Selected quad for the lemma: father_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
father_n	person_n	son_n	trinity_n	29,255	5	10.2220	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50246	A catechisme, or, The grounds and principles of Christian religion set forth by way of question and answer wherein the summe of the doctrine of religion is comprised, familiarly opened, and clearly confirmed from the Holy Scriptures / by Richard Mather, teacher to the church at Dorchester in New England.	Mather, Richard, 1596-1669.	1650 (1650)	Wing M1268; ESTC R43433	66,565	136

effect A. It is altogether unchangeable and shall surely be accomplished Psal. 33. 11. 135. 6. Isa. 46. 10. 14. 27. Rom. 9. 11. Q. If the decree of God be unchangeable then what needs man to be carefull in the use of means for his owne good A. Yes the meanes must be used notwithstanding God decree and that partly because the meanes are appointed and decreed of God as well as the end m and partly because the revealed will and command of God is our rule and not his secret decree n. Q. Do you think then that Gods decree doth not excuse men from blame in the sinnes which they do commit A. It doth not excuse them at all o and the reason is because the decree of God infuseth no Corruption into the hearts of men not constraineth them to sinne against their will but they sinne most freely and willing of their own accord Q Is the decree of God secret within himselfe or revealed and made knowne A. It is secret within himselfe till himselfe do reveale it and therefore further then so it is not to be searched into Rom. 11. 33. 34 1 Cor. 2● 16. Deut. 29. 29. Q. How doth God reveale his decree A. Partly by his word wherein this doctrine is plainly and plentifully taught p and partly by the execution and accomplishment of things in time Q. How doth the execution or accomplishment of things reveale Gods decree A. Yea very clearely because nothing was decreed but he executes the same in time and whatsoever is brought to passe in time was determined and decreed afore Ephes. 1. 11. Psal. 135. 6. Isa. 46. 10. Q. How many wayes may the decree of God be considered A. As respecting all the creatures in generall or as it respects the reasonable Creatures Angels and men in speciall Q. What are the parts of Gods decree as it respecteth man A. Election and reprobation Q. What is Election A. It is the decree of God or his predestination q whereby of his owne free love r and good pleasure s he hath from everlasting t appointed and chosen some certaine men u to the obtaining of grace w and Salvation x by Christ y for the praise of his glorious grace z Q. And what is reprobation A. It is the decree of God wherby of his meere will and good pleasure a some certaine men b are not elected and ordained to life c but on the on the contrary are appointed to destruction or damnation d to be inflicted upon them for their sinne e to the praise of Gods glorious justice f CHAP. 5. Of Creation Q. HAd this world a beginning by Creation or was it from everlasting A. The scripture in many places and speci in the first of Gen. doth declare that the World was not from everlasting but had a beginning by the Lords creating of it Heb. 11. 3. Reu. 4. 11. Prov. 8. 22. c. Ps. 90. 2. Eph. 1. 4. Q. Who was it that created the world A. God that is without beginning and hath his being of himselfe he it was who gave beginning and being to the world Gen. 1. 1. Act. 17. 24. Isay. 40. 28. 44. 24. Q. Whether was this the worke of the Father or of the Sonne or of the Holyghost A. Of every person in the trinity not of the father onely but also of the sonne a and of the Holyghost b Q. What are the things that are created A. All things without exception that have a being except God onely who did create them Act. 4. 24. 17. 24. 14 15. Gen. 2. 1. Rev. 4. 11. Q. Doe you meane that the third heaven was also created by God A. Yes for that heaven is said to be a city whose builder maker is God Heb. 11. 10. 16. Q. But what thinke you of the Angels were they also created by God A. Angels are the cheife of those invisible things those thrones and Dominions Principalities and powers which are expressely mentioned to have been created by the Lord Col. 1. 16. Q. Wherewith did God make the world A. Though men must have tooles and instruments and sometimes more hands then their owne for the effecting of works yet when the Lord made the world with him it was not so Q. How then or wherewith did he make it A. He made it himselfe alone c and without any other meanes but onely by his word d Q Whereof or of what materials did he create the world A. Not of any praeexistent matter but of nothing Heb. 11. 3. Rom. 4. 