signifieth a Saviour and Christ tâ—â— Anointed of God He being Anointed by God â—â— the Office of a Mediator as the Great Propheâ— Priest and King of the Church CHAP. XII How Christ was Conceived by the Holy Ghost and Born of the Virgin Mary Qu. 1. DOth it not seem Impossible that Christ should be begotten on a Virgin without a Man A. There is no Contradiction in it And what is impossible to him that made all the World of nothing Q. 2. But it seems incredible that God should be made Man A. God was not at all changed by Christ's Incarnation The Godhead was not turned into Flesh or Soul but united it self thereto Q. 3. But it seemeth an incredible Condâ—scension in God to unite the Nature of Man to himself in Personal Union A. When you understand what it is it will not seem incredible to you though wonderful Consider 1. That it doth not turn the humane Nature into Divine 2. Nor doth it give it any of that part or work which was proper to the Divine Nature and Second Person in the Trinity from Eternity 3. The Divine Nature is united to the Humane only to advance this to the excellent Office of Mediation and that Christ in it may be Head over all things to the Church 4. And it will abate your wonder if you consider that God is as near to every Creature as the Soul is to the Body In Him we live move and have our being And he is more to us than our Souls are to our Bodies Q. 4. You now make me think that God is one with every Man and Creature as well as with Christ. I pray you wherein is the difference A. Gods Essence is every where alike but he doth not appear or work every where alike As he is more in Heaven than on Earth because he there operateth and appeareth in Glory and as he is more in Saints than in the Ungodly because in them he Operateth his Grace so he is in Jesus Christ otherwise than he is in any other Creature 1. In that he by the Divine Power qualified him as he never did any other Creature 2. And designeth him to that work which he never did any other Creature 3. And fixeeth him in the honourable Relation to that work 4. And communicateth to him by an uniting act the Glory which he doth not to any other Creature And though it 's like there is yet more unknown and incomprehensible to us yet these singular Operations express a singular Operative Union The Sun by shining on a Wall becomes not one with it But by its influence on Plants it becometh one with them and is their Generical Life Q. 5. But how is the Second Person in the Trinity more United to the humane Nature than the Father and the Holy Ghost are they divided A. You may as well ask Why God is said to make the World by his WORD and by his SON Tho the Persons are undivided in their works on the Creature yet Creation is eminently ascribed to the Father Incarnation and Redemption to the Son and Sanctification to the Holy Ghost The Suns power of Motion Light and Heat are inseparable And yet it is the Light as such that with our Eye doth cause the same act of sight as united to it But the perfect Answer to this doubt is reserved for Heaven Q. 6. But how was he conceived by the Holy Ghost the Second Person by the third when it is only the Second that was incarnate A. The Holy Ghost is not said to operate on the Second Person in the Trinity or the Godhead for Christs Conception but on the Virgins Body and by miraculous causing a humane Soul and Body and their union with the Eternal Word Gods perfecting Operations are usually ascribed to the Holy Ghost But the Father and Son are still supposed Operating by the Holy Spirit Q. 7. Was Christ's Flesh made of the substance of his Mother A. Yes Else how had he been the Son of Man Q. 8. Was Christ's Soul begotten by his Mother A. It is certain that Man begetteth Man But how Souls are generated is not fully known by Man Some say They are not Generated but Created Some say That they are not Created but Generated And I think that there is such a concurrence of God's act and Mans as may be called a Conjunction of Creation and Generation that is that as the Sun-beams by a Burning-Glass may light a Candle and that Candle light another and another yet so that the Light and Heat that doth it is only from the Suns continual communication But will not Light another but as contracted and made forcible by the Burning-glass or the Candle So all the Substance of new Souls is from the Divine Efflux or communication of it which yet will not ordinarily beget a Soul but as it is first received in the Generative natural faculty and so operateth by it as it s appointed Natural means Thus it seems all humane Souls are caused Pardon the defects of the Similitude But the Soul of Christ miraculously not without all Operation of the Mothers for then he had not been the Son of Man but without a humane Father the Holy Ghost more than supplying that defect Q. 9. If Christ was Mary's Son how escaped he Original guilt A. By being conceived by the Holy Ghost and so in his humane Nature made the Son of God and not generated as other Men are Q. 10. Had Mary any Children after Iesus Christ A. It goes for a Tradition with most that she had none But it is uncertain and concerneth not our Faith or Salvation Q. 11. Why was Christ Born of a Jew A. God had made a special Promise to Abraham first that Christ should be his Seed in whom all Nations should be blessed and to David after that he should be his Off-spring an everlasting King Q. 12. Why was not Christ Born till about Four thousand Years after the Fall A. It 's dangerous asking Reasons of God's Councils which he hath not revealed But this much we may know that Christ was Mans Redeemer by undertaking what he after did before his Incarnation And that he revealed the Grace of Redemption by Promises Types and Prophesies and so saved the Faithful And that Gods works are usually progressive to Perfection and ripeâ—t at last And therefore when he had first sent his Prophets he lastly sent his Son to perform his undertaking and bring Life and Immortality more fully to light and bring in a better Covenant and gather a more excellent Universal Church Q. 13. Were any savâ—d by Christ before he was made Man A. Yes They had the Love of the Father the Grace of Christ and the necessary communion of the Holy Ghost and the Promise And in every Age and Nation he that feared God and work't Righteousness was accepted of him CHAP. XIII Suffered under Pontius Pilate was Crucified Dead and Buried he descended into Hell
And that we gather one thing from another and that we Love Good and Hate Evil and Choose Refuse and Do accordingly Q. 5. What do you next know of your selves A. When we perceive that we See Feel c. and Think Love Hate c. we know that we have a Power of Soul to do all this for no one doth that which he is not made able to do Q. 6. And what do you next know of your self A. When I know what I Do and that I can do it I know next that I am a Substance endued with this Power for nothing hath no Power nor Act it can do nothing Q. 7. What know you next of your self A. I know that this Substance which Thinketh Understandeth and Willeth is an unseen Substance for neither I nor any mortal Man seeth it and that is it which is called a Spirit Q. 8. What next perceive you of your self A. I Perceive that in this one Substance there is a Threefold Power marvellously but One and yet Three as Named from the Objects and Effects that is 1. A Power of meer Growing motion common to Plants 2. A Power of Sense common to Beasts 3. And a Power of Understanding and Reason about things above Sense proper to a Man three Powers in one spiritual Substance Q. 9. What else do you find in your self A. I find that my spiritual Substance as Intellectual hath also a Threefold Power in one that is 1. Intellectual Life by which I move and act my faculties and execute my purposes 2. Understanding 3. And Will and that these are marvellously diverse and yet one Q. 10. What else find you by your self A. I find that this unseen Spirit is here United to a humane Body and is in Love with it and careth for it and is much limited by it in its Perceivings Willings and Workings and so that a Man is an Incorporate Understanding Spirit or a humane Soul and Body Q. 11. What else perceive you by your self A. I perceive that my higher Powers are given me to rule the lower my Reason to rule my Senses and Appetite my Soul to rule and use my Body as Man is made to rule the Beasts Q. 12. What know you of your self as related to others A. I see that I am a Member of the World of Mankind and that others are better than I and multitudes better than one and that the Welfare of Mankind depends much on their Duty to one another and therefore that I should Love all according to their worth and faithfully endeavour the good of all Q. 13. What else know you of your self A. I know that I made not my self and maintain not my self in Life and Safety and therefore that another made me and maintaineth me and I know that I must Die by the Separation of my Soul and Body Q. 14. And can we tell what then becomes of the Soul A. I am now to tell you but how much of it our Nature tells us the rest I shall tell you afterward we may know 1. That the Soul being a Substance in the Body will be a Substance out of it unless God should destroy it which we have no cause to think he will 2. That Life Understanding and Will being its very Nature it will be the same after Death and not a thing of some other kind 3. That the Soul being naturally Active and the World full of Objects it will not be a sleepy or unactive thing 4. That its Nature here being to mind its Interest in another Life by Hopes or Fears of what will follow God made not its Nature such in vain and therefore that Good or Evil in the Life that 's next will be the Lot of all CHAP. III. Of the Natural Knowledge of GOD and Heaven Qu. 1. YOu have told me how we know the things which we see and feel without us and within us But how can we know any things which we neither see nor feel but are quite above us A. By certain Effects and Signs which notifie them How little else did man differ from a Beast if he knew no more than he seeth and feeleth Besides what we know from others that have seen you see not now that the Sun will rise to morrow or that Man must die you see not Italy Spain France You see no mans Soul And yet we certainly know that such things are and will be Q. 2. How know you that there is any thing above us but what we see A. 1. We see such things done here on Earth which nothing doth or can do which is seen What thing that is seen can give all Men and Beasts their life and sense and safety and so marvellously form the bodies of all and govern all the matters of the World 2. We see that the spaces above us where Sun Moon and Stars are are so vast that all this Earth is not so much to them as one Inch is to all this Land And we see that the Regions above us excel in the glory of purity and splendor And when this dark spot of Earth hath so many millions of Men can we doubt whether those vast and glorious parts are better inhabited 3. And we find that the grossest things are the basest and the most invisible the most Powerful and Noble as our Souls are above our Bodies And therefore the most vast and Glorious Worlds above us must have the most invisible powerful noble inhabitants Q. 3. But how know you what those Spirits above us are A. 1. We partly know what they are by what they do with us on Earth 2. We know much what they are by the Knowledge of our selves If our Souls are Invisible Spirits essentiated by the Power of Life Understanding and Will the Spirits above us can be no less but either such or more excellent And he that made us must needs be more excellent than his work Q. 4. How know you who made us A. He that made all things must needs be our Maker that is GOD Q. 5. What mean you by God And what is He A. I mean The Eternal Infinite Glorious Spirit and Life most Perfect in Active Power Understanding and Will Of whom and by whom and to whom are all things being the Creator Governour and End of all This is that God whom All things do declare Q. 6. How know you that there is such a God A. By his works And I shall afterwards tell it you more fully by his Word Man did not make himself Beasts Birds Fishes Trees and Plants make not themselves The Earth and Water and Air made not themselves And if the Souls of men have a maker the Spirits next above them must have a Maker and so on till you come to a first Cause that was made by none There must be a first Cause and there can be but one Q. 7. Why may there not be many Gods or Spirits that were made by none but are Eternally of themselves A. Because
it is a Contradiction The same would be both perfect and imperfect Perfect because he is of himself Eternally without a cause and so dependent upon none And yet Imperfect because he hath but a Part of that Being that is said to be perfect For many are more than One and all make up the absolute perfect being and One of them is but a Part of all And to be a Part is to be Imperfect However many subordinate Created Spirits may unfitly be called Gods there can be but one uncreated God in the first and proper sence Q. 8. How know you that God is Eternal without Beginning A. Because else there was a time when there was Nothing if there were a time when there was no God And then there never would have been any thing For nothing can make nothing Q. 9. But how can man conceive of an Eternal uncaused Being A. That such a GOD there is is the most certain easie Truth and that he hath all the Perfection before described But neither Man nor Angel can know him Comprehensively Q. 10. What mean you by his Infiniteness A. That his Being and Perfection have no limits or measure but incomprehensibly comprehend all Place and Beings Q. 11. What is this GOD to us A. He is our Maker and therefore our absolute Owner our Supream Ruler and our Chief Benefactor and Ultimate End Q. 12. And how stand we related to him what duty do we owe him and what may we expect from him A. We are his Creatures and all that we are and have is of him we are his Subjects made with Life Reason and Free-will to be ruled by him He is the Infinite Good and Love it self Therefore we owe him perfect Resignation perfect Obedience and perfect Complacency and Love All that we are and all that we have and all that we can doe is due to him in the way of our Obedience to pay which is our own Rectitude and Felicity as it is our Duty But all this you must much better learn from his Word than Nature alone can teach it you Though Mans Nature and the frame of Nature about us so fully proveth what I have said as leaveth all the Ungodly without excuse CHAP. IV. Of Gods Kingdom and Government of Man and Providence Q. 1. I Perceive that nothing more concerneth us than to know GOD and our Relation and Duty to him and what hope we have from him Therefore I pray you open it to me more fully And first tell me Where God is A. GOD being Infinite is not confined in any Place but all Place and things are in GOD and he is absent from none but as near to every thing as it is to it self Q. 2. Why then do you say that he is in Heaven if he be as much on Earth and every where A. GOD is not more or less in one place than another in his Being but he is apparent and known to us by his Working and so we say He is in Heaven as he there Worketh and Shineth forth to the most blessed Creatures in Heavenly Glory As we say the Sun is where it shineth Or to use a more apt Comparison the Soul of Man is indivisibly in the whole Body but it doth not Work in all parts alike it understandeth not in the Foot but in the Head it Seeth not Heareth not Tasteth not and smelleth not in the Fingers or lower parts but in the Eye the Ear and other Senses in the Head and therefore when we talk to a man it is his Soul that we talk to and not his Flesh and yet we look him in the Face not as if the Soul were no where but in the Face or Head but because it only worketh and appeareth there by those Senses and that Understanding which we Converse with Even so we look up to Heaven when we speak to God not as if he were no where else but because Heaven is the place of his glorious Appearing and Operation and as the Head and Face of the World where all true Glory and Felicity is and from whence it descendeth to this Earth as the Beams of the Sun do from its glorious Center Q. 3. You begin to make me think that GOD is the SOUL of the WORLD and that we must conceive of him in the World as we do of the Soul of Man in his Body A. You cannot better Conceive of GOD so you will but take in the points of Difference which are very great for no Creature known to us doth resemble God without vast Difference The Differences are such as these First The Soul is part of the Man but God is not a part of the World or of Being For to be a part is to be less than the whole and so to be Imperfect Secondly We cannot say that the Soul is any where out of the Body but the World is Finite and God is Infinite and therefore God is not Confined to the World 3. The Soul ruleth not a Body that hath a distinct Understanding and Free Will of its own to receive its Laws and therefore ruleth it not by proper Law but by despotical Motion But God ruleth men that have Understanding and Free Will of their own to know and receive his Laws and therefore he ruleth them partly by a Law 4. The Soul doth not use another Soul under it to rule the Body but GOD maketh use of Superiour Spirits to move and rule things and Persons below them so that there is great difference between Gods ruling the World and the Souls ruling the Body But yet there is great likeness also 1. God is as near every part of the World as the Soul is near the Body 2. God is as truely and fully the Cause of all the Actions and Changes of the World except sin which Free Will left to it self committeth as the Soul is the Cause of the Actions and Changes of the Body 3. The Body is no more lifeless without the Soul than the World would be without God Yea God giveth all its Being to the World and without him it would be nothing and in this he further differeth from the Soul which giveth not material being to the Body So that you may well conceive of GOD as the SOUL of the World so you will but put in that he is far more Q. 4. Is it not below God to concern himself with these lower things Doth he not leave them to those that are under him A. It is below God to be unconcerned about any part even the least of his own works Men are narrow Creatures and can be but in one place at once and therefore must do that by others which they cannot do themselves at least without trouble But God is infinite and present with all Creatures and as nothing is in being without him so nothing can move without him Q. 5. By this you make God to do all things Immediately whereas we see he works by means and second causes He giveth
is it 's most immediate Vehicle or Body The â—eminal tenacious Humour and Air is the immediate Vehicle of the fiery part Whether these Spirits do any of them depart as it's Vehicle or Body with the Soul or if not whether they be the identifying part that the Soul shall be reunited to first or what or how much of the rest even the aqueous and Earthy matter which we had from our Birth shall be re-assumed are things past our understanding You know not how you were generated in the Womb and yet you know that you were there made And must God teach you how you shall be raised before you will believe it Must he answer all your doubts of the Flesh that is vanished or the Bodies eaten by other Bodies and teach you all his unsearchable skill before you will take his Word for true He that maketh the rising Sun to end the darkness of the Night and the flourishing Spring to renew the Face of Millions of Plants which seemed in the Winter to be dead and the buryed little seed to spring up to a beautiful Plant and Flower or a strong and goodly Tree hath power and skill enough to raise our Bodies by wayes unknown to foolish Man Q. 8. What should a Man do that he may live in a comfortable hope of the Resurrection and the Souls Immortality and the Life to come A. We have three great things to do for this end 1. To get as full a certainty as is possible that there is such a Life to come And this is done by strengthning a sound belief 2. To get a suitableness of Soul to that blessed Life and this is by the increase of Love and Holiness and by a Spiritual heavenly conversation And 3. To get and exercise a joyful Hope and Assurance that it shall be ours And this is done by a Life of careful Obedience to God and the Conscious notice of our sincerity and title and by the increase and exercise of the foresaid Faith and Love Daily dwelling on the Thoughts of God's infinite Goodness and Fatherly love of Christ's Office and Grace and the Seals of the Spirit and the blessed state of Triumphant Souls in the Heavenly Ierusalem and living as in familiarity with them Q. 9. But when doubting Thoughts return would it not be a great help to Faith if you could prove the Souls Immortality by reason A. I have done that largely in other Books I will now say but this If there be no life of retribution after this it would follow that not only Scripture but Religion Piety and Conscience were all the most odious abuses of Mankind To set Mans Heart and Care upon seeking all his dayes a Life which he can never obtain and to live honestly and avoid sin for fear of an impossible punishment and to deny Fleshly pleasure and lust upon meer deceit what an injury would Religion Conscience and honesty be Men that are not restrained by any Fear or Hopes of another Life from Tyranny Treason Murder Perjury Lying Deceit or any wickedness but only by present Interest would be the wisest Men. When yet God hath taught Nature to abhor these Evils and bound Man to be Religious and Conscionable by common Reason were it but for the probability of another Life And can you believe that Wickedness is Wisdom and all Conscionable Goodness is Folly and De ceit CHAP. XXII Of the Life Everlasting Qu. 1. WHere is it that we shall live when we go hence A. With Christ in Heaven called Paradise and the Ierusalem above Q. 2. How is it then that the Souls of Men are said sometimes to appear on Earth Is it such Souls or is it Devils A. Either is possible For Souls are in no other Hell than Devils are who are said to be in the Air and to go to and fro and tempt Men and afflict them here on Earth But when it is a Soul that appeareth and when a Devil we have not acquaintance enough to know But though God can for just Causes let a blessed Soul appear as Moses with Henoch and Elias did on the Mount and perhaps Samuel to Saul yet we have reason to suspect that it is the miserable Souls of the Wicked that oftenest appear Q. 3. But how come Devils or Souls to be visible being Spirits A. Spirits are powerful and dwell in Airy and other Elementary matter in which they can appear to us as easily as we can put on our Cloaths Fire is invisible in its simple uncloathed substance and yet when it hath kindled the Air it is visible Light Q. 4. Why then do they appear so seldom A. God restraineth evil Spirits and keepeth them within their bounds that they may not either deceive or trouble Mankind And the Spirits of the just are more inclined to their higher Nobler Region and Work and God will have us here live by Faith and not by seeing either the heavenly Glory or its Inhabitants Q. 5. But it seems that we shall live again on Earth for it is said that the new Jerusalem cometh down from above and we look for a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness A. It greatly concerneth us to difference certainties from uncertainties It is certain that the Faithful have a promise of a great reward in Heaven and of being with Christ and being conveyed into Paradise by Angels and are commanded to lay up a Treasure in Heaven and there to set their Hearts and Affections and to seek the things that are above where Christ is at Gods right Hand and they desire to depart and be with Christ as far better than to be here and to be absent from the Body and be present with the Lord so that the Inheritance of the Saints in heavenly Light and Glory is certain But as to the rest whether the New Earth shall be for new Inhabitants or for us and whether the descending Hierusalem shall be only for a Thousand Years before the final Judgment or after for perpetuity or whether it shall come no lower than the Air where it is said That we shall be taken up to meet the Lord and so shall ever be with him or whether Earth shall be made as Glorious to us as Heaven and Heaven and Earth be laid together in Common when separating sin is gone These matters being to us less certain must not be set against that which is certain And the new Ierusalem coming down from Heaven doth imply that it was first in Heaven and it 's said that it 's now above and we are come to it in relation and foretast where are the perfected Spirits of the Just as it is described Heb. 12. 22 23 24. Q. 6. But some think that Souls sleep till the resurrection or are in an unactive potentiality for want of Bodyes A. Reason and Scripture confute this Dream The Soul is Essential Life naturally inclined to Action Intellection and Love or Volition and it will be in the midst of
the Creature-knowledge and to be able to talk as knowing Men or the better to serve our Worldly Ends and not to know and glorifie God is to prophane the works of God And alas then how common is prophaneness in the World Q. 10. What is it to Sanctifie God's Name as in our Redemption A. Redemption is such a wonderful work of God to make him known to sinners for their Sanctification and Salvation as no Tongue of Man can fully utter To think of God the Eternal Word first undertaking Man's Redemption and then taking the Nature of Man dwelling in so mean a Tabernacle fulfilling all Righteousness for us Teaching Man the knowledge of God and bringing Life and Immortality to light dying for us as a Malefactor to save us from the Curse Rising the third day Commissioning his Apostles undertaking to build his Church on a Rock which the Gates of Hell should not prevail against ascending up to Heaven sending down the wonderful and sanctifying Spirit Interceding for us and Reigning over all who receiveth faithful Souls to himself and will raise our Bodies and judge the World Can all this be believed and thought of without admiring the manifold wisdom the unconceivable Love and Mercy the Holiness and Justice of God! This must be the daily study of Believers Qu. 11. How is this Name of God prophaned A. When this wonderful work of Mans Redemption is not believed but taken by Infidels to be but a deceit Or when it is heard but as a common History and affecteth not the Hearer with admiration thankfulness desire and submission to Christ when Men live as if they had no great Obligation to Christ or no great need of him Q. 12. How is Gods Name as our Sanctifier to be hallowed A. Therein he cometh near us even into us with Illuminating Quickening Comforting Grace renewing us to his Nature Will and Image Marking us for his own and maintaining the cause of Christ against his Enemies And therefore must in this be specially notified honoured obediently observed and thankfully and joyfully admired Q. 13. But how can they honour God's Spirit and Grace who have it not Or they that have so little as not well to discern it A. The least prevailing sincere Holiness hath a special excellency turning the Soul from the World to God and may be perceived in Holy desires after him and sincere endeavours to obey him And the beauty of Holiness in others may be perceived by them that have little or none themselves if they be not grown to Malignant Enmity You may see by the Common desire of Mankind to be esteemed Wise and Good and their Impatience of being thought and called Foolish Ungodly or Bad Men that even corrupted Nature hath a radicated Testimony in it self for Goodness and against Evil. Q. 14. Who be they that prophane this Name of God A. Those that see no great need of the Spirit of Holiness or have no desire after it but think that Nature and Art may serve the turn without it Those that think that there is no great difference between Man and Man but what their Bodily temperature and their Education maketh and that it is but Phanatick delulusion or Hypocrisie to pretend to the Spirit Those that hate or deride the Name of Spirituality and Holiness and those that resist the Holy Ghost Q. 15. How is God known and honoured in his Providence A. By his Providence he so Governeth all the World and particularly all the Affairs of Men as shews us his Omnipotence his Omniscience and his Goodness and Love ordering them all to his Holy End even the pleasing of his good Will in their Perfection Q. 16. How can we see this while the World lyeth in Madness Unbelief and Wickedness and the worst are greatest and Contention Confusion and Bloody Wars do make the Earth a kind of Hell and the Wise Holy and Iust are despised hated and destroyed A. 1. Wisdom and Holiness and Justice are conspicuous and honourable by the odiousness of their contraries which though they fight against them and seem to prevail do but exercise them to their increase and greater glory And all the Faithful are secured and purified and prepared for Felicity by the Love and Providence of God 2. And as the Heavens are not all Stars but spangled with Stars nor the Stars all Suns nor Beasts and Vermine Men nor the Earth and Stones are Gold and Diamonds nor is the Darkness Light the Winter Summer or Sickness Health or Death Life And yet the wonderful Variety and Vicissitude contributeth to the Perfection of the Universe as the Variety of parts to the Perfection of the Body so God maketh use even of Mens Sin and Folly and of all the mad Confusions and Cruelties of the World to that perfect Order and Harmony which he that accomplisheth them doth well know though we perceive it not because we neither see the Whole nor the End but only the little Particles and the Beginnings of God's unsearchable works 3. And this dark and wicked World is but a little Spot of God's vast Creation and seemeth to be the lowest next to Hell while the lucid Glorious heavenly Regions are incomprehensibly great and no doubt possessed by Inhabitants suitable to so glorious a place And as it is not either the Gallows or the Prison that is a dishonour to the Kingly Government so neither is Hell or the Sins on Earth a dishonour to the Government of God 4. And as every Man is nearest to himself it is the duty of us all carefully to record all the Mercies and special Providences of God to our selves that we may know his Government and him and use the remembrance of them to his Glory Q. 17. How is the heavenly Glory as a Name of God to us that see it not A. We see vast lucid Bodies and Regions above us And by the help of things seen we may conceive of things unseen and by Divine Revelation we may certainly know them We have in the Gospel as it were a Map of Heaven in its description and a title to it in the Promises and a notifying earnest and foretast in our Souls so far as we are Sanctified Believers Q. 18. How must we hallow this Name of God A. 1. Firmly believing the heavenly Glory not only as it shall be our own Inheritance but as it is now the most Glorious and Perfect part of Gods Creation where Myriads of Angels and Glorious Spirits in perfect Happiness Love and Joy are Glorifying their most Glorious Creator and as the Saints with Christ their most Glorious Head shall for ever make up that Glorious Society and the Universe it self be seen by us in that Glorious Perfection in which the Perfection of the Creator will appear 2. And in the constant delightful Contemplation of this Supernal Glorious World by Heavenly Affections and Conversation keeping our Minds above while our Bodyes are here below and looking beyond this Prison of Flesh
though Hypocrites are the Church-visible and his professed Subjects 3. Subjects by sincere Heart-consent And so all such are his Subjects as make up the Church-mystical and shall be saved So that the Kingdom of God is a word which is sometime of a larger signification than the Church and sometime in a narrower sence is the same Eph. 1. 23. Christ is Head over all things to the Church Q. 7. What are the Acts of Christs Kingly Government A. Law-making Judging according to that Law and executing that Judgment Q. 8. What Laws hath Christ made and what doth â—e rule by A. First He taketh the Law of Nature now as his own as far as it belongeth to sinful Mankind And 2. He expoundeth the darker passages of that Law And 3. He maketh new Laws proper to the Church â—ince his Incarnation Q. 9. Are there any new Laws of Nature since the Fall A. There are new Obligations and Duties arising from our changed State It was no duty to the Innocent to repent of Sin and seek out for Recovery and â—eg Forgiveness But Nature bindeth Sinners not yet â—nder the final Sentence to all this Q. 10. What new Laws hath Christ made A. Some proper to Church Officers and some â—ommon to all Q. 11. What are his Laws about Church-Officers A. First He chose himself the first chief Officers â—nd he gave them their Commission describing their Work and Office and he Authorized them to gather â—nd form particular Churches and their fixed Officers â—t Pastors and necessary Orders and gave them the â—xtraordinary Conduct and Seal of his Spirit that their determinations might be the infallible significations of his Will and his recorded Law to his Universal Church to the end of the World His Spirit being the Perfecter of his Laws and Government Q. 12. How shall we be sure that his Apostles by the Spirit were Authorized to give Laws to all future Generations A. Because he gave them such Commission to teach Men all that he Commanded 2. And promised them his Spirit to lead them into all Truth and bring all things to their Remembrance and to tell them what to say and do And 3. Because he performed this Promise in sending them that extraordinary measure of the Spirit And 4. They spake as from Christ and in his Name and as by his Spirit And 5. They sealed all by the manifestation of that Spirit in its Holy and Miraculous manifold Operation Q. 13. Have not Bishops and Councils the same Power now A. No To be the Instruments of Divine Legislation and make Laws which God will call His Laws is a special Prophetical Power and Office such aâ— Moses had in making the Iewish Laws which noâ—… had that came after him But when Prophetical Revelation hath made the Law the following Officeâ—… have nothing to do But 1. To preserve that Law 2. And to expound it and apply it and guide thâ— People by it and themselves obey it 3. And to determine undetermined mutable Circumstances As the Iewish Priests and Levites were not to make another Law but to preserve expound and Rule by Moses Law so the ordinary Ministers Bishops or Councils are to do as to the Laws of God sufficiently made by Christ and the Spirit in his Apostles Q. 14. What are the New Laws which he hath made for all A. The Covenant of Grace in the last Edition is his Law by which he obligeth Men to Repent and Believe in him as Incarnate Crucified and Ascended and Interceding and Reigning in Heaven and as one that will Judge the World at the Resurrection As one that pardoneth Sin by his Sacrifice and Merit and Sanctifieth Believers by his Spirit And to believe in God as thus reconciled by Him and in the Holy Ghost as thus given by him And he promiseth Pardon Grace and Glory to all true Believers and threatneth Damnation to impenitent Unbelievers And he commandeth all Believers to devote themselves thus to God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost by a solemn Vow in Baptism and live in the Communion of Saints in his Church and Holy Worship and the frequent Celebration of the Memorial of his Death in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood especially on the first Day of the Week which he hath separated to that Holy Comemoration and Communion by his Resurrection and the sending of his Spirit and by his Apostles And he hath commanded all his Disciples to live in Unity Love and Beneficence taking up the Cross and following him in Holiness and Patience in hope of Everlasting Life Q. 15. But some say that Christ was only a Teacher and not a Law-giver A. His Name is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and all Power in Heaven and Earth is given him and all things put into his Hands the Government is laid on his Shoulders and the Father without him judgeth no Man but hath committed all Judgment to the Son For this end he died rose and revived that he might be Lord of the Dead and of the Living He is at God's right Hand above aâ—â— Principalities and Powers and every Name being Head over all things to the Church Q. 16. May not this signifie only his Kingdom as â—â— is God or that which he shall have hereafter only at the Resurrection A. 1. It expresly speaketh of his Power as God and Man the Redeemer 2. And he made his Law iâ— this Life though the Chief and Glorious part of hâ—â— Judgment and Execution be hereafter How elsâ— should Men here keep his Law and hereafter â—â— judged according to it He that denieth Christ to be the Lawgiver denied him to be King and he that denieth him to be King denieth him to be Christ and is no Christian. Q. 17. Hath Christ any Vicegerent or Universal Governour under him on Earth A. No It is his Prerogative to be the Universal Governour for no mortal Man is capable of it As no one Monarch is capable of the Civil Government of all the Earth nor was ever so mad as to pretend to it much less is any one capable of being an Universal Church-Teacher Priest and Governour over all the Earth when he cannot so much as know it or send to all or have access into the contending Kingdoms of the World To pretend to this is mad Usurpation Q. 18. But had not Peter the Monarchical Government of all the Church on Earth in his Time A. No He was Governour of none of the Eleven Apostles nor of Paul nor ever exercised any such Government no nor it seems so much as presided at their meeting Act. 15. Q. 19. But is not a General Council the Universal Governour A. No 1. Else the Church would be no Church when there is no General Council for want of its Unifying Government And 2. There indeed never was a general Council of all the Christian World But they were called by the Roman Emperours and were called General as
