was free from any such purpose But as they in studie and care I do not doubt to further religion and godlinesse did take libertie vnto themselues in forme as they be extant to frame and set foorth theirs so haue I done They haue written some largely some briefly and some haue kept a meane betweene long and short and I haue laboured if not to bee the briefest yet to come as neere it as I might They some haue quoted for confirmation in their margent some haue omitted quotations and some haue prooues set forth at large by directions alphabeticall as euery one of them thought best so haue they proceeded I haue made proofe of euerie answere immediately vpon the answere and almost made the wordes of the text the answere hoping thereby the more to allure the reader and hearer God make me partaker of my hope and my godlie brethren of theirs And thou good Reader remember in the bowels of Christ I beseech thee that the more paines I my brethren bestow for thine instruction by preaching writing the more and greeuous shal be thy condemnation if thou profit not by it which thing would be our griefe Consider what I say the Lord giue thee vnderstanding Thine in Christ Th. Settle ¶ A CATECHISME briefly vnfoulding the mysterie of our redemption by Christ with other necessary points of Diuinitie thereunto annexed Question WHO made you and to what end were you made Answere God for his glory as saith the Prophet Esay chapiter 43. I created him for my glorie Esay 43. â„£ se 7.21 formed him and made him Quest What is God Ans Euen as proclaiming his owne name in Exodus 34. be describeth himselfe Exod. 34. â„£ s 5.6 saying The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gratious slowe to anger and abundant in goodnes and truth reseruing mercie for thousands forgiuing iniquitie transgression and sinne and not making the wicked innocent In the fourth of the gospell after Iohn he is said to be a spirit Iohn 4.24 Exod. 6.3 Iehoua what it doth signifie In Exodus the sixt he calleth his owne name Iehouah which is as much to say as one that hath his béeing of himselfe which name importeth his euerlastingnes Qu. What can you say further concerning God An. Verily that he is thrée distinct persons that is Father Sonne and holie ghost and yet in substance one God onelie As Iohn the Apostle euidently teacheth in the fift chap. of his first Epistle saying 1. Iohn 5. v. 7. For there are three which beare record in heauen the Father the worde and the holy Ghost and these three are one Qu. How doe you proue that the holy Ghost is God An. In 28. of Mathew Math. 8.19 Christ coÌ„mandeth to baptize in the name of the holie Ghost Now this is certaine the baptisme is to be ministred in no name 1. Cor. 1. vers 14.15 but in the name of God But it béeing coÌ„manded to bee ministred in the name of the holy ghost doth manifestly proue that the holy Ghost is God In the 5. of the Actes Peter saith vnto Ananias Act. 5. vers 3.4.5 Why hath Sathan filled thine hart that thou shouldest lye to the Holy Ghost c. How is it thou hast conceiued this thing in thine hart Thou hast not lyed vnto men but vnto God This place also proueth in plaine words that the Holie ghost is God Qu. You said euen now that God made you and you shewed to what end shew now in what state he made you An. According to his owne image that is to say in righteousnes and true holines as Paule expoundeth it in the 4. to the Ephesians Ephes 4.24 calling it béeing repaired in Gods electe by the spirite in other words the new man Qu. Doe you continue in that state of righteousnes and true holinesse wherein you were at the first by God created An. No verily For Paule witnesseth in the 3. to the Romaines Rom. 3.25 that all haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God And in the second to the Ephesians the same Apostle saith Ephes 2 3. that they as wel as others were by nature the childreÌ„ of wrath And as Dauid in the 51. psalme confesseth so may all others â—sal 51 5. that they were conceiued and borne in sinne Qu. You said euen nowe that you were made after the Image of God righteous and holy and nowe yee confesse that ye were borne a sinner how can this be Ans Adam the first man was created after the Image of God righteous holie and so I and al other in him our first parent were created righteous and holie But when he by his sinne in eating the forbidden fruite made himselfe vnrighteous and vnholy then I and all the world béeing then in his loines for who saith Iob in the 14. chapiter of his booke can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse were made vnrighteous and vnholy Iob. 14.4 And to proue that man was made righteous at the beginning the Preacher saith in the 7. of his booke Onely loe this haue I found Eccles 7.27 that God hath made man righteous But they haue sought many