A Short Treatise Containing the Principal Grounds of Christian Religion, Catechism · Question 203 – Question 205
Q. What meanes ſhould a man vſe to grow in grace?
A. He muſt throughly examine 36 his hHag. 1. 5. 7.waies, 37 iudge i1. Cor. 11. 31.himſelfe, watch 38 ouer his heart, at all times, in all places, occaſions, and conditions, k2. Tim. 4. 5. Eph. 5. 16.redeeming the 39 time, to ſtore his 40 heart with good, and preſerue lHeb. 10. 35. 36. 38.his 41 faith.
Expoſ. 36. Examination which is a diligent, exquiſite, and vnpartiall ſearch of our hearts, thoughts, and waies, Lam. 3. 40. by the word of God, Rom. 7. 7. as in his preſence; is a ſpeciall meanes to preſerue from pride, ſecuritie, hardneſſe of heart, and falling into ſinne, Heb. 3. 13. Pſal. 4. 4. It doth quicken to prayer, Gen. 24. 63. Pſa. 19. 12. is a good ſteppe to repentance, Pſ. 119. 59. Hag. 1. 5. ſetleth in a Chriſtian courſe, Pſal. 39. 1. prouokes forward in godlineſſe, Pſ. 119. 59. 60. and makes charitable towards others. Gal. 6.
37. To iudge a mans ſelfe, is to paſſe an vnpartiall ſentence againſt himſelfe, agreeable to the word of God, according to the meaſure of that iniquitie which by examination he findeth in himſelfe, Ezec. 16. 61. and 20. 43. Dan. 9. 8. Luk. 15. 18, 19. This awakeneth the heart, Ezec. 36. 31. maketh vsus afraid of ſinne, Gen. 39. 9. ſpurreth vsus to ſue to the throne of grace, 1. King. 8. 38. and preuenteth the iudgements of God. 1. Cor. 11. 31.
38. Watchfulneſſe, which is a narrow, carefull, and continuall keeping, obſeruing, and ouerſeeing of our hearts, and all our waies, Prou. 4. 23. is both exceeding neceſſarie, ſeeing that of our ſelues we are apt to erre, Pſa. 95. 10. and hauehave many occaſions beſides to draw vsus away from godlineſſe, Luk. 14. 18. 20. and exceeding profitable to preuent or withſtand Sathan, 1. Pet. 5. 8. Matth. 26. 41. keep vnderunder luſts, avoid and cut off ſtrayings and wandrings of mind and life, 2. Tim. 4. 5. 1. Cor. 16. 13. Pſa. 101. 2. keepe the heart in good order, and to eſchewe dangerous decaies, fals, and diſcomforts, which otherwiſe men ſhall runne into. 2. Sam. 11. 2. 1. Tim. 2. 14. 2. Cor. 11. 3.
39. To redeeme time, is ſo to husband it, that eueryevery moment thereof may bee ſpent for our beſt aduantage, Eph. 5. 16. Col. 4. 5. Time is a precious thing, beeing loſt it is vnrecouerable, though God may pardon it to the penitent, Eſa. 1. 16. 18. therefore wee muſt redeeme the time of youth, Eccl. 12. 1. of the Goſpel, 2. Cor. 6. 2. the Sabbath, Exod. 20. 10. the time of ſickeneſſe, health, and vacancie from buſineſſe in our callings, &c. Luk. 19. 42. Ioh. 9. 4. Gal. 6. 10. Pro. 10. 5.
40. When mans heart is emptied of euill, it will quickly gather filth again, (as garments will duſt,) vnleſſe it be fraught with good. Matth. 12. 43, 44, 45.
41. If faith decay in vsus (as needes it muſt, vnles it be carefully ſtirred vp, preſerued, and exerciſed, 2. Tim. 1. 6.) godlineſſe muſt needes wither, 1. Tim▪ 1. 5. for faith is the victorie whereby wee ouercome the world, 1. Ioh. 5. 4. thereby wee wreſtle againſt ſinne, by the almightie power of Ieſus Chriſt, Gal. 2. 20. and our liues muſt needes be full of doubtings or ſecuritie, drowned with carnall delights, 1. Kin. 11. 4. and ſinfull pleaſures, and the word will looſe it efficacie, Heb. 4. 2. the exerciſes of religion their ſweetneſſe. To the end that faith might be preſerued, we muſt value it aboue gold and ſiluer, 2. Pet. 2. 1. often meditate vponupon the ſweetnes, Pſal. 119. 103. and 139. 17. conſtancie, Reu. 1. 5. 2. Cor. 1. 20. and perpetuity of the moſt precious and free promiſes which are the grounds of faith, Hoſ. 14. 5. Ezec. 36. 22. walke according to the rules thereof, learne to exerciſe it liuing thereby, Heb. 10. 38. Rom. 1. 17. and ſincerely, conſtantly, and conſcionably vſe all thoſe means, wherby faith is wrought or nouriſhed.
