A FORM of Sound WORDS OR A Brief Family-Catechisme Containing the Cheif Heads of CHRISTIAN RELIGION Fitted for the weakest Capacities Together with some Arguments against ATHEISME By J. B. a Minister of the Church of England Psal 119.124 Deal with thy Servant according to thy Mercy and Teach me thy Statutes 2 Tim. 3.16 From a Child thou hast known the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus LONDON Printed for Jonathan Robinson at the Golden Lyon in St. Paul's Church-yard 1682. TO THE READER Christian Reader AS it hath been observed in War That small Shot hath commonly done more Mischeif than great So I think in the Christian Warfare that small Books especially Catechismes have done more good than larger ones for the most part For as many that have most need of them have but little money to lay out on books and but little time to read them So I believe They are the less apt to concern themselves with them when they see they are any thing large Wherefore I have studied Brevity herein And do satisfie my self the more with it because I judge as that Most Reverend Man of God That a few Articles of Religion may be of that weight that they may be sufficient to make a man wise to Salvation Bishop usher See his excellent Sermon on Eph. 4.13 p. 16. of whose Judgment it were easie to shew many others of the Lords Worthies * Prima ista pauca credibilia c. uti Doctiss Davenant in Adhortat pro pace Eccles to have been It is needless for me to enlarge in this place and no less vain to make an Apology for my self for as herein I desire not to displease any so I am confident I do no man wrong by this Paper And am not without hopes that it may do good to some Reader If Thou art one that can spare a little Money I would Request Thee to bestow a few of these Papers or some others that are better upon thy poor Neighbours for their Souls good and if thou art a Housholder to make use of some such for the good of them that are under thy Charge I have no more to add but my Wishes of thy Spiritual Welfare and to desire Thee to beg the Blessing of The God of all Grace upon all the means of Grace that are afforded us For whose sake I am Thy ready Servant J. Brandon A FAMILY CATECHISME WHereas thou hast a God to serve as at the End of this Paper is plainly proved and seeing thou shalt shortly have done with all this World and canst have no hopes of a better World hereafter unless thou dost serve him truly Here I would therefore know Quest What is the Rule according to which thou art to serve Him Answ The Holy Scripture is that Rule Q. Where doth that appear A. Isa 8.20 To the law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Gal. 6.16 As many as walk according to this Rule peace be upon them Q. How far forth can the Scripture instruct us A. It it able to make wise to Salvation 2 Tim. 3.16 Q. How doth it so A. By teaching us to know our selves and our God Q. What doth the Scriptures teach us of our selves A. That we are fallen from that Holy State in which Mankind was made and are become sinful and subject to the wrath of God through Sin Q. How so A. Adam though he was made upright as 't is written God made man upright Eccl. 7.29 turned from the Holy Commandment given unto Him and did eat of for-bidden Fruit Gen. 2.16 17. compared with Gen. 3.13 And so became a Sinner Q. But why must his posterity be 〈…〉 he himself was a sinner may no◠〈…〉 came of him be without sin A. No. He had Children after 〈…〉 likeness Gen. 5.3 And who can bring a 〈◊〉 thing out of an unclean Job 14.4 Q. Are all men become sinful A. Yes Who can say My Heart is clean I am pure from my Sin Prov. 20.9 If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves 1 Joh. 1.8 Q. What are men therefore in their Natural State A. Children of wrath Eph. 2.3 We were by Nature Children of wrath even as others Q. What doth sin make the sinner worthy of A. The wages of sin is Death Rom. 6.25 where it is to be noted That this is not spoken of any particular gross Sin only but of sin as such and therefore of every sin And the Death which the Apostle speaks of includes Eternal Death or Damnation It being such a Death as is opposed to Eternal Life in that Verse Q. Doth not this make all sins Equal for if every sin makes a man worthy of Damnation what can be said more of the greatest sins than is said of the least A. No. This doth not take away the differences or degrees of sin for tho' all Sin deserve Damnation that is Condemnation from God yet greater sins deserve the greater Damnation as we read of some that they should receive the greater Damnation because they devoured Widow's Houses and for a pretence made long Prayers Matth. 