and dangers both of bodie and soule Q. What vse may a Christian make of this preface A. A Christians vse of this preface is to fears the Law giuer as a Lord and Master and to loue obey him as a gratious God and louing Father Mala 1. Q. What are the words of the first Commaundement A. Thou shalt haue none other Gods but me Q. What learne you by this first Commaundement A. I learne that first I ought to worshippe God onely and to giue diuine worship to none but vnto this diuine Maiestis of the Dietie Q. In how many poynts doth this diuine worship stand and chiefly consist A. The first part of diuine worship consisteth in that perfect loue described by our Sauiour Christ Mat. 12. 35. And in that zealous loue expressed by the Prophet Dauid saying Whom haue I in heauen but thee and there is none that I desire on earth in comparison of thee Psal 73. 25. Q. What is the second part of Gods diuine worship A. The second consisteth in such reuerend feare as maketh a Christian neyther to omit willingly any good thing by God commaunded nor commit wilfully any euill thing by Gods law prohibited Mala. 1. 6. Q. What is the third point of Gods diuine worship A. The third part consisteth in yeelding all prayses and directing all our prayers to God onely and to holde it a grosse impietie to giue Angels Saints or Creatures any such honour glory or diuine worship as is due to God onely Q. What is the fourth poynt of Gods diuine worship A. The fourth part is to acknowledge God the giuer of all good thinges Iames 1. And therefore to trust and depend onely on Gods grace and goodnesse hoping as he hath giuen vs his onely sonne he will by him giue vs all good things Q. What are the words of the second Commaundement A. Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image nor the likenesse c. Q. What learne you by this Commaundement A. First I learne to hate loath abhorre the presumption of such vaine men as by imagination will presume to make the Image of the inuisible God whom no mortall man hath seene at any time neyther can be seene with mortall eyes Iohn 1. 18. Q. What doe you learne further A. I learne secondly to auoyde and to lament the grosse blindnesse of men which receiue Images for Gods and by falling downe to worship Idols doe worship Deuils 1. Cor. 10. 20. Q. What learne you else by this precept A. I learne thirdly that as the Law-giuer is a iealous God he will render vengeance on the third and fourth generation of all Idolaters and haters of his diuine worship Exod. 20. So he is a gratious God which will shewe mercie to me and to thousands of generations of Christians that obey him and religiously worship him Psal 103. Exod. 20. Q. What are the words of the third Commaundement A. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine c. Q. What learne you by this Commaundement A. First I learne that I must in all things and at all times vse the name of God with high reuerence and not so much as to thinke or to speake of God without a due reuerent and a religious regard Q. What doe you secondly learne here A. Secondly I learne in conference and com munication to vse no oath nor to sware by any creatures Ier. 5. 7. Psal 16. 4. Q. What learne you more hereby A. Thirdly I learne that to vse the name of God to sorcerie inchantment cursing and in false testimonie is no leūe then a finne of blasphemie Deut. 18. 10. Q. When there is cause of an oth by whom must we sweare A. In lawfull and requisite causes to sware by God is part of his glory Deuteronomy 6. 13. Psal 63. 71. Q. In what causes are oathes lawfull and requisite A. When before a Iudge to witnes a truth for the ending of controuersie Heb. 6. 16. Also when the truth is testified for preseruation of our brethren from intury Ie. 4. 2. Likewise when an oath is requisite in any case for the setting forth of Gods glory it may lawfully be vsed Rom. 9. 1. and the 2. Cor. 11. 31. Q. What is the fourth Commandement A. Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabboth day c. Q. What learne you by the word Remember A. I learne by that word the waightinesse of the matter for in matters of waight that word is vsed Eccle. 12. Q. What signifieth the word Sabboth and what meaneth the keeping it holy A. The word Sabboth signifieth Rest and teacheth Christians to rest from bodily labours and not to be idle but to spend it in holy exercises and diuine duties Q. What are those holy exercises diuine duties commaunded A. First a Christian is to remember to seeke the Lord earely in such prinate prayers as may moue God to direct them to holynesse Pro. 8. Psal 51. Secondly with them that keepe the holie day to resorte with prepared heartes to the house of God and place of prayers Eccle. 5. Psal 44. Thirdly to labour to encrease his faith by hearing Gods word and to strengthen his faith by often and reuerend celebrating the Sacraments appointed by Christ Rom. 10. 