The Christians Alphabet, Part 2 · Section 17
R Of the meanes of encreasing faith and all other graces.
Q. Rehearse the Letter R.
A. REmember that saith, and so all other graces are increased and confirmed by the hearing of the word of God preached, as also by reading, meditation, conference, practise, prayer, and Sacraments.
For as God requireth of eueryevery Christian a daily increase of grace, so he hath appointed these meanes to that end.
Q▪ Proue in generall, that saith and all other graces are increased and confirmed by these meanes?
Faith and all other graces how increased.A. So much may be gathered in generall by the words of the E…angelist, Act. 2.41.42. where speaking of those that were conuerted to the faith, he saith, Then they that gladly receiued his word, were baptized, and they continued in the Apostles doctrine, and fellowship, and breaking of bread and prayers; noting thereby how being conuerted, they did continue, and were increased and confirmed in the state of grace by those meanes.
Q. More particularly proue that Preaching is a meanes to increase and confirme grace?
Particularly, 1 By preaching.A. It is manifest, in that the Apostle Peter speaking of the word preached, saith, 1 Pet. 2.2. As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word of GOD, that yee may grow thereby; and Act. 14.21.2…. it is said, that Paul and Barnabas returned, &c. confirming the Disciples hearts, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and 1 Cor. 14.3. Hee that prophecieth (that is, preacheth and expoundeth the word) speaketh vntounto me…, …o edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
Q. Proue that reading is a meanes to increase and confirme faith, and all other graces?
A. Therefore it is, 2By Reading.that in 1 Tim. 4.13. Paul exhorteth Timothie to giuegive attendance to reading, as well as to exhortation and to doctrine, and 2 Tim. 3.15. commendeth him, that hee had knowne the holy Scriptures of a childe, which are able to make him wise vntounto saluation, and Rom. 15.4. he saith, that whatsoeuer things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might hauehave hope.
Q. Proue that meditation is a meanes to increase and confirme in vsus the sauing graces of God.
3By meditation.A. It is euident in the example of Dauid, Psal. 119.97. O how louelove I thy law! It is my meditation all the day. And to shew what increase and confirmation of heauenly grace he receiued by this his religious exercise of meditation; he addeth immediately, verse 98. That it made him wiser then his enemies, verse 99. That hee had more vnderstanding then all his teachers, And verse 100. That hee did vnderstand more then the ancients.
Q. Proue that conference is a meanes to increase and confirme grace?
4By conference.A. Thus the godly, meeting together, strengthened one another, Mal. 3.16. where it is said, that, Then they that feared the Lord, spake often one to another, and the Lord harkened and heard it, and a Book of remembrance was written before him, for them that feared the Lord, and that thought vponupon his Name. To this end are those frequent exhortations in Scripture, as in 1 Thes. 5.11. Comfort your selues together, and edifie one another, euen as also you doe. And Heb. 3.13.Heb. 10.23 24.25. Exhort one another daily, while it is called To day, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne.
Q. Proue that practise is a meanes to increase and confirme grace?
A. Therefore it is that Dauid saith, 5By practise.Psal. 119.100. I vnderstand more then the ancients, because I kept thy precepts: hereupon our Sauiour affirmeth, Ioh. 7.17. That if any man will doe his will, hee shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or no. Now we know, that to be able to discerne of doctrine, is a note of great increase and strength of grace. Nay our Sauiour placeth the happinesse of knowledge in practise; see Ioh. 13.17. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye doe them.
Q. Proue that praier is a meanes to increase faith and all other graces?
6By prayer.A. Prayer is the Conduit pipe to conuey Gods graces vntounto us, therefore Luk. 17.5. The Apostles said vntounto the Lord, Increase our faith; and Dauid prayeth, Psal. 119.18. Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. And Paul, Col. 1.9. Ceased not to pray to God for them, that they might be fulfilled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding, and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might, &c.
Q. Proue that the Sacr…ment are meanes to increase and confirme grace?
A. It is manifest in that they are called signes to signifie, 7By Sacraments,and seales to confirme: as circumcision is called, Rom. 4.11. the signe of circumcision, and the seale of the righteousnesse of faith. And 1 Pet. 3.21. Baptisme is called the figure that now saueth vsus, because it signifieth, and sealeth or confirmeth our saluation by Christ.
Q. Proue that God require…h of eueryevery Christian a daily encrease of grace?
A. It is written, God requires encrease.2 Pet. 3.18. Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. And Heb. 5.12. They are reproued, that when as concerning the time, they ought to be teachers, yet they had neede againe to bee taught the first principles of the word of God. And Chap. 6.1. they are exhorted to goe on vntounto perfection.
