A LIGHT UNTO THE UNLEARNED: OR, THE PRINCIPLES OF THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST. Set down most briefly, for the use of young and ignorant Persons. To be learned and remembered, at all times: but specially, when they would come to the holy Communion. Divided into eight Sections. LONDON, Printed by john Legatt for George Lathum, and are to be sold at his Shop in Paul's Churchyard, at the Sign of the Brazen Serpent. 1622. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER. I Propound (Christian Reader) in this most brief Treatise, the principal Grounds of our Religion, in the most compendious manner. The cause of my brevity is this: There be many poor servants and laborers; many that are of trades and manual Sciences; many aged Persons of weak and decayed memories: Of these, some never learned so much as to read, some very little, and the most of them have, or will have, small leisure to learn long discourses: the world, or other vanities, taking up their thoughts and cares. Yet all these have immortal souls, to remain after a few days, in eternal joys, or in endless pains. Of these care must be had: and the rather, because many of them have little care of themselves. To these, the longest tractates being displeasing, I direct the shortest. For, better a little well learned, than a great deal not learned at all. In which, I comprehend much matter in few words: and draw together, into the narrowest space, those things, which I judged most needful for them to know unto salvation. I have confirmed the same in the margin with proofs of Scripture, selected out of many which might be produced: and for their greater ease and benefit, I have expressed the words themselves; and where need is, as the straightness of room would permit, explained them: that they may see herein, not man teaching them, but God. If they would take a little pains, to learn these few points without book, they might have matter of good meditation, when they are about their works, and travailing in worldly affairs: and so their earthly dealings should be more blessed. Also, they may receive greater profit by the Scriptures they read, and Sermons they hear, when they know to what head or ground of Doctrine, to refer that which is delivered. And may by this means come better prepared to the Lords Table. Wherefore, I earnestly exhort them, as from my heart desiring their salvation, to retain the grounds of heavenly Doctrine, in perfect memory: to labour to have their hearts affected therewith: and to manifest there knowledge by an holy conversation. That living virtuously, they may die comfortably: and after this short and uncertain life is ended, come to blessed immortality. Fran: Inman. THE PRINCIPLES of the DOCTRINE of CHRIST, set down most briefly. Sect. 1. GOD is a 1 joh. 4.24. God is a Spirit. Spiritual * This word, essence, signifieth a being. God is the first and chiefest being. He saith. Exod. 3.14. I am: implying his selfe-being. And he giveth being to all other things. Essence, 2 Psal. 90. verse 2. From everlasting to everlasting thou art God. jer. 23.24. I fill heaven and earth. infinite and 3 Gen. 17.1. I am the Almighty God. Almighty, 4 Psal. 147.5. His understanding is infinite. most Wise and 5 Isa. 6.3. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. most Holy, 6 2. Cor. 1.3. The Father of mercies. most Merciful and 7 Psal. 11.7. The just Lord loveth justice. most Just. The Godhead is distinguished into 1 1. joh. 5.7. There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the holy Ghost: and these three are one. three divine Persons: the Father, who is of himself; the Son, who is of the Father; the holy Ghost, who is of them both. All these three are one, and the same God. Sect. 2. This God; the Father, the Son, the holy Ghost; 2 Nehem. 9.6. Thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens with all their host, the earth and all things that are therein, the seas and all that is therein; and thou preservest them all. created all things: things invisible, as Angels; and visible, as Men, and other creatures. And he governeth them all. Sect. 3. God created our first parents in 3 Gen. 1.27. God created man in his own image. Man resembled his Creator in excellent gifts: in soul, in body, in both. blessed estate. He adorned their souls with wisdom, and righteousness: their bodies with beauty, and glory: and both with immortality, and dominion over other creatures. But by the 4 Gen. 3.4, 5. The serpent said unto the woman ye shall not surely die:— Ye shall be as Gods— enticement of the Devil, they 1 Gen. 3. ●. When the woman saw, that the tree was— to be desired to make one wise, (to wit, in her seduced