here are forbidden those only wherto the hart doth not consent VVhence doe these motions arise Eyther of our owne corruption or else are offered by Sathan or else by men Are all these sinnes in vs. All that arise of our own corruption are but those which the deuill or men offer vnto vs are not vnlesse wee be infected with them How are we infected by them When we take pleasure in them when we be intangled by them or when wee suffer theÌ„ to tary in our minds although our harts do not giue consent How is this commaundement broken 1 When euill motions arise of corruption moouing vs to hurt our neighbour 2 When we be infected with those euil motions which sathan or euill men put into our minds 3 When we doe not with like affection desire the good of our neighbour as we doe our owne VVhat is commaunded To loue my neighbour as my selfe Who is your neighbour Euerie one that is neere me and standeth in need of my helpe and it lyeth me tâ—â—elpe him though he be a stranger or my foe Why iudge you so Because of the image of God in him and that he is mine owne flesh in respect of our first parents Doth the law of God prescribe the perfect rule of righteousnes Yea For there is no good thing in déed word or thought but it is heer coÌ„manded likewise no euil but heerâ—it is forbidden Can euerie one keepe the Lawe perfectly They that are not borne againe of God cannot keep it at all in any point as pleasing God therby in respect of themselues For except he be borne againe of God he cannot sée the kingdome of God nor enter therein much lesse keepe the commaundements of God Moreouer all men by nature being borne and conceiued in sinne are not onely vtterly insufficient to any good thing but also disposed and ready to all sin wickednes What punishment is due to the breakers of Gods law In this life the curse of God and death with manifold miseries of bodie soule or both And where this curse is not taken away euerlasting death and damnation of bodie and soule in hell But God is mercifull Yea and God is iust righteous which righteousnes must fully be discharged or else we cannot be pertakers of his mercy And cannot we by ourselues make satisfaction for our sinnes No But rather from day to day increase our debt But doth not God wrong to man to require of him that which he is not able to performe No For God made man so that he might haue performed it but he by his sinne spoyled himself and his posteritie of those godly gifts Can any creature in heauen or earth which is onely a creature satisfie his righteousnes None at all for 1 God will not punish that in another creature which is due to be paid by man. 2 None that is onely a creature can abide the wrath of God against sinne and deliuer other from the same What manner of man is to be sought out to be our Mediator and deliuerer Hée which is indeed a verie right man and perfectly righteous more mighty then all creatures beside that is hee which also is God. Why must he be man and perfectly righteous Because the righteousnes of God requireth that the same nature which had sinned should pray and make amendes for sinne Why must he be God withall That by his godly power he may abide the burthen of Gods wrath in his flesh and may get againe and restore to vs the righteousnes and life which we in Adam lost Who is that Mediatour which is verie God and very man and perfectly righteous withall Our Lord Iesus Christ who is made vnto vs wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption What is the vse of all which hath hitherto beene taught To bring vs to a sound perswasion and féeling of our sinnes because they haue deserued so grieuous punishment as eyther the death of the Sonne of God or hell fire Are they deliuered from the curse of the Law and made partakers of Christs merits that are truly humbled Yea For heauen and earth shal passe but one tote or tittle of Gods lawe shall not faile till all be fulfilled How is the truth of Gods law fulfilled Both in Gods children and in the wicked In them because it bringeth them to be truly humbled in themselues for their sinnes and then sendeth them to Christ who doth quite fulfil it In these because it declareth to them their iust confusion when to the ende they eyther perseuere or dispaire Is sorrow for sinne sufficient to bring vs to saluation No But wée must also haue a true faith which is a true perswasion of the mereies of God merited by our Sauiour Iesus Christ. How shall we attaine to this true faith By the spirit of God giuing vs the true vnderstanding and perswasion of the Gopell VVhere is the Gospell declared vnto vs. It is generally declared vnto vs in the holy Scriptures but the Church of God hath gathered out of them a certaine sum thereof which is the articles of our Christian faith commonly called the Creed Rehearse those articles I beleeue in God the Father almightie c. How many parts are ther in these articles There are two 1 Touching our faith in God. 2 Of our faith concerning the Church What beleeue you in the first part I declare that I beléeue in God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Why say you I beleeue in God and not in Gods For that there is but one onely true God vpoÌ„ whom my faith is wholy staied If there be but one God why name