The Kernel of Christianity, Text
THE KERNELL OF CHRISTIANITY: CONTAINING A SHORT YET FVLL Summe of our Communion with CHRIST.
By M FRANCIS PECK Mr of Arts, Miniſter of the Word and Paſtor at Hartford.
Imprimatur
Iohn Downame.
London, Printed By G. M. for Iohn Bellamy at the ſigne of the three Golden-Lyons near the Royall-Exchange, 1644.
THE KERNELL OF Christianity.
Q WHat is every owne bound to know that lookes to be ſaved?
A. Two things.
1. Something concerning God.
2 Something concerning Man.
Q What ought you to know and beleeve concerning God?
A. That there is owne moſt glorious God. Deut. 6.4. Exod. 33.18.
Q How doth it appeare that God is ſo glorious?
A. In foure particulars.
1. In his Effence, which is incomprehenſible.
2. In his attributes, which are thoſe divine perfections wherby hee makes himſelfe known to us, which attributes are not qualities in God, but nature. Gods Iuſtice is God himſelfe, and Gods povver is God himſelfe &c.
3. In his perſons, which are three.
1. The Father begetting.
2. The Sonne begotten.
3. The Holy Ghoſt proceeding.
1 The Father is glorious in regard of Election.
2. The Sonne is glorious in regard of Redemption.
3. The Holy Ghoſt is glorious in regard of Application.
1. The Father is glorious in chooſing the houſe. that is in the heart of a poore ſinner.
2. The Sonne is glorious in purchaſing the houſe. that is in the heart of a poore ſinner.
3. The Hoy Ghoſt is glorious in dvvelling in the houſe. that is in the heart of a poore ſinner.
4. In his vvorkes.
Q What are thoſe?
A.
1. His decrees of
Election.
Reprobation
2. His vvorkes of
Creation.
Providence.
Q What ought you to know and beleeve concerning his worke of creation?
A. That this one glorious God made all things of nothing in ſix dayes in excellent order and very good. Heb. 11.3. Exod. 20.11. Gen 1.…1.
Q What ought you to know and beleeve concerning the work of providence?
A. That this one glorious God vviſely ordereth, governeth, and diſpoſeth of all things, even to the leaſt circumſtance, Mat. 6.26. &c. and 10, 29, 30.
Q. What ought you to know and beleeve concerning man?
A. Theſe ſix things follovving:
1. What vvas the glorious, and happy condition of man by creation.
2. What that miſerable, and lamentable eſtate is, that man is novv fallen into.
3. What Ieſus Chriſt is, the only meanes of deliverance out of this eſtate.
4. What faith is, the only meanes of applying Chriſt, and hovv it is vvrought in the ſoule.
5. What that happy eſtate is, that every man that is in Chriſt by Faith, is brought unto.
6. What kind of thankfulneſſe, and life it is, that God requires of all them that be in this eſtate by Chriſt.
Q. What are you to know concerning the glorious condition of man by Creation?
A. God created all man-kind in his ovvne Image.
Q Wherein did the Image of God conſiſt?
A. In perfect knovvledge, righteouſneſſe, and holyneſſe. Col. 3.10. Epheſ 4 24.
Q. Man being created in a moſt happy condition, wherein did his happineſſe conſiſt?
A In two things eſpecially:
1. His underſtanding vvas full of divine knovvledge of the vvhole mind of God.
2. His vvill and affections vvere fully conformable to Gods vvill.
Q Wherein did mans happineſſe further conſiſt?
A. In five things:
1. He vvas in favour vvith God.
2. He had familiar communion vvith God.
3. He felt unſpeakable joy ariſing from this communion.
4. He had dominion over all inferior creatures.
5. He vvas immortall, and ſhould never have taſted of death, if hee had not fallen by ſinne.
Q. Doth this any way concerne us?
A. Yes; his eſtate vvas ours in him; vvee being then in his loynes.
Q. What learne you by this?
A. Three things:
1. To lament and bevvaile the loſſe of this condition by ſinne.
2. That I ought to labour to get this jmage of God repayred in me.
3. That I ought not to be aſhamed of holyneſſe, nor to content my ſelfe vvith ſome ſmall meaſures of it, much leſſe to hate it, as profane perſons and diſſembling hypocrites doe.
