THE MARROW OF DIVINITY.
Wherein the weakest Christian may be informed in the whole Body OF Gospel-Truths.
By George Burches Batchelor in Divinity; Rector of Woodchurch, within the County of Cheshire; and sometimes Minister of St. Johns Church in Chester.
Train up a Childe in the way that he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit odorem testa diu.
London, Printed for Marmaduke Boat, and are to be sold neer Pauls Wharfe, at the White Lyon. 1649.
TO The READER.
I Am not ignorant how that the Presses swell with subjects of this nature, and though many worthy men have written in this kinde, yet here I dare be bold to say, thou shalt be sure to finde the quintessence of their writings, closed within this cabinet of brevity: Let it therefore move thee to read, and try by experience, what is therein contained, and thou shalt finde [Page]the pureness of golden Truths, brought within the compass of a little room; which for thy memory, being shorter, I hope will prove the better; the better to be carryed away, and the better to be kept, and the better to be called for, when thou hast use for them: what benefit therefore thou doest reap from this short Compendium, Give God the glory, and I am therefore fully satisfied in my reward, and rest,
A short Catechism
Question.
WHat ought to be the main end of mans chiefest endeavors?
A. Mans chiefest endeavor ought to be the glory of his God, the gaining of Christ, and the enjoyment of Heaven, 2 Corinth. 10.31. Phil. 2.12.
Q. How doth it appear, that there is a God?
A. By the Book of Nature, the Book of Scripture, and the Book of Conscience.
Q. VVhat is the book of nature?
A. The glorions work of the Creation, wherein the vast fabrick and frame of the world, moved by a supream power, shew that there is a God, Psal. 19 1.
Q What is the Book of Scripture?
A. It is the revealed will of God, written in this word, given by inspiration of God unto his people, and contained in the old and new Testament. Math. 11.25. 2 Tim. 3.16.
Q. VVhat is the book of conscience?
A. The book of conscience, is that light which God hath left in mans soule since Adams fall, called the Law written in our hearts, informing mans judgment of a God to be feared, and of an Hell to be avoided, Rom. 2.15.
Q. VVhat is God?
A. He is a Spirit incomprehensible, immutable, most wise, most holy, most merciful, eternal, John 4.24. Jer. 23.34. Jam. 1.17. Psal. 147.5. Rom. 11.13. Psal. 5.4. Isai. 6.3. Exod. 3.6, 7. Psal. 90.2.
Q. Are there more Gods then one?
A. There is but only one, and no more, Deut. 6.4. Isai. 44.6, 8.
Q. How is this God to be conceived of us?
A. As he hath revealed himself by his properties and works, Deut. 4.16. Judg. 13.18. Tim. 6.16.
Q. VVhat are the chief properties of God?
A. His wisdom, his holiness, his omnipotence, his omniscience, his eternity, his mercy, and his justice, Job 12.13. Isai. 6.3. & 41.4. Psal. 139.
Q. What are the works of God?
A. That eternal Decree, whereby God hath determined with himself, shall come to pass the creation of the world, and all things therein, and the continuation of their being, by his special providence, Gen. 1.1. Act 17.18.
Q. What are we further to conceive concerning God, and to beleeve?
A. That in one simple and undivided Godhead, there be three distinct persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; which three, are one God, equal in glory, coeternal in majesty, though distinguished by their person properties, Matth. 8.19. 2 Cor. 13.13. 1 John 5.7.
Q What are the personal properties?
A. It is proper to the Father to beget the Son, the Son to begotten of the Father, and the Holy Ghost to proceed from them both, Psal. 2 7. Joh. 1.14. & 7.16.
Q. How doth it appear, that the Son and the Holy Ghost, are God equal with the Father?
A. By their names and attributes, works and worship, ascribed unto them, Isai. 9.6. Deut 9.16. John 14.18, 28.
Q. What was the first state and condition of man?
A. It was a most happy and glorious condition, Gen. 1.26. 1 Cor. 11.7. Col. 3.10. Psal 8.6, 7.8.
Q Wherein stood the happiness and glory of it?
A. In that man was the character of his God, created after his Image; standing in wisdom and holiness, voyd of the least tincture of evil, Ephes. 4.24. Gen. 3.1. & 9 6. Psal. 139.14.
Q. Did man continue long in this happy estate?
A. No, but fell from wisdom to folly, from righteousness to sin, Eccles. 7.29. Rom. 18.19. Psal. 49.12.
Q. Wherein doth this state of misery appear?
A. In the loss of Gods favor, in the loss of his Image, and in the exposing of the whole posterity of Adam to endless shame and misery, Rom. 8.7. 1 Cor. 2.14. Eph. 2.2. Job 15.15, 16.
