A double catechisme one more large, following the order of the common authorized catechisme, and an exposition thereof: now this second time published: the other shorter for the weaker sort: both set forth for the benefit of Christian friends and wel-willers. By Richard Bernard, Master of Arts, and preacher of Gods word at Worsop in Nottingham-shire.

The Catechisme.

Q. HOVV many things are needfull for you to vnderstand, that you may knovv both God and your selfe?

A. These 6. things: I. right∣ly to conceiue of God what he is, by his word and workes: II. to vnderstand the creation: III. mans miserie by the fall: IV. our redemption: V. our sanctifica∣tion: VI. the certaintie of our glorification.

Of God.

Q. VVho made yovv?

A. God. Esa. 42. 2. Gen. 26. 27.

Q. VVhat a one is God?

A. God is a spirit. Joh. 4. 24. Holy. Exod. 15. 11. Iust. Exod. 34. 6. and Mercifull. Exod. 34. 7.

Q. Hovv many Gods are there?

A. But onely one God, Deut. 6. 4. yet three persons, Mat. 3. 16. 1. Ioh. 5. 7.

Q. VVhich are the three persons?

A. The Father begetting, the Sonne begot∣ten, and the Holy Ghost proceeding, 2. Cor. 13. 13 Mat. 28. 19. and these three are God. Ioh. 1. 1. 1. Ioh. 5. 7. Act. 5. 3. 4.

Q. VVhich of these three became man?

A. The second Person, Iesus Christ, both God and man. Esa. 9. 6. Heb. 2. 17.

Of our Creation.

Q. Of vvhat did God make man?

A. His bodie was of dust, the womans of A∣dams ribbe, Gen. 2. 7.

Q. VVhat a one did God make him?

A. Both good. Gen. 2. 31. holy and righte∣ous. Gen 1. 26. Eph. 4. 28. Col. 3. 9.

Q. VVhat vvas then mans estate and happines?

A. It was the state of innocencie, without sin or miserie, and to God was he acceptable, Gen. 1 27. 31. & 2. 25. & 1. 28.

Of mans fall and miserie.

Q. Are you novv such a one by birth, as he vvas by creation?

A. Alas no: I am by nature full of sinne, Ps. 51. 5. Iob. 25. 4. 5. 6. Rom. 3. from vers. 9. to 19. and so most miserable. Iob 14. 1. 2. Rom. 5. 14. Eph. 2. 1. 2. 3. Rom. 3. 23. & 2. 8. 9. and to God detesta∣ble, Psal. 11. 5. Gal. 3. 10. Mat. 7. 23. & 25. 41.

Q. VVhat is sinne?

A. The breaking of Gods commandements, by thought word, or deed. 1. Ioh. 3. 4.

Q. Hovv many commaundements are there?

A. Tenne. Deut. 10. 4. diuided into two Ta∣bles. Deut. 4. 13.

Q. VVhich be the commandements?

A. I am the Lord thy God, &c. Exod. 20. Deut. 5. 6.

Q. Do these ten commaund or forbid but onely vvhat is there set dovvne in shevv?

A. No: they commaund or forbid, all the kinds contained vnder the same thing mentioned

and all the causes, with occasions thereunto. 1. Ioh. 3. 15. Mat. 5. 28. 32.

Q. Are they a prayer?

A. No, nor so to be vsed: they are a rule for me to liue after, and do teach me my duty to God, and my neighbour. Deut. 6. & 31. 12. Psal. 119. 105. Eccles. 12. 13. Mat. 22. 37. 39.

Q. VVhat is your duty tovvards God?

A. My dutie towards God, is to beleeue in him, to feare him, and to loue him, &c. 2. Chron. 20. 20. Eccles. 12. 13. Mat. 22. 37.

Q. VVhat is your duty tovvards your neighbour?

A. It is to loue my neighbour as my selfe, &c. Mat. 22 39. Rom. 13. 9.

Q. Can ye keepe the commaundements, and not offend God nor your neighbour?

A. No: I breake them euery day, in thought, word, and deed, hating both God and my neigh∣bour by nature. Ps. 14. 1. 2. 3. Rom. 8. 7. & 1. 30. 2. Cor. 3. 5. Tit. 3. 3.

Q. VVhat is then novv your state, and vvhat deserue you by thus offending God?

A. I am in the state of corruption and do de∣serue Gods curse, which is eternall destruction of bodie and soule. Deut. 27. 26. Mat. 25. 41. 46. Gal. 3. 10.

Of mans redemption.