inuentions Qu. Do you then affirme that the sinne which Adam committed is also your sin An. Yea verily for so affirmeth holie Scripture in the 5. to the Romaines By one mans disobedience many that is all became sinners Rom. 5.19 And againe in the same chapiter By the offence of one the fault came on all men Rom. 5.18 Yea a little before in the same chapter the apostle saith that Death raigned from Adam to Moses euen ouer them also that sinned not Rom. 5.14 after the like manner of the transgression of Adam he meaneth euen the very babes and young sucking children to bee by Adams sinne subiecte vnto death and damnation Qu. Doe you thinke that if your sinne in Adam in eating the forbidden fruite were not laid vnto your charge that you should bee righteous and holie and free from sinne An. No verily for the scripture crieth out euerie where to the contrarie Our nature was so poisoned thorow Adams sinne that we can do nothing but sinne As it is written in Genesis the sixt The Lorde sawe that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth Genes 6.5 and all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were onely euill continually And Paule confesseth saying in the 7. to the Romaines Rom. 7.12 I knowe that in mee that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with mee but I find no meanes to performe that is good And againe in the 8. to the Romaines it is saide Rom. 8.3 that The Lawe is weake thorowe the flesh that is to say that the flesh by reason of the corruption thereof No free will in man since Adams fal or abilitie to do good and weaknesse is not of abilitie to performe the Lawe
conuersation receiued by the traditions of the Fathers but with the pretious bloud of Christ as of a lambe vndefiled and without spot and many suche like places Yet we are alwaies to vnderstand that a speciall part of our redemption consisteth in the sufferings of his soule For therin he bickered had combat with al the powers of hell damnation which was due for our sins the stings horrors sorrows as Peter Acts 2. calleth them whereof caused him to sweat drops like water bloud trickling downe from his body so great was his agony Luke 22 â—â— as Luke in the 22. chapter recordeth wheÌ„ the angels came to comfort him Againe vpon the crosse the wrath of God did so presse his soule for our sinnes that for extreme anguish this pitifull exclamation was wrested from his mouth Mat 27 49. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Who can think that these strong cryings teares as in Hebrews 5. they are tearmed Heb 5 7. were euer in the Son of God for because of a bodily death which we do sée many weake men yea which suffer for no good cause amongst vs most constantly to endure In these his sufferinges he hath spoyled death hell as it is written in threatening wise O Death I will be thy death O graue Hosea 13 14 I will be thy destruction And againe in Collossians 2. Collos 2 15. And hee hath spoyled the principalities and powers and hath made a shew of them openly and tryumphed ouer them in the same crosse Qu. But nowe sith none can enioy the ioies of heauen and eternal life but those that fulfill the will of God and perfecte obedience vnto his Lawe Howe shall wee poore sinners doe in this behalfe An. The goodnes of our God hath in this behalfe also prouided for vs raising vp for vs a mightie saluation The Apostle saith in the 4. to the Galathians that Christ was made vnder the law that he might redeeme them which were vnder the lawe Gal 4 v. 4 5. that they might receiue the adoption of sons And againe he saith in the second to the Collossians And you which were deade in sinnes Collos 2. ver 13 14 15. and in the vncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickned together with him that is Christ forgiuing all your trespasses and putting out the hande writing of ordinances that was against vs which was contrarie to vs he euen tooke it out of the way and fastened it vnto his crosse Againe 1 Rom 10 4 in Romans the 10. Christ is the end of the law for righteousnes vnto euerie one that beleeueth 1 Cor 1 30. Lastly in 1. Corinthians 1. it is said that Christ is made of God our wisedome righteousnesse sanctification redemption that is to say that whatsoeuer we haue néede of to the obteining of eternal life saluation we haue it in him as in a full fraught and plentifull storehouse Qu. Doth this saluatioÌ„ pertaine to all and shall all be partakers of the same An. The saluation is offered to all but none shal haue it but those that beléeue As it is written in the 16. of the gospell after Marke Mark 16 15 Go ye into all the world and preach the gospell to euery creature He that shall beleeue and be baptized shall be saued and he that wil not beleeue shal be damned Qu. What is it to beleeue An. To beléeue is to bee fully perswaded