christ, either as God or as man, to draw upon Him the wrath of His Father? A. No. Jno. 3:35; Luke 3:22; Heb. 7:26. Q. 25. How then could He be the object of God's wrath? A. Only on the ground of His taking upon Him the guilt of others in order to answer at the bar of justice for them. He freely became the representative and surety of the elect. Hence the unsheathing of the sword of jus- 144 AN EXPOSITION OF tice against Him and the consequent unutterable an- guish of His soul. 2 Cor. 5:21; Is. 53:4, 5; Zech. 13:7. Q. 26. In what respect was Christ, when on the cross, forsaken by His Father? A. In being judicially deprived of a sense of His Father's love to Him and filled, moreover, with a sense of His anger against Him as the representative of sin- ners. Q. 27. Did not the very holiness of the Saviour in- tensify His mental distress in such circumstances? A. Yes. Q. 28. Mention a sixth element of Christ's humilia- tion. A, His death, and that by crucifixion. Gal. 3:13; Phil. 2:8. Q. 29. Was it humiliating to Christ to die? A. Yes. That the Lord of glory and Prince of life should become a captive of death was surely a depth of abasement. Death, for a time, had dominion over Him. Rom. 6:9. He was thus exhibited to the universe as one in some way chargeable with sin ; for "the wages of sin is death." Rom. 6:23. Q. 30. Was there an element of humiliation in the very mode of Christ's death? A. Yes. He died by crucifixion, a form of death most painful and most shameful, reserved for slaves and the most atrocious criminals. God Himself had branded it as peculiarly infamous, saying by Moses, "he that is hanged is accursed of God." Deut. 21 123; or, as the sen- timent is expressed by Paul, "cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree," or on wood. Gal. 3:13. Q. 31. What evidence is there that Christ really died? A. a. He Himself definitely predicted His own death. See Matt. 16:21; 20:18, 19, 28; Luke 9:22; Jno. 10:11; 12:32, 33; THE SHORTER CATECHISM 145 b. The sacred historians expressly declare that He died. Matt. 27:50; Mark 15:37; Luke 23:46; Jno. 19:30; c. The Roman soldiers, presumably familiar with the signs of death, looking at Him, saw that He was dead. Jno. 19:33; d. Even had He not previously expired, He must have died from the spear-thrust of one of the soldiers. Jno. 19 :34. Q. 32. Specify a seventh item of Christ's humilia- tion. A. His interment and continuance for a time as a prisoner of death. Q. 33. Was the burial of Christ a part of His aton- ing work? A. In a certain sense it was. He foreknew His burial and consented to it, and so bore by anticipation the humiliation of imprisonment in the grave. Is. 53:9; Matt. 16:21; Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:34; 14:8; Luke 9:22, 31; Acts 10:39-41; 13:29, 30. His suffering, both mental and bodily, ended with His death. Jno. 19:30. Q. 34. Whither did the soul of Christ go at His death? A. To Paradise. Luke 23 :43. Q. 35. Is "Paradise" equivalent to heaven? A. Yes. So we infer from 2 Cor. 12:3; Rev. 2:7. Q. 36. What was the original import of this word? A. The word is of Persian origin, and primarily signified a park kept for the pleasure of kings. In the Greek translation of the Old Testament it is used to de- note the garden of Eden. Thus readily it came to sig- nify heaven, a place of delights. Q. 37. Is this entrance of the soul of Christ into heaven (or Paradise) to be regarded as His ascension? A. No. His ascension took place when His entire manhood, inclusive of His body and soul, was received up into glory. Jno, 20:17; Acts 1:2, 9-1 1, 22. 146 AN EXPOSITION OF TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Gal. 4:4, 5; 2 Cor. 8:9; Phil. 2:6-8; Gal. 3:13; Zech. 13:7; Rom. 6:23. QUESTION XXVIII. Wherein consisteth Christ's exaltation? ANSWER. Christ's exaltation consisteth in His rising again from the dead on the third day, in ascend- ing up into heaven, in sitting at the right hand of God the Father, and in coming to judge the world at the last day. Q. I. Mention the items embraced in the exaltation of Christ. A. a. His resurrection from the dead; b. His ascension to heaven; c. His reception to the seat of honor in heaven; d. His appointment to judge the world at the last day. Q. 2. What evidence is there that Christ rose from the dead? A. This is asserted distinctly and repeatedly in the New Testament. Q. 3. Present a few particulars of the evidence available. A. a. It is stated definitely in the gospel narratives that Jesus was, after dying on the cross, laid in the rock-hewn tomb of Joseph. Matt. 27:60; Mark 15:46, 47; Luke 23: 53; Jno. 19:41,42; &, It is no less clearly intimated that to the as- tonishment and distress of His followers the body thus deposited was on the third day after the interment no longer to be found in the sepulchre; THE SHORTER CATECHISM 147 c. To individuals and to companies of His dis- ciples Jesus afterwards appeared in bodily form, speaking to them, giving them di- rections how to act, eating in their pres- ence, and, in the case of Thomas, saying "Reach hither thy finger and behold My hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into My side, and be not faith- less, but believing." Jno. 20:27; d. His disciples, so far from being credulous, seem to have been amazingly slow to be- lieve the fact of His resurrection ; e. Forty days after His alleged resurrection, a large company beheld Jesus ascend from the Mount of Olives heavenward, beyond their vision. Acts i :4, 9; Luke 24:51 ; f. Thereafter, and particularly from the day of Pentecost, ten days afterward, the disci- ples, who were no hysterical visionaries, but sober-minded men, who, moreover, had no temporal advantage to gain, but every thing of that kind to lose by their testimony, witnessed boldly to the resur- rection of their Master; g. The conversion and subsequent career of Saul of Tarsus lend powerful corroboration to the fact of the resurrection of the cruci- fied Jesus. Q. 4. How long did Jesus lie in the tomb? A. From a late hour in the afternoon of the sixth day till the morning of the first day of the Jewish week. The only complete day which came between His burial and His resurrection was the Sabbath, or seventh day of the Jewish week. Luke 23:54-56; 24:1-3. Q. 5. Did not Christ intimate that He should be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth, that is, the grave? A. Yes. See Matt. 12:40. 148 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 6. How can these seemingly conflicting repre- sentations be harmonized? A. On the principle that, according to the loose Jewish method of reckoning time, a part of a day was called a day. In Matt. 27:63, 64 we have a sample of this flexible method of computation. There it is related that the leaders of the Jews solicited Pilate to set a guard to watch the tomb of Christ "until the third day," be- cause Christ had said, "After three days I will rise again." They evidently understood the expression "after three days" to mean in the third day, or within three days. Q. 7. By whose power was the resurrection of our Lord effected? A. His resurrection may be ascribed to each person of the Godhead. To the Father, as representing the claims of justice and law, it pertained to authorize the re- lease of the august prisoner. To the Son, as thus au- thorized, it belonged to exert His own power in reclaim- ing His humanity from the dominion of death. To the Holy Spirit it fell to achieve the actual, vital reunion of the soul and body which had been temporarily sundered. Eph. 1:20; Phil. 2:9; Jno. 2:19; 10:18; Rom. 4:24; 8:11. Q. 8. Was the resurrection of Christ a part of His atoning work? A. That work ended with His death. Jno. 19:30; i Cor. 15:3. Q. 9. How then explain the statement in Rom. 4: 25, that Christ "was raised again for our justification"? A. The import of this is that in His resurrection Christ was declared as surety to have met successfully in His people's behalf all the demands of justice and law. His resurrection was His justification and the pledge of their justification in due time. Is. 50:8; Rom. 6:6-9. Q. 10. What is the second item of the exaltation of Christ? A. His ascension to heaven. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 149 Q. 1 1 . What time elapsed between His resurrection and His ascension? A. Forty days. Acts i :3. Q. 12. State some of the circumstances o£ His as- cension. A. Having led His apostles out from Jerusalem to the neighborhood of Bethany, He was, while in the act of blessing them, parted from them and borne upward out of sight. Luke 24:50, 51 ; Acts 1 19; i Tim. 3:16. Q. 13. Where is the heaven to which Christ as- cended? A. We know not. It is a place ; for the body of our Lord entered it. It is some place where God in a special manner reveals His glory, called therefore the "house of God." Ps. 2T,:6; Jno. 14:2, 3. Q. 14. Can it properly be said that the Divine na- ture of Christ ascended to heaven? A. No. His Divine nature is always everywhere. I Kings 8:27; Ps. 1397-10; Jer. 23:23, 24. Q. 15. How then could it be said that Christ as- cended to heaven? A. His human nature alone ascended; but, because of the union between the two natures of Christ, what is true of either nature may be affirmed of the entire per- son. Q. 16. Is there not some resemblance to this in our constitution? A. Yes. We may ascribe to the whole man what is true only of the body, or of the soul. Thus we say a man is tall, meaning only his body; or that he is wise, meaning only his soul. Q. 17. State the third stage in the exaltation of Christ. A. His sitting at the right hand of God, the Father. Q. 18. Is not this a figurative representation? A. Plainly so ; for God is a spirit and has no bodily parts. 150 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 19. What is the import of this posture and posi- tion ascribed to Christ? A. a. The sitting is indicative of rest after toil. The labor of making atonement is thus shown to be over. Heb. 10:12. h. The sitting at the "right hand" of God de- notes the position of dignity which Christ, as Mediator, occupies. A seat on the right hand was, and is, accounted that of spe- cial honor, i Kings 2:19. Hence when Christ ascended in triumph, He is said to have been set on the Father's right hand. Eph. 1:20-22; Phil. 2:9; Heb. 1:3; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2. Q. 20. Why are the words, "the Father," inserted in the answer? A. a. To guard against the incongruous conception of the Saviour's sitting at His own right hand, for He is God; h. To indicate that as to the First person it be- longed officially to send the Son on His mission of mercy, so also it pertained to Him to receive Him suitably at its close. Q. 21. What comfort may the thought of Christ's sitting at the right hand of the Father afford to a Chris- tian. A. It may give him courage to meet difficulties and dangers and assure him of final victory. Heb. 12:1, 2; 2 Tim. 1:12, Q. 22. What inference have Lutherans drawn from the Redeemer's sitting at the right hand of the Father? A. That the human nature of Christ is omnipres- ent, the right hand of God being everywhere. Q. 23. What interest have they in proving the ubiquity of Christ's humanity? A. They seek thus to find support for their doc- trine of Consubstantiation, which is that the body of Christ is literally present in the bread and wine of the Lord's Supper. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 151 Q. 24. Point out the fallacy o£ this plea. A. God has no right hand in a literal sense. To "sit at the right hand of God" is a figurative expression used to denote a position of the highest honor Godward. Q. 25. What is the fourth step, or item, of the ex- altation of Christ? A. "His coming to judge the world at the last day." Q. 26. Prove that there shall be a general judgment. A. It is an event clearly foretold in Scripture. See Gen. 18:25; Ps. 75:7, 8; 96:13; 98:9; Eccl. 3:17; 8:12, 13; 12:14; Matt. 11:22, 24; 12:36, 41, 42; 25:31-46; Jno. 12: 48; Acts 17:31 ; Rom. 2:16; 14:10; 2 Cor. 5:10; 2 Pet. 2: 9; 3:7; Rev. 20:12. Q. 27. What purpose may this procedure be meant to serve? A. It may be intended to be a public vindication of God's ways of dealing with His creatures. Q. 28. Who shall be the subjects of this judgment? A. All human beings and, perhaps, all angels, at least all fallen angels. Ps. 50:3-6; Acts 17:31; Rom. 2: 5-9, 16; 14:10-12; I Cor. 6:3; 2 Pet. 2:9; 3:7; Jude v. 6; Rev. 20:22. Q. 29. What shall be the rule, or standard, of judg- ment? A. The law of God. Rom. 2:12-16. Q. 30. Shall this judgment extend to the thoughts, motives, and moral state of the heart, as well as to the outward conduct? • A. Yes. Eccl. 11:9; 12:14; Prov. 15:26; Acts 8: 22; Rom. 2:16; 2 Cor. 5:10. Q. 31. Shall any be condemned on the ground of non-election? A. No. Election is the act of God, not of the crea- ture. Q. 32. What shall be the ground of condemnation in any case? 152 AN EXPOSITION OF A. Sin, justly charged. Gen. 4:7; Rom, 6:23; 2:6- 12. Q. 33. Shall any but human beings receive acquittal on this day? A. No. The fallen angels are reserved for punish- ment. Matt. 25 :4i ; 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude v. 6. Q. 34. What shall be the ground of acquittal in the case of any human being? A. The righteousness of Christ imputed. Rom. 10: 3, 4 ; I Cor. 1 :30 ; 2 Cor. 5 :2i ; Phil. 3 -.g. Q. 35. With what intent shall the good deeds of the righteous be noticed in the judgment? A. Partly as evidence that those who so acted were in saving union with Christ; and partly as evidence of the purifying and ennobling power of His grace ; but not at all as a meritorious ground of salvation. Rom. 4:2-6; 3:20-22; 10:4; Phil. 3:9; Matt. 7:21. Q. 36, For what end shall the evil deeds of the wicked be adduced in evidence at the last day? A. As proof of their wickedness and as ground of just condemnation. Matt. 12:33-37; Rom. 6:23. Q. 37. Shall the sins of the saints be brought under review at the general judgment? A. On this point, which, happily, is not of very great moment, orthodox theologians differ. a. Some say "No," arguing that in justifying a sinner God blots out all his sins and re- members them no more against him. Is. 43:25; Rom. 8:33; Heb. 8:12. On the same side it is urged that God would not expose His people to needless reproach before the universe. b. Others say "Yes." This is the side favored in the Westminster Confession, wherein oc- cur these words : "In which day" (mean- ing the last day) "not only the apostate angels shall be judged, but likewise all persons that have lived upon earth shall THE SHORTER CATECHISM 153 appear before the tribunal of Christ to give an account of their thoughts, words, and deeds." (See Conf., Ch. XXXIIL Sec. I.) Q. 38. Present some considerations in support of this latter view. A. a. So commingled are the righteous with the wicked in this world that the sins of the former can hardly be disentangled from those of the latter; b. If the good deeds of the righteous shall be noticed, as we are taught that they shall, the imperfection of these must come into view; c. In order that the wealth of God's grace may be displayed, the sins of the saved must be taken into account; d. The saints will gladly consent that their sins be unfolded to the world, if thereby the riches of Divine grace may be revealed to the universe, i Tim. 1:12-16; e. As a matter of fact, God has exhibited in His Word to all who read it many of the sins of His people; /. Many direct statements of Scripture seem to sustain this view. See Eccl. 12:14; Matt. 12:36; Luke 8:17; 12:2, 3; Rom. 14:10- 12; I Cor. 4:5; Rev. 20:12, 13. Q. 39. Who shall be the judge on this august occa- sion? A. God, in the person of the Mediator. Jno. 5 :22, 2y; Acts 17:31; Rom. 14:10; Matt. 25:31-46; 2 Cor. 5:10. Q. 40. In what respects does it seem fitting that Christ should be the judge? A. a. He is possessed of the qualities requisite for such a position, namely, infinite knowl- edge and absolute rectitude; 154 AN EXPOSITION OF b. It is meet that He Who, for the sake of sin- ners, endured reproach and stood as a criminal before His creatures to be con- demned, should have this honor conferred upon Him. Phil. 2:6-12; Heb. 12:2; c. In view of the love shown by Him to men, His sentence of condemnation shall have the greater weight. Q. 41. Shall the redeemed have any part in the func- tion of judging? A. a. It would seem that the saved ones shall in the day of judgment be first recognized and acquitted, and then received to seats of honor with Christ Himself, Rev. 3 :2i ; b. Then, perhaps, they shall join with Him in passing sentence on the impenitent and lost. I Cor. 6:2, 3. Q. 42. Is it necessary to believe that the day of judg- ment shall be merely a period of 24 hours? A. No. The word "day" is often used in Scripture to denote a season, or an indefinite period, and probably is so used in this case. Ps. 20 :i ; 50 :i5 ; 59 :i6 ; 77 :2 ; Jer. 51:2; Ps. 110:3; Ex. 32:34. Q. 43. When shall this day be? A. Immediately after the resurrection and at the end of the world. Jno. 5:28, 29; 6:40, 44; 11:24; 12:48; 2 Pet. 3 :io. Q. 44. Is there reason to believe that this day, though long foretold, shall come as a surprise to multi- tudes? A. Yes. Matt. 24:36-44, 50; 25:13; i Thess. 5:2; 2 Pet. 3:10. Q. 45. Is there warrant for the belief that there shall be two judgment days, one before, and the other after, the millennium? A. No. It would seem that the judgment shall be a continuous transaction pertaining to the entire race. Matt. 25:31-33; Jno. 5:28, 29; Acts 17:31; 24:15, 21. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 155 Q. 46. Is the view just expressed favored in the Westminster Standards ? A. Yes. See Confession of Faith: Ch. VIII. Sec. 4; Ch. XXXIII. Sec. I ; Larger Catechism: Questions 87, 88. Q. 47. Ought not the prospect of this "great day" to fill with alarm the ungodly, and to produce in the godly both holy awe and triumphant anticipation ? A. Yes. Rom. 2:5, 6; Eccl. 12:14; Luke 12:35, 3^; 2 Pet. 3:11. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Rom, I :4; Jno. 5 :28, 29; Acts 17:31 ; Col. 3 :i-4; Heb. 9 :24-26. QUESTION XXIX. How are we made partakers of the redemp- tion purchased by Christ? ANSWER. We are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ by the effectual application of it to us by His Holy Spirit. Q. I. What is meant by the word "redemption"? A. It means in strict usage deliverance from bond- age, or captivity, by payment of a debt, or a ransom. Q. 2. In what respects are fallen men in a state of bondage and captivity? A. a. They are in the grasp of Divine justice, which demands satisfaction for their violation of law. They have incurred a penalty which must be met. Gal. 3:10, 13; h. The law of God under which they exist de- mands perfect obedience ; for the bearing of the penalty is not equivalent to obedi- ence; 156 AN EXPOSITION OF c. They are, as a punishment, given over to their own evil appetites and to the power of Satan. Rom. i :28-32 ; Eph. 2 13 ; Acts 26 : 18. Q. 3. In what two respects is Christ the Redeemer? A. He redeems by price and by power. Q. 4. Which of these is the more fundamental item of redemption? A. Redemption by price, i Cor. 6:20; Heb. 9:12; i Pet. I :i8, 19. Q. 5. What price did Christ pay for the redemption of the elect? A. He gave Himself in obedience unto death. Gal. 3 :i3 ; 4 4, 5 ; I Tim. 2 :6 ; Phil. 2 :8. Q. 6. Is His payment of this price the ground of His right to deliver by power? A. Yes. By this payment He secured for all in whose room He acted a full salvation from sin and from all its penal effects. Matt, i :2i ; Eph. 1:10; i Cor. i :30. Q. 7. Can we in our own strength appropriate to ourselves this redemption? A. No. We are spiritually dead, and, so far from seeking part in this salvation, we will, if left to ourselves, obstinately reject it. Rom. 8:7; Jno. 5:40; Col. i :i2, 13; Jno. 3:3, 5, 19, 20; 7:7. Q. 8. Did the satisfaction made by Christ secure for all for whom it was made the desire and ability to receive full salvation? A. Yes. He gave Himself to save men, not merely to procure for them an offer of salvation. Matt. 1:21; i Tim. I :i5. Q. g. Is the genuine desire to share in the redemp- tion provided by Christ a product of this redemption? A. Yes. It is by the grace of God reaching us through the atoning work of Christ that we really desire true salvation. Eph. 2 :8. Q. ID. Is the desire to be saved simply from pim- ishment a fruit of gospel redemption and a proof of piety? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 157 A. No. This desire is constitutional, and has sur- vived the fall. It survives even in the evil spirits. Matt. 8:29; Jas. 2:19. Q. II. Is the desire to be freed from sin natural to man as fallen? A. No. Rom. 8:7; Jno. 8:34, 42-45. Q. 12. Why is the word "effectual" used in the an- swer? A. To suggest that there is an outward application which may be ineffectual. Q. 13. Is there in a loose sense an application of re- demption made in the gospel offer and the outward means of grace? A. Yes. Acts 13:38, 46, 47; 26:19, 20; Rom. 10:10- 12. Q. 14. By whose agency is our real participation in the salvation provided by Christ effected? A. By that of the Holy Spirit. Jno. 3 :3, 5 ; Rom. 8 : 9, 13, 14; Gal. 5:22, 23; Ezek. 36:25-27; Zech. 12:10. Q. 15. Why is the Holy Spirit called "His," that is, Christ's, Spirit? A. Because in the Divine method of salvation the Spirit is sent, or given, by the Son as well as by the Father for our sanctification. Jno. 15:26; 16:7; Acts 2: 33- Q. 16. Ought not all who enjoy the outward means of grace to be concerned to have with these the quicken- ing power of the Holy Spirit? A. Yes. I Cor. 2 114 ; 3 :6, 7 ; 12 :3 ; 2 Thess. 2 :i3 ; i Pet. i 122. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Matt. 1:21; I Cor. 1:30; Acts 13:38; Gal. 5:22, 23; Ezek. 36 :25-27 ; Acts 2 :33 ; Titus 3 :5, 6. 158 AN EXPOSITION OF QUESTION XXX. How doth the Spirit apply to us the redemp- tion purchased by Christ? ANSWER. The Spirit applieth to us the redemption purchased by Christ by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ, in our effectual calling. Q. I. What is meant by the "application of redemp- tion"? A. God's method of putting men into actual posses- sion and enjoyment of the blessings procured for them by the atoning work of Christ, Q. 2. To whom does it peculiarly belong to make this application? A. To the Holy Spirit, as already stated. Jno. 3 :5 ; Tit. 3:5. Q. 3. Is there a subordinate sense in which a man may apply this redemption to himself and to others? A. Yes. 2 Cor. 7:1; Phil. 2:12; Matt. 28:19, 20; 2 Cor. 5 :20. Q. 4. Do the Father and the Son concur with the Holy Spirit in this process of application? A. Yes. In all acts of the Deity toward the universe all the Divine persons concur and co-operate, while one of them may more directly and officially be engaged. Hence, while the Spirit particularly may be said to apply redemp- tion, the Father also does, and likewise the Son. Jno. 6: 44, 45; 17:17; Rom. 8:30, 32; Jno. 12:32; Acts 5:31; 2 Cor. 12:9. Q. 5. What are the chief steps in the process of ap- plication? A. Calling, justification, adoption, sanctification, and glorification. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 159 Q. 6. Does not sanctification in its widest sense in- clude at least effectual calling? A. Yes. Effectual calling is initial sanctification; but, for sake of clearness, it is customary to treat it as a distinct head or field of inquiry. Q, 7. In the process of applying redemption, what is the most fundamental, or central, act of the Spirit? A. He quickens, or vivifies, the soul, and, in so do- ing, produces in it the germ of faith and unites it to Christ. Q. 8. What is the process styled which issues in this union? A. Effectual Calling. Q. 9. State the nature of the union subsisting be- tween Christ and those who are effectually called. A. This is a threefold union, namely, a federal, a vital, and a fiducial union. Q. 10. What is the "federal," sometimes called "the legal," union between Christ and His people? A. It is the union prospectively constituted in the covenant of grace from eternity between the Son of God and those given Him to be redeemed. Jno. 17:2, 6, 24; Eph. 1 :4; Titus i :2. Q. II. What is the vital union between Christ and His people? A. It is that intimate and mysterious relationship established in the instant of regeneration, when the Holy Spirit, as the Spirit of Christ, quickens the soul thereto- fore dead in sin. Jno. 15:1-8; Rom. 8:1, 9-11. There is now established a mutual indwelling, that of the regener- ated in Christ and of Christ in them. Jno. 14:17-20; Col. 3 =3, 4. Q. 12. What is the fiducial union between Christ and His people? A. This denotes the clasping of Christ in the exer- cise of faith by the soul that has been regenerated. Jno. 6:53-57; Rom. 5:2; Eph. 3:17-19; Col. 2:6, 7; i Pet. 1:5. 160 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 13. What results from this threefold union? A. Communion and mutual indwelling. Jno. 14: 23; 17:21, 22, 23, 26; Eph. 5:29, 30; Col. 2:19; 3:3. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Jno. 15:1-8; Rom. 8:9-11; Eph. 3:17-19; Eph. 5:29, 30; Col. 3:3. QUESTION XXXI. What is effectual calling? ANSWER. Effectual calling is the work of God's Spirit, whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, He doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ freely offered to us in the gospel. Q. I. Is there any call addressed by God to sinners which may be ineffectual? A. Yes. There is an outward call addressed by God to sinners which may be unheeded and even spurn- ed. Prov. 1 :24-3o; Matt. 11 :20-24; Jno. 12:37-41, 48, 49; 15 :22-25. Q. 2. What is this outward call? A. It is the offer made by God to sinners of Christ as a Saviour. This is often styled "The gospel call." Q. 3. To whom is this call addressed? A. To men as sinners. Prov. 8:4; Is. 55:1-3; Matt. 11:28. Q. 4. Through what channel does this call come? A. Through inspired men in their announcements, whether by mouth or pen. Jno. 5 :39, 46; 20:31 ; Acts 26: 16-18. Q. 5. Is this call limited, as some have taught, to "sensible" sinners, that is, persons convicted in their consciences of sin? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 161 A. No. It is meant for men who are sinners, whether or not they are alarmed, or conscience-stricken. Q. 6. What practical evil would proceed from limit- ing the gospel call to such as duly feel their need of it. A. The efifect would be to turn the thoughts of those addressed rather to themselves than to Christ, and to gender doubt instead of faith. Q. 7. To whom particularly is due the honor of having contended for a free, unhampered offer of salva- tion to men as sinners? A. To Calvinists, and chiefly to those in the Church of Scotland in the i8th century who were designated ''Marrowmen," most of whom withdrew, or "seceded," from said Church. Q. 8. Whence arose the designation "Marrowmen"? A. From the reprint in 1718, with a commendatory note by ministers of the Church of Scotland, of a book which had appeared in England in the previous century under the title of "The Marrow of Modern Divinity," in which the free offer of salvation to sinners of mankind is vigorously inculcated. Q. 9. Does the universal offer of the gospel presup- pose as its basis universal atonement? A. No. But it implies the infinite value of the atonement, and its sufificiency for the salvation of all who believe in Christ. Q. 10. Is this outward, or gospel, call ordinarily necessary to salvation? A. Yes. Prov. 29:18; Mark 16:15, 16; Rom. 10: 14-17.; I Cor. 1 :2i. Q. II. What are the exceptional cases? A. Infants and idiots, or persons incapable of ra- tional action. Q. 12. Is there in Scripture any express declaration that all who die in infancy are saved? A. No. So far from this, there is no explicit declar- ation of the salvation of any such infant. 162 AN" EXPOSITION- OF Q. 13. On what then do those who dogmatically as- sert the salvation of all who die in infancy depend? A. On inferential arguments, which, however plausible, are not entirely conclusive. Q. 14. Are these arguments adequate to warrant the hope, though not the complete assurance, of the sal- vation of all such infants? A. It rather seems so. Q. 15. Even if such infant salvation is a fact, is there any reason discoverable why some reticence in re- gard to it might be maintained in Scripture? A. Yes. Otherwise fanatics might be led to the crime of infanticide in order to insure the salvation of the little ones. Q. 16. Does the Westminster Confession either de- clare or deny the salvation of all who die in infancy? A. Neither. It assumes that infants dying in in- fancy may be of the number of the elect, and may be saved, but declares that, if saved, it must, in their case as in the case of adults, be on the ground of Christ's right- eousness and by the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit. Q. 17. Is there special ground for hope in relation to the dying infants of believers? A. Yes. Believers, like Abraham, are in covenant with God ; and to each of them, as to him, pertains the promise: "I will establish My covenant between Me and thee and thy seed after thee, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee." Gen. 17:7. This covenant stands unless repudiated by the be- liever's offspring. But an infant is incapable of repudi- ating it. Q. 18. Is it presumable that the case of persons de- void of reason should rank with that of infants? A. Yes ; provided that the idiocy, or insanity, dates from birth or infancy. The case of those who, after years of sanity, are stricken with insanity, differs from that of those who are devoid of reason from birth, or from help- less childhood. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 163 Q. 19. Do the Scriptures authorize the opinion that adult heathen, dying without the gospel, are saved? A. No. Q. 20. Present some considerations which seem to forbid the hope of salvation in the case supposed. A. a. Idolaters are denounced in Scripture as abom- inable to God and exposed to His curse. Ps. 977; Is. 42:17; 44:9, 20; Eph. 2:11, 12; Rev. 22:15. h. The heathen are unholy; but without holi- ness no man shall see God. Eph. 2:1, 2, II, 12; 4:17-19- c. The outward, or gospel, call is necessary to the salvation of sane adults. Prov. 29: 18; Rom. 10:14-17; I Cor. 1:21; i Thess. 2:16. d. It is the testimony of true converts from heathenism that, till the gospel came to them, they were unholy and unsaved. e. If even it were admitted, as some hold, that certain heathen, such as Socrates and Plato, might be saved without the gospel revelation, the gloom would be but little removed. Q. 21. Ought not the thought of the sad condition and prospects of the heathen to stir the Church to quench- less ardor in mission work? A. Yes. Q. 22. Why is effectual calling said to be a "work"? A. Because it embraces more acts than one. Q. 23. Name the two ingredients of effectual call- ing. . A. Regeneration and conversion. Q. 24. What clause in the definition indicates most clearly the regenerating act? A. The phrase "renewing our wills." Q. 25. How is conversion described? A. In the words, "He doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ." 164 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 26, In current speech is not the word "conver- sion" often used to include regeneration, as well as the resulting act of faith in Christ which is more properly conversion? A. Yes. Q. 27. Who is the immediate author of effectual calling? A. The Holy Spirit. Jno. 3:5-8; 14:16, 17, 26; 16: 8, 13, 14; Rom. 8:5, 9; 2 Thess. 2:12. Q. 28. What are the various operations of the Spirit in effectual calling? A. (a) Conviction; (b) Illumination; (c) Re- newal of the will : (d) The inciting and enabling of the soul to embrace Christ as the Saviour. Q. 29. Is the "conviction" produced in effectual call- ing a mere intellectual conviction? A. No. It involves not only an apprehension of facts, but also a state of feeling corresponding to the facts. Q. 30. To what facts does this conviction relate? A. Our sin and misery. Luke 15:17; Jer. 31:19; Acts 2:37; 2 Cor. 7:11. Q. 31. In what point particularly is enlightenment afforded in effectual calling? A. In regard to Jesus Christ as the Saviour, i Cor. 1:23, 24; 2:2; Jno. 16:13, 14; 15:26; Col. 1:27, 28. Q. 32. What views of Him are given in effectual calling? A. His excellence, suitableness, all-sufficiency, and accessibility as a Saviour. Song of Sol. 5:9-16; Jno. 6: 68. 69; Eph. 1:17, 18; I Jno. 5:11, 12. Q. 33. What is the decisive act of the Spirit in ef- fectual calling? A. The renovation of the will. Ps. 110:3; Ezek. 36:25-27; Eph. 4:20-24. Q. 34. In what sense is the word "will" used in the Catechism? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 165 A. To indicate not merely the faculty of volition, which is the sense now commonly attached to it, but also the affections, desires, and moral tendencies of the soul. Q. 35. What, then, is meant by the "renewal" of the will? A. The production of a holy inclination, or the giv- ing of a Godward bent to our moral nature. Rom. 7 :22 ; 2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 5:8; Col. 3:8-10. Q. 36. May there be much knowledge of truth, com- punction of conscience, and outward reformation, or con- formity to law, without a renewal of the will? A. Yes. Matt. 7:21-23; 13:20, 21; Acts 8:13, 21-23. Q. 37- What is the first act of the regenerated soul? A. Conversion, or turning to Christ in the exercise ©f faith. Acts 16:31; Rom. 10:10, 11. The regenerated one is brought into a believing attitude. Q. 38. Who is the sole agent in regeneration? A. The Holy Spirit. Ezek. 36:27; Jno. 3:3-8; i Cor. 12:3; Eph. 2:18. Q. 39. In conversion who are the agents? A. The Holy Spirit and the regenerated person. Ezek. 36:27; Phil. 2:12, 13. Q. 40. Which of these leads in conversion and sub- sequent sanctification? A. The Holy Spirit. See the texts just indicated, and also Rom. 8:13, 14, 26, 27; 15:13. Q. 41. Yet does the soul at any stage in the entire process of sanctification act under coercion? A. No. Ps. 110:3; Hosea 11:4; 2 Cor. 3:17; Phil. 3 7-14.- Q. 42. Is the offer of Christ as the Saviour made to men as sinners, and that without any condition or meri- torious qualification? A. Yes. Prov. 8:4; Is. 55:1-3; Matt. 11:28; Acts 16:31 ; Rev. 22:17. Q. 43. Who then have a warrant to claim Christ as Saviour? 166 AN EXPOSITION OF A. a. Only sinners, i Tim. i :i5; Matt, i :2i ; 9:13; 18:11; b. Only sinners of the human race, and all of them. Prov. 8:4; Heb. 2:14-16; c. Only such sinners before death, or while in this world. Prov. 14:32; Jno. 8:24; Heb. 9 :27, 28. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Rom. 10:14-17; I Thess. 2:16; Phil. 3:8-11; 2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 5:8; Ezek. 36:27; Rev. 22:17. QUESTION XXXII. What benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this life? ANSWER. They that are effectually called do in this life partake of justification, adoption, sanctifica- tion, and the several benefits which in this life do either accompany or flow from them. Q. I. What main stages are traceable in the be- stowal of blessings on those who are effectually called? A. Some are bestowed before death, some in the instant of death, and some at the resurrection. Q. 2. Mention those which precede death. A. Justification, adoption, and a measure of sancti- fication, with various resulting benefits. Q. 3. In the instant of death what blessings accrue to those who have been effectually called? A. a. Complete deliverance from sin and conformity to the law of God; b. The entrance of the soul into glory ; c. The resting of the body from pain and toil and in union with Christ ; THE SHORTER CATECHISM 167 Q. 4. Specify the blessings which await the effect- ually called at the resurrection. A. The restoration of their bodies in a glorified form from the power of the grave, their open recognition and acquittal in the totality of their persons by the Judge, and their reception into endless glory. Q. 5. Do all the blessings attainable in this life by those who are effectually called come at once to them on their regeneration? A. No; some come at once, others only gradually. Q. 6. What benefits are immediately enjoyed? A. Justification and adoption. Q. 7. In the order of time do these accrue in the very instant of regeneration, or effectual calling? • A. Yes. Q. 8. In logical order, or that of thought, does not effectual calling precede justification and adoption? A. Yes. Eph, 2:8; Jno. 1:12. Q. 9. What benefits attainable in this life may only gradually be enjoyed by those who are effectually called? A. Growth in assurance, love, joy, hope, purity. Q. 10. Is not the germ of all these blessings in- cluded in effectual calling? A. Yes. 2 Pet. 1:5-7; PI"!- 1:6. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. 2 Pet. 1:5-7; Pliil- 1-6; Jno. 1:12; Prov. 4:18; Phil. 3:12-14. QUESTION XXXIII. What is justification? ANSWER. Justification is an act of God's free grace wherein He pardoneth all our sins and accepteth us as righteous in His sight, only for the right- eousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone. 168 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. I. What does the word "just" signify? A. It signifies a condition of conformity to the re- quirements of the law of God. Q. 2. What does the word "justify" mean? A. To declare, reckon, or prove just, that is, as con- formable to the law to which one is amenable. Q. 3. Does this word ever signify to make just? A. Never. To make just is to sanctify, not to justify. Q. 4. Adduce some texts illustrative of the meaning of the word "justify." A. See Deut. 25:1, where direction is given to the judges to justify the righteous. Here the word cannot mean to make the righteous just, for the righteous are already just. See also Job 27:5; Ps. 51:4; Prov. 17:15; Is. 5 :23. Q. 5. What word is the direct contrast of the word "justify"? A. The word "condemn." See Job. 9 :2o ; Matt. 12:37; Rom. 5:18; 8:33, 34. Q. 6. By condemning a man do we make him guilty? A. No ; we only pronounce, or declare, him to be guilty. Q. 7. By justifying a man do we make him just, or righteous? A. No ; we only declare him to be so. Q. 8. Is the distinction just made a profitless con- tention about words? A. No. It is one of profound doctrinal and prac- tical moment. In a large degree Romish error grows out of a misconception as to the import of the word "justi- fication." Q. 9. Why is justification described as an act? A. To indicate that it is not a process, but some- thing done at once. Q. 10. Give proof that justification is an act. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 169 A. a. The word ''justify," as already shown, means to pronounce or declare just; and this is an act ; b. The instant in which a man first lays hold of Christ by faith he passes from a state of condemnation to one of justification, and, if so, justification must be an instantane- ous act. Jno. 3 :36 ; 5 124 ; Rom. 5:1; c. Stages, or degrees, of justification are not spoken of in Scripture. d. We are not urged in Scripture to grow in justification. Q. II. Who is the author of justification? A. God, particularly the Father. Rom. 8 '.29, 30, 33. Q. 12. Why may justification be described as an act of God's free grace ? A. Because it proceeds, as does our entire salva- tion, from the sovereign, unmerited love of God. Jno. 3 :i6; Eph. 2:5, 8. Q. 13. Yet does God justify in a sovereign ca- pacity? A. No. He justifies in a judicial capacity, that is, on good legal grounds. In other words. He has respect to the claims of justice, or acts in accordance with the rigorous demands of justice when He justifies. Rom. 3:26. Q. 14. What are the constituents, or elements, of justification? A. Pardon and acceptance. Q. 15. How do these differ from each other? A'. Pardon means forgiveness. Acceptance means the recognition of one as having positively kept the law and as being therefore entitled to favor. Q. 16. Prove that God does pardon sins. A. This is expressly taught in Scripture. Ex. 34 :6- 9: Ps. 32:2; 103:3: Is. 43:25; Rom. 3:25, 26. Q. 17. Does the pardon included in justification ex- tend to all the sins of the person justified? 170 AN EXPOSITION OF A. Yes. All his past sins are forgiven, and it is provided that sins afterwards committed by him shall not be charged to him, and this is equivalent to a forgive- ness. Is. 43:25; Ps. 103:3, 12; Is. 1:18; Jno. 5:24; Col. 2:13; Heb. 8:12. Q. 18. Do not justified persons still need, while in this life, to seek the pardon of their sins? A. Yes. Our Lord taught us to pray, "Forgive us our debts," and saints are often represented in Scripture as suppliants for pardon. Ps. 25 :ii, 18; 51 :i, 9; 130:3, 4; Neh. 1 :6-9. Q. 19. How may the pardon bestowed in justifica- tion be distinguished from that bestowed on those already justified? A. The former may be styled "judicial" forgiveness and the latter "fatherly" forgiveness. Q. 20. Wherein do these tv/o forms of pardon differ? A. a. In judicial pardon all of our sins are for- given ; whereas in fatherly pardon only those done after justification are consid- ered; b. In judicial pardon, the proper penalty of sin is for ever removed. By fatherly forgive- ness the chastisement incurred by the child of God is either averted, or removed, or '■ made medicinal. Heb. 12:10, 11; c. Judicial pardon is irrevocable and, if so, is never repeated in the case of the same per- son. Fatherly forgiveness is needed and may be received often by the same person. Is. 43:25; Heb. 12:6-8, 10, 11; Ps. 119:67, 71, 75- Q. 21. Beside pardon what is embraced in justifi- cation ? A, Acceptance. Q. 22. What is meant by this acceptance? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 171 A. The reception of one into favor, or the recogni- tion of one as righteous and so entitled to favor. Q. 23. While distinguishable in thought, are these two elements of justification inseparable in fact ? A. Yes. So far as sinners are concerned, he who is pardoned is also accepted, and he who is accepted is also pardoned. Rom. 5 :i ; 8 130 ; Jno. 3 136 ; 5 124. Q. 24. Why are the words "righteous in His sight" used in the answer of the Catechism? A. To suggest that the righteousness which counts for justification is not a righteousness in us, but another righteousness on which the eye of God rests, or to which He has regard when He justifies us. Q. 25. What is meant by righteousness? A. Conformity to the requirements of the law of God. Q. 26. What is the righteousness which forms the ground of our justification? A. The righteousness of Christ. Is. 45:24, 25; 46: 13; 53:11; Jer. 23:5, 6; Rom. 3:21-24; 5:19; 10:3, 4; i Cor. 1 130. Q. 27. What is meant by the "righteousness of Christ?" A. a. Not His eternal holiness as God. Had this been the ground of our justification, the incarnation and obedience of the Son of God would not have been requisite for our salvation ; b. His merit both in bearing the penalty due to us for sin, and in obeying perfectly the law for us ; in other words, His "doing and dying," or His obedience unto death. Matt. 3:15; Rom. 10:4; 5:19; Phil. 2:8; 3 :9- Q. 28. Was it necessary that our Redeemer should obey the law in its covenant form for us, as well as suffer the punishment due for our sins? 172 AN EXPOSITION OF A. Yes. In order to our entrance into heaven, we must have a positive righteousness ; not merely exemp- tion from condemnation, but also a title to the favor of God. Matt. 19:17; Rom. 5:19; Gal. 3:10, 12. Q. 29. Is deliverance from the law in its covenant form an immediate effect of justification? A. Yes. Christ obeyed the law in that aspect for His people. Rom. 6:14; 7:4, 6; Gal. 4:4, 5; Rom. 5:19. Q. 30. Is deliverance from the law as a rule of life procured by Christ for His people? A. No. To suppose this would be to assume that to disregard the law of God is a privilege, and that the Son of God gave Himself to procure for us the right to do wrong. Q. 31. Yet is there not a sense in which the believer is delivered from the law as a rule of life ? A. Yes, in this respect, that he is, in virtue of the atonement, exempt from the punishment which his viola- tions of the law deserve. Q. 32. May not believers for the sins which they commit after their conversion and justification be sub- jected to severe trials? A. Yes. Ps. 89:30-33; Heb. 12:6-10. Q. 33. Are these trials, in the case supposed, penal- ties in the strict sense of the word? A. No. They are fatherly chastisements. Q. 34. Wherein do punishment and chastisement agree? A. Both involve pain, or loss, in some form. Q. 35. Wherein do they differ? A. Punishment is pain inflicted for the satisfaction of the claims of justice; whereas chastisement is pain in- flicted for the benefit of the person, or party, afflicted. These are the primary ends of punishment and affliction, while in both cases secondary ends may be subserved. Q, 36. Are justified persons exempted from punish- ment in the strict sense of the word? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 173 A. Yes. Their surety, Christ, bore the punishment due to them. Rom. 5 :i9; 6:6; 8:i ; Gal. 3 :i3; Eph. i 17; I Pet. 2 :24 ; Is. 53 -.4-6. Q. 37. How do we obtain an interest in the right- eousness of Christ? A. This righteousness is imputed to us by God. Rom. 4:5, 6, II, 22-24. Q. 38. What is meant by imputation? A. A reckoning of something to one's account. Q. 39. Give an illustration of the import of this word. A. Paul, writing to Philemon in behalf of Onesi- mus, says, "If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee aught, put that on (or to) mine account"; that is, impute, or charge, it to me, and I will answer for it. See Philem. v. 18. Q. 40. What does God do when He imputes to us the righteousness of Christ? A. He reckons us as having legally done and suf- fered what Christ as our representative actually did and suffered, and so as entitled to the benefit of His substitu- tionary work. Q. 41. How do we receive this imputed righteous- ness? A. By faith ; that is by heartily accepting Christ as the offered Saviour, and relying on Him alone for sal- vation. Jno. 3 :i6, 36; 6:35, 40, 47; 12:46; Acts 16:31. Q. 42. Is our faith any part of the justifying right- eousness? A. No ; no more than the hand, or mouth, by which we take food is a part of the food. The righteousness on the ground of which we are justified is in Christ. By faith we appropriate it to ourselves according to the gos- pel offer. Q. 43. Is not this very faith a grace procured for us by the righteousness which is the ground of our justi- fication? A. Yes. Eph. 2:8; Phil. 1 :29; Gal. 5:22; 2 Pet. I :i. 174 ^.V EXPOSITION OF Q. 44. Is faith, and no other grace, the instrument of justification? A. Yes. Jno. 3:16; 1:12; 5:24; Acts 16:31; Eph. 2:8. Q. 45. Is this office of faith a mere arbitrary ap- pointment, which might as well have been assigned to love, or joy, or some other affection? A. No; the assignment corresponds to our nature and need. Q. 46. What is there in our nature, and in the sal- vation which we need, that commends faith to the office it holds? A. Faith is reliance. It is the expression of a sense of dependence. It gives in this case the glory of salvation to God. Rom. 4:6. Q. 47. Do not other gracious affections, such as love, hope, repentance, joy, intertwine or blend with this faith? A. Yes, But the radical grace is faith. 2 Pet. i :5- 7; Eph. 2:8. Q. 48. Is faith a condition of our justification? A. It may be called "a sine qua non," or a condition of connection, but not a condition of merit. In The Larger Catechism (Ques. 31) it is said to be "a condition to interest us in Christ." It is no part of our justifying righteousness, but it serves to connect us with that right- eousness. Q. 49. What answer may be given to the objection that the doctrine of justification, as now set forth, in- volves an absurdity, namely, the transfer of moral char- acter? A. The assumption is false. Our doctrine implies that legal responsibility, not moral character, is, in cer- tain circumstances, transferable. Imputation is not equivalent to infusion. Q. 50. In what circumstances may transfer of legal responsibility take place? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 175 A. a. If the lawgiver having supreme jurisdiction consents to the transfer; b. If the substitute has the right of self-disposal ; c. If the transfer does not cause permanent in- jury to the substitute; d. If in the transfer no injury results to the community, or to the interests of morality. Q. 51. Are all these conditions realized in the method of justification for which we contend? A. Yes. God, the supreme lawgiver, not only ad- mitted, but even provided, a substitute for sinners. This substitute possessed the sovereign right of self-disposal, and freely offered Himself as our substitute. He could assume this burden not only without suffering permanent injury, but even to His own glory in an eminent degree. By the transfer the interests of society are protected and promoted; for those justified are also sanctified. Q. 52. Is the teaching in the Epistle of James, chapter 2d, at variance with our doctrine? A. It is complementary, not contradictory. James treats of a particular aspect of justification, namely, justi- fication before men. He teaches that a faith which is justifying is a faith which is fruit-bearing, the fruit being good works. According to him, a dead, inoperative faith is not a justifying faith. But in exact harmony with this is the statement in the Westminister Confession which runs thus, "Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness, is the alone instrument of justifi- cation; yet it is not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no de^d faith, but worketh by love." Q. 53. Is the objection warranted that this doctrine of justification is unfavorable to morality? A. No, as may be shown in the following particu- lars: a. Holiness may be of great value, although not the ground in any respect of our justifica- tion ; 176 AN EXPOSITION OF b. The believer, although delivered from the law in its covenant form, is still under it as a rule of life, and even under deeper obliga- tion to observe it, because of deliverance from it as a covenant. Rom. 12:1 ; c. We never begin to keep the law truly till we are delivered from it as a covenant. Rom. 6:14; 7:4, 6; Gal. 2:19, 20; d. The same objection was urged against the doctrine of justification taught by Paul, a presumptive proof that his doctrine and ours are one. Rom. 3:28, 31; 6:14, 15; 7:6. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Jno. 2,:^6; 5:24. Rom. 8:29, 30; 3:26; Is. 1:18; Heb. 12:10, II ; Gal. 3:10, 12; Acts 16:31 ; Is. 53:4-6; Phil, i :29; Rom. 6:14; 7:4-6. QUESTION XXXIV. What is adoption? ANSWER. Adoption is an act of God's free grace whereby we are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges, of the sons of God. Q. I. What is the general nature of adoption? A. The legal establishment of the parental and filial relation between persons not originally so related. Q. 2. Why is this called an act? A. To indicate that it is not a process, but simply a change of legal relation. Q. 3. Why is it called an act of God's free grace? A. To declare that it is the fruit of sovereign favor; that is, a kindness to which the objects of it were not en- titled. Eph. I :5. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 177 Q. 4. What is the particular nature of this act? A. It is God's assigning to persons, previously aliens and enemies, the rank of sonship in relation to Himself. Q. 5. Is not this legal transfer always accompanied by the communication of a filial spirit toward God? A. Yes. Rom. 8:14, 15 ; Gal. 3 :26; 4:6. Q. 6. What is meant by the "adoption" spoken of in Rom. g 14, where it is said of the Israelites that to them "pertaineth the adoption"? A. This signifies the state of special religious priv- ileges into which the Israelites, as a people, were brought ; a national adoption. Q. 7. What is meant by the "adoption of the body" mentioned in Rom. 8:23? A. That transformation which the bodies of the saints shall undergo at the resurrection, i Cor. 15:43, 44, 52-54- Q. 8. Is there any difference between adoption and the acceptance which is involved in justification? A. Acceptance is the admission of one to a secure standing in the favor of God. Adoption is the definite assignment of such a one to the rank of a son of God. Jno. I :i2. Q. 9. Does adoption presuppose acceptance? A. Yes. One adopted must previously have found favor with the person adopting him. Q. 10. Is adoption, as some think, of a composite nature, embracing regeneration and acceptance? A. No. According to Roman law, adoption was a legal transaction presupposing the acceptance of the person adopted, but including no change of his nature. Q. II. Does adoption follow regeneration? A. Logically it does (Jno. i :i2), but chronologically they are coincident. By regeneration we get the nature, by adoption we obtain the legal standing, of children of God. 178 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 12. Who are the objects of this adoption? A. a. Only human beings. Heb. 2:14, 16; b. Only and all human beings elected to salva- tion. Eph, 1 :4, 5 ; c. Only and all such as are redeemed by Christ. Gal. 4:4-6; d. Only and all such as are justified on the ground of Christ's merit. Jno. 1:12; Rom. 5:1. Q. 13. What are the chief privileges of adoption? A. a. Great dignity, i Jno. 3:1,2. b. Glorious liberty. Jno. 8:36; Rom. 8:15, 21. c. Abundant provision. Rom. 8:17. d. Ample protection. Rom. 8:29-35; i Pet, 1:5. e. Salutary cprrection. Ps. 89 :30-34 ; Heb. 12:1-12. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Jno. 1:12; Eph. 1 :5; Rom. 8:14, 15; Gal. 3:26; 4:4-6; Heb. 2:14-16. QUESTION XXXV. What is sanctification? ANSWER. Sanctification is the work of God's free grace whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God and are enabled more and more to die unto sin and live unto righteous- ness. Q. I. Why is sanctification defined as a work? A. To indicate that, unlike justification and adop- tion, it is a process involving a series of acts. Q. 2. Yet may not sanctification be condensed into an instant? A. Yes. The date of a man's death may be that of his regeneration and of his preparation for heaven, into THE SHORTER CATECHISM 179 which nothing that is impure can enter. This, however, is not the ordinary course, so far as adults are concerned. Q. 3. Why is sanctification described as "a work of God's free grace"? A. To express the fact that God begins and com- pletes it in the sovereign, unmerited exercise of His good will. Eph. 2:10; Phil. 1 :6. Q. 4. Yet in order to the sanctification of any one was there not a price paid by the Son of God in our na- ture? A. Yes. Eph. 2:5, 7, 18, 20; 5:25, 26. Tit. 2:14. Q. 5. How, then, can our sanctification be ascribed to the free, unmerited grace of God? A. God, in the person of the Son, paid the full price of our salvation, of which sanctification is a weighty part. Q. 6. Does sanctification include effectual calling? A. When used in its widest sense, it does ; for it then means the entire change from a state of sin to a state of perfect conformity to the law of God. Q. 7. But in the question now dealt with is the word used in this comprehensive sense? A. No. It seems here to be limited to mean the growth of the principle of spiritual life communicated in regeneration. Q. 8. What forms of expression have been used to mark the distinction now indicated? A. The phrases "habitual sanctification" and "act- ual sanctification," the former signifying the germ of spiritual life implanted in the instant of regeneration, the latter denoting the development of this germ in the sub- sequent process of sanctification, Q. 9. Which of these meanings does the word "sanctification" bear in this question? A. The latter, namely, actual sanctification. Q. 10. Why should this be counted the meaning? A. Because it was previously stated that this sancti- fication is a benefit accruing to those who have been ef- fectually called, that is, who have been converted. 180 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. II. What then is meant by "renewal in the whole man," spoken of in the definition? A. This means apparently the perpetuation and pro- motion of that state of vitality into which one effectually called is brought. Q. 12. How may sanctification in the germ be designated? A. As initial sanctification, which is obtained in ef- fectual calling, and is identical with "habitual" sanctifica- tion. Q. 13. How may the subsequent process be desig- nated? A. As progressive sanctification, which is identical with actual sanctification, already noticed. Q. 14. What is the model of our sanctification? A. The image of God, especially as that is embodied and expressed in Jesus Christ. Eph. 4:24; 5:1, 2; Col. 3:10; I Pet. 2:21. Q. 15. What double aspect does progressive sanc- tification bear? A. A negative and a positive, mortification and vivi- fication, a ceasing to do evil and a learning to do well. Q. 16. Are these movements simultaneous? A. Yes, in point of time ; but in the order of thought and causation vivification precedes and produces morti- fication. Spiritual death is driven out by spiritual life, just as darkness yields to light. Rom, 7:24; 8:6, 13. Q. 17. What is meant by the expression "dying unto sin"? A. Becoming insensible to the attractions of sin. Q. 18. Is this the import of the expression, when, in Rom. 6:10, it is said of Christ that "He died unto sin once"? A. No. Sin never attracted Christ; but in dying He bore the penalty of His people's sin imputed to Him, so that this sin has no more claim on Him, or on them. Q. 19. Does the believer die to sin? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 181 A, Yes, partly in his justification when his guilt is cancelled, and partly in his sanctification when he be- comes less susceptible to the allurements of sin. Gal. 6:i6; Col. 3:3, 5. Q. 20. What is meant by "living unto righteous- ness"? A. Leading a life of obedience to God. Q. 21. In what respects is a holy act conformed to the law of God ? A. As to matter, manner, and motive. The act must be such as the law prescribes, or sanctions. In man- ner, it must be harmonious with the law. The motive prompting to it must be such as the law approves. An act, right in itself, may be vitiated by the manner in which it is done, or by the motive from which it pro- ceeds. Q. 22. Is sanctification essential to salvation? A. Yes and no. It is a leading part of salvation, and so is essential to it; but it is not essential in the sense of being a meritorious ground of salvation. Heb. 12:14; Eph. 2 :8, 9. Q. 23. Is the sanctification of believers completed before death? A. No. I Jno. 3 13. It is completed in death. Phil. 1:23. Q. 24. What is meant by these phrases, "merit of congruity," "merit of condignity," and "merit of super- erogation"? A. According to Romish theology a man unregener- ate ijiay by his virtues acquire a title to the grace of re- generation. His title in the case supposed is said to rest on "merit of congruity." After regeneration a man may, according to Romish teaching, act so well as to earn a reward. In this case he is said to have the "merit of condignity." Still further, Romanists claim that a regenerated man may exceed in his obedience the requirements of law, and 182 AN EXPOSITION OF so have some merit to spare for the benefit of others. This is called the "merit of supererogation." Q. 25, Do not the Scriptures teach clearly that cer- tain acts, or lines of conduct, shall receive from God re- ward? A. Yes. See Matt, 10:41, 42; 19:28, 29; Acts 10:4; Heb. 6:10. Q. 26. Does not this fact lend countenance to the Popish doctrine of merit? A. No: for, a. The ability and disposition to do what is pleasing to God are a fruit of His saving grace ; b. Our holiest service is imperfect, and, so far from laying God under obligation to us, needs forgiveness; c. Hence the more ^Ne do in serving Him, the deeper is our debt to Him, i Cor. 15:10; 2 Cor. 3 :5 ; I Tim, i :i2-i4. Q. 27. What are the means of sanctification? A. These may be distinguished into two classes, namely, outward means and inward means. Q. 28. What are the outward means? A. Summarily the Scriptures, both as exhibiting the "truth as it is in Jesus," and as enjoining certain ordi- nances conducive to spiritual edification. Ps, 19:7; Jno. 17:17; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Thess. 2:13; i Pet. 2:2. Q. 29. May ordinary providential events subserve the same ends? A. Yes, to some extent; but only in connection with the Word. 2 Cor. 12:7; 4:17, 18; Heb. 12:6-11 ; Jas. i :23. Q. 30. What is the inward means of sanctification? A, Faith in Jesus Christ. Luke 17:5; 22:32; Jno. 3 :i6 ; Acts 15 :9 ; Eph. 2 :8 ; i Pet. 1:5;! Jno. 5 :4, Q. 31. Point out some distinctions between justifi- cation and sanctification. A. a. Justification is an act completed at once and not repeated in the case of the same per- son. Sanctification is a work or process; THE SHORTER CATECHISM 183 b. Justification involves a change of legal stand- ing. Sanctification produces a change of nature ; c. In justification righteousness is imputed. In sanctification righteousness is imparted; d. Justification is equal in all. Sanctification dif- fers in degree in different persons, and even in the same person at different times ; e. Justification frees from the guilt of sin. Sanc- tification frees from the power and pol- lution of sin ; /. In justification a title to glory is bestowed. In sanctification a meetness for glory is imparted ; g. In justification we are delivered from the law as a broken covenant. In sanctification we are made conformable to the law as a rule of life; h. Justifying righteousness is in Christ and upon us. Sanctification is from Christ and in us. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Eph. 4:24; Rom. 6:10; 7:24; 8:6, 13; Gal. 6:16; i Jno. 3:3; I Pet. 2:2; I Cor. 15:10; 2 Cor. 3:5. QUESTION XXXVI. What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification ? ANSWER. The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctifi- cation are assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase cf grace, and perseverance therein to the end. 184 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. I. How may the blessings which attach to justi- fication, adoption, and sanctification be grouped? A. Under three heads : namely, blessings received in this life ; blessings received at death ; and blessings received at and after the resurrection. Q. 2. What are the blessings in this life which at- tach to the state of justification, adoption, and sanctifica- tion? A. These are five in number: namely, "assurance of God's love; peace of conscience; joy in the Holy Ghost; increase of grace; and perseverance therein to the end." Q. 3. Which of these spring from the fact, and which from the knowledge of the fact, of our justification, adoption, and sanctification? A. a. Increase of grace and perseverance proceed from the fact of our justification, adoption, and sanctification. b. Assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost proceed from our perception that we are justified, adopt- ed, and, in a measure, sanctified. Q. 4. Is there not, however, in all saving faith an element of assurance as to God's love to us? A. Yes. If saving faith is a resting on Christ for salvation, it must involve such an element, Q. 5. Does not the reflection that we have faith in Christ yield to us an additional assurance? A. Yes. See 2 Tim. 1:12. Q. 6. What terms have been used to signify the as- surance proceeding from these two sources respectively? A. The "assurance of faith" and the "assurance of sense," or feeling. Q. 7. Do all true believers have in proportion to the strength of their faith an assurance, or persuasion, of their acceptance with God? A. Yes. Heb. 11 :i ; i Jno. 5:10. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 185 Q. 8. Do all believers have the assurance of feeling? A. No. A true believer may at times, and even habit- ually, be distressed with doubts as to his saving interest in Christ, although not absolutely despairing. Job 2t^ 13, 9; Is. 49:14; 50:10. Even Christ Himself, the model of believers, was for a time, during His crucifixion, destitute of a sense of His Father's love to Him. Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34. Q. 9. Is a lawful and steady assurance of our ac- ceptance with God to be greatly desired? A. Yes. Q. 10. Why is it so desirable? A. a. For the comfort which it 3'ields; b. For the courage it inspires to meet sneers and other trials ; c. For the influence it may have in commending to onlookers the religion of Christ. Q. II. What is conscience? A. It is that faculty, or power, of the human mind by which it takes cognizance of moral right and wrong, and feels the beauty and obligation of the former and the odiousness of the latter. Q. 12. Is it the standard of right and wrong? A. No. The Word of God is the standard of duty to those who possess it. Is. 8:20; Luke 16:29, 31, Q. 13. May not the conscience be defiled and mis- leading ? A. Yes. Acts 26:9;Titus 1:15. Q. 14. What is the standard of morality to us? A. The command, or preceptive will, of God, our Creator. That is right which He enjoins ; and that is wrong which He forbids, or even does not prescribe. Q. 15. What, however, is the ultimate standard of morality? A. The nature of God. His preceptive will is the expression of His nature, which is "holy and just and good." Q. 16. What is peace of conscience? 186 ^.V EXPOSITION OF A. It is the comfort arising from a sense of God's favor toward us. Q. 17. What is an evil conscience? A. It is a conscience that is burdened by a sense of God's disapproval, or even that lacks a sense of His ap- proval. Q. 18. May not ungodly men have a certain kind «£ freedom from disquiet of conscience? A. They may be in a state of carnal security. Rom. 7:9; Jno. 16:2; Rev. 3:17. Q. ig. How may true peace of conscience be distin- guished from false? A. Genuine, or warrantable, peace of conscience produces humility, self-distrust, sorrow for sin done, and watchfulness against sin; whereas false, or spurious, peace of conscience genders pride and careless living. Titus I :i6; Rev. 3:17. Q. 20. May a true believer lack for a time desirable peace of conscience? A. Yes. Ps. 77:3-9; 88:3-8; 143:7, 8. Q. 21. How may this arise? A. a. From indulgence in any sin. Ps. 32 :5 ; 107:12; h. From neglect of the means of grace. Jude vs. 20, 21 ; Jas. 1 :25. Q. 22. What is joy in the Holy Ghost? A. It is an exultant feeling produced by the Spirit of God in the heart of a true believer in view of good actually received, or confidently expected, from God. Rom. 14 :i7 ; Gal. 5 :22 ; i Thess. i :6 ; i Pet. i :6, 8. Q. 23. Why is this joy said to be "in the Holy Ghost"? A. Because He is the immediate author of it. Q. 24. May not unconverted persons experience a certain kind of joy in view of the facts of the gospel? A. They may. Matt. 13 :2i ; Rev. 3 .ly. Q. 25. How may genuine Christian joy be distin- guished from that which is spurious? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 187 A. a. The true joy in the Holy Ghost begets and fosters humility, whereas the counterfeit joy puffs up. I Pet. 3:15; Rev. 3:17; b. The true joy makes watchful against sin. The false joy renders incautious and presump- tuous. Phil. 3:12-15; Tit. 1:16; c. The true joy stimulates to perseverance in well-doing; whereas the counterfeit joy renders indolent, or, at most, only spas- modically active. Neh. 8:10; 12:43; Ps. 51:12, 13- Q. 26. How is joy in the Holy Ghost meiintained and fostered? ^ A. By such means as serve for the maintenance and promotion of faith, such as meditation on gospel truth, the use of the sacraments, prayer, activity in seek- ing to win others to Christ and to help those already won. Is. 40:31; Ps. 19:8; Heb. 4:16; i Thess. 5:19-23; Col. 1:9-11; Phil. 4:4-7. Q. 27. What is meant by "increase of grace"? A. Growth in holiness, or progress in piety. Q. 28. Is this a characteristic of all who are re- newed ? A. Yes. Eph. 4:16; Rom. 12:1, 2; 2 Pet. 1:5, 10; 3:18. Q. 29. Do all Christians grow with equal rapidity? A. No. Matt. 13:23; I Thess. i :6, 7; Heb. 5:12-14; I Jno, 2:12-14. Q. 30. Is the growth of the same Christian uniform? A. No. It varies, being at one time retarded, at an- other accelerated. Ps. 73:2; 77:3; 8i:ii, 12; 116:6, 7; 141 :7. Q. 31. May not a Christian even decline, or back- slide, at times? A. Yes ; and he might even go back unto perdition, were he not arrested by the grace of God. Ps. 73 :2 ; Luke 22:31,32. 188 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 32. Is it not the interest and duty of Christians to v/atch? A. Assuredly so. Matt. 6:13; 26:41; i Cor. 16:13; Eph. 6:18. Q. 33. What is the scriptural doctrine of the "per- severance of the saints" ? A. It is that one efifectually brought into fellowship with Christ, or, in other words, regenerated, shall never perish, or even for a time fall totally away from God. Q. 34. Does it mean that a man who lives habitual- ly in disregard of God shall be saved? A, No : but it means that no one who has been re- generated, justified, and adopted shall be lost, or even permitted for a time to apostatize totally from God. Q. 35. Does it mean that one regenerated may not fall grievously into sin? A. No : only that such a one cannot permanently, or fully, yield to temptation, although for a time over- come by it. Q. 36. By what arguments may the doctrine thus defined be sustained? A. Two classes of arguments may be marshalled in its support, namely, indirect and direct. Q. 37. What, in general, is the nature of the indirect line of proof? A. This may be described as collateral evidence, consisting, as it does, of proof drawn from other doctrines which appear to be true. Q. 38. Specify some of the doctrines referred to? A. Personal election, definite atonement, justifica- tion, the union of the believer with Christ, the indwell- ing of the Spirit, and the intercession of Christ. Q. 39. Does the evidence, whatever it may be, on which these doctrines rest yield confirmation of the doc- trine of perseverance? A. Yes, the evidence is cumulative, and hence pow- erful. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 189 Q. 40. Present an item of the direct evidence in favor of the doctrine of perseverance. A. Believers are represented as having, even in this world, eternal life. It is not merely spiritual life they have, but it is eternal life, partly in actual enjoyment, and partly in title and prospect. Jno. 3:15, 16, 36; 5:24; 6:35, 47. 50, 51, 54, 57, 58; 10:28; 11:25, 26; 17:2; Col. s:s, 4; I Jno. 5:13. Q. 41. Mention a second item of direct evidence in support of the doctrine of perseverance. A. Among the finally lost no one who had ever been a true believer shall be found. Matt. 7:21-23; 25:31-46; I Jno. 2:19. Q. 42. Adduce another argument on the same side. • A. Many texts seem explicitly to affirm the perse- verance of the saints. See Ps. 37:23, 24, 28; 89:33, 34; 92:12-14; 125:2; Prov, 4:18; Is. 45:17; 54:10; Ezek. 36:27; Matt. 24:24; Jno. 6:40; 10:27-29; Rom. 8:28-39; Phil. 1:6; I Jno. 2:27; 3:9. Q. 43. How may the objection be answered that this doctrine is at variance with the fact of our free agency ? A. The doctrine is not that the will is rudely co- erced, but that without violence it is swayed by God, Who has access to the recesses of the soul. Q. 44. Is not this objection at bottom rationalistic? A. Yes. It involves the assumption that we know all of God's resources, and are competent to affirm that He cannot, without violence, regulate the human will. Q. 45. Answer the objection founded on the fact that, in Scripture, warnings against apostasy and exhor- tations to caution and vigilance are addressed to be- lievers ? A. God deals with His people as rational beings, and so urges motives fitted to operate upon them for their welfare. Phil. 2:13. Q. 46. It is confidently afBrmed that the Bible pre- sents not a few instances of the complete and even final 190 AN EXPOSITION OF apostasy of saints. The chief instances cited are those of David, Solomon, Judas, Simon Mag^s, and the per- sons referred to in 2 Pet. 2:20-22. How may this ob- jection be met? A. Touching the case of David the following re- marks may suffice. a. It is conceded that David, although a saint, fell into gross sin and continued imder it for a considerable time; b. Yet there is reason to believe that in this con- dition his heart was dissatisfied and re- monstrant. The 32d Psalm seems to de- scribe his mental state during this period of moral eclipse, or suspended animation ; c. In Ps. 51, which records David's repentance and restoration, it is implied that the Holy Spirit had not been taken from him, but that only spiritual languor had come over him and the joy of salvation had been withdrawn from him. Vs. 11, 12. The case of Solomon may be disposed of as follows : a. It is admitted that Solomon was a converted man. This might be denied, and thus, summarily, might the case be dismissed. But we hold that Solomon was a true con- vert. In proof may be offered 2 Sam'l. 12:24, 25; I Kings 3:3, 10; 8:12-61; 9:3; b. The promise recorded in 2 Sam'l. 7:12-15 is unfavorable to the view that Solomon be- came utterly apostate; c. Although in the spirit of a false philosophy he yielded too much to the ideas of his wives, it is not declared that he became an idolater ; d. The Book of Ecclesiastes seems to have been written by Solomon near the close of his life as his dying testimony in behalf of godliness, and as a warning against sin. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 191 Respecting Judas it may be said that he never was a saint and therefore could not fall from grace. See Ps. 109; Jno. 6:70; 12:6. The statement in Jno. 17:12 does not signify that Judas was of the number of those given to Christ to be saved. By filling out the ellipsis we get the true sense, 'l3Ut the son of perdition is lost," a contrast being made between Judas and those given to Christ to be saved. In Luke 4:25-27 a like idiom occurs. In regard to the persons described in 2 Pet, 2 :20-22, it may be said that they were not regenerated, but only reformed, or nominally christianized. This view is sup- ported by the following considerations : a. They are described as having escaped only the grosser pollutions or defilements of the world, not the corruption that is in the world through lust, spoken of in v. 4; h. They are not said to have had faith, but only knowledge, and that only of the, not their, Lord and Saviour; c. In V. 22 they are compared to a sow ; washed, it is true, but a sow still with its filthy propensities unchanged. Respecting Simon Magus mentioned in Acts 8:18-24, it is to be said that he was not a true believer, and, there- fore, cannot be an instance of one falling from grace. It is true, he is said to have made a profession and to have believed and to have been baptized ; but profession is not equivalent to possession, and there may be a belief of the head while there is none of the heart. Q. 47. Answer the objection that the doctrine of perseverance tends to make those who believe it careless. A, a. This doctrine is not that a man shall be saved in sin ; but it is that he shall be saved from sin; b. The objection rests on the false assumption that self-love is the dominant principle in a Christian, and that he would love to sin, if assured that he could sin safely; 192 ^A^ EXPOSITION OF c. The doctrine of perseverance inspires the Christian who beheves it with hope, and nerves him for the conflict with sin and Satan, i Jno. 3 :i-3. d. This doctrine reveals to us the greatness of God's love to us, and so is fitted to foster our love to Him and to His law. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Heb. II :i; Is. 50:10; 8:20; Tit. 1:15, 16; Rev. 3:17; Rom. 14:17; Matt. 13 :2i >Eph. 4:16; i Jno. 2 ■.12-14; Ps. 125 :2; Pro v. 4:18. QUESTION XXXVII. What benefits do believers receive from Christ at death? ANSWER. The souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness and do immediately pass into glory, and their bodies, being still united to Christ, do rest in their graves till the resurrection. Q. I. What is the second class of benefits accruing to those who have been justified, adopted, and in part sanctified? A. Benefits received at death. Q. 2. What are these benefits ? A. a. The complete sanctification of the soul ; b. The reception of the soul into the state of glory ; c. The resting of the body in the grave, but in union with Christ. Q. 3. Do believers, as well as others, die? A. Yes. Heb. 9 :2y. Q. 4. Is death in this case a part of the penalty of their sin? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 193 A. No. The penalty due to them for sin was ex- hausted by their surety, Christ. 2 Cor. 5:21; Rom. 8:3; I Pet. 2:24; 3:18. Q. 5. Is not the death of saints, however, a sequel or result of their sin? A. Yes. It is so in much the same sense as a surgi- cal operation is a consequence of a gangrened limb. Such an operation is a result, not properly a penalty, of the dis- ease, although a consequence of it. It is a measure adopted as a relief, not properly as a penalty. Q. 6. What change is effected in the soul of a be- liever at death? A. His soul is in the hour of death made perfect in holiness. Q. 7. How is this apparent? A. From these considerations at least, namely : a. Before the hour of death no one is perfect in holiness, as will be shown under another question ; h. At death, as will presently be proved, the souls of believers go directly to glory ; c. Into such glory no one polluted with sin can enter. Heb. 12:23; ^^v. 21:27. Q. 8. In reply to the assertion that this doctrine of instantaneous purification is incredible, what answer may be given? A. If it is a fact that in an instant the soul dead in sin is made spiritually alive, may it not in an instant be delivered at the hour of death from the remains of cor- ruption? Q. 9. Is not the prospect of such a deliverance fitted to disarm death of its terrors in the case of a Christian? A. Yes, assuredly, i Cor. 15:56, 57. Q. 10. What is the doctrine of "intermediate un- consciousness" which has been advocated by some Pro- testants, particularly of the "Church of England"? 194 ■ AN EXPOSITION OF A. It is the view that between death and the resur- rection the soul is in a state of torpor, unconscious of the flight of time and of the flow of events. Q. II. Is this opinion sanctioned by Scripture? A. No. a. It is discountenanced in the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Luke 16:23-25; b. It is at variance with the promise of Christ to the robber on the cross (Luke 23:43). To be "with Christ" is to be in active fellowship with Him and enjoyment of Him; c. It conflicts with Paul's desire to depart and be with Christ. Phil, i :23. Had Paul be- lieved that his death would be only a step into inaction and unconsciousness, he would have preferred to remain in this world, where he could work for Christ and enjoy actual fellowship with Him. Q. 12. What do Romanists hold to be the immedi- ate sequel of death in the case of the wicked? A. They teach that the wicked, on dying, pass directly to the place of endless torment. Q. 13. What do Romanists say befalls Christians at death? A. a. That some of them, even as many as have attained before death a state of perfect sanctity, go immediately to glory ; h. That others, even all whose sanctity is not complete before death, pass at once to a place called "Purgatory," where by suffering for a time, it may be in some cases even for centuries, they make satis- faction for their sins, and secure cleansing from the pollution of sin, so as to be fit for heaven. The pains of Purgatory are alleged to be not only purifying, but also expiatory. It may be noted that unbap- THE SHORTER CATECHISM 195 tized infants, dying in infancy, are, if Romanists may be believed, denied access to Purgatory, and consigned to a state of non-enjoyment, or negative punishment. Q. 14. Refute this dogma of Purgatory. A. a. The Scriptures, the all-sufficient rule of faith, give no hint of the existence of such a place or state as purgatory; &.. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin, and nothing else can cleanse from any sin. I Jno. 1:7; Rom. 8:1; c. When God justifies a sinner. He holds him to be, for Christ's sake, both pardoned and accepted. One so accepted needs to pass through no purgatory in order to reach heaven ; d. The avarice of priests, so-called, is the chief argument for purgatory; for "masses," it is taught, avail for the relief and release of souls in purgatory; and for masses money must be paid. Q. 15. How can the release of a soul from purga- tory be ascertained? A. This is a question unsolved by Rome; but, as a rule, so long as there is prospect of pay, the "priests" are willing to pray and to offer masses for the departed. Q. 16. How can it be determined by believers in the doctrine whether, or not, a soul has gone to purga- tory? A. Even this point is not set in a clear light. Those who have attained perfect sanctity, it is admitted, do not go to purgatory. Neither do those who die at enmity with the Church, that is, the papal communion. But how is the real condition of the soul to be determined? Who among men can tell when perfect sanctity is reached, or when a soul departs at enmity, or in friendship, with the Church? 196 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 17. What is the nature of the glory into which believers enter at death? A. It is a state of freedom from sin, sorrow, and fear, and of unutterable dignity and bliss. Rom. 8:18, 32; 2 Cor. 4:17. Q. 18. Shall mutual recognition on the part of the redeemed form an ingredient of their bliss? A. Yes. Memory, an original faculty of the human mind, is not impaired by grace, but refined and strengthened thereby. The communion of saints is in this world a source of pleasure, and why not also in heaven? Q. 19. Does death, which temporarily sunders the soul and body, sever the body of the believer from Christ? A. No. The union between Christ and every be- liever is indissoluble, and that union embraces the body as well as the soul of the believer. Christ redeemed human persons, and a human person, or being, consists of a material body in mysterious union with an im- material substance, called soul or spirit. Rom. 8:7, 11; 12:1 ; I Cor. 6:13-20; Eph. 5:23, 30. Q. 20. How is the condition of the body of the righteous between death and the resurrection described in Scripture? A. As a resting and as a sleeping. Is. 57 :2; i Thess. 4:14. To the wicked, the grave is a prison in which the body is grimly held for judgment. To the righteous, it is a temporary resting-place on the way to glory. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Heb. 9:27; 12:23; I Jno. 1:7; Rom. 12:1; 2 Cor. 4:17; I Thess. 4: 14. QUESTION XXXVIII. What benefits do believers receive from Christ at the resurrection? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 197 ANSWER. At the resurrection believers, being raised up in glory, shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgment and made perfectly blessed in full enjoying of God to all eternity. Q. I. Is there to be a resurrection of the bodies of deceased men? A. Yes. Matt. 22:31, 32; Jno. 5:28, 29; 6:39, 40; Acts 24:15. Q. 2. What renders such an event necessary? A. a. The justice of God demands the resurrection of the wicked in order that the punish- ment due in each case may be inflicted on the entire person ; h. The justice and love of God combine to de- mand the resurrection of the righteous; justice, that in their complete person they may receive the blessings won for them by Christ, and love, that in their full person they may experience the wealth of God's regard for them. Q. 3. Is the resurrection of man a fruit of Christ's atonement? A. No. The resurrection to glory is such a fruit. The resurrection of the wicked is a step toward the pun- ishment of their entire person, and flows from the puni- tive justice of God, and must have occurred had no Saviour appeared in the world. Q. 4. Is it necessary to believe that the very par- ticles which compose the body at death shall be raised again? A. No. The identity, or sameness, of the body in this life does not rest on the continued sameness of the corporeal particles; and so the body raised, while as to its constituent particles not absolutely the same as 198 AN EXPOSITION OF the body in the grave, may have enough in common with it to warrant the assertion of their identity. Q. 5. What is the spiritual body which, it is declared, the righteous shall have at the resurrection. See I Cor. 15:44-46. A. Not an immaterial body, which is a contradic- tion in terms, but a body etherealized and thoroughly responsive to the motions of the soul. Q. 6. Shall the resurrection of the righteous and of the wicked be simultaneous? A. It would seem so. Jno. 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15. Q. 7. What is meant by the statement in i Thess. 4:16, "And the dead in Christ shall rise first"? A. The import is that the righteous dead shall be raised before the righteous who shall be living on the earth at the last day shall have undergone a change corresponding to death, as the apostle teaches they shall. See I Cor. 15:51, 52; i Thess. 4:15-17. Q. 8. When shall the resurrection occur? A. At the last day, or the winding up of the world as now existent. Jno. 6:40, 44; 11:24; 2 Pet. 3:7, 10, 12; Jude V. 6. Q. g. What event shall immediately succeed the resurrection? A. The general and final judgment. Jno. 5:29; Acts 17:31; Rev. 20:2, 13. Q. 10. In this judgment, how shall believers fare? A. a. They "shall be openly acknowledged and ac- quitted." Matt. 25:40; Jno. 5:29. b.. It would seem that, upon their acquittal, they shall in some sense join with Christ in judging evil men and angels, i Cor. 6: 2, 3- Q. II. Are not the saints at the date of their death, and even at the time of their justification, acknowledged and acquitted? A. Yes. This has been already stated and argued. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 199 Q. 12. What then is the distinction put upon them at the last day? A. They shall then be openly recognized as just. Matt. 25:31-42. Q. 13. Does this forbid the idea that in the final judgment the sins of the righteous shall be reviewed? A. No. In reference to this point, see what has been said in the treatment of Question XXVIII. Q. 14. What shall succeed the formal acquittal of the saints? A. Their entrance into perfect bliss in a "full en- joying of God." Q. 15. Had not their bliss been complete from the date of death? A, It had in this respect, that the soul was in a state of enjoyment free from any ingredient of pain. But at the reunion of soul and body the complete person shall be filled with ecstasy. Rom. 8:18, 23; Phil. 3:21; i Cor. 15:42-44, 54. Q. 16. Shall the bliss of the saints in their com- plete personality be imspeakably great? A. Yes. Rom. 8:18; 2 Cor. 4:17; Eph. 3:19; Jude V. 24. Q. 17. Mention some of the elements of this coming glory. A. a. A vastly increased and ever-increasing sense of the glory of God. i Cor. 13:12; i Jno. 3:2; b. An unclouded sense on the part of the saved of their forgiveness and acceptance; c. A sight of the glorified humanity of the Son of God, and converse with Him. i Jno. 3 :2 ; d. Free fellowship on the part of each with the host of the redeemed, and with the holy angels. Heb. 12:23, 24. 200 AN EXPOSITION OF e. Vastly enlarged acquaintance with the mar- vels of the universe created and upheld by God. Ps. Ill :2, 4; /. Congenial occupation, perhaps in promoting the welfare of other creatures of God, now unknown to us; g. The tranquil assurance that the bliss enjoyed shall be endless. Matt. 25:46; Tit. 1:2; Rom. 2:7; 6:22, 23; h. The prospect of ever-increasing ability to glorify God and to enjoy Him. If in this world our faculties expand with exercise, why should it not be so likewise in the future state? i Cor. 13:11; 2 Cor. 3:18. Q. 18. Shall there be diversity among the redeemed as regards the degree of glory enjoyed? A. Apparently so. Dan. 12:3; Mark 4:20; Matt. 10:42; Heb. 6:10; 2 Cor. 9:6; i Thess, 2:19, 20; i Cor. 15:41, 42. Q. ig. May not the knowledge of the lost, among whom may be near relatives and friends, mar the happi- ness of the glorified saints? A. No. The glorified saints shall be so filled with a sense of the odiousness of sin, and so completely assured of the wisdom, goodness, and equity of God, that they shall heartily acquiesce in His dealing with the wicked. Luke 16:25; Rev. 16:5, 7; Ps. 139:21, 22. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Jno. 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15; Rom. 8:18; i Cor. 13:12; 2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 3:19; Jude v. 24; Heb. 6:10; Ps. iii :2; 139:21, 22. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 201 PART THIRD. DUTY. QUESTION XXXIX. What is the duty which God requireth of man? ANSWER. The duty which God requireth of man is obedience to His revealed will. Q. I. What is the general import of the word "duty"? A. That which is due, or obligatory. Q. 2. How may man's duty be comprehensively de- fined? A. His obligation to obey God. Q. 3. What is implied in this definition? A. Not only that there is a God, but also that He has issued commands which concern us and are known to us. Q. 4. What is meant in this answer by the expres- sion, "the revealed will of God"? A. His will of command. His preceptive will, not His will of purpose. Q. 5. Is the secret will of God, that is. His purpose, a rule of conduct to us? A. No. For instance, it was God's will, or purpose, that Christ should be crucified, but they who perpetrated the deed were guilty. Acts 2 :23. Q. 6. If, even, the purpose of God were not secret, but definitely revealed to us, would it be a rule of duty to us? 202 AN EXPOSITION OF A. No. God's commands to us, not His purposes, whether secret or revealed, are our rule of duty. Pre- scription, not prediction, is to regulate our conduct. Deut. lo :i2, 13 ; 1 1 :i ; 12 :32. Q. 7. Ma,y we obey the commands of men? A. Yes ; but only so far as these commands are in accordance with the commands of God. Q. 8. Even in obeying men's lawful commands, should we not look beyond men to God as our ruler? A. Yes. Col. 3:22-24; I Pet. 2:13-16; Ex. 20:12. Q. 9. Where has God embodied in the fullest degree instructions to us touching our duty? A. In the Scriptures. Ps. 19:7; Is. 8:20; Luke 16:29; 2 Tim. 3:15-17. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Deut. 10:12, 13; Ps. 19:7; Col. 3:22-24; I Pet. 2:13- 16. .QUESTION XL. What did God at first reveal to man for the rule of his obedience? ANSWER. The rule which God at first revealed to man for his obedience was the moral law. Q. I. What is the "moral law"? A. It is the rule established by God for the regula- tion of our mental state and outward action toward Him- self and our fellow-creatures, particularly our fellowmen. Q. 2. When did God first make known this law to man? A. Knowledge of the substance of this law and conformity to it were communicated to Adam and Eve in their very creation. They began their existence in harmony with it. Gen. 1:27, 31; Eccl. 7:29; Eph. 4:24. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 203 Q. 3. What is the central principle of this law? A. The right of God to the unlimited love, trust, and obedience of all His intelligent creatures. Deut. 6:5. Q. 4. Did not God give an additional law to Adam and Eve when He commanded them to abstain from eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge? A. No; but He merely indicated a way in which their love and reverence for Him were to be shown. The law, already dominant in them, dictated implicit compliance with the prohibition, when made known to them. Q. 5. Does the moral law enforce the precept, "Be- lieve in the Lord Jesus Christ"? A. Yes. In whatever way, and wheresoever, God* addresses a command to us, the moral law enjoins exact compliance with it. Q. 6. Was the ceremonial law enforced by the moral law? A. Yes ; and so are all the warrantable observances of worship under the New Testament dispensation. Q. 7. Does the moral law, then, cover the entire range of man's duty under whatever dispensation he lives ? A. Yes. Ps. 119:96; Matt. 19:17-19. Q. 8. How many codes of law has God given to men? A. Three, namely, the moral law, which is funda- mental; the ceremonial law; and the judicial law. Q. 9. What is the ceremonial law? A. It is the body of specific directions given by God as to forms and seasons of worship and the methods to be used for the production and promotion of holiness among men. Q. 10. Is it customary, however, to use the phrase "ceremonial law" in a limited sense, to signify merely the instructions given to Moses by God, and by Moses to the Israelitish people, in regard to seasons and forms of wor- ship to be observed till the advent of Christ? 204 AN EXPOSITION OF A. Yes. Q. II. Does not this seem an arbitrary limitation? A. Yes; because that for New Testament times, not less really, though less elaborately, than for Old Testament times, rites and offices have been divinely ap- pointed for producing and furthering true religion. Q. 12. If we use the phrase "ceremonial law" in its customary restricted sense, what date shall be assigned to the giving of it. A. It was given gradually from the date of the fall of man, when the rite of sacrifice was instituted, till the time of David, but especially in communications made to Moses at Sinai, after the proclamation of the Ten Commandments. Q. 13. What was the central rite of this law? A. The offering of animals in sacrifice, whereby the expiatory and propitiatory work of Christ was vividly typified. Q. 14. How was this form of worship originated? A. Not by man, but by the direction of God. Q. 15. Why say "not by man"? A. Because, a. If originated by man, it would be "will-wor- ship," which is presumption in the sight of God. Col. 2:18, 23; b. Man would not naturally conceive that the slaughter of innocent animals would be pleasing to God ; c. Before their expulsion from the garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were clothed by God with the skins of animals, a notice to the guilty pair that only by substitution- ary blood-shedding and death could they be covered and protected. Gen. 3:21. Q. 16. What different forms of animal sacrifice were appointed by God? A. Four, namely, burnt-offering, peace-offering, sin-offering, and trespass-offering. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 205 Q. 17. Which of these was the most ancient? A. The burnt-offering. Gen. 8 :20 ; 22 7, 8. Not till the time of the Exodus from Egypt is any of the others mentioned. At that date a variation was introduced, the passover being appointed (Ex. 12:27), and soon after the peace-offering, Ex. 24:5. Q. 18. What was the common, or fundamental, con- ception in all the forms of bloody sacrifice? A. That of expiation, or satisfaction for sin. Heb. 9:22. Q. 19. What was the characteristic, or distinctive, import of each of the aforenamed kinds of sacrifice? A. a. The burnt-offering embodied the idea of atonement, that is, of expiation and pro- pitiation, or of satisfaction for sin charge- able upon us and for obedience due by us; and pointed to Christ as our substitute. h. In the peace-offering the establishment of harmony between God and the worshipper on the basis of atonement is shadowed forth. Rom. 5:1. c. In the sin-offering the distinctive conceptions embraced are that even believers, while in this world, stand in need of daily forgive- ness, and that for this the blood of Christ is necessary and sufficient, i Jno. i 7-9. d. In the trespass-offering expiation through substitutionary suffering and death is set forth, but with the additional idea that amends must be made to God for the dishonor done to Him, and restitution to man for injury done to him. Q. 20. What office was most prominent in the Mosaic ceremonial system? A. That of priest. Q. 21. What were the chief functions of the priests, particularly of the high priests? 206 AN EXPOSITION OF A. The offering- of sacrifice and intercession, the teaching of reHgion, and the solution of practical ques- tions in seasons of emergency, Heb, 5:1-3; 8:3; Mai. 2:7; Numb. 27:21; Luke 1:9, 10. Q. 22. Whom did the priests, but especially the high priest, prefigure? A. Christ, "the great high priest." Heb. 4:14; 5: 5, 10; 6:20; 3:1; 7:24, 25. Q. 23. In the ritual, or ceremonial, laws of the New Testament dispensation is the ordinance of animal sacri- fice continued? A. No. Christ by one sacrifice, that of Himself, superseded all animal sacrifices. Heb. 10:14, 18. Q. 24. In the ritual arrangements of the New Tes- tament dispensation is there any functionary called "priest"? A. No. Christ Himself is the only official priest of the New Testament Church. Heb. 3:1; 9:11-14; 10:14. Q. 25. Yet are not all believers priests? A. Yes; but their offerings are not bloody sacri- fices. Instead of these, they devote their hearts and lives and possessions to God. Rom. 12:1; Heb. 13:15, 16; i Pet. 2:5, 9 ; Rev. i :6. Q. 26. What is the ritual, or ceremonial, service of the New Testament Church? A. Praise, the fruit of the lips ; prayer ; the preach- ing of the Word; fasting occasionally; the observance of the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper; and giving for the cause of God. Q. 27. What are the permanent offices in the New Testament Church? A. Those of elder and deacon, i Tim. 3:2, 8; 5:17; Tit. 1:5; Jas. 5:14; Phil. 1:1; Acts 6:3-6; 14:23. Q. 28. What are the functions, or special duties, of the elders? A. The oversight and rule of the flock. Hence they are called "bishops" (Acts 20:28; Phil. 1:1), which is an THE SHORTER CATECHISM 207 English form of the Greek word "episcopoi," meaning overseers. Q. 29. Among these "overseers" is there any dis- tinction? A. As respects rule, they are all equal ; but to some of them pertains, besides, the function of teaching officially, i Tim. 5 :iy. Q. 30. Who is the universal bishop, or overseer, o\ the Church? A. Not the Pope, who is a usurper and a robber, but the Lord Jesus Christ alone. Jno. 10:11, 14, 16; 21: 15-17 ; Eph. 1 :22, 23 ; 5 123 ; i Pet. 5 4. Q. 31. What are the duties of deacons? A. To carry out the will of the Church in minister- ing to the needs of the poor, particularly of poor mem- bers, and in attending to the temporalities of the congre- gation. Acts 6:1-6. Q. 32. Has God furnished to the Church in its New Testament form instructions in regard to prayer and praise ? A. Yes. Q. 33. What instructions in regard to prayer are given? A. a. That prayer, as a religious exercise, is to be addressed to God only. Matt. 6 :6-g ; Eph. 2:18; b. That it is to be made only for things agreeable to the revealed will of God. i Jno. 5:14; c. That it should be offered in the name of Christ alone. Jno. 14:6; i Tim. 2:5; Eph. 2:18; d. That confession and thanksgiving are ingredi- ents or fit adjuncts of prayer, i Jno. i :g; Phil. 4:6. Q. 34. Touching the exercise of praise, what is the law? A. That this is to be performed by the singing, or chanting, of hymns to God. Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; Jas. 5:13; Acts 16:25; Ps. 67:3-5; 96:1-3; 100:1, 2. 208 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 35. Has God supplied the very songs to be used in this exercise? A. Yes. He furnished expressly for this purpose "a book of praises" to the Church in its Old Testament stage, and has never recalled that appointment, but in the New Testament Scriptures has confirmed it.* Q. 36. What confirmation is afforded in the New Testament? A. a. There is no annulment of the previous order, as there is in the case of the sacrificial system ; b. Our Lord and His disciples sung, as is almost universally conceded, a series of Scripture psalms at the institution of the Supper, a New Testament ordinance, thus seem- ingly binding them together. Matt. 26 130 ; Mark 14:26; c. The directions given in Eph. 5:19 and Col. 3 :i6 enjoin the singing of the Psalms, to denote which exhaustively three differ- ent terms are used. Q. 37. What was the judicial, or juridical, law? A. It was that body of enactments given by God to the Israelites through Moses to regulate their civil polity and jurisprudence. Q. 38. Are these enactments of universal obliga- tion? A. No. They were clearly intended for the Israel- ites as a distinct nation, and to continue authoritative till the death of Christ. Gen. 49:10; Dan. 9:24-26. Q. 39. Yet are not the general principles of equity which pervade this law binding on all who know them? A. Yes ; but they are binding in virtue of the moral law which underlies them. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Mai. 2:7; Heb. 3:1; 4:14; 10:14, 18; 13:15, 16; Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16. *See Note at end of Question XL. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 209 Note. If it is true, as will be more particularly shown in the exposition of the Second Commandment, that every part of our worship should have Divine appointment, the question, "What shall we sing in the worship of God," demands serious attention. By those who admit that the singing of God's praise is divinely prescribed, it is generally conceded that the compositions embodied in the Book of Psalms may properly be used in this exer- cise. But many who make this admission contend that uninspired compositions may also be used in the service of praise. As a matter of fact, also, those who take this view generally drop out the Psalms, and use instead in solemn worship hymns composed by uninspired and epring men. In favor of restriction to the inspired Psalter as the matter of praise a few considerations are subjoined. 1. God gave to the Old Testament Church inspired songs for use in worship ; 2. These songs were in course of time collected into one book called by Divine authority "The Book of Psalms," and forming an important and unique part of the sacred canon. Luke 20:42; Acts i :2o; 3. There is no clear evidence that God ever author- ized His ancient people to use in the stated service of song any hymns but those which form the Psalter; 4. The use of this psalm-book for the purpose of praise has not been discountenanced in the New Testa- ment; 5. On the contrary, the use of it as the "book of praises" has been in the New Testament countenanced, commended, and even commanded. For instance, in instituting the Supper, a New Testa- ment ordinance, our Lord with His disciples "hymned"; and it is generally agreed that in accordance with Jewish custom the hymns used were a series of psalms begin- ning with the 113th and ending with the ii8th of the 210 AN EXPOSITION OF Psalter. Thus the Psalter was by Christ Himself de- clared to be a fit companion of the Supper; Moreover, in Eph. 5:19 and Col. 3:16 the use of "psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs" is enjoined. These are found in the Psalter; many of the Psalms being in the ancient superscriptions styled "songs" (See Ps. 120- 134 inclusive). In the Septuagint, or Greek translation, the 72nd psalm closes thus, "The hymns of David, the son of Jesse, are ended" ; and this is the translation which was, no doubt, in use among the Christians in Ephesus and Colosse, Josephus, the Jewish historian, a contemporary of the Apostle Paul, states in his account of King David, that he composed many "hymns and songs" for purposes of worship. Besides, the word "spiritual," prefixed in Eph. 5:19 and Col. 3:16 to the word "songs," denotes something produced by the Spirit of God, that is, inspired. More- over, the Ephesians and Colossians are not told to make, but only to sing, to take, not make, spiritual songs for worship. It is implied that they already possessed such ; 6. If in the apostolic Church other songs than those embodied in the Psalter were used in worship, the sur- vival of them, or of some of them, might surely be ex- pected ; but none such can be found ; 7. It is certain that in the early centuries of the New Testament Church the inspired Psalter was pre- eminently the hymn-book of Christians ; 8. Heretics seem to have been the first to substi- tute compositions of their OAvn ; 9. The Psalter is the true union hymn-book. QUESTION XLI. Where is the moral law summcirily compre- hended? ANSWER. The moral law is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 211 Q. I. Do not all the commandments which God has ever given to man come imder the head o£ the moral law? A. Yes. The fundamental requirement of that law is unlimited love to God and reverence for His authority. Q. 2. Where is furnished an abstract, or brief com- pend, of the moral law? A. In the Ten Commandments enunciated at Sinai. Q. 3. On what occasion did God proclaim this summary of man's duty? A. When the Israelites, after their exodus and the passage through the Red Sea, were encamped at Sinai. Q. 4. What time elapsed between the setting out of the Israelites from Egypt and the delivery of the law? A. About seven weeks. It is almost certain that the proclamation of the law took place on the fiftieth day from the beginning of the outgoing march.* Q. 5. What right have we to speak of the com- mandments proclaimed from Sinai as ten in number, or as forming the "Decalogue"? A. A careful scrutiny would seem to warrant this enumeration, but the point is determined by the following texts: Ex. 34:28; Deut. 4:13; 10:4. Q. 6. How did God signalize these ten precepts above others given by Him at Sinai? A. a. By proclaiming them aloud to all the people of Israel ; whereas the directions in regard to the religious ceremonies and civil polity of the chosen people were delivered to Moses privately, and through him to the nation ; b. The Ten Commandments were written by God on two tables of stone, and so given to Moses for preservation; whereas the other precepts were only recorded by Moses in a book. Ex. 31 :i8; *See Note at the end of Question XLI. 212 AN EXPOSITION OF c. When Moses, shocked by the disgraceful con- duct of the people and to witness against their breach of covenant, cast those tables from him and broke them (Ex. 32:19), God directed him to provide two other tables of stone; and on these the Deca- logue was inscribed by the finger, or power, of God. Ex. 34:1, 4, 28; d. Moreover, direction was given by God that those tables should be deposited in the ark, the most sacred article of furniture in the tabernacle, and there accordingly were they placed for safe keeping. Ex. 40:20; Deut 10:1-5; Heb. 9:4; i Kings 8:9. Q. 7. Why were the Ten Commandments carved on stone tablets? A. Doubtless to suggest that they were of perpetual obligation ; in distinction from the ceremonial enactments. Q. 8. Why were they inscribed on two tables? A. Most probably to make obvious the two great departments of duty, namely, that which we owe to God directly, and that to which He binds us in reference to ourselves and our fellow creatures. Q. 9. How were the Commandments distributed on the two tables? A. It is not certain ; but, judging by the logical affinity of these precepts, it seems probable that the first four, which define our duty more directly to God, were on one table, and the remaining six, which define our duty toward ourselves and other creatures, were on the other table. Q. 10. What view as to the distribution of the Com- mandments has long and widely prevailed among the Jews? A. That the Decalogue was equally divided be- tween the two tables, five precepts in their regular order THE SHORTER CATECHISM 213 being on each. Some high authorities, however, among the Jews concur in the view which has been expressed in the previous answers. Q. II. How do Romanists arrange and distribute the Decalogue? A. They combine what we call the First Command- ment with the Second Commandment, numbering the re- sult as the first precept. Then, in order to make out ten commandments, they divide the Tenth, reckoning the first clause, "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house," as the Ninth Commandment, and the remainder as the Tenth. Q. 12. Is there a reason discoverable why Roman- ists should seek to throw the Second Commandment into the shade? A. Yes. Their practice in the matter of image wor- ship cannot well bear the light of the Second Command- ment. Q. 13. What is the traditional view of the Jews as to the first precept of the law? A. What we call the "preface" they regard as the First Commandment. Then, like the Romanists, they combine what we call the First and Second Command- ments, and this combination they style the Second Com- mandment. Q. 14. Are all precepts of the Decalogue equally fundamental ? A. No. Some are deeper than others. For instance, considerations of necessity and of mercy may supersede, or suspend for a time, the prohibition of work on the Sabbath-day. Matt. 12:3, 4; Mark 2:24-28. Q. 15. What is the distinction indicated by the com- pound words, "moral-natured" and "moral-positive"? A. A moral-natural precept is one which proceeds from the very nature of God, and not merely from His "optional" will, and of which we may have some knowl- edge by the light of nature. 214 AN EXPOSITION OF A moral-positive precept is one which proceeds from the optional will of God, and which may be recalled or modified. Q. 16. Give an illustration of each kind of com- mand? A. The Fourth Commandment is moral-natural in so far as it requires that we devote some time to sacred services; but moral-positive in prescribing one day in seven, rather than one day in five or ten, or any other nurhber, for this purpose. The ceremonial and judicial codes were very largely of a moral-positive nature and might, therefore, consistently with God's character, be changed, or abrogated altogether. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Ex. 34:28; Deut. 10:4; Ex. 31 :i8; 40:20; Deut. 10:1- 5 ; Heb. 9 -.4. Note. Many of the Rabbinical writers have maintained that the feast of Weeks, or of Pentecost, was intended, in part at least, to commemorate the giving of the law. To say the least, there is a striking approach to coincidence in regard to the season of the year with which they were identified. The feast of Pentecost occurred on the fiftieth day from the second day of the Passover feast. Lev. 23 :ii-i6. That the law was proclaimed from Sinai on the fiftieth day after the first observance of the Passover can be almost conclusively proved thus : — 1. The Israelites began their journey from Egypt on the morning of the 15th day of the month Nisan (or Abib, Ex. 13:4), the first month of their year. Ex. 12:2; 2. On the first day of the third month the refugee host reached Sinai (Ex. 19:1) ; and, allowing 30 days for a month, we can say that 45 days intervened between the beginning of the march and the date of the encampment at Sinai; THE SHORTER CATECHISM 215 3. On the day after reaching Sinai, that is on the 46th day, Moses drew near to God and received instruc- tions about the approaching manifestation; 4. Apparently on the next day, that is, the 47th, Moses drew near to God and declared to Him the re- sponse of the people. Ex. 19:8; 5. Seemingly on the next day, the 48th, God di- rected Moses to go down and instruct the people to make ready on that day and the following for the great event. Ex. 19:10; 6. Then on the following day, the 50th, God pro- claimed the law. Ex. 19:16. It is the office of the Holy Spirit to enthrone this law in the hearts of men ; and it was on the day of Pentecost th'at the Spirit was given in unusual power, that is, 50 days after the death of "Christ, our passover." The coin- cidence seems to be more than casual. QUESTION XLII. What is the sum of the Ten Command- ments? ANSWER. 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 neighbor as ourselves. Q. I. Are the Ten Commandments a condensed form of the law of God? A. Yes. They are a compend of rules, each of which is far-reaching and comprehensive, intended to regulate the thoughts and affections, as well as the out- ward conduct. Q. 2. Is there a further condensation of which they admit? A. Yes. Such a condensation, furnished or sanc- tioned by Christ Himself, is presented in the answer 216 AN EXPOSITION OF under notice. See Matt. 22:37-40; Mark 12:29-31; Luke 10 :26-28. Q. 3. In Rom. 13:8-10 is there not countenance given to the view that the sum of the Ten Command- ments is to love our neighbor as ourselves? A. a. Paul is in this passage treating directly of love due to our fellowmen, and may be understood to afBrm that, so far as this department is concerned, we keep the law perfectly when we love our neighbor as ourselves; b. No one but he who loves God supremely can love his neighbor as himself; c. Such is the unity of the Commandments that we cannot keep one of them aright with- out keeping them all, at least in spirit. He who breaks one virtually breaks all, for he disobeys the one central authority which underlies all. Jas. 2:10. Q. 4. What is meant by the accumulation of words, "heart," "soul," "strength," and "mind"? A. These terms are meant to be an exhaustive speci- fication of all our faculties and powers. Q. 5. Is it implied in the summary given that we should love ourselves? A. Yes. If we may not love ourselves, we may not love our neighbor. Jas. 2:8; Rom. 13:8-10; Luke 10:26-28. Q. 6. But is not self-love selfishness? A. An inordinate self-love, that is, a love which disregards or depreciates the claims of God and of our fellowmen, is selfishness and sin (2 Tim. 3 :2) ; but a properly regulated love of self is a duty. Q. 7. Must we love our neighbor in the same de- gree as we love ourselves? A. No; but we are to love him as we are to love ourselves, with a love subordinate to that due to God. The love to ourselves and to our neighbor is to be a re- THE SHORTER CATECHISM 217 stricted love, but not necessarily equal in the two cases. Q. 8. How does this appear? A. a. It is a man's duty to seek his own salvation first, and then his neighbor's. On the day of Pentecost Peter said to his hearers, "Save yourselves"; b. On the same principle, it is a man's duty to provide for his own especially, i Tim. 5 :8. So also, while we are to love all our fellowmen, we are required to have special love to some. Gal. 6:io. Q. g. Who is our neighbor? A. Our fellowman, without distinction of age, sex, rank, or nation. Luke 10:29-37. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Luke 10:26-28; Gal. 6:10; i Tim. 5:8; Jas. 2:10; 2 Tim. 3 :2. QUESTION XLIIL What is the preface to the Ten Command- ments? ANSWER. The preface to the Ten Commandments is in these words : "I am the Lord thy God Who have brought thee out of the Ismd of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." Q. I. Is the Jewish notion admissible that these words are a part of the First Commandment? A. No; these words present considerations fitted and meant to enforce the other Commandments as well as the First. They are no more a part of the First than of the Second, or of any other of the Ten precepts. Q. 2. What coloring does this preface take from the circumstances in which the law was proclaimed from Sinai? 218 AN EXPOSITION OF A. It is framed with a direct reference to the recent experiences of the Israelitish people to whom it was ad- dressed. Q. 3. Is there a sense in which God might be called the covenant God of the entire people who stood before Him at Sinai? A. Yes. As a nation they had just experienced through the favor of God a marvelous deliverance from Egyptian bondage. They were thus in a temporal sense a "redeemed" people, although in the deeper spiritual sense many of them were "in the bond of iniquity." In like manner God is in covenant with the visible Church as such, although many of its members are still in their sins. Rom. 2:28, 29. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Deut. 5:1-3; 7:9-11; Rom. 2:28-29. QUESTION XLIV. ■ What doth the preface to the Ten Com- mandments teach us? ANSWER. The preface to the Ten Commandments teacheth us that because God is the Lord, cmd our God and Redeemer, therefore we are bound to keep all His commandments. Q. I. What is the general nature of this preface? A. That of an argument to induce obedience. Q. 2. What considerations conducive to this end does it embrace? A. These are three in number, namely, God's sover- eignty. His covenant relation, and His gracious inter- position as a deliverer. Q. 3. How is the sovereignty of God announced? A. In the name of "Lord," that is, Jehovah, which points to self-existence and unchangeableness. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 219 Q. 4. How is the covenant relation intimated? A. In the expression "thy God." Q. 5. How is God's gracious character as a Saviour suggested? A. In the words, "Who have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." Q. 6. What was typified, or foreshadowed, by the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt? A. The redemption of sinners by Christ from the guilt and bondage of sin. i Cor. 5:7; i Pet. 1:19; 2:24; 3:18. Q. 7. Was there in the giving of the law at Sinai a renewal of the covenant of works? A. No. The tenor of the covenant of works was "Do and live." That of the Sinai covenant was "Live and Do." There was an evangelical undertone in the promul- gation of the law from Sinai. The deliverance experi- enced by the Israelitish nation is adduced as a motive to obedience, just as in Rom. 12:1 mercy shown by God is brought forward as a fact fitted to constrain believers to devote themselves to Him. Q. 8. Is the Decalogue, then, obligatory on none but believers in Christ? A. No. God is the Lord in Whom all men have their being and to Whom they owe implicit obedience. But the redeemed and regenerated are under special obli- gation to render themselves to Him as His servants. Rom. 12:1 ; I Cor. 6:20; I Pet. i :i7-2o. They owe to God their being doubly; first, their natural existence, and, second, their spiritual standing. They are the Lord's both as creatures and as redeemed creatures. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. I Cor. 5:7; I Pet. I :i9; 2:24; Rom. 12:1 ; i Cor. 6:20; I Pet. I -.17-20. 220 AN EXPOSITION OF QUESTION XLV. Which is the First CommcUidment? ANSWER. The First Commandment is: "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me." Q. I. How many of the Ten Commandments are negative in form? A. All of them except the Fifth. Of the Fourth it may be said that it is both positive, or affirmative, and negative. Q. 2. How many of them contain an express promise? A. Two, namely, the Second and the Fifth. Q. 3. How then can it be said in Eph. 6:2 that the Fifth is "the first commandment with promise" ? A. There are two ways of explaining this state- ment. a. It may mean that in the second table, or di- vision, of the law the Fifth is the first commandment with promise annexed ex- pressly ; h. It may mean that the Fifth is the first, it may be added, the only one, of the Ten which has a promise attached to it distinctively. In the Second Commandment there is a promise made to those who keep all the Commandments. This second explana- tion seems preferable. Q. 4. State some rules for the interpretation of the Decalogue. A. These are admirably summarized in "The Larger Catechism," and may be compendiously expressed as fol- lows : a. The law is to be regarded as perfect, and as demanding perfection ; THE SHORTER CATECHISM 221 &,. The law is "spiritual" in this sense that it is intended to regulate the thoughts and af- fections of the soul, as well as the out- ward conduct; c. Different Commandments may enjoin, or for- bid, the same thing in different aspects. For example slander, which is a direct breach of the Ninth Commandment, may also be a violation of the Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth precepts; d. A positive precept implies a negative, and a negative a positive; e. A promise implies a threat, and a threat a promise ; /. "Under one sin or duty all of the same kind are forbidden, or commanded; together with all the causes, means, occasions, and appearances thereof, and provocations thereunto." Q. 5. In the first table of the law, what seems to be the order of thought? A. The First Commandment indicates the only proper object of worship : it forbids polytheism. The Second Commandment lays down the regulative principle of worship : it forbids idolatry. The Third Commandment prescribes the proper spirit of worship : it forbids pro- fanity. The Fourth Commandment appoints the special time of worship : it enjoins the observance of stated sea- sons of worship. Q. 6. Is there a resemblance in structure between the Decalogue and the Lord's Prayer? A. Yes. In both the matters which directly con- cern the glory of God occupy the foreground. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Eph. 6:2; Rom. 7:7, 14; 8:3; Jas. 2:8-11. 222 AN EXPOSITION OF QUESTION XLVI. What is required in the First Command- ment? ANSWER. The First Commandment requireth us to know and acknowledge God to be the only true God, and our God, and to worship and glorify Him accordingly. Q. I. What are the chief duties enjoined in this pre- cept? A. a. To know God ; b. To recognize Him as the only true God ; c. To confess Him to be our God ; d. To render to Him corresponding homage and obedience. Q. 2. How can man know God, an infinite being? A. He can know Him apprehensively, but not com- prehensively. In other words, man may know not only that God is, but also what He is, although imperfectly. Jer. 9:24; Rom. i : 19-21 ; Job, 11 7; Is. 40:28. Q. 3. Does not incompleteness characterize our knowledge even of the creatures of God, or of any one of them? A. Yes. Q. 4. May our knowledge of God grow continually? A. Yes. Hosea 6:3; 2 Pet. 3:18. Q. 5. What is essential to a correct knowledge of God on our part? A. The illuminating influence of the Holy Spirit. Jno. 3:3; Eph. 1:17, 18. Q. 6. What is the blessing involved in this know- ledge? A. Eternal life in its high sense. Jno. 17:3. Q. 7. Does God claim in this Commandment to be the only true God? A. Yes. He debars our having, that is, recognizing, any other than Himself as God. Q. 8. Are there any claimants to the homage due to God alone? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 223 A. Yes, many. a. There have been, and are, the spurious deities of heathenism, the pro- ducts of the foolish heart of man ; h. The world, in the form of power and pleasure, acquires in the hearts of men the place due to God alone. Covetousness is called idolatry. Col. 3 :5 ; c. Satan seeks to usurp the throne of God. 2 Cor. 4 :4 ; Eph. 2 :2 ; 6 :i i ; i Thess. 2:18; i Tim. 5:15- Q. 9. What is meant by having God as our God? A. It is to recognize Him in our hearts and lives as worthy of our utmost reverence, trust, love, and obedi- ence. Ps. 73 :25, 26. Q. 10. Is this the attitude of any but true believers in Christ? A. No. John 14:6; I Tim. 2:5; i John 2:3. Q. II. Are edl those who are destitute of true faith in Christ atheists practically, if not theoretically? A. Yes. Eph. 2:12; i Jno. 2:22, 23; 2 Jno. v. 9. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Jer. 9:24; Hos. 6:3; Rom. 1:19-21; Eph. 1:17, 18; 2 Cor. 4 :4 ; Col. 3 :5 ; Ps. 73 :25, 26 ; Eph. 2 :i2. QUESTION XLVII. What is forbidden in the First Command- ment? ANSWER. The First Commandment forbiddeth the de- nying, or not worshiping and glorifying, the true God as God and our God, and the giving that worship and glory to any other which is due to Him alone. Q. I. Specify some things forbidden in this precept. A. a. Speculative, or theoretical, atheism, or the denial of the existence of a supreme Being; 224 AN EXPOSITION OF b. The refusal, or practical failure, to render homage to such a Being, if acknowledged to exist; c. The failure to recognize and claim as our God such a Being, to the exclusion of all others. Q. 2. Does God in the preface to the Ten Com- mandments propose Himself to us as our God? A. Yes ; He says "I am the Lord thy God." Q. 3. Is this a warrant to us to claim God as our God? A. Yes. It involves both a warrant and an obliga- tion so to do, Q. 4. What considerations should induce us to make this claim? A. £h It is right to take God as He offers Himself. Not to do so is insulting to Him ; b. It is profitable also; for he who has God has an unfailing and all-sufficient portion. Deut. 33:29; Ps. 31:14; 48 '.14; Is. 41:10; Lam. 3 124. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Ps. 5 :i I, 12 ; 48 :i4 ; 65 -.4 ; 7^ -.2$, 26 ; Is. 41 :io ; Lam. 3:24. QUESTION XLVIII. What are we specisdly taught by these words "before Me" in the First Commandment? ANSWER. These words "before Me" in the First Com- mandment teach us that God, Who seeth all things, taketh notice of, and is much displeased with, the sin of having any other god. Q. I. Does the word "before" in this Command- ment signify "in preference to"? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 225 A. No. It means "in presence of." The literal rendering of the Hebrew expression is "upon (or before) My face." Q. 2. Is this language fitted to suggest the daring nature of the conduct described? A. Yes. Q. 3. Is the face of God everywhere? A. Yes. Ps. 139:7. Q. 4. Is there room anywhere for the lawful wor- ship in a religious sense of any being but Jehovah? A. No. Is. 42:8; 44:8; 45:5, 6; 46: 9; Matt. 4:10. Q. 5. In the secrecy of the heart can such lawless worship be hidden? A. No. Ps. 139; 2, 3; Eccl. 12:14; Heb. 4:12, 13. Q. 6. Answer the objection that God is too great a Being to be concerned about our disregard of Him. A. It is just because He is so great that He notices the minutest things. The objection belittles Him, and in doing so makes little of sin. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Ps. 139:2, 3, 7; Is. 42:8; 45:5, 6; Eccl. 12:14; Heb. 4:12, 13. QUESTION XLIX. Which is the Second Commandment? ANSWER. The Second Commandment is: "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth ; thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them ; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me, and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me and keep My commandments." 226 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. I. What is the special object of this precept? A. To regulate the mode of external worship. Q. 2. Does it specify expressly the forms to be used in worship? A. No. The precept is negative in form, prohibit- ing explicitly the use of images or pictures as means of worship. Q. 3. What is implied in this Commandment? A. That it pertains to God alone to appoint out- ward methods, or means, of worship. Q. 4. Is it implied that we may devise according to our taste ways of worship, images and pictures excepted? A. No. These exceptions are representative, not exhaustive, being mentioned as samples, not as being the only forms that are unlawful, just as in the Sixth Com- mandment hatred, as well as murder, of our fellow-men is interdicted. Q. 5. What tendency on the part of man is presup- posed and guarded against in this precept? A. The tendency to substitute the instrument, or means, of worship for the proper object of worship, that is, God Himself. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Lev. 26:1; Deut. 4:15-19; Ps. 977. QUESTION L. What is required in the Second Command- ment? ANSWER. The Second Commandment requireth the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and en- tire, all such religious worship and ordinances eis God hath appointed in His Word. Q. I. What is it to "receive" the worship and or- dinances appointed by God in His Word? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 227 A. It is to recognize them as divinely appointed and as suited to our condition. Q. 2. What is it to "observe" such worship and ordinances? A. It is to render hearty homage to God in the ways indicated by Himself, and because He prescribes them, Q. 3. What is meant by "keeping pure and entire" the worship and ordinances appointed by God? A. The keeping of them as appointed, neither add- ing to them, nor taking from them. Deut. 12:32; Matt. 28:20; I Cor. II :23. Q. 4. Is restriction of this kind incompatible with liberty? A. No. So far from this, it is the very guardian of freedom, being a protection against the domination of man by man. Q. 5. Is God alone the Lord of the conscience? A. Yes. Matt. 15:9; 28:20; Deut. 12:32; Acts 5:29. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Deut. 12:32; Matt. 15:9; 28:20; Acts 5:29; i Cor. 11:23. QUESTION LI. What is forbidden in the Second Command- ment? ANSWER. The Second Commandment forbiddeth the worshiping of God by images or any other way not appointed in His Word. Q. I. Against what is this precept directly leveled? A. Against the employment of any tangible, or visible, likeness of God in His worship, and even the making of any such figure of Him. 228 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 2. What is the fundamental principle of this precept? A, It is that God is to be worshiped according to His own direction, and not according to man's devisings. Q. 3. In regard to the law of worship what is the Roman Catholic view? A. It is that God may be worshiped in any way not forbidden in Scripture, incUisive of the Apocrypha. Q. 4. What view on this point is held by the Lutherans and Protestant Episcopalians? A. It is that any mode of worship not forbidden in Scripture is lawful. Q. 5. How does this latter view differ from the Romish view? A. Only in this, that Romanists recognize, while Protestants reject, the Apocrypha as a part of the rule of faith. Q. 6. How may the view that positive Divine pre- scription is requisite to warrant any form of worship be denominated? A. The Calvinistic, or Puritan, view ; as it was dis- tinctly enunciated by Calvin, Knox, and other Reformers, and became a characteristic feature of the Puritan move- ment. Q. 7. Present proof that appointment by God is a prerequisite of lawful worship. A. a. In Deut. 12:32 God expressly forbids adding to, or taking from. His enactments as to worship. Corresponding to this is the charge given by our Lord to His dis- ciples to teach men to observe all things whatsoever He had commanded. Matt. 28 :2o ; b. The sin for which Nadab and Abihu were struck dead was their presuming to use strange fire in offering incense to God, that is, fire which He had not appointed to be used in that service. Lev. 10:1-3; THE SHORTER CATECHISM 229 c. In keeping with this is the fact that one item in the charge brought against Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, is his daring to change the date of the observance of the Feast of Tabernacles from the 7th to the 8th month of the year, i Kings 12:32, 33; d. It may be added that this seemingly rigorous treatment is the best security against the tyranny of man in the sphere of worship. It is better in this matter to fall into the hands of God than into the hands of man. This is a law of liberty. Q. 8. Is the use by Romanists of images and pic- tures in worship at variance with this precept? A. It is, being a method of worship never appointed by God.* Q. 9. As a matter of fact, does not the Romish use of these alleged "aids to devotion" lead to the worship of the aids, rather than of God ? A. There can be no reasonable doubt that such is the tendency and, in many cases, the effect of such use. Q. 10. Does this Commandment debar all exercise of the sculptor's, founder's, or painter's art? A. No; only so far as concerns the direct worship of God. Q. II. Are all attempts to represent the persons of the Godhead in figures, or colors, forbidden in this pre- cept? A. Yes. Deut. 4:15-19; Acts 17:25, 29. Q. 12. Is it right to make pictures of Christ as man? A. a. To make them for purposes of worship, or as aids of worship, would be in direct con- flict with the Second Commandment ; b. To make them merely as artistic expressions of our conceptions as to His bodily like- ness is, to say the least, of very question- *See Note at the end of Question LI. 230 AN EXPOSITION OF able propriety, and, if questionable, not per- missible. To abstain from the making- of such likenesses is not sinful. When two alternatives are set before us, one of which is certainly right and the other of doubt- ful propriety, we should choose the former. Q. 13. What considerations may be urged to prove that the making of likenesses of Christ is at least of doubtful propriety? A. a. It is certain that God has given no command to make such likenesses ; b. It is equally certain, and very suggestive, that no description of the bodily appearance of Christ is given in Scripture. There seems to be a studied silence in sacred writ on this point; c. It was the desire of Christ to be remembered in the world; but to accomplish this. He provided that inspired accounts of His life, death, and teachings should be given forth, and that His death should be through the symbolic ordinance of the Supper held in remembrance. Not by the brush, or pencil, or chisel of the artist was it provided that the name of Christ should be perpetuated; d. Even the Supper, guarded as it is against per- version, has been made an occasion of idolatry, just as the brazen serpent was. 2 Kings 18:4. Q. 14. It may be said that Christ did manifest Him- sel as man and that, if no idolatry resulted from that man- ifestation, a picture of Him would not be perilous. An- swer this cavil. A. a. No true likeness of Christ, as man, now ex- ists, or is attainable; this is a clear proof that the attempt to depict His bodily ap- pearance is destitute of Divine sanction ; THE SHORTER CATECHISM 231 b. Christ, being God as well as man, the worship of Him when He appeared in our nature was proper; but a picture or image of Christ is neither God nor man. Q. 15. Is it proper to use any figure, such as an eye, or a dove, as a symbol of God, or of any person of the Trinity? A. No. Deut. 4:15-19, 23, 24. The symbol in this case is apt to supplant the original which it is used to rep- resent, at least to foster gross conceptions of the Deity. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Deut. 4:15-19; 12:32; Acts 17:29; I Kings 12:32, 33; Matt. 15 :6, 9. Note. Romanists maintain that of religious worship there are three grades, to which respectively they give the names "dulia," "hyperdulia," and "latria," which are Greek words in Latin form. "Dulia" is that veneration, or religious homage, which, according to the Popish faith, may properly be given to saints and angels; while "hyperdulia" is that higher form of religious homage to which the mother of Jesus is entitled; and "latria" is that worship which is due to God alone. In regard to these distinctions it may be remarked : a. That they are too fine to be observed by the great mass of men. How can one determine whether or not his "dulia" may not be passing into "hyperdulia," and this again into "latria"? b. To saints and angels Romanists render a worship which presupposes the possession of Divine attributes by the objects worshiped; c. As a matter of fact, the homage paid to Mary by Romanists far exceeds both in volume and apparent fervor that which they render to God. Hymns are ad- dressed to her; and even the inspired Psalter has been 232 AN EXPOSITION OF tampered with and perverted by the blasphemous substi- tution of the name of Mary for that of God. The author of this profane parody, Bonaventura, is honored as an eminent saint by Roman CathoHcs; d. The quibbles to which Romanists feel forced to resort in self-defense, when charged with idolatry, are much the same as were, and are, used by the heathen charged with worshiping "stocks and stones" ; e. The Bible gives no support to the notion that there are different grades of religious worship. It is ad- mitted that in Scripture the word "worship" is used sometimes to denote such civil respect or courtesy as may be shown to men, as well as homage due to God only. Matt. 18:26; Luke 14:10; Matt. 4:10; Rev. 22:9. But when worship in a religious sense is mentioned in Scrip- ture, no degrees are attributed to it. The distinctions of "dulia," "hyperdulia," and "latria" are foreign to the Word of God. The act of "bowing down" in the spirit of religious worship to any being, or object, but God is for- bidden distinctly in the Second Commandment and frowned upon in all the sacred volume. The treatment of Matt. 4:10 by Romanists is worthy of their cause. That verse, they contend, favors their position, which is, that while worship of the nature of "latria" belongs to God alone, there is a sort of religious homage not to be limited to Him. In reply to the Tempt- er's daring proposition that Christ should worship him, our Lord says, "Get thee hence, Satan, for it is written, 'Thou shalt worship (proskuneseis) the Lord, thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve" (latreuseis). Here Papists raise the quibble that while others than God may be re- ligiously "worshiped," He alone may be "served," that is, worshiped in the way of "latria" ; for the word translated "served" is kindred to the word "latria." But the falsity of this interpretation is obvious from the fact that Satan had not asked for "latria," but for "proskimesis," or wor- ship; and had Christ meant what Romanists say He did, namely that worship, but not that called "latria," might be THE SHORTER CATECHISM 233 rendered to others than God, His answer would have been no rebuke to the Tempter's towering arrogance. It is beyond reasonable dispute that our Lord's reply was meant to declare that religious worship must be re- stricted to God only. Accordingly when John, in his vision, proposed im- pulsively to worship the angel who conferred with him (Rev. 22:8, 9), his movement was quickly arrested by the angel's words, "See thou do it not. I am a fellow-servant with thee and with thy brethren, the prophets, and with them which keep the words of this book : worship God." In this last clause the meaning certainly is, "worship God only," and the doctrine which the entire incident war- rants and demands is that religious worship is to be con- fined to God alone as its object. QUESTION LII. What are the reasons annexed to the Second Commandment? ANSWER. The reasons annexed to the Second Com- mandment are God's sovereignty over us, His propriety in us, and the zeal He hath to His own vi^orship. Q. I. What considerations, meant and fitted to en- force it, are embraced in this precept? A, Three facts : namely, God's absolute authority ; His ownership of all men ; and the importance He at- taches to His own worship. Q. 2. Hov^' is God's absolute authority announced? A. In the name "Lord" or Jehovah which He ap- propriates to Himself. Q. 3. What is there in this name to suggest the supreme authority of Him Who bears it rightfully? 234 AN EXPOSITION OF A. Radically it denotes the Self-existent One, Him Who has in Himself alone the reason of His Being and of all His acts; Who is consequently unchangeable. Mai 3 :8. This is the incommunicable name of God. Ps. 83:18; Is. 42:8. Q. 4. How is God's ownership of us set forth in this precept? A. Both in the words, "I am the Lord," and those appended, "thy God." Q. 5. How is this ownership suggested by the clause "thy God"? A. To be a God to any one is to be his master and entitled to his implicit obedience. Q. 6. How is God's concern for His own worship indicated in this Commandment? A. In the declaration "I am a jealous God." Q. 7. How is this statement to be understood? A. It rests on the conception that between God and His people there is a relation resembling in its closeness that subsisting between husband and wife. God can ad- mit no rival in our afifections ; and in regard to the wor- ship suitable to Him, He alone is competent to determine. To accept dictation from any other in this matter is dis- loyalty to Him. Q. 8. Is there a disposition on the part of men to think that in the matter of His worship God is not very strict ? A. Yes, even at the foot of Sinai, and with the Ten precepts still lingering in their ears, the Israelites grossly violated this Second Commandment. Q. g. To deter from a breach of the Second Com- mandment, or indeed of any of the Commandments, what consideration does God present? A. The fact that punishment shall overtake the transgressor, and descend from parent to child, as the sin- ful tendency is likely to go down to successive gen- erations. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 235 Q. 10. If the child of wicked parents do not copy their evil example, but turn from it, will the penalty here threatened come upon him? A. No. Every one who truly repents shall be for- given ; but the likelihood of repentance is less in the case of the offspring of wicked parents than in the case of others. Q. II. What direct motive to obedience is held forth in this Commandment? A. God's abundant mercy to those who love and obey Him. Q. 12. Does the word "thousands" refer to indi- viduals? A. No. It refers to generations. Q. 13. Why should it be so understood? A. a. Because in this way the contrast with the pre- vious clause, "third and fourth genera- tion," is better exhibited ; h. Because, elsewhere, the expression, "a thou- sand generations," occurs in a similar con- nection. Deut. 7:9, Q. 14. Is it not evident from the tone of this pre- cept that the tendency in men to corrupt the worship of God is both strong and fraught with evil? A. Yes; and the history of the Church in all ages affords sad proof to the same effect. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Mai. 3:8; Is. 42:8; Ps. 83:18; Ezek. 18:19-21; Deut. 7:9- QUESTION LIII. Which is the Third Commandment? ANSWER. The Third Commandment is: "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain ; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that tak- eth His name in vain." 236 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. I. What is the general aim of this precept? A. To inculcate reverence for God. Q. 2. Does it naturally follow the two preceding precepts? A. Yes. The object, the mode, and the spirit of religious homage are it-ems in natural sequence. Q. 3. Is reverence for God incumbent on us only in the exercises of direct worship? A. No. Habitual reverence toward God should mark us ; but especially should we be so affected in prayer, praise, and kindred exercises. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Eccl. 5 :i, 2; Ps. 84:1, 2; 86:11, 12; 96:9; 99:9; 123:1, QUESTION LIV. What is required in the Third Command- ment? ANSWER. The Third Commandment requireth the holy and reverent use of God's names, titles, at- tributes, ordinances, Word, and works. Q. I. Mention the names most frequently given to God in the Scriptures? A. God, Lord, Jehovah, Father, Almighty. Q. 2. How do titles differ from names? A. Titles are expressions descriptive of God's rela- tions to His creatures, while His names set forth especial- ly what He is in Himself. The distinction, however, be- tween these two words is not very clearly marked. Q. 3. Mention some of the titles given in Scripture to God. A. The Holy One of Israel ; The God of Peace ; The Father of Mercies ; God Most High ; Lord God of Hosts. Ps. 89:18; Heb. 13:20; 2 Cor. 1:3; Ps. 9:2; 80:4. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 237 Q. 4. What is an attribute of God? A. An inseparable quality of His essence. Q. 5. Mention some of the attributes of God. A. Self-existence ; spirituality ; eternity ; immuta- bility ; omnipresence ; omniscience ; omnipotence ; holi- ness; justice; goodness; and truth. Q. 6. Name some of God's ordinances. A. Civil government; church government; prayer; praise; preaching; fasting; vowing; solemn swearing; beneficence. Q. 7. What is the Word of God? A. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testa- ments. O. 8. What are the works of God? A. His operations in producing, preserving, and ruling the universe. Q. g. When may we be said to make "a holy and reverent use of God's name^, titles, attributes, ordinances, Word, and works"? A. When we use them for ends, and in a way, ap- proved by Him, and with a habitual sense of His glori- ous majesty, of our dependence upon Him, and of our accountability to Him for all our thoughts, words, and acts. I Cor. 10:31; Matt. 12:36; 15:8; i Pet. 3:15. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Ps. 89:18; 9:2; 80:4; I Cor. 10:31; Matt. 12:36. QUESTION LV. What is forbidden in the Third Command- ment? ANSWER. The Third Commandment forbiddeth all profaning or abusing of anything whereby God maketh Himself known. Q. I. How may profanity be displayed? 238 AN EXPOSITION OF A. a. By a contemptuous, or a light and frivolous, use of the names of God; b. By perverting ordinances of God to ends for which they were not appointed ; c. By employing for unholy purposes any of the powers of our being, or any of the creat- ures of God. Q. 2. What forms may a contemptuous, or a light and frivolous, use of God's names assume? A. These may be various, the most noteworthy being as follows : a. Blasphemy, or the malignant, or thoughtless, use of the names of God in conversation, or writing; b. False swearing, in which the name of God is used to support a lie; c. Needless swearing even under the forms of civil law; d. Unmeaning repetitions, especially of the Di- vine names, in exercises of worship ; e. The use of Scripture, or of sacred things, for the purpose of making merriment, or for other than holy ends ; /. Heedlessness when the Word of God is read or preached. Q. 3. What is the tendency of the use of profane language in ordinary speech? A. To beget in both speaker and hearer disregard of the Divine Being. Q. 4. Wherein appears the aggravated nature of this sin? A. In the fact that it is a useless and wanton dis- respect to our creator and preserver, the infinitely glori- ous God. Men gain nothing by it, as they may for a time by some other forms of sin, as, for instance, steal- ing. Q. 5. Are not the approaches to this sin, in the form of half oaths, or hinted oaths, to be carefully shun- ned? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 239 A. Yes; in these disguises the poison of profanity- lurks, and against them Hes the solemn warning in Matt. 5 :34-37- Q. 6. Is false swearing, or swearing to a falsehood, a violation of the Third Commandment? A. Yes, and of the Ninth also. Q. 7. In what respect is false swearing forbidden in the Ninth Commandment? A. In respect to its untruthfulness. Q. 8. In what respect is false swearing forbidden in the Third Commandment? A. In respect to its irreverence ; God being virtual- ly called upon to sustain a lie as truth. Thus the Com- mandments overlap and corroborate each other. Q. 9. In swearing judicially, what things are to be kept in view? A. a. That we svv^ear by God alone, the All-seeing One, and not by saints, or any mere creature. Deut. 10:20; Josh. 23:7; Is. 65: 16; Jer. 12:10; h. That we swear in exact accordance with the truth, or our apprehension of it. Lev. 19 : 12; 6:3; Ps. 15:4; Zech. 5:4; c. That we swear for a holy and important end, not for frivolous, much less for unholy, purposes. Heb. 6:16. Q. 10. In what respects are the oaths required by certain secret associations unlawful? A. a. The ends professedly in view do not warrant the use of an oath ; h. The oath is unlawful because it is meant to bind him who takes it to conceal certain things not yet revealed to him, and which, for aught he knows, it might be sinful for him to keep secret ; c. It is at least questionable whether any one but a functionary representing the State or the Church has a right to administer an oath. 240 AM EXPOSITION OF Q. II. Are there not some who object to swearing for any end? A. Yes. Quakers (or Friends), Mennonites, and some others do so object. Q. 12. On what grounds do they object? A. Chiefly on the ground that in Matt. 5 :34-37 and Jas. 5:12 all swearing seems to be forbidden. Q. 13. Present some considerations adverse to the Quaker view. A. a. Swearing solemnly in the name of God was certainly practiced with Divine approval in Old Testament times. See Gen. 14: 22; 24:2, 3, 9; 50:5, 25; Lev. 19:12; Deut. 6:13; Matt. 26:63, 64; b In swearing there is nothing of a ceremonial nature to warrant the conception that it was meant to pass away at the death of Christ ; c. More than once the Apostle Paul, writing by inspiration, adopts the language virtual- ly of an oath in confirmation of his state- ments. Rom. 9:1; 2 Cor. 1:18; 11:10; i Tim. 2:7; d. In Heb. 6:16 the custom and object of swear- ing in judicial cases are mentioned with manifest approval. When put under oath, our Lord did not refuse to testify. Matt. 26 :63, 64 ; e. The swearing which our Lord condemns in Matt. 5 :34-37, and against which warning is given in Jas 5:12, is profane swearing, which, in certain forms, was prevalent among the Jews. The specimens given by our Lord are of this nature, such as swearing by one's head, by the temple, or by Jerusalem. Q. 14. In what form should em oath be taken? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 241 A. Not by kissing a Bible, as is very common, but by lifting up the hand in token of appeal to God, while uttering the words of the oath. This form has Divine sanction, and the gesture is in itself expressive. Dan'l. 12:7; Gen. 14:22; Rev. 10:5. 6. Q. 15. May not this Commandment be broken in the exercises of praise and prayer? A. Yes. Q. 16. How may it be broken in these exercises? A. a. By engaging in them in a careless way, the majesty of Him Who is professedly ad- dressed not being considered ; b. By a needless and unmeaning use of the names of God ; these being introduced rather for the purpose of keeping up a continuous sound, than for the enforce- ment of the petitions presented; c. By the repetition of lines, or words, in sing- ing, simply for the sake of music, thus making the music, rather than the senti- ment, the controlling consideration. This offense is specially aggravated when com- mitted in the singing of the inspired Psalter. It is a virtual declaration that we can improve songs given by God ; and is essentially one with the method of "vain repetition," which is unlawful in prayer. Matt. 6:7. Q. 17. Is the use of Scripture for jesting purposes forbidden in this Commandment? • A. Assuredly so. Those who are rightly affected rather tremble at God's Word. Is. 66:2. Q. 18. Is the use made by the Masonic and some other societies of models to represent the ark of the covenant, the dress of the Levitical priests, and other ap- pointments of the ancient ritual, a violation of this pre- cept? 242 AN EXPOSITION OF A. Yes. It would have been daring impiety on the part of the Israelites to treat as common the sacred ap- pointments of God; and not less so is it now to attempt a reproduction of these, whether for purposes of amuse- ment or of worship. Q. 19. Is not this travesty of sacred things a suffi- cient reason for avoiding and condemning any society guilty of it? A. Yes. Q. 20. Do games of chance, so called, constitute an abuse, or a perversion, of a Divine ordinance? A. There is some reason to think so; not perhaps conclusive, but sufficiently strong to justify caution. Q. 21. Of what Divine ordinance are such games a probable profanation, or perversion? A. The ordinance of the lot. Q. 22. According to Scripture, what is the ordi- nance of the lot? A. It is a form of solemn appeal to God to decide a point of duty which we feel incompetent to determine. Q. 23. Is the lot to be used for determining an ab- stract question, or a doctrine of religion? A. No. The Scriptures alone are to be the rule of faith and morals to us. 2 Tim. 3:16, 17. Q. 24. In what circumstances may recourse be had to the lot for decision of questions? A. Not when the object is to decide as to a doc- trine, or a line of policy; but in selecting a person for some important post, or in settling a dispute, when both parties agree to accept the decision whatever it may be. Acts 1:24-26; Prov. 16:33; 18:18. Q. 25. If ever used, ought not the lot to be cast reverently and prayerfully? A. Yes. Q. 26. Are so-called games of chance, such as card- playing, allowable? A. No. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 243 Q. 27. What objections may lawfully be urged against them? A. a. They may, and often do, lead to a great waste of time; b. They are apt to induce betting, or gambling; c. The curse of God seems to attach to indulg- ence in such games. They are closely associated with the financial and moral ruin of many; d. In a game of chance there is a virtual appeal made to some being, or power, to give a decision in our favor. If to God, then the appeal should be made in a spirit of reverence and prayer, and for a proper end. If to some other power, then this is to recognize some power independent of, or superior to, God, Who yet tells us that when the lot is cast into the lap "the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord." Prov. 16:33. Q. 28. How may we profane, or abuse, God's dis- covery of Himself to us in the works of creation? A. a. By allowing the works to hide from us the worker; b. By turning the creatures of God into engines of war against Him ; c. By perverting them to our own injury, or to that of others. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Heb. 6:16; Deut. 10:20; Prov. 16:33; 18:18; Jas. 5: 12. QUESTION LVI. What is the reason annexed to the Third Commandment? 244 AN EXPOSITION OF ANSWER. The reason annexed to the Third Com- mandment is that however the breakers of this Commandment may escape punishment from men, yet the Lord our God will not suffer them to escape His righteous judgment. Q. I. How many of the Ten Commandments have a threat expressly annexed to them? A. Two, namel}^, the Second and the Third. Q. 2. How many have a promise expressly annexed to them? A. Two, namely, the Second and the Fifth. Q. 3. Why is a threat clearly appended to the Second and Third precepts? A. Perhaps, because men might be disposed to re- gard with peculiar toleration breaches of these Com- mandments. Q. 4. Are there many forms of the profanation of God's name which human laws cannot reach? A. Yes; and hence there is the greater need of an explicit warning by God in such cases. Q. 5. Is it proper to use fear of punishment for dis- obedience as a motive to obedience? A. Yes. God in His Word, and even in the De- calogue, does so. Q, 6, But is fear of punishment for disobedience to be the chief motive to obedience? A. No. Love to God for His supreme excellence and also for His relation to us as our creator and bene- factor should be the chief motive impelling us to obey Him in all things. Matt. 23:37-39; Rom. 13:10. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. , Ps. 9:16; 59:12, 13; 99:3; Matt. 23:37-39. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 245 QUESTION LVII. Which is the Fourth Commandment? ANSWER. The Fourth Commandment is: "Remem- ber the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God ; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates ; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it." Q. I. What truths underlie this Commandment? A. a. That our Creator allots us our time in this world ; h. That, therefore, it belongs to Him to dictate how it shall be spent. Q. 2. What is the force of the word "remember," with which this Commandment is introduced? A. a. It seems to imply that the Sabbath was not a new ordinance, but one already made known ; h. It may be meant to suggest our liability to forget the claims of the Sabbath as a sacred season. Q. 3. To whom is this precept particularly address- ed? A. To heads of families, directing them to keep, and to use their authority and influence to have others keep, one day in seven peculiarly sacred. Q. 4. What is the import of the word "Sabbath?" A. This word is transferred with slight change from the Hebrew to our language, and means "rest." 246 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 5. Should not this name, rather than the name "Sunday," be employed to designate the sacred day? A. Yes. The word "Sunday" comes to us from ancient Paganism, in which the worship of the sun held a prominent place. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Deut. 4:19; 17:3; Gen. 2:2, 3. QUESTION LVIII. What is required in the Fourth Command- ment? ANSWER. The Fourth Commandment requireth the keeping holy to God such set time as He hath ' appointed in His Word, expressly one whole day in seven to be a holy Sabbath to Himself. Q. I. What is the duty directly, or explicitly, en- joined in this precept? A. The observing- of one day in every seven days as specially sacred ; not the observing of every seventh minute, hour, week, month, or year ; but of one complete day in every seven days. Q. 2. Does this commandment imply that it is law- ful for us to forget God on any day except the Sabbath? A. No; but only that on one day in seven we shall give ourselves specially to the worship and service of God. Q. 3. What great principle is suggested in this precept? A. That it pertains to God alone to appoint "set," or stated, seasons for sacred ends. Q. 4. Aside from the weekly Sabbath, were there any fixed religious seasons appointed by God before the prescription of the Passover observance? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 247 A. None, so far as is known to us. Q. 5. Were there any such seasons appointed in the Mosaic economy? A. Yes, several ; particularly the Passover ; the Feast of Weeks, or of Pentecost ; the Feast of Taber- nacles; and the great Day of Atonement, each of which came once a year. Q. 6. In the New Testament dispensation is there any day except the weekly Sabbath appointed by God to be held peculiarly sacred? A. None whatever. Q. 7. Is it not a daring intrusion upon the preroga- tive of God to appoint as a stated religious festival any other day or season, such as Christmas or Easter? A. It is an impeachment of the wisdom of God and an assertion of our right and ability to improve on His plans. Q. 8. Is it lawful to appoint a day of thanksgiving, or of humiliation, as circumstances may seem to call for it? A. Yes; for such occasional, not stated, appoint- ments there is Divine warrant. Joel 1:14; Neli. 9:1; 12: 2y; Acts 13:1-3. Q. g. Is the Popish practice of stated fasting, as on every Friday and during the season called "Lent," countenanced in Scripture? A. No ; fasting in New Testament times as a re- ligious observance is not to be regulated by the almanac, but by the spiritual condition of him who fasts. Q. 10. Was there not a "set" day of fasting, how- ever, prescribed to the Israelites? A. Yes ; the tenth day of the seventh month was appointed by God to be observed by them as a day of fasting and humiliation. But that appointment has lapsed, and the general law which regulates worship abides. Q. II. Is it unlawful to appoint, as churches gener- 248 AN EXPOSITION OF ally do, a certain day, weekly or monthly, beside the Sab- bath, on which to meet for prayer and other religious exercises? A. No. The time so agreed upon is appointed not as sacred time, but as time convenient for holding a meeting for religious purposes, and as changeable ac- cording to circumstances. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Ex. 23:14-17; Lev. 16:29-31; 23:3. QUESTION LIX. Which day of the seven hath God appointed to be the weekly Sabbath? ANSWER. From the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ God appointed the seventh day of the week to be the weekly Sabbath, and the first day of the week ever since, to continue to the end of the world, which is the Christian Sabbath. Q. I. When was the ordinance of the Sabbath given to man? A. Immediately on his creation, and before his fall. Gen. 2:1-3; Mark 2:27. Q. 2. Was not man created in perfect harmony with the law afterwards given from Sinai? A. Yes, so far as the essence of the law is concern- ed. Eccl. 7:29. Q. 3. Was, then, the law of the Sabbath, in com- mon with other moral requirements, enthroned in the heart of man in his very creation? A. Yes, so far as the Fourth Commandment is "moral-natural," that is, so far as it binds us to devote our time as God dictates, it has a place in man's moral THE SHORTER CATECHISM 249 constitution. But so far as the duty of rendering special- ly one day in seven to God is concerned, the Fourth Commandment is "moral-positive," and needed to be ex- plicitly revealed to man after his creation. Q. 4. What evidence is there that the Sabbath ordinance given to man at his creation was, as to its es- sence, intended to bind the race till the end of time? A. a. The date of the enactment indicates that, like the law of marriage, it was meant for the race, and not merely for a par- ticular nation, or tribe. Gen. 2:1-3, 24; Matt. 19:5; b. It was subsequently embodied in the Ten precepts proclaimed by God on Sinai ; which set forth the duty of men at large, and not of Israelites only; c. In token of the permanent obligation of the Decalogue, it was written on stone by "the finger of God"; and of this Deca- logue the Fourth Commandment is a conspicuous feature; d. Our Lord declared that "the Sabbath was made for man," not for Jews only, but "for man." Mark 2 :2y ; e. Man's need of a Sabbath is not less now than in earlier times, but rather greater in con- sequence of the increasing intensity of modern life ; f. The proved helpfulness of this weekly rest is confirmatory of the view that it is of Di- vine origin and of permanent obligation. Q. 5. Is the keeping of the first day of the week now, instead of the seventh, as the Sabbath sanctioned in Scripture ? A. Yes. Various lines of evidence conduct to this conclusion. The argument in favor of the change is cumulative. Q. 6. What are the chief items of this argument? 250 AN EXPOSITION OF A. a. Suggestive prominence is given in the Old Testament to the eighth day, that is, the first day after seven days, or after a week of days. Gen. 17:12; Lev. 12:3; 14:10; 23:16, 39; Num. 29:35; Ezek. 43:27; b. The completion of creative work was signal- ized by the setting apart of the seventh day as Sabbath, It seems fitting that the achievement of redemption, a greater work, should be distinguished by a com- memorative day. But the day of Christ's resurrection was that on which His work of redemption was recognized as com- plete ; and that was the first day of the week. Mark 16:9; Luke 24:7, 46; i Cor. 15:4; c. The deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt, which was typical of redemption by Christ, was distinguished by a Divine di- rection that the month in which it oc- curred should rank as the first month of the year. To make the day of Christ's resurrection the beginning of the week would seem equally, or more, appropri- ate, Ex. 12:2; d. Emphasis seems to be laid by the inspired writer, John, on the fact that on two first days, namely, the day of His resurrection, and a week from that day, Christ appear- ed to the company of His disciples. John 20:19, 26. e. The day of Christ's resurrection was that on which He was declared to be "the head- stone of the corner," But that was prophetically announced as the day of the Lord's making, on which His people would "rejoice and be glad."' Ps. 118:22- 24: Acts 4:10, II. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 251 /. The friends of Christ in apostolic times and with apostolic sanction were wont to meet for worship on the first day of the week. Acts 20:7; i Cor. 16:1, 2. But why on that day, if not in commemora- tion of the resurrection of their Lord? And this practice must gradually have supplanted the observance of the seventh day of the week. The Decalogue does not require, nor sanction, the observance of two Sabbaths each week; g. The expression "Lord's day," which occurs in Rev. i :io, seems to indicate some day peculiarly related to Christ, just as the ordinance of the Supper is specially re- lated to Him; for the word translated "Lord's" is used in i Cor. 11:20 to char- acterize the "Supper," and only in these two texts is it employed in the New Testament. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Gen. 2:1-3; Mark 2:27; Gen. 17:12; John 20:19, 26; Acts 20: 7; I Cor. 16:1, 2; Rev. 1:10. QUESTION LX. How is the Sabbath to be sanctified? ANSWER. The Sabbath is to be sanctified by a holy resting all that day, even from such worldly em- ployments and recreations as are lawful on other days, and spending the whole time in the public and private exercises of God's worship, except so much as is to be taken up in the works of necessity and mercy. 252 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. I. In what different senses is the word "sanc- tify" used in Scripture? A. a. To make inwardly and outwardly conform- able to the law of God.' John 17:17; i Cor. 6:11; Eph. 5:26; I Thess. 5:23; b. To devote, or set apart, to sacred ends. In this sense it is used a multitude of times in the Old Testament. Lev. 27:14-18. The tabernacle and temple with their vessels, the priests and their vestments, were said to be "holy," or sanctified. c. To recognize as holy and entitled to rever- ence. Lev. 10:3; Is. 8:13; I Pet. 3:15. Q. 2. In which of these meanings is the word used in this question of the Catechism? A. In the second ; not to make holy in a moral sense, for only a moral agent can be so made holy ; but to devote, or dedicate, to holy purposes. Q. 3. How is the Sabbath to be sanctified negative- ly? A. By abstinence from worldly engagements, whether of the nature of business, or of pleasure. Q. 4. Is mere cessation from customary secular pursuits an adequate observance of the Sabbath? A. No. It must be a holy resting. Q. 5. What kind of resting is that? A. It is a resting according to, and because of, the command of God. Q. 6. Is a holy resting compatible with much ac- tivity ? A. Yes. It even implies activity. Q. 7. What kind of activity does it imply? A. Employment of the time in sacred thoughts and exercises. Is. 58:13, 14. Q. 8. How may the exercises of worship be classi- fied? A. As public and private. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 253 Q. 9. What, in general, are the public exercises of worship to which, in part, the Sabbath should be de- voted ? A. Those to be observed in the assemblies of God's people, such as prayer, the singing of psalms, the hearing of the Word read and expounded, the observance of the sacraments. Q. 10. What are the private exercises of God's worship ? A. Reading the Scriptures and other writings fitted to explain and commend them, prayer and praise, medi- tation and conversation about Divine things, together with famil}' instruction. Q. II. What are works of necessity? A. Such as are required by the Divine law, or as cannot be omitted without doing violence to the law ; as for instance, the use and, to some extent, the prepara- tion of food; the travel necessary for attendance on public worship. Q. 12. What are works of mercy? A. Those dictated by the philanthropy, or love to man, which the law of God enjoins ; such as waiting upon the sick; employing means for their relief and recovery; lending aid in cases of distress which may suddenly oc- cur ; and undergoing labor necessary to convey to the perishing the bread of life. Q. 13. Mention some ways in which many even of professing Christians break the Sabbath. A. By worldly, or idle, conversation; by reading secular books and papers; by social visiting; by giving, or attending, parties ; by writing letters on worldly mat- ters; by walking or riding for mere pleasure; and by entertaining worldly, though not intrinsically sinful, thoughts. Lev. 23:3; Neh. 13:15; Is. 58:13, 14. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Lev. 10:3; Is. 58:13, 14; Neh. 13:15; Matt. 24:20. 254 AN EXPOSITION OF QUESTION LXI. What is forbidden in the Fourth Command- ment? ANSWER. The Fourth Commandment forbiddeth the omission or careless performance of the duties required, and the profaning the day by idleness or doing that which is in itself sinful, or by un- necessary thoughts, words, or works about worldly emplo5anents or recreations. Q. I. Indicate in a summary way things forbidden in this Commandment? A, a. The failure to do what should be done on the Sabbath ; b. The heartless doing of the things required. Matt. 15:8; c. Mere indolence ; d. Needless attention to things in themselves right. Neh. 13:15-17; Is. 58:13, 14; e. Doing things intrinsically wrong. Q, 2. Is not the entertaining of evil thoughts, de- sires, and purposes more sinful if done on the Sabbath? A. Yes. In such a case the sin is aggravated. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Neh. 13:15-17; Is. 58:13, 14; Matt. 15:8. QUESTION LXII. What are the reasons annexed to the Fourth Commandment ? ANSWER. The reasons annexed to the Fourth Com- mandment are God's allowing us six days of the week for our own employments. His chal- lenging a special propriety in the seventh, His own example, and His blessing the Sabbath day. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 255 Q. I. How many reasons are here specified? A. Four, namely : God's grant of time for secular uses; His claim specially to one day in seven; His ex- ample; and the blessing attached to the Sabbath. Q. 2. Do we not owe our being and, of course, all our time to God? A. Yes. "In Him we live and move and have our being," Acts 17:28. Q. 3. Are we at liberty to spend any day of the week, or any minute, as if it were our own, and in prac- tical forgetfulness of God? A. We can do so ; but we have no right to do so. I Cor. 10:31. Q. 4. How, then, is the obedience required on the Sabbath distinguishable from that due on other days? A. In being restricted rather to exercises of direct worship, or, as far as possible, to spiritual things. Q. 5. Is the sentiment, which some who desire to undermine the institution of the Sabbath express, worthy of acceptance, that "every day should be a Sabbath"? A. a. To speak thus is to impugn God's wisdom ; for He did, as has been already shown, set apart one day out of every seven to be kept as peculiarly sacred; b. In thought, word, and deed we should obey God every day; but we are not required to be equally employed every day in the direct worship and contemplation of God. The language of the precept justifies this view : "Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work." ■Q. 6. In what sense is the word "propriety" used here? A. In the sense of ownership. As God made, He owns, us; and as He owns us, it pertains to Him to dictate how our time shall be spent. Ps, 100:3. Q. 7. Has not God a double ownership in His peo- ple? 256 AN EXPOSITION OF A. Yes; one founded on creation and another rest- ing on redemption. Q. 8. Has God attached a blessing to the proper observance of the Sabbath? A. Yes. Gen. 2:3; Ex. 20:11; Is. 58:13, 14. Q. 9. What does this blessing import? A. It means that the favor of God would rest on those who should keep the Sabbath holy to Him. Q. 10. Ought not the zeal shown by God for the Sabbath to fire us with like zeal? A. Yes. Lev. 11:45; 20:7; i Pet. 1:16; Eph. 5:1. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Gen. 2:3; Lev. 20:7; Eph. 5:1; i Pet. 1:16. QUESTION LXIIL Which is the Fifth Commandment? ANSWER. The Fifth Commandment is: "Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." Q. I. What department of duty is introduced by this Commandment? A. Our duty toward all sentient creatures ; par- ticularly toward human beings, ourselves and others. Q. 2. Why regard this second "table," or division, of the law as meant to regulate our attitude not only toward human beings, but also toward other sentient creatures? A. a. It is a fact that in the world around us there are many creatures other than human, capable of pleasure and pain, together with other created beings, called angels, with which we have somewhat to do, and toward which certain affections should be cherished. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 267 b. If the law of the Lord is perfect, as it surely is, it must comprehend all our moral re- lations and obligations. Ps. 19:7-9; 119: 96, 128. Q. 3. Is love of self wrong? A. No. We are to love our neighbor as ourselves ; which implies that love of ourselves is a duty, if love of our neighbor is a duty. Q. 4. Explain 2 Tim. 3:2, where it is mentioned as a mark of depravity that men shall be "lovers of their own selves." A. This means that they shall be characterized by selfishness, which is an undue self-love, or such a love of self as disregards the just claims of others. Q. 5. Explain the direction given in Phil. 2:3: "But in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves," or, as in the Revised Version, "each count- ing other better than himself." A. a. Every man who "knows the plague of his own heart" has a more vivid sense of his own unworthiness than he has of that of any other; b. If even such a one might admit that others are worse than he, the difference in his favor would be ascribed not to himself, but to the grace of God, and so would tend to generate humility, rather than self-esteem and superciliousness. Q. 6. Explain the statement in i John 3:16: "And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." A. a. This does not imply that we are to love "the brethren," that is our fellow Christians, better than ourselves; b. It teaches, however, that circumstances may occur in which loyalty to God may properly impel us to hazard our lives for the good of others, particularly of fellow- believers. But this would be to love God, not our Christian brethren, more than ourselves. 258 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 7. Is our duty to man comprehended in our duty to God? A. Yes. The whole law is God's law. Q. 8. Are not the terms "father" and "mother," in the Fifth Commandment, to be regarded as representa- tive and suggestive, rather than as exhaustive? A. Yes. They are meant to include the various social relations in which human beings may stand to each other, and even their relations to other sentient crea- tures. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Eccl. 12:13; Ps. 19:7; I John 3:16; 2 Tim. 3:2; Phil. 2:3. QUESTION LXIV. What is required in the Fifth Command- ment? ANSWER. The Fifth Commandment requireth the pre- serving the honor and performing the duties be- longing to every one in their several places and relations, as superiors, inferiors, or equals. Q. I. Are there any respects in which all men are equal ? A. Yes, several. Q. 2. Mention some respects in which they are equal. A. a. They are of one blood. Acts 17:26; b. They are, with the exception of the first pair, of common descent ; c. They are all moral agents, and bear in this respect a likeness to God ; d. They are all destined to exist forever as con- scious beings. Q. 3. Are there any respects in which men are un- equal? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 259 A, Yes, many. Q. 4. Indicate some respects in which men are un- equal. A. a. In age, some being old, others young; h. In bodily and mental endowments ; c. In education and refinement; d. In social standing and influence; e. In moral and religious character; /. In official rank, civil or ecclesiastical. Q. 5. Do these inequalities form a just basis for varying degrees of honor? A. Yes. Ex. 22:28; Lev. 19:32; Rom. 13:7; i Thess. 5:13; I Tim. 5:17; 6:1; i Pet. 2:17. Q. 6. Toward superiors, how should we act? A. a. Not in a spirit of abject obsequiousness and servility; h. Respectfully, as having regard to the author- ity of God. Q. 7. Toward equals, how should we act? A. With greater freedom than toward superiors; yet with dignified courtesy. Q. 8. Toward inferiors how are we to act? A. Not in a rude, or repellent, manner; but con- siderately and kindly, remembering that we have a Master Who will hold us to account for our demeanor toward our fellowmen. Q, 9. What, in particular, are the duties of parents to their children? A. 01. To love them with special affection. Tit. 2: 4; Ps. 103:13; h. To provide for their temporal support. 2 Cor. 12:14; I Tim. 5 :8; c. To rule and, if necessary, chastise them. Prov. 13:24; 19:18; 29:15, 17; I Tim. 3: 4, 12; Heb. 12:7; d. To instruct them in useful knowledge, but especially in regard to the need and way of salvation. Deut. 6:6-9; Ps. 78:4-7; Eph. 6:4; 260 AN EXPOSITION OF e. To pray for, and with, them, i Chron. 29:19; f. To act in such a way as to make it easy for their children to love and honor them. Col. 3 :2i ; Eph. 6 -.4. Q. 10. What, in particular, are the duties which children owe to their parents? A. a. They should love them ; b. They should obey them in all lawful com- mands. Eph. 6 :i ; 2 Tim. 3 :2 ; Rom. 1 130 ; c. They should treat them with deference and respect; d. They should, as far as may be necessary and practicable, provide for their temporal support and comfort. Matt. 15:3-6; John 19 :27. Q. II. Is a child bound to obey his parents if they require him to do something sinful? A. No. The right of parents to command is con- fined to things in harmony with the law of God. Q. 12. What course should a child pursue when his parents require him to do anything sinful? A. a. He should make it clear by his entire deport- ment that his refusal to obey proceeds from no spirit of insubordination, or lack of love, to his parents; but from a sense of God's superior authority; b. He should meekly submit to the chastisement which his refusal to obey might bring upon him. Heb. 12:9. Q. 13. What duties do men, as members of civil society, owe to their rulers? A. a. They should regard them with deference as holding authority from God. Rom. 13:1- 8; I Pet. 2:13, 14, 17; b. They should obey all their just enactments; and if any unrighteous laws are framed, they should seek in a constitutional way THE SHORTER CATECHISM 261 to have these rescinded ; resort to physic- al force for this purpose being admissi- ble only in extreme cases; c. They should pay the lawful taxes cheerfully, as to God. Rom. 13:7; d. They should pray for those in authority, i Tim. 2:1, 2. Q. 14. If the civil authorities should require us to do something which God forbids, what should be our at- titude? A. We should refuse compliance with such a law, and submit to the penalty. Acts 4:19, 20. Q. 15. Is there any limit to this duty of passive obedience ? A. a. Authority is vested in individual men not for their own sake, but for the sake of the community. People were not made for rulers, but rulers for the people. It seems a necessary conclusion that when the con- duct of the ruler, whatever the form of government may be, becomes subversive of the proper ends of civil government, the people have a right to interfere even by force; b. This reserved, or implied, right of revolution is not to be rashly exercised, lest haply the remedy should prove worse than the disease. Q. 16. Are all classes of society to be subject to the regularly constituted civil authorities? A. Yes. Rom. 13:1-7; i Pet. 2:13-18. Q. 17. What exception do Romanists take to this position? A. They claim that priests should be amenable to ecclesiastical jurisdiction alone ; and that the Pope is su- preme over the State, having authority to depose civil rulers and release their subjects from the obligation to obey them. 262 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 1 8. Has this papal claim ever been practically asserted? A. Yes, often. Q. 19. Has it ever been renounced? A. Never. On the contrary, it rests on a firmer theoretical basis since 1870, when, by the Vatican Coun- cil, the doctrine of Papal Infallibility was declared to be a dogma to be received under pain of perdition. Q. 20. Is it safe for the State to grant the right of suffrage to those who uphold this Papal claim to suprem- acy? A. It is very unsafe. Q. 21. What duties do civil rulers owe to those under their sway? A. a. A wise and equitable administration of public affairs, i Pet. 2:13, 14; Rom. 13: 3; Ps. 101:3; 2 Sam. 23:3; b. A good example. Ps. loi :2, 3, 7; c. Courteous demeanor toward all. i Pet. 2:17. Q. 22. How may superiors, inferiors, and equals respectively break this Commandment? A. a. Superiors may be heartless, exacting, and supercilious toward inferiors ; b. Inferiors may be envious, discourteous, and unjust toward superiors; c. Equals may be jealous, unfair, and spiteful toward each other. Q. 23. What duties do ordinary, or private, mem- bers of the Church owe to those who are over them in that sphere? A. a. Honor, i Thess. 5:12, 13; i Tim. 5:17; b. Obedience in all lawful requirements. Heb. 13:17; c. Prayer in their behalf, i Thess. 5 125 ; 2 Thess. 3 :i ; Col. 4:3 ; d. Temporal support, so far as needful and pos- sible. I Tim. 5:17, 18; 2 Cor. 11:7-9; Phil. 4:14-18; THE SHORTER CATECHISM 263 e. Cooperation in upholding and spreading "the truth as it is in Jesus." Phil. 1:27; 2:15, 16; Jude V. 3. Q. 24. What duties do rulers in the Church owe to those under their care? A. a. A deep interest in their welfare. Acts 20: 31; Col 2:1, 2; b. Patience and gentleness in dealing with them. I Thess. 2:7, 8; 2 Tim. 2:24-26; c. Firmness in withstanding their wayward tendencies, i Cor. 5:1-5; i Tim. 6:3-5; d. Instruction in the truth, and the maintenance of wholesome discipline, i Cor. 5:12; 2 Tim. 4 :2 ; e. A holy example. Acts 20:33-35; Tit. 2:7, 8; I Tim. 4:12. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Prov. 29:15, 17; I Tim. 5:17; Eph. 6:1; Heb. 12:9; I Pet. 2:17; Jude V. 3; Phil. 2':i5, 16; Col. 4:3. QUESTION LXV. What is forbidden in the Fifth Command- ment? ANSWER. The Fifth Commandment forbiddeth the neglecting of, or doing anything against, the honor and duty which belongeth to every one in their several places and relations. Q. I. Is the mere omission to render honor to those to whom it is due a violation of the Fifth Command- ment? A. Yes. Rom. 13:7; Ps. 15:4. Q, 2. Is not insult addressed to one entitled to honor a still more flagrant breach of this precept? A. Yes. 264 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 3. May not honor be rendered to a man because of the office he holds, although, for his character, he is abhorred? A. Yes. Ex. 22:28; 2 Pet. 2:10; Jude v. 8. Q. 4. Is it a breach of this Commandment to act in such a way as to bring disgrace upon relatives? A. Yes, if the conduct be in itself disgraceful. Sometimes, however, duty may require us to pursue a course which relatives and friends may resent as a dis- grace to them. Luke 14:26, 27; Acts 5:41. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Rom. 13:7; Ex. 22:28; Ps. 15:4. QUESTION LXVI. What is the reason annexed to the Fifth Commandment ? ANSWER. The reason annexed to the Fifth Com- mandment is a promise of long life and prosper- ity, as far as it shall serve for God's glory and their own good, to all such as keep this Com- mandment. Q. I. What inducement to compliance with this precept is held out? A. Long life, and that in comfort. Q. 2. Does the promise take its hue from the con- dition of the Israelites as prospective settlers in Canaan? A. Yes. God was, at the time when He proclaimed the law, about to put them in possession of that land. Q. 3. How then does the promise apply to others? A. The place providentially allotted to us by God corresponds to the land assigned by God to the Is- raelites. Acts 17:26; Eph. 6:3. Q. 4. Are those who obey this precept distinguish- ed above others for length of life? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 265 A. Taking all things into account, it may be af- firmed that they are. Q. 5. Mention some considerations favoring this view. A. a. The very character which inclines one to honor his parents and his fellowmen at large conduces to mental peace and consequently to physical health; h. Should his life be shortened, it may be so in kindness to him. Is. 57:1; i Kings 14: 13; c. In his life, even though brief, he may ex- perience more of true life than others whose years are more. Ps. 37:16; 91: 16; Prov. 3 :2. Q. 6. Why may the Fifth Commandment be de- scribed as the "first commandment with promise"? A. a. Perhaps, because it is the first in the second table, or division, of the law which has a promise explicitly annexed to it; h. More probably, because it is the first, or rather the only one, which has a specific promise attached to it. In the Second Commandment a promise is indeed made, but it is made to those who keep all the Commandments. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Ps. 37:16; Prov. 3:2; Is. 57:1; I Kings 14:13. QUESTION LXVII. Which is the Sixth Commandment? ANSWER. The Sixth Commandment is: "Thou shalt not kill." Q. 1. What condition of existence is guarded by this precept? 266 AN EXPOSITION OF A. That of life. Q. 2. What varieties of life are there? A. a. Vegetable life, such as appears in trees and plants ; b. Animal life, such as appears in beasts, birds, fishes, and insects; c. Human life, such as pervades and controls the material structure of man; d. Angelic life, such as marks the beings called angels ; e. Spiritual life, the product of a gracious oper- ation of God, and consisting in likeness to Him and fellowship with Him; /. Divine life, such as only He possesses Who is "the living God." i Tim. 3:15; 6:17; i Thess. I :g. Q. 3. Which of these forms of life does this pre- cept contemplate? A. Human life especially ; the life of lower senti- ent beings, however, not being overlooked. Q. 4. Does this Commandment relate to the spirit- ual life of man? A. Not directly; but a fair inference from it is that if the bodily life is sacred, much more is that of the soul. Q. 5. How does it appear that this Commandment is meant to regulate our action even toward the lower animals? A. a. It is clearly indicated in Scripture that man is for his good vested with authority over the lower animals. Gen. 1:28; 9:2, 3; Ps. 8:6-8; h. It is equally clear that this authority is limit- ed, and that, while warranted to protect himself against the lower animals, and to press them into his service for food, for clothing, for work, and for sacrificial worship when such worship is appointed THE SHORTER CATECHISM 267 by God, he has no right to treat them with wanton cruelty and to torture them for his amusement. Deut. 22 :6, 7 ; 25 4 ; Jonah 4:11; Prov. 12:10. Q. 6. In the light of this commandment, how do the prevalent practices of fishing and hunting for sport and the harsh treatment of beasts of burden appear? A. As tyrannical, barbarous, and demoralizing. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Gen. 1:28; Deut. 22:6, 7; 25:4; Prov. 12:10. QUESTION LXVIII. What is required in the Sixth Command- ment? ANSWER. The Sixth Commandment requireth all lawful endeavors to preserve our own life and the life of others. Q. I. What, in general, is enjoined in this Com- mandment? A. The preservation of life, our own and that of others. Q. 2. Is it our duty to preserve our own life? A. Yes. Life is a gift entrusted to us by God, to be carefully guarded, and to be yielded up only at His demand. Acts. 7 :59. The charge addressed by Paul and Silas to the Philippian jailer is an expression of our duty: "Do thyself no harm." Acts 16:28. Q. 3. Is it always incumbent on us to avoid death? A. No. It may sometimes be our duty and honor to expose ourselves to it. Q. 4. Specify some cases in which it may be even our duty to expose ourselves to death. 268 AN EXPOSITION OF A. a. In repelling gross assaults made upon our rights, or even the rights of others. If the civil magistrate may use the sword for the punishment of evil-doers, defen- sive war must be permissible. Rom. 13:4; b. If the alternative were forced upon us, to die or to commit a sin, we should prefer death. Acts 4:19, 20; 5:29; Dan'l. 3:18; 6:22; Matt. 10:39; Phil. 1:29; I Pet. 3: 17; c. In behalf of the cause and people of God we may risk our lives. Rom. 16:4; I John 3:16; d. Parents may warrantably hazard their lives for the support and protection of their children. This is done by miners, sailors, and many others with approbation. Our Lord did not censure His disciples for engaging in the dangerous occupation of fishermen. Q. 5. Is suicide ever lawful? A. No. Q. 6. Present considerations in support of this posi- tion. A. a. God, the author of life, owns us, and no man, without His sanction, is warranted to put an end to his own life ; b. If we may not murder our neighbor, surely we have no right to murder ourselves; c. Suicide implies a refusal to stand at our post till released by God, and so involves an element of rebellion against Him ; d. This act, at least when death results instan- taneously, precludes repentance; e. It is a significant fact that the suicides brought to view in Scripture were bad men. Ahithophel, Saul, and Judas are the chief representatives in Scripture of the class of suicides. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 269 Q. 7. May not Samson be classed among suicides? A. Not in the criminal sense of the word. Q. 8. Explain this more fully. A. a. It is true that he performed a feat which he knew would issue in his death. Judges 16:30; h. His act was not prompted by a desire to die ; but by a desire to execute the vengeance of God on the foes of Israel and of him- self as the champion of Israel; c. It was after prayer to God for strength that Samson performed the tragic deed. Judges 16:28; d. God seems to have responded to Samson's prayer ; e. Samson's position was unique. He had been called and qualified by God to act for Him as judge and defender of the chosen people. As Joshua had by Divine direc- tion waged war on the Canaanites, so Samson had a commission from God to avenge Israel's wrongs. Q. 9. Have we charge in some sense of the life of others as well as of our own life? A. Yes. It was apostate Cain who dared to ask, "Am I my brother's keeper?" TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Acts 5:29; Phil. 1:29; Dan. 3:18; i John 3:16; Acts 16:28. QUESTION LXIX. What is forbidden in the Sixth Command- ment? ANSWER. The Sixth Commandment forbiddeth the taking away of our own life or the life of our neighbor unjustly, and whatsoever tendeth there- unto. 270 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. I. Is the taking away of human life forbidden unreservedly in this Commandment? A. No,* only the doing so unjustly, which implies that there may be a just "taking away" of human life. Q. 2. Is all war unlawful? A. No. God directed the Israelites to make re- lentless war on the Canaanites, Amalekites, and others. Ex. 23:23, 24; Josh. 8:2; I Sam. 15:3; Ps. 137:8, 9. War in self-defense may, as a last resort, be warrantable. Ag- gressive war, unless commanded by God, is wrong. Q. 3. Explain the teaching of Christ in Matthew 5 :38-44. A. This is meant to prohibit a quarrelsome and vindictive spirit and inculcate the duty of love to all men, Q. 4. Were the Israelites, even when waging war upon the Canaanites, warranted to hate them? A, No. The law of love to man was not suspended even then. Q. 5. Is capital punishment by the State forbidden in this Commandment? A. No, if inflicted as a penalty for murder, or for treason, which is constructively murder. Q. 6. Advance some proof in support of this posi- tion. A. a. In Gen. 9:6 the injunction is issued that the murderer shall be executed : "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed." If asked, may not this be a prediction rather than a precept, we would answer, No ; for in v. 5 God says that "He will re- quire the life of every man at the hand of his brother," that is, of his fellowman. Even if a prediction, this would be an in- dication of the ineradicable instinct of the race that the murderer deserves death; THE SHORTER CATECHISM 271 b. The reason given in Gen. 9 :6 why the shedder of human blood should be put to death is of permanent and universal force, name- ly, that man was made in the image of God; c. In giving laws to the Israelitish people, God strictly directed that the murderer should be put to death. See Num. 35:30-34; Ex. 21:14; Deut. 19:11-13; d. In the language of Paul, "For if I be an offender, or have committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die" (Acts 25:11), it is implied that death is a punishment which may sometimes be justly inflicted; e. In Rom. 13:4 the civil magistrate is describ- ed as bearing a sword, that is, as vested with authority to inflict death for crime. Q. 7. Is it only actual murder that is forbidden in this precept? A. No. Hatred of others, greed, intemperance, and evil affections generally which lead to murder are also prohibited. Matt. 5:22; Jas. 4:1; i John 3:15. Q. 8. Does this Commandment forbid the killing of animals? A. No; only the needless killing of them, and cruelty to them. Q. 9. What may justify our killing of animals? A. a. The desire of self-protection against fero- cious, venomous, or vexatious creatures. Acts 28:5; b. We may kill animals for food and clothing. Gen. 9:3; John 21:6, 9-13; Gen. 18:7, 8; I Cor. 10:25; c. When required by God as sacrificial victims, animals may and should be slain ; d. Yet the killing of animals, even lawfully, should be done with the infliction of as little pain as possible. Deut. 25 -.4 ; 272 AN EXPOSITION OF e. Vivisection, or the subjection of animals to pain and death, is lawful, if done humane- ly and in the interests of man ; but not, if done to gratify mere curiosity, or in a spirit of cruelty. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Gen. 9:6; Num. 35:30-34; Acts 25:11; i John 3:15; Gen. 9:3; Acts 28:5. QUESTION LXX. Which is the Seventh Commandment? ANSWER. The Seventh Commandment is: "Thou shalt not commit adultery." Q. I. What is the particular department of morjds emljraced in this precept? A. That pertaining to sexual relations. Q. 2. What is presupposed in this Commandment? A. That there is among human beings a difference of bodily constitution, which is called a difference of sex; and that between the sexes there is a mutual ap- petency, or attraction. Gen. 1:27; 2 124. Q. 3. Is the sin contemplated here possible to mere spirits? A. Apparently not. Matt. 22:30; Eph. 5:28, 31 ; i Cor. 6:16, 18. Q. 4. Is not the sin in view emphatically carnal? A. Yes ; but it has its seat, as all sin must have, ultimately in the soul, or mind ; yet in the soul, or mind, as related mysteriously to a bodily organism. Rom. i : 24; Ps. 81 :i2; Eph. 4:18, 19. Q. 5. What is adultery? A. In the strict use of the term, it means unlaw- ful sexual intercourse between two married persons, or between two, one of whom only is married. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 273 Q. 6. What term is used to denote like intercourse between two unmarried persons, male and female? A. Fornication. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. I Cor. 6:i8; Gen. 2: 24; Eph. 4:17-19. QUESTION LXXI. What is required in the Seventh Command- ment? ANSWER. The Seventh Commandment requireth the preservation of our own and our neighbor's chastity, in heart, speech, and behavior. Q. I. In how many ways may the sin of unchas- tity be committed? A. In heart, in speech, and in our acts aside from speech. Q. 2. How may this sin be committed in the heart? A. By the entertainment of impure thoughts and desires. Matt. 5:28; 15:18-20; Rom. 1:24. Q. 3. What is to be done to counteract and cure this heart evil? A. a. We should duly consider the breadth of the law; b. We should seek to displace evil thoughts and appetencies by the thought of God, of His holiness, justice, truth, power, and knowledge. Gen. 39:9; Ps. 139:1-3; c. We should shun, as far as may be consistent with duty in other respects, persons, places, and conditions likely to excite in us improper thoughts and affections. Prov. 4:23-27. The theatre and the ball-room should be avoided; 274 AN EXPOSITION OF d. Above all we should exercise faith in Christ, and by habitual prayer seek strength to combat evil propensities and Satanic temptations, i John 5:4; Luke 22:31, 32; Acts 15:9; 2 Cor. 12:9. Q. 4. Is it requisite for success in this struggle to withdraw from the world to monasteries or convents, after the manner of Popish devotees ? A. No. This is not requisite, neither is such a course conducive to moral purity, as the history of monkery clearly proves. Q. 5. How may we break this Commandment in our speech? A. By impure speech we may corrupt others and foster in ourselves evil propensities. Prov. 7:21; 2 Pet. 2:18; Jas. 3:6. Q. 6. How may we in our acts, aside from speech, break this Commandment? A. a. By direct acts of lewdness; b. By immodesty of deportment; c. By indulgence in strong drink. Hos. 4:11. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Ps. 139:1-3; Prov. 4:23; I John 5:4; Jas. 3:6; Hos. 4:11. QUESTION LXXII. What is forbidden in the Seventh Com- mandment? ANSWER. The Seventh Commandment forbiddeth all unchaste thoughts, words, and actions. Q. I. Is not the word "adultery," in the Seventh Commandment, used in a representative, or comprehen- sive, sense? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 275 A. Yes, it is employed to signify all improper sexual relations and inclinations. This is in keeping with the compression which marks the other precepts of the Decalogue. Q. 2. Are there any degrees of relationship within which marriage even is unlawful? A. Yes. Q. 3. Where especially are indicated the degrees within which marriage is forbidden? A. In the i8th and 20th chapters of Leviticus. Q. 4. May not the restriction specified in these chapters apply to the Israelites alone? A. Several considerations forbid this limitation. a. On this supposition, we should be left in a very important department of life with- out, or nearly without, any Scripture guidance ; h. In the chapters under notice, the Canaani- tish tribes are charged with gross sin be- cause they married within the degrees of relationship specified. This implies that the restrictions laid down applied to other nations as well as to the Israelites. Lev. 18:3, 24, 25, 27, 30; 20:23; c. In I Cor. 5:1 the conduct of a member of the Corinthian church, who had married his stepmother, is denounced as a flagrant offense, such as even the Gentiles deem- ed abhorrent. This presupposes that a law adverse to such a marriage existed. But where in the Bible is such a law found, if not in Leviticus? Q. 5. Is a certain degree of nearness of kin, or of blood relationship, a lawful impediment to marriage? A. Yes. Q. 6. Explain the degree of nearness within which marriage is unlawful. 