He came to Eve changing himselfe into a Serpent Satan being now falne from God grudged the happy estate that Adam was in and thought much that he should not be in the same condition with himselfe whereupon he tempted him Q. What was Eves answer A. Of any tree of the Garden we may cate but not of this lest peradventure we dye now he took advantage of this when she began to doubt of Gods providence Q. How else did they fall A. By their owne free will attending to and parlying with Satan in two respects 1. In a light esteeme of Gods command 2. In their delusion 1. Saying the fruit was good when God said the contrary 2. Hearkning to Satan who told them it would be the cause of their good and not evill when as God told them when they eate thereof they should dye the death Q. What is the third cause of their fall A. The holy and blessed Law of God may after a measure be said to have some influence therein Q. What came to Adam after this A. He was made guilty and lyable unto the Law and Curse Q. What followeth upon this guiltinesse A. Punishment Q. What was that A. Originall and actuall sinne Q. What is originall sinne A. A naturall depravation of the whole man Q. What is actuall sinne A. A transgression of the Law in the least particular Q. Why did God punish them so severely Ans 1. Because they sinned against an extraordinary Majesty loving Satan more then God 2. Because they broke all the Commandements at once which were included in these two Love the Lord with all thy heart and thy Neighbour as thy selfe Q. Did Adam this onely to himselfe A. No but to his posterity Q. How commeth it so A. We did then what ever hee did for we were in his loynes it was equall with God to appoint it so because that if he had done well we should have been saved now consequently it must follow that because he sinned we must also be punished Q. How did Adams sinne become ours A. By imputation Q. What is imputation A. That whereby the fault of one man is put upon another Q. How came we to have originall sinne A. By propagation in regard that Adam sent his nature into us and we become like him The third Principle Concerning redemption by Christ Quest WAs our Redemption necessary A. Yes because God determined an end of his Creation now man because fallen if he should be destroyed the end would be frustrate Secondly God had ordained the glorification of his mercy in man now had there been no Redemption where would the glory of his mercy appeare Thirdly the Elect fallen without this could have had no comfort Q. Who is this Redeemer A. Jesus Christ the second Person in the Trinity hee onely can subdue our enemies and satisfie his Fathers wrath Q. Wherefore was Christ the fittest person in the Trinity Ans 1. Because hee could most prevaile with God being his Son Secondly God being he who was fully offended it was not justice that he should pay himselfe Q. Why did Christ take the nature of man upon him A. 1. Because it was man that sinned Secondly there must be a suffering as well as a satisfaction Q. Did Christ take upon him the person or nature of man A. The nature onely for else there should have been two persons which cannot be Q. How did Christ take mans nature upon him A. The Holy Ghost sanctified it and then Christ took the same Q. What are those things observable in this nature A. His union and the manner of his conception Q. How is his union A. Inseparable for our nature could not be separated from him the eternall Sonne of God so tooke the nature of man that when it met with him it was not changed but remained the same forever Q. How was Christ conceived A. By the Holy Ghost who at this time and in this thing imitated the nature of man Q. Of whom was Christ conceived A. Of the Virgin Mary Q. Why had not Christ a Father as well as a Mother A. Then had he been lyable to sinne which was principally imputed to man Q. How did Christ suffer A. By his Death which was two-fold corporall and spirituall corporall whereby his body was separated from his soule and spirituall whereby hee was separated from God Q. What things are to be observed in the death of the soule Ans 1. The wrath of God and his anger against a man of which Christ tasted Secondly the consequences which are desperation and continuall punishments from which Christ was most free The fourth Principle A sinner of an humble and contrite spirit apprehends Christ by faith and so is justified and sanctified Here are two things 1. A preparation 2. The Benefit Quest WHat is contrition A. When a sinner is brought to such a sight of sinne that being enforced to feele the burthen thereof hee comes to bee sequestred from it Q. How many things are here considerable A. Three 1. A sinner must be brought to a sight of his sinne 2. Hee must bee enforced to feele it 3. He must come to be sequestred from it Q. Why doe you say Brought to a sight of his sinne A. Because of himselfe he neither will nor can see his sinne Q. What doe you meane by sight A. A cleare and convicting sight of sinne Q. What is it to have cleare sight of sinne A. When a man sees sinne as it is in its colours Q. What is it to see sinne convictingly A. When a sinner is perswaded in his