A Light from Christ Leading Unto Christ, Title page – Dedication 1
A LIGHT FROM CHRIST Leading unto Chriſt, by the Star of his Word.
OR, The rich Jewel of Chriſtian DIVINITY, Practically explained in the Principles, enlightning the Children of God how to meet Chriſt in his Ordinances, and by ſtrength from Chriſt to walk comfortably with Chriſt in the whole courſe of their Lives.
Divers chief Controverſies of the times moderated: Many Caſes of Conſcience reſolved; and in particular, How Men and Women may know whether they have life of grace and be Gods Children or not?
Profitable for Parents to inſtruct their Families.
By way of Catechiſm or Dialogue: not to Anſwer verbatim, or by wrote (as yong Children) but each one according to his own ſence and underſtanding of the QUESTION.
By IMMANUEL BOURN, Of Aſhover in the County of Derby; now Preacher of the Goſpel to the Congregation in Sepulchres C. L.
London, Printed for John Wright, at the Kings head in the Old-Baily, 1646.
I Have peruſed this large Catechiſm, intituled, A Light from Chriſt, leading unto Chriſt, and finding it to be Orthodox, Pious and Profitable, I allow it to be Printed and Publiſhed.
JOHN DOVVNAME.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE Lords and Commons Aſſembled in the High and Honorable Court of this ever Memorable PARLIAMENT.
Right Honorable,
IT is the Obſervation of that Kingly Preacher,Eccl. 11.7. Wiſe Solomon the Great: Truly, the Light is ſweet, and a pleaſant thing it is for the eyes to ſee the Sun; but certainly, much more pleaſant and precious is the light of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that moſt glorious Sun of Righteouſneſſe,Mal. 4.2. foreign who doth ariſe to thoſe that fear Jehovahs Name, with healing in his wings;Ioh. 1.9. foreign. who was and is that Light, that true Light, that lightneth every man that cometh into the world;foreign Light of foreign illuxit, he hath ſhined forth. that ſhining forth or enlightning Light, which communicateth true Light to every one who hath been, is, or ſhall be truly enlightned with the light of Nature, Grace or Glory; for even that natural light of the underſtanding, and heavenly wiſdom which our firſt Parents had with the Image of God in Paradiſe before their fall;Gen. 1.27. it was from God the Father of Lights,Iam. 1.17 in and by the Eternal Son of God, that increated Light,Ioh. 10.31. Phil. 2.7 co-equal with the Father, and by him, together with the Father and the bleſſed Spirit, was all other light (as all things elſe) created;Ioh. 1.3. Gen. 1.3. for without him was nothing made that was made. Outward light and inward, they are both from the true Light,Col. 2 3. in whom are hid all the Treaſures of the Wiſdom and knowledge of God; and from that true Light and his fulneſſe,Ioh. 1.16 we all receive the light of whatſoever Grace we have; whether of Gods Free grace and love in Chriſt, of the grace of knowledge, Faith, or of Obedience to God or men, to Princes, Magiſtrates or Governours,Pſ. 82 6. Ioh. 10.34, 35. who are under God, and as Gods upon Earth, who Rule and govern to Judge Righteous and true Judgement for the Lord;2 Chron. 19.5, 6. which if they do,2 Sam. 23.4. they ſhall be as the light of the Morning when the Sun ariſeth, as a Morning without Clouds, as the tender graſſe ſpringing out of the Earth by clear ſhining after Rain: But if they Judge unjuſtly, as the great God ſets them up,1 Sam. 2.6, &c. Dan. 4.33, &c. & 5.30, ſo he pulls them down at his pleaſure; witneſſe the Babylonian, Perſian, Graecian, and other Mighty Emperours, Empires, States and Kingdoms of the world.
