in the Catechism to which they belong 7. As soon as you can give your selves to Prayer and be not disswaded by them who are against all Vse of Forms Think not that God will not be served but with New and New. Pray for the Matter of it what is pleasing to God and good for you with Vnderstanding spiritual Sense and Faith and as you can do more and better Thus do and the Lord help you by his Holy Spirit 8. Renew your Baptismal Covenant and as engaged by Covenant examine your selves and so eat c. And Lastly Having once preparedly joined your selves to the Lord and his Church in the Communion of his Body and Blood having drunk of that one Cup and being made one Bread take heed of Neglects and Apostasie Remember As often as you do it c. you shew forth the Lord's Death until he come And while you live continue so to do It will be a Benefit to you to lay up the short View of these Principles in your Memories and often repeat them to your selves ADVERTISEMENT THere is lately published the Second Edition of Mr. Pools Annotations on the Bible in which the whole Sacred Text is inserted in two Volumes in Folio Useful for Families and Closets Sold by Jo. Robinson in St. Paul's Church-yard A SHORT CATECHISM According to the DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND With Scripture Proofs at large Newly revised and corrected with more Scriptures and Propositions for Illustration annexed LONDON Printed in the Year 1688. A short View of Divinity or Summary of this CATECHISM SHewing 1. what is Mans chief End. 2. The way to it I. Mans chief End is either 1. The chief End of Intention what he ought to aim at above all things as the Scope of his Life and Actions that is to glorify God. Or 2. Mans chief End of Fruition his chiefest Good and Happiness and that is to enjoy God for ever II. The Way to attain this chief End is by the holy Scriptures The Scriptures principally teach 1. What Man is to believe 2. What God requires Man to do 3. What Man may and ought to ask of God and pray for The Scriptures are a Rule of Faith a Rule of Life and manners a Rule of Prayer I. The Scriptures teach what Man is bound to believe 1. Concerning God. 2. Concerning himself 1. Concerning God Man is to believe 1. What God is in his Essence or Being and Attributes 2. What he is in Relation to himself as the Essence subsisteth in three Persons the Father the Son the Holy Ghost 3. What God is in Relation to his Creatures in general and to Man in special of whom the Scriptures principally speak God is to be considered in reference to Man 1. As Creator 2. Preserver 3. Governor 4. Redeemer 5. Benefactor and gracious Rewarder 2. Man is to be considered as 1. a Creature 2. as a defective needy insufficient Creature and sinful 3. As under Government as a Subject governed by Law and Covenant 4. As redeemed under which consider 1. Mans Sin. 2. Mans Misery 3. Mans Inability to recover or restore himself Concerning our Redemption Note 1. The way by which by a Covenant of Grace 2. The Person by whom our Lord Jesus Christ Concerning this Redeemer observe 1. who and what he is 2. His Office in general a Mediator A Mediator in three Offices 1. A Prophet 2. a Priest 3. a King in a twofold State of Humiliation and Exaltation 3. The Application of Redemption by the Holy Spirit The Redemption is applied in effectual Calling They who are called are justified sanctified and adopted And these are partakers of great Benefits from Christ in this Life at Death after Death at the Resurrection and in Heaven for ever II. The Scriptures teach what Man is obliged to do to please and glorify God and that is Obedience to the moral Law which Law shews what we ought to do and what we ought not to do But Man hath transgressed this Law and is fallen under the Wrath and Curse of God. The Scriptures further teach what is to be done to escape the Wrath of God which is 1. Faith in Jesus Christ 2. Repentance to Life towards God. 3. A diligent Vse of means which are 1. The Word heard and read 2. The Sacraments Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. 3. Prayer III. What Man ought to pray for taught generally in the Scriptures particularly in the Lord's Prayer The Sum of all is our highest End and the way to it the way to it is by Faith in Jesus Christ with its adjunct Repentance which we are taught in our Creed 2. By Love and Obedience the Sum of the Commandments 3. By Invocation taught by our Saviour A SHORT CATECHISM According to the DOCTRINE OF THE Church of England Quest 1. WHat is the chief End of Man Answ MAn's chief End for which he was made and redeemed and to which he should aim is to glorifie (a) 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the Glory of God. Rom. 11.36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen God and to enjoy him for (b) Psal 73.25 Whom have I in heaven but thee And there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee V. 26. My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever V. 27. For lo they that are far from thee shall perish thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee V. 28. But it is good for me to draw near to God I have put my trust in the Lord God that I may declare all thy works ever 2. Q. What Rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorifie and enjoy him A. The Word of God which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New (c) 2 Tim. 3.15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus V. 16. All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness Ephes 2 20. And are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner-stone Testament is the only Rule to direct us how we may glorifie and enjoy (d) 1 Joh. 1.3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ V. 4. And these things write we unto you that your joy may be full Psal 73.24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterwards receive me to glory Joh. 20.31 But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have life through his Name him 3.
Sacraments become effectual Means of Salvation not from any virtue in them or in him that doth administer them but only by the Blessing of (Å¿) 1 Pet. 3.20 The like figure whereunto even Baptism doth also now save us not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ Matth. 3.11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance but he that cometh after me is mightier than I whose shooes I am not worthy to bear he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire 1 Cor. 3.6 I have planted Apollo watered but God gave the increase V. 7. So then neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giveth the increase Christ and the working of his Spirit in them that by Faith receive (t) 1 Cor. 12.13 For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be bond or free and have been made all to drink into one spirit them Q. What is a Sacrament 2. A. A Sacrament is an holy Ordinance instituted by Christ wherein by sensible signs Christ and the Benefits of the new Covenant are represented sealed and applied to (u) Gen. 17.7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee V. 10. This is my covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee Every man-child among you shall be circumcised Exod. 12. throughout 1 Cor. 11.23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread V. 26. For as oft as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do shew the Lord's death till he come Believers Q. Which are the Sacraments of the New Testament 3. A. The Sacraments of the New Testament are (x) Matth. 28.19 Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Baptism and the Lord's (y) Matth. 26.26 And as they were eating Jesus took bread and blessed it and brake it and gave it to the Disciples and said Take eat this is my Body V. 27. And he took the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying Drink ye all of it V. 28. For this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Supper Q. What is Baptism 1. A. Baptism is a Sacrament wherein the Washing of Water in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy (z) Matth. 28.19 Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them c. Ghost doth signifie and seal our ingrafting into Christ and partaking of the Benefits of the Covenant of Grace and our Engagement to be the (a) Rom. 6.4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life Gal. 3.27 For as many of you as have been buptized into Christ have put on Christ Lord's Q. To whom is Baptism to be administred 2. A. Baptism is not to be administred to any that are out of the Visible Church till they profess their Faith in Christ and Obedience to (b) Acts 8.36 And as they went on their way they came to a certain water and the Eunuch said See here is water what doth hinder me to be baptized V. 37. And Philip said If thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest And he answered I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Acts 2.38 Then Peter said unto them Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost him but the Infants of such as are Members of the Visible Church are to be (c) Acts 2.39 For the promise is unto you and to your children and to all that are a-far off even as many as the Lord our God shall call Gen. 17.7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee V. 10. This is my covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee Every man child among you shall be circumcised Col. 2.11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ V. 12. Buried with him in baptism wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead 1 Cor. 7.14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband else were your children unclean and now they are holy baptized Q. What is the Lord's Supper 1. A. The Lord's Supper is a Sacrament wherein by Giving and Receiving Bread and Wine according to Christ's Appointment his Death is shewed forth and the worthy Receivers are not after a corporal and carnal manner but by Faith made Partakers of his Body and Blood with all his Benefits to their spiritual Nourishment and growth in (d) 1 Cor. 11.23 I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus the same night wherein he was betrayed took bread V. 24. And when he had given thanks he brake it and said Take eat this is my body which is broken for you this do in remembrance of me V. 25. After the same manner also he took the cup when he had supped saying This cup is the new testament in my blood this do ye as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me V. 26. For as oft as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do shew the Lord's death till he come 1 Cor. 10.16 The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the communion of the blood of Christ the bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ Grace Q. What is required to the worthy Receiving of the Lord's Supper 2. A. It is required of them that would worthily partake of the Lord's Supper That they examine themselves of their Knowledge to discern the Lord's (e) 1 Cor. 11.28 But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. V. 29. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not discerning the Lord's body Body of their Faith to feed upon (f) 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith prove your own selves know you not that Jesus Christ
in the Bread and Wine But they tell us we must believe Well then we believe our Saviour was alive when they did eat that he was not dead before he was Crucified therefore the Disciples did not eat his Body nor drink his Blood. If they did not eat and drink that Body and Blood did he create a Body and Blood for them to eat and drink did he create one for them all or did every one of them eat a several body Take either way it will then follow they did not eat his Body and drink his Blood who rose from Table as whole as he sate down We believe that what those Communicants did eat and drink all believers do still eat and drink they did not eat and drink it therefore neither do we They understood our Saviours meaning it was a Sign a memorial as Circumcision was called the Covenant Gon. 17.3 See Gen. 41.26 Joh. 15.1 chap. 10.9 1 Cor. 10.4 3. The Cup of blessing belongs as much to every Communicant as the Bread Our Saviour and his Ministers gave both and Communicants received both See Mat. 26.26 1 Cor. 10.16 1 Cor. 11.25,26 Besides these I shall lay down several truths contrary to so many errors 1. There is a distinction between Ministers and Stewards and the family of Believers 1 Cor. 4.1 As Christ and the Apostles did so Ministers and Stewards take Bread and Wine bless break give 1 Cor. 10.16 which we bless c. The Communicating believers do join with the Pastor in prayer and thanksgiving and then they take and eat and drink and that is all they ought to do Except the Bread and Wine are Consecrated to that end according to our Saviours institution it is no Sacrament It is not true therefore that the Lords Supper was instituted that the Faithful might break the Bread. 2. In shewing the Lords Death we shew 1. The nature and end of his death as a Sacrifice to God for sin 1 Cor. 5.7 1 Cor. 11.24,25 Mat. 26.28 Mark 14.24 Luke 22.19,20 2. The painfulness of his death 3. The All-sufficiency satisfaction and merit of it 4. We humbly shew it by Faith to God as a propitiation and price of Redemption and plead it and rest upon it 5. We shew it against accusations of Conscience and all other from Satan and the World. 6. We shew it to all the Churches as one Body 1 Cor. 10.11 Therefore to shew the Lords Death is more than to thank Christ for his love and to celebrate the good turn of his suffering with praise 3. The resurrection ascension and intercession of Christ are his own mediatory actions therefore that is no good reason why Christ ordained this remembrance of his death because it was the chief or most properly his own action 4. We receive Covenant Blessings as well as give thanks at his Supper 1 Cor. 10.16 5. Assurance of pardon is not necessary before we eat and drink this Supper it is a help to assurance but it is a feast for the weakest believers that thirst that discern the Lords Body and examine themselves 6. This in the words This is my Body doth not comprehend all the Sacramental actions each of which hath its particular edifying instructing signification 7. We do not only partake of Christ's benefits but have Communion with his Body and Blood 1 Cor. 10.16 8. To bless is ill expounded to use it To use the Cup is not a Sacramental Scripture Phrase To bless it according to the institution of our Saviour is peculiar to the Minister the congregation joining with him and beholding the Sacramental actions and hearing the words This is my Body Take eat This do c. In those congregations where the houshold of God do not receive every one from the hand of the Minister but take themselves the whole is first blest broken poured out and the words of institution and command repeated or it is no Sacrament as was said before See 1 Cor. 11.24 All do use it as they say but all do not bless it 9. True believers have spiritual real nourishing and comforting Communion by Faith with the Body and Blood of Christ and not a figurative Benefits flow from Communion See again 1 Cor. 10.16 SECT XXVI Of the Lords Prayer 1. TAke both Evangelists Matthew and Luke together and it appears that this prayer is both a form of prayer and a pattern for prayer and yet it is rather a form of matter than of words seeing both those Holy Writers do not keep to the same words And why it may not be used as a prayer as well as the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God the Father and the Communion of the Holy be with you let them who use the one but disuse the other consider of it yea much rather because there is not so much as pray or bless the Assembly after this manner said of that solemn form of dismission which is said of this prayer 2. The matter and method of it is Wonderful and deserves our study that it may be understood We are taught how to conceive of God as a Glorious Father that his glory should be our aim above all things how we should be affected towards him and his Kingdom how our Wills should come in to his Will concurr with it and submit to it in all things we are taught how small a portion of the World should content us how we should acknowledge him to be the giver of all to have our dependance upon him and to have daily recourse to him by prayer We are taught to confess our sins to him and be earnest for pardon and to what degree of grace we should grow even to forgive and love our enemies We are inform'd of our greatest dangers and evils and to pray for deliverance from evil and temptations to evil and how we should praise and magnify him as glorious in our eyes 3. We are not tied to the very words and syllables of it as is before intimated yet it is as strange that it is not used at all by some as that it should be the only prayer in the account of others 4. We do not conclude our other prayers with this as if this made our other prayers acceptable we are heard for our faith in Christ and sincerity of our hearts and not for these words 5. All our petitions are ultimately referr'd to the glory of God our highest end in the first petition 6. Great care should be taken that all our prayers both private and publick do agree with this holy rule of prayer All Christians should conspire to pray the same things and be alwaies disposed to maintain Communion with God and with all his People as Brethren and Children of the same Heavenly Father 7. We should so pray as being in earnest and maintain our fervency to the last sealing our prayers with an Amen of fervent desire Faith and trust The end of the second Part. PART III. The Christian instructed
Chastity in Heart Speech and Behaviour but have sinned by unchaste Thoughts or Speeches or Actions We have not studied to procure and further the Wealth and outward Estate of our selves and Neighbour but have often hindred both We have not laboured to maintain and promote Truth between Man and Man and of our own or our Neighbour's good Name but have either by Imprudence Inconsiderateness Want of Zeal Credulity or some corrupt Affection spoken or entertained what is prejudicial to Truth and injurious to our own and our Neighbour's good Name O Lord we have not been sully contented with our own Condition nor have always had a right and charitable frame of Spirit towards our Neighbour and all that is his but have been subject to Discontentment to envy or grieve at the Good of our Neighbour and to many inordinate Motions and Affections For these our manifold Iniquities Transgressions and Sins yea for the least of them we deserve thy Wrath and Curse both in this Life and that which is to come but for Jesus Christ's sake have Mercy upon us O Lord thou hast been pleased out of thy meer good Pleasure to decree to bring thine Elect out of the State of Sin and Misery by the Lord Jesus Christ the only Redeemer He was graciously pleased to humble himself to the Death of the Cross to satisfie thy divine Justice to reconcile us to thee and now he ever liveth making Intercession for poor Sinners Supplication or offering up our Requests in the Name of Christ O thou the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Mercies and the God of all Grace for the sake of thine Eternal and Beloved Son have Mercy upon us and apply to us by thy Holy Spirit the Redemption purchased by Christ by working Faith in us and thereby uniting us to him For Effectual Calling We humbly pray thee convince us of our Sin and Misery enlighten our Minds in the Knowledge of Christ renew our Wills and perswade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ freely offered to us in the Gospel For Justification Oh that thou wouldst justifie us freely by thy Grace and pardon all our Sins and accept of us as righteous in thy sight only for the Righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to us For Adoption Oh that thou wouldest receive us who are by Nature Children of Wrath into the number of and give us a right to all the Privileges of the Sons of God. For Sanctification Gracious Father by the mighty working of the Spirit of Sanctification renew us in our whole Man after thine own Image and enable us more and more to die to Sin and to live unto Righteousness For the Benefits which accompany or flow from Justification c. And being justified sanctified and adopted we beseech thee vouchsafe us Assurance of thy Love Peace of Conscience Joy in the Holy Ghost Increase of Grace and Perseverance therein unto the End. And when we come to our End we humbly pray thee at our Death to make us perfect in Holiness to bring us immediately unto Glory and let our Bodies being still united to Christ rest in their Graves till the Resurrection At the Refurrection we pray thee to raise us up in Glory openly to acknowledge us and acquit us in the Day of Judgment and to make us perfectly blessed in the full Enjoyment of thee our God to all Eternity For Grace and a Biessing upon the Means of Grace And Gracious and blessed Lord since thou hast appointed Ways and Means by which we may attain these Blessings we humbly intreat thee to work in us Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and Repentance unto Life and to make us diligent in the use of all outward Means whereby Jesus Christ doth communicate to us the Penefits of our Redemption We beseech thee by thy Holy Spirit to make the Reading and Preaching of thy Word an effectual Means of convincing and converting Sinners and building up us and others in Holiness and Comfort through Faith unto Salvation We pray thee teach us to attend to thy Word with Diligence and Preparation and to receive it with Faith and Love to lay it up in our Hearts and practise it in our Lives Continue to thy Church thy holy Institutions and Sacraments Bless the one to be a Sign and Seal of our Engrafting into Christ and partaking of the Benefits of the Covenant of Grace and to engage us to be the Lord's Bless the other also that by Faith the worthy Receivers of it may be Partakers of the Body and Blood of Christ with all his Benefits to our spiritual Nourishment and Growth in Grace For all Men and for outward Mercies O Lord thou hast commanded us to pray for all Men We beseech thee to grant unto the King and all our Superiors the Spirit of Wisdom and Grace to perform the Duties of their several places Help them so to rule that our Lives Chastity Wealth and outward Estate that our good Names and Truth between Man and Man may be secured maintained and promoted that under them we may lead peaceable and quiet Lives in all Godliness and Honesty Grant that in all our Conversation among Men we may behave our selves humbly reverently and obediently towards our Superiors and may live in Peace neither doing Violence to the Life of our Neighbour nor suffering from them That we may live soberly chastely honestly not hindring but furthering the good Estate of each other promoting of Truth and the good Name and Repute without slandering or reproaching not witnessing falsly against one another learning to be contented with our own Condition without Envy or Grief at each other's Good and suppressing all inordinate Motions and Affections contrary thereunto Against our bodily and spiritual Enemies O thou who hast all Power both in Heaven and in Earth be graciously pleased to exercise thy Soveraign Kingly Office in subduing us wholly to thy self in ruling and defending us in restraining and conquering all thine and our Enemies both within us and without us Sin Satan and the World and make us more than Conquerors over all even our last Enemy Death For the Calling and Conversion of the Elect c. Gracious Lord who of thy meer good Pleasure didst elect some of the Posterity of fallen Man and enteredst into a Covenant of Grace to bring them out of the State of Sin and Misery and to bring them into an Estate of Salvation by Jesus Christ be pleased according to the Riches of thy Grace to make known the Lord Jesus Christ the only Redeemer in all his Offices to the World. Reveal by thy Word and Spirit thy Will for the Salvation of poor Sinners and cause thy Word to be preached read and heard that it may be effectual to convince and convert Sinners and to build them up in Holiness and Comfort through Faith unto Salvation Before you go to the Word O Lord who hast Compassion on the
