not see him saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord. And of this Attribute and perfection the sweet singer of Israel thus descants Psal 139.7 8 9. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit and whither shall I flee from thy presence If I go up unto heaven Thou art there If I make my bed in hell thou art there also If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea even there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me And he there teaches us this lesson that all both young and old have this always in their minds to restrain them from every sinful thing even when they are alone and in secret places and no eye sees them That yet God always sees them ver 12. Even the darkness hides not from thee but the night is as clear as the day darkness and light are both alike to thee And therefore whenever we are tempted to sin and whatsoever conveniency of secrecy we may have for it we should always say to ourselves as Joseph did to his Mistriss Gen. 39.9 How can I do this wickedness and sin against God and that even in his sight For Heb. 4.13 All things are naked and open in the sight of him with whom we have to do Now these same Texts that prove Gods Omnipresence they also prove his fourth Attribute Omniscience That He sees and knows all things And as for the next Attribute His perfect Goodness you may remember what your Saviour said Matth. 19.17 There is none Good but one that is God i. e. None deserving this Title of Good in strictness but he Psal 119.6 He is Good and doth Good and that continually And who that is wise will not love and serve and strive to please so Good a God As for the last Attribute which I named perfect Holiness this the Heavenly Inhabitants the Cherubins and Seraphins adore continually crying Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of hosts The whole earth is full of his glory Isa 6.3 Rev. 4.8 And being Holy he cannot be the Author of any Moral evil of any evil of sin Jam. 1.13 Let no man say when he is tempted that he is tempted of God for God cannot be tempted to evil neither tempteth he any man But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed Nor doth he approve nor delight in any evil but will surely visit it Hab. 1.13 He is a God of purer eyes than to behold iniquity Psal 2.3 Thou art not a God that hast pleasure in wickedness neither shall any evil dwell with thee We therefore that profess to believe in and worship so Holy a God must be Holy as he is Holy in all manner of conversation and Godliness 1 Pet. 1.15 16. we must with David Psal 139.12 hate all sin as God hateth it with a perfect hatred These are the chief Divine Attributes and perfections not excluded but implied in what the Creed expresly mentions Almighty now Q. How did God manifest Himself Almighty A. By making of Heaven and Earth Q. What mean you by heaven and earth A. The whole world and all things therein Catechist That of the Apostle Col. 1.10 is full to the purpose By him were all things Created that are in Heaven and in the Earth whether they be thrones or Dominions or principalities or powers All things were created by him Q. What mean you by making these A. Not only creating them but also his Preservation and Providence whereby he Governs and disposes them Catechist He is not only as Joh. 2.10 intitles him the preserver of men but David saith also Ps 36.6 Thy mercy O Lord is in the Heavens thy Faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds O Lord thou preservest man and beast He preserves them and he provides for them all Psal 145.15 The eyes of all wait upon thee and thou givest them their meat in due season Thou openest thine hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing Yea and he Governs all the world and all Actions and Accidents in it Dan. 4.35 He doth whatsoever he will in the Army of Heaven and among the Inhabitants of the Earth and none can stay his Hand or say unto him What dost thou Even the most Casual and Accidental things are ordered and overruled by him Prov. 16.33 The Lot is cast into the lap but the whole Disposal thereof is of the Lord. Such is Gods providence preserving providing for and governing and disposing of all his Creatures Q. Of what matter did God make the world A. Of nothing Q. By what means did God make the world A. By his word only Catechist See Heb. 11.3 Through Faith we understand that the worlds were formed by the Word of God So that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear For Gen. 1.3 He said Let there be Light and there was light And so of all the rest Ps 33.9 He spake the word and all was done He commanded and they stood fast Q. For what end did God make the world A. For his own Glory Catechist For the glory of his Wisdom Power and Goodness which therefore we should Meditate upon with Isaac when we view his innumerable Creatures and consider the operations of his hands Hence that of Solomon Prov. 16.4 The Lord made all things for himself even the wicked for the day of evil i.e. to manifest the glory of his justice in them Q. Which is Gods chief work excelling all other Creatures A. Next to Angels Mankind and he made all the rest for the use and Benefit of man Catechist The Psalmist admires this Psal 8.4 5 6. Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him Thou hast made him little lower than the Angels and crowned him with glory and honour Thou madest him to have Dominion over the works of thine hands and put all things under his feet All sheep and Oxen yea and the beasts of the field the Fowls of the air and the Fishes of the Sea and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the Sea Q. In what estate did God at first make man A. In a state of Innocency Holy and Happy Q. How then came sin into the world A. By Adams fall Catechist These and the following Questions and Answers are necessary to shew you how all mankind came to stand in need of Jesus Christ the second person in the Blessed Trinity coming in the flesh to be their Redeemer Eccl. 7.29 This I have found out saith Solomon That God made man upright but they sought out many inventions The History whereof you have in the second and third Chapters of Genesis The summ whereof is this God gave our first Parents a special Commandment for the proof of their Obedience viz. not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil with this Sanction In the day thou eatest thereof Thou shalt die the death But they listned to the Temptations
of the Serpent the Devil who hating God and envying the happiness of man belied God saying they should not die but only God forbad this fruit lest they should be as Gods knowing good and evil and to him they hearkned and so fell from God and from that state of innocency wherein he created them by sinning against him Q. How can Adams fall concern his posterity A. The Covenant being made with Adam not only for himself but also for his posterity therefore all Mankind descending from him by Ordinary Generation sinned in him and fell with him in his first Transgression Q. What Covenant spake you of now A. The old Covenant of works made with Adam before his Fall as a publick person representing all mankind that should descend of his Loyns Q. Christ Jesus descended from Adam Did he then fall in him A. No for he descended from Adam by an extraordinary Generation and so took our nature without the sinfulness and corruption of our nature Catechist I pray mark that expression well all mankind that descended from Adam by ordinary Generation for this is purposely intended to except Christ who was conceived in the Virgins Womb in an extraordinary manner by the power of the Holy ghost and born of her being still a pure Virgin having no Knowledge of man so that taking our nature in an extraordinary way of Generation he received our nature free from and Untainted with the sinfulness and corruption of our nature But all others descending from Adam in an ordinary way of Generation are inwrapped in his Guilt as their common parent Head and Representative So that Psal 14.2 Amongst all mankind There is not one Righteous no not one for Ps 51.7 All are conceived in sin and born in iniquity Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passeth upon all men in that all have sinned i. e. By him in whom as it is in the Margent all have sinned Ver. 18. By the offence of one judgment came upon all to Condemnation Q. In what estate then are all men besides Jesus Christ that are born of Adam since the fall A. Guilty of sin and prone to all sin Catechist Guilty of Sin For Rom. 5.19 By one mans Disobedience many are made sinners And then which is that corruption of nature I spake of they are prone to all sin and I add averse to all good For Adam begat sons and daughters after his own Image The Image of Corruption A corrupt Tree will have corrupt fruit Hence that unanswerable question of Job 14.4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Not one Q. What Dangers are we liable to by reason of this Original Guilt and proneness to sin in our nature and the actual sins of our lives A. To all Gods judgments in this Life and Eternal torments in that to come Catechist For Eph. 2.3 We are children of Wrath one as well as the other And Rom. 6.23 The Wages of sin is Death Death Temporal Death Spiritual and Death Eternal And this Death as the Apostle saith in the forequoted Text hath passed upon all men for that all have sinned And as it is Rom. 3.23 and come short of the glory of God Q What means have we to be delivered from these sins and Dangers to which for sin we are liable A. Only by our Saviour and Redeemer the second person in the Blessed Trinity Catechist Thus are we orderly led to what the Creed teaches us to believe concerning him Ps 89.19 God laid help upon one that is mighty and exalted one chosen out of the people And this One so chosen Mighty to save so loved the world that he freely and willingly undertook it saying Psal 40.7 Lo I come it is written of me I come to do thy will O God And from hence is he called The Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 For he came to found and establish a new Covenant betwixt God and man and to work a reconciliation to found a remedying Covenant after the former was broken and abolished and so became he a Saviour of men The Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him Heb. 5.9 Q. What is the name of our Saviour A. Jesus Christ Q. What do those names signifie A. Jesus is a Hebrew name signifying as much as Saviour and Christ is Greek and signifies as the word Messiah doth a person Anointed to the threefold office of Prophet Priest and King Catechist The Angel appointed him his Name Jesus to Joseph and Mary at the Annunciation Mat. 1.20 His name