Debauchery thereof is very great and therefore it is as needful now as ever That some Persons be engaged publickly to see that children that are baptized be brought up in the doctrine of Christ and in the fear of God Q. What just exception can be made against this Custome A. None but Godfathers and Godmothers neglecting their duties now this or the like Exceptions lye against the best and most wholesome Institutions both of God and man Catechist It is indeed a very sad thing that Godfathers and Godmothers so generally neglect their duties I say therefore O that All persons would be serious in undertaking this charge and fulfill it more Conscientiously than commonly men do And then The Benefit of this Custom would convince all mankind how convenient it is that it be retained to prevent any persons making Shipwrack of Faith and of a good Conscience when they come to years of discretion Q. Why do Christians give their Children names in Baptism A. Because the Jews gave names to their children in Circumcision and Baptism succeeds in the room of it Again it is intended That their names should always put them in mind of their Christianity which they received together with their names Catechist First That Baptism succeeds in the room of Circumcision As it is clear in matter of Fact so I take it to be manifest in that one Text of St. Paul Coloss 1.11 In whom also ye are Circumcised by the Circumcision made without Hands in putting off the Body of the Sins of the flesh by the Circumcision of Christ buried with him in Baptism 2. That the Jews gave their names when they Circumcised their Children is plain in divers instances To name but two Gen. 21.3 4. Abraham called the name of his Son which Sarah bare unto him Isaac and Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being Eight days old as God commanded him And so had John Baptist his name given to Him at his circumcision Luk. 1.59 and so had our Saviour Luk. 2.21 When 8 days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child his name was called Jesus which was so named of the Angel before he was conceived in the Womb. 3. As often as we mention or think of our names we should as much as possible call to mind our Baptismal Covenant viz. To be Christs faithful servants to our lives end and hereof St. Pauls text 2 Tim. 3.19 may serve for a good Paraphrase Let every one that nameth the name of Christ or upon whom the name of Christ is called in that he is called a Christian depart from iniquity Q. Seeing then you received both these in Baptism I ask you what is Baptism as it is in this place offered to your Consideration A. It is one of the Seals of the new Covenant Catechist Such was Circumcision and therefore such is Baptism that succeeds it Rom. 4.11 Abrahams circumcision was to Him a seal of the Righteousness of Faith which He had being Vncircumcised Q. What Covenant do you mean A. The same which God made with Adam after his fall in those words The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head and which he afterwards renewed at several times to Gods people by the Patriarchs and Prophets and at last Ratified in Christs blood called the Covenant of Grace Catechist This Covenant as made with Adam as the common parent and Representative of all mankind you have in Gen 3.15 and as it was renewed to Abraham you have Gen. 12.3 and 22.18 In thee in thy Seed i. e. in Christ as St. Paul explains it Gal. 3.8 shall all Families of the earth be blessed Which Covenant was afterwards renewed or new revealed in other words to Jacob Gen. 49.10 The Scepter shall not depart from Judah till Shilo come by Moses Deut. 18.15 A Prophet shall the Lord God raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto me him shall ye hear by David by Isaiah Jeremy and the rest of the Prophets too many to recite particularly here and still in every age it was more clearly revealed then the former until the Seed came the Mediator of this covenant and ratified and established it by his Blood It will be of great Use to you Good Children if you can reach to understand thus much much more if you can attain a competent practical knowledge of the terms of this Covenant as your Catechism well understood may instruct you I ask you therefore Q. How many parts are there in this Covenant A. Two Gods part and ours Catechist For so it is in all Covenants which being between parties it obligeth them both to their respective parts and neither of them can expect the benefit of the Covenant without his own performance of what belongs to him Q. What then is Gods part or what doth God promise in the Covenant of Grace A. Forgiveness of Sins Sanctifying Grace and Eternal Life Q. How doth your Catechism express these A. It shews what Benefits we receive by Baptism to wit that of limbs of Satan we are therein made members of Christ Of Children of Wrath and of the Devil we are therein made Children of God and of heirs of Hell we become inheritors of the Kingdom of heaven Catechist These are great things Good Children for you to learn and having learnt them I beseech you do your best to consider them and see how all are grounded in the plain words of Holy Scripture Of Limbs of Satan as the Head and Father of all wicked ones we are by Baptisme made members of Christ Members you all know relate to a Body Now the Church is the Body whereof Christ is the Head and by Baptism we are made members of the Church which is the Mystical Body of Christ For Baptism is the Sacrament of Admission into the Church as the Lords Supper is the Sacrament of nourishment in the Church 1 Cor. 12.13 By one spirit we are all baptized into one body whether Jew or Gentile 2. Whereas we are all by nature Children of wrath one as well as other Ephes 2.3 By Baptism we are born anew of water and the spirit John 3.5 and so have the power and dignity or priviledge to be called the Children of God by Regeneration as well as by Adoption for John 1.12 To as many as received him to them gave be power to become the Sons of God even as many as believed in his name and professed that belief by being Baptized Gal. 3.26 27. Ye are all the children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ And from hence they may call God Father saying Our Father which art in heaven witness what Christ said to his Disciples John 20.17 I ascend to my Father and your Father and from hence they are brethren to Christ for Heb. 2.11 He is not ashamed to call them Brethren And being thus children and sons of God they are 3. By Baptism made Heirs of his Kingdom
that if God should be extreme to mark what we do amiss in them O Lord who may abide it Psal 130.3 And 3 all we have and do is Gods Gift it is he that worketh in us both to will and to do Phil. 2.13 and we give him but his own Nor be it never so good can it 4 bear any proportion to that recompence of reward which God promiseth us Not our greatest suffering much less our good deeds Rom. 8.18 The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us 2 Cor. 4.17 They are but light Afflictions and but for a moment but they work for us a far more exceeding eternal weight of glory Well doth the Apostle therefore conclude Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death but eternal life is the Gift no Merit of ours but the â—ree gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Q. What Vse must we make hereof A. To be constant unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that our labour will not be in vain in the Lord. Catechist This is the use that St. Paul makes of this great Doctrine of Christianity 1 Cor. 15.58 and elsewhere he exhorts thus upon account hereof 2 Cor. 4.18 Let us not therefore look at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen For the things which are seen are Temporal but the things which are not seen are Eternal Q. Why do you say Amen after the Greed and why stand you up when it is rehearsed A. To declare my stedfast believing it and my resolution to live in and die for it if God should call me to that Honour Catechist Let us therefore make it our continual prayer that God whose Gift Faith is would encrease and strengthen this our Faith more and more and enable us so to live in Faith and so to dye in Faith that at last we may attain the end of our Faith even the salvation of our Souls through Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.9 Thus have you had the Rule and Summary of the Christian Faith in the Creed Now having often taught you that there is no true Faith without Obedience I pray Q. What is the Great Rule of your Obedience A. The Moral Law contained in the Commandments Catechist You remember Brethren I hope that you promised in your Baptism as to believe all the Articles of Christian Faith so to keep Gods Holy Will and Commandments Q. How many Commandments are there A. Ten. Catechist These Ten Commandments contain that which we call the Moral Law and it is so called because it orders our Manners and our whole lives and conversations both towards God and towards men Concerning which I would only teach you in opposition to the Antinomian Errors that this Moral Law contained in the Ten Commandments is still in force to us and as it was the Rule of life and manners and Obedience to Gods ancient people the Jews so is it still to us Christians For whatever moral duties God Commanded the Jews being his chosen people under the Old Testament the same doth Christ command us Christians under the Gospel and that while the world lasts for he said expressly Matth. 5.17 He came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it and reciting several Commandments He abrogated none but which shews their obligation on us sufficiently shewed their true and Spiritual meaning against the corrupt glosses the Pharisees had put upon them thereby making them of no effect It was said of old time saith he Thou shalt not kill but I say unto you Whosoever is angry with his Brother without a cause is in danger of the judgment Again ver 27. It was said of old time Thou shalt not commit adultery But I say unto you Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her in his heart Committeth Adultery with her And thus doth He there Explain other Commandments but Repeals none of them and in short St James saith chap. 2.8 of all the rest If ye fulfil the Royal Law of Liberty Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self ye shall do well Nor is the number of the Commandments impertinent to be observed it being so precisely noted by the Holy Ghost Deut. 4.13 Ten and no more which puzzles them of the Romish Communion to make them so while they leave out the second in their Catechism because it so apparently condemns their Image worship and then for a mere shift they would divide the last Commandment making two of one And now before we close with the Commandments we must not neglect the Preface to them God spake these words and said I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of Bondage which what it imports you may learn by the next Question and Answer Q. What are those motives God himself used when he gave those Commandments to engage his people's Obedience A. First His Sovereignty For he is the Lord. 2 His near Relation to his people for He is the Lord Our God 3 His delivering the Israelites from the Egyptian Bondage which was a Type of our Greater deliverance even from our spiritual Bonddage to sin and Satan Catechist The like arguments to Obedience we have in other Scriptures to name but one to the Israelites Deut. 27.9 10. Take heed and hearken O Israel This day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the Lord thy God and do all his Commandments and statutes which I command thee this day And that of Zacharias in his song Luk. 1.74 75. urgeth the same Obedience upon us upon account of our greater deliverance That being delivered from the hands of our enemies we should serve Him without fear in Holiness and righteousness all the days of our lives Now I pray Q. How many Tables are there in the Decalogue or Ten Commandments A. Two Q. How many Commandments are there in the first Table A. The four first Commandments Q. What sort of Duties doth the first Table teach you A. My Duties towards God Catechist And as the second Table teaches you your duties towards your neighbour so let me tell you by the way that our Saviour Himself divides the Law after this manner even according to the twofold Object of Love God and our Neighbours Matth. 22.37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind This is the first and great Commandment and the second is like unto it Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self on these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets For as S. Paul saith Rom. 13.10 Love is the fulfilling of the Law Now for explaining the Questions and Answers in your Church Catechism concerning the duties contained in these two Tables I conceive the chief task is to let you see to which Commandment each clause in them is to be