conscience that that sinne which the Minister and the Word of God speakes of is his own sinne Q. What is meant by sinne A. In sinne there are two branches the evill of it and the punishment of it Q. Which is worse of these two A. The evill of sinne for 1. that which deprives a man of the chiefest good must needs be the greatest evill but sinne deprives the soule of God the chiefest good 2. We see Christ could suffer punishment but not be sinfull 3. And God is oft the Author of punishment but not of sinne Q. What is the second thing in the definition Answ Hee is inforced to feele it men would bee flying off from the meditation of this sinne Q. How may a man feele his sinne as he should doe Ans By meditation and application Q. How by meditation Answ 1. By considering what a GOD hee hath offended how great mercy abused and justice provoked not onely in time of ignorance but since wee knew him Secondly A serious meditation of the vile and filthy nature of sinne Q. How doth the vilenesse of sin appeare A. It separates us from Gods presence and procureth eternall misery Q. How by application Answ 1. By convincing the heart of its loathsome conditon 2. By dogging the heart when there is any occasion of sinne and still telling it of Gods judgement Q. Can any man of himselfe doe this A. No it
take care for the time present Secondly wee desire a moderation of these outward things Thridly we must daily pray and depend upon God for our bread Q. What rules may wee here learne for the ordering of our lives in the desire of outward things Ans 1. Wee must goe to God for every mercy and acknowledge we receive all from him 2. Wee must onely look to the time present not caring for the morrow Q. What is the scope of the fifth Petition A. Iustification or the forgivenesse of sinne Q. What is meant by debts A. Sinnes Q. Why is sinne called a debt A. Because it maketh us lyable to Gods judgements Q. Can God forgive our sinnes without satisfaction A. No because it s against his justice Q. How then is this a mercy that God doth forgive us our sinnes A. Gods mercy appeares in that he followes the Law against our surety so that hee is made guilty and lyable to punishment and we cleared Is it not a great mercy that our sinnes may bee removed from us and Christs righteousnesse imputed unto us Q. How farre must a man forgive another A. In the offence we must consider three things 1. The breach of the Law 2. The wrong done to us 3. The inflicting vengeance for it Q. How farre may a man forgive the sinne as a breach of the Law A. Onely thus farre he must desire that God would not lay it to their charge so Christ prayed Father forgive them for they know not what they doe Q. Must a man alwaies forgive his enemie the wrongs and punishment done A. No when Gods glory and Religion is disgraced thereby and it may be for our brothers good Q. Doth God forgive us because we forgive others A. No He forgives us before wee can forgive others on a right ground 1. Because all the mercy we have wee receive from him 2. All wee have is but a drop in comparison of that Ocean which is in God 3. Our mercy is mixed with cruelty and many oppositions but God is all compassion Q. What is the scope of the sixth Petition A. Sanctification Q. What doth temptation properly signifie A. A proving of grace so God tempted Abraham and proved his love Here by temptation is meant a solicitation to commit evill Q. Why not tentation of triall A. Because we ought rather to prav against this then against that Q. What doe you meane by deliver Ans 1. That God would give us a fore-fight of sinne 2. That God would give us power that we be not thereby overtaken 3 That God would recover us being falne and fortifie us against sipne for time to come Q. What doe you meane by lead Ans 1. That God would let us have no occasion of evill Secondly if occasions be offered that he would so assist and strengthen that they prevaile not against us Q. How hath God a hand in the sinnes of men A. Whatsoever may be said in the Law and Word of God may be said of God now the Law may be said to have an hand in the sins of men As when counsell and admonition comes the heart swells immediately as when a thing is put into a channell or any other place the water increaseth hugely not because there is any water put into it but by opposition Q. What doe you mean by evill A. There is no kinde of evill worse then the evill of sinne and punishment here is specially meant the evill of sinne and also punishment so farre as it may hinder us in the wayes of godlinesse Q. Why do you say deliver us A. Here wee desire that God would provide meanes for others good and make us instruments to deliver them 1 In watching over their conversation 2 In telling them of that which is amisse 3 To follow it and never leave till wee have convinced them of it Q. What is meant by Kingdome A. The right ruling over his servants By power is meant an ability and sufficiency to governe And by Glorie is meant 1 The worship of God 2 The shining of Gods glory Q. Why doe you say Thy A. All this is in God Secondly all that men have in the world is from God therefore they must render all to his glory Q. What is