Catechetical Exposition of Christian Doctrine, Catechism 3
THE THIRD CATECHISME TOVCHING the ten Commandements.
§. 1.
Question. VVHat doth the Law of God teach vsus?
A. dLuk. 18. 18, 20.What we ought to doe.
Q. How many commandements be there in Gods Law?
A. eEx. 34. 28Tenne.
Q. Into how many parts be they diuided?Deu 4. 13. & 100 4.
A. fEx. 31. 18,Into two,Deut 10. … 3▪ accordingly as they were written in 2. Tables.
Q. How many commandements are there in the first Table?
A. gEph. 2. 2.Foure.Mat. 22. …
Q. How many in the second?
A. hMat. 19. 19.Sixe.
Q. What is contained in the foure first?
A. Luk, 10. 27.Our duty towards God.
Q. What is contained in the sixe last?
A. kMar. 12. 31.Our duty towards our neighbor.
Q. Repeat the first commandement?
A. Thou shalt hauehave no other Gods but me.
Q. How many duties are contained in this commandement?
A. Thrée.
Q. What is the first?
A. lDeu. 6. ….To louelove God.
Q. What is the second?
A. mDeut. 6. 21. 13.To feare God.
Q. What is the third?
A. nPs. 37. 5.To put our trust in God.Ier. 17. 5.Iob. 13. 15.
Q. How many things are forbidden?
A. Thrée things contrary.
Q. What is the first?
A. o1. Ioh. 2. 15.To louelove the world.
Q. What is the second?
A. pIs. 51. 12.To feare the world.Ier. 10. 2.
Q. What is the third?
A. qPro. 28. 26.To put our trust in the world.Ps. 146. …. & 20. 7.
Q. How doe you prooue that these latter three, are contrary to the first three?
A. Because the louelove of the world is contrary to the louelove of God. 1. Ioh. 2. 15. rIs. 51. 12 13.Therefore the feare of the world,Is. 8. 12, 13. is contrary to the feare of God: And to sPs. 118. 9. Ier. 17. 5. 7put our trust in the world is contrary to our putting of our trust in God.
Q. Ought we not to louelove one another; especially inferiours to louelove and feare their superiours?
A. tMat. 5. 43, 44.Yes: but foruMat. 2…. 39, 40. Gods sake: but God is to be loued and feared for his owne sake.
Q. What is the second Commandement?
A. Thou shalt not make to thy selfe, &c.
Q. What is forbidden in this Commandement, in one word?
A. xPs. 106. 28, 29. 38. 39.Will-worship.Num. 15. 39.Hos. 13. 2.
Q. What is Will-worship?
A. To worship God after our owne wits and wills.
Q. What is commanded?
A. yPs. 119. 113.To worship God according to his word.Is 50. 10. & 8. 20.
So parents looke to be serued of their children, not by doing that which they thinke will please their parēts; but by doing what their parents command thē: so masters look to be serued by their seruāts, so Princes looke to be serued of their subiects. Yet the child is made after the image of God, as well as the father: the seruants as wel as the master: the subiects as well as the Prince; and therefore are able to vnderstand of themselues what is fit to please their parents, their maisters, their Princes: But none of vsus is of himselfe able to conceiue what is pleasing to God: For my wayes, are not your wayes: neither are my thoughts your thoughts, saith the Lord: but as high as the heauens are aboue the earth; so are my wayes aboue your wayes, and my thoughts aboue your thoughts, saith the Lord. Isa. 55. 8, 9.
Q. What is that worship of God which he hath commanded vsus in his word?
A. It is of a different nature, according vntounto different times; vnderunder the olde Testament, and vnderunder the New.
Q. What was the worship that God commanded in the time of the old Testament?
A. It consisted in varietie of ceremonies, both touchingzEz. 25. 26, 27. the place of his worship, the temple in Ierusalem: andaEx. 28. touching the persons that performed it, which were the Priests. And last of all,bLeu. 1. 2 3, 4. touching the actions performed by them in varietie of sacrifices.
Q. What was chiefly meant hereby?
A. ThecIoh. 1. 29 Heb. 10. 4. 16. crucifying of Christ Iesus, together with all the graces and benefits which the Church of God doth enioy through the death and passion of Christ Iesus.
