us light and heat by the Sun he upholdeth us by the Earth c. A. The word Immediate sometime signifieth A cause that hath no other cause under it So the Sun is the immediate cause of the emanation of its beams of Light And so God is not alwaies an Immediate Cause that is He hath other causes under him But sometime Immediate signifieth that which is next a thing having nothing between them And so God doth all things Immediately For he is and he acteth as near us as we to our selves and nothing is between him and us He is as near the person and the Effect when he useth Second Causes as when he useth none Q. 6. But is it not a debasing GOD to make his Providence the cause of every motion of a Worm a Bird a Fly and to mind and move such contemptible things and so to mind the thoughts of man A. It is a debasing God to think that he is like a finite Creature absent or insufficient for any of his Creatures That there is not the least thing or motion so small as to be done without him is most certain to him that will consider 1. That Gods very Essence is every where And wherever he is he is himself that is most Powerful Wise and Good And if such a God be as near to every Action as the most immediate Actor is so that in him they all Live and Move and Be how can he be thought to have no hand in it as to Providence or causality 2. And it 's certain that God upholds continually the very Being of every thing that moveth and all the Power by which they move For that which had no Being but from him â—an have none continued but by him That which could not make it self cannot continue it self Should not God by his causality continue their being every Creature would turn to nothing For there can be nothing without a Cause but the first Cause which is GOD. 3. And it is all one to Infiniteness to mind every Creature and motion in the World and to cause and rule the least as it is to cause and rule but one God is as sufficient for all the World even every Fly and Worm as if he had but One to mind Seeing then that he is as present with every Creature as it is with it self and it hath not the least power but what he continually giveth it and cannot move at all but by him and he is as sufficient for All as for One it 's unreasonable to think that the least thing is done without him Is it a dishonour to the Sun that every Eye even of Flies and Ants and Toads and Snakes as well as Men do see by the light of it or that it shineth at once upon every pâ—le of Grass and Atome This is but the certain Effect of Gods Infiniteneâ—s and Perfection Q. 7. How doth God Govern all things A. He Governeth several things according to their several Natures which he hath made Lifeless things by their natural Inclinations and by moving force Things that have sense by their sensitive Inclinations and by their objects and by constraint And Reasonable Creatures by their Principles and by Laws and Moral Rules And all things by his Infinite Power Wisdom and Will as being every one parts of one World which is his Kingdom Especially Man Q. 8. What is Gods Kingdom and why do you call him our King A. I call him our King because 1. He only hath absolute Right Power and Fitness to be our Supream Ruler 2. And he doth actually Rule us as our Soveraign And in this KINGDOM 1. GOD is the Only Supream King and Head 2. Angels or Glorified Spirits and Men are the Subjects 3. All the Bruits and lifeless Creatures are the Furniture and goods and utensils 4. Devils and Rebellious Wicked men are the Enemies to be opposed and overcome Q. 9. How doth GOD govern Man on Earth A. 1. The Power of God our Lord Owner and Mover moveth us and disposeth of us as he doth of all things to the fullfilling of his Will 2. The Wisdom of God our King doth give us sound Doctrine and holy and just Laws with Rewardâ— and Penalties and he will Judge men and execute accordingly 3. And the Love of our Heavenly Father doth furnish us with all necessary blessings help us accept us and prepare us for the Heavenly Kingdom Q. 10. Why is man Ruled by Laws rather than Beasts and other things A. Because man hath Reason and Free-will which maketh them Subjects capable of Laws which Beasts are not Q. 11. What is that Free-will which fits us to be Subjects A. It is a Will made by God able to determine it self by Gods necessary help to choose Good and refuse Evil understood to be such without any necessitating Predetermination by any other CHAP. V. Of Gods Law of Nature and Natural Officers Qu. 1. BY what Laws doth God Govern the World Ans. How he Governeth the Spirits above us whether by any Law besides the immediate Reâ—elation of his Will seen in the face of his Glory or how else is not much known to us because â—t doth not concern us But this lower World of man he Governeth by the Law of Nature and by a Law of Supernatural Revelation given by his Spirit or by Messengers