Reliligion Prov. 3.13 compared with 21.24 Qu. How must sleep be used An. Love it not least thou come to poverty Prov. 20.13 §. 2. The Magistrates Duty Quest What is the principal duty of the Magistrate An. To beautifie the house of God Ezra 7.27 a To advance True Religion and this belongs to all in Authority according to their place even from the King to the meanest Officer Qu. How must he carry himself among the people An. As a Minister of God for their good Rom. 13.4 Qu. How shall he procure it An. By being for the praise of them that do well and for the punishment of evil doers 1 Pet. 2.14 Qu. What kind of men are fit to be Magistrates An. Men of courage fearing God dealing truly and hating covetousness Exod. 81.21 §. 3. The Subjects Duty Qu. What is the Subjects duty An. To be subject for conscience-sake Rom. 13.5 b Knowing Magistracy to be Gods Ordinance Qu. What else An. To pray for Kings and all that are in Authority 1 Tim. 2.2 Qu. What besides Ans Not to curse the King so much as in a thought Eccl. 10.20 Qu. Is there any other duty An. We must not joyne our selves with them that are seditious Prov. 24.21 c These three last duties flow from the first subjection for Conscience-sake he that is so will pray will neither in heart curse nor in act rebell §. 4. The Ministers Duty Qu. What is the Ministers Duty An. To take heed to his Ministry that he hath received that he do fulfill it Col. 4.17 Qu. How may that be done An. Several wayes Qu. What is the first An. By watching continually over the flock Isa 62.9 Act. 20.28 Qu. What is the second An. By being diligent to know the state of his flock Prov. 27.23 d This Rule of Solemon may fitly applyed to this matter since every Minister is a Shepheard Qu. Why must he be carefull to know the state of his flock An. That he may pitty the ignorant admonish the unruly comfort the feeble minded bring again that was driven away Heb. 5.2 1 Thes 5.14 Ezek. 34.16 Quest What is the third An. By giving attendance to reading 1 Tim. 4.16 Qu. What is the fourth An. By not being entangled with the affairs of this life 2 Tim. 2.4 Qu. What is the fifth An. By being instant in preaching the Word 2 Tim. 4.2 and administring the Sacraments as occasion shall require Qu. What is the sixth An. By Catechising Gal. 6.6 Qu. How else An. By being an example to them that believe 1 Tim. 4.12 Qu. What is the punishment of a negligent Minister An. God will require the peoples blood at his hands Q. How many things are chiefly necessary for him that is to be a Minister An. Two First that he hold fast the Faithful Word Tit. 1.9 Secondly That he be able to exhort with wholesome Doctrine and convince them which gain-say it 1 Tit. 10. §. 5. The Peoples duty Qu. What is the peoples duty in regard of such a Minister An. The peoples duty hath five branches Qu. What is the first An. To obey and submit themselves Heb. 13.18 e To the soundness of Doctrine and power of Exhortation Qu. What is the second An. To have him in singular love â—nd to reverence him 1 Thes 5.13 Qu. What is the third An. To make him partakes of all â—heir goods Gal. 6.6 Qu. What is the fourth An. To pray for him that utterance may be given him that he may speak the word as it ought to be spoken Eph. 6.19 Col. 4.4 Qu. What is the filth An. To receice no accusation suddenly against him Tim. 5.19 f It was a direction given especially to Church-Rulers but may be applyed to private men Qu. Why must the people thus carry themselves to their Minister An. For three causes Qu. What is the first An. Because he worketh the Lords work 1 Cor. 16.10 Qu. What is the second An. Because he watches over their souls and must give an account thereof Heb. 13.17 Qu. What is the third An. Because otherwise he shall do his duty with grief which is unprofitable for the people Heb. 13.17 i The Lord seeing the grief of his soul will punish those that caused it §. 6. Houshold Duties Qu. What is the duty of the Master of a Family for matters of Religion An. To command his Children and and his houshold to keep the way of the Lord Gen. 18.19 k For this end he must have Religious Duties in his Family as Prayer Reading Catechising Holy Conference he must also bring them to the Ministry of the Word in the Publick Congregation Qu. What is his duty for outward things An. To make provision for those of his own Houshold 1 Tim. 5.8 Qu. What is the Wives duty in these things An. To be a help unto her husband Gen. 2.18 l Both in matters of Religion and in outward things Qu. What is the mans duty in regard of his Wife An. To dwel with her as a man of knowledge and to love her as his own body 1 Pet. 3.7 Eph. 5.28 Qu. What is the womans duty to her husband An. To submit her self to him as unto the Lord Eph. 5.22 Qu. How is that An. Willingly and chearfully in all lawful things Qu. What is his duty whom God hath made a Father An. To bring up his children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Eph. 6.4 Qu. What is the mothers duty Ans To nourish her Children and instruct them 1 Tim. 5.10 Prov. 31.1 Qu. What is the Masters duty in respect of his Servants (m) By Servants are meant those that are employed by us in our business whether they dwell with us or otherwise An. To do unto them that which is just and equall Col. 4.1 Qu. What is childrens duty to their Parents An. To obey them in the Lord Eph. 6.1 Qu. What is the reason to encourage them to it An. Fourfold Qu. What is the first An. Because it is right and equall Qu. What is the second An. It is well pleasing to God Col. 3.20 Qu. What is the third An. It is the first Commandment with promise Qu. What is the fourth An. That it may be well with them and they may live long in the Land Qu. What is Childrens duty to each other An. To see that they fall not out Gen. 45.24 Qu. What is the servants duty An. In singleness of heart and all good faithfulness to please their Masters yea though they be froward Ephesians 6.5 Titus 2.10 1 Pet. 2.18 §. 7. The Duty of single Persons Qu. What is required of Persons unmarried An. If they cannot abstain they must marry 1 Cor. 7.9 n It is a general Commandment appertaining to all sorts of men Qu. How must they marry An. Onely in the Lord 1 Cor. 7.39 o With Consent of Parents and with Care had of Religion §. 8. The Duty of Neighbours each to
true piety thou art at the same time an enemy to charity For the promoting therefore true piety in young persons and comers in I have offered my endeavours in the ensuing Discourse That if this present Generation after all their cultivating should bring forth no fruit nor admit of any melioration yet the seedlings and young plants might draw in a more benigne juyce and shoot up and bring forth more and better fruits It is a general complaint that Relations prove so bad and indeed to find a man faithful in all Relations is to find a rare Jewel Nothing more honours God and the Gospel then when those that profess it live up to the duty commanded them in their Relations as nothing dishonours God more shames the Gospel ruines families then undutifulness and unfaithfulness in Relations No plainer proof of our sincerity in our Religion then this is Thou canst not be a good Christian if thou art not a good Child a good Servant a good Master or Mistris a good Subject a good Husband or Wife The same God that commands to be a good Christian commands thee to fill up the duties of the other also as he calls thee to them and one great cause of the neglect of these duties and the decay of them is the neglect of Catechizing in private families which till it be conscientiously practised all publick preaching and chatechizing will be the less successful Vpon whose account soever the neglect of this doth lie I am sure it will not be found light one day and one mans omitting his duty will be no excuse then for thy neglecting thine I have here offered a plain short Catechisme of the heads of second Table Duties I made choice of this Authour as one who lies liable as I know of to no exception the Catechism having been reprinted several times with good approbation and also because his answers are for the most part the words of Scripture pertinently quoted and applyed Vpon which account as the duties herein pressed come with more authority so the learner is accustomed to Scripture phrases and language for want of which and the unbounded libertie many give to their fancy we have so many uncouth wild extravagant and offensive expressions even in Religious performances Which however weak ones may account the height of devotion yet riper judgments and sober Christians know them to be nothing else but the statulency of fancy I exhort thee therefore Christian Reader to hold fast the form of sound words get thy heart stocked with sound knowledge and take heed of phraseologie in Religion which is a minting and coyning new expressions and differencing our selves from others by an affected stile or form of speaking and making people believe we have attained more light then others when as indeed when these notions come to be examined and weighed in the ballance of Truth they are worth no more then the trash and trumpery that the Cardinals Sumpter horses carried a story so well known it needs but naming And this is all will be found among the Enthusiasts of this Age the Behmenists Paracelsians Familists c. Thus I have in brief with plainness of heart given thee an account of this Work which I shall pray to God may be acceptable to his people and successfull to their spiritual edification in Knowledge Faith Love and obedience Amen Thine in the Lord Jos Church The Christians daily Monitor To the performance of personal and relative Duties c. §. 1. Of Humility HUmility is a foundation grace to encrease this grace compare thy self With the brute creatures that have onely sense yet they keep the Law of their Creation With the fallen Angels that sin only against Gods power thou sinnest against his Grace With thy self What thou shouldest have been if man had not fallen what thou art now by sin what thou mightest have been if thou hadst not neglected thy duty With others inferiour in means superiour in growth that have fewer mercies and more thankfulness With the Holy Angels who serve God chearfully readily sincerely fervently constantly With Jesus Christ Who was meek and lowly in heart who for our sakes humbled himself and was obedient to the death of the Cross and then thou wilt abhor thy self in dust and ashes §. 