Two
Short Catechisms:
wherein the
Principles of the Doctrine of Christ
are
unfolded and explained.
Proper for all persons to learn
before they be admitted
to the sacrament of the Lord’s supper; and
composed for the use of all
congregations in general.
“Come, ye children, hearken to
me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord,”
The first edition of these Catechisms issued from the press in 1645. Dr Owen had at that time the charge of the parish of Fordham in Essex, and laboured diligently for the instruction and benefit of his flock, by catechising from house to house. The catechisms were prepared in order that he might accomplish these parochial duties with greater efficiency and success. “The Lesser Catechism” is designed for the instruction of children; — “The Greater,” for the examination of persons more advanced in years. They are chiefly doctrinal. It was the intention of Owen to have followed up this little work by another Catechism on the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and some articles of the Creed. This intention, however, was never fulfilled. These Catechisms on “the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ” are included in this volume, — which embodies all the treatises of Owen directly relating to the second Person of the Trinity, — inasmuch as, according to a statement of the author in the preface, they were intended to remind his people of what he had publicly taught them, “especially concerning the person and offices of Christ.” They were among the first, as the other treatises in this volume are among the last, of our author’s publications; and we are thus enabled to mark the undeviating consistency with which, during all the ministrations of his public course, Owen held fast by the great doctrines of the Gospel, — “the unsearchable riches of Christ.” — Ed.
Brethren,
My heart’s desire and request unto God for you is, that you may be saved. I say the truth in Christ also, I lie not, my conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, that I have great heaviness, and continual sorrow in my heart, for them amongst you who, as yet, walk disorderly, and not as beseemeth the Gospel, little labouring to acquaint themselves with the mystery of godliness; for many walk, of whom I have told you often weeping, and now tell you again with sorrow, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, who mind earthly things.
You know, brethren, how I have been amongst you, and in what manner, for these few years past, and how I have kept back nothing (to the utmost of the dispensation to me committed) that was profitable unto you; but have showed you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to all repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, with what sincerity this hath been by me performed, with what issue and success by you received, God the righteous Judge will one day declare; for before him must both you and I appear, to give an account of the dispensation of the glorious Gospel amongst us; — in the meanwhile, the desire of my heart is, to be servant to the least of you in the work of the Lord; and that in any way which I can concede profitable unto you, — either in your persons or your families.
Now, amongst my endeavours in this kind, after the ordinance of public preaching the Word, there is not, I conceive, any more needful (as all will grant that know the estate of this place, how taught of late days, how full of grossly ignorant persons) than catechising; which hath caused me to set aside some hours for the compiling of these following, which also I have procured to be printed, merely because the least part of the parish are able to read it in writing; — my intention in them being, principally, to hold out those necessary truths wherein you have been in my preaching more fully instructed. As they are, the use of them I shall briefly present unto you:—
1. The Lesser Catechism may be so learned of the younger sort, that they may be ready to answer to every question thereof.
2. The Greater will call to mind much of what hath been taught you in public, especially concerning the Person and Offices of Jesus Christ.
3. Out of that you may have help to instruct your families
in the Lesser, being
4. The texts of Scripture quoted are diligently to be sought out and pondered, that you may know indeed whether these things are so.
5. In reading the Word, you may have light into the meaning of many places, by considering what they are produced to confirm.
6. I have been sparing in the doctrine of the Sacraments, because I have already been so frequent in examinations about them.
7. The handling of moral duties I have wholly omitted, because, by God’s assistance, I intend for you a brief explication of the Lord’s Prayer, and the Ten Commandments, with some articles of the Creed, not unfolded in these, by themselves, by the way of question and answer.
Now, in all this, as the pains hath been mine, so I pray that the benefit may be yours, and the praise His, to whom alone any good that is in this or any thing else is to be ascribed. Now, the God of heaven continue that peace, love, and amity, amongst ourselves, which hitherto hath been unshaken, in these divided times, and grant that the sceptre and kingdom of his Son may be gloriously advanced in your hearts, that the things which concern your peace may not be hidden from your eyes in this your day; which is the daily prayer of
Your servant in the work of the Lord,
J. O.
From my Study,
September the last,
[1645].
Ques. Whence is all truth concerning God and ourselves to be learned?
Ans. From the holy Scripture, the Word of God. — Chapter i. of the Greater Catechism.
Q. What do the Scriptures teach that God is?
A. An eternal, infinite, most holy Spirit, giving being to all things, and doing with them whatsoever he pleaseth. — Chap. ii.
Q. Is there but one God?
A. One only, in respect of his essence and being, but one in three distinct persons, of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. — Chap. iii.
Q. What else is held forth in the Word concerning God, that we ought to know?
A. His decrees, and his works. — Chap. iv.
Q. What are the decrees of God concerning us?
A. His eternal purposes, of saving some by Jesus Christ, for the praise of his glory, and of condemning others for their sins. — Chap. v.
Q. What are the works of God?
A. Acts or doings of his power, whereby he createth, sustaineth, and governeth all things. — Chap. vi.
Q. What is required from us towards Almighty God?
A. Holy and spiritual obedience, according to his law given unto us. — Chap. vii.
Q. Are we able to do this of ourselves?
A. No, in no wise, being by nature unto every good work reprobate. — Chap. vii.
Q. How came we into this estate, being at the first created in the image of God, in righteousness and innocency?
A. By the fall of our first parents, breaking the covenant of God, losing his grace, and deserving his curse. — Chap. viii.
A. Only by Jesus Christ. — Chap. ix.
Q. What is Jesus Christ?
A. God and man united in one person, to be a Mediator between God and man. — Chap x.
Q. What is he unto us?
A. A King, a Priest, and a Prophet. — Chap. xi.
Q. Wherein doth he exercise his kingly power towards us?
A. In converting us unto God by his Spirit, subduing us unto his obedience, and ruling in us by his grace. — Chap. xii.
Q. In what doth the exercise of his priestly office for us chiefly consist?
A. In offering up himself an acceptable sacrifice on the cross, so satisfying the justice of God for our sins, removing his curse from our persons, and bringing us unto him. — Chap. xiii.
Q. Wherein doth Christ exercise his prophetical office towards us?
A. In revealing to our hearts, from the bosom of his Father, the way and truth whereby we must come unto him. — Chap. xiii.
