not my own but his that made me All things shew me that there is a God who must needs be Greater Wiser and Better than all his Creatures and therefore ought to be most Honoured Feared Loved and Obeyed I see multitudes of persons of the same Nature with me and therefore obliged to the same duty to God I see much of Gods work in them which is Good and therefore to be Loved And I see that we are all parts of one World and made to be useful to one another These and many such things the Reason of man may discern in himself and other works of God Q. 6. But I thought the Law of Nature had been every mans natural temper and disposition which inclineth him to action And you make it to be only a notifying sign of duty A. Figuratively some call every Inclination a Law but it 's no such thing that we are speaking of Only a mans natural Inclination among other signs may notifie his duty But I hope you cannot think that a mans vicious Inclination is Gods Law Then you would make Original sin and the work of the Devil to be Gods Law One mans sinful distemper of Soul and another mans bodily distemper the fruit of sin inclineth him to wrath to lust to idleness to sinful sports or drinking or gluttony And these are so far from being Gods Law of Nature that they are the contraries and the Law of Satan in our members rebelling against the Law of God And though the good Inclinations of our common Nature to Justice Peace Temperance be by some called The Law of Nature it is not as they are Inclinations but as from them we may know our duty Q. 7. Hath God any Natural Officers under him in governing man I pray you tell me how far Mans Power is of God A. God hath set up divers sorts of humane Governing Powers under him in the World which all have their place and order assigned them some by Nature as entire some by the Law of Nature since the Fall and some by supernatural Revelation which is not to be here spoken to but afterward Q. 8. Because I have heard some say that God made no Government but men do it by consent for their necessity I pray you shew me what Government God made by Nature and in what order A. 1. Next to Gods own Governing Right which is the first God hath made every man a Governour of himself For God made him with some faculties which must be ruled as the Appetite Senses and Tongue and other bodily members yea and Passions too and with some which must Rule the rest as the Understanding by guidance and the Will by command And this self-governing power is so necessary and Natural that no man can take it from us or forbid us the due exercise of it any more than they can bind us to sin or to self-destruction Q. 9. Which is the next humane Power in order A. 2. The Governing power of the Husband over the Wife whose very nature as well as Original shews that she was made to be Subject though under the Law of Love Q. 10. But is not this by consent rather than by nature A. It is by Consent that a woman is married but when she hath made her self a Wife Nature maketh her a Subject unless madness or disability make the man unmeet for his place Q. 11. Which is the next sort of Natural Government A. 3. The Parents Government of their Children Nature maketh it the duty of Parents to rule and of Children to obey And though some have been so unnatural as to deny this and say that Children owe nothing but reverence and gratitude yet there is no danger of the common prevalency of such a Heresie which the nature of all mankind confuteth save that licentious Youth will take advantage of it to disobey their Parents to please their lusts Q. 12. What is the humane Government which Gods Law of Nature hath instituted to man since his fall and corruption A. 4. That is to be afterward explained But Magistracy or Civil Government is certainly of Natural Institution though it is uncertain how God would have governed Man in such Societies by man if they had not sinned The Law of Nature teacheth man the necessity of Civil Society and of Government therein and therefore obligeth man thereto Q. 13. This seemeth to be but the effect of mens own perceived necessity and so to be but their arbitrary choice A. Their Necessity is Natural and the notice of it is Natural and the desire of Remedy is natural and the fitness of Magistracy to its use is natural Therefore it is the Law of God in Nature that bindeth them to choose and use it And if any Countrey should choose to live without Magistracy they would sin against the Law of Nature and their own good Q. 14. But I have heard that God hath made no Law what Form of Civil Government shall be used but left it to every Countreys choice A. God hath by nature made it necessary that there be Magistracy that is some men in power over Societies to enforce the obedience of Gods own common Laws and to make their subordinate Laws about undetermined mutable matters to that end for the honour of God and the Good of the Society But 1. Whether this Government shall be exercised by one or many 2. And who shall be the Persons Gods Law hath left undetermined to humane Liberty The Form and the Persons are chosen neither by the said persons nor by the People only but by the mutual consent and contract of both 3. And also by this contract the Degree of power and order of the exercise may be Stated and limited But for all that when humane consent hath chosen the persons the essential Power of Governing in Subordination to Gods Laws floweth not from man but immediately from Gods Law of Nature Q. 15. But what if these sorts of Government prove cross to one another and Reason commandeth one thing an Husband another a Parent another and the Magistrate another which must be obeyed A. Each have their proper Work and End which none of the other can forbid Self-Government is the Reasonable management of our own Faculties and actions in obedience to God for our own Salvation And no King or other can take this from us And if they forbid us any necessary duty to God or necessary Means of our Salvation they do it without Authority and are not to be therein obeyed A Husbands power to govern his Wife is for the necessary Ends of their Relation which the King hath no power to forbid A Parents power to rule his Children is for the Necessary Education of them for the welfare of Soul and Body and the King hath no power to forbid it Should he forbid Parents to feed their Children or teach them Gods Laws or to choose for them Orthodox fit Tutors Pastors and Church-Communion where God is lawfully worshipped