Q. What be those benefits which we enioy by Christ?
A. They are in number three.
Q. What is the first?
A. dLeu. 4▪ 20Our attonement and reconcilement with God, which consists in the forgiuenesse of our sinnes?
Q. What is the second?
A. TheeEzek. 20. 12. Heb. 10. 2. sanctification or purification of our natures.
Q. What is the third?
A. ThefDeut. 33. 29. saluation of our soules.
Q. What is the worship of God prescribed in Gods word, in the dayes of the new Testament?
A. That which for the most part is meerely morall and perpetuall.
Q. How many parts be there of it?
A. Three.
Q. What is the first?
A. ThegEsd. 7. 4. 7. 18. ministry of the word in the preaching and hearing of it.Luk. 4 16. 17, 18.Act. 13. 15Eph. 4. 11, 12.
Q. What is the second?2. Tim. 2. 15.
A. Theh1. Tim. 2. 1. exercise of prayer.Mat. 21. 13Act. 2. 42.Ib. 3. 1.Ib. 6. 4.
Q. What is the third?
A. TheiAct, 2. 42. 20. 7. administration, and participation of the Sacraments.
Q. What is forbidden?
A. The contraries vntounto these.
Q. What is contrary to the ministery of the word?
A. Two things.
Q. What is the first?
A. ThekLuk. 7. 30. contempt of it.
Q. Wherein doth this consist?
A. In two things: to wit, thelAct. 13. 46. disuse thereof, or the vse thereof in anmLuk. 8. 11, 12. &c. vnconscionable manner.Ier. 12. 21.Ezek. 33. 32.
Q. What is the second?
A. ThenIsa. 1. 1…. bringing in of a worship besides or contrary to the word of God.Ier. 14. 5.1 Kin. 12. 33.
Q. GiueGive some example… hereof?
A. oHeb. 7. 23. 27. & 9. 12. 14. 22. 25. 26. 28. & 10. 12. 14As the sacrifice of the Masse amongst Papists.
Q. What els?
A. ThepEx, 20, 4. making of images to superstitious endes, theqNum. 33 12 1 Kin. 18. 4 placing of them in Churches, &r…x. 10. 5. Reu. 9. 20. worshipping of them.
A. What else?
A. ThesIud. 9. worshipping of Reliques.Gen. 50. 25.
Q. What els?Ex. 13. 14.Iosh. 24. 32.
A. ThetRom. 14. 17. consecrating of oyle, creame, salt, &c.
Q. What is contrary vntounto prayer?
A. Two things.
Q. What is the first?
A. TheuPs. 14. 4. neglect, or disuse of prayer.
Q. What is the second?
A. An vnlawfull vse of prayer.
Q. Wherein doth this consist?
A. In two things.
Q. What is the first?
A. InxPs. 16. 4. praying without a right faith.
Q. Wherein doth that consist?
A. InyPhil. 4. 6. praying vntounto any other saue vntounto God: In praying inzIoh. 15. 24. any other name then in Iesus Christ.Heb. 13. 15
Q. Doe Papists transgresse in this?
A. Yea.1 Ioh. 2. 1.
Q. How many wayes?1 Tim. 2. 5
A. In praying vntounto Saints,Reu. 8. 3. in praying vntounto Angels, in praying vntounto Images.
Q. What is the second?
A. In praying without right affections.
Q. How many wayes is that committed?
A. Two wayes.
Q. As how?
A. In praying superstitiously, or in praying profanely.
Q. How superstitiously?
A. z1 Cor. 14In praying in a tongue they vnderstand not, as Papists.
Q. How profanely?
A. aIer. 12. 2.In praying without due reuerence, and deuotion.
Q. What is contrary to the right administration of the Sacraments?
A. Two things.
Q. What is the first?
A. ThebMat. 1. 7. contempt of Gods institution.
Q. How is that committed?
A. Two wayes.
Q. What is the first?
A. cEx. 12. 3 24.By not comming to the Lords Table.2. Chron. 30. 10.
Q. What is the second?Luk. 22. 19.
A. Byd1. Cor. 11. 27. receiuing it vnworthily, when we doe come.
Q. What is the second way in generall?
A. ByeMat. 15. … bringing in our owne institutions, as the Papists hauehave brought in fiue Sacraments more.
Q. What is the third commandement?
A. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine, &c.
This is both a bidding and a forbidding Commandement.
Q. What is commanded in this commandement?
A. To take Gods name.
Q. What is forbidden?
A. To take it in vaine.
Q. VnderUnder this generall duty of taking Gods name, How many duties are commanded in speciall?
A. Two.
Q. What is the first?
A. fPs. 30. 1….To pray vntounto him.
Q. What is the second?
A. gDeut. 6. 13.To sweare by him,& 10. 20.
Q. Iosh. 23. 7.What is the difference betweene prayer commanded in the second commandement:Is. 65. 16. And prayer commanded in this third commandement?Ier. 5. 7.
A. Am. 8. 14.Solemne prayer is commanded in the second:Zeph 1. 5. briefe eiaculations vponupon occasion, in the course of our common affaires, is commanded here.
