Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	christian_a	great_a	part_n	3,442	5	4.1248	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A12162	A compendious form and summe of Christian doctrine, called The testimonie of a true faith meete for well disposed families, for the more knowledge [in] God, and better nourishing vp, and confirming of all such, as loue saluation in Iesus Christ. Gathered, corrected, and newly augmented, by Christopher Shutte, Maister of Arte, seene and allowed.	Shutte, Christopher, d. 1626.	1579 (1579)	STC 22468; ESTC S100084	27,860	76

the middest of a naughtie and croked generation among whom they should shine as lightes in the worlde For as the Philosopher Plato saith suche as the Heades and Rulers be such commonlie bee the rest of the common multitude Vpon the which consideration the Athenians Oratour Isocrates wisheth all men of nobilitie to propose their liues as a paterne for others to follow knowing that the manners of a whole towne or countrie doe resemble the wayes and dooinges of the higher sorte To the like ende sayeth Enagrius in the ecclesiasticall histories that the life of a noble man shoulde be an image of vertue for his subiectes to follow that they might the sooner bee allured to vertue and godlinesse Thus Sainte Augustine saieth that rulers ought to serue GOD not onelie in liuing godlie and modestlie themselues but also in bringing others to vertue and true Religion Thus it was saide to Arcadius the Emperour that godlinesse was sufficient to the saluation of the noble men without the whiche their Pompe and outwarde strength was nothing woorth Wherevppon my verie good and vertuous Lorde I may conclude and define with Sozomenus that godlinesse or loue of true Religion is the greatest honour and renowne of true nobilitie And therefore as Constantine saide sometimes to Sapors king of Persia so say I to all such of high degrees which feare the Lorde like as in keeping of the sacred faith they are pertakers of the light of truth so in following the light of truth as a guide they attaine straight to the sacred faith which thing may well inkindle in the louing and zealous hearts of noble men and all others a feruent minde to the imbracing and spreading abroade of true religion And euen as Cyprian let no day passe without the reading of Tertulian nor Alexander without the reading of Homer nor finally Apelles without some line proportioned so were it meete that no degrees shoulde lose anie opportunitie or occasion graunted to the meditation of Christian religion but rather being taught by the example of the Emperour Constantine woulde repose their whole studie in the word of God And as for other things in the worlde they are but vanitie and vexation of spirite For all flesh is grasse and all the glorie of man is as the flowre of the fielde which standeth beautifull to day but tomorow is cut downe dried vp and withered And what harme were it then if some good man would put all degrees in minde as the Macedonian did Phillip and say remember man that thou art but mortall and that nothing is in the worlde but the luste of the flesh the lust of the eyes and pride of life that the figure of this worlde vadeth fast away that wee must also all appeare before the tribunall seate of God that euerie one may render an accompt for that which he hath do ne in the bodie be it good or euill Were it not a meanes to make euerie one more watchefull in his office wherein than ought mans delight to be surely as the Prophete saith Let not the wiseman glorie in his wisedome nor the strong man in his strength nor the riche man in his riches but let him that reioyceth reioyce in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me For I am the Lorde whiche shewe mercie iudgement and righteousnesse in the earth for in these thinges I delight saith the Lorde To the like purpose is the good and wholsome counsel of the Preacher Reioyce O young men saith he in thy youth and let thy hearte cheere thee in the dayes of thy youth and walke in the wayes of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes but knowe that for all these thinges God wil bring thee to iudgement therefore take away griefe out of thine hearte and cause euill to departe from thy fleshe for childehoode and youth are vanitie Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth whiles the euill dayes come not nor the yeares approche wherein thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them O woulde to God that this godlie counsel might preuaile in princelie and noble heartes and in euerie high and low degree and especially in heades of housholdes which best becōmeth their personages Than woulde they enquire after the Lorde and make his trueth their cheife delight and lay a sure foundation in the way of righteousnesse than shoulde this bee their ioy and triumph To knowe the Lorde to be their GOD and themselues to be his people and to haue the testimonie of a good conscience Than shoulde they make answeare to their obedience rightlie to the woorde of GOD than shoulde they doe the dueties of faithfull and loyall subiectes and satisfie her Maiesties desire Finally than woulde they tender the state of Churche and common weale and shew themselues carefull for the saluation of Israel And because there is no good beginning for the accomplishing of these things but in the wisedome feare and knowledge of the Lorde the seede whereof is sowen in