LORD'S DAY
1
Question 1: What is your only comfort in life and death?
Answer: That I with body and soul,
both in life and death1, am not my own2, but belong unto
my faithful Savior Jesus Christ3; who, with His precious blood, has
fully satisfied for all my sins4, and delivered me from all the
power of the devil5; and so preserves me6 that without
the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head7;
yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation8,
wherefore, by His Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life9,
and makes me heartily willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto Him10.
1Rom. 14:7-9, For none of us liveth to
himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether
we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the
Lord's. For to this end Christ both
died, and rose, and revived, that He might be Lord both of the dead and living.
21 Cor. 6:19-20, What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost
which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are
bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit,
which are God's.
31 Cor. 3:23, And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.
Titus 2:14, Who gave himself for us,
that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar
people, zealous of good works.
41 Pet. 1:18-19, Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemedwith corruptible
things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation
received
by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a
lamb without blemish and without spot.
1John 1:7, The same came for a
witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through Him might believe.
1John 2:2 And he is the propitiation
for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole
world.
1John 2:12 I write unto you, little
children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.
5Heb. 2:14-15, 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; and deliver them
who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
1John 3:8, He that committeth sin is of
the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son
of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
John 3:8 The wind bloweth where it
listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it
cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
John 8:34-36 Jesus answered them, Verily,
verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the
servant abideth not in the house for ever: [but] the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye
shall be free indeed.
6John 6:39, And this is the Father's will which hath sent Me, that of all which
He hath given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the
last day.
John 10:28-29, And I give unto them
eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out
of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is
able to pluck them out of My Father's hand.
2Thes. 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you,
and keep [you] from evil.
1Pet. 1:5 Who are kept by the power of
God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time
7Matt. 10:30, But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Rom. 8:28, And we
know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who
are the called according to His purpose.
Luke 21:18, But there shall not an hair
of your head perish.
8Rom. 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love
God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.
92 Cor. 1:22, Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our
hearts.
2 Cor. 5:5, Now He that hath wrought us
for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the
Spirit.
Eph. 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the
redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Rom. 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth
witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
10Rom. 8:14, For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God
1John 3:3 And every man that hath this
hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Question 2: How many things are necessary for you to know, that you in this
comfort, may live and die happily?
Answer: Three1; the
first, how great my sins and miseries are2; the second, how I may be
delivered from all my sins and misery3; the third, how I am to be
thankful to God for such deliverance4.
1Matt.11:28-30 Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give
you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and
learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your
souls. For my yoke [is] easy, and my
burden is light.
Eph. 5:8-10,For ye were sometimes
darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all
goodness and righteousness and truth;) proving what is acceptable unto the
Lord.
2John 9:41, Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but
now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
Matt.9:12 But when Jesus heard [that],
he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are
sick.
Rom. 3:10, As it is written, There is
none righteous, no, not one;
1John 1:9,10 If we confess our sins, he is
faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness. If we say that we have
not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
3John 17:3, And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true
God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Rom. 7:22, For I delight in the law of
God after the inward man.
Luke 24:47, And that repentance and
remission of sins should be preached in His Name among all nations, beginning
at Jerusalem.
1 Cor. 6:10-11, Nor thieves, nor covetous,
nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of
God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but
ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
THE FIRST
PART: SIN AND MISERY,
LORD'S DAY 2
Question 3: Whence do you know your misery?
Answer: Out of the law of God.1
1Rom 3:20, Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in
His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin
Question 4: What does the law of God require of us?
Answer: Christ teaches us that
briefly, Matt. 22:37-40, "Thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy
mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first and the great commandment;
and the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On
these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."1
1Deut. 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD
thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Lev. 19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor
bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself: I [am] the LORD.
Mark 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord
thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and
with all thy strength: this [is] the first commandment.
Luke 10:27,And he answering said, Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with
all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.
Question 5: Can you keep all this perfectly?
Answer: In no wise1; for
I am prone by nature to hate God and my neighbor2.
1Rom. 3:10,20,23 As it is written,
There is none righteous, no, not one. Therefore by the deeds of the law there
shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law [is] the knowledge of
sin. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
1John 1:8,10 If we say that we have no
sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us... If we say that we have
not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
2Rom. 8:7, Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject
to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Eph.2:3 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.
Tit. 3:3, For we ourselves also were
sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures,
living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
Gen 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man [was] great
in the earth, and [that] every imagination of the thoughts of his heart [was]
only evil continually.
Gen 8:21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the
LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's
sake; for the imagination of man's heart [is] evil from his youth; neither will
I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
Jer. 17:9 The heart [is] deceitful above all [things],
and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Rom. 7:23 But I see another law in my
members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to
the law of sin which is in my members.
LORD'S DAY
3
Question 6: Did God then create man so wicked and perverse?
Answer: By no means; but God
created man good1, and after His own image2, that is, in
true righteousness and holiness, that he might rightly know God his Creator,
heartily love Him, and live with Him in eternal blessedness to praise and
glorify Him3.
1Gen. 1:31, And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very
good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
2Gen. 1:26-27, And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and
let them have 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. So God created man in His own image, in the image of
God created He him; male and female created He them.
3Col. 3:10, And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the
image of Him that created him.
Eph. 4:24, And that ye put on the new
man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
2Cor. 3:18, But we all, with open face
beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image
from glory to glory, [even] as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Question 7: Whence, then, comes this depraved nature of man?
Answer: From the fall and
disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve, in Paradise1;
whereby our nature became so corrupt that we all are conceived and born in sin2.
1Gen. 3,
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God
had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of
every tree of the garden? And the woman
said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which [is] in
the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall
ye touch it, lest ye die. And the
serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat
thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good
and evil. 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 desired to make [one] wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did
eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and
they knew that they [were] naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made
themselves aprons. And they heard the
voice of the LORD God walking 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. And the LORD God called
unto Adam, and said unto him, Where [art] thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because
I [was] naked; and I hid myself. And he
said, Who told thee that thou [wast] naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree,
whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The
woman whom thou gavest [to be] with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did
eat. And the LORD God said unto the
woman, What [is] this [that] thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent
beguiled me, and I did eat. And the LORD
God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou [art] cursed above
all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go,
and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the
woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou
shalt bruise his heel. nto the woman he
said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou
shalt bring forth children; and thy desire [shall be] to thy husband, and he
shall rule over thee. nd unto Adam he
said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of
the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed
[is] the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat [of] it all the days of
thy life; horns also and thistles shall
it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; n the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread,
till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou
[art], and unto dust shalt thou return. nd Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all
living. 21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of
skins, and clothed them.
Rom. 5:12,18,19, 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;
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation;
even so by the right- eousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto
justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners,
so by the obedience of one shall
many
be made righteous.
2Psa. 51:5, Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive
me.
Gen. 5:3, And Adam lived an hundred
and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and
called his name Seth.
Question 8: But are we so corrupt that we are wholly incapable of doing any good,
and inclined to all evil?
Answer: Yes, indeed1;
except we are regenerated by the Spirit of God2.
1Gen. 8:21, And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I
will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of
man's heart [is] evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every
thing living, as I have done.
Gen. 6:5, And God saw that the
wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the
thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Job 14:4, Who can bring a clean thing
out of an unclean? No one.
Job 15:14, 16, What is man, that he should
be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?; How
much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?
John 3:6, That which is born of the
flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Isa. 53:6, All we like sheep have gone
astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
2John 3:3,5, Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born
of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
1Cor. 12:3, Wherefore I give you to
understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed:
and [that] no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
2Cor. 3:5, Not that we are sufficient
of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency [is] of
God;
Eph. 2:5, Even when we were dead in
sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved).
LORD'S DAY
4
Question 9: Does not God, then, wrong man by requiring from him in His law, that
which he cannot perform?
Answer: Not at all; for God made
man capable of performing it1; but man, through the instigation of
the devil2, by his own willful disobedience, deprived himself and
all his posterity of these gifts3.
1Eph. 4:24, And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in
righteousness and true holiness.
2Gen. 3:13, And the LORD God said unto the woman, What [is] this [that] thou hast
done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
1Tim. 2:13,14, For Adam was first formed,
then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but
the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
3Gen. 3:6, 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 desired to make [one] wise, she
took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with
her; and he did eat.
Rom. 5:12, 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.
Question 10: Will God suffer such disobedience and apostasy to go unpunished?
Answer: By no means; but He is
terribly displeased1 with our original as well as actual sins; and
will punish them by a just judgment temporally and eternally2, as He
hath declared, "Cursed is every one
that continueth not in all things, which are written in the book of the law, to
do them."3
1Gen. 2:17, But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat
of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Rom. 5:12, 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:
2Ps. 50:21; 5:5, These [things] hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest
that I was altogether [such an one] as thyself: [but] I will reprove thee, and
set [them] in order before thine eyes. ;
The foolish shall not stand in Thy sight: Thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
Nah. 1:2, God [is] jealous, and the
LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and [is] furious; the LORD will take
vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth [wrath] for his enemies.
