of their Salvation but it follows not that other Believers must have such Assurance A. It doth follow since that these Saints had not this Assurance by an extraordinary Revelation of their Salvation but that it was built upon the goodness of God the stability of his Promises and upon the efficacy of the death and intercession of Jesus Christ which are Motives and Considerations common to all Believers Q. Have Believers always this Assurance A. No For Faith hath its weaknesses and distempers and according as Sin and the Flesh predominates Faith and Assurance diminishes but at last Faith becomes victorious Q. But may not one be deceived in this Assurance and take carnal Security for true Faith and Assurance A. I grant some may deceive themselves but from thence it follows not but that true Believers may know they have a true Faith otherwise S. Paul's Exhortation was in vain 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether you be in the faith if it cannot be known by Examination Q. By what marks do you certainly know true Faith A. By its effects as a Tree by its Fruits Matth. 7.16 If it worketh by love Gal. 5.6 If it produces in us the love of God and disesteem of the World Ardour and pleasure in praying to God and Zeal for his Glory And besides these Testimonies a Believer hath The spirit of God which beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God Rom. 8.16 Which sealeth us unto the day of Redemption Ephes 4.30 and Who is the Earnest of our Inheritance until the Redemption of the purchased Possession unto the praise of his Glory Ephes 1.14 Q. This Doctrine seems to incline men to be licentious for every one may say If I have assurance of Salvation what need I employ my self in good works A. This is the thought of a prophane person and not of a child of God for none can promise themselves Salvation without good works We know not our Election by Election but by the examination of our Consciences therefore S. Peter 2 Epist 1.10 compared with vers 5 6 7 8. would have us give diligence to make our Calling and Election sure by good works And the Holy Ghost who is the Spirit of Adoption in the hearts of Believers is also the spirit of Holiness And in witnessing to them that they are the children of God he giveth to them also such holy Motions and Affections Q. Yet in the Scripture we are often exhorted to fear and trembling Psal 2.11 Serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling And Phil. 2.12 S. Paul would have us to work out our Salvation with fear and trembling And 1 Cor. 10.12 Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall A. By these words we are not exhorted to distrust but to a reverend fear and to walk before God with an holy care and fear lest we should offend him And this fear of God is so far from being prejudicial to the Confidence we ought to have in the goodness of God and to the assurance of Salvation that on the contrary it is an effect of Faith and a most assured indication that our Assurance is not a carnal Security but sincere and right and in this fear Believers walk on to the Salvation that they wait for Jer. 32.40 Acts 9.31 SECT XXXIII Of Sin and if all Men are Sinners Quest WHat is Sin A. Whatsoever is contrary to the Law 1 Joh. 3.4 Q. Are all Men defiled therewith A. Yes except only Jesus Christ who is the Lamb without blemish 1 Pet. 1.19 For if we say we have no sin we are Lyers and the truth is not in us 1 Joh. 1.8 In many things we offend all James 3.2 Q. Yet the Scripture gives testimony to many Believers that they have walked without reproach in the Commandments of God that they have been holy and righteous and have loved God with all their heart as David Job Zacharia and Elizabeth A. These things are not said of them because they were without sin for the Scripture it self gives us an account of great sins committed by them as of David's Adultery Zacharia's Distrust Job's Murmuring but because they walked in the integrity of Conscience and gave themselves with all their heart and power to serve God Q. In what sense then are Believers called just and holy A. They are called just and righteous because the Righteousness of Jesus Christ is imputed to them Rom. 1.17 and they are accepted of God as righteous themselves Secondly They are called righteous in opposition to the wicked which the Word of God calls Workers of iniquity Thirdly They are particularly called holy because God sanctifies them by his Spirit and consecrates them to his Service and calls them to be Saints Rom. 5.17 and 6.17 Q. Why doth David say then Psal 18.24 that God hath recompensed him according to his Righteousness and according to the cleanness of his hands A. He speaks so to maintain the innocence of his Carriage in respect of Saul and his other Enemies which persecuted him without cause but when he speaks of his Righteousness before God he prays that He would not enter into Judgment with his Servant for in thy sight says he shall no man living be justified Psal 143.2 and Psal 130.3 4. If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquity O Lord who shall stand But there is forgiveness with thee that thou maist be feared Q. Notwithstanding S. Paul speaks of perfect men Phil. 3.15 Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded A. S. Paul calls not them perfect in respect of their fulfilling of the Law but in respect of the perfection of their growth and Advancement in the knowledge of God and therefore he opposed 1 Cor. 14.20 perfect men to children Be not childrin in understanding but be ye children in malice but in understanding be ye men in the Original be ye perfect And the Apostle Heb. 5.14 says that Strong meat that is to say Solid Doctrine belongeth to them that are of full age even those who by reason of their use have their Senses exercised to discern both good and bad SECT XXXIV Of Venial and Mortal Sins Quest WHat doth Sin deserve A. Death The soul that sinneth shall die Ezek. 18.4 Q. Yes indeed for mortal sins but there are venial sins which are of so small importance that it would seem that they merited not to be punished with death A. The Word of God makes no such distinction it shews us indeed that some Sins are more grievous than others and that he who knoweth his Masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes but it shews us likewise that all Sins without exception are by nature worthy of death Rom. 6.23 The wages of Sin is death And our Saviour tells us Matth. 12.36 That for every idle word that men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement and Matth. 5.22 That he who call'd his Brother Fool is
worthy or in danger of hell-fire which are the sins that now are thought to be the most venial But there is no sin venial before God since thereby his infinite Majesty is offended and his Law infringed All sins are mortal to the impenitent and all are venial and pardonable to those that repent Q. It will seem notwithstanding That S. John makes that distinction in his 1 Epist 5.16 There is a sin unto death and there is a sin not unto death A. By sin unto death he doth not mean every sin that deserves death but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost for he would not have us pray for him that sinneth this sin unto death Now it is evident that we ought to pray for them that have committed mortal sins and sins worthy of death but St. John would not have us to pray that God would pardon the sin against the Holy Ghost because Jesus Christ tells us Matth. 12.32 That it shall not be forgiven neither in this world nor in the world to come Q. Why is this Sin never to be forgiven A. Not because it is too great for the infinite Mercy of God to pardon but because it is a Sin that the wicked never Repent of but is always accompanied with hardness of heart even to the last SECT XXXV Of Works of Supererogation Quest CAN We do more good than God hath commanded A. We acknowledge our selves so far from being able to do more good than God hath commanded that we feel our selves uncapable of doing that which he hath commanded us to do as to love him with all our hearts and with all our strength and who can love him more And Phil. 4.8 we are commanded to Do all things that are honest just and praise-worthy It is impossible then to do any things that are honest just or worthy of praise that are not commanded And Jesus Christ says that He came only to do the Will of the Father Therefore they that think they can do more than the Will of God think themselves better than Jesus Christ himself Q. But there are Counsels of Perfection which are not comprehended in the Law which if a man do he doth more than God commands him and notwithstanding they are works pleasing to God as to give our Goods to the Poor and for a Minister not to take any Reward for his Labour when he may be without it for a chast person not to Marry that he may serve God with less distraction A. To that I say that those counsels are from God and are the suggestion of his Spirit and are not only counsels but commands and a man that finds himself called to do those things would sin greatly if he did resist for God counsels nothing but what he commands and therefore the commandments of God are called also his counsels The Pharisees because they rejected Jesus Christ and his Baptism are condemned because they had rejected the counsel of God Luk. 7.30 and Prov. 1.25 Wisdom pronounces sentence of condemnation against them that set at nought her counsel Q. What think you of the Works of supererogation and counsels of the Romish Church by which they pretend to merit a degree of glory in Heaven above others as that of voluntary poverty and Monastical Obedience and perpetual abstinence from certain Meats A. That they are works displeasing unto God because he hath neither counselled nor commanded them and they are so far from meriting a degree of glory above ordinary that they deserve punishment for the Law being the most perfect rule of our duty to go beyond it is to transgress and to them it shall be said Who hath required those things at your hands Esay 1.12 And in vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of men Matth. 15.9 for whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin Rom. 14.23 Q. But our Lord seems to give a more perfect counsel than the Commandments of God for to the Yoang Man that said he had kept from his youth all the Commandments of God Jesus Christ gives this counsel Mat. 19.21 If thou wilt be perfect go and sell that thou hath and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven A. I answer first That this counsel was a command to this Young Man therefore if he had done it he had done no work of supererogation but only that which was commanded him besides Jesus Christ doth not give him this counsel to oblige him to do something more perfect than the Law he thought he had fulfilled but to discover his presumption and to manifest that he boasted in vain that he had kept the Law from his Youth since his heart was so set upon his riches that he would not part with them for the service of God Q. Why then doth the Gospel tell us that Jesus Christ loved him A. This love did not imply that he had no sin for Jesus Christ loved sinners and died for them but it was a love of compassion towards this young man in whom he knew there were some endeavours that deserved praise and some fear of God SECT XXXVI Of Repentance Quest WHat is Repentance A. A serious displeasure for having offended God accompanied with a firm resolution of turning from Sin from whence follows a true amendment of Life Acts 3.19 Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out Q. Into how many parts doth the Church of Rome divide Repentance A. Into four parts Contrition Confession Absolution and Satisfaction Q. Is this a good Division A. No For Absolution can be no part of Repentance for it is not a thing done by the Sinner but conferred by the Pastor and Satisfaction which they make to consist in undergoing some Penalties that the Priest enjoyns them after Absolution is an humane invention of which there is no ground at all in the Word of God Q. Do you approve of Contrition A. Yes provided they do not make it consist in external things as knocking their breast and saying mea culpa nor that they imagine that they merit pardon by it but that it consist in having a contrite heart and humbled by reason of their grief for sin and filled with that sorrow which worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of which St. Paul speaks of 2 Cor. 7.10 and which is the contrition David extolls so much Psal 51.17 The Sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and contrite heart c. SECT XXXVII Of Auricular Confession Quest WHat say you of Confession A. That it is necessary to salvation to Confess our sins to God Prov. 28.13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper but who so confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy and 1 Joh. 1.9 If we confess our sins he is faithful and and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Q. May not Confession be made to Pastors of the Church A. Yes We would have sinners that have scandaliz'd
No Popery OR A CATECHISM AGAINST POPERY WHEREIN The Heretical Doctrins Idolatrous Worship and Superstitious Practices of the ROMAN CHVRCH ARE Briefly yet Plainly Refuted and the Protestant Principles Proved by Testimonies of Holy Scripture and Evidence of Reason By a Minister of the Gospell Little Children keep your selves from Idols 1 Joh. 5.21 LONDON Printed for the Author and Sold by Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers Chappel 1682. TO THE READER AMongst the various Methods of Instructing such as are weak and ignorant none hath been found more useful than that by way of Question and Answer And as Christianity did at first diffuse it self by this way of Teaching so the Truth and Purity of it have been best preserved when Pastors have effectually applyed themselves to Conscientious Catechising of those under their Care and inspection By this means did the Waldenses and Albigenses maintain the Doctrine and Worship of the Gospel among them when Error Superstition and Idolatry had overspread the face of the Western Churches Nor was any thing more useful to the promoting the Reformation than the Catechisms of several Eminent Persons whom God employed in that Blessed Work For tho' Preaching be a very good way of pressing known principles upon the Consciences of men yet Catechising doth much excell it in conveying Light and Knowledge into their minds And through the woeful and universal neglect of this does Ignorance come so much to abound even where Sermons are most frequent as well as plain and practical For through want of Acquaintance with the points and subjects concerning which Ministers treat in those continued Discourses they are incompetent Auditors of what is delivered and so lose much of the benefit of it And as the present decays in Religion are to be ascribed to no one thing more than a faileur of Catechising so the Ignorance which thereupon ensues is that which betrays multitudes to be imposed upon and perverted by such as lye in wait to deceive For next to the being strangers to the power of that Religion which we do profess the want of being well grounded in the Doctrines of it is that into which the revolt of so many to Popery is to be issued and resolved And as the apprehension of our security from the Re-introduction and Establishment of the Romish Religion in these Nations hath occasioned our sloth and negligence in unmasking and detecting the folly of the Tridentine Faith so the just fears we are brought under of its obtrudeing its self once more upon these Kingdoms do bespeak all who desire to approve themselves faithful to God