Hierarchies
First Order
Bible
Second Order
Prayer
Congregational Song
Third Order
Sermon
Treatise
  • Doctrinal Treatise
  • Controversial Treatise
  • Exegetical Treatise
  • Contemplative Treatise
Catechism
Religous Biography
Preface
  • Preface Catechism
  • Preface Biography
  • Preface Treatise Controversial
  • Preface Treatise Doctrinal
Pamphlet
  • Letter Pamphlet
  • Petition Pamphlet
  • Treatise Pamphlet
  • Sermon Pamphlet
Sets
core
Bible
Prayer
Congregational Song
Sermon
Treatise
  • Doctrinal Treatise
  • Controversial Treatise
  • Exegetical Treatise
  • Contemplative Treatise
Catechism
minor
Religious Biography
associated
Preface
  • Preface Catechism
  • Preface Biography
  • Preface Treatise Controversial
  • Preface Treatise Doctrinal
Pamphlet
  • Letter Pamphlet
  • Petition Pamphlet
  • Treatise Pamphlet
  • Sermon Pamphlet
Genres
Bible
Prayer
Congregational Song
Sermon
Treatise
  • Doctrinal Treatise
  • Controversial Treatise
  • Exegetical Treatise
  • Contemplative Treatise
Catechism
Religious Biography
Preface
  • Preface Catechism
  • Preface Biography
  • Preface Treatise Controversial
  • Preface Treatise Doctrinal
Pamphlet
  • Letter Pamphlet
  • Petition Pamphlet
  • Treatise Pamphlet
  • Sermon Pamphlet
Periods
Middle English
  • 1150-1199
  • 1200-1249
  • 1250-1299
  • 1300-1349
  • 1350-1399
  • 1400-1499
  • 1450-1499
Early Modern English
  • 1500-1549
  • 1550-1599
  • 1600-1649
  • 1650-1699
Late Modern English
    Denominations
    Anglican
    Catholic
    Nonconformist
    Unknown
    Authors
    Authors
    Translators
    Extended Search
    Structural
    0/33
    0/8
    0/8
    0/284
    Comment
    0/28
    0/5
    XML Citation Print
    Reading
    Working
    Perkins, William Author Profile
    Author Perkins, William
    Denomination Nonconformist
    Foundation of Christian Religion Text Profile
    Genre Catechism
    Date 1591
    Full Title The Foundation of Christian Religion, gathered into sixe Principles. And it is to bee learned of ignorant people, that they may be fit to hear Sermons with profit, and to receiue the Lords Supper with comfort. Psal. 119.30. The entra~ce into thy words sheweth light, and giueth vnderstanding to the simple.
    Source STC 19710
    Sampling Sample 1
    Text Layout
    The original format is octavo.
    The original contains contains empty page / empty pages,contains footnotes,contains elements such as change of font,italics,
    Annotations
    Downloads

    The foundation of Christian Religion, gathered into sixe Principles.

    Question.
    WHat doest thou beleeue concerning
    God.
    I. There is one God creator
    and gouernour of all things, distinguished
    into the Father, the
    Sonne, and the holy Ghost.
    Q. What doest thou beleeue concerning
    man: and concerning thine
    owne selfe.
    II. All men are wholly corrupted
    with sinne through Adams
    fal: & so are become slaues
    of Sathan, and guilty of eternall
    damnation.

    A4

    1
    Q. What meanes is there for thee
    to escape this damnable estate?
    III. Iesus Christ the eternall
    sonne of God, being made man,
    by his death vpon the Crosse,
    and by his righteousnes, hath
    perfectly alone by himselfe, accomplished
    all things that are
    needefull for the saluation of
    mankinde.
    Q. But how mayest thou be made
    partaker of Christ & his benefites.
    IIII. A man of a contrite and
    humble spirit by faith alone, apprehending
    and applying Christ
    with all his merits vnto himself,
    is iustified before God and sanctified.
    Q. What are the ordinary meanes
    for the obtaining of faith.
    2
    V. Faith commeth onelie by
    the preaching of the word, and
    increaseth daylie by it, as also by
    the administration of the Sacraments,
    and praier.
    Q. What is the estate of all men
    after death?
    VI. All men shall rise againe
    with their own bodies to the last
    iudgement, which being ended
    the godly shal possesse the kingdome
    of Heauen: but vnbeleeuers
    and reprobates shal be in hel
    tormented with the diuel and his
    Angels, for euer.
    3
    4

    The Exposition of the Principles.