Q. In what condition doth Jesus Christ exercise these offices?
A. He did in a low estate of humiliation on earth, but now in a glorious estate of exaltation in heaven. — Chap. xiv.
Q. For whose sake doth Christ perform all these?
A. Only for his elect. — Chap. xv.
Q. What is the church of Christ?
A. The universal company of God’s elect, called to the adoption of children. — Chap. xvi.
Q. How come we to be members of this church?
A. By a lively faith. — Chap. xvii.
Q. What is a lively faith?
A. An assured resting of the soul upon God’s promises of mercy in Jesus Christ, for pardon of sins here and glory hereafter. — Chap. xviii.
Q. How come we to have this faith?
A. By the effectual working of the Spirit of God in our hearts, freely calling us from the state of nature to the state of grace. — Chap. xviii.
Q. Are we accounted righteous for our faith?
A. No, but only for the righteousness of Christ, freely imputed unto us, and laid hold of by faith. — Chap. xix.
Q. 1. Is there no more required of us but faith only?
A. Yes; repentance also, and holiness. — Chap. xx.
Q. 2. What is repentance?
A. A forsaking of all sin, with godly sorrow for what we have committed. — Chap. xx.
A. Universal obedience to the will of God revealed unto us. — Chap. xx.
Q. What are the privileges of believers?
A. First, union with Christ; secondly, adoption of children; thirdly, communion of saints; fourthly, right to the seals of the new covenant; fifthly, Christian liberty; sixthly, resurrection of the body to life eternal. — Chap. xxi.
Q. 1. What are the sacraments, or seals, of the new covenant?
A. Visible seals of God’s spiritual promises, made unto us in the blood of Jesus Christ. — Chap. xxii.
Q. 2. Which be they?
A. Baptism and the Lord’s supper.
Q. What is baptism?
A. A holy ordinance, whereby, being sprinkled with water according to Christ’s institution, we are by his grace made children of God, and have the promises of the covenant sealed unto us. — Chap. xxiii.
Q. What is the Lord’s supper?
A. A holy ordinance of Christ, appointed to communicate unto believers his body and blood spiritually, being represented by bread and wine, blessed, broken, poured out, and received of them. — Chap. xxiv.
Q. Who have a right unto this sacrament?
A. They only who have an interest in Jesus Christ by faith. — Chap. xxiv.
Q. What is the communion of saints?
A. A holy conjunction between all God’s people, partakers of the same Spirit, and members of the same mystical body. — Chap. xxv.
Q. What is the end of all this dispensation?
A. The glory of God in our salvation.
Glory be to God on high!
Ques. 1. What is Christian religion?
Ans. The aonly way of Every one out of this way everlastingly
damned. The life of religion is in the Life.
a
Q. 2. Whence is it to be learned?
A. From the holy Popish traditions are false lights, leading from
God.
Q. 3. What is the Scripture?
A. The books of the aOld and bNew The authority of
the Scripture dependeth not on the authority of the church, as the Papists
blaspheme. All human inventions unnecessary helps in the worship of
God. The word thereof is the sole directory for faith, worship,
and life.
a
Q. 4. How know you them to be the word of God?
A. By the atestimony This alone persuadeth and inwardly
convinceth the heart of the divine verity of the Scripture; other motives,
also, there are from without, and unanswerable arguments to prove the truth
of them, as, — 1. Their antiquity; 2. Preservation from fury; 3. Prophecies
in them; 4. The holiness and majesty of their doctrine agreeable to the
nature of God; 5. Miracles; 6. The testimony of the church of all ages; 7.
The blood of innumerable martyrs, &c.
a
Q. 1. What do the Scriptures teach concerning God?
A. First, what he is, or his nature; secondly, what he doth,
or his works.
Q. 2. What is God in himself?
A. An aeternal, binfinite, The perfection of
God’s being is known of us chiefly by removing all
imperfections. Hence the abominable vanity of idolaters, and of the
blasphemous Papists, that picture God. Let us prostrate ourselves in
holy adoration of that which we cannot comprehend.
a
Q. 3. Do we here know God as he is?
A. No, his glorious being is not of us, in this life, to be
comprehended.
Q. 4. Whereby is God chiefly made known unto us in the Word?
A. First, by his anames; secondly, by his
battributes or properties.
a
Q. 5. What are the names of God?
A. Glorious titles, which he The divers names of God signify one and
the same thing, but under diverse notions in respect of our
conception.
Q. 6. What are the attributes of God?
A. His infinite perfections in being and working.
Q. 7. What are the chief attributes of his being?
A. aEternity, binfiniteness,
csimplicity Some of these attributes belong so unto God, as that they
are in no sort to be ascribed to any else, — as infiniteness, eternity,
&c. Others are after a sort attributed to some of his creatures, in
that he communicates unto them some of the effects of them in himself; — as
life, goodness, &c. The first of these are motives to humble
adoration, fear, self-abhorrency; the other, to faith, hope, love, and
confidence, through Jesus Christ.
a
Q. 8. What are the attributes which usually are ascribed to him in his works, or the acts of his will?
A. aGoodness, bpower, Nothing is to be ascribed
unto God, nor imagined of him, but what is exactly agreeable to those his
glorious properties. These last are no less essential unto
God than the former — only we thus distinguish them, because these are
chiefly seen in his works.
a
Q. 1. Is there but one God to whom these properties do belong?
A. aOne only, in respect of his essence and being,
but one bin three distinct persons, of Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost.
a
Q. 2. What mean you by person?
A. A distinct manner of This is that mysterious ark that must
not be pried into, nor the least tittle spoken about it, wherein plain
Scripture goeth not before. To deny the Deity of any one person, is
in effect to deny the whole Godhead for whosoever hath not the Son, hath
not the Father. This only doctrine remained undefiled in the
Papacy.
Q. 3. What is the distinguishing property of the person of the Father?
A. To be of himself only the fountain of the Godhead.
Q. 4. What is the property of the Son?
A. To be begotten of his Father from eternity.
Q. 5. What of the Holy Ghost?
A. To proceed from the Father and the Son.
Q. 6. Are these three one?
A. One aevery way, in nature, will, and essential
properties, bdistinguished only in their personal manner of
subsistence.
a
A. Neither awe nor yet the bangels We must labour
to make out comfort from the proper work of every person towards
us.
a
Q. 1. What do the Scriptures teach concerning the works of God?
A. That they are of two sorts; first, internal, The purposes and
decrees of God, so far as by him revealed, are objects of our faith, and
full of comfort.
