the Devil doth for to destroy the Just. As Iezebel did Q. 15. How should good Rulers avoid it A. 1. By causing Teachers to open the danger of â—t to the People 2. Some old Canons made invaâ—id the Witness of all notorious wicked men How can he be trusted in an Oath that maketh no Conscience of Drunkenness Fornication Lying or other Sin Q. 16. How then are so few destroyed by false Witnesses A. It is the wonderful Providence of God declaring himself the Governour of the World that when there are so many thousand wicked men who all have a mortal hatred to the Godly and will daily Swear and Lie for nothing and any two of these might take away our Lives at pleasure there are yet so few this way cut off But God hath not left himself without witness in the World and hath revenged false Witness on many and made Conscience a terrible Accuser for this Crime Q. 17. What is the positive Duty of the ninth Commandement A. 1. To do Justice to all men in our places 2. To defend the Innocent to the utmost of ouâ— just Power If a Lawyer will not do it for the Love of Justice and Man without a Fee when he cannoâ— have it he breaketh this Commandement 3. To reprove Backbiters and tell them of their Sin 4. To give no Scandal but to live so blamelesly that Slanderers may not be believed 5. On all just occasions especially to defend the Reputation of the Gospel Godliness and Good men the Cause and Laws of God and not silently foâ— self saving to let Satan and his Agents make them Odious by Lies to the Seduction of the Peopleâ— Souls CHAP. XLIII Of the Tenth Commandement Qu. 1. WHat are the Words of the Tenth Commandement A. Thou shalt not Covet thy Neighbours House Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours Wife nor his Man-Servant nor his Maid-Servant nor his â—x nor his Ass nor any thing that is thy Neighbours Q. 2. What is forbidden here and what Commandâ—d A. 1. In summe the thing forbidden is SELFISHNESS and the thing Commanded is to LOVE OUR NEIGHBOUR AS OUR SELVES Q. 3. Is not this implyed in the five foregoing Commandements A. Yes and so is our LOVE to GOD in all the Nine last But because there are many more particular Instances of Sin and Duty than can be distinctly named and remembred God thought it meet to make two General Fundamental Commandements which should contain them all which Christ calleth the first and second Commandement Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart c. And thou shalt Love thy Neighbour as thy Self The first is the Summary and root of all the duties of the other nine and specially of the second third and fourth The Other is the Summary of the second Table dutyes And it is placed last as being instead of all unnamed instances As the Captain leads the Souldiers and thâ— Lieutenant brings up the rear Q. 4. What mean you by the Sin of SELFISHNESS A. I mean that inordinate self-esteem self-love and self-seeking with the want of a due proportionable Love to others which engageth men against the good oâ— others and inclineth them to draw from others to themselves It is not an ordinate Love of our selves but a diseased self-love Q. 5. When is Self-Love Ordinate and when iâ— it Sinful A. That which is ordinate 1. Valueth not a maâ—â— Self blindly above his Worth 2. It employeth â— man in a due care of his own Holiness Duty anâ— Salvation 3. It regardeth our Selves but as littlâ— members of the common great body and therefore inclineth us to Love others as our selves without muâ—â— partial disproportion according to the divers degreeâ— of their amiableness and to Love publick good thâ— Church and World and much more God above oâ—… selves 4. It maketh us studious to do good to others and rejoyce in it as our own rather than to draw froâ— them to our selves c II. Sinful selfishness 1. Doth esteem and love anâ— seek self-interest above it's proper worth It is oveâ— deeply affected with all our own concerns 2. â—… hath a low disproportionable Love and regard others good 3. And when it groweth to full maâ—â—gnity it maketh men envy the prosperity of others â—nd covet that which is theirs and desire and reâ—oyce in their disgrace and hurt when they Stand against mens Selfish Wills and to endeavour to draw from others to our selves Selfishness is to the Soul like an Inflamation or Impostume to the Body which draweth the Blood and Spirits to it self from their â—â—ue and Common course till they corrupt the inâ—â—amed part Q. 6. What mean you by Loving others as ourselves A. Loving them as members of the same Body or Society the World or the Church as they are â—mpartially with a Love proportionable to their worth and such a careful practical forgiving Patient Love as we Love our selves Q. 7. But God hath made us Individual persons with so peculiar a Self-love that no man can possibly love another as himself A. 1. You must distinguish between sensitive Natural Love and Rational Love 2. And between Corrupt and Sanctified Nature 1. Natural Sensitive Love is stronger to ones Self that is more sensible of self-interest than to all the World I feel not anothers Pain or Pleasure in it self I hunger and thirst for my self A Mother hath that Natural Sensitive Love to her own Child like that of Bruits which she hath not for any other 2. Rational Love valueth and loveth and preferreth every thing according to the degree of its amiableness that is it 's Goodness 3. Rational Love destroyeth not Sensitive but it Moderateth and Ruleth it and Commandeth the Will and Practice to preferre and desire and seek and delight in higher things as Reason ruleth Appetite and the Rider the Horse and to deny and forsake all carnal or private Interests that stand against a greater good 4. Common Reason tells a man that it 's an unreasonable thing in him that would not dye to save a Kingdom Much more that when he is to love both himself and the Kingdom inseparably yet cannot Love a Kingdom yea or more excellent persons above himself But yet it is Sanctification that must Effectually overcome inordinate self-Love and clearly illuminate this Reason and make a man obey it 5. To conquer this Selfishness is the summe of all Mortification and the greatest Victory in this World And therefore it is here perfectly done by none but it 's done most where there is the greatest Love to God and to the Church and publick good and to our Neighbours Q. 8. What is the sinfulness and the hurt of Selfishness A. 1. It is a Fundamental Errour and Blindness in the Judgment We are so many Poor Worms and little things And if an Ant or Worm had Reason should it think it's Life or Ease or other interest more valuable than a Mans or than all the