276 AN EXPOSITION OF A. Those more nearly related than first cousins may not wed together. See the specifications in Lev. i8:8-i8. Q. 7. Does this prohibition include relatives by marriage or affinity, as well as relatives by blood or consanguinity? A. Yes. For instance in v. 8 it is said : "The naked- ness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover." Q. 8. What is meant in this case by the expression "father's wife"? A. It means stepmother, that is, a mother by mar- riage or affinity, not by blood. Q. 9. How may this be proved? A. By the fact that in the preceding verse (v. 7) marriage with one's real mother is forbidden ; and also by the fact that in verse 8 the reason given is, "she is thy father's wife," not as in verse 7, "she is thy mother." Q. 10. Is there further evidence to the same effect given in Leviticus, chapter 18? A. Yes. In v. 14 it is said, "Thou shalt not un- cover the nakedness of thy father's brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife; she is thine aunt." Q. II. What light does this shed on the point in hand? A. The mere fact that two persons stand related to each other as aunt and nephew, or, it may be added, as uncle and niece, is a legal barrier to their intermar- riage. Yet there may be no blood bond between them. See further evidence in the same line in verses 15, 16, 17, and in ch. 20:20, 21. Q. 12. Is the marriage of a man to a sister of his deceased wife lawful? A. No. She is his sister by affinity, and, so far as concerns marriage, is as ineligible as his sister by blood. In exact correspondence with this is the enactment in Lev. 20:21, "And if a man shall take his brother's wife, it is an unclean thing." If a man may not marry THE SHORTER CATECHISM 277 his brother's wife, why should a woman marry her sister's husband? Q. 13. In Lev. 18:18 permission, many say, is given to a man to marry a sister of his deceased wife. Deal with this view. A. a. The meaning of this verse is confessedly ob- scure. b. This enactment is leveled against simultane- ous polygamy, that is, having at the same time more than one wife. The transla- tion given by the Revisers seems accurate, and it favors this view : "And thou shalt not take a woman to her sister to be a rival to her to uncover her nakedness beside the other in her lifetime." Q. 14. Answer the objection that if this be a pro- hibition of simultaneous polygamy, it would be most strange that so many of the Israelites, apparently with- out remorse, or legal obstruction, should have had at the same time a plurality of wives. A. a. There is good ground for thinking that but few Israelites practiced polygamy in the sense indicated ; b. When practiced among them, it seems to have been productive of evil and frown- ed upon by God. i Sam. 1:10; 2 Sam. 12:9, 10; I Kings II :4; c. Other lines of conduct unquestionably for* bidden, as, for instance, idolatry, Avere pursued by many of the Israelitish peo- ple. Q. 15. It is sometimes urged that blood relation- ship was no barrier to marriage in the family of Adam, and therefore should not be so now. Answer this. A. a. This argument proves too much for those who advance it; for they do not claim that natural brothers and sisters may in- termarry now; 278 AN EXPOSITION OF b. Of the precepts of God some are more radical and inflexible than others. For instance, He made it the duty of the Israelites to kill the Canaanites and seize their property ; but He never gave authority to any man to lie, or to hate his neighbor. It was the duty of the Israelites before the crucifixion of Christ to offer animals in sacrifice to God. It would be sinful for Jew or Gentile to do so now. Q. i6. Another objection is pressed that according to the law in Israel it was right for a man to marry the widow of a brother who had died childless. A. The answer given to the previous question may suffice as an answer to this objection. Q. 17, Is the divorce of married persons ever law- ful? A. Yes. Matt. 5:32; 19:9. Q. 18. What is the Roman Catholic doctrine on this point? A. It is that divorce, at least among professing Christians, is never lawful ; while separation "a mensa et thoro," that is, from bed and board, is permissible. Q. 19. By what device, however, do Romanists evade the difficulties attaching to their refusal of divorce? A. They teach that marriage may on a variety of grounds be null and void from the beginning. Accord- ing to Romish casuists there are sixteen grounds on any one of which a marriage may be declared null. Such nullification is divorce under another name. Q. 20. How do Romanists provide a convenient modification of their stringent rules touching the forma- tion of the nuptial union? A. By maintaining that in the Pope is vested authority to dispense with certain requirements in re- gard to marriage. The exercise of the dispensing power is a fruitful source of revenue to the Papal treasury. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 279 Q. 21. Is divorce lawful upon any other ground than that of actual adultery? A. Yes, on the ground of persistent, irremediable desertion on the part of husband or wife, i Cor. 7:15. This might be styled "constructive adultery," as it in- volves a radical renunciation of the marriage \om. Q. 22. May not divorce granted on insufficient grounds tend to the breach of the Seventh Command- ment? A. Yes. Q. 23. May not separation, not amounting to di- vorce, be in some cases admissible and salutary? A. Yes. Many think that this is all that is meant in I Cor. 7:11, 15. Q. 24. Does this precept forbid the indulgence of impure affections and thoughts? A. Yes. Prov. 4:23; Matt. 5:28. Q. 25. Is the use of foul language forbidden in this Commandment ? A. Yes. Eph. 4:29; 5:3, 4. Q. 26. Is the reading, and still more is the writing, of impure thoughts prohibited in this Commandment? A. Yes. Q. 27. Is the pastime of dancing a violation of this precept? A. Yes, as commonly practiced. Q. 28. Yet is there anything wrong in the physical movement called "dancing"? A. No. The evil lies in the attendant circum- stances when the sexes join in this exercise. Liberties are taken and tolerated in the whirl of the dance which, in other circumstances, would neither be attempted nor allowed. Q. 29. Are the exhibitions of the theatre and the circus at variance with the spirit of this precept? A. Yes. However men may disguise or deny it, these forms of amusement are corrupting in their char- 280 AN EXPOSITION OF acter, detrimental to the morals of both spectators and actors. Q. 30. Does this command forbid by implication intemperance in eating and drinking? A. Yes. Rom. 13:13; 2 Pet. 2:13, 14. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Matt. 5:22; 19:9; I Cor. 7:15; Eph. 4:29; Rom. 13: 13- QUESTION LXXIII. Which is the Eighth Commandment? ANSWER. The Eighth Commandment is: "Thou shalt not steal." Q. I. What particular point in morals is inculcated in this Commandment? A. Honesty, especially in worldly business. Q. 2. May there be dishonesty toward God as well as toward man? A. Yes. Mai. 3:8-10; Neh. 13:10-12. Q. 3. What is assumed in this Commandment? A. That individual ownership of earthly goods is lawful. Q. 4. How can this be shown? A. If one owns nothing, he has nothing which can be stolen, for stealing means the appropriation without his consent of that which belongs to another. There can be no stealing, if there is no ownership. Q. 5. On what title does ownership fundamentally rest? or by what right can one justly say, "this is mine"? A. a. Ultimately the title to any material thing centers in God, the creator and upholder of the universe. Ps. 89:11; 8:6; 115:16; Gen. 1:28, 29; I Chron. 29:11-14; Matt. 6:11 ; Rom. II :36; THE SHORTER CATECHISM 281 b. God, the chief owner, concedes to men a right to the fruits of their labor, whether that of mind or that of body, i Thess. 4:11, 12; 2 Thess, 3:8, 10-12; Matt. 10: 10; 2 Tim. 2:6; Deut. 24:14, 15; c. God concedes to parents the right to bequeath property to their offspring, and to chil- dren the right of inheritance from their progenitors. Num. 36:7-9; 2 Cor. 12:14; d. God recognizes, as valid, proprietorship founded on a gift by one man to another. Eph. 4:28; Phil. 4:18; e. Spoils taken in a just war become rightfully the property of the victor. Deut. 20:14; I Sam'l. 30:22; /. Priority in appropriating uninhabited lands gives a valid title to them. Gen. i :28. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Mai. 3:8-10; Ps. 115:16; Rom. 11:36; Eph. 4:28; 2 Thess. 3:10-12. QUESTION LXXIV. What is required in the Eighth Command- ment? ANSWER. The Eighth Commandment requireth the lawful procuring and furthering the wealth and . outward estate of ourselves and others. Q. I. Is it right to seek increase of worldly sub- stance ? A. Yes. Industry is inculcated in Scripture, and the immediate aim of industry in temporal things is worldly gain. Prov. 10:4; 18:9; 19:15; 6:6-8; 2 Thess. 3:10-12. 282 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 2. Mention some desirable ends which the ac- quisition of worldly substance may subserve. A. a. Our own comfort may thus be promoted; b. The welfare of others may thus be wisely advanced. Rom. 12:13; i John 3:17; i Tim. 5:8; c. The cause of God may be helped by our con- tributions. Q. 3. May not the pursuit of earthly riches become a snare? A. Yes. Prov. 28:20; i Tim. 6:9, 10. Q. 4. When does it become sinful and ensnaring? A. a. When it absorbs too much of our time and energy ; b. When prosecuted in a spirit of selfishness; c. When marked by the use of unfair and dis- honorable means. Q. 5. Is it the duty of each man to promote as far as he can, consistently with other obligations, the tem- poral interests of his fellowmen? A. Yes. We are required to love our neighbor, that is, our fellowman ; but indifference to his temporal welfare is at variance with such good will tO' him. Gal. 6:10; Rom. 12:10; 13:8, 10. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Prov. 10:4; 2 Thess. 3:10-12; i Tim. 5:8; 6:9, 10; Gal. 6:10; Rom. 13:8, 10. QUESTION LXXV. What is forbidden in the Eighth Command- ment? ANSWER. The Eighth Commandment forbiddeth whatsoever doth, or may, unjustly hinder our own or our neighbor's wealth or outward estate. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 283 Q. I. How may a man defraud himself? A. a. By indolence. Prov. 20:4; 13:4; 14:33; 15: 19; 20:13; b. By carelessness in the transaction of worldly business. Prov. 10:4; 22:26, 27; c. By wasteful habits. Prov. 21:17; 23:20, 21; d. By withholding from God the time, energy, and money due to Him, and so depriving himself of a blessing. Hag. 1:6, 9-11; Mai. 3:9, 10; Prov. 22:9; 11:24, 25; 22:9. Q. 2. Point out some unlawful means used to ac- quire property. A. a. Actual robbery and theft; h. Taking advantage of the ignorance of others in bargaining; c. False assertions in buying and selling. Prov. 20:14; d. The use of false weights and measures. Prov. 20:10, 23; Lev. 19:35, 36; Prov. 16:11; e. Demanding exorbitant interest for the use of money ; /. Crushing competition by any other means than excellence, or cheapness, of produc- tion, or service; g. Resorting to legal trickery in order to evade just obligations, or gain unfair advan- tages ; h. Keeping back payment that is due. Lev. 19: 13; Deut. 24:15. Q. 3. How may the poor and dependent break this precept? A. a. By petty thefts practiced on employers. Ac- cording to the Romish code of morals, a servant may, without committing mortal sin, take of his employer's goods stealthi- ly ; but not so as to impoverish the latter ; h. By performing work for others in a careless manner; 284 AN EXPOSITION OF c. By being eye-servants and working faith- fully only when watched. Q. 4. Is it lawful to lend money on interest? A. Yes. This is simply to charge for the use of property, and is no more unrighteous than to charge for the use of a horse, or house, or field. Q. 5. How then can Ps. 15:5 and Luke 6:35 be ex- plained? A. a. It is indicated in these texts, as also in Deut. 23 :i9, that between Israelites in the Mosaic economy special brotherhood ex- isted, in token of which money lent by one to the other was not to bear inter- est; h. It seems further to be taught that in certain circumstances it might be a duty to lend even without a good prospect of getting either principal or interest. Q. 6. Was it lawful for Israelites in the old econ- omy to take interest from Gentiles for money lent to them? A. Yes. See Deut. 23 :2o. This proves that the lending upon interest is not necessarily wrong. Q. 7. Is gambling a violation of this Command- ment? A. Yes. Gambling is an attempt to obtain money without giving an equivalent for it. It can hardly be said that the pleasure afforded by the game is an equiva- lent; because both parties have this equally. The win- ning of the money at stake is an independent motive; and this involves the desire to get something for noth- ing, which is of the nature of theft. Q. 8. It may be retorted that to beg is to seek something for nothing; and, therefore, that to beg is wrong, if gambling is wrong. A. The gambler claims what he wins as his by right, whereas the beggar asks alms as a matter of THE SHORTER CATECHISM 285 bounty, and, when he receives a gratuity, professes grati- tude for it. The gambler, on the contrary, when he wins, acknowledges no debt of gratitude to his rival in play. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Prov. 20:4; 10:4; 11:24, 25; 20:23; Lev. 19:13; Ps. 15:5; Deut 23:20. QUESTION LXXVI. Which is the Ninth Commandment? ANSWER. The Ninth Commandment is: "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor." Q. I. What general branch of morals is inculcated in this precept? A. Veracity, or truthfulness. Q. 2. What particular department of this is given as a sample of the whole? A. Testimony, or witness-bearing, in regard to our neighbors. Q. 3. Who is our neighbor? A. Our fellowman. Luke 10:36, 37. Q. 4. Does the witness, or testimony, intended in- clude statements made, whether in a court of law, or otherwise? A. Yes. We are always in the presence of the great Judge, i Kings 17:1; Heb. 4:13. Q. 5. In how many ways may falsehood be express- ed and false witness be borne? A. a. By the tongue. h. By the pen. c. By gestures and looks. d. By any contrivance, such as the telegraph, for conveying thoughts. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Luke 10:36, 37; I Kings 17:1; Heb. 4:13. 286 AN EXPOSITION OF QUESTION LXXVII. What is required in the Ninth Command- ment? ANSWER. The Ninth Commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man and of our own and our neighbor's good name, especially in witness-bearing. Q. I. Who are the parties chiefly contemplated in this Commandment? A. Ourselves and our neighbors, or fellowmen. Q. 2. Is it not possible for men to bear false wit- ness against God? A. Yes. They may slander God in words and mis- represent Him in their lives. Job 42:7, 8; Mai. 2:17; 2 Sam. 12:14; Is, 52:5; Rom. 2:24. Q, 3. Is this Commandment, however, directed against the sin of misrepresenting God? A. No. The first three Commandments bear upon this point. The Ninth Commandment is meant to regu- late our attitude toward our neighbor. Q. 4. May it not be said that if to bear false wit- ness against our neighbor is a sin, much more is it a sin to bear false witness against God? A, Assuredly yes. Q. 5. Can a man bear false witness against himself? A. Yes. Q. 6. How^ can a man misrepresent himself? A. a. By unmerited self-praise; b. By improper self-accusation. Q. 7. May not the language of self -depreciation proceed from a desire to appear candid and to elicit encomiums? A. Yes. Q. 8. May it be our duty to defend our reputation v/hen it is unjustly assailed? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 287 A. Yes. To do so may be in the interest of both ourselves and others. Q. 9. Is a man under obligation to accuse himself of misdeeds which are known only to himself and God? A. Not in ordinary circumstances. Q. 10. Mention a case in which a man, unaccused and unsuspected, though guilty, might be under obliga- tion to acknowledge himself guilty of an offense? A. When he desires to exonerate one unjustly ac- cused of the offense in question. Q. II. What is meant by the direction given in James 5:15: "Confess your faults (or sins) one to another" ? A. a. Obviously this affords no help to the Popish claim that confession of sin is to be made to a so-called "priest"; for Christians are directed to confess to one another; b. This is an injunction tO' the effect that if we have in any way wronged our neighbor, and particularly our fellow-Christian, we should acknowledge our fault to him as well as to God. Q. 12. How might it be deduced from the Ninth Commandment that it is our duty to maintain our own good name? A. If we are bound to love ourselves at least equally with our neighbors, it is at least as incumbent on us to maintain and defend our own good name as it is to maintain and defend theirs. Q. 13. How can we bear false witness against our neighbor ? A. a. Principally, if, when called to testify before a court, civil or ecclesiastical, we allege or insinuate anything derogatory to others, knowing it to be false, or not persuaded of its truth ; 288 AN EXPOSITION OF b. When, in ordinary intercourse, we allege or insinuate something fitted to injure the reputation of others, knowing that the representation is false, or at least ques- tionable. Q. 14. How may we be partners with liars, while ourselves mute? A. By listening to them and seeming to counte- nance them in their spiteful or reckless assaults on the character of others. Q. 15. Mention some considerations fitted to pro- mote truthfulness. A. a. The fact that God hates lying. Num. 23:19; Prov. 6:19; b. The fact that He has declared His purpose to punish liars. Rev. 21:8; c. The fact that even in this world a lie is apt to be detected; d. The fact that each of us is exposed to the at- tacks of liars. The last two considerations are prudential, indeed; yet of some weight. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Job 42:7, 8; Mai. 3:13, 14; Jas. 5:15; Num. 23:19; Prov. 6:19; Rev. 21 :8. QUESTION LXXVIII. What is forbidden in the Ninth Command- ment? ANSWER. The Ninth Commandment forbiddeth what- soever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own or our neighbor's good name. Q. I. Is falsehood, however free from malice, and however harmless in its immediate effect, unlawful? A. Yes, being forbidden by God. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 289 Q. 2. Can a writer of fiction be properly charged with falsehood? A. No, if he does not profess to relate actual oc- currences. Q. 3. May not an author of fiction, however, be guilty of gross misrepresentation and slander? A. Yes. a. He may treat unfairly and wittingly misrepresent the character of historical personages ; h. He may frame tales so as to bring reproach upon the noblest cause. Malignant slanders may thus be propagated. Q. 4. Account for the conduct of Christ at Emmaus, when "He made as though He would gp farther." Luke 24:28. A. a. Our Lord acted thus to draw out the feeling of His fellow-travelers, and afford them an occasion for urging Him to abide with them; h. But had they not besought Him to remain with them, He would have passed on. Q. 5. Are we forbidden in this Commandment to lend an ear readily to evil reports about our fellowmen? A. Yes. Ps. 15:3; loi :5. Q. 6. What is the Jesuitical doctrine of "mental reservation" ? A. That for a good purpose one is at liberty to de- clare a thing as true which he knows to be false, provid- ed he inwardly denies, or modifies, his statement. For instance, if a witness is asked to state what he knows of a certain matter, he may say he knows nothing about it, meaning nothing which he feels at liberty to tell. Q. 7. Is this allowable? A. No. It is simply lying. Ps. 15:2. If such a practice were to become common, the confidence of man in man would be destroyed, and society dissolved.* *See Note at the end of Question LXXVIII. 290 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 8. Is it in time of war lawful to lie in order to mislead an enemy? A. Not in the actual use of words; but it is lawful to make movements and signals to deceive the enemy. Joshua 8:2. Q. 9. Why is this lawful? A. Because the enemy is not entitled to informa- tion, and knows that to trust to appearances is hazard- ous. The inferences which he makes are his own, al- though the opposing party may wish he should make them. Q. 10. If we may make feints in time of war to de- ceive our enemy, why may we not use false words to mislead him? A. Because the meaning of words is fixed, and not a matter of mere inference ; whereas the meaning of other signs is not fixed, but inferential, and the foe must bear the consequences of the inference which he draws. Q. II. Is it lawful to lie in order to save our life? A. No. The martyrs for Christ's cause and crown m.ight often have saved their lives by dissembling their sentiments ; but they are applauded for being faithful even to death. Matt. 10:32, 33; Heb. 11:25; Rev. 2:10, 13- Q. 12, Is it proper in dealing with an insane person to use falsehood? A. Perhaps so; because such a person is as much, or as really, outside the range of reason as a beast, and may be dealt with according to the whim of the moment. Q. 13. Is a lawyer morally warranted to profess belief in the justice of his client's cause unless convinced that it is just? A. No. He may present the case of his client in the best light warranted by the evidence ; but should not express an opinion which he does not feel as to the justice of the case. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 291 Q. 14. Is it right to promise to keep something secret, the nature of which is at the time unknown to us? A. No; for thus we might be unwittingly engaging to conceal something which it might be our duty to reveal. Q. 15. Is not this consideration a valid objection to all secret societies; that is, societies which require as a condition of membership a promise to keep secret things yet unknown to the applicant? A. Yes. Q. 16. Is one who has entered into such a bond under obligation to continue in the society, or to keep its secrets intrusted to him? A. No. He is under obligation to renounce it. To enter it was a sin. To continue in it would be an addi- tional sin. Withdrawal is a duty. The evil step of entering should be deplored with a godly sorrow, the reality of which should be proved by zeal in warning the unwary to beware of the trap of secretism. Q. 17. What distinctions have been made among lies? A. They have been classified according to the motives prompting to them as "officious," ''jocose," or jocular, and "pernicious," or malignant. Q. 18. What is an "officious" lie? A. An untruth uttered with a view to some ad- vantage to ourselves, or others. Q. 19. What is a "jocose," or jocular, lie? A. It is one uttered for the purpose of amusement, or even of instruction. Q. 20. What is a "pernicious," or malignant, lie? A. A falsehood uttered with mischievous intent. Q. 21. Is an officious lie ever lawful? A. No. Being uttered with a view to our own ad- vantage, or to that of others, it is less aggravated than a malignant lie; but it is a violation of the Ninth pre- cept. Rom. 3:8. 292 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 22. Is a malignant lie ever lawful? A. No. It is a complex sin, being a breach not only of the Ninth Commandment, but also of the Sixth, and often of other Commandments. Q. 23. Is flattery at variance with this Command- ment? A. Yes; for flattery is praise, or honor, bestowed insincerely, that is, falsely. Q. 24. Is not flattery used with selfish ends, either to puff another up to his injury, or to ingratiate ourselves with him to our advantage? A. Yes. Q. 25. May not true regard for another prompt us to reprove and admonish, rather than to flatter, him? A. Yes. Lev. 19:17; Gal. 4:16. Q. 26. Is it contrary to the spirit of this precept to deny the faith in any particular in order to avoid perse- cution? A. Yes. Matt. 10:38, 39; 16:25; Heb. 12:25-27. Q. 27. If able to do it, is a Christian at liberty to flee or hide from his persecutors? A. Yes. It is even his duty to do so, unless it is clear to him that by exposing himself he may further the cause of Christ more. Matt. 24:16; 10:23; Heb. 11: 37, 38. Q. 28. Is not the principle which some Papists have advocated, that faith is not to be kept with heretics, utterly at variance with this Commandment? A. Yes. It makes our obligation to veracity de- pendent on the character of the persons with whom we deal. As well might it be maintained that we have a right to defraud a heretic, as to lie to him. Q. 29. Present some considerations fitted to enforce this Commandment. A. a. God cannot lie, and we should be like Him. Titus 1:2; Heb. 6:18; Eph. 5:1; b. Liars are excluded from heaven. Ps. 5 :6 ; Rev. 21:8; THE SHORTER CATECHISM 293 c. Lying tends to the disruption of society; d. The ruin of our race was wrought by lies. John 8:44; TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Ps. 15:2; Rev. 2:10, 13; Rom. 3:8; Matt. 24:16; Tit. 1:2; Heb. 6:18; Eph. 5:1; John 8:44. Note. Although the Jesuits are understood to be the most strenuous advocates of the propriety of saying one thing and thinking another, the charge of favoring such a prac- tice may be made against Romanists in general. It is, for instance, a prevailing sentiment among them that a 'priest is under obligation to conceal, even when put under oath, communications made to him in the confes- sional, and to say that he does not know a certain thing, meaning that he does not know it as a thing which he is at liberty to reveal. But this is an instance of "mental reservation," and tends to do away with that trust of man in man which is one of the chief bonds of society. In another way the charge of condoning deception may be established against the Romish communion. In that body countenance is practically given to the gross- est deceptions with a view to the retention of adherents and the acquisition of wealth. To mention the impostures practiced for these ends would be at once an easy and a tedious task. That the authorities are aware of the deception used to impress and ' fleece the multitude is beyond reasonable doubt. Flaming accounts have appeared, for instance, within recent years of the wonder-working power of an alleged bone of the arm of St. Ann, the supposed mother of the Virgin Mary. Even in the City of New York multi- tudes have sought the healing virtue of this bone, which good judges pronounce to be "3. chicken bone"; and a 294 AN EXPOSITION OF steady flow of gold into the coffers of the church is the result. It may be said that this is only a local abuse and not chargeable to the entire communion. But has any censure of the resort to this bone for cures ever been issued? Has the archbishop of the diocese in which this fraud is practiced ever dealt with the parties who manipulate this bone for their own ends? or has any warning to the deluded people to beware of deception and cease seeking help from an alleged bone of a sup- posed woman ever been issued? Who can enumerate the instances of like deception which even in this day of boasted light are receiving the countenance and most marked patronage of that apostasy which centers in Rome? QUESTION LXXIX. Which is the Tenth Commandment? ANSWER. The Tenth Commandment is: "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's." Q. I. What violence does this Commandment suffer at the hands of Roman Catholic expositors? A. It is divided by them; the first clause being styled the Ninth Commandment, and the remainder the Tenth. Q. 2. What impels them to such severance? A. The desire to cast the Second Commandment into the shade by blending it with the First, together with the necessity of making a list of Ten Command- ments, The treatment of the Tenth is thus the reverse of that to which the Second is subjected. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 295 Q. 3. What plea is urged by Romanists in favor of this division? A. The repetition of the clause, "Thou shalt not covet," argues, say they, a distinct precept. Q. 4. Disprove the Popish view of this matter. A. a. Coveting is one affection, however various may be the objects coveted; b. If the affection varies with the diversity of objects, then there must be as many kinds of cupidity as there are various objects, and hence a corresponding number of commandments ; c. In the form of the Decalogue, which is given in Deut. 5 :6-2i, the order of clauses is re- versed, the neighbor's "wife" being men- tioned first, and his "house" second ; d. The repetition of the clause, "Thou shalt not covet," of which Romanists make so much account, no more proves that two commandments are expressed than a like repetition in the beginning of the Deca- logue, "Thou shalt not make untO' thee any graven image" and "Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them," proves a twofold precept. Q. 5. What is covetousness ? A. It is a form of selfishness ; being a desire to ac- quire something belonging to another without giving him an equivalent for it. Q. 6. In what respect is this Commandment pecu- liarly instructive? A. In the fact that it expressly forbids a mental aft'ection, and not a mere outward act. Q. 7. Is it implied in it that the very inclination, or tendency, of the soul, though never expressed in out- ward action, may be sinful or holy? A. Yes. The disposition, as well as the outward act, is within the sphere of the moral law. We are there- 296 AN EXPOSITION OF fore accountable for our inclinations, as well as for their outward expression, Q. 8. Is not this shown in the "Sermon on the Mount" to be true in respect to all the Commandments? A. Yes. Matt. 5 -.22, 28. Q. 9. What is meant by the statement in Rom. 7 : 7, "For I had not known lust (or coveting) except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet"? A. This means that Paul, who had thought that only outward violations of the law are sinful, was cured of his mistake by noticing that in the Tenth Command- ment covetousness, which is an affection of the mind, is forbidden. Q. 10. In the phrase often used, "the spirituality of the law," what is the idea embraced? A. Not that the law is holy, although it is holy, but that it applies to the moral state and tendencies of the soul, as well as to the outward conduct. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Matt. 5:22, 28; Rom. 77; Col. 3:5; Heb. 13:5. QUESTION LXXX. What is required in the Tenth Command- ment? ANSWER. The Tenth Commandment requireth full contentment with our own condition, with a right and charitable frame of spirit toward our neighbor and all that is his. Q. I. What lies at the root of covetousness? A. Dissatisfaction with our own possessions, as not being sufficient. Q. 2. Is it our duty to be contented? A. Yes; so far as concerns God's allotment to us. I Tim. 6:6-8; Heb. 13:5; Phil. 4:11, 12. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 297 Q. 3. Are we required to be satisfied with our own management and acquirements in temporal things? A. No. We may often have reason to blame our- selves for indiscretion and indolence; while submissive- ly bowing to God in His dealings with us. Q. 4. Offer some considerations fitted to induce in us a spirit of contentment with our lot. A. a. The thought that we are sinners, undeserv- ing and ill-deserving, should make us sub- missive and patient under trials, and grateful for any favor shown us by God. Ezra 9:13; Lam. 3:22; h. The thought that things which seem adverse may be most salutary to us. 2 Cor. 12: 9, 10; Heb. 12:6, II ; c. The thought that "the time is short" and that the trials of this life shall soon be over. I Cor. 7:29-31; d. The thought that ruin may follow the ac- quisition of temporal good. Ps. 37:8, 9; Jas. 5 :3 ; e. The thought of future bliss in store for us may soothe and cheer in present trials. Ps. 73:24; 2 Cor. 4:17, 18. Q. 5. Are we required to rejoice in the good which others enjoy? A. Yes. Rom. 12:15; 13:8-10. Q. 6. Yet may we not rejoice in the downfall of some men and even pray for it? •A. Yes; considering them as foes of God and man, we may pray for their overthrow. In this light those Psalms often spoken of as "cursing psalms" are to be viewed. Rev. 18:6, 20. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. I Tim. 6:6-8; Heb. 13:5; Phil. 4:11, 12; i Cor. 12: 9, 10; Jas. 5:3; 2 Cor. 4:17, 18; Rom. 12:15. 298 AN EXPOSITION OF QUESTION LXXXI. What is forbidden in the Tenth Command- ment? ANSWER. The Tenth Commandment forbiddeth all discontentment with our own estate, envying or grieving at the good of our neighbor, and all in- ordinate motions and affections to anything that is his. Q. I. What is envy? A. It is a complex affection, involving a sense of our inferiority to another in some respect, a wish to ap- propriate to ourselves this desirable thing, together with a feeling of ill will to him who has it. Q. 2. Show how this affection conflicts with the law of love. A. It embraces a spirit of theft and, besides, of ill will to him from whom we would fain steal. Q. 3. Mention a biblical character in whom this base affection was signally conspicuous? A, King Saul, who perceived David's distinction, desired to have it, and hated him for it. Q. 4. Mention some texts which indicate the preva- lence and baseness of this affection. A. Prov. 14:30; 27:4; Rom. 1:29; Gal. 5:21; Titus 3:3- Q. 5. Is the spirit of covetousness, even though checked and not resulting in actual theft, unlawful? A. Yes. Our Lord's interpretation of the law war- rants this conclusion. Matt. 5:22, 28. Q. 6. How do Romanists err in the interpretation of the Tenth Commandment? A. In two ways, namely, by disregarding its unity, as already pointed out, and limiting its range. Q. 7. How do thej^ by their interpretation limit its range? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 299 A. They teach that "concupiscence" is not sin, but the soil out of which sin may spring. Q. 8. According to this view might a man really covet his neighbor's goods without sin? A. Yes, provided he did not by force or fraud seek to acquire them. Q. 9. Is this interpretation in accordance with the teaching of Paul in Rom. 7:7, 8, 11, 21-23? A. No. In these passages the apostle shows that the least leaning toward sin is itself sin, however check- ed. Q. 10. In what ways may sin present itself to the mind? A. a. Ideally, so that we have a conception of it, b. Repulsively, as awakening in us repugnance ; c. Attractively, as something to which we feel drawn ; d. Prevailingly, securing our consent to it, al- though not without misgivings and re- luctance ; e. Imperiously, as having full sway. Q. II. Is the conception, or bare idea, of sin sinful? A. No. The Bible itself explains to us what sin is. Q. 12. Are we defiled by sin when it attracts us, as well as when it controls us? A. Yes, though not in the same degree. Q. 13. Wherein does the Tenth Commandment overlap and enforce the Eighth Commandment? A. In forbidding expressly the state of mind, name- ly, covetousness, from which actual stealing proceeds. Q. 14. May not a consideration of the penetrating nature of this last precept of the Decalogue impel each of us to say, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me" (Psalm 51 :io)? A. Surely so. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Prov. 14:30; 27:4; Tit. 3:3; Rom. 7:7, 8, 11; Ps. 5i:to. 300 AN EXPOSITION OF QUESTION LXXXII. Is any man able perfectly to keep the Com- mandments of God? ANSWER. 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. Q. I. What is meant by the "fall" mentioned in the answer given to the foregoing question? A. The lapse of our first parents into a state of sin and condemnation. Q. 2. Are there not those who teach that the event called "the fall," instead of being a catastrophe, was an advance, "a fall up," being that stage in the "evolution" of man when he became a moral agent and a responsible being ? A. Yes. Q. 3. Is this view incompatible with the teaching of the Word of God? A. Yes; although favored by some who profess confidence in the Scriptures. Q. 4. Present some particulars in which this view is discountenanced in Scripture. A. a. Man, according to the teaching of Scripture, was made at first in the image of God. But that image includes both moral agency and holiness. Gen. i :26, 27; EccL 7:29; b. In prescribing to him a line of duty, God treated Adam as already a moral agent.. Gen. 2:16, 17; c. If not already a moral agent, Adam could not have committed sin, which we know he. I did ; THE SHORTER CATECHISM 301 d. The Scriptures represent the act of disobedi- ence in the garden of Eden as a dire ca- tastrophe (Rom. 5:12); whereas the at- tainment of the standing of a moral agent would have been a stupendous advance. Q. 5. What is meant by the phrase "mere man"? A. One who is man, and no more than man. Q. 6. Is Christ a mere man? A. No; He is God, as well as man. John 1:1, 2; Rom. 9:5. Q. 7. Was He always man? A. No. He was always God ; but in "the fulness of time" He assumed our nature, which He shall evermore retain. John 1:14; Gal. 4:4; Phil. 2:6-9; Heb. 7:23-25; -Rev. 1:18. Q. 8. Was any mere human being ever able to keep the Commandments of God perfectly? A. Yes. Adam and Eve were created in holiness, and perfectly equipped for keeping the law. Gen. 1:27; Eccl. 7:29. Q. 9. Shall any mere man ever be able to keep per- fectly the Commandments of God? A. Yes; through the grace of God a vast multitude of fallen human beings shall be made perfectly conform- able to the moral law. i Cor. 15:56, 57; Eph. 4:11-13; 5:26, 27; Heb. 12:23; Rev. 21:27. Q. 10. Can mere men in this life perfectly keep the Commandments of God? A. They can keep them, but not perfectly. Q. II. When may one be said to keep these Com- mandments? A. When the prevailing bent of his soul is toward God and in consonance with His law ; just as a ship may, in the main, steer toward the desired port, although often deviating from the direct course. Q. 12. Has any mere m£in since the fall ever in this life perfectly kept, or obeyed, the law of God? 302 AM EXPOSITION OF A. No. Jesus Christ did so keep it; but He is not a mere man. Q. 13. Offer proof of the position that sinless per- fection is unattainable in this life. A. a. There are positive assertions to this effect in Scripture. See i Kings 8:46; Eccl. 7:20; Jas. 3 :2 ; I John i :8. b. Tlie most eminent saints brought to view in Scripture confess and bew^ail their sinful- ness. A notable instance is that of Paul, who in Rom. 7:14-24 describes and de- plores the struggle which he needed to wage with indwelling sin, that is, with the corruption, subdued indeed, still lurk- ing in his heart. c. When perfect holiness has been attained, af- flictions are out of place ; for the immedi- ate object of them is to v/ean from sin. But no one in this life is free from afflic- tions, or at least the liability to them. John 16:33; Heb. 12:7. d. In I John 3 :3 we are told that every man who has genuine Christian hope purifies him- self. Now this implies that in every Christian in this world there is impurity, that is, sin. Q. 14. How may the objection be answered that in Scripture some men are described as perfect in this life? See Gen, 6:9; Job 1:8; Ps. 37:37. A. There are several respects in which men, not sinless, may be pronounced perfect. For instance, a. One may be comparatively perfect, the contrast between him and others being so marked ; b. One may be constitutively perfect, all the essential elements of a perfect character being found in him, although in an imper- fect degree. One might be perfectly a human being without being a perfect human being; THE SHORTER CATECHISM 303 c. Every believer in Christ is representatively perfect; being complete in Him. Rom. 8:i; I Cor, 1:30; Col. 2:10. Q. 15. But are we not warranted to pray for com- plete sanctiftcation ? A. We are to pray for full salvation ; yet God may have reasons for granting this only gradually; and our petitions should be offered submissively. Q. 16. Does not the pretension of some to have reached a condition of sinless sanctity rest largely on a misunderstanding as to the breadth and depth of the law? A. Yes. Some of them say that the law which we are to keep is not so broad or exacting as that which was binding on Adam when he was created. Leanings to sin, some say, are not to be accounted sinful, unless they are yielded to. The law being thus lowered, the claim to the attainment of perfect conformity to it be- comes more feasible. Q. 17. Is not the doctrine of perfectionism fraught with danger to those who hold it? A. Yes, in different respects, particularly, a. It tends to puff up those who think they have made the high attainment ; h. As it rests ultimately on a lowered concep- tion of the law, it tends to a further lowering of the standard of morality; c. It is apt to foster a false feeling of security in those who count themselves complete ; d. A supercilious attitude toward others less ad- vanced is apt to grow up in those who deem themselves perfect in sanctity. Q. 18. What may believers learn from the fact that though sin shall not reign, it shall dwell in them while they are in this life? A. They may learn the malignity of sin, together with their need of daily cleansing and of constant watch- fulness. 304 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 19. Is not heaven enhanced in attractiveness by the prospect it affords of complete and final deliverance from sin? A. Yes. In it the struggle, ever necessary in this life, shall cease, and the song of perpetual triumph be sung. I Cor. 15:56, 57.* TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Eccl. 7:29; Rom. 5:12; John 1:14; Heb. 7:23-25; Eph. 4:11-13; Jas. 3:2; I John 1:8. Note. It may not be out of place to present here a few thoughts touching the use of the law to those who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and to those who are unrenewed, respectively. To the former class the moral law is meant and fit- ted to subserve the following ends : a. It enunciates duty, or sets forth the rule of life. Mark, it is not given to believers as a rule of justification. In respect to justification, believers are delivered from the law. The stern demand, "Do and Live," is in their case inverted into "Live and Do." Rom. 6:14; 10:4. b. It serves them for purposes of self-examina- tion. c. It reveals to them their obligation to Christ for His perfect keeping of the law, as well as bearing of its penalty, in their room and stead. Thus the contemplation of the law of God violated by them, but kept and magnified by Christ, their surety, tends to deepen their gratitude to Him. To the latter class, men still in their sins, the moral law may serve various important ends. *See Note at the end of Question LXXXII. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 305 a. It reveals the holy character of its Author, their creator, governor, and judge; b. It forms a standard by which they may meas- ure themselves ; c. It is fitted to humble them in their own eyes ; d. It is adapted to prove to them their utter in- ability to work out a righteousness for themselves ; e. It may thus show them their need of Christ to save them, and in this limited sense may operate as a schoolmaster to bring them to Him. QUESTION LXXXIII. Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous? ANSWER. Some sins, in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others. Q. I. In what respect are all sins equally heinous? A. In being all alike at variance with the law of God. I John 3:4. Q. 2. Is there a sense in which he who breaks one commandment may be said to break all the command- ments ? A. Yes. Jas. 2:10. Q. 3. Explain this. A. He who breaks any of the commandments sets at naught the one central authority from which they all proceed, and would not be restrained by regard to that authority from breaking any or all of them. Q. 4. Are not some sins, however, more impious and hateful than others? A. Yes. Some in their own nature, and some by attendant circumstances, are worse than others. 306 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 5. What sins are in their own nature specially odious ? A. a. Such as are more directly leveled against God; as, for instance, the denial of His existence, idolatry, the rejection of Christ as a Saviour; b. Such as affect most injuriously ourselves and our fellowmen, as, for example, murder, robbery, licentiousness. Q. 6. Is any sin little? A. Absolutely viewed, no sin is little; but compara- tively considered, some sins may be called little. Q. 7. What is an aggravation of sin? A, It is some attendant circumstance of a sin w^hich adds to its native turpitude, or vileness. Q. 8. Give an illustration in point. A. To steal is a sin ; but to steal from one who trusts us, or who has befriended us, or from one who is needy, or when we are not pressed by povert}^, is an ag- gravation of the sin of theft. Q. 9. State in brief the circumstances by which a sin may be intensified, or aggravated. A. Sins ma}^ contract aggravation from a. The person sinning; b. The person sinned against; c. The time in which the sin is done ; d. The place where it is done. Q. 10. How may a sin contract aggravation from the person committing it? A. If he who does the sin is possessed of much ex- perience and intelligence, professes to be a disciple of Christ, and wields a wide influence, the offense is the greater. Q. II. How may a sin be aggravated by reason of the person sinned against? A. If the person sinned against is distinguished for excellence, or one to whom the offender is bound by special ties, the sin contracts a darker hue. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 307 Q. 12. How may the element of time lend enormity to sin? A. A sin done on Sabbath, or during the course of some sacred or solemn service, or in the presence of some startling providential occurrence, is for such reason more criminal. Q. 13. How may the place where it is done impart malignity to sin? A. To sin where the objects around us are vividly suggestive of sacred things, as, for instance, in a place devoted to the worship of God, is to incur deeper guilt. Q. 14. In all cases, is an aggravated sin done in the face of special circumstances fitted to deter from it? A. Yes. Q. 15. Are not sins aggravated by being done re- peatedly, deliberately, boldly, malignantly, and after many warnings and remonstrances? A. Yes. Q. 16. What peculiar classification of sins is made by Romanists. A. They distinguish sins as "mortal" and "venial." Q. 17. What is a mortal sin, according to this classi- fication ? A. It is one which either intrinsically, or by reason of special circumstances, is deadly. Q. 18. How, according to Popish teaching, may a sin not intrinsically mortal become mortal by reason of circumstances? A. A jest, or idle word, say they, though not in itself mortal, becomes mortal if uttered with the intent of producing murder or some other gross sin. Q. 19. What does the word "venial" mean? A. Pardonable, or such as does not deserve end- less punishment. Q. 20. Is not every sin mortal? A. Yes. Rom. 6:23; Jas. 2:10. Q. 21. Yet is not every sin pardonable? 308 AN EXPOSITION OF A. Yes; every sin for which pardon is rightly sought in this world shall be forgiven. Is. i:i8; 55:7; I John I -.g. Q. 22. Yet is there not an unpardonable sin? A, Yes ; but that sin is unpardonable for the reason that he who is guilty of it is left to himself and will not seek forgiveness in the appointed way. Q. 23. Does not the Popish distinction of sins as mortal and venial proceed from, and tend to produce, a low estimate of the evil of sin? A. Assuredly it does. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. James 2:10; Heb. 10:28, 29; 12:25; Matt. 11:22-24; I John 1:9; Is. 1:18; 55:7. QUESTION LXXXIV. What doth every sin deserve? ANSWER. Every sin deserveth God's wrath and curse, both in this life and that which is to come. Q. I. What is meant by the "wrath" of God? A. Not a stormy passion; but a calm, settled, un- changeable aversion and antagonism. Q. 2. Does not the very calmness of this attitude lend awe to it? A. Yes. His wrath is not mere emotional opposi- tion, but has the fixedness of a principle. Q. 3. What is meant by the "curse" of God? A. It is the practical expression of His wrath, both in the way of denunciation and in that of penal infliction, Q. 4. Does every sin, great or small, deserve the perpetual wrath and curse of God? A. Yes. Sin is rebellion against God. It is a blow struck at the very being of God. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 309 Q. 5. Are all sins, then, deserving of equal punish- ment? A, Yes, as to duration ; but not as to degree. The punishment of every sin of the impenitent shall be end- less; but the intensity of the punishment shall vary ac- cording to the turpitude of the sin. Luke 10:12, 14; Rom. 2:5, 6; Rev. 2:23; Luke 12:47, 48. Q. 6. Prove that the punishment of all who die im- penitent shall be endless. A. This seems clearly taught in many texts, of which the following are a part: Dan. 12:2; Matt, 26: 24 ; 25 -.46 ; Mark 9 :43, 48 ; John 3 :36 ; 2 Thess. i :g ; Rev. 21 :8; 22:11 ; John 3 :i6. Q. 7. Is the notion that the punishment of the wicked shall be annihilation, or utter extinction. Scrip- tural ? A. No. The moment of extinction would be that of the cessation of pain, and, therefore, of punishment; whereas the texts just indicated teach the perpetuity of the pain. Q. 8- Do not the sacred writers often use the terms "death," "destruction," and their equivalents to signify ruin, not extinction, of being? A. Yes. Hosea 13:9; i Tim. 5:6; Eph. 2:1; Col. 2:13. Q. 9. If the wicked are to be annihilated, will not the most and the least guilty be punished in the same degree? A. Yes. Q. 10. But is not this contrary both to Scripture and to our natural sense of justice? A. Yes. Matt. 10:15; 11:22. Q. II. Why do men so strenuously oppose the doctrine of eternal punishment? A. a. Partly because they fail to perceive the malignity of sin as rebellion against God ; 310 ^.V EXPOSITION OF b. Partly because they love sin, and wish to in- dulge in it unrestrained by dread of the final reckoning. "The wish is father to the thought." Q. 12. Is not the modern denial of the doctrine of eternal punishment but a reproduction of the Tempter's lie, "Ye shall not surely die"? A. Yes ; it is but the echo of the first lie uttered in the earth. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Luke io:i2, 14; 12:47, 48; Rom. 2:5, 6; Matt. 25: 46; John 3:36; Col. 2:13. QUESTION LXXXV. What doth God require of us that we may escape His wrath and curse due to us for sin? ANSWER. 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 redemp- tion. Q. I. Is not the salvation of sinners wholly of God? A. Yes. God from eternity purposed this salva- tion ; in the "fulness of time" provided it ; and accord- ing to His sovereign plan imparts it to men. Eph. 1:4; Gal. 4:4, 5; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Tim. 1:9. Q. 2. If our salvation is entirely of God, why is it said that He requires anything of us in order to it? A. God deals with us as rational beings; and hence in saving us does so in part by bringing our rational nature and even our bodily powers into operation. Prov. 8:4; Rom. 10:17; 12:1; John 5:39. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 311 Q. 3. Does He require us to do anything in the way of meriting salvation? A. No. We are to receive our salvation as a free, unmerited gift absolutely. Rom. 3:28; 10:4; i Cor. i: 30; Is. 55:1-3- Q. 4. Are we capable out of our own natural re- sources to do even this? A. No. Eph. 2:1, 8, 10; Phil. 2:13. Q. 5. Yet ought we not to feel it to be both our interest and our duty to embrace Christ by faith? A. Yes. Our inability to do so is our sin, and can- not be our excuse for failure. Our aversion to Christ and to a holy salvation cannot form an apology for our unbelief. . Q. 6. What is meant by the phrase, "the means of grace"? A, Those methods and instrumentalities appointed by God for bringing His chosen people into actual pos- session and full enjoyment of salvation. Q. 7. How may the means of grace be classified? A. As inward and outward. Q. 8. What are the inward means of grace? A. Those states and exercises of the soul which at once manifest and foster its spiritual life, such as faith, repentance, hope. Q. g. Which of these is the chief inward means of grace? A. Faith. Luke 22:32; Acts 15:9; Eph. 2:8; i John 5 :4. Q. 10. What are the outward means of grace? A. Those expedients appointed by God for the pro- duction and promotion of holiness in men. Q. II. What are the principal outward means of grace ? A. The Word, or Scriptures, the sacraments, and prayer. Q. 12. Name some other outward means not ex- pressly mentioned, though implied, in the foregoing summary. 312 AN EXPOSITION OF A. The order, fellowship, and discipline of the Church; the Sabbath; fasting; meditation; beneficence, in the form of labor and gifts for the welfare of others. I Cor. 5:5; Is. 56:2; 58:13, 14; Prov. 11:24, 25; Phil. 4: 17; Heb. 13:17. Q. 13. May providential dispensations, such as sickness and temporal losses, prove helpful for sanctify- ing men? A. Yes, in a secondary sense, that is, when accom- panied by the Word of God to shed light upon His provi- dential ordering. Ps. 73:16, 17; 2 Cor. 4:17, 18; Ps. 119: 92. Q. 14. What is meant by a diligent use of the means of grace? A. An earnest and persevering use of them with a sense at once of our need, our dependence, and our re- sponsibility. Q. 15. In order to make any outward means effectual to salvation, what is requisite? A. The grace of God, or the saving operation of the Spirit on the soul. John 15:5; Rom. 8:13, 14; Zech. 4:6; 12:10. Q. 16. Has God attached promises to a diligent use of the appointed means of grace? A. Yes. Ex. 20:24; Prov. 8:34; Matt. 7:7, 8; Rom. 10:13-15. Q. 17. Are faith, repentance, and the use of out- ward means conditions of salvation? A. Not in the sense of meritorious conditions; but of conditions of connection. The only meritorious con- dition of our salvation is the righteousness of Christ as our surety. Rom. 3 :24 ; 10 •.4. TBXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Eph. 1:4; 2 Tim. 1:9; Rom. 3:24, 28; 10:13-15; Acts 15:9; I Cor. 1:30; Prov. 8:34. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 313 QUESTION LXXXVI. What is faith in Jesus Christ? ANSWER. Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace whereby we receive and rest upon Him alone for salvation, as He is offered to us in the gospel. Q. I. Are there different kinds of faith? A. Yes. There are "historical" faith, the faith of "miracles," "temporary" faith, and "saving" faith. Q. 2. What is historical faith? A. The intellectual conviction that the statements contained in the Bible, particularly those pertaining to Christ and the way of salvation, are true. Q. 3. What is the faith of miracles? A. The belief that a miracle shall be wrought by us, or for us. Q. 4. What is temporary or, as Thomas Boston calls it, "presumptuous" faith? A. It is historical faith touched with emotion; the emotion, however, being superficial and transient. It is the sort of faith described in the case of the stony ground hearers. Matt. 13:20, 21. Q. 5. Is there anything of a saving nature in the forms of faith thus far enumerated? A. No. Matt. 7:21-23; Acts 8:13; 20:21; i Cor. 13:2. Q. 6. What is saving faith? A. It is a genuine reliance of the soul on Christ for deliverance from the guilt, power, and pollution of sin, and for full salvation. Q. 7. May a distinction be made between saving faith and justifying faith? A. Such a distinction has been made by some, but not with much reason. The faith by which a man ap- prehends Christ for justification is essentially the same 314 AN EXPOSITION OF as that which continues to rest on Christ for sanctifica- tion. In each case there is reliance upon Christ. In the former He is relied upon for justifying merit. In the latter He is looked to for help to repudiate sin and grow in holiness. The true believer rests on Christ for salva- tion, and not merely for justification. Acts 15:9; i Pet. 1:5, 9; 2 Pet. 1:5-7; I John 5:4. Q. 8. Why is faith in Christ called a "grace"? A. Because it is a gift of God bestowed on one who does not deserve it. Gal. 5:22; Eph. 2:8; Phil, i: 29. Q. 9. Does not man, even as fallen, possess a facul- ty, or power, of faith? A. Yes. All men exercise faith in a certain sense. They trust their senses, and act every day in reliance upon their fellowmen and on the so-called "laws of na- ture." Q. 10. But is saving faith ever exercised unless as the fruit of the special grace of God? A. No. It is not a product of the unrenewed heart. John ^-.^i Acts 13:48; 16:14; Gal. 5:22; Gal. 2:8. Q. II. Why is faith in Jesus Christ called a "sav- ing" grace? A. Not because it merits our salvation in any de- gree ; but because it forms a connecting link between us and Christ, the Saviour, "the Lord our righteousness." Q. 12. Is not this very faith a part of the salvation which Christ won for His people? A. Yes; it is a fruit of the Spirit, Whose gracious operation is secured and made sure to all for whom Christ made atonement. John 14:26; 15:26; 16:14; Acts 2:33; Rom. 8:9, 32; Titus 2:14. Q. 13. Is faith in Christ a mere intellectual act? A. No. It involves, besides, an element of emotion, a movement of the will. Rom. 10:10. Q. 14. May saving faith be described as a "receiv- ing" of Christ? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 315 A. Yes. It is a response to the gospel offer of Christ as a Saviour. John i :i2; Col. 2:6. Q. 15. Does this faith involve an element of trust, or reliance? A. Yes. Various expressions are used in Scrip- ture which exhibit faith in Christ in this light. John 3 : 16, 18, 36; Acts 16:31; Eph. 1:12; 2 Tim. 1:12. Q. 16. State in brief the elements involved in sav- ing faith. A. Knowledge, assent, and appropriation. Q. 17. What is meant by knowledge in this case? A. A conception of certain things alleged to be facts. Q. 18. What is assent as an element of faith? - A. It is a recognition of the truth of the alleged facts. Heb. 11 :i, 6. Q. ig. What is meant by "appropriation" as an ele- ment of saving faith? A. The acceptance of the truth perceived for our own deliverance, guidance, and comfort. Q. 20. Is this appropriation an essential ingredient of saving faith? A. Yes. Q. 21. Present reasons for so thinking. A. a. In the gospel Christ is offered to sinners of our race as a Saviour, and he who accepts this offer accepts, or appropriates, Christ as his Saviour; h. Saving faith is figuratively set forth in Scrip- ture as an eating and drinking. Is. 55:1- 3; John 6:50-58; Rev. 22:17. But to eat and drink means more than simply to be- lieve that bread and water are offered to us. To eat and to drink is to appropriate for our own use the bread and water pre- sented to us. But for this appropriation, we may, in the presence of plenty, die of hunger or thirst. 316 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 22. How is Christ offered to us in the gospel? A. a. He is offered freely and unconditionally. Is. 55:1-3; Matt. 11:28; b. He is offered particularly, or individually, that is, to each one who hears the gospel. Gal. 2:20; Rev. 22:17; c. He is offered to each one fully, to save from sin, as well as from the punishment of it. I Cor. 1:30; Col. 2:9, 10; d. He is offered exclusively, that is, as the only one who can save. Acts 4:12; John 14: 6; I Tim. 2:5. Q. 23. In the exercise of saving faith, is there an element of assurance, that is, a persuasion, or confidence, that we shall be saved by Christ? A. Yes. Faith in Christ is trust in Him as a Saviour to its, and not merely as a Saviour m general. Q. 24. Is there an,y doubting involved in faith? A. No; but there may be doubting in the believer. Mark 9 :24. Q. 25. Has every true believer a feeling of assur- ance, or a persuasion, that he shall be saved? A. Yes, in proportion to the degree of faith, there shall be such assurance, or persuasion. Q, 26. What is the difference between assurance of faith and assurance of sense, or feeling? A. Assurance of faith is that kind of assurance, or confidence, which belongs tO' the very act of faith ; while assurance of sense, or feeling, is that which arises froju a perception in ourselves of the marks of a true believer as these are indicated in the Scriptures, as, for instance, in I John 3:14; 4:20. Q. 27. May a true believer be destitute for a time of the assurance of sense? A. Yes. Ps. 32:3, 4; Is. 50:10; Ps. 77:2-9. Q. 28. Can a true believer fall into absolute despair? A. No. He may sink into deep despondency, such as borders on despair, but not into utter despair. No THE SHORTER CATECHISM 317 one who has true Christian faith shall ever lose it en- tirely. John 5:24; Phil. 1:6; I Pet. 1:5. Q. 29. May not a true Christisin fall into mental derangement, and thus into despair? A. Godly men may become insane, and may seem to have lost all Christian hope ; yet the teaching of Scrip- ture in regard to the perseverance of the saints forbids the belief that even in such cases the germ of faith and hope has died. Q. 30. Do Papists admit that in saving faith there is involved an assurance, or a trust, on the part of the believer that he shall be saved? A. No. They deny that a comfortable assurance of salvation is attainable in this life. Q. 31. Is there reason to suspect that the Popish creed in this particular, as in many others, proceeds from the desire to hold men in a state of dependence on so- called priests? A. There is good ground for such suspicion. If men believed that by trust in Christ they are saved, they w^ould not cower before the mimic, spurious priests of Rome. Q. 32. Did not the great leaders in the Reformation from Popery maintain steadily the view that in saving faith there is an appropriation of Christ as a Saviour and a trust in Him accordingly? A. Their writings and recorded utterances, to- gether with the charges made against them by their an- tagonists, render this certain.* TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Acts 13 48 ; 2 :33 ; Rom. 8 132 ; Eph. 1:12; Heb. 11:6; Is. 50 :io ; I John 3 :i4 ; 2 Tim. 1:12; i Pet. 1 15. Note. It is beyond reasonable dispute that Luther, Calvin, Knox, and the other great leaders in the movement just- *See Note at end of Question LXXXVI. 318 AN EXPOSITION OF ly styled "The Great Reformation" held that he who ex- ercises saving faith does in that very act trust in Christ and claim Him as his Saviour, which is the same as to affirm that in saving faith expectation, or assurance, of salvation is a distinctive element. They repudiated utter- ly the pale and unsubstantial faith which Rome would substitute for the genuine, living, victorious faith of the gospel. In few, but suggestive, words, the National Covenant of Scotland, framed in 1581, and subsequently amplified and adapted to the needs of the times, em- bodies the true Protestant estimate of the Popish doc- trine of faith by describing it as "a general and doubt- some faith." It must be admitted, however, that in the course of time a modified conception of the nature of faith crept in among the Protestant Churches, a concep- tion verging toward that against which the Reformers had lifted up their mighty voices. Striking evidence of this declension was given by the Church of Scotland in the early part of the i8th century, when a distinguished minister of said Church procured a reprint with his own recommendation of a book bearing the quaint title, "The Marrow of Modern Divinity." The book in question was written by Edward Fisher, an Englishman, and appeared in 1645, while the Westminster Assembly was in session. The author, of whose life little is known, sets forth with striking vigor, although in terms not invariably guarded, the way of salvation; and, in doing so, strenuously asserts the Re- formation doctrine touching the assurance involved in saving faith. But so repugnant were this and several other evangelical doctrines advocated in this book to a dominant and domineering party in the Church of Scot- land that in 1720 the General Assembly strictly forbade ministers to recommend it, and enjoined them to warn their people against it. This action drew forth a vigor- ous remonstrance ; but the Assembly persisted in its course, and in 1722 it censured formally the remon- strants. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 319 The agitation which thus arose was one of the in- fluences which led to the first disruption of the Church of Scotland, the Secession of 1733. The expressions, once frequently, and still occasionally, heard, "Marrow- men" and "Marrow-doctrines," find their explanation in this episode of Scottish church history. QUESTION LXXXVII. What is repentance unto life? ANSWER. Repentance unto life is a saving grace whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, doth, with g^ief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God with full purpose of, and endeavor after, new obedience. Q. 1. What is the general meaning of the word *'repentance" ? A. A change of mind, or a change of view and feel- ing. Q. 2. Is there a repentance unto death? A. Yes. 2 Cor. 7:10. Q. 3. Give an instance of this baleful repentance. A. Judas repented his betrayal of Christ, but was goaded by remorse to suicide. Matt. 27 ly^. Q. 4. What expression is often used to distinguish this sort of repentance? A. The phrase "legal repentance." •Q. 5. Is it so styled because it is in accordance with law? A. No; but because it proceeds from a sense of the law as armed with a penalty to be inflicted on trans- gressors. Legal repentance implies no love of the law, and no sorrow for sin. but only dread of the punishment to which the law-breaker is exposed. 320 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 6. What expression is often used to denote gen- uine, as distinguished from mere legal, repentance. A. "Evangelical repentance," indicative of the fact that the repentance meant proceeds particularly from a sense of God's mercy in Christ toward offenders. Zech. 12:10. Q. 7. Why is this called a "grace"? A. Because it is freely bestowed by God in His love. Acts 5:31; II :i8. Q. 8. Why is it called a "saving grace"? A. a. Not because it merits salvation; b. Because it is a fruit of God's unmerited favor, and a part of our salvation ; c. Because all who have it are saved. Q. 9. What is meant by the expression, "a true sense of sin"? A. A feeling of the intrinsic odiousness of sin, particularly as done against One Who is infinitely worthy of our reverence, love, and obedience. Ps. 51 14. Q. 10. Is there intertwined with this a sense of the evil of sin as hurtful to ourselves and others? A. Yes. We are required by the law of God to love ourselves and our fellowmen, and, therefore, to hate that which is pernicious to men, as well as dishonoring to God. Q. II. Whose sin does the true penitent particular- ly feel to be hateful? A. His own sin. Ps. 38:18; 51:3. Q. 12. What is the second source, or root, of true repentance? A. A perception and acceptance, or, more briefly, "an apprehension," of the mercy of God in Christ. Zech. 12:10. Q. 13. What is meant by the expression, "the mercy of God in Christ"? A. God's readiness to pardon and bless sinners of our race on the ground of the obedience and suffering THE SHORTER CATECHISM 321 of Christ, whereby justice is satisfied and the law mag- nified. Q. 14. Is faith in Christ an essential ingredient of true repentance? A. Yes. Without it repentance would be mere remorse, as in the case of Judas. Q. 15. Does faith precede repentance in the order of time? A. No. In respect to time they are coincident, but logically, or in the order of thought, faith precedes re- pentance, and is the first act of the regenerated soul. Q. 16. Is there in true repentance a sense not only of the authority of God, but also of His glorious moral excellence ? A. Yes. Job 42:5, 6; Is. 6:5; Ezra 9:15. Q. 17. Is not hatred of our sin, viewed as the abom- inable thing which God hates, the most characteristic feature of true repentance? A. Yes. Q. 18. Is there not in true repentance a turning to God, as well as a turning from sin? A. Yes. Ps. 32:5, 6; Hos. 14:1-3- Q. 19. By what purpose is the true penitent ani- mated? A. The purpose to render, through Divine aid, obedience to God. Ps. 51:14; 80:18; 119:37. Q. 20. What is meant by "new obedience"? A. a. Hearty, and not mere outward, obedience. Ezek. 33:31; Matt. 15:8; h. Obedience growing out of love to God and a desire to glorify Him. i Cor. 10:31 ; John 15:14; c. Obedience rendered not to expiate sin, but in gratitude for the pardon of sin. Rom. 12:1; d. Summarily, it is obedience from a new prin- ciple, the love of God; directed to a new end, the glory of God; and controlled by a new rule, the revealed will of God. 322 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 21. Is confession of sin implied in true repent- ance? A. Yes ; true repentance is a sorrowful acknowledg- ment in thought, at least, of sin. Ps. 51 :3 ; 19 :i2 ; 25 :i i ; 32:5; Luke 18:13. Q. 22. Is it a duty to confess our sins to men? A. Yes, some sins, namely, those in which we have done wrong to any one. Matt. 5:23, 24; Jas. 5:16. Q. 23. Is the confession which Rome inculcates so strenuously of this nature? A. No. Rome teaches that all mortal sins are to be confessed to a fellow-creature, who is styled "a priest," at whose hands, also, absolution is to be sought. Q. 24. Do Romanists produce any Scripture decla- ration in support of their dogma that priests can absolve from sin? A. Yes. They allege that Christ invested His apostles with this prerogative when, after His resurrec- tion. He breathed on them and said, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost ; whose sins soever ye remit, they are remit- ted unto them ; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained." It is claimed that Romish bishops succeed the apostles in the possession of this authority, and that from them is conveyed in ordination to ordinary priests the stupendous prerogative of absolving judicially from sin. Q. 25. How may this arrogant claim be refuted? A. a. It conflicts with God's claim to be the only one who can search the hearts of men. i Sam. 16:7; I Chron. 28:9; Jer. 17:10; Rev. 2:23; b. Even if the apostles were thus distinguished, it would not follow that their successors in office would be, or that the succession would be in the bishops of Rome ; c. The true meaning seems to be that on the apostles the distinction was conferred of declaring authoritatively the way of sal- vation, and the law as to reception into, or expulsion from, the visible Church. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 323 d. In no case did any of the apostles act as if to him it pertained to forgive sins, unless in the sense of joining with the ordinary- officers of the church in releasing from church censure, i Cor. 5 :4, 5 ; 2 Cor. 2 : 6-10.* Q. 26. Is true repentance in its restricted sense a prerequisite of pardon? A. Yes, of fatherly forgiveness, but not of judicial pardon. Acts 16:31; Ps. 32:5; Ezek. 36:25, 31. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Zech. 12:10; Ps. 51:3, 4; Job 42:5, 6; Ps. 32:5, 6; Hos. 14:1-3; Ps. 80:18; Matt. 15:8; John 15:14; Rom. 12:1. Note. Perhaps some aid in the interpretation of the strik- ing utterance of Christ recorded in John 20:23 may be derived from the instructions given to the priests in re- gard to leprosy by Moses, the inspired lawgiver. In Lev., chapter 13th, the priests are told in what circum- stances a man was to be pronounced clean authoritative- ly, and in what unclean ; but, according to the exact rendering of the original, the priests are directed to make a man clean or the reverse in the instances described. See Lev. 13:3, 6, 8, 11, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 23, 25, 27, 28, 30. 34, Z7, 44, 59; 147, II- Now in consonance with this precedent may not our Lord be understood to say to His disciples, "I send you forth to teach men and organize them as my followers. Those who have marks of discipleship according to your teaching shall be pardoned. Those lacking such marks shall be condemned." *See Note at end of Question LXXXVII. 324 AN EXPOSITION OF QUESTION LXXXVIII. What are the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of re- demption? ANSWER. The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of re- demption are His ordinances, especially the Word, sacraments, and prayer; all which are made effectual to the elect for salvation. Q. I. What is meant by the phrase, "means of grace" ? A. Methods and instrumentalities used by God in putting men into actual possession and enjoyment of the salvation provided for them, Q. 2. How may the means of grace be classified? A. They may be arranged under two heads, namely, inward means and outward means. Q. 3. What are the inward means of grace? A. Faith in Christ and repentance unto life, especially the former. Acts 2:38; 15:9; 16:31; John 3: 16; Eph. 2:8; I John 5:4. Q. 4. What are the outward means of grace? A. Those appliances, or expedients, appointed by God for the production and promotion of holiness in men, or for the conversion of sinners and their growth in grace. Q. 5. Specify the chief of these. A. Beside "the Word, sacraments, and prayer," may be noted the Sabbath, Church fellowship and disci- pline, beneficence, and fasting. Q. 6. Is not the Word the outward means emphat- ically, inasmuch as by it are made known to us the other means and the use to be made of them? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 325 A. Yes. The Word discovers to us our ruin as sin- ners and the way of recovery by Jesus Christ. 2 Tim. 3:15-17; Ps. 19:7-11. Q. 7. May providential events, such as sickness, poverty, and persecution operate as means o£ grace? A. Yes ; but only when accompanied by the "Word" to shed light upon them. They may be reckon- ed as subsidiary, or secondary, means of grace. Ps. 119: 67, 71, 75; Rom. 5:3; 2 Cor. 12:7-9; Heb. 12:6-11. Q. 8. Are there any extraordinary outward means of grace? A. By unusual manifestations God, in the Old Testament age and in the beginning of the New Testa- ment era, made extraordinary communications to certain men for their spiritual guidance and comfort, as, for in- stance, to Noah, to Abraham, to Jacob, to Moses, to Paul and some others ; but the age of such miraculous intima- tions seems to have passed by. Q. 9. Is literal fasting warrantably reckoned as a means of grace in the New Testament dispensation? A. There seems tO' be sufficient ground for thinking so. Q. 10. Present some reasons in support of this view. A. a. Our Lord spoke of fasting as an approved means of grace, and gave directions as to the spirit in which it should be employed. Matt. 6:16-18; 17:21. h. Moreover He signified, and evidently with approval, that after His death His disci- ples would fast. Luke 5 :35. c. Accordingly, after His death and ascension. His followers practiced fasting on certain occasions as a religious observance. Acts 13:2, 3; 14:23; I Cor. 7:5. Q. II. How may sanctification be promoted by fasting 326 AN EXPOSITION OF A. a. Through this expedient the mind may be kept more unclouded, or alert, or sensi- tive. Luke 21 :34; b. A more vivid sense of our weakness and de- pendence may be produced by fasting; c. Fasting seems to be a natural effect of mental anxiety and distress. Deut. 9:18; Ezra 10:6; 2 Sam. 12:16; d. Abstinence from food may be serviceable in subduing carnal propensities. Ezek. 16: 49; Matt. 24:38; I Cor. 9:27. Q. 12. What false notions as to fasting prevail among Romanists? A. a. That to fast as a religious duty is meritorious ; b. That abstinence from only certain kinds of wholesome food is required in fasting. Thus meat is forbidden, while fish is al- lowed ; c. That fasting is to be practiced periodically, or at stated times, whatever our circum- stances may be. Friday of every week is, for instance, to be kept as a fast day ; but it might be often in our experience a day calling for thanksgiving and joy. In spring, the lenten fast of 40 days is pre- scribed ; whereas our condition might call for holy joy. Fasting is to be regu- lated by circumstances, not by the al- manac. In the Mosaic economy there was an annual fast on the tenth day of the seventh month ; but that was a Divine appointment. There is no such prescrip- tion for New Testament times. Q. 13. Is beneficence a means of grace? A. Yes. 2 Cor, 8:6, 7; 9:6-8; Acts 20:35. Q. 14. How does it operate for spiritual profit to those who practice it? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 327 A. a. The very desire to benefit others is itself a blessing; b. The self-denial which may be requisite in helping others tends to weaken and eradicate selfishness in the helper; c. The benefactor may elicit prayers in his be- half from those whom he has aided. 2 Cor. 9:12-14. Q. 15. Is the discipline of the Church, when exer- cised aright, intended and fitted to be a means of grace? A. Yes. It is meant for edification, not for de- struction. I Cor. 5:4, 5; 2 Thess. 3:14, 15; i Tim. 5:20. Q. 16. To whom are the means of grace made effectual for salvation? A. To the elect, and to them alone; although others, also, may in some respects reap advantage from them. Acts 13:48; Rom. 8:28-32; Eph. 4:11, 12. Q, 17. To whom does it pertain to appoint the means of grace? A. To Christ, the only Mediator, the King in Zion, the Head of the Church. Eph. i :22, 23 ; 4 :i5 ; 5 :23 ; Matt. 28 :20. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Acts 2:38; I John 5:4; Ps. 119:71; Heb. 12:6-11; the Head of the Church. Eph. i :22,23 ; 4 :i5 ; 5 :23 ; Matt. 28 :20. QUESTION LXXXIX. How is the Word made effectual to salva- tion? ANSWER. The Spirit of God maketh the reading, but especially the preaching, of the Word an effect- ual means of convincing and converting sinners, and of building them up in holiness and comfort through faith unto salvation. 328 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. I. What is meant by "the Word"? A. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. Q. 2. Were these Scriptures always employed from the date of the fall in the conveyance of the benefits of redemption? A. No. These writings did not exist from the be- ginning; but the central truths which they contained were used for this end from the date of the fall. The sum of saving truth being in the course of time embodied in the Scriptures, the Spirit uses them and directs us to use them for our guidance and comfort. John 5:39; 2 Tim. 3:15-17. Q. 3. What is the great design of the Scriptures? A. To give to men infallible instruction in regard to God, themselves, and the way of salvation. Q. 4. In what sense may it be said that the Scrip- tures are able to make wise unto salvation? 2 Tim. 3:15. A. They are adapted as a means to this end, just as a knife, or a sword, is adapted to cut, yet never does cut unless used for the purpose by some external power. Q. 5. By whom is the truth contained in the "Word" rendered effectual to salvation? A. By the Holy Spirit. John 3:5; 14:26; 16:14; i Cor. 2:4, 12, 14. Q. 6. What are the general stages in the process of application? A. Conviction, conversion, and edification. Q. 7. In what respects are believers edified? A. In respect to character and in respect to com- fort, or in holiness and happiness. Rom. 5:1-5; 15:4-13. Q. 8. What grace does the Spirit particularly im- part and foster for the purpose of edification? A. Pre-eminently the grace of faith. Acts 15:9; 2 Cor. 5:7; Gal, 2:20; Heb. 11:6, 39; i John 5:4. Q. g. On what grounds may it be said that the preaching of the Word is more effective than the reading of it for the conversion of sinners and the edification of the converted? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 329 A. a. Our Lord Himself in His direct ministry used the tongue, not the pen, for present- ing the truth to men. h. He enjoined expressly the preaching of the gospel, or the proclamation of it after the manner of a public herald, who sounds out the news with his lips. c. In the Scripture record, the most signal suc- cesses of the gospel are associated with the vocal presentation of it. Acts 2 :4i ; 8:28-37; 10:44; 11:19-21; Rom. 10:14, 17. Q. 10. Yet is the reading of the Word and of ex- positions of the same of incalculable utility? A. Yes. The Word was written to be read. John 5:39; 20:31; Rev. 1:3; I Thess. 5:27. Q. II. Is it the right and duty of all men who have the Scriptures to read them? A. Yes. Deut. 6:6-9; 17:19; John 5:39; Acts 17: II ; Rev. 1 :3. Q. 12. Is this right disputed by any? A. Yes; by Roman Catholics, who allege that at least the unlearned are in great danger of misinterpret- ing the sacred writings and so sustaining serious injury. Q. 13. To guard against such evil results, what pre- cautions are used? A. a. It is urged that, if read at all, the Scriptures are to be read in connection with notes from Papal sources, fitted to guard against misunderstandings. h. It is urged that application be made to the bishop of the diocese in which the appli- cant resides for license to read the Bible. Q. 14. Is it a slander to say that Rome is at least not very zealous for the general diffusion and reading of the Bible? A. No. It is too palpably true. Q. 15. Mention some facts which sustain this grave charge. 330 AN EXPOSITION OF A. a. There exists, as far as is known to us, no Roman Catholic Bible Society actively en- gaged in printing and diffusing the Scrip- tures. Just as this is written word comes that the Vatican authorities have sanc- tioned the printing in Italian of 150,000 copies of the Gospels and the Acts, of course duly guarded with notes, for sale among the people. They seem to have been shamed into this concession. b. At this very time there come to us reports most certainly true of the burning of Bibles in Brazil, the Fiji Islands, and other places by Roman Catholics. c. Before 1870 it was impossible to find in Rome a copy of the Bible for sale, unless in a form so expensive as to defy purchase by the poorer people. The Pope was then the civil ruler there. d. Popish missionaries have never translated the Scriptures into the language of any heathen tribe. To do that service to the heathen has been the task and glory of Protestant missionaries. e. Again and again the Popes have denounced and cursed the Bible Societies of Europe and America. Q. 16. Papists quote 2 Pet. 3:16 as a warrant for their attitude on this question. Does that text afford such warrant? A. No; for, a. It is implied that the true tendency of the sacred writings is to benefit, seeing that it is only when they are wrested, or per- verted, that evil may come from them; b. The Apostle does not issue a warning against the reading of the Scriptures, but only against an improper reading of them ; THE SHORTER CATECHISM 331 c. If all who may misunderstand some parts of of the Bible must be debarred from read- ing- it, no one would be authorized to read it; for none can understand it fully; d. The best protection against a perversion of the Scriptures is not a locking of them up, but a thorough, humble, and prayer- ful reading of them. "Ye do err," said Christ to the Sadducees, "not know- ing the Scriptures." TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Deut. 6:6-9; John 5:39; Acts 17:11; i Cor. 2:4, 14; Rev. 1:3; Rom. 10:14, 17. QUESTION XC. How is the Word to be read and heard that it may become efTectual to salvation? ANSWER. That the Word may become effectual to sal- vation we must attend thereunto with diligence, preparation, and prayer, receive it with faith and love, lay it up in our hearts, and practice it in our lives. Q. I. Does God link duty with privilege? A. Yes. Luke 12:48. Q. 2. Does the possession of the Bible entail re- sponsibility? A. Yes. Luke 16:29; 8:18. Q. 3. What are the duties which directly attach to the privilege of having the Word of God? A. Summarily, these are attending to it, receiving it suitably, treasuring it in memory, and following its counsels. Q. 4. How should we attend to the Word? 332 AN EXPOSITION OF A. a. Earnestly, as sensible of its importance. John 5:39; Ps. 119:14. b. Deliberately, being prepared to use all means accessible for the discovery of its mean- ing; c. Prayerfully, conscious of our need of spiritual enlightenment and appreciativeness. Ps. 119:18. Q. 5. How is the Word to be received? A. a. With faith, that is, a hearty perception and acceptance of it as God's Word to us. Heb. 3 :i4, 18 ; 4:1; i Pet. 1:8; 2 :/ ; b. With love, that is, a hearty appreciation of God's mercy to men, and to ourselves in particular, together with an approval of all His ways. Ps. 119:97, 103. Q. 6. When thus received, how is the Word to be treated? A. a. It is to be stored in the memory, ready for use, and enthroned in the heart. Ps. 119: 11; b. Our lives are to be framed in accordance with it. Thus holiness of heart and pure outward morality will be mutually cor- roborative. Ps. 119:2, 3, 100, loi ; Jas. I -.25. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Luke 8:18; 12:48; 16:29; Ps. 119:11, 14, 18, 97, 100, 101 ; Heb. 3: 14, 18. QUESTION XCI. How do the sacraments become effectual means of salvation? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 333 ANSWER. The sacraments become effectual means of salvation not from any virtue in them or in him that doth administer them, but only by the blessing of Christ and the working of His Spirit in them that by faith receive them. Q. I. In order to be beneficial as a means of grace, how is a sacrament to be received? A. In connection with the saving operation of the Spirit. Q. 2. So far as adults are concerned, is actual faith in Christ essential to the right reception and salutary effect of a sacrament? A. Yes. Acts 2:38; 8:12; i Cor. 11:28, 29. Q. 3. Do the sacraments conduce to salvation in the same sense as does the Word? A. No. a. The Word is fitted as a means to con- vert, as well as to confirm; whereas the sacraments are confirmatory ordinances; b. The Word is to be administered to all; the sacraments only to seeming disciples, Matt, 28:19, 20, and, in the case of bap- tism, to their children. Acts 2:38, 39; c. The sacraments, in order to have efficacy, must be accompanied by the Word; whereas the Word without the sacra- ments may avail to salvation. Q. 4. To what doctrines of Romanism does the answer given in the Catechism stand opposed? A. To the "opus operatum" doctrine, and to the doctrine of "intention." Q. 5. What is the "opus operatum" doctrine? A. It is that the due administration of a sacrament is invariably attended with the blessing signified, if there is no positive obstruction on the part of the receiver. Q. 6. What do the words, "opus operatum," liter- ally mean? 334 AN EXPOSITION OF A. They mean "work performed," but are used in theology to denote the doctrine that the blessing meant by a sacrament always accompanies the administration of it, if not obstructed positively by the receiver. Q. 7. Does not the view indicated by these words imply that the sacraments act after the manner of a charm, or as medicine acts upon the body? A. Yes. Saving faith is not requisite, according to Romanists, in order to a beneficial reception of the sac- raments. They are of themselves efficacious. Q. 8. What is the Popish doctrine of "intention"? A. It is that the validity of a sacrament depends on the intention of him who administers it. Q. 9. Is it held by Papists that the person who ofHciates must intend to do what he professes to do in such a ca^e, else the sacrament is void, an empty form? A. Yes. Q. ID. Does this view receive sanction from the Scriptures? A. No. I Cor. 3 :5-7. Q. II. On the other hand, may not a sacrament be inefficacious, however good the intention of the adminis- trator? A. Yes. Acts 8:13, 20-23. Q. 12. Point out some of the evils involved in the Popish doctrine of "intention," A. a. It tends to fill the "priest," or officiating- functionary, with pride, and to make the people servile; b. It tends to the discomfort of the people; in- asmuch as they can never be sure of the intention of the priest. Especially em- barrassing must this uncertainty be in the observance of the Eucharist, when the "adoration of the host" is called for. Ow- ing to lack of intention, the mysterious change of the elements into the body and THE SHORTER CATECHISM 335 blood of Christ may not have occurred; and, in that case, the material symbols would be the objects of worship. Q. 13. Are there not two extremes to be avoided in respect to the sacraments? A. Yes. We should guard against undervaluing and overestimating them. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Acts 2:38, 39; I Cor. 11:28, 29; I Cor. 3:5-7 QUESTION XCII. What is a sacrament? ANSWER. A sacrament is a holy ordinance instituted by Christ wherein, by sensible signs, Christ and the benefits of the new covenant are represent- ed, sealed, and applied to believers. Q. I. What is the origin of the word "sacrament"? A. It is the English form of the Latin word "sac- ramentum." Q. 2. Trace the successive meanings assumed by this latter word. A. a. Its earliest use was to denote a sum of money which parties in a lawsuit were required at the outset of the trial to deposit with the court, the understanding being that the loser in the suit should forefeit his deposit. This forfeited money seems to have been commonly applied to some re- ligious purpose, and so to have acquired a character of sacredness ; h. Afterwards the word came to mean the pledge of obedience and fidelity given to his superiors by a soldier at his enlist- ment; 336 AN EXPOSITION OF c. Finally, in the Early Church the word was employed to signify a sign, or symbol, of some spiritual truth. Q. 3. What observances are by almost all who pro- fess to be Christians accounted sacraments? A. Baptism and the Lord's Supper. The Friends, popularly called Quakers, deny that these observances were meant to be perpetuated in the Church ; but in this view they stand alone, or nearly so. Q. 4. What are the essential features of a sacra- ment? A, Those traceable in Baptism and the Lord's Supper, and common to both. Q. 5, Specify these. A. a. Direct Divine appointment. Matt. 28:19; Luke 22:19; b. Material substances, commonly called "ele- ments"; c. Substances not merely material, but also cog- nizable by more than one of our bodily senses. In the preaching of the gospel only one of our senses, that of hearing, is addressed. In the Lord's Supper, and even in Baptism, several of our senses are ad- dressed; d. Reference to the blessings of salvation ; e. Pledging, or sealing, to right observers the blessings symbolized. Rom. 4:11. Q. 6. Wherein, especially, does a sacrament differ from a sacrifice? A. In a sacrifice man offers something to God. In a sacrament God offers something to man. Q. 7. Are the signs in a sacrament chosen because of their natural fitness to represent certain spiritual truths ? A. Yes. Q. 8. What more than this natural fitness is es- sential in a sacrament? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 337 A. Divine appointment. Deut. 12:32. Paul, writ- ing to the Corinthians, is careful to inform them that the instructions he gave them touching the Lord's Supper he had received from Christ Himself, i Cor, 11:23. Q. 9. To which person of the Godhead does the appointment of any form of worship officially belong? A. To the Son, Who is the Mediator and the Head of the Church. Matt. 28:19, 20; Eph. 1:22; 4:11, 12; 5: 23 ; I Pet. 5 :4. Q. 10. Why is a sacrament called a "holy" ordi- nance? A. a. To distinguish it from ordinances of a civil and secular sort, such as matrimony and magistracy ; b. To indicate that it directly subserves holy ends; c. To teach that it belongs to a people profess- edly separated to God, the visible Church of Christ. Q. II. What ends do sacraments serve to believers? A. a. They represent, or vividly suggest, the bene- fits of redemption; h. They serve as seals, or pledges, of salvation. Rom, 4:11 ; c. They help in conveying to the receiver the blessings which they denote. This they do inasmuch as they form a lively em- bodiment of gospel truth addressed to nearly all our bodily senses. Q. 12. What is meant by the phrase, "new cove- nant," which occurs in the Catechism? A, The arrangement called by way of eminence "the covenant of grace," which was made from eternity by the Trinity with a view to the salvation of fallen men. Q. 13. Why is this called "the new covenant"? A. In contrast with the covenant of works made with Adam, the breach of which the new covenant pre- supposes and is meant to remedy in behalf of the elect. 338 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 14. In point of time, did not the covenant of grace precede the covenant of works? A. Yes. The former was made before the world began, while the latter, though purposed from eternity, was actually made after the creation of man. Eph. i 4; Titus 1:2; Gen. 2:16, 17. Q. 15. May not the covenant of grace be called, moreover, "new" because it was not revealed to man till after his breach of the covenant of works? A. Yes. Q. 16. In what sense may a sacrament be said to seal the blessings of the new covenant? A. In this, that a sacrament is a substantial pledge, to him who receives it in faith, that the blessings denot- ed by it are his in title, if not in actual enjoyment. Q. 17. If the sacraments were merely signs, and not also seals, of gospel blessings, might they not be ad- ministered to imbelievers and believers alike, just as is the gospel? A. Yes. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Matt. 28:19; Luke 22:19; Rom. 4:11; i Cor. 11:23; Eph. 4:11, 12; I Pet. 5:4; Titus 1:2. QUESTION XCIII. Which are the sacraments of the New Tes- tament? ANSWER. The sacraments of the New Testament are Baptism and the Lord's Supper. Q. I. What is meant by the phrase, "New Testa- ment"? A. Not the writings commonly so called; but the dispensation, still subsisting, which began at the resur- rection of Christ. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 339 Q. 2. What does the word "dispensation," thus used, denote? A. A method used by God to exhibit and convey the blessings of salvation to men. Q. 3. Was there an Old Testament dispensation? A. Yes. Ex. 24:8; Heb. 9:20; 2 Cor. 3 114. Q. 4. When did this dispensation begin, and when did it end? A. It began immediately after the fall, when de- liverance through the seed of the woman was announc- ed; and it ended at the resurrection of Christ from the dead. Rom. 4:25; 1:4; i Pet. 1:3. Q. 5. Were there any sacraments appointed for the use of the Church in Old Testament times? A. In a loose way, the term "sacrament" has been applied to the ark of Noah, to the rainbow, to the manna furnished for the support of the Israelites in the wilder- ness ; but in a stricter sense it is limited to Circumcision and the Passover. Q. 6. By what right does Circumcision rank as a sacrament ? A. a. It was a "sensible" sign, that is, one percep- tible by the senses; h. It was definitely prescribed by God. Gen. 17:10-13; Ex. 12:48; c. It was limited to those who, either by natural descent, or by profession, were embraced in the covenant made with Abraham, a covenant of profound spiritual import; d. Its central meaning was evangelical. Ro^m. 2:28, 29; 4:11, 12; Col. 2:11. Q. 7. How does it appear that the Passover was a sacrament? A. a. It was divinely appointed. Ex. 12:24-27; h. It embodied an appeal to the bodily senses; c. It was associated originally with a deliver- ance which vividly symbolized spiritual redemption ; 340 AN EXPOSITION OF d. Direction was given for its yearly observance in commemoration of this great deliver- ance; e. It was limited to those who were enrolled as belonging to the visible Church of God. Ex. 12:43, 44, 48; I Cor. 5:7. Q. 8. What distinction do Romanists make between the sacraments of the Old Testament age and those of the New? A. They teach that the sacraments of the Old Testament merely prefigured the grace which should come through the atonement made by Christ; whereas the sacraments of the New Testament actually impart this grace. Q. 9. Do professing Christians in general regard Baptism and the Lord's Supper as permanent sacraments of the New Testament dispensation? A. Yes. Q. 10. Is there any body of professing Christians opposed to this view? A. Yes. The Friends, or Quakers, are opposed. Q. II. How do they view the matter? A. "The baptism now required," say they, "is the baptism of the Spirit; and every meal should be a Eucharist." Q. 12. Give proof that baptism with water was meant by Christ to be an abiding observance. A. a. The charge to baptize in (or into) the name of the Trinity goes along with the charge to make disciples. Matt. 28:19, 20; b. It is certain that by the apostles and their helpers, in carrying out this great commis- sion, converts to the faith were baptized with water. Acts 2:38, 41; 8:12, 13, 36, 38; 10:47, 48; I Cor. 1:13-17; c. The prevalence of this practice is traceable in the Church from the apostolic age on- ward. This fact is a strong confirmation of the position we hold? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 341 Q. 13. Prove that the Lord's Supper is still to be observed. A. a. Our Lord enjoined the observance of the Supper upon His followers, saying, "This do in remembrance of Me," i Cor. 11: 24; b. His command was conveyed by His apostles to those who came under their control. Acts 20 :7, 11; I Cor. 1 1 :23-28 ; c. In I Cor. 1 1 :26 it is clearly suggested that this ordinance should be in force till the coming of Christ; d. The practice of the Early Church indicates that the friends of Christ then under- stood His will in this matter as we do. Q. 14. Is footwashing, in imitation of our Lord's washing His disciples' feet, to be regarded as a sacra- ment? A. No; although Tunkers (or Dunkers) hold that it is of the nature of a sacrament, adducing as proof John 13:14. Q. 15. Show cause for refusal to recognize foot- washing as a sacrament. A. a. Our Lord by washing the feet of His dis- ciples meant, as He said, to set them an example of humility and mutual consid- eration. John 13:13-16; b. As customs expressive of good-will and courtesy vary in different countries and ages, so shaking of hands, or some other method of expressing cordial regard, may be a lawful substitute for footwashing; c. No hint is given in the New Testament that footwashing, as a religious ceremony, was practiced in the apostolic Church. Q. 16. According to Romish teaching, how many sacraments are there in the New Testament Church? 342 AN EXPOSITION OF A. Seven : namely, baptism, confirmation, eucharist, penance, extreme unction, order, and matrimony. Q. 17. How many of these are entitled to recogni- tion as sacraments? A. Only two, Baptism and the Eucharist, or Lord's Supper.* TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Ex. 12:48; Rom. 1:4; 4:11, 12, 25; I Cor. 5:7; Col. 2:11; I Pet. 1:3; John 13:14-16. Note. By Roman Catholics the divinely appointed sacra- ments, Baptism and the Lord's Supper, have been gross- ly tampered with and corrupted. In the questions and answers on these two topics attention will be directed to Rome's daring distortion of sacred things. As Protestants in the present day are so ignorant of the Romish system, and consequently so little qualified, or even inclined, to do battle with it, nay are so apt to be ensnared by it, I feel impelled to offer in a note a brief account, with occasional strictures, of the five superadd- ed sacraments proposed by Rome. Peter Dens, whose elaborate system of Theology was for a long time, and, perhaps, is still, used as a text book in Maynooth and other Roman Catholic institutions for the training of "priests," will be taken as our guide in stating the dog- mas of Rome in the matter now in hand. Confirmation. Confirmation is defined by Dens to be a sacrament by which the Holy Spirit is communicated to the baptiz- ed, to enable them to profess the faith constantly and intrepidly. The matter of this sacrament is said to be chrism (or ointment), consisting of oil and balsam bless- ed by a bishop. The oil denotes brightness, or purity, *See Note at end of Question XCIII. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 343 of conscience; while the balsam signifies the odor of a good reputation. The forehead is the part anointed. The "form," or most distinctive feature, of this cere- mony is the utterance by the officiating functionary, a bishop unless in extraordinary cases, of these words, "I sign thee with the sign of the cross and confirm thee with the chrism of salvation, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." The arguments employed to prove confirmation to be a sacrament are utterly puerile. Appeal is made to the act of Christ in laying His hands on certain little chil- dren (Matt. 19:15), and to the laying on of hands by apostles (Acts 8:17; 19:6), together with the declaration in Acts 14 :22, 23 that Paul and Barnabas, returning from their missionary journey in Asia Minor, confirmed the souls of the disciples whom they had gained. What token of the institution of a sacrament, or of a standing ceremony, is there in such facts? The con- firmation performed by Paul and Barnabas was effected by indoctrination and exhortation, not by manipulation. Penance. Papists teach that penance is a sacrament instituted by Christ for the remission of sin committed after Bap- tism. It consists of contrition, confession, and satisfac- tion. These are styled the "material" parts of penance, although it is difficult to perceive why. The confession must be made to a priest duly authorized to hear confes- sion. The formal item of the ceremony, its distinguish- ing feature, is absolution, which is thus expressed by the priest, "Ego te absolvo a peccatis tuis in nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti" ; that is, "I absolve thee from thy sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." Dens explains that the absolution is judicial, and not merely declarative, or conditional. It may suffice for refutation of this daring dogma to say that penance lacks the material, "sensible" sign essential to a sacrament ; that Christ, and only He, makes 344 AN EXPOSITION OF satisfaction to God for our sins ; and that to pardon sin as done against God belongs to Him alone. Extreme Unction. Extreme unction is a sacrament, according to Dens, in which a sick person is anointed by a priest with oil consecrated by a bishop, a prescribed form of words being uttered at the same time, the object being to afford com- fort to the soul and body of the receiver. The parts to be anointed are the hands, feet, lips, ears, eyes, and loins. While engaged in this operation, the priest is to say, "By this sacrament and His most holy mercy may God grant thee pardon of whatever sin thou hast done through hands, feet, lips," etc. This ceremony is not performed unless in a case of apprehended and imminent death ; but it may be repeat- ed, should the sick person recover and be seized with some other seemingly fatal malady, or in any way ap- pear on the verge of death. The authority adduced in favor of this observance is very vague, being merely the fact that the apostles, when sent out by Christ during His ministry, "anointed many that were sick and healed them" (Mark 6:13), and the direction given in Jas. 5 :i4. In refutation of the Romish plea in this case, it may suffice to say that extreme unction lacks the character of universality which belongs to the acknowledged sacra- ments, Baptism and the Eucharist, being designed for all Christians, and not only for such as are deemed mortally sick; that the anointing done by the apostles during the public ministry of Christ preceded the New Testament dispensation ; and that the anointing pre- scribed in Jas. 5 :i4 was meant to procure bodily re- covery, not to be restricted to those who seemed unlike- ly to recover, as is extreme unction. Order (or Orders). According to Dens, order is a sacrament of the New Testament by which spiritual authority and grace are THE SHORTER CATECHISM 345 conferred for the regular and becoming performance of ecclesiastical functions. The Council of Trent (1545- 1563) affirmed that there are several ecclesiastical orders, some classed as major, others as minor, including priest, deacon, subdcacon, acolyte, exorcist, reader, sexton. Pressed for proof that investiture with office is of a sacramental nature, Romish theologians point to the Saviour's words, "This do in remembrance of Me," and maintain that thus He constituted His disciples and their successors priests. His soul and body being the sacrifice which they should offer. The "matter" of this alleged sacrament is in some cases the imposition of hands, in others the presentation of certain articles, as, for instance, a key, supposed to be sj-mbolical of the functions and authority attaching to the office. It must be obvious to any impartial mind that Rome is hard pressed tO' find evidence of the sacramental char- acter of an appointment to office in the Church. It is admitted that Christ, the Head, has instituted certain permanent offices in the visible Church. These are the offices of elder and deacon ; but there is no evidence that investiture with these offices is a sacramental act. There has been no prescription of any material symbol to be used in setting men apart to office, and without a material symbol there can be no sacrament. The laying on of hands is a suitable gesture to indicate the person set apart, but it is not an essential part of ordination. Matrimony. "Marriage," says Dens, "is a sacrament of the new law (or Testament) in which a man and woman, lawful- ly contracting, are united conjugally and endowed with Divine grace." As to the matter of this so-called sacrament, no agreement seems to exist. Some say that the bodies of the contracting parties are the matter, while others think 346 AN EXPOSITION OF that the words by which they are united constitute the matter. In lack of anything more plausible, the ring used by Romanists in the marriage ceremony has been regarded by some as the material symbol. Against this concep- tion the Puritans of England protested when they object- ed to the use of a ring in the marriage ceremony. Dens, however, says that the use of the ring is not essential to the service. There is no good ground for reckoning marriage as a sacrament. Marriage is meant for human beings, and not for saints only. Before the gospel was revealed it was in force, and is, therefore, not a product or badge of Christianity. Papists quote Eph. 5 132 in support of their notion of the sacramental character of marriage; but what Paul there calls "a great mystery" is the inti- mate relation subsisting between Christ and the Church, of which that between husband and wife is a faint illus- tration. In the Vulgate, or Latin translation of the Scriptures, which is recognized by the Council of Trent as authoritative, "sacramentum" is used as the equiva- lent of the word "musterion" of the Greek original, and hence the Roman Catholic view seems to receive counte- nance ; but it is certain that in the ancient times the word "sacramentum" was used with much latitude of meaning, as has already been shown. Rome has added to the two genuine sacraments five spurious ones, and, as we shall see in the sequel, corrupt- ed and perverted those that are of Divine prescription. QUESTION XCIV. What is Baptism? ANSWER. Baptism is a sacrament wherein the wash- ing with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, doth signify THE SHORTER CATECHISM 347 and seal our ingrafting into Christ and partak- ing of the benefits of the covenant of grace and our engagement to be the Lord's. Q. I. What three things are essential to Baptism, considered as a rite of the New Testament Church? A. a. The application of water to the body, or con- tact of the body with water; h. The utterance at the same time of the words, 'T baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," by one authorized to officiate as a min- ister of the gospel ; c. The doing of these things as a religious ser- vice. Thus water, words, and worship are essential to Baptism. Q. 2. Is the giving of a name to the one who is baptized any part of Baptism? A. No; but an announcement of the name of one baptized may fitly be made at the time of Baptism, as seems to have been customary among the Jews in con- nection with Circumcision. Luke i :59-63. Q. 3. What is the proper design of Baptism? A. a^ To signify the efficacy of the blood of Christ for the removal of both the guilt and the pollution of sin; h. To be a seal, or pledge, of the blessings of salvation to all rightful receivers of the ordinance. Rom. 4:11; c. To be a token of trust in Christ and allegiance to Him on the part of the baptized. Gal. 3:27; Rom. 6:4; d. To form a visible mark of distinction between the disciples of Christ and the rest of the world. Acts 2:41; 8:12. Q. 4. What is meant by the phrase "ingrafting into Christ"? 348 AN EXPOSITION OF A. It is expressive of the intimate, vital union which exists between Christ and true believers. Rom. 6:5; 11:17. Q. 5. What are the benefits of the covenant of grace? A. Regeneration, justification, adoption, sanctifica- tion, or, in brief, salvation, i Cor. 1 130. Q. 6. What is the doctrine of baptismal regenera- tion? A. It is that the act of baptism is always attended by the regeneration, or spiritual quickening, of the per- son baptized. Romanists add to this the idea that all sin, original or actual, previously chargeable is in Bap- tism pardoned. Q. 7. Who, beside Romanists, favor the doctrine of baptismal regeneration? A. Lutherans and many Protestant Episcopalians. Q. 8. What objections lie against this doctrine? A. a. Regeneration originates saving faith ; but many who are baptized live and die un- believers ; b. In the case of adults faith and, therefore, re- generation should precede Baptism. Acts 2:38; 8:12, 13; c. Salvation is annexed to faith, not to ritual baptism. Acts 16:31; d. The Scriptures warrant the belief that every one regenerated shall be saved. Phil, i : 6; John 10:28, 29; i John 3:9. But many who have been baptized may perish. Col. 3:18, 19; I Tim. 1:19, 20; 5:15; I John 2: 19. Q. 9. Is the doctrine of baptismal regeneration taught, as some think, in John 3:5, "Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God"? A. No. This may mean that in order to entrance into the Kingdom of God one must be born of the Spirit THE SHORTER CATECHISM 349 operating like water; or, as many think, the water may denote the Word which the Spirit uses in the cleansing of souls. Eph. 5 '.26. Q. 10. How are the words addressed by Ananias to Saul of Tarsus to be understood, "Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins" (Acts 22:16)? A. These words do not indicate that ritual bap- tism can remove sins; but only that it symbolizes such removal. Saul's utterance, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do," revealed the fact of his regeneration and justification. In his baptism this fact was appropriately symbolized and attested. Q. II. How is Baptism to be administered? A. By the pouring, or sprinkling, of water upon the person presenting himself, or presented, for baptism ; the form of words, 'T baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," being at the same time solemnly pronounced by the officiating minister. Q. 12. Are there not many who contend that the only valid mode of administering this ordinance is by the immersion, or submersion, of the entire body in water? A. Yes. Q. 13. What name is commonly used to designate those who hold this view? A. The name "Baptists." Q. 14. Is this a proper application of the name? A. No. The restriction would seem to imply that they alone are baptized who have been immersed ; where- as a vast majority of professing Christians claim tO' have been baptized, although not immersed. Q. 15. What would be a properly distinctive name for those who hold that submersion of the body in water is essential to Baptism? A. Dippers, or Immersionists ; although, with the explanation now given, we may for sake of convenience, if not of courtesy, conform to current usage. 350 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 1 6. What are the main arguments urged by Baptists in favor of immersion as the only lawful mode of Baptism? A. a. That the verb "baptizo," used in the original of the New Testament, signifies invari- ably to dip, or immerse; and that this meaning belongs to the kindred words "baptismos" and "baptisma," occurring in the original; b. That with the verb just named are joined prepositions suggestive of immersion; as, for instance, in Matt. 3 :6, "And was bap- tized of him in Jordan." See also Mark 1:10; Acts 8:38, 39; c. That the reason given in John 3 123 why John baptized in ^non, namely "because there was much water there," is at variance with the notion that John baptized by sprinkling, for which a small quantity of water would suffice; d. Stress is also laid on Rom. 6:4 and Col. 2:12, in which, it is thought, Baptism is de- scribed as an interment. Q. 17. Present some considerations in reply to these arguments, and in favor of sprinkling as the mode of Baptism. A. a. The ceremonial cleansings prescribed in the Levitical code are, in Heb. 9:10, describ- ed as "divers baptisms," or "washings," according to the Authorized Version. But these washings (or baptisms) were in- variably performed by sprinking or pour- ing. They were baptisms, but not immer- sions. See Heb. 9:13, 19, 21 ; Num. 19:17, 18; Lev. 14:5-7; Num. 19:13, 20; b. In Mark 7:4 it is said that the Jews, after being in the market, would not eat till they had washed. The word rendered "wash- THE SHORTER CATECHISM 351 ed" is a form of the verb "baptizo"; and so the custom was, if this verb means to immerse, that a visit to the market entail- ed an immersion of the entire body before eating. That such a practice existed is most improbable, indeed incredible, in view of the time, trouble, and water re- quired for such a process. Evidently the aim of such "baptizing" was not to re- move physical filth; for, in that respect, ordinary occupations might be far more defiling than a visit to the market. The purpose of the "baptizing" in question was to remove ceremonial defilement, which might readily be contracted in the market place. Such defilement, however, was, ac- cording to the Mosaic enactments, re- movable by the sprinkling of water, an act symbolic of spiritual cleansing. Ezek. 36:25; c. In I Cor. 10:2 the Israelites are said to have been baptized "in the cloud and in the sea." The cloud came over them, and the spray of the sea may have fallen upon them ; but they were not dipped into either. d. The forms of expression, "in Jordan," Matt. 3:6; "in," or with, "water," v. 11; "in the river Jordan," Mark i :5 ; "into the water," Acts 8:38; "out of the water," Acts 8:39, do not necessarily import immersion, or dipping, but may mean simply to, or from, the objects named. e. The reason given in John 3 :23 for John's bap- tizing in yEnon, namely, that "there was much water there," affords no proof that he baptized by immersion ; for it does not require a great quantity of water to suffice 352 AN EXPOSITION OF for this purpose. There is a better way of accounting for the selection. yEnon afforded an adequate supply of water for the needs of the throng of people who gathered about John. /. It seems incredible that in part of a day, that of Pentecost, 3,000 people, women as well as men, were baptized in Jerusalem in the way of total immersion in water. g. The language used by Peter (Acts 10:47), "Can any man forbid water (or the water) that these should not be baptized," is un- natural, if immersion was meant. h. The Philippian jailer and his household (Acts 16:33) were baptized at night, in the pre- cincts of the prison apparently. That they were immersed is, to say the least, improbable; i. The assertion that in Rom. 6:4 and Col. 2:12 Baptism is likened to an interment is un- warranted. By virtue of his federal and vital union with Christ, his head and surety, which baptism symbolizes, the be- liever may be said to have died with Christ and to have been buried and raised with Him. Besides, if baptism is symbol- ic of cleansing, which it surely is, it can- not be a symbol of burying; y. The figurative language used in Scripture to signify the bestowal of the Spirit lends countenance to the view that Baptism is properly performed by aflfusion or sprink- ling. A drop of water is as good a symbol of cleansing as is a river. Is. 44 :3 ; 63 : i; Ezek. 36:25-27; Zech. 12:10; Acts 1:4, 5 ; 2 :2, 17, 18, 33.* ♦See Note at end of Question XCIV. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 353 TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Ezek. 36:25-27; Zech. 12:10; Mark 7:4; Rom. 6:4, 5; Gal. 3:27; Col. 3:18, 19; Heb. 9:10, 13; i John 2:19. Note. It may be of interest to state here that while the members of the Westminster Assembly were unanimous in declaring that Baptism "is rightly administered by pouring, or sprinkling, water upon the person," many of them were in favor of mentioning dipping as also a law- ful mode of Baptism. The insertion of a clause in the Confession expressive of this latter view was on vote de- feated by a majority of one. QUESTION XCV. To whom is Baptism to be administered? ANSWER. Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible Church till they pro- fess their faith in Christ and obedience to Him; but the infants of such as are members of the visible Church are to be baptized. Q. I. Who, and who alone, are entitled to receive Baptism? A. The members of the visible Church. Q. 2. Who constitute the visible Church? A; a. All who make a credible profession of trust in Christ and of obedience to Him ; h. In addition to these must be reckoned their infants, or minor children. Q. 3. Is the recognition of such children as mem- bers of the visible Church, and, therefore, as entitled to Baptism, disputed by any? A. Yes. Many question both positions. 354 AN EXPOSITION OP Q. 4, By what names are the conflicting parties in this case distinguished? A. Those who favor the baptism of infants are styled "Psedobaptists" ; while their opponents labor under the cumbrous name "Anti-psedobaptists," which, how- ever, is popularly, though inaccurately, shortened to "Baptists." Q. 5. By what name were objectors to infant bap- tism known in a former age? A. They were styled "Anabaptists," that is, rebap- tizers ; because they insisted on the baptism of all who joined them, even though the ordinance had been admin- istered to them in infancy. In other words, they denied the validity of infant baptism. Q. 6. How may the right of the infants eind minor children of a church member to Baptism be proved? A. One general argument in favor of this right is the fact that by Divine direction the sign of Circum- cision was administered to infants of members of the Old Testament Church. Those who use this argument assume, warrantably as they think, that Circumcision had a spiritual import such as pertains to Baptism. Q. 7. Was there an Old Testament Church? A. Some maintain that the Church originated after the death of Christ, and conspicuously on the day of Pentecost. But this view is false, as may be shown on different grounds. Q. 8. Indicate some of these grounds. A. a. The Scriptures show that from the date of the fall and the announcement of salva- tion through the "seed of the woman" there has been a company, sometimes small, who professed dependence on God for all good and their devotion to Him. Gen. 3:21; 4:4, 26; 5:24; 6:18; 12:1-3; 18:19; THE SHORTER CATECHISM 355 b. The descendants of Abraham, in the line of Isaac and Jacob, received from God in the time of Moses an elaborate system of religious ceremonies to be carefully ob- served by them as His people; and they are expressly styled "the Church." Acts 7:38; c. Paul depicts the Church as an olive tree ex- isting in Old Testament times and per- petuated in the New. There is but one trunk, or stock, into which Gentiles were inserted by grafting, when the natural branches, the Jews, were, for unbelief, broken off. Rom. 11:17-24. Q. 9. Was not Circumcision a mere national, or civil, badge? A. No. It had a deeper, even a spiritual, signifi- cance. Deut. 10:16; 30:6; Lev. 26:41; Acts 7:51; Rom. 2:28, 29; Col. 2:11. Q. 10. Is Baptism of like spiritual import with Circumcision? A. Yes. Both are emblematic of the removal of pollution. See texts cited under the previous question, together with Acts 22:16; i Pet. 3:21. Q. II. Are not both seals of the same covenant? A. Yes. Rom. 4:10-12; Gal. 3:27-29. Q. 12. Is it not then to be presumed that Baptism now, like Circumcision of old, should be administered to the infants of Church members? a! Yes. Q. 13. State a second general argument in favor of infant Baptism. A. The evidence of the New Testament falls in with and confirms the presumption already reached. Q. 14. Give some points of this New Testament evi- dence. 356 AN EXPOSITION OF A. a. In the direction to baptize given by Christ to His disciples, as recorded in Matt. 28: 19, 20, there is, at least, no express warn- ing to abstain from baptizing children; b. There was in the commission an order to baptize, but none to circumcise, a fact from which it might very reasonably be inferred that Baptism was to take the place of Circumcision; c. Naturally it would be assumed that the order to baptize would run in the groove of the order to circumcise, and, if so, that in- fants might be baptized. Had Christ said, "Go, make disciples of all nations, circumcising them," it would have been assumed that the infants of Christian professors should be circumcised; d. Our Lord directed that the nations, when in- structed, should be baptized; but a na- tion consists largely of little children, and a nation may be said to be instructed when all in it capable of being instructed, that is, all the adults, have been taught; e. The demeanor of Christ toward little chil- dren, and His utterance respecting them, as reported in Matt. 19:13-15, would con- firm the apostles in the view that Bap- tism, like Circumcision, might be admin- istered to infants ; /. There are strong indications that the apostles understood their commission in accord- ance with the view which has been ex- pressed. Q. 15. Specify some of these indications. A. a. In his address on the day of Pentecost, Peter, urging his hearers to repent and be bap- tized, enforced his appeal by saying, "For the promise is to you and to your chil- THE SHORTER CATECHISM 357 dren." The promise alluded to is not that of miraculous gifts, such as the speaking with tongues previously un- known, for these are not always, or often, conferred, but the infinitely more import- ant promise of the Abrahamic covenant, 'T will be a God to thee and to thy seed after thee." And in saying, "Be baptiz- ed," Peter hints that Baptism was to sup- plant Circumcision as the seal of this covenant of promise. As the child of one who had been circumcised and had not repudiated practically the privilege and obligation attaching to the ordinance of Circumcision was entitled to Circum- cision, so the child of one who has been baptized and has not spurned the privi- lege and obligation pertaining to Baptism is entitled to that ordinance. b. It is not without significance that in the case of Lydia (Acts 16:15), and in that of the jailer (Acts 16:34, 35), the baptism of the family accompanied that of the head of the family. This fact carries us back in thought to the circumcision of Abraham and his household. Gen. 17:23; c. In I Cor. 7:14 it is intimated that the chil- dren of even one professing Christian are in some sense holy because of that rela- tion. How are they holy? In this sense, at least, that they are set apart, or are related to God, in a special way, just as as were the children of Israelites; and in virtue of this separation are entitled to the distinctive sign, formerly Circum- cision, now Baptism. Baptists have con- tended that "holy" in this passage is equivalent to "legitimate"; but this view 358 AN EXPOSITION OF is untenable for at least two reasons, namely, that the children of unbelievers lawfully wedded are legitimate ; and that the word "holy" is never elsewhere used to denote "legitimate." d. In the New Testament history, which extends as far as thirty or thirty-five years after the death of Christ, we never read of the baptism of any of the grown-up children of the early converts to Christianity. The absence of any such record is suggestive. It seems to indicate that the children of such converts had received baptism with their parents. Q. 1 6. Answer the objection that the baptism of an infant seems useless and even absurd. A. a. The circumcision of infants might be deemed even more useless and absurd ; yet God commanded it. b. The objection rests largely on the false prin- ciple that no one can, without his con- sent, be brought under obligation. He, however, that was circumcised on the eighth day of his life was by that very fact made a debtor to keep the whole law. Rom. 2 :25-29 ; Gal. 5 :3. In civil affairs, contracts by parents may bind their off- spring for generations. May not one then by baptism in infancy be morally bound to the service of Christ? c. The baptism of infants may benefit them through its effect on the consciences and hearts of their parents. Q. 17. What is the ecclesiastical standing of bap- tized infcmts, or minors? A. a. By Baptism they are not made members of the visible Church, but are formally rec- ognized as such; THE SHORTER CATECHISM 359 h. Although members, they are only members in minority, heirs, yet under "tutors and governors" ; c. They are proper subjects of Church disci- pline, both preventive and corrective, yet modified so as to suit their stage of life. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Gen. 4:26; Lev. 26:41; Deut. 10:16; Acts 7:38, 51; 22:16; Rom. 2:28, 29; 11:24; Gal. 4:10-12; 5:3. QUESTION XCVI. What is the Lord's Supper? ANSWER. The Lord's Supper is a sacrament wherein, by giving and receiving bread and vs^ine accord- ing to Christ's appointment, His death is show- ed forth, and the worthy receivers are, not after a corporal and carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of His body and blood, with all His benefits, to their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace. Q. I. What is the general design of the ordinance of the Lord's Supper? A. a. To commemorate the death of Christ, i Cor. 1 1 : 24-26 ; h. To exhibit Him as, through His obedience unto death, the author of spiritual life, growth, and comfort to His people. John ^•■ZZ^ 35. 53-58; c. To form a fit declaration of trust in Christ and hearty allegiance to Him. i Cor. 11: 26; d. To be a manifestation of the communion of saints, i Cor. 10:16, 17. 360 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 2. What are the elements, or material signs, to be used in this celebration? A. Bread and wine. Q. 3. Is any particular kind of bread requisite for the observance? A. No; the essential point is bread fitted to nourish the body. Q, 4. At the institution of the Supper, what kind of bread was used? A. No doubt unleavened bread, as that was the only kind used in the Passover feast, when the Supper was instituted. Ex. 12:18, 19. Q. 5. Is there a difference of view and practice in regard to this point among professing Christians? A. Yes. The Greek, or Eastern, Church requires the use of leavened bread, by way of antagonism to the Jews. On the other hand, Romanists and Lutherans in- sist on the use of unleavened bread; while Churches of the Reformed, or Calvinistic type, deem it immaterial whether the bread be leavened or unleavened. Christ employed the bread which was in use at the time. If the substance used is bread, the symbol is complete. Q. 6. What is the other element, or material sub- stance, required in the Lord's Supper? A. A potable, or fluid, substance, commonly called "wine"; but in Scripture styled "the fruit of the vine." Matt. 26:29; Mark 14:25. Q. 7. Is the use of the fermented juice of the grape in the Lord's Supper allowable? A. Such use may not so far vitiate the ordinance as to nullify it; but, on sundry accounts, it is safer to use the unfermented juice of the grape. Q. 8. Why are there two "elements," or material substances, prescribed for the Eucharist, and only one for Baptism, the other sacrament? A. In Baptism cleansing is the prominent idea, and of cleansing water is the proper agent and symbol; whereas in the Lord's Supper nutrition is the prominent THE SHORTER CATECHISM 361 suggestion, and for nutrition both eating and drinking are indispensable. Q. 9. What daring mutilation of the Lord's Supper is perpetrated by Rome? A. The denial of the cup to the people ; the "priests" alone being permitted to partake of its con- tents, and they only when officiating. Q. 10. When was this outrage enacted as law? A. In A. D. 141 5, by the Council of Constance, the same which sanctioned the burning of John Hus and Jerome of Prague. Q. II. What reasons are given in defense of this innovation? A. a. The risk of spilling the wine, and thus of desecrating the blood of Christ; h. The fact that in the other element, bread, Christ is received sufficiently. Q. 12. Is not this practice directly contrary to Scripture? A. Yes. Q. 13. Show this contrariety. A. a. Our Lord in presenting the cup to the dis- ciples, the representatives in this case of the New Testament Church, said, "Drink ye all (or all ye) of it." Matt. 26:27. This is the more significant because He did not say, when He gave the bread, "Eat ye all of it" ; b. As if to guard against misunderstanding, it is recorded in Mark 14:23 that "they all drank of it"; c. Paul evidently assumes in i Cor. 11:26-29 that he who eats the bread should also drink of the cup. Here then is an in- stance of a palpable violation of a Scrip- tural ordinance by Romanists. Q. 14. What is to be done with the material sub- stances used in the Lord's Supper? In other words, what 362 AN EXPOSITION OF are the sacramental actions which enter into this observ- ance? A. These may be classed under two heads, name- ly, the acts of the administrator, and the acts of the re- cipient, or communicant. Q. 15. What are the significant acts of the admin- istrator ? A. a. The blessing of the elements, either separate- ly, or conjointly; or, in other words, prayer that, so far as used, they may be blessed to the spiritual benefit of the com- municants ; b. The breaking of the bread; c. The giving of the bread to the communicants ; the act of giving being accompanied by the audible utterance of the words used by our Lord in giving the bread to His disciples; d. The giving of the cup in connection with the audible utterance of the words of Christ when performing that act to His disciples. Q. 16. Is the preliminary, formal taking up of the elements by the minister a part of the symbolism of the Supper? A. By some it is held to be so; but the view is hardly warranted. At the time of the institution of the Supper there were on the table different articles of diet, and our Lord's "taking" was simply His singling out two of these to be the standing memorials of Himself and His atoning work. Q. 17. Does the setting apart of the elements by prayer form a part of the eucharistic service? A. Yes. It is noted as such by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Paul. Matt. 26:26, 27; Mark 14:22, 23; Luke 22:19; I Cor. II '.24. Q. 18. Is this act of worship a consecration of the bread and wine, so that they may be called "holy," like the vessels in the temple? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 363 A. No. It is partly an expression of thanks and partly a petition that the elements used in the service may be attended with a blessing to all the communi- cants ; and any portion of the bread and wine which might be left would be no more sacred than any other bread and wine. Q. 19. Is the breaking of the bread a symbolic, or significant, act? A. Yes. It is noteworthy that Christ did not give a small cake to each disciple, or even a fragment of bread previously broken ; but He Himself broke the bread and, as He broke, gave. Matt. 26:26; Mark 14:22; i Cor. 11: 24. Indeed the ordinance was known in the apostolic time as "the breaking of bread." Acts 20:7; i Cor. 10: .16. Q. 20, What is the significance of the breaking of the bread? A. Clearly the breaking or crushing of Christ in His human nature that He might be to His people the bread of life. Q. 21. How do Romanists and some Protestants mar the significance of the ordinance at this point? A. Romanists prepare beforehand small cakes, call- ed "wafers," one of which is dropped by the "priest" into the mouth of each communicant. Some Protestants use small squares of bread previously prepared for the pur- pose. In either case a suggestive feature of the ordi- nance is eliminated, indeed two such features, namely, the suffering of Christ, and the close relation of His peo- ple to each other through having Him in common as their food. See i Cor. 10:16, 17. Q. 22. What is the third significant act in the ad- ministration of the Lord's Supper? A. The giving, first, of the bread and, then, of the cup. Q. 23. What is the spiritual import of this giving? A. Christ's giving of Himself to us as our substi- tute, support, and solace. Luke 22:19, 20; John 6:48-58. 364 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 24. What is the fourth act on the part of the administrator of the Lord's Supper? A. The audible and reverent utterance of the words spoken by our Lord as He presented to His disciples the symbols of His body and blood, i Cor. 11 124, 25. These words form the key of the observance. Q. 25. What is the first outward sacramental act of those to whom the Lord's Supper is administered? A. The reception with their own hands of the bread and wine presented. Our Lord said not only "eat," but "take, eat." Matt. 26:26; Mark 14:22; i Cor. 1 1 :24. Q. 26. What meaning is there in this act? A. It signifies that, although passive in his regener- ation, the believer is active in the reception of Christ as the food of the soul. Q. 27. How is this feature of the ordinance ob- scured, if not eliminated, by the mode of celebration pur- sued by Romanists and some nominal Protestants? A. In the cases alluded to, the administrator does not give the bread into the hands of the communicants; but he himself drops it into their mouths. They eat, it is true; but they do not take and eat. The symbolism is thus impoverished. Men may mar, but can never mend, God's ordinances. Q. 28. What is the second class of acts on the part of the receiver of the Lord's Supper? A. The actual eating of the bread and drinking of the wine. Q. 29. What do these acts denote? A. They are meant to express the reception of Christ as the support and nutriment, as well as source, of our spiritual life. To' see, or smell, or touch the ele- ments is not enough. They must be taken into the mouth and swallowed. So it is not enough to read or hear about Christ as a Saviour. We must appropriate Him to ourselves by faith. To be benefited we must "eat that which is good." THE SHORTER CATECHISM 365 Q. 30. What is the inward, or mental, attitude nec- essary to the proper observance of the Supper? A, Several exercises of soul are involved in the due observance of this ordinance, such as love, joy, sorrow, gratitude; but pre-eminently faith is requisite, by which Christ is appropriated in correspondence with the out- ward acts of taking, eating, and drinking. Q. 31. Present in brief form the manifold meaning of the Lord's Supper. A, a. Its most obvious end is to perpetuate the re- membrance of the Redeemer, especially of His death for sinners, i Cor. 11:24- 26. Some contend that this memorial function is its only purpose; but, if so, the spectators might derive as much benefit from it as the partakers; b. It is meant to be not only a sign of spiritual good, but also to be to believers a seal, or sensible pledge, of the love of Christ to them, and of the fulfilment to them of His promises. Being such a pledge, the Lord's Supper properly belongs to be- lievers only; but, as administered by men who cannot search the heart, it is open to those who make a credible profession of faith in Christ and of obedience to Him; c. It is a covenanting ordinance. God by it con- firms His covenant made with His people in Christ; while they in response attest their acceptance of Him as their Lord and portion; d. It is a witnessing ordinance, in which a pro- fession of trust in Christ and of allegiance to Him is made before the world. It is a part of public worship accordingly, i Cor. 11:20, 26; Acts 20:7. Hence the practice of dismissing the congregation 366 AN EXPOSITION OF before the observance of the Supper is at variance with one design of the ordi- nance ; e. It is emphatically an ordinance of com- munion, first, between believers and the persons of the Godhead, and, next, be- tween believers themselves. Q. 32. How may the main aspects of the Lord's Supper be described in concise, alliterative form? A. It may be characterized as a commemorative, a confirming, a covenanting, a confessing, and a commun- ing ordinance. Q. 33. What are the most notable errors touching the nature of the Lord's Supper? A. a. The Zwinglian, or bare memorial, view ; b. The Romish, or Transubstantiation, view; c. The Lutheran, or Consubstantiation, view; Q. 34. What is the Zwinglian view? A. That is, that the Supper is merely a vivid method of commemorating the death of Christ. There is some reason to think that this partial view of the ordinance was finally abandoned, or modified, by the illustrious Reformer from whom it derived its name. Q. 35. Is this view tenable? A. It is in part correct; for unquestionably the Supper is commemorative (i Cor. 11:24, 25), but the view is not complete, else the Lord's Supper should be no more restricted to any class than is the gospel. The self-examination required before the observance of the Supper is not a pre-requisite to the reading of the Scrip- tures ; but if the Supper is a sealing, as well as a memo- rial, ordinance, the necessity of self-scrutiny before en- gaging in it becomes obvious. Q. 36. What is the nature of the Romish doctrine of Transubstantiation? A. It is that, on consecration by a "priest," the ele- ments of the Lord's Supper are changed into the very body and blood together with the soul and divinity of THE SHORTER CATECHISM 367 the Lord Jesus Christ; yet that there is no change in the appearance (or "accidents") of those elements. Q. 37. When was this doctrine first declared to be a dogma of the Romish communion? A. It was the growth of centuries, and was strenu- ously resisted by some eminent men; but in A. D. 1215 it was formally decreed as a dogma of the Church by the Fourth Council of Lateran. Q. 38. What proofs of this monstrous tenet do Romanists profess to find in Scripture? A. Chiefly some utterances of Christ recorded in John 6:51-58, together with words used by Him at the institution of the ordinance. Q. 39. How may the argument drawn from John 6:51-58 be disposed of? A. a. When Christ expressed the sentiments re- corded in this passage, the Lord's Supper had not been instituted. The eating and drinking which He declares indispensable to salvation must be something else than eating and drinking in the Eucharist, b. In V. 53 our Lord is represented as saying, "Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, ye have no life in you." Romanists, however, hold that when a man is baptized he has spiritual life imparted to him, and that only the baptized may partake of the Eucharist. Evidently Christ meant to teach, not that participation of the Eucharist is essential to our having spiritual life, but that the reception of Him by faith as the bread of life is es- sential to salvation. c. Our Lord intimates that every one who eats His flesh and drinks His blood shall be raised up (that is, raised up in glory) at the last day. But Romanists admit that 368 AN EXPOSITION OF it is possible to partake of the Eucharist and yet be lost. If so, it cannot be to the Eucharist that Christ alludes when He speaks of eating His flesh and drink- ing His blood. d. Christ furnished the key to His statements about eating His flesh and drinking His blood by adding, "It is the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing; the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life." He thus guards against a carnal, or literal, interpretation of His address, such as some of His hearers, and as do Romanists now, put upon it. Q. 40. Refute the argument founded by Romanists on the words spoken by Christ at the institution of the Supper, "This is My Body," etc. A. a. The verb "to be" is often used in Scripture, as in common speech, to express resem- blance or representation, rather than identity or sameness. For instance, see Ps. 18:1, "The Lord is my rock"; John 10:9, "I am the door"; John 15:1, "I am the true vine"; i Cor. 10:4, "And that rock was Christ"; Gen. 49:9, "Judah is a lion's whelp"; v. 22, "Joseph is a fruitful bough." Why then may not the words, "This is my body," be understood to mean "This is a sign, or symbol, of My body"? b. The disciples whom Christ addressed did not understand Him to speak literally; for they exhibited no horror, which they cer- tainly would, had they supposed that they were invited to eat the very flesh and, especially, to drink the blood of their Master; THE SHORTER CATECHISM 369 c. Even after blessing the wine, Christ con- tinued to call it "the fruit of the vine." Matt. 26:29; Mark 14:25. d. As Romanists insist on literality, they should hold that the cup itself was changed to be "the new testament," or covenant, i Cor. II :25; e. According to Romish interpretation, the bread and wine are at once Christ and symbols of Him ; which is to say that He is a symbol of Himself; /. If Rome's interpretation is correct, Christ was literally in the mouths of His disciples while He was sitting among them at the table ; g. According to the Transubstantiation doctrine, the body and blood of Christ are present, whole and entire, in a thousand different places at the same instant; h. This doctrine lays a basis for universal scep- ticism ; for it requires us to distrust the testimony of our bodily senses. If we may not trust our senses, what proof have we that there is a Bible, or a society call- ed "the Church," or an outer world? Q. 41. Mention two Romish tenets which rest upon the doctrine of Transubstantiation, and which must fall with it. A, "The adoration of the host" and "the sacrifice of the mass." Q. 42, In the phrase, "adoration of the host," what does the word "host" mean? A. Literally it means a sacrificial victim, being de- rived from the Latin word "hostia," which has that sig- nification. Q. 43. What victim is denoted by the phrase "ado- ration of the host"? 370 AN EXPOSITION OF A. Christ, as produced by virtue of a priest's con- secration of bread and wine. Q. 44. Do Romanists teach that the elements thus consecrated are to be worshipped with supreme adora- tion? A. They do. Q. 45. Refute this dogma. A. a. Manifestly it falls with the doctrine of Tran- substantiation, of which a refutation has been ofifered; &,. There is no suggestion in Scripture that such homage should be paid to the sacrament- al elements. Q. 46. Is not the practice of receiving the commun- ion in a kneehng posture objectionable? A. Yes ; as it seems to countenance the notion that the elements are to be worshipped. Q. 47. What is the posture proper to the observ- ance? A. A table posture, or such as is customary at an ordinary meal. The disciples at the original observance, no doubt, reclined, as that was at the time a customary attitude at table. John 13 123, 25. We, however, sit at table. Q. 48. What is meant by the dogma of "the sacri- fice of the mass"? A. It is to the effect that the elements of the Eucharist consecrated by a priest, and offered by him to God, form a real, propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of the living and the dead. Q. 49. Disprove this doctrine of Rome. A. a. It rests on the doctrine of Transubstantia- tion, already shown to be false and ab- surd; b.. It is derogatory to the atonement of Christ, Who by one offering of Himself procured the salvation of all His people. Rom. 8: 32; Heb. 7:27; 9:25-28; 10:10, 12-14. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 371 Q. 50. What is the Lutheran doctrine of Consub- stantiation ? A. It is that although the bread and wine used in the Supper remain unchanged, Christ is in, with, and under them, even as to His humanity, Hterally present. Q. 51. Refute this doctrine. A. a. There is nothing in the words of institution to support this view, any more than to support the Romish doctrine of Transub- stantiation ; b. It involves the notion that the humanity of Christ is vested with the attribute of ubiquity, or omnipresence; which is equivalent to saying that God can be created. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. I Cor. 10:16, 17; 11:26-29; Matt, 26:27; Mark 14: 23; Ex. 12:18-20; John 6:53-58; Heb. 9:25-28. QUESTION XCVII. What is required to the worthy receiving of the Lord's Supper? ■ ANSWER. It is required of them that would worthily partake of the Lord's Supper that they examine themselves of their knowledge to discern the Lord's body, of their faith to feed upon Him, of their repentance, love, and new obedience, lest, coming unworthily, they eat and drink judg- ment to themselves. Q. I. For whom is the gospel provided? A. For men as fallen, and therefore needing salva- tion. Prov. 8:4; Matt. 11:28; i Tim. 1:15. Q. 2. For whom is the Lord's Supper provided? 372 AN EXPOSITION OF A. a. For human beings only. It is not for angels. h. Only for those who make a credible profes- sion of faith in Christ and obedience to Him. Acts 20:7; c. For none but those who really possess the faith and the spirit of obedience which they profess. Q. 3. Unable to discern the heart unerringly, as are those who have charge of the Lord's table, how are they to be guided in admitting to it? A. By outward appearances; applicants who seem to have the requisite qualifications being admitted, and none else. Q. 4. Yet should any, proposing to observe this ordinance, be satisfied with a mere outward profession of Christian faith? A. No. They should duly consider that they have to do with God Who searches the heart and hates lies. Q. 5. About what should those who propose to ob- serve this solemnity examine themselves? A. a. As to their knowledge of the true import of the ordinance; h. As to their possession of true faith in Christ, and of the present exercise of that faith ; c. As to the fact, and the evangelical character, of their repentance ; d. As to their possession of true love to God and man; e. As to their disposition to obey God implicitly and fully. Q. 6. What is meant by "discerning the Lord's body"? A. This expression, or the equivalent but briefer form, "discerning the body," occurs in i Cor. 11:29, and manifestly means the recognition under the symbols of bread and wine of Christ crucified for us. Q. 7. Is the possession of the habit, or principle, of faith a sufficient preparative for the observance of the Supper? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 373 A. No; this principle must be in exercise, not dor- mant. Q. 8. What is the repentance requisite for the proper observance of this ordinance? A. A true sorrow for our sin, especially as done against a gracious God. Zech. 12:10. Q. 9. What is the love requisite for true commun- ion at the Lord's table? A. Love to God supremely, and love to our fellow- men, particularly to our fellow-Christians. Gal. 6:10; i John 3:16; 4:19, 20. Q. 10. What is meant by "new obedience"? A. a. Obedience proceeding from a new principle, namely, love to God supremely; b. Obedience directed to a new end, namely, the glory of God chiefly, and the welfare of ourselves and others subordinately. i Cor. 10:31; Luke 10:27. Q. II. What bearing has this requirement of self- examination on the question of Infant Communion as practiced in the Greek Church? A. It shows the impropriety of such a practice ; for infants cannot examine themselves, or "discern the Lord's body." Q. 12. Does self-examination preclude any exam- ination of applicants by church officers having charge of the Lord's table? A. No. Some may be ignorant, or self-deceived ; and officers exist by Divine authority to guard against the desecration of sacred things. Acts 20:28; i Tim. 5: 17; Heb. 13:17. Q'. 13. What is meant by the expression "Eat and drink judgment to themselves"? A. It does not mean that the sin of "unworthy com- municating" is unpardonable, although, like all sin, worthy of endless punishment; but only that he who commits it deserves the punishment due to a grave offense. 