Exod. 20:5, Thou shalt not bow down
thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God,
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and
fourth [generation] of them that hate me;
Rom. 1:18, For the wrath of God is
revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who
hold the truth in unrighteousness.
Eph. 5:6, Let no man deceive you with
vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the
children of disobedience.
3Deut. 27:26, Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words ofthis law to do them.
And all the people shall say, Amen.
Gal. 3:10, For as many as are of the
works of the law are under the 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.
Question 11: Is, then, God not also merciful?
Answer: God is indeed merciful1,
but He is also just2; therefore His justice requires, that sin which
is committed against the most high majesty of God, be also punished with extreme,
that is, with everlasting punishment of body and soul.
1Ex. 34:6,7; 20:6, And the Lord passed by
before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious,
longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth. Keeping mercy for thousands,
forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear
[the guilty]; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon
the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth [generation].
2Ps. 7:9,
Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for
the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.
Ex. 20:5, Thou shalt not bow down
thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God,
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and
fourth [generation] of them that hate me;
Ex.23:7, Keep thee far from a false
matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify
the wicked.
Ex.34:7, Keeping mercy for thousands,
forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear
[the guilty]; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon
the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth [generation].
Ps. 5:4, For thou [art] not a God
that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.
Nah. 1:2,3, God [is] jealous, and the
LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and [is] furious; the LORD will take
vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth [wrath] for his enemies.
Na 1:3 The LORD [is] slow to anger,
and great in power, and will not at all acquit [the wicked]: the LORD hath his
way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds [are] the dust of his
feet.
THE SECOND
PART: DELIVERANCE,
LORD'S DAY
5
Question 12: Since, then, by the righteous judgment of God, we deserve temporal
and eternal punishment, is there no way by which we may escape that punishment,
and be again received into favor?
Answer: God will have His justice
satisfied1: therefore we must make this full satisfaction to the
same, either by ourselves, or by another2.
1Gen. 2:17, And the LORD God formed man [of] the dust of the ground, and breathed
into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Ex. 23:7, Keep thee far from a false
matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify
the wicked.
Ezek. 18:4, Behold, all souls are mine;
as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that
sinneth, it shall die.
Matt. 5:26, Verily I say unto thee, Thou
shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
2Thess. 1:6, Seeing [it is] a righteous
thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;
Luke 16:2 And he called him, and said
unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy
stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.
2Rom. 8:4, That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk
not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Question 13: But can we ourselves make this satisfaction?
Answer:
By no means; on the contrary, we daily increase our debt1.
1Job 9:2-3, I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? If
he will contend with Him, he cannot answer Him one of a thousand.
Job 15:14-16, What is man, that he should
be clean? and he whichis born of a woman, that he should be righteous? Behold,
he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.
How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?
Job 4:18,19, Behold, he put no trust in
his servants; and his angels he charged with folly: How much less [in] them
that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation [is] in the dust, [which] are
crushed before the moth?
Ps. 130:3, If thou, LORD, shouldest mark
iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
Matt. 6:12, And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
Matt. 18:25, But forasmuch as he had not
to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all
that he had, and payment to be made.
Matt. 16:26, For what is a man profited,
if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man
give in exchange for his soul?
Question 14: Can there be found anywhere, a mere creature able to satisfy for us?
Answer: None; for, first, God will
not punish any other creature for the sin which man has committed1;
and, further, no mere creature can sustain the burden of God's eternal wrath
against sin, and deliver others from it2.
1Ezek. 18:4, Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the
soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Gen. 3:17, And unto Adam he said,
Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the
tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed [is]
the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat [of] it all the days of thy
life;
2Nah. 1:6, Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the
fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are
thrown down by him.
Ps. 130:3, If thou, LORD, shouldest
mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
Question 15: What manner of mediator and deliverer, then, must we seek?
Answer: One who is a true1
and righteous2 man, and yet more powerful than all creatures; that
is, one who is withal true God3.
11Cor. 15:21, For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the
dead.
2Heb. 7:26, For such an high priest became us, [who is] holy, harmless, undefiled,
separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
3Isa. 7:14; 9:6, Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin
shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel... For unto us
a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his
shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God,
The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Jer. 23:6, In his days Judah shall be
saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this [is] his name whereby he shall be
called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Luke 11:22, But when a stronger than he
shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour
wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.