from Heaven Q. 2. What is it that you Call the Law of Nature A. In a large and improper sence some call the â—nclinations and forcing or naturally moving Causes of any Creatures by the name of a Law â—nd so they say that Beasts and Birds are moved by the Law of their Nature and that Stones sink downward and the Fire goeth upward by the Law of Nature But this is no Law in the Proper sence which we are speaking of whatever you Call it Q. 3. What is it then that you Call A Law A. Any Signification of the Will of the Ruler purposely given to the Subject that thereby he may know and be bound to his Duty and know his Reward or Punishment due Or any signification of the Rulers will for the Government of Subjects constituting what shall be Due from them and to them A Rule to live by and the Rule by which we must be judged Q. 4. What then is Gods Law of Nature made for man A. It is the signification of Gods Governing Will by the Nature of man himself and of all other Creatures known to man in which God declareth to man his Duty and his reward or punishment Q. 5. How can a man know Gods Will and our duty by his Nature and by all other Works of God about us A. In some things as surely as by words or writings but in other things more darkly I am sure that my Nature is made to Know and Love Truth and Goodness and to desire and seek my own Felicity My Nature tells me that I was not made by my self and do not live by my Self and therefore that I am
to all Q. 6. I perceive then that before we further enquire of the Certainty I should first ask you of the Matter what things they be that God hath supernaturally revealed to man especially for us all A. The particular Revelations to and about particular mens matters are many of them recorded to us for our notice But there may be thousands more in the World that we know not nor are concerned to know What Revelation God ever made to any persons throughout the World as what should befall them when they should die what Wars or Plagues or Famine should come c. little do we know But what is recorded by God we know 2. But as for his Laws and Promises which we are all concerned to know I shall now but name and afterward open what God hath Revealed I. He revealed to Adam besides the Law of Nature which was perfecter and clearer to him than it is now to us a trying Prohibiton to eat of the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge adding the Penalty of death to restrain him II. He judged him after his Fall to some degree of Punishment but declared his pardoning Mercy and promised Victory to and by the Womans Seed in the War which they now engaged in with Satan the Serpent and his seed And he instituted Sacrificing to typifie the Means III. He renewed this Covenant with Noah after the Flood IV. He made a special Promise to Abraham to be the God of his Seed as a Peculiar people chosen to him out of all the World and that all Nations should be blessed in his seed And he instituted the Sacramant of Circumcision to be the Seal and Symbole V. When his Seed were multiplyed in Egypt he brought them out and in performance of this Promise made them a Holy Common-wealth as their Soveraign and gave them at large a Law and Sub-governours which as Political was proper to the people VI. In the fulness of time God sent his Son to reconcile man to God to reveal his Love and Will most fully and to make and Seal the Covenant of Grace in its last and best Edition and as King to Rule and Judge the Redeemed and Sanctifie Justifie and Glorifie the Faithful These are the publick Laws and Covenants Supernaturally revealed Q. 7. Is it equally necessary to us to believe every word in the Bible or is every word equally certain to us A. All Truths are Truths which is to be equally True in themselves And so if by certainty you mean nothing but infallible Truth every Truth is so certain and all Gods words are True But if by certain you mean that which is so evident to us that we may our selves be fully certain of the Truth so the parts of Gods word have different degrees of Certainty We suppose false Translations and false Printings are none of Gods Word Nor the Words of Satan or fallible men recited in the Bible save only the historical Assertion that such words were spoken by them But that which is Gods Word indeed is none of it so far void of proof but that we may come to a certainty that it 's true And if we had equal evidence that every word is Gods Word we should have equal Evidence that all is true For that God cannot Lie is the foundation Truth of all our certainty But God did not Reveal every Truth in the Bible with equal evidencing attestation from Heaven Some of them much more concern us than others and therefore were more fully sealed and attested Q. 8. How are we sure of the Law that was given to Adam and that he sinned as is written and had after a pardoning