1. In preparation for them Eccles 1. 2 in the time of the dispensation of them to behave our selves reverently with a reverent delight Isai 58. 13. and in a comely and orderly manner 1 Cor. 14. 40. 3. And after the use of them that we retain the savour of them and bring forth the fruit of them 1 Thes 5. 21. Col 1. 6. Math. 21. 43. Quest What doth the fourth Command require Answ The fourth Command requireth to sanctifie a seventh part of the week which was the last of seven from Creation until Christs Resurrection but ought to be the first of seven from Christs Resurrection until the last day In this we may consider the sanctification â—t self and the day to be sanctified Quest How ought we to sanctifie the Sabbath Answ We ought to sanctifie the Sabbath by resting from our own works that is all such works as are neither works of mercy nor necessity nor have any direct respect to the comely sanctifying of the day and to sanctifie the time unto the Lord by attendance of divine worship in publick in the Family and in secret In sanctifying a Sabbath there ought to be a rest and a sanctifying our rest 1. A resting from our own works Isai 58. 13. hence to rest from such works as are not works of mercy nor necessity Math. 12. 7. nor such works as have no direct respect to the sanctifying of the day Math. 12. 5. 2. A sanctifying our rest by attendance upon Gods worship in publick in Family and in secret for they were to attend the dayly offerings appointed for every day and besides the continual offerings they were to bring the Sabbath offering Numb 28. 6 7 8 9 10. Ps 92. 1. Acts 20. 7. And hence we ought to prepare for the Sabbath by a timely calling off our thoughts and actions from worldly occasions and to call them in and to go forth and welcome the holy day approaching Isai 58. 13. and after the Sabbath is ended not greedily nor suddenly rush into worldly occasions as if we were weary of the Sabbath and glad it were at an end Concerning the day to be sanctified let us consider Quest How doe you prove that we ought in these Gospel dayes to keep a weekly Sabbath Answ First because Christ taught his Disciples to pray that their flight might not be on the Sabbath Mat. 24. 25. If no Sabbath then it was needless for Christs Disciples to pray that their flight might not be on the Sabbath but Christ saw it needfull to leave this instruction with his Disciples because the Sabbath should as certainly continue as the winter and as they were to pray that their flight might not be in the winter so likewise that it might not be on the Sabbath day Quest How doe you prove this in the second place that in Gospel dayes we ought to keep a Sabbath Answ Because Christ came not to destroy the moral Law but to fullfill it If no Sabbath then Christ hath destroyed some part of the moral law but this cannot be Mat. 5. 17. Quest How do you prove that we ought not to keep the seventh day of the week a Christian Sabbath Answ Because God's rest in the seventh day from the work 's of Creation was spoyled by the sin of man and another rest by Christ the Redeemer and another day came which doth remain 1. God rested in the seventh day from the works of Creation Gen. 2. 1 2. and in the fourth Command it is exprest to be the Reason of sanctifying the seventh day of the week 2. This rest was spoyled by the sin of man Gen. 6. 6 7. 3. Another rest came from the work of Redemption and another day of rest Psal 118. 24. Heb. 4. 4 8. Quest How do you prove this in the second place that the seventh day since Christs Resurrection ought not to be kept for a Sabbath Answ Because to keep the seventh day of the week was the doctrine of false Teachers and is contrary to the doctrine ond practice of the Apostles of Christ who did advance the first day of the week above any other day In the Gal. 4. 10. The Apostle reproved the false Teachers for teaching the Galatians to observe dayes Moneths and years according to the Law of Moses by dayes is meant that which is less then Moneths and therefore to be understood of weekly Sabbaths and yet not of the Christian Sabbath for those Teachers stood for that which is according to Moses his Ministry and in Col. 2. 