GROVNDS OF Christian Religion.
Quest. WHo made the world, Heauen and Earth?
Answ. God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, thrée persons and one God, Eternall, Omnipotent, inuisible, allsufficient, infinite in his most blessed Essence.
Q. How proue you God to be three Persons, and those to be one God in Essence?
A. 1. Ioh. 5. 7. There are thrée that beare record in heauen, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these thrée are one.
Q. Whereof did God make or create the World?
A. Of Nothing.
Q. How know you this?
A. By faith grounded on the Word Heb. 11. 3 of God.
[Page 4]Q. Wherefore did God create all things?
A. For his owne glory, Psal. 19. 1. & Pro. 16. 4.
Q. What was the chiefe creature on earth that God made?
A. Man.
Q. Whereof did God make man?
A. Of the dust of the earth, breathing into him a liuing reasonable soule immortall.
Q. In what state was man made?
A. In the image of God, in righteousnesse without sinne, and in a state of blessednesse.
Q. Whereof was the woman made?
A. Of the mans rib, that they might be as one, inseparable, and that Act 17. 26. all men might come of one bloud.
Q. What couenant made hee with them?
A. A couenant of workes, which while they kept, they should liue happily in an earthly paradise.
Q. How did God try their obedience?
A. By forbidding them the eating of a tree, Gen. 2. 17.
Q. Did they obserue it?
[Page 5] A. No.
Q. How so?
A. Satan in the serpent told them a lie, which they beleeuing fell from God,
Q. What became of them then?
A. By sinne they lost God, and happinesse, & became the children of death, corporall, spirituall, eternall, and subiect to all kind of misery in this world, and in hell fire.
Q. What is this to vs?
A. It concernes vs neerely: for hereby we are all made guilty of their sinne and punishment.
Q. How proue you that?
A. Rom. 5. 12. For both when our first parents receiued the Commandement, and when they brake it, we were all in their loines, so that we sinned and fell in and with them. Secondly, we are conceiued and borne in originall sinne, being of the corrupt séede of Adam.
Q. What example haue ye to shew this?
A. A fathers treason against his Prince cuts off all his posterity from the inheritance by mans law. And secondly, [Page 6] a bondslaues children are all Exo. 21. 4 borne slaues by Gods law. Such are we by nature.
Q. But are we not able to recouer our selues from our fall?
A. There is no meanes left in vs to doe it, for neither haue we will, nor 2 Cor. 3. 5 Phil. 2. 13. Ps. 49. 7. power to doe any good at all; nor can wee satisfie Gods iustice for the least sinne.
Q. Had not Adam free will before his fall, and hath not man the same still?
A. Adam before his fall had frée will, but now he hath quite lost his fréedome of will to any good, and is become the seruant of sinne, Gen. 6. the imaginations of his heart onely euill continually, being dead in trespasses and Eph. 5. 2. sinnes.
Q. Then our case is most miserable. But is there no helpe for vs?
A. None in the world, but in God alone.
Q. What meanes hath God giuen to recouer vs from this vnspeakeable misery?
A. His vnspeakeable mercy and frée Ioh. 3. 16. Rom. 5. 8. loue hath found out the onely all sufficient [Page 7] meanes, euen his owne Sonne whom he hath sent.
Q. How is the Sonne of God a means for vs?
A. By taking our nature of Adam into the vnity of his diuine person, and so Iesus Christ God-man became a perfect Sauiour, in dying for our sins, and rising againe for our Iustification.
Q. What be the benefits which Christ hath procured vnto vs by his life and death?
A. Twofold; 1. a fréedome from all Gal. 4. 5. Rom. 8. 32 curse spirituall, temporall, and eternall. 2. A full interest in all good things, spirituall, temporall and eternall.
Q. Are not all still subiect to death, diseases, and manifold miseries in this life?
A. Yes; but all that are redéemed by Christ, are fréed from the curse of death, of diseases and miseries, not to be hurt or ouercome by them.
Q. How did Christ free vs from the curse?
A. By being made a curse for vs, vndergoing the curse in our steads. Gal. 3.
[Page 8] Q. But who are they for whom Christ vnderwent this curse?
A. The elect of God ouer the world in all ages, whom Christ according to his Fathers appointment redeemed. Ioh. 6. 39. [Reuel. 5. 9. Ioh. 17. 2. & 10. 15. Luk. 1. 68. Act. 20. 28. Eph. 5. 23. 25, 26. Psal. 130. 8. Rom. 9. 6, 7, 8.
Q. What meane you by the elect of God?
A. A certaine number of men, whom God out of his frée loue, fauour and grace did from all eternity choose out of Rom 911 Rom. 8. 28 Rom. 8. 29. mankind, predestinating them by an vnchangeable purpose and decrée to eternall life and glory.
Q. Did not God chuse men out of a foresight of their willingnesse to receiue grace, and of their faith and perseuerance therein?
A. No, in no wise: but he chose vs meerely because he loued vs, & that Deut. 7. 7, 8. for his owne sake, to shew the glorious riches of his grace, and he chose vs Rom. 8 30 Eph 1. 4. that we might line, and so bee holy in bringing forth fruit, and that our fruit Ioh. 15. 16 might remaine.
Q. Is Gods election then the foundation and first cause of all our happinesse [Page 9] and saluation.
A. Yes surely; for electing vs freely out of his meere loue, for this very cause he giues vs his Sonne to redeeme vs, to bee the authour and finisher of our faith, and saluation.
Q. But how may wee come to know whether we be elected or no?
A. By our being in Christ, and labouring to make our calling and election sure by faith, and a holy life. 2. Pet. 1. 10,
Q. But how come wee to bee in Christ?
A. By beleeuing in him alone for saluation.
Q. But are we not to beleeue in God the Father also, and in God the holy Ghost?
A. Yes surely, we beleeue in God ye Father in and by Christ, in God the Sonne by the holy Ghost, all the three persons being ioynt authours and workers of our saluation, wherein they are distinguished onely, not diuided.
Q. What is that faith whereby we beleeue in Christ alone, as sent of the Father, and anoynted by the holy [Page 10] Ghost, for our saluation.
A. It is a sauing, liuing, iustifying faith, being a speciall worke of the Spirit of Christ, and gift of grace, whereby the heart stedfastly beléeueth in Christs righteousnesse imputed vnto the beléeuer, by which righteousnes of Christ imputed he stands perfectly iustified in Gods sight from all his sins, and so hath an interest to eternall life in and with Christ, as fellow-heirs Rom. 8. with him.
Q. Why doe you call faith in Christ a sauing faith?
A. To distinguish it from common historicall faith, mentioned Iam. 2. 19. and to shew it to be an instrument of saluation by Christ.
Q. Why doe you call it a liuing faith?
A. Because vniting the heart and soule to Christ, there is a communion of spirituall life: as Gal. 2. 20. this faith also working by loue, whereby it is known from a dead faith, as Iam. 2. 17.
Q. Why call yee it a iustifying faith?
A. Not that it doth iustifie vs as an act or work, but onely as an instrument, [Page 11] applying Christs righteousnesse to our iustification.
Q. How is this faith wrought in the heart?
A. By the Spirit of Christ, and that ordinarily by hearing the word preached.
Q. Why call you this faith a gift of grace?
A. Because it is not of our selues, but it is the frée gift of God: as Eph. 2. 8. Phil. 1. 29.
Q. How is this faith stedfast?
A. In a twofold regard: first of sure euidence: secondly, of perseuerance.
Q. May a beleeuer then be sure of his saluation by faith?
A. Yea hee is, and ought to be so: [2. Cor. 13. 5.
Q. Doth not a beleeuer often doubt of his saluation?
A. Yes he may, during some strong fit of temptation: yet as the sunne vnder a cloud shineth all the while, though we sée it not: so faith vnder the cloud of temptation beléeueth truely though we féele it not.
Q. But may not this faith bee quite [Page 12] extinguished and lost for euer▪
A. No, not possibly.
Q. How so?
A. First, because it is a frée gift of grace, for the gifts and calling of God Rom. 11. 29. Ioh. are without repentance. Secondly, because he that truely beléeueth hath eternall life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death vnto life. Thirdly, because Christ prayeth that our faith faile not, whose prayer must néeds be effectual. Fourthly, because we are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation. Fifthly, from the nature of sauing grace, Ier. 32. 40. and 1. Ioh. 3. 9.
Q. Is not this a doctrine of presumption?
A. Nothinglesse; it being a doctrine of singular comfort to Gods child, to incourage and strengthen him against Satans temptations, and owne infirmities, as knowing that his faith shall not faile; nor stands it with the nature of a true beléeuer to be carelesse of his saluation, because he is sure of it, sith he knoweth that saluation is not attained, but by the meanes appointed of God, he hath in him an inward principle [Page 13] of grace holding him on towards 1 Ioh. 3. [...]. & 3. 27. perfection.
Q. But doth faith onely iustifie? Doe not workes also iustifie?
A. Faith onely iustifieth as an instrument, and that perfectly in Gods sight: works are said to iustifie before men, but not before God: as Rom. 4. 2. Iam. 2. 18.
Q. But are not good workes necessary to saluation?
A. Yes, but not as meritorious causes of saluation, but onely as fruits of faith and duties of loue, and they appointed vs to walk in to the kingdome; being created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes, that we should walk in them, that according to them, not for them, we may freely receiue the recompense of reward.
Q. But are not beleeuers altogether freed from the morall Law by Christ, it being that couenant of works made with Adam in Paradise before the fall, do this, and liue?
A. Christ the second Adam, by his exact fulfilling of the Law, and suffering the penalty of our transgressions, hath fréed vs from the rigour and curse [Page 14] of it: but yet he hath left it as a rule of direction for a holy life.
Q. How proue you that?
A. By the very manner of giuing the Law in mount Sina, where before the decalogue or ten commandements, the Lord saith, I am the Lord thy God, which haue brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage: and thereupon inferreth, Thou shalt haue no other Gods before mee, &c.
Q. Why? what is the meaning of those words, I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage?
Q. They are not onely a history, but a mystery, containing a cléere type and figure of our redemption by Christ from our spirituall bondage vnder Satan and sinne. So that that couenant in Sina being rightly and spiritually vnderstodd, was not the first couenant of workes giuen to the first Adam, but it was the very euangelicall, the second Couenant of grace and faith giuen in Christ the second Adam.
[Page 15]Q. But the Apostle saith, Gal. 2. 1 [...].The Law is not of faith: how then comes the law to be giuen vnder faith?
A. The law in that place is taken for the first couenant, to wit, of works, which hath no communion with faith belonging to the second couenant. But the Law as it is giuen in mount Sina, the literall veile being remoued, is not deliuered as the first couenant, but as a rule of conuersation to the faithfull vnder the second couenant.
Q. But the Apostle calls the giuing of the Law in mount Sina the first couenant, standing in opposition to the second, as Agar to Sara, the bond-woman to the free, Sina to Sion and Ierusalem?
A. The Apostle compares it so only in regard of the literall killing sense, to which the carnall Iew was captinated, and thereby slaine, while not looking vnto Christ the redéemer, that brought them out of the spirituall Egypt and bondage, they sought to be iustified by the workes of the Law, which Saint Paul beates downe in that epistle to the Galatians. But to the beléeuing Iew, the Law was no [Page 16] other, but the swéet yoake, and light Mat. 11. 30. burthen of Christ.
Q. Shew me then the proper differences between the first Couenant and the second?
A. The opposite differences betwéen the two couenants are these?
First: the first couenant was of mans workes: the second of Gods grace; and these two are vnreconcileable. Rom. 11. 6.
The second: The first couenant was made with Adam, and all his posterity Gen. 17. 7. Rom. 9. 8. vniuersally: the second onely with Abrahams séed, called the womans séed, Gen. 3. 15. to wit, Christ and all the elect.
The third: The first couenant stood vpon mans owne righteousnesse: the second stands vpon anothers righteousnesse, to wit, Christs righteousnes: made ours by imputation.
The fourth: The first couenant stood vpon the mutability of mans will, and therefore was quickly broken: but the second stands firme vpon the sure foundation of Gods immutable vnchangeable will, good pleasure, and purpose in himselfe, and so can neuer be broken, [Page 17] called an euerlasting couenant.
The fifth: The first was acouenant of iustice without mercy: the second was a couenant of méere mercy. Psal. 89. 28. yet in Christ iustice and mercy met together. Psal. 85. 10.
The sixt: The first couenant had no other reward reuealed to the first Adam Es. 27. 9. Rom. 11. 27. (from the earth earthy) but what was confined to the earthly Paradise: but the secōd hath the kingdome of heauen reuealed in Christ (the second Adam the Lord from heauen) and by him purchased and prepared vnto all the elect. So that naturall moralists are here rewarded with outward blessings: so Gods children are here afflicted, but their reward is in heauen.
Q. It should seeme then, that the estate we haue in and by Christ, is infinitely better then that which we lost in Adam?
A. Yes certainly, and that in regard of many more priuiledges and prerogatiues, then haue vet béen mentioned: for by this we are partakers of the diuine nature, made one mysticall body of Christ, vnited to him our head, made the adopted Sonnes of God, coheires [Page 18] with Christ, hauing the holy angels appointed for our guardians, which Adam had not, till after the fall he beléeued in Christ. Psal. 91. 11. Heb. 1. 6. 14. Againe we haue in Christ such a kind of sanctification and holinesse, as Adam neuer had; for Adams righteousnesse was a created righteousnesse, connaturall vnto him: but ours is a righteousnesse and holinesse that fioweth from Christ our head, as beames from that sunne, and as streames from that fountaine, into all his mysticall members; yea they are the graces of Christ glorified, so as they are of a glorified nature; as 2. Cor. 3. 18. Rom. 6. 4, 5. 1. Cor. 15. 45, 46, 47, 48, 49.
Q. How is the couenant of grace sealed vnto vs?
A. By foure seales: first by the seale of the holy Ghost. 2 Cor. 1. 20, 21, 22. and Eph. 1. 13. and 4. 30. Secondly, by the seale of faith. Ioh. 3. 33. and 1. Ioh. 5. 10. Thirdly, by the two Sacraments, Baptisme, and the Lords Supper.
Q. How proue you the Sacraments to be seales?
[Page 19] A. Rom. 4. 11. Circumcision was a seale of Abrahams faith, and of the Couenant of grace, which God made with him.