referred and then as requiring the Duty forbids the sin and forbidding any sin supposeth a precept for the Duty contrary to that sin so shall I teach you both these what are the Duties required and what the Sins forbidden in each Commandment proving their respective answers as we go along by the Scriptures First then let me ask you the Questions in your Church Catechism Q. What is thy Duty to God A. My duty towards God is to believe in Him c. Now see how every Commandment is explained in this Answer Q. What doth the first Commandment require of you according to this Answer in your Catechism A. Gods inward worship which is to believe in him to fear him and to love him and him alone as the only true God with all my heart with all my mind with all my soul and with all my strength Catechist This distinction of Worship that it is either Inward of the Soul or Outward of the Body is evidently the Apostles when he tells us 1 Cor. 6.20 That we must glorifie God with our bodies and with our spirits which are his Now the inward that of the Spirit is required by this Commandment that is in the positive part which is implied in the negative for that we are forbidden to have any other God but Him or before him implies that we must have him that is acknowledge him and worship him for our God and for our only God and to believe in him and fear him and love him this is to acknowledge him to be and to have him our God according to that Text Deut. 10.12 What doth the Lord thy God O Israel require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God and to walk in his ways to love and serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy Soul Q. May not loving God be accounted the summ of our whole Duty to God as Love of our Neighbour is of our whole Duty to our Neighbour A. Yes and without loving God there can be no keeping his Commandments in sincerity Catechist Our Saviour said John 14.15 If ye love me keep my Commandments No other way can we shew our love to either God or Christ Jesus On the other hand the Scriptures set forth obedience or keeping Gods Commandments as the work of Faith and labour of love Heb. 6.10 1 Thes 1.3 and St. Paul saith The love of Christ constraineth hereunto 2 Cor. 5.14 And it is certain all other Graces abound where as the Apostle expresseth it Rom. 5.5 The love of God is shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us Q. What do those words Before me teach you Thou shalt have no other Gods before me A. Always to consider that God is every where present and beholds the Idolatry of the heart as well as in action Catechist I know O my God saith David 1 Chron. 29.17 that thou triest the heart Jer. 17.10 I the Lord search the heart I try the reins even to give to every man according to his ways and according to his doings Q. What then are the sins forbidden in this Commandment A. Atheism or having no God Polytheism or owning more Gods than One Irreligion not glorifying not worshipping the true God as God and inward Idolatry that is believing fearing or loving any lust or Creature as our God or giving Religious Worship or honour to any other Being Catechist Atheism or in the Psalmists words Psal 14.1 The Fools saying in his heart much more speaking it out in words That there is no God Polytheism The having Lords many and Gods many But to us saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 8.4 There is no more Gods but One. Irreligion not Glorifying not worshipping God which is all one as if we believed and professed There is no God A sin taxt by S. Paul in the Gentiles Rom. 1.21 That knowing God they did not glorifie Him as God Idolatry which is not only the worshipping idols or images made of silver and gold the works of mens hands which have eyes and see not which have ears and hear not mouths and speak not Ps 135.15 16. But also the immoderate love of any Creature For Christ saith Mat. 6.24 Ye cannot serve God and Mammon and this do all covetous and worldly minded men From whence S. Paul saith expresly that covetousness is idolatry Col. 3.5 And he speaks of some who make their belly their God Phil. 3.19 which do all Epicures gluttons and drunkards and intemperate persons and some he saith mind earthly things All these then are sins against this first Commandment which requires the Inward worship of God Q. What doth the second Commandment require A. Gods Outward worship that is to worship God not only with our hearts and Spirits which God alone seeth but also bodily in the sight of men and not by Images but as he himself appoints us in his word Catechist It is a marvellous thing that there should be any need of convincing men that God is to be worshipped Outwardly as well as Inwardly with our Bodies as well as with our Spirits or that any persons of understanding should make that foolish use of our Saviours words to the woman of Samaria John 4.24 God is a spirit and is to be worshipped in Spirit and in truth as if pretending to worship God in their hearts and spirits could excuse their utter neglect of his outward worship or their not Kneeling in prayer or any other irreverent undecent behaving themselves in the worship of God But if there be any need to speak to this point I think here is enough in the very letter of this Commandment to stop all mouths Thou shalt not bow down before images and worship them For in that we must not do it before images implies that before God we must do it we must bow down before him when we worship him that as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 6.20 We may glorifie God with our bodies as well as with our spirits which are his Hence the Psalmist saith Psal 132.7 We will go into his Tabernacle and fall down before his footstool And hereunto are we daily invited in his words Psal 95.6 O come let us worship and fall down and kneel before the Lord our maker This must we do only to avoid Superstition and Will worship we must have a care to do it in such a manner as God directs in his word and not worship God in any way invented by man contrary to his word See Deut. 4.2 and 12.32 Whatsoever I command you that observe and do ye shall not add to the word I command you neither shall ye diminish ought from it that ye may keep the Commandments of the Lord your God which I command you Q. What are those kinds or parts of Worship which God himself hath appointed us in his word A. Daily Prayer and Thanksgiving often Reading Hearing and Meditating upon His word and the due Use of the Sacraments Catechist That
sin Rom. 7.14 The natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 Q By what means then may you obtain Gods special Grace A. By diligent that is by daily fervent prayer Catechist Of the efficacy of our prayers to obtain Gods special Grace Our Saviour assures us and that by way of Argument which gives us much stronger consolation Luk 11.13 If ye being evil know how to give good gifts to your Children how much more will your heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him But then Our asking must be thus qualified that it may obtain it must be daily we must pray continually or without ceasing 1 Thes 5.17 and fervently Jam. 5.16 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much Ask therefore and so ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you Matth. 7.7 Q. In what bodily posture must you pray A. Kneeling or at least with the greatest reverence possible Catechist For in this posture of kneeling have Gods Saints always made their solemn prayers or for the most part And as we cannot use too much reverence in our Addresses to so great a God so unto this are we daily invited in the words of the Psal 95.6 O come let us worship and fall down and kneel before the Lord our maker Q. What things must you pray for besides Gods Grace A. Only for things agreeable to Gods will Catechist 1 Joh. 5.14 This is the Confidence that we have in him that whatever we ask according to his Will he heareth us Q. In whose Name and Mediation must we put up our prayers A. Neither of Saints nor Angels but only that of our Lord Jesus Christ Catechist So he himself directs us For he the is one Mediator betwixt us and the one God 1 Tim. 2.5 Therefore he saith Joh. 14 13.14 Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in me If ye shall ask any thing in my Name I will do it And he assures us even with an Oath that his Father will do it chap. 16.23 Verily Verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you And he seems to solve the doubt why he saith he will do it and his Father will do it too ver 26. Ye shall ask in my Name and I say unto you that I will pray the father for you c. For Heb. 7.25 He is able to save to the ultermost seeing he liveth for ever to make intercession for us With great reason therefore doth our Holy Church conclude all her prayers with these words Through Jesus Christ our Lord. And praying in Christs Name we cannot pray better or more acceptably than in his words too Q. Which is the best form of prayer and most perfect pattern to direct you in praying A. The Prayer Christ taught his Disciples called The Lords Prayer Q. Let me hear you then say the Lords prayer A. Our Father which art in heaven Hallowed be thy name c. Catechist It is rightly called the Lords prayer as the Eucharist is called the Lords Supper because he composed it as he instituted and ordained this his Supper Now observe when Christ taught his Disciples this prayer it is said in Luk. 11.2 When ye pray say plainly making it Our duty as his Disciples as we will owne ourselves to be Christians to use this form of prayer at all times for it is a most perfect and Comprehensive prayer containing all that is needful to be prayed for and therefore supplying the defects of all other our prayers But at another time Matth. 6.9 He said After this manner pray ye as plainly there making it a pattern to all other our prayers And so doing Our prayers cannot be other than according to Gods will and being so we are sure he will hear and grant our petitions Now tell me what your Catechism teacheth you of this Q. What desirest thou of God in this prayer A. I desire my Lord God our Heavenly Father c. Catechist This is a very solid answer and teacheth you a great deal in a little Compass My part is to help you to understand to what part and petition of your Lords prayer every clause in this answer is to be referred and to make these and all other needful things concerning it as plain as I can In the mean time Let me give you this instruction It will be very good and profitable for you Good Children to get some other good and godly prayers by heart for your daily use out of some or other good books such as those sometimes annexed to your Bibles or those in that excellent Book called The Whole duty of man or the like And till you can do that let me tell you you may make a very good prayer of this your answer and using it devoutly and with understanding it will be acceptable to God Instead of saying I desire my Lord God Our heavenly Father c. it is but altering it thus and it will be a very good prayer O Lord God Our Heavenly Father who art the Author of all goodness I desire thee I beseech thee that thou wilt send thy grace to me and to all people that we may worship thee serve thee and obey thee as we ought to do and I pray unto thee that thou wilt send us all things that be needful both for our bodies and our Souls and that thou wilt be merciful unto us and forgive us our sins and I humbly beg that it will please thee to save us in all dangers Ghostly and bodily and that thou wilt keep us from all sin and wickedness and from our Ghostly Enemy and from Everlasting death And I trust and beg of thee that I may always trust that thou wilt do this of thy own mere mercy â—nd goodness through our Lord Jesus Christ Amen Say this your answer in such a form of â—â—ayer upon your knees every day morning and evening â—ith understanding and from your hearts and Souls and doubt not God who delights not in quaint words nor in the multitude of them will graciously accept it both till you have furnished yourselves with some larger forms and afterwards Now for our further understanding of our Lords prayer and of this account your Catechism gives of it I ask you Q. How many parts are there in the Lords prayer A. Three a Preface the Petitions and the Doxology or Conclusion Catechist See what you may learn by the Preface first Q. To whom must you pray that you may be sure to speed A. To our Father in Heaven only Catechist A very necessary Observation since we know the Papists practices of making their prayers to Saints and Angels nay to very Images and especially to the Virgin Mary Which if any Christians can lawfully do it is marvellous that our
