A. Although the fame duties, which are contained in the law of nature, are prefcribed alfo in the moral law; yet there is this difference, that in the law of nature, there is nothing but what is moral; but in the moral law there is fomething alfo that is pofitive, namely, the means of worfhip, and circumfcribing the particular day for the obfervation of the Sabbath.

Q. 12. What is the meaning of the word [moral], when applied to the law?

A. Though the word literally has a refpect to the manners of men; yet, when applied to the law, it fignifies, that which is perpetually binding, in oppofition to that which is binding only for a time.

23. Was there any exprefs revelation of the moral law made to Adam in innocency?

A. He needed no express revelation thereof, because it was interwoven with his very nature in his creation after the image of God, Eccl. vii. 9. God made man upright.

2. 14. Why then is it said in the answer, that the moral law was [the rule which God at firft revealed to man]?

A. Because it was fo diftinctly written in his heart, and impreffed in his nature, that it was equal to an express revelation.

2. 15. Is the moral law to be viewed only as the RULE of our obedience?

A. It must be viewed alfo as the REASON thereof. We must not only do what is commanded in the law, and avoid what is forbidden therein; but we muft alfo do good, for this very reason, that God requires it; and avoid evil, because he forbids it, Lev. xviii. 4, 5.-I am the Lord your God, ye fall THEREFORE keep my ftatutes and my judgements.

Q. 6. Are the precepts of the moral law of immutable cbligations, fo as that in no cafe they can be difpenfed with ? A. With respect to God, thefe precepts, which do not flow abfolutely and immediately from his own nature, may, in certain particular cafes, be altered or changed, providing it be done by his own exprefs appointment: but with reSpect to man, all the precepts of the moral law are of immutable obligation, and none of them can be difpenfed with by him, at any rate, Mat. v. 18.

Q17. Did not God difpenfe with the law against manBaughter, when he commanded Abraham, to offer his only

fon Ifaac, for a burnt offering, upon one of the mountains in the land of Moriah, which he was to tell him of, Gen. xxii. z.?

4. Though Abraham, it would feem, looked upon this myfterious command of his fovereign Lord, to be peremp tory, in as much as he immediately took journey with his fon, to put the divine order into execution; yet in the if fue it proved only to be probatory, to difcover to Abraham himself, the reality of his faith, and the fubmiffiveness of his obedience to God, as flowing therefrom, ver. 12, 16, 17.

218. Would Abraham have been guilty of murder had. he been permitted to facrifice his fon, on this occafion?

A. No; because he had the warrant of the most unqueftionable authority, even the authority of the Lord, the Greator of the ends of the earth, for fo doing, ver. 2.

219, is the moral law a perfect rule of life and manners?

A. It is fo perfect, that nothing can be fuperadded thereunto, or corrected therein, Pfal. xix. 7. The law of the Lord is perfect.

ect

20. Did Chrift fupply any defects of the law, or corany miftakes therein ?

A. No, he acted the part of an interpreter and defender of the law, but not of a new lawgiver; as is evident from his explaining the law, and vindicating it, [Mat. chapters v, vi, and vi] from the corrupt glosses that were put thereupon.

2 21. Did not Chrift fay, John xiii, 34. A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another ? ; A. This commandment was not new as to the substance of it, for it is the fum of the fecond table of the law, Mat. xxii. 39. and therefore called an old commandment, which we had from the beginning, 1 John ii, 7. 2 John ver. 5.; but it is called New, because it was enforced with the new motive and example of Christ's unparalleled love to us, imported in the words immediately following, As I have loved you, that ye alfo lève one another.

2. 22. Is the moral law abrogated under the New Testament?

A. By no means; for Chrift came not to deftroy the law, but to fulfil it, Mat v. 17.

2. 23. Can righteoufhefs and life be attained by the moral law, fince the fall ?

A. No: for, by the works of the law, fhall no flesh be juftified, Gal. . 16.

2 24. Of what ufe, then, is the law unto men, fince righteoufnefs and life cannot be attained by it;

A. It is, notwithstanding, of manifold ufe, both to unregenerate finners, and to faints; for the law is good, if a man ufe it lawfully, 1 Tim. i. 8.; that is, in a fuitableness to the state wherein he is, either as a believer or unbeliever, Q 25. Of what use is the law to unbelievers, or to un-regenerate finners ?

A. It is of ufe to discover to them their utter impotence and inability to attain justification and falvation by the works thereof; and thus it is a schoolmafter to bring them to Christ, that they may be juftified by faith, Gal iii. 2.4.* 226 How is the law a schoolmaster to bring finners to Chrift?

A. By requiring spotlefs holiness of nature; perfect, perfonal, and perpetual obedience in this life; and full fatiffaction for fin: which none of mankind being capable of, they are thereby fhut up to fee the need they ftand in of Chrift, who hath done all these things for them: for Christ is the end of the law for righteoufnefs, to every one that believeth, Rom. x. 4.