shall be called Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins And then they When the eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child so called him being Sir named by the Angel before he was conceived in the Womb Luk. 2.21 As for his other name Christ or in Hebrew Messiah it is equivalent to our Sirnames and signifies his Office being in English as much as The Anointed one For God Anointed him with the Holy ghost the oyl of gladness above his Fellows Ps 45.7 And as it was proper to three sorts of persons to be Anointed Kings and Priests and Prophets so was he anointed King Ps 2.6 Yet have I set my King upon my Holy Hill of Sion And Priest Heb. 6.20 He was made High Priest after the order of Melchizedek And Prophet for of him Moses spake Acts 2.45 A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto me Him shall ye hear And in fullfilling these offices of making Atonement for our sins by the sacrifice of himself upon the Cross and continual intercession for us as a Priest teaching us his Fathers Will for our Salvation as a Prophet and ruling and protecting us as a King consists that great Salvation which he as our Jesus wrought and workt for us and which is offered to us in his Holy Gospel Now being thus set forth to us by his Names next he is described to us in the Creed by his Natures Q. What is Jesus Christ for his person God only or Man only or both God and man A. Both God and man Man that he might be capable of suffering in the same nature wherein we had sinned and God that he might be able to give full satisfaction for our sins Catechist It is written that without shedding of blood there can be no remission Heb. 9.22 For so had God threatned Gen. 2.17 In the day thou sinnest thou shalt dye the death As therefore God would be true to his Word it was necessary for our Redeemer to be man that he might be capable of suffering death for our sins in the same nature wherein they were committed And as necessary it was for him to be God that he might be able to satisfie That his death and sufferings might by the Dignity of his person be of infinite value to satisfie the infinite debt of our sins to Gods justice
nothing was foretold which was not exactly fulfilled in Christ therefore he was certainly the true Christ or Messiah which was to come into the world Thus have you what your Creed teacheth you to believe of your Saviours Names and Natures Now see and learn what his work of Salvation and Redemption was which he wrought or the manner of his working it Q. How did Christ effect the great work of our Redemption A. By his lowly Humiliation wherein he shewed the Truth of his Manhood and by his Glorious Exaltation wherein did shine the bright raies of his Godhead Catechist You have both these in one notable Text of St. Pauls Phil. 2.6 7 8 9. Being in the form of God He thought it no robbery to be equal with God But made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man He humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him t. Q. Wherein consists Christs lowly Humiliation A. In that he suffered under Pontius Pilate was Crucified dead and buried and descended into Hell for us Q. Wherein consists Christs Glorious Exaltation A. In that he by his own power rose again the third day from the dead ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right Hand of God the Father Almighty and from thence shall come again to judge all both quick and dead Q. When did Christ suffer A. It was when Pontius Pilate the Roman Emperours Deputy was Governour of Judea Catechist Matth. 27.1 2. The Chief Priests and the Elders of the people took councel together to put him to death And when they had bound him they led him away and delivered him to Pentius Pilate the Governour Q. Why is this expressed in the Creed A. To shew it was now the set time foretold for the Messiah's coming The Scepter was now according to Jacobs Prophecy departed from Judah Catechist The Jews had now been Sixty years subject to the Roman Emperour and his Governours or Deputies so that Jacobs Prophecy concerning the time of the Shilo's coming was now exactly fulfilled Q. Was it necessary for Christ to suffer and to suffer death A. Yes Both Types and Prophecies foretold it and our sins deserved it and he must die to destroy death and to satisfie the Justice of God for our sins Catechist The killing of the Sacrifices under the Law and the Paschal Lamb slain were Eminent Types of Christs death The Prophet Isaiah clearly foretold His being cut off out of the land of the Living and all the Prophets wrote that the Son of man should suffer many things 1 Pet. 1.11 Our sins deserved death the wages of sin being death Rom. 6.23 He therefore must die for them as a sacrifice to Gods Justice who undertook for us 2 Cor. 5.21 He who knew no sin became sin for us i. e. a Sacrifice for sin and no other way but by death could He destroy death and him that hath the power of death the Devil Heb. 2.13 Q. What manner of Death did Christ suffer A. The accursed death of the Cross To free us from the Curse He became a Curse for us Catechist Isaac's bearing the Wood for the Sacrifice and the Brazen Serpent being lifted up upon the Pole were Types of this sort of death and not a Bone of the Paschal Lamb to be broken when it was slain and the Prophecies of piercing his hands and his feet plainly pointed at the