Selected quad for the lemma: doctrine_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A11295
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[Certaine points of christian religion]
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Saintbarb, Richard.
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1589
(1589)
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STC 21556; ESTC S113423
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55,419
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187
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Eph. 5.14 17. That we being filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding may walke worthie of the Lord and please him in all things beeing fruitful in all good works Col. 1.9 10. And that this knowledge faith and fruitfulnesse in all good workes may abound in vs as the elect deer childrē of God let vs diligētly read the book of god cōtinually meditate on the same for the Prophet saith Blessed is the man that doth not walke in the counsell of the wicked nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the seate of the scorneful but his delight is in the Lawe of the Lord and in his Lawe doth he meditate day night for he shall be like a tree planted by the riuers of waters that wil bring foorth her fruite in due season whose leafe shall not fade so whatsoeuer he shall do shall prosper Psal 1.1.2 3. Now for the common benefit and better instruction of Gods people and thy selfe christian reader J haue caused this little and short treatise of christian points of religion to be printed and published and although it bee but small in volume yet I doubt not but if it be well read and printed in minde it shall minister great good to further thy knowledge to confirm thy faith and to increase true holines in thee And this I dare promise thee that there are some things handled in this Catechisme both in matter and manner which other Catechismes dooth not as once meddle and intreate of and other things which are intreated of some in their bookes haue J drawne in a briefe method for the benifit of the reader And whereas many things are yet in doubt among the multitude and great controuersies doo rise by them I haue breefely yet soundly opened the trueth of them finally there is not that point which I haue intreated of but I haue first defined the same and haue set downe the definitions of all the hardest words which are commonly vsed by the preachers of the word and in the large and great volumes of the learned that the simple who is altogether ignorant of the true sense of them may vnderstand not onely the Preacher and bookes which they both heare and read but also the verie words as iustification sanctification grace redemption law and such like Therefore seeing my purpose is onely to doo good vnto Gods Church and my paine great herein yet godly I hope all faithfull people will accept the same and both praise God for this litle worke and pray vnto God for mee to increase his good gifts and graces in my soule vnto my liues end Amen Thus I take my leaue from my house at Kingswood the second of September Thine in the Lord Richard Saintbarb Preacher of Gods word Certaine points of Christian Religion Question INto what faith wert thou baptised Answere Into the faith of the holie Trinitie Matth. 28.19 Question What doost thou meane when thou saiest thou art baptised into the faith of the holie Trinitie Answere It is to enter and consecrate the baptised into the faith and religion of one God First that they might beleeue the Father the Sonne and the Holie ghost to bee one God to whom alone they must giue their faith and confidence Psal 37.5 Iere. 17.5 6 7 8. Iohn 14.1 Secondly that they beleeue that the sonne and the holie ghost are nothing els but the verie essence of God 1. Iohn 5.7 Thirdly that they confesse God the Father who hath adopted them God the sonne by whome they are redeemed and God the holie Ghost by whome they are sanctified confirmed Gala. 4.4 5 6. 