A.-No, there are others mentioned, particularly Abraham, who, in obedience to the divine command, left his native country and sojourned in the land of Canaan, and, by his faith in the promises of God, obtained the appellation of the father of the faithful, and the friend of God. Gen. xii. 1. Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee. 4. So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him. 5. And into the land of Canaan they came. 7. And there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him. Gen. xv. 6. And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness. Rom. iv. 11. And he [Abraham] received the sign of circumcision; a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also. 12. And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had, being yet uncircumcised. 16. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed, not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. Jam. ii. 23. And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God. See also Isaiah xli. 8. 30th Q.-What were the promises of God to Abraham? A.-He promised to make Abraham the father of a great nation, and that his children should possess that land in which he sojourned as a stranger: and further, that in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed. Gen. xii. 2. I will bless thee, and thou shalt be a blessing. 3. And in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Gen. xvii. 6. I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. 8. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan. Gen. xxii. 16. By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son; [Isaac, whom he was going to offer as a sacrifice by the command of God] 17. That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18. And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. 31st Q.-Were these promises to Abraham fulfilled? A.-Yes: from his son Isaac, came the Israelites, who were a great nation, and possessed the land promised to Abraham; and Jesus Christ, the Saviour of mankind, in whom all the nations of the earth are blessed, is of the seed of Abraham after the flesh. Deut. x. 22. The Lord thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude. Joshua xxi. 43. And the Lord gave unto Israel all the land which he sware unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein. 44. And the Lord gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers. 45. There failed not aught of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel: all came to pass. Acts iii. 25. Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. 26. Unto you first, God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. Gal. iii. 8. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the Gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. 9. So then they which be of faith, are blessed with faithful Abraham. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. 14. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. 16. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. CHAPTER II. SECTION I. 32d Q.-Did God reveal himself to the children of Abraham? A.-He did to Isaac, also to Jacob, otherwise called Israel: but the most remarkable revelation of the divine will to the descendants of Abraham, was through Moses, whom God appointed to be the legislator of the Israelites. Gen. xxvi. 2. And the Lord appeared unto him [Isaac] and said, Go not down into Egypt: 3. Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; 4. And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. Gen. xxviii. 10. And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran. 11. And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and lay down in that place to sleep. 12. And he dreamed, and behold, a ladder set upon the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. 13. And behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac; the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed. 14. And in thee, and in thy seed, shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Gen. xxxv. 9. And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padan-aram, and blessed him. 10. And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob; thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name; and he called his name Israel. Exod. iii. 1. Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law. 2. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire, out of the midst of a bush. 4. And God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. 7. I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt. 8. And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land, unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. 15. Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you. SECTION II. 33d Q.-Wherein did this revelation of the divine will differ from those that preceded it ? A.-By it God chose the Israelites, from among other nations, to be a separate and peculiar people unto himself, that they might preserve the knowledge of the only true God, in the midst of heathen darkness; and, to effect this purpose, he gave them, through Moses, laws, statutes, and judgments, for their civil and religious conduct. Exod. xix. 3. And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; 4. Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. 5. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people; for all the earth is mine. 6. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. Deut. iv. 5. Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess |