where present Can any hide himself in secret places Jer. 23. 24. that I shall not see him saith the Lord Do not I fill heaven and earth whereby he doth as it were with his Hand uphold and govern Heaven and Earth with all the Creatures therein Heb. 1. 3. So that those things which in the Earth grow as likewise Rain and Drought Fruitfulness and Barrenness Meat and Drink Health and Sickness Riches and Poverty In a word all Things come not rashly or by Chance but by his Fatherly Counsel and Will as is manifest Viz. Let us now fear the Lord our God that Jer. 5. 24. giveth rain both early and late in due season He gave us rain from heaven and Act. 14. 17. fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food and gladness The rich and the poor meet together the Prov. 22. 2. Lord is the Maker of them all Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing Mat. 10. 29. and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father The lot is cast into the lap but the whole Prov. 16. 13. disposition thereof is of the Lord. Q. How know you that God ordereth and governeth all things by his most wise and mighty Power and by his special Providence A. By Experiece we see that Meat and Drink being void of Life yet preserve the Life of Man Cloathing being void of Heat yet it keeps the Body warm which could not be but by the special Providence of God Q. What doth the Knowledge of the Creation and Providence of God teach us A. That in Adversity we may be Patient and Thankful in Prosperity and have herefter our chiefest Hope reposed in God our most faithful Father being sure that there is nothing which may withdraw us from his Love forasmuch as all Creatures are so in his Power that without his Will they are not able not only to do any thing but not so much a once to move Q. What are we further to Believe and Conceive concerning God A. That in One Spiritual and infinitely Perfect Essence there be Three Divine Persons the Father the Son and Holy Ghost as is proved Furthermore God said Let us make Gen. 1. 26. man Hereby shewing that in the Unity of the Godhead there is a Plurality which is not Accidental nor Effential but Personal Go therefore and teach all notions baptizing Mat. 28. 19. them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost These Three Persons are not Three several Substances but Three distinct Subsistences or Three divers Manner of Beings of One and the Same Substance and Divine Essence Q. Why is the first Person named Father A. 1st In respect of his Natural Son Christ This is my beloved Son in whom I am Mat. 3. 17. well pleased 2ly In respect of the Elect his adopted Sons Doubtless thou art our Father though Isa 63. 16. Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel know us not yet thou O Lord art our Father and our Redeemer Q. Why is the Second Person named the Son A. Because he is begotten of his Father's Substance or Nature Thou art my Son this day I have begotten thee Q. Why is he called the Word A. 1st Because the Conception of a Prov. 8. 12. Word in Man's Mind is the nearest thing that in some sort can shadow unto us the Manner how he is eternally begotten of his Fathers Substance and in this respect he is also called the Wisdom of his Father 2dly Because that by him the Father Joh. 1. 18. hath from the Beginning declared his Will for our Salvation 3dly Because he is the chief Argument Heb. 1. 1. of all the Word of God or that Word whereof God spake when he promised the Blessed Seed to the Fathers under the Old Testament Q. Why is the Third Person called the Holy Ghost A. 1st Because he is Spiritual without Joh. 4. 24. a Body 2dly Because he is Inspired and as it were Breathed from the Father and the Son that is proceeding from them Both. And he breathed on them and said Chap. 20. 22. Receive the Holy Ghost And he is called Holy both because he is Holy in his own Nature and also the immediate Sanctifier of all God's Elect. As he that hath called you is holy so 1 Pet. 1. 15. be ye holy Elect according to the fore-knowledge Ver. 2. of God the Father unto sanctification of the spirit Q. What is the Father A. The First Person of the glorious Trinity having neither his Being nor Beginning of any other but of himself begetting his Son and together with his Son sending forth the Holy Ghost from Everlasting Q. What is the Son A. The Second Person of the Trinity and the only begotten Son of his Father not by Grace but by Nature having his Being from the Father alone and the whole Being of his Father by an Eternal and Incomprehensible Generation and with the Father sendeth forth the Holy Ghost Q. What is the Holy Ghost A. The Third Person of the Trinity proceeding and sent forth equally from both the Father and the Son by an Eternal and Incomprehensible Inspiration For as the Son receiveth the whole Divine Essence by Generation so the Holy Ghost receiveth it wholly by Inspiration Q. How doth this Order between the Three Persons appear A. In that the Father Begetting must in Order be before the Son Begotten and the Father and the Son before the Holy Ghost proceeding from them both Q. Are not these Three Persons in Degree one before or after another A. This Divine Order excepted there is neither First nor Last neither Superiority nor Inferiority among the Three Persons but for Nature they are Co-essential for Dignity Coequal for Time Co-eternal the Divine Essence being in every one of the Three Persons Q. Are these Three Persons Three several Gods as three Persons amongst Men are three several Men A. No The Three Persons are but One God There be three which bear record in heaven 1 Joh. 5. 