Q. 2. What are the decrees of God?
A. aEternal, bunchangeable purposes Farther reasons
of God’s decrees than his own will, not to be inquired after. The
changes in the scripture ascribed unto God are only in the outward
dispensations and works, variously tending to one infallible event, by him
proposed. The Arminians’ blasphemy, in saying God sometimes fails of
his purposes.
a
Q. 3. Concerning which of his creatures chiefly are his decrees to be considered?
A. Angels and men, for whom other things were ordained.
Q. 4. What are the decrees of God concerning men?
A. Election and reprobation.
Q. 5. What is the decree of election?
A. The aeternal, bfree,
cimmutable The decree of election is the fountain of all spiritual
graces, for they are bestowed only on the elect. In nothing doth
natural corruption more exalt itself against God, than in opposing the
freedom of his grace in his eternal decrees. From the execution of these
decrees flows that variety and difference we see in the dispensation of the
means of grace, — God sending the Gospel where he hath a remnant according
to election.
a
Q. 6. Doth any thing in us move the Lord thus to choose us from amongst others?
A. No, in no wise; we are in the same lump with others
rejected, when separated by his undeserved grace.
Q. 7. What is the decree of reprobation?
A. The eternal purpose of God to suffer many to sin, leave
them in their sin, and not giving them to Christ, to punish them for their
sin.
Q. 1. What are the works of God that outwardly respect his creatures?
A. First, of creation; secondly, of The very outward works of God
are sufficient to convince men of his eternal power and Godhead, and to
leave them inexcusable, if they serve him not.
Q. 2. What is the work of creation?
A. An act or work of God’s almighty power, whereby of nothing,
in six days, he created heaven, earth, and the sea, with all things in them
contained.
Q. 3. Wherefore did God make man?
A. For his own glory in his service The glory of God is to be
preferred above our own either being or well-being, as the supreme end of
them. The approaching unto God in his service is the chief
exaltation of one nature above the beasts that perish.
Q. 4. Was man able to yield the service and worship that God required of him?
A. Yea, to the uttermost, being created upright in the image
of God, in purity, innocence, righteousness, and holiness.
Q. 5. What was the rule whereby man was at first to be directed in his obedience?
A. The moral God never allowed, from the beginning, that the will of
the creature should be the measure of his worship and honour.
A. No; the acovenant was Though we have all lost our
right unto the promise of the first covenant, yet all not restored by
Christ are under the commination and curse thereof.
a
Q. 1. What is God’s actual providence?
A. The effectual working of his To this providence is to be ascribed all
the good we do enjoy, and all the afflictions we undergo. Fortune, chance,
and the like, are names without things, scarce fit to be used among
Christians, seeing Providence certainly ruleth all to appointed
ends. No free-will in man exempted either from the eternal
decree or the over-ruling providence of God.
Q. 2. How is this providence exercised towards mankind?
A. Two ways; first, apeculiarly towards his church,
or elect, in their generations, for whom are all things; secondly,
btowards all in a general manner, yet with various and divers
dispensations.
a
Q. 3. Wherein chiefly consists the outward providence of God towards his church?
A. In three things; — first, in acausing all Though the
dispensations of God’s providence towards his people be various, yet every
issue and act of it tends to one certain end, — their good in his
glory.
a
Q. 4. Doth God rule also in and over the sinful actions of wicked men?
A. Yea, he willingly (according Almighty God knows how to bring light
out of darkness, good out of evil, the salvation of his elect out of
Judas’s treachery, the Jews’ cruelty, and Pilate’s injustice.
Q. 5. Doth the providence of God extend itself to every small thing?
A. The least grass of the field, hair of our heads, or worm of
the earth, is not exempted from his knowledge and care.
Q. 1. Which is the law that God gave man at first to fulfil?
A. The same which was afterwards This law of God bindeth us now, not
because delivered to the Jews on Mount Horeb, but because written in the
hearts of all by the finger of God at the first.
Q. 2. Is the observation of this law still required of us?
A. Yes, to the uttermost tittle.
Q. 3. Are we able of ourselves to After the fall, the law ceased to be a
rule of justification, and became a rule for sanctification
only. It is of free grace that God giveth power to yield any
obedience, and accepteth of any obedience that is not perfect.
A. No, in no wise; the law is spiritual, but we are
carnal.
Q. 4. Did, then, God give a law which could not be kept?
A. No; when God gave it, we had power to keep it; which since
we have lost in Adam.
Q. 5. Whereto, then, doth the law now serve?
A. For two general ends; first, ato be a rule of
our duty, or to discover to us the obedience of God required; secondly,
bto drive us unto Christ.
a
Q. 6. How doth the law drive us unto Christ?
A. Divers ways; as, first, aby laying open unto us
the utter disability of our nature to do any good; secondly, bby
charging the wrath and curse of God, due to sin, upon the conscience;
thirdly, cby bringing the whole soul under bondage to sin,
death, Satan, and hell, so making us long and seek for a Saviour.
a
Q. 1. How came this weakness and disability upon us?
A. By the sin and This is that which commonly is called
original sin, which in general denoteth the whole misery and corruption of
our nature; as, — 1. The guilt of Adam’s actual sin to us imputed; 2. Loss
of God’s glorious image, innocency and holiness; 3. Deriving by propagation
a nature — (1.) Defiled with the pollution, (2.) Laden with the guilt, (3.)
Subtitled to the power of sin; 4. A being exposed to all temporal miseries,
leading to and procuring death; 5. An alienation from God, with voluntary
obedience to Satan and lust; 6. An utter disability to good, or to labour
for mercy; 7. Eternal damnation of body and soul in hell.
Q. 2. Wherein did that hurt us, their posterity?
A. Divers ways; first, ain that we were all guilty
of the same breach of covenant with Adam, being all in him; secondly,
bour souls with his were deprived of that holiness, innocence,
and righteousness wherein they were at first created; thirdly,
cpollution and defilement of nature came upon us; with,
fourthly, dan extreme disability of doing any thing that is
well-pleasing unto God; eby all which we are made obnoxious to
the curse.
a
Q. 3. Wherein doth the curse of God consist?
A. In divers things; first, ain the All that a
natural man hath on this side hell is free mercy.
a
Q. 4. Are all men born in this estate?
A. Every one without exception.
Q. 5. And do they continue therein?
A. Of themselves The end of this is Jesus Christ, to all
that fly for refuge to the hope set before them.
a
A. None at all; they can neither satisfy his justice, nor fulfil his law.
Q. 1. Shall all mankind, then, everlastingly perish?
A. No; God, of his free grace, hath prepared a way to redeem
and save his elect.
