Brief Sum of Saving Knowledge, Catechism – Conclusion
A SHORT AND BRIEFE SVMME Of ſaving Knowledge; Conſiſting of the Creed, ten Commandements, Lords Prayer, and the Sacraments. And is made as a profitable Introduction to the larger Art of Divinitie, compoſed by the methodicall Tables of A. R. and publiſhed by I. Y.
1 PETER 2.2.
As new borne babes deſire the ſincere milke of the Word, that yee may grow thereby.
Not as babes ever ſucking, never batling.
LONDON, Printed by I. D. for Fulke Clifton, and are to be ſold vnderunder St Margrets Church on Fiſh-ſtreete hill. 1621.
¶ To the Religious Student of the Art of Well-liuing.
THou mayeſt (Chriſtian Reader) after thou haſt ſtudied, and well pervſed this ſhort Summe of Religion, purchaſe to thy ſelfe (if thy purſe and paines will ſuffer thee) the learned Theologie and Divinitie of that worthy man of God Mr Alexander Richardſonne. This may be for preparation, that will bee for further perfection. Heb. 6.1. Leaving the beginning of Chriſt, let vsus goe on to perfection. It is a ſhame ever to be vnderunder the ſpoone, and never to vſe the knife. Ever learning, and never to come to the knowledge of the Truth. 2. Tim. 3.7. Yet ſoft and ſure is the beſt pace. Leap-Chriſtians (like horſecourſers Iades) gallop into profeſſion, and then ſhamefully tyre and giuegive in. It lames a weake Childe to vſe limmes too ſoone, and over-much forwardnes argues no perpetuitie. Learne we then firſt to goe eaſily, and afterwards to runne with ſpeed the wayes of Gods Commandements.
The Catechiſme defined, and diſtributed.
CHAPTER I. Of Faith in God.
Queſtion.
WHat inducements to Religion are prefixed before your Catechiſme?
Anſwere.
Foure, firſt, the giuing vp of my name to God in Baptiſme, and that in the dreadfull name of Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt. Secondly, that being not able to giuegive it vp my ſelfe, it was done by others, according to the auncient cuſtome of the Church, ever conioyning Baptiſme and Confeſſion together, Math. 3.6. Aug. Epiſt. 24. Papiſts would hauehave it to contract ſpirituall kindred, but ſurely it maketh honeſt louelove amongſt neighbours. Thirdly, They that gaue it vp for me, did promiſe in my name that I ſhould liue according to Religion. Fourthly, I beleeue in conſcience that I am bound to performe what they hauehave promiſed. Thus becauſe I am Gods, and bound to him by ſureties, vowes, promiſes, and Conſcience it ſelfe, It is my dutie being nowe come to yeeres of diſcretion, to learne to beleeue in him, and obey him.
Q. What then is Religion?
A. It is the acknowledgement of the truth which is after godlineſſe, Tit. 1.1.
Q. What are the parts?
A. Faith and Workes; the ſumme of the one is contained in the Creed: of the other in the ten Commandements, Lords prayer, and the Sacraments. Tit. 3.8.
Q. What is Faith?
A. A confidence in God, grounded vponupon knowledge, Ioh. 16.30. Wee know and by this beleeue.
Q. How is Faith grounded vponupon knowledge?
A. In regard of God and his Church: the maker of the Couenant, and the people with whom it is made. Ier. 31.33.
Q. How in reſpect of God?
A. As we beleeue in one God, and three perſons for our happineſſe, Ioh. 14.1.
Q. How in one God?
A. In reſpect of nature, eſſence, and being. Deut. 4.35.
Q. How in three perſons?
A. Three in regard of divine revelation, or reall reſpects in that one moſt pure eſſence Mat. 28.19.
Q. What is the eſſence?
A. That whereby God is of himſelfe, the moſt abſolute and firſt being, Iſa. 41.4.
Q. What is a perſon?
A. That one pure pure God with the relation of a Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt, 1. Ioh. 5.7.
Q. Doth the relation adde any thing to the eſſence?
A. Nothing but reſpect or relation, as Abraham the Father of the faithfull hath the ſame nature as he is a Father and as he is a man.