Ignorant and of them who go out of the way who hast by thy Holy Spirit made the Reading but especially the Preaching of thy Word an effectual Means of convincing and converting Sinners and of building them up in Holiness and Comfort through Faith unto Salvation be pleased for Christ's sake to prepare our Hearts that we may attend to thy Word and receive it as new-born Babes 1 Pet. 2.1 by Faith and Love and lay it up in our Hearts and practise it in our Lives Before the Sacrament or Communion Most holy wise and merciful Lord God when all Mankind was fallen into an Estate of Sin and Misery it pleased thee to enter into a Covenant of Grace to bring thy People out of that sinful and miserable Condition into an Estate of Salvation by thy beloved Son the only Redeemer thou art graciously pleased to teach us convince convert build up and comfort us by thy Word and for our furtherance in Faith Holiness and Comfort to represent to us Jesus Christ and all the Benefits of the New Covenant by sensible signs the Bread and Wine broken poured out given and received and not only to represent Christ to us but also to seal and apply him and the Benefits of the New Covenart Be thou pleased by thy Spirit of Grace to help us to receive the Bread and Wine according to thy divine Appointment that we may receive them worthily and be Partakers by Faith of his Body and Blood with all his Benefits to our spiritual Nourishment and Growth in Grace We pray thee help us to examine our selves and so let us eat Oh let us not eat and drink unworthily not discerning the Lord's Body but give us a clear and saving Knowledge to discern the Lord's Body a lively Faith to feed upon him a renewed Repentance to Life a pure and fervent Love and quicken us to walk in new Obedience to all thy Commandments Oh help us to remember him and shew forth his Death both by our Profession and holy Conversation till he come again For the Lord's Day O Lord our God who hast commanded us to remember to keep holy the Sabbath day for Jesus his sake forgive us our great Forgetfulness both in preparing for it and performing the Duties of it Thou hast been very merciful to us in allowing us six Days for our own Employments Thou hast strictly enjoined us to sanctifie this whole Day and to move us thereunto thou hast set before us thine own Example both of finishing all thy Works in six Days and resting the seventh and hast blessed the Day and sanctified it Yet we have not considered nor regarded these Reasons annexed to this thy holy Commandment to perswade and quicken us to this great and holy Duty Pardon us O Lord according to the Riches of thy Grace this our Transgression and seeing thou givest us hopes of enjoying another Sabbath we beseech thee help us by thy Holy Spirit to sanctifie this Sabbath by an holy Resting all this Day even from such worldly Employments and Recreations as are lawful on other Days In reading hearing singing Psalms Meditation Prayer Conference and to spend the whole time in the publick and private Exercises of thy Worship except so much as is to be taken up in the Works of Necessity and Mercy which thou shalt call us to And keep us by thy Grace from the Omission or careless Performance of the Duties required from prophaning the Day by Idleness or any thing in it self sinful or by unnecessary Thoughts Words or Works about our worldly Employments or Recreations And bless the whole Day to us For Morning for every Day according to Ans 11. Most holy the All-wise and Almighty Lord God who dost by thy most holy wise and powerful Providence preserve and govern all thy Creatures and all their Actions we do most earnestly beseech thee to give us thy Holy Spirit to preserve our Souls from Sin and Temptations to govern our Thoughts Wills Affections our Words and Actions that they may be holy Over-rule our vain sinful Thoughts Imaginations Designs Purposes Motions and Affections to Evil. Raise in us Holiness of Design in our Conversation that we may aim at thy Glory Give us Wisdom and Discretion to order all our Affairs according to thy Laws Give us Ability and Strength that by thy Power we may carry on all the Affairs and Works of our particular Calling preserve us by thy Power therein from our Enemies and from all Harm and Danger We humbly commit our selves to thy holy wise and powerful Providence we desire thy Grace to depend thereupon and to ascribe the Glory of all our Success to thy Blessing Let us see and acknowledge thee in whatsoever shall come to pass this Day for all things are by thee and through thee and for thee to whom be Glory for ever For Night O Lord who hast created the Evening and the Morning and hast by thy great Wisdom ordained the Night for Rest and that part of our Time on Earth should be spent in Sleep and Rest that being refreshed thereby we might be enabled for thy surther Service When we are at rest we have neither Knowledge to discern nor Wisdom to fore see nor Power to resist the Evils that may befal us But thou by thy holy wise and powerful Providence preservest and governest all Creatures in all their Actions Therefore we adore thy Providence and in considence of thy Wisdom Power and Goodness cast our selves upon thee this Night humbly beseeching thee to preserve our Souls from Sin that we imagine not Evil upon our Beds our Persons our Relations our Habitation our Comsorts from Danger and Destruction from all Creatures who are subject to thy Command Keep us that we sleep not the Sleep of Death let neither Men nor Devils nor any other Creature disturb or hurt us And thou who governest all Creatures and all their Actions govern us our Imaginations Affections Senses Actions that sleeping or waking we may be thine And all we beg as in the Name of Christ so for the sake of Christ AMEN Directions to use this Form Perswasions to Family-Prayer especially and Resolution of some Questions briefly touched section 1 YOu see what store of spiritual and divine Matter your Catechism doth afford you to enable you for Prayer and Thanksgiving You shall not have cause to complain of want of Matter such as you ought and such as you may make use of You need no more to say you know not what to pray for for here is a Treasure digged up in your own Ground if indeed you make this little Catechism your own Now labour with your own Hearts and in this small Treatise and the Lord by his own Spirit teach you how to pray I perceive these Prayers to grow to such a length that I sear some will be discouraged from the length and seeming tediousness of all this therefore receive these few Counsels and Directions section
State of Sin and Misery and to bring them into an Estate of Salvation by a Redeemer 3. Plead that the Eternal Son of God became Man c. that he offered up himself a Sacrifice to satisfie Divine Justice to reconcile us Sinners to God that that Satisfaction is accepted by the Father and that he maketh continual Intercession for all that come unto him heavy laden and weary 4. Seeing that God was graciously moved of his own good Pleasure to contrive the Redemption of Sinners by his Son Christ and seeing that Jesus Christ had given Satisfaction to the Divine Justice and finished his Work and seeing it is the Office of the Holy Spirit to apply the benefits of Redemption to miserable Sinners in the Work of Effectual Calling be instant with him that he would be pleased to convince thee of thy Sin and Misery and to enlighten thee in the Knowledge of Christ and renew thy Will and to perswade and enable thee to embrace Jesus Christ who is freely and as he is freely offered to thee in the Gospel Beg earnestly to be taken into the Covenant of Grace and to be taken into the number of Elect Children 5. Be not sparing to insist upon this that Jesus Christ with all the Benefits of Redemption is freely offered to thee as well as others being offered to all in the Gospel and therefore though thou art unworthy plead the Freeness of the Grace offered and urge that thou mayest have a Share and Portion in that free Grant and that thou dost come to declare thy Acceptance of it CHAP. III. Directions for the worthy Receiver to examine and prepare himself to receive the Lord's Supper section 1 IT followeth now that I direct and assist you to the worthy Receiving of the Lord's Supper To this End you must keep in Memory and have in your Eye three Points of your Catechism 1. What a Sacrament is 2. What the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is 3. What is required of the worthy Receivers of it See those Answers section 2 Quest What do you understand by Worthy Receiving Answ Not that any of us can be worthy of it but that we must be fitted and prepared for it and so worthy for it when we come in a manner suitable to it and rightly disposed It doth not signifie Merit and Desert but Disposedness Fitness Suitableness and Preparation according to the Rule of the Gospel and the Institution of Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.24 to ver 30. section 3 For your better Instruction three things must be resolved 1. What is to be done by worthy Receivers before they come 2. What in the time of Receiving and communicating 3. What is to be done afterwards For the first of these your Catechism shews you It is required of them that would worthily partake of the Lord's Supper that they examine themselves of their Knowledge to discern the Lord's Body c. Quest To examine your selves What 's that Answ To put your selves to it as the common Phrase is to demand and urge to know whether you have Knowledge to discern the Lords Body and Faith to feed upon him c. It is to enquire in general into your spiritual State what manner of Christians you are and in particular to know how you are disposed towards Christ in this Ordinance and to know this by Search and Trial not resting in Guesses and Presumption The Graces and Dispositions of Soul which you are to examine in order to your Eating and Drinking worthily are five 1. Knowledge to discern the Lord's Body 2. Faith. 3. Repentance 4. Love. 5. New Obedience section 1 I begin with Knowledge to discern the Lord's Body Quest What is it to discern the Lord's Body Answ For your understanding of this keep in your Mind the Notion of a Sacrament remember what this Sacrament is Yet to help you herein observe the Elements or outward Matter of the Sacrament and what they the Bread and Wine broken poured out given and received eaten and drunken signifie betoken or stand for You see plainly Bread and Wine but observe the Actions of the Minister 1. He blesseth that is he prayeth and setteth them a part according to Divine Appointment 2. He breaketh the Bread and poureth out the Wine which doth represent and bring to your Mind the Death of Jesus Christ as shedding his Blood even to Death to satisfie Divine Justice c. Col. 3.4 And know that he who gave his Life a Ransom for many for so doing he is the Life of them that believe 1 Joh. 5.12 and therefore he that hath the Son hath Life 3. Observe the Bread and Wine thus blessed broken and poured forth are given to you by the Hand of the appointed Officer denoting that God doth exhibit offer and give to every faithful Soul his crucified Son with all his Benefits for Life and Nourishment And Lastly As an hungry Man receiveth Food eateth and drinketh for the Maintenance of his Life which is maintained when the Food which he eateth is digested by him so also when you take eat and drink the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ by Faith you are united to him spiritually which Union is signified by taking eating and drinking the Bread and Wine and receive spiritual Life Nourishment and Growth in Grace Now therefore if you discern the Lord's Body you do sensibly perceive that what is given and received eaten and drunken is not the same natural Body and Blood of Christ crucified and shed at Jerusalem and now in Glory You know by your Senses that it is truly and substantially Bread and Wine Yet Secondly you observe that though this Bread and Wine be the same for kind with other common Bread and Wine yet it is not common Bread and Wine in the Use and End of it but you see it broken blessed given taken and eaten as betokening the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ which was offered as a Sacrifice to satisfie Divine Justice and is now offered and given to you of God with all the Benefits of the New Covenant which is confirmed by that precious Blood. So then you see the Bread and Wine but discern the Body and Blood of Christ signified and represented by them When you see the Bread and Wine so blessed to this blessed End you must believe and know that the Redeemer and all his Benefits are communicated to you Examine now your Knowledge 1. That it is Bread and Wine 2. The Actions Sacramental and what they signifie 3. The Use and End for which they are applied Say then Here are Bread and Wine the Signs of that blessed Body and Blood which were given for Sin. And because it is not common Bread and Wine they should not eat and drink it in a common manner but worthily i. e. in a manner befitting so great a Mystery 2. Trial of Faith. The second Grace about which you must examine your selves is Faith Search and enquire whether you have it in you
Trial of New Obedience section 1 For your better undertaking of it be pleased to observe what it is and why it is called New. New Obedience is an hearty sincere Respect or Aim at God's Glory in keeping all his Commandments or having a Respect to all God's Commandments and walking before God in Righteousness and Holiness all the Days of our Life being redeemed from the Hand of our Enemy It is called New Obedience in opposition to the Service of Sin or obeying the Law in our Members For we being Sinners by Nature and corrupted with Original Sin are inclined and given to serve Sin and to live after the Flesh Rom. 6.11,12,13,16,17,18,19,20 But when we are united to Christ in our Effectual Calling and have Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ then we become dead to Sin and free from the Dominion of it we are married unto Christ in Covenant that we may abound in Fruits of Righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the Praise and Glory of God Philip. 1.11 Rom. 7.4 We are bound to do whatsoever he commandeth us Matth. 28.20 section 2 Now three things must be enquired after 1. The Subject and Principle or Root of this New Obedience 2. The Rule of it 3. The End and Design of it 1. Whence is it that you perform Service or Obedience unto God Do you serve him from Faith Love and unfeigned Repentance towards God Are you effectually called Remember what that is Are you united to Christ by Faith See what that is Are you turned from all Sin from your bosom darling costly Sin to God to obey his Law Try your Repentance Have you a new Heart Have you the Image of God renewed upon you Are you sanctified by the Spirit Look to Ans 35. For New Obedience proceeds from the Heart renewed and sanctified section 3 2. Try your Obedience by the Rule of it that is the whole Word and Will of God Psal 119.105 Thy word is a lamp to my feet c. V. 6. When I have respect to all thy Commandments at all times always even to the End Psal 119.112 Phil. 2.12 He that is such an one doth not live in any known Sin nor neglect any known Duty He makes Conscience of Duty to God and Man Act. 24.16 section 4 3. Try and examine the End of your Obedience what you aim at and design New Obedience proceeds from a Principle of Renewing Grace is regulated by the Word of God and directed to his Glory And so what you learn first in your Catechism is the End of your Conversation and Obedience See Col. 1.10 Phil. 1.11 1 Pet. 2.9 chap. 4.11 section 5 The second Duty is Preparation for the Lord's Supper Having examined your Hearts if you find these Graces in you then the Work of Preparation is to stir up the Grace of God given you in putting your Souls in a readiness to receive Jesus Christ as offered to you with all the Benefits of the New Covenant by adding to your Self-Examination humble Consession of Sin earnest Supplication for Forgiveness of Sin and Grace If you find a Want or Weakness of Grace then sharpen your Desires after it and pray for it and add your Thanksgiving for the Means of Grace and for Grace received Thus much for the Duties before the Sacrament CHAP. IV. Duties at and after the Communion together with Motives and Perswasions to perform the whole Duty in a due manner section 1 WHile you attend upon God at his Table shake off all Drowsiness and Vanity of Mind Consider at whose Table you are to eat and drink and what the Feast is Therefore draw near with an holy Reverence with a clear Knowledge and lively Faith. Attend to what is done before you the outward Signs and what is done according to the Institution of Christ Observe the breaking of the Bread the pouring out the Wine and the giving of both to you Know that you are to remember Jesus Christ to discern his Body and to shew his Death Thirst and hunger for him Receive him by Faith and the Benefits of the New Covenant Look unto Christ crucisied with a broken Heart sorrowing for Sin. Meditate on the Love of God in his Son Jesus on the Sufferings of Christ on the Satisfaction given Redemption and Victory obtained for thee Cast thy self upon him trust to him give thy self to him delight in his Love apply him for what thou dost most stand in need of renew thy Covenant and thy Engagement to be the Lord's and excite thy Love to all Saints and be thankful section 2 After the Sacrament reflect upon your selves re-view your Carriage 1. Consider Have you discerned the Lord's Body made an affectionate Remembrance of him Have you received him by Faith Are you nourished by him 2. If you find Quickning and Comfort then bless God for it beg a Continuance of it watch against Relapses fulfil your Vows encourage yourselves to a frequent Attendance on that Ordinance But 3dly If you find not present Benefits by it then you must more exactly review your Preparation and Carriage at the Sacrament in both which if you can approve your selves to God and your own Conscience then wait for the Fruit in due time But if you find that you have failed in either Preparation or Carriage you must be humbled and attend upon it afterwards with more Care and Diligence section 3 Having directed you and brought some Assistance towards the holy and comfortable receiving the Communion of the Body and Blood of the Lord I might expect that you will say you have now what you much desired and only wanted For so great should be the Forwardness and Zeal of every one who bears the Christian Name to obey every Command of Christ and particularly to address themselves to this holy Ordinance wherein the Love of Christ is set forth in his most precious Blood that they should not need Motives to spur them on But Alas how commonly do we see Men and Women excommunicate themselves and Non-Communicants crowding out at the Church-doors leaving but a little Flock behind to feed upon his Body and Blood who laid down his Life for the Sheep Truly to see many depart who have been earnestly invited to this Feast of Love hath brought to my Mind the Separation that will be in the last Day between the Sheep and the Goats Wo wo to them when Christ shall bid them depart from him who for Love of Ease Ignorance and wilful Impenitence go away from him represented at his Table I shall draw out a few Arguments to perswade poor Souls to a conscientious well-prepared Address to the Table of the Lord out of the same Store house your very Catechism section 4 Advantage or Dis-advantage are the prevailing Motives to perswade or disswade Now if you shall find the Advantages very great of right and worthy Receiving and the Loss and Sin great of Neglecting or unworthy Receiving then I hope you will be won
and brought over to my earnest Request to be constant Communicants but not ignorant unprepared and unreformed 1. I beseech you to consider the great and gracious Condescention of the most high and holy God to reveal to you the great Mystery of Redemption by his beloved Son and to make it plain and to confirm weak Faith to represent it by sensible Signs The Bread and Wine admonish you of the Necessity of Christ without whom you cannot live and of the Benefit of Christ whose Effect is spiritual Nourishment and Growth in Grace You have need of this plain way of Information by sensible Signs God stoops very low therein neglect it not What an Advantage is this to be doubly taught by the Word and by teaching Signs 2. Consider once again what is conveyed to your Souls by these visible Signs 1. Jesus Christ as dying yea as dead in our stead for our Sins to satisfie for them to reconcile us to God and to procure Forgiveness of Sins and that his Death was effectual for these great Purposes because we shew forth the Death of Christ by which all heavenly Blessings are become Legacies in the New Testament 2. Is it not profitable for you to see Jesus Christ and all the Benefits of Redemption set before you That God with-holds nothing from you if you will receive Christ but sets him and all things with him before your Eyes invites you to take him and all his Benefits He offers him yea gives yea seals the Gift of Righteousness and Life to make it sure to you for ever if you will but take and receive as he hath appointed you And what can be more to you than Jesus Christ and the Purchace of his most precious Blood Are the Forgiveness of Sins Reconciliation Adoption Supplies of all Grace the Promises which are exceeding great and precious such vile and common things that you will not have them though for coming for Have you no need of Christ or no need of receiving him in this Ordinance Surely if he enjoined it to them who had been trained up in his Doctrine known his Life seen his Miracles how gracious is God to us in appointing us such an Help who have more need of such repeated Confirmations of his Grace Can you do as well without Or what need you care to have your Graces strengthned or Forgiveness sealed Can you be so unthankful and cold in your Love as to neglect to remember him in a Way of his own Appointment Or would you be so careless to have the Act of Oblivion sealed by the Great Seal and to be sure of Life Or are you so rich that you can be without a part in the Everlasting Covenant Is he a Child of God that never enquires for the Legacy bequeathed by Will What is this but the New Testament confirmed by the Death of the Testator section 5 2. You are invited nay required to come by one who must not be despised a great King. This Charge This do in remembrance of me was given by the Lord in the same Night wherein he was betrayed That which you are invited to is with greatest Earnestness to be desired You will certainly die for ever without Christ Come Soul take me and live saith Christ Whosoever will let him come And will you not come Can neither the Authority of God nor his Love nor the last Charge of a dying Saviour prevail with you Oh! will you not observe his Charge which was given in the same Night wherein he was betrayed When he was ready to sacrifice his Body and Blood for your Sins When he was ready to drink the bitter Cup of God's Wrath appointed to be drunk by Infinite Justice When he was ready to shed his Blood for the Remission of Sin and to make the Covenant of Grace of force by his Death So that thereby all the Children might come in for their Portions and Share because the Testator being dead the Legacies became due to all that claim them Will none of these things move you but rather let all be lost than you trouble your selves to examine your selves to repent of Sin and embrace Christ or to shake off your damning Security and spiritual Sloth The Lord rebuke you in Mercy that you may be saved section 6 3. Doth the offended God declare that he is well pleased with the Death of his Son Doth the Lord Jesus Christ shew forth his own Death for Sin to redeem your Souls Do not you hear him say Thus was my Body broken thus was my Blood shed thus my Hands and my Feet and my Sides were wounded Thus I gave up the Ghost for you And upon this that Christ died a Proclamation is made to all that have any thing to accuse the Soul of Rom. 8.33 Who can lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect It is Christ that died And to all Sinners that are cast in Law that cannot deny nor mitigate their Offences nor bear the Sentence much less endure Damnation by that Sentence I say to all Sinners notice is given 1 Joh. 1.2 If any Man sin there is an Advocate with the Father who is also the Propitiation for our Sin. O Sinner wilt not thou come to see this Death shewed forth Soul what hast thou to shew or plead wherefore the Sentence of Eternal Death should not be pronounced against thee but this Hast not thou sinned against the infinite God Doth not thy Conscience accuse judge and condemn thee according to the Law which thou hast transgressed What canst thou say for thy self If thou offer to plead any thing of thine own either good Intentions Desires Purposes Works or any Circumstances to extenuate and pare off the grossness of thy Sin thy Conscience except the Ignorant and Erroneous like an upright Judge well learned in the Law and Gospel must needs stop thy Mouth over-rule all thy Pleas and tell thee that without shedding of Blood there is no Remission of Sin and that no Blood but the precious Blood of Christ as of a Lamb without Spot can cleanse thee from thy Sin. Wilt not thou therefore cast thy self upon the free Grace of God reconciled and satisfied with the Death of his dear Son And wilt thou not come to that Ordinance which he commanded his People to the End of the World to observe in which his Death is shewed forth and there shew him to God as the Death of thy Mediator who hath made Peace and taken away Sin And shew him also to all thy Adversaries and Accusers Lo all you that seek my Soul to destroy it This is he who gave his Life a Ransom for me He hath fulfilled the Law satisfied the Divine Justice What have you to say against me Against all your Accusations this I plead and alledge that Christ died and overcame Death and that he died for me And be it known to all Infidels and Blasphemers that the crucified Christ is my Lord and Saviour Into him I
was baptized to him I am joined I am his And O you the blessed Saints of God take notice that I hope to be saved even as you by him whose Name is Jesus who came to save his People from their Sin. O you careless ones who will not be at the Cost of a Sacrament who will not come to the Light forsake your Sins nor be joined to the Lord to be his by a renewed Covenant You that will not take pains to know the Lord Jesus in the great Work of Redemption in which you are deeply concerned that will not take time and pains to prepare your selves for the Supper of the Lord give me leave to ask you these few Questions 1. Have you sinned at all 2. What doth every Sin deserve 3. Is there any other Redeemer but the Lord Jesus Christ 4. Do you think that his Death is shewed forth in his holy Sacrament 5. Ought you not to obey his last Will to make a Remembrance of him And will you not come to remember him Oh what a Sight doth the broken-hearted Penitent see when the Father sheweth the Death of his Son as fully satisfied and pleased in him And when Jesus Christ sheweth forth his Death as satisfying for all with a full Discharge to all that repent and believe the Gospel Oh how must the Heart needs melt and love as Mary wept and loved Let me add Wouldst not thou hate and abhor that Minister that would refuse to baptize thy Child or account thee as an Heathen or a Publican And is it nothing to thee that thou carriest thy self like an Heathen by thy strangeness sinful and slothful refusing to come to this Ordinance Thou dost discover the Ineffectualness of thy Vow in Baptism to bind thee to be a thorow Christian and that thou art not the better for it that thou thinkest that the preaching of Christ is but a dry thing of no power upon thy Heart that there is not that Good to be had by Communion with Christ that we say there is In a word Thou art backward to renew thy Covenant in thine own Person in thy riper Years and wouldest be as slack to be baptized if it were now to be done as thou art to eat the Lord's Supper for both are Seals and Signs of the same Covenant And by consequence thou art backward to become a Christian And what wilt thou be accounted at the last Day section 7 The other Motive is the Loss and Dis-advantage by not Receiving and also by unworthy Receiving The Non-Communicants lose all that true Believers get that Satisfaction Peace Joy Comfort Strength and Growth The unworthy Receiver and unsound Communicant comes for the worse 1. Sin is a great Dis commodity to any one The Sin of unworthy Eating and Drinking is a Sin of great Indecency and Mis-behaviour towards Jesus Christ crucified for Sin Thou art guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord that is thou prophanest that which is most holy and abusest that which should be most dear to thy Soul. 2. Thou eatest and drinkest Judgment to thy self for they who eat and drink unworthily provoke God to punish them they draw down Judgments upon themselves and others also 3. Thou losest the Benefit of spiritual Nourishment and Growth in Grace thy Sins grow thy Heart waxeth worse and worse more deceitful and hard if not more prophane even to nauseate that from which thou receivest no saving Benefit In a word Thou hast no Communion with the Father in his Love with Christ in his Merits with the Holy Ghost in his Grace and Comforts nor with the Saints of God in Love and heavenly Privileges Oh what a Loss and Disadvantage is this Consider what I say and resolve by the Grace of God against affected Ignorance spiritual and killing Sloth and Ease against Unbelief and Falseness of Heart shrinking from thy Covenant Vow and Promise and see that thou sin no more by Omission of this great Duty and Neglect of this high Privilege nor by an unworthy Eating and Drinking But hunger and thirst after Christ and thou shalt be filled with his Grace and Glory Come with thy Wedding-Garment and thou shalt never be cast out If thou wilt shew forth his Death until he come again when he comes he will receive thee to himself and thou shalt be for ever with the Lord. So be it Amen Amen FINIS ERRATA IN the Catechism pag. 6. Letter t for Heb. 11.13 read 11.3 PART II. p 9. l. 3. r. the Law is called a Letter c. ibid. l 24. add the things of the Spirit p. 11. l. antepenult r. if not one jot c. p. 19. Sect. 1. r. Jehovah which signifies c. p. 38. l 12. for put p 49. l. 21. dele in p 59 l. 10. f give r. shew p. 60. n. 5. l. 2. r. and Faith and is called c. p. 77. l. 21 r. but not absolute p. 87. l. 25. dele not p. 88. l 7. r. doth not hinder p 94. l. 15. after bless it add as the Minister doth Other Faults by reason of the Author's distance from the Press have escaped which the Reader is intreated to correct and pardon
honoured most in the Reformation and Edification and Comfort of his Church have been most like to Elijah for praying And we should study to shew our selves Men approved of God in this part of our Ministry with sound Judgment heavenly Wisdom and holy Affections Epaphras was wont to labour fervently in Prayer Col. 4.12 And the Apostle besought the Romans to strive together with him in Prayer Rom 15.30 But yet this striving though in some active Spirits it cannot be confined to a set Form of Words doth not require us to lay aside all Forms which many holy Men that I could name have used out of Judgment and Choice and have prevailed with God by Faith and Fervency And let those who speak much of praying and daily or frequently pray apart and together took well to the matter and to their Spirits and see that they do not offer the Sacrifice of Fools nor be rash to utter a Matter before God. And it were better with the Church of God if we did put on Charity if we were cloathed with Humility if we disputed less about Forms and prayed more with all manner of Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit Ephes 6.18 Vnbelief and Hypocrisie are a dead Load upon the Heart and keep Prayer from ascending When a Man's Heart is God's and when the Prayers we make are our own Sense offered up in the Name of Christ by the Spirit of Adoption according to the Will of God we shall be heard Yet I would not be understood as if Prayer were not a Duty of Natural Religion or that only regenerate Persons should pray but they be sure pray acceptably Wrangle not your selves into Breaches of Communion and Dis-union of the Spirit and let all things be done in Peace And so I offer this Help to such as need it as God shall be pleased to make it serviceable Of Forms and Extempore Prayers you may see Bishop Downham of the Lord's Prayer p 137. And Mr. Baxter's Cases 3. The last Chapter of this Part contains Directions for Self-Examination and Preparation for the Table of the Lord Behaviour at it and after it Much hath been printed upon this Subject and yet Communicants are comparatively few and prepared ones we fear are fewer The low and distracted broken state of the Church of Christ is matter of Grief and Mourning How unlike are we to a Body animated by the same Spirit joined to the same Head How many live and die grown to Years that never tasted of the Supper How many but very seldom How many are ignorant prophane negligent stupid do we what we can Oh that Longing after and Love to Christ had more power with many than the Observation of Customs and Seasons and the Laws of Men Some are affected with the Duty and Privilege and seem earnestly to desire it who fall off again How many are afraid of it lest this Table of the Lord become a Snare How many break Communion upon distaste of a Form of Administration though very sound or some dis-liked Communicants against whom they do not proceed as they ought How many labour under great Desections Melancholy and Fear How many put themselves off and abide in Vnsettlement that separate from publick and do not join with other Assemblies What! Do they wait for some higher Dispensation Or do they seek for what is no where promised or keep in suspence as afraid to renew Covenant with God Or what other Reason But can they live without Communion with the Lord How can they think of dying How many incorporate with particular Churches that with hold Communion from all others for meer Accidents and Circumstances Oh take heed lest between this Way and that Way you do not keep out of the Way which the Lord himself hath commanded you to shew forth his Death I should rejoice to see Matters of just and rational Offence taken away and Access to the Lord's Table to be as free and open as the Way to Heaven is But hour or when shall it be as long as that which is an Offence to one is a Duty to another Oh let us remember our Covenant with God our being incorporate with the Body of Christ labour to grow together in him who is not a little Head of a Sect or Party but of all that call upon him in all places I look upon Breaches in and about and from this holy Ordinance next to breaking the Vnity of the Spirit to be of all Breaches the most deadly Let us not divide for meer Accidents but look to the main The substance of the Ordinance and what is left as perpetual to the Church is delivered us by the holy Apostle who received it from the Lord 1 Cor. 11.23 c. where there is no Rehearsal of the Circumstances of Place Gesture and other Accidents of the first Supper but the standing Ordinance and Institution And where the Institution is observed the Ordinance is pure The next necessary Injunction is Self-Examination Let us look more to our own Hearts and fit them for Communion with the Body and Blood of our Lord and we shall not be so given to divide as we are And as for Communicants pray for them admonish them proceed regularly make not their Sin yours and their Presence doth not pollute you 2. The Design of these three Chapters being to carry them further on who had been conversant in the forementioned Catechism hath given occasion to bring it forth once more to Light with some few Propositions to fill up some spaces between one Point and another and to explain them with Quotations of Scripture It is not hard to see how some will be offended at this for its first Name and Title But without detracting from the Church Catechism or any other Form of sound Words by which Christ hath edified his Church I cannot easily conceal nor express my due Admiration of this 1. For the Soundness of the divine Matter clearly and excellently expressed 2. For the Comprehensiveness of it 3. For the Method and Connexion of Parts 4. For its Consonance with the holy Scripture by which it is proved and upon which it is built Whereby it appears the Faith of the Learner is not made to stand upon the Word of Man Decrees of Councils or Synods but the Word of God. Every Answer is full and clear but that which raiseth up my Heart in praise of God for it is the rare Description of my glorious Redeemer and the Doctrines that belong unto it In them we have as much Truth as can be laid together and as many Heresies cast out from them as can be summed up in so few Words There is an Antidote against the Prison of Cerinthus Ebion Arrius Samosatenus Nestorius Eutyches the Socinians and other Hereticks which appeared with the Reformation and gave those blessed Souls who were the Lights of the World much trouble The Harmony of the whole with the Doctrine of our Church has been judiciously shewed by Mr. Thomas
God through our Lord Jesus Christ V. 2. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. V. 5. And hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us Joy in the Holy Ghost (t) Rom. 14.17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Increase of Grace (u) Prov. 4.18 The path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day and Perseverance therein to the end (x) 1 Joh. 5.13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that you may know that ye have eternal life and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 1 Pet. 1.5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 45. Q. What benefits do Believers receive from Christ at death A. The Souls of Believers are at their death made perfect in (y) Heb. 12.23 To the general assembly and church of the first-born which are written in heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect Holiness and do immediately pass into (z) 2 Cor. 5.1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens V. 6. Therefore we are confident knowing that whilst we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. V. 8. We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Phil. 1.23 For I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Luk. 23.43 And Jesus said unto him Verily I say unto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Glory and their Bodies being still united to (a) 1 Thess 4.14 For if we believe Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him Christ do rest in their (b) Isa 57.2 He shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds each one walking in his uprightness Graves till the (c) Job 19.26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God. V. 27. Whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my reins be consumed within me Resurrection 46. Q What benefit do Believers receive from Christ at the Resurrection A. At the Resurrection Believers being raised up in Glory (d) 1 Cor. 15.43 It is sown in dishonour it is raised in glory it is sown in weakness it is raised in power shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the Day of Judgment (e) Mat. 25.23 His Lord said unto him Well done thou good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Matth. 10 32. Whosoever shall confess me before men him will I also confess before my Father which is in heaven and made perfectly blessed in full enjoying of God (f) 1 Joh. 3.2 Beloved now are we the sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 Cor. 13.12 For now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face now I know but in part but then I shall know even as I am also known to all Eternity (g) 1 Thess 4.17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we be ever with the Lord. V. 18. Wherefore comfort one another with these words PART II. What Duties God requires of Man in his holy Law. 1. Q. What is the Duty which God requireth of Man A. The Duty which God requireth of Man is Obedience to his (h) Mic. 6.8 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God 1 Sam 15.22 And Samuel said Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord Behold to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of rams revealed Will. 2. Q What did God at first reveal to Man for the Rule of his Obedience A. The Rule which God at first revealed to Man for his Obedience was the Moral Law (i) Rom. 2.14 For when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law these having not the law are a law unto themselves V. 15. Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts their consciences also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another Rom. 10.5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law that the man which doth those things shall live by them 3. Q. Where is the Moral Law summarily comprehended A. The Moral Law is summarily comprehended in the (k) Deut. 10.4 And he wrote on the tables according to the first writing the ten commandments which the Lord spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly and the Lord gave them unto me Matth. 19.17 And he said unto him Why callest thou me good there is none good but one that is God but if thou wilt enter into life keep the commandments ten Commandments 4. Q. What is the sum of the Ten Commandments A. The sum of the Ten Commandments is To love the Lord our God with all our Heart with all our Soul with all our Strength and with all our Mind and our Neighbour as our (l) Matth. 22.37 Jesus said unto him Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind V. 38. This is the first and great commandment V. 39. And the second is like unto it Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self V. 40. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets selves 5. Q. What is the Preface to the Ten Commandments A. The Preface to the Ten Commandments is in these words Exod. 20.2 I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage 6. Q. What doth the Preface to the Ten Commandments teach us A. The Preface to the Ten Commandments teacheth us That because God is the Lord and our God and Redeemer therefore we are bound to keep all his (n) Luk. 1.74 That he
is in you except ye be reprobates him of their (g) 1 Cor. 11.31 For if we would judge our selves we should not be judged Repentance (h) 1 Cor. 10.16 The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the communion of the blood of Christ V. 17. For we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread Love and (i) 1 Cor. 5.7 Purge out therefore the old leaven that ye may be a new lump as ye are unleavened for even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us V. 8. Therefore let us keep the feast not with old leaven neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth new Obedience lest coming unworthily they eat and drink Judgment to (k) 1 Cor. 11.28,29 themselves § 3. The third outward and ordinary Means whereby Christ communicateth to us the Benefits of Redemption is Prayer Q. What is Prayer 1. A. Prayer is an Offering up of our Desires unto (l) Psal 62.8 Trust in him at all times ye people pour out your hearts before him God is a refuge for us Selah God for things agreeable to his (m) 1 Joh. 5.14 And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us Will in the Name of (n) Joh. 16.23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing Verily verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you Christ with Confession of our (o) Psal 32.5 I acknowledge my sins unto thee and mine iniquity have I not hid I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Selah V. 6. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found surely in the floods of great waters they shall come nigh unto him Dan. 9.4 And I prayed unto the Lord my God and made my confession and said O Lord the great and dreadful God keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him and to them that keep his commandments Sins and thankful Acknowledgment of his (p) Phil. 4.6 Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Mercies Q. What Rule hath God given for our Direction in Prayer 2. A. The whole Word of God is of use to direct us in (q) 1 Joh. 5.14 And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us Prayer but the special Rule of Direction is that Form of Prayer which Christ taught his Disciples commonly called The (r) Matth. 6.6,10,11,12,13 After this manner therefore pray ye Our Father c. Luk. 11.2 And he said unto them When ye pray say Our Father c. Lord's Prayer PART IV. A short Exposition of the Lord's Prayer IN the Lord's Prayer there are three Parts 1. A Preface 2. Six Petitions 3. The Conclusion 1. Q. What doth the Preface of the Lord's Prayer teach us A. The Preface of the Lord's Prayer which is Matth. 6.9 Our Father which art in Heaven teacheth us to draw near to God with all holy Reverence and Confidence as Children to a Father ready to (a) Rom. 8.15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but we have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Luk. 11.13 If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him help us and that we should pray with and for (b) Acts 12.5 Peter therefore was kept in prison but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him 1 Tim. 2.1 I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men V. 2. For kings and for all that are in authority c. others 2. Q. What do we pray for in the first Petition 1. A. In the first Petition which is Hallowed be thy Name Matth. 6.9 we pray that God would enable us and others to glorifie him in all that whereby he maketh himself (c) Psal 67.2 That thy way may be known upon earth thy saving health among all nations V. 3. Let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee known and that he would dispose all things to his own (d) Psal 83. throughout Glory Q. What do we pray for in the second Petition 2. A. In the second Petition which is Mat. 6.10 Thy Kingdom come we pray that Satan's Kingdom may be (e) Psal 68.1 Let God arise let his enemies be scattered let them also that hate him flee before him V. 18. Thou hast ascended on high thou hast led captivity captive thou hast received gifts for men yea for the rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell among them destroyed and that the Kingdom of Grace might be (f) Rev. 12.10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven Now is come salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast down which accused them before God day and night V. 11. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death advanced our selves and others brought into it and kept in (g) 2 Thess 3.1 Finally brethren pray for us that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified even as it is with you Rom. 10.1 Brethren my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved Joh. 17.9 I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them that thou hast given me for they are thine V. 20. Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word it and that the Kingdom of Glory may be (h) Rev. 22.20 He which testifieth these things saith Surely I come quickly Amen Even so Come Lord Jesus hastened Q. What do we pray for in the third Petition 3. A. In the third Petition which is Mat. 6.10 Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven we pray that God would make us able and willing to know obey and submit to his Will in all (i) Psal 67. throughout Psal 119.36 Encline my heart to thy testimonies and not to covetousness Matth. 26.39 And he went a little farther and fell on his face and prayed saying O my Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt 2 Sam. 15.25 And the king said unto Zadock Carry back the