into Heaven in their sight And all this was the fuller Testimony in that he had oft over and over foretold them of it that he must be put to death and rise again the Third day before he entered into his Glory and the Iews knew it and were not able to prevent it Angels terrifying the Souldiers on the Watch. Yea the Disciples understood it not and therefore believed it not and Peter disswaded him from such talk of his Sufferings till Christ called him Satan doing like Satan that had tempted him when he fasteâ— Forty dayes to shew that the Disciples were no contrivers of a deceit herein Q. 16. Is there yet any further witness of the Holy Ghost A. Yes IV. There was the Consequent Testimony of the Spirit by the Apostles and other first publishers of the Gospel Christ bid them wait at Ierusalem for this Gift and promised them that when he was ascended he would send that Paraclete Advocate or Comforter that should be better than his visible presence and should lead them into all Truth and bring all things to their remembrance and teach them what to say that is to Enable them to perform the work to which he had Commissioned them which was to go into all the World and preach the Gospel and Disciple the Nations Baptizing them and teaching them to observe all things that he had commanded them which they performed partly by word and partly by writing and partly by practice Baptizing gathering Churches establishing Offices and Officers And he promised to be with them to the end of the World that is with their Persons for their time and with their Doctrine ordinary Successors and the whole Church ever after r On the Day of Pentecost even the Lords Day when they were assembled this Promise was so far performed to them that the Holy Ghost suddenly fell on all the Assembly in the likeness of fiery cloven Tongues after the noise as of a rushing Wind and they were filled with the Spirit and spake in the Tongues of all the Countreys near them the Praises and wonderous works of God After which they were endued with the various miraculous Gifts of the Spirit that is the use of the Tongues which they had never learnt the Interpretation of them Prophecying Miracles healing all Diseases insomuch that those that came but under the shadow of Peter and those that had but Cloaths from the Body of Paul were all healed the Lame and Blind cured Devils cast out the dead raised some Enemies struck blind some sinners struck dead and which was yet greater by their Preaching or Praying or laying on of Hands God gave the same miraculous gift of the Spirit to others and that not to a few but ordinarily to the faithful some having one such Gift and some another And as Christ had promised that when he was lifted up he would draw all Men to him so he blest the labours of the Apostles Prophets and Evangelists accordingly many Thousands being converted at a Sermon and multitudes still added to the Church And when the Preachers were forbidden and imprisoned Christ strengthened them and Angels miraculously delivered them When Peter was in Prison designed for Death the Angel of God loosed his Bolts and open'd the Doors and led him forth When Paul and Silas had been Scourged and were in the Stocks in the Prison an Earth quake sets them free and prepareth for the Conversion of the Jaylor and his House And Christ himself had before appeared to Paul in glory when he was going on in Persecution and struck him down in blindness and preached to him with a Voice from Heaven and converted him and sent him as his Apostle into the World By these Miracles was the World Converted And as Christ had promised them that they should Greater Works than those which he himself did so indeed their Miracles did more to Convert the World than the Works of Christ in Person had done For 1. Those which were wrought by One Man would leave suspicious Men more doubtful of the Truth than that which is done by many at a distance from each other and in several places 2. And that which was done but in one small Countrey would be more doubted of than that which is done in much of the World Sometimes indeed Thousands but usually Twelve Men were the Witnesses of what Christ said and did But what these Witnesses said and did to prove their Testimony Thousands in many Lands did see and hear Q. 17. But why was it that Christ forbad some to declare that he was the Christ A. Because the time was not come till the Evidences were given by which it must be proved It was not a matter to be rashly believed and taken upon the bare word of himself or any other That a Man living in a mean Condition was the Son of God and Saviour and Lord and Teacher of the World and the Judge of all Men was not to be believed without good proof And the Chief proof was to be from all Christs own Miracles and his Resurrection and Ascension and the great gift of the Holy Ghost and Tongues and Miracles of the Apostles and other Disciples And these were not all done or given then Yet because the Iews received Moses and the Prophets he sometimes shewed how they Prophesied of him Yea his very Doctrine whose frame had a self-evidencing Light was not fully revealed till it was done by the Spirit in the Apostles Q. 18. But though all these Miracles were wrought how could it be certain that they were the attestation of God when it is said that Magicians false Prophets and Antichrist may do such things A. 1. I shall first mind you that though we were never so uncertain of the Nature of a Miracle whether it be wrought by any Created Cause yet we are agreed that by Miracles we mean such works which are wrought quite out of and against the common Course of Second Causes called Nature And we are sure that as no work can be done without Gods premotion or permission at least so specially the Course of Nature cannot be altered and over-ruled but by Gods Knowledge Consent and Execution what ever Second Cause unknown to us may be in it certainly God is the first Cause 2. And it is most certain that the Most perfect Governour of the World is not the great Deceiver of the World and is not so wanting in Power Wisdom and Goodness as to Rule them by a Lie yea and an unresistible and remediless deceit This is rather the description of Satan 3. And Man must know the will of God by some signs or other or else he cannot do it And what signs can the Wit of Man devise by which they that would fain know the will of God may come to be certain of it if such a Course of Miracles may deceive us Would you believe if some came from the dead as Witnesses Or if an Angel or many Angels came
is folly to be stalled at the Believing of any thing which we once are sure that God revealeth considering how unmeet our shallow Wit is to judge of the things of infinite Wisdom to us unseen 2. To Holy illuminated prepared Souls Belief is not so hard It 's Blindness and Vice that make it difficult 3. God did not become Man by any Change of his Godhead nor by confining his Essence to the Manhood of Christ But 1. By taking the humane Nature into a special Aptitude for hiâ— Operations 2. And so Relating it neerly to himself 3. And Operating peculiarly in and on it as he doth not on any other Creature And when all are agreed that God is essentially every where and is as near us as we are our selves and more the Cause of all good which we do than we our selves are it will be harder to shew that he is not Hypostatically united to every Man than that he is so to Christ Though the foresaid Aptitude of Christ's humane Nature and the Relation and Operation of the Divine indeed make that vast difference If God can so peculiarly Operate in and by our humane Nature where lyeth the Incredibility Q. 31. But it is so transcendently above all the Works of Nature that such condescension of God is hard to be believed A. Great Works best beseem the Infinite God Is not the make of the whole World as wonderful and yet certain Gods Love and Goodness must have wonderful products as well as his Power But is it not very congruous to Nature and Reason that God should have Mercy on lapsed man And that he should restore depraved humane Nature And that he should do this great work like his Greatness and Goodness and above Mans shallow reach And that Polluted Souls should not have immediate access to the most Holy but by a Holy Mediator And that Mankind should have one Universal Head and Monarch in our own Nature And that when even Heathens are conscious of the great need of some Divine revelations besides the light of Nature and therefore consult their Oracles and Augurs that God should give us a certain Menssenger from Heaven to teach us necessary Truth Many such Congruities I have opened in the Reasons of the Christian Religion Part 2. Ch. 5. The Summ of all that is said is This I. If any History in the world be sure the History of the Gospel is sure II. And if the History be sure the Doctrine must needs be sure III. The continued Evidences 1. In the Holiness of the Doctrine And 2. In the Holiness of all true serious Believers are a standing proof of both as the Miracles were to all the beholders who did not Blaspheme the Holy Ghost Q. 32. But how comes it to be so hard then to the most to become serious Believers and Godly when the Evidence is so clear A. A Blind Dead Worldly Fleshly Heart doth undispose them and they will not Consider such things nor use the means Yea they so wilfully sin against Knowledge and Conscience and will not obey that which they know that they forfeit further Grace I will name you briefly many things which every Mans Natural Reason might know and ask you whether you ever knew any Unbeliever that was not false to this Light of Nature 1. Doth not Sence and Reason tell men how vile a thing that Flesh is which they preferr before their Souls 2. Doth it not certifie them that they must die and so that Fleshly Pleasure is short 3. Doth it not tell them of the Vanity and Vexation of this World 4. And that greatest Prosperity is usually parted with with greatest sorrow 5. Doth it not tell them that Mans Nature can hardly choose but fear what will follow after Death 6. Doth it not tell them that there is a God that made them and Ruleth all 7. And that he is infinitely Great and Wise and Good and therefore should be Obeyed Loved and Trusted above all 8. And that their Lives and Souls and all are his and at his will 9. And that Man hath Faculties which can mind a God and a Life to come which Bruits have not and that God doth not make such Natures in vain 10. Doth not experience tell them that humane Nature seeth a vast difference between Moral Good and Evil and that all Government Laws and Converse shew it And no Man would be counted false and bad 11. And that Good Men are the Blessing of the World and Bad Men the Plagues 12. And that there is a Conscience in Man that condemneth Sin and approveth Goodness 13. And that most Men when they dye cry out against that which Worldly Fleshly Men preferr and wish that they had lived the Life of Saints and might die their death Are not these easily knowable to all And yet all the ungodly live as if they believed none of this And can you wonder if all such Men understand not or believe not the Heavenly things have no experience of the Sanctifying Work and Witness of the Holy Spirit and have no delight in God and Goodness no strength against Sin and Temptations no Trust in God in their necessity no suitableness to the Gospel nor the heavenly Glory But as they lived in sin do die in a stupid or despairing state of Soul CHAP. VII Of the Christian Religion what it is and of the Creed Q. 1. NOw you have laid so good a Foundation by shewing me the certain Truth of the Gospel I would better know what Christianity is and what it is to be a true Christian A. First I must tell you what Religion is iâ— general and then what the Christian Religion is Religion is a Word that signifieth either that which is without us the Rule of our Religion or thaâ— which is within us our conformity to that Rule The Doctrinal Regulating Religion is the Signification of Gods will concerning Mans Duty to God and his Hopes from God The inward Religion of our Souls is our Conformity to this revealed regulating Will of God even our absolute resignation to God as being his own our absolute subjection to him aâ— our absolute Sovereign Ruler and our prevailinâ— chief Love to him as our chief Benefactor and aâ— Love and Goodness it self Thus Religion is ouâ— Duty to God and Hope from God Q. 2. Now what is the Christian Religion A. The Christian Religion as Doctrinal is The Revelation of Gods will concerning his Kingdoâ— as our Redeemer or the Redeeming and savinâ— sinful miserable Man by Jesus Christ. And the Christian Religion as it is in us is Thâ— true Conformity of our Understanding Will anâ— Practice to this Doctrine or The true Belief oâ— the Mind the Thankful Love and Consent of thâ— Will and the sincere Obedience of our Lives to God as our Reconciled Father in Christ and to Jesus Christ as our Saviour and to the Holy Ghost as our Sanctifier to deliver us from the guilt and power of Sin from
Christian shall be damned who knoweth not what a PERSON in the Trinity is as Eternally inexistent when all the Divines and School Wits as good as confess after tedious disputes with unintelligible words that they know not It is the Trinity as related to us and Operative and therein Notified that We must necessarily understand and believe even as Our Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier that the Love of God the Father and the Grace of the Son and the Communion of the Holy Ghost may be believed received and enjoyed As there are diversities of Gifts but the same Spirit and differences of Administrations but the same Lord and diversities of Operations but the same God which worketh all in all 1 Cor. 12. 4 5 6. 2 Cor. 13. 14. Even as it is not our understanding the Essence of the Sun but our Reception of it 's communicated Motion Light and Heat that our Nature liveth by Q. 11. But how can any Man love him above all of whom we can have no true Conception I cannot Conceive what GOD is A. It may be you think that you know nothing but what you see or feel by Sense For so Mens long use of Bodies and Sense is apt to abuse them Or you think you know nothing which you know not fully and so no Angel knoweth God by an adequate comprehensive Knowledge How far are we from knowing fully what Sun and Moon and Stars are and what is in them and how they are ordered and move And yet nothing is more easily and surely known than that there is a Sun and Stars and that they are substances that have the power of Motion Light and Heat Yea Philosophers cannot yet agree what Light and Heat are And yet we know enough of them for our necessary use And can it be expected then that Man give a proper Definition of the Infinite God And yet nothing is more certain than that there is a God and that he is such as I have before described And we may know as much of him as our Duty and Happinss requireth Q. 12. But what is the best Conception I can have of God A. I partly told you in the Third Chapter and the Second I now tell you further that we see God here but as in a Glass His Image on Mans Soul is the nearest Glass How do you conceive of your own Soul You cannot doubt but you have a Soul while you perceive its constant acts Yet you see it not You find clearly that It is a Spiritual substance that hath essentially the power of Vital-Activity Understanding and Will By this you perceive what a Spirit is And by this you have some perception what GOD is All the World is far less to God than a Body to its Soul And GOD is Infinitely more than a Soul to all the World But by the Similitude of a Soul you may most easily conceive of him CHAP. X. Of God's Almightiness and Creation Qu. 1. WHy is God here called The FATHER in whom we believe A. 1. As he is the first Person in the Eternal Trinity and so called The Father of the Eternal Word or Wisdom as his Son 2. As he is the Father of Jesus Christ as Incarnate 3. As he is the Maker of the whole Creation and as a Common Father giveth Being to all that is 4. As he is our Reconciled Father by Christ and hath adopted us as his Sons and bound us to Love and Trust and Obey him as our Father But the two first are the chief Sence Q. 2. What is God's ALMIGHTINESS A. His Infinite Power by which he can do all things which are works of Power He cannot Lie nor Die nor be the Cause of sin for these are no Effects of Power but of Impotencie Q. 3. Why is his Almightiness to be believed by us A. We do not else believe him to be GOD And we cannot else Reverence Admire Trust him and Obey him as we ought Q. 4. Why is his Almightiness only named and no other properties A. All the rest are supposed when we call him GOD. But this is named because he is first to be Believed in as the Creator and his Creation doth eminently manifest his Power And though the Son and the Holy Ghost are Almighty the Scripture eminently attributeth POWER to the FATHER WISDOM to the SON and LOVE and Perfective Operations to the Holy Ghost Q. 5. Is the Creation named to notifie to us God's Almightiness A. Yes and it is a great part of our Duty when we look up to the Heavens and daily see so far as our short sight can reach of this wondeful World to think with most reverend admiration O what a GOD have we to serve and trust Q. 6. HOw did God make all things A. He gave them all their Being Order and well-being by the Power of his Will and Word Q. 7. When did he make all things A. It is not yet Six thousand Years since he made this World even as much as belongs to us to know Q. 8. How long was God making this World A. It pleased him to make it the work of Six dayes and he consecrated the seventh day a Sabbath for the Commemoration of it and for the solemn Worshipping Him as our Creator Q. 9. For whom and for what use did God make the World A. God made all things for himself not as having need of them but to please his own will which is the Beginning and the End of all his Works and to shine in the Glory of the Greatness Order and Goodness of the World as in a glass to understanding Creatures and to communicate Goodness variously to his Works Q. 10. What did God with the World when he had made it A. By the same Power Wisdom and Will he still continueth it or else it would presently return into nothing Q. 11. What further must we learn from Godâ— CREATING us A. We certainly learn that he is our OWNER our RULER and our BENEFACTOR or FATHER and that we are his OWN and His SUBJECTS and his BENEFITED Children Q. 12. What mean you by the First that he is our OWNER A. He that maketh us of nothing must needs be our absolute Lord or Owner And therefore may do with all things what he Will and cannot possibly do any wrong however he useth us And we must needs be wholly his Own and therefore should wholly resign our selves to his disposing Will. Q. 13. What mean you by the Second that God is our Ruler A. He that by Creation is our absolute Owner and hath made us Reasonable and with Free-will must needs have the only right and fitness to be our Ruler by his Laws and Doctrine And we are bound as his Subjects to Obey him absolutely in all things Q. 14. How gather you that he is our Father or Benefactor A. If we have our very Being from him and all the Good that the whole Creation enjoyeth be his