Law A. 1. The Law of Nature given him is yet Gods common Law to the World saving the strictness of it as a Condition of Life 2. The fall of Man hath too full proof in all the pravity of Mankind from the Birth 3. The Pardoning Act is evident in the Execution God giveth all Men Mercy contrary to their deserts and useth none in the utmost rigour 4. The notorious Enmity between Christ and Satan and their Seeds through all Ages and Places of the World doth prove the Sentence and the Law of Grace 5. The universal Curse or Punishment on Mankind sheweth somewhat of the Cause 6. The Tradition of Sacrificing was so universally received over all the World as confirmeth to us that God delivered it to Adam as a Symbol and a Type of the Grace then promised 7. But our fullest proof of all that History is that which after proved the Word that revealed it to us Q. 9. How are we certain that the Law of Moses was God's Law A. 1. By a Course of wonderful Miracles wrought to prepare them to receive it and to attest it The Ten marvellous Plagues of Egypt the Passage through the Red Sea the opening of the Rock to give them Water feeding them with Manna raining twice Quails upon them the sight of the flaming Mount with the terrible concomitants The sight of the Pillar of Fire by Night and Cloud by Day which conducted them The sight of the Cloud and Symbol of God's presence at the Door of the Tabernacle the miraculous Destruction of the Rebellious even by the opening of the Earth and the performance of God's Promises to them All these were full proofs that it was of God 2. But we have yet fuller proof in Christs latter Testimony which confirmeth all this to us Q. 10. These were full Proofs to those that saw them But are we certain that the Records of them in the Scripture are true A. 1. Consider that they were written by Moses to that very People who are said to see them And if one should now write to us English-men that God brought us out of another Land by Ten such publick Miracles as the Frogs the Flies the Lice the Darkness the Waters turned Blood the Death of their Cattel and of all their first Born that he opened the Sea and brought us through it on Foot that he opened Rocks fed us with Manna rained Quails for a Months food spake from a flaming Mount and opened the Earth to swallow up Rebells c. when we know all this to be false would not all Men deride and abhorr the Reporter Would any of us receive a Law and that of such operous numerous costly Services by the Motive of such a report as this 2. Consider that this Law so delivered was on this ground entertained and unchangeably kept by them from Generation to Generation it being taken for an heinous Crime to alter it in one word 3. Consider that Practised Sacramental Symbols from the first Day were so uninterruptedly kept as was a fuller proof of the Fact than the bare Writings 1. All their Males from the Promise to Abraham were constantly Circumcised save in the Wilderness Travels and are to this Day 2. From the very Night that the First-Born were kill'd in Egypt
Christ wrought his Miracles and rose again and that the Apostles by the Holy Spirit did work theirs and that Believers received the Spirit by their Ministry 2. They had not been made Christians but by these Miracles They all professed that it was the Gifts of the Spirit that Convinced and Converted them 3. All the forementioned Professions of their Christianity contained a Profession that they believed these Miracles As the use of the Lords day Baptism the Eucharist shewed their Belief of Christs Life Death and Resurrection 4. They suffered Persecution and Martyrdom in the Profession of that Belief 5. They pleaded these Miracles in all their Defences against their Adversaries 6. The Writings of their Adversaries commonly acknowledge this Plea yea and deny not the most of the Miracles themselves 7. But most fully their receiving the Sacred Scriptures as the Word of God as indited by the Holy Ghost in the Apostles sheweth that they believed the Miracles recorded in that Book Q. 25. You are come up to the last part of the Doubt in the History How are we sure that these Christians then commonly believed the Book as now we have it and that it is the very same A. We have for this full infallible historical Proof premising that some parcels of the Book the Revelations the Epistle of Iude the Second of Peter the Epistle to the Hebrews and that of Iames were longer unknown to some particular Churches than the rest 1. The constancy of Christian Assemblies and publick Worship is a full proof seeing that the Reading Expounding and applying of these Books was a great part of their publick work as all History of Friends and Enemies agree 2. The very Office of the Ministry is full proof which lay most in reading expounding and applying these same Books And therefore they were as much by Office concerned to keep them as Judges and Lawyers are to keep the Statute-book 3. These Ministers and Churches which so used this Book were dispersed over a great part of the World If therefore they had changed it by adding or diminishing they must have done it by Confederacy or by single mens errour or abuse It was impossible that all Countreys should agree in such a Confederacy but the meeting motives and treaties would have been known But no History of Friend or Foe hath any such thing but the clean contrary And that it should be done by all single Persons in the Christian World agreeing by chance in the same Changes is a mâ—d supposition 4. And it is the belief of all Christians that it â—s a damnable Sin to add or alter in this Book And the Book it self so concludeth Therefore if â—ome had agreed so to do the rest would have detected and decryed it 5. They took this Book â—o be the Charter for their Salvation And therefore would never agree to alter it when Men keep the Deeds Evidences Leases and Charters of their Estates and Worldly Priviledges unaltered 6. When a few Hereticks rose up that forged some new Books as Apostolical and rejected some that were such indeed the Christian Churches condemned and rejected them and appealed to the Churches that had received the Apostles own Epistles and kept them 7. The many Heresies that rose up did so divide Men and set them in cross Interests and Jealousies against each other that it was impossible for any one Sect to have altered the Scripture but the rest would have fallen upon them with the loudest Accusations But all sorts of Adversaries are agreed that these are the same Books And though the weakness and negligence of Scribes have made many little Words uncertain for God promised not infallibility to every Scribe or Printer yet these are not such as alter any Article of Faith or Practice but shew that no Corruption hath been designedly made but that the Book is the same For instance Let it be questioned Whether our Statute-Book contained really the same Statutes that are there pretended And you will see that the Historical certainty amounteth even to a natural certainty the contrary being a meer impossibility For 1. They are the Kings Laws and the King would not bear a fraudulent alteration 2. Parliaments would not bear it 3. Judges that successively judge by these Laws would soon discover it 4. So would all Justices and Magistrates 5. Mens Lives and Estates are held by them and therefore Multitudes would decry the Fraud 6. Enemies have daily Suits which are tryed by these Laws and each Party pleads them for himself and their Advocates and Lawyers plead them against each other and would soon detect the Forgery So that to suppose such a Change is 1. To suppose an Effect that hath no Cause in Nature 2. And that is against a stream of Causes Moral and Natural and so impossible And to â—eign such forgeries in the Book that all Christians have taken for Gods Laws is just such another Case and somewhat beyond it That is but Moral Evidence which dependeth only on Mens Honesty or any free unnecessary acts of Mans will But Mans will hath also of Natural Necessity such as the Love of our selves and our felicity c. And it is a Natural Impossibility that all Men or many should agree in a Lie which is against these Acts of Natural necessity But so they must do if all Men of cross Interests Principles and Dispositions should knowingly agree c. g. That all our Statutes are counterseit that there is no such place as Rome Paris or other such lâ—â—s And so the Gospel History hath such Testimony of necessary Truth Q. 26. You have made the Case plainer to me than I thought it had been But you yet seem to intimate that some Words yea some Books of Scripture have not the same Evidence aâ— the rest can a man be saved that Believeth not all the Scripture A. All Truth is equally True and so is all Gods Word But all is not equally Evident He that taketh any Word to be Gods Word and yet to be false believeth nothing as Gods Word For he hath not the â—ormal essentiating Act and Object of Faith If God could lie we had no certainty of Faith But he that erroneously thinketh that this or that word yea Epistle or Text or Book in the Bible is not Gods but came in by mistake may be saved if he believe that which containeth the Essentials of Christianity A lame Faith may be a saving Faith And he may see how Miracles sealed the Gospel that cannot see how they sealed every Book Text or Word in the Bible Q. 27. Though we have been long on this it is of so great importance to us living or dying to be sure of the Foundations of our Faith that I will yet ask you Have you any more Proof A. I have told you of four Proofs already I. The Antecedent Testimony of the Spirit in the Old Testament II. The Inherent Constitutive Testimony in Christ and the Gospel III. The concomitant Testimony