    I.

    Question.
    WHat is God?
    A. GOD is a
    spirit, or a spirituall
    substa~ce, most wise,
    most holie, eternall,
    infinite.
    Q. How doo you perswade your self
    that there is such a God.
    A. Besides the testimonie of the
    Scriptures, plaine reason will shew
    it.
    Q. What is one reason?
    A. When I consider the wonderfull
    frame of the world, me thinks the
    silly creatures yt be in it could neuer
    make it: neither could it make itselfe;
    and therefore besides all these, the maker
    5
    of it must needes bee God. Euen
    as when a man comes into a strange
    Countrey, and sees faire and sumptuous
    buildings, and yet findes no liuing
    creatures there beside birds and
    Beaste, hee will not imagine that either
    Birds or Beasts reared by those
    buildings, but he presently conceiues
    that some men either were or haue
    been there.
    Q. What other reason haue you?
    A. A man that commits any sinne,
    as murder, fornication, adultery, blasphemie,
    &c. albeit he dooth so conceale
    the matter, that no man liuing know
    of it, yet oftentimes he hath a griping
    in his conscience, and feeles the verie
    flashings of hel fire: which is a strong
    reason, to shew that there is a God,
    before whose iudgement seate he must
    answere for his fact.
    Q. How many Gods are there?
    A. No more but one.
    Q. How doo you conceiue this one
    God in your minde?
    A. Not by framing any image of
    him in my minde as ignorant folkes
    6
    doo, that thinke him to be an olde man
    sitting in heauen but I conceaue him
    by his properties and works.
    Q. What be his chiefe properties?
    A. First, he is most wise, vnderstanding
    all things aright, and knowing
    the reason of them. Secondly
    hee is most holy, which appeareth in
    that hee is most iust and mercifull
    vnto his creatures. Thirdly, hee is
    eternall, without either beginning
    or ende of dayes. Lastly, hee is infinite,
    both because hee is present in
    all places, and because hee is of power
    sufficient to doo whatsoeuer hee
    will.
    Q. What be the workes of God?
    A. The creation of the world, and
    of euery thing therein, and the preseruation
    of them beeing created by his
    speciall prouidence.
    Q. How knowe you that God gouerneth
    euery particular thing in the
    world by his speciall prouidence.
    A. To omit the Scriptures, I
    see it by experience: Meate, Drinke,
    and cloathing being void of life, could
    7
    not preserue the life of man, vnlesse
    there were a speciall prouidence of
    God to giue vertue vnto them.
    Q. How is this one God distinguished?
    A. Into the Father which begetteth
    the Sonne: into the Sonne who
    is begotten of the Father: into the
    holie Ghost, who proceedeth from
    the Father and the Sonne.

    II.

