If we now consider as we ought what 't is that is enjoined us in this Commandment and what 't is that is forbidden in it and then reflecting upon our own lives find any of the Duties of it neglected by us in Thought Word or Action how affectionately should we say with the Church Lord have Mercy upon us and incline our Hearts to keep this Law That is Lord pity and pardon all our past Breaches of this Commandment and so incline our Hearts to Love and Obedience for the future that by thy Grace we may very sincerely keep this Law of thine for the remainder of our Days But before we pass from this Fourth Commandment it may not be amiss to touch upon the Reasons of the Change of the Jewish Seventh Day into the Christian Lord's Day the First Day of the Week This Precept of keeping Holy the Seventh Day or Sabbath is partly Ceremonial and partly Moral Now the Ceremonial part of the Jewish Law is done away but the Moral part of it is confirmed perfected and compleated by the Gospel The Ceremonial part of this Commandment was that God be publickly worshipped precisely on the Jewish Sabbath or the Seventh Day The Moral part of it is That a certain and determined time be set out for the publick Worship of the Eternal God And divine Love and Gratitude in us Christians should engage us not to come behind the Jews in the return of our solemn Days of publick Worship Nay Equity requires we should set out One Day in the Week to the more immediate Glorification of God and our religious Duties So that the Jewish Sabbath being abolished as they kept the Seventh Day in memory of the Creation so the Apostles and the Primitive Church and all Ages of it since kept the First Day of the Week in memory of our Lord's Resurrection and our Redemption For as the Redemption of the World was a greater Mercy than the Creation of it and as God rested from his Labours of the Creation on the Seventh Day and our Saviour rested from his Laboure of the New Creation or his Labours of our Redemption on the First Day of the Week when he arose from the Dead so the Apostles and the Church in all Ages since have set apart the First Day of the Week as the Jews were to set apart the Seventh for the peculiar Worship and Service and Glorification of God That our Lord rose from the Dead upon the First Day of the Week we see St. John xx That the Disciples assembled together on the First Day of the Week we are told St. John xx 19. That St. Paul preached and the Disciples met to break Bread that is to receive the Sacrament on the First Day of the Week we read Acts xx 7. That the Holy Ghost descended on the Apostles on the First Day of the Week is certain Acts ij 1. And that Saint John expresly calls it the Lord's-day we read Rev. i. 10. So that as the Moral Equity of the Commandment as well as divine Love and Gratitude obliges us to set apart One Day in Seven for a holy Rest and for religious Purposes so by the Practice of the Apostles and all following Ages of the Church the First Day of the Week was substituted in the room of the Jewish Sabbath which compared with the Scriptures before-mentioned is sufficient to warrant our Practice So that to sum up the whole They the Jews celebrated the Seventh Day by divine Command we the First Day by Apostolical Practice They the Seventh Day or last Day of the Week under the Law of Moses we the First Day of the Week by divine Law under the Gospel Their Seventh Day or Sabbath was Blessed and Sanctified by the Lord's command our First Day was Blessed and Sanctified by our Lord's Resurrection Their Seventh Day was Hallowed by God's resting on it from the Works of the Creation our First Day was Hallowed by our Lord 's resting on it from the Works of the New-Creation when he arose from the Grave Their Seventh Day was kept by them in memory of the great Work of the Creation of the World our First Day kept by us in memory of the greater work of its Redemption Their Seventh Day called the Lord's Sabbath Lev. xxiij 38. and elsewhere in the Old Testament our First Day called the Lord's Day in the New Rev. i. 10. As for any distinct Text in the Gospel for Christ's Abrogating the Judaical Sabbath there is no more reason to expect it than the like for Sacrifices or Circumcision or the Judaical Priesthood Vid. Dr. Hammond in St. Matthew xij 8. a. V. COMMANDMENT Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy days may be long c. THE meaning is Thou shalt pay a due Respect and Love Duties commanded and Reverence in Heart in outward Speech and Behaviour to all Superiors Thou shalt Reverence and Honour and Love and Pray for thy Natural Parents thy Father and Mother Thou shalt obey their lawful and just Commands and support them in their Needs if thou art able Thou shalt obey honour and love the King pray for him and pay him Tribute Thou shalt obey Magistrates If thou art a Servant thou shalt be faithful and obedient to thy Master and serve him with a conscionable care and diligence Thou shalt esteem respect and love and obey the Doctrines of thy Pastor which are faithfully tendred to