Ghost This is the Summ of the Creed first made by Christ himself 2. The Apostles were Inspired and Commissioned to teach men all that Christ commanded Mat. 28. 19 20. 3. To say these three Words I believe in the Father Son and Holy Ghost without understanding them was easie but would make no true Christians Therefore if we had never read more of the Apostles Practice we might justly conclude that those inspired Teachers before they Baptized Men at Age taught them the meaning of those three Articles and brought them accordingly to Confess their Faith And this is the Creed And though a Man might speak his Profession in more or various Words the Matter was still the same and the words made necessary must not be too many nor left too much at mens liberty to alter lest corruption should Creep into the Common Faith For the Baptismal Confession was the very Symbol Badge or Test by which all Christians were visibly to pass for Christians And as Christianity must be a known certain thing so must its Symbol be 4. And infallible historical Tradition assureth us that accordingly ever since the Apostles dayes before any adult were Baptized they were Catechized and brought to understand and profess these same Articles of the Faith And if the Greeks and the Latines used not the same Words they used Words of the same Signification two or three words being added since Q. 13. Do you not by this set the Creed above the Bible A. No otherwise than I set the Head Heart Liver and Stomach of a Man above the whole Body which containeth them and all the rest Or than I set the Ten Commandments above the whole Law of Moses which includeth them Or than Christ did set Loving God above all and our Neighbour as our selves above all that Law of which they were the Summ We must not take those for no Christians nor deny them Baptism who understand and believe not particularly every word in the Bible as we must those that understand not and believe not the CREED CHAP. VIII Of BELIEVING what it signifieth in the Creed Qu. 1. I Understand by what you have said that as Mans Soul hath three Powers the Understanding the Will and the Executive So Religion being but the true qualifying and guidance of these three Powers must needs consist of three parts I. Things to be known and believed II. Things to be Willed Loved and Chosen And III. Things to be Done in the Practice of our Lives And that the Creed is the Symbol or Summ of so much as is necessary to our Christianity of the first sort and the Lords Prayer the Rule and Summary of the second and the Ten Commandments of the Third I intreat you therefore first to expound the Creeâ—… to me and first the first word of it I Believe â—… it belongs to all that followeth A. You must first know what the word signifieth in Common use To Believe another Signifieth Tâ—… trust him as True or Trusty and to Believe a thing signifieth to Believe that it is True because a Trusty Person speaketh it The Things that you must Believe to be True are called The Matter or Materiâ—… Object of your Faith The Persons Trustiness thaâ—… you believe or trust to is called The formal Object of your Faith for which you Trust the Person and believe the thing The Matter is as the Body of Faith and the Form as its Soul The Matter which the Church hath believed hath by Goâ—… had alterations And to this Day more is revealeâ— to some than to others But the formal Reason â—… your Faith is still and in all the same even Gods Fidelity who because of his Perfection cannot Liâ—… Q. 2. How may I be sure that God cannot Liâ— who is under no Law A. His Perfection is more than a Law 1. Wâ—… see that God who made Man in his own Image and reneweth them to it making Lying a hateâ—… Vice to humane Nature and Conversation Nâ—… Man would be counted a Lyar And the betteâ—… any Man is the more he hateth it 2. No man Lyeth but either for want of Wiâ—dom to know the Truth or for want of perfecâ—… Goodness or for want of Power to attain his Ends by better means But the Infinite most Perfect God hath none of these defects Q. 3. But God speaketh to the World by Angels and Men and who knows but they may be permitted to Lie A. When they speak to Man as sent by God and God attesteth their credibility by uncontrolled Miracles or other Evidence if then they should Lie it would be imputable to God that attesteth their word Of which I said enough to you before Q. 4. Proceed to open the formal Act of Faith which you call Trust A. As you have noted that Mans Soul hath three Powers Understanding Will and Executive so our Assiance or Trust in God extendeth to them all And so it is in One an Assenting Trust a Consenting Trust and a Practical Trust. By the first we Believe the Word to be True because we trust the Fidelity of God By the second we consent to Gods Covenant and accept his Gifts by Trusting to the Truth and Goodness of the Promiser By the Third we Trustingly venture on the costlyest Duty Q. 5. I pray you open it to me by some familiar similitude A. Suppose you are a poor Man in danger of a Prison and a King from India sends his Son hither Proclaiming to all the Poor in England that if they will come over with his Son he will make them all Princes some say He is a Deceiver and not to be believed Others say A little in hand with our Old acquaintance is better than uncertainty in an unknown Land Another saith I know not but a Leaky Vessel Storms or Pirates may prevent my hopes Here are now three Questions 1. Do you believe that he saith True 2. Do you so far Trust him as to Consent to go with him 3. When it comes to it do you so far Trust him as to venture on all the difficulties and go Again suppose you have a deadly sickness There are many unable and deceitful Physicians in the World There is one onely that can Cure you and offereth to do it for nothing but with a Medicine made of his own Blood Many tell you he is a Deceiver Some say others can do it as well And some say the Medicine is intollerable or improbable Here are three Questions 1. Do you Trust his word by Believing him 2. Do you Trust him so as to Consent and Take him for your Physician 3. Do you Trust him so as to come to him and take his Medicine forsaking all others I need not apply it You can easily do it Trust then or Assiance is the vital or formal act of Faith And Assenting Consenting and Practice are the inseparable effects in which as it is a saving Grace it is alwayes found Q. 6. But is all this
