should be Able to fulfil might yet much better and more prudently have been let alone * By Vowing any thing for a long time to Come it may be for One's whole Life and of our future Capacity to make Good which hereafter we cannot at the present judge And lastly * By accustoming our selves to Vow frequently which must necessarily expose Us to the hazard of not performing our Vows Q. Is it not then Good to make Vows at all A. There is no doubt to be made but that a Vow duly Regulated is not only Lawful but Acceptable to God But then that it may be so we should take heed 1st Not to Vow upon every Occasion but when we have some considerable Motive to engage Us to the doing of it 2dly To see that what We do Vow be in its self Good fit for Vs to Vow and for God to Accept 3dly That we be sure not to Vow any thing but what we are in a Capacity to fulfil Eccles. v. 4 5. When thou Vowest a Vow unto God defer not to pay it for He hath no pleasure in Fools pay that which thou hast Vowed Better is it that thou shouldst not Vow than that thou shouldst Vow and not Pay Q. When do we take God's Name in Vain in Praying A. * When we pray without minding what we are about * When we pray for such things as we ought not to pray for * When in our Prayers we use vain Repetitions of God's Name without Need and against Reason But especially when we join the Name of any Creature with that of God in our Prayers as the Papists in many or rather most of their Prayers do Q. Are there not Other ways of taking God's Name in Vain besides those we have hitherto spoken of A. There are several Other ways * By profane Cursing as well as Swearing * By any light and unfitting Vse of God's Name in our Common and Vain Conversation * By all lewd Atheistical Discourse * By Blaspheming or speaking Reproachfully of God or his Religion * By murmuring against him * By Ridiculing Abusing or otherwise Profaning his Holy Word * By Despising or Exposing his Ministers upon the Account of their Function and as they stand Related to him * By an Irreverent Behaviour in his Publick Service in the Use of his Prayers and Sacraments In short * By a Contemptuous treating of any thing in which his Name and Honour are concern'd Q. What does this Commandment positively Require of Us A. To Honour God's Holy Name and Word To employ our Tongues to his Praise and Glory Never to make mention of God or of any thing which Relates to Him without a Religious Reverence And to Use our Utmost Endeavour upon all Occasions to keep up the Reputation of Religion and the Respect which is due to Holy Things for the sake of God and as they have a Relation to Him Q. What is the Sanction wherewith God has enforced this Commandment A. It is this that the LORD will not hold Him Guiltless that taketh His Name in Uain Q. What do you Understand thereby A. That He will severely Punish such Sinners and not suffer his Name to be Profaned by Them without bringing some Exemplary Vengeance upon them for such their Presumption Q. If this be so how comes it to pass that such Persons oftentimes escape without any such Exemplary Mark of God's Vengeance against Them A. We are not to call God to Account for his Actions It is enough that he has assured Us that He will not hold such Persons Guiltless And that therefore every such Sinner must either Repent in a very singular manner of his Offence in taking God's Name in Vain or he shall assuredly be punish'd with an extraordinary Severity for it It may be in this present Life but without all question in that which is to Come SECT XXVI Q. WHat is the last Commandment of the First Table A. Remember that thou keep Holy the Sabbath-Day c. Q. What do you mean by the Sabbath-Day A. The Commandment it self explains it 'T is a Seventh Day of Rest after Six of Work and Labour Six Days shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast to do but the Seventh Day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God In it thou shalt do no manner of Work Q. Wherefore did God establish a Seventh Day of Rest after Six of Work and Labour A. In memory of his having Created the World in Six Days and on the Seventh Day Rested or Ceased from Creating it And to keep up thereby the Memory of his being the Creator of the World and to engage Mankind solemnly to acknowledge and Worship Him as such For in Six Days the LORD made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that is therein and Rested the Seventh Day wherefore the LORD Blessed the Sabbath-Day and Hallowed it Q. Was this Command given by God to Mankind from the beginning of the World A. So Moses tells Us Gen. ii 2 And it is not to be doubted but that accordingly such a Sabbath did continue to be Observed so long as any Sense of true Religion Remained