The Watch-Mans LANTHORN BEING A SUMM OF DIVINITY In a short but very plaine Exposition of the Ten Commandements the Lords Prayer and the Creed Fitted to the meanest Capacity in the Nature of a DIALOGUE By A. E. a Servant of Jesus Christ Psal 19. 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soule Heb. 11. 6. Without Faith it is impossible to please God Matth. 26. 41. Watch and pray that ye enter not into tentation LONDON Printed by T. R. for Nath. Ekins at the Sign of the Gun in Pauls Church-Yard 1655. TO THE READER Deare Friends THis Treatise was cheifly intended for the private use of me and those of my Family that God had given me the tuition of but upon the desire of some Friends it s now made publike for your use and benefit which through the blessing of God who many times useth weak instruments to accomplish great designs I question not but it may The subject hereof is an Exposition of the Morall Law or ten Commandements the Confession of Faith or the Apostles Creed and upon the Lords Prayer wherin all Christians may behold as in a Glass their duty both towards God and their neighbor in their several relations they may be Gods blessing grow strong in faith and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ as also finde favour and comfortable acceptance with God by Prayer Despise it not for the plainness of the Stile or Method for therein have I chiefly respected the ignorant and vulgar sort whose edification and spiritual grouth I much hunger after Well knowning and grieving that mans nature is so dull to receive and entertain spiritual exâ—rcises at the best for as the Apostle saies The natural man receiveth not the things that are of God neither can he for they are spiritualy discerned nay indeâ—d he accounts them foolishness Aâ—d as there is an aversness in Nature to heavenly doctrines so the Will and Affections being wholly setled upon the pleasures and profits of this life do not solidly regard and retain Divine Truths most being as unwilling and unfitting to learn as they are unable and careless to apply Principles of saving knowledge to their souls for the Apostle Paul saith of some among whom he preached that he could not speak to them as to men but as unto babes and that they were not fit for strong meat but for milk being babes and tutors the Hebrews that after all his paines he was necessitated to lay again the Grounds and first Principles of the Doctrine of Christ amongst them whereas they might for the time have been Teachers they were yet fitter to be taught the very grounds of Religion And such I doubt we have amongst us who after many years hearing the Word are yet without spiritual and saving knowledge Now for their sakes and for the unlearned I have published this to the world desiring with my whole heart that none might perish but that all might come to be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ Therefore to your serious perusal and diligent practise I heartily present it entreating that God from whom only commeth all good so by his Spirit to accompany this and all other means of Knowledge to you that in his mercy through Jesus Christ your souls may be eternally saved Which is the earnest prayer of your poor Friend and Servant in our Lord Jesus Christ A. E. A Plain EXPOSITION upon the MORAL LAVV the Confession of FAITH and the LORDS PRAYER FOrasmuch as the Master ought to be to his Scholars The Masters dutie a second Parent and Father not of their bodies but of their minds I see it belongeth to the order of my duty my dear child not so much to instruct thee civilly Godliness in Childhood Dâ—ut 4. 9. and thc 31. 12 13. Psal 78. 3 4. Mat. 19. 13. 2 Tim 3. 15. in Learning and good Manners as to furnish thy mind with good opinions and true Religion for this age of childhood ought no less yea also much more to be trained with good Lessons to godliness then with good Arts to Humanity wherfore I thought meet to Examine thee by certain short Questions that I may surely know whither thou hast well bestowed thy Study and Labour therin or no Sâ—holar And I or my part shall willingly answer your demands so far as I have been able with wit to conceive or keep in memory and can at this present call to mind and remember what I have heard you teach me out of the Holy Scriptures Master Go therefore now and tell me what Religion thou professest Sch. The Religion that I profess is the same whereof the Lord Christ is the Authour Câ—â—istian Râ—ligiâ—n Châ—istâ—ans named of Châ—iâ—t Act. 11. 26. and Teacher and which is therefore properly and truly called the Christian Religion like as the Professors therof are also named Christians Ma. Dost thou then acknowledge thy self to be a Follower of Christian Godliness and Religion and a Scholar of our Lord and Saviour Christ Sch. I do so acknowledge in deed and do unfainedly and freely profess it yea I Rom. 10. 