us preach and pray c. and yet to quench a Fire or save mens Lives we may and must at that time forbear Preaching or Sacraments or other publick Worship Q. 7. But what if as many will be scandalized or tempted to sin on the other side if I do it not A. No duty being a duty at all times much less a thing indifferent though commanded everâ— Christian must prudently use the Scales and by aâ— the helps of wise men that he can get must discern which way is like to do most good or hurâ— considering the persons for number for quality and probability of the effect God binds us to Charity and Mercy and no man can disoblige us from that And he that sincerely desireth to do the greatest good and avoid the greatest hurt and useth the best means he can to know it shall be accepted of God though men condemn him Q. 8. But is nothing here forbidden but symbolizing with Idolaters in seeming to mean as they by doing as they A. That 's it that is directly forbidden But by consequence it is implyed that all Doctrines are forbidden that falsely represent God and all Worship â—or acts pretended to be Religious which are unâ—â—itable to Gods holy Nature Attributes Will or Word as being prophanation and an offering to God that which is unclean Q. 9. What is the Command which is here imâ—lyed A. That we keep our Souls chast from all outward and seeming Idolatry and that we worship â—im who is the Infinite Almighty Holy Spirit with Reverence Holiness in Spirit and Truth according to his Blessed perfect Nature and his holy Will and Word Q. 10. Hath God given us a Law for all things â— his Worship A. The Law of Nature is Gods Law and obâ—…geth man to that devotion to God and worship â—f him which is called Natural And the sacred Scripture prescribeth both that and also all those positive means or Ordinances of Gods Worship which are made necessary to the universal Church on Earth And as for the meer Accidents of worship which are no proper parts as Time Place Words Methods Gesture Vesture c. Gods Laws give us gèneral Precepts only telling us how to order them leaving it to humane Prudence and Church Guides to order them according to those general Rules Q. 11. Is à ll use of Images unlawful A. God did so much hate Idolatry and the Neighbourhood of the Idolaters made it so dangerous to the Israelites that he did not only forbid the Worshipping of Images but all such making or using of them as might become a snarâ— or temptation to any So that though it be lawful to make Images for Civil uses and when they are made to fetch holy Thoughts or Meditationâ— from them as from all other Creatures or thingâ— in the World yet in any case when they becomâ— a snare or danger being not necessary things â—… they become a sin to those that so use them as snare to others or themselves Q. 12. Is it lawful to make any Picture of God A. No for Pictures are the signs of Corporeal things and it is Blasphemy to think God likâ— a bodily Substance But it is Lawful to make sucâ— Pictures as of a Glorious Light from which oâ—casion may be taken of good thoughts concerniâ— God Q. 13. Is it lawful to make the Picture of Christ as Man or as Crucified A. The doing it as such is not forbidden nor the right use of it when done But the abuse i. e. the worshipping of it or of Christ by it is forbidden and the making or using such when it tendeth to such abuse and hath more of snare than profit Q. 14. Why is Gods Iealousie here mentioned A. To make us know that God doth so strictly require the great duty of worshipping him as the true God and hate the sin of Idolatry or giving his Glory to another or blaspheming him as if he were like to painted things that he would have us accordingly affected Q. 15. Why doth God threaten to visit the iniquities of the Fathers on the Children in this Command rather than in the rest A. God hath Blessings and Curses for Societies as well as for individual persons And societies are constituted and known by the Symbols of publick profession And as Gods publick Worship is the Symbol of his Church which he will bless so Idolatrous Worship is the Symbol of the societies which he will Curse and Punish And it was Specially needful that the Israelites should know this who could never else have been excused from the guilt of Murdering Man Woman and Child of all the Nations which they conquered had not God taken it on himself as judging â—hem to death for their Idolatry and other Crimes â—nd making the Israelites his Executioners Q. 16. But doth not God disclaim punishing the Children for the Fathers sins and say the Soul that sinneth shall die A. Yes when the Children are either wholly innocent of that sin or else are pardoned through Christ upon their true repentance and hating and renouncing their Fathers sins But not else Q. 17. Are any Children guilty of their Parents sins A. Yes all Children are guilty of the sins which their Parents Committed before their birth while they were in their loins Not with the same degree and sort of Guilt as the Parents are but yet with so much as exposeth them to just penalties Q. 18. How prove you that A. First by the Nature of the Case For though we were not Personally existent in them when they sinned we were seminally existent in them which is more than Causally or Virtually And it was thaâ— semen which was guilty in them that was after made a person and so that person must have the same guiltâ— 2. From the whole History of the Scripture which tells us of the Children of Cain the old World Sodoâ— Cham the Canaanites Saul David as an Adulterer Achan Gehazi and others punished for theiâ— Parents sins And the Jews cast off and Cursed oâ— that account to this day 3. And our common Original sin from Adam proveth it Q. 19. But our Original sin from Adam had anâ— ther cause God decreeing that Adam should stanâ— or fall for all his posterity A. We must not adde to Gods Word much leâ—… blaspheme him as if it were God himself that bâ—… a Decree or Covenant made all the world sinneâ—… save Adam and Eve If Adam had not sinned it would not have saved all or any of his Posterity unless they also had continued innocent themselves Nor did God make any promise to continue and keep innocent all Adams posterity in case he sinned not We sinned in Adam because we were seminally in him and so are our Children in us And who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean if it was essentially in it Q. 20. If we are guilty of all neerer parents sin will not our guilt increase to the end of the World and the
