am not come to destroy them but to fulfil them And soon after Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least Commandements and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the Kingdome of Heaven that is shall have no place there as the next verse expoundeth it but whosoever shall do and teach them the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven that is shall be highly honoured in this Kingdom Mat. 5.17.19 Therefore Concerning the Preface prefixed before ths Decalogue although in the litteral and typical sense and signification of the words it relateth particularly unto the Jewes they being the only people whom God had brought out of the Land of Egypt out c. Yet in the mystical and spiritual import of them which is sufficiently declared and asserted in the Gospel and which is the farre more eminent consideration of them the said Preface containeth matter of an equall ingagement unto obedience lying upon all other Nations in common with the Jews For deliverance from under the power and tyranny of Sin Sathan Death Hell c. which is typically held forth in the great and famous deliverance of the Israelites from under the Tyrannical power of Pharaoh and out of the iron furnace of Egypt respecteth all Nations under Heaven as well as it doth or ever did the Jews according to the promise made by God unto Abraham long before Gen. 12.3 and not long after confirmed and renewed Gen. 18.18 chap. 22.18 Quest 10. But what may be the reason why God should seek to ingage the Jews to own him for their God and to yield obedience unto his Laws by mentioning the act of his Grace and Power towards them in bringing them out of the Land of Egypt c. rather then by insisting upon his farre greater obliging grace and favour unto them in delivering them from sin and from the curse due unto it and a thousand bitter and most grievous things following it Answ The wisdome of God judged it meet to reserve the clear and open-faced discovery of the Gospel and of the great work of Redemption for his Son Jesus Christ when he should come into the world 2 Tim. 1.10 Hebr. 1.1 with Ephes 3.5 So that though the Gospel was preached unto and amongst the Jews at and before the time of the giving of the Law Gal. 3.8 Heb. 4.2.6 yet was it preached unto them with much reservednesse of the lustre beauty and brightnesse of it God sent it unto them in such an habit as Rebecca was in when she met Isaack covering her self with a vail Gen. 24.65 This probably is the reason why God was pleased to make use rather of the shadow then of the substance of their great deliverance by Christ to insure if it might be their free and willing obedience unto his Law and this the rather because the shadow we speak of their deliverance from Egypt was a most sacred token or pledge from Heaven newly sent and received by them of his great respects and favour unto them And inasmuch as this people were to be patterns and ensamples and to lead the way of obedience unto the Law of God to the rest of the world it may be judged worthy the goodnesse of God towards them to animate and enliven their obedience unto it by reminding them of such an high-favour and priviledge which was appropriately theirs withall knowing their temper of being extraordinarily taken with propriety in their priviledges and favours from God Quest 11. Whether is the Decalogue or Morall Law more generally so called Morall throughout I mean naturally Morall in every thing that is contained or expressed in it Or may it not be termed Moral because it is more generally though it be not universally or in every point such Answ I suppose the question doth not mind any other of the Ten words or Commandements of this Law or any thing mentioned or contained in them but only the Fourth and in this more especially the Day the seventh day here commanded to be sanctified or kept holy That the observation or keeping holy of this day according to the tenour and rule of the Commandement as viz. by refraining our selves and by restaining others that are under us from ordinary labour c. neither ever was nor at this day is known by the light of nature to be a duty required by God of men is most probable and next to that which is unquestionable For First The ground upon which God builds his Commandement for the observation of this day viz. his resting on this day from his six-days work about the Creation is not known nor knowable by the light of nature The Scripture expresly saith that By Faith that is by divine Revelation and the credit we give here unto we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God Heb. 11.3 If the framing of the worlds by the word of God be not known by the light of nature much lesse is the time that he took to finish it or on what day he rested from this work known unto men by this light Secondly There is expresse mention made Gen. 2 3. of the special interposure of God by way of Institution to make the observation of this day to become a duty unto men And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because c. There is no such course taken with any other of the duties enjoyned in all the rest of the commandements to bind the practise of them upon the consciences of men Therefore the observation of the day pointed unto in this fourth commandement is a duty of a different nature and consideration from those required in the other commandements they being all naturally Morall this only such by institution or particular command Thirdly If the observation of the seventh day we speak of were naturally Moral as the duties of the other Commandements and so of perpetual obligation as they are the primitive Christians generally and all the Churches of Christ throughout all succeeding ages untill now must be censured and condemned