A Brief Catechetical Exposition of Christian Doctrine.
James Dodson
Divided into four Catechisms, Comprising the Doctrine of the
1. Two Sacraments.
2. Lord’s Prayer.
3. Ten Commandments.
4. And the Creed.
by
William Twisse,
Minister at Newbury.
LONDON, Printed by G. M. for Robert Bird, and are to be sold at his shop at the sign of the Bible in Saint Laurence-lane. 1632.
THE FIRST CATECHISM TOUCHING THE SACRAMENTS.
§ 1.
Question. HOW many ways doth the word of God teach us to come to the Kingdom of Heaven?
Answ. Two. [Jer. 31. 11, 31, 32, 33.]
Q. Which are they?
A. The Law and the Gospel. [Mark 10. 17, 19. Rom. 1. 16.]
Q. What saith the Law?
A. Do this and thou shalt live. [Deut. 30. 16. Ezek. 20. 11. Gal. 3. 12.]
Q. What saith the Gospel?
A. Believe in Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. [Mark 16. 16.]
Q. Can we come to the Kingdom of Heaven by the way of God’s Law?
A. No. [Gal. 3. 21.]
Q. Why so?
A. Because we cannot do it. [Rom. 8. 3.]
Q. Why can we not do it?
A. Because we are all born in sin. [Eph. 2. 3. Joh. 9. 34. Psal. 51. 5.]
Q. What is it to be born in sin?
A. To be naturally prone to evil, and untoward to that which is good. [Col. 1. 21. Ps. 51. 3, 5.]
Q. How cometh it to pass that we are all born in sin?
A. By reason of the sin of our first Father Adam. [Rom. 5. 19.]
Q. Which way then do you hope to come to the Kingdom of Heaven?
A. By the Gospel. [2 Cor. 2. 16.]
Q. What is the Gospel?
A. The glad Tidings of Salvation by Jesus Christ. [Eph. 1. 13. 1 Tim. 1. 1.]
Q. To whom is this glad tidings brought: To the righteous?
A. No.
Q. Why so?
A. For two reasons.
Q. What is the first?
A. Because there is none that is righteous, and sinneth not. [1 John 1. 8. 1 Kings 8. 46. Jas. 3. 2.]
Q. What is the other reason?
A. Because if we were righteous, that is, without sin; we should have no need of Christ Jesus. [Matt. 9. 13.]
Q. To whom then is this glad tidings brought?
A. To sinners. [1 Tim. 1. 15.]
Q. What, to all sinners?
A. No. [2 Cor. 4. 3. Acts 13. 40.]
Q. To whom then?
A. To such only as believe and repent. [1 Pet. 2. 7, 8. Rom. 2. 4.]
This is the first lesson to know the right way to the Kingdom of Heaven. And this consists in knowing the difference between the Law and the Gospel.
Q. What doth the Law require?
A. That we should be without sin. [Gal. 3. 10.]
Q. What doth the Gospel require?
A. That we should confess our sins, amend our lives, and then through faith in Christ, we shall be saved. [Matt. 3. 6. 1 John 1. 9. Mark 1. 4. Matt. 9. 13. Eph. 2. 8.]
Q. The Law requires what?
A. Perfect obedience. [Jas. 2. 10.]
Q. The Gospel what?
A. Faith, and true repentance. [Mark 1. 15. Heb. 6. 1.]
§ 2.
Q. Where do you learn this lesson, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners?
A. In God’s word. [1 Tim. 1. 15]
Q. Where else?
A. In God’s Sacraments.
Every Sacrament teacheth us this lesson, as we shall easily perceive, if we understand what a Sacrament is?
Q. What is a Sacrament?
A. A holy sign and seal of grace. [Rom. 4. 11.]
Q. How many Sacraments have you?
A. Two.
Q. Which are they?
A. Baptism, and the supper of the Lord. [Matt. 28. 19. Matt. 26. 26. 1 Cor. 11. 23.]
Q. What is the sign in Baptism?
A. The cleansing of the child’s face or body by washing it with water. [1 Pet. 3. 21. 1 Cor. 6. 11.]
Q. What is the grace signified?
A. The cleansing of the child’s soul from sin by washing it with Christ’s blood. [Act. 2. 38. & 22. 16. 1 John 1. 7.]
Q. Christ is in heaven, we are on earth: How can his blood wash our souls?
A. By faith. [Rom. 3. 25. & (chapters) 5, 6.]
Q. Have children faith?
A. No; for faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. [Rom. 10. 17.]
Q. Why are they then baptized?
A. God accepteth the faith of their parents. [1 Cor. 7. 14. Gen. 17. 7.]
Q. We are made clean from sin by baptism: But are we made without sin?
A. No. [1 John 1. 8.]
Q. Why then are we said to be made clean from sin?
A. For two reasons.
Q. What is the first?
A. Because we are made free from the punishment of sin. [Gal. 3. 10, 13. 1 Thess. 2. 10.]
Q. What is the punishment of sin?
A. Death. [Rom. 6. 23. Gen. 2. 17.]
Q. How are we made free from it?
Q. Christ died for us. [Gal. 3. 13.]
Q. What is the other reason?
A. Because we are made free from the power of sin. [Rom. 6. 6, 7, 12.]
Q. What is it to be made free from the power of sin?
A. That sin shall not reign over us though it dwell in us. [Rom. 6. 14. Rom. 7. 17.]
Q. How do you know whether sin reigneth over you or no?
A. By repentance.
If we repent sin doth not reign over us, otherwise it doth. [1 Tim. 2. 26.]
Q. What lesson doth this sacrament teach us?
A. As truly as the water doth wash the child’s face, and make it clean; so truly doth the blood of Christ wash our souls and make them clean. [1 Pet. 3. 21. 2 Kings 5. 13. 1 John 1. 7.]
§. 3.
Q. What is the sign in the Lord’s Supper?
A. The eating of the bread, and drinking of the wine to the nourishing of the body. [Matt. 26. 26, 27. Ps. 104. 15.]
Q. What is the grace signified?
A. The eating of Christ’s body, and drinking of Christ’s blood to the nourishing of our souls.
Q. Christ is in heaven, we are on earth; How can we eat his body and drink his blood?
A. By faith.
So saith our Saviour, Joh. 6. 35. He that cometh to me shall never hunger; He that believeth in me shall never thirst. Therefore to believe in him is to drink him. And consider in reason.
Q. What is the hunger and thirst of a Christian, as a Christian?
A. An appetite after that which conserves the life of a Christian.
Q. What is that?
A. The favour of God to the pardoning of our sins, and to the saving of our souls. [Ps. 4. 6, 7 & 32. 3, 4, 5.]
Q. What is the next way to satisfy this hunger, and to quench this thirst?
A. To believe that Jesus Christ gave his body to be crucified, and his blood to be shed for our sins. [John 6. 34, 35. John 4. 14.]
