either of ripe Years as Jews Turks Heathens when converted to the Christian Faith together with all unbaptised Persons who have lived in the Church or else the Infants of Chistian Parents at least by one side 1 Cor. 7.14 The unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband Else were your children unclean but now they are holy On Ans 19. Proposi ∣ tion I Repentance is the forsaking all kinds of Sin Ezek 18.21 If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all my statutes See an Example of such Repentance Judges 10.13 and 16. compared Ye have forsaken me and served other gods And they put away the strange gods from amongst them Proposi ∣ tion II Acts of Sin are forsaken by sorrowing for them and doing so no more Matth. 26.75 Peter went out and wept bitterly John 5.14 Sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee Habits or a use of any Sin by breaking our selves of that ill Use or Custom and of all love and inclination to it Gal. 5.24 They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Proposi ∣ tion III Only that Belief is stedfast which sets us on performing the Condition of God's Promises namely good Works or doing our duty Jam. 2.17 18. Faith if it hath not works is dead being alone Shew me thy faith without thy works and I will shew thee my faith by my works Proposi ∣ tion IV A dependance on God in a way of well-doing with due regard to God's Promises in Christ Jesus is most certainly a saving Faith Proved from Heb. 11. the whole Chapter especially verses 8 10 11 17 18 19. On Ans 20. Proposition Christian Infants are within the Covenant and therefore may not be denied Baptism which is only the first Seal of the Covenant Deut. 29.10 11 12. Ye stand here this day all of you before the Lord all ye men of Israel your little ones and your wives that you should enter into covenant with the Lord your God and into his Oath which he maketh with thee this day On Ans 21. Proposi ∣ tion I A Sacrifice strictly is a Religious Offering made to God commonly of some living Creature slain by the hands of a Priest according to God's appointment as an Act of outward Worship and an acknowledgment that we our selves have deserved to die Levit. 1.25 Ye shall bring your offering of the cattle even of the herd and of the flock And he that is the Priest shall kill the bullock before the Lord c. Proposi ∣ tion II Christ Jesus by his death became a true Sacrifice or Offering for Sin to make peace for us Isa 53.10 Thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin Heb. 9.26 Now once in the end of the world hath he Christ appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself Ephes 2.14 He is our peace On Ans 23. Proposi ∣ tion I By the Body and Blood of Christ we mean only Christ's Sacrifice of himself for Remission of Sin Matth. 26.28 This is my blood which is shed for the remission of sin Proposi ∣ tion II The Faithful verily and indeed in the Lord's Supper by Faith partake of the Sacrifice of Christ's Death that is All the Benefits of his Death and Sufferings are truly from God conveyed and sealed to them 1 Cor. 10.16 The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the communion of the blood of Christ the bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ On Ans 24. Proposi ∣ tion I Our Souls in the Sacrament are strengthned by the Spirit of God conveyed to us as a fruit of Christ's Death 1 Cor. 12.13 We have been all made to drink into one spirit Namely into that Spirit of which our Lord spake John 6.63 It is the spirit which quickneth And which he promised John 15.26 to send from his Father after his departure Proposi ∣ tion II Our Souls are refreshed in the Sacrament by the apprehension and assurance hereby raised both of our pardon of Sin and right to Heaven through the Sufferings of Christ for us 2 Cor. 1.22 He hath also sealed us and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts On Ans 25. Proposi ∣ tion I The chief Steps of truly repenting our selves of our former Sins are 1. Examination of our selves what Sins we have been guilty of 2. Confession of them before God and 3. Resolution against them or stedfast Purposes of a New Life 1. Hag. 1.5 Consider your ways Psal 119.59 I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto thy testimonies 2. Levit. 5.5 When he shall be guilty in one of these things he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing 3. Hos 14.8 Ephraim shall say What have I to do any more with Idols Psal 101.2 3. I will behave my self wisely in a perfect way I will walk with a perfect heart I will set no wicked thing before my eyes Proposi ∣ tion II In repenting of Sins against our Neighbours we are to make due amends for the wrong done and reconcile our selves to them Matt. 5.23 24. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee Leave there thy gift before the Altar and go thy way first be thou reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift Proposi ∣ tion III A lively Faith here is The actual casting our selves after all our Repentance on God's Mercy through the Sacrifice of Christ or acting such a dependance on God through Christ as before described Proposi ∣ tion IV We can only approve our thankful remembrance of Christ's death by endeavouring a constant sense of his Infinite Love in dying to redeem us and of the infinite Benefits we receive thereby And therefore by giving our selves up to obey him who has thus bought us Soul and Body to himself 1 Cor. 6.19 20. Ye are not your own for ye are bought with a price Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God's Proposi ∣ tion V To be in charity with all men is to bear good will to all People whether Friends Enemies or Strangers forgiving all who have wronged us and being ready to do all good Offices in our power to any Persons living Matth. 5.44 45. Love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them that despightfully use you and persecute you that you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven For he maketh his Sun to rise upon the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust Levit. 19.18 Thou shalt not avenge nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self I am the Lord. Luke 10.29 Who is my
Rom. 8.17 And if children then heirs heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ that we may be also glorified together To be a Member of Christ is to be a Member of the Church whereof Christ is the Head Ephes 5.30 Members of his body which is the Church And v. 23. Christ is the head of the Church To be a Child of God is to be put into the Condition of a Child or into an Estate of God's Fatherly favour 1 Cor. 12.13 We are baptised into one body by one spirit Namely Rom. 8.15 The spirit of adoption by which we cry Abba Father that is truly call God Father and may come to him as a Father with humble boldness Ephes 2.18 and 3.12 To be an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven here is to have a right to inherit it For in this Life we can only have a right Revel 22.14 That they may have a right to enter in through the gates into the city Heaven is a State and Place of Everlasting Happiness or Bliss after Death 1 Pet. 1.4 An inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you By the Kingdom of Heaven is meant the Glory and greatness of that Happy State with God and Christ in Heaven Coloss We shall appear with him in glory Rom. 8.17 Be glorified together On Answ 3. To vow is to make a solemn Promise to God as strong as an Oath Psal 132.2 He sware unto the Lord and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob. The Vow which we made to God in Baptism consists of three things 1. Repentance or foregoing all wicked Life in renouncing the Devil and all his works the Pomps c. 2. Faith in believing all the Articles of the Christian Faith 3. Obedience growth and continuance therein in keeping God's holy Will and Commandments and walking c. proved by the form of Baptism To renounce is to disclaim disown or vow against Devils are Angels fallen from Heaven into an Estate of most malicious Sinning and most dreadful Torments Jude 6. The Angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day Angels are such Beings as our Souls are without Bodies but exceedingly much more knowing and powerful Psal 103.20 Ye Angels that excel in strength that do his commandments hearkening unto the voice of his word All manner of Sin may be called the work of the Devil 1 John 3.8 He that committeth sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinneth from the beginning For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he may destroy the works of the Devil But especially seeking to the Devil or to those who are believed to deal with him Levit. 20.27 A man or woman that hath a familiar spirit or that is a wizard shall surely be put to death they shall stone them with stones 1 Chron. 10.13 Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit to enquire of it As also all Pride Envy Malice Murther Lying False accusing Temping others and Falling off from God Pride which is commonly believed one of the Sins by which Angels fell to be Devils Isa 14.12 13 14. How art thou fallen from heaven O Lucifer c. Envy or Malice Jam. 3.14 15. If ye have bitter envyings or strife in your hearts this wisdom is earthly sensual devilish Lying and Murther John 8.44 Ye are of your father the Devil and the lusts of your father ye will do He was a murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him When he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his own for he is a lyar and the father of it False Accusing Revel 12.10 The accuser of our brethren which accused them before God day and night Corrupting or temping others to sin 1 Thess 3.5 The tempter hath tempted you Apostacy or falling from God Jude 6. The Angels which left their first estate The Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World are all lewd Shews and Sights provoking lust in our selves or others As also