the Father Joh. 3. 6. Heb. 1. 3. Thirdly The Spirit the third Person proceeding from them both Joh. 15. 26. Q. Are these three Persons three distinct Gods A. No For they are that one pure Essence and therefore but one God Ioh. 1. 1. Rom. 9. 5. 1 Cor. 6. 16. 1 Cor. 2. 10. Q. If every Person be God how can they be distinct Persons and not distinct Gods A. Yes Because one and the same thing may have many Relative properties and respects of being which in the Godhead makes distinct Persons As one and the same man may be a Father in one respect a Master in another respect and a Scholar in aenother respect Q. If these three Persons be but one God what follows from hence A. That all the three Persons are Co-equal Coeternall subsisting in not separating from each other and therefore delighting in each â—…ther glorifying each other Prov. 8. 30. Thus much concerning God Now concerning the works of God Q. Thus much concerning Gods sufficiency What iâ—… his efficiency A. Whereby he worketh all things and all in all things Rom. 11. 36. Esa. 45. 7. Q. What of God shines forth and are you to behold in his Efficiency A. Two things First Gods Omnipotency in respect of his Essence Secondly the co-operation and distinct manner of working of the three Persons Rom. 1. 20. Iohn 5. 17. Q. What is Gods Omnipotency A. It is his Almighty power whereby he is able to bring to passe all that he doth will or what ever he can will or decree 2 Chron. 20. 6. Phil. 3. 21. Mat. 3. 9. Psal. â—…15 7. Q. What is Gods Decree A. It is his Eternall and determinate purpose concerning the effecting of all things by his mighty power according to his counsel Eph. 1. 11. Q. What attributes or glory of God appear in his Decree A. First His Constancy whereby his Decree remains unchangeable Num. â—…3 19. Secondly His Truth whereby he delivereth nothing but what he hath decreed Jer. 10. 10. Thirdly His Faithfullnesse whereby he effecteth what ever he decreeth according thereunto Esa. 46. 10. Q. What is Gods Counsell A His deliberation as it were for the best effecting of every thing according to his Wisdom Act. 4. 24. Psal. 40. 24. Q What is Gods Wisdom A. It is the Idaea or perfect platform of all things in the mind of God which either can be known or shall be done according to the good pleasure of his will Heb. â—…1 3. Prov. 8. 12 13. Q. What is the good pleasure of Gods will A. It is the most free Act of his Will whereby he willeth himself directly as the greatest good and all other things for himself according to his good pleasure Mat. 11. 25. Prov. 16. 4. Q. What learn you from hence A. That Gods good pleasure is the first and best cause of all things Psal. 115. 3. Psal. 33. 8 9 10 11. Q What is the Co-operations of the three Persons in Gods Efficiency A. Whereby they work the same thing together unseparably Joh. 5. 17 19. 16. 13 14. Q. If they work the same thing together How is it that some works are attributed to God the Father as Creation some to the Son as Redemption some to the holy Spirit as application A. This is not because the same work is not common to all the three Persons but because that work is principally attributed in Scripture to that person whose distinct manner of working appears chiefly in the work Q. What is God the Fathers distinct manner of working A. His working is from himself by the Son and to the holy Ghost Psal. 33. 6. Joh. 1. 3 and hence the beginning and so the Creation of all things is attributed to him Q. What is God the Sons manner of working A. His working is from the Father by the Holy Ghost Ioh. 14. 16. and hence the dispensation of all things and so Redemption is attributed unto him Q. What is the holy Gosts manner of working A. His working is from the Father and the Sonne Joh. 14. â—…6 and hence the consummation of all things and so application is attributed unto him Q. Wherein doth Gods efficiency or working appear A. In two things First In his creation of the world Secondly In his providence over the world Esa. 37. 16. Q. What is his creation A. It is Gods efficiency whereby he made the whole world of nothing originally exceeding good Psal. 33. 9. Gen. 1. 31. Q. Did the Lord make the world in an instant A. No but by parts in the space of six dayes described at large by Moses Gen. 1. Q. When did the Lord make the third heaven with the Angels their inhabitants A. In the first day in the first beginning of it Gen. 1. 1. Job 38. 6 7. Q. What is the creation of the third heaven A. Whereby he made it to be the heaven of heaveas a most glorious place replenished with all pleasure which belongs to eternall happinesse wherein his Majesty is seen face to face and therefore called the habitation of God 2 Chr. 2. 5 6. Psal. â—…6 11. Psal. 63. 15. Q. VVhat is the creation of the Angels A. Whereby he created an innumerable number of them in holiness to be ministring spirits with most accutenesse of understanding liberty of will great strength and speedy in motion to celebrate his praises and execute his commands specially to the heirs of salvation Heb. 11. 22. Joh. 8. 44. Heb. 1. 14. 2 Sam. 14. 20. Jude 6. 2 Pet. 2. 11. Esa. 6. 2. Psal. 130. 20. Q. When did God create man A. The sixt day Gen. 1. 27. Q. How did God create man A. He made him a reasonable creature consisting of body and an immortall Soul in the Image of God Gen. 2. 7. Gen. 1. 28. Q. What is the Image of God wherein he was made A. That hability of man to resemble God and wherein he was like unto God in wisdom holiness righteousnesse both in his nature and in his government of himselfe and all creatures Col. 3. 10. Ephes. 4. 24. Gen. 1. 26. Q. What became of man being thus made A. He was placed in the Garden of Eden as in his Princely Court to live unto God together with the womâ—…n which God gave him Gen. 2. 15. Thus much of Gods Creation Q. What is his Providence A. Whereby he provideth for his creatures being made even to the least circumstance Psal. 145. 16. Proverbs 16. 33. Q. How is Gods Providence distinguished A. It is either first Ordinary and mediate whereby he provideth for his creatures by ordinary and usual means Hos. 2. 22. Secondly Extraordinary and immediate whereby he provides for his creatures by miracles or immediately by himself Psal. â—…6 4 Dan. 3. 17. Q. Wherein is his Providence seen A. First in Conversation whereby he upholdeth things in their being and power of working Act. 17. 28. Psal. 104. 29 30. Nehem. 9. 6. Secondly in Gubernation whereby he guides directs and brings all creatures to their
The First PRINCIPLES OF THE ORACLES OF GOD Collected by THOMAS SHEPHARD Sometimes of Emanuel College in Cambridge Now Preacher of Gods Word in New-England HEB. 5. 12. For when for the time ye ought to be Teachers ye have need that one teach you again which be the first Principles of the Oracles of God and are be come such as have need of milk and not of strong meat LONDON Printed for Iohn Rothwel 1655. IMPRIMATUR Ioseph Caryl Imprimatur Iames Cranford TO THE CHRISTIAN READER IT is no disparagement at all for this wise Master-Builder to labour sometimes by the Hammer of the VVord to fasten these nailes of Truth in a sure place even in the heads and hearts of Infant-Christians Neither is it below the highest Scholar in Christs School to hold fast the form of wholesome words The great Apostle himselfe who was wrapt up into the third Heaven although he had received a Commission of Christ his Master to make Disciples yet he was a Disciple still for he not only Catechised others but learned and that again and again The first Principles of the Oracles of God which are called The Mysteries of the Kingdome of Heaven and the depths of God that is in plain English those Doctrinall Truths which are truly fundamentall and absolutely necessary unto salvation that wee may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and convince the gain-sayers and be ready alwaies to give an answer to every man that asketh us a reason of the hope that is in us Thus heartily beseeching thee in the name of Christ to search the Scriptures and to give thy self continually to prayer and the Ministery of the Word that you may grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ I now commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are Sanctified So be it Friend I am thine if thou doest love the Truth and our Lord Iesus Christ in sincerity VVILLIAM ADDERLEY Dated From Charter-house in London February 1. 1647. Christian Reader BEing desired to peruse and give our opinion of â—…e resolâ—…tions in thiâ—… Letter now presented to â—…y view VVe must confesse they appeared tâ—…â—…ery precious For we have seldome seen acutenesse profoundnesse and godliness so eminently equâ—…lly and happilly matched There are in Christ School divers forms elementaries and men of exerciseâ—… wits The Scholar proposing these cases was no Puny and he was happy in meeting with a teacher so able for resolution Therefore who ever reads and â—…eeds will not reâ—…ent of his labour But the moâ—…e knâ—…wing the Reader is and the more experienced in the VVaies of Châ—…ist the more delight may â—…e take in and the more pâ—…fit may he reap by these pious and profound resolutions So we are Thâ—…e in Christ Jesus Iohn Geree and Will Greenhill March 27. 1648. THE SUM OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION In way of Question and Answer Delivered by Mr. Tho. Shephard in N. E. Quest WHat is the best and last end of Man A. To live to God Rom. 6. 10 11. Gal. 3. 19. 2 Cor. 5. 3. 15. Q. How is man to live unto God A. Two waies First by Faith in God Psal. 37. 3. Secondly By observance of God Eccles. 12. 