upon the Earth Q. How then did it become Needful for God to Renew it again in this Place A. As it was needful for him to Renew many Other Precepts which yet were certainly both given by him and Observed in the World long before No body doubts but that Adam and his first Descendents both knew and worshipped the True God Yet this was provided for again Now. So immediately after the Floud the Law against Murder was solemnly promulged Gen. ix 6 Yet nevertheless the same Command was here again Repeated As for the Case before Us as Men lived farther off from the Creation and Wickedness prevailed over the Face of the Earth and the true Worship of God was corrupted by almost a Universal Idolatry so was the Solemn Day of his Worship neglected likewise And tho' it may have in some measure been received after the Floud and continued in some part of Abraham's Family yet in their Aegyptian Slavery it was utterly abolish'd and the very memory of it seems to have been lost among them Q. When did God Renew this Command to Them A. Presently after their passing thro' the Red Sea Exod. xvi when he began to give the Manna to Them For then he commanded them to gather it every Morning Six Days but on the Sixth Day to provide a double Quantity for the next Day because that thereon they should keep the Sabbath to the LORD and no Manna should fall or be Gathered upon it Q. On what Day of the Week did that Sabbath-Day fall A. On that which They from thenceforth Observed for their Sabbath-Day and which answers to our Saturday Q. Was that the same Day on which God Rested from the Creation and which He had before Commanded Adam to keep in memory of it A. That we cannot tell By the Providence of
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
more comprehended in this Article with relation to God the Father A. This only That as God at the Beginning thus Created All things so having Created them he has ever since continued to Support and Preserve them Heb. i. 3 And that so particularly that there is not the least thing in the World to which his Providence does not extend it self Mat. vi 26.30 x. 29 30. Q. How do you profess to Believe all this of God A. Because though some part of it might have been discover'd by Natural Reason and accordingly was found out by the Wiser Heathens yet the full and perfect Knowledge of all this is due to Revelation And by the Accounts we have of these things in the Holy Scriptures we both more clearly Understand Them and are more firmly perswaded of the Truth of Them SECT VIII Q. WHAT does the Second Part of your Creed contain A. It contains a short Summary of all Such things as are Necessary to be known and believed by Us concerning our Lord and Saviour JESVS CHRIST Q. How is He here described to Us A. By his Person his Office his Relation to God and to Vs. And in Iesus Christ his only Son our Lord. Q. How is his Person set out in this Article to Us A. By the Name Which he went by whilst He was upon Earth JESVS Q. How came our Saviour to be called by that Name A. He was so called by the express Command of God deliver'd by an Angel first to the Blessed Virgin Luk. i. 31 and then to Joseph Mat. i. 21 Q. Is there any particular Significancy in that Name that should move God in such an Extraordinary manner to give it to Him A. There is For it denotes a Saviour and was given by God to our Blessed Lord to shew that He was to be the Saviour of the World and that No other was to be so Mat. i. 21 Thou shalt call his Name Jesus for He shall Save his People from their Sins Acts iv 12 Neither is there Salvation in any Other for there is none other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be Saved Q. How was this Jesus to Save the World A. By delivering Us both from the Power and from the Punishment of our Sins and by putting us in a way of attaining unto Everlasting Salvation Tit. ii 11 c. Rom. vi 4 5 c. Q. What is the Title given to our Blessed Lord with respect to his Office Q. He is called CHRIST which is the same in Greek that MESSIAS is in Hebrew or Syriac And is as much as to say the Anointed Joh. i. 41 We have found the Messias which is being interpreted the Christ. Joh. iv 25 I know that Messias cometh which is called Christ. Q. Why had our Saviour this Title given to Him A. To shew that as by the Ceremony of Anointing heretofore God consecrated Those whom he called to some certain Offices so was this Jesus to be separated though not by a Visible Vnction yet by the Invisible Power and Grace of the Holy Spirit for all those Offices to which Men were Anointed by God's Command under the Law Act. x. 38 God Anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with Power Q. What were those Offices to which Men were consecrated by the Ceremony