A CATECHISM of the several Heads of Christian Religion, Gathered together in Question and Answer, it being intended only for private use, but now published for the good and benefit of others, by the importunity of some friends.  
By DOROTHY BURCH, living at Stroud in Kent.  Rom. 14.13. 
Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block, or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.  
LONDON; Printed by Matthew Simmons for John Hancock in Popes-head-Alley. 1646.   

¶ To the Christian Reader.  
CHRISTIAN FRIEND, by importunity of some friends, and for the benefit of thyself, and all those that shall be pleased to peruse this small Book, by the way of question and answer; I have propounded many very necessary questions with their answers, necessary to be known and learned of every good Christian. When I first collected them together, I had no thought of putting them in print, but by reason of the Minister of the Parish where I live, because myself and others will not honour him in the way he is in, albeit the way, he said, descended from Rome, yet he hath ever since in public and private, laboured to make me and others, odious in the eyes of the people, albeit formerly I was well accounted of him, yet now he reviles me and others almost where ever he comes; myself heard him say, that we were poor ignorant simple people, and as concerning God we knew nothing, (which thing I desire God to pardon in him) which much grieved me to hear, not in respect of myself, for I think myself not worthy to be one of them which he so vilifies, which are a knowing people, and precious in the sight of God. The Lord hath promised to teach his people, though not all alike; it came in my mind to see what God had taught me; I set pen to paper, and ask myself questions, and answering of them, which one of near relation to me, seeing them, desired they might be put in print, which I held not necessary, because I fear the weakness of the work, yet through their persuasion I was contented for three causes.  
First, To vindicate the honour of my God, whose honour I desire to stand for to the death, which hath promised to teach hi● with the teachings of his own Spirit, and will not let them be so ignorant, that they shall know nothing of him, Heb. 8.10. Isai. 54.13.  
The second Reason is, that myself and other Christians may be able in some measure to answer every one which shall demand a reason of the faith and hope that is in us, 1 Pet. 3.15.  
Thirdly and lastly, that it may do good to my children, whose good I must and will desire as my own: if any gain any good or profit by it, I desire God may have all the honour and praise thereof, and so I rest  
Thy friend in Christ, DOROTHY BURCH.   

A CATECHISM of the several Heads of Christian Religion.  
Question.  
WHat is God?  
Answer.  
God is a spirit that hath his being of himself, without beginning and ending of days, Joh. 4.24.  
Q. What are the works of God?  
A. The Creation of the world, and all things therein, and preserving them by his providence, Gen. 1.21.  
Q. How did he create the world, and all things therein?  
A. He spoke the word, & it was done, Gen. 1.3.  
Q. In what state did he make man?  
A. He created him in his own image, in righteousness, and true holiness, Gen. 1.26.  
Q. How came they to lose that glorious estate?  
A. By the subtlety of the Devil, in persuading the Woman to eat of the forbidden fruit, Gen. 3.1, 2. & 4.  
Q. How did the Devil, or the Devil in the Serpent, deceive our first parents?  
A. By telling them they should be as Gods, knowing good and evil; so thinking to be as God they lost all that Image they had of God, Gen. 3.5.  
Q. What came to them by eating thereof?  
A. The Lord said to them, in the day that they should eat thereof they should die the death, Gen. 2.17.  
Q. What death was it, the death of the body, or the death of the soul, or both?  
A. Of both: and none can escape this punishment but such as were before elected in Jesus Christ, Ephes. 1.4. For whom Christ suffered, and by death freed them from this death.  
Q. What was the reason they died not?  
A. They died in the decree of God, although their death was not then executed.  
Q. Did God elect, who should be saved before the world was made?  
A. Yes; he did elect before the world was made who should be saved by Christ, so that they which are not in Christ, both these deaths do lie upon them, Ephes. 1.4.  
Q. How can it be said, the soul can die, seeing God breathed in them living souls, which breath he breathed not into other creatures?  
