The foundation of Christian religion gathered into sixe principles. And it is to be learned of ignorant people, that they may be fit to heare sermons with profit, and to receiue the Lords Supper with comfort. Perkins, William, 1588-1602. 1618 Approx. 16 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 9 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2011-12 (EEBO-TCP Phase 2). A09426 STC 19717 ESTC S110444 99845985 99845985 10919

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 Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A09426) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 10919) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1668:2) The foundation of Christian religion gathered into sixe principles. And it is to be learned of ignorant people, that they may be fit to heare sermons with profit, and to receiue the Lords Supper with comfort. Perkins, William, 1588-1602. [8], 40 p. By Iohn Legatt, printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge, Printed at London : 1618. Printer's device on title page and on verso of C8, final page. Cropped and tightly bound affecting some text. Signatures: A-C. Reproduction of the original in Emmanuel College (University of Cambridge). Library.

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 eng Theology -- Early works to 1800. 2020-09-21 Content of 'availability' element changed when EEBO Phase 2 texts came into the public domain 2010-09 Assigned for keying and markup 2010-10 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2010-11 Sampled and proofread 2010-11 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2011-06 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

THE FOVNDATION OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION GATHERED INTO SIXE Principles.

And it is to be learned of ignorant people, that they may be fit to heare Sermons with profit, and to receiue the Lords Supper with comfort.

Pſal. 119. verſ. 20.

The entrance into thy words ſheweth light, and giueth vnderſtanding to the ſimple.

ALMA MATER CANTABRIGIA printer's or publisher's device HINC LVCEM ET POCVLA SACRA

Printed at London by Iohn Legate, Printer to the Vniuerſitie of Cambridge. 1618.

To all ignorant people that deſire to be inſtructed.

POore people, your manner is to ſoth vp your ſelues, as though you were in a moſt happy eſtate but if the matter come to a iuſt triall, it will fall out farre otherwiſe, For yee leade your liues in great ignorance, as may appeare by theſe common opinions which follow.

1 That faith is a mans good meaning and his ſeruing of God. 2 That God is ſerued by the rehearſing of the tenne commaundements, the Lords prayer, and the Creede. 3 That ye haue beleeued in Chriſt euer ſince you could remember. 4 That it is pitrie that hee ſhould liue which doth any whit doubt of his ſaluation. 5 That none can tell whether he ſhall be ſaued or no certainely, but that all men muſt be of a good beliefe. 6 That howſoeuer a man liue, yet if hee call vpon God on his death bedde, and ſay, Lord haue mercy vpon mee, and ſo goe away like a lambe, hee is certainely ued. 7 That if any bee ſtrangely viſited, he is either taken with a planet, or bewitched. 8 That a man may lawfully ſweare when hee ſpeaketh nothing but the troth and ſweares by nothing but that which is good, as by faith and troth. 9 That a preacher is a good man no longer then hee is in the Pulpit. They thinke all like themſelues. 10 That a man may repent when hee will, becauſe the Scripture ſaith, At what time ſoeuer a ſinner doth repent him of his ſinne, &c. 12 That it is an eaſier thing to pleaſe God, then to pleaſe our neighbour. 13 That yee can keepe the commandements as well as God will giue you leaue. 13 That it is ſafeſt to doe in religion as moſt doe. 14 That merry ballads and bookes, as Sk • ggin, Beuis of Southampton, &c. are good to driue away the time, and to remooue heart qualmes. 15 That yee ſerue God with all your hearts▪ and that you would be ſorry elſe. 16 That a man need not heare ſo many Sermons, except hee could follow them better. 17 That a man which commeth at no Sermons, may as well beleeue, as hee which heares all the Sermons in the world. 18 That ye know all the Preacher can tell you. For hee can ſay nothing, but that euery man is a ſinner that wee muſt loue our neighbours as our ſelues, that euery man muſt be ſaued by Chriſt: and all this ye can tell as well as he. 19 That it was a good world, when the old religion was, becauſe all things were cheape. 20 That drinking and bezeling in the alehouſe or tauerne is good fellowſhip, and ſhewes a good kind nature, and maintaines neighbourhood. 21 That a man may ſweare by the Maſſe, becauſe it is nothing now: and by • Lady, becauſe ſhee it gone out of the countrey. 22 That euery man muſt bee for himſelfe, and God for vs all. 23 That a man may make of his owne whatſoeuer he can. 24 That if a man remember to ſay his praiers in the morning (though he neuer vnderſtand them) hee hath bleſſed himſelfe for all the day following. 25 That a man praieth when hee ſaith the ten commandements. 26 That a man eates his maker in the Sacrament. 27 That if a man be no adulterer, no theefe, no murtherer, & do no man harme, he is a right honeſt man. 28 That a man neede not to haue any knowledge of religion, becauſe he is not book-learned. 29 That one may haue a good meaning when hee ſaith and doth that which is euill. 30 That a man may goe to wizzards, called wiſe men, for counſell: becauſe God hath prouided a ſalue for euery ſore. 31 That yee are to bee excuſed in all your doings, becauſe the beſt men are ſinners. 32 That yee haue ſo ſtrong a faith in Chriſt, that no euill company can hurt you.