13. Q. What is faith in God A. It is the first act of our Spirituall life whereby thâ—… soul believing God believeth in God and there testeth as in the only Author and Principle of Life Heb. 10. 38. Joh. 3. 33. 36. Rom. 4. 3. Heb. 11. 13. Heb. 4. 3. Deut. 30. â—…0 Q. What is God A. God only knoweth himself no man can so know him and live Yet he hath manifested himself unto us in his back-parts according to our manner or measure of knowing things and we need know no more than these that we may live 1 Tim. 6. â—…6 Exod. 33. 19. 23. Q. What are Gods back-parts A. They are two First His sufficiency Psal. 36. 9. Secondly His Efficiency Rom. 4. 21 Q. What is Gods sufficiency A. It is his perfect fulness of all good whereby he is all-sufficient for us in himself Psal 16. 1â—… Gen 17. 1. Q. Wherein stands and appears Gods sufficiency A. First In his Essence Psal. 68. 19. Secondly In his subsistence or persons 2 Sam. 7. 20 25. Q. What is Gods Essence A. Whereby he is that absolute first being Rev. 1. 8. Isa. 44. 6. Exod. 3. 14. Q. Can you sufficiently conceive of the Glory of this one most pure Essence by one act of Faith A. No and therefore the Lord hath manifested it unto us by divers attributes Deut. 29. 29. Exod. 34. 6 7. Q. What are Gods attributes A. That one most pure Essence diversly apprehended of us as it is diversly made known unto us 1 Joh. 4. 16. Isa. 43. 25. Q. How many kinds of attributes are there A. There are two sorts of them First Some shewing what God is Secondly Some shewing who God is Q. By what attrâ—…butes know you what God is A. By these God is a Spirit living of himself Joh. 4. 24. Joh. 5. 26. Q. By what attributes do you understand who God is A. By his Essentiall properties which shew to us First How great a God he is Psal. 77. 13. Secondly What a manner of God he is Mat. 6. 17. Q. What attributes shew how great a God he is A. First His infiniteness whereby he is without all limits of Essence 2. Chr. 2. 5 6. Secondly His Eternity whereby he is without all limits of beginning succession or end of Time Psal. 102. 25 26 27. 1 Tim. 1. 17. Q. What are those attributes which shew what a manner of God he is A. His qualities whereby he acteth with are of two sorts First His Faculties whereby he is able to act Esa. 60. 16. 63. 1. Secondly His Vertues of those Faculties whereby he is prompt and ready to act Psal. 86. 5. Q. What are his faculties A. First His Understanding whereby he understandeth together and at once all truth Heb 4. 13. Act. 15 â—…8 Secondly His Will whereby he purely willeth all good Psal. 119. 68. Q. What are the vertues of those Faculties A. First They aâ—…e Intellectuall the vertues of his understanding as Wisdom knowledge and the rest Secondly 〈◊〉 the vertue of his Wilâ—… as Love Holiness Mercy In the acting oâ—… both which consists Gods happiness Thus much have you seen of Gods sufficiency in regard of his Essence Now follows his subsistence Q. What are his subsistences or persons A. That one most pure Essence with its Relative properties Q. What are those Relative properties A. They are three First To beget Secondly To be begotten Thirdly To proceed from both Q. How many persons learn you from hence to be in God A. Three First the first is the Father the first Person in order begetting the Son Psal. 2. 7. Secondly The Son the second Person begotten of
our enemies sin Satan and death in the severall degrees of it Luke 24. 26. Phil. 2. 8 9. 1 Cor. 15. 5 7. Q. What is the first degree of Christs Exaltation A. His Resurrection the third day whereby his Soul and body by the power of the God-head were brought together again and so rose again from death appearing to his Disciples for the space of fourty days 1 Cor. 15. 4. Joh. 2. 19. Act. 1. 3. Q. What is the second degree of Christs Exaltation A. His Ascension into Heaven which was the going up of the Man-hood into the third Heaven by the power of the Godhead from Mount Olivet in the sight of his Disciples Acts 1. 11 12. Q. What is the third degree of his exaltation A. His sitting at the right hand of God whereby he being advanced to the fulnesse of all glory in both natures governeth and ruleth all things together with the Father as Lord over all for the good of his people Mark 16. 9. Psal. 110. 1. 1 Cor. 15. 25. Eph. 1. 20 21 22. 1 Pet. 3. 22. Q. What is the fourth and last degree of his exaltation A. His return to judgement which is his seconid comming into this world with great glory and Majesty to judge the quick and the dead to the confusion of all them that would not have him rule over them and to the unspeakable good of his people Mat. 19. 28. 2 Tim. 4. 1. Act. 17. 31. 2 Thes. 1. 7 8 9. Q. Thus much of Redemption the first part of his Recovery What is application A. Whereby the Spirit by the Word and Ministery thereof makes all that which Christ as Mediator hath done for the Church efficacious to the Church as her own John 16. 14. Titus 3. 