1. Corinthians 6.10 11. Question Where shall wee finde the summe of this faith of the holie Trinitie Answere First generallie at large in the holie Scriptures which is called the Booke of God Secondly particularlie and briefely in the Articles of the Faith called the Apostles Creede Question Why is it so called Answere For two apt causes First Because it is a briefe collection of the Articles of the Faith which haue been alwaies in Christs Church Secondly because it was taken out of the pure doctrine of the Apostles Question Why must euerie christian say I beleeue not We beleeue as well as they generally do say Our Father which art c. Answere First because euerie Christian must be saued by his owne faith and not by an others Secondly wheras we say Our Father we must note that it is a prayer and the other the beleefe of euerie Christian and therefore a plaine and great difference Haba 2.4 Ga. 3.11 Heb. 10.38 39. Question Why must we beleeue that there is a Church not in the Church as in God the Father c Answere It were great idolatrie to put our trust in meere man for Faith onely belongeth to the holy Trinitie and although Iesus Christ who is saluation it selfe is no where to be found but in the Church yet Saluation is not of the Church and therefore Ieremie accurseth them that put anie confidence in the flesh of sinfull man Iohn 17.1 2 3. Matth. 28.19 Ierem. 17.5 6. Esay 30.1 2 3 4. and 31.1 2 3 4. Question Into how manie points shall we diuide this confession of our faith Answere Into 3. The first concerning God the Father in the first Article The second concerning God the Sonne in the sixe next Articles The third concerning God the holy Ghost in the fiue last Articles Question How manie things learn you in the first article I beleeue in God the father Almightie c. Answere First what God is Secondly how he created all things Thirdly how he preserueth all his workes Fourthlie how he ruleth and gouerneth all things Question What is God Answere God is a spirite infinite euerlasting vnchaungeable incorruptible immortall most simple in nature in power most mightie incomprehensible both in greatnesse and Maiestie by whom all things were made in the beginning of nothing also distinguished into thrée persons the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost Iohn 4.24 Esay 66.1 2. Esay 40.28 Mal. 3.6 Iam. 1.17 Rom. 1.23 2. Tim. 1.17 Gen. 17.1 Rom. 11.33 34 35 36. Ier. 10.10 11 12 13. Matth. 28.19 Reuel 15.3 4. Question What is God the Father Answere Hee is the beginning and Authour of euerie thing both in heauen and in earth Who when it séemed good vnto his diuine Nature created all things of nothing in heauen and in earth both spirituall and corporall and ordered them by his eternall Sonne the which are now gouerned and mainteined by the infinite and consubstantiall power of the Holie Ghost proceeding from them both from all eternitie Gen. 1.1 2 c. Gene. 2.1 Prouerb 8.14 to the end Psalme 114.30 Gene. 1.2 Iohn 15.26 Roman 8.9 Question What is the Sonne Answere The Sonne of God is Iesus Christ who was begotten of his Father before all worlds and of his Father without a mother by whom all things were created who being appointed of
Ghost by externall ministerie and preaching of the word confirmed by sacraments and finally gouerned by the holie discipline of their head Christ Iohn 20.16 17.20 Col. 3.10 11. Gal. 3.26 27 28 29. Ephe 4.30 Rom. 10.17 Rom. 4.11 Math. 18.15 to 21. Question Thou saist that the church consisteth of the elect therefore tell me what is election Answere It is the euerlasting and vnchangeable Decree of the almightie wise and iust God who of his free and rich mercie through faith in the bloud of his onelie beloued Sonne hath chosen to life eternall such as it pleased himselfe Eph. 1.2 Tim. 1.9 1. Pet. 1.2 Question What learne you out of this article Answere First that there is an election belonging vnto all estates and that through Gods mercie and Christs merites apprehended by faith Rom. 9.24 25 26 27. Eph. 1.4 5 6 7. Secondly that there is a Church of Christ partly militarie and partly triumphant the which Church shall bee to the ende of the world and in the life to come shall be euer more without ende let the diuell and men rage and roare while they will Reuel 6.5.6 7. 2. Tim. 1.9 10 19 20 21 22. Matth. 16.12 Thirdly As their election is of God and their redemption in Christ so their vocation and sanctification is of the holy Ghost by the ministerie and preaching of the word and sacraments 1. cor 6.10 Rom. 10.17 Gal. 3.2 Tit. 3.5 Fourthly he gouerneth the flock of Christ by his effectuall working in their hearts and his word 1. Cor. 1.2 3 c. Fiftly that there must be an holy fellowship and a godly Communion of the saints of God in all holines and righteousnes psa 85.10 Heb. 12.14 Question As in the beginning of this Article thou didst set downe the doctrine of election and how onely it dooth belong to the faithfull mēbers thereof so tell me more plainlie thy meaning therein Answere I will and that is this although the faithfull are but few in number yet the greater part of them doo consist of the poore of the fooles of the weake ones of the worlde to whome although they be so accounted of among men the election through