your honoures heart to my great comforte and happie hope of helpe that your honoure will set forwarde and mainteine the trueth of Iesus Christ in this poore countrie and Labirinth of ignorance sinne I here most humbly commend vnto your honoures godlie zeale a shorte forme of Christian Religion and godlie gouernement most meete in wel disposed families to be obserued Wherein is to be scene the summe of Christian doctrine faith and godlie prayers most meete for this our present estate beseeching your good Honoure in lieu of better to accept the same in good parte at my willing handes recognising my selfe muche bounden vnto your Honour with all obedience for euer And therefore knowing the knowledge of true Religion to be the delight and comforte of the godlie the light vnto theyr pathes the doctrine of faith vnto saluation the scepter and protection of Gods kingdome the marke and badge of Gods Elect and sauour vnto life I here do present the summe therof vnto your Lordship in token of a thankefull remembraunce of youre Honoures courtesie towardes me and in hope of fauourable acceptation thereof Wishing no lesse vnto your Lordeship then increase of all heauenlie graces and perfect happinesse thorow the mediation of the Lord Iesus in whom I bid your Honour most hartely fare well Your good Honoures most humble to commaund C. Shutte The Testimonie of a trew faith containing short questions very necessarie to all Families for the more knowledge of God and better bringing vp of children in his faith and feare 1. Question FOrsomuch as our Sauiour Christ in the Gospel admonisheth his electe first to seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnes therof and thereto adioyneth the promise of other blessings to ensewe I would gladly vnderstand howe the same might be perfourmed which hee requireth so necessarily Answeare There is no way so expedient to the atteyning of Gods heauenly graces as to lay a

¶ A compendious form and summe of Christian doctrine called the Testimonie of a true Faith meete for well disposed families for the more knowledge in God and better nourishing vp and confirming of all such as loue saluation in Iesus Christ Gathered corrected and newly augmented by Christopher Shutte Maister of Arte Seene and allowed Psal. 34.11 Come ye children hearken vnto me I wil teach you the feare of the Lorde ¶ Imprinted at London by Thomas Dawson dwelling at the three Cranes in the Vinetree 1579. To the right Honorable and his singuler good Lorde George Earle of Cumberland c. Christopher Shutte wisheth all increase of grace in the holie Ghost long continuance of life in al happie health and prosperity AFter that I called to minde Right Honorable and my verie good Lord the diligent care and prudent prouision which Dauid and other good Princes and rulers of Israel had for planting true religion in their Families for their better conuersation and good gouernement according to the lawe and rule of faith and had bene also often intreated and earnestly inuited by some my verie friendes and suche as loue the saluation of the faithfull to contract some compendious and Christian forme of godlie instructions and sweete prayers much requisite in well disposed families whose godlie demaunde I was not willing to denie bothe because I see the lacke thereof in manie families to require so needefull a labour and also because I woulde not abridge my duetie to my brethren and felowshippe of the faithfull if it were but with the poore widowe to cast two mites into the treasurie And waying also with my selfe howe manie busie braines are occupied to quarrell without a cause with truth it selfe I thought your honoures Godly Patronage to be a sure asyle to support and defende against the sting of carping Zoilus whatsoeuer in godly wise herein I shoulde propound And therefore I haue boldlie presumed too rest vpon your Honoures hoped protection as the chiefest anchore holde I had herein and take effecte to the ende my laboures might the better proceede Whereto my good Lorde I was diuerslie incensed First by your Honoures good liking and procuration of good litterature from time to time whiche neuer happened to anie without deserued prayse and iust commendation Secondly I was moued by your Honours good acceptation of my studies in the Lorde and other good remembraunces towardes me both of youre honour vnto whome I recount my selfe most deepely indebted and also of my good and most vertuous Ladie whom the Lorde hath ioyned as a moste comfortable delight and helpe vnto your honour Whose faithfull societie and happie felowship importeth an euident argument of Gods greate goodnesse towardes you in blessing you with the felowship of such a one as few or none excell or goe beyonde in trew godlinesse honestie and vertue To whom for her Honoures good affection to Christian religion I recognise my selfe muche bounde with all obedience Thirdly I was prouoked herevnto specially because such is and ought to bee the zeale and loue of all nobilitie whereof your honour is a most towwarde Braunche alwayes with maine and might to defend the cause of true Religion to the glorie of God and saluation of his people for whiche cause the Lorde hath stirred vp moste noble men and godlie Magistrates to be as Patrones and protectoures to the Ambassadoures of his worde for the better proceeding of religion So he raysed vp Moses to Aaron Iosua to Eleazar Dauid to Nathan Asa too Azariah