thee only have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight Psal 51.4 Q. 11 Need a beleever repent A. Rememember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy Candlestick out of his place except thou repent Revel 2.5 Q. 12 Is the Sacrament of baptisme an Ordinance commanded by the word of God A Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Matth. 28.19 Q. 13 Is the Sacrament of the Lords Supper an Ordinance commanded by the word of God A. I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you that the Lord Iesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread and when he had given thanks he brake it and said take eate this is my body which is broken for you this do in remembrance of me After the same manner also he took the cup when he had supped saying this cup is the New Testament in my blood this do yee as oft as yee drink it in remembrance of me 1. Cor. 11.23 24 25. Q. 14 Is the baptizing of Infants lawfull A Be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and yee shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost For the promise is unto you and to your Children Act. 2.38 39. Q. 15 Is such baptizing void or effectuall A. Loe I am with you alway even unto the end of the world Matth. 28.20 Q. 16 Is it lawfull to baptize a person formerly baptized A. John verily baptized with the baptisme of Repentance saying unto the people that they should beleeve on him which should come after him that is on Christ Jesus When they heard this they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Acts 19.4 5. Q. 17 Is it lawfull to joyne in publike prayer A. Peter and John went up together into the Temple at the houre of prayer being the ninth houre Acts 3.1 Q. 18 Is it lawfull to teach Children to pray A. Traine up a Child in the way that hee should goe and when he is old he will not depart from it Prov. 22.6 Q. 19 Is the power of the civill Magistrate by law established in England lawfull A. Let every soule be subject to the higher powers for there is no power but of God The powers that be are ordained of God Whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Rom. 13.1.2 Q. 20 Is the use of armes for publike defence in a just cause lawfull A. Curse ye Meroz said the Angel of the Lord curse yee bitterly the Inhabitans thereof because they came not to the help of the Lord to the help of the Lord against the mighty Judg. 5.23 1. King 15.13 And also Maachah his Mother even her he removed from being Queen because she had made an Idoll in a grove 2. John 9.10 11. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God Hee that abideth in the doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Son If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrin receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed for he that biddeth him God speed is pertaker of his evill deeds 2. Pet. 2.10.12 And despise government presumptuous are they self-willed they are not afraid to speak evill of dignities These as naturall bruit beasts made to be taken and destroyed speak evill of the things that they understand not and shall utterly perish in their own corruption Revel 17.16 The ten hornes which thou sawest upon the Beast these shal hate the Whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eate her flesh and shall burne her with fire Revel 2.14 I have a few things against thee because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam who taught Balac to cast a stumbling block before the Children of Israel to eate things sacrificed unto Idolls and to commit fornication FINIS An Ordinance presented to the Honorable House of Commons by M. Bacon a Lawyer in Suffolk and M. Taet both of them Members of the same House and by their means was twice read and referred to a Committee For the preventing of the growing and spreading of Heresies The first ranke of Doctrine BE it ordained That all such as shall from and after the Date hereof willingly Preach Teach Print or Write publish and maintain any such opinion contrary to the Doctrines ensuing Viz. a Acts 17.27.28 That 1 God is present in all places b Psal 14.1 That 2 God Is c 1 Joh. 5.7 or that he is 3 One in three Persons d 1 John 3 20. Or doth 4 know or fore-know all things e Job 42.1 Or that he is 5 Almighty f Ex. 15.11 Or that he is 6 perfectly Holy g 1 Tim. 1.17 Or that he is 7 Eternall Or that shall in like manner publish h John 10.30 That Christ is not 8 God coequall with the Father i 1 Cor. 15 47. Or shall deny the 9 Manhood of Christ k Hab. 2.16 Or that the 10 Godhead and Manhood of Christ are severall Natures l Luke 1.35 Or that the 11 Manhood of Christ is pure unspotted of sinne Or that shall publish m Matth. 27.55 That 12 Christ did not die n Matth. 28.7 or 13 rose from the dead o Acts 7.56 nor 14 is ascended into Heaven bodily p Gal. 3.13 14. Or that his death is 15 meritorious in behalfe of Beleevers Or that shall publish or maintain as aforesaid q Matt. 3.17 that 16 Christ is not the Sonne of God r 1 Cor. 3.16 Or that the 17 Holy Ghost is not God Å¿ 2 Pet. 1.21 Or that the 18 Scriptures are not the Word of God t Job 19.26 Or that the 19 Bodies of Men shall not rise after they be dead u Acts 17.31 Or that there is no 20 day of judgement after death Such publishing with obstinacie shall be judged Felony Such persons shall by two witnesses be bound over by two Justices unto the Gayl-delivery and the Delinquent shall be indited for Felony and upon finding the same inditement and that the party be found guilty and shall not abjure his said Error w Zech. 13.3 Deut. 13.5 6 8 9. 2 Chron. 15.12 13 14. he shall suffer the pains of death without benefit of Clergy But upon abjuring of the said Error he shall upon two sufficient Sureties be bailed And be it further ordained that if after abjuring the said Errors he shall publish it again he shall be indited and put to death And be it further ordered that if any person shall wittingly and presumptuously or contrary to admonition blaspheme the Name of God or any of the holy Trinity or shall
