Quest. HOw did God make man?

Answ. After his own Image, Gen. 1.27.

Q What is the Image of God?

A. The Image of God is a resemblance of his holinesse and righteousnesse, and his other attributes created in man, Gen. 1.27. compared with Psal. 145.7. Exod. 34.6. Eccles. 7.29. Eph. 4.24. Col. 3.10.

Q. Did man continue in this Image?

A, No: Adam lost it for himself, and all us, in eating the forbidden fruit.

Q How came we to lose this image by his sin?

A. First, because Adam was a publike per­son, and we being in his loynes, his sin was im­puted to us, Rom. 5 12.19. and so we were all accounted sinners in his offence.

Secondly, the separation of the image of God, being the spirituall death, happened un­to all men by him; because all men were ac­counted sinners in him, Rom. 5 12.14.16,17,18.

Q. What followed up on the losse of this Image?

A. First, we are all born without this image.

Secondly, we are therefore born in sin, and conceived in iniquity, Psal. 51.5.

Because being born with power to think, speak, and do; and wanting this image, which should teach, or guide us to think, speak, and do aright, we must needs sin in all these.

Q. How many kindes of sin is there?

[Page] A. Two, Originall, and Actuall.

Q. What is Originall sin?

A. Originall sin is an inclination of the whole man to all evill, and that continually, Gen. 6.5.

Q. What is Actuall sin?

A. Actuall, is a breach of the Law of God, in thought, word or deed, 1 Io. 3.4. Pr. 24 9. Mat. 12

Q. How do we break the Law of God?

A. We break the Law of God, when we do those things which God hath forbidden, and leave undone those things which God hath commanded, Rom. 7.19.

Q. What are the wages of sin?

A. The wages of sin is eternal death, Ro. 6.23.

Q. Is there no way to avoid this death?

A. There is no way for a sinner to escape e­ternall death, but only by Iesus Christ, Act. 4.12.

Q. What hath Christ suffered for us?

A. First, Iesus Christ hath born our sins, 1 Pet. 2.24. Heb. 9.28. 2 Cor. 5.21. Secondly, he hath suffered the wrath of God due to us for sin, 1 Pet. 3.18. 1 Cor. 15.3.

Q. What hath Christ done for us.

A. First, he hath fulfilled the Law, which we ought to have kept, Mat. 5.17,18. Rom. 10.5. Secondly, he hath merited a Crown of righte­ousnesse by fulfilling that Law, Phil. 2.9. Heb. 2.9. Heb. 12.2.

Q. What benefit have we by his sufferings!

A. He will not impute those fins to us which [Page]he hath born, 2 Cor. 5.19. Nor lay that wrath upon us, which he hath suffered, Rom. 5.9. 1 Thes. 1.10.

Q. What benefit have we by his doings?

A. First, God will impute his righteousenesse to us in fulfilling the Law, Rom. 5.10. Rom. 10.5. Secondly, he will give us his Crown of glory, which his Son hath merited by his righteous­nesse, Joh. 17.22. Col. 3.4. Heb. 9.24. Ioh. 1.32.

Q. What be the main priviledges we have by Christ?

A. First, we are justified freely by his grace, Act. 13.39. Rom. 3.24. Secondly, we are sancti­fied by his spirit, 1 Thes. 5.23. And the image we lost in Adam, is restored in Iesus Christ, Rom. 8.28. 1 Cor. 15.49. Thirdly, we are adop­ted and made the sons of God, 1 Ioh. 1.12. Gal. 3.26. Fourthly, all the promises be made, Yea, and Amen, to us in Christ, 2 Cor. 1.20. Heb. 9.15.

Q. Can any man live without sin?

A. No: For the most righteous man that is, sins in many things, Iam. 3.2. Eccles. 7.20. 1 King. 8.46.

Q. What must we do to avoid the danger of sin?

A. First, when we have committed any sins, we must confesse them to God, Ier. 3.13. Se­condly, we must judge our selves for them. Thirdly, we must mourn and repent of them, Iam. 4.9. Mat. 3.2. Fourthly, we must humble our selves before God for them, Iames 4.10 [Page]Fiftly, we must resolve and endeavour to leave them, Isa. 1.16. 1 Pet. 2.11. Sixthly, We must fight against them, and labour to mor­tifie them, 1 Tim. 6.12. Col. 3.5. Seventhly, we must pray to God to forgive them, and give us power against them, for Iesus Christ his sake, Hos. 14.2. Rom. 6.14. Lastly, we must labour to hate and abhorre them, Pro. 8.13. Psal. 97.10. Psal. 119.104. Pro. 13.5.

