53.5 and the Wine poured out signifies that Christ's blood was shed for many for the remission of sins Mat. 26.28 Q. What do our taking eating and drinking these signifie A. Our taking eating and drinking the bread and wine signifie the Communion of the body and blood of Christ 1 Cor. 10.16 Q. To what end was the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper ordained A. We are to do this in remembrance of Christ 1 Cor. 11.25 for as often as we eat this bread and drink this Cup we shew the Lord's Death till he come v. 26. Q. What doth our joynt partaking together of this Sacrament signifie A. Our joynt partaking of this Sacrament signifies that we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread 1 Cor. 10.17 Q. What is the danger of receiving this Sacrament unworthily A. Whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this Cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord 1 Cor. 11.27 and eateth and drinketh judgment to himself not discerning the Lord's body v. 29. Q. What must we do to receive this Sacrament woâ—â—hily A. Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that â—read and drink of that Cup 1 Cor. 11.28 Q. What mean you by examining a man's self A. We must examine our selves whether we be in the Faith and prove our own selves 2 Cor. 13.5 Q. What shall become of us when we dye A. When we dye the dust shall return to the Earth as it was and the Spirit shall return unto God who gave it Eccl. 12.7 Q Shall our Bodies lye for ever in the Earth A. No there shall be a Resurrection of the Dead both of the just and unjust Acts 24.15 Q. By whom have we the Resurrection from the Dead A. As in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made alive 1 Cor. 15.2 all that are in the graves shall hear his voyce and shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of Life and they that have done evil to the Resurrection of Damnation Iohn 5.28 29. Q. When shall the Resurrection be A. At the last day Iohn 11.24.6.39 the end of the World Mat. 13.36 when the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voyce of the Arch-Angel and with the Trump of God 1 Thes. 4.16 Q. Shall the very same Bodies rise again A. Yes this Corruptible must put on Incorruption and this Mortal shall put on Immortality 1 Cor. 15.53 Q. To what end must we rise again A. God hath appointed a day in the which he will Judge the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained Acts 17.31 Q. What Man is that A. God shall Judge the Secrets of men by Jesus Christ Rom. 2.16 it is he who was ordained of God to be Judge both of Quick and Dead Acts 10.42 Q. Shall all Men be judged by Christ A. We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his Body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 Q. What shall be the doom of the Wicked A. Christ shall â—â—y unto the wicked depart from me ye cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Mat. 25.41 and they shall go away into everlasting punishment v. 46. where their Worm dyeth not and the fire is not quenched Mark 9.48 and there shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth v. 50. Q. What shall be the reward of the Righteous A. Christ shall say unto the Righteous Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepar'd for you from the Foundation of the World Mat. 25.34 and they shall go into Life Eternal v. 46. and shall ever be with the Lord 1 Thes. 4.17 Q. Can you exactly tell me what blessings the Righteous shall enjoy in Heaven A. Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord they rest from their Labours Rev. 14.13 are comforted Luke 6.25 enter into the joy of their Lord Mat. 25.21.23 and an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 1.4 but it doth not yet appear what we shall be onely we know that when Christ shall appear we shall be like him 1 Iohn 3.2 Q. In the mean time how ought Christians to behave themselves in this Life A. Our Conversation must be as becometh the Gospel of Christ Phil. 1.27 walking worthy of God who hath called us unto his Kingdom and glory 1 Thes. 2.12 being fruitful in every good work and abounding in the knowledge of God Col. 1.10 Q. How may our Conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ A. The Grace of God which bringeth Salvation teacheth us that denying ungodliness and worldly Lusts we should live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World Tit. 2.11 12. and herein should we Exercise our selves to have alwayes a Conscience void of Offence toward God and toward Man Acts 24.16 Q. Is not the Profession of Christian Religion enough of it self A. Not every one that sath unto Christ Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of God which is in Heaven Mat. 7.21 Q. Do you not make void the Law through Faith A. God for-bid yea we establish the Law Rom. 3.31 as the body without the Spirit is â—ead so Faith without works is dead also Iam. 2 2â— therefore blessed are they that keep Christ's Commandments that they may have â—â—ght to the tree of life may enter in through the gates into the City Rev. 22.14 Q. What is your duty to God as he is but One A. Because there is but one God we must worship the Lord our God and serve him only Mat. 4.10 cleave unto him Deut. 10.20 and have no other Gods before him Exod. 20.3 Q. What sins are you here especially to take beed of A. We must take heed how we say in our hearts there is no God Psal. 14.1 or have not the knowledg of God 1 Cor. 15.34 on knowing God glorifie him not as God Rom. 1.21 or prosessing that we know God yet in works deny him Tit. 1.16 or serve the Creature more than the Creator who is blessed for ever Rom. 1.25 Q. How ought you to worship God A. God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth Iohn 4.24 Q. What sins are we especially to take heed of A. No man hathâ— seen God's shape Iohn 5.37 let us take heed how we liken him to any thing or compare any likeness unto him Isa. 40.18 or corrupt our selves by making us a graven image or the likeness of any Figure Deut. 4.15 Rom. 1.23 Acts 17.29 to bow down to it or serve it Exod. 20.5 or think he can be worshiped with mens hands as though he needed any thing Acts 17.25 or worship him teaching for Doctrines the Traditions of men Mat. 15.9 Q. What Duties
what could be more worthy of God to reveal or necessary for man to know than the things contained in these books Seeing now that the World hath ever believed that there is a God and that the very Being Order Beauty variety use and working of all things make it highly reasonable so to believe Seeing there have been Prophesies and Miracles such as cannot be conceived possible without a God Seeing that we have Books which pretend to make known God and his Will unto us and that it is most reasonable if there be a God to believe he should some way make this known unto us and seeing that the men whose names these books do bear cannot reasonably be denyed oncâ— to have been and to have written them neither can be suspected either of Ignorance or falshood Seeing they write of one Jesus Christ their Master and Teacher and it cannot be denyed that such an one there was and that he said he came from God and confirmed what he said by many wonderful Works and Miracles which none can imagine that any power less than Gods could do And seeing that the Doctrine which he taught was spread over a great part of the World in a very short time by men of vulgar Rank mean Occupations and little Learning and less Authority without all outward force or compulsion without all pomp of seculiar Learning but with all plainness and simplicity of speech and that against the Religion then in possession and highly magnified against the Learning then in great esteem against all the beloved Lusts and worldly Interests of men and the violent endeavours of powerful and Learned Adversaries And seeing these men had nothing to bear them out against all this but the Miracles which they wrought and the purity of their Lives and Doctrines Seeing the Doctrines of these Books are so evidently much for the glory of God so full of all Holiness so much conducing to the good of mankind so satisfactory to the minds of men in things not otherwise to be known by man and finally such as being once received makes the professors thereof a most comfortable and chearful being here by giving them hopes of an eternal happy being hereafter I cannot chuse but be fully perswaded both that there is a God and that the Scriptures are the Word of God and a standing Rule of believing and honouring and serving God in such a way as he will graciously accept and eternally reward The chief Heads of the Christian Faith expressed in an Homely and familiar Verse for the easier committing them to memory THere is a God the world did always own it Nature declares it and God's Word hath shewn it The Scriptures giv'n of God by inspiration Are the great Rule of Faith and Conversation There 's but one God in Persons three The Father the eternal Son And Holy Ghost and all these be In Person three in Essence one God is a Spirit infinite In Wisdome Pow'r and Purity Most just most good and to whose sight Our very thoughts all open lie God made the World and every thing God preserves all things is their Lord And Rules all as the Sov'raign King All things obey his Mighty Word God in 's own Image Man did frame With knowledge and a pow'r to do God's Will without both sin and shame And made him Lord of all below To Adam God a Law did give Which if he kept not he should die But if he kept it he should live And so should his Posterity Man brake God's Law and all Mankind By that first breach are much the worse All born in sin and sin doth bind All under a most heavy Curse All are by Nature ignorant A verse from good inclin'd to evil Title to happiness all want And all made subject to the Devil God's wrath upon us all doth lie No strength to help our selves we have We perish all eternally Except God's mercy do us save God did on us compassion take When by our selves we were undone God meerly for his mercy's sake Resolv'd to save us by his Son The Son did down from Heaven come To save us who by sin were lost Was conceiv'd in a Virgin 's Womb By vertue of the Holy Ghost Thus God the Son the eternal Word Man's Nature took and Man became Even Jesus Christ our onely Lord We have Salvation in his Name Jesus in whom no sin was seen Did thus become the Mediator Of a new Covenant between Us Sinners and our just Creator God did Anoint his Christ to be A Priest a Prophet and a King And by these Offices all thâ—â—e He doth to us Salvation bring Christ as a Prophet hath made known His Father's will to men that they In him might find Salvation If they his Gospel would obey As Priest Christ offen'd Sacrifice Himself upon the Cross did die His blood was of our souls the price Which did God's Justice satisfie Christ bury'd was and rose again The third day and to Heav'n is gone He doth at God's right hand remain For us makes intercession As King Christ gives us Laws and all His Enemies he shall subdue Sin Sathan Death destroy and shall Judge all men and give all their due A Crown of Glory he will give To them that serve him faithfully And in his Kingdom they shall live Triumphing after victory Upon the day of Pentecost Th' Apostles met with one accord Christ sent on them the Holy Ghost T' enable them to Preach his Word Th' Apostles did to all men Preach Pardon of Sins through Christ alone Who did receive what they did teach Them they Baptized every one Baptism's the Sacrament whereby Men own the Covenant of Grace And God doth Seal who cannot lie Pardon to them who Christ embrace Baptismal washing signifies Our cleansing by the Holy Spirit And whom the Spirit Sanctifies They are God's Sons and shall inherit Believers and none else but they In this new Covenant have part They who believe learn to obey For Faith doth purifie the heart Faith works by Love and Love constrains To hate all sin to bear Christ's Cross To keep Christ's Laws t' endure all pains And count all things for Christ but loss Christ's Spirit doth by his Word beget This saving Faith and woen 't is bred It by the same word farther yet To strength and growth is nourished To strengthen Faith yet more the Lord Hath giv'n unto us Heav'nly Food He hath commanded in his Word To eat his Body drink his Blood By Bread and Wine blest and recived With true Repentance Faith and Pray'r God Seals all Benefits believed Which by Christ's death once purchas'd werâ— We by this Feast and joynt Communion Our selves one Body testifie Members knit in a sacred Union By the blest Spirit of Unitie Believers all one Church do make One Faith one Baptism and one Bread One God one Spirit one Lord we take Christ of this Body th' only Head Whoso in this Communion die For ever happy are and blest Their Souls return to God on high In Earth their Bodies sleep and rest At the last day Christ shall appear In Glory to be Judge of all All who are dead or then live here He to his Judgment-Seat shall call Then shall all Bodies rise again And with their Souls receive their doom Well-doers shall in joy remain Who have done ill to Woe shall come The Righteous with God shall rest From Labors Sins all Evils free With everlasting Glories blest Such as cannot expressed be The Wicked shall be sent to Hell From God and Comfort banished With Devils in Flames unquenchable There roaring in a Firy Bed Thou who to fear an Hell would'st have no cause Fear God hate Sin Love Christ keep his Laws FINIS
he and not easie to be gulled out of their liberrty and the more simple are rather apt to suspect than believe all that Politicians commend unto them Lastly Did he pretend the universal good of all mankind and rationally convince men that the belief of a God that governeth and shall judge the world is the onely thing that preserves good order in the world if so then tell me did he say the truth or did he lie in saying there is a God If he said truly then is it a truth and to be believed If it was a lie then is it for the good of the whole world and therefore a duty to believe a lie rather than a truth For if it be a lie to say there is a God then is a lie the Foundation and Pillar of all goodness and virtue peace and order faithfulness and honesty among men And if it be true to say there is no God then is a truth the Foundation of all wickedness disorder and mischief And who but the Atheist who can believe any thing but a God will be perswaded to believe this 2. The very works of Nature give the world great reason to believe â—s it doth that there is a God Let a man thus again reason with himself 1. Suppose I were in some unknown Island and there saw goodly Fields and Meadows of Corn and Grass Pastures full of all kind of Cattel stately Houses and the Rooms in them adorned with rich Furniture Tables furnished with variety of Victuals neat Gardens fruitful Orchards and Fishponds with many other curious works of Art and