What may be the reason why God extendeth his Threatning of visiting the sins of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth Generation only and no further Answ Because the knowledge of the wickedness of Fathers or Fore-fathers may steadily distinctly and with certainty of report arrive at their posterity in the third or fourth descent by means whereof if they do not consider and take warning they become inexcusable whereas afterwards as in the fifth and sixth Descent and all succeeding the memorial of the wickednesse of their Forefathers begins to be as an old story the ground and original and consequently the truth whereof are uncertain and so the story it self not so apt to affect or make any lively impressions upon the minds of men Besides God limiting and confining himself in his pu nishing of sin unto the third and fourth Generation but enlarging himself in shewing mercy to those that keep his Commandements unto thousands plainly declareth how much more propense he is to reward the righteous then to punish sinners Quest 54. Why doth God in this Commandement rather then in any of the rest threaten to visit the sins of the Fathers upon the Children Answ Because Children and posterity are not in so much danger of being wicked or of provoking God upon their Fathers account or by imitating and following them in any other way of wickednesse as in the way of Idolatry and superstitious worship of God especially if the Fathers have had peace and prospered in the world in the way of this sin and the Children been partakers with them in these things A lightsome Instance hereof we have in the contest of the people with the Prophet Jer. 44.17 But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth to burn incense unto the Queen of Heaven and to poure out drink-offerings unto her as we have done we and our Fathers our Kings and our Princes in the Cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem for then had we plenty of victuals and were well and saw no Evill But since c. And that Children generally are more apt to inherit and commonly do inherit the superstitious and idolatrous principles and practises of their Fathers and fore-fathers rather then any other of their sins not relating unto these as well the Scriptures as our own observation of the course of the world in this behalf may sufficiently inform us Hath any nation saith God himself changed their Gods wich yet are no Gods Jer. 2.11 See 2 Kin. 17.28 29. 30 34. ver 41. Thus So these Nations feared the Lord and served their Graven Images both their Children and their Childrens Children as did their Fathers so did they to this day For brevity sake I omit many other places pregnant with confirmation of the point in hand as Ezek. 20 24 30. Amos. 2.4.2 King 15.9 1 King 15.26 c. Quest 55. Why should Children be more prone to imitate and follow their Parents in waies of Superstitions and Idolatry then of other sins Answ One reason hereof may be because though these be very horrid and highly-provoking sins yet have they an appearance and shew of Wisdome Coloss 2.3 and devout affections towards God which no other sin hath We know how plausibly and confidently the Doctors of the Romish perswasion plead the cause of their Superstitions and Idolatrous worship Another in conjunction with this may be that Children for the most part are naturally inclined to think honourably and reverently of their Parents especially in things appertaining unto God and to Salvation and in this respect have a natural aversnesse to disparage their Religion by rejecting and exchanging it for another and by such a practise or means as this to seem jealous or doubtful at least lest they dyed under the displeasure of God and so are cursed eternally And because there is ordinarily such a strong inclination in Children to own and cleave unto that manner and way of vvorshipping God wherein their Fathers and Fore-fathers went before them hence I conceive it is that God in the Scriptures makes it an aggravation of the sin of such Children whose Fathers were true Worshippers of the true God when they turn aside into waies of Idolatry and Superstition that they worship gods whom neither they nor their FATHERS have known Jer. 19.4 Deut. 13.6 32.17 and so likewise that he stiles Idolatrous persons and Nations the Parents or the Fathers and Mothers of those who imitate them in their worship and Religion Thus saith the Lord unto Jerusalem Thy birth and thy Nativity is of the Land of Canaan thy FATHER was an Amorite and thy MOTHER an Hittite meaning that the Inhabitants of Jerusalem complyed with these Nations in their Religion such as it was as readily as if they had been their natural Parents Ezek 16.3 Thirdly out of that Hope and persvvasion which are very incident to Children and posterity That it is well with the souls of their Parents and Fore-fathers in the state of death they are inclinable yea and desirous though at some peradventure to be with them when they dye and to fare as they fare And conceiving that the same Religion and way of worshipping and serving God is a likely means to bring them into the same condition with them after death hence they resolve to professe and practise none other Fourthly and lastly that which is as considerable as any of the former Persons given up to Idolatrous and superstitious Worships are more generally if not universally given up likewise unto some other kind one or more of sin and wickednesse besides We need not appeal to the Authority of Scripture-record for the confirmation of this though here be plenty of it to be found that part of the Christian world which have made conscience of worshipping the true God purely and without the pollutions of