    Q. Let vs now come to our selues,
    and first tel me what is the natural estate
    of man?
    A. Euerie man is by nature dead
    in sinne as a loathsome carrion, or as
    a dead corps lieth rotting and stincking
    in the graue.
    Q. What is Sinne?
    A. Any breach of the Lawe of
    GOD, if it bee no more but the least
    want of that which the Lawe requireth.
    Q. How many sortes of sinne are
    there?
    A. Sinne is either the corruption
    8
    of nature, or any euil actions that proceede
    of it as fruites thereof.
    Q. In whome is this corruption of
    nature?
    A. In all men, none excepted.
    Q. In what part of man is it?
    A. In euerie part both of bodie
    and soule, like as a Leprosie that runneth
    from the crowne of the head, to
    the sole of the foote.
    Q. Shew mee how euerie parte of
    man is corrupted with sinne?
    A. First, in the mind there is nothing
    but ignorance and blindnesse
    concerning heauenlie matters. Secondly,
    the co~science is defiled, being
    alwaies either benummed with sin,
    or els turmoyled with inward accusations
    and terrours. Thirdly, the wil
    of man only willeth and lusteth after
    euill. Fourthly, the affections of the
    heart, as loue, ioy, hope, desire, &c.
    are moued & stirred to that which is
    euil to embrace it, and they are neuer
    stirred vnto that which is good, vnlesse
    it be to eschewe it. Lastly, the members
    of the bodie are the instruments
    9
    and tooles of the minde for the execution
    of sinne.
    Q. What be those euil actions that
    are the fruites of this corruption?
    A. Euill thoughts in the minde,
    which come either by a mans owne
    conceiuing, or by the suggestion of
    the Diuell: euill motions and lusts
    sturring in the heart, and from these
    arise euill words and deedes, when any
    occasion is giuen.
    Q. How commeth it to passe that al
    men are thus defiled with sinne?
    A. By Adams infidelitie & disobedience,
    in eating the forbidden fruite
    euen as wee see great personages by
    treason doo not only hurt themselues
    but also staine their bloud, & disgrace
    their posteritie.
    Q. What hurt comes to man by his
    sinne?
    A. He is continually subiect to the
    curse of God in his life time, in the
    end of his life, and after this life.
    Q. What is the cursse of GOD in
    this life?
    A. In the body diseases, aches
    10
    paines: in the soule, blindnesse, hardnesse
    of heart, horrour of conscience:
    in goods, hinderances and losses: in
    name, ignominie and reproach: lastly
    in the whole man, bondage vnder sathan
    the Prince of darkenesse.
    Q. What maner of bondage is this?
    A. This bondage is when a
    man is the slaue of the Diuell, and
    hath him to raigne in his heart as his
    God.
    Q. How may a man knowe whether
    sathan be his God or not?
    A. He may know it by this, if hee
    giue obedience to him in his heart,
    and expresse it in his conuersation.
    Q. And how shall a man perceiue
    this obedience?
    A. If he take delight in the euill
    motions that Sathan puts into his
    heart, and doo fulfill the lusts of the
    Diuell.
    Q.What is the cursse due to man
    in the end of his life?
    A. Death, which is the seperation
    of bodie and soule.
    Q. What is the cursse after this life?
    A. Eternall damnation in hell

    B

    11
    fire, whereof euerie man is guiltie,
    and is in as great danger of it, as the
    Traitor apprehended is in danger
    of hanging, drawing, and quartering.

    III.

    Q. If damnation be the reward of
    sinne, then is a man of all creatures
    most miserable. A Dog or a Toade
    when they die, al their miserie is ended:
    but when a man dieth, there is
    the beginning of his woe.
    A. It were so indeede, if there were
    no meanes of deliuerance. but God
    hath shewed his mercie in giuing a
    Sauiour to mankinde.
    Q. How is this Sauiour called?
    A. Iesus Christ
    Q. What is Iesus Christ?
    A. The eternall Sonne of God
    made man in all things, euen in his
    infirmities like other men, saue onelie
    in sinne.
    Q. How was hee made man voide
    of sinne?
    A. He was conceiued in the womb
    of a Virgin, and sanctified by the holy
    Ghost, at his conception.
    12
    Q. Why must our Sauiour bee
    both God and man?
    A. He must be a man: because man
    hath sinned, and therefore a man must
    die for sinne to appease Gods wrath:
    hee must bee God to sustaine and vphold
    the manhood, to ouercome and
    vanquish death.
    Q. What be the offices of Christ to
    make him an al-sufficient Sauiour?
    A. He is a Priest, a Prophet, a King.
    Q. Why is he a Priest?
    A. To worke the meanes of saluation
    in the behalfe of mankinde.
    Q. How doth he worke the meanes
    of saluation?
    A. First, by making satisfaction to
    his Father for the sinne of man: secondly,
    by making intercession.
    Q. How doth he make satisfaction?
    A. By two meanes: and the first is
    by offering a Sacrifice.
    Q. What is this sacrifice?
    A. Christ himselfe, as hee is man,
    consisting of bodie and soule.
    Q. What is the Aulter?
    A. Christ as he is God, is the Aulter
    on which he sacrificed himselfe.

