1 4 They refuse to obey God's commandments from a principle of love.) What is the first? &c. How many things are here stated with respect to the offers of mercy? (Three.-1. They are God's offers. 2. They are offered to sinners in this world. 3. They are made known in the gospel.) What is the first ? &c. How many things are here mentioned, as to the commandments of God. (Three.-1. They are to be obeyed. 2. They are all to be obeyed. 3. They are all to be obeyed from a principle of love.) What is the first? &c. How many things are here stated as to the fate of unbelievers? (Two.-1. They will be unhappy in this world. 2. They will be cast into hell when they die.) What is the first? &c. 3. DOCTRINES SEPARATED. How many doctrines are contained in this answer? (Seven.-1. God will at last destroy all unbelievers. 2. Those who now reject God's offers of mercy shall be destroyed. 3. Those who refuse to believe in Christ shall be destroyed. 4. Those who will not repent of their sins shall be destroyed. 5. Those who will not obey God's commandments from a principle of love, shall be destroyed. 6. Sinners will be unhappy in this world. 7. Sinners will be cast into hell when they die.) What is the first? &c. 4. EXPLANATIONS AND ILLUSTRATIONS. At last, at the consummation of all things. Destroy, overthrow, and consign to everlasting misery. ·Unbelievers, those who will not now believe and obey him. This world, the present state of being. Reject, put from them, and will not accept of. Offers, proposals. Mercy, pity and pardon. Gospel, good news of salvation. Refuse, oppose, put away, and refuse. His commandments, that he has required to be done. Unhappy, uncomfortable and miserable. World, present state of being. Hell, the place of endless torment. 5. DOCTRINES PROVED. 204. (1.) God will at last destroy all unbelievers.—2 Thess. ii. 12. That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteous ness. 205. (2.) Those who now reject God's offers shall be destroyed-Heb. ii. 3. How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation. 206. (3.) Those who refuse to believe in Christ shall be destroyed. John viii. 24. If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. 207. (4.) Those who will not repent of their sins shall be destroyed.Luke xiii. 3. Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish. 208. (5.) Those who do not obey his commandments from a principle of love shall be destroyed. Mat. vii. 22, 23. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 209. (6.) Sinners will be unhappy in this world.—Isa. lvii. 20. But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 210. (7.) Sinners will be east into hell when they die.Psal. ix. 17. The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. [For Doctrines in Rhyme, &c. see Appendix.] 6. LESSONS FROM THE DOCTRINES. From these doctrines we learn, (1.) That we should not love, nor keep company with ungodly men, or with those who scoff at religion. (2.) That we should, without delay, accept of the offers of salvation made in the gospel. (3.) That we should be at pains to make ourselves acquainted with the evidences, as well as with the truths of Christianity. (4.) That we should not love nor indulge in sin; in the doing of which there is great loss, and no profit. (5.) That we should cheerfully and constantly obey God. (6.) That we should seek happiness only in religion. (7.) That we should take every opportunity of warning sinners of the danger of their state by nature. For collateral Lessons and Inferences, see Appendix.] 7. APPLICATION OF THE LESSONS. With whom are we not to keep company? (.) With what should we be at pains to make ourselves aequainted? (3.) In what should we not live or indulge? (4.) In what manner should we obey God? (5.) Of what should we take every opportunity of warning sinners? (7.) 8. DEVOTIONAL EXERCISE FROM THE ANSWER. Petition. May we ever remember that thou wilt at last destroy all unbelievers. Keep us, therefore, from rejecting thy gracious offers of mercy made in the gospel, or from refusing to believe in thy Son Jesus Christ; but enable us to repent of our sin, and to obey all thy commandments from a principle of love; lest we be unhappy while we live in this world, and be cast into hell when we die. N 9. DEVOTIONAL EXERCISE FROM THE LESSONS. O Lord, (1.) keep us from 1oving or keeping company with the ungodly, or those who make a scoff at religion. Incline our hearts, (2.) without delay, to accept of the offers of salvation so freely made to us in the gospel; and (3.) to be at pains to make ourselves acquainted with the evidences, as well as with the truths of Christianity. Keep us (4.) from living or indulging in any sin, in which there is great loss and no profit; but enable us (5.) cheerfully and constantly to obey thee; (6.) seeking our happiness only in religion, and (7.) taking every opportunity of warning sinners of the danger of their state by nature. 10. PARAPHRASE FORMED. God will, [at the consummation of all things,] [over throw, and consign to everlasting misery,] all [those who will not now believe and obey him.] Those who, in [the present state of being,] [put from them, and will not accept of] his [proposals] of [pity and pardon,] made in the [good news of salvation ;] who [oppose, put away, and refuse,] to [accept of, and rely upon] his Son Jesus Christ; to [be sorry for and forsake] their sins; and [perform] all [that he has required to be done] from a [motive to obey, arising out of love to God for his kindness and mercy,] will be [uncomfortable and miserable] [as long as] they live in this [present state of being,] and will be cast into [the place of endless torment] when they die. 26. 26. Q. What will God do for you, if you love and serve him as he has commanded you? A. God will keep his people from real evil all their days; he will guide them through life, support them at death, take their souls to heaven, raise their bodies from the grave, free them from punishment, and own them for his children at the last day. 1. VERBAL AND GENERAL EXERCISE. What will God do? Whom will God keep? From what will God keep his people? From what kind of evil will God keep his people Whose people will be kept from real evil? For how long will God keep his people from rear evil? All what? Whose days? For how many of their days? What will God do for his people through life 2 Who will guide them? Whom will God guide? Where will God guide his people? Through what will God guide them? What will God do for his people at death? Who will support them at death? When will God support his people? What will God do to the souls of his people? What will be taken to heaven? Whose souls will be taken to heaven? Who will take their souls to heaven? Whither will the souls of God's people be taken ? What shall be raised from the grave Whose bodies will God raise in glory from the grave ? From what shall our bodies be raised ? Who will raise our bodies from the grave? From what will God free his people at the last day? Who shall be freed from punishment? Who shall free them from punishment? |