Exposition of the Shorter Catechism, Question 43, 44
Of the Preface to the Commandments.
Quest. 43. and 44. WHAT is the Preface to the Ten Commandments?
A. The Preface to the Ten Commandments is in these words, I a… the Lord thy God wh…ch ha…e brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, out of the House of Bondage.
What doth the Preface to the Ten Commandments teach us?
A. The Preface to the Ten Commandments teach us, that because God is the Lord, and our God, and Redeemer, therefore we are bound to keep all his Commandments.
Q. 1. Why doth God use arguments and inducements to win men to the obedience of his laws?
A. Because he loves to work on man as a rational Creature, according to the principles of his Nature. Hos. 11.4. I dre… them with cords of a man, with bands of love. And because he delights in none but free and chearful Obedience. Psal. 110.3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power.
Q 2. What is the first argument in this Preface?
A. It is the sovereignty of the Law-giver [I am the Lord] which should awe the heart of every man to obedience. Iam. 4.12. There is one law-giver, who is able to save and to destroy.
Q 3. What is the second argument to Obedience?
A. Our propriety in God by Covenant [I am the Lord thy God] This obligeth to Obedience, and aggravateth disobedience. Psal. 50.7. Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee; I am God, even thy God. Hos. 9.1. Thou hast gone a whoring from thy God.
Q. 4. What is the third argument unto Obedience?
A. The benefits of Redemption that they receive from God. Benefits perswade to duty; and the goodness of God leads to repentance. Rom. 2.4.
Q. 5. How can deliverance out of Egypt, be an argument to them that never were in Egypt?
A. As that Deliverance was a Type of our Deliverance, so 'tis an argument to us, and an argument from the less to the greater; so it obligeth us more than them. Luke 1.74▪ 75. That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness an… righteousness before him all the days of our life.
Q 6. What is that deliverance we have? and how doth it … us to Obedience?
A. Our Deliverance is not from Egypt, but from Hell. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son. Col. 1.13. And our persons are bought by the Redeemer to glorify God. 1 Cor. 6.19. What, know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you; for ye are bought with a price; wherefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirits which are Gods.
Q. 7. Is it not mercenary to serve God upon the account of benefits received, or to be received?
A. He that makes religious Duties Mediums to attain carnal Advantages only, is of a worse than mercenary Spirit. Hos. 7.14. And they have not cried unto me with their hearts, when they howled upon their beds; they assembled themselves for corn and wine, and they rebelled against me But to be quickened by Mercy to Duty is not mercenary, but Evangelical. Hos. 3.5. They shall fear the Lord and his goodness.
Q. 8. What is the first Inference from hence?
A. That great is the condescention of God to Man, that he will use arguments to induce him to obedience, who might exact it only by his Sovereignty, and justly damn us for our disobedience. 2 Cor. 5.20. Now then we are embassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
Q. 9▪ What is the second Inference from hence?
A. That the more mercy any receive from God, the more obligations are laid on them to obey him. Psal. 116.1▪ 2. I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice, and my supplication; because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
Q. 10. What is the third Inference from hence?
A. The more mercies and favours any man sins against, the greater is that man's sin, and the sorer will be his punishment. Amos 3 1, 2. You only have I known of all the families of the earth; wherefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.
Q. 11. What is the fourth Inference from hence?
A. That God's expectations are greater, where his mercies and favours have been so. Isa. 5.4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes.
Q. 12. What is the last Inference from hence?
A. That memorials of God's Mercies are to be kept by us, to provoke us to constant and chearful duties of obedience Exod. 17.14. And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Ioshua. Psal. 103.2, 3. Bless the Lord, O my soul, forget not all his benefits.