17. Q. How do you meane when you say that all things are made of nothing for the body of Adam was made of the dust of the ground and fishes of the waters and therefore it may seeme all things were not made of nothing A. I meane that some things were made of nothing without any matter at all and that the first matter whereof other things were made was not eternall but was immediately created of nothing and that that first matter was so in disposed to be the things that were made of it that no lesse a power was seene in making other things out of it then in making that first matter or the lumpe it selfe as it was as great a worke to bring great whales out of the waters as to bring forth the water out of nothing and in these respects all things may be said to be made of nothing Q. In what time was the world created A. Every particular thing quickly and as it were in an instant e and the whole in the space of six dayes f Q. What was the worke of Each day A. The worke of the first day was Heaven the darke and deepe lumpe of earth and waters and light Q. What of the second day A. The firmament which is called Heaven Q. What of the third day A. The gathering of the waters together which is called Sea the drying of the earth and making it fruitfull Q. What of the three last dayes A. On the fourth day sun moone and starres on the fifth day fish and foule on the sixt day beasts and creeping things and man Q. When was the highest heaven and Angels created A. Most likely on the first day Gen. 1. 1. Iob. 38 7. Q. Why was God sixe dayes in making the world A. Not because hee needed so much time but that we might more distinctly consider of his workes Q. Why did God make the world A. Not because he needed it for he is alsufficient in and of himselfe not needing any thing but giving into all life and breath and all things Act. 17. 25. Q. Did he make it out of necessity of nature ot because he could not choose A. No for had he pleased he might have made it sooner or later or not at all Q. Why then did he make it A. Because it so pleased him Revel. 4. 11. Q. For what

if there were no men there would never be any ships upon the Sea Even so the preservation of the great ship of the world and the guidance of its motions doth evidently shew that there is a God by whom the same is preserved and guided Q. What else may be a further proofe that there is a God A. That there is a God is manifestly declared by the strange and wonderfull plagues and judgments that sometimes are inflicted upon notorious sinners upon earth Exod. 8. 19. 9. 16. Psal. 9. 16. 58. 10. 11 79 10. Q. What may be thought of those accusations and terrors of conscience that sometimes are found in men upon the committing of haynous sins though knowne to no man living but to the sinner himselfe A. This also is another testimony that there is a God before whose judgment seate a man must answer for his deedes for otherwise why should a man be afraid where no feare is Rom. 2. 15. Isa. 33. 14. Psal. 14. 5. 53. 5. Q. How many Gods are there A. No more but one Deut 4. 39 6. 4. Isa 44. 6. 8. 45. 5. 18. 1 Cor 8. 4. 6. Eph. 4. 6. Q. Why may there not be more Gods then one A. Because that is contrary to the nature of God which is to be infinite and everlasting that is the first and the last now there cannot be many infinites nor many firsts and lasts but one only Q. How else doth the nature of God shew that there can be no more but one God A. It is the nature of God to have his being of himselfe and so give being to whatsoever else hath being for so much is signified by the word Iehovah Exod. 3. 14. 6. 3. 15. 3. Q. And how doth this prove that there can be no more but one God A. Because if there were many Gods then either they must one give being to the other or each one have his being of himself both which are utterly impossible Q. Why might not one of them give being to the other A. Because then that other could not bee God as not having his being of himselfe Q. And why might they not be many Gods each one having his God-head of himselfe A. Because then none of them could be God as not giving being to all others which had being Q. Though there be but one God yet is there not more persons or subsistences in the Godhead then one A. Yes the Scriptures doe apparently witnesse that in the unity of the divine essence there is a plurality of the divine persons Gen. 1. 26. 3. 22. 11. 7. Isai. 6. 8. 41. 22 23. Q. How many are the Persons in the Godhead A. They are three the Father the Son and the Holy-Ghost Math. 3. 16 17. 28. 19. Ioh. 14. 16 17. 15. 26. 2 Cor. 13 14. Gal. 4. 6. 1 Ioh. 5. 