flesh-devised worship for severall hundreds of years last past have given a loud testimony unto the truth hereof in one particular the crying sin of Cruelty wiith the bloud and heavy oppressions of many of them and besides have all along known enough and at this day know of the vitious and wicked practises of those who have turned aside unto their own-Idolatrous and superstitious inventions in the worship of God Now persons superstitiously addicted being conscious to themselves of many foul sins which they know to be displeasing unto God when through the patience of God they escape punishment for them and live on peaceably and prosperously in the world they are apt and wont to ascribe no lesse then a kind of mediatorie and attoneing vertue unto their superstitious observances imputing their prosperity and freedome from punishment under the commission of so many sins unto these as if God had as high an esteem of them as themselves This also might be evinced as a truth unquestionable from the Scriptures I mean that will-will-worshippers and persons devoted to Apocryphal rites and ordinances in the
What is a fifth argument drawn from the subject-matter of the Scriptures to evince their descent to be from God Answ That heart-searching property which oft discovereth it self in the preaching and opening of them by learned and faithful Ministers yea and sometimes in the diligent and attentive reading and meditating of them by men themselves Many times the secret thoughts inclinations and intentions of mens hearts are presented unto them in and by the Scriptures as their natural faces are shewed to them in a glass Therefore he who only searcheth the heart and trieth the reins of the Children of men that is God can be the Author of the Scriptures Quest 10. What is there in the words phrase or style of the Scriptures which giveth any light whereby to discern them to be from God Answ There is a kind of majestique plainnesse and simplicity in the style of the Scriptures very unlike the strein of humane Eloquence and greatly differing from the style of other writers which giveth strong evidence that their Author and Inditer is God This argument the Apostle Paul taketh notice of where he writeth thus Which things speaking of the things of the Gospel also we speak not in the words which mans wisdome teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth Comparing spiritual things with spiritual or rather fitting spiritual things or spiritual matter with spiritual words or with a spiritual style 1 Cor. 2.13 The force of this argument cannot be well apprehended but by those that are in some measure acquainted with the books and writings of other Authors and so able to compare them in point of style with the Scriptures Quest 11. What other considerations are there besides these taken from the Scriptures themselves which any waies prove them to be from God Answ There are several others of this import but amongst these there are two which seem to have in them a great weight of proof in this kind Quest 12. What is the first of these Answ The special care and interposure of God by his providence in all ages that they neither in whole nor in part should miscarry or be lost no nor yet suffer any such defacing or corrupting but what might and may be healed and restored by men notwithstanding the many revolutions and turnings upside down even in those parts of the world where they have had their beings whereas the rarest choysest and most desirable writings of men otherwise are wholly perished and lost The names of some of them as of Solomons natural History who spake as the Scripture testifieth of trees from the Cedar that is in Lebanon even unto the Hyssop that springeth out of the wall as also of beasts and of fouls and of creeping things and of fishes 1 King 4.33 only remaining and of many others of them some fragments and imperfect sentences only Quest 13. How can you prove that no part of the Scripture is lost Answ The Scriptures of the old Testament called the Oracles of God are said to have been committed unto or intrusted with the Jewes Rom. 3.2 who are known to have been and yet to be very solicitous exact and careful preservers of this Treasure Nor were there any more writings or any other then those now called the books or scriptures of the old Testament committed unto them by God as his Oracles or as given by divine inspiration nor did Christ nor any of his Apostles nor any of the Jewish Nation and Religion ever complain or give the least intimation that these Scriptures were any waies maimed or any part of them lost but rather give Testimony unto their intirenesse and compleatnesse See Job 5.39 compared with 2 Tim. 3. 15.16 17. and Rom. 15.4 And for the Scriptures of the New Testament the same books which are now extant under this account are found named and reckoned accordingly in very ancient Records Neither have any other been owned or cited by the Fathers who have lived and written since the daies of the Apostles as any part or parts of the new Testament but these only Quest 14. Is every thing to be believed as a truth of God which is proved by the Scriptures Answ Every thing that is substantially that is by sound and evident proof proved from the Scriptures ought thus to be believed But many things are pretended and said to be proved by the Scriptures when as there is no more but only a colour of proof brought from hence to prove them as when the places urged and insisted on by way of proof are either mis-understood or else mis-argued or misapplied Quest 15. How may a solid and sufficient Proof of a Doctrine from the Scriptures be distinguished from that which is only colourable and in shew Answ In many cases it