7. the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are one In that he saith Three he noteth the Distinction of the Persons and in saying One he sheweth the Unity of the Essence Because the Divine Essence is Infinite and admits n Division and the whole Divine Essence is in every one of the Three Persons which are not severed but only distinguished one from another Q. How are we to coneive the Three Persons in the Godhead distinct one from another A. Two ways 1st In the Manner of Personal Being which each Person hath proper to himself As The Father is the Person which Begets The Son the Person who is Begotten of the Father The Holy Ghost the Person who proceeds from the Father and the Son 2ly In the Manner of Working in the Creatures For the Scripture ascribes To the Father the Beginning of Working To the Son Wisdom and Counsel and
Q. And who is that Mediator which is both very God and perfectly Iust Man A. Even our Lord Jesus Christ who is made to us of God Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption There is one Mediator between God and 1 Tim. 2. 5. Man which is the man Jesus Christ Ye are of him in Jesus Christ who is 1 Cor. 1. 30. made of God unto us wisdom righteteousness sanctification and redemption Q. But what are we to Know and Believe touching the Distinction of the two Natures in Christ his Godhead and his Manhood A. That there is a real Distinction of Mat. 26. 39. Joh. 10. 17 18. Act. 3. 21. those two Natures without any Mixture the one with the other and without any Conversion or turning of the one into the other and that the Essential Properties and Actions of both Natures remain distinct one from the other Q. What are we to Believe and Know touching the Union of Christ's two Natures his Godhead and his Manhood A. That they are united by Personal Union that the Godhead and Manhood in Christ make but One Person Q. What is that Personal Union A. It is the assuming of the Humane Nature into the Person of the Son of God so as the Manhood being not a Person in it self is received into Unity of Person with the Second Person in Trinity and doth usually and only subsist in the same This is a Mystery of Godliness And the word was made flesh and Joh. 1. 14. dwelt among us full of grace and truth Great is the mystery of Godliness which 1 Tim. 3. 16. is God is manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit c. Q. What is the Office of Iesus Christ being God and Man in One Person A. It is his Mediatorship to be the only Mediator and Advocate between God and Man There is one mediator between God and 1 Tim. 2. 5. man Q. What is meant by a Mediator or Advocate A. A Mediator or Advocate is a third Person that takes upon him to agree and reconcile two that be at variance As Christ being both God and Man did set at one God and Man who before were separated by Sin I the Lord have called thee in righteousness Isa 42. 6. and will hold thine hand and I will keep thee and give thee for a covenant of the people and for a light of the Gentiles Q. How did he that A. By the Satisfying of God's Justice by his Death By Praying and Intreating for the Guilty And By applying forcibly and effectually his Merit through Faith on them that Believe and regenerating them by his holy Spirit effecting that they cease from sinning And lastly Hearing their Groans and Petitions when they call upon him For thus it becometh him who was our Mat. 3. 15. faithful high priest to fulfil all righteousness Q. What be the several Functions and Offices of Christ as he is Mediator A. They are Three namely his Prophetical Office Priestly Kingly Christ was anointed of his Father to be the Prophet King and Priest of his Church For Moses truly said unto the fathers A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of our brethren like unto me him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you Wherefore in all things it behoved him Heb. 2. 17. to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou Psal 110. 1. at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool Q. What is the Prophetical Office of Christ A. It is the Office of Revealing the Will of God and the Means of Salvation to his Church in all Ages As No man hath seen God at any time Joh. 1. 18. the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him Which Office Christ performs Two ways 1st Outwardly By the Ministry of his Word Christ was put to death concerning the 1 Pet. 3. 