power A. That hee is exceedingly able aboundantly Ephe. 3. 20. to doe for me aboue all that I can thinke because he is Almighty Q. Wherein doth this appeare A. Because he made Heauen and Earth Q. What doe you conclude now out of all these things A. That I am safe vnder his al-sufficiency for the good of body and soule by whose power through faith I am kept vnto saluation and so to enioy life euerlasting 1. Pet. 1. 5. Q. May you then liue securely as it were carelesly vpon this confidence A. God forbid for I am commanded to worke out my Saluation with feare and trembling Phil. 2. 12. And in my Creed I am taught to beleeue that there is as well a Hell for the wicked as a Heauen for the Godly Q. Now besides this your Creed are there any other helps to awe a man to God-ward and to keepe him from carnall securitie A. Yes indeed very easie to be conceiued and to be gathered out of the other parts of the Common Catechisme with setled meditations thereupon Q. As how I pray you vpon the Commandements A. I. To thinke seriously whose they be euen the precepts of the God of Heauen and earth terrible in wrath and without respect of person in executing vengeance against transgressors II. That they are the rule of righteousnesse to euery Christian concerning his dutie to God to man and to himselfe III. That a curse is vpon euery one hat either wilfully or carelesly leadeth a life without conscionable respect vnto these Commandements IV. That by our Church we are taught and with our mouthes wee pray that the Lord would haue mercy vpon vs to encline our hearts to keepe euery Law and we beseech him to write all these his Lawes in our hearts V. That in thus praying in words and yet without affection of heart or conscience of obedience we mocke God and prouoke him the more to wrath by so dallying with such a dreadfull Maiestie VI. That this Law was giuen in great terrour making all Israell to feare and tremble at the deliuery thereof Oh then thinke what wil be that horror in mens hearts when God comes to execute his Iustice powring vyals of wrath vpon the rebellious VII That God hath for our incouragement exhorted vs to obey them left memorable examples of men liuing in obedience blesing and rewarding them for well doing with promises of his mercies to all others that so doe and to reward them with euerlasting glory in the end VIII And lastly that God on the contrary hath dehorted vs from transgressions left fearefull examples of his wrath vpon Offendors threatning still to take vengeance vpon exery such wicked one and in the end to cast them all into Hell there to be tormented in flaming fire with the Deuill and his Angells for euer Q. These eight Meditations may shake the stoutest heart and humble the highest thoughts of such as make no conscience of sinne and goe on in their courses But how may a man from the Lords prayer rouze vp his heart from carnall securitie A. If rightly vnderstanding what he asketh and hath also a true desire to obtaine what hee craueth of God if I say hee shall demand questions of himselfe before hee pray thus meditating I. How can I except I resolue to mocke God say hallowed be thy Name by me in an holy conuersation and yet liue in all prophanenesse lewdly dishonouring his Name abusing his mercy and benefits not regarding his Iustice and liuing without all respect of his Glory and praise II. How can I say thy Kingdome come and desire that God may erect vp here a Kingdome of grace in our hearts by his Spirit Word and the Ministery of faithfull Teachers to prepare vs to Glory and yet resist the motions of the Spirit refuse to be ruled by him hate Gods Ministers mocke at the preaching of the Word iest at the reading of Scriptures and liue as if there were neither Heauen nor Hell God nor Deuill nor any day of Iudgement III. How can I begge heartily to doe Gods Will here in Earth as it is in Heauen and yet liue in ignorance of Gods Will following my owne lusts or other mens wills despising the reuealed will of God neuer doing what God would haue done as hee requires his will to be done to wit willingly readily ioyfully faithfully sincerely cōstantly But if I do it it is too too vnwillingly with deferring off by halfes with by-respects and but onely by fits in some sickenesse or other crosse IV. How can I euery day say Giue me this day my dayly bread to wit that which is mine honestly and iustly come by and yet liue either idly or distrustfully in excessiue care or fraudulently getting maintenance by coozonage and deceit and riches by oppression vsury and extortion by shifting by gaming yea by swearing forswearing robbery and theft distrusting continually Gods prouidence in the vse of lawfull meanes as fearing losse thereby V. How can I desire with sorrow in sight of sinne the pardon of sinne euen as I forgiue others trespassing against me and yet wallow in sinne as the Swine in