their spiritual food not our Bodies with the sensual provisions as the Prophet Isaiah saith 25.6 The Word and Sacraments are feasts of fat things for our souls provided for us in Gods Holy mountain in the Churches or Congregations of his people In this mountain shall the Lord of Hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things a feast of wine on the lees fat things full of marrow of wine on the lees well refined Q. How are our Souls fed in the Lords Supper A. They are strengthened refreshed or comforted with Christs Body and Blood as truly and really as our Bodies are strengthened and refreshed by Bread and Wine Q. How are our souls so truly and really strengthned in the Lords Supper A. As it assures us of Gods love in Christ the pardon of our sins through the Merits of Christs Death the Grace and Comforts of his Holy Spirit Peace and Union with God and a title to his Eternal Glory Catechist Bread and Wine you know are two chief creatures of God provided for our bodily sustenance Bread to be the staff of Life to strengthen the body Psal 104.15 And Wine to make glad the heart of man to cheer him up as it is expressed Judg. 9.19 whence that of Solomons Mother Prov. 31.6 Give strong drink unto him that is weary and wine unto those that are heavy of heart Now those great benefits we have in the Lords Supper in our Souls in the inner man if we be worthy Receivers For from Christs Body and Blood therein given unto us we have strength that fortifies our Souls against all our spiritual enemies How is that Thus Meditating on Christs dying for us we must think it monstrously Ungrateful and very abominable if we yeild ourselves slaves to those sins which crucified our Dear Saviour Besides we have Gods Holy Spirit hereby as by a Conduit pipe conveyed to our Souls and the graces thereof quickned and increased in us so that we shall be able to do all things all our Duties through Christ strengthning us Phil. 4.13 And then for Refreshment being weary and heavy laden with and deeply sorrowful for our sins as we ought always to be when we come to the Lords Supper Being oppressed under their burdens as too heavy for us to bear Psal 38.4 and the deep sence of Gods wrath and displeasure for them we are in this Blessed Sacrament refreshed with Gods sealing his Covenant and assuring us of their pardon and Remission according to those sweet words of our Saviour Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will refresh you For certainly it is here if any where that we may justly hope to find this Refreshment This cup as our Saviour saith Matth. 26.28 being the blood of the New Testament or of the new Covenant which was shed for many for the Remission of sins And besides In this Sacrament all the promises all the benefits of the new Covenant are ratified and confirmed to us in Christs Blood here represented all the Benefits I say of the Covenant of Grace Justification and Sanctification Grace and pardon and peace Union with God and Christ or with God by Christ Mercy and Salvation These with whatever benefits Christ hath purchased for us by his Death and Passion are here conveyed and made over to all worthy Receivers and therefore well may we say that to partake hereof is for the strengthning and refreshing of our Souls by the Body and Blood of Christ as our bodies are strengthned and refreshed by the Bread and Wine To the last Question then in your Catechism there is nothing more requisite to assure us of all these great benefits but only our being rightly qualified for it I therefore ask you first in the words of your Catechism and then desire a more particular account from you of the several lessons taught you in it Q. What is required of them that come to the Lords Supper A. To examine themselves whether they truly repent them of their sins stedfastly purposing to lead a new life to have a lively Faith in Gods mercy through Christ with a thankful remembrance of Christs death and to be in charity with all men Q. Shall all receive those great benefits that come to the Lords Supper A. Only those that are duly prepared and receive it worthily Catechist This is but a further explanation of what you learnt before that it is the faithful only that do verily and indeed receive Christs body and blood Now here you learn that no promise of Grace or Mercy Remission or Salvation is here made sure to any other but prepared and worthy Receivers Nay to all others as I have said to all that are impenitent in their sins there is threatned not only temporal judgments but also Eternal damnation for for this cause saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.30 Many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep that is are stricken with death for this cause that is for eating and drinking unworthily nay ver 29. He that eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks damnation to himself not discerning the Lords body Q. How then must you prepare yourselves for the Lords Supper A. By self examination before we come Catechist St. Paul's Text is very plain 1 Cor. 11.28 where he prescribes this remedy to prevent Gods temporal judgments and Eternal damnation by eating and drinking unworthily Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. Let him prove that is and try himself in what estate he â—s towards God as a man tries gold by the touchstone Q. What things must we especially examine ourselves of A. Of the truth and sincerity of our Repentance new Obedience Faith Thankfulness and Charity Q. May any notorious Customary sinners come to the Lords Supper A. No not without Unfeigned Repentance answerable to their sins Catechist All are invited to come but withall all are directed also to prepare themselves before they come The most wicked wretch is bidden but it is with this caution that he puts on his wedding garment Matth. 22.12 that is of true repentance and all other Graces befitting this Holy Solemnity And he that hath not on him this Wedding garment required by God in Holy Scripture can expect no better entertainment than the Kings challenge of him in the Parable there of the Marriage of his son Friend how camest thou in hither not having a Wedding garment and you should remember that he being speechless that is inexcusable The King commanded his servants saying Bind him hand and foot and cast him into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Q. Will that then excuse mens coming to the Lords Supper that they are not prepared or have not repented A. No it rather aggravates than excuses their sin of not comming while they never endeavour to fit and prepare themselves Catechist Mind Their not Preparing is a sin and their not Coming
Assistance as my Guide and Sanctifier and Comforter Catechist That you may well understand your Belief as a Christian and particularly what you profess to believe of each person in the Blessed Trinity and every word in it I ask you in the first place Q. Why do you say I Believe rather than we or they believe A. Because Though the prayers of others may avail much yet every man must be saved by his own Faith Catechist And Think not sleightly of this lesson for it levels directly against the Papists implicite Faith We are often taught to pray for one another saying Our Father which art in Heaven Give us and forgive us c. as S. James saith chap. 5.6 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much i. e. for others as well as for himself for of such prayer he there speaks But no man can believe for any but himself Habak 2.4 By his Faith shall the just live i.e. lead his life here according to Gods will revealed in his word and so be saved at last for ever So is every one therefore by his Creed taught to say not we believe for others but I Believe for himself as the man in the Gospel whose Son was dumb Mat. 9.17 23. Lord I believe Lord help mine unbelief Q. In whom dost thou believe A. In God only Catechist Believing in is more then bare believing for besides Credence or Assent it implies Trust and Affiance and is a Divine Honour proper to God only and therefore we say in the Creed I believe in God we do not say alike I believe in the Holy Gatholick Church but I believe the Holy Catholick Church For Cursed is the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm and whose heart departeth from the Lord Jer. 17.5 And therefore Christ avoucheth himself to be God when he said John 14.1 Ye believe in God believe also in me Q. What is it to believe in God A. To believe there is a God and to believe that what God saith is undoubtedly true and to depend upon him in Hope for the accomplishment of his promises Catechist The First Principle in Religion against Atheists is that there is a God Heb. 11.6 He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him And the next Principle is the certainty of his Word That it is as Gold tryed seven times in the fire Psal 12.6 For Numb 23.19 He is not as man that he should lie Luk. 16.17 It is easier for heaven and earth to pass than one jot or tittle of his Word to fail And then from these we infer the safety of trusting in him for the fulfilling of his promises For Heb. 11.23 Faithful is he that hath promised who also will perform We may therefore take up the Prophet Micahs words chap. 4.5 All people walk every one in the name of his God But we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever Q. How many Gods are there A. One God only therefore I profess to believe in God Singularly and not in Gods Catechist You know what the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 8.4 The Heathens have Gods many and Lords many but we know they are all but Idels and an Idol is nothing and therefore to us Christians There is no other God but One Eph. 4.6 One God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all Q. How is this One God distinguished A. Into three Persons God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost Catechist These three Persons in the Godhead were apparently distinguished in Christs Baptism at the river Jordan For the Father spake from heaven saying This is my Beloved Son and the H. Ghost descended upon him like a Dove And so are they manifestly distinguished in our Baptism For we are expresly Baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost And S. John 1 Ep. 5.7 affirms both the distinction of the persons and their Unity of Essence saying There be three that bear record in Heaven The Father the Word and the spirit and these three are one More I need not to say of this great Mysterious Doctrine at this time whoso would better understand it let him study the Creed of S. Athanasius Let us now see what the Apostles Creed teacheth us to believe of each person in this Blessed Trinity Q. What dost thou believe of the First person A. That he is God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth Q. God the Father whose Father is he A. The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and ours in him Catechist Christ is the only begotten Son of God Joh. 1.14 And by this Title is God especially owned and honoured by us Christians Rom. 15.6 We are with one mind and one mouth to glorifie God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ And then God is our Father and we are his Sons by Adoption in Christ 1 John 3 1. Behâ—ld what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed up nâ—w that we should be called the Sons of God For Eph. 1.5 We are predestinated to the Adoption of Children by Christ Jesus And as to his Sons He hath appointed us an Inheritance For Rom. 8.11 If Sons then heirs Heirs of God joynt heirs with Christ Q. What is God A. A most pure Spirit a Being absolutely perfect Catechist We have this definition of God from Christs own mouth John 4.24 God is a spirit having no bodily parts or members or passions and all whatsoever perfections and excellencies are in him and derived from him Q. What is the great Attribute of God A. Omnipotency or Almightiness that is that he can do whatever pleaseth him Catechist So speaks the Psalmist Ps 135.6 Whatsoever the Lord pleaseth That doth he in Heaven and in Earth and in all deep places And hence Job said ch 42.2 I know that thou canst do every thing For in his hand saith Jehoshaphat 1 Chron. 20.6 is such power and might that none is able to withstand Q. What other Essential Attributes are there of God besides Almightiness A. Eternity that he neither hath beginning nor will have an end Immutability that he changeth not Omnipresence that he is in all places Omniscience that he sees all things and knows them perfectly And the most perfect Goodness and Holiness that he is neither Author nor approver of evil Catechist Let these Scriptures sink into your hearts for all these Eternity for so the Heavenly Congregation sing Rev. 4.8 Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty which was and which is and which is to come Immutability Jam. 1.10 He is the Father of Lights with whom is no variableness nor shaddow of turning Heb. 13.8 He is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Omnipresence for Am I a God at hand saith the Lord and not a God afar of Jer. 23.24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I should
For Heb. 10.4 It was not possible that the bloud of Bulls and Goats offered in sacrifice should take away sins But all the vertue they had was as Types and Figures of the pretious Blood of Christ the Son of God as of a Lamb without spot and without blemish 1 Pet. 1.18 So God he must be whosoever will undertake to satisfie for our sins by suffering for them and God he was who purchased his Church with his own blood Act. 20.28 Q. How prove you by your Creed then that Jesus Christ is true God A. I believe Him to be His to wit Gods only Son our Lord. Catechist The Son of God must needs be God God of God very God of very God Now God owned him for his Son by a voice from heaven at his Baptism Matth. 