THE CRISTALL OF CHRISTIANITIE OR LOOKING GLASSE OF GODS LOVE Containing the Principles of our Christian profession by the way of disputation betweene Master and Scholler in Schooles and Families fit for the profitable practise of all especially of youth to be vsed Initiated formerly by others and amplified by R. P. Minister and Preacher of Gods word Barnard in his Morrals Sacra scriptura mentis oculis quasi speculum quoddam opponitur ibi pulcra nostra in Christo perspicimus ibi feda nostra in nobis Cernimus ibi quantum perficimus ibi quantum a pro factu longè distamus plane sentimus Imprinted at London by Thomas Dawson dwelling neere the three Cranes in the Vinetree 1617. TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL VERTVOVS AND Religious Gentleman master George Bostocke Iustice of his Maiesties peace in the Countie of Denbigh R. P. wisheth Grace Peace and in Iesus Christ all health and happie prosperitie LICVRGVS Right Worshipfull the LACEDEMONIAN Law-maker apointed condigne punishment for euery offendor according to the offence but for an vnthankefull person he could finde no seueritie nor seuere punishment sufficient In consideration therefore of your worship and euer approued fauours towards me as I am bound so I am moued to remember them and shew my selfe mindfull and thankful for them least I should seeme culpable of the grose sinne of Ingratitude and not haue power to performe my Gratuitie with gifts of excellencie I haue made bolde to present to your Worship in testimonie of my loue my poore labours wherein I laboured when I was the Lords labourer in that Congregation where your Worships fauours were well approued not to me alone but to all that were faithfull preachers of Gods word and conformable ministers to the commendable Lawes of our gratious kinges Maiestie Those apparant and approued giftes of grace with many other commendable gifts of nature by God planted in you hath prouoked me to present as vnto a deuout patron of pietie the fruits of my labours and arguments of my loue by Gods grace purposing and faithfully promising vpon your worshipful acceptation of this my widows mite to dedicate more ample manifestation to you and yours of my vnfained affection In the meane time humbly crauing pardon for this my boldnes and euer heartily according to my bounden dutie desiring our gratious God in your heart by his gratious blessing to increase such holy and heauenly vertues whereby the good gifts of grace and nature planted in you may flourish and bring forth such fruits of godlines whereby Gods name may more be glorified Christes members comforted our gratious Kings loyall Subiects by your godly obedience to like obedience in couraged your Worships worthinesse more illustrated the bodies soules of you and all yours with blessinges Temporall more and more inriched and with the Diadems and Crownes of glory by the glorious King of Heauen eternally Crowned I rest London the first day of September 1617. ⸫ Your worships in all loue and dutie ouer to commaund R. P. A Prayer to be sayd at the beginning of this Booke O Lord our God and in Iesus Christ our mercifull and heauenly Father we thy poore seruants assembled before thy maïestie in this Congregation by the sight of our sinnes doe acknowledge our selues to be vnworthie of the least drop of thy fauour or dram of thy mercies Therefore we beseech thee in the name of thy deare Son Iesus Christ and for his sake to pardon all our sinnes passed and by thy gratious spirit to grant vs such grace at this present that we may religiously proceede in the true vnderstanding of thy holy word And by the same thy spirit bee made more obedient to frame our liues by direction of thy Lawes that thereby we may be more apt and able to set forth thy glory by practising the precepts taught vs in thy holy word at this present and daily bee more readie by hearing the same thy holy word to receiue such increase of faith as may sustaine vs to the attayning of all godly instructions and full fruition of true and eternall felicitie world without ende through Iesus Christ thy deare Sonne our onely Sauiour Amen The Cristall of Christianitie or looking Glasse of GODS loue Question AS You doe professe to be a Christian so shewe me what estimation you haue of the diuine scriptures where on you grounde your Christian profession Answere I doe and I ought to esteeme the holy and Canonicall scriptures to bee the spirituall glasse and cleare Cristall wherein the diuine fauour and euerlasting loue of God doth appeare euen to the attaining of eternall life Iohn 3. 30. Q. Wherein may Christians principally proue and find that diuine fauour and euerlasting loue A. First that God the Father did out of his meere loue create vs to his owne Image Secondly that God the Son when that Image was defaced did of his tender loue giue himselfe to redeeme vs. Thirdly that God the holy Ghost gratiously both sanctifieth and in sanctification preserueth vs. Q. As you haue mentioned the God-head in three persons Can you proue them by the Scriptures to be one onely true God A. The Apostle Iohn doth plainely proue it in these words There are three that beare record in heauen the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are one God Iohn 5. 