RELIGION.
VVithout the knowledge whereof none may presume to come to the Lords Table here or expect to communicate with him in glory hereafter.
Collected out of a more copious Catechisme, and published especially for the benefit of such poore Soules, as want:
- Either money to buy,
- Or time to learne,
- Or memories to retaine
a larger Treatise.
When for the time ye ought to be Teachers, yee haue need that one teach you againe, which be the first Principles of the Oracles of God, and are become such as haue need of milk, and not of strong meate.
LONDON, Printed by WILLIAM IONES, and are to be solde by Francis Coules dwelling in the Old Bayly, neere to Newgate, 1630.
A Precept for Parents.
These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talke of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou lyest downe, and when thou risest vp.
To Children and Servants.
Sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready alwayes to giue an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of of the hope that is in you, with meekenesse and feare.
THE MAINE GROVNDS OF RELIGION.
Question. OF what Religion are you?
Answer. Of the Christian Religion.Acts 11, 24
Q. What Religion is that?
A. Acts 4, 12. That which teacheth men to looke for true and euerlasting happinesse by Christ alone.
Q. Where is this Religion taught? 2 Tim: 3, 16.
A. In the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament.
Q. What may wee learne out of the Scriptures?
A. Two things:Iohn 17, 3 Eccle: 7, 29 the knowledge of God, and of our selues.
Q. What are wee taught concerning God?
A. That there are thrée Persons,1 Iohn 5, 7 Prov. 16, 4 Mat: 10, 29 yes but one God, who is the Ordainer, the Maker, and Gouernour of all things.
[Page] Q. What are we taught concer [...] our selues?
Gen. 1 26.. and 3, 1, 2. Rom. 5.12 A. That Man and Woman bein [...] made in the Image of God, fell from the blessed estate, and became most cursed Creatures.
Q. What is then the estate of every naturall man?
Eph. 2.3. Rom. 7.24 A. Very miserable, and in no wise to be rested in.
Q. What maketh his estate so bad?
Esa. 59.2. Rom. 6.23 A. Two things: Sinne and the punishment thereof.
Q. What call you Sinne?
1 Ioh. 3.4. A. Euery breach of Gods Law.
Q. How doth man breake the Law of God?
Esay 1 15.16, 17. and 64.6. A. By doing things forbidden, leauing things commanded, or failing in the manner.
Q. What is the punishment of sinne?
Deut. 28.15. Luk 16 22 23 A. All miseries in this life, death in the end, and hell euer after.
Q. Is sinne such a grieuous thing?
A. Yea, it is the most hainous and loathsome thing in the world.
Q. How appeareth that?
Heb. 10.31 and 12.29 A. Both by the punishment, and by the person against whom it is committed.
[Page] Q. Who is that?
A. Almighty God, whose Holinesse,1 Cor. 10.2 [...]. Psa 36, 5, 6 Power, Iustice and Goodnesse is infinite and vnspeakable.
Q. What shall a man doe in that wofull estate?
A. Bewaile his misery,Act. 2.37. and hasten to get out of it.
Q. Is he able of himselfe to doe this?
A. No: and besides he hath thrée enemies, the flesh, the Deuill, and the world,2 Cor, 3:5 Eph. 6.12. that will labour to holde him in it.
Q. Where shall a man finde help?
A. Onely in Iesus Christ,Ioh. 146. the onely begotten Sonne of God.
Q. What hath he done to deliuer man out of misery?
A. He became man and in our nature fully satisfied the Law & Iustice of God.Gal. 4.4, 5
Q How hath he done this?
A By bearing for vs the punishment which the Law threatneth;Gal. 3.13. Mat. 3.15. and fulfilling the righteousnesse which the Law requireth.
Q How did Christ beare the punishment due to sinne by the Law?
A By enduring manifold miseries all his life time, and in the end the wrath of God, and the cursed death of the Crosse.Luk. 9.58. Phil. 2.8.
[Page] Q. How did he worke the righteousnesse requyred by the Law?
A. By being obedient to the will of God,1 Pet. 2, 22 Iohn 4, 34 in thought, word, and doed, all his life long.
Q. What benefit haue we by Christ his death and sufferings?
Heb. 2, 14, 15. A. Deliuerance from sinne, and the punishment thereof.
Q. And why by his righteousnesse and obedience?
Rom. 5, 18 19, 11. A. The fauour of God, and everlasting happinesse.
Q. How may we obtaine these benefits by Christ?
Iohn 1, 12. A. Onely by true faith in him.
Q. What is a true Faith in Christ?
Rom. 1, 16 Iohn 6, 69 2 Tim 2, 12 A. It is a beliefe of the Gospell, wherby a man doth truely rest, and cast himselfe vpon Christ alone, for remission of sinnes, and eternall salvation.
Q. Is it in our power to beleeue?
Eph. 2, 8 Gal: 5, 22 Rom. 10, 17. A. No: it is the gift of God, by the working of the Spirit, throgh the preaching of the Gospell.