23.14 Q. Is it not strange That Sin should make a man worthy of so great a Misery A. No. No wonder at all because it is committed against so great a God being an Offence and Dishonour to him and a Transgression of his Law Rom. 2.23 Jam. 3.2 1 Joh. 3.4 Q. May a man therefore be ruined everlastingly for the first sin he is guilty of A. Yes doubtless and would be so indeed if God should enter into Judgment with him for it and shew him no favour Q. Can you shew any Examples from Scripture to confirm this A. Yes The Angels many of them tho' greater in Power than Man yet were ruined for their first Sin against God 2 Pet. 2.4 God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to Hell And therefore that He hath not dealt so with all Mankind is to be ascribed to His meer Mercy Q. Sin being so great an Evil because it is an offence against God Tell me therefore what God is A. God is a Spirit Uncreated Unchangable from Everlasting to Everlasting Most Holy and Wise Just and Merciful True and Powerful being in all Places and seeing all things at once First God is not a Bodily Substance but a Spiritual Substance Joh. 4.24 saith Christ himself God is a Spirit Q. What can you gather from thence A. Thence I gather three things especially 1. That God must be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth that we must glorifie God with our Spirits or Soules as well as with our Bodies thinking Highly and Honourably of him as well as speaking so 2. That 't is Vain and Ridiculous as well as impious to make any Picture or Image of God for no Image can be like a Spirit let men make something like
was before in into another place even Heaven Luk. 24.50 While he blessed them he was parted from them and received up into Heaven Q. How is it said by him Matth. 28.20 I am with you always if he be gone from Earth to Heaven A. Yes very well for tho' he be gone into Heaven and so hath left the Earth in Respect of his Bodily Presence as he said in the Gospel the poor ye have always with you but me ye have not always yet in Respect of his Divine Presence he was always with his People and cannot be absent from any place seeing he upholds all things Heb. 1.3 Q. What may these things serve for A. 1. They serve to confute the Papists that say the Body of Christ is really and properly present in their Sacrament Now Christ's Body is in Heaven he is ascended thither in that Respect And when he comes from it he shall come so as he went that is so as to be seen of men Acts 1.10 11. But he shall not so come till the Day of Judgment Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing 2 Tim. 4.1 2. To confound the Atheists that mock at Heaven as if it were an idle Fancy But let them say what they please and use their Wits to wrong their Souls yet we may safely think that to be a Real place and a happy place too into which our blessed Lord is really ascended 3. To teach Christians to look beyond this present World and raise their Thoughts to the things above thirsting far a nearer communion with Christ and to see the place where his Honour dwelleth Q. But considering how many Enemies poor Christians may meet with was it not ill for them that their Saviour should leave the world A. No not at all For as he would have them here to live by Faith and not by Sight so his care of them is as great now as when he lived on Earth he is the same yesterday to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 and in John 16.7 he saith 't is expedient for you that I go away Yea it was for their great advantage and on their account that he went to Heaven For he saith in John 14.2 I go to prepare a place for you And that Text in Heb. 9. is a wonderful ground of Comfort to all Godly Christians where he telleth them ver 24. that Christ is gone into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for them Q. Shall Christ continue always in Heaven whereto he is ascended A. No He shall come again to Judge the World 2 Cor. 5.10 We shall all stand before the Judgment-seat of Christ Matth. 25.31 The Son of man shall come in his Glory and all the Holy Angels with Him And then shall he sit upon the Throne of his Glory and before him shall be gathered all Nations 2 Tim. 4.1 before the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing Behold he cometh with Clouds and every Eye shall see him Rev. 1.7 Q. According to what shall men then be judged A. According to their works Behold I come quickly and my Reward is with me to give to every man according as his work shall be Rev. 22.12 Q. But mens works are some good and some bad in the best Men and the best have done evil as well as good in Gods sight shall they therefore be rewarded then for their good works and be punished also for their sins A. No. There shall then be no such Mixture of good and evil upon them but they shall be altogether Happy or Miserable and be adjudg'd to Everlasting Life or Happiness or else to everlasting punishment Matth. 