A Preparation to the Receiving of the Lords Supper, Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII. Of the triall of our Faith, by the Obiect or matter thereof.
SEcondly, wee are to try and examine our Faith in Chriſt, whether it bee true and liuely, no or yea, by the obiect and matter thereof.
The obiect and matter of true Faith, is, That diuine truth, which God in his Word hath reuealed vntounto vsus. For if the teſtimony of GOD in his Word, be the ground of our Faith; then that truth (which is reuealed in the Word) muſt needes bee the obiect and matter therof. Now foraſmuch, as there was neuer any one man, that could euer atttaine vntounto the knowledge of all & eueryevery particular truth, reuealed in the word of God: the readieſt meanes heerein to try our Faith, is, by ſuch maine fundamentall truths therein contained, and plainely taught, vponupon which all other truths doe in ſome ſort depend, and vntounto which they are to be reduced. And therefore let vsus examine our conſciences in theſe points.
1 VVhether doe wee vnfainedly beleeue the the Myſterie of the Trinitie, the Creation of the world, the fall of Adam, the Incarnation, death, reſurrection, and aſcenſion of Ieſus Chriſt? That there ſhall bee a riſing againe of all fleſh from death to life; a generall day of Iudgement; that there is a heauen, a hell, an euerlaſting life for ſome, and an eternall death for otherſome, after this life. And ſuch other grounds of Religion, euidently contained in the word of God, and collected, and proued by the ſame, in our ordinary confeſſions of Faith, and Catechiſmes.
2 More ſpecially, whether we beleeue that the Law of God, (theaMat. 22, 4 ſum whereof is contained in the ten Cōmandements) is abRo. 7.12 & 9, 14, 15 16 holy, perfect, and iuſt Law? And ſuch a Law, as God may iuſtly binde eueryevery man, to the obedience of eueryevery Commandement, therein contained. AndPſal. 19, 7 Deut. 6.2 4, 5 whether we beleeue, that hee that perfectly keepeth this Law, isdDeut. 28 15 Gal. 3.10 Rom. 6.23 2 Theſ. 1.9 is a bleſſed and happy man.
3 VVhether wee beleeue, Thate the breach of this Law, deſerueth euerlaſting death & condemnation. And that God infRom. 9 13, 14 his iuſtice, may puniſh euerlaſtingly in hell fire, the breakers thereof.
4 VVhether we beleeue, ThatgRom. 3 10, 11, 12, 20, 23, & 5 12 Prou. 20, 8 all men liuing vponupon earth, ſince the fall of Adam, hauehave broken this Law, and ſo are guiltie of euerlaſting death, and that no man (by reaſon of the corruption of his will)hGē. 8.11 Ro. 7.7, 27 is now ſince the ſaid fall, able to keepe this Law.
5 VVhether wee beleeue,pſ. 51.3, 4, 5 Neh. 1.7 Dan. 9.5 12 Pſa. 40, 12 & 32, 4 Ezra. 9.6 That our ſelues in particular, are grieuous ſinners, and hauehave deſerued by our ſinnes, euerlaſting death and condemnation: And that it is a great miſery to bee a ſinner, and a happineſſe to be free from ſinne.
6 VVhether wee beleeue,Luk. 19.23 & 12, 34 Mat. 7, 13 Rom. 9, 27 Prou. 16.4 That God will puniſh euerlaſtingly, in hell fire, a great part of the world, for their ſin; And that to the praiſe of his glorious Iuſtice.
7 VVhether wee beleeue, That neither our ſelues,Rom. 3, 23 & 5, 6, 12 & 7, 18, 19, 20 nor any man elſe, by his owne power, ſtrength, or merit, is able to free himſelfe from this condemnation: And therefore, if there be no meanes out of our ſelues to ſaue vsus, that wee alſo ſhall be in the number of thoſe, that ſhalbe euerlaſtingly condemned.
8 VVhether wee beleeue,Iohn 17, 9 Dan. 9, 7 Ro. 15, 14 & 9, 22, 23 Heb. 4, 6 that God wil ſhew grace and mercy to ſome ſinners, freely ſauing, pardoning, and forgiuing them, without the leaſt merit and deſert on their part.
