into life eternal and the rest into everlasting Punishment I Believe that God the Holy Ghost the Spirit of the Father and the Son was sent from the Father (*) or and by the Son to inspire and guide the Prophets and Apostles that they might fully reveal the doctrine of Christ and by multitudes of evident miracles and wonderful gifts to be the great witness of Christ and of the truth of his holy word and also to dwell and work in all that are drawn to believe that being first joyned to Christ their head and into one Church which is his body and so pardoned and made the sons of God they may be a peculiar people sanctified to Christ and may mortifie the flesh and overcome the world and the Devil and being zealous of good works may serve God in Holiness and Righteousness and may live in the special Love and Communion of the Saints and in Hope of Christs Coming and of Everlasting life I do heartily take this one God (*) In the Trinity of Persons for my only God and my chief good and this Jesus Christ for my only Lord-Redeemer and Saviour and this Holy Ghost for my Sanctifier and the Doctrine by him revealed and witnessed by his Miracles and now contained in the holy Scriptures I do take for the Law of God and the Rule of my Faith and Life And Repenting unfeignedly of my sins I do Resolve through the grace of God sincerely to obey him both in Holyness to God and Righteousness to men and in special love to the Saints and Communion with them against all the temptations of tht Devil the World and my own Flesh and this to the death Note that the first eight Articles of the following Caâ—echism do contain â—he foregoing Profession and the four last do express the particulars â—ontained in the two words Holiness and Righteousness and in the ten Commandments The CATECHISM Qu. 1. What do you believe concerning God 1. There is one only God in three persons the Father 1 Cor. 8.4 6. Mat. 2â— 13 1 Joh. 5.7 1 Tim. 1.17 Psal 1. â—9 7 8 9. Isa 40.17 Rev. 4.8 Psal 147.5 Neh. 9.6 Psal 135 6. Rev. 15.3 Exo. 34 6. the Son and the Holy Ghost Who is infinite in Being Power Wisdom and Goodness the maker preserver diâ—poser of all things and the most Iust and Merciful Lord of all Qu. 2. How did God make man and what Law did he give him 2. Pro. 16.4 Gen. 1.26 27. 2.16 17. Rom. 6.23 God made man for himself in his own image and gave him a righteous Law requiring perfect obedience upon pain of Death Qu. 3. Did man keep or break this Law 3. Man being tempted by Satan Gen. 3. Rom 5 1â—.28 3.23 6.23 Eph. 2.12 Hos 14.1 Eph. 2. â— 3 5. Gal. 3.10 â—â— Act. 26.18 Gen. 6.5 2 Tim 3 15. Hos 11.7 13.2 Psal â—8 17 did wâ—â—fully sin and so fall from God and Happiness under the wrath of God the Curse of the Law and the Power of the Devil so that a e are bâ— nature dead in sin and prone to do more evil continually to grow worse â—o depart yet further from God Qu. 4. How was man Redeemed 4 God so loved the world Joh. 3.16 â—7 1 Joh. 2.2 Ioh. 4.22 Rom 9.5 10.12 Joh. 10.30 17.11 Heb. â— 14 16. 1 Tim. â— 5 Luâ— 1 2â— â—1 35. Mat. 1.22 25.20 Heb. 4.15 7 26. Heb. 2 3.4 Act 2.22 7.36 T it 2.14 Heb. 9.26 1 Tim 2.6 Mat. 27.31 35. â—0 1 Cor. 15 3 4 5 6 7 12. Act. 1.9 Eph. 4 8 9 10 11. Act. 10.56 2.36 Râ—m 14.9 Mat. 28.18 Eph. 1.20 21 22 that he gave his onlâ— son to be their Redeemer who being God and one with the Father did take to him our nature and became man being conceived by the Holy Ghost in the Vâ—râ— in Mary and born of her and called Iesus Châ—ist and having lived on earth without sin and wrought many Miracles for a witness of his truth he gave up himself a sacrifice for