25.46 Q. How then is it said that Christ will give every man according to his work A. By work understand not a particular work but his ordinary way and Course and the main Scope of his Conversation whereby he is in the Main a worker of Iniquity or a worker of a Righteousness and shews himself to be a godly or ungodly Man In which sense the Prophet seemeth to speak when he saith the work of Righteousness shall be peace or end in peace Q. Can any thing be so closely carried as to escape the Eye and Judgement of Christ A. No For God shall judge the secret Things of men by Jesus Christ as St. Paul saith Rom. 2.16 Q. Shall the sins of good Christians be discovered to the world at Judgment A. No. For all their Trespasses were forgiven in this life Col. 2.13 and if God forgive them in this life Men have nothing to do with them in the life to come Yea so far shall they be from having any Reproach for sin at Christs coming that they shall appear with him in Glory Col. 3.4 Q. Should Christ's true Servants be afraid of the Day of Judgment A. No For the Judge is their Advocate and his appearing is called The blessed Hope because they shall then enjoy the happiness they hope for according to the Scriptures Tit. 2.13 1 Joh. 2.1 Q. But what if through some Temptations of the Devil and snares of the world they should fall away and fall off from all Grace and Religion would not the Day of Judgment prove a Day of Perdition unto them A. 'T is little to the purpose what the Day of Judgment might prove to them in such a Case For such a thing is not to be supposed they shall not utterly fall from Grace and Perish by any means whatsoever For God will confirm them to the end that they may be blameless at the Day of Christ 1 Cor. 1.8 and in 1 Pet. 2.25 Christ is called the Shepherd of their Souls A word that importeth a special and particular care of them and therefore sure he will not suffer them to go so far astray as to perish at last Q. What will Christ say to the Rightcous at that Day A. He will say to them Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you Matth. 25.34 Q. What to the Wicked A. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting Fire Matth. 25.41 Q. Shall these sentences be certainly executed accordingly A. Yes For those shall go away into everlasting punishment and the Righteous into Life Eternal as we read expresly Matth. 25 46. Q. Shall the Righteous obtain that Happiness by their own deservings A. No. For they were sinners before and were by nature Children of wrath Eph. 2.3 But Christ hath merited for them and for his sake it is given them The gift of God 〈◊〉 Eternal Life through Jesus Christ Rom. 6 2â— Q. Do the wicked deserve such punishment A. Yes that Eternal Death of misâ—â— is the Wages of Sin Rom. 6.23 Q. But how can it be just to punish Everlastingly for the offences of a little time A. We read it shall be so with the wicked and Impenitent They shall go away into everlasting punishment And if God will have it so 't is
to save them in a way of suffering will not think Scorn of them when they Humbly and Penitently seek Him 3. And especially it should move us to think often of Heaven and to Thirst for that blessed place where we may better understand Christ's wonderful Love and give him the glory thereof for evermore saying with those in Rev. 5. Blessing and Honour and Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth on the Throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever Q. How often did Christ offer up himself a Sacrifice for Sin A. He did so but once on the Cross when he gave his Life a Ransom for many For so the Apostle tells us saying He needed not daily to offer up Sacrifice for this he did once when he offer'd up himself Heb. 7.27 So Heb. 9.28 Christ was once offered to bear the Sins of many Q. What may this teach us A. 1. It may teach us the Horrible Folly and Impiety of the Popish Religion in the Principal part and service of it The Mass as they call it wherein they pretend to offer up Christ as a Real proper and propitiatory Sacrifice for sin Whereas Christ's offering is past long since and it was but once saith the Apostle in those places But if Christ be really offered as a Sacrifice for Sin so often as their Masses are used he may be offered many times yea ten Thousand times ten Thousand For there may be Multitudes of Masses in the same Hour And there is no Reason why the Apostle's once should be should be thought to signifie so many thousand times and as little that we should think it meaneth any more than once indeed 2. It may teach us the Excellency and sufficiency of Christ's Sacrifice since it need be offered but once as the Repetition of the other Sacrifices shewed the Imperfection of them Q But how could Christ's Death and Sacrifice be sufficient for the Sins of so many seeing he dyed but once and offered himself but once A. Yes very well for as he bore the utmost Misery even the curse of the Law for Sin Gal. 3.13 So he that bare it was a Person of Infinite Excellency being the Son of God whom all the Angels of Heaven Worship and in a word very God of the same Substance with his Father 1 Joh. 5.20 Heb. 1.6 and therefore it was more for Christ himself to Dye and be a Sacrifice for Mens Sins than for all the Angels of heaven