as living and dying and this as is most likely without Repentance in a sinful practise against the light of nature which is an hard sentence and hardly Christian for an inconsiderable party of men to pass upon the great Congregation of the first-born in al their Generations For it is sufficiently known that these did not walk in the observation of that day but of another instead of it Fourthly It is hardly to be thought or supposed and yet much harder to be proved that there was ever any thing written by God in the fleshy tables of mens hearts which was legible by the light of nature but that it hath been by one or other at one time or other actually read by this light The Apostle supposeth that the Gentiles which have not the Law do or may do by nature the things contained in the Law meaning the things in the Law which are naturally Moral hereby shewing
the work or effect of the Law written in their hearts c. Rom. 2.14 15. But never I believe was there any thing done by the light of nature no not amongst those in whom this light shined in her greatest brightnesse by which it may appear that they were led by the guidance of this light to the observation of the seventh day which the fourth Commandement injoyneth It is not unlike but that some of the ancient Philosophers and Poets amongst the Heathen being inquisitive after the learning manners and practices of Forraign Nations as many of them were did by hear-say amongst many others Jewish Notions Doctrines and Customes expresse mention whereof is found in several of their writings come to understand what they the Jews held and practised about the seventh or Sabbath-day also and did accordingly insert some particulars of their knowledge in this kind in their writings as Hesiod Homer Callimachus and others But nothing can be so much as probably concluded from hence that therefore they knew anything by the light of nature concerning the holinesse which God by special institution as we heard hath put upon that seventh day of which the fourth Commandement speaketh much more probable it is that they might have some glimmerings of an apprehension that such a proportion of time as one day in seven was reasonable and fitting for intermission of bodily labours that they might be at liberty to attend upon religious affairs But unlesse we shall suppose that which I suppose was never supposed or affirmed by any it may be known by the light of nature how long God was in creating the world and that he was six daies precisely neither more nor lesse imployed therein it is not imaginable that by this light it should be discovered unto any man that the day specified in the 4 th Commandement should be sanctified by God for Religions ends and purposes rather or before any other Fifthly If it be to be found written in the book of Nature that the day defined in the fourth Commandement ought according to the will of God to be religiously observed above other daies then whatsoever said or done is of a direct tendency to take away this honour from it and to cast it upon another day must needs be sinful This proposisition is of unquestionable truth because the contents of the book of nature are nothing but the unchangeable righteousnesse of God But severall things have been both said and done without sin of a direct tendency to alter the religious property of that day and to give it to another Therefore the religious observation of this day is not naturally Moral The truth of the latter proposition is demonstrable from the Scriptures where several things are found of a direct tendency to invite and perswade men to substitute another day in the place of that for their Religious Affairs Not to insist upon those places and passages in the Old Testament in which many of the learned Fathers apprehended that there was a plain Overture given even in those daies that there should be a change of the Judaical Sabbath or seventh day into the eighth by the Messiah as in the appointment of Circumcision on the eighth day so in the Title of the Psalmes entituled Pro Octavâ for the eighth as Psal 6. 12. in the number of the souls that were saved in Noah's Ark which was eight again in that of Ezekiel 43.27 which hath more light in it then the rest And when these daies are expired it shall be that upon the eighth day and SO FORWARD the Priests shal make your burnt offerings upon the Altar and your peace offerings and I will accept you saith the Lord God Some are confident that David prophesied of this eighth day as to be made Sacred by the Lord Christ This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoice and be glad in it Psal 118.24 Some likewise conceive that the same Prophet looked towards the Christian Assemblies that should meet on the Lords day in these words Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power in the Beauties of holinesse c. Psal 110.3 And lastly some argue to the same point and this with no slender probability those words of the Prophet Haggee the Apostle himself much favouring their design in this kind by his citation and application of the words Heb. 12.26 Yet once it is a little while and I will shake the Heavens and the Earth c. Hag. 2.6 I only mention these things as judged by men of great sanctity and deep insight into the Scriptures sufficient overtures from God given long since unto the Jews of his purpose to give them another day in exchange for their seventh-day Sabbath in due time And that the blessing and holinesse of this day are transferred by God and his Authority unto another day even that which stands next to it and from the times of the Apostles hath been known by the name of The Lords day the Gospel to an unbiassed judgment and attentive conscience maketh sufficiently manifest First Our Saviour taketh