18. flesh but was quickened in the spirit By which spirit he went and preached Ver. 19. unto the spirits that were in prison 2dly Inwardly By the Operation and Teaching of his holy Spirit As by the Example of Lydia Whose heart the Lord opened that she Act. 16. 14. attended unto the things which Paul spake Q. VVhat is the Priestly Office of Christ A. It is that whereby Christ hath and doth reconcile God to his Elect He performing all those things to God for them whereby they may come to Eternal Life But this man because he endureth for Heb. 7. 24. ever hath an everlasting priesthood Wherefore he is able also perfectly to Ver. 25. save them that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Which Priestly Office Christ performs Three ways for God chosen First In fulfilling the Law of God and performing perfect Righteousness for them Which Perfection He is made unto us of God wisdom 1 Cor. 1. 30. righteousness sanctification and redemption standeth in Two things 1st In the Purity of his Humane Nature he being conceived and born Pure and Holy void of all Sin 2dly In the Obedience of his whole Life he doing all that the Law required of him for God's Chosen Who did no sin neither was there any 1 Pet. 2. 22. Isa 53. 9. guile found in his mouth Secondly As he was Man consisting of Body and Soul Yet the Lord would break him and Isa 53 10. make him subject to infirmities when he shall make his soul an offering for sin Offering of himself unto God his Father a sacrifice without spot thereby appeasing his Wrath for all their Sins How much more shall the blood of Heb. 9. 14. Christ which through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God But now in the end of the world hath Ver. 26. he appeared once to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself Thirdly His entring into Heaven and there appearing before his Father continually making Intercession for all the Faithful Who shall condemn It is Christ who Rom. 8. 34. also is at the right hand of God and maketh request for us Q. After what manner doth Christ make Intercession in Heaven for the Faithful A. Not by Prostrating himself and uttering Words to his Father or by putting up a Prayer or Supplication to him But by presenting himself and the Sacrifice of himself once offered upon the Cross and the infinite and unvaluable Merit of that Sacrifice before the Eyes of his Father willing as he is God and Man and desiring as he is Man that his Father would accept of his perfect Satisfaction for all that are given unto him For Christ is not enter'd into the holy Heb. 9. 24. places that are made with hands which are similitudes of the true sanctuary but
Redemption For what Benefits he merited by his Death he doth not retain them unto himself but bestoweth them on us Q. What is it therefore to Believe in Iesus A. It is not only to Believe that he is able to save and that he is the only Means to obtain Salvation by but also that he is my Saviour My spirit doth rejoyce in God my Saviour Luk. 1. 47. The Lord is my light and my strength Psal 27. 1. And that I rely wholly upon him and none but him for the Salvation of my Soul Lord to whom shall we go thou hast Joh. 6. 68. the words of eternal life Q. What Comfort hast thou by this A. That though I am guilty of innumerable Sins both Original and Actual even the Breach of the whole Law and so am worthy to be damned and have all the Plagues of God due to my Sin cast upon me yea though I were a Bond-Slave to Sin and Satan yet I Believe that Jesus is my Saviour and that he hath delivered me from all my Sins both the Guilt and the stisfactory Punishment of them and also from the Power of Sin and Satan The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me that I should preach the gospel to the poor heal the broken-hearted preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind that I should set at liberty them that are bruised Q. What is signified by the Word CHRIST A. Christ signifieth Anointed Q. Why is he called Christ that is Anointed A. Because he was Ordained of the Father and Anointed of the Holy Ghost the Chief Prophet and Doctour The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet like unto me Deut. 18. 15. who hath opened unto us the secret Counsle and all the Will of his Father concerning our Redemption For all things that I have heard of Joh. 15. 15. my Father have I made known unto you And the High-Priest who with that one only Sacrifice of his Body hath redeemed us So Christ was once offered to take Heb. 9. 28. away the sins of many And doth continually make Intercession to his Father for us Who shall condemn It is Christ which Rom. 8. 34. is dead yea which is risen again who is also at the right-hand of God and maketh request for us And a King who ruleth us by his Word and Spirit and defendeth and maintaineth that Salvation which he hath purchased for us And he shall reign over the hous of Luk. 1. 