LORD'S DAY
6
Question 16: Why must He be a true and righteous man?
Answer: Because the justice of God
requires that the same human nature which has sinned should make satisfaction
for sin1; and because one who himself is a sinner cannot satisfy for
others.
1Ezek. 18:4, 20, Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul
of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. The soul that sinneth,
it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall
the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous
shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
Rom. 5:18, Therefore as by the offence
of one [judgment came] upon all men to condemnation; even so by the
righteousness of one [the free gift came] upon all men unto justification of
life.
1Cor. 15:21, For since by man [came]
death, by man [came] also the resurrection of the dead.
Heb. 2:14-16, 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;
2Heb. 7:26,27, For such an high priest became us, [who is] holy, harmless,
undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests,
to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for
this he did once, when he offered up himself.
Ps. 49:8, For such an high priest
became us, [who is] holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made
higher than the heavens;
1Pet. 3:18, For Christ also hath once
suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God,
being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.
Question 17: Why must He withal be true God?
Answer: That by the power of His
Godhead1 He might bear in His human nature2, the burden
of God's wrath3; and that He might obtain for us, and restore to us,
righteousness and life4.
1Isa. 9:6; 63:3, For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the
government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful,
Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. I have
trodden the winepress alone; and of the people [there was] none with me: for I
will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood
shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.
2Deut. 4:24, For the LORD thy God [is] a consuming fire, [even] a jealous God.
Nah. 1:6, Who can stand before his
indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is
poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.
Ps. 130:3, If thou, LORD, shouldest
mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
3Isa. 53:4,11, Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did
esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. He shall see of the travail
of his soul, [and] shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous
servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
4Isa. 53:5,11, But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our
iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes
we are healed. He shall see of the travail of his soul, [and] shall be
satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he
shall bear their iniquities.
Question 18: But who is that
Mediator who is at once true God1, and a true2, righteous man3?
Answer: Our Lord Jesus Christ1: "who was made unto us wisdom from God,
and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption.5"
11Jn. 5:20, And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an
understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is
true, [even] in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
Rom. 9:5; 8:3, Whose [are] the fathers,
and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ [came], who is over all, God blessed
for ever. Amen. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the
flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin,
condemned sin in the flesh:
Gal. 4:4, But when the fulness of the
time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
Isa. 9:6, For unto us a child is
born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder:
and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The
everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Jer. 23:6, In his days Judah shall be
saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this [is] his name whereby he shall
be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Mal. 3:1, Behold, I will send my
messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek,
shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye
delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
2Luke 1:42; 2:6,7, And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed [art] thou
among women, and blessed [is] the fruit of thy womb. And so it was, that, while
they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and
wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was
no room for them in the inn.
Rom.
1:3; 9:5, Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed
of David according to the flesh; Whose
[are] the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ [came], who is
over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
Phil. 2:7, But made himself of no
reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the
likeness of men:
Heb. 2:14,16,17; 4:15, 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; For verily he
took not on [him the nature of] angels; but he took on [him] the seed of
Abraham. Wherefore in all things it
behoved him to be made like unto [his] brethren, that he might be a merciful
and faithful high priest in things [pertaining] to God, to make reconciliation
for the sins of the people. For we have
not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;
but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin.
3Isa. 53:9,11, And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death;
because he had done no violence, neither [was any] deceit in his mouth. He
shall see of the travail of his soul, [and] shall be satisfied: by his
knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their
iniquities.
Jer.
23:5, Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a
righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute
judgment and justice in the earth.
Luke 1:35, And the angel answered and
said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the
Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be
born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
John 8:46, Which of you convinceth me
of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
Heb. 4:15; 7:26, For we have not an high
priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in
all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin. For such an high priest became us, [who is]
holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the
heavens;
1Pet. 1:19; 2:22; 3:18 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of
a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: For Christ also hath once suffered for sins,
the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in
the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
41Tim. 2:5, For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man
Christ Jesus;
Matt. 1:23, Behold, a virgin shall be
with child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel,
which being interpreted is, God with us.
1 Tim. 3:16,And without controversy
great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in
the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the
world, received up into glory.
Luke 2:11, For unto you is born this
day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
Heb. 2:9, But we see Jesus, who was
made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with
glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
51 Cor. 1:30, But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom,
and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.
Question 19: Whence do you
know this?
