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
21. by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Q. To what end were the Scriptutes written A. To Teach Instuct Convince Correct and Comfort All scripture is given by inspiration of 2 Tim. 3. 16. God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness That the man of God may be perfect Ver. 17. throughly furnished unto all good works Rom. 15. 4 Q. What doth the Scripturs especially teach us A. The saving Knowledge of God and Jesus Christ And this is life eternal that they might Joh. 17. 3. know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Search the scriptures for in them ye Joh. 5. 39. think ye have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me Q. What doth the Scripture teach thee concerning God A. It Teacheth me and I verily Believe it and am perswaded that there is a God as is proved For the invisible things of him that Rom. 1. 20. Act. 14. 17. is his Eternal Power and Godhead are seen by the Creation of the World being considered in his Works to the intent they should be without excuse Who is an Essence or Spiritual Substance And God said to Moses I am that Exod. 3. 14. I am God is a Spirit and must be worshipped Jâ—h 4. 24. in spirit and truth Q. How many Gods be there A. Only One and no more Unto us there is but one God which is 1 Cor. 8. 6. the Father Unto thee it was shewed that thou Deut. 4. 35. mightest know that the Lord he is God and that there is none but he alone Q. How is this One God to be conceived of us A. Not by framing any Image of him in our Minds Take good heed therefore that ye corrupt â—t 4. 15 16. not your selves and make you a graven image or representation of any figure whether it be the likeness of male or female neither can we conceive him in his glorious Nature Why askest thou thus after my name Judg. 13. 18. which is secret but we are to conceive God as he hath revealed himself in his Word by his Properties and Works Q. What are the chief Properties of God A. He is most Wise O the depth of the riches both of the Rom. 11. 33. wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgements and his ways past finding out Most Holy Holy holy holy is the Lord God of Isa 6. 3. Hosts the whole earth is full of his glory Righteous The Lord is righteous in all his ways Psal 145. 17. and holy in all his works Just God is true and without wickedness Deut. 32. 4. just and righteous is he Merciful The Lord the Lord God merciful and Exod. 34. 6 7. gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquities transgressions and sin True and Unchangeable My covenant will I not break nor Psal 89. 34. alter the things that is gone out of my mouth Heaven and earth shall pass away but Mat. 24. my words shall not pass Present in all Places O Lord thou hast tried me and known Psal 139. 1 2 3 4. me thou knowest my sitting and rising thou understandest my thoughts afar off Thou compasseth my path and my lying Jer. 23. 13. down and art acquainted with all my ways for there is not a word in my tongue but lo O Lord thou knowest it altogether Almighty And the Lord said I am God Almighty Gen. 17. 1. Walk before me Eternal I the Lord am the first and with the Isa 41. 4. last I am the same Infinite in Presence Am I a God at hand saith the Lord Jer. 23. 23. and not a God afar off Can any hide himself in secret plaâ—es Ver. 21. that I shall not see him Do not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord. Ininite in Power For the Lord your God is God of gods Deut. 10. 17. and Lord of lords a great God mighty and terrible being able to be what soever he will Psal 115 3. Q. What are the Works of God by which we are to conceive him A. They are Two principally Creation and Preservation How are we to conceive God in respect of Creation A. That he is the most Mighty Creator of the World and of every Thing that hath a Being in the World O Lord thou art the God which hast Act. 4. 24. made the heavens and the earth the sea and all things that are in them Q. There be many Evils and hurtful Things in the World as venomous and poysonous Beasts Herbs and such like Did God create them A. Yea God did create all these things as in Gen. 1. 25. But we must understand that God made not poysonous Creatures so at the first but they became so by the Fall of Man and are now for the Correction and Punishment of Man for Sin which should not have been so if Man had not fallen Cursed be the earth for thy sake Gen. 3. 17 18. thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee Q. Did God make Sin Sickness Diseases and Death or no A. No these be no Creatures of God Sin is no Creatures of God but the Destruction of God's Image which is a Creature and Sicknesses Diseases and Death came into the World by Sin and follow Sin As by one man sin entred into the Rom. 5. 12. World and death by sin so death went over all men forasmuch as all men have sinned Q. What is the Work of Creation A. It is the Making of all Things in their several Kinds of Nothing by the mighty Power of God in the first Six Days of the World For in six days the Lord made heaven Exod. 20. 11. and earth the sea and all that in them is And are not made of things which did Heb. 11. 3. appear Q. In what Form and Manner were all Things created A. In an excellent Order and exceeding Good And God saw all that he had made Gen. 1. 31. and lo it was exceeding good Q. For what End did God make all Things A. For the Praise of his Power Goodnese Wisdom Perfection and Freedom The Lord hath made all things for his Prov. 16. 4. own sake yea the wicked for the day of evil Rev. 4. 11. Q. What is the Second Work whereby we are to conceive God in our Minds A. We are to conceive him in our Minds as the most Wise and Mighty Preserver of all Things created God is a faithful Creator He did not only 1 Pet. 4. 19. make Heaven and Earth and all Things in them and so leave them but he by his wise Providence and mighty Power doth preserve and govern the same Q. What is that Preservation or Providence of all things A. The Alimighty Power of God every