Q. But doe not the Sacraments of the new Testament differ from those of the old?
A. They differ not in regard of their diuine institution, end and vse, all of them pointing out Christ vnto vs in his death, whereby the Couenant of grace was ratified: onely circumcision, and the Paschall Lambe poynted out Christ to come, and Baptisme and the Lords Supper point him out already come, as the Lambe slaine.
Q. What other argument haue you to prooue all the Sacraments, as well those of the Old Testament, as those of the New, to be seales of the Couenant of grace?
A. This: that all of them as types or signes point vnto Christs death, wherein the Couenant is ratified.
Q. How may a Sacrament be defined, or what is a Sacrament?
A. A Sacrament is a sacred action of Christs institution, wherein the visible [Page 20] elements sanctisied by the Word, doe not onely signifie and represent to the outward senses, but also instrumentally conney and seale to the faith of the receiuer that holy inuisible grace whereof it is a signe and seale.
Q. How proue you this definition of a Sacrament? And first how proue you a Sacrament to be an action?
A. By these reasons. 1. Because it is no longer a sacrament, then it is in the action. 2. Because the force and efficacy of the sacrament consists in the action rightly performed.
Q. How proue you this in the Sacraments?
A. Thus circumcision is an action, the cutting off the foreskin: The slaying and eating of the Passeouer is all in action; so baptizing an action so of the Lords Supper, the whole celebration of it is action, as consecrating, giuing, receiuing, eating, drinking, al is action. Do this in remembrance of me.
Q. What vse make you hereof?
A. Hereby I learne, that that is no sacrament, which is idly gazed vpon, or reserued in a box, or carryed about in solemne pomp, to be adored for Christ, [Page 21] but is very Idol.
Q. Why call you the Sacrament an action sacred?
A. In regard of the parties conuersant about the sacrament, who are all sacred.
Q. Who are they?
A. The minister of the Gospel: the communicants, & the holy Ghost working in and by them.
Q. What is the action of the minister about the sacrament of the Lords Supper?
A. To sanctifie or consecrate the elements by the Word of God & prayer to a sacramentall or holy vse. 2. He is to eate and drinke the Lords Supper. 3. He is to distribute the consecrated bread and wine vnto the people the communicants.
Q. What doth the Ministers action in consecrating the elements, and distributing of them to the people, signifie?
A. His consecrating of the elements signifieth Christs consecrating of himselfe for vs; his distributing of them to euery Communicant signifieth, Christ giueth himselfe to euery true beleeuer.
Q. What is the action of the holy [Page 22] Ghost about the Sacrament?
A. To seale inwardly to the beléeuing soule of the communicant, the merits and vertue of Christs death.
Q. What is the action of the Communicants in the Lords Supper?
A. Twofold: 1. Outward, with the hand of the body, to take eate, drinke: 2. Inward, with the hand of the soule, to wit faith, to receiue, and spiritually to faéd vpon the body and bloud of Christ. And with these two is ioyned the action of prayer and thanksgiuing in the very act of receiuing.
Q. How is the minister sacred or holy?
A. By his ministeriall calling, as he ought also to be holy in his conuersation.
Q. What if he be profane in his life?
A. Yet that hinders not, but tha the may administer the Sacrament, sith his calling is holy.
Q. How is the Communicant sacred or holy?
A. Not onely by his common calling, as he is a Christian, whereby he hath a right to the outward ordinance: but specially by his holy faith and life, [Page 23] being a liuing member of Christ, by which he hath an interest to Christ himselfe in the ordinances.
Q. May none of these three agents, the holy Ghost, the Minister, the Communicants1 Cor 11. 2, 3.be wanting to make vp the full Sacrament?
A. No sir, The minister may not communicate alone, without the people communicating with him; and the element is of no efficacy, without the holy Ghost do apply the inward grace, which he doth to euery beléeuer.
Q. You say a Sacrament is instituted of Christ: why so? may not the Church instiuute a Sacrament?
A. No: onely Christ is the authour of a Sacrament: for these reasons: 1. because he is the authour of saluation, and therefore he onely may appoint the meanes, as the Word & Sacraments: secondly, because Christ only can make the Sacraments effectuall by his spirit: thirdly, because his heauenly wisedome knew best how and wherof to institute the sacramentall signes, or elements.
Q. But may not the Church dispense with the Sacraments, as by altering of them, by adding or taking away?
[Page 24] A. No, in no case, for it brings that curse, Reuel. 22. 18. 19. Deut. 4. 2. & 12. 32. Pro. 30. 6.
Q. May not the cup be taken away in the Lords Supper?
A. No: for it is the communion of the bloud of Christ.
Q. Is not the bloud of Christ contained in his body, which is represented vnder the formes of bread? and is not the cup then superfluous?
A. Neither is Christs body carnally vnder the formes of bread: nor is the bread sufficient alone to represent Christs death, without the cup, which powred out doth represent the shedding of Christs bloud for vs, as the bread broken doth the breaking of his body. And Christs ordinance must in no sort be broken.
