Q. 15. What sort of a mediator and deliverer then must we seek for ?

A. For one who is very man, g and perfectly righteous; and yet more powerful than all creatures; that is, one who is also very & God.

g 1 Cor. 15. 21.

Rom. 8. 3.

Rom. 9. 5. Isa. 7. 14.

VI. LORD'S DAY.

Q. 16. Why must he be very man, and also perfectly right

eous?

A. Because the justice of God requires that the same hu. man nature, which hath sinned, should a likewise make satisfaction for sin; and one, who is himself a sinner, b can. not satisfy for others.

a Rom. 5. 12, 15. b 1 Pet. 3. 18. Isa. 53. 11.

Q. 17. Why must he in one person be also very God?

A. That he might, by the power of his Godhead, e sustain in his human nature, the burthen of God's wrath; and might d obtain for, and restore to us, righteousness and life.

c 1 Pet. 3. 18. Acts 2. 24. Isa. 53. 8. d 1 John 1. 2. Jer. 23. 6. 2 Tim. 1. 10. John 6. 51.

Q. 18. Who then is that mediator, who is in one person both very God, and a real righteous man?

A. Our Lord Jesus Christ: e" who of God is made unt f us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption."

e Mat. 1. 23. 1 Tim. 3. 16. Luke 2. 11. f1 Cor. 1. 30. Q. 19. Whence knowest thou this?

A. From the holy gospel, which God himself revealed first in Paradise; g and afterwards published by the Patriarchs A and Prophets, and was pleased to represent it, by the shadows i of sacrifices and the other ceremonies of the law; and lastly, has accomplished it j by his only begotten Son.

g Gen. 3. 15. Gen. 22. 17, 28. and 28. 14. Rom. 1. 2. Heb. 1. 1. i John 5. 46. Heb. 10. 7, 8. j Rom. 10. 4. Heb. 13. 8.

VII. LORD'S DAY.

Q. 20. Are all men then, as they perished in Adam, saved by Christ?

A. No; only a those who are ingrafted into him, b and receive all his benefits, by a true faith.

a Mat. 1. 21. Isa 53. 11. b John 1. 12, 13. Rom. 11. 20 Heb. 10, 39.

Q. 21. What is true faith?

A. True faith is not only a certain knowledge, e whereby I hold for truth all that God has revealed to us in his word, but also an assured d confidence, which the Holy e Ghost works by the Gospel, f in my heart; that not only to others, but to me also, g remission of sin, everlasting righteousness A and salvation, are freely given by God, i merely of grace, only for the sake of Christ's merits.

c John 6. 69. John 17.3. Heb. 11. 3, 6. d Eph. 3. 12. e Rom. 4. 16, 20. 21. Heb. 11. 1. Eph. 3. 12. Rom. 1. 16. 1 Cor. 1. 21. Acts 16. 14. Mat. 16. 17. John 3. 5. f Rom. 10. 14, 17. Mat. 9.2. g Rom. 5. 1. A Gal. 2. 20. i Rom. 3. 24, 25, 26.

Q. 22. What is then necessary for a Christian to believe? A. All things j promised us in the gospel, which the arti cles of our Catholic undoubted Christian faith briefly teach us. j John 20. 31. Mat. 28. 19, 20.

Q. 23. What are these articles?

A. I. I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth:

II. And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord: III. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary:

IV. Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell:

V. The third day he rose again from the dead.

VI. He ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty:

VII. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. VIII. I believe in the Holy Ghost:

IX. I believe in an holy Catholic church: the communion of saints:

X. The forgiveness of sins:

XI. The resurrection of the body:

XII. And the life everlasting. AMEN.

VIII. LORD'S DAY.

Q. 24. How are these articles divided?

A. Into three parts; the first is of God the Father, and our creation; a the second of God the Son, and our redemption b the third of God the Holy Ghost, and our sanctification. c a Gen. 1. b 1 Pet. 1. 18, 19. c 1 Pet. 1. 21, 22.

Q. 25. Since there is but one only d divine essence, why speakest thou of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost?

A. Because God hath so e revealed himself in his word, that these three distinct persons are the one only true and eternal God.

d Deut. 6. 4. e Gen. 1. 26. Isa. 61. 1. John 14. 16, 17. 1 John 5. 7. John 1. 18. Mat. 28. 19. 2 Cor. 13. 14.

IX. LORD'S DAY.

Of God the Father.

Q. 26. What believest thou when thou sayest, "I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth ?" A. That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, (who a of nothing made heaven and earth, with all that is in them: who likewise upholds and b governs the same by his eternal counsel and providence) is for the sake of Christ his Son, my God and my Father; on whom I rely so entirely, that I have no doubt, but he will provide me with all things necessary c for soul and body: and further that he will make whatever evils he sends upon me, in this valley of tears, d turn out to my advantage; for he is able to do it, being almighty e God, and willing, being a ƒ faithful Father.

a Gen. 1. and 2. Psa. 33. 6. b Psa. 115. 3. Mat. 10. 29. Heb. 1. 3. John 5. 17. c John 1. 12, 16. Rom. 8. 15, 16. Gal. 4. 5, 6. Eph. 1. 5. 1 John 3. 1. d Psa. 55. 22. Mat. 6. 26. e Rom. 8. 28. and 4. 21. f Rom. 10. 12. Mat. 6. 26. and 7.9, 10, 11.

