The Principal Grounds of the Christian Religion, Catechetical text
THE PRINCIPALL GROVNDS OF CHRISTIAN Religion.
Question.
WHAT ought you to beleeue concerning the Scriptures, the fountaine of all Diuine knowledge.
A. That the whole Scriptures were giuen by the inspiration of God,The authoritie of the Scripture. and so are the very word of God.
Proofes.
2. Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God, &c.
2. Pet. 1. 21. For the Prophecie came not in olde time, by the will of man, but holy Men of God, spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost.
Q. What else?
A. That they are perfect eueryevery way sufficient of themselues,The sufficiencie of the Scriptures. to direct vsus in all things needfull to holinesse or saluation.
Proofes.
Psal. 19. 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect, &c.
2. Tim. 3. 16. 17. And is profitable for doctrine, for reproofe, &c.
That the man of God may bee perfect, &c.
Q. What ought you to beleeue concerning God, the cheife obiect of diuine knowledge?
A. That there is but one God.
Proofes.
1. Cor. 8. 4. Wee know that an Idoll is nothing in the World, and that there is none other God but one.
Ephes. 4. 6. One God and Father of all, &c.
Q. What else doe ye beleeue of God?
A. That hee is of a most glorious nature,Gods nature. being an Eternall spirit, infinite in Essence, Knowledge, Goodnesse, and Power.
Proofes.
Esay 6. 3. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hostes, the whole Earth is full of his glory.
Exod. 34. 6, 7. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, the Lord, the Lord, God, mercifull and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodnesse and power, &c.
Iob 42. 2. I know that thou canst doe eueryevery thing, and that no thought can bee withholden from thee.
Iohn 4. 24. God is a spirit, &c.
1. Tim. 1. 17. Now vntounto the King eternall, immortall, inuisible, the onelyonly wise God, &c.
Q. What else doe ye beleeue of God?
A. That the God-head is distinguished into three persons; the Father, Son, and holy Ghost.
Proofes.
Matth. 28. 19. Goe yee therefore and teach all Nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghost.
1. Iohn 5. 7. There be three that beare record in Heauen; the Father, the Word, and the holy Ghost, &c.
Thus much of what you are to beleeue, concerning the nature of God.
Q. What ought you to beleeue, concerning the workes of God, and so first of Gods worke of creation?
A. That in the beginning God,Gods work of creation. by his Word, made all things of nothing very good.
Proofes.
Colos. 1. 16. For by him were all things created, that are in Heauen, or in Earth, &c.
Hebr. 11. 3. Through faith wee vnderstand, that the Worlds were framed by the word of God.
Gene. 1. 31. And God saw eueryevery thing that he had made, and behold it was very good.
Q. What ought you to beleeue, concerning the worke of Gods prouidence in generall.
A. That God vpholds, and gouernes all things by his power,The worke of Gods prouidence in generall. according to his owne pleasure.
Proofes.
Psalm. 119. verse 91. They continue this day according to thine ordinances, &c.
Rom. 11. 36. For of him, and through him, and to him are all things, &c.
Psalm. 115. 3. But our God is in the Heauens, hee hath done whatsoeuer hee pleased.
Acts 17. 25. He giueth vntounto all life and breath.
Q. How must you consider of the worke of Gods prouidence, in speciall towards man?
A. According to his fourefold estate,Gods speciall prouidence towards man. viz. of Innocencie, of Misery, of Grace, and of Glory.
Q. What ought you to beleeue, concerning mans estate in his innocencie?
A. That God created man in the likenesseMans estate of Innocencie. of himselfe, in Knowledge, Holynesse, and Righteousnesse.
Proofes.
Ecclesiast. 7. 29. Loe this onelyonly hauehave I found, that God hath made man vpright.
Ephes. 4. 24. And that yee put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousnesse, and true holinesse.
Genesis 1. 26. And God said, let vsus make man in our Image after our likenesse, &c.
Q. What ought you to beleeue, concerning mans estate of Misery?
A. That all men by nature,Mans estate of misery. are in a most miserable case, being all depriued of the glory of God.
Proofe.
Rom. 3. 23. For all hauehave sinned and hauehave come short of the glory of God.
Q. In what respect are all men now so miserable?
A. In respect of sinne, and the iust punishment thereof.
Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore as by one man sinne entred into the World, and death by sinne, and so death passed vponupon all men, &c.
Q. What is sinne?
A. The transgression of Gods Law.
1. Iohn 3. 4.—For sinne is the transgression of the Law.Sinne.
Q. In what are all men by nature sinfull?
A. They are all sinfull, in their dispositions, thoughts, affections, words, and deedes.
Proofes.
