World loving sinful man 2. His only begotten Son given to redeem us 3. The Holy Ghost regenerating us and working Faith in us that by faith we may escape eternal death and attain eternal life For this is the true and genuine sense of these words we read of many forms of faith and confession some called Apostolical related by many of the Ancients and of the Nicene Ephesine Constantinopolitan Roman Athanasian and others yet this is before them all above them all the ground of them all immediately divine delivered by Christ himself recorded in holy Scipture and therefore no unwritten Tradition In this respect Tertullian might well say that the Apostles had the rule of Faith from Christ and Christ from God For from whom he received his power from him he received this Doctrine which he commands his Apostles to teach and all Nations to believe Sect. 3. This is the ground of the ancient and Apostolical Creed delivered by the Apostles to the Churches which they planted as by several of the first Primitive Writers we are informed For they for matter and method agree with this and in both are conformable unto it The matter of them all is God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost and the method is to begin with the Father go on with the Son and end with the Holy Ghost though not in express terms yet by consequence By which it appears they took their rise from these words 1. They begin with God the Father and under this part bring in that first great work of Creation 2. They proceed to the Son the eternal word of the Father who was made flesh and redeemed mankind created righteous and holy and faln in Adam 3. They speak of the Holy Ghost who as Tertullian expresseth it is Sanctificator fidei by whom Christ was conceived the Prophets inspired the Church comforted Divers of them conclude with the final judgment wherein Christ shall render to all such as being sanctified by the spirit do believe eternal rewards to the devil and wicked men eternal punishments where we must observe 1. That creation extends to all things for God created heaven and earth and all things therein 2. Redemption reacheth only man for Christ redeemed not the Angels nor any other creature but sinful mankind 3. Sanctification is confined to the Church and the Elect people of God So that the Spirit sanctifies not all men but the Church Christ reedeems man but not all creatures God the Father createth all things and all persons The first part of the Creed concerning one God is against all Atheists and Heathen Idolaters The second concerning the Son Jesus Christ is against all Mahumetans and Unbelieving Jews The third concerning the Holy Ghost is against all Pelagians enimies of grace and counterfeit Christians And here it is to be noted that the mystery of God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost was never so clearly and distinctly made manifest as it was when the Father out of Love gave his only begotten Son and sent him into the World and when the Son and eternal word was made flesh and redeemed man and when the holy Ghost descended in the likeness of a Dove and rested upon our Saviour Jesus Christ and came upon the Apostles and sanctified believers Sect. 4. After it hath been manifested that in this Doctrine concerning God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost 1. We have Christs own Creed and 2. That this was the ground of the ancient Apostolical Creeds and Confessions it remains 3. that I say something of that which is commonly called the Apostles Creed which we find in Ruffinus with an Exposition and which is used in the Catechisms and Liturgies of the Roman and reformed Churches In this we may observe 1. That for the principal matter and method its grounded upon our Saviours Creed and exactly agrees with the ancient and primitive Confessions For therein we have three principal parts the 1. Concerning God the Father and the work of Creation of the world the 2. concerning God the Son and the work of Redemption of man the 3. concerning God the Holy Ghost and sanctification of the Church and the Elect people of God This appears by that brief contraction of it in our publick Catechism which is a prime peice in this particular of antiquity and gives great light how to understand the confession and implies that it was grounded upon our Saviours Creed 2. To understand this Creed the better we must observe 1. The object 2. The act of man about this object 1. The object is God the Father Son and Holy Ghost considered 1. In himself 2. In his works which are 1. Creation 2. Providence Providence where of there are two parts 1. Preservation 2. Ordination 1. General of all 2. Special of man especially as faln Of this special providence there be two principal branches Redemption Application Concerning the Redeemer two things are to be observable 1. Who he is 2. What 's his work 1. He is Jesus Christ who for person is the only Son of God for Natures God and man and as man he was conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary for Offices he is King Priest and Prophet 2. His work is that which we call Redemption whereof two parts His Humiliation His Exaltation His humiliation in that he taking upon him the form of a servant suffered under Pontious Pilate was Crucified dead and buryed descended into Hell His Exaltation in his Resurrection His Exaltation in his Ascension His Exaltation in his Session at the right hand of God His Exaltation in his Comming to Judgement The application of this Redemption hath three things considerable 1. The principal cause which is the holy Ghost by the word working Faith in us 2. The subject to which this application is made which is the holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints which is the number of believers 3. The effects of this Redemption applyed Which are 1. Forgiveness of sins 2. Resurrection of the body 3. Life everlasting And here it s to be noted 1. That by the humiliation of Christ and especially the death and sacrifice of himself upom the Cross these effects and blessings were merited and in consideration of the same were promised 2. That God as loving us Redeeming us by Christ and applying this Redemption by his Spirit is the fountain and cause of salvation and eternal happiness 3. That God the Father Son and Holy Ghost as considered in himself and in his works of Creation Redemption and Sanctification is the principal object of the acts of this saving faith 2. As these things are the object of our Faith and the Credenda so the act is to believe To believe is 1. To be certainly perswaded of the truth of these things as revealed by God and certainly known to be so For the ground of a divine infallible faith must be a divine Testimony known certainly to be divine 2.
though the work of Redemption be appropriated to the Son and the word made flesh yet this work also was from the Father by the Son and not without the Holy Ghost to whom the Conception and Incarnation of Christ is ascribed 3. That though Sanctification and the eternal glorification of sinful man redeemed be appropriated to the Spirit yet this work also is from the Father and the Son both doing this by the Spirit The order of their working is evident the distinct manner is hidden and more Mysterious 4. The beginning of mans salvation is from the love of the Father giving Christê° the progress is in the Son given and made flesh the consummation is by the holy Ghost sanctifying man redeemed 5. If man had not been created he had never been if he had been created and then faln and not been redeemed he had been for ever miserable if he had been redeemed and not sanctified Redemption had been in vain to him and his eternal ruine hand been unavoidable This is the pith and marrow of the Scriptures as they who read them with due consideration may understand and the whole summe and substance of it is wonderfully abridged secretly couched and methodically disposed in these few words of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost Sect. 4. Yet to make this more Clear I will proceed to the reducing of the principal Doctrines of the Scriptures unto these several heads of the Creed To this end I will 1. Take my Topicks disposed in a certain order out of the Creed 2. Inform you what places of Scripture must be referred to these heads and Topicks The general heads and Topicks according to this our Saviours Creed are three 1. Concerning the Father 2. Concerning the Son 3. Concerning the Holy Ghost The more particular Heads of the first part are 1. Gods Essence 2. Gods Subsistence 3. His Efficiency 1. To the first of these we must refer all those Scriptures which speak of Gods perfections and attributes representing this most excellent and perfect being as his unity infiniteness immensity eternity his infinite and eternal knowledge wisdom goodness holiness justice mercy power glory bliss 2. To the Subsistence must be referred such as speak of his eminent and wonderful acting upon himself as knowing himself loving himself delighting in himself of the Father begetting the Son who is the word and brightness of his glory the express image of his person produced and begotten from everlasting of the holy spirit breathed and proceeding from the Father and the Son and therefore called the spirit of the Father and the Son of their being one God of their union and inexistence whereby the Father is in the Son the Son in the Father both in the Holy Ghost the Holy Ghost in both and infinitely contented one with another 3. Under efficiency we must bring in the exercise of his Wisdom Will and Power in the Creation of all things Preservation of all things Ordination of all things To the exercise of his Wisdom we must refer such places as speak of his excellent and wonderful contriving and ordering all things within himself to that concerning the acts of his will such as speak of his thoughts purposes decrees and amongst these decrees those especially of