Q. How many things in speciall are forbidden, vnderunder the generall of taking Gods name in vaine?
A. Two.
Q. What is the first?
A. To pray in vaine.
Q. What is the second?
A. To sweare in vaine.
Q. What is it to pray in vaine?
A. TohIer. 12. 2. pray with our lips, when our hearts are farre from him.
Q. How many wayes may we sweare in vaine?
A. Thrée wayes.
Q. What is the first?
A. iIer 5. 2 …eu. 1…. 12By swearing falsly. For kIer 4 2.Ieremie saith, Thou shalt sweare in truth.
Q. What is the second?
A. By swearinglIosh. 9. 14, 15. Leu. 5. 4. 5 rashly: formIer. 4. …. Ieremie saith, Thou shalt sweare in iudgement.
Q. What is it to sweare rashly?
A. To sweare without iust cause.
Q. How many iust causes be there of an oath?
A. Two.
Q. What is the first?
A. When thenEx. …, 8. magistrate putteth vsus to it.
Q. What is the second?
A. WhenoGen 21▪ 24. & 31. 53. voluntarily we take it,Ps. …5. 4. to end strife among our neighbours.
Q. What is the third?
A. Byp1. Kin. 10. 2. 1. Kin 6. 31. swearing wickedly. For qIer 4. 2.Ieremie saith, Thou shalt sweare in righteousnesse.
Q. What is it to sweare wickedly?
A. Toras befor… bind our selues with an …ath, or to vow some wicked thing.
As the Iewes;sAct 23 23. 12. Forty of them bound themselues with a vow, that they would neither eate nor drinke till they had killed Paul. Such oaths are better broken then kept: all the sinne is in the making of them; for how contradictious is it, to desire that God would be reuenged on vsus, if we doe not dishonour him.
Q. How many wayes els may we transgresse this commandement?
A. Three wayes.
Q. What is the first?
A. By taking Gods Word in vaine.
Q. What is the second?
A. By taking Gods Sacraments in vaine.
Q. What is the third?
A. By taking his workes in vaine.
Q. What are these works of God which we may take in vaine?
A. Workes of mercy, and workes of iudgement.
Q. How are Gods workes of mercy taken in vaine.
A. WhentIsa. 1. 3. Ier. 2 6. 31, 32. we are not thereby prouoked vntounto thankfulnesse, and obedience.
Q. How are Gods workes of iudgement taken in vaine?
A. WhenuIer. 2. 30 Isa. 1. 5. we are not thereby stirred vp vntounto repentance.
Q. What is the next commandement?
A. Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabboth day, &c.
Q. What is commanded in this?
A. To keepe it holy.
Q. What is forbidden?
A. To profane it.
Q. What is it to keepe it holy?
A. To performe the duties of the day.
Q. Of how many sorts are the duties of the day?
A. Of two sorts, Publike and priuate.
Q. What are the publike duties?
A. ToxAct. 13. 14. Luk 4. 16. come to Church to heare the word of GodyAct. 13. 27. read, andzAct. 13. 15. Luk. 4. 21. preached; toaAct. 46. 13. pray; tob1. Cor. 14. 26. sins psalmes, tocAct. 20▪ 7 receiue the Sacraments. In few words, the exercise of the Word, and Prayer.
Q. What are the priuate 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 publike.
Q. What are the proper exercises in priuate?
A. Conference and meditation.
§. 2.
Q. What is the first commandement of the second Table?
A. Honour thy father and thy mother.
Q. What is the dutie commanded in this commandement?
A. The duty that we owe to eueryevery one in respect of his place in the Common-wealth.
Q. How many sorts of men are meant by father and mother.
A. Thrée sorts.
Q. Who are they?
A. First naturall parents.
Q.*Mal. 1. 6. Leu. 19. 2, Children must honour them. And who els?
A. Masters.
Q. d1 Tim. 6. 1.Seruants must honour them. And who els?
A. Princes, and Magistrates.
Q. e1. Pet. 2. 17.Subiects must honour them. What is meant by honour?
A. fEph. 6. 1. ….Obedience.1 Pet. 2. 18
Q. Must they obey them in all things?… Pet. 2. 13
A. gAct. 5. 29No.…. 6. 16.
Q. In what then?Luk. 14 26
A. hCol. …. 22.In things indifferent.
Q. What are things indifferent?
A. Such things as God hath neither commanded nor forbidden.
Q. How many things are commanded in this commandement?
A. Thrée things.
Q. What is the first?
A. Theh1. Pet. 2. …3 duty of inferiours to the…r superiours.Rom. 13. 1
Q. This is expressed. What els?
A. TheiCol. 4. 1. Eph. 6. 9. 4 duty of superiours to their inferiours, as of parents to their children: masters to their seruants; Princes to their subiects.