16. the Apostle condemns holy dayes new Moons and Sabbaths Holy dayes are mentioned as greater then new Moons and therefore are meant of Annual Sabbatical dayes and Sabbath dayes as less then new Moons and therefore to be understood of the weekly Sabbaths the Jews kept And that the Apostles did advance the first day of the week to be the Christian Sabbath will appear in the next place Quest How doth it appear by the doctrine and practice of the Apostles that we ought to keep the first day of the week a Christian Sabbath Answ Because that day of the week which is honoured above other dayes by the Name of the Lords day as he is the Redeemer this cannot be understood of the seventh day which is God's day as he was Creator much less of other dayes but only of the first day of the week in which Christ had glorious rest 1. One day is honoured by the Name of the Lords day Rev. 1. 10. for the scope of the Apostle is set down the particular time when he had that Vision 2. It is called the Lord's day by that great Gospel Apostle John who speaketh in a Gospel sense and that in the same sense as the Lords Supper and the Lords Table that which was sanctifyed by the institution of Christ the Redeemer 1 Cor. 10. 21. and as he was Lord of the Sabbath Math. 12. 8. 3. This cannot be meant of the seventh day for that is not the day of the Lord as a Redeemer but as Creator Heb. 4. 4. 4. But is meant of the first day of the week in which Christ rested from his heavy and hard labour in the state of humiliation and rose from the dead Joh. 20. 1. and in which day he having received all power in Heaven and on Earth appeared to his Disciples 19. ver and in which day he communicated the holy Ghost unto his Disciples ver 22. the day of the glorious rest Quest How do you prove this in the second place Answ Because the Apostle did command all the Churches on the first day of the week to prepare their Collection for the Saints a most eminent duty of the Sabbath and thus did advance the first day of the week above any other day not by humane Institution that is unlawful but by divine Institution because of the holiness of this day 1. That the Apostle did command not only the Church at Corinth but Churches at Galatia to have in
readiness their Collections for the Saints in the first day of the week is exprest in 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. 2. That this is a most eminent duty of the Sabbath is manifest Math. 12. 6 7 8. 3. The first day of the week was either a common and indifferent day or a special and holy day if a common and indifferent day then the Apostle ought not to make that to be necessary by imposing an Injunction and Command upon it which God hath made indifferent hence ought not to have ordered and by order commanded them to attend such a work of mercy in the first day of the week if that day were but a common and indifferent day this would be to esteem one common day above another contrary to his own doctrine Rom. 14. 1 5. and therefore it was because the first day of the week was the holy day a Christian Sabbath by divine Institution Quest How do you prove this in the third place Answ Because it was the usual practice of the Apostles and Disciples in the primitive times and of the Witnesses of Christ in all Ages since that time to assemble in the first day of the week for divine worship and this was not because it would be more expedient time for them but because it is the day of the Christian Sabbath Thus we read in Acts 20. 7. 1. Of the assembling of the Disciples not only some few but of the generality of them it is spoken in the general 2. They assembled to break bread it is not meant of a love Feast that was unlawful in a publick Church-meeting 1 Cor. 11. 34. but is to be understood of the Lords Supper neither was it to hear Paul preach but it is said they came together to break bread and Paul preached so that he took this season to preach to them 3. It was their usual practice to assemble for divine worship in this day and therefore it is said when they came together and thus of Christians in all Ages since the primitive time 4. Their meeting in the first day of the week was either because it was a more expedient time for them then some other day or because it was a special day and the Christian Sabbath not because it was more expedient for them if the seventh day was kept as a Sabbath how could it be expedient or lawful to defer administring the Sacrament on the seventh day and to meet again the next day Quest Doth not the change of the Sabbath from the seventh day to the first day abolish the fourth Command Answ In no wise for the Reason of the seventh dayes being taken away and a Reason of the same kind but of a greater degree for the first day of the week being come in the place of it the fourth Command by this means in the scope of it is established 1. The Reason why the seventh day was sanctified was because God rested from the works of Creation but this rest was spoyled by the sin of man and the Lord repented that he had made man and other Creatures cursed for the sin of man Gen. 6. 