manner how Christ was to die even by Crucifying for these were circumstances usual therein And lastly let us always remember that of the Apostle Gal. 3.13 that it being an accursed death for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree Deut. 21.23 He thereby redeemed us from the Curse by being made a curse for us Q. Why was Christ buried A. To sweeten the Grave for us and to Conquer death in his own proper place and Dominion Catechist So was it foretold Hos 13.14 I will ransome them from the power of the Grave I will redeem them from death O death I will be thy plague O Grave I will be thy Destruction And hence the Apostle's Triumph 1 Cor. 15.56 57. O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy Victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law but thanks be to God who hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Q. How did Christ descend into Hell A. All men grant he continued in the state of the dead for a time both as to his body and as to his Soul and did so descend into Hell as to free me and all Believers from Hell Catechist Of this the Psalmist spake in the Spirit of Prophecy most clearly saying Psal 16.10 Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell and the Apostle Act. 2.31 quotes it and applies it to Christ so that it is certain he descended into Hell but for the manner how there have been great Controversies about it and the safest resolution is to adhere to what all grant till God shall clearly reveal it to us Q. What use must we make of Christs sufferings and his death A. To hate sin which caused Christs death in so cruel a manner to admire Christs Love in thus dying that we may live and to die to sin as Christ dyed for sin Catechist We must as the Prophet Zachary teacheth chap. 12.10 Look upon him whom we have peirced i. e. by our sins for they were Christs Murderers His enemies but the Instruments thereof We must therefore look upon him with tears of unfeigned repentance for them and wo be to them who by repeating their sins and a continued Impenitency therein crucifie the son of God afresh Heb. 6.6 On the contrary therefore Let us consider and admire Christs love in dying for us for John 15.13 Greater Love hath no man than to lay down his life for his friend But Rom. 5.8 God commended his love to us that while we were yet sinners and so his enemies Christ died for us And O! therefore as he died for sin so let us die unto sin and no longer live therein Rom. 6.11 Let us reckon ourselves to be dead unto sin but alive unto righteousness For 1 Pet. 2.24 He his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we being dead unto sin should live unto righteousness And thus by his stripes we shall be healed Thus have you now the doctrine of Christs lowly Humiliation Now I pray consider well also the several steps of his Glorious Exaltation Q. Did Christ being dead remain under the power of Death A. No he rose again from the dead Catechist Psal 16.10 God did not suffer his Holy one to see corruption Rom. 6.9 Death could have no Dominion over him at least not keep it but he Conquered it in its proper hold the Grave and as
Gods gift and Blessing Ps 127.2 It is in vain to rise up early and sit up late and eat the bread of carefulness if God do not bless the house and all in it Nor can they could we get them at all nourish us without that blessing of God For Deut. 8.3 Man liveth not by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God that is by his word of Blessing upon it So true it is that in him we live and move and have our being Act. 17.28 this is implied in the Petition Q. What dost thou therefore pray for in this fourth petition A. That God would bless all our lawful endeavours and so send us all things needful both for our Bodies and our Souls Catechist You may remember Agurs prayer Prov. 30.8 which is in other words the same with this Give me neither poverty nor riches feed me with food convenient for me lest being rich I be full and deny thee and say who is the Lord or being poor I steal or be tempted to do unjustly taking the name of God in vain And since our souls have their proper food and nourishment as well as Our Bodies even the Word and Sacraments the Church therefore teaches you that you herein pray for the continuance of these also even what is needful for the nourishing our Souls to eternal life Some of the Fathers therefore by daily bread understood the Holy Sacrament Q. What is implied in the fifth petition Forgive us our Trespasses c. A. That we are by our sins Debtors to Gods Justice and liable to Condemnation Q. Can any man living satisfie Gods Justice for this debt A. No nor all the world Catechist Alas We sin daily and in many things offend all Jam. 3.2 And by every sin become debtors to Gods justice and are guilty of death For Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death It being said by the just God from the Beginning Gen. 2.17 In the day thou sinnest thou shalt die the death And as no man can satisfie Gods Justice for sin for his own sin so Psal 49.7 None can redeem his brother nor pay to God a ransom for him He that satisfies for others sins must have no sin of his own How should they answer for others who are themselves guilty Q. What dost thou therefore pray for in this fifth Petition A. I pray unto God that he will for the merits of Christs Satisfaction be