teach them their duty to God and Man and see that they joyn in publick and Family Worship and live not in any wilful sin And as Fellow Christians if they are such to further their comfortable passage to Heaven Q. 36. But what if we have Slaves that are no Christians A. You must use them as Men that are Capable of Christianity and do your best with pity to cure their Ignorance and Unbelief and sin and to make them Christians preferring their Souls before your wordly commodity Q. 37. Is it lawful to buy and use men as Slaves A. It is a great mercy accidentally for those of Guiny Brasile and other Lands to be brought among Christians though it be as Slaves But it is a sin in those that Sell and buy them as Beasts meerly for Commodity and use them accordingly But to buy them in compassion to their Souls as well as for their Service and then to sell them only to such as will use them Charitably like men and to employ them as aforesaid preferring their Salvation is a lawful thing specially such as Sell themselves or are sold as Malefactors Q. 38. What is the duty of Servants to their Masters A. To honour and obey them and faithfully serve them as part of their service of Christ expecting their chief reward from him To be trusty to them in Word and Deed not lying nor stealing or taking any thing of theirs without their consent nor wronging them by idleness negligence or fraud Learning of them thankfully and sincerely and obediently joyning with them in publick and Family Worship of God Q. 39. Doth God require Family Teaching and daily Worship A. Yes both by the Law of Nature and Scripture All Christian Societies must be sanctified to God Christian Families are Christian Societies They have as Families constant dependance on God constant need of his protection help and blessing and constant work to do for him and therefore constant use of prayer to him And as Nature and Necessity will teach us to eat and drink every day though Scripture tell us not how oft nor at what hour so will they tell us that we must daily ask it of God And stated times are a hedge to duty to avoid omissions and interruptions And Scripture Commandeth Parents to teach and perswade their Children constantly lying down and rising up c. Deut. 6. 11. And to bring them up in the Nurture and admonition of the Lord Cornelius Crispus and others Converted brought in their housholds with them to Christ. Daniel prayed openly daily in his House The fourth Commandment requireth of Masters that all in their House do Sanctifie the Sabbath Reason and Experience tells us that it is the keeping up Religion and Virtue in Families by the constant instruction care and Worship of God by the Governours that is the chief means of the hopes and welfare of the world and the omission of it the great cause of all publick corruption and confusion Q. 40. What must Children Wives Servants and Subjects do that have bad Parents Husbands Masters and Magistrates A. Nature bindeth Children in minority so to their Parents and Wives to their Husbands except in case of lawful divorce that they must live in patient bearing with what they cannot amend And so must such Servants and Subjects as by Law or Contract may not remove nor have legal remedy But those that are free may remove under better Masters and Princes when they can Q. 41. But whole Nations cannot remove from Enemies and destroyers A. It is God and not I that must answer such cases Only I say 1. That there is no Power but of God 2. That Governing Power is nothing but Right and Obligation to Rule the People in order to the Common good 3. That destroying the Common good is not Ruling nor any act of Power given by God 4. That all mans Power is limited by God and subordinate to his universal Government and Laws and he hath given none Authority against himself or his Laws 5. That so far as Gods Laws have not determined of the species and Degrees of Power they must be known by the humane Contracts or Consent which found them 6. Nations have by Nature a right to self-preservation against destroying Enemies and Murderers 7. And when they only seek to save themselves against such they resist not Governing Authority 8. But particular persons must patiently bear even wrongful destruction by Governours And whole Nations tolerable injuries rather than by Rebellions and Wars to seek their own preservation or right to the hurt of the Common-wealth 9. They are the great enemies of Government who are for Perjury by which mutual Trust is overthrown CHAP. XXXIX Of the Sixth Commandement Qu. 1. WHat are the Words of the sixth Commandement A. Thou shalt do no Murder Q. 2. What is Murder A. Killing unjustly a reasonable Creature And that culpably tends to it bringeth an answeraâ—â—e degree of guilt Q. 3. Why is this command the first that forbiddeth â—â—ivate wrongs A. Because a mans Life is more precious than the â—â—cidents of his Life Death depriveth him of all â—… time of Repentance and earthly Mercies and â—â—priveth all others of the benefit which they might â—â—ceive by him They rob God and the King of Subject Therefore God who is the giver of Life a dreadful avenger of the sin of Murder Cain â—â—as cast out with terrour for this sin for it was the â—evils first Service who was a Murderer from the â—â—ginning Therefore God made of old the Law â—gainst eating Blood lest men should be hardened â—… cruelty and to teach them his hatred of bloodâ—â—iltiness And it was the Murder of the Proâ—â—ets and of Christ himself and his Apostles that â—â—ought that dreadful destruction on the Iews when â—rath came upon them to the uttermost Q. 4. If God hate murder why did he Command â—… Israelites to kill all the Canaanites Men Women â—â—d Children A. Justice done by God or his Authority on Caâ—â—tal Malefactors is not murder You may as well â—… why God will damn so many in Hell which worse than Death The Curse was fallen on Chams â—osterity They were Nations of Idolaters and Murderers of their own Children offering them to Idoâ— and so drown'd in all wickedness that God justly maâ— the Israelites his Executioners to take away thâ— forfeited Lands and Lives Q. 5. When is killing Murder or unlawful A. When it is done without Authority from Goâ— who is the Lord of Life Q. 6. To whom doth God give such authority to â—â— men A. To the Supream Rulers of Common-wealtâ— and their Magistrates to whom they communicâ—… it Q. 7. May they kill whom they will A. No None but those whose crimes are so gâ—… as to deserve death by the Law of God in Natâ—… and the just Laws of the Land even such whâ— crimes make their death the due interest of the 〈◊〉 publick and needful