17. Q. Wherefore hath God Created Redeemed Sanctified and in sanctification preserued Christians A. First that we in this life should liue to the glory of God Secondly in the life to come wee should receiue glory euerlasting with God Q. How may Christians learne to glorifie God in this present life A. By ordering this life according to the rule of Gods holy word in the Scriptures reueiled Q. What rules of life are in the scriptures reueiled to guide vs to the glory of God A. The first is the rule of Gods holy precepts and Commandements The second is constant faith in Gods fatherly promises The third is religious Celebrating the holy Sacraments The fourth is the practise of holy faithful feruent and deuout prayers Q. How many are the precepts by God commanded A. The Commandements are ten in number and in two Tables they were written for our instruction Q. What things are in those two Tables principally contained A. In the first a Christians dutie to God And in the second our duties to our neighbour are both taught contained and commaunded Q. What are the words in the first Table mentioned Q. I am the Lord thy God which haue brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of Bondage Exod. xx Q. Are these words a part of the ten Commaundements A. These words are not of the Commaundements but are a profitable preface before the precepts Q. What learne christians by this preface A. A Christian by the word Lord may learne the Law-giuer to be the chiefe Lord and gouernour And by the word God a louing Father and most mercifull deliuerer of his people from bondage distresse
and dangers both of bodie and soule Q. What vse may a Christian make of this preface A. A Christians vse of this preface is to fears the Law giuer as a Lord and Master and to loue obey him as a gratious God and louing Father Mala 1. Q. What are the words of the first Commaundement A. Thou shalt haue none other Gods but me Q. What learne you by this first Commaundement A. I learne that first I ought to worshippe God onely and to giue diuine worship to none but vnto this diuine Maiestis of the Dietie Q. In how many poynts doth this diuine worship stand and chiefly consist A. The first part of diuine worship consisteth in that perfect loue described by our Sauiour Christ Mat. 12. 35. And in that zealous loue expressed by the Prophet Dauid saying Whom haue I in heauen but thee and there is none that I desire on earth in comparison of thee Psal 73. 25. Q. What is the second part of Gods diuine worship A. The second consisteth in such reuerend feare as maketh a Christian neyther to omit willingly any good thing by God commaunded nor commit wilfully any euill thing by Gods law prohibited Mala. 1. 6. Q. What is the third point of Gods diuine worship A. The third part consisteth in yeelding all prayses and directing all our prayers to God onely and to holde it a grosse impietie to giue Angels Saints or Creatures any such honour glory or diuine worship as is due to God onely Q. What is the fourth poynt of Gods diuine worship A. The fourth part is to acknowledge God the giuer of all good thinges Iames 1. And therefore to trust and depend onely on Gods grace and goodnesse hoping as he hath giuen vs his onely sonne he will by him giue vs all good things Q. What are the words of the second Commaundement A. Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image nor the likenesse c. Q. What learne you by this Commaundement A. First I learne to hate loath abhorre the presumption of such vaine men as by imagination will presume to make the Image of the inuisible God whom no mortall man hath seene at any time neyther can be seene with mortall eyes Iohn 1. 18. Q. What doe you learne further A. I learne secondly to auoyde and to lament the grosse blindnesse of men which receiue Images for Gods and by falling downe to worship Idols doe worship Deuils 1. Cor. 10. 20. Q. What learne you else by this precept A. I learne thirdly that as the Law-giuer is a iealous God he will render vengeance on the third and fourth generation of all Idolaters and haters of his diuine worship Exod. 20. So he is a gratious God which will shewe mercie to me and to thousands of generations of Christians that obey him and religiously worship him Psal 103. Exod. 20. Q. What are the words of the third Commaundement A. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine c. Q. What learne you by this Commaundement A. First I learne that I must in all things and at all times vse the name of God with high reuerence and not so much as to thinke or to speake of God without a due reuerent and a religious regard Q. What doe you secondly learne here A. Secondly I learne in conference and com munication to vse no oath nor to sware by any creatures Ier. 5. 7. Psal 16. 4. Q. What learne you more hereby A. Thirdly I learne that to vse the name of God to sorcerie inchantment cursing and in false testimonie is no leūe then a finne of blasphemie Deut. 18. 10. Q. When there is cause of an oth by whom must we sweare A. In lawfull and requisite causes to sware by God is part of his glory Deuteronomy 6. 13. Psal 63. 71. Q. In what causes are oathes lawfull and requisite A. When before a Iudge to witnes a truth for the ending of controuersie Heb. 6. 16. Also when the truth is testified for preseruation of our brethren from intury Ie. 4. 2. Likewise when an oath is requisite in any case for the setting forth of Gods glory it may lawfully be vsed Rom. 9. 1. and the 2. Cor. 11. 31. Q. What is the fourth Commandement A. Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabboth day c. Q. What learne you by the word Remember A. I learne by that word the waightinesse of the matter for in matters of waight that word is vsed Eccle. 12. Q. What signifieth the word Sabboth and what meaneth the keeping it holy A. The word Sabboth signifieth Rest and teacheth Christians to rest from bodily labours and not to be idle but to spend it in holy exercises and diuine duties Q. What are those holy exercises diuine duties commaunded A. First a Christian is to remember to seeke the Lord earely in such prinate prayers as may moue God to direct them to holynesse Pro. 8. Psal 51. Secondly with them that keepe the holie day to resorte with prepared heartes to the house of God and place of prayers Eccle. 5. Psal 44. Thirdly to labour to encrease his faith by hearing Gods word and to strengthen his faith by often and reuerend celebrating the Sacraments appointed by Christ Rom. 10. 1. Cor. 11. Fourthly after the hearing of the word and receiuing the Sacraments to make per fect what they haue learned by the Noblemens practise of Berea Act. 17. Fiftly and finally with deuout prayers to God and with Dauids deuotion in singing Psalmes to the prayse of God and to spend the whole day to the honour of the Lord is the sanctifying and keeping holy the Sabboth Q. Who are commanded to keeps holy the Sabboth A. First all Gouernours as Fathers Mothers and Masters Secondly sonnes daughters men and maid seruants And thirdly Gouernours are both commaunded and chiefly charged that themselues their familie and strangers in their houses doe keepe holy the Sabboth Q. What learne you more from this precept A. I learne that the very Cattell this day by Gods commaundement should rest and not be laboured nor toyled Q. What is farther to bee learned out of this precept A. In the last part remaineth a memorable presedent of our Lord God the Law-maker Q. What learne you by the Lords presedent A. First I learne that as in sixe dayes the Lord ordered and ended his works of creation So a Christian should order and end the worke of his vocation Also I learne as the Lord rested the seauenth day and ordained it to be sanctified so a Christian ought earnestly to immitate Gods presedent and obey Gods commandment A. As you haue shewed me largely what a Christian should doe on the Sabboth day so shew me briefly what hee should leaus vndone that day A. All thinges that necessitie constraineth not and Gods word commaundeth not a Christian on the Sabboth ought to leaue vndone Esay 58. 13. Mat. 12. 3. 5. Q. As in order of the Tables of the Law the dutie
bound to render all honor and glory world without end Amen ⸫ A Prayer briefly to be repeated at the end of this first part GRatious holy and heauenly Father which of thy loue hast of clay created vs to thine owne Image by thy deare son redeemed vs from bondage and by the holy Ghost doest sanctifie and preserue vs in holinesse to serue thee Grant vs wee beseech thee that as by thy holy word we are taught the duties of Christianitie so we may without hypocrisie sincerely serue thee in such sort as may tend most to the setting forth of thy glory in our pilgrimage of this life present And may also most directly guide vs to the attaining the eternall felicitie prouided for vs all thine elect in thy celestiall Paradize in the life to come And powerfull Lord wee pray thee by the rule of thy Law so religiously gouerne our hearts that we neyther stray after our owne Imaginations nor deceiue our selues by any vaine ostentations and bring vs by imbracing the doctrines of thy holy Scriptures to account and esteeme them the holy and cleare Cristall wherein thy loue is reueiled and thy law for direction of our liues plainely described To true obedience of which thy law good Father so incline forme and frame our hearts wee beseech thee that vnfainedly aboue all things we may loue thy holy Maiestie and by proceeding in the rules wee practise by an holy christian charity we may performe our loue one to another with pure hearts vnfainedly And finally by a true and vnfained faith obtaine the promises of grace to serue thee in true holinesse and righteousnesse of life and after this true sanctification and grace present we may raigne with thee in euerlasting glory world without end through Iesus Christ our blessed Sauiour and Redeemer Amen ⸫ Here followeth the second part of the Cristall of Christianitie wherein the Sacrament of Baptisme is discussed very plainely and very familiarly Question TO that end that all Christians may vnderstande what the true Church of Christ is shew me whom and what you do call the true Church of Christe here on earth Answere The name of Church by signification signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Calling And all Christian people that professe the faith of Christ are named by the name of the Church visible generally Q. Who are more effectually and truely called the Church A. They truely in this world are called the true and inuisible Church of Christ whom God elected to saluation before the beginning of the world And which in receiuing Christ by faith doe beleeue in Christ alone to be saued eternally Q. What is the condition and estate of them which be true members of the church and doe beleeue in Christ effectually A. Although it doth not to men alwayes so appeare yet it is apparant that the true members of the Church are replenished with true happinesse holinesse and endued with diuine