SHORT PRINCIPLES OF RELIGION.  
LONDON: Printed by T. B. for Samuel Enderby and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the Star in Popes-head-Alley, 1644.   

Question.  
WHat is God?  
A. God is a pure and an incomprehensible spirit, Joh. 4.24. having his being of himself, Exod. 3.14.  
Q. How many Gods are there?  
A. No more but one, 1 Cor. 8.6.  
Q. How many Persons are there in that one Godhead?  
A. Three: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, 1 John 5.7.  
Q. How are we to conceive of God?  
A. Not as of any bodily substance, but only as he hath revealed himself in his works and word; namely, to he a spirit of infinite power, wisdom, holiness, etc. and our merciful Father in jesus Christ, Deut. 4.16. John 17.3.  
Q. In what estate was man created by God?  
A. In a good estate, holy, righteous, and happy, Gen. 12.7.  
Q. In what estate is every man borne?  
A. In a most miserable estate, Ps. 51.5.  
Q. What is the cause of that misery?  
A. Original sin which came by Adam's fall, Rom. 5.12.  
Q. What are the parts of original sin?  
A. These two: first, the imputation of Adam's actual transgression unto us: and secondly, the universal depravation and corruption of our natures issuing from that sin imputed, Rom. 5.19.  
Q. How could Adam's sin redound and be imputed unto us?  
A. Because we were in his loins as in the loins of our common parent who having received in his creation holiness and happiness for himself and his posterity by the righteous decree of God through his fall lost them, for both implunging both himself & them into sin and misery, Ro. 19  
Q. Can a man by nature do nothing of himself that is pleasing unto God?  
A. No: for original sin hath wholly corrupted the whole man, with the seeds of all manner of sin, Gen. 6.5.  
Q. Are men that live unto years guilty of no other sins besides original?  
A. Yes: they are guilty also of actual sins.  
Q. What is sin?  
A. The transgression of the Law, 1 John 3.4.  
Q. What is the punishment of sin?  
A. Besides other inferior punishments, the main punishment thereof is eternal death, consisting in the separation of soul and body from God and the joys of Heaven, and the undergoing of everlasting torments in hell with the devil and his Angels for ever, Rom. 8.23.  
Q. Shall none escape this punishment?  
A. Yea, all the elect, Rom. 6.30.  
Q. Who is appointed to redeem the Elect from this punishment?  
A. Christ jesus, God & man, Eph. 1.7.  
Q. What hath he done to redeem them?  
A. He having perfectly fulfilled the whole Law, hath suffered a violent death of the body, and grievous torments upon his soul for them. Mat. 27.46.  
Q. Why was Christ man?  
A. First, that he might suffer. Secondly, that the merit of his suffering might be accepted for man's sin, for by the order of God's Law and justice that nature that had sinned, must needs satisfy for sin, Heb. 2.14, 16, 17.  
Q. But how could it stand with the equity and justice of God, to punish his Son Jesus Christ for the sins of the elect?  
A. Very well, because he became their surety, being both willing and able to endure the punishment to be inflicted, and to deliver himself out of it, Heb. 7.22.  
Q. Why was he God?  
A. a First, that he might sustain his humane nature in suffering, and so wind himself out of the torment. b Secondly, that his suffering might be of an infinite merit to satisfy Gods infinite wrath provoked by man's sin, a Act. 2.24. b Heb. 9.14.  
Q. How could the Death of Christ receive such efficacy from the divine nature, seeing the divine nature did not suffer?  
A. First, because the humane nature which did suffer, was conjoined with the divine in one and the selfsame person, and therefore that which was done in the humane nature is attributed to the whole person consisting of both natures. Secondly, because the divine did uphold the humane nature in suffering, and deliver if out of the suffering, and so the complete work of man's redemption dependeth upon both natures, Acts 20.28.  
Q But how can the merits and sufferings of Christ being but one, be extended so fare as to take away the sins of the Elect.  
A. Because he was a public person, sustaining all their natures, and suffering in their names, Rom. 5.15.  
Q. By what means are the Elect made partakers of Christ and his benefits?  
A. By faith, Acts 13.39.  
Q. What is faith?  
A. A true persuasion wrought in the heart of an humbled sinner by the spirit of God, and grounded upon the Gospel, whereby he applies Christ and all his merits to himself, Gal. 2.20.  
Q. Doth faith save us for the worthiness of itself?  
A. No: but only for the worthiness of the object whom it layeth hold upon; namely Christ & all his merits, Acts 4.12.  
Q. What means doth the spirit of God use to prepare a man for faith?  
A. The preaching of the Law, whereby he worketh in him a sight and sense of his own sin and misery, Rom. 3.20.  
Q. What means doth the spirit of God use for the working of faith?  
A. The preaching of the gospel. Ro. 10.14  
Q. What means are appointed for the increasing of faith?  
A. Divers, principally these; first, the word preached; secondly, Prayer; thirdly, the Sacrament.  
Q. What is a Sacrament?  
A. An outward seal of the Covenant of grace in Christ's blood, and of the righteousness thereof, Rom. 4.11.  
Q. How many Sacraments are there?  
A. Two only, Baptism and the Lords Supper.  
Q To what use serve the Sacraments?  
A. To strengthen the weak faith and feeling of God's Elect in the benefits that come by Christ.  
Q. What benefits do the Elect receive by Christ?  
A. All benefits that are promised in the Covenant of grace, both temporal, spiritual and eternal, more specially these four, as principal, justification, Mortification, Sanctification and Salvation, 2 Cor. 1.20. 1 Cor. 1.30.  
Q. By what action in Baptism is our Justification and Mortification signified unto us?  
A. By the washing of the body in the water, and by the continuance of the body under the water for some short space; for thereby is signified the drowning and burying of our sin; in Christ's blood, both in regard of the g●ilt of them which is our justification, as also in regard of the power of them, which is our mortification, Rom. 6.3, 4.  
Q. By what action in Baptism is our sanctification and salvation confirmed?  
A. By the raising of the body alive out of the water, for thereby is signified both our rising again unto newness of life in this world, and unto eternal in the world to come, Rom. 6.4, 5. Col. 2.12.  
Q. What conditions is the party baptised bound unto?  
A. He is bound to believe and to repe●t, Mark 16.16. Luke. 3.3.  
Q. Why then are Infants baptised who cannot perform these conditions?  
A. These conditions are for the present performed, or at the least professed by their Parents, or other in their stead, who promise so to bring up their Children in the nurture of the Lord, as that in time by the Lord's mercy they themselves may perform them; and thus were the children of the godly in the old Testament circumcised. Gen. 17.12.  
Q. By what action are the aforesaid benefits which we receive by Christ confirmed unto us in the Lord's Supper?  
A. By the eating and drinking of bread and wine according to Christ's institution for the nourishing of our bodies: for thereby is signified our spiritual eating and drinking of Christ jesus his body and blood, and so of all the benefits of his death, burial and resurrection for the nourishment of our souls, 1 Cor. 10.16, 17.  
Q. What doth the Ministers consecrating of the bread and wine signify?  
A. The Lords consecrating of his Son to be our high Priest and Redeemer▪ Joh. 6.26. Psal. 110.4.  
Q. What doth the breaking of the bread, and the pouring forth of the wine signify?  
A. The crucifying of Christ's body and the shedding of his blood, 1 Cor. 11.24, 25. Mat. 26.28.  
Q. What doth the Ministers offering of the bread and wine to every one, and his commanding him to take it signify?  
A. The Lords offering of his Son to every one of his elect particularly, and his commanding of him to believe on his Name, Luke 22.19.  
Q. What must he do who would receive this Sacrament worthily?  
A. He must examine himself before he do receive it, 1 Cor. 11.28.  
Q. Wherein?  
A. In these 5. things chief. 1. Whether he understand and know the Principles of Religion. 2. Whether he believe. 3. Wither he repent. 4. Whether he be in love and charity with his brethren. 5. Whether he come with a reverend respect to this Sacrament, as Gods holy Ordinance,  
Q. What must he do after he hath received it?  
A. 1. He must be thankful, 2. He must examine what benefit he hath got by recording of it, waiting for a blessing, 1 Cor. 11.25.  
Q. How many ways do the Sacraments confirm our faith; and assure us of the benefits mentioned before, to wit, of our Justification, Mortification, Sanctification, & c?  
A. 4. ways. 