of Anointing under the Law A. They were chiefly Three to the Office of a Prophet a Priest and a King Q. Was our Saviour to be consecrated to All These A. He was and that by express Prophecies before his Coming into the World See Psal. xlv cx Deut. xviii 15 18 c. Isa. ix 6 lxi 1 Q. How did God Anoint him to these Offices A. The Holy Ghost came upon him and God by a Voice from Heaven declared him to be his Son and commanded all the World to Hear him Mat. iii. 16 17. And he Received the Spirit without Measure for the Discharge of all of Them Joh. iii. 34 Q. You say that God before Prophesy'd of such a Christ Did the Jews know that He had done so A. Yes and at that very time that Christ came into the World they Generally expected the coming of Him Mat. xi 2 Joh. iv 25 vii 31 Luke iii. 15 Q. How then came it to pass that They did not more readily Receive Him A. Because they had flatter'd themselves with the Expectation of a temporal Prince who should deliver them from their Enemies and Restore again the Kingdom unto Israel And therefore they could not bear the disappointment of Receiving such a Messias as our Saviour professed himself to be Luke xxiv 21 Act. i. 6 Q. What Security have we that this was indeed the Messias of whom Moses and the Prophets Spake A. The Greatest that can be Imagin'd a He came at the exact Time that the Messias was to Come a Gen. xlix 10 Malach. iii. 1 Dan. ix 25 26. He descended of the Tribe out of which the Messiah was to proceed Gen. xlix 9 10. Isa. xi 1 10. comp Mat. i. Luk. iii. He was born at the Place where the Messias was to be born Mich. v. 2 Mat. ii 1 He was conceived of a Virgin as the Messias was to be conceived Isa. vii 14 Mat. i. 25 Luk. i. 27 34. Besides all which he had such extraordinary Witness born to him as is not to be Gain-said God raised up a Singular Fore-runner to prepare the Way for him Being come into the World He Own'd him by a Voice from Heaven to be his Son Mat. iii. 17 He himself wrought such Miracles as no One ever did Joh. vii 31 He empower'd his Disciples to work the Same Miracles in his Name and for the Confirmation of his Authority Mat. x. 7 8. Mark xvi 17 18. Being put to Death at the Instigation of the Jews He was by God raised again the Third Day from the Dead and in the presence of his Disciples visibly taken up into Heaven where he now sitteth at the Right-hand of God Acts i. 3 9. Q. You said that Jesus was called Christ because he was to be consecrated by the Holy Ghost to the several Offices to which Men were Anointed under the Law Tell me therefore How does it appear that this Christ was a Prophet A. It is manifest that He exercised all the Parts of the Prophetick Office He foretold things to Come Jo. ii 19 Mat. xvii 22 23. xxiv 2 c. He declared God's Will to the World And he commission'd his Disciples to Go and Publish the same Doctrine of Salvation to all Mankind Mat. xxviii 19 20. Mar. xvi 15 Q. How do you believe Christ to have been a Priest seeing He was not descended of a Priestly Tribe or Family Heb. vii 14 A. As the Scriptures teach me to believe I believe him to have been a Priest not according to the Legal Institution but of another and more ancient Kind after the Order of Melchisedeck Psal. cx
not Each of Us truly and properly say My Father But to enlarge our Affections and correct our Pride and increase our Charity and to teach us that there is no Man so mean but what has as Good a Right to call God his Father as the Greatest among Us nor any therefore who ought not to be look'd upon as a Brother by Us and to be treated and loved and pray'd for by Us accordingly SECT XXXV Q. HOW many Petitions are there in this Prayer A. Six Three with respect to the Honour and Glory of God and which may be accounted pious Wishes rather than formal Petitions And Three with Relation to our Own Needs Q. What is the First of These A. Hallowed be thy Name Q. Wherefore did Christ begin his Prayer with this Petition or Desire A. To shew us that we ought to make God's Glory the First Thing in our Prayers as well as the Chief End of all our Actions 1 Cor. x. 31 Whether ye Eat or Drink or whatsoever ye Do do all to the Glory of God Q. What is here meant by the Name of God A. The same as in the Third Commandment viz. God himself and whatsoever does in any wise Relate to Him Exod. vi 3 xxxiv 5 6. Psal. cxxxviii 2 Q. What is meant by Hallowing A. It denotes the Separation of any Thing to a Holy Vse and the Treating and Respecting of it accordingly Q. What then do you look upon to be the full Import of this Petition A. That it would please God to make himself Known to and to be Adored and Glorified by the whole World That he would so dispose Ours and all Other Mens Hearts that we might never mention