and Infidels and unbeleevers to convert them but for Beleevers to confirme them in the faith as by the Institution of this Sacrament may appeare Exod. 12.47 48. Rom. 2.28 29. and as the Passeover was not to be eaten of the uncircumcised but of the circumcised and those who were circumcised in heart at least in outward appearance as the Apostle holds forth true Iews and so true Christians now in the Church of Christ at least in appearance ought to be admitted to the Sacrament Quest 14. This is an Answer sufficient Iudges 6.31 But what further may be said to such as plead for Baal and seem to set open a door for all prophane ignorant unbelieving impenitent persons to come to this holy Sacrament Ans That the Word hath and may be Preached to all creatures men and women of all sorts Drunkards Mar. 16.15 Matth. 9.10 13. 1 Tim. 1. 15 16. Mat. 10. 14 15. Adulterers whores except such as reject the Gospell and maliciously persecute the Ministers of Christ against whom they may shake off the dust of their feet But to admit all sorts to the Sacrament all ignorant and scandalous impenitent persons Act. 13.44 c. Act. 18.5 6. Mat. 18.15 16. Levit. 19.17 1 Cor. 5.4 5. this ought not to be suffered But those in Authority in the Church ought rather to suspend or deliver up such to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus Quest 15. It seemeth evident to me then that every man and woman who may come to the Preaching of the Word may not come to the Sacrament if they be either notoriouly ignorant or scandalous and therefore Catechisme is very necessary Ans You are in the right for if legall impurity Exod. 12.48 Exek 44.7 8.9 Lev. 7.20 21. 15. Num. 2.10 11. yea but the touching of a dead body made them unclean and unfit for the Passeover Then much more spirituall uncleannesse and uncircumcision of the heart and life defileth the soul and maketh unfit for the holy Sacrament And if those who have only a form of godlinesse without the power of Religion 2 Tim. 3.5 must be turned away from as those with whom the Saints ought as much as is possible to have no communion Then certainly those prophane ones who have not so much as an outward form of Religion but are notoriously ignorant and notoriously scandalous who live Atheistically without God in the world Eph. 2.12 they must needs be unfit to meet Christ in this holy Ordinance of the Lords Supper or for the Saints willingly to communicate with at the Lords Table Quest 16. But who hath Authority to Excommunicate or suspend these ignorant and scandalous persons and to keep them from the Sacrament Ans I do not say that every particular Minister Mat. 18.17 c. 1 Cor. 5.3 4 5. Act. 14.23 Tit. 1.5 1 Tim. 1.19 20. or Member of a congregation hath this power But the whole congregation or the Presbytery and Elders ordained as Rulers in the Church or at least such as are lawfully Authorised from Gods Word and from the Church of Christ to perform this duty Quest 17. But what if the Church or the Elders of the Church or any other in Authority Ier. 15.19 do not perform their duties in taking order and care as much as is in their power that the precious may be wholly separated from the vile But that for want of their care and diligence or faithfulnesse such a man who in the judgement of the Minister or any one or more of the Congregation so it be not of the greatest part is ignorant or scandalous do presse into the Sacrament though he be admonished in private and publike to forbear and not to indanger his own soul of becoming guilty of the Body and the blood of Christ 1 Cor. 11.27 c. Is the Minister or any such of the Congregation doing their best to hinder such Communicating guilty of such a mans sin who comes wilfully unprepared as being ignorant or scandalous in their judgments and without the wedding garment As for Example Example if a man live in the wilsull breach of a lawfull Covenant Rom. 1.28 c. a sin it may be not named or reckoned as scandalous by those in Authority and yet a sin in the conscience of a minister or a member of the Church for which a man impenitent for it should be suspended the Sacrament If those in Authority or the greater part of the congregation do neglect their duty and suffer or approve of this mans unlawfull Communicating is the minister or such a member guil-of this mans sin As 1 Cor. 5.11 c. 2 Thes 3.6.14 2 Joh. 9.10 1 Tim. 1.22 Ans Certainly if the Minister or any such Member or Members of the congregation do not use all lawful means to put from them such a person to hinder this sinfull communicating of such a scandalous person they cannot but partake of this mans sin and so be found guilty But if they do their best endeavor in their places and callings to hinder such ignorant or scandalous persons declaring a just dislike of such a mans presumption not countenancing but disallowing and disavowing the boldnesse of such a guest Mat. 22.10 1 Cor. 11.27 c. Gen 4.7 Rev. 2.14 c. to come without the wedding garmenâ— I conceive they are not guilty of this mans unworthy receiving and the sin shal lie at their doors who have Au hority and power to prevent or use means of preventing this sin and do not Quest 18. Yet before I leave this I demand once again whether can the company of such a wicked Communicant stop the flowing streams of Gods grace in Christ from the Saints in the Sacrament or keep the life cherishing vertue of Christ from them who come rightly prepared or secondly Whether should the Saints refuse the Sacrament or unchurch themselves and separate from the Congregation for such a scandalous Communicants presence or for such a failing of the Church or the greater part of the Congregation in such a particular Ans 1 Tim. 8.22 Rev. i8 4 Luk. 22.19 I believe if a Saint discover the scandalous and do the best to hinder â—his sin of the unworthy receiver it cannoâ— hinder Christs grace from a faithful receiver as Judas presence did not hinder the Apostles nor the incestuous person the Saints while he continued with them nor are the Saints bound to refuse the Sacrament or unchurch themselves and separate from that Congregation for this failing of the Church these Saints having performed their duties in their several places as is noted before But these particular members should rather wait on Christ in the use of all lawful and good means to have this fault of the Church reformed continue their fellowship with manifestation of their dislike in this particular And this I conceive they may
Wisd 5.1 2 c. But one day they shall confesse their folly and that they have erred from the way of truth But whatsoever the Atheists or prophane or blinde men of the world think both Saints and wicked shall one day finde that the soul dieth not with the body but liveth for ever in endlesse joy or woe And there are many Arguments to prove the immortality of our souls Quest 13. What is a first Reason or ground to prove the souls immortality Ans Truly first if we consider even the naturall Reasons found out by naturall men and their opinions who knew not the Scriptures or the Gospel of Christ at least yet they evidence the immortality of the soul the judgement of Tully and others in every thing saith Cicero Lex naturae putanda est the consent of all Nations is to be accounted the Law of nature and a consent amongst all good men ought to be valued as much as a thousand demonstrations Vox Dei in natura for it is the very voyce of God in Nature as Learned Zanchius speaks Now no Nation that have had any learning or knowledge worth the name of knowledge Cicero Tusculan Quest Quis sapiens sinc spe immortali talis se offeret ad mortem quid enim imprudentius quam sine ullo â—remto se vita virtute proprie privare but witnesse the souls immortality Thus Plato Cicero Cato Vticensis Caesar and many Philosophers in their works and men dying for their Countreys good yea amongst the heathen Infidels I have read of those costly Funeralls amongst the Idolatrous Pagans in Meaco a chief City of Japon in which amongst other ceremonies they brandish a flaming Torch over their heads intimating the souls immortality as a flaming spark living for ever And certainly even these shall rise up in Iudgement at the last day against those who deny the immortality of the soul Quest 14. Thus I conceive a good Argument naturall or prophane men but what is a second Ans Even the very nature of the soul it self may witnesse the souls immortality in that the nature of the soul is to aspire after and to desire immortality to use all means to preserve a name to live for ever after them Gen. 41.4 2 Sam. 18.18 Solinus de miraâ—â—ulis â—â—â—â—â—â—i as the builders of Babell and Absolon by his Pillar and when Xerxes had fired the Asian Temple all but Diana's Erostratus set that on fire and being asked wherefore he did so he Answered that he might be remembred and his name be immortall or to that effect This may Argue an immortality in the soul that desireth and so longeth after immortality Quest 15. What is a third Reason to evidence this truth Ans Truly the very Acts of the soul themselves and operations of it not waxing old as the body doth which appears in men especially of temperate life Though the body be blinde the eye of the soul can see wonderfully Historia Tâ—ipartita we read of blinde men admirable in learning A youth not twenty years old learned the liberall Arts well skilled in the Scriptures Dictated severall Books to be written And if an old man had a yong mans eye he would see as perfectly as the best we see men in years who cannot see a letter in the Book yet with Spectacles can read plainly Isaac was dimme sighted Gen. 27.1.27 28 48.14 15. and Jacob was blinde before their deaths but the blessing they gave to their Children did witnesse their souls waxed not blinde with old age And even this may witnesse the immortality of the soul Quest 16. Here are sufficient Arguments of this nature Now what Evidence of the souls immortality may be drawn from the holy Scriptures Ans The Scriptures are full of Evidence to manifest this truth And first Divine testimonies the Preacher tells us That when the Body dieth and returneth to the dust the soul vanisheth not but returneth to God that gave it Eccles 12.7 And Christ himself witnesseth that the soul cannot be killed by all the Tyrants in the world Mat. 10.28 Mark 8.44 though they kill the body But God can cast both body and soul into Hell fire where the worm never dieth and the fire never goeth out so the soul tormented in Hell fire for evermore must needs be immortall and never dye Quest 17. Is there no other Argument in Scripture but bare testimonies Ans If there were no other the witnesse of the holy Spirit of truth is sufficient to witnesse this truth of the souls immortality but it is evident by other Arguments also for the Lord is said to be the God of Abraham Mat. 22.31 32 33. and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob not the God of the dead but of the living Now their bodies were dead many hundred years before Christ spake this therefore it must needs follow that the souls were alive and so they had not mortall but never dying and immortall souls Quest 18. This I conceive is a good Argument What is a second that you find in the holy Scriptures Ans The witnesse of Christ concerning the penitent Thief upon the Crosse Luk. 23.43 that he should be with him that day in Paradise Now this could not be in respect of his body for neither the body of the penitent nor the body of Christ were that day in Paradise for Christs body was taken down from the Crosse Mat. 27.60 and laid in a new Sepulchre and no doubt the body of the penitent also was buried And therefore it must needs be that Christ and the penitent should be and were in Paradise in their souls after the death of their bodies And hence it is evident that the soul is immortall and dieth not with the body as some wicked men dream Quest 19. Have you any more Arguments in Scripture to prove this Ans Yes there might be many more but I will note but a few and this you may take for another Even the practice of Christ at the time of death to commend in souls into the hands of God his heavenly Father Luk. 23.46 Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit And that of blessed Stephen the holy Martyr of Christ commending his soul into the hands of Christ Acts 7.59 Lord Iesus receive my Spirit These confirm this truth of the immortality of the soul Quest 20. What is the next Argument which you observe in Scriptures Ans That fear and trembling and terror of conscience which falleth and hath fallen upon men for their sins against God or men and especially the fear of Iudgement to come as that of Belshazzer Dan. 5.1.5 when he saw the Hand writing upon the wall which made his kneeâ— to smite one against another and the thoughts of his heart to trouble him Acts 24.25 And that fear and trembling of Festus when he heard Paul to reason of Righteousnesse Temperance
evidence of Adoption Ans The Spirit of Prayer whereby the Childe of God is enabled to cry Abba Father Rom. 8.15 26 27 and to seek to the Lord upon all occasions as to a Father Quest 4. What is a chief Prerogative and Priviledge of an Adopted Son and Daughter of God Ans Not only this new Name of Son and Daughter of God and the excellency thereof which no man knoweth but he that hath it but also the right Title and Dignity of an Heir Rev. 2.17 Rom. 8.17 yea a fellow-Heir with Christ of Eternal glory Quest 5. How may a man or woman know that he or she is the Son or Daughter of God Rom. 8.16 Mat. 5.44 c. Prov. 4.18 2 Cor. 3.17 18. 6.16 c. 2 Pet. 14.4 Ans First by the testimony of the Spirit witnessing with our Spirits Secondly by our daily growing more and more into the likenesse of God our Father in all holinesse and perfection of Divine Nature Quest 6. But what is the ninth blessing and benefit procured and commmunicated by Christ to his Elect and chosen Ion. 1.11 12. 2 Cor. 5.7 Ans The glorious grace of new creation or new birth Quest 7. What is this new creation or birth Eph. 4.22 c. Ioh. 3.3 5. Col. 3.10 1 Cor. 6.9 c. 1 Thes 2.13 5.23 Rom. 12.12 Ans It is a Sanctification of and real communication or change of our Nature our understanding will memory and whole man by the Spirit of Sanctification from impurity and sin to the pure Image of God pressing more and more to perfection and to be like God our Father in Christ not like or conformed to the world as the children of this world desire to be Quest 8. What are the two chief acts or works wrought in the soul by the Spirit of Christ in the grace of new creation Col. 3.5 c. Rom. 6.6 c. 7.22 c. Ans First the Mortification weakning and killing or crucifying of the old man or Natural corruption or Law in our members and rebelling power of sin in us as dregs of the old Adam to be purged out Secondly the Vivification Col. 3.10 2 Cor. 4.16 5.14 15. 3.17 18. Gal. 2.20 or quickning and enlivening of the new man or inward man in our souls according to the Image of God and living power of Christ now living in us Quest 9. What is the chief end of this new creation and holinesse thus wrought in us by the holy Ghost Isa 61.3 Heb. 12.14 2 Thes 13. Ioh. 17.17 24. Ans That we may be trees of righteousnesse that God may be glorified 2. That we may see God and be saved Quest 10. How may a man or woman know they are new Creatures Ans First by the help of the Spirit of Christ Eph. i. 17 c. Secondly by the light of their own consciences reflecting upon themselves in self Examination so here to finde out Rom. 9.1 1. What changes is wrought in their hearts and will and affections Psa 51.9 10 11. as David prays for Psal 15.1 2 3. Ezek. 36.31 Psal 16.2 3. Psal 119.97 2. In their lives and conversations from sin and wickednesse to Grace and goodnesse 3. What loathing of evil and loving of God goodnesse and good people according to godlinesse in their Souls and Spirits 1 Tim. 1.12 c. 1. This change Paul found in himself 1 Cor. 6.9 c. 2. This he found in his Christian Corinthians 3. And this a man or woman may finde in themselves Ioh. 9.25 if a true change or new creation be wrought in them Quest 11. What is the tenth blessing and benefit procured by Christ and given in and by Christ from God the Father to his Church and Children Ioh. 14 i6 c. Ezek. 36.27 Zach. 12.10 Rom. 8.9 Gal. 4.5 6. 1 Cor. 12.3 c. 1 Ioh. 2.27 Ans The great and special and daily gift of the blessed Spirits presence the holy Ghost God equal with the Father and the Son not only as a worker of all these graces in us at first as we noted before but also as continually present a counsellor and comforter yea a perpetual preserver of his graces in the souls of Gods children meeting them in the Word Preached in the Sacraments in Prayer and in all other duties and Ordinances secret private and publike for their Eternal good in Christ Jesus Quest 12. How shall a man or woman know he or she hath the Spirit of Christ Ans If he or she be led or guided by the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8 i 2 12 14 Quest 13. What respect is to be had to the Spirit Ans A special care is to be taken Eph. 4.30 Psal 52.11 12. that we grieve not the Spirit by whom we are sealed to the day of Redemption but to prize his presence above all earthly treasure Quest 14. Are there any more blessings which Christ hath procured and God in Christ giveth to his Church Ans Yes there are multitudes in particular both for this present life and the life to come I will name but these that follow Quest 15. What is the first Isa 61.10 Rom. 14.17 Ans First the cloathing upon with Christs righteousnesse Quest 16. What is the second Ans Peace with God with and in our own consciences and with all good Angels and men Rom. 5.1 Phil. 4.7 Hos 2.18 Luke 2.14 Isa 11.5 c. Heb. 1.14 2 Pet. 1.11 12. Rev 22.9 Quest 17. What is the third Ans Thirdly joy and rejoycing in hope of the glory of God rejoycing in Christ with joy unspeakable and full of glory Rom. 5.2 14.17 1 Pet. 1.8 Quest 18. What is the fourth 1 Pet. 1.3 Ans Fourthly a lively hope of Heaven which no wicked man can have Quest 19. What is a fifth Rom. 5.3 Act. 5.41 Heb. 11.24 c. Ans Fifthly a joyful willingnesse to suffer for Christ Quest 20. What is the sixth Rom. 8.28 Psa 119.71 1 Pet. 1.6 7. Ans Sixthly an ordering of all things whatsoever for good of Gods children yea a working of all for good a blessing unspeakable Quest 21. What is the seventh Ans Seventhly an assurance we are Gods children by the Spirits witnesse and the fruits and graces of Christ in my soul Quest 22. What it the eighth Isa 11.10 Phil 4.11 c. Ans Eighthly a sweet rest and contentment in Christ in every state and condition both for soul and body for this life and the life to come Quest 23. What is the ninth Gal. 2.20 Ans Ninthly an enlivening vertue from Christ to cherish life and grace in the soul Ioh. 15.15 Phil. 4.12 and enable us for every duty and performance to Gods glory and good of our selves and others Quest 24. What is the tenth Ans Tenthly Gen. 4 4. Mat. 17.5 Heb. 11.4 Isa 1.5 6 7. 1 Pet. 1.3 c.
Baptism that as you have said even now although it had been abolished as circumcision was which it was not yet it might be continued untill mens mindes were enlightned as circumcision was continued for a time and much more now be practised in the Church since it cannot be proved to be any where forbidden by Christ but rather approved and since there are such different and doubtful opinions of it in such as profess to be Saints how should Saints behave themselves one to another in the Church of Christ Ans Truly this may be a light from Christ to lead us unto Christ and learn from Christ and his Apostles not to un-Church the Churches of Christ Reformed and yet reforming for this difference of Poedobaptism and such like as some virulent and unchristianlike Adversaries to Infant-baptism have done and yet endeavour to do But to labour for Reformation rather then unlawful Schism and Separation from the Church Thus shall we declare our selves to be Christians indeed not seeking division but in a Christian Brotherly way endeavouring Union and Unity and Peace in the Church each one labouring for a true and pure Reformation 1 Cor. 13.11 rather then a separation one from another in the profession of the Gospel of peace that peace and the God of peace may dwell amongst us The seventeenth Classis or Company of Questions 1 Question VErily I like well of your Christian conclusion for Peace and Vnity amongst Saints though there be some differences in opinion in lesser matters when as we all hold the Head Christ And since you have declared your knowledge and faith concerning the Sacrament of Baptism Now what do you know and believe concerning the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and by whom and when was that instituted and what light is there from Christ to lead us to Christ therein 1 Cor. 10.16 Mat. 26. Mark 14. Luke 22. 1 Cor. 11.23 c. Ans This Sacrament of the communion of the Body and Blood of Christ was instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ himself in the same night that he endured his bitter Agony and also sweat drops of blood before he was betrayed by Judas and apprehended by the Officers of the High Priests and Elders to be condemned and put to death that cursed death of the Crosse which he suffered for our Redemption Quest 2. What is the outward visible sign seal or external material thing of the Lords Supper or of that Sacrament of the confirmation of our Faith and renewing of our Covenant again with God in Christ Ans The external or outward thing Mat. 26.27 c. 14.22 c. Luke 22.19 20. 1 Cor. 11.23 c. sign seal badge or pledge in a Sacrament is that which being sanctified holdeth forth another thing to the inward ear or eye or hand or mouth of the soul which is Faith then it doth to the outward ear or eye or hand or mouth of the body and seals and assures another thing to the soul then that which the body partakes of and in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper this outward sign seal pledge and Symbol is the bread and wine consecrated or blessed and the bread broken and wine powred out the bread and wine given and received eaten and drunk of the faithful together with the whole Sacramental action according to the institution of Christ Quest 3. What is the inwrrd or internal grace and material thing in this Sacrament so signified sealed and communicated by Christ to every true and faithful receiver of these holy mysteries in this holy Ordinance Mat. 26.26 t. Iohn 6.55 c. 10.15 c. 1 cor 10.16 Eph. 5.25 c. Rom. 4.24 c. Heb. 9.25 c. 10.12 c. 1 Thes 1.10 Rom. 6.23 Ans The inward grace or inward material thing is Christ himself given for his Church with his body and blood spiritually received by Faith and all Christs merits with the graces procured by Christ in his death passion and Resurrection Ascention and all he hath done for our good both for this and a better life all which are lively represented sealed and communicated to the faithful in their souls according to the Covenant of grace held forth and confirmed in this communion of the body and blood of Christ Quest 4. But since Christ saith of the bread in the Sacrament This is my Body and of the wine This is my Blood do not the faithful receive corporally and carnally the Body and Blood of Christ in this Sacrament Ans No verily the Body and Blood of Christ cannot be received corporally and carnally with the hand and mouth of our bodies wratsoever the Capernaites of old or the Papists or any other since have imagined Quest 5. How then is the Body and Blood of Christ received in the Lords Supper Ans To understand this we must know that a body is divers wayes ascribed to Christ or Christ may be said to have a body in a fourfold respect or a fourfold body and spiritually and by faith the children of God do receive and partake of union and communion with Christ and Christs body in all these kindes Quest 6. What is the first kinde of body and how do the faithful receive and partake of that body of Christ in this Sacrament Ans The first was the Natural body of Christ Luke 1.15 Iohn 1.14 Mat. 27.21 c. 25.31.32 28.6 Acts 3.20 21. which was conceived and born of the blessed Virgin Mary crucified dead and buried and rose again for us and our salvation and ascended into Heaven and there is glorified and sits at the right hand of God the Father in power and glory where he shall remain making intercession for his Church till the day of Iudgement when he shall come with his glorious Angels in power to judge both the quick and the dead Quest 7. But how do we who are the Saints receive and partake of this Natural crucified and glorified body of Christ Ans We may be said to receive and partake of this natural body of Christ really and truly though not corporally and carnally by eating or receiving it by the hand or mouth of the body But 1 cor 10.16 First Spiritually and by Faith believing on Christ as our Lord and Saviour who gave his Natural body to be crucified and his Blood to be shed for our sins Gal. 2.20 Secondly Applying Christ and all his merits by Faith to our souls Iohn 6.5 6. Thirdly Receiving Christ to dwell in us and so having an union and communion with Christ as with our Lord and Head into whom we are ingrafted by Faith Fourthly To partake of Christ even the Divine Nature by our union and communion with Christ which is sealed in the Sacrament John 6.63 6.33 c. 10.18 Eph. 1.17 c. 3.16 c. 1 Cor. 12.12 c. 10.16 c. 2 Pet. 1.3 Quest 8. What is the second kinde of body which
from hell and damnation Thirdly A being affected by the power of Christ with recipiscence or beginning to be wise again with a shame and confusion of soul for sins past Hos 14.1 2 c. Fourthly with a renewing of spirit and change of minde and judgement of heart will affections desires and whole man and all by the powerful vertue of Christ and the Holy Spirit of the Father and the Son Ezek. 36.31 Fifthly A dislike and loathing of sin and former evil courses as contrary to the nature of God and new nature of grace in the soul Sixthly Acts 11.18 2 Cor. 7.10 Rom. 12.2 Ioh. 3.5 2 Cor. 5.17 Psal 51.14 Luke 22.32 2 Cor. 5.19 20. Rom. 8.15 Psal 51.1 2 3 c. Luke 22.61 62. 2 Cor. 7. as 2 Kin. 23.2 3. It is inabled by Christ unto an aversion and turning from all sin and Satans Kingdom in thought word and deed and a conversion unto God and all goodnesse with a love unto and a delight in righteousnesse and true holinesse And this not onely in our first conversion or repentance as a work of grace begun in us But all the dayes of our lives perfecting holinesse by the vertue of our Saviour to the glory of God good of our neighbours and comfort of our own souls in Christ Jesus especially in the renewing of our Covenant when we meet Christ in the holy Sacrament Quest 2. You have given a large discription of Repentance to give in the substance of what repentance is in fewer words as you understand and conceive of it in your minde Ans Repentance is a grace Act. 5.31 Iere. 31.19 1 Sam. 7.2 Iob 34.32 Hos 14.8 and free gift of God in Christ by which a poor sinner upon sight and sence of sin and misery and bondage revealed by the spirit is affected with true sorrow and shame for his original and actual transgression and though he despair in himself yet by faith resting on Gods free love in Christ Zach. 12.10 11. Prov. 28.13 2 Thes 2.13 Eph. 4.20 c. 1 Thes 5.23 is drawn to a hatred of sin that crucified Christ and is converted by Christs vertue from all sin to God forsaking of all sin daily more and more and the Image of God daily renewed in him more and more that he may glorifie God in grace on earth till Christ bring him to glory in Heaven Quest 3. Who is the author and efficient cause of this Evangelical Repentance Regeneration Renovation and Conversion from sin to God in Christ Rom. 1.7 and 1.4 1 Thes 5 23. 2 Thes 2 13 14. 2 Cor. 5.10 Ans The whole Trinity in common and in special the Holy Spirit that Spirit of sanctification sent of God the Father and the Son with the Word into the mindes and hearts of poor sinners to this end that they may repent be born again converted and changed from glory to glory by the vertue of Christ Quest 4. What is the internal moving cause of this Repentance and Regeneration and Conversion of poor sinners unto God Titus 3.4 5. Iohn 1.12 13. Ephes 2.4 5 c. Ans The free-grace and good will of God in Christ giving and working this grace of his own goodnesse in the hearts of his children Quest 5. What is the internal principle meritorious vvorking cause by vertue vvhereof this change is vvrought in our souls Ans This is Christ himself Eph. 5.25 26 27. Revel 1.5 6. and his merits and blood by which we are cleansed sanctified and changed that we may be presented blamelesse before God Quest 6. What is the instrumental outvvard cause of this Repentance Regeneration and Conversion or turning unto God in Christ Ans Ordinarily the Word of God Exod. 19.18 20. Acts 2.36 37 38 39. Luke 3.9 10. Rom. 3.20 Acts 9.1 2 c. 1 Pet. 1.23 Acts 16.25 c. both Law Gospel brought home to the soul in the powerful preaching of it by the work of Christs spirit and sometimes extraordinary means as thunders lightnings judgements of God afflictions fears terrors and such like with which God worketh as he pleaseth to this end Quest 7. What is the subject matter of this Repentance and nevv birth and sanctification and turning unto God or that vvhich is thus converted to God in Christ Ans The whole man all the powers and faculties of the soul understanding will memory affections conscience and all the parts 1 Thes 5.23 24 Rom. 6.19 20 21. Rom. 12.1 2. Acts 15.9 1 Cor. 10.32 and 6.15 c. Rom. 6.3 4 c. Ephes 2.1 2 c. Isai 1.16 17 c. Eph. 4.21 c. Isai 5.7 Col. 3.9 10. Gal. 2.20 and members of the body eyes ears hands feet heart all purified and sanctified to glorifie God by Christ Iesus Quest 8. What is the form or manner of this Repentance Regeneration and Renovation unto nevvnesse of life or vvherein doth this form consist Ans In the mortification of the old man and the vivification or quickning of the new man the old man or old Adam being crucified and the body of sin destroyed and the new man created and enlived by Christ living in the soul and so an aversion from all evil and a turning or conversion unto good by the vertue of Christ Quest 9. What is the end of this grace of Repentance Renovation and Conversion to God in Christ Ans The cheif end is the glory of God the edification of our neighbour and the assurance and enjoynment of our own eternal salvation 2 Tim. 2.21 2 Thes 1.11 12. Matth. 5.16 Gal. 1.22 23 24. 2 Pet. 7.8 9 10 11. 2 Thes 2.13 Quest 10. You have made profession of your knowledge and of the grace of Faith and concerning Evangelical repentance now what light hath Christ revealed to you concerning the fourth and last Grace we noted in the wedding Garment to be examined and enlivened before we come to the Lords Supper Ans The grace of Christian love and charity is a necessary Garment to be worn as at all times so especially when we meet Christ in the Ordinance of the Lords Table Quest 11. What is this grace or affection of love and charity as you have learned from Christ Ans First in general love is an affection of the soul moving in the heart of a man or woman to embrace some known good thing First with a desire of union with it Secondly a Sympathy or good will of beneficence or well doing to it Thirdly an acquiescence 1 Sam. 17. 1 Sam. 18.1 2 3. or rest in the fruition or enjoyment of it as under God the chief present joy and satisfying delight of the soul as the love of Ionathan to David of husband and wife parents and children or the like First Ionathan observed David and knew him to be a valiant good man 1 Sam. 19.4 1 Sam. 20.4 2 Sam. 9.1 2 c. Secondly in his heart desiredd union and was knit to Davids heart
life of grace witn joy and hope in believing and 2. what quickning vertue of Christ held forth in the Word of life there is in my soule 3. What strengthning with might in inner man what abilities of spirituall senses seeing hearing tasting with eyes and ears and mouth of faith to discerne the Lords body and blood from the outward element of bread and wine and to partake of Christ in the act of receiving that so I may feed on Christ with joy rejoycing at the Lords Table Quest 7. But what light have you from Christ to know whether you have life of grace and spirituall senses in your soule nor not without which it is impossible to discerne the Lords body or to receive or seed on Christ or draw near with any comfort to the Lords Table Answ This is a great question and often hath filled my soule with fears and doubting but by the grace of God in Christ I shall render a reason of the hope that is in me and shew you what grounds I have to believe and hope that I have found life of grace in me and so spirituall senses â—o discern the Lords body so that I may come with comfort to the Lords Supper Quest What are your grounds of your life of grace given in you in Christ Answ I praise God I was born of religious parents my Father like faithfull Abraham carefull to pray with and to instruct his family Gen. 18 19. Iosh 24.15 1 Sam. 1.15 1 Pet. 3.7 and catechize them in the first principles of the Oracles of God and as Joshua who resolved himself and his house to serve the Lord. And my Mother like Hanna a woman pouring out of her soul to God in secret prayer for me or as Monica did for her sonne Augustine and both my parents living together as heirs of the grace of life so that their prayers might not be hindred and with endeavouring to bring up their children in the knowledge of Christ and fear of God and so I conceive it is more difficult to declare the first quickning or birth of the life of grace my soul but yet I beleeve I have felt and found divers evidences of this life in me Quest 9. You answer right its difficult in such to manifest the beginnings of grace in the heart but what was a first evidence of life of grace in you that you can discerne or remember Answ Truly in my childehood I was taught and had some knowledge of the Scripture and of my estate both by creation and the fall of Adam and of the way of salvation in Christ the second Adam and I had an outward form at least of Religion and I was carefull to sanctifie the Lords day and to spend it in holy duties Prov. 22.6 2 Tim. 3.15 Gen. 24.63 Rev. 1.10 Psal 119.136 Rom. 9.1 2 3. both publick private though with many failings And I remember on a Lords day after Supper I went into a Garden as Isaac into the field to meditate of what I had heard Preached and I hearing a great noise of children and youths playing in the streets and so prophaning the Lords day I was so grieved that I shed tears for them as David for his enemies conceiving their estate was fearful being senslesse of their own misery and adding sin to sin and this I thought might be some work of Gods Spirit and sign of true grace then beginning in my soul when I was about ten or twelve years of age Quest 10. I do conceive there might be much wrought in you by the power of education moving you to dislike that open prophanation of the Lords day of Parents suffering their Children to play in the streets when they should rather be catechizing them in their families as it is a common fault still yet there is good hope that affection and grief for sin was a work wrought in you by the Spirit of Christ and so a an evidence of true grace in your soul But what further evidence have you found Ans After I was grown to riper years Gen. 42.16 Rom. 2.14 15. 2 Cor. 12 7 c. Rom. 7.22 c. in my youthful time when I left my Parents I was too subject to conform to that company and family with whom I lived where was an outward common form of Religion and saying of some prayers sometimes but I saw no power of Religion no conscience of ordinary swearing especially lesser Oathes as common blinde people call them as by their Faith and Troth and by our Lady c. no conscience of immoderate abuse of the creatures eating and drinking to ryot no care of any strict observation of the Lords day but a dislike of too much precisenesse as they called it and inveighing against Puritans as they called them sn those dayes as some such do against Roundheads in these times of which so called I did know some to be religious and good people and sometimes would defend and speak for them whether out of a principle of graca from Christ or by the power of my education I have since called in question but this I am sure that amongst this formal or civil yea sometimes uncivil company I had many buffetings of Satans messengers sometimes as a captive prisoner I had many falls into sin and failin my walking to the great trouble of my conscience enlightned whether by the light of nature accusing or excusing as the Apostle speaks or whether by the common light of the spirit in my education Rom. 2.15 and word Preached or thirdly whether by the light of grace and spirit of Christ I conceived a great question and was often filled with fears and terrors in my soul that though I seemed a Saint in comparison of divers open prophane persons about me yet having such falls and corruptions I was either still unregenerate or a formal hypocriâ—e at best as Mr. Bolton upon the first Psalm the beginning describes him and so could seldom gain or keep any quiet in my conscience or true peace as I was perswaded in my soul onely some comforts I had hope of in Christ Iesus Quest 11. Truly your state I believe might well be questionable especially if you were drawn away with the error of the wicked Rev. 2.5 to approve of their wayes or to dislike strictnesse in Religion and precise walking with God at the best it is certain that if truth of grace was ever in you yet you had lost your first love and though formerly you might have had a name to live 2 Pet. 3.17 Rev. 2.4 3.1 2. yet in this condition you were either dead or taken captive indeed or graces ready to dye in you your works and walking being found so imperfect before God But tell me I pray you how or by what means did you get any peace or quiet in your conscience in those times Ans I do not remember that I did approve of the evil wayes of that company with
to love Christ with her soul 3. Ezek. 36.3 Hos 14.8 And whether he hath made her willing and desirous to loath and dislike sin and to forsake her natural and sinful communion with sin the world the flesh and the Devil 4. Whether she be willing to take the Lord Christ for her Lord and Father 2 Cor. 6.17 18. and Heavenly husband and then no doubt she is one of the Elect of God the Lord is her Father and she is his daughter who is the Lord Almighty Quest 6. But what if she doubt still Ans Give her this one rule that she seek with an impartial eye First as not to flatter her self that she hath grace when she hath none So 2 Cor. 13.5 1 Cor. 10.11 c. 2 Tim. 1.12 4.7 8. Secondly on the other side not to deny that grace which the Lord of his Free-grace and love in Christ hath bestowed upon her soul as any measure or true knowledge of true faith of true repentance of true love of true hunger after the Word desire of assurance of the like graces Thus may she in Gods due time finde her self a dear Elect daughter in Christ and so in Christ an heir and fellow-heir of Eternall glory and in the end assurance may come Quest 7. This may be a means by the power of Christ to stay her soul from despair in that temptation But what do you say to her decay in grace What light have you from Christ to reveal any comfort to her soul in this respect Ans I say the Apostle gives a caveat to his Christian Thessalonians 1 Thes 5.19 to take heed of quenching the spirit and yet no doubt they had the spirit of grace in them but they must be careful not to quench the spirit Gods dear children may be in danger to quench the spirit for a time and may lose the acts and vigor of grace for a time as Peter did when he denied Christ Mat. 26. though not finally and totally therefore if your friend finde some decay of grace in her soul or want of holinesse she ought not to conclude presently she is none of Gods childe or exclude the favour of God in Christ from her For First as there is no wheat but there is some chaff groweth with it so the best of Gods children have some imperfections Phil. 3.12 13. Secondly In this life we are not like the Sun perfect in brightnesse and light but like the Moon receiving our light of grace from Christ as the Moon doth her light from the Sun and like the Moon 1 Iohn 1.8 we are subject to have some changes some decrease as well as increase some spots of darknesse in the center of our hearts And Thirdly take this for a certain rule as sight and sense of weaknesse of body is a sign of bodily life for a dead man feels nothing so a sight and sense of spiritual weaknesse Rom. 14.15 c. is an evident argument of spiritual life of grace in her soul as it was in blessed Paul Eph. 2.1 1 Tim. 5.9 Rev. 3.2 3. Isa 40.30 31. Fourthly A dead man cannot see nor feel his own weaknesse at all a dead man complains not of sicknesse and therefore your friend ought not to despair because of sight and sence of failings which is an evidence of the life of grace but wait on Christ for more light and life till the soul recover strength and what is ready to dye be quickned and she finde peace in the end Quest 8. But I have heard my friend complain that sometimes she neither feels any signes of life of grace nor doth she feel any want of life of grace she is dead â—nd senslesse no hunger after the Word or Sacraments or Prayer or to meet Christ in any good duty she is sometimes so far from resting in a duty or setting it up in stead of Christ that she is carelesse of any duty at all as if all were in vain as to her her faith is dead and without life her soul and life is dead in respect of grace or any sense of want of grace in her soul like those Isaiah 64.6 7. no stirring of life in her And what comfort can be given to one in such a condition Ans Your friend hath no cause to despair but to live by faith For First did she ever finde or feel any signes or sense of life of grace in her soul any sight and sense of her sin and misery by natural corruption any sweetnesse or delight in meeting Christ in the Word or Sacraments or Prayer any combating or stirring in her soul between the flesh and the spirit Then although now she be as dead to all these let her know that the state of the childe of God in this life and the life of grace may be sometimes 1. Like a childe in the Mothers Simile 1 womb alive though not felt to stir or to have any motions of life at all 2. Or like a man in a trance wherein Simile 2 his own sense being as it were without sence or understanding yea and in the judgement of others may seem to be dead and yet after revive and come to himself again and so may a dear childe of God in respect of the life of grace Assuredly David after his fall until Example 1 Nathan came to him he had little sense of life of grace little remorse for his sin especially while after his sin of Adultery with Bathsheba he went on to plot and procure the making of Vriah drunk and after to take away his life so addes sin to sin Exam ∣ ple 2 The like may be said of Peter between his first and third time of denying Christ until the Cock did crow and Christ cast a look of mercy 2 Sam. 11 12 c. Mat. 26.69 75. Psal 51.1 c. and pity and love upon his poor soul then indeed he went out and wept bitterly as David repented and bewayled his folly and sinful fall in the end and prayed earnestly to the Lord to restore unto him the joy of his salvation and to stablish him with his free spirit Quest 9. What other around of comfort Ans Let her consider that Gods childe doth not sin as the wicked do with full heart consent and freedom because his seed of grace remaineth in him 1 Iohn 3.8 9. but like a man in a crowd or throng sometimes carried forwards and sometimes backward 1. Carried forwards in grace willingly the will regenerate and sanctified striving together with one consent with the grace given and good motions of Gods spirit assisting as in Christ Iesus to presse on to perfection And 2. Sometimes carried backward by corruptions and the violence of Satans temptations as it were against our will Simile to an ebbing in grace as in the Tide the water runneth back as the Moon decreasing Rom. 7.23 c. as Peter sinking in the water of presumption senslesnesse or despair as
use of the means without carking care for this life or dismal despair for the life to come Thirdly as a life of certainly 2 Tim. 2.19 2 Cor. 1.10 Rom. 4.21 1 Thes 5.23 2 as depending not upon our own changeable strength but upon the foundations of the sure decree promises power faithfulnesse and Oath of an unchangeable God Fourthly as a life of necessity 2 Chron. 20.12 Gen. 42.2 3 4. Col. 3.3 4. 2 Cor. 3.4 5. Gal. 9.5 2 Tim 2.7 8. a poor soul not having life or power of life in and of it self and therefore must needs go out of it self by faith to serch life and strength from God in Christ and so of necessity must live the life of faith both for grace and glory and assurace of both Quest 17. What other helps are there Ans Observe secondly thy present condition estate danger or temptation whereby thou art troubled for the Church of God in general and for thy self 2 Pet 1.12 or any other in particular for the want of assurance of Iustification or Sanctification or for want of particular graces or strength and growth of grace of knowledge of faith or repentance of confidence on God in time of prosperity and not on uncertain riches or friends or husband wife children parents or any creature-comfort whatsoever or for want or losse of any of these or of their help and comfort in time of adversity or for want of assurance of glory Quest 18. What is a third help Isa 43.2 3 4. Heb. 13.5 Ans Thirdly search the Scriptures and look out some promise general or particular for comfort of thy soul to depend upon God even as a ground of thy confidence to live by faith and that God will not fail thee Quest 19. What is a fourth help Ans To wait on Christ in the use of all good means 2 Pet. 1.19 and so live by faith taking heed to the sure word of promise until the day dawn and the day star Christ arise in thy soul And thus the life of faith upholds a poor soul in greatest doubts and fears whatsoever Quest 20. Now let me ask you one Question before I conclude this part of Catechism What is a sixth immediate preparatory grace or gracious act of the soul to be enlivened or acted and exercised immediatly before you draw near to the Lords Table Ans To attend the invitation of Christ by his Ministers and to draw near and come to the Lords Table as with all humility and reverence so as becomes my presence at so great an Ordinance to meet my Lord and Saviour so with joyful confidence holy hunger and faith yea with spiritual cars and eyes and mouth of faith to hear and see and receive and feed on Christ in my soul as well as with ears and eyes and hands and mouth of body 1. To hear and see the Bread and Wine blessed consecrated and set apart to this holy Sacramental use Matthew 26.26 27. 2. To see the Bread broken and the Wine powred out 3. To hear the Sacramental welcom Take ye and eat ye and Take ye and drink ye Mat. 26.27 4. And all this with a thankful remembrance of Christs death and passion who loved me and gave himself for me Luke 22.19 1 Corinthians 11.24 25. Gal. 2.20 Conclus Thus Sir I have made my profession of what I have learned concerning a right preparative the wedding garment to meet Christ at the Lords Table that I may walk more comfortably with Christ all the dayes of my life Quest 20. But do you think it is necessary that every one be thus prepared with Knowledge Faith Repentance and Love and the habits of graces so examined enlivened and quickned before he or she come to the Lords Table What light hath Christ left for resolution of this doubt Ans It is certain a competent measure of true knowledge true faith true repentance and true love is of necessity required and howsoever it may be the good Lord God may be gracious to any of his children whose hearts are up right towards God and who have life of grace in them and hunger after Christ though he or she be not so fully prepared according to the preparation of the Sanctuary as 2 Chron. 30.18 19 20. yet assuredly that soul that cometh lesse prepared and the life of grace and living graces lesse enlivened in the soul doth ordinarily receive lesse comfort at the Lords Table when as that soul that is more carful to wait upon Christ in all good wayes and means of preparation not resting upon performances or preparation but with a self-denying and humble heart and soul of faith waiting on Gods goodnesse in Christ and Christs righteousnesse and merits may with a much more glorious assurance of comfort hear that gracious voyce of Christ speaking to his or her soul as to his welbeloved Spouse in the Canticles I am come into my Garden my Sister my Spouse I have gathered my mirrhe with my spice I have eaten my hoay-comb with my hony I have drunk my wine with my milk eat O friend drink ye abundantly O Beloved not drink abundantly of the outward Bread or Wine but feed on Christ by faith abundantly for thy spiritual refreshing to the eternal joy and rejoycing of thy soul yea a joy unspeakable and full of glory as Cant. 5.1 1 Pet. 1.8 The twenty seventh Classis or company of Questions 1 Question YOu have made profession of your preparation and enjoyment of the wedding garment in respect of the Antecedent graces and immediate enlivening of the preparative graces and gracious actions and quickning of them Now what are the third sort the present concomitant or accompanying graces and gracious affections and spiritual senses actions and operations of the soul and body which do accompany and are to be exercised and quickned in these Sacramental acts or actions of receiving as of the Elements outwardly so of Christ and his quickning and soul-refreshing vertue inwardly for the spiritual strengthning of your soul and life of grace to life of glory Ans There is a twofold nourishment which we receive and feed on in the Sacrament at the Lords Table The first outward and corporal the Elements of Bread and Wine which nourish and refresh the body The second inward and spiritual Christ himself and his Body and Blood or the living vertue and merits of Christ his Life and Death and Passion and Resurrection and Ascention and Intercession which feeds strenghneth and nourisheth our souls and the life of grace in our souls to life Eternal And so there are two sorts of sences as I may so call them to be exercised 1. Of the body 2. Of the soul or inward man and two sorts of actions to be acted in this Sacrament Quest 2. What are these two sorts of actions in the Sacrament Ans First the actions of the body and organical parts or by the instruments of the body The bodily eyes must see Mark
seeing to be exercised in this holy Sacrament Ans The spiritual sense which answereth bodily sight is a spiritual sight and eye of the soul or rather eye of faith and the spiritual object of the eye of faith is the Body and Blood of Christ or whole Christ my Saviour presented to the eye of my soul as preprared from all Eternity by God the Father as a perfect Saviour and a full banquet Ioh. 6.27 c. 1 Cor. 10.16 17. by his vertue and merits to nourish and enliven my soul and body to life eternal and the life of grace in me to the life of glory for which himself exhorts me to labour and wait for him in this Sacrament Quest 11. What is to be acted or done by you when you thus see the Bread and Wine prepared for you on the Lords Table Answ I ought by the power of Christ 1. To observe diligently the Sacramental Elements of Bread and Wine first what they are 2. To meditate and see how fitly they represent the Body and Blood of Christ And 3. By the eye and hand of faith to apply all to my own soul Heb. 10.5 6 7. Ioh. 6.27 that as I see the Bread and Wine is prepared by the Minister of Christ and Gods goednesse for my bodily nourishment so to see how the Lord Iesus Christ is prepared from all Eternity for nourishment of my soul to life everlasting Quest 12. What is the third Sacramental object of senses corporal and spiritual to be exercised in this feast of the Lord Mat. 26.6 27. 1 Tim. 4.4 5. Luke 22.19 20. 1 Cor. 11.26 c. Ans The action of blessing Elements in which both the sences of seeing and hearing bodily are to be exercised when the Minister of Christ by solemn prayer doth Blesse Consecrate and Sanctifie 1. The Bread to be the Sacramental Body of Christ 2. The Wine to be his Sacramental Blood according to the Lords Institution seeing and hearing of them both sanctified and separated from common Bread and Wine to this holy use and end by prayer thanksgiving and blessing according to the command example and institution of Christ Quest 13. What is the object of your spiritual sences of seeing and hearing in this action represented by consecration of Sacramentdl Bread Ioh. 6.27 Ans By the ear and eye of faith I am to hear and see God the Father sealing and consecrating Christ the Lord for the everlasting nourishment of my soul and body spirirually to life eternal Quest 14. What is to be acted and done when you thus hear and see the Bread and Wine blessed and consecrated by the Minister of Christ with the ears and eyes of your body and hear and see the Lord Christ so represented consecrated and sealed by God the Father with the ears and eyes of faith the spiritual senses of the life of grace in your soul 1 Cor. 10.18 Rom. 10.7 c. Ans First Rom. 8.9 1 Pet. 1.11 Iohn 16.26 Isa 63.4 c. Heb. 10.14 observation by the power and assistance of Christs spirit and his quickning power in my soul Secondly to observe diligently by the power of God this blessing consecrating and sanctifying of the outward Elements of Bread and Wine by Christs Minister and by the ear and eye of the soul this consecrating and sealing of Christ by the holy blessed God as my full perfect and sufficient Saviour Quest 15. What is the second meditation Ans Secondly by the power of the spirit of Christ 2 Sam. 1.26 Psal 42.1 2. by Divine meditation of this unspeakable love of God consecrating his onely begotten Son from all Eternity to be my Redeemer and All-sufficient Saviour so to be affected as to admire this wonderful free love of God in giving his Son and having my soul filled with spiritual longings to enjoy and partake of so rich a gift of grace held forth to my soul in this Sacrament above that wonderful love of Jonathan to David passing love of women Quest 16. What is a third particular act to be done Ans Thirdly Application by the power of the same spirit through the grace of faith so to apply Christ thus consecrated of God the Father to be my Saviour as the Bread and Wine by the Minister to represent this sacramentally to my soul that I may finde I am united by faith and the same spirit of Christ unto God the Father Ioh. 20.17 as to my most tender Father in Christ Iesus for ever Quest 17. What is the fourth Sacramental action or object in the celebration of this blessed Sacrament about which your corprral and spiritual sences should be exercised Luk. 22.19 20. Mat. 26.26 c. 1 Cor. 11.24 c. Isa 53.4 c. Luk. 24.15 c. Ans The sacramental representation or the breaking of Christs body with torments and the shedding of his blood for my sins as Christ our Lords intimates in his institution of this holy sacrament and as foretold before by Prophets Quest 18. What bodily or spiritual sences or organs and instruments of body and soul are to be exercised by you in this Sacramental action of breaking Bread and powring out of the Wine in the Sacraments by the Minister of Christ Ans First the sence of bodily seeing when by the eyes of the body I behold the Minister of Christ breaking the Bread the sacramental body and powring out of the Wine the sacramental blood of Christ prepared and blessed consecrated sanctified by the Word and prayer for this holy use and powred forth for my refreshing as 1 Tim. 4 4 5. common bread and drink so much more this by Christs institution and ordinance Mark 14.22 c. Quest 19. What spiritual sences are to be exercised Ans I ought to exercise the sences of spiritual sight Isa 53. Zach 12.11 13.6 7. Mat. 26.31 ult 27. c. Luk. 22.23 and by faith the spiritual eye of the soul to behold and see the natural body of Christ crucified and broken with torments for my sins though a bone of him was not broken but his soul broken with grief and sorrow in sense of the wrath of God and his body with sense of pains buffetings with fists whippings with scourges crowned with thorns crucifying with tormenting nails mixing of Gall and Vinegar to drink and above all his Agony in the Garden sweating drops of blood and not onely denying forsaking and betraying but sense of his Fathers wrath and forsaking at least in sense to him for a time I say the eye of my faith is to see all this Mat. 27.46 and what more the scripture revealeth in the bitter passion of Christ held forth to my soul in the breaking of the bread and powring out of the wine for me to partake of at the Lords Table Quest 20. What is to be acted or done by you upon the beholding of this Sacramental action of breaking Bread and powring out of the Wine with the eyes and
vertue of the same promise of Christ who hath performed and sealed now in the Sacrament what he promised Receive assurance that Christ hath given his body to be crucified and given his blood to be shed for my sins And thirdly by the same Sacramental promise I am now assured that I shall receive all the vertue merits and efficacy of the body and blood of Christ necessary for assurance of my Justification sanctification and salvation as assuredly as if I had been present when Christ spake those words or made that promise to his Disciples or that I did now hear the bodily voyce of Christ now speaking unto me from heaven by the ear of my body as he speaks to the ear of my body by his Minister and now speaks to the ears of my believing soul by the voyce of his spirit perswading and enabling me to believe the truth of these Sacramental promises Fourthly Therefore I conclude that I may eat and drink at this Table to my joy and comfort Now I may be assured that Christ gave his body to be crucified and his blood to be shed for my sins or that he loved me and gave himself for me Quest 15. What now is to be acted by you when you hear and see the Sacramental promises held forth unto you Ans I may follow the former Directory in a threefold respect 1. Diligent observation of the promisory words This is my body given for you broken for you This is my blood shed for you and for many for remission of sins Take and eat Take and drink 2. A divine meditation of this promise the same or like effect as before is declared in the Paraphrase of it in answer of the former Question 3. A sweet and rejoycing Application by faith of this promise to my own soul Mark 14.22 23. for my comfortable emboldning and encouragement to take and eat take and drink and feed on Christ to my souls cherishing comfort and the refreshing of life of grace in my heart Quest 16. What is the eighth Sacramental action object or subject in this Ordinance of Christ in and about which your senses acts or actions corporal or spiritual may be exercised when you are at the Lords Table Ans Sacramental participation 1. In taking and eating of that Bread the Sacramental body of Christ and taking and drinking that Wine the Sacramental blood of Christ with the hand and mouth of the body Matthew 26.26 27. 2. In taking and feeding on Christs body crucified 1 Cor. 10.16 and taking and drinking of Christs blood shed for me and of the vertue power and merits of Christ and all the benefits of Christs Passion Death and Resurrection not corporally or carnally with hand or mouth of my body but spiritually by a true and lively feeling apprehending and applying faith which is the hand and mouth of my soul to strengthen and nourish my soul and body my life of grace in me to life Eternal Quest 17. What may be done for better quickning your soul in this participation of Christ and this blessed feast at Christs Table Ans 1. I may and ought to observe diligently this rich feast upon which I feed Isa 25.6 as a feast of fat things which the Lord promised his people a feast of fat things full of marrow a feast of wines on the lees well refined Yea not onely Bread and Wine for my body but Christ himself and all his rich benefits to feed my soul Iohn 6.27 c. to strengthen my life of faith by the living vertue of Christ ingrace till I get possession of glory Quest 18. What is the second Ans A divine meditation of Christ as of the Tree of Life in the midst of the Paradise of God Gen 2.9 3.22 Re. 22.2 22.17 Ioh. 4.14 Phil. 4.11 c. of which whosoever eateth shall live for ever as a Tree of Life yea a Tree of life which beareth twelve manner of fruits and yield fruit every moneth and oftner if I meet Christ oftner in his Ordinances yea living fruit which hath a living vertue to revive and quicken a dying fainting soul to strengthen a weak and almost decaying grace as of Knowledge Faith Repentance Love Joy Peace contentment in my heart yea the very leaves of this Tree Christ are good to heal all diseases and infirmities in a soul every taste of Christ in this feast is restaurative filling my dead heart with cheerful and soul-rejoycing spirits of life vital spirits indeed as from Christ himself that everliving fountain of water of life springing up in me to life eternal so that I may and can do all things and glorifie God with sweet contentment and rejoycing delight in every condition through Christ that strengthneth me Quest 19. What is the thing in exercise whereof your soul may be more fully revived and strengthned in the participation of Christ at the Lords Table Ans 3. A lively faithful application Psa 27.8 Cant. 5.1 Psal 19.10 Iohn 6.57 58. in feeding by faith upon Christ and the assurance of Christs love unto me a sweet spiritual eccho answering of Christs welcom as if thou shouldst say Lord thou bidst me eat and drink and welcom yea eat thy flesh and drink thy blood in and by believing that thou gavest thy body to be crucified and thy blood to be shed for my sins Now by faith I do eat by faith I do drink I do feed on thee I do rejoyce in thee I finde sweetness in thee above all the sweetness in the world sweeter then the hony and the hony-comb still feed thou my soul and shew me thy gracious and thy glorious refreshings more and more until I come to feast with thee in glory Quest 20. What is the ninth Sacramental object act action fruit or benefit in this feast of the Lord in and about which you should exercise your senses acts and operations of body or soul in or at this blessed Sacrament Ans That Sacramental union or communion with Christ and the Saints of God fellow-members of Christ and those most refreshings from Christ in the enjoyment of Christ and his spiritual and most joyful presence to my soul held forth in these Sacramental promises which Christ the God-man hath spoken in his holinesse and which makes my soul rejoyce within me and having the present possession of Christ in feeding on Christ spiritually eating his flesh and drinking his blood and so having an admirable union communion with Christs Iohn 6.56 Psal 16.12 in enjoyment of all his benefits Christ now dwelling in me and I in him as one day I shall in his presence have fulnesse of joy and pleasures for ever more Quest 21. What may you now do by vertue of Christ Or What acts of your soul may you exercise Or in what may you wait on Christ for your greater profit and comfort in this most gracious union and communion with Christ and the Saints Rom. 8.17 the heirs