9 10. do settle therin the summ of all my felicity as in that which is the cheifest good Psal 1. 33. 12. Ioh. 3. 18. that can come to man and such as without it our State should be farr more miserable then the state of any bruit creature Ma. Well then I would have the substance and nature of Christian Religion and Godliness the name wherof is most honorable and holy to be briefly expressed with some definition of it Sch. Christian Religion is the true and The Definition Deut 4. 1. 2. 10. 12. Psal 19. 4. godly worshipping of God and the keeping of his Commandements Ma. Of whom dost thou think it is to be learned Sch. Of none other surely of the heavenly Word of God himself which he hath left unto us Written in the holy Psal 1. 2. and 78. 1. and 119. toto Ioh. 3 39. 2 Tim. 3. 15. Scripture Ma. What Writings be those which thou callest the Word of God and the holy Scriptures Sch. None other but those that have been published first by Moses and the Prophets the friends of Almighty God by the instinct of the holy Ghost in the Exod. 32. 35 16. 2 Pet. 1. 20. Old Testament and afterward more plainly in the New Testament by our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God and by his holy Apostles inspired with the Spirit of God and have been preserved Ioh 1. 5. 9. and 8 12. Mat. 28 20. Ephe. 3. 5. Isa 40. 8. Mat. 5. 18. unto our time whole and uncorrupted Ma. Why was it Gods Will so to open unto us his Word in Writing Sch. Because we of our selves such is Ioh. 1. 5. 1 Cor. 21. Ephe. 4. 1â— Mat. 7 17. Heb. 10. 36. 1 Ioh. 2. 17. the darkness of our hearts are not able to understand the Will of Almighty God in the
were a very mockery that the word of God which is appointed by God himself to teach his people should be read to the people in a Tongue unknown to them and whereof they can learne nothing Also Saint Paul doth treat of this 1 Cor. 14. 1â— matter and thereupon concludeth that the unlearned people cannot answer Amen to the Thanksgiving which they understand not but that the Readers and the Hearers should be strangers the one to the other if any thing be spoken 1 Cor. 14. 18. in the Congregation that is understood of them that be present and that he had rather speak in the Church of God five words understood then ten thousand Psal 1. 2. 9 8 9 10. words not understood Ma. Shall wee then have sufficiently discharged our duties if we so endeavour our selves that we hear and understand Deut 27. 19. Gul. 5 6. the word of God Sch. No for wee must not only heare and understand the word of God but also with stedfastness assent of mind imbrace it as the Truth of God descending from Heaven and heartily love it yeilding our selves to it desirous and apt to learn and to frame our minds to obey it that being once planted in our hearts it may take deep Root therein and bring forth the fruits of a godly life ordered according to the Rule thereof that so it may turn to our Salvation as it is ordained It is therefore certain that we must with all our travell endeavour that in reading it in studying upon it and hearing it both privatly and publickly we may profit but profit in any wise wee cannot if it be set forth to us in a Tongue that we know not Ma. But shall we attain to such perfection as thou speakest of by only reading the word of God and diligently hearing it and the Teachers of it Sch. Forasmuch as it is the Wisdome of God men should vainly labour in either Deut 29. 4. Act 16. 14. 2 Cor. 4. 6. Teaching or Learning it unlesse God would vouchsafe with the Teaching of his Spirit to instruct our Hearts as Paul teacheth That in vain is the planting and the 1 Cor. 3. 7. wâ—terâ—ng unless God gives the Increase Therfore that we attain the Wisdome of God hidden in his word we must with fervent Prayer crave of God that with his Spirit Psal 86 11. 119. 33. 34. 35. Joh. 1. 5 1 Cor. 2. 14. Joh. 16. 13. he lighten our minds being darkened with extream Darknesse For him the Lord hath promised to us to be our Teacher sâ—nt from Heaven that shall guide us unto all Truth Ma. Into what cheife parts dost thou The diâ—ision of hâ— word of â—od divide all the Word of God Sch. Into the Law and the Gospell Ma. How be these known then from the other Sch. The Law setteth out our duties both of godliness toward God That is The true Worshipping of God and of Charity toward our Neighbour and severally requireth and exacteth our precise Mat. 12. 16. Mar. 12. 30. Joh. 3. 23. Levit. 26. toto Deut. 5. 32. 28 toto Joh. 14. 15. 21 23 Mar 1. 15. 16. 16. Ioh. 1. 17. Act 2 38 13. 28. Rom. 1. 16. Gal. 3. 13. The summ of all that hath beene sayd Obedience and to the Obedient promiseth everlasting life but to the Disobedient pronounceth Threatnings and Paines yea and eternall Death The Gospell containeth the Promises of God and to the offenders of the Law so that they repent them of their Offence it promiseth that God will be mercifull through Faith in Christ Ma. Hitherto then thou hast declared that the word of God doth teach us his Will and containeth all things needful to Salvation and that we ought earnestly to study upon it and diligently to heare the Teachers and Expounders of it but above all things That we must by prayer obtaine a Teacher from Heaven and what is the word of God and of what parts it consisteth Sch. It is true Ma Sith then that Christian Religion floweth out of Gods Word as out of a Spring head as thou hast before don with Gods Word so now divide me also Religion it self which is to be drawn out of Religion divided Gods Word into her parts and members that we may plainly determine wherâ—unto each part ought to be applied and as it were to certain marks to be directed Sch. As of the word of God so of Religion also there are principally two parts Levit. 16. 3. 14 Deut 11 6 Ioh. 14. 15. 21. 23. 24. Mar. 1. 15. 15 15. 16. Rom 1. 16. 3. 22. 4 toto Obedience which the Law the perfect Rule of Righteousnesse commandeth and Faith which the Gospel that imbraceth rhe Promises concerning the Mercy of God requireth Ma It seemeth yet that there are either more or other parts of Religion for some time in dividing it the holy Scriptures do use other Names Sch. That is true For somtime they divide whole Religion into Faith and Gal. 5. 6. Mar. 1. 15. Mat. 22. 37 39 Mar. 12. 30. 31 33. sometime into Repentance and Faith for somtime for Obedience they set Charity which by the Law is required to be perfect toward God and men And sometime Psal 14. 2. Rom 3 9. Mat. 4. 17. Act. 1. 38. Rom. 3 20. 7. 7. Rom. 3. 22. Gal 2. 16 Psal 3â— 5 Roâ— 1â— 12 13 2 Câ—r 1. 11. 2 14. Ephâ—s 5. 4. â—0 â—stiâ— 4 6. Coll 3 17. because we perform neither Obedience nor Charity such as we ought they put in place thereof Repentance most necessary for sinners to the obtaining of the Mercy of God Some which like to have more parts do set forth first out of the Law the knowledge of our Duty and Damnation by the Law for forsaking and rejecting our Duty Secondly out of the Gospell The Knowledge and Affiance of our Deliverance Thirdly Prayer and craâ—ing of the mercy and help of God Fourthly Thanksgiving for Deliverance and other benefits of God but howsoever they differ in Names they be the same things and so those two principall parts Obedience and Faith in which is contained all the summ and substance of Religion all the rest are referred For whereas many do add as parts Invocation and Thanksgiving and the divine misteries most nearly conjoyned to the same which are commonly called Sacraments these in very Deed are comprised within those two former parts for no man can truly perform the Duty toward God either of Affiance or of Obedience which will not when any necessity distresseth him to flye to God and account all things to come from him and when occasion and time serveth rightly use his holy mysteries Ma. I agree with thee that all may be drawn to these two parts if a man will precisely and some what narrowly treat of them but forasmuch as the most precise manner of dividing is not to be required of Children I had
belongeth properly to our commodity M. Dost thou sever and divide our profits from Gods glory that thou makest equal Partition between them S. I do not sever things conjoyned but for plainness of the whole declaration I distinguish things to be severally discerned for understanding whereunto each thing belongeth otherwise those things that do properly belong to the The end of all things Gods Glory glory of God do also bring most great profits to us and likewise those things that serve our profit are all referred to the glory of God for this ought to be the 1 Cor. 10. 30 31. Col. 3. 17. end whereunto all things must be applyed this ought to be our marke that Gods glory be most amply enlarged yet in the meane time I think that this division in parts shall not be inconvenient and is made not without reason but according to the propertie of the things themselves because while we aske those things that belong properly to the advancing of Gods glory we must for that time omit our own profits when yâ—t in the later Petitions we may intend our own commodities M. Now let us somewhat diligently examine the weight of every word why dost thou call Gâ—d Father S. There is great pith in the use of this one name Father for it containeth two things which we have before said to be specially necessary in praying M. What be those S. First I speak not as to one absent or Psal 33. 13 14. 34 15. 17 94. 9. 10 11. 139. 1 2. c. deaf but I call upon and pray to God as one that is present and heareth me being surely perswaded that he heareth me when I pray for else in vain should I crave his help And this surely without all douting I cannot so affirme of any Isa 63. 16. Angel or any man deceased Secondly we have before said that sure trust of obtaining is the foundation of right praying And deare is the Name of Father and of Fatherly love and most full of good hope and confidence It was Gods Will therefore to be called by the sweetest name in earth by that mean alluring Psal 103 13. Luke 13. 18. us to himself that we should without feare come to him taking away all feare of his Fatherly heart and good will for when we determine that he is Râ—m 8. 15. Gal. 4. 6. our Father then being incouraged with his Spirit we go to him as children use to go to their Father God therefore in this place liketh better to be called Father by name of deare affection and Mal. 1. 6. love then King or Lord by terms of Dignity and Majesty and so therewithall to leave to us as to his children Ioh. 1. 12. Rom. 8. 15 17. Gal 4. 6 7. a most rich Inheritance of his Fatherly Name M Shall we then come to God with such sure trust of obtaining as children use to come to their Parents S. That farr more sure and stedfast is the trust of the good Will of God then of men Christ the natural Mat. 11. â—7 Ioh 1 18 10. 13. Son of God best acquainted with his Fathers minde doth assure us saying If ye saith he being â—vil suffer not your children to crave in vain but Mat. 7. 11. Luke 11. 13. grant them their requests how much more shall your heaven Fâ—therly who is self goodness and liberality be bountiful to you but CHRIST as is aforesaid bringeth Rom. 5. 1 2. Gal. 4. 4 5 6. Ephe. 2. 4 5. 1 Ioh. 2. 1. us all this confidence for God doth not adopt or acknowledge us to be his children who by nature are the children of wrath but by Christ M. What else doth the name of Father teach us S. That we come to prayer with that love reverence and obedience which is due to the heavenly Father Mal. 1. 6. Mat. 26. 39. 48. from his children and that we have such minde as becometh the children of God S. Why dost thou call God our Father in common rather then severally thine own Father S. Every godly man may I grant Psal 22. 1 2. Rom. 1. 8. 1 Cor. 1. 4. lawfully call God his own but such ought to be the community and fellowship of Christian men together and such dear love and good will ought every one to bear to all that no one of them neglecting the rest care for himself alone but have regard to the Publike profit of all and there in all this prayer nothing is privately asked but all the Petitions are made in the common name of all Moreover when they that be of smallest wealth and basest state do call upon their common heavenly Father as well Mal. 2. 10. Ioh. 8. 41. 1 Cor. 8. 6. Ephe. 4 5 6. as the wealthy and such as have attained degrees of highest dignity we are taught not to disdaine them to be our brethren that are accepted with God to the honour of his children On the other side the most despised Deut. 18. 17. Psal â—0 18. 68 â— 6. 146. 6 7. c. and they that in this world are vilest may yet in the mean time ease and releive themselves with this comfort that in heaven they have all one most mighty and most loving Father Furthermore Psal 13. 5 5 7. 25. 1 2 c. 37. 25 26. c. Rom. 1. 18. 2. 6 7 8. we that trust in God do rightly confess him to be our Father For the wicked and unbelieving howsoever they dread Gods Power yet can they not have trust in his Fatherly goodness toward them M. Why dost thou say that God is in heaven S. As heaven with round and endless circuit containeth all things compasseth the earth hemmeth in the seas neither is there any thing or place that is not environed and enclosed with the roomthiness of heaven and it is on every side wide and open and alway so present to all things that all things universally are placed as it were in sight therof so we therby understand that God possessing the Tower of heaven therewith also holdeth the Governance Psal 11. 4 5. 10. 6. 33. 13 113. 4 5 6. 115. 3. of all things is each where present seeth heareth and ruleth all things M Go forward S. God is also therefore said to be in heaven because that same highest and heavenly Region doth most royally Psal 8. 3. 19. 1. shine and is garnished with his Divine and excellent works Moreover Psal 8. 1 2 3 4. 11. 4 5. by God raigning in heaven is declared that he is in eternal and highest felicity while we as yet in earth expulsed from our Countrey like children disherited from their fathers goods live miserably and wretchedly in banishment It is as much therefore to say that God is in heaven as if I should Psal 50. 3 4 9. 57. 5. 10 11. 68. 32 33. 113. 4