have had Regard unto it when he commanded Moses to prepare Two Tables for Them On the One of which were to be Engraven Those which concern our Duty towards God on the Other Those which contain our Duty toward our Neighbour Exod. xxxi 18 xxxii 19 xxxiv 1.4.28 Q. How many Commandments does each of these Tables comprehend A. As to the Commandments themselves it is not doubted by Any but that Those of the First Table end with that which Concerns the Sabbath and that the Second begins with that which Requires Us to Honour our Father and our Mother But in Dividing the Commandments of Each Table there is a difference between Vs and Those of the Church of Rome For they join the Two First into One and then to complete the number of Ten divide the Last into Two And so assign not as we do Four to One Table and Six to the Other but Three to the First Table and Seven to the Second Q. Is it a Matter of Any Moment How each Precept is divided so long as All are Retained A. In its self it is not But as the Design of this New Division was to enable them thereby to drop the Second Commandment against their Image-Worship altogether and which accordingly from thenceforth they did oftentimes Omit in their Common Books of Devotion so it is certainly of Great Moment to be taken Notice of Now the First and Second Commandments have apparently a Different Prospect and were design'd to Prohibit Two very different Things But the Last Commandment solely Respects the Sin of Coveting And if the difference of the Instances which are Given in it the better to clear and inforce the Observance of it be sufficient to make a Several Command according to the Distinction of them They may as well divide it into Six or indeed into Six hundred Commands as into Two For at this Rate Thou shalt not Covet thy Neighbour's House will be One Thou shalt not Covet thy Neigbour's Wife Another Nor his Man-Servant will be a Third Nor his Maid-Servant a Fourth Nor his Ox a Fifth Nor his Ass a Sixth Nor any Thing that is his a Hundred more in One General Expression Q. But is there not One Great Branch of Our Duty here wanting namely Our Duty towards our Selves A. There is not For all those Duties which we so call have a manifest Regard more or less to our Duty to God and our Neighbour and may be comprised under the Offices relating to Them At least since there is no Duty of this kind but what is Required by God of Us the better to fit us for his Service and Acceptance it must be confess'd that the First Commandment alone will take in whatsoever of this Nature may seem wanting in the Whole Q. Is there any other Division of these Commands that may be fit to be taken Notice of before we proceed to the particular Consideration of Them A. There is yet One namely That of these Commandments some are Positive and declare what we are to Do as the Fourth Commandment of the First Table the Fifth in the Second Others are Negative and shew Us what we are to Avoid As all the Others of Both Tables Q. What do you Observe from this Distinction A. A Great Difference with Respect to our Obligation to Obedience For 1 st The positive Commands though they are always in force and therefore Oblige all who have any Concern with them and so long as they are under the Power of them yet they do not extend to All Persons nor Oblige at All Times As for Example To Honour our Father and Mother is a Duty of Eternal Obligation But then many there are Who have no Father nor Mother and therefore neither can They lie under any Obligation to Honour Them Again To Observe the Sabbath Day to keep it Holy is a Command that never Ceases to Oblige But yet should a Man be made a Prisoner or a Slave in a Pagan or Other Country where he had no Means nor Opportunity to Observe it whilst he lay under those Circumstances he would not be Guilty of any Sin by not Observing of it But now the Negative Commands not only Oblige always but all Persons at all Times and in all Circumstances And therefore to Worship any other God besides the Lord To make any Graven Image to bow down before it and worship it To take God's Name in Vain These and the like Prohibitions oblige Men to a constant uninterrupted Observance of them be their Circumstances or Conditions of Life what they will Nor can it at any Time or upon any Occasion be lawful for any Man To worship another God To make a Graven Image to worship it To take God's Name in Vain and the like Q. Have you any thing farther to Observe from this Division A. This only that these Two kinds mutually Include one Another So that when God commands any Duty to be perform'd we are to understand that he does by the very same Command forbid whatsoever is contrary thereunto to be done by Us. And again when he forbids any thing to be done he does thereby Require Us to fulfil the Opposite Duty imply'd as well as to avoid the Sin which is expresly taken Notice of To clear my meaning in an Instance of Each Kind God commands us in the Fourth Commandment to keep holy the sabbath-Sabbath-Day and that by Sanctifying of it to a Religious Rest And by the same Commandment he forbids Us to do any servile Work upon it or any thing