If we now consider as we ought what 't is that is enjoined us in this Commandment and what 't is that is forbidden in it and then reflecting upon our own lives find any of the Duties of it neglected by us in Thought Word or Action how affectionately should we say with the Church Lord have Mercy upon us and incline our Hearts to keep this Law That is Lord pity and pardon all our past Breaches of this Commandment and so incline our Hearts to Love and Obedience for the future that by thy Grace we may very sincerely keep this Law of thine for the remainder of our Days But before we pass from this Fourth Commandment it may not be amiss to touch upon the Reasons of the Change of the Jewish Seventh Day into the Christian Lord's Day the First Day of the Week This Precept of keeping Holy the Seventh Day or Sabbath is partly Ceremonial and partly Moral Now the Ceremonial part of the Jewish Law is done away but the Moral part of it is confirmed perfected and compleated by the Gospel The Ceremonial part of this Commandment was that God be publickly worshipped precisely on the Jewish Sabbath or the Seventh Day The Moral part of it is That a certain and determined time be set out for the publick Worship of the Eternal God And divine Love and Gratitude in us Christians should engage us not to come behind the Jews in the return of our solemn Days of publick Worship Nay Equity requires we should set out One Day in the Week to the more immediate Glorification of God and our religious Duties So that the Jewish Sabbath being abolished as they kept the Seventh Day in memory of the Creation so the Apostles and the Primitive Church and all Ages of it since kept the First Day of the Week in memory of our Lord's Resurrection and our Redemption For as the Redemption of the World was a greater Mercy than the Creation of it and as God rested from his Labours of the Creation on the Seventh Day and our Saviour rested from his Laboure of the New Creation or his Labours of our Redemption on the First Day of the Week when he arose from the Dead so the Apostles and the Church in all Ages since have set apart the First Day of the Week as the Jews were to set apart the Seventh for the peculiar Worship and Service and Glorification of God That our Lord rose from the Dead upon the First Day of the Week we see St. John xx That the Disciples assembled together on the First Day of the Week we are told St. John xx 19. That St. Paul preached and the Disciples met to break Bread that is to receive the Sacrament on the First Day of the Week we read Acts xx 7. That the Holy Ghost descended on the Apostles on the First Day of the Week is certain Acts ij 1. And that Saint John expresly calls it the Lord's-day we read Rev. i. 10. So that as the Moral Equity of the Commandment as well as divine Love and Gratitude obliges us to set apart One Day in Seven for a holy Rest and for religious Purposes so by the Practice of the Apostles and all following Ages of the Church the First Day of the Week was substituted in the room of the Jewish Sabbath which compared with the Scriptures before-mentioned is sufficient to warrant our Practice So that to sum up the whole They the Jews celebrated the Seventh Day by divine Command we the First Day by Apostolical Practice They the Seventh Day or last Day of the Week under the Law of Moses we the First Day of the Week by divine Law under the Gospel Their Seventh Day or Sabbath was Blessed and Sanctified by the Lord's command our First Day was Blessed and Sanctified by our Lord's Resurrection Their Seventh Day was Hallowed by God's resting on it from the Works of the Creation our First Day was Hallowed by our Lord 's resting on it from the Works of the New-Creation when he arose from the Grave Their Seventh Day was kept by them in memory of the great Work of the Creation of the World our First Day kept by us in memory of the greater work of its Redemption Their Seventh Day called the Lord's Sabbath Lev. xxiij 38. and elsewhere in the Old Testament our First Day called the Lord's Day in the New Rev. i. 10. As for any distinct Text in the Gospel for Christ's Abrogating the Judaical Sabbath there is no more reason to expect it than the like for Sacrifices or Circumcision or the Judaical Priesthood Vid. Dr. Hammond in St. Matthew xij 8. a. V. COMMANDMENT Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy days may be long c. THE meaning is Thou shalt pay a due Respect and Love Duties commanded and Reverence in Heart in outward Speech and Behaviour to all Superiors Thou shalt Reverence and Honour and Love and Pray for thy Natural Parents thy Father and Mother Thou shalt obey their lawful and just Commands and support them in their Needs if thou art able Thou shalt obey honour and love the King pray for him and pay him Tribute Thou shalt obey Magistrates If thou art a Servant thou shalt be faithful and obedient to thy Master and serve him with a conscionable care and diligence Thou shalt esteem respect and love and obey the Doctrines of thy Pastor which are faithfully tendred to thee from the Gospel and pay him his just Dues and Maintenance Thou shalt respect and honour the Aged thy Betters and those that are above thee in Learning