notice of the custome and manner observed by men who make Weddings or other great Feasts that in case a person lesse honorable be placed in the uppermost room and a person more honourable then he cometh the maker of the Feast desireth the former to give place unto the latter the lesse honorable unto the more honourable Luk. 14.8 9. which is but reason and consonant to the light of nature in like manner the Raising up of Jesus Christ from the dead being a greater and more honourable Atchievement or act of God then the Creation of the World it is but good reason to conceive that God should cause the former to give place unto the latter and to deliver up to the day hereof that honour of blessing and sanctification which the day of its remembrance had received from him Nor is it meet to think that God who commandeth men to give honour to whom honour belongeth Rom. 13.7 should himself give honour where lesse honour is due and deny it where it is due in a farre greater measure or degree Secondly If Gods rest or refreshing after or upon the finishing of the work of Creation was a ground or motive unto him as the expresse letter of the Commandement affirmeth it to have been of his Separating and sanctifying a day for a memorial of it we cannot reasonably judge or with the salvage of the unchangeablenesse of God but that his pleasure acquiescence and rest in his raising of his only begotten Son from the dead being of a more precious and dear resentment unto him then the other should be honoured with a day of a Solemn and Sacred remembrance as well as it Yea and inasmuch as he did not judge it meet or agreeable to his Wisdome and goodnesse to devote or sanctifie any greater proportion of time for rest and religious occasions then one day in seven or every
Ghost had he been a creature though an Angel though an Arch-Angel and of an order nighest unto God himself would upon an occasion of any thing said by him that might with the least probability induce men to think he were God and so to worship him have rather cautioned them to take heed of such a snare then leave it in the way as it were on purpose for their foot to be taken in For this is recorded by him to have been the genius and manner of those excellent Creatures the Angels I mean to take men off from worshipping or ascribing divine honour unto them See Judg. 13.16 Revel 22.8 9. Therefore certainly the Doctrine of the Trinity as it is commonly taught and believed by Christians containeth nothing in it that needs offend the minds reasons or consciences of any men Quest 10. Whether is it safe or meet to use the word Person when we speak of the Trinity or of the three subsisting in the Divine nature as to say There is one God and three Persons Answ Although the word Person is not found used in the Scriptures about the matter in hand as neither is the word Trinity yet may it conveniently enough and without offence be applyed to any of the three subsisting in the divine nature For by a Person is only meant an intellectual Individuum or one who partaketh with others in some intellectual nature yet is distinct in his being or subsisting from all those with whom he thus partaketh In this sense every of the three in the divine nature may be termed a Person because he partaketh with the other two in this nature being intellectual and yet subsisteth in this nature in a differing and distinct manner from them Thus God the Father subsisteth in the same intellectual nature with the Son and with the Spirit or the Holy Ghost but after a different and distinct manner from them both as viz. in relation of a Father or as generating a Son in which propriety or manner of subsisting neither of the other two partake with him In this respect he may be said to be a Person In like manner the second in order of the three subsisting in the same intellectual nature with the Father and the Spirit but after a manner appropriate to himself as viz. in the relation of a Son or one begotten may be termed a Person also There is the same consideration of the third who likewise may be termed a Person because he subsisteth in the same nature with the other two but in a manner peculiar to himself viz. as proceeding from the other two by way of Spiration CHAP. II. Of the Scriptures their Authority and Interpretation Quest 1. YOu still alledge the Scriptures for the confirmation and proof of what you hold in the Questions propounded to you Of what Authority and Credit are the Scriptures that you build upon them with so much confidence in matters of such great Concernment unto you Answ The Scriptures are of the greatest and least questionable authority and credit that may be and are to be believed in whatsoever they either affirm or deny before the apprehensions dictates or sayings of any mans sense reason or understanding yea before the most confident affirmations or denials of all the men in the World though agreeing and consenting in one upon the testimony or credit of all their senses reasons judgments and understandings repectively Quest 2. What maketh the Authority of the Scriptures so sacred and irrefragable that they ought not to be rejected gain-said suspected or doubted of in any thing they affirm or deny Answ The infallibility of their Author which is God his infallibility I say as well in the active as passive signification of the word For as he perfectly knoweth the truth of all things and is not liable to any errour ignorance or mistake in any thing so neither is he capable of speaking declaring or revealing any thing contrary to his knowledg It is utterly impossible for him either to be deceived or to deceive any man Quest 3. How can it be proved that God is the Author of the Scriptures or that they proceed from him Answ This may be proved by