is folly to be stalled at the Believing of any thing which we once are sure that God revealeth considering how unmeet our shallow Wit is to judge of the things of infinite Wisdom to us unseen 2. To Holy illuminated prepared Souls Belief is not so hard It 's Blindness and Vice that make it difficult 3. God did not become Man by any Change of his Godhead nor by confining his Essence to the Manhood of Christ But 1. By taking the humane Nature into a special Aptitude for hiâ— Operations 2. And so Relating it neerly to himself 3. And Operating peculiarly in and on it as he doth not on any other Creature And when all are agreed that God is essentially every where and is as near us as we are our selves and more the Cause of all good which we do than we our selves are it will be harder to shew that he is not Hypostatically united to every Man than that he is so to Christ Though the foresaid Aptitude of Christ's humane Nature and the Relation and Operation of the Divine indeed make that vast difference If God can so peculiarly Operate in and by our humane Nature where lyeth the Incredibility Q. 31. But it is so transcendently above all the Works of Nature that such condescension of God is hard to be believed A. Great Works best beseem the Infinite God Is not the make of the whole World as wonderful and yet certain Gods Love and Goodness must have wonderful products as well as his Power But is it not very congruous to Nature and Reason that God should have Mercy on lapsed man And that he should restore depraved humane Nature And that he should do this great work like his Greatness and Goodness and above Mans shallow reach And that Polluted Souls should not have immediate access to the most Holy but by a Holy Mediator And that Mankind should have one Universal Head and Monarch in our own Nature And that when even Heathens are conscious of the great need of some Divine revelations besides the light of Nature and therefore consult their Oracles and Augurs that God should give us a certain Menssenger from Heaven to teach us necessary Truth Many such Congruities I have opened in the Reasons of the Christian Religion Part 2. Ch. 5. The Summ of all that is said is This I. If any History in the world be sure the History of the Gospel is sure II. And if the History be sure the Doctrine must needs be sure III. The continued Evidences 1. In the Holiness of the Doctrine And 2. In the Holiness of all true serious Believers are a standing proof of both as the Miracles were to all the beholders who did not Blaspheme the Holy Ghost Q. 32. But how comes it to be so hard then to the most to become serious Believers and Godly when the Evidence is so clear A. A Blind Dead Worldly Fleshly Heart doth undispose them and they will not Consider such things nor use the means Yea they so wilfully sin against Knowledge and Conscience and will not obey that which they know that they forfeit further Grace I will name you briefly many things which every Mans Natural Reason might know and ask you whether you ever knew any Unbeliever that was not false to this Light of Nature 1. Doth not Sence and Reason tell men how vile a thing that Flesh is which they preferr before their Souls 2. Doth it not certifie them that they must die and so that Fleshly Pleasure is short 3. Doth it not tell them of the Vanity and Vexation of this World 4. And that greatest Prosperity is usually parted with with greatest sorrow 5. Doth it not tell them that Mans Nature can hardly choose but fear what will follow after Death 6. Doth it not tell them that there is a God that made them and Ruleth all 7. And that he is infinitely Great and Wise and Good and therefore should be Obeyed Loved and Trusted above all 8. And that their Lives and Souls and all are his and at his will 9. And that Man hath Faculties which can mind a God and a Life to come which Bruits have not and that God doth not make such Natures in vain 10. Doth not experience tell them that humane Nature seeth a vast difference between Moral Good and Evil and that all Government Laws and Converse shew it And no Man would be counted false and bad 11. And that Good Men are the Blessing of the World and Bad Men the Plagues 12. And that there is a Conscience in Man that condemneth Sin and approveth Goodness 13. And that most Men when they dye cry out against that which Worldly Fleshly Men preferr and wish that they had lived the Life of Saints and might die their death Are not these easily knowable to all And yet all the ungodly live as if they believed none of this And can you wonder if all such Men understand not or believe not the Heavenly things have no experience of the Sanctifying Work and Witness of the Holy Spirit and have no delight in God and Goodness no strength against Sin and Temptations no Trust in God in their necessity no suitableness to the Gospel nor the