John Owen, Two Short Catechisms
(... continued from file 2)
Chap. 7. Of the Law of God.
Q 1. Which is the law that God gave man at first to fulfil?
A.
The same which was afterwards Rom. 2: 14, 15.
written with the finger of This law of God bindeth us
God in two tables of stone on now, not because delivered to
Mount Horeb, called the Ten the Jews on Mount Horeb, but
Commandments. because written in the hearts
of all by the finger of God
at the first.
Q. 2. Is the observation of this law still required of us?
A.
Yes, to the uttermost tittle. Matt. 5: 17; 1 John 3: 4;
Rom. 3: 31; James 2: 8-10;
Gal. 3.
Q. 3. Are we able of After the fall, the law
ourselves to perform it? ceased to be a rule of
justification, and became a
rule for sanctification only.
It is of free grace that God
giveth power to yield any
obedience, and accepteth at
any obedience that is not
perfect.
A.
No, in no wise; the law is 1 Kings 8: 46; Gen. 6: 5;
spiritual, but we are carnal. John 15: 5; Rom. 7: 14, 8: 7;
1 John 1: 8.
Q4. Did, then, God give a law which could not be kept?
A.
No; when God gave it, we had Gen. 1: 26; Eph. 4: 19; Rom.
power to keep it; which since 5: 12.
we have lost in Adam.
Q. 5. Whereto, then, does the law now serve?
A.
For two general ends;
first, to be a rule of our Ps. 19: 7-11; 1 Tim. 1: 8, 9.
duty, or to discover to us
the obedience of God
required;
secondly, lets drive us unto Gal. 3: 24.
Christ.
Q 6. How does the law drive us unto Christ?
A.
Divers ways; as,
first, by laying open unto us Rom. 7: 7-9; Gal. 3: 19.
the utter disability of our
nature to do any good;
secondly, by charging the Rom. 3: 19, 20, 4: 15, 5: 20;
wrath and curse of God, due Gal. 3: 10.
to sin, upon the conscience;
thirdly, by bringing the Gal. 3: 22; Heb. 2: 15.
whole soul under bondage to
sin, death, Satan, and hell,
- so making us long and seek
for a Saviour.
Chap. 8. - Of the State of Corrupted Nature.
Q. 1. How came this weakness and disability upon us?
A.
By the sin and shameful fall Rom. 5: 12, 14.
of our first parents. This is that which commonly
is called original sin, which
in general denoteth the whole
misery and corruption of our
nature; as, -
1. The guilt of Adam's
actual sin to us imputed;
2. Loss of God's glorious
image, innocency and
holiness;
3. Deriving by propagation
a nature - (1.) Defiled with
the pollution, (2.) Laden
with the guilt, (3.)
Subtitled to the power of
sin;
4. A being exposed to all
temporal miseries, leading to
and procuring death;
5. An alienation from God,
with voluntary obedience to
Satan and lust;
6. An utter disability to
good, or to labour for mercy;
7. Eternal damnation of
body and soul in hell.
Q. 2. Wherein did that hurt us, their posterity?
A.
Divers ways;
first, in that we were all John 3: 36; Rom. 5: 12; Eph.
guilty of the same breach of 2: 3.
covenant with Adam, being all
in him;
secondly, our souls with his Gen. 3:10; Eph 4: 23, 24;
were deprived of that Col. 3: 10.
holiness, innocence, and
righteousness wherein they
were at first created;
thirdly, pollution and Job 14: 4; Ps. 51: 7; John 3:
defilement of nature came 6; Rom. 3: 13.
upon us; with,
fourthly, an extreme Gen. 6:5; Eph. 2: 1; Jer. 6:
disability of doing any thing 16, 13: 23; Rom. 8: 7.
that is well-pleasing unto
God;
by all which we are made Gen. 3: 17; Gal. 3: 10.
obnoxious to the curse.
Q. 3. Wherein does the curse of God consist?
A.
In divers things;
first, in the guilt of death, Gen. 2: 17; Rom. 1: 18, 5:
temporal and eternal; 12, 17; Eph. 2: 3.
All that a natural man has on
this side hell is free mercy.
secondly, the loss of the Gen. 3: 24; Ezek. 16: 3-5;
grace and favour of God; Eph 2: 13.
thirdly, guilt and horror of Gen. 3: 10; Isa. 48: 22; Rom.
conscience, despair and 3: 9, 19, Gal. 3: 22.
anguish here; with,
fourthly, eternal damnation Gen. 3: 10, 13; John 3: 36.
hereafter.
