Titus iii. 1. Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, 2. To speak evil of no man, but [to be] gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.

Rom. vii. 7. Render to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour.'

Titus ii. 1. Speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: 2. That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, 3. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, 4. That

they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, 5. To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, that the word of God be not blasphemed. 6. Young men likewise exhort to be sober-minded.

Col. iii. 18. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. 19. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. 20. Children, obey your parents; for this is well-pleasing unto the Lord. 21. Fathers provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. 22. Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God. iv. 1. Masters give unto your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that ye also have a master in heaven.

15.

Rom. xii. 10. Be kindly affectioned one to another, with brotherly love, in honour preferring one another: 11. Not slothful in business: 13. Distributing to the necessities of saints; given to hospitality. 14. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. 16. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate: Be not wise in your own conceits. 17. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

Matt. vii. 12. Therefore all things whatsoever ye

would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.

Isaiah Iviii. 7. Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out, to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh.

70th Q.-If our Rulers or Governors require obedience in things repugnant to our duty to God, are we to obey them?

A.-Certainly not, as God is to be obeyed rather than man.

Acts iv. 18. And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all, nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

Acts v. 27. And the high priest asked them, 28. Saying, Did not we straitly command you, that you should not teach in this name [of Jesus]? 29. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

71st Q.-Is this doctrine illustrated by practice?

A. It is; for instance, several Christians have refused to take oaths, as being contrary to the express command of our Saviour; and to engage in war, as being repugnant in its nature and principles to the meek and forgiving spirit of the Prince of peace, who

enjoins us to love our enemies, and to do good to them that hate us and despitefully entreat us.*

Matt. v. 34. I say unto you, Swear not at all: 37. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these, cometh of evil.

38.

Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, 39. But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil. 44. Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.

James v. 12. But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath; but let your yea, be yea, and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.

James iv. 1. From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members.

Rom. xii. 19. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

72d Q. Are not good works necessary to our justification?

A. Certainly they are, for "as the body. without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." (James ii. 26.) Hence faith and works are inseparable from each other,

* From the works of Justin Martyr, Tatian, Tertullian, Cyprian, and others, it appears that the early Christians considered war as repugnant to Christianity.

H

with regard to our justification in the divine sight.

James ii. 20. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21. Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22. Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 24. Ye see then how that by works a man iş justified, and not by faith only.

73d Q.-Do we not, by this, ascribe our justification to faith and works?

A.-No, not strictly so, for though we cannot be justified without them, they are not, properly speaking, the cause of our justification, but the new birth or regenerating power of the Spirit of Christ within us; from which only "living faith and acceptable works can proceed."*

Rom. iii. 24. Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ.

Rom. xi. 6. And if by grace, then is it no more of works.

Eph. ii. 8. For by grace are ye saved, through faith and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 10. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Titus iii. 5. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit; 6. Which he shed on us abundantly;

*See Tuke's Principles of Religion, p. 42.

through Jesus Christ our Saviour: 7. That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

74th Q.-Is it possible for a Christian, im this life, to attain to such a stability in Christ that he cannot finally fall away from it?

A.-Doubtless; as saith the Scripture, "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God; and I will write upon him my new name." (Rev. iii. 12.) So also says the Apostle Paul, "I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. viii. 38, 39.)

2 Tim. iv. 7. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day.

§. V.

75th Q.-What is it that constitutes the characteristic difference between the Christian,