heavenly Glory But as they lived in sin do die in a stupid or despairing state of Soul CHAP. VII Of the Christian Religion what it is and of the Creed Q. 1. NOw you have laid so good a Foundation by shewing me the certain Truth of the Gospel I would better know what Christianity is and what it is to be a true Christian A. First I must tell you what Religion is iâ— general and then what the Christian Religion is Religion is a Word that signifieth either that which is without us the Rule of our Religion or thaâ— which is within us our conformity to that Rule The Doctrinal Regulating Religion is the Signification of Gods will concerning Mans Duty to God and his Hopes from God The inward Religion of our Souls is our Conformity to this revealed regulating Will of God even our absolute resignation to God as being his own our absolute subjection to him aâ— our absolute Sovereign Ruler and our prevailinâ— chief Love to him as our chief Benefactor and aâ— Love and Goodness it self Thus Religion is ouâ— Duty to God and Hope from God Q. 2. Now what is the Christian Religion A. The Christian Religion as Doctrinal is The Revelation of Gods will concerning his Kingdoâ— as our Redeemer or the Redeeming and savinâ— sinful miserable Man by Jesus Christ. And the Christian Religion as it is in us is Thâ— true Conformity of our Understanding Will anâ— Practice to this Doctrine or The true Belief oâ— the Mind the Thankful Love and Consent of thâ— Will and the sincere Obedience of our Lives to God as our Reconciled Father in Christ and to Jesus Christ as our Saviour and to the Holy Ghost as our Sanctifier to deliver us from the guilt and power of Sin from
speaking â—… him should be customary and dead and like thâ— Thoughts and talk of Common things and in some degree of Taking of Gods Name in vain CHAP. XXXVII Of the Fourth Commandement Qu. 1. WHat are the Words of the fourth Commandement A. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy six daies shalt thou Labour and do all thy work But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any work thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughâ—er thy Man-Servant nor thy Maid-Servant nor thy Cattel nor thy Stranger that is within thy Gates For in six daies the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them â—s and rested the seventh day Wherefore â—he Lord blessed the Sabbath day and â—allowed it Q. 2. Why doth Deut. 5. repeat it in so different Words A. Because the words are but for the sence and â—hey being kept in the Ark as written in Stone and safe from alteration Moses in Deut. 5. gave them the sence and added some of his own explication And nothing is altered to obscure the sence Q. 3. Which day is it which was called the Sabbath in this Commandement A. The seventh commonly called from the Heathen Custom Saturday Q. 4. Why was that day made the Sabbath A. God having made the world in six daies space seeing all Good and very Good rested in his own complacency and appointed the seventh day every week to be separated as Holy to worship and praise him the Great Creator as his Glorious perfections shine forth in his works Q. 5. What is meant by Gods resting from his work A. Not that he had been at any labour or weaâ—iness therein but 1. That he finished the Creation 2. That he was pleased in it as Good 3. And that he would have it be a day of holy pleasant Rest to man Q. 6. What is meant by keeping Holy the Sabbath day A. Separating it to the Holy Worship and praise of the Creator and Resting to that end from unnecessary bodily labour Q. 7. What doth the word Remember signifie A. First it is an awakening Caveat to bid us take special care that we break not this Commandement 2. And then that we must prepare before it comes to avoid the things that would hinder us in the duty and to be fit for it's performance Q. 8. Why is Remember put before this more than before the rest of the Commandements A. Because 1. Being but of Positive institution and not naturally known to man as other duties are they had need of a positive excitation and Remembrance And 2. It is of great importance to the constant and acceptable worship and the avoiding of impediments to keep close to the due Time which God hath appointed for it And to violate it tendeth to Atheistical ungodliness Q. 9. Why is it called The Sabbath of the Lord thy God A. Because 1. God did institute and separate it 2. And it is separated to the honour and Worship of God Q. 10. When and how did God institute and separate it A. Fundamentally by his own Resting from the work of Creation But immediately by his declaring to Adam his Will for the sanctifying of that day which is expressed Gen. 2. 