terrified them and told the Rulers what they saw And after all it was to Paul a Persecutor and partly to his company that Christ appeared Q. 6. Why must Christ rise from the Dead A. You may as well ask Why he must be our Savior 1. If he had not risen Death had conquered him and how could he have saved us that was overcome and lost himself 2. He could not have received his own promised Reward even his Kingdom and Glory It was for the Joy that was set before him that he enendured the Cross and despised the shame Therefore God gave him a Name above every Name to which every created Knee must bow 3. His Resurrection was to be the chief of all those Miracles by which God witnessed that he was his Soâ— and the chief Evidence by which the World was to be convinced of his Truth and so was used in their Preaching by the Apostles That Christ rose from the Dead is the chief Argument that makes us Christians 4. The great executive parts of Christs saving Office were to be performed in Heaven which a dead Man could not do How else should he have Inceded for us as our heavenly High-priest How should he have sent down the Holy Ghost to renew us How should he as King have governed and protected his Church on Earth unto the End How should he have come again in Glory to Judge the World and how should we have seen his Glory as the Mediator oâ— Fruition in the Heavenly Kingdom Q. 7. I perceive then that Christ's Resurrection is tâ— us an Article of the greatest use What use must â—â— make of it A. You may gather it by what is said 1. By this you may be sure that he is the Son of God and his Gospel True 2. By this you may be sure that his Sacrifice on the Cross was accepted as sufficient 3. By this you may be sure that Death is Conquered and we may boldly trust our Saviour who tasted and overcame Death with our departing Souls 4. By this you may be sure that we have a powerful High-priest and Intercessour in Heaven by whom we may come with reverend boldness unto God 5. By this we may know that we have a powerful King both to obey and to trust with the Churches Interest and our own 6. By this we may know that we have a Head still living who will send down his Spirit to gather his Chosen to help his Ministers to Sanctifie and Comfort his People and prepare them for Glory 7. By this we are assured of our own Resurrection and taught to hope for our final Justification and Glory 8. And by this we are taught that we must Rise to Holiness of Life CHAP. XV. He ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right Hand of God the Father Almighty Qu. 1. HOw long was it between Christ's Resurrection and his Ascension A. Forty dayes He rose on the day which we call Easter-day and he ascended on that which we call Ascension day or Holy Thursday Q. 2. Did Christ stay all that while among his Disciples visibly A. No but appeared to them at such seasons as he saw meet Q. 3. Where was he all the rest of the Forty Days A. God hath not told us and therefore it concerneth us not to know Q. 4. He shewed them that he had Flesh and Blood hoâ—â—â—en was he to them invisible the most part of the Forty dayes A. The Divine power that raised Christ could make those alterations on his Body which we are unacquainted with Q. 5. How was Christ taken up to Heaven A. While he was speaking to his Apostles of the things concerning the Kingdom of God and answering them that hoped it would presently be and had given their Commission and the Promise of the Holy Ghost and commanded them to wait for it at Ierusalem he was taken up as they gazed after him till a Cloud took him out of their sight And two Angels like two Men in white stood by them and askt them why they stood gazing up to Heaven telling them that Iesus who was taken up should so come again Q. 6. Had it not been better for us that he had staid on Earth A. No He is many wayes more useful to us in Heaven 1. He is now no more confined in presence to that small Countrey of Iudea above the rest of the World as a Candle to one room but as the Sun in his Glory shineth to all his Church on Earth 2. He is possessed of his full Power and Glory by which he is fit to protect and Glorifie us 3. He intercedeth for us where our highest Concerns and Interest are 4. He sendeth his Spirit on Earth to do his work on all believers Souls Q. 7. What is meant by his sitting on the right Hand of God A. Not that God hath Hands or is confined to a place as Man is But it signifieth that the Glorified Man Iesus is next to God in Dignity Power and Glory and as the Lieutenant under a King is now the Universal Administrator or Governour of all the World under God the Father Almighty Q. 8. I Thought he had been only the Lord of his Church A. He is Head over all things to his Church All Power and things in Heaven and Earth are given him Even the frame of Nature dependeth on him He is Lord of all But it is his Church that he Sanctifieth by his Spirit and will Glorifie Q. 9. If Christ have all power why doth he let Satan and Sin still reign over the far greatest part of the Earth A. 1. Satan reigneth but over Volunteers that wilfully and obstinately choose that Condition And he reigneth but as the Jailor in the Prison as Gods Executioner on the wilfull refusers of his Grace And his reign is far from absolute he crosseth none of the Decrees of God nor overcometh his power but doth what God seeth meet to permit him to do He shall destroy none of Gods Elect nor any that are truly willing of Saving Grace And as for the fewness of the Elect I shall speak of it after about the Catholick Church Q. 10. But is not Christs Body present on Earth and in the Sacrament A. We are sure he is in Heaven and we are sure that their Doctrine is a fiction contrary to Sense Reason and Scripture that say the Consecrated Bread and Wine are substantially turned into the very Body and Blood of Christ and are no longer Bread and Wine Buâ—… how far the presence of Christs Soul and Body extendeth is a question unfit for Mans determination unleâ—… we better knew what Glorified Souls and Bodies are â—… We see that the Sun is eminently in the Heaven Anâ—… yet whether its lucid Beams be a real part of its substance which are here on Earth or how far they extend we know not nor know we how the Sun differeth in Greatness or Glory from
true Christians in the World And 2. Because it consisteth of Persons that have every where in the World the same Essentiating qualifications summed up Eph. 4. 3 4 5 6. One Body one Spirit one hope of our Calling one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all though iâ— various Measures of Grace And so the Concordanâ— Churches of Christ through the World were called The Catholick Church as distinct from the Sects and Heresies that broke from it Q. 4. How comes the Pope of Rome to call only his Subjects Catholicks A. The greatest part of the Church on Earth by far was long in the Roman Empire and when Emperors turned Christians they gave the Churches Power for the Honour of Christianity to form the Churches much like the Civil State And so a General Council of all the Churches in that Empire was their Supream Church Power And three Patriarchs first and five after were in their several Provinces over all the rest of the Archbishops and Bishops And so the Orthodox Party at First were called The Catholicks because they were the greater Concordant part But quickly the Arrians became far greater and carryed it in Councils and then they called themselves The Catholicks After that the Orthodox under wiser Emperors got up again and then they were the greater part called Catholicks Then the Nostorians a little while and the Eutychians after and the Monothelites after them got the Major Vote in Councils and called themselves the Catholick Church And so since then they that had the greatest countenance from Princes and the greatest number of Bishops in Councils claimed the Name of the Catholick Church And the Pope that was the first Patriarch in the Empire first called himself the Head of the Catholick Church in that Empire and when the Empire was broke extended his claim to the whole Christian World partly by the abuse of the word Catholick Church and partly by abuse of the Name General Councils falsly pretending to Men that what was called Catholick and General as to the Empire had been so called as to all the World And thus His Church was called Catholick Q. 5. Why is the Catholick Church called Holy A. 1. To notifie the work of our Saviour who came to save us from our sins and gather a peculiar People a holy Society who are separated from the unbelieving ungodly World 2. To notifie the Work of the Holy Ghost who is given to make such an Holy People 3. Yea to notifie the Holiness of God the Father who will be Sanctified in all that draw near him and hateth the impure and unholy and will have all his Children Holy as he is Holy 4. And to tell us the fitness of all Gods Children for his favour and Salvation Q. 6. Wherein consisteth the Holiness of the Church A. 1. Christ their Head is perfectly Holy 2. The Gospel and Law of Christ which is our objective Faith and Rule are Holy 3. The Founders of the Church were eminently Holy 4. All sincere Christians are truly Holy and marked out as such for Salvation 5. The common Ministers have an Holy Office 6. The Church Worship as Gods Ordinances are Holy works 7. All that are Baptized and profess Christianity are Holy as to Profession and so far separated from the Infidel World though not sincerely to Salvation Q. 7. What is it now that you call The Holy Catholick Church A. It is The Universality of Christians Headed by Iesus Christ. Or It is a Holy Kingdom consisting of Iesus Christ the Head and all sincere Christians the sincere Members and all professed Christians the professing Members first founded and gathered by the Holy Ghost eminently working in the Apostles and Evangelists Recording the Doctrine and Laws of Christ for their Government to the End and guided by his Ministers and Sanctifying Spirit according to those Laws and Doctrine in various degrees of Grace and Gifts Q. 8. What is it that makes all Churches to be One A. 1. Materially their concord in the same qualifications which is called Eph. 4. 3. The Unity of the Spirit They are all that are sincere Sanctified by the same Spirit and have the same Essentials of Faith Hope Baptismal Covenant and Love And the Hypocrites profess the same 2. Formally their common Union with and Relation to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost that is to Iesus Christ their Head bringing them home to God the Father by the Spirit Q. 9. Is there no one Ministerial Head of all the Church on Earth A. No neither One Man nor one Council or Collection of Men For 1. None are naturally capable of being One Supream Pastor Teacher Priest and Ruler over all the Nations of the Earth nor can so much as know them or have humâ—ne converse with them And a Council gathered equally out of all the World as One such Supream is a more gross Fiction of impossibles than that of a Pope 2. And Christ that never so qualified any never gave any such power But all Pastors are like the Judges Justices and Mayors that rule subordinately under one King in their several Precincts and not like an Universal Viceroy Lieutenant or Aristocracy or Parliament Q. 10. But is not Monarchy the best Form of Government and should not the Church have the best A. 1. Yes and therefore Christ is its Monarch who is capable of it 2. But a Humane Universal Monarchy of all the World is not best nor was ever an Alexander a Caesar or any Man so mad as soberly to pretend to it or plead for it Who is the Man that you would have to be King at the Antipodes and over all the Kings on Earth 3. Yea the case of the Church is liker that of Schools and Colledges that rule Volunteers in order to Teaching them And did ever Papist think that all the Schools on Earth of Grammarians Philosophers Physicians c. should have one humane Supream Schoolmaster or a Council or Colledge of such to Rule them Q. 11. But Christ is not a Visible Head and the Church is Visible A. We deny not the Visibility of the Church but we must not feign it to be more visible than it is 1. It consisteth of visible Subjects 2. Their Profession is visible and their Worship 3. They have visible Pastors in all the particular Churches as every School hath its Schoolmaster 4. Christ was visible in the Flesh on Earth 5. He was after seen of Stephen and Paul 6. He is now visible in Heaven â—â— the King is in his Court 7. And he will come in glorious Visibility shortly to judge the World 8. And his Laws are visible by which he ruleth us and will judg us If all this Visibility will not satisfie Men Christ will not approve of Usurpation for more Visibility Q. 12. Of what use is this Article to us A. 1. To tell us that Christ dyed not in vain but will certainly have a Holy Church which he will save
2. To shew us in the blessed effect that the Sanctification of the Spirit is not a Fancy but a Holy Church is renewed and saved by it 3. To tell us that God forsaketh not the Earth though he permit Ignorance Infidelity and Wickedness to abound and Malice to persecute the Truth still God hath a Holy Church which he will preserve and save And though this or that Church may apostatize and cease there shall be still a Catholick Church on Earth 4. To mind us of the wonderful Providence of God which so continueth and preserveth a Holy People hated by open Enemies and wicked Hypocrites by Satan and all his Instrments on Earth 5. To teach us to love the Unity of Christians and carefully maintain it and not to tear the Church by the Engins of proud Mens needless Snares nor to be rashly censorious of any or excommunicate them unjustly nor to separate from any further than they separte from Christ but to rejoice in our common Union in Christian Faith and Love and not let wrongs or infirmities of Christians or Carnal Interests or Pride or Passion nor different Opinions about things not necessary to our Unity destroy our Love or Peace or break this holy bond CHAP. XIX The Communion of Saints Qu. 1. HOw is this Article joyned to the former A. As it belongs to our Belief in the Holy Ghost it tells us the effect of his Sanctification And as it belongs to our belief of the holy catholick Church it tells us the end of Church Relation that Saints may live in a holy Communion Q. 2. What is it to be a Saint A. To be separated from a common and unclean Conversation unto God and to be absolutely devoted to him to Love serve and trust him and hope for his Salvation Q. 3. Are all Saints that are members of the catholick Church A. Yes by Profession if not in sincerity All that are sincere and living members of the Church are really devoted to God by Heart-consent and the rest are devoted by Baptism and outward Profession and are Hypocrites pretending falsly to be real Saints Q. 4. Why then doth the Church of Rome Canonize some few and call them Saints if all Christians be Saints A. By Saints they mean extraordinary Saints But their appropriating the Name to such much tendeth to delude the People as if they might be saved though they be not Saints Q. 5. What is meant by the Communion of Saints A. Such a frame and practice of Heart and Life towards one another as supposeth Union such as is between the Members of the Body Q. 6. Wherein doth this Communion consist A. 1. In their common Love to God Faith in Christ and Sanctification by the Spirit 2. In their Love to one another as themselves 3. In their care for one anothers welfare and endeavour to promote it as their own and when Love makes all their goods so far common to all Christians within their converse as that they do to their power supply their wants in the order and measure that Gods Providence and their Relations and Acquaintance direct them preferring the relief of others necessities before their own superfluity or fulness 4. In their joyning as with one Mind and Soul and Mouth in Gods publick Worship and that in the holy Order under their respective Pastors which Christ by his Spirit in the Apostles hath instituted Q. 7. Why is our joyning in the Lords Supper called our Communion A. Because it is a special Symbol Badge and Expression of it instituted by Christ to signifie our Communion with him and one