pay all oâ— debt and that is a price for a sinner Math. 26.39 Rom. 8.32 Heb. 9.12 22 26 1 Pet. 3.18 Q. Why must the Mediator be all God A. 1. That he might be able to over come death Act. 2.24 John 10.18 Câ—â— 2.15 Q. Why 2ly must the Mediator be God A. 2. To make his obedience and sufferings efficacious and acceptable for us All the Angels in Heaven if they shoulâ— suffer in Hell for evermore cannot satiâ—fie for one soule Heb. 9.12 14. Heb. 10. â— 9. Mic. 6.6 7. 1 Pet. 1.18 Psal 49 7 8. Nâ— meer creature can stand before the wratâ— of God to overcome it a finite creature cannot satisfie an infinite God Q. Say the same againe in plaine tearmes A. All that Christ did and suffered â—â— therefore meritorious pretious becausâ— it was the suffering and obedience of on that is God The bloud of God the righteousnesse of God Acts 20.28 1 Cor. 2.8 2 Cor. 5.21 Rom. 3.22 Q. How can that be seeing God cannot suffer nor yet be obedient to any there being none greater then God A. Is it so because God and man be one person his humane nature is united to the person of God by reason of which personall union that which is proper to the humane nature is applyed to whole Christ to the man Christ Jesus Luke 1.43 John 8.58 John 3.13 Q. Then Jesus Christ the Son of God and the Son of Mary are not two persons but two natures in one person A. It is true for the humane nature was taken into the subsistence of the second person in the Blessed Trinity being from his conception prevented from a personall subsisting of it selfe like other men God took man into himselfe and joined it to himself and so God and man be one Christ Luk. 1.35 Heb. 2.16 Joh. 1.14 Joh. 17.21 22. Man and wife be one by civill bonds yet not one person Christ we are one by spirituall bonds yet not one person but God and man be one person of Christ Mat 1.23 Emmanuel Q. Why must the Mediator be God and Man in one person A. He must be man that he might dye and he must be God that he might be able to overcome death he must be both in one person that the sufferings in the humane nature might have worthinesse and merit to save us 1 Pet. 1.19 Esay 53.10 11. Q. You see that the worthinesse oâ— Christs sufferings depends on that blessed union of man to the Godhead What other benefit flowes from thence A. From that personall union are communicated to us all the graces and priviledges which we doe enjoy or looke for hereafter all our riches and happinesse is first in Christ our head and from Christ to us Eph. 1.3 4. 1 Cor. 3.22 23 Ioh. 17.21 22 23. 15.9 1.16 Col. 1. 13 15 17 19 Rom 8.11 17. All thingâ— are ours because we are knit to Christ and Christ is Gods from that blessed and glorious Head of ours that dwels in the glorious Godhead from thence descend all grace to the brethren God is first thâ— Father of Christ then our Father Christ is that Iacobs Ladder that joynes Heaven and Earth together Iohn 1.51 20 17. Q. Is it not a great comfort that our Mediator is our brother and also one with God A It now is and ever will be an infinite contentment to the poore soule to behold our blessed Head and Mediator dwelling in those everlasting burnings set in glory at Gods owne right hand above all created natures From whence he now governes the Church and will hereafter glorifie it with his own glory Eph 1 21 22. Rom. 8.34 We must looke upon all things done to Christ and by Christ as a common person and head of the Elect uniting us unto God communicating unto us all spirituall good things triumphing over all the enemies of our salvation preparing mansions for us against we die and in the mean while making intercession for us untill he hath brought us to the enjoyment of himselfe in glory John 14.2 1 Cor. 3.23 17.21 22 24. CAP XI Of Christs Priestly office the parts thereof viz. satisfaction and intercession HE that shall bring sinners to Heaven must doe three things First he must make satisfaction to God for their sinnes Secondly he must effectually teach them to know God Thirdly he must rule and deliver them from all opposite power All this Christ doth undertake and performe in us and for us And accordingly we are taught in Scripture that he hath â— threefold office namely 1. Of Priest to make reconciliation Of Christs threefold office by the offering up oâ— himselfe to God for us 2. Of a King to conquer our enemies and rule in ouâ— hearts 3. Of a Prophet to teach us the will of God Q. What is Christs Priestly Office 1. Priestly A. Christs Priestly office is to pacifie his Fathers wrath and make an atonement for the sins of the people by the offering up of himselfe a sacrifice for sin Heb. 5.1 Heb. 2.17 Levit. 