Oeconomiae Dispensationis c. But if respect be had to that Dispensation in which the Father in the Son and both through the Holy Ghost hath perfected our Salvation admirabilis est dulcedinis c. it is of wonderful sweetness and doth produce most exuberant Fruits of Faith Hope and Charity Considence and Trust Fear and Obedience in the Hearts of the Faithful Dispur Publica Sexta Sect. 12. Oper. 4 p 192. But his Followers in other Opinions leave him here where they should follow him as the learned Professors of Leiden shew Censura in Confessionem c. 3. p. 56,57 where they shew the practical Vse of the Doctrine of the Trinity Nor do they shew the injustice of the Censure but plead for their Silence and Caution Exam. Censurae p. 51. The English Reader that can may consult reverend Dr. Cheynel of the Divine Trin-Vnity cap. 9. Mr. Baxter of the Knowledge of God p 8 c. 5. Much has been written about Baptism controversially and but little that I have seen about the practical Vse of it It is a great Duty and Grace to improve it to the Ends of it and much neglected Parents are generally importunate to have their Children baptized and as generally negligent to train them up as baptized Members in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord and so we have so many ignorant and ungodly in the visible Church I wish what is written upon the Subject were more common and more understood by the reverend Dr. S. Ford of the practical Vse of Infant Baptism Dr. Manton's Sermon of the Improvement of Baptism in the Supplement of the Morning-Exercise at Cripple gate Mr. Joseph Whiston his Essay to revive the primitive Practice of Infant Baptism And Mr. Daniel Rogers of the Sacraments speaks with Light and Life Though having room here to speak thus much in this place for these things I have said but little in that first Chapter because limited 2. In the second Chapter I have shewed the Vse which may be made of the Catechism to accommodate the sincere fervent Soul with Matter for Prayer It is a Temptation to neglect the Duty when there is want of Mattter to utter before God. If any will object that this will be to bring People to pray by rote as they say their Catechism by rote and to bring them to a Form I answer to the first this Objection may be set up to neglect Catechizing and Teaching and so is impious and erroneous Again As God hath blessed Catechizing to his Church so by often and serious Meditation upon the particular Points of Catechism their Knowledge increaseth and comes to be enlarged beyond the Words of the Catechism so it may work upon the Affections also and then they may also enlarge in Prayer beyond the Lines of this Prayer if they can and when need is But as what is necessary and profitable to be learnt and believed is comprehended in the Catechism so what is generally necessary to be asked is contained in the Prayer And they who are convinced and believe the Truth of the Doctrine taught according to the Scripture will pray with Vnderstanding and by Faith believing and knowing what they pray And if some are commended for turning Sermons into Prayer I see as much reason for turning a Catechism into Prayer Yea but this is to bring them to a Form. What then Take away Formality and senseless Customariness and running a Stage or a Round of Prayer without Preparation Attention or Care what Answers are made and what can be judiciously or charitably said against a Form of Prayer Whereas many holy and very able Ministers as well as private Christians have in Judgment chosen a Form at least ordinarily And a Form is necessary to others because of Weakness Do you who object against all use of Forms really think that whoever is regenerate and sanctified hath the Spirit for Extempore Prayer by which I mean a present Ability to vary Words and Matter upon all Occasions And that none have the Spirit of Christ or Adoption but such as can do or such as do so and that they who keep ordinarily to the same Matter and Words are destitute of the Spirit Or do you think that Professors in these Days have more of the Spirit than holy Men had in former times You will never be able to prove these things and you are confutable by Clouds of Examples of holy and able Men excellent for Gifts If you say the Spirit is limited in a Form of Prayer take heed you do not limit the Spirit to a sort of Men. The Spirit of Grace doth excite his own Graces in the Soul that prayeth and those Graces act according to the Capacity of them that pray and also brings many things to mind which were not thought of before and when God brings in Matter he doth help to utter it but not all alike I condemn lary heartless Formality mine own practice is known to many but I honour the Name and Memory of holy and eminent Men and Fathers who had the Spirit of Holiness in a great measure who used Forms on ordinary stated Times and Occasions And I would not discourage sincere weak ones from using a good Form lest I dis-hearten them from praying at all Let me add I do not teach any to be tied up to a Form the same number of Words and Petitions for all times but give Directions for Matter and Vse of Prayer with a Prayer that may be daily used with Acceptation if prayed with Vnderstanding and Faith and other Graces It hath been the Study of many and some of them able good Men much