another Q. 8. Is that to be only a Communion of Saints A. Yes that in a special manner is appropriated to Saints Other parts of Communion as eating together relieving each other duties of Relation c. are so far to be used towards Unbelievers that they are not so meet to be the distinguishing Symbols of Christians But the two Sacraments Baptism for Entrance and the Lords Supper for continuance of Communion Christ hath purposely appointed for such Badges or Signs of his People as separate from the World Q. 9. By what Order are others to be kept from Church-communion A. Christ hath instituted the Office of the Sacred Ministry for this end that when they have made Disciples to him they may be entrusted with the Keyes of his Church that is especially the Administration of these Sacraments first judging who is fit to be entred by Baptism and then who is fit for continued Communion Q. 10. May not the Pastors by this means become Church-Tyrants A. We must not put down all Government for fear of Tyranny else Kingdoms Armies Colledges Schools must be all dissolved as well as Churches some body must be trusted with this Power and who is fitter than they who are called to it as their Office and therefore supposed best qualified for it Q. 11. What if none were trusted with it and Sacraments left free to all A. Then Sacraments would be no Sacraments and the Church would be no Church If any man or woman that would might baptize whom and when they would they might baptize Turks and Heathens and that over and over who come in Scorn and they might baptize without a Profession of true Faith or upon a false Profession And if every man might give the Lords Supper to another it might be brought into Alehouses and Taverns in merrymerit or as a Charm or every Infidel or Enemy might in scorn profane it Do you think that if Baptism and the Lords Supper were thus administred that they would be any Symbols or Badges of Christianity or of a Church or any means of mens Salvation No Christians ever dreamt of such Profanation Q. 12. But why may not the Pastors themselves give them to all that will A. Either you would have them forced to do so or to do it freely If forced they are no Judges who is fit And who then shall be Judge If the Magistrate you make him a Pastor and oblige him to teach examine hear and try all the Peoples Knowledge Faith and Lives which will find them work enough And this is not to depose the Ministers power but to put it on another that hath more already than he can do And a Pastor then that delivereth the Sacrament to every one that the Magistrate bids him shall be a Slave and not a free performer of the acts of his own Office unless that Magistrate try and judge and the Minister be but a Deacon that must give account for no more than the bare delivering it But if it be the Receivers of Baptism or the Lords Supper that shall be Judges and may force the Pastor to give it them I have shewed you already the profanation will make it no Sacrament nor Church And if Pastors that are Judges shall freely give them to all they will be the Profaners and such Ministration will confound the Church and
the World Q. 13. I do not mean that they should give them to Heathens but to all that profess the Christian Faith A. Therefore they must judge whether they profess the Christian Faith or not And whether they speak as Parrots or understand what they say And withall Christian Love and a Christian Life must be professed as well as Christian Faith Q. 14. What are the Terms on which they must receive Men to Communion A. They must Baptize them and their Infants who with competent understanding and seeming seriousness profess a Practical belief in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and consent to that Covenant as expounded in the Creed Lords Prayer and Ten Commandments And they must admit all to Communion in the Lords Supper who continue in that Profession and nullifie it not by proved Apostasie or inconsistent Profession or Practice Q. 15. May not Hypocrites make such Professions that are no Saints A. Yes and God only is the Judge of Hearts not detected by proved contrary Words or Deeds And these are Saints by Profession Q. 16. But it is on pretence of being the Iudge of Church Communion that the Pope hath got his Power over the Christian World A. And if Tyrants by false pretences claim the Dominions of other Princes or of Mens Families we must not therefore Depose our King or â—athers Q. 17. But how shall we know what Pastors they be that have this Power of the Keyes and judging of mens fitness for Communion A. All Pastors as such have Power as all Physicians have in judging of their Patients and all School-masters of their Scholars But great difference there is Who shall Correct Mens injurious Administrations Whether the Magistrace do it himself or whether a Bishop over many Pastors do it or many Pastors in a Synod do it is no such great matter as will warrant the sad Contentions that have been about it so it be done Or if none of these do it a People intollerably injured may right themselves by deserting such an injurious Pastor But the Pastors must not be disabled and the work undone on pretense of restraining them from misdoing it Q. 18. What is the need and benefit of this Pastoral Discipline A. 1. The Honour of Christ who by so wonderful an Incarnation c. came to save his People from their Sins must be preserved which is profaned iâ— his Church be not a Communion of Saints 2. The difference between Heaven and Hell is so great that God will have a visible difference between the Way to each and between the probable Heirs of each The Church is the Nursery for Heaven and the Womb of Eternal happiness And Dogs and Swine are no Heirs for Heaven 3. It 's necessary to the comfort of Believers 4. And for the conviction and humbling of the Unbelievers and Ungodly Q. 19. What further Use should we make of this Article A. 1. All Christians must carefully see that they be not Hypocrites but Saints indeed that they be meeâ— for the Communion of Saints 2. All that administer Holy things and Goveâ—â— Churches should carefully see that they be a Communion of Saints and not a Swine-stye Not as the common World but as the Garden of Christ That they promote and encourage Holiness and take heed â—â— Cherishing Impiety 3. We must all be much against both that Usurpâ—tion and that neglect of necessary Discipline and differencing Saints from wicked Men which hath corrupted most of the Churches in the World Q. 20. But when experience assureth us that fâ—â— Christians can bear Church Discipline should it be usâ—â— when it will do hurt A. It is so tender and yet so necessary a Discipline which Christ hath appointed that he is unfit for the Communion of Saints who will not endure it It is not to touch his Purse or Body It is not to cast any Man out of the Church for small Infirmities No nor for gross sin that repenteth of it and forsakes it It is not to call him Magisterially to submit to the Pastors unproved accusation or assertions But it is with the Spirit of Meekness and Fatherly Love to convince a Sinner and draw him to Repentance proving from God's Word that the thing is a Sin and proving him guilty of it and telling him the evil and danger of it and the necessity of Repentance and Confession and amendment And if he be stubborn not making unnecessary hast but praying for his Repentance and waiting a competent Time and joyfully absolving him upon his Repentance and if he continue impenitent only declaring him unfit for Church Communion and requiring the Church accordingly to avoid him and binding him to answer it at the Bar of God if he repent not Q. 21. But Men will not submit to publick Confession may not Auricular private Confession to the Priest serve turn A. In case the Sin be private a private Confession may serve But when it is known the Repentance must be known or else it attaineth not the Ends of it's appointment And the Papists Auricular Confession in such Cases is but a trick to delude the Church and to keep up a Party in it of wicked Men that will not submit to the Discipline of Christ It pretendeth strictness but it is to avoid the displeasure of those that are too proud to stoop to open Confession Leâ—… such be never so many they are not to be kept in the Church on such Terms He that hath openly sinned against Christ and scandalized the Church and dishonoured his Profession and will by no conviction and intreaty be brought to open Confession in an evideâ—… case doth cast himself out of the Communion of Saints and must be declared such by the Pastors CHAP. XX. The Forgiveness of Sins Qu. 1. VVHat is the dependance of this Articlâ—… on the former A. It is part of the description of the Effects of Christs Redemption and the Holy Ghost's application of it His Regeneration maketh us Members oâ—… the Holy Catholick Church where we must live in the Communion of Saints and therewith we receive the Forgiveness of sins The same Sacrament of Baptisâ—… signifying and exhibiting both as washing us from the Filth or Power of sin and from the guilt of punishment Q. 2. What is the Forgiveness of Sin A. It is God's acquitting us from the deserved punishment Q. 3. How doth God do this A. By three several Acts which are three Degrees of Pardon The first is by his Covenant-gift Promise or Law of Grace by whicâ— as his Instrument or Act of Oblivion he dissolveth the Obligation to punishment which we were under and giveth us Lawful-Right to Impuâ—ity so that neither punishment by Sense or by Loss shall be our Due The second Act is by his Sentence as a Judge pronouncing us forgiven and Justifying this our Right against all that is or can be said against it The third Act is by his Execution actually delivering us from deserved
a sincere Believer This is all that the Article containeth 5. But while I profess to Believe it is supposed that I hope I do it sincerely and therefore have some hope that I am pardoned 6. But because a Man may sincerely believe and yet doubt of the sincerity and God hath no where said in Scripture that I or you are Sincere Believers or are pardoned therefore to believe this is no Divine Faith save by participation nor is it profest by all that profess the Creed But it is an Effect of two Acts 1. Of our Faith 2. And of the Conscience of our sincerity in Believing It is a Conclusion that all should labour to make sure though it be not the proper sence of the Article Q. 16. Seeing all true Believers are at first justified and pardoned as to the Everlasting punishment doth it not follow that all God's Children have afterward none but temporal chastisement to be forgiven A. 1. I told you that sin is not forgiven even to stated Believers before it is committed and when it is committed the qualifying Condition must be found in us And though our first true Faith and Repentance qualifie us for the Pardon of all Sin past yet when more is committed more is required in us to our Pardon that is that we renew Repentance and Faith as far as Sin is known and that we beg Pardon and forgive others 2. Yet the future punishment is not so much unforgiven to the Faithful as to others before renewed Repentance For they have the main qualification and want but an act for which they are habituated and have God's Spirit to assist them 3. And though Sins unknown which are ordinary infirmities are forgiven without express particular Repentance yet in order of nature the Desert of punishment goeth before the forgiveness The very Law of Nature maketh durable punishment due to durable Souls till the dueness be remitted by forgiveness Q. 17. Is my sin forgiven as long as I believe it not forgiven A. If you believe not that God is a merciful pardoning God and Christ a pardoning Saviour whose Sacrifice and Merits are sufficient and God's Promise of Pardon to the Penitent Believer is true and to be trusted you are not pardoned But if you believe this and consent to Christ's pardoning Covenant you are pardoned though you doubt of your own forgiveness Q. 18. How may I be sure that I am forgiven A. The everlasting punishment is forgiven when you are one that God by his Covenant pardoneth and that is when by true Faith and Repentance you Consent to the Covenant Terms and give up your self to God as your God and Saviour and Sanctifier And when temporal punishments are remitted in Soul or Body experience of their removal may tell you Q. 19. What keepeth up doubts of forgiveness of Sin A. 1. Ignorance of the Terms of the pardoning Covenant 2. And ignorance of our Selves and our own Sincerity 3. Especially renewing our guilt by Sin and being so defective in our Repentance and other Grace as that we cannot be sure of our Sincerity Above all when frequent sinning after Promises make us not credible to our selves Q. 20. But is not the Cure of a doubting Soul to Believe though he find no Evidence in himself and that because he is commanded to believe and so believing will be his Evidence A. Believing is a word that signifieth divers Acts As I told you It is every Mans duty to believe Gods Mercy and Christ's Redemption and Sufficiency and the truth of the conditional Promise and to Accept Pardon as Offered on the Terms of that Promise and then not to cherish doubts of his Sincerity But it is not every Mans duty to Believe that he is sincere or that his Sin is pardoned Else most should be bound to believe an Untruth that it may after become true Presumption destroyeth far more than Despair For an ungodly impenitent Person to believe that he is godly and justified by Christ is to believe himself who is a Lyar and not to believe Christ yea it is to believe himself against Christ who saith the contrary Q. 21. What is the use of this Article of the Forgiveness of Sin A. The Use is exceeding great not to embolden us in sin because it is pardonable nor to delay Repentance and forsaking sin For that were to cast away Pardon by Contempt But 1. to shew us what a merciful God we serve 2. And what a Mercy it is to have a Redeemer and a Pardoning Saviour 3. And what a Comfort to be under a Pardoning Covenant of Grace 4. And it tells us that the review of the sins of our unregenerate State though they must keep us humble should yet be still used to raise our Hearts to joyful thankfulness to God for the Grace of a Redeemer 5. And it should keep us from despair and discouragment in all our weaknesses while we have the Evidence of daily Pardon 6. Yea it should make us hate Sin the more which is against so good a God 7. We may come with reverenâ— boldness to God in Meditation Prayer and Sacraments when we know that Sin is pardoned 8. And we may taste the Sweetness of all our Mercies wheâ— the doubt of our forgiveness doth not embitter them 9. And we may much the easilier bear all Afflictions when the everlasting punishment is forgiven 10. Anâ— we may die when God calls us without horrour wheâ— we believe that we are pardoned through Christ nothing but Sin can hurt or endanger us at Christs Tribunal when that is forgiven and there is no Condemnation to us being in Christ how joyfully may we think of his appearing 11. What Peace of Conscience may we have continually while we can say that â—â— our Sins are forgiven us For as Psal. 32. 1. Anâ— blessed are they whose Transgression is forgiven whose Sin is covered to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity and in whose Spirit there is no guile CHAP. XXI The Resurrection of the Body Qu. 1. I Have oft wondered why there is nothing iâ— the Creed of the Immortality of the Soul and its state before the Resurrection A. 1. The Article of Christ's Descent tells us that his Soul was among the separated Souls while his Body was in the Grave as he told the Thief that he should be that day with him in Paradise 2. The Resurrection of the Body is a thing not known at all by Nature but only by supernatural Revelation and therefore is an Article of meer belief But the Immortality or future Life of Souls is a point which the Light of Nature revealeth and therefore was taken both by Iews and sober Heathens as a Truth of common Notice Even as the Love of our selves is not expressed in the Ten Commandments but only the Love of God and others because it was a thing presupposed 3. The Immortality of the Soul is included in the Article of the Resurrection of the Body For if