A. To be absent from the life which is in Christ, is the death of the soul, Joh. 3.36. & 10.10.  
Q. What privilege have they that have their life in Christ?  
A. The greatest and happiest privilege in the world, all other privileges are but as shadows to this great substance.  
Q. In what doth their happiness consist?  
A. Christ is to them, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, 1 Cor. 1.30.  
Q. How is Christ said to be all this to his people?  
A. Christ came into the world to take all our sins upon him, and to give his graces to us by imputation, Joh. 1.16.  
Q. What was the cause Christ hath done this for his people?  
A. It was God the Father's will to send his Son into the world, and Christ his Son was willing to do the will of his Father, to suffer for his people, that they might be saved, Matth. 26.39.  
Q. What did he suffer for his people?  
A. The loss of the honour which he had of God his Father, and took on him our nature, and our sins, and suffered for them, to fulfil the Law in perfect holiness, that he might present us holy without spot, so we are comely with the comeliness that he hath put upon us, 2 Cor. 5.21. Ephes. 5.26, 27. Ezek. 16.14.  
Q. Can not God have pardoned the sins of his people, if Christ had not come and paid what their sins had deserved?  
A. God is a God of justice as well as of mercy, and in sending his Son he shows himself so to be in punishing of sin, although in his Son it shows his great mercy in sending his Son to die for his people.  
Q. Was Jesus Christ made man in the flesh, and God in the Spirit?  
A. No; then he could not have been perfect man, and could have but redeemed man's body, and no more; but he was perfect man in soul and body, and perfect God also; so he was of two natures, divine and humane, not mixed together, but joined together, Isai. 9.9.  
Q. Why must Christ be God and man?  
A. Because man had sinned, and man must suffer for sin; he must be God, or else his sufferings had not been of an infinite value; and also to uphold him in his suffering, it was of necessity that he should be God.  
Q. Can the suffering of Christ which was but short, make up the breach with God, betwixt a holy God and an unholy people?  
A. Yes, seeing Christ suffered, it was more than if all the world had suffered for ever, and God was satisfied with it, Isai. 53.11.  
Q. Is there no other way for people to be saved, but by Jesus Christ alone? will not good works justify us?  
A. No: neither repentance, nor faith, fasting, nor prayer, all these are not of value to justify us before God, Rom. 4.4, 5. Rom. 5.8, 9, 10.  
Q. Why are they not able?  
A. Because our best works are as menstruous clothes; they are so far from justifying us, that if we trust in them, they will condemn us: Paul durst not appear before God trusting in his own righteousness, although he outstripped many now alive; for as he saith of himself concerning the law he was blameless, Phil. 3.6. & 8. Isai. 64.6.  
Q. Why do the people of God do good works, seeing they justify not?  
A. We ought to do good works for several Reasons; as,  
1. Because it is God's command that we should walk circumspectly, Ephes. 5.15. and to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect, Mat. 5.48.  
2. Good works are for the glory of God Christ saith; Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven, Mat. 5.49▪ see also 2 Thes. 1.11, 12.  
3. If we should not be holy, it were unsuitable to our profession, 1 Thes. 2.12.  
4. Because they are for the edification, benefit▪ and comfort of others, 1 Thes. 3.8, 9 they cause the Lords to be thankful to God fo● us, 2 Thes. 1.3.  
5. Because they make much for the comfort of the Saints, who enjoy a sweet communion with God in obeying God, In keeping them there is great reward, Psal. 19.11.  
6. Good works are a second evidence of our being in Christ; God hath chosen you to salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth, 2 Thes. 2.13. Mat. 7.21. Yet the Spirit of God is the first and chiefest evidence to us of our salvation; The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God, Rom. 8.16.  
Q. What may be said to be good works?  
A. These works may be said to be good in themselves, as prayer, hearing the Word, and all other works of Religion, and yet not good in the sight of God; for without faith it is impossible to please God; secondly, the tree must be good before the fruit can be good.  
