God is not only pleased to entertain them as acceptable sacrifices but as actually done unto himself And that he hath engaged his promises for as certain an increase in this life as any temporal blessing can be hoped for at his hand and for an infallible reward in the life to come Quest But are not thine enemies and such as hate injure and offend thee excepted from such acts of thy mercy and charity or how far is the command of the Gospel in these cases obliging as to them Ans. To forgive them whatsoever they have done against me from my very soul even as I would be forgiven at the hand of God To chuse to suffer ten thousand evils from them then to return one evill to them After the highest provocations from them to blesse them pray for them and to do good to them in all my capacities Quest Is not a justification of our right by duelling after injuries received consistent with this part of Christian holiness and what is your judgement therein Ans. That duelling is directly against the doctrine of Christ an unhappy custome grounded upon the mistake of true honour and valour and the duel iâ— self either voluntarily accepted or offered is a sinne against this duty of charity on either part both in him that exposeth his own and in him that seâ—keth anothers blood and the fall of either miserable Quest But suppose he hath injured thine honour mayest thou not endeavour thy reparation Answer By any lawfull means I may where neither passion nor revenge hath interest and if I cannot otherwise obtain it then it is an argument of the clearest noblenesse and magnanimity to trust God with the defence of my honour and to forgive the offender Quest Suppose thou hast injured a person and offered all just satisfaction to him and yet he pursues thy life upon refusall of a duell What is in that case safest to be done Answ. To prevent it as much as possibly I can tenderly regarding his sinne as much as mine own suffering after which being unavoidably assaulted if in my pure defence he or I fall my soul is safe as to his or mine own blood CHAP. VI Quest THe rules of the first part of obeying the Gospel of Christ by all immediate services to God being discovered the Gospel as you sayd requires further holinesse of them that will live up to the institution of Christ which is to live justly to men What is then the obligation of the Gospel as to that part of holy life Answ To do to all men as I would they should do unto me Quest Now because this Doctrine of Christ obligeth to a duty which consists of infinite particulars of divers kinds First mention how many sorts of Iustice a Christian is bond to observe Answ. These two the first is called distributive justice which respects the allowance of all just duties from inferiours to Superiours and back again from Superiours to inferiours The seâ—ond is commutative justice which respects honest proceedings in civill contracts and dealings Quest The duties of the Gospel-distributive justice being further various according as men have publick or private relations First what duties of justice are required of Christians as to their publick relations Answ. Such as the people ought to perform to the civil Magistrate and Spirituall Pastor and such as they ought to return to their people back again Quest What duties are required of a Christian by the Law of the Gospel to the Civil Magistrate Answ. To give to Caesar the things that are Caesars To yield obedience for Conscience sake To submit to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake and not to resist their power upon peril of damnation By all which a Christian stands obliged not to do nor consent to any act that may impair the honour safety estate or power of them that God hath set over him in Government Quest How may a Christian Magistrate live justly as to his Subjects Answ. By interesting his power in the maintenance of an holy Religion against all its opponents by a tender regard to their peace quiet enjoyment of their proprieties by taking care that Iustice be impartially distributed and that their Subjects be securely protected from enemies abroad and from the insolencies of unquiet spirits at home Quest What are the duties which justice requires to be paid to the spirituall Pastors of the Church Answ. To obey them in their spirituall guidances as having rule over us justly to pay to them their allowed carnalls from whom we have received spiritualls and to have them in esteem for their work and office sake Quest What is in this holy justice required of them to their cures Answ. Faithfully to feed the flock of Christ by life and Doctrine and in all parts of their offices to be ready to do and administer every thing that may conduce to their salvation alwayes expressing a greater care of their peoples souls then of their own advantages in their places Quest Thus if thou livest thou hast kept a good conscience and obeyed Christ as to thy publick relations What are now the duties that concern private relations where further distribitive justice is required of Christs disciples Answ. Such concern the Family that is the reciprocal duties of Husband and Wife Parent and Child Master and Servant Quest How do the Servants of Christ fulfill the righteousnesse of the Gospel as to the first relation Answ. When the Husband