Q. But doth not the bread & wine, after the words of consecration, cease to be bread and wine, their substance being changed or transubstantiated into the very body and bloud of Christ, nothing but the colour, and sauour of the elements remaining?
A. The bread and wine being consecrated by the word & prayer, receiue a [Page 25] change indéed in regard of their vse, being now sacred, which before were common: but not in regard of their substance, which remaineth one and the same still.
Q. But is it not said of the bread, This is my body? and of the wine, This is my bloud? And are not Christs words true?
A. Yes, Christs words are true, and because they are true, therefore the substance of the bread is not changed into the substance of Christs body; and so of the wine.
Q. But is not God omnipotent? Cannot he change the substance of bread into the substance of Christs body?
A. God is omnipotent, and therefore he cannot lye. But such a change must néeds import and imply a lye: for 1. Christs body is in heauen, and therefore cannot be in earth, and in many places at the same instant. 2. Christs body was made of the substance of the Uirgin, and therefore not of the substance of a peece of bread.
Q. Why doth Christ say then, This is my body?
[Page 26] A. He saith no otherwise of this Sacrament, then he doth of all the rest, both of the old Testament, and of the New. For so circumcision is called the Couenant, being but a signe and seale of it: as Gen. 17. 10, 11. The Paschall Lambe is called the Passeouer. Exod. 12. 11. though it were but the sacrifice and memoriall of the Passeouer, v. 27. So baptisme is called regeneration. Tit. 3. 5. though it be but a signe and seale of it. And thus the Sacramentall bread is called Christs body: so that this is the constant language of the holy Ghost in all the sacraments both of the old and new Testament to call the signes by the name of the thing signified, that we might not be deceiued in the meaning of the holy Ghosts words.
Q. But are the Sacramentalll elements bare signes? Doe they not worke grace effectually of themselues?
A. They neither worke grace effectually of themselues, nor are they bare signes: but these signes are called by the name of the thing signified, to signifie that they are meanes ordained of Christ to confirme to the faithfull [Page 27] receiuer the thing signified, not of themselues, but by vertue of Christs institution, where the conditions of faith and repentance be obserued.
Q. What then is euery man to doe, before he come to the Lords Table?
A. He must examine himselfe: 1. Cor. 11. 28.
Q. Wherein is a man to examine himselfe?
A. In two things: 1. touching his knowledge of the Sacrament: 2. touching his knowledge of himselfe.
Q. What is a man to know touching the Sacrament of the Lords Supper?
A. He must be able to discerne the Lords body. 1 Cor. 11. 29.
Q. How is that Lords body discerned?
A. By two things: 1. by the outward elements of bread and wine as they are consecrated to an [...]oly vse, which must not be receiued as [...] [...] mon bread and wine: secondly, by the analogy or proportion which they beare to Christs body.
Q. What analogy or proportion do the consecrated bread and wine hold with Christs body and bloud being receiued [Page 28] by the faith of the Communicant?
A. A twofold proportion; one, in respect of the benefits of Christs body and bloud to euery faithfull receiuer, signified by the benefits which the body receiueth by the bread & wine, the other proportion in respect of the communion of Christs mysticall body signified by the nature of the bread & wine.
Q. What be the benefits which the body receiueth by the bread and wine?
A. These: Nourishment, strength, and comfort, bread strengthening, and Psal, 10. 4. 15. wine comforting mans heart, and so becomming one with our body.
Q. What doe these signifie?
A. That Christs death receiued and applyed by faith in the Sacrament, doth strengthen our faith, and comfort our consciences in the pardon of our sinnes, and so nourisheth vs to eternall life, Christ becomming one mysticall body with vs by faith, liuing in vs. Gal. 2▪ 20.
Q. What is the other proportion, which the bread and wine doe beare of Christs body?
A. They beare a proportion of the [Page 29] communion of his mysticall body.
Q. What call you Christs mysticall body?
A. The whole company of the faithfull elect vnited in one mysticall body 1 Cor. 16, 17. of Christ.
Q. Wherein stands their communion?
A. In two things: in the vnion of euery true beléeuer to Christ the head: 2. In a communion with the members among themselues, all ioyned to that one Head.
Q. How is euery member vnited to Christ the Head?
A. By the holy Ghost, and by a holy faith. 1. Cor. 12. 12, 13. & Gal. 2. 20.
Q. How are all the mysticall members of Christ vnited in a communion together, as of one body?
A. By charity, and by the vnity of the spirit. Eph. 4. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
Q. How doth the Sacramentall bread and wine signifie or represent this communion of Christs mysticall members in one body?
A. As one and the same bread is made of many graines, and one and the same mysticall body of Christ is made vp of many members, euen all [Page 30] the faithfull, whereof consists the holy Catholike Church, the Communion of Saints.
