Spirit and breath of God blowing freely where it listeth and working spiritually for manner means and matter where it pleaseth John 3.8 Acts 2.2,3,4 Q. Why is the third person called holy A. Not only because of his essential holiness as God but because he is the author and worker of holiness in men 1 Cor. 6.11 IX Art Q. Why do you say I believe the Church not in the Church A. We do believe that there is a Church but we do not believe in the Church but in God the Church here below at the best is but a company of men called justified sanctified in part and therefore may erre Q. What is it then to believe the Church A. 1. That there is and always shall be a Church 2. That I am one of the Church 3. To believe the doctrine of the Church wherein it followeth Christ the Prophets and Apostles the onely sure pillars and ground of truth Q. How many sorts of Churches are there A. Two sorts Triumphant and Militant Q. What is the Church Triumphant A. The company of Gods children in Heaven Heb. 12.23 Q. VVhy is it so called A. Because they are all out of danger and so do triumph Rev. 21.4 Q. VVhat is the Church Militant A. The company of Gods Children here on Earth Q. Why are they thus called A. Because they fight the Lords battles against the world the flesh and the Devil 2 Tim. 2.3 Eph. 6.12 Q. What Church is here meant A. The Church Militant Q. What do you learn hence A. That God hath a Church and will have to the end of the world Q. Is there but one Church A. No there is but one true Church of Christ though there may be many particular visible Churches which are parts thereof yet there is but one Catholick and Vniversal Church of which not one shall be lost and out of which not one shall be saved Eph. 5.23 John 17.12 Q. Why is it called Catholick or Universal A. It is called Catholick or Vniversal 1. In respect of time because it hath been and shall be in all ages Acts 2.39 2. In respect of persons it consists of all sorts of men high and low rich and poor Acts 2.10,34 3. In respect of place it hath been gathered from all parts of the earth Rev. 5.9 Rev. 7.9 Q. Why is the Church called Holy A. Because it is made holy by justification in Christ and Sanctification of the Spirit Rom. 3.24 Cant. 4.7 Q. What is the Communion of Saints A. That holy and sweet fellowship which all the members of Christs Church have one with another as they make all but one body in Christ so communicating of all good things unto one another whether spiritual or temporal as their mutual necessities do require 1 John 1.3 2 Cor. 8.14 Q. Why are all believers called Saints A. Because they are partakers of Christs holiness daily growing and increasing in the same And to let us know that none shall be Saints in Heaven but such as are first Saints on Earth Heb. 12.10 3 Cor. 7.1 Q. What duty doth this communion of Saints require of us A. To renounce all fellowship with sin and sinners to edifie one another in Faith and Love to delight in the society of the Saints and to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace X. Art Q. What is meant by the forgiveness of sins A. Forgiveness of sins is that great blessing of God which Iesus Christ by his death and passion procured for all that believe in him whereby God esteems of their sins as no sins or as never committed by them Q. What duties are required of us that find our sins pardoned A. To sin no more lest a worse thing come unto us to forgive others as God hath forgiven us to renew our assurance by prayer repentance and new obedience XI Art Q. What professest thou to believe in the eleventh Article The resurrection of the body A. That the bodies of the wicked shall be raised by the power of Christ as he is Iudge and joyned to their souls so to continue together without separation for evermore in the torments of Hell but the bodies of the faithful and so mine among others shall be raised by virtue of Christs resurrection to enjoy in body and soul together life everlasting 1 Cor. 15.20 1 Thes 4.14,16 John 5.28,29 XII Art Q. What is life everlasting A. That glorious estate of absolute holiness and happiness in the Heavens which all the elect shall for ever enjoy with Christ in the presence of God and his Angels 1 Thes 4.17 Q. What assurance have we of this estate