an Prayer to publish Prayers fitted to several Occasions But alas what can they do if the Hearts of them that use them are not fitted for them It is not Devotion that is printed in a Book but what is kindled in the Heart And he is poor indeed that hath not a Prayer for his Mouth except his Book be in his Pocket or before his Eyes There is great reason for these Exhortations Pray without ceasing and Continue in Prayer for we have continual cause to draw near to God. And we that are Ministers have to do with many Souls in various Conditions and general Praying is no more effectual than general Preaching In the one there are particular Applications of the Word to Men's Hearts from God in the other particular Applications to God on the behalf of Men according to particular Conditions And there is a more excellent way than making a Prayer of Patches taken out of Books of Devotion The holy Scripture is the Prayer-book it affords Matter for Prayer as well as Preaching And how can that Man preach that cannot pray And this of praying with and for particular Persons in private and also in publick if the Case require it according to their particular Cases is one of those Every good Work for which we should be furnished 2 Tim 3.16 Those Men whom God
3.16 2 Pet. 1.21 Heb. 1.1 1 Thes 2.13 Apocrypha not Scripture 2. The Books called the Apocrypha are neither the Books of Moses nor the Psalms nor the Prophets therefore not Scriptures given by inspiration See Luke 24.4.27.44 nor were they committed to the Church or kept by it as the Oracles of God Rom. 3.1 The Scriptures are a perfect rule 3. The Scriptures are able to make a Man Wise to Salvation and to make the Man of God the Minister of God the New Testament Prophet perfect and throughly furnished to all good Ministerial Works therefore they are a perfect rule for Doctrine Worship and Manners 4. Unwritten Traditions of the Church are not of equal authority nor to be received with the same pious affection with the Holy Scriptures Those Doctrines which were delivered by one teacher to another or by Oral Teaching to the Church are now written 2 Tim. 2.2 2 Thes 2.15 As much as our Lord thought necessary John 20.30 and sufficient 2 Tim. 3.15.16 are writen Our faith is limited to things written Jo. 20.31 2 Pet. 1.19 These traditions pleaded for were not committed to faithful Men nor faithfully kept by Men who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost We have enough and our Lord would not leave us too much Joh. 21.25 Had we been bound to believe more more had been written 5. The Holy Scriptures are plain in all things necessary to salvation clear as the Sun to those uses intended by our Lord Ps 19.8 Ps 119.105,131 They are a shining light 2 Pet. 1.19 If they were not clear how could Timothy know them as he did from a Child 2 Tim. 3.15 How could the Bereans examine Doctrines by them Acts. 17.11 There are sufficient means to help the unlearned to understand so much as to make them wise to Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 Ephes 4.11 to 16. Acts 8.29 to 37. 6. The laity or common People ought to have the free use of the holy Scriptures God spake to all Exod. 20. Deut. 32.46 Chap. 6.1,2,6,7,8 Exod. 24.7 Deut. 31.11,12 The laity are to be saved by faith in Christ and his word and the Scriptures were written to direct and help them Joh. 20.31 All were wont or commanded to search them Joh. 5.39 All are blessed that meditate in them Ps 1.1,2 They are part of the spiritual armour for all Christians Ephes 6.17 Unless we should expect the Priests and the Learned would fight for the laity and save them the trouble of that warfare 7. The translation of the Scriptures is necessary approved of God and ordain'd by him except there should be but one language among Men or that none should believe and be saved but them who understood the Original God spake in a known Tongue so did the Prophets and Apostles and they who did not are reprov'd 1 Cor. 14.9,12,13 c. The Apostles sent to preach to all Nations had the gift of Tongues that every Nation might receive the Gospel in their own language The end of writing is the same with speaking 8. Scriptures translated and copied from the Originals or first writings under the hands of the Scripture-pen-men are the word of God the foundation and rule of Faith. The Scriptures read in the Synagogues and in common use among the Jews were but copies transcribed yet our Saviour refers the Jews to them John. 5.39 The Eunuch had no other Acts 8. nor the Bereans Act. 17.11 The Ephesians were Greeks and probably had the Greek translation and yet they were built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Ephes 2.20 God being the God of every one who believeth and shall be saved of every Nation as well as of the Jews hath taken care and doth to stir up and fit holy Men tho not infallible as the Prophets and Apostles were for this work and wherein some have failed others have help'd We give a secondary honour to Translations as such but an equal honour to the word of God translated which we give to it in the Original the change of the Language doth not alter the will of God. An Embassy delivered by an Interpreter is the Kings Embassy 9. The best interpreter of the Word is the Holy Spirit Knowledge in Original Languages is necessary to a