8

and giving them officers, laws, and censures, by which he visibly governs them;" in bestowing saving grace upon his elect, ▾ rewarding their obedience," and correcting them for their sins, preserving and supporting them under all their temptations and sufferings, restraining and overcoming all their enemies, and powerfully ordering all things

s 1 Cor. xii. 28.

And God hath set some in the church; first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Eph. iv. 11, 12.

Isa. xxxiii. 22. For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; and he will save

us.

Matt. xviii. 17, 18. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 1 Cor. v. 4, 5. 1 Tim. v. 20. Tit. iii. 10.

v Acts v. 31. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. Psa. lxviii. 18.

Rev. xxii. 12. And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as Matt. xxv. 34, 35, 36. Rom. ii. 7.

his work shall be. Rev. iii. 19.

As many as I love, I

chasten. Heb. xii. 6, 7.

rebuke and

y Isa. lxiii. 9. In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love. and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.

1 Cor. xv. 25. For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet. Psa. cx. throughout.

b

for his own glory," and their good; and also in taking vengeance on the rest, who know not God, and obey not the gospel.

с

Q. 46. What was the estate of Christ's hu miliation ?

A. The estate of Christ's humiliation was that low condition, wherein he, for our sakes, emptying himself of his glory, took upon him the form of a servant, in his conception and birth, life, death, and after his death until his resurrection.

d

Q. 47. How did Christ humble himself in his conception and birth?

A. Christ humbled himself in his conception

a Rom. xiv. 11. As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. Phil. ii. 11. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

b Rom. viii. 28. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

e 2 Thess. i. 8. In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Psa. ii. 9. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces

like a potter's vessel.

d Phil. ii. 6, 7, 8. Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 2 Cor. viii. 9. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. Luke i. 31. Acts. ii. 24.

and birth, in that, being from all eternity the Son of God in the bosom of the Father, he was pleased in the fulness of time to become the son of man, made of a woman of low, estate, and to be born of her, with divers circumstances of more than ordinary abase

ment. •

Q. 48. How did Christ humble himself in his life?

g

h

f

A. Christ humbled himself in his life, by subjecting himself to the law, which he perfectly fulfilled, and by conflicting with the indignities of the world, temptations of Satan, and infirmities in his flesh; whether common to the nature of man, or particularly accompanying that his low condition.j

e John i. 14, 18. The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. The only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father. Luke ii. 7. And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger.

Gal. iv. 4. God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.

g Matt. v. 17. Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. Rom. v. 19.

h Psa. xxii. 6. But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. Isa. liii. 2, 3. Heb. xii. 2, 3.

i Matt. iv. 1 to 12. Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil, &c. Luke iv. 1 to 14.

j Heb. ii. 17, 18. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren.-For in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. Heb. iv. 15. Isa. liii. 13, 14.

Q. 49. How did Christ humble himself in his death?

1

n

k

A. Christ humbled himself in his death, in that having been betrayed by Judas, forsaken by his disciples, scorned and rejected by the world," condemned by Pilate, and tormented by his persecutors; having also conflicted with the terrors of death and the powers of darkness, felt and borne the weight of God's wrath, he laid down his life an offering for sin, enduring the painful, shameful, and cursed death of the cross. q

P

Q. 50. Wherein consisted Christ's humiliation after his death?

A. Christ's humiliation after his death con

* Matt. xxvii. 4.

1 Matt. xxvi. 56. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

m Isa. liii. 3. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him: he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Matt. xxvii. 26. And when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. John xix. 34. Luke xxii. 63, 64.

• Luke xxii. 44. And being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Matt. xxvii. 46. And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, —Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?-My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Rom. viii. 32.

p Isa. liii. 10. Thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin.

9 Phil. ii. 8. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Heb. xii. 2. Gal. iii. 13.

sisted in his being buried, and continuing in the state of the dead, and under the power of death till the third day," which hath been otherwise expressed in these words, He descended into hell.

Q. 51. What was the estate of Christ's exaltation?

t

A. The estate of Christ's exaltation comprehendeth his resurrection, ascension," sitting at the right hand of the Father, and his coming again to judge the world."

Q. 52. How was Christ exalted in his resurrection?

A. Christ was exalted in his resurrection, in that, not having seen corruption in death, (of which it was not possible for him to be held) * and having the very same body in which he

r 1 Cor. xv. 3, 4. Matt. xii. 40.

For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Psa. xvi. 10, compared with Acts ii. 24, 25, 26. Rom. vi. 9.

1 Cor. xv. 4. And that he rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures. Mark xvi. 19. So then, after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven. ▾ Eph. i. 20. And set him at his own right hand. This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Acts xvii. 31.

Acts i. 11.

Acts ii. 24. Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. Psa, xvi. 10. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell: neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.