and sauing graces Q. How are they which are members of Christ his true Church made happie A. The true Church and euery member are blessed made happie by Christ which taketh away the curse and wrath of God due for sinne from them and bestoweth his righteousnesse on them Q. How are Christ his members made holy A. Through his holy spirit which sanctifieth all the elect in Christ with true holinesse Q. How are they replenished here on earth with heauenly graces A. As the Sunne-beames are made pertakers of the Sunnes glory and brightnesse So the true Chruch is replenished and euery part made pertakers of such heauenly vertues and diuine graces wherby God our heauenly Father is glorifyed by his grace giuen to the members of the Church in this life present Q. Doe you conclude then that all Christians which truely beleeue in the Sonne of God which are sanctified by the spirite of God and through his grace expresse in this life the glory of God are effectually called into the true Church and they are rightly called the true Church of Christ A. This is my conclusion that all faithfull people elected before the foundation of the world in Christ gathered throughout the world vniuersally which are iustified sanctified and ordained to be glorified are the true Church of Christ of whom Christ is the Lord and head and are therefore called the true Christian Church rightly Q. What assurance hath the Church here on earth of Christes loue A. Christ hath appoynted the preaching of Gods blessed Word and the holy Sacraments as testimonies thereof Q. How many Sacraments hath Christs ordayned in his Church necessary for the saluation of his Church A. Christ hath ordayned and in his church instituted the Sacrament of Baptisme to receiue and entertaine them which are his members into the fauour of God by his loue Q. What other Sacrament was by Christ instituted A. The holy feast and banquet of his most blessed body and bloud to feede them and sustaine them by and with full assurance of his loue Q. What meane you by this word Sacraments A. Sacraments are outward signes that doe represent all those spirituall inwarde sauing graces which the faithfull receiue from God through Iesus Christ Q. What is the outward signe in Baptisme A. Water wherein the Childe is dipped or sprinkled with and it doth represent the two properties of Water which doth both clense and comfort Q. How doth the propertie of clensing agrée with the inward graces represented in Baptisme A. The propertie of clensing representeth the clensing of our sinnes by the precious and pure bloud of Christ which was shed on the Crosse for our sinnes Q. How doth Water in Baptisme represent comfort to vs A. As Baptisme is instituted in stead of Circumcision which was a seale of righteousnesse by faith so the faithfull are sealed and comforted by faith in Christ to bee saued Q. Doth Baptisme both signifie clensing from sinne and sealing vnto righteousnes A. Our clensing from sinne euen from the infection of the Leprosie which came by Adams disobedience And the essentiall righteousnesse which commeth by Christ is represented by Baptisme Q. What is the cause you compare originall sinne to the infectious disease of the Leprosie A. The word doth declare originall sinne Gezar or Gazar to be full of euill to flow with euill and to ouerflow all men naturally with corruption tending to damnation Q. Doth that daungerous disease bring daunger of damnation naturally on all men A. In one significant word the Apostle doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shew that the infection doth so infect all mans affections and partes with disobedience that the will of the naturall man will not obey the will of God for the which rebellion the wrath of God commeth ouer all the children of disobedience to condemnation Q. How are the faithfull freed from this infectious sin of Leprosie proceeding from Adams disobedience A. As it came by disobedience of one vpon all men to condemnation So it is taken away by the perfect
obediēce of one namely of Christ from all that be members of Christ and ordayned to saluation Q. Are not all men as well as some partakers of that benefite by the perfect obedience of Christ A. None haue this benefite by Christ but the regenerate onely Q. What meane you by regeneration A. Regeneration is a sauing grace in Baptisme pertaining to the regenerate onely for it is not sufficient for children to be dipped into the water but to bee also buryed with Christ in Baptisme and to be borne anew by the power of the holy Ghost Q. How doth this appeare in the regenerate A. As many as spiritually receiue the son of God by faith to be their Sauiour they receiue priueledge and power to bee the sonnes of God which is the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and father of all the faithfull Q. Shew me this priuiledge of them which beleeue and how they be borne anew and made the sonnes of God A. They are not begotten of flesh bloud nor conceiued of the will of the flesh nor borne of the will of man but of God Q. How commeth it to passe that in the regenerate the blemish of sin doth remaine being borne of God A. God doth suffer some sinne to be found and in the best to remaine but neuer suffereth it to raigne it remaineth for their good and Gods glory Q. Can the remaining of sinne in the children of God turne to their good and Gods glory A. It can and doth appeare for many purposes