QVESTION. Of GOD.
WHat is God?

ANSVVERE. He isIohn 4.24 a Spirit,Exo. 3.14. Iam. 1.17. 1. Ioh. 1.1.5 and 4.16. Esay. 43.12. Iere. 4.25. Iob. 36.5. and 37.22. Nah. 1.2.3. Hab. 3.3 4 5 Gen. 1.31. Psal. 145.17 who hath no qualities or shadowe of chaunge in him, but whose very being is most mighty, most iust, most merercifull, and therefore hath made all thinges good, and gouuerned all things well,

Qv. What is the blessed Trinitie?

AN. ThreeHag. 2.5, 6 1. Iohn. 5.7. Math. 28.19 Ioh. 14.26. Gal. 4.6. 2 Cor. 13.13 persons distinguished by their proper difference, but not separated one from another, because euerie one of them is one and the same God:Pro. 8.22. Ioh 1.1.14 24 1 Cor. 8.6. The Father of none:Math 3.17 Luk. 2.49. The Sonne begotten of the Father before all beginninges:Ioh. 15.26 Iohn. 3.16. & 3.18. 1 Ioh. 4.9. Psalm 2.7. Heb. 1.5. Act 16.7. Rom. 8.9.11. Cor. 2.12. The Holie Ghost proceeding from the Father & the Sonne.

Qv. Seeing we were Gē. 1.26. Eph 4.24. Col. 3.10. were all in Adam made good, according to God his image, howe and in what sorte are you corrupted?

AN. By theEccle. 7.31. Rom. 5.13.14. willinge fall of Adam, I [Page] with all menne in his loynes,The corrupte [...] man. deserued to beIoh. [...].25 Ephe 2.1. borne so dead in sinne, as I can haue no true seede or beginninge of goodnesse in me, vntill both [...] 3 [...]. [...] 2. Cor. 3.3. my stonie heart be taken away and a newe heart be wholie giuen mee of God, without whose especiall grace (al­though I can by the common gifte giuen to all men, vnderstand, reason, will, and de­sire) yet I haue no power toGen. 6.5. & 8.21. incline or mooue any of these as I should doe accor­dinge to God his will.

Q. In what case stande you by meanes of this corruption?

AN. I am theEp. 2.1.2 childe of wrath and euerla­sting damnation.

Qv. What doth the least sinne, as euery euill m [...]n, or the not perfect co [...]ance in doe­ing the whole Lawe of God deserue, both be­fore and after faith?

AN. That which the Apostle saith,Gal. 3.10. Cur­sed, that is, euerlasting [...] condemned as he, that continueth not to [...] whiche is writ­ten in the books of the Lawe.

Qv. Then can we not be [...]sled, that is, ac­qu [...]ed before God [...]is iudgement seate, by those [...]od workes, which proceed from faith?

AN. No: for the most worthie obedience of Abraham, comming from his faith, did not iustifie him, but onelyRō. 4.3.4.5. his faith which was accounted to him for righteousnes: And [Page] if the Lorde will marke what is done amisse by his righteous seruaunt, Psa. 130.3. and 143.2. who can abyde it?

Qv. Howe are we then acquitted before God his iudgement seate?

The restaura­tion of man in Christ. AN Onely by the imputation of Christ his death & obedience,Gal. 3.13. 2. Cor. 5.21. Esai. 53.3.4. who was made a curse to redeeme the elect frō the curse of the lawe, who knowing no sinne, was made sinne for the elect, that is, had all their sinne so accoun­ted to him, as that he might beare the pu­nishment of it: to this ende, that they might by the same way, bee made God his righteousnes in him, not in them selues.

Qv. Howe can we be made partakers of this iustification in Christ Ioh. 17.2.3 1. Ioh. 5.7. Rom. 1.31. and 9.5. after wee knowe one God and three persons, the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost: and that Christ is per­fect God and perfect man?

AN. Onely by2 Tim. 1.3 Tit. 1.1. Gal. 3.26.27 Ephe. 3.17. the vnfained faith of the e­lect, which is that faith, whereby wee are able to receyue Christ.

Qv. Howe doe ye knowe that yee haue that faith?

AN. By the true marke which the Apostle giueth, saying:2 Cor. 13.5. Proue your selues, whether ye be in the faith or no, whether Christ be in you or no.

Qv. Howe may we know Christ to be in vs?

AN By the three1. Ioh. 5.6.7. benefites wherewith he commeth vnto vs, bloud, water, & spirit.

[Page] Qv What is meant by Bloud?

