Romans, the 'Christian Catechism'

Thomas Case, Morning Exercise Methodized, Sermon I, in Puritan Sermons, 1659-1689, Vol. 5, p. 15:

The Epistle to the Romans, the Christian Catechism.

The Epistle to the Romans is upon this account justly called by some of the ancients, "the Christians' catechism;" as containing an [Gk.], or "list of the chief articles," of the Christian religion: for although the principal design of the apostle be to discuss that prime evangelical doctrine of justification in the negative and affirmative part of it, -- Neg. Not in works. Affirm. In a free, gratuitous imputation of the righteousness of Christ, applied by faith, -- together with the grounds, evidences, and fruits thereof; yet occasionally, "according to the wisdom given unto him," (2 Peter iii. 15,) he doth, with a most profound and admirable art, interweave other deep and fundamental points of religion; namely, a parallel between the two Adams; the doctrine of original sin; (Rom. v.; ) the corruption and depravation of nature; (chap. vii.; ) the doctrine of grace; (chap. viii.; ) the merit and efficacy of Christ's death and resurrection; (chap. vi.; ) the doctrine of affliction, and the use of it to believers; (chap. viii.; ) the mysteries of election and predestination; (chap. ix.; ) the excecation and rejection of the Jews; (chap. x.; ) the vocation of the Gentiles, with the restitution of the seed of Abraham, &c. (chap. xi.) And when he hath finished the [Gk.] of doctrinal principles, he winds up the epistle with a short, but full, delineation of evangelical duties; wherein he doth bring down those principles unto practice. The former part of the epistle is the doctrine; the latter part is the use: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God," &c. (Chap. xii. 1.)