Q. 2. What way was this?
A. By sending his own Son This is that great mystery of godliness
that the angels themselves admire; — the most transcendent expression of
God’s infinite love, — the laying forth of all the treasure of his wisdom
and goodness.
Q. 3. Who is this you call his own Son?
A. The second person of the Trinity, co-eternal and of the
same Deity with his Father.
Q. 4. How did God send him?
A. By causing him to be made flesh of a pure virgin, and to
dwell among us, that he might be obedient unto death, the death of the
cross.
Q. 1. What doth the Scripture teach us of Jesus Christ?
A. Chiefly two things first, his 1. Though our Saviour Christ be one God
with his Father, he is not one person with him. 2. Jesus Christ is God and
man in one, — not a God and a man; God incarnate, — not a man deified. 3.
The essential properties of either nature remain in his person theirs
still, not communicated unto the other; as of the Deity to be eternal,
everywhere; of the humanity to be born and die. 4. Whatever may be said of
either nature may be said of the whole person; so God may be said to die,
but not the Godhead; the man Christ to be everywhere, but not his humanity;
for his one person is all this. 5. The monstrous figment of
transubstantiation, or Christ’s corporeal presence in the sacrament, fully
overthrows our Saviour’s human nature, and makes him a mere shadow. 6. All
natural properties are double in Christ, — as will, &c., still
distinct; all personal, as subsistence, single.
Q. 2. What doth it teach of his person?
Q. 3. How prove you Jesus Christ to be truly God?
A. Divers ways; first, by places of Scripture, speaking
of the great God Jehovah in the Old Testament, applied to our Saviour in
the New; as,
Secondly, By the works of the Deity ascribed
unto him; as, first, of creation,
Thirdly, By the essential attributes of God being ascribed unto him;
as, first, immensity,
Fourthly, By the names given unto him; as,
first, of God expressly,
Q. 4. Was it necessary that our Redeemer should be God?
A. Yes; that he might be able to save to the uttermost, and to
satisfy the wrath of his Father, which no creature could perform.
Q. 5. How prove you that he was a perfect man?
A. First, By the prophecies that went before, that so
he should be.
Secondly, By the relation of their
accomplishment.
Thirdly, By the Scriptures assigning to him those things which are
required to a perfect man; as, first, a body,
Fourthly,
General infirmities of nature.
Q. 6. Wherefore was our Redeemer to be man?
A. That the nature which had offended might suffer, and make
satisfaction, and so he might be every way a fit and sufficient Saviour for
men.
Q. 1. How many are the offices of Jesus Christ?
A. Three; first, of a aKing; secondly, of
ba In the exercise of these offices, Christ is also the sole
head, husband, God first-born of the church. Papal usurpation upon these
offices of Christ manifests the pope to be the Man of Sin.
a
Q. 2. Hath he these offices peculiar by nature?
A. No; he only received them for the present dispensation,
until the work of redemption be perfected.
Q. 3. Wherein doth the kingly office of Christ consist?
A. In a two-fold power; first, his power of ruling in and over
his church; secondly, his power of subduing his enemies.
Q. 4. What is his ruling power in and over his people?
A. That supreme authority which, Christ’s subjects are all born rebels,
and are stubborn, until he make them obedient by his Word and
Spirit. Christ hath not delegated his kingly power of law-making
for his church to any here below.
a
Q. 5. How many are the acts of his kingly power towards his enemies?
A. Two also first, ainternal, by the The end of
Christ in exercising his kingly power over his enemies, is the glory of the
gospel and the good of his people.
a
Q. 1. By what means did Jesus Christ undertake the office of an eternal priest?
A. By athe decree, ordination, and will of God his
Father, bwhereunto he yielded voluntary obedience; so
cthat concerning this there was a compact and covenant between
them.
a
Q. 2. Wherein doth his execution of this office consist?
A. In bringing his people unto God.
Q. 3. What are the parts of it?
A. First, aoblation; secondly,
bintercession. Against both these the Papists are exceedingly
blasphemous; against the one, by making their mass a sacrifice for sins, —
the other, by making saints mediators of intercession.
a
Q. 4. What is the oblation of Christ?
A. The aoffering up of himself upon the altar of
the cross, an holy propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of all the elect
throughout the world; as balso, the presentation of himself for
us in heaven, sprinkled with the blood of the covenant.
a
Q. 5. Whereby doth this oblation do good unto us?
A. Divers ways; first, in that it satisfied the justice of
God; secondly, it redeemed us from the power of sin, death, and hell;
thirdly, it ratified the new covenant of grace; fourthly, it procured for
us grace here, and glory hereafter; by all which means the peace and
reconciliation between God and us is wrought.
Q. 6. How did the oblation of Christ satisfy God’s justice for our sin?
A. In that for us he underwent the Christ’s undergoing
punishment for us was, first, typified by the old sacrifices; secondly,
foretold in the first promise; thirdly, made lawful and valid in itself, —
first, by God’s determination, the supreme lawgiver;
secondly, his own voluntary undergoing it; thirdly, by a
relaxation of the law in regard of the subject punished; — fourthly,
beneficial to us, because united to us; as, first, our head;
secondly, our elder brother; thirdly, our sponsor or surety;
fourthly, our husband; fifthly, our God, or Redeemer,
&c.
Q. 7. What was that punishment?
A. The wrath of God, the curse No change in all these, but what
necessarily follows the change of the persons sustaining.
Q. 8. Did Christ undergo all these?
A. Yes; in respect of the greatness The death that Christ
underwent was eternal in its own nature and tendence, — not so to him,
because of his holiness, power, and the unity of his person.
Q. 9. How could the punishment of one satisfy for the offence of all?
A. In that he was not a mere He suffered not as God, but he suffered
who was God.