and the Souls of Men to concern themselves more in discovering the falshood of all the Articles of the Romish Creed And as the difference betwixt the Professors in Britain and those that profess the Reformed Religion in France is to be admired with respect to that Ability which appears in them beyond what is in us to refute and expose the Papal Tenents so their present stedfastness in the Doctrines of the Gospel when they are called to suffer the Loss of all things for them is much owing to their having been instructed before hand in all the Principles that lye in Controversie between them and the Papists For tho' the Transcript of Gospel Truth upon our Hearts will be our best Preservative in a day of Trial yet the being able to give an account of the reason of our Belief is needful as well for the honour of our Religion as the prevention of our Apostacy when we come not only to be accosted with Arguments against it but threatned with Fire and Faggot unless we renounce and abandon it And tho' there be many Discourses wrote with great Strength and Learning both to inform and fortifie our minds in the Belief of the Doctrines which we profess yet there are but few Discourses in Print either of that brevity or accommodated for manner and plainness to the Capacity of the weak as is necessary The want whereof as it recommends the seasonableness of this Catechism and familiar Treatise so if People will but consult their own Souls they will have reason for being thankful to God for the provision which is here vouchsafed them In which as they will find the Errors of the Romish Church truly represented so they will find them as nervously confuted and overthrown The Order of Sections Sect. 1. OF the Scripture pag. 1 2. How the Scripture may be known to be Divine 4 3. Of the Authority of the Scripture 7 4. Of the Perfection of the Scripture 10 5. Of the Reading of the Holy Scripture 14 6. Of the Church 17 7. If the Church can Err. 20 8. Of the Marks of the true Church 24 9. Of our Separation from the Roman Church 30 10. Of the head of the Church 32 11 Of Invocation of Saints 36 12. Of the Intercession of Saints 42 Sect. 13. Of Images 45 14. Concerning Prayers for the Dead 47 15. Of Purgatory 48 16. Of human satisfactions 52 17. If the Sufferings of Christ were accomplished in the Cross 56 18. Of Pilgrimages 58 19. Of Monkish Vows 1. of that of single life 59 20. Of Vowing Poverty 61 21. Of Vowing obedience 62 22. Of Lawful Vows 63 23. Concerning Fasts 64 24. Of Holy Days 68 25 Of the Providence of God 69 26. Of man's free will in the state of Sin 72 27. Of man's free will in the state of Grace 74 Sect. 28. Of Justification 77 29. Of Merits 81 30. Of Predestination 84 31. of Perseverance 86 32. Of the certainty of perseverance and Salvation 88 33. Of Sin and if all men are Sinners 92 34. Of venial and mortal Sins 95 35. Of the Works of Supererogation 97 36. Of Repentance 100 37. Of Auricular Confession 101 38. Of Absolution 103 39. Of Satisfactions and Indulgences 105 40. Of the Sacraments 106 41. Of Confirmation 107 42. Of the Sacrament of Penitence 109 43. Of Marriage 110 44. Of Extream Vnction 112 45. Of the Sacrament of Orders 113 46. Of the Order of Priesthood 115 47. Of the Sacrifice of the Mass 118 48. of Baptism 122 49. If original sin continues after Baptism 124 50. Of the Necessity of Baptism 125 51. Of the Lords Supper 126 52. of the Communion under both kinds 134 ERRATA PAge 3. line 22. read imaginations pag. 9. l. 26. r. have p. 22. l. 9. 10. for interted r. interrupted p. 25. l. 24. for in r. ing pag. 31. l. 13. r. Schisme p. 38. l. 15. r. God's p. 59. l. 21. after resolution r. in p. 66. l. 8. r. Tim. p. 69. l. 1. r. of signal p. 72. l. 21. for freely r. spiritually p. 74. l. 5. r. calling ibid. l. 24. r. John 8. p. 80. l. 27. r. justifies p. 82. l. 4. r. cannot p. 88. l. 18. blot out the i. p. 99. l. 5. r. young ibid. l. 9. for hath r. hast p. 109. l. 8. r. you p. 113. l. 1. r. being p.
a Sacrament of the New Testament since it was practised under the Old Num. 27.23 Deut. 34.9 Q. Do you believe that the conferring of Orders upon a man imprints such an indelible Character upon his Soul that the flames of Hell cannot efface it or raze it out A. I believe this Character is a vain imagination and I know no other Character that is printed upon the Soul but that of the Spirit of God whereby the Elect are sealed to the day of Redemption Ephes 1.13 and 4.30 SECT XLVI Of the Order of Priesthood Quest WHat think you of the Order of Priests A. If the name of Priest from Presbyter be taken as it was in the time of the Apostles for an Elder or Pastor whose Office is to instruct and lead the Flock of Jesus Christ as S. Peter exhorts the Elders in his first Epistle Chap. 5.1 This Order is very lawful and instituted by Jesus Christ But if by Priest they understand a Sacrificer of the Body of Jesus Christ I hold that Order to be unlawful and an invention of men Q. Why do ye esteem it such A. Because no man taketh this honour of Priesthood unto himself but he that was called of God as was Aaron Heb 5.4 It is rashness then to look on themselves as Priests without producing any Authority from the Word of God for the institution of this Order St. Paul Ephes 4. and 1 Cor. 12.28 