expresseth love respect tendernesse and sweet carriage to the wife living with her and providing for her when the wife gives meek submission reverence and tender love to him both together bearing with one anothers infirmities do live like good yoke-fellows in all religious exercises and imployments of their callings Quest How do Christians perform Gods will in just living as to the second relation Ans. When children honour and obey their Parents supporting their decayes and protecting them in their helplesse ages when Parents govern them by the rules of piety not discouraging nor provoking them by caustlesse anger and providing for them honest educations and callings and means of livelihood Quest How is the Gospel obeyed in the third relation Answ. When Servants conscionably perform their offices and labours as in the sight of God preserving their Masters interests and honour and when Masters endevour to keep them in Gods fear using them mercifully in their labours and restraints respecting their burthens and rewarding their faithfulnesse and toyls Quest O blessed State where Religion and Christian justice guids all interests and happy family where Christ rules But you said the Gospel also requires commutative justice in all bargains commerces and dealings whatsoever and what is that justice Answ. Not to make use of any mans
THE Safe way TO GLORY In several EXERCISES of General use By WILLIAM SMYTH M. Ar. R. of Cotton in Suff. LONDON Printed by Evaâ— Tyler for Ed. Dod at the Signe of the Gunne in Ivy Lane 1656. Christian Exercises I. GIving directions to an holy life with other conditions of the Gospel II. Satisfying Doubts concerning Grace and Gods acceptance of a sincere Christian III. Answering exceptions against this Church and Ministery with rules to discover false professions IV. Forms of Prayer of General use V. A Catechisme for children By W. SMYTH M. A. and R of Cotton in Suff. TO All those deservedly much Honoured Persons whom I serve in the Education of their CHILDREN AND To all my loving Parishioners of Cotton in Suff. whom I serve in the GOSPEL Are Humbly presented these ensuing Exercises By their unworthy yet Faithful Servant in all ingagements of duty and respect W. SMYTH A PREFACE Apologetical To the READER A Pretence to satisfy every Reader were as ridiculous as his attempt who studied to make a garment for the Moon that might fit her in every interchange and as unlikely to succeed as his enterprise who with a dish of one relish would satisfy every Palate I am so farre from that imagination that I thinke it a design elegible rather to displease some whom I cannot gain by declaring the truth then for some politick ends in silence to shew such a neutrality and indifferency of Spirit as might indulge a vitious and factious world I desire solemnly in this case to apply St. Pauls Expression to my self If I yet pleased men I should not be the servant of Christ I know I shall displease most it s enough if I please the best Principibus placuisse viris c. and not dis-satisfy any mind that is not vitiated with prophanenesse prejudice or faction I account the acceptance of one good man of weight enough to out-ballance the contempt of a thousand and if I can administer an argument of piety to one sober mind it shall compensate the scorn and displeasure of ten thousand When it was objected to a Tragedian that Plato onely was present his answer was Et hic unus Plato plus est quam Atheniensis populus and that one Plato is more then all the people of Athens besides such an estimation I have of every honest pious person though of the lowest order Neverthelesse lest I should seem morose or Cynical I will endeavour to take off the exceptions of three sorts of Readers to whom I humbly tender this satisfaction First to my prudent Friendly-Reader 2. To the Learned-Reader 3. To the piously-affected yet differing in judgement First my Friendly-Reader will presently question my prudence in thus adventuring my self on the publick stage in this sad scene of Church-affairs He tells me there is danger in it for though such truths be as clear and necessary as the Sun yet like the Sun I must make my way through a Zodiack of inconveniences here the privy and sidepinch of a detracting Cancer there the poysonous sting of a malicious Scorpio every where the sharp arrowes the bitter invectives of the worlds Sagittarii For his satisfaction let him turn his eye on the foregoing leafe and that intimates my design and reasons for it which is to secure the beloved soules of my Parish and the tender plants of my family from the invasion of common errours which like an Epidemical disease propagate their infection every where and do inevitably without a great deliverance from heaven subject posterity to great departures from the faith of Christ So my full answer will be It is at all times the best prudence to serve God and in this case it is truer wisdome to be administring to the salvation of soules then to sell our duties to God for the unsafe hope of a worldly advantage If any soul fayles for want of any help that is in my caepacity it falls with its own infelicity and my sin The rule of the Schoole herein is without dispute Causa deficiens in necessariis est efficiens he pulls down that holds not up And a Christian