Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A13281
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The sweet milke of Christian doctrine in a plaine and naturall method, by question and answere, for their better vnderstanding, for whom it is chiefly written.
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Sym, John.
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1617
(1617)
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STC 23585; ESTC S106181
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11,515
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34
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A. A man may know that hee hath true faith Mark 9.24 first by the habite and internall act thereof by beleeuing knowing himselfe to beleeue Secondly by the inward testimonie of Gods Spirit to our spirits according to the outward testimony of his word Rom. 8.16 Thirdly by the inward sincere disposition and affection of our hearts to goodnesse and against euill Psal 139.21 22. Fourthly by the good fruites of our faith in a conscionable practise of al holy duties in the whole course of our liues Iam. 2.17 18. Q. What benefit and vse are wee to make of this sauing faith A. We are therby by beléeuing in our Sauior Iesus Christ to liue in the happy estate of regeneration in righteousnes Rom. 1.17 Gal. 3.11 Q. Which is that righteousnes wherin we are to liue by faith A. It is the righteousnesse both of iustification and sanctification Rom. 4.5 Tit. 2.12 Q. Wherein doth the righteousnesse of Iustification consist A. It doth consist in the forgiuenesse of our sins Rom. 4.7 8. 1. Cor. 1.30 Phil. 3.9 and in the imputation of Christs righteousnesse Q. Wherein doth the righteousnesse of sanctification consist A. It consisteth in the renewing of vs in all our actions dispositions faculties and powers of soule and bodie Col. 3.10 1. Thes 5.23 Rom. 8.2 sincerely in som measure by the vertue of the holy Spirit in the death and resurrection of our Sauiour Iesus Christ powerfully working in vs. Rom. 6.4 5.6 Eph. 4.22.23.24 Q. What is true repentance which is the second part of the obedience of the Gospell A. It is a true change of the whole man from all his former wicked disposition Ier. 31.19 2. Tim. 2.25 2. Cor. 7.10 Acts 2.37 1. Ioh. 1.9 Ezek. 18.27.28 Iude 23. Esay 59.2 purposes and sins with godly sorrow of heart for them confessing and forsaking them with vnreconcilable hatred of them especially for that they are offensiue to our gracious God and doe make diuision between him and vs. Q. What is our Legall obedience commanded in the Law Iā 2.8.10 Exod. 20. Psa 34.14 1. The. 2.12 A. It is the conscionable performance of all that which we are commanded by the Morall Law of God briefly comprised in the tenne Commandements the perfect rule of our sanctification wherby carefully auoiding all euil forbidden and doing all duties commanded wee manifest and retaine in faith and loue the grace and vertues of God receiued Q. Into how many tables is this Law of the ten Commandements diuided A. Into two Exod. 34.1 Q. What things doth the first Table containe A. Our duty to God in the first foure Commandements Thou shalt haue no other Gods before me Mat. 22.38 Q. What is the briefe sum of all our dutie to God A. The sum of our dutie to the Lord our God is that wee loue him with all our heart with all our soule Mat. 22.37 and with all our mind Q. What things doth the second Table containe A. It doth coutaine our duty to our neighbour in the sixe last Commandements Honour thy Father and Mother Thou shalt not kill c. Q. What is the briefe summe of our dutie to our neighbour A. That wee doe loue him as our selues Mat. 22.39 Q. After what manner should we do all these duties commanded in the Morall Law A. Wee are to labour to doe them in number Iam. 2.10 Mat. 5.48 Rom. 14.23 and euery one of them in degree of perfection of faith and loue in obedience to God and care of his glory Q. Hauing hitherto spoken of actiue obedience what is now our passiue obedience which wee are likewise to performe A. It is a patient and chéereful yéelding of our selues Rom. 5.3 Iam. 1.2 Psal 39.9 1. Pet. 2.20 Heb. 12.5 6 7.11 2. Cor. 1.8 1. Pet. 3.14 17. 