3.17 This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased Now to anticipate an Objection the next Question and Answer shews how our being Gods Sons differs from His being so And thereof the Apostle Heb. 1.1 compared with chap. 2.1 3. gives a very remarkable application Q. Are not we also Sons of God and how then is he Gods only Son or how doth his being Gods Son prove him to be God A. We are only Sons of God by Adoption in Christ but Christ is Gods Son by eternal Generation He is Gods only begotten Son very God of very God as really God of the substance of the Father begotten before the World as he was Man of the substance of his Mother born in the World Catechist 2 Tim. 1.13 Let us hold fast this form of sound words in Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus and always carry in mind the Apostles inference from it in the forequoted place God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past to the Fathers by the Prophets Hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son as the Great Mediator between Him and us Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things we hear lest at any time we let them slip For if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by them that heard him Let us pass on then to the other proof of Christs Divinity Q. How did Christ become our Lord A. He both made us and redeemed us with his pretious blood and we have in Baptism given up ourselves to him to be his Servants Catechist Ps 100.3 He made us and not we ourselves So is he our Lord as we are his Creatures For John 1.3 All things were made by him and without him was nothing made that was made And being lost he also redeemed us so that he is our Lord by right of purchase 1 Cor. 6.20 He bought us with a price therefore we are not our own but his therefore is he our Lord. And being so our Lord he is certainly God for who but God is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 1.6 and who but God can be called by that incommunicable Name of God Jehova and so is Christ Hos 1.7 I will have mercy upon them and will save them by the Lord Jehova and not by how or sheild O what cause have we then to own him for our Lord by devoting our selves to his Service Cast we then our eyes upon the other Nature of his Q. How prove you by your Creed that Jesus Christ is true man A. I believe him to be Conceived in the Womb by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary Catechist An answer containing what the Apostle 1 Tim. 3.16 Calls the great Mystery of Godliness God manifested in the flesh Nay John 1.14 The Word made flesh and thus runs the Argument to prove Christs Manhood He had an Human Conception and Human Birth was conceived like other men and was born of a woman as other men are and therefore he was Man For further understanding of all its particulars I ask you Q. Had Christ any natural Father as Man A. No. Q. By what power then was he Conceived in and born of a woman A. By the power of the Holy ghost Catechist Of this we are assured by the Angel which said unto Mary Luk. 1.31 Thou shalt conceive and bear a Son c. and when she demanded How can this be seeing I know not a man he answered her ver 35. The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee Therefore that Holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God So by the Blessed Virgins protestation it is evident she knew not a man therefore had her Son no natural Father Q. What do you learn from that A. That taking our nature of her substance in such an extraordinary way the Holy Ghost purifying it He took it without sin being to suffer for our sins Catechist For Heb. 7.26 Such must our High Priest be Holy harmless and undefiled separate from sinners He must have no sin of his own who undertook to satisfie Gods Justice for our sins Q. Who was this Virgin Mary A. She was of the tribe of Judah of which Tribe the Messiah was to come Catechist That she was of that Tribe appears by Christs pedegree or Genealogy Mat. 1. and Luk. 3. as also by Joseph's and Mary's going to be taxed at Bethlehem Judah for this very reason because they were of that Tribe Luk. 2.3 4. Q. How then do you prove Christ to be the true Messiah A. All the Prophecies were exactly fulfilled in him as to his Tribe parents place and time of Birth and his manner of Life and Death and Resurrection Catechist The Messiah the Saviour of the world was foretold to come of the Tribe of Judah of the root of Jesse and house of David Luk. 1.27 to be conceived of a Virgin Isa 7.14 Behold a Virgin shall conceive c. and for the place to be born in Bethlehem Micah 5.2 And thou Bethlehem in the land of Judah art not the least of the Princes of Judah for out of thee shall come a Governour that shall rule my people Israel And for the Time to come as Shile when the Scepter should be departed from Judah Gen 49.10 And after the Seventy weeks was determined by Daniel ch 9.24 and while the second Temple stood by the Prophet Haggai chap. 2.9 which within Fourty years after Christ was demolished so that not one stone was left upon another And the purity of his life and the cruelty and violence offered him in his death are clearly spoken of by the Prophet Isaiah chap. 53. throughout And his Resurrection by the Psalmist Ps 16.11 So that all things came to pass according to the Prophecy Learn this argument therefore against all Jews and Infidels Nothing befel Christ which was not foretold and
gives hereof 1 Thes 2.3 That day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night for when men shall say peace and safety then cometh sudden destruction upon them as travel upon a woman with child and they shall not escape Matth. 25.31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory with his Holy Angels then shall he sit in his Throne of Glory and before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats And he shall set the sheep on his right hand but the goats on the left Then shall the King say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father c. But ver 41. To them on his left hand He will say Depart from me ye cursed c. And ver 46. These shall go into Everlasting punishment but the Righteous into Life Eternal Q. What use are we to make of these several parts of Christs Exaltation A. To rise again with Christ unto all newness of life to set our affections on things above where Christ is To serve him with fear because all power is given him and to judge ourselves daily and to watch over all our thoughts words and actions as they that must give account thereof at Christs tribunal Catechist All these the Scripture splainly teach us Rom. 6.4 We are buried with Christ by Baptism that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of his Father even so we also should walk in newness of life And this is the proper use to be made of Christs Resurrection for it follows there having been planted together in the likeness of his death we shall be also planted together in the likeness of his Resurrection Col. 3.1 If ye be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ is set at the Right hand of God This is the use we are to make of Christs Ascension and sitting at the Right hand of God In short Psal 2.11 Serve the Lord with fear kiss the Son lest he be angry and so ye perish if his wrath be kindled yea but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him And that is a Meditation very proper for that whole Exaltation of Christ that is past already and then let what is to come be always in our minds even his coming to judgment That judging ourselves we may not be judged of the Lord 1 Cor. 11.31 And seeing all these things shall be then dissolved let us seriously consider as St. Peter 2 Ep. 3.11 admonisheth us What manner of persons we ought to be in all manner of Conversation and Godliness Thus have you what the Creed teacheth you concerning the two first persons in the blessed Trinity The Father and the Son now Q. What dost thou believe concerning the Third Person A. I believe that he is God the Holy Ghost Proceeding from the Father and the Son One with them Holy in himself and the Author of all Holiness in us Catechist I shall further explain to you and prove the several parts of this Answer in the following Questions and their answers I ask you then Q. Is not the Father a Spirit and was not the Son also a pure Spirit before he took our nature upon him A. Yes But the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of the Father and of the Son inspired or proceeding from them both Catechist True and from hence he is called the spirit of the Father Matth. 10.20 And the spirit of the Son Gal. 4.6 And as the Father sent the spirit John 14.26 So the Son promised his Disciples to send the spirit when he left them to the wide world John 15.26 When the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father He shall testifie of me Q. Is the Holy Ghost God A. Yes He is One with and Equal to the Father and the Son Catechist Being one with and equal to them he must necessarily be God very God For being three persons they are but one God 1 John 5.7 There are three that bear record in Heaven The Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are One. Besides which plain Text to prove the Divinity of the Holy Ghost There is one General Argument which is not hard to learn or remember for arming yourselves against all such Hereticks as deny the Holy Ghost to be God as well as our Saviour The name of God the Attributes of God the Works of God and the Honours which belong to God alone are ascribed to the Holy Ghost Therefore the Holy Ghost is God Particularly we are all Baptized as in the name of the Father and of the Son so in the name of the Holy Ghost And here in the Creed we profess to believe in the Holy Ghost as well as as in God the Father and in Jesus Christ the only Son of God And believing in is an honour peculiar to God We may not believe in any Creature in any but God For it implies Trust and Affiance and Jer. 17.5 Cursed is he that trusts in any Arm of flesh To name only one Text more Act. 5.3 When Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Ghost concerning the price of their lands they are expressly said to lie to God and not to men Therefore the Holy Ghost is God Q Why is he called the Holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost A. Being Holy in himself he Sanctifies us and all our Holiness is his work he is the Author of all Holiness in us Catechist Holiness is his Essential Attribute and Sanctification or making us Holy is his proper Work And hence we read of the Sanctification of the Spirit 1 Thes 2.13 and of the renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3.5 And hereby he seals us to the day of Redemption Ephes 4.30 Q. By what means doth the spirit Sanctifie us A. The Holy Scriptures were written by men inspired by the spirit and he daily enlightens converts sanctifies and comforts our souls by them in the Ministry of the Word Q. What must we then do that the spirit may Sanctifie us A. We must highly esteem and constantly attend Gods Holy Ordinances and obey all the Holy Spirit 's godly motions in our hearts Catechist The Spirit moves in these waters as in the Pool of Bethesda to heal the diseases of our Souls and we are therefore warned to take heed that we do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God Ephes 4.30 nor quench the spirit 1 Thes 5.19 Which is done as by any willful gross sin so by despising prophecying 1 Thes 1.20 by slighting neglecting or making light of any of Gods Holy Ordinances Thus have you what the Creed teaches you to believe concerning the Holy Ghost also and so concerning all the Persons in the Blessed Trinity Proceed we then to what it teacheth concerning the Church Q. Who are they that shall receive any benefit
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
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
shew the greatest Reverence not only to his Names but also his Titles Attributes Ordinances Houses Revenues Words and Works For unto them all hath the Apostles exhottation Heb. 12.28 relation Let us have grace whereby to serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear And the particular Duties respecting all these you have in the next Questions and their Answers Q. How doth your Catechism express this A. To give him thanks to put my whole trust in him to call upon him to honour his Holy Name and his Word Q. What then are the sins forbidden in this Commandment A. Unthankfullness Distrustfullness not praying to God or praying to any other but God all Abuses of or irreverent use of or medling with His Word Sacraments House Titles or Ministers and especially rash and vain Swearing Cursing and Blasphemy Q. What doth God threaten them that thus transgress his Commandment A. That he will not hold them Guiltless that is they shall be held guilty and by no means escape his Vengeance Catechist It cannot be expected that all duties and sins herein required and forbidden should be particularly named in so short an Abstract as a Catechism is and should be but these are the chief We must give God thanks for all his Works and Benefits Temporal and Spiritual 1 Thes 5.18 In every thing give thanks Psal 50.14 Offer unto God thanksgiving and pay thy vows to the most High We must call upon God by Solemn Religious prayer and Invocation as alone able and willing to hear and help us and upon no other Ps 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me And these two are closely joyned together by the Apostle in one precept Phil. 4.6 Be careful for nothing but in every thing let your requests be made known to God by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving We must put our whole trust in God Psal 62.8 Trust in the Lord at all times ye people pour out your hearts before Him for God is our hope And on the contrary ingratitude and unfaithfulness was the sin of the Israelites Deut. 32.15 18. Jesurun waxed fat and kicked then he forsook God that made him and lightly esteemed the rock of his Salvation Of the rock that begat thee thou art unmindful and hast forgotten him that formed thee Isaiah 1.2 3. I have nourished and brought up children but they have rebelled against me The Ox knoweth his owner and the Ass his Masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider Luk. 17.18 Of the ten Lepers that were cleansed but one returned to give thanks And as prayer is Our duty so it is branded as Atheistical and shews that a man saith in his heart there is no God that he calls not upon the Lord Psal 14.4 And we are not to call upon any other but Him Not Angels for so the Angel forbad S. John Rev. 22.9 See thou do it not I am thy fellow servant Not Saints for Isaiah 63.16 Abraham is ignorant of us and Israel acknowledges us not And as we are to put our whole trust in God so distrustfulness was the Israelites sin Psal 78.19 Can God prepare a table in the wilderness Behold He smote the rock indeed that the waters gushed out and the streams overflowed but can he give bread also Can He provide flesh And therefore Our Saviour cautions us against this Matth. 