AN. l. Pe. 1.2.3. Rom. 4.25. Act. 20.28. Our iustification cōsisting in Christ his righteousnes, & the forgiuenes of sinne by his bloud-sheadding.

Qv. What is meant by Water?

AN. OurHeb. 10.22 Tit. 2.11.12 sanctification, when the grace of God teacheth vs to denie vngodlines, vnrighteousnes, and worldly lustes, to liue godly, righteously, and soberly in this pre­sent worlde.

Qv. Howe shall we knowe that we feele both this true mortifying or denying of sinne, and true liuing to righteousnes?

AN. When both from a true2. Co. 7.11 1. Pet. 4.2 sorrowe ac­cording to God, for euery thing we knowe forbidden of God (yea the least) as all light othes, idle wordes, profitable lyes, or vaine actions, we feele a studie to auoyde the first motions to them, a clearing of our selues from all suspition of them, by anoyding all appearance of euill, an indignation for all such things past, a feare, least such thinges by our corruption should fall out againe: a great desire to preuent them: a zeale against them, and a punishinge of them by exerci­sing all due authoritie which God hath gi­uen vs against sinne: as also a great studie to spende all the rest of our time, not accor­ding to the will of men, but accordinge to the will of God.

[Page] Qv. What is ment by the Spirit?

AN. That full assurance which theGal. 4.6. Rō. 8.15.16. Ep. 1.13.14. and 4.30. 1. Pet. 1.5. Holie Ghost worketh in our heartes that wee are God his children, whereby we are sealed vnto the day of redemption, that is, fully assured that wee shall be kept by the power of GOD through faith vnto saluation.

Qv. By what ordinary means is that true faith and that which followeth it, wrought in vs?

AN. By the preching of the gospel.The meanes of the working, exercising, con­firming, and increasing of faith, and the fruites of it. Rō 10.14

Qv. What is the cause that so manie heare the preaching of the Gospell, yea doe receiue it wit [...] some Ma. 13.20 21. Heb. 6.4.5. tast, ioy, & vnderstanding, and yet obteine not this faith and the fruite of it?

AN. Matt. 11.25.26. Luke. 11.34 Act. 13.48. Rom. 8.30. Ro 9.11.12 18.22.23. Eph. 1.4.5. 1. Thes. 5.9. 2. The. 2.13 1. Pet. 2.8. Iud. 4. The cause is the vnchangeable pur­pose of God from before all beginninges, wherein he hath (beinge moued onely by his own holy will) appointed freely to chuse some to Christ vnto saluation through faith, for the prayse of his riche grace: And iustly to cast awaye others, when they should by their owne default deserue the same. Nowe this foundation standeth sure, and hath this seale, that the Lorde knoweth who are his: but for our owne assurance, Let euerie one departe from iniquitie which calleth on the name of Iesus.

Qv. What meanes besides the seruice of God at home, must we chieflie vse, to exercise, con­firme, and nourishe this faith and the fruites thereof?

[Page] AN. We must diligentlie vse all the workes of the publike Ministrie, which are prescri­bed of God,Act 2.42. Ro 12.5.6.7 1 Cor. 12.28 as prayer, doctrine, exhorta­tion, the Sacramentes, & communicating vnto the poore.

Qv. What is a Sacrament?

AN. It is1. Cor. 12.13. 1. Pet. 3.21. Rom. 4.11. a seale wherein by the outwarde and publike workes, respecting both the Minister & the Church, prescribed of God, and ioyned with the inwarde workes aun­swering vnto them, is more (then in the worde only preached) liuely represented, and truely offered vnto all, but assuredlie aplied to the true members of Christ only, Christ Jesus and the couenant of grace, fully ratified in him. For the liuely representing they are called signes: for the effectuall assuring and applying seales.

Qv. What are the outward workes?

AN. They areMa. 28.19. Act. 2.42 & 19.4.5. and 20.7. Ephe. 5.26. Act. 22. [...]6. Ma 16.26.27 1. Co. 10.16 17. & 11.23 24.25.26. for the Minister, first to put apart the outwarde element or signe, by opening the institution and couenaunt of God, by praying and giuing thankes. Se­condly, to applie the same as is cōmanded.Lu. [...].59. Act. 2.42. 1. Co. 10.16 17 & 11.22. For the people to ioyne in hearinge and prayer, and to haue this signe so applyed.1 Co. 10.1 2.3 & 12.13 Now of Sacraments, there are onlie these two: Baptisme, and the Lordes Supper.

Qv. What is Baptisme?