Christ wrought his Miracles and rose again and that the Apostles by the Holy Spirit did work theirs and that Believers received the Spirit by their Ministry 2. They had not been made Christians but by these Miracles They all professed that it was the Gifts of the Spirit that Convinced and Converted them 3. All the forementioned Professions of their Christianity contained a Profession that they believed these Miracles As the use of the Lords day Baptism the Eucharist shewed their Belief of Christs Life Death and Resurrection 4. They suffered Persecution and Martyrdom in the Profession of that Belief 5. They pleaded these Miracles in all their Defences against their Adversaries 6. The Writings of their Adversaries commonly acknowledge this Plea yea and deny not the most of the Miracles themselves 7. But most fully their receiving the Sacred Scriptures as the Word of God as indited by the Holy Ghost in the Apostles sheweth that they believed the Miracles recorded in that Book Q. 25. You are come up to the last part of the Doubt in the History How are we sure that these Christians then commonly believed the Book as now we have it and that it is the very same A. We have for this full infallible historical Proof premising that some parcels of the Book the Revelations the Epistle of Iude the Second of Peter the Epistle to the Hebrews and that of Iames were longer unknown to some particular Churches than the rest 1. The constancy of Christian Assemblies and publick Worship is a full proof seeing that the Reading Expounding and applying of these Books was a great part of their publick work as all History of Friends and Enemies agree 2. The very Office of the Ministry is full proof which lay most in reading expounding and applying these same Books And therefore they were as much by Office concerned to keep them as Judges and Lawyers are to keep the Statute-book 3. These Ministers and Churches which so used this Book were dispersed over a great part of the World If therefore they had changed it by adding or diminishing they must have done it by Confederacy or by single mens errour or abuse It was impossible that all Countreys should agree in such a Confederacy but the meeting motives and treaties would have been known But no History of Friend or Foe hath any such thing but the clean contrary And that it should be done by all single Persons in the Christian World agreeing by chance in the same Changes is a mâ—d supposition 4. And it is the belief of all Christians that it â—s a damnable Sin to add or alter in this Book And the Book it self so concludeth Therefore if â—ome had agreed so to do the rest would have detected and decryed it 5. They took this Book â—o be the Charter for their Salvation And therefore would never agree to alter it when Men keep the Deeds Evidences Leases and Charters of their Estates and Worldly Priviledges unaltered 6. When a few Hereticks rose up that forged some new Books as Apostolical and rejected some that were such indeed the Christian Churches condemned and rejected them and appealed to the Churches that had received the Apostles own Epistles and kept them 7. The many Heresies that rose up did so divide Men and set them in cross Interests and Jealousies against each other that it was impossible for any one Sect to have altered the Scripture but the rest would have fallen upon them with the loudest Accusations But all sorts of Adversaries are agreed that these are the same Books And though the weakness and negligence of Scribes have made many little Words uncertain for God promised not infallibility to every Scribe or Printer yet these are not such as alter any Article of Faith or Practice but shew that no Corruption hath been designedly made but that the Book is the same For instance Let it be questioned Whether our Statute-Book contained really the same Statutes that are there pretended And you will see that the Historical certainty amounteth even to a natural certainty the contrary being a meer impossibility For 1. They are the Kings Laws and the King would not bear a fraudulent alteration 2. Parliaments would not bear it 3. Judges that successively judge by these Laws would soon discover it 4. So would all Justices and Magistrates 5. Mens Lives and Estates are held by them and therefore Multitudes would decry the Fraud 6. Enemies have daily Suits which are tryed by these Laws and each Party pleads them for himself and their Advocates and Lawyers plead them against each other and would soon detect the Forgery So that to suppose such a Change is 1. To suppose an Effect that hath no Cause in Nature 2. And that is against a stream of Causes Moral and Natural and so impossible And to â—eign such forgeries in the Book that all Christians have taken for Gods Laws is just such another Case and somewhat beyond it That is but Moral Evidence which dependeth only on Mens Honesty or any free unnecessary acts of Mans will But Mans will hath also of Natural Necessity such as the Love of our selves and our felicity c. And it is a Natural Impossibility that all Men or many should agree in a Lie which is against these Acts of Natural necessity But so they must do if all Men of cross Interests Principles and Dispositions should knowingly agree c. g. That all our Statutes are counterseit that there is no such place as Rome Paris or other such lâ—â—s And so the Gospel History hath such Testimony of necessary Truth Q. 26. You have made the Case plainer to me than I thought it had been But you yet seem to intimate that some Words yea some Books of Scripture have not the same Evidence aâ— the rest can a man be saved that Believeth not all the Scripture A. All Truth is equally True and so is all Gods Word But all is not equally Evident He that taketh any Word to be Gods Word and yet to be false believeth nothing as Gods Word For he hath not the â—ormal essentiating Act and Object of Faith If God could lie we had no certainty of Faith But he that erroneously thinketh that this or that word yea Epistle or Text or Book in the Bible is not Gods but came in by mistake may be saved if he believe that which containeth the Essentials of Christianity A lame Faith may be a saving Faith And he may see how Miracles sealed the Gospel that cannot see how they sealed every Book Text or Word in the Bible Q. 27. Though we have been long on this it is of so great importance to us living or dying to be sure of the Foundations of our Faith that I will yet ask you Have you any more Proof A. I have told you of four Proofs already I. The Antecedent Testimony of the Spirit in the Old Testament II. The Inherent Constitutive Testimony in Christ and the Gospel III. The concomitant Testimony
Sanctifier and giving up our selves to him accordingly renouncing the contrary and laying on this Covenant all our Hopes of Grace and Glory Pardon and Salvation what can be more hainous than to be false to such a Vow and Covenant 10. And Hypocrisie it self is a hainous taking Gods name in Vain When we offer God the dead Carkass of Religious acts without the Life and Soul and present him with Ceremony self-exalting Pomp meer heartless words an artificial Image of Religion that hath not the Spiritual Nature Life or serious desire of the Heart This is seeking to mock God or making him like an Idol that seeth not the Heart and knows not what is offered him Alas how much of the Preaching Hearing Praying and Sacraments of many is a taking God's Name in vain as if he did accept a Lye 11. Another way of this Prophanation is making Gods Name and acts of Religion an engagement to wickedness As when men bind themselves to Treason Murder or any sin by taking the Sacrament As many Alas which I unwillingly Name have done â—n a blind zeal for the Roman Usurpation being told â—hat it pleaseth God and Saint Peter and meriteth â—alvation to destroy the Enemies of the Church that â—s of the Pope and his Clergy And those that â—ound themselves with an Oath to kill Paul thought God accepted the Oath and deed And the General Council at Laterane under Innocent the 3. which bound Temporal Lords to take an Oath to Exterminate such as they called Hereticks fathered the work on God by that Oath And the Pope and Council of Trent which hath brought in on all the Clergy a new Oath to many new and sinful things by that Oath make God the approver of all And the Mahometans that give liberty of Religion yet think â—t pleaseth God and meriteth Heaven to kill the Enemies of Mahomet And Christ saith They that kill you shall think they do God good service And is â—t not prophaning the Name of God to make him the Author of the murder of his Servants 12. Another way of taking Gods Name prophaneâ— and pleading it for Vanity and Lyes is by making God the determining first Cause of all the acts of men in the World as â—pecified by their objects and circumstances that is of all the Lyes and all thâ—… other sins that are done in the World As if Goâ—… had given no such free-will to men or Devils bâ—… which they can Lye Murder hate God or commit any sin till God move their Wills Tongue and Hands to do it by an unavoidable predetermining Efficiency This is so much to prophane aâ—… take in vain Gods Name as that it maketh him â—… Chief cause of all the Devils Works 13 Another way of vain abuse and prophanatâ—… of Gods Name is by Blasphemy and contempt aâ—… scorn of God or of the Word or wayes of Goâ—… And Alas who would think that this should â—… so common among men when even the Devils bâ—lieve and tremble I hope Posterity will account so odious as hardly to believe that ever there weâ—… mâ—n and so many men even in England who â—… to deride the Name Word Providence and Worshâ—… of God and make serious regard of God and Reâ—â—gion the common scorn and familiarly to wish â—… way of Imprecation as a by-word God damn me and to swear by the Name the Wounds and Blooâ—… of God 14. Lastly another way of taking Gods Name vain is by an unholy unreverent tossing of it in coâ—…mon talk in jest and on every Ludicrous occasioâ—… Playes and Play-books use it It 's made an ordinaâ—… accident to all Common and Prophane discoursâ—… Beggers prophanely begg by it Children cry by â—… O God and O Lord is become an Interjection Q. 7. Why do we take ordinary light Swearing sâ—…cially by God or by Sacred things to be a sure sign a wicked man A. Because it sheweth a predominant habit Prophaneness that the man liveth without the reverence of Gods Holiness Majesty Knowledge and Presence and is hardened into a senselesness or contempt of God and of his dreadful judgment as if he derided God or dared him or as if he did believe that there is no God that heareth him To â—ive in the fear of God and Subjection to his Government is the property of every godly man Q. 8. What is meant by the words The Lord will not hold him guiltless A. God will not leave him unpunished nor account this as a small offence He himself will be â—…venged for this sin Q. 9. Why is this threatning annexed more to this Commandement than to others A. Because this sin is 1. An immediate injury to God while it expresly fathereth Lyes and other sin on him it doth as we may say engage him to vindicate himself When Rulers or Usurpers pretend that God authorizeth them to do mischief and fight against himself when Persecutors and Corrupters of Religion pretend Gods Interest and Will for all that it is for Order Unity Government and Obedience for the Church that they corrupt destroy silence and tyrannize they invite God to cast the Lye and Cruelty back on them which they would father upon him and to turn their Canons Prisons and â—…nquisitions and other devilish plagues of the world upon the Author in disowning them himself 2. And they that by Perjury Hypocrisie false Doctrine and the rest of the forementioned sins do Appeal to God and make him openly the Author of â—…ll do thereby as it were Summon God to revenge â—…s they said to Paul Hast thou appealed to Caesar To Caesar shalt thou go so it may be said to the Perjured the Hypocrite the Usurper the false Judge c. Hast you appealed to God and do yoâ— father on him your Lyes Cruelties Tyrannies and Usurpations and false Doctrines To God shall yoâ— go who will undertake the Cause which you caâ— upon him and will judge the secrets of mens Hearâ— as he did Ananias and Saphira's If men sin undeâ— the Laws of men God requireth Magistrates to judge them But if they appeal to God or by falshooâ— escape the judgment of man they more immediately cast themselves on the Justice of God And it â—… a fearful thing to fall into his hands who is a consâ—ming fire God is the avenger specially on such Q. 10. Is it meant of Gods vengeance in this Lifâ— or in the next A. In both Usually Prophanation of Gods Naâ—â— and Holy things especially by Perjury and by â—â—thering Cruelty and Wickedness on God is moâ—â— notably punished by him in this life Though sucâ— may seem to prosper for a while God usually overtâ—keth them here and their sins do find them out But â—… they escape such Bodily punishment here they are usually more dreadfully forsaken of Grace than other meâ— and heap up wrath against the day of wrath I will only adde in the conclusion that even trâ—â— Christians should take great care lest their vâ—… Thoughts of God and their Prayers and
us light and heat by the Sun he upholdeth us by the Earth c. A. The word Immediate sometime signifieth A cause that hath no other cause under it So the Sun is the immediate cause of the emanation of its beams of Light And so God is not alwaies an Immediate Cause that is He hath other causes under him But sometime Immediate signifieth that which is next a thing having nothing between them And so God doth all things Immediately For he is and he acteth as near us as we to our selves and nothing is between him and us He is as near the person and the Effect when he useth Second Causes as when he useth none Q. 6. But is it not a debasing GOD to make his Providence the cause of every motion of a Worm a Bird a Fly and to mind and move such contemptible things and so to mind the thoughts of man A. It is a debasing God to think that he is like a finite Creature absent or insufficient for any of his Creatures That there is not the least thing or motion so small as to be done without him is most certain to him that will consider 1. That Gods very Essence is every where And wherever he is he is himself that is most Powerful Wise and Good And if such a God be as near to every Action as the most immediate Actor is so that in him they all Live and Move and Be how can he be thought to have no hand in it as to Providence or causality 2. And it 's certain that God upholds continually the very Being of every thing that moveth and all the Power by which they move For that which had no Being but from him â—an have none continued but by him That which could not make it self cannot continue it self Should not God by his causality continue their being every Creature would turn to nothing For there can be nothing without a Cause but the first Cause which is GOD. 3. And it is all one to Infiniteness to mind every Creature and motion in the World and to cause and rule the least as it is to cause and rule but one God is as sufficient for all the World even every Fly and Worm as if he had but One to mind Seeing then that he is as present with every Creature as it is with it self and it hath not the least power but what he continually giveth it and cannot move at all but by him and he is as sufficient for All as for One it 's unreasonable to think that the least thing is done without him Is it a dishonour to the Sun that every Eye even of Flies and Ants and Toads and Snakes as well as Men do see by the light of it or that it shineth at once upon every pâ—le of Grass and Atome This is but the certain Effect of Gods Infiniteneâ—s and Perfection Q. 7. How doth God Govern all things A. He Governeth several things according to their several Natures which he hath made Lifeless things by their natural Inclinations and by moving force Things that have sense by their sensitive Inclinations and by their objects and by constraint And Reasonable Creatures by their Principles and by Laws and Moral Rules And all things by his Infinite Power Wisdom and Will as being every one parts of one World which is his Kingdom Especially Man Q. 8. What is Gods Kingdom and why do you call him our King A. I call him our King because 1. He only hath absolute Right Power and Fitness to be our Supream Ruler 2. And he doth actually Rule us as our Soveraign And in this KINGDOM 1. GOD is the Only Supream King and Head 2. Angels or Glorified Spirits and Men are the Subjects 3. All the Bruits and lifeless Creatures are the Furniture and goods and utensils 4. Devils and Rebellious Wicked men are the Enemies to be opposed and overcome Q. 9. How doth GOD govern Man on Earth A. 1. The Power of God our Lord Owner and Mover moveth us and disposeth of us as he doth of all things to the fullfilling of his Will 2. The Wisdom of God our King doth give us sound Doctrine and holy and just Laws with Rewardâ— and Penalties and he will Judge men and execute accordingly 3. And the Love of our Heavenly Father doth furnish us with all necessary blessings help us accept us and prepare us for the Heavenly Kingdom Q. 10. Why is man Ruled by Laws rather than Beasts and other things A. Because man hath Reason and Free-will which maketh them Subjects capable of Laws which Beasts are not Q. 11. What is that Free-will which fits us to be Subjects A. It is a Will made by God able to determine it self by Gods necessary help to choose Good and refuse Evil understood to be such without any necessitating Predetermination by any other CHAP. V. Of Gods Law of Nature and Natural Officers Qu. 1. BY what Laws doth God Govern the World Ans. How he Governeth the Spirits above us whether by any Law besides the immediate Reâ—elation of his Will seen in the face of his Glory or how else is not much known to us because â—t doth not concern us But this lower World of man he Governeth by the Law of Nature and by a Law of Supernatural Revelation given by his Spirit or by Messengers from Heaven Q. 2. What is it that you Call the Law of Nature A. In a large and improper sence some call the â—nclinations and forcing or naturally moving Causes of any Creatures by the name of a Law â—nd so they say that Beasts and Birds are moved by the Law of their Nature and that Stones sink downward and the Fire goeth upward by the Law of Nature But this is no Law in the Proper sence which we are speaking of whatever you Call it Q. 3. What is it then that you Call A Law A. Any Signification of the Will of the Ruler purposely given to the Subject that thereby he may know and be bound to his Duty and know his Reward or Punishment due Or any signification of the Rulers will for the Government of Subjects constituting what shall be Due from them and to them A Rule to live by and the Rule by which we must be judged Q. 4. What then is Gods Law of Nature made for man A. It is the signification of Gods Governing Will by the Nature of man himself and of all other Creatures known to man in which God declareth to man his Duty and his reward or punishment Q. 5. How can a man know Gods Will and our duty by his Nature and by all other Works of God about us A. In some things as surely as by words or writings but in other things more darkly I am sure that my Nature is made to Know and Love Truth and Goodness and to desire and seek my own Felicity My Nature tells me that I was not made by my self and do not live by my Self and therefore that I am
and they driven hastily out they yearly continued the Eating of the Passover with unleavened Bread as in a hasting posture 3. Since the Law given in the Wilderness they constantly used the Sacrifices the Oblations the Tabernacle the Priesthood and Ceremonies as that Law prescribed them And the National constant use of these was an ascertaining Tradition of the matters of Fact which were their cause 4. Yea so tenacious were they of this Law that as they taught the very Syllables of it to their Children and kept in the Ark the very Tables of Stone that had the Ten Commandments so they were Enemies to Christianity because the Christians were against the Gentiles Observation of their Law and for its abrogation 4. Consider again that the Matter of Fact and the Divine Institution is since made certain to us by Christs Testimony Q. 11. But seeing this Law doth not bind us now nor the particular Messages of the Prophets were sent to us is it any of our Concern now to know or believe them It belonged to those that they were made for and sent to But what are they to us A. There is not the same necessity to know them and so to be such that they were all of God as there is to know and believe the Gospel But it is greatly our Duty and Concern to believe them 1. Because they were preparatory to the Gospel and bore an antecedent Testimony to it 2. Because the Gospel it self beareth witness of their Truth which therefore if we believe it we must believe 3. Because by the Holy Ghost's direction all now make up our Books of Sacred Records which is the certain Word of God though not all of the same Necessity and Evidence And here I must tell you a great and needful Truth which ignorant Christians fearing to confess by overdoing tempt Men to Infidelity The Scripture is like a Mans Body where some parts are but for the preservation of the rest and may be maimed without death The Sence is the Soul of the Scripture and the Letters but the Body or Vehicle The Doctrine of the Creed Lords Prayer and Decalogue and Baptism and Lords Supper is the Vital part and Christianity it self The Old Testament Letter written as we have it about Ezras's time is that Vehicle which is as imperfect as the Revelation of those times was But as after Christ's Incarnation and Ascension the Spirit was more abundantly given and the Revelation more perfect and Sealed so the Doctrine is more full and the Vehicle or Body that is the Words are less imperfect and more sure to us so that he that doubteth of the Truth of some Words in the Old Testament or of some small Circumstantials in the New hath no reason therefore to doubt of the Christian Religion of which these Writings are but the Vehicle or Body sufficient to ascertain us of the Truth of the History and Doctrine Be sure first that Christ is the very Son of God and it inferreth the certainty of all his Words and enforceth our whole Religion Q. 12. I perceive then that our main Question is both as to Necessity and Evidence How we are sure that the Gospel is true and the Records of it the very Word of God A. It is so And as it is this that must Rule and Judge the Church so we have to us fuller proof of this than of the Old Testament Because that the narrowness of the Iews Countrey in comparison of the Christian World and the many Thousand Years distance and a Language whose Phrase and Proverbial speeches and the very sence of the common words of it must needs make it more unknown to us than the Language that the Gospel is Recorded in And it is not the least proof of the Truth of the Old Testament that it is attested and confirmed by the New Q. 13. Will you first tell me How the Apostles and that first Age were sure that the Gospel of Christ was the very Word of God A. Here I must first tell you that the great Mystery of the Blessed Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost being One God is made necessary to us to be believed not only as to the Eternal unsearchable Inexistence but specially for the Knowledge of Gods three great sorts of Works on Man That is As our Creator and the God of Nature as our Redeemer and the God of Governing and and reconciling Grace and as our Sanctifier and the Applyer and Perfecter of all to fit us for Glory And so the Son as Redeemer is the way to the Father to know him and his Love and be reconciled to him And the Holy Ghost is the Witness of the Son The proof therefore of the Gospel of Christ in one word is the Holy Ghost that is the certain Testimony of God's Spirit And this Testimony consisteth of these several parts I. The foregoing Testimony of the Spirit by all the Prophesies of the Old Testament and the Typical Prefigurations which became a fuller proof than before when they were seen all to be fulfilled in Christ Yet many were fulfilled before When Abraham had no Child he was promised the Multiplication of his Seed and that all Nations should be blessed therein Gen. 12. 2. 13. 16. 15. 5. 17. 2. 18. 11 12. The 400 Years of their abode in Egypt and Canaan before were foretold and punctually fulfilled Gen. 15. 13 14. Ex. 12. 31 32. So was Iacob's Prophesie of Iudah's Scepter Gen. 42. 8 9 10. And Ioseph's dreams And verily Balaams last Prophesie was marvellous who when he had blessed Israel and foretold their Victories foretold also the Scepter of David and Christ and the success of the Assyrians and after that of Chittim against the Hebrews themselves Numb 24. And who seeth not the fulfilling of the terrible Prophesie of Moses against the Iews Deut. 31 Iosiah by Name and his Deeds were foretold 300 Years before he was Born 1 Kings 13. 2. 2 Kings 23. 15. Oft was the Captivity of the Iews foretold and the destruction of Babylon and the Iews return by Cyrus named long before he was Born and the very time foretold From the beginning Christ was promised and the circumstances of his coming foretold Gen. 3. 15. 26. 4. 49. 10. Deut. 18. 15. Psal. 2. 27. 89. 110. Isa. 53. 11. 1. Ier. 33. 15. Mic. 5. 2. That he should be Born of a Virgin Isa. 7. 14. in Bethlem Mic. 5. 2. and then the Infants killed Ier. 31. 15 that he should come into the Temple as the Angel of the Covenant whom they desired but they should not endure therein when he came because he came as a Refiner Mal. 3. 1. 3. That he should go into Egypt and return thence Isa. 19. 1. Hos. 11. 1. That One should go before him to prepare the way Mal. 3. 1. That he should do wonders for the People Isa. 35. 5. That a familiar should betray him and that for Thirty pieces of
Silver Psal. 41. 9. 55. 13 14. Zech. 11 12 13 and a Potters Field be bought with them all his Persecution and abuse and Sufferings are foretold Isa. 50. 6. 53. Psa. 69. 21. 22. 18. 118. 22. Isa. 6. 9. even â—o the Circumstances of giving him Vinegar casting Lots for his Garments suffering as a Malefactor Yea the very time is foretold Dan. 9. 25 26. And that then the second Temple should be destroyed II. The second part of the Spirits Testimony or the certain proof of Christian Truth is The Inherent constitutive Proof or Testimony in the unimitable Excellency of the Person and Gospel of Christ which is the Image and superscription of God The Person of Christ was of such excellency of Wisdom Goodness and power apparent in his Doctrine Works and Patience all sinless and full of Holy Love to God and Man as is not consistent with being the Deceiver of the World His Gospel in the very Constitution of it hath the impress of God He that hath the Spirit of God will find that in the Gospel which is so suitable to the Divine Nature as will make it the easier to him to believe it Angels preached the Summ of it Luke 2. 14. It is all but the fore-promised and prefigured Redemption of Man Historically delivered and the Doctrine Laws and Promises of saving Grace most fully promulgated It is the wonderful Revelation of the Power Wisdom and Goodness the Truth Justice and Holiness of God especially his Love to Man and of his marvellous design for the recovery Sanctifying and saving of Sinners and removing all the impediments of their Repentance and Salvation It is so wholly fitted to the Glorifying of God and the reparation of depraved Nature and the purifying and perfecting of Mans Soul to the guidance of Mens Lives in the wayes of true Wisdom Godliness Righteousness Soberness Mutual Love and Peace that Men may live profitably to others and live and die in the Sence of God's Love and in a safe and comfortable State that we may be sure so good a thing had a good Cause For had it been the device of Men they must have been very bad Men that would put Gods Name to it and tell so many Lies from Generation to Genration to deceive the World And it is not to be imagined that from Moses time to the writing of Iohn's Revelations there should arise a Succession of Men of such a strange self-contradicting Constitution as should be so good as to devise the the most Holy and Righteous and Self-denying Doctrines for the great good of Mankind and yet all of them so odiously wicked as to belye God and deceive Men and do all this good in so bad a manner with so bad a Heart And if any Blasphemer would Father it upon evil Spirits what a Contradiction would he speak As if Satan would promote the greatest good for the Honour of God and Benefit of Man while he is the greatest Hater of God and Man And as if he would devise a Doctrine to reproach himself and destroy his own Kingdom and bless Mankind and so were at once the best and the worst Indeed the Holy Scriptures do bear the very Image and Superscription of God in their Ends Matter and Manner and prove themselves to be his Word For God hath not given us external proofs that such a Book or Doctrine is his which is it self no better than humane Works and hath no intrinsick proof of its Divine Original But the intrinsick and extrinsick Evidences concurre What Book like the Sacred Scriptures hath taught the World the Knowledge of God the Creation of the World the End and Hope and Felicity of Man What the heavenly Glory is and how procured and how to be obtained and by whom How man became sinful and miserable And how he is recovered And what wonders of Love God hath shewn to Sinners to win their Hearts in Love to him What Book hath so taught Men to live by Faith and the hopes of Glory above all the Lusts of Sense and Flesh and to referr all things in this VVorld to Spiritual Holy and Heavenly Ends to Love others as our selves and to do good to all even to our Enemies to live in such Union and Communion and Peace as is caused by this Vital Grace of Love and not like a Heap of Sand that every spurn or blast of cross Interest will separate VVhat Book so teacheth Man to Love God above all and to pray to him praise him and absolutely obey him with constant pleasure and to trust him absolutely with Soul Body and Estate and cast all our care upon him and in a word to converse in Heaven while we are on Earth and to live as Saints that we may live as Angels Q. 14. But how few be there that do all this A. 1. I shall further answer that anon None do it in Perfection but all found Christians do it in Sincerity 2. But at present it is the perfection of the Doctrine of Christ and of the Sacred Scriptures that I am proving And it is not Mens breaking the Law that will prove that God made it not Q. 15. You have told me of the foregoing Testimony of the Spirit to Christ and the Gospel and of the Inherent Constitutive Testimony or Proof Is there any other A. Yes III. There is the Concomitant Testimony by the Works of Christ Nicodemus could say We know that thou art a Teacher come from God for no Man can do the Works that thou dost except God were with him Joh. 3. 2. He cleansed the Lepers with his word he cast out Devils he healed the Lame the Deaf the Blind yea that were born Blind he healed Palsies Feavers and all manner of sicknesses with a touch or a word he turned Water into Wine he fed twice many Thousands by Miracle he walkt on the Sea and made Peter do the same the Winds and Sea obeyed his Command he raised the Dead This course of Miracles were the most evident Testimony of God And he was brought into the World by Miracle Born of a Virgin Foretold and Named Iesus by an Angel Preached to Shepherds by Angels from Heaven a Star conducting the Eastern Wise-men to the place Iohn his foregoer named by an Angel and Zacharias struck dumb for not believing it Prophesied of by Anna and Simeon owned at his Baptism by the visible descent of the Spirit in the shape of a Dove and by a Voice of God from Heaven and the like again at his Transfiguration when Moses and Elias appeared with him and he did shine in Glory And at his Death the Earth trembled the Sun was obscured and the Air darkened and the Vail of the Temple rent But the fullest Evidence was Christs own Resurrection from the Dead his oft appearing to his Disciples after and conversing with them at times for Forty Dayes and giving them their Commission and promising them the Spirit and ascending
