James. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost.
Prud. Good boy. And canst thou tell me who saves thee?
James. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost.
Prud. Good boy still. But how doth God the Father save thee?
James. By his grace.
Prud. How doth God the Son save thee?
James. By His righteousness, death, and blood, and life.
Prud. And how doth God the Holy Ghost save thee?
James. By His illumination, by His renovation, and by His preservation.
Then said Prudence to Christiana, You are to be commended for thus bringing up your children. I suppose I need not ask the rest these questions, since the youngest of them can answer them so well. I will therefore now apply myself to the next youngest.
Prud. Then she said, Come, Joseph (for his name was Joseph), will you let me catechise you?
Joseph. With all my heart.
Prud. What is man?
Joseph. A reasonable creature, so made by God, as my brother said.
Prud. What is supposed by this word “saved”?
Joseph. That man, by sin, has brought himself into a state of captivity and misery.
Prud. What is supposed by his being saved by the Trinity?
Joseph. That sin is so great and mighty a tyrant, that none can pull us out of its clutches, but God; and that God is so good and loving to man, as to pull him indeed out of this miserable state.
Prud. What is God’s design in saving, of poor men?
Joseph. The glorifying of His name, of His grace, and justice, etc., and the everlasting happiness of His creature.
Prud. Who are they that must be saved?
Joseph. Those that accept of His salvation.
Prud. Good boy, Joseph; thy mother has taught thee well, and thou hast hearkened to what she hath said unto thee. Then said Prudence to Samuel, who was the eldest but one,
Prud. Come, Samuel, are you willing that I should catechise you also?
Samuel. Yes, forsooth, if you please.