Q What do the Scriptures principally teach A. The holy Scriptures principally teach what Man is bound to believe concerning God and what Duty God requires of (e) 2 Tim. 1.13 Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 3.16 see before Man. 4. Q. What is God A. God is a (f) Joh. 4.24 God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth Spirit (g) Job 11.7 Canst thou by searching find out God Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection V. 8. It is as high as heaven what canst thou do Deeper than hell what canst thou know V. 9. The measure thereof is longer than the earth and broader than the sea Infinite (h) Psal 90.2 Before the mountains were brought forth or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God. Eternal and (i) James 1.17 Every good and perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights with whom there is no variableness neither shadow of turning Unchangeable in his (k) Exod. 3.14 And God said unto Moses I am that I am and he said Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel I AM hath sent me unto you Being (l) Psal 147.5 Great is our Lord and of great power his understanding is infinite Wisdom (m) Rev. 4.8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him and they were full of eyes within and they rest not day and night saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come Isa 6.3 And one cried unto another and said Holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts the whole earth is full of his glory Power (n) Rev. 15.5 Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name for thou only art holy for all nations shall come and worship before thee for thy judgments are made manifest Holiness (o) Deut. 32.4 He is the rock his work is perfect for all his ways are judgment a God of truth and without iniquity just and right is he Justice (p) Exod. 34.6 And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth V. 7. Keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin and that will by no means clear the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and upon the childrens children unto the third and fourth generation Goodness and Truth 5. Q. Are there more Gods than one A. This God is one and there is and there can be but one only the living and true * Deut. 6.4 Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. Jer. 10.10 But the Lord is the true God he is the living God and an everlasting King at his breath the earth shall tremble and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation 1 Cor. 8.4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols we know that an idol is nothing in the world and that there is none other God but one V. 6. But to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him God. 6. Q. How many Persons are there in the Godhead A. There are three Persons in the Godhead or Divine Being and Nature the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and these three are one God the same in substance equal in (q) 1 Joh. 5.7 For there are three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one Matth. 28.19 Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost 2 Cor. 13.14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen Joh. 10.30 I and my Father are one Phil. 2.6 Who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God. Compare Isa 6.3,5,8 with Joh. 12.41 and Acts 28.25 Acts 5.3,4 But Peter said Ananias why hath Satan filled thine heart to lye to the Holy Ghost and to keep back part of the price of the land Whiles it remained was it not thine own and after it was sold was it not in thine own power why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart thou hast not lyed unto men but unto God. Power and Glory and all divine Perfections 7. This one God the Father the Son and Holy Ghost is the first efficient Cause or Creator the preserving and disposing and the final Cause of all things Rom. 11.36 For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen 8. What soever God hath done and brought forth he did according to his Eternal Purpose and Decrees Ephes 1.11 Who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will. 9. Q. What are the Decrees of God A. The Decrees of God are his Eternal Purpose according to the Counsel of his Will whereby for his own Glory he hath fore-ordained whatever comes to (r) Ephes 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love V. 11. In whom also we obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Rom. 9 22. What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction V. 23. And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory pass 10. Q. How doth God execute his Decrees A. God executeth his Decrees in the works of Creation and (Å¿) Ephes 1.11 Who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will. Providence 11. Q. What is the Work of Creation A. The Work of Creation is God's making all things of nothing by the Word of his Power in the space of six days and all very (t) Gen. chap. 1. throughout Heb. 11.13 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things that do appear good 12. Q. How did God create Man A. After all the rest of his Works God created Man Male and Female after his own Image in Knowledge Righteousness and Holiness with Dominion over the (u) Gen. 1.26 And God said Let us make Man in our own image after our likeness and let them have dominion over the rish of the sea and over the fowl of the