sundry arguments some taken from the Scriptures themselves others from other considerations Quest 4. By how many arguments taken from the Scriptures themselves that is either from the matter of them and the nature and quality of things contained and revealed in them or from the manner of the Language style or phrase wherein they are written may they be proved to come from God Answ The subject matter of the Scripture of the nature or quality of the things contained and revealed in them afford five arguments to prove them to be from God Quest 5. What is the first of these Arguments Answ The two great and heavenly designs revealed and discoursed in the Scriptures The one the eternal Salvation of a miserable and lost world The other the exaltation of godliness righteousness and true holinesse in the world These plainly testifie on the behalf of the Scriptures that they are of no meaner parentage or descent then from God himself Reason doth not permit any man to conceive or think that any creature should ever conceive or be delivered of two such births so transcendently glorious and adorable as these nor yet that any Creature whether good or bad would ever falsly father upon God any such excellent or worthy projections as either of these Quest 6. What is the second argument from the matter of the Scriptures which proveth them to be from God Answ The most profound contrivances and never sufficiently admired streins of wisdome by which the bringing to pass the two great designes mentioned is acording to the Scriptures intended by God are good evidence and proof that they the Scriptures proceed originally from no other Author but God Quest 7. What is a third argument drawn from the matter of the Scriptures by which they may be known to proceed from God Answ The discoveries that are made in the Scriptures of things so farr remote from the thoughts and apprehensions of men as many things are which are brought forth into a clear and perfect light by them as that manner method and time of the Creation of the Heavens and the earth with all the hosts of them the destruction of the old world for the wickednesse of it by a flood the mystery of the Trinitie of the Incarnation of the Son of God with many others undeniably prove they came from an Authour that is greater in knowledge and understanding then all creatures Quest 8. What is a fourth argument affording proof from the matter of the Scriptures that their Authority is divine Answ The many predictions found in the Scriptures of contingent events many years yea some ages before they were to take place or come to pass yet being duely fulfilled and coming to pass in their seasons demonstratively prove them to be of as divine Inspiration Quest 9.
same day of the week with the former not mentioning any thing either spoken or done by him in any of the six daies between And after eight dayes he reckoneth inclusively as Luk. 9.28 Compared with Mat. 17.1 and Mark 9.2 again his Disciples were within then came Jesus the doors being shut c. Upon this passage a Learned Writer observeth that The Disciples having once injoyed the presence of Christ on the day of his Resurrection seem to have adjudged consecrated or assigned the same day to Religious assemblings ever after Whereof he makes proof by pointing to several Texts of Scripture (a) Videntur Discipuli semel resurrectionis die Domini experti praesentiam eundem diem in posterum solennibus conventibus dicâsse Of which we shall take some further notice presently For Fourthly That it was indeed the practise of the Saints in the Apostles daies to solemnize the day we speak of the first day of the week with a religious assembling of themselves for the worship of God and other exercises of their Christian profession sufficiently appears to him that is not contentious but willing to obey the truth from these two or three Scriptures compared together and with those lately argued Act. 20.7 1 Cor. 16.2 Act. 2.1 In the first of these Texts we read And upon the first day of the Week when the Disciples came together meaning after their usual and accustomed manner to break bread that is to administer and partake of the Lords Supper as Expositours generally and without scruple interpret Paul preache unto them c. In the second the Apostle writeth to the Corinthians thus 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 The notation of the circumstance of time in both these passages would be very impertinent and without all favour of edification unlesse it be supposed that the intent and purpose of the Holy Ghost herein was to commend the day specified upon some special account unto Christians Which is not lightly imaginable what other it should be but to give them to understand that this was the day weekly observed by Christians in these times to meet together in their holy Assemblies as they had been directed and taught both by the example of Christ himself of which we spake lately and likewise by precept from the Apostles by whose Authority and direction all things appertaining to Government and order in and about the worship of God in Christian Churches were established and observed Nor can there any good reason be given why the Holy Ghost in both the places mentioned should not as well have recorded and directed the day of the month together with the notation of the Month it self as the day of the week had there not been somewhat more edifying and considerable in the one then in the other For the third and last of the three places the contents of it are these And when the daies of Pentecost were fully come they were all with one accord in one place meaning all the Apostles with the other Christians that consorted with them to the number of an hundred and twenty Cap. 1.15 And suddainly there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing mighty Wind And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost c. That the day on which the magnificence of Heaven rejoiced over the world to send the Holy Ghost down unto it in that miraculous manner which is recorded in the former part of this Chapter was the first day of the week though it be not in so many words affirmed by the Holy Ghost yet may it be with evidence enough concluded from the computation of the dayes of Pentecost which are here said to have been fully come or fulfilled as likewise from the convention of the Apostles with the rest of the Christians near adjoyning in the same place on this day There are learned and grave Authors both ancient and modern who are thus minded and seem to make the proof of the point of no difficulty at all It gives large credit and countenance to the Opinion That the Apostle John recordeth that it was the Lords day also on which he was in the Spirit that is with the Spirit as the praeposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is translated Mar. 1.23 meaning that the Holy Ghost came on this day upon him and surrounded him with light and glory presenting him with those mysterious and prophetical Visions recorded in the book of the Revelation Chap. 1.10 Now as we argued lately upon a like occasion it had been beneath the wisdom of so great an Apostle to make such a treasure of the circumstance of time or of the day of the week when the Spirit came in that extraordinary manner upon him as to make so particular a record of it had he not known it to have been a matter of weight and moment to commend it hereby unto Christians or a day intended by God to be observed by them and on which he purposed to make richer discoveries of himself unto those that should now attend on him as it seems John in special manner did than on other dayes Much more might be argued and hath been argued by others to prove the day of the Jewish Sabbath exauthorized and discharged by God upon the Resurrection of Christ And that the day hereof was substituted by his will and appointment made known unto his Son Jesus Christ and by him unto the Apostles and by them unto the Churches in it's stead some express themselves in the point thus As Christ ordain'd the Supper in stead of the Pascal Lamb so hath he appointed the first day of the week in place of the last Quest 12. But how can the Fourth Commandement be termed Moral or be numbred amongst the Commandements that are such if the day therein required to be kept holy be of another nature and such to the observation whereof men are not perpetually obliged but only for a time Answ The services or things enjoyned in the Commandement being Moral and such which are indispensably and for ever binding though applyed by the Commandement unto a day which is in it self alterable upon occasion yet may the Commandement in respect thereof be truly and properly enough called Moral yea though the said day be actually and de facto altered The command of God requiring of men a cessation from bodily labours and worldly imployments one day in seven or every seventh day that they may be at liberty both in body and mind to attend upon the worship of God and great concernments of their souls is naturally moral and expressive of that righteousness of God which is unchangeable or of one particular strain or ray of it Nor is the day nominated and appointed by the Commandement properly ceremonial or of like consideration with other dayes of Feastival Solemnities appointed by the Levitical Law because it is not properly
give a better account the best way and most agreeable to the intimation of the words of the Commandement as was lately noted to compute the beginning and the end of the Christian Sabbath is to estimate them by the time when labouring men in the climate or country where we live do ordinarily begin and end their daily work or labour Quest 71. What is the surname of the fifth Commandement Answ That every person of mankind capable of the knowledge of the Law behave himself towards all others whether Superiours inferiours or equals according to the natural proper and due exigency of these relations in their severall kinds and degrees respectively unto them and consequently that they be diligent and careful to inform themselves of what is due from them unto men by vertue of and right of claim from these relations as also to prepare inable and fit themselves for the performance of all things accordingly Quest 72. What are the duties or some of the chief of them which inferiours owe unto their superiours Answ Superiours are of different kinds as either natural civill or ecclesiastique If then you ask concerning the duties which are due in common unto all these from their respective inferiours they are these and the like To pray for them to honour and reverence them Not to neglect or despise them for wants or weaknesses incident unto men but to cast a covering of love over them not to envie or grudg them the preheminence which God hath given them but to stand up and plead their cause as farre as with truth and a good conscience they may against those that shall disparage them or speak evill of them c. If you desire to know the duties which are more particularly due unto the several kinds of superiours mentioned from their Inferiors respectively it were better to propound distinct Questions concerning them Quest 73. What are then the duties which the superiour which you terme Natural may justly and his due expect from his inferiours Answ Under the three generall heads or kinds of Superiours mentioned there are several distinct and more particular species of superiours comprehended and according to the difference of those contained under every of the