or renounce your Baptism as many do A. Then shall I be much worse for being Baptized This Apostacy will aggravate my Damnation Catechist True for as Matth. 10.21 He only that endureth to the end shall be saved so Matth. 12.40 Wo unto them whose latter end is worse than their beginning who as the Apostle Heb. 10.30 expresseth Apostacy draw back to the perdition of their Souls Q. What means must you then use to prevent this A. I will pray continually that God will give me his Grace that I may continue in the same unto my lives end Catechist And I beseech and exhort you Good Children learn thus to pray betimes and exercise your selves in prayer daily in some or other good forms of prayer for this great thing that you may continue in Christs words and so be his Disciples indeed John 8.29 Ask and seek and knock as your Saviour teacheth you by prayer by continual prayer and he assures you then of the help of his Holy Spirit to enable you to keep your Baptismal Vow that having entred into the way of life you shall never forsake it and of this he assures you by an excellent similitude which you cannot chuse but understand Luk. 11.13 If your natural parents be ready to give you bread and clothing and all good things you stand in need of upon your begging them How much more will your Heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them that ask it Q. What are the General Heads of Catechism A. The Creed the Decalogue the Lords prayer and the Doctrine of the Sacraments Catechist I would bespeak you in St. Peters words you and the whole Congregation 2 Pet. 1.2 13. I say unto you I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things although I may hope many of you know them already and are established in the Truth For even they that know them already have yet great need to be put continually in remembrance of them and therefore I think it not only meet but also necessary to stir you up by putting you in remembrance of them as long as I am in this Tabernacle as long as I live that you may be always thinking of them and never forget them Credenda Agenda Oranda What you must believe what you must do and practice and what you must pray for and Gods Covenant and Promises sealed to you in the Sacraments these are the great things in Christian Doctrine necessary to be known that you may be saved and upon these four General Heads depend all the Questions in your Catechism Either by way of Introduction shewing you when by whose means upon what terms and conditions you became Christians together with the great Benefits that belong to you as Christians if your conversations be such as becomes the Gospel and the Profession of Christianity and those things you have had and I hope have learnt in our Explanation of the four first Questions and their Answers or else they serve to Connect and joyn together the great Doctrines taught you in the Catechism in an orderly Method for the help of your Memories or to help you to a clear and full understanding of them To come then to the main points to be learnt by Catechism I ask you in the first place Q. Why is the Creed the first part of Catechism A Because to believe aright is the very ground work of all Religion and then must I shew my believing heartily by my good works of Obedience Catechist Yea so it is certainly A right belief is the Foundation of Religion Thereforewhen the Jaylor asked Paul and Silas Act. 16.31 Sirs what shall I do to be saved To this they directed him in the first place Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved thou and thine house But then it is a lesson I would take all occasions to teach you That there is no resting in a dead Faith without good works of Obedience And for this time I only offer to you for proof hereof the tenour of our Saviours Commission to his Apostles when he sent them forth to convert the world Matth. 28.19 20. He bad them whomsoever they should by Baptism admit into the Church and the Confession of Christianity to teach them to observe all things whatsoever he had commanded them And you have an eminent instance of the necessary Conjunction of Obedience with Faith in that grand Doctrine of Christianity that of the Trinity into which we are expresly Baptized as the next Questions and their Answers instruct you Q. Which is the great Fundamental in the Faith of Christians A. The Doctrine of the Trinity that is to believe in God the Father as Creator in God the Son as Redeemer and in God the Holy Ghost as Sanctifier This is the Grand Mystery in Christianity Catechist In my mind your Church-Catechism propounds this Doctrine with a very becoming Gravity and no man can deny this Doctrine so propounded but he must withall deny and reject plain Scripture Q. In the first place then Rehearse the Articles of thy Beliefe A. I Believe in God c. Q. What dost thou chiefly learn in these Articles of thy Belief A. First I learn to believe in God the F. c. Catechist Whosoever will own himself a Christian He must profess his Christian Faith in this tenor To believe in God first as Creator who made me and all the world according to that 1 Cor. 8.6 To us there is but one God the Father of all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him 2 In God the Son our L. Jesus Christ as Redeemer who redeemed me and all Mankind For 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 2.5 6. There is one God and one Mediator between God and man The man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransome for all to be testified in due time 3 In God the Holy Ghost as Sanctifier who Sanctifieth me and all the elect people of God For 2 Thes 2.13 Whosoeve are chosen to Salvation it is through Sanctification of the spirit and belief of the Truth Now you are taught in your Answer to my next Question what an influence this Doctrine of the Trinity hath to good life and obedience if it be believed aright and I shall have occasion hereafter to prove every particular in it by the Scriptures For the present therefore I shall content my self with hearing you rehearse it Q. In what manner must we believe in these persons A. So as to pay each person his respective Duty for example to love fear and serve God the Father as my great Creator and most Gracious preserver To trust in God the Son and obey his Gospel as my only Lord and Saviour and to follow the motions and directions of God the Holy Ghost and to make Use of his Grace and
Assistance as my Guide and Sanctifier and Comforter Catechist That you may well understand your Belief as a Christian and particularly what you profess to believe of each person in the Blessed Trinity and every word in it I ask you in the first place Q. Why do you say I Believe rather than we or they believe A. Because Though the prayers of others may avail much yet every man must be saved by his own Faith Catechist And Think not sleightly of this lesson for it levels directly against the Papists implicite Faith We are often taught to pray for one another saying Our Father which art in Heaven Give us and forgive us c. as S. James saith chap. 5.6 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much i. e. for others as well as for himself for of such prayer he there speaks But no man can believe for any but himself Habak 2.4 By his Faith shall the just live i.e. lead his life here according to Gods will revealed in his word and so be saved at last for ever So is every one therefore by his Creed taught to say not we believe for others but I Believe for himself as the man in the Gospel whose Son was dumb Mat. 9.17 23. Lord I believe Lord help mine unbelief Q. In whom dost thou believe A. In God only Catechist Believing in is more then bare believing for besides Credence or Assent it implies Trust and Affiance and is a Divine Honour proper to God only and therefore we say in the Creed I believe in God we do not say alike I believe in the Holy Gatholick Church but I believe the Holy Catholick Church For Cursed is the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm and whose heart departeth from the Lord Jer. 17.5 And therefore Christ avoucheth himself to be God when he said John 14.1 Ye believe in God believe also in me Q. What is it to believe in God A. To believe there is a God and to believe that what God saith is undoubtedly true and to depend upon him in Hope for the accomplishment of his promises Catechist The First Principle in Religion against Atheists is that there is a God Heb. 11.6 He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him And the next Principle is the certainty of his Word That it is as Gold tryed seven times in the fire Psal 12.6 For Numb 23.19 He is not as man that he should lie Luk. 16.17 It is easier for heaven and earth to pass than one jot or tittle of his Word to fail And then from these we infer the safety of trusting in him for the fulfilling of his promises For Heb. 11.23 Faithful is he that hath promised who also will perform We may therefore take up the Prophet Micahs words chap. 4.5 All people walk every one in the name of his God But we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever Q. How many Gods are there A. One God only therefore I profess to believe in God Singularly and not in Gods Catechist You know what the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 8.4 The Heathens have Gods many and Lords many but we know they are all but Idels and an Idol is nothing and therefore to us Christians There is no other God but One Eph. 4.6 One God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all Q. How is this One God distinguished A. Into three Persons God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost Catechist These three Persons in the Godhead were apparently distinguished in Christs Baptism at the river Jordan For the Father spake from heaven saying This is my Beloved Son and the H. Ghost descended upon him like a Dove And so are they manifestly distinguished in our Baptism For we are expresly Baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost And S. John 1 Ep. 5.7 affirms both the distinction of the persons and their Unity of Essence saying There be three that bear record in Heaven The Father the Word and the spirit and these three are one More I need not to say of this great Mysterious Doctrine at this time whoso would better understand it let him study the Creed of S. Athanasius Let us now see what the Apostles Creed teacheth us to believe of each person in this Blessed Trinity Q. What dost thou believe of the First person A. That he is God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth Q. God the Father whose Father is he A. The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and ours in him Catechist Christ is the only begotten Son of God Joh. 1.14 And by this Title is God especially owned and honoured by us Christians Rom. 15.6 We are with one mind and one mouth to glorifie God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ And then God is our Father and we are his Sons by Adoption in Christ 1 John 3 1. Behâ—ld what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed up nâ—w that we should be called the Sons of God For Eph. 1.5 We are predestinated to the Adoption of Children by Christ Jesus And as to his Sons He hath appointed us an Inheritance For Rom. 8.11 If Sons then heirs Heirs of God joynt heirs with Christ Q. What is God A. A most pure Spirit a Being absolutely perfect Catechist We have this definition of God from Christs own mouth John 4.24 God is a spirit having no bodily parts or members or passions and all whatsoever perfections and excellencies are in him and derived from him Q. What is the great Attribute of God A. Omnipotency or Almightiness that is that he can do whatever pleaseth him Catechist So speaks the Psalmist Ps 135.6 Whatsoever the Lord pleaseth That doth he in Heaven and in Earth and in all deep places And hence Job said ch 42.2 I know that thou canst do every thing For in his hand saith Jehoshaphat 1 Chron. 20.6 is such power and might that none is able to withstand Q. What other Essential Attributes are there of God besides Almightiness A. Eternity that he neither hath beginning nor will have an end Immutability that he changeth not Omnipresence that he is in all places Omniscience that he sees all things and knows them perfectly And the most perfect Goodness and Holiness that he is neither Author nor approver of evil Catechist Let these Scriptures sink into your hearts for all these Eternity for so the Heavenly Congregation sing Rev. 4.8 Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty which was and which is and which is to come Immutability Jam. 1.10 He is the Father of Lights with whom is no variableness nor shaddow of turning Heb. 13.8 He is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Omnipresence for Am I a God at hand saith the Lord and not a God afar of Jer. 23.24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I should
