The Grand Question Resolved, Catechism 2
A Short CATECHISM for thoſe that hav… Learned the firſt.
Queſt. 1. WHat do you believe concerning GOD?
1 Aſſent. Anſw. There is one onelyonly God; a… Infinite Spirit of Life, Underſtanding and Will, m… perfectly Powerful, Wiſe and Good; The Father, the Word, and the Spirit: The Creator, Governour and end of all things; Our Abſolute Owner, our moſt Juſt Ruler, and our moſt Gracious and moſt Ami…ble Father.
Queſt. 2. What believe you of the Creation, and the nature of Man, and the Law which was given to him?
Anſw. God created all the World: And made MAN in his own Image, an imbodied Spirit of Life, Underſtanding and Will, with holy Livelineſs. Wiſdom and Love; to know, and love, and ſerve has Maker, here and for ever: and gave him the inferiour Creatures for his uſe: But forbad him to eat of the Tree of Knowledge, upon pain of Death.
Qu. What believe you of Man's fall into ſin and miſery?
Anſ. Man being tempted by Satan▪ did by wilful ſinning fall from his Holineſs, his Innocency, and his Happineſs, under the Juſtice of God, the condemnation of his Law, and the ſlavery of the Fleſh, the World, and the Devil; whence ſinful, guilty and miſerable Natures are propagated to all Mankind: And no meer Creature is able to deliver us.
Queſt. 4. What believe you of Man's Redemption by Jeſus Chriſt?
Anſw. God ſo loved the World, that he gave his only Son to be their Saviour: Who being GOD, and One with the Father, took our Nature, and became MAN; being conceived by the Holy Ghoſt; Born of the Virgin Mary; and called JESUS CHRIST: who was perfectly holy, without ſin, fulfilling all Righteouſneſs; and overcame the Devil and the World; and gave himſelf a Sacrifice for our Sins, by ſuffering a Curſed Death on the Croſs to ranſom us, and reconcile us unto God; and was buried, and went among the Dead: the third day he roſe again, having conquered Death; and having ſealed the New Covenant with his Blood, he commanded his Apoſtles and other Miniſters, to Preach the Goſpel to all the World; and promiſed the Holy Ghoſt: And then Aſcended into Heaven, where he is God and Man, the Glorified Head over all things to his Church, and our prevailing Interceſſor with God the Father.
Queſt. 5. What is the New Teſtament, or Covenant, … Law of Grace?
Anſw. God through Jeſus Chriſt, doth freely give to all Mankind, himſelf, to be their Reconciled God and Father, his Son to be their Saviour, and his Holy Spirit to be their Sanctifier, if they will believe and accept the Gift, and will give up themſelves to him accordingly▪ Repenting of their ſins, and conſenting to forſake th… Devil, the World, and the Fleſh, and ſincerely▪ (though not perfectly) to obey Chriſt▪ and his Spirit to the end, according to the Law of Nature, and his Goſpel Inſtitutions, that they may be glorified in Heaven for ever.
Queſt. 6. What believe you of the Holy Ghoſt?
Anſw. God the Holy Spirit was given by the Father and the Son to the Prophets, Apoſtles, and Evangeliſts; to be their Infallible Guide in Preaching and Recording, the Doctrine of Salvation; and the Witneſs of its certain Truth by his manifold Divine Operations▪ And he is given, to quicken, illuminate, and ſanctifie all true Believers, and to ſave them from the Devil, the World, and the Fleſh.
Queſt. 7. What believe you of the Holy Catholick Church, the Communion of Saints, and the Forgiveneſs of Sins?
Anſw. All that truely conſent to the Baptiſmal Covenant, are one ſanctified Church or Body of Chriſt, and have Communion in the ſame Spirit of Faith and Love, and have the forgiveneſs of all their ſins; and all that by Baptiſm viſibly Covenant, and that continue to profeſs Chriſtianity and Holineſs, are the univerſal viſible Church on Earth; and muſt keep holy Communion with Love and Peace in the particular Churches; in the Doctrine, VVorſhip, and Order Inſtituted by Chriſt.
Queſt. 8. What believe you of the Reſurrection and Everlaſting Life?
Anſw. At Death the Souls of the Juſtified go to Happineſs with Chriſt, and the Souls of the Wicked …o Miſery: And at the end of this World, Chriſt will …ome in Glory, and will raiſe the Bodies of all Men …rom Death, and will Judge all according to their Works: And the Righteous ſhall go into Everlaſting Life, where being made perfect themſelves, they ſhall … God, and perfectly Love and Praiſe him with Chriſt… and all the glorified Church; and the reſt into Ever…aſting puniſhment.
Queſt. 9. You have told me what you. Il. Conſent. Believe: Tell me now what is the full Reſolution and Deſire of your Will, concerning all this which you Believe?
Anſw. Believing in God the Father, Son, and Holy …pirit, I do preſently, abſolutely and reſolvedly give up my ſelf to Him, my Creator and reconciled God and Father, my Saviour, and my Sanctifier. And Repenting of my Sins I renounce the Devil, the World, and the ſinful deſires of the Fleſh. And denying my ſelf, and taking up my Croſs, I conſent to follow Chriſt the Captain of my Salvation; In hope of the Grace and Glory promiſed. Which I daily deſire and …eg as he hath taught me, ſaying, [Our Father which … in Heaven, &c.]
Queſt. 10. What is that Practice which by this Covenant, … are obliged to?
Anſw. According to the Law of Nature, and Chriſts …nſtitutions I muſt (deſiring Perfection) ſincerely Obey him in a Life of Faith, and Hope, and Love… Loving God as God, for himſelf above all, and loving my ſelf as his Servant, eſpecially my Soul; and ſeeking … Holineſs and Salvation; and Loving my Neighbour … my ſelf. I muſt avoid all Idolatry of Mind or Body, …nd muſt Worſhip God according to his Word, by …earning and Meditating on his Word; by Prayer,
Thankſgiving, Praiſe, and uſe of his Sacrament:The Lord's Supper, and other Church-Ordinances, are opened in the VIIIth, days Conference, and more fully in my Univerſal Concord. I muſt not profane, but holily uſe his holy Name▪ I muſt keep holy the Lord's Day, eſpecially in Communion with the Church Aſſemblies: I muſt Honour and Obey my Parents, Magiſtrates, Paſtors, and other … lers: I muſt not wrong my Neighbour in thought, word, or deed, in his Soul, his Body, his Chaſtity, Eſtate, Right o… Propriety; but do him all the good I can▪ And do as I would be done by; which is ſummed up in the Ten Commandments, [God ſpake theſe words, ſaying, &c.