Election and Reprobation whereby he predestinated and ordered in himself according to his free-will yet in justice and mercy Men and Angels to their eternal estates to that of the exercise of his power such as speak of his mighty strength according to which all things are possible unto him nothing impossible 4. These began to be exercised first in Creation to which refer all such places as speak of the first beginning and effecting of these things in the first six days of the world the order according to which the end for which they were made the several kinds of creatures their variety their nature properties and perfections their unity whereby they make one body and systeme of the world consisting of two cheif places Heaven and Earth with all their ornaments and the hosts of them such as speak of the attributes and perfections manifested in this work of the good will and pleasure of God which moved God to make the world of the power of God acquired unto himself thereby of the subjection of all things created unto him and their dependance upon him of the use men must make of the doctrine of this creation which is to know God by the things made and to worship him But we must take more notice of such places as speak of the creation nature qualities place function imployment of Angels and most especially such as inform us of the making of man of his body soul and union of both the sex the image of God in him his excellency and dominion over the creatures the place prepared for his habitation and his imployment of the creation of woman the institution of marriage and all other things which did agree or belong unto men and Angels by vertue of their creation 5. To that Head of preservation we must reduce all such Scriptures as speak of Gods supporting upholding maintaining and continuing all things created in their being of the means which he useth to that end and the ordinary and extraordinary mediate and immediate ways he taketh in this work how all things live move and have their being in him who is in all creatures in all places providing all things necessary for the continuance of their exsistence of deliverance of his creatures from destruction by preventing danger or removing destructive causes The places which speak of wasting consuming destroying man beast or any other creature either in some ordinary or extraordinary way by powerful or by weak and inconsiderable causes or by withdrawing his hand 6. Under that Head of Ordination come such Scriptures as speak of the order wherein God created all things their ends and his disposing and directing every thing to his proper end and all to the supreme and last of the subordination of creatures and their several ends to which they tend of the changing of this order by his extraordinary power and wisdom when and how he pleaseth 7. In this respect the Sea doth not pass his bounds the Stars and Lights of heaven observe their order in their motion and do that service for which he made them and all and every creature are at his command and beck to effect what he requireth and so subject all things are unto him that when he pleaseth they must change their wonted order the Sun must stand still go back deny his light the fire must not burn nor the waters come together but must stand firm like a solid body The Scriptures inform us that this part of providence extends to all things the least to the falling of a sparrow upon the ground to the numbering of the very hairs of our heads But chiefly to this Head must we refer such places as speak of the government of Men and Angels of Laws
Obedience Disobedience Punishments and Rewards of the obedience of the blessed Angels and their Confirmation in a state of holiness and bliss of the fall of the rest and the wrath of God upon them and their irrecoverable misery Sect. 5. The second general Head and Topick iâ— that of the Son who redeems us The particulars considerable under this Heaâ— are 1. The party Redeemed 2. The Redeemer 3. The work of Redemption 1. To that of the party redeemed which is man as sinful and guilty we may reduce such places as inform us of the first Laws both Moral and Positive which God gave man upon his creation of mans obedience and comfortable condition and his hope of future happiness of the fall and first sin of man of Satans temptation and temptation and sin in general what it is what the aggravations or attenuations thereof what the consequents especially shame fear guilt punishment of the derivation of sin and death unto all mankind from Adam the root and head of all his posterity and of the sad condition of man in respect of the first sin upon which an inevitable ruine had followed if God had not prevented it 2. The Redeemer and hither refer such places as speak how God decreed and promised a Redeemer and Saviour and all the Prophesies Predictions Types Shadows of him such as inform us of his person as he is the eternal Word and Son of God of his God-head Manhood united and the eternal distinction of both of his Offices Sacerdotal Prophetical Regal of his Conception Birth Life of his Doctrine Miracles holy life and excellent vertues and the whole history of the same as delivered by the Evangelists 3. His work of Redemption which hath two parts Humiliation Exaltation In his Humiliation we have his low estate suffering To that of his low estate may be reduced the Scriptures which speak of the poverty and meanness of his Birth as he was born in stable and laid in a manger of the poverty and mean condition of his Parents his Circumcision Presentation in the Temple his Infirmities as Hunger Thirst Weariniss and the like which were without sin and his mortality To that of his suffering refer the Texts concerning his Persecutions dangers from the Contempt malice envy jealousie of Herod first then of the Pharisees Scribes Priests Rulers of the Jews of his Agony Judas treachery Peters denial and principally such as represent unto us his death upon the Cross and his continuing under the power of death for a time and in these sufferings of his Pains Cries Tears Complaints and inward sorrows of his Meekness Patience Humility Charity Hope of glory Considence in his Father of his obedience to the great command to suffer so many indigninities such shame and curse that by his death he might make propitiation for the sin of man and such as speak of this death as a sacrifice propitiatory offered unto God as supreme Judge offended by our sins and that out of dearest love unto us and a longing desire to save us of the eternal vertue and efficacy of the sacrifice so highly accepted of God and the rare effects of the same both mediate and immediate of the prodigies which fell out in the time of his passion and at his death of the Prophesies fulfilled in this humilitation even to the casting lots upon his seamless Coat the piercing of his side and the not breaking of a bone His exaltation follows in his Resurrection Ascension Session at the right hand of God Coming to judgment To this Head of Resurrection may be reduced such Texts as spake of the Prodigies falling out near unto the same the distinct time the manner the manifestation of it the persons to whom the time where the places where he was manifested his abode upon earth for forty days his converse with his Disciples his instruction given his commission granted to the Apostles who saw him The use which is to be made of this Doctrine to that of his Ascension may be reduced such places as speak of the time when of the places from which and to which he ascended the persons both Men and Angels who beheld it of the end of this part of this exaltatioâ— which was to be confirmed in his everlasting Kingdom and Priesthood and to exercise his power which he received more solemnly upon his Resurrection and to receive fulness of joy in his Fathers presence and pleasures at his right hand for evermore to make intercession for such aâ— come to God by him and to prepare eternal mansions for his Saints and so be fully blessed for ever To that of his sitting at the right hand of God refer those places which speak oâ— the super-eminency of his power above all men and Angels and all creatures of his being the head of the Church the administrator general of Gods spiritual kingdom of the exercise of this power and the wonderful effects thereof in heaven and earth and his abode in the place of glory and the continuance of his reign untill all enemies be subdued To that of his coming to Judgment refer such Scriptures as speak of the place from whence he comes the manner of his coming in the glory of the Father in flaming fire with the attendance of all the holy Angels the burning of the world the Archangel sounding his Trumpet the Resurrection whereby death the last enemy is destroyed the parties to be judged their summons appearance discovery of all their works even the secrets of their hearts the sentence of him the universal Judge the execution of the same in eternal punishments and rewards the delivering of the Kingdom up unto his Father Sect. 6. The third and last Head is concerning the holy Ghost in which we must observe 1. The Holy Ghost himself Vocation Justification Glorification 2. The effects of this Holy Ghost in respect of the Churches To the first reduce such places as inform us of his Divine Nature Properties perfections and the Worship due unto him of his relation to the Father and the Son of his working with them and from them of his apparitions of his resting upon Christ of the several Names and Titles given him As for the effects and works of this Spirit we must know that he with the Father and the Son is the universal cause of all things for the Father and the Son doth all things by his Spirit yet the Creed takes notice in this place only of those works and operations which tend to the eternal salvation of man The first whereof is Vocation To this Head refer all Scriptures which speak of the condition of man to be called as being blind ignorant senseless perverse guilty not thinking of any danger not desiring not seeking any remedy yet redeemed and by Redemption made saveable For Redemption found man in no capacity of salvation vocation finds the foundation of his salvation laid To this Topick also bring such places as speak of preventing grace and the