Righteousness and counting thine own even all things but Loss for him Phil. 3.8,9 2. In esteeming thy Life to be wrapped up in him 1 Joh. 5.12 Col. 3.3,4 section 5 Secondly Examine thy Love to him as thy Prophet 1. Dost thou love and delight in his Word and Ordinances Dost thou keep his Word and treasure it up in thy Heart Joh. 14.23 2. Dost thou submit thy carnal Reason to the Spirit and Word of Christ Dost thou embrace the Motions of his blessed Spirit though contrary to the Inclinations of thine own carnal Affections and Lusts Thy Obedience to his teaching will prove thy Love to him and thy Delight to hear him section 6 Thirdly Examine thy Love to him as King. 1. Art thou glad that there is a Law forbidding Sin that there is a Law in thy Mind warring against the Law in thy Members Dost thou yield thy self to his Rule and Government And dost thou account it thy Liberty and thy Happiness to be under his Command 2. Dost thou bring all thy Lusts to his Cross to be crucified and deliver up thy most beloved Sins to be mortified by his Spirit This is a sure Sign of Love to him when we do not tolerate any Lust against his Will. 3. Art thou for Christ against all that rise up against him Dost thou seek his Glory endeavour that his Sceptre and Throne may be set up and exalted in the World and in thine own Heart 4. Art thou prepared to follow him the Captain of thy Salvation to leave all and follow him as one that goes a Warfare after Christ to sight the good Fight of Faith and withstand the Flesh World and Devil Thus far of the Love to the Second Person with the Reasons and Effects of it section 7 The third Head of Examination is of our Love to the Holy Ghost There is unspeakable Cause for it 1. For his infinite Excellencies as God. 2. For his Work and Office which is to apply to us the Benefits of our Redemption The Spirit of God doth these things for thee in order to thy Salvation for which thou art infinitely obliged to love him 1. He reveals the deep things of God the Mysteries of Redemption 1 Cor. 2.10,11,12 2. He enlightneth thy Mind to see and know the things of thy Peace Eph. 1.17 3. He doth convince thee of thy Sin and Misery and thereby he prepares thee for Cure and Deliverance Joh. 16.8 4. The Renewing of the Will is from him who is the Spirit of Regeneration Joh. 3.5 5. He perswades and enables every one to believe and embrace Jesus Christ that shall be called and saved Ezek. 36.27 6. He sanctifieth the Heart yea the whole Man throughout and makes thee holy that thou mayest see God if ever thou see him 2 Thes 2.13 7. He teacheth thee to cry Abba Father as the Spirit of Adoption Gal. 4.6 8. He seals all that are sealed to the Day of Redemption Ephes 4.30 9. And all the spiritual true Joy Peace and Comfort which any one hath come from him Gal. 5.22 together with all Ability for any Service Fruit and Benefit from Ordinances which would not have been effectual to Salvation if he had not blessed them So that if you love Grace or hope for Glory you cannot but adore and love the Holy Ghost even as the Father and the Son. Shew and manifest your sincere Love to the Holy Ghost by your Love to the Word given by his uspiration and all holy Ordinances And for what do you love the Word and Ordinances Try it Is it not for the heavenly Wisdom Holiness and the divine Efficacy and Tendency of them to make you wise to Salvation 2. If you love the Holy Ghost you will desire and improve Communion with him in all divine Institutions and Ordinances in which he is graciously pleased to communicate his Graces As in preaching the Word Isa 61.1 in Prayer Rom. 8.26,27 in Sacraments Matth. 3.11 He makes the Christian within Rom. 2.29 engrafting us into the Body 1 Cor. 12.13 He makes the Flesh of Christ to be Bread indeed and his Blood to be Drink indeed and his Words to be Spirit and Life Joh. 6.63 Ephes 5.18,9 3. You will walk in the Spirit and bring forth the Fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 and 16. And thus much of our Love to God. section 8 2. The second general Branch of Examination is of your Love to Man to every Man being your Neighbour in true Sence Your Neighbour is either a Brother or an Enemy 1. Try your Love to all the Saints and holy Brethren not only in that particular Society of Christians with whom you hold personal and local Communion but to all that are scattered abroad though under different Governments and Administrations as to Circumstances of Worship even all that are in the Body and that love our Lord Jesus Christ in Sincerity Ephes 6.24 1 Cor. 1.2 You cannot love Christ except you love the Brethren 1 Joh. 4.20 Joh. 13.34,35 1 Cor. 10.17 For we being many are one Body Examine your selves 1. Do you love them as being all one in Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 16.24 as Fellow-heirs of the same Grace Ephes 3.6 And do you love them for the Truth 's sake and for the sake of Grace even against all the Prejudices of Custom Education and smaller private Differences See Gal. 3.27,28 1 Cor. 12.13 2. Do you love them though they excel you in Gifts and Graces Degree and Place or them that are many Steps below you in the World See 1 Cor. 12.24,25 chap. 13.4 3. Can you sympathize with them and suit Affections to their various Conditions 1 Cor. 12.26 Bear one anothers Burthens Gal. 6.1,2 Can you visit them and take part with them in their Reproaches and Sufferings for Christ and Righteousness Act. 7.23 Heb. 11.25,26 4. Doth your Love extend to all the Saints Ephes 6.34 1 Cor. 16.24 5. Can you break with all the World rather than with them and do and suffer more for them than for any other and count Jerusalem your chief Joy Psal 137.6 section 9 2. Try your Love to Enemies We must do good to all and love Men as Men. 1. Do you pray for them that God would turn them and forgive them Mat. 5.44 Act. 7.60 Luk. 23.34 2. Can you forgive them their Trespasses Luk. 11.4 as far as they are against you As they are against the Law of God you cannot forgive but so considered you must pray for them But as the Sin is an Offence against you Charity requires you to forgive them Eph. 4.32 Col. 3.13 and not only the Offence is to be forgiven but the Injury and Damage if it be small and tolerable But if you cannot without Sin remit the Damages yet you must seek your Right with a charitable Heart 3. Can you feed your Enemy when hungry and cloath him when naked Rom. 12.20 In a word Endeavour to carry your self according to the Law of Love Rom. 13.10 5.
the Godhead inform us of the exceeding great usefulness of the Knowledge of the Trinity Hath God revealed himself as a Father and would he not have his Children know him and be the better for it Hath he made known himself as the Son and Holy Ghost and not intend us a particular Kindness by it He most graciously conveys to his People the Knowledge and Assurance of most astonishing incomprehensible Love Grace Power and Goodness to allure and draw us into his Covenant to oblige us to take him for our God and become his Sons and Daughters that we ignorant lost miserable helpless Sinners might become happy for ever in him 3. As the Plurality of Persons or one God and three Persons are revealed to us so the practical Vse and Benefit of it is also revealed and therefore it is to be opened to his Covenant-people As soon as we know the Covenant and our Entrance into it we know our God to be the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost And this Knowledge is not laid up for the Wise and Learned which hath been most depraved by and lost in those proud and subtile and learned Wits in all Ages but laid open before the Faith of the weakest Believer to whom it is revealed I am verily perswaded saith the judicious Mr. Lawson that the Mystery of the Trinity is more clearly and fully delivered in the Scripture than we understand it Theopolitica p 32. N. 3. And I have wondred how familiarly that Man of Search and Reach Dr. Thomas Goodwyn speaks of it as if he saw how it was in his excellent Discourse of the Knowledge of God 2 Vol. Fol. We must humbly follow the Scripture-Light and dive into this Deep no further than our Line doth reach growing more and more in Grace and Knowledge till we come to see him face to face and to know him as we are also known I cannot but observe the Doctrine of the excellent and modest Melancthon These things are wonderful and above the Creature 's reach Sed scimus c. But we know these Mysteries are revealed to the Church that we may worship and call upon God aright c. Christ would have the sum of the Gospel to be comprehended in this first Ceremony of Baptism wherefore he testifies at once that we are received of God and teacheth us who God is and what God we invocate and what he doth bestow upon us I baptize thee in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost that is to say I testifie that thou art received of the Eternal Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost that by their Mercy and Power thou mayest be delivered from Sin and eternal Death and be endowed with Righteousness and eternal Life He makes a Covenant with thee in Baptism and affirmeth that he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and that he appointed the Son to be a Propitiation and sent the Holy Ghost to begin in thee Righteousness and eternal Life Loc. Commun de 3. Personis it de Filio The glorious infinite God Father Son and Holy Ghost is the Object and Foundation of our Faith and Hope the bottomless incomprehensible Spring of all Grace Promises Blessings and Privileges granted in the New Testament and being so made known we by Faith acknowledge him as such and promise Love and Obedience to him We receive from the Father through the Son by the Holy Ghost Grace and Life even all manner of Grace and all that are alive live by them upon them and to them Therefore again the Knowledge of this Mystery is practical and necessary to Salvation for except we believe and worship God as he hath revealed himself except we keep Covenant with him as God in Covenant and that as he hath declared himself therein how can we be saved By him as thus made known we are quickned strengthned encouraged and comforted in all our Services and every step of Duty in our way to Heaven The reverend and learned Beza observes That Arrius Sabellius Actius and other ancient Hereticks did many ways pollute and prophane the most holy Mystery of the Trinity but none of them ever grew to that degree of Impudence as to rank the Knowledge of it among things unnecessary and which if known make no Man the better Vol. Tractat. Theol. fol. p. 100. De Haeret. Puniendis The necessity of knowing and believing the Father Son and Holy Ghost To Be that is according to their meaning that there is a Son and Holy Ghost as well as the Father but not Co-essential is professed by the Socinians Racov. Catech c. 6. p. 30,31 So that he is no Christian who doth not believe it But what they say is not sufficient As the Being of one God is the Foundation of all Religion so that this God is Father Son and Holy Ghost as the God of all Grace in Covenant is the Foundation of the Christian Religion and distinguisheth it from that of Heathens Mahumetans and Jews And it is such a Foundation as is a living Root to the Tree of spiritual Knowledge and eternal Life to every true Believer Our Orthodox Divines assign it the chief place in Fundamentals and practical Doctrines and therefore it is of great use and benefit to have it and the Benefits of it declared So doth the most reverend Archbishop Usher often profess Serm. before King James I on Ephes 4 13. Bishop Prideaux Praelec 17. de Sancta Trinitate N. 3 7. Hornbeck Socin Confutat lib 1 cap. 9. it Disputat Theol. 4. inter vetera nova lib. 2. cap 2. Unicum est Religionis Fundamentum saith Beza Loc Citat Zanch de 3. Flohim lib. 5 cap 9. Partis Secundae Mr. Baxter Theol. Method p 76 Q2 it p. 122. N. 10. Ursin Catech. Explicat à Pareo p. 159 Q8 Dr Owen of the Trinity and of the Holy Ghost lib 1. p. 8. p. 44. Sect 4. p. 126. Dr. Potter c 4. The practical use and benefit of it being known it is a great inducement to Christians to study it and a furtherance of their Faith Hope and Joy and all other Graces and it will engage them to hold fast the revealed Doctrine of it which is most necessary in these Days when they who display their Banners against our Church and one Factor for them who hath served and dis-served his Principals borrowed an Argument of the same stamp but he will write no more would drive us into a Belief of Tâ—ansubstantiation because we believe a Trinity and an Incarnation which if we should admit they might not only brand us as the foulest Hereticks that ever were since Christ left the World but for being so But this Insinuation of an Antichristian Error of theirs hath brought forth an excellent Discourse in two Parts The Doctrine of the Trinity and Transubstantiation compared Of the practical Vse of the Mastery of the Trinity the words of Armenius are notable At verò
the Persons There is but one Person and that is the Father They own the Son and Holy Gost but then make the Father and the Son not to be of the same Nature and Essence and deny the Holy Ghost to be God or a Person in the Godhead And so they make us who are created by one that is God to be but redeemed and saved by one that is not God and made new Creatures and sanctified by one who is not God save by Title They take away the glorious Crown of Essential Godhead from the Head of God my Saviour and lay that Honour in the Dust of Manhood though they acknowledge him more than a meer Man a Divine Man and only a Subordinate to God a meer Instrument a second Cause of Salvation an Helper but not a perfect Saviour a great Prophet an improper Priest and a little King. I am sure according to their Doctrine I must look for another Christ for such an one as they describe cannot do for my Salvation what my State requires But blessed be God the Father the Son and Holy Ghost for making himself known to me in the Glass of holy Scripture and in Honour Love and Thankfulness I have where ever Occasion is offered vindicated the Glory of God my Saviour and of God my Sanctifier And for their Subtilty in managing their Cause I verily think they have lost it by one Concession of theirs which you may see in the second and third Commandment where I have spoken but briefly yet I hope not obscurely I have mainly set my little Strength against them principally but I hope God's Power will be seen in my Weakness 2. As the reverend and judicious Josias Simder observes that out of the School of that impure Servetus went forth those egregious Disciples Gonaesius Gribuldus Blandrata Gentilis Paul Alciatus Gregorius Paulus Casanovius Menno and numerous Troops of Anabaptists who all differed in some things from one another Tractat de Aeterno Dei Filio so most of our differing Sects are corrupted with some Points or other of Socinianism and not only among them is this Infection spread but others also In the Asphaltes of Socinianism all flow together Gebal and Amon and Amalek Anabaptists Remonstrants Separatists and Quodlibetists said Dr. Prideaux Lect 19. De Satisfactione Christi The Convocation in the Year 1640. took notice of its Growth and took care to smother it And since all manner of Teachers took liberty to set out their Light they who are conversant in their Opinions know how strongly they savour of it And I desire them for whose Benefit in part I direct these Discourses to take warningâ— from Dr. Owen who hath taken great and learned pains against them in his Vindiciae Evangelicae and Comment on the Hebrews c against Socinianism who speaks of a choice Society of Christians who were divided and in no small part infected by some of their Arts Preface before his Confutation of Biddle 's Catechism And by the way take notice that the most abominable pernicious Errors may be imposed upon injudicious undiscerning People by a copious Rehearsal of Scripture as is to be seen in that Catechism of Mr. Biddle which he calls A Scripture Catechisin Such need is there of able Ministers well studied to sland upon the Watch-Towers and such need is there of Humility in People to know their Teachers And one Socinian Doctrine is of dargerous tendency to corrupt the Minds of Men who are for Liberty of Prophesying of gifted Men that they hold there is no necessity of a Calling Mission or Ordination of Ministers Capit. 2. de Eccles Christi They can furnish them who are disposed to cavelling with Cavels and Objections enough suited to proud corrupt Nature and many Opinions grown too common And Men that are devoted to Reason but never felt the two-edged Sward of Conviction of Sin and Wrath and of their need of a Saviour enter into their Souls are apt to venerate them as the Oracles of Reason What I have done or can do is but little yet I trust Truth will be seen in its own Light and found to stand upon its own strong Foundation I was confined to Brevity and it is not easie to me who am used to expatiate to make things plain to every Capacity to be clear short and strong Had I fore-seen there had been so many Half-lines as I see there is I would have filled up my Sense in some places but now that cannot be Such as it is I do most humbly dedicate it to my God and Master in Heaven and for your Service my much and most honoured Brethren Friends and dearest Relations Accept of this as a Present a profitable Return for many Favours and Blessings received from you I beseech you continue your Care and Pains in instructing your Families Build up your selves and them in your holy Faith and as you were educated your selves go on to train up yours And the Grace of our Lord Jesus be with your Spirits To others I deliver with mine own hands the best Legacy I have to leave them charging you all and every one by that Covenant between God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and you that you do in your whole Lives live to God by Faith Renew Repentance and let the Love of God constrain you c. 2 Cor. 5.14 As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord walk in him Col. 2.6 And renounce whom and what you have renounced In every Condition live by Faith and in every thing by Prayer and Supplication make your Requests known to God. Phil. 4.5 In every State learn to be contented Phil. 4.11 In every thing give thanks 1 Thes 5.18 and always for all things unto God and the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ Ephes 5.20 Study believe and live according to these things Hold fast the form of sound words which you have heard of me c. 2 Tim. 1.13 I do not leave you Wood Hay Stubble but Gold Silver and precious Stones 1 Cor. 3.12 Therefore highly value them as Talents and a Treasure and know that I do rejoice more in leaving you these precious Legacies of the New Testament than if I had Thousands of Gold and Silver to leave you And let all that shall receive any Benefit by these Endeavours for Good to your immortal Souls bless the Lord for ever Brief Directions 1. You that teach others teach them their Baptismal Vow 2. Next inform them what they are by Nature and what they may and must be by Grace Acquaint them with Christ 3. After they can say the Creed the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments enter them into the Catechism and lead them as they are able 4. Make Application to their Hearts of what they learn. 5. When they have learnt the Catechism go on to the Proofs 6. When they grow in Judgment often repeat and study well the several Sections of the second Part as you go over those Points
Q What do the Scriptures principally teach A. The holy Scriptures principally teach what Man is bound to believe concerning God and what Duty God requires of (e) 2 Tim. 1.13 Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 3.16 see before Man. 4. Q. What is God A. God is a (f) Joh. 4.24 God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth Spirit (g) Job 11.7 Canst thou by searching find out God Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection V. 8. It is as high as heaven what canst thou do Deeper than hell what canst thou know V. 9. The measure thereof is longer than the earth and broader than the sea Infinite (h) Psal 90.2 Before the mountains were brought forth or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God. Eternal and (i) James 1.17 Every good and perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights with whom there is no variableness neither shadow of turning Unchangeable in his (k) Exod. 3.14 And God said unto Moses I am that I am and he said Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel I AM hath sent me unto you Being (l) Psal 147.5 Great is our Lord and of great power his understanding is infinite Wisdom (m) Rev. 4.8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him and they were full of eyes within and they rest not day and night saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come Isa 6.3 And one cried unto another and said Holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts the whole earth is full of his glory Power (n) Rev. 15.5 Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name for thou only art holy for all nations shall come and worship before thee for thy judgments are made manifest Holiness (o) Deut. 32.4 He is the rock his work is perfect for all his ways are judgment a God of truth and without iniquity just and right is he Justice (p) Exod. 34.6 And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth V. 7. Keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin and that will by no means clear the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and upon the childrens children unto the third and fourth generation Goodness and Truth 5. Q. Are there more Gods than one A. This God is one and there is and there can be but one only the living and true * Deut. 6.4 Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. Jer. 10.10 But the Lord is the true God he is the living God and an everlasting King at his breath the earth shall tremble and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation 1 Cor. 8.4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols we know that an idol is nothing in the world and that there is none other God but one V. 6. But to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him God. 6. Q. How many Persons are there in the Godhead A. There are three Persons in the Godhead or Divine Being and Nature the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and these three are one God the same in substance equal in (q) 1 Joh. 5.7 For there are three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one Matth. 28.19 Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost 2 Cor. 13.14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen Joh. 10.30 I and my Father are one Phil. 2.6 Who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God. Compare Isa 6.3,5,8 with Joh. 12.41 and Acts 28.25 Acts 5.3,4 But Peter said Ananias why hath Satan filled thine heart to lye to the Holy Ghost and to keep back part of the price of the land Whiles it remained was it not thine own and after it was sold was it not in thine own power why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart thou hast not lyed unto men but unto God. Power and Glory and all divine Perfections 7. This one God the Father the Son and Holy Ghost is the first efficient Cause or Creator the preserving and disposing and the final Cause of all things Rom. 11.36 For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen 8. What soever God hath done and brought forth he did according to his Eternal Purpose and Decrees Ephes 1.11 Who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will. 9. Q. What are the Decrees of God A. The Decrees of God are his Eternal Purpose according to the Counsel of his Will whereby for his own Glory he hath fore-ordained whatever comes to (r) Ephes 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love V. 11. In whom also we obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Rom. 9 22. What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction V. 23. And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory pass 10. Q. How doth God execute his Decrees A. God executeth his Decrees in the works of Creation and (Å¿) Ephes 1.11 Who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will. Providence 11. Q. What is the Work of Creation A. The Work of Creation is God's making all things of nothing by the Word of his Power in the space of six days and all very (t) Gen. chap. 1. throughout Heb. 11.13 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things that do appear good 12. Q. How did God create Man A. After all the rest of his Works God created Man Male and Female after his own Image in Knowledge Righteousness and Holiness with Dominion over the (u) Gen. 1.26 And God said Let us make Man in our own image after our likeness and let them have dominion over the rish of the sea and over the fowl of the
lust and inticed V. 15. Then when lust hath conceived it brings forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death Matth. 15.19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts murthers adulteries fornications thefts false-witnesses blasphemies it 23. Q. What is the misery of that Estate whereinto Man fell A. All Mankind by their Fall lost Communion with (i) Gen. 3.8 Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden V. 10. And he said I heard thy voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked and I hid my self V. 24. So he drove out the man and he placed at the end of the garden of Eden Cherubims and a flaming sword which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life God are under his Wrath and (k) Ephes 2.2,3 see before Gal. 3.10 For as many as are of the work of the law are under the Curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the law to do them Curse and so made liable to all miseries in this Life to Death it self and to the pains of Hell for (l) Lam. 3.39 Wherefore doth the living man complain a man for the punishment of his sins Rom. 6.23 For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Matth. 25.41 Then shall he say to them on the left hand Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels V. 46. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternal ever 24. But all Mankind were not left to perish in the state of Sin and Misery For 25. Q. Did God leave all Mankind to perish in the state of Sin and Misery A. God having out of his meer good pleasure from all Eternity elected some to everlasting (m) Ephes 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Life did enter into a Covenant of Grace to deliver them out of the state of Sin and misery and to bring them into an estate of Salvation by a (n) Rom. 3.21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested being witnessed by the law and the prophets V. 22. Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe for there is no difference Gal. 3.21 Is the law then against the promises God forbid for if there had been a law given which could have given life verily righteousness should have been by the law V. 22. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe Redeemer 26. Q. Who is the Redeemer of God's Elect A. The only Redeemer of God's Elect is the Lord Jesus (o) 1 Tim. 2.5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men the Man Christ Jesus V. 6. Who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time Christ who being the Eternal Son of God became (p) Joh. 1.14 And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth Gal. 4.4 But when the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law. Man and so was and continueth to be God and Man in two distinct Natures and one Person for (q) Rom. 9.5 Whose are the Fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Luke 1.35 And the Angel answered and said unto her The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the Power of the Highest shall over-shadow thee therefore also the holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. Col. 2 9. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Heb. 7.24 But this Man because he continueth ever hath an unchangeable priesthood V. 25. Wherefore he is able to save them to the utmost that come to God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them ever 27. Q. How did Christ being the Son of God become Man. A. Christ the Eternal Son of God became Man by taking to himself a true (r) Heb. 2.14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death that is the Devil V. 16. For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham Heb. 10.5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world he saith Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not but a body hast thou prepared me Body and a reasonable (Å¿) Matth. 26.38 Then saith he unto them My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death tarry you here and watch with me Soul being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost in the Womb of the Virgin Mary and born of (t) Luke 1.31 Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a son and shalt call his name Jesus V. 35. see before V. 42. And she spake out with a loud voice and said Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Gal. 4.4 see before her yet without (u) Heb. 4.15 For we have not an High-Priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin Heb. 7.26 For such an High-Priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners and made higher than the heavens Sin. 28. Q. What Offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer A. Christ as our Redeemer executeth the Offices (x) Acts 3.22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you Heb. 12.25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven Compared with 2 Cor. 13.3 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me which to you-ward is not weak but is mighty in you Luke 4.18 The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised of a Prophet (y) Heb. 5.5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an High Priest but he that
said unto him Thou art my Son to day have I begotten thee As he saith also in another place V. 6. Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck V. 7. Who in the days of his flesh when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him who is able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared of a Priest and (z) Psal 2.6 Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion Isa 9.6 For unto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulders and his Name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace V. 7. Of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order it and to establish it with judgment and justice from hence forth even for ever the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this Matth. 21.5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion Behold thy King cometh unto thee meek and sitting upon an ass and a colt the foal of an ass Psal 2 8. Ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession thou shalt break them with a rod of iron thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel V. 10. Be wise now therefore O ye kings be instructed ye judges of the earth V. 11. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling of a King both in his Estate of †Phil. 2.8 And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the cross V. 9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name V. 10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth V. 11. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father Humiliation on Earth and Exaltation in Heaven 29. Q. How doth Christ execute the Office of a Prophet A. Christ as our Redeemer executeth the Office of a Prophet ‖ Heb. 1.1 God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets V. 2. Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed heir of all things by whom also he made the worlds in revealing to us by his †Joh. 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him 1 Pet. 1 10. Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you V. 11. Searching what or what manner of time the spirit of Christ which was in them did signisie when it testified before-hand the sufferings of Christ and the glory which should follow V. 12. Unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven which things the angels desire to look into Word and Spirit the * Joh. 15.15 Henceforth I call you not servants for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you Will of God for our Salvation ‖ Joh. 20.31 These things are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing you might have life through his Name 30. Q. How doth Christ execute the Office of a Priest A. Christ as our Redeemer executeth the Office of a Priest (a) Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God. V. 28. So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation in his once offering up of himself a (b) Ephes 5 2. And walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour sacrifice to satisfie Divine Justice and (c) Heb. 2.17 In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High-Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people Rom. 5.9 Much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him V. 10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life reconcile us to God and in making (d) Heb. 7.24 But this man because he continueth ever hath an unchangeable Priest-hood V. 25. Wherefore he is able to save to the utmost those that come to God by him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them continual Intercession for us 31. Q. How doth Christ execute the Office of a King A. Christ executeth the Office of a King (e) Psal 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool V. 2. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion rule thou in the midst of thine enemies V. 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth Acts 15.14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a People for his Name V. 15. And to this agree the words of the Prophets as it is written V. 16. After this I will return and build again the Tabernacle of David which is fallen down and I will build again the ruins thereof and I will set it up in subduing us to himself (f) Isa 33.22 The Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King he will save us in ruling (g) Isa 32.1 Behold a King shall reign in Righteousness and Princes shall rule in Judgment V. 2. And a Man shall be as an hiding-place from the wind and a covert from the tempest as Rivers of Waters in a dry place as the shadow of a Rock in a weary Land. and defending us (h) 1 Cor. 15.25 For he must reign till he hath put all his Enemies under his feet Psal 110.5 The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through Kings in the day of his wrath V. 6. He shall judge among the heathen he shall fill the places with the dead
bodies he shall wound the heads over many countreys and restraining and conquering all his and our Enemies 32. Christ as our Redeemer did execute these three Offices both in the State of his Humiliation when he was upon Earth and still doth execute them in Heaven in his Exaltation 33. Q. Wherein did Christ's Humiliation consist A. Christ's Humiliation consisted (i) Luke 2.7 And she brought forth her first born Son and wrapped him in swadling clothes and laid him in a Manger because there was no room for them in the Inn. in his being born and that in a low condition (k) Gal. 4.4 And when the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a Woman made under the Law. made under the Law (l) Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God. V. 3. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds Isa 53.2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender Plant and as a Root out of a dry ground he hath no form nor comliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him V. 3. He is despised and rejected of men a Man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs and we hid as it were our faces from him he was despised and we esteemed him not undergoing the Miseries of this Life (n) Phil. 2.8 And being found in fashion as a Man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross the Wrath of God (m) Luke 22.44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground Matth. 27.46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice saying ELI ELI LAMASABACHTHANI that is to say My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and the cursed Death of the Cross (o) 1 Cor. 15.4 And that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures in being buried (p) Matt. 2.40 As Jonas was three days and three nights in the Whales belly so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth Acts 2.24,25,26,27 31. V. 24. Whom God hath raised having loosed the pains of death because it was not possible that he should be holden of it V. 25. For David speaketh concerning him I foresaw the Lord always before my face for he is on my right hand that I should not be moved V. 26. Therefore did my heart rejoice and my tongue was glad moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope V. 27. Because thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell neither wilt thou suffer thine holy One to see corruption V. 31. He seeing this before spake of the Resurrection of Christ that his Soul was not left in Hell neither did his flesh see corruption and continuing under the power of Death for a time 34. Q. Wherein consisteth Christ's Exaltation Christ's Exaltation consisteth in (q) 1 Cor. 15.4 And that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures his Rising again from the dead on the third day (r) Mark 16.19 So then after the Lord had spoken to them he was received up into Heaven and sat on the right hand of God. in ascending up into Heaven (Å¿) Ephes 1.20 Which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places in sitting at the right hand of God the Father (t) Acts 1.11 Which also said Ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into Heaven This same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven Chap. 17. V. 31. He hath appointed a day in the which he shall judge the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead and in coming to judge the World at the last Day 35. Christ our Mediator wrought Redemption from that State of Sin and Misery into which we fell and purchased a happy State of Life and Salvation for all to whom it is applied 36. Q. How are we made partakers of the Redemption purchased by Christ A. We are made partakers of the Redemption Purchased by Christ (u) John 1.11 He came unto his own and his own received him not V. 12. but as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name by the effectual Application of it to us (x) Tit. 3.5 Not by works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost V. 6. Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour by his holy Spirit 37. Q. How doth the Spirit apply to us the Redemption purchased by Christ A. The holy Spirit applieth to us the Redemption purchased by Christ (y) Ephes 1.13 In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the Word of Truth the Gospel of your Salvation in whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of Promise V. 14. Which is an earnest of our Inheritance until the Redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory John 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out V. 39. And this is the Fathers Will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given I should lose nothing but should raise it again at the last day Ephes 2.8 By Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God. by working Faith in us and thereby (z) Ephes 3.17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithful by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. uniting us to Christ in our effectual Calling 38. Q. What is effectual Calling A. Which effectual Calling is the Work of God's Spirit (a) 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an holy Calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and Grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the World began 2 Thess 2.13 But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you Brethren beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth V. 14. Whereunto he hath
called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ John 16.8 And when he is come he will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgmnent whereby convincing us of our Sin and Misery (b) Acts 2.37 Now when they heard this they were pricked in their hearts and said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Men and Brethren what shall we do inlightning our Minds in the Knowledge of Christ (c) Acts 26.18 To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness unto light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by Faith that is in me and renewing our Wills (d) Ezek. 36.26 A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you hearts of flesh V. 27. And I will put my Spirit within you and will cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgments and do them he doth perswade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ freely offered to us in the Gospel (e) John 6.44 No Man can come unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day V. 45. As it written in the Prophets and they shall be all taught of God every Man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me Phil. 2.13 For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure John 7.37 In the last day that great day of the feast Jesus stood and cried saying If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink 39. They who are effectually called do receive and partake of many Benefits by Christ Some in this Lise before they die some at their Deaths and some at the Resurrection in the last day 40. Q. What Benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this Life A. They that are effectually called do in this life partake of (f) Rom. 8.30 Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified Justification (g) Ephes 1.5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of Children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his Will. Adoption (h) 1 Cor. 1.30 Of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption Sanctification and the several Benefits which in this Life do either accompany or flow from them 41. Q. What is Justification A. Justification is an Act of God's free Grace wherein he pardoneth all our sins (i) Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ V. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God Rom. 4.6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works V. 7. Saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered V. 8. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin and accepteth us as righteous in his sight (k) 2 Cor. 5.19 To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed to us the word of reconciliation V. 21. For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him only for the Righteousness of Christ imputed to us (l) Rom. 5.17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ V. 18. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men unto condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life V. 19. As by one man's disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous and received by Faith alone (m) Gal. 2.16 Knowing that man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the Law for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified Phil. 3.9 And be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith 42. Q. What is Adoption A. Adoption is an Act of God's (n) 1 Joh. 3.1 Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not free Grace whereby we are received into the number and have a right to all the privileges of the Sons of God (o) Joh. 1.12 As many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his Name Rom. 8.17 And if children then heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ if so be we suffer with him that we may be glorified also together 43. Q. What is Sanctification A. Sanctification is the work of God's free Grace (p) 2 Thess 2.13 God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and the belief of the truth whereby we are renewed in the whole Man after the Image of God (q) Ephes 5.23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind V. 24. And that ye put on that new Man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness and are enabled more and more to die unto Sin and live unto Righteousness (r) Rom. 6.4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we should also walk in newness of life V. 6. Knowing this that our old Man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin Rom. 8.1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit 44. Q. What are the Benefits which in this Life do accompany or flow from Justification Adoption and Sanctification A. The Benefits which in this Life do accompany or flow from Justification Adoption and Sanctification are Assurance of God's Love Peace of Conscience (Å¿) Rom. 5.1 Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with
would grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear V. 75. In holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our lives 1 Pet. 1.15 But as he that hath called you is holy so be you holy in all manner of conversation V. 16. Because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy V. 17. And if you call on the Father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work pass the time of your sojourning here in fear V. 18. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers V. 19. But with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot Commandments 7. Q. Which is the first Commandment A. The first Commandment is Exod. 20.3 Thou shalt have no other Gods before me Q. What is required in the first Commandment A. The first Commandment requireth us to know and acknowledge God to be the only true God and our (p) 1 Chron. 28.9 And thou Solomon my son know thou the God of thy father and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts if thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever Deut. 26.17 Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God and to walk in his ways and to keep his statutes and his commandments and his Judgments and to hearken to his voice God and to worship and glorifie him (q) Matth. 4.10 Then saith Jesus unto him Get thee hence Satan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Psal 29.2 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness accordingly Q. What is forbidden in the first Commandment A. The first Commandment forbiddeth the (r) Psal 14.1 The fool hath said in his heart There is no God they are corrupt they have done abominable works there is none that doth good denying or not worshipping and glorifying the true (Å¿) Rom. 1.21 Because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were they thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned God as God and our (t) Psal 81.10 I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt open thy mouth wide and I will fill it V. 11. But my people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me God and the giving that Worship and Glory to any other which is due to him (u) Rom. 1.25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the Creature more than the Creator who is blessed for ever Amen V. 26. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections for even their women did change their natural use into that which is against nature alone Q. What are wee specially taught by these words before me in the first Commandment A. These words before me in the first Commandment teach us that God who seeth all things taketh notice of and is much displeased with the Sin of having any other (x) Ezek. 8.5 to the end Psal 44.20 But if we have forgetten the name of our God or stretched out our hands to a strange God V. 21. Shall not God search this out for he knoweth the secrets of the heart God. 8. Q. Which is the second Commandment A. The second Commandment is Exod. 20.4,5,6 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven Image or the 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 nor 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 Q. What is required in the second Commandment A. The second Commandment requireth the receiving observing and keeping pure and entire all such religious Worship and Ordinances as God hath appointed in his (z) Deut. 32.46 And he said unto them Set your hearts unto all the words which I testisie among you this day which you shall command your children to observe to do all the words of this law Matth. 28.20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alway unto the end of the world Acts 2.42 And they continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers ... Word Q. What is forbidden in the second Commandment A. The second Commandment forbiddeth the worshiping of God by (a) Deut. 4.15 Take ye therefore good heed unto your selves for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire V. 16. Lest you corrupt your selves and make you a graven image the similitude of any figure the likeness of male or female V. 17. The likeness of any beast that is on the earth the likeness of any winged fowl that flicth in the air V. 18. The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth V. 19. And lest thou lift up thine eyes to heaven and when thou seest the sun moon and stars even all the host of heaven shouldest be driven to worship them and serve them which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven Exod. 32.5 And when Aaron saw it he built an altar before it and Aaron made proclamation and said To morrow is a feast of the Lord. V. 8. They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them they have made them a molten calf and have worshipped it and have sacrifioed thereunto and said These be thy Gods O Israel which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt Images or any other way not appointed in his (b) Deut. 12.31 Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God for every abomination to the Lord which he hateth have they done unto their gods for even their sons and their daughters have they burnt in the fire to their Gods. V. 32. Whatsoever I command you observe to do thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it Word Q. What are the Reasons annexed to the second Commandment A. The Reasons annexed to the second Commandment to inforce our Observance of it are God's Soveraignty over (c) Psal 95.2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving and make a joyful noise unto him
Sabbath A. From the beginning of the World to the Resurrection of Christ God hath appointed the seventh Day of the Week to be the weekly Sabbath And the first Day of the Week ever since to continue to the end of the World which is the Christian (r) Gen. 2.2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he made V 3. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctisied it because that in it he rested from all his work which God created and made 1 Cor. 16.1 Now concerning the collection for the saints as I have given order to the churches of Galatia even so do ye V. 2. Vpon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him that there be no gatherings when I come Acts 20.7 And upon the first day of the week when the Disciples came together to break bread Paul preached to them ready to depart on the morrow and continued his speech until midnight Sabbath Q. How is the Sabbath to be sanctified A. The sabbath is to be sanctified by an holy resting all that (Å¿) Exod. 20.8 Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy V. 10. But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt do no manner of work thou nor thy son c. day even from such worldly Employments and Recreations as are lawful on other (t) Nehem. 13.15 In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine-presses on the Sabbath-day and bringing in sheaves and lading asses as also wine grapes and figs and all manner of burthens which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath-day and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals V. 16. There dwelt men of Tyre also therein which brought fish and all manner of wares and sold on the Sabbath-day unto the children of Judah and in Jerusalem V. 17. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah and said unto them What evil thing is this that ye do and prophane the Sabbath-day V. 18. Did not your fathers thus and did not God bring all this evil upon us and upon this city yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by prophaning the Sabbath V. 19. And it came to pass that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath I commanded that the gates should be shut and charged that they should not be opened till after the Sabbath and some of my servants I set at the gates that there should be no burthen brought in on the Sabbath-day V. 21. Then testified I against them saying Why lodge ye about the wall If ye do so again I will lay hands on you From that time forth came they no more on the Sabbath V. 22. And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves and come and keep the gates to sanctifie the Sabbath Remember me O my God concerning this also c. days and spending the whole time in the publick and private Exercises of God's (u) Luk. 4.16 And he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up and as his custom was he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath-day and stood up for to read Acts 20.7 And on the first day of the week c. Psal 92. Title A psalm or song for the Sabbath-day Isa 66.23 And it shall come to pass that from one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before me saith the Lord. Worship except so much as is to be taken up in the works of (x) Matth. 12. from V. 1 to 13. At that time Jesus went on the Sabbath-day through the corn and his Disciples were an hungred and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat But when the Pharisees c. V. 12. Is it lawful to do well on the Sabbath-days Necessity and Mercy Q. What are the Sins forbidden in the fourth Commandment A. The fourth Commandment forbiddeth the omission or careless performance of the Duties (y) Ezek. 22.26 Her priests have violated my law and prophaned mine holy things they have put no difference between the holy and prophane neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and clean they have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths and I am prophaned among them Amos 8.5 Saying When will the New Moon be gone that we may sell corn and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheat making the ephah small and the shekel great and falsifying the balances by deceit Mal. 1.13 Ye said also Behold what a weariness is it and ye have snuffed at it saith the Lord of Hosts and ye brought that which was torn and the lame and the sick thus ye brought an offering Should I accept this of your hand saith the Lord. required and the prophaning the Day by (z) Acts 20.7 And upon the first day of the week when the Disciples came together to break bread Paul preached unto them ready to depart on the morrow and continued his speech until mid-Night V. 9. And there sate in a window a certain young man named Eutychus being fallen into a deep sleep and as Paul was long preaching he sunk down with sleep and fell down from the third loft and was taken up dead idleness or doing that which is in it self (a) Ezek. 23.38 Moreover thus they have done to me They have defiled my Sanctuary in the same day and have prophaned my Sabbaths sinful or by unnecessary Thoughts Words or Works about our worldly Employments or (b) Jer. 17.24 And it shall come to pass if ye diligently hearken unto me saith the Lord to bring in no burthen through the gates of this city on the Sabbath-day but hallow the Sabbath-day to do no work therein V. 25. Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David riding in chariots and on horses they and their princes the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and this city shall remain for ever V. 26. And they shall come from the city of Judah and from the places about Jerusalem and from the land of Benjamin and from the plain and from the mountains and from the south bringing burnt-offerings and sacrifices and meat-offerings and incense and bringing sacrisices of praise unto the house of the Lord. Isa 58.13 If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy day and call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shall honour him not doing thine own ways nor finding thine own pleasure nor speaking thine own words Recreations Q. What are the Reasons annexed to the fourth Commandment A. The Reasons annexed to press the Observation of the Sabbath-day to the fourth Commandment are God's allowing us six Days of the Week for our own (c) Exod. 20.9 Six days shalt thou labour and
And if thy brother be waxen poor and fallen to decay with thee then thou shalt relieve him yea though he be a stranger or sojourner that he may live with thee Deut. 22.1 Thou shalt not see thy brother's ox or his sheep go astray and hide thy self from them thou shalt in any case bring them back again unto thy brother V. 2. And if thy brother be not nigh unto thee or if thou know him not then thou shalt bring it unto thine own house and it shall be with thee until thy brother seek after it and thou shalt restore it to him again V. 3. In like manner shalt thou do with his ass and with his raiment and with all lost things of thy brother's that thou hast found thou mayest not hide thy self V. 4. Thou shalt not see thy brother's ox or his ass fall down by the way and hide thy self from them thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again Exod. 23.4 If thou meet thine enemy's ox or ass going astray thou shalt surely bring it back to him again V. 5. If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burthen and wouldst forbear to help him thou shalt surely help him Gen. 47.14 And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and Canaan for the corn which they bought and he brought the money into Pharaoh's house V. 20. And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh for the Egyptians sold every man his field because the famine prevailed over them so the land became Pharaoh's others Q. What is forbidden in the eighth Commandment A. The eighth Commandment forbiddeth whatsoever doth or may unjustly hinder our own or our Neighbour's Wealth or outward (r) Prov. 21.17 23.20,21 28.19 See all these in the Bible Ephes 4.28 Let him that stole steal no more but rather let him labour working with his hands the thing which is good that he may have to give to him that needeth Estate 15. Q. Which is the ninth Commandment A. The ninth Commandment is Exod. 20.11 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy Neighbour Q. What is required in the ninth Commandment A. The ninth Commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of Truth between Man and (Å¿) Zech. 8.16 These are the things that ye shall do Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour execute the judgments of truth and peace in your gates Man and of our own and our Neighbour's good (t) 3 Jon. v. 12. Demetrius hath a good report of all men and of the truth it self yea and we also bear record and ye know that our record is true Names especially (u) Prov. 14.5 A faithful witness will not lye but a false witness will utter lyes V. 25. A true witness delivereth fouls but a deceitful witness speaketh lyes in Witness-bearing Q. What is forbidden in the ninth Commandment A. The ninth Commandment forbiddeth whatsoever is prejudicial to Truth or injurious to our own or Neighbour's good (x) 1 Sam. 17.28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men and Eliab's anger was kindled against David and he said Why camest thou down hither and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness I know thy pride and the naughtiness of thy heart for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battel Levit. 19.16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale-bearer among thy people neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour I am the Lord. Psal 15.3 He that back-biteth not with his tongue nor doth evil to his neighbour nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour Name 16. Q. Which is the tenth Commandment A. The tenth Commandment is Exod. 20.17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife nor his man-servant nor his maid servant nor his ox nor his ass nor any thing that is thy neighbours Q. What is required in the tenth Commandment A. The tenth Commandment requireth full Contentment with our own (y) Heb. 13.5 Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee 1 Tim. 6.6 But godliness with contentment is great gain Condition with a right and charitable frame of Spirit toward our (z) Job 31.29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me or lift up my self when evil found him Rom. 12.15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice and weep with them that weep 1 Tim 1.5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned 1 Cor. 13.4 Charity suffereth long and is kind charity envieth not charity vaunteth not it self is not puffed up V. 5. Doth not behave it self unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinketh no evil V. 6. Rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth V. 7. Beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things Neighbour and all that is his Q. What is forbidden in the tenth Commandment A. The tenth Commandment forbiddeth all discontentment with our own (a) 1 King. 21.4 And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him for he had said I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers and he laid him down upon his bed and turned away his face and would eat no bread Esth 5.13 Yet all this availeth me nothing so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate 1 Cor. 10.10 Neither murmur ye as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer Estate envying or grieving at the good of our (b) Gal. 5.26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory provoking one another envying one another Jam. 3.14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts glory not and lye not against the truth V. 16. For where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work Neighbour and all inordinate Motions and Affections to any thing that is (c) Rom. 7.7 What shall we say then Is the Law sin God forbid nay I had not known sin but by the law for I had not known lust except the law had said Thou shalt not covet V. 8. But sin taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me all manner of concupiscence for without the law sin was dead Rom. 13.9 For this Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not steal Thou shalt not bear false witness Thou shalt not covet and if there be any other commandment it is briefly comprehended in this saying namely Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Deut. 5.21 Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house his field or man-servant or his maid-servant his ox or
his ass or any thing that is thy neighbour's his 17. Q. Is any man able perfectly to keep the Commandments of God A. No meer Man since the Fall is able in this Life perfectly to keep the Commandments of (d) Eccles 7.20 For there is not a just man on earth that doeth good and sinneth not 1 Joh. 1.8 If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us V. 10. If we say that we have not sinned we make him a lyer and his word is not in us Gal. 5.17 For the fiesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would God but doth break them in Thought Word and (e) Gen. 6.5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually Gon. 8.21 And the Lord smelled a sweet savour and the Lord said in his heart I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth neither will I again smite any more every thing living as I have done Rom. 3.9 What then are we better than they No in no wise for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles that they are all under sin and so on to V. 21. Jam. 3.2 For in many things we offend all If any man offend not in word the same is a persect man and able also to bridle the whole body and so on to V. 13. Deed. 18. Q. Are all transgressions of the Law equally heinous A. Some sins in themselves and by reason of several Aggravations are more heinous in the sight of God than (f) Ezek. 8.6 He said furthermore unto me Son of Man seest thou what they do even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here that I should go far off from my Sanctuary But turn thee yet again and thou shalt see greater abominations V. 13. He said also unto me Turn thee yet again and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do V. 15. Then said he unto me Hast thou see this O son of man Turn thee yet again and thou shalt see greater abominations than these 1 Joh. 5.16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death he shall ask and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death There is a sin unto death I do not say that he shall pray for it Psal 78.17 And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness V. 32. For all this they sinned still and believed not for his wondrous works V. 56. Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God and kept not his testimonies others 19. What doth every sin deserve A. But whatever the Sin is great or small every Sin deserveth God's Wrath and Curse both in this Life and that which is to (g) Ephes 5.6 Let no man deceive you with words for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience Gal. 3.10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them Lam. 3.39 Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sins Matth. 25.41 Then shall he also say unto them on the left hand Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels come PART III. What Duties God requires of sinful Man in the Law of Grace or Gospel for the escaping of God's deserved Wrath and Curse 1. GOD hath not left sinful man to perish in the state of Sin and Misery into which he is fallen but the first Covenant of Life or Works being broken by the first Adam God hath made a second Covenant of Grace to bring sinners to Eternal Salvation by Jesus Christ the Redeemer according to certain Terms and Conditions which God doth require of all and doth work in all that are saved There are several Duties and Conditions which God requires of sinful Man to escape the Wrath and Curse of God due to us for Sin. We call them Conditions because God requireth them from us 2. What doth God require of us that we may escape his Wrath and Curse due to us for sin A. To escape the the Wrath and Curse of God due to us for Sin God requireth of us Faith in Jesus Christ Repentance unto (a) Acts 20.21 Testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ Life with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the Benefits of (b) Prov. 2.1 My son if thou wilt receive my words and hide my commandments with thee c. V. 5. Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. Chap. 8 33. Hear instruction and be wise and refuse it not V. 34. Blessed is the man that heareth me waiting daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors V. 35. But whoso findeth me findeth life and shall obtain favour of the Lord. Isa 55.3 Incline your ear and come unto me hear and your soul shall live and I will make an everlasting covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Redemption 3. Q. What is Faith in Jesus Christ 1. A. Faith in Jesus Christ is a (c) Heb. 10.39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the soul Saving Grace whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for Salvation as he is offered to us in the (d) Joh. 1.12 But as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his Name Isa 26.3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee V. 4. Trust ye in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength Phil. 3.9 And be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith Gal 2.16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by the faith of Jesus Christ even we have beheved in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified Gospel 4. Q. What is Repentance unto Life 2. A. Repentance unto Life is a (e) Acts 11.18 When they heard these things they held their peace and glorified God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted
ark of God into the city if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me again and shew me both it and his habitation Job 1.21 And said Naked came I out of my mother's womb and naked shall I return thither the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. things as the Angels do in (k) Psal 103.20 Bless the Lord ye his Angels that excel in strength and do his commandments hearkening unto the voice of his word V. 21. Bless the Lord all ye his hosts ye ministers of his that do his pleasure Heaven Q. What do we pray for in the fourth Petition 4. A. In the fourth Petition which is Mat. 6.11 Give us this day our daily bread we pray that of God's free Gift we may receive a competent Portion of the good things of this Life and enjoy his (l) Prov. 30.8 Remove far from me vanity and lyes give me neither poverty nor riches feed me with food convenient for me V. 9. Lest I be full and deny thee and say Who is the Lord And lest I be poor and steal and take the name of my God in vain Gen. 28.20 And Jacob vowed a vow saying If God will be with me and keep me in this way that I go and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on 1 Tim. 1.4 For every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving V. 5. For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer Blessings with them Q. What do we pray for in the fifth Petition 5. A. In the fifth Petition which is Mat. 6.12 And forgive us our Debts as we forgive our Debtors we pray that God for Christ's sake should freely pardon all our (m) Psal 51.1 Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving-kindness according unto the multitude of thy mercies blot out my transgressions V. 2. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin V. 7. Purge me with hysop and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than snow V. 9. Hide thy face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities Dan. 9.17 Now therefore our God hear thou the prayer of thy servant and his supplication V. 19. O Lord hear O Lord forgive for thine own sake Sins which we are the rather encouraged to ask because by his Grace we are enabled from the Heart to forgive (n) Luk. 11.4 And forgive us our sins for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us Matth. 18.35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also to you if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses others Q. What do we pray for in the sixth Petition 6. A. In the sixth Petition which is And lead us not into Temptation but deliver us from Evil Mat. 6.13 we pray that God would either keep us from being tempted to (o) Matth. 26.41 Watch and pray that ye enter not into Temptation the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak Sin or support and deliver us when we are (p) 2 Cor. 12.8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me tempted 3. Q. What doth the Conclusion of the Lord's Prayer teach us A. The Conclusion of the Lord's Prayer which is Mat. 6.13 For thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever Amen teacheth us to take our Encouragement in Prayer from (q) Dan. 9.4 And I prayed unto the Lord my God and made my confession and said O Lord the great and dreadful God keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him and keep his commandments V. 7. O Lord righteousness belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of faces as at this day to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and unto all Israel that are near and that are far off through all the countries whither thou hast driven them because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee V. 8. O Lord to us belongeth confusion of face to our kings to our princes to our fathers because we have trespassed against thee V. 9. To the Lord our God belongs mercies and forgivenesses though we have rebelled against him V. 16. O Lord according to all thy righteousness I beseech thee let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from the city Jerusalem thy holy mountain because for our sins and for the iniquities of our fathers Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us V. 17. Now therefore O our God hear the prayer of thy servant and his supplications and cause thy face to shine upon the Sanctuary that is desolate for the Lord's sake V. 18. O my God incline thine ear and hear open thine eyes and behold our desolation and the city that is called by thy Name for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousness but for thy great mercies V. 19. O Lord hear O Lord forgive O Lord hearken and do deferr not for thine own sake O my God for thy city and thy people are called by thy Name God only and in our Prayers to praise him ascribing Kingdom Power and Glory to (r) 1 Chron. 29.10 Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation and David said Blessed be thou Lord God of Israel our father for ever V. 11. Thine O Lord is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is thine thine is the kingdom O Lord and thou art exalted as Head above all V. 12. both riches and honours come of thee and thou reignest over all and in thine hand is power and might and in thine hand it is to make great and to give strength unto all V. 13. Now therefore our God we thank thee and praise thy glorious Name him And in testimony of our Desire and Assurance to be heard we say (Å¿) 1 Cor. 14.16 Else when thou shalt bless with the Spirit how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at the giving of thanks seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest Rev. 22.20 He which testifieth these things saith Surely I come quickly Amen Even so come Lord Jesus V. 21. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all AMEN Amen or So be it The Ten Commandments EXODUS XX. 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 I. Thou shalt have no other Gods before me II. 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 nor
our sensual appetites Rom. 7.23 Rom. 8.5,6 Tit. 1.15 This is Sin working all manner of concupiscence Rom. 7.8 Adam's habitual corruptions and vices followed upon his actual offence by his own and Satan's doing and Gods just judgment Our actual offences proceed from our natural and habitual corruptions Adam sinned and forfeited for himself and us who are as much his Posterity as Cain and Abel were And God by a righteous Act hath concluded all under Sin Rom. 11.31 Gal. 3.22 This corruption is fitly called the Old Man in opposition to the New Man which is from Christ by the regeneration of the Spirit Rom. 6.6 Ephes 4.22 Col. 3.9 Such as our first Parents were after their transgression such are we by nature Ephes 2.3 that is by a Law of Nature that like should beget like not only in a natural but moral kind and evil qualities Without the image of God what is Man but a young Insidel he loves Self better than God and wanting the guidance of knowledge and wisdom and stay of holiness in himself he sinneth of his own being an active Creature and tempted by Satan and the World. He is corrupted in his nature or he could not imitate His aptness to imitate is one spark of corrupt nature Cain killed his Brother when he had no example to imitate SECT X. Of the Miseries of Men by the Fall. SInful Man is a miserable Creature I shall not speak of all the miseries the World groans under only take notice of two 1. Death is a punishment of Sin as you heard before God reserv'd in his own will and power how far this punishment should be executed They who are redeemed from eternal Death suffer a temporal Heb. 9.28 as a punishment for Sin and for no other cause Death was not known before it was menaced If Death had been the condition of nature it had followed nature in time it might have been foretold but not threatned as a punishment for Sin. 2. The pains of Hell. To teach Men that Death eternal and not temporal was threatned to Adam and that eternal Death is but the continuation of temporal is to tempt Men to despise temporal death and in their distresses to make away themselves to put an end to the miseries of this Life Then the sensual voluptuous Man might say Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die and the miserable sufferer will say I will die rather than live in misery And if eternal Death be but such a privation of Life that I shall never be restored to Life when I am once Dead I had rather never live again than live again to be miserable What work would Socinianism make in the World if it be propagated and entertained It is too far gone but they pretend the Glory of God for it For how can it consist with the justice and goodness of God to punish and torment Men in Hell for ever for the Sins sollies and vanities of a short Life To answer this objection and clear the proceedings of Divine Judgment I humbly offer these considerations 1. There is self-love partiality and hard thoughts of God at the bottom of this objection Men are more sensible of their just sufferings than of the sinfulness of Sin. 2. There is no more unrighteousness in judgment and execation than in the constitution of Gods Government and Laws The great day appointed will be a day of judgment and not injustice Acts 17.31 The sentence will be righteous therefore so will the execution of it be They who do such things are worthy of Death Rom. 1.16 The Judge of all the Earth will do right Gen. 18.25 3. It was just that Adam should die for he knew the Law and the threatning Is it not as just that the wicked should be condemned to Hell who take no warning nor counsel 4. A Sinners heart is eternally turn'd away from God. It is just in God to sentence him to depart from him for ever who will never of himself turn unto him 5. We are not sit to judge in Gods cause for we know not the heinousness of Sin nor the dishonour of God and we are ignorant partial and corrupted parties Parties are no meet judges 6. If we can never repair the dishonour done to God by sin is it not just we should suffer for ever 7. There is a proportion between the Sins of a finite Creature committed against the infinite God and the punishments inflicted by an infinite God upon a finite offender 8. Is it just if a magistrate punish by Death who can never restore the malefactor to Life for momentany sins why then shall God be thought unjust to punish with eternal Death 9. It is most certain God will do nothing to his own dishonour and knows how to glorify his goodness and justice 10. By Gods judgments severally pronounced upon the Criminals Gen. 3.13,20 it is clear that God doth observe a just rule and proportion in punishment He doth not punish all alike 11. They can deserve no less who now despise goodness and forbearance and Death it self 12. The mediator between God and Man will judge between God and Man. He who took our Nature will not wrong the worst of Men. 13. Humbly observe the judgment to come Mat. 25.41 c where note 1. The judge cannot be excepted against by the worst of Sinners 2. The wicked are persons who shall live for ever 3. For the fire is everlasting 4. Everlasting fire is everlasting punishment 5. If the punishment be everlasting the suffering malefactors will be everliving To die eternally is not therefore to be extinguished or to cease to be but to be miserable for ever From what is said it follows 1. That concupiscence is Sin Rom. 7.7,17,20,22,23 2. Every Sin is mortal by desert and venial or pardonable only by Grace Rom. 6.23 Ephes 1.7 3. There is no third place beside Heaven and Hell therefore there is no Purgatory for Venial Sins 4. No Man can or shall suffer more than he deserveth Ps 130.3 Gal. 3.10 SECT XI Of our Recovery 1. GOd hath elected some to eternal Life Election is of Persons and not of qualities or for the sake of qualities Election is of Grace in the free chooser and not in the chosen who are graceless before God makes them gracious 2. The Covenant of Life or Works or Nature being broken God did not renew that but made another called the Covenant of Grace because it proceeds from Grace after a Breach and promiseth Grace to keep it in the construction of Grace or Gospel sence The Moral Law or Commandments is the same in both Covenants but the promisory State and Privileges are very different By a Redeemer 1. Christ is our Redeemer from guilt and justice by a Ransom and Price from our Enemies Satan the World and Sin by Power He is our Lord because of his Right and Power to govern and redeem us He is Jesus which is as much as Saviour Christ which
ever 1 Thes 4.16 In confidence of which they commit their Souls to God Ps 31.6 Acts 7.59 2 Tim. 4.12 2 Cor. 5.1,4 2 Tim. 4.8 3. They do immediately pass into Glory Phil. 1.23 or else it had been more desireable to enjoy Christ in Bonds than be dissolved See Luke 23.43 Mark the words are not I say this day c. but I say unto thee This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise The Soul of Christ was that day in Paradise therefore the Soul of the penitent was to be with Christ in Paradise that day for he was promised to be with Christ 4. No Man can merit eternal Life or degrees of Glory by his good Works it comes by gift Rom. 6.21 2 Tim. 4.8 SECT XXII Christians are obliged to or by the Moral Law. 1. GOD is the Lord and God of believers therefore they are bound to observe these Commandments 2. They are bound to keep by the equity of that other part of the preface who brought thee out c. A redeemed People must serve their Redeemer 3. The Lord Jesus was the Redeemer out of Egypt and gave the Law to Moses Acts 7.30 to 34. Heb. 12.26 whose voice shook the Earth 4. They Love God therefore it is a Law to them which requires Love Mat. 22.38,39 2. If ye walk in the spirit ye are not under the Law Gal. 5.18 doth not contradict this for we are not under the ceremonial Law nor the moral for Righteousness nor under the coaction and servile obedience nor condemnation of it for it is the Law of the Lord our God who is so in the Covenant of Grace 3. The Law is as it alwaies was a perfect Law therefore our Saviour did not as a Prophet add new precepts to it He instituted new Sacraments and instanced in some duties not known to the Pharisces but they are all reducible to some precept of the ten 4. No Man ever did or can do more than is required in the Law. Our Saviour did the will of God and no more Heb. 10.7 Angels do no more Ps 103.20 Believers are unprofitable Servants Luke 17.10 5. Therefore 1. There are no works of supererogation 2. No Man can merit for himself or others 3. Therefore there is no treasure of merits to be dispensed to them that want Of Christs fulness there is a dispensation made by himself but he hath no Lord Treasurer of merits and indulgences in his Kingdom 4. There are no counsels of perfection The young Man in the Gospel Mat. 19. had more to part with and deny himself in than others but more than self denial was not required of him which is enjoined to all and was practised Acts 2.44,45 5. Vows of poverty make no Man perfect Obj. But as many as be perfect c Phil. 3.15 Answ Christianity is a comparative perfection as Heirs at Age Gal. 4.1,2,3 but absolute A sincere believer is Evangelically perfect in Christ and account of grace but not perfect according to the Law. Commandment I. 1. Prayer was alwaies a duty Ps 27.6,7,8 Our Saviour did not add the Lords Prayer as a new precept to the first Commandment 2. Christ added not the precept of Worshiping himself to the first Commandment for he was alwaies an object of Worship Compare Acts 7.30 Is 6.1,3 with Joh. 12.41 Is 45.23 with Rom. 14.11 Commandment II. 1. God is invisible therefore no Man can make an Image of him 1 Tim. 1.17 His People saw none therefore he forbad them to make any Deut. 4.15,16 Every Image made for God must be a real lye for none can be made like him Acts 17.29 All those representations of him in Scripture Visions are for understanding and not for sight 2. All signs of honour before Images are forbidden Exod. 20.5 Levit. 26.1 Is 2.8,9 chap. 44.13 to 20. 3. It is Heathenish to Worship the true God by Creatures or Images Rom. 1.22,23 4. The Israelites did not believe the golden Calf to be God but made it to be a visible sign of Gods presence The feast was to Jehovah and not to the Calf yet it was abhorred and punished Exod 3â— 5 c. 5. Images begâ—t carnal thoughts of the invisible God therefore are not sit to instruct the vulgar Deut 4.15,16 Jer. 10.8,14,15 Hab. 2.18 Ps 115.4 to 8. Rom. 1.22,23 The Worship of God. 1. God is the only Object of Divine Worship the Father through the Son by the Holy Ghost Ephes 2.18 and no Creature either Saint or Angel Matth 4.10 Deut. 6.13 chap. 10.20 Col. 2.18 Heb. 1.14 Act. 10.25,26 chap. 14 14,15 Rev. 19.20 chap. 22.8,9 2. The Socinians prove that Divine Honour is due to Christ from Luk. 17.5 Matth. 8.25 Act. 7.59,60 2 Cor. 12 7,8 1 Thess 3.11 That the first Commandment is not changed by giving him such honour for he is no strange but a subordinate God. From this Concession of theirs I argue for his Glory against their false Opinion of Christ 1. He who said Thou shalt have no other God but me saith of himself I am Jehovah thy God. We must have none for God but he who is Jehovah Thou shalt have no other God but me or before me Therefore if Christ ought to be worshipped by this Commandment as they confess he is God Jehovah the only true God. He ought to be worshipped with divine Honour by virtue of this Commandment But there is no God to be worshipped according to this Commandment but Jehovah thy God therefore he is Jehovah 2. There is no subordinate Jehovah Christ is Jehovah therefore not a subordinate God. 3. A subordinate God is a strange God Any God but me is a strange God therefore any God but Jehovah is a strange God for Me is a Relative to Jehovah and Me is the same as God Jehovah 4. The Object of our Worship in that Commandment is but one Jehovah thy God If Christ be not that one Jehovah he is not at all to be worshipped by this Commandment but he is to be worshipped as God therefore he is Jehovah 5. There is but one Cause of our Salvation Tit. 1.3,4 chap. 2.13 1 Tim. 2.3 chap. 4.10 therefore it cannot be that Christ is honoured as God by the first Commandment because he is the second Cause of our Salvation 6. If Christ be not God Jehovah and yet ought to be worshipped with divine Honour the Commandment must needs be changed for if there be a new Object of Worship there is a Change of the Commandment 3. The Worship of God is kept pure when it is not depraved with mixtures of false Objects with the true it is entire when the Ordinances are not more nor fewer than Christ hath enjoined nor any part taken from nor added to them 4. When God is worshipped with the Heart he is worshipped in Spirit and when he is worshipped plainly without Types and Shadows he is worshipped in Truth Joh. 4.24 5. The outward manner of God's Worship must be suitable to God and to the