3. Q. 11. Some think that the Sabbath was not instituted till man had sinned and Christ was promised and so God Rested in Christ A. When the text adjoineth it close to the Creation and giveth that only as the reason of it that God ended his works which he had made and rested from them this is humane corrupting presumption Q. 12. But some think the Sabbath was first instituted in the Wilderness when they were forbid to gather Manna A. It is not there mentioned as newly instituted and it is mentioned Gen. 2. 2 3. and then instituted with the reason of it And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because in it he rested from all his works which God created and made And the same reason is repeated in the Fourth Commandement Q. 13. Is this Commandement of the Law of Nature as are the rest A. It was more of the Law of Nature to Adam than to us his nature knowing otherwise than ours both when God ended his works and how beautiful they were before the Curse It is now of the Law of Nature that is known by Natural light without other Revelation 1. That God should be worshipped 2. That Societies should assemble to do it together 3. That some set Time should be separated statedly to that use 4. That it should be done with the whole heart without worldly diversions or distractions But I know nothing in Nature alone from whence a man can prove that 1. It must be either just one day in seven 2. Or just what day of the seven it must be 3. Nor just what degree of Rest is necessary Though reason may discern that one day in seven is a very convenient proportion Q. 14. Are the words Six dayes shalt thou labour c. a Command or onely a License A. They are not only a License but a Command to man to live in an ordinary calling or Lawful course of Labour according to each ones ability and place and diligently to exercise it and not spend time in Idleness And the ordinary time is here assigned thereto Q. 15. Then how can it be lawful to spend any of the week-dayes in Religious Exercises any more than to spend any part of the Sabbath day in Labour A. All Labours are to be done as the Service of God and as a means to holy and Everlasting ends and therefore it is implyed still that God be sought and remembred and honoured in all As our Eating and drinking is our duty but to be done to the Glory of God and therefore with the seeking of his blessing and returning him our thanks Q. 16. But is it lawful then to separate whole dayes either weekly or monthly or yearly to Religious Exercises when God hath commanded us to labour on them A. As Gods command of Resting on the Sabbath is but the Stating of the Ordinary Time supposing an exception of extraordinary Cases as in time of War of Fire of dispersing Plagues of hot Persecution c. As Circumcision was omitted in the Wilderness forty years so this Command to Labour six dayes doth state our ordinary time but with supposed exception of extraordinary occasions for dayes of Humiliation and Thanksgiving And all Gods Commands suppose that when two dutyes meet together and cannot both be then done the greater must ever be preferred And therefore saving the Life of a Man or a Beast yea feeding and watering beasts labouring in Temple Service c. were to be preferred before the Rest of the Sabbath And so when our necessity or profit make Religions exercises more to oâ—r good and so a greater duty as Lectures Fasts c. we must preferre them to our ordinary Labour For as the Sabbath was made
last man have the greatest guilt A. No because all guilt from Adam and from our nearer parents too is pardoned by Christ when we are baptized as sincere Believers or their seed But it 's true that we are so far more guilty as to have the more need of a Saviours grace 2. And Guilt is considerable either as more obligations to the same punishment or as obligation to more or greater punishment It 's true that impenitent persons who are the seed of a line of wicked Ancestors have more obligations to the same punishment but not obligation to greater punishment because as great as they were capable of was due before Q. 21. But many say that for nearer parents sins no punishments but temporal are due A. 1. If any at all are due it proveth an answerable guilt 2. To say that Adams sin deserveth our spiritual and eternal punishment and all other Parents sin only temporal is to speak without and against Scripture and the Nature of the Case The Case of the seed of the old World the Sodomites the Canaanites and the present Heathens speaks much more 3. It 's clear that nearer Parents sin is a cause that many of their Posterity are more sinful in Lust Pride Fornication Heresie Ignorance than others And Sin as well as Grace hath a tendency to perpetuity if not cured and remitted Q. 22. Why doth God name only the third and fourth Generation A. To shew us that though he will punish the sins of his Enemies on their Posterity who imitate their Parents yet he sets such bounds to the Execution of his Justice as that sinners shall not want encouragement to repent and hope