5.17 18. Num 16.47 Heb. 9.26 Q. What be the parts of Christ Priestly office A. Two namely to make 1 Satisfaction for the people 2 Intercession for the people And so was the Office of Aaron and the Priests to be mediators between God and man and to make atonement for the sins of the people and to pray for them Heb. 9.7 Heb. 5.1 Q. We have offended and wronged God Of Christs satisfaction Did Christ make any reall satisfaction to God for the same A. Yes He did not barely intreat for us but he paid in such a price and gave such contentment to Gods Justice in our behalfe that the Lord doth smell a favour of rest to our soules Rom. 3.25 26. 1 Tim. 2.6 1 Pet. 1.19 with 1 Joh. 2.2 Num. 19.9 with Heb. 13.11 12. Levit. 16.20 22. Esa 53.5 8. Christ doth not barely intreat but as an advocate he pleads a satisfaction made Expiation and satisfaction is the taking away of an offence by doing or suffering something by some worke or price which the party offended will accept of As 2 Sam. 21.3 1 Cor. 6.20 Heb. 9.12 Philem. v. 18. Q. How did Christ make such satisfaction for us A. By the offering up of his body a sacrifice for sinne according to the will of God by which we are consecrated and reconciled to God for ever The Father craved no more but once offering for our ransome Heb. 10.5 9 12. Eph. 5.2 with Gen. 8.21 Rom. 8.34 Christs bloud is the price of soules Q. Is that a true full satisfaction for sin A. Yes Gods Justice is no looser by pardoning sin for Christs sake seeing our sinnes are visited to the full upon Christ our surety there is man for man soule for soule the pretious death of his righteous Son instead of a sinfull creature 1 Pet. 3.18 1 Joh. 17.9 Joh. 11.50 Rom. 8 32. In Hell there is suffering enough but no
unregenerate persons all that be out of Christ be under the Law and must answer for themselves for all the world by the Law of their creation are bound to be holy and perfect as God made them at first and must be judged according to that Covenant unlesse they come to be in Christ Gal. 4.5 Rom. 3.9.19 Joh. 16.9 Rom. 2.12 Eph. 2.12 Q. Then all that have not Christ be in an ill case A. They be so they have nothing to plead for themselves before the judgement seat of God nothing to stand between the justice of God and their sins Eph. 2.12 Acts 17.30 CAP. II. Of the fall of man and his sinfull state Second head of Christian doctrine Q. HOw came sin into the World seeing God made man upright A. By the first sinne of Adam and Eve who being deceived by the Serpent did eat of the forbidden fruit 2 Cor. 11.3 Gen. 3.3 4. Rom. 5.12 19. Q. How did sin come upon all by that one mans sin A. Two manner of waies First by imputation the Lord in justice imputing the guilt of that first sinne to all his posterity Rom. 5.14 15 18 19. 1 Cor. 15.22 By one mans disobedience many were made sinners as soone as he sinned that first Covenant was broken and the state of Adam and all mankind in him was changed into a state of sin and misery In Adam all die i the sentence of death was passed on all in Adam when as yet there were no more men in the World 1 Cor. 15.45 47. There were two head men by whom all fall and rise Adam was the head of the Covenant of Nature if he had stood none of us had fallen And so Christ is the head of the Covenant of Grace if he were not risen we cānot rise we rise or fall with him vers 16 17. As the Righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to them that be of Christ by spirituall regeneration Esay 53.10 So is the sinne of Adam imputed to all that come of him by naturall generation For as all the Elect are justified first in Christ their Head as in a common person surety when he rose againe from death and thereby received as it were Gods acquittance in full discharge of our debts 1 Tim. 3.16 And 2ly the◠are justified in their own Persons when as they come by Faith actually to be members of Christ In like manner all mankind was condemned in Adam as a common person representing all mankind and as a radicall person containing all that Nature which was to be derived to all generations of men Act. 17.26 Every one of us would have done as Adam did if we had been in his place And we are in our own Persōs liable to that sentence of death so soon as we exsist and have our sowre sinfull being from that poysoned root Q. But doth it stand with the justice of God to impute unto us Adams sinne A. Yes because Adam was the head and root of all mankind we were in his loyns when we sinned we were part of Adam in him and of him As the Children of bondmen are bondmen the Children of a Traitor are tainted in blood till they be restored in bloud so it was with us our Father became a slave sold under sinne and such are we his children till Christ make us free Adams sinne was the sinne of mankind he stained and corrupted our Nature Rom. 5.12 Hos 2.2 If adulterous Brats complaine why they are cast out the Lord bids them plead