The Sum of Christian Religion, Catechism · Question 1
On the firſt Sabbath.Queſt. 1. What is thy only comfort in life and death?
Anſw. That both in ſoule and body, whether I live or dye,aRom. 14.8. I am not mine owne,b1 Cor. 6.19. but belong wholly unto my moſt faithfull Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt,c1 Cor. 3.23. Tit. 2.14. who by his precious bloud, moſt fully ſatisfying for all my ſins,d1 Pet. 1.18. 1 John 1.7. & 2.2. hath delivered me from all the power of the Divell,eHeb. 2.14. 1 John 3.8. and to preſerve mee,fJohn 6.39. John 10.28. 2 Theſ. 3.3. 1 Pet. 1.5. that without the will of my heavenly Father not ſo much as an haire may fall from my head:gMat. 10.30. Luk. 21.18. yea, all things muſt ſerve for my ſafety.hRom. 8.28. Wherefore by his Spirit alſo he aſſureth me of everlaſting life,i2 Corin. 1.22. 2 Cor. 5.5. Epheſ. 1.14. Rom. 8.16. and maketh mee ready and prepared, that henceforth I may live to him.kRom. 8.14. 1 John 3.3.
The Explication.
THE queſtion concerning Comfort is therefore handled in the firſt place, becauſe it containeth the maine ſcope and drift of Catechiſm; whoſe end is to worke in us ſure comfort both in our life, and at our death: For to this purpoſe is all celeſtiall and heavenly doctrine revealed by God, and is principally to be learned of us. The ſumme of this comfort is, That we are engraffed into Christ by faith, beloved of him, and reconciled unto God, that by him we might be cared for, and ſaved for ever. Touching this comfort we are to learne,
1 What it is.
2 Of how many parts it conſiſteth.
3 Why this comfort alone is ſound and good.
4 Why it is neceſſary.
5 How many things are neceſſary for the attaining thereto.
1 What comfort is.
COmfort is a certaine argumentation or reaſoning,What comfort is. wherein wee oppoſe ſome good thing against ſome preſent evill, and by the due conſideration and meditation thereof, doe mitigate and aſſwage our griefe conceived, and ſuffer a while the evill with patience. Where, look how much more grievous the evill is, ſo much muſt the good which is deſired, exceed the ſaid evill in greatneſſe and certainty. So that whereas conſolation againſt ſin and everlaſting death (two the greateſt evils that poſſibly can befall to mankind) is here ſought for; it is not any common good, but the principall and ſoveraign good that can be a ſufficient ſalve and remedy thereof. Touching which principall good, Divers opinions of mans chiefeſt good.without the Scripture and Word of God, ſo many men, ſo many opinions are broached. The Epicures ſeat and place this ſupreme good in ſenſuality and pleaſure. The Stoicks in a decent moderation and bridling of the affections, Or, in the habit of vertue. The Platonicks in their Idea's. The Peripateticks in the action and exerciſe of vertue. The vulgar ſort in honours, riches, power and ſway amongst men. But all theſe are flitting tranſitory toyes, either loſt in the time of life, or left behind us at the terme of death. Now, that principall good we hunt after is ſuch as fadeth not, nor vaniſheth, no not in death. I grant the honour of vertue is immortall, and vertue it ſelfe (as the Poet hath) ſurviveth after mens funerals: But where liveth it? verily with others, not within our ſelves. And well ſaid one, that vertues could not juſtly be reputed mens principall bliſſe and felicity, whereas we have them witneſſes of our diſtreſſe and miſery. Hypocrites both within and without the Church, as Jewes, Phariſees, and Mahumetiſts (Papiſts alſo doe the like) ſeek a remedy of death in externall rites and beggarly ceremonies; but all in vaine: For theſe externall rites do not purge nor cleanſe the conſcience, and God will not be mocked with petty ſatisfactions. Howſoever therefore Philoſophy, and all other ſects enquire after, and promiſe ſuch a good as may yeeld us ſound conſolation and contemplation both in life and death, yet they neither find, nor performe any, but ſuch as conſciences ſtagger at, and very ſenſe diſclaimeth:True comforts proper to the Church. only the doctrine of the Church preſenteth unto us ſuch a good, effectuall, and lively comfort, as wherewith our conſciences reſt ſatisfied. For this alone detecteth the fountain of all miſeries, whereunto mankind is captivated and enthralled:What is the only comfort of the Church. this alone directeth us unto the means of delivery through Chriſt. This therefore is the only Chriſtian comfort of principall conſequence both in life and death; A confidence of free remiſsion of ſinnes, and reconciliation with God through Chriſt, and a certain expectation of eternall life, imprinted in our hearts by his holy Spirit, through the ministery of the Goſpel, ſo that we doubt not but that we belong unto Chriſt, and are beloved of God, and ſaved for ever for his ſake: according to that of S. Paul, Who ſhall ſeparate us from the love of Chriſt? Rom. 8.35.ſhall tribulation? or anguiſh? &c.