Q. How came this great misery on man?
A. By Adams swarving from his God, who standing in the room of whole mankinde, did through his transgression bring misery upon all, Rom. 6.12.
Q. What is sin?
A. The least breach of the Law of God, 1 John 3.4.
Q. How many sorts of sins be there?
A. Two, Original and actual, Psal. 51.5. Job 15.14. Jam. 3.2.
Q. What is original sin?
A. A determinate and wilful transgression of the Law of God, depriving all the parts and faculties, both of soul and body, of all kinde of goodness, and all maner of happiness, Gen. 6.5. Tit. 1.15. Rom 3.12.
Q How is this sin conveighed from our first parents, unto their posterity?
A. By natural generation; so that all that proceed from them that way, are conceived and born in sin, Job 15.15, 16. Psal. 51.5.
Q. What is actual sin?
A. It is the fruit of original corruption, whereby the soul of man walks in darkness, and contrary to the Law of God, Psal. 82.5. Rom. 7.15, 16.
Q How is actual sin distinguished?
A. internally, Externally.
Q. How internally?
A. By the faculties of the soul, as the minde, will, and affections, Eccles. 8.11. Ephes. 4.22, 23.
Q. How externally?
A. By the outward Members of the Body, concuring with the faculties of the soul, acting contrary to the will of God, Eph. 2.2. 2 Cor. 10.5. 2 Tim. 2.26.
Q. How is actual sin effected?
A. It is effected, either by omitting things that ought [Page]to be done, or committing that which is forbidden.
Q. What be the differences of actual sins committed?
A. Their differences appear when committed, either through ignorance or knowledg, presumption or obstinacy, Acts 17 30. Isai. 59.2. Rom. 1.28.
Q. What are the punishments of sin in this life?
A. They are either inward in the soul, as blindness of minde, hardness of heart, horror of conscience, and the like; or else outward, as the curse of God upon the creature for our sakes, whereby good things bestowed upon us, become snares unto us, Eph. 4.18, 19. Deut. 28.16, 17, 18. Psal. 69 22. Jere. 12.13.
Q. What are the punishments of sin, when this life is ended?
A. Everlasting separation of both soul and body from the comfortable presence of Almighty God, being for ever exposed unto unutterable torments, Isa. 59.2. Job 31 2. Heb. 10.27. Matth. 25.41. 2 Thes. 1.9,
Q. Doth God leave all mankinde thus wofully to perish?
A. No, but of his free-grace and mercy delivereth his elect out of it, and giveth them an estate of perpetual happiness, Deut. 4.6 7. Joh. 6.37. Rom. 9.15, 16. Eph. 1.5, 6.
Q. How may a man attain to this happiness?
A. Only by Jesus Christ, Isai. 55.1. John 6.35, 37, 40. Act. 4 12.
Q. VVhat is Jesus Christ?
A. He is the eternal Son of God, made man like unto us in all things, sin only excepted, Isai. 9.6. John 1.14. Phil. 3.7. Rom. 9.5.
Q. How prove you that Jesus Christ is God?
A. By his omnipotence, and his omniscience, who is the knower of the heart, working wonders by the power of his Spirit, in converting and saving his people, Isai 9.6, 7. Rom. 1.4. 1 Thes. 1.5.
Q. How prove you that he is man?
A. By partaking of humane infirmities common to mans nature; as to be hungry, sad, sorrowful and the like, Matth. 26.38. Heb. 4.15.
Q. How could Christ be very man, and yet without sin?
A. Because he was not begotten after the ordinary course of nature, but was formed as man of the only substance of the Virgin, being sanctified in the conception, and freed from the least stain of sin by the power of the Holy Ghost, Mat. 1.18. Luke 1.35. Gen. 3.15. 1 Pet. 1.19.
Q VVhy was is requisite that he should be God?
A. That the humane nature might be supported from sinking under the infinite wrath of God, and the power of death, and that Gods justice might be satisfied, and his mercy procured for his people, Ephes. 1.7. Isai. 63.3. Col. 2.10. Heb. 7.6.
Q. VVhy was it requisite that he should be man?
A. That the proper works of each Nature might be accepted of God for us, and relied on by us, as the works of the whole person, Gal. 1.4, 5.
Q. VVhat are we farther to know and believe concerning Christ?
A. That his divine and humane nature, though distinct one from another, are united and make up but one person, 2 Cor. 5.19 Heb. 13.8.
Q VVhat is the personal Ʋnion?