1. Cor. 11. Fourthly after the hearing of the word and receiuing the Sacraments to make per fect what they haue learned by the Noblemens practise of Berea Act. 17. Fiftly and finally with deuout prayers to God and with Dauids deuotion in singing Psalmes to the prayse of God and to spend the whole day to the honour of the Lord is the sanctifying and keeping holy the Sabboth Q. Who are commanded to keeps holy the Sabboth A. First all Gouernours as Fathers Mothers and Masters Secondly sonnes daughters men and maid seruants And thirdly Gouernours are both commaunded and chiefly charged that themselues their familie and strangers in their houses doe keepe holy the Sabboth Q. What learne you more from this precept A. I learne that the very Cattell this day by Gods commaundement should rest and not be laboured nor toyled Q. What is farther to bee learned out of this precept A. In the last part remaineth a memorable presedent of our Lord God the Law-maker Q. What learne you by the Lords presedent A. First I learne that as in sixe dayes the Lord ordered and ended his works of creation So a Christian should order and end the worke of his vocation Also I learne as the Lord rested the seauenth day and ordained it to be sanctified so a Christian ought earnestly to immitate Gods presedent and obey Gods commandment A. As you haue shewed me largely what a Christian should doe on the Sabboth day so shew me briefly what hee should leaus vndone that day A. All thinges that necessitie constraineth not and Gods word commaundeth not a Christian on the Sabboth ought to leaue vndone Esay 58. 13. Mat. 12. 3. 5. Q. As in order of the Tables of the Law the dutie
bound to render all honor and glory world without end Amen ⸫ A Prayer briefly to be repeated at the end of this first part GRatious holy and heauenly Father which of thy loue hast of clay created vs to thine owne Image by thy deare son redeemed vs from bondage and by the holy Ghost doest sanctifie and preserue vs in holinesse to serue thee Grant vs wee beseech thee that as by thy holy word we are taught the duties of Christianitie so we may without hypocrisie sincerely serue thee in such sort as may tend most to the setting forth of thy glory in our pilgrimage of this life present And may also most directly guide vs to the attaining the eternall felicitie prouided for vs all thine elect in thy celestiall Paradize in the life to come And powerfull Lord wee pray thee by the rule of thy Law so religiously gouerne our hearts that we neyther stray after our owne Imaginations nor deceiue our selues by any vaine ostentations and bring vs by imbracing the doctrines of thy holy Scriptures to account and esteeme them the holy and cleare Cristall wherein thy loue is reueiled and thy law for direction of our liues plainely described To true obedience of which thy law good Father so incline forme and frame our hearts wee beseech thee that vnfainedly aboue all things we may loue thy holy Maiestie and by proceeding in the rules wee practise by an holy christian charity we may performe our loue one to another with pure hearts vnfainedly And finally by a true and vnfained faith obtaine the promises of grace to serue thee in true holinesse and righteousnesse of life and after this true sanctification and grace present we may raigne with thee in euerlasting glory world without end through Iesus Christ our blessed Sauiour and Redeemer Amen ⸫ Here followeth the second part of the Cristall of Christianitie wherein the Sacrament of Baptisme is discussed very plainely and very familiarly Question TO that end that all Christians may vnderstande what the true Church of Christ is shew me whom and what you do call the true Church of Christe here on earth Answere The name of Church by signification signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Calling And all Christian people that professe the faith of Christ are named by the name of the Church visible generally Q. Who are more effectually and truely called the Church A. They truely in this world are called the true and inuisible Church of Christ whom God elected to saluation before the beginning of the world And which in receiuing Christ by faith doe beleeue in Christ alone to be saued eternally Q. What is the condition and estate of them which be true members of the church and doe beleeue in Christ effectually A. Although it doth not to men alwayes so appeare yet it is apparant that the true members of the Church are replenished with true happinesse holinesse and endued with diuine and sauing graces Q. How are they which are members of Christ his true Church made happie A. The true Church and euery member are blessed made happie by Christ which taketh away the curse and wrath of God due for sinne from them and bestoweth his righteousnesse on them Q. How are Christ his members made holy A. Through his holy spirit which sanctifieth all the elect in Christ with true holinesse Q. How are they replenished here on earth with heauenly graces A. As the Sunne-beames are made pertakers of the Sunnes glory and brightnesse So the true Chruch is replenished and euery part made pertakers of such heauenly vertues and diuine graces wherby God our heauenly Father is glorifyed by his grace