with their mother so we must plead with Adam This is just in our Law Q. How secondly did sin enter upon all by that one sin A. By propagation the lump and root of mankind being corrupted so are the branches Rom. 11.16 Gen. 5.3 Job 14 4. with our nature Adam propagated sin and corruption God made Angels all at once and therefore the fall of some of them did not draw all into the same condemnation But God made all mankind in one man to be multiplied by generation and so that root dying and being poysoned all that come of him are likewise dead poysoned We were in Adam two manner of waies 1. Legally as Parties contracting with God in that first Covenant and so were to stand or fall with our Head 2. Naturally we were in his loynes so that whatsoever befell the humane Nature it is Common to us of which nature we are a part All the seed of man was in Adam and therefore all that seed being corrupted in Adam we that come of him must needs be corrupted also we are a generation of vipers Mat. 3.7 a seed of evill doers Es 1.4 and young Serpents are worthy to dye because of their kind and the poyson somnesse that is in them Who can bring a cleane thing out of an unclean Job 14.4 Q. What then is the state of every one that is borne into the world A. Very miserable in no wise to be rested in if ever we meane to be happy Eph. 4.18 Q. Why so A. By reason of sin and wrath whereunto from the birth we are all subjected That which is of nature is common to the whole kind if thou be a man it is so with thee Eph 2.3 Q. How long does a man continue in that sinfull and cursed estate A. Untill he be regenerate and borne againe and made a member of Christ Joh 3.3 Q. What is there in sinne that makes one thus miserable A. Two things First the stain of sin 2ly The guilt of sinne The one makes us ugly creatures 1. Sinne it selfe the other accursed Q. What mean you by the stain of sin A. It is that filthinesse whereby the pretious soule being turned from God is defiled and become uncleane Math. 15.20 2 Cor. 7.1.1 Jam. 1 21. Every sin leaves a spot upon the soule even those sinnes which men think they get credit by as the Pox or Leprosy doth upon the body therefore sinners are compared to Vipers to Dogs and Swine c. Q. Is it such a matter to be a sinner if there were no punishment to follow A. Yes for two reasons 1. Because the wretched soule hath lost his excellency being deprived of the favour of God and of supernaturall Graces Reason is mans excellency and Grace a Christians which is the greatest losse of all When the soule is become a filthy stye then God departs It 's worse to be a theese or a mad-man then to be in prison to be Nebuchadnezzar amōgst beasts then Daniel in the lions den the privation of supernaturall good is a supernaturall misery Esa 64.6 Levit. 26.30 Q. Why Secondly A. Because the sinner can doe nothing that is pleasing to God the best things he doth God abhors them all Esa 1.10 15. Hag. 2.13 14 Rom. 8.8 Esay 66.3 Prov. 15.8 Tit. 1.15 Every thing is marred and defiled by them being dead in sins Q. What is the guilt of sin A. It is that quality in sin 2. Guilt and punishment
Infants did not knew what was done unto them yet Christ gave them both his blessing an outward signe of it He layd his hands on them 2. Next Christ gives a reason why he did this because to them belongs the Kingdome of Heaven and remission of sins Now if Christ esteeme it a sufficient reason why Infants should be admitted to the signes of his blessing because the Kingdome of Heaven belongs to them then who shall dare forbid them or debarre them from baptisme the first signe of the Covenant of Grace Q. What if the immediate parents be believers onely in shew may their Children be baptized A. Yes for First the profession of the faith is sufficient 2ly Children of professors have right to Baptisme by vertue of the first Covenant with Abraham in whom we have as true an interest as the Jewes ever had Acts 8.12 13 37. with Acts 10.47 Gal. 3.29 Rom. 11.17 So that the wickednesse of the immediate parent doth not prejudice the right of the child for then Hezekiah should not have been circumcised because he had a wicked father No covenant or condition of mans making must be set above the covenant conditions set by Christ to make them void to beleevers Godly parents have sometimes gracelesse children Carnal Parens have sometimes gracious children Q What can Baptisme profit Infants seeing they have no faith A. Very much for as men by deed and seale convey lands to heirs that shall bee borne as well as to them that be already born so doth God by his Promise which takes its effect in due time As Gods Promise that Abrahams seed should inheri-Canaan did not take effect till 430 years after yet then it spake and failed not And as our