more or run the hazard or what a man loseth by one bargain he gets by another 16. Some Usury is an Act of great Charity viz. A Landlord offereth to sell his Tenant his Land for much less than the worth The Tenant hath not Money to buy it A Rich Neighbour told him The Land is also offered to me but if you will I will lend you Money on use to buy it and pay me when you can It was Wood Land The Tenant borrows the Money and in two years sells the Wood which paid it all and had the Land for almost nothing Was not this charitable Usury I knew a worthy Person that trading in Iron works did partly for himself and partly in Charity take to Use the Moneys of many honest mean people that knew not else how to live or to use it and from a small Estate he grew to purchase at least Seven thousand pound per Annum to himself and his Sons was there any uncharitableness in this Usury 17. It is great uncharitableness in some not to give use for Money and Cruelty to set it out without use As when poor Orphans are left with nothing but a little Money to maintain them and abundance of Poor Widdows that have a little Money and no trade to use it in and must beg if they presently spend the stock If they lend it the Rich or those that gain by it in trading the gainers are unmerciful if they pay not use for it as well as unjust 18. They that say we must not lend to make men rich but only to the needy do put down all common Trading And forbid most young men to marry For that which will maintain a single man plentifully will not maintain a Wife and Children and provide them necessary Portions And if he must not endeavour to grow richer than he is how shall he maintain them who had but enough for himself before And how shall he be able to relieve the Poor or do any such good works if he may not endeavour to grow richer Q. 15. If a Merchant find that it 's usual to deceive the Custom-house or poor men think Chimney-Money or other Legal Taxes to be an Oppression may they not by Concealment save what they can A. No The Law hath given it the King if you like not to be his Subjects on the Terms of the Law remove into another Land If you cannot you must patiently suffer here It is no more lawful to rob the King than to rob another man Q. 16. Is it necessary to restore all that one hath wrongfully got A. Yes if he be able Q. 17. What if he be not able A. If he can get it by his Friends he must if not he must humble himself to him that he wrong'd and confess the debt and bind himself to pay him if ever he be able Q. 18. But what if it be a malicious man that will disgrace or ruine him if he know it Is he bound to Confess it A. Humanity it self will tell a man that Repentance is the greatest Honour next to Innocence and that a Repenting person that wâ—ll do it at so dear a rate is unlike to wrong him any more And therefore we may suppose that there are few so inhumane as to undo such a penitent But if he that knoweth him have good cause to judge that the injured person will make use of his Confession â—… To the wrong of the King or the Common-wealth or the Honour of Christianity or to a Greater hurt of the Confessor than the Confession is like to prove a good to any he may then forbear such a Confession to the person injured and send him secretly his Money by an unknown hand or if he cannot pay him Confess it to God and his spiritual Guide Q. 19. What if a man can restore it but not without the wrong or ruine of his Wife and Children who knew not of his sin A. His Wife took him with his debts as he did her and this is a real debt She can have no right by him in that which he hath no right himself to And â—e cannot give his Children that which is none of â—is own Q. 20. What if I wrong'd a Master but in some small matter in Marketting which is long since gone A. The debt remaineth And if you have the Value you must offer satisfaction Though its like that for â—mall things few will take it But you must Conâ—ess the fault and debt And forgiveness is equal to â—estitution Q. 21. What if those that I wronged be dead A. You owe the value to those that they gave â—heir Estate to Or if they be dead to the next â—eirs And if all be dead to God in some use of Charity Q. 22. What if any Father got it ill and left it â—s A. He can give you no Right to that which he â—â—d none to himself sinfull keeping is Theft as well â—s sinfull getting Q. 23. What if the thing be so usual as well as small as that none expect confession or restitution As for Boyes to rob Orchards A. Where you know it would not be well taken Restitution is no duty But if you have opportunity it is safest to confess Q. 24. Is it Thievery to borrow and not pay A. Deceitfull borrowers are of the worser sort of Thieves against whom one cannot so well save his Purse as against others And they would destroy all charitable lending by destroying mutual belief and trust Many Tradesmen that after break do steal more and wrong more than many High-way Robbers that are hanged But it is not all Breakers that are so guilty Q. 25. What borrowing is it that is Theft A. 1. When you have no intent to pay 2. When you know that you are not able to pay nor like to be able 3. When there is a great hazard and danger of your not paying with which you do not acquaint the Lender and so he consenteth not to run the hazard Q. 26. What if it would crack my Credit and ruin my Trade if I should reveal the hazard and weakness of my Estate A. You must not rob others for fear of ruine to your self If you take his Money without his Consent you rob him And no man that is Ignorant iâ— said to consent If you hide that which would hinde him from consenting if he knew it you have not really his consent but rob him Q. 27. What is the duty required in this eighth Commandement A. To further the Prosperity or Estate of your Neighbour as you would do your own that is with the same sincerity Q. 28. Must a man work at his Trade for his Neighbour as much as for himself Or as much use his Estate for others A. I said with the same sincerity not in the same manner and degree For there are some dutyes of Beneficence proper to our selves as the Objects and some common to others And as Nature causeth the Eye