Q. What lesson doth this Sacrament teach us?
A. As truly as the bread that we eat, and the wine that we drink doth nourish and comfort our bodies; so the body, and blood of Christ, if we eat and drink them by faith, shall nourish our souls unto everlasting life. [John 6. 27, 33, 35. John 6. 40.]
Q. How many things are required to prepare us to the worthy receiving of the Lord’s Supper?
A. Four things.
Q. What are the two first?
A. Knowledge and faith. [1 Cor. 11. 28, 29. Luke 22. 19, 20.]
Q. Where is that taught us?
A. In our Creed, and Catechism.
Q. What are the two last?
A. Repentance, and Love. [Luke 22. 11. 1 Cor. 11. 30, 31. Matt. 5. 32.]
Q. Where is that taught us?
A. In the ten Commandments.
Q. Why is knowledge required to the Lord’s Supper, and not to Baptism?
A. Because baptism is the sacrament of our birth in Christ: the Lord’s supper is the sacrament of our growth in Christ.
Q. What is this faith that is required?
A. To believe that Jesus Christ gave his body to be crucified, and his blood to be shed for our sins. [Gal. 2. 20.]
Q. Why is faith required?
A. Because well we may eat the bread, and drink the wine without faith: but we cannot eat Christ’s body, and drink his blood without faith. [John 6. 35.]
True; for the eating of his body is a spiritual eating, and the drinking of his blood is a spiritual drinking, consisting in meditation of the wonderful love of God the Father, who, to save our souls, spared not his own Son: The wonderful love of God the son, who to save our souls, spared not his own self, but gave himself to suffer a shameful death, a bitter death, and an accursed death for our sinnes: Here is the love of Christ that passeth knowledge: such is the breadth and length, and depth, and height of it, that we are not able sufficiently to comprehend it. [Eph. 3. 18, 19.]
And like as the body by feeding and drinking, doth gather strength for the better performance of all actions of nature: so the soul of a Christian by meditation on this love of Christ in giving his body to be crucified, and his blood to be shed for our sins, doth gather more and more strength continually for the better performance of all actions of grace; whether they be actions of dependence, to depend upon him, and put our trust in him in all states, in all conditions, even in the time of affliction, and persecution, and at the very house of death; Or whether they be actions of conformity to his will, in obeying him, and walking in the ways of his holy commandments unto the end?
Q. Why is repentance required?
A. Because faith is required. [Gal. 5. 5. Luke 17. 47, 50.]
For by faith we believe that Christ died for us.
Q. What ought we then to do for him?
A. To serve him all the days of our life: And sith [since] we cannot serve him by perfect obedience; to serve him as we can, by true repentance. [1 Cor. 6. 20.]
Q. How many parts be there of repentance?
A. Four parts.
Q. What are the two first?
A. To confess our sins, and to be sorry for them. [Mark 1. 5. 2 Cor. 7. 11.]
Q. What are the two last?
A. To pray to God to forgive them for Christ’s sake, and to amend our lives: desiring God to give us grace that we may amend them. [Luke 18. 13. Matt. 3. 8.]
Q. How many offices be there of love?
A. Three.
Q. What is the first?
A. To do our neighbour no wrong. [1 Cor. 13. 5, 6, 7.]
Q. What is the second?
A. To do him good if we can.
Q. What is the third?
A. If he doth us wrong to forgive him.
Q. Why must we have this love?
A. Because we look that God for Christ’s sake should forgive us. [Eph. 4. 32.]
THE SECOND CATECHISM CONCERNING THE LORD’S PRAYER.
§. 1.
Question. SAY the Lord’s Prayer?
A. Our Father which art in heaven, &c.
Q. Why is it called the Lord’s Prayer?
A. Because our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ taught his Disciples thus to pray. [Luke 11. 1, 2.]
Q. Why are you taught to say, Our Father, and not my Father?
A. For two reasons.
Q. What is the first?
A. Because God is the father of us all. [Mal. 2. 10. Job 31. 15.]
Q. What is the second?
A. To teach us to pray for others, as well as for our selves. [Eph. 6. 18. Matt. 5. 44.]
Q. Which art in heaven] In what heaven doth God dwell?
A. In the third heaven, called the heaven of heavens. [2 Cor. 12. 2. 2 Chron. 6. 18.]
Q. How many heavens are there?
A. Three heavens.
Q. What is the first?
A. Where the birds of the air are.
They are called in Scripture the birds of heaven. [Gen. 1. 20. Hos. 2. 18.]
Q. What is the second?
A. Where the sun, moon, and stars are, They are called in Scripture the stars of heaven. [Gen. 1. 16, 17.]
Q. What is the third?
A. Above all, where God is. [1 Kings 8. 27, 39, 43.]
Q. Is not God every where?
A. Yes. [Ps. 139. 7, 8. 9.]
Q. Why then is he said to be in heaven?
A. For two reasons.
Q. What is the first?
A. Because he is there in most special manner.
Q. What is that special manner?
A. He doth communicate himself in glorious manner to his Saints and Angels. [Mark 10:37. Rev. 3. 12.]
God is in all creatures as the author of nature, and communicating unto them the gifts of nature: God is in special manner in his Church, as the authour of grace, and communicating unto them the gifts of grace: but in most special manner he is in heaven, as the authour of glory; and communicating the riches of his glory unto the Angels and Saints. [Acts 17. 28. Ezek. 20. 12.]
Q. What is the second?
A. To teach us that when we pray, our affectious should be in heaven.
Q. Do you believe that God is your Father?
A. Yes.
Q. And what Father?
A. An heavenly Father. [Matt. 6. 32.]
That is the best Father: for heavenly things are better than earthly things, as the light of the sun is better than the light of a candle. [Col. 3. 2. 2 Pet. 1. 19.]
Q. What lesson doth this teach us?
A. Therefore he is willing to hear us. [Luke 11. 13.]
Q. For thine is the Kingdom] say this in plainer manner?
A. The kingdom is thine.
Q. What Kingdom?
A. The kingdom over all the world. [Dan. 5. 1. (Dan.) 8. 21. Ps. 103. 19.]
Q. What is the meaning?
A. Thou art King over all the world. [Ps. 47. 7. Rom. 13. 4. 2. Chron. 20. 6.]
Q. Thine is the power] say this in plainer manner?
A. The power is thine.
Q. What Power?
A. Over all the world. [Ps. 62. 11, 12. John 19. 11. Matt. 28. 18.]
Q. What is the meaning?
A. All power belongeth to thee.
Q. Thine is the glory] say this in plainer manner?
A. The glory is thine.
Q. What is the meaning?
A. All Glory belongeth to thee. [2 Chron. 29. 11.]
Q. Do you believe that God is King over all the world?
A. Yes.
Q. And that all power belongs to him?
A. Yes.
Q. What lesson doth this teach us?
A. Therefore he is able to help us.
This is the first part of the prayer, commonly called the Invocation: And it contains the profession of our Faith in God, both touching his goodness that he is our Father, and therefore willing to hear us. And touching his power, that he is King of all the world and therefore able to help us: without this faith we cannot pray. Now followeth the petition.
§ 2.
Q. How many Petitions are there?
A. Six petitions.
Q. Into how many parts be they divided?
A. Into two parts.
Q. How many petitions be there in the first part?
A. Three.
Q. What do we pray for in the three first?
A. Such things as immediately concern God’s glory.
Q. What do we pray for in the three last?
A. Such things as immediately concern our own good.
Q. Say the first petition?
A. Hallowed be thy name.
Q. Say this in plainer manner?
A. We pray thee that thy name may be hallowed.
Q. What is hallowed?
A. Made holy.
Q. Is not God’s name holy already?
A. Yes.
Q. Hath it any need of our making?
A. No.
Q. What then is the meaning of the word?
A. Made known to be holy.
Q. What is the meaning of the petition?
A. We pray thee that this holy name may be made known over all the world.
Thus we see the first thing our Saviour would have us pray for, is the knowledge of God: For he well knew the want of this is the cause of all evil: And the knowledge of God is the beginning of all goodness. [1 Thess. 4. 5.]
Q. To what end doe we pray thus?
A. To this end, that knowing him to be a God that delighteth in holiness, we might thereby be moved to refer all things to the glory of his holy name. [1 Cor. 10. 11.]
Q. What is the next petition?
A. Thy kingdom come.
Q. Say this in plainer manner?
A. We pray thee, that this Kingdom may come.
Q. What is the meaning?
A. We pray thee that this word and Gospel may be preached over all the world.
Q. For in reason consider: How are the kingdoms of men planted and established?
A. By the sword. [Rom. 13. 4.]
Q. What is God’s sword?
A. His Word. [Eph. 6. 17. Heb. 4. 12. Ps. 149. 6.]
In like manner, when a King gives us laws, and we receive them; then he becometh our King, and we his people; so when God gives us laws, & we receive them, then he becomes our King, and we his people. Now his word contains his laws.
Q. How many things do we pray for in this petition?
A. For two things.
Q. What is the first?
A. That God will send faithful Pastours to preach his word. [Jer. 3. 15. Matt. 9. 38.]
Q. What is the second?
A. That God will send Christian Princes to give countenance to it. [Isa. 60.10, 16. & 49.23.]
Q. What is the next petition?
A. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.
Q. Say this in plainer manner?
A. We pray thee that thy will may be done in earth as it is in heaven.
Q. How are we able to do God’s will? Of our selves, without grace or no?
A. Not of our selves without grace. [John 15. 5. 2 Cor. 3. 5.]
Q. What do we pray for then?
A. That God will give us grace to do his will. [Heb. 13. 21.]
Q. As it is in heaven; by whom?
A. By the Angels. [Ps. 103. 20.]
Q. Why must we pray to do God’s will, as the Angels do it?
A. Because one day we shall be like unto them in glory: Therefore we have cause to desire to be like unto them here in grace. [Luke 20. 36. 1 John 3. 3.]
Now mark how the three petitions do cohere together. 1. We prayed that God’s holy name might be known over all the world: 2. We pray that the Word and Gospel might be preached over all the world, whereby we may be brought to the knowledge of him: And thirdly we pray that God will give us grace, not only to know him, but to do his will, even as the Angels do it in heaven. And then we are happy, as our Saviour saith; If ye know these things; Happy are ye if ye do them. [Acts 26. 18. 2 Cor. 2. 14. John 13. 27.]
Q. What is the next petition?
A. Give us this day our daily bread.
Q. Why do we pray for God’s glory in the first place; and then for things which concern our good in the next?
A. Because first we must seek the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof; and then all other things shall be cast upon us. [Matt. 6. 33.]
Q. What is meant by bread?
A. All things needful for this life. [Deut. 8. 3. Matt. 4. 4.]
Q. What is meant by daily bread?
A. All things needful for every day.
Q. What is meant by our bread?
A. Bread gotten by a lawful vocation. [2 Thess. 3. 12.]
Q. What is meant by Give it us?
A. That we may have it as a gift from God.
Q. What is the consequent thereof?
A. That we may have God’s blessing with it. [Prov. 10. 22.]
Q. How many benefits be there of God’s blessing?
A. Three.
Q. What is the first?
A. By the blessing of God it shall satisfy our natures. [Hag. 1. 6.]
Q. What is the second?
A. By the blessing of God it shall content our minds. [Prov. 13. 15. 2 Tim. 6. 6.]
Q. What is the third?
A. Having eaten, and been refreshed, by the blessing of God, we shall use our health and strength to the service of God, and not to the service of the world, the flesh, and the devil. [Deut. 32. 15. Ezek. 16. 49.]
Q. How many things do we pray for in this petition?
A. For three things.
Q. What is the first?
A. That God will give us all things needful for this life.
Q. What is the second?
A. That God will give us his blessing with it.
Q. What is the third?
A. That God will give us grace to live in some lawful vocation.
Q. What is the next petition?
A. Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us.
Q. What is a trespass?
A. A sin.
Q. What is a sin?
A. The breaking of any one of God’s commandments. [1 John 3. 4.]
Q. What do we pray for in this petition?
A. For forgiveness of sins past.
Q. Doth God forgive all men their sins?
A. No. [Jas. 2. 13. Prov. 28. 13. Ps. 54. 5. John (5. 29.) Matt. 12. 32.]
Q. Whom then?
A. Such as believe and repent. [Luke 24. 47. Luke 3. 3. Acts 2. 38.]
Q. What do we pray for then in this petition?
A. That God will give us repentance, for hereby we grow to be the more assured of God’s favour in the forgiving of our sins. [2. Tim. 2. 25. Act. 5. 31. & 11. 18. Ps. 32. 5.]
Q. What is the last petition?
A. And lead us not into temptation.
Q. What is the meaning of these words?
A. But deliver us from evil.
The latter words explain the former.
Q. How many sorts of evil be there in the world?
A. Two sorts.
Q. Which are they?
A. The evil of sin, and the evil of sorrow.
Q. What evil is meant in this place?
A. The evil of sin; as appears by the word temptation.
Q. What is a temptation?
A. Every thing that tempteth us unto sinne. [Jas. 1. 14. Matt. 4. 3. 1 Cor. 1. 5.]
Q. What do we pray for in this petition?
A. That God will keep us from sins hereafter. [John 17. 15.]
THE THIRD CATECHISM TOUCHING THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
§. 1.
Question. WHAT doth the Law of God teach us?