children are taken Tenants and made members of some Manour or Lordship by the delivery of a white wand or the like ceremony when they be little the which Tenements they enioy when they come to age so doth Gods covenant of peace and Grace made in Baptisme take its effect in due time God is the great Landlord of Heaven he puts our Childrens life into that coppy c. Q. What if they doe not perform the condition when they come to age A. Then they can have no good of their Baptisme 1 Pet. 3.21 Neh. 5.13 God will shake them out of his Church Rom. 2.28 As you put a childs life into a Living when he is of age he enjoys it But if he refuse to do Homage or to pay the Lords rent then he forfeits his Living so c. CAP. LI. Of the Lords Supper Q. WHat is the outward signe in the Lords Supper A. Bread and Wine given and received as Christ hath ordained Q What is the thing signified and remembred in and by them A. The death of Christ when he offered up his righteous soule a sacrifice for sin gave his body to be broken and his bloud to be shed for sinners Esay 53.6 8 10. Luke 22.19 20. 1 Cor. 11.24 25 26. Q. The Bread and Wine then are not turned into the very body and blood of Christ by the consecration of the Elements as if Christ should be there bodily present A. No by no means Against Transubstantiati for the Heavens must containe his body till he come again for our full redemption And it is as impossible for Christs body to be in Heaven and Earth in ten thousand places R. 1 at once as it is for one of us This conceit of Papists is not only against our senses of sight and taste and feeling but also against an Article of Faith namely the truenesse of Christs humane nature in his Incarnation and against that Article of Christs sitting at the right hand of God Gods Omnipotency doth not make a true body to be in many places at the same instant of time Act. 3.20 21. Luke 24.6 Q Shew some other reasons against Transubstantiation and the reall presence of Christ in the Eucharist R. 2 A. The Bread which is broken in the Sacrament cannot be his very body because his very body is whole and the Sacrament sets forth Christ broken for us Therefore it is a remembrance not a transubstantiation 1 Cor. 11.24 We set forth his death we do not kill him again Q. Shew a third reason R. 3 A. All that eat the flesh of Christ and drink his bloud in the Scripture sence are saved But all that eate of the Masse are not saved Therefore the Masse and the Scripture-eating agree not Iohn 6.51 53 54 57. Q. Shew a forth reason against the bodily eating of Christ R. 4 A. Because if one should eat a piece of his flesh as his finger or foot c. that would not profit Ioh. 6.52 61 63. What if the Souldier that pierced him had tasted of the blood which came out of his side could that have done him any good surely no for our redemption stands in the satisfaction which by his dying he made unto the Law and the means by which we eat his Flesh and drink his Blood is not with the Mouth and Teeth but Faith in the heart Q Then Christ is not offered up a Sacrifice for the quick and dead in the Eucharist as the Papists teach Catechismus Rom. part 2. c. 4. A No for as Christ cannot dye and suffer often so neither is he offerâ—d often But by one sacrifice of himself once offered he hath put away sinne for ever He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified by once dying else were his sacrifice weak and imperfect like the sacrifices of Aarons Priests Our duty in the Sacrament is to receive him by faith not to offer him in sacrifice to God In the Sacrament God offers Christ to us we do not offer him to God Heb. 9.25 26 28. with Heb. 10 10 11 12 14 Rom. 6.10 Ioh. 1.29 The offering of Christ once made is a perfect redemption propitiation and satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole World both originall and Actuall and there is none other satisfaction for sin but that alone Art 31. of Ch. Eng. Q. What followes hereof A. Therefore the Masse is a very Idoll and they that use it Papists be Idolaters or adore it or ascribe to it the vertue of Christs sacrifice are very Idolaters The sacrifice of Masses in the which it was commonly said that the Priests did offer Christ for the quick dead to have Remission of Paine and Guilt were blasphemous fables and dangerous deceipts ibid. Q. What then is the meaning of these words This is my body A. Paul tells us it is the Communion of the body bloud of Christ that is an ordinance wherein the faithfull have exhibited to them a fellowship in the merits and vertue of the Sacrifice of Christs death 1 Cor. 10.16 17. Exod. 24.8 as the Cup is called the New Testament Christ is called our Passeover 1 Cor. 5.7 The Lords supper is a Sacrament of our redemption by Christs death insomuch that to