Q. What vse make you of this knowledge concerning the sacramentall signes?
A. It leades me to the examination of a second knowledge, namely, concerning my selfe, before I come to communicate at the Lords Table?
Q. What are you chiefly to examine concerning your selfe before you come to the Communion?
A. Two things especially: my faith, and my charity.
Q. Why these two especially?
A. Because by hauing faith and charity I come to discerne the Lords body, while by faith I am vnited to Christ my Head, and by charity to the mysticall body of Christ, the communion of Saints.
Q. How is your faith to be examined?
A. By the nature of sauing faith, and by the fruits of it.
Q. You shewed me before the nature of sauing and iustifying faith, which you must examine in your selfe, whether it be truely in you or no, according to [Page 31] that of the Apostle. 2. Cor. 13. 5. Tell me therefore what be the speciall fruits and signes of sauing faith?
A. They are especially two; to wit, repentance and charity.
Q. What is true repentance?
A. It is a godly sorrow: causing repentance vnto saluation not to be repented of. 2. Cor. 7. 10.
Q. Why is it called a godly sorrow?
A. Because it is a sorrow for sinne wrought in the heart by Gods Spirit, it being a gift of God. 2. Because this sorrow mourneth more for Gods dishonour, then our owne by-sins, & more for Gods Law broken, then for the punishment deserued. 3. While we giue God the whole glory in the séeking pardon of sinne, taking to our selues the whole shame. 4. While in a sincere Psal. 51. 4. purpose and endeauour for amendment we rather chuse to suffer the torments of hell, then afresh to sin against God.
Q. How doth godly sorrow differ from worldly?
A. Both in the kind, and in the end of it.
Q. How differ they in kind?
A. Worldly sorrow is a carnall and [Page 32] legall re pentance, looking mainely at the punishment of sinne, such was Ahabs and Iudas his repentance, but godly sorrow is euangelicall, looking through the spectacles of faith vpon a father offended by our sinne, but appeased in Christ.
Q. How doe godly and worldly sorrow differ in their end?
A. Godly sorrow causeth repentance to saluation, neuer to be repented of: but worldly sorrow causeth death.
Q. How is this godly sorrow a fruit of sauing faith?
A. Because a man can neuer sorrow godly, till he beléeue in Christ the redéemer, so as looking on Christ the Sauiour with the eye of faith he therewithall reflects vpon himselfe, as the sinner saued by Christ.
Q. What is the second speciall fruit and signe of sauing faith?
A. Charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith vnfained. 1. Tim. 1. 5.
Q. What be the chiefe obiects of true charity? that is, whom doth true charity chiefly respect?
A. In the first place, our charity respecteth [Page 33] God in Christ, louing him aboue all, for the manifestation of the riches of his glory and grace in electing and redéeming vs: 1. Ioh. 4. 19. 2. Our charitie looks vpon our brethren and fellow-members in Christ, who heare his image, for which sake we loue them as truely and intirely as our owne soules. This charity being the badge of a true beléeuer. 1. Ioh. 2. 14. 16, 17, 19. 3. Our charitie reacheth to strangers, yea to our very enemies, to helpe them in extremity, and to pray for their conuersion. And 4. we must haue an intire loue to God-ward, and to his ministers, accounting their féet beautifull, that bring vs the glad tidings of saluation.
Q. But many professe loue to God and to the brethren, wherein stands the proofe of our loue?
A. Not in a bare profession: but we must proue it first by our inward seruent affection, as also by the many reall 1 Ioh [...] 17, 18, fruits of loue, louing not in word onely, but in déed and in truth.
Q. What els are you to examine in your selfe before you come to the Lords Supper?
[Page 34] A. I must stirre vp my heart to a spiritual hunger and thirst after Christ Mat. 5. in the Sacrament, because according to this hunger I shall be satisfied with his swéetnes, and shall féelingly finde him a Sauiour of life vnto my soule.
Q. How may your spirituall appetite be stirred vp to hunger after Christ in the Sacrament?
A. By finding mine owne emptines, and how wretched I am without Christ, and how blessed in him: this must be by sound repentance and humiliation.
Q. What conclusion doe you draw from this duty of examination before the Sacrament?
A. First, hence I learne, that the sacrament is a high mystery, and strong meat, for men of ripe yeares hauing their wits exercised to discerne good and euill. 2. That no ignorant persons, such as cannot giue a reason of their faith, nor of the nature and vse of the Sacrament, may be admitted to the Lords Table.
Well, comming thus duly prepared, what are you to doe in the time of Administration?