Amen A. The voyce and word of faith Q. What is here implyed A. Two things 1 An earnest desire of what wee beg as a man when his friend goeth beyond sea saith The Lord be with you 2 A repose of our selves upon God that he would grant our requests who hath promised whatever we aske in Christs Name wee shall have it The sixt Principle All men shall rise with their bodies to judgement the godly shall inherit the kingdome of Heaven but reprobates and unbeleevers shall bee cast into hell fire with the Devill and his angels Qu. WHat are we to observe out of this Principle A. Two things 1. The judgement 2. The reward of every man In the judgement we must observe two things First the preparation to this judgement that is the resurrection 2. The judgement it selfe Q. What is resurrection A. It is the re-uniting and knitting the soule and body together that were separated by death Q. Why is it necessary that there must be a resurrection A. There are two grounds one is taken from the justice another from the mercy of God Wicked men they have the happinesse of this life and therefore they must have misery in the life to come else God were not just Againe the godly are here in misery and they that should be most respected have the worst entertainment therefore they must have a happinesse in heaven So the Author to the Heb. saith God is just that he should not forget their labour of love And the Apostle to the Thessal It is a righteous thing to render peace to you it were unjust if they did not see some good dayes Abraham tels Dives Son remember thou in thy life time receivedst thy pleasure and Lazarus paines therefore now he is comforted and thou art tormented It was the speech of Master Greenham that wicked men have some good in them therefore God gives them outward things but they have an infinite evill therefore they must perish eternally Secondly Gods mercy hath promised heaven to his servants therefore there must be a Resurrection heaven is not here There be two sorts of men that shall be judged First those that dye Secondly those that live when Christ shall come Q. How doe the godly rise againe A. By Christs Resurrection because Christ was dead and they are his members Christ being their Surety and whatsoever he doth he doth it not for himselfe but for them Q. How shall it be with the godly when Christ shall come A. They shall be freed from all sinne and weaknesse of body Q. Shall the same bodies arise A. Yea the same God shall gather together all the elect He that is able to make all things of nothing is able to raise men and gather
must be Gods humbling hand Q. What doe you meane by sequestred Ans When a mans hearts desire and hungring is to get out of sinne though hee cannot saying with himselfe there is no reason why I should be thus ruled by base lusts Q. What is humiliation Answ When the heart of a poore sinner comes to despaire of all hope and helpe either in himselfe or any creature and is contented to bee at Gods disposing Q. How many things are to be considered in this definition Answ Hee despaireth of all hope in himselfe or in the creatures and is content to be at Gods disposing Q. When doth a man come to this despaire A. When he seeketh to the world for succour and findes none Q. When is a man content to bee at Gods dispose A. When he acknowledgeth he hath no good in himselfe and confesses if at any time God afflict him that it is just with God so to doe resolving what ever trouble lyes upon him still to trust and call upon God Contrition and humiliation are two graces which must be wrought in the soul before faith can enter in 1. Because every naturall man hath sinne to be his God now there cannot be two Gods in any mans heart 2. Because by faith we goe unto Christ to receive good at his hands now one cannot goe to Christ before he goe out of himselfe before we can get the pearle we must sell all that we have now Christ is the pearle wee must sell all our corruptions to enjoy him Q. What is faith A. A resting upon God grounded upon knowledge and assurance that God is my God in Christ Q. How many things are included in this knowledge A. A sight of sinne and a sense of it which will produce three things 1. A prizing and seeking for mercy 2. No content in any thing till we have obtained mercy 3. The testimony of Gods Spirit which assureth Gods children their sins are pardoned Q. What is meant by resting upon God A. It is discovered by two particulars 1. Casting our selves upon the Promise 2. A perswasion that they shall be fulfilled to us Q. What is Iustification A. When a beleeving sinner is accounted just in Gods sight through Christ according to the Law Q. Why say you accounted A. Because Justification puts nothing into us nor findes nothing in us Q. Doth God justifie wicked men as they are in themselves A. God provided another to be their surety for whose sake he accepts them Q. Can one mans wisedome understanding and holinesse be accounted to another A. Yes if one mans offence be imputed to another then may one mans righteousnesse but Adams sinne was imputed to us Rom. 5. therefore Christs Righteousnesse may be accounted ours If the Law be that the surety may be