Q. Shall all beleevers haue benefit by Christs death?
A. All that truely beléeue shall: but there is a dead faith that profiteth no thing.
[Page] Q. How is the true faith perceived?
A. By the fruits thereof,1 Iohn 3, 3 and namely by repentance.
Q. Why so?
A. Because wheresoeuer Gods Spirit worketh true Faith,Acts 15, 5 there he worketh repentance also.
Q. What is repentance?
A. Such a change of the heart,Rom: 12, 2 as bringeth forth a reformed life.
Q. Whence commeth this change?
A. Especially from the sight and feeling of Gods mercy towards vs in Christ.1 Ioh: 4, 19
Q. From what is the heart changed?
A. From the loue of the world to the loue of God:1 Ioh: 2, 15 Tit: 2, 12 from carelesnes to conscience, and desire to please God.
Q. What is the change called?
A. It is called in Scripture a new creature.2 Cor: 5, 17
Q. How doth it appeare?
A. When in word and déed wée endeauoure to abstaine from euill,Es: 1, 16, 17 Eph. 4, 21 23, 24. and to exercise our selues in that which is gold.
Q. Is this change of heart and minde perfect in any?
A. No: we beléeue not perfectly,Mark: 2, 24 1 Cor: 13, 9 Heb: 6, 1. and therefore wée cannot loue perfectly, but wée must striue to perfection.
[Page] 1 Pet. 2, 2: 1 The 5, 17 20, 19, &c: Q How must we striue?
A By a diligent vse of the mea [...] which God hath appointed for our increase in faith and repentance.
Q. What are the publike meanes?
A. They are chiefly thrée: hearing the word,Luc: 22, 19 Ro: 10, 13, 14, receiuing the Sacrament, and ioyning in Prayer.
Q What are the Sacraments?
Ro: 4, 11: 1 Cor: 10: 16; A Certaine outward signes and seale appointed of God, to assure vs yt Christ and all his benefits are giuen to vs.
Q How many Sacraments are there?
1 Cor: 10, 32, 34, A Two, Baptisme, and the Lords Supper.
Q What doth Baptisme assure vs of?
A That being ingrafted into Christ; wée are washed from our sinnes in his blood,Gal: 3, 27: Tit: 3, 5: and borne anew in God.
Q What doth the Lords Supper assure vs of?
1 Cor: 11 24 Ioh: 6, 54, A It doeth further warrant vs that Christ is giuen to vs to be our spirituall nourishment to euerlasting life.
Q Who maketh the right vse of the Sacraments?
Mat, 26: 28 Gal. 6, 15, A He that is thereby daily confirmed in faith and newnes of life.
Q Who obtaine this benefit by the Lords Supper?
[Page] A Such as come with knowledge,1 Cor. 11, 28. faith, repentance and loue.
Q. What is Prayer?
A. Acrauing of those things at Gods hands which wée want,Psa. 50.15 Phil: 4.6. and thanking him for those we haue.
Q. When doe men pray a right?
A When they pray onely to God,Ioh: 16.23 Iam, 4, 3, in the name of Christ: asking things lawfull, to his glory, with faith, féeling and loue.
Q. What be the private meanes?
A. Reading and praying both alone,Deut, 17, 19 Mat. 7, 7 Gen 18, 19 and 24, 63 1 The, 5, 11 Psa, 119, 9 and with others instructing our families, thinking vpon good matters, admonishing and comforting one another, & watching ouer our owne wayes according to the word.
Q What will the right vse of all these meanes work in Gods children?
A A most happy and comfortable change, from that which they were before, euen in this life.Acts 26, 18 1 Co, 6, 11
Q What becommeth of them after this life?
A The soule goeth immediately into the Paradise of God, and the body shall be raised vp at the last day,Luk, 19, 22 1 Cor, 16.52. Mat 25, 46 and ioyned with the same in glory for euer.
[Page] Q. What is the portion of all [...] rant or prophane persons, who contemne these meanes of grace?
Deu: 28, 20 65, 66, 67 2 Thes: 1, 9 Luke 13, 8 Mat: 25, 41 & 13, 49, 50. A. They are in a most cursed condition while they liue héere, and hereafter they shall be banished from the joyes of heauen, and shall for euermore bee tormented with the Deuill in Hell, when is wéeping and wailing, and gnashing of téeth.
Certaine Rules for the direction of a Christian life, expressed in Meeter, for helpe to the memory.
Consider what I say, and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
Grace before meate.
Most gracious God and louing Father, we humbly beseech thée to forgiue vs all our sinnes. Be present with vs, and blesse vs, and thy good creatures prouided for vs. Giue vs grace to receiue them thankefully as from thy hand, and to vse them soberly as in thy sight, is thy glory and our owne comfort, through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Grace after meate.
We humbly thanke thée, O Lord heauenly Father, for refreshing our fraile bodies with thy good creatures, beseeching thee likewise to feed our soules with thy liuely word, that we may glorifie thée, both with our soules and with our bodies through Iesus Christ our Lord.
Blesse good Lord thy holy Church, our gracious King, his Royall Familie and Realme, and send vs eternall life, through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen.