the Heavens Brass and the Earth Iron or bring other severe judgements every considering man may clearly discern that the abounding Wickednesse of the Sons of Men have provoked the Giver of all Goodness to take his Mercy away and may well read in all his stroaks a loud call to repentance But further if men do but humble themselves under his hand and return from their evil wayes how graciously doth he return to his ordinary way of shewing Mercy Also if we do consider his governing the World it most wonderfully declares his infinite and eternal Being Take these instances first the Sun Moon and Stats keeping so constant a course ordinarily from Age to Age as also Day and Night Summer and Winter Seed-time and Harvest following each other in a setled course And if the Lord at any time alter the course of any of his Creatures as when the Sun and Moon stood still in Joshua's dayes and came back in Hezekiah's dayes ten degrees the Red-sea divided in Moses's dayes and the River of Jordan driven back or any like act done it alwayes was brought to pass at such times and for some such noble ends as that it did alway more abundantly preach forth the Power Grace Wisdom Justice and unspeakable Goodness of an Eternal God Quest But how know you that these wonderful Works were done Answ Manifest it is that in no age no not in this we now live in can any of the great Works of God get any credit in the world till they are manifest beyond all possibility of dispute therefore there can be no ground for a doubt Secondly Consider his Strength Wisdom and Goodness in governing the World so as that his poor People live in it It is most manifest to all that do consider it that of them that love and fear God and are the most conscionable in minding and observing his Word Works and Worship that they are very few few few in comparison of the multitudes numberless multitudes of blasphemous-Atheists Idolaters prophane unjust deceitful Covenant-breakers with other like workers of Iniquity all setting themselves with open mouth to devour this little Remnant and diging to Hell for deep Counsels to destroy them and yet for all their unjust and cunning policies and oft-times open violence exercised against them through the rich Goodness divine Wisdom and Providence of God they have never yet been rooted out of the Earth but although they have been almost blotted out with the rage and persecution of the World yet hath the Most High still preserved a little Flock of Lambs amidst a world of wolves who fain would but never yet could wholly devour them which plainly proves that there is a God that hath more Power Wisdom Goodness than all their Enemies have strength or malice who ever lives to take care of them Again the Signs that God often sheweth in the sudden and unexpected overturning of their Enemies from time to time is of a very convincing nature to prove that certainly there is a God that judgeth the Earth Quest Seeing you have proved the undoubted and certain Being of a God what is the next weighty Truth that stands in need of proof Answ The next Truth most needful to be cleared is the holy Scriptures to be the Words and Counsels of God Quest Is there any with us do deny them Answ Yes there is some do deny them and more would if fear or shame did not stop their mouths as appears by their works Quest What Books do you mean by holy Scriptures Answ The Writings of Moses and the Prophets till Malachies dayes committed to the antient Church of the Jews and received by them as also the Books of the New Testament from Matthew to the Revelation Quest And wherefore do you reject those Books commonly called Apocrypha do you think the Spirit of God had no hand in the writing of them Answ It seems too hard to conclude that those that wrote those stories had no Light or aid from the Spirit of God in the writing of them they might be good men and hand forth some truths and useful things as many doubtless have done both in former and latter Ages who although we may make good use of their Books yet may we not receive them as infallible Prophets writings but receive or reject or suspend our judgements as we see they agree or disagree with the Word of Truth and clear Reason or appear doubtful Quest But is there reason to take this liberty with those Books what are your grounds to doubt of their infallability Answ Clear it is that however there are good Counsels in some of those Writings yet they seem to be written by some Jews in or after the captivity when their light in all probability was much dimmed and not by the Prophets Also how far from the language and stile of the infallible Spirit of God those Writings are some of them is evident the Spirit of God useth not to acknowledge infirmity and a doing as well as he can for he is perfect and therefore doth nothing meanly Again as there be absurdities not fit to be put upon the holy Spirit as