said heads some difference there may be in the duties due from their Inferiours unto them which difference of duties may be sufficiently apprehended partly by the light of nature and partly by the written word of God Of that kind of superiour whom nature and the law thereof makes such concerning which you now require natural Parents Fathers and Mothers by whom we received our lives and being in the world are the chief Some of the principal duties which their Inferiours their Children owe unto them are these and the like being specialities of those generall duties which as was even now declared belong in common to all the kinds of superiours to be content with such provisions or allowances in outward things as meat drink apparel lodging liberty for recreation company placing out to trades or callings c. as they their Parents are either able or judg meet to make for them to accept of chastisement from them for their misdoings not muttering repining or waxing sullen but giving them reverence to be ready and cheerful to do what they command them in things that are lawful not to grieve or discontent them by any unduebehaviour as by giving them froward or cross answers by stubbornesse idlenesse wastfulnesse keeping vain company neglecting what they entrust them with or the like so also to ponder and treasure up their wholsome counsells and instructions and to practise them as occasion shall be to imitate their vertues not to seem to take notice of their infirmities unlesse it be to cover them not to despise them for their Age Poverty or Sufferings but to be so much the more respectful of them and helpful unto them not to dispose of themselves in marriage without their consent not to disclose their secrets not to hold familiarity with their known Adversaries c. Quest 74. Is there any other species or under-kind of that sort or kind of Superiour which you call naturall Answ He that is aged is a kind of Superiour and such by nature unto him whose years are but few comparatively The Superiority of the husband in respect of the wife is best referred to this kind also He that excelleth in spiritual guifts and abilities for edification is a kind of superiour likewise in respect of those who are beneath him in such endowments That of Masters in respect of their servants more properly belongeth to the second which we called politique Quest 75. What are the duties which younger persons owe unto those that are ancient Answ To rise up before them to give them precedency of place and liberty to speak first or before them to submit themselves unto them c. But these are to be reputed duties belonging to the younger in reference to the aged only in ordinary cases and when either both the one and the other are private persons or at least when the younger is such For otherwise if the younger be either in respect of some political or ecclesiastical office superiour to him that is ancient and a private man which is a case that frequently occurrs the order of nature in this Case is to give place to the order as well of Civill as of Ecclesiastical or Church-constitution and the duties mentioned to enterchange givers and receivers Quest 76. What are the duties wherein the wife stands bound unto the Husband To submit her self and to be subjet unto him in every thing as unto the Lord. Eph. 5.22.24 to reverence and honour him to be helpful and faithful unto him to delight in his presence to please him in all things that are honest and comely not to provoke or grieve him in any thing as by froward or crosse answers by sharp or loud speaking by repeating matters of former discontent by sullennesse by sowrenesse or lowringnesse of countenance by aptnesse to take offence at his words or actions by neglecting his counsells or desires his kinred or friends by wastfulnesse of his estate by slothfulnesse or carelesnesse in those houshold affairs which appertain to her inspection and care by impatience or discontentednesse under such troubles or crosses which are daily incident unto the best families by an unseemly fiercenesse or sharpnesse of carriage towards children or servant by affecting over-costly or garish attire by any leight wanton or suspicious behaviour by frequenting places or company which he disliketh by any expressions of a prophane or ungracious spirit by not giving her best assistance unto him that God may be daily and duely worshipped in the family with other the like Quest 77. What is required of those that inferior in guifts or abilities for edification as in wisdome knowledge utterance tongues c. by way of duty towards those whom God in such endowments hath made superiour to them Answ They ought to honour and
Rev. 21.22 So under the Gospel state of it which as was even now intimated is its middle age or youth having somewhat both of the weakness and imperfection of its childehood and somewhat also of the strength and perfection of its heavenly stature or condition some few external Rites or Ordinances are proper and useful for it in respect of what is yet weak and defective in it but a multitude or any greater number of such Ordinances would be improper and no wayes necessary unto it by reason of those degrees of strength and its manlike state unto which it is advanced Quest 6. Why or how are Sacrmental or External Ordinances proper or beneficial unto the Church or unto believing Christians in respect of their weakness or imperfection Answ Where objects or things to be believed are in their nature very spiritual and much remote not only from the outward senses but even from the common road or ordinary walks of the reasons and understandings of men the eye of faith wherewith they are to be apprehended being weak and dim there is no better or more proper way or means in this case to