SCRIPTURE SECURITY FOR CONSCIENCE Reconciling the safety of truth with the safety of persons By an honest Counterplot to keep off the execution of an expected Ordinance With a Scripture CATECHISME Very usefull in these Times For Advancing Unity Suppressing Errour Stating present Controversies Vindicating the Covenanted Reformation 2 COR. 11.3 I fear lest by any means at the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ LONDON Printed by T. R. and E. M. for John Bellamie at the three golden Lions in Cornhill neer the Royall Exchange 1646. SCRIPTURE SECURITY FOR CONSCIENCE Reconciling the safety of truth with the safety of persons By an honest Counterplot to keep off the execution of an expected Ordinance ROM 13.3 4. Rulers are not a terror to good works but to the evill Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same for he is the minister of God to thee for good 1 COR. 3.11 14 15. Other foundation can no man lay then that is laid If any mans work abide which he hath built thereon he shall receive a reward If any mans works shall be burnt he shall suffer losse but he himselfe shall be saved yet so as by fire LONDON Printed by T. R. and E. M. for John Bellamie at the three golden Lions in Cornhill neer the Royall Exchange 1646. To the honest Reader CHristian Reader having met with a Paper walking in publike intituled an Ordinance c. for the preventing of the growing and spreading of Heresies a Copie whereof is hereto annexed I conceived that I might without offence so farre take notice of it in publike as to lay the weights of the words in view that those who are skilled in the ballance of the Sanctuary and have their sences exercised to discerne the things that differ may more readily see which way the Scales should turne The good God guide the hands of Authority and the hearts of people to those wayes which are first pure and then peaceable that those Plants which are of Gods planting may be cherisht and those which are not may be rooted up The love which I bear to truth and the service I owe to those that are willing to take paines to finde it hath made me take this familiar way of Catechisme to help them which that they may reap the benefit of I must earnestly intreat them in the perusall of the alleadged Scriptures to take notice not only of the words but also of the scope of the holy Ghost in them without which they will fall short of that satisfaction which they might attain You may make experiment how advantagious this course is if you turne to the question concerning Rebaptizing and finde that in the Scripture there cited Acts 19. which place hath much exercised the judgement of the learned the scope of the Apostle Paul is to show that the Disciples who were long before baptized though still they were so unable to make confession of their faith as that they had not so much as heard whether there were any holy Ghost nor could well tell unto what they were baptized yet ought not to be baptized againe for as much as they were baptized in the name of Jesus which he makes good to them from the Doctrine of John the Baptist who taught repentance and faith in Christ One thing more I must acquaint you with which is that divers particulars which might be here expected I have purposely omitted having already spoken to them in another Treatise intituled A Scripture Catechism for the times to which I referre you for satisfaction desiring you to improve your Talent in the same designe with me which is to build the safety of persons on the foundation of truth I shall conclude with the encouraging conclusion of the Apostle James Brethren if any of you do erre from the truth and one convert him let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the errour of his way shall save a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sins SCRIPTURE SECURITY FOR CONSCIENCE The first ranke of Doctione Q. 1 IS God present in all places A. Whether shall I go from thy presence If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there If I make my bed in Hell behold thou art there If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the Sea even there shall thine hand lead me Psalme 139.7 8 9 10. Q. 2 Is there a God A. He that Cometh to God must beleeve that he is Hebr. 11.6 Q. 3 Is God on in three persons A. There are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one 1 John 5.7 Q. 4 Doth God know all things A. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do Hebr. 4.13 Q. 5 Is God almighty A. With God all things are possible Matth. 19.26 Q. 6 Is God perfectly holy A. Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole earth is full of his glory Isa 6.3 Q. 7 Is God eternall A. Before the mountains were brought forth or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God Psal 90.2 Q. 8 Is Christ God coequall with the Father A. Christ Jesus being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God Phil. 2.5 6. Q. 9 Is Christ a man A. There is one Mediator between God and men the man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 Q. 10 Are the Godhead and manhood of Christ severall natures A. Thou being a man makest thy selfe God John 10.33 Q. 11 Is the manhood of Christ pure unspotted of sin A. Such an high-Priest became us who is holy harmlesse undefiled separate from sinners Hebr. 7.26 Q. 12 Did Christ dye A. It is Christ that died Rom. 8.34 Q. 13 Did Christ rise from the dead A. The Angel answered and said unto the woman fear not ye for I know ye seek that Jesus that was crucified he is not here he is risen Mat. 28.5 6. Q. 14 Is Christ ascended into Heaven bodily A. This same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven Acts 1.11 Q. 15 Is Christs death meritorious in behalf of beleevers A. The redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his bloud Rom. 3.24 25. Q. 16 Is Christ the Son of God A. We know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ 1 John 5 20. Q. 17 Is the holy Ghost God A. Why hath Satan filled thy heart