A. What we ought to do. [Luke 18. 18, 20.]
Q. How many commandments be there in God’s Law?
A. Ten. [Ex. 34. 28. Deut. 4. 13. & 10. 4.]
Q. Into how many parts be they divided?
A. Into two, accordingly as they were written in 2. Tables. [Ex. 31. 18. Deut. 10. 1, 3.]
Q. How many commandments are there in the first Table?
A. Four. [Eph. 2. 2. Matt. 22. 37.]
Q. How many in the second?
A. Six. [Matt. 19. 19.]
Q. What is contained in the four first?
A. Our duty towards God. [Luke 10. 27.]
Q. What is contained in the six last?
A. Our duty towards our neighbor. [Mark 12. 31.]
Q. Repeat the first commandment?
A. Thou shalt have no other Gods but me.
Q. How many duties are contained in this commandment?
A. Three.
Q. What is the first?
A. To love God. [Deut. 6. 5.]
Q. What is the second?
A. To fear God. [Deut. 6. 12, 13.]
Q. What is the third?
A. To put our trust in God. [Ps. 37. 5. Jer. 17. 5. Job 13. 15.]
Q. How many things are forbidden?
A. Three things contrary.
Q. What is the first?
A. To love the world. [1 John 2. 16.]
Q. What is the second?
A. To fear the world. [Isa. 51. 12. Jer. 10. 2.]
Q. What is the third?
A. To put our trust in the world. [Prov. 28. 26. Ps. 146. 3. & 20. 7.]
Q. How do you prove that these latter three, are contrary to the first three?
A. Because the love of the world is contrary to the love of God. 1. Joh. 2. 15. Therefore the fear of the world, is contrary to the fear of God: And to put our trust in the world is contrary to our putting of our trust in God. [Isa. 51. 12, 13. Isa. 8. 12, 13. Ps. 118. 9. Jer. 17. 5, 7.]
Q. Ought we not to love one another; especially inferiours to love and fear their superiours?
A. Yes: but for God’s sake: but God is to be loved and feared for his own sake. [Matt. 5. 43, 44. Matt. 22. 39, 40.]
Q. What is the second Commandment?
A. Thou shalt not make to thy self, &c.
Q. What is forbidden in this Commandment, in one word?
A. Will-worship. [Ps. 106. 28, 29, 38, 39. Num. 15. 39. Hos. 13. 2.]
Q. What is Will-worship?
A. To worship God after our own wits and wills.
Q. What is commanded?
A. To worship God according to his word. [Ps. 119. 113. Isa. 50. 10. & 8. 20.]
So parents look to be served of their children, not by doing that which they think will please their parents; but by doing what their parents command them: so masters look to be served by their servants, so Princes look to be served of their subjects. Yet the child is made after the image of God, as well as the father: the servants as well as the master: the subjects as well as the Prince; and therefore are able to understand of themselves what is fit to please their parents, their masters, their Princes: But none of us is of himself able to conceive what is pleasing to God: For my ways, are not your ways: neither are my thoughts your thoughts, saith the Lord: but as high as the heavens are above the earth; so are my ways above your ways, and my thoughts above your thoughts, saith the Lord. Isa. 55. 8, 9.
Q. What is that worship of God which he hath commanded us in his word?
A. It is of a different nature, according unto different times; under the old Testament, and under the New.
Q. What was the worship that God commanded in the time of the old Testament?
A. It consisted in variety of ceremonies, both touching the place of his worship, the temple in Jerusalem: and touching the persons that performed it, which were the Priests. And last of all, touching the actions performed by them in variety of sacrifices. [Ezek. 25. 26, 27. Ex. 28. Lev. 1. 2, 3, 4.]
Q. What was chiefly meant hereby?
A. The crucifying of Christ Jesus, together with all the graces and benefits which the Church of God doth enjoy through the death and passion of Christ Jesus. [John 1. 29. Heb. 10. 4, 16.]
Q. What be those benefits which we enjoy by Christ?
A. They are in number three.
Q. What is the first?
A. Our atonement and reconcilement with God, which consists in the forgiveness of our sins? [Lev. 4. 20.]
Q. What is the second?
A. The sanctification or purification of our natures. [Ezek. 20. 12. Heb. 10. 2.]
Q. What is the third?
A. The salvation of our souls. [Deut. 33. 29.]
Q. What is the worship of God prescribed in God’s word, in the days of the new Testament?
A. That which for the most part is merely moral and perpetual.
Q. How many parts be there of it?
A. Three.
Q. What is the first?
A. The ministry of the word in the preaching and hearing of it. [Ezra 7. 4, 7, 18. Luke 4. 16, 17, 18. Acts 13. 15. Eph. 4. 11, 12. 2 Tim. 2. 15.]
Q. What is the second?
A. The exercise of prayer. [1 Tim. 2. 1. Matt. 21. 13. Acts 2. 42. Ibid. 3. 1. Ibid. 6. 4.]
Q. What is the third?
A. The administration, and participation of the Sacraments. [Acts 2. 42. 20. 7.]
Q. What is forbidden?
A. The contraries unto these.
Q. What is contrary to the ministry of the word?
A. Two things.
Q. What is the first?
A. The contempt of it. Luke 7. 30.
Q. Wherein doth this consist?
A. In two things: to wit, the disuse thereof, or the use thereof in an unconscionable manner. [Acts 13. 46. Luke 8. 11, 12. &c. Jer. 12. 21. Ezek. 33. 32.]
Q. What is the second?
A. The bringing in of a worship besides or contrary to the word of God. [Isa. 1. 12. Jer. 14. 5. 1 Kings 12. 33.]
Q. Give some examples hereof?
A. As the sacrifice of the Masse amongst Papists. [Heb. 7. 23, 27. & 9. 12, 14, 22, 25, 26, 28. & 10. 12, 14.]
Q. What else?
A. The making of images to superstitious ends, the placing of them in Churches, & worshipping of them. [Ex. 20. 4. Num. 33. 12. 1 Kings 18. 4. Ex. 20. 5. Rev. 9. 20.]
A. What else?
A. The worshipping of Relics. [Jude 9. Gen. 50. 25.]
Q. What else?
A. The consecrating of oil, cream, salt, &c. [Ex. 13. 14. Josh. 24. 32. Rom. 14. 17.]
Q. What is contrary unto prayer?
A. Two things.
Q. What is the first?
A. The neglect, or disuse of prayer. [Ps. 14. 4.]
Q. What is the second?
A. An unlawful use of prayer.
Q. Wherein doth this consist?
A. In two things.
Q. What is the first?
A. In praying without a right faith. [Ps. 16. 4. Phil. 4. 6. John 15. 24. Heb. 13. 15. 1 John 2. 1. 1 Tim. 2. 5. Rev. 8. 3.]
Q. Wherein doth that consist?
A. In praying unto any other save unto God: In praying in any other name then in Jesus Christ.
Q. Do Papists transgress in this?
A. Yea.
Q. How many ways?
A. In praying unto Saints, in praying unto Angels, in praying unto Images.
Q. What is the second?
A. In praying without right affections.
Q. How many ways is that committed?
A. Two ways.
Q. As how?
A. In praying superstitiously, or in praying profanely.
Q. How superstitiously?
A. In praying in a tongue they understand not, as Papists. [1 Cor. 14. 14.]
Q. How profanely?
A. In praying without due reverence, and devotion. [Jer. 12. 2.]
Q. What is contrary to the right administration of the Sacraments?
A. Two things.
Q. What is the first?
A. The contempt of God’s institution. [Matt. 26. 17.]
Q. How is that committed?
A. Two ways.
Q. What is the first?
A. By not coming to the Lord’s Table. [Ex. 12. 23, 24. 2 Chron. 30. 10. Luke 22. 19.]
Q. What is the second?
A. By receiving it unworthily, when we do come. [1 Cor. 11. 27.]
Q. What is the second way in general?
A. By bringing in our own institutions, as the Papists have brought in five Sacraments more. [Matt. 15. 9.]
Q. What is the third commandment?
A. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, &c.