to do so if such a thing had been possible And accordingly his Love which was especially discovered in his Dying and offering himself He loved us and gave himself for us Eph. 5.2 I say this Love of his towards sinners is said to be such as passeth Knowledge that is all created Knowledge so that the most enlarged Understandings of Men or Angels are not able fully to conceive or comprehend it Eph. 3.19 Q. What must a Christian do when he hath done Amiss especially in any gross manner to the Dishonour of his holy Profession Must he think to make God any amends by doing Better afterwards or hope to make an attonement for himself and Reconcile himself to God by performing of Duties or enduring voluntarily any Sufferings or Hardships A. No by no means these are vain Imaginations and proceed from Pride and Ignorance of Christ and his Sacrifice 'T is true indeed They must Repent of their sins and must of their greatest and resolves by God's help to Reform what is amiss Repent and turn from your Transgressions Ezek. 18.30 They must take care of their Duties in the main and call Christ their Lord to little purpose if they do not take care to do as he commands them They must also submit themselves to God in the affliction that he lays upon them Jam. 4.7 But withal and above all they must in this Case have Recourse unto Christ and flee unto him in all Humility by Faith and Prayer as the Rock of their Salvation and the Refuge of a guilty Soul beseeching their Heavenly Father to apply unto them the Infinite Merit of that All-sufficient Sacrifice which his Son Christ Jesus hath offered Beging mercy and acceptance for his Name-sake in whom he is always well pleased Mat. 3.17 For 't is only through him that we can be accepted Eph. 1.6 and He is the propitiation for our Sins 1 Joh. 2.2 and He is the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sin of the World Joh. 1.29 in way of Sacrifice he means so as to remove the condemning Power of it from Penitent and Believing Sinners Q. By what may Sinners be made Righteous in the sight of God A. By Christ's Obedience imputed to them Rom. 5.19 By the Obedience of one speaking of Christ shall many be made righteous Q. VVhy did not Christ remain under the power of Death A. It was impossible that he should be holden of it Acts 2.24 As the Scripture tells us that he was the Son of God whom Angels worship and therefore the Lord of Life and Death So his Resurrection is told us as plainly as his Dying It is Christ that died yea rather that is Risen again Rom. 8.34 and in 1 Cor. 15.3 He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures Q. VVhat Vse is his Resurrection of A. 1. It is of use to confirm us in the Belief of that Satisfactory Sacrifice which in Dying he offered for the Sins of Men. What greater Testimony of acceptance could God the Father give than by Raising him from the Dead especially as it was a Resurrection to Glory and in order to his Ascension into Heaven Acts 3.15 Ye killed the Lord of Life whom God hath raised from the Dead whereof we are witnesses See Acts 4.10 2. It serveth to assure us of the Truth of that Religion and Doctrine which Christ hath Preached himself and appointed his Apostles to preach to the World For 't is certain if Christ had not been a true Preacher he should not have been raised from the dead to propagate and confirm his Doctrine God never did Honour any Deceiver in such a Manner And if he should it would lay the World under a necessity being deceived by him which may not be thought of the God of Truth and Holiness 3. It serveth to confirm the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Dead at the appointed time For if the dead Rise not or not at all then is not Christ raised 1 Cor. 15 16. He arose as the Head of his Church and therefore his People shall be raised in due time Christ the first Fruits afterwards they that are Christs at his coming 1 Cor. 15.23 Q. How did Christ after his Resurrection Ascend into Heaven was it only in Mind and Affection A. No He ascended properly so as to pass from Earth to Heaven indeed Q. Where is that proved A. Among many Scriptures in these two Mark 16.19 After the Lord had spoken to them he was received up into Heaven received from the place he