the Soul continue not the next at the Resurrection would be another Soul and a new created one and not the same And then the Body would not be the same Souls Body nor the Man the same Man but another Who was ever so unwise to think that God had so much more Care of the Body than of the Soul as that he would let the Soul perish and raise the Body from the dust alone aâ—d join it with another Soul 4. Very Learned and wise Expositors think that the Greek word Anastasis used for Resurrection indeed signifieth the whole Life after this both of Soul first and Body also after oft in the New Testament It is a Living again or after this Life called A standing up again And there is great probability of of it in Christs Argument with the Sadduces and some passages of Pauls 1 Cor. 15. Q. 2. What Texts of Scripture do fully prove that the Soul liveth when it is separated from the Body A. Very many 1. God breathing into Man the breath of Life and making him a living Soul is said thereby to make him in the Image of God who is the Living God And so the Soul is essentially Life 2. God's calling himself the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob is by Christ Expounded as proving that he is the God of Living Abraham 3. None ever dreamt that Henoch and Elias had no company of humane Souls in Heaven For Mat. 17. Moses also appeared with them on the Mount and shewed that his Soul did live 4. When Saul himself would have Samuel raised to speak with him it plainly implieth that it was then the common belief of the Iews that separated Souls survive 5. When 1 King 17. 22. Elias raised the dead Child of the Widow of Sarepta and 2 King 4. Elisha raised the Shunamites Child and 2 King 13. 21. â— dead Man was raised all these proved that the Soâ—â— was the same that came again Else the Persons had not been the same 6. When Christ raised Lazarus and Iairus Daughter Mar. 5. 41. 42. Luke 8. 55. and another Luke 7. 12 14 15. The same Souls came into them 7. Many of the Dead rose and appeared at Christs Death And Peter raised one from Death which was by a reunion of the same living Soul to the same Body 8. Christ tells us Luke 12. 4. that Men cannot kill the Soul 9. He tells us Luke 16. 9. that as the wise Steward when he was put out was received by the Persons whom he had Obliged so if we make us Friends of the Mammon of Unrighteousness when these things fail us which is at Death we shall be received into the Everlasting Habitations 10. The Parable of the sensual Rich Man and Lazarus one going presently to Hell and the other to the Bosom of Abraham in Paradise fully prove that Christ would have this believed and would have all Men warned accordingly to prepare and that Moses and the Prophets were so sufficient for such notice as that one from the Dead would have been less credible herein Though it be a Parable it is an instructing and not a deceiving Parable and very plain in this particular The Name of Abraham's Bosom was according to the Common sence of the Iews who so called that State of the blessed not doubting but that Abraham was then in Happiness and the blessed with him 11. Herod's thought that Iohn had been risen from the Dead and the Iews conceit that Christ had been one of the Old Prophets risen and the Pharisees approbation of Christ's argument with the Sadduces do put it past doubt that it was then taken for certain Truth that the Souls of the Faithful do survive by all except such as the Heretical Sadduces 12. Christ saith Ioh. 17. 3. This is Life Eternal to know Thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent How is it Eternal if it have as long an interruption as from Death till the Day of Judgment 13. It is the Summ of God's Gospel that whosoever believeth in Christ shall not perish but have Everlasting Life Joh. 3. 16. Therefore they perish not till the day of Judgment 14. Christ hath promised that whoever drinketh of the Water which he will give him the Spirit it shall be in him a Well of Water springing up to Everlasting Life Ioh. 4. 14. But if the Soul perish that Water perisheth to that Soul 15. To be born again of the Spirit fitteth a man to enter into the Kingdom of God But if the Soul perish all that New Birth is lost to that Soul and profiteth the Dust only 16. Joh. 3. 36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life Joh. 5. 24. He is passed from death to life Ioh. 6. 27. He giveth meat which endureth to everlasting life V. 35. He shall never hunger or thirst that is be empty that cometh to Christ V. 39. Of all that cometh to him he will lose nothing Therefore will not lose all their Souls V. 40 47. They have everlasting life 54 56. He dweleth in Christ and Christ in him and therefore is not extinct 58. Ioh. 8. 51. Verily verily I say unto you If a man keep my sayings he shall never see death Joh. 10. 28. I give unto them eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my hand 17. Joh. 11. 26. Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die 18. Joh. 14. 16. The Comforter shall abide with you for ever V. 17. For he dwelleth with you and shall be in you 19. Joh. 17. 24. I will that they whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory If the Soul perish it is not they that shall be with him but others 20. Luk. 23. 43. To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise 21. Luk. 23. 46. Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit 22. Joh. 12. 26. Where I am there shall my Servant be But Christ is not perished 23. Act. 7. 59. Stephen called on God saying Lord Iesus receive my Spirit Therefore it perished not 24. Rom. 8. 17. If children then heirs V. 23. We groan waiting for the Adoption V. 30. Whom he â—ustified them he glorified In short All the whole Gospel that promiseth Life to the Sanctified doth prove the Immortality of the Soul For if the Soul perish no man that lived on Earth is saved For if â—he Soul be not the Man it is most certainly the prime essential part of the man The dust of the Carkass is not the Man And if another Soul and not the same come into it it will be another man and so all the Promises fail 25. So all the Texts that speak of Resurrection â—udgment that we shall all be judged according to our Works and what we did in the body If it be â—nother Soul that must be judged which never was â—n that body before nor ever did any thing in that body how shall it
be judged for that which it never â—id All the Texts that threaten Hell or future Punishment and promise Heaven prove it Matth. 25. â— was hungry and ye fed me naked and ye cloathed â—ne c. Ye did it or did it not to me Might they not say We never did it nor ever lived till now Math. 13. The Angels shall gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend and them that work iniquity and cast them into the lake of fire 2 Thes. â— 6 7 8 9 10. 2. 12. and all the Scripture which threatneth Damnation to them that obey not the Truth and promiseth Salvation to the faithful which is never performed if all be done on another â—oul 26. And all the Texts that speak of Gods Justice â—nd Mercy hereafter Is it Justice to damn a new-made Soul that never sinned 27. Paul knew not whether he were in or out of the Body when he was in Paradise 2 Cor. 12. 2 3 4. The separated Soul then may be in Paradise 28. 2 Cor. 4. 16 17 18. How can the hope â—… unseen things make Affliction and Death easie â—… that Soul that shall never be saved And how â—… we be comforted or saved by such hope 29. 2 Cor. 5. 1. We know that if our earthly housâ— of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a buildinâ— of God V. 2. For in this we groan earnestly desirinâ— to be cloathed upon with our house which is from heaven V. 5. He that hath wrought us for the seâ—â— same thing is God who also hath given us the earneâ—â— of the Spirit V. 6. Therefore we are alwayes confident knowing that whilest we are at home in the bodâ—… we are absent from the Lord we are confident â—… willing rather to be absent from the Body and presâ—â— with the Lord. Wherefore we labour that whether prâ—sent or absent we way be accepted of him For â—… must all appear before the Iudgment-seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body whether it be good or bad 30. Phil. 1. 21 22 23. To me to live is Christ and to die is gain What I shall choose I know not For I am in a strait between two having a desire â—â— depart and be with Christ which is far better 31. Rev. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead that â—… in the Lord c. 32. Heb. 12. 22 23. We are come to mount Zioâ—… the City of the living God c. the spirits of the juâ—â— made perfect Abundance more might be added And I havâ— been so large on this because it is of most unspeakable importance as that which all our comfoâ—â— and our Religion lyeth on and though the Light of Nature have taught it Philosophers and almost all the World in all Ages yet the Devil is most busie to make Men doubt of it or deny it Religion lyeth on three grand Articles 1. To believe in God â— and this is so evident in the whole frame of Nature that there is a God that he is worse than mad that will deny it 2. To believe the Immortality of the Soul and the Life hereafter And 3. To believe in Christ And though it be this third that is known only by supernatural Revelation yet to him that believeth the Immortality of the Soul and the Life hereafter Christianity will appear so exceeding Congruous that it will much the more easily be believed And experience tells us that the Devils main Game for the Debauching and Damning of fleshly worldly ungodly Men and for troubling and discomforting Believers lieth in raising Doubts of the Souls Immortality and the future Life of Reward and Punishment Q. 3. But what good will a Resurrection of the Body do us if the Soul be in happiness before A. 1. It will be for Gods Glory to make and bless a perfect Man 2. It will be our Perfection A whole Man is more Perfect than a Soul alone 3. It will be the Souls delight As God that is perfectly blessed in himself yet made and maintaineth a World of which he is more than the Soul because he is a Communicative good and pregnant and delighteth to do good so the Soul is made like God in his Image and is communicative and would have a Body to act on As the Sun if there were nothing in the World but it self would be the same that it now is but nothing would receive its Motion Light or Heat or be the better for it And if you did imagine it to have understanding you must think that it would be much more pleased to enlighten and enliven so many Millions of Creatures and cause the flourishing of all the Earth than to shine to nothing So may you think of the Soul of Man It is by God inclined to actuate a Body Q. 4. If that be so it is till then imperfect and deprived of its desire and so in pain and punishment A. It is not in its full Perfection and it is a Degree of punishment to be in a state of Separation But you cannot call it a pain as to sense because it hath an unspeakable Glory though not the most perfect Nor hath the will of the Blessed any trouble and striving against the will of God but takes that for best which God willeth And so the separated state is best while God willeth it though the united State will be best as more perfect in its time Q. 5. But the dust in a Grave is so vile a thing that one would think the raising it should not be very desireable to the Soul A. It shall not be raised in the shape of ugly Dust or filth nor of corruptible Flesh and Blood But a Glorious and Spiritual Body and a meet Companion for a Glorified Soul And even now as vile as the Body is you feel that the Soul is loth to part with it Q. 6. But there are so many difficulties and improbabilities about the Resurrection as make the Belief of it very hard A. What is hard to God that made Heaven and Earth of nothing and maintains all things in their state and course What was that Body a while ago Was it not as unlikely as dust to be what it now is It 's folly to Object difficulties to Omnipotency Q. 7. But the Body is in continual Flux or Change we have not the same Flesh this Year that we had the last And a Man in a Consumption loseth before Death the Mass of Flesh in which he did good or evil shall all that rise again which every day vanisheth And shall the new Flesh be punished for that which it never did A. It 's a foolish thing from our Ignorance and uncertainties to dispute against God and certain Truth Will you know nothing unless you know all things Will you doubt of the plain Matter because in your darkness you understand not the manner or circumstances of it The Soul hath a Body consisting of various parts The fiery part in the Spirits
Objects enow on which to operate And is it not absurd to think that God will continue so noble a Nature in a state of idleness and continue all its essential Faculties in vain and never to be exercised As if he would continue the Sun without Light Heat or Motion What then is it a Sun for And why is it not annihilated The Soul cannot lose its Faculties of Vitality Intellection and Volition without losing its Essence and being turned into some other thing And why it cannot act out of a Body what Reason can be given If it could not yet that it taketh not hence with it a Body of those corporeal Spirits which it acted in or that it cannot as well have a Body of Light for its own Action as it can take a Body as Moses on the Mount to appear to Man is that which we have no reason to suspect 2. But Scripture puts all out of doubt by telling us that To die is gain and that it 's better to be with Christ and that Lazarus was comforted in Abraham's Bosom and the converted Thief was with Christ in Paradise and that the Souls under the Altar and in Heaven pray and praise God and that the Spirits of the Iust are there made perfect And this is not a state of sleep It is a World of Life and Light and Love that we are going to more active than this Earthy heavy World than Fire is more active than a Clod. And shall we suspect any sleepy unactivity there This is the dead and sleepy World And Heaven is the place of Life it self Q. 7. What is the Nature of that heavenly Everlasting Life A It is the perfect activity and perfect fruition of Divine communicated Glory by perfected Spirits and Spiritual Men in a perfect Glorious Society in a perfect Place or Region and this Everlasting Q. 8. Here are many things set together I pray you tell them me distinctly A. 1. Heaven is a perfect Glorious Place and Earth to it is a Dungeon The Sun which we see is a Glorious place in comparison of this 2. The whole Society of Angels and Saints will be Perfect and Glorious And our Joy and Glory will be as much in participation by Union and Communion with theirs as the Life and Health of the Eye or Hand is in and by union and communion with the Body we must not dream of any Glory to our selves but in a state of that union and communion with the Glorious Body of Christ. And Christ himself the Glorified Head is the chief part of this Society whose Glory we shall behold 3. Angels and Men are themselves there Perfect If our Being and Nature were not Perfect our Action and Fruition could not be Perfect 4. The Objects of all our Action are most Perfect It is the Blessed God and a Glorious Saviour and Society that we shall see and love and praise 5. All our Action will be pefect Our Sight and Knowledge our Love our Joy our Praise will be all perfect there 6. Our reception and fruition will all be perfect We shall be perfectly loved by God and one another and perfectly pleasing to him and each other and he will communicate to us and all the Society as much Glorious Life Light and Joyful Love as we are capable of receiving 7. And all this will be perfect in duration being Everlasting Q. 9. O what manner of Persons should we be if all this were well believed Is it possible that they should truly believe all this who do not earnestly desire and seek it and live in joyful longing hope to be put into possession of it A. Whoever truly believeth it will prefer it before all Earthly treasure and pleasure and make it the chief End and Motive and Comfort of his Soul and Life and forsake all that stands against it rather than forsake his hopes of this But while our Faith Hope and Love are all imperfect and we dwell in Flesh where present and sensible things are still diverting and affecting us and we are so used to Sight and Sense that we look strangely towards that which is above them and out of their reach it is no wonder if we have imperfect desires and joy abated by diversions and by griefs and fears and if in this darkness unseen things seem strange to us and if a Soul united to a Body be loth to leave it and be uncloathed and have somewhat dark Thoughts of that state without it which it never tryed Q. 10. But when we cannot conceive how Souls act out of the Body how can the Thought of it be pleasant and satisfying to us A. 1. We that can conceive what it is to Live and Understand and Will to Love and Rejoice in the Body may understand what these acts are in themselves whether out of a Body or in a more glorious Body And we can know that nothing doth nothing and therefore that the Soul that doth these acts is a Noble substance and we find that it is invisible But of this I spake in the beginning 2. When we know in general all before mentioned that we shall be in that described Blessedness with Christ and the Heavenly Society we must implicitly trust Christ with all the rest who knoweth for us what we know not and stay till possession give us that clear distinct conception of the manner and all the circumstances which they that possess it not can no more have than we can conceive of the sweetness of a Meat or Drink which we never tasted of And we should long the more for that Possession which will give us that sweet Experience Q. 11. Is not God the only Glory and Ioy of the Blessed Why then do you tell us so much of Angels and Saints and the City of God A. God is all in all things of him and through him and to him are all things and the Glory of all is to him for ever But God made not any single Creature to be happy in him alone as separate from the rest but an Universe which hath its Union and comunion I told you as the Eye and Hand have no separated Life or Pleasure but only in Communion with the whole Body so neither shall we in Heaven God is infinitely above us and if you think of him alone without mediate Objects for the ascent and access of your Thoughts you may as well think to climb up without a Ladder We are not the Noblest Creatures next to God nor yet the most Innocent We have no access to him but by a Mediator And that Mediator worketh and conveyeth his Grace to us by other subordinate means He is the Saviour of his Body which is the fulness of him that filleth all If we think not of the Heavenly Ierusalem the glorious City of God the Heavenly Society and Joyful Chore that praise Iehovah and the Lamb and live together in perfect Knowledge Love and Concord in whose Communion only we have all our