This is both a bidding and a forbidding Commandment.
Q. What is commanded in this commandment?
A. To take God’s name.
Q. What is forbidden?
A. To take it in vain.
Q. Under this general duty of taking God’s name, How many duties are commanded in special?
A. Two.
Q. What is the first?
A. To pray unto him. [Ps. 30. 15.]
Q. What is the second?
A. To swear by him. [Deut. 6. 13. & 10. 20. Josh. 23. 7. Isa. 65. 16. Jer. 5. 7. Amos 8. 14. Zeph. 1. 5.]
Q. What is the difference between prayer commanded in the second commandment: And prayer commanded in this third commandment?
A. Solemn prayer is commanded in the second: brief ejaculations upon occasion, in the course of our common affaires, is commanded here.
Q. How many things in special are forbidden, under the general of taking God’s name in vain?
A. Two.
Q. What is the first?
A. To pray in vain.
Q. What is the second?
A. To swear in vain.
Q. What is it to pray in vain?
A. To pray with our lips, when our hearts are far from him. [Jer. 12. 2.]
Q. How many ways may we swear in vain?
A. Three ways.
Q. What is the first?
A. By swearing falsely. For Jeremiah saith, Thou shalt swear in truth. [Jer. 5. 2. Lev. 19. 12. Jer. 4. 2.]
Q. What is the second?
A. By swearing rashly: for Jeremiah saith, Thou shalt swear in judgment. [Josh. 9. 14, 15. Lev. 5. 4, 5. Jer. 4. 2.]
Q. What is it to swear rashly?
A. To swear without just cause.
Q. How many just causes be there of an oath?
A. Two.
Q. What is the first?
A. When the magistrate putteth us to it. [Ex. 22. 8.]
Q. What is the second?
A. When voluntarily we take it, to end strife among our neighbours. [Gen. 21. 24. & 31. 53. Ps. 15. 4.]
Q. What is the third?
A. By swearing wickedly. For Jeremiah saith, Thou shalt swear in righteousness. [1 Kings 10. 2. 1 Kings 6. 31.]
Q. What is it to swear wickedly?
A. To bind our selves with an oath, or to vow some wicked thing.
As the Jews; Forty of them bound themselves with a vow, that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. Such oaths are better broken then kept: all the sin is in the making of them; for how contradictious is it, to desire that God would be revenged on us, if we do not dishonour him. [As before. Acts 23. 12, 21.]
Q. How many ways else may we transgress this commandment?
A. Three ways.
Q. What is the first?
A. By taking God’s Word in vain.
Q. What is the second?
A. By taking God’s Sacraments in vain.
Q. What is the third?
A. By taking his works in vain.
Q. What are these works of God which we may take in vain?
A. Works of mercy, and works of judgment.
Q. How are God’s works of mercy taken in vain?
A. When we are not thereby provoked unto thankfulness, and obedience. [Isa. 1. 3. Jer. 2. 6, 31, 32.]
Q. How are God’s works of judgment taken in vain?
A. When we are not thereby stirred up unto repentance. [Jer. 2. 30. Isa. 1. 5.]
Q. What is the next commandment?
A. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day, &c.
Q. What is commanded in this?
A. To keep it holy.
Q. What is forbidden?
A. To profane it.
Q. What is it to keep it holy?
A. To perform the duties of the day.
Q. Of how many sorts are the duties of the day?
A. Of two sorts, Public and private.
Q. What are the public duties?
A. To come to Church to hear the word of God read, and preached; to pray; to sins psalms, to receive the Sacraments. In few words, the exercise of the Word, and Prayer. [Acts 13. 14. Luke 4. 16. Acts 13. 27. Acts 13. 15. Luke 4. 21. Acts 16. 13. 1 Cor. 14. 26. Acts 20. 7.]
Q. What are the private exercises?
A. Partly common, and partly proper.
Q. What are the common?
A. The exercise of the Word and Prayer; but in reference to the public.
Q. What are the proper exercises in private?
A. Conference and meditation.
§. 2.
Q. What is the first commandment of the second Table?
A. Honour thy father and thy mother.
Q. What is the duty commanded in this commandment?
A. The duty that we owe to every one in respect of his place in the Common-wealth.
Q. How many sorts of men are meant by father and mother?
A. Three sorts.
Q. Who are they?
A. First natural parents.
Q. Children must honour them. And who else? [Mal. 1. 6. Lev. 19. 2.]
A. Masters.
Q. Servants must honour them. And who else? [1 Tim. 6. 1]
A. Princes, and Magistrates.
Q. Subjects must honour them. What is meant by honour? [1 Pet. 2. 17.]
A. Obedience. [Eph. 6. 1, 2. 1 Pet. 2. 18. 1 Pet. 2. 13.]
Q. Must they obey them in all things?
A. No. [Acts 5. 29. Mic. 6. 16. Luke 14. 26.]
Q. In what then?
A. In things indifferent. [Col. 3. 22.]
Q. What are things indifferent?
A. Such things as God hath neither commanded nor forbidden.
Q. How many things are commanded in this commandment?
A. Three things.
Q. What is the first?
A. The duty of inferiours to their superiours. [1 Pet. 2. 13. Rom. 13. 1]
Q. This is expressed. What else?
A. The duty of superiours to their inferiours, as of parents to their children: masters to their servants; Princes to their subjects. [Col. 4. 1. Eph. 6. 9.]
Q. This is implied by the rule of relatives. What else?
A. The duties that equals ought to perform one to another among themselves; as to respect one another; to be courteous one to another; & to honour one another: for all their duties can be referred to no other commandment, then to this. [Eph. 4. 32. 1 Pet. 2. 17. Rom. 12. 10.]
Q. What is the sanction of this commandment?
A. That thy days may be long in the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
Q. What is promised in this?
A. Long life.
Q. Have all the children of God length of life?
A. They have, two manner of ways.
Q. What is the first?
A. They have the blessing of long life in this world, like as they have the blessing of health even in sickness; and the blessing of wealth even in poverty; so far forth as all states and conditions work for their good. [Prov. 3. 16. Eccl. 8. 12. Rom. 8. 28.]
Q. What is the second?
A. The sooner they die here, the sooner they enter upon life in the kingdom of heaven: so that the shorter it is here, the longer it is there.
Q. Indeed the land of Canaan was a figure of heaven: But have not the wicked long life sometimes?
A. Yes, in this world; but it is a cursed, not a blessed life unto[D1] them: And it is but a life in sin; which the Scripture accounteth death rather than life. [Isa. 65. 20.]