A. It is the assuming of the humane nature into the person of the Son of God, so that the manhood being not a person in it self, is received into the unity of person with the second person in the Trinity, and both wholly and onely subsist in the same, Gal. 4.4. Joh. 1.1. 1 Tim. 3.16.
Q. VVhat necessity was there that Christ should assume mans nature, rather then any other?
A. That God might be satisfied in the same nature that had offended, there being no remission of sins to be granted, without effusion of blood; and therein he became a fit Mediator, to plead in mans behalf with the Father both God and man, Heb. 9.24.
Q. VVhy did the second person in the Trinity assume our nature?
A. To repair the Image of God in us, who was himself the Image of his Father, and being himself the Son of God; hereby makes us the sons of God, Heb. 1.3. 2 Cor. 4.4. Rom. 8.29.
Q. VVhat are the offices of Christ, to make him allsufficient?
A. He is a Priest, a Prophet, and a King.
Q VVhy is he a Priest?
A. To be a reconciliation for the sins of his people, who being a sacrifice without spot to God, makes continual intercession for them, 1 Pet. 1.19. 1 Cor. 5 7.
Q. How doth the short time of Christs sufferings, satisfie eternal wrath?
A. Because, though the Godhead of Christ did not suffer, yet Christ suffering God suffered; which is more, then if for eternity the world it self had suffered, Acts 20.28. 2 Cor. 5.16.
Q VVhy is he a Prophet?
A. To reveal unto his Church by his Spirit and Word, the whole Will of God, and all things that concern their edification and salvation, Deut. 18.18. Ioh. 15.15. and 17.8. Col. 2.3.
Q. VVhy is he a King?
A. In electing a peculiar people unto himself, and in bestowing graces upon them giving them Laws, whereby they may be visibly governed; and powerfully ordering all things for his own glory, and their good: Isai. 9.6. Rom. 1.14. Col. 2.15.
Q. How may Christ become ours, with all his benefits?
A. If we endevor to be united to Christ: for union with him begets communion with all his benefits, Ioh. 6.53, 56. Phil. 3 9.
Q. How are we united to Christ?
A. Mystically and spiritually, Eph. 4.15, 16. 1 Cor. 6 17.
Q. What is mystical and spiritual union?
A. It is the cohabitation and residence of Christ in our souls, by his Spirit, and by Faith, whereby we become one with Christ, Ioh. 1.12, 13. 1 Ioh. 3.24.
Q. VVhat is Faith?
A. It is a supernatural gift of God, wrought in our hearts by the power of Gods Spirit, whereby we do apply Christ and all his benefits, in particular unto our selves, Tit. 1.1. Rom. 15.17. Gal. 3.27. Eph. 2.8. Col. 2.12. Ioh. 1.12.
Q. How are men brought to this faith?
A. By preparation, and operation, having their hearts fitted to receive it, and thereby working faith in them, Job 11.13, 14, 15. Jerc. 4.3, 4. Ezek. 36.26, 27.
Q. How is the heart fitted to receive faith?
A. By being bruised, and humbled, and mollified, Isai. 57.15. Ezek. 11.19.
Q. How doth God humble a man?
A By bringing him to a sight of his sins, and a true sorrow for them, Job 7.20. Luke 18.13. Ioh 42 6. Luke 15.18, 19.
Q. How comes he to a sight of his sins?
A. By the Moral Law of God, called The ten Commandments, Rom. 7.7.
Q. How is he brought to a sorrow for them?
A. By apprehending the dreadful curse of the Law of God, temporal, and eternal, denounced for the smallest act of disobedience, or breach of one Commandment, Deut. 27.26. Gal. 3.10. 2 Cor. 3.7.
Q. When mens hearts are prepared, how is Faith wrought in them?
A. By being sensible of the necessity of gaining Christ, with an hungering desire of that Grace that is offered in Christ, to be made partakers of it, Matth. 11.28. Luke 15.7. Isai. 55.1. Iohn 7.37.
Q. What are the fruits of these desires?
A. A special perswasion of Gods love towards the poor sinner, wherby God doth imprint in the heart by the work of his Spirit, the assurance of his love, and of the pardon of sin, Isa. 65.24. Ioh 17.19. Matth. 7.7. 1 Tim. 1 15, 16.
Q. What are the benefits a faithful soul receives by Christ?
A. Justification, Sanctification, and Redemption, Tit. 3.5. 1 Cor. 1.30.
Q. What is it to be just before God?
A. When Christs obedience is made ours, and we hereby esteemed just in Gods eyes, Rom. 5.19. & 6.10. 2 Cor. 5.21.
Q. What is it to be sanctified?
A. When our natures are inwardly renewed according [Page]to Gods Image in righteousness, and true holiness, Eph. 2.1. Tit 3.5. 2 Cor. 3.18.
