Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A41968
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A brief summe of Christian religion, or, Of things most necessary for a Christians knowledge, practice, and comfort composed by Thomas Greaves.
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Greaves, Thomas.
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1656
(1656)
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Wing G1805; ESTC R28682
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14,893
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30
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A BRIEF SUMME OF Christian Religion OR Of things most necessary for a Christians Knowledge Practice and Comfort COMPOSED By THOMAS GREAVES a Minister of the Gospel Deut. 11. 18 19. ch. 6. 6 7. Ye shall lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul and ye shall teach them your Children speaking of them when thou sittest in thy house and when thou walkest by the way when thou liest down and when thou risest up August de trad. Symb Simplex breve plenum Ut simplicitas Audientium consulat rusticitati brevitas memoriae plenitudo doctrinae It is plain brief full that plainness may be an help to the unlearned briefness to memory fulness to the instruction of the Hearers Printed at London 1656. SEt your hearts unto all the words which I testifie among you For it is not a vain thing for you because it is your Life Deut. 32. 46 47. I pray God that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spirituall understanding That you may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitfull in every good work and encreasing in the knowledge of God Col. 1. 9 10. MAny Testimonies of Scripture for the fuller confirmation of the Doctrine here delivered are in due order annexed ought to be diligently considered Sometimes the same place though but once quoted hath reference to several parts of the same Proposition which I thought unnecessary to iterate All joyned together prove the whole proposition and every branch thereof To the Christian Reader THis short Treatise I chiefly designed for that Congregation to which as a Minister I have peculiar reference which consisting for the greatest part of plain and unlearned people plainness and brevity was purposely sought and intended by me that so being clear to their Understanding and easie for their Memory it might be the better conceiv'd and retein'd The Scriptures themselves do often Summarily express the chief points conteined in them giving us an abridgement of the Law the Gospel and Means of Salvation which Precedent I have willingly followed endeavouring to omitt nothing that is Necessary and likewise to insert nothing but what is agreeable to those holy Writings received by the Ancient and present Orthodoxe Churches I have chosen such words and expressions as are for the most part used in Gods Word and therefore of greatest significancy and weight I hope the plenty of Quotations will not be accounted a superfluity which I added the more copiously at first for my own and now for the Readers satisfaction Better that of such there should be a redundance then a defect and where they most abound I conceive there is greatest need of them as in the 14th Proposition where almost every word requires a several Testimony in this and other places the cited Texts may supply my very brief mention of such weighty Mysteries which in regard of their use and importance deserve the ampler confirmation Controverted Points I have laboured to express in temperate and amicable Terms and to present the Truth with such indifferency and moderation as might reconcile rather then exasperate disagreeing Parties To have severally expounded the Precepts of the Decalogue would have been inconsistent with the brevity here intended therefore I have added one Proposition the 25th as a general explication of all So likewise concerning the Creed and Lords Prayer I desired to mention that which might be some explanation of them yet very brief and proportionable to the rest of the summe Those Secrets of Gods unsearchable Decrees I have sparingly mentioned inculcating rather the Meanes which lead us to the best assurance and certainty here and to a blessed fruition at last of eternal salvation Concerning Ministers I was willing to add the 34th Aphorisme specially for the Peoples sake who not considering the excelloncy of that sacred Office do exceedingly offend God and gratifie their enemy the Devil some by Usurping most by Despising it undervaluing one of the highest fauours and providences of Christ towards his Church for the building whereof and perfecting the Saints as the Apostle affirmes they are peculiarly set and assigned The Doctrines and most of the Expressions also being conteined in the Scriptures I need not be solicitous to make an Apology or give a further account Gods Truth whether we receive or reject it still reteins the same authority and strength and is notwithstanding all our Opposition and Differences the perfect Rule by which we must now Judge and hereafter be judged to which in this summe I only appeal and refer both my self and the Reader I confess that what I here publish is but small yet I cannot say that my labour and study in composing it hath been such also for I think that with as little pains I might have written a large volume To make hard things plain to joyn brevity and perspicuity and comprehend much in little without detriment to the sense and matter to convey the highest things to low capacities is a matter of great Difficulty and industry the very attempt whereof I hope will be favoured though I much fail in the performance As I so others making experiment will I believe acknowledge the words and Observation of a * Person most eminent for piety and learning who with others hath encouraged me to publish this Treatise to be most certain and true that Try it when ever we please we shall finde that to lay this groundwork rightly will put us to the triall of our skill and trouble us a great deal more then if we were to discuss a Controversie or handle a subtile point in the Schools Thus He concerning the Difficulty of this Work and that which he adds concerning the Necessity also is in our careless daies to be sadly consider'd The neglecting hereof is the frustrating of the whole work of the Ministery for let us preach never so many Sermons to the people our labour is but lost as long as the Foundation is unlaid and the Principles untaught upon which all other Doctrine must be builded The Consideration hereof hath chiefly moved me to this labour and my last desire and advise to the Reader is in the words of our Saviour Take heed that you despise not little things and intended chiefly for little ones because they are such without which none can truly be Great or Eternally glorious and happy THO. GREAVES A Brief Summe of Christian Religion 1. THe sure and only way to obtain eternal life and happiness is to know God and his Son Iesus Christ and to honour and serve him as he hath appointed in his Word 2. The holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the Word and Oracles of God wherein he hath revealed his Will and Truth unto us unto which we ought most diligently to attend 3. The Scriptures principally declare unto