Q What will the Lord do for a sinner that takes this course?

A. First, if we confesse our sins, he hath pro­mised to shew mercy, and to forgive them, Pro. 28.13. 1 Ioh. 1.9. Secondly, if we judge our selves for our sins, he hath said, we shal not be judged, 1 Cor. 11.31. Thirdly, if we mourn, we shall be comforted, Mat. 5.4. Isa. 61.3. Ezech. 9.4. If we repent, iniquity shall not be our ruine, Ezech. 18.30. Fourthly, if we humble our selves before God, he will save us, Iob 22.29. He will uphold us, Pro. 29.23. He will give us more grace, 1 Pet. 5.5. Iam. 4.6. Pro. 3.34. And he will dwell with us, Isa. 57 15. Fiftly, if we forsake, and turn from our sins, they shall not be our ruine, Ezech. 18.30. The Lord will pardon them, Isa. 55.7. a­bundantly, so as they shall not be mentioned, and we shall save our soules alive, Ezech. 18.21,22.27,28. Sixtly, if we fight the good fight, we shall have a crown of righteousnes, 2 Tim. 4.7,8. Seventhly, if we humbly pray for pardon, and [Page]power against sin, he will forgive our sins, and heal our souls, 2 Chro. 7.14. Psal. 10.17.

Q. What else doth the Lord require?

A. Faith, Joh. 14.1. 1 Ioh. 3.23.

Q. How many sorts of faith be there?

A. Three: Historicall faith, justifying faith, and faith of Assurance.

Q. What is historicall faith?

A. Historicall faith is a grace of God, wher­by we beleeve what ever is written in the Book of God to be true, 1 Cor. 12.3. Ioh. 3.33. Ioh. 5.46.

Q. What is justifying faith?

A. Iustifying faith is a grace of God, where­by I rest upon God in Iesus Christ, to make good all his promises unto me, Isa. 26.3. Ioh. 1.12. Isa. 50.10. Iob 13.15.

Q. Explaine this by an Example?

A. God saith, if we confesse our sins, he will forgive, I have confessed my sin to God (saith the beleever) and now I will rest upon God to forgive and pardon.

Q. What is faith of assurance?

A. Faith of assurance is a grace of God, whereby I am fully perswaded, that God in Christ wil make good all his promises unto me, 1 Ioh. 5.10. Eph. 1.13. 2 Tim. 1.12. Ro. 8.38. Ro. 4.21.

Q. What will the Lord do for a true Beleever?

A. He that hath true faith shall not perish, but have everlasting life, Ioh. 3.16. Hab. 2.1. Ioh. 11.26. 1 Pet. 1.9.

[Page]Q. What else doth the Lord require?

A. The Lord requires that we should obey all his commands, with all our whole might, and that continually, Deut. 10.12. Deut. 11.13. 1 Cor. 6.30. Luke 1.6. Ioh. 8.29. Psal. 119.6.112. Mat. 28.20. Deut. 12.32.

Q. What if we come short in this?

A. If there be first a willing minde, God will accept according to that a man hath, 2 Cor. 8.12. To him that hath shall be given: God will give more grace, Mar. 4.24. Mat. 13.12.

Q. How shall we know true faith?

A. First, by cleaving unto God when he hides his face from us, Isa. 8.17. Iob 13.15. Hab. 3.17,18. Rom. 4.18.

Secondly, by readinesse to yeeld obedience to the Law of faith, Iam. 2.17.18.26.

Thirdly, by purifying the heart, Act. 15.9. 1 Ioh. 3.3.

Fourthly, by love to God and his Saints, Gal. 5.6.

Q. How many Commandements be there?

A. Ten: which were at the first delivered by God, Exod. 20.

Q. Which be they?

A. I am the Lord, &c.

Q. Is there any other commands?

A. There be many other commands, where­by God forbiddeth us some things, and com­mands us to do other things, according to his [Page]own good pleasure, Mar. 28.20.

Q. What is a Sacrament?

A. An outward visible sign, and seal appoin­ted by God to represent, and confirme a spiri­tuall Grace.

Q. How many Sacraments be there?

A. Two, Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord.

Q. What is the outward sign in Baptisme?

A. Water, wherewith, or wherein the party baptized is to be sprinkled or dipped in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Mat. 28,19. Mar. 16.16.