Answer: From the holy gospel, which
God Himself first revealed in Paradise1; afterwards published by the
holy patriarchs2 and prophets3, and foreshadowed by the
sacrifices and other ceremonies of the law4; and lastly fulfilled by
His only begotten Son5.
1Gen. 3:15, And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, andbetween thy seed
and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
2Gen. 22:17-18, That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will
multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the
sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed
shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed My
voice.
Gen 12:3; 49:10, And I will bless them that
bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of
the earth be blessed. The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver
from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him [shall] the gathering of
the people [be].
3Isa. 53, Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD
revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out
of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him,
[there is] no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of
men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were [our]
faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne
our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of
God, and afflicted. But he [was] wounded
for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement
of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have
turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of
us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he
is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is
dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment:
and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the
living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and
with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither [was any]
deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put [him]
to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see [his]
seed, he shall prolong [his] days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper
in his hand. He shall see of the travail
of his soul, [and] shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant
justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him [a portion] with
the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath
poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and
he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Isa.42:1-4; 43:25, Behold my servant, whom I
uphold; mine elect, [in whom] my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon
him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his
voice to be heard in the street. A
bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he
shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged,
till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law...
I, [even] I, [am] he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake,
and will not remember thy sins.
Isa. 49:5,6,22,23, And now, saith the LORD that
formed me from the womb [to be] his servant, to bring Jacob again to him,
Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD,
and my God shall be my strength. And he said, It is a light thing that thou
shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the
preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that
thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.... Thus saith the Lord
GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard
to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in [their] arms, and thy daughters
shall be carried upon [their] shoulders. And kings shall be thy nursing
fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with
[their] face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt
know that I [am] the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
Jer. 23:5,6; 31:32,33, Behold, the days come, saith
the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall
reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel
shall dwell safely: and this [is] his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD
OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS... Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers
in the day [that] I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of
Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith
the LORD: But this [shall be] the
covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the
LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts;
and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Jer. 32:39-41, And I will give them one
heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and
of their children after them: And I will make an everlasting covenant with
them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my
fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. Yea, I will rejoice
over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my
whole heart and with my whole soul.
Mic. 7:18-20, Who [is] a God like unto
thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant
of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth
[in] mercy. He will turn again, he will
have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all
their sins into the depths of the sea. Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob,
[and] the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the
days of old.
Acts 10:43; 3:22-24, To him give all the
prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall
receive remission of sins... For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet
shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him
shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
Heb. 1:1, God, who at sundry times
and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets.
Rom. 1:2, (Which He had promised afore
by His prophets in the holy scriptures).
4Heb. 10:1, 7-8, For the law having a shadow of good things to come, [and] not the very
image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by
year continually make the comers thereunto perfect...Then said I, Lo, I come
(in the volume of the book it is written of Me,) to do Thy will, O God. Above
when He said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin
Thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the
law.
Col. 2:7, For Moses truly said unto
the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your
brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say
unto you.
John 5:46,For had ye believed Moses,
ye would have believed Me: for he wrote of Me.
5Rom. 10:4, For Christ [is] the end of the law for righteousness to every one
that believeth.
Gal. 4:4; 3:24, But when the fulness of the
time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,...
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might
be justified by faith.
Col. 2:17, Which are a shadow of things
to come; but the body [is] of Christ.
LORD'S DAY
7
Question 20: Are all men, then, saved by Christ as they perished through Adam?
Answer: No1; only those
who by a true faith are ingrafted into Him and receive all His benefits2.
1Matt. 7:14; 22:14, Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth
unto life, and few there be that find it... For many are called, but few [are]
chosen.
2Mark 16:16, He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that
believeth not shall be damned.
John 1:12; 3:16,18,36 But as many as received Him,
to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on
His name... For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life...
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is
condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only
begotten Son of God... He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and
he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth
on him.
Isa. 53:11, He shall see of the travail
of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall My righteous
servant justify many; for
He
shall bear their iniquities.
Rom. 11:20; 3:22, Well; because of unbelief they were broken
off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear... Even the
righteousness of God [which is] by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all
them that believe: for there is no difference:
Heb. 4:3; 5:9; For we which have believed
do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall
enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the
world... And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto
all them that obey him;
Heb.10:39; 11:6, . But we are not of them
who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the
soul... But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that
cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that
diligently seek him.
Question 21: What is true faith?
Answer: True faith is not only a
sure knowledge, whereby I hold for truth all that God has revealed to us in His
Word2 but also a firm confidence2, which the Holy Spirit3
works in my heart by the gospel4, that not only to others, but to me
also, remission of sins, everlasting righteousness and salvation5,
are freely given by God, merely of grace, only for the sake of Christ's merits6.