6 7. consequently the reason for the Sabbath day was taken away 2. A reason of the same kind but of a greater degree for the first day of the week came in the place of the former for Christ had wrought a new Creation by his death 2 Cor. 5. 15 17. and as he is the first born of every Creature by whom all things consist and that by the blood of his Cross he might reconcile all things to himself whether things in Earth or in Heaven 1 Col. 15 16 17. but this of a greater degree for this new Creation is a greater work then the first Creation Christ's work as Redeemer is greater then the work of Creation Eph. 1. 20 21. Rev. 4. 9 10 11. 3. The fourth Command by this means is established in the scope of it for 1. The change of the Sabbath from the seventh day of the week to the first day stands upon the same ground and bottom upon which the seventh day was sanctified namely because of the Lords resting from his works of Creation but behold he resteth from the works of the new Creation and by which a restoration of that which was spoyled by mans sin 2. The change of the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day doth most admirably attain the end God intended in sanctifying a Sabbath 1. God intended his glory in the works of Creation but by the Christian Sabbath he hath the glory of his works of Creation and Redemption a greater glory then the former 2. God intended the good of man Mark 2. 27 28. 1. In respect of mans body Deut. 5. 14. that it may rest a seventh part of the week this end is as well attained in the first day of the week as on the seventh day 2. In respect of mans Soul Exod. 31. 13. Ezek. 20. 12. that the Soul of man may have a solemn time for the worship of God but to do this in remembrance of the work of Redemption is more for the Soul 's good of man then to do it in remembrance of the work of Creation so the sanctifying of the first day of the week for this end is more for the good of the Soul of man then to sanctifie the seventh day 3. Hence it is no abolishing of the fourth Command but a fulfilling and establishing it as the second Command requireth that the means of worship those only which God appointeth should be observed he instituted to her means of worship to the Jews then now in Gospel times and other means of worship in the Gospel dayes then before Christs coming yet both they and we by virtue of the second Command were required to attend the means of worship and the change of means of worship from that which it was before Gospel times doth not cause any change of the second Command So the fourth Command requireth to sanctifie that Sabbath which God appointeth When God required the seventh day it was to be sanctifyed by virtue of the fourth Command and since he hath required the first day day of the week it ought to be kept by virtue of the fourth Command and yet no change of the fourth Command Will any be so bold to say that God himself could not change the day seeing the Sabbath was appointed for man and the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath Mark 2. ult Hitherto of love to God next of love to man Quest What is that love to man the Law requireth Answ The Law requireth to love thy Neighbour as thy self for the sake of God and this containeth all the duties of the second Table Math. 22. 39. Jam. 3. 9. Quest What doth the fifth Command require Answ The fifth Command requireth to preserve the honour of thy Neighbour and therefore to behave thy self reverently to Superiours honour being due to them above thy self respectively to equals honour being
due to them equal to thy self and not contemning thy inferiors 1 Pet. 2. 17. 1 Tim. 5. 1 2. Eph. 6. 1 2. Isai 3. 5. Phil. 2. 3. Luke 18. 9. Quest What doth the sixth Command require Answ The sixth Command requireth to preserve the life of thy Neighbour and therefore to behave thy self meekly patiently peaceably and merciful towards him Numb 12. 3. Luke 21. 19. Col. 3. 13. Rom. 15. 2. Rom. 12. 18 20 21. Quest What doth the seventh Command require Answ The seventh Command requireth Chastity that is purity in all things respecting the generating of mankind and therefore to behave thy self modestly and gravely observing all things becoming purity Eph. 5. 3 4. 1 Tim. 2. 9. 1 Tim. 3. 11. Rom. 13. 13. Quest What doth the eighth Command require Answ The eighth Command requireth to preserve the goods of thy Neighbour and therefore to behave thy self justly and equally in seeking after keeping and using worldly goods Eph. 4. 28. Gol. 4. 1. Jer. 17. 11. Prov. 3. 27. 1 Cor. 7. 31. Quest What doth the ninth Command require Answ The ninth Command requireth to preserve the Name of thy Neighbour and therefore to have in your Assertions and Promises a respect truly and faithfully to the Truth Psal 15. 2 3 4. Quest What doth the tenth Command require Answ The tenth Command requireth to preserve the prosperity of thy Neighbour and therefore a contentation with thine own things and not envying another 3 Epist Joh. 2. Heb. 13. 5. Gal. 5. ult Hitherto of Obedience next concerning helps to Obedience Quest What are special helps to Obedience Answ Prayer and the Sacraments of the New-Testament Quest What is Prayer Answ Prayer is a Religious presenting of our desires before God by Confession Petition and Thanksgiving according to the will of God sometimes with others and sometimes alone as in secret and to Prayer belongeth Religious singing 1. Prayer is a religious presenting our desires before God called the pouring out of the heart before God Psal 62. 8. the shewing him our trouble Psal 142. 2. nextly and directly presented to God therefore a religious presenting our desires Psal 57. 1 2. 2. The parts of Prayer 1. Confession of our sinful unworthiness Dan. 9. 4. 2. Petitioning for mercy and grace in the Name of Christ Dan. 9. 3. Joh. 16. 24. 3. Thanksgiving for mercy received or that we hope to receive Phil. 4. 6. 3. The Rule of Prayer it is an asking according to the will of God revealed in his Word 1 Joh. 5. 14. 1. According to his commanding will 2. According to his promising will 2 Sam. 7. 27. And Prayer ought to be 1. Sometimes with others in publick 1 Cor. 14. 16. 2. In the Family Jer. 10. 25. and sometimes alone in secret Math. 6. 6. Zach. 12. 13 14. and to Prayer belongs religious singing of Psalms Col. 3. 16. Eph. 5. 19. Quest What are the Sacraments of the New-Testament Answ The Sacraments of the New-Testament are Baptisme and the Lords Supper Baptisme a Sacrament of entrance into Covenant with Christ and his Church and the Lords Supper a Sacrament of our continuance in Covenant and Communion with Christ and his Church The one cometh in the place of Circumcision and is a Gospel Circumcision Col. 2. 11 12. The other cometh in the place of the Passover and is our Gospel Passover Math. 26. 17 18 24 27. 1 Cor. 5. 7 8. Rom. 6. 3. 1 Cor. 12 13. 1 Cor. 20. 16 17. 1 Cor. 11. 26 27. Quest What followeth hence that Baptisme is a signe and Seal of entrance into Covenant with Christ and his Church Answ That all Church members ought to be baptized and therefore the Infants of Parents in Church state ought to be baptized for they are in Covenant with Christ and members of his body and therefore called his Disciples and a holy Seed 1. All Church members ought to be baptized because they are of the body therefore to be baptized 1 Cor. 12. 13. if Church members then the promises visibly belong to them and therefore the visible Seal of them Acts 2. 38. 39. the Covenant and the Seal are so closely conjoyned by God that the Seal is called the Covenant Gen. 17. 10. 2. The Infants of Parents in Church state are in Covenant with Christ for God hath promised to circumcise their hearts and the hearts of their Seed Deut. 30. 6. and the promises belong to them and to their Children Acts 2. 39. and an Infant whose Parents either both of them or one of them being in Church state that Infant is a Church member called therefore a Disciple of Christ Acts 15. 10. those are called Disciples upon whom the false Teachers would have imposed the yoke of Circumcision according to the Law of Moses but these were Infants and these are called a holy Seed 1 Cor. 7. 14. Quest What followeth hence in the second place Answ That Baptisme ought to be administred by pouring of water and so washing and not by dipping the body in the water because it is a Sacrament of entrance into Covenant in which Christ by his Spirit doth apply himself to us 1. That the Sacrament of Baptisme is a signe and Seal of entrance into Covenant is plain from the former Scriptures in the description of Baptisme 2. That Christ doth in the Covenant of grace first apply himself to the Soul is clear Phil. 3. 