for Mercy Q. 23. Who be they that be called here Haters of God A. All that have a predominant hatred to his Servants his Service and his holy Laws But the Text specially meaneth those Societies of Infidels Heathens and Malignants who are the professed enemies of his Church and Worship As I said before The outward symbols of Idolatry were the Professing signs by which his Churches Enemies were openly noted in the World as Baptism and the Lords Supper were the Badges of his Church and Servants Q. 24. What is the meaning and extent of the promise of Mercy to thousands of them that Love him and keep his Commandements A. 1. As to the Subject it must be noted that such a Belief in God as causeth men to Love him and keep his Commandements is the qualification of them that have the promise of Gods saving Mercy Faith working by Love and Obedience 2. The words signifie Gods wonderful Mercy and his delight to do good to those that are qualified to receive it 3. And they signifie that God will not only love and bless a Godly Offspring for their own sake but also for the sake of their godly Ancestors and while they succeed them in true Piety God will increase his Blessings on them 4. And though those forfeit all that prove ungodly when they come to age yet the Insant-seed of the Faithful while such are in Covenant with God on the account of their relation to those godly Parents who dedicate themselves and theirs to him Q. 25. How doth God perform this Promise when many godly Parents have wicked and miserable Children A. This Promise doth not say that God will keep all the Children of the faithful from sinning against him and casting away his Mercy and Salvation But if men be sincerely Godly and dedicate themselves and their Children to God and enter them into his Covenant and perform their own part promised by them God will accept them into his Family and pardon their Original Sin and give them the necessary helps for their personal Faith and Obedience when they come to the use of Reason And if the Children keep their Covenant according to â—heir capacity and do not violate it and reject his Grace God will accept and save them as actual obedient Believers Q. 26. Will he not do so also by the Children of Unbelievers A. If such at age see their Parents sin and forsake it and devote themselves to God he will accept them But as Infidels and wicked Hypocrites have no Promise of Gods acceptance of them and theirs so such do not dedicate themselves and their Children to God He that will devote his Child to God must do it as it were a part of himself and cannot do it sincerely if he first devote not himself to God Q. 27. But may not others do it for his Children A. In Infancy they are considered in the Covenant of Grace but as Infants that is Appurtenances to another As the Infidels Infants they have neither Capacity nor Promise But if any other adopt them and take them truly as their own I am in hope that God accepteth such so devoted to him CHAP. XXXVI Of the Third Commandement Qu. 1. WHat are the words of the Third Commandement A. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketâ— his Name in vain Q. 2. What is it that is specially here forbidden A. Prophaneness that is The unholy using of Gods holy Name and holy things especially by Perjury or any other entitling him to falshood or to any of the sins of men as if he were the Author or approver of them Q. 3. What is meant by the Name of God A. Those words or other signs by which he is described denominated or otherwise notified to man which I opened so fully on the first Petition of the Lords Prayer that to avoid repetition I must referre you thereto Q. 4. What is meant by taking the Name of God in vain A. Using it Prophanely and specially falsely it is contrary to the Hallowing of Gods Name which is mentioned in the Lords Prayer In the Scripture 1. The Creature is called Vanity as being but a Shadow and untrusty thing and to use Gods Name and Holy things in a common manner as we use the Creatures is to Profane his Name and take it vainly 2. And Falshood and Lyes are usually called Vanity for Vanity is that Shadowyness which seemeth something and is nothing and so deceiveth men A Lye is that which deceiveth him that trusteth it so Idols are called Vanity and Lyes for their Falshood and deceit and all men are said to be Lyars that is Untrusty and deceitful Q. 5. What is an Oath A. I have said heretofore as others that it 's but an Appeal to God as the Witness of the Truth and the Avenger of a Lye but on further Thoughts I find that the common nature of an Oath is to Pawn some greater thing in attesting of the truth of our words or to take some grievous thing on our selves as a penalty if we Lye or to make some certain Truth a pledge of the truth of what we say And to Swear by our Faith or Truth or Honesty by the Temple the Altar the Fire