the Earth did quake the Rocks did rend the Graves were opened the Veil of the Temple was rent in the midst from the top to the bottom to signifie that the great High-Priest having offered himself by the eternal Spirit without spot was entring with his own Blood into the Holy Place of Heaven to obtain eternal Redemption and the expiation of mans sin for ever The very frame of Heaven and Earth seem'd to be shaken in the time of this great suffering men were astonished women wept many beat their breasts the Centurion who had the charge of this execution was convinced that the party executed was the Son of God Our blessed Saviour suffered this death with unparallell'd patience meekness he laid down his life willingly in obedience to his heavenly Father and out of love and a longing desire of sinful mans salvation No man could take it from him till the hour was come and he was willing to part with it because he as a Priest and general head and representative of mankind offered his life unto his heavenly Father as supreme Judge as a ransom for sinful man therefore his death was the greatest Sacrifice and the highest piece of service and obedience that ever was performed and was so highly accepted of God that it made him propitious satisfied his Justice merited his favour to sinful man made his sin pardonable and his salvation possible upon fairest terms whil'st he was by his own blood entring the sacrary of heaven his side is pierced and out of the same issue water and blood His body is taken from the Cross decently interred in a new Sepulchre where never any man was laid before his soul abides for a time separate and under the power of death and his humiliation did continue till the Resurrection and by his burial he hallows the grave to all believers By this Humiliation thus finished the foundation of our eternal salvation is laid and a way prepared and opened for a passage into heavens Kingdom I believe that Jesus Christ who was thus humbled who suffered cruel pains and was delivered to death for our transgressions was raised for our justification and so to communicate the mercies merited by his death converts us and procures the actuall remission of all the sins of such as repent and believe in him and by his life saves such as he had reconciled by his death He that did rise was the very same who died upon the Cross and the same body and soul which were separated by Death were united again by Resurrection as man he was raised as God he raised himself he rose never to die again but to live for evermore The time was the third day according to the predictions and prefigurations of old and the decree of God's eternal wisdom God did not suffer his Holy One to see corruption The manner of this Resurrection was glorious God then shook the Earth sent from Heaven an Angel appearing in great glory who terrified the Guard rouls away the stone which closed up the Sepulchre and made way for Christs Disciples to come freely and see that he was not there The Graves were opened divers of the Saints raised and appear'd in the holy City Death was conquered and divers of his Captives rescued out of his hands This his Resurrection was made manifest by testimony of Angels and of divers others who saw him spake with him and were assured of it he appears unto many and that many times and especially to the eleven Apostles who saw him heard him did eat and drink with him touched him with their hands To these he unfolds the Mysteries of his Kingdom gives them commission to go into all Nations and commands them to stay at Jerusalem till they received the Holy Ghost according to the promise of his Father God by thus raising him did manifest that he had accepted his Sufferings and Death as a full propitiation of the sins of men and by saying Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee made him universal King and Priest fully consecrated for ever He rose as head and representative of mankind especially of his Church and became not only the pattern but the first fruits and cause of our Resurrection so that as in Adam dying all died so in Him rising we shall all be made alive first to newness of life then to eternal glory The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead shall raise us from the death of sin unto newness of life and raise our bodies to immortality forty days he stays on Earth to comfort his Disciples strengthen their Faith make evident his Resurrection and give orders for the administration of his future Kingdom then he ascends from Mount Olivet in a Cloud up into the Heaven of Heavens Men and Angels being witnesses according to a former Vision that one like the Son of man came with the Clouds of Heaven and came unto the ancient of days and that the Angels brought him peace before him He ascended that he might fulfill all things send down the Holy Ghost enjoy full joy in his Fathers presence and pleasures at his right hand for ever make intercession for his Saints prepare eternal blessed mansions for them raise up their thoughts and affections to that heavenly estate he had merited and prepared for them that where he is our hearts might be also and that he might receive a place at his Fathers right hand so it was prophesied of old that when the Son of man was brought before the ancient of days there was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all People and Nations and Languages should serve him his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroy'd For his Father said unto him Sit at my right hand till I make thy foes thy footstool and gave him a name above all names and set him far above all Principalities and Powers and Might and Dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but in that which is to come He was solemnly invested with a supreme universal power above all men and Angels established in his Kingdom confirmed by Oath in his everlasting Priesthood sent down the holy Ghost the Gospel the rod of his power went out of Zion he reigned in the midst of his enemies and many thousands did willingly submit unto him and his people for number were like drops of dew which fall from the womb of the morning When all things are fulfilled all enemies subdued the number of his Saints finished he will come from Heaven to determine of the final estate of men and Angels and judg both quick and dead And then he will deliver up his Kingdom to the Father that God may be all in all I believe that the Holy Ghost which is One God with the Father and the Son and is the Spirit of the Father and the Son by whom all things in Heaven and
Earth are effected was always in the Church to sanctifie the same and prepare it for eternal Glory and when Christ was set at the right hand of God came down upon the Apostles in the likeness of fiery cloven Tongues gave them power to speak in all Languages enlightned them gave them full and perfect knowledge of the Gospel endued them with all gifts and power requisite for the laying of the foundation of the Christian Religion the plantation of the Church in all Nations and did direct them in the dispensation of the Gospel that both by word and writing they might publish and declare it infallibly By this doctrine accompanied with the power of this Spirit and convey'd to the hearts of men both Jews and Gentiles were called converted sanctified and made up the body of the universal Church which is the number of all believers in all Nations a community of Saints Militant first on Earth and then Triumphant in Heaven These are the best society in the world have the greatest priviledges are the Children of God the Members of Christ the Temples of the Holy Ghost the Candidates of Heaven the Heroes of Eternal Glory baptized by one Spirit into one body and by Baptism admitted Subjects of an everlasting Kingdom Those tho' dispersed through several parts of the world and mixed with counterfeit Christians and profane persons are justified regenerated reconciled the adopted Sons of God have a title unto eternal Life the earnest of the Spirit and the first fruits of glory are guarded by Angels beloved of God enemies to Sin Satan and the World tempted often sometimes wounded and foiled yet sin reigns not in them and in the end they attain a full and final victory They suffer Persecution and bear the Cross with patience deny themselves are constant in the Covenant nothing can separate them from the love of God all things work together for their good they increase in heavenly Virtues abound in good works rejoyce in the hope of Glory watch and pray and with sighs and groans wait for the adoption which is the redemption of the body When they depart this world they commend their spirits into their Fathers hands who sends his Angels to receive them they are with Christ and secure of the resurrection unto eternal bliss rest from their labours and their works follow them when the number of these is finished Christ will come down from Heaven in the Glory of the Father with all the holy Angels and shall descend with a shout with the voice of the Arch-Angel and the Trump of God Then all the dead shall rise the living shall be changed and made immortal all shall be summoned appear be judged the righteous shall be justified for ever receive the glorious reward of an everlasting Kingdom be admitted into God's presence behold his glory be filled with eternal joy and made fully and for ever happy such as know not God or obeyed not the Gospel being unbelievers and unrighteous shall be sentenced to everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels shall be cast out of God's presence imprisoned in Hell where