Q. What is that miſerable and lamentable eſtate that man is now fallen into?
A. His miſery novv appeares in foure things.
1. In his birth: he is borne dead in ſinne and ſo void of all good, and full of all evill, and ſo a child of vvrath. Epheſ. 2.1, 2, 3, 4. Rom. 1.29.
2. In his life, vvhatſoever he doth is ſinne in Gods ſight. Tit. 1.15. God and all creatures are his enemies. Pſal. 5.5. Iob. 5.23. he remaines a bondſlave of Satan til God convert him. Acts. 26.18. and hangs by the tvvinethred of life every moment ready to drop into hell.
3. In his death: then comes an end of all his hopes, and pleaſures, and the beginning of all his vvoes and ſorrovves.
4. After death: Firſt comes his particular judgement. Heb. 9.27. after this follovves his generall judgement, vvhen that terrible ſentence, 25. and the 41. ver. ſhall be preſſed upon him. After this follovves the execution, vvherein the vialls of Gods fierce vvrath are povvred out upon his ſoule and body, vvhichwhich fire ſhall never be quenched.
Q. Wherein doth the aggravation of this wofull eſtate of man by nature appeare?
A. In three particulars:
1. He knovves not his miſery. Rev. 3.17
2. He is not affected vvith it, though hee ſhould knovv it. Rom. 2.5.
3. Hee is unable of himſelfe to come out of it, though he ſhould both knovv it and be affected vvith it. Rom. 5.6.
Q. What learne you from hence?
A. I learne that Gods vvrath againſt ſinne, and ſinnefull man (temaining in this condion) is very great.
Q. How great is it?
A. So great that nothing (vvithout Chriſt) but eternall death of body and ſoule in the everlaſting torments of hell can ſatisfie Gods juſt diſpleaſure. Gal. 3.10.
Q. Is it beſt now to ſee your miſerable condition by nature, and to ſeele this wrath of God, and mourne under it while there is hope, and meanes to come out of it; or to ſtay till the gate of grace be ſhut; and God ſnatches the ſoule from all hope, and meanes by death?
A. It's farre better to ſee it, and to mourne under it novv.
Q. How, and why muſt a man ſee and feele himſelfe under this wrath and miſery?
A. 1. Every man muſt ſee that he is under Gods vvrath for the preſent; elſe he vvill never ſeeke to Chriſt to beare it for him.
2. Man muſt ſee vvhat this fearefull vvrath of God is, that is novv piled againſt him; elſe he vvill never prize Chriſt to deliver him out of it.
3. All men muſt ſee that this vvrath is ready to light on them every moment in the full meaſure of it; elſe they vvill deferre their returne till hereafter.
4 A man muſt ſee hee is bound hand and foot in the chaines of his ſinnes, and cannot come from under them, nor lay hould of Chriſt to help him out of them; elſe he vvill preſume he hath received Chriſt vvhen he hath not.
Q. What is to be knowne of every one concerning Ieſus Chriſt, the only meanes of deliverance out of this eſtate?
A. Theſe foure things:
1. What his perſon is, namely, both God and man united into one perſon, which is Ieſus Chriſt.
2. What his love is tovvards man, namely paſt underſtanding. Epheſ 3.18, 19.
3. What his offices are, vvhichwhich are theſe three.
1. His Prieſtly office, whereby he offered himſelfe for his Church Heb. 7.27.
2. His Propheticall office, whereby he teacheth his Church. Acts 3.22.
3. His Kingly office, whereby he rules his Church. Pſal. 2.6.
4. Hovv he delivers thoſe, vvhom he purpoſeth to ſave, hamely by being made ſinne, and curſe and righteouſneſſe for them. 2. Cor. 5.21. Gal. 3.13. 1. Cor. 1.30.