judgement) she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat: and gave also unto her husband— fell willingly from God, and 2 Rom. 5.19. By the disobedience of one man, many were made sinners. This man was Adam, our first parent: his fosleritie, who are many, which issue by generation from him, are made sinners by imputation of his sin. we, their posterity, fell with them. Hereby, our whole nature is corrupted, and inclined to all evil. Whereupon we are 3 Deut. 27.26. and Gal. 3.10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them. The curse of God containeth all troubles of this life; and torment of the text. subject to eternal misery: beginning in this life, in manifold calamities: and continuing after this life, in unquenchable fire. Sect. 4. 4 Gal 4.4, 5. God sent forth his Son— made under the law: to redeem them that were under the law. To redeem us out of this misery, and to bring us again to felicity, God hath given to us a Saviour: His Son, jesus Christ. Christ consisteth of 5 joh. 1.14. The word was made flesh. That is, the Son of God was made man: and so is, both the Son of God; and the Son of man. two natures: a divine nature, whereby he is perfect God: and an humane nature, whereby he is perfect man. That being God, he might be able to bear the punishment due to us: and might make the obedience of his manhood of infinite value. And being man, sin might be punished in that nature which sinned: and in the same, the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled. He hath three offices: He is a 1 Heb. 5.5. God glorified Christ, to be made an high Priest. Priest. a 2 Luk. 7.16. A great Prophet is risen up among us. Prophet, and a 3 Luk. 1.33. He shall reign for ever, over the house of jacob. That is, over the whole Church of God: which was first confined within jacobs' family: and now into it all believers are adopted. King. He is a Priest, to make satisfaction & intercession for us. He maketh satisfaction, by 4 1. Pet. 2.24. His own self bore our sins, in his own body, on the tree. suffering the punishment of our sins: and by 5 Rom. 5.19. By the obedience of one, shall many be made righteous. This one is Christ: the whole multitude of believers in him, are made righteous, by imputation of his righteousness. fulfilling, on our behalf, all the righteousness of the law. He maketh intercession, by 6 Heb. 9.24. Christ is entered into heaven, to appear in the presence of God for us, His appearing hath the force of an entreating. entreating God the Father to accept his satisfaction for us. He is a Prophet, 1 joh. 15.15. All things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you. to teach us the will of God; and the means of salvation. He is a King, to govern us: and to 2 joh. 10.28. My sheep shall never perish: none shall pluck them out of my hand. keep us in the way of salvation. Sect. 5. Of this Saviour, and of his salvation, we are 3 joh. 3.36. He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life. partakers by faith in him. Faith is a special grace of God, whereby we 4 joh. 1.12. To as many as received him, he gave power to become the sons of God: even to them that believe on his name. Here, the receiving of Christ, is the same with believing on Christ. Therefore when he is believed on, he is received. apply Christ to ourselves: and are 5 1. joh. 5.13. These things have I written unto you, that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know, that ye have eternal life. assured, through his merits, of our eternal salvation. Sect. 6. They which believe in Christ, are 6 Act. 13.39. By him all that believe, are justified. justified, and 7 Act. 15.9. By faith our hearts are purified. sanctified: and therefore endeavour to be 8 joh. 15.5. He that abideth in me— bringeth forth much fruit. plentiful in all good works. Sect. 7. We must be careful to use all good means, that faith may be wrought, and increased in us. The principal means are three: the hearing of the word of God, the receiving of the Sacraments, and Prayer. We must hear the word of God with 1 Act. 15.14. The Lord opened the heart of Lydia, that she attended unto the things which were spoken. diligent attention: and keep it in our hearts by 2 Psa. 1.1, 2. Blessed is the man that— doth meditate in the law of the Lord, day and night. continual meditation. The Sacraments are holy 3 Rom. 4.11. Abraham received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of faith. As circumcision was a sign of the Covenant of Grace, and a seal to assure the believers the remission of sins: so are the other Sacraments. signs and seals, by which God declareth and sealeth, for the satisfaction of Christ, remission of sins, and life