you three the father the son the holy ghost Because God hath so opened himselfe in his word that these thrée sundry persons are but one true euerlasting God. Why say you I beleeue in God and not rather that there is a God. By saying I beléeue in God I declare that I put my whole trust assurance in God whereas the deuils wicked men beleeuing that there is a God yet cannot put their whole trust confidence in him vvhy say you I beleeue not we beleeue Because I must be saued by my owne faith and not by the faith of another Why call you God Father Because he is the Creator of heauen and earth so the father of all creatures Why say you Creator and not Maker of heauen c. Because he created all things of nothing but to make is to make somthing of that which was before Why call you him Almightie Because as he created all things of nothing so he doth preserue guid theÌ„ by his mighty power wisdom iustice mercy What comfort hence do we receiue 1 That al the good angels of god shal watch ouer me pitch their tents about me 2 That neither the deuil nor men shal haue any power to hurt me but when and so farre as God will permit them 3 That I shal haue a
A Briefe and necessarie Catechisme concerning the principall poynts of our Christian Religion Written for the good of all such as seeke after consòlation in Christ. By R. C. 1. Pet. 3. 15. Sanctifie the Lord God in your harts and be readie alwaies to giue an aunswere to euerie man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you AT LONDON Printed for Edward VVhite and are to be solde at the little North doore of Paules Church at the signe of the Gun. 1602. ¶ A briefe and necessarie Catechisme concerning the principall points of our Christian Religion Question WHereas all men desire to bee blessed and most men are deceiued in seeking that blessednesse tell me which is the true way thereto Aunswere To know God to be my Father in Iesus Christ and therefore to serue him according to his will and to set foorth his glorie beleeuing that I shall want nothing that is good for me in this life and that I shall enioy euerlasting blessednes in the world to come How know you this By the working of the holy ghost and by the meanes of his word What call you his Word The reuealed will of GOD set foorth vnto vs in the holy Scriptures Which doe you call the holy scriptures The bookes of the olde and newe Testament commonly called Canonicall Are all things that are necessarie for vs to know contained in them Yea for GOD beeing full of all wisdome and goodnes would leaue out nothing that was requisite for vs to know Is it lawfull to adde to or take anie thing there-from No for GOD hath flatly forbidden it and hath pronounced grieuous curses vppon those that doe so Why is it so grieuous a sin Because it is a great sin to alter the last will of a mortall man therefore much more to change the last Testament of eternall God. Why is it requisite that the will of God should be set forth vnto vs That wee might haue pure rules of his worship and sure grounds of our saluation Is it not lawfull to repose any part of Gods worship or our saluation in the doctrines and dooings of men No for all men by nature are liars and defiled with sinne wherof it followeth that all mens doctrines and dooings are mingled with lies and corruptions How far are we bound to their doctrine and dooings So farre forth as they are agreeable to Gods word May all reade the Scriptures Yea all that be of age able to discerne betweene good euill ought to increase in knowledge for their furtherance in saluation as they doe in yeeres VVhy must all such reade the Scriptures 1. Because euerie one must be able to proue and try himselfe whether he be in the faith or no. 2. Because euerie one must be able to prooue and examine mens doctrines and dooings by the Scriptures that they be not thereby in their saluation deceiued 3. Because euerie one must be able as his calling requireth to teach admonish exhort and comfort one another 4. Because euerie one must be able to make an account of the faith hope that is in him But what if men cannot reade Then they must vse the helpe of others that can Is it enough to read the Scriptures priuately or with others No for God hath also commaunded to heare thē read publiquely in the Church And is that enough No for he also hath ordained preaching Why must preaching be ioyned vvith reading Because it is the most principall and proper meanes to beget faith in vs. Why must faith be mixed with the word read and preached Because otherwise the Word profiteth vs nothing How many things are requisite to be in euery one that wil come to heare the word read and preached Amongst other foure are necessarie 1. A trembling feare of the Maiestie of God. 2. An assured faith in Christ. 