The Communicants Guide, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. An help for the Examination of our Faith.
WE promised in Baptism, to believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith. These Articles are briefly laid together in the Creed. To examine our selves how we keep this part of our Covenant, let us in the presence of God, the Searcher of Hearts, ask our selves these Questions:
Have the Word and Works of:Rom. 1. 20. God convinced me,Heb. 11. 6. that there is an eternal,Iohn. 4. 24. invisible,1 Tim. 6. 16. 1. 17. living Spirit, Ier. 23. 24.every where present throughout the World,Rev. 4. 8. infinite in all Perfections of Power, 1 Tim. 1. 17.Wisdom, and Goodness, called GOD?Ps. 119. 68.
Do I believe,1 Cor. 8. 4. that there is but one only true and living God,1 Thes. 1. 9. even the FATHER,Matt. 28. 19. the SON,1 Iohn 5. 7. and the HOLY GHOST, which being three, are yet all three but one GOD blessed for ever?
Do I believe,2 Tim. 3. 15, 16, 17. That the Books of the Old and New Psalm 32. 5.Testament do contain the very Word of God,Titus 1. 2. and that therein God hath revealed unto us all things that are needful to our eternal Happiness;2 Cor. 1. 20. and that he is a God of Truth and cannot lie, and that all his Words are true?
Do I believe,Acts 17. 24, & 28. That God is the Maker, Preserver, and Governor of all things;Psalm 103. 19. that I and all things are his, 1 Cor. 6. 20.and at his Disposal; that our Life, Motion, and Being, are from him, and all our Happiness depends upon his Love and Blessing.
Do I believe,Gen. 1. 27. That Man was made in the Image of God, very good, with an immortal Soul, with Knowledge and Power enough to understand and do God's Will?
Do I believe God madeCol. 1. 16. many Spirits called Angels,Heb. 1. 14. 12. 22. and that some of these2 Peter 2. 4. by Sin fell from their firstIude 6. State,Mat. 25. 41. and these are theGenesis 3. Devil and his Angels forRomans 5. 12. whom Hell was prepared;Ephes. 2. 3. and that the Devil temptingHeb. 12. 14. Man to sin in disobeying God,Rom. 4. 6. all Evil came thereby into the World: that we are all naturally Sinners, and the Children of Wrath, and cannot be happy without being pardoned and cleansed, but must be tormented for ever in Hell?
Do I believe,Ephes. 1. 4, 5, 6. That God of his own free Grace andIohn 1. 14. Goodness hath made us aActs 4. 12. new way to Happiness through his only begotten SON IESVS CHRIST our Lord, and that there is Salvation in none other?
Do I believe,1 Iohn 5. 20. That the SON being the true God 1 Timothy 2. 5.and eternal Life, Matt. 1. 18.became also the Man CHRIST Luke 2. 27.IESVS, 1 Tim. 3. 16. 1being conceived by the power of the HOLY GHOST,Peter 2. 22. and born of a pure Virgin, and being thus God manifested in the Flesh, … an holy Life on Earth in perfect Obedience to his FATHER's Will?
Do I believe,Iohn 1. 41. 45. That this is the promised Messias, Acts. 10. 38.the Anointed holy one of God, Luke 24. 19.who as the great Prophet of God hath instructed us in the way of Righteousness and Salvation;Iohn 15. 15. and having taught us the whole Will of his Father,Heb. 7. 27. 9. 26. after he had suffered many things in our Humane Nature,2 Cor. 5. 21. was Crucified, 1 Cor. 15. 4.and willingly died a Sacrifice of Atonement for our Sins,Heb. 2. 17. and was buried, and continued till the third day in the state of the Dead, and herein was the true High-priest, who offering himself once for all, hath made Reconciliation for the Sins of the People?