And, Right Honorable and Chriſtian Senators, as true light, eſpecially the light of Chriſt is excellent, ſweet, pleaſant and profitable, directing the mindes of men in the Religious wayes of Truth, and right obedience to the juſt, and lawful commands of all Superiors: So is darkneſſe and blinde ignorance, as odious, baſe and hurtful, not only to men in particular, but to Kingdoms and Nations in general. The Pope and Papacy politickly made Ignorance the Mother of Devotion;D. Aug. in Pſ. 33. Erat in illis regnum ignorantiae id eſt regnum Erroris. but learned Auguſtine calleth it the Mother, not of Devotion, but of Error; and that Kingdom where Ignorance raigneth the Kingdom of Error, ignorance blindly leading men to blinde Obedience, many times to the ruine of themſelves and others. The ſad evidences of this deplorable ignorance I my ſelf have found in not a few of that Congregation and County, (where above twenty years I lived a Preacher of the Goſpel, a preſſer and Practizer of this Duty of Catechizing) and where I met ſuch ignorance,1 Cor. 5.1. as is not fit to be named amongſt Chriſtians: One affirming blindely (upon Examination) That none had died for him, nor ſhould any die for him, he would ſtand between God and himſelf; yet after when I told him that Chriſt died for him, he wept for joy. Another, That the Sun ſhining in the Firmament was the Son of God that died for him. A third averring, There was no hell, and that her ſoul ſhould go to Heaven like a white Dove (although ſhe did not know the way to Heaven: other hoped to be ſaved by our Lady: And multitudes ignorant of the knowledge and light of Chriſt, in any competent meaſure to meet Chriſt in the Sacrament, or to walk comfortably with Chriſt in their lives, or indeed neceſſary to ſalvation.
And the woful effects of this blinde Popiſh ignorance, I my ſelf have found by ſorrowful experience alſo; and that almoſt in the beginning of our Engliſh Troubles (this lamentable Civil War) The Kings Majeſty no ſooner ſet up His Royal Standard at Nottingham (within twenty miles of my Habitation) but divers of theſe blinde, ignorant, prophane, and Popiſhly affected, of the baſer ſort (I ſpeak nothing of the Superiours) they prepare for War, make haſte towards the Standard; and preſently the ROUND-HEADS (a name they quickly learned) were threatned with Plundring, Fire and Sword; my ſelf, with divers other well-affected to Religion, the Kings Majeſty, Parliament and Kingdom, were conſtrained to flie our houſes, from whence, ever ſince, I have lived a baniſhed man, theſe having not yet been for any ſpace of time, either ſafe or comfortable abiding.
And if was not long after that, but by ſuch like Popiſh ignorant Souldiers, and in particular, by a Commander in the Earl of New-caſtles Army, a Papiſt (ſince dead) I was Plundred, not only of my Goods and Study of Books, above twenty years in gathering, and my houſe Barbarouſly torn in pieces & ſpoiled, ſtanding to this day a ſpectacle to witneſſe truth (to the ſhame of blinde, ignorant, prophane, and Popiſh malice of Malignant Enemies) I am ſure to my loſſe of more Hundreds of pounds then for preſent I am willing to glory in. But which was worſe,Heb. 10.34. my Manuſcripts, near thirty years Studies and pains night and day, rent in pieces and taken away, the greateſt part then, and the reſt after from a Garriſon of the Parliament,W. Manor. taken by the ſame Earl of Newcaſtles Army. And for all my loſſes (beſides what will be due to me upon the Publike Faith) I expect no recompence but from the Lord, except it pleaſe God to ſetle the Kingdom in Truth and Peace; and to enable Your Honorable Houſes of Parliament, according to Your Religious Declarations, to take notice of my loſſes, as of others my Brethren and Companions in the ſame Tribulations (Your faithful Friends) and to direct a way of Reparation, as to Your Wiſdoms and Piety ſhall ſeem moſt convenient. That Declaration of Both Kingdoms, although I cannot ſay it was an encouragement unto me, becauſe I had loſt all before; yet I may ſay it was a a ground of comfort in faith and hope, that the Lord would work mightily for theſe Kingdoms, and ſo there might be ſome expectation of outward good, and Reparation again in Gods due time to me or mine. (I muſt beg pardon for this digreſſion).