mire in drunkennesse adultery gluttony murther slander lying swearing forswearing and greedy coueting also in malice enuie grudging ill-will with desire of reuenge and in other vncharitable courses VI. How can I desire to bee deliuered from euill and the power of temptations and yet wilfully runne into ill company hearken to ill Counsell follow ill examples auoiding the societie of such as be well disposed but easily yeelding to Sathans suggestions studying to fulfill the desires and lusts of the flesh and conforming to euery vaine fashion custome and practice of this present world Q. Surely if euery man would thus aske himselfe before he begin to pray either it would reforme him or make him most inexcusable at the Barre of Gods Iustice would it not A. Yes without all peraduenture if a man withall consider I. That Prayer is an immediate presenting of a mans selfe into Gods holy presence a Maiestie infinite and of great glory not to be abused with idle lip-labour II. That hee presumeth to call God Father in Heauen which cannot bee but by diuine grace and by the spirit of adoption therefore hee being gracelesse must needs herein abuse God by claming a Sonne-ship without the spirit of Regeneration III. That his owne mouth witnesseth against his owne wayes while hee making request for that which he vtterly in heart and yet in life opposeth and so prepareth for himselfe without all excuse matter of iust condemnation except hee vse the meanes to attaine to that which in words hee seemeth dayly to request for himselfe at Gods hands Q. Can you shew me how a man may bee moued to a holy life by meditating vpon his baptisme A. Yes I. He must know that by it he is made a member of Christ the Child of God and an Inheritor of the Kingdome of Heaven If he be renued by the holy Ghost
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
discourse of reason onely A. More cleerely and truely from Gods owne Word by the illumination of his Spirit guiding my Iudgement therein Q. How from Iewes and their Iudaisme A. By beleeuing that their yet expected Messias is our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ and none other by whose comming the Ceremoniall Law of Moses is vtterly abolished Q. How from Turkes and their Turcisme A. By beleeuing God to be the Father begetting the Sonne begotten and the holy Ghost proceeding and that their Mahomet was a wicked Seducer his law forged and he a damned false Prophet Q. How from all Hereticks in generall A. By holding euer the truth in loue and neuer defending any Error obstinately Q. But seeing their hath beene and are many Hereticks how doe you difference your selfe from euery of them A. They haue beene innumerable and this were an endlesse worke but if you please aske of these which now are most commonly knowne and which are often mentioned and read of Q. With a good will How doe you difference your selfe from Arrians and Arianisme A. By acknowledging that Iesus Christ the second person in Trinity is both God and man as God equall with the Father and the same substance Q. How from Montanists and their Montanisme A. By holding that the persons in the Godhead are three and distinct that the second marriages are lawfull Q. How from Nouatus and his followers the Catharists or Puritans and Nouatians A. By granting that the vnfeined penitent after their falls though to the denying of Christ are yet vpon their repentance to be receiued againe into the Church That we doe not affect to be called pure or Puritans neither doe appropriate puritie to our selues before others Q. How from the Donatists A. By holding that the wicked pollute not the Godly in receiuing the Sacrament That baptisme is true baptisme out of their assemblies That one once baptised need not to be baptised againe That the vertue of the Sacrament dependeth not vpon the worthinesse of the Minister Q. How from Pelagians A. By holding that mans nature is corrupt by Adams fall That we all are borne in Originall sinne That we haue not power in and of our selues to beleeue and to will and worke out our owne saluation Q. How from Anabaptists A. By allowing that children of beleeuing parents are to be baptised That children are borne with inbred corruptions that election is before all time that predestination is not of all to life but of some and these of his meere mercie and not conditionally if they repent and beleeue That the elect called and iustified stand so by the grace and power of God and not vpon their owne will neither can they fall away totally nor finally That Magistracie is allowed of God and the Ministery is a calling of God and distinctly assigned onely to some to execute the same Q. How from Brownists and Separatists and their Schisme A. By keeping the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of loue with other Churches disclaiming vtterly popular gouernment and a singularly