punished for the debt as well as the debtor then may the sureties satisfaction be accounted to the debtor both because the surety and the debtor tooke upon them the same thing and subjected themselves to the same condition Q. What doe we learn out of these words according to the Law A. No man can be just except he be in some measure answerable to the rule of justice Q. What did the Law require A. Two things 1. Dying for sinne 2. Doing that wee may live Q. Was our sinne made Christs by commission A. No onely by imputation for when Christ dyed to save us did we dye also no onely his death was imputed to us Q. What doth Christ receive from us A. Guilt and punishment Q. What doe we receive from Christ A. His merits and obedience Q. Doth faith it selfe justifie a man A. We are not justified by faith for it s but an instrument whereby we lay hold upon Christ and so are justified Q. Must justification be joyned to sanctification A. Yes for justification goeth before and sanctification followes after Q. Wherein lyeth the difference A. Iustification putteth nothing into a man nor findeth any thing in a man Sanctification puts a new frame of heart into us Q. But doth not God put grace into a justified sinner A. Yes but he doth it by sanctification not by justification We receive justification all at once and that neither admits of increase or decrease but holinesse is usually increased and decreaseth many times Q. What is sanctification A. It s the restoring of a justified man into the image of God wherein he was created Not a making new faculties in the soule but putting them into right order as when a clock falls in pieces the wheels being not broken the clock hath not new wheeles set into it but they are new made againe Q. How many things be there in sanctification A. Two Mortification and Vivification Q. What is mortification A. The first part of sanctification whereby sinne is killed in us by the power of Christs death applied unto us Q. Can sinne be wholly subdued in a man A. No but it may be lessened and filed away Q. Wherein lyes the difference between sin in a wicked and a godly man A. There is the neerest union that may be between sinne and the soule of a wicked man Sinne beareth greatest rule here and the soule yeelds greatest subjection unto it He hath a secret resolution to sinne in spight of God and his Ordinances But in a godly man the power of sinne is loosened and the union broken sinne is not in him as a King though it may be as a Tyrant Q. Can mortification and vivification bee severed A. No where God bestowes Mortification there hee likewise bestowes vivification Q. Which goeth first A. Mortification for before we can receive Christ we must make roome for him by casting out all wickednesse Q. What is meant by this word vivification A. It is that part of sanctification whereby wee are quickned to newnesse of life by Christ his Resurrection applyed unto us Q. How is this wrought by Christs Resurrection A. In sinne wee must conceive there is 1. The guilt 2. The punishment 3. The power of it the guilt and punishment Christ by his Death removed Q. But how did he take away the power of them A. We having sinned Christ dyed and rose again for us whereas sin and Satan would have kept him in still if they could but hee came out by force The fift Principle Faith commeth by hearing and is strengthned by the Word and Prayer Meanes to get and increase Faith Quest How may we get faith Answ By the hearing of the Word preached Q. Why is Faith wrought by the Word A. Because God hath promised a speciall blessing thereunto and the holy Spirit accompanies the same for this purpose Q. Why by the Word preached A. Because the Word preached doth evidently reveale truths to the soule and works more effectually upon a mans heart Q. How is Faith encreased A. By the Word Sacraments and Prayer The Word addeth fuell unto Faith provoking a man to come to Christ by shewing 1. the need we have of him by reason of
them out of the dust for it is lesser to repaire a thing of the matter that it is made of then to make a thing of nothing Q. But is there no change in regard of substance A. Onely this The qualities conditions of the body shall be altered the body shall be incorruptible immortall whereas here we are subject to death and diseases Secondly the body shall bee spirituall that is there shall be no dependance upon any outward comforts Here we must use meat and drink for preservation of our lives but there shall be no need of them The Sadduces told Christ Such an one had seven brethren and they all married one woman one after another now say they In the Resurrection whose shall this wise be and Christ said to them Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures for in heaven they neither cate nor drinke marrie nor give in marriage but are as the Angels they need no meat nor apparel So the godly shall be there 3. All imperfections and weaknesses shall then be taken away If a man dyes sick he shall be whole when he rises againe If a man be lame or if he were born blind or if one dyed being a child all these shall be taken away then Object But it seemes it shall not be the same body for if