the worm never dieth and the fire is never quenched and shall there be tormented in soul and body continually and of their extreme misery there shall be no end These things I believe to be most certainly true and as reveal'd from Heaven confirm'd by many signs and wonders and the rare effects of this Doctrine in the conversion and consolation of many souls This Faith of my heart I profess with my mouth and according to this belief and profession I rely for everlasting life upon God the Father who loved me and the Son who gave himself for me and the Holy Ghost who sanctifies and comforts me Sect. 8. After this enlargement I return again unto the Proposition That Christ commanded the Apostles to teach or disciple all Nations and thence infer some practical conclusions in a few words and so conclude this Chapter 1. If Apostles and so all Ministers of the Gospel who take the charge of souls upon them be subject to Christ's power and bound by this command then it is their duty to teach to teach this Doctrine to teach all this Doctrine they must teach this and none other because it is the only converting saving comforting truth if they teach other it will be either unprofitable or which is worse pernicious though they teach this and yet conceal some part thereof and declare not the whole counsel of God though it may be good so far as they make use of it yet it will be insufficient and never reach the end for which it was revealed from Heaven for it 's the Gospel the whole Gospel that is the power of God unto Salvation yet it must not be taught confusedly but as it was delivered by our Saviour in a certain and exact method so it must in the same manner be dispensed by the Man of God who must not only be perspicuous that his Doctrine may be understood but also methodical that it may be remembred therefore if we will manifest our love to Christ be faithful to our trust pity poor Souls redeemeâ— by the precious blood of Christ make â— good account at the last receive a Crowâ— of Glory when the great Shepherd shalâ— appear and escape that fearful Woe anâ— Judgment which shall fall upon such as a 〈…〉 guilty of the blood of other men let â—â— teach teach this Doctrine and teach 〈…〉 thus and in this manner as Christ's Command requires and directs 2. If this be our duty then the people whom we teach are bound to receive this all this Doctrine and thus as it is taught and if ever they will be converted unto God comforted by the Spirit attain unto eternal life and not be adjudged to eternal Fire for Ignorance or Disobedience to the Gospel let them hear this Doctrine attentively learn the whole counsel of God lay it up in their hearts remember it obey it and make it the joy and delight of their hearts and the subject of their constant Meditations let them reject all other Doctrine which shall not be agreeable to this our Saviour's Creed 3. It 's a matter of perpetual Thanksgiving and it 's our Duty to acknowledge God's wonderful mercy in this respect and give all Glory and Praise unto his Name in that he hath so well provided for our Salvation For he hath not only sent his onely Son from Heaven to redeem us by his precious Blood raised him from the dead and given him all Power in Heaven and Earth but Christ having received this Power gives Commission and Command to the Apostles and their Sucâ—â—â—â—ors to teach all saving Truth hath contracted it in so few words reduced it unto so clear a method endued them with the knowledge of it bound them to teach it to all Nations in their own Language fit it for the meanest capacities raise up a continual supply of faithful Ministers to instruct
of Christ as before his Ascension or explicitly as after They must be made especially by us Christians in the name of Christ who by his blood hath satisfied Gods justice made him propitious the Throne of grace accessible hath merited all mercies promised to be our Advocate and to sollicite our cause in heaven and procure for us whatsoever we ask in his name They must also be made by the Spirit who alone doth sanctify us and qualifie our hearts for this duty and enables us to perform it so as that it may be effectual and when we know not how to pray as we ought he stirs up in us sighs and groans which cannot be uttered by which he makes intercession for us to the Father who not only understands these dark expressions but is much moved and affected with them So that a Christian effectual prayer is a presenting of our petitions to God the Father in the name of Christ by the Spirit And how powerful must that prayer be which is offered to the Father in the name of his Son by the power and grace of his Spirit A prayer may be made inwardly in the soul without any words of the Mouth and it may be â—o qualified as to prevail very much with God who principally looks at the heart It may be made outwardly and that without any understanding sense and inward affection and this is but a Carkase of prayer and not regarded of God though delivered in most excellent expressions and as it were in the language of Angels This outward prayer whether said or sung in Prose or Verse if made in publick or in company must be in a language and in terms more easily understood by the people with whom we pray that they may say Amen which they cannot if they understand not And though they understand yet if their hearts be not affected with the matter and rightly disposed towards God it s to no purpose For all outward prayer should be joyned with the inward and issue from an heart rightly disposed A prayer of a righteous man may sometimes be ineffectual because it s not made by him as righteous Sect. 2. These things concerning prayer in general observed I proceed unto the Lords prayer we find many particular prayers praises and thanksgivings in the Scripture and many forms both for publick and private devotion taken out of this blessed Book yet all these seem to be but so many branches of that excellent form which our Saviour taught his Disciples wherein he contracted the substance of all lawful prayers and that in an excellent method It was taught and prescribed in the days of his humiliation and was suitable unto their present light and condition For herein he gives no direction how to ask any thing in his name and the reason was he was not yet glorified nor made Advocate general in heaven nor possessed of his glorious Kingdom This may seem to be intimated in that petition Thy Kingdom come For then to him and so to them it was to come In it we may observe 1. The Entrance or Preface 2. The Body and Matter 3. The Conclusion In the entrance we may take notice of 1. The parties who must perform this duty 2. The parties for whom Prayer must be made 3. The party to whom Prayer must be made 4. The qualification of the Prayer it self 1. The parties who must perform this duty are persons living on Earth who have not lost their interest in God upon whom all and every one depends and our necessities are many and great and prayer is Ordained as a means whereby all things we need may be obtained and that more certainly because we have a Promise Besides its an universal Command and all Men are bound in that respect to pray and by prayer to worship and glorifie God For by it we acknowledge that God is the supreme Lord the fountain of all goodness the Father of Mercies willing freely to give us what we need and that we are miserable and indigent persons and that God is no ways bound to relieve us or supply our wants but only he promised to hear and help and this promise was freely made Some will not pray some cannot some can pray but not effectually yet all these are bound to pray and therefore their sin or misery must be very great 2. The persons for whom we must pray are our selves and all others who are capable of any benefit by our prayers For we are directed to say Our Father and in this word Our we include our selves and others too As we must love our Neighbour as our selves so we must pray for our Neighbour as for our selves And by Neighbour we must understand not only our Acquaintance and Friends but strangers and Enemies For we must pray for them which despitefully use us So Christ prayed for such as did Crucifie him saying Father forgive them for they know not what they do yet as we must love some more then others so we must pray more especially for some then others most of all for the Church and our persecuted Brethren For Christian charity in our prayers doth enlarge it self and abhors partiality and self-love 3. The person to whom we must pray is God and God is our Father in heaven Father is a word of power and pity Father in heaven is a term of supreme power and infinite pity And if all the power and pity of all Fathers even the best were united in one yet all were nothing to the pity and power of our God This Father loved us and gave his Son for us when we were Enemies and called us when we were dead in Sins and Trespasses greater love never was manifested to any creature and greater love to any creature there cannot be And how much must he love us when once we begin to love him as our God! What cannot a Father in heaven what will not a father in Christ do for his Children seeing in him meet in one power and pity might and mercy greatness and goodness which include all his perfections Thus we must conceive of God to whom we address our selves to whom we direct our prayers 4. The qualifications of prayers are many 1. One is faith whereby we believe that he is present in all places at all times hears all prayers knows all things and with what heart we pray that he is just holy wise of infinite goodness and unspeakable mercy in Christ who makes intercession for us in heaven that his power is Almighty and his dominion over all things is supreme 2. In respect of his infinite and eternal excellency and supreme dominion we must come into his presence with all humility and reverence adoring his eternal Majesty 3. As he is holy we must be holy and draw near with pure and upright hearts 4. As he is just we must petition for just things 5. As he is a father we must be obedient Children 6. As he is full of love so we must