Q. What is the Relation?
A. It is either to ſend or be ſent, and both theſe are done either by nature, or counſell. Ioh. 15.26. the ſpirit proceedeth from the father and ſonne by nature, and is ſent to vsus by counſell.
Q. Is there no other relation?
A. Yes, either to beget or be begotten, and the father begets his onelyonly ſonne by nature, and the reſt of his children by counſell. Heb. 1.3. Iam. 1.18. A man hauing the relation of a father is ſaid to beget children by nature or counſell, as adopted children are freely begotten, not of the bodie but the will. Iam. 1.18. Of his owne will begat he vsus, not ſo his onelyonly ſonne, who is as naturall to his Father, as burning to the fire, and as Iſaac to Abraham.
Q. What then is the firſt perſon?
A. God the father, who by nature begets his ſonne, & by his counſell creats the world. Heb. 1.2.5.
Q. What is the propertie of the Father?
A. To beget, and not to be begotten. Ioh. 3.16.
Q. What is his manner of ſubſiſting?
A. To be the firſt perſon; for the begetter is before the begotten, and yet being Relatiues they are together in nature, for no man is a father before he hauehave a ſonne, though in order the father be firſt.
Q. What is the fathers worke?
A. Creation; for, I beleeue in him as maker of heauen and earth: and the reaſon is becauſe he is the firſt perſon, to whom the firſt worke belongs.
Q. What is Creation?
A. A worke of the Father, who of himſelfe by his ſonne and ſpirit, makes the world of nothing exceeding Good. Gen. 1.31. Heb. 1.3.
Q. What is giuen to the Father in reſpect of Creation?
A. Almightie power; for the Father in himſelfe is pure act, which act is power as it may be felt of his creatures, which are in power to be.
Q. What is omnipotencie?
A. It is that whereby the Father is able to doe all that he doth, and more then hée doth, if it contradict not his owne nature or the nature of things.
Q. How is Creation devided?
A. Into heauen and earth. Gen. 1.1.
Q. What meane you by heauen?
A. The third heauen, with the Angels, both which were made perfect in the very firſt beginning of time. Gen. 1.1.
Q. What meane you by earth?
A. All that matter which was cloſed and compaſſed about with the third heauen, and was made at the ſame inſtant with it to prohibite and keepe out vacuitie, or emptineſſe, and fill vp the whole compaſſe of it, otherwiſe the parts of themſelues would hauehave fallen together to hauehave kept out that enemy of nature. Gen. 1.1.
Q. Are wee to vnderſtand no more by earth then that firſt matter?
A. Yes, wee are to vnderſtand the forming of it into the foure elements, fire, ayre, water, and earth; as likewiſe the filling of if and them with inhabitants, beth aboue and below: as alſo the providence of the Father in preſeruing & gouerning of them all to their ends and vſee: for the Father carries the worke according to his proper manner of working, vntill wée come to Redemption, and there the ſonne takes it vponupon him in a peculiar manner.
Q. What is the ſecond perſon?
A. The ſonne, who is begotten of the Father by nature, and by counſell, redeemes mankind.
Q. What is the relatiue propertie of the ſonne?
A. To be begotten. Heb. 1.5.
Q. What is his manner of ſubſiſting?
A. To be the ſecond perſon in order, not in nature, for the begotten in relation is naturally as ſoone as the begetter.
Q. What is his worke?
A. Redemption. Epheſ 1.7.
Q. What is Redemption?
A. It is a ſatisfaction made to the Iuſtice of God the Father for Man by a Redéemer.
Q. Who is the Redeemer?
A. Ieſus Chriſt, his onelyonly ſonne our Lord.
Q. Why call you him Ieſus?
A. Becauſe he is a Saviour of his people from their ſianes. Math. 1.21.
Q. Why Chriſt?
A. In regard of his offices, as he is anointed our King, Prieſt, and Prophet. Pſal. 45.7. Luke 4.18. Act. 4.27. and 10.38.
Q. Why his onelyonly Sonne?
A. Becauſe the Father can hauehave no more ſonnes by nature but one
Q. Why our Lord?
A. By the right of Redemption. Rom. 14, 9.
Q. How is our Redemption wrought?
A. By the humiliation and exaltation of the Sonne of God. Luke 24.26.
Q. What be the ſeuerall degrees of his humiliation?
A. Seven, there be ſome others left out of the Créed; but theſe expreſſed are the principall.
Q. What are they?
A. 1. His conception, 2. his nativitie, 3. his paſſion vnderunder Pilate, 4. his crucifying, 5. his dying, 6. his buriall, 7. his deſcent into hell.
Q. What are meant by all theſe?
A. That Chriſt muſt not onelyonly ſatisfie in generall, but that he muſt paſſe through the degrees of our ſorrowes, and beare our afflictions. Iſa. 53.4.5.
Q. What be the ſeuerall degrees of his exaltation?
A. Foure, which are his Reſurrection, Aſcenſion, Sitting at Gods right hand, and returne to Iudgement. As in his humiliation he tooke our receits, and taſted the bitter potion for vsus, ſo all phyſicke being ended of that kinde, hee giues vsus his receits of Redemption, Ephe. 1.7. Iuſtification. Rom. 3.24. Reconciliation. Coloſ. 1.20. Sanctification. 1. Pet. 1.2. Entrance into glory. Heb. 10.19. theſe are Cordials for vsus, and for him after all his penall receits.
Q. What is the third perſon?
A. The holy Spirit. who by nature proceedeth from the Father, and the Sonne, and by counſell applyeth Chriſt to the Church and eueryevery member thereof, the Father being the firſt perſon elects, the Sonne redeemes, and the Spirit ſanctifies. Ioh. 14.26. and 15.26. Rom. 8.16. 1. Cor. 2.12. Iohn 3.5. 2. Cor. 1.21. Rom. 8.23.
Q. What is his Relatiue propertie?
A. To Proceede. Ʋnderſtanding begets an Image of it ſelfe, and loues it, and ſo from the beſt vnderſtanding to the beſt obiect of it, proceedes a mutuall louelove. The begetter loues the begotten, and the begotten loues the begetter, and their louelove is equall to themſelues, and proceedes from them both, and to vsus. The will of the Father, by the wiſedome of his Sonne, and power of his good Spirit is ſayd to doe all.
Q. What is his manner of ſubſiſting?
A. To be the third perſon in order, for proceeding from two, hee muſt needes bee the third, and yet in nature as ſoone as either of them; for the louers and the loued, are Relatiues, and therefore together in nature.
Q. What is his worke?
A. Application, or Sanctification. Ephe. 5.26.27. The Sonne hauing prepared the remedy, leaues it to be applyed by the Spirit, Iohn 16.7.
CHAP. II. Of the faith of the Church.
Hitherto of Faith in God.
Q. What is the faith of the Church?
A. Whereby beleeuing in God, we alſo beleeue, that wee are of the Church, and made partakers of all good things promiſed vntounto it.
Q. What is the Church?
A. The number of all thoſe that are applyed to Chriſt by the ſpirit: New as this Vnion is made by Faith, it is called the militant Church, as by viſion, the triumphant.
Q. Why is it called holy?
A. Becauſe it is an holy Societie of Saints in regard of the Spirits worke. 1. Pet. 2.9. Reu. 11.2. and 21.29.
Q. Why Catholicke?
A. Becauſe it is vniuerſall in reſpect of all times, perſons, and places, a familie both in heauen and earth. Math. 26.13. Epheſ. 3.15. 1. Iohn 2.1. Reue. 7.9.
Q. What are the benefits God beſtoweth vponupon it?
A. Two in this life, as the communion of Saints, and remiſſion of ſinnes: and two in the life to come, as the reſurrection of the body, and life euerlaſting, Lam. 3.23. Pſal. 68.19. Col. 1.5. and 3.3.4. 1. Iohn 3.2.
Q. What is the communion of Saints?
A. It is our communicating with God, and the godly both in grace and glory, or that fellowſhip that wee hauehave with Chriſt our head, and all his members. Pſal. 16.5. and 73.26. Iſay 55.1. Act. 4.32. Gal. 6.10. Epheſ. 4.3.4.5.6. Heb. 10.24. Phil. 2.1.2. 1. Cor. 10.16. Reue. 3.18. and 6.20.
Q. What is remiſſion of Sinne?
A. It is a worke of mercy, whereby the Father being offended, and reconciled by his Sonne, doth witneſſe to our conſciences by his holy Spirit, that all our ſinnes are diſcharged, and that wee are graciouſly receiued againe into his fauour. Iob 33.27.28. 1. King 8.47. Hoſ. 14.2. Iſa. 33.24. and 62.11. God in forgiuing our ſinnes doth both couer and cure them. 1. Iohn 1.9.
Q. What is the reſurrection of the body?
A. It is a ſtanding vp from the dead, by the power of Chriſts reſurrection, whereby our corruptible bodies are made incorruptible, and filled with all glory and erceliency Iob 19.25.26. Iohn 5.28. Act. 3.19. 1. Cor. 15.42.43. 2. Cor. 5.1. Heb. 11.35.
Q. What meane you by life Euerlaſting?
A. That moſt bleſſed and happy eſtate in which all the Elect of God ſhall reigne with Chriſt their head in the thirde heauen, after this life, and after the day of iudgement, and that both in body and ſoule for euer and euer. Pſal 16.11. Iſa. 64.4. Iohn 17.20.21. 1. Cor. 2.9. and 13.12 and 15.28. 2 Cor. 12.4. Phil. 3.21. Reue. 21.22. and 22.2.
CHAP. III. Of good workes.
Q. Hitherto of faith, what are the workes of Faith?
A. That ready act of Faith to doe as we are bidden. Rom. 6.16.1. Sam. 12.25. Iam. 2.14 17. Iohn 14.15.1. Theſſ. 1.3. Tit. 3.1.8.
Q. How are theſe workes deuided?
A. They are either our walking with God, or conferring with him, or receiuing from him. 2. Cor. 7.1. Phil. 1.6. 2. Theſſ. 1.11. heb. 6.17.18. Faith bids the cleanſed, goe away and ſinne no more, but walke after the Spirit, it prouokes to prayer, and giues vsus full confirmation of Gods louelove.
Q. What is our walking with God?
A. It is our due obſeruation of his lawes in all our wayes. Pſal. 119.6.
Q. What is the law of God?
A. The rule that God hath preſcribed vsus, for the holy performance of all our actions. Iſa. 8.20. Rom. 2.15. and 7.7.
Q. How is the law diſtributed?
A. It is either concerning the worſhip of God, or louelove of our neighbour. Marke 12.29.30.31.
Q. What is the firſt Commandement, concerning the worſhip of God?
A. Thou ſhalt hauehave no other Gods before my face. Gen. 39.9. Iob 31.23.24. Pſal. I 12.1. Pro. 3.5. Iſay 8.13. and 51.12. Haback. 1.16. Luke 12.45. Phil. 3.19. Coloſ. 3.5.
Q. What is the ſumme of this precept?
A. The hauing of the true God, and him alone, and … with the whole man, in the beſt of all ….
Q. What is the ſecond Commaundement?
A. … not make to thy ſelfe any grauen Image, &c. Exod. 20.4.5.6. Pſal, 44.21. and 10… 35.39. Deut. 4.12. Iſay 42.2. Hoſ. 14.8. Hab. 2.18. Math, 15.9.1. Iohn. 5.21.