Iehosaphat to Micha Ezechias and others to Esaie and Ieremie Zerubbabel to Iehoshua and finally the Emperoure Constantine to the councel of Nice All which were rightlie termed Nobles for the zeale and loue they had to true religion And albeit by sinister and crooked meanes some were ennobled and so crept into the carefull chaire of worldlie dignitie yet none were euer rightly and in verie deede accompted noble but such as vndertooke the patronage and aide of Christian religion which thing I humblie craue vpon your Honoure For euen in this wise Moses doth call the Israelites a pretious and a noble generation so long as they obserued the commaundements of the lord Vpon the like condition the Lord established his mercies with king Dauid his Seruaunt that the throne of Iuda should not be destitute of one to raigne vpon the same for euer To which thing Dauid had respect when he lay vppon his death bedde and therevpon councelled Salomon his sonne to whom the kingdome was promised to walke in the way of truth wherein he had bene brought vp to the ende he might prosper and haue good successe To like purpose Romanus a man of great nobilitie being caried to the place of martirdom for the profession of Christian religion a rare thing in Nobles to beholde boldely auouched that his nobilitie rested not so much in the bloude of his Auncestoures as in the profession of the Christian faith and other vertues thereto agreeing And therefore he saide Non progenitorum sanguis sed Christianae pietatis professio me nobilem facit that is Not the bloud of my progenitoures but the profession of Christian religion maketh me noble and renowned And in deede if we shoulde with a single eye looke to the Prosapie of Adam and wild oliue tree out of the which all fleshe was taken there woulde be no great cause of triumph to anie of any thing whiche wee haue of nature But this is and ought to be manns chiefe nobilitie that he is graffed in Christe Iesus by faith adopted to be the child of God made by faith pertaker of his graces and felow heire of his kingdome and this is very nobilitie Wherewith Saint Ambrose beeing moued aduertised the Emperour Theodosius and in him all nobilitie to consider his nature to bee fraile least happilie principallitie shoulde blinde him and make him quite forget himselfe and his obedience towardes God. Wherevpon it may be gathered right honorable that not onelie the Potentates of al sortes ought well to remember their calling but specially to addresse them selues in all obedience to serue the Lorde to foster his churche to promote and defende his true religion For therefore are they called to nobilitie wherein I woulde to God it might well please euen all degrees of suche as bee exalted on highe and gouernoures of families deepely to acknowledge and confesse that the Lord hath made them Fathers for his trueth Patrones to mainteine religion and lightes of godlie life for others to followe For like as the sonne in the firmament giueth light to all the regions rounde about him and by his bright appearing expelleth the darkenesse comforteth and cheereth the worlde Semblably shoulde nobilitie banish sinne and corrupt religion and be a lantern of Godlie life to comforte and shine to others that they mighte directe their liues after their good ensamples as the Apostle wisheth the godlie to bee without rebuke in

good foundation of trewe religion in the feare of god Forasmuch as obedience to the Lawe of God is he readiest onely way to the fountaine of all perfect happinesse And for this cause the godly men of all ages prouided alwaies from time to time that they might nourish trew religion in their Families to the end both they and theirs might be instructed better in the Lawe of God and haue good successe in those thinges which they went about 2. Question Doest thou than thinke that those housholdes are disordered and not rightly ruled where there is no dayly meditation of religion kept Answeare Such Families may rather be accounted a sincke of sinne where the people are carefull of worldy profits and vaine delight careles of the woord of God and trewe religion And therefore they arein this case often times nearer to destruction 3. Question How doest thou order and gouern thy house in Christian religion Answeare As Moses commaunded the people of Israell to teach their children the Lawe of the Lord that in all their affaires they might haue an eye vnto the same so am I carefull that my whole Familie feare God and know his woord by some dayly exercise and meditation thereof So as they may be the better able to render a reason of their faith They pray and geue thankes together in all their doinges They liue godlily soberly and righteously They make restitution to whom they haue done wrong And finally whatsoeuer they doo they doo all to the glory of God and so they prosper to God be praise therfore 4. Question Well than I pray thee shewe me the summe of that religion which thou doest keepe in thy Familie For it is the duetie of a true Christian alwayes to be ready to render an account of his faith to the ende it may appeare that he is not ashamed of Christ and his doctrine Let me therefore heare what thou canst say of the principall points of Christian Religion Answeare There be three speciall partes thereof the first is to knowe God and my elfe the second is the meanes whereby my saluation is wrought the third what helpes God doeth further me withall vnto