5 6 7. John 10. 16. Rom. 10. 14 17. Eph. 5. 25 26. Q. What is the Church A. The number of Gods Elect Heb. 12. 23. John 17. 9 10 11. John 10. 16. Eph. 1. 22 23. Q. How doth the Spirit make application to the Church A. 1. By union of the Soul to Christ Phil. 3. 9 10. By Communion of the benefits of Christ to the Soul Q. What is this Vnion A. Whereby the Lord joyning the Soul to Christ makes it one spirit with Christ and so gives it possession of Christ and right unto all the benefits and blessings of Christ 1 Cor. 6. 17. John 17. 21. Rom. 8. 32. 1 John 5. 12. Q. How doth the Spirit make this Vnion A. Two wayes 1. By cutting off the Soul from the old Adam or the wild Olive-Tree in the work of preparation Rom. 11. 23 24. 2. By putting or ingrasting the Soul into the second Adam Christ Iesus by the work of vocation Acts 26. 18. Q. What are the Parts of the Preparation of the Soul so Christ A. They are two 1. Contrition whereby the Spirit immediately cuts off the Soul from its security in sin by making it to mourn for it and separating the Soul from it as the greatest evill Isa. 61. 1 3. Jer. 4. 3. 4. Mat. 11. 20 28. 2. Humiliation whereby the Spirit cuts the Soul off from self-confidence in any good it hath or doth Especially by making it to feel its want and unworthinesse of Christ and â—…nce submitteth to be disposed of as God pleaseth Phil. 3. 7 8. â—…ke 16. 9. Luke 15. 17 18 19. Q. Whâ—…t aâ—…e the parts of Vocation of the Soul to Christ A. 1. The Lords call and invitation of the Soul to come to Christ in the Revelation and offer of Christ and his rich Grace 2 Cor. 5. 10. 2. The receiving of Christ or the comming of the whole Soul out of it self unto Christ for Christ by vertue of thâ—…t resistable power of the Spirit in the call and this is Faith Jer. 3. 32. John 6. 44 45. John 10. 16. Esa. 55. 5. Q. Thus much of our Union What is the communion of Christs benefits unto the Soul A. Whereby the Soul possessed with Christ and right'unto him hath by the same Spirit fruition of him and all his benefits John 4. 10. 14. Q. What is the first of those benefits we do enjoy from Christ A. Justification which is the Gracious Sentence of God the Father whereby for the satisfaction of Christ apprehended by Faith and imputed to the faithfull he absolves them from the guilt and condemnation of all sins and accepts them as perfectly righteous to eternall life Rom. 3. 24 25. Rom. 4. 6 7 8. Rom. 8. 33 34. Q. What difference is there between Justification and Sanctification A. Iustification is by Christs Righteousnesse inherent in Christ onely Sanctification is by a righteousness from Christ inherent in our selves 2 Cor. 5. 21. Phil. 3. 9. 2. Iustification is perfected at once and admits of no degrees because it is by Christ his perfect righteousnes sanctification is imperfect being begun in this life Rev. 12. 1. Phi. 3. 11. Q. What is the second benefit next in order to Justification which the faithfull receive from Christ A. Reconciliation whereby a Christian justified is actually reconciled and at peace with God Rom. 5. 1. John 2. 12. and hence follows his peace with all creatures Q. What is the third benefit next unto Reconciliation A. Adoption whereby the Lord accounts the faithfull his Sons câ—…owns them with privileges of Sons and gives them the Spirit of Adoption the same spirit which is in his only begotten Son 1 John 3. 2. Rom. 8. 11. 14 15 16 17. Q. What is the fourth benefit next to Adoption A. Sancification whereby the Sons of God are renewed in the whole man unto the Image of their heavenly Father in Christ Iesus by Mortification or their dayly dying to sin by vertue of Christs death and by Vivification their dayly rising to newness of life by Christs resurrection 1 Thes. 5. 23. Eph. 4. 24. Jer. 31. 32. Rom. 6. 7 8. Q. What follows from this Mortification and Vivification A. A continuall war and combat between the renewed part assisted by Father Son and Holy Ghost and the unrenewed part assisted by Satan and this evill world Rom. 7. 21 22 23. Q. What is the fifth and last benefit next unto Sanctification A. Glorification which hath two degrees The one in this life and the other in the world to come Q. What is the first degree of Glorification in this life A. Lively expectation of Glory from the assurance and shedding abroad Gods love in our hearts working joy unspeakable Rom 5. 2 5. Titus 2. 13. Q. What is the second degree in the world to come A. Full frution of Glory whereby being made compleat and perfect in Holinesse and Happinesse we enjoy all that good eye hath not seen nor ear hath heard in our Immediate and Eternall Communion with God in Christ Heb. 12. 23. 1 Cor. 15. 23. Thus much of the first part of living to God by Faith in God Q. What is the second part viz. our Observance A. It is the duty that is to be performed to God of us through