requires a great exactness and profoundnesse of judgment and which few Christians if any doe attain unto to distinguish between the one and the other But it is much more easie of the two and will in a great measure relieve a Christian under such a defect to be able to distinguish between a true Doctrine or Opinion and that which is erronious or false For certain it is that every true Doctrine may be substantially proved from the Scriptures though sometimes the proofs that are brought for such a Doctrine be impertinent and weak Quest 16 But how may a true and sound Opinion or Doctrine be discerned from that which is false Answ The Gospel it self being a body or pile of Doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 1.1 that is made and as it were purposely contrived for the advancement of Godliness it must needs be that every particular Doctrine or Opinion which in the native tendency of it is really apt and proper to promote Godliness in the hearts and lives of men is of correspondency with the Gospel and either a branch of it or a true consequence of some branch of it and consequently a truth Quest 17. What is your other Argument of the latter kind to prove the descent of the Scriptures to be from God Answ The wonderful success which the Gospel (a) The Gospel so frequntly avouching the authority of the Scriptures of the Old Testament and universally according with them the same Argument one and all which prove it to be from God prove the whole Systeme or Body of the Scriptures to be of the same Parentage and Original with it found on the first going forth and publishing of it in the world For notwithstanding the Persons that were imployed in the ministry and publishing of it were but few in number comparatively and these of mean ranck and quality in the world some of the chiefest of them being bur poor Fishermen they and others of them illiterate and unlearned yea and notwithstanding the Doctrine and Contents of this Gospel so strongly opposed and were so highly offensive unto the wisdom ways and doings of the world especially of the Rulers and Great-men here yet within a very short time it insinuated and
it should never do the like unto any of them Whereas it is most certain that God never yet denyed justification unto life unto any that relyed or trusted on him for it yea he hath made many promises great and precious pregnant and expresse unto the World yea and hath bound them wirh the greatest oath that himself or any other is capable of swearing that he never will deny it unto any such Quest 19. What incouragements or motives have men and women to believe in God and in Christ Answ Great and many yea greater and more then unto the performance of any other duty yea or action whatsoever and more especially Ten. Quest 20. What is the first of the Ten Answ The most great and invaluable Recompence of Reward which God hath annexed unto Faith both by an unchangeable Decree and by a Promise that can never fail Heb. 10.35 Silver and Gold and precious Stones Crowns and Kingdomes of the Earth with all the Pomp and Pleasures attending them are but dark and dull colours to shadow out or make a representation of the glorious Blessednesse of those that believe Quest 21. What is another of these incouragements or motives to believe Answ That whatsoever a mans sins hath been or how great soever his present unworthinesse is he shall not be rejected by God or by Jesus Christ in his believing nor upbraided with presumption boldnesse or the like but shall most certainly be accepted with favour and heavenly indulgence And him that cometh unto me saith Christ Joh. 6.37 that is whosoever believeth in me as ver 35. I will in no wise cast out which is as if he should have said I will sooner do that which is most abhorring to my nature and disposition yea or most repugnant to my glory then offer the least indignity or unkindnesse or send empty away any person whatsoever that shall come unto me by Faith for Justification or Saltion Quest 22. What is your third motive unto Faith Answ That the greater and more notorious and publique any mans sins have been the greater and more weighty will his Testimony be by believing both to the freenesse and fulnesse of the grace of God in Christ and to his truth and faithfulnesse also in his greatest promises as likewise unto the perfection and fulnesse of the attonement made by Christ in his death for the sins of men And therefore the acceptation of such persons with God and with Jesus Christ upon their believing is of all other mens the least questionable Quest 23. What is a fourth motive or incouragement to believing Answ That God is a great lover of that Creature of his which is called Man and that men have the precedency of the Angels themselves in his affections and good will and that he hath from the beginning of the world plainly declared such his inclinations and respects towards them by admitting such of them as were meet and capable of so great honour into friendly and familiar communion and fellowship with his Majesty imparting such of his secrets unto them as were expedient for them to know The Scripture-records concerning Abel Enoch Noah Abraham Jacob Ioseph Moses Samuel David Solomon with all the Prophets generally and many others give ample Testimony hereunto And Iesus Christ under the notion and name of the Wisdome of God is said to rejoice in the habitable part of his Earth not of his Heavens that is amongst men not among Angels as it followeth and my delight were with the Sons of Men. Prov. 8.31 Quest 24. What is your fifth motive to stirre up men to believe Answ That God in the heighth of his glory and unconceivable Splendor and brightnesse of his Majesty is altogether unlike