unchangeableness of Gods elective Love 2. From the All-sufficiency of his Power 3. From his Faithfulness in his Promises 4. From Christs unchangeable Priesthood and continual Intercession for them 5. From the nature of Grace and the means thereof Q. May not any Believers by falling into sin fall from Grace A. Some Believers may through the remainders of corruption in them and the violence of Satans temptations fall into sin foully and so fall from degrees and measures of Grace but they shall never fall totally and finally from Grace And when we see any to fall totally and finally from the profession they formerly made we may know they were never that in sincerity which they professed themselves to be Q. 37. What benefits do Believers receive from Christ at their Death A. The souls of Believers are at their Death made perfect in holiness and do immediately pass into Glory and their Bodies being still united to Christ do rest in their Graves till the Resurrection Explic. Q. How manifold are the benefits of Believers at their Death A. Twofold 1. In respect of their Souls 2. In respect of their Bodies Q. 1. What benefits have Believers in respect of their Souls at Death A. They are made perfect in holiness and do immediately pass into Glory Q. Are not Believers perfect in this life A. No Q. Do not the Souls of Believers sleep in the Grave with their Bodies or stay in Purgatory A. No. Ibid. Q What do Papists mean by Purgatory A. They mean a state of Temporary punishments after this life from which men may be released and translated into Heaven by the Prayers of the living and the Sacrifice of the Mass. Q. 2. What benefits have Believers in respect of their Bodies at Death A. 1. Their Bodies are still united to Christ. For though Death doth for a while separate their Souls from their Bodies yet it cannot separate Christ from either but as when Christ died his Hypostatical or Personal union still remained his Divine Nature being united both to his Soul in Heaven and to his Body in the Tomb on Earth So when Believers die their mystical union unto Christ still remaineth and Christ is united both to their Souls with him in Glory and to their Bodies which are his Members even when they are rotting in the Grave 2. They rest in their Graves as in their Beds till the Resurrection Q. What is the Resurrection here spoken of A. The last and general Resurrection of all the dead that have lived in all Ages from the beginning of the Creation which will be first of the righteous and then of the wicked at the last day Q How do you prove that there shall be such a general Resurrection A. It may be undeniably proved from the Scriptures and the power of God If God be of infinite power and therefore can raise the dead and infinitely true and in the Scriptures hath revealed that he will raise all the dead then there shall be a general Resurrection but God is infinite in power and in the Scriptures hath revealed that he will raise all the dead therefore there shall be a general Resurrection The ground of the Sadduces errour who denied the Resurrection was their ignorance of these two great foundations of this Doctrine namely the Scriptures and the power of God Q. Shall the Dead the raised with the same body which they had when aliu before A. Yes Q. How do you prove that the Dead shal be raised with the same Body A. Because otherwise it could in no proper sense be called a Resurrection but a new Creation 2. Because 't is fit the same Body that was an instrument of righteousness or sin should share in the like Reward or Punishment Q. Will not the Bodies when they are raised differ from what they are now A. They will not differ from what they are now in regard of their substance and essence But they will exceedingly differ in regard of their qualities Q. 38. What benefits do Believer receive from Christ at the Resurrection A. At the Resurrection Believers being raised up in Glory shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of Judgement and made perfectly blessed in full enjoying of God to all Eternity Explic. Q. How many waies may the benefits which Believers receive from Christ at the Resurrection be considered A. Three waies 1. In respect of the Resurrection it self 2. In respect of the day of Judgement after their Resurrection 3. In respect of Heaven after the day of Judgement Q. What is the benefit of Believers in respect of the Resurrection it self A. Believers shall be raised up in Glory Q. What benefits shall Believers have at the day of Iudgement A. They shall be acknowledged and acquitted Q. What mean you by their being acknowledged A. Their being owned by Jesus Christ as his Q. What mean you by their being acquitted and from what shall they be acquitted A. They shall be fully freed from all their sins and finally discharged from the sentence of Condemnation Q. After what manner shall they be acknowledged and acquitted A Openly viz. before the Father and the holy Angels and the general Assembly of the whole world Q. What is the benefit of Believers in Heaven after the day of Iudgement A. They shall then be made perfectly blessed Q. Wherein doth that blessedness