his Name but with a Religious Reverence That whatsoever has any Relation to him his Word his Sacraments his Ministers his Houses of Prayer may all be treated by Us with a Regard suitable to the Majesty of Him to whom they belong And that neither we our Selves nor any Others may ever entertain any Opinions or commit any Sins whereby either God the Father or his Son Jesus the Glory of the One or the Gospel of the Other may be vilified or profaned SECT XXXVI Q. WHAT is the Second Petition of this Prayer A. Thy Kingdom Come Q. In how many Respects is God a King A. Chiefly in these Three First As he is the King of all the World which he Created by his Power and Rules and Governs as well as Supports by his Providence Secondly With Relation to his Church and People which he Governs and Conducts by his Word and Holy Spirit And Thirdly With Respect to his Heavenly Kingdom where he Reigns with Glory and Majesty over his Angels Now and will Rule over all his Saints hereafter to all Eternity Q. How is it that we here either Wish or Pray that God's Kingdom may Come A. As we desire First That all Men may both more clearly Know and more worthily Obey the true and only God the Lord of Heaven and Earth Secondly That to this End it would please God to enlarge the Borders of his Church and bring all Nations within the Pale of it And that where it is already establish'd he would Go on more and more by his Grace to destroy the Power of Sin and the Dominion of Satan and to implant the Fear and Love of his Name in the Hearts of all his Servants That so Thirdly His Eternal Kingdom may also be enlarged the Fulness of his Saints be accomplish'd and the blessed Time come when we shall All be translated into his Heavenly Kingdom and all Other Powers and Dominions being done away God alone shall be Exalted and Rule over his Saints for Ever and Ever SECT XXXVII Q. WHAT is the Third Petition of this Prayer A. Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Q. How does God declare his Will to Us A. Chiefly Two Ways By the Dispensations of his Providence and by the Rules he has set us to Live by whether They be by Nature implanted in Us or be Revealed to Us in the Gospel of Christ. Q. Does this Petition respect both these A. It does and so teaches us to Pray that with Respect to the former of Them we may always seriously consider the Ways of his Providence and discern what it is that He would have Us either Do or Suffer in Obedience thereunto That whatsoever it be that he shall thereby call us to whether to a Prosperous or Unprosperous State to Receive Good from him or to Suffer Evil we may in the One improve his Blessings to the Glory of his Name and the Benefit of those about Us In the Other may patiently submit to whatsoever he shall call us to Suffer for his Sake With Relation to the Latter the Rules he has Given Us to walk by that we may faithfully Obey all his Commandments how contrary soever they may chance to be to our Own corrupt Desires and Affections and continue his Obedient and Constant Servants all the Days of our Life Q. Why is this Circumstance added As it is in Heaven A. To shew us what kind of Obedience we ought to pay to God's Will That as the Angels in Heaven not only Do the Will of God but do it with all Readiness Chearfulness Constancy and Delight so may We if it shall please God in some measure fulfil it too Q. Is it possible for us ever to attain to such a Perfection of Obedience in this present Life A. It is hardly to be Expected yet we must Pray for it and endeavour to Come up as near as is possible to it And in the mean time must Learn from hence not only how we ought to Serve God but how we shall hereafter do his Will when we come to the blessed State as well as Place of those Holy Spirits in Heaven SECT XXXVIII Q. WHAT is the First of those Petitions which you said Related to our Own Needs A. Give us this Day our daily Bread Q. What do you Observe from the General Composure of this Part of the present Prayer A. That as Man consists of Two different Parts A Soul and Body and has need of several Things to be given him for the Good of Both So are we here directed to beg of God First What is necessary to our Present Life and Secondly What may conduce to the Everlasting Happiness of our Souls in the Life that is to Come Q. How does our Saviour express what is necessary to be asked by Us for the Sustenance of our present Life A. He calls it Our daily Bread Q. What does the Word Bread denote A. It is Commonly used in Scripture for all sort of Provision as it is indeed the chiefest and most necessary and such as may Supply the Defect of all Other And it is here made Use of to signify All that is Necessary for our Support excluding at the same time whatsoever