Do I believe, That on the third day he rose again from the dead, Rom. 6. 9.to die no more;Matt. 28. 19. and having sufficiently instructed his Apostles in their Office, and instituted the Sacrament of Baptism whereby they were to admit men into his Church, Mark 16. 19he was received up into Heaven, Luke 22. 69.and sat down on the Hebrews 8. 10.right hand of God, 1 Tim. 6. 15.in all Power and Majestly,Eph. 1. 22. King Hebrews 7. 25.of Kings,Acts 3. 26. and Head over all things to the Church;Acts 17. 31. and there,1 Thes. 4. 16. as the great High-priest, Acts 10. 42.maketh Intercession for us and blesseth us, rendring our Services acceptable to God?
Do I believe, that at the day appointed by God, he shall come again in Glory to judge the Quick and Dead, according to his Gospel; and that we must all appear before his Judgment Seat,2 Cor. 5. 10. that every one may receive the things done in his Body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad?
Do I believe,Luke 24. 29. That Christ sent the Promise of his Father, Acts 1▪ 4.the Comforter, Acts 2.which is the HOLY GHOST,Iohn 16. 13. to guide the Church into all Truth,Iohn 14. 16. to be with it for ever,Rom. 15. 16. and to sanctifie our Hearts,1 Cor. 6. 11. to believe, love, and obey the Truth, and to prepare us by Holiness for Happiness in the Presence of God for ever?
Do I believe,Eph. 1. 22. that God always had and will have a peculiar People and Society of Men,1 Tim. 3. 15. Col. 1. 18.which make One holy Catholick Church, Eph. 4. 11. 12.Eph. 2. 20. 21. 4. 4, 5.or Body, whereof Christ is the only Head, who ruleth and governeth it by his Spirit and Word, and Ministers under him, in Doctrine, Worship, and Discipline?
That all the true sanctified Members of this Church are enlivened by the holy Spirit of Christ, 2 Cor. 13. 14▪Ephes. 2. 18.1 Iohn 1. 3.Heb. 1. 14.Heb. 12. 13.Eph. 4. 3. &c.and by the Communion of the Spirit communicate in the Love of the Father, and the Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, in the Ministry of Angels, and the Prayers of glorified Souls, and with all Saints in the same holy Faith and Love and Offices of Religion?
Do I believe,Acts 2. 38. that all who faithfully persevere in this holy Communion of Saints have the Pardon of their Sins given them of God through Jesus Christ,Luke 24. 47. proclaimed unto them by the Ministry of the Word, and particularly applied and sealed unto them in the Sacraments?
Do I believe,Acts. 24. 15. That the Bodies of all men shall afterIohn 5. 28, 29. Death be raised up again to Life,Mat. 25. 41. 46 and that the Wicked shall go into everlasting Torments,1 Thes. 4. 17. and the Righteous shall live for ever in perfect Holiness and Glory in the Presence of God in Heaven?1 Iohn 3. 2.
These are the chief Matters of Faith, wherein we are to examine our selves. But that we may know whether we believe these things savingly, we are farther to enquire:
1. If we believe them understandingly. To be satisfied herein, we should do well to have the Approbation and Judgment of God's Minister.
2. If we believe them with a divine Faith, because of the Truth or Veracity of God who hath revealed them. Be perfect therefore in the Scriptures, that you may know they are taught therein by God.
3. If we believe them firmly, so that we are persuaded we dare even lay down our Lives for the Truth.
4. If we believe them effectually and practically, so that this Belief doth fill our Hearts with the Fear and Love of God, and produce strong Resolutions, servent Prayers, and strenuous Endeavours to honour God by holy and obedient Lives.
Yet here we are to note, That it is not every doubting whether we understand aright, or whether the thing be a divine Truth, or whether our Faith be firm and strong, or have sufficient Influence on our Hearts and Lives, that should dismay us: but whilst we find, that notwithstanding some Doubtings, our Faith is able to carry us on in a Christian Course of Life, trusting our Souls in well doing to the Mercy of God through Iesus Christ, we are to cheer up our selves, and using the means of strengthening our Faith, say, Lord, I believe, help thou my Unbelief.