6.25 Take no thought no distrustful thought for your life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink or wherewithall ye shall be clothed ver 32. your heavenly father knoweth that ye have need of all these things And so are we forbidden trusting in any other things whether in wants or dangers Not in horses or chariots Psal 20.7 Not in Princes Psal 118.8 Not in any Son of man Psal 146.3 Not in bow or shield Psal 44.6 Not in our riches Prov. 11.28 Not in ourselves Prov. 18.26 We are also warned to take heed of all irreverent use of Gods word Luk. 8 18. Take heed how you hear Prov. 13.13 Whoso despiseth Gods word shall be destroyed And of his Sacraments â— Cor. 11.27 Whoso eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks damnation to Himself not discerning the Lords Body And his House the Church For 1 Cor. 11.22 What have ye not houses to eat and drink in or despise ye the Church of God And of his Titles and Revenues what is set apart for Holy Uses and for the maintenance of his Ministers For the Prophet Malachi saith chap. 3.8 that to defraud or alienate them is to rob God or to abuse his Ministers or not to hearken to and obey them Luk. 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me And then for taking Gods Name in vain by vain or false Swearing Cursing or Blaspheming the letter of the Commandment is express and innumerable Texts speak terribly to all that are guilty thereof To name but one or two I will bring the Curse saith the Lord of hosts by his Prophet Zechariah 5.4 and it shall enter into the house of him that sweareth falsly by my Name and shall remain in the midst thereof and consume it with the Timber thereof and with the stones thereof And one Text in Deut. 28.58 59. may serve instead of all other Texts If thou wilt not observe to fear this great and glorious Name The Lord thy God Then will the Lord make thy plagues great and wonderful and the plagues of thy seed even great plagues and of long continuance and sore sicknesses and of long Continuance In short our Saviour explains this Commandment to forbid not only perjury or false swearing but also swearing vainly and in our ordinary talk and Communication and swearing by any other but God For an Oath is a Divine Honour Mat. 5.33 34 37. Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time Thou shalt not forswear thy self But I say unto you swear not at all neither by heaven nor by the Earth c. But let your Communications be yea yea nay nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil and so much also of the third Commandment Q. What are the duties required by the fourth Commandment A. To serve him truly as in his Solemn days of Worship so all the days of my life Q. Which are those Solemn days of Worship wherein we are especially to serve God A. The Lords day and days set apart for Humiliation and Thanksgiving the Feasts and Fasts of the Church Q. Which is the Lords day A. The First day of the week observed by Christians because of Christs Resurrection upon it as the Seventh day was by the Jews in memory of the Creation Catechist We are assured both by Scripture and the Churches Histories that the First day of the week was after Christs Resurrection and in memory thereof observed by the Christians for all the Holy Offices as the Seventh day Sabbath was by them under
Sacriledge under the Gospel is manifest because else St. Paul would never have mentioned and reproved it Rom. 2.22 Thou that abhorrest idolatry dost thou commit Sacriledge As for rejecting their doctrine or Government it is apparently a breach of good order and God is the Father of order and not of confusion in all the Churches 1 Cor. 14.33 And it is against that precept Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the Rule over you And no doubt what our Saviour said to his Disciples extends to all lawful Pastors in a just proportion as being sent by Chirst and speaking in his name and acting by the rules of his Gospel Luk. 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Q. On the other hand what are the sins of Pastours or Ministers A. Neglecting to teach or guide their flocks or misleading them by corrupt doctrine or by the bad example of a wicked life Catechist There being none of that sacred function here present I need say little of it only this God make me and all my Brethren sensible how sad it will be for us if preaching to others we ourselves prove cast-aways 1 Cor. 9.27 which we shall certainly if we do the work of the Lord negligently Jer. 48.10 Not feeding Christs sheep and lambs as we ought John 21.15 c. For such Ministers are called dumb dogs idle or idol shepheards Vnprofitable Servants And for all wicked Ministers that of St. Paul is very sharp Rom. 2.1 Thou art inexcusable O man ver 21. Thou that teachest another teachest thou not thy self And Psal 50.16 Vnto the wicked God saith What hast thou to do to declare my statutes seeing thou hatest to be reformed Yea let such be never so commendable for their diligence in preaching and prophecying in the name of Christ Himself tells them what he will say to them at the last day Mat. 7.23 Depart from me ye workers of iniquity Q. What are the sins of Servants against their Masters A. Being stubborn or slothful or Unfaithful in their Masters business or trust Q. And what are the sins of Masters against their Servants A. Hard using their Servants withholding their wages or not providing what is needful both for their bodies and souls Catechist Not to multiply Texts The sins of Servants are very easie to discern in Col. 3.22 Servants obey in all things your Masters according to the flesh not with eye service as Men-pleasers but with singleness of heart as fearing God and whatsover ye do do it heartily as to the Lord not as to men Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ And for the sins of Masters as we know how great that is of withholding the hire of the Labourer Jam. 5.4 it is a crying sin so the other sins are evident in that of the same Apostle Col. 4.1 Masters give unto your Servants that which is just and equal knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven Q. What are the sins of wives against their husbands A. Disobeying or resisting their lawful Commands unquiet behaviour and unfaithfulness Q. What are the sins of husbands against their wives A. Unkindness Unfaithfulness not providing for their Sustenance and not bearing with their infirmities as weaker vessels Catechist To prove which I need no more but shew what the Apostle requires of either of them for that shews their respective transgressions Eph. 5.22 Wives submit yourselves to your husbands as it is fit in the Lord and mark his reason for the Husband is the Head of the wife as Christ is the Head of his Church Ver. 33. Let the wife therefore see that she reverence her husband For quiet and unquiet behavior what St. Peter speaks is excellent for this Sex to be often thinking of 1 Ep. 3.4 Commending to them a meek and quiet spirit as the best ornament far to be preferred before those of gold silver or pearl it being in the sight of God of great price As for Unfaithfulness that is of two sorts that in his bed which is Adultery and that in such concerns as are committed to them by their husbands Concerning which I shall need say no more but offer you that description the Wise-man gives of a good wife and then it will follow unfaithfulness must needs be an argument of a bad one Prov. 31.11 The Heart of her busband safely trusts in her so that he shall have no need to fear spoil or waste On the other hand there are like sins of husbands towards their wives unfaithfulness and any thing contrary to true love especially unkindness or bitterness of anger For Eph. 5.28 They ought to love their wives as their own bodies and as Christ loved the Church Col. 3.19 Husbands love your wives and be not bitter against them Not providing for their Comfortable Sustenance For that is a fault in many Husbands to drink and tipple while their Wives and Families mourn and starve and have hard fare or famine and to this extends the forequoted censure of the Apostle He that provides not for them of his own household is worse than an Infidel And lastly it is expressly injoyned them 1 Pet. 3.7 Likewise ye husbands dwell with your wives according to knowledge giving honour unto the Wife and so bearing with her infirmities as the weaker vessel and as heirs together of the grace of life that your prayers be not hindred Q. What are the sins of all other Inferiours against their Betters whether in Age Gifts or Estate A. All proud or irreverent behaviour towards them whether in word or deed Catechist In all degrees of men The Lord hateth a proud look as well as a lying tongue Prov. 6.17 The younger sort therefore are to be humble and sober minded Tit. 2.6 And it is Gods express Law that they rise up before the hoary head and bonour the old man with this reason I am the Lord Lev. 19.32 And as for the wiser and richer sort their Wealth and Wisdom being the Blessings of God useful to the good of mankind there is a reverence due to them whence Solomon in the forequoted place forbids as cursing the King in our thoughts so the rich in our bed-chamber for a bird of the air shall carry the voice and that which hath wings will tell the matter Q. What then are the sins of Betters to them below them A. Scornful despising them or not using their own respective abilities for others good as need requires Catechist For as for the Aged it is discretion that makes the gray hairs truly venerable And S. Paul enjoyns them to be sober and temperate as also the younger to follow the good councels and examples of the wise and experienced Tit. 2.2 And whosoever they be that extol others in wealth wisdom or dignity they must consider of them as Gods Gifts and Blessings and themselves as his Stewards bound to
imploy their Talents for his Honour and others good and always reckoning that they must at last give an account of their Stewardship Luk. 16.2 Q. What doth God promise to them that keep and threaten to them that transgress this Commandment A. To the One he promiseth long life and prosperity and threatens the other to shorten their days upon Earth Catechist It is S. Pauls observation Eph. 6.2 that this is the first Commandment with promise that is the first of those that shew our duties towards men having an express promise of long life annexed to it and in this promise is implied a threatning to all disobedient Children and so to all other transgressors of this Law of shortning their days and cutting them off as an ear of corn untimely before it be ripe And especially let the Wise mans Comminations against all Rebellious Subjects be in our remembrance always Prov. 24.21 My Son fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change For who knows the destruction of them both both the ringleaders and their followers And for all other sinners against this Commandment in special Memorable is that in Prov. 10.27 The fear of the Lord prolongeth days but the years of the wicked shall be shortned So have you a comperent account of the duties required and the sins forbidden in the fifth Commandment and let it be all our prayer always Lord have mercy upon us to pardon our past transgressions and henceforth and for ever encline our hearts to keep this Law Q. What duties doth the sixth Commandment Thou shalt not kill require A. All lawful endeavours to preserve mine own life and the lives of others Catechist Therefore must we Gal. 6.10 do good to all men that is towards preserving their lives or rendring them more Comfortable Upon which account we must Rom. 12.18 as much as in us lieth live peaceably with all men And our Saviour propounds the good Samaritan for our example Luk. 10.34 Who finding the Man wounded by thieves bound up his wounds and poured in oil and wine unto them and took care of his recovery to which purpose are the precepts of feeding the hungry and clothing the naked and visiting the sick and them in prison Matth. 25.35 All which are required by this Commandment for if any man starve for hunger He that knew it and could but would not feed him is guilty of his death Q. What sins doth this Commandment forbid according to your Catechism A. Hurting any body by word or deed Bearing any Malice or Hatred in my heart Catechist It is written Rom. 12.19 20. Dearly Beloved avenge not yourselves that is by hurting even him that hath hurt thee For Vengeance is mine I will recompence saith the Lord. And therefore our Saviours precept is Matth. 5.38.39 Ye have heard that it hath been said An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth But I say unto you that ye resist not evil but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek turn to him the other also And his Apostle Rom. 12.20 teacheth doing good instead of doing evil if thine enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him drink for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head that is melt him into friendship and kindness Ver. 21. Be not overcome with evil but overcome evil with good Nor is it only hurting and extreme violence or murdering that is forbidden whereof it is said Gen. 9.6 Whoso sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed but also any lesser hurt as wounding or maiming or doing any thing to the prejudice of his health and wellbeing nay even hatred and malice occasioning or exciting to these in the heart 1 Joh. 3.15 Whoso hates his brother is a Murderer and no Murderer hath Eternal life abiding in him Q. What think you of rash or immoderate Anger and desire of revenge A. They are degrees of and provoke to Murder and so are also sins against this Commandment Catechist It is enough to say that this is our Saviours Doctrine in his Sermon on the Mount Matth. 