Q. 10. How did the oblation of Christ redeem from death and hell?
A. First, aby paying a ransom We are freed from the anger
of God, by a perfect rendering to the full value of what he required, —
from the power of Satan, by absolute conquest on our behalf.
a
Q. 11. What was the ransom that Christ paid for us?
A. His own precious blood.
Q. 12. How was the new covenant ratified in his blood?
A. By being accompanied with The new covenant is Christ’s legacy, in
his last will unto his people, — the eternal inheritance of glory being
conveyed thereby.
Q. 13. What is this new covenant?
A. The gracious, free, aimmutable promise of God,
made unto all his elect fallen in Adam, to bgive them Jesus
Christ, and cin him mercy, pardon, grace, and glory,
dwith a re-stipulation of faith from them unto this faith from
them unto this promise, and new obedience.
a
Q. 14. How did Christ procure for us grace, faith, and glory?
A. By the way of purchase The death of Christ was satisfactory in
respect of the strict justice of God, — meritorious in respect of the
covenant between him and his Father. All these holy
truths are directly denied by the blasphemous Socinians; and by the
Papists, with their merits, masses, penance, and purgatory, by consequent,
overthrown.
Q. 15. What is the intercession of Christ?
A. His continual soliciting To make saints our intercessors, is to
renounce Jesus Christ from being a sufficient Saviour.
Q. 1. Wherein doth the prophetical office of Christ consist?
A. In his embassage Christ differed from all other prophets;
first, in his sending, which was immediately from the bosom of his Father;
secondly, his assistance, which was the fulness of the Spirit; thirdly, his
manner of teaching, — with authority.
Q. 2. How doth he exercise this office towards us?
A. By making known To accuse his Word of imperfection, in
doctrine or discipline, is to deny him a perfect prophet, or to have borne
witness unto all truth.
Q. 3. By what means doth he perform all this?
A. Divers; as, first, ainternally and effectually,
by his Spirit writing his law in our hearts; secondly,
boutwardly and instrumentally, by the Word preached.
a
Q. 1. In what estate or condition doth Christ exercise these offices?
A. In a two-fold estate; first, of humiliation The humiliation
of Christ shows us what we must here do and suffer, — his exaltation, what
we may hope for. The first of these holds forth his mighty love to us; the
other his mighty power in himself. The only way to heaven is by the
cross.
A. In three things; first, ain his incarnation, or
being born of woman; secondly, bhis obedience, or fulfilling the
whole law, moral and ceremonial; thirdly, in his cpassion, or
enduring all sorts of miseries, even death itself.
a
Q. 3. Wherein consists his exaltation?
A. In, first, his resurrection; secondly, ascension; thirdly,
sitting at the right hand of God; — by all which he was declared to be the
Son of God with power.
Q. 1. Unto whom do the saving benefits of what Christ performeth, in the execution of his offices, belong?
A. Only to his elect. Christ giveth life to all that world for
whom he gave his life. None that he died for shall ever
die. To say that Christ died for every man universally, is to
affirm that he did no more for the elect than the reprobates, — for them
that are saved than for them that are damned; which is the Arminian
blasphemy.
Q. 2. Died he for no other?
A. None, in respect of his Father’s eternal purpose, and his
own intention of removing wrath from them, and procuring grace and glory
for them.
Q. 3. What shall become of them for whom Christ died not?
A. Everlasting torments for their sins; their portion in their
own place.
Q. 4. For whom doth he make intercession?
A. Only for those who from eternity were given him by his
Father.
Q. 1. How are the elect called, in respect of their obedience unto Christ, and union with him?
A. His church.
A. The whole company of God’s The elect angels belong to this
church. No distance of time or place breaks the unity of this
church: heaven and earth, from the beginning of the world unto the end, are
comprised in it. No mention in Scripture of any church in
purgatory. This is the catholic church; — though that term be not to
be found in the Word in this sense, the thing itself is obvious. The pope,
challenging unto himself the title of the head of the catholic church, is
blasphemously rebellious against Jesus Christ.
a
Q. 3. Is this whole church always in the same state?
A. No; one part of it is militant, the other triumphant.
Q. 4. What is the church militant?
A. That portion of God’s elect which, in their generation,
cleaveth unto Christ by faith, and fighteth against the world, flesh, and
devil.
Q. 5. What is the church triumphant?
A. That portion of God’s people who, having fought their fight
and kept the faith, are now in heaven, resting from their labours.
Q. 6. Are not the church of the Jews before the birth of Christ, and the church of the Christians since, two churches?
A. No; essentially they are but one, This is that ark out of which
whosoever is shall surely perish.
Q. 7. Can this church be wholly overthrown on the earth?
A. No; unless the decree of God may be changed, and the
promise of Christ fail.
Q. 1. By what means do we become actual members of this church of God?
A. By a lively justifying faith, Of this faith the Holy Spirit is the
efficient cause, the Word, the instrumental; — the Law indirectly, by
discovering our misery; the Gospel immediately, by holding forth a
Saviour.
Q. 2. What is a justifying faith?
A. A agracious resting upon Faith is in the
understanding, in respect of its being and subsistence, — in the will and
heart, in respect of its effectual working.
a
Q. 3. Have all this faith?
A. None but the elect of God.
Q. 4. Do not, then, others believe that make profession?
A. Yes; with, first, historical faith, or a persuasion that
the things written in the Word are true,
Q. 1. How come we to have this saving faith?
A. It is freely bestowed upon us and wrought in us by the
Spirit of God, in our vocation or calling.
Q. 2. What is our vocation, or this calling of God?
A. The free, gracious Our effectual calling is the first
effect of our everlasting election. We have no actual interest in
nor right unto Christ, until we are thus called.
Q. 3. What do we ourselves perform in this change, or work of our conversion?
A. Nothing at all, being merely They who so boast of the strength of
free-will in the work of our conversion are themselves an example what it
is being given up to so vile an error, — destitute of the grace of
God.
Q. 4. Doth God thus call all and every one?
A. All within the pale of the church are outwardly called by
the Word, none effectually but the elect.
Q. 1. Are we accounted righteous and saved for our faith, when we are thus freely called?
A. No, but merely by the imputation of the righteousness of
Christ, apprehended and applied by faith; for which alone the Lord accepts
us as holy and righteous.