7. Q. Whether are these three the Father the Son and the Holy-Ghost severall and distinct Persons or onely severall names and titles of one and the same person A. The Father is not the Sonne but another person a the Son is not the Father but another b and the Holy Ghost is neither the Father nor the Son but another c and therefore they are each distinct from other as severall and distinct Persons Q. What are the personall properties whereby each is distinguished from other A. The property of the Father is to beget the Son d the property of the Son to be begotten of the Father e the property of the Holy Ghost to proceed from the Father and the Son f who is therefore called the spirit of the Father g and of the Son h Q. Are every one of these persons God A. Yea Of the Father there is lesse question and the Scriptures doe witnesse that the Son is God i and also that the Holy Ghost is God k Q. You have shewed that there is a God and and onely one God and three persons tell me now what God is A. God is so infinite and incomprehensible that no creature is able fully to comprehend or know him Exod. 33. 20. 23. Iob. 26. 14. 11. 7 8 9. 1 Tim. 6. 16. Q. How then may we conceive of him A. As he hath revealed himselfe to us l in his back parts m which are his divine attributes n and by his workes o Q. What are those Attributes or back parts of God A. Wisdome p Power q Goodnesse r Truth s Justice t Mercy u and the like in all which he is infinite w and everlasting x Q. What are the works of God A. They are three Decree Creation and Providence CHAP. 4. Of Gods Decree Q. WHat is Gods Decree A. That whereby he hath before determined and decreed with himselfe whatsoever shall come to passe Q. Doe you say that Gods decree reacheth to all things whatsoever cometh to passe in time A. Yea all things whatsoever have been are or that shall be hereafter were before decreed and determined by God Eph. 1. 11. Act. 15. 18. Q. What are some of the principall things that are so decreed A. Things that are most casuall a things that are most freely done by the creature b and things wherein the creature commits abundance of sin c Q. What else A. Such things as seeme small and little d are also great and speciall events Q. What are some of those great and speciall events that are decreed by the Lord A. The comming and death of Christ and all the workes of his mediatorship e the salvation of the Godly f the damnation of the wicked g the day of every mans particular death h and the day of the generall judgement i Q. When were all these things decreed by God A. Before the world was created even from everlasting 1 Cor. 2. 7. Eph. 1. 4. 3. 11. 1 Pet. 1. 20. 2 Tim. 1. 9. Q. What was the cause of Gods decrees A. The cause that moved him to decree was nothing foreseene in the creature but his own will and good pleasure Rom. 9. 11. 18. Matth. 11. 25. 26. But sith some are appointed by the decree of God to damnation if his will be the cause of that decree how is that just Yea it is most just and righteous notwitstanding Rom. 13 14. Q. How may that appeare A. Because the will of God is the rule of all righteousnesse k and because the Lord hath absolute power over all creatures as the Potter hath power over his clay l Q How else may the justice of the Lord in his decrees appeare A. Because what ever be the Lords decree there is no man actually condemned till he be first defiled with sinne Rom. 3. 9 19. 2. 6 9. Genes 4. 7. Q. VVhether is the decree of God certaine and immutable or such as may be changed and not take

2. 10. Iohn 5. 22. 27. and 17. 2. Q. And why did God give this great advancement unto Christ A. Because the sonne did voluntarily humble himselfe to the greatest degree of obedience and humiliation therefore the father gave unto him this exaltation and advancement as a reward and recompence of that his humiliation Phil. 2. 10. 11. Isa. 5. 3. 12. Q. Doth Christ sit at the right hand of God in respect of his divine nature onely or in regard of his manhood also A. This dignity belongs to Christ as God and man in one person and not in respect of one of his natures alone Q. How may that appeare A. Because it is given to him immediately upon his Ascention into heaven a and is to be exercised by him both as Davids Lord b and also as he is the sonne of man c Q. How long shall this sitting of Christ at Gods right hand continue A. Vntill all his enemies be made his footstoole Psa. 110. 1. 1. Cor. 15. 25 Q. Shall it never cease and have an end A. If we speake of his reigning and ruling in a way and manner peculiar and appropriate to his person so we may safely say that when all his enemies are put under his feet then shal be the end when he shall deliver up the kingdome to the father and himselfe be subject to him 1 Cor. 15. 