Wisdom Goodness or any other Gifts and Graces It is here to be remembred too that all Superiors are to perform their Duties to their Inferiors Kings and those in Authority to protect defend and govern their Subjects Parents to nourish baptize provide for and instruct and bless their Children by their Example and their Prayers Husbands to be faithful to love to defend to protect the Wife as the Wife is to be obedient faithful and affectionate to the Husband Masters to be just to admonish to instruct to be examples to their Servants Ministers to feed the Flock faithfully and diligently by Life and Doctrine Sins forbidden These things are commanded in it and the contrary Vices are forbidden As Inferiors are forbidden to behave themselves proudly scornfully and rudely toward their Betters in Age Gifts or Estate Children forbidden to be undutiful stubborn disobedient and unkind to their Parents Subjects forbidden to rebel against dishonour disobey the King or those in Authority under him People forbidden to despise reject hate or defraud their lawful Pastor Servants forbidden to be stubborn negligent unfaithful or disobedient to their Masters And to encourage all to the Duties of this Commandment as well as to disswade them from the Sins forbidden in it here is added a Promise to the conscionable observers of it of a prosperous and peaceable living upon Earth a long and happy life
reverence and respect to Men of Wisdom Piety and Learning Yes May we envy those who are above us or do exceed us in any thing No. Should we out of envy go about to lessen any man's worth or excellency No. Should all men bear a respect and reverence to those that are of a higher rank and quality than themselves Yes May a man behave himself proudly or scornfully towards his Betters No. Dues to thosâ— in any sort of want Should a Christian supply the needs of all men according to his ability Yes If a man be ignorant and wants knowledge should he not instruct him if he can do it Yes Should not a Christian endeavour to comfort them that are in sâ—dness and affliction Yes If a man be under any slander are we bound to clear him if we know he be innocent Yes To the Poor If a man be in Poverty and Need may they refuse to relieve him who are in Plenty No. Should we not labour to imploy all our abilities to the glory of God and the good of our Neighbour Yes If we refuse so to imploy them will not God take them from us Yes Thankfulness to Benefactor May a Christian refuse to be thankful to his Benefactors or those who have done him any good No. Ought he not to pray for them Yes Admenition and Reproof May a Christian refuse to be thankful to them who reprove him or admonish him or advise him for his Soul 's good No. Should not a man admonish another when he sees him going on in a course of sin Yes But then should he not do it mildly and privately Yes Should we be angry with those who reprove or admonish us No. Should not he who is reproved reform and amend after Reproof Yes If a man owe any thing or have borrowed any thing or have promised any thing is he not bound to pay it Yes Should not Creditors deal charitably and Christianly with their Debtors if they are not able to pay Yes Sunday XIV Duties to Parents To the King Honour Triâ—ute Prayers SHould not a Christian honour all lawful Magistrates especially the King Yes Should we grudge or refuse to pay them Tribute No. Are we bound to pray for them Yes Must we obey all the lawful commands of our King Yes â—bedience Suppose he command us any thing plainly against the Word of God must we obey then No. Must we not in such a Case patiently suffer what he shall inflict on us Yes May we rebel or rise up against him for any cause whatever No. 〈◊〉 our Pastors Must we Love and Honour the Bishops who are the Governours of the Church Yes â—ove Esteem Are we bound to have a great love and respect and esteem for our Ministers Yes May we with-hold from them their just maintenance Maintenance without sin No. Are we bound to obey those Commands of God â—bedience which they preach to us Yes â—â—ayers for â—â—em Should we pray for them Yes May we forsake our own Minister to go to hear Factious Nonconformist Teacher No. Natural Parents Reverence Are we to honour and behave our selves with respect and humility to our Parents Yes If they have any Infirmities must we conceal and cover them Yes May a Child be stubborn and irreverent toward his Parents No. Should Children love and pray for their Parents Love Prayers and endeavour to bring them Comfort Yes Obedience c Must not a Child obey all the lawful commands of his Parents Yes If a Parent command a Child to Lye or Steal should the Child obey in that Case No. If the Child refuse to obey an unlawful Command should he not refuse it humbly modestly and respectfully Yes May a Child despise the Counsel of his Parents or mock at them No. Is it not a dreadful sin to curse our Parents Yes May a Child without a great sin desire his Parents Death for Love of their Estate or for any other thing No. Should not a Child help his Parents in their needs Yes Should the Child marry against the Consent of the Parent No. Is a child bound to perform these Duties to his Parents though they