3. An earnest endeuor to frame our liues therafter 4. To pray for the holy Ghost to be giuen vs to enlighten our mindes and write all these things in our harts Which be the principall parts of Gods word The Law and the Gospell What call you the Law It is that part of the word that commandeth all good and forbiddeth all euill What if we could keepe the Law Then we should be blessed What if we breake the Law Then are we subiect to the curse of God and so to death and damnation What call you the Gospell It is that part of the word which containeth the free promises of God made vnto vs in Iesus Christ without any respect of our deseruings What doth it worke in vs A true and liuely fayth in Iesus Christ whereby we lay hold of the free remission of our sinnes in him and come by true repentance of them VVhat must wee learne by the vvhole word of God. Two things First to make a right and sounde entrance into our saluation Secondlie how to increase and continue the same vnto the end What is required for our right sound entrance to our saluation Thrée things First to know and be perswaded of the greatnes of my sinnes and the miserie due to the same Secondly to know howe wee may be deliuered from them Thirdly to knowe what thanks we owe to the Lord for our deliuerance How shall wee come to aright fight of our sinnes a sound perswasion of them By the Spirit of GOD leading vs to the true vnderstanding of the Law and a due examination of our selues thereby Where is the Law set downe It is written in many places of the scripture but the summe thereof is contained in the ten commaundements Rehearse them I am the Lord thy God thou shalt haue no other Gods but me c. How are they deuided Into two principall heads or Tables What doth the first Table teach vs Our duetie towards GOD and is contained in the foure first Commaundements What learne we by the second Table Our dutie towards our neighbour and is contained in the latter sixe Commandements VVhy are the duties towards GOD set downe before our duties towards our neighbour Because the loue of GOD is the ground of the loue of our neighbor wherof it followeth that none can rightly loue his neighbour except hee first loue GOD. Why are the duties towards our neighbour ioyned to our dutie towards God Because the loue of our neighbour is the proofe and triall of our loue towards god Whence it followeth againe that none can loue God aright except he also loue his neighbour VVhy are the Commaundements set downe in tenne parts and not in generall Because God is not pleased with dooing our duties in generall or in some part but hee will be wholy serued in all and euerie one of his Commandements VVhy are they set downe singulerly or to euery one Because euerie one must doe his owne duetie though none goe before him whence it followeth That euerie one must beare his owne burden and none shall haue excuse by others example Are there not some rules which serue
for the better vnderstanding of euery one of the Commaundements Yes there are foure which haue especiall vses 1. In euery commaundement where euill is forbidden the contrarie good is commaunded and where any good is commaunded the contrarie euill is forbidden 2. In euery commaundement manie more euils are forbidden many more good things commaunded then in worde are expressed 3. God is a Spirit and therefore his commaundements require a spirituall obedience 4. In euery Commaundement where euill is forbidden there the occasions of euill are also forbidden and where good is commaunded there also the occasions of good are commaunded What is the first Commaundement Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me What euill is heere generally forbidden Euen that which the words do import What good is commaunded To haue God my onely God and to be alwaies in his presence What is it to haue God to be our only God. To giue him all those things which be proper and peculiar to his maiestie Which be those that properly concerne God and therefore be the especiall things commaunded The summe of them are these I am bound by this Commaundement to belâ—â—ue in God to loue feare and obey him to praise him and pray vnto him After what sort must you performe these duties With my whole mind and vnderstanding with my whole hart strength Which be the peculiar things forbidden To faile in giuing to God any of these or the like good things in any part or respect What else is particularly forbidden To giue any of these fore-named things to any creature or any other thing whatsoeuer whereby our hart may be in any sort withdrawen from God. What be the occasions of breaking this Commaundement 1. The vaine desire of pleasures riches and glory of this world 2 A negligent and carelesse vse of the meanes to serue God. Are not the contrarie good things to these Commaunded 1 Yes As first a hart contented with any estate and vsing the things of this world as if it vsed them not 2 A reuerent and diligent vse of the means to serue God his prouidence Rehearse the second Commandement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image c. What euill is expresly forbidden heere I am forbidden to make any Image eyther to represent God or worship him by What euill is generally forbidden I must auoid all inuentions and deuises of man in the outward worship of God which be contrarie or beside the word What be the especiall euils forbidden Chiefely all the corruptions in the substance of doctrine Prayer Sacraments and discipline of the Church What occasions of euils be forbidden There be some which we must necessarily auoid vnlesse we will fall into superstition and idolatrie as 1 To ioyne the false parts of worship with the true worship of God. 2 To be present at idolatreas