that God the father which hath made me the promise of saluation in his Sonne wil faithfully performe his promise vnto me For as Abraham hauing Gods promise made vnto him as the Apostle affirmeth in the 4. to the Romans did not doubt of the promise through vnbeliefe Rom. 4. â„£ se â—0 21 but was strengthened in the faith and gaue glory to God béeing fully assured that he which had promised was also able to do it euen so also wee hauing Gods promise for saith the apostle in the same place it is not written for him onlie Rom. 4.23 but also for vs must not doubt of the promise through vnbeliefe but bee fully assured to obteine it God béeing both able and faithfull Q. How is faith wrought in men An. Thrée thinges especially for the woorking of faith are to bee noted from the Scripture First the preaching of Gods word For saith the Apostle Romans the 10. How shall they heare without a preacher Rom. 10 15. and how shall they preach except they be sent c. Then faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God 1. Cor. 1.21 And againe in the 1. Corinthians 1. It pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue Iohn 11.20 Also Iohn the 11. I pray not saith Christ for these my disciples alone but for them also which shall beleeue in me through their word that is their preaching Qu. What is the second thing that you note from the scriptures to be necessary to the begetting of faith An. The second is that hée whiche preacheth be sent authorised of God For how saith the Apostle in the 10. to the Romans shall they preach except they be sent Rom. 10.15 Againe the Prophet Ieremie in his 23. chapter saith Iere. 23 32. I sent them not nor commanded them therfore they being no profit to this people Our sauiour Christ saith in the 10. of Iohn Iohn 10. â„£ s 1 2. That he that entreth not in by the doore into the sheepefold but climeth vp some otherway he is a theefe and a robber And in the 10. verse he saith That a theefe commeth not but for to steale to kill and to destroy so farre is it of that they shall beget men to the faith Iob calleth such a messenger a maÌ„ of a thousand in his 33. chapter Iob. 33 23. Qu What is the third thing An. The working of the Holy ghost in the ministration of the word with power in the hearers harts as by these places of Scripture is and by many other may be proued Paule in the fourth chapter of his former Epistle to the Corinthians threatning to come to Corinth to make triall of the doctrine of the false Apostles which were so highly extolled and of the effectualnesse thereof affirmeth 1. Cor. 4. â„£ s 19 20. that the kingdome of God that is the ministrie of the Gospell stands not in word but in the power of the Spirite In the second chapter of the same Epistle he saith â— Cor. 2 4. Neither stood my word and my preaching in the intising speach of mans wisedome but in plaine euidence of the spirite and power that your faith might not bee in the wisedome of men but in the power of God Againe in the former Epistle to the Thessalonians the first chapter 1. Thess 1 5. For our gospell was not vnto you in word onely but also in power and in the Holy ghost In all these thrée places Paule setteth foorth the power of the Holy ghost in begetting of faith by the outward ministrie of his preaching In the fift chapter to the Galathians Paule saith Galat. 5.22 The fruit of the spirite is
visite his temple Dauid by the beautie of the Lorde in this place meaneth neth nothing else but the hearing of Gods holy word praiers praises thanksgiuing the vse of other Gods ceremonies for that ministration appointed For a day in thy courts is better then a thousand other where Psal 84 10. I had rather be a doore kéeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the tabernacle of wickednes 4 That al must heare receiue Gods worde REceiue with méekenes the word that is grafted in you Iames 1 21. which is able to saue your soules As newe borne babes desire the sincere milke of the worde 1 Pet 1 2. that you may growe thereby He that is of God heareth Gods word Iohn 8 47. ye therefore heare them not because yee are not of God Hee that turneth away his eare from hearing the lawe Prou. 28 9. euen his praier shal be abhominable Despise not prophesiyng 1 Thes 5 20 Prou. 13 13. He that despiseth the word shall be destroyed 5 That Gods worde is effectuall and full of power to conuert men and to alter their mindes and cleanse their hartes THe lawe of the Lorde is perfect Psal 19 7. conuerting the soule Now are ye cleane through the worde which I haue spoken vnto you Iohn 15 3. Sanctifie them with thy truth Iohn 17 17. Thy word is truth For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ Rom. 1 16. for it is the power of God vnto saluation to euerie one that beléeueth For the word of God is liuely Heb. 4 12. mightie in operation