Debauchery thereof is very great and therefore it is as needful now as ever That some Persons be engaged publickly to see that children that are baptized be brought up in the doctrine of Christ and in the fear of God Q. What just exception can be made against this Custome A. None but Godfathers and Godmothers neglecting their duties now this or the like Exceptions lye against the best and most wholesome Institutions both of God and man Catechist It is indeed a very sad thing that Godfathers and Godmothers so generally neglect their duties I say therefore O that All persons would be serious in undertaking this charge and fulfill it more Conscientiously than commonly men do And then The Benefit of this Custom would convince all mankind how convenient it is that it be retained to prevent any persons making Shipwrack of Faith and of a good Conscience when they come to years of discretion Q. Why do Christians give their Children names in Baptism A. Because the Jews gave names to their children in Circumcision and Baptism succeeds in the room of it Again it is intended That their names should always put them in mind of their Christianity which they received together with their names Catechist First That Baptism succeeds in the room of Circumcision As it is clear in matter of Fact so I take it to be manifest in that one Text of St. Paul Coloss 1.11 In whom also ye are Circumcised by the Circumcision made without Hands in putting off the Body of the Sins of the flesh by the Circumcision of Christ buried with him in Baptism 2. That the Jews gave their names when they Circumcised their Children is plain in divers instances To name but two Gen. 21.3 4. Abraham called the name of his Son which Sarah bare unto him Isaac and Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being Eight days old as God commanded him And so had John Baptist his name given to Him at his circumcision Luk. 1.59 and so had our Saviour Luk. 2.21 When 8 days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child his name was called Jesus which was so named of the Angel before he was conceived in the Womb. 3. As often as we mention or think of our names we should as much as possible call to mind our Baptismal Covenant viz. To be Christs faithful servants to our lives end and hereof St. Pauls text 2 Tim. 3.19 may serve for a good Paraphrase Let every one that nameth the name of Christ or upon whom the name of Christ is called in that he is called a Christian depart from iniquity Q. Seeing then you received both these in Baptism I ask you what is Baptism as it is in this place offered to your Consideration A. It is one of the Seals of the new Covenant Catechist Such was Circumcision and therefore such is Baptism that succeeds it Rom. 4.11 Abrahams circumcision was to Him a seal of the Righteousness of Faith which He had being Vncircumcised Q. What Covenant do you mean A. The same which God made with Adam after his fall in those words The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head and which he afterwards renewed at several times to Gods people by the Patriarchs and Prophets and at last Ratified in Christs blood called the Covenant of Grace Catechist This Covenant as made with Adam as the common parent and Representative of all mankind you have in Gen 3.15 and as it was renewed to Abraham you have Gen. 12.3 and 22.18 In thee in thy Seed i. e. in Christ as St. Paul explains it Gal. 3.8 shall all Families of the earth be blessed Which Covenant was afterwards renewed or new revealed in other words to Jacob Gen. 49.10 The Scepter shall not depart from Judah till Shilo come by Moses Deut. 18.15 A Prophet shall the Lord God raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto me him shall ye hear by David by Isaiah Jeremy and the rest of the Prophets too many to recite particularly here and still in every age it was more clearly revealed then the former until the Seed came the Mediator of this covenant and ratified and established it by his Blood It will be of great Use to you Good Children if you can reach to understand thus much much more if you can attain a competent practical knowledge of the terms of this Covenant as your Catechism well understood may instruct you I ask you therefore Q. How many parts are there in this Covenant A. Two Gods part and ours Catechist For so it is in all Covenants which being between parties it obligeth them both to their respective parts and neither of them can expect the benefit of the Covenant without his own performance of what belongs to him Q. What then is Gods part or what doth God promise in the Covenant of Grace A. Forgiveness of Sins Sanctifying Grace and Eternal Life Q. How doth your Catechism express these A. It shews what Benefits we receive by Baptism to wit that of limbs of Satan we are therein made members of Christ Of Children of Wrath and of the Devil we are therein made Children of God and of heirs of Hell we become inheritors of the Kingdom of heaven Catechist These are great things Good Children for you to learn and having learnt them I beseech you do your best to consider them and see how all are grounded in the plain words of Holy Scripture Of Limbs of Satan as the Head and Father of all wicked ones we are by Baptisme made members of Christ Members you all know relate to a Body Now the Church is the Body whereof Christ is the Head and by Baptism we are made members of the Church which is the Mystical Body of Christ For Baptism is the Sacrament of Admission into the Church as the Lords Supper is the Sacrament of nourishment in the Church 1 Cor. 12.13 By one spirit we are all baptized into one body whether Jew or Gentile 2. Whereas we are all by nature Children of wrath one as well as other Ephes 2.3 By Baptism we are born anew of water and the spirit John 3.5 and so have the power and dignity or priviledge to be called the Children of God by Regeneration as well as by Adoption for John 1.12 To as many as received him to them gave be power to become the Sons of God even as many as believed in his name and professed that belief by being Baptized Gal. 3.26 27. Ye are all the children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ And from hence they may call God Father saying Our Father which art in heaven witness what Christ said to his Disciples John 20.17 I ascend to my Father and your Father and from hence they are brethren to Christ for Heb. 2.11 He is not ashamed to call them Brethren And being thus children and sons of God they are 3. By Baptism made Heirs of his Kingdom
now Q. What is that Faith that you also promised A. To believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith that is All that Christ taught did and suffered for our Salvation as they are recorded in the Gospel and summed up in the Creed Q. Is it enough to assent to the Truth of those Articles or what farther is required to make my Faith acceptable to God A. I must so believe every Article as to live answerably to what it teaches us for Faith is nothing worth without good works of obedience Catechist Concerning the former Answer I shall only remark to you that Definition St. Luke gives of his Gospel Acts 1.1 It is a Treatise he saith of all that Jesus began to do and to teach and adding only what he suffered for the Salvation of sinners you have then the true object of a Christians faith and belief Now them must we believe that is assent to them from our hearts profess them with our lips and walk suitably to them in our lives And this is that Faith S. James teaches us Chap. 2.17 He affirms That the Faith which hath no works is dead being alone For ver 21. Was not Abraham the great pattern of Faith the Father of the Faithful justified by works when he offered up Isaac thereby shewing the truth of his Faith by ready obedience to Gods Commandments Ver. 26. By works was his Faith made perfect and he instanceth there in Rahabs faith also ver 25. and requires this therefore of all that pretend to believe Shew me thy Faith by thy works v. 18. For they it is that must shew it to be true or nothing can shew it Every evil worker is a real Unbeliever Good works are Faiths witnesses as the tree is known by its fruits Q. What then is that Obedience you promised in Baptism A. To keep Gods Holy Will and Commandments and walk in the same all the days of my Life Catechist It is therefore a constant effect of true faith in whomsoever it is it produceth an Universal Obedience of the whole man to all Gods Commandments and that so constant as to continue and persevere therein to our lives end Church Catechism the fourth Question Q. Dost thou not think that thou art bound to believe and do as they promised for thee A. Yes verily c. Explanatory Questions and Answers Q. How can Godfathers and Godmothers promise such great things as these for Children whom they bring to Baptism A. They only promise them in the Childrens names till they be of age to take it upon themselves so the duty promised belongs to the Children and Godfathers and Godmothers engage only to see they be taught what they promised for them and to excite them to perform it by instructions reproofs exhortations and prayers Catechist The scope of this Answer is to state the matter how far Sureties stand engaged by what is done at Baptism But to this are children chiefly to take heed that the things promised do chiefly lye on them to perform though not themselves but others engaged it only in their names For they are in equity bound thereby For Parents usually oblige their Children in civil contracts and Bargains and why not much more then to what is their Bounden duty before as Creatures to their Lord their Maker and Redeemer Or who will say but that it is in the Parents power to devote their Children to Gods special service as Hannah did Samuel 1 Sam. 1.18 or as Timothy's parents may well be supposed to have done Him in that they taught Him the Scriptures of a child and without doubt whatsoever children they be that renounce or do not perform this their Baptismal Vow though but made by others in their name they incur the Guilt of Perjuty and forfeit all the promises of God made to them in his Covenant To prevent this therefore and to make children when grown up sensible of their having entred such a vow and that they may now voluntarily take it upon themselves and that before the Congregation and thenceforth look upon themselves as engaged by their own Act and deed To this end is this Question intended whose answer hath divers excellent parts all remarkable agreeable to sound and Orthodox Doctrine and to the H. Scriptures I shall reduce them to these Questions Q. Art thou then willing now to take this vow and promise upon thy self A. Yes verily Catechist Mark here good child what thou professest even to stand to the vow made in thy name and remember the Text Eccles. 5.4 Better never vow than not perform what thou hast vowed Q. How shalt thou ever be able to do those things being by nature so prone to all evil and averse to all Good A. I shall be able to do them through Christ strengthning me therefore I say and by Gods help so I will Catechist Thus is every child taught modestly to declare his Resolution in the words of St. Paul Phil. 4.13 and it much concerns you and all men to be humbly sensible of what the same Apostle saith Rom. 7.18 In me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing And that our Saviour saith expresly John 15.5 I am the Vine ye are the branches He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing And because this help shall not be wanting to any that will sincerely endeavour it therefore doth the Apostle Phil. 2.12 13. hereby enforce his exhortation work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God that worketh in you both to will and do of his good pleasure As if he had said take heed to yourselves that you make use of Gods help while you may have it work yourselves while God worketh with and in you Q. What art thou better for being baptized more than those that never were baptized A. This being Gods own Ordinance for washing away Original sin and admitting men into Covenant with God I am thereby called into a state of Salvation through Christ for which therefore I heartily thank God my heavenly father Catechist By this Answer a child is well taught to be deeply sensible and to declare himself to be so that he is in a much better Condition then he was before or than they are who never were Baptized For who can deny that Baptism is Christs own ordinance for washing away sin and admitting him into Covenant with God And what is this but a state of Salvation by Christ there being as S. Peter saith Act. 4.12 No salvation to be had by any other no other name given under heaven whereby we must be saved but only the name of our Lord Jesus Christ For this therefore their being brought thus into a state of Salvation Holy Church very laudably teaches her children to give publick thanks according to that in Psal 8.2 Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings God hath ordained praise Q But what if you should fall off from
gives hereof 1 Thes 2.3 That day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night for when men shall say peace and safety then cometh sudden destruction upon them as travel upon a woman with child and they shall not escape Matth. 25.31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory with his Holy Angels then shall he sit in his Throne of Glory and before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats And he shall set the sheep on his right hand but the goats on the left Then shall the King say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father c. But ver 41. To them on his left hand He will say Depart from me ye cursed c. And ver 46. These shall go into Everlasting punishment but the Righteous into Life Eternal Q. What use are we to make of these several parts of Christs Exaltation A. To rise again with Christ unto all newness of life to set our affections on things above where Christ is To serve him with fear because all power is given him and to judge ourselves daily and to watch over all our thoughts words and actions as they that must give account thereof at Christs tribunal Catechist All these the Scripture splainly teach us Rom. 6.4 We are buried with Christ by Baptism that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of his Father even so we also should walk in newness of life And this is the proper use to be made of Christs Resurrection for it follows there having been planted together in the likeness of his death we shall be also planted together in the likeness of his Resurrection Col. 3.1 If ye be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ is set at the Right hand of God This is the use we are to make of Christs Ascension and sitting at the Right hand of God In short Psal 2.11 Serve the Lord with fear kiss the Son lest he be angry and so ye perish if his wrath be kindled yea but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him And that is a Meditation very proper for that whole Exaltation of Christ that is past already and then let what is to come be always in our minds even his coming to judgment That judging ourselves we may not be judged of the Lord 1 Cor. 11.31 And seeing all these things shall be then dissolved let us seriously consider as St. Peter 2 Ep. 3.11 admonisheth us What manner of persons we ought to be in all manner of Conversation and Godliness Thus have you what the Creed teacheth you concerning the two first persons in the blessed Trinity The Father and the Son now Q. What dost thou believe concerning the Third Person A. I believe that he is God the Holy Ghost Proceeding from the Father and the Son One with them Holy in himself and the Author of all Holiness in us Catechist I shall further explain to you and prove the several parts of this Answer in the following Questions and their answers I ask you then Q. Is not the Father a Spirit and was not the Son also a pure Spirit before he took our nature upon him A. Yes But the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of the Father and of the Son inspired or proceeding from them both Catechist True and from hence he is called the spirit of the Father Matth. 10.20 And the spirit of the Son Gal. 4.6 And as the Father sent the spirit John 14.26 So the Son promised his Disciples to send the spirit when he left them to the wide world John 15.26 When the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father He shall testifie of me Q. Is the Holy Ghost God A. Yes He is One with and Equal to the Father and the Son Catechist Being one with and equal to them he must necessarily be God very God For being three persons they are but one God 1 John 5.7 There are three that bear record in Heaven The Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are One. Besides which plain Text to prove the Divinity of the Holy Ghost There is one General Argument which is not hard to learn or remember for arming yourselves against all such Hereticks as deny the Holy Ghost to be God as well as our Saviour The name of God the Attributes of God the Works of God and the Honours which belong to God alone are ascribed to the Holy Ghost Therefore the Holy Ghost is God Particularly we are all Baptized as in the name of the Father and of the Son so in the name of the Holy Ghost And here in the Creed we profess to believe in the Holy Ghost as well as as in God the Father and in Jesus Christ the only Son of God And believing in is an honour peculiar to God We may not believe in any Creature in any but God For it implies Trust and Affiance and Jer. 17.5 Cursed is he that trusts in any Arm of flesh To name only one Text more Act. 5.3 When Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Ghost concerning the price of their lands they are expressly said to lie to God and not to men Therefore the Holy Ghost is God Q Why is he called the Holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost A. Being Holy in himself he Sanctifies us and all our Holiness is his work he is the Author of all Holiness in us Catechist Holiness is his Essential Attribute and Sanctification or making us Holy is his proper Work And hence we read of the Sanctification of the Spirit 1 Thes 2.13 and of the renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3.5 And hereby he seals us to the day of Redemption Ephes 4.30 Q. By what means doth the spirit Sanctifie us A. The Holy Scriptures were written by men inspired by the spirit and he daily enlightens converts sanctifies and comforts our souls by them in the Ministry of the Word Q. What must we then do that the spirit may Sanctifie us A. We must highly esteem and constantly attend Gods Holy Ordinances and obey all the Holy Spirit 's godly motions in our hearts Catechist The Spirit moves in these waters as in the Pool of Bethesda to heal the diseases of our Souls and we are therefore warned to take heed that we do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God Ephes 4.30 nor quench the spirit 1 Thes 5.19 Which is done as by any willful gross sin so by despising prophecying 1 Thes 1.20 by slighting neglecting or making light of any of Gods Holy Ordinances Thus have you what the Creed teaches you to believe concerning the Holy Ghost also and so concerning all the Persons in the Blessed Trinity Proceed we then to what it teacheth concerning the Church Q. Who are they that shall receive any benefit
A. Carefully to practice Holiness ourselves and by all means to take heed of Schisms Divisions and Separations from Gods Church for thereby we shall lose all visible Hopes of Salvation Catechist I therefore a prisoner of the Lord saith the Apostle Eph. 4.1 beseech you that ye walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith ye are called with all lowliness and meekness endeavoring to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of peace that is Unity in Spiritual things For as he goes on argumentatively There is one Body and one Spirit one Faith one Lord one Baptism One God and Father of all All which Ones the Apostle argueth should oblige us to be One to keep fast the Unity and by no means to separate from the one Body the Church And indeed to divide from the one Church and fall into Schisms is a sort of renouncing this Article of our Creed I Believe the one Catholick Church We cannot verily heartily believe this unless we follow the Apostles Rule Rom. 16.17 I beseech you Brethren Mark them which cause Divisions among you and avoid them And need we had to do so for there is great Truth in the old saying Out of the Church no Salvation for it is Gods way to add to the Church not to divide from it those that shall be saved Act. 2.47 Now after the Church let us consider the priviledges and promises wherewith this Church is enriched Q. What are the Churches grand priviledges A. Two in This life and two in the life To come Q. Which be those two in This Life A. The Communion of Saints The Forgiveness of sins Q. Which be those two in the Life To come A. The Resurrection of the Body and the Life Everlasting Catechist And surely it hugely concerns you to understand each of these things well and distinctly To which purpose for the Communion of Saints in the first place I ask you Q. What do you mean by Saints A. The members of Christs Church who being in part holy here shall be perfect Saints hereafter in heavenly glory Catechist Saints is as much as Holy Ones And all the members of the Church called to be Saints Rom. 1.7 For they are called unto Holiness 1 Thes 4.7 It is their duty and profession to follow Holiness Heb. 12.14 and to go on to perfect Holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 For being redeemed by Christ and delivered from the hands of their enemies it is that they may serve God without fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the days of their lives Luk. 1.75 Q. With whom have those Saints Communion A. With the Blessed Trinity as Sons of God by Faith and prayer and with one another in all Ordinances of piety and all Offices of Charity as Brethren Catechist That which we have heard and seen saith S. John 1 Ep. 1.3 We declare unto you that ye may have fellowship with us and truly Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ With these the Saints have fellowship and Communion by all Acts of Faith and Love and all Holy affections and in Gods Holy Ordinances as in divers instances so particularly in that God and Christ Communicates to them the riches of his Blessings Mercies and Consolations through the merits of Christ and they acquaint him with all their wants and troubles and necessities trusting in him And as for that fellowship they have with one another it consists in divers particulars as to name some They Sympathize with and have a fellow feeling of one anothers miseries sufferings and afflictions as fellow members one of another 1 Cor. 12.26 Whether one member suffer all the members suffer with it or one member be honoured all the members rejoyce with it Rom. 12.15 They rejoyce with them that rejoyce and weep with them that weep They pray continually and praise God for each others welfare saying Our Father c. And what Gifts and Blessings any one enjoyeth He readily and willingly imployes and Communicates them for supply relief and helping others that want them whether Wisdom Wealth or Power Q. What is our duty as Believers of this Communion of Saints A. To hold fast this Communion that we may receive and impart the Benefits of Gods Mercies and each others Gifts and to take heed of all causeless separations from Gods Church or one another in matters of Faith Worship and Charity Catechist I beseech you good Children learn these lessons and lay them up in your hearts that you may walk steadily and not waver in your Holy Religion to your lives end If you truly believe the Communion of Saints you must follow the Apostles Exhortation closely 1 Cor. 1.10 I beseech you Brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ That ye all speak the same things and that there be no Divisions amongst you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgment Phil. 2.1 2. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfil ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord and of one mind Let nothing be done through strife c. Take heed of all Breaches of this Communion and of all that would withdraw you from it Rom. 16.17 Mark them that are for making of Schisms and Breaches in Christs Body the Church that cause divisions amongst us and follow them not but avoid them for they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ whatever they pretend but their own bellies and with good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple To the next Article then Q. What is it to believe the Forgiveness of sins A. That Gods justice is satisfied through the Merits of Christs blood and through them there is mercy and pardon may be obtained for all our sins if we do but heartily repent and forsake them Catechist Psal 130.4 There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared How comes this to pass through Christ Act. 13.38 Through this man is preached to you forgiveness of sins Upon what account because Matth. 20.28 He gave his life a ransome for us 1 Cor. 15.4 He died for our sins according to the Scriptures He was made sin for us who knew no sin 2 Cor. 5.21 that is a Sacrifice to suffer death for our sins in our stead So hath he purchased a pardon for all sinners that will but accept of it upon the condition upon which it is offered them which I shall choose to express in the words of the Evangelical Prophet Isaiah 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the Vnrighteous man his imaginations and return unto the Lord for he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Q. Who then is it that forgives sins A. God only Catechist A truth directly contrary to the Popish Priests presumption in taking this
but the flesh in the best of us weak Matth. 26.41 For we have to wrastle not with flesh and blood like ourselves but with principalities and powers against the Rulers of the darkness of this world and against Spiritual wickednesses in high places Eph. 6.12 And now this Confidence we have in putting up this petition That it is exactly agreeable to Gods will and promise and therefore God will hear us For what we here pray for is just what the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 10.13 There hath no Temptation overtaken you but what is common to men but God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able but will with the temptation make you a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it Q. How doth your Catechism express this A. I pray unto God that it will please him to save and defend us in all dangers Ghostly and bodily and that he will keep us from all sin and wickedness and from our Ghostly enemy and from Everlasting death Catechist In this answer the evils we pray to be delivered from are enumerated particularly Dangers Ghostly that is Spiritual and bodily and all sin and wickedness and our Ghostly that is Spiritual enemy the Devil and from all evils for sin especially Everlasting death And that which I would further observe here is only this to the Glory of God that whatever the evil or danger be or of what sort soever our Enemies Ghostly or Bodily Temporal Spitual or Eternal God is the only the Great deliverer we can rely upon to save and deliver us from and defend and preserse us in them all Isaiah 49.26 I the Lord am thy Saviour and Redeemer Hos 13.4 There is no Saviour besides me Isaiah 63.1 He alone is mighty to save 2 Pet. 2.9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the Day of Judgment to be punished So have you what your Catechism teaches you concerning all the petitions in your Lords prayer there only remains the last part thereof The Doxology or Conclusion For thine is the Kingdom and the power and the Glory for ever Amen to lead you to understand the true importance whereof I ask you first Q. Ought we not to praise God also when we pray unto him A. Yes To all our prayers we must joyn praises and Thanksgivings Catechist The Apostle Phil. 4.6 joyns them closely Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplications with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God And his precept is 1 Thes 5.18 In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you Eph. 5.20 We must give thanks always for all things unto God 1 Tim. 2.1 I exhort that first of all Supplications Intercessions and giving thanks be made for all men c. And so Col. 4.2 we are directed to watch unto prayer with thanksgiving The defect whereof I hope you remember was what Christ taxed in the lepers Luk. 17.17 Were there not ten cleansed but where are the nine for but one of them returned to give thanks Q. What are those Attributes and Excellencies in God which we are especially to praise magnifie and adore A. His Eternal Sovereignty Power and Glory Q. What is it that assures you besides what you learnt in the Preface that God will hear and can give you what you pray for A. Those and other his Attributes and especially his own Mercy and Goodness for the merits of Christ Catechist It is the very scope of both the Preface and of this Doxology to assure us hereof and to strengthen our Faith in prayer that he both can and will hear and help us For Mark 9.23 All things are possible to him that believeth Now as his being our Father and our Heavenly Father in the Preface gives good assurance to our Faith in prayer so here in the Doxology we are assured he takes care of us and doth not will not utterly neglect us in any Condition we are in or can be in during this Life no more than any natural and Gracious King will neglect the safety and welfare of his Subjects for his is the Kinddom and Supreme Soveraignty Psal 95.3 He is a great King above all Gods Psal 103.19 His Kingdom ruleth over all And that he can help relieve and deliver us we are sure because his is the power Ps 62.11 Power belongeth unto God and nothing can be too hard for the Almighty 1 Chron. 29.12 In his hand is power and might which none is able to withstand And lastly we are assured that he will do it if we seek unto him because His is the glory For so run his promises often That He will do and work for his own names sake and even for his own glory Ezek. 36.22 And to all these I may add his Eternity that is these are for ever so that he who hath delivered doth deliver and will deliver For He is the same to day yesterday and for ever Heb. 13.8 For with him is no variableness neither shadow of turning Jam. 1.17 I pray you then Q. To what end or use serves this third and last part of the Lords prayer The Doxology or Conclusion for thine is the Kingdom c. A. Both to give God the praise of these his glorious Attributes and to confirm my Faith to expect the things prayed for for herein I declare that I trust he will do it of his own mercy and goodness through Jesus Christ our Lord. Catechist I would only upon this answer observe the practice of Gods Saints for your imitation In all their prayers recorded in Scripture we find they used to recite Gods Attributes which was both to give God the praise thereof and also to shew upon what grounds they built their Confidence of Gods hearing and granting their petitions which was nothing of their own no worthiness or good deservings in themselves but only Gods power and mercy and goodness It would be endless to give you the particular instances hereof you cannot miss of observing it your selves in those prayers you read in the Scriptures And it is good to follow such footsteps and patterns There is nothing remains now to teach you belonging to your Lords Prayer but only the Word Amen and in one of these sences is it always used and to one of those ends it is always intended wherever it is used which you have in your Answer to my next Question Q. Why dost thou say Amen after your prayers A. To express my stedfast Belief that God can and will and my Earnest desire that he would grant them For Amen is as much as to say so be it Catechist Come we then to the last General Head of Catechism The Doctrine Of the Sacraments Q. How many Sacraments hath Christ ordained in his Church A. Two only as Generally necessary unto Salvation that is to say Baptism and the Supper of