life euerlasting 5. Question What saiest thou of the knowledge of God Answeare The same is of two sortes the one is vniuersall and knowen by the creation of heauen and earth wherein God offereth himselfe to be seene and knowen of me as the onely fountaine of all goodnesse who alone ought to be worshipped For his eternitie appeareth in the making of the world his goodnesse in preseruing the same his prouidence in the tokens which are seene and felt wherby what pleaseth his godly will commeth to passe and not by blinde fortune his wisedome in ordering of the thinges created his righteousnesse in deliuering the godly and punishing the wicked his mercy in patiently forbearing sinners and calling them to repentance So that what may be knowen of God is manifest in the thinges created which vniuersall knowledge taketh away all excuse from the vngodly which woorship not God aright but to me it is a ready way to bring me to the true worship of God. The other knowledge is speciall and onely proper to the elect whereby thorow faith poured into my hart by the holy Ghost I am assured that my saluation is wrought by Christ the sonne of God by whom I am made the childe of God thorow grace and heyre with Christ of his kingdome which knowledge onely commeth of grace and so is geuen to me but it is restrained from the wicked because of their sinne and hardenesse of hart 6. Question What sayest thou of the knowledge of thy selfe Answeare By creation I was made in Adam according to the Image of GOD I meane not any bodily shape for God is a spirit and without body in true righteousnesse and holynesse that is to say in al perfection and happinesse of nature both in right iudgement reason will and strength In which happy state if Adam had continued both I and all his posteritie had bene blessed for euer 7. Question Howe didest thou fall from this grace Answeare My fall appeareth in that Adam who had this blessing for me thorow the intisement of the Serpent brake the commaundement of God in eating of the forbidden fruite and by the same depriued himselfe of his former happinesse and brought sinne death hell the wrath of God and all kinde of miseries into the world as iust punishmentes for his desertes In which his sinfull act his pride disobedience lacke of faith vnthankefulnesse to his creatour and light credite to the Deuill appeared In which offence both I and al his ofspringe are wrapped in as much as in him wee all haue sinned for he had the blessing geuen to keepe or loose for him and his Wherefore I and all others descending of him by him in him haue fallen from grace and are infected with his corruptions conceyued in sinne borne in iniquitie and by nature the children of wrath and vtterly vndone without the grace and mercy of God. 8. Question What is mannes free will his power strength wisedome and such lyke vertues lost by this his fall in Adam all which he had in the beginning Answeare Concerning mans will before his fall the same was free but afterward not so but as the same is freed by grace For his iudgement is vnperfect and often deceiued his will in many thinges hindred and his strength decayed that of himselfe he cannot perceiue the thinges which belong to the kingdome of god So that as now to will aright is the gift of grace so to wil chose amisse is the lacke of grace And yet this will of man not regenerate in some respect may be termed free because a man doeth euill by his owne consent and not by compulsion And as for other his vertues and good giftes which he had before his fall lyke as in a ruinous house there remaine certaines reliques of an house although nothing comparable to their former excellencie so after Adams fall man not egenerate hath a certeine kinde of wisedome carnall knowledge shewe of religion and holines and yet the same so imperfect both by his naturall corruption by the tyrannie of the Deuill that till hee bee regenerate and sanctified with grace from aboue he can not please God. 9. Question Howe art thou restored to grace againe Answeare My restauration commeth thorowe the free mercy and fauour of God who after this my fall in Adam raysed both him and me vp againe with the comfortable promise of a Sauiour who by his death should pacifie the wrath of God and bring me into his fauour againe by whose obedience I am made righteous which my regeneration commeth thus to me

number I beleeue that I am one 50. Question What is there no saluation without the Church Answeare No for as the branch except it abide in the Vine cannot bring foorth fruite but dyeth and withereth and so is cast into the fyre euen so except a man be graffed into the bodye of Christ which is the Church therein continue he can not be saued And therefore not euery religion shall saue the professour thereof but onely the truth of Iesus Christ 51. Question What be the markes thereof Answeare The sincere woord of God the right administration of the Sacraments and Ecclesiasticall discipline 52. Question Why is the Church called holy Answeare Because God will haue his people to liue holily soberly righteously in this world and not to greeue the holy Ghost by any vncleannesse by whom they bee sanctified and by whom whilest they suffer themselues to be led they cānot erre in matters of faith and saluation 53. Question I pray thee herein by the way what thinkest thou of the church of Rome whose doctrine hath bene receiued many yeares hath she erred and beene deceiued