to be so by the word of God Q. Shew me some and such proofes as you finde to be approued A. First the faithfull finde that feeling sinne and finding their owne corruption therby God worketh in the faithfull a true humiliation Secondly when the faithfull finde they haue strong combates with corruption In such strong conflicts the faithfull flye more feruently to seeke succour of God by feruent prayer and earnest inuocation Thirdly the faithfull finding the power of Gods spirit to support their weakenesse and to preserue them safely in all perils are prouoked to praise God daily for their safetie and preseruation Fourthly God often times appoynteth that the best and most perfectest shall haue strongest battaile with corruption That when the victorie is gained as victors and valiant Souldiers of Christ a greater waight of glory may be prouided and with more glorious Crownes of immortall glory shall such be crowned and glorified Q. Doe you conclude then that all the elect shal be glorified which liue on earth to Gods glory and such as most glorifie God before men shall receiue greatest glorie in heauen A. It must be so concluded as it is by testimonie of Christ himselfe conclnded to the comfort and incouragement of all godly faithfull members of his true Church which according as they couenant in Baptisme be faithfull vnto death Q. What is the dutie of Christians which are partakers of the Sacrament of Baptisme A. Those things ought to be in Christians baptised which were found to bee in Abraham both when he was Circumcised and after he had receiued Circumcision Q. What was found in Abraham before Circumcision A. First Abrahams obedience appeared by obeying the voyce of God when God called him from parents and patrimonie from kindred and countrey Secondly Abrahams constant beleife did appeare in beleeuing and by faith depending on Gods promises The third grace found in him before Circumsion was his willing minde both to receiue the couenants made by Gods Maiestie and to make couenants of dutifull seruice vnto God againe Q. How can Children in infancie Baptised take any couenants from God or make any couenants to God A. Although Infants Baptised cannot themselues yet their suerties do enter into couenants for them and it is their duties when they come to knowledge to performe those couenants And as they hope to haue God to be their Father by Christ so to keepe Christian couenants Q. What are those couenants you meane A. I meane a Christian is first bound to imbrace the Christian faith with all his whole heart Secondly to loue God with his whole heart Thirdly to endeuour to serue and please God in true holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of his life and fourthly to expresse such obedience in this life as his couenants hee made in Baptisme bind him to performe Q. You doe approue that euen very Infants receiuing Baptisme are bound by couenants to performe holy duties Shew me now the dutie of Elders of Parents and of Masters which are Christians and by faith hope to be saued A. As Abraham father of the faithfull after Circumcision when he had entered into couenant with God according to that couenant himselfe his seede and his seruants by his instructions did walke according to that holy and heauenly vocation in beleeuing Gods promises liuing vertuously to the vttermost of his power obeyed Gods Commaundements So in like manner by vertue of their couenant in Baptisme all Christians are bound to performe such duties of obedience Q. What doth Abrahams faith and obedience teach vs A. As Abraham walked so faithfull Christians must walke and endeuour to follow his steppes in faith and obedience and become such faithfull Fathers as may approue them not onely to shewe a dutie of Parents in bringing their Children to the holy Sacrament of Baptisme see them Baptised but also after Baptisme parents must and are bound to see their Children seruants instructed educated from their infancie to liue holily religiously whereby Gods name who hath called them may bee glorified in them their Children and familie Q. I doe vnderstand what you meane by the Church of Christ and likewise the benefites of Baptisme and dutie of Christians in Baptisme which hope to bee saued shew mee nowe a reason why the faithfull freed from eternall death doe die a bodily death A. The benefits of bodily death are many to the faithfull and death of body bringeth aduantage to Christes members both in bodie and soule Q. What benefites bringeth bodily death to the faithfull A. First by bodily death all rebellious affections in the flesh are vtterly killed and all sinfull affections vtterly quenched Secondly as the dead bodie is buryed so all carnall affections are perfectly mortified And euery part by perfect mortification made more fit to receiue glory in the day of the resurrection Q. Are both the laying into graue and rifing from graue benefits to the faithfull A. The graue hath euer beene a chamber of safetie to the faithfull But now sithence the blessed bodie of Christ was layd into the graue it is made the bedde of sweete spycerie to the godly Q. If the very graue bee beneficiall shew me what benefits doth rising from graue bring to the buryed bodies of Christians A. The bodies of Christians which are buryed in Seas or Land are sowne in corruption in dishonour in weakenesse in estate mortall they rise in incoruption in honour in power and in immortall