the generality of those that are called Gods upon Earth Kings Princes Potentates and Grandees of the World who are more ready to tread and trample upon to grind the faces and to break the bones of those that are beneath them and under their power especially if they have at any time provoked them or been disobedient unto them then to commiserate or relieve them in their distresse or to lift up from dunghil or take them into any part or degree of fellowship with them in their worldly felicity The Lord saith David is high above all Nations and his Glory above the Heavens Who is like unto the Lord our God who dwelleth on high who yet humbleth himself to behold the things in Heaven and in the Earth He raiseth up the poor out of the dust and lifteth the needy out of the dunghil That he may set him with Princes c. Psal 113.5 6 7 8. There is nothing at all in God but what rightly considered rendereth him lovely and desirable especially in the eye of his Creature-man Yea his Attributes and all his perfections as they stand declared in his word duely weighed and layed together commend and set him forth as a God to speak with all due reverence made on purpose to be trusted and depended on for every thing good and desirable Quest 25. What is your sixth incouragement or motive to believing Answ The consideration of that absolute and utmost necessity that lyeth upon all men to believe if they mean or desire either ever to be truly happy or to escape the heavy doom of being for ever most miserable Neither is there Salvation in any other said Peter to the Iews being filled with the Holy Ghost when he spake Acts 4.8.12 for there is none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved And as there is no other name undr Heaven given by God unto men whereby to be saved but only the name of Christ so there is no other way or means whereby persons capable by years and reason of believing may be saved by this Name but only by believing in it See Ioh. 3.18 Mar. 16.16 with very many places beside Quest 26. Your seventh motive or incouragement the same way what may it be Answ Seriously to consider that to believe is not only if so much the benefit or advancement of the Creature believing as the honour and magnifying of the name of God of his grace and faithfulnesse in the great promises of the Gospel and so of the name of Iesus Christ and of the efficacy and fulnesse of that ransome which he hath paid for the Redemption of the World which are matters more highly considerable then the Salvation of any particular person that shal believe He that hath received his Testimony saith Iohn that is that believeth him teaching and affirming that God sent him into the World for the Salvation of all those that shal believe in him hath set to his Seal that God is true Ioh. 3.33 meaning that in doing this in that avouching of the truth and faithfulnesse of God in the Gospel which is done by any mans true and cordial believing he performes a very notable service unto him and of high acceptation with him And Abraham in respect doubtlesse
them against their sufferings otherwise by suggesting to them that had they in the days of their flesh done their uttermost yet could they not have escaped the coming into that place of torment whither they have been sent by the irrevocable and irresistable eternal Decree of God Any circumstance which qualifieth the guilt of the offence for which a man is punished easeth the bitternesse or evil of the punishment proportionably Quest 16. What is your sixth Reason Answ If wicked men could truly plead that God gave them not power whereby to believe to sanctifie to make themselves new hearts c. we generally to do all things absolutely necessary for their Salvation they might wash their own hands in Innocency from the bloud of their Souls and resolve their destruction into the will and pleasure of God as the principal yea in effect the sole cause of if For he that can without sinning himself prevent the sinning of another who cannot but sin unlesse he be kept from it by the interposure of the other and shall refuse or neglect to do it is more justly chargeable with the sin committed in such a case then the actor in it and he that committeth it how much more when he might without the least trouble losse or inconvenience to himself have prevented the committing of it He that shall build an House with rotten or insufficient Timber especialiy when he might have built it as cheap with that which is found and substantial is more the cause of the downfal of it then the crazinesse or insufficiency of the Timber This would be the case between God and wicked men if it should be supposed that he sets them forth into the world lamely and defectively provided of strength and means whereby to do what he peremptorily and indispensably imposeth on them for their Salvation at least if it be not supposed withal that he supplyeth them afterwards with what is sufficient in this kind Nor is it either true or pertinent to plead that God gave unto men that sufficiency of power which we contend for in Adam and that they deprived themselves of it by sinning in his loyns For first It is not like that God should furnish a creature being in an Estate of Righteousnesse Innocency and Purity with means and abilities sufficient and proper to recover and save it self in a sinful and lapsed estate Secondly neither doth God now treat with Men one or other upon the terms of the Covenant made with them in the loyns of their Father the first Adam and so not according to those abilities which they received in him for the performance of that Covenant but according to those abilities wherewith he hath furnished them in the second Adam for the performance of that second or new Covenant which in him he hath made and established with the World according to the tenor and terms whereof he will judge the World as our Saviour plainly enough implyeth in his Doctrine Joh. 3.19 And this is the Condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darknesse rather then light because their deeds were evil See also very expresse to this point Mark 16.16 Joh. 3.18 with may others Quest 17. What is your seventh and last Reason Answ To teach men that God requireth of them Sanctification Regeneration Mortification Self-denyal c. and all this as peremptorily necessary unto Salvation and yet to teach them withall that they have no sufficient power given them whereby to perform or attain unto any of these directly tends to beget a very dishonourable and hard notion and conceir of God in the hearts and minds of men as that he is an hard Master reaping where he hath not sown and gathering where he hath not strawed add in this respect as in some others also must needs be a doctrine of expresse consequence to quench and stifle all thoughts purposes and inclinations in men towards seeking the face of God and exercising themselves in duties of Piety and Religion and using the means of Salvation yea a doctrine very plausibly comporting with and indulging that carnal slothfulnesse and indisposition unto spiritual and heavenly things which are so generally found in men This is apparent from that passage in the Parable Matth. 25. ver 24 25 c. where the Servant that was so hardly perswaded of his Master as that he was an hard man reaping where he sowed not c. is charged with being both sloathful and wicked v. 26. Therefore that opinion which denyeth a sufficiency of power to be given by God unto men whereby to sanctifie regenerate themselves c. is very dangerous and an open Enemy to all Godliness especially in persons who are at present ungodly although it be true likewise that the evil influence and tendency of it in this kind may be and in some is over-balanced with other principles of a better and more pious inspiration Quest 18. But how can the truth of such an opinion for which you have pleaded by the seven Arguments last recited consist with the truth of all those places of Scripture which attribute the Sanctification Regeneration Conversion of men and every saving work wrought in them unto God and his Spirit or grace Places of this import are these with many other like unto them And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed that thou mayst love the Lord thy God c. Deut. 30.6 that ye may know that I the Lord do sanctifie you Exod. 31.13 And I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever c. Jer. 32.39 But I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me ver 40. Which are born not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh not of the will of man but of God Joh. 1.13 Of his own will begat he us with the Word of Truth Jam. 1.18 Answ These with all other Texts and passages of like import are well and clearly consistent with that Doctrine which asserteth a sufficiency of power vouchsafed by God unto men whereby to sanctifie regenerate and deny themselves to mortifie the deeds of the body and generally to act and do every such thing which God hath declared to be of absolute necessity for their Salvation The fair consistency between this Doctrine and the Texts of Scripture mentioned with their fellows may be well understood by these and such like considerations 1. It is one thing to be able or to have a sufficient power for the performance or doing of a thing an other to exercise or make use of this power for the actual performance thereof Christ had a sufficiency of power to save himself from death Matth. 26.53 Joh. 10.17 18. but he made no use of this power for such a purpose Men may be inabled by God to make themselves new hearts and new spirits c. and yet not be made willing by him no nor of nor by
to come not promising any return of a mans Prayer from Heamen without such a Faith Else how are these with other like places to be understood And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in Prayer believing ye shall receive Mat. 21 22. compared with ver 20. Therefore I say unto you what things soever ye desire when yee pray believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them Mar. 11.24 But let him ask in Faith nothing wavering for he that wavererh is c. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord Jam. 1.6 7 Add to these Joh. 15.7 Jam. 5.15 16. 1 Joh. 5.15 Answ First Certain it is that particular good things have been granted by God unto the prayers of good men where there was no great confidence much lesse any full or grounded assurance of Faith that they should obtain them Those Christians that prayed for Peters deliverance out of Prison Act. 12. had it seems no fulnesse of assurance that they should prevail For when the Maid brought them tidings that Peter was at the door they told her she was mad to say such a thing and when they could not abate her confidence yet could they not believe that it was Peter himself the belief of this though they had been and still were in Prayer for his deliverance was notwithstanding farther from them then the belief of a most uncertain tradition concerning Angels as namely that they should not only appear in the shapes and likenesses of such men to whom they are supposed to be assigned by God for gardians but that they should also counterfeit their tone and voice in speaking Then said they saith the Text It is his Ange. Verse 15. And vvhen they saw that it was he indeed it is said They were astonished ver 16. By these passages it fully appears that they had no fulnesse of assurance of obtaining Peters inlargement at least not so soon as they did obtain it when they prayed for it In like manner the prayer of the Leper in the Gospel being conceived in these words as all the three former Evangelists record it Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean plainly importeth that neither had he any height of confidence that he should obtain his cleansing by it his Prayer as much declaring his doubtfulnesse of the will of Christ as his confidence of his power to heal him Mat. 8.2 Another like instance we have in him that prayed thus for his Child being possessed with an unclean Spirit If thou canst do any thing help us and have compassion on us And being put upon it and provoked by Christ to believe yet did he advance no further then only to such a Faith which was incumbred with doubtings and unbelief Yet notwithstanding his Prayer for his Child prospered to the obtaining of that great cure or deliverance which was sought for by it Mar. 9.22 23 24. Therefore Secondly by that wavering or tossing to and fro in Prayer which hath no promise but a threatning rather of being sent empty away seemeth to be meant not every degree of doubting whether he that prayeth shall receive according to the letter of his Prayer or no but an instability of mind a rising and falling a coming and going an ebbing and flowing in his beleif concerning God's hearing and accepting him in his Praier or concerning his Power of doing for him according to his Petition Such a fluctuation and unsettlednesse as this in a mans opinion judgment or faith about the great Attributes of God his truth and faithfulnesse his omnisciency omnipotency c. is very uncomely and unsavoury in him that professeth himself a Servant and Worshipper of him Thirdly and lastly that believing in Prayer Mat. 21 22. and Mar. 11.24 compared with Mat. 17.20 and Luk. 17.6 unto which the removing of Mountains with other miraculous Atchievements is promised and this it seems according to the letter of the Prayer of such a believing is not that kind of Faith or believing which is required in the whole community of Saints to commend their prayers with acceptation unto God but that which was required particularly of those who had the gift of miracles for the succesful exercise of this gift Of this kind of Faith the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 13.2 implying in the context that it may be in persons void of the heavenly affection of Love which is the right hand of that Faith that is found in all the Saints and inseparable from it Quest 25. Although when a man prayeth for a temporal good thing he can have no absolute assurance of obtaining it be his prayer in all points never so much according to the will of God yet when he prayeth upon these termes for any spiritual good thing may he not yea ought he not to be filled with assurance that now the very letter of his Prayer shall prosper Answ He may and ought to be fully assured that praying as he ought and continuing thus to pray from time to time for any spiritual good thing in reference to himself which is simply necessary for his own Salvation that he shall receive from God a return in specie of his Prayer because there is nothing in valore in value that can be given him in exchange But if he be a Petitioner either of spiritual good things for others or of things conducing only towards his own Salvation but not essentially requisite hereunto although he may have grounds of Hope aboundantly sufficient to ingage him to pray that even the particularity of his Prayer being regular shall be given him yet are there none that I know of sufficient to build an absolute assurance in this kind upon Quest 26. Whether is it regular or meet to pray conditionally or to desire such or such a thing of God under this provisional clause or the like If it be thy will Answ The end of the Saints application unto God by Prayer being to prevail with him to do and consequently to be willing to do such things which they had no sufficient ground to expect that he would do for them or consequently that he would have been willing to do for them for he doth nothing but by the motion of his will unlesse they had sought them by Prayer at his hand any such clause inserted in their Prayer as this If it be thy Will seemeth to imply one of these two things both of them inconvenient either First That unlesse God were willing before their Prayer and consequently without their Prayer or whether they prayed unto him or no to give them that for which they pray they were content to go without it and willing that God should turn himself away from their Prayer Or Secondly That they were very diffident or much in doubt whether he would be prevailed with by their Prayer to be willing to do for them what they desire therein Whereas that frame of heart which becometh men in Prayer requires some degree at least