Q. How elſe?
A. He muſt take mEpheſ. 6. 14.vntounto him the whole armour 42 of God, and with nProu. 2. 3, 4. Coloſſ. 4. 2.care, vprightneſſe, and conſtancie vſe the meanes of grace before preſcribed, in one oIob 27. 10.eſtate as well as another.
Exp. 42. All Chriſtians are called to be ſoldiers, Reu. 12. 7. to fight vnderunder Chriſt Ieſus their captaine, againſt the fleſh, Rom. 8. 13. the world, 1. Ioh. 2. 16. and the deuill, 1. Pet. 5. 8, 9. a ſpirituall, ſubtile, and malitious enemie, Eph. 6. 12. Reu. 20. 2. Matth. 13. 28. 39. that can neuer be appeaſed; they had need therefore take vntounto them the whole armour of God, which they muſt daily put on, and continually keep on, that at all times they hauehave it readie for vſe, to repell and quench the fierie darts of the deuil. The parts of this armour are ſinceritie, louelove of righteouſnes, the goſpel, faith, liuely hope, and the word of God, Eph. 6. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. Theſe are kept on by earneſt prayer, watchfulnes, and holy meditation.
Q. What priuiledges doth God afford vntounto his children in this life, who labour according to his will to grow in grace?
A. 1 They may be q1. Ioh. 3. 13. Io. 1. 12.aſſured 2 of his fauour and fatherly 3 care r1. Tim. 4. 10. Mat. 10. 30.ouer them, the direction ſPſa. 143. 10.of his ſpirit, their tCol. 1. 9, 10.growth in 4 grace, and uPhi. 1. 6.perſeuerance to the ende.
Expoſ. 1. It is firſt of all to be obſerued that none of theſe priuiledges can be enioyed without great ſtrife and labour. 1. Cor. 16. 13.
2. Not onelyonly ſome vncertain hope, or dimme ſight of Gods fauour, but aſſurance therof may in this life be obtained, Iob. 19. 25. 2. Cor. 5. 1. 2. Tim. 4. 8. and 1. 12. for the Scripture exhortes vsus to make our calling and election ſure, 2. Pet. 1. 10. layeth many ſufficient grounds of aſſurance, 1. Ioh. 4. 13. and 3. 14. Phil. 1. 6. and propoſeth diuers examples of them, who hauehave attained thereunto, Rom. 8. 34. 38, 39. Luk. 2. 29. Heb. 11. 9, 10. This is a rare and precious priuiledge, becauſe it may conſtantly bee inioyed with an increaſe thereof, Hoſ. 13. 14. Malac. 3. 6. 1. Theſ. 4. 1. 10. is alwayes accompanied with ioy vnſpeakeable, and ſweete contentment, Cant. 1. 1. Pſa. 4. 6, 7. Ioh. 8. 56. 1. Pet. 1. 8. and the longer it is poſſeſſed, the ſweeter it is; daintie meates may become loathſome, but we cannot ſurfet of Gods fauour. Pſa. 17. 15.
3. God would hauehave his children know that in eueryevery ſtate he wil ſaue and vphold them, Pſ. 9. 10. and 32. 6, 7. euen when his wrath doth burne againſt his enemies, Eſa. 33. 4, 5, 6. and 27. 7, 8. hee will teach them the good way which they ought to followe, Pſ. 25. 12. 14. Pro. 3. 32. giuegive his angels charge ouer them, carie them in his boſome, Pſ. 91. 11. 12. &c. The amiable, ſweet, and comfortable titles that Chriſt giueth to his ſpouſe, calling her my louelove, my doue, my ſiſter, my ſpouſe, my vndefiled, doth ſhew what great regard he hath of eueryevery Chriſtian. Can. 1. 8, 9. and 2▪ 14.
4. The ſeruants of Chriſt are exhorted and commaunded, to grow in grace and godlineſſe, 1. Theſſ. 4. 1. 10. Col. 1. 10. there are patternes of holy men left vntounto vsus in Scriptures, that hauehave growne rich in wiſedome and holineſſe, Reuel. …. 19. what God commaundeth in the Goſpel, that Chriſtians ſhould beleeue he wil inable them to doe, Ioh. 6. 63. 1. Ioh. 5. 3. & what ordinarie grace any of the faithfull did obtaine, the ſame may all the faithfull looke for, Zach, 12. 10. Eph. 4. 4. 2. Pet. 1. 1. if it be for their good, Rom. 8. 28. for they are all vnderunder the ſame couenant, hauehave the ſame redeemer and ſanctifier, & hauehave the ſame promiſes made vntounto them. 2. Cor. 6. 18. 1. Tim. 2. 5. 6. Epheſ. 4. 30. & 2. 12.