of the Serpent the Devil who hating God and envying the happiness of man belied God saying they should not die but only God forbad this fruit lest they should be as Gods knowing good and evil and to him they hearkned and so fell from God and from that state of innocency wherein he created them by sinning against him Q. How can Adams fall concern his posterity A. The Covenant being made with Adam not only for himself but also for his posterity therefore all Mankind descending from him by Ordinary Generation sinned in him and fell with him in his first Transgression Q. What Covenant spake you of now A. The old Covenant of works made with Adam before his Fall as a publick person representing all mankind that should descend of his Loyns Q. Christ Jesus descended from Adam Did he then fall in him A. No for he descended from Adam by an extraordinary Generation and so took our nature without the sinfulness and corruption of our nature Catechist I pray mark that expression well all mankind that descended from Adam by ordinary Generation for this is purposely intended to except Christ who was conceived in the Virgins Womb in an extraordinary manner by the power of the Holy ghost and born of her being still a pure Virgin having no Knowledge of man so that taking our nature in an extraordinary way of Generation he received our nature free from and Untainted with the sinfulness and corruption of our nature But all others descending from Adam in an ordinary way of Generation are inwrapped in his Guilt as their common parent Head and Representative So that Psal 14.2 Amongst all mankind There is not one Righteous no not one for Ps 51.7 All are conceived in sin and born in iniquity Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passeth upon all men in that all have sinned i. e. By him in whom as it is in the Margent all have sinned Ver. 18. By the offence of one judgment came upon all to Condemnation Q. In what estate then are all men besides Jesus Christ that are born of Adam since the fall A. Guilty of sin and prone to all sin Catechist Guilty of Sin For Rom. 5.19 By one mans Disobedience many are made sinners And then which is that corruption of nature I spake of they are prone to all sin and I add averse to all good For Adam begat sons and daughters after his own Image The Image of Corruption A corrupt Tree will have corrupt fruit Hence that unanswerable question of Job 14.4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Not one Q. What Dangers are we liable to by reason of this Original Guilt and proneness to sin in our nature and the actual sins of our lives A. To all Gods judgments in this Life and Eternal torments in that to come Catechist For Eph. 2.3 We are children of Wrath one as well as the other And Rom. 6.23 The Wages of sin is Death Death Temporal Death Spiritual and Death Eternal And this Death as the Apostle saith in the forequoted Text hath passed upon all men for that all have sinned And as it is Rom. 3.23 and come short of the glory of God Q What means have we to be delivered from these sins and Dangers to which for sin we are liable A. Only by our Saviour and Redeemer the second person in the Blessed Trinity Catechist Thus are we orderly led to what the Creed teaches us to believe concerning him Ps 89.19 God laid help upon one that is mighty and exalted one chosen out of the people And this One so chosen Mighty to save so loved the world that he freely and willingly undertook it saying Psal 40.7 Lo I come it is written of me I come to do thy will O God And from hence is he called The Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 For he came to found and establish a new Covenant betwixt God and man and to work a reconciliation to found a remedying Covenant after the former was broken and abolished and so became he a Saviour of men The Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him Heb. 5.9 Q. What is the name of our Saviour A. Jesus Christ Q. What do those names signifie A. Jesus is a Hebrew name signifying as much as Saviour and Christ is Greek and signifies as the word Messiah doth a person Anointed to the threefold office of Prophet Priest and King Catechist The Angel appointed him his Name Jesus to Joseph and Mary at the Annunciation Mat. 1.20 His name shall be called Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins And then they When the eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child so called him being Sir named by the Angel before he was conceived in the Womb Luk. 2.21 As for his other name Christ or in Hebrew Messiah it is equivalent to our Sirnames and signifies his Office being in English as much as The Anointed one For God Anointed him with the Holy ghost the oyl of gladness above his Fellows Ps 45.7 And as it was proper to three sorts of persons to be Anointed Kings and Priests and Prophets so was he anointed King Ps 2.6 Yet have I set my King upon my Holy Hill of Sion And Priest Heb. 6.20 He was made High Priest after the order of Melchizedek And Prophet for of him Moses spake Acts 2.45 A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto me Him shall ye hear And in fullfilling these offices of making Atonement for our sins by the sacrifice of himself upon the Cross and continual intercession for us as a Priest teaching us his Fathers Will for our Salvation as a Prophet and ruling and protecting us as a King consists that great Salvation which he as our Jesus wrought and workt for us and which is offered to us in his Holy Gospel Now being thus set forth to us by his Names next he is described to us in the Creed by his Natures Q. What is Jesus Christ for his person God only or Man only or both God and man A. Both God and man Man that he might be capable of suffering in the same nature wherein we had sinned and God that he might be able to give full satisfaction for our sins Catechist It is written that without shedding of blood there can be no remission Heb. 9.22 For so had God threatned Gen. 2.17 In the day thou sinnest thou shalt dye the death As therefore God would be true to his Word it was necessary for our Redeemer to be man that he might be capable of suffering death for our sins in the same nature wherein they were committed And as necessary it was for him to be God that he might be able to satisfie That his death and sufferings might by the Dignity of his person be of infinite value to satisfie the infinite debt of our sins to Gods justice
For Heb. 10.4 It was not possible that the bloud of Bulls and Goats offered in sacrifice should take away sins But all the vertue they had was as Types and Figures of the pretious Blood of Christ the Son of God as of a Lamb without spot and without blemish 1 Pet. 1.18 So God he must be whosoever will undertake to satisfie for our sins by suffering for them and God he was who purchased his Church with his own blood Act. 20.28 Q. How prove you by your Creed then that Jesus Christ is true God A. I believe Him to be His to wit Gods only Son our Lord. Catechist The Son of God must needs be God God of God very God of very God Now God owned him for his Son by a voice from heaven at his Baptism Matth. 3.17 This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased Now to anticipate an Objection the next Question and Answer shews how our being Gods Sons differs from His being so And thereof the Apostle Heb. 1.1 compared with chap. 2.1 3. gives a very remarkable application Q. Are not we also Sons of God and how then is he Gods only Son or how doth his being Gods Son prove him to be God A. We are only Sons of God by Adoption in Christ but Christ is Gods Son by eternal Generation He is Gods only begotten Son very God of very God as really God of the substance of the Father begotten before the World as he was Man of the substance of his Mother born in the World Catechist 2 Tim. 1.13 Let us hold fast this form of sound words in Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus and always carry in mind the Apostles inference from it in the forequoted place God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past to the Fathers by the Prophets Hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son as the Great Mediator between Him and us Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things we hear lest at any time we let them slip For if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by them that heard him Let us pass on then to the other proof of Christs Divinity Q. How did Christ become our Lord A. He both made us and redeemed us with his pretious blood and we have in Baptism given up ourselves to him to be his Servants Catechist Ps 100.3 He made us and not we ourselves So is he our Lord as we are his Creatures For John 1.3 All things were made by him and without him was nothing made that was made And being lost he also redeemed us so that he is our Lord by right of purchase 1 Cor. 6.20 He bought us with a price therefore we are not our own but his therefore is he our Lord. And being so our Lord he is certainly God for who but God is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 1.6 and who but God can be called by that incommunicable Name of God Jehova and so is Christ Hos 1.7 I will have mercy upon them and will save them by the Lord Jehova and not by how or sheild O what cause have we then to own him for our Lord by devoting our selves to his Service Cast we then our eyes upon the other Nature of his Q. How prove you by your Creed that Jesus Christ is true man A. I believe him to be Conceived in the Womb by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary Catechist An answer containing what the Apostle 1 Tim. 3.16 Calls the great Mystery of Godliness God manifested in the flesh Nay John 1.14 The Word made flesh and thus runs the Argument to prove Christs Manhood He had an Human Conception and Human Birth was conceived like other men and was born of a woman as other men are and therefore he was Man For further understanding of all its particulars I ask you Q. Had Christ any natural Father as Man A. No. Q. By what power then was he Conceived in and born of a woman A. By the power of the Holy ghost Catechist Of this we are assured by the Angel which said unto Mary Luk. 1.31 Thou shalt conceive and bear a Son c. and when she demanded How can this be seeing I know not a man he answered her ver 35. The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee Therefore that Holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God So by the Blessed Virgins protestation it is evident she knew not a man therefore had her Son no natural Father Q. What do you learn from that A. That taking our nature of her substance in such an extraordinary way the Holy Ghost purifying it He took it without sin being to suffer for our sins Catechist For Heb. 7.26 Such must our High Priest be Holy harmless and undefiled separate from sinners He must have no sin of his own who undertook to satisfie Gods Justice for our sins Q. Who was this Virgin Mary A. She was of the tribe of Judah of which Tribe the Messiah was to come Catechist That she was of that Tribe appears by Christs pedegree or Genealogy Mat. 1. and Luk. 3. as also by Joseph's and Mary's going to be taxed at Bethlehem Judah for this very reason because they were of that Tribe Luk. 2.3 4. Q. How then do you prove Christ to be the true Messiah A. All the Prophecies were exactly fulfilled in him as to his Tribe parents place and time of Birth and his manner of Life and Death and Resurrection Catechist The Messiah the Saviour of the world was foretold to come of the Tribe of Judah of the root of Jesse and house of David Luk. 1.27 to be conceived of a Virgin Isa 7.14 Behold a Virgin shall conceive c. and for the place to be born in Bethlehem Micah 5.2 And thou Bethlehem in the land of Judah art not the least of the Princes of Judah for out of thee shall come a Governour that shall rule my people Israel And for the Time to come as Shile when the Scepter should be departed from Judah Gen 49.10 And after the Seventy weeks was determined by Daniel ch 9.24 and while the second Temple stood by the Prophet Haggai chap. 2.9 which within Fourty years after Christ was demolished so that not one stone was left upon another And the purity of his life and the cruelty and violence offered him in his death are clearly spoken of by the Prophet Isaiah chap. 53. throughout And his Resurrection by the Psalmist Ps 16.11 So that all things came to pass according to the Prophecy Learn this argument therefore against all Jews and Infidels Nothing befel Christ which was not foretold and