1Jas. 2:19, Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also
believe, and tremble.
2Heb. 11:1,7, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of
things not seen... By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as
yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which
he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
Rom. 4:16, 20-21, Therefore [it is] of faith,
that [it might be] by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the
seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the
faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,.. He staggered not at the
promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to
perform.
Rom. 10:10, For with the heart man believeth
unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Eph. 3:12, In whom we have boldness and
access with confidence by the faith of Him.
Heb. 4:16, Let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in
time of need.
Jas. 1:6, But let him ask in faith,
nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with
the wind and tossed.
3Gal. 5:22, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith,
Matt. 16:17, And Jesus answered and said
unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not
revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven.
2Cor. 4:13, We having the same spirit of
faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we
also believe, and therefore speak;
John
6:29, Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye
believe on him whom he hath sent.
Eph. 2:8, For by grace are ye saved
through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:
Phil. 1:19, For I know that this shall
turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus
Christ,
Acts 16:14, And a certain woman named
Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard
[us]: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were
spoken of Paul.
4Rom. 1:16; 10:17, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of
God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to
the Greek... So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
1 Cor. 1:21, For after that in the
wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the
foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
Acts 10:44;16:14, ...And a certain woman
named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God,
heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which
were spoken of Paul.
5Rom. 1:17, For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith:
as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Gal. 3:11, But that no man is justified
by the law in the sight of God, [it is] evident: for, The just shall live by
faith.
Heb. 10:10,38, By the which will we are
sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once [for all]...
Now the just shall live by faith: but if [any man] draw back, my soul shall
have no pleasure in him.
Gal. 2:16, Knowing that a man is not
justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we
have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of
Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no
flesh be justified.
6Eph. 2:8, Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by
the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might
be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by
the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Rom. 3:24, 5:19, Being justified freely by
his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:... For as by one
man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall
many be made righteous.
Luke 1:77,78, To give knowledge of
salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender
mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,
Question 22: What, then, is necessary for a Christian to believe?
Answer: All that is promised us in
the gospel1, which the articles of our catholic and undoubted
Christian faith teach us in a summary.
1John 20:31, But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name.
Mat. 28:19-20, Go ye therefore, and teach
all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded
you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.
Mark 1:15, And saying, The time is
fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the
gospel.
Question 23: What are these articles?
Answer: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 Spirit, 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
living and the dead.
VIII. I believe in the Holy
Spirit.
IX. I believe in a holy
catholic Church, the communion of saints;
X. The forgiveness of sins;
XI. The resurrection of the body;
XII. And the life everlasting.
LORD'S DAY
8
Question 24: How are these articles divided?
Answer: Into three parts; the first
is of God the Father and our creation; the second of God the Son and our
redemption; the third of God the Holy Spirit and our sanctification.
Question 25: Since there is but one divine Being1, why do you speak of three, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?
Answer: Because God has so revealed
Himself in His Word2, that these three distinct persons are the one,
true, and eternal God.
1Deut. 6:4, Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD.
Eph. 4:6, One God and Father of all,
who [is] above all, and through all, and in you all.
Isa. 44:6, Thus saith the LORD the
King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I [am] the first, and I
[am] the last; and beside me [there is] no God.
1Cor. 8:4,6, As concerning therefore the
eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that
an idol [is] nothing in the world, and that [there is] none other God but
one... But to us [there is but] one God, the Father, of whom [are] all things,
and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom [are] all things, and we by
him.
2Isa. 61:1, The spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed
me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent me to bind up the
brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the
prison to them that are bound.
Luke 4:18, The Spirit of the Lord [is]
upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath
sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and
recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Gen. 1:2,3, And the earth was without
form, and void; and darkness [was] upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of
God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Ps. 33:6, By the word of the LORD were
the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
Isa. 48:16, Come ye near unto me, hear
ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it
was, there [am] I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me.
Matt. 3:16,17, And Jesus, when he was
baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were
opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and
lighting upon him: And lo a voice from
heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Matt. 28:19, Go ye therefore, and teach
all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost.
1John 5:7, For there are three that
bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these
three are one.
Isa. 6:1,3, In the year that king Uzziah
died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his
train filled the temple... And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy,
holy, [is] the LORD of hosts: the whole earth [is] full of his glory.