is entred into the very heaven to appear now in the sight of God for us Q. What is the Kingly Office of Christ A. It is that whereby Christ exerciseth the Power given him of his Father over all Things distributing his Gifts and disposing of all things for the Good of God's Chosen All power is given to me both in heaven Mat. 28. 18. and in earth Which Office Christ performs Two ways 1st In the Spiritual Government of his Church which stands partly in collecting and gathering his Church and the Members of it out of the World and from under the Tyranny of the Devil Sin and Death Who hath delivered us from the Col. 1. 13. power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son And partly in keeping it being collected and gathered in the way unto Eternal Life The encrease of his government and peace shall have none end he shall sit upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order it and to stablish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth and for ever 2dly In the Destruction of his and their Enemies partly in this World but most fully in the End of this World in the Day of Judgment Then shall the wicked man be revealed 2 Thes 2. 8. whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall abolish with the brightness of his coming Q. What be the Laws of Christ's Spiritual Government by which he governs it and the Members of it They are Two 1st His Word namely the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles written in the Old and New Testament 2dly The Power and Operation of his Spirit in the Hearts of his Servants Mark 1. 14. Isa 53. 1. Jer. 31. 33. Q. How is Christ and all his Benefits available to us A. By being made ours For otherwise they shall no way help us to the satisfying of God's Justice even as other Mens Riches avail nothing to deliver us out of Debt except they become ours Q. How therefore may his Gifts and Benefits be made ours A. If we be made one with him For by the Benefit of that Union we are made Partakers of all his Spiritual Graces and Riches which are no less imputed unto us before God than if they were ours by Nature For this cause saith the Apostle That we are by Christ reconciled in Col. 1. 22. the body of his flesh through death to make you holy and unblameable and without fault in his sight Q. Can no Man therefore be a Partaker of Christ's Gifts except he be made one with him A. He cannot even as a Woman cannot be a Partaker of the Riches and Honour of some Great Man except she be joyned with him in Marriage so that they become one Body and one Flesh The Members also cannot draw Life from the Head if they be not joyned with it Therefore there is no true partaking of Christ except there be an Union with him For this cause Christ saith Except ye eat the flesh of the son of Joh. 6. 53. man and drink his blood ye have no life in you Q. How are we United to Christ and made One with him A. As many as are United to Christ are Incorporated and made Members of that Mystical Body whereof Christ is the Head As St. Paul saith For we are members of his Body of his Eph. 4. 30. flesh and of his bones Q. What manner of Union is it whereby we are joyned and made one with Christ A. Our Incorporation into Christ and Union with him is a great Mystery As St. Paul saith This is a great mystery but I speak Eph. 4. 32. concerning Christ and the church A. And not any way Corporeal but Spiritual For He that is joyned with the Lord is one 1 Cor. 6. 17. spirit Q. How are we to conceive of that Mystical Union with Christ A. Thus That our Mystical Union with him is a most near and real Union For as the body is one and hath many 1 Cor. 12. 12. members and all the members of the body which is one though they be many yet are but one body even so is Christ And that our whole Person Body and Soul are united to the Body and Soul of Christ so that we are Members of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bones For Know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ and that we are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones And by his Flesh we are also joyned ot his Godhead to his Divine Nature For that whereby we have Fellowship with God joyns us to God Now by the Flesh of Christ we have Fellowship with God Therefore the Flesh of Christ doth joyn us to God By the new and living way which he hath prepared for us through the vail that is his flesh Q. Now shew unto me the Mâ—ans how we are united and made one with Christ A. We are Spiritually united to Christ Two ways 1st The Spirit of Christ one and the same Spirit being both in Christ and in us First in Christ and then in us For by one spirit we are all baptized into one body whether we be Jews or Grecians And we know that we dwell in him 1 Joh. 4. 13. and he in us because he hath given us of his spirit 2dly By Faith As Christ himself testifieth in the Prayer which he made to God for all the Faithful Father I pray thee for such as shall Joh. 17. 20. believe in me that they all may be one as thou O Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us Q. Seeing that by Faith we are united and made one with Christ shâ—w me what true Faith is A. It is not only a certain Knowledge whereby I surely assent to all things which God hath revealed unto us in his Word As the devils they believe that there Jam. 2. 19. is one God but also an assured Trust Neither did Abraham doubt of the pro-mise Rom. 4. 20. through unbelief but was strengthned in the faith Being fully assured that he which had Ver. 21. promised was able also to do it kindled in my Heart by the Holy Ghost This is the work of God that ye Joh. 6. 29. believe in him whom he hath sent For flesh and blood hath not revealed Mat. 16. 17. it to thee but my Father which is in heaven through the Gospel For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Rom. 1. 16. Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth whereby I make my Repose in God being assuredly resolved that Remission of Sins Everlasting Righteousness and Life is given not only to others but to me also For being justified by faith we have Chap. 5. 1. peace towards God through our Lord Jesus Christ and that freely through the Mercy of God for the Merit
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