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
honour to themselves which belongs to God alone and I shall content my self with citing the Pharisees question only which indeed is unanswerable however they mist it in the application because they would not believe Christ to be God or the Son of God Mark 2.7 Who can forgive sins but God only Q. How come any to be damned then if there be such forgiveness with God A. It is because they go on wilfully in their sins and will not be drawn to repentance but live in sin and at last either die without any sence of their sins or deceive themselves with a false and feigned repentance Catechist From hence it is that these two are so closely enjoyned and may not be parted for Luk. 24.47 Through his name are repentance and remission of sins preached For in order to their being forgiven he now commands all men every where to repent Act. 17.30 And to bring forth fruits meet for repentance Matth. 3.8 And thus they must indispensibly do that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them which are sanctified by Faith which is in Christ Jesus Act. 26.18 To the next Article then the Resurrection of the Body To understand which I ask you Q. After Death what becomes of the Souls of men A. They return to God to receive the sentence of Absolution or Condemnation Q. And what becomes then of their Bodies A. Being laid up in the Grave they shall at last be raised up to be again inseparably United to their Souls Catechist What becomes of mens Souls Solomon tells you plainly Eccl. 12.7 When the Dust i.e. the Body returns to the Earth as it was The spirit i.e. the Soul returns to God who gave it i. e to be judged by him An instance whereof you have in Luk. 16.22 23. The Rich man died and immediately went into hell-torments and Lazarus died also and was carried by the Angles into Abrahams Bosome And even so Heb. 9.27 It is appointed to all men once to die and after that the judgemen i. e. the judgment of their Souls by either Absolution or Condemnation And then for the bodies rising from the dead at the last day the Prophet Daniel had a clear foresight thereof chap. 12.2 Many of them which sleep in the dust shall rise again some to everlasting life and some to shame and perpetual contempt Nay Christ saith All shall rise John 5.28 The hour cometh in the which all that are in the Grave shall hear the voice of the Son of God and shall come forth they that have done good to the resurrection of life and they that have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation Now this is a great matter and you had need have good grounds to believe it Q. What is it then that assures you hereof A. Christs being risen and God being our God the God of the Body as well as of the Soul the God of the whole man Catechist The 15 chap. of the first Epistle to the Corinthians discourses of the Resurrection of the body throughout and hath divers arguments to prove it and this for one ver 20. Christ is risen from the dead the first fruits of them that slept As therefore the first fruits was a pledge of the ensuing Harvest so was Christs rising from the dead of ours And by Gods being the God of Believers Christ convinced the Sadduces who denied the Resurrection Luk. 20.37 That the dead are raised up saith he even Moses shewed at the Bush when he called him the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob for he is not a God of the dead but the living They must therefore rise again that God may be their God and that for ever Q. What use must you make of this Doctrine of the Resurrection A. To reverence my Body and not to prostitute it to be an Instrument of sin or filthiness and neither to fear death my self nor to mourn immoderately for the death of my Friends Catechist Great cause have we to bear reverence to our own bodies so as not to abuse them to be instruments of sin or filthiness by overcharging them with surfeting or drunkenness or by fulfilling our fleshly lusts in fornication or beastly living seeing they are at present Temples of the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us 1 Cor. 6.19 And shall at last be raised up spiritual Bodies glerious incorruptible immortal 1 Cor. 15.42 43. And this may very much abate all fear of death seeing we shall rise again from the dead and then shall these our vile Bodies be fashioned like to Christs glorious Body according to the mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself Phil. 3.21 And the Apostle teacheth us hence 1 Thes 4.1 not to mourn immoderately upon the departure of our dearest friends like the Heathens that are without this hope Q. Shall our Bodies being risen ever die again A. No the life to come is Everlasting Catechist After this Resurrection There shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying neither any more pain for the former things are passed away Rev. 21.4 The last enemy shall be destroyed even death 1 Cor. 15.26 Q. In what estate must all men live everlastingly A. Some in unconceivable Bliss others in torments intolerable Every man according to his works in this life good or evil Catechist You have it clear in Matth. 25.32 33. The sheep shall be separated from the goats And he shall set the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left Then will he say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the World But ver 41. To them on his left hand will he say Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels And ver 4. â— These shall go into everlasting punishment but the Righteous into Life eternal Q. Do the Godly Merit or deserve that Bliss as the wicked do that punishment and Torments A. No Our best good works are due debt and but imperfect and Gods Gift and bears no proportion to the reward and therefore though death be the wages of sin yet Eternal Life is the Gift of God Catechist If you mark these particulars you will easily discern the Papists Doctrine of Good works being Meritorious to be presumptiously proud and utterly groundless Our best good works cannot merit any good thing of God for they are but due debt as our Saviour teacheth Luk. 17.10 When we have done all we must say we are unprofitable servants We have but done that which was our duty to do And 2. Our best good works are imperfect tainted with many sins and infirmities so that they themselves stand in need of Gods pardon Isaiah 64.6 7. We are all as an unclean thing All our Righteousness is but as filthy rags and as a menstruous cloth and great are the iniquities of our most Holy things So