Q. Is there no good work good, but in them that have faith?  
A. No; we lost all our goodness in Adam when he fell, we being in his loins, and could not be restored but by the second Adam, which is Jesus Christ; for what we lost in Adam, is gained again only by Jesus Christ, Rom. 5.17.  
Q. What shall they do which have not faith, seeing nothing they can do is pleasing to God?  
A. They may (if God give them power) use those means which God hath appointed to get faith.  
Q. What are the means God hath appointed to beget faith?  
A. There be five ways or means: First, The Word preached; secondly, Prayer; thirdly, society with his people; fourthly, reading his Word; fifthly, meditating how ready God is to show mercy to them that seek him in his own ways; Consider how ready Christ was to help all when he was on the earth, did never send any away from him without help; Consider the prodigal, when he returned to his Father how joyfully he received him, Rom. 10.17. Mat. 7.7. Luk. 15.19. & 20.  
Q. Is there not abundance of backwardness in our nature, to use the means to get faith?  
A. Yes, and where there is grace too, witness Paul, who said, when he would do good, evil was present with him; but there is strength in Christ to overcome all lets and hindrances; and let us consider that duty which we are backwardest to do is most spiritual, and we stand in the greatest need of, as prayer and meditation, and so be encouraged the more in Christ to be exercised in them, Rom. 7.15.  
Q. What is sin?  
A. A breach of God's Laws and Commandments, be it in the least want that the Law requires, Jam. 2.10.  
Q. Are all men under the Law?  
A. No; Christ came to redeem his people from it, Rom. 10.4. Rom. 6.14.  
Q. How hath Christ redeemed his people from the Law?  
A. By fulfilling it for them in his own person, Rom. 5.19, 20. Rom. 8.2, 3.  
Q. Was not the Law a Covenant which God made with his people?  
A. Yes, it was, the Lord said, Do this and live; yet they could not keep it by reason of the weakness which was in them, Deut. 30.15, 16. Deut. 11.26, 27, 28.  
Q. Why doth the Lord call on a people in his Word to believe, and repent, and turn to him, if they have no power to do it?  
A. Because God gave them power; first in Adam, and therefore may justly require it at their hands; secondly, it is the way God hath appointed to bring home his people to himself; thirdly, that it may be a means to make us see our own weakness, and so to seek help in Christ where it is only to be had.  
Q. Hath not the Lord made a new Covenant with his people?  
A. Yes, far different from the old.  
Q. In what doth it differ?  
A. In the first Covenant God commands and gives no power to perform, yet it lies upon the creature to do it, or else to be accursed; and this is the Covenant of works, Gal. 3.10. 2 Cor. 3.7.  
Q. What is the new Covenant?  
A. It is a free Covenant, wherein Christ hath done all for his people, and doth enable us to do what is pleasing to him by the help of his Spirit, Ezek. 36.25, 26.28.  
Q. What is Election?  
A. It is the great mercy of God before the world was made, to choose some to be saved by Jesus Christ, Ephes. 1.4.  
Q. What is Reprobation?  
A. God in his just judgement to reject some, to the praise of his justice, 1 Thes. 1.9. Rom. 9.22. Judas 4. 1 Pet. 2.  
Q. What is Justification?  
A. It is to be discharged and acquitted from all sin and transgression, and to stand perfectly holy before God the Father, in and alone by Jesus Christ, Gal. 2.16.  
Q. How many sorts are there of Justification?  
A. Three; first, we are justified before God only by Jesus Christ, for he freely justifies the godly; secondly, Faith justifies our conscience, for we cannot tell until we have faith which witnesseth it unto us; thirdly, good works justify us before men, Rom. 8.33, 34. Rom. 5.1. James 2.17, 18. consider Acts 18.28. 1 Joh. 2.22. 1 Cor. 12.3. 1 Joh. 4.15. & 5.1.4, 5. Acts 8.37. Joh. 11.25, 26. Rom. 10.9.  