be unkind or wicked Yes Parents Duâ— to children Are Parents bound to sustain and nourish their Children Yes To nourish and bring them to Baptism May Mothers refuse to nurse them without a just Cause or Impediment No. May Parents delay to bring their children to Baptism No. To educate and instruct them Is it not the Parents Duty to instruct them early in the ways of God Yes Ought not the Parent to bring up the child in some honest Trade or Employment Yes Should not Parents try to make them in Love with their Duty by Invitation and Encouragement Yes May Parents discourage or provoke them by harsh and cruel Usage No. Should not Parents if need require correct them timely Cirrection moderately and gently Yes Should a Parent permit any vice to get the least root in a child No. Should a Parent watch over their souls when they are grown up Yes To provide for them Should Parents provide for their subsistence according to their Ability Yes May Parents provide for their children by any unjust dealings No. Is not that the way to leave a Curse with them instead of a Blessing Yes Good example Should not Parents give them a good example by that to win them to Vertue Yes To bless them by their Prayers and Piety Should they seek a Blessing on their Children both by their Prayers and their Christian Life Yes May Parents consume their Portion in their own Excess and Riot No. Or should Parents reserve all till their death and let them want or put them upon unlawful shifts in the mean time No. May Parents oppress them with harsh and unreasonable Commands No. May a Parent marry them utterly against their Will No. Sunday XV. Dues to Brethren SHould Christians bear a great Love and Kindness toward their natural Brethren Yes Should not natural Brethren and Sisters beware of Envyings and Heart-burnings toward each other Yes Natural Should we not have a great love and affection for our Spiritual Brethren Yes Spiritual Are not Spiritual Brethren our fellow-Christians Yes Should we not join with them in holy Duties in Prayers hearing the Word and receiving the Sacraments Yes May we despise or hate a Fellow-Christian because he differs from us in some Opinions No. If a Brother be overtaken in a fault should we not do our best to bring him to Repentance Yes Should we triumph over him in respect of our own Innocence No. Should we Christians have a fellow-feeling of one anothers sufferings and afflictions Yes May we rejoice at the Sins or afflictions of any Man No. Wives Duty-Obedience Is the Wife to obey the Husband in all lawful Commands Yes But what if the thing commanded be inconvenient
and stick to if they hope to receive and enjoy the benefits of their Baptism As we shall see presently Question Why then are Infants baptized when by reason of c. Answer Because they promise them both by their Sureties c. THE meaning is They promise this Repentance and this Faith which is to be shewn by a holy Obedience by their Sureties by their Mouths which Promise if they will themselves faithfully stand to and take upon themselves when they come to Knowledge they shall receive all the Benefits that can be conveyed by the Holy Sacrament of Baptism Their Baptism shall be as effectual or in as full Power Force and Vertue as any advantageous Bargain which was or could be made for them by their Trustees or Guardians when they were under Age And if they persevere in this Faith and this Obedience shall not fail to receive their Crown and Kingdom But yet notwithstanding all this this is the great Objection made by the Anabaptists against baptizing Infants That they do not believe can understand nothing of the Christian Religion nor promise Faith or Repentance or Obedience for the future I shall therefore in a word or two as we pass along shew that Infants are to be Baptized from Scripture although it be not commanded there in express Words from the Practice of the Church of Christ and from Reason 1. As to Scripture That command given to the Apostles to baptize all Nations who are no where forbidden to baptize the Children of Christian Parents seems to look favourably enough this way Thus when we read of a whole City as Samaria or a Family as the Jaylor's and Crispus's and Stephanas's baptized though none be expressed to be baptized but those that believed yet what other can be thought but that even the Children also of these Believers if they had any in their Town or Family were baptized Since it was agreeable with the Jewish Baptism wherein our Saviour's was founded and from which in that particular it is never said in the least to have differed to receive to Prospelytism by Baptism the Infants of those that were converted and baptized as well as the Converts themselves 2. The Scripture seems rather to command it St. Mark x. 14. Suffer little Children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of God Which intimates that their coming to him was for entrance into that Kingdom and to be made Members of his Church And what shall we forbid these to be brought to Christ to come to him whom he calls God forbid 3. 