relieve the defect of the visive faculty of this eye then to cloath these spiritual objects with as much external sensibility as well may be especially if this cloathing be dexterously and wisely fitted unto the nature of them Such a method or device us this draweth the said objects much nearer unto the eye of Faith and withal so so refracteth accommodateth and attempereth the spirituality of them unto this eye that notwithstanding the weakness of it it is hereby inabled to behold them more steadily and to contemplate and consider them with less trouble or burthensomness unto it as the vail or covering which Moses put upon his face when it shone with that brightness that both Aaron and the people were afraid to come near him so qualified or reduced the disproportion of the object to their weak senses that by means thereof they were able to draw near to it and to commune with him familiarly and without any offence or trouble Exod. 34.30 33. In like manner the glorious person of Jesus Christ together with those spiritual and glorious priviledges Union and Communion with him sanctification and forgiveness of sins which are the sum substance and effect of the whole Gospel vertually and implicitly containing or including in them all other particulars lying within the compass thereof are in the Sacramental Ordinances of the Gospel brought down as near and as dexterously accommodated unto all the outward senses as their spiritual and sublime natures would permit by the opportun ty and means whereof the weakness of the eye of Faith must needs be much refreshed strengthened enabled and encouraged to converse more frequently and familiarly with them and to meditate of them with less distraction and with more composedness and fixedness of minde Besides when the things that are to be believed are exceeding great and the performance or doing them according to the ordinary course of things and common grounds in reason hard to be believed it is some ease and advantage to our Faith wherewith they are to be believed to see such things done which carry any lively resemblance or l keness unto them He that should promise to build us an house strong and of good materials and every wayes convenient for our habitation should to a degree quicken our faith to believe him in such a promise if he should at present make and deliver unto us an exact pattern or model though made of paper paste-board or of any such light matter of that substantial building which according to promise he intends after a while to build for us and to invest us with That passage of Christ with Nicodemus John 3.12 gives credit and countenance not a little to this reason if I have told you earthly things and ye believe me how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things meaning that if they did not apprehend and believe the truth and certainty of the spiritual or new birth now he had explained plained and set before them the nature and manner of it in things obvious to their outward senses as viz. in the similitudes of the natural or carnal birth and the winde they would be much farther off from believing him if he should discourse unto them of spiritual and heavenly things in the dialect or language of Angels without accommodating them to their understandings and belief by Figures or resemblances borrowed from earthly and sensible things So when Christ having opened these similitudes or parables unto his disciples wherein he had taught the secrets of the Kingdom of God demanded of them Have ye understood all these things meaning with a consenting and erstanding they made him answer Yea Lord Mat. 13.51 Which sheweth that things mysterious spiritual may be the better and more readily apprehended and believed when they are propounded or held forth unto men in apt and proper resemblances of sensible and known things and these resemblances dexterously explained and applied unto them The like might be argued from the former part of his answer to this question of his Disciples Why speaked thou unto them the people in parables ver 10. He answered and said unto them because it is given unto you to know that is to have the best and most effecteal means whereby to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven and clearly implying that one reason why he taught heavenly things so much in parables was that they to whom he intended alwayes to unfold them Mark 4.34 might by means of both opportunities the one of the Text or Doctrine the other of the gloss or exposition more readily attain unto both the understanding and belief of them Besides it lieth it seems within the confines of the light of nature to conceive and believe that the wisdom and goodness of God have judged it meet as some of the Platonique addiction express it Uno sigillo diversas signare materias i.e. to set the same seal or stamp upon different matters their meaning is to contrive and make this inferior and material world and the superior and invisible world to correspond each with other in analogies and proportions between natures and properties of the things contained in or relating unto the one and the other respectively yea it is a received notion among the Jewish Doctors Opera creationis externae habere in se imaginem creationis internae i. e. the works of the outward Creation carry in them the image or likeness of the inward Creation And the truth is that he that shall diligently and with a discursive understanding consider how the Scriptures in setting forth and discoursing spiritual and heavenly things aboundeth with metaphors parables and similitudes taken from things that are earthly and yet further that very frequently they expresse or call spiritual things by the very names wherewith material or earthly things are called by reason