many eye witnesses assure us He rese again according to the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15.4 Q. When did he rise again A. The third day according to the Prophecy Catechist Himself had expressly foretold his enemies the Jews that after three days he would rise again Mark 14.12 and they were sensible of it that their malice would be apparent if he should do so and his cause would be glorious before all the world The latter errour they said would be worse than the first Matth. 27.64 Therefore they set a watch and did all they could to procure it But maugre the policy of Earth and Hell of men and Devils Christ rose again indeed and that at the precise time which he foretold The third day No sooner to shew that he was really dead No later lest his Body should corrupt should see corruption Q. Who raised him up A. Himself and this his rising by his own power proved him to be God and that he had fully satisfied for our sins Catechist He told them beforehand that he both could and would do it John 10.18 I have power to lay down my life and I have power to take it again John 2.19 Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up Speaking of the temple of his body Now hereby he manifestly proved himself to be the Son of God and God Rom. 1.4 He was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of Holiness by the Resurrection from the dead And it was an infallible token of Gods justice being fully satisfied for our sins Rom. 4.25 He was delivered for our offences and raised again for our Justification Q. How long stayed he on Earth after his Resurrection A. Forty days Q. What to do A. To teach his disciples the things of his Kingdome that is to Commission and instruct them how to gather and fettle his Church throughout the World Catechist Act. 1.3 He shewed himself to his Apostles alive after his passion by many infallible proofs being seen of them Fourty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God which is his Church And for the gathering thereof we find Matth. 28.19 20. He gave them this Commission Go Teach all Nations or disciple all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost And for the instructing and governing the Church so gathered He then gave them this General direction teaching them to do whatsoever I have commanded you And loe I am with you always to the end of the world is the gracious promise wherewith he then encouraged them in this work And during this time it was that he called upon Peter in special but doubtless therein requiring it of all the other Apostles Peter lovest thou me seed my sheep Lovest thou me feed my lambs John 21.15 16 17. Q. Whither went he after these Fourty days A. He ascended into Heaven Q. What to do there A. To prepare a place for us and continually to make intercession for us Catechist Heb. 9.11 12. Our High Priest entred into the most Holy place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us Act. 1.19 While they were speaking with him Luk. 24.50 While he blessed them the Disciples beheld and loe he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight Now of this speaks St. Ambrose's Song called Te Deum He opened the Kingdom of heaven to all believers For see what he himself said John 14.2 In my fathers house are many Mansions I go to prepare a place for you and if I go to prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you to my self that where I am ye may be also Wherefore as the Apostle Heb. 7.25 inferreth hence He is able to save to the uttermost them that come to God by Him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for us Q. What place hath Christ now in Heaven A. He in our nature sits at the right hand of God Catechist So himself foretold his enemies Luk. 22.69 Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power And hereof many Texts assure us 1 Cor. 3.1 2. If ye be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the Right hand of God Q Hath God any hands either right hand or left A. No God is a Spirit and hath neither bodily parts nor passions Catechist So doth Christ himself define God Joh. 4.24 God is a Spirit And Luk. 24.19 He thus describes a Spirit that it hath no bodily parts Handle me and see for a Spirit hath neither flesh nor bones as ye see me have Q. What mean you then by Christs sitting at Gods right hand A. I mean his fulness of Glory and Majesty as God-man with infinite power to destroy his and his Churches enemies Catechist So he told his Disciples Matth. 28.18 All power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth Such power that Psal 110.1 His enemies are his footstool Eph. 1.20 He is far above all principalities and powers and might and Dominion and every name that is named both in this world and the world to come For Act. 2.34 35. Him whom they crucified hath God thus made both Lord and Christ Q. Will Christ ever come again from Heaven A. Yes with Holy Angels in great glory at the last day Q. What to do A. To judge all men both them that are alive at his coming and all them that died from the beginning of the World Catechist Hereof Enoch the Seventh from Adam Prophecied Jude 14. Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgment And so the Angels told his Disciples at his Ascension into Heaven Act. 1.11 Ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into Heaven This same Jesus whom ye have seen go up into Heaven shall so come as ye have seen him go into Heaven 1 Thes 4.16 The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and with the trump of God And then 2 Cor. 5.10 we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ For Act. 17.31 God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance to all men in that he raised him up from the dead And see the reason why he hath ordained him to this great office in the next Answer Q. Why will God commit this judgment unto Christ A. To glorifie his Son who was so much vilified upon Earth and it is the Comfort of true Believers that their Saviour shall be their Judge Q. What manner of judgment shall it be A. A most strict Account must be given of all mens thoughts words and actions how they have agreed with or been contrary to his word and none can escape nor hide their sins from his Knowledge Catechist Read often I pray you what description the Apostle
by Christs Redemption and the Spirit 's Sanctification A. Only the Holy Catholick Church that is such as in any age or place are called to Faith and Repentance and do evidence the truth of a lively Faith and true Repentance by constant Obedience to Gods Will revealed in his Word Q. What mean you by a Church A. The Company of the Faithful that is such as are called to Faith and Repentance Catechist Neither can the Pope nor any one particular Person upon Earth be truly called the Church For it is a Company a Body consisting of many members And hence Christ calls it a flock though it be a little flock in comparison of the whole world that lyes in wickedness Luk. 12.32 Fear not little flock for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom And St. Peter 2 Ep. 2.9 useth these Plural and Collective words calling the Church a chosen generation a Royal Priesthood an Holy nation a peculiar people Caetus Vocatorum It is a Company of called ones such as are called out of the world to forsake its sinful ways and Customs to profess Repentance from dead works and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ Of which calling S. Paul saith 2 Tim. 1.9 They are called with an Holy calling Rom. 1.7 Called to be Saints In a word 2 Thes 2.13 They are called as well as chosen to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the Truth Q. What signifies this word Catholick A. It is a Greek word and is as much as Universal Q. What mean you by believing the Church to be Catholick or Vniversal Q. That Gods Church is not now confined to any one place or people as it was under the Old Testament but all that are called in any Age or Place are now of the Catholick Church being United into one Mystical body Catechist Under the Old Testament Psal 76.1 2. In Judah was God known His name was great in Israel Jerusalem was his Tabernacle and his dwelling place was in Sion Psal 147.19 10. He shewed his word unto Jacob his statutes and his judgments unto Israel He dealt not so with any Other nation neither had the Heathen knowledge of his Law But now under the Gospel or New Testament The partition wall between Jew and Gentile being by Christs Death broken down Both are become one sheepfold under one Shepherd And according to Gods promise to Christ Ps 2.8 The Heathen are given to him for an Inheritance and the utmost parts of the Earth for a possession So that now Act. 10.34 35. God is no Accepter of persons But in every nation He that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted with him And hence S. John saith Rev. 7.9 That he in his vision beheld and loe a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues stood before the throne and before the Lamb clothed with white robes Crying with a loud voice Salvation to our God that sitteth on the throne and to the Lamb for ever Q. Who is the Head of this Mystical Body the Catholick Church A. No man living but Christ only Catechist It is pride and presumption in the Pope to claim this Honour which belongs to Christ alone For Eph. 5.23 He alone is Head of the Church who is the Saviour of the Body Col. 1.18 He is the Head of the Body the Church Who is the beginning the first born from the dead that in all things he might have the preeminence For it pleaseth the Father that in him all fulness should dwell Q. Hath God always had a Church on Earth A. Yes and will have to the end of the world it can never be destroyed utterly Catechist It was Christs promise to his Disciples and in them to his Church All that through them should afterwards believe in his name To be with them alway to the end of the world Matth. 28.20 And he said Matth. 16.18 Vpon this Rock that is the Truth confessed by St. Peter there That he was the Christ the Son of the Living God upon this rock would he build his Church and the Gates of Hell should not prevail against it i. e. quite destroy or root it out of the world Q. Can any one Church as that of Rome call it self the Catholick Church in opposition to other Churches A. No no more than Rome can be called the whole world Catechist Rome is at the best but one Member of the Catholick Church of Christ and can no more properly be called the Catholick Church than either It or any one Particular place can be called the whole World Q. Is Christs Church always visible upon Earth A. That of sincere Christians is invisible That of all Christian professors is visible Catechist The Church Visible is the Light of the world and a City set upon an Hill which cannot be hid Mat. 5.14 It is alway visible at least to them that are of it and profess Christianity But sometimes it may be so persecuted as to flee like the woman into the Wilderness where she hath a place prepared for her for that time of persecution Rev. 12.6 and then it is not so visible as to be glorious and to prosper and flourish in the eyes of the world Q. Why is Christs Church said to be Holy an Holy Church A. Because of its better part sincere Christians in it and because of its Holy Ordinances and Gods commands and our profession of true Holiness Catechist 1 Pet. 2.9 It is an Holy Nation a peculiar people Rev. 21.2 It 's an Holy City the new Jerusalem Not but that there is a mixture of good and bad godly and prophane in the Church for our Saviour compares the Church which he calls the Kingdom of heaven Matth. 13.24 to a field wherein tares grow up with the wheat And ver 47. to a draw-net that incloseth both good fish and bad with divers others of the like Nature But the Church is Holy as for its Holy things so because all its members do or should profess Holiness it is a company or Congregation of men who are called with an holy calling or Vocation 2 Tim. 1.9 For every man that nameth the name of Christ or on whom the name of Christ is called being called Christian is bound to depart from Iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 Q. But who then are they that are truly Holy A. Such as believe aright and live answerably such as evidence the truth of a lively Faith and Unfeigned Repentance by constant Obedience to Gods Will revealed in his Word Catechist So I have often told you for St. James 2.18 saith Shew me thy Faith by thy works And he there argues it at large that good Works of Obedience are the only things that can evidence a mans Faith to be true and alive and not dead or no better than that Faith of Devils who believe and tremble Q. What duties doth our believing the Holy Catholick Church oblige us all to
sin Rom. 7.14 The natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 Q By what means then may you obtain Gods special Grace A. By diligent that is by daily fervent prayer Catechist Of the efficacy of our prayers to obtain Gods special Grace Our Saviour assures us and that by way of Argument which gives us much stronger consolation Luk 11.13 If ye being evil know how to give good gifts to your Children how much more will your heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him But then Our asking must be thus qualified that it may obtain it must be daily we must pray continually or without ceasing 1 Thes 5.17 and fervently Jam. 5.16 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much Ask therefore and so ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you Matth. 7.7 Q. In what bodily posture must you pray A. Kneeling or at least with the greatest reverence possible Catechist For in this posture of kneeling have Gods Saints always made their solemn prayers or for the most part And as we cannot use too much reverence in our Addresses to so great a God so unto this are we daily invited in the words of the Psal 95.6 O come let us worship and fall down and kneel before the Lord our maker Q. What things must you pray for besides Gods Grace A. Only for things agreeable to Gods will Catechist 1 Joh. 5.14 This is the Confidence that we have in him that whatever we ask according to his Will he heareth us Q. In whose Name and Mediation must we put up our prayers A. Neither of Saints nor Angels but only that of our Lord Jesus Christ Catechist So he himself directs us For he the is one Mediator betwixt us and the one God 1 Tim. 2.5 Therefore he saith Joh. 14 13.14 Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in me If ye shall ask any thing in my Name I will do it And he assures us even with an Oath that his Father will do it chap. 16.23 Verily Verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you And he seems to solve the doubt why he saith he will do it and his Father will do it too ver 26. Ye shall ask in my Name and I say unto you that I will pray the father for you c. For Heb. 7.25 He is able to save to the ultermost seeing he liveth for ever to make intercession for us With great reason therefore doth our Holy Church conclude all her prayers with these words Through Jesus Christ our Lord. And praying in Christs Name we cannot pray better or more acceptably than in his words too Q. Which is the best form of prayer and most perfect pattern to direct you in praying A. The Prayer Christ taught his Disciples called The Lords Prayer Q. Let me hear you then say the Lords prayer A. Our Father which art in heaven Hallowed be thy name c. Catechist It is rightly called the Lords prayer as the Eucharist is called the Lords Supper because he composed it as he instituted and ordained this his Supper Now observe when Christ taught his Disciples this prayer it is said in Luk. 11.2 When ye pray say plainly making it Our duty as his Disciples as we will owne ourselves to be Christians to use this form of prayer at all times for it is a most perfect and Comprehensive prayer containing all that is needful to be prayed for and therefore supplying the defects of all other our prayers But at another time Matth. 6.9 He said After this manner pray ye as plainly there making it a pattern to all other our prayers And so doing Our prayers cannot be other than according to Gods will and being so we are sure he will hear and grant our petitions Now tell me what your Catechism teacheth you of this Q. What desirest thou of God in this prayer A. I desire my Lord God our Heavenly Father c. Catechist This is a very solid answer and teacheth you a great deal in a little Compass My part is to help you to understand to what part and petition of your Lords prayer every clause in this answer is to be referred and to make these and all other needful things concerning it as plain as I can In the mean time Let me give you this instruction It will be very good and profitable for you Good Children to get some other good and godly prayers by heart for your daily use out of some or other good books such as those sometimes annexed to your Bibles or those in that excellent Book called The Whole duty of man or the like And till you can do that let me tell you you may make a very good prayer of this your answer and using it devoutly and with understanding it will be acceptable to God Instead of saying I desire my Lord God Our heavenly Father c. it is but altering it thus and it will be a very good prayer O Lord God Our Heavenly Father who art the Author of all goodness I desire thee I beseech thee that thou wilt send thy grace to me and to all people that we may worship thee serve thee and obey thee as we ought to do and I pray unto thee that thou wilt send us all things that be needful both for our bodies and our Souls and that thou wilt be merciful unto us and forgive us our sins and I humbly beg that it will please thee to save us in all dangers Ghostly and bodily and that thou wilt keep us from all sin and wickedness and from our Ghostly Enemy and from Everlasting death And I trust and beg of thee that I may always trust that thou wilt do this of thy own mere mercy â—nd goodness through our Lord Jesus Christ Amen Say this your answer in such a form of â—â—ayer upon your knees every day morning and evening â—ith understanding and from your hearts and Souls and doubt not God who delights not in quaint words nor in the multitude of them will graciously accept it both till you have furnished yourselves with some larger forms and afterwards Now for our further understanding of our Lords prayer and of this account your Catechism gives of it I ask you Q. How many parts are there in the Lords prayer A. Three a Preface the Petitions and the Doxology or Conclusion Catechist See what you may learn by the Preface first Q. To whom must you pray that you may be sure to speed A. To our Father in Heaven only Catechist A very necessary Observation since we know the Papists practices of making their prayers to Saints and Angels nay to very Images and especially to the Virgin Mary Which if any Christians can lawfully do it is marvellous that our
Lord and Saviour should direct us so strictly to pray to God and him only to no other whom we cannot call by this title Our Father which art in heaven Religious prayer and Invocation is a Divine Honour it is proper to God who saith Psal 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble and we cannot give Gods glory to another without the guilt of Idolatry To pray unto Saints or Angels implies an adoring them as Omnipotent able to help us Omnipresent and Omniscient capable of hearing us wherever and whensoever we call upon them And can we he sure of either of these or are they possible where have we any precept or direction in all the Scriptures to make our Addresses and Supplications unto them or any example of any Saints that have done it before us or any promise of their hearing our prayers or helping our necessities or of our obtaining what we ask of them or by their Mediation And having none of these how can we pray to them in duty or in Faith But this we can do to God and to him only Our Father which is in Heaven For being Our Father he is gracious and of great kindness having Fatherly bowels ready and willing to hear and help us and being Our Father in Heaven He is Almighty the Great giver of all goodness and therefore able to hear and help us And therefore to him alone let us make our prayers and supplications saying with Holy David Psal 25.1 Vnto thee O Lord do I lift up my Soul Psal 121.1 2. I will lift up mine eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help My help cometh from the Lord who made Heaven and Earth Q. What is the meaning then of this Preface Our Father which art in Heaven A. It teaches me to call upon God as my Lord God Our Heavenly Father who is the Giver of all Goodness and so assures me that he both will and can hear and help me Catechist Your Catechism here gives you a very short but pithy explanation of this Title of the Great God as the Hearer of prayers Psal 65.2 Our Father which art in Heaven Therein every one calls upon God in such words as S. Thomas expresseth his faith in Joh. 20.28 My Lord and my God Thou in whom I have a special interest as my God Yet mark it not so mine but that he is also others Our heavenly Father For I am in Charity to look upon others as my Brethren having a filial relation also to God as well as my self Now as I said in that He is our Father This assures us that he is ready and willing to hear and help us as any Father will do for his children for so Christ argues Matth. 7.9 10. If a child ask bread of his father will he give him a stone or if he ask a fish will he give him a Scorpien Will he not give him all good things and things needful and profitable for him Hon much more will God as a Father give us all good things that we ask him For Psal 103.13 As a Father pitieth his children so doth the Lord them that fear him And then that he is Our Heavenly Father this assures us of his power and ability that he can help us For Psal 99.1 The Lord is great in Sion and he is high above all people Psal 97.1 The Lord reigneth let his Children rejoyce For nothing then can harm them without his leave and providence Psal 2.1 Even when the Heathen rage and the Kings of the Earth bandy together against the Lord and against his Anointed he that setteth in Heaven shall laugh them to scorn The Lord shall have them in Derision He that dwells in Heaven Pray how dwells the Lord there Surely not so there but that he is in all places Omnipresent Jer. 23.23 Am I God at hand and not afar of saith the Lord Do not I fill heaven and Earth saith the Lord But he is in Heaven because there is the Habitation of His throne of Majesty Psal 97.2 And there and from thence he more especially manifesteth his exceeding great power and glory So is he Our Father in heaven in that sence and as our Catechism adds by way of explanation He is therefore the Giver of all Goodness of all good things Jam. 1.17 Every good and every perfect gift comes from above even from the Father of lights with whom is no variableness neither shaddow of turning So much of the Preface now to the petitions Q. How many petitions are there in the Lords prayer A. Six Three with relation to Gods glory and three to our own benefit Q. Why are we taught to pray first for what respects Gods Glory before we pray for things relating to our own benefit A. To teach us that we ought to make Gods Glory the great end of our prayers as well as of all our Actions and in all cases to prefer it before all things whatsoever Catechist Gods glory is the great end of our Creation and of whatever God doth that the whole Earth may be full of his Glory Isaiah 6.3 Solomon saith Prov. 16.4 The Lord made all things for himself yea even the wicked for the day of evil that is to glorifie his justice in them Now what is Gods end in all his doings should be Our great end and aim in all our prayers and all our actions 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God For the first Petition then Hallowed be thy name You may observe in the first place that your Catechism explains Hallowing Gods Name to be as much as worshipping him which we often also express by glorifying or honouring him and taking due notice thereof I ask you first Q. Are we able to Worship Honour or Glorifie God as we ought to do A. No. Q. How ought we to Worship or Honour or Glorify God A. Above all Beings in heart word and deed Catechist Do but remember the Apostle's expression to this purpose 1 Cor. 6.20 We must glorifie God with our Bodies and with our spirits which are his Now alas this we sinful corrupt degenerate mankind are in no wise able to do until he regenerate and renew us in the words of his Covenant his Covenant of Grace Ezek. 11.19 Put a new heart and a new spirit within us take from us the stony heart and give us an heart of flesh In a word till he put his Spirit his Spirit of Grace within us to cause us to walk in his Statutes and in his Judgments Q. What desirest thou therefore in this petition Hallowed be thy Name A. I desire God to send his Grace to me and to all people that we may worship him as we ought to do Q. Dost thou desire this or any other Blessing of God for thy self only A. No I desire it for all people and whatever Blessing I desire for my self in any petition in Christian Charity I pray the same
Gods gift and Blessing Ps 127.2 It is in vain to rise up early and sit up late and eat the bread of carefulness if God do not bless the house and all in it Nor can they could we get them at all nourish us without that blessing of God For Deut. 8.3 Man liveth not by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God that is by his word of Blessing upon it So true it is that in him we live and move and have our being Act. 17.28 this is implied in the Petition Q. What dost thou therefore pray for in this fourth petition A. That God would bless all our lawful endeavours and so send us all things needful both for our Bodies and our Souls Catechist You may remember Agurs prayer Prov. 30.8 which is in other words the same with this Give me neither poverty nor riches feed me with food convenient for me lest being rich I be full and deny thee and say who is the Lord or being poor I steal or be tempted to do unjustly taking the name of God in vain And since our souls have their proper food and nourishment as well as Our Bodies even the Word and Sacraments the Church therefore teaches you that you herein pray for the continuance of these also even what is needful for the nourishing our Souls to eternal life Some of the Fathers therefore by daily bread understood the Holy Sacrament Q. What is implied in the fifth petition Forgive us our Trespasses c. A. That we are by our sins Debtors to Gods Justice and liable to Condemnation Q. Can any man living satisfie Gods Justice for this debt A. No nor all the world Catechist Alas We sin daily and in many things offend all Jam. 3.2 And by every sin become debtors to Gods justice and are guilty of death For Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death It being said by the just God from the Beginning Gen. 2.17 In the day thou sinnest thou shalt die the death And as no man can satisfie Gods Justice for sin for his own sin so Psal 49.7 None can redeem his brother nor pay to God a ransom for him He that satisfies for others sins must have no sin of his own How should they answer for others who are themselves guilty Q. What dost thou therefore pray for in this fifth Petition A. I pray unto God that he will for the merits of Christs Satisfaction be merciful unto us and forgive us our sins Catechist What we pray for here is just what God promiseth in his new Covenant Jer. 31.34 I will forgive their iniquites and remember their sins no more Now this was a Covenant of mercy made in Christ upon his undertaking to satisfie Gods Justice for our sins saying Psal 40.7 Lo I come to do thy Will O God For thus Ps 85.10 in him and by him Mercy and Truth met together Righteousness and peace kissed each other Col. 1.20 He made peace through the blood of his Cross For 1 Joh. 2.2 He became a propitiation for our sins and for the sins of the whole world For his sake therefore it is that we hope and pray for mercy and forgiveness Q. What mean you by forgiveness of sins A. A free and full acquitting us of their guilt and punishment Catechist Free therefore do we Protestants utterly disclaim all opinion of Merit which is indeed utterly inconsistent with the words Mercy and Forgiveness Rom. 3.24 We are justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus And it s a full Forgiveness therefore we also deny the Papists opinion of Purgatory pains to satisfie for our sins by enduring a temporal punishment for them For when God forgives he will not again exact the debt in part or whole he saith in his Covenant of Grace and Mercy I will so forgive their sins as to remember them no more Q. Who are they that may expect such Forgiveness at the hands of God A. True penitents only that are so sorry for their sins as to forsake them and such as from their hearts forgive others their injuries and offences against themselves Catechist For the former I refer you to what I taught you upon the Article of Forgiveness in your Creed And for forgiving of others it is so necessary to qualifie us for Gods pardon that Christ tells us plainly what we must look for Matth. 