33. Jacob for ever and of his kingdom shall be none end And I will give unto them eternal Joh. 10 28. life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my hand Q. What Benefit hast thou by this A. That both I and all the Elect of God are made spiritual Kings Priests and Prophets And from Jesus Christ which hath made us kings and priests unto God even his Father Kings in bearing rule over our Hearts and mastering our rebellious Thoughs Wills and Affections Let not sin reign therefore in your mortal Rom. 6. 12. bodies that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof Priests in offering up to God our Spiritual Sacrifices And ye as lively stones be made a 1 Pet. 2. 5. spiritual house and a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ Of Prayer Let my prayer be directed in thy sight Psal 141. 2. as incense and the lifting up of mine hands as an evening sacrifice Of Thanksgiving Let us therefore hy him offer the sacrifices Heb. 13. 15. of praise always to God Of Alms To do good and to distribute forget Ver. 16. not for with such sacrifice God is well-pleased Of a Contrite Heart The sacrifices of God are a contrite Psal 51. 17. heart a contrite and a broken heart O Lord thou wilt not despise Of our whole Souls and Bodies for the Service of God I bescech you therefore brethren that Rom. 12. 1. ye give up your bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God And Prophets in applying that Knowledge we have to the Benefit and Good of others When thou are converted strengthen Luk. 23. 32. thy brethren Q. Now shew me why this Iesus Christ is called the only Son of God seeing we also are said to be the Sons of God A. Christ is called God's only Son because he alone is the Co-eternal and Natural Son of the Eternal Father And the word was made flesh and Joh. 1. 14. dwelt among us and we saw the glory thereof as the glory of the only begotten Son of the Father Thou art my Son this day begat I Heb. 1. 5. thee I will be his Father and he shall be my Son The Angels also and Adam before his Fall are his Sons by Creation But we are Sons adopted of the Father by Grace for his sake Who hath predestinated us t be adopted Eph. 1. 5. through Jesus Christ unto himself As many as received him to them Joh. 1. 12. gave he power to be the sons of God even to them that believe in his name Q. What Comfort cometh by this A. It sheweth the wonderful Love and great Mercy of God to me that when I was by Nature the Child of Wrath and Perdition he spared not to give his only Son for me to make me his Child and Hell by the Grace of Adoption But God so loved the world that he Joh. 3. 16. gave his only begotten Son that whoseever believeth in him shall not perish but have eternal life Q. Wherefore is he called Our Lord A. Because he redeeming and ransoming both our Body and Soul from Sin not with Gold and Silver but with his precious Blood and delivering us from all the Power of the Devil hath set us free to serve him Knowing that ye were not redeemed 1 Pet. 1. 18 with corruptible things as silver and gold But with the preceious blood of Christ 19 That ye should shew forth the vertues Chap. 2. 9. of him that hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light Q. What is the Comfort of this A. That Christ being my Lord and I living under his Dominion I need not fear what Enemies whether Devil or wicked Men can do unto me If God be on our side who can be against us And though I was under the Prince of Darkness having Satan my Lord until I believed in Christ yet finde I am Christ's and he is my only Lord and that by Purchase with his Blood by Gift from his Father and by Marriage contracted to be consummate at his Appearing Q. Which is the Third Article A. Which was Conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary Q. What Believest thou in this Article A. I Believe That the Son of God who is and continueth True and Everlasting God took the very Nature of Man of the
suffered Behold my hands and my feet for Luk. 24. 39. it is I my self handle me and feel me 3dly He rose by his own Power he put Death to slight quickned his dead Body re-united it to his Soul and restored to himself a blessed heavenly and glorious Life and that by the Might and Power of his Godhead Destroy this temple and in three days Joh. 2. 29. I will raise it up again I have power to lay down my soul and Chap. 10. 18. have power to take it up again 4thly He rose the Third Day by his Father's and by his own Power Him God raised up the third day Act. He rose the third day according to the 1 Cor. 15. 4. scriptures Q. What Benefit redounds to the Church of God by virtue of Christ's Resurrection A. The perfect Accomplishment of the Work of Justification Who was delivered to death for our Rom. 4. 25. sins and is risen again for our justification 2dly The Resurrection of Christ our Head is a pledge unto us of a glorious Resurrection But now is Christ risen from the dead 1. Cor. 15. 20. and made the first-fruits of them that slept 3dly By virtue of Christ's Resurrection God's Church obtaineth a spiritual Resurrection from Sin We are buried with him by baptism Rom. 6. 