1. as Signs  
2. as Seals  
3. as Pledges  
4. as Instruments of conveyance   thereof▪  
Q. What difference is there between these two Sacraments?  
A. Baptism cofirmeth unto us our first engrafting into Christ, and our first participation of these benefits: The Lord's Supper confirmeth the continuance and increase of these benefits in and unto us.  
Q. What other grace is bred with faith and doth most specially manifest itself together with saith?  
A. The grace of true repentance, Zach. 12.10.  
Q. How is repentance occasioned?  
A▪ By the sight and sense of the multitude and greatness of a man's sins, & so of the stain and desert of them, Jer. 39.19.  
Q. How may a man come to know the multitude of his sins?  
A. By the holy law of God rightly understood, Rom. 3.20. Jam. 1.25.  
Q. How may we understand the law aright?  
A. For the understanding of it we must observe these four rules.  
Q What is the first?  
A. 1. In every Commandment where any evil is forbidden, there the contrary good is commanded; and bacl again, where any duty is commanded, there the contrary sin is forbidden.  
Q. What is the second?  
A. 2. Under one good or evil action all of the same kind are comprehended, yea all occasions and means leading thereunto.  
Q. What is the third?  
A. 3. The Law is spiritual, and binds even the heart and the thoughts thereof.  
Q. What is the fourth?  
A. 4. The Law requireth not only our observation, but even our preservation also, that is, that we do not only keep it ourselves, but cause others also as much as in us lieth to keep it.  
Q. How may a man know the greatness of his sins?  
A. By considering the circumstances of committing them, as namely, that they have been committed against knowledge and conscience; against the means of restraint, and the means of grace, that we have long lain in them, without repentance, that by them we have pierced Christ, grieved his spirit, dishonoured his Gospel▪ offended our brethren, etc.  
Q. What are the parts of repentance?  
A. Two▪ humiliation and conversion.  
Q. How doth humiliation show itself▪  
A. 