A. It is prepared by the Father purchased by the Son confirmed by the Holy Ghost entred upon here and inherited hereafter Mat. 25.34 Eph. 1.13,14 Col. 1.5 1. Pet. 1.3,4,5 Q. What profit dost thou get by believing all these things A. 1. By this means I am justified before God even by faith alone in Christ Acts 13.39 Phil. 3.9 2. By faith I shall overcome the enemies of my Salvation 1 John 5.4 3. Being justified and overcomming I shall inherit eternal life Rom. 8.38 Tit. 3.7 Q. What is justification A. It is Gods accepting and accounting of a sinner as guiltless not for any righteousness of his own but upon the frée remission of his sins and the imputation of Christs righteousness and obedience Phil. 3.9 Rom. 3.24 Q. How is faith wrought and confirmed in our hearts A. 1. Inwardly by the Spirit the fountain of all Spiritual Graces Acts 16.14 1 Cor. 14.1,2 2. Outwardly by the Word of God which containeth the promises the ground of Faith Rom. 10.17 3. By the Sacraments which are seals of those promises Rom. 4.11 4. By prayer which addeth strength to Faith Luke 17.5 The Third Part of the CATECHISME concerning the COMMANDEMENTS Qu. HOw many Commandements are there A. Ten. Q. Into how many Tables are the commandements divided A. Into two * and no more because all righteousness is reduced to two Heads namely towards God or towards man Mat. 22.39,40 Q. What doth the first Table concern A. Our duty to God contained in the four first Commandments Q. What doth the second Table concern A. Our duty to our Neighbor contained in the six last Commandments Q. In this order of the Tables that the Duty to God is set before the duty to our neighbour how many Lessons do you learn A. 1. I learn to serve him before all thing and not to regard worldly things no nor life it self in respect of his glory Mat. 6.33 2. If I render my duty truly to God I must do my duty also to my Neighbour for if I neglect it to my neighbour whom I see daily it is evident that I do so to God 1 John 3.17 Q. How many Lessons learn you out of the Preface or Introduction to the commandements God spake these words and said I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house
pure in soul and body both towards our selves and others VIII Command Q. How many things are forbidden in the either Commandement Thou shalt not steal A. Thrée 1. All desire of any mans goods wrongfully Eph. 5.5.2 All stealing robbing and unlawful getting Lev. 19.11 1 Thes 4.6 3. Vpholding of theft in others by letting them escape unpunished féeding and maintaining of théeves and idle persons Isa 1.23 2 Thes 3.10 Q. How many things are we commanded in it A. Thrée 1. To be content with that portion which the Lord hath sent us 1. Tim. 6.6 2. That we labour for our living in a lawful calling 2. Thes 3.12 3. To be helpful to them that need especially to the poor Saints both by hospitality and alms-déeds Gal. 6.10 Heb. 13.2,16 IX Command Q. What things are forbidden in the Ninth Commandement Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour A. 1. We are forbidden to speak falsely in witness bearing Prov. 19 5,2 2. To backbite or â—lander any Psal 15.3 3. To lye flatter or dissemble Eph. 4.25 Q. What are we commanded herein A. We are commanded in all things to speak and maintain truth as 1. in bearing witness 2. In plain reproving our brethren Lev. 19 12. 3. In defending his good name Phil. 10.11 c. X Command Q. What is required of you in the Tenth Câ—mmandement A. That I be truly contented with my own outward condition resting always thankful to God for my present estate and that I may not once have an unlawful lust or motion in my self or an inordinate desire to any thing that is my neighbours but for ever think good towards him rejoycing in anothers good as in our own Heb. 13.5 Phil. 4.11 1 Thes 5.18 1 Kings 21.2 Acts 26.29 Rom. 12.15 Q. Is any man able to keep the Commandements A. No 1. Because we sin the best of us in many things 2. Our best works do savour of the flesh and are defective Q. To what end serve they then A. 1. To humble us in regard of our miserable estate hereby discovered 2. To be a rule of good life into us 3. To set us awork daily to pray and cry to the Lord for mercy and for strength to live accordâ—… to his laws Q. As you have