6.14 If ye forgive men their trespasses your Heavenly Father will forgive you yours but if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses So much for this petition also Q. What is implied in the Sixth petition Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from Evil A. Our greatest Misery in this life to wit that Satan the world and the flesh are always tempting us to sin and we ourselves are prone to yield to and unable of ourselves to resist any temptation Catechist We must as the Apostle Gal. 6.1 warns us look upon ourselves as surrounded with temptations Consider ourselves lest we be tempted And therefore as Christ exhorts Mark 14.38 Watch and pray lest we enter into Temptation And alas in regard of them we have no reason to be in love with but even to be weary of this Life saying with David Ps 120.5 Wo is me that I sojourn in Mesech and have my habitation in the tents of Kedar For 1 Pet. 5.8 Our adversary the Devil goes about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour And he makes use of all the good and evil things of this world to be snares to us to intangle us in one or other sin or wickedness and our flesh is weak and our own hearts treacherous too willing to yeild themselves a prey to that Ghostly enemy The Great Devourer Q. What must we in justice expect if we either yeild to commit sin to which he tempts us or continue in it A. All Evils of Punishment both in this Life and the Next Catechist Prov. 13.21 Evil pursueth sinners Rom. 1.18 The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and vnrighteousness of men For he hath spoken it Rom. 2.6 That he will render to every man according to his works Ver. 9. To them who obey not the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath Tribulation and anguish to every soul that doth evil Jew or Gentile These things are implied in the petition Now then Q. What dost thou pray for in this petition A. That God would assist us by his Holy Spirit to resist and overcome all Temptations and either to keep us from being tempted to sin or from falling into sin or from living impenitently in it so that we may escape his punishments Temporal Spiritual and Eternal Catechist Need have we to pray and that continually for the Almighty Guidance and Assistance of Gods Holy Spirit in this our Spiritual warfare for we are poor weak and frail Creatures of ourselves The spirit being willing
the Lord. Catechist I shall reduce this Question and Answer to these that follow for your better understanding their importance Q. What are the ordinary means of Grace and Salvation A. The Word Prayer and Sacraments Catechist Hence we call them Ordinances Now for the word of God read or preacht or the Reading and Preaching thereof by lawful Mininisters set apart and ordained to this Holy Function by those that have Authority in the Church to send forth labourers into the Vineyard for these I say being Gods Ordinances or ordinary means of mens Salvation it is plainly proved by divers Texts particularly that of the Apostle Rom. 1.16 I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to Salvation to every one that believeth whether Jew or Gentile Therefore he told the Jews Act. 13.26 That to them the word of this Salvation is sent And by the Gospels being published to the Gentiles he saith Rom. 11.11 That Salvation was come to the Gentiles And hence his charge to his Son Timothy 1 Ep. 4.16 Take heed to thy self and to thy doctrine continue in them for in so doing thou shalt save thy self and them that hear thee And it is an excellent place in S. James 1.21 Lay apart all filthiness and superfluity os naughtiness and receive with meekness the ingrafted word which is able to save your Souls And for both the Word and Prayer being such ordinances for mens Salvation there seems to be no less than a Demonstration in Rom. 10.13 14. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved But how shall they call on him in whom they have not believed or how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without a Preacher And to shew that we can have no grounds to hope for Salvation by hearing any but lawfully ordained Ministers it follows How shall they preach unless they be sent Lastly for the Sacraments being ordinary means of mens Salvation what can be more express than our Saviours words for Baptism John 3.5 Verily verily I say unto you except a man be born again of water and of the spirit be cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved For the Apostle saith Gal. 3.27 As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ And he calls it therefore Tit. 3.5 The Laver or washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost And St. Peter saith expresly 1 Ep. 3.21 The like Figure whereunto speaking of Noahs Ark wherein he with Eight Souls was saved in the Deluge even Baptism doth now save us and for the Lords Supper being an Ordinance for mens Salvation as it is evident by the Rule of Contraries for if He that eats and drinks unworthily not discerning the Lords Body eats and drinks his own damnation 1 Cor. 11.29 then he that eats and drinks worthily discerning the Lords body eats and drinks his Salvation so Our Saviour spake punctually hereof Joh. 6.53 54. Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of God and drink his Blood ye have no Life in you Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my Blood hath eternal Life and I will raise him up at the last day I have been the larger in proving all these to be Gods ordinances to save mens Souls that you may see good Children what cause you have to abhor the Quakers Sect as damnable Hereticks who utterly reject nay even make a mock at them especially both the Sacraments Know therefore in doing so they reject and despise the manifest Ordinances of God and certain it is that as for us Ministers in the Dispensation of the Word and Prayer and Sacraments consists that whole Ministration which we have received of the Lord for the Salvation of men so for you the people I speak in the Apostles words Heb. 2.3 How shall ye escape if ye neglect so great Salvation which at first began to be spoken by the Lord himself and was confirmed to the world by them that heard him and by them whom they Commissioned for it such as Timothy and Titus it was Committed to other faithful men from age to age successively able to teach others also 2 Tim. 2.2 Let us then go on Q. Who ordained the Sacraments A. Jesus Christ Catechist It is not in the Churches power to ordain new Sacraments it belongs only to God and his Son Christ Jesus For the Covenant is Gods and therefore it is his Prerogative to ordain Sacraments to be Seals of the Covenant And who but he can either give the Grace signified by the outward Signs or Elements or can punish the unworthy Receivers of them or such as be unfaithful to their part of the Covenant made and renewed in them Q. How many Sacraments then did Christ ordain A. Two only as generally necessary to Salvation Q. Why do you hold two Sacraments and no more A. Those other five which the Papists account Sacraments viz. Orders Confirmation Extreme Unction Penance and Matrimony answer not the Definition of a Sacrament for they neither were all ordained by Christ nor have they any visible sign representing some Spiritual Grace nor any promise to make them Seals of Grace and pardon unto us Catechist It is apparent Christ ordained two Sacraments Matth. 28.19 Go teach and baptize all nations in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and that his mind was that this should continue always in his Church is manifest from his promise and Loe I will be with you and your Successors so teaching and baptizing alway to the end of the world And for the Lords Supper Christs Institution thereof is to be seen in the Holy Gospel and it is as fully recited by St. Paul 1 Cor. 11. as by any of them ver 23. What I have received of the Lord that have I delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus the same night that he was betrayed took bread and brake it and gave it to them all saying ver 25. This do in remembrance of me in like manner he took the Cup c. and that it was his mind that this also should be a standing perpetual Memorial of himself in his Church appears ver 26. As often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do shew forth the Lords death till he come that is to Judgement even till the end of the world These are plain Texts against the Anabaptists Catabaptists and Quakers who clearly abolish both these Sacraments But no apperance of any such Texts is there for the other five added to these two in the Romish Church I need but give you an abstract of what the Article of our Church saith that for Penance as the Papists use it and Extreme Unction they are no better than cortupt imitations of the Apostles without any shew of warrant for so-doing And others of them as Orders and Matrimony are states
of Life indeed allowed in Scripture but have not the nature of Sacraments to be ordinary means of Salvation And these altogether with Confirmation have no visible signs or Ceremonies ordained of God as Baptism and the Lords Supper have Let the Adversaries shew any of these if they can by the Scriptures but they can do no such thing which therefore can by no means be counted in the number of the Sacraments strictly so called ordinary means necessary for all to receive for their Salvation but the most that can be said is that some of them may be esteemed Holy Rites and Ceremonies in their due place For the two Sacraments then I ask you Q. How are these two generally necessary to Salvation A. They are necessary to be used if they can be had and whosoever slight or willfully neglect them they highly offend God and endanger their own Salvation Catechist These two thus instituted by Christ must necessarily be used by all Christians all that will own their Christianity and obey Christ and his Gospel For Christs Commandment to his Apostles was positive that as they should teach or disciple as the word signifies so baptize all Nations they came to and who can choose but see him urging a necessity of Baptism upon all that would become members of his Church which he expresseth by entring into his Kingdom in that forequoted Text Joh. 3.5 Except a man be born again of water and of the Spirit He can in no wise enter into the Kingdom of God except mark the word And for the Lords Supper it is to any Apprehension as strict a Commandment as any in the Scriptures That his Ministers take the bread and cup and give them and that the people eat and drink thereof in remembrance of him and that for this end the shewing forth the Lords death and that for so long a continuance till he come Do this is the word and therefore there is nothing more to be inquired but whether it be done or not done to shew our Obedience or Disobedience to his plain Commandment in short wilfully to neglect either of those Sacraments whereof too many God knows are notoriously-guilty among us is to contemn Christs own Ordinance and Appointment and what man can hope to be saved but in the way appointed by Christ Jesus himself the Saviour of men Now let me instruct you more distinctly first in the nature of a Sacrament in general and then of the two Sacraments apart Q. What meanest thou by the word Sacrament A. I mean an outward visible sign of an inward spiritual Grace given unto us ordained by Christ himself as a means whereby we receive the same and a pledge to assure us thereof Q. How many parts are there in a Sacrament A. Two an Outward visible sign and an inward spiritual Grace Catechist That you may understand these more clearly I ask you Q. What is that you call the outward sign in a Sacrament A. That which we see with our Bodily eyes Q. What is that you call the inward Spiritual Grace A. That which the eye of Faith discerns in the visible signs Catechist You see water in Baptism and Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper with your eyes They are set before you and you see them and so they are Signs both outward and visible in the Holy Sacraments But what is signified and conferred by these outward visible things to your Souls this is no object of nor can be discerned by your bodily eyes for it is the Soul alone that can discern them there by the eye of Faith upon the account of Christs promise to his own Ordinance and Institution the Grace signified and conveyed therefore is wholly inward and spiritual Tell me then Q. For what uses are these Outward Signs or parts in the Sacraments Ordained and Instituted A. To be Signs signifying and means conveying and pledges assuring the Graces signified to Beleivers Catechist They are Signs signifying or representing the spiritual Grace for Example Water in Baptism signifies and represents The Holy Spirits cleansing the Soul polluted by Original sin in and through the blood of Christ And in the Lords Supper The Bread broken signifies and represents Christs Body bruised and torn and crucified and the Wine poured out signifies and represents his blood shed upon the Cross for Remission of sins And thus as the Apostle saith Gal. 3.2 Christ Crucified is set before our eyes in visible Types and Signs and Representations and they are also means or Instruments or as it were Conduit pipes ordained by Christ to convey the Graces and Benefits signified to the worthy Receivers Yea and pledges to assure us thereof Seals of the Covenant of Grace as our Seals are of Bonds or Evidences or as Circumcision was to Abraham Rom. 4.11 He received the Sign of circumcison a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith As sure as we receive the One so sure shall we receive and be made partakers of the other if the fault be not in ourselves All those will be much more clear in Questions and Answers upon each Sacrament First then of Baptism And first let me hear you answer out of the Church Catechism Q. What is the outward part or sign in Baptism A. Water wherein the person is baptized in the Name of the Father and Son and Holy Ghost Q. What is the inward and spiritual Grace A. A death unto sin and a new birth unto Righteousness for being by nature children of wrath we are hereby made the children of Grace Q. What is required of persons to be baptized A. Repentance whereby they forsake sin and Faith whereby they stedfastly believe the promises made to them in that Sacrament Q. Why then are Infants baptized when by reason of their tender age they cannot perform them A. Because they promise them both by their sureties which promise when they come to age themselves are bound to perform Catechist Let us look over these again carefully and break them into other plain and short Inquiries Q. What thing did Christ ordain to be the outward Sign to be used in Baptism A. Water only Catechist Observe Water and Water only Our Wild Quakers speak most scornfully and Contemptibly of Water-Baptism But it is plain Our Saviour himself was Baptized in the River Jordan And all besides him we read of in the Scriptures that were either baptized by John the Baptist or by Christ's Apostles were baptized with water and Christs promise Matth. 28.19 20. Was to be with his Ministers so baptizing to the worlds end The Text is well known once and again before quoted Joh. 3.5 Verily Verily I say unto thee Except a man be born again of water and of the Spirit mark of water as well as of the Spirit He cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And as this is necessary to teach you the necessity of water to arm you Children against the Quakers error So do I express the answer thus water only to exclude the