9 VVhether wee beleeue, that all that are ſaued & pardoned of their ſinnes,Rom. 8.1 & 7, 24, 25 & 5, 1, 12 & 3, 28 Mat. 1.21 are partakers of this mercy, only through the merits of Ieſus Chriſt God and man; And that hee merited the ſame, by his death & bloud-ſhedding vponupon the Croſſe.
10 VVhether we beleeue,Iohn 1.12 & 6, 35 Mat. 9, 2 Ro. 7.24.25 Eſa. 1.18 Heb. 9.4 that the merits of Chriſt, are ſufficient for the pardon and forgiueneſſe of our owne ſinnes in particular.
11 VVhether wee beleeue, that all that are ſaued by Ieſus Chriſt,Ro. 8.30.31 1 Cor. 1.30 Ioh. 15 19 & 17, 6, 20 21 ſhall in this life (if they liue till they come to yeeres of diſcretion) hauehave the Myſterie of Redemption reuealed vntounto them in the preaching of the Goſpell, by meanes whereof, they ſhall effectually bee duplicate page duplicate page called out of the world,Eph. 5.30 Iohn 15.1 Ez. 11.19 Acts 16, 14 Iohn 1, 12 2 Pet. 1.5 to Faith and repentance; And that they ſhall teſtifie the ſame, by ſorrow vnfained for their ſinnes paſt, & an endeuor carefully to lead a new life euer after: and in a readines to do Ieſus Chriſt, faithfull ſeruice in his Church, according to his wil reuealed in his word.Mat. 29, 34 Reuel. 22 1, 2, 3 2 Tim. 4, 8 And whether wee beleeue, that after this life, all ſuch ſhall raigne with Chriſt Ieſus, in all bliſſe and glory in heauen, for euer and euer.
12 VVhether we beleeue, that all ſuch as do beleeue, and vnfainedly repent them of their ſins, and hauehave a conſtant purpoſe to lead a new life, according to the will & word of God,Iohn 3.36 1 Ioh. 5, 10 are in the number of them that ſhal bee ſaued euerlaſtingly. And whether wee iudge and beleeue, that it is a ſin, for any ſuch perſon,Iohn 3, 18 36 to deſpaire of the mercy of God, & not to repoſe truſt and confidence therein.
13 VVhether we beleeue, that all thoſe perſons, are moſt vile and miſerable, that are not called to Faith and Repentance; and that they (moſt of all other) are moſt vile and wicked perſons, that contemne, & diſpiſe,Mat. 11.21 25 Heb. 2.3 or care not to vſe thoſe meanes, that God hath ordained, to bring them thereunto.
14 VVhether we beleeue, that we are bound to vſe all the meanes we can,Mat. 7.7, 8 & 21, 22 Mar. 11.24 2 Tim. 4, 7 8 Luk. 2, 29 Iob 19, 25 for attaining Faith and Repentance; And whether we beleeue, that in vſing the meanes, wee ſhall attaine them. And laſtly,Mar. 9, 24 Luke 17, 5 Mat. 5, 6 Reu. 21, 6 whether when we feele that wee hauehave in ſome meaſure obtained theſe graces; we doe beleeue, that our ſelues in particular, are of that number that ſhall bee ſaued. Or whether we doe vſe all indeuour (at the leaſt) and vnfainedly deſire to beleeue the ſame.
In theſe ſeueral points conſiſts the ſubſtance & matter of the true Chriſtian Faith, eueryevery one of which, are euidently reuealed in the word of God. So that thoſe who are conuerſant in the ſame, (if they doe not wilfully ſhut their eyes againſt the light,) cannot but ſee them plainely ſet downe therein: and vponupon theſe grounds and principles, doe all other Truths in the word of God (in ſome ſort) depend, tending either to the confirmation, or illuſtration of them. So that, if in the triall of our ſelues, we cā find aſſuredly, that we beleeue all, & eueryevery of theſe points, & doe our vttermoſt indeuour to beleeue them more and more: then verily our Faith is ſound, in regard of the maine matter and ſubſtance therof; though in diuers other particulars, (through our ignorance and corruption) it may be weake and vnſound.