shewed me the profit of the Law so tell me why we should do good works since they cannot save us A. 1. To shew our love to God our Father in walking as becometh his children John 14.15 2. To shew our love to our selves making thereby our election certain to our selves 2 Pet. 1.10 3 To win our brethren to Christ by our godly life and conversation Mat. 5.6 1 Pet. 3.1 4 To stop the mouths of all blasphemous adversaries 1. Pet. 2.15 1 Pet. 3.16 Q. How â—ay things are principally to be considered in good works A. Thrée 1. that they be commanded in the Law of God Eph. 2.10 2 That they procéed from a heart purged by faith Heb. 11.6 Rom. 14.23 3 That they be done to Gods glory 1 Pet. 4.11 The Fourth Part of the CATECHISME concerning the LORDS PRAYER Qu. WHat is Prayer A. A calling upon God in name of Christ whereby we séek unto him to give the good things we stand in need of and to remove the evil things which our sins deserved and to give him thanks for blessings and mercies received Q. How many principal parts be there of the Lords Prayer A. Thrée 1 A Preface and Introduction to prayer in these words Our Father which art in Heaven 1. The matter of prayer contained in the six petitions 3. An assurance of that we pray for contained in the conclusion For thine is the kingdom the power and the glory for ever Amen Q. What learn you out of the Preface Our Father which art in Heaven A. Thrée things 1. He to whom we must pray is a father and no tyrant to be fled from 2. He is our Father and therefore loveth us 3. Heaven is his Throne and therefore he is able to â—elp Q. Why do you say Our Father and not my Father A 1. Because God is the Father of us all 2. To teach us to pray for others as well as for our selves Q. Why is God said to be in Henven A. Not that he is contained or included there for he fills Heaven and Earth but because his glory is most manifold as in Heaven so from Heaven * For from heaven especially the glory of his power providence and justice mercy and other attributes is declared I. Peti Q How is Gods Name said to to be Hallowed A. By acknowledging the holiness thereof and honouring it accordingly Q. What doth this word Name signifie A. Those things whereby God is made known unto us which are six especially his nature the distinction of the persons in the holy Trinity his Titles his Attributes his Word and his Works II. Peti Q What is meant by Gods Kingdoâ—… A. The peculiar Sovereignty which God hath over his Elect begun here in grace hereafter to be perfected in glory Q. How many things do you pray for in this petition Thy Kingdom come A. Four 1. That he may reign in as our hearts by the Sceptre of his Word 2 Cor. 10.5 2. That by his holy spirit he will govern us Rom. 14.17 3. That Satan and all our lusts may be overthrown Rom. 16.20 1 John 3.8 4. That he would finish these days of sin and receive us into his kingdom of glory Rev. 22.20 III. Peti Q. What do you pray for in the third Petition Thy will be done c A. That as the will of God is done in Heaven readily chéerfully and faithfully so we may faiâ—hfully believe obediently perform and patiently bear the known and revealed will of God here on earth and that in truth and sincerity of affection as it is in Heaven though we cannot in like measure and degree of persection Psal 103.20 Deut. 29.29 Heb. 10.36 2 Cor. 8.12 Q. Why must we pray to do Gods will as the Angels do it A Because one day we shall be like unto them in glory therefore we have cause to desire to be like unto them here in holiness IV. Peti Q. What is meant by this word Bread A. All manner of temporal blessings néedful for the sustentation and preservation of this life as meat drink cloth health peace and liberty c. Q. How is Bread said to be ours A. In regard of a just and true right we have thereunto which right is twofold 1. Spiritual proper to the Saints that believe in Christ 1 Cor. 3.22,23 2. Civil which is agréeable to Iustice and equity and that in the Courts of men Q. What is meant by this word daily A. Ordinary and usual bread whereof we do every day stand in néed being fittest for our nature to preserve soul and body together and to nourish and cherish us here in this life Prov. 30.8 Q. Why do you add this day A. To shew the moderation of our desire