Papists nasty use of Spittle and all other their Apish Rites and Ceremonies in Administration of this Sacrament for which they have no shew of warrant in Gods word if they have it let them shew it Q What then is the right form or manner of Baptizing A. Dipping or sprinkling In the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Catechist There is no question but diving or dipping was mostly used in the first times of Christianity And it is to be confessed that the persons baptized going down into the water did excellently well signifie his Death unto sin and his coming or rising out of the water his rising from his death in sin unto newness of life To which Actions St. Paul alludes Rom. 6.3 4. Know ye not that so many as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his Death Therefore we are buried with him by Baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of his Father even so we also should walk in newness of life Col. 2.12 We are buried with him in Baptism wherein also we are risen again with him c. But yet in these cold climates sprinkling instead of dipping hath taken place from the beginning of Christianity and hath always been thought sufficient and not without all warrant in Scripture but having the expression sprinkling of the blood of Christ in S. Peter 1 Ep. 1.2 and the blood of sprinkling in Heb. 12.24 with the like to Countenance it however Gods own declaration Matth. 9.13 That he will have mercy and not Sacrifice But as for the form of words in Baptizing they are strictly prescribed in the Institution Matth. 28.19 In the Name of the Father and Son and Holy Ghost And they signifie that what the Minister doth here it is in the Name that is by Commission and Authority from the whole Trinity and that God will certainly ratifie what his Minister doth in his Name and on the other hand the party baptized obliges himself to the Belief and Acknowledgment of the Doctrine of the Trinity and to serve and obey him Now this thus explained briefly I ask you in the next place Q. What doth Baptism suppose or imply A. That we are guilty of Original sin and liable to Gods wrath as soon as we are born Catechist Which is what David confesseth of himself Ps 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin hath my Mother conceived me Or what the Apostle saith of himself and other Saints Eph. 2.3 We are all children of wrath as well as others Q. What benefit then have we by being baptized A. The pardoning that Original sin the subduing that natural coruption and restoring us to Gods favour so that thereby we are made children of Grace Catechist Hence S. Paul calls Baptism Tit. 3.5 The Laver or washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost And our Saviour in the forequoted Text John 3.5 ascribes to it the new Birth or being born again which without more adoe are sufficient proofs of this Answer Q. What is required of persons at age to fit them for Baptism A. Professing and promising Repentance to forsake sin Faith in Gods promises and Obedience to Gods Commandments Catechist You all know what S. John Baptists Sermon was to them that came to be baptized of him Math. 3.3 Repent ye for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand And it is said upon these terms chap. 4.4 he baptized them confessing their sins Accordingly the Jews and particularly them who had been guilty of Crucifying Christ being prickt in their hearts by St. Peters piercing Sermon Act. 3.18 when they came to that kindly pass as to say what shall we do to be saved He exhorts them to repent and be baptized every one of them in the name of Jesus Christ for the Remission of sins And from hence Baptism is called Luk. 3.3 The Baptism of Repentance and therefore no adult persons can be admitted to it but such as profess and promise Repentance Faith and Obedience for these two latter are included in that Repentance which is required in order to Baptism and they joyntly make up as I shewed in the Beginning of this exercise of Catechizing Our part of that Covenant which is sealed in this Sacramen betwixt God and us Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved But now I pray Q. What is required of young Infants to fit them for Baptism A. That they be presented to Baptism by such as profess and promise these things for them and in their names Catechist Supposing them to come of Christian parents to whom the promise is made and to their seed Rom. 9.8 And otherwise how could the Apostles baptize Believers and their Households wherein it cannot be conceived but there were little children Act. 16.15 And as Baptism succeeds Circumcision and admits men into the Christian Church as that did into the Church of the Jews so no more was requisite to make the Jews Children capable of Circumcision and therefore no more than this is now necessary to make Christians Children capable of Baptism they being both alike Seals of the Covenant Q. Will others Professing and Promising these things then in their names avail the Infants when they come at age A. Yes if they then willingly take it upon themselves and afterwards faithfully perform it not else Catechist We see daily that Parents and Tutors contracts and bargains do avail their Minors and Pupils in Earthly matters and why should it not alike in these Spiritual to bind to their Necessary duties to God and how God will accept of such Engagements made in Childrens names may be evident by these passages Deut. 29.11 12. Moses engaged the little ones as well as their Fathers to keep the words of the Covenant and called them altogether to enter into Covenant with the Lord and into his Oath Jonah 3.5 The Ninevites believed God and the word of his Prophet and fasted and put on sackcloth from the greatest of them even to the least of them The good effect whereof was chap. 4.11 God spared that great city in which was Sixscore thousand persons that could not discern betwixt their right hand and their left Only then Parents and Sureties must see that such Children be well instructed when they come to years what Covenant was thus made in their names and that it will nothing avail them to Salvation but rather aggravate their Condemnation if they disclaim it or do not perform it no more than any Earthly bargain can benefit them which they refuse to stand to Q. What then doth your being Baptized oblige you to do A. Not to live in any known sin but to die unto sin and to lead lives of Righteousness Catechist To remember and consider our Baptism should have influence upon our whole lives We should always bear in mind what was engaged for us in our names and therewith arm ourselves against all temptations to sin that we Covenanted
against it in our Baptism and made a fast and Solemn Vow to cease to do evil and learn to do good and to live in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of our lives Q. What think ye then of such men as having been Christned or Baptized live in Impenitency or Vnbelief A. They forfeit all the benefits of their Baptism and Gods Covenant of Grace and Forgiveness nay it shall aggravate their Condemnation Catechist This is One great Aggravation of the sins of all impenitent sinners even Perjury or a breach of their Baptismal Vow and Covenant Hear what Solomon saith Eccl. 5.4 When thou vowest a vow defer not to pay it for God hath no pleasure in fools pay that which thou hast vowed Better it is thou shouldest not vow than that thou shouldst vow and not pay This holds good in any sort of Religious lawful vow much more in this It had been much better for us that we had never been Baptized than if having been so we break our Baptismal Vow and Covenant by a wicked and sinful course of life With which sad Reflection I conclude what I shall teach you of the first Sacrament That of Baptism I ask you then in the next place Q. What is the other Seal of the Covenant of Grace besides Baptism A. The Lords Supper wherein we renew our Covenant with God which we made in Baptism and are nourished in as we are by Baptism admitted into the Church Catechist Christ himself calls this Sacrament Matth. 26.28 The blood of the new Testament And S. Paul Heb. 10.29 calls it The blood of the Covenant For he there speaks of their great guilt who count the blood of the Covenant an Vnholy thing In short as it was the Blood of Christ shed upon the Cross that ratified the Covenant of Redemption and forgiveness to mankind so in this Sacrament representing and exhibiting that blood of Christ for remission of sins to all worthy Receivers we have God sealing His part of his Covenant and assuring us thereof and we for our parts do renew Our Vow to God Consecrating and devoting ourselves again here to his Service and Obedience Let us hear then what your Catechism teacheth you of this Blessed Sacrament Q. For what end was the Sacrament of the Lords Supper ordained A. For the continual remembrance of the Sacrifice of the death of Christ and the benesits which we receive thereby Catechist We are not to drop one word in this answer and to the end therefore you may take due notice of every one I pray you answer me these Inquiries Q. What is the great and chief end of the Lords Supper A. To keep Christs death in continual memory and the benefits thereby purchased for us Catechist It is a plain Text for this 1 Cor. 11.25 26. At the Institution of this Sacrament Our Saviour bad his Disciples Do this that is all that I have done in your sight in remembrance of me For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do shew forth the Lords death till he come The Bread broken and the Wine poured out do apparently and evidently shew forth in sensible signs the death of Christ how his body was broken rent and torn by the thorns and scourges and nails and spear and how his blood was shed in streams from his wounded head and hands and feet and side on the Cross Gal. 3.1 They evidently set forth Christ crucified before our eyes amongst us Q. For what end did Christ die A. To be a Sacrifice of propitiation for our sins to his Father Catechist Mark well those words the Sacrifice of the death of Christ 2 Cor. 3.21 He was made sin for us who knew no sin that is He was made a Sacrifice for them Isaiah 53.10 He made his Soul that is his life an offering for sin Eph. 5.2 He gave himself a Sacrifice unto God for a sweet smelling Savour c. 1 Joh. 2.1 If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the propitiation or a propitiatory Sacrifice for our sins and not for our sins only but also for the sins of the whole world By all which Texts it is manifest such is the nature of Christs death It was in a full sence a Sacrifice a Sacrifice of propitiation or Atonement For Col. 1.20 He made peace through the blood of the Cross So that Rom. 5.1 Being justified by Faith we have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Q. Is Christ then offered up as a Sacrifice in the Lords Supper A. No But therein is a lively Representation or Commemoration of that Sacrifice which Christ once for all offered for all upon the Cross Catechist I would desire you to mind this well to arm you against the Papists abominable Mass for therein they will have Christ to be daily offered up as a Sacrifice for the quick and the dead And of this they boast that it is done daily in their Church as if Christs offering up himself once for all upon the Cross was not sufficient to satisfie Gods justice for our sins But in opposition to this great Abomination of the Romish Church agreeable to the language of Holy Scripture and of the primitive Fathers we hold the Lords Supper to be only a Commemoration of that one Sacrifice once offered upon the Cross and for proof hereof we appeal to the Apostle Heb. 9.25 26. He was not our Apostle saith to offer himself often as the High priest entred into the most Holy place every year with the blood of others For then must he have often suffered since the Foundation of the world But now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself And again ver 28. He saith Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many and again chap. 10.14 By one offering hath he for ever perfected them that are Sanctified Q. How often is the Lords Supper to be Administred and received A. So often that we may have Christs death in continual remembrance Catechist The Apostle saith 1 Cor. 11.28 As often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup c. plainly intimating that the Christians of Corinth did it often And doubtless so often ought all Christians to do it that Christs death may be had in continual remembrance Mark the words in your Answer for the continual remembrance of the Sacrifice of the death of Christ It is hard to conceive that they can have Christs death in continual remembrance who seldom Communicate perhaps never all the year long but at Easter And quite contrary did the first Christians whose pattern we ought to follow as near as we can they certainly communicated every day or at least every first day of the week every Lords day It was one part of their constant publick and Solemn Service Act 2.41 They continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and in