this for one to go about to make us believe the Devil will be frighted away with smoak so also there is one stark lie so rank that a fool may discern it the same person that saith in one place he is the Son of Ananias saith in another he is an holy Angel There be other exceptions I will not now spend time about these may suffice to let you see some ground wherefore I cannot own them to be of divine Authority Quest But how will you prove that those books known by the names of the Old and New Testaments are the infallible Words of God and so the safe Rule to lead men in the true Path of believing and obedience to Life everlasting Answ First They may be known by their noble stile as for example When you hear any persons express themselves judiciously acutely in excellent Language although you never saw them before yet may you safely conclude that they are persons of excellent breeding and quality although they should appear in never so mean a dress So may it much more be concluded concerning the Scriptures their dialect hath that Majesty Holiness Grace and high Wisdom in them most elegantly manifesting the perfections of a divine Being in them and declaring the judiciousness faithfulness and perfection of all his Intentions and Proceedings with the sons of men that it is not likely possible for any gracious considering man to call there Authority into question Secondly The blessed Intention and scope of them discover them to proceed from the holy Spirit all the Commandments Threatnings Promises Warnings Counsels Declarations contained in them unanimously tending to advance Godliness in the hearts and lives of men Thirdly The several Doctrines and points of Truth contained in them are so wisely and holily compacted standing in so sweet an Union together and so
Rom. 13.8 9 10. as also Jam. 2.8 9 10 11. how plainly doth he there call this Law the Royal Law and that this is the Law there intended plainly appears by his naming some of the Precepts of it expresly Quest But these two Texts Romans and James seem to look to the second Table more than the first must we understand the whole ten is there intended although not exprest Answ The whole Law is exprest truly in those Texts although not so largely handled the Apostles business being to apply the second Table to those present cases but Love belongs to God as wel as to our Neighbour and the second Table without the first cannot be every tittle of the Royal Law which yet appeareth more clearly if you consider that the way to prove our Love to men to be sincere is by our Love to God and keeping of his Commandments 1 John 5.2 3. And the Commands without limitation are said to be the whole duty of man Eccles 12.13 And David found the keeping of them all the only safe way of escaping shame Psal 119.6 And in Psal 111. how vehemently he presses the keeping of those Commands that are the work of God's hands which none were but only the ten Commandments Exod. 20. these he wrote twice himself Exod. 32.15 16. and Deut. 10.1 2 3 4 5. And how Moses exalted them above all other Laws of God see Deut. 4.10 11 12. Quest But can you by some further opening the point help our understandings that we may discern that the whole Scriptures do depend upon them Answ Very evident it is in Reason that this Law is of a Supream Authority for observe the judicial Law clearly dependeth upon it for it is a Law ordaining punishments for the transgressions of that higher Law And as for the Ceremonial Law it dependeth upon it plainly for it consisteth of shadows of Christ and the Grace that comes to the world by him who came to redeem us from the curse of that Law Gal. 3.13 Heb. 9.15 And from these and other-like Texts we may clearly see that the whole Gospel dependeth upon that Law also for it being transgressed by all mankind and no possibility therefore for any man to have life by the Law because it cursed every transgressor without Mercy and seeing all are gone out of the way and are altogether become abominable Psal 14. 53. and therefore no justification by the Law And therefore if God would be so gracious as to save man there lay this necessity upon him to give his Son to die and through his Blood to vouchsafe his Word Spirit and Ordinances and whatsoever tendeth to justifie or to sanctifie man and so to fit him for Eternal Life Likewise the whole Scriptures consisting of threatenings for sin committed against that Law or declarations of the judgements that have fallen upon the transgressors of that Law or promises of mercy to those that obey it or repent for breaking it or declarations of the blessings which they have had or shall have that love or observe it or some or other such head of Doctrine is held forth in the whole Scriptures fome way relating to that Law that what Doctrine soever we hear at any time that beareth not a good accord with that Law of the ten Commandments we are taught by the Prophet Isaiah to believe that that Teacher hath no light in him Isa 8.20 So that whosoever will but mind the Scriptures and exercise his reason may very well discern they all depend upon that Law Quest Will you shew us how they be the foundation of all Religion Answ First That which hath been said is a full proof that they be the foundation of all Religion for if they be the ground of all Reproof Exhortation Promises and whatsoever else is contained in the Scriptures then must they needs be the foundation of all Religion if Religion be to be learned from the Scriptures as sure it is and they be the Counsels and Words of God as they have been proved to be Quest But what if the Scriptures be the Words of God may nothing be learned from the Church is there nothing in her power to order in manner of God's Worship or the time of it is there no ceremony or custome lawful but what the Scriptures warrant Answ No nothing is lawful in God's Worship but his own certain Appointments He hath by an express Law bound us to hearken to his Word and neither add nor diminish Deut. 4.2 with many other-like Texts Object But are we not as well commanded not to forsake the Law of our Mother as to obey the Commands of our Father Prov. 1.8 6.20 and is not the Church our Mother Answ That Popish interpretation of those Texts appears to be Idolatrous and blasphemous the admitting the Church to be a law-making Mother if you compare it with the words of Christ Mat. 15.9 where the commandments of men although they were the Church are condemned for vain worship Also Paul tells us Christ is in all things head to the Church Ephes 1.22 and if that Apostle understood himself there can be nothing left for the Church to order or appoint in one kind or other about God's Worship but her work lies meerly in searching out what her Head by himself or by his Ministry hath appointed Quest Who account you Christ's Ministry Answ All the Pen-men of the holy Scriptures as well those that wrote the Old Testament as those that wrote the New as appears 1 Pet. 1.10 11 12. Quest Can you make it a little more plain to our understandings that the ten Commandments are the ground and foundation of all Religion Answ That I shall indeavour and for that end consider there must be a Law binding all men to the observance of God's Will before any sin can be committed and it must be a Law of such a nature as renders the whole world guilty before God according to Rom. 3.19 and no such Law can be found but the ten Commandments Quest Is it not more likely to be that Law written in the hearts of all men spoken of Rom. 2. that brings the whole world under guilt Answ True it is but that Law written in the heart is the very same Law as is plainly to be seen in that 2d to the Rom. 14 15. and so to the end of the Chapter The very same Law that the Jews boasted of and preached and shall be judged by it is that that is writ in the heart and may be discerned by the Light aforded to natural men And the Gentiles come up to a more close obedience of than the Jews and so have more praise of God and be in his account the better Jews the only difference is the one hath it written in letters easie to read the other only as it is written in the heart but the Law is the very same that is given both to the one and to the other Quest Was there no Religion in
Religion 〈…〉 with 〈◊〉 Law therefore as we love Religion and would see it prosper let uâ— be tender of the root Our Saviour tells us not one jor or tittle shall pass from this Law and that he that breaketh one of the least of them shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 5.18 19. And James will not allow the breach of it in one point but requires the fulfilling of it Jam. 2.8 9 10 11. Quest Doth the Law stand in the same force and power now as when it was at first given because the Scriptures speak of it as old and done away dead to us and we to it with such-like expressions which make some think it doth not continue to be a Rule of life Answ First The Law continues the same in it self for ever and is an everlasting Rule of Godliness and Righteousness to all Generations as hath been proved nevertheless the Law hath no power to help our distresses which we lie in now since the Fall but our help cometh by our Lord Jesus alone As for example It cannot justifie us not sanctifie us look Rom. 3d 4th 7th chapters with many more Texts like them It cannot now give us life although once it was ordained for that purpose but it is now become the Ministration of Condemnation a killing letter out of whose power there were no escaping were not its cursing Office taken out of its hands by Jesus Christ look Rom. 7. 2 Cor. 3. with other-like places but I cannot now stand to discourse this at large it would require a Book of it self nevertheless I was willing to give thee a little hint or notice of these things to preserve thee from stumbling at this holy Law as many blind and ignorant souls do who will not have it at all that because it will not serve them therefore they will not have it cendemn them nor shew them their sin but this Office it will have in the world to the end of it Rom. 3.20 Quest If the whole and every tittle of the Law be for ever binding then the fourth Command must be binding also and that almost all men are against some think it abolished and that we are bound to keep no Sabhath at all others think it partly moral and partly ceremonial others think the Church had power to change it others think the Apostles and Church in their dayes changed it others think that a seventh part of time at the will and pleasure of man is sufficient instead of it Answ I answer in the words of the Prophet The Lord knoweth the thoughts of men that they are vanity Psal 94.11 for there is no ground for any of these thoughts but the fourth Command is like its fellows given at the beginning of the world and endures as long as the world endures Quest Will you speak a few words to prove its Perpetuity in particular Answ That I shall but seeing there are so many Treatises extant of so many Authors some dead and some living that have so fully proved it and answered all objections I shall say the less Brayborn Ocford Spitlehouse Stenit with many others I omit to name now yet notwithstanding I shall say something heat First It was given in a day of Innocency even the very first whole day of Adams being in the world which is enough to deliver it from all suspition of being ceremonial or changeable but a sanctified season to worship God in and to commemorate the Work of Creation for ever Quest The second of Genesis speaks of God's resting upon it and sanctifying it but is it plain that he gave it to Adam and so to the world Answ For answer to this when God sanctified the Sabbath it must be for Adam or for himself now it is so sorded to say or to think that he sanctified a Rest for himself that one would think that no man that is in his right mind would once imagine it As for outward Rest he cannot want Isa 40.28 and for inward Sanctification he can have as little want of that for who that owneth a God will not confess him to be perfect now if he had no need to sanctifie it for himself he did it for Adam or for no use at all but to judge him so vain in his actions is too great blasphemy for any to affirm that hath his reason and doth but use it Quest Have you any thing more to strengthen this proof Answ Yea when the Lord gave it with the other nine in the 20. of Exodus he placed it in the midst of his Law and wrote it with his own hand and put it into the Ark with its fellows and fenced it about with more Reasons to preserve it from violation than he did all the other six Commands following it and all those Reasons are of a moral nature not one of them otherwise so that here is no occasion given of mens so stumbling at it as they do but that the Duty is spiritual and mens hearts carnal and they love to be ruled by the flesh Quest But is there not ground to judge the Sabbath ceremonial from that 2d of the Colossians Answ Not at all if men did with care read and consider the Scriptures for evident it is that besides the New Moons and holy Dayes of which there were many there were four ceremonial Sabbaths in the seventh Month as appears Levit. 23.24 32 39. which if considered men would be wiser than to imploy that Text in that unworthy Service to take away the Seventh-Day-Sabbath especially seeing the Sabbaths there mentioned are of the nature of the New Moons holy Days shadows of things to come but the Seventh-Day-Sabbath appointed to commemorate the great Work past But further when God declared his ten Commandments in 〈…〉 of â—ny Sabbath but the Seventh-Day burgiveth his People in this Command as free leave to work the six dayes as if he never intended any other Sabbath should be kept at all and yet by Moses shortly after giveth command for them also All which sheweth plainly the difference between these two sorts of Sabbaths the one to contitute a Law for ever the other a shadow till the time of Reformation only Quest Seeing it is so opposed in the world speak one word or two more for its confirmation Answ Our Lord Jesus hath in the Now Testament sufficiently confirmed it First in general By telling that the Law in which the Sabbath is included shall remain in every jot and tittle of it till Heaven and Earth pass away and till all things be fulfilled now we know many great things spoken of in the Law and Prophets are not yet fulfilled neither is Heaven and Earth in any sence passed away and therefore the Sabbath must remain by that Rule without the diminishing of one tittle of it Mat. 5.17 18 19 20. these Texts are of a like import with that already named Luke 16.17 18. Jawes 2.8 10 11. Rev. 11.19 and 12.17