Selected quad for the lemma: christian_n
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A42294
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The guide of a Christian directing him to such things, as are by him, to be believed, practised, feared, and hoped for. There are added at the end prayers to be used upon several occasions.
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1697
(1697)
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Wing G2184B
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36,258
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124
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THE GUIDE OF A Christian Directing him to Such Things as are BY HIM To be Believed Practised Feared and Hoped for There are added at the End PRAYERS to be used upon Several Occasions The Second Edition Corrected London Printed for John Everingham at the Star in Ludgate-street 1697 TO THE READER THis little Book was written especially for the use of such as have meaner Capacities and weaker Memories less time and less money than others The designed smallness of the Volume would not admit of the printing at large all the places of Scripture which are quoted in it But it is to be hoped that the Reader will some time or other look them out That will employ him well and fix those places upon his mind Let him not be Inquisitive about the Author who would not be known but consider rather what is written than by whom May our good God give such success to it as may redound to his Glory and the Benefit of those who shall read it with attention of mind and Honesty of Heart Amen THE Guide of a Christian CHAP. I. Of the Faith of a Christian and the things to be believed by him SECT I. A Christian when he gives either to himself or others an Account of his Faith resolves these two Questions 1. How he comes to have that Faith or Belief of the Doctrine of the Gospel 2. What are the particular points of Doctrine which he thinks most necessary to be believed In Answer to these Questions 1. He shews that he comes to be a Believer in some degree by thinking on this manner Every one does naturally desire the continuance of his Being and the greatest happiness of it that may be whilst it continues But he cannot have the End without the means The means to Happiness is Religion which consists in the true knowledge and service of God For if there be a Creator a Reasonable Creature depending wholly upon him cannot be happy without doing his Will so far as he can know it The means to know it are Reason and Revelation The Light of Natural Reason is but an imperfect Guide and could never of it self have discovered the Mysteries of God's Love in Christ for the Redemption of Mankind 1 Cor. 2.6 7 8. Colos 1.26 27. However It shews us That there is a God from the consideration of his works Rom. 1.20 It concludes with the Apostle Heb. 3.4 That as every House is built by some Man so he who made all things is God or the first Cause who is Infinite in Power Wisdom Goodness and Justice And that such a Builder can't but take care of so Glorious a Structure Neh. 9.6 Right Reason doth also in some measure teach Men what Worship and Service is agreeable to such a God He engraved a Law upon their Hearts Rom. 2.14 15. before he wrote his Will upon Tables of Stone and in Holy Books But the Posterity of Fallen Adam forsook the Paths shewed to them by the true Light of Nature and reasoned not aright and were led away by the corrupt Imaginations of their hearts Gen. 6.5 12. Insomuch that they would have wandered for ever in darkness if God had not in great mercy revealed his Will to them in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament which are to be our Rule of Faith and Manners to the end of the World Gal. 1.8 9. Jude 3. The Old Testament was all the Scripture of the Jewish Church written by Moses and the Prophets who therein foretold of the coming of Christ And Christ did recommend it as a Book of Divine Authority Joh. 5.39 Luke 24.27 He proved his Doctrine by his miraculous Works Joh. 5.36 and 10.25 38. Him God owned as his only Son by raising him from the dead and shewing him to many 1 Cor. 15.3 to v. 9. Witnesses divers of which sealed that Truth with their Blood and their Testimony is handed down to us by the joint Consent of the Christian Church in the several Ages of it Much of the New Testament was written by the Apostles of Christ viz. S. Matthew S. John S. James S. Peter S. Jude who were Eye and Ear-witnesses of what he did and said 1 John 1.1 2 3. and knew that he arose from the dead and they wrought Miracles in his Name and foretold many things which have been plainly accomplished Also they well knew that if Christ was not risen and that if they had hopes only in this Life they of all men were most miserable 1 Cor. 15.19 Yet they ran the hazard of all things dear to flesh and blood in testifying the Truth of what they had heard and seen for which also many of them laid down their lives As for St. Mark he has written in short what St. Matthew delivered more at large and the Ancients say that he was the Disciple of St. Peter S. Luke wrote such things as were delivered Luk. 1.2 to him by those who from the beginning were Eye-witnesses and Ministers of the Word and he was conversant in a particular manner with St. Paul with whom he travelled Act. 28.16 2 Tim. 4.11 To St. Paul being a Jew and a Persecutor Christ appeared in his way to Damascus and converted him by Miracles Acts 9.3 c. 1 Cor. 15.8 and enabled him to do Miracles 2 Cor. 12.12 and to speak and write with wonderful power And indeed the Scriptures are to be distinguisht from all other Books by an extraordinary Spirit discernible in them by Pious and Attentive Readers and Hearers Rom. 10.17 And the more a Man studies the Scriptures and considers what is in them and how worthy of a Governour and Saviour of the VVorld all the Doctrines Commands and Promises are which they contain and prays to God to enlighten his Understanding and to help his weak Belief and has a will to do God's will John 7.17 and uses the means which God hath put in his power the greater will be his Knowledge and the firmer his Faith After some such manner as this a Man comes to believe that the Scriptures are of divine Authority But though a man is never so firm in this Faith and stedfastly believes every thing that is said in the Bible to be true and to come from God yet he thinks some things more necessary to be believed than others in order to God's Glory and his own Obedience and Salvation and the Good of Mankind He therefore either frames to himself out of the Scriptures a Form of sound Words 2 Tim. 1.13 or takes that Summ of Faith for his use which has long been and is still confessed by those who call themselves Christians Such a Form is that which is commonly called the Apostles Creed containing the Apostles Doctrine and composed for the main in or nigh their Days and continued in Christ's Church to this time and this he explains or gets explained out of the Scriptures This brings on the Second Question namely 2. What are the particular Points of Doctrine which