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B07200
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Good Christian looke to thy creede : for a true triall of an holy profession, and of the truth of religion, from all crooked by-paths. / By Richard Bernard rector of Batcombe in Sumersetshire..
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Bernard, Richard, 1568-1641.
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1630
(1630)
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STC 1941.5; ESTC S90465
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12,536
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39
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reformed in life and haue the stipulation of a good conscience as all haue that bee baptised with the holy Ghost which is that inward baptisme II. That he made a great and solemne Couenant then before God and before the Lords people 1. To forsake the Deuill the world and the flesh and neuer to be led by them 2. To fight under Christs Banner against all Christs and his spirituall Enemies continuing Christs faithfull Souldier and Seruant to his liues end III. That this Couenant thus made so solemnely so sealed with Christs pretious blood the performance of it will be assuredly required at his hands one day Q. How may a man stirre vp his soule to the thought of heauenly things and to amendment of life from the Lords Supper A. By considering what the whole action setteth forth vnto him I. A liuely representation vnto our eyes in the signes of the death and passion of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ the blessed propitiation and sacrifice for our sinnes II. Gods infinite mercie in giuing his sonne and Christs vnspeakeable loue in being willing to die for vs miserable sinners III. Hereupon to iudge of the desperate and vtterly forlorne estate of all mankinde with losse of Gods fauour and the hope of heauen being accursed for euer and damned in Hell if this had not beene a remedie beyond merit of all men and Angels and the worth of ten thousand Worlds And that therefore wee owe to God for this so vnspeakable a benefit our bodies our soules our goods our liues yea all and euery thing whatsoeuer we be to his glory and praise Q. Surely mee thinkes that these things should presse the most rebellious heart that may be to haue remorse for sinne and to leaue off all his impious courses and to set himselfe carefully to the holy seruice of his Maker and Redeemer But yet I finde by experience euery where that is not so What thinke you may be the cause that most for all this liue so securely without any feare of Hell and are so vainely confident of their enioying of Heauen and yet no better prepared for it A. The maine reason is the ignorance of their spirituall estate through the darknesse that is in them and inbred corruption dimming the eye-sight of the Soule that they cannot see what they are nor whither they be going Q. In how many things doe this ignorance of themselues appeare A. Principally in two things Q. Which is the first A. That they cannot be perswaded that they bee so bad as they indeed are This conceit we may see in Hazael 2. Kings 8. 13. who would no more beleeue what the Prophet spake of his cruell nature then hee could beleeue himselfe of a man to be turned into a dog The proud Pharisee denied himselfe to bee an extortioner or vniust Luke 18. 11. And yet he was full of Rauin Luke 11. 39. The Priests in Mal. 1. 6. 7. would not be held despisers and polluters of Gods Name nor the Iewes guilty of blood Ier. 2. 34. 35. nor the wicked at the last day to haue beene vnmercifull but will out-face Christ with a flat deniall Mat. 25. yea Peter was tainted with this conceitednesse for by no words of Christ would he beleeue himselfe to be such a Coward as to bee brought to deny Christ Matth. 26. and yet he did the malitious will not be malitious nor the proud proud nor the couetous nor the vaine glorious so nor so Q. How commeth this conceite to bee so strong in them A. Through ignorance of their owne corrupruptions the deceitfulnesse of their owne hearts and carelesnesse to try and search out their waies to know themselues Q. Which is the other thing in which the ignorance of themselues appeareth A. In being conceited that they are farre better then indeed they be The Iewes guilty of blood said we are innocent Ier. 2. 35. The blinde guides Matth. 13. will boast that they see Ioh. 9. 41. Rom. 2. 17. 24. They that are nothing yet will thinke themselues something Gal. 6. 