Q. 4. Are all men born in this estate?
A.
Every one without exception. Ps. 51: 5; Isa. 53: 6; Rom.
3: 9-12; Eph. 2: 3.
Q. 5. And do they continue therein?
A.
Of themselves they cannot The end of this is Jesus
otherwise do, Christ, to all that fly for
refuge to the hope set before
them.
Being able neither to know, Acts 8: 31, 16: 14; 1 Cor. 2:
14; Eph. 5:8; John 1: 5.
nor will, Jer. 6: 16, 13: 23; Luke 4:
18; Rom. 6: 16, 8: 7.
nor do any thing that is John 6: 44; 2 Cor. 3: 5.
spiritually good and pleasing
unto God.
Q. 6. Have they, then, no way of themselves to escape the curse and
wrath of God?
A.
None at all; they can neither
satisfy his justice, nor
fulfil his law.
Chap. 9. - Of the Incarnation of Christ.
Q. 1. Shall all mankind, then, everlastingly perish?
A.
No; God, of his free grace, John 3: 16; Isa. 53: 6.
has prepared a way to redeem
and save his elect.
Q. 2. What way was this?
A.
By sending his own Son Jesus Rom. 8: 3.
Christ in the likeness of This is that great mystery of
sinful flesh, condemning sin godliness that the angels
in the flesh. themselves admire - the most
transcendent expression of
God's infinite love, - the
laying forth of all the
treasure of his wisdom and
goodness.
Q. 3. Who is this you call his own Son?
A.
The second person of the John 1: 14; Rom. 1: 3; Gal.
Trinity, coeternal and of the 4: 4; 1 John 1: 1.
one Deity with his Father.
Q. 4. How did God send him?
A. By causing him to be made Isa. 1. 6; John 1: 14; Luke
flesh of a pure virgin, and 1: 35; Phil. 2: 8; 1 Tim. 3:
to dwell among us, that he 16.
might be obedient unto death,
the death of the cross.
Chap. 10. - Of the Person of Jesus Christ.
Q. 1. What does the Scripture teach us of Jesus Christ?
A.
Chiefly two things 1. Though our Saviour
first, his person, or what he Christ be one God with his
is in himself; secondly, his Father, he is not one person
offices, or what he is unto with him.
us. 2. Jesus Christ is God and
man in one, - not a God and a
man; God incarnate, - not a
man deified.
3. The essential properties
of either nature remain in
his person theirs still, not
communicated unto the other;
as of the Deity to be
eternal, everywhere; of the
humanity to be born and die.
4. Whatever may be said of
either nature may be said of
the whole person; so God may
be said to die, but not the
Godhead; the man Christ to be
everywhere, but not his
humanity; for his one person
is all this.
5. The monstrous figment of
transubstantiation, or
Christ's corporeal presence
in the sacrament, fully
overthrows our Saviour's
human nature, and makes him a
mere shadow.
6. All natural properties
are double in Christ, - as
will, &c., still distinct;
all personal, as subsistence,
single.
Q. 2. What does it teach of his person?
A.
That he is truly God, and John 1: 14; Heb. 2: 14, 15;
perfect man, partaker of the Eph. 4: 5; 1 Tim 2: 5; 1 John
natures of God and man in one 1: 1.
person, between whom he is a
Mediator.
Q. 3. How prove you Jesus Christ to be truly God?
A.
Divers ways; first, by places of Scripture, speaking of the great
God Jehovah in the Old Testament, applied to our Saviour in the
New; as, Numb. 21: 5, 6, in 1 Cor. 10: 9; Ps. 102: 25-27, in
Heb. 1:10; Isa. 6: 2-4, in John 12: 40,41; Isa. 8:13,14, in
Luke 2: 34, Rom. 9: 33; Isa. 40: 3, 4, in John 1: 23; Isa. 45:
22, 23, in Rom. 14: 11, Phil. 2: 10, 11; Mal. 3: 1, in Matt.
11: 10.
Secondly, By the works of the Deity ascribed unto him; as, first, of
creation, John 1: 3; 1 Cor. 8: 6; Heb. 1: 2; secondly, of
preservation in providence, Heb. 1: 3; John 5: 17; thirdly,
miracles.
Thirdly, By the essential attributes of God being ascribed unto him;
as, first, immensity, Matt. 28: 20; John 14: 23; Eph. 3: 17;
secondly, eternity, John 1: 1; Rev. 1: 11; Mic. 5: 2; thirdly,
immutability, Heb. 1: 11, 12; fourthly, omniscience, John 21:
17; Rev. 2: 23; fifthly, majesty and glory equal to his Father,
John 5: 23; Rev. 5: 13; Phil. 1: 2, 2: 6, 9, 10.
Fourthly, By the names given unto him; as, first, of God expressly,
John 1: 1, 20: 28; Acts 20: 28; Rom. 9: 5; Phil. 2: 6; Heb. 1:
8; 1 Tim. 3: 16; secondly, of the Son of God, John 1: 18; Rom.
8: 3, &c.
Q. 4. Was it necessary that our Redeemer should be God?
A.
Yes; that he might be able to Isa 43: 25, 53: 6; Dan. 9:
save to the uttermost, and to 17, 19.
satisfy the wrath of his
Father, which no creature
could perform.
Q. 5. How prove you that he was a perfect man?
A.
First, By the prophecies that went Gen. 2: 15, 18: 18.
before, that so he should be.
Secondly, By the relation of their Matt. 1: 1; Rom. 1: 4; Gal.
accomplishment. 4: 4.
Thirdly, By the Scriptures
assigning to him those things
which are required to a
perfect man; as,
first, a body, Luke 24: 39; Heb. 2: 17, 10:
5; 1 John 1: 1;
secondly, a soul, Matt. 26: 38; Mark 14: 34;
and therein, Matt. 26: 39;
first, a will,
secondly, affections, Mark 3: 5; Luke 10: 21;
thirdly, endowments, Luke 2: 52.
Fourthly, General infirmities of Matt. 4: 2; John 4: 6; Heb.
nature. 2: 18.
Q. 6. Wherefore was our Redeemer to be man?
A.
That the nature which had Heb. 2: 10-17.
offended might suffer, and
make satisfaction, and so he
might be every way a fit and
sufficient Saviour for men.
Chap. 11. - Of the Offices of Christ; and, First, of His Kingly.
Q. 1. How many are the offices of Jesus Christ?
A.
Three; first, of a King; Ps. 2: 6.
secondly, of Priest; Ps. 110: 4.
In the exercise of these
offices, Christ is also the
sole head, husband, God
firstborn of the church.
Papal usurpation upon these
offices of Christ manifests
the pope to be the Man of
Sin.
thirdly, of Prophet. Deut. 18: 15.
Q. 2. Hath he these offices peculiar by nature?
A.
No; he only received them for Ps. 110: l; Acts 2: 36, 10:
the present dispensation, 42; 1 Cor. 11: 3, 15: 27, 28;
until the work of redemption Phil. 2: 9; Heb. 3: 2, 6, 2:
be perfected. 7-9.
Q. 3. Wherein does the kingly office of Christ consist?
A.
In a two-fold power; first, Ps. 110: 3-7.
his power of ruling in and
over his church; secondly,
his power of subduing his
enemies.
Q. 4. What is his ruling power in and over his people?
A.
That supreme authority which, Christ's subjects are all
for their everlasting good, born rebels, and are
he useth towards them, stubborn, until he make them
whereof in general there be obedient by his Word and
two acts; spirit.
Christ has not delegated his
kingly power of law-making
for his church to any here
below.
first, internal and Isa. 53: 12, 59: 20, 21, with
spiritual, in converting Heb. 8: 10-12; Isa. 61: 1, 2;
their souls unto him, making John 1: 16, 12: 32; Mark 1:
them unto himself a willing, 15; Matt. 28: 20; 2 Cor. 10:
obedient, persevering people; 4, 5.
secondly, eternal and Matt. 16: 19; 1 Cor. 12: 28;
ecclesiastical, in giving Eph. 4: 8-14; 2 Tim. 3: 16,
perfect laws and rules for 17; Rev. 22: 18, 19.
their government, as gathered
into holy societies under
him.
Q. 5. How many are the acts of his kingly power towards his enemies?
A.
Two also
first, internal, by the Ps. 110; John 6: 46, 8: 59,
mighty working of his Word, 9: 41, 12: 40; 2 Cor. 10: 4-
and the spirit of bondage 6; 1 Cor. 5: 6; 1 Tim. 1: 20.
upon their hearts, The end of Christ in
convincing, amazing, exercising his kingly power
terrifying their consciences, over his enemies, is the
hardening their spirits for glory of the gospel and the
ruin; good of his people.
Secondly, external, in Mark 16: 16; Luke 19: 27;
judgements and vengeance, Acts 13: 11; Rev. 17: 14.
which ofttimes he beginneth
in this life, and will
continue unto eternity.
Chap. 12. - Of Christ's Priestly Office.
Q. 1. By what means did Jesus Christ undertake the office of an
eternal priest?
A.
By the decree, ordination, Ps. 110: 4; Heb. 5: 5,6, 7:
and will of God his Father, 17,18.
whereunto he yielded Isa. 50: 4-6; Heb. 10: 5-10.
voluntary obedience;
so that concerning this there Ps. 2: 7, 8; Isa. 53: 8,
was a compact and covenant 10-12; Phil. 2: 7, 9; Heb.
between them. 12: 2; John 17: 2, 4.
Q. 2. Wherein does his execration of this office consist?
A.
In bringing his people unto Heb. 2: 10, 4: 16, 7: 25.
God.
Q. 3. What are the parts of it?
A.
First, oblation; Heb. 9: 14.
secondly, intercession. Heb. 7: 25.
Against both these the
Papists are exceedingly
blasphemous; against the one,
by making their mass a
sacrifice for sins, - the
other, by making saints
mediators of intercession.
Q. 4. What is the oblation of Christ?
A.
The offering up of himself Isa. 53: 10,12; John 3: 16,
upon the altar of the cross, 11: 51, 17: 19; Heb. 9:
an holy propitiatory 13,14.
sacrifice for the sins of all
the elect throughout the
world;
as also, the presentation of Heb. 9: 24.
himself for us in heaven,
sprinkled with the blood of
the covenant.
Q. 5. Whereby does this oblation do good unto us?
A.
Divers ways; Eph 2: 14, 15.
first, in that it satisfied
the justice of God;
secondly, it redeemed us from
the power of sin, death, and
hell;
third]y, it ratified the new
covenant of grace;
fourthly, it procured for us
grace here, and glory
hereafter;
by all which means the peace
and reconciliation between
God and us is wrought.
Q. 6. How did the oblation of Christ satisfy God's justice for our
sin?
A.
In that for us he underwent Isa. 53: 4-6; John 10:11;
the punishment due to our Rom. 3: 25, 26, 4: 25; 1 Cor.
sin. 15: 3; 2 Cor. 5: 21; Eph. 5:
2; 1 Pet. 2: 24.
Christ's undergoing
punishment for us was,
1 first, typified by the old
sacrifices;
2 secondly, foretold in the
first promise;
3 thirdly, made lawful and
valid in itself, - first, by
God's determination, the
supreme lawgiver; secondly,
his own voluntary undergoing
it; thirdly, by a relaxation
of the law in regard of the
subject punished; -
4 fourthly, beneficial to us,
because united to us; as,
first, our head; secondly,
our elder brother; thirdly,
our sponsor or surety;
fourthly, our husband;
fifthly, our God, or
Redeemer, &c.
Q. 7. What was that punishment?
A. The wrath of God, the Gen. 2: 17; Deut. 27: 15-26;
curse of the law, the pains Isa. 59: 2; Rom. 5: 12; Eph
of hell, due to sinners, in 2: 3; John 3: 36; Heb. 2: 14.
body and soul. No change in all these, but
what necessarily follows the
charge of the persons
sustaining.
Q. 8. Did Christ undergo all these?
A.
Yes; in respect of the Matt. 26: 28; Mark 14: 33,
greatness and extremity, not 34; 15: 34; Gal. 3: 13; Eph
the eternity and continuance 2: 16; Col. 1: 20; Heb. 5: 7;
of those pains; for it was Ps. 18: 5.
impossible he should be The death that Christ
holden of death. underwent was eternal in its
own nature and tendence, -
not so to him, because of his
holiness, power, and the
unity of his person.
9. How could the punishment of one satisfy for the offence of all?
A.
In that he was not a mere man Rom. 5: 9; Heb. 9: 26; 1 Pet.
only, but God also, of 3: 18.
infinitely more value than He suffered not as God, but
all those who had offended. he suffered who was God.
John Owen, Two Short Catechisms
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