everlasting, to every believer. There be two Sacraments Baptism, and the Lords Supper. Baptism is a Sacrament, whereby is sealed to us, our 1 Circumcision sealed to the people of Israel, that God for the merit of the promised seed would be their God: and Baptism, succeeding that Sacrament, sealeth the same to us. receiving into the Covenant of Grace, our 2 Gal. 3.27. As many as have been baptised into Christ, have put on Christ. engrafting into Christ, and our 3 Tit. 3.5. God saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the holy Ghost. regeneration by the holy Ghost. The Lord's Supper is a Sacrament, whereby is sealed to us, the continuance and increasing of the benefits confirmed by Baptism. Namely our remaining in the Covenant of Grace: our further engrafting into Christ, and regeneration by his Spirit: and so our nearer union and communion with him. Four things are required to the receiving of the Lords Supper. Knowledge of the Grounds of Religion: 4 Exod. 12. The posts of every man's house were sprinkled with the blood of the Paschall Lamb: So every man must have the satisfaction of Christ, by faith imputed to himself. This faith must show itself in the fruits thereof. Faith in Christ: Repentance for our sins: Charity to our neighbours. Prayer is an 5 Psal. 143.6. My soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. earnest desire of a 6 Prov. 28.9. He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is abomination. converted heart to God, according to his 1 1. joh. 5.14. If we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us. will, in the 2 joh. 16.26. Ye shall ask in my name. name of Christ, with 3 Mark. 11.24. What things soever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them. confidence to be heard. Sect. 8. Having declared the estate of man in this life; what it was in his innocence, and what it hath been since his fall, both by nature, and by grace: I will also show his estate after this life. THE estate of the dead is this. The souls of the godly are in heaven, in 4 Rev. 14 13. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord— that they may rest from there labours. blessed rest: 5 Rev. 7.9, 10. A great multitude— stood before the throne— and cryed-Salvation to our God— and unto the Lamb. praising God; and 6 Rev. 6.9, 10. The souls of them that were shine for the Word of God— cried— How long, Lord— dost thou not judge & avenge our blood.— desiring their perfect felicity. The souls of the wicked are 7 1. Pet. 3.19, 20. The spirits, which were disobedient in the days of Noah, are in prison: So are the souls of all that have died in their sins. imprisoned in hell: feeling the 8 Luk. 16.23, 24. The rich man in hell, being in torments, cried, I am tormented in this flame. horror thereof; in dreadful expectation of the full measure of their torments. Thus both remain till the last judgement. Then, the dead shall 1 joh. 5.28, 29. All that are in the graves— shall come forth. rise, with their 2 job 19.26, 27. In my flesh shall I see God:— Mine eyes shall behold him.— own bodies. The living shall be 3 1. Cor. 15.51. We shall not all sleep: but we shall all be changed. changed. And all shall 4 2. Cor. 5.10. We must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ: that every one may receive— according to that he hath done.— appear before Christ: and be judged according to their works. After which, the godly shall 5 Math. 25.34. Come ye blessed— inherit the kingdom prepared for you— Then, they shall be Kings. inherit the kingdom of heaven. They shall have 6 Rev. 21.3. God will dwell with men. full communion with Christ: and with the Father, and the holy Ghost. There souls shall be endued with the 7 1. Cor. 13.12. We shall see face to face. Evidently and clearly. The moral law, now impossible to our fallen nature, shall then be perfectly fulfilled. perfect knowledge, and love of God. Their bodies shall be 8 Phil. 3.21. Christ will change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body. like the glorious body of Christ. And all shall have 9 Psal 16.11. In thy presence is fullness of joy. fullness of joy, for ever. But the wicked shall be cast 1 Luk. 13.27: Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity. from God: into 2 jude vers. 13. The blackness of darkness. The greatest and thickest darkness. extreme darkness, and 3 Dan. 12.2. Shame and everlasting contempt. utter confusion; tormented in soul and body, in a 4 Rev. 21.8. The fearful, and unbelieving, and adhominable— shall have there part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone. lake burning with fire and brimstone, for 5 Math. 25.46. They shall go into everlasting punishment. ever. FINIS.