translator and to Doctors or Teachers for their better teaching But he who hath most of the Holy Spirit doth best understand the mind of the Spirit All have these helps to understand them 1. The Grammar and plain literal sence the scope coherence and continual reading with prayer and comparing hard places with plain help us to understand the Scriptures 2. Universal reason and true with undeceived senses help us to understand many Doctrines See Acts 17.11 1 Cor. 1.13 Rom. 15.4 2 Tim. 3.15,16 Luke 24.32 Ephes 1.17,18 10. There is no visible standing infallible Judge of controversies in Faith and Religion And there is no need of any because there is none constituted In a great controversy the Apostles themselves did search the Scriptures and inquire into the mind of the Holy Ghost and consented to it Acts 15.15,28 The Holy Ghost is the infallible Judge and he speaks in the word Acts 28.24,25 The Scriptures themselves judge as the Law doth in controversies among Men. There is a ministerial publick judgment for edification Ephes 4 6,7 Rom. 12.6 and a private judgment of discerning given by the holy Spirit to believers without which they could not discern truth from error nor believe nor try the Spirits nor judge of what is spoken to them 1 Cor. 2.15 Phil. 1.10 1 Joh. 4.1,2 1 Cor. 10.15 11. The Holy Scriptures are not mute and dumb Speech and voice are attributed to them and God speaks by them Rom. 3.19 It saith to them that are under the Law Isaias now dead crieth Rom. 9.27 see ver 17. 12. The Scriptures are not a dead letter the Law is so called in opposition to the Gospel 2 Cor. 3.6 yet it killeth and therefore is no dead letter void of power it is the Ministry of condemnation denouncing death against transgressors v. 7. and the Gospel is the power of God therefore no dead letter 13. There is a Divine efficacy and power in the Scriptures in their kind as the means and instruments of Salvation Rom. 1.16 They are able to make a Man wise unto Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 And the sword of the Spirit Ephes 6.17 14. The Scriptures are the word of God Ephes 6.17 by which we understand the written word and not Christ See also Mar. 7.13 compared with Mat. 15.6 15. The Holy Spirit is the principal cause of all the knowledge and wisdom to Salvation which any Man hath Ephes 1.17 What was given by the spirits inspiration is understood by his illumination a natural understanding cannot see 16. The promise of the spirit Joh. 16.13 doth not intimate such a dispensation as is above the Holy use of Scriptures They are given by inspiration and to continue in their use to the end of the World
Mat. 5.18 The Spirit will not nullify his own work 17. The Scriptures are of the same use to us and all Ages to come which they were of to them that first received and believed them They are written that we should believe them that shall be saved Joh. 20.31 They are profitable for all things for all good works therefore we cannot be wise to Salvation without them 2 Tim. 3.15,16,17 1 Joh. 1.1,2,3,4 18. The authority of the Old Testament is equally Divine with the New. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God 2 Tim. 3.16 They mutually prove one another Luke 24.44 Acts 26.22,23 chap. 24.14 A proof from the Old Testament is as good as any from the New both make up one perfect Canon and Rule of Faith. 19. Consequences clearly or immediately drawn from Scripture or by clear natural light are Divine for they are contained in the Scriptures Those consequences drawn by our Saviour and Peter to prove the fundamental Article of the Resurrection are now part of Scripture Mat. 22.32 Acts 2.30,31 and were virtually contained in the Scriptures before If we can draw consequences from Scriptures by sound Mediums in imitation of them what we prove by such consequences is true and to be believed 20. The sence of Scripture is but one plain and simple to imform and fettle our understandings and faith and not ambiguous to confound us or keep us in doubts When the Scriptures speak plainly and properly the sence is proper when by metaphors and figures then it is plainly so If the sence were ambiguous how could they be understood how could they serve for Doctrine or for conviction of Error but they are profitable to those and other ends therefore plain 2 Tim. 3.16,17 21. There are no contradictions in Scripture for they are all given by inspiration of God who cannot contradict himself If any contradiction appears it is because our understandings cannot reach their coherence 22. Divine Revelation and right reason are different lights from the same father of light There is nothing therefore in Scripture contrary to right reason To bring matters revealed to be judged by reason is to bring the Spirit of God before the tribunal of Man who is both blind corrupt and partial and to make the Reason of Man now in a corrupted state to be more Divine and certain than Revelation Ephes 5.8 1 Thes 5.4 Ephes 4.17,18 1 Cor. 2.14 There is the greatest reason in the World to believe what God hath revealed Right reason and revelation agree where Scripture is contrary to reason the reason is not good 23. God hath taken care to preserve Canonical Scriptures from being lost The Scriptures are perfect 2 Tim. 3.15,16,17 If any were lost the rest would be imperfect If not one jot or tittle shall pass away from the Law till all be fulfilled the whole Law and Revelation is safe Mat. 5.18 SECT III. Of the Trinity THE Doctrine of the most glorious Trinity is fundamental and practical because we are baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Our Christian faith and hope is built upon them we receive Gifts and Blessings from them together and from each one distinctly and we glorify and worship them together and distinctly as being devoted Servants to God the Father the Son and Holy Ghost This mystery is known only by Revelation There is enough in nature to make it credible and the practical use of it is to be made known as well as the truth of it to be proved by the Holy Scriptures Concerning it observe 1. There are three Relatives or Persons in the God-head 2. What a Person in the God-head is 3. These three are one God in Being or Essence co-essential and co-equal for there can be no inequality in the same infinite God-head or Essence I. There are three This is acknowledged by the Socinians who pronounce them to be no Christians who do not believe it Racov-Catech c. 1. But they deny that there are three Persons in the God-head because a Person is Essentia individua intelligens an individual intelligent Being But this reason is not good It implies that because a Person in the God-head is not like a Person in Nature therefore there are no distinct Persons or Relatives in the God-head Concerning these three observe 1. They are nam'd together Mat. 28.19 1 Joh. 5.7 and apart in many Scriptures by their several different Names These three are more than one They say there is but one Person in the God-head and that is the Father But the Father is not every one of these three there are two more distinctly named besides him The Father is not the Son nor the Son the Father nor is the Father nor the Son the Holy Ghost the Holy Ghost is not the Father nor the Son. If the Father be a Person so is the Son and so is the Holy Ghost The Father and the Son are two and not one and the Holy Ghost is a third If the Father relate to the Son as Father and the Son relate to the Father as Son as they do then they are distinct Persons and then there are also more Persons than one and as the Father and the Son are two the Holy Ghost is a third Not a quality of God for there are no accidents in God and if he were a power or a quality there would be no need of naming him as distinct from the Father and the Son for he would be included in the Father as the power of God. 2. These three are distinctly named in our Baptism which is a covenanting action and solemnity Covenants are between Persons The God of Grace who takes a number of Persons into Covenant with himself doth declare himself to them that they may know to whom they are obliged and related in Covenant Our great duty is to believe in God to honour and serve him and to expect what he hath promised He reveals himself as our God in Covenant and that not only as God but as Father Son and Holy Ghost We are oblig'd in the same duties to the Son and Holy Ghost as to the Father and partake of Grace Love and Communion from each one together 2 Cor. 13.14 Ephes 1.2,3 As God hath made himself known to us in Covenant so we are to believe and order our conceptions of him 3. Persons are known by personal properties and actions These three are known and distinguished by distinct properties and actions in reference to one another and towards the Creatures We are bound to believe in the Son as the only begotten Son therefore as distinguished from the Father John 20.31 chap. 3.16,18 The property and action of the Father is to beget The Son is called the first begotten Heb. 1.6 The Divine nature is unchangeable and indivisible and not multiplicable therefore there is no proper action nor passion as in nature nor production of new Being in this eternal Generation the manner of which
fourth Commandment See Cat. Part 3. § 5 c. The outward and ordinary Means c. You cannot but desire the Mercies of this Life such as respect your outward Man. What makes Men outwardly happy but a Competency of the good things of this Life and Prosperity as far as shall be for God's Glory and our Good. Then Men live happily upon Earth when every one doth perform his Duty when we enjoy Peace when we live in Safety Honour Chastity good Repute outward Wealth and are content with our own Condition as you may gather from what is contained in the six last Commandments When you pray you must confess your Sins What Sins See the sinfulness of that State into which Mankind fell and the several Sins against each Commandment Make therefore your Requests known with humble Confession of your Original Sin bewail your Guilt the Loss of Original Righteousness the Corruption of your Nature and your many actual Sins of Thought Word and Deed of Omission or careless Performance of the Duties requ red and of Commission of Sins forbidden in each Commandment See and search each Commandment as opened in the Catechism together with the heinousness of your Sins and the greatness of them with their several Aggravations See Part 2. of the Cat. With a thankful Acknowledgment of his Mercies For what Mercies For all Mercies revealed offered and received particularly for the Covenant of Grace for Jesus Christ the Redeemer for all the Benefits of Redemption for Grace for the Means of Grace for outward Mercies publick private personal We offer up our Desires for what we want and make a thankful Acknowledgment of what we have and enjoy And so the matter of both is the same when you know what to pray for you know also what to be thankful for And to humble us in the sight of God and to make us earnest and importunate let us lay to heart the Misery of our State since the Fall Answ 22 23 c. Here followeth a Form or Pattern of Prayer sramed according to those Directions section 2 O God who art a Spirit Infinite Eternal Unchangeable in thy Being in thy Wisdom Power Holiness Justice Goodress and Truth Although we are not fit to come into thy glorious Presence being both unlike thee dark and foolish impotent and unclean guilty and corrupt thou art graciously pleased to command us to draw nigh unto thee and to seek thy Face in the Name of the Lord sesus Christ our Advocate in whom thou art well pleased For thine infinite Mercies and for thy Goodness sake be nigh unto us by thy Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ According to the multitude of thy tender Mercies be merciful unto us and blot out all our Iniquities A short general Confession We humbly confess and bewail that the Covenant being made with Adam for himself and his Posterity we who descend from him by ordinary Generation sinned in him and fell with him And now O Lord most holy and just we are guilty before thee we have lost Original Righteousness and our whole Nature is corrupted whereby we are apt and prone to all manner of actual Transgressions which proceed from this our Original Sin. We acknowledge that for our Sin we are justly deprived of Communion with thee and fallen under thy Wratn and Curse and made liable to all the Miseries of this Life to Death it self and to the Pains of Hell for ever Oh! we have daily broken thy Commandments in Thought Word and Deed and our Sins are very heinous in thy Sight because of many Aggravations A large Confession of Sin. Holy Lord our Nature is so corrupted and degenerate that we have by acting according to it transgressed all thy holy Commandments Oh! we have not loved thee with all our Heart with all our Soul and with all our Mind We have not loved our selves as we ought nor our Neighbour as our selves We are bound to keep all thy Commandments because thou art the Lord our God and Redeemer But Oh! we have not known thee nor acknowledged thee the only true God and our God nor worshipped and glorified thee accordingly As we have confessed thee with our Mouths so in our Works we have denied thee We have not worshipped and glorified thee as the only true God as God infinitely blessed and glorious but have robbed thee and given that to others which is due to thee alone and have not considered in our Hearts that thou who hatest Iniquity seest all things takest notice of and art much displeased with such Transgressors We have not received observed and kept pure and entire all such religious Worship and Ordinances as thou hast appointed in thy Word nor have we considered thy Soveraignty over us Propriety in us and the Zeal which thou hast to thine own Worship We have not holily and reverently used thy Names Titles Attributes Ordinances Word and Works but have often prophaned the things whereby thou hast made thy self known neither have we laid to heart that though the Breakers of this Commandment may escape Punishment from Men yet thou the Lord our God wilt not suffer them to escape thy righteous Judgments Glorious and holy Lord We have not kept holy to thee such set Times as thou hast appointed not that one whole Day in seven which is our Christian Sabbath We have not sanctified it by an holy Resting all that Day from such worldly Employments and Recreations as are lawful on other Days and by spending the whole time in the publick and private Exercises of thy Worship or only in the Works of meer Necessity and Mercy But on the contrary we have sinned by the Omission or careless Performance of the Duties required by often prophaning the Day by Idleness or that which is in it self sinful and by unnecessary thoughts Words and Works about worldly Employments or Recreations And we have not as we should considered thy merciful allowing us six Days for our worldly Employments thy challenging a special Propriety in the Sabbath-day thine own Example and thy blessing of it all which should have moved us to keep it holy Thus have we sinned against thine infinite glorious Majesty We have sinned against Heaven and against thee To these great Offences against thee the Lord our God we have added many Sins against our Neighbour also We have not only failed in performing the Duty which we owe to every one in their several places and relations but have often and many ways done contrary thereunto We have sinned in not preserving the Honour in not performing the Duties belonging to every one in their several places and relations as Superiors Inferiors and Equals but have neglected or done many things against the Honour and Duty belonging to every one in their several places and relations We have not been so careful and charitable as we ought to do whatsoever tendeth to the Preservation of our own and our Neighbour's Life of our own and our Neighbour's