A Short Catechism for Those That Have Learned the First

Quest. I. What do you believe concerning God?

Ans. There is one only God, an infinite Spirit of life, understanding and will, most perfectly powerful, wise and good: the Father, the Word and the Spirit: the Creator, Governor and End of all things: our absolute Owner, our most just Ruler, and our most gracious and most amiable Father.

Quest. 2. What believe you of the Creation, and the nature of man and the law which was given to him?

Ans. God created all the world: and made man in his own image, an embodied spirit of life, understanding and will, with holy liveliness, wisdom and love: to know and and love serve his Maker here and for ever: and gave him the inferior creatures for his use; but forbad him to eat of the tree of knowledge upon pain of death.

-,. Quest. 3. 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 mere creature is able to deliver us.

Quest. 4. What believe you of man’s Redemption by Jesus Christ?

Ans. 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 or law of grace?

Ans. God through Jesus Christ doth freely give to all mankind Himself, to be their reconciled God and Father, the Son to be their Saviour, and the 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 the devil, the world and the flesh, and sincerely, though not perfectly, to obey Christ and the Spirit to the end, according to the law of nature and the gospel institutions, that they may be glorified in heaven for ever.

Quest. 6. What believe ye of the Holy Ghost?

Ans. God the Holy Ghost 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 sanctify all true believers, and to save them from the devil, the world and the flesh.

Quest. 7. What believe you of the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints and the forgiveness of sins?

A71S. All that truly 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 sensibly covenant and that continue to profess Christianity and holiness, are the universal visible Church or state: and must keep holy communion with love and peace in the particular Churches: in the doctrine, worship and order instituted by Christ.

Quest. 8. What believe you of the Resurrection and everlasting life?

Ans. At death the souls of the justified go to happiness with Christ, and the souls of the wicked to misery: and at the end of the world Christ will come in glory and will raise the bodies of all men from death and will judge all according to their works: and the righteous shall go into everlasting life where being made perfect themselves, they shall see God and perfectly love and praise Him, with Christ and all the glorified Church: and the rest into everlasting punishment.

Quest. 9. You have told me what you believe: Tell me now what is the full resolution and desire of your will concerning all this which you believe.

Afis. Believing in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I do presently, absolutely and resolutely give up myself 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 myself 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 beg as He hath taught me saying Our Father which art in heaven, etc.

42 Insti’iidioJis fiV a Holy Life,

Quest. 10. What is the practice which by this covenant you are obHged to?

A?is, According to the law of nature and Christ’s institutions 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 myself as His servant, especially my soul, and seeking its holiness and salvation: and loving my neighbour as myself I must avoid all idolatry of mind and body, and must worship God according to His Word, by learning and meditating on His Word: by prayer, thanksgiving, and praise and use of his Sacrament.*

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 rulers: I must not wrong my neighbour in thought, word or deed, in his soul, his body, his chastity, estate, right or propriety [=property]: but do him all the good I can: and do as I would be done by: which is summed up in the Ten Commandmxcnts ‘God spake these words, saying,’ etc.