MAGNA CHARTA Ecclesiae Universalis THE Grand Charter Issued out and Granted by JESUS CHRIST FOR THE Plantation of the Christian Faith In all NATIONS Registred and Enrolled Mat. 28. 18 19 20. Chosen for the subject of the ensuing Discourse By GEORGE LAWSON Rector of More in the County of Salop. The Second Edition Corrected LONDON Printed by T. M. for Jeremiah Lawson And are to be sold by Tho. Newborough at the Star in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1686. IMPRIMATUR Caroulus Alston R. P. D. Hen. Episc. Lond. Ã Sacris Martii 22. 1685 6 THE PREFACE THough it be no ways needful to usher in this little Treatise with a Preface or Epistle yet I will premise a few things concerning the occasion matter method use and end thereof When I considered the multitudes amongst us who profess their Faith in Christ own the name of Christian and seem to glory in that title and yet are ignorant not only of the original and ground of Christianity but of the very first Principles and Rudiments of Religion and also highly guilty of the breach of that Covenant whereby they solemnly in the sight of men and Angels bound themselves to be loyal and obedient unto Christ their Saviour I thought it might be a service acceptable to God and profitable unto the Church to mind them of their sin and give them some directions with an exhortation to amend betimes that so they may avert Gods judgments and escape the wrath to come therefore I took occasion to single out this Text compose this brief Treatise submit it to the judgment of the Church and upon approbation make it publick And first I bring the Reader into the sacred Arches where the Monuments of eternal saving truth are kept and shew him the very place where the grand Charter of our profession is enroled for we find it in the words of our blessed Saviour related by the Evangelist St. Mat. ch 28. v. 18 19 20. Where we have a commission issued out from Christ to his Apostles and Successors and the same grounded upon a far higher Patent whereby all power in heaven and earth is derived immediately from his heavenly Father and given unto him And seeing as Tertullian observes we receive our Christian Religion and Faith from the Apostles the Apostles from Christ and Christ from God it must needs be from heaven and here we should take special notice of and admire the excellent wisdom of Christ our Lord and Saviour as far above all the wisdom of men and Angels who could in so few words and in such excellent order contract so many high mysteries and matters of greatest weight and concernment for here ' in a very narrow compass we may find the Credenda all the Articles of our Faith and the Agenda all the commands of Christ Here we have the original Creed and perfect form of Confession which was the ground of all the ancient and Apostolical Creeds here we have the sum and substance of all that excellent Doctrine which is dispersed here and there through all the Books of Moses the Prophets Evangelists and Apostles Here we have the institution of sacred Orders for the dispensation of Word and Sacraments and the application of the benefits of Redemption Here we have the institution of Baptism with a certain form of words the Eucharist and Prayer as parts of Divine Worship are to be reckon'd amongst the commandments of Christ So that here is a Rule of Faith of Obedience of Worship and something of Discipline implied All these things I make clear then proceed to say something of that form of Confession we call The Apostles Creed and of the principal points of Scripture in order to the same teach the Reader how to refer the several parts and passages of Scripture unto the general heads of the Creed and reduce the matters of Faith into a form of a larger Confession This I conceived a ready way to understand the publick Catechism so much despised by many to improve our knowledge of the Word of God and of the particulars of that Faith which by our Baptism we are bound to hold and profess unto the end After this I go on to the Agenda the Commandments of Christ and shew how they are in several parts of Scripture contracted how all are performed in Love give a more full explication of the moral Law which is to be understood Evangelically as including Repentance and Faith in Christ and then bring them into the form of a Vow that so we may have a more explicite knowledge of the last part of our promise made to God in Baptism be more sensible of our obligation and more careful of performance and obedience formerly urged upon most effectual reasons Amongst the Agenda I reckon the Sacraments and Prayer and after I have declared the nature end and use of the Sacraments from the Institution I single out that Prayer of Prayers the pattern of all our Devotions which is commonly called the Lords Prayer and having explained it in all the parts I reduce the particulars into a larger form of Prayer The former makes it clear how comprehensive and methodical it is as being a wonderful abridgment of all Scripture Prayers the latter teacheth us how to reduce all the parts of our publick Prayers unto the heads thereof and to enlarge upon them in our private Devotions Something 's in my Theopolitica are here repeated yet they are but few and are here improved handled there more largely here more briefly there in one manner here in another and for another use and immediate end Here I single out a certain Text and confine my self unto it and fit it to the capacity of the common sort and weaker Christians for whom it was principally intended I further conceived that many who will not meddle with a greater Volume may yet buy a lesser Book or Manual such as this is and read it through Now if after these and many other helps we continue ignorant or if not ignorant yet impenitent we shall render our selves highly guilty of Rebellion against Christ's Power of Disobedience to his Commands and of perfidious violation of the Covenant of God but if we diligently use the means and exercise the power God hath given us and pray continually for Grace there is comfort and hope of mercy for here we have a promise That Christ will be present with the Church unto the end and assist us with his blessed Spirit to whom with the Father and the Son be given all Glory Honour Praise and Thanks for ever and ever Amen Matthew 28. 18 19 20. And came and spake unto them saying All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you annd loe I am with you alway even unto the end of the
world Amen CHAP. I. Of Christ's Universal Power Section 1 THese are the words of our blessed Saviour which he spake unto his Apostles and Disciples when after his Resurrection he was ready to ascend into Heaven for they pre-suppose Man's Sin Christ's Suffering and his Resurrection Man by sin had made himself miserable and liable to temporal and eternal death yet God was willing to deliver him Sin and Satan cast him down yet God in his abundant mercy was pleased to raise him up again The way which his eternal Wisdom had contrived to effect this great deliverance was strange wonderful his only begotten Son even that word which was God and by which he made the world must be made flesh and assume the nature of man and in that nature must take upon him the form of a servant be obedient unto death the death of the Cross rise again and be advanced to the highest pitch of glory so that the means of mans salvation are the humiliation and exaltation of the Son of God By his humiliation and sacrifice of himself he expiates mans sin satisfies Divine Justice and merits all mercies and blessings necessary for the full and eternal happiness of man By his exaltation he makes his sufferings effectual and communicates the benefits he had merited for we read That he was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification Rom. 4. 25. To be delivered for our offences was his humiliation unto death for our sins to render them pardonable To be raised again for our justification was his exaltation for the obtaining of actual remission his humiliation begins his exaltation consummates our salvation For being advanced to the right hand of his Father he sends down the Holy Ghost reveals the Gospel causeth it to be preached to all Nations and by his Word and Spirit converts man and plants the heavenly vertue of Faith in his heart and upon Conversion and Faith makes intercession in Heaven and procures his actual pardon reconciliation with his God and in the end the enjoyment of eternal glory so that without his humiliation man is not savable and without his exaltation he is not actually saved And thus we must understand that of the same Apostle For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled shall we be saved by his life Rom. 5. 10. where we must observe That the death of Christ is his humiliation his life is his exaltation 2. That reconciliation is ascribed to his death salvation to his life For the Death and Blood of Christ was the propitiation for our sins and the foundation of our reconciliation the life and exaltation of Christ by his Word and Spirit converting us and making intercession for us is the cause of actual salvation Sect. 2. As in the two former Chapters we may read of Christs suffering death and humiliation whereby he mirited incomparable mercies and blessings so in this we read of his resurrection and the manner how he will apply and communicate his blessings and that is by a commission and power received and a commission and power given for the subject of the words are a two-fold commission The first granted by God to Christ The second by Christ to his Apostles These agree in some things differ in others 1. They agree as commissions giving great power 2. As expressing an unspeakable love unto and a tender care of sinful man 3 As issuing from the supream and universal Lord. 4. As tending to the same end mans eternal salvation yet they differ in these things 1. The former commission is granted by God immediately to Christ the latter is granted from God by Christ unto the Apostles 2. The former is the cause of the latter the latter an effect of the former 3. By the former Christ receives an universal power in heaven and earth and by the latter the Apostles receive only a limited power on earth Sect. 3. I will not say much of the first commission expressed in these words Ver. 18. All power in heaven and earth is given unto me Wherein he signifies that he had large power and it was given him where we must consider 1. Power given 2. The party to whom it was given 3. The donor or the Donation of it from the Donour In the power we may observe 1. The nature and quality of it 2. The measure of it 1. For the nature and quality of it it is spiritual and divine for Christ said My kingdom is not of this world John 18. 