    B2

    13
    Q. Who was the Priest?
    A. None but Christ, and that as
    he is both God and man.
    Q. How oft did he sacrifice himself?
    A. Neuer but once.
    Q. What death did hee suffer when
    he sacrificed himselfe?
    A. A death vpon the Crosse, peculiar
    to him alone: for besides the seperation
    of body and soule, hee felt also
    the panges of hell, in that the whole
    wrath of God due to the sinne of man,
    was powred foorth vpon him.
    Q. What profit commeth by this
    sacrifice?
    A. Gods wrath is appeased for sin.
    Q. Could the suffering of Christ,
    which was but for a short time, appease
    Gods wrath?
    A. Yea, for seeing Christ suffered
    GOD suffered: and that is more
    than if all men in the world had suffered
    for euer.
    Q. Now tell mee the other meanes
    of satisfaction.
    A. It is the perfect fulfilling of the
    Lawe.
    Q. How did he fulfill the Lawe?
    14
    A. By his perfect righteousnes:
    which consisteth of two partes, the
    first, the integritie and purenesse of
    his humaine nature; the other, his
    obedience in performing all that the
    lawe required.
    Q. You haue shewed how Christ
    dooth make satisfaction, tell mee likewise
    how he doth make intercession?
    A. Hee alone dooth continually appeare
    before his Father in Heauen,
    making the faithful & all their praiers
    acceptable vnto him, through the merits
    of his owne perfect satisfaction.
    Q. Why is Christ a Prophet?
    A. To reueale vnto his Church
    the way and meanes of saluation, and
    this hee dooth outwardly by the Ministerie
    of his word, and inwardlie by
    the teaching of his holy Spirit.
    Q. Why is he also a King?
    A. That hee might bountifullie
    bestow vpon vs, and conuey vnto vs
    all the foresaid meanes of saluation.
    Q. How dooth hee shew himselfe to
    be a King?
    A. In that, being dead and buried,
    he rose from the graue, quickned

    B3

    15
    his dead body, ascended into heauen,
    and now sitteth at the right hand of
    his Father, with full power and glorie
    in heauen.
    Q. How else?
    A. In that he doth continually inspire
    and direct his seruants by the diuine
    power of his holy spirit, according
    to his holy word.
    Q. But to whome will this blessed
    King communicate all meanes of saluation?
    A. Hee offereth them to all mankinde,
    and they are sufficient to saue
    all mankinde: but all shall not bee saued
    thereby, because by faith they will
    not receiue them.

    IIII.

    Q. What is Faith?
    A. Faith, is a wonderfull grace
    of God, by which a man doth apprehend
    and applie Christ, and al his benefits
    vnto himselfe.
    Q. How dooth a man apply Christ
    vnto himselfe, seeing we are on earth,
    and Christ in heauen?
    A. This applying is done by assurance,
    16
    when a man is verily perswaded
    by the holy spirit, of Gods fauour
    towards himselfe particularly, &
    of the forgiuenesse of his owne sinnes.
    Q. How dooth God bring men trulie
    to beleeue in Christ?
    A. First he prepareth their hearts,
    that they might bee capable of faith:
    and then he worketh faith in them.
    Q. How doth God prepare me~s harts?
    A. By brusing them, as if one would
    breake an hard stone to pouder: and
    this is done by humbling them.
    Q. How doth God humble a man?
    A. By working in him a sight of his
    sinnes, and a sorrow for them.
    Q. How is the sight of sin wrought?
    A. By the Morall law: the summe
    whereof is the ten commandements.
    Q. What sinnes may I finde in my
    selfe by them?
    A. Ten.
    Q. What is the first?
    A. To make some thing thy God
    which is not God, by fearing it, louing
    it, so trusting in it more than in
    the true God.
    Q. What is the second?

    B4

    17
    A. To worship false Gods or the
    true God in a false manner.
    Q. What is the third.
    A. To dishonour God in abusing
    his titles words, and workes.
    Q. What is the fourth?
    A. To breake the Sabaoth in dooing
    the works of their calling and of
    the flesh: and in leauing vndone the
    workes of the spirit.
    Q. What be the sixe latter?
    A. To do any thing that may hinder
    thy neighbours dignitie, life, chastity,
    wealth, good name; though it
    be but in the secret thoughts and motions
    of thy heart, vnto which thou
    giuest no liking nor consent.
    Q. What is sorrow for sinne?
    A. It is when a mans conscience is
    touched with a liuely feeling of Gods
    displeasure for any of these sinnes: in
    such wise, that hee is wholly out of heart with himselfe, acknowledging
    that hee hath deserued shame, and confusion
    eternally.
    Q. How doth God work this sorrow?
    A. By the terrible curse of the law.
    Q. What is that?
    18
    A. He which breakes but one of the
    commandements of God, though it
    be but once in all his life time; & that
    onely in one thought, is in danger of
    eternall damnation thereby.
    Q. When mens hearts are thus
    prepared, how doth GOD ingraft
    faith in them?
    A. By working certaine inwarde
    motions in the heart, which are the
    seeds of faith, out of which it breedeth.
    Q. What is the first of them?
    A. When a man humbled vnder the
    burden of his sinnes, dooth acknowledge
    and feele that he stands in great
    neede of Christ.
    Q. What is the second?
    A. An hungring desire and a longing
    to be made partakers of Christ
    and all his merits.
    Q. What is the third?
    A. A flying to the throne of grace,
    from the sentence of the law, pricking
    the conscience.
    Q. How is this done?
    A. By praying, with sending vp
    lowde cries for Gods fauour in Christ
    in the pardoning of sinne: and with
    19
    feruent perseuerance herein, till
    the desire of the heart be graunted.
    Q. What followeth after all this?
    A. GOD then, according to his
    merciful promise, lets the poore sinner
    feele the assurance of his loue wherewith
    hee loueth him in Christ, which
    assurance is a liuely faith.
    Q. Are there diuers degrees and
    measures of true faith?
    A. Yea.
    Q. What is the least measure of
    true faith that any man can haue?
    A. When a man of an humble spirit
    "by reason of the littlenes of his faith,
    doth not yet feele the assurance of the
    forgiuenes of his sinnes, and yet he is
    perswaded that they are pardonable,
    and therefore desireth that they should
    be pardoned", & with his heart prayeth
    to God to pardon them.
    Q. How doo you know that such a
    man hath faith?
    A. These desires and prayers are
    testimonie of the spirit, whose propertie
    it is to stirre vp a longing and a
    lusting after heauenly things, with
    sighes and groanes for Gods fauour
    20
    and mercie in Christ. Nowe where
    the spirit of Christ is, there is Christ
    dwelling: and where Christ dwelleth,
    there is true fayth how weake soeuer
    it be.
    Q. What is the greatest measure
    of fayth?
    A. When a man is fully perswaded
    of GODS loue in Christ towardes
    himselfe particularly, and of
    the forgiuenes of his owne sinnes.
    Q. When shall a Christian heart
    come to this full assurance?
    A. Not at the first, but in some
    continuance of time, when hee hath
    been well practized in repentaunce,
    and hath had diuers experiences of
    Gods loue vnto him in Christ: then after
    them will appeare in his heart the
    fulnes of perswasion: which is the
    ripenes and strength of faith.
    Q. What benefites doth a man receiue
    by his fayth in Christ?
    A. Hereby hee is iustified before
    God and sanctified.
    Q. What is this to bee iustified before
    God?
    21
    A. It comprehendeth two things:
    the first, to be cleared from the guiltinesse
