MILK FOR BABES.
DRAWN Out of the Breasts of both TESTAMENTS.
Chiefly, for the spirituall nourishment of Boston Babes in either England: But may be of like use for any Children.
By JOHN COTTON, B. D. and Teacher to the Church of Boston in New-England.
LONDON, Printed by J. Coe, for Henry Overton, and are to be sold at his Shop, in Popes-head Alley. 1646. ⟨Aprill 9th.⟩
MILK FOR BABES.
Q. WHat hath GOD done for you?
A. God hath made me,Psa. 119.73. Ps. 128, 4.5, 6, 7, 8. Isa. 63.1. He keepeth me, and He can save me.
Q. Who is God?
A. God is a Spirit ofIob. 4.24 Exo. 3.14 himself and for himself.
Q. How many Gods be there?
A. There is but one God in three Persons,1 Cor. 8.6. 1 Ioh. 5.7. the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy Ghost.
Q. How did God make you?
A. In my first ParentsGen. 1.26, 27. Eccles. 7.29. holy and righteous.
Qu. Are you then born holy and righteous?
A. No, my first fatherIs. 43.2 [...] Ro. 12. [...]9 sinned, and I in him.
[Page 2]Q. Are you then born a sinner?
A. I was conceived in sinne, andPs. 51.5. born in iniquity.
Q. What is your birth-sinne?
A. ADAMS sinne imputed to me,Rom. 5.12, 13, 14. Eph, 4, 22 and a corrupt Nature dwelling in me.
Q. What is your corrupt Nature?
Answ. My corrupt nature is empty ofRom. 7.7.18. Gen. 6.5. Grace, bent unto sinne, and onely unto sinne, and that continually.
Q. What is sinne?
Answ. Sinne is the1 Ioh. 3.4 transgression of the Law.
Qu. How many commandements of the Law be there?
Answ. Deut. 4.13. (k) Ten.
Q. What is the first Commandement?
A. Thou shalt have no other Gods butEx. 20.3. me?
Qu. What is the meaning of this commandement?
A. That we shouldMat. 4.10. worship the onely true God, and no other beside him.
Q. What is the 2d. Commandement?
Exo, 20.4, 5. A. Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image, &c.
[Page 3] Qu. Wat is the meaning of this Commandement?
Ans. That we should worship theIoh. 4.24 De. 12.32 Mat. 15.9 true God with true worship: such as God hath ordained, not such as man hath invented.
Q. What is the third commandement?
A. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain, &c.
Qu. What is here meant by the Name of God?
A. GodDeut. 28 58. Ex. 33.19 with 34.6. 1 Kin 9.3. Psa. 138.2 Iob. 1.21. himself and the good things of God, whereby he is known, as a man by his name; as his Attributes, worship, word, and works.
Qu. What is it not to take his Name in vain?
A. To make use of God, and the good things of God, to his glory, and our2 Kings 1.3. Lev. 10.3. Iob. 36.24 1 Cor. 10 31. Iob. 5.27 Deut. 8.16 [...]er. 2.30. Lev. 26.2. Heb. 4.2. good: not vainly, not unreverently, not unprofitably.
Qu. What is the fourth Commandement?
A. Remember that thou keep holy theExod. 20 8, 9, 10.11 Sabbath day, &c.
Q. What is the meaning of this Commandement?
A. That we should rest from labor [Page 4] and much more from play onIsa 58.13.14 Exo. 32.6. the Lords day, that we may draw nigh to God in holy duties.
Quest. What is the fifth Commandement?
Answ. Honour thy Father, and thy mother,8 Exod. 20 12. (t) that thy dayes may be long in the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
Quest. Who are here meant by Father and mother?
Answ. All our superiours, whether inProv. 23 22. 2 King. 5.13. and 2.12. 1 Cor. 4.15. 2 Chr 29.1 [...] [...] Tim. 5.1 1 Sa. 25.8. Gen 4.20 21. Family, School, Church, and Commonwealth.
Quest. What is the honour due to them?
Answ. Reverence,Mal. 1.6 Heb. 12.9. Eph. 6.1. 1 Tim. 5.4. obedience, and (when I am able) Recompence.
Quest. What is the sixth Commandement?
Answ. Thou shalt do noExo. 20.13. murther.
Qu. What is the meaning of this Commandement?
Answ. That we should not shorten theMath. 5.22. 2 Cor. 7.10. 1 Sam. 26 24. Mar. 3.4. life, or health of our selves or others, but preserve both.
[Page 5] Quest. What is the seventh Commandement?
Answ. Thou shalt not commitExo. 20.14. Adultery.
Quest. What is the sinne here forbidden?
Answ. To defile our selves or othersGen. 38.9.10. Lev. 18.24. with unclean lusts.
Quest. What is the duty here commanded?