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
by Christs Redemption and the Spirit 's Sanctification A. Only the Holy Catholick Church that is such as in any age or place are called to Faith and Repentance and do evidence the truth of a lively Faith and true Repentance by constant Obedience to Gods Will revealed in his Word Q. What mean you by a Church A. The Company of the Faithful that is such as are called to Faith and Repentance Catechist Neither can the Pope nor any one particular Person upon Earth be truly called the Church For it is a Company a Body consisting of many members And hence Christ calls it a flock though it be a little flock in comparison of the whole world that lyes in wickedness Luk. 12.32 Fear not little flock for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom And St. Peter 2 Ep. 2.9 useth these Plural and Collective words calling the Church a chosen generation a Royal Priesthood an Holy nation a peculiar people Caetus Vocatorum It is a Company of called ones such as are called out of the world to forsake its sinful ways and Customs to profess Repentance from dead works and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ Of which calling S. Paul saith 2 Tim. 1.9 They are called with an Holy calling Rom. 1.7 Called to be Saints In a word 2 Thes 2.13 They are called as well as chosen to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the Truth Q. What signifies this word Catholick A. It is a Greek word and is as much as Universal Q. What mean you by believing the Church to be Catholick or Vniversal Q. That Gods Church is not now confined to any one place or people as it was under the Old Testament but all that are called in any Age or Place are now of the Catholick Church being United into one Mystical body Catechist Under the Old Testament Psal 76.1 2. In Judah was God known His name was great in Israel Jerusalem was his Tabernacle and his dwelling place was in Sion Psal 147.19 10. He shewed his word unto Jacob his statutes and his judgments unto Israel He dealt not so with any Other nation neither had the Heathen knowledge of his Law But now under the Gospel or New Testament The partition wall between Jew and Gentile being by Christs Death broken down Both are become one sheepfold under one Shepherd And according to Gods promise to Christ Ps 2.8 The Heathen are given to him for an Inheritance and the utmost parts of the Earth for a possession So that now Act. 10.34 35. God is no Accepter of persons But in every nation He that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted with him And hence S. John saith Rev. 7.9 That he in his vision beheld and loe a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues stood before the throne and before the Lamb clothed with white robes Crying with a loud voice Salvation to our God that sitteth on the throne and to the Lamb for ever Q. Who is the Head of this Mystical Body the Catholick Church A. No man living but Christ only Catechist It is pride and presumption in the Pope to claim this Honour which belongs to Christ alone For Eph. 5.23 He alone is Head of the Church who is the Saviour of the Body Col. 1.18 He is the Head of the Body the Church Who is the beginning the first born from the dead that in all things he might have the preeminence For it pleaseth the Father that in him all fulness should dwell Q. Hath God always had a Church on Earth A. Yes and will have to the end of the world it can never be destroyed utterly Catechist It was Christs promise to his Disciples and in them to his Church All that through them should afterwards believe in his name To be with them alway to the end of the world Matth. 28.20 And he said Matth. 16.18 Vpon this Rock that is the Truth confessed by St. Peter there That he was the Christ the Son of the Living God upon this rock would he build his Church and the Gates of Hell should not prevail against it i. e. quite destroy or root it out of the world Q. Can any one Church as that of Rome call it self the Catholick Church in opposition to other Churches A. No no more than Rome can be called the whole world Catechist Rome is at the best but one Member of the Catholick Church of Christ and can no more properly be called the Catholick Church than either It or any one Particular place can be called the whole World Q. Is Christs Church always visible upon Earth A. That of sincere Christians is invisible That of all Christian professors is visible Catechist The Church Visible is the Light of the world and a City set upon an Hill which cannot be hid Mat. 5.14 It is alway visible at least to them that are of it and profess Christianity But sometimes it may be so persecuted as to flee like the woman into the Wilderness where she hath a place prepared for her for that time of persecution Rev. 12.6 and then it is not so visible as to be glorious and to prosper and flourish in the eyes of the world Q. Why is Christs Church said to be Holy an Holy Church A. Because of its better part sincere Christians in it and because of its Holy Ordinances and Gods commands and our profession of true Holiness Catechist 1 Pet. 2.9 It is an Holy Nation a peculiar people Rev. 21.2 It 's an Holy City the new Jerusalem Not but that there is a mixture of good and bad godly and prophane in the Church for our Saviour compares the Church which he calls the Kingdom of heaven Matth. 13.24 to a field wherein tares grow up with the wheat And ver 47. to a draw-net that incloseth both good fish and bad with divers others of the like Nature But the Church is Holy as for its Holy things so because all its members do or should profess Holiness it is a company or Congregation of men who are called with an holy calling or Vocation 2 Tim. 1.9 For every man that nameth the name of Christ or on whom the name of Christ is called being called Christian is bound to depart from Iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 Q. But who then are they that are truly Holy A. Such as believe aright and live answerably such as evidence the truth of a lively Faith and Unfeigned Repentance by constant Obedience to Gods Will revealed in his Word Catechist So I have often told you for St. James 2.18 saith Shew me thy Faith by thy works And he there argues it at large that good Works of Obedience are the only things that can evidence a mans Faith to be true and alive and not dead or no better than that Faith of Devils who believe and tremble Q. What duties doth our believing the Holy Catholick Church oblige us all to