giuen to the members of the Church in this life present Q. Doe you conclude then that all Christians which truely beleeue in the Sonne of God which are sanctified by the spirite of God and through his grace expresse in this life the glory of God are effectually called into the true Church and they are rightly called the true Church of Christ A. This is my conclusion that all faithfull people elected before the foundation of the world in Christ gathered throughout the world vniuersally which are iustified sanctified and ordained to be glorified are the true Church of Christ of whom Christ is the Lord and head and are therefore called the true Christian Church rightly Q. What assurance hath the Church here on earth of Christes loue A. Christ hath appoynted the preaching of Gods blessed Word and the holy Sacraments as testimonies thereof Q. How many Sacraments hath Christs ordayned in his Church necessary for the saluation of his Church A. Christ hath ordayned and in his church instituted the Sacrament of Baptisme to receiue and entertaine them which are his members into the fauour of God by his loue Q. What other Sacrament was by Christ instituted A. The holy feast and banquet of his most blessed body and bloud to feede them and sustaine them by and with full assurance of his loue Q. What meane you by this word Sacraments A. Sacraments are outward signes that doe represent all those spirituall inwarde sauing graces which the faithfull receiue from God through Iesus Christ Q. What is the outward signe in Baptisme A. Water wherein the Childe is dipped or sprinkled with and it doth represent the two properties of Water which doth both clense and comfort Q. How doth the propertie of clensing agrée with the inward graces represented in Baptisme A. The propertie of clensing representeth the clensing of our sinnes by the precious and pure bloud of Christ which was shed on the Crosse for our sinnes Q. How doth Water in Baptisme represent comfort to vs A. As Baptisme is instituted in stead of Circumcision which was a seale of righteousnesse by faith so the faithfull are sealed and comforted by faith in Christ to bee saued Q. Doth Baptisme both signifie clensing from sinne and sealing vnto righteousnes A. Our clensing from sinne euen from the infection of the Leprosie which came by Adams disobedience And the essentiall righteousnesse which commeth by Christ is represented by Baptisme Q. What is the cause you compare originall sinne to the infectious disease of the Leprosie A. The word doth declare originall sinne Gezar or Gazar to be full of euill to flow with euill and to ouerflow all men naturally with corruption tending to damnation Q. Doth that daungerous disease bring daunger of damnation naturally on all men A. In one significant word the Apostle doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shew that the infection doth so infect all mans affections and partes with disobedience that the will of the naturall man will not obey the will of God for the which rebellion the wrath of God commeth ouer all the children of disobedience to condemnation Q. How are the faithfull freed from this infectious sin of Leprosie proceeding from Adams disobedience A. As it came by disobedience of one vpon all men to condemnation So it is taken away by the perfect
and often times such for vnworthy receiuing doe receiue punishment and sometimes such doe eate and drinke their owne damnation as the Apostle testifieth So the benefit of them that receiue it worthily is great for by faith they feeding spiritually doe eate the spirituall foode which neuer perisheth by vertue whereof they are preserued from perishing and sustained vnto eternall life Q. What meaneth the Apostle by eating and drinking their owne damnation in the Lords supper A. The Apostle doth signifie that euen this banquet receiued by the wicked persons carelesse and without consideration of their owne impietie without faith repentance or charitie trampling vnder foote that precious bloud Euen for such contempt hée meaneth such wicked persons shall finde the receiuing thereof to testifie their condemnation more fully Q. What doth he meane that he saith some of you are sicke some are weake and some are falne asleepe A. He admonisheth them which were and vs that are now reputed faithfull professors that for lack of that worthinesse which is required of them and vs which come not fully or fitly prepared such were and are punished with such sicknesses and punishments as might make them better to consider their owne crimes and vnaduised receiuing Christ his blessed bodie and so condenme their owne selues And by such punishment also God moueth them to flie to him for mercy in this world that they may not with the wicked of this world perish in the world to come for want of Christian duties Q. What duties are of Christians required which come to this Sacrament of Christ that they may be reputed worthy receiuers thereof A. There is required principally of them a three-folde consideration or examination which worthily and effectually bee