Psal. 14. 3. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthie, &c.
Psal. 51. 5. Behold, I was shapen in iniquitie, and in sinne did my mother conceiue me, &c.
Iob 15. 15.—The Heauens are not cleane in his sight.
Verse 16. How much more abhomihable, and filthie is man, &c.
Genesis 6. 5. And God saw that the wickednesse of man was great, &c.
Psalm. 40. 12. Innumerable euils hauehave compassed me about, &c.
Quest. What is the punishment of sinne?
A. Losse of mans first glory,Punishment of sinne. greiuous plagues in this life, a miserable death, and euerlasting forment in hell.
Proofes.
Rom. 3. 23. All hauehave sinned and come short of the glory of God, &c.
Iob 31. 3. Is not destruction to the wicked, and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquitie.
Rom. 6. 23. For the wages of sinne is death, &c.
2. Thes. 1. 9. Who shall bee punished with euerlasting destruction, &c.
Matth. 25. 41. Goe ye cursed into euerlasting fire, &c.
Q. How came all this misery vponupon mankinde at first?
A. By the wilfull transgression of our first parents, being seduced by the Diuell to eate of the forbidden fruite.
Proofes.
Gen. 2. 17. But of the tree of knowledge of good and euill, &c.
Gen. 3. 13. And the woman said, the Serpent beguiled me and I did eate, &c.
Q. What are you to beleeue concerning the third estate of man, which is the estate of Grace?
A. That God of his frée grace,The meanes of grace are two. First, Election in God. before the foundations of the world hath elected certaine men to eternall Saluation.
Proofes.
Ephes. 1. 4, 5, 6. According as he hath chosen vsus, &c.
Matth. 22. 14. Many are called but few are chosen.
Rom. 8. 30. Whom hee predestinated, &c.
Q. What else?
A. That God in the fulnesse of time, sent his onelyonly begotten Sonne IesusSecondly, Redemption by Christ. Christ to Redeeme vsus from our misery.
Proofes.
Gal. 4. 4, 5. When the fulnesse of time was come, God sent his Sonne, &c.
Q. What ought you to beleeue concerning the person of Christ our Sauiour.
A. That he is God and man in one person.
Proofes.
Esay. 9. 6. For vntounto vsus a childe is borne, vntounto vsus a Sonne is giuen, &c.
Rom. 9. 5.—Christ came, who is God ouer all blessed for euer, &c.
1. Tim. 1. 16.—God manifest in the flesh, &c.
Luke. 1. 35.—That holy thing which shall be borne of thee, shall be called the Sonne of God, &c.
Q. What is the office of Christ in generall?
A. To be the onelyonly Mediatour betwéene God and man.
Proofe.
1. Tim. 2. 5. For there is one God, and one Mediatour betweene God & man, &c.
Q. What hath hee vndertaken to doe for our Redemption in particular?
A. Fiue things.
Q. Which is the first?
A. To reueale vntounto Gods Elect allChrists Propheticall Office. trueth necessary to their saluation.
Proofes.
Iohn 1. 18.—The onelyonly begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father hee hath declared him.
Iohn 15. 15.—For all things that I hauehave heard of the Father, I hauehave made knowen vntounto you.
Q. What is the second?
A. To bring in an euerlasting Righteousnesse,His Priest-like Office. by obeying the Law of God for vsus.
Proofes.
Rom. 5. 19.—So by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
Dan. 9. 24.—And to make reconciliation for iniquitie, and to bring in euerlasting righteousnesse, &c.
Q. What is the third?
A. To make satisfaction to the iustice of God for our sinnes, by the sacrifice of himselfe.
1. Pet. 2. 24. Who his owne selfe bare our sinnes, in his owne body on the tree, &c.
Hebr. 9. 28. So Christ was once offered, to beare the sinnes of many, &c.
And chap. 7. 27.—For this hee did once, when he offered vp himselfe.
Q. What is the fourth?
A. To make Intercession for vsus, at the right hand of God for euer.
Proofes.
Rom. 8. 34.—Who is euen at the right hand of God, who also maketh Intercession for vsus.
Hebr. 7. 25.—Seeing hee euer liueth to make Intercession for them.
Q. What is the fift?
A. To gather,Christs regall Office. and gouerne all the Elect in all ages, to the end of the World, and to bring them to euerlasting Glory in Heauen.
Psal. 2. 6. Yet hauehave I set my King, vponupon my holy hill of Sion.