a man shall have every limbe and be perfect in every part how can these things stand together Ans There is nothing added to the substance of the body but only changed and increased it is in the nature of many things to increase when as nothing is added unto them As may be observed in an Onyon take a great Onyon and hang it up in the house and it will grow bigger and bigger what is the cause of it not because any thing is added but because it spreads it selfe further so then there shall be no new body but the same substance enlarged and increased Q. But how comes it to passe that there shall be a change A. By the immediate and immutuable assistance of Gods upholding and supporting the body Q. What change shall there be of the soule A. The wicked shall be changed frō evil to worse there is sin in thē here but there is some restraining grace either feare or profit prevails with them now and keeps them from sin but there shall be no restraining grace at all but al sin then 2. There Gods wrath shall be powred in a fuller measure then now 1. But the godly soules shall be freed from all finne and corruption that is now in them 2. They shall have eternall life and possesse God himselfe as it were fully Vse How should this stirre us up to thirst after the day of our resurrection I here we have sin and cannot doe good but there all sinne shall be taken away It should comfort Gods servants though it fare ill with them in this life yet they shall be freed from all afflictions and miseries one day Paul saith If a Christians hope were in this life onely he were of all men most miserable for who are pursued who are hated more then they Now come we to speake of the last judgement wherein observe 1. There must be a day of judgment 2. The persons that must come to judgement 3. The manner of judgement 4. Who shall proceed therein 1. It is called the day of judgement as the time of the Gospell is the day of salvation and the time of affliction the day of visitation So here the particular time God hath appointed to judge all men is called the day of judgement It is called also the last day because it shall be the last and all others prepare to this It is also called the Generall judgement then all shall be judged even those that judge others here Q. Why is it necessary there must be a judgement it seems there need not be a judgement for the godly are now acquitted and wicked men are condemned already in their own consciences that flie in their faces why therefore must there be a judgment A. God doth it for these two reasons 1. That his glory might he more manifest even the glory of his justice for what a great glory is it which all shall confesse even the devils and damned that God is just in all his proceedings against them 2. That Christs glory might be made manifest here he was judged but then hee shall be Judge Q. When shall the day of judgement come what shall be the time of it A. For the particular time no man knowes onely we must conceive thus much 1. That Antichrist must bee destroyed before 2. The Jewes must imbrace the truth and both Iewes and Gentiles must professe the truth after this there must be an universall declining as Christ saith As it was in the daies of Noah so now at Christs comming there shall be a wonderfull and fearefull declining then it will be time for God to come Q. What use may we make of this A. It is a ground of patience to the godly let the wicked judge as they will there will be another judgement saith Paul I passe not to be judged of you So we when wee are wronged and trod upon should lift up our eyes and call to mind the last judgement then our causes shall be heard and we shall be righted Q. Who must be judged A. Every man high and low rich or poore all are lyable 1. God that created every man and hath given them severall talents may justly call them to an account for the same 2. God is only wise knowing how to do it and able to bring all men to judgement how should this awe us from sin as God saith Rejoice and take thy pleasure but remember for all these things thou shalt come to judgement Q. But for what shall we be called to an account A. The Apostle Paul saith for what ever is done in the flesh Those that dishonour God hee will punish and those which honor him he will recompence Q. By what rule must every one be judged A. By the Law not by the Gospel because all men have the Law given them Rom. 1. 24. the Law is engraven in our hearts that wee may be without excuse but every one hath not heard the Gospel many Nations and people have not heard of Christ therefore they can make their plea when God shal say Why did you not belceve in Christ and the Gospel Why Lord say they we never heard of Christ 2. This judgement will be cleare and open When as wicked men shall be condemned by their works God can then say Have you not done thus and thus committed these and these sinnes Have I not seen you As Elisha said to his servant Gehasi Hath not my heart gone with thee So God may say Did not I see you do such a thing Then will hypocrites be made known Gods justice will much appeare when the ungodly shall see their own wayes have ruined them Object If this be so then