Answeare The Churche of Rome in the beginning and long after the Apostles time was a true Churche and so long as she followed the worde of God and suffered her selfe to be guided with his spirite shee was free from eroure in matters of faith But when she began to abounde in wealth she forgate hir former husband Christ Iesus and committed fornication with straunge Gods leauing the doctrine of Christ and his religion and deuising a new worshippe of her owne wherein according to the iust iudgement of God she florished a long time and therewithall polluted and made drounken the most part of the worlde whilest so many embraced her lawes and religion yea euen all those whiche were not chosen to saluation and sealed by the spirit of faith And of this her departing from the faith sprang that great darkenesse and ignoraunce of true religion in these latter dayes 54. Question What meaneth the communion of Saintes Answeare It signifieth the felowshippe which all the electe haue one with an other communicating according to the measure of faith all spirituall graces amongest themselues the studying to keep the vnitie of the spirit in the bound of peace 55. Question What beleeuest thou of the forgiuenesse of sinnes Answeare First I beleeue that before my sinnes be forgeuen me there is nothing in me but meere wickednesse Secondly I beleeue that al my sinnes and the punishment thereof bee taken away by Christes death and I made pertaker of his righteousnesse Thirdly I beleeue that faith alone without anie worthinesse of my selfe doth make me partaker of these graces and this my righteousnes before God. 56. Question What sayest thou of the rest the resurrectiō of the bodie life euerlasting Answeare I beleeue when this life is ended that my soule shall goe to God and my bodie to rest in the earth til the last day when they shall both ioyne together againe incorruptible and remaine with God for euer in the kingdome of heauen 57. Question Howe knowest thou that thou hast suche a faith as this Answeare First I knowe the same by the testimonie of the holie Ghost which assureth my conscience that I am the childe of God and whiche maketh me crie Abba father in ful and perfect assurance thereof Secondly I knowe by the workes and fruites of faith whiche Iesus Christ being vnited and ioyned vnto me bringeth forth in me by the vertue of his spirit killing my corrupt and sinfull nature and quickening me to righteousnesse of life 58. Question Than cannot such a faith as this bee fruitelesse and without good workes Answeare No but good workes doe follow faith as the testimonies and fruites of my thankfulnesse to God whereby my faith is knowne and approued of men wherefore it is called faith whiche worketh by loue 59. Question What workes must thou doe Answeare Suche as be commaunded me in the lawe of God whiche as they come of grace geuen me and not of mine owne power so must they needes be done for first God hath so commaunded Secondly his benefits bind me thereto Thirdly my baptisme doth teach me to die vnto sinne and liue vnto righteousnesse Fourthly I must glorifie God by my well doing Last of all I must make strong my faith and election and learne to auoyde the wrath of God. 60. Question What rewarde shalt thou haue for thy good deedes Answeare The woorkes whiche I doe before I be iustified before God by Christ can not please him because they be done without faith The workes which follow my regeneration doe please GOD not because of anie woorthinesse of mine in them but God accepteth them because of my faith in Christ through whom they are not done in vaine so that the rewarde which is geuen vnto them commeth onely of the free mercie and fauour of God whilest he rewardeth not my deserts but crowneth his giftes of grace in me 61. Question But the Scripture maketh mention often of rewarde to good woorkes Answeare It is true that my labour is not in vayne in the Lorde yet my good workes are not such that of themselues they can deserue any suche thing For there bee three thinges required to the nature of merites First that the good woorkes be mans owne for but to bestowe and repay agayne the same which he had lent him what rewarde can he haue But as for mans good workes they be not his own but the giftes of God lent him to vse he himselfe Gods instrument to occupie the same Secondly it is required that a man doe the worke of his owne accorde without constreint or respect of duetie for he that is bound to doe the same cannot wel pleade of merite for he doeth but what of duetie he oughte to doe But whatsoeuer the righteous doe it is of duetie for he is infinite wayes indebted vnto god Thirdly to the nature of deseruing it is required that there be a iust proportion betweene the thing giuen and the thing receiued but none of mans works are comparable to euerlasting life And therefore I confesse that I can not deserue any thing of the kingdome of heauen by mine owne works for the reward which God geueth vnto my woorkes is the free gift of grace giuen to me onely for my faithes sake in Christ in whome my workes please god Wherefore yf man be neuer so vertuous in the sighte of the world haue neuer so faire a shewe of good deedes and not being graffed by fayth on Iesus Christ they are altogeather vnfruitefull and vayne 62. Question With what helpes doeth God further thee to saluation Answeare Besides that the worde of God doth helpe to vphold my faith the sacraments and