Answ. Chastity, to possesseTit. 2.5. 1 Pet. 3.2. 1 Thes. 4.4.5. our vesels in holinesse and honour.
Quest. What is the eight Commandement?
Answ. Thou shalt notExod. 20.15. steale.
Quest. What is the stealth here forbidden?
Answ. To take awayLuk. 19.8. 1 The. 4.6. Pro. 21.20. another mans goods, without his leave: or to spend our own without benefit to our selves or others.
Quest. What is the duty here commanded?
Answ. To get our goodsPro. 13.11. Ioh. 6.12. Luk. 19.16. & 15 13. honestly, to keepe them safely, and to spend them thriftily.
Quest. What is the ninth Commandement?
[Page 6] A. ThouExo. 20 16. shalt not bear false witnesse against thy Neighbour.
Quest. What is the sinne here forbidden?
Answ. ToEp. 4.25 Ier. 9, 4, 5 Iosh. 9.22 Prov. 13.7 lye falsly, to think or speak untruly of our selves, or others.
Quest. What is the duty here required?
Ep. 4.25 Mat. 23.23 A. Truth and faithfulnesse.
Quest. What is the tenth Commandement?
Ex. [...].17 A. Thou shalt not covet, &c.
Q. What is the coveting here forbidden?
Ro. 7.7 Heb. 13.5 Answ. Lust after the things of other men: and want of contentment with our own.
Qu. Whether have you kept all these Commandements?
Ro. 7.14 and 3.23. Answ. No, I and all men are sinners.
Qu. What is the wayes of sin?
Ro. 6.23 and 2.8, 9 A. Death and damnation.
Quest. How look you then to be saved?
Acts 4.12 Answ. Onely by Jesus Christ.
Qu. Who is Jesus Christ?
[Page 7] A. The eternall Son of God, who for our sakes1 Ioh. 5.20. Prov. 8.23 24, 25. Iohn 1.14 2 Cor. 8.9 Lu. 1.68, 69, and 2.11. became man, that he might redeem and save us.
Qu. How doth Christ redeem and save us?
A. By his righteous life, and bitter death, and glorious resurrection, to lifeGal. 4.4, 5. Math. 20 28. Phi. 2.7, 8 Rom. 4.25 again.
Qu. How do we come to have part and fellowship with Christ, in his Death and Resurrection?
A. By the power of hisIoh. 17 20, 21. 2 Co. 5.20 1 Co. 6.17 Word and Spirit, which bring us to Christ, and keep us in him.
Qu. What is his Word?
A. The2 Tim. 3 15, 16. Holy Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles, The Old and New Testament, Law and Gospell.
Qu. How doth the Ministery of the Law bring you towards Christ?
A. Ro. 3.20 Gal. 3.10 24. Ro. 7.9, 10 By bringing me to know my sinne, and the wrath of God against me for it.
Qu. What are you thereby the nearer to Christ?
A. Gal. 3.10 24. So I come to feel my cursed estate, and need of a Saviour.
[Page 10]Quest. How doth the Ministery of the Gospell helpe you in this cursed Estate?
Answ. By humbling meLuk. 3.4, 5, 6. yet more, and then raising me up out of this Estate.
Quest. How doth the ministery of the Gospell humble you more?
Answ. By revealing the2 Tim. 1.10. 1 Tim. 1.15. Ioh. 16.7.9. & 6.44. Lu. 19.10. grace of the Lord Jesus, in dying to save sinners: and yet convincing me of my sinne, in not believing on him, and of mine utter insufficiency, to come to him; And so I feele my selfe utterly lost.
Quest. How then doth the Ministery of the Gospel raise you up out of this lost estate to come unto Christ?
Answ. ByIoh. 12.32. 2 Cor. 5.19.20. Can. 5.10 to 16. with 6.1. 2 Cor. 3.18. Lu. 19.10. Mat. 9.13. Gal. 3.5. Rom. 10.17. with 1.16. teaching me the value and the vertue of the death of Christ, and the riches of his grace to lost sinners: By revealing the promise of grace to such, and by ministring the Spirit of grace, to apply Christ, and his promise of grace unto my selfe, and to keepe me in him.
Qu. How doth the spirit of Christ apply [Page 11] Christ, and his promise of grace unto you, and keepe you in him.
Answ. By begetting in meRom. 10.17. & 10.14. Zach. 12.10. Rom. 16.25.26. 2 Cor. 10.4.5. faith to receive him: Prayer to call upon him: Repentence to mourne after him: and new obedience to serve him.
Quest. What is Faith?
Answ. Faith is a grace of thePhil 1.29. 2 Cor. 4.13. Phil. 3.8.9. spirit; whereby I deny my selfe: and believe on Christ for righteousnesse and salvation.
Quest. What is Prayer?