our siâ—s and a ransom for us in suffering death on the Cross anâ— being buryed he rose again the third day and afterward ascended inâ—o â—eaven where he iâ— Lord of all â—n glory with the Father Qu. 5. How and on what â—e â—â—s is â—alâ—ation offered in the Gospel 5 Our Lord Iesus Christ hath ordained in his Testament that all they that receive him by a tine effectual faith 1 Cor. 9.14 Heb 9.15 Col. 2 6. Joh. 1.12 Mar. 16.15 16. Gal. 5.4 Jam. 2 24. Act. 26.18 â—n 24 47. Act. 5.31 11.18 20.21 3.19 2.38 8 2â— 26.10 〈◊〉 13.3 Mar. 4.12 Isa 55.7 2.16 Ezeâ— â—8 21 â—0 â—2 33 11. to 20. Mat. 19 2â— 29. â—0 3â— Lâ—k â—4 26 27 3â— Tâ—t 3 â— 7 Heb. 3 14. Câ—l â— 23 Joh. 15 â— to 12. 8 31. Roâ— 1.22 Heb 10.26 38. Rev. 2 1â— â—â— Mar. 16.15 16. Mat. 28.19 20 21. and that by true Repentance do forsake the Devil the world and the Flesh and heartily turn from them unto God shall freely receive the Pardon of their sins and become the sons of God and Heirs of everlasting life * The conditionality of the promise denyâ—th not the certainty of faith and perseverance and that if they sincerely love and obey him to the death they shall be glorifyed and that they that will not do all this shall be damned And this he hath commanded his Ministers to preach to all the world Joh. 14.26 15.26 1 Pet. 1.10 11 12. 2 Pet. 1.21 2 Tim. 3.16 Joh. 16.13 Ep. 3.3 5. 2.20 4.11 12 13. Mat. 28.20 â— Tim. 6.14 Isa 8 20. Rev. â—2 18 19. Heb. 3.2 â— 2.3.4 Acts 2.22 19.11.10 19. Gal. 3.1.2 3 5. Joh. 14.12 3.2 10. 25 37 28 1 Cor. 14. Qu. 6. How did Christ reveal and prove his doctrine 6. The Holy Ghost was sent by the Father and the son to inspire and guide the Prophets Apostles and Evangelists that they might truly and fully reveal the Doctrine of Christ and deliver it in Scripture to the Church as the Rule of our Faith and Lise And by multitudes of evident uncontroled miracles to be the great witness of Christ and of the truth of his holy word Act. 26.18 Joh. 6.44 Rom. 8. â— 10 11 Act. 16.14 Ezeâ— 36.16 Act. 15.9 1 Cor. 6.11 19. Col. 1.18 2.19 Eph. 5.30 31.32 3.17 1 Cor. 12. 13.27 Rom. 3.24 Gal. 4 6. Joh. 1.12 Gal. 6.26 Tit. â— 14 1 Pet. 2.9 1 Cor. 6.11 Rom. 8.1.10 14. Gal. 5.17 24. 1 Joh. 2.15 Gal. 6.14 1 Joh. 3.8 Luk. 1.74 75. 1 Pet. 1.22 Joh. 12.34 35. Eph. 2. â—9 Heb. 10 25. â— Cor. â— 9 â— Pet. 3 11 12. Tit. 1.2 3.7 Qu. 7. How are men brought to partake of Christ and life 7. The same Holy Spirit doth by the word enlighten mens
the Love of Christ shed abroad in your hearts by the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 And the Spirit to write Christs Law within you Heb. 10.16 Then would you long for more of Christ and run after him in his Ordinances with thirsting souls and delight in his Law and meditate in it day and night and love his Teaching and delight to do his will Rom. 7.22 Psal 1.2 3. Psal 10.8 119.24.77.35 40.1.2 These things would not only be your business but your Pleasure even your meat drink Job 23.12 O that you did know in this your day the things that belong unto your Peace before they are hid from your eyes Luke 19.41 42. And that you would once soberly Consider what it is to be in Everlasting Joy or Torments and that you would live as men that believe these things indeed We do yet again beseech you in the name of him that Made you and Redeemed you and for the sake of your own immortal souls that you will not be so stout or self-conceited or so careless or so contemptuous of the Grace of the God as to refuse to come to your Teachers to be Catechised and Instructed or to bestow your labour in learning these Principles You can lose but