thee from the Gospel and pay him his just Dues and Maintenance Thou shalt respect and honour the Aged thy Betters and those that are above thee in Learning Wisdom Goodness or any other Gifts and Graces It is here to be remembred too that all Superiors are to perform their Duties to their Inferiors Kings and those in Authority to protect defend and govern their Subjects Parents to nourish baptize provide for and instruct and bless their Children by their Example and their Prayers Husbands to be faithful to love to defend to protect the Wife as the Wife is to be obedient faithful and affectionate to the Husband Masters to be just to admonish to instruct to be examples to their Servants Ministers to feed the Flock faithfully and diligently by Life and Doctrine Sins forbidden These things are commanded in it and the contrary Vices are forbidden As Inferiors are forbidden to behave themselves proudly scornfully and rudely toward their Betters in Age Gifts or Estate Children forbidden to be undutiful stubborn disobedient and unkind to their Parents Subjects forbidden to rebel against dishonour disobey the King or those in Authority under him People forbidden to despise reject hate or defraud their lawful Pastor Servants forbidden to be stubborn negligent unfaithful or disobedient to their Masters And to encourage all to the Duties of this Commandment as well as to disswade them from the Sins forbidden in it here is added a Promise to the conscionable observers of it of a prosperous and peaceable living upon Earth a long and happy life
own State and Condition Yes May a Man envy or grieve at his Neighbour's Good or Prosperity No. Ought we not to be just towards others not only in our actions but in our very thoughts desires and intentions Yes Should we consent to any motions of the heart of contriving to get what 's our Neighbours by unjust or unlawful means No. Is discontentedness repining and murmuring forbidden to a Christian Yes Should a Christian with vexation or greediness or immoderately seek Riches Honours or Pleasures No. Did not your Godfathers and Godmothers promise for you that you should keep these Commandments Yes And will you labour to keep them that you may please God and be admitted to him when you die Yes Will you shew your Love by your Obedience Yes Question What dost thou chiefly learn by these Commandments Answer I learn two things my Duty towards God and my c. Question What is thy Duty towards God Answer My Duty towards God is to believe in him c. IS it not your Duty to believe in God Yes Do you believe him to be an infinitely wise just powerful holy and good Spirit Yes Is not a Christian to fear God so as to be afraid to offend him Yes May a Christian fear Man more than God No. May a Man commit a Fault to please Men though he displease God No. Should we not love him who is infinitely lovely Yes Should we not love him with all our Heart Soul Mind and Strength Yes Is it not reasonble to love a great and good and wise and merciful God Yes Should we ever cease to love that God that is willing we should be saved No. Can we cease to love him who sent his Son to die for us No. Is it not reasonable we should fall down and worship that God that made us and all the World Yes Is it not reasonable we should fall down and Worship that God that can send us to Hell in an instant Yes Is it not reasonable we should give him thanks who gives us Food and Raiment Yes Must not a Christian put his whole Trust in God in all his Needs and Dangers Yes May a Christian seek to deliver himself out of them by any unlawful means No. Is not this to distrust God Yes Must not a Christian call upon him in Prayer Yes Is it not reasonable we should call upon that God that is able to help us Yes And is he not willing and ready to help us in all needs and dangers if he see it fit for us Yes Is it not reasonable we should Honour his holy Name seeing to glorifie it was the great End of our Creation Yes Is it not reasonable we should honour and love that Word which is the Message of Divine Love to us Yes Is it unreasonable we should serve such a God and obey him truly all the days of our Life No. Has he not provided eternal Rewards in Heaven for our moment's obedience here Yes And can we expect more for doing less No. Question What is thy Duty towards thy Neighbour Answer My Duty towards my Neighbour is to love him as c. SHould we not do to all men as we should be content they should do to us if they were in our condition and we in theirs Yes Are we willing to have any Evil done to our own Souls No. Should we therefore do any Evil to any other Man's No. Are we willing to have our own Bodies maimed or wounded No. Are we willing to have our own Goods or Estates injured by any Man No. Should we therefore do so to any other Mans No. Are we willing to have our own good Name taken away and slandered No. Should we then do so to any other Man's No. Are we willing to have our own Needs and Wants relieved by them that are able to do it Yes Should we therefore according to our ability relieve the Needs of others Yes Would we not have all Men deal fairly honestly and justly with us in all Cases Yes And ought we not to deal so with others Yes Is not this to love our Neighbour as our selves Yes Should a Christian hurt any man by word or deed No. Should he be just and upright in all his Dealings Yes May he bear malice hatred or ill will to any in his Heart No. May a Christian be given to lying evil-speaking and backbiting No. Should a Christian be sober chast and temperate Yes Should a Christian that hopes to see God be a Whoremonger Glutton or Drunkard No. Should we wish or desire to deprive our Neighbour of any thing that belongs to him No. Should a Christian be diligent in his calling Yes And should he be content with his State and Condition Yes SECT IV. Postulanda Or Things to be prayed for Of the Lord's Prayer Catechist MY good Child know this that thou art not able to do these things of thy self nor to walk in the commandments of God and to serve him without his special Grace which thou must learn at all times to call for by diligent Prayer Let me hear therefore if thou caust say the Lord's Prayer Answer Our Father c. CAN we keep God's Commandments without his help No. Should we not daily pray to God for his Grace and Strength to do his Will Yes Should any Christian pray less than twice every day No. Should not those who have leisure do well to do it oftner Yes Must our Heart go along with our Mouths when we pray Yes Should a Christian kneel upon his knees when he prays Yes In our Prayers should we ever leave out the Lord's Prayer No. PREFACE Our Father which art in Heaven I. PETITION Hallowed be thy Name IS not God who created us our Father Yes Are we not his Children by Adoption too Yes Is he not then our Father by Creation and our Father in Christ Jesus Yes Is this good Father of ours unwilling to hear us if we ask aright No. Is not this our Father in Heaven Yes When you say Father doth not this teach you to pray with the Affections of a Child and with reverential Love Yes When you say Our Father doth not this teach you to pray for others as well as your self Yes When we say hallowed be thy Name do we not mean Sanctified be thy Name Yes When we say hallowed be thy Name do we not desire God to enable us to Worship Glorifie and Honour him Yes Can we Reverence and Adore and Glorifie him aright unless he enable us No. Is it not fit therefore we should first desire him to strike an awe into our Hearts while we are praying to him Yes II. PETITION Thy Kingdom come WHen we say Thy Kingdom come do we not pray that God's Kingdom of Grace may come to us here Yes And do we not pray that his Kingdom of Glory may come to us hereafter Yes Can we pray for any thing better or more desirable than the Kingdom of Grace here and the
of it to be true To perform the conditions upon which I hope to receive the Promises there made to me to obey sincerely the Commands of it and to get out of the way of the Threats of it And lastly so truly and conscionably to serve him here in this Life that I may live with him in a life Eternal hereafter Question What is thy Duty towards thy Neighbour Answer My Duty towards my Neighbour is to love him as c. THE meaning is So to love all Men as that we may in all things do unto others as we would they should do unto us were they in our condition and we in theirs For instance as we are willing to have no evil done to our own Souls so to do none to the Souls of others As we are willing to have no Evil done to our own Bodies so to do none to the Bodies of others As we are unwilling to have our own Goods or Possessions injured by others so to injure no Man's our selves As we are willing not to have our own good Name taken away by slander or evil-speaking so to do so to no other Man's As we are willing to have our own Needs and Distresses relieved so to be ready and willing according to our Ability to relieve the Needs of others To respect support pray for and honour our natural Parents who supported us when we were so unable to support our selves that we had perish'd every moment without them To honour pray for pay Tribute to and obey all the lawful Commands of my lawful King and of those Governours that receive Command and Authority from him To respect esteem pray for pay the dues and obey the Christian Doctrines of all my Spiritual Pastors that is all true Ministers of God's Word and Sacraments To obey and honour to be diligent and faithful in the Service of my Master or Mistress and not to be stubborn and irreverent to them To pay a due regard esteem and honour to all my Betters in Age Gifts or Estate To desire intend wish or speak or act the hurt of no Man To be plain and honest just and upright in all dealings with any other man To cherish or keep no grudges heart-burnings uncharitable intentions or desires of revenge in my breast against any man whatever but to be ready to do good to all men freinds and enemies To render to every Man his due to defraud steal from or be any way unjust to no man To keep my Tongue from all evil bitter