'T is said Acts ij 38 39. That Peter said unto them Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of Sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost For the Promise is unto you and your Children When he here bad the Parents be baptized for the Remission of Sins can it be thought his meaning was That the Children should rather go without Remission than have Baptism as if he had some compassion indeed for the Parents but none for the Children Ay but he bids them Repent which Children could not do 'T is hard-heartedness indeed and that to a high degree for want of that Duty which they have not need nor ability to perform to deprive them of that Benefit which they have need of and capability to receive to deny them the means of being made partakers of the Holy Ghost who as they do not act Repentance so they need not to repent and need not to repent because they act no Sin 4. To mention among others but one Scripture more 1 Cor. vij 14. For the unbelieving Husband is sanctified by the Wife and the unbelieving Wife is sanctified by the Husband else were your Children unclean but now are they holy If Children of a believing Parent are Holy surely then they have a right to Baptism For none can be said to be Holy without the Merits of Christ and Baptism is the way to apply and convey Christ's Merits to us Now that Infants of Christian Parents should have a right to Christ's Merits and Holiness and yet no right to the means of conveying them is not to be supposed As for what the Anabaptists object from St. Matthew xxviij 19 20. that 't is said Teach all Nations and baptize them it makes little or nothing for them but rather against them For 1. the word Teach is after the word Baptizing as well as before it and that makes the Case even But 2. the exact rendring of the place is this Go ye therefore and make Disciples of all Nations baptizing them In the name c. teaching them to observe all things c. Now 't is certain there were Three things formerly in Use in the Jewish Church for the admitting of Disciples viz. Circumcision Sacrifice and Baptism and our Saviour did lay aside the Two former Circumcision and Sacrifice and did think fit only to continue the latter namely Baptism Now put the Case he had continued Circumcision to be the only Ceremony to be used in his Church for the admitting of Disciples and had laid aside Sacrifice and Baptism See Walker's Modest Plea for Infants Baptism cap. 30. §. 15. and that instead of saying Go ye therefore and make Disciples of all Nations baptizing them c. he had said Go ye therefore and make Disciples of all Nations circumcising them c. who then remembred that Infants as well as others had usually in that Case been circumcised would ever have interpreted his Words to the excluding of Infants from Circumcision or ever have once imagined or phansied any other but that Children should now and henceforth as well as formerly be circumcised Even so now our Saviour having discontinued Circumcision and Sacrifice and continued Baptism alone to be the Sacrament of the initiation of Disciples into his Church who that remembers that it was the use before our Saviour's time to admit Infants into the Church by Baptism can imagine any other but that his mind was they should still be so admitted or but rationally phansie that in saying Make Disciples of all Nations baptizing them he meant to exclude Infants from Baptism II. As to the Practice of the Catholick Church 'T is now above Sixteen hundred and fifty Years ago since our Saviour after he had wrought out our Redemption ascended up to Heaven And in every Age of the Church home to the very Age wherein the Apostles lived Church-Histories tell us it was the Practice of the Church of Christ to Baptize the Children of Christian Parents which has been continued to this Day So that this Custom is Catholick or Universal in point of Time And no less Universal or Catholick is it in point of Place For all Parts of the Church Militant on Earth excepting the few Anabaptists of this and the last Age ever did and still do Baptize their Infants All Parts both of the Eastern and
do this Use lawful means pray to God and trust him Yes Must we not trust in God for his Grace Yes But do we trust aright if we do not pray for it and do not carefully use and imploy that Grace which we have already No. Must we trust in God for a supply of our bodily wants Yes But do we trust aright if we do not use honest industry and labour No. Of Cares Is all carking vexatious distrustful and immoderate care unlawful Yes Is a prudent moderate Care unlawful No. Must we not therefore faithfully use our own endeavours and then look up to God for a Blessing on us Yes ¶ Sunday II. ¶ Of humility IS not humility towards God a Christian Duty Yes Is not this humility such a sense of our own meanness and his Excellency as may make us lowly and submissive to him Yes When God commands us any thing should not this humility make us chearfully set about it In respect of obedience Yes Is the proud Man apt to obey God No. Though we do sincerely obey God should not this humility keep us from any high conceits of our own performances Yes In respect of our own performancer If we do entertain any high and proud conceits of our own performances will they be acceptable to God No. Are not the best of our Works full of Infirmity