ark of God into the city if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me again and shew me both it and his habitation Job 1.21 And said Naked came I out of my mother's womb and naked shall I return thither the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. things as the Angels do in (k) Psal 103.20 Bless the Lord ye his Angels that excel in strength and do his commandments hearkening unto the voice of his word V. 21. Bless the Lord all ye his hosts ye ministers of his that do his pleasure Heaven Q. What do we pray for in the fourth Petition 4. A. In the fourth Petition which is Mat. 6.11 Give us this day our daily bread we pray that of God's free Gift we may receive a competent Portion of the good things of this Life and enjoy his (l) Prov. 30.8 Remove far from me vanity and lyes give me neither poverty nor riches feed me with food convenient for me V. 9. Lest I be full and deny thee and say Who is the Lord And lest I be poor and steal and take the name of my God in vain Gen. 28.20 And Jacob vowed a vow saying If God will be with me and keep me in this way that I go and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on 1 Tim. 1.4 For every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving V. 5. For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer Blessings with them Q. What do we pray for in the fifth Petition 5. A. In the fifth Petition which is Mat. 6.12 And forgive us our Debts as we forgive our Debtors we pray that God for Christ's sake should freely pardon all our (m) Psal 51.1 Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving-kindness according unto the multitude of thy mercies blot out my transgressions V. 2. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin V. 7. Purge me with hysop and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than snow V. 9. Hide thy face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities Dan. 9.17 Now therefore our God hear thou the prayer of thy servant and his supplication V. 19. O Lord hear O Lord forgive for thine own sake Sins which we are the rather encouraged to ask because by his Grace we are enabled from the Heart to forgive (n) Luk. 11.4 And forgive us our sins for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us Matth. 18.35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also to you if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses others Q. What do we pray for in the sixth Petition 6. A. In the sixth Petition which is And lead us not into Temptation but deliver us from Evil Mat. 6.13 we pray that God would either keep us from being tempted to (o) Matth. 26.41 Watch and pray that ye enter not into Temptation the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak Sin or support and deliver us when we are (p) 2 Cor. 12.8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me tempted 3. Q. What doth the Conclusion of the Lord's Prayer teach us A. The Conclusion of the Lord's Prayer which is Mat. 6.13 For thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever Amen teacheth us to take our Encouragement in Prayer from (q) Dan. 9.4 And I prayed unto the Lord my God and made my confession and said O Lord the great and dreadful God keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him and keep his commandments V. 7. O Lord righteousness belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of faces as at this day to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and unto all Israel that are near and that are far off through all the countries whither thou hast driven them because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee V. 8. O Lord to us belongeth confusion of face to our kings to our princes to our fathers because we have trespassed against thee V. 9. To the Lord our God belongs mercies and forgivenesses though we have rebelled against him V. 16. O Lord according to all thy righteousness I beseech thee let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from the city Jerusalem thy holy mountain because for our sins and for the iniquities of our fathers Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us V. 17. Now therefore O our God hear the prayer of thy servant and his supplications and cause thy face to shine upon the Sanctuary that is desolate for the Lord's sake V. 18. O my God incline thine ear and hear open thine eyes and behold our desolation and the city that is called by thy Name for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousness but for thy great mercies V. 19. O Lord hear O Lord forgive O Lord hearken and do deferr not for thine own sake O my God for thy city and thy people are called by thy Name God only and in our Prayers to praise him ascribing Kingdom Power and Glory to (r) 1 Chron. 29.10 Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation and David said Blessed be thou Lord God of Israel our father for ever V. 11. Thine O Lord is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is thine thine is the kingdom O Lord and thou art exalted as Head above all V. 12. both riches and honours come of thee and thou reignest over all and in thine hand is power and might and in thine hand it is to make great and to give strength unto all V. 13. Now therefore our God we thank thee and praise thy glorious Name him And in testimony of our Desire and Assurance to be heard we say (Å¿) 1 Cor. 14.16 Else when thou shalt bless with the Spirit how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at the giving of thanks seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest Rev. 22.20 He which testifieth these things saith Surely I come quickly Amen Even so come Lord Jesus V. 21. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all AMEN Amen or So be it The Ten Commandments EXODUS XX. GOD spake all these words saying I am the LORD thy God which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage I. Thou shalt have no other Gods before me II. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the Earth Thou shalt not bow down thy self to them nor