Q. Proue that God hath appointed these meanes to that end: and first the preaching of the word?
Meanes to that end appointed 1. Preaching.A. It is euident that the ministery of the word was therefore ordained, Ephes. 4.12. For the perfecting of the Saints, for the worke of the ministery, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till wee all come into the vnity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God, vntounto a perfect man, vntounto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ: That wee henceforth, bee no more children, wauering and carried about with eueryevery wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftinesse, whereby they lie in wait to deceiue: But following the truth in louelove, in all things grow vp into him, which is the head, euen Christ.
Q. Proue that God hath appointed reading to that end: and first publique reading?
A. God so commanded, 2ReadingDeut. 31 11.1Publique. When all Isra…l come to appeare before the Lord thy God, in the place which hee shall choose, thou shalt read this Law before all Israel, in their hearing. And verse 12. Gather the people together, men, women, and children, and the stranger that is within thy gates, that they may heare, and that they may learne, and feare the Lord your God, and obserue to doe all the words of this Law.
Q. Proue that God appointed reading priuately in the family?
A. It is written, 2Priuate.Deut. 6.6.7. These words which I command thee this day, shall bee in thine heart, and thou shalt rehearse them continually vntounto thy children, and shalt talke of them, when thou tarriest in thy house, and as thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest downe, and when thou risest vp.
Q. Proue that God appointed reading solitarily, eueryevery one by himselfe, first in the old Testament?
3Soli…arily.A. It is manifest, Deut. 17.19. in that euen the King himselfe is commanded to read in the Law of God all the dayes of his life, 1In the old Testament.that hee may learne to feare the Lord his God, and to keepe all the words of this Law. And to Ioshuah, the like charge is giuen, Iosh. 1.8. This booke of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day & night, that thou mayst obserue to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt hauehave good successe.
Q. Proue that God appointed reading solitarily eueryevery one by himselfe, in the new Testament?
A. It is the expresse c…mmandement of Christ, 2In the new Testament.Iohn 5.39. Se…rch the Scriptures, for in them yee thinke to hauehave eternall life, and they are they which testifie of me▪ And Col. 3.16. Let the word of God dwell in you richly, in all wisdome, teaching and admonishing one another, &c. And Acts 17.11. The Bereans are commended, in that they receiued the word with all readinesse of minde, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so. And of the booke of the Reuelation, which is the hardest to be vnderstood of all the rest, it is said, Reu. 1.3. Blessed is hee that readeth, and they that heare the words of this prophesie, and keepe those things which are written therein.
Q. Proue that God appointed meditation to that end?
A. It is euident in that charge 3Meditation.before mentioned, which the Lord gaue vntounto Ioshuah, namely, that hee should meditate in the booke of the Law day and night, Ios. 1.8. And it is prop…u…ded, as the way to happinesse, Psal. 1. Blessed is the man that hath not walked in the counsell of the vngodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornefull, but his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in his law doth hee meditate day and night.
Q. Proue that conference was appointed to that end?
4Conference.A. Therefore it is, that they are commanded, Deut 6.7. To talke of the word of God, in the house, in the way, lying down, and rising vp; and therefore the Apostle hauing said, Heb. 10.23. Let vsus keepe the profession of our hope without wauering, addeth immediately the meanes appointed of God to that end, verse 24.25. And let vsus consider one another▪ to prouoke vntounto louelove, and to good works, not forsaking the assembling of our selues together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another.
Q. Proue that practise is appointed to that end?
A. Therefore our Sauiour requireth the condition of practise, 5Practiseof eueryevery man that will be able to iudge of truth and error, and to withstand seducers, see Ioh. 7.17. and the Apostle directeth, Heb. 5.14. that through long custome (which standeth in experience and practise) men hauehave their wits exercised, to discerne both good and …uill, and the Lord himselfe saith, Psal. 50.23. To him that ordereth hi… conuersation aright, will I shew the saluation of God.
Q. Proue that God appointed prayer to that end?
A. It is included in the generall 6Prayer.promise, Math. 7.7. Aske, and it shall be giuen you, and verse 8, for whosoeuer asketh, receiueth. Againe, …ro. 2.3 4.5. If thou criest after knowledge, and liftest vp thy voyce for vnderstanding: Then shalt thou vnderstand the feare of the Lord, and finde the knowledge of God.
Q. Proue that God appointed Sacraments to that end?
7Sacraments.A. That Sacraments were ordained for our confirmation, see Gen▪ 17.10. concerning circumcision, which is therefore called the Couenant, because it did signe, seale and confirme the couenant, as the Apostle noteth, Rom. 4.11. The like is said of the Passeouer, Exod. 13.9. So vntounto vsus Christians. Baptisme was to that end ord…ined, Math. 28.19. and the Lords Supper, Luk 22.19.