consist A. In full enjoying or God to all Eternity Hitherto are the matters of Faith which make up the first Part of the Catechism or what man is to believe concerning God Now follows the second Part concerning the duty which God requires of Man Q. 39. What is the Duty which God requireth of Man A. The Duty which God requireth of Man is obedience to his revealed Will. Explic. Q. Doth God require any thing to be performed by man to himself A. God requireth Duty from Man Q. What is that Duty A. Obedience to obey Q. What is the Rule of Mans obedience in General A. Gods revealed Will. Q. What mean you by that A. The written Word or the holy Scriptures wherein the main purport of them is not to reveal to us the existence or non-existence of our actions but their moral conveniency nor yet future contingences whatsoever shall come to pass in the world but what may and ought to be done by intelligent creatures and what by preventive love and enforcing obligations God will expect from us Q What do you mean by those obligations that enforce the Duty which God requireth of man A. Those beneficial resultances or benefits which flow from Gods relation to Man as his Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier Q. 40. What did God at first reveal to man for the Rule of his Obedience A. The Rule which God at first revealed to man for his obedience was the Moral Law Explic. Q. Is not Gods secret Will the Rule of Mans obedience A. No. Q. How prove
old with the first Adam and doth not now remain in full force and vertue Q. Could the first man have kept Gods Laws perfectly A. Yes for God made him perfect with the Image of God shining gloriously in him Q What special command did God give him for the trial of his obedience A. He forbade him to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil Q. Why was the forbidden Tree called the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil A. From the effect of eating it because thereby man came to know good and evil Good by the loss of it and Evil by the sense and smart of it Q. Under what penalty was he forbidden this Tree A. Vpon pain of Death Q. 13. Did our first Parents continue in the estate wherein they were Created A. Our first Parents being left to the freedom of their own Will fell from the estate wherein they were Created by sinning against God Explic. Q. Did our first Parents fall A. Yes Q. From what did they fall A. From the estate wherein they were Created Q. What estate was that A. An holy and happy estate Q. How did they fall A. By sinning against God Q. What was the cause of their fall A. The abuse of the Freedom of their own will Q. Had our first Parents then Free-will in the state of innocency till they sinned it away A. Yes Q. Were they not confirmed in the estate of Innocency A. No. Q. 14. What is Sin A. Sin is any want of conformity unto or transgression of the Law of God Explic. Q. What is meant by the Law of God A. The whole Word of God Q. Is any want of conformity to the Law or coming short of it a sin A. Yes Q Is every transgression of it a sin A. Yes Q. What is is to transgress the Law A. To pass the bounds that the Law sets Q. Doth the want of conformity to the Law take in sins of Omission and the transgression of the Law sins of Commission and both these Original sin A. Yes Q. 15. What was the sin whereby our first Parents fell from the estate wherein they were Created A. The sin whereby our first Parents fell from the estate wherein they were Created was the eating of the forbidden Fruit. Explic. Q. What was the first sin that was committed by mankind A. Eating the forbidden Fruit by our first Parents Q. 16. Did all mankind fall in Adam's first transgression A. The Covenant being made with Adam not only for himself but for his Posterity all mankind descending from him by ordinary Generation sinned in him and fell with him in his first transgression Explic. Q. Was Adam only concerned in the Covenant of Life God made with him in the state of Innocency A. No for the Covenant was not made with Adam for himself only but for his Posterity also Q. Did all mankind sin in Adam and fall with him in his first transgression A. All mankind descending from Adam by ordinary Generation sinned in him and fell with him in his first transgression Q. How manifold is Generation A. Twofold ordinary and extraordinary Q. What do you mean by extraordinary Generation A. That of Jesus Christ whereby he was conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost in the Womb of the Virgin Mary and born of her without sin Q. What by ordinary A. That whereby all mankind else came into the world in a natural way from man and woman under sin Q. How could all the Posterity of Adam being then unborn sin in him and fall with him in his first transgression A. 1. They were in him representatively Adam was the common head and representative of all mankind 2. They were in him virtually they were in his loyns And as Levi is said to pay tithes in Abraham when only in his loyns Heb. 7. 