all remains of Heathenish Customs yet visible amongst us All other Customs contrary to Christ's Laws as is any making a sport of Sin And finally all wild Revelling Riot Luxury wanton Apparel and Habit above our Quality Lewd Shews and Sights provoking Lust Ezek. 23.14 15 16. She increased in her whoredoms for when she saw men pourtrayed on the walls exceeding in dyed or party-colour'd attire on their heads after the manner of the Babylonians she doted on them 1 John 2.16 All that is in the world the lusts of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but of the world Remains of Heathenish Customs 1 Cor. 10.20 21. The things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to Devils and not to God and I would not that ye should have fellowship with Devils Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of Devils Ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table and of the table of Devils Customs contrary to Christ's Law Rom. 12.2 Be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God Making a sport of Sin Prov. 14.9 Fools make a mock at sin Wild Revelling and Riot c. 2 Thess 3.6 We command you brethren in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw your selves from every brother that walketh disorderly and not after the tradition which he received of us Habit above our Quality 1 Pet. 3.3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward of plaiting the hair and of wearing of gold or of putting on of apparel Lust signifies an earnest desire commonly in some evil way The Flesh signifies the outward Natural Man as generally corrupt with all its Senses and Faculties Gal. 5.19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these adultery fornication uncleanness lasciviousness The desires of the Flesh are sinful when they offend against the Christian Law That is when they are either of things evil and forbidden 1 Cor. 10.6 We should not lust after evil things as they also lusted Or of the unseasonable or immoderate use of things allowed Such was the Israelites lusting after Flesh in the Wilderness Psal 78.20 29 30. The Articles of our Christian Faith are the several parts of the Belief To believe these is to be so heartily persuaded of the truth of them as thereby to stir up our selves to the performance of our duty Acts 24.14 Believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets Gal. 5.6 Faith worketh by love To keep God's holy Will and Commandments is to do what he has bid us to do and to avoid what he has forbidden 1 Pet. 3. Eschew evil and do good Isa 1.16
17. Cease to do evil Learn to do well To walk in the same all the days of our Life is daily to proceed or grow in obedience and to our death to continue so doing Luke 1.75 To serve him in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life The sum or short of our Baptismal Vow is Repentance from dead Works Faith and a growing lasting Obedience On Qu. and Answer 4. All Christian Children when come to years of discretion are bound to own the Vow made in their name and to do all that was promised for them therein Or else by not owning it they renounce all claim and title to God's Grace to Pardon and to inheriting Heaven Each of us necessarily must chuse life or death Read Deut. 30.15 to the end We must promise nothing in our own strength that is without God helping us James 4.15 Ye ought to say If the Lord will we will live and do this or that John 15.5 Without me ye can do nothing Salvation signifies being saved from Hell 1 Thess 1. last Delivered from the wrath to come Hell is a State and Place of Everlasting Punishment after Death Matt. 25.46 The wicked go into everlasting punishment Luke 16.28 they come into this place of torment A State of Salvation commonly is no more than being of the Church Acts 2. v. last The Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved For those who are in the Church are in a fair way to Salvation as having the means to obtain it Deut. 30.15 See I have set before thee this day life and good That is Good as the way to Life We are called into this State by being baptised and brought into the Church Gal. 3.27 28 29. As many of you as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ are all one in Christ and heirs according to promise Grace signifies God's help or a strength above what we have by Nature given us freely by God for enabling us to do his Will 2 Cor. 12.9 My grace is sufficient for thee Phil. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me The Explication of the Creed is omitted here any farther than the Catechism explains it On Answ 6. To believe in God is to be persuaded there is a God and that all which he has said is true 2 Chron. 