GROVNDS OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION Laid downe briefly and plainely by way of Question and Answer By H. B. 1. Pet. 3. 13. Sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be ready alwayes to giue an Answer to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meeknesse and feare LONDON Printed by G. M. for Robert Bird and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the Bible in Saint Laurence-Iane 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 of God 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 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 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 a bondslaues children are all 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 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 the imaginations of his heart onely euill continually being dead in trespasses and 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 loue hath found out the onely all sufficient 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 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. 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 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 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 for his owne sake to shew the glorious riches of his grace and he chose vs that we might line and so bee holy in bringing forth fruit and that our fruit might remaine Q. Is Gods election then the foundation and first cause of all our happinesse 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 y e 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 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 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 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 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 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 of grace holding him on towards 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 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 Q. But the Apostle saith 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 other but the swéet yoake and light 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Communicants 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 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 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 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 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 â—oly vse which must not be receiued as â—â—â—â—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 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 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 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 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 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 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