The Handmaid to Private Devotion, Part 1
PARS PRIMA: THE SVMME of sauing Knowledge.
SECT. Prim. DOMIN. Prim. Of Catechisme; the parts, and proper ends thereof.
Q. WHAT is Catechisme?
A. The summe of Christian religion reuealed by God, in holy Scriptures, for mans perfect instruction in the mysteries of eternall saluation.
Q. What doth Christian Doctrine containe in it?
A. The true knowledge, and worship of God in Christ.
Q. Where finde you the summe of this Doctrine?
A.
1. In the Decalogue, written by God the Father.
2. In the Lords Prayer, conceiued by God the Son.
3. In the Créed, set down by the Apostles inspired by the holy-Ghost.
Q. What containeth the Decalogue?
A. All duties to bée performed by vsus to God, and our neighbours.
Q. What containeth the Lords Prayer?
A. All benefits to be desired of God.
Q. What containeth the Creed?
A. All things the …are to be belieued concerning God, and his Church.
Q. What is the vse and proper end of Catechisme?
A. To instruct the ignorant and confirme the learned in the principles of Religion; and prepare both to the profitable vse of the speciall meanes of their saluation, which are
Hearing the Word preached.
Receiuing the Sacraments.
Publique and priuate
Prayer
SECT. 2. DOMIN. 2. Of blessednesse, and the meanes of obtaining it.
Q. What are the chiefest things to bee desired of all men?
A. Gods fauour, blessings, and grace in this present life, and eternall blessednesse in the vision, and fruition of him in the life to come.
Q. How may wee attaine hereunto?
A. By true Religion, or godlinesse; which hath the promise of this life, and the life to come.
Q. What is godlinesse?
A. The true worship, and seruice of the true God.
Q. Where is this true God's worship, and seruice to bee learned, and knowne, and how?
A. Obscurely, and imperfectly it may be learned in the booke of the creatures, by the light of nature: but cleerely, and perfectly by the light of the Spirit in the Canonicall bookes of the old and new Testament.
SECT. 3. DOMIN. 3. Of Religion, and the parts thereof.
Q. What do the Scriptures teach in general, concerning the true God, and his worship?
A. That we ought to know, and acknowledge the true God his
Nature
Attributes
Workes
as farre forth as God hath made himself knowne to vsus.
2. That we ought to know, and acknowledge Iesus Christ (the Mediator betwéene God, and man) his
Person.
State.
Office.
3 That wee ought to worship God in Christ, and serue him both Immediately, by religiously adoring him, and performing all such holy rites vntounto him as hée requireth in the first Table. Mediately, by readily obeying him, and performing all such duties to our selues, and our neighbours as hee requireth in the second Table.
SECT. 4. DOMIN. 4. Of the Nature of God.
Q. What do the Scriptures teach concerning the nature of God?
A. That he is One, true, eternall, simple, all-sufficient, immutable, infinite, incomprehensible spirit; hauing being of himselfe; distinguished into thrée persons of the same nature, dignitie, and power.
The Father begetting.
The Sonne begotten.
The holy-Ghost procéeding from them both.
SECT. 5. DOMIN. 5. Of the principle attributes of God.
Q. What doe the Scriptures teach concerning the attributes of God?
A. That he is a liuing, blessed, and glorious God; the great, high, and mighty Lord, and possessor of heauen and earth, and our most gracious and louing Father, most holy, wise, iust, faithfull, and good.
SECT. 6. DOMIN. 6. Of the workes of God in generall.
Q. What do the Scriptures teach concerning the workes of God?
A. That he decreeth, and executeth al things for his glory, according to the counsell of his own will; powerfully working all the good of nature, and grace in all things, and wisely disposing of al the euil, both of sinne and punishment.
SECT. 7. DOMIN. 7. Of God's Decrees.
Q. What decrees of God are registred in holy Scriptures for our instruction, and comfort?
A. Two Especially
1. His decrée of creation of all things.
2. His decree of prouidence ouer all, which is two-fold,
1. Generall, concerning the present state of all things in this world.
2. Speciall, concerning the eternall state of Angels, and men in the world to come.
Q. What is this speciall decree properly called?
A. Predestination.
Q. What are the parts of it?
A. Two
Election
Reprobation, or reiection.
Q. What is Election?
A. Gods eternall counsell, and purpose of chusing certaine Angels, and men, and bringing them to euerlasting happinesse, for the declaration of his infinite merciemercy.
Q. What is Reprobation?
A. Gods eternall counsell, and purpose of reiecting others, and reseruing them to euerlasting miserie, and torments, for the manifestation of his iustice.
SECT. 8. DOMIN. 8. Of the Creation.
Q. What learne you out of Scripture, concerning the execution of Gods decree of Creation?
A. That in sixe dayes, he made all things visible, and inuisible, of nothing, by his word, to the glory of his infinite power.
SECT. 9. DOMIN. 9. Of Gods generall Prouidence.
Q. What learne you concerning the execution of God his decree of generall Prouidence?
A. That he preserueth al things in their state, and kinde; and gouerneth them after an excellent manner, to the glory of his manifold wisedome, and goodnesse.
SECT. 10. DOMIN. 10. Of the Predestination of Angels.
Q. What is reuealed in Scripture, concerning the execution of Gods decree of Predestination; and first of Angels?
A. That hee suffered the reprobate Angels voluntarily, without any temptation, to fall into the vnpardonable sinne of Apostasie; and that hee reserueth them in chaines of darknes, ti… the iudgement of the great day. But contrarilie, that hee hath confirmed the Elect Angels in their holy, and blessed estate.
SECT. 11. DOMIN. 11. Of the Predestination of men.
Q. What is reuealed in Scripture concerning the Predestination of men?
A. That hee gaue all men in Adam and Eue a Lawe, and free will to kéepe it, or breake it: and after they abused their frée will, and brake that Lawe, and thereby brought a curse vponupon them, and all their posterit: y that of his mercy & grace, he chose & chooseth some out of the estate of misery, and corruption; maketh them his sonnes by adoption, calleth them to the knowledge of the truth, regenerateth them by his spirit, iustifieth them by faith, and in the end crowneth them with euerlasting glory. Others he left and leaueth in the state of misery and corruption, offereth them some outward meanes which make them vnexcusable, & for their refusall, or abuse of them hardeneth them, casting them into a reprobate sence; and in the end after many iudgements, and Plagues in this life, condemneth them to euerlasting torments in hell.