Q. What is the Summe heereof?
A. That wee worſhip God with his owne worſhip, and not our owne deuiſes.
Q. What is the third Commandement?
A. Thou ſhalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine, &c. Deut. 38.58. Pſal. 5.16.17. Dan. 4.34. Math. 6.9. Rom. 11.33. 1. Tim. 6.1.
Q. What is the ſumme thereof?
A. Due reuerence to be ſhewed in the worſhip of God.
Q. What is the fourth Commandement?
A. Remember thou keepe holy the Sabboth day, &c. Neh. 13.15. to 22. Exod. 20.8.9.10.11. Iſa. 58.13. Ier. 17.27. Rev. 1.10.
Q. What is the ſumme of this law?
A. All diligence in publique Prayer to God, and in learning the will of God, eſpecially vponupon his owne day.
CHAPTER IIII. Of Charitie.
Hitherto of holineſſe in the firſt Table.
Q. What is that iuſtice that we owe to our neighbour?
A. That wee doe to him, as wee would hee ſhould doe to vsus. Mark. 12.31.
Q. What is the firſt Commandement of this Table?
A. Honour thy father and mother, &c. Exod. 20.12.
Q. What is the ſumme thereof?
A. Due reſpect to our ſuperiours, inferours, and equalls, to honour all according to their place and degree.
Q. What is the ſecond precept?
A. Thou ſhalt not kill. Exod. 20.13.
Q. What is the ſumme of it?
A. Preſervation of life, as farre as may ſtand with the good of the Church, and Common wealth.
Q. What is the third Commandement?
A. Thou ſhalt not commit adulterie. Exod. 20.14.
Q. What is the ſumme of it?
A. Chaſtitie, both inward and outward, in affection and action.
Q. What is the fourth Commandement?
A. Thou ſhalt not ſteale. Exod. 20.15.
Q. What is the ſumme of it?
A. Iuſtice and equitie, a vertue that readily giues eueryevery man his owne.
Q. What is the fift Commandement?
A. Thou ſhalt not beare falſe witneſſe, &c. Exod. 20.16.
Q. What is the ſumme thereof?
A. Truth, and our teſtimony thereunto as often as it ſhall lawfully bee required.
Q. What is the ſixt Commandement?
A. Thou ſhalt not couet, Exod. 20.17.
Q. What is the ſumme thereof?
A. Contentment, and reſiſtance againſt all concupiſcence.
CHAPTER V. Of Prayer.
Hitherto of the Law.
Q. What is Prayer.
A. It is a moving of God the Father in the name of his Sonne, by the power of his ſpirit, with things agreeable to his will. Rom. 8.27. Ioh. 16.33.
Q. Where is the ſumme of this contained?
A. In the Lords Prayer.
Q. How is that devided?
A. Into a preface, the petitions, and the concluſion.
Q. What is the Preface?
A. It is the preparation of the heart in comming to God; for as wee are to come with boldneſſe, ſo muſt wee alſo come with reverence of his Maieſtie that filleth the heauens, Pſal. 26.6. and 115.3. Eccl. 5.1. Iſa. 66.1. Luk. 15.18.
Q. What are the words?
A. Our father which art in heaven.
Q. How are the petitions devided?
A. They either concerne God, or our ſelues.
Q. How many concerne God?
A. Three.
Q. How are they devided?
A. They either concerne his Glory, or the meanes of it.
Q. Which is the petition concerning his Glory?
A. Hallowed be thy name, Where wée deſire, that God in his nature, attributes, word, and workes, may be ſanctified by vsus, Lev. 10.3. Ezek. 38.23. Act. 12.23.
Q. What are the petitions concerning the meanes of his Glory?
A. Two. The comming of his kingdome, and the doing of his will.
Q. What is meant by thy Kingdome come?
A. That the kingdome of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, both by the inward working of his Spirit, and alſo by the outward meanes, may be enlarged daily, vntill it be perfected at the comming of Chriſt to Iudgement. Pſal. 122.6. Iſa. 62.7. Rom. 14.17. 2 Theſ. 3.1. 2 Tim. 4.8. Rev. 22.20.
Q. What is meant by the doing of Gods will vponupon earth, as it is done in heauen.
A. That all obedience be giuen to God in the moſt holy and heauenly manner, Pſal. 86 …1. and 119.36. Mal. 1.6. Act. 24.16. Rom. 8.29. 1 Theſ. 4.3. And for wants eract performance daily prayer for parden, with a complaining of our wants. Pſal. 143.2. Rom. 7.18.
CHAPTER VI. Of requeſts for our ſelues.
Hitherto of bleſſings concerning our ſanctification of Gods name, comming of his kingdome, and performance of his will.
Q. What bleſſings concerne our ſelues?
A. Either ſuch as concerne this life, or … better; the bodie, or the ſoule.
Q. What is the petition for this life?
A. The giuing of vsus our daily bread, that is, that God would prouide for vsus all things conuenient for this life, walking faithfully in our vocatiōs, and in all things ſubmitting to his heauenly will, and good pleaſure. Pſal. 37.5. Prov. 10.22. and 16.3. and 30.8. Hag. 1.6. 1. Tim. 6.8.
Q. What are the petitions for a better life?
A. In regard of the preſent, forgiueneſſe of ſinne, and for future deliuerance out of all temptations that may any wayes draw vsus to ſinne.
Q. What meane you by the firſt?
A. That all our ſinnes may be forgiuen, and neuer laid to our charge, either to condenine vsus here, or to confound vsus hereafter, and that moſt freely in Ieſus Chriſt, and as we heartily forgiue them that hauehave offended vsus, wherewith goeth an humble confeſſion of them to God, Pſal. 40.12. Luke 11.4. 1 Ioh. 1.9. Confeſſion and deprecation muſt goe together.
Q. What meane you by the ſecond?
A. The not leading or leauing of vsus in temptation, but his moſt gracious and mercifull deliuerance of vsus out of them all; and in this requeſt, we either lament our eſtate to God, or complaine of the wicked who moleſt vsus. Deut. 8.2. and 13.3. 2 Chron. 32.31. Pſal. 13.2. and 55.2.3.
Hitherto of Petition.
Q. What is thankeſgiuing?
A. A gratefull acknowledgment of all the benefits of God, and aſcribing vntounto him domiuion, power, and glory, for euer and euer, Amen. And this is the ſweet concluding of all our Prayers. 1 Chron. 29.11. Pſal. 29.2.9. 2 Cor. 1.20. Phil. 4.6.
CHAPTER VII. Of Sacraments.
Q. Now wee come to the celebrating of a Sacrament, what then is it?
A. It is a Seale of righteouſneſſe by faith. Rom. 4.11.
Q. What are the kinds?
A. Two, Baptiſme, and the Lords Supper. Mat. 26.26. and 28.19. Gen. 17.11.12. Rom. 4.11. 1 Cor. 10.1.2 3.4
Q. What is Baptiſme?
A. A Sacrament of our entrance into Chriſtianitie, or of our ingrafling into Chriſt. Act. 8.12.38.
Q. What is the outward ſigne?
A. Water, with the ſprinkling of it in the Name of the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghoſt.
Q. What is ſignified by it?
A. The waſhing away of our ſinnes and preſenting of vsus holy to God the Father.
Q. What is the Lords Supper?
A. A Sacrament of our continuance in Chriſtianitie, or our dayly growing vp with Chriſt, 1. Cor. 11.23.
This memorable Banquet, proportioned in the outward Elements and inward Graces.
Q. How doe the outwarde Elementes teach the outward man?
A. Either in themſelues or their vſes.
Q. How in themſelues?
A. Both for ſubstance and qualitic,
Q. How for ſubſtance?
A. As the bread is the ſtaffe of life and as the wine glads the heart of man.
Q. How in their qualities?
A. As they are common and ſenſible, ſenſible, to the eyes and eare, feeling, ſmelling, taſting.
Q. How in their vſe?
A. Either as they are handled by the miniſter, or by the receiuers.
Q. How by the Miniſter?
A. Firſt, in ſetting them apart. Secondly, in bleſſing of them. Thirdly, in breaking of the bread, and powring forth of the wine, Fourthly, in deliuering them to the Contmunicants.
Q. How by the receiuers?
A. Firſt, by taking the bread and drinking the wine. Secondly, by digeſting of them: firſt in the ſtomacke, then in the liuer; laſtly, in eueryevery part, whereby they are made powerfull to humane duties.
Q. How doth all this teach the inward man in reſpect of grace?
A. In proportioning them to Chriſt, both in himſelfe and in his vſe.
Q. How in himſelfe.
A. Both in his nature and qualitie.
Q. How in his nature?
A. As his body is the bread of life where of whoſoeuer taſteth ſhall neuer hunger, and his blood is drinke indeede, that for euer makes glad the heart and ſoule.
Q. How in the qualitie?
A. As his body and bloud were common with ours in all things ſinne onelyonly excepted, and that he is made ſenſible both to the eare bored by the Spirit, the eye annointed with eye-ſalue, and to the feeling of the ſanctified affectiō, alſo to the ſmelling of ioy, and taſting of the hungry ſoule.
Q. How in the vſe?
A. Either as hee is appointed of the Father, or receiued of vsus.
Q. How of God?
A. Firſt, as hee is called to this worke. Secondly, indued with grace. Thirdly, as his body is crucified for vsus, and his bloode poured out for the waſhing of our wounds. Fourthly, as hee is deliuered and giuen to eueryevery beleeuer.
How receiued of vsus?
A. Firſt, he is taken by the hand of faith, and his body is fed on by meditation, and his blood ſpiritually drunken to waſh our ſoules then is hee diſgeſted, firſt in the vnderſtanding, and then in the will and affections, and laſtly, diſtributed to eueryevery faculty both of body and ſoule, by which wee are made able to eueryevery good word and worke, which is the happy life of eueryevery Chriſtian.
FINIS.
❧ The Concluſion.
HItherto (Induſtrious and painefull Reader) I hauehave but brought thee to the top of Mount Nebo, and with this proſpectiue glaſſe, hauehave giuen thee the general veiw of the land of Canaan. If thou wilt be pleaſed (with the Spies ſent out by Moſes) to enter further, and ſend forth the Scouts of thy Soule, to make larger diſcoueries, thou ſhalt finde the depthes of diuiniue more fully ſounded concerning thy faith in one God three perſons: and after thou art entred further into the Continents, and haſt coaſted the ſhores plyed vp the frythes, thou ſhalt diſcouer the inhabitants of heauen & earth, their qualities, tempers, regiment of life, their dyet, imployment &c. I meane, thou ſhalt finde in ſome good meaſure, how richly, God hath furniſhed the world, in what excellent manner he gouerneth it, eſpeciall his great care for thee and thy happineſſe. In eſſence hee is ſimply one, yet hath he made himſelfe many attributes, ſo that what thou canſt not conceiue by one act of vnderſtanding, thou mayeſt the better perceiue by many: Thou ſhalt ſee the perſons delighting themſelues aboue all thinges in thee and thy ſaluation, and accordingly put foorth themſelues in al their works of Creation and Prouidence, thou ſhalt find againe thy duty & debt to God for al his fauors: for if God ſhed abroad (Rom. 5.5) his louelove in thy heart, then muſt thou of neceſſitie louelove him againe: No man goes to his bed and warmes it with his owne heat, but hee lookes for heat againe: So, God reſting in the heart, lookes for louelove out of it, 1 Tim. 1.5. In a word, I ſhall be glad, if by this, and the other, I ſhall make the Art ſo eaſie for thee, that thou mayeſt reape thy profit by it. And thus (as by a letter of advertiſment from the coaſt of Canaan) I ceaſe thy further trouble, neuer ceaſing to pray for thee.
Thine in Chriſt Ieſus, as his owne, IOHN YATES.
End of the text · John Yates, Brief Sum of Saving Knowledge (1621)