Q. VVhat are you in this case to do?

A. To cry vnto God for mercie, and seeke for deliuerance. Luk. 15. 17. Psal. 51. 1. 2. &c.

Q. Are you of your selfe able, or is there any good in you to moue God, to set you free?

A. No indeed, Rom. 3. 10. & 7. 18. Luk. 17. 10. 2. Cor. 4. 4. Eph. 2. 8. 9.

Q. Then vvho doth redeeme you?

A. Onely Iesus Christ, Rom. 7. 25 2. Cor. 5. 21 Rom. 5. 19. Gal. 2. 20. & 3. 13.

Q. VVhat is Iesus Christ?

A. He is the eternall Sonne of God, Mat. 17. 5. Heb. 1. 23. a King to gouerne vs, Ps. 2. 6. Mat. 28. 18. a priest to offer for vs, Ps. 110. 4. And a Prophet to teach vs, Deut. 18. 18. Esa. 61. 1. Mat. 17. 5.

Q. VVhat beleeue you concerning him in the Articles of the Creed?

A. I do beleeue, that he was conceiued by the holy Ghost, &c.

Q. VVhat is this to you?

A. I do perswade my selfe hereby, that his puritie is for my corruption, his obedience for my transgression, his death for my debt, and his as∣cension for my eternall saluation. 1. Cor. 1. 30. Phil. 3. 20.

Q. But as God made all, vvill so Iesus Christ also saue all?

A. No verily, many shall be damned, few shal be saued, Mat. 7. 13. 14. onely the elect, which take hold of Christ by a lively faith. Ioh. 3. 16. 36. Mar. 16. 16.

Q. VVhat is this liuely faith?

A. It is a true perswasion of my heart, groun∣ded vpon Gods promises, Eph. 3. 17. Rom, 4. 21. that Iesus Christ is giuen to me, Ioh. 3. 16. and the merits of his death and passion, are as truly mine, as if I my selfe had wrought them. 2. Cor. 5. 21. Rom. 8. 1.

Q. Hovv come you by this faith?

A. From my effectuall calling by the word preached, and the worke of Gods spirit. Act. 13. 48. Rom. 10. 14. 15. Eph. 1. 13.

Q. VVhere is set dovvne the summe of your be∣cefe?

A. In my Creed, I beleeue in God the Father Almightie. &c.

Q. Are these a prayer, or so to be vsed?

A. No: it teacheth me what to beleeue con∣cerning God and his church.

Q. VVhat good hath Gods Church, the true be∣leeuers aboue the rest of mankind?

A. They are in the state of grace, they haue communion with Christ, and one with another, the forgiuenesse of sinnes, the glorious resurre∣ction of the bodie, and life euerlasting.

Of sanctification.

Q. Hovv may it appeare, that you haue this faith, and also these benefites?

A. By my sanctification.

Q. VVho doth sanctifie you?

A. The holy Ghost, Rom. 15. 16.

Q. VVhat is sanctification?

A. Jt is a making new of the whole man, whereby he daily dyeth to sinne, and increaseth in holinesse and righteousnesse, Eph. 4. 23. 24. Gal. 5. 24. 1. Thes. 4. 1.

Q. VVhat grace proceedes from this sanctifica∣tion?

A. True repentance, leauing that which is ill with hatred, and performing new obedience with gladnesse of heart continually, Ier. 31. 19. Act. 26. 20. Ps. 119. 10. 113. 115. 136. 14. 34. 35. 44.

Q. VVhat estate novv stand you in, being sancti∣fied and penitent?

A. I am in the blessed estate of grace, where∣in if I continue, I shall inherite eternall life, Tit. 3.

4. 5. 6. 7. Rom. 11. 22. Mat. 10 22. 2. Tim. 4. 8.

Q. VVhy hath God thus made, redeemed, san∣ctified, and hitherto preserued you?

A. To serue him truly all the dayes of my life, Eph. 2. 10. Tit. 2. 11. 12. Luk. 1. 74. 75.

Q. Hovv must God be serued?

A. Onely after his will reuealed in hss writ∣ten word, Deut. 30. 8. 10. and 4. 2. 2. Cor. 4. 6.

Of our strengthening in the state of grace, for the certainty of our glorification.

Q. Js it needfull for such as are elected, and once called, iustified, and sanctified, that they should con∣tinue still in vsing meanes to saluation?