and full of pollution Yes In respect of Patience Is Patience a duty towards God Yes Is Patience a willing and quiet yielding to whatever Affliction it pleases God to lay upon us Yes Can this Patience become easie to us without humility towards God No. Will the patient Man repine and grudge and murmur at that which God lays upon him No. When God afflicteth us doth he not aim at our good Yes Does not God correct and punish us to bring us to amendment of Life or for a trial of our Patience Yes And does not God often afflict and chastise us here Thankfulness for Afflictions that there may be nothing of evil left for another World Yes Well then should we not be thankful for Afflictions Yes Fruitfalness under them Should we be unfruitful under Afflictions No. Should we be so fruitful as to examine what Sin it might be that did provoke God to sinite us and to reform it Yes When any afflictions befal us from Man is it not by God's permission and sufferance Of Afflictions from Men. Yes Instead of looking upon them therefore with rage and revenge should we not look up to God and acknowledge his Justice in the Affliction Yes When God commands us to believe some things which seem impossible to us doth not Humility teach us to believe them Yes When God commands us to do any thing which is contrary to our fleshly reason and humour must we not do it Yes Submission to Divine Providence Is that Condition best for us whatever it be which God has put us in Yes Can we chuse better for our selves than God can for us No. When God denies us any thing of this world as Wealth Honour Beauty and the like is it not some way or other for our good Yes Is it not our Duty to Honour God Honour Yes That is are we not to have a very high esteem of God in our hearts Yes If we truly honour God should we do any unworthy Action in his Sight No. Of honouring God in his House Are we not to honour God in his House which is the Church Yes Should we not enter into his House with Awe and Reverence Yes in his Possession Must we not Honour God in his Possessions Yes What are these Possessions are they not Tithes and Offerings Yes Can we with-hold them from the Minister without sin No. in his Day Are we to Honour God in his Day Yes Is the Lord's Day to be spent in the Worship and Service of God Yes In Prayer Reading and Meditation Yes May any works except works of Necessity and Charity be done upon that day No. Should not a good Christian those of leisure especially besides the Lord's Day spend some other Days in the solemn Worship of God according as the Church has appointed Yes Should he not keep Christmas-Day Of Festivals with a thankful remembrance of the Nativity of our Saviour Yes Should he not keep Easter-Day with a thankful remembrance of Christ's rising from the Dead Yes Should he not keep White-Sunday with a solemn and thankful remembrance of the coming down of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles Yes Should not a good Christian if he have leisure keep other Holy-Days of Saints-days in memory of the Apostles and other Saints Yes Can any good Man desire to be excused from celebrating their Memory and blessing God for their Example and their Doctrine and desiring Grace to follow them No. Can any good Man blame the Church for setting apart and appointing these Days for this purpose No. Did not these Apostles and Saints reveal Christ and the way of Salvation to us Yes And should we not be thankful for this Yes Should we not at least upon these Holy-Days stir up our selves to the imitating their good Example Yes Fasts of the Church Are there not some Days of Fasting and Humiliation of our selves before God to be kept by the devout Christian Yes Are we not to miss a meal to give Alms to afflict our selves to confess and bewail our Sins before God upon these days Yes Are not Ash-Wednesday and Good-Friday two great Fasting-days Days of penitential Humiliation Yes Is there any Popery or Superstition in penitential Exercises Fastings and Humiliation on those days No. Of honouring God in his Word Are we not to Honour God in his Word Yes Is not this Word of God contained in the Scripture Yes Should we not read it study it and frame all the Actions of our lives by it Yes Should we perform those Duties which God commands us there to perform Yes Should we commit those things which God there forbids us No. Of Catechising Is the Word of God explained to us by the Catechizing and Preaching of God's Minister Yes Are Parents and Masters to Catechize and instruct their Children and Servants Yes If Persons have not been Catechized and Instructed when they were young should they be content to live ignorant when they come Elder No. of Preaching Should we frequently hear Sermons Yes But will hearing only make us good Christians No. Must we not labour to remember and practise what we hear Yes The Sacraments Are there any more Sacraments generally necessary than Two No. Do not these Sacrament convey great Blessings and Benefits to us Yes Of Baptism Did we not enter into Covenant with God when we were baptized Yes The Covenant of Grace What was the Covenant on God's Part was it not a promise of pardon of sin his sanctifying Grace and eternal Glory Yes