NOL
The confession of faith

Chapter 337

X. 10. But th.i Lord is the true God,

he is the living- Qod, and an everlast- ing
The Shorter Catechism.
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Q. G. How many persons are there in the Godhead ?
A. There are three persons in the Godhead; the Father, tlie Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory'*.
Q. 7. What are the decrees of God?
A. The decrees of God are, his eternal purpose, accord- ing to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, he hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass ' .
Q. 8. Hoio doth God execute his decrees ?
J God executeth his decrees in the works of creation and providence,
Q. 9. What is the icorh of creation?
A. The work of creation is, God's making all things of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good *.
Q. 10. How did God create man?
A. God created man male an#female, after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, with do- minion over the creatures \
Q. 11. }nat
ing King: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.
6. 'J 1 John V, 7. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost : and these three are one. Mat. xxviii. 1 9. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
7. '' Eph. i. 4. According as he hath chosen us in him before the founda- tion of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love. Ver. 11. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the pur- pose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Rom. ix. 22. What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much
long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction ; Ver. 23. And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory ?
9 * Gen. i. throughout. Heb. xi. 3. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
10. f Gen. i. 2G. And God said, I>et us make man in our image, after our likeness : and let them haV6 dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. Ver. 27. So God created man in his own image : in the image of God created he him ; male and female created he them.
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The Shorter Catechism.
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Q. 11. Jl^iat are God's woj^ks of providence 9
A. God's works of providence are, his most holy", wise"^, and powerful preserving " and governing all his creatures, and all their actions ^.
Q. 12. What special act of providence did God exercise to- ward man iri the estate wherein he was created f
A. When God had created man, he entered into a cove- nant of life with him, upon condition of perfect obedience; forbidding him to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of deaths
Q. 13. Did our first parents continue in the estate wherein thei/ were created?
A. Our first parents, being left to the freedom of their own will, fell from the estate wherein they were created, by sinning against God ^
^ Q. 14. What
them. Ver. 28. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it : and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Col. iii. 10. And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created him. Eph. iv. 24. And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
11. "Psal. cxlv. 17. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.
"'Psal. civ. 24. O Lord, how manifold are thy works ! in wisdom hast thou made them all : the earth is full of thy riches. Isa. xxviii. 29. This also Cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.
^ Heb. i. 3. Who being the bright- ness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our
sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.
ypsal. ciii. 19. The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens ; and his kingdom ruleth over all. Mat. X. 29. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing ? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. Ver. 30. Rut the very hairs of your head are all numbered, Ver. 31. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many spar- rows.
12. 2 Gal. iii. 12. And the law is not of faith : but. The man that do- eth them shall Uve in them. Gen. ii. 17. But of the tree of the know- ledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
1 3. ^ Gen. iii. 6. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be de- sired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and gave also unto her husband with her, and lie did eat, Ver. 7.
And
The Shorter Catechism. 403
Q. 14. JVhat IS sin ?
J. Sin is anv want of conformity unto, or transgression , / of, the law of God ^ -^
Q. 15. IVhat was the siti wherehj/ our Jlrst parents fell from the estate wherein they were created ?
A. The sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created, was their eating the forbidden fruit ^
Q. 16. Did all mankind fall in Adanis first transgression ?
A. The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity ; all mankind, descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him, in his first transgression ^.
Q. 17. Into what estate did the fall bring mankind ?
A. The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery *.
Q. 18. Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate where' into man fell ?
A. The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, consists in the guilt of Adam's first sin, the want of original righ- teousness,
And the eyes ofthem both were open- \5. ^ Get), iii. 6. [See in ietter*.] ed, and they knew that they were Ver. 12. The weman, whom thou naked ; and they sewed fig-leaves to- gavest to be with me, she gave me gether, and made themselves aprons, of the tree, and I did eat. Ver. 8. And they heard the voice of IG. d Gen. ii. 16. And the Lord the Lord God walking in the garden God commanded the man, saying, in the cool of the day : and Adam Of every tree of the garden thou and his wife hid themselves from mayest freely eat : Ver. 17. But of the presence of the Lord God the tree of the knowledge of good amongst the trees of the garden. and evil, thou bhalt not eat of it : for Ver. 13. And the Lord God said un- in tlie day that thou eatest thereof to the woman, What is this that thou shalt surely die. Rom. v. 12. thou hast done .' And the woman Wherefore, as by one roan sin enter- said, The serpent beguiled me, and ed into the world, and death by sin ; I did eat. Eccl. vii. 29. Lo, this and so death passed upon all men, for only have I found, that God hath that all have sinned. 1 Cor. xv. 21. made man upright; but they have For since by man came death, by man sought out many inventions. came also the resurrection of the dead. 14. bi John iii. 4. Whosoever Ver. 22. For as in Adam all die, even committeth sin transgresseth also the so in Christ shall all be made alive, law: for sin is the transgression of 17. *^ Rom. v. 12. Wherefore, as the bw. by one man sin entered into the