And yet this I cannot but declare,Hoſ. 4.1, 2. Prov. 29.18. That I am aſſured this abominable, blinde, prophane, ſuperſtitious ignorance (not only in that, but in other parts of the Kingdom) was one principal occaſion of theſe and the like ſad miſeries, both to me and many Thouſands in the Land;Ioh. 16.1, 2, 3. eſpecially the Religious part, who have commonly been the objects of the Malice and Rapine of theſe ignorant, prophane, or Popiſh perſons (beſides their oppreſſions by other men, not Religiouſly affected).
Now, if Your Honours ask me, What hath been or is the cauſe of this ignorance? In all humility I Anſwer from my own experience, I am certain a principal cauſe was and is want of Catechizing:Acts 20 22. Firſt, by Miniſters in their particular Congregations: And ſecondly, by Parents and Maſters in their particular Families,Gen. 18.18, 19. without which I conceive it impoſſible to cure this deadly Malady of baſe ignorance, or ever to have the common ſort of people know how to ſerve or obey either God or man,Iſa. 27.11. & 29.11, 12. according to the light of Chriſt, and good Laws Eſtabliſhed in a Kingdom: As the Eunuch ſaid unto Philip, Acts. 8.31.How ſhall I underſtand, except ſome man ſhall guide me? So may it be ſaid of ſuch kinde of uncatechized people. But is not the fault then in Miniſters? I Anſwer, aſſuredly it is in great part,Jer. 10.21. & 5.31. & 6.10. & 29.12. Iſa. 56.10, &c. Ezek. 34.1, 2, 3, 4. though not altogether. Firſt, in many idle, careleſſe, unconſcionable, Miniſters, who have had means ſufficient to maintain them, and common knowledge enough to inſtruct in the Principles of Religion, but wanted Grace to perform their duties, and in particular this duty of Catechizing.
Secondly, in too many others,Ier. 23.1, 2. Zac. 11.16, 17. blinde, ignorant Miniſters, who have neither maintenance ſufficient, nor grace or abilities to perform their duties ns they ought,Iudg. 17.10. 1 Kin. 12.31. like Micahs Levite, or Jeroboams Prieſts, of the baſeſt of the People. And how can it be expected there ſhould be Preaching and Catechizing in a right order, where Miniſters have but twenty Nobles, or Ten pounds a year for their maintenance, and twenty or thirty pounds a very high rate (in eſteem of ſome men) where ſome have been conſtrained to keep common Ale-houſes to get a livelyhood (as they profeſſed in my hearing) and I have ſeen proved upon Oath in the High Commiſſion, where not ſo long ſince that I can forget their kindeneſſe, in three years attendance, Commiſſions and Hearing, it coſt me Three hundred pounds at leaſt, of my own purſe, beſides my loſſe of my time, and this for my Preaching too often (as they Judged) and keeping Faſting and Praying too long, ſpending the moſt of the day, an offence unſufferable (as ſome learned in that Court were pleaſed at my ſentence then publikely to aver) although it was in the Plague time, and when I thought I had both Kingly & Epiſcopal Authority ſufficient:From the King, A Procl…matiō. And an Order from the Biſhops for the Faſts. And I am ſure I Faſted and Prayed no otherwiſe then with my Congregation, but as now is the conſtant Monethly practiſe of this Honorable Parliament, and the Religious party in the Kingdom; but all that ſaved me little in that Court; There was blinde ignorance there, as well as amongſt thoſe poor ignorant Miniſters I ſpoke of before; and ſuch Miniſters Ale-houſe keepers, I my ſelf have known in ſome places, where there are great impropriations, appropriated in times of Popery to Deans and Chapters, and leaſed out to ſuch as receive the profits, but take no care at all for the ſouls of the people (and too many of them yet in the hands of ſuch who now are or have been open Enemies to the Parliament) ſo that the people periſh for lack of knowledge;Hoſ. 4.6. becauſe for lack of convenient maintenance they want Miniſters faithfully to Preach and Catechize, as becometh the Miniſters of Chriſt.