Q. What is the next commandment?
A. Thou shalt doe no murder.
Q. What is forbidden in this commandment?
A. Unmercifulness, or cruelty. [Prov. 12. 10.]
Q. What is commanded?
A. Mercy, and all the works thereof. [Matt. 5. 7.]
Q. The works of mercy; of how may sorts are they?
A. Of two sorts.
Q. What are they?
A. Either concerning the body, or concerning the soul. [Luke 10. 37. Jas. 3. 17. Judges 2. 2.(?)]
Q. What are works of mercy concerning the body?
A. To feed the hungry; so refresh the thirsty; to cloth the naked; to succor them that are harbourless, to visit the sick, &c. [Matt. 25. 35.]
Q. What are works of mercy concerning the soul?
A. To instruct, to exhort in righteousness; to desire and labour the good and salvation of men’s souls. [Matt. 9. 36. Luke 1. 77.]
Q. Which of these two sorts are the worthiest works?
A. Works of mercy concerning the soul. [Matt. 16. 26.]
Q. How many ways may this commandment be transgressed?
A. Two ways in general.
Q. As how?
A. Either inwardly, or outwardly.
Q. How inwardly?
A. By two passions, of anger, and malice. [Matt. 5. 22. 1 John 3. 15.]
Q. What is anger?
A. The desire of revenge.
Q. Is all revenge forbidden?
A. No.
Q. What is forbidden, and what is not?
A. Private revenge is forbidden: public is not. [Rom. 12. 19. Prov. 20. 22. & 24. 29.]
Q. What is public revenge?
A. Revenge taken by the hand of the Magistrate, upon a malefactour: and this is lawful; for it is God’s vengeance. [Rom. 13. 4. John 19. 11.]
Q. How many ways is this commandment transgressed outwardly?
A. Three ways.
Q. As how?
A. By looks, by words, by deeds.
Q. How, by looks?
A. As when a revengeful mind, or malicious heart betrayeth it self by sour looks, or frowning countenance. [Gen. 4. 5. Matt. 5. 22.]
Q. How by words?
A. When the irregular passion of our hearts breaks out into euil speeches. [Matt. 5. 22. Acts 23. 3.]
Q. How by deeds?
A. Four ways.
Q. What is the first?
A. By smiting of our brother. [Acts 23. 2.]
Q. What is the second?
A. By wounding of him. [Luke 10. 30.]
Q. What is the third?
A. By maiming of him. [Ex. 21. 24, 29.]
Q. What is the fourth?
A. By killing of him. And herein in are divers degrees, according as the parties murdered come nearer to us in propinquity of blood; as the father or mother murdering the child: the child murdering his own father: or the brother his brother: until we come to the highest degree of sin in this kind, which is, when a man layeth violent hands upon himself. [Ex. 2. 13. Gen. 4. 9. 2 Kings 3. 27. Jer. 19. 5. 2 Chron. 33. 6. 1 Kings 6. 29. Lam. 4. 10. Isa. 37. 38. 2 Sam. 13. 29. 2 Sam. 17. 23.]
Q. What is commanded in this commandment?
A. To speak nothing but good unto him: to doe him all the good we can. [Gen. 31. 29. Luke 10. 27. Rom. 12. 14. Eph. 4. 3.]
Q. What is the next commandment?
A. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Q. What is forbidden in this commanded?
A. Intemperancy, in a word.
Q. What is commanded?
A. The virtue temperance.
Q. What is temperance?
A. The moderation of the pleasures of the flesh.
Q. How many sorts are thereof?
A. Two sorts.
Q. Which are they?
A. Sobriety, and chastity.
Q. What is contrary to sobriety?
A. In meats gluttony: in drinks drunkenness.
Q. What is contrary to chastity?
A. Unchastity, or the sin of uncleanness.
Q. How many ways is this commandment transgressed?
A. Two ways in general.
Q. As how?
A. Inwardly, or outwardly.
Q. How inwardly?
A. By an unchaste, or intemperate heart. [Matt. 19. 15. & 5. 28.]
Q. How many ways outwardly?
A. Three ways.
Q. What is the first?
A. By wanton looks. [2 Pet. 2. 14.]
Q. How else?
A. By wanton words. [Eph. 4. 29.]
Q. How else?
A. By wanton deeds; whereof there are many degrees in sin, until we rise to the highest in this kind, which is called the sin of sodomy. [1 cor. 6. 9. Lev. 20. 11. Gen. 20. 6. Job 31. 9. Ezek. 16. 15. Rom. 1. 27.]
Q. What is the next commandment?
A. Thou shalt not steal.
Q. How many things are forbidden in it?
A. Two things.
Q. What is the first?
A. To live without a vocation. [Ezek. 16. 49. Prov. 6. 6.]
Q. What is the second?
A. To be discontented with our means which we raise out of our vocation. [Prov. 27. 20. & 30. 15. Hab. 2. 5.]
Q. What is the third?
A. To wrong our neighbour in his goods. [1 Thess. 4. 6.]
Q. What is commanded?
A. Three things.
Q. What is the first?
A. To labour in some lawful vocation. [2 Thess. 3. 11, 12. Heb. 13. 5.]
Q. What is the second?
A. Contentment with our estate.
Q. What is the third?
A. To help our neighbour in his estate. [Eph. 4. 28.]
Q. How many ways may this be transgressed?
A. Two ways; inwardly, or outwardly.
Q. How inwardly?
A. By covetousness and discontent.
Q. What is covetousness?
A. A desire of riches. [Eccl. 5. 9. Prov. 15. 27.]
Q. What is it to be rich?
A. To abound in things more than are necessary. [Luke 12. 21. Prov. 30. 8.]
Q. Things necessary, of how many sorts are they?
A. Of two sorts.
Q. As how?
A. Either necessary to our person; or necessary to our vocation.
Q. Outwardly how is it transgressed?
A. Two ways.
Q. Which are they?
A. Manifestly, or closely.
Q. Manifestly, how many ways?
A. By violence, or deceit. [Lev. 19. 11. Ps. 62. 10. Eph. 4. 28.]
Q. How by violence?
A. By robbery.
Q. How by deceit?
A. By filching, stealing, cozening, &c.
Q. Closely how many ways?
A. As many ways as be trades in the world. [1 Thess. 4. 6.]
Q. What is the next commandment?
A. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
Q. What is forbidden herein?
A. All lying, and dissimulation. [1 Tim. 1. 10. Rev. 22. 15.]
Q. What is commanded?
A. Truth and plain dealing. [Ps. 15. 2, 3.]
Q. How many ways may this commandment be transgressed?
A. Two ways.
Q. Which are they?
A. By excess, or by defect.
Q. How by excess?
A. By speaking more than the truth.
Q. Is it always a sin to speak more than is truth?
A. Yes always. [Lev. 19. 11. Matt. 5. 37.]
Q. How by defect?
A. In speaking less than is truth.
Q. Is it always a sin to speak less than is truth?
A. No, unless we are called to speak the whole truth. [Gen. 20. 12. 1 Kings 22. 16. Acts 5. 8. & Gen. 43. 6.]
Q. What is the last commandment?
A. Thou shalt not covet.
Q. What is forbidden herein?
A. First motions unto sin. [Rom. 7. 7]
Q. What are first motions unto sin?
A. Such as arise before the will consent unto it. [Rom. 7. 23. Jas. 1. 15.]
Q. What is commanded?
A. First motions unto good. [Rom. 7. 22.]
Q. How may we cause these first good motions to arise within us?
A. By frequent meditating, and talking of good things, and by prayer. [Ps. 1. 2. & 119. 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 167. Ps. 50. 10.]