Q. What learne you from hence?
A. I learne that all my ſinnefull duties, no nor my death, cannot pacifie Gods vvrath, and deliver mee from it: It is done only by the perfect righteouſneſſe and death of Ieſus Chriſt.
Q. How may we come to get this Chriſt to doe all for us?
A. By receiving him by Faith. Ioh. 1.12.
Q. When may a man without preſumption receive Chriſt as his owne?Mat. 11.28, 29
A. 1 When the poore ſoule is ſo vveary, and heavy laden vvith the apprehenſion of ſinne, and vvrath that it cannot live vvithout Chriſt.
2. When the poore ſinner is ſo out of love vvith himſelfe, that he is content to part vvith all ſinne for Chriſt. Iſa. 55.7.
3. When the poore ſinner receives Chriſt to that end that God the Father offers him, namely to be his Prieſt, Prophet, and King.
Q How may a man come to receive Chriſt? can man create Faith in himſelfe to receive him, or muſt the Lord by an infinite almighty power worke it in him?
A. The Lord muſt create faith in him by his almighty povver. Epheſ. 1.19.
Q. What is to be knowne concerning faith, the only meanes of applying Chriſt?
A. Tvvo things
1. vvhat Faith is.
2. Hovv it is vvrought in the ſoule.
Q. What is Faith?
A. It is a ſpeciall grace of God, vvhereby an humbled ſinner feeling himſelfe unable to beleeve, Mat. 11.28.is dravvne, and ſo comes by the helpe of Gods Spirit to Chriſt for all good, and ſo reſts upon him. Iob. 6.44, 45. Phil. 3.7, 8, 9.
Q. How doth the Lord worke this Faith in the ſoule by his mighty power, and how comes the ſoule to know it is wrought?
A. By theſe nine ſteps:
1. The Lord gives the ſoule a liſtning eare to the vvord preached, as if God himſelfe vvere ſpeaking to it.
2. The Lord makes the ſoule to underſtand the word. Mat. 13.23.
3. The Lord ſavingly vvounds the ſoule, vvith the ſence and apprehenſion of his loſt eſtate; having underſtood it. Acts. 2.37.
4. Act 5.6.9.Then the Lord makes the ſoule poore in ſpirit, ready to dye for vvant of grace, and Chriſt. Mat. 5.3.
5. Iohn. 3.16.The Lord reveales unto the ſoule the freeneſſe of his grace and mercy in Chriſt, and then brings the ſoule to ponder on this mercy, from vvhence ariſeth hope of helpe; hereupon hope comes and waites one Chriſt for it, ſeing novv it is poſſible that an unvvorthy ſinfull, loſt creature may have it. Ioel. 2.14. Ionah 3.9.
6. Epheſ. 2.7.The Lord reveales the riches of his mercy in Chriſt, whereby the ſoule hungers after it. Mat. 5.6. and is not quiet vvithout it, hence he deſires, and longs, and beggs for it, vvith unutterable groanes, ſeeing and knovving (vvith the prodigall) that there is enough in his fathers houſe. Luke. 15.Rom. 8.26.
7. Then the Lord reveales the vvorth and excellency of his mercy in Chriſt, Epheſ. 3.7and hereby makes the ſoule to love it. Hence love to this mercy comes ſecretly, and contents it ſelfe vvith it; hereupon the ſoule promiſeth if it may but have this mercy in the Lord Ieſus to pitty it, and receive it; it vvill everlaſtingly ovvne it, and admire the Lord for it. Lam. 3.24.