Q. What is the inward grace signified, and sea­led to us by Baptisme?

A. First, by this we are made visible Mem­bers of the visible Church of Christ, 1 Cor. 12.13. Act. 2.41.

Secondly, To them that beleeve it signifies, and seals their reall and firme union to Iesus Christ, Rom. 6.3. Gal. 3.27. Eph. 4.5.

Thirdly, It signifies, and seals the Spirituall washing of our souls from the guilt of sin. Act. 2.38. Rom. 4.11. and the imputation of Christs righteousnesse.

Fourthly, it signifies and seals the washing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, 1 Pet. 3.21. Tit. 3.5. Acts 13.24. Mat. 3.11. Mar. 1.8. Luk. 3.16.

Q. Are all that are Baptized thus washed?

A. No: The grace of God is not tied alwaies [Page]to the outward signe: Those that are not e­lected have nothing sealed to them, Simon Ma­gus had the outward Signe, but was not washed with the inward grace, Act. 8.13.23.

Q. Who be so washed?

A. Those that believe and repent, Mar. 16.16. Acts 2.38.

Q. What shall we think of those that are bap­tized?

A. As all that believe are inwardly washed by the Spirit, so those that are elected have right to be washed in time. But because we can­not infallibly judge who be elected, and do be­lieve, we cannot certainly know, who be wa­shed in Baptisme by the Spirit, 1 Cor. 2.11.

Q. Who is then to be admitted to the Sacra­ment of Baptisme?

A. Those are to be Baptized that professe their Faith, repentance and obedience to the Gospel of Iesus Christ, and their children, Mat. 3.6. Act. 8.13.38. Act. 2.41.

Q. How do you prove that the Infants of Be­leevers are to be Baptized?

A. First, because all Saints have right to Baptisme, and children of believing Parents are esteemed Saints, 2 Cor. 7.14.

Secondly, because children are capable of the inward grace, else they cannot be saved, 3 Ioh. 3 36. Heb. 12.14.

Q. How prove you by the Word of God that [Page]they may have the inward Grace?

A. God promises to circumcise their heart, Deu. 30.6. Our Saviour saith, that of such is the Kingdom of Heaven, Mat. 10 14. And Peter saith, that the Promise belongeth to them, Act. 2.39.

Q. What Promise is that?

A. In the verse before, the promise made to those that are baptized, is the remission of sins, and the gift of the holy Ghost, Act. 2.38.

Q. What is the third Reason, why children are to be baptized?

A. God appointed children to be circumci­sed, Gen. 17.12. And Baptisme is a seale of the same Covenant of Grace, Rom. 4.11. Act. 2.38.17. Gen. 11.

Q. What is the fourth reason?

A. If children may not be baptized, the Law was more glorious, and full of Grace then the Gospel; and the children of the Jews more happy before Christ, then the children of Chri­stians under Christ; but the Scripture teaches the contrary, 2 Cor. 3.8 9.

Q. What is the fifth reason?

A. All were baptized in the Red Sea, 1 Cor. 10.2. And we read that whole houses and fa­milies were baptized in the Apostles time, Act. 16.15.33. 1 Cor. 1.16.

Q. What do you gather from that?

A. Because no man can say, there were no [Page]children in those families, or that the children were not baptized; therefore we conceive there was some children baptized, and we ought not to deny Baptisme to children.

Q What other reason have you?

A. Mat. 28.19 Christ commanded his A­postles to Baptize all Nations. As God had for­merly commanded to circumcise all Iews, and if children had not been to have been baptized our Saviour would have excepted them in that command.

Q. How many signes and significant actions are there in the Lords Supper, and what do they signifie,

A. There be six: First, the Materials, bread and wine, which signifie the body and blood of Christ, Mat. 26.26.28.

Secondly, the setting these signes apart for this holy use, which signifie how Christ was set apart from eternity for the work of our re­demption, Rev. 13.8. Ioh. 10.36.

Thirdly, the Blessing, the signes, which puts us in minde how Christ Iesus blessed the bread and the wine, in the first institution for this ho­ly Sacrament; Mat. 26.26. 1 Cor. 11.24.

And how the Father blessed Christ in his do­ings, Offices, and sufferings to finish the work of our Redemption, Mat, 1.20. Rom. 3.29.

Fourthly, the breaking of the Bread, and powring forth of the Wine, shew how his bo­dy [Page]was broken, his blood shed, and his soule made an offering for our sins.

Fifthly, the giving of the bread and wine, is a token that God offers to the faithfull; re­ceive Christ Iesus, and the benefit of all that he did and suffered, of all his offices, merits and promises, of which gift these signes are a pledge, 1 Cor. 10.16.