Such as only enjoyn the obeying of Christs own Laws 2. And such as only determine of such meer Accidents of Doctrine Worship and Discipline as Christ hath commanded in General and virtually and left the particular sort to humane determination of Governours as Time Place Utensils c. 3. Such as are not extended beyond the Churches of which they are Pastors to others of whom they are no Rulers 4. Such as being Indifferent are not made more necessary than their Nature and Use requireth Nor used to the Churches Destruction or hurt but to it's Edification 5. Such as being mutable in the Reason or Cause of them are not fixed And continued when the reason of them ceaseth Christ calleth us Minsters that we may not think we are Lords of his Heritage Our Work is to expound and apply his Laws and perswade men to obey them and not to make Laws of our own of the same kind as if we were his Equals and Lords of his Church It 's true he hath bid us determine of Circumstances to the Churches Edification and the Pastor is Judge for the present Time and Place what Chapter he shall read what Text he shall preach on and in what Method what Psalm shall be Sung and in what Tune and such like But who made him Lord of other Churches to impose the like on them Or how can he prove that the very same circumstances are necessary to all when a day may alter the case with himself which depends on mutable causes If all the World or Land be commanded on such a day to read the same Psalm and Chapter and occurrents make any Subject far more suitable who hath power to deprive the present Pastor of his Choice and to suppose Ministers unable to know what Subject to read or preach on unless it be they that make such men Ministers that they may so rule them Q. 10. Why must there be stated Worshipping Congregations A. 1. For the Honour of God and our Redeemer who is best honoured in united solemn Assemblies magnifying him with one Mind and Heart and Mouth 2. For the preservation of Religion which is so best exercised honoured and kept up 3. For the Benefit and Joy of Christians who in such concordant Societies receive Encouragement Strength and Comfort 4. For the due Order and Honour of the particular Churches and the whole Q. 11. Is every worshipping Congregation a Church A. The Name is not much worthy of a debate There are divers sorts of Christian Assemblies which may be called Churches 1. There are occasional accidental Assemblies that are not stated 2. There are stated Assemblies like Chappels which have only Curates and are but Parts of the lowest political Governing Churches 3. Christians statedly associated under such Pastors as have the Power of the Church Keyes for personal Communion in Holy Doctrine Worship and Conversation are the lowest sort of Political Governed Churches 4. Synods consisting of the Pastors and Delegates of these may be called Churches in a laxe sence 5. And so may a Christian Nation under one King 6. And all the Christian World is one Catholick Church as Headed by Jesus Christ. 7. And the Roman Sect is a spurious Church as it is headed by a humane uncapable Soveraign claiming the Power of Legislation and Judgment over all the Church on earth Q. 12. But how shall I know which is the true Church when so many claim the Title the Papists say it is only theirs A. I have fully answered such doubts on the Article of the Holy Catholick Church and Communion of Saints in the Creed Either you speak of the Whole Church or of a Particular Church which is but a Part. If of the whole Church it is a foolish question How I shall know which is the true Church when there is but one If of a Particular Church every true Christian Society Pastors and Flocks is a true Church that is a True Society as a part of the Whole Q. 13. But when there are divers contending Churches how shall I know which of them I should joyn with A. 1 If they are all true Churches having the same God and Christ and Faith and Hope and Love You must separate from none of them as Churches though you may separate from their sins But must communicate with them in all lawful Exercises as occasion requireth 2. But your fixed Relation to a particular Pastor and Church peculiarly must be chosen as your own Case and Benefit all things considered doth require When you can have free choice the Nearest and Ablest and Holyest Pastor and Society should be chosen When Violence interposeth a Rulers will may do much to turn the scales for a tolerable Pastor and Society if it make it most for the common good and your Edification Q. 14. May men adde any thing to the prescribed Worship of God A. Worship is a doubtful Word If you will call meer mutable Accidents and Circumstances by the Name of Worship Man may adde to them such as is putting off the Hatt the Meetre and tune of Psalms and such like But men may do nothing which implyeth a defect in the Laws of Christ and therefore may make no new Articles of Faith or Religion or any thing necessary to Salvation nor any Sacraments or Ordinances of Worship of the same kind with Christs much less Contrary thereto Q. 15. May we hold Communion with a faulty Church and Worship A. Or else we must have Communion with none on Earth All our personal Worship is faulty we joyn with them for Christian Faith and Worship If the Minister say or do any thing contrary it is his sin and our presence maketh it not ours Else we must separate from all the World But we may not by false Professions Subscribing Swearing or Practice commit any sin our selves for the Communion of any Church on Earth CHAP. XLV Of Baptism Qu. 1. WHat is Baptism A. It is a Sacred action or Sacrament instituted by Christ for the Solemnizing of the Covenant of Christianity between God and Man and the solemn investing us in the State of Christianity obliging us to Christ and for his delivering to us our Relation and right to him as our Head and to the gifts of his Covenant Q. 2. Why did Christ institute such a Ceremony as Washing in so great and weighty a Work as our-Christening A. 1. A Soul in flesh is apt to use sense and needs some help of it 2. Idolaters had filled the World with Images and outward Ceremonies and the Jews had been long used to abundance of Typical Rites And Christ being to deliver the World from these and teach them to Worship in Spirit and Truth would not run into the extream of avoiding all sensible signs and helps but hath made his Sacraments few and fitted to their use to be instead of Images and mens vain Inventions and the Jewish burdens as meet and sufficient helps of that kind to his Church