virulent reproachful and railing language even towards them who revile and rail at me Alway to speak the truth or nothing And in my whole Conversation to hate a Lye which is so hateful to the God of Truth To be meek and humble sober and temperate chast and pure both in my Soul and Body And in what soever State or Calling God shall please to place me to manage it prudently and conscionably diligently and holily to the end of my life till he shall call me to lay aside my business here and enter upon a New World Catechist My good Child know this that thou art not able to do these things of thy self nor to walk in the commandments of God and to serve him without his special Grace which thou must learn at all times to call for by diligent Prayer Let me hear therefore if thou canst say the Lord's Prayer THE meaning is That though these Commandments of God are to be kept and obeyed most sincerely by us yet of our selves we are not able to keep them without his Grace that is without the gracious Assistance of his Holy Spirit to enable us and give us strength to keep them Now God will deny his Grace and Aid to none who faithfully beg and faithfully use it We must therefore diligently employ and use what we already have in labouring to keep his Commands And we must daily beg more Grace of God by Prayer in which we should never leave out that Divine Prayer following which was taught us by the Saviour of the World SECT IV. Of the Lord's Prayer The PREFACE Our Father which art in Heaven THE meaning is O God thou art our Father as thou hast created us and thou art our Father as we are made thy Sons by Adoption In the first Sence that is by Creation all Mankind are thy Children In the other Sence we Christians were made thy Children by our Holy Baptism Thou hast O our Saviour taught us to call God Father that we may pray with the Affections of a Child and with the holy Fear and Love of a Child and rely upon the paternal Care and Bounty of our Father and be encouraged to run to our heavenly Father with all our Needs and our Complaints as Children do to a Father Thou hast taught us to say Our Father not my Father that we may learn to pray for others as well as our selves and with a brotherly Affection beg of our common Father the same Blessings for others which we do for our selves Thou art our Father and therefore willing to hear us and as willing to help us Thou art in Heaven and therefore able to help us Thou art our Father O let this endearing compellation move our Love and win our Obedience Thou art in Heaven and that 's our proper Country thither we thy Sons are travelling there our Inheritance and our Treasure is thither we direct our Prayers exalt and raise our Affections before we come thither I. PETITION Hallowed be thy Name THE meaning is Let thy Name be sanctified and adored praised and magnified honoured and glorified by me and all Mankind and that both in Private and in Publick in our Hearts Tongues and Actions So that in this Petition we pray that God would enable us and others to confess and glorifie him above all in thought word and deed That we may never dishonour or prophane his Name but as affectionate and obedient Sons have a reverential Love and Honour for the Name the Titles and Attributes and every thing that relates to our Father which is in Heaven Thy Kingdom come THE meaning is We pray that his Church may be inlarged his Gospel spread and propagated that his Kingdom of Grace may come to us here and his Kingdom of Glory may be enjoyed by us hereafter We beg too that God would destroy and pull down the Kingdom and Power of Sin and Satan in us and instead of that that he would set up his Spiritual Kingdom there That as King he would Rule in our Hearts and make us obedient to his Laws and subdue every rebellious Lust or Desire Thought or Imagination That all our Affections being Subject to his Laws and Rules his Grace may so Reign in us here that at last we may Reign with him in his Glory hereafter Thy will be done in Earth As it is in Heaven THE meaning is We pray that God would enable us and others to obey his Will or do
when he raised him from the Dead and set him at his own Right-Hand in the Heavenly Places Far above all Principality and Power and Might and Dominion and every name that is named not only in this World but also in that which is to come And hath put all things under his Feet Prove that he shall come to judge the quick and the dead Acts 17.31 Because he hath appointed a Day in the which he will judge the World in Righteousness Acts 10.42 It is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of the quick and the dead Prove that you are to believe in the Holy-Ghost or Holy Spirit 1 Joh. 5.7 There are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy-Ghost and these three are one 1 Thes 4.8 God who hath also given unto us his Holy Spirit Matth. 12.32 Whosoever speaketh against the Holy-Ghost it shall not be forgiven him Prove that Christ hath a Church upon Earth Acts 2.47 And the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be Saved Prove that this Church of Christ is Holy Eph. 5.27 That he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having Spot or Wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be Holy Heb. 12.14 Follow Peace with all Men and Holiness without which none shall see the Lord. Prove that this Church is Catholick that is Vniversal or to consist of People of all Nations And not limited to one Nation as the Jewish Church was Matth. 28.19 Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father c. Rev. 5.9 For thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy Blood out of every Kindred and Tongue and People and Nation Prove that there is and ought to be a Communion of Saints or fellowship one with another in all holy things 1 Joh. 1.7 But if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have fellowship one with another Eph. 4.4 5. There is one Body and one Spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your calling one Lord one Faith one Baptism 2 Cor. 13.14 The Communion of the Holy-Ghost be with you all 1 Cor. 10.17 We being many are one Head and one Body for we are all partakers of one Bread Prove that we must not forsake the Communion of Saints in holy things Heb. 10.25 Not forsaking the assembling your selves together as the manner of some is Rom. 15.6 That ye may with one Mind and one Mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Prove that there is forgiveness of Sins to be had upon Repentance in the Church Acts 3 19. Repent ye therefore and be converted that your Sins may be blotted out Acts 13.38 Be it known unto you therefore Men and Brethren that through this Man is preached unto you forgiveness of Sins 1 Joh. 1.1 2. If any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the propitation for our Sins Prove that there shall be a Resurrection of the Body 1 Cor. 15.21 22. For since by Man came death by Man came also the Resurrection of the Dead For as is Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive Acts 24.15 There shall be a Resurrection of the Dead both of the Just and Unjust Prove that there is an Everlasting Life after Death Matth. 25.46 And these shall go away into Everlasting Punishment but the Righteous into Life Eternal Joh. 5.28 29. The hour is coming in the which all that are in the Graves shall hear his Voice and shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of Life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of Damnation Question What dost thou chiefly learn in these Articles of thy Belief Answer First I learn to believe in God the Father who hath made me and all the World Secondly in God the Son who hath redeemed me and all Mankind Thirdly in God the Holy-Ghost who sanctifieth me and all the Elect People of God Prove that God made you and all the World Acts 17.24 God that made the World and all things therein seeing he is the Lord of Heaven and Earth Acts 17.28 In him we live move and have our being Prove that God the Son redeemed you Luke 1.68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his People Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law Prove that he did redeem you and all Mankind Heb. 2.9 But we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the Angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour that he by the Grace of God should taste death for every Man Prove that God the Holy-Ghost or holy Spirit sanctifieth you and all the Elect People of God 2 Thes 2.13 But we are bound to give Thanks alway to God for you Brethren beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Prove or shew where you find the Ten Commandments Exod. 20.2 to the 18th I am the Lord c. Question What is thy Duty towards God Answer My Duty towards God is to believe in him to c. Question What is thy Duty towards thy Neighbour Answer My Duty towards my Neighbour is to love him as my self and to do c. Prove that you are to perform your Duty towards God and towards your Neighbour Matth. 22.37 38 39. Thou salt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy Mind This is the first and great Commandment And the second is like unto it Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self Prove that you are to believe in God 2 Chron. 20.20 Believe in the Lord you God so shall you be established Prove that you are to fear God Eccl. 12.13 Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of Man Prove that you are to love him with all your Heart Soul Strength and Mind Luke 10.27 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy Strength and with all thy Mind Prove that you are to worship God Matth. 4.10 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Prove that you are to give him Thanks 1 Thes 5.18 In every thing give thanks for this is the Will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you Prove that you are to put your whole Trust in him Psal 62.8 Trust in him at all times ye People pour out your Heart before him God is a Refuge for us Prove that you are to call upon him Psal 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt