Conclusion of the Lords Prayer A. For thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever Amen Q. What doth the Conclusion of the Lords Prayer teach us A. It teacheth us to take our encouragement in Prayer from God only Q. Is this an encouragement to us in Prayer that the Kingdom or Rule or Soveraignty is Gods and therefore he may give us what he pleaseth A. Yes Q And that the Power is Gods and therefore he can do according to and above all our necessities let our case be what it will A. Yes Q. And that the Glory belongs to God and therefore we are encouraged from the glorious excellencies of his nature to expect and for the furtherance and promoting of his own honour to desire the fulfilling of our requests A. Yes Q. What else doth the Conclusion teach us A. It teacheth us in our Prayers to Praise him or to joyn praises to our Prayers by ascribing Kingdom Power and Glory to him only 1 Chron. 29. 11 12 13. Q. And is Gods Kingdom Power and Glory then the matter both of Gods praise and of our encouragement A. Yes Q. Is God praised by us in our ascribing all Kingdom Power and Glory to him and in extoling his excellencies and Prerogatives A. Yes 1 Tim. 6. 15 16. Q. How long must we thus glorifie and praise God A. For ever Q. And why do we say Amen as the Conclusion of this and of all our Prayers A. In testimony of our desire and assurance to be heard Q Is that then the meaning of our saying Amen in the close of our Prayers So let it be and so it shall be as such phrases imply both earnestness in desiring and confidence of speeding A. Yes The Creed I Believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth And in Iesus Christ his only Son our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was Crucified dead and buried he descended into Hell the third day he rose again from the dead he ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead I believe in the Holy Ghost the holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints the forgiveness of Sins the Resurrection of the Body and the Life Everlasting Amen The Ten Commandments Exodus 20. GOD spake all these words saying I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the House of Bondage 1. Thou shalt have no other Gods before me 2. 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 Earth Thou shalt not bow down thy self to them not 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 3. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain For the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain 4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy Six daies shalt thou labour and do all thy work 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 Cattle nor thy Stranger that is within thy Gates For in six daies the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the Seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it 5. Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy daies may be long upon the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee 6. Thou shalt not Kill 7. Thou shalt not commit Adultery 8. Thou shalt not Steal 9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy Neighbour 10. Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours House thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours Wife nor his Man-Servant nor his Maid-Servant nor his Ox nor his Ass nor any thing that is thy Neighbours The Lords Prayer Matth. 6. OVR Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our Debts as we forgive our Debtors And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil For thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever Amen Acts 8. 30. Understandest thou what thou readest GOD avouched Israel to be his peculiar people In Iudah is God known his Name is great in Israel God erected a partition-wall between the Jew and the Gentile but Christ took it down And now in every Nation be that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted with him And this Ethiopian Eunuch although of the Line of cursedâ— Ham becomes a Believer upon Philip's Preaching to him Jesus We see how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called Yet there are some of the most Noble and Officers of great honour and trust whom God is pleased to call over to himself Of this chosen and royal Priesthood whom God called out of darkness into his marvellous light were David Solomon Iehâ—shaphat You may read David's conquests 2 Sam. 8. and 10. Chapters Solomon's honour 2 Chron. 1. 12. How the Realm of Iehoshaphat was quiet for his God gave him rest round about 2 Chron. 17. 6. and 20. 30. And you see of what Authority this Eunuch was under Candace Queen of the Ethiopians Verse 27. The Law is our School-master to bring us unto Christ Yea even Proselytism it self is here an Introduction to such a blessing Philip had a Vision and therein an Angel from Heaven spake unto him to go towards the South unto the way that goeth down from Ierusalem to Gaza which is desart where he light on the Ethiopian Eunuch Vers. 26 27. And finding him studious of the way of God reading the Evangelical Prophet vers 28. by prophetick divine efflation or revelation he is directed to go near to the Chariot and speak to him vers 28. The which he did with the greatest readiness running to the Chariot and there hearing him read Esaias the Prophet said to him in the words of the Text Vnderstandest thou what thou readest Which words we may call the Deacons serious profitable question to the Eunuch with set purpose according to the guidance of Gods Spirit to be an Interpreter unto him The division of the words would be more curious than useful That every sincere serious Christian that doth in good earnest look after the Salvation of his Soul will diligently read the holy Scriptures is here to be supposed
extraordinary success it hath in the world which will convince a very Infidel that it is the very Word of God Q. What is the first witness of the Spirit A. 1. Antecedently The Spirit of Prophecy Q What mean you by that A. A continuance of wonderful Prophecies foretelling things to come so long before marked with their circumstances not doubtful like the Oracles of the Heathen or Merlins Prophecies but such as expressed the things and Persons by their Names which had all in their times their certain performance and therefore unto what can we attribute these infallible Predictions but to the inspiration of God Q. What is the second witness of the Spirit A. 2. Constitutively or inherently The Image and superscription of God as Coin is known by the Image and superscription it beareth or that unimitable character of Divinity not only imprinted on it but intrinsecally animating and constituting it Q. Wherein is the Image and superscription of God or that unimitable character of Divinity which animates and constitutes this Doctrine apparent A. It is apparent in the matter and the method and the stile Q. How is the Image of God apparent in the matter A. 1. As this Doctrine contains supernatural verities such Divine and wonderful Truths as could never enter into the heart of man to conceive them and the things the very Angels desire to look into Q. Declare this by some particular Instances A. It explicates unto us the Nature Properties and high Acts of God purely and holily 2. It describes the Person of Christ so fitly excellently and conveniently that if the mind of man consider it attentively it must acknowledge it doth exceed the reach of a finite understanding 3. It discovers to us the corruption and misery of man by nature the incomprehensible Love of God in Iesus Christ towards man that happy reconciliation if we may so speak of his Iustice and Mercy by his infinite wisdom ordaining Iesus Christ to be our Mediator 4. It unfolds the Covenant of Grace which God made with man after his fall all which can be drawn from no Fountain but Divine Revelation 5. It teacheth also the whole Duty of Man having Statutes and Iudgements incomparably wise and good the Gentiles themselves being Iudges Q. How is the Image of God apparent in the Method A. 2. As the Method of the whole Doctrine of the holy Scriptures set together is the most admirable and perfect in the world beginning with God in unity of essence proceeding to his Trinity of essential active Principles and of Persons and so to his Trinity of works Creation Redemption and Regeneration great things past finding out and wonders without number and all chiefly with special relation to mankind both in the estate of Innnocency and Apostasie Q. And how is the Image of God apparent in the stile of this Doctrine A. 3. As it is spiritual powerful and divine suited to holy ends and to the world of Persons to whom it is sent who are commonly ignorant and unlearned and so more generally useful than any other Doctrine in the world But withal containing such weighty concerning truths and profound mysteries as will belong to the most learned and to them that are of full age even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil Rom. 7. 12 14. Gal. 5. 19 to the end 1 Pet. 2. 11 12. Rom. 13. 13 14. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. 11. and Matth. 5 Psal. 19. 7. 1 Cor. 1. 18 23 24. Psal. 119. 50. Joh. 6. 63. Acts 6. 10. Jam. 1. 21. 1 Thes 1. 5. and 2. 13. 1 Cor. 15 32 33 34. Mal. 2. 15 16. Matth. 19. 4 5 6. and 22. 25 31. 1 Tim. 1. 5 12. Psal. 19. 8 9. and 119 9 10 11. Joh. 7. 48 49. Luk. 1. 78 79. Matth. 4. 16. 2 Pet. 1. 19. Acts 9. 15. with 26. 17 18. Q. What is the third Witness of the Spirit A. 3. Concomitantly The Multitude of evident uncontrolled Miracles wrought for this very end to confirm it Miracles being the effect of Gods own power and the Seal and Signet that may be set upon no other Doctrine than that of the holy Scriptures will convince any that are not willfully blind that these two Taâ—les of Testimony the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament as those Tables of Stone were written with the finger of God and were of divine Authority Q. But the gift of Miracles is ceased A. Although it be yet 1. The History of them is so certain from natural Principles that its unpossible there should be any deceit about them And 2. There need not be new Miracles to confirm the former and oblige men to believe them Q. Why so A. For then there must be mâ—re Miracles to confirm those and so on to the end of the world and then God could not govern the world by a settled Law which 〈◊〉 both absurd and blasphemous Q. What therefore is the fourth Witness A. 4. Subsequently The success of the Doctrine of the holy Scriptures to the Regeneration of a great part of the world is a surviving witness to the end of the world of its divine Authority Q. Of what use is this Testimony A. Of great use Q. Why so A. For he that is not able to examine the History which reports the Miracles to him may be able to find upon his Soul the Image of God imprinted by the Gospel and to know that the Gospel hath that in it self which it imprints upon others and that it cometh from God which leadeth men so directly to God And it is certainly Gods own means which he blesseth to so great and excellent ends Q Can we receive sufficient direction from our own Wisdom or the Light of Nature to come to glorifie and enjoy God A. No Q. Can we receive sufficient direction from Gods works of Creation and Providence A. No Q. Are not the Apocryphal Books Scripture nor any other but the Books of the Old and New Testament A. No. Q. Are not the Traditions of the Church to be received with equal reverence to the holy Scriptures A. No Q Must we call no man Father or Master upon the Earth A. No for one is our Father which is in Heaven and one is our Master even Christ. And all Christians being taught of God by Christ are appointed to acknowledge no Father or Master upon the Earth Q. Is there not an infallible Judge of Controversies upon the Earth A. Christ and none else hath Aâ—thority to give Laws unto us and punish the refractory And it is not for any Man living upon the Earth to impose Observances where Christ hath given liberty Q. What would you say to such as should require you to follow the Judgement of Fathers Councils and learned Divines when you find it not agreeable to Scripture A. To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to
AN Explicatory Catechism OR AN EXPLANATION OF THE ASSEMBLIES SHORTER Catechism WHEREIN Those Principles are enlarged upon especially which obviate the great and growing Errors of Popery useful for those Families that desire to hold fast the Form of sound words Aug. lib. 15. de Trin. Cap. ult Domine Deus quaecunque dixi de tuo agnoscant tui Siqua de meo tu ignosce tui London Printed for Henry Mortlock at the Phoenix in St. Paul's Church-yard and White-Hart in Westminster Hall 1675. To the Christian Reader especially Heads of Families THose Catechisms may very well be esteemed the best which are Explanatory of the Creed ten Commandments and the Lords Prayer because these Summaries or Abstracts contain the Essentials of the true Religion or those choice truths which God would have us take extraordinary notice of in our course of reading the holy Scriptures And therefore those that begin with Catechizing begin the most easie and profitable way for any because the weightier matters of the Law are not hard to be understood and such words being Spirit and Life and the very marrow of Christianity must needs feed and nourish us up unto eternal life I have fixed my thoughts upon the Assemblies shorter Catechism because the Principles in it are mostly agreed upon by all sober intelligent unprejudiced Protestant Divines You have also something of the nature of the two Covenants superadded to or rather enlarged upon more particularly and expresly than in the Catechism And because Catechisms ought to contain nothing but received truths you have mostly the Explication of Antient and Modern Divines And therefore where you meet with any thing that is not so elaborate and exact you may conclude it mine and not theirs Hearing occasionally a Discourse of a very learned and godly Divine out of Deut. 6. 6 7. And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children c. who recommended to Parents with the greatest earnestness the work of Catechizing I shall make bold to transcribe a part of it and offer it to publick view You shall have 1. His Reasons to prove that Parents ought diligently to Catechize or teach their Children Servants also included 2. His Answers to the Objections against it And 3. The Motives he laid down to provoke and stir up all Parents to this necessary duty 10. Reasons for the proof of it 1. Every man ought to promote the Glory of God to advance the Kingdom of Christ and to further the Salvation of others as far forth as they are able and have opportunity to it And can we effect these any better way We pray Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come thy will be done Surely the coming of Christs Kingdom into our hearts is one way of his Kingdom 's coming 2. God hath set Parents in Authority over them and they cannot improve it to better purpose This is the most ancient Government Before there was King or Common-wealth there was Parental Government This being most ancient afterwards was the Priest and Prophet God hath laid a command upon Children to obedience in the fifth Commandment Ephes. 6. 1. Only Dignity requires duty improve your authority for God and use it to instruct your Household in the Word of God Do not think you have done till you have done this 3. Even nature it self dictates thus much The Birds and Beasts of the field yea the Sea-monsters take care of their young ones If you do nothing but feed and cloath your Children you do no more than Heathens nay than brute beasts 'T is said of the Ostrich Job 39. 16. that she is hardened against her young ones as though they were not hers And what do ignorant Parents less who are hardened against their own Children who are parts of themselves 4. Children have Souls to be saved or damned therefore some must take care of them and the soul that sinneth must die We see Children die as well as Aged persons In Golgatha there are Skulls of all sorts Yea do but look into the Register of a Parish and you shall see as many young as old have died in it Children may die and what if they die without knowledge in their sins better were it with those Children mentioned 2 Kings 2. 23 24. than these Isa. 27. 11. 2 Thes. 1. 7 8. Thus unchastised Children shall suffer but the Parents shall not go Scot-free If you would have them profit by the publick Ministry you must Catechize them at home To bring them to the publick before they be thus Catechized is setting before them an hard loaf You must give them milk at home that they may be fit for higher truths in publick 5. Your Children are Children of wrath and you have been instruments to conveigh this to them They die and that proves this When your Children are sick you forthwith go to the Physitian and will you take no care of their Souls inheriting their spiritual maladies from you You may say as David to Abiathar 1 Sam. 22. 22. I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy Fathers house 6. What will become of Religion in future Ages if Parents neglect this duty at present If all Parents were as careless as some the Church of God would soon cease on the earth Isa. 38. 19. The Father to the Children shall make known thy truth Psal. 78. 3 4. Which we have heard and known and our Fathers have told us We will not hide them from their Children shewing to the Generation to come the praises of the Lord. If we do not teach our Children how should they teach theirs It was above two thousand years before the Scripture was written how then was piety preserved but by one Generation teaching another Adam taught his Children The sacrificing of Cain and Abel's piety therein were both the fruit of Adam's teaching Noah taught his Children to Abraham and he taught his houshold Isa. 1. 9. Except the Lord of Hosts had left unto us a very small Remnant we should have been as Sodom and we should have been like unto Gomorrah We should have been as Heathenish as Paganish as they 7. God is highly pleased with piety in younger ones The Lord had respect to Abel the younger and Enoch of all the Patriarchs before the Flood the youngest is said to please God How was God pleased with the piety of Samuel and Josiah And we read of Jehojachin that began very young to Reign and did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord 2 Kings 24. 8 9. God takes notice of the evil as well as the good Children might sing Hosanna as well as cry bold-head if they were taught Iesus said Mat. 19. 14. Suffer little Children and forbid them not to come unto me for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven Of such not untaught Children 8. You cannot expect the blessings of the Covenant except yâ—u teach them