Lastly, as we take and eat the bread and drink the wine for the nourishment of our bo­dies, so ought we to take, and eat the body and blood of Christ by Faith, for the nourishment of our souls, Ioh. 53,54,55,56.63. 1 Cor. 10.17.8.

Q. What is it to take Christ by Faith in the Sacrament?

A. To rest upon God in Christ, to make good unto us, or give us the benefit of the doings, sufferings, offices, merits, and promises of Christ, and to receive this Sacrament as a pledge, signe and seale of the Lords engagement, and inten­tion to do the same, Isa. 26.3. Isa. 50.10.

Q. Do all receive Christ in this Sacrament?

A. No: Only such as come rightly prepared.

Q. How must we prepare our selves?

A. First, with knowledge of the doings, suf­ferings, offices, and merits, Laws, promises and Sacraments of Christ, which is called discer­ning the Lords body, 1 Cor. 11.29.

Secondly, by due examination of our thoughts, words and actions according to his Laws, and [Page]taking that course which hath been taught to avoid the danger of sin, 1 Cor. 11.28.

Thirdly, with true Faith: First, in God the Father, to commit our souls to him in his son, in his promises, cōmands & Sacraments, as a saith­full Creator, 2 Pet. 4.19 Isa. 58.9 1 Thes. 24.26. Secondly, with Faith in Christ, relie upon his doings, sufferings, offices, and merits, to blot our sins, and free us from wrath, to make us righteous, and give us a Crown of glory, Heb. 8.12. 1 Thes. 1.10. Rom. 3.20,21. 1 Cor. 1.30. Phil. 3.9. Ioh. 17.22. Tim. 2.48.

Q. What is the act of Faith, required in the offices of Christ.

A. First, we must rest upon him as our King, Isa. 62.11. Zach. 9.9. Mat. 2.5. Mat. 25.34.

To rule us by the Law of righteousnesse, Heb. 1.8.

To confirme the charter of the promises, 2 Cor. 1.20. Heb. 9.15. Rom. 15.8.

To subdue all our enemies, 1 Cor. 15.25.26.

To protect us in all our adversities, 1 Cor. 15.57. 1 Pet. 1.5. 1 Cor. 10.13. Heb. 13.5 6. Isa. 46.4.

Secondly, we must rest upon him as a Priest, Hebrews 6.20. To have offered a sufficient Sacrifice to satisfie for our sins, 1 Ioh. 2.2. To be our Advocate, 1 Ioh. 2.1. And to plead for the Pardon of those sins we confesse, judge, and humble our selves for, by mouring, repentance, and turning from them. [Page]And to intercede for us, Heb. 7.25. Rom. 8.34. Rev. 8.3. And offer up our prayers to his father: Lastly, we must rest upon him as a Prophet, Deut. 18.18. Act. 3.22. Not only to it struct us by his Word, and Ministers, Act. 26.18.4. Eph. 11. But also by the unutrerable working of his Spirit in heavenly motions, Ioh. 16.13. Isa. 44.3 Joh. 5.20. Act. 3.26. Eph. 1.17,18.

And by giving us new understandings, wills rectified, affections to receive those motions; And to create in our soules the image of his heavenly graces, Ioh. 1.16. Rom. 8.29. Luk. 24.45

Q. What else is desire to come prepared?

A. To come with reverence to that glorious Majestly there present, of that holy Ordinance there celebrated & that invaluable grace there offered, Psa. 89.7. Mat. 21.37. Lev. 19.30. Lev. 26.2. Heb. 12.28.

Q. What else is required to come prepared?

A. If in this Sacrament God scale the Par­don of our sins, deliverance from wrath, and the firme union of his love: It is fitting we should forgive others, lay down thoughts of wrath and revenge, and come together with bowels of compassion and love.

Q. How prove you that?

A. God requires these things at all times; how much more will he require, we should come cloathed with these graces to his table, Mat. 6.14,15. 2 Cor. 2.7,8. Ia. 2.8. Rom. 12.9,10. [Page]14.18 20. Rom. 13 8. Coll. 3.12. 1 Ioh. 3.23.

Q. What is the danger for a man to come un­prepared?

A. He may eat and drink unworthily, and so eat and drinke his own damnation, 1 Cor. 11.29. After unprepared Iudas eat the sop, Satan entred into him, Ioh. 13.27. He that came to the Lords Table wanting a Wedding Garment, was bound hand and foot, and cast into utter dark­nesse, Mat. 22.12.