    and punishment of sinne: the
    second, to bee accepted as perfectly
    righteous before God.
    Q. How is a man cleared from the
    guiltines and punishment of his sinne.
    A. By Christs sufferings and death
    vpon the Crosse.
    Q. Howe is he accepted righteous
    before God?
    A. By the righteousnes of Christ
    imputed to him.
    Q. What profit comes by being
    thus iustified?
    A. Hereby and by no other means
    in the world, the beleeuer shall bee accepted
    before Gods iudgement seate,
    as worthie of eternall life by the merits
    of the same righteousnesse of
    Christ.
    Q. Doo not good works then make
    vs worthie of eternall life?
    A. No: for GOD who is perfect
    righteousnesse it selfe, will finde in the
    best workes wee doo, more matter of
    damnation than of saluation: & therefore
    wee must rather condemne our
    22
    selues for our good works, than looke
    to be iustified before God thereby.
    Q. How may a man know, that hee
    is iustified before God?
    A. He neede not ascend into heauen
    to search the secret counsell of God:
    but rather descend into his own hart
    to search whether he be sanctified or
    not.
    Q. What is it to be sanctified?
    A. It comprehendeth two things:
    the first to be purged from the corruption
    of his owne nature: the second
    to be indued with inward righteousnes.
    Q. Howe is the corruption of sinne
    purged?
    A. By the merites and power of
    Christs death, which being by faith
    applyed, is as a corasiue to abate, co~sume,
    & weaken the power of all sinne.
    Q. Howe is a man indued with inherent
    righteousnes?
    A. Through the vertue of Christs
    resurrection, which being applied by
    fayth, is as a restoratiue to reuiue
    a man that is dead in sin to newnes of
    life.
    23
    Q. In what part of man is sanctification
    wrought?
    A. In euery part of body & soule.
    Q. In what time is it wrought?
    A. It is begun in this life, in which
    the faythfull receiue onely the first
    fruits of the spirit, and it is not finished
    before the end of this life.
    Q. What graces of the spirit do vsually
    shewe themselues in the heart
    of a man sanctified?
    A. The hatred of sinne, and the
    loue of righteousnes.
    Q. What proceedes of them?
    A. Repentance, which is a settled
    purpose in the heart, with a careful indeuour
    to leaue all his sinnes, and to
    liue a Christian life.
    Q. What goeth with repentance?
    A. A continual fighting and strugling
    against the assaults of a mans
    owne flesh, against the motions of the
    Diuell, and the enticements of the
    world.
    Q. What followeth after a man
    hath gotten the victory in any temptation
    or affliction?
    A. Experience of Gods loue in
    24
    Christ and so increase of peace of conscience
    and ioy in the holy Ghost.
    Q. What followes, if in any temptation
    he bee ouercome, and through
    infirmitie fall?
    A. After a while there wil arise a
    godly sorrow, which is, whe~ a man is
    grieued for no other cause in ye worlde
    but for this onely, yt by his sin he hath
    displeased GOD, who hath bin vnto
    him a most merciful & louing Father.
    Q. What signe is there of this sorowe?
    A. The true signe of it is this, when
    a man can be grieued for the very disobedience
    to God in his euill worde
    or deede, though hee should neuer bee
    punished, and though there were neither
    heauen nor hell.
    Q. What followes after this sorowe?
    A. Repentance renewed a fresh.
    Q. By what signes will this repentance
    appeare?
    A. By seauen. 1. A care to leaue
    the sinne into which hee is fallen. 2.
    An vtter condemning of himselfe for
    it, with a crauing of pardon. 3. A
    25
    great anger against himselfe for his
    carelesnesse. 4. A feare least hee should
    fall into the same sinne againe. 5. A
    desire euer after to please God. 6. A
    zeale of the same. 7. Reuenge vpon
    himselfe for his former offence.