Rom. 12. where he reckons the Offices of the Church says not a word of this And to the Hebrews in all his Epistle in which he treats expresly and at length of the Priesthood of the Christian Church speaks not of any other Priest of the Body of Christ but Christ himself who offered himself to God by his Eternal Spirit Hebr. 19.14 It is also to be considered that the Apostle Hebr. 7. gives two reasons for abolishing the Priesthood of the Law which destroys also that which is now Established the one is that the Priests were subject to death the other that they were obliged to Sacrifice first for their own sins and then for the sins of the people Priests being then still Mortals and Sinners ought to be abolished Besides the Sacrificer being more excellent than the Sacrificed and he who Sacrifices more powerful and more excellent than the Victims it is too bold an enterprise to pretend to Sacrifice Jesus Christ for it is to make themselves greater and more excellent than Jesus Christ himself Q. They pretend notwithstanding to prove their Priesthood by these words of Jesus Christ Do this in remembrance of me A. But they do it without ground for First Since Jesus Christ by these words Instituted the Sacrament of the Lords Supper what appearance is there that by the same words he should Institute another Sacrament Secondly Jesus Christ in these words commands his Disciples to do afterwards that which he had ordered them to do then viz. to take and eat now to take and eat is not to sacrifice Thirdly Moreover he commands to do this in remembrance of him Now it is absurd to take and sacrifice a person in remembrance of him for we remember things absent Q. Yet the holy Scripture speaks of other Priests under the New Testament than Jesus Christ for St. John says Rev. 1.6 that Jesus Christ hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father And in 1 Pet. 2.9 St. Peter calls us a Royal Priesthood A. It is greatly to be observed that this Title is given indifferently to all Believers and never particularly to Priests and Believers are called Priests because as we are taught in 1 Pet. 2.5 They are an holy Priestood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ Q. And what are these Sacrifices A. Good Works Prayers Praises and Thanksgivings Heb. 13.15 Alms and Repentance Psal 51.19 And Rom. 12.1 Present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable Service SECT XLVII Of the Sacrifice of the Mass Quest DDo you believe that in the Mass the Priests offer the Body of Jesus Christ a Propiciatory Sacrifice for the Living and the Dead A. As I acknowledge no other Priest in the Church but Jesus Christ who is a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedech Psal 110.4 Also I acknowledge no other Propitiatory Sacrifice for Sin but the death of Jesus Christ who hath loved us and hath given himself for us an Offering and Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Ephes 5.2 Q. Why do you not acknowledge any other A. Because the Word of God makes no mention of any other under the Gospel And the Apostle to the Hebrews who writes an Epistle expresly to teach us by what Sacrifice Sins are truly expiated and the Sacrifices of the Law fulfilled mentions no other but the Blood of Jesus Christ who by his Eternal Spirit offered himself to God to purchase for us an Eternal Redemption yea he tells us expresly that Jesus Christ offess not himself often Heb. 9.25 26. And that as It is appointed for men once to die and after this the judgment so Christ was once offered to bear the Sins of Man Heb. 9.27 28. That by one Offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified through the Offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all Heb. 10.10 14. Q. It is true he offered himself but once a bloody Sacrifice but he offers himself an unbloody Sacrifice every day at the Mass A. This distinction is not found in the Word of God neither is there any propitiatory Sacrifice without shedding of Blood Heb. 9.22 Without shedding of blood is no Remission Q. It is only by the death of Jesus Christ that Forgiveness of Sins is purchased for us but by the Mass as by an Applicatory Sacrifice of the former is applied to us the Propitiation of Sins A. I answer to that That as it is not needful that Jesus Christ die again that his death may be applied to us neither is it needful that he be sacrificed again that his Sacrifice may be applied to us God hath appointed other means than the Mass to apply the death and Sacrifice of Jesus Christ unto us viz. the preaching of the Gospel Sacraments and Faith Q. But if Jesus Christ is not offered every day wherein consists his everlasting Priesthood after the Order of Melchisedeck A. The Apostle to the Hebrews makes it to consist in two things 1. In the perpetual Efficacy of his Blood once offered on the Cross and therefore it is said Heb. 12.24 that His blood speaketh better things than that of Abel 2. In that being entred into the holy Place according to the Office of the High Priest he interceeds continually for us Heb. 7.24.25 This Man because he continueth ever hath an unchangeable Priesthood wherefore he is able also to save them to the utmost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Q. They alledge for the