Answ. It is a calling uponMat. 6.9. Ioh. 16.23. Rom. 8.26.27. 1 Ioh. 5.14. Acts. 5.31. Zach. 12.10. Eze. 6 9. Iob. 42.6. 2 Sam. 24.10. Levit. 26.40.4. Pro. 28.13. Zach. 12.10. 1 Sam. 7.2 Psal. 51.1.2 10. God in the Name of Christ, by the helpe of the Holy Ghost, according to the will of God.
Quest. What is Repentance?
Answ. Repentance is a (b) grace of the spirit, whereby I loath my sinnes, and my selfe for them, and confesse them before the Lord, and mourne after Christ for the pardon of them, and for grace to serve him in newnesse of life.
Quest. What is newnesse of life or new obedience?
Answ. Newnesse of life is aRom. 7.6 1 Pet. 4.2, 3, 4. Psal. 1 [...]6.9. & 119 9.105.115 Psal. 16.3 grace of the spirit, whereby I forsake my [Page 10] former lusts, and vaine company, and walk before the Lord in the light of his word, and in the Communion of his Saints.
Qu. What is the communion of Saints.
A. It is1 Cor. 1.2. Phil. 1.5. Act. 2.47. Rom. 9.4. 1 Cor. 12.13. the fellowship of the Church in the blessings of the Covenant of grace, and the seales thereof.
Qu. What is the Church?
A. It is a Congregation ofPsal. 89.5. & 50.5.16. Ezek. 20.37. Act 2.42. 1 Cor. 14.23.26. Saints joyned together in the bond of the Covenant, to worship the Lord, and to edify one another, in all his Holy Ordinances.
Q. What is the bond of the Covenant, in which the Church is joyned together?
A. It is2 Cor. 8.5. & 9.13. Gen. 17.7 the profession of that Covenant, which God hath made with his faithfull people, to be a God unto them and to their seede.
Qu. What doth the Lord binde his people to in this Covenant?
A. ToIosh. 24.15, 21, 24, 25. 2 Cor. 8.5 Eph. 5.21 Neh. 9.38 vvith 10.28.29 to 34. give up themselves and their seede first to the Lord to be his people, and then to the Elders and Brethren of the Church, to set forward the worship of God and their mutall edifycation.
[Page 11] Q. How do they give up themselves and their seed to the Lord?
A. By receiving throughIoh. 1.12 Gen. 17.9.10. Isa. 56.6.7. Gen. 18.19. faith, the Lord, & his Covenant, to themselves; and to their seed, And accordingly walking themselves, and trayning up their Children in the wayes of his Covenant.
Qu. How do they give up themselves and their seed to the Elders and Brethren of the Church?
A. By confession ofMat. 3.6. Act 8.37. 2 Cor. 9.13. Act. 2.38.39. their sinnes and profession of their faith, and of their subjection to the Gospell of Christ. And so they and their seede are received into the fellowship of the Church, and the seales thereof.
Qu. What are the seales of the Covenant now in the dayes of the Gospel?
A. Baptisme (k) and the Lords Supper.
Qu. What is done for you in Baptism?
A. In baptisme,Rom. 4.11. vvith Col. 2.11.12. 1 Cor. 11.25. the washing with water is a signe and seale of my washing with the blood and spirit of Christ, and thereby of my ingrafting into Christ: of the pardon and clensing of my sinnes: of my rising upl Heb 10.22. & 12.24. Ioh. 3.5. Rom. 6.2.3. Act. 22.16. Lu. 3.3. 1 Pet. 3.20.21. 1 Cor. 15 29. [Page 12] out of Affliction: and also of my resurrection from the dead at the last day.
Quest. What is done for you in the Lords Supper?
Answ. In the Lords Supper the receiving of the bread broken, and and the1 Cor. 10.16. Mat. 26.26 28. 1 Cor. 12, 13. Ps. 104.15 Ioh. 6.55. wine powred out, is a signe and seal of my receiving the Communion of the body of Christ broken for me, and of his bloud shed for me: And thereby of my growth in Christ, of the pardon and healing of my sinnes: of the fellowship of his Spirit: of my strengthening and quickning in Grace: and of my sitting together with Christ on his throne of glory at the last judgement.
Quest. What is the resurrection from the dead, which was sealed up to you in Baptisme?
[...] Ioh. 5.28, 29. Act 24.15 Ans. WhenLu. 22.27.29, 30. Christ shall come to his last judgement, all that are in the graves shall arise again, both the just and unjust.
Quest. What is the last judgement, which is sealed up to you in the Lords Supper.
[Page 13] A. At the last2 Cor. 5.10. Mat. 12.36 1 Cor. 4.5 Ecc. 12.14 day we shall all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, to give an accompt of our works, and to receive our reward according to them.
Qu. What is the reward that shall then be given?
Ans. TheMat. 25.34. Mat. 25.46. righteous shall go into life eternall, and the wicked shall be cast into everlasting fire with the Devill and his angels.