24 25 28. Q. What shall be the last act of this glorious power and authority of Christ and so the last degree of his exaltation A. His returne to Iudgement at the last day when he shall come a second time into this world with unspeakable majestie and glory to judge the Quick and dead 2 Tim: 4. 1. Act. 10. 42. and 17 31. and Mat. 25. 31. and 26. 64. 2 Thes. 1. 7 8 9. CHAP. 23. Of faith and union with Christ Q. YOu have spoken of the person Offices and actions of Christ you are now to shew the benefits that come by Christ and how we are made partakers of Christ and of his benefits A. We are made partakers of Christ and all his benefits by faith alone Iohn 1. 12. and 3. 16 18 36. and 20. 31. Eph. 3. 17. and Act. 16. 31. Q. What meane you by faith A. That grace of the spirit whereby we receive Christ which is wrought in our hearts in our effectuall calling Q How is faith wrought in effectuall callings A. Effectuall calling consists of two parts the offer of Christ to the soule and the soule excepting of that offer or the call of God when he calls the soule to come to Christ and the answere of the soule unto that call a now this latter is nothing else but faith Q. How is faith wrought in us A. Not by any power of our owne freewill b or meerely by morall perswasion c for we are dead in sinnes and treepasses d Q. How then is it wrought A. By the almighty power of the spirit of God as the author of it e and by the word as the instrument thereof f Q. How doth the word worke faith A. The Law prepareth for it g by convincing the soule of sinne h and terrifying for the same i through the worke of the spirit of bondage k Q. And what doth the Gospel A. It presents the excellency and worth of Christ as an onely and alsufficient saviour l but withall convincing the soule of its great sinne in not beleeving in Christ m of its utter insufficiency to come to him n and its great unworthynesse o to have any part or portion in him Q. What followeth hereupon A. Hereby the soule feeling it selfe to be utterly lost is further and more kindely broken and humbled Luke 19. 10. Isa. 61 1 2 3. Math. 11. 20. Zac 12. 10. Q What else is done by the Gospell in the working of faith A. It sweetly encourageth poore lost soules to come to Jesus Christ p and enableth them so to doe rowling and resting themselves upon him q by the helpe of the spirit of grace r which is ministred thereby s Q It seemes then you make Christ the object of faith A. Yea not onely the whole truth of God t but specially Christ Jesus as he is set forth in the promises of the gospel is the obiect of saving faith u Q. Wherein doth the nature of this faith consist A. Not onely in knowledge of the revealed will of God w and in assent to the truth thereof x for so much may be found in devils y Q. What is there more then this in saving faith A. There is also a comming unto Iesus Christ z with affiance a and reliance upon him b Q. What is the subject in whom this faith is wrought A. This faith is not wrought in any reprobate but only in the elect c and not onely in the understanding or only in the will but in the whole heart d Q. And what an heart is it in whom this faith is wrought A. Onely the heart of such an one as is now a poore lost and broken-hearted sinner Math. 9. 12 and 11 28. Luke 19. 10. and 3. 4 5 6. Q. VVhy say you so A. Because till the heart be thus prepared men will never come to Christ e nor can they truly beleeve on him f Q. VVhat thinke you then of those who professe themselves to be true beleevers and yet were never in any measure thus prepared and humbled A. The case of such professors is very dangerous Q. Why say you so A. Because the fallow ground of their hearts being never broken up they doe but sow among thornes g so the stoninesse of their hearts not being removed by any sound thorough worke of contrition and humiliation therfore though they may for a time receive the word with joy and beleeve for a season yet they are like to be but temporary beleevers and in time of temptation fall away h Q. You have shewed the cause and the object the nature and subject of faith tell me now what are the principall effects of faith A. Hereby we have union with Christ himselfe i and so communion with him in all the benefits which he hath purchased for the Elect k Q. What understand you by union with Christ A. That spirituall conjunction l betweene Christ and the beleever whereby the beleever hath possesion of Christ as his owne m dwelling in Christ n and Christ in him o and is made one spirit with him p Q. By what comparisons or similitudes is this union expressed in Scripture A. It is expressed by that union that is between the husband and wife q the vine and the branches r and the head and the members s Q. What benefit comes to beleevers by meanes of this their union with Christ A. Being one with Christ therefore