8. Pſal. 63.3.The Lord reveales the ſvveetneſſe of his mercy in the Lord Ieſus, and hereby gives the ſoule a ſatisfying taſte of it, and hence the will comes and is perſvvaded vvith joy to leave it ſelfe for ever upon it, here to live, or here to dye. Pſal. 39.7.
9. The ſoule being thus come up to Chriſt; the Lord doth at laſt reveale the property of mercy to him, (thus beleeving) vvhereby the ſoule is novv aſſured, and perſvvaded that neither height, nor depth ſhall ſeperate him from Gods love in Chriſt. Rom. 8.38, 39.
Q. What is that happy condition that every one doth injoy, who are thus in Chriſt by Faith▪
A. It conſiſt in tvvo things:
1. Union with Chriſt.
2. The benefits vvhichwhich the ſoule doth injoy hereby.
Q. What is Ʋnion with Chriſt?
A. It is that vvhereby the Spirit makes the ſoule one vvith Chriſt, and Chriſt all to it. 1. Cor. 6.17. Col. 3.11.
Q. What benefits doth the ſoule immediatly injoy by Vnion with Chriſt?
A. Theſe foure
1. Iuſtification.
2. Reconciliation.
3. Adoption.
4. Regeneration.
Q. What is Iuſtification?
A. It is a gracious act of God the Father, vvhereby hee imputing the finnes of a beleever to Chriſt, and Chriſts righteouſneſſe to him, he accounts him guiltleſſe, and iuſt before him. Rom. 3.26.4.3.5.5.1. 2 Cor. 5.21. Epheſ. 1.7. Col. 1.14. Pſalm. 32.1, 2.
Q. What is reconciliation?
A. It is a moſt gratious act of God the Father offended, vvhereby he receives into his favour a juſtified ſinner. 2 Cor. 5.18, 19. Col. 1.21.
Q. What is Adoption?
A. A gracious act of God the Father, vvhereby he accounts a reconciled ſinner his ſonne, and ſo makes him coheire vvith Chriſt. Gal. 4.5, 6.
Q. What is Regeneration?
A. It is a gratious act of God in the heart of his ſonnes, vvhereby in uniting them unto Chriſt, hee infuſeth a moſt glorious life into them. Epheſ. 2.10. and 4.24.
Q. What followes a beleevers Ʋnion with Chriſt?
A. Tvvo things.
1. Coalition, or grovving up vvith Chriſt
2. Glorification.
Q By what meanes or wherein doth a beleeving ſoule grow up with Chriſt?
A. By increaſe of Faith and ſanctification
Q Wherein doth ſanctification conſiſt?
1. In mortification, or dying daily to ſinne.
2. In vivification, or living daily to Chriſt. Rom. 6.3, 4, 5. Rom. 8.11.
Q How are Faith and ſanctification confirmed and increaſed?
A. By the ſame meanes that they are begun by, and alſo by receiving of the Sacraments.
Q. How many Sacraments be there?
A. Tvvo
1. Baptiſme, vvhichwhich confirmes our Regeneration, or nevv birth.
2. The Lords Supper, vvhichwhich ſignifies and ſeales our grovvth in Chriſt.
Q What is a beleevers glorification?
A. When death hath ſvvallovved the bodies of Gods faithfull Servants, their bleſſed ſoules are taken up to Chriſt, and ſvvallovved up in Glory vvhichwhich never ſhall have an end. 1. Theſ. 4.17.
Q. What kind of thankfullneſse and life is that which God requires of all them that be in this eſtate by Ieſus Chriſt?
A. The Lord requires of them to anſvver his infinite love vvith their love againe, to the praiſe of Ieſus Chriſt, teſtified by obedience to the morral lavv, obſerving it (though not as a covenant of vvorkes, yet) as a rule of life, according to his vvill. Iohn. 14.15, 21.
Q. What is this called?
A. Serving of God. Luk. 1.74, 75.
Q How muſt this be performed?
End of the text · Francis Peck, The Kernel of Christianity (1644)