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
meant in the Creed A. Yes 1. The Creed containeth the necessary Matter revealed by God which we must believe 2. And it mentioneth Him to whom we must Trust in our Assent Consent and Practice even God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost Q. 7. But is this the Faith by which we are justifyed Are we justified by believing in God the Father and the Holy Ghost and the rest of the Articles Some say It is only by believing in Christs Righteousness as imputed to us A. Justification is to be spoken of hereafter But this one entire Christian Faith is it which God hath made the necessary qualification or Condition of such as he will justifie by and for the Merits of Christ's Righteousness Q. 8. Doth not I believe signifie that I believe that this God is my God my Saviour and my Sanctifier in particular A. It is an applying Faith It signifieth 1. That you Believe his Right to be your God 2. And his offer to be your God 3. And that you consent to this Right and Offer that he may be special Relation be yours 4. But it doth not signifie that every Believer is sure of the sincerity of his own Act of believing and so of his special Interest in God though this is very desirable and attainable CHAP. IX Of the first Article I Believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth Qu. 1. SEeing you before proved that there iâ— a God from the Light of Nature aâ—â— Heathens know it why is it made an Article â—â— Faith A. The understanding of Man is so darkened and corrupted now by sin that it doth but groâ—â— after God and knoweth him not as revealeâ— in his Works alone so clearly and surely as â—â— needful to bring home the Soul to God in Holâ— Love Obedience and Delight But he is morâ— fully revealed to us in the Sacred Scripture bâ— Christ and his Spirit which therefore must bâ— herein believed Q. 2. What of God doth the Scripture make knoâ—â— better than Nature A. That there is a God and what God is and what are his Relations to us and what aâ—â— his works and what are our Duty to him anâ— our Hopes from him Q. 3. That there is a God none but a mad Mâ—…sure can doubt But what of God is so clearly râ—…vealed in Scripture A. 1. His essential Attributes and 2. The Trâ—…nity in one Essence Q. 4. Which call you his Essential Aâ—tributes A. God is essentially LIFE UNDERSTANDING and WILL or VITAL-POWER WISDOM and GOODNESS or LOVE in one substance and this in absolute Perfection Q. 5. But are not all the rest of his Attributes Essential A. Yes But they are but these same Named variously from their various respects to the Creatures such are his Truth his Iustice and his Mercy as he is our Governour His Bounty as our Benefactor and his Self-sufficiency Eternity Immensity or Infiniteness his Immutability Immortality Invisibility and very many such respective Names are comprehended in his PERFECTION Q. 6. I have oft heard of Three Persons and One God and I could never understand what it meant How Three can be but One. A. It 's like that is because you take the word PERSON amiss as if it signified a distinct Substance as it doth of Men. Q. 7. If it do not so doth it not tend to deceive us that never heard of any other kind of Person A. The Scripture tells us that there are Three and yet but One God but it giveth us not a Name which may notifie clearly so great a Mystery for it is unsearchable and incomprehensible We are to be Baptized into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Matth. 28. 29. And there are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Spirit and these three are one 1 Ioh. 5. 7. But the custom of the Church having used the word PERSON having none that clearly expresseth the Mystery it is our part rather to labour to understand it how a Divine Person differâ— from a Humane than to quarrel with an impropeâ— word GOD is ONE Infinite undivided Spiritâ— and yet that he is FATHER SON and HOLY GHOST must be believed And God hath made so marvellous an impression on all the Natures of Active Beings of THREE in ONE as to me doth make this Mystery of oâ—â— Religion the more easie to be believed so far iâ— it from seeming a contradiction Q. 8. I pray shew me some such Instances A. I. The Sun and all true Fire is One Substancâ—â— having Three Essential Powers the Moving Poweâ— the Enlightning Power and the Heating Power Motion is not Light Light is not Heat and Heâ—â— is not Motion or Light Yet all are One Substancâ—â— and radically one Virtue or Power and yet Three as Operative II. Every Plant hath One Vegetative principlâ—â— which hath Essentially a Power Discretive aâ—… discerning its own Nutriment Appetitive deâ—…ring or drawing it in and Motive and so digestivâ— and assimilative III. Every Bruit hath One Sensitive Soul whicâ— Essentially hath a Power of Vital-sensitive Motioâ—â— Perception and Appetite IV. Every Man hath One Soul in Substance whicâ— hath the Powers of Vegetation Sense and Intellection â—â— Reasoning V. The Soul of Man as Intellective hath Essentially a Threefold Power or Virtue Mental Life for motion and execution Understanding and Will All Active Beings are Three Virtues in one substance Q. 9. But these do none of them make Three Persons A. 1. But if all these be undenyable in Nature and prove in GOD ACTIVE LIFE UNDERSTANDING and WILL it shews you that Three Essentials in One substantial Essence is no contradiction And why may not the same be as true of the Divine Persons 2. And in God who is an Infinite undivided Spirit little can we conceive what Personality Signifieth and how far those Schoolmen are right or wrong who say That Gods Essential SELF-LIVING SELF-KNOWING and SELF-LOING are the Trinity of the Persons as in Eternal Existence and that the Operations and Appearances in POWER WISDOM and LOVE in CREATION INCARNATION for REDEMPTION and Renovation in NATURE GRACE and Initial GLORY or Communion are the Three Persons in the Second Notion as outwardly Operative And how much more than this soever there is it is no wonder that we comprehend it not Yea I believe there is yet more in the Mystery of the Trinity because this much is so intelligible Q. 10. But is it not strange that God will lay our Salvation on the belief of that which we cannot understand Yea is it not on the bare saying of a Word whose meaning none can know A. The Doctrine of the Trinity in Unity is the very Summ of all the Christian Religion as the Baptismal Covenant assureth us And can we think that Christianity saveth Men as a Charm by words not understood No the belief of the Trinity is a Practical Belief far be it from us to think that every plain