374 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 14. May the Lord's Supper be repeatedly ob- served by the same person? A. Yes. In this it differs from Baptism, which is not to be administered more than once to the same person. Q. 15. Why should this difference be made in the two cases? A. Baptism points to the initiation of spiritual life, which occurs but once in any person ; whereas the Supper points to nutrition, which is a process. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Zech. 12:10; Luke 10:27; Acts 20:7; i Cor. 11:29; Gal. 6:10; I John 3:16; 4:19, 20. QUESTION XCVIII. What is prayer? ANSWER. Prayer is an offering up of our desires to God for things agreeable to His will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins and thankful acknowledgment of His mercies. Q. I. Is prayer a means of grace? A. Yes ; it is an outward means of grace ; while the true spirit of prayer is a fruit of grace. Zech. 12:10; Rom. 8:26. Q. 2. Why may it be accounted a means of grace? A. a. Because God has appointed it as an expedient for procuring blessings from Him. Jas. 1:5; Phil. 4:6, 7; Luke 11:9-13; h. Because the very exercise of prayer holds us in converse with God, and calls into operation various holy affections. Q. 3. What is the distinctive feature of prayer? A. Petition or, at least, a longing which prompts to petition. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 375 Q. 4. Can there be prayer without the use of words ? A. Yes, but not prayer in its normal, or complete, form, Hos, 14:2; Matt. 6:9; Luke 18:13. The tendency of desire is to clothe itself in words. In the case of a dumb person the desire is equal to verbal petition. Q. 5. What are the close adjuncts, or accompani- ments, of prayer? A. a. Confession of sin. This is fitting as an act of humility, and an expression of our sense of need. Luke 18:13; h. Thanksgiving. Every human being has reason to be grateful to God ; and the ex- pression of gratitude for favors received becomes one who is seeking more. Q. 6. Is there an element of praise involved in genuine prayer? A. Yes. In prayer there is, at least, an implied ac- knowledgment of the power, wisdom, truthfulness, and goodness of God ; and such a recognition is of the general nature of praise, Q, 7. Yet is there not a difference between prayer and praise? A, Yes; and hence it is not safe to argue, as do some, that because we are at liberty to frame our own prayers, we are warranted to make hymns and sing them in the worship of God, Q. 8. To whom is an act of spiritual homage to be addressed? .A, To God only. Matt. 4:10; 6:9; Ps, 62:5-8; 65: 2 ; Jas, 1 :5 ; Rev, 22 -.g. Q, 9, In praying to God, do we pray to all the persons of the Trinity? A, Yes, essentially viewed; for the three are one in essence, Q. 10. May we pray to each person of the God- head distinctively? 376 AN EXPOSITION OF A. We may thus pray to the Father and the Son at least. See Acts 7:59, 60; 2 Cor. 12:8, 9; Eph. 1:17; 3:14; I Thess. 3:11. Q. II. May we directly and distinctively render spiritual homage and praise to the Holy Spirit? A. Yes. Matt. 28:20; 2 Cor. 13:14; Rev. 1:4. But in worshipping we must rely for acceptance of our ser- vice on Jesus Christ. John 14:6; Eph. 2:18; Col. 3:17. Q. 12. May we directly pray to the Holy Spirit as a person of the Trinity? A. The propriety of such prayer is, at least, ques- tionable. Q. 13. Why questionable? A. a. There is in the Scriptures no clear example of prayer to the Holy Spirit personally. That this name appears in the apostolic benediction in 2 Cor. 13:14, and for sub- stance in the benediction recorded in Rev. 1 :4, 5, is true ; but a benediction is not a prayer. It is an authoritative dec- laration of blessings to be bestowed on all who, through grace, are entitled to them; b. In the economy of redemption each person of the Trinity, according to free mutual arrangement, sustains a particular part, while concurring in the whole. The part of the Holy Spirit in our salvation seems to be to carry into effect in our sanctifi- cation the will of the Father and the Son. Hence they are represented as sending, or giving, or withdrawing, the Spirit. John 3:34; 14:26; 15:26; 16:7; Acts 2: 17, 18, 33; 5:32; Ps. 51:11; Joel 2:28, 29; Zech. 12:10; Luke 11:13. Thus the view seems to be sanctioned that those who desire for themselves or others the saving operations of the Holy Spirit should THE SHORTER CATECHISM 377 solicit the boon either from the Trinity, or from the Father, or the Son, not from the Holy Spirit personally. Q. 14. Is it lawful to pray to angels, or to glorified saints ? A. No. Q. 15. Why should such an act be deemed unlaw- ful? A. a. Because God has not directed us so to pray; b. No approved instance of such prayer is found in the Bible; c. We have no assurance that such beings can even know when we pray; d. Even if they did know, they could not with certainty tell whether or not our prayer proceeded from faith, and might fitly be granted. Q. 16. What things may we ask in prayer? A. Only those things which God has promised to bestow on true suppliants. Jas. i :6, 7; 2 Pet. i 4; i John 5:14- Q. 17. How are we to ascertain what is agreeable to God's will? A. By His Word, which contains His promises. Q. 18. What is meant in this case by the "will" of God? A. Both His will of precept and His will of pur- pose. Q. 19. Are we warranted to ask God to bless any sinful act or project? A. No; for that would be to ask Him to favor what He has declared He unchangeably hates. But we may ask Him to over-rule sin for His own glory and our good. Q. 20. Are there not cases in which we may be in- competent to judge what would be for the glory of God and our good? 378 AN EXPOSITION OF A. Yes; and in such cases we should ask submiss- ively, or conditionally. In this way mere temporal bene- fits, such as health, or wealth, are to be sought. Q. 21. In order to constitute our prayer a prayer of faith, is it necessary that we feel sure of receiving the very thing we ask? A. No; but that we feel persuaded that we shall receive either the thing asked, or something better, i Cor. 12:8-10; Ps. 145:19. Q. 22. In whose name is prayer to be made? A. In the name of Christ, the only Mediator be- tween God and man. John 14:6, 13, 14; 16:23; Eph. 2: 18: I Tim. 2:5; Rev. 8:3, 4. Q. 23. What is meant by praying in the name of Christ? A. Asking that in consideration or on account of His atoning work, the petitions we offer may be graciously granted. Q. 24. May not prayer be offered really in the name of Christ, even when His name is not mentioned? A. Yes, if the latent, or habitual, sense of depend- ence on His merit pervades the soul of the suppliant. Q. 25. Yet is it not most fit, especially in public and social prayer, that express mention be made of Him Who is the "way" from God and to Him in favor? A. Yes, and any society which forbids this should be shunned. Q. 26. May it be said that before the death of Christ the prayers of all the faithful were offered in His name? A. Yes, that they were offered implicitly, or vir- tually so. From the date of the first announcement of a Deliverer (Gen. 3:15), the minds of men were turned in hope toward the appearance in the flesh of One able to save. In the sacrificial system, especially as developed in the Mosaic ritual, this expectation was encouraged. Those who entered into the true meaning of that amaz- ing system saw in it a foreshadowing of a great Saviour. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 379 This interpretation was suggested and powerfully sanc- tioned by positive verbal predictions of a coming De- liverer. To Him, accordingly, as their substitute and ad- vocate the minds of true worshippers turned during the dim centuries which intervened between the fall and the crucifixion. John 8:56; Gal. 3:8; Heb. 11:13. Q. 27. Is there any particular bodily attitude re- quired in prayer? A. While the bodily attitude is of secondary im- portance, and may be dictated by circumstances, there are certain postures which seem becoming as expressive of reverence, and for which there is sanction in Scrip- ture. Q. 28. What are these? A. Kneeling (2 Chron. 6:13; Ps. 95:6; Dan. 6:10; Luke 22:41; Acts 9:40; 21:5; Eph. 3:14); standing (Mark 11:25; Luke 18:11, 13); prostration (i Chron. 21: 16; Matt. 26:39; Luke 5:8, 12); bowing (Gen. 24:26; 47:31; Ex. 4:31; 12:27; 20:5; I Kings 1:47; 2 Chron. 20: 18; 29:29, 30). Q. 29. Mention the elements of prayer in its widest sense. A. Adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and peti- tion ; the last being the most characteristic ingredient. Q. 30. Is it the duty of an unconverted man to pray? A. Yes. See Is. 55:6, 7; Joel 1:14; Ps. 14:4; Jer. 10:25. Q. 31. But is not the prayer of the wicked an abomination to the Lord? A. Yes. See Prov. 28:9; 15:8; 21:27. But the prayerlessness of the wicked is a greater abomination. Jer. 10:25. Q. 32. May we urge the wicked to pray? A. Yes. See Is. 55:7; Acts 8:21-23. But at the same time, they should be instructed to pray in faith, and, in the very attempt to pray, faith may come. Luke 6:10. 380 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 33. For whom may we pray? A. a. For ourselves. Matt. 6:9-13; b. For our fellowmen of all classes and condi- tions, with two exceptions, i Tim. 2:1, 2; Eph. 1:16, 17; 3:14-17- Q. 34. What are the exceptions? A. The dead and such as may have committed the unpardonable sin. Q- 35- Why not pray for the dead? A. a. Because nowhere in Scripture are we told to do so; b. Because in Scripture there is no instance of prayer for the dead. Paul's petition in behalf of Onesiphorus (2 Tim. 1:18) /'The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day," has been adduced as an instance of prayer for one dead. But there is no evidence that Onesiphorus was dead when the apostle wrote those words ; c. Because the state of the dead is fixed and ir- reversible. Prov. 14:32; Luke 16:26; Rev. 22:11 ; d. If prayer for the dead is a duty, it is a duty of vast importance, and surely would be clearly inculcated in the Scriptures. But the most ardent advocates of the practice can hardly dare to say that it is clearly warranted in the Bible. Q. 36. Why not pray for one who has committed the unpardonable sin? A. Because to do so would be to ask God to do what He has signified He will not do, and to run counter to His direction in i John 5 :i6. Q. 37. Is prayer meant to change God's plan, or purpose? A. No, It is an appointed link in the plan of God ; so that it may properly be said that had this link been lacking, the issue would have been diflferent. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 381 Q. 38. Is the opinion correct that the office of prayer is simply subjective, that is, to act merely on the petitioner himself? A. No. Prayer, indeed, does so react; but it does more, else it would be radically deceptive. Elijah's prayer, for instance, that it might not rain, and, again, that it might rain, received an outward response, first in the withholding and then in the outpouring of rain. Q. 39. Can we pray aright unless prompted and aided by the Holy Spirit? A. No. See Rom. 8:26; i Cor. 12:3; Eph. 2:18. Q. 40. How does the Spirit intercede for us? A. a. Not directly, as does Christ, our mediatorial advocate ; h. Not in heaven, but on earth where we are; c. Indirectly, through us, by giving us a sense of our need, exciting in us suitable de- sires, and producing in us faith whereby we lay hold of Christ and plead for the fulfilment of the promises which are in Him "yea" and "amen." Rom. 8:26, 27; Jude V. 20. Q. 41. What, then, is the genesis, or origin, of every true prayer? A. a. Every such prayer is a fruit produced in the soul by the Holy Spirit; h. The gift of the Spirit, as the originator and promoter of prayer in us, is a fruit of the atoning work of Christ. John 15:26; 16: 7; Acts 5:31; Tit. 3:5, 6; c. This atoning work, productive of such results, is the fruit of God's everlasting and sovereign purpose of grace toward men. Rom. 8:28-32; Eph. 1:3-6. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Hos. 14:2; Is. 55:6, 7; John 16:23; Matt. 4:10; Rev. 22:9; Rom. 8:26; Eph. 1:17; 2:18; Col. 3:17; 2 Cor. 13: 14; I John 5:14. 382 AN EXPOSITION OF QUESTION XCIX. What rule hath God given for our direction in prayer? ANSWER. The whole Word of God is of use to direct us in prayer, but the special rule of direction is that form of prayer which Christ taught His disciples, commonly called The Lord's Prayer. Q. I. How are the Scriptures at large fitted to guide us in prayer? A. They are fitted to serve this end because they reveal to us a. The true and only proper object of worship; b. The true character of this glorious Being; c. The only way of favorable access to Him ; d. The nature and extent of our needs ; e. The promises of God as a guide and en- couragement in prayer. Q. 2. What part of the Word is particularly adapt- ed to afford guidance in the exercise of prayer? A. That which is commonly called "The Lord's Prayer." Q. 3. Where is this found? A. In Matt. 6:9-13 and less fully in Luke 11:2-4. Q. 4. Why is this form of prayer generally called "The Lord's Prayer"? A. Not because He offered it in prayer; but be- cause He uttered it in the hearing of His disciples for their guidance in prayer. Q. 5. Point out some particulars in which this so- called "Lord's Prayer" was unsuitable for use by Christ Himself. A. a. The opening words, "Our Father," may be specified as in point. Never elsewhere does Christ associate any one with Him- self in the relation of sonship toward the THE SHORTER CATECHISM 383 Divine Father. God, that is to say, the first person of the Trinity, was His Father in a unique sense. Carefully is this dis- tinction indicated by our Lord Himself. See Matt. 5:16, 45, 48; 6:1, 6, 8, 14, 15, 18, 26, 32; 7:11, 21; 10:20, 29, 32, 33; 11: 27; 12:50; 13:43; 18:10, 19, 35; 24:36; 26:42, 53; John 20:17. h. The fifth petition, "And forgive us our debts" or "sins," could not have been used by Christ for Himself. He had no sin of His own to confess, and the sin of others which was imputed to Him it behoved Him to expiate. The cup of suffering could not pass from Him, if his people were to escape the bitter draught. Q. 6. May this prayer be used by worshippers now? A. Yes. If suitable for use by the disciples who received it from the lips of Christ, it is suitable for our use. Q. 7. Was this given as an obligatory form of prayer? A. No. The use of it as a general guide is impera- tive, but its use as a rigid form is optional. Q. 8. How may these two points be established? A. a. In Matt. 6 :g our Lord is represented as say- ing, "After this manner, therefore, pray ye," as if He meant what followed to be a model and guide, rather than an obliga- tory form : h. In Luke 11:2-4 we have substantially the same prayer, yet with some variation, as if to show that it was intended to be a suggestive specimen, rather than a pre- scribed form, of prayer; 384 AN EXPOSITION OF c. In the prayers recorded in the New Testa- ment, as ofifered by the followers of Christ after His ascension, the so-called "Lord's Prayer" does not occur; d. At the same time, the right to use in suppli- cation the very words of this prayer can hardly be questioned. Q. 9. May not the frequent reiteration of this prayer in the Romish and Protestant Episcopal rituals have produced an unconscious recoil from it on the part of the stricter Protestants? A. There is reason to think so. Q. 10. Mention one or two of the evils resulting from the use of fixed forms of prayer. A. Such use tends to lifeless formalism and the perpetuation of spiritual childhood. Q. II. What lessons does the act of Christ in pro- viding for us a model prayer suggest? A. a. Our spiritual impotence ; for we know neither what to ask from God, nor how to ask aright. Rom. 8:26; b. God's amazing condescension and bounty; c. Our culpability, if we fail to ask. God has opened His treasury to us, and conde- scended to teach us how to draw from it for our need. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Matt. 6:6; 7:11; John 20:17; Rom. 8:26, 27; i Pet. 2:24, QUESTION C. What doth the preface of the Lord's Prayer teach us? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 385 ANSWER. The preface of the Lord's Prayer, which is : "Our Father Who art in heaven," teacheth us to draw near to God with all holy reverence and confidence, as children to a father able and ready to help us, and that we should pray with and for others. Q. I. Of how many parts does the Lord's Prayer consist ? A. Of three, namely, a preface, sundry petitions, and a conclusion. Q. 2. How many are the petitions in this Prayer? A. Six. Some, however, maintain that there are seven. Those who do so claim that the words, "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil," con- stitute two petitions, a negative and a positive. Q. 3. How much is included in the preface? A. The opening words indicative of the Being ad- dressed, "Our Father Who art in heaven." Q. 4. Does the word "Father" here denote God essentially considered, that is, the Trinity, or the first person of the Godhead Whose distinctive name is "Father"? A. Most probably the word signifies the first person of the Trinity, that person of the Godhead Whom Christ called His, and the, "Father." John 14:16, 17, 26; 15 :26; 20:17. Q. 5. In what respects may God be called the Father of men? A. a. Because He created men in His likeness. Gen. 1:26, 27; Num. 16:22; Mai. 2:10; Acts 17:28. b. In certain cases He has favored men with ex- ternal spiritual privileges, and for this reason might be called their Father. Rom. 9:4; 2 Cor. 6:16-18; 386 AN EXPOSITION OF c. Specially, God sustains the relation of Father to those who, though members of our fallen race, are regenerated and adopted by Him. Rom. 8:14-17; i John 3:1, 2. Q. 6. What feelings on the part of the suppliant does the use of this word indicate, or require? A. The feelings of reverence and reliance. The du- tiful child reveres its father and confides in him. Is. 63 : 16; Mai. 1:6; Heb. 12:9. Q. 7. What is suggested by the word "our" in this address? A. The propriety and obligation of praying with and for others. Q. 8. Is it a great privilege to be permitted to pray for others, as well as for ourselves, and to have others pray for us? A. Yes. Rom. 14:30; Col. 4:3; i Thess. 5:25; i Tim. 2:1-4. Q. 9. May this expression, "Our Father," be properly used in secret, as well as in social, prayer? A. Yes. Although unknown to each other, the children of God throughout the world meet and have fellowship around the throne of grace. Heb. 4:16. Q. 10. What is the force of the clause, "Who art in heaven"? A. a. It serves to distinguish God from a mere father according to the flesh. Heb. 12:9; b.. It is expressive of our sense of the majesty and glory of Him to Whom we appeal. Q. II. In what sense may it be said that God is "in heaven"? A. a. Not as bounded by it as to His essence. 2 Chron, 6:18; h. As therein peculiarly displaying His glory. Ps. 11:4; 27:4, 5. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Ps. 27:4, 5; Mai. 1:6; John 14:16, 17, 26; 15:26; 20: 17; Rom. 8:14-17; I Tim. 2:1-4; Heb. 4:16; 12:9. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 387 QUESTION CI. What do we pray for in the first petition? ANSWER. In the first petition, which is : "Hallowed be Thy name," we pray that God would enable us and others to glorify Him in all that whereby He maketh Himself known, and that He would dispose all things to His own glory. Q. I. What resemblance in structure is there be- tween the Decalogue and the Lord's Prayer? A. a. In both the honor of God and the interests of man are contemplated; b. In both the honor due to God has precedence. Q. 2. What is meant by the "name" of God? A. It denotes His manifested being, or Himself as revealed. Ex. 34:5-7; Is. 42:8; Ps. 116:4; 103:1. Q. 3. What is it to "hallow" the name of God? A. It is to regard and treat it (that is, Himself) with all reverence and honor. Lev. 10:3; Ps. 135:1; i Peter 3:15. Q. 4. In asking God that His name be hallowed, what is implied? A. That He, and only He, can so control men and angels that they shall render to Him the proper tribute of obedience, reverence, and praise. Q. 5. How is the spirit of this petition practically repudiated ? A. By failure on the part of any to honor God in His laws and providential dispensations, especially in that provision which He has made for the salvation of men. Q. 6. Mention some of the more direct violations of the spirit of this petition, or some things incongruous with it. A. Profane swearing; false swearing; a hypocritic- al profession of religion; levity in worship; an irrever- 388 ^A^ EXPOSITION OF ent or unmeaning use of God's names even in prayer and fabricated choruses, or repetitions, in the singing of Psalms. Ex. 20:7; Eccl. 5:1, 2; Matt. 6:7. Q. 7. How should we desire God to dispose all things? A. To His own glory supremely. John 12:28; 17: i; Rom. 11:36; I Cor. 10:31. Q. 8. What confession is implied in this petition? A. Our inability to glorify God as we ought. Q. 9. Can anyone who is rejecting Christ offer this petition sincerely? A. No. See I John 3:23,24; 5:10; John 5:38; 15:23. Q. ID. How has God provided for the hallowing of His name in the exercises of worship? A. a. He has Himself instituted the modes of wor- ship to be observed by men. Deut. 12: 32; Matt. 28:20; b. He demands reverence in the observance of them. Ps. 89:7; c. He has signally punished deviations from the prescribed forms of worship. Lev. 10:1- 3; 2 Kings 17:15-18; 2 Chron. 26:16-21; d. He ofifers us help to worship Him aright. Ps. 40:1-3; Rom. 8:26. Q. II. Did Christ Himself offer this petition? A. Yes. See John 12:28; 17:2. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Ex. 34:5-7; Ps. 103:1; Eccl. 5:1, 2; Is. 42:8; Matt. 6:7; John 12:28; 15:23; I John 5:10. QUESTION Cn. What do we pray for in the second peti- tion? ANSWER. In the second petition, which is: "Thy kingdom come," we pray that Satan's kingdom THE SHORTER CATECHISM 389 may be destroyed, and that the kingdom of grace may be advanced, ourselves and others brought into it, and kept in it, and that the kingdom of glory may be hastened. Q. I. What is meant by the expression, "the King- dom of God," in its widest sense? A. His universal dominion. Ps. 103:19; Is. 45:12; 48:13. Q. 2. Can His Kingdom in this sense "come"? A. No. In this sense it has come, and continues. Q. 3. Within the bounds of this universal kingdom is there a counter-kingdom set up? A. Yes; there is a kingdom of revolt of which Satan, the prince of the fallen angels, is the head. See Matt. 12:26; John 12:31; 16:11; Eph. 2:2; i John 5:18, 19; Eph. 6:11, 12. Q. 4. Who belong to this rebel kingdom? A. Fallen angels and wicked men. John 8:44; 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude V. 6; Matt. 25:41; Eph. 2:2. Q. 5. Why has this rebel kingdom been permitted to arise? A. This is virtually the question, "Why has sin been permitted"? To this we can only answer, "for the glory of God." In part, but only in part, can we now see how the existence of sin is made subservient to the manifestation of God's excellence as a Being infinitely holy, just, and good; and seeing so much even in present darkness, we may hope for fuller vision in the great clearing up that is to come. . Q. 6. Are the repression and utter overthrow of the Satanic sway in this world sought in this petition? A. Yes. Q. 7. Are we authorized to pray for the restoration of the fallen angels to favor and fellowship with God? A. No. We should desire that God would main- tain unceasing control of those evil spirits and make them subserve His holy ends. 390 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 8. Why not intercede with Him for their res- toration? A. a. We have no command to be thus comprehen- sive in intercession ; b. We have no promise to warrant the hope of such a result and form the ground of faith in praying for it; c. So far from a promise of such an issue, we have intimation that Satan and his angels are doomed to endless misery. Matt. 25 : 41 ; Rev. 20:10. Q. 9. Are we warranted to pray for the salvation even of all men? A. No; for God has plainly signified that all men shall not be saved. Ps. 1:5, 6; 11:6; 37:38; Dan. 12:2; Matt. 25 :4i. Many have already passed into another world to meet an irrevocable doom. Prov. 14:32. Q. ID. What, then, is meant by the words address- ed by Paul to Timothy, "I exhort, therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men" (i Tim. 2:1)? A. a. This exhortation must be understood in a limited sense, in view of the reason as- signed in the following verse, namely, "that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life" ; b. The same interpretation is favored by the specification given in the next verse, "for kings and all that are in authority." Plainly the tenor of the exhortation is that for the different ranks and classes into which society is divided prayer should be made. Q. II. May we pray unconditionally for the salva- tion of particular men who seem unconverted? A. No. The prayer for such should be conditioned by a regard to the sovereign and secret will of God. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 391 Q. 12. May a man pray unreservedly for his own salvation? A. Yes. It is his privilege and duty to take Christ at once to be his Saviour, and to ask salvation in His name. Ps. 25:11; Matt. 11:28; Luke 18:13; Acts 2:38, 39 ; 8 :22. Q. 13. Are we authorized to pray that our sancti- fication should be instcintly perfected? A. No. We may, and should, ask increase of sanc- tification now, but perfect sanctification only in God's time, that is, the hour of death. Q. 14. May it not be for the glory of God that the completion of our sanctification, that is, of the process by which we are perfected in holiness, should be protracted? A. Yes. God may thus teach us experimentally the malignity of sin, the evil of our own hearts, our inability to cope with the powers of darkness. His patience with us, and the unchangeableness of His love; while, in our deliverance. He covers our foes with greater disgrace to whose assaults we may have been for long years exposed. I Pet. 1:5; Luke 22:31, 32. Q. 15. What is meant by "the kingdom of grace"? A. The sphere in which the Spirit of God operates among men in this world in the way of renewing and purifying them. Luke 17:21; Rom. 8:13-15; 14:17. Q. 16. In what two respects may this kingdom be advanced? A. Intensively and extensively, that is, in the grow- ing holiness of those who are converted, and in the con- version of sinners. Q. 17. Does the former of these conditions tend to produce the latter? A. Yes; when the people of God are revived, the world is likely, as a consequence, to be impressed and made to feel that the Christian faith is not a fable. Acts 2:47; 9:31; 11:21. 392 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 1 8. Is it not the duty of all who offer this peti- tion to use all appointed means for promoting their own growth in grace and the spiritual well-being of others? A. Yes. Ps. 67:1, 2; 100:1, 2; Matt. 9:38; i John 4:20; Rev. 22:17. Q. 19. Is there ground to expect a great enlarge- ment of this kingdom in the world? A. Yes. See Ps. 22:27; 67:7; 102:13-15; Is. 6:3, 4; Luke 2:10. Q. 20. What is meant by "the kingdom of glory"? A. That state of heavenly purity and bliss in which redeemed men and the holy angels shall enjoy full and endless fellowship with God and with one another. Ps. 23:6; 31 :i9; Matt. 8:11 ; John 14:2, 3; 17:24; i Thess. 4: 17; Heb. 12:22-24; Rev. 7:9-17. Q. 21. How can we properly ask God to "hasten" this kingdom? A. a. Not as venturing to dictate to Him either the date of our death, or the date of the wind- ing up of the affairs of this world. Acts 1:7; h. But as expressing our earnest, though sub- missive, longing for the time when, with all the saints, we may enter into our ever- lasting inheritance of spotless holiness and cloudless joy. Ps. y2) '^4-> 25 ; Phil, i : 23, 24; I Peter 4:13; 5:10; 2 Cor. 4:17, 18; 5:4. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Ps. 31:19; 103:19; Matt. 12:26; Luke 14:17; 17:21; Matt. 25:41, 46; John 12:31; Eph. 2:2; 6:11, 12; i John 4:20; 5:18, 19; Rev. 20:10. QUESTION CIIL What do we pray for in the third petition? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 393 ANSWER. In the third petition, which is : "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven," we pray that God by His grace would make us able and will- ing to know, obey, and submit to His will in all things, as the angels do in heaven. Q. 1. Point out some distinctions which may be made as to the will of God. A. a. His decretive will. This denotes His pur- pose, and includes all events past, pres- ent, or future. It is often called His "secret" will, but not with logical exact- ness ; for much of it has been revealed. h. His preceptive will, which embraces all the commands given by God to His crea- tures, either in their moral constitution or in His Word. This is often, but not with entire accuracy, styled His "revealed" will. Q. 2. Toward the decretive will of God what should be our attitude? A. a. We should acquiesce in it, however mysteri- ous to us ; b. We should revere it as a manifestation of God's plan ; c. We should submit to it implicitly, however trying it may be to us. Ps. 39:9; 73:16, 17; Matt. 11:26; 26:39, 42; Acts 21:14; Heb. 12:9-11; I Peter 4:19. Q. 3. Do even the holy angels need to exercise a spirit not of sullen, but of reverent, submission to the decretive will of God? A. Yes. God's ways may be even to them mysteri- ous and unaccountable, yet in profound humility they cry, "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts." Is. 6:3; I Peter i :i2. 394 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 4, Is it the preceptive will of God that is par- ticularly meant in this petition? A. Yes ; with that as the rule of our duty we have especially to do. Deut. 29:29; Micah 6:8; Matt. 19:17. Q. 5, Touching the will of God in this aspect what desires are embodied in this petition? A. That we may know and obey it, even as it is known and obeyed by the inhabitants of heaven. Q. 6. How is the preceptive will of God known and obeyed in heaven? A. Fully, both as to matter, motive, and manner. In other words, His will is known by holy angels and the "spirits of the just made perfect" universally, and obeyed by them heartily, constantly, implicitly, and im- partially. Ps. 103:20, 21; Dan. 9:21, 23; Matt. 24:31; Heb. 1:14; Rev. 7:15; 22:3-5. Q. 7. What does a regard to consistency require of all who address this petition to God? A. a. That they recognize God as holy and just and wise, even when His ways are inex- plicable; b. That they submit patiently when themselves subjected to severe trials ; c. That they labor to know what God would have them to do in all their relations; d. That they earnestly seek to win their fellow- men to the service of God, and so make earth like heaven. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Ps. 73:16, 17; Deut. 29:29; Micah 6:8; Heb. 12:9- II ; I Peter i :i2; 4:19. QUESTION CIV. What do we pray for in the fourth petition? THE SHORTER CATECHISM 395 ANSWER. In the fourth petition, which is: "Give us this day our daily bread," we pray that of God's free gift we may receive a competent portion of the good things of this Hfe, and enjoy His bless- ing with them. Q, I. What does the word "bread" stand for in this petition? A. All that which is requisite for the support and comfort of our bodies, or of our physical being. Matt. 6:32; I Tim. 6:8. Q. 2. Are the appetite and need for material food on the part of man effects of sin? A. No. They characterized man as he was created, and were used by the Tempter as means of seducing him into disobedience. Gen. 3 :6. Q. 3. Did the craving for food survive the fall? A. Yes (Gen. 3:18, 19), and it is still largely used by the enemy of souls as a medium for the ruin of men. Ezek. 16:49; Luke 12:45, 4^; 17:27; Phil. 4:19; i Peter 4:3- Q. 4. Does the renewal of man by grace abolish the natural appetite for food and drink? A. No ; but it brings it under proper control, and makes it subservient to the true end of our being. Matt. 4:4; 6:31, 32; I Cor. 10:31. Q. 5. Is it a part of our duty to care for our bodies? A. Yes. We owe our existence, inclusive of the body, to God, and must account to Him for our treat- ment' of the body. Mark 8:2, 3; John 21:12, 13; Eph. 5: 28; Rom. 12:1; I Thess, 5:23, Q. 6. Is there not a warning uttered by Christ against taking thought for the body (Matt. 6:31)? A. Not properly against thought; but against un- due, or anxious, thought, involving distrust of God. Phil. 4:6. 396 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 7. Is fallen man entitled to temporal blessings, such as food and raiment? A. No. He has forfeited all right to these as bless- ings. He has forfeited not his being and his conscious being, for retributive justice demands the perpetuity of these, but his well-being, inclusive of all the comfort de- rivable from benefits, such as food. In his fallen state man is like a criminal under doom of death, who, till the day of execution arrives, receives prison fare. Q. 8. When does a man acquire a title to food and other forms of temporal good as blessings? A. Only when he is brought into saving union with Christ. Ps. 37:16, 17; 73:1, 2y, 28; Matt. 6:32, 33; i Cor. 3:21, 22. Q. 9. Yet is even a true believer warranted to pray unconditionally for temporal good? A. No ; he should limit his requests to such things, and so much of them, as God in His wisdom may count proper for him ; nor should he be satisfied were all outward blessings bestowed on him, unless accom- panied with an inward and spiritual blessing. Prov. 30: 8, 9; 11:4; Heb. 13:5. Q. ID. May temporal good things prove through our abuse, or misuse, of them a curse rather than a bless- ing? A. Yes. Ps. 37:16; 69:22; 73:5-9; Ezek. 16:49, 50- Q. II. What suggestions are involved in the words "this day"? A. a. That each day we should remember our de- pendence on God; h. That we should not be burdened with con- cern about our support in the remote future. Q. 12. Yet, does the spirit of this petition conflict Avith the use of efforts to procure a competent support for ourselves and for those dependent on us? A. No. Rom. 12:11; Eph. 4:28; 2 Thess. 3:8, 10- 12; I Tim. 5:8. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 397 Q. 13. Can this petition be fitly used by one who has already accumulated a large stock of goods for future use? A. Yes. It behooves us to cherish a sense of our dependence on God for the preservation of our acquired store, and for His blessing on the use of it, if preserved. Q. 14. Is not the insertion of this petition in the "model prayer" a strong encouragement to us to look to God for suitable support, even though want may stare us in the face? A. Yes. Hab. 3:17, 18; Matt. 6:31-33; 7:11; Phil. 4:6, 19. Q. 15. Is it not becoming that at our daily meals we should render thanks to God for His goodness and ask that His enriching blessing may accompany His out- ward gifts? A. Yes. Ps. 103:2-5; 145:15, 16; John 6:11; Acts 27:35- TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Ps. 37:16, 17; Matt. 4:4; Luke 12:45, 4^1 Rom. 12:1 ; Eph. 5:28; I Thess. 5:23; Phil. 4:6, 19; i Cor. 3:21, 22. QUESTION CV. What do we pray for in the fifth petition? ANSWER. In the fifth petition, which is : "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors," we pray that God for Christ's sake would freely pardon all our sins ; which we are the rather en- couraged to ask because by His grace we are en- abled from the heart to forgive others. Q. I. What is meant here by "debts"? A. Sins, or trespasses. In Luke 11:4 the petition is, "Forgive us our sins." 398 AN EXPOSITION OF Q. 2. Is obedience to His precepts a debt which we owe to God? A. Yes, and, moreover, a debt, or obligation, from which we never can be freed. Q. 3. Yet is not one to whom the righteousness of Christ has been imputed, or reckoned, freed from this ob- ligation? A. No ; such a one is delivered from the necessity of keeping the law as a covenant, that is, as a ground of acceptance with God; but not from it as a rule of life. On the contrary, the obligation to love and obey God as a rule of life is increased by our deliverance from the law as a covenant. Luke 7:41-43; Rom. 3:31; 6:14; y:6. Q. 4. What similarity is there between sin and a pecuniary (or money) debt? A. Each binds to payment; in the case of a money loan to repayment of the loan, in the case of sin to en- durance of the penalty annexed. Rom. 6:23. Q. 5. Wherein do a money debt and a sin differ from each other? A. The former may be cancelled in a sovereign way without any equivalent, or consideration ; whereas the latter can be remitted only on the basis of satisfac- tion to law and justice. "The wages of sin is death." Rom. 6:23. Q. 6, But may not men forgive offenses, or wrongs, done them, without receiving any compensation or satis- faction from the transgressor? A. They not only may, but should, in their hearts forgive those who trespass against them, and this even when the prosecution of the offenders may be deemed a duty. Q. 7. Why, then, may not God pardon sinners without any satisfaction? A. a. Because as a just Being and Governor He must give to every one his due, and sin earns death as its wages, or penalty. Rom. 6:23; Ps. 5:4-6; 11:5-7; THE SHORTER CATECHISM 399 &,. Because the highest interests of created moral agents require the maintenance of righteous laws. Q. 8. How can God be said to pardon sins, if He requires and receives full satisfaction for them? A. The satisfaction which He requires He Himself provides, nay He Himself renders. In pursuance of the everlasting counsel the Son of God, by the assumption of our nature and obedience therein even unto death, redeemed from the curse of the law those given to Him, and procured for them full salvation. Thus the chief of sinners may be forgiven, while justice is satisfied and law magnified. Rom. 3:24-26, 31; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3: 13 ; I Peter 2 :24. Q. 9. Is express mention made in this prayer of this mediation and satisfaction? A. No; but in our Lord's general teaching, which formed the background of this prayer, His disciples had the means of knowing, as we have, that only on the ground of His atoning work can sin be forgiven. Matt. 20:28; John 3:16; 10:11; 12:32, 33. Q. 10. What connection in thought is there be- tween the two parts of this petition? A. a. Not a connection of merit, as if it were meant that our forgiveness of injuries done us by our fellowmen entitles us to the for- giveness of our sins by God ; h. But a connection of evidence, as if it were said, "Our ability and disposition to for- give come from Thee, and are a token of Thy character. If we, being evil, can, and do, forgive our enemies, how much more can and will He Who works in us this disposition forgive us our tres- passes?" Q. II. Is this prayer framed to express the long- ings and hopes of the friends, not of the foes, of God? 400 AN EXPOSITION OF A. Yes ; it opens with the trustful and affectionate address, "Our Father," and is strictly suitable in the case only of those who have a filial relation and feeling God- ward. Q. 12. Yet may not an unconverted man offer this prayer ? A. He may; but in the very act of offering it, he should seek to enter into its spirit, laying claim to God as his Father in Jesus Christ. Acts 8:21-23. Q. 13. Are not all who use this prayer in the real spirit of it already forgiven? A. Yes. Q. 14. Why then should they pray God to forgive their debts, or sins? A. a. They need to keep in mind habitually that they are dependent on the pardoning mercy of God; b. A vivid sense of their justification is most desirable both for their comfort and their usefulness; c. Even although pardoned and taken into the family of God, they go astray and stand in need of fatherly forgiveness, so that chastisement may not be inflicted, or, if inflicted, may prove salutary. Ps. 89 :30- 34; 119:67, 71; Heb. 12:7-11. Q. 15. What is implied, or indirectly alleged, in this petition? A. That they who offer it are of a forgiving dis- position. Q. 16. Would not this petition, if presented by a person of an unforgiving spirit, amount to an impreca- tion of evil upon the petitioner? A. Yes ; the import of the petition in such a case would be that God would be vindictive toward the sup- pliant, even as the latter is toward his fellowmen. This would be to ask malediction rather than benediction. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 401 Q. 17. Could this petition be used consistently by one who felt that he had attained to a state of sinless per- fection ? A. No ; and some, fancying that they had reached such a degree of sanctity, have demurred to the use of it. But our Lord clearly meant that this prayer in all its parts was a fit model of prayer for all His followers. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Ps. 5:4-6; 89:30-34; Acts 8:21-23; Rom. 3:24-26; 6: 23; 2 Cor. 5:21; I Peter 2:24; Heb, 12:7-11. QUESTION CVI. What do we pray for in the sixth petition? ANSWER. In the sixth petition, which is: "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil," we pray that God would either keep us from being tempted to sin, or support and deliver us when we are tempted. Q. I. Are there any who contend that two petitions are embraced in these words? A. Yes. This view was held, for instance, by the great theologian, Augustine (354-430), and by the great German Reformer, Luther (1483-1546), not to mention others. The "Reformed Churches" generally, however, have regarded the two clauses as presenting one petition in different aspects. Q. 2. In what two senses is the word "temptation" used in Scripture? A. a. In the sense of trial, or test. Jas. i .2. See Gen. 22:1, where the verb "tempt" is used in this sense. 402 AN EXPOSITION OF b. In the sense of an inducement, or incitement, to sin. Jas. i :i3, 14. So the great se- ducer to sin, Satan, is styled emphatical- ly "the Tempter." Matt. 4 :3. Q. 3. In this petition, how is the word "tempta- tion" to be understood? A. As a condition of allurement, or enticement, to sin. Q. 4. Is it proper to ask for exemption or deliver- ance from temptation in the sense of tribulation? A. Yes ; but submissively, or conditionally, seeing that these trials, undesirable in themselves, may be through the grace of God salutary in their eflfects. Ps. 119:67, 71; Rom. 5:3; 2 Cor. 4:17; Heb. 12:5-11; Jas. i: 2; I Peter 3:14; 4:13; Rev. 3:19. Q. 5. When is tribulation thus beneficial? A. When the sufferer is enabled to see the hand of God in it; to feel more keenly the fact and malignity of his sin; to seek through Christ deliverance from sin, the root of sorrow; and to yearn for heaven, where sin and sorrow shall not enter. Q. 6. May we unconditionally ask for exemption from temptation to sin? A. No; for it may be for the glory of God and our own good that we should be tried in this way. Matt. 4:1 ; 2 Cor. 12:7-9. Q. 7. Is it our privilege and duty, however, to pray that the allurement to sin may not succeed with us? A. Yes ; sin is ever to be hated and shunned. Ps. 4:4; 17:5; 19:12, 13; 51:2; Jer. 44:4; Heb. 12:14; 13:20, 21. Q. 8. In what respects may God be said to lead any one into temptation to sin? A. a. God cannot thus tempt by infusing intO' any one an evil disposition, or soliciting to sin. Jas. 1:13, 14; THE SHORTER CATECHISM 403 b. He may, however, place men in circum- stances which will incite to activity, and so reveal, the sinful tendencies which lurk within them. Thus it was in the case of Pharaoh; c. In punishment for their sins God may with- draw from men salutary restraints, so that they shall "find their own ways" and manifest their unholy inclinations. Yet in all these cases God is most pure and just. Q. 9. What ends may God have in view in expos- ing His people to temptations to sin? A. a. He may thus chastise them for carelessness; b. He may thus teach them their weakness and stir them up to pray for help. 2 Cor. 12:8; c. He may in this way increase their desire for heaven; d. He may thus qualify some to give helpful admonition and counsel to others. Luke 22:31, 32. Q. ID. What deportment becomes one who uses this petition? A. He should carefully shun places and conditions which are found, or are believed, to be ensnaring and morally dangerous; such as the theatre, the bar-room, the ball-room, and ungodly society and practices in gen- eral. Ps. 119:37, loi, 158; Prov. 4:26, 27. Q. II. Yet are the people of God required for their own safety to retire from the world to deserts or monas- teries? A. No. They are to be lights in the world and the salt of society. In order to be so, they must not be conformed to the world in any of its sinful ways, but be a rebuke to its unholiness and an agency for win- ning it to "the obedience of faith." 404 AN EXPOSITION OF TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. Jas. 1:13, 14; Ps. 119:37, loi ; Prov. 4:26, 27; Rom. 5:3; 2 Cor. 4:17; I Peter 3:14; 4:13; Rev. 3:19. QUESTION CVII. What doth the conclusion of the Lord's Prayer teach us? ANSWER. The conclusion of the Lord's Prayer, which is: "For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen," teacheth us to take our encouragement in prayer from God only, and in our prayers to praise Him, ascrib- ing kingdom, power, and glory to Him; and in testimony of our desire and assurance to be heard we say, "Amen." Q. I. Is the right of these final words to a place in the Lord's Prayer disputed? A. Yes. They are omitted in the Revised Ver- sion, and are not found in the corresponding passage in Luke 1 1 :2-4. Q. 2. How do those who deem these words spu- rious account for their admission into the text? A. It is conjectured that they were a form of dox- ology with which in early times the worshippers were wont to follow up the recital of the Lord's Prayer; and that thus in course of time they came to be regarded as a part of that prayer. Q. 3, In favor of the retention of these words as a part of the Lord's Prayer, what may be said? A. a. They appear to be a fit and even majestic winding up of the prayer; THE SHORTER CATECHISM 405 b.. Their recognition at a very early date as a part of Scripture is certain. Toward the end of the fourth century, for instance, Chrysostom, one of the most accom- pHshed of the "Fathers," commented upon them as a part of the sacred text; c. It seems, therefore, wise in the present state of the evidence to suffer these words to retain their place. If in the lapse of time they should be proved spurious, our Catechism would require modification correspondingly. Q. 4. What is the plea involved in this conclusion? A. a. That to God belongs the right to do as may seem to Him meet. The kingdom is His ; b. That to Him, moreover, pertains the might to execute His will ; c. That to Him, besides, shall accrue the glory of our deliverance from all evil and our attainment of all good. Q. 5. Is the very act of prayer an ascription of praise to God? A. Yes ; it is a recognition of Him as worthy of our utmost reverence, confidence, and love, Q. 6. Yet is not provision made in Scripture for the offering of praise to God as a distinct service? A. Yes ; we are in His Word enjoined again and again to render praise to Him ; and in the compilation called "The Book of Psalms" a praise-hook, as distin- guished from a prayer-hook, has been provided for our use in the exercise of praise. Q. 7. Are there not petitions woven into the praises embodied in the Book of Psalms? A. Yes ; and in like manner praise of God is im- plied in our prayers ; but the dominant, or characteristic, 406 AN EXPOSITION OF feature of the Psalms is praise, whereas the distinctive feature of the Lord's Prayer and of all prayer is petition. Q. 8. What is the import of the final word, "Amen"? A. This is a Hebrew word which means "truly" or "really." Occurring at the close of a prayer, it appears to embody the ideas of humble acquiescence, sincere desire, and calm confidence, or, more briefly, is equivalent to "So let it be" and "So shall it be." Q. 9. Why does not this model prayer end with the formula, "For the sake of Christ," or, "In the name of Christ we ask"? A. a. It was framed in harmony with what may be called the reticence of the Old Testa- ment dispensation, which lasted till the crucifixion of Christ; &.. Even in the Old Testament worship refer- ence was ever had to the expiation and propitiation to be made in "the fulness of the time," as these were typified, or fore- shown, in the sacrificial system establish- ed by God and explained by "holy men from God." Gal. 3:8, 19, 23, 24; Heb. 4: 2; II :i3-i6. c. Before and on the eve of His departure, our Lord, it may be said, furnished supple- mentary instruction to His disciples touching the mode of prayer by telling them, "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Fathe in My name, He will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name; ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." John 16:23, 24. "In that day ye shall ask in My name." John 16:26. THE SHORTER CATECHISM 407 Q. 10. In offering this or any other prayer, should we not present it really in reliance upon Christ, the only Mediator, whether expressly mentioning His name, or not? A. Yes. John 14:6; Eph. 2:18; Col. 3:17; Eph. 5: 20. TEXTS TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. John 16:23, 24, 26; Gal. 3:8, 19, 23, 24; Heb. 4:2; II :i3-i6; Eph. 2:18; Col. 3:17. THE END. Date Due