    V.

    Q. What outward meanes must
    wee vse to obtaine faith and all blessings
    of God which come by faith.
    A. The preaching of Gods word
    and the administration of the Sacraments, and prayer.
    Q. Where is the word of God to
    be found?
    A. The whole word of God needefull
    to saluation is set down in the holy
    Scriptures.
    Q. How know you that the Scriptures
    are the word of GOD and not
    mens pollicies?
    A. I am assured of it. First, because
    the holy Ghost perswadeth my
    conscience that it is so. Secondly, I
    see it by experience: for the preaching
    of the Scriptures haue the power
    of GOD in them to humble a man
    26
    when they are preached, and to cast
    him downe to hell: and afterward to
    restore and raise him vp againe.
    Q. What is the vse of the word of
    God preached?
    A. First it breedeth and then it increaseth
    faith in them which are chose~
    to saluatio~: but vnto them that perish
    it is by reason of their corruption an
    occasion of their further damnation.
    Q. How must we heare Gods word,
    yt it may be effectuall to our saluation?
    A. Wee must come vnto it with
    hunger-bitten hearts, hauing an appetite
    to the worde; we must mark it
    with attention, receiue it by faith, submit
    our selues vnto it with feare and
    trembling, euen then when our faults
    are reproued: lastly, wee must hide it
    in the corners of our hearts, that wee
    may frame our liues and conuersations
    by it.
    Q. What is a Sacrament?
    A. A signe to represent, a seale to
    confirme, an instrument to conuey
    Christ and all his benefites to them
    that doo beleeue in him.
    Q. Why must a Sacrame~t represent

    C

    27
    the mercies of God before our eyes?
    A. Because we are dull to conceiue
    and to remember them.
    Q. Why doth the Sacrament seale
    vnto vs the mercies of God?
    A. Because we are full of vnbeleefe
    and doubting of them.
    Q. Why is the Sacrament the instrument
    of the spirite to conuey the
    mercies of God into our hearts?
    A. Because we are like Thomas,
    we will not beleeue till wee feele them
    in some measure in our hearts.
    Q. How many Sacrame~ts are there?
    A. Two and no more. Baptisme,
    by which wee haue our admission into
    the true Church of God: and the
    Lords supper, by which wee are nourished
    and preserued in the Church
    after our admission.
    Q. What is done in Baptisme?
    A. Solemnly in the assembly of the
    church a couenant is made betweene
    the Lord and the party baptized.
    Q. In ye making of this couena~t what
    doth God promise to ye party baptized?
    A. Christ with all blessings that
    come by him.
    28
    Q. To what condition is the party
    baptized, bound?
    A. To receiue Christ, and to repent
    of his sinne.
    Q. What meaneth the sprinkling
    or dipping in water.
    A. The couenant being solemnly
    made, is therby sealed and confirmed.
    Q. How commeth it to passe that
    many after their baptisme for a long
    time feele not the effect and fruit of it,
    and some neuer?
    A. The fault is not in GOD, who
    keepes his couenants; but the fault is
    in themselues, in that they doo not
    keepe the condition of the couenant to
    receiue Christ by faith, and to repent
    of all their sinnes.
    Q. When shall a man then see the
    effect of his Baptisme?
    A. At what time soeuer he doth
    receiue Christ by faith, though it bee
    an hundred yeares after, hee shall then
    feele the power of GOD to regenerate
    him, & to work al things in him,
    which he offered in Baptisme.
    Q. Howe if a man neuer keepe the
    condition, to which he bound himselfe