Q. 2. What, then, is our justification or righteousness before God?
A. The gracious, free act Legal and evangelical justification
differ; first, on the part of the persons to be justified, — the one
requiring a person legally and perfectly righteous, — the other a believing
sinner; secondly, on the part of God, who in the one is a severe, righteous
judge, — in the other, a merciful, reconciled Father; thirdly, in the
sentence, which in the one acquitteth, as having done nothing amiss, — in
the other, as having all amiss pardoned.
Q. 3. Are we not, then, righteous before God by our own works?
A. No; for of themselves they can neither satisfy his justice,
fulfil his law, nor endure his trial.
Q. 1. Is there nothing, then, required of us but faith only?
A. Yes; arepentance, and bholiness or
new obedience.
a
Q. 2. What is repentance?
A. Godly asorrow for every known Repentance includeth, first,
alteration of the mind into a hatred of sin, before loved; secondly, sorrow
of the affections for sin committed; thirdly, change of the actions arising
from both. Repentance is either legal, servile, and terrifying, from
the spirit of bondage; or evangelical, filial, and comforting, from the
spirit of free grace and liberty, which only is available.
a
Q. 3. Can we do this of ourselves?
A. No; it is a special gift and grace of God, which he
bestoweth on whom he pleaseth.
Q. 4. Wherein doth the being of true repentance consist, without which it is not acceptable?
A. In its Every part of Popish repentance — viz., contrition,
confession, and satisfaction — was performed by Judas.
Q. 5. What is that holiness which is required of us?
A. That auniversal, All faith and profession, without this
holiness, is vain and of no effect. True faith can no more be
without true holiness than true fire without heat.
a
Q. 6. Is this holiness or obedience in us perfect?
A. Yes, ain respect Merit of works in unprofitable servants,
no way able to do their duty, is a Popish miracle.
a
Q. 7. Will God accept of that obedience which falls so short of what he requireth?
A. Yes, from them In Christ are our persons accepted
freely, and for him our obedience.
Q. 8. What are the parts of this holiness?
A. aInternal, in the quickening of all graces,
purging all sins; band external, in fervent and frequent
prayers, alms, and all manner of righteousness. Particular precepts are
innumerable.
a
A. No; The best duties of unbelievers are but white
sins.
Q. 1. What are the privileges of those that thus believe and repent?
A. First, union with Christ; secondly, adoption of children; thirdly, Christian liberty; fourthly, a spiritual, holy right to the seals of the new covenant; fifthly, communion with all saints; sixthly, resurrection of the body unto life eternal.
Q. 2. What is our union with Christ?
A. An aholy, spiritual By virtue of this union, Christ
suffereth in our afflictions; and we fill up in our bodies what remaineth
as his. From Christ, as head of the church, we have spiritual
life, sense, and motion, or growth in grace; secondly, as the husband of
the church, love and redemption; thirdly, as the foundation thereof,
stability and perseverance.
a
Q. 3. What is our adoption?
A. Our gracious reception into the family of God, as his
children, and co-heirs with Christ.
Q. 4. How come we to know this?
A. By the especial working of the Holy This is that great honour and
dignity of believers, which exalts them to a despising all earthly
thrones.
Q. 5. What is our Christian liberty?
A. An Our liberty is our inheritance here below, which we ought
to contend for, against all opposers.
a
Q. 6. Are we, then, wholly freed from the moral law?
A. Yes, as aa covenant, Nothing makes men condemn the
law as a rule, but hatred of that universal holiness which it doth
require.
a
Q. 7. Are we not freed by Christ from the magistrate’s power and human authority?
A. No; being ordained of Rule and authority are as necessary for
human society as fire and water for our lives.
Q. 1. What are the seals of the New Testament?
A. Sacraments instituted of Christ to be visible seals and
pledges, whereby God in him confirmeth the promises of the covenant to all
believers, re-stipulating of them growth in faith and obedience.
Q. 2. How doth God by these sacraments bestow grace upon us?
A. Not by any This is one of the greatest mysteries of the Roman magic
and juggling that corporeal elements should have a power to forgive sins,
and confer spiritual grace.
Q. 3. How do our sacraments differ from the sacraments of the Jews?
A. Accidentally only, in things concerning the outward matter
and form, as their number, quality, clearness of signification, and the
like, not essentially, in the things signified, or grace confirmed.
Q. 1. Which are these sacraments?
A. Baptism and the Lord’s supper.
Q. 2. What is baptism?
A. An aholy action, appointed Not the want, but the
contempt of this sacrament, is damnable. It is hard to say whether the
error of the Papists, requiring baptism of absolute, indispensable
necessity to the salvation of every infant, or that of the Anabaptists,
debarring them from it altogether, be the most uncharitable.
a
Q. 3. To whom doth this sacrament belong?
A. Unto all to whom the promise of the covenant is made; that
is, to believers, and to their seed.
Q. 4. How can baptism seal the pardon of all sins to us, all our personal sins following it?
A. Inasmuch as it is a seal of that promise which gives pardon
of all to believers.
Q. 1. What is the Lord’s supper?
A. An aholy action instituted and Baptism is the sacrament of
our new birth, this of our farther growth in Christ. No part of Christian religion was ever
so vilely contaminated and abused by profane wretches, as this pure, holy,
plain action and institution of our Saviour: witness the Popish horrid
monster of transubstantiation, and their idolatrous mass.
a
Q. 2. When did Christ appoint this sacraments?
A. On the night wherein he was betrayed to suffer.
Q. 3. Whence is the right use of it to be learned?
Whatever is more than these, is of our
own.
Q. 4. What were the actions of our Saviour to be imitated by us?
A. First, blessing the elements by prayer; secondly, breaking
the bread, and pouring out the wine; thirdly, distributing them to the
receivers, sitting in a table-gesture.
Q. 5. What were the words of Christ?
A. First, of command, — “Take, eat;” secondly, of promise, —
“This is my body;” thirdly, of institution for perpetual use, — “This do,”
&c.
Q. 6. Who are to be Faith in God’s promises, which it doth
confirm, — union with Christ, whereof it is a seal, — and obedience to the
right use of the ordinance itself, — are required of all
receivers. There is not any one action pertaining to the spiritual
nature of this sacrament, not any end put upon it by Christ, — as, first,
the partaking of his body and blood; secondly, setting forth his death for
us; thirdly, declaring of our union with him and his, — but requires faith,
grace, and holiness, in the receivers.