whereby this Day may be unhallow'd or profaned by Us. And this would have been understood by the Other part of the Command though God had not expresly taken notice of it In like manner When in the Sixth Commandment God forbids us to Commit Murder we are to understand that we are not only prohibited thereby to stab or poison our Neighbour but are Required to do what in Us lies to Cherish and Preserve his Life To help him if he be assaulted by Another to feed and cloath him as far as we are able and to prevent according to Our Ability whatsoever may bring him in danger of losing of it Q. Are there any Other General Rules that may be of Use to us in the Vnderstanding of the Commandments here proposed to Us A. There are Several such Rules but those of most consequence seem to be these Four First That in every Commandment the General thing Express'd comprehends under it all such Particulars as either directly depend upon it or may Fairly and Reasonably be Reduced to it Thus the Seventh Commandment though in express Terms it Forbids only the Sin of Adultery yet under that General is to be extended to all manner of Fornication Vncleanness Lasciviousness not only to all unchast Actions but to all wanton Words Thoughts Desires To all immodest Behaviour and indecent Attire To whatsoever in short may intrench upon that Gravity and Reservedness which our Religion Requires of
Lives End 2 Thess. iii. 3 The Lord is faithful who shall stablish you and keep you from Evil. Eph. iv 30 Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby you are sealed unto the day of Redemption Phil. 1.6 Being confident of this very thing That he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it untill the day of Jesus Christ. SECT IV. Q. BUt what if notwithstanding all your present Desires and Resolutions you should chance to fall away from your Duty and thereby put your self out of this state of Salvation â—s there no way left for you to recover your self and to return again to it A. Yes there is by a true Repentance for the Sins which I shall have Committed and an humble Confession of them to God with earnest Prayer for his Forgiveness through the Merits and Intercession of Jesus Christ our Blessed Saviour and Redeemer Q. What mean you by Repentance A. I mean such a Conversion of a Sinner to God whereby he is not only heartily Sorry for the Evil he has done and Resolved to forsake it but do's actually begin to renounce it and to fulfil his Duty according to his Ability with a steadfast purpose to continue God's faithful Servant unto his Life's End Q. What are the chief Acts required to such a Repentance A. To forsake Evil and to do Good To turn from those Sins which we repent of and to serve God by an Universal Obedience of him in whatsoever he has required of us Q. What is the first step towards a true Repentance A. To be thoroughly Convinced of the evil of our Ways and heartily Sorry for it Q. Is any kind of Sorrow to be look'd upon as a part of true Repentance A. No there is a Sorrow for Sin which proceeds not from any Love of God or Sense of our Duty to Him nor yet from any real Hatred of the Sins which we have committed but meerly from the fear of God's Judgment and of the Punishment which we may be likely to suffer for them This is that Sorrow which is commonly called Attrition and may be in the most Wicked Men without ever bringing them to any true Repentance for their Sins Q. What then is that Sorrow which leads to a true Repentance A. It is that Godly Sorrow which proceeds from a Sense of our Duty and of the Obligations we lie under to the performance of it When we are Sorry for our Sins upon the account of our having thereby offended God broken the Covenant of the Gospel and grieved the Holy Spirit which was given to us and are therefore resolved immediately to forsake our Sins and never to return any more to them Q. How is such a Sorrow to be wrought in a Sinner A. Only by the Grace of God and the serious Consideration of our Own Estate towards him the former to be attain'd by our constant Prayers for it the latter by accustoming our selves often to Examine our Souls and to try our Ways by the measures of that Obedience which the Gospel of Christ requires of us Q. Do's not God make use of many other ways to bring Men to such a Sorrow A. God has many ways whereby to bring Sinners to Repentance Sometimes he do's it by bringing some temporal Evils and Calamities upon them Sometimes by visiting them with Terrors and Disquiets of Mind Sometimes he calls upon them by the Outward Ministry of his Word and Sometimes by the Evils which befal Others especially those who were their Companions in their Sins But whatever the Occasions be which God is pleased to make use of to bring us to Repentance it is the Grace of the Holy Spirit and the serious Consideration of our own wretched Estate that begins the Work and produces in us that Godly Sorrow which finally ends in a true Repentance Q. What are the chief Motives with respect to us to engage us thus to Sorrow for our Sins A. The Threats of God denounced in the Holy Scriptures against Impenitent Sinners and the Promises