of the duties required A. Yes Q. What do you mean by the omission of them A. The leaving them undone Q. Doth it forbid the careless performance of the duties of the Sabbath A. Yes Q. And the prophaning of the day A. Yes Q. How many ways may the Sabbath be prophaned A. Three 1. By idleness 2. By doing that which is in it self sinful 3. By unnecessary thoughts words or works about worldly imployments and recreations Q. May we not be idle upon the Sabbath day A. No. Q. May we sleep and loiter away the time A. No. Q. Is it prophaning the day by doing that which is in it self sinful A. Yes Q. Is it enough to forbear that which is sinful though we do neglect that which is good A. No. Q. Is it a prophanation of the Sabbath to let our thoughts unnecessarily run upon worldly affairs A. Yes Q. Or to let our tongues run upon worldly business A. Yes Q. Or to set our hands to worldly imployments A. Yes Q. Must we neither work nor play upon the Sabbath day A. No. Q. But spend all the day in Gods special Service A. Yes Quest. 62. What are the Reasons annexed to the Fourth Commandment A. The reasons annexed to the fourth Commandment are Gods allowing us six days of the week for our own imployment his challenging a special propriety in the seventh his own example and his blessing the Sabbath-day Q. Are there many reasons annexed to the fourth Commandment to enforce it A. Yes Q. How many are there A. Four viz. 1. Gods allowing us six days of the week for our own imployment 2. His challenging an especial propriety in the seventh 3. His own example 4. His blessing the Sabbath day Q. Hath God allowed us any days in the week A. Yes Q. What hath he allowed them to us for A. For our own imployments Q. Is it Gods will that every one should have some imployment A. Yes Q. How many days hath God allowed us for our own imployments A. Six Q. And is it his will that men should ordinarily spend the six days of the week in their imployments A. Yes Q. And is this a reason why we should not cut short Gods allowance of one day for his work because he hath allowed six times as much for ours A. Yes Q. In which words of the Commandment is this reason hinted of Gods allowing of us six days of the week for our own imployment A. In these words Six days shalt thou labour and do all thyork Q. Must we dispatch all our work upon the six days that we may have nothing to hinder us upon the Lords day A Yes Q. In which words doth God challenge a special propriety in the seventh day A. In these words but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God Q. In which words is Gods own example urged as a reason why we should work six days and keep holy the seventh A. In thâ—sâ— words sor in six days the Lord made heaven and earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day Q. In which words is Gods blessing the Sabbath day hinted as a reason why we should keep it A. In these words wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it Q. Hath God then blessed the Sabbath-day and appointed it to be a means of blessing unto us A. Yes Q. Doth God require us to Remember the Sabbath-day as a means for the keeping of it holy A. Yes Q. Are we apt to forget it A. Yes Q. And cannot we duly sanctifie it without we remember it before hand to prepare for it and conveniently to dispatch our worldly business in season out of the way A. No. Q. 63. Which is the fifth Commandment A. The fifth Commandment is Honour thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long upon the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Q. 64. What is required in the fifth Commandment A. The fifth Commandment requireth the preserving the honour and performing the duties belonging to every one in their several places and relations as superiors inferiors or equals Q. Are all sorts of Relations comprehended under the words Father and Mother in the fifth Commandment A. Yes Q. And all sorts of duties in the word Honour A. Yes Q. What doth this Commandment require with reverence to our Relations A. Preserving the honour and performing the duty belonging to them Q. How many sorts of Relations be there A. Three Superiors Inferiors and Equals Q. What do you mean by superiors A. Such as are any way above us whether in Family Church or State Q. Are all that are above us whether in Power or Wealth or age or gifts Superiors A. Yes Q. Doth this Commandment require reverence respect submission and obedience towards Parents Masters Husbands Magistrates Ministers c. as being Superiors A. Yes Q. What do you mean by Inferiors A. Such as are below us in Gifts Place Estate or otherwise Q. Are Subjects Wives Children Servants Hearers the Poor the weak in grace or knowledg comprehended under the name of Inferiors A. Yes Q. And must their Superiors be careful in performing their duties towards them by caring for their bodies and souls governing them with meekness and gentleness correcting and reproving with moderation and wisdom A. Yes Q. Are there duties to be performed to our equals A. Yes Q. May we slight them and carry our selves scornfully towards them A. No. Q. Doth this Command require kindness and affableness towards our Equals readiness to yield to them and prefer them before our selves A. Yes Q. 65. What is forbidden in the fifth Commandment A. The fifth Commandment forbiddeth the neglecting of or doing any thing against the honour and duty which belongeth to every one in their several places and relations Q. Doth it forbid the neglecting our duty to our relations A. Yes Q. And the doing any thing against it A. Yes Q. May we disgrace or dispise our supe riours or speak evil of them or carry our selves irreverently towards them or oppose and resist them A. No. Q. May we despise and slight our inferiours or be rigorous towards them and careless of their spiritual or temporal good A. No. Q. Is it a sin to neglect to instruct them correct them and keep them under government or to neglect to encourage and countenance them when they do well A. Yes Q. May we be discourteous or envious towards our equals or usurp over them or rigorously stand upon our terms with them A. No. Q. 66. What is the reason annexed to the fifth Commandment A. The Reason annexed to the fifth Commandment is a promise of long life and prosperity as far as it shall serve for Gods glory and their own good to all such as keep this Commandment Q. Is there any reason annexed or joined to the fifth Commandment A. Yes Q. What is the reason A. A promise of long life and prosperity Q. How far forth are these and
have at Judgment A. They shall be acknowledged and acquitted Q. After what manner shall they be acknowledged and acquitted A. Openly Q. Will God acquit them from all their sins and the wicked slanders A. Yes Q. And acknowledg and own them before all the world A. Yes Q. When shall they be thus acknowledged and acquitted A. In the day of Judgment Q. What benefits shall they have after Judgment A. They shall be made perfectly blessed Q. Wherein A. In the enjoyment of God Q. What kind of enjoyment of God shall they then have A. A full enjoyment Q. What without interruption or intermission A. Yes Q. For how long A. To all eternity Q. Doth true blessedness stand in the enjoyment of God A. Yes Q. And perfect blessedness in the full enjoyment of God to all eternity A. Yes Hitherto are the matters of faith which make up the first part of the Catechism or what man is to believe concerning God Now follows the second part concerning the duty of which God requires of man Q. 39. What is the duty which God requireth of man A. The duty which God requireth of man is obedience to his revealed will Q. Is there any duty which God reqâ—ireth of man A. Yes Q. What is that duty A. Obedience Q. To what A. To his will Q. Is Gods secret will the rule of our duty A. No. Q. What then A. His revealed will Q. Where is the will of God revealed A. In his Word Q. And is that the rule of our duty A. Yes Q. 40. What did God at first reveal to man for the rule of his obedience A. The rule which God at first revealed to man for his obedience was the Moral Law Q. Did God at first give any Law to man for the rule of his obedience A. Yes Q. What the Ceremonial or judicial Law A. No. Q. What Law then did he give at first for the rule of mans obedience A The Moral Law Q. Doth God rule man by Law A. Yes Q. Why was Gods Law revealed to man A. For the rule of his obedience Q. Is man then in his obedience to look that it be according to the Law as his Rule A. Yes Q. 41. Where is the Moral Law summarily comprehended A. The Moral Law is summarily comprehended in the ten Commandments Q. How many Commandments are there A. Ten. Q. Is that which you call the Moral Law the same that we have in the ten Commandments A. Yes Q. Is the whole Law of God and duty of man shortly summed up and briefly comprehended in these Commandments A. Yes Q 42. What is the sum of the ten Commandments A. The sum of the ten Commandments is To love the Lord our God with all our heart with all our soul with all our strength and with all our mind and our neighbour as our selves Q. What is the comprehensive duty of all the Commandments A. Love Q How manifold is this love A. To God and our neighbour Q. How must we love God A. With all our heart and with all our soul with all our mind and with all our strength Q. How must we love our Neighbour A. As our selves Q. Who is our Neighbour A. Every man Q. Must we love our Neeghbour with the same degree of love as we do our selves A. No. Q. Must we love our Neighbour with the same truth of love as we do our selves A. Yes Q. Is this the sum of all the Commandments to love God with all our hearts and our Neighbour as our selves A. Yes Q. 43. What is the Preface to the ten Commandments A. The Preface to the ten Commandments is in these words I am the Lord thy God which hath brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage Q. What doth the Preface to the ten Commandments teach us A. The Preface to the ten Commandments teacheth us That because God is the Lord and our God and Redeemer therefore we are bound to keep all his Commandments Q. Are we bound to keep Gods Commandments A. Yes Q. Which of his Commandments A. All his Commands Q. Is there any reason why we should keep Gods Commandments A. Yes Q. How many are the Reasons why we should keep Gods Commandments A. Three viz. 1. God is the Lord. 2. And our God 3. And our Redeemer Q. Is this a Reason why we should keep his Commandments because he is the Lord A. Yes Q. And because he is our God A. Yes Q. And because he is our Redeemer A. Yes Q. Where are we taught that because God is the Lord and our God and Redeemer therefore we must keep his Commandments A. In the Preface to the ten Commandments Q. Which words in the Preface do teach us that God is the Lord A. These words I am the Lord Q. Which words do teach us that he is our God A. These words Thy God Q. Which words do teach us that he is our Redeemer A. These words That brought thee out of the land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage Q. Were we ever in Egypt or the house of bondage A. Yes in a spiritual Egypt and bondage under sin These two Rules must be learnt for the understanding of the Commandments R. 1. That when any sin is forbidden the contrary duty is required and when any duty is required the contrary sin is forbidden R. 2. That where any sin is forbidden all the kinds and degrees of it temptations and incentments to it are likewise forbidden and when any duty is required all the kinds and the highest perfection of it together with all the means and helps to it are also required Q. 45. Which is the first Commandment A. The first Commandment is Thou shalt have no other Gods before me Q. 46. What is required in the first Commandment A. The first Commandment requireth us to know and acknowledg God to be the only true God and our God and to worship and glorifie him accordingly Q. Is there something required as well as something forbidden in this and every Commandment A. Yes Q. Are we required to know God A. Yes Q. May we lawfully or safely live in ignorance of God A. No. Q. Against what Commandment is ignorance A. Against the first Q. Is it sufficient to know there is a God though we do not own nor acknowledg him to be a God to us A. No. Q. How must we own or acknowledg God A. To be the only true God and our God Q. Doth the first Commandment require us to have a God A. Yes Q. And to have the true God for our God A. Yes Q. May we have any other God besides him A. No. Q. May we have any other God with him A. No. Q. Must we own him for the only true God A. Yes Q. And for our only God A. Yes Q. Doth the First Commandment determine then of the only right Object of Divine worship or whom only we must worship A. Yes Q. Is it enough for
us to know and verbally to acknowledg and make profession of him A. No. Q. What must we do more A. We must worship and glorifie him Q. What worship of God is here required either inward or outward A. Both. Q. Are we required then to worship God with the inward worship of the mind as for example to trust in him and to love fear esteem desire and obey him A. Yes Q. And with the outward worship too as to pray to and praise him A. Yes Q. How manifold then is the worship here required A. Inward and outward Q. How are we to worship and glorifie God A. Accordingly That is as the only true God and our God Q. What above and before all others A. Yes Q. Do we worship and glorifie him as God when we love fear or obey any other more then him or before him A. No. Q. In what Commandment are we required to make profession of worship and glorifie God A. In the First Commandment Q. 47. VVhat is forbidden in the first Commandment A. The first Commandment forbiddeth the denying or not worshipping and glofying the true God as God and our God and the giving that worship and glory to any other which is due to him alone Q. Is it a sin to deny God not only in our words but in our works or in our thoughts A. Yes Q Is Atheism forbidden in this Commandment A. Yes Q. What is Atheism A. The having of no God Q. And are Prophaness and Idolatry forbidden in this Commandment A. Yes Q. What is Prophaness A. The not worshipping and glorifying of God Q. Is it not enough to give some kind of external worship to God unless we do worship and glorifie him as God A. No. Q. What is Idolatry A. The giving to any thing that worship and glory which is due to God alone Q. Is it Idolatry to give Gods outward worship to any other as for example to pray to Saints or Angels or the like A. Yes Q. Is it Idolatry to give Gods inward worship to any other as for example to love fear desire or trust in any thing more than God A. Yes Q. Are all vile Idolaters then that prefer any thing before God that do seek themselves their own ends more than the glory of God A. Yes Q. Are these the three great sins forbidden in this Commandment as Atheism or denying of God Prophaness or the not worshipping and glorifying of God and idolatry or the giving of his worship and glory to any other A. Yes Q 48. What are we specially taught by these words before me in the first Commandment A. These words before me in the first Commandment teach us that God who seeth all things taketh notice of and is much displeased with the sin of having any other God Q. Doth God see all things even the inward thoughts and motiâ—ns of the heart A. Yes Q. Doth he take notice of it if we have any other God A. Yes Q. And is he much displeased with it A. Yes Q. Where are we taught that God taketh notice of us and is much displeased with the sin of having any other God A. In these words before me in the first Commandment Q. 49. Which is the second Commandment A The second Commandment is Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven Image or any likeness of any thing that is in Heaven above or that is in the Earth beneath or that is in the Water under the Eartb thou shalt not bow down thy self to them nor serve them for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my Commandments Q. 50. What is required in the second Commandment A. The second Commandment requireth the receiving observing and keeping pure and entire all such religious worship and Ordinances as God hath appointed in his word Q. Is there any thing required in the second Commandment A. Yes Q. How can you say it requireth any thing sith it seems only to forbid viz. Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image c. A. Where any sin is forbidden the contrary duty is required Q. May we worship God after our own imaginations and inventions A. No. Q. Must we worship him only according to his own appointment and institution A. Yes Q. Doth the second Commandment determine then of the only right way and means in and by which God will be worshipped A. Yes Q. What is required of us here with reference to Gods worship and ordinances A. To receive them observe them keep them pure and entire Q. What are we required to receive observe keep pure and entire A. The religious worship and ordinances that God hath appointed Q. And not the superstitious inventions that men have ordained A. No. Q. Which of Gods ordinances are we required to receive observe keep pure and entire A. All. Q. Hath he appointed what worship and ordinances he will be served in A. Yes Q. Where A. In his word Q. May we reject Gods worship and ordidinances A. No. Q. Must we receive them A. Yes Q. May we neglect or oppose them A. No. Q. Must we observe them A. Yes Q. May we corrupt them A. No. Q. Must we keep them pure A. Yes Q. Must we not mix human inventions with them A. No. Q. May we not suffer any of them to be lost A. No. Q. Must we keep them whole and entire neither adding to them nor taking from them A. Yes Q. 51. VVhat is forbidden in the second Commandment A. The second Commandment sorbiddeth the worshipping of God by images or any other way not appointed in his word Q. May we worship Images as God A. No. Q. May we worship the true God in and by Images A. No. Q. Is it Idolatry not only to worship Images instead of God which is forbidden in the first Commandment but also to worship God by Images A. Yes Q. And is this the Idolatry forbidden in this Commandment A. Yes Q. And is all will-worship forbidden here A. Yes Q What is will-worship A. The worshipping of God any way not appointed in his word A. Is it sinful to worship God after a way of our own devising A. Yes Q. May we worship him what way we please A. No. Q. Are these the great sins forbidden in the second Commandment viz. Idolatry or the worshipping of God by images and all will-worship or the worshipping of God any other way then he hath appointed in his word A. Yes Q. 52. What are the reasons annexed to the second Commandment A. The reasons annexed to the second Commandment are Gods soveraignty over us his propriety in us and his zeal he hath to his own worship Q. Hath God a soveraignty over us propriety in us and a zeal for his own worship A. Yes Q. And must we upon this account keep his
requires except we do it in a holy serious and reverent manner A. No. Q. 57. Which is the fourth Commandment A. The fourth Commandment is Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy six days shalt thou labour and do all thy works but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any work thou nor thy son nor thy daughter thy man-servant nor thy maid-servant nor thy cattel nor thy stranger that is within thy gates for in six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that is in them is and rested the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it Q. 58. VVhat is required in the fourth Commandment A. The fourth Commandment requireth the keeping holy to God such set times as he hath appointed in his Word expresly one whole day in seven to be a holy Sabbath unto himself Q. Doth the fourth Commandment require any espeâ—ial time to be kept holy A. Yes Q. What time A. Such as God hath appointed in his Word Q. Doth the fourth Commandment then determine of the special time for divine worship as the three foregoing Commands do of the Object means and manner of worship A. Yes Q. Hath God left us to keep what time we please A. No. Q. What proportion of time hath God expresly set apart in his word to be kept holy to himself A. One wdole day in seven Q. Is this Commandment to be understood of the seventh day in order that is the last of the seven or the seventh in number that is one in seven A. Of the seventh in number Q. Hath God left the determining which day in seven it should be whether the first or the last to some other precept A. Yes Q. Is the fourth Command then a Moral precept that is to say of perpetual force binding Christians now as well as Jews heretofore to the observation of it A. Yes Q. Doth it cease to be of force A. No. Q. 59. Which day of the seven hath God appointed to be the weekly Sabbath A. From the beginning of the world to the Resurrection of Christ God hath appointed the seventh day of the week to be the weekly Sabbath and the first day of the week ever since to continue to the end of the world which is the Christian Sabbath Q. Which day of seven was at first appointed for the Sabbath A. The last Q. Which day of the seven did