Colos. 1. 18. And hee is the head of the body the Church, &c.
Psalm. 45. 4. And in thy Maiestie ride prosperously, &c.
And verse 6. Thy Throne O God is for euer and euer, &c.
Esay 49. 5. to the tenth verse.
Q. Who receiue the benefit of this Redemption wrought by Christ?
A. OnelyOnly the Church, which is a company of men in eueryevery age that are Gods Elect,The subiect of grace is the Church. gathered by the power of Christ, & seperated from the World, vntounto the sincere profession of true Religion.
Proofes.
Ioh. 17. 9.—I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast giuen mee, &c.
Vers. 14.—They are not of the world, &c.
1. Pet. 2. 9. But yee are a chosen generation, a royall Priesthood, an holy Nation, a peculiar People.
Iohn 5. 25. Verily I say vntounto you, the howre is comming, and now is, when the dead, shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God, &c.
Quest. What are the principall benefits we receiue by Christ in this life?
Ans. Our Iustification,Two degrees of grace. and our Sanctification.
Proofe.
Romanes 8. ver. 30. Moreouer whom hee predestinated, them hee called; and whom hee called, them also hee iustified, &c.
Quest. What is our Iustification?
Ans. 1. Iustification.It is the imputing of th… actiue, and passiue obedience of Christ vntounto vsus, whereby all our sinnes are forgiuen, and we are made iust before God.
Proofes.
2. Cor. 5. 21. For he hath made him to bee sinne for vsus, who knew no sinne, &c.
1. Corin. 1. 30.—Who of God is made vntounto vsus, Wisedome, Righteousnesse, &c.
Romanes 5. verse 19.—So by the obedience of one shall many bee made righteous.
Ieremiah 23. 6. The Lord our righteousnesse.
Romanes 4. 7. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen, &c.
Quest. To whom is the Righteousnesse of Christ imputed?
Ans. OnelyOnly to such as hauehave a true Faith.
Proofes.
Romanes 3. verse 28. Therefore wee conclude that a man is iustified by Faith, &c.
Galathi. 2. verse 16. Knowing that a man is not iustified by the workes of the Lawe but by the faith of Iesus Christ.
Rom. 1. 17.—The iust shall liue by faith.
Hebrewes 11. verse 6. But without faith it is vnpossible to please God &c.
Romanes 3. 25. Whom God hath set forth to bee a propitiation through faith in his blood, &c.
Q. Who hauehave a true faith?
Answ. OnelyOnly such as relie vponupon the mercies of God, and the merits of Christ for their iustification and all happinesse.
Proofes.
Rom. 4. 3.—Abraham beleeued God and it was counted to him for righteousnesse.
Acts 16. 31.—Beleeue one the Lord Iesus Christ, and thou shalt be saued, &c.
Galath. 2. 20.—And the life which I now liue, I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God, &c.
Q What is our Sanctification?
Answere. It is the worke of the Spirit of Christ,2. Sanctification. by which we repent vsus of our sinnes, and leade an holy life.
Proofes.
Tit. 3. 5.—But according to his owne mercy he saued vsus by the washing of Regeneration, and Renewing of the holy Ghost.
Rom. 6. 4. Therefore we are buried with him by Baptisme into death, &c.
1 Pet. 2. 24.—That we being dead vntounto sin, should liue vntounto righteousnesse.
Question. What is the outward and ordinary meanes by which God doeth worke these two graces of Faith and Repentance in vsus?
Answ. Hearing of the word of God preached.
Proofes.
Rom. 10. 17. Faith comes by hearing, &c.
Ioh. 5. 25.—And they that heare shall liue.
1 Cor. 1. 21.—It pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue such as beleeue, &c.
Acts 2. 27. Now when they heard this they were pricked in their hearts, &c.
Q. How is this Faith and Repentance confirmed and encreased in vsus?
A. By thrée meanes especially.1. Helpe of grace, the Word.
Q. Which is the first?
A. A diligent and faithfull reading of the holy Scriptures, and hearing of the same word preached, receiuing it with all meekenesse and heartie obedience.
Proofes.
1. Pet. 2. 2. As new borne babes desire the sincere milke, &c.
Iames 1. 21.—And receiue with meekenesse the ingrafted word, &c.
Rom. 6. 17.—But yee hauehave obeyed from the heart that forme of doctrine taught, &c.
Q. Which is the second?
Answ. Feruent and constant prayer vntounto God in the holy Ghost,2. Helpe of grace, Prayer. both publike and priuate according to his will.
Proofes.
Iude. 20. Praying in the holy Ghost, &c.