bold conceit of interpreting holy Scriptures differing from the generall iudgement of the Learned and Godly in the Church of Christ Q. How from Libertines A. By reuerently esteeming of holy Scriptures making them the Rule of my life and not mine owne dreames nor the fantasie of my owne spirit by which they iudge any thing to be lawfull and to be done without checke of Conscience though the same in other mens iudgement bee neuer so wicked and also condemned in Scriptures because say they it is by naturall inclination Q. How from the Familie of Loue A. By holding propriety of goods lawfull and not a Communitie and that I am not one person as I am a Christian and another as I am a Citizen outwardly yeelding to any Religion so bee it that secretly I keepe mine owne Religion within my selfe Q. How from Opinionists A. By auoiding singularitie of opinion comitting humbly my conception of minde euer to the iudgement and common receiued opinion of the Church Q. How from all Sectaries and Nouelists A. By keeping my standing in the Ancient Catholike veritie Q. How from the Vbiquitaries A. By denying consubstantiation and beleiuing that Iesus Christ according to his humanitie is only in Heauen there remaining vntill his second comming though in the meane space Christ as God is euery where Q. But how from the Papists A. By giuing to Iesus Christ his full and due glory communicable to neither men nor Angels Q. Is this then the maine difference betweene vs and them in their robbing him of his glory A. Yes verily For if I hold and beleeue Iesus Christ to be that which indeed he is and that I doe not impart his glory to any other I can neuer be a Papist Q. In how many things consists this his glory A. Infoure things principally I. If I doe hold and beleeue that Iesus Christ is onely and alone the spirituall Head of his Church sending his holy Spirit to bee onely his generall Vicar and not any mortall man for this cuts off the proud blasphemous Goliahs head the Popes vsurped supremacie and all that dependeth thereupon II. That Iesus Christ is onely and alone the Law-giuer to our consciences and his written Word the onely infallible rule of all his worship and seruice For this cuts off their traditionall word all the Popes lawes and infinite humane inventions burthening the consciences of Papists III. That Iesus Christ is the onely and alone Mediator of Intercession as well as of Redemption betweene God and vs. For this cuts off their idolatrous praying to the Virgin Mary Saints and Angels IV. That Iesus Christ is the onely and alone Sauiour by the meanes of his passion pacifying Gods wrath and purchasing for vs in Heauen an eternall Inheritance For this cuts off not good workes done in thankfulnesse in obedience but the conceit of meriting by them also the damned idoll of the Masse that pretended vnbloody sacrifice all satisfactory pennance and punishment to God this also quencheth out the fire of purgatorie and quite marreth the Popes Market Q. How doe you difference your selfe from all will-worshippers A. By constantly seruing God onely as hee prescribeth and commandeth in his Word without any additions of men as part of his worship Q. Now because euen in the true Church all that professe the Gospell in peaceable dayes are yet not right let mee demand some Questions touching some such How difference you your selfe from Hypocrites A. By seruing God inwardly as well as outwardly and performing to my Neighbour all duties of loue being giuen to good works readily and that without vaine-glory Q. Now how from a Newtralist A. By being consciably confident of the truth of my Religion and not go halting betweene Two opinions Q. How from Temporizers A. By being one and the same constantly at all times Q. How from Machiauel-like Polititians A. By hauing my will swayed by good reason euer ruled by the power of Religion Q. How from Luke-warme Laodiceans A. By being a Protestant euer in earnest feruently zealous in my Christians profession with sound Iudgement Q. How from Prophane persons A. By hauing alwayes an holy estimation of Religion of Gods Word Ministery Sacraments Prayer and all diuine Ordinances Q. How from all obstinate Impenitents A. By willingly learning humbly submitting to admitting of wholesome reproofes for my reformation wherein soeuer I doe amisse Q. How from presumptuous sinners A. By an awefull feare of God euen because he is gracious and mercifull Q. How from Hopelesse desperates A. By laying hold fast on the mercies of God in Christ and beleeuing the promises of Saluation made to vs in him Q. How from the carnall Securitans A. By dayly examining my wayes by louing and longing for the appearing of Iesus Christ and by wayting with preparation for death and the last iudgement Day which the Lord hasten and end these our dayes of sinning that in glory we may praise him euerlastingly Amen Amen FINIS