5.21 22. Ye have heard that it hath been said to them of old time Thou shalt not kill and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment But I say unto you whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment and whosoever shall say unto his brother Racha shall be in danger of the councel but whosoever shall say thou Fool shall be in danger of hell fire Anger causeless and Anger immoderate such as breaks out into intemperate railing speeches both are great fins against this Commandment according to our Saviours exposition of it who therefore goes on there to injoyn a reconciling of such differences as arise from anger to all Christians before they offer their Holy Services to God if they will be accepted of God Ver. 23.24 Therefore if you 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 reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift And so much for the Sixth Commandment Q. What duties doth the seventh Commandment require of you according to your Catechism Thou shalt not commit Adultery A. To keep my Body in Temperance Soberness and Chastity Q. Which of these is chiefly required here A. Chastity to wit in thought speech and behaviour and Temperance and Soberness in order to Chastity Catechist I pray you mark In your Catechism the Negative the Sins forbidden in most of the other Commandments is expressed and the Contrary duties are implied therein But the duties in the Affirmative is here expressed the duties injoyned in this Commandment and the Negative the sins forbidden are implied in them Now learn these Scripture Texts concerning them 1 Thes 4.3 4 5. This is the Will of God even your Sanctification that ye should abstain from Fornication that every one of you know how to possess his Vessel that is his body in Sanctification and Honour not in the lust of Concupiscence as the Gentiles that know not God For God hath called us not to Vncleanness but unto Holiness To the contrary therefore it is threatned 1 Cor. 3.17 If any man defile the Temple of God Him will God destroy Q What are the sins forbidden in this Commandment A. All gross Acts of Uncleanness Fornication or Adultery nay the lest signs or degrees thereof as filthy thoughts desires or Concupiscences wanton glances or any obscene talk Catechist Gal. 5.19 The works of the flesh are manifest Adultery Fornication Vncleanness Lasciviousness Fornication therefore and all Vncleanness Let it not saith the Apostle Eph. 5.3 be once named amongst you as becometh Saints And Col. 3.5 Mortifie your Members which are upon Earth Fornication Vncleanness inordinate affection or Concupiscence O! that you young people would learn these Texts and store
Lord and Saviour should direct us so strictly to pray to God and him only to no other whom we cannot call by this title Our Father which art in heaven Religious prayer and Invocation is a Divine Honour it is proper to God who saith Psal 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble and we cannot give Gods glory to another without the guilt of Idolatry To pray unto Saints or Angels implies an adoring them as Omnipotent able to help us Omnipresent and Omniscient capable of hearing us wherever and whensoever we call upon them And can we he sure of either of these or are they possible where have we any precept or direction in all the Scriptures to make our Addresses and Supplications unto them or any example of any Saints that have done it before us or any promise of their hearing our prayers or helping our necessities or of our obtaining what we ask of them or by their Mediation And having none of these how can we pray to them in duty or in Faith But this we can do to God and to him only Our Father which is in Heaven For being Our Father he is gracious and of great kindness having Fatherly bowels ready and willing to hear and help us and being Our Father in Heaven He is Almighty the Great giver of all goodness and therefore able to hear and help us And therefore to him alone let us make our prayers and supplications saying with Holy David Psal 25.1 Vnto thee O Lord do I lift up my Soul Psal 121.1 2. I will lift up mine eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help My help cometh from the Lord who made Heaven and Earth Q. What is the meaning then of this Preface Our Father which art in Heaven A. It teaches me to call upon God as my Lord God Our Heavenly Father who is the Giver of all Goodness and so assures me that he both will and can hear and help me Catechist Your Catechism here gives you a very short but pithy explanation of this Title of the Great God as the Hearer of prayers Psal 65.2 Our Father which art in Heaven Therein every one calls upon God in such words as S. Thomas expresseth his faith in Joh. 20.28 My Lord and my God Thou in whom I have a special interest as my God Yet mark it not so mine but that he is also others Our heavenly Father For I am in Charity to look upon others as my Brethren having a filial relation also to God as well as my self Now as I said in that He is our Father This assures us that he is ready and willing to hear and help us as any Father will do for his children for so Christ argues Matth. 7.9 10. If a child ask bread of his father will he give him a stone or if he ask a fish will he give him a Scorpien Will he not give him all good things and things needful and profitable for him Hon much more will God as a Father give us all good things that we ask him For Psal 103.13 As a Father pitieth his children so doth the Lord them that fear him And then that he is Our Heavenly Father this assures us of his power and ability that he can help us For Psal 99.1 The Lord is great in Sion and he is high above all people Psal 97.1 The Lord reigneth let his Children rejoyce For nothing then can harm them without his leave and providence Psal 2.1 Even when the Heathen rage and the Kings of the Earth bandy together against the Lord and against his Anointed he that setteth in Heaven shall laugh them to scorn The Lord shall have them in Derision He that dwells in Heaven Pray how dwells the Lord there Surely not so there but that he is in all places Omnipresent Jer. 23.23 Am I God at hand and not afar of saith the Lord Do not I fill heaven and Earth saith the Lord But he is in Heaven because there is the Habitation of His throne of Majesty Psal 97.2 And there and from thence he more especially manifesteth his exceeding great power and glory So is he Our Father in heaven in that sence and as our Catechism adds by way of explanation He is therefore the Giver of all Goodness of all good things Jam. 1.17 Every good and every perfect gift comes from above even from the Father of lights with whom is no variableness neither shaddow of turning So much of the Preface now to the petitions Q. How many petitions are there in the Lords prayer A. Six Three with relation to Gods glory and three to our own benefit Q. Why are we taught to pray first for what respects Gods Glory before we pray for things relating to our own benefit A. To teach us that we ought to make Gods Glory the great end of our prayers as well as of all our Actions and in all cases to prefer it before all things whatsoever Catechist Gods glory is the great end of our Creation and of whatever God doth that the whole Earth may be full of his Glory Isaiah 6.3 Solomon saith Prov. 16.4 The Lord made all things for himself yea even the wicked for the day of evil that is to glorifie his justice in them Now what is Gods end in all his doings should be Our great end and aim in all our prayers and all our actions 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God For the first Petition then Hallowed be thy name You may observe in the first place that your Catechism explains Hallowing Gods Name to be as much as worshipping him which we often also express by glorifying or honouring him and taking due notice thereof I ask you first Q. Are we able to Worship Honour or Glorifie God as we ought to do A. No. Q. How ought we to Worship or Honour or Glorify God A. Above all Beings in heart word and deed Catechist Do but remember the Apostle's expression to this purpose 1 Cor. 6.20 We must glorifie God with our Bodies and with our spirits which are his Now alas this we sinful corrupt degenerate mankind are in no wise able to do until he regenerate and renew us in the words of his Covenant his Covenant of Grace Ezek. 11.19 Put a new heart and a new spirit within us take from us the stony heart and give us an heart of flesh In a word till he put his Spirit his Spirit of Grace within us to cause us to walk in his Statutes and in his Judgments Q. What desirest thou therefore in this petition Hallowed be thy Name A. I desire God to send his Grace to me and to all people that we may worship him as we ought to do Q. Dost thou desire this or any other Blessing of God for thy self only A. No I desire it for all people and whatever Blessing I desire for my self in any petition in Christian Charity I pray the same
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
the Lord. Catechist I shall reduce this Question and Answer to these that follow for your better understanding their importance Q. What are the ordinary means of Grace and Salvation A. The Word Prayer and Sacraments Catechist Hence we call them Ordinances Now for the word of God read or preacht or the Reading and Preaching thereof by lawful Mininisters set apart and ordained to this Holy Function by those that have Authority in the Church to send forth labourers into the Vineyard for these I say being Gods Ordinances or ordinary means of mens Salvation it is plainly proved by divers Texts particularly that of the Apostle Rom. 1.16 I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to Salvation to every one that believeth whether Jew or Gentile Therefore he told the Jews Act. 13.26 That to them the word of this Salvation is sent And by the Gospels being published to the Gentiles he saith Rom. 11.11 That Salvation was come to the Gentiles And hence his charge to his Son Timothy 1 Ep. 4.16 Take heed to thy self and to thy doctrine continue in them for in so doing thou shalt save thy self and them that hear thee And it is an excellent place in S. James 1.21 Lay apart all filthiness and superfluity os naughtiness and receive with meekness the ingrafted word which is able to save your Souls And for both the Word and Prayer being such ordinances for mens Salvation there seems to be no less than a Demonstration in Rom. 10.13 14. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved But how shall they call on him in whom they have not believed or how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without a Preacher And to shew that we can have no grounds to hope for Salvation by hearing any but lawfully ordained Ministers it follows How shall they preach unless they be sent Lastly for the Sacraments being ordinary means of mens Salvation what can be more express than our Saviours words for Baptism John 3.5 Verily verily I say unto you except a man be born again of water and of the spirit be cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved For the Apostle saith Gal. 3.27 As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ And he calls it therefore Tit. 3.5 The Laver or washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost And St. Peter saith expresly 1 Ep. 3.21 The like Figure whereunto speaking of Noahs Ark wherein he with Eight Souls was saved in the Deluge even Baptism doth now save us and for the Lords Supper being an Ordinance for mens Salvation as it is evident by the Rule of Contraries for if He that eats and drinks unworthily not discerning the Lords Body eats and drinks his own damnation 1 Cor. 11.29 then he that eats and drinks worthily discerning the Lords body eats and drinks his Salvation so Our Saviour spake punctually hereof Joh. 6.53 54. Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of God and drink his Blood ye have no Life in you Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my Blood hath eternal Life and I will raise him up at the last day I have been the larger in proving all these to be Gods ordinances to save mens Souls that you may see good Children what cause you have to abhor the Quakers Sect as damnable Hereticks who utterly reject nay even make a mock at them especially both the Sacraments Know therefore in doing so they reject and despise the manifest Ordinances of God and certain it is that as for us Ministers in the Dispensation of the Word and Prayer and Sacraments consists that whole Ministration which we have received of the Lord for the Salvation of men so for you the people I speak in the Apostles words Heb. 2.3 How shall ye escape if ye neglect so great Salvation which at first began to be spoken by the Lord himself and was confirmed to the world by them that heard him and by them whom they Commissioned for it such as Timothy and Titus it was Committed to other faithful men from age to age successively able to teach others also 2 Tim. 2.2 Let us then go on Q. Who ordained the Sacraments A. Jesus Christ Catechist It is not in the Churches power to ordain new Sacraments it belongs only to God and his Son Christ Jesus For the Covenant is Gods and therefore it is his Prerogative to ordain Sacraments to be Seals of the Covenant And who but he can either give the Grace signified by the outward Signs or Elements or can punish the unworthy Receivers of them or such as be unfaithful to their part of the Covenant made and renewed in them Q. How many Sacraments then did Christ ordain A. Two only as generally necessary to Salvation Q. Why do you hold two Sacraments and no more A. Those other five which the Papists account Sacraments viz. Orders Confirmation Extreme Unction Penance and Matrimony answer not the Definition of a Sacrament for they neither were all ordained by Christ nor have they any visible sign representing some Spiritual Grace nor any promise to make them Seals of Grace and pardon unto us Catechist It is apparent Christ ordained two Sacraments Matth. 28.19 Go teach and baptize all nations in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and that his mind was that this should continue always in his Church is manifest from his promise and Loe I will be with you and your Successors so teaching and baptizing alway to the end of the world And for the Lords Supper Christs Institution thereof is to be seen in the Holy Gospel and it is as fully recited by St. Paul 1 Cor. 11. as by any of them ver 23. What I have received of the Lord that have I delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus the same night that he was betrayed took bread and brake it and gave it to them all saying ver 25. This do in remembrance of me in like manner he took the Cup c. and that it was his mind that this also should be a standing perpetual Memorial of himself in his Church appears ver 26. As often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do shew forth the Lords death till he come that is to Judgement even till the end of the world These are plain Texts against the Anabaptists Catabaptists and Quakers who clearly abolish both these Sacraments But no apperance of any such Texts is there for the other five added to these two in the Romish Church I need but give you an abstract of what the Article of our Church saith that for Penance as the Papists use it and Extreme Unction they are no better than cortupt imitations of the Apostles without any shew of warrant for so-doing And others of them as Orders and Matrimony are states