X. LORD'S DAY.

Q. 27. What dost thou mean by the providence of God A. The almighty and everywhere present power of God; a whereby, as it were by his hand, he b upholds and governs heaven, earth, and all creatures; so that herbs and grass, rain c and drought, fruitful d and barren years, meat and drink, e health and sickness, f riches and poverty, yea, and all things g come not by chance, but by his fatherly hand.

a Acts 17. 25, 26, 27, 28. b Heb. 1. 3. c Jer. 5. 24. d Acts 14. 17. e John 9. 3. f Prov. 22. 2. Job 1. 21. g Mat. 10. 29, 30. Eph. 1. 11.

Q. 28. What advantage is it to us to know that God has created, and by his providence doth still uphold all things.

A. That we may be patient in adversity; h thankful i in prosperity; and that in all things, which may hereafter befall us, we place our firm j trust in our faithful God and Father, that nothing shall k separate us from his love; since all crea tures are so inhis hand, that without his will they cannot so much as move.

h Rom. 5. 3. Psa. 39. 10. i Deut. 8. 10. 1 Thess. 5. 18 j Rom. 5. 3, 4, 5, 6. k Rom. 8. 38, 39. Job 1. 12. and 2.6. Mat. 8. 31. Isa. 10. 15.

XI. LORD'S DAY.

Of God the Son.

Q. 29. Why is the Son of God called Jesus, that is a Sa JESUS, viour ?

A. Because he saveth us, and delivereth us from our a sins; and likewise, because we ought not to seek, neither can find b salvation in any other.

a Mat. 1. 21. b Acts 4. 12.

Q. 30. Do such then believe in Jesus the only Saviour, who seek their salvation and happiness of saints, of themselves, or anywhere else?

A. They do not; for though they boast of him in words, yet in deeds they deny c Jesus the only deliverer and Sa viour; for one of these two things must be true, that either Jesus is not a complete Saviour; or that they, who by a true faith receive this Saviour, must find all things in him d necessary to their salvation.

e 1 Cor. 1. 13, 31. Gal. 5. 4. d Col. 2. 20. Isa. 9. 6, 7. Col. 1. 19, 20.

XII. LORD'S DAY.

Q. 31. Why is he called CHRIST, that is, anointed?

A. Because he is ordained of God the Father, and a anointed with the Holy Ghost, to be our b chief Prophet and teacher; who has fully revealed to us the secret counsel and will of God concerning our redemption; and to be our only High Priest, c who by the one sacrifice of his body, has redeemed us, and makes continual d intercession with the Father for us; and also to be our eternal King, e who governs us by his word and spirit; and who defends and ƒ preserves us in (the enjoyment of) that salvation, he has purchased for us.

a Heb. 1. 9. b Deut. 18. 18. Acts 3. 22. John 1. 18. and 15. 15. Mat. 11. 27. c Psa. 110. 4. Heb. 7. 21. and 10. 14. d Rom. 8. 34. e Psa. 2. 6. Luke 1. 33. f Mat. 28. 18. John 10. 28.

Q. 32. But why art thou called a Christian?

A. Because I am a member of Christ g by faith, and thus am partaker h of his anointing; that so I may i confess his name and present myself a living j sacrifice of thankfulness to him and also that with a free and good conscience I may fight against sin and k Satan, in this life: and afterwards 7 reign with him eternally, over all creatures.

i Cor. 6, 15. h1 John 2. 27. Joel 2. 28. i Mat. 10. 32. Rom. 12. 1. Apo. 1. 6. k Eph. 6. 11, 12. 1 Tim. 1. 18, 19 12 Tim. 2. 12.

XIII. LORD'S DAY.

Q. 33. Why is Christ called the only begotten Son of God, since we are also the children of God?

A. Because Christ alone is the eternal and natural Son of a God; but we are children b adopted of God, by grace, for his sake.

a John 1. 1. Heb. 1. 2. b Rom. 8. 15, 16, 17. Eph. 1.5, 6.

Q. 34. Wherefore callest thou him our Lord?

A. Because he hath redeemed us, both soul and body, from all our sins, not with gold or silver, e but with his precious blood, and hath delivered us from all the power of the devil, and thus hath made us his own property.

c 1 Pet. 1. 18, 19. 1 Cor. 6. 20.

XIV. LORD'S DAY.

Q. 35. What is the meaning of these words-" He was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary 7"

A. That God's eternal Son, who a is, and continueth true and eternal b God, took upon him the very nature of man, of the flesh and c blood of the Virgin Mary, by the operation of the Holy Ghost; d that he might also be the true seed of David, e like unto his brethren in all things, f sin excepted. a John 1. 1. Col. 1. 15. Psa. 2. 7. b Rom. 9. 5. 1 John 5. 20. c John 1. 14. Gal. 4. 4. d Mat. 1. 18. Luke 1. 35. e Psa. 132. 2 Acts 2. 30. Rom. 1. 3. f Phil. 2. 7. Heb. 4. 15.

Q. 36. What profit dost thou receive by Christ's holy conception and nativity?

A. That he is our g mediator; and with his innocence and perfect holiness, covers in the sight of A God, my sins, wherein I was conceived and brought forth!

g Heb. 2. 16, 17. h Psa. 32. 1. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Rom. 8. 34.

XV. LORD'S DAY.

Q. 37. What dost thou understand by the words "He suf fered ?"

A. That he, all the time that he lived on earth, but espe. cially at the end of his life, a sustained in body and soul, the wrath of God against the sins of all mankind: that so by his passion, as the only & propitiatory sacrifice, he might redeem our body and soul from everlasting damnation, and obtain for us the favour of God, righteousness and eternal life.

a 1 Pet. 2. 24. Isa. 53. 12. b 1 John 2. 2. Rom. 3. 25.