and Endeavour after new Obedience No Man is sensible of Sin as highly offensive and contrary to God but doth grieve and sorrow for it No Man is sorry in a Godly sort that doth not turn from it unto God as hating it and endeavouring to please God. Men may hear of Sin and talk of it without these Effects but they were never sensible of what they speak section 2 2. Do I apprehend that it is Mercy meer Mercy tender Mercy and wonderful if ever I turn from Sin and escape Damnation Is this Mercy in and through and for the sake of Jesus Christ if ever I escape the Curse and Wrath due to me for Sin Doth the Apprehension of God's Mercy in Christ melt me win me overcome me and prevail upon me to forsake all my Sin and to turn to him 3. Do I grieve for Sin What is my Grief Is it deep and hearty arising in me from a clear Sight and Conviction of Sin Do I grieve that I ever sinned at all that I have dishonoured and displeased God though I should not go to Hell nor fear it Doth it break my Heart and make me mourn before God when I remember it 4. Do I hate it Do I hate all Sin in general for its corrupt base and devilish Nature and Qualities Do I hate mine own Sin in special Do I flee Occasions and watch against Temptations to it Do I pray against it to be delivered from it and enabled against it Do I die to it and mortifie it and cease to make provision for it These are the Signs of Hatred of Sin. 5. Have I turned from Sin Do I turn further and further from it Whose am I To whom do I belong Satan Or am I turned from him to God Am I really turned so that I yield those Members which were Instruments of Unrighteousness unto Sin to be Instruments of Righteousness unto God Do I turn to love fear and serve him as the Lord my God 6. How do I turn Feignedly weakly and in pretence or with a Purpose of Heart Is my Purpose full and fixed or but half perswaded Am I so turned that I resolve in the strength of Grace to return back no more but to go forward Do I so purpose that I will endeavour all Ways by all Means by the use of all Ordinances to walk in new Obedience as a new Man Do I turn to God as well as cease from Sin Whence do my Resolutions and Purposes arise Do they arise from that Saving Grace of the Spirit working in me a Sense of Sin as Sin and an Apprehension of the Mercy of God in Christ Or do spring from worldly Sorrow Fear or Shame Loss or Harm suddain Passion or serious Consideration 4. The Trial of Love. section 1 The fourth Grace to be examined is Love And though your Catechism tells you you must examine your Love yet it helps you not to try it as you are helped in the Trial of Faith and Repentance It will be necessary for me to open to you the Nature and Properties of this divine Grace and that by shewing you the Objects of it or towards whom this Grace of Love is exercised Examine your Love 1. To God. 2. To Man. 1. Concerning your Love to God you must observe that we are bound to love God in those three distinct Relations in the Godhead that is we must love the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost for in our Baptism we take these three glorious Persons in the God head for our God And what Duties we are engaged to in our Baptism we must exercise and engage our selves a-new to perform when we come to the Lord's Table for then and there we renew our Covenant with God. And as we are bound to believe in God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost so we are bound to love the Father the Son and Holy Ghost This being spoken on the way I shall describe this Grace of Love as near as I can as Faith and Repentance are described before and that by pointing out the Cause and Reasons and the Effects of it by which you may try the Truth of it Rom 5.8 Luk 7.37 Ps 116 1,2,3 to 10. Cant. 1.3 ch 5.9,10 1 Joh. 4.9,10,19 Ps 63 2,3 Deut. 30.20 c. 10.20 c. 11.22 Joh. 14.15 1 Joh. 5.3 chap. 3.1,6 chap. 4.10,11 Love to God is a Saving Grace whereby a Sinner out of the sense of his Sin Baseness Corruption and Misery and from an Apprehension of the infinite Perfections of God especially his Grace Goodness and All sufficiency he doth adore and admire him he doth desire him and cleave to him he laboureth to do the things that please him and to conform to him in all things section 2 Examine your selves 1. Doth your Love to God proceed from your Knowledge and Apprehension of his infinite Excellencies expressed in his Attributes Do you therefore acknowledge God and look upon him as infinite in Wisdom Holiness Power Righteousness Faithfulness and Truth as rich in Grace c. See Exod. 34.6,7 Dost thou believe the Love of God to thy Soul Is he thy God Hath he engaged his Attributes and Glory to thee to be on thy side and for thy good Dost thou believe thy self to be corrupted polluted guilty and helpless Dost thou look upon the Creatures as vain and unable to make thee happy that God is All-sufficient for thee in all Conditions at all Times Dost thou adore and praise him See Psal 103. from 1. to 19. Dost thou believe that God is infinitely better than all Creatures and to be loved above all And dost thou esteem and love him above all the World even with all thy Heart Strength Soul and Mind Matth. 22.37 Luk. 10.22 even above Father above Mother Wife House Lands yea Life it self Dost thou desire him prize him and prefer him before all Psal 16.5,6 and 4.6,7 and 144 15. Dost thou labour to be like him to imitate him to keep his Commandments 1 Joh. 4.10,11 1 Pet. 1.17 and still to give God the Precedence to chuse him above all to fear him more than Men or Devils and to obey him rather than Man This in general section 3 But to go on to Particulars Examine your Love to the three glorious Persons in the God-head distinctly And know this that he that loveth the Father loveth the Son and the Holy Ghost likewise and he that loveth Christ loveth the Father and the Holy Ghost also 1. Examine your Love to God the Father Say to thy Soul O my Soul What am I about to receive Bread and Wine But what is represented thereby The Body and Blood of thy dear Saviour the only begotten of the Father as crucified with all the Benefits of his Death But whence came this to pass How came he to be one of us in our Nature to be thus abased and crucified to become a Propitiation and a Ransom for Sin Oh behold and wonder Rom. 5.5,8,9 This is an Act of the