John 14:26; 15:26, But the Comforter, [which
is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you
all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said
unto you... But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the
Father, [even] the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall
testify of me:
2 Cor. 13:14, The grace of the Lord Jesus
Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you
all. Amen.
Gal. 4:6, And because ye are sons, God
hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Eph. 2:18, For through him we both
have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
Titus 3:5,6, Not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of
regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
LORD'S DAY
9
Question 26: What do you believe thou when you say: I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth?
Answer: That the eternal Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, who of nothing made heaven and earth with all that is in
them1; who likewise upholds and governs the same by His eternal
counsel and providence2 is for the sake of Christ His Son my God and
my Father3; in whom I so trust as to have no doubt that He will
provide me with all things necessary for body and soul4: and
further, that whatever evil He sends upon me in this vale of tears, He will
turn to my good5; for He is able to do it, being Almighty God6,
and willing also, being a faithful Father7.
1Gen. 1 and 2. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and
darkness [was] upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the
face of the waters. And God said, Let
there be light: and there was light. And
God saw the light, that [it was] good: and God divided the light from the
darkness. And God called the light Day,
and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the
first day. And God said, Let there be a
firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the
waters. And God made the firmament, and
divided the waters which [were] under the firmament from the waters which
[were] above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning
were the second day. And God said, Let
the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the
dry [land] appear: and it was so. And
God called the dry [land] Earth; and the gathering together of the waters
called he Seas: and God saw that [it was] good. And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed,
[and] the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed [is] in itself,
upon the earth: and it was so. And the
earth brought forth grass, [and] herb yielding seed after his kind, and the
tree yielding fruit, whose seed [was] in itself, after his kind: and God saw
that [it was] good. And the evening and
the morning were the third day. And God
said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from
the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and
years: And let them be for lights in the
firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater
light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: [he made] the
stars also. And God set them in the
firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night,
and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that [it was] good. And the evening and the morning were the
fourth day. And God said, Let the waters
bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl [that] may
fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And God created great whales, and every
living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after
their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that [it was]
good. ; And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the
waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were the
fifth day. And God said, Let the earth
bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and
beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his
kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth
after his kind: and God saw that [it was] good. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let
them have 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. So God created
man in his [own] image, in the image of God created he him; male and female
created he them. 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. And God said, Behold, I have given you every
herb bearing seed, which [is] upon the face of all the earth, and every tree,
in the which [is] the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for
meat. And to every beast of the earth,
and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth,
wherein [there is] life, [I have given] every green herb for meat: and it was
so. And God saw every thing that he had
made, and, behold, [it was] very good. And the evening and the morning were the
sixth day. Thus the heavens and the
earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he
rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed
the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all
his work which God created and made. These [are] the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they
were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, And every plant of the field before it was in
the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not
caused it to rain upon the earth, and [there was] not a man to till the
ground. But there went up a mist from
the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. And the LORD God formed man [of] the dust of
the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a
living soul. And the LORD God planted a
garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground made the LORD God to
grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of
life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and
evil. And a river went out of Eden to
water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.
The name of the first [is] Pison: that [is] it which compasseth the whole land
of Havilah, where [there is] gold; And
the gold of that land [is] good: there [is] bdellium and the onyx stone. And
the name of the second river [is] Gihon: the same [is] it that compasseth the
whole land of Ethiopia. And the name of
the third river [is] Hiddekel: that [is] it which goeth toward the east of
Assyria. And the fourth river [is] Euphrates. And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to
dress it and to keep it. And the LORD
God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely
eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest
thereof thou shalt surely die. And the
LORD God said, [It is] not good that the man should be alone; I will make him
an help meet for him. And out of the
ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air;
and brought [them] unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever
Adam called every living creature, that [was] the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the
fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not
found an help meet for him. And the LORD
God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his
ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and
brought her unto the man. And Adam said,
This [is] now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called
Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father
and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one
flesh. And they were both naked, the man
and his wife, and were not ashamed.