2 Of how many parts this comfort conſiſteth.
SIx parts there are of this comfort: 1. Our reconcilement to God by Chriſt, ſo that we are no longer enemies,1 Cor. 3.25. but ſons of God; neither are we in our own power, but properly belong unto Chriſt. 2. The maner of our reconcilement, even by the bloud of Chriſt:1 Pet. 1.18. 1 John 1.7. that is to ſay, by his paſſion, death, and ſatisfaction for our ſins. 3. Our delivery from the miſery of ſin and death: For Chriſt doth not onelyonly reconcile us unto God, but alſo doth exempt and free us out of the power of the Divell, ſo that ſin, death,Heb. 2.14. 1 John 3.8. and Sathan have no power over us. 4. The perpetuall preſervation and maintenance of our reconcilement, freedome, and whatſoever other bleſsings Chriſt hath once purchaſed for us. His we are by right: therefore he keepeth us as his owne intereſt, that not ſo much as an haire may fall from our head without the will of our heavenly Father. Neither lieth our ſalvation in our hands or power; for if it were ſo, we ſhould loſe it a thouſand times every moment. 5. The turning of all our evils into good. Rom. 8.28.The godly indeed are afflicted in this life, nay, they are maſſacred, they are as ſheep appointed to the ſlaughter: but theſe things doe not hurt or hinder at all, but further and help forward our ſalvation; becauſe God giveth a good iſſue, and turneth all to the beſt.Rom. 8.28. All things worke together for the beſt unto them that love God. 6. Our full perſwaſion and aſſurance of all theſe good gifts and graces, and of life eternall. Two parts of Chriſtian ſecurity.This ſecurity conſiſteth,1 The teſtimony of the holy Ghoſt. 1. Of the teſtimony of the holy Ghoſt, working in us true faith and unfeigned converſion, witneſſing unto our ſpirit, that we are the ſons of God, and that theſe bleſſings doe truly appertain unto us, becauſe he is the pledge of our inheritance: Effects of true faith.2. Of the effects of true faith, which we perceive to be in us: ſuch as are true repentance, and a conſtant purpoſe of beleeving and obeying God according to all his precepts: For out of the earneſt deſire of performing obedience unto God, ariſeth our aſſurance of our true faith; and by faith wee are certainly perſwaded of the favour and love of God, and of everlaſting ſalvation. This is the ground of all the other five parts before, ſpecified, without which there is no comfort in temptations. Briefly therefore the ſumme of our comfort is this, That we are Chriſts, reconciled by him unto the Father, of whom wee are beloved, and ſhall be ſaved through the gift of the holy Ghoſt and life everlasting.
3 Why this comfort alone is ſound and good.
THat this comfort alone is ſound and true, it is apparent: 1. Becauſe it alone faileth us not, no not in death: For, whether we live or dye, we are the Lords. And,Rom. 14.8. Rom. 8.35. who ſhall ſeparate us from the love of Christ? Neither death nor life, &c. 2. Becauſe it alone ſtandeth impregnable and invincible, it alone ſuſtaineth, and aſſoileth us againſt all the aſſaults and attempts of Sathan. For Sathan thus giveth the on-ſet:
1. Thou art a ſinner: Comfort makes anſwer; But Chriſt hath ſatisfied for my ſin, and hath redeemed me by his precious bloud, that now I am no longer mine own,The temptation… of Sathan, with their remedies, out of this only conſolation. but belong unto him.
2. Sathan againe aſſaileth thee: Thou art a child of wrath, and an enemy of God. Anſ. I am ſo by nature, and before reconcilement; but I am reconciled by God through Chriſt, and received into grace and favour with him.
3. Againe he caſteth in thy teeth: But thou muſt dye the death. Anſw. Chriſt hath delivered me from the power of death; and I know, that by Chriſt I ſhall eſcape out of the hands of death into life eternall.
4. Hee urgeth further: But in the meane time many miſeries happen unto the godly. Anſw. Our Lord and Maſter guardeth and defendeth us in them, and effecteth that they work for our good.
5. He yet replieth: But how if thou loſe the grace of Christ? For thou mayeſt fall and periſh, becauſe it is a long ſteep way to heaven. Anſw. Chriſt hath not onelyonly merited his benefits for me, but alſo beſtoweth them, and perpetually preſerveth them in mee, and giveth me perſeverance, that I faint not, and fall from grace.
6. He perſiſteth: What if grace pertaine not unto thee, and thou be not of the number of them who are the Lords? Anſw. I know that grace pertaineth unto mee, and that I am truly Chriſts: 1. Becauſe the holy Spirit teſtifieth unto my ſpirit, that I am the child of God. 2. Becauſe I have true faith, and the promiſe is generall, pertaining to all that beleeve.
7. He preſſeth neerer: What if thou have not a true faith? Anſ. I know that I have a true faith by the effects thereof; becauſe I have a conſcience ſtedfaſtly relying on God, and an earneſt will and fervent deſire to beleeve and obey God.
8. He aſſayeth yet once more: Thy faith is weake, and thy converſation or repentance imperfect. Anſw. True: But yet it is entire and unfeigned. And I know,Luke 19.26. Mar. 9.24. that to him which hath ſhall be given. Lord, I beleeve, help my unbeliefe.
In this great and dangerous conflict, whereof all the children of God have experience, Chriſtian conſolation ſtandeth fixed and immoveable, and at length concludeth; Therefore Chriſt with all his benefits appertaineth unto me.
4 Why this comfort is neceſſary.
BY that which hath been ſpoken it appeareth, that this comfort is very neceſſary for us: 1. For our ſalvation, that we faint not, nor deſpaire in temptation, and wreſtling of conſcience. 2. For the worſhipping of God. For, that wee may worſhip God in this life, and in the life to come (to which end we were created) we muſt come out of ſin and death; not ruſh into deſperation, but be ſuſtained with ſure comfort unto the end.
5 How many things are required for the attaining unto this comfort?
THis is reſolved in the Catechiſme queſtion here immediately following.