to lye to the holy Ghost Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart thou hast not lyed unto men but unto God Acts 5.3 4 Q. 18 Are the Scriptures the word of God A. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God 2 Tim. 3.16 Q. 19 Shall the bodies of men rise after they he dead A. I worship the God of my fathers beleeving all things that are written in the Law and the Prophets and have hope towards God which they themselves also alow that there shall be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust Acts 24.14 15. Q. 20 Is there a day of judgement after death A. I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their works and the Sea gave up the dead which were in it and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them and they were judged euery man according to their works Rev. 20.12 13. Deut. 13.6 8 9. If thy brother the sonne of thy mother or thy sonne or thy daughter or the wife of thy bosome or thy friend which is as thine owne soule entise thee secretly saying let us go and serve other gods neither shalt thou spare neither shalt thou conceale him but thou shalt surely kill him thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death and afterwards the hand of all the people 2 Chron. 15.12 13 15. They entred into a Covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soule that whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death whether small or great whether man or woman And all Judah rejoyced at the Oath for they had sworne with all their heart and sought him with their whole desire and he was found of them and the Lord gave them rest round about Concerning Blasphemy and impugning the Word of God EXod 20.7 Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vaine for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vaine Levit. 24.11.12 13 14. The Israelitish womans sonne blasphemed the Name of the Lord and cursed and they brought him unto Moses and they put him in Ward that the minde of the Lord might be shewed them And the Lord spake unto Moses saying bring forth him that hath cursed without the campe and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head and let all the Congregation stone him Dan. 3.29 Therefore I make a decree that every people Nation and Language which speak any thing amisse against the God of Shadrach Mishach and Abednego shall be cut in peeces and their houses shall be made a dunghill because there is no other God Job 2.9 Curse God and dye 1 Cor. 12.3 No man speaking by the spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed Acts 13.10 11. Thou enemy of all righteousnesse wilt thou not cease to pervert the right wayes of the Lord and now behold the hand of the Lord is upon thee and thou shalt be blind Heb. 10.28 29. He that despised Moses Law died without mercy under two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God c. Rev. 22.18 19. If any man shall adde unto these things God shal adde unto him the plagues that are written in this Book and if any man shall take away from the words of the Book of this Prophecy God shall take away his part out of the Book of life The second ranke of Doctrines Q. 1 SHall all men be saved A. Then one said unto him Lord are there few that shall be saved and he said unto them strive to enter in at the strait gate for many I say unto you will seek to enter in and shal not be able Luke 13.23 24. Q. 2 Hath a man by nature free will to turne to God A. The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are folishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 Q. 3 May God be worship'd by Pictures or Images A. Take ye good heed unto your selves for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire least ye corrupt your selves and make you a graven Image the similitude of any figure Deut. 4.15 16. Q. 4 Doth the soule of any man after death go to purgatory A. I heard a voyce from heaven saying unto me write blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them Rev. 14.13 Q. 5 Do the souls of good men dye or sleep when their bodies are dead A. Ye are come unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the generall assembly and Church of the first borne which are written in Heaven and to God the judge of all and to the spirits of just men made parfect Heb 12.22 23. Q. 6 Do the soules of bad men dye or sleep when their bodies are dead A. Their worme dyeth not Mark 9.44 Q. 7 Are there revelations or workings of the spirit as a rule for a Christians life though divers from or contrary to the written word of God A. This voyce which came from Heaven wee heard and we were with him in the holy Mount We have also a more sure word of prophecy whereunto yee do well that yee take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawne and the day-starre arise in your hearts Knowing this first that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private inrerpretation for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost 2. Pet. 1.18.19 20 21. Q. 8 Is a man bound to beleeve no more then by his reason he can comprehend A Bebold thou shalt be dumbe and not able to speak untill the day that these things shall bee performed because thou beleevest not my words which shall be fulfilled Luke 1.20 Q. 9 Is the morall Law contained in the ten Commandements a rule of a Christian life A. Owe no man any thing but to love one another for he that loveth an other hath fulfilled the law For this thou shalt not commit adultery thou shalt not kill thou shalt not steale thou shall not beare false witnesse thou shalt not covet and if there be any other Commandement it is breifly comprehended in this saying namely thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Rom. 13.8 9. Q. 10 Doth God see sinne in the justified A. Against thee