merciful unto us and forgive us our sins Catechist What we pray for here is just what God promiseth in his new Covenant Jer. 31.34 I will forgive their iniquites and remember their sins no more Now this was a Covenant of mercy made in Christ upon his undertaking to satisfie Gods Justice for our sins saying Psal 40.7 Lo I come to do thy Will O God For thus Ps 85.10 in him and by him Mercy and Truth met together Righteousness and peace kissed each other Col. 1.20 He made peace through the blood of his Cross For 1 Joh. 2.2 He became a propitiation for our sins and for the sins of the whole world For his sake therefore it is that we hope and pray for mercy and forgiveness Q. What mean you by forgiveness of sins A. A free and full acquitting us of their guilt and punishment Catechist Free therefore do we Protestants utterly disclaim all opinion of Merit which is indeed utterly inconsistent with the words Mercy and Forgiveness Rom. 3.24 We are justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus And it s a full Forgiveness therefore we also deny the Papists opinion of Purgatory pains to satisfie for our sins by enduring a temporal punishment for them For when God forgives he will not again exact the debt in part or whole he saith in his Covenant of Grace and Mercy I will so forgive their sins as to remember them no more Q. Who are they that may expect such Forgiveness at the hands of God A. True penitents only that are so sorry for their sins as to forsake them and such as from their hearts forgive others their injuries and offences against themselves Catechist For the former I refer you to what I taught you upon the Article of Forgiveness in your Creed And for forgiving of others it is so necessary to qualifie us for Gods pardon that Christ tells us plainly what we must look for Matth. 6.14 If ye forgive men their trespasses your Heavenly Father will forgive you yours but if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses So much for this petition also Q. What is implied in the Sixth petition Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from Evil A. Our greatest Misery in this life to wit that Satan the world and the flesh are always tempting us to sin and we ourselves are prone to yield to and unable of ourselves to resist any temptation Catechist We must as the Apostle Gal. 6.1 warns us look upon ourselves as surrounded with temptations Consider ourselves lest we be tempted And therefore as Christ exhorts Mark 14.38 Watch and pray lest we enter into Temptation And alas in regard of them we have no reason to be in love with but even to be weary of this Life saying with David Ps 120.5 Wo is me that I sojourn in Mesech and have my habitation in the tents of Kedar For 1 Pet. 5.8 Our adversary the Devil goes about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour And he makes use of all the good and evil things of this world to be snares to us to intangle us in one or other sin or wickedness and our flesh is weak and our own hearts treacherous too willing to yeild themselves a prey to that Ghostly enemy The Great Devourer Q. What must we in justice expect if we either yeild to commit sin to which he tempts us or continue in it A. All Evils of Punishment both in this Life and the Next Catechist Prov. 13.21 Evil pursueth sinners Rom. 1.18 The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and vnrighteousness of men For he hath spoken it Rom. 2.6 That he will render to every man according to his works Ver. 9. To them who obey not the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath Tribulation and anguish to every soul that doth evil Jew or Gentile These things are implied in the petition Now then Q. What dost thou pray for in this petition A. That God would assist us by his Holy Spirit to resist and overcome all Temptations and either to keep us from being tempted to sin or from falling into sin or from living impenitently in it so that we may escape his punishments Temporal Spiritual and Eternal Catechist Need have we to pray and that continually for the Almighty Guidance and Assistance of Gods Holy Spirit in this our Spiritual warfare for we are poor weak and frail Creatures of ourselves The spirit being willing
A. Carefully to practice Holiness ourselves and by all means to take heed of Schisms Divisions and Separations from Gods Church for thereby we shall lose all visible Hopes of Salvation Catechist I therefore a prisoner of the Lord saith the Apostle Eph. 4.1 beseech you that ye walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith ye are called with all lowliness and meekness endeavoring to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of peace that is Unity in Spiritual things For as he goes on argumentatively There is one Body and one Spirit one Faith one Lord one Baptism One God and Father of all All which Ones the Apostle argueth should oblige us to be One to keep fast the Unity and by no means to separate from the one Body the Church And indeed to divide from the one Church and fall into Schisms is a sort of renouncing this Article of our Creed I Believe the one Catholick Church We cannot verily heartily believe this unless we follow the Apostles Rule Rom. 16.17 I beseech you Brethren Mark them which cause Divisions among you and avoid them And need we had to do so for there is great Truth in the old saying Out