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
of a Christian to Gods maiesty is first placed so shew me what is thereby to be learned A. First I learne that GOD is first and principally to be obeyed Secondly that the kingdome of God is before all things to be desired Thirdly that all our goods and substance are to Gods glory to be employed Fourthly to expresse our loue to God our liues are not to be regarded Proceede nowe to the first precept of the second Table A. Honour thy Father and mother that thy dayes may belong in the land c. Q. What learne you by this word honour thy Father A. I learne that I am bound to loue feare and obey to reuerence relieue comfort all those which God hath placed in place of my parents Q. What persons are by Gods word in place of parents to be honoured A. First naturall parents which are instruments of our life first are so to bee honoured Ephe. 6. Secondly Kinges and Queenes which are Gods annoynted as princely parents and are so to be honoured Esay 54. Thirdly Bishops and all Preachers and all pastorall parents are so to be honoured Magistrates and all gouernours which are instruments for ordering of our Countrey are so to be honoured All aged men and women and all our elders as is afore mentioned are so to bee honoured Q. What learne you farther by the fourth precept A. I learne that this commandement hath a promise of blessing to moue Christiane to bee more dutifull to their parents namely long life to the obedient Q. Seeing we doe see the wicked flourish and liue long Psal 37. and often the righteous to perish and liue not so long Esay 57. How can that promise be rightly approued or to the obedient applyed A. First we are taught that a wicked mans life is death Luk. 15. and the prolonging of his dayes in sinfull life is heaping of vengeance by his long life Rom. 2. Secondly we are taught that the life of a righteous man doth not end when his mortall life is ended for Abell being dead yet speaketh Heb. 11. And long life is not onely to liue in the bodie but to be aliue euer while the world lafteth by faith and famous memorie Q. Doe you conclude then that the wicked liue long to encrease their condemnation and Gods children haue a double blessing both of gray hayres and liuing holy liues A. I conclude that the wicked liue long by Gods permission to their further confusion and Gods obedient children both in speedie death and long life haue and iustly may haue consolation of this promised blessing Q. What is the sixt precept what learne you by it A. The commaundement is Thou shalt not kill And first I learne to refraine my tongue from lying and slandering from mocking quarrelling Mat. 5. 22. Psal 15. Secondly I learne to keepe my handes from striking fighting and generally from euery thing that tendeth to killing and murthering Thirdly I am bound as not to kill so to seeke to preserue life as much as in mee lyeth Mat. 25. 35. Q. Rehearse the seauenth Commaundement and shew me what you learne by it A. Thou shalt not commit adultery wherein first I learne that as the act of adultery fornication and all vncleannesse of body is forbidden so all vnchast thoughts desires and vnpure words are also forbidden Mat. 5. 28. Secondly I learne that matrimonie is chiefly to be preserued and the wedding bed to be vndefiled and that whoremongers adulterers shall of God be iudged Heb. 13. Thirdly I learne to refraine from all vnchast behauiour all vnchast wordes and songs of Kibaudry Q. Shew me what are the words of the 8. precept and what you learne thereby A. Thou shalt not steale whereby I learne to abstaine from stealing from robbing defranding from vnlawfull dealing and all vnlawfull games Leuit. 19. 11. Ephe. 5. 5. 1. Thes 4. 6. Secondly I learne That I am bound to labour truely for my owne liuing 1. Thes 3. 10. Thirdly I learne to the vttermost of my power to relieue by my labour the needie members of Christes bodie 1. Tim. 6. 18. Q. Proceed and shew me what is the ninth Commaundement and what you learne thereby A. Thou shalt not beare false witnes against thy neighbour Wherein first I learne not to testifie any vntruth Pro. 10. 5. Secondly I learne not to dissemble but to speake truth in my talking Ephe. 4. 25. Thirdly I learne not to giue out false reports nor slanderous speeches of any man Q. What is the tenth Commaundement and what learne you out of it A. Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house c. whereby I learne That all the thoughts of mens heart are open to Gods eyes and euery couetous desire of mans heart whereby the loue of God or of our neighbour is violated though it be not sin to the eyes of men nor committed in act yet such thoughts and desires are sinnefull in Gods sight Rom. 7. 7. Q. What is sinne prescribed to be in the holy Scripture A. Euery transgression of Gods law either in thought word or deed is sinne 1. Ioh. 3. Q. What is the reward of sinne and transgression A. The reward of sinne and of vnbeleeuers is death and condemnation Rom. 6. 23. Q. Can any man so fulfill the law whereby he may auoyd eternall death A. The most iust est man is vnable by fulfilling the law to auoid eternall death Luk. 17. 10. Q. What benefite then bringeth the law to these that obey it A. The law is a glasse that by the sight of sinne humbleth the Christian Rom. 3. 19. And secondly the law is a schoolemaster to bring humbled Christians to beleeue in Christ and to be saued Gal. 3. 24. Q. Seeing by the workes of the law a man cannot be saned why according to the law should good workes be performed A. First good workes of the faithfull ruled by the lyne of Gods word are done to glorifie our heauenly Father Mat. 5. Secondly good workes that proceed from the faithfull are signes of sanctification and Pars prima worke hope of election 2. Pet. 1. 10. Thirdly good workes wrought in vs by the holy Ghost winneth other to godly conuersation Mat. 5. And bee wrought in the faithfull as arguments of saluation Q. Seeing by good works no Christian can haue saluation shew me then howe shall a Christian be saued A. Euery faithfull Christian obtaineth saluation by faith in Christ Iesus onely Rom. 3. 28. Q. What doe you learne true Christian faith to be A. True Christian faith is a full perfect perswasion and assurance to bee saued by Christ Rom. 8. 38. 39. Q. How is it wrought in the heart of man A. The outward meanes by hearing the word preached Rom. 10. 9. The inward meanes is the infusion of grace by the holy Ghost Ephe. 3. 16. Q. Whereon is this faith grounded and established A. It is grounded and established on Gods promises in Christ Iesus Rom. 4. 3. Gal. 3. 26.
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