Theſe and ſuch like ſayings, what argue they but your groſſe ignorance? Now where ignorance raineth, there raignes ſin: and where ſinne raignes, there the diuell rules: and where he rules, men are in a damnable caſe.

Ye will reply vnto me thus that yee are not ſo bad as I would make you. If neede be you can ſay the Creed, the Lords praier, & the ten Commandements: and therfore ye will be of Gods beliefe, ſay all men what they will, and you defie the dinell from your hearts.

I anſwer againe, that it is not ſufficient to ſay all theſe without booke, vnles ye can vnderſtand the meaning of the words, and be able to make a right vſe of the commandements, of the Creed, of the Lords prayer, by applying them inwardly to your hearts and conſciences, and outwardly to your liues and conuerſation. This is the very point in which ye faile.

And for a helpe in this your ignorance, to bring you to true knowledge, vnfained faith and ſound repentance, heere I haue ſet downe the principall points of Chriſtian Religion in ſixe plaine and eaſie rules: euen ſuch as the ſimplest may eaſily learne: and hereunto is adioyned an expoſition of them word by word. If yee doe want other good directions, then vſe this my labour for your good inſtruction. In reading of it, firſt learne the ſixe principles: and when you haue them without booke, and the meaning of the withall, then learne the expoſition alſo: which beeing well conceiued, and in ſome me aſure felt in the heart, ye ſhall be able to profit by Sermons, whereas now ye cannot: and the ordinary parts of the Catechiſme, namely, the ten Commandements, the Creeds, the Lords prayer, and the inſtitution of the two Sacraments, ſhall more eaſily be vnderſtood.

Thine in Chriſt Ieſus, William Perkins.
The Foundation of Chriſtian Religion gathered into ſixe Principles.
The firſt Principle,

VVHat doeſt thou beleeue concerning God?

There is one God, Creator and gouernor of all things, diſtinguiſhed into the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghoſt.

Proofes out of the word of God.

1. There is a God.

For the inuiſible things of him, that is, his eternall power and Godhead,Rom. 1.20 are ſeene by the creation of the world, beeing conſidered in his workes, to the intent that they ſhould be without excuſe.

Neuertheleſſe, hee left not himſelfe without witneſſe, in thou be did good,Act. 14.17 and gaue vs rame from heauen, and fruitfull ſeaſons, fulfilling our hearts with foode and gladneſſe.

2. There is one God.

1. Cor. 8.4Concerning therefore meates ſacrificed to idols, wee know that an idoll is nothing in the world: and that there is none other God but one.

3. He is Creator of all things.

In the beginning God created the heauens and the earth. • en. 1.1.

Through faith we vnderſtand, that the world was ordained by the word of God: • eb. 11.5. ſo that the things which we ſee, are not made of things which did appeare.

4. He is gouernour of all things.

The eies of the Lord in euery place behold the euill and the good. • rou. 15.3.

Yea, and all the haires of our heads are numbred.Mat. 10.30.

5. Diſtinguiſhed into the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghoſt.

And Ieſus when hee was baptized, came ſtraight out of the water:Mat. 3.16. and loe, the heauens were opened vnto him, and Iohn ſaw the Spirit of God deſcending like a Doue, and lighting vpon him.

And loe a voice came from heauen, ſaying, This is my wel beloued Sonne,Verſe 17. in whom I am well pleaſed.

For there are three which beare record in heauen,1. Ioh. 5.7. the Father, the Word, and the holy Ghoſt, and theſe three are one.

The ſecond Principle.

What doeſt thou beleeue concerning man and concerning thine owne ſelfe.

All men are wholly corrupted with ſinne through Adams fall, and ſo are become ſlaues of Satan, and guilty of eternall damnation.

1. All men are corrupted with ſinne.

As it is written, There is none righteous,Rom. 3.10 no not one.

2. They are wholly corrupted.

Now the very God of peace ſanctifie you throughout, 1. Theſ 5.13. and I pray God that your whole ſpirit, and ſoule, and bodie, may bee kept blameleſſe vnto the comming of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt.

This I ſay therefore and teſtifie in the Lord, that yee hencefoorth walke not as other Gentiles walke in vanity of their minde.Eph. 4.17.