9 10. so Adams Posterity sinned in his loyns Q. And is this the reason why all mankind sinned in Adam and fell with him because the Covenant was made with him not only for himself but also for his Posterity A. Yes Q. 17. Into what estate did the Fall bring mankind A. The Fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery Q. 18. Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell A. The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell consists in the guilt of Adams first sin the want of original Righteousness and the corruption of his whole nature which is commonly called Original sin together with all actual Transgressions which proceed from it Expli Q. How many sorts of sins be there wherein the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell doth consist A. Two Original and Actual Q. Wherein consists Original sin A. In three things as 1. The guilt of Adams first sin 2. The want of Original Righteousness 3. The corruption of the whole nature Q. What is guilt A. A binding over to punishment Q. What do you mean by Original Righteousness A. That which Man was at first Created in Q. What do you mean by the corruption of the whole nature A. That whereby the whole Man Soul and Body is utterly indisposed disabled and made opposite to all that is spiritually good and wholly inclined to all evil and that continually Q. How do you prove the universal depravity and corruption of mans nature A. Besides Scripture-proof which is as express in this truth as any upon Record experience it self will confirm it by our daily sinful infirmities by our backwardness to those duties wherein we may enjoy most of God and by our being Eftsoons led into temptation and drawn into those very sins which are more especially cross and contrary to our natural tempers and constitutions Q. But why is the corruption of mans whole nature commonly called Original sin since that is not a Scripture name A. For three Reasons 1. Because 't is derived from Adam the Original of mankind 2. Because 't is in every one from his Original It may say to every one As soon as thou wert I am 3. Because 't is the original of all other sins Q. What do you mean by actual transgressions A. The transgressions of our Life which proceed from original sin Q. 19. What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell A. All mankind by their fall lost communion with God are under his wrath and curse and so made liable to all miseries in this life to death it self and to the pains of Hell for ever Explic. Q. What hath man lost by the Fall A. Communion with God Q. What do you mean by that A. Fellowship or friendship with God or the communications of Gods Love Grace and Favour Q. What is man brought under by the Fall A. Under Gods wrath and curse Q. What are the parts of Gods wrath and Curse A. 1. All the miseries of this life 2. Death it self Death
to suffer Not as predictions of the event any more than Thou shalt and Thou shalt not in the command are Predictions but only are expressive of the dueness of obedience Q. How do the Old and New Covenant differ A. They differ more especially these two waies 1. In their tenor the tenor of the Old is Obey perfectly and live sin and die The tenor of the New is Believe on the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saved 2. The New Covenant admits of Repentance which the Old doth not Q. But must not a believer acknowledge perfect obedience to be still his duty A. Yes Q. Why so A. Because this honours the equity of Gods Commandments Q. And hath the Redeemer then by making this one of the Conditions of the Gospel-Covenant given his Father his Law back again A. Yes Q. Doth he not repeal it A. No it 's still the Rule of life and every Commandment still obligeth a Believer Q. What hath Christ then done for us A. Christ hath only released us from the condemning power of the Law not the commanding power of it Q. How understand you that A. We must still press after perfection but though we fall short of it we shall not die for it Christ having Redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us He leaves us under the Government and Command of the Law Q. But have you any Scripture-warrant for what you say in this matter A. Yes the whole matter is excellently expressed 1 Ioh. 2. 1. My little Children these things write I unto you that you sin not And if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous Q. But generally and more briefly what doth God promise to deliver the Elect out of in the Covenant of Grace A. Out of the estate of sin and misery Q. But how doth God perform this Promise to them seeing that they also are liable to the miseries of this life and to the first Death as the wages of sin A. Although the Old Covenant in part be executed on them yet doth not God leave them in the state of sin and misery but hath entred into a New Covenant with them to bring them out of it And what they suffer is for their good that being reformed by stripes they may be freed from those punishments which fall on the unreformed to all eternity Q. And what doth God promise to bring the Elect into in the Covenant of Grace A. Into an estate of Salvation Q. Is then the Deliverance of Gods Elect out of the estate of sin and his bringing them into an estate of Salvation the sum and the substance of what hath been said more at large in several particulars concerning the benefits of the New Covenant A. Yes Q. How doth God promise to do all this A. By a Redeemer Isa. 53. 10. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed he shall prolong his daies and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand vers 11. He shall see of the Travail of his soul and shall be satisfied c. And this by some learned Divines is called the Covenant of Redemption Q. What do they mean by it A. That federal transaction that was betwixt God the Father and the Son from everlasting about the Redemption of lost and fallen Mâ—n Q. Is not this the same with the Covenant of Grace A. This Covenant is a Covenant of Grace but 't is not strictly that Covenant of Grace which the Scripture holds out in opposition to the Covenant of works but rather the means to it or foundation of it Q. Wherein do these two Covenants differ A. In the Confederates For in the Covenant of Redemption the Confederates are God and Christ but in the Covenant of Grace the Confederates are God and Believers Q. 21. Who is the Redeemer of Gods Elect A. The only Redeemer of Gods Elect is the Lord Jesus Christ who being the eternal Son of God became man and so was and continueth to be God and Man in two distinct natures and one person for ever Explic. Q. Who is the Redeemer A. The Lord Jesus Christ. Q. What is it to Redeem A. By price or power to save any from bondage or misery Q. Who is Christ the Redeemer of A. Of Gods Elect Q. Is there any other Redeemer A. He is the only Redeemer Q. Why is he called Lord A. 1. Absolutely as he is God he is Lord over them and all things 2. Especially in reference to them that are redeemed he is their Lord being redeemed by him Q. Why is he called Iesus A. Because he is a Saviour Q. Why Christ A. Because he is anointed to the Office of a Prophet Priest and King which persons were usually anointed under the Law Q. Whose Son was Christ A. The Eternal Son of God Q What is it to be the Eternal Son of God A. It is to be God of the Substance of the Father begotten before the Worlds Q. What did the Eternal Son of God become that he might be our Redeemer A. He became man Q. Was it a voluntary act in Christ to become man A. Yes Q. Was Christ both God and Man A. Yes Q. How many Natures then be there in Christ A. Two his God-head and his Manhood Q. Was Christ God here upon Earth A. Yes Q. Doth he continue to be Man as well as God now he is in Heaven A. Yes Q. Do these two natures make two persons in Christ A. No but one Person Q. How long doth Christ continue God and Man in two distinct natures and one Person A. For ever Q. 22. How did Christ being the Son of God become Man A. Christ the Son of God became Man by taking to himself a true body and a reasonable Soul being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost in the Womb of the Virgin Mary and born of her yet without sin Explic. Q What did Christ take to himself when he became man A. A true body and a reasonable Soul Q. Are these the Essential parts of a true man A. Yes Q. Did Christ take to himself a Phantastical body i. e. only the shape and appearance of a body A. No a true body Q. Did Christs divine nature enliven and actuate his body instead of a Soul A. No. Q. Had Christ a reasonable Soul such as men have as well as a true body A. Yes Q. Had Christ an ordinary or extraordinary Generation A. An extraordinary Q. 23. What Offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer A. Christ as our Redeemer excuteth the Office of a Prophet of a Priest and of a King both in his estate of Humiliation and Exaltation Explic. Q. What is it to execute an Office A. To do or perform what belongeth to the Office Q. How many Offices doth Christ execute
supposition renders it most probable be it known to all such unnatural Parents as reject Infant Baptism that they harden their hearts against their own flesh Q Why so A. Because Children are parts of Parents and by this contempt of Baptism they reject the Counsel of God against themselves and their Children Q What other reason have you for Infant Baptism A. 3. Children were ever admitted to the sign and Seal of this Covenant which of old was Circumcision and Baptism succeeds in the room of Circumcision Q. How doth that appear A. 1. It appears in that the Apostle of the Circumcision commands Baptism upon the same ground that Circumcision was 2. Because St. Paul in Col. 2. gives to Baptism the very Name of Circumcision to teach us that it succeeds iâ— Object But if Baptism ought to be administred to all those to whom Circumcision was administred because Baptism succeeds Circumcision by the same reason the Eucharist ought to be administred to all those who did eat the Paschal Lamb seeing the Eucharist succeeds the Iewish Passover But you stay longer before you admit your Children to the Lords Supper than the Iews did before they admitted their Children to the eating of the Paschal Lamb. A. The Jews admitted their Children to eat of the Paschal Lamb so soon as they were able to eat flesh and to ask their Fathers the reason of that legal ceremony and we defer the admitting of ours to the Lords Supper until they be capable of those dispositions which God requires and are able to examine themselves according to the command of the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. Q. 96. What is the Lords Supper A. The Lords Supper is a Sacrament wherein by giving and receiving Bread and Wine according to Christs appointment his Death is shewed forth and the worthy receivers are not after a corporal and carnal manner but by Faith made partakers of his Body and Blood with all his benefits unto their spiritual nourishment and growth in Grace Explic. Q. What is the other Sacrament of the New Testament called A. The Lords Suâ—pâ—â— Q. Why so A. Because it was instituted at that time after the Paschal Supper was endâ—d Q. Are we therefore bound to celebrate it alwaies at the same time A. No because there is no command for it nor is there the same reason for it now as then this circumstance of time not obliging us to do it after Supper any more than the fashion of lying along binds us to the using of the same posture both of them being upon occasion of the Paschal Supper then Q. Why do you super add the circumstance and limitation of that present time A. Because the first Paschal Supper in Egypt was eaten standing but afterwards sitting and lying along leaning one on anothers breasts in sign of their rest and security otherwise than they had in Egypt Q. What are the sacramental Elements in the Lords Supper A. Bread and Wine Q What are the sacramental actions A. Breaking the Bread giving and receiving the Bread and Wine Q. What is signified by the Bread and Wine A. The Body and Blood of Christ. Q. What are the Ministers actions A. Breaking the Bread and giving the Bread and Wine not withholding the Cup from the people as the Papists sacrilegiously do Q. What is signified by the Ministers breaking the Bread A. Christs Body being broken for us Q. Why must the people partake of the Elements of both kinds A. Because all that were present at the first Sacrament given by the Lord Jesus himself did so Q How dâ—th that appear A. By the plain express words of Scripture Mat. 26. 26 27. Mark 14. 22. 23. Q. But all present at the first Sacrament were the twelve whom Christ sent forth as Apostles to Preach the Word and administer the Sacraments and therefore they and their Successors only had the priviledâ—e to drink of the Cup A. 1. By this argument the Bread may be taken away from the people too and so they would have no right to any part of this Sacrament And what is this but egregious sacriledge in robbing the people of their highest Church-priviledge 2. The practice and writings of the ancient Church in this matter which is the best way to explicate any such difficulty in Scripture is a clear Testimony that both the Bread and the Wine belong to all the people in the Name of the twelve Disciples at that time Q. What is signified by the giving of the Bread and Wine A. Gods giving all Christ to us Q. What is the peoples action A. Receiving eating and drinking the Bread and Wine Q. What is signified by the peoples receiving A. Their taking a whole Christ. Q. Why are the Bread and Wine given apart and not together A. To shew forth Christs Blood in the parting of his Blood from his Body Q. What is the rule of Administration and Participation A. All must be done according to Christs appointment Q. For what end is this Supper celeâ—rated A. Hereby Christs death is shewed â—orth Q. How many sorts of Receivers are there A. Two worthy and unworthy Q. What do the unworthy Receivers partake of A. They pertake of the outward Elements only Q. What do the worthy Receivers partake of A. They partake of Christs Body and Blood Q. After what manner do not these worthy Receivers partake of Christs Body and Blood A. Not after a corporal and carnal manner they partake not of the substance of his flâ—sh and blood Q. Why so A. For that is in Heaven Q. But do not you affirm with the Paâ—ists that in this Sacrament the Body and Blood together with the Divinity of Iesus Christ are truly really and substantially present and that the whole substance of the Bread is converted into his Body and the whole substance of the Wine into his Blood A. Nâ— should we do it our Senses our Reason and the Word of God would give us the Lye We perceive by our Senses that the Bread and Wine are the same they were before Consecration And we are not more certain that there is a God who created us and a Sun that gives us light than we are fully perswaded that the Divinity of Jesus Christ is every where and his humane nature at the right hand of God from whence he shall come to Judge the quick and the dead Q. And why are you afraid to affirm that the Elements of Bread and Wine art transubstantiate and changed into the substance of the Body and Blood of Christ when the Scripture is plain and express that Christ took the Bread and said This is my Body And after the same manner took the Cup which Protestants as well as Papists interpret figuratively for the Wine in the Cup and said This is my blood of the New Testament c. as you mâ—y read in the following Texts Mat. 26. 26