Sacrament Ans First I am to joyn with the Minister of Christ 2 Cor. 2.14 Col. 1.12 13. and the congregation of Saints in solemn thanksgiving unto God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost for the inestimable gift of the Lord Iesus Christ for his taking our humane Nature upon him that he might be a fit Mediator betwixt God and my soul to reconcile me to God for his Passion Death Resurrection Ascention and Intercession and all his rich merits and benefits of my Redemption Vocation Iustification Sanctification and Glorification so gloriously set forth and sealed and so graciously communicated in this Sacrament to my soul and to all Saints with me at the Lords Table Secondly Humbly and faithfully to joyn in Petition for assurance that all failings and infirmities in my performances are pardoned in Christ my pardon sealed my person whole service accepted with the sweet merits and incense of Christs righteousness upon the golden Altar with a continual influence of power and vertue from Christ that all the congregation of Saints may keep covenant with the Lord and declare our thankfulnesse by our fruitfulnesse in all good works as becometh the people of God who have received so great ahd assuring plesges of the love of God to us in Christ and of our eternal salvation in and by the Lord Iesus Quest 21. What is the fourth and last thing to be acted or joyned in with the Congregation Ans Divers particulars 1. After the example of Christ to glorifie God in a holy Hymn or Psalm if it be thought fit praising the Lord for his goodnesse to his Church in Christ Iesus and to his congregation present in his Ordinance And secondly waiting for the blessing giving in and with which the congregation is dismissed according to the practise of Christ the Apostles and Churches of Christ as of old to leave the people of God with a blessing as Numb 6.22 c. 2 Sam. 6.17,18 1 Kings 8.55 c. Luke 22.50 51. And the blessing which the Apostle gave when they took leave of the Church in several Epistles as Rom 16.24 c. 2 Corinthians 3.15 And thirdly I should return home with rejoycing as the Eunuch did after he was baptized or the two Disciples who met with Christ as they went to Emmaus and take notice my self and tell others how my heart burned within me and how my souls was affected 1. With grief for my sins And 2. With joy in my Saviour while I heard Christ talking with me 1. Outwardly by the voyce of his Minister 2. Inwardly by the voyce of his spirit at his Table and how it was declared out of the Scriptures that Christ ought to suffer that his most bitter Passion and cursed Death for my sins and to rise again for my Iustification and so to enter into his glory And 3. How Christ was known to me in the breaking of the Bread in the powring out of the Wine and in Christs giving and my receiving of those soul-reviving and soul-cherishing refreshing which I enjoyed at his Table And 4. And lastly by the strength of Christ and this refreshing from Christ I am resolved with the assistance of the spirit of God the Father and God the Son and of God the holy Ghost daily to keep in memory that feast of the Lord with that sweet welcom I had at the Lords Table and in this or the like manner to bespeak my soul every morning O my soul thou hast this night received a sweet refreshing from the Lord for thy body praised be the Name of thy God and Father in Christ who is the keeper of Israel who never slumbreth not sleepeth who hath kept thee from the dangers of this night past and brought thee to the light of this day who hath awakened thee out of sleep and given thee a kinde of Resurrection from the dead Quest 22. How may I stir my soul to this Ans In this or the like manner Now O my soul be thou awakened and break thy fast with Christ and call to minde the sweet refreshing the Lord did give thee the last Sacrament at his Table and in what thou didst see and hear 1. His invitation to draw near and partake of the feast that he hath prepared 2. Didst thou not see Bread and Wine set upon the Table and with the eye of faith didst thou not behold Christ himself prepared for thy spiritual refreshing 3. Didst thou not hear the Minister of Christ consecrate those Elements to that holy use and with the ear of faith hear how God the Father had consecrated and sealed his beloved Son Iesus for thy Redemption 4. Didst thou not see the Bread broken and Wine powred out and by the eye of faith see Christs body broken with torments and his blood shed to the death for thy sins to Redeem thee from Hell and death eternal 5. Didst thou not hear Christ bidding thee welcom Take eat this is my body Drink this is my blood which is shed for thee and for many for remission of sins Mat. 26.26 27 c. 6. Didst thou not observe and believe those Sacramental promises assuring that Christ loved thee and gave himself for thee and as verily as Christs Minister having blessed and broken the Sacramental Bread and blessed and powred out the Sacramental Wine did present and give them unto thee to eat and to drink so verily hath Christ given and did Christ present and give and reach out himself for a spiritual and heavenly refreshing to thee to nourish thee to life eternal according the the Govenant of Grace 7. O my soul didst thou not take and eat the Bread and take and drink the Wine and so spiritually feed on the body and blood of Christ that in strenght thereof thou mightest walk thy great journey of this life not as Elijah fourty dayes and fourty nights to Horeb the Mount of God but to Heaven Gods Kingdom of glory 8. O my soul didst thou not actually renew thy Covenant with the Lord as God in giâ—ing and thou in actual receiving and partaking of these seals and pledges of his love consider thy self what hast thou now to do any more with sin and Satan with the World the Flesh or the Devil with any sin of omission or commission that may grieve the spirit of life Remember thy Covenant thy Promises thy Vow thy Protestations to thy God and be conscientious by the power of Christ to keep them all the dayes of thy life 9. O my soul was there not a soul-satisfying feast set before thee at that time never to let thee to return to the feast of sin again 10. And was it not the command of Christ to celebrate that Sacrament in remembrance of him Acts 8.39 Luk. 14.13 Phil. 4.11 c. 2 Tim. 4.7,8 and what he hath done for thee O then remember that holy feast every morning when thou awakest every evening when thou goest to bed Thus thou maist feed daily on
Ordinances that thou mayst be more and more enlightned by Christs presence power and grace And shall not a poor soul fall in love with this true light of the Lord Iesus O be it far from thee my soul to hate this light Iohn 3.19 20. as those who love it not because their deeds are evil Light is comfortable to sinners and so is Christ to a live pure-seeing soul who by a lively faith can look on Christ though the eye of Faith be never so weak sighted Christs light is a healing light which fills the soul wich life in the end enabling a poor Saint to follow this light of grace until it brings the soul to life ana light eternal And thus by light from Christ we may see the use of the second Commandment and the many errors of wandring false light leading to false worship and the true light of Christ direcing to serve God in spirit and in truth O my soul let this lighc of Christ be a light to thy feet Psa 119.105 and lanthern to thy paths in all Ordinances of Word Sacraments Prayer and life to life everlasting And my soul Christ ac Scripturarum lucifuga lament those Christ and Scripture-light-flyers who cannot away with the light of Christ and of the Scriptures but love darknesse rather then lights because their deeds are evil Iohn 3.19 20. The light of Christ in this or other Commandments might teach them how to finde not their many sins against God against his true spiritual worship against the honour of his Name his Sabbath his Sacrament the seals of the Covenant of Grace which so many multitudes in the world do prophane by coming blindly unto them never examining whether they have any light or authority from Christ to come to that sacred Banquet or whether they be drawn by the light of custom or formality only 2 Tim. 3.5 to do as their Neighbours do and their fore-fathers have done never considering whether their desire after the Sacrament be a holy hunger after Christ spiritually Iohn 6.56 57. to eat the flesh of Christ and drink his blood that Christ may dwell in them and they in Christ that they may live by Christ the life of grace here and glory hereafter They never look to this light of Christ 1 Cor. 11.28 29. whether they have light of knowledge and be able to examine themselves or whether they walk in darknesse and are ignorant and blinde not able to discern the Lords body and so eat and drink unworthily are guilty of the body and blood of Christ and eat and drink their own Judgement or Damnation 1 Cor. 11.28 c. if the Lord deal in judgement with them They never examine by any true and impartial light from Christ whether they be prophane and scandalous in their lives common swearers c. To conclude they never question their own souls whether they have found by any light from Christ that they have the life of grace spiritual eyes to see and hands to receive and mouth to feed on Christ that they may finde refreshing indeed at the Lords Table and spiritual feet and affections of their souls to walk with Christ in their lives But O my soul do thou with the Saints of God most high daily look after this true light of Christ that thou lose not Christs presence but travel with Christ and in his light held forth in this Commandment and all other commanding parts of Gods word by faith in all the promises of Grace through the wildernesse of this word to the Canaan of Heaven Quest 40. You have given the use of the Commandement in generally but now what doe you conceive of the Reason of the Commandement which followeth in particular in the next words For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate we and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my Commandements Answ I conceive the Lord holdeth forth in this Reason principally two things First Ex. 34.6 7 Deut. 6.13 14 15 Deut. 7.4 Deut. 29.19 20 21 Ezekel 18 13 14 15 16 17. Canticles 8.6 a threatening of severe punishment to wicked Idolaters and all others who corrupt the service of God to them and to their posterity if they go on to hate the Lord and continue in their Fathers sins and to terrifie men the more from this sinne The Lord declares himselfe to be a jealous God and one that will not hold the wicked innocent Quest 41. What is the second that the Lord holds forth to perswade to obedience and what light from Christ herein Ans Eccl. 8.13 Isaias 3.11 Jer. 32.18 A gratious promise of his owne free mercy and goodnesse though man can merit nothing but when hee hath done be can he may and must say he is an unprofitable servant Luk. 17.10 yet the Lord of his own free love wil manifest his goodnesse to them that low him and keepe his Commandements Gen. 17.7 Prov. 20.7 Psal 112.1 2. and to their Posterity to thousands of Generations so abundant is the Lord in his goodnesse to his children in Christ Jesus Quest 42. What should the meditation of this threatning and promise by Christ spirit worke in the hearts of men what light from Christ to direct in this duty Answ First sinners should take notice of their misery Ezek. 18.21 22 23. and as they tender their owne happinesse or the happinesse of their poore children waite in the meanes of Grace on Christ till Christ convert them 2 Tim 2.25 26. Ezek. 18.14 Num. 16.31 32. Gen. 9.25 and direct them to repentance that they and their children after them repenting may enjoy sweet freedome from Gods Terrible Visitation which is sure to fall upon the wicked and impenitent and their children Secondly for Saints to instruct them to waite on Christ for power to glorifie God Gen. 18.19 Joshua 24.11 and to teach their children also to serve him in a right manner in Spirit and Truth Deut. 3.29 knowing this that in and for Christ it shall goe well with them and with their children for ever The third Section of the thirteth Classis The third Commandment Quest 1. YOu have now unfolded the second Commandement J pray you which is the third Ans Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vaine for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine Quest 2. What is considerable in this command Ans Theve are two things considerable First the prohibition Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine Secondly the reason For the Lord wil not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine Quest 3. What do you understand is meant by the Name of God Ans Whatsoever the Lord hath manifested himself to be known by Deut. 12.5 as men are
appointed us to labour six dayes Secondly the Lords own example in Resting also from worke the seventh day and Rested the seventh day Thirdly the Lords institution and appointment of the seventh day to be a holy Rest for his service wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it Quest 6. But is there no worke to be done upon the Sabbath day nor by any manner of persons Answ I answer yes first workes of piety may be done by all in their severall places and in particular by the Ministers of Christ as of old time the Priests did performe their workes upon the Sabbath day Mat. 12.5 and were blamelesse and as men went a Sabbath dayes jorney to the Prophets Acts 1.12 2 Kings 4 22 23. and places appointed for Gods publike worship Secondly workes of Mercy and Charity may be done upon the Sabbath day without blame as being acceptable to God at all times in Christ Jesus Acts 20.9 1 Cor. 16.2 Luke 14.5 and not condemned on that day but appointed Thirdly workes of necessity which require present helpe and could not have been done the day before nor stay untill the day following Mark 2.23 24 25 26 27. Mat. 12.11 12. Luke 13.15 15 16. these workes may also bee done upon the Sabbath day as necessary provision of meate for man or beast the necessary worke of the Phisitian or others for a sick or disseased person or of a Chyrurgeon for the wounded or a Midwife or others for Women in travell all such workes of necessity in truth and without hypocrisie may be done upon the Sabbath day But other Workes which are neither workes of piety of Charity nor of true necessity I believe ought not to be done upon that day Quest But is not the Sabbath day ceremoniall and so to be abolished Colos 2.16 17. or at least to be left at liberty now in the time of the Gospell since the Apostle seemeth to hold forth a Sabbath as a ceremony in that Epistle to the Collossians and before to the Galatians he blameth them for observing dayes and moneths and yeares Gala. 4.10 Is not the Sabbath day then abolished by the Comming of Christ Ans First I answer it is certaine there were diverse Sabbaths which the Jewes were required to sanctifie Levit. 23.38 39 c. Ezek. 20.21 and not to prophane or pollute as is evident by that of the Prophet Ezekiel they polluted my Sabbaths then I said I will poure out my fury upon them Thus in this sence the name Sabbath was applied to all those Ceremoniall Levit. 23.26 27 28 29 30 31 32. Feastivalls yea and daies of Fastings which were to be kept without doing any worke on those dayes as a Sabbath or Rest of the Lord. Levit. 23.15 16. Levit. 25.2 3. Lâ—vit 25.8 9. Againe there was a Sabbath of Sabbaths and a Sabbath of yeares when was the yeare of Jubile and these were Ceremoniall Types indeed and Shadowes with the Sacrifices and services herein And of these I conceive the Apostle speakes as abolished and in which the children of God in the Gospell are not to be condemned Colos 2.17 because Christ who is the body figured by all these is come But he doth not speake of this Sabbath which the Lord commanded to be sanctified in the Decalogue or Ten Commandements at least in no wise of the substance of the Commandement that a Seventh day is to be sanctified as holy to the Lord. Quest 8. But wherefore then is not the Seventh day from the Creation kept as a Sabbath day or by what authority is this Seventh day now sanctified and kept as a Sabbath called in Scripture the Lords Day Ans First Isai 56.2 3 4 5. the keeping of a seventh day for a Sabbath is absolutely morall and perpetuall instituted in Paradise before the fall and in the Decalogue or Ten Commandements given on Mount Sinai and that Commandement bindes to a seventh day for ever Secondly although there be not an absolute command in the New Testament to change the day evidently held forth unto us yet there is Divine Authority sufficient in the constant practize of the Apostles and Saints to meete on this seventh day Acts 2.46 Acts 20.7 8 c 1 Cor. 16.1 2. being then called the first day of the weeke to performe the duties of the Sabbath on this day in Preaching and Hearing of the word and receiving of the Sacrament called breaking of bread and in Prayer and giving Almes and the like as being the Lords owne day as the day of the Lords Resurrection and to be sanctified as the Lords day to meet Christ in all his Ordinances of the Sabbath Revel 1.10 as John the 〈◊〉 Divine was ravished in the spirit and met Christ on that day for the great comfort of himselfe and the Churches of Christ that day then called and esteemed and reckoned to be the Lords own day and so to be kept as the Lords day by the Churches of Christ Quest 9. What is the generall duty required in this fourth Commandement and what light from Christ for this duty Ans To be mindefull of and remember the Sabbath Isai 58.13 Heb. 4.9.10 Mark 1.35 39. or Lords day to keep it as a day of Rest from our own works and bodily labour and as a spirituall rest from the sinfull workes of our soules and bodies and to sanctifie it as a holy Rest in the performance of the Lords Workes of holinesse and his holy service to glorifie the Lord of Sabbath in a speciall manner on that Day Quest 10. What is the generall sinne forbidden in this Commandement Ans All prophanation of the Sabbath or Lords day Isaia 58.13 by ommission of Gods workes or performing of our owne workes or worldly businesse of this life outward in our bodies except in case of true extraordinary necessity or performing of any our owne workes of sinne in bodies or soules as all other dayes so especially onâ— the Lords day or the day of Gods Rest Heb. 4.9.10 and Sabbath Day Quest 11. What are the particular duties required for the sanctification of the Christian Sabbath or Lords day what light from Christ for these Ans They are diverse wee may remember these especiall First a preparation for the right sanctification of this day by minding of it before it come that we may be more fit to serve the Lord in it when it is come and by rising early in the morning as bodily health will suffer that wee may have time to exercise preparative duties before wee come to the publike Ordinances Quest 12. What is the sinne contrary unto this Ans To forget the Lords Day or be so unmindfull of it as either in our own persons or by compelling or suffering our children or servants so long to labour Ex. 12.3.6 Exo. 3.5 Ex. 19.10.15 Deut. 33.3 Mat 27.62 As Amos 4.12 so here and over-wearie our bodies or spirits on
Commandements of my Heavenly Father and so these foure first Commandements or first Table of the Law of God Psal 119.101.128 and to refrain from every sinwhatsoever Quest 49. What is the finall cause or chiefe ends at which your soule doth or ought to aime at in this your obedience Ans The prime and chiefe end is the glorifying of God 1 Cor. 6.20 1 Cor. 10.31 1 Pet. 2.9 1 John 5.10 11 12. my God and Father in Christ And the next the Declaration of my love and thankfulnesse to the Lord my God and to shew forth his praises who called me out of darknesse to light and hath freely given me life eternall and everlasting salvation in Christ Jesus The Thirty two Classis or company of Questions Question 1. YOu have profitably and plainely endevoured to declare the duties commaded and the sinnes forbidden in the first Table of the Law of God and held them forth as a light to the feete of Gods Saints by the helpe of the spirit of Christ And in the performance of our Duties and Declaration of our more immediate love unto our God in Christ Now what I pray you do you call the second Table of the Law of God and what are the Commandemtnts comprehended in this second Table what light from Christ to teach this Ans This second Table is that which holdeth forth rules for the manifestation of our love to our Neighbour Mat. â—2 38 39 40. in and for God as our selves and these Rules are comprehended in the six last Commandements of the Decalogue or ten words of Gods Minde to his people Ex. 34.28 Quest 2. What then you doe conceive to be the generall duties of this second Taeble of the Law Ans That which the Lord Christ and the spirit of Christ in the Prophets Mat. 22.39 Levit. 19.18 Rom. 13.8 9. and Apostles holdeth forth unto us namely to love our Neighbour as our selves Quest 3. What is the sinne contrary to this duty of loving our Neighbour as our selves Ans Not to do as we would be done be done by Mat. 7.12 Levit. 19.17 18. Isai 58.7 or instead of love to hate our Neighbour and to hide our selves from our own flesh Quest 4. You say the Lord requireth that we should love our Neighbours as our selves Therefore it seemeth to mee that the Lord requireth his child to love himselfe Now what is this love of a mans selfe according to which hee ought to love his Neighhour Ans Certainly the Lord doth require that a man should in a right manner love himselfe Mâ—t. 22 37 38 39. Phâ—l 2.12 Eph. 5.29 and this love of a man towards himselfe is that love wherewith a Believer should in and for and after God love his owne soule and body in seeking the temporall and eternall good of both for Gods glory and his owne eternall happinesse and salvation Quest 5. What are sinnes contrary to this true and right ordered love of a Man or Womans selfe Ans There are diverse sins contrary to a right and true love of a mans self first a perverse and wicked hatred of Mans selfe Acts 18.6 either of a Mans soule and body by an obstinate rejecting of grace and meanes of grace or willfull Rebellion against God or hatred of his body and life by a Mans desperate rejecting and refusing the meanes of preserving the body and health and life of it or by a desparate destroying of the body and life by any meanes whatsoever An example of this I have seen in divers who in strength and violence of Satans temptations or a kinde of frensie and braine distemper have utterly rejected meanes of comfort some for the soule some for the body some for both as Francis Spira did in Germany after his fall from the Gospell History of Francis Spirra to subscribe to Popery continuing in that sad condition to the day of his death I say nothing of Ahitophel and Iudas 2 Sam. 17.23 Mat. 27.5 who wickedly destroyed themselves contrary to the sixt Commandement of which I shall speak in its place Quest 6. What is a second sinne contrary to the true love of a mans selfe Ans Philauty or corrupt and inordinate love of a mans selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either above God which is a wicked Idolatrous love making an Idoll of a mans selfe and setting up an Idoll in his heart and preferring that above God 2 Tim. 3.2 Or to be so inebriated and drunk with selfe love as to admire onely himselfe and turne his affections of love wholy into himselfe as that Misanthropâ—s who hated every man but himselfe â— Cor. 4.14 Thirdly to love a mans selfe from and for himselfe not from and for God in Christ or from Christ Quest 7. But may there not be a good and holy hatred of a mans selfe Ans We must distinguish of a mans selfe there is a threeford selfe First a mans soule and body or person consisting of both considered in themselves as Gods creatures 1 Thess 5.23 Secondly the old Adam in a mans selfe or the corruption of soule and body by sinne Rom. 6.6 either originall or actuall that Law or power of corruption in our members rebelling against the Law of our minds or Thirdly a mans spirituall selfe or the new Adam and image of Christ in the soule the regenerate part Galat. 5.14 the spirit that fighteth against the flesh Now to hate the first of these selfe our soule or body or person is against nature Ephes 5.29 no man ought to hate himselfe though he may loose himselfe for Christ which is love and no hatred And to hate the third the selfe of grace or grace of Christ in a mans selfe The life of grace in us this is against grace this self must be loved and cherished by all means in and through Christ But for the second selfe spoken of namely our corrupt old Adam in us our body of sinne Coloss 3.5 This ought to be hated as the enemy of the well being both of soule and bodie for ever Job 42.6 as Iob abhorred himself and Paul chastised his body and the converted People of God loathed themselves as they were loathsome to God in their sinnefull corruption Ezek. 36.31 Quest 8. You have satisfied mee in this question how a man ought to love and not to love himselfe now what say you in generall of the love of our Neighbour before we come to the Commandements in particular Ans I have described that in generall before That we must love our neighbour in God and for God as our selves Quest 9. Who is our Neighbour towards whom we ought to exercise our Christian love and Charity Ans All that stand in neede of our helpe or love whether they be our own kindred or strangers Luk. 10.36 37. 1 Tim. 5.8 Mat. 5.48 Prov. 25.21 Galat. 6.10 yea our very enemies and especially the household of faith but