there made of Pardon to all such as shall truly Repent and return to their Duty as they ought to do Q. What is the next thing required in order to a true Repentance A. Confession of Sin Not that God has any need of being informed by us of what we have done amiss but to the end we may thereby both raise in our selves a greater shame and sorrow for our Evil Doings and give the greater Glory to God by such a solemn humbling of our selves in Confession before him Q. Is such a Confession necessary to our Forgiveness A. So necessary that we have no promise of any Pardon without it Prov. xxviii 13 He that covereth his Sins shall not prosper but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have Mercy 1 Joh. i. 8 9. If we say that we have no Sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us If we confess our Sins he is Faithful and Just to forgive us our Sins and to cleanse us from all Vnrighteousness Q. To whom is our Confession to be made A. Always to God and in some certain Cases to Man also Q. What are those Cases in which we ought to confess our Sins to Man as well as unto God A. They are especially these Three 1. Iâ— case we have Offended or Injured our Neighbour and upon that account need to obtain hiâ— Pardon as well as God's 2. If by any opeâ— and notorious Transgression we shall happeâ— to have either deserved or it may be to havâ— fallen under the Censures of the Church anâ— so Confession to the Church be necessary to restore us to the Peace of it Or 3. If we shalâ— have any private reason that may move us to acquaint any Person with our Sins for Advice for Prayer for Absolution or for any the like Advantage which cannot be had without it Q. What think you of that Confession commonly called by them Auricular-Confession which the Church of Rome requires as necessary to Forgiveness A. I look upon it as a great and dangerous Imposition that has no warrant from God is a great Rack and Snare to the Consciences of Good Men and may be apt to encourage most Others in their Sins Whilst by the Absolution which is so readily given them thereupon and the Efficacy of which is so highly magnified in that Church they are taught to entertain a much less Opinion both of the Heinousness and Danger of their Evil-doings than either the Scripture Warrants or their own Interest should prompt them to admit of Q. Is there not somewhat yet required beyond this in order to our Forgiveness A. Yes there is for to all this there must be super-added an Actual forsaking of those Sins which we Confess and that Absolute and without Reserve so that we must firmly resolve and as much as in us lies heartily endeavour never to return again any more to them Q. But
God so it may have been but that it was so God has not declared to Us nor is it possible without a particular Revelation for Us to come to the knowledge of it That which is more certain is that God designed this Particular Day to be kept by the Jews in memory of his delivering of them out of their Egyptian Slavery and of his Miraculous feeding Them with Manna in the Wilderness And for this Reason it was that He Required that strict Rest of them of which we Read Exod. xxxi 12 c. Nehem. xiii 15 Isai. lviii 13 that thereby they might both keep up the memory of the hard Work they had been held to during their Abode in Egypt where they were not suffer'd to Rest on the Sabbath-day and be the more engaged to serve that God who had so wonderfully delivered them from that Wretched Estate Q. How then upon the whole are we to consider the Jewish Sabbath here establish'd by God A. It is evident from the several Reasons Given for it in the Command its self that it must be consider'd in two different Respects 1st As a Day to be Kept by Them in memory of the Creation Exod. xx 11 and to declare themselves thereby to be the Worshippers of that God Who Created the Heaven and Earth And to this End they were Required to Observe a Seventh day of Rest after Six of Labour because God wrought Six days and Rested the Seventh And 2dly as a day to be Observed in Memory of their Egyptian-Bondage and of God's delivering them out of it Deut. v. 15 And thus the Jews were tied to Observe not only the proportion but the very day of the Week too as being that day on which they had pass'd the Red Sea and so were set intirely free from their Slavery For which Reason also they were obliged not only to worship God upon it but moreover to abstain from all bodily Labour and that under the Pain of Death Exod. xxxi 12 c. Numb xv 32 Q. How far do you suppose this Command Obliges Us now A. As much as ever it did the Jews tho' not exactly after the same Manner We worship as they did that God who in Six days Created the Heaven and Earth the Sea and All that in them is and Rested the Seventh day and in acknowledgment thereof We stand Obliged with Them to keep a Seventh day of Rest after Six of Labour But then as they worshipp'd this God under the peculiar Character of the God who brought them out of the Land of Egypt out of the House of Bondage so were they determined to take that particular day the Seventh of the Week for their Sabbath on which he compleated their Deliverance and strictly to abstain from all bodily Labour upon it Now in this respect We differ from them We worship God the Creator of the World under a much higher and more divine Character as he is our Father and Deliverer by Jesus Christ our Lord Who upon the first day of the Week Rose from the Dead and thereby put an End to the Jewish Oeconomy And in testimony hereof we keep the First day of the Week for our Sabbath and so profess our selves to be the Servants of the True God thro' the Covenant which he has been pleased to make with Us in Christ Jesus our Lord. Q. Upon what Authority was this change of the Sabbath-day made A. Upon the greatest that can be desired The Reason of it has been already mention'd viz. Christ's Rising on this Day from the Dead The Thing it self was done by the Apostles who no doubt had in this as in all the Rest that they did the Direction of the Holy Ghost And as for the Jewish Sabbath which is the Seventh day besides that the Ground of it does not concern Us St. Paul speaks of it as ceasing with the Law no less than the New-Moons or Meats and Drinks prescribed by the same Law Col. ii.16 Q. How are we to keep our Sabbath day A. We are to consecrate it to a Religious Rest * by attending upon the Publick Service of the Church * And hearing God's Word Read and Preach'd there * By participating of the Holy Sacrament * By private Prayer Meditation and Reading * By Works of Charity and Mercy * By taking all the Care we can to improve our Own Piety and to help Other Men in the enlivening of Theirs Q. Is all bodily Labour forbidden to Vs upon this Day as it was to the Jews A. No it is not Works of Charity and Necessity may certainly be done upon it Friendly Visits and Entertainments may in a reasonable Measure be allow'd also Provided that neither the publick Service of the Church nor the Necessary Improvement of our Own private Piety be at all neglected thereby But as for all Works of Gain all such Allowances as are inconsistent with the Religious Design of the Day or may be apt to give Offence to any Good Men they ought without question to be avoided upon it Q. What is forbidden by this Commandment A. To neglect and profane the Sabbath Not to employ it to the Honour and Service of God much more to spend it in Idleness and Pleasure in Sin and Debauchery as too many wicked Persons are wont to do Q. Is there any Thing farther Required of Us in Order to the full Observance of this Commandment A. This only that we be careful not only to Sanctify the Sabbath day our Selves but to see that All who belong to Vs do likewise For for these also the Commandment tells us we are to answer In it Thou shalt Do no manner of Work Thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughter thy Man-servant nor thy Maid-servant thy Cattle nor the Stranger that is within thy Gates And since now the Piety of our Own Laws have provided for the better Observation of this Day we ought in Obedience to them as well as out of Conscience towards God not only to be careful of our Selves and Families but to bring all Others as much as in Us lies to a due Regard of It If not out of Duty towards Him whose Sabbath it is yet for Fear of that Punishment which the Civil Magistrate is to inflict on those who despise and profane it SECT XXVII Q. WHat do the Commandments of the Second Table Respect A. Our Duty towards Our Neighbour Q. What is the General Foundation of Our Duty towards Our Neighbour A. To Love Him as my Self and to Do to All Men as I would they should Do unto Me The One of which shews what that Inward Affection is which Every One ought to have for his Neighbour the Other how we ought to Regulate our Outward Actions towards Each Other Q. Is a Man Obliged in all Cases to Do all that for his Neighbour which he would desire his Neighbour should Do for Him A. Yes certainly provided the Rule be but Rightly Stated and duly Limited by Us Otherwise it
with Diligence with Attention with Fervour and with Perseverance Q. Are these Conditions so strictly Required by God that no Prayers are heard by Him which want any of Them A. That may not Generally be affirm'd There are great Inequalities in the Affections of the best Men in their Prayers Nor can Any avoid all kind of Wandrings and Disturbances in them Nay sometimes the best Christians may be the most distracted with vain Thoughts and melancholy Fancies in their Devotions That which is certain is this that Every Man ought to Pray as frequently as his Circumstances of Life will permit him and when he does pray ought to do it with the utmost Zeal and Attention that He is able to do Which having sincerely Endeavour'd he ought not to doubt but that God will Pardon his Infirmities in that as well as in the other Instances of his Duty and accept his Prayers and grant him his Desires Q. What are the Things which we ought to Pray for A. For those of this Life in General only unless it be on some special Occasions and with an intire Submission of our Selves to God's Will in whatsoever He shall please to Order for Us. But as to the Graces which are necessary for Us in Order to the Other