AN. Mat, 3.11. Act. 22.16. 1. Pet. 3.21. Ro. 6.1. &c. The first Sacrament, wherein by the [Page] Ministers once washing with water, into the name of the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghost, is more firmly applied, Christ his once ingrafting of vs into himselfe, for the washing of vs by the holie Ghost, for our full iustification and continuall sancti­fication in his righteousnesse, death, burial, and his resurrection.

Qv. What is the Lordes Supper?

AN. Matt. 26.26.27. 1 Co. 10.1.2.3.15.16.17. 1 Cor. 12.1 [...] The second Sacrament, wherein by the Minister his putting apart, his breaking powring forth and giuinge of breade and wine, by the Churches receyuing, eating & drinking of the same, the faithfull haue more fullie applied their daily & more ef­fectuall receiuing by faith, of the body and blud of Christ, for the spiritual nourishing of their soules in iustification and sanctifi­cation vnto eternall life.

Qv. When wee come to the Supper of the Lord, how must we prepare our selues before, behaue our selues in the present worke, and reape fruite by it continually after?

AN. Esa. 66.2. [...] 1. Co. 11.28 31. & 10.1.2 2 Chr 30.19 [...]. Cor. 13.5 Psa. 29.3.4. Ma. 5.23.24 Before we must trie our saith and re­pentance, not onely whether they be true, but also howe wee growe in them, what is the dulnesse and weaknes of them, that we may the more feruentlie seeke the quick­ning and strengthning of them in this Sa­crament. In the present worke, we must [Page] haue1. Cor. 10.16. with Ioh. 17 1.2.3. &c. in euery outward action, the inward feeling of that which is signified by it, as in the putting a-part of the bread and wine, we must feele more assuredly, that Christes bodie & bloud was put a-part by his pray­ers, to be the foode of our soules:Mark. 14.24. 1. Co. 11.24 Esai. 5.3.5. by the breaking of the bread, and powring forth of the wine, that his body was crucified. & his bloud shed for vs: by the giuing and receyuing1. Co. 10.15.16 and 11 23.24.25. Marke. 14.2 [...].23.24. of them, that his body & bloud is presentlie more liuely giuen vnto vs, and receyued by faith,1. Co. 10.2.3. 1. Co. 12.13. Mat. 14.22.23.24.25, 26 Psal. 26.7.8 by the eating & drin­king, for the nourishinge of our bodies, that our soules so ioyfullie feede on Christ by faith, as we are more fully assured of the forgiuenes of all, especiallie particular sinnes, of greater grace to leaue them, of eternall life in soule and body, as wee doe with heauenlie consolation, singe prayses vnto God, for the redemption of the world. After, by the meditation hereof,Psa. 51.6. Can 2.5. 2. Co. 13.3.4.5. wee must be strengthened in all temptations, which are against our iustifictiō & sanctification.

Th [...] meanes of [...]ecoueringe a [...]inner. Qv. What meanes are left to recouer those sinners which are fallen into any sinne knowne to man, whom the preachinge of the worde of it selfe doth not reforme?

AN. [...]. Math. 18. [...]5.10. [...] am. 5.16. [...]9. Th [...]re are lefte for piuate offences (that is, such as are obserued of vs, and not otherwise notorious) priuate admonition: [Page] first by our selues, and if that worke not re­formation, in the presence of one or two more.Mat. 18.16.17. 1. Thes. 5.12 Rom. 12.6.7.8. 1. Co. 12.28 Heb. 13.17. For publike offences, (of whiche sorte also are priuate offēces where amend­ment followeth not the seconde degree of admonition, the same beinge declared to the Gouuernours of the same particular Churche,) the rebukes and exhortati­ons of the Ministers and Elders. If that worke not amendement,2. The. 3.14. 1. Co. 5.11. Luk. 6.22. Gen. 4.2.3.4 Iob. 42.7.8. Iere. 36.5. Ma. 5.23.24 1. Co. 11.28 Nu 14.42.44 A markinge of them out by separatinge them from the Communion. And last of all, if they a­mende not by thatMa. 18.1 [...] 1. Co. 5.1.7 3. &c. Gen. 17.14. Leuit. 7.25.26.27. Heb. 10.8. Num. 19.13 Gal. 5.12. 1. Tim. 1.1 [...] after orderly notifying it to the Churche with the consent of the same, which is when no iust exception is taken, Excōmunicatiō, or deliuering to Sa­tan, for the destructiō of the flesh, & sauing of the spirit in the day of the Lord: so that vppon good tokens of repentaunce, and publike confession,2. Cor. 2.6.7.8. &c. he bee receyued in­to the Church againe.