they and every of you making your Calling and Election sure you may gain a sweet entrance here and in the end a full possession and fruition of that everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ which to further is the earnest desire and endeavour of Yours ever to serve you in Christ Iesus IMMANUEL BOURN May 2. 1646. TO THE READER A Briefe Table and Catalogue of the chiefe Questions Cases of Conscience and Divine Truths handled in this light from Christ or Jewell of Christian Divinity With a direction to make use both of the greater and lesser Catechismes in private Families or secret Closets or in publike Congregations if any please to make tryall of them These according to the severall Classes wherein they are primarily expressed or where more fully they are explained Classis 1. WHether all be bound in conscience to declare their knowledge and professe Qu. 1. p. 1 2 2. their faith in Christ when to whom and for what end this ought to bee done Quest 2. page 3. 4. Whether the use of Catechizing bee ancient in the Church with the necessity and benefit of it and the lamentable ignorance in the Kingdom Qu. 3. p. 7 8 c. Whether all Baptized persons bee true Christians and to be admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Qu. 4. p. 14. c. Whether all who are to be admitted to the preaching of the word may also be received to the Sacrament Qu. 5. p. 21. c. Whether in mixt congregations the sins of unworthy Receivers can hinder grace from the worthy and how such communion is lawfull how not Qu. 6. p. 24 c. What requisite graces are in the wedding garment to meet Christ in the Sacracrament antecedent antepresent present acting and subsequent graces Qu. 7. p. 27 28. What kinde of knowledge faith Repentance and Charity are to be enlivened in preparation Classis 2. Qu. 1 p. 27 28 c. WHether a fourefold knowledge of God 2 of our selves 3 of Christ 4 of the Sacrament be requisite in a Receiver what these are and wherefore necessary What God is in his nature Qu. 2. p. 29 c. and in his attributes communicable and incommunicable to the creatures Whether there be three distinct persons of the Divine Essence Qu. 3. p. 33 34 c. and the properties evidencing the Divinity of the Son of God of the Spirit as of God the Father and the Son Classis 3. WHether there be any such spirituall Essence Qu. 1. p. 38 c. and this proved by evidences of light from the Booke of nature and of Scripture of grace and of glory Classis 4. WHether the holy Scriptures be the revealed will and infallible word of God what is the antiquity Qu. 1. p. 47 48 c. necessity and authority of them How to know the right sence Qu. 2. p. 50 51 c. and understanding of the Scriptures and whether the authority of Scriptures depend upon the Church with the excellent use of them Cassis 5. Qu. 1. p. 58 c. WHat are the foure great works of God revealed in Scripture namely his eternall decree his worke of creation his work of providence here and worke of glory hereafter Qu. 2. p. 62 63 c. Whether the whole Trinity did create the world and how God made the body and soule of man Whether the soules of men or women be immortall with divers arguments to prove the immortality of the soule Classis 6. Qu. 1. p. 70. 71 c. VVHether God governeth the world by his providence and in particular Angells and men and of the nature of Angells good and evill and their service to the glory of God and benefit of his Church Classis 7. VVHether a fourefold knowledge of a man or womans selfe be requisite Qu. 1. p. 76 77 c. what hee or shee was by creation what by the fall of Adam what in and by Christ in grace and what he or she shall be in state of glory Classis 8. VVHether men or women have free will Qu. 1. p. 84 c. and what it was in the state of creation 2 Of nature corrupted after the fall 3 what it was in the state of grace and 4 what it shall be in the state of glory Whether a naturall man or woman can desire their own salvation and how far Qu. 2. p. 89. 90. and whether they be bound to waite upon God in the use of the means for salvation Classis 9. VVHether the Lord did hold forth the Law or commanding part of Gods word in mount Sinai Qu. 1. p. 91 c. as a covenant of workes or to what end and wherefore Christ and his Apostles doe interpret the mind of God in the commmanding part of his word and what is the use of it in the Church of Christ in preaching of the Gospell Qu. 2. p. 98 c. Qu. 3. p. 100 101 c. What is the covenant of grace and state of Gods children under the Gospel What shall be the condition and state of Gods children and of the wicked in death at the day of judgement and for every afterwards Classis 10. Qu. 1. p. 105 106 c. WHat is to be knowne of Christ in respect of his natures divines and humane and of his hypostaticall or personall union of both natures and the necessity of his being both God and man for our salvation How there is a communication of the Jdioms or Phrases and properties of both natures each to other Qu. 2.114 115 c. with particular instances of the same Classis 11. Qu. 1. p. 116 c. WHat is the threefold office of Christ in particular of his Priestly office and of the two chiefe parts of it First satisfactitn to Gods Justices Secondly intercession for us Whether the whole satisfaction and sufferings for our sinnes was fulfilled by Christ Qu. 2. p. 118 c. and for what end Gods is pleased to afflict and suffer his children to be afflicted in this life Classis 12. WHat is the propheticall office of Christ Qu. 1. p. 12 122 c. how and when he did and doth exercise it and to what end and how by his Gospell-ministrey and spirit he encourageth and draweth poore sinners to come unto him Believe Repent and he saved What is the kingly office of Christ Qu. 2. p. 139 130. when and how hee did and doth manifest his conquering calling power with his speciall calling and ordination of Ministers for the benefit of his Church Whether every man may take upon him the office of Preaching with the manner of callings necessity Qu. 3. p. 130 131 c. and excellency of the Ministeriall office and the sad miseries would follow in the Church if it were abolished Classis 13. Qu. 1. p. 134 135 c. VVHether Christ hath procured excellent graces
he had once a year with his Neighbours at Easter received the Sacrament for many years together Example 2 The like ignorance I found in a manner in one W. D. an ancient man also and one that had thought himself worldly wise I asked him who died for him and that in a loving familiar way as willing to instruct him He Answered me The Son of God dyed for him I was glad to hear his answer but demanding of him again if he did know what this Son of God was that dyed for him he pointed his hand towards the Sun then shining in the Firmament it being about two a clock in the Afternoon and said Look yonder in the Son of God that dyed for me blessed might he be It grieved me then to see his lamentable ignorance which by that Answer and further Questions I found to be in him I might give more Examples of the like And such I conceive sin in coming to the Sacrament though neither for scandall of life nor for this ignorance they be judged worthy to be Excommunicate from the word Preached Quest 5. Truly I am of your minde for this notorious ignorance and for all such us are not able to Examine themselves But what think you of those who are otherwise Scandalous Ans There are too many Baptized persons Baptized in Childhood now of ripe years called by some visible christians whom St. Paul calls enemies to Christ Phil. 3.18.19 1 Cor. 5.9 10 12. 2 Ioh. 10.11 1 Cor. 1.11 2 Cor. 2.9.10 who are openly and notoriously scandalous ignorant prophane impenitent and unreformed with such as these are every true Christian ought as much as is possible to avoid all familiarity or intimate acquaintance except to convert them and much more all willing Communion with them at the Lords Table And therefore certainly Catechismes and Catechizing is very necessary that both knowledge and holinesse may be held forth as to the former so to such as these and examination or tryall be made 1 Cor. 11.28 29. both by themselves and others before they presume to come to the Supper of the Lord. Quest 6. Were there any in the Primitive times of the Church who were converted to Christianity that were kept back for a time from the Sacrament Ans In the Primitive times some who were converted extraordinarily upon profession of their Faith in Christ and desire they were Baptized First Thus was the Eunuch Acts 8.37 Acts 8. Secondly Thus was Cornelius and his company after the holy Ghost had given a publike evidence of their conversion and true Faith in Christ admitted to Baptisme Acts 10.44 45. 46 c. Acts 8.18 19 20. 21 c. 1 Tim. 1.19 20. 3 Ioh. 9.10 1 Cor. 5. Phil. 3.17 18 19. Heb. 6.4 4 6 c. Heb. 10.24 25 26 c. Thirdly Some were converted only to an outward profession of the Faith amongst whom were many hypocrites Baptized at the first and these it may be were admitted to the Lords Supper untill they were discerned But so soon as they were discerned and known notice was taken of them as such who were fit to be cast out and their Communion avoided for their wickednesse and hypocrisie Thus Simon Magus Hymeneus Alexander Diotrephes Demas and such like some of which fell for a time and were restored some fell to Heresie and Apostacy and perished in their sins Quest 7. Do you read of any difference of Christians made afterwards in the Church or were all that were converted to an outward profession of the Faith admitted the Sacraments promiscuously without any difference Ans Certainly no They were not admitted to the Sacrament For in processe of time when the Church did finde that many joyned themselves to the Christians and made a profession of the Faith as true Believers which after fell away As before noted 1 Tim. 1.26 30. 2 Pet. 2.14 15 20. some to Heresies some to scandalous lives and some to Paganisme again The Saints did not presently then upon the first seeming conversion or profession of themselves to believe admit men or women so much as to Baptisme much lesse to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper but had a time of tryall and preparation for so great a work Therefore Writers relate there were severall orders of Christians in the Church of Christ Quest 8. Which were these severall Orders of Christians in the Church Ans First some were only Catechumenes Isidorus Origen lib. 14. Catechumenus dictus qui Doctrinam fidei audit nec dum tamen Baptismum percepit hearers and learners of the Doctrine of the Gospel by Catechizing as well as Preaching yea though they were men of ripe years untill they were able to make a good profession of their Faith and give evidence of their sincere conversion and resolution to persevere by Gods Grace unto their lives end Quest 9. Have you read of any particular persons who were such Catechumens in the Church Ans First such a Catechumen was Ambrose Sozomen Histor Ecclesias l. 6. c. 24. when he was chosen Bishop or Overseer of the Church of Millaine the state of the Church so requiring by reason of Schismes and Heresies then springing up Eccles Hist Gent. 4. cap. 10. Cent. 5. cap. 10. Secondly such a Catechumen was Augustine after he was converted from a Maniche to be a Christian and did write divers Books before he was Baptized by St. Ambrose Arnobius Adversus Gentes lib. 7. Thirdly such a Catechumen was Arnobius who when he saw he was deferred Baptisme because the Disciples feared least being an eloquent man if he should revolt to Paganisme he might prophanely abuse that holy Sacrament Therefore he wrote an excellent Book against the Gentiles to evidence the truth of his profession and constancy in the Faith of Christ 2. Again there was a second Order or Degree of Christians and these were such Catechumens or Catechized persons who when they were well tryed and proved or examined and approved Socrates Eccl. hist l. 7. c 17. came to desire Baptisme and were called Competitors or Fellow-Catechumens desiring Baptisme which when they received they were arrayed in white Robes In liturgi Chrisostomi as History relates And neither of these were yet received to the Lords Supper untill they were baptized and approved by the Church Quest 10. What were the third Order of Christians in those times Ans They were called the Faithfull and these were such Believers or Beleeving Christians who after they were baptized Socrates Eccl. hist l. 7. c. 17. had made profession proof of their faith were admitted to the Lords Table and had Communion with their fellow-Saints in that holy Ordinance and so were all fellow members of the mysticall Body of Christ And in the first Primitive times of the Apostles and Church after Christ 1 Cor. 12.27 Acts 5.32 these Believers were together and were of one heart and of one soul a sweet example of unity for
do without sin for these and the like reasons First when the incestuous person was suffered in the Church of Corinth 2 Cor. 5.1 c. 1.10.11 3.2 3 4 those Saints who no doubt were offended did not presently separate from the Church but rather informed the Apostle of that as of other failings that there might be a Reformation rather then a separation in the Church Secondly the Apostle doth not write to the Corinthians or other Churches Rom. 16.17 18 1 Cor. 5.14 to separate one from another but to beware of self-divisions and to cast out from amongst them that wicked person whom after upon his repentance he ordered to be restored again 2 Cor. â— 6 7 8. Thirdly although the Lord commands his people to separate and come out from Babilon and from wicked Idolators Rev. 18.4 2 Cor. 6.15 c. and promiseth a blessing yet the Lord doth not require Saints to separate from Saints or leave a Church for some particular failings and it may be but for a time a Church of Christ may remain a Church though there be found some failings witnesse the Churches of Christ in the Primitive times Rev. 2.4.14 3.2 3. And if separation should be for every failing there would be no end of separation amongst some till no Church could be found and all must be Zion-seekers indeed which must needs be a scandall to those which are without and cause the worthy Name of Christ to be ill spoken of as our lamentable divisions do at this day Rom. 2.24 Iam. 2.7 Eph. 4.1 2.3 4. to the great grief of Gods people Saints therefore must pray for and seek unity in the Church But howsoever that the Church may fail Saints not sin in not separating Yet it is certain that ignorant or scandalous persons eat judgement though not to others yet to themselves 1 Cor. ii 28 29. And therefore Catechizing is necessary in the Church Quest 19. What then is required of such â—ersons as desire to meet Christ to have â—ommunion with Christ and to partake of Christs Soul-cherishing vertue in the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11 28. Exod. 12.47 48. Num. 9.1 2 c. Ans To Examine themselves whether they be rightly prepared and then to eat of that bread and drink of that cup. Quest 20. When is a man or woman rightly prepared to meet Christ in that holy Ordinance Ans When he or she is cloathed upon with that wedding garment without which we cannot be welcome to that Feast of the Lord Mat. 22.12 As in that Feast so it is in this Feast of the Lord Christ Quest 21. What is that Wedding garment Ans Iesus Christ with his merits righteousnesse Ioh. 1.16 and living graces applied infused or wrought by Christs Spirit in our souls Quest 22. But why must we be prepared with such graces before we come to the Lords Table 2 Tim. 1.6 Is 64.7 Ans Because they are to be actuated stirred up quickened and enlivened if we will meet Christ to our comfort As a man must examine himself 2 Cor. 13.5 so here Grace is before hand to be Examined Quest 23. Wherefore do you call Christ a Garment Ans Gal. 3.27 Rom. 13.14 Because as many as have been baptized into Christ have and do put on Christ Quest 24. How is Christ put on Or when are men and women cloathed upon with the Lord Jesus as with a garment Ans When by the work of Christs Spirit upon our souls we believe and see Act. 2.37 Acts 16.29 30. Ioh. 1.11.11 12. Isa 61.10 Gal. 3.27 and finde and feel in our consciences our sin bondage and misery by sin and our extream need of Christ and by the eye and hand of Faith see and receive and rest or Christ as our only surety Saviour and remedy and so are and may be assured we are the children of God and cloathed upon with Christs robes of Righteousnesse as with a garment Quest 25. What are these living Graces which a Christian should wear and put on as a garment and the habits of which are to be examined stirred up and enlivened when we thus meet the Lord Jesus Ans As Aarons holy garments were made up of divers materials and variety of colours of gold and blew and purple scarlet Exo. 28.4 5. Psal 45.13 14. Ezek. 16.10 c. and fine linnen curiously imbroydered So this christian garment is interwoven with variety of Graces or gracious dispositions and ornaments of the soul but chiefly with four sorts Quest 26. Which are those four sorts of Graces the habits of which must he examined and enlivened that we may come with comfort to this blessed Sacrament Ans First Antecedent Primitive foregoing Graces to be examined stirred up and enlivened before we come to this holy Sacrament Secondly Antepresent or â—ore immediate foregoing Graces and gâ—acious affections and resolutions in the soul to be stirred up exercised and enlivened immediatly before and when we draw near to the act of receiving Thirdly present acting Graces and sanctified affections operations and spirituall senses of the soul together with our bodily senses to be stirred up enlivened and exercised at the Sacrament and in the act of receiving as of the Elements of Bread and Wine bodily so of the body and blood of Christ inwardly and spiritually in our souls Fourthly Subsequent living Graces to be examined and exercised after the Sacrament for the constant improvement of Christs vertue received in that holy Ordinance both when we return home and all the dayes of our lives Quest 27. What or how many are those habitual Graces to be examined and quickned before we come to this blessed Sacrament Ans They are in my minde chiefly these four 1. A Divine knowledge 2. A lively Faith 3. Evangelical repentance 4. Christian charity The second Classis or Company of Questions 1 Question WHat or how manifold is that Divine knowledge requirâ—d the habit of which must be examined and enlivened before we come to the Sacrament Ans A fourfold knowledge 1. Of God 2. Of our selves 3. Of Christ 4. Of the Sacrament Quest 2. Why is this Divine knowledge so necessary 2 Cor. 11.27 c. Hos 4.6 act 17.30 Luk. 10.41 42. Zeph. 1.6 Heb. 2.3 Iob. 21.14 Prov 1.29 30. Ans Because ignorant persons are unworthy receivers not able to examine themselves or discern the Lords body especially such as those that might learn and be Catechized and neglect the means of knowledge or That are wilfully ignorant that refuse knowledge and instruction Quest 3. Wherefore is a lively Faith so necessary Heb. 11.6 4.2 Ans Because without Faith it is impossible to please God in any duty or to feed on Christ and his vertue in the Sacrament Quest 4. For what cause is Evangelical Repentance requisite Ans Because the presence service and sacrifice of unregenerate impenitent persons are abominable before God Isa 1.12 13 c.
to himself infallibility of Judgement and certainty of power to Interpret Scripture Nor speaking in the breast of a private man who can boast of the Spirit and of strange Revelations sometimes contrary to the Scriptures But by the Spirit speaking in the Scriptures out of the Text and Context of Scriptures out of the Antecedents and Consequents and scope of the holy ghost searching Scriptures and comparing one place of Scripture with another Ioh. 5.39 waiting on Christ in prayer and use of other means before mentioned for a right understanding of the sense of the holy Ghost held forth in the sacred Scriptures for our instruction and comfort for the spirit is not given to guide men contrary but according to the holy Scripture Gal. 1.8 9. which are the voyce of the spirit of God for our good And whatsoever spirit speaketh contrary to the Scriptures Isa 8.20 cannot be the spirit of God Quest 21. What use then is to be made of the holy Scriptures Ans In all cases of doubt to search the Scriptures Ioh. 5.39 2 Pet. 1.19 20. and take heed to the spirit speaking in the Scriptures untill the daylight of truth dawn and day-star of truth arise in our souls to see truth from falshood and error The fifth Classis or Company of Questions 1 Question VVHat are the works of God revealed in the Scriptures Or what ought a Christian to know out of the holy Scriptures concerning Gods works that he may come with more comfort to the Lords Table Ans Chiefly four 1. Gods Decree 2. His work of Creation And 3. His work of Providence here And 4. His work of glory in the world to come in the Kingdom of God in heaven Quest 2. What is the work of Gods Decree Ans It is Gods eternall counsell and the unchangable act of his most holy will by which as the only wise just holy eternall perfect powerfull and great God he hath set down with himself from all Eternity to do or suffer to be done whatsoever hath been is or shall be with the means and ends of all namely his own glory in the manifestation of his Iustice upon the wicked and of his mercy and goodnesse to his Church and Children Job 38.33 Ps 33.10 11. Prov. 19.24 Isa 43.13 and 46.10 and 44.24 25. Eph. 1.11 Amos 3.6 Matth. 11.25.26 Prov. 16.4 Psal 37.9 10 11. and 119.71 Acts 2.23 and 2.27 28. Quest 3. Wherein doth God manifest this work of his Eternall Decree Isa 46.9 10. Acts 14.16 c. Rom. 1.20 1 Tim. 5.21 Eph. 1.3 4 5. Rom. 8.19 30. Jude 4. Ans By holding forth to us in Scripture as his counsell of creating and ordering all things in generall so his works or acts of his election and reprobation both of Angels and Men in particular Quest 4. But if there be such a Decree of Election and Reprobation then what good is it for men to strive or wait in use of means after Faith holinesse or good works or to flye from sin and wickednesse since none but the Elect are saved and the Reprobate damned Mat. 20.1 2 c. 2 Tim. 2.24 c. 2 Thes 2 10 c. 2 Tim. 2.9 10. Col. 1.16 c. Luk. 13.24 c. Acts 24.14 c. 26.17 c. Rom. 9.22 c. 11.28 c. Iob 11.7 8 c. Rev. 15.3 4 5 6. Ans Great reason that every one should wait on Christ in the way and means of Salvation because no one can know in this life that he is reprobate though he be wicked since God may give him Faith and Repentance before he dye And whom God hath Elected to the end life Eternall he also hath Elected to the means the way of life Eternall namely the true knowledge of Christ true Faith Repentance and holinesse Gods Decrees and Acts being alwayes just although his wayes be sometimes like himself unsearchable Quest 5. What is the work of Gods Creation Ans That glorious act in and by which God made the World and all things therein Angels and Men and other Creatures in six dayes very good by his wisdom Almighty power and word for his own glory Gen. 1. and 2. Exod. 20.11 and 31 17. Heb. 11.23 2 Pet. 3.3 4 5. Gen 1.31 Eccles 7.29 1 Cor. 8.6 Jer. 10.12 Prov. 16.4 Quest 6. By which Person of the Trinity was the World Created Ans By the whole Trinity Gen. i. 12. Ioh. 1.12 1 Cor. 1.4 5. Col. 1.13 c. Elohim those three strong ones he created heaven and earth God the Father in and by God the Son and God the holy ghost Quest 7. What were the principall Creatures which God did make in those six dayes Ans First Angels And secondly Mankinde then in the loins of our first Parents Adam and Eve Quest 8. What kinde of Creatures are the Angels Ans The Angels are Created very good finite invisible intellectuall Col. i. i6 Psa 104. Heb. 1.7 Psa 138.1.2 c. Luk. 20.86 2 Thes 1.7 Luk. 2.13 24. immortall Spirits or Spirituall substances without bodies flesh or bones quick in motion ready and able to do the will of God speedily and powerfully to Gods glorie and the good of his Church Quest 9. What kinde of Creature did God make man Ans An admirable Creature both in respect of his soul and body Quest 10. How was his body made Ans His body was made of the dust of the earth as a little world Gen. 2.2.7 3.10 Eccles 12.7 with wonderfull workmanship in the curious frame thereof in all his inward parts Iob 4.19 Psal 139. Iob 10.9 10 11. Psal 8.4 5 c. with veins arteries sinews ligaments and bones all admirable for number nature and frame with glorious outward beauty comlinesse and Majesty as Lord over all inferior Creatures and all as by the finger and power of God himself Quest 11. How was the soul of man Created Ans A living immortall soul or breath of life Gen. 2.7 1 Cor. 15.45 Iob 27.3 33.4 Iâ—â— 139.13 c. Heb. 12.9 Zach. 12.1 was breathed into the created bodies of Adam and Eve by God the Father of Spirits and so man became a reasonable living substance at first by Creation and Mankinde hath since been continued by generation wonderfully and fearfully made God forming the never dying Spirit of man within him Quest 12. But what evidence is there that the soul of man is immortall and dyeth not with the body as the spirits or breath of Bruit Beasts Have not some men been of this opinion Ans It is true that prophane Atheisticall men and wanderers from the truth have been of that minde as those fools of whom we read in the Book of Wisdom who thought the breath in their nostrills was a smoke Wisd 2.1 2 3. and a little spark in the moving of their hearts which being extinguished the body should turn into ashes and the Spirit vanish into soft or moist Air.
and Iudgement to come These evidence plainly an immortality of the soul whatsoever foolish vain man can think or imagine to the contrary Quest 21. What is a last Reason you please to produce from Scripture to prove the souls immortality Ans The longings of the Saints to be dissolved and to be with Christ as blessed Paul did Phil. 1.23 I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is far better This certainly the Apostle did intend of this being with Christ in his soul when his body was dead and therefore did verily believe the immortality of the soul and a hope of happinesse when this life is ended Rev. 14.13 1 Cor. 15.19 otherwise Gods people were of all men most miserable when as the holy Ghost pronounceth them blessed that die in the Lord Therefore without doubt our souls are immortall Quest 22. What use is to be made of all this Ans To teach all men to prize their immortall souls above all the world Mat. 16.26 For what is a man profited if he shall win the whole world and lose his own soul Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul And who will not most willingly wait upon Christ in the Gospel that he may be drawn in to receive Christ for the Eternall salvation of his soul The sixth Classis or Company of Questions 1 Question VVHat is the work of Gods Providence as of the world in generall so of Angels and men in particular Ans That excellent government by which God doth wisely justly and graciously preserve rule and order the world provides for all and disposeth of all things therein even the afflictions of his own people for his own glory and the good of his Children Gen. 22.8.13 45.5 1 King 17.1 c. Iob 48.41 Psal 36.6 7. Prov. 15.3 Mat. 10.29 30 31. 1 Tim. 4.10 Rom. 8.28 Psal 119.67 71. Heb. 12.6 7 8. Quest 2. What is the work of Gods Providence concerning Angels or their service in respect to his Children or to the wicked Ps 104.4 Heb. 1.14 Ps 34.8 91.10 11. 2 Kings 6.16 17 19.35 Ans They are all ministring Spirits sent forth for their sakes that are heires of Salvation yea for preservation of Saints destruction of the wicked both in this life and at the day of Iudgement Luk. 24.23 Mat. 13.41 42. 25.30.31 Quest 3. What else is the office of the Elect Angels Ans They are glorious attendants on Gods Majesty in heaven Dan. 7.9 Luk. 2.13 14. Rev. 5.11 12. Psa 103.20 2 Pet 2.11 Isa 6.23 delightfully singing forth his praises and readily waiting at all times to do his pleasure Quest 4. How long have the Angels been provided to do God service Or when did God make them for his ministration Ans The certain day of their Creation is not expressed in the holy Scriptures Gen. 1.2 3. Iob 38.4 5 6 7. Mat. 24.30 But it is most likely they were Created the first day when the Heavens were made wherein they dwell the Angels being witnesses at the Creation of the earth and rejoycing at the excellency of Gods works at the beginning Quest 5. How many Angels did God make for this service in the beginning Ans The certain number is not revealed in Scriptures Dan. 7.10 Mat. 26.53 Heb. 12.22 but it is evidently held forth that God hath Thousand thousands of Angels and Ten thousand times ten thousand legions and miriades yea an innumerable company to attend upon his Majesty and do him service Quest 6. In what state and condition did God create the Angels Ans They were all very good Gen. 1.31 perfect in holinesse and righteousnesse Lu. 9.26 Iob 1.8 Act. 6.15 2 Cor. 11.14 Iob 39 7. Heb. 12.9 pure and glorious Spirits Angels of light after the likenesse of God their Father Quest 7. Are the Angels all alike in nature Ans In respect of their nature they are all alike holy Spirits Mar 4.11 Iude v. 9. Isa 6.2 Ezek. 10.1 2. Col. 1.16 c. Eph. 1.20 c. Mal. 3.1 2 3. but in respect of their offices objects and services about which they are conversant they are held forth in Scripture by divers names titles and degrees as Angels Archangels Seraphins Cherubims and the like but the head of all is Christ the Angel of the Covenant Quest 8. How is the Lord Christ the head of the Angels Hâ— 8.12.22 c. Iohn 1.1 2 3. 1 Cor. 8.6 Col. 1.16 c. Eph. 1.20 c. Phil. 2. 1 Tim. 5.21 Heb. 1.2 c. Ans Not as a head as Mediator of or by Redemption as he is to men for the Elect Angels never fell But as head or supreme by Creation Conservation and Confirmation in that state of happinesse and purity in which they were first Created Christ the Eternall Son of God upholding all things and being highly exâ—lted above all things as head of the Church and of all the Sons of God Angels and men Quest 9. Have the Angels any care of or respect unto men in particular Ans They are ready at Gods charge for preservation of Saints they desire their good and rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner and delightfully look into the mystery of mans Redemption being ready to oppose the Devils and all enemies and to carry the souls of Saints departing into Abrahams bosome that Paradise of heaven to be with Christ for ever Psal 91.11 12. Dan. 10.13 21. Zach. 1.12 13. Joh. 5.4 Luke 15.10 1 Pet. 1.10 c. Eph. 3.8 9 10. Zach. 3.1.2 Acts 12.7 8. Rev. 12.7 c. Gen. 32.2 Mat. 18.10 Luke 26.22 and 23.43 Quest 10. Are Angels to be worshipped or prayed unto Ans No by no means Iudg. 13.16 Zac. 13.7 Rev. 19.20 22.1 9. Heb. 1.4 c. It is a sacrifice and service which belongeth to God himself and to that God-man Christ the Angel of the Covenant who is Gods fellow and this worship is an honour which the Angels themselves have refused to accept Quest 11. Mat. 33.1 2 3. Gen. 19.1.20 31 11 c. 34.24 c. 48.15 16. But did not the Patriarchs bow and pray to Angels and Iacob in particular Gen. 48.16 Ans That was the Angel of the Covenant the Lord Christ the second Person in Trinity who appeared to Jacob and other Patriarchs Heb. 11.18 Isa 41.8 Col. 2.18 and so worship was and is due to him but not to any Created Angel whatsoever Quest 12. What profit is this knowledge of Angels to the Saints and Servants of God Gen. 31.2 2 King 6.16 19.35 Mat. 26.53 44. Psal 68.17 Ans Of great profit and comfort that we may know the greatnesse of Gods love and care for his Church that if all the wicked men and Devils in the world do conspire against Gods Children yet besides Gods own infinite power God hath created Armies of mighty Angels to preserve his Saints and to destroy the wicked
God is said to purchase the Church with his own blood which blood was ascribed to Christ-God not as God but as the Son of Man Thus you see the properties of both natures are ascribed each to other by this union Thirdly So in the 1 Tim. 2.5 there is one God and one Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Iesus That office of Mediatorship is ascribed to the Manhood which is common to both natures God and Man The eleventh Classis or Company of Questions 1 Question YOu have Answered concerning the natures and Person of Christ Now what is to be known concerning Christs Offices that we may come with more comfort to the Lords Table Heb. 12.24 1 Tim. 2.5 Psal 110.1 2. Deut. 18.18 19. Psal 2.6 Luk. 1.32 33. Rev. 19.16 Ans That the Lord Christ is the Mediator of the new Covenant the eternall high Priest the eternall high Prophet and the eternall King of his Church Quest 2. What are the principle parts or acts of Christs Priestly office Ans Chiefly two First as a holy and perfect Mediator Advocate and High Priest of God not only Originally in his holy nature and Actually in his life to keep the whole Law and fulfill all righteousnesse but passively in his death and passion as our surety to satisfie the wrath of God and drink the bitter Cup for our Redemption Heb. 12.24 and 3.1 Luke 1.35 1 John 2.1 2. Mat. 5.17 and 3.15 Isa 53.5 6. 1 Pet. 2.21 c. Mat. 26.38 39. Col. 1.23 Gal. 3.13 Rom. 5.10 Quest 3. But how could Christ dye and as a surety and by his death and passion make satisfaction to Gods Iustice for our sins since he was God and man in one Person and God cannot dye Rom. 13.4 4.25 Heb. 2 1 c. Ans As he was Man he dyed for our sins and by the power of his Godhead he rose again for our Justification Quest 4. But since Christs death and passion were temporall only and but for a short time How could that satisfie the Iustice of God due to our sins and free us from torments both of soul and body which should have been Eternall Ans The sufferings of Christ in his death ahd passion Isa 53.2 c. 63.2 3 Lam. 1.12 Gal. 3.13 14. 1 Pet. 2.23 24. Mat. 26.38 39. 26.48 42. 6.74 75. 27.20 c. Luk. 22.41 c. 23.46 Acts 20.28 Mat. 17.5 1 Thes 1.10 were not only great and bitter none like as in bearing the heavy burden of our sins both in his body and soul with the anguish of Spirit in sense of the wrath of God and curse due to our sins witnessed in his Agony his bloody sweat his desire that bitter Cup might passe from him and that dolefull cry of Gods forsaking him But above all the dignity of his Person being God and Man united by a Personall union this made his merit of so unmeasurable a vertue that it was price sufficient to satisfie for a world of sinners to please God the Father free them from wrath to come and procure for them Eternall life Quest 5. But is not Christ then inferior to the Father being thus united to our humane nature and subject to such a passion for us to be our Mediator Ans Though Christ be Gods fellow and one with the Father as he is God the second Person in Trinity yet as Man Zac. 13.7 Ioh. 10.30 and Mediator between God and Men thus humbling himself Ioh. 14.28 Phil. 3.6 and suffering for our sin he is inferior to his Father though he be Mediator as God and Man Quest 6. Are Christs sufferings so great and of such value that we need not further to satisfie Gods Iustice for our sins neither in this life nor after our death and departure hence Ans The whole sufferings and satisfaction for our sins was performed and endured and finished by Christ perfectly in his death and passion once for all so that there is no more for Gods Children to suffer to satisfie the Iustice of God either in this life or after God the Father being fully well pleased in Christ and his blood cleansing us from all our sins Heb. 10.7 c. Ioh. 19.28 c. Col. 2.13 Mat. 3.7 Rom. 8.12 1 Ioh. 5.8 9 10. and 1.7 Luke 16.23 and 23.43 Rev. 14.13 Quest 7. If Christ hath satisfied fully Wherefore then are Gods faithfull servants subject to so many sufferings and miseries both inward and outward in this life Acts 14 22. 1 Cor. 15.19 2 Cor. 6.4 5 6. 1 Cor. 4.9 c. 2 Cor. 11.24 c. Isa 53.10 11. Dan. 9.24 Eph. 2.8 Ans Of all the sufferings of the Saints not any for satisfaction of Gods Iustice for sin for that is satisfied fully already in Christ and God is well pleased Mat. 17.5 Heb. 10.4 c. Tit. 3.5 Rom. 3.24 25. 1 Pet. 2.24 Rom. 8.18 nor are all the sufferings of this life worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed But the Lord afflicts and suffers his Children to be afflicted for other ends Quest 8. For what ends or causes doth the Lord afflict or cause his Children to be afflicted or suffer them many times to lose their estates and lives by tyrants and wicked persecutors as Rom. 8.35 36 37 Ans First God doth this sometimes that his Children may be Martyrs and witnesses to testifie the truth of God and the Gospel for the greater condemnation of the wicked and the glory of the Saints which God freely giveth them whom he pleaseth to honour with the Crown of Martyrdome Thus Abel the first Martyr before Christ Gen. 4.8 Thus Steven that great Martyr after Christ Acts 7.55 c. and 5.41 and 22.17 c. Quest 9. What is the second end why God suffers his Chrildren to be oppressed Ans Sometimes God doth let wicked tyrants and ungodly men go on in oppression 1 Kings 21.29 Rom. 2.17 Mat. 23.34 c. Rev. 6.10 c. for the greater manifestation of his Iustice in requiring all the blood of his servants by some fearfull Iudgements upon such bloody men and women Quest 10. What is the third end why God afflicts or suffers his Children to be afflicted since their sins are satisfied for by Christ Micah 6.8 9 Deut. 1.23 Gen. 35.1 2 3. Iudg. 2.21 22. Iob. 1.42 Gen. 27.24 28. Psal 119.71 Heb. 12.11 2 Cor. 15.14.15 Rom. 8.28 8.17 1 Pet. 4.13 Ans Sometimes God doth it to teach his Children to walk more humbly with God or more carefully and circumspectly in his wayes or to renew our Covenant of Reformation or for exercise and tryall of Fair and Patience or other graces or to fit and prepare them better for other conditions of life for which he intends them or to make them more sensible of punishment which sin deserveth or which Christ hath suffered for their sins that they may prize and love Christ more but alwayes afflictions
Rev. 2.10 2 Tim. 4.8 c. Mat. 16.16 c. an acceptation of our person and all our services in this life and an assurance of the crown of Righteousnesse and glory in heaven with perseverance in grace and protection from men and Devils here and preservation to that heavenly Kingdom and Salvation These and many more are the rich blessings Christ hath purchased and God the Father given to his Church in Christ Jesus Quest 25. But what is this Church and people for whom the Lord Christ hath procured and to whom he communicates so many excellent benefits both of grace and glory Ans * Eph 1.4 5 6 7. Act. 20.28 Mat. 1 21. Rom. 8.29 30. 1 Pet. 1.4 5. 2 Tim. 4.7 8 18. 2 Cor. 5.1 2 8. Phil 1.23 Rev. 14.13 1 Thes 4.16 17. The Church of God is that company of people who are Gods chosen ones whom Christ hath purchased with his own blood saved from their sins in time calleth justifieth sanctifieth and preserveth here in grace in a condition Militant and in the end translateth to glory in and to an estate Triumphant in the heavens for ever Quest 26. Is there a communion of Saints or of this Church and people of God 1 Cor. 12.12 c. 1 Ioh. 1.3 Eph 4.3 c. Gal. 3.27 c. Ans Yes certainly true believers are united as one Body in Christ their Head and have a sweet union and communion with God the Father and with the Lord Jesus Christ and one with another in Christ in all these rich benefits procured by Christ for their souls and bodies and their happinesse for ever Quest 27. Who is the Head of the Church Ans The Lord Christ himself who was exalted up on high Eph. 1.20 c. Phil. 2.9 10. Eph. 4.15 16. Mat. 28.18 when he was raised from the Dead by the working of Gods mighty power and set at Gods right hand far above all principalities and power and every name in heaven and earth and appointed him to be the Head over all things to the Church all power being given unto Christ in heaven and in earth Quest 28. Is there but one Head of the Church 1 Cor. 12.12 27. 1 Thes 2.3 4 Ans Certainly no as Christs Church is one mystical Body so it hath but one mystical Head Christ himself to have two Heads ascribed to the Church were to make it a Monster Therefore the Pope or whosoever taketh upon him to be Head of the Church is not a friend of Christ but Antichrist Quest 29. Rev. 17.14 1 Cor. 12.27 c. Eph. 4.12 Heb. 1.1 c. Eph. 1.22 23. Heb. 12.22 Re 19.10 Who are the Members of Christs Church Ans All who are truly called and chosen and faithful believers and children of believers Elected in Christ yea the Elect Angels themselves in some respect are the Members of this Church of Christ he being exalted to be Head both of Angels and Men. Quest 30. How manifold is the Church of Christ Ans The Church of Christ is one Body of which Christ is the Head Gal. 3.28 Eph. 4 4. Can 6.8 Ioh. 10.16 one Dove one Flock as there is one Shepheard the Lord Jesus But in divers respects it hath divers names ascribed unto it 1. It is called Catholike or Universal Gal. 3.28 Heb. 12.23 Rev. 2. 3. as it relates to the children of God in all Ages and places of the world yea in heaven as well as in earth 2. It is called Particular as it relates to particular Countreys and Congregations believing in Christ and professing the Gospel Act. 2.41 2 Tim. 2.19 Eph. 6.11 Mat. 25.34 3. It is called visible as it relates to the open professors of the Faith 4. It is called invisible as it respects the Elect chiefly known to God himself 5. It is called Militanâ— as it is warring on Earth And 6. Triumphant as they are conquerours in the Kingdom of Heaven Quest 31. What are the marks of the Church Mat. 28.19 20. Act. 2.42 1 Cor. 11.23 c. 2 Thes 2.13 Ans First the outward marks are two The pure Preaching of the Word of God and right Administration of the Sacraments Secondly the inward are Faith and holinesse as the way to happinesse Quest 32. How are the keys of Jurisdiction or Discipline to be ordered in the Church Mat. 16.19 Ioh. 20.23 Mat. 18.15 c. 1 Cor. 5.5 16.22 2 Cor. 2.7 8 Ans According as Christ hath set down in the Scriptures to Gods glory and good of his Church Quest 33. You have briefly spoken of the true Church and true Members of the Church Gods Elect known to God But doth every visible National or particular Congregation of men professing themselves to be a Church of Christ consist only of such true Members without Hypocrites or false Christians in name not in truth Ans Certainly we do not read of any National Church visible but had or might seem to have some Hypocrites in it some false Brethren some who after they were admitted or taken as Members in the judgement of the Church proved erroneous in judgement and fell to Errors and Heresies or scandalous in life and fell to prophanenesse until they were discovered and Excommunicated or Schismatically rent themselves from that true Church and Congregation wherein they were as the Churches of Corinth Rev. 2.12 c. 1 Ioh. 2.18 19. of Galatia Ephesus Pergamos and other Churches since the Apostles times and History of Churches witnesse at large Quest 34. Are there so many absolute independent Churches of Christ as there are particular Churches or Congregations truly professing Christ and enjoying the Word and Sacraments in truth throughout the Christian World Ans Verely the Church of Christ is but one as we proved before Eph. 4.2 3 4. 4.1 5 16. and this one Catholique or Universal Church is depending upon Christ the Head whose Body the Church is and every particular true Church called Congregational Classical Provincial or National or by any other name is a Member of this Universal Church or Mystical body of Christ the Head 1 Cor. 12.21 c. and as no Member of the Body of man or woman is absolute and independent of itself but all the Members stand in need one of another are to submit one to another in love and duty and to be helpful one to another for the good of the whole Body So I humbly conceive it is and ought to be with the Churches of Christ 1 Cor. 12.20 Eph. 5.25 26 Act. 20.28 who are many Members yet but one Church which he hath loved and given himself for and purchased with his own blood and as no Church ought to be tyrannical or have a tyrannical power over another so no particular Member Church is or ought to be so independent 1 Cor. 12.25 c. but that the Member Churches should have the same care one for another that there be no Schisme
Doctrine in that 1 Cor. 7.14 15 16. noted already Quest 19. But what outward means is there then to separate and distinguish these truly from the world when these come to years of discretion Ans I have answered this Question in part too already I now adde Not to be Baptized again as some are in these dayes as if that had power of it self to convey an inward Grace or communicate the holy Ghost or to make and evidence them to be true Disciples as some dream For certainly men may be outwardly Baptized and made outside Disciples and have outward common gifts of knowledge utterance to professe the Faith of Christ and be Rebaptized and yet be but Hypocrites and no true Disciples nor Teachers Rom. 2.28 29. as were many in the Primitive times and too many amongst our selves Quest 20. What outward means then will suffice Children Baptized when they come to years of discretion to evidence them without Rebaptizing as far as any outward badge can do to be true Christians separated from the world and approved of as Members of the Church of Christ and of the Congregation of Saints Ans first a professiō of total resigning thēselves to Christ with a right preparation in themselves with gifts of Grace from Christ outward and inward evidencing the truth of their knowledge Faith and Regeneration or new conversion unto God in Christ so far as can be discerned by the Church in Christian charity Secondly a right Examination of them and their knowledge Faith and other Graces to this end with admission of them by the Church or Ministers and Elders of the Church to the Lords Supper after Examination and sufficient proof and approbation aforesaid Thirdly their joyning with the Church in that Sacrament of Establishment and confirmation of their Faith in Christ and communion with the Saints of the most high in Profession of Faith and holinesse Fourthly and lastly their Religious walking in all holinesse and good works according to their callings manifesting their Christian thankfulnesse to God for his Free-grace in Christ to Gods glory the good of Gods Church and joy of their own souls in Christ Iesus These may suffice to evidence and approve them Christians without Rebaptization or separation of themselves from the publike Preaching of the Gospel Heb. 10.22 c. and communion of Saints as the manner of some is Quest 21. What profit or comfort can there come by Baptizing of Infants Ans First It may be a comfort to the Parents in this assurance that their Children are within the Covenant of Promise when as Infidel can have no such assurance of their Children that they might praise God for such goodnes And Secondly Great profit to their Children themselves for their Instruction when they come to years of discretion what Covenant they are ingaged in by Baptism to be Gods Children and have as Children in Covenant with God in Christ right to many Prerogatives which Infidels have not no nor their Children Quest 22. What is the end and use of this Sacrament of Baptism Ans To set forth and seal First Our ingrafting into Christ as Rom. 11.17 18. 6.4 c. Secondly And our union and communion with Christ and his Church 1 Cor. 12.12 13 27. Thirdly Our putting on of Christ and Righteousnesse in graces Gal. 3.27 Fourthly To hold forth our inward washing in Christ blood partaking in the vertue of Christs death and Resurrection Rom. 6.3 4 c. Fifthly Our assurance of Repentance and remission of sins Acts 22.16 Sixthly Our Adoption to be Gods children Gal. 3.24 4.4 5. Seventhly Assurance of Eternal life when this life is ended 1 Pet. 1.9 Gal. 3.20.29 Rom. 4.11 Quest 23. But should not children be Dipped over head and ears the whole body in the Water as some thinks Iohn Baptized in Iordan and as Papists did use to Baptize their children Ans It is not the outward dipping or washing that clenseth away sin but the vertue of the blood of Christ And we read no absolute command of Baptizing in a River or washing the whole body in water nor do we believe the Iaylor and his houshold Baptized at midnight went forth to a River to be dipped all over It is sufficient to Baptize or wash part as Christ said to Peter in washing the Disciples feet He that is washed needs not have to wash his feet but is clean every whit For if Christ wash any part of the soul or body with his blood he washeth the whole man Ioh. i. 7 Rev. 5.6 Ioh. 13.8 9 10. Heb. 12.24 it needs then save to Baptize or wash the head or face of a man woman or childe with water in Baptism That may suffice to seal our Spiritual washing with the blood of Sprinkling which speaks better things then did the blood of Abel Quest 24. What say you of the Popish custom of Dipping the whole body of the childe all over in water three times First in the Name of the Father Secondly in the Name of the Son Thirdly in the Name of the holy Ghost Ans It is evident to me that they rested too much in the work done and outward action Christ giving no command for such a threefold baptizing of the body and I conceive the like of baptism of some Adversarie to Poedobaptism in a River too much magnifying the manner of the outward action of their Baptizing of their whole body of their Rebaptized Disciples For which kinde of Baptizing the whole Body or Baptizing in a River Mat. 28.19 Christ gives no word of command that we finde in Scripture in the Institution of Baptism Quest 25. You have held forth divers grounds from the Word of God to shew the lawfulnesse of Baptizing the chil-of Believing Parents But I desire the resolution of another doubt Do you believe I pray you that there is such a necessity of Baptizing children that if they die without Baptism they are damned or go to Limbo as the Papists dream and too many Popishly affected amongst us Ans I answer I believe Baptism is not a thing indifferent to be used or not used at pleasure but it is necessary to be used of Christians according to the Institution of Christ Mat. 28.20 And if it cannot be obtained by men of ripe years converted or for children of Believers yet it is to be sought for and desired in a right and due manner with the Word adjoyned unto it not resting on Baptism but on Christ for Salvation And yet I do not believe that outward baptism makes a Christians soul Gal. 6.15 or Baptism to be so absolutly necessary to Salvation or the Grace of God in Christ to be so tied unto the Sacrament that those who desire it and die without it cannot be saved or that they go into some Limbo and not into Heaven as Papists and ignorant people have dreamed Or that believing Parents should be so troubled for their children dying without Baptism as if they were
is ascribed to Christ Ans A Sacramental body and so the bread and wine in the Sacrament Mat. 26.26 c. 1 Cor. 12.24 c. are the body of Christ which doth signifie represent and seal the vertue of the Natural body and blood of Christ crucified not to all but to all true Believers and this outward visible Sacramental body is received by the bodily outward hands and mouth of all communicants true Believers and Hypocrites who come to the Lords Table Quest 9. But is this Sacramental body the Bread and Wine in the Sacrament any thing available for their goods who come unprepared and receive that and no more Ans No certainly this is not profitable but hurtful to the souls 1 Cor. 11.28 c. Mat 22.11 c. because they want the Wedding-Garment and eat and drink Iudgement to themselves not being able to examine themselues or to discern rightly or partake Spiritually of the Natural or Spiritual body of Christ Quest 10. How can you call a body Spiritual Ans The Apostle calls the glorified body of the Saints Spiritual bodyes because they are endued with Spiritual qualities of glory 1 Cor. 15.44 Rom. 6.6 7.24 Col. 2.16 17. mortality as sin and death is compated to a body in respect of Natural corruption or sinful qualities and mortality so likewise the rich graces and spiritual benefits of the life of Christ communicated and sealed in the Sacrament may be called a Spiritual body as a whole body of spiritual heavenly graces bestowed upon faithful receivers thus Christ and his graces are a body of grace received by the faithful Quest 11. What do you call a spritual body of Christ Ans This is the third kinde of body a vertual or spiritual body comprehending all the power life vertue merits and benefits which do arise from the passion crucifying of the natural body shedding of the natural blood of Christ with his Resurrection and Ascention for the good and benefit of Gods Church and people held forth sealed and exhibited in the Lords Supper and received not by the hand and mouth of the body but of the soul and enjoyed only by the faithful communicant and such as are rightly prepared for this sacred feast of the Lord 1 Cor. 10.3 4 16. Phil. 3.10 11. Gal. 2.20 3.1 Christ held forth in the Word and Sacraments as crucified before our eyes and Spiritually communicated 1 Cor. 10.16 Quest 12. What is the fourth and last kinde of body attributed to Christ and how do the Saints partake of or receive an union or communion with that or assurance of it in this Sacrament Ans This fourth and last is the mystical body of Christ Rom. 12.45 1 Cor. 12 13 c. 10.16 17. Eph. 2.16 3.4 5. 4.12 Col. 3.14 15. Heb. 12.22 c. 1 Ioh. 1.3 7. the Church and people of God the Members of that body of which Christ is the head And a more full union and communion with which body the Saints do receive and partake of when in the Sacrament as in a communion of Saints rightly and spiritually not by mouth of the body but by faith they partake of Christ and have this union and communion of Saints sealed and assured in this Sacrament Quest 13. You have declared your knowledge concerning the author and matter of this Sacrament Now what is the form of it Ans The form of communicating in this Sacrament is likewise twofold outward and inward Quest 14. What is the outward form or manner of celebrating or partaking of and in this Sacrament of the Lords Supper Ans The external or outward form in this Sacrament Mat. 26.26 27. 1 Cor. 10.16 11.23 c. Isa 42.3 c. 53.10 c. is first the whole Sacramental word of Christs Institution the blessing or consecrating of the bread and wine the command of receiving eating and drinking of the outward Elements and especially the Promise and Covenant of Grace Christ and all his benefits promised held forth and sealed to the faithful in this Sacrament Quest 15. What it the second part of the outward form or manner of celebration to be observed Ans The Sacramental actions of breaking bread Mat. 26.26 Luke 22. powring out of wine the distribution of bread and wine to and for the communicants and their receiving of of them by the hand eating of them by the body as Sacramental signifying sealing exhibiting communicating and applying signs and symbols of all inward grace given to the faithful and received by them in this Sacrament Quest 16. What is the inward form of or in this Sacrament of the Lords Supper Ans The internal or inward form is the analogy union and presence not local but vertual Sacramental and Spiritual of the outward signes and the things signifi'd the one representing and answering the other as the face doth answer a face in a glasse the outward signes being exhibited by the Minister of Christ and the things signifieth the light and warmth and soul-cherished vertue and nourishment of the life of grace from Christ given and communicated and applyed by that Sun of righteousnesse Christ and Christ his spirit at the same time to the faithful in the Sacrament as the Sun in the firmament doth its vertue of light and warmth to us or as the outward Elements of bread and wine do their vertue and refreshing 1 Cor. 10.16 to nourish the life of nature in man or woman that receive them in the Sacrament Quest 17. What Analogy proportion likenesse or agreement is there between the signes and the things signified First between the Bread and the Body of Christ to set forth and seal the benefits unto us Ans First as the bread corn of wheat is threshed with a flail or beaten with a staffe bruised ground in the Mill and baked in an oven with fire to make bread for our bodyes Isa 28.28 53.5 6 1 Cor. 9.10 so was Christ threshed with a flail and beaten with a staffe and ground in the Mill and baked in the fiery oven of his passion and of the wrath of God that he by his vertue and merits might be heavenly bread for our souls and bodyes to nourish us to life Eternal Quest 18. What is a second resemblance Ans Secondly as the bread is comfortable strength and nourishment for a hungry body for life of nature Psa 104.15 Ioh. 6.48 c. so the body of Christ and vertue of his merits in sweet nourishment for hungry true believers to nourish the life of grace in them to life Eternal Quest 19. What is a third agreement or resemblance 1 Cor. i0 16 Ans As the bread in the Sacrament is made of many corns and one bread is distributed to many and many partake of one bread so doth it set forth our union and communion with Christ and one with another we that are many are one body in Christ and all partake of that one
heavenly bread Christ for our everlasting comfort The eighteenth Classis or Company of Questions 1 Question VVHat analogy resemblance or similitude and fitnesse of agreement is there between the wine and the blood of Christ in the Sacrament Ans First Gen. 49.11 Deut. 32.14 Isa 63.2 c. Iohn 15.1 5. Luke 22.42 c. Mat. 27.24 c. as the wine is made of the blood of Grapes pressed and strained in the winepresse for the benefit of men and women so the blood of Christ was pressed out in the winepresse of the wrath of God which Christ did endure in his most bitter agony and passion for our Redemption Quest 2. What is a second resemblance and analogy between Wine and the Blood of Christ Ans As wine when it is drunken doth â—â—rm the stomack Psal 104.15 Prov. 3.6 Psal 119.13 Ier. 16.7 Mat. 26.27 c. Acts 10.28 Col. 1.10 Heb. 12.24 Iohn 1.7 Rev. 1.5 6. 5.8 c. chear up the spirits and make glad the hearts of men and women in times of sorrow as a cup of consolation of old time yea doth quicken and strengthen to labour and duty so likewise the blood of Christ received and drunken by faith doth by Christs vertue and merits warm the life of grace in the soul in assuring remission of sins purchased with his blood cherish comfort and quiet the soul and make it able and ready to every good work to the glory of God in Christ good of his Church and joy of our own hearts Quest 3. What is a third analogy or simulitude between Wine and the Blood of Christ 1. Cor. 10.3 Mat. 26.27 1 Cor. 12.4 Gal. 3.27 28. Eph. 4.3 c. Ans As many Grapes pressed together make but one wine and all that receive the Sacrament drink of one and the same blood and juice of the Grape as of the cup so all the vertue of the passion of Christ his active and passive obedience to his Fathers will for us makes one cup of precious blood for the faithful to drink and all the faithful drink of the same blood of Christ as of one cup of love to signifie and seal our union and communion with Christ and one with another in love as all made one in Christ Iesus Quest 4. Now what kinde of union and presence is this between the signes and the things signified if it be not a corporal and local union and presence Ans First for the union between the signes and the things signified though there he not a corporal or local or place union yet it is not an imaginary but a true Spiritual relation and union by vertue of which and of the Covenant of Grace in Christ the things signified are really and truly communicated to all them that lawfully and rightly partake of the outward signes in this Sacrament 1 Cor. 10.16 Quest 5. How is there a presence of the thing signified with the signes if there be not a local presence or that the things signified be not present in place with the outward signes either by way of Transubstantiation the Bread and Wine turned into the Natural Body of Christ as Papists or of Consubstantiation or of the Natural body in or under Bread and Wine as some others have imagined Ans There is a fourfold manner of presence in and by which one thing may be said to be present with another which being rightly observed a man may easily see how Christ and things signified are and may be said to be united and present to the outward signes in the Sacrament and to Believers that partake of them Quest 6. What is the first of these Heb. 2.14 Luke 24.38 c. Mat. 28.6 Acts 3.20 21. 1 Cor. 8.17 12.13 27. Ans The first a local or place-presence a bodily presence in a place as a man is present in a house as Christ was in the Temple or the Sun in the Firmament or the like and with this presence Christ may be said to be present not bodily but in respect of his Divine Person and Spirit by which he is alwayes present with his to the end of the world yet not by the presence of his Natural body either by Transubstantiation or turning the bread and wine by vertue of the Priests words of consecration into the Natural body and blood of Christ as the Papists or by Consubstantiation as if in or under the bread and wine the Natural body and blood of Christ were contained as some Lutherans have affirmed Christs Natural body though glorified being finite like ours and cannot be in multitudes of places and persons at the same moment of time But indeed is in heaven and there to continue till the day of Iudgement yet present by spiritual union with us as we are Members of his Body Quest 7. What is the second manner in which one thing may be said to be present in or with another Ans By a Sacramental sâ—mbolical Gal. 13.1 1 Cor. â—0 16 or figurative presence when a thing is represented to the minde of a man by some outward signe as a thing is represented by a word or a voyce or a man to the sight by a Picture And thus Sacramentally Christs true natural body and bloud are present as represented to the eye of the soul the minde of a believer by the outward signe of Bread and Wine in the Sacrament Quest 8. What is the third manner of presence Ans The third is a spiritual presence Heb 11 i 1 Cor. 10.3 4 5. Ioh. 8.56 when we represent a spiritual thing not present as present to and with us by Faith as faithful Abraham by the eye of Faith did see Christ day many hundred yeers before Christ was born or as by a prospective Glasse we do bring the body of the Sun or Moon or of a Star far off to be neer and as it were present to the eies of our bodies and thus Christs natural Body and Blood his passion death resurrection ascension and all his benefits are present to our souls and bodies by Faith to our joy and comfort Quest 9. What is the fourth kinde of presence in and by which one thing may be said to be present in or with another Ans This is a virtual presence when that which is distant and far off in place Mat. 28.20 Mat. 18.20 1 Cor. 10.16 is by the virtue power and efficacie present to and with us for our comfort and nourishment as the Sun in the firmament is far off in place and yet the vertue the light and warm'th of the Sun is present with us here on the earth to direct revive quicken nourish and cherish the creatures yea men and women whom experience teacheth to be refreshed by it And thus vertually Christ is present yea his natural Body and Blood whole Christ and his vertue present for the nourishment of true believers and their assurance of eternal salvation by Christ sealed in this Sacrament Quest 10.
You have explained and held forth the Author Matter and Form of the Sacrament now what is your knowledge concerning the Vse Benefit and End of the Sacrament to faithful and right Communicants Ans The Ends Use and Benefits of this Sacrament are divers for the unspeakable benefit of faithful receivers Quest 11. What is a first End Ans First to seal and confirm the Covenant and promise of Gods free Grace in Christ Mat. 26.26 27. 1 Cor. 11.23 c. to our souls with Christs vertue and merits and all the benefits which Christ hath procured for us in his Passion Death Resurrection Ascention yea his whole active and passive obedience to his Fathers will as our Surety with his whole Humiliation and Glorification as mediator between God and us all sealed in this Sacrament Quest 12. What is a second End Ans On our part to renew and seal our mutual Covenant of thankfulnesse Rom. 12.1.2 2 Cor. 5.14 15. Psal 116.12 Psal 119.105 and obedience to our God and Father again in and by the vertue and power of Christ to be manifested in our lives according to that light of his will revealed by his Word and Spirit to our souls from Christ our chief Prophet and director in the way to happinesse Quest 13. What is a third End of this Sacrament of the Lords Supper Ans To hold forth Christ by remembring and shewing the Lords death until he come for the strengthening of our Faith and refreshing of our souls in the lively representation of Christs love to us Ioh. 15.13 1 Cor. 11.24 c. giving his body to be crucified and his blood to be shed for our sins evidently held forth in the sacramental breaking of the Bread powring out of the Wine seen by the eye of the body as the inward graces are by the faithful eye of the soul in every Communicant Quest 14. What is the fourth End and Benefit of this Sacrament Ans It is a sealing and confirming 2 Cor. 8.9 Eph. 3.8 Ioh. 6.56 1 Cor. 1.9 Ioh. 17.20 Eph. 3.8 16 c. 1 Cor. 6.15 Col. 3.2 3. 1 Cor. 12.12 13. First of our union and communion with God in Christ and of our right and title to all the riches and treasures of Christs Kingdom of Grace and glory And secondly of our union and communion one with another in Christ and with the whole Church of God as fellow members of the same mystical body of which Christ our Lord and Saviour is the head for the comfort and benefit of his Church Quest 15. Are there no other Ends of this Sacrament Ans Yes their are divers other ends and uses As Acts 2.46 47. First the profession of our Faith that we are Christians not Iews Turks or Infidels Secondly the profession of our love unity Acts 2.46 47. and charity one towards and with one another Thirdly 1 Cor. 11.17 18. Ephes 9.3 4 5. the conservation of our fellowship and communion with Saints Fourthly Our strengthening of all graces in us by participation and meditation of Christ held forth in this Ordinance in all times of temptations and divers other ends and uses but the former are principle in this Sacrament John 6.32 33 34 35 50 51. The ninteenth Classis or Company of Questions 1 Question YOu have declared your knowledge concerning the Author matter form and end of this Sacrament now what do you know concerning the outward circumstances of partaking of this Sacrament time place and gestures What light have you from Christ for these Answ I do not finde that the Lord Christ hath directly and expresly commanded any set time place or gesture when where and in what manner of gesture sitting or kneeling or standing we should receive the Sacrament But the Spirit of Christ in his holy Apostle Paul hath held forth two general Rules 1 Cor. 14.40 and 11.34 Col. 2.5 Rom. 14.17 18 19. 1 Cor. 10.23 and 14.25 Rom. 14.1 2 c. and 15.1 2. First That all things should be done according to decency and order And secondly That all be done to edification Quest 2. But may not the consciences of Gods children be ordered and bound up to particulars in these things Ans I am perswaded that no Law or Rule ought to be made to binde the tender conscience of any man or woman where the Lord Christ the chief teacher doth not binde nor ought any liberty of conscience be given where the Lord Iesus Christ giveth no liberty But all Churches ought to be content if they cannot agree in circumstance and ceremony yet lovingly to agree in matters of substance which Christ hath plainly holden forth unto his Church in the holy Scriptures Quest 3. But may not Christian liberty be used in these things which are onely circumstantial in this Sacrament Ans Yes Christian liberty may be used in these things Rom. 14.1 2 c. and 15.1 2 3. Gal. 6.1 2 3. and the stronger ought not to tyrannize over the conscience of the weaker brother or sister but to bear one anothers burden and so fulfil the Law of Christ yea the stronger brethren and the Elders of the Church ought in all love and tendernesse to endevour the instruction of the weaker and to inform the judgement rather then by force upon the outward man to compel the conscience Quest 4. But may not the weak Christians absolutely and peremptorily use what circumstances they please Ans The weak ought in all humility to seek information of judgement and satisfaction in scrupulous or tender doubtful cases of conscience that if it be possible he or she may conform to the Directory of that particular Church Eph. 4.1 2 3. Psal 133.1 c. of which he or she is a member or if not to behave themselves humbly peaceably and Christian like rather then to break or endanger the breaking of the bond of unity amity and uniformity in that Church wherein God in his providence calls them to partake in this holy Ordinance Quest 5. Verily I do desire to conform my self to the Order and Directory of that Church and Congregation where I live and I long often to meet Christ in this holy Ordinance But I have some doubts trouble me in the present Directory for giving and receiving the bread and wine at the Lords Table And first I am not satisfied upon what ground the gesture of kneeling so much pressed formerly as if it had been a matter of absolute necessity is now changed into a Table gesture of sitting about or at the Lords Table Ans To satisfie you in this I desire you first to consider that the gesture of kneeling at the Sacrament hath no example much lesse any command either in Old or New Testament Search the Scriptures and you can finde none and so no binding necessity can presse the continuance of it The real presence bodily advanced by Pope Innocent about 1215. Secondly If you read all the History of the Church
they were not true Ministers of the Gospel because ordained by a Bishop and a company of Presbyters according to the ancient practise of the Church Secondly I say the Ministers of Christ have had a twofold vocation or calling to that office Acts 20.18 18. and 13.1 2 3. 1 T t .4.14 First extraordinary by Christ Himself as the Apostle and Saint Paul had And Secondly more ordinarily by the Apostles and Elders of the Church and by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery as the Scripture held forth unto us as Paul left Titus Tit. 1.3 4. Act. 20 2â— Bishop Titus or overseer Titus as Saint Paul calleth the Bishops or Elders of Ephesus far different from our late Bishops or overseers in many respects the manner commonly by laying on of hands of Presbyters and a Bishop or overseer not as a Bishop of later stamp but as a Presbyter and overseer of old have Ministers of Christ been ordained and after ordination sent and received of particular Churches And howsoever some corruptions have crept into the manner of Ordination and although some ordained Presbyters have turned Popes and Popish Bishops and some Popish Bishops with a company of Presbyters have examined approved and ordained Ministers and given outward Ordination and Authority to preach the Gospel yet this cannot nullifie the call of a Minister of Christ if he be called and gifted inwardly and inabled by Christs spirit with gifts fit for the ministerial office as all the outward calling and approbation by a particular Congregation maketh not an illiterate cobler or other mechanick to be a true Minister of Christ when Christ hath not furnished him with gifts and graces fit for so high and honourable a calling Thirdly We who are Ministers of Christ receive not our calling from Antichrist but from Christ and our Ordination for substance is truly Christian not Antichristian Howsoever some Antichristianly affected might sometimes have had a hand in Ordination the Gospel of Christ hath been conveyed to Reformed Churches yea to separate congregations themselves to such as separate themselves from Babylon it may be by the hands and means of Romish Babylon God hath made the servants of Antichrist to be his servants in this that they have been porters and carriers to bring the holy Scriptures unto the Reformed Churches by the hands of glorious Reformers in the Churches of Christ and yet the Scriptures are the true Word of God and the true Gospel of Jesus Christ for all this And so are our Ministers true Ministers of Christ though their outward Ordination had been carried through the polluted hands of some Antichristianly affected Bishops and Presbyters who did sit in place as Scribes and Pharisees did sit in Moses chair But we say further Mat. 23.1 2 3. as God did extraordinarily call and gifted the Apostles and Ministers in the Primitive times and they ordained others in the Church whose Ministery the Lord did blesse for the propagation of the Gospel So did the Lord wonderfully stir up and in an extraordinary manner call Luther Calvin and others in the Reformed Churches And so Reverend Bishop Cranmer Ridley Latimer and other godly Martyrs Bishops and Ministers of Christ by whose hand their successors the faithful Ministers in the Churches of Christ in England received their outward ordination but their inward from Christ himself and his spirit by whose grace the Lord hath made our Ministery glorious in the conversion of many thousand souls to God and building up of as glorious Saints as any ever was in the Christian world since the Primitive times yea even the Separatists themselves 1 Cor. 4 15. who now deny us to be the true Ministers of Jesus Christ must needs confesse that we have been their spiritual Fathers in Christ and have begotten them again to God through the Gospel yea Gal. 4.19 we as tender Mothers have travelled in birth again in our painful Ministery until Christ hath been formed in them all though now in a most ingrateful manner they dishonour their parents and sin against Christ the Lord of his Church Quest 43. This I suppose is sufficient to satisfie any humbled soul not filled too much with pride self-conceit and the spirit of division and separation as too many are in these dayes But yet some object That howsoever Ministers outward approbation and ordination may be passed over and they be lawful Ministers yet what lawful call have they to particular Congregations and places Ans I answer Patrons of Churches and congregations were and have been honoured and trusted with the nomination and presentation of Ministers to particular Churches but so as none ought to have been put upon any congregation but such as ought to have been well approved of by the Bishop who had a trust reposed in him also for sufficiency and ability for the work of the Ministery and for holinesse of life and and conversation which when and where the trust was rightly performed and the Ministers have been faithful labourers in the Lords harvest and after admission approved of by the faithful and godly party in a Parochial Congregation certainly there was a call sufficient and a sufficient union and form of union between Pastor and people to make up in this respect a true Church of Christ Secondly Howsoever this trust both in Patrons and Bishops hath been most grosly abused by corrupt Simoniacal Patrons most unconscionably seeking to thrust wicked Ministers they cared not whom upon the people and carelesse Bishops neglecting that trust reposed in them yet the failings herein was not enough to un-church a Church where yet the Gospel hath been preached and Sacraments administred for substance according to the institution of Christ though here as in Corinth Galatia and Jerusalem many faults might be found to stand in need of Reformation And howsoever no face of a Church might for a time appear 1 Kin. i9 14 Ier. 3.15 as in Jerusalem for a time yet God in many places have given Pastors after his own heart to feed his people with knowledge and understanding and where the Candlestick hath been removed for a time or at least a Candle shut up as in a dark lanthorn God at prayers of his people hath removed a carelesse shepherd and in his due time restored comfort in a faithful Minister to his people and so still continued and preserved the Churches of Christ amongst us yea both for matter and form sufficient to constitute a Church howsoever there hath been some failings in both Quest 44. You have in some measure cleared this Objection Yet how are our Churches rightly constituted in respect of a formal union of members one with another Ans I conceive there is a twofold union First a civil union as in division of Kingdoms Provinces Cities or Parishes And as God hath in this providence united men in habitation and course Act. 17.26 and means of livelyhood God having determined the times before appointed
knowledge and till the face of my soul shine and be glorified with those glorious apprehensions of God in the face of Jesus Christ which are accompanied with joy unspeakable and full of glory The three and twentieth Classis or company of Questions 1 Question HOw may a Christian man or woman enliven the knowledge of himself that he or she may come fitly to the holy Sacrament Ans Having in the same manner first made choice of fit time And secondly place or at the same time and place Thirdly he or she may by the power of Christ examine his knowledge of himself and mankinde Gen. 1.27 and 1.31 and 28. Eccl. 7.29 First in respect of his estate by creation righteous and good Secondly of his state of corruption sin and death by Adams fall Gen. 6.5 Eccl. 7.29 Eph. 2.1 2 3. Col. 1.12 13 14. and 2.6 7. Mat. 5.8 and 19.29 Luk. 22.9 22.30 Rev. 7.14 and his or her misery and bondage under it a woful estate Thirdly of his state of Grace and bringing some to God in Christ in his effectual vocation or calling from the thraldom of sin and death by the Gospel and spirit of Christ Fourthly of state of glory looked for in Heaven Quest 2. What is the fourth means or how in the next place is this knowledge of a mans self to be quickened Ans By meditation and thinking of this fourfold estate First of Creation Secondly of the Fall Thirdly of Grace And fourthly of glory until my heart be truly and rightly affected with the consideration of it by the power of Christ and his spirit First till I can lament my fall and losse of Gods Image in my soul Psal 51.1 c. Rom. 10.7 8. Eph. 2.1 2 3. Mat. 5 2 8 6 5 2 Secondly till I can see and feel in my heart my natural corruption and bondage under sin and Satan yea my subjection by sin to the wrath of God and damnation for sin and my extreme need of Christ both for my redemption and repair of the Image of God in my soul Thirdly Rom. 8.12 Phil. 4.11 c. Eph. 5. i 2. 1 Cor. 2.9 2 Thes 2.13 2 Cor. 5.1 c. Phil. 1.20 c. 2 Pet. 1.10 11. Gen 1.27 31. Eccl. 7.29 Eph. 2.3 Mark 9.44 till I be affected with the state of Grace as a happy condition being freed from the condemning and commanding power of sin and death and enjoying a lively power from Christ to walk thankfully in grace and holinesse towards glory Fourthly till my heart be affected and ravished with thoughts of Heaven longing and labouring for the assurance of that most glorious and blessed state of glory and all this not by any strength of my own but by the vertue and power of Christ in my soul Quest 3. What is the fifth means of enlivening this knowledge in your own soul in special for your joyful meeting Christ in this Ordinance Ans Application of my knowledge of every state and condition to my own soul in particular First that I was made holy and happy in Gods own Image very good Secondly that I lost that happy estate and became most miserable under the bondage of sin and Satan and subject to the wrath of God and Hell fire for ever Thirdly that I redeemed from this miserable bondage under sin and death by my Lord Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Gal. 2.20 1 Pet. 1.3 c. Eph. 1.10 c. Phil. 1.20 c. Tim. 4.7 8. Mat. 25.34 who loved me and gave himself for me Fourthly that I am perswaded there is a glorious inheritance in Heaven which God hath prepared and Christ hath purchased for me and that when I have fought my fight and finished my course the Lord shall then give it me in my soul when I shall be dissolved and be with Christ which is far better and at the resurrection of the just and unjust I shall a rise and in soul and body possesse that Kingdom of Glory for ever Quest 4. How or by what means may your knowledge of Christ be enlivened Ans First in a time fitly chosen And secondly a place for this work Thirdly examine and catechize my soul in the knowledge of Christ as he is set forth unto me in this or the like catechism or as the Lord hath revealed this knowledge of Christ unto me First in his natures Divine and humane Secondly In this personal union of both natures in one person Thirdly In his offices of mediatorship Priest Prophet and King of his Church Fourthly Ioh. 1.14 Isa 9.6 Psa 110.1 Isa 61.1 2 3. Rom. 8.29 30. Luke 1.31 Gal. 4.2 3 4. in his benefits and graces communicated as of Election Redemption Calling Justification Sanctification and Adoption to glory and the like All proved and noted before Quest 5. What is a fourth help in which you may wait on Christ for your enlivening your divine knowledge of the Lord Iesus and what light from Christ for this Answer Meditation of Christ according to my knowledge in all these untill I see Christs glory and rejoyce in Christ Psal 104 33 34. Ioh. 8.56 Isa 61.10 Can. 5.1 2 3 4. Cant. 1.2 3 4. Cant. 1.1 2 3 4. Cant. 5.8 9 10. Iohn 20.27 28 29. Rom. 8.9 Rom. 9.38 39. Galat. 2.20 and fall in love and be ravished with divine longing after a more full union and enjoyment of Christ and his rich graces and benefits in my soul Fifthly in application of Christ and his vertue and efficacy of his grace in his whole office of mediatorship as high Priest Prophet and King untill I see I live and feel the life-blood of grace and vertue from Christ in assurance of Christs love springing in my soul as I sometimes feel my life-blood springing in my body Quest 6. What is a sixt and last help of enlivening the knowledge of Christ in you Answer Waiting upon God in faithfull and fervent prayers to God in the name of Christ untill I gain an answer of grace Psal 85.8 9. Gen. 41.16 Psal 42.1 2 3. and finde and feel life from Christ to quicken graces in me that I may come with more longing to meet Christ in the Sacrament walk with Christ in my life Quest 7. How or by what means may you enliven your knowledge of the Sacrament Answer By the same meanes I may wait upon Christ as before First choose a fit time Secondly a fit place Thirdly examine my knowledge of the Sacraments especially of the Lords Supper in the severall particulars as is expressed in the Catechisme before or in the Scripture of truth of author matter form and end and the like Quest 8. What is the fourth help Fourthly to meditate of the Sacrament and Christ communicating himselfe to prepared souls untill my heart be filled with spirituall hunger and longing to meet Christ in that holy ordinance as David to come into Gods presence Psal 63.1 2 3 4. 5. or as Israel longed
after the Lord 1 Sam. 7.1 2. Quest 9. What is the fifth help Answ Application of the Sacrament to my self as a seal of the covenant of grace 1 Cor. 10 16 17. Rom. 4.11 Gal. 2.20 Rom. 9.23 24. and of my confirmation in the faith and love of God to me as my God and Father reconciled to me in Christ untill I prize it as a rich treasure and part of the riches of Christs kingdome of grace for my preparing to glory Quest 10. What is the sixth and last help Answ Prayer to God with faith in the name of Christ zeal and constancy and humble waiting untill I can understand by the help of Christs Spirit Ios 16.23 Iam. 1.6 Iam. 5.16 1 Cor. 10 1 2 3 4. 1 Cor. 10 16 Cant. 5.8 Gâ—n 30.1 Esther 5.13 Luke 22.20 1 Cor. 11 25. the excellency of this ordinance and that glorious union and communion which a prepared humble faithfull soul enjoyes with Christ feeding on Christ spiâ—itually and feasting with him at the Lords Table and untill my soul be so far sick of love for Christ that I can truly say as Rachel did of children O my God give me the holy Sacrament and to feast with Christ in it or else I dye Or as Haman did of all his riches and honours and of Hesters banquet in another kinde what is all this so long as I enjoy not Christ and banquet not with Christ at the Supper of my Lord. Quest 11. You have declared how you conceive the grace of knowledge both of God and of our selves and of Christ and of the Sacrament may be enlivened waiting on Christ in these or the like helps now how do you conceive the grace of faith may be enlivened by the power of Christ so as you may come with greater comfort to the Lords Table What light from Christ to enlighten in this work of grace Answ First time and secondly place being observed as before Thirdly I conceive I may wait on Christ in a serious examination of my faith as it is held forth before in this catechisme First distinguishing this lively faith from all other kindes Secondly examining and trying my faith 1. In the nature of it an entertaining receiving applying faith 2. In the means disposing my heart to believe 3. In the heavenly author or efficient and instrumentall causes of faith the word of promise and spirit of Christ 2 Cor. 4.13 4. In the matter and object of faith 5. In the form and life of faith 6. In the effects and fruits of faith all proved and set forth already Fourthly I may enliven my faith by waiting upon Christ in self-application of all those rules of tryall to my own heart to see how the truth of this grace is in my soul Fifthly I may wait on Christ in a solid and devout meditation of the grace of saith in my heart of the promises of Free-grace in Christ and especially the sacramentall promises now to be looked upon in the Sacrament This is my body Mat. 26.26 27. this is my blood which is given which is shed for you untill my soul findes and feeleth that it believes more firmely receiveth and rests on Christ for salvation more fully Sixthly wait on Christ in prayer to God the Father in the name of Christ Isa 11.10 Isa 66.11 1 Cor. 10 21. That I may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of consolation and feed with joy at the Lords Table Quest 12. How or in what manner may you wait on Christ to quicken and renew your Evangelical Repentance or daily turning more and more from sin to God in minde will affection and conversation that you may with more comfort come to the Lords Supper What light is there from Christ to lead you to Christ in this grace and duty Ans First Time Secondly Place observed as before Thirdly I am to set my self as in Gods presence and examine Ier. 31.18 19. First My first conversion to God to finde evidence of the truth of that by considering 1. The meritorious cause Christ 2. The Nature 3. Author And 4. Means of working this grace in my soul as far as I can discern 5. The matter of it the whole man soul and body 6. The manner And 7. The end and effects of this conversion and repentance as in this Catechism is held forth or a I finde in other Catethisms or word from Christ Ezek. 36.31 Psal 51.10 Mat. 26.57 Secondly To examine the progresse and growth of it daily in my soule not only loathing but turning from sinne to God and lamenting my fâ—â—ling with sorrow if I have fallen as David Peter or other Saints of God and ungratefully forgotten the love of my Saviouâ— Fourthly meditating of my sinnes and vile ingratitude against so good a God to me in Christ Fifthly a right application all to my own soul in particular Psa 51.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Isa 2.1 2 3. Psal 122 1 2 3 4. Cant. 1.7 8. And lastly prayer to God in the name of Christ untill I finde an increase of power over my sinfull corruptions and a more ful assurance of my pardon new heart and spirit-restored joy which that it may better be communicated from Christ to my soule I long to meet Christ in his ordinances Quest 13. But what help and light from Christ have you to finde out not only your originall sin and sinfull nature in generall before your repentance and conversion to God but you daily actuall sals an A failings by which you do dishonour God grieve the Spirit of Christ and wound your own conscience and make your self more unfit to come to the holy Sacrament Answ I conceive I may wait on Christ and his Spirit looking for light from Christ into a threefold glasse or book which reveils sins to my soul by the power and light of Christs Spirit Quest 14. What is the first Answ The first is the book of the law or commanding part of Gods will or Word revealed by Christ held forth in the ten Commandements in particular Isa 8.21 and in the whole Scriptures of God in generall Quest 15. What is the second glasse Ioh. 3.17 18 19 20. Ioh. 16 8 9. Hebr. 2.2 3. Mat. 22.1 2 3 4 5 6. 9 10 11 12. Mat. 25.19 c. Answ Secondly the book ot the Gospel or gracious promising part of Gods Word against which I have sinned by unbelief too little regard of the tender of grace to improve my talent of faith other graces communicated to Saints and to my soul in and by Christ Iesus Quest 16. What is the third glasse or light from Christ to see this truth Answ The book of my own conscience enlightned which as Register recordeth my sins and will upon search by the help of Christs Spirit and light from Christ set my sins before my face with the circumstances Rom. 2.14 15. Rom. 9.1 2. Gen.
14.22 23. the bodily ears must hear the bodily hand must receive and the bodily mouth must eat and feed on the outward Elements of Bread and Wine in the Sacrament And secondly the acts or operations of the soul or of the inward man The spiritual eye of the soul must see the ear of faith must hear the hand of faith must receive and apply Christ the mouth of faith must feed on Christ So you see there are two sorts of eyes the eys of the body the eys of the soul And two sorts of ears the ears of the body and the ears of the soul And two sorts of hands the hands of the body and the hands of the soul And two sorts of mouthes the mouth of the body and the mouth of the soul Rom. 10.6 c. Iohn 6.54 c. And so all the objects and Sacramental acts or actions at the Lords Table So by faith we spiritually feed on Christ Quest 3. Are there not two sorts of objects about which these bodily and spiritual senses are to be exercised Ans Yes there are first outward visible objects of Bread and Wine with all the audible and visible acts and operations of Christs Ministers Mat. 26.26 c. and Christs people in the several Sacramental actions and branches of the Lords Supper Secondly Inward invisible and heavenly acts of Christ and graces from Christ in the institution of this Sacrament and participation thereof presented and communicated to faithful receivers at the Lords Table and each of these corporal and spiritual answering one another in every particular object branch or Sacramental action in this sacred Ordinance in and about which the acts and operations of the soul and body and inward man are to be chiefly exercised in time of this solemn feast with the Lord Jesus Quest 4. What are these acts and operations of the soul and body thus to be exercised at the Lords Table Ans There are chiefly these three First diligent Observation of every Sacramental action and object of the soul or body The second Divine Meditation of every of them Thirdly spiritual and faithful Application of all to my own soul for my joy and comfort in this holy Ordinance Quest 5. What or how many are the Sacramental actions or objects of senses corporal or spiritual in which these senses and operations of the soul and body are to be exercised and these acts of the soul to be busied at the Lords Table Ans There are divers but chiefly these ten which follow First a Sacramental preparation of Bread and Wine on the Lords Table Secondly a Sacramental invitation to draw near to the Lords Table with eyes of body or soul when we are come rightly prepared Thirdly Sacramental Consecration first of the Bread to be received and after of the Wine to be drunk at the Lords Table Fourthly Sacramental Representation of Christs Death and Passion by breaking of the Bread and powring out of the Wine upon the Lords Table to shew the Lords death till he come Fifthly Sacramental Commemoration and doing this in memory of Christ with a thankful remembrance of Christs Death for my sins and for my salvation Sixthly Sacramental Congratulations or Christs welcom to his guests at his Table Take eat Take drink Seventhly Sacramental Foederation or Covenant-promises held forth by Christ when he took the Bread and said This is my Body and took the Cup and said This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood shed for many for remission of sins Eigthly Sacramental Participation by the mouth of the body of the outward Elements and by the mouth of faith feeding on Christ himself and his benefits to my soul Ninthly Sacramental Vnion and Communion with Christ and all his merits and benefits with my head and with the Saints as my fellow-members of the same mystical body of Christ with whom I do partake and have communion at the Lords Table Tenthly Sacramental Obsignation or sealing and communication of this spiritual union and communion with Christ and of all graces from Christ to my believing-covenanting-believing-Covenanting-soul renewing my general and particular Vows and Protestations to God in Christ as Christ reneweth and re-confirms his Covenant of grace and love to my soul in this Sacrament at the Lords Table Matthew 22.1 2 3 4. and 26.26 c. 1 Cor. 11.25 26. and 10.16 17. Quest 6 What is the first Sacramental action word or object of your bodily or spiritual sences about which the acts and operations of the soul or body are to be exercised when you are to draw near to the Lords Table Ans Sacramental invitation when the voyce of the Minister of Christ having expressed 1. The inestimable benefits communicated to the Saints in this Sacrament 2. The Author 3. The Institution 4. The ends 5. The use of it to Believers 6. The profit of it 7. The great preparation required And 8. The danger of coming unprepared 9. The solemn Admonition and Dehortation to all ignorant scandalous and prophane persons that they stand back and presume not to approach the Lords Table least they eat judgement to themselves and drink their own damnation as 1 Cor. 11.19 And 10. Invitation calling and embracing and emboldening me with all Saints truly prepared to draw neer and partake of that blessed feast which according to the institution example and command of Christ is there prepared for me and them at the Lords Table as Matthew 22.4 Quest 7. What must you do when you hear this voyce of the Minister of Christ sounding to the ears of your body and inviting you to draw near to the Lords Table Ans I should be careful by the power of Christ to wait on Christ in these three acts noted before 1. Rightly to observe and consider what is spoken by the Minister of Christ in this invitation 2. To meditate and think by the power of Christs spirit what this invitation is and what a joyful thing it is to be invited to the Table of the Lord Jesu 3. To labour by the same power of Christs spirit Psa 104.34 to apply this invitation to my own soul as to one believing and longing for refreshing from Christ to the joy and comfort of my soul and the reviving of my spirit in Christ Jesus Quest 8. How must you exercise the ear of your faith Ans In attention as if I heard the voyce of Christ from heaven Cant. 5.1 calling me spiritually to feast with him at his Table Quest 9. What is the second object or Sacramental action or object which answereth your corporal sence of Seeing in the Celebration of this holy Sacrament Ans The Sacramental preparation of the outward Elements of Bread and Wine which I see set upon the Table or made ready to be consecrated Mark 14.22 23. and set apart for that holy Ordnance when I am come to the Lords Table Quest 10. What is that spiritual sense and spiritual object which answereth the spiritual sense of
sence of seeing both bodily by eyes of your body and spiritually by eyes of faith Ans I must still by the power of Christ exercise these three spiritual acts or actions of my soul to be exercised in every particular sacramental action 1. Diligent observation 2. Divine meditation 3. Faithful application and appropriation of all to my own soul Quest 21. How must observation be exercised by you What light shineth from Christ for your direction Ans I ought diligently by the spirit of Christ to observe the sacramental action of breaking bread Luk. 22.17 c. or powring out or giving of the wine according to the institution of Christ as it is a sacramentâ—l actâ—on for the end for which Christ appointed it Qâ— st 22. How ought you to exercise medi ation Ans By help of Christ I ought so to meditate and think of the breaking bread and powring out of the wine as to meditate of Christ crucified his body broken with torments as before noted and his blood shed for my sins Gal. 3.1 Qâ—est 23. How ought you to exercise spiritual and faithful Application and appropriation of all to your self Ans By the strength of Christ and Christs spirit strengthning and communicating strength of life from Christ to my soul I ought to apply by faith and appropriate all this that Christ hath done or suffered as done and suffered by Christ for me and my Redemption and as loving me and giving himself for me his soul to be made an offering for my sin his body to be broken with torments and his blood to be shed to the death for my eternal Redemption and salvation Isaiah 53.10 Galathians 2.20 Heb. 9.12 The twenty eighth Classis or company of Questions 1 Question VVHat is the fifth Sacramental action or objâ—ct of your sences corporal or spiritual Or upon which your sences or acts of life in your soul and body are to be exercised when you are at this holy Sacrament Ans Sacramental commemoration of the death and passsion of the Lord Iesus Christ Luk. 22.19 20. 1 Cor. 11.23 c. and of his Institucion of this blessed Sacrament the same night in whâ—ch he was betrayed his passion crucifying and death so lively set before my eyes in the celebration of this Sacrament and by Christs command to be commemorated and remembred as it is shewed forth until he come Quest 2. What are you to do in this act of commemoration Ans To exercise those three acts before specified 1. Diligently to observe how this Sacrament doth remember me of that sacrifice of the death of Christ of his inestimable love in dying for me and of the most glorious benefits that I am made partaker of in a right meeting of Christ at the Lords Table Quest. 3. What is the second 1 Ioan 4. Divine meditation I ought by the power of Christs spirit 19. Ioh. 17.20 21. to think of this memorial of Christs Death Passion and Resurrection and benefits till I be so affected with it as to rejoyce with it and never to forget this love of Christ but to be delighted with his love as to love Christ again until I come to glory with Christ Quest 4. What is the third Ans By the power of the spirit of Christ and by faith to apply the memorial of this action and passion of Christ unto my soul that it may be engraven upon my heart to be recorded and set before my eyes for ever that evening and morning and mid-day I may remember what Christ hath done for my soul and Christs love may for ever be in my heart and I may say as the Apostle Gal. 2.20 Christ loved me and gave himself for me Qâ—est 5. What is a sixth Sacramental action object or act on Christs part or on yours which is the object of your senses corporal or spiritual or in which these senses operations or actions of the soul and body are to be exercised in this holy Ordinance of Christ Ans Christs congratulation or Sacramental welcom he gives to his faithful prepared guests Take eat Take drink yea all of this and thus bidding them welcom 1. As in the Institution of Christ is evidently set forth unto us Mat. 26.26 27 28. Luke 22.19 20. 2. As Christ invited his Spouse his Church and children Canticles 5.1 Eat friends and drink abundantly O beloved that is eat abundantly not of the outward bread and drink abundantly not of the outward Wine but eat spiritually of the body of Christ by faith and the merits of Christ crucified for me and drink abundantly of the vertue of Christs blood which was shed for me For Christs flesh is meat indeed and Christs blood is drink indeed Ioh. 6.51 c. If I thus eat of Christs flesh and drink of Christs blood I shall live for ever Quest 6. What is to be acted by you And how are your corporal and spiritual sences to be exercised in this congratulation or heavenly welcom which Christ gives your soul at this Table Ans First a diligent observation of this welcom when I hear it with the ears of my body from the voyce of Christs Minister speaking comfortably cheerfully to me from Christ as to a prepared believing penitent humble hungry communicant Take and eat Take and drink in the Name of Christ bidding me welcom to Christs Table as Mat. 26. Luke 22. Quest 7. What is a second thing to be acted Answ A Divine meditation as if by the ears of my soul I did at the same time hear the voyce of Christ as once he spake to his Disciples at his last Supper so now speaking to my soul from heaven and bidding me welcom Eat my friend and drink my beloved I have loved thee I have given my self for thee I have given thee my body crucified my bloodshed for thee and for many for remission of sins feast and refresh thy soul with abundance of assurance of my love to thee at my Table O poor believing hungry and humble soul thou art welcom here in and amongst my congregation of Saints at my Table of grace and thou shalt one day be welcom and eat and drink heavenly and gloriously with me at my Table of glory in the Kingdom of heaven for ever Matthew 22. Luke 22.19 Quest 8. What is the third Ioh. 4.14 15. 6.33 c. Answ A sweet and short ejaculation or ejaculatory and darting prayer to this or this like in effect Even so Lord Iesus I blesse thy name for this sweet assurance of being welcom to thy Table strengthen my faith enliven mine eyes and hand and mouth of faith that I may see and discern thy body and thy blood I may so receive and feed on thy body and blood that I may finde and feel and enjoy such an everlasting vertue and sap and juyce of life from thee my Saviour which may enliven and strengthen thy life of grace in me here in this life to life everlasting in the
world to come Quest 9. What it the seventh Sacramental act or object held forth as from Christ by his Ministers on which your corporal and spiritual sences acts and operations of soul and body are to be exercised by the power of Christ Ans Sacramental Foederation or Covenant-promises held forth by Christ to his Disciples the night before his Passion 1 Cor. 11.23 c. when he did Institute this Sacrament and held forth now to my soul in this Sacrament of the Lords Supper Quest 10. Wherein doth this Sacramental Foederation or Covenant consist Ans In those promising words of Christ to his Disciples the same night he was betrayed First when he took bread and brake it and said This is my Body which is given for you as is recorded Luke 22.22 or which is broken for you as blessed Paul expressed 1 Cor. 11.24 that is this Bread which I thus take in my hand and give to you is my Sacramental body by which another thing is meant for this Bread thus broken and given signifieth and sealeth and communicateth to you and assureth you of this my natural body which is now with you which you now see with your bodily eyes as well as you do this Bread which I break and give unto you Matthew 26.26 27. Quest 11. Wherein further doth this promise appear Ans And secondly in that it is as much as if the Lord had said further as verily as I do now give you this Bread broken as my Sacramental Body so verily I do now promise to give you this my natural body to be crucified and broken with torments for you and for many and this my promise and Covenant I do seal to you in giving you this Sacramental body of mine this Bread so blessed and broken yea behold the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the Table this night will Judas betray me with a kisse and the servants of the High-Priest shall take me and shall lead me to be accused and condemned and crucified not for any sins of my own but for your sins Ioh. 10.15 I say and not for yours only but for all my sheep for whom I do willingly lay down my life and do by this Sacramental Covenant and Promises engage my self to lay down my life for yours and their salvation and I do appoint this Sacrament that you may never forget my love thus witnessed by my death and thus held forth and sealed to you And this is my promise which you shall see performed after few dayes read Matthew 26 and 27 Chapters and Luke 22 and 23 Chapters 1 Cor. 11.23 24. Quest 12. But doth not the words of Christ in blessing and giving of the Wine hold forth the same Sacramental promise Ans Yes verily for at the same time he took the cup and gave thanks and gave to them saying Drink ye all of this and then he giveth them the same promises as a reason why they should drink of that cup for saith he This is my blood of the New Testament which is sealed for you and for many for remission of sins as Mat. 26.27 21. and in Luke 22.22 compared may appear this is my blood of the New Testament or of the New Covenant the Covenant of Grace to your souls not that the Bread broken is my natural body which shall be crucified for you or that the Wine in the cup which I now give unto you is my natural blood which shall be shed for you But these are my Sacramental body blood signifying and sealing this promise for as verily as I do now give you this cup this Wine to drink which I call my blood of the New Covenant because it is a seal and pledge and earnest of my blood which I do now this night promise shall be shed for you within few dayes and as sure as I now give you my Disciples this Wine to drink so verily do I now give you my blood to be shed for you Mat. 26.27 28. and for many for remission of sins and this my promise shall be speedily verified and fulfilled For that as if Christ had said this night when as anon we shall go out to the Mount of Olives according to our trust 1. Some of you shall see that my Agony and bitter Passion will begin Ioh. 1.19 when in sense of the heavy burden of sins which the Lord my Father hath laid upon me and which as a Lamb of God I take away even the sins of the world and which I have most willingly undertaken to bear for you and for all my people whom I will save from all their sins Mat. 1.21 the burden of which are so great that I shall desire if it were my Fathers will this cup of wrath so bitter might passe from me 2. You shall see my Agony will be so vehement and grievous that I shall sweat even great drops of blood 3. And you shall see it more when being crowned with thorns and crucified with Nails in my hands and feet and my side pierced with a spear my blood my hearts blood shall flow in abundance for your sakes This I promise Isa 53. Mat. 26.27 Luk. 22.23 Mat. 1.21 1 Cor. 11.24 c. and this you shall see performed even with your own eyes and that within three dayes this I conceive humbly to hold forth plainly the Sacramental promises of Christ in this Sacrament as by comparing the Prophets and Evangelists and the Apostle Paul you may finde evident Quest 13. This indeed may hold forth that promise that Christ made at his last Supper and the institution of this Sacrament before his Passion and which he did promise and fulfil when he died for us But how can the same words be a Sacramental pnomise to you who desire to come to the Lords Table Ans Yea verily the same promise of Christ continueth in force in respect of the vertue truth power and efficacy of it to my believing soul and to all Believers to the end of the world Quest 14. How can this appear and upon what grounds Heb. 13.8 Ans First Christ Jesus is the same yesterday for the benefit of his Church yesterday and to day 1 Cor. 10.2 3. and for ever And as the Patriarks before Christ did all eat of the same spiritual meat drink the same spiritual drink and drunk of the spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ believing the promises they fed on Christ the Messiah then to come by vertue of the promise Secondly As the Apostles in the first Institution and participation of the Sacrament did by faith feed on Christs body 1 Cor. 12.24 c. which was then promised to be given to be crucified for them and drink of his blood which was then promised to be shed for them and of which they were assured by that word of Christs promise even so likewise I now being a believing humbled hungry soul do now by
and fellow-heirs with you and with Christ of Eternal glory Ans I may follow the former direction and wait on Christ First in observation of this union and communion that is between Christ and my soul in this Sacrament as in part is set forth before this Catechism and so observe and consider what an union there is between the ouward signs of Bread and Wine and the inward thing signified and sealed the body and blood of Christ namely a mutual union and relation and this according to the nature of the signs and the thing signified is spiritual and invisible now it cannot be seen with bodily eyes and so there is a spiritual and secret union and yet a speedy present union and as there is a secret spiritual union and relation between the bread and wine and the body and blood of Christ represented to my soul to the eye of faith in me and conveyed to the hand and mouth of faith in me So there is a spiritual and speedy present union between the body and the blood of Christ and my believing soul and a speedy and present communion and union of vertue and spiritual refreshment unto my soul partaking by faith of this refreshing for as the word is no sooner spoken and is united to the outward ear but the thing signified thereby is present and united to the understanding and ear of my minde so it is here and so I do observe a divine and spiritual union and communion betwixt Christ and my soul Mat. 28.20 Rev. 2.1.17 for my more full refreshing at this sweet spiritual and reviving banquet hidden Manna of grace in this holy Ordinance Quest 22. What is a second act or operation of your soul to be exercised for your more full comfort in this sweet and spiritual union and communion with Christ at the Lords Supper Ans Divine meditation when I think and seriously ruminate and meditate again and again How I do exercise two kinde of eyes and two kinde of hands and two kinde of mouthes in this Sacrament and how and in what manner Christ is present as with the signs by relation and representation so with me by present enjoyment how as soon as by the eye of my body I behold the consecrated Elements of bread and wine and these are present to the eye of my body so speedily do I see the body of Christ crucified and the blood of Christ shed for my sins with the eyes of faith and they are present to the eyes of my soul and so I have a union and communion with them immediatly Secondly 1 Cor. 10.16 so speedily as I do with the hands of my body take the bread and the wine prepared and presented upon the Table for me to take but presently with faith the hand of my soul I do apprehend and take the body and blood of Christ presented to be taken and received spiritually and by faith at the Lords Table Thirdly I may meditate That so speedily as with the mouth of my body I do eat and feed on the bread 1 Kin. 19.7 8. Psal 63.1 c. and drink the wine in the Sacrament at the same instant with the mouth of faith or my believing soul I do feed on Christs body and blood and the vertue and merits of Christ are present with me and I have a sweet communion with them and in these or like meditations my soul is fatted with heavenly Manna as with marrow and fatnesse nourishing me in the wildernesse of this world to the Canaan of heaven Quest 23. What is the third principal thing to be exercised concerning this union and communion with Christ and his soul-reviving comforts and benefits in this Sacrament Wherein hath light of Christ appeared unto you for duty in this Iohn 6.56 Gal. 2.20 Ans Spiritual and faithful application of Christ and his benefits to my soul that now as verily as the bread and wine which I have eaten and drunken in this feast are mine and the vertue of them is united to me and I to it so verily the body and blood of Christ is mine and the vertue and benefits of Christs body and blood is become mine and I am united to Christ and Christ to me to my joy everlasting so that I may say with confidence and rejoycing Christ loved me and gave himself for me Quest 24. What is the tenth principal Sacramental act or action which is or may be the object of your corporal or spiritual senses or operations of soul or hody in the right observation meditation and application of which you may wait on Christ the Lord Prince with more full rejoycing in or after your meeting of Christ at the Table of the Lord Ans Sacramental obsignation or sealing in communication of this spiritual union and communion with Christ and enjoyment of Christ and all the benefits of his Death Passion Resurrection Ascention and Intercession yea of his Priestly Prophetical and Kingly Office and of the assurance of all these benefits of Election Redemption Vocation Justification Sanctification Freedom from the condemning and commanding power of sin from Death and Hell with all graces needful in this life and immortal glory when this Mortal life is ended all which are sealed and grounds of assurance of all communicated to Saints in this seal and Sacrament of the Covenant of grace the Lords Supper as Rom. 4.1 Quest 25. In what acts or operations of your soul may you wait on Christ for improvement of this Sacramental obsignation and sealing of this union and communion with Christ and the Saints of God and the assurance of all graces and benefits of Christ to his Church and children in this holy Ordinance Ans In those three before mentioned First In a serious consideration of this sealing by the word of promise and work of Christs spirit and Sacrament or this seal of confirmation of my faith and of all Gods promises of this sealing Ordinance the Sacrament of this body and blood of Christ and of Christs Death held forth unto me in the Lords Supper that as verily as I do partake of the outward Elements of bread and wine so verily the Lord Christ hath and doth communicate unto me the vertue and merits of his body and blood and all the benefits he hath procured to and for the benefits of his Church and children and for my soul in particular Gal. 2.20 for I know he loved me and give himself for me as he did for blessed Paul Quâ—st 26. What is a second operation or act of the soul enlightned and sanctified by the spirit of Christ in and by which you may wait on Christ for improvement of this obsignation or sealing of the Covenant of Grace and all those fruits and benefits Christ doth assure his Church and his Children in his Sacrament Ans Divine meditation by the help and power of Christs spirit to think meditate and ruminate or as it were chew the cud again and again in
meditation of this great and inestimable love of God in Christ and most free love of Christ to my soul God the Father not onely loving me to give Christ his Son for me and the Lord Christ so loving me as to give himself for me and to give the Gospel of grace to manifest this his invaluable love but also to give the Sacraments and this Sacrament of the Lords Supper in particular to seal this wonderful surpassing love of God in Christ to my soul manifested in his death and passion for me and God the holy Ghost to witnesse this to me and in this meditation to be perswaded and assured by the strength of Christs spirit that I have a most sure right title and interest to Christ to his Death Passion Resurrection and Ascention and Intercession and to all the fruits and benefits of all these to my soul and that all these are most surely and firmly sealed and confirmed to me in this Sacrament to the glorious strengthning of my faith and rejoycing of my soul in Christ Iesus having loved me and given himself for me Gal. 2.20 Quest 27. What is the third act orr operation of the soul in which by the power of Christs spirit you may improve this Sacramental obsignation to your self to your joy and comfort Ans A spiritual and faithful application First of this blessed Sacrament as appointed and instituted by Christ as a seal to confirm my faith and an application of Christ and his glorious benefits sealed and assured to my soul and sealed to all Saints who have a holy union and communion with me in this Sacrament and a communion in and with Christ held forth and communicated in this Ordinance Reason For the bread broken is the communion of the body of Christ and the cup which is blessed is the communion of the blood of Christ 1 Cor. 10.16 17. and we that are many are one bread and one body for we are all partaker of that one bread and so I have both union and communion with Christ and with the Saints both sealed to me in this Sacrament Simile For as a Princes Broad or commonseal annexed to an Evidence confirmeth or sealeth up to the party to whom the Deed or Evidence is made the truth of all those Promises and Covenants which are contained in that Deed or Evidence or Letters or Patents So this Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ being as it were great Broad Seal of the Prince of Heaven and Earth Christ Iesus it sealeth to my soul all the promises and covenants in that great Charter the Covenant of Grace for my confirmation and establishment in Christ and Christs righteousnesse received by faith As circumcision of old Simile and Baptism in the time since Christs Ascention seals my entrance into Christ and clothing upon with Christ and his righteousnesse and ingrafting into Christ for nourishing vertue to life eternal So that I may still conclude with the Apostle certainly Christ loved me and gave himself for me Romans 4.11 Isaiah 61.10 Galathians 3.27 1 Peter 1.4 5. Galathians 2.20 The twenty ninth Classis or company of Questions 1 Question YOu have made profession of your faith and knowledge of all those present acting concomitant graces and gracious acts and operations of your soul which are to be exercised at the Lords Table in every Sacramental act and object of your senses corporal and spiritual to your refreshing and strengthning in the Lord Jesus by vertue from Christ the heavenly husband of your soul Now what light from Christ have you for those subsequent graces or gracious following acts or operations of soul or body in the inner man which are to be exercised and acted by you after the partaking of Christ in this holy Ordinance that a Christian may walk comfortably with Christ in the whole course of his or her life And what light have you received from Christ to lead you to Christ in this respect Ans There are two kindes of graces or gracious acts some to be put in practise presently and immediatly before we depart from the Ordinance and some after in the whole course of our lives and callings general and special Quest 2. What are those to be acted and put in execution in and upon the act of receiving before you depart from this holy Sacrament in which you may wait on Christ for a sweet and full assurance of Christs love unto you and of all those rich and invaluable benefits which the Lord Christ doth communicate and seal to your soul at the Lords Table Ans The first is a spiritual repletion Sacramental satisfaction glorious rest and full contentment in this rich Banquet at the Lords Table not in the action alone as resting in the thing done but having now fully fed on Christ Psal 63.1 c. and being satisfed with Christs sweetnesse as with marrow and fatnesse Quest 3. How are your affections now bent towards Christ Ans I desire now heavenly dainties and resolve by the power of Christ to feed no more at the Table of Devils upon the prodigals husks of sinful profits and pleasures Hos 14.8 Luke 15.16 221 30. 1 Cor 10. Ier. 50.4 5. Psa 65.4 but to keep my Covenant with my God in Christ for ever and to meet Christ upon all opportunities in his Ordinances that I may feed on Christ often at his Table of grace till I come to feast with him at his Table of glory Quest 4. In what manner or how may you wait on Christ in those three acts of your soul and inward man viz. 1. Serious observation 2. Divine meditation And 3. Faithful application for improvement of this rest satisfaction and spiritual content in this heavenly refreshing by Christ at the Lords Table What light from Christ for this duty 1 Pet. 2.3 Ans First for observation I may mark diligently divers particulars First what refreshings I finde in the ordinance Ioh. 13. Secondly what sign of Christ and his love to my soul in dying for my sins Thirdly how my affections are wrought upon with grief and godly sorrow in my soul 1. That my sins have crucified Christ 2. That I have been so unthankful and so often forgetful of this inestimable love to me Fourthly how I am cheered up with a joyful assurance that yet God accepteth me in Christ and that the pardon of my sins is now sealed to my soul in this Sacrament Quest 5. What assurance is gained from these Ans That Christ will make me strong in time to come 1. To resist all sin in thought word nnd deed And 2. More able to honour God in all estates and conditions 3. And more enlivened to delight in Christs presence of grace then ever before Cant. 5. Quest 6. What further grace way be observed Ans That in Christ I am more hungry after the Word of God 4. More longing to feast wit Christ in this Sacrament Acts 14.22 Luk.
22.30 and more inabled to powre out my soul in prayer more assured that although I may passe through many aafflictions yet I shall one day feast with Christ in the Kingdom of glory Quest 7. What further may you stir up in your soul Ans To observe how I am delighted and fully satisfied with this heavenly and joyful feast yea that I am so satisfied as never any more to feast at Satans Table or to have the least communion with the Devil the World or the Flesh or any sinful feast of sinful profits or pleasures whatsoever Isa 55.3 Iohn 6.34 35. as being now fully contented with Christs presence in this life and with assurance of Christs presence in that life eternal which is to come Quest 8. How may you wait on Christ in the second of these Divine meditations Gantâ— 2.3 c. Ans In fixing the eye of my soul so fully upon Christ in this feast I may meditate by the power of Christs spirit so exactly upon every particular dainty which my soul meeteth with at the Lords Table Quest 9. What else mayyou meditate upon Ans Upon those glorious refreshings and strengthnings of my soul in grace by the lively holding forth of Christ and my so near union and communion with Christ and with all the Saints until my soul say Cant. 2.1 c. It is enough Lord I desire no more but still to enjoy thee the delight of my soul and most thankfully to remember thy love above all the delights and loves of the world for ever Quest 10. How may you wait on Christ in the third and last faithful application of all to your own soul in particular Ans By the power of Christs spirit and faith I now by secret medication in faith may and do apply Christ and the love of Christ in all this rich feast to my own soul Quest 11. What benefits do you enjoy by this Ans First now by the eye of faith I see evidently that God my Father so loved me that he gave his Son for me that I now believing shall not perish Iohn 3.16 but have everlasting life Quest 12. What is a second Ans Secondly I now see by the eye of faith that my Lord Christ loved me and gave himself for me thar he is now become the Author and finisher of my faith yea Gal. 2.20 Heb. 12.2 the Author of eternal life to and for me to whom he hath given power to obey him in and by believing Quest 13. What is a third Ans Thirdly I now see by the eye of faith that all this great feast was prepared for me and lor my refreshing and souls contentment and is a sure and infallible sign Mat. 22.1 c. Iob 19.25 26. and seal and pledge of God my Fathers love to me in the Lord Christ who is my strength and my Redeemer Quest 14. What is a fourth Acts 3.20 21. Psa 24.7 Can. 5 1. Luk. 22.23 c Ans Fourthly I now see that although my Lord and Saviour my great King of glory who hath entred into the everlasting door of my soul keep his residence in his most glorious Court of heaven yet he hath been present with my soul in this rich feast of grace he hath fed me with his delicates he hath cheered up my spirits with his wines of joyes O the sweet meats of comforts that have made my soul fat this day I am filled with the loves of my Lord my heavenly husband who hath married me to himself for ever and made me sit with him at his Table Quest 15. What may I consider further Ans Fifthly How great was my unworthinesse and how invaluable was his love and Free-grace to my soul when he saw me in my blood and said live yea when I was in my blood dead in my sinful blood he gave me life when I was an Infant new born Exek 16.3 4. cast out to the loathing my person when my Father an Amorice and my Mother was an Hittite could not relieve me then my Christ my Lord did graciously succour me he cherished me he bred me up while I was grown in grace he cast his skirt of love over me and I became his and he made me glorious in grace through the comelinesse that he hath put upon me Quest 16. what is the sixth grace or benefit Ans Surely as I may so I will greatly rejoyce in my Lord and my soul shall be joyful in my God for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation Isa 61.10 and he hath covered me with the robes of righteousnesse as a Bridegroom decketh himself with Ornaments and as a Bride adorneth her self with Jewels Quest 17. What is the seventh benefit Answ Seventhly when I was in danger of my life through the plots and conspiracies of bloody enemies the World the Flesh and the Devil I drew near into the presence of my Lord with a true heart in full assurance of faith Est 5.2 Heb. 10.22 Can. 4.6 having my heart sprinkled from an evil conscience and my body washed with pure water my Lord held forth his golden Scepter of grace and revived my spirits which formerly hid been fainting for want of his gracious presence Quest 18. What may you conclade from these Ans Now I may truly and assuredly conclude I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is mine I will hold fast the profession of my faith without wavering Can. 6.4 Heb. 10.23 c. 1 Thes 4.16 c. Luk. 22.36 Ioh. 17.24 for he is faithful that promised I will consider my brethren and sisters in Christ to provoke unto love and to good works and I will not forsake the assembling of our selves together to meet our Lord at his Table as the manner of some is but exhort one another while it is called to day because the day approacheth when our Lord and King Jesus will call us all by his last Trumpet to feast at his Table in heaven where we shall be with him and see his glory for ever and ever Amen Quest 19. What is a second grace or gracious action to be put in present execution before your departure from the congregation and communion of Saints in this sacred feast Ans A present manifestation of my thankfulnesse and love to Christ my Lord and Saviour again in the work of charity Neh. 8.8 Acts 20.7 2.46 1 Cor. 16.1 2 3. 2. Tim. 1.16 3. Ioh. 5 6 7 8. 2 Cor. 9.4 c. Ioh. 2.34 c. according to my ability to the poor Saints my fellow-members of the same body of which Christ my Lord is the Head that I may refresh their hungry bodies as the Lord Christ hath refreshed my hungry soul with plentiful refreshings at his Table Quest 21. What is the third grace or gracious action to be acted and exercised by the power of Christ to Gods glory and your own comfort before the Congregation be dismissed after partaking this
praise or neglect to blesse his Name when God requires Leviticus 24.15 Job 2.9 Mark 5.24 Secondly to curse or Blaspheame the sacred Name of God or of Christ our Lord in himselfe Word Ordinances or Works Thirdly to abuse the fearefull Name of God to conjuration charmes exorcismes or the like wicked abomination Fourthly to dishonour his Name Title Exodus 21.17 Mat. 5.44 James 3.9 10. Word or Workes of Judgement or mercy in using and abusing it in cursing Father or Mother or others by any wicked imprecation as a plague of God and Pockes on you or the like most odious and prophane termes wicked men practise against themselves or others as God damme me or them Quest 16. What other sinne is there contrary to this duty of glorifying Gods Name in blessing in and by Gods Name Ans To blesse or curse any in the Name of the Devill whether it be by wicked devilish imprecations upon a mans selfe as those cursed wishes and devilish prayers of Athesticall prophane men in these dayes Job 2.9 10 The Devill take me the Devill confound me body and soule and the like damnable wickednesse or the like worse then Paganish imprecation upon any others all being high provocations of the most mighty God who is able to cast both body and soule into Hell fire in a moment Mat. 20.28 as he made the earth to open her mouth and to swallow up Dathan and to cover the congregation of Abiram Numbers 16.32 33. 1 Sam. 28.7 2 Kings 1.1 or to blesse in the devils name or by the devil as those whom ignorant people use to cal good Witches abominable to God Quest 17. What is the first particular duty required in this third Commandement for honoring of Gods Name Ans Deut. 6.13 To glorifie God in calling him to witnesse and judge of the Truth of our words and actions Jer. 4.2 Jer. 12.16 Heb. 6.16 whensoever we are called to sweare in his Name in Truth Judgement and Righteousnesse and to testifie the Truth lawfully concerning our selves or others upon Oath or whensoever wee bind our selves by Oath Promise 2 Cron. 11.12 13.14 Psalme 15.4 Covenant or Protestation in Gods Name for the performance of any thing lawfull possible acknowledging the Lord to be the Revenger of all false Oathes or falsification of Oathes and Promises and subjecting our selves to his judgement if we swear falsely or performe not our just and lawfull Oathes and Protestations so prophan and take the name of our God in vain Quest 18. What are the particular sinnes contrary to this duty of honouring God in swearing the Lord liveth in Truth Iudgemmt and Righteousnesse Ans First Not to sweare and witnesse the Truth in judgement and righteousnesse Ierem. 4.2 in the name of God when we are called lawfully and rightly to sweare to Gods glory and the good of Gods Church As those who affirme all swearing unlawfull and utterly refuse to take any Oath before a lawfull Magistrate upon misunderstanding of those places of Scripture which seeme to forbid swearing at all Mâ—t. 5.14 Iames. 4.12 when as indeed they only forbid all unlawful swearing and all swearing in our ordinary communication by which the name of God is taken in vaine Quest 19. WVhat is a second sinne contrary to this duty Isaiah 48.1 Levit. 19.12 Ans All perjury or false swearing when men sweare by the name of the Lord but not in truth nor righteousnesse and so take the name of the Lord God in vaine Deut. 3.11 Zach. 5.23 4. contrary to Gods strict commandement Quest 20. What is a third sinne forbidden contrary to the duty of glorifying Gods name what light from Christ in this duty for our direction Ans Ier. 5.7 All swearing by the creatures and that which is not God calling that to witnesse truth which cannot search the heart nor try the reines nor know whether the Oath be true or false As when men sweare by Heavens Mat. 5.34 35 36 37. or by the Earth or by our Lady or by the Masse or by themselves or any thing in them or of mans devising setting them up for the tryers of Truth in stead of God whether they be Saints or Angels or any creature whatsoever or any thing but God himselfe Quest 21. What is a fourth sinne 1 Sam. 14.24 40 45. 1 Sam. 25.22 Ans The performing of any unlawfull rash oathes vowes or promises which are sinfull and a dishonour to the holy name of God and to the hurt of the soules or bodies of our selves or others Acts. 23.12 and contrary to the true honour of God or love of our neighbour Prov. 16.33 Prov. 18.18 Numb 26.25 Ioshu 14.2 Quest 22. What is a sixt duty in particular for the honouring of Gods name Ans The lawfull and right use of a lot for dividing of lands or goods when necessity requireth and God calleth for it to end some such controversie which otherwise cannot be decided Acts. 1.24 Psal 16.6 and this with prayer to God to direct the lot and resting satisfied with the lot when God hath ordered it Quest 23. What is the sinne contrary to this duty of seeking the honour of Gods name in a lot Ans All unlawfull common and ordinary abuse of lots in games or otherwise in a wrong manner or to a wrong end Hester 3.7 to the prophanation of Gods name and dishonour of the Gospell of Christ Quest 24. What is a seventh particular duty what light from Christ herein Mat. 10.32 Rom. 10.10 Mat. 5.16 Phil. 1.27 Rom. 1.16 Iude. 4. Ans The confession and glorifying of Gods name in our lives and conversations to Gods honour the good example of others and comfort of our owne soules in Christ Jesus Quest 25. What is the sinne contrary to this confession and profession to the glorifying of Gods name Ans To deny or be ashamed of Christ Mat. 26.74 Iohn 12.42 43 Rom. 2.24 or the Gospel or to dishonour God in our lives or cause the Gospel of Christ and name of God to be Blasphemed Quest 26. You have given me good satisfaction concerning the command it selfe now what doe you believe concerning the reason annexed in the words following For the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine Ans I understand in this command as in the former there is expressed a terrible threatning against all such as prophane Gods name 2. Chron. 36.13 either by prophane swearing or forswearing or by abuse of Ordinances or any other way that God will not hold them guiltlesse but guilty Deut. 27.26 and so subject to Gods curse and eternall condemnation for this sinne Quest 27. What is further implyed in this threatning that God will not hold such guiltlesse who prophane his name Ans A gracious promise of blessing to such as by the power of Christ carefully endeavour by all good meanes to glorifie the sacred name of
and being grieved when they do evill as an affliction of God upon themselves correcting them in time and especially taking care to prevent sin in them and Gods Judgement for sin upon them Secondly to declare their love to their Children in nourishing them and bringing them up with fit education Prov. 4.3.4.5 according to their calling Thirdly in taking care to place them in some honest calling for which they are fit by naturall inclination and gifts or with which their minde upon true information is affected as convenient and hopefully profitable for soules and bodies Gen. 49.8 9 10. c. and a comfortable lively-hood when they come to mens estate as Iacob gave his Sonnes callings in his blessing and care for them Fourthly in taking care for them Gen. 28. Gen. 24.1 2 3 4 c 1 Cor. 7.36 if God give ability and fitnesse to direct them in matters of moment for their comfortable life especially in the Married estate providing for them as Abraham for his Son Eccles 7.25 Gen. 14.57 58. and the wise man for his daughter not without her liking and consent Fifthly laying up and providing comfortably for their children 2 Cor. 12.14 Deut. 21.17 Gen. 49.3.4 1 Chron. 5 1.2 Gen. 17.23 Exod. 4.25 26. Mark 10.13.14 Luke 1.59.60 Ephes 6.4 as God giveth ability unto them in estate respecting the Eldest according to the right of the first born if there be no just cause held forth in Scripture to the contrary Sixthly as to procure for them as children of beleevers born in the Church the Sacrament of Baptisme that seale of the Covenant as their priviledge if God afford it in a right manner so to bring them up in the knowledge of Christ that they may walke according to the Covenant Gen. 49.15.16 Heb. 13.20.21 Monica prayes for her Sonne Augustine c. Seventhly to pray to the Lord for his blessing upon them as the Patriarks and Saints did of old and the Children of God of later Times in the Church Quest 16. You have held forth the particular duties of Parents to their Children now what are the particular sinnes contrary unto these duties Answ Whatsoever is contrary to the duties before mentioned as in briefe First not to love their Children Mat. 7.9 and take care to provide for them Secondly to hate them Ephes 5.29 Eccles 16.1.2 3. Thirdly to love their bodies or to take care for their outward temporall Estates and not to take care for their soules and Eternall Estate Fourthly to neglect Catechizing Deut. 11.19 or Instructing of them Fifthly 1 Kings 1.6 Prov. 10.1 Prov. 29.15.17 to be too Indulgent towards them Cockering of them which often proves the undoing of Children and griefe of Parents the Child left to himselfe bringeth his Mother to shame Sixthly to be too cruell Eph. 6.4 and bitter in correction or otherwise towards their Children Coloss 3.21 provoking them to take those evill courses which a wise and right Fatherly carriage towards them might have prevented which is contrary to that Rule Fathers provoke not your Children lest they be discouraged Seventhly in cursing Rom. 12.14 or not praying for their children and not desiring Gods blessing upon them for if the Magistrate or prophet of God the Civill and spirituall Father may sinne in not praying for their civill and spirituall 1 Sam. 12.23 children then it must needs be a sinne also in naturall Parents Gen. 9.25 For howsoever Noah prophetically cursed Canaan yea some others have in a propheticall manner pronounced curses to come upon the wicked yet to curses as commonly wicked Parents and others too often use Matt. 5.44.45 is a grievous sinne and God many times brings the Parents curses upon their Children Quest 17. You have manifested the duties of Parents towards their Children now what light have you from Christ to hold forth in Scripture the duty of Children towards their Parents Answ These duties of children may be branched forth into divers particulars Ruth 4.15 John 14.31 Gen. 31.35 Gen. 46.29 Gen. 47.7 Malach 1.6 Gen. 45.8.9 Gen. 45.23 Gen. 44.30 31. First the childrens duty is to love honour and highly esteem of and reverence their naturall Parents although they themselves be highly exalted and their Parents be but of mean Estate and to declare their honourable esteeme of their Parents in all Words and Actions of reverence and respect both in their presence and absence Secondly childrens duty is to fear offending of their Parents or grieving them by word or deed in their presence or by any Actions Leviticus 19.3 or behaviour in their absence thou shall feare thy Mother and thy Father I am the Lord the Mother is named before the Father because children are most apt to disrespect their Mother therefore the wise man he expresseth both together Prov. 23 2â— hearken to thy Father that begat thee and despise not thy Mother when she is old Let children not forget their duty herein Thirdly Ephes 6.1.2 2. Coloss 3.20 Prov. 1.8 children are not onely to love and honour and feare offending but also to obey their Parents in the Lord the Apostle presseth this duty with the motive of a promised blessing which is the first Commandement with promise saith he that it may goe well with thee and thou mayest live long on the earth Luke 2â— 11 and Christ himselfe giveth an Example when he was subject unto his Parents Fourthly the duty of children Prov. 1.8 is to accept off and subject unto the instruction and correction of Parents Heb. 12.7.9 as that which is most profitable for their good being discreetly and in right manner performed Fifthly the duty of children is to be directed Gen. 28. â— 2 Gen. 28.6.7 and advised by their Parents with much respect for undertaking Matters of great concernment especially for their undertaking of marriage good children will not be rash in this without consent of Parents especially religious Parents who take care both of their soules and bodies and the like respect ought Foster children to have of their Guardians Hester 2.7.20 and Foster Parents who religiously and carefully take care for their good Prov. 4.1.3 c. Matt 15.4.5 6. 1 Tim. 5.4 Gen. 47.12 John 19 2â— 27. Gen. 27.34 Gen 48.12 13. Gen. 14.12 13 14.15 c. Prov. 31.28 Prov. 17.17 Rom. 12.10 Sixthly childrens duty is to follow Parents good Example and to declare themselves thankfull to their Parents seeking their good and taking care for them if at any time they stand in need of cherishing or provision for their comfortable lively-hood in this life especially for the good of their soules Christ tooke care for his Mother even at his death Seventhly children are to desire and esteeme the Prayers and blessing of their Parents to love Parents Friends and especially naturall Brethren and Sisters as most neer ein relation Quest 18. You have held forth the dutâ—es now what
in Jesus Christ who is our peace-maker and whose rest is glorious 1 Cor. 1.30 Secondly as a sanctifyer and nourisher in grace by his spirit of faith and preserver to glory that receiving dayly refreshing nourishment from Christ by meeting Christ in his Ordinances Mat. 18.20 John 15.5 2 Pet. 3.18 1 Pet. 1.3 4 5. wee may grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and by his power be kept through Faith unto salvation The Thirty three Classis or company of Questions The second Section Question 1. YOu have opened the fift Commandement at large both in the duties commanded and the sinnes forbidden with the use and application as by a light from Christ to leade us unto Christ both as a justifyer and a sanctifyer to enable us to walke comfortably with Christ in the course of our lives Now I pray you tell mee in briefe what are the duties commanded and the sinnes forbidden in the sixt commandement Thou shalt not kill Ans This Commandement is negative as are the rest that follow Gen. 9.6 and this sixt Commandement God gave for preservation of the life of man as being Gods owne Image as hee did the seventh commandement for preservation of a holy seed Malac. 2.15 The eight coÌ„mandement for preservation of mens estated and that propriety which God hath given to men in their owne children or any thing else as goods Deut. 22.1 2 3. Psal 15.3 and the ninth Commandement was given for preservation of a man or womans good name and the Tenth to keepe the very heart and desires of the soule in a right order to the glory of God and the good of our Neighbour But in every one of these negative commandements the affirmative duties are required and a walking according to that rule of righteousnesse which God planted at first in man and woman when hee created them in his owne Image I will therefore first hold forth the duty and then the sinnes forbidden and some use of them In this sixt Commandement Thou shalt not kill or Thâ—u shalt doe no murther Prov. 4.23 In the affimaitive part the Lord requireth of every man woman or child to be carefull to preserve his or her owne life of soule and body Gen. 1.27 Mat. 4.6 7 Prov. 24.11 Job 29.12 and the life of his or her Father Mother Husband Wife Brother Sister Neighbour or of any Man Woman Job 29.13 Acts 19.30 31. Deut. 20.19 20. 2 Pet. 1.7 1 Sam. 15.2 3. 1 Pet. 3.8 9. Coloss 3.3 1 John 3.15 Eph. 4.27 Deur 30.35 Mat. 10.28 Rom. 3.15 16 17. or Child in the world by all lawfull and good meanes in heart word and deed in love meekenesse long-suffering and to avoide all occasion of murder lying in waite to destroy or the unlawfull destroying the life of any of whatsoever degree or condition they or any of them may be all malice hatred envy rash anger disdaine evill words or actions especially old grudges and drunkennesse all occasion of murders and forgtefulnesse of Gods presence or want of feare of offending the great God and sinning against Christ Jesus Quest 2. You havâ— held forth the duties in generall with divers particular meanes to preserve life and occasions of taking life away to be avoyded Now what are the contrary sinnes to bee avoided in generall or particular as briefe as you can Ans All selfe-murder of soule Gens 4.6 7 c. or body or any unlawfull killing of any of mankind much more of Husband Prov. 18.19 Wife Father Mother Brother Sister Neighbour or any other and all means and occasion of soule killing or unlawfull taking away the life of any Levit. 19.17 is a sinne Mat. 5.22 Prov. 17.19 James 1.20 Mat. 5.21 c. Acts 5.31 as all hatred malice rash anger envie contempt emulation strife contentions and heartrisings wrath especially amongst brethren want of brotherly love or uncharitablenesse in any respect in thought word or deed especially evill reviling words giving the lie or any other provocations of quarrells all unlawfull duells or other occasions whatsoever all being a degree of murder Therefore is necessity to seek to Christ for Repentance and Remission of sins Quest 3. Now wee have heard the duties of the sixt what are the duties of the seventh Commandement Thou shalt not commit Adultery 2 Tim. 2.22 Heb. 13.4 Mat. 5.28 Job 31.1 1 Thess 4.2 3 4. Ephes 5.3 4. 5. Eph. 5.25 to 33. Answ The Lord requireth all true chastity both in the married and single estate both in minde and in body both inward holinesse and chastity of the heart and affections and outward holinesse and chastity of the Eyes Eares Tongue and whole man every one walking as Christians and as knowing how to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour And waiting on Christ in use of all good meanes to prevent sinne in this as in other temptations the husband resting satisfyed with the love of his own Wife Prov. 5.18.19 and the Wife of her own Husband delighting in each others love constantly in the Lord. Quest 4. Now you have shewed the duty declare what are the sinnes contrary to this duly both in the single and in the Married estate and first in the single estate Ans All unchaste corrupt lusts of the heart Gen. 6.2 1 John 2.16 1 Pet. 2.11 Jam. 1.14.15 Gens 38.18 Gen. 39.9 2 Sam. 11.2 3 4. Jer. 5.7 Prov. 7.22 c. Isai 5.11 12. 1 Cor. 7.9 Levit. 20. â—0 Malac. 2.14 15 16. or lust of the eyes and all selfe pollution by speculative wantonnesse or wicked imaginations defiling the soule and all fornication or adultery in act or any meanes or occasions thereunto in heart word or deeds active or passive provoking God to anger and all keeping company with Harlots or mispending time in idlenesse drunkennesse or any manner of sin whatsoever Quest 5. What are the sins in the maried estate Answ Besides that all those sinnes noted in the single estate are sinnes likewise in the married all breach of wedlock or conjugall fidelity and promise made betweene man and wife either in thought Lev. 18.18 Mat. 19.9 Heb. 13.4 1 Cor 5.1 Mark 6.17 18. 1 Cor. 7.2 3 4 5. 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Levit. 18.19 20. Levit. 20.18 Ezek. 18.6 Ezek. 16.49 Rom. 13.13 14. Eph. 5.5 6. Levit. 19.29 Deut. 23.17 18. Gens 34.25.31 Heb. 13.4 Reve. 21.8 word or deede and all Polygamy and also all unlawfull divorce or separation all whoredome adultery incest or any such wickednesse whatsoever all denyall of due benevolence which may occasion breach or decay of love or sinne otherwise all effeminatenesse and immodest immoderate or unseasonable use of the marriage-bed in times prohibited by the Law of nature of God or of lawfull consent betweene themselves all pampering of the flesh or surfeting and drunkennesse to nourish unlawful lusts and all force and rashnes all impudent behaviour or prostitution of
themselves or others Wives or Daughters unto filthinesse all wicked whoredome and all Baudes or keepers of brotherly houses for meeting base whores abhorminable and odious to God and good men occasions of theft murther and Gods judgement curse and hell in the end Quest 6. Since there are so many duties required in Husbands Wives and others concerning chastity in the married and single estate and so many sinnes forbidden deserving Gods wrath and curse temporall spirituall and eternall what use should all make of this holy Law of God and what light from Christ to lead us unto Christ for profit hereby Ans Truly this light from Christ and his spirit should leade unto Christ Heb. 13.4 to see the sinfulnesse of all impurity and uncleannesse both in the married and single estate and to see and be sensible of the wrath of God due to this sinne and every branch of it 1 Cor. 30 so to finde and and feele an extreame need of Chirst both as a justifyer and as a sanctifyer 2 Pet. 1.10 11. And to fly dayly to Christ as for a more full assurance of pardon and peace Eph. 5.1 2 so for power to walke in all chastity and holy purity of soule and body before God Rom. 12.1 2. offering up our selves our soules and bodies a living sacrifice acceptable to God in Jesus Christ walking holily before God John 15.5 Phil. 4.13 not like the World but like Saints And this not by our own vertue and strength but by the vertue of Christ Quest 7. Now you have declared duties commanded and the sinnes forbidden in the seventh Commandement and so far how to walke comfortably with Christ by the power of Christ according to the Rule and light of Christ and his spirit in the light of this Law or commanding part of Gods word Psal 119.105 which I pray you are the Duties commanded and the sinnes forbidden in the eight Commandement which is the next in order Thou shalt not steale Ans The Lord requireth that every man woman and child according to capacity of instruction now and ever shall study and endevour by all lawfull and good meanes Mat. 5.43 44 45 c. Acts 7.60 Ex. 23.4 5 justly and with equity and right to preserve his owne Galat. 6.10 and his Neighbours yea his enemies goods Ex. 23.6 7. children servants or estate from all wrong and all injustice whatsoever their owne alwayes and their Neighbours when God puts it into the power of their hands to do it Luk. 10.33 34 35 c. by word or by deede to manifest we love our Neighbour as our selves Quest 8. What are the sinnes contrary to this duty required in the sixt Cmmandement Ans To do unjustly any manner of way to the wrong of himslfe or his neighbour Prov. 20.25 Malac. 3.8 9. to commit sacriledge or rob God in robbing or stealing of that which is religiously and rightly appointed by God or given to Gods worship or the maintenance of Gods Ministers or any that pertaine to his sanctuary Deut. 19.14 Prov. 22.28 Ex. 21.16 1 Tim. 1.10 Eph. 4.6 7. Thess 4.2.8.1 Ezek. 22.13 Prov. 19.26 Prov. 28.24 Exod. 22. Levit. 19.13 2 Thess 3.6.10 11 c. John 6.12 to remove the ancient land markes or to steale either persons children or servants ot any goods or chatells or the like either by fraud and cozenage or by force either secretly or openly under pretence of Law or unlawfully or other wayes either from stranges or from Parents or Masters and Mistresses is sin all dishonest gain and all unrighteousnesse in contracts bargaines buying selling in any manner of Covenant whatsoever all oppression extortion detaining of goods lent or lost is sinfull theft and all wicked walking disorderly and mispending or wasting of a mans owne estate or others especially Parents or Masters in drunkennesse idlenesse Prov. 23.21 whoring or the like wickednesse yea by rash and desperate entring into suretiship to the undoing of himselfe wife Prov. 23.29 Deut. 15.7 8 to 16. children or any other is sin and not to do our selves or to others for the good of our own estate or theirs poor brother or servant as wee would they should in justice mercy Mat. 7.12 and equity according to Gods word doe unto us is a sin and a breach of this eight Commandement of Jehova our God Quest 9. Certainly here are many duties required and many sinnes forbidden in a few words in this Commandement wherein doth the light of grace from Christ direct us to make a right use of this light and rule of life in this Commandement Ans This may still preach unto a poore soule an extreme neede of Christ both as a justifyer and a sanctifyer 1 Cor 1.30 and teach iis to waite dayly on Christ in his ordinances Iohn 1.9 Iohn 12.5 Iohn 15.5 and seeke dayly to Christ for light and direction and for vertue and power from Christ to glorifie God in walking justly and righteously in our callings and cariages to God and men Zach. 5.3 4. least we sin against God and procure a curse upon our labours instead of a blessing Quest 10. Now you have thus briefly givtn a light from Christ for direction and helpe if the eight Commandement what I pray you are the duties commanded and the sinnes forbidden in the ninth Commandement Thou shalt not be are false witnesse against thy Neighbour Ans The Lord requireth and commandeth faithfull Testimony Prov. 14.5 25. Psal 15.2 Prov. 12.19 Epla 4.15 when men are called to witnesse truth and upon all occasions to speake the truth as it is in the heart that the heart and tongue should agree to declare the truth when it is to Gods glory and good of our neighbour Deut. 1.16 17. Exod. 23.2.6 when rightly and lawfully wee are called to it for Judges and Magistrates to give righteous judgement Ministers to Preach truth Rom. 9.11 Zach. 8.16 17. for Lawyers to speake truth in pleading the causes of poore or rich not to hinder but to further justice and equity Prov. 22.1 Mat. 10.16 1 Cor. 10.31 Prov. 23. to preserve the good name of a mans selfe or neighbour in truth and righteousnesse with the right ordering of our tongues in wisdome and truth upon all occasions to Gods glory and good of our selves and others superiors or inferiors or equalls Psal 119.128 with love of truth and hate of falshood and deceit Quest 11. What are the sinnes forhidden in this Commandement Deut. 5.20 Mat. 19.18 Mat. 26.5 Psal 52.3 4 5. Psal 5.3 1 Sam. 22.9 10. Ans All false witnesse bearing upon Oath or otherwise all procuring of false witnesses and all vaine lying or uncharitable speaking to the diffamation or hurt of our owne good name or the good of any other Levit. 5.1 2. 2 Sam. 10.1 2. Mat. 7.1 2. Ezek. 22.28 John 7.24.51 Ex. 23.2 Deut. 16.18 19. Prov. 17.23 Ex.
assistance of the spirit of Prayer and this rightly Rom. 8.26 in a right manner in the name of Christ and to a right end otherwise our Prayers are not right nor acceptable before God nor can we expect to be heard at Gods hand when we call upon him in Prayer Quest 21. J see then that a bare forme of Prayer is not sufficient to rest in but I must have the spirit of God inabling of mee to pray with the spirit or inner man as well as with the mouth and my soule must bee disposed in a right manner in Prayer and enabled by the Spirit of Christ but what graces are requisite in this dutie Ans Faith Repentance Humility Devotion See Classis 30. 2 Sect. in 2 Commandement pag. 502. 503 504. Zeale Fervency Perseverance and such like Graces and all in the name of Christ else all is nothing And therefore hee or shee prayeth best who hath the spirit of Prayer and can powre out his or her heart and soule to God in Prayer as Jacob and Hannab and other Saints of God have done and have beene heard in their Prayers with a gratious returne 1 Cor. 14.15 Iames 1.6 Isa 1.15 16. Acts. 10.2 Hosea 12.4 James 5.16 Psal 51.17 Iere. 50.4 5. 1 Thess 5.17 John 16.23 Quest 22. But how shall a man get the spirit of Prayer and ability to powre out his soule to God Ans I answer you must not rest in your Prayers nor in any duty you performe to God as if that did satisfie the Lord for your sins or meritoriously procured your peace with God but you must rest on Christ both for your acceptation of your selfe and your prayers upon the Golden Altar with the incense of Christs merits Revel 8.3.4 Quest 23. In what else must J wait for the spirit Ans Secondly you must waite upon God in Christ in all the meanes of grace till hee powre out the spirit of Prayer into your heart and soule that you may cry Abba Father and be heard as a child of God in Christ Gal. 4.6 Quest 24. What further direction can you give Ans Thirdly and lastly for your better enablement to expresse the desires and groans of your soule to the Lord aske your soule but these or the like foure questions to this or the like effect as speaking to your selfe Quest 25. What is the first Ans First Oh my soule to whom or to what glorious Majesty oughtest thou to direct thy Prayers at Morning or Evening or Noone day or whensoever in publike or private or secret thou desirest to gaine a blessing from the highest Heavens Psal 55.17 Quest 26. What shall I answer to this demand Ans Let thy soule answer and it will tell thee it is to the most high God the Possessor of Heaven and Earth the searcher of all hearts and the hearer of Prayer presented to him in the name and by the mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ Ps 38.13 Psal 65.2 Psal 77.1 Iohn 16.23 Quest 27. What directions Ans Endeavour in all fear and humility to begin thy Prayer with the best expressions of the most glorious Name Nature Persons Properties of this great and glorious Lord God with the acknowledgement of his Truth Power and Majesty in his Words and Workes held forth in Scripture and of thy unworthinesse which may affect thy heart by the helpe of Christs Spirit with a right temper to powre out thy soule to God in Prayer 1 Chron. 29.11 2 Chron. 30.18.19 Ezra 9.6 Nehe. 9.32 and this in the best words thou canst but chiefly have regard to thy heart which the Lord hath a speciall eye unto And so begin thy Prayer as Exod. 15.11 12.13 Exodus 34.6 7. 1 Kings 8.23.27 or in the like manner Quest 28. What is second question Answ Secondly aske thy soule a second question to this or the like effect Oh! my soule Ezra 9.5 6 7. Prov. 28.13 Dan. 9.4.5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. wherein hast thou offended this great God to whom thou desirest to lift up thy selfe in Prayer that thou mayst acknowledge thine offences and seeke for further assurance of pardon before thou beg any other favour at the Lords hand as 2 Chron. 6.36 Quest 29. What direction here Ans Let thy soule first looke into the glasse of thy owne conscience Rom. 2.14 15. Acts 24.16 Rom. 3.20 Iohn 3.19 20.36 1 Iohn 3.23 Rom. 7.18 19 20. and secondly into the glasse of the Word of God both the commanding and promising part both Law and Gospell and finde out thy sinnes and accuse and condemne thy selfe for thy ingratitude for so many former mercies yea confesse and labour to be humble for thy fall in Adam for thy originall and actuall transgressions in state of nature but especially thy unthankefulnesse in dayes of grace Ephes 4.30 either in thought word or deede wereby thou hast grieved the spirit of God by whom thou art sealed to the day of Redemption and this in as good words as God makes thee able As Hannah 1 Sam. 1.17 and with the exercise of all those graces the Lord hath given thee to this end thou hast here a large field to powre out thy soule to God in if thou canst finde out thy manifold sinnes against God or the sinnes of others which thou desirest to confesse and bewaile before God thy Lord as Daniel and other Saints have done Daniel 9.7 8 9 10 11. Quest 30. What is the third question Ans Thirdly aske thy soule a third question to this or the like effect Oh my soule what dost thou want or what is thy request and the desire of thy heart to obtaine at the hands of thy God and loving Father in Christ Quest 31. And what wants may I expresse Ans Thy soule will tell thee thou wantest in the first place the assurance or more full assurance of the forgivenesse of all thy sinnes and of Gods free grace and love unto thee in the Lord Jesus thou wantest many favours from God for thy body for thy soule for this for a better life for thy wife thy husband for Parents children servants kindred accquaintance thy Neighbours thy friends thy enemies for the Kings Majesty for the Parliament the Kingdom the City and Country for Peace and Truth and a happy union and communion one with another and with the whole Church of Christ and here expresse thy minde as well as thou canst by the power of Christ the Lord careth not so much for fine words as for an honest sincere contrite heart sanctifyed by the spirit of Christ Isai 66.2 Quest 32 What is the fourth question Ans Lastly aske thy soule a fourth question to this or the like effect Oh my soule what hast thou received from this great and good God for which thou art bond to render him thankes and praise in the Name of the Lord Jesus Quest 33. What rule is there to finde this out Ans Let thy soule call to minde all or as many as thou canst of those unspeakable favours the Lord hath bestowed upon thee reckon them up imparticular out of the catalogue of Gods mercies both upon thy owne soule in particular and the Church in generall to thy selfe to thine to the people of God and what a sea of mercy mayst thou swim in and enlarge thy thankfulnesse above all for Gods free love in the Lord Jesus as Psalme 116.12 13. Quest 34. But did you ever know any man thus learne to pray Ans Yes did I know a Christian who could reade never a word upon the Booke and yet after hee had received these directions puting them carefully and constantly in practise in a secret place before God the onely searcher of hearts and the Teacher of the ignorant hee did in a short time attaine an excellent habit in Prayer and was inabled to pray dayly in his Family in a sweet comfortable manner and assuredly the Lord is the same God still to all his children in Christ and will be so to all who diligently waite on him in the use of the meanes I conclude with the Apostle now to him that is able to keepe you from falling and to present you blamelesse before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy Jude 24.25 to the onely wise God our Saviour be Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power now and ever Amen FINIS COurteous Reader there are some few Errata which the ingenuous may easily find and amend with their Pen.