us 1. the Nature Majesty and Works of God 2. The Misery of all mankind by Sin 3. Our Redemption and salvation by Iesus Christ 4. The Duty of the Redeemed towards God 4. God is a Spirit eternall Almighty unchangeable most pure holy wise just gracious and mercifull infinite in all perfections and excellencies 5. There is but One true God who is distinguished by Three Persons the Father begetting the Son his only begotten and the Holy Ghost proceeding from both of one substance will and power and with equall honour to be worshipped and glorified by all 6 God hath his Being of himself and is the onely Author of all Being and Blessings unto others who created all things very good and doth sustein preserve and govern them exercising an everlasting Kingdom and Providence over all 7. God created Man upright according to his own Image in an holy and happy state to obey and glorifie his Maker 8. Adam the first man of whose nature and condition we all partake by transgression of Gods Law and Covenant fell from his first state by whose disobedience sin and death entred into the World 9. All men descending from Adam are guilty of sin which dwelleth in us the wages whereof is death and therefore cannot unless born again enter into heaven being wholly corrupt and by nature children of wrath 10. Sin is contrary to Gods nature and Law which law whosoever doth not fulfill is under a Curse and deserveth all plagues and miseries in this life Death and in the world to come everlasting Condemnation 11. Jesus Christ the second Adam the promised Seed hath in our nature perfectly obeyed Gods law and suffered punishment and death for our sinnes by whose Obedience Sufferings we are redeemed from the curse and reconciled to God according to his New and gracious Covenant made with us in Christ 12. This was Gods Covenant proceeding from meer grace and love towards man to send the MESSIAH that is Christ into the world and by him to abolish sin and death and to give unto us perfect righteousness and life everlasting 13. Christ promised under the old Testament and given in the New was ordeined of God and anointed with his Spirit to a threefold Office 1. of a Prophet to reveal the way to eternal life 2. of a Priest to make an Atonement and Intercession 3. of a King to govern his Church and enrich it with all Graces to overcome the World Sin Death and Hell the enemies thereof that so he might be a perfect IESVS and Saviour of his people 14. Jesus being true God and man in one glorious Person by his most righteous life and pretious Death and Sacrifice of himselfe hath obteined for us Remission of sinnes imputation of Righteousness Adoption to be Sons of God the Spirit of grace and Sanctification eternal Life and Glory all which benefits are promised and freely offerd unto us in the Gospell 15. Of Christ and all his benefits we are made partakers by Faith through the Operation of Gods Spirit and this is the Summe of the Gospell that whosoever believeth in him shal not perish but have eternal life with all graces and blessings appertaining unto it 16. To believe in Jesus Christ is to receive and imbrace him and his Gospel as the only doctrine which bringeth Salvation cleaving unto him with the heart and with confidence in his mercy power and truth to rely upon him for remission of Sins and eternal life and all other promised blessings 17. Every true believer receiveth Christ for his Saviour and also for his LORD embracing and applying his gracious Promises and submitting to his holy Precept yielding himselfe an obedient Servant to be governed by him and to be saved by those means and waies which he hath appointed 18. Whosoever therefore rightly believeth doth also truly Repent and Obey Gods Commandements bringing forth the fruits of righteousness and shewing his faith by good works and an holy conversation which are the wayes ordained by Christ to bring us to eternal life and salvation 19. Repentance is a Conversion or turning from error to truth from sin unto God with contrition and godly sorrow for our offences committed against him and a sincere resolution and indevour to lead a new life in constant holiness and obedience 20. Christian obedience and holiness is a Conformity of our will to the whole law and will of God and a conversation agreeable to the doctrine and example of Christ our Lord 21. Without repentance faith and holiness none shall enter into Gods Kingdome or escape his wrath and eternal damnation Wherefore we must earnestly seek labour for these necessary graces and diligently use the Meanes which Christ hath ordeined by which he communicateth these and all other graces unto us and by his Spirit effectually worketh them in us 22. The principal meanes to work Repentance Faith and Holiness in us is the Word of God and the Ministery thereof which inlightneth the Understanding and converteth the Soul teaching us all Truths necessary for us to believe and all Duties requisite and necessary for us to practice 23. The most necessary Truths points of Christian belief are briefly comprehended in the Summe called the Creed agreeable to the scriptures and doctrine of the Apostles and therefore received by the Churches of Christ which sheweth us 1. The only true God in three persons 2. The Humiliation and Exaltation of Christ 3. The Privileges of his Church and of every particular member thereof 24. The necessary Duties which God in joyneth us to practice are briefly comprehended in the Decalogue or two Tables of the Moral law shewing us