A. Yea truly: else they will fall away, Pro. 29. 18. 2. Chron. 15. 2. Heb. 3. 12. 13.

Q. VVhat things must you continue in to assure your selfe of saluation, and to grovv strong in the vvay of life?

A. Jn the knowledge of Gods word, Psal. 11. 2. Act. 2. 42. 2. Pet. 1. 19. Ioh. 10. 27. 28. in faith, Joh. 3. 36. in loue to the godly, Ioh. 13 35. 1. Ioh. 3. 14. in obedience, Ezech. 36. 26. Psal. 15. 5. Ier. 32. 39. 40. in patient suffering for Christ. Rom. 8. 17. Iam. 1. 12. in a longing after Christs comming, 2. Tim. 4. 8. in sinceritie without hypocrisie, which will appeare by my appealing to God in these things, Ioh. 21. 15.

Of the Sacraments.

Q. Hath God giuen any helpes, and commaunded farther any other meanes besides the vvord, for the strengthening of vs herein?

A. Yes, these two: Sacraments, and Prayer.

Q. VVhat is a Sacrament?

A. An outward signe and seale of invisible gra∣ces.

Q. Hovv do the Sacraments strengthen you?

A. By a reuerent vsing and meditating of them rightly vnderstood, as signes representing Christ, and his benefites, and sure seales of his couenant with vs, Gen. 9. 9. to 18. and 17. 9. 10.

Hovv many Sacraments are there?

A. Onely two: Baptisme, and the Lords Sup∣per, 1. Cor. 10. 1. 2. 3. 4. Mat. 28. 19. & 26. 29. 27. 1. Cor. 11. 23. 24. 25.

Q. VVhat is the signe, and the thing signified in Baptisme?

A. The signe is water, and the grace is the bloud of Christ, by which I am washed from my sinnes, Act. 2. 38. & 22. 16.

Q. ƲƲhat are the signes and things signified in the Lords Supper?

A. The signes are the bread and wine: the things signified, are the bodie & bloud of Christ, 1. Cor. 11. 23. 24. 25.

Q. ƲƲhy come you to receiue?

A. To strengthen my faith, and to keepe in remembrance Christ his death, till his comming againe, Rom. 4. 11. 1. Cor. 11. 26.

Q. VVhat ought you to do before you come?

A. Prepare my selfe by examination, 1. Cor. 11. 28.

Q. VVhat ought you to come vvith, to the Sacra∣ment?

A. With foure things: 1. knowledge both of my miserie, Gods mercie, and the doctrine of the Sacrament. 2. with faith in Iesus Christ, Heb. 11. 6. 3. with repentance for all my sinnes, Esa. 1. 10. 11.

14. 15. 16. 4. with heartie loue vnto my neighbor, Mat. 5. 23.

Q. VVhat if you come vnprepared vvithout these?

A. I come vnworthily, I am guiltie of the body and bloud of Christ, 1. Cor. 11. 27. I do eare and drinke my owne damnation, vers. 29. God may pu∣nish me, vers. 40. and the diuell may enter into me, as he did vnto Iudas, and bring me to destru∣ction of bodie and soule, Ioh 13. 27.

Of Prayer.

Q. VVhat is Prayer?

A. It is a right, heartie, and faithfull request made vnto God, in the name of Iesus Christ, 1. Ioh. 5. 14. Rom. 8. 26. Iam. 1. 6. Ioh. 14. 14. & 15. 16. Mat. 3. 17.

Q. Can or doth euery one pray, that vttereth vvords, and vseth a forme of prayer?

A. It is a speciall gift to Gods children, and such onely pray, as haue knowledge what to aske, a hearty desire in asking, and faith to beleeue.

Q. ƲƲhat direction of prayer haue you?

A. The same which our Sauiour Christ taught his disciples, Our Father vvhich art in heauen, hal∣lovved be thy name. Thy kingdome come. Thy vvill be done in earth, as it is in heauen. Giue vs this day our daily bread: and forgiue vs our trespasses, as vve for∣giue them that trespasse against vs. And lead vs not into temptation: but deliuer vs from euill. Amen.

Q. VVhat desirest thou of God in this prayer?

A. I desire my Lord God our heauenly Father who is the giuer of all goodnesse, to send his grace vnto me, and to all people, that we may worship him, serue him, and obey him; as we ought to do. And I pray vnto God that he will send vs al things

that be needfull, both for our soules and bodies, and that he will be mercifull vnto vs, and forgiue vs our sinnes, and that it will please him to saue and defend vs in all dangers ghostly and bodily, and that he will keepe vs from all sinne and wic∣kednesse, and from our ghostly enemie, and from euerlasting death. And this I trust he will do of his mercie and goodnesse, through our Lord Ie∣sus Christ: and therefore I say, Amen. So be it.