2. Tim. 3.12 without discontent and murmuring to endure and make good vse of whatsoeuer afflictions it shal please God for his glory and our tryall or chastisement to lay vpon vs either immediatly by himselfe or mediatly by any other meanes how great or vniust and iniurious soeuer it may seem to vs. Q. Touching this course of our Christian obedience what dangers are we especially to take heed of A. Wee should most carefully take heed that after we that haue begun in this course we do not either againe by the deceitfulnesse of our owne hearts and temptations of sinne the diuell and the world make apostacie and fall away to sinne 2. Pet. 2.20 21 22. Ier. 17.9 2. Tim. 3.7 or els through our naturall security and sloth not grow vp and goe forwarde towardes perfection in that course of obedience and grace Q. By what meanes then may wee both stand firme and grow vp in the estate of grace and obedience A. By the conscionable and continuall vse and helpe of the word of God the Sacraments prayer and discipline Q. How are wee to vse the Word of God that we may thereby both be kept and built vp 1. Tim. 4.13 Heb. 2.11 Deut. 6.7 Psal 1.2 Iam. 1.22 Isay 66.2 2. King 22.19 He. 4.2 2. The. 2.10 A. We are duely to read it heare it confer of it and to meditate vpon it with a reuerent and conscionable regard thereof in beleeuing and embracing the same in loue and obedience Q. How do the Sacraments stay and strengthen vs in this gracious estate A. They doe it by a more sensible affectuall and particular signifying applying and sealing vp vnto vs by conuenient and fit visible and earthly elements Rom. 4.11 our Sauiour Iesus Christ with his benefits thereby represented and offered by his owne ordinance in the due administration thereof than it can bee done by the word alone Q. VVhat things doe make a Sacrament to be really a Sacrament A. The words of the institution and the consecrated elements 1. Cor. 11.23 24. conioined in the administration of a Sacrament doe make it to be indeed a Sacrament Q. Which are the substantiall parts of euery Sacrament which wee are to receiue A. They are the earthly visible elements the signes and seales and Iesus Christ with his graces signifie inuisibly and spiritually offered and sealed vp vnto vs. 1. Cor. 10.16 Q. Which be these Sacraments A. They are Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. Mat. 28.19 Mat. 26.26 Q. What is Baptisme A. It is the Sacrament of our regeneration or new-birth in the due administration therof representing offering and sealing vp vnto vs by the outward washing of water purifying the bodie the spiritual purifying of the whol man by Iesus Christ Tit. 3.5 1. Pet. 3.21 Heb. 10.22 his blood shed for vs sprinkled vpon our consciences by faith Q. What is the Supper of our Lord A. It is the Sacrament of our spirituall nourishment in the lawfull administration therof representing offering and sealing vp vnto vs by the eating and drinking of bread and wine which doth
THE Sweet Milke Of CHRISTIAN Doctrine In a plaine and naturall Method by Question and Answere for their better vnderstanding for whom it is chiefly written 1. PET. 2.2 As new borne Babes desire the sincere milke of the Word that you may grow thereby LONDON Printed by George Purslowe for Iohn Hodges 1617. To my VVelbeloued friends and Neighbours the inhabitants and people of Leigh in Essex grace mercy and peace be multiplied from God the Father through our Lord IESVS CHRIST ** AS there is not anie one thing whereof he that is in hand to build any great and magnificent building should bee more carefull then that he do lay the foundatiō therof firm and sure otherwise he shall not only lose his cost and trauell spent about it but also endanger his life in it by the vnexpected tumbling of it downe vpon his head so likewise that Christian who would so build vp and reare the great and lusty frame of the work of his saluation that hee may not in the end both lose his labour and charges and also himselfe bee crushed vnder it and vtterly perish by the dreadful fall thereof as it befell to him who built his house vpon the sand Math. 7.27 hath need to look to lay the foundation thereof certaine sure and proportionable in the vndeceiuable and steady principles grounds of Christianitie which doe virtually comprehend and sustaine the huge and weighty burden of the whole building of religion wherin he doth repose himselfe Which grounds though they ly low in the building are not therefore the more to be neglected or dispised of any but rather the more to be regarded and carefully preserued for the necessary vse and aboundant profit which thence doth arise to a sound Christian for this foundation beeing once well layd and continued it is a strong fortresse against errour and heresie for though a man be not so expert in the Scripture as to know the true and naturall meaning of all the texts thereof yet may he boidly reiect that doctrine 2. Ioh. 10 which doth not proportionably agree with the frame and analogie of faith Rom. 12.6 summarily comprised in the grounds of religion for the