God since appoint to be the Sabbath A. The first Q. When was the seventh or last day of the week appointed to be the Sabbath A. From the beginning of the world Q. Was it only from the time of the giving of the Law of Moses A. No. Q. Was it ordained for man in Paradise at the beginning of the world A. Yes Q. How long did the seventh or last day of the week continue to be the Sabbath A. Until the Resurrection of Christ. Q. How long hath the first day been the weekly Sabbath A. Ever since the Resurrection of Christ. Q. Was the Resurrection of Christ and the finishing the work of our Redemption on the first day of the week the reasons why Christians do keep it as the Sabbath A. Yes Q. And is it therefore called the Lords day A. Yes Q. And is the first day of the week or the Lords day a Christian Sabbath A. Yes Q. How long doth it continue to be the Sabbath A. To the end of the World Q. What is the meaning of the word Sabbath A. A day of holy rest Q. 60. How is the Sabbath to be sanctified A. The Sabbath is to be sanctified by an holy resting all that day even from such worldly imployments and recreations as are lawful on other days and spending the whole time in the publick and private exercises of Gods worship except so much as is to be taken up in the works of necessity and mercy Q. Is the Sabbath to be sanctified A. Yes Q. In what sense is God said to sanctifie the holy Sabbath A. By making it holy Q. In what sense are we said to sanctifie the Sabbath A. By keeping it holy Q. Did God sanctifie it by way of consecration Q. Yes Q. And must we sanctifie it by way of application i.e. applying it to those ends and exercises for which God did consecrate it A. Yes Q. Is the rest of the Sabbath a part of our sanctifying it A. Yes Q. What kind of rest must it be a meer civil rest A. No. Q. Or a meer carnal and bodily rest such as the Oxe and the Asse must have on the Sabbath A. No. Q What rest then A. An holy rest Q. How long must this be A. All that day Q. From what must we rest from spiritual employments and recreations A. No. Q. From what then A. From worldly employments and recreations Q May we not do our own work upon the Sabbath day A. No. Q. Nor follow our own sports and pastimes nor spend the time in our ease and sloth A. No. Q Fro n what worldly employments and recre tions must we rest from such as are sinful in themselves and unlawful at any time A. Yes Q. And not only from such but even from those that are lawful at other times A. Yes Q. And how must we spend the time A. In the exercise of Gods worship Q. May we spend it idly A. No. Q. In what exercise must we spend it A. Both in the publick and private exercises of Gods worship Q. May we stay at home and spend our time in the Private Exercises of Gods Worship with the neglect of the Publick A. No. Q. May we not rest satisfied in giving attendance on the publick worship but must we also be careful at home in the Private A. Yes Q. May not worldly business be done in any Case upon the Sabbath day A. Yes Q. What works then may lawfully be done on the Sabbath day besides the works of Piety A. The works of Necessity and Mercy Q What do you call the works of Necessity A. Such as could not be done before and cannot be deferred until after the Sabbath Q. May works of mercy be done upon the Sabbath day such as visiting the sick feeding our bodies and our beast c. A. Yes Q. And why is this Commandment delivered as to all in general so especially to governours of families Is it because it is not enough for them to sanctifie the Sabbath themselves but they must also look that it be strictly observed in and by their families and because they are apt to hinder their housholds in and by business of their own A. Yes Q. 61. What is forbidden in the fourth Commandment A. The fourth Commandment forbiddeth the omission or careful performance of the duties required and the prophaning the day by idleness or doing that which is in it self sinful or by unnecessary thoughts words or works about worldly imployments or recreations Q. Doth it forbid the omission
state of salvation And must not this be a pinching thought to a compassionate teacher to think that he cannot for his heart perswade men but that the most of them will wilfully throw away themselves Is it not a woful sight to behold the devils driving a great part of our miserable flocks as they did once the herd of swine the keepers themselves amazed looking on I say driving them violently down the hill till they be choked in the water drowned irrecoverably in the gulph of endless perdition Ah miserable spectacle what through the loosness and sensuality of some what throngh the wilful blindness of others what through the halving and cold and customary religion of others how great a number of our flocks is Satan like to carry utterly away from us after all that hath been done to save them Yet I cannot but call after them Hearken unto me O ye Children How long will you love vanity and follow after leasing and trust in lying words As the Lord liveth you are lost except you turn wherefore turn your selves and live ye Ah how mercy woeth you how it waiteth to be gracious to you Hear O sinners hear See you not how the merciful Saviour of the world stretcheth forth his hands all the day long and spreadeth forth his wings and calleth you as a hen doth her chicken Hear you not the soundings of his bowels he hath no need of you yet how do his compassions melt over perishing sinners his heart is turned within him and shall not this turn your hearts his repentings are kindled together and shall not this lead you to repentance Behold he standeth at the door and knocketh O man wilt thou keep Jesus at the door and lodg Barabbas in thy bosom and prefer thy cruel lusts before thy compassionate Lord Oh his melting love to sinners he calleth after them he weepeth over them he cryeth to them How long ye simple ones will you love simplicity will you not be made clean when shall it once be why will you die Turn you at my reproof behold I will pour out my spirit unto you Sinner art thou not yet melted Oh come in at his loving calls Come out from thy sins touch the scepter of grace and live why shouldest thou be dashed in pieces by his iron rod kiss the Son why shouldst thou perish in the way set up Jesus as thy King lest he count thee for his enemy because thou wouldest that he should not reign over thee and so thou be called forth and slain before him Oh how dreadful will this case be to perish under the pitiful eyes of his mercy and to die by the hand of a Saviour Oh double hell to have thy redeemer become thine executioner and the hand that was so long stretched forth to save thee to be now stretched forth to slay thee and the merciful heart of Christ himself hardned against thee so as that he should call thee forth and with his own hand hew thee in pieces as Samuel did Agag before the Lord. But I have been too too long in prefacing to what I intended forthwith to have fallen upon indeed I am apt to run out in matters that do so nearly touch upon your greatest concernments Beloved I despair of ever bringing you to salvation without sanctification or possessing you of happiness without perswading you to holiness God knows I have not the least hope ever to see one of your faces in heaven except you be converted and sanctified and exercise your selves unto godliness This is that I drive at I beseech you study to further personal godliness and family godliness 1. Personal godliness Let it be your first care to set up Christ in your hearts See that you make all your worldy interests to stoop to him that you be entirely and unreservedly devoted unto him If you wilfully and deliberately and ordinarily harbour any sin you are undone See that you unfeignedly take the Laws of Christ as the rule of your words thoughts and actions and subject your whole man members and mind faithfully to him If you have not a true respect to all Gods Commandments you are unsound at heart Oh study to get the image and impress of Christ upon you within Begin with your hearts else you build without a foundation Labour to get a saving change within or else all external performances will be to no purpose And then study to shew forth the power of godliness in the life Let piety be your first and great business 'T is the highest point of Justice to give God his due Beware that none of you be a Prayer-less person for that is a most certain discovery of a Christless and a graceless person of one that is a very stranger to the fear of God Suffer not your Bibles to gather dust See that you converse daily with the word That man can never lay claim to blessedness whose delight is not in the Law of the Lord. Let meditation and self-examination be your daily exercise else the Papists yea the Pagans will condemn us That the short questions which I have given you as a help to self-examination may be daily perused by you is the matter of my passionate request unto you If ever you come to any growth in holiness without the constant use of this practice I am grosly deceiv'd and therefore I would beseech yea even charge you by the Lord that you would daily examine your selves by these questions till you have found a better help to this duty But Piety without Charity is but the half of Christianity or rather impious hypocrisie We may not divide the Tables See therefore that you do justly and love mercy and let Equity and Charity run like an even thread throughout all your dealings Be you temperate in all things let Chastity and Sobriety be your undivided companions Let Truth and Purity Seriousness and Modesty Heavenliness and Gravity be the constant ornaments of your speech Let patience and humility simplicity and sincerity shine out in all the parts of your conversations See that you forget and forgive wrongs and requite them with kindness as you would be found children of the most High Be merciful in your censures and put the most favourable construction upon your brethrens carriage that their actions will reasonably bear Be slow in promising punctual in fulfilling Let meekness and innocency affableness yieldingness and courtesie commend your conversations to all men Let none of your relations want that love and loyalty that reverence and duty that tenderness care and vigilancy which their several places and capacities call for This is throughout godliness I charge you before the most high God that none of you be found a swearer or a lyar a lover of evil company or a scoffer or malicious or covetous or a drunkard or a glutton unrighteous in his dealing unclean in his living or a