1. By making a man humbly & hearty confess all, and especially his known and greatest sins and corruptions.  
2. By making him judge and condemn himself for them, Ezek. 36.31.    
Q. What be the parts of conversion?  
A. These two turning from all sin▪ and turning to all manner of good, and from these two spring a godly life.  
Q. What is a godly life?  
A. A sincere earnest and constant endeavouring to forsake all sin, in thought word and deed▪ and to practise all God's Commandments, Luke 1.74 75.  
Q. What must we do to live a godly life?  
A. Two things. 1. Use carefully and conscionably all God's Ordinances and means of grace. 2. Fellow sound directions and rules of God's Word.  
Q. Which are the means of grace?  
A. They are of two sorts, more ordinary and less ordinary.  
Q. Which be the ordinary?  
A. 

1. The Word preached.  
2. The Sacraments.  
3. Prayer,  
4. Reading.  
5. Singing of Psalms.  
6. Meditation.  
7. Conference.    
Q. Which be the less ordinary?  
A. They be three, holy fasting to be used upon some special cause of mourning: secondly, holy fasting to be used upon some special cause of rejoicing: and thirdly Vows.  
Q What rules of direction may follow to help us forward in a godly life?  
A. These following.  
Q. What is the first?  
A. 1. We must have a daily care to renew our faith and repentance, Heb. 10.38.  
Q. What is the second?  
A. 2. We must daily labour to maintain and intrease our first love and liking of God and his ways. Rev. 2.4.5.  
Q. What is the third?  
A. 3. We must daily watch in our spiritual armour against all sin, having an eye to ourselves both in company and solitariness, in prosperity and adversity, Ephes. 6.10.  
Q. What is the fourth?  
A. We must daily meditate and pray, Psal. 1.2. 1 Thes. 5.17.  
Q. What is the fift?  
A. 5. 

a We must upon the six days follow our particular callings faithfully, or otherwise lawfully intermit them;  
b and upon the Lord's day attend the duties of the Lords immediate worship and service and duties of Charity, a 1 Cor. 7.20. b Ex. 20.8.    
Q What is the sixth?  
A. 6. We must daily renew and continue our thanksgiving for old and new mercies and for mercies yet still hoped for, 1 Thes. 5.18.  
Thus let us maintain our peace with God, rising up and lying down with it.  
Q. What shall become of the ungodly after this world be ended?  
A. They shall be cast both body's an● souls into hell into torments, easeless▪ endless, remediless, helpless and hopeless everlastingly, Mat. 25.46.  
Q. What shall become of the Godly?  
A. Their bodies shall be raised again by the omnipotent power of God, and being conjoined to their souls, shall enjoy eternal glory with God and his holy Angels in Heaven for ever and ever, Matthew 25.46.  
FINIS.