Verily, every one will ſay the diſeaſe is lamentable; But how can this be remedied? fit maintenance provided? or faithful Miniſters procured to Preach and Catechize the people in this great Kingdom? I Anſwer as Bernard once did in another matter,Bern. in Cant. Non eſt meae humilitatis dictare vobis. It is not for my humility, Right Honorable, to Dictate any thing nor was I called amongſt my Reverend Brethren to Adviſe) and except the golden Scepter of Grace be held forth unto me,Eſth. 4.11. & 5.2. I may ſeem to have preſumed too far already. But ſince it hath pleaſed the Lord of Hoſts ſo highly to honour You, Give me leave, I moſt humbly beſeech You, as a poor (though a weak and unworthy) Miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt, and as Gods Miniſters have been in Ancient time unto Mighty Princes) in all humility to became a Remembrancer,Iſa. 62.6, 7. as I have many times been unto God for You, ſo now unto You for God.
You well know faithful Abraham, that great Conquering Prince (over four Kings at once) that Religious Father of his Family,Gen. 14.9, &c. how careful he was to inſtruſt and Catechize his Houſhold; and the Lord taketh ſpecial notice of it,Gen. 18.18, &c. and makes him one of his ſecret Counſel. Chriſtian Kings, Princes and Magiſtrates are the Fathers of the Common-wealth; and it is a high honour the Lord exalteth them unto, to take care the Common-wealth (which is their Family) be Catechized in the knowledge of the Lord, and of his will in Chriſt.2 Kin. 19.8, &c. 2 Chron. 29.11. & 33.29, &c. Yea, ſomtimes to admoniſh and charge the Lords Miniſters to perform their duties in the work of the Lord, as thoſe good Kings Jehoſhaphat, Hezekiah, Euſebius in vita Conſtant.and Joſiah did in their dayes, Conſtantine the Great, and other Chriſtian Princes in later Ages. Yea,Iſa. 49.23. to be as Nurſing Fathers, and Nurſing Mothers to Chriſts Church.
In the Primitive times the Church was exceeding vigilant for this duty of Catechizing, they had their Catechumens: Noble Theophilus was Catechized in the way of the Lord:Luk. 1.4. foreign. for ſo the Greek importeth, That thou maiſt know the truth of thoſe things in which thou haſt been Catechized.Acts 18.25. And Apollos was Catechized; and many Catechumens were after in the Church; therefore they had their Catechiſts or Catechizers alſo after the Apoſtles times,Cyprian, Epiſt. 24. Euſebius Eccl. hiſt. lib. 3 c. 12 their Docto… s audientium (as St. Cyprian calls them) Teachers of the Catechumens; ſuch a one was Pantenus, ſuch was Origen, Clemens Alexandrinus, and others.
And for this end, divers holy and learned men have both in Ancient and Modern times compoſed Catechiſms, as helps and furtherances for this excellent work.
Heb. 5.12. & 6.1, 2, 3.The Apoſtle to the Hebrews ſets down a brief Catechiſm, containing the firſt Principles of the Oracles of God.
Learned Hierom tells us there was a Catechiſm written by Cyril Biſhop of Jeruſalem, and another by John, Biſhop of the ſame place,Betulaeus, Com. ad Lact. lib. 2. cap. 11. which Betulaeus mentioneth in his Commentaries upon Lactantius.
I paſſe many other in after Ages, our late learned Writers, Mr. Calvin, Muſculus, Peter Martyr, Urſinus, Bucanus, Beza, Danaeus, Zanchius, Alſtedius, Mr. Virel. Our Engliſh, Mr. Nowel, Mr. Perkins, Mr. Egerton, Mr. Dod, Mr. Baal, Mr. Downame, Mr. Allen, Dr. Twiſſe, Dr. Majer, and many other laborious workmen in the Lords Vineyard: What are their ſums of Divinity but Catechiſms, ſome larger ſome leſſe? and all witneſſe as their deſire, ſo their approbation of this moſt neceſſary work of Catechizing.
Now the great benefit that I have found by experience in this way of Catechizing, excellent light ſomtimes communicated to poor aged people, as well as Children. And my experience of the preſent neceſſity of all that true light, which is or may be afforded by any of the Lords Servants, Labourers in his Vine-yard, the better to prevent Ignorant and Scandalous perſons from approaching the bleſſed Sacrament, and to remove dark ignorance, and give light to heal the diſeaſes of poor wandring ſouls, hath moved me to caſt my Mite into Chriſts Treaſury,Luk. 21.1, &c. and to hold forth in this Catechiſm following, what Light I have received from Chriſt, to lead unto Chriſt: on whom, waiting in uſe of all good means, a fulneſs of light may be communicated in Gods good time to poor hungry ſouls, and that to their joy unſpeakable and full of glory.1 Pet. 1.8.
I moſt humbly preſent it to Your Honours, not that I think any thing of mine in it is worthy of ſuch an Honour; but what is in it of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and his Spirit of Truth and Grace, to whom all the Honour belongs: Nor that I am not perſwaded of Your Honorable and Religious care already, for what is or may be fitting in this kinde: Nor to prevent the learned and godly labours of any of my Reverend Brethren, the Religious Aſſembly of Divines, whoſe indefatigable endeavours I pray God to direct and bleſſe to his glory and the good of his Church; but to be a light to thoſe who ſtand in preſent need, and want better directions.
And to conclude,Luk. 2.32. Ioh. 1.9. that the true Light of Chriſt may more fully ſhine forth into darkned ſouls, longing after Light,Iſa. 8.20. and all falſe Lights daily and more duly be diſcovered; that the true light Chriſt Jeſus and his commands may be more fully followed,Iſ. 9.6, 7. and all falſe light of Error or Hereſie avoided; that the light of the Sun of Righteouſneſſe may not only more richly enlighten Your Honours, who are as ſo many glorious Stars in the firmament of the Common-wealth; but may ſhine gloriouſly in all the dark corners of the Land:Mat. 4.15, 15. that as the glorious God hath ſo highly Honoured You already to begin and lay the foundation ſtone in the beautiful building of his Houſe, the bleſſed work of Reformation; ſo he will Honour You further to lay the Top ſtone thereof;Zac. 4.7. that all the Chriſtian Princes and Churches in the world may with rejoycing cry, Grace, Grace unto it. And all this by the ſtrength of the great Jehovah: For nor by might nor by power, Zac. 4.6.but by my Spirit ſaith the Lord of Hoſts.
That Your Excellencies may be enabled in Gods due time to take particular notice of the Thouſands of Churches or Congregations in the Kingdom, which want not only learned, able, faithful and honorable Paſtors and Teachers to Preach and Catechize, and hold forth the light of Chriſt unto them; but want honorable and comfortable maintenance or encouragement fit for ſo honorable and great a work of the Lord Chriſts Ambaſſadors the faithful Miniſters of the moſt high and mighty Prince the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
In a word, that if it be the will of God, our Soveraign Lord & King Charls may be truly enlightned by the light of Chriſt to ſee the falſe light of all evil counſels, either from his own heart, or any others, and may return fully convinced in conſcience, and reſt fully ſatisfied by his evident experience of the mighty works of Jehovah the great God of Battel, in the moſt faithful Counſels of thi… High, Honorable, and Highly Honoured Parliament; that He and His Poſterity may love and Honour You and Yours from Generation to Generation, as thoſe who have been His beſt and moſt faithful Counſellors; that Gods bleſſing may be upon all the three Kingdoms; that Truth & Peace, Unity and Unanimity in the true light of the Lord Jeſus, with the God of Truth and Peace, of Love, Unity and Unanimity may dwell amongſt us in Grace, until that great King Chriſt ſhall come in the Clouds of Heaven, and tranſlate us all with all his Saints unto Eternity in Glory. All which is and ſhall be the moſt humble, faithful, ſincere and hearty Prayer of
Your Honours moſt unworthy, moſt humble daily Orator at the Higheſt Throne of Grace, IMMANUEL BOURN. London, from my Study in Sepulchres, May 1. 1646.