little by it and only that which however you shall shortly lose You may get that which shall never be lost O what a Glory would it be to our Parishes and to the Land if you would all joyn as with one mind to learn and study the things of Christ what a Joy would this be to the hearts of your Teachers to see you readily with one accord to come to them for Instruction and obey the word All the wealth of the world would not so glad them or do them so much good as this would do But what a Grief is it to our hearts at present to think that so many of you do live in wilful Darkness and will not use the means to get out and to think what is like to bâ—come of you for ever if death shall find you in this sad Condition Now we are neer you and fain would see your hearty change But then betwixt us and you what a gulf would there be set Luk. 16.26 The word of God will certainly be made good And he hath expresly said that if the Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4.3 4. And people perish where vision faileth and for lack of Knowledge Prov. 1.22.29 29.18 Hos 4.6 And when a people have no understanding he that made them will not-save them he that formed them will shew them no Favour Isai 27.11 that the heart be without knowledge it is not good Prov. 19.2 To know God and his son Christ is Eternal life John 17.3 How sadly doth God call even to the Heaven and Earth to hear his Complaint against his people Isa 1.3 4. because he had brought up a people and they rebelled against him the Ox knew his Owner and the Ass his Masters Crib but Israel knew not God his people would not Consider Give not God cause to complain thus of you lest you prove your selves the complainers in the end It grieveth us also to see so many untaught children and families among you to see the Lords day so idly spent when you have so much of this necessary work to do To see so many of you either live without the Lords Supper and the holy Communion of the Church or else expect it when you know not what you do And it much grieveth us when we come to visit the sick and would fain speak Comfort to their departing souls and find them in so Ignorant and Carnal a state that we dare not do it O what a trouble must this needs be to our minds You look that we should speak Peace to you at the hour of Death that will nor learn the way of Peace in your life but rather abhor it and wilfully reject it But that is a thing that we may not do and if we should do it we should but deceive you Brethren take time and mercy while the God of mercy doth offer it you Think not a little labour too much to learn that which must be Learned upon pain of Damnation and which may make you Happy for ever It is the highest the noblest and sweetest work that you can mind or be imployed in Other things are drudgery to this and must give place to it Harden not therefore your hearts against the Instruction and help that is offered you It is none of our purpose to question you in matters of Scholarship but of meer Christianity nor to shame the Ignorant but to teach them nor to puzzle you with hard unnecessary Questions but to speak to you according to your several Capacities You can learn a trade to live by And could you not leaâ—n the way to Heaven if you were as willing and diligent you pray that the will of God may be done and will you not learn to do it you pray that his Kingdom may come and his Name be Hallowed and will you not learn to Know the nature and dignity of his Kingdom and how to hallow his blessed Name God is willing to Teach you and therefore hath sent his Son to be your Teacher