grace doth belong onely vnto them 1. cor 1.27 to the end Question If there be an election there is also a reprobation Answere It is most true there is also a reprobation Question What is reprobation Answere It is an vtter reiecting and hardening of the hearts of those who are ordeined to euerlasting destruction that they cannot repent beleeue the Gospell to saluation Roman 9.17 18 22. Iud. 3. Reuel 17.8 Question How are the wicked in fault if God appoint thē to destruction for who can resist his will Answere I answere you thus that First the counsell of God excuseth not the wickednes of the wicked for the reprobate committeth sinne most willingly without constraint on the Lords behalfe so that although his reprobation bee of the Lord his damnation is of himself as Pharoah Iudas Exod. 9 10 and 11. chap. Matth. 26. Secondly the Apostle teacheth vs to humble our selues and not to carpe at the déepe secrets of God when he saith Who art thou ô man that thou shouldest plead with God Ro. 9.20 21. Question But if it be so touching the life to come that God hath appointed alreadie the elect and reprobate and hath appointed all the meanes to bring his counsell to passe we may do what we list for if appointed to be saued we shall bee saued if appointed to be damned we shall be damned and therefore all labour lost Answere It is certeine that we cannot frustrate alter the counsel of God no not the least mean therevnto belonging for then there should be in God First darknesse Secondly ignorance Thirdly weaknesse If things coulde fall out otherwise than God saw should come to passe and as he before had appointed Iam. 1.17 2. Timoth. 2.19 Question Is it not then in vaine as I haue alreadie said to labor and to vse the meanes to enioy life to doo the workes commanded Answere No for God hath appointed the meanes how to come to saluation in his foreknowledge and vnchangable purpose namely the preaching of the word reading and meditating thereof also the sacraments praier these things must be vsed and those that are the sheepe of Christ shall and wil vse them And as for good works we are both commanded to do them to make our election sure by them Ioh. 10.26 27. 2. pet 1.8 10. Question Why dooth God saue some and damne other some Answere First that he might shew his mercie to his elect to the praise of his glorie Rom. 9.15 23. Secondly that he might shewe foorth his iustice vpon the reprobate to the praise therof and to be glorified to their condemnation Rom. 9.22 Question What fruits haue we of this doctrine of predestination Answere First it ministreth great strength vnto our faith against all temptation 1. cor 10.13 Secondly comfort in all our afflictions because we shall not bee ouercome by them nor perish in them Rom. 8.18 Thirdly thanksgiuing is thereby required Ephe. 1.8 Rom. 15.9 10 11. First for his vnchangeable truth Secondly his euerlasting mercies Thirdly his inuincible power Question Then you firmely beleeue that it is impossible for the elect of God to fall away Answere Yea verely for although it were possible that heauen earth men and angells should cōspire against them yet they cannot be lost no not the least nor the poorest of them for God is both vnchaungeable in his purpose and Almightinesse it selfe therefore his counsell shall stande for euer and that for his against the gates of hell Rom. 8.38 39. Matth. 16.18 Question But we see manie after they haue professed the truth haue fallen from the same Answere It is true but they neuer beléeued and acknowledged the truth in sincerity of hart wherfore the spirit of God casteth them out of the nūber of the sacred flocke of God as hypocrites to their shame for if they had bin of God althogh subiect to many infirmities they shuld not haue perished for God would haue put his hand vnder them and raised them vp and kept them to euerlasting life Psal 145.14 1. Ioh. 2.27 Question What are the meanes whereby he sanctifieth his people Answere First the ministerie of the word Iho. 17.17 Secondly Sacraments Titus 3.5 Thirdly discipline Matth. 18. Fourthly Praier Matth. 7.7 Question How dooth hee sanctifie his Church by his word Answere First in that he begetteth and connecteth his people by the word Psal 19.7 1. Pet. 3.23 Secondly in that hee worketh faith in the hearts of his people and so purifieth their hearts by faith Rom. 10.17 Thirdly by the word which is the two edged sworde hee with the one side killeth the reprobate and with the other cutteth off all the exile affections of his people and reneweth them dailie to holines Hebru 4.12 Question What learne you hereby Answere First the excellencie