being well and understandingly digested must needs be as marrow and fatnesse to the Soul of our Faith We spake formerly of what is found upon this account in the beginning of the Prayer in the first words Our Father Now in the close representing it unto God as a thing well known to us and believed by us that His is THE Kingdome THE Power and THE Glory and all these for ever we humbly signifie and declare unto him that we have reason and ground in aboundance to believe that he will give us what we have asked and are accordingly resolved to depend upon him for namely because he is infinitely and eternally blessed full to the brim of all his capacities of and with himself and consequently cannot but be most propense and ready yea zealously rejoycingly triumphantly addicted to do good unto his poor Creatures when they stand in need of him especially when they look up unto him by Faith and humbly seek his face by Prayer Even a Creature richly apaied with the sense of much contentment in his condition or with the apprehension of some great felicity come upon him becomes hereby large-hearted and open-handed to shew any kindnesse or mercy to those that stand in need and come in his way The Scripture gives many instances ot the truth of this Principle or Observation See at leisure and consider diligently these Texts unto which you may add many others of like import 2 Sam. 19.22.29 30. 1 Chron. 12.40 Eph. 4.8.10 11 c. Gal. 4.15 As on the contrary frequent experience teacheth us that the more discontented and lesse satisfied men or other Creatures are with their conditions they are the more indisposed to gratifie others in any thing and for the most part male-contented persons are of malefique and malignant dispositions taking more pleasure in the troubles and sorrows then in the comforts or prosperity of other men The Divel who looks upon himself as the most miserable and accursed of all the Creatures of God is the first born of all that imagine and practise mischief against others and by the cruelty of his malicious endeavours and attempts to draw his fellow-creatures into the same wretched condition with himself hath purchased unto himself the names of Abaddon and Apollyon Revel 9 11. the former being an Hebrew the latter a Greek or Gentile word or name to signifie that the Bow of his devouring malice stands bent both against Jews and Gentiles that is the whole world even as the Son God on the other hand by designing and endeavouring the Salvation both of Jews and Gentiles that is of the whole world hath obtained the name of Jesus and of Christ the former being an Hebrew the latter a Greek or Gentile appellation Therefore God who must needs be infinitely apaied with joy delight and contentment in the highest in his condition knowing himself to be possest of such a Kingdome such a Power such a Glory as were lately described and these fully secured unto him to the daies of Eternity must of necessity likevvise be conceived to be mercifully graciously and bountifully inclined and this in full proportion to the knowledge and sense he hath of his own blessednesse to condescend to the Prayers and Supplications of his poor creatures when ever they shall call upon him Quest 61. What is the meaning of the word Amen in the conclusion of this Prayer Or what reason may there be why Christ should direct us to the use of this Word in the close of our Prayers Answ Amen being interpreted signifieth Truth Verity or Faithfulnesse Thus Esa 65.16 The God Amen in the original is twice rendred the God of Truth and in the former Translation the True God So Revel 3.14 Christ is called The Amen which is expounded the Faithful and true witnesse In discourse with men it imports a serious and weighty asseveration of the truth of what is said next unto that which is made by oath yea it appears from some Jewish records that according to the common form of Judiciary Swearing amongst this people he that took an oath administred unto him by the judg expressed his willingnesse so to do by uttering the word Amen Yet this proveth not that the Lord Christ sware as oft as he used the word Amen translated verily in the Gospel which it seems is the conceit of some For whereas he used this word Mat. 24.47 Amen I say unto you c. The Evangelist Luke recording the same Sentence expoundeth his Amen by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a truth or verily Luk. 12.44 And elsewhere he expoundeth it by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is yea or verily Luk. 12.51 Compared with Mat. 23.36 And sometimes both the Hebrew Amen and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea are joined together as words mutually explaining the one the other Revel 1.7 2 Cor. 1.20 When the word Amen is subjoined in the end of a Prayer thanksgiving curse ortany affirmation it expresseth an approbation by him that uttereth it of what is contained in them respectvely together with his desire that things should be accordingly And in this construction of it it importeth as much as So be it or the like and is so englished twelve times together in so many verses of Deut. 27. in our former translation in conformity to the Greek and is in our last translation so rendred Jer. 11.5 This signification or import of it is attested by what we read Jer. 11.5 Then answered I and said Amen O Lord. So also Jer. 28.6 Some conceive it to be a matter of duty and required by God that we use or pronounce it at the end of all the Prayers we make whether in private or with others if we approve them And so in the end of all our doxologies and thanksgivings There may be a good reason assigned why it may be convenient and thus farre necessary to be used in such cases as namely because it may be conceived to answer the use and intent of a Seal by which deeds in writing are wont to be compleatly ratified For as a Seal put to a writing after it hath been made read and perused is constructively and in effect an acknowledgment and confession of the party that he was not prevented or surprized in yielding to or confirming any thing contained in the writing but that he hath well weighed and considered all things upon which confession it is most equitable that such his deed should obliege and bind him effectually to the performance of the terms of it In like manner when a man hath poured out his Soul in several Petitions and Requests unto God by concluding all all with the word Amen he declares himself to have been thorough-hearted in such his prayer that he at no hand recalls any thing petitioned for in it but that upon good consideration he stands fast and firm by all his suits and motions and is ready to repeat and go over his prayer the second time in