12. he is first in loving us and cometh to us before we can come to him 3. Hence that means of administring of Baptisme as iâ— most suitable to the thing signified ought to be attended but the applying of water to the baptized this signifieth Christ by his Spirit applying himself Acts 1. 5. baptized with water and baptized with the holy Ghost that is baptized by water and the holy Ghost poured out upon them Acts 2. 33. 4. Hence the body ought not to be dipped into the water for that would signifie that the baptized is first applyed to Christ and not Christ to him firstly Rom. 6. 3. buried with Christ in Baptisme In burying the body there is not a thrusting the body into the dust or earth but a casting of earth upon the body Quest What followeth hence that the Lords Supper is a Sacrament of continuance in covenant and communion with Christ Answ That those only ought to be admitted to partake of the Lords Supper who doe hold forth Repentance and Faith with an ability to examine themselves and discern the Lords body for he that partaketh before he doth partake of the Lords Supper he ought to examine himself and discern the Lords body 1 Cor. 15. 28. 29. Hence it followeth 1. He ought to have Faith and Repentance before he doth partake for the Lords Supper is instituted not for Regenaration but for nourishment and confirmation 2. Repentance and Faith are the matter concerning which the communicant ought to examine himself with a discerning into the Gospel sense and mistery of the Lords Supper 2. Hence he that partaketh must have this ability thus to examine himself otherwise he cannot perform these preparatory dutyes 2. He ought to hold these forth 1. To his own conscience that his own conscience may not condemn him for presumptuous partaking 1 Cor. 11. 29. Rom. 14. 23. 2. To hold these forth to the judgment of the charity 1. Of the Church Officers that so the Minister in the judgment of charity may say Take eat this is the Body of our Lord Jesus given for you 2. To the judgment of the charity of the Church for communicants do profess to have communion with Christ and one with another as one body in him 1 Cor. 10. 15 16 17. And it 's the duty of the Church and Officers to put the difference between the clean and the unclean the holy and the profane according to their respective capacityes Ezek. 44. 7 8 23. And although Faith be weak and obedience imperfect and prayers and preparations far short of the perfection of Sanctuary Institutions yet the Lord will pardon and confirm his favour by the Lords Supper to the humble believing Soul FINIS YOU doe take God the only true God to be your God the Lord Jesus to be your Saviour your Prophet Priest and King and the holy Spirit to be your Sanctifyer and Comforter Promising in his name and strength to cleave to him as your chiefest and only good and by the help of his Spirit and Grace to walk before him in a faithfull discharge of Covenant duties and in a regular subjection to and observation of all the holy Ordinances and Institutions of Christ of which at present you are capable as they shall be duly administred within this Church and Congregation and to refrain and what in you lyeth to reform all sin that is contrary hereto especially the provoking and growing sins of this time ERRATA The Authors absence from the Press and his Copy being difficult to read hath occasioned many mistakes which thâ— Reader is desired thus to correct P. 1 l. 16 r. a Doctrine P 2. l. 14. r. arts l. 30. r. by Faith p. 3. l 12 r. by Faith l. 22 r. unknown good p. 4 l. 17 r. Truths p. 5 l. 2 r. for us l. 13 r. manners p. 8 l. 2 r. Psal 99. l. 19 r. these are one l. 22 r. Psa 90. p. 12 l. 8 r. 2. Individual l. 16 r. spirants p. 14 l. 10 r. for his p. 15 l. 8 r. rational p. 19 l. 22 r. water p. 23. l. 33. r man p. 24 l. 22 r. 3. l. 25 r. 4. p 29 l. 32 r. act under p. 30 l. 27 r. to man p. 34 l. 16 r. John 3. 34. p. 45 l. 29 r. Act. 2. p. 4â— l. 4 r. 2 Cor. p. 51 l. 9 r. 2. p. 54. l. 25 r. as an Individual p. 54 l. 32 r. Keyes p. 55. l. 15 r. Act. 6. p. 56. l. 6 r. Psa 74 p. 57 l. 13 r. Eph. 4. p. 60 l. 5 r. Psal 119. 152. p. 61 l. 3 r. Soul being p. 62 l. 10 r. 2. Abomination p. 69 l. 12 â— seventh day l. 21 r. seventh day p. 70 l. 28 r. otheâ— means p. 73. l. 32 r. 1 Cor. 10. p. 75 l. 1. r. that manner l. 22 r. 1 Cor. 11. l. 34. r. 3. He ought