3. Zidkias will suppose himselfe to haue the Spirit of of God 1. Kings 22. when it was a lying spirit of Sathan The Rich young man Matth. 19. 20. held himselfe perfect and wanting nothing such a conceited foole was the Laodicean Angell Reu. 3. yea there is a generation pure in their owne eyes and yet are not clensed from their filthinesse Pro. 30. 12. Q. What maketh them to be then conceited of themselues A. I. A flattering humour in them apt to soothe themselues in their owne conceit Psa 6. 2. And so to blesse themselues against all dangers Deut. 29. 18 19. Amos 9. 10. Esa 28. 15. Ier. 5. 12 13. Zeph. 1. 12. Psal 10. 6. II. Gods passing them ouer with silence and not afflicting nor punishing them wherevpon they thinke God to be like vnto themselues to allow of their courses Psal 50. 21. Else not to see or not to regard their wayes or seeing them yet that hee then forgiue them so doe they put Gods Iudgements farre away out of their sight Psal 10. 5 11 13. III. By comparing themselues first with their owne selues looking onely vpon that which they like and that which they thinke others will like in them as the Pharise who looked vpon his fasting praying tything Luke 18. and what euill he had not done but not what euill he did Secondly By comparing themselues with other like themselues doing what they doe the Pharises said doe any of the Pharises and Elders Ioh. 7. 45. 48 belieue on him so the false Apostles did 2. Cor. 10. 12. Thirdly By comparing themselues with such as are in their conceit worse then themselues Thus the Pharisee preferred himselfe before the poore Publican Luke 18. And the Elder sonne before his prodigall brother Luke 16. 29. Not then discerning his contempt to his Father and his vnnaturalnesse to his Brother Fourthly By comparing themselues with the Godly not in beholding their vertues but their falls from which if they can finde themselues cleere outwardly then they lift vp their crests and crow alowd in their owne praises IV. By doing sometimes some things which procure them some praises with the Godly as Iehu did who had Ionadab with him in his zealous prosecution of Gods Command against the house of Ahab and Baals Priests V. By hauing some forme of Godlinesse though they be without the power thereof 2. Tim. 3. 5. By saying some prayers by comming to Gods House they thinke the euils done is acquitted thereby Ier. 7. 10. and they for comming to heare God Word to be accepted of Christ Luke 13. 26. VI. By their outward prosperity and wealth sometimes so they doe thinke themselues wise Prou. 28. 11. and blesse God because they are rich though the manner of getting be naught Zacha. 11. 5. and hauing no changes like other men they grow secure without feare of euill Psal 10. 6. VII By their conscience lying a sleepe or dead in
GOOD CHRISTIAN LOOKE TO THY CREEDE FOR A TRVE TRIALL OF AN HOLY PROFESSION AND OF THE truth of Religion from all crooked by-paths BY RICHARD BERNARD RECTOR of Batcombe in Sumersetshire AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston and are to be sold by Edward Blackmore at the Angell in Pauls Church-yard 1630. QVESTIONS AND ANSWERES OVT OF THE CREED AND OTHER GROVNDS of Religion for the Assurance of a Christian mans Saluation Question WHat are you by your Profession in Religion A. A Christian Q. Where is set downe the summe of your Christianitie A. In the Creed Q. What doth it teach you A. To beleeue in one God the Father the Son and the holy Ghost and that this God hath a Church holy and Catholicke for the Saluation whereof the Sonne of God became man and hath purchased for it an eternall Inheritance in the highest heauens Q. What is then your assured hope of body and soule if you hold on in this faith to the end A. Life Euerlasting Q. Doth not Death cut off the hope of enioying thereof A. No for I beleeue the resurrection of the body at the last Day Q. To be sure hereof what is it which you must beleeue and labour for before you die A. The forgiuenesse of sinnes for if I bee not pardoned I can neuer be saued Q. What manner of person then must you be to be certaine of the pardon of your sinnes A. A Saint for Saints onely inherit heauen Q. With whom then must you seeke to haue fellowship and familiaritie heere in this life A. With Saints Q. What is this your fellowship with them called A. The Communion of Saints Q. Being in this Communion of what body are you a member A. Of the Catholike Church out of which is no Saluation Q. What doth gouerne and guide both it and you A. The holy Ghost who is