36. That is it s no secular power like that of the Princes of the world it s far more excellent and above it in respect of the subjects the laws the judgments the end thereof The subjects besides Angels are men considered in a spiritual notion and as capable of an eternal estate The Laws also are spiritual and bind not only Angels but the immortal souls and consciences of men Such are the judgments which determine and accord not only temporal but eternal punishments and rewards The end in respect of all loyal and obedient subjects is eternal peace and felicity for God gave Christ power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as he had given him John 17. 2. 2. The measure of this power is extensive and intensive Extensive in respect of the territory which is very large even the whole world whereof there be two parts heaven and earth so that it extends to all places and all things and so is universal yet the principal subjects are Angels in heaven and men on earth both intellectual and immortal creatures Intensive for its all power one may have some power or all power on earth and none in heaven or some or all power in heaven and none on earth but this is all power in heaven all power on earth all power on both so that Christ is over all persons in all causes supream Governour without any created superiour without any competitour without any partner it s all in the highest degree invested and inherent in one This is concernig the power 2. The person invested with it is Christ For all power saith he is given to me it was not given to any Angel or Angels nor to any Monarch or Monarchs of the world but to Jesus of Nazareth a man nearer to God then any of the Princes of the earth or any Principalities and Powers of heaven one more beloved of God and who had done a greater service than any other for he had humbled himself at his Fathers command so low as to be a servant and a servant obedient unto the death of the Cross therefore he and none other was thus highly exalted and received a name above every name 3. The Donour was God the Father As none but Christ was capable none was worthy of this transcendent power according to that universal acknowledgment of Saints and Angels Rev. 5 10. The Lamb slain
who hath redeemed thee and God the Holy Ghost who sanctifieth thee so that the Covenant of grace which was made effectual and immutual by the death and blood of Christ being first made between God and the party to be baptized the proper effect of this rite of Baptism is a solemn confirmation of this Covenant in respect of both parties This confirmation being finished both the parties are more strictly and highly bound to performance God to make good his promises man to make goods his vows For God is bound not only by his promise in general but by this rite to the person baptized in particular And man is bound not only in general but by name not only by the command of God and his own vow but also by receiving of this solemn rite and being baptized Upon this obligation follows a more particular and certain right unto the mercies merited by Christ and promised in the Covenant and a nearer relation unto and a more special interest in that God who made him loved him and redeemed him by Christ and sanctifies him by the Spirit yet the actual enjoyment of these mercies depends upon the performance of the conditions to which man is bound yet because this performance depends upon the sanctifying power of the Spirit therefore God in his infinite mercy gives the Spirit to the party baptized that so the Covenant should not be in vain For God nulling the Covenant of works which had no promise of grace and making a Covenant of free-grace as a Father a Redeemer and Sanctifier and promising and really intending to save man must needs by vertue of this promise give him the Spirit which is absolutely necessary to salvation and also merited by Christ for such as believe in Christ to abid in them and enable them to perform all duties necessary to Salvation This is the reason why Baptism and the Spirit are sâ— often joyned together yet the giving â—â— this Spirit is not absolutely tyed and limited to the very time of Baptism but is given sometimes after and sometimes before and sometimes in or at the time of Baptism This Covenant is made by way of stipulation and restipulation and when the answer of a good conscience is made the Spirit may be received the more speedily By all this we may easily understand how willing God is to strengthen our weakness and confirm our hope and how deeply we that are baptized are bound and engaged to our God and to him alone so as to renounce all other confidences and to relie upon him as a Father loving us and his Son redeeming us and the Holy Ghost sanctifying us And here it s to be remembred that those supernatural effects which in the Scripture are given to Baptism are properly and principally to be ascribed to the love of the Father the merit of Christ and the power of the Spirit as by this Sacrament we subject our selves unto God alone as our Supreme Lord so we renounce the Devil all other false Gods profess our selves Christians and separate from all other Religions For Baptism is one of the bonds which ties the members of the Church together in one body a badge of our profession and character whereby we are didistinguished from all Idolaters Mahumotans and unbelieving Jews Sect. 7. Thus we understand what Baptism is the next thing to be inquired into is who may lawfully by this commission administer this Sacrament The Text doth plainly determine the person For he that must teach the same must baptize It 's true that this power as universal and extending to the Gentiles was given immediately unto the Apostles yet unto them as first dispensing the word yet because the word was to be dispensed and preached not only by them but also by their successours unto the worlds end therefore the ordinary powâ—â— of preaching is continued to all such as a 〈…〉 lawfully called to the Ministry and so the power of baptizing too So that according to these words of our Saviour they wâ—â— are trusted with the dispensation of the word are trusted with the administratioâ— of the Sacraments for the promise of asistance in the dispensation of both is madâ— only unto them as they are Ministers oâ— Christ to be imployed in the calling anâ— conversion of sinners and the applicat 〈…〉 on of Redemption These are the fitteâ— and most able to prepare them for the S 〈…〉 craments and should be most able to ju 〈…〉 who are rightly qualified for the receivi 〈…〉 of them It 's true that unworthy and insufficient persons may be admitted into the Ministry and others though more sufficient may be careless negligent yet these must answer for their infidelity betraying of their trust However it 's evident that the persons who may lawfully baptize in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost are the Ministers of the Gospel Sect. 8. The third and last thing to be examined is who are subjects capable of this Sacrament and have a right unto Baptism by the rules of divine institution and according to the Text they are such as are taught and made Disciples for neither the Apostles nor their successours have any warrant from Christ to baptize any but Disciples for here it 's said Go and teach or disciple all Nations baptizing them that is these who are discipled For we must know that the Apostles were sent not to gather Churches out of Churches and to find the Nations made Christians to their hand but to call men out of darkness into light and perswade men unbelievers to believe that of no Christians they might be made Christians They must not first baptize and then teach but first teach and then baptize and so prepare them for Baptism yet to be taught was not sufficient they must learn understand profess their faith in God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost promise to obey Christs commands and desire by Baptism to be admitted into the Church yet a Simon Magus may do all this and so obtain Baptism and Phillip was bound to receive him for God doth not bind the Minister of the Gospel to try the hearts and reins of any man for that he could not do but he must perswade them in the name of Christ to profess and promise sincerely from their hearts yet if they do not this and it appear to him to do it so that he knows nothing to the contrary he not only may but must baptize such if they desire it yet Baptism is little advantage unto such for though they may be admitted and received into the visible Church yet they are not members of Christ nor heirs of Gods Kingdom but such as come with an upright heart and make the answer of a good conscience inwardly believe with their souls as they profess with their lips may certainly expect the Spirit of Regeneration and the benefits promised in the Covenant But in all this discourse upon this part of
submit unto their lawful power obey their just commands and give them and all others my superiours due respect according to their places If I my self be either Father or Mother or Master or Magistrate or Minister Tutor Guardian and Governour I will endeavour in these several relations to do my duty and seek the good of these that shall be under my power and committed to my charge I will not dishonour or disobey or resist and rebel against my lawful Superiours neither will I be perfidious unto them nor vex and discomfort them but so carry my self towards them as I desire my inferiours to carry themselves towards me that so my God may bless me in that place of my pilgrimage where he hath appointed me to live and sojourn on Earth For I know that upon the performance of these duties according to the promise of God the peace and welfare of Family Church and State and all other Societies do much depend and that God will curse and punish all disobedient rebellious and unthankful wretches and such as envy despise mock dishonour vex discomfort their betters 6. I will put away all wrath anger violent passion and will beware of all quarrels dissentions batteries wicked thoughts words deeds all secret plots designs and enterprises which may any ways prejudice or endanger the life limbs safety health of my Neighbour I will abhor hatred malice purposes to revenge my self and endeavor to keep my self innocent and free every way from the innocent blood of others even of mine enemies I will neither be principal or accessory either by neglect or doing any thing against any mans life The health peace safety life and blood of my Neighbour shall be as precious to me as mine own I will be patient meek loving kind peaceable ready to be reconciled forbear suffer long forgive and every lawful way seek to perserve and keep the life of my Neighbour as mine own 7. I will abhor all leud wanton unchast thoughts purposes words deeds gestures apparel books immodest company all adultery whordom fornication incest and other kinds of uncleanness And because idleness glottony drunkenness and all other kind of intemperance give advantage to the Devil to tempt us to this sin therefore I will take heed of them and all other things which may be causes and occasions of the same Marriage with me shall be honourable and the marriage bed undefiled My thoughts words deeds gestures and carriage shall be chast and seeing my body being redeemed with a price should be a member of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Ghost I will not defile and dishonour it I will endeavour chastity in body and spirit in marriage or single life I will not joyn with any other in this sin and so bring the judgments of God upon me 8. Seeing God hath made the Earth and the fulness thereof given it to the Sons of men disposeth and dispenseth of these Earthly goods as it pleaseth him maketh rich and poor and giveth to men something that is justly their own I do therefore renounce all unjust thoughts words deeds which tend unjustly to endammage and impair the estate of my Neighbour I will neither by fraud or force secretly or openly take away or detain that which is anothers right I will not be unjust to any man nor unmerciful unto the poor the fatherless the widow or any that are in need and cannot help themselves and I will endeavour to deliver them out of the hand of such as do oppress them And that I may be free from this sin of injustice I will shun idleness and prodigal courses and vain and unnecessary expences I will not be covetous and use any unlawful means to enrich my self neither will I be improvident or unbelieving orimmoderately orinordinately careful I will not be unjust or unfaithfull in my contracts commerce and dealing with other men nor carelesly waste my estate by gaming unnecessary law-suits or rash suretiship I promise to be just honest faithful in all my dealing give every man his due restore that which is unjustly taken away withhold no mans goods trusted in my hands I will rather lose then gain to the wrong and dammage of another man I will not only be just but merciful and charitable to the poor and needy and especially to the indigint and persecuted Saints of God and to them I will be liberal according to mine ability I will be careful that God the Church the State and every private person may have their due And that I be not tempted to injustice I will painfully labour in some honest way that I may maintain me and mine and will be frugal moderately sparing provident and use just and lawful means of getting and keeping a competent estate I will be content with little and trust in God for these earthly necessaries 9. God hath appointed in all Common-Wealths Courts of Judicature to relieve the oppressed right such as are wronged punish offenders and rightly judge all causes and determine all controversies And the end of all judgment is justice and one means and the same principal tending to that end is evidence which often depends upon witnesses therefore I promise neither as Party Plaintiff or Defendant nor as Witness nor Juror nor Sollicitour nor Atturney nor Advocate or Counsellour nor Judge nor Register to cause men to believe that which is false conceal the truth oppose a just cause or by forgery neglect infidelity out of malice fear favour partiality covetousness go about to hinder or pervert just judgment I will endeavour to discover the truth to oppose the unjust cause of a friend promote the just cause of an enemy or stranger I will use all means both by my self and others to do what I can to take away all needless and unjust delays help the helpless punish offenders right the innocent and endeavour to my power that justice and judgment may have a free passage and flow down like a mighty stream I will pray for just Judges and for integrity in all such as act in judicial proceedings 10. Many times it falls out that my Neighbour hath such things as I want or somthing better then I have is in a better condition then I am and in prosperity when I am in adversity and then such is or may be the corruption of my heart and self-love that I begin to envy him and covet that which is duly his and I have no right unto And out of this envy and coveting that which is another mans much wickedness if not prevented may be committed therefore I promise and vow by the help of Gods grace to mortifie and suppress betimes these envious thoughts and unjust covetings will be content with mine own estate though poor and mean I will neither envy anothers prosperity nor rejoyce in his Adversity But I will love my Neighbours as my self rejoyce with them that do rejoyce and mourn with them that mourn and will be inwardly touched with their misery I
pray in charity and love towards others 7. As he is Almighty and Almerciful in Christ in whom he hath promised all things we must pray in greatest confidence 8. Because our necessity is great and we seek great and necessary things from him so we must be instant importunate wrastle with him and not let him be quiet till he hear help and bless us Sect. 3. In the body of the prayer we must observe the Method and excellent order to which he hath reduced all matters to be prayed for To understand this we must consider that he hath made two general heads and parts of petition the 1. Of supplication the 2. Of deprecation In the former we petition for all good we can justly desire In the latter we seek deliverance from all evil where unto we are subject The good we pray for is spiritual or temporal the spiritual respects Gods glory in 1. Hollowed be thy name or our spiritual happiness in the coming of his Kingdom 2. In doing of his will Temporal good we pray for when we say Give us this day our daily Bread Deliverance from evil is two fold either from sin or affliction The evil of sin is either guilt of sin past or temptation to sin in time to come The former we seek in these words Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them who trepass against us The latter in these Lead us not into Temptation Deliverance from evil we pray for when we say Deliver us from evil Sect. 4. We begin our petitions with these words Hallowed be thy Name where by name we must understand the excellent Majesty and supream Dominion of God our heavenly Father in respect of which all honour glory power and praise are due to him and ought to be ascribed unto him by men and Angels for ever yet all this doth not make him more glorious and excellent then he is in himself for what can be added to that which is infinite This excellency and supream dominion we profess to believe in the first Article of our Creed and promise to acknowledge in the first commandment of the moral Law And here we pray for the universal acknowledgment in the first Petition for such must be our respect to him as that above all things his name may be glorified therefore in these words we pray that his name and supream excellency may be manifested more and more both by his Ordinary and Extraordinary works of creation and providence and also by his blessed word especially by the Gospel of Christ. â— That being manifested to us and to all others it may be more and more clearly known 3. That being known we and all others may acknowledge it and submit with all our hearts to him as supream Lord and that he may be glorified in the eternal destruction of such as will not honour him as supream Lord. In these words we pray against all Atheism Idolalatry Profaneness Rebellion Apostasie and the usurpation of divine power 2. We pray Thy Kingdom come where we have 1. A kingdom 2. The coming of it 3. A petition for the coming of it Gods Kingdom is two-fold 1. Universal and general over all 2. Special over men The latter here is meant this second Kingdom respects Men as sinful and ready to perish yet as having some hope of Salvation by the Redemption of Jesus Christ therefore it s the kingdom of God Redeemer looking upon Man as first redeemed and so ordinable unto everlasting salvation for sinful Mans happiness begins in Gods love which moved him to give Christ to death for the Expiation of our sins for this was the laying the foundation of Eternal Life The coming of this Kingdom is the exercise of his power to make redemption effectual for then this kingdom comes to any person or persons when God Redeemer begins to reign by his Word and Spirit and by them calls men to repentance and faith The end where at this government aims is the ruine of all enemies and the eternal peace of all such as shall submit unto his power and continue to be loyal and obedient subjects Thus God did alwayes reign since the first promise of Christ made unto Adam but this reign advanced and became more glorious after that Christ was â—et at the right hand of God sent down the Holy Ghost revealed the Gospel and it shall be consummate when all enemies shall be subdued and Gods chosen Saints fully and for ever glorified Some make two degrees of this Government the first of grace and the second of glory The one begins with our first conversation the other with the resurrection In this petition therefore we do not seek of God the coming of Christ nor the conquest of Sin and Satan upon the Cross nor of death by his resurrection nor his exaltation to the right hand of God nor the beginning of his reign for all these are past But we pray that our heavenly Father would 1. Send his Ministers with the Gospel and the power of his Spirit into all nations who sit in darkness and the shadow of death and contrive the means of conversion to all people who enjoy them and in particular to us 2. That he would make these means effectual to the conversion of many 3. That he would justifie sanctifie adopt all such as are converted 4. That he would do these things more and more till he hath subdued all sin in them 5. That he would hasten to subdue death the last enemy by the resurrection and the last change of mortal bodies 6. That all enemies being conquered he may reign perfectly and that when Christ hath delivered up the kingdom God may be all in all his Saints and give them perfect holiness full joy and peace everlasting 7. That he would by degrees and at last totally and finally destroy all the power of Satan Sin Death wicked Men which oppose our Salvation and Eternal Peace The principal thing desired is first eternal life then all means which conduce unto the end The principal effect of this Government is destruction of Rebels and Enemies and the conversion and salvation of his People To this head may be referred all Petitions for the ruine of Babylon and Antichrist persecuting Enemies both open and secret for good Magistrates Ministers and Governours in Church and State for powerful preaching of the Gospel for good discipline and due administration of the Sacraments and here is to be observed that the more his Kingdom comes the more his name is hallowed and glorified 3. Yet because no man can enjoy the benefits peace and priviledges of any Kingdom tho never so excellent except he will submit unto the power of the Prince observe his Laws and do his will therefore that we may attain to the eternal peace and felicity of this Kingdom we pray that the will of our heavenly Father may be done where we have 1. The will of God 2. The doing of it 3. The manner or pattern of doing 4.
wonders and glorifie thy name for ever and give all glory praise and thanks to thee that so all Atheists Idolaters prophane persons Apostates and rebellious wretches may be convinced or confounded 2. That thy name be the more hallowed and we sinful wretches eternally saved let thy Kingdom come that Christ at thy right hand may powerfully and gloriously reign till all his enemies be made his footstool O let thy word and spirit so mightily prevail that all Nations may be converted submit themselves to Christ their Saviour thy Church enlarged from Sea to Sea and from the river to the worlds-end till the number of thy Saints be finished and made perfect and thou mayest rule in our hearts till sin and the power of Satan be wholly and forever destroyed Raise up a continual supply of faithful and godly Ministers and good Kings and Magistrates which may be Defenders of the Faith and nursing Fathers to thy Church and pour down the gifts of thy Spirit in great plenty upon all flesh break in peices the power of Satan and all persecuting enemies let death the last enemy be destroyed make all thy Saints immortal and bless them with eternal joy and peace that so they may sing an eternal Hallelujah to thy name in the heaven of heavens where there shall be no sin no sorrow no pain but fulness of joy in thy presence and pleasures for evermore at thy right hand 3. That we may enjoy the priviledges and attain the eternal felicity of thy Kingdom we desire that thy will may be done on earth as it in heaven we do confess that by nature we are blind and ignorant and have no power to do thy heavenly will All our spiritual knowledge wisdom and power of obedience is from thee our God and the good spirit of Christ. Seeing therefore this is our condition as born of Adam and brought up in a wicked world and Christ hath given himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and purifie to himself a peculier people zealous of good works we beseech thee open our eyes and enlighten our understanding that we may more clearly know thy heavenly Laws and sanctifie our hearts more and more that we may constantly and freely with joy and delight observe all thy holy and blessed Laws O raise up our thoughts and affections that we may seek that glorious and eternal estate which thou hath prepared for those that love thee and so renew our hearts that we may be zealous of thy glory mortifie sin bring forth the fruits of thy spirit abound in good works give good example unto others make our calling an Election sure manifest that we are born from Heaven that so following the example of thy blessed Angels and aiming at their perfection may in the end be partakers of eternal bliss together with them 4. Whil'st in this vale of tears we seek thy Kingdom and endeavour to do thy holy will we have need of many earthly comforts as food and raiment and such things as without which we cannot live we therefore pray thee give us this day our daily bread we acknowledge that we have neither life nor health nor a morsel of bread nor any place where to lay our heads but from thee our heavenly father Be pleased therefore out of our fatherly goodness to give us good government peace safety seasonable times a comfortable and competent Estate and a quiet enjoyment of the same If we should ask for superfluities dainties and abundance to spend them for to maintain our pride and seusual pleasures we confess it were just with thee not to hearken unto us thou mights justly deny them but we are contented with food and rayment and other necessaries and seek them from thee that we may without distraction seek thy heavenly Kingdom O pity the sick the poor the weak the widow and the fatherless the stranger and such as are in want and oppressed feed the hungry cloath the naked deliver poor captives and relieve thy persecuted and distressed Saints These mercies thou hast promised in order to our eternal happiness whil'st we are in this vale of tears until we come to our abiding city where we shall have no need of these things And we seek these at thy hands with hope to receive them because thou hast promised them yet we are resolved that howsoever thou shalt deal with us we will submit unto thy will and be contented 5. O heavenly Father tho' we should do thy will always and from our heart in all things yet we have often sinned and done evil in thy sight made our selves guilty and liable to eternal death and have great need of thy mercy in Jesus Christ therefore we pray thee forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us We do confess that both in the state of Nature of Grace we often offend thee and transgress thy holy laws and besides the guilt of the first sin which lies heavy upon us and our inbred corruption we are guilty of many actual transgressions And these have been committed not only out of ignorance or infirmity or upon surprizal or violence of temptation but many of them against knowledg and some of them are very hainous and of a crimson die some are publick some private som open some secret neither is this all but we harden our hearts in them against the light of thy Gospel the dictates of thy Spirit thy patience and long-suffering against thy mercies and deliverances against thy chastisements and many gracious invitations against thy dearest love and the bitter sufferings of our Saviour And these are the more hainous because committed by us who have received so many mercies enjoyed for a long time so many powerful means of conversion and have vowed better things O how much hath thou done to convert us and we are not converted how miserable have we made our selves what fearful punishments have we deserved Oh take away these stony hearts of ours give us hearts of flesh and make us sensible of our sins that we may loath our selves and that our hearts may inwardly bleed because we have offended thee so good a God Remember thy tender mercies the bitter sufferings of our Saviour and thy gracious promises in him unto poor sinners Shall he dye on earth and plead his blood in heaven and we confess our sins and yet not obtain mercy O pity spare forgive turn away thy wrath cast us not out of thy presence take not thy holy Spirit from us deny us not the joy of thy salvation And this mercy we desire with the greater hope because we desire to forsake our sins put our sole and whole confidence in our blessed Saviour and are willing to forgive and be reconciled to such as trespass against our selves 6. O Lord thou knoweth our frailty the great danger of temptation which is such that though we be sanctified and sin past pardoned yet we may fall into sin again and so contract