Life we are to pray particularly earnestly absolutely and without any Qualifications because we know these Things to be always proper for Us to Ask and always Suitable to the Will of God to Give to Us. Q. At what Times ought We to Pray A. Continually and without Ceasing Not that we are to account our selves thereby Obliged to Spend our whole Time in Prayer but to look upon those Expressions to imply a constant daily Attendance upon this Duty the Frequency whereof must be left to Every One's State and Condition to determine Q. What is that General Proportion which Every Christian ought to observe in the Times of his daily Prayers A. If He has Opportunity for it and can have leisure so to do it were to be wish'd that He should come Every Day to the Publick Prayers of the Church But if this cannot be done He must at least every Day without fail Pray to God in Private Morning and Evening and if He has a Family he should every Day at some convenient Time Pray with that also in Order to the better keeping up a Sense of Religion in it Q. Do you think it to be a Matter of Necessary Duty to Pray Publickly with the Church A. In General it certainly is especially upon the Lord's Day and such Other Solemn Times of Prayer as both the Laws of the Realm and the Canons of the Church require of Us. As for the daily Prayers if we live in a Place where they are publickly Read and are not hinder'd by any necessary Business to come to Them I do not see how we can excuse our selves from usually joining to Them Q. Has our Saviour left Us any particular Direction how we should Pray A. He has left Us a Form of his Own Composing not only to be continually made Use of by Us but also to be a Pattern to Us after what manner We ought to put up our Own Addresses to God Q. In what does that Form chiefly direct Us to compose aright our Own Prayers A. It teaches us especially these Four Things First That we should make our Prayers short and pertinent as being most suitable both to the Wisdom and Majesty of God and to our Own Weakness and Infirmities Secondly That we should Pray for Others as well as for our Selves and that in our Private as well as our Publick Prayers Thirdly That we may pray for the Necessaries of this Life though our main Concern should be in our Prayers as well as our Endeavours after Those of the Other Fourthly That we should Pray to God ONLY and to Him as our Father through Jesus Christ our Lord. Q. Have you any thing Else to Observe from the Form of this Prayer A. This only that to Pray to God by a Set-form is so far from being a Thing either in its self Vnlawful or Injurious to the Holy Spirit that we see our Saviour himself has here given Us an Example for it as under the Law God was pleased in several Cases to direct the very Words in which he would be address'd to by the Jews SECT XXXIV Q. SAY the Lord's Prayer A. Our Father c. Q. What are the General Parts of this Prayer A. It is divided into Three General Parts * A Preface or Introduction * The Petitions and * A Doxology or Conclusion Q. What is the Preface to this Prayer A. Our Father which art in Heaven Q. Wherefore did our Saviour begin his Prayer with this Compellation of God Our Father A. To shew us that all our Hope of being heard or accepted by God is by vertue of that Relation wherein we stand to him in and through his Son Jesus Christ. Jo. xiv 6 No Man cometh unto the Father but by Me. Jo. xv 16 xvi 23 24. Verily Verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you Ask and ye shall Receive that your Joy may be full See Col. iii. 17 Q. Why was that Circumstance added Which art in Heaven A. To shew the Difference between Him and our Earthly Parents who sometimes are hard towards their Children and will not give them what they ask Oftentimes are not able to supply their Needs And in many Cases cannot tell what is best for them but either deny them when they ought to have given them what they desired or Give them when it would have been more advisable not to have done it Whereas our Heavenly Father is All-Merciful All-Powerful and All-Wise and by consequence liable to none of these Defects Q. What do you Learn from this Introduction A. To come to God with Great Assurance but with Great Reverence too Who as Our Father will not fail to hear his Children if they ask as they ought of him As he is a Heavenly Father can give us whatsoever we stand in Need of Q. Is God so in Heaven as our Earthly Fathers are upon Earth A. No by no means For God being infinite is every where present neither shut out of any Place nor Circumscribed by any But because God is pleased to shew himself in Heaven in the highest Excellencies of his Divine Majesty and Glory and is there attended by his Holy Angels therefore Heaven is consider'd as his Court and his Throne And we very properly direct our Prayers to God there where our Saviour sits to Intercede with Him for Us and where the Blessed Spirits attend upon him and fall down before him and worship him Q. Wherefore are we taught to say OVR Father A. Not as if God were not the Father of Every One of Us in Particular as well as of Us All in General or that We might