simple truth comming all from the same Spirit cannot bee contradictorie to it selfe Againe by the knowledge of the principles of religion a good Christian may be both an vnderstanding and iudicious Reader and hearer of the word for there is not any truth deliuered cōcerning our saluation which he may not plainly see both to arise from and agree with some of the grounds and principles of religion whereunto he may referre it for the truth is vniforme Finally a man furnished with the sound vnderstanding of these grounds 1. Pet. 3.15 2. Tim. 2.2 is able to render a good and sufficient reason of his faith and to informe and establish others in the same things not confusedly only in some good notes here and there scatteringly gathered but orderly and with iudgement in the whole frame of Christian Religion briefly compact in one intire bodie Further that these Principles of Religion should bee set downe by way of Question and Answer it is without questiō the most profitable way for the simpler sort of people the which course of catechising is both largely cōmended by the learned and straightly vrged by authority of which kind of teaching there be models and methods almost infinite which in my iudgement is not to be blamed as a vice but rather commended as a vertue when they doe all agree in the same substance of truth though differ in the manner of contriuing and handling thereof according to the variety and multiplicity of the gifts of Gods Spirit 1. Cor. 12.4 for therby a more irrefragable testimony is publikely giuen to the truth when all writings apert and after seuerall maners doe all agree in one and the same verity And whereas the disposition manners and opinions of seueral people in seueral places and ages do differ for the rectifying thereof these seuerall and differing formes and methods of teaching are wel by Gods prouidence fitted Now seeing that after that Catechifme set downe in the book of Common praier whereby children are prepared for confirmation wee are not by authority tied only to vse al any one certaine form of Catechism for the edification of them of riper yeeres therefore taking the benefit of that common liberty for the further building vp of that part of Gods Church committed to my charge I doe by the long and earnest importunity of many of you my louing friends to whō I am not onely willing cheerefully to impart my trauels 1. Thes 2.8 but euen also mine owne selfe for your good suffer this briefe and plaine draight to be wrung from me to come abroad amongst multitudes of the same nature not hereby to finde fault with or disparage any of them but that thereby with my greater ease I may the better benefit and helpe you both by catechising and preaching for when both catechising and preaching come framed out of the same mould the one orderly agreeing with the other the one doth both confirme and illustrate the other to the hearers as when the foundation and walls of a house are both of one proportion it is most strong and sightly and also the Church being by this little publike taste satisfied and contented touching the same doctrine Gal. 2.9 which you are ordinarily taught in priuate her approbation and allowance thereof may bee a strong motiue to cause you the more to regard it for my part I haue no greater ioy then that you walke in the truth 3. Ioh. 4 Take this as a fore-runner and pledge of a larger Treatise which some of you haue much expected to wit the body of practicall and case diuinity which longer time by further experience and study must first better perfect and polish In this method I haue sought to be both short and plaine for to helpe the memorie and vnderstanding of the meanest amongst vs the proofes I haue quoted with the Answeres the words whereof I pray you to search for the benefit both of your selues and families that your faith being built not vpon mans word but Gods 2. Tim. 1.12 it may remaine sure knowing whom you haue beleeued And so I pray you my good friends giue all diligence to make your calling and election sure 2. Peter 1.10 5 by adding vnto your faith vertue to vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance to temperance patience to patience godlinesse to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse to brotherly kindnesse loue and so being careful that both you and yours bee fearers of the Lord Psal 115.11 12 13 14. you may be assuredly perswaded that God will be your helpe and shield he will blesse you both great and small the Lord wil increase you more more you and your children as hee hath done your vertuous forefathers in this place who haue proued it true that Godlinesse is great