[Page 35] A. I am to meditate of Christs death, by the things I sée and heare: of the wonderfull loue of God towards me a poore wretched sinner, in that he spared not his Son, but gaue him vp to death for me, that I by beléeuing in him might liue for euer, that as by my body I receiue, eate, and drinke the bread and wine, so by faith I receiue and féed vpon Christ, tasting how swéet the Lord is to my soule: and that I stir vp my heart to be excéeding thankefull for so precious benefits, as Ps. 103. 1. &c
Q. What are you to doe after you haue receiued the Sacrament?
A. I must endeauour to walk in the strength of that spiritual meat, as Elias did, vntill I come to the mount of God, the kingdome of heauen,
Q. Will receiuing the Lords Supper once in the yeare, or so, sufficiently strengthen a man for his whole life, as baptisme is but once administred?
A. No, the comparison holds not. A science is but once grafted, as we into Christ by baptisme, but must be often nourished as in often hearing of the Word, and often communicating at the Lords Table, for (saith the Apostle) [Page 36] as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye shew the Lords death till he come: whereby he teacheth vs to frequent the Lords Table vpon all occasions, and constantly to continue the remembrance of his death, that so we may be kept watching, and waiting for that appearing looking for and hasting vnto the comming of the day of God, that we may bee found of him in peace, without spot and blamelesse.
Q. What other duty is requisite for a Christian to practise, that he may grow in grace?
A. To call vpon God in all occasions.
Q. When must we pray especially?
A. Though we are to pray continunually, yet especially we are to kéepe constant times morning and euening, as Psal. 55. 17. & 92. 2.
Q. To whom must we pray?
A. To God alone in the name of Christ: for Christ taught vs to pray, Our Father, &c.
Q. May wee not also pray to Saints departed, and to the Angels in heauen?
[Page 37] A. No, in no wise.
Q. Why?
A. Because prayer is a diuine worship of God alone. For whom we call vpon by prayer, we beléeue also in him. Rom. 10. 14. But we may not beléeue in Saints and Angels.
Q. But may we not make Saints and Angels our Mediators of intercession to God for vs, in the Court of heauen?
A. No: for there is but one Mediatour betwéene God and man, Iesus Christ. 2. Tim. 2. 5. In his name whatsoeuer we aske the Father, he will giue it vs. And Christ alone is our intercessour in heauen. Rom. 8. 24. He is our onely high priest, who hath entred into heauen, now to appeare in the presence of God for vs. Heb. 9. 24. So that none can bee our Mediatour or Intercessour in heauen, but onely our High Priest, which is Christ. Heb. 9. 11, 12.
Q. But may we not be stirred by pictures and images of God, and of Christ, and the like, and so before them pray vnto God?
[Page 38] A. No, in no sort, for this is flatly against the second commandement: Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image, &c.
Q. But may we not pray before them, though we pray not vnto them, but vnto God represented by them?
A. No▪ for we are forbidden to make any image or picture of God at all; much lesse are we to worship God in or by it. Deut. 4. 15, 16.
Q. True, God forbad them to make no similitude of him, because they saw no forme of God in the mount? But may we not make the picture of Christ, and so pray before it, or a crucifixe?
A. No, in no wise; for to make such a picture, were to make a lie, because a false representation: for first no man now for 16. hundred years almost, euer saw Christs body as he was before his death. And secondly no mortall eye can behold his face in heauen, which passeth the brightnes of the sun. And thirdly, though we had the true picture of his body yet it is not lawfull to pray before it, as hauing no warrant in Scripture for it but against it, as in the second commandement.
[Page 39]Q. But may we not pray for our friends departed?
A. No, it is vaine, because all that die goe immediately either to heauen, or to hell. When Dauids child was dead, he ceased praying for it, saying, Wherefore should I fast or pray any longer. And there is no example nor rule in Scripture for praying for men departed, so as it is against our faith in Gods word.
Q. But is there not a third and middle place, namely Purgatory, where souls must be purged before they come into heauen, into which no vncleane thing can enter.
A. Purgatory is a méere deuice of mans braine to pick fools purses, who must pay swéetly for so many masses for their friends soules. And it is a blasphemous doctrine, destroying the blood of Christ, which alone doth purge euery true beléeuer from all his sins. 1 Ioh. 1. 7. It leaues neither spot, nor wrinkle, nor any such thing, Eph. 5. 27. And for Purgatory it is not so much as once named in all the Scripture, as heauen and hell are. And if purgatory or any materiall fire could purge away sinne, [Page 40] as it neuer can: then Christs blood was spilt needlesly and in vaine. And it is against nature for a materiall fire to work vpon a spirituall substance, as mans soule is.
Q. Is faith in Christ then sufficient to carry a man straight to heauen?
A. Yes surely; for so Christ saith, Ioh. 5. 24.
Q. But no man is saued out of the Church: which is then the true Church of Christ visible?
A. That Church whose faith is guided by the onely rule of Gods Word, and hath the due administration of the Sacraments.
Q. Cannot that be a true Church of of Christ visible, which denyeth the Scriptures to be the onely rule of faith?
A. It cannot. Because the onely rule to know the true Church by, is the Scripture. Secondly, because humane Traditions being against the Word of God, and yet added to it, as an equal rule of faith, and of equall authority, quite razeth the foundation of faith. Because such Traditions destroy the Scriptures; and in vaine do such worship to God; teaching for doctrines [Page 41] the commandements of men, Mar. 7. 7. And will worship separates from Christ. Col. 2. 19, 23.
Q. But is not that a true, yea and the onely true Church of Christ on earth visible, which hath one visible head as the Pope?
A. No. Such is neither the onely true Church, no nor yet a true member of the true Church of Christ visible on earth.
Q. Why so?
A. Because such a visible Head must needs be the great Antichrist, who vsurpes that title and office which is proper to Christ alone: for such a one, as the Pope, saith in effect, Mat. [...]4. 5▪ I am Christ, because hee takes vpon him all the offices and prerogatiues of Christ ouer his Church. He vsurpes Christs Kingly office, challenging subiection of all men, great and small vnder paine of damnation. Secondly, hee vsurpes Christs propheticall office challenging a freedome from, and an impossibility of erring & a power to determine all matters of faith. Thirdly, the Pope vsurpeth Christs Priestly office, in challēging a [Page 42] plenary power to pardon sinnes, and in setting vp a breaden Christ in the masse to be a propitiatory sacrifice for quick and dead. And thus be is that Antichrist spoken of, 2. Thes. 2. who sheweth himselfe that he is God.
Q. What becomes then of that body, which cleaues to such a head?
A. He is so powerfull in all deceiueablenes of vnrighteousnes, and hypocrisie, that those doe perish who trust vnto him, such as are possessed with a strong delusion, to beléeue lies, that they all might be damned who beléeued not the truth, but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse, 2 Thes. 2.
Q. But is not that the onely true Church of Christ visible which only can shew a visible & vninterrupted succession of Bishops sitting in Peters chaire, euer since the Apostles times? Is not this visibility of succession an infallible mark of the true Church of Christ visible?
A. No surely: for first, for Peters chaire, thats but made of cunning net work, to inclose and catch the silly fish. And if euer Peter had béene Bishop of Rome, what is Peters chaire without Peters faith and doctrine? They haue [Page 43] quite destroyed Peters doctrine, 2 Pet. 5. 2. who said, féed the flocke of God, &c. taking the ouer sight of it, not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind, neither as being Lords ouer Gods heritage, but being ensamples to the flocke. But the Pope and his Clergy doe quite contrary.
Secondly, visible succession of Bishops is no true mark of a true Church of Christ, vnlesse it can shew a true succession of doctrine from the Apostles writings. For may not errours and heresies créepe vpon the same particular visible Church, and so in time insensibly like a gangrene, eate into the very heart of it, and so leaue it nothing but the very carcasse of a Church, as it hath: done with the Church of Rome?
Thirdly, the succession of Romish Bishops hath had many interruptions, so as the chaire hath béene empty for many yéeres together, the body wanting a head, or els hauing sometimes two, sometimes thrée heads at once, while thrée Popes were at once. Once a woman Pope made the interruption. And so many hereticall Popes, so [Page 44] many Simoniacall, so many exercising diabolicall artes, haue made a fearfull interruption, neuer to be made vp againe.
Q. But how can the Protestant Churches proue themselues true Churches, while they cannot shew an vninterrupted line of succession of such and such Doctours, as haue from age to age conueyed the Doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles downe to our very times?
A. This is as friuolous, as it would be a tedious taske. It sufficeth vs, that we can shew our faith to be euidently grounded vpon doctrine of the Apostles, and so we are sure wee succéede them in their doctrine and faith, though perhaps wée cannot punctually and particularly number vp all those Doctours, by whom we haue receiued it from hand to hand. It sufficeth we haue our euidences to sh [...]w out title and right to our inheritance. Let those that want the euidences of Scripture, which we haue, prooue their pretended title by a long beadrow of personall succession. Blessed be God we haue the Scriptures [Page 45] to prooue our faith and religion by, and we néed séeke no further, though wee could shew how our faith hath béene professed in all ages from the Apostles dayes.
Q. If it be so; how comes it, that the Romish Priests and Iesuites doe so stand vpon succession, and put vs to proue our religion by naming all those Doctours in all ages, who from one to another haue brought our religion home to our doores?
A. This is a méere shift, whereby they gull and beguile silly soules, and so they gaine time in exacting that, which they themselues are neuer able to shew on their part. For they cannot exactly tell the punctuall time, wherein all their errours, and numberlesse ceremonies entred into their Church, nor can they tell the authors of them perfectly, It sufficeth that the enuious man, Satan did sow so many tares in that field, while the husbandmen, drowned in sensualitie, were fast asléepe. Yet all that while, God had his Church, though persecuted here and there by Antichrist and his followers: which Church blessed be God we [Page 46] Protestants in England now a long time haue iniored, and pray and trust we shall enioy to the comming of Iesus Christ. Euen so come Lord Iesus. Amen.