Hauing their cogitation darkened,Verſ. 18. and beeing ſtrangers from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, becauſe of the hardues of their hearts.

When the Lord ſaw that the wickedneſſe of man was great in the earth,Gen. 6.5. and all the imaginations of the thought of his heart were onely euill continually.

3. Through Adams fall.

Wherefore as by one man, ſinne entred int • the world, and death by ſinne, and ſo dea • went ouer all men, • om. 5.21. for ſo much as all men hau • ſinned.

4. And ſo are become ſlaues of Satan.

Wherein in times paſt ye walked according to the courſe of the world,Eph. 2.2. and after the Princ • that ruleth in the aire, euen the ſpirit that now worketh in the children of diſobedience.

For as much then as the children were partakers of fleſh and blood,Heb. 2.14. hee alſo himſelfe likewiſe tooke part with them that he might deſtroy through death, him that had the power of death, that is, the diuell.

In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds,2. Cor. 4. that is, of Infidels, that the light of the glorious Goſpel of Chriſt, which is the image of God, ſhould not ſhine vnto them.

5. And guilty of eternall damnation.

For as many as are of the workes of the law,Gal. 3.10. are vnder the curſe: for it is written, Curſed is euery man that continueth not in all things, which are written in the booke of the law, to doe them. Likewiſe then as by the offence of one, the fault came on all men to • ondemnation: ſo by the iuſtifying of one, the • enefit abounded toward all men to the inſtifi • ation of life.Rom. 5.1

The third Principle.

What meanes is there for thee to eſcape this damnable eſtate?

Ieſus Chriſt the eternall Sonne of God, being made man, by his death vpon the croſſe, and by his righteouſnes, hath perfectly alone by himſelfe, accompliſhed all things that are needfull for the ſaluation of man.

1. Ieſus Chriſt the eternall Sonne of God.

And the word was made fleſh, and dwelt among vs, and wee ſaw the glory thereof,Ioh. 1.14. as the glory of the onely begotten (Sonne) of the Father, full of grace and truth.

2. Being made man.

For hee in no ſort tooke the Angels, but hee tooke the ſeede of Abraham.Heb. 2.16.

3. By his death vpon the croſſe.

But he was wounded for our tranſgreſſions,Eſa. 53.5. hee was broken for our iniquities: the chaſtiſement of our peace was vpon him, and with his ſtripes weare healed.

4. And by his righteouſneſſe.

Rom. 5.15For as by one mans deſobedience many were made ſinners, ſo by the obedience of one ſha •• many alſo be made righteous.

For he hath made him to be ſin for vs, which knew no ſinne,Cor. 5.21 that we ſhould bee made the righteouſneſſe of God in him.

5. Hath perfectly

Wherfore he is alſo able perfectly to ſaue them that come vnto God by him, • eb. 7.27. ſeeing hee euer liueth to make interceſſion for them.

6. Alone by himſelfe.

Neither is there ſaluation in any other for among men there is giuen none other name vnder auen, • ct. 4 12. whereby we muſt be ſaued.

7. Accompliſhed all things needfull for the ſaluation of mankinde.

And he is the reconciliation for our ſinnes: and not for ours onely,1. Ioh. 2.2. but alſo for the ſins of the whole world.

The fourth Principle.

But how maieſt thou be made partaker of Chriſt and his benefits?

A man of a contrite and humble ſpirit, by faith alone apprehending and applying Chriſt with all his merits vnto himſelfe, is iuſtified before God, and ſanctified.

1. A man of contrite and humble ſpirit.

For thus ſaith hee that is high and excellent, Hee that inhabiteth the eternitie,Eſa. 57.1 • whoſe name is the holy one; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him alſo that is of a contrite and humble ſpirit, to reuiue the Spirit of the humble, and to giue life to them that are of a contrite heart.

The ſacrifices of God, are a contrite ſpirit,Pſal. 51.1. a contrite and a broken heart, O God, thou wilt not deſpiſe.

2. By faith alone.

As ſoone as Ieſus heard that word ſpoken, he ſaid vnto the ruler of the Synagogue,Mark. 5.3. Bee not afraid, onely beleeue.

So Moſes made a ſerpent of braſſe, and ſet it vp for a ſigne,Numb. 21 19. and when a Serpent had bitten a man, then hee looked to the Serpent of braſſe, and liued.

And as Moſes lift vp the Serpent in the wilderneſſe,Ioh. 3.14. ſo muſt the Sonne of man bee lifted vp.

That whoſoeuer beleeueth in him,Verſe 15. ſhould not periſh, but haue eternall life.

3. Apprehending and applying Chriſt with all his merits vnto himſelfe.

But as many as recciued him,Ioh. 1.12. to them hee gaue

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