who declines his duty for fear of suffering hath in a great measure betrayed his profession of Christ I cannot despaire but that many in the Nation I can hope that many of my Parish and I am almost assured that many of my family and near relations may be preserved in the Faith and directed in their judgements at least to the right rules of holiness by these poor exercises Now suppose the least If God shall please among all these to bring in but one soul by them and that but to some improvement of his knowledge only or if I wanted that yet if I have done a service acceptable to God I am recompenced for the worst evils my Prudent-Reader can object to me But my ingenious friend puts me upon another task He fears I must passe under the just censure of doing an impertinent and unnecessary thing That I have digged a pâ—t by the river {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} when the streames of the former and this present age have run full and luxuriant in exercises of this kind To which I answer that such Catechismes and institutions as have ordinarily been dispersed among the people have seemed to me to have pursued too great an interest of private opinion in decisions of controverted and notional points of Divinity but to have been too loose general in cases of conscionable walking with God and man They have also generally abetted the doctrines of transmarine Churches against the setled doctrine and discipline of their own Mother-Church secretly undermining the credit of our own Apostolick determinations rather then serenely driving at the scope of strict and severe holinesse Hinc illae lachrimae Hence our woe For the people through such writings and other like insinuations having been corrupted with false principles and trained up to siding and interests many of them I accuse not all knew little other use of their zeal but in opposition nor of conscience but in scrupling indifferents And while they were puzled with an obligation to look into the inextricable mysteries of Gods decrees and Counsels perplexed with the understanding of un-edifying controversies and cryed upon to the duties of getting Christ and getting Faith were in the interim made strangers to the holy practises of humility meeknesse charity tender-heartednes deep-christian-compassion justice peaceablenesse and the like Christian graces as by woeful experience it hath been made too evident to us Now such Abridgments of the doctrines of piety which have run in the Channel of our own setled doctrines as they have been few so have they been either long or above the capacities of those whose advantage I principally designe For being long they have discouraged many though of good capacities who willingly would have read them which might have been comprehended in some few hours but were easily tempted to decline those which required the
the Gospel as to such an holy obedience Ans. Where it is said that the Gospel teacheth us to live godly righteously and soberly in this present world Quest What obligation to holiness do these three expressions signify Ans. All that is required of a soul in this condition that is to lâ—ve godly to God justly to our neighbour and soberly to our selves Quest Forasmuch then that in them is contained the third great condition of salvation It concerns thee to be well informed what they oblige thee to And first what is it to live godly to God Ans. It binds me to perform to him all that holy worship and service which he hath required of me Quest Now because God hath appointed both publick and private worship for his faithful servants to perform To what duties do the publick worship of God oblige thee Ans. To worship him in all the publick exercises of the Church that is First in the administration of the Sacraments Secondly in the hearing the word preached and thirdly in adjoyning my self to the publick prayers of the Congregation Quest Conceiving thy readiness to entertain a clear understanding of thy duty in all these parts of his service First what and how many Sacraments hath Christ ordained to be observed Ans. Two Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord both instituted by himself to become outward and visible signs of inward and spirituall grace arguments of his love to us and actions of our service and obedience to him Quest What is Gospel-Baptisme Ans. A dipping or sprinkling with water in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Quest With what spirituall benefits doth Christ bless the baptized Ans. With grace to die unto sin and to be borne again to a life of righteousness thereby to put on Christ and to be received into the Covenant of Grace Quest To what respective duties do the baptized stand obliged by that Sacrament Ans. An engagement to give up themselves to the Kingdome of Christ by faith and holy living with whom they then entered covenant to forsake whatsoever is contrary to that his Kingdom that is the devil and all his works the Pomps and vanites of this wicked world and all the sinful lusts of the flesh Quest Are not christian parents bound in duty to Christ to present their infants to Baptisme Ans. Yes for Parents must consider that the promises were not made to themselves onely but to their children also to which promises they having a right as well