free Gift then as he is LOVE it self so he is the Great Benefactor of the World but specially to his chosen faithful People And no Man or Angel hath any thing that is good by way of merited exchange from God but all is of free Gift And we owe him our superlative Love and and Thanks and Praise Q. 15. Why are Heaven and Earth named as the parts of his Creation A. They are all that we are concerned to know We partly see the difference between them and Gods Word tells us of more than we see Earth is the place of our present abode in our Life of Tryals in Corruptible Flesh Heaven is the place where God doth manifest his Glory and from whence he sendeth down those Influences which maintaiâ— Nature and which communicate his Grace and prepare us for the Glory which we shall enjoy in Heaven By Heaven and Earth is meant all Creatures both Spirits and Corporeal Q. 16. Were there no more Worlds made and dissolved before this It seems unlikely that God from all Eternity should make nothing till less than Six Thousand Years ago when he is a communicative Good and delighteth to do good in his Works A. It is dangerous presumption so much as to put such a Question with our Thought or Tongue and to pry into Gods Secrets of which we are utterly uncapable unless it be to shame it or suppress it God hath by Christ and the Holy Ghost in Scripture set up a Ladder by which you may ascend to the Heaven that you are made for But if you will climb above the top of the Ladder you may fall down to Hell CHAP. XI Of the Person of Iesus Christ the only Son of God Qu. 1. VVHo is Iesus Christ A. He is God and Man and the Mediator between GOD and Man Q. 2. When did he begin to be God A. He is the Eternal God that had no Tempoporal beginning Q. 3. When did he begin to be a Man A. About One thousand six hundred eighty one Years ago Q. 4. If he be GOD why is he called the Son of God Are there more Gods than One And how doth God beget a Son A. There is but One God I before opened to you the Mystery of the Trinity in Unity to which you must look back Begetting is a word that we must not take carnally and a Son in the Deity signifieth not another substance If the Sun be said to Beget its own Light that maketh it not another Substance But Christ is also as Man begotten of God in a Virgins Womb. Q. 5. Was Christ GOD in his low condition on Earth A. Yes but the GODHEAD appeared not as in heavenly Glory Q. 6. Is Christ a Man now he is in Heaven A. Yes He is still God and Man But his Glorified Manhood is not like our corruptible Flesh and narrow Souls Q. 7. Hath Christ a Soul besides his Godhead A. Yes for he is a perfect Man which he could not be without a Soul Q. 8. Then Christ hath two Parts One part iâ— God and the other Man A. The name of PART or WHOLE is not fâ—… for God God is no PART of any thing no noâ— of the Universe of Being For to be a PART iâ— to be less than the whole and so to be imperfect And every WHOLE consisteth of PARTS but so doth not God Q. 9. Is Iesus Christ one Person or two viz. A Divine and Humane A. It 's dangerous laying too great a stress on words that are either not in Scripture or are applyed to God as borrowed from similitude in Man As the word PERSON signifieth the Eternal Word the Second in the Trinity Christ is but One Person And though his humane Soul and Body assumed be Substances they are not another Person but another Nature united to his Eternal Person yet noâ— as a Part of it but by a Union which we have no proper Words to express Christ hath two Natures and but one Person But if you take the word PERSON only for a Relation as of a King a Judge c. so Christ as MEDIATOR is a PERSON distinct from the same Christ as the Eternal Second Person in the Trinity Q. 10. It seems then Christ had three Natures a Divine a Soul and a Body A. This is a Question about meer Names He hath only the Nature of GOD and of Man But if you go to anatomize Man you may find in him on Earth perhaps more Natures than two Spirit Fire Air VVater and Earth But this is a frivolous dispute Q. 11. In what Nature did Christ appear of Old before his Incarnation A. If it were not by an Angel as his Agent it must be by some Body Light or Voice made or assumed for that present time Q. 12. I hear some say That Christ is not One God with the Father but a kind of under-God his first Creature above Angels A. The Scriptures fully prove Christ to be God and one God with the Father The form of Baptism proveth it There be some Learned Men that to reconcile this Controversie say That Christ hath Three Natures 1. The Divine 2. A Super-angelical 3. A Humane And that God the Eternal Word did first of all produce the most perfect of all his Creatures above Angels like an Universal Soul and the God-Head uniting it self to this did by this produce all other Creatures and at least did in and by this Unite it self hypostatically to the humane Nature of Christ. They think divers Texts do favour this threefold Nature and that the Arrians erred only by noting the Superangelical Nature and not noting the Divine united to it But I dare not own so great a point which I find not that the Universal Church ever owned nor do I see any cogent Proof of it in the Scripture Q. 13. But God doth all his Works in Order And he made Angels far Nobler than Man And is it like then that he setteth a Man so far aboâ—â— all Angels as Personal Union doth import A. It is not like if we might judge by the coâ—jectures of our Reason But Gods lower Works aâ—â— none of them perfectly known here to us Muâ—â— less the most Mysterious even the Glorious Persoâ— of the Son of God If God will thus glorifie hâ—â— Mercy to Man by setting him above all the Aâ—gels who shall say to him What dost thou Aâ— if there be in Jesus Christ a first created Super angelical Nature besides the Divine and Humanâ— we shall know it when we see as Face to Face â—â— the mean time he will save those that truly believâ— in him as GOD and Man Q. 14. Why is Christ called Our Lord A. Because he is God and also as Mediator Aâ—â— Power in Heaven and Earth is given him and â—â— is made Head over all things to his Church Mâ—â— 28. 28. Eph. 1. 22 23. Q. 15. What do his Names Jesus Christ siâ—nifie A. Iesus