in all and euery member thereof Q. If you be sure of the forgiuenesse of sins that you are a Saint in the Communion of Saints a member of the holy Catholike Church and ruled by the holy Ghost what is it that now you desire and dayly looke for A. The comming of Iesus Christ from Heauen to iudge both the quicke and the dead Q. What is Hee that you can so loue and long after his appearance A. He is the onely Sonne of the Father our Lord God and man our Sauiour Q. How came he to be man A. He was conceiued by the holy Ghost Q. Of whom was hee borne A. Of the Virgin Mary Q. What hath he done for you A. He hath perfectly fulfilled the Law being being obedient to his Father in all things Hee suffered vnder Pontius Pylate was crucified dead and buried hee descended into hell and the third day hee rose againe from the dead Q. What then became of him after his abode here a while A. He ascended into Heauen Q. What doth he there now A. Hee sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty making Intercession for vs. Q. But may you apply particularly and beleeue that he hath done all these things for you as well as for any other A. Yes verily I may say that he was conceiued Gal. 2. 20. and borne for me suffered and crucified for me dead and buried for me that hee descended into hell for me that hee rose againe and ascended vp into Heauen for me making request to the Father euen as well for me as for any other true beleeuer Q. How are you able thus to apply him A. By the power of Faith and the operation of the holy Ghost Q. But may not others say thus much out of a presumptuous imagination A. Tes no doubt through the Spirit of error seducing them Q. Then how doe you know that this particular applying of Christ and his benefits to you ariseth not of such a presumptuous conceit A. By my confermitie to him in some sort as hee is set out to vs in such Articles of the Creed as doe concerne him Q. Relate if you can the particulars the better to discouer the sure grounds of this your confidence A. I. As I beleeue Iesus Christ to be the begotten of the Father and to bee his Sonne So must I be begotten of God Iam. 1. 18. 1. Cor. 4. 15. Philem. verse 10. and bee Gods Childe by adoption Iohn 1. 12. Gal. 4. 5. II. As hee was conceiued and sanctified by the holy Ghost So must I be sanctified by the same Spirit Rom. 15. 16. Act. 26. 18. III. As hee was borne So must I be borne anew Ioh. 1. 13. 3. 3. 5. 1. Pet. 1. 25. IV. As hee obeyed his Father and did alwaies Iohn 8. 19. those things that pleased him So must I obey and endeauour to please him in all things Coll. 1. 10. 1. Thess 4. 1. Heb. 12. 28. 2. Cor. 5. 9. V. As hee suffered So must I suffer with him Rom. 8. 17. 2. Tim. 2. 12. 1. Pet. 2. 21. and for him for so we are hereunto called 1. Pet. 2. 21. Act. 14. 22. 2. Tim. 3. 12. VI. As he was crucified So must I be crucified with him Gal. 2. 20. euen the old man Rom. 6. 6. and also the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Gal. 5. 24. VII As hee was dead So must I be dead with him vnto sin Rom. Rom. 6. 14. 6. 2. 8. and dead vnto the Law Gal. 2. 19. VIII As he was buried So must I be buried with him by Baptisme Rom. 6. 4. Coll. 2. 12. IX As he descended into Hell So must I bee humble in mine owne eyes and descend downe in my thoughts of my selfe as iustly deseruing Hell If I were rewarded according to my owne deserts X. As he rose againe So must I be quickned Eph. 2. 5. and rise with him through the faith of the operation of God Coll. 2. 12. and being aliue with God Rom. 6. 11. I must liue vnto righteousnesse 1. Pet. 2. 24. and walke in newnesse of life Rom. 6. 4. XI As he ascended into Heauen So must I ascend in my affection after him striuing to be dissolued and to be with him Phil. 1. 23. setting in the meane season my minde on things aboue Coll. 3. 1. Hauing my conuersation in Heauen Phil. 3. 20. XII As he sitteth on the right hand of God in Heauen So must I with others sit together in heaunly places in Christ Iesus Eph. 2. 6. vpon these grounds doe I assure my selfe to haue a right in my blessed Sauiour to apply him particular to my selfe for my endlesse comfort Q. And indeed so well thus you may doe but now hauing certainely this right in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord what doth this faith worke in you towards God his Father A. To beleeue in him and that hee is become my Father also and that hee will doe for me aboue all that I can aske or thinke Ioh. 16. 23. and 15. 17. and 14. 13. for his sake Q. But what think you of his diuine