Q. VVhat is it to be redeemed?
A. When both soul and body are freed from the curse of the Law here, and eternal wrath hereafter, Rom. 5.18, 19.
Q What are the outward means for obtaining of faith?
A. The hearing of the Word of God preached, Prov. 29.18. Rom. 10.17.
Q. VVhat are the outward means for confirming of saith?
A. The receiving of the Sacraments and prayer, Rom. 9.11. Mark 9.24.
Q. VVhat is a Sacrament?
A. It is an outward visible signe, of an inward and spiritual Grace; instituted by Christ in his Church, to signifie, seal, and exhibit all the benefits of his Mediation; for the strengthening and increase of Faith, and all other Graces unto his people.
Q. How many Sacraments hath Christ instituted in his Church?
A. Two, and no more; namely, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord, Matth. 17.5.
Q. VVhat is Baptism?
A. It is a Sacrament of the new Testament, wherein Christ hath ordained, the washing of Water, in the name of the sacred Trinity, to be a signe and seal of ingrafting into himself, of remission of his sin, by his blood; of our entrance into the Covenant of Grace, Matth. 28.19. Joh. 3.5. Gal. 3.17. 1 Cor. 6.11, 17.
Q. Who are to be admitted into Baptism?
A. All such as in charity be within the Covenant of Grace, and promise of Life, that profess the Faith of Christ, and live in obedience to him, 1 Cor. 7.14. & 1.16.
Q. What is the Lords Supper?
A. It is a Sacrament of the new Testament, instituted and ordained by Christ, for the spiritual nourishment of the soul, and groth in grace, whereby the faithful have their union and communion with Christ confirmed, and mutual fellowship with each other, as members [Page]of the same mystical body, 1 Cor. 12.12. and 10.16. Joh. 14.18. Ephes. 2.17.
Q. What are the parts of this Sacrament?
A. They are three; the Word sanctifying, the Bread and Wine signifying, and the Body and Blood of Christ signified.
Q. What is required of those that are to receive the Sacrament?
A. Examination and preparation.
Q. Wherein ought they to examine themselves?
A. In such things as are required in every worthy receiver.
Q. VVhat are those?
A. Knowledg in the use and ends of the Sacraments; of our being in Christ; of our Faith, to apply Christ and his benefits to us; of repentance, in forsaking and leaving sin, before we presume to take Christ; of our love to God, and our Brethren; and of our charity to all men, 1 Cor. 11.18.
Q. What are the ends of the Sacrament?
A. The confirmation of faith, the pledg of our communion with Christions, the memorial of Christs death, the seal of our assurance of happiness, and the seeding of our souls, in assured hope of eternal his, 1 Cor. 10.16. Revel. 20.6. Matth. 16.28. Joh. 6.5.
Q. May all that profess the Faith, some to the Lords Supper?
A. No, such as are grosly ignorant, and openly scandalous, are not to be admitted, notwithstanding their outward profession, until they receive instruction and manifest their reformation unto the Church of God, Mat. 7.6.
Q. VVhat is the danger, if we receive unworthily?
A. If we come unworthily, we eat and drink damnation to our selves, we run the hazard of causing God to punish us in body, and afflict us in soul, and to give us over to further hardness of heart, and blindness in minde, 1 Cor. 11.29, 30.
Q. VVhat is required of us, in the time of administring the Sacrament?
A. A diligent observation of the Sacramental Elements [Page]and actions, heedfully discerning the Lords body, and affectionately meditating on his death and sufferings; waiting upon God in that Ordinance, with all holy reverence and attention.
Q. VVhat is required of us, after we have received the Sacrament?
A. A vigilancy over our souls for the time to come, that we may fulfil our vows made to God at that Sacrament; and a care to praise God for his mercies, that hath left us such a seal of his love, to strengthen and comfort us for ever.
Q. VVhat is prayer?
A. It is a calling upon God, in the name of Christ, for all things needful, either for body or soul, 1 Joh. 5.14. Ioh. 14.14. 1 Tim. 2.1, 2. Phil 4.6. 1 Sam. 1.17.
Q. What is required in asking of things needful?
A. An earnest desire of the heart, and faith to believe.
Q. VVhat ought chiefly to be desired?
A. That God might be glorified, that sin might be mortified; that the soul might be sanctified and strengthned by the power of God, against all temptations.
Q VVhat followeth the life of man on earth?