Romanes 8. verse 26. But the Spirit it selfe maketh Intercession for vsus, &c.
Matthew 6. verse 9. After this manner therefore Pray yee. Our Father, &c.
Q. Which is the third?
Answer. A right vsing and partaking of both the holy Sacraments. viz. Baptisme,3. Helpe of grace. and the Supper of the Lord.
Quest. What is a Sacrament?
Answere. It is an outward Signe ordained of God,Sacrament what it is. and is appointed to bée vntounto the worthy receiuer, as a Seale, either of our entrance into Christian profession as Baptisme, or our continuance therein, as the Lords Supper.
Proofe.
Romanes 4. verse 11. And hee receiued the signe of Circumcision, a Seale of the Righteousnesse of faith, &c.
Q. How else may it be more briefely defined?
Answere. It is a visible pledge of those inuisible benefites of our Saluation which we obtaine by Christ.
Quest. How is our faith and Repentance furthered by the Sacrament of Baptisme?
Answere. By the outward washing with Water is not onelyonly signified, and Sealed the inward washing away of our sinnes, by the blood of Christ and power of his Spirit, but also our couenant made then vntounto God, to forsake sinne and to leade a new life.
Proofes.
Marke 1. verse 4, 5. Iohn did Baptize in the Wildernesse, the Baptisme of Repentance for the remission of sinnes, &c.
Titus 3. 5.—By the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost.
1. Peter 3. verse 21. The like figure whereunto Baptisme doeth saue vsus, &c.
Actes 22. verse 16.—Arise and bee baptized, and wash away thy sinnes, &c.
Romanes 6. verse 3. 4. Know ye not, that as many as were baptized into Iesus Christ were baptized into his death, &c.
Quest. How is our Faith and Repentance furthered by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper?
A. By the worthy partaking of the outward Elements of Bread and Wine is signified and Sealed, the giuing and receiuing of Christs Body and Blood by Faith to be our Spirituall nourishment.
Proofe.
1. Corinth. 10. vers. 16. The cup of blessing which we blesse, is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ?
Q. How else?
A. By the oft and worthy partaking thereof, we are not onelyonly prouoked to a more serious examination of our Spirituall estate, but also by renewing our couenant made to God, to binde our selues more firmely to his seruice for time to come.
Proofe.
1. Cor. 11. 26. But let a man examine himselfe, and so let him eate, &c.
Thus farre of mans third estate, viz. the estate of Grace.
Quest. What must you consider of in the last estate of man, viz. the estate of Glory?
Ans. Three things, the Resurrection from the dead,Mans estate of glory, hath three degrees. the last Iudgement, and the Glory of Heauen.
Quest. What must you beleeue concerning the Resurrection?
Ans. That the bodies of all men that die shall bee raised vp from the dead,1. Resurrection from the dead. by the power of Christ at the last day.
Proofes.
Iohn 5. 28.—For the houre is comming, in the which all that are in the graues, shall heare his voyce.
Actes 24. 15.—That there shall be a Resurrection of the dead, both of the iust, and vniust.
Reuel. 20. 12. And I saw the dead, both great and small, &c.
Verse 13. And the Sea gaue vp her dead, &c.
Quest. What must you beleeue, concerning the last Iudgement?
Answere That the World must appeare before the Tribunall seate of Christ,2. The last Iudgement. and eueryevery man shall receiue the things done in his body, according to that hee hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Proofes.
2. Corin. 5. ver. 10. For wee must all appeare before the Iudgement seat of Christ, &c.
Actes 10. 42.—And to testifie that it was hee, that was ordained of God to be Iudge of quicke and dead.
Actes 17. verse 31. Because hee hath appointed a day, in the which hee will Iudge the World in Righteousnesse, &c.
Quest. What must you beleeue, concerning the Glory of Heauen?
Ans. That all the godly shall raigne with Christ in vnspeakeable Glory,3. The glory of heauen. and eternall happinesse in Heauen.
Proofes.
Rom. 2. 7. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing, seeke for glory, &c.
Verse 10. But Glory, Honour, and Peace, to eueryevery man that worketh good, &c.
Matthew 25. 34. Then shall the King say to them on his right hand, come yee blessed of my Father, &c.
Verse 46. And these shall goe away into euerlasting punishment; but the Righteous into life Eternall.
1. Peter 1. 4. To an inheritance incorruptible and vndefiled, &c.
1. Cor. 2. 9. Eye hath not seene, nor eare heard, &c.
FINIS.
End of the text · Nicholas Byfield, The Principal Grounds of the Christian Religion (1625)