Ex. 20:11, For [in] six days the LORD
made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is], and rested the
seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Job 33:4, The Spirit of God hath made
me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
Job 38 and 39, Then the LORD answered Job
out of the whirlwind, and said, Who [is]
this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will
demand of thee, and answer thou me. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if
thou hast understanding. Who hath laid
the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon
it? Whereupon are the foundations
thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; When the morning stars sang together, and all
the sons of God shouted for joy? Or
[who] shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, [as if] it had issued
out of the womb? When I made the cloud
the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it, And brake up for it my decreed [place], and
set bars and doors, And said, Hitherto
shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed? Hast thou commanded the morning since thy
days; [and] caused the dayspring to know his place; That it might take hold of the ends of the
earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it? It is turned as clay [to] the seal; and they
stand as a garment. And from the wicked
their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken. Hast thou entered into the springs of the
sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth? Have the gates of death been opened unto thee?
or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death? Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth?
declare if thou knowest it all. Where [is] the way [where] light dwelleth? and
[as for] darkness, where [is] the place thereof, That thou shouldest take it to
the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths [to] the house thereof? Knowest thou [it], because thou wast then
born? or [because] the number of thy days [is] great? Hast thou entered into the treasures of the
snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, Which I have reserved against the time of
trouble, against the day of battle and war? By what way is the light parted, [which] scattereth the east wind upon
the earth? Who hath divided a
watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of
thunder; To cause it to rain on the
earth, [where] no man [is; on] the wilderness, wherein [there is] no man; To
satisfy the desolate and waste [ground]; and to cause the bud of the tender
herb to spring forth? Hath the rain a
father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew? Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath
gendered it? The waters are hid as
[with] a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen. Canst thou bind the sweet influences of
Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his
season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons? Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst
thou set the dominion thereof in the earth? Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may
cover thee? Canst thou send lightnings,
that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we [are]? Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or
who hath given understanding to the heart? Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of
heaven, When the dust groweth into
hardness, and the clods cleave fast together? Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young
lions, The waters are hid as [with] a stone, and the face of the deep is
frozen. Canst thou bind the sweet
influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his
season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons? Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst
thou set the dominion thereof in the earth? Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may
cover thee? Canst thou send lightnings,
that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we [are]? Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or
who hath given understanding to the heart? Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of
heaven, When the dust groweth into
hardness, and the clods cleave fast together? Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young
lions, When they couch in [their] dens, [and] abide in the covert to lie in
wait? Who provideth for the raven his
food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat. Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of
the rock bring forth? [or] canst thou mark when the hinds do calve? Canst thou number the months [that] they
fulfil? or knowest thou the time when they bring forth? They bow themselves, they bring forth their
young ones, they cast out their sorrows. Their young ones are in good liking, they grow up with corn; they go
forth, and return not unto them. Who
hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild
ass? Whose house I have made the
wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings. He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the crying
of the driver. The range of the
mountains [is] his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing. Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or
abide by thy crib? Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or
will he harrow the valleys after thee? Wilt thou trust him, because his strength [is] great? or wilt thou leave
thy labour to him? Wilt thou believe
him, that he will bring home thy seed, and gather [it into] thy barn? [Gavest thou] the goodly wings unto the
peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich? Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and
warmeth them in dust, And forgetteth
that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them. She is hardened against her young ones, as
though [they were] not hers: her labour is in vain without fear; Because God hath deprived her of wisdom,
neither hath he imparted to her understanding. What time she lifteth up herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his
rider. Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with
thunder? Canst thou make him afraid as a
grasshopper? the glory of his nostrils [is] terrible. He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in
[his] strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men. He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted;
neither turneth he back from the sword. The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the
shield. He swalloweth the ground with
fierceness and rage: neither believeth he that [it is] the sound of the
trumpet. He saith among the trumpets,
Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and
the shouting. Doth the hawk fly by thy
wisdom, [and] stretch her wings toward the south? Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and
make her nest on high? She dwelleth and
abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place. From thence she seeketh the prey, [and] her
eyes behold afar off. Her young ones
also suck up blood: and where the slain [are], there [is] she.
Acts 4:24; 14:15, And when they heard that,
they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou [art]
God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:..
And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with
you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the
living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are
therein:
Psa. 33:6, By the word of the LORD were
the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.
Isa. 45:7, I form the light, and
create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these
[things].
2Heb. 1:3, Who being the brightness 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;
Ps. 104:27-30, These wait all upon thee;
that thou mayest give [them] their meat in due season. [That] thou givest them they gather: thou
openest thine hand, they are filled with good. Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath,
they die, and return to their dust. Thou
sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the
earth.
Ps. 115:3, But our God [is] in the
heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.
Matt. 10:29, Are not two sparrows sold
for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your
Father.
Eph. 1:11, In whom also we have
obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him
who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
3John 1:12, But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons
of God, even to them that believe on His name;
Rom. 8:15-16, For ye have not received
the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of
adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with
our spirit, that we are the children of God.
Gal. 4:5-7, To redeem them that were
under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are
sons, God hath sent forth the