Q. This is implyed by the rule of relatiues. What els?
A. The duties that equalls ought to performe one to another among themselues; as to respect one another; to be kEph 4. 32.courteous one to another; & tolPet. 2. 17▪ Rom. 12. 10. honour one another: for all their duties can be referred to no other commandement, then to this.
Q. What is the sanction of this commandement?
A. That thy dayes may be long in the land, which the Lord thy God giueth thee.
Q. What is promised in this?
A. Long life.
Q. HaueHave all the children of God length of life?
A. They hauehave, two manner of wayes.
Q. What is the first?
A. mPro. 3. 16.They hauehave the blessing of long life in this world,Eccl. 8. 12. like as they hauehave the blessing of health euen in sicknes; and the blessing of wealth euen in pouertie; sonRom. 8. 28. farreforth as all states and conditions worke for their good.
Q. What is the second?
A. The sooner they die here, the sooner they enter vponupon life in the kingdome of heauen: so that the shorter it is here, the longer it is there.
Q. Indeed the land of Canaan was a figure of heauen: But hauehave not the wicked long life sometimes?
A. oIs. …. 20.Yes, in this world; but it is a cursed, not a blessed life vntounto them: And it is but a life in sinne; which the Scripture accounteth death rather then life.
Q. What is the next commandement?
A. Thou shalt doe no murther.
Q. What is forbidden in this commandement?
A. pPro. 12. 10.Unmercifulnesse, or cruelty.
Q. What is commanded?
A. qMal. 5. 7.Mercy, and all the workes thereof.
Q. The workes of mercy; of how may sorts are they?
A. Of two sorts.
Q. What are they?
A. Either concerningrLuk. 10. 37. the body,Iam. 3. 17. or concerning thesIud. 22. soule.
Q. What are workes of mercy concerning the body?
A. TotMat. 25. 35. féed the hungry; so refresh the thirsty; to cloath the naked; to succour them that are harbourlesse, to visit the sicke, &c.
Q. What are workes of mercy concerning the soule?
A. To instruct, to exhort in righteousnesse; to desire and labour the good anduMat, 9, 36. Luk. 1. 77. saluation of mens soules.
Q. Which of these two sorts are the worthiest workes?
A. Workes of mercy conce…ing xMat. 16. 26.the soule.
Q. How many wayes may this commandement be transgressed?
A. Two wayes in generall.
Q. As how?
A. Either inwardly, or outwardly.
Q. How inwardly?
A. By two passsions, ofyMat. 5. 22. anger, and z1. Ioh. 3. 15.malice.
Q. What is anger?
A. The desire of reuenge.
Q. Is all reuenge forbidden?
A. No.
Q. What is forbidden, and what is not?
A. dRom. 12. 19.Priuate reuenge is forbidden:Pro. 20. 22, & 24. 29. publike is not.
Q. What is publike reuenge?
A. Reuenge taken by the hand of the Magistrate, vponupon a malefactour: anddRom. …3. 4. this is lawfull; for it is Gods eIoh. 19. 11.vengeance.
Q. How many wayes is this commandement transgressed outwardly?
A. Thrée wayes.
Q. As how?
A. By lookes, by words, by deeds.
Q. How, by lookes?
A. As when a reuengefull mind, or malitious heart betrayeth it selfe by fGen. 4. 5. Mat. 5. 62.sowre lookes, or frowning countenance.
Q. How by words?
A. When the irregular passion of our hearts breakes out into euillgMat. 5 22. Act. 23. 3. spéeches.
Q. How by deeds?
A. Foure wayes.
Q. What is the first?
A. ByhAct. 23. 2 smiting of our brother.
Q. What is the second?
A. ByiLuk. 10. 30, wounding of him.
Q. What is the third?
A. BykEx. 21. 24 29. mayming of him.
Q. What is the fourth?
A. BylEx. 2. 13. …en. 4, 9. killing of him. And herein in are diuers degrées, according as the parties murthered come néerer to vsus in propinquitie of bloud;m2 Kin. 3 27. Ier. 19. 5. 2. Chron. 33. 6. as the father orn1. King. 6. 29. Lam. 4. 10. mother murthering the child: the childoIs. 37. 38. murthering his owne father: or the brotherp2. Sam. 13. 29. his brother: vntill we come to the highest degree of sinne in this kind, which is, when a man layeth violent handsq2. Sam. 17. 23. vponupon himselfe.
Q. What is commanded in this commandement?
A. To speake nothing butrGen. 31. 29. good vntounto him: to doe him all the goodsLuk. 10, 27. Rom. 12. 14. Eph. 4. 3. we can.
Q. What is the next commandement?
A. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Q. What is forbidden in this commanded?
A. Intemperancie, in a word.
Q. What is commanded?
A. The vertue 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. Sobrietie, and chastitie.
Q. What is contrary to sobrietie?
A. In meates gluttonie: in drinks drunkennesse.
Q. What is contrary to chastity?
A. Unchastity, or the sinne of vncleannesse.
Q. How many wayes is this commandement transgressed?
A. Two wayes in generall.
Q. As how?
A. Inwardly, or outwardly.
Q. How inwardly?
A. By an vnchast, ortMat. 19. 15. & 5. 28 intemperate heart.
Q. How many wayes outwardly?
A. Thrée wayes.
Q. What is the first?
A. Byu2. Pet. 2. 14. wanton lookes.
Q. How els?
A. ByxEph. 4. 29. wanton words.
Q. How els?
A. By wantony1. Cor. 6. 9. Leu. 20. 11 Gen. 20. 6. Iob. 31. 9. deeds; whereof there are many degrees in sinne, vntill we rise to the highest in this kind, which is called the sinne ofzEzek. 10 1…. Rom. 1. sodomie.
Q. What is the next commandement?
A. Thou shalt not steale.
Q. How many things are forbidden in it?
A. Two things.
Q. What is the first?
A. TozEzech. 16. 49. Pro. 6. 6. liue without a vocation.
Q. What is the second?
A. To beaPro. 27. …. & 30. 15. A bak. 2. 5. discontented with our meanes which we raise out of our vocation.
Q. What is the third?
A. Tob1. Thes. 4. 6. wrong our neighbour in his goods.
Q. What is commanded?
A. Thrée things.
Q. What is the first?
A. Toc2. Thes. 3. 11, 12. Heb. 13. 5. labour in some lawfull vocation.
Q. What is the second?
A. Contentment with our estate.
Q. What is the third?
A. TodEph. 4 28. helpe our neighbour in his estate.
Q. How many wayes may this be transgressed?
A. Two wayes; inwardly, or outwardly.
Q. How inwardly?
A. By couetousnesse and discontent.
Q. What is couetousnesse?
A. eEccl. 5. 9. Pro. 15. 27A desire of riches.
Q. What is it to be rich?
A. To abound in thingsgLuk. 12. 21. Pro. 30. 8, more then are necessary.
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 wayes.
Q. Which are they?
A. Manifestly, or closely.
Q. Manifestly, how many wayes?
A. ByhLeu. 19. 11. Ps. 62. 10. violence, oriEph. 4. 28. deceit.
Q. How by violence?
A. By robbery.
Q. How by deceit?
A. By filching, stealing, couzening, &c.
Q. Closely how many wayes?
A. kThes. 4. 6.As many wayes as be trades in the world.
Q. What is the next commandement?
A. Thou shalt not beare false witnes against thy neighbour.
Q. What is forbidden herein?
A. Alll1. Tim. 1 10. Reu. 22, 15 lying, and dissimulation.
Q. What is commanded?
A. mPs. 15. 2, 3.Truth and plaine dealing.
Q. How many wayes may this commandement be transgressed?
A. Two wayes.
Q. Which are they?
A. By excesse, or by defect.
Q. How by excesse?
A. By speaking more then the truth.
Q. Is it alwayes a sinne to speake more then is truth?
A. nLeu. 19. 11. Mat. 5. 37.Yes alwayes.
Q. How by defect?
A. In speaking lesse then is truth.
Q. Is it alwayes a sinne to speake lesse then is truth?
A. oGen. 20. 12.No,p1. King. 22. 16. Act. 5. 8. Gen. 43. 6. vnlesse we are called to speake the whole truth.
Q. What is the last commandement?
A. Thou shalt not couet.
Q. What is forbidden herein?
A. FirstqRom. 7. 7 motions vntounto sinne.
Q. What are first motions vntounto sinne?
A. rRom. 7. 23. Iam. …. 15.Such as arise before the will consent vntounto it.
Q. What is commanded?
A. sRom. 7. 22.First motions vntounto good.
Q. How may we cause these first good motions to arise within vsus?
A. tPs. 1. 2. & 119. 9, 10, 11, 15. 16, 167.By frequent meditating, and talking of good things,uPs. 50. 10 and by prayer.
Q. What is the end of the Law?
A. ToxRom. 7. 4 Gal. 2. 19. & 5. 24. driue vsus vntounto Christ?