2. The best Physitian Christ our heavenly Physitian exceeds all earthly Physitians in seven things 1. He never leaves any work behind him for others 2. He never undertakes any cure but he finisheth it 3. He doth all freely without desert in us or reward from us 4. There is nothing in him but hath a healing vertue in it his eye his lips his hand his blood his garments c. 5. He cures Nations as well as Persons 6. He cures Death as well as Diseases 7. He alwayes makes his Patients the better not only after but by their sickness Oh! I am sick of sin Lord shew thy Art One touch of thine will break and heat my heart O rare Physician that shedst thy blood And givest thy life to do poor sinners good §. 3. Successfull begging The way to be heard in prayer and not to loose our labour is 1. To ask in faith Mark 11.24 that is believing God is able and willing to bestow good things on us 2. To ask in sincerity for right ends Jam. 4.3 3. To ask fervently as Jacob who wrestled with God and prevailed Gen. 32.28 4. Seasonably while the door is open Isa 55.6 Seek the Lord while he may be found 5. Constantly pray continually 1 Thes 5.17 or without ceasing 6. Patiently Psal 40.1 He that can pray to God withall this cost Is sure his labour never shall be lost Who asks in sound faith zeal fixt patience And season alwayes hath sure recompence Stay not at one or two or four or five But get all six and then be sure thou 'lt thrive §. 4. The Heavenly care From Dr. H. There are five things considerable in that Promise he careth for you 1 Pet. 5.7 There are five things considerable in that Promise he careth for you 1 Pet. 5.7 1. God cares for his people when they think he doth not 2. He so cares for them as he cares for none else comparatively 3. He cares for them when none else care for them 4. He cares for them when those that should care for them neglect them 5. He cares with others to bless their care and make it successfull Q. But must Gods Children cast off all care A. No they must use a care of prudence and providence a Godly care but they must take heed of worldly immoderate heart-breaking heart-corroding distrusting care Martha with many things distracts her mind Mary in one thing all content doth find Lord cure my cares that I thy word may hear Lord choose for me the troubles I shall bear §. 5. The Dutiful Aid God hath in wisdome so framed our bodies that one part cannot say to another I have no need of thee So it is in the Political
behold thy Mother The fourth a word of sad complaint Mat. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me The fifth a word of want and distress Iohn 19.28 I thirst The sixth a word of triumph and gratulation Iohn 19.30 It is finished The seventh a word of perseverance Luke 23.46 Father into thy hands I commend my spirit Twenty Directions how to live well and dye well from these seven last words of Christ being the heads of several Sermons preached by Mr. E. C. B. M. 1. He that would live well and dye well must be much in prayer The first fourth seventh words are prayers 2. He must be well versed in the Book of Psalms the fourth and seventh words are out of it 3. He must forgive his Enemies and pray for them 4. He must have a care of relations and dispose of his worldly estate 5. He must do what he can to convert others 6. He must not abuse the example of the penitent thief to delay his repentance 7. He must believe the souls of the Godly go immediately upon their death to a Heavenly Paradise 8. He must thirst after communion with God and the enjoyment of God in Heaven Jesus Christ thirsted after our salvation 9. He must meditate of the soul and body sufferings of Jesus Christ what he suffered in his soul when he uttered the fourth word what he suffered in his body when he uttered the fifth word 10. He must so live as that he may upon good grounds call God Father The first word was Father forgive them The last word was Father into thy hands c. 11. He must take more care for hiâ— precious soul then his mortal body 12. He must believe that Christ hath finished all things necessary for hiâ— salvation in point of merit and satisfaction and that nothing is required of him but to testifie his thankfulness in a holy life â—3 He must believe on good grounds that Christ hath finished His Salvation O happy man that when he is breathing out his last can say my salvation is finished â—4 He must finish whatsoever is behind and to be done by him to fit him for heaven something we are to do and we must finish it not only begin well but end well â—5 He must fly in the time of tentation to Christs sufferings there is a great deal of comfort in that word it is finished â—6 He must stay himself on God in a time of darkness when there is no light Christ said My God we must not let go the faith of adherance though we want the faith of evidence â—7 He must remember Christ wore a Crown of Thorns that we mighâ— wear a Crown of Glory he was forsaken for a time that we might noâ— be forsaken for ever 18. He must believe that through many tribulations we may enter intâ— the Kingdom of Heaven A man maâ— from the Cross go to Heaven Chriâ— was Crucified between two thieveâ— and yet died gloriously 19. He must study the love of Christ iâ— suffering such a cursed death on thâ— Cross for his sins that he may bâ— able to say He loved me and gavâ— himself for me and rejoyce in nothing save in the Cross of Christ 20. He must after the example of Chriâ— commend his soul to Gods hands and remember Christ hath commended thy soul and my soul already intâ— the hands of God and when we dyâ— God will remember the deposituâ— left with him §. 