RELIGION. Without the knowledge whereof none may presume to come to the Lords Table here or expect to communicate with him in glory hereafter. Collected out of a more copious Catechism, and published especially for the benefit of such poor Souls, as want: Either money to buy, Or time to learn, Or memories to retain a larger Treatise. HEB. 5.12. When for the time ye ought to be Teachers, ye have need that one teach you again, which be the first Principles of the Oracles of God, and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. LONDON, Printed by WILLIAM JONES, and are to be sold by Francis Coules dwelling in the Old Bailie, near to Newgate, 1630. A Precept for Parents. These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Deut. 6.6, 7. To Children and Servants. Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear. 1 Pet. 3.15. THE MAIN GROUNDS OF RELIGION. Question. OF what Religion are you? Answer. Of the Christian Religion. Acts 11, 24 Q. What Religion is that? A. Acts 4, 12. That which teacheth men to look for true and everlasting happiness by Christ alone. Q. Where is this Religion taught? 2 Tim: 3, 16. A. In the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament. Q. What may we learn out of the Scriptures? A. Two things: john 17, 3 Eccle: 7, 29 the knowledge of God, and of ourselves. Q. What are we taught concerning God? A. That there are three Persons, 1 john 5, 7 Prov. 16, 4 Mat: 10, 29 yes but one God, who is the Ordainer, the Maker, and Governor of all things. Q. What are we taught concer●●●● ourselves? Gen. 1 26.. and 3, 1, 2. Rom. 5.12 A. That Man and Woman bein● made in the Image of God, fell from the blessed estate, and became most cursed Creatures. Q. What is then the estate of every natural man? Eph. 2.3. Rom. 7.24 A. Very miserable, and in no wise to be rested in. Q. What maketh his estate so bad? Esa. 59.2. Rom. 6.23 A. Two things: Sin and the punishment thereof. Q. What call you Sin? 1 joh. 3.4. A. Every breach of Gods Law. Q. How doth man break the Law of God? Esay 1 15.16, 17. and 64.6. A. By doing things forbidden, leaving things commanded, or failing in the manner. Q. What is the punishment of sin? Deut. 28.15. Luk 16 22 23 A. All miseries in this life, death in the end, and hell ever after. Q. Is sin such a grievous thing? A. Yea, it is the most heinous and loathsome thing in the world. Q. How appeareth that? Heb. 10.31 and 12.29 A. Both by the punishment, and by the person against whom it is committed. Q. Who is that? A. Almighty God, whose Holiness, 1 Cor. 10. 2●. Psa 36, 5, 6 Power, justice and Goodness is infinite and unspeakable. Q. What shall a man do in that woeful estate? A. Bewail his misery, Act. 2.37. and hasten to get out of it. Q. Is he able of himself to do this? A. No: and beside he hath three enemies, the flesh, the Devil, and the world, 2 Cor, 3: 5 Eph. 6.12. that will labour to hold him in it. Q. Where shall a man find help? A. Only in jesus Christ, joh. 146. the only begotten Son of God. Q. What hath he done to deliver man out of misery? A. He became man and in our nature fully satisfied the Law & justice of God. Gal. 4.4, 5 Q How hath he done this? A By bearing for us the punishment which the Law threatneth; Gal. 3.13. Mat. 3.15. and fulfilling the righteousness which the Law requireth. Q How did Christ bear the punishment due to sin by the Law? A By enduring manifold miseries all his life time, and in the end the wrath of God, and the cursed death of the Cross. Luk. 9.58. Phil. 2.8. Q. How did he work the righteousness required by the Law? A. By being obedient to the will of God, 1 Pet. 2, 22 john 4, 34 in thought, word, and doed, all his life long. Q. What benefit have we by Christ his death and sufferings? Heb. 2, 14, 15. A. Deliverance from sin, and the punishment thereof. Q. And why by his righteousness and obedience? Rom. 5, 18 19, 11. A. The favour of God, and everlasting happiness. Q. How may we obtain these benefits by Christ? john 1, 12. A. Only by true faith in him. Q. What is a true Faith in Christ? Rom. 1, 16 john 6, 69 2 Tim 2, 12 A. It is a belief of the Gospel, whereby a man doth truly rest, and cast himself upon Christ alone, for remission of sins, and eternal salvation. Q. Is it in our power to believe? Eph. 2, 8 Gal: 5, 22 Rom. 10, 17. A. No: it is the gift of God, by the working of the Spirit, through the preaching of the Gospel. Q. Shall all believers have benefit by Christ's death? A. All that truly believe shall: but there is a dead faith that profiteth no thing. Q. How is the true faith perceived? A. By the fruits thereof, 1 john 3, 3 and namely by repentance. Q. Why so? A. Because wheresoever God's Spirit worketh true Faith, Acts 15, 5 there he worketh repentance also. Q. What is repentance? A. Such a change of the heart, Rom: 12, 2 as bringeth forth a reformed life. Q. Whence cometh this change? A. Especially from the sight and feeling of God's mercy towards us in Christ. 1 Ioh: 4, 19 Q. From what is the heart changed? A. From the love of the world to the love of God: 1 Ioh: 2, 15 Tit: 2, 12 from carelessness to conscience, and desire to please God. Q. What is the change called? A. It is called in Scripture a new creature. 2 Cor: 5, 17 Q. How doth it appear? A. When in word and deed we endeavoure to abstain from evil, Es: 1, 16, 17 Eph. 4, 21 23, 24. and to exercise ourselves in that which is gold. Q. Is this change of heart and mind perfect in any? A. No: we believe not perfectly, Mark: 2, 24 1 Cor: 13, 9 Heb: 6, 1. and therefore we cannot love perfectly, but we must strive to perfection. 1 Pet. 2, 2: 1 The 5, 17 20, 19, &c: Q How must we strive? A By a diligent use of the mea●●● which God hath appointed for our increase in faith and repentance. Q. What are the public means? A. They are chief three: hearing the word, Luc: 22, 19 Ro: 10, 13, 14, receiving the Sacrament, and joining in Prayer. Q What are the Sacraments? Ro: 4, 11: 1 Cor: 10: 16; A Certain outward signs and seal appointed of God, to assure us that Christ and all his benefits are given to us. Q How many Sacraments are there? 1 Cor: 10, 32, 34, A Two, Baptism, and the Lords Supper. Q What doth Baptism assure us of? A That being engrafted into Christ; we are washed from our sins in his blood, Gal: 3, 27: Tit: 3, 5: and borne anew in God. Q What doth the Lord's Supper assure us of? 1 Cor: 11 24 Ioh: 6, 54, A It doth further warrant us that Christ is given to us to be our spiritual nourishment to everlasting life. Q Who maketh the right use of the Sacraments? Mat, 26: 28 Gal. 6, 15, A He that is thereby daily confirmed in faith and newness of life. Q Who obtain this benefit by the Lord's Supper? A Such as come with knowledge, 1 Cor. 11, 28. faith, repentance and love. Q. What is Prayer? A. Acraving of those things at God's hands which we want, Psa. 50.15 Phillip 4.6. and thanking him for those we have. Q. When do men pray a right? A When they pray only to God, Ioh: 16.23 jam, 4, 3, in the name of Christ: ask things lawful, to his glory, with faith, feeling and love. Q. What be the private means? A. Reading and praying both alone, Deut, 17, 19 Mat. 7, 7 Gen 18, 19 and 24, 63 1 The, 5, 11 Psa, 119, 9 and with others instructing our families, thinking upon good matters, admonishing and comforting one another, & watching over our own ways according to the word. Q What will the right use of all these means work in God's children? A A most happy and comfortable change, from that which they were before, even in this life. Acts 26, 18 1 Co, 6, 11 Q What becometh of them after this life? A The soul goeth immediately into the Paradise of God, and the body shall be raised up at the last day, Luk, 19, 22 1 Cor, 16.52. Mat 25, 46 and joined with the same in glory for ever. Q. What is the portion of all ●●●●rant or profane persons, who contemn these means of grace? Deu: 28, 20 65, 66, 67 2 Thes: 1, 9 Luke 13, 8 Mat: 25, 41 & 13, 49, 50. A. They are in a most cursed condition while they live here, and hereafter they shall be banished from the joys of heaven, and shall for evermore be tormented with the Devil in Hell, when is weeping and wailing, and gnashing of tooth. Certain Rules for the direction of a Christian life, expressed in Meeter, for help to the memory. A Prov: 4, 2 Luk: 21, 3 josu: 7, 21 Gen: 39, ● ACquaint thyself most narrowly, Thy mind, thy heart, and life to watch: Lest idle thoughts and noisome dreams, Do wicked lusts and dealings hatch. B Eph: 5, 1● Psal: 90, 1● Mat: 6, 33 Luk: 10, 41 Be wise and careful to redeem, Thy precious time to holy deeds: Let not these earthly matters base, Consume more hours than thou must needs C Psal: 52, 1● Dan: 6, 1● Psal: 6.6. & 4, 4, 8 Call to thy mind when night is come, Thy sins that day to crave release: Think on God's favours him to praise, That so thou mayst lie down in peace. D Gen: 18, 1● Psa: 27, ● & 90, 14● 15, 16, 1● Doth morn approach and sleep departed, First lift thy heart to God on high: Commit thyself and ways to him, And vow to serve him faithfully. E Enter upon no kind of work, But crave God's Spirit thee to protect: Go to no place or company, But pray from ill me to direct. F 1 Tim, 4, 5 1 Cor, 10 1: Mat, 14 ●6 and 26 ●6 Forget not when thou meanest to use, God's creatures, or his mercy sweet: For soul's delight, or body's health, To crave his leave and blessing meet. G Deu, 8, 10 and 32, 15 Psa, 68, 19 Mat: 16, 30 Give unto God due thanks and praise, When comfortable use thou hast: Or any of his blessings good, Or else he counts them spent in waist. H joh, 4, 24 ● Sam, 1, ●3 Ps, 5, 2 and 30, 11 Hold this for sure, that in true prayer, The heart's desire is chiefest thing: Yet voice will help the same to warm, And banish dulness and wand'ring. I Gen, 24, ●3, Dan, 6 ●0, Psa, 55, ●7, and 19, 164 (If possibly thou canst it find) Set out some time of every day: To muse, to pray, and read good books, That grace and conscience increase may. K Prov, 16, 4 Mat, 10, 29 Eccles, 9, 2 Mat, 25, 33 Keep heart and mind much bend to think How God hath made and ruleth all: How here he deals with good and bad, How differ in the end they shall. L Like best to ponder Christ his works, Rom, 5, 2 1 Cor, 2, Gal, 6, 14, Phil, 3, 8, How he thee saved from sin and shame: And made thee heir of Paradise, Delight therein and praise his name. M Mark well the lives of good and bad, Esa, 37, 37 Mat. 25, 26 Luk, 16, 23 jam, 5, 10 Consider eke the ends of both: To move thee for to imitate, The virtuous man, and sinners loath. N Nurture thy soul with thoughts of death, Psa, 39.4 Heb, 9, 27, Luke, 12, 20 Col, 3, 1 That needs thou must from hence remove: (Leaving thy wealth and dearest things) To fix thy mind on heaven above. O Observe how thy corruption dies, Gal, 6, 14 job 20, 12 Mat, 5, 29 and 16, 2 Let not thy dearest friend deceive thee: Why shouldst thou count that sweet and good, Which may of glory quite bereave thee. P Practice God's worship with delight, Deu, 28, 47 Psa, 16, 3 and 116, 10 2 Co, 7, 11 joy in the godlies company: With God thy covenant oft renew, Mourn for thy sin, and it defy. Q Quench not thine own and others Spirit, 1 The, 5, 19 Eph, 4, 19 Eze, 13, 22 Mat, 5, 6 All idle or unsavoury speech: By thy behaviour every where, Let good, no ill to others teach. R Exod: 20, 7 Deu: 28, 58 Psal: 15, 3 Mat: 5, 44 Rehearse no name, no work, nor word Of God, without high reverence: Speak of no man but lovingly, Although it be in thy defence. S Act: 24, 16 Eph: 5, 22, 25. & 6, 1, 4, 5, 6. Seek to approve thyself to God, Thy conscience, and Gods children dear By dealing in thy calling, and With such to whom thou art most near. T Eph: 6, 12 Ier: 17, 9 2 Tim: 3, 5 Rev: 3, 16 Take heed lest Satan's craft (by means Of natures bend t'hypocrisie, And to profaneness) make thee use Religious duties formally. V Mat: 15, 8, & 10, 28, & 6, 3, 4, 5, 6. Use not the same for fashion's sake, Or for thy credit, but with care Thy God to please, that in the end Both soul and body well may far. 2 Tim. 2.7. Consider what I say, and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. Grace before meat. Most gracious God and loving Father, we humbly beseech thee to forgive us all our sins. Be present with us, and bless us, and thy good creatures provided for us. Give us grace to receive them thankfully as from thy hand, and to use them soberly as in thy sight, is thy glory and our own comfort, through jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Grace after meat. We humbly thank thee, O Lord heavenly Father, for refreshing our frail bodies with thy good creatures, beseeching thee likewise to feed our souls with thy lively word, that we may glorify thee, both with our souls and with our bodies through jesus Christ our Lord. Bless good Lord thy holy Church, our gracious King, his Royal Family and Realm, and send us eternal life, through jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. FINIS.