227 Has the law this effect upon all the unregenerate? A. No; the most part of them remain deaf to the dictates of the law, both as to their fin and danger, and are therefore rendered inexcusable, Rom. i. 20.

228. Of what ufe is the law to the regenerate, or to believers ?

"

A. It is of ufe to excite them to exprefs their gratitude and thankfulness to Chrift for his fulfilling it as a covenant, Rom. viii. 3, 4.; by their studying conformity thereto, both in their hearts and lives, as the RULE of their obedience, Ro. vii. 22. and xii. 2 †

2 29. How can the moral law be the rule of obedience to believers, when it is faid of them, Rom. vi, 14. that they are not under the law?

4. Though they are not under the law as a covenant of works, to be either juftified or condemned thereby, yet they are under it as a rule of duty, and account it their happinefs and privilege to be fo, 1 Cor. ix. 21.

See Larger Cat. Queft, 96.

↑ Ibid. Queft. 97.

23. What may we learn from the nature of the mo ral law in general?

A. That God having fo clearly pointed out his own nature, and in a manner expreffed his very image therein, Lev. cix. 2. we ought to loathe and abhor ourselves, for our want of conformity thereunto, and our tranfgreffing thereof, times without number, Pfal. xl. 12.; and fly to the Lord Jefus, that by his righteoufnefs imputed, the righ teousness of the law may be fulfilled in us, Rom. viii, 3, 4. 231. What other laws did God give the Jews, befides the moral law?

A. He gave them alfo the CEREMONIAL and JUDICIAL

laws.

232 What was the CEREMONIAL law?

A. It was a fyftem of pofitive precepts, about the external worship of God, in the Old Teftament church; chiefly defigned to typify Chrift, as then to come, and to lead them to the knowledge of the way of falvation through him, Heb. x. 1.

2. 33. What were the principal ceremonies about which this law was converfant?

A. They were fuch as refpected facred perfons, places, and things.

Q. 34. Who was the chief facred perfon among the Jews? A. The high priest, who was ordained for men in things pertaining to God, Heb. v. 1.

Q: 35. In what refpect was he a type of Christ ?

A. His being confecrated with a plentiful effufion of the holy anointing oil, typified the unmeafurable communica tion of the Spirit unto Chrift, Pfal. cxxxiii. 2 John iii. 34 ; and his bearing the names of the children of Ifrael upon his fhoulder, and in the breaft plate, fignified that Christ is the reprefentative of all his fpiritual feed, and hath their concerns continually at heart, Ifa. xlix. 3. 16.

Q. 36. Were not the other ordinary priests of Aaron's. family types of Christ likewife?

A. Yes for in as much as they daily offered facrifices according to the law, Heb. x 11. they were typical of him, who now once in the end of the world, hath appeared to put away fin by the facrifice of himself, chap. ix. 26. Q37. What were the facred places under the old dif penfation? A. The tabernacle and temple,

238. What was the tabernacle?

A. It was a moveable and portable tent, fecured from the injuries of the weather, by feveral coverings; the whole planned by God himself, and executed by Mofes in the wilderness, precifely according to the pattern fhewed him in the Mount, Heb. viii. 5.

239. How was it inclosed?

A. By a large or fpacious court, open above, but hung round with curtains of fine twined linen, five cubits, or feven feet and an half high, Ex. xxvii. 18.

2. 40. When and where was the temple built ?

A. It was built by Solomon, at Jerufalem, in Mount Moriah, four hundred and eighty years after the children of Ifrael came out of Egypt; and, confequently, about the fame number of years, after the tabernacle was fet up in the wildernefs, Kings vi. t. compared with 2 Chron. iii. 1.

241 Was the plan of the temple the contrivance of human skill?

A. No; like the tabernacle, it was devised by God himfelf; for David gave to Solomon his fon, the pattern of the whole of it, as he had it by the Spirit, 1 Chron. xxviii, 11, 12. And after enumerating feveral particular parts of the model, All this, faid David, the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern, verfe 19.

Q. 42. What did the tabernacle and temple typify?

A. Among other things, they both of them typified the human nature of Chrift, which was affumed into union with his divine perfon, John ii. 19, 21.

2. 43. How many apartments were there, in thefe facred places?

A. Befides the large outward court, to which any of all Ifrael had accefs who were not ceremonially unclean, there were, both in the tabernacle and temple, two facred apartments; the first, called the holy, and the second the most holy place, feparated by an embroidered veil of cunning work, Exod. xxvi. 31-34.

2. 44. What did thefe feveral apartments fignify?

A. The outward court might fignify the church visible, confifting in a mixture of faints and finners; the holy place, the church invifible on earth, made up only of the true members of Chrift's myftical body: and the holiest of all reprefented heaven itself, or the church triumphant in glory,