and superstitious seruice 3 The reseruation of some especiall monument of superstition and idolatry Which be the lesser occasions forbidden and yet so that we haue the especiall grounds of Gods worship which must and may tollerate when we cannot helpe them 1 All vaine idle and superstitious ceremonies 2 All keeping companie with false worshippers Is not the euill in hart also forbidden Yes so farre forth as I trust in my hart to haue any of them preuaile or be established What good is commaunded 1 Generally all the outward means of God his worship which be agreeable to his written word 2 Specially doctrine prayer sacraments and discipline of the Church as agree with Gods word in the substance thereof What occasions of good be commanded 1 To haue and vse good bookes of the doctrine and histories of the Church written according to Gods word 2 Erecting maintaining of schooles of learning as nurseries of the ministery 3 Sufficient prouision to be made for the ministers 4 Building maintayning Churches with all things belonging thereto 5 All good ceremonies and orders agreeable to Gods word 6 All familiar company with the true worshippers of God. What good in hart is heere commaunded To vse the meanes of Gods worship not onely outwardly but also in spirit and truth What meane these words For I the Lord thy God am a iealous god c. That God will punish false worship in the false worshipper and vnto the third and fourth generation in their posteritie What is meant by that And will shewe mercie vnto thousands c. That God will blesse his true worship in the true worshippers and their posteritie into the fourth discent What is the vse of these To make false worship more vile and his true worship more pretious in our eyes Rehearse the third Commaundement Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vaine c. What is heere forbidden 1 All periury or false swearing banning or cursing inchanting or coniuring 2 All swearing by false Gods or naming them with reuerence 3 All customable speaking of God or swearing without reuerence 4 Causing Gods Name to be dishonored by false doctrine or an vngodly life in my selfe or other What good is commaunded 1 In matters concerning Gods glory I must sweare by God onely in iustice iudgement and truth 2 I must indeuour from my hart to grow vp in the true knowledge of God and a godly life that God may be glorified therein VVhat meane those words For the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh c. That God will certainly punish the dishonouring of his name in any sort VVhat is the vse hereof To make vs more fearefull to dishonour God and more carefull to honour him Rehearse the fourth Commandement Remember the saboth day to keepe it holy c. VVhat is heere commaunded Generally to make it my whole delight to sanctifie the holy Saboth of the Lord from morning to night 1 Particularly to vse all the publike meanes of Gods worship in the congregation of Gods people 2 To reioyce to vse all such priuate exercises as may make the publique meanes profitable to my selfe to other VVhat be those priuate exercises 1 The examining of my sinful wants priuate prayer reading the scripture singing of Psalmes conferring with other and applying all things to my selfe with a care to profit other 2 Releeuing the néedie visiting the sicke and them that be in prison comforting them that are in misery reconciling them that be at variance admonishing the vnruly c. 3 The considering the creatures of God thereby to prouoke my selfe and other to prayse him VVhat else is generally commaunded A diligent searching with my hart with the like care to finde out and to reape some profit of the forenamed meanes so that I may be better for and thorow them VVhat is forbidden Generally the vsing of those eyther priuate or publike means in ceremonies without some good fruit in my selfe or care of fruit in other 1 Particularly All such labours and pleasures in thought word or deede as may hinder me or other fron vsing or
profitable conuenient vse of all Gods creatures 4 Though I suffer hurt by sathan or want of his creatures yet all this shall turne to my good in the end How can this be Because God can doe it as an almightie God and will doe it as a most mercifull and louing father True it is that by creation we had this benefit but we haue lost it and are become the children of wrath how then can God become our father and shew vs thys mercy Hee is become my father by faith in Christ the sonne of God What beleeue you of GOD the Sonne First that he is able to worke my saluation 2. That he hath wrought it indeed after the manner that is heere set downe How can you beleeue that he is able to worke your saluation I beléeue it because he is both God and man and hath receiued an office from God the Father to worke my saluation By what words in the Creed do you beleeue that Christ is God. By these His onely sonne I declare that I beleeue in Christ the onely begotten Sonne of God begotten of his Father before all worlds God of God light of light verie God of verie God begotten nor made being of one substance of the father by whom all things were made Why call you him the onely begotten Sonne of God. Because he is the alone Sonne of God by nature How can