of the Church no Salvation for it is Gods way to add to the Church not to divide from it those that shall be saved Act. 2.47 Now after the Church let us consider the priviledges and promises wherewith this Church is enriched Q. What are the Churches grand priviledges A. Two in This life and two in the life To come Q. Which be those two in This Life A. The Communion of Saints The Forgiveness of sins Q. Which be those two in the Life To come A. The Resurrection of the Body and the Life Everlasting Catechist And surely it hugely concerns you to understand each of these things well and distinctly To which purpose for the Communion of Saints in the first place I ask you Q. What do you mean by Saints A. The members of Christs Church who being in part holy here shall be perfect Saints hereafter in heavenly glory Catechist Saints is as much as Holy Ones And all the members of the Church called to be Saints Rom. 1.7 For they are called unto Holiness 1 Thes 4.7 It is their duty and profession to follow Holiness Heb. 12.14 and to go on to perfect Holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 For being redeemed by Christ and delivered from the hands of their enemies it is that they may serve God without fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the days of their lives Luk. 1.75 Q. With whom have those Saints Communion A. With the Blessed Trinity as Sons of God by Faith and prayer and with one another in all Ordinances of piety and all Offices of Charity as Brethren Catechist That which we have heard and seen saith S. John 1 Ep. 1.3 We declare unto you that ye may have fellowship with us and truly Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ With these the Saints have fellowship and Communion by all Acts of Faith and Love and all Holy affections and in Gods Holy Ordinances as in divers instances so particularly in that God and Christ Communicates to them the riches of his Blessings Mercies and Consolations through the merits of Christ and they acquaint him with all their wants and troubles and necessities trusting in him And as for that fellowship they have with one another it consists in divers particulars as to name some They Sympathize with and have a fellow feeling of one anothers miseries sufferings and afflictions as fellow members one of another 1 Cor. 12.26 Whether one member suffer all the members suffer with it or one member be honoured all the members rejoyce with it Rom. 12.15 They rejoyce with them that rejoyce and weep with them that weep They pray continually and praise God for each others welfare saying Our Father c. And what Gifts and Blessings any one enjoyeth He readily and willingly imployes and Communicates them for supply relief and helping others that want them whether Wisdom Wealth or Power Q. What is our duty as Believers of this Communion of Saints A. To hold fast this Communion that we may receive and impart the Benefits of Gods Mercies and each others Gifts and to take heed of all causeless separations from Gods Church or one another in matters of Faith Worship and Charity Catechist I beseech you good Children learn these lessons and lay them up in your hearts that you may walk steadily and not waver in your Holy Religion to your lives end If you truly believe the Communion of Saints you must follow the Apostles Exhortation closely 1 Cor. 1.10 I beseech you Brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ That ye all speak the same things and that there be no Divisions amongst you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgment Phil. 2.1 2. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfil ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord and of one mind Let nothing be done through strife c. Take heed of all Breaches of this Communion and of all that would withdraw you from it Rom. 16.17 Mark them that are for making of Schisms and Breaches in Christs Body the Church that cause divisions amongst us and follow them not but avoid them for they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ whatever they pretend but their own bellies and with good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple To the next Article then Q. What is it to believe the Forgiveness of sins A. That Gods justice is satisfied through the Merits of Christs blood and through them there is mercy and pardon may be obtained for all our sins if we do but heartily repent and forsake them Catechist Psal 130.4 There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared How comes this to pass through Christ Act. 13.38 Through this man is preached to you forgiveness of sins Upon what account because Matth. 20.28 He gave his life a ransome for us 1 Cor. 15.4 He died for our sins according to the Scriptures He was made sin for us who knew no sin 2 Cor. 5.21 that is a Sacrifice to suffer death for our sins in our stead So hath he purchased a pardon for all sinners that will but accept of it upon the condition upon which it is offered them which I shall choose to express in the words of the Evangelical Prophet Isaiah 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the Vnrighteous man his imaginations and return unto the Lord for he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Q. Who then is it that forgives sins A. God only Catechist A truth directly contrary to the Popish Priests presumption in taking this