partakers of Christ Q. Shew me those principall considerations and examinations A. As it is not fit for a seruant or a subiect to come to the Table of a temporall King vncleanly or vncomely so it is much more vnfit and further offence to come to the table of the eternall king Christ Iesus with any kind of vncleannesse as might giue offence to his mightie Maiestie Q. Shew mee first what cleannesse is required of Christians comming to his presence to be pertakers of this precious banquet A. The people were commaunded when they came to heare the Law promulgated on Sina Certaine dayes to wash and sanctifie themselus before they came to heare the Law When the Lord would haue his people talke with his Maiestie he commanded them to wash them and make them cleane from all their wirkednesse Before King Dauid came to Gods Altar he washed his handes in innocencie And Christ Iesus did both wash and wipe the very féete of the Apostles when he would make them fit for this feast Q. What learne we by all these washings A. First when we come to heare the Law or Gospell preached all wickednesse and vngodlinesse must be washed by earnest sorrow for former sinnes committed and our selues sanctified by beliefe that pardon for sinne and increase of grace may by Christ be granted Secondly when we come to the maiesty of the glorious God by inuocation or prayer we must with the Publican see and bee sorrowfull for our owne miserie and not with a proud but a pure zeale of soule hope to be purged pardoned and by Christ iustified Thirdly we must not presume to come to the Temple nor to the Altar nor Table of this great King vntill heart and hand bodie and soule and euery part be found by proofe to be pure and cleane Fourthly by Christ we are taught that except we be washed by him be pronounced cleane by his mouth none are fit for this feast and that is the cause that the Apostle sayth some eate drinke their olone damnation because that euery man doth not examine himselfe to find his testimony of his washing through Christ Iesus Lord of the feast before hee come to the Lordes feast and blessed Sacrament of his bodie and bloud Q. As you haue shewed me what cleanlines is fit for Christian Communicants so shew me what comelinesse is required at the table and Supper of the Lord A. As at a festiuall Table of a King comely and desent garments are required so at the feast and table of the Lord euery Christian must haue a comely and Christian garment such as may please God through Christ Q. What garment is fit for a Christian to come to the Lords table in A. There belongeth first a Christian care of casting away the garment of the old corrupt Adam And secondly an indeuour to put on Christ Iesus Q. Shew me what the casting away of the olde Adam doth signifie A. First it signifieth the casting away the corruptions that we are clothed with naturally by Adams transqression and the Apostle nameth them to be principally these following namely lying and slandring in any sort Secondly stealing and all kinde of false dealing vncomely vngodly and especially all filthie and prophane talking Thirdly all bitternesse wrath wrathfull or euill speaking one to another séeing we are all members of one bodie Fourthly and finally to banish and cast from vs all thoughts words workes that eyther are euill or tend to euill purposes Q. Let me now vnderstand what the putting on Christ Iesus meaneth A. First we must vnderstand the remoouing from the minde inwardly all euils is the worke of the holy Ghost which afterward doth cloth and garnish the godly with the forme and shape of God in true holines and righteousnesse by Christ Q. Shew me the signes of the holinesse and righteousnesse by Christ Iesus bestowed on vs A. As we are clothed by Christ with sanctification of Gods spirit and iustification before God so it doth often appeare before men and is expressed in speaking the truth without dissimulation In honest dealing and godly care in our vocation iustly to labour and liue To speake that which may be instruction for others and consolation to those that heare our wordes Christians must be courteous one to another mercifull one to another louing one to another and by loue which they seeing in God towardes them one to forgiue another as God for Christ his sake forgiueth them and in the true garment of vnion clothed comming to the Communion of the bodie and bloud of Christ shall be accepted as ghests worthie of Gods graces by Christ at the table presented You haue shewed mee from the first consideration what comelinesse and cleannesse becommeth Christians to haue when they come to be partakers of the Lords supper Shew mée nowe the manner of eating and drinking of the Lords bodie and bloud Q. What must a Christian man consider in the worthie eating the bodie of Christ Iesus and drinking his precious bloud spiritually A. As all that worke the worke of GOD must beleeue in him whom God hath sent so all that will eate the bodie of Christ and drinke his bloud worthily must beleeue in his Incarnation in his Passion in his Resurrection