this be seeing the Angels Adam and we also be the Sonnes of God. Adam was the sonne of God by creation which state we haue lost but now we be the sonnes of GOD by regeneration VVhy was it requisite hee should be God. Because nothing but God was able to abide and ouercome the wrath of God and the punishment due vnto sinne What comfort haue you by this that Christ is God. Héereby I am assured that he is able to saue me by reconciling me to the Father that he may make me the child of God. By what words in the Creede doe you shew that you beleeue that Christ is man. By these words Borne of the Virgine Mary where I shew that he was borne as other men bee and subiect to all infirmities of man sinne onely excepted Why are these words added Conceiued by the holy Ghost To shew that Christ by the holy Ghost was conceiued in the womb of the virgin Mary she continuing still a pure virgin and that he was borne holy and without sinne whereto all other by nature are subiect VVas it needfull that Christ should be without sinne Yea For otherwise the Godhead and manhood could not haue him ioyned together besides if he had béene a sinner hee could not haue satisfied for others sinnes Why was it requisite that he should be man Because the righteousnes of God requireth that the same nature which had sinned should also pay and make amends for sinne What coÌ„fort is in this that Christ is man I am thereby assured that Christ is fit to suffer the punishment of my sinne and beeing man himselfe will be more pittifull and mercifull to me vvhat fruit haue you by his holy conception I am assured that his holy conception hath couered the corruption of my nature and that his pure conception shall be imputed vnto mee vvhat comfort haue you by this that he is both God and man That hee is able to finish most fully my saluation seeing as hee is man hee is fit to suffer for sinnes as hee is GOD hee is able to beare the punishment of sinne and to ouercome in suffering and therefore to be called Iesus vvhat doth Iesus signifie It signifieth a Sauiour which name agreeth to Christ because hee saueth mee from all my sinnes because there is no other meanes whereby I may in part or whole bee deliuered from them vvhat comfort haue you by this Euen the same which I said and the rather because GOD from heauen gaue him this name and the Church on earth hath subscribed thereunto What signifieth Christ. Annoynted for he was annoynted to be a Prophet a Priest and a King for all his people and so for mee How gather you this By the annoynting Prophets Priests and Kinges which were figures of him VVas Christ annoynted with materiall oyle as they were No But with all gifts of the Spirit without measure Why call you him Prophet Because he was is and euer shal be the onely teacher of the Church What were then the Prophets and Apostles They were his disciples and seruants speaking onely by his spirit What comfort haue we by this Héereby I am assured that he will lead me into all truth needful for Gods glory and my saluation Why call you him Priest. Because offering vp himselfe a sacrifice once for all he hath satisfied for all my sinnes and maketh continuall intercession to the father for me What comfort doe wee reape by his Priesthood That I am sure that he is my Mediatour and that I am made a Priest. How is that By him I haue fréedome and boldnes to draw néere and offer vp my selfe and all that I haue to God the Father Why call you him King. Because he doth guide and gouerne me to euerlasting life by his word and spirit What comfort haue you by this Héereby I am assured that by his kingly power I shall finally ouercome the flesh the World Death and Hell. Why call you him Lord. For that not with gold or siluer but with his precious blood he hath purchased â–ª vs to be a peculier people to himselfe VVhat comfort haue you thereby â–ª Séeing hée hath paid so precious a price for me that he will not â–ª suffer me to perish VVhat is the second thing wherein thy faith in Christ consisteth I beleeue that he hath wrought my saluation in deed after that manner that is set downe in the Creed â–ª How is that 1 First by his most painefull sufferings for sinne 2 By his most glorious victorie and triumph ouer sinne In what words are his paineful suffrings expressed In these Suffered vnder Pontius â–ª Pilate was crucified dead and buried c. vvhat is the generall meaning of these words Therein I shew my selfe to beléeue that Christ indured most grieuoâ—s torments both of bodie and soule vvhat comfort haue you ny this I am fréed from all those punishments of bodie and soule which my sins haue â–ª deserued How then commeth it to passe that we are so often afflicted with grieuous torments of bodie and soule Our sufferings are not by desert any satisfaction for our sinnes in any part but being sanctified in the most holy sufferings of Christ they are medicines against sinne vvhy are those words set downe Suffered vnder Pontius Pilate Not onely for the truth of the story but also to teach that he appeared willingly and of his owne accord before an earthly Iudge of whoÌ„ he was pronounced innocent yet by the same man condemned vvhat comfort haue you hereof That my Sauiour thus suffering not for his owne sinnes but wholy for