works of the Law in their respective seasons was required of him for the continuance of his justification was not a Faith of like Character or Notion with that which now justifieth it was not a Faith in God that he would justifie him freely through the Redemption which is in Christ Jesus nor an assent unto any promise made by God for the justification of him upon the performance of such or such terms but such a Faith whereby he believed God to be every waies as great in holinesse in truth in goodnesse and in all manner of perfection as he had by the light of nature revealed himself unto him to be From whence by the way it is observable that Man did not by his fall in Adam lose any ability or power to believe in Christ unto justification For how could he lose that in Adam which neither Adam before his fall nor he in Adam ever received and consequently that this Faith is not now required of men upon the account of any ability given unto them under the first covenant of works or received in Adam but upon the account of such ability or power which is given unto them by the second Adam under the second Covenant of Grace Quest 6. But if justifying Faith be not commanded in the Decalogue or Morall Law how can this Law be said to be perfect or a perfect Rule of all duties that we owe either to God or Men or our selves Or is it not a perfect rule in this kind Answ The Decalogue is a perfect rule of all Moral duties which are naturally such whether respecting God our neighbour or our selves but there are some duties which are termed positively Moral which become such by institution or special command which are not comprehended in the Decalogue that is which could not by the light of reason or force of conscience be discovered there or made out from thence to be things required of us nor would they have been duties or things required of us by God had he not given particular charge or commands concerning them over and besides the Decalogue But though they be not required or commanded in or by the Decalogue or Moral Law yet they are and well may be termed Moral in a sense or in a particular respect as namely positively or institutedly Morall because being commanded by God though not in the Moral Law yet are men bound to the performance of them by that obligation unto God in things appertaining to him which the Moral Law imposeth on them Hence it is that though to believe the Gospel be not enjoyned by God in the Morall Law yet being otherwise required or injoyned by him he that doth not believe it maketh God a Lyar as John saith 1 Joh. 5.10 which is a transgression against the Morall Law being contrary to that most honourable and reverend esteem of the Truth and faithfulnesse of God which the Moral Law requireth of all men in the first Commandement of it As on the other hand John Baptist saith of him that believeth the Gospel that he hath set to his Seal that God is true Joh. 3.33 that is hath given a full testimony of the truth and faithfulnesse of God which is a duty required of every man by the Morall Law Thus all the Levitical Ceremonies during the time that God was pleased they should continue were positively Morall unto the Jews to whom they were prescribed by him and if they had neglected or omitted any of them in their season they had transgressed not only the ceremonial Law by which they were particularly enjoyned but the Moral Law also by which God commandeth both them and all men to worship him with that worship which himself directeth and prescribeth unto them There is the same consideration of the Sacraments and their Administration and use in the Gospel Now justifying Faith or to believe in Jesus Christ is a duty of that kind we now speak of as was lately intimated viz. positively Morall and is not to be reckoned or found amongst the Duties that are naturally such and are commanded in the Decalogue or Moral Law which though it be a perfect rule in its kind and fully sufficient for the ends for which it was given yet is it not absolutely or in all respects perfect for then there had been no need of any additional precepts in the Gospel Quest 7. But if justifying Faith be not required in the Morall Law whether is it at all required of the Heathen who seem to be under the command of this Law only and this only as it is written in their hearts and consciences and not at all under the command of the Gospel Answ God in the Gospel speaketh immediately and directly unto those only who live under the ministrie of it or who have the letter of it and withall are capable of understanding it and unto these and concerning these he declareth plainly clearly upon what tearms he is pleased to justifie and to save them and again upon what he will do neither Concerning others as Children before years of discretion persons destitute of the ordinary light of nature in their understandings whether this hath befallen them by some accident as of sicknesse or other providence or is occasioned by some defect in their constitution or corporeal Organs and so likewise concerning Heathens amongst whom or near unto whom the Letter or Ministry of the Gospel never came he hath discovered his mind and counsell touching their both justification and salvation somewhat more sparingly Nor is it easie to evince from the Scriptures so plainly and distinctly upon what tearms he purposeth to proceed with these in the great concernments mentioned but that some doubt may still remain And of all the three sorts of persons named the case of the third and last the Heathen seems to be most obscure Notwithstandiug