All Christians are his Disciples or Schollars and it s an ill Schollar that Refuseth to Learn or be taught Christs way of Teaching is joyntly by his Ministers Word and Spirit If you Refuse these you refuse Christ And though you may think it is but a man that you despise yet God himself saith He that despiseth despiseth not man but God 1 Thes 4.8 And he that despiseth you despiseth me Luke 10.16 And he that despiseth him shall be lightly esteemed and despised by him in the day of his Necessiâ—y 1 Sam. 2.30 Prov. 1.24 to the end And he that deâ—piseth Knowledge shall be destroyed Prov. 13.13 O how much better would it seem to us if you would go along with us Cheerfully in the way of Salvation then to force us to be witness against you to your Condemnation For Christ hath said that if people receive not his Mâ—ssengers and hear them not they must depart shake off the dust of their feet as a testimony against them And he haâ—h assured us that it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Judgement then for that City Mark 6.11 Math. 10. 14 15. Finally Brethren we conclude with the repetition of our former request that if God have so much interest in you if Christ and the holy Ghost have so much Interest in you if your own Salvation be any of your Interest or if we your Teachers and friends have any Interest in you we earnestly beseech you that not one
understandings and soften and open their hearts and turn them from the power of Satan unto God by faith in Christ that bâ—ing joyned to Christ the Head and into one Church which is his body and freely justified and made the sons oâ— God they may be a sanctified peculiar people unto him and may overcome the flesh the world and the devil and being zealous of good works may serve God in Holyness and Righteousness and may live in the special love and Communion of the Saints and in hope of Christs coming and Everlasting Life Acts 1.11 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thes 4.16 17 18. Joh. 5.22 27.2 Cor. 5.10 Rom. 2.6 7. Mat. 25.2 Thes 1.8 9 10. 2.12 2 Tim. 4.8 18. Luk. 10.11 Joh. 17.24 19.27 Mat. 13.40 Qu. 8. What shall be the end of the Righteous and of the wicked 8. The Lord Iesus Christ will come again at the end of this world and will raise the bodies of all men from the dead and iudge all men according to their works And the Righteous shall go into Everlasting Life and the rest into everlasting punishment Qu. 9. What aâ—e the Publike means which Christ hath appointed to salvation 9. Mat. 28.19 20. Mat. 16 15. Rom. 10.7 8.14.15 2 Tim. 2. â— Act. 14 1â— Act. 2.42 20.7 28. Eph. 4. 11 12 14. Ezek. 3.17 18 21. Mal. 2.7 1 Cor. 12.17 28 29. Col. 1.28 Act. 18.26 Jam. 5.14 Nâ—h 11 17. 9.5 8.4 5 6 8. 1 Cor. 10.16 9.13 11.24 Nam 6.23 24. Deut. 10.8.1 Chr. 23.13 Heb 7.7 1 Cor. 4 1. 1 Tim. 4.13 14 15. Joâ— 1.10 Acts 20.7 1 Cor. 16.2 Mar. 16.2 9. Joh. 20.1 1â— Tit. 2.15 1.9 11. 1 Tim. 5.1 19 20. 3.5 Tit 3.10 1 Cor. 5.4 5 11 13. Acts 2.42 Heb. 13.7 17 24. 1 Thes 5. â—2 1â— 1 Tim 5.17 1 Cor. 16.16 Luk. 12.42 10.16 1 Cor. 1.10 3.3 Râ—m 16 17. Eph. 4.2 15 16. Col. 2.2 2 Cor 13.11 Christ hath appointed that fit men shall be ordained his ministers to disciple the uncalled and baptize all that are Disciples in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost and to Congregate his Disciples and to Ouersee and Guide the several Congregations and each member thereof Particularly to Teach them the woâ—d of God to Pray and Praise God wiâ—h them and for them to administer the Lords supper in remembrance of him and to Bless them in the name of the Lord Especially on the Lords day which he hath appointed for holy Communion in such works Also to rebâ—ke with Authority the scandalous and unruly and to reiect those that are obstinately impenitent and unreformed It is therefore the Peoples duty to ioyn with such Churches in the foresaid worshâ—p of God and to know hear submiâ— to and obey these their Guides that are over them in the Lord and to avoid discord and division and to live in Vnity Love and Peace Qu. 10. What are the secret holy Duties which every one must use 10. Psal 104.34 119.97 99. 