as themselves are not to be debarred from nor deprived of the seal consignation of them in that blessed Sacrament Further as to the right of baptizing infants as it is proved by many necessary deductions from so as to the matter of fact it is collected by many probable instances in Scripture In either of which if the scruples of an unbeleeving and quarrelling age have raised doubts and questions the universal practice of the Churches of Christ in all ages and places hath determined it from which to depart in this or any other service of God that is grounded especially upon such binding consequences of Scripture gives a just reason for any man to be charged with private presumption and dangerous singularity Quest What is the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Ans. The receiving of bread and wine in remembrance of the death and passion of our Saviour which bread and wine being blessed by the Minister are the communion of the body and blood of Christ to the prepared receiver Quest What spiritual benefit doth God communicate to such a receiver Ans. The strengthening and refreshing his soul with all spiritual graces and the participation of Christ in all the effects of his death and passion Quest What preparation is required of them that come faithfull receivers to that Sacrament Ans. To examine themselves whether they repent them truly of their former sinnes stedfastly purposing to lead a new life To have a lively faith in Gods mercy through Christ with a thankful remembrance of his death and be in charity with all men Quest What other consideration may be added in order to the service of God in that Sacrament Ans. To make conscience of entertaining all possible opportunities to receive the same as my love to God will make it necessary to serve him as often as I can Omitting no present occasion lest it be the last that shall be offered to me and to decline which there can be no plea allowable before God either in respect of sins or enemies unless I can think it safe for me to dye which I may the next moment without repentance or charity Quest But may not the sinfull and scandalous conversation of some that are admitted to the same Sacrament with thee give thee a just cauâ—e to decline it Ans. No For had any detriment accrewed to the other Apostles by Judas his receiving with them Christ who knew his unpreparednesse by his desperate designe against him and other gross wickednesse and which was not likely to be unknown to the rest of the Apostles would certainly for presidents sake have debarred him the Sacrament And Saint Paul who punctually treated his Corinâ—hians about the holy communion and so fully described sharply reproved those scandalous persons who mixed themselves in the society of the faithful receivers would not certainly have passed over so necessary a reproof to the Ministers of Corinth for admitting them and to the faithfull for receiving with them had an unworthy receiver eat damnation or sin to any other besides himself Quest The second part of publick worship being hearing of the Word preached How mayest thou serve God acceptably in that Ans. To hear the Sermon attentively as a religious exercise and instrumentall to the work of Grace To treasure up the promises to my comfort the reproofs for my amendment and the directions for the rule of my life Not taking offence at Religion in general nor at that service in particular by the weakness or infirmities of him that ministers those holy things unto me Quest The third part of publick worship being to adjoyn thy self to the publick prayers of the congregation How mayest thou discharge thy duty to God therein Ans. To oblige my self conscioâ—ably to be present at them as at the hearing of the Sermon or the performing any other holy duties to come timely and with a pious mind to honour God and with a charitable spirit that the whole Church of Christ and the present congregation may receive the benefit of my prayers Quest What other directions may be propounded for the more pious performance of thy duty to God in all the publick worship Ans. That I be present with an humble and awfull mind a lowly and reverent comportment of my body
Let my bodily distemper cure my soules infirmities and that I may learn thereby to hate sin and fear thee to see the vanity of worldly dependencies and to flie unto thee as the only refuge Lord let not the vanities of my health and prosperity be now laid to my charge but accept of my repentance and sorrow for them and grant me a peace and reconciliation with thee through the blood of Christ In my straits let me look up to thee with comfort as to a gracious Father O do not appear to me in terrour as a dreadful Iudge Lord I am thy servant do with me as it pleaseth thee yet for thy mercies sake lay no more upon me then what thou seest necessarily to conduce to the salvation of my soul If it pleaseth thee that I survive this affliction O let me live answerably to thy gracious intention in chastising me and to all those my holy purposes and promises made unto thee in this my visitation that these light afflictions may be advantages to me to the obtaining the exceeding weight of Glory Through my dear Saviour and Mediatour Iesus Christ Amen If the sicknesse appear dangerous then adde this Prayer O