in the practice of several duties CHAP. I. Of the practical use of the Doctrine of the Trinity and improvement of Baptism 1. IT is matter of sad consideration to see the ignorance infidelity formality and loosness of Baptized Christians who live liker unbaptized Heathens than Christians Some of the causes of this ungodliness are 1. Some make no more account of Baptism than of a Ceremony and others ascribe too great a virtue to the very act or work of Baptizing And generally there is much curiosity and expence in preparing for entertainments where there is little sense of what is to be done in the holy solemnity of Baptism by prayer humiliation and faith 2. The neglect or negligent cold imperfect way of early and holy education of Baptized Infants 3. The not improving of our Baptism when we are grown up for graces assistances privileges comforts and engagements to God as if the Laver of Regeneration were a Fountain dried up or no more to be used than while we are first washed 2. I have said before that the doctrine of the Trinity is a fundamental practical doctrine to be explained to all and known of all because we are all Baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost I am limited to a very short discourse and therefore must say as much in little as I can in the following points In the form of Baptism Mat. 28.19 we have two things 1. A commission to teach and Baptize 2. A direction with commandment to Baptize in the Name or into the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Here observe 1. The Author or the Lord who gave this Commission and Command the Lord Jesus ver 18.2 The parties 1. The Minister employed and his office to teach the Gospel or Covenant of grace and to Baptize with Water 2. The principal parties between whom he deales and officiates in this solemn Act. 1. God the most high and gracious God making and declaring a Covenant of grace and taking sinful and undone Man into it 2. Man graciously taken into Covenant and dutifully accepting of and submitting to the grace of God declared in that Covenant according to the terms and constitution or Laws thereof 3. To Baptize with Water is a Ministerial Act between God and the party Baptized By it God doth graciously admit and receive a guilty polluted Sinner to himself in Covenant and the poor polluted Sinner doth consent and submit to God upon Covenant terms and Baptizing with Water is an outward visible Sign and Seal by which God doth signify his grace and bind himself as God in Covenant to perform his gracious promises and the party Baptized doth declare and signify his humble acceptation of and sincere consent to the Covenant of grace and binds himself to perform what God requireth of him 4. This is done in the Name or into the name of the Father the Son and Holy Ghost Where God doth more fully and clearly and distinctly declare himself than ever he did to Abraham or any of his Covenant People before at least together and at one time 5. According to this declaration of himself as God the everlasting and Almighty by which name he took Abraham into Covenant Gen. 17.1 the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost he taketh his people for his own and they take him for their God. 6. And so we are related to God as Father Son and Holy Ghost and have a right to him as Father as he hath to us as Children and to him as Son of the Father and what the Son hath done for us as he hath a right to us as Children and Brethren Heb. 2.11,12,13,14 And we have a right as well as relation to God the Holy Ghost and to what he doth as he hath a right to us to teach lead sanctify and dwell in us We have God engaged to us and we are engaged and oblig'd to God the Father the Son and Holy Ghost as such 7. As God said I am the Lord thy God thou shalt have no other Gods but me binding his Covenant People to himself in which this positive duty is implied Thou shalt have me for thy God so here in our Baptism we are engaged to have God the Father the Son and Holy Ghost for our God to have him is both our duty and happiness 8. Therefore we must not take up and satisfy our selves with the knowledge and faith of God in general That God is or that God is one the Creator and Governour of all things but must enlarge our knowledge and faith into the mystery of God Col. 2.2 the Father Son and Holy Ghost and into the marvellous Works of Redemption Sanctification and Salvation in which the grace of the Father Son and Holy Ghost doth gloriously appear 9. God descending to us in Covenant and exalting us to be his People is the highest object of our knowledge faith fear love desire delight hope and trust We must honour and worship him own and obey him according to this revelation as Father Son and Holy Ghost And now I come to shew you that this Doctrine of the Trinity or three Persons in the God-head is a practical Doctrine as well as fundamental and to be known and believed of all Christians and then the practical improvement of Baptism 1. Let us take this Mystery as it is revealed to us 2. And because it is revealed to us we ought not to be terrified from a humble search into it It is plain 1. That Father Son and Holy Ghost are one God and that one God in Covenant 2. Father Son and Holy Ghost are severally Named 3. Therefore there is a relation of the one to the other and a distinction between them 4. There is an order but no inequality in Essence for we are to honour and obey the one equally with the other 5. No doubt but this is for his Glory that he hath thus declared himself and for the good of his People and what we cannot now understand we shall understand in Heaven 1 Cor. 13.10 6. Every Baptized Person must hold fast the faith and profession of the Trinity of Persons in the same indivisible Essence and God-head for every Person is declared to be our God to have a right to us and we are devoted to them as one God and three Persons 7. What is briesly summ'd up in this form of Baptism is more particularly explained in Scripture and more distinctly in the New Testament therefore we ought to enquire into the Scriptures into the common and also distinct acts and Operations ascribed to God as one and to each one of the most Glorious Persons 8. In these words we have the foundation object rule and measure of our holy Faith comprehended Our Faith is sounded upon God he is the highest Object of it Our Faith must follow the Order laid down the Father is the First Person the Son the Second and the Holy Ghost
fourth Commandment See Cat. Part 3. § 5 c. The outward and ordinary Means c. You cannot but desire the Mercies of this Life such as respect your outward Man. What makes Men outwardly happy but a Competency of the good things of this Life and Prosperity as far as shall be for God's Glory and our Good. Then Men live happily upon Earth when every one doth perform his Duty when we enjoy Peace when we live in Safety Honour Chastity good Repute outward Wealth and are content with our own Condition as you may gather from what is contained in the six last Commandments When you pray you must confess your Sins What Sins See the sinfulness of that State into which Mankind fell and the several Sins against each Commandment Make therefore your Requests known with humble Confession of your Original Sin bewail your Guilt the Loss of Original Righteousness the Corruption of your Nature and your many actual Sins of Thought Word and Deed of Omission or careless Performance of the Duties requ red and of Commission of Sins forbidden in each Commandment See and search each Commandment as opened in the Catechism together with the heinousness of your Sins and the greatness of them with their several Aggravations See Part 2. of the Cat. With a thankful Acknowledgment of his Mercies For what Mercies For all Mercies revealed offered and received particularly for the Covenant of Grace for Jesus Christ the Redeemer for all the Benefits of Redemption for Grace for the Means of Grace for outward Mercies publick private personal We offer up our Desires for what we want and make a thankful Acknowledgment of what we have and enjoy And so the matter of both is the same when you know what to pray for you know also what to be thankful for And to humble us in the sight of God and to make us earnest and importunate let us lay to heart the Misery of our State since the Fall Answ 22 23 c. Here followeth a Form or Pattern of Prayer sramed according to those Directions section 2 O God who art a Spirit Infinite Eternal Unchangeable in thy Being in thy Wisdom Power Holiness Justice Goodress and Truth Although we are not fit to come into thy glorious Presence being both unlike thee dark and foolish impotent and unclean guilty and corrupt thou art graciously pleased to command us to draw nigh unto thee and to seek thy Face in the Name of the Lord sesus Christ our Advocate in whom thou art well pleased For thine infinite Mercies and for thy Goodness sake be nigh unto us by thy Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ According to the multitude of thy tender Mercies be merciful unto us and blot out all our Iniquities A short general Confession We humbly confess and bewail that the Covenant being made with Adam for himself and his Posterity we who descend from him by ordinary Generation sinned in him and fell with him And now O Lord most holy and just we are guilty before thee we have lost Original Righteousness and our whole Nature is corrupted whereby we are apt and prone to all manner of actual Transgressions which proceed from this our Original Sin. We acknowledge that for our Sin we are justly deprived of Communion with thee and fallen under thy Wratn and Curse and made liable to all the Miseries of this Life to Death it self and to the Pains of Hell for ever Oh! we have daily broken thy Commandments in Thought Word and Deed and our Sins are very heinous in thy Sight because of many Aggravations A large Confession of Sin. Holy Lord our Nature is so corrupted and degenerate that we have by acting according to it transgressed all thy holy Commandments Oh! we have not loved thee with all our Heart with all our Soul and with all our Mind We have not loved our selves as we ought nor our Neighbour as our selves We are bound to keep all thy Commandments because thou art the Lord our God and Redeemer But Oh! we have not known thee nor acknowledged thee the only true God and our God nor worshipped and glorified thee accordingly As we have confessed thee with our Mouths so in our Works we have denied thee We have not worshipped and glorified thee as the only true God as God infinitely blessed and glorious but have robbed thee and given that to others which is due to thee alone and have not considered in our Hearts that thou who hatest Iniquity seest all things takest notice of and art much displeased with such Transgressors We have not received observed and kept pure and entire all such religious Worship and Ordinances as thou hast appointed in thy Word nor have we considered thy Soveraignty over us Propriety in us and the Zeal which thou hast to thine own Worship We have not holily and reverently used thy Names Titles Attributes Ordinances Word and Works but have often prophaned the things whereby thou hast made thy self known neither have we laid to heart that though the Breakers of this Commandment may escape Punishment from Men yet thou the Lord our God wilt not suffer them to escape thy righteous Judgments Glorious and holy Lord We have not kept holy to thee such set Times as thou hast appointed not that one whole Day in seven which is our Christian Sabbath We have not sanctified it by an holy Resting all that Day from such worldly Employments and Recreations as are lawful on other Days and by spending the whole time in the publick and private Exercises of thy Worship or only in the Works of meer Necessity and Mercy But on the contrary we have sinned by the Omission or careless Performance of the Duties required by often prophaning the Day by Idleness or that which is in it self sinful and by unnecessary thoughts Words and Works about worldly Employments or Recreations And we have not as we should considered thy merciful allowing us six Days for our worldly Employments thy challenging a special Propriety in the Sabbath-day thine own Example and thy blessing of it all which should have moved us to keep it holy Thus have we sinned against thine infinite glorious Majesty We have sinned against Heaven and against thee To these great Offences against thee the Lord our God we have added many Sins against our Neighbour also We have not only failed in performing the Duty which we owe to every one in their several places and relations but have often and many ways done contrary thereunto We have sinned in not preserving the Honour in not performing the Duties belonging to every one in their several places and relations as Superiors Inferiors and Equals but have neglected or done many things against the Honour and Duty belonging to every one in their several places and relations We have not been so careful and charitable as we ought to do whatsoever tendeth to the Preservation of our own and our Neighbour's Life of our own and our Neighbour's
To that End you must remember two things 1. What saving Faith is 2. Examine whether it be in you For the first see the Cat. Part 3. Answ 3. Remember that Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving Grace whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for Salvation as he is offered to us in the Gospel For your better proceeding in the second thing viz. your Examination whether you have this Saving Faith in Jesus Christ begin with the latter end of your Answer How is Jesus Christ offered in the Gospel To that End look back to Answ 23,24,25,26 Christ as our Redeemer executeth the Offices of a Prophet of a Priest and of a King both in his State of Humiliation and Exaltation See and observe the three other Answers distinctly Let us go on therefore How is Jesus Christ offered in the Gospel Answ As the only Redeemer of God's Elect as the only Saviour exercising a three fold Office of a Prophet of a Priest of a King c. Such as he is in such a way he is freely offered in the Gospel section 2 Now examine the Particulars 1. Do I receive Jesus Christ as my Prophet to teach me by his Word and Spirit the Will of God for my Salvation He is made a Prophet to his Church as he is the only Mediator so the only Prophet who teacheth by his Word and Spirit the Will of God for c. Do I believe that God hath revealed or made known his Will for my Salvation That Jesus Christ hath revealed that Will of God clearly and fully Am I sensible of my going astray from the Way to Happiness Am I sensible of my Ignorance of the Way to Life Is there any other Way or any other Prophet to direct me to Eternal Life Do I renounce all other that are contrary to this 2 Pet 1.19 Do I believe this to be the sure Word of Prophecy to which I do well to take heed 2 Tim. 3.16 that was given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for all things Do I know that I need both the Word and the Spirit of Christ Do I take Jesus Christ as my infallible Prophet to teach me by his Word and Spirit not cleaving to the Word without the Spirit nor pretending to the Spirit without the Word Who is my Prophet and Teacher What is the Rule of my inward and outward Man to direct my Heart and Conversation Do I keep to this Rule Can I rest upon this Teaching of Jesus Christ by his Word and Spirit as alone sufficient for my Salvation section 3 2. Examine Do I receive Jesus Christ in his Priestly Office Do I know and believe that I am a vile Sinner in the sight of the holy God Do I know that for Sin. I deserve the Eternal Wrath of God that I am guilty before him that he must be satisfied or I can never be pardoned Do not I know that I am void of all Self-Right consness and Merit that I cannot satisfie for my Sin nor reconcile God to me nor any other Creature for me Am I vile guilty wretched in mine own Eyes Do I believe that Jesus Christ hath once offered up himself Body and Soul as a Sacrifice to satisfie Divine Justice to reconcile me to God Hath he fully and for ever satisfied Was his Satisfaction accepted in full Is the Father well pleased in him Is not he offered to me as Righteousness and Redemption Do I receive him alone renouncing all Self-Righteousness and Merit or the Merit and Intercession of Saints and Angels And do I rest upon him alone for my Salvation as my only Mediator and Intercessor section 4 3. Ask your own Souls whether you receive Jesus Christ in his Kingly Office Hath he by the mighty Working of his Holy Spirit by whom he rules his Church convincing humbling and converting me subdued me to himself What! Am I still a Rebel a Revolter a gain-saying Adversary as I was by Nature Are the high Thoughts and lofty Imaginations of my Soul subdued and brought into the Obedience of Christ Are my carnal Affections Passions and Lusts subdued To whom do I yield my self a Servant to obey Do I receive him and own his Power to rule in me and over me over my Thoughts Imaginations Purposes my Will and all my Faculties and Senses Am I willing that he should reign over me Do I take his Yoak upon me submit to be ruled by his Spirit and holy Laws Have I not many subtile spiteful cruel Adversaries that seek to destroy my Soul the Flesh within the Devil and the wicked World without me beside the last Enemy Death Oh how unable am I to go out against them Are they not more and mightier than I Can any but the Lord Jesus the only Potentate and King of Kings restrain and conquer them Can he do both not only restrain but also conquer them all Are they not his Enemies as well as mine Oh then do I receive him to subdue me wholly to his Obedience Do I own him as my Soveraign King And do I rest upon him that he will subdue my sinful Lusts though they are often too hard for me Do I rest upon his Power to protect me or to restrain his and mine Enemies Do I believe that he is able to bring me to Glory notwithstanding all Opposition from all mine Enemies How shall I withstand Temptations mortifie my Lusts and Passions overcome the World endure Persecutions and go forth to meet the last Enemy Then O my Soul rest upon him still In a word Examine if you receive him as a Prophet for Wisdom for Righteousness as a Priest for Sanctification and Redemption as a King See 1 Cor. 1.30 Do you rest upon Christ alone whole Christ and none but Christ What Answer doth thy Heart make to these Demands 3. Trial of Repentance That you try and examine your Repentance remember what it is See the Cat. Part 3. Answ 4. Repentance unto Life is a Saving Grace whereby a Sinner out of a true Sense of his Sin and Apprehension of the Mercy of God in Christ doth with Grief and Hatred of his Sin turn from it unto God with full Purpose of and Endeavour after new Obedience section 1 1. Have I any Sense of Sin Do I know that Sin is any Want of Conformity unto or Transgression of the Law of God who is infinite in Holiness Justice Truth Power and Goodness Oh what an Evil is that which is contrary and offensive to the Nature of this God! Do I perceive and feel verily in my Conscience my Sins to be very many and great Have I a sorrowful Sense of my Darling Bosom common Sins and of their several Aggravations Quest Here you may desire to know when a Sinner is duly sensible of his Sin Answ You may know by what accompanies it When he doth with Grief of Heart and Hatred of his Sin his old beloved secret Sin turn from it unto God with full Purpose of
Father's Love and Grace Dost thou perceive and admire the Father's Love in making a Covenant of Grace to bring thee and such as thou art out of the State of Sin and Misery mark that and to bring thee into the State of Salvation by the Redeemer Admire this way that it should be by a Redeemer that the Redeemer should be the Eternal Son of God that such a glorious Person should so humble himself and die such a Death for Enemies and Sinners when Sacrifices and Offerings God would not Heb. 10.5 Oh dost thou not love the Father 1. Because he was pleased of his meer good Pleasure to decree the Salvation of poor Sinners 2. Because he took that way to bring his chosen ones out of Sin and Misery to obtain Everlasting Salvation 3. Because he sent his Son 1 Joh. 4.9 Joh. 3.16 in the Form of a Servant to humble himself to Death even the Death of the Cross to take away Sin by that kind of ignominious and painful Death 4. For sitting him thereunto For it pleased the Father that in him should all Fulness dwell Col. 1.19 Heb. 2.10,11,17 chap. 7.26 5. And that when all other means could not do it as was intimated before Heb. 10.5 6. And who and what are they for whom the Infinite Wisdom doth consult Infinite Mercy and Grace act in such a wonderful way and manner Even Sinners Enemies when weak weak and without Strength and therefore worthless and good for nothing Rom. 5 6,7,8 7. And to make this Love more admirable that every one that believeth should become a Child of God 1 Joh. 3.1 Joh. 1.12 Study and behold this infinite Mercy and Grace He gave his Son to be thy Redeemer and giveth every one that shall be saved to his Son And though they are given to the Son in Election to be redeemed by him they must come to Christ but they cannot come except the Father draw them Joh. 6.39,44,45 Doth not thy Love grow warm and gather Strength by these Considerations Herein is Love God gives and sends his Son to be thy Saviour a compleat and perfect Saviour he is and he with the glorious Purchace of his Blood things present and things to come a Testament full of Blessings sealed in that precious Blood is set before thee upon the Table Now the Father of Mercies is ready to receive thee and if thou receive thy Saviour thou shalt be made a Son even a Co heir with Christ Perceivest thou not the Love of God in all this Examine thy self now Is not God better than Father and Mother to thy Soul What saith thy Heart to this Father's Love Wilt thou love him better than Father and Mother Wilt thou honour and reverence him as a Father high above all Wilt thou serve and imitate him Ephes 5.1 and pass the time of thy sojourning here in his sear 1 Pet. 1.17 Shew thy Love by keeping all his Commandments Wilt thou refuse to be abased shamed afflicted persecuted and even to die when he calls thee to it for his sake and for his Glory Herein thou wilt manifest thy Love to him who hath blessed thee c. Ephes 1.3 section 4 Secondly Try thy Love to thy Redeemer the Lord Jesus If thou lovest him thou knowest for what Cant. 1.3 Because of the savour of thy good Ointment c. therefore do the Virgins love thee The Reasons of thy Love to Christ may be reduced to two Heads 1. What he was and became for thee 2. What he is to thee and for thy benefit 1. What he was and became for thee And here observe that thy Love must run out towards him as thy Redeemer in his three-fold Office And take notice of this Whatever Christ was for thee in reference unto God he performed as thy High-Priest and because he discharged that Office he is become a Prophet and a King. Had he not satisfied the Divine Justice and reconciled God to Sinners he could never have taught his Church the Way of Salvation because there would have been no Salvation wrought or purchased and he should have had no People to rule and defend Now examine thy self Dost thou not wonder that the Eternal Son of God should become thy Redeemer Thy Redeemer who art the sinful Off-spring of sinful Parents That he should take upon him the Seed of Abraham and not the Nature of Angels Heb. 2.16 That he should save thee by his own Debasement Dishonour and bitter Sufferings Hast thou not Cause to love him 1. For taking thy Nature so much below him into Union with his glorious Person 2. For taking thy Nature with all the afflictive Meanness of it not with Honours Ease Pleasure Reputation and Pomp Mar. 10.45 He who was the Lord of all came not to be ministred unto but to minister 3. For suffering the Wrath of his own Father as a most provoked mighty Judge who spared not his own Son Rom. 8.32 4. For taking on him the Guilt of Sin which is most odious and contrary to him so far as that he who was holy harmless and undefiled did bear the Sins of many Isa 53.11 and was numbred among Transgressors to suffer the most bitter and reproachful cursed Death and that for the Transgressions of his apostatized and revolted Creatures And now still he makes Intercession for thee he pleads his own Sufferings for thy Salvation and his Merits for thy Discharge Ask thine own Soul seriously What wouldest thou have done had not he thus low abased himself and been thy Surety How couldest thou have reconciled the provoked Majesty of Heaven Couldest thou have born the Wrath and Curse which was due to thee for thy Sin Oh how should the Sense of Sin Guilt and Damnation due to thee beget a deep Sense of thy Saviour's Love and thereby inflame thy Love 2. Consider what he is to thee and for thee Surely he is All in all a merciful and faithful Saviour Hast thou any Knowledge of thy fallen depraved cursed woful Condition And doth it not make thy Love to burn within thee He was a Surety for thee and he is a Saviour to thee He gave himself for thee and now he gives himself to thee with a large Share and full Portion of the Purchace of his most precious Blood. Knowest thou not that the holy and jealous God was angry with thee that all the Miseries of Life Death and Hell were due unto thee and that neither thy Tears nor Blood could wash away thy Sin and that Christ hath done all that was required for thy Atonement Oh dost thou not love him entirely and intensely to the highest degree who procured thy Pardon by his own Condemnation and bitter Death who hath obtained for thee an Acquittance from thy Trespasses and Debts a Patent for Adoption and a Kingdom with that Prerogative even a Co heirship with himself Rom. 8.17 Now thy Love to Christ as thy Priest and Advocate will appear 1. In thy high prizing his