Skill though all this while I saw no man in that place yet surely I should think that these things were not thus of themselves or by chance but that some skilful and provident person had thus ordered them How can I then look upon this world and the numerous parts of it above and below the wonderful splendor and beauty the great variety the rare contrivance the comely and constant order of things the ample provision made for every thing the mutual service ableness and usefulness of them all and the like but I must needs believe that there is some infinitely powerful wise and good Maker and Governour of the world whom men call God 2. When I look upon my self and consider how wounderâ—â—lly I am made how I am furnished with all useful Instruments of Life and Sense and Motion how fitly every part and member of my body is placed and how wisely contrived and fashioned â—oth for the beauty of the whole and for the particular use and office to what it serves what strange powers and faculties of Soul I have and how wonderful are the workings of imagination phancy and reason within me and the like I must needs think whence I should have these things I am sure I did not thus order them my self and there was a time when I had none of them and when I was not what now I am and therefore I must needs have both my being and all that is in me from some others Who should this other be My Parents and theirs before them might say the very same of themselves that I now do and they could not make me what I am they could not certainly promise themselves a Child they knew not how I was formed in the Womb how my parts or members were set together nor took they any care to order them when I was conceived they could not tell whether I should be a Man or a Woman or Monster perfect or imperfect a Wise man or a Fool â—nor yet whether I should be born or live when born No Man understandeth half the wonders of himself how he is nourished and groweth and seeth and heareth and thinketh and dreameth no not so much as how his hairs and nails came to be what they are What then can I think but that I am the work of one who is wonderful in power and wisdom and goodness who made both me and all Men even God Thirdly Now that I am I find that I am not in my own power I cannot bring about all my own designs and purposes as I would I cannot supply my own wants and imperfections nor continue to my self all my enjoyments and comforts I cannot make my food nourish my Body nor keep my Body from Sickness or pain nor make that part straight which is crooked or beautiful which is deformed I cannot keep out fears nor rule my thoughts nor hinder casualties nor prolong my Life nor prevent my Death and Corruption I am therefore in the power at the disposal and under the Providence of another by whom I am preserved and governed that is God Fourthly For ought that I can perceive and we must reaâ—â—n from what we can perceive and not from what we cannot Man is the most perfect and Noble of all things here below Man hath Life and motion and sense and choice and understanding and reason and discourse whereas of other things some want all and all want some of these yea in all appearance all these things were designed for the use and benefit of Man for they are fitted for his use and he can and doth upon occasion use them and we see no other use of many of them I cannot therefore believe that Man was made by any of them and I am sure Man did not make them but both they and Man were made by some other for if Man be not of himself nor in his own power but governed by another much less are those things which appear subject and inferior to Man of themselves or in their own power but rather are all governed by God the Maker of all Lastly All things are and work for some end and purpose even things without understanding or sense or life work as it were by a certain Rule and that visibly for the preservation of themselves and the common good of the World and especially of Man The Heavenly Bodies orderly and duly shed abroad their influence of Light and heat to make the Earth fruitful and direct and cherish man and beast the Earth yields her Fruits in due season for the nourishment of her Inhabitants and without the Orderly motion either of the Earth or Heavenly bodies that Light and warmth would not be equally distributed to the several parts of the Earth and Summer and Winter and Spring and Harvest and day and night would not keep their right course If the Waters did not contentedly keep within their own banks and Channels the Earth would be drowned and except Vapours did go up and gather into Clouds and come down in seasonable showers the Earth would be barren and Man and Beast would perish We see how all living Creatures do propagate for the upholding of their kind and how Plants bring Seed to the same end and that Seed scattered in the Earth furnisheth us with a new stock of Plants We see how living Creatures are Armed with Natural weapons for their