    C2

    29
    in Baptisme?
    A. His damnation shal be the greater,
    because hee breaketh his vowe
    made to God.
    Q. What is done in the L. supper?
    A. The former couenant made in
    Baptisme, is renued in the Lords
    supper, betweene the Lord himselfe &
    the receiuer.
    Q. What is the receiuer?
    A. Euery one that hath been baptized,
    and after his baptisme hath truly
    beleeued in Christ: and repented of
    his sinne from his heart.
    Q. What meaneth the bread & wine,
    the eating of the bread, & drinking of
    the wine?
    A. These outward actions are a
    second seale, set by the Lordes owne
    hand vnto his couenant. And they doo
    giue euery receiuer to vndersta~d, that
    as God doth blesse the bread & wine,
    to preserue & strengthen the bodie of
    the receiuer: so christ receiued by faith,
    shall nourish him, and preserue both
    bodie and soule vnto eternall life.
    Q. What shall a true receiuer feele
    in himselfe after the receiuing of the
    30
    Sacrament?
    A. The increase of his faith in
    Christ, the increase of sanctification, a
    greater measure of dying to sinne, a
    greater care to liue in newnes of life.
    Q. What if a man after the receiuing
    of the Sacrament, neuer finde
    any such thing in himselfe?
    A. Hee may well suspect himselfe,
    whether he did euer repent or not.
    Q. What is another meanes of increasing
    faith?
    A. Praier.
    Q. What is praier?
    A. A familiar speach with God: in
    which either we craue things needful,
    or giue thanks for things receiued.
    Q. In asking things needfull, what
    is required?
    A. Two things, an earnest desire,
    and faith.
    Q. What things must a Christian
    mans heart desire?
    A. Sixe things especially.
    Q. What are they?
    A. 1. That he may glorifie God: 2.
    That God may raigne in his heart &
    not sinne: 3. That he may do Gods

    C3

    31
    will, and not the lusts of his flesh: 4.
    That he may rely himselfe on Gods
    prouidence for all the meanes of this
    temporall life: 5. That he may be iustified,
    and be at peace with God: 6.
    That by the power of God hee may
    be strengthened against all te~ptatio~s.
    Q. What is faith?
    A. A perswasion, that these things
    which we truly desire, God will grant
    them for Christs sake.

    VI.

    Q. After that a man hath led a short
    life in this world, what followeth the~?
    A. Death, which is the parting asunder
    of body and soule.
    Q. Why doo wicked men and vnbeleeuers
    die?
    A. That their bodies may goe to
    the earth, and their soules may be cast
    into hell fier.
    Q. Why doo the godly die?
    A. That their bodies may rest for a
    while in the earth. & their soules may
    enter into heauen immediatlie.
    Q. What followeth after death?
    A. The day of iudgement.
    32
    Q. What signe is there to knowe
    this day from other dayes?
    A. Heauen and earth shall bee consumed
    with fier immediatlie before the
    comming of the Iudge.
    Q. Who shall be the Iudge?
    A. Iesus Christ the sonne of God.
    Q. What shall bee the comming to
    iudgement?
    A. He shall come in the clouds in
    great Maiestie and glorie with infinit
    companie of Angels.
    Q. How shall all men bee cited to
    iudgement?
    A. At the sound of a trumpet, the
    liuing shall be changed in the twinckling
    of an eye, and the dead shal rise againe
    euerie one with his owne bodie,
    and all shall be gathered together
    before Christ: and after this, the good
    shall bee seuered from the bad, these
    standing on the left hand of Christ,
    the other on the right.
    Q. How will Christ trie and examine
    euery mans cause?
    A. The bookes of all mens dooings
    shall bee laide open, and euerie
    man shal be tried by the workes which
    33
    he did in his life time, because they are
    open and manifest signes of faith or
    vnbeliefe.
    Q. What sentence will he giue?
    A. He wil giue sentence of saluation
    to the elect and godly, but he will pronounce
    sentence of damnation against
    vnbeleeuers and reprobates.
    Q. What state shall the godly be in
    after the day of iudgement?
    A. They shal continue for euer in the
    highest heauen in the presence of God,
    hauing ful fellowship with Christ Iesus,
    and raigning with him for euer.
    Q. What state shall the wicked bee
    in after the day of Iudgement?
    A. In eternall perdition and destruction
    in hell fire.
    Q. What is that?
    A. It stands in three things especially,
    1. a perpetuall seperation from
    Gods co~fortable presence, 2. fellowship
    with the diuel and his angels, 3.
    an horrible pang and torment both of
    bodie and soule, arising of the feeling
    of the whole wrath of God, powred
    foorth on the wicked, for euer, worlde
    without end.
    FINIS.
    © 2015 Corpus of English Religious Prose | Impressum | Contact

    Login to Your Account