sharper then anie two edged sword entreth through euen vnto the diuiding a sunder of the soule the spirite of the ioints and the marrowe and is a discerner of the thoughtes and the intents of the hart Neuerthelesse though wee walke in the flesh 2 Cor. 10. ℣ 5 6 7. yet we war not after the flesh For the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mightie through God to cast downe holdes casting downe the imaginations and euerie high thing that is exalted aboue the glorie of God bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ And hauing readie the vengeance against al disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled Is not my worde euen like a fier saith the Lord Ierem 23 29 and like an hammer that breaketh the stone Surely as the raine commeth downe and the snowe from the heauen Esay 55. ℣ 10 11. and returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it to bring foorth and bud that it may giue séede to the sower and bread vnto him that eateth So shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth it shal not returne vnto me voide but it shall accomplish that which I will and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it 1 Cor. 14. vers 24 25. But if all prophesie and there come in one that beléeueth not or one vnlearned he is rebuked of all and is iudged of all and so are the secretes of his heart made manifest and so he wil fal downe on his face and worship God and say plainely that God is in you indéede These places then considered it will appeare that they which neglect and despise the hearing of the worde preached cannot be saued though they trust neuer so much to secret reuelations they shall shall assoone come to heauen as hee to Fraunce that will passe the sea without a shippe 6 That for euerie thing that a Christian man doth hee ought to aske councell at the worde of God and make that the rule of al his doings TAke héede therefore that yée doo as the Lord your God hath commanded you Deut 5 32. turne not aside to the right hande nor to the left Whatsoeuer is not of faith that is of knowledge from the word is sinne Rom. 14 verse 23. And when they shall say vnto you enquire at them that haue a spirit of diuination Esay 8. verse 19 20. at the southsayers which whisper and murmur Should not a people enquire at their God From the liuing to the deade to the lawe and to the testimony if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Wo to the rebellious children saith the Lord that take councell but not of mée Esay 30 ℣ se 1 2 couer with a couering but not by my spirit the they may lay sin vpon sin which walke foorth to goe downe into Egypt haue not asked at my mouth Examples of Dauid Thy word is a lanterne vnto my féet Psa 119 105 and a light vnto my path Also thy testimonies are my delight Psal 119 24 my councellers 7 That the worde of God conteineth all things necessary vnto saluation THe Law of the Lorde is perfect Psal 19 7. conuerting the soule And that thou hast knowne the holie scriptures of a child 2. Tim 3. ℣ 15 16 17. which are able to make thée wise vnto saluatiō through the faith which is in Christ Iesus For the whole scripture is giuen by inspiratiō of God is profitable to teach to improue to correct to instruct in righteousnesse That the man of God may bee absolute being made perfect vnto all good woorks Receiue with méekenes the word that is grafted in you Iames 1 21. which is able to saue your soules Search the scriptures Iohn 5 39. for in them yee thinke to haue eternall life Then if eternal life saluation of our soules bee obteined by the scripures and doctrine of the worde conteined therein much good doe the Papistes with the rest which they get more by the meanes of traditions and vnwritten verities 8 Of Magistrates and first what men are to be chosen MOreouer prouide thou among al the people men of courage Exod. 18.21 fearing God men dealing truly men hating couetousnes appoint such ouer thē to be rulers ouer thousāds rulers ouer hundreds c. 9 That Magistrates are to execute Iustice vprightly towards all ANd I charged your iudges that same time saying Deut. 1 16. Heare the causes of brethren and iudge righteously betwene euery man and his brother the stranger that is with him ye shal haue no respect of persons but shall heare the small aswell as the great ye shal not feare the face of man for the iudgment is Gods Ye shal not do vniustly in iudgement Deuitie 19. verse 15 thou shalt not fanour the person of the poore nor honour the person of the mighty but thou shalt iudge thy neighbor iustly Thou shalt not estéeme a poore man in his cause Exod 23.3 Iudges officers shalt thou make thée c. and they shall iudge the people with righteous iudgement Deut. 17 18. 10. That Iudges and magistrates must take no rewardes nor bribes nor wrest the Lawe ANd he set