with desire and hope As Heaven is the State and Place where God shineth to the understanding Creature in the greatest Glory and where he is best known so it is this heavenly Glory seen to us by Faith which is the most Glorious of all the Names or Notices of God to be hallowed by us Q. 19. What is the profaning of this Name of God A. The minding only of Earthly and Fleshly things and not believing considering or admiring the heavenly Glory Not loving and praising God for it nor desiring and seeking to enjoy it Q. 20. So much of God's Works which make him known Next tell us what you mean by the Words which you call his Name A. 1. All the Sacred Scripture as it maketh known God to us by History Precepts Promises or Penal Threats With all God's Instituted means of Worship 2. More specially the Descriptions of God by his Attributes 3. And most specially his Proper Name GOD Iehovah c. Q. 21. I 'le not ask you what his Attributes are because you have told us that before But how is this Name of God to be hallowed A. When the Soul is affected with that Admiration Reverence Love Trust and Submission to God which the meaning of these Names bespaeks And when the manner of our using them expresseth such affections Especially in publick Praises with the Churches Q. 22. How is this Name of God prophaned A. When it is used lightly falsly unreverently without the aforesaid Holy regard and affections Q. 23. III. What is that which you call God's Name imprinted on Mans Mind A. God made Man very good at first and that was in his own Image And so much of this is either left by the interposition of Grace in lapsed Nature or by common Grace restored to it as that all Men till utterly debauched would fain be accounted Good Pious Vertuous and Just and hate the imputation of Wickedness dishonesty and Badness And on the Regenerate the Divine Nature is so renewed as that their Inclination is towards God and HOLINESS TO THE LORD is written on all their Faculties And the Spirit of God moveth on the Soul to actuate all his Graces and to plead for God and our Redeemer and bring Him to our Remembrance to our Affections and to subject us wholly to his Will and Love And thus as the Law was written in Stone as to the Letter which is written only on tender fleshy Hearts as to the Spirit and Holy effect and disposition so the Name of God which is in the Bible in the Letter is by the same Spirit imprinted on Believers Hearts that is They have the Knowledge Faith Fear and Love of God Q. 24. How must we hallow this inward Name of God A. 1. By Reverencing and Loving God that is God's Image and Operations in us Not only God as glorified in Heaven but God as dwelling by Grace in Holy Souls must be remembred and reverenced by us 2. By living as in habitual Communion and Conversation with that God who dwelleth in us and who hath made us his Habitation by the Spirit 3. And by ready obeying the moving Operations of the Spirit for God And to contemn or resist these inward Ideas Inclinations and Motions is to prophane the Name of God Q. 25. But what is all this to the Sanctfying of God himself A. The Signs are but for him that is signified It is God himself that is to be admired Loved and Honoured as notified to us by these Signs or Name otherwise we make Idols of them In a Word God must be Esteemed Reverenced Loved Trusted and Delighted in Transcendently as God with affections proper to himself and this is to Sanctifie him by advancing him in our Heart in his Prerogative above all Creatures And all Creatures must be used respectively to this Holy End And specially those Ordinances and Names which are specially Separated to this use And nothing must be used as common and unclean especially in his Worship and Religious Acts. CHAP. XXVI Thy Kingdom come Qu. 1. WHy is this made the Second Petition A. To tell us that it must be the Second thing in our Desires We are to begin at that which is highest most excellent and ultimate in our Intentions and that is Gods Glory shining in all his Works and seen admired honoured and praised by Man which is the hallowing of his Name and the Holy Exalting him in our Thoughts Affections Words and Actions above all Creatures And we are next to desire that in which God's glory most eminently shineth And that is his Kingdom of Grace and Glory Q. 2. What is here meant by the Kingdom of God A. It is not that Kingdom which he hath over Angels and the innumerable glorious Spirits of the Heavenly Regions For these are much unknown to us and we know not that there is any Rebellion among them which needeth a Restoration But Man by Sin is fallen into Rebellion and under the Condemnation due to Rebels And by Christ the reconciling Mediator they are to be restored to their subjection to God and so to his Protection Blessing and Reward And because they are Sinners corrupt and guilty they cannot be Subjects as under the Primitive Law of Innocency And therefore God hath delivered them to the Mediator as his Vicegerent to be governed under a Law of healing Grace and so brought on to Perfect Glory So that the Kingdom of God now is his Reign over fallen Man by Christ the Mediator begun on Earth by Recovering Grace and perfected in heavenly Glory Q. 3. But the Scriptures sometimes speaks of the Kingdom of God as come already when Christ came or when he rose and ascended to his Glory and sometime as if it were yet to come at the great Resurrection Day A. In the first case the meaning is that the King of the Church is come and hath established his Law of Grace and Commissioned his Officers and sent forth his Spirit and so the Kingdom of healing Grace is come But in the second case the meaning is that all that Glorious Perfection which this Grace doth tend to which will be the Glory of the Church the Glory of Christ therein and the Glorification of Gods Love is yet to come Q. 4. What is it then which we here desire A. That God will enlarge and carry on the Kingdom of Grace in the World and bear down all that Rebells and hindereth it and particularly in our selves And that he would hasten the Kingdom of Glory Q. 5. Who is it then that is the King of this Kingdom A. GOD as the absolute Supream and Iesus Christ the Son of God and Man as the Supream Vicegerent and Administrator Q. 6. Who are the Subjects of this Kingdom A. There are three sorts of Subjects 1. Subjects only as to Obligation And so those without the Church are Rebellious obliged Subjects 2. Subjects by meer Profession And so all Baptized professing Christians
to that Empire as the Subscriptions yet shew 3. And there never can be an Universal Council It were madness and wickedness to attempt it To send for the Aged Bishops from all Nations of the Christian World when none is Empowered to determine Whither or When even from the Countreys of Turks and other Infidels or Princes in War with one another that will not permit them And what room shall hold them and what one Language can they all speak And how few will live to return home with the Decrees And will not the Countrey were they meet by nearness have more Voices than all the rest And what is all this to do To condemn Christ as not having made Laws sufficient for the Universal part of Government but leave such a burden on uncapable Men And to tell the Church that Christian Religion is a mutable growing thing and can never be known to attain its ripeness but by new Laws must be made still bigger and another thing Q. 20. But the Bishops of the World may meet by their Delegates A. Those Delegates must come from the same Countreys and distance And how shall the whole World know that they are truly chosen And that all the Choosers have trusted them with their Judgments Consciences and Salvation and will stand to what they do Q. 21. But if the Universal Church be divided into Patriarchates and chief Seats those can Govern the whole Church when there is no General Council even by their Communicatory Letters A. 1. And who shall divide the World into those chief Seats and determine which shall be chief in all the Kingdoms of Infidels and Christian Kings in the World And which shall be Chief when they differ among themselves How many Patriarchs shall there be and where There were never Twelve Pretenders to succeed the Twelve Apostles The Roman Empire had three First and Five after within it self But that was by Humane institution and over one Empire and that 's now down and those Five Seats have many Hundred Years been separated and condemning one another so far are they from being One Unifying Aristocracy to Govern all the World And if they were so then Europe is Schismatical that now differs from the Major Vote of those Patriarchs Q. 22. But did not the Apostles as one Colledge Govern the whole Church A. 1. I proved to you before that the Holy Ghost was given the Apostles to perfect Universal Ligislation as Christs Agent and Advocate and that in this they have no Successors 2. And it was easie for them to exercise Acts of Judicial Determination over such as were among them and near them when the Church was small 3. And yet we read not that ever they did this in a General Council or by the Authority of a Major Vote For that meeting in Act. 15. was no General Council and the Elders and Brethren joyned with them that belonged to Ierusalem and they were all by the same Spirit of the same mind and none Dissenters Every single Apostle had the Spirit of Infallibility for his proper work And they had an Indefinite charge of the whole Church and in their several circuits exercised it Paul could by the Spirit deliver a Law of Christ to the World without taking it from the other Apostles Gal. 2. The Apostles were foundation Stones but Christ only was the Head Corner-stone They never set up a Judicial Government of all the Churches under themselves as a constitutive Unifying Aristocracy by whose major Vote all must be Governed When they had finished the work of Universal Legislation and settled Doctrine and Order for which they stayed together at Ierusalem they dispersed themselves over the World and we never find that they Judicially governed the Churches either in Synods or by Letters by a major Vote but settled Guides in ever Church as God by Moses did Priests and Levites that had no Legislative Power Q. 23. But hath not Christ his Subordinate Official Governours A. Yes Magistrates by the Sword and Pastors by the Word and Keyes These are Rulers in their several Circuits as all the Judges and Justices and Shoolmasters of England are under the King But he that should say that all these Judges and Justices are one Sovereign Aristocracy to make Laws and Judge by them by Vote as one Person political though many Natural would give them part of the Supream power and not only the Official All the Pastors in the World Guide all the Churches in the World by parts and in their several Provinces and not as One Politick Person Q. 24. But how is the Universal Church visible if it have no Visible Unifying Head and Government under Christ A. It is Visible 1. In that the Members and their Profession are visible 2. And Christ's Laws are visible by which he ruleth them 3. And their particular Pastors are visible in their places 4. And Christ was visible on Earth and is now visible in his Court in Heaven and will visibly Judge the World e're long And God hath made the Church no further Visible nor can Man do it Q. 25. But should not the whole Church be One A. It is one It is one Body of Christ having one God and one Head or Lord one Faith one Baptism one Spirit one Hope of Glory Q. 26. But should they not do all that they do in Unity and Concord A. Yes as far as they are capable Not by feigning a new Universal Legislative Power in Man or making an Universal Head under Christ but by agreeing all in the Faith and Laws that Christ hath left us And Synods may well be used to maintain such Union as far as capacity reacheth and the case requireth But an Universal Synod and a partial or National a Governing Synod and a Synod for Concord of Governours differ as much as doth a Monarch or Governing Senate over all the World and a Dyet or an Assembly of Christian Princes met for mutual help and concord in the conjunction of their strength and Councils Q. 27. What is the Pastoral Power of the Church Keyes A. It is the Power of making Christians by the Preaching of the Gospel and Receiving them so made into Communion of Christ and his Church by Baptism and feeding and guiding them by the same Word and communicating the Sacrament of Christ's Body and Blood in his Name declaring Pardon and Life to the Penitent and the contrary to the Impenitent and applying this to the particular Persons of their own charge on just occasion and so being the stated Judges who shall by them be received to Church Communion or be rejected and this as a presage of Christ's future Judgment Q. 28. But have not Pastors or Bishops a power of constraint by the Sword that is by Corporal punishments or mulcts A. No That is proper to Magistrates Parents and Masters in their several places Christ hath forbidden it to Pastors Luke 22. and appointed them another kind of work Q.
the Devil doth for to destroy the Just. As Iezebel did Q. 15. How should good Rulers avoid it A. 1. By causing Teachers to open the danger of â—t to the People 2. Some old Canons made invaâ—id the Witness of all notorious wicked men How can he be trusted in an Oath that maketh no Conscience of Drunkenness Fornication Lying or other Sin Q. 16. How then are so few destroyed by false Witnesses A. It is the wonderful Providence of God declaring himself the Governour of the World that when there are so many thousand wicked men who all have a mortal hatred to the Godly and will daily Swear and Lie for nothing and any two of these might take away our Lives at pleasure there are yet so few this way cut off But God hath not left himself without witness in the World and hath revenged false Witness on many and made Conscience a terrible Accuser for this Crime Q. 17. What is the positive Duty of the ninth Commandement A. 1. To do Justice to all men in our places 2. To defend the Innocent to the utmost of ouâ— just Power If a Lawyer will not do it for the Love of Justice and Man without a Fee when he cannoâ— have it he breaketh this Commandement 3. To reprove Backbiters and tell them of their Sin 4. To give no Scandal but to live so blamelesly that Slanderers may not be believed 5. On all just occasions especially to defend the Reputation of the Gospel Godliness and Good men the Cause and Laws of God and not silently foâ— self saving to let Satan and his Agents make them Odious by Lies to the Seduction of the Peopleâ— Souls CHAP. XLIII Of the Tenth Commandement Qu. 1. WHat are the Words of the Tenth Commandement A. Thou shalt not Covet thy Neighbours House Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours Wife nor his Man-Servant nor his Maid-Servant nor his â—x nor his Ass nor any thing that is thy Neighbours Q. 2. What is forbidden here and what Commandâ—d A. 1. In summe the thing forbidden is SELFISHNESS and the thing Commanded is to LOVE OUR NEIGHBOUR AS OUR SELVES Q. 3. Is not this implyed in the five foregoing Commandements A. Yes and so is our LOVE to GOD in all the Nine last But because there are many more particular Instances of Sin and Duty than can be distinctly named and remembred God thought it meet to make two General Fundamental Commandements which should contain them all which Christ calleth the first and second Commandement Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart c. And thou shalt Love thy Neighbour as thy Self The first is the Summary and root of all the duties of the other nine and specially of the second third and fourth The Other is the Summary of the second Table dutyes And it is placed last as being instead of all unnamed instances As the Captain leads the Souldiers and thâ— Lieutenant brings up the rear Q. 4. What mean you by the Sin of SELFISHNESS A. I mean that inordinate self-esteem self-love and self-seeking with the want of a due proportionable Love to others which engageth men against the good oâ— others and inclineth them to draw from others to themselves It is not an ordinate Love of our selves but a diseased self-love Q. 5. When is Self-Love Ordinate and when iâ— it Sinful A. That which is ordinate 1. Valueth not a maâ—â— Self blindly above his Worth 2. It employeth â— man in a due care of his own Holiness Duty anâ— Salvation 3. It regardeth our Selves but as littlâ— members of the common great body and therefore inclineth us to Love others as our selves without muâ—â— partial disproportion according to the divers degreeâ— of their amiableness and to Love publick good thâ— Church and World and much more God above oâ—… selves 4. It maketh us studious to do good to others and rejoyce in it as our own rather than to draw froâ— them to our selves c II. Sinful selfishness 1. Doth esteem and love anâ— seek self-interest above it's proper worth It is oveâ— deeply affected with all our own concerns 2. â—… hath a low disproportionable Love and regard others good 3. And when it groweth to full maâ—â—gnity it maketh men envy the prosperity of others â—nd covet that which is theirs and desire and reâ—oyce in their disgrace and hurt when they Stand against mens Selfish Wills and to endeavour to draw from others to our selves Selfishness is to the Soul like an Inflamation or Impostume to the Body which draweth the Blood and Spirits to it self from their â—â—ue and Common course till they corrupt the inâ—â—amed part Q. 6. What mean you by Loving others as ourselves A. Loving them as members of the same Body or Society the World or the Church as they are â—mpartially with a Love proportionable to their worth and such a careful practical forgiving Patient Love as we Love our selves Q. 7. But God hath made us Individual persons with so peculiar a Self-love that no man can possibly love another as himself A. 1. You must distinguish between sensitive Natural Love and Rational Love 2. And between Corrupt and Sanctified Nature 1. Natural Sensitive Love is stronger to ones Self that is more sensible of self-interest than to all the World I feel not anothers Pain or Pleasure in it self I hunger and thirst for my self A Mother hath that Natural Sensitive Love to her own Child like that of Bruits which she hath not for any other 2. Rational Love valueth and loveth and preferreth every thing according to the degree of its amiableness that is it 's Goodness 3. Rational Love destroyeth not Sensitive but it Moderateth and Ruleth it and Commandeth the Will and Practice to preferre and desire and seek and delight in higher things as Reason ruleth Appetite and the Rider the Horse and to deny and forsake all carnal or private Interests that stand against a greater good 4. Common Reason tells a man that it 's an unreasonable thing in him that would not dye to save a Kingdom Much more that when he is to love both himself and the Kingdom inseparably yet cannot Love a Kingdom yea or more excellent persons above himself But yet it is Sanctification that must Effectually overcome inordinate self-Love and clearly illuminate this Reason and make a man obey it 5. To conquer this Selfishness is the summe of all Mortification and the greatest Victory in this World And therefore it is here perfectly done by none but it 's done most where there is the greatest Love to God and to the Church and publick good and to our Neighbours Q. 8. What is the sinfulness and the hurt of Selfishness A. 1. It is a Fundamental Errour and Blindness in the Judgment We are so many Poor Worms and little things And if an Ant or Worm had Reason should it think it's Life or Ease or other interest more valuable than a Mans or than all the
Countreys 2. It is a fundamental Pravity and disorder of Mans Will It is made to Love Good as Good and therefore to Love most the greatest good 3. Yea it blindly casteth down and trampleth on all Good in the World which is above self-interest For this prevailing Selfishness taketh a mans self for his ultimate end and all things else but as means to his own Interest God and Heaven and all Societies and all Virtue seem no further Good to him than they are for his own good and welfare And Selfishness so overcometh Reason in some as to make them dispute for this fundamental Errour as a Truth That there is nothing to be accounted Good by me but that which is Good to me as my interest or welfare And so that which is Good to others is not therefore Good to me 4. And thus it blasphemously deposeth God in the Mind of the sinner making him no further Good to us than as he is a means to our Good and so he is set quite below our selves As if he had not made us for Himself and to Love him as God for his own Goodness 5. I told you before of the First Commandement how this maketh every man his own Idol to be Loved above God 6. Yea that the Selfish would be the Idols of the World and have all men conformed to their Judgement Wills and Words 7. A Selfish man is an Enemy to the publick Peace of all Societies and of all true Unity and Concord For whereas Holy persons as such have all one Center Law and End even God and his Will the Selfish have as many Ends and Centers and Laws as they are persons So that while every one would have his own Interest Will and Lust to be the Common Rule and Center it is by the wonderful over-ruling Power of God that any order is kept up in the World and because when they cannot be all Kings they agree to make that use of Kings which they think will serve their Interest best 8. A Selfish man so far can be no true Friend For he loveth his Friend but as a Dog doth his Master for his own Ends. 9. A Selfish Person is so far untrusty and so false in Converse and all Relations For he chooseth and changeth and useth all as he thinks his own interest requireth If he be a Tradesman believe him no further than his interest binds him If he be a Minister he will be for that Doctrine and Practice which is for his Carnal Interest If he be a Ruler wo to his Inferiours And therefore it is the highest point in policy next Conscience and Common Obedience to God to contrive if possible so to twist the Interest of Princes and People that both may feel thaâ— they are inseparable and that they must live and thrive or dye together 10. In a word Inordinate Selfishness is the granâ— pravity of Nature and the Disease and Confusion oâ— all the World whatever Villanies Tyrannies Rebellions Heresies Persecutions or Wickedness yoâ—… read of in all History or hear of now on Earth â—… is but the effects of this adhering by inordinate self-love to self-interest And if Paul say of one branch of its effects The Love of Money is the root of all Evil we may well say it of this radical Comprehensive sin Q. 9. Alas who is it that is not selfish How Common is this sin Are there then any Saints on Earth Or any hope of a remedy A. I. It is so Common and so strong as that 1. All Christians should most Fear it and Watch and Pray and Strive against it 2. And all Preachers should more open the Evil of it than they do and live themselves as against it and above it 1. How much do most over-value their own dark Judgments and weak reasonings in comparison of others 2. How commonly do men measure the Wisdom or Folly Goodness or Badness of other men as they are for or against their selfish Interest Opinions Side or way 3. How impatient are men if self-will Reputation or Interest be Crost 4. How will they stretch Conscience in Words Deeds or Bargaining for gain 5. How soon will they fall out with Friends or Kindred if Money or Reputation come to a Controversie between them 6. How little feeling Pity have they for another in Sickness Poverty Prison or Grief if they be but well themselves 7. How ordinary doth Interest of Body Reputation Wealth corrupt and change mens Judgments in Religion So that Selfishness and Fleshly interest chooseth not only other Conditions and Actions of Life but also the Religion of most men yea of too many Teachers of Self-denyal 8. And if Godly people find this and lament it how weakly do they resist it and how little do they overcome it 9. And though every truly Godly man preferre the Interest of his Soul above that of his Body how few get above a Religion of Caring and Fearing for themselves to study more the Churches good and more than that to Live in the delightful Love of God as the Infinite Good 10. And of those that Love the Church of God how many narrow it to their sect or party and how few have an Universal impartial Love to all true Christians as such Q. 10. Where then are the Saints if this be so A. All this sin is predominant in ungodly men saving that common Grace so far overcometh it in some few that they can venture and lose their Estates and Lives for their special Friends and for their Countrey But in all true Christians it is but in a subdued degree They hate it more than they Love it They all Love God and his Church with a far higher Estimation than themselves though with less passion They would forsake Estate and Life rather than forsake Christ and a Holy Life They were not true Christians if they had not learnt to bear the Cross and Suffer They seek and hope foâ— that Life of perfect Love and Unity where Selfishness shall never more divide us Q. 11. What is it that maketh the Love of others so great a duty A. 1. It is but to Love God his Interest and Image in others No man hath seen God But rational Souls and specially Holy ones are his Image in which we must see and Love him And there is no higher duty than to Love God 2. Love maketh us meet and useful members in all Societies especially in the Church of God It maketh all to love the Common good above their own 3. It maketh all men use their utmost power for the good of all that need them 4. It overcometh Temptations to hurtfulness and division It teacheth men patiently to bear and forbear It is the greatest keeper of Peace and Concord As one Soul uniteth all parts of the Body one Spirit of Love uniteth all true Believers It is the Cement of Individuals the vital healing Balsom which doth more than Art to cure our Wounds
If all Magistrates loved the People as themselves how would they use them If Bishops and Teachers loved others as themselves and were as loth to hurt them as to be hurt and to reproach them as to be reproached and to deliver them from Poverty Prison or Danger as to be safe themselves what do you think would be the consequent How few would study to make others odious or â—o ruine them how few would backbite them or â—ensoriously condemn them if they loved them as themselves If all this City and Kingdom loved each other as themselves what a foretast would it be of Heaven on Earth How delightfully should we all live together Every man would have the good of all others to rejoice in as his own And be as ready to relieve another as the right hand will the left We can too easily forgive our selves our faults and errours and so should bear with others Love is our Safety who is afraid of any one who he thinks loveth him as himself who is afraid that he should persecute imprison or destroy himself unless by ignorance or distraction Love is the delight of Life when it is mutual and is not disappointed what abundance of Fears and Cares and Passions and Law-suit's would it End It is the fulfilling of the preceptive part of the Law and as to the penal part there is no use for it where Love prevaileth To such saith Paul there is no Law They are not without it but above it so far as it worketh by fear 5. Love is the Preparation and Foretast of Glory Fear Care and Sorrow are distantly preparing works but it 's Ioyful Love which is the immediate Preparation and foretast There is no War no Persecution no Hatred Wrath or Strife in Heaven But perfect Love which is the uniting Grace wiâ—… there more nearly unite all Saints than we that aâ—… in a dividing world and body can now conceive or perfectly believe Q. 12. Is there any hope that Love should reign on Earth A. There is hope that all the Sound Believers should increase in Love and get more victory over Selfishness For they have all that Spirit of Love and obey Christs last and great Command and are taught of God to Love one another yea they dwell in Love and so in God and God in them and it will grow up to Perfection But I know of no hope that the Malignant Seed of Cain should cease the hating of them that are the Holy seed save as Grace converteth any of them to God Of any Common or universal Reign of Love I see no Prognosticks of it in Rulers in Teachers or any others in the World Prophesies are dark But my greatest hope is fetcht from the three first Petitions of the Lords Prayer which are not to be put up in Vain Q. 13. What should we do towards the increase of Love A. 1. Live so blamelesly that none may find just matter of hatred in you 2. Love others whether they Love you or not Love is the most powerful cause of Love 3. Do hurt to none but by necessary Justice or defence And do as much good as you can to all 4. Praise all that is good in men and mention not the Evil without necessity 5. Do all that you can to make men Holy and winne them to the Love of God And then they will Love each other by his Spirit and for his sake 6. Do all that you can to draw men from sinfull worldly Love For that Love of the World which is Enmity to God is also Enmity to the love of one another Further than you can draw men to center in Christ and in holy Love there is no hope of true Love to others 7. Patiently suffer wrongs rather than provoke men to hate you by unnecessary seeking your right or revenge Q. 14. Is all desire of another mans unlawfull A. All that is to his hurt loss and wrong You may desire another mans daughter to Wife by his Consent or his House Horse or Goods when he is willing to sell them But not else Q. 15. But what if in gaming betting or trading I desire to get from him though to his loss A. It is a covetous selfish sinfull desire You must desire to get nothing from him to his loss and hurt Q. 16. But what if he consent to run the hazard as in a Horsâ—-race a Game a Wager c It 's no wrong to a Consenter A. The very desire of hurtful drawing from him to your self is selfish sin If he consent to the hazard it is also his covetous desire to gain from you And his sin is no excuse for yours And you may be sure it was not the Loss that he consented to But if he do it as a Gift it 's another Case Q. 17. What be the worst sorts of Covetousness A. 1. When the Son wisheth his Fathers death for his Estate 2. When men that are Old and near the Grave still covet that which they are never like to need or use 3. When men that have abundance are never satisfied but desire more 4. When they will get it by Lying Extortion or other wicked means even by Perjury and Blood as Iezebel and Ahab got Naboths Vineyard 5. When Princes not content with their just Dominions invade other Mens and plague the World with unjust Warres Blood and Miseries to enlarge them Q. 18. How differ Charity and Iustice A. Charity Loveth all because there is somewhat in them lovely and doth them good without respect to their Right because we love them Justice respecteth men as in the same Governed Society under God or Man and so giveth every man his due Q. 19. Is it Love or Justice that saith Whatever you would that men should do to you do ye also to them A. It is both Justice saith Do right to all and wrong to none as you would have them do to you Charity saith Love and pity and relieve all to your power as you would have them Love Pity and Relieve you Q. 20. Hath this Law no exceptions A. It supposeth that your own Will for your selves be just and good If you would have another make you drunk or draw you to any sinfull or unclean Pleasure you may not therefore do so by them But do others such right and good as you may lawfully desire they should do to you Q. 21. What are those Foundations on which this Law is built A. 1. That as God hath made us Individual Persons so he is the free Distributer of his allowance to every Person and therefore we must be content with his allowance and not covet more 2. That God hath made us for Holiness and endless Happiness in Heaven And therefore we must not so Love this World as to covet fulness and desire more of it than God alloweth us 3. That God hath made every man a member of the humane World and every Christian a Member of
Joy to long to depart and be with Christ then we are prepared not only for a safe but a joyful Death Q. 3. O! But this is a great and difficult work A. It is not too hard for the Sâ—… of Christâ— and a Soul renewed by it It is our great follâ—… and naughtiness that maketh it hard Why eâ—… should it be hard for a man that loveth himself and knoweth how quickly a Grave and rotting in the Dark must end all his pleasures in this World to be earnestly desirous of a better after it And why should it be hard for one that believeth that mans Soul is immortal and that God hath sent one from Heaven who is greater than Angels to purchase it for us and promise it to us and give us the first fruits by his Holy Spirit to rejoyce that he dyeth not as an unpardoned Sinner nor as a Beast but shall live in perfect Life and Light and Love and Joy and Praise for ever What should rejoyce a believing considering man like this Q. 4. O! But we are still apt to doubt of things unseen A. 1. You can believe Men for things unseen and be certain by it for instance that there is such a place as Rome Paris Venice that there have been such Kings of England as Hen. 8. King Iames c. You know not but by believing others whether ever you were Baptized nor who was your Father or Mother 2. You see not your own Soul nor any ones that you talk with and yet you feel and see such things as may assure any Sober man that he hath a Soul God is not seen by us yet nothing is more certain than that there is a God 3. We see Plants Flowers Fruits and all vital Acts produced by an unseen Power we see â—ast lucid glorious Regions above us and we see and feel the effects of invisible powers therefore to doubt of things because they are unseen is to doubt of all the vital noblest part of the World and to believe nothing but gross and lowest things and to lay by Reason and become Bruits But of this I have said more near the Beginning Q. 5. What should we do to get the Soul so familiar above as to desire to be with Christ A. I. We must not live in a foolish forgetfulness of Death nor flatter our Souls into delayes and dulness by the expectations of long life on Earth the grave must be studied till we have groundedly got above the fears of it II. We must not rest quiet in such a humane belief of the Gospel and the Life to come as hath no better grounds than the common opinion of the Countrey where we live as the Turks believe Mahomet and his Alcoran for this leaveth the Soul in such doubts and uncertainty as cannot reach to solid Joy nor Victory over the World and Flesh But the true Evidences of the Gospel and our Hopes must be well digested which I have opened to you in the beginning of which I give you a breviate in two Sentences 1. The History of the Gospel of Christs Life Miracles Death Resurrection Ascension sending down the Spirit the Apostles Miracles and Preaching and Writing and Sufferings is a true History Else there is none sure in the World for none of such Antiquity hath greater Evidence 2. And if the History aforesaid be true the Doctrine must needs be true for it is part of the History and owned and sealed certainly by God III. We must not be content to be once satisfied of the Truth of the Life to come but we must mentally live upon it and for it and know how great business our Souls have every day with our Glorified Lord and the Glorified Society of Angels and the perfected Spirits of the just and with the blessed God of Love and Glory We must daily fetch thence the motives of our desires hopes and dutyes the incentives of our Love and Joy The Confutation of all Temptations from the Flesh and World and our supporting patience in all our Sufferings and Fears Read oft Ioh. 17. 22 23 24. 20. 17. Heb. 12. 22 23 24. Mat. 6. 19 20 21 33. Col. 3. 4 5. 2 Thes. 1. 10 11. Heb. 11. 2 Cor. 4. 16 17. 5. 1 2 3 5 7 8. Phil. 1. 21 23. 3. 18 19 20 They that thus live by Faith on God and Glory will be prepared for a joyful death IV. We must take heed that no worldly Hope or Pleasure vitiate our Affections and turn them down from their true delight V. We must live wholly upon Christ his Merit Sufficiency Love and Mediation His Cross and his Kingdom must be the summe of our Learning Study and Content VI. We must take heed of grieving the Spirit of Consolation and wounding our Consciences by wilful Sin of Omission or Commission VII We must Faithfully improve all our Time and Talents to do God all the Service and others all the good that we can in the World that we may be ready to give an account of our Stewardship VIII We must be armed against Temptations to unbelief and despair IX We must while we are in the Body in our daily thoughts fetch as much help from sensible Similitudes as we can to have a suitable Imagination of the Heavenly Glory And one of the most Familiar is that which Christ calleth the Coming of the Kingdom of God which was his Transfiguration with Moses and Elias in Glorious appearance in the Holy Mount Mat. 17. 1. Which made Peter say It 's good to be here Christ purposely so appeared to them to give them a sensible apprehension of the Glory which he hath promised And Moses that was buried appeared there in a Glorified Body And we must not think only of God but of the Heavenly Society and even our old Acquaintance that our Minds may find the more Suitableness and Familiarity in their objects and Contemplations X. We must do our best to keep up that Natural Vivacity and Chearfulness which may be Sanctified for Spiritual Employment for when the Body is diseased with Melancholy Heaviness or Pains and the Mind diseased with Griefs Cares and Fears it will be hard to think joyfully of God or Heaven or any thing XI We must exercise our selves in those dutyes which are nearest kin to the work in Heaven Specially labouring to excite Hope Love and Joy by Faith and Praising God especially in Psalms in our Families and the sacrâ—d Assemblies and using the most Heavenly Books and Company XII We must not look when all is done to have very clear Conceptions of the quality and acts of separated Souls or the World of Spirits But must be satisfied with an implicite Trust in our Father and our Glorified Lord in the things which are yet above our reach And giving up Soul and Body to him we should joyfully trust them with him as his own And believe that while we know as much as may bring us well