A. Those only have a true right to the signs who by faith have
an holy interest in Christ, the thing signified.
Q. 7. Do the elements remain bread and wine still, after the blessing of them?
A. Yes; all the spiritual change is wrought by the faith of
the receiver, not the words of the giver: to them that believe, they are
the body and blood of Christ.
Q. 1. What is the communion of saints?
A. An holy conjunction By virtue of this, we partake in all the
good and evil of the people of God throughout the world.
Q. 2. Of what sort is this union?
A. First, aspiritual and internal, in the enjoyment
of the same spirit and graces, — which is the union of the church catholic;
secondly, bexternal and ecclesiastical, in the same outward
ordinances, — which is the union of particular congregations.
a
Q. 1. What are particular churches?
A. Peculiar aassemblies Every corruption doth not
presently unchurch a people. Unholiness of fellow-worshippers
defileth not God’s ordinances.
a
Q. 2. What are the ordinary officers of such churches?
A. First, apastors or doctors, Ministers are the bishops of
the Lord; lord-bishops came from Rome.
a
Q. 3. What is required of these officers, especially the chiefest, or ministers?
A. aThat they be faithful in the ministry committed
unto them; bsedulous in dispensing the Word;
cwatching for the good of the souls committed to them;
dgoing before them in an example of all godliness and holiness
of life.
a
Q. 4. What is required in the people unto them?
A. Obedience ato their message and ministry;
bhonour and love to their persons; cmaintenance to
them and their families.
a
Q. 1. What is the resurrection of the flesh?
A. An act of the The resurrection of the flesh hereafter
is a powerful motive to live after the Spirit here.
Q. 2. What is the end of this whole dispensation?
A. The glory of God in our eternal salvation.
To Him be all glory and honour for evermore! Amen.
Genesis
1:1 1:1 1:26 1:26 1:26 1:26-27 2:15-17 2:16-17 2:17 2:17 3:10 3:10 3:10 3:13 3:15 3:15 3:16-18 3:17 3:24 6:5 6:5 6:5 9:5 12:3 15:6 17:1 17:1 17:11-12 18:18 22:18
Exodus
3:14 3:14 3:14 3:14-15 4:11 6:3 6:3 15:11 15:11 20:11 28:38 33:20 33:23 34:6-7 34:6-7
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
6:4 6:5 18:15 18:18 27:15-26 30:6 30:6 32:10 33:27 33:27
Joshua
Judges
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
Job
1:1 1:21 5:10-12 9:5-6 11:7-9 13:15 14:4 14:4 19:25 19:25-27 39
Psalms
2:6 2:7 2:7-8 2:8 7:8 11:7 16:9-11 17:8 18:5 19:7-8 19:7-11 33:9 34:11 34:14 51 51:5 51:5 51:7 51:17 62:11 75:6-7 83:18 93:2 102:25-27 104:21 105:14-15 110 110:1 110:3-7 110:4 110:4 115:3 119:9 119:68 130:3 130:3-4 130:7 135:4-6 135:6 139:1-4 139:2 139:2-5 139:8-10 143:2 145:15 147:4 147:4
Proverbs
15:3 15:8 16:4 16:4 16:4 22:14
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
1:16-17 1:16-17 6:2-3 6:2-4 8:13-14 8:20 8:20 10:6-7 14:24 26:19 40:3-4 42:6 43:25 43:25 44:28 45:6 45:6-7 45:6-7 45:22-23 46:10 46:10 46:10 48:22 50:4-6 50:6 53:4-6 53:4-6 53:6 53:6 53:6 53:8 53:10 53:10-12 53:11-12 53:12 53:12 53:12 57:15 57:15 59:2 59:20-21 60:12 61:1 61:1-2 63:9 64:6 64:6
Jeremiah
6:16 6:16 7:13 11:20 12:1 13:23 13:23 13:23 31:31-33 31:31-34 31:31-34 32:39 32:40
Ezekiel
11:19-20 14:16 16:3-5 16:48 18:27-28 21:19-21 36:26 37:2-3
Daniel
Amos
Jonah
Micah
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
1:1 3:2 3:15 4:2 5 5:16 5:17 5:17 5:17 5:20 5:45 5:48 5:48 6:26-29 6:31-33 7:18 10:20 10:29-30 11:10 11:25 11:25-26 11:25-26 11:26 13:11 13:20 16:16 16:17 16:18 16:18 16:18 16:19 19:2 19:17 19:17 19:29 20:28 20:28 22:14 22:14 22:37 25:41 26:26 26:26 26:26 26:26-28 26:28 26:28 26:38 26:39 26:75 28:18 28:19 28:19 28:20 28:20 28:20
Mark
1:15 3:5 6:20 10:45 14:22 14:22 14:22-24 14:33-34 14:34 15:34 16:15-16 16:16 16:16 16:16 16:16 16:16
Luke
1:6 1:35 1:35 2:21 2:34 2:52 4:18 10:7 10:21 13:3 17:10 18:7 18:14 19:27 22:14-20 22:19 22:19 22:19-20 24:32 24:39
