THE PRINCIPLES OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION EXPLAINED, &c. PART I. OF THE GOSPEL COVENANT. SECT. I. Of Catechising in General. 1. Q. FRom whence is the word Catechism derived ? A. From a *Greek word, which signifies to teach by word of mouth; and has been used particularly to signify such a kind of instruction as is made by way of question and answer. PROOFS SUBJOINED.-Luke, i. 4. Ινα επιγνως περι ων κατηχήθης λογων την ασφαλειαν. Acts, xviii. 25. Ουτος ην κατηχημενος την οδον του Κυριου. Rom. ii. 18. Και γινώσκεις το θέλημα, και δοκιμαζεις τα διαφέροντα, κατηχούμενος εκ του νόμου. 1 Cor. xiv. 19. Αλλ' εν εκκλησια, θελω πεντε λόγους δια του νοος μου λαλησαι, ινα και αλλους κατηχησω. Gal. vi. 6. Κοινωνείτω δε ο κατηχούμενος τον λογον τῳ κατηχούντι, εν πασιν αγαθοις. * Κατηχεω. Insono ejus auribus. B Q. What is that you call your Church Catechism? A. It is a short, but sufficient institution of the principles of the Christian religion, set forth by authority, and required to be learned of every person, in order to his being confirmed by the bishop; and prepared both for the profitable reading and hearing of God's word, and for the worthy receiving of the Lord's Supper. 3. Q. What do you look upon to be the proper subject of such an institution. A. It ought to comprehend all such things as are generally necessary to be known of all persons, in order to their due serving God here, and to their being saved hereafter. PROOFS SUBJOINED.-Heb. v. 12. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such, as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. vi. 1, 2. Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 4. Q. What are those things which may be accounted thus necessary to be known by all Christians? A. They may, in general, be reduced to these two heads: viz, 1st, The knowledge of the Gospel-covenant; that is to say, of the promises made by God to mankind through our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the conditions upon which we may become partakers of them. And, 2ndly, The knowledge of the means which God has appointed, whereby to convey his. grace to us; and thereby both to assist and confirm us in the discharge of our duty to him. PROOFS SUBJOINED.-Heb. viii. 8, 9. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. x. 16, 17. This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Gen. iii. 15. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. 5. Q. What are the Promises which God has made to mankind, through Jesus Christ? A. "Pardon of sins: Grace to fulfil our duty in this life and upon our sincere performance thereof, 'everlasting Salvation in the life which is to come. PROOFS SUBJOINED.- Heb. viii. 12. I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities I will remember no more. a 'Luke, xi. 13. If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? Rom. viii. 1, &c. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 1 Cor. iii. 16. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? vi. 11, 19. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 2 Cor. i. 22. Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. Gal. v. 16, &c. This I say, then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Eph. v. 9. The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth. 1 Pet. i. 22. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure love fervently. 1 John, iii. 24. He that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. John, iii. 16, 17. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever be lieveth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 1 Pet. i. 3, 4, 5. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. 6. Q. What are the conditions required of us by God, in order to our being made partakers of these promises? A. A hearty repentance of our sins past: A |