A. Death, which is the separation of the soul from the body. 1 Cor. 15.26 Rom. 6.23.
Q Shall Death selfe upon all men?
A. Yes verily, all save such as shall be found alive at Christs coming, unto whom there shall be a change, instead of death, Psal 49.19.
Q Death being the wages of sin, why are not the righteous freed from it?
A. They are freed from the sin, and curse of it, and are made thereby capable of further communion with Christ in glory, Rom. 8.1. Zach. 13.1. Rom 6.14. Gal. 3.13.
Q. VVhat is their communion in glory with Christ?
A Their communion is their perfection of holiness, which their souls shall enjoy; beholding the face of God, in light and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies, till at the last day they be again united to their souls, 1 Cor. 15 53.
Q. What are we to believe concerning the Resurrection?
A. That all must appear before the Lord Jesus Christ, both just and unjust, and shall be raised up by the power of Christ; the bodies of the Saints being made up like the glorious body of Christ, but the bodies of the wicked shall be raised up in shame and dishonor, Matth. 25.14. 1 Thes. 4.16, 17.
Q. What shall immediately follow after the resurrection?
A. The general and final judgment of Angels and men.
Q. How shall the judgment be executed on the elect, and on the reprobate?
A. The reprobate shall be thrown into hell but the elect carried into Abrahams bosom, Matth. 10.18. & 25.46.
Q. What are we to conceive of life eternal?
A. It shall be so sweet a communion with God, as that through Christ by the quickening power of his Spirit, God himself shall give life for ever, unto all the elect, Ioh. 14.19, 20. Col. 3.34. 1 Iohn 4.15.
Q. What are we, to think of the perfect glory in Heaven?
A, It shall be an incomparable excellency which the Elect as Christ himself shall enjoy, though in a lower degree: yet these shall be above measure glorious, both in souls and bodies, in a far more excellent state, then any heart can wish or desire, Luk. 20.36. Phil. 3.21. Col. 3.4.
Q. VVhat shall be the estate of the reprobate in Hell?
A. They shall undergo unconceiveable and everlasting torments, being separated for ever, from the presence of God, that their misery shall be as a continual death, wherein they shall be always dying, never dead, always consuming, never consumed, Matth. 25 41. Revel. 21.8. 2 Thes. 1.9.
Q. VVhat is the principal end of the Saints blessedness, and the reprobates misery?
A. The glory of God, who in his eternal Purpose and Decree, hath for his due, ended all things to his own glory, Prov. 16.4 Rom. 11.36.
Q. What is the eternal decree of God, concerning men and Angels?
A. It is a free appointing and fore ordaining of them [Page]for a certain and everlasting state for his own glory, Rom. 9.22, 23. 1 Thes. 5.9.
Q. What be the parts of this decree?
A. Two, Election and Reprobation.
Q. What is Election?
A. It is an act of Gods free grace whereby according to the good pleasure of his will, he doth ordain some both men and Angels to everlasting blessedness for the declaration of the glory of his goodness, Ephes. 1.5, 6. 1 Tim. 5.21.
Q. What is reprobation?
A. It is Gods fore-ordaining of some, both men and Angels, to eternal shame and dishonor, for the manifestation of the glory of his justice, Jude 4. Rom. 9 22. 1 Pet. 2.8. 2 Tim. 2.21.
Q. How may a man be assured of his election?
A. By the power of the Word, the witness of the Spirit, and the fruits of sanctification, 1 Thes. 1.4, 5, 6. Rom. 8.18. Ephes. 1.9. 2 Thes. 2.15. Joh. 15.16. 1 Pet. 2 9.
Q May not this assurance be lost, and he that is elected, totally, and fully fall away?
A. No, for the foundation of God remaineth sure; and though the communion of Gods children may be lessened yet their union can never be dissolved, Isa. 46.10. 2 Tim. 2.19. Ioh. 6.37. Matth. 25.34. Rom. 11.2.
Q. Doth not the doctrine of Assurance, beget security in mans heart?
A. No, but rather an acknowledgment of Gods goodness to us, and the riches of his free-grace; that thereby we may be the more zealous in good works, Eph. 1.4. 1 Thes. 2.13. Deut. 14.2. Rom. 11.2. 1 Pet. 2.9, 16.
Q. What shall be the condenmation of the reprobates at the last judgment?
A. The living shall be changed in a moment, and at the sound of the Trumpet be stricken with horror and dread, and the dead shall rise to condemnation, having immortal bodies without glory, Ioh. 5.29. Matth. 25.41. 1 Thes 4.16, 17.