Q. What is faith?  
A. This is a mighty work of God upon his people, making the soul so to believe this, and to rest upon Christ in his full, free, and eternal love of God to their souls, Joh. 6.29. though for the measure it is not in all the Lords alike.  
Q. What is Conversion?  
A. It is to open the eyes, turning the soul from darkness to light, from Satan to God, etc. Acts 26.18. this is an act of God's Spirit upon the spirit of his people, working a thorough change in them, causing the soul to look for and rest upon Jesus Christ only for pardon and salvation.  
Q. What faculty of the soul doth the Lord first work upon?  
A. Upon the understanding, in letting them see the lost condition of those that are out of Christ, and the happy condition of them that are in Christ. The second faculty the Lord works on, is the Will, changing it utterly from all desire of evil to good, which causeth his judgement to be changed, and his affections to be changed, and so doth become a new creature, Luk. 24.45.  
Q. What is the new birth which Christ told unto Nicodemus, saying, Except a man be borne again, he cannot be saved.  
A. It is not a new birth of the body, but of the mind, making the mind new, Joh. 3.5.  
Q. Can none be saved without this new birth?  
A. No. Joh. 3.3.5, 6, 7.  
Q. How come children to be saved?  
A. God is as able to work it in children as in others; this new birth is the work of God in the creature, and not any work of the creature, nor is any saved for any work of their own. God's love is free and doth sav● whom he pleaseth; we know not how God● saves children, with it or without it, and we must not presume above what is written, and if any teach other doctrine, they darken the free grace of God to people; and such as do works to be saved, are as bad as Papists, which teach that we are saved, partly by works, and partly by Christ, Hosea 14● 4. 1 Cor. 2.12.  
Q. Why will the Lord have his people to have this new birth in them?  
A. First, Because we were chosen before the world was made in Christ, that we should be a people zealous of good works, which none can be without the Lord work this new birth in them; secondly, he will be honoured of his in this life; for Christ saith; He that honoureth me, him will my Father honour: thirdly, he fits his people for heaven in this life, by working in them this new birth, this new birth desires new food, and not old, but hungering and thirsting for spiritual food, which God will fully satisfy in heaven, Ephes. 2.10.  
Q. Why doth the Lord fit his people for heaven in this life?  
A. Because if he should not give them to thirst after heaven and holiness, heaven would seem to be a hell to them. Take one that hath not this new birth in him, and let him be with people that perform holy duties, it will be so tedious unto him, that he cannot endure it; then think what he would do if he were in heaven, where there is nothing but holiness and praising God day and night.  
Q. What is Sanctification?  
A. It is a work of God in kill sin in all his people in part, and giving them the graces of his holy Spirit in part, which makes them to live a holy life in part, 1 Cor. 13.9.  
Q. Why is not Sanctification perfected in this life?  
A. Because it is the will of God to reserve it for his people in heaven.  
Q. What is true Repentance?  
A. It is a change of the mind from evil to good, as Acts 26.18.20. And this is a mighty work of God upon his people, when he opens their understandings, and so lets them see their sins, which was a cause that Christ did suffer for them that bitter death upon the Cross, which causeth them to mourn as one that mourneth for his firstborn, Zach. 12.10.  
Q. What are the fruits of Repentance?  
A. An utter hating and loathing of all sin, which God makes known to them to be sin, which formerly they had loved and embraced with delight, and loving and delighting in the holy ways of God, and in the people of God, which they formerly hated and persecuted, Zach. 12.10. 2 Cor. 7.10, 11.  