1 2. 63.6 77. â—2 143.5 119.59 Hag. 1.5 Deut. 32.29 Psal 50.22 2 Cor. 1â— 5 Psal 4.4 Pro. 4.13 Maâ— 5. â—â— 12.34 15.18 19. Psal 119.113 39.1 Mar. 13.33 Luk. 21.8 34. 1 Cor. 10.12 Col. 3.5 Heb. 3.12 13 14. Mat. 2â— 4 Luk. 1â— 15 Rom. 13 13 14. 1 Cor 3.18 Jer. 17.9 1 Pet. 2.1 2 Tim. 1 6. 4.7 Acts 24.16 Mat. 26. 4â— 1 Cor. 16.13 Eph. 6.11 to 19. 1 Thes 5.17 Act. 10.9 Luk. 6.12 The secret Duties of Holyness are frequent and serious meditation of God and his works and word especially of our own sin and danger of our Redemption of our dâ—ty of Death Iudgement and the endless Ioy and Torment after it The diligent examination of our own hearts and watching over our Thoughts Affections Words and Actions The mortifying of our sinâ— especially Vâ—belief Error hardness of heart Pride worldliness flesh-pleasing and Hypâ—crisie The exercise of all graces watching against Temptations and resolute resisting them And secret prayer to God Qu. 11. What Private Duties of Holiness must be performed with others 11. Eph 6.4 9. Deut. 6.11 12 Jos 24.15 Psal 101.2 3. Actâ— 10 â—0 Gen. 18.19 Pro. 22.6 15. 25.13 1 Sam. 2.23.29 Col. 3.20.12 Eph. 6.1 5 6 7 8. Deut. 21.18 20. Mal. 2.7 Jer. 6.16 50.5 1 Cor. 14 35. Acts 2.37 16.30 Rom. 15.14 Col. â— 16 〈◊〉 â— 1â— Eph. 4.29 1 Pet. 3.1 2. Jam 3.23 Jam. â— 16 Act. 12. 5 12. Col. 1.3 4 3. 1 Thes â— 10 Joh. 20.19 Act. 20.9 Act. 12 12. 10.30 Phil. 4.6 â— Cor. 9.12 Psal 50. â—4 1 Cor. 7.5 Rom. 1â— 15 The Priuate Duties of Holyness to be performed with others are these parents and Masters must teach their children and servants the word and fear of God pray with them and for them and hinder them from sin children and servants must willingly Learn and Obey we must seek advice in the matters of our salvation Especially of one Teachers we must daily admonish and exhort one another using gracious and Edyfying Conference and a winning conversation Confessing our faults one to another and praying with and for one another Especially on the Lords Day and on extraordinary occasions of Humiliation or Thanksgiving Deut. 1 17. 2 Chron. 19.6 7. Deut. 17.18 Jos 1 8. sa 56.1 Zach. 7.9 Rom. 13.1 2 3. 1 pet 2.13 Eph. 6. 1 5. Col. 3.20 22 23 24. Mat 19 19. â—2 â—9 7.12 Eph. 4.2 Phil. â— 3 â—5 Mat 10.16 Eph. 4.25 Tit. 2.12 Col. 3.25 1 Cor. 6.7 8. Mat. 5.21 22 27 28 39 44 45. Eph. 4.28 Exo. â—3 1 2â— 16 Psal 15.3 Ex. â—0 17 Col 3.13 Eph. 4.2 Mat. 5.44 Gal. 6.10 Heb. 13. â—6 Mat. 25. Phil. 2.4.20 21. 2 Cor. 8.11.12 Qu. 12. What are the necessary Duties of Righteousness and mercy towardâ— men 12. The necessary Duties of Righteousness and Mercy to men are these Superiors must Rule for God and the Common-good with Iustice and mercy Inferiours must willingly Obey them in the Lord. We must loue our neighbours as our selves and do as we would be done by behaving our selves to all men in lowliness and meekness harmlesness sobriety and truth not wronging any in their Bodies Chastity Estates or Names no not in Desire but forbearing and forgiving one another loving our very Enemies and doing good to all according to our Power FINIS