Lord my God in whom alone is the power of life and death and who precisely knowest the number of my daies be pleased to go along with me in mercie to my last hour And if it be thy pleasure to order this sickness to end in my death Lord make that the entrance to a blessed life Help me in all my natural and spiritual distresses let neither my paines nor my sins make me impatient or unconfident Lord let not my faith in Christ nor hope of thy mercie faile in the bitter hour O let the light of thy countenance break through the terrours of death to comfort me and let thy Spirit assist me when my strength faileth me Grant O Lord that my death be neither very tormenting nor uncomelie and when my soul shall depart O receive me into the resting place of thy glorie for Iesus sake my only Saviour and Redeemer When thou hearest any of thy neighbours to be very weak in sickness Pray for him in this manner O blessed Lord and fountain of mercies I humbly beseech thee to look with thy tender compassions upon thy servant A. B. Give him faith to depend upon thee patience to submit unto thee and thy Spirit to comfort him in whatsoever afflictions thou shalt lay upon him Accept of his repentance and final preparation for the peace of his soul in Christ accept of his addresses to the throne of Grace hear and help when he calls upon thee Make his bed in the time of his sickness and provide for him all things needful in his distress both for soul and body If it be thy will raise him up to his former health but with an ingagement upon his Spirit to live answerable to thy mercies and deliverances and if it be thy will to take him out of this life O assist his Spirit in the terrours of a dying hour and receive his soul into the armes of thy mercy through Iesus Christ my blessed Saviour Amen A Prayer to be used by a woman great with child O Lord God who hast blest my womb with conception for which I praise thy providence and with that conception hast made me a partaker of the sorrow common to my sex for the sin of my first mother grant me a part in the promised seed of a woman my Lord Iesus who came to bruise the head of the Serpent And though he hath not delivered me from the trouble and miseries of my body yet O Lord give me deliverance by him from the sin of my soul Lord keep me from sad accidents and from an untimely birth Give my childe a perfect shape and fitted for right senses and a good understanding Grant it a naturall birth and me patience for the pain and a prepared soul for the perill of it when it shall be borne grant me a safe recovery my childe a timely Baptisme that it may afterward make profession of the faith of Christ and through thy grace may lead an holy life Through the same Iesus Christ my blessed Saviour and Redeemer Amen A Prayer to be used before and in a journey Almighty and merciful Father who with thine eye of Providence that runneth through the world beholdest me wheresoever I am in all my wayes and actions who leddest thy people through the wildernesse by a marvelous guidance and didst direct with safety the Wise men by a Starre to our blessed Saviour Defend me in this my journey from all kinds of dangers from all temptations to sin and forgetfulness of thee from the hands of evill men and all sad accidents whatsoever Blesse my design and all my relations that I have left behinde me grant that I may go in safety and return in peace through the might and mediation of Christ my Saviour Amen A short Prayer to be used by all at their entrance into the Congregation And I desire it may be taught to children as a means to oblige them to a mindfulnesse of Gods service MOst dreadful Majesty who hast promised thy presence with them that are most met in thy Name give me grace to serve thee reverently as in thy presence and to perform my duty in thy worship acceptably to thy Glory Through Jesus Christ Amen An Exercise of Humiliation to assist humble penitents upon days of their private fasting and for a due examination of themselves before the receiving of the blessed SACRAMENT A PSALM O Lord rebuke me not in thine indignation neither chasten me in thy displeasure For thou art a God that hast no pleasure in wickedness neither shall any evill dwell with thee Such as be foolish shall not stand in thy sight for thou hatest all them that work vanity Have mercy upon me O God after thy great goodnesse according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sins For I acknowledg my faults and my sin is ever before me Against thee only have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight that thou mightest be justified in thy saying and clear when thou judgest My misdeeds prevail against me O be thou merciful unto my sinnes I will therefore confess my wickedness and be sorry for my sinne Turn thy face away from my sins and put out all my misdeeds For thy Names sake O Lord be merciful to my sin for it is great For my wickednesses are gone over my head and are like a fore burthen too heavy for me to bear Withdraw not thou thy mercie from me let thy loving kindness and thy truth alwayes preserve me O Lord let it be thy pleasure to deliver me make haste O Lord to help me Haste thee to help me O Lord God of my salvation The confession of sins I. O Lord God Judge of all men and actions I am a miserable