world,
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The Shorter Catechism.
teoiisness, and the corruption of his whole nature, wliich is commonly called Original Sin ; together with all actual transgressions which pro(;eed from it ^
Q. 19. What IS the miser u of that estate whereunto man fell? -^
J. All mankind by their fall lost communion with God% are under his wrath and curse '', and so made liable to all the miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever '.
Q. 20. Did
world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.
1 8. f Rom. V. 1 2. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin ; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. Ver. ] 9. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners; so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Rom. v. from Verse 10. to the 20. Eph. ii. 1. And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins. Ver. 2. Wherein in time past ye walked ac- cording to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now work- eth in the children of disobedience : Ver. 3. Among whom also we all had our conversatioii in times past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind ; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. James i. 14. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Ver. 15. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin ; and sin, when it is finished, bring- eth forth death. Mat. xv. 1 9. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, f^ nications, thefts, false witness, b^^ phemies,
19. ^ Gen. iii. 8. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walk-
ing In the garden in the cool of the day : and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the' Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. Ver. 10. And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden : and I was afraid, because I was naked ; and 1 hid myself Ver. 24. So he drove out the man : and he placed, at the east of the garden of Eden, cherubims, and a flaming sword, which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
h Eph. ii. 2. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience : Ver. 3. Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind ; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. Gal. iii. 10. For as many as are of the works of the law are under die curse : for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
i Lara. iii. 39. Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins ? ^* Rom. vi. 23. For the wages of sin is death : but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ
our
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id.'ioncr CaH'c/ii.s//i.
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d God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of juiseri/ ?
/. God having, out of his mere good pleasure, from all tiviiiity, elected some to everlasting life •", did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation by a Redeemer".
f). 21. Who is the Redeemer of God's elect ? A. The only Redeemer of God's elect is the Lord Jesus Christ"', who, being the eternal Son of God, became man", and so was, and continueth to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person, for ever ''.
' Q. 22. How
y I
.ord. Mat. xxv. 4 1 . Then shall >jiy also unto them on the left , Depart from me, ye cursed, ... .* everbstmg fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. Ver. 46. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
'>\ k Eph. i. 4. According as he
'. chosen us in him before the
.iatioTi of the world, that we
IJ be holy, and without blame
re iiirn in love.
Rom. iii. 20. Therefore by the ds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight : for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Ver. 21. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, bting witnessed by the law and the prophets ; Ver. 22. Even the righte- ousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all them that believe; for there is no difference. Gal, iii. 21. Is the law then against the promises of God ? God forbid ; for if there had been a law ^iven which could have given A«k-, verily righteousness should have »^en by the law. Ver. 22. But the scripture hath concluded all under
sin, that the promise by faith in Je- sus Christ might be given to them that believe.
21. •" 1 Tim. ii. 5. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus ; Ver. C. Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due tiij^e.
" John i. 1-1. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. Gal. iv. 4. But when the fulness of the lime was come, God sent forth his Son, made ef a woman, made under the law,
° Rom. ix. 5. Whose are the fa- thers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. Luke i. 35. And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghest shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee : therefore aho that holy thing which shall be horn of thee shall be called the Son of God. Col. ii. 9. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Heb. vil. 24. But this man, because he conti- nueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
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Q. 22. IIou) did Christy being the Son of God, hecovie
man
A. Clirist, the Son of God, became man, by taking to himself a true body p, and a reasonable soul '', being con- ceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and born of her ', yet without sin ^
Q. 25. What offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer 9 A. Christ, as our Redeemer, executeth the offices of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king, both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation ^
Q. 24. How
priesthood. Ver. 25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the ut- termost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make inter- cession for them.
22. P Heb. ii. 14. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. Ver. 16. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels ; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Heb.