signifieth a Saviour and Christ tâ—â— Anointed of God He being Anointed by God â—â— the Office of a Mediator as the Great Propheâ— Priest and King of the Church CHAP. XII How Christ was Conceived by the Holy Ghost and Born of the Virgin Mary Qu. 1. DOth it not seem Impossible that Christ should be begotten on a Virgin without a Man A. There is no Contradiction in it And what is impossible to him that made all the World of nothing Q. 2. But it seems incredible that God should be made Man A. God was not at all changed by Christ's Incarnation The Godhead was not turned into Flesh or Soul but united it self thereto Q. 3. But it seemeth an incredible Condâ—scension in God to unite the Nature of Man to himself in Personal Union A. When you understand what it is it will not seem incredible to you though wonderful Consider 1. That it doth not turn the humane Nature into Divine 2. Nor doth it give it any of that part or work which was proper to the Divine Nature and Second Person in the Trinity from Eternity 3. The Divine Nature is united to the Humane only to advance this to the excellent Office of Mediation and that Christ in it may be Head over all things to the Church 4. And it will abate your wonder if you consider that God is as near to every Creature as the Soul is to the Body In Him we live move and have our being And he is more to us than our Souls are to our Bodies Q. 4. You now make me think that God is one with every Man and Creature as well as with Christ. I pray you wherein is the difference A. Gods Essence is every where alike but he doth not appear or work every where alike As he is more in Heaven than on Earth because he there operateth and appeareth in Glory and as he is more in Saints than in the Ungodly because in them he Operateth his Grace so he is in Jesus Christ otherwise than he is in any other Creature 1. In that he by the Divine Power qualified him as he never did any other Creature 2. And designeth him to that work which he never did any other Creature 3. And fixeeth him in the honourable Relation to that work 4. And communicateth to him by an uniting act the Glory which he doth not to any other Creature And though it 's like there is yet more unknown and incomprehensible to us yet these singular Operations express a singular Operative Union The Sun by shining on a Wall becomes not one with it But by its influence on Plants it becometh one with them and is their Generical Life Q. 5. But how is the Second Person in the Trinity more United to the humane Nature than the Father and the Holy Ghost are they divided A. You may as well ask Why God is said to make the World by his WORD and by his SON Tho the Persons are undivided in their works on the Creature yet Creation is eminently ascribed to the Father Incarnation and Redemption to the Son and Sanctification to the Holy Ghost The Suns power of Motion Light and Heat are inseparable And yet it is the Light as such that with our Eye doth cause the same act of sight as united to it But the perfect Answer to this doubt is reserved for Heaven Q. 6. But how was he conceived by the Holy Ghost the Second Person by the third when it is only the Second that was incarnate A. The Holy Ghost is not said to operate on the Second Person in the Trinity or the Godhead for Christs Conception but on the Virgins Body and by miraculous causing a humane Soul and Body and their union with the Eternal Word Gods perfecting Operations are usually ascribed to the Holy Ghost But the Father and Son are still supposed Operating by the Holy Spirit Q. 7. Was Christ's Flesh made of the substance of his Mother A. Yes Else how had he been the Son of Man Q. 8. Was Christ's Soul begotten by his Mother A. It is certain that Man begetteth Man But how Souls are generated is not fully known by Man Some say They are not Generated but Created Some say That they are not Created but Generated And I think that there is such a concurrence of God's act and Mans as may be called a Conjunction of Creation and Generation that is that as the Sun-beams by a Burning-Glass may light a Candle and that Candle light another and another yet so that the Light and Heat that doth it is only from the Suns continual communication But will not Light another but as contracted and made forcible by the Burning-glass or the Candle So all the Substance of new Souls is from the Divine Efflux or communication of it which yet will not ordinarily beget a Soul but as it is first received in the Generative natural faculty and so operateth by it as it s appointed Natural means Thus it seems all humane Souls are caused Pardon the defects of the Similitude But the Soul of Christ miraculously not without all Operation of the Mothers for then he had not been the Son of Man but without a humane Father the Holy Ghost more than supplying that defect Q. 9. If Christ was Mary's Son how escaped he Original guilt A. By being conceived by the Holy Ghost and so in his humane Nature made the Son of God and not generated as other Men are Q. 10. Had Mary any Children after Iesus Christ A. It goes for a Tradition with most that she had none But it is uncertain and concerneth not our Faith or Salvation Q. 11. Why was Christ Born of a Jew A. God had made a special Promise to Abraham first that Christ should be his Seed in whom all Nations should be blessed and to David after that he should be his Off-spring an everlasting King Q. 12. Why was not Christ Born till about Four thousand Years after the Fall A. It 's dangerous asking Reasons of God's Councils which he hath not revealed But this much we may know that Christ was Mans Redeemer by undertaking what he after did before his Incarnation And that he revealed the Grace of Redemption by Promises Types and Prophesies and so saved the Faithful And that Gods works are usually progressive to Perfection and ripeâ—t at last And therefore when he had first sent his Prophets he lastly sent his Son to perform his undertaking and bring Life and Immortality more fully to light and bring in a better Covenant and gather a more excellent Universal Church Q. 13. Were any savâ—d by Christ before he was made Man A. Yes They had the Love of the Father the Grace of Christ and the necessary communion of the Holy Ghost and the Promise And in every Age and Nation he that feared God and work't Righteousness was accepted of him CHAP. XIII Suffered under Pontius Pilate was Crucified Dead and Buried he descended into Hell