11. The order a Christian is to observe in his walking every day with an answer to objections and encouragement to set about it 1. In the morning awake with God Psal 139.18 i. e. season thy mind with awful and thankful thoughts of Gods morning and evening mercies and lift up thy heart in some short mental prayer to God that he would help thee to renew thy resolution to walk with him 2. When thou art up as soon as conveniently thou canst betake thy self to prayer Private prayer should be the first thing we do The first hour is the Golden hour and by so doing thou mayest open thy heart to God and shut it against all sin For family prayer that is the fittest hour when all the family or the greatest part can most conveniently meet together and if thou art a servant take heed of voluntary neglecting family prayer Let it be some urgent occasion that hinders thee anâ— when thou canst not be there with thy bodily presence yet be sure thy affection be with them 3. After prayer and other religiouâ— duties performed Go to thy calling anâ— follow the works thereof as that statioâ— God hath set thee in with diligence conscience and chearfulness and be contented with thy calling though mean Be not like worldlings who do all with a greedy mind of getting But remember a Christian hath two Callings one general the other particular and he is a happy and wise servant that so minds his general as not to neglect his particular and so follows his particular Calling as he doth not neglect his general Usually the former have some tincture of hypocrisie and the latter are too much over-grown with covetousness Labour therefore to keep thy eye upon thy heart and upon the rule Do all in thy particular Calling with uprightness and faithfulness in wisdom and order referring the success to Gods blessing and labour to be armed with patience against crosses and losses In buying and selling take heed of lying and dissimulation covetousness and frowardness of multiplying words carelesly and of over-praising thy own wares when thou sellest and saying it is naught when thou buyest 4. When thou art alone look to thy heart and say Heart where art thou what art thou doing where hast thou been whither art thou going keep thy heart with all diligence Prov. 4.23 Keep it as a Guardian would do a rich Heir that hath many Suitors or as a General would do a Castle that was a key or in-let to the whole Country and in order to this remember five things 1. Observe the motions of it thy mind is thy self Be not a stranger to thy self God looks at the heart 1 Sam. 16.7 he delights in truth in the inward man Psal 1.6 2. When any good thoughts and holy motions come into thy soul as those that are truly good shall not find themselves long without them cherish and entertain them say as the Spouse It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh say Come in thou blessed of the Lord why standest thou without but iâ— evil motions arise let them not lodge with thee but chase them from thee 3. Employ thy heart and set it tâ— work The mind is a restless mill alwayes in motion Calvin prayed every day the devil might never find him idle If our hearts be doing nothing they will be doing evil like a garden if yoâ— do not sow good seeds will soon bâ— overun with weeds Remember Goâ— and Nature abhor idleness and the Devil watches for the idle hour 4.
Shechemites of Jacobâ— Sons These men are peaceable with us therefore let them dwell in the land Gen. 34.21 It is a question yet unresolved whether the persecutions oâ— enemies or the divisions of brethren have done the Church of God moâ— harm 4. Thou must walk charitably labour after a beneficialness in thy conversation to be profitable to men to bâ— publick spirited open handed to thâ— poor to be as Job was eyes to the blind to cloath the naked visit the sick defend the fatherless and widow This iâ— well pleasing to God these things arâ— good and profitable to men This is the way to adorn thy Conversation and to be a pattern of gooâ— works and without such things as these thy profession and religious performances will have no great lustre noâ— beauty 8. If God give thee prosperity and riches increase be not overjoyed with it Trust not in uncertain riches do not bless thy self in abundance as if thy happiness did stand in possessing or thou wert sure to have these things continued If we rejoyce exceedingly in the day of prosperity we shall grieve immoderately when the time of parting comes 9. Therefore prepare for adversity Thy Saviour hath commanded thee to take up thy Cross daily in preparation and expectation And Solomon hath told us We