certainly just that it should be so whether we can see the Equity of it or not the Righteous God will act like himself and may as soon cease to be a God as lay any unjust punishment upon a Creature whether for ever or for one Hour Q. But what considerations may be urged for the cleering of it A. These following amongst many others 1. That the wicked shall dye a corporal Death no more after the Day of Judgment Those of them that were dead so many ages since shall then be raised to Life and so continue for ever and ever The Dead that is all the Dead shall be raised incorruptible in 1 Cor. 15.52 But the wicked shall not have an incorruptible state in Joy therefore certainly in punishment 2. The Desert of an Offence as to punishment is not to be measured by the shortness of the Time in which it was committed An offence against a King committed in a Minute may deserve perpetual Imprisonment and death 3. God that Sin offendeth is a God of Infinite and Eternal Majesty and Excellency 4. God is not bound to be reconciled to Offenders nor bound to pardon their offences at any time therefore he may justly punish them at all times or for ever Of this the Reader may see more in my Book entituled Everlasting Fire no Fancy Cap. 1. Sect. 3. pag. 19. Q. But will not the Terror of the Lord against the wicked in that Day strike Terror into the Hearts of the Righteous A. If it do it shall not be over-long nor shall be at all in any Miserable Sense or Manner For they shall see themselves safe in the Armes of his love before the dreadful Sentence shall be passed upon the wicked yea they shall meet Christ with peace when he is coming in the higher Regions St. Paul tells us in 1 Thes 4.17 that they shall be caught up together to meet the Lord in the Air. O wondrous word indeed Thrice Happy are they that shall partake of that Relicity And when once they have That they shall soon have all the priviledges of Heaven and be for Ever with the Lord 1 Thes 4.17 For which inexplicable Blessedness the Father of Mercies fit us more and more for His Son Christ Jesus sake To whom be Glory for Evermore The Lord's Prayer OUr Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this Day our Dayly Bread And forgive us our Debts as we forgive our Debtors And lead us not into Temptation but deliver us from Evil for thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen The Creed I Believe in God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord which was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was Crucified Dead and Buried he descended into Hell the third Day he arose again from the Dead he ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty from whence he shall come to judge both the quick and the dead I believe in the Holy Ghost the Holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints the Forgiveness of Sins the Resurrection of the Body and the Life Everlasting Amen The Ten Commandments Exodus XX. GOD spake all these words saying I am the Lord thy God which 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 serve them For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate me and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my Commandments III. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain IV. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any work thou nor thy son nor thy Daughter thy man-servant nor thy maid-servant nor thy cattle nor the Stranger that is within thy Gates For in six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it V. Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy days may be long upon the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee VI. Thou shalt not Kill VII Thou shalt not commit Adultery VIII Thou shalt not Steal IX Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy Neigbbour X. Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours house thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours wife nor his man-servant nor his maid-servant his Ox nor his Ass nor anything that is thy Neighbours Proofs that there is a God AND now good Reader I am to make good my word in the beginning of this Writing and if Solomon himself would sometimes apply his Heart to know the wickedness of Folly Eccl. 7. sure it cannot be below me or my Betters to spend some thoughts about the madness of those miserable Fooles that say in their Hearts there is no God And I fear there are too many that are not much ashamed to say so with their Lips in effect and consequentially at least where they do not say so expresly and directly as if they had been instructed by the Malmesbury-Man or thought that his Leviathan had devoured Religion or overturned it by main Force The Folly of such I shall make manifest by proving these two particulars 1. That none can be sure that there is no God 2. That a Man of sober Reason may be sure that there is a God 1. That none can assure us that there is no God For whence should they be sure of such a thing Religion cannot be pretended to teach them so for all Religion is grounded upon the Notion of a God nor can they be assured of it by Reason For those that believed there is a God and forsake all Worldly Comforts in Hope of that happiness after death which none but a God can give as the Martyrs in all Ages yet had Reason as well as others and great Learning also and the subtilest Atheists as yet have not shewed half so much of any kind of Learning as many of those that are followers of Godliness I confess some few men of Ingenuity have been Atheistical a curious Wit was sometimes so and would delight himself in disputing against Religion so vain a thing is the the best thing without Grace But