of Life indeed allowed in Scripture but have not the nature of Sacraments to be ordinary means of Salvation And these altogether with Confirmation have no visible signs or Ceremonies ordained of God as Baptism and the Lords Supper have Let the Adversaries shew any of these if they can by the Scriptures but they can do no such thing which therefore can by no means be counted in the number of the Sacraments strictly so called ordinary means necessary for all to receive for their Salvation but the most that can be said is that some of them may be esteemed Holy Rites and Ceremonies in their due place For the two Sacraments then I ask you Q. How are these two generally necessary to Salvation A. They are necessary to be used if they can be had and whosoever slight or willfully neglect them they highly offend God and endanger their own Salvation Catechist These two thus instituted by Christ must necessarily be used by all Christians all that will own their Christianity and obey Christ and his Gospel For Christs Commandment to his Apostles was positive that as they should teach or disciple as the word signifies so baptize all Nations they came to and who can choose but see him urging a necessity of Baptism upon all that would become members of his Church which he expresseth by entring into his Kingdom in that forequoted Text Joh. 3.5 Except a man be born again of water and of the Spirit He can in no wise enter into the Kingdom of God except mark the word And for the Lords Supper it is to any Apprehension as strict a Commandment as any in the Scriptures That his Ministers take the bread and cup and give them and that the people eat and drink thereof in remembrance of him and that for this end the shewing forth the Lords death and that for so long a continuance till he come Do this is the word and therefore there is nothing more to be inquired but whether it be done or not done to shew our Obedience or Disobedience to his plain Commandment in short wilfully to neglect either of those Sacraments whereof too many God knows are notoriously-guilty among us is to contemn Christs own Ordinance and Appointment and what man can hope to be saved but in the way appointed by Christ Jesus himself the Saviour of men Now let me instruct you more distinctly first in the nature of a Sacrament in general and then of the two Sacraments apart Q. What meanest thou by the word Sacrament A. I mean an outward visible sign of an inward spiritual Grace given unto us ordained by Christ himself as a means whereby we receive the same and a pledge to assure us thereof Q. How many parts are there in a Sacrament A. Two an Outward visible sign and an inward spiritual Grace Catechist That you may understand these more clearly I ask you Q. What is that you call the outward sign in a Sacrament A. That which we see with our Bodily eyes Q. What is that you call the inward Spiritual Grace A. That which the eye of Faith discerns in the visible signs Catechist You see water in Baptism and Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper with your eyes They are set before you and you see them and so they are Signs both outward and visible in the Holy Sacraments But what is signified and conferred by these outward visible things to your Souls this is no object of nor can be discerned by your bodily eyes for it is the Soul alone that can discern them there by the eye of Faith upon the account of Christs promise to his own Ordinance and Institution the Grace signified and conveyed therefore is wholly inward and spiritual Tell me then Q. For what uses are these Outward Signs or parts in the Sacraments Ordained and Instituted A. To be Signs signifying and means conveying and pledges assuring the Graces signified to Beleivers Catechist They are Signs signifying or representing the spiritual Grace for Example Water in Baptism signifies and represents The Holy Spirits cleansing the Soul polluted by Original sin in and through the blood of Christ And in the Lords Supper The Bread broken signifies and represents Christs Body bruised and torn and crucified and the Wine poured out signifies and represents his blood shed upon the Cross for Remission of sins And thus as the Apostle saith Gal. 3.2 Christ Crucified is set before our eyes in visible Types and Signs and Representations and they are also means or Instruments or as it were Conduit pipes ordained by Christ to convey the Graces and Benefits signified to the worthy Receivers Yea and pledges to assure us thereof Seals of the Covenant of Grace as our Seals are of Bonds or Evidences or as Circumcision was to Abraham Rom. 4.11 He received the Sign of circumcison a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith As sure as we receive the One so sure shall we receive and be made partakers of the other if the fault be not in ourselves All those will be much more clear in Questions and Answers upon each Sacrament First then of Baptism And first let me hear you answer out of the Church Catechism Q. What is the outward part or sign in Baptism A. Water wherein the person is baptized in the Name of the Father and Son and Holy Ghost Q. What is the inward and spiritual Grace A. A death unto sin and a new birth unto Righteousness for being by nature children of wrath we are hereby made the children of Grace Q. What is required of persons to be baptized A. Repentance whereby they forsake sin and Faith whereby they stedfastly believe the promises made to them in that Sacrament Q. Why then are Infants baptized when by reason of their tender age they cannot perform them A. Because they promise them both by their sureties which promise when they come to age themselves are bound to perform Catechist Let us look over these again carefully and break them into other plain and short Inquiries Q. What thing did Christ ordain to be the outward Sign to be used in Baptism A. Water only Catechist Observe Water and Water only Our Wild Quakers speak most scornfully and Contemptibly of Water-Baptism But it is plain Our Saviour himself was Baptized in the River Jordan And all besides him we read of in the Scriptures that were either baptized by John the Baptist or by Christ's Apostles were baptized with water and Christs promise Matth. 28.19 20. Was to be with his Ministers so baptizing to the worlds end The Text is well known once and again before quoted Joh. 3.5 Verily Verily I say unto thee Except a man be born again of water and of the Spirit mark of water as well as of the Spirit He cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And as this is necessary to teach you the necessity of water to arm you Children against the Quakers error So do I express the answer thus water only to exclude the
Papists nasty use of Spittle and all other their Apish Rites and Ceremonies in Administration of this Sacrament for which they have no shew of warrant in Gods word if they have it let them shew it Q What then is the right form or manner of Baptizing A. Dipping or sprinkling In the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Catechist There is no question but diving or dipping was mostly used in the first times of Christianity And it is to be confessed that the persons baptized going down into the water did excellently well signifie his Death unto sin and his coming or rising out of the water his rising from his death in sin unto newness of life To which Actions St. Paul alludes Rom. 6.3 4. Know ye not that so many as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his Death Therefore we are buried with him by Baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of his Father even so we also should walk in newness of life Col. 2.12 We are buried with him in Baptism wherein also we are risen again with him c. But yet in these cold climates sprinkling instead of dipping hath taken place from the beginning of Christianity and hath always been thought sufficient and not without all warrant in Scripture but having the expression sprinkling of the blood of Christ in S. Peter 1 Ep. 1.2 and the blood of sprinkling in Heb. 12.24 with the like to Countenance it however Gods own declaration Matth. 9.13 That he will have mercy and not Sacrifice But as for the form of words in Baptizing they are strictly prescribed in the Institution Matth. 28.19 In the Name of the Father and Son and Holy Ghost And they signifie that what the Minister doth here it is in the Name that is by Commission and Authority from the whole Trinity and that God will certainly ratifie what his Minister doth in his Name and on the other hand the party baptized obliges himself to the Belief and Acknowledgment of the Doctrine of the Trinity and to serve and obey him Now this thus explained briefly I ask you in the next place Q. What doth Baptism suppose or imply A. That we are guilty of Original sin and liable to Gods wrath as soon as we are born Catechist Which is what David confesseth of himself Ps 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin hath my Mother conceived me Or what the Apostle saith of himself and other Saints Eph. 2.3 We are all children of wrath as well as others Q. What benefit then have we by being baptized A. The pardoning that Original sin the subduing that natural coruption and restoring us to Gods favour so that thereby we are made children of Grace Catechist Hence S. Paul calls Baptism Tit. 3.5 The Laver or washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost And our Saviour in the forequoted Text John 3.5 ascribes to it the new Birth or being born again which without more adoe are sufficient proofs of this Answer Q. What is required of persons at age to fit them for Baptism A. Professing and promising Repentance to forsake sin Faith in Gods promises and Obedience to Gods Commandments Catechist You all know what S. John Baptists Sermon was to them that came to be baptized of him Math. 3.3 Repent ye for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand And it is said upon these terms chap. 4.4 he baptized them confessing their sins Accordingly the Jews and particularly them who had been guilty of Crucifying Christ being prickt in their hearts by St. Peters piercing Sermon Act. 3.18 when they came to that kindly pass as to say what shall we do to be saved He exhorts them to repent and be baptized every one of them in the name of Jesus Christ for the Remission of sins And from hence Baptism is called Luk. 3.3 The Baptism of Repentance and therefore no adult persons can be admitted to it but such as profess and promise Repentance Faith and Obedience for these two latter are included in that Repentance which is required in order to Baptism and they joyntly make up as I shewed in the Beginning of this exercise of Catechizing Our part of that Covenant which is sealed in this Sacramen betwixt God and us Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved But now I pray Q. What is required of young Infants to fit them for Baptism A. That they be presented to Baptism by such as profess and promise these things for them and in their names Catechist Supposing them to come of Christian parents to whom the promise is made and to their seed Rom. 9.8 And otherwise how could the Apostles baptize Believers and their Households wherein it cannot be conceived but there were little children Act. 16.15 And as Baptism succeeds Circumcision and admits men into the Christian Church as that did into the Church of the Jews so no more was requisite to make the Jews Children capable of Circumcision and therefore no more than this is now necessary to make Christians Children capable of Baptism they being both alike Seals of the Covenant Q. Will others Professing and Promising these things then in their names avail the Infants when they come at age A. Yes if they then willingly take it upon themselves and afterwards faithfully perform it not else Catechist We see daily that Parents and Tutors contracts and bargains do avail their Minors and Pupils in Earthly matters and why should it not alike in these Spiritual to bind to their Necessary duties to God and how God will accept of such Engagements made in Childrens names may be evident by these passages Deut. 29.11 12. Moses engaged the little ones as well as their Fathers to keep the words of the Covenant and called them altogether to enter into Covenant with the Lord and into his Oath Jonah 3.5 The Ninevites believed God and the word of his Prophet and fasted and put on sackcloth from the greatest of them even to the least of them The good effect whereof was chap. 4.11 God spared that great city in which was Sixscore thousand persons that could not discern betwixt their right hand and their left Only then Parents and Sureties must see that such Children be well instructed when they come to years what Covenant was thus made in their names and that it will nothing avail them to Salvation but rather aggravate their Condemnation if they disclaim it or do not perform it no more than any Earthly bargain can benefit them which they refuse to stand to Q. What then doth your being Baptized oblige you to do A. Not to live in any known sin but to die unto sin and to lead lives of Righteousness Catechist To remember and consider our Baptism should have influence upon our whole lives We should always bear in mind what was engaged for us in our names and therewith arm ourselves against all temptations to sin that we Covenanted