know not what a day may bring forth If adversity comes be not impatient murmur not against God if he cut short thy Estate but say with holy Job Shall I receive good things at Gods hand and not evil The Lord gives and the Lord takes blessed be his holy Name Job 1.21 c. 2.10 10. In Recreations which the necessity of Nature calls for and Religion doth not deny Look to thy self for it is easie stepping out of the use into the abuse of them See therefore 1. To the kind of them that they be lawful innocent and of good report as also that thy recreations be in offensive That which is in it self lawfuâ— may be in expedient Use no recreation that hath got an universal eviâ— report among Sober Godly Wise grave persons 2. To the time We should abridge ouâ— selves Recreations in times of Common Calamity to our Country or thâ— Church of God See also that it bâ— not on the Lords day which is to bâ— employed in Heavenly exercise Wâ— must not suffer them to thrust out Family duties or croud them up in â— narrow compass And finally seâ— that they take thee not off from the important works of thy Calling 3. To the place that it be not too publick and open to draw others to seâ— us who notwithstanding thy libertâ— may be offended or that it be not place of gusling and drinking where we may be drawn to excess 4. To thy Company that we sort our our selves as much as we can with Godly wise Christians 5. In the continuance of them Recreations as they should not be over frequent so they should not be over-long Make not thy by-work thy work Use them as sauce a little here is enough and enough may be too much and as the Proverb saith Too much of one thing is good for nothing 6. To the end of them which must be to refresh the outward man to benefit the inward man We must not play to play No man uses a whetstone but to put a keenness upon an Instrument Imitate the Primitive Christians of whom Tertullian gives this account We sit not down to eat till we have first prayed to God we eat so as to satisfie hunger we drink so as not to enflame lust we feast so as to remember we must go to prayer and come away as if we had been at â— watch rather then a feast 11. Be ready to every good work and constantly perform such holy dutie as God calls thee to and do not willingly omit them If God calls thee to hear his word and pray to him go to it that not out of form but out of a conscience of thy duty and a sense of thy wants get some time every day foâ— Meditation of Gods Word and Works and if thou art so barren thou canst noâ— find matter meditate of thy barrenness and humble thy soul for it 12. And now in the Evening take â— view of the former particulars and examine all how thou hast prayed how thou hast performed the works of thy Calling what hath come into thy thoughts what hath gone out of thy mouth how thou dost find thy self in prosperity and adversity how it hath been with thee at home and abroad alone and in company in recreations and in religious duties And herein deal faithfully with thy own soul If thou hast upon due enquiry into thy self found that thou hast kept this order in some good manner give God the praise and Glory If thou be conscious to thy self of any disorder blame and shame thy self beg pardon of God fly to the merits of Christ renew thy resolutions to walk with more watchfulness And as thou didst rise with God in the morning so close the day with him making thy peace with him that thou mayst rest in the arms of thy beloved and have good hope thou shalt go to heaven if thou should'st dye before the morning Objections against this daily order in our Conversation Obj. 1. O but saith the flesh this is more then needs more then God requires Ans But go and learn what that means to love the Lord with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind and with all thy strength and then thou wilt not say it is more then needs except thou thinkest there is no need to please God Obj. 2. But this will spoil all mirth to observe this order Ans It is nothing so these Rules observed will keep from nothing that is lawful delightful profitable thou mayest eat drink buy sell keep company recreate thy self onely it teaches thee to do these things without sin If there be no mirth but in sin then the Devil is the merriest creature in the world for he doth nothing but sin Obj. 3. But it is impossible to do this alwayes and this makes Religion a bondage Ans The love of God makes his Commandments not to be grievous when we first enter on it it seems harsh and hard not that it is so but it seems so because we have used our selves to so much liberty as a new garment is strait at the first putting on but after a little wearing it is easie Do not say Christs yoke is heavy and strait when he saith it is easie If God give thee a new heart thou wilt never complain of the difficulty of a new life The encouragements to observe this Order are these five 1. This will keep out many sins that overtake us for want of it The resolving against sin in the morning and prayer to God to strengthen that resolution are excellent helps to keep us from sin 2. It will preserve us from many troubles and sorrows which it doth by