Q. What is the true love of God in us?  
A. It is when we have brought our hearts to this frame, that we can do all that we do in the service of God only in love to his Majesty. There are three sorts of services in the world, and but one right: the first is as a slave, that doth all he doth for fear of hell; the second is as a servant that works for wages, or else he would not work; the third is as a son, which works not for fear of punishment, nor yet for wages, for he knows he is free from all punishment, and heaven is given him for an inheritance, as a father gives an inheritance to his son, not because he hath served him, but because he is his son, which causeth him to serve him with abundance of joy and delight.  
Q. What causeth a soul to love God?  
A. Nothing more than the apprehension of God's love to his soul, 1 Joh. 4.19.  
Q. What is true Prayer?  
A. It is a pouring out of the soul unto God, by the help of the Spirit of God, ask things we want, and returning thanks for mercies received, 1 Sam. 1.15. and Rom. 8.26.  
Q. What is true Patience?  
A. It is a quiet bearing of the hand of God, & submitting to all his fatherly chastisements, Job 1.21, 22.  
Q. What is the providence of God?  
A. It is that by which God ruleth all things in the world, and nothing comes to pass by fortune or chance, but only by his providence, according to his free will in guiding good, and his suffering will to suffer evil to bring his own purposes to pass, Mat. 10.28. & 26.30. Acts 2.23.  
Q. What may this teach us?  
A. To eye God in every condition, and not to look upon secondary causes; for God hath a hand in every condition we are in.  
Q. What is conscience?  
A. It is part of the mind being tenewed, which causeth fear in God's people to offend God in any of their ways.  
Q. What is Idolatry?  
A. It is to worship a false God, or the true God in a false way, which is not according to his Word, Deut. 12.32.  
Q. What is it to have true zeal for God?  
A. It is to have boldness and courage for God, and for his truths and ways, and for nothing but for his truths and ways, for there is much false zeal in the world, they are zealously affected, but not well, Gal. 4.17, 18.  
Q. What is the whole duty of man?  
A. To do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with his God, and to do unto all men as they would they should do unto them, Mat. 6.8. Mat. 7.12.  
Q What is the duty of one Christian to another?  
A. To be ready to do good one to another, as well in soul as in body, as one member in the body is always ready to help the other in every condition, Ephes. 4 4.  
Q What is the duty of Christians to their enemies?  
A. They are not to hate them, but to overcome their evil with goodness, and to pity and pray for them, and so doing they show themselves to be the children of God, 1 Pet. 3.9. Mat. 5.44.  
Q. What is the resurrection?  
A. It is the raising of all mankind at the day of Judgement, then shall Christ join the souls and bodies of his people together, and then shall they live for ever with him in his kingdom, and the wicked with their souls and bodies joined together, shall be cast into hellfire, where there is weeping and wailing for ever, Mat. 25.34.41.  
Q. What is the Gospel?  
A. It is tidings of great joy to all people, that Christ is given to them of God his father, as a free gift. Rom. 14.5.  
Q. Who may they thank that have the gifts of the Spirit, and the graces thereof?  
A. God, who is the giver of every perfect gift, and no creature of itself can attain to any good, no more than a dead man can do the actions of a living man, which we know none can do, James 1.17. Eph. 2.1.  
Q. What should this teach us, if all good comes from God?  
A. Not to glory in any thing of ourselves, as if it were our own, but only in God; secondly, not to hate them which have not the graces of God, but pity them and pray for them, and use all means to do them good.  
Q. Why should we do so?  
A. Because we are all one by nature, all the difference is in God, which pardons the debt in his people which was lost by Adam, and hath given them a new stock in the new Adam, which is Jesus Christ, but in some he requires that which they had, and lost in Adam.  
Again, This should teach all his people, to make good use of the spirit of God and the graces he hath given them at all times and in all conditions & in all companies, and to magnify the goodness of their God, Ephes. 4.  
Q. What is Glorification?  
A. It is to receive full holiness and happiness and full contentment, with God the Father and God the Son, and all the holy Angels and Saints, and so remain with them for ever in that glorious and happy condition, Joh. 17.24.  
FINIS.