The Handmaid to Private Devotion, Part 3
PARS III.
SECT. 20. DOMIN. 20. Of the two-fold worship of God, and of faith.
THis may suffice concerning the knowledge of God, and him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ to discharge the Office of a Prophet, Priest, and King for his Church.
Q. Now how ought we to worship, and serue God?
A. Both immediately, and mediately, as before I said.
Q. How immediately?
A. Both inwardly, and outwardly.
Q. How inwardly?
A. By faith, and other diuine graces that issue of faith.
Q. What is faith?
A. An infused habit, or spirituall grace, whereby wee stédfastly belieue all things contained in holy Scriptures, and particularly apprehend, and apply vntounto our selues the promises of God in Christ, wholly relying vponupon him for our saluation.
SECT. 21. DOMN. 21. Of humility, and honouring God, and how they are the fruits of faith.
Q. What diuine vertues are the speciall issues of faith?
A. Humility, honour, reuerence, obedience, patience, louelove, feare, repentance, zeale, hope, and confidence.
Q. What is humility?
A. A diuine vertue, or grace, whereby wée wholly denie our selues, and carrie our selues lowly before God and men.
Q. What is honour?
A. A diuine grace, or vertue, whereby we admire, and aduance Gods super-excellent Maiesty, and yéeld him all glory, and praise.
Q. How doth faith beget these vertues?
A. As it apprehendeth Gods infinite perfections.
SECT. 22. DOMIN. 22. Of reuerence, obedience, and patience; and how they are the fruits of faith.
Q. What is reuerence?
A. A diuine grace, or vertue, whereby wee stand continually in awe of the diuine Maiesty, and neuer speake, or thinke of God, without a trembling astonishment.
Q. What is obedience?
A. A diuine grace, whereby we apply our selues wholly to God, and endeauour to fulfill all his Commandements.
Q. What is patience?
A. A diuine grace, or vertue, whereby we submit our selues vnderunder the mighty hand of God, and without grudging, or repining, endure whatsoeuer he layeth vponupon vsus.
Q. How doth faith beget these vertues?
A. As it fixeth the eye of the soule vponupon the omnipotent power, all-séeing wisedome, and soueraigne Maiesty of God.
SECT. 23. DOMIN. 23. Of louelove, feare, repentance, gratitude, and zeale; and how they are the fruits of faith.
Q. What is diuine louelove?
A. A spirituall grace, whereby we preferre God before all things, and set our hearts, and whole delights on him.
Q. What is filiall feare?
A. A spirituall grace, whereby we are carefull to shunne, and auoid any thing that may offend our heauenly Father.
Q. What is repentance?
A. A spirituall grace, whereby we are hartily sorry, as oft as wee offend, and earnestly desire to amend.
Q. What is gratitude to God?
A. A spirituall grace, or vertue, whereby both in word, and déed wee endeuour to expresse our thankfulnesse to God, lauding him for his benefits, and contributing to the maintenance of his seruice.
Q. What is Zeale?
A. A diuine vertue, whereby we are continually enflamed with a desire to promote Gods glory.
Q. How doth faith beget these vertues?
A. By fixing the eye of the soule, and apprehending Gods infinite bounty, and goodnesse.
SECT. 24. DOMIN. 24. Of hope, confidence, and magnanimity, and how they are the fruits of faith.
Q. What is hope?
A. A diuine, or theologicall verture, whereby wee exspect the performance of all God's promises touching our saluation.
Q. What is confidence?
A. A diuine vertue, whereby we continually depend vponupon God, and trust in him, in all difficulties and dangers.
Q. What is magnanimity, or spirituall courage?
A. A diuine vertue, or spirituall grace, whereby wee valiantly attempt, and atchieue matters of greatest difficulty, in Gods cause, and for the maintenance, and aduancing of Religion.
Q. How doth faith produce these diuine vertues?
A. As it apprehendeth Gods Truth, and faithfulnesse in his promises, and applyeth them to vsus in particular.
SECT. 25. DOMIN. 25. Of the outward worship of God in generall.
Q. Thus much of the inward worship: How ought wee to worship God outwardly?
A. By hearing the Word; receiuing the Sacraments, Prayer, profession of our faith, keeping his Sabboth, and the religious vse of oathes, and vowes.
SECT. 26. DOMIN. 26. Of Keeping the Sabboth.
Q. How worship we God in keeping the Sabboth?
A. By sequestring it from our accustomed businesse, and dedicating it to the immediate worship of God, and his peculiar seruice.
SECT. 27. DOMIN. 27. Of hearing the Word.
Q. How ought wee to worship God by hearing the Word?
A. By repairing frequently to the Church; there reuerently, attending to the Word read, or preached, seriously meditating vponupon it, and endeauouring to practise it in our liues and conuersations.
SECT. 28. DOMIN. 28. Of Prayer, and the parts thereof.
Q. How ought wee to worship God by Prayer?
A. By calling vponupon the Name of God through Christ, out of a true sence, and féeling of our wants and infirmities; and a liuely faith in his promises feruently, and constantly, both publkely, and priuately, for such things as are agréeable to his holy will.
Q. What are the parts of Prayer?
A. First, an humble confession of our sinnes.
Secondly, a hearty thanks-giuing to God for his benefits.
Thirdly, a feruent desire, and asking such things as we néede.
SECT. 29. DOMIN. 29. Of receiuing the Sacrament, and necessary preparation thereunto.
Q. How are we to worship God by receiuing the Sacraments?
A. By
Preparation, before wee receiue.
Reuerent intention in the receiuing.
Thanksgiuing after it.
Q. How ought wee to prepare our selues before wee come to the Communion?
A. By speciall
Prayer.
Examination.
Q. What speciall Prayer is requisite?
A. A Prayer to God, to assist vsus in this holy exercise, and make vsus worthy receiuers; and to conferre on vsus those graces that are promised to all that communicate worthily: And lastly, to giuegive vsus a sence and féeling of them in our selues.
Q. Wherein standeth our speciall examination?
A. In foure points principally.
First, whether wée hauehave a true sence, and remorse of conscience for our sinnes past; and a vehement desire, and constant purpose of amendment; whence ariseth a hungring, and thirsting for grace.
Secondly, whether wée hauehave a competent measure of knowledge in the grounds of Christian religion in generall, and in particular of the Sacraments.
Thirdly, whether wee hauehave a particular affiance in Christ, and grounded perswasion of our saluation by his death and passion.
Fourthly, whether our hearts are frée from malice, and hatred; and whether wee beare true, and sincere affection to all Christ's members.
SECT. 30. DOMIN. 30. Of Oathes, Vowes, and profession of our faith.
Q. How ought wee to worship God by Oathes, Vowes, and profession of our faith?
A.
1. By swearing by God
In truth, not falsly.
In Iudgement, not rashly, nor vponupon any slight occasiō.
In iustice, not maliciously, to a wicked end.
2. By making holy vowes vntounto God, and religiously performing them.
3. By publikely testifying the truth of the holy Gospell, and sealing it with our blood, if it be required of vsus.