against it in our Baptism and made a fast and Solemn Vow to cease to do evil and learn to do good and to live in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of our lives Q. What think ye then of such men as having been Christned or Baptized live in Impenitency or Vnbelief A. They forfeit all the benefits of their Baptism and Gods Covenant of Grace and Forgiveness nay it shall aggravate their Condemnation Catechist This is One great Aggravation of the sins of all impenitent sinners even Perjury or a breach of their Baptismal Vow and Covenant Hear what Solomon saith Eccl. 5.4 When thou vowest a vow defer not to pay it for God hath no pleasure in fools pay that which thou hast vowed Better it is thou shouldest not vow than that thou shouldst vow and not pay This holds good in any sort of Religious lawful vow much more in this It had been much better for us that we had never been Baptized than if having been so we break our Baptismal Vow and Covenant by a wicked and sinful course of life With which sad Reflection I conclude what I shall teach you of the first Sacrament That of Baptism I ask you then in the next place Q. What is the other Seal of the Covenant of Grace besides Baptism A. The Lords Supper wherein we renew our Covenant with God which we made in Baptism and are nourished in as we are by Baptism admitted into the Church Catechist Christ himself calls this Sacrament Matth. 26.28 The blood of the new Testament And S. Paul Heb. 10.29 calls it The blood of the Covenant For he there speaks of their great guilt who count the blood of the Covenant an Vnholy thing In short as it was the Blood of Christ shed upon the Cross that ratified the Covenant of Redemption and forgiveness to mankind so in this Sacrament representing and exhibiting that blood of Christ for remission of sins to all worthy Receivers we have God sealing His part of his Covenant and assuring us thereof and we for our parts do renew Our Vow to God Consecrating and devoting ourselves again here to his Service and Obedience Let us hear then what your Catechism teacheth you of this Blessed Sacrament Q. For what end was the Sacrament of the Lords Supper ordained A. For the continual remembrance of the Sacrifice of the death of Christ and the benesits which we receive thereby Catechist We are not to drop one word in this answer and to the end therefore you may take due notice of every one I pray you answer me these Inquiries Q. What is the great and chief end of the Lords Supper A. To keep Christs death in continual memory and the benefits thereby purchased for us Catechist It is a plain Text for this 1 Cor. 11.25 26. At the Institution of this Sacrament Our Saviour bad his Disciples Do this that is all that I have done in your sight in remembrance of me For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do shew forth the Lords death till he come The Bread broken and the Wine poured out do apparently and evidently shew forth in sensible signs the death of Christ how his body was broken rent and torn by the thorns and scourges and nails and spear and how his blood was shed in streams from his wounded head and hands and feet and side on the Cross Gal. 3.1 They evidently set forth Christ crucified before our eyes amongst us Q. For what end did Christ die A. To be a Sacrifice of propitiation for our sins to his Father Catechist Mark well those words the Sacrifice of the death of Christ 2 Cor. 3.21 He was made sin for us who knew no sin that is He was made a Sacrifice for them Isaiah 53.10 He made his Soul that is his life an offering for sin Eph. 5.2 He gave himself a Sacrifice unto God for a sweet smelling Savour c. 1 Joh. 2.1 If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the propitiation or a propitiatory Sacrifice for our sins and not for our sins only but also for the sins of the whole world By all which Texts it is manifest such is the nature of Christs death It was in a full sence a Sacrifice a Sacrifice of propitiation or Atonement For Col. 1.20 He made peace through the blood of the Cross So that Rom. 5.1 Being justified by Faith we have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Q. Is Christ then offered up as a Sacrifice in the Lords Supper A. No But therein is a lively Representation or Commemoration of that Sacrifice which Christ once for all offered for all upon the Cross Catechist I would desire you to mind this well to arm you against the Papists abominable Mass for therein they will have Christ to be daily offered up as a Sacrifice for the quick and the dead And of this they boast that it is done daily in their Church as if Christs offering up himself once for all upon the Cross was not sufficient to satisfie Gods justice for our sins But in opposition to this great Abomination of the Romish Church agreeable to the language of Holy Scripture and of the primitive Fathers we hold the Lords Supper to be only a Commemoration of that one Sacrifice once offered upon the Cross and for proof hereof we appeal to the Apostle Heb. 9.25 26. He was not our Apostle saith to offer himself often as the High priest entred into the most Holy place every year with the blood of others For then must he have often suffered since the Foundation of the world But now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself And again ver 28. He saith Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many and again chap. 10.14 By one offering hath he for ever perfected them that are Sanctified Q. How often is the Lords Supper to be Administred and received A. So often that we may have Christs death in continual remembrance Catechist The Apostle saith 1 Cor. 11.28 As often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup c. plainly intimating that the Christians of Corinth did it often And doubtless so often ought all Christians to do it that Christs death may be had in continual remembrance Mark the words in your Answer for the continual remembrance of the Sacrifice of the death of Christ It is hard to conceive that they can have Christs death in continual remembrance who seldom Communicate perhaps never all the year long but at Easter And quite contrary did the first Christians whose pattern we ought to follow as near as we can they certainly communicated every day or at least every first day of the week every Lords day It was one part of their constant publick and Solemn Service Act 2.41 They continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and in
many eye witnesses assure us He rese again according to the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15.4 Q. When did he rise again A. The third day according to the Prophecy Catechist Himself had expressly foretold his enemies the Jews that after three days he would rise again Mark 14.12 and they were sensible of it that their malice would be apparent if he should do so and his cause would be glorious before all the world The latter errour they said would be worse than the first Matth. 27.64 Therefore they set a watch and did all they could to procure it But maugre the policy of Earth and Hell of men and Devils Christ rose again indeed and that at the precise time which he foretold The third day No sooner to shew that he was really dead No later lest his Body should corrupt should see corruption Q. Who raised him up A. Himself and this his rising by his own power proved him to be God and that he had fully satisfied for our sins Catechist He told them beforehand that he both could and would do it John 10.18 I have power to lay down my life and I have power to take it again John 2.19 Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up Speaking of the temple of his body Now hereby he manifestly proved himself to be the Son of God and God Rom. 1.4 He was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of Holiness by the Resurrection from the dead And it was an infallible token of Gods justice being fully satisfied for our sins Rom. 4.25 He was delivered for our offences and raised again for our Justification Q. How long stayed he on Earth after his Resurrection A. Forty days Q. What to do A. To teach his disciples the things of his Kingdome that is to Commission and instruct them how to gather and fettle his Church throughout the World Catechist Act. 1.3 He shewed himself to his Apostles alive after his passion by many infallible proofs being seen of them Fourty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God which is his Church And for the gathering thereof we find Matth. 28.19 20. He gave them this Commission Go Teach all Nations or disciple all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost And for the instructing and governing the Church so gathered He then gave them this General direction teaching them to do whatsoever I have commanded you And loe I am with you always to the end of the world is the gracious promise wherewith he then encouraged them in this work And during this time it was that he called upon Peter in special but doubtless therein requiring it of all the other Apostles Peter lovest thou me seed my sheep Lovest thou me feed my lambs John 21.15 16 17. Q. Whither went he after these Fourty days A. He ascended into Heaven Q. What to do there A. To prepare a place for us and continually to make intercession for us Catechist Heb. 9.11 12. Our High Priest entred into the most Holy place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us Act. 1.19 While they were speaking with him Luk. 24.50 While he blessed them the Disciples beheld and loe he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight Now of this speaks St. Ambrose's Song called Te Deum He opened the Kingdom of heaven to all believers For see what he himself said John 14.2 In my fathers house are many Mansions I go to prepare a place for you and if I go to prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you to my self that where I am ye may be also Wherefore as the Apostle Heb. 7.25 inferreth hence He is able to save to the uttermost them that come to God by Him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for us Q. What place hath Christ now in Heaven A. He in our nature sits at the right hand of God Catechist So himself foretold his enemies Luk. 22.69 Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power And hereof many Texts assure us 1 Cor. 3.1 2. If ye be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the Right hand of God Q Hath God any hands either right hand or left A. No God is a Spirit and hath neither bodily parts nor passions Catechist So doth Christ himself define God Joh. 4.24 God is a Spirit And Luk. 24.19 He thus describes a Spirit that it hath no bodily parts Handle me and see for a Spirit hath neither flesh nor bones as ye see me have Q. What mean you then by Christs sitting at Gods right hand A. I mean his fulness of Glory and Majesty as God-man with infinite power to destroy his and his Churches enemies Catechist So he told his Disciples Matth. 28.18 All power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth Such power that Psal 110.1 His enemies are his footstool Eph. 1.20 He is far above all principalities and powers and might and Dominion and every name that is named both in this world and the world to come For Act. 2.34 35. Him whom they crucified hath God thus made both Lord and Christ Q. Will Christ ever come again from Heaven A. Yes with Holy Angels in great glory at the last day Q. What to do A. To judge all men both them that are alive at his coming and all them that died from the beginning of the World Catechist Hereof Enoch the Seventh from Adam Prophecied Jude 14. Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgment And so the Angels told his Disciples at his Ascension into Heaven Act. 1.11 Ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into Heaven This same Jesus whom ye have seen go up into Heaven shall so come as ye have seen him go into Heaven 1 Thes 4.16 The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and with the trump of God And then 2 Cor. 5.10 we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ For Act. 17.31 God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance to all men in that he raised him up from the dead And see the reason why he hath ordained him to this great office in the next Answer Q. Why will God commit this judgment unto Christ A. To glorifie his Son who was so much vilified upon Earth and it is the Comfort of true Believers that their Saviour shall be their Judge Q. What manner of judgment shall it be A. A most strict Account must be given of all mens thoughts words and actions how they have agreed with or been contrary to his word and none can escape nor hide their sins from his Knowledge Catechist Read often I pray you what description the Apostle