20.20 Believe in the Lord your God so shall you be established believe his Prophets so shall ye prosper God is an Eternal and infinitely Perfect Spirit or Mind who is of himself and cannot but be who has made upholds rules and has a right to all things and all Persons Proved in all parts following but first opened Eternal is without beginning or end of time Heb. 7.3 Having neither beginning of days nor end of life Psal 90.2 From everlasting to everlasting A Spirit is such a Being as the Soul of Man is without his Body Eccles 12.7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was and the spirit return unto God who gave it The Soul of Man is that unseen part of him by which the Body lives moves hears sees and the Man thinks judges resolves and does all he does Gen. 2.7 The Lord God formed man that is his lifeless Body out of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils or into the Body now formed the breath of life And man became a living soul Matth. 15.19 Out of the heart or Soul proceed evil thoughts c. Infinitely perfect is that to which nothing that is good can be added and which is above the power of all evil Or that which is All Wise All Powerful All Holy and Gracious and which always will be so Proofs of the II d Proposition in all its Parts God is a spirit John 4.24 Eternal Isa 40.28 The everlasting God Infinitely Perfect Rom. 11.35 Who hath first given to him Is of himself and cannot but be Exod. 3. I am that I am or I will be what I will be Thou shalt say to the children of Israel I am or I will be hath sent me Hath made and upholds all things and Persons Isa 40.28 29. The Lord JEHOVAH the Creator of the ends of the earth He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he increaseth strength He rules all Psal 135.5 6. The Lord is great and above all gods Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in heaven and in earth in the seas and in all deep places Has a right to all Things and Persons 1 Chron. 29.14 16. All things came of thee and of thine own we give thee All is thine own God the Father is the great Creator of all 1 Cor. 8.6 The Father of whom are all things To Create is to make a thing at first out of nothing Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth 1. The only begotten Son of God the Father 2. is called Jesus Christ who 3. is God Eternal 4. one with his Father but 5. was in time made Man 1. There is an only begotten Son of God John 3.8 He that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God 2. Matth. 1.21 Thou shalt call his name Jesus And v. 1. The book of the generation of Jesus Christ 3. Rom. 9.5 Of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever 4. Joh. 10.30 I and my Father are one 5. Joh. 1.14 The word was made flesh Gal. 4.4 In the fulness of time God sent forth his Son made of a woman Jesus signifies a Saviour Christ Anointed To redeem is to deliver out of Slavery by paying a Price or Ransome Deut. 13.5 The Lord hath redeemed you out of the house of bondage 1 Pet. 18.19 Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot All Mankind by Nature are 1. Slaves to Sin and 2. Captives to the Devil And so 3. liable and as it were bound over to Death Temporal and Eternal 1. Rom. 6.17 Ye were the servants of sin such Servants as wanted to be made free v. 18. that is slaves See both the proof and explication of this Slavery v. 16. 2. 2 Tim. 2.26 If God will give them repentance that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil taken captive by him at his will 3. Rom. 5.12 As by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Christ that he might save us has redeemed or bought us out of all this Slavery and from all this Punishment by giving his Life a Ransome for us Matth. 20.28 The son of man came to give his life a ransome for many Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us Christ by his
Death did Redeem all Mankind even those that perish 1 Tim. 2.6 Christ Jesus gave himself a ransom for all men Heb. 2.9 He tasted death for every man 2 Pet. 2.1 Denying the Lord that bought them they bring upon themselves swift destruction Only those who believe and obey the Gospel shall be saved by this Redemption Heb. 5.9 Christ being made perfect became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him Holiness is purity from Sin Ghost is an old word for Spirit God the Holy Ghost who is also 1. commonly called the Spirit of God is that Spirit which 2. does inspire that is secretly work holiness in us which work we call sanctifying us 1. Gen. 1.2 The spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters 1 Cor. 2.11 The things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God 2. Rom. 15.16 Being sanctified by the Holy Ghost The Elect People of God are the Saints or Sanctified the Church the choice and peculiar People of God 2 Thess 2.13 God hath chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth Psal 105.43 He brought forth his people with joy and his chosen with gladness On Answ 8. Proposit I God has delivered us Christians through Christ from the Spiritual Bondage of customary committing Sin the very foulest sorts of which most of us in this our corrupt State are subject to Joh. 8.34 36. Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin If the Son therefore shall make you free ye shall be free indeed The Ten Commandments Paraphrased That is The Sense shortly givon in other words Proposit II To have any thing to ones self for a God is to pay to it the highest possible submission honour love trust and obedience of Soul and Body I. Command Sense Thou shalt own me Jehovah as the alone Maker Lord and Governor of all things and thou shalt not believe love regard trust to or obey any Person or thing so heartily or intirely as thou dost me Or shorter yet Thou shalt have me Jehovah for thy God and Happiness and none other either with me or in my stead Proposit III To make to ones self an Image in the Second Command is to make an Image for use in the Worship of God Levit. 26.1 Ye shall MAKE YOU no Idol or graven Image neither rear you up a standing Image neither shall ye set up any Image of stone in your land TO BOW down unto it for I am the Lord your God II. Command Sense Thou shalt not make to thy self any bodily Image of me who dwell in Heaven neither shalt thou have by thee to worship any such Image of me or of any thing else whether of any thing really being or imagined to be either in the Heaven Air Earth Water or in Hell nor shalt thou so much as bow thy self thereto But to me thou shalt bow down and worship Psal 95.6 O come let us worship and bow down let us kneel before the Lord our Maker Proposit IV To visit the Sins of the Fathers upon the Children is to punish People for several Generations together To take or lift up Heb. the Name of God Proposit V is to swear Proposit VI Swearing is calling God to witness of our truth in what we say as expecting vengeance from him the most Righteous and All-seeing Judge if we think believe or intend other than we speak Judg. 11.10 The Lord be witness between us if we do not so Proposit VII Not to hold guiltless is surely and severely to punish III. Command Sense Thou shalt not either swear falsely or at thy pleasure Neither shalt thou irreverently use my Name as all those do who Swear and Curse in common Discourse Proposit VIII A Sabbath is a day of rest from Servile Work and Common Business Levit. 28.24 25. Ye shall have a Sabbath Ye shall do no servile work therein Proposit IX Servile work is such as we put Servants to Proposit X To keep a day holy is to spend it to those holy Uses and Employmets to which it was set a-part viz. to God's Service Rom. 14.16 He that regardeth a day regardeth it to the Lord. IV. Command Sense Remember that thy whole Life be a rest from Sin to the Service of God and in order thereto Remember to keep holy both in publick and in private all such Days as are by Christian Laws set a-part to my Worship but in a more especial sort the Lord's Day as being the Christian Sabbath Proposit XI By Honour we understand Inwardly a high esteem Outwardly a respectful and dutiful carriage towards others by reason of the good in them or which we receive by them V. Command Sense Thou shalt honour with the degree of honour due to each thy Parents thy King thy Pastors and Teachers As also all that are in Authority or Eminency both in Church and State and even thy Superiors of all sorts VI. Command Sense Thou shalt not knowingly kill or even wound maim or strike any one without lawful Authority Nay thou shalt not to thy power be causelesly angry with any much less bear malice or revenge to or otherwise provoke any Person but thou shalt be careful both of thy own and others Life Proposit XII Adultery here signifies any Naughtiness between either unmarried or married People VII Command Sense Thou shalt not defile any either married or unmarried Woman nor shall any Woman consent to be defiled But in thought word and deed shalt thou endeavour to keep chast and pure both thy self and others Proposit XIII To Steal is to take away from another that which is his without his consent or any lawful Authority VIII Command Sense Thou shalt neither take away nor with-hold any thing from the Owner thereof without either the Owner's consent or due warrant by Law but thou shalt to thy power give and preserve to all their own and be thy self both diligent in thy Calling and thrifty in thy way of living that neither thou nor thine may want but rather be able to help others Proposit XIV To bear witness here is to speak or talk any thing of our Neighbour So Luke 4.22 All bear him witness Proposit XV By Neighbour the Scripture means any Person whatsoever Read Luke 10.29 to 38. IX Command Sense Thou shalt not in any case speak of or against any one what thou dost not know to be true Nay except in Cases of Justice and Charity thou shalt not speak of others that evil which thou dost know of them but always have a care of other Peoples good Name as well as of thine own Proposit XVI To Covet here signifies so to desire as to contrive means how to compass though unjustly what we desire Mark 10.19 Covet not is rendred defraud not X. Command Sense Thou shalt not so desire any thing which thou seest thy Neighbour to have as to contrive to come by it