John
1:1 1:1 1:3 1:5 1:12 1:12 1:12 1:13 1:13 1:14 1:14 1:14 1:14 1:14 1:16 1:16 1:18 1:18 1:23 2:23-24 3:3 3:5 3:5 3:6 3:8 3:8 3:16 3:16 3:16 3:16 3:32 3:36 3:36 3:36 3:36 4:6 4:24 5:17 5:17 5:17 5:17 5:23 5:24 5:26-27 5:39 6:29 6:35 6:37 6:37 6:39 6:44 6:44 6:46 6:51 6:63 6:63 6:63 8:32 8:34 8:36 8:46 8:59 9:31 9:41 10:9 10:11 10:11-13 10:14 10:15 10:16 10:26 10:27-28 10:30 11:51 11:51-52 12:32 12:40 12:40-41 14:5-6 14:5-6 14:15 14:16 14:17 14:23 15:1-2 15:5 15:5 15:5-7 15:26 15:26 16:13 16:14 17 17 17 17:2 17:2 17:3 17:4 17:6 17:8 17:9 17:9 17:11 17:11 17:19 17:21 17:21 17:22 17:22 17:23 17:24 18:37 20:22 20:28 20:31 20:31 21:17
Acts
1:25 2:36 2:37 2:38 2:38 2:38-39 2:39 2:39 2:41 2:47 2:47 4:12 4:27-28 6:2-3 8:13 8:31 8:37 10:42 11:18 11:26 13:11 13:38-39 13:48 13:48 13:48 14:15 14:15 14:23 15:10-11 15:18 15:18 16:14 16:14 16:14 16:15 17:28 20:17 20:18-20 20:21 20:28 20:28 20:28 20:28 20:28 20:28 22:16 24:16
Romans
1:3 1:3 1:4 1:4 1:5-6 1:17 1:18 1:24 1:32 2:14-15 2:14-15 2:29 3:2 3:9 3:9-12 3:13 3:19 3:19-20 3:23-26 3:24 3:25 3:25-26 3:26 3:28 3:30 3:31 3:31 4:4-8 4:5 4:5 4:10-11 4:11 4:11 4:11-12 4:15 4:25 4:25 5:1-2 5:9 5:12 5:12 5:12 5:12 5:12 5:14 5:17 5:17-18 5:20 6:3-5 6:4 6:12 6:12-13 6:14 6:16 6:17 6:17-18 6:18 6:19 6:19 7:1-3 7:7-9 7:13 7:14 7:22 7:25 8:1 8:1 8:1-2 8:2 8:3 8:3 8:7 8:7 8:7 8:9 8:11 8:15 8:15 8:15 8:17 8:17 8:19 8:23 8:26 8:28 8:29 8:29-30 8:30 8:30 8:32 8:32 8:34 8:34 8:38-39 9:5 9:11 9:11 9:11-12 9:11-12 9:11-13 9:15 9:17 9:18-21 9:21 9:22 9:22 9:23 9:24 9:33 11:33 11:33-36 12:1 12:5 12:7-8 12:8 13:1-4 14:11 16:19 16:27
1 Corinthians
1:10-11 2:5 2:12 2:14 2:14 3:5 4:1 4:2 4:7 4:7 4:15 4:15 4:17 5:5 5:7 6:20 7:14 7:23 8:6 9:9-13 10 10:1-3 10:2-4 10:3 10:4 10:9 10:17 11:1 11:3 11:22 11:23 11:23 11:23-24 11:23-25 11:24 11:24-25 11:24-26 11:25 11:25-26 11:26-29 11:27-29 11:29 12:3 12:12 12:12 12:12-13 12:13 12:27-28 12:28 12:28 12:28 13:12 15:3 15:16 15:27-28 15:55 15:57
2 Corinthians
1:1 1:24 3:3 3:5 3:5 5:15 5:17 5:19-20 5:20 5:20-21 5:21 5:21 5:21 7:1 7:9-11 7:10-11 8:23 10:4-5 10:4-6 10:4-6 11:2
Galatians
2:16 2:19-20 2:20 3 3 3:8 3:10 3:10 3:10-11 3:13 3:13 3:13 3:13 3:16 3:19 3:19 3:21 3:22 3:22 3:24 3:24 4 4:4 4:4 4:4 4:5 4:5 4:6 4:14 4:26-27 5 5:1 5:18 6:15 6:16
Ephesians
1:3 1:3 1:3-4 1:4 1:4 1:4-5 1:5 1:5 1:6 1:7 1:11 1:19 2:1 2:1 2:3 2:3 2:3 2:3 2:4 2:8 2:8-9 2:11-13 2:11-16 2:13 2:13-14 2:14-15 2:15-16 2:15-16 2:16 2:16 2:18-22 2:19-22 2:20-22 2:21 3:9-11 3:16-17 3:17 4:3-6 4:5 4:5-6 4:8-13 4:8-14 4:9 4:11 4:11-13 4:13 4:15 4:19 4:21-24 4:22-23 4:23-24 4:24 4:24 4:24 4:30 5:2 5:8 5:23 5:25 5:25-27 5:26 5:27 5:32 6:11-12
Philippians
1:2 1:6 1:19 1:29 1:29 2:2 2:6 2:6 2:7 2:8 2:8-10 2:9 2:9 2:9 2:9-10 2:10 2:10-11 3:3 3:12 3:17 4:18
Colossians
1:10 1:11-14 1:12-13 1:13 1:18 1:20 2:11 2:12 2:13-15 3:1-3 3:10 3:10 3:15
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
1:8-9 1:16 1:20 2:1-2 2:5 2:6 3:15 3:16 3:16 3:16 4:12 4:15-16 5:17 5:17-18 5:17-18 5:21 5:21 6:16 6:16 6:17
2 Timothy
1:9 1:9 1:9 2:11-12 2:15 2:19 2:19 2:19 2:19 2:25 3:16-17 3:16-17 4:1-5
Titus
1:1 1:13 1:15 2:7 2:12 2:12 2:12 2:13 2:14
Hebrews
1:1-3 1:2 1:2 1:2-3 1:3 1:3 1:3 1:8 1:10 1:11-12 2:7-9 2:9 2:9 2:10 2:10-17 2:11 2:14 2:14 2:14 2:14-15 2:14-15 2:15 2:15 2:17 2:18 3:1 3:2 3:6 3:6 4:2 4:2 4:12 4:13 4:16 4:16 5:5-6 5:7 7:17-18 7:19 7:24-25 7:25 7:25 7:25 8:10 8:10 8:10-12 8:10-12 8:10-12 8:13 9:13-14 9:14 9:14 9:16 9:24 9:24 9:26 9:28 10:5 10:5-10 10:9 10:19-21 10:21 11:6 11:6 11:6 11:13-14 11:16 11:26 11:40 12:1 12:2 12:4 12:14 12:14 12:22-23 12:22-24 13:16 13:17 13:17
James
1:17 1:18 1:18 2:8-10 2:19 5:4
1 Peter
1:18-19 1:19 1:19 1:23 2:4-7 2:8 2:9 2:13-15 2:16 2:21 2:24 3:8 3:18 5:7
2 Peter
1 John
1:1 1:1 1:1 1:3 1:6 1:7 1:7 1:8 2:1-2 2:1-2 2:20 3:1 3:4 3:5 3:22 5:6 5:7 5:7
Jude
Revelation
1:5-6 1:8 1:11 1:11 2:1-3 2:23 3:21 4:8 4:8-11 5:13 14:13 17:14 17:14 17:17 19:1 20:12-13 21:9 22:18-19 22:19-20