4 into his death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead so we should walk in newness of life For if we be grafted with him to the similitude of his death even so shall we be to the similitude of his resurrection 4thly By the Resurrection of Christ we are warranted and confirmed of his Merit that he hath fully and perfectly satisfied for our Sins For one only Sin not being satisfied for had with-held Christ still in death 5thly We are assured not only of his meriting for us but also that he is able and doth bestow on us the Fruit and Benefit of his Merit For Christ is risen again for our righteousness Rom. 5. 25. Blessed be God even the Father of our 1 Pet. 1. 3. Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead Q. What is it to believe in Christ as he rose again the Third Day from the Dead A. It is not barely to Believe That Christ did indeed Rise the Third Day out of the Sepulchre alive but also That I by virtue of his Resurrection am fully Justified truly Regenerate Preserved in Grace Reserved to a blessed Resurrection unto Eternal Life and that Christ ever liveth to apply this unto me Q. Which is the Sixth Article A. He ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right-hand of God the Father Almighty Q. How shall I be certain that Christ ascended into Heaven A. By the Testimony of Holy Scriptures where it is said That after the Lord had spoken to Mark 16. 19. them he was received into heaven and sat at the right-hand of God Q. What is meant by these words He ascended into Heaven A. I Believe hereby That Christ ascended into Heaven in his Humane Nature only and that the very same which was born of the Virgin dead buried and which rose again and that locally or bodily truly going from one place to another visibly and apparent to the Apostles What then if ye should see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before While they beheld he was taken up Act. 19. out of their sight The Fortieth Day after his Resurrection Forty days was he seen of them speaking Act. 1. 3. of things which appertain to the kingdom of God And that by the Power of his Godhead This Jesus by the right-hand of God Chap. 2. 33. hath been exalted Q. But Christ promised he would be with us until the end of the World how then is he ascended A. Christ is True God and True Man According to his Manhood he is not now on the Earth The poor you have always with you Mat. 26. 11. but me ye shall not have always I leave the world and go to the Father Joh. 16. 28. But according to his Godhead his Grace and Spirit he is at no time from us as he hath promised Lo I am with you until the end of the Mat. 28 20. world Q. Are not by this means the two Natures in Christ pulled asunder if his Humanity be not wheresoever his Divinity is A. No For seeing his Divinity is Incomprehensible and every where present Can any hide himself in secret places Jer. 23. 24. that I shall not see him saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth it followeth necessarily that the same is without the bound of his Humane Nature which he took on him and yet it is nevertheless in it and abideth personally with it For in him dwelleth all the fulness of Col. 2 9. the Godhead bodily Q. What Benefit redounds to the Church of God and every particular Member by virtue of Christ's Ascension A. 1st By virtue of Christ's Ascension Satan Sin and Death are led Captives so that now they have no Power to hurt God's Church nor any of his Members When he ascended up on high he led Eph. 4. 8. captivity captive 2dly I Believe That there is prepared in Heaven for me and God's Church a Mansion or Dwelling-place In my Fathers house are many dwelling-places Joh. 14. 2. I go to prepare a place for you 3dly The Ascension of Christ's Humane Nature is a sure Pledge unto me That it shall come to pass That he who is our Head will lift up his Members also unto him Father I will that they which thou Chap. 7. 24. hast given me be with me even where I am 4thly I am assured That he will send me and the rest of the Church of God his Spirit instead of a Pledge between him and us I will pray the Father and he shall Chap. 14. 16. give you another Comforter that may abide with you for ever Q. In what sence are we to understand the words of the rest of this Article He sitteth at the Right-Hand of God the Father Almighty A. Not in a literal sence For God hath not a Right-Hand or Left-hand like unto Men. For God is a Spirit Chap. 4. 24. And the strength of Israel is not a 1 Sam. 15. 29. man But it is evident that the Word Right-Hand is often times used in Scripture for the Power of God or for his Presence They inherited not the land by their Psal 44 3. own sword neither did their own arm save them but by thy right-hand and and thine arm and the light of thy countenance In thy presence is fullness of joy and at Psal 16. 11. thy right-hand are pleasures for evermore Also it is as manifest that Sitting is used in Scripture for Authority or Regiment Solomon thy son shall reign after me