Q. What is the end of the Law?
A. To drive us unto Christ? [Rom. 7. 4. Gal. 2. 19. & 5. 24.]
THE FOURTH CATECHISM EXPOUNDING THE CREED.
§. 1.
Question. WHAT doth the Creed teach us?
A. What we ought to believe. [2 Tim. 1. 13.]
Q. How many articles be there of our Creed?
A. Twelve.
Q. Into how many parts are they divided?
A. Into two parts.
Q. The first teacheth us what we ought to believe, concerning whom?
A. Concerning God.
Q. The second concerning whom?
A. Concerning God’s Church.
Q. How many articles are there concerning God?
A. Eight.
Q. How many concerning his Church?
A. Four.
Q. How are those eight divided which concern God?
A. Into three parts.
Q. Whom doth the first part concern?
A. God the Father.
Q. Whom the second?
A. God the Son.
Q. The third whom?
A. God the Holy Ghost.
Q. How many articles be there concerning God the Father?
A. One, and but one.
Q. Repeat it?
A. I believe in God the Father Almighty maker of heaven & earth. [Heb. 11. 6. Gen. 17. 1. John 10. 29.]
Q. What is the article called?
A. The article of God’s providence. [Gen. 1. 1.]
Q. Why do you say I believe in him?
A. I put my trust and confidence in him, I hope to be saved by him. [Ps. 62. 8.]
Q. What is the thing you do believe?
A. That there is a God the Father who is Almighty, for he made both heaven and earth.
Q. How many parts hath this article?
A. Two parts.
Q. What is the first?
A. Whereby we believe that God made all things. [Heb. 11. 3.]
Q. What is the second?
A. Whereby we believe that he doth preserve and govern all things. [Rom. 11. 36. Ps. 119. 91. John 5. 17. Acts 17. 25.]
Q. The things which God made, of how many sorts are they?
A. Of two sorts.
Q. Which are they?
A. Visible, and invisible. [Col. 1. 16.]
Q. What are visible creatures?
A. Such as may be seen; as all sorts of bodies. [Ps. 8. 3.]
Q. What are invisible creatures?
A. Such as cannot be seen, as Angels and souls of men. [Gen. 1. 1. John 1. 3. Ps. 33. 6.]
Q. Of how many sorts are the Angels?
A. Of two sorts, as good and bad. [Jude 6.]
Q. What are the bad called?
A. Devils.
Q. Did God make the devils?
A. Yes; He made the devils; but he did not make them devils; He made them Angels of Light; They made themselves devils by sin. [Jude 6.]
Q. How many articles are there concerning God the Son?
A. Six.
Q. Into how many parts are they divided?
A. Into two parts.
Q. What doth the first part concern?
A. His person.
Q. What doth the second part concern?
A. His office.
Q. What is the person of Jesus Christ?
A. Such a person as consists of two natures, God, and man. [John 1. 14. Acts 20. 28.]
Q. How many articles are there concerning the person of our Lord Jesus Christ?
A. Two, as he consists of two natures, God and man.
Q. Repeat the article concerning his Godhead?
A. And I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord. [John 9. 35. & 7. 3. John 1. 14.]
Q. Why do you say, I believe in him?
A. I put my trust, and confidence in him, and hope to be saved by him. [John 3. 16. & 14. 6.]
Q. What is the thing you believe herein?
A. That there is also a God the Son: And that Jesus of Nazareth of whom we read in the Gospel is He. [Acts 2. 36. John 20. 28.]
Q. Are not we also the sons of God?
A. Yes. [John 1. 12.]
Q. Why is He then said to be the only Son of God?
A. He is the Son of God by nature, and by personal union: We are the sons of God by grace, and by adoption. [John 10. 30. & 1. 14. John 1. 12. Rom. 8. 15. Gal. 3. 26.]
Q. Repeat the article concerning his manhood?
A. Which was conceived by the Holy Ghost, borne of the Virgin Mary. [Matt. 1. 20. Matt. 1. 25.]
Q. What is the thing you believe in this article?
A. That this Son of God became a man, but after a wonderful manner. [John 1. 14. 1 Tim. 2. 5. Isa. 9. 6. 1 Tim. 3. 16.]
Q. How do you prove that he became man?
A. Because he was born of a woman.
Q. How after a wonderful manner?
A. For two reasons.
Q. What is the first?
A. Because he was conceived by the Holy Ghost.
Q. What is the second?
A. Because he was born of a Virgin. [Isa. 7. 14.]
Q. Why was he thus conceived and borne?
A. That he might be without sin. [Heb. 4. 11.]
Q. Why was he to be without sin?
A. That he might save sinners. [Heb. 7. 26.]
Q. How many articles are there of his office?
A. Four.
Q. What is the office of Christ?
A. The office of a Saviour. [Matt. 1. 21.]
Q. How many parts hath it?
A. Two.
Q. What is the first?
A. To die for us. [Heb. 7. 27. & 9. 22.]
Q. What is the second?
A. To overcome death for us. [1 Cor. 15. 3, 4, 14.]
Q. How many articles are there concerning his dying for us?
A. One, and but one.
Q. Repeat it?
A. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried, he descended into hell. [Acts 4. 27. Acts 2. 36. John 19. 30. John 19. 40, 41. Eph. 4. 9.]
Q. What did he suffer?
A. Death.
Q. What death did he suffer?
A. The death of the cross.
Q. What death was that?
A. A putting to death by the rack. [Ps. 22. 14, 17.]
Q. Under whom did he suffer?
A. Under Pontius Pilate.
Q. What was he?
A. The Roman Judge that condemned him.
Q. How many articles are there concerning his victory over death?
A. Three; as he overcame death by three degrees.
Q. What are they called?
A. The articles of his exaltation, as the former, the articles of his humiliation. [Phil. 2. 8.]
Q. Repeat the first?
A. The third day he rose again from the dead. [1 Cor. 15. 3.]
Q. What article is this?
A. The article of his resurrection.
Q. Why the third day?
A. Because it was prophesied of him, that he should see no corruption. [Acts 2. 27. John 11. 39.]
Q. What is the second?
A. The article of his ascension.
Q. Repeat it?
A. He ascended into heaven; and there he sitteth at the right hand of God the Father almighty. [Acts 1. 9. Heb. 9. 24. Heb. 1. 13.]