Such as only enjoyn the obeying of Christs own Laws 2. And such as only determine of such meer Accidents of Doctrine Worship and Discipline as Christ hath commanded in General and virtually and left the particular sort to humane determination of Governours as Time Place Utensils c. 3. Such as are not extended beyond the Churches of which they are Pastors to others of whom they are no Rulers 4. Such as being Indifferent are not made more necessary than their Nature and Use requireth Nor used to the Churches Destruction or hurt but to it's Edification 5. Such as being mutable in the Reason or Cause of them are not fixed And continued when the reason of them ceaseth Christ calleth us Minsters that we may not think we are Lords of his Heritage Our Work is to expound and apply his Laws and perswade men to obey them and not to make Laws of our own of the same kind as if we were his Equals and Lords of his Church It 's true he hath bid us determine of Circumstances to the Churches Edification and the Pastor is Judge for the present Time and Place what Chapter he shall read what Text he shall preach on and in what Method what Psalm shall be Sung and in what Tune and such like But who made him Lord of other Churches to impose the like on them Or how can he prove that the very same circumstances are necessary to all when a day may alter the case with himself which depends on mutable causes If all the World or Land be commanded on such a day to read the same Psalm and Chapter and occurrents make any Subject far more suitable who hath power to deprive the present Pastor of his Choice and to suppose Ministers unable to know what Subject to read or preach on unless it be they that make such men Ministers that they may so rule them Q. 10. Why must there be stated Worshipping Congregations A. 1. For the Honour of God and our Redeemer who is best honoured in united solemn Assemblies magnifying him with one Mind and Heart and Mouth 2. For the preservation of Religion which is so best exercised honoured and kept up 3. For the Benefit and Joy of Christians who in such concordant Societies receive Encouragement Strength and Comfort 4. For the due Order and Honour of the particular Churches and the whole Q. 11. Is every worshipping Congregation a Church A. The Name is not much worthy of a debate There are divers sorts of Christian Assemblies which may be called Churches 1. There are occasional accidental Assemblies that are not stated 2. There are stated Assemblies like Chappels which have only Curates and are but Parts of the lowest political Governing Churches 3. Christians statedly associated under such Pastors as have the Power of the Church Keyes for personal Communion in Holy Doctrine Worship and Conversation are the lowest sort of Political Governed Churches 4. Synods consisting of the Pastors and Delegates of these may be called Churches in a laxe sence 5. And so may a Christian Nation under one King 6. And all the Christian World is one Catholick Church as Headed by Jesus Christ. 7. And the Roman Sect is a spurious Church as it is headed by a humane uncapable Soveraign claiming the Power of Legislation and Judgment over all the Church on earth Q. 12. But how shall I know which is the true Church when so many claim the Title the Papists say it is only theirs A. I have fully answered such doubts on the Article of the Holy Catholick Church and Communion of Saints in the Creed Either you speak of the Whole Church or of a Particular Church which is but a Part. If of the whole Church it is a foolish question How I shall know which is the true Church when there is but one If of a Particular Church every true Christian Society Pastors and Flocks is a true Church that is a True Society as a part of the Whole Q. 13. But when there are divers contending Churches how shall I know which of them I should joyn with A. 1 If they are all true Churches having the same God and Christ and Faith and Hope and Love You must separate from none of them as Churches though you may separate from their sins But must communicate with them in all lawful Exercises as occasion requireth 2. But your fixed Relation to a particular Pastor and Church peculiarly must be chosen as your own Case and Benefit all things considered doth require When you can have free choice the Nearest and Ablest and Holyest Pastor and Society should be chosen When Violence interposeth a Rulers will may do much to turn the scales for a tolerable Pastor and Society if it make it most for the common good and your Edification Q. 14. May men adde any thing to the prescribed Worship of God A. Worship is a doubtful Word If you will call meer mutable Accidents and Circumstances by the Name of Worship Man may adde to them such as is putting off the Hatt the Meetre and tune of Psalms and such like But men may do nothing which implyeth a defect in the Laws of Christ and therefore may make no new Articles of Faith or Religion or any thing necessary to Salvation nor any Sacraments or Ordinances of Worship of the same kind with Christs much less Contrary thereto Q. 15. May we hold Communion with a faulty Church and Worship A. Or else we must have Communion with none on Earth All our personal Worship is faulty we joyn with them for Christian Faith and Worship If the Minister say or do any thing contrary it is his sin and our presence maketh it not ours Else we must separate from all the World But we may not by false Professions Subscribing Swearing or Practice commit any sin our selves for the Communion of any Church on Earth CHAP. XLV Of Baptism Qu. 1. WHat is Baptism A. It is a Sacred action or Sacrament instituted by Christ for the Solemnizing of the Covenant of Christianity between God and Man and the solemn investing us in the State of Christianity obliging us to Christ and for his delivering to us our Relation and right to him as our Head and to the gifts of his Covenant Q. 2. Why did Christ institute such a Ceremony as Washing in so great and weighty a Work as our-Christening A. 1. A Soul in flesh is apt to use sense and needs some help of it 2. Idolaters had filled the World with Images and outward Ceremonies and the Jews had been long used to abundance of Typical Rites And Christ being to deliver the World from these and teach them to Worship in Spirit and Truth would not run into the extream of avoiding all sensible signs and helps but hath made his Sacraments few and fitted to their use to be instead of Images and mens vain Inventions and the Jewish burdens as meet and sufficient helps of that kind to his Church