Q. Whither did He ascend?
A. To the right hand of God.
Q. Hath God a right hand, or a left, in proper speech, as we have?
A. No. [John 4. 24. Luke 24. 39.]
Q. How is it then spoken?
A. Figuratively.
Q. What then is meant by it?
A. Two things.
Q. What are they?
A. First the honour God hath given him; secondly the power God hath given him. [Heb. 1. 3. Matt. 28. 18.]
Q. He sitteth] Is sitting spoken properly or figuratively?
A. Figuratively. [Acts 7. 56.]
Q. What is meant by it?
A. Two things.
Q. What are they?
A. First to shew that the works of our redemption is finished; secondly to represent his state, or majesty. [Heb. 10. 12. Heb. 13. 8. & 4. 13.]
Q. What is the third article?
A. The article of his coming to judgment.
Q. Repeat it?
A. From thence he shall come to judge both the quick and the dead. [John 5. 22, 27. Acts 1. 11. 2 Thess. 1. 8.]
Q. What is meant by quick?
A. Those, who shall be found alive at that day. [1 Cor. 15. 51. 1 Thess. 4. 17.]
Q. What is meant by the dead?
A. All that have departed this life from the beginning of the world. [Rev. 20. 13. 1 Cor. 15. 52.]
Q. How many articles be there concerning God the Holy Ghost?
A. One and but one.
Q. Repeat it?
A. I believe in the Holy Ghost. [Matt. 28. 19.]
Q. Why do you say I believe in him?
A. I put my trust and confidence in him; and hope to be saved by him. [John 14. 16, 17. 1 Cor. 2. 10.]
Q. What is the thing you believe?
A. That there is also a God the Holy Ghost. [1 Cor. 2. 11. Ps. 139. 2. 1 Cor. 12. 11.]
Q. Are these three Gods?
A. No, though three persons, yet but one God. [1 John 5. 7.]
§ 2.
Q. How many articles are there of God’s Church?
A. Four.
Q. Into how many parts are they divided?
A. Into two parts.
Q. What doth the first part concern?
A. The being of the Church.
Q. What the second?
A. The benefits this Church obtaineth, by Jesus Christ.
Q. How many articles are there of the being of the Church?
A. One and but one.
Q. Repeat it?
A. I believe the holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints. [1 Tim. 3. 15. 1 Cor. 12. 12.]
Q. Why do you say I believe the Church, and not in the Church?
A. We do believe there is a Church; but we do not believe in the Church, but in God; The Church at the best is but a company of men. [Ps. 62. 9. 1 Cor. 1. 13.]
Q. What is the Church?
A. A company of God’s children. [Ps. 82. 6. Heb. 2. 10. Gal. 3. 26.]
Q. How many sorts of Churches are there?
A. Two sorts.
Q. What are they?
A. Triumphant and militant. [Rev. 6. 11.]
Q. What is the Church triumphant?
A. The company of God’s children in heaven. [Heb. 12. 23.]
Q. Why is it so called?
A. Because they are out of all danger, and so doe triumph. [Rev. 21. 4.]
Q. What is the Church militant?
A. The company of God’s children here on earth.
Q. Why are they thus called?
A. Because they fight the Lord’s battles against the world, the flesh, and the devil. [2 Tim. 2. 3. Eph. 6. 12. John 16. 33.]
Q. What Church is here meant?
A. The Church militant.
Q. What do you learn here?
A. That God hath a Church, and will have to the end of the world. [Matt. 16. 18. & 28. 20. Heb. 1. 8.]
Q. How many properties do belong to this Church?
A. Three.
Q. What are they?
A. First it is holy: secondly Catholic: thirdly it hath a communion betwixt the members of it. [Isa. 4. 3. 1 Pet. 1. 2. John 4. 21. Gal. 3. 28. Acts 10. 35. 1 Cor. 12. 12.]
Q. Holiness, of how many sorts is it?
A. Of two sorts.
Q. What are they?
A. Holiness of faith, and holiness of life. [Rom. 4. 7. Rev. 7. 14.]
Q. Holiness of faith, what is that otherwise called?
A. Our justification. [Rom. 5. 1.]
Q. What is holiness of life otherwise called?
A. Our sanctification. [1 Cor. 1. 30.]
Q. Is holiness of faith perfect or imperfect?
A. Perfect holiness. [Col. 2. 10.]
Q. How so?
A. In regard of the object thereof.
Q. What is the object?
A. Christ, and his righteousness. [Gal. 3. 27. Phil. 3. 9.]
Q. Holiness of life, is that perfect or imperfect?
A. Imperfect.
Q. Of how many sorts is holiness of life?
A. Of two sorts.
Q. Which are they?
A. There is a legal holiness, according to the Law; or Evangelical, according to the Gospel.
Q. What is legal holiness?
A. To be without sin. [Rom. 7. 12, 13, 14.]
Q. Is this holiness required of God’s Church?
A. No. [Jas. 3. 2.]
Q. What is Evangelical holiness?
A. To confess our sins; to be sorry for them; and to amend our lives. [Matt. 4. 17. Rom. 7. 16.]
Q. Is it required of God’s Church?
A. Yes. [1 Pet. 1. 15.]
Q. What is the second property?
A. It is Catholic.
Q. What is Catholic?
A. Universal, or over all.
Q. Over all what?
A. Over all parts of the world. [Ps. 2. 8.]
Q. Is the church of God over all parts of the world?
A. It is, or may be; it is not now tied to any place. [Matt. 28. 19.]
Q. What is the third property?
A. It hath a communion between the members of it. [John 17. 11.]
Q. How many sorts of famous communions are there?
A. Three.
Q. What is the first?
A. A natural communion, & that is in blood between parents & children. [Eph. 5. 31. Heb. 2. 14.]
Q. Is this communion here meant?
A. No.
Q. What is the second?
A. A civil communion, consisting in government. [1 Pet. 2. 3.]
Q. Is this the communion?
A. No.
Q. What is the third?
A. A spiritual communion. [Eph. 4. 3.]
Q. Is this the communion incident to God’s Church?
A. Yes, this is it. [Eph. 5. 23.]
Q. Wherein doth it consist?
A. In the root and the fruits. [John 15. 5.]
Q. What is the root?
A. The Spirit of God. [1 Cor. 12.4, 11.]
Q. What are the fruits?
A. The graces of Gods Spirit.
Q. What are these graces?
A. Partly inward, and partly outward.
Q. What are the outward?
A. The Word of God, and the Sacraments. [Rom. 9. 4.]
Q. What are the inward?
A. Divine, or moral.
Q. What are the divine?
A. The three theological virtues, faith, hope, and charity. [John 1. 16. Eph. 4. 7.]
Q. What are the moral?
A. All moral virtues sanctified by the Spirit of God.
Q. How many benefits doth the Church obtain by Christ?
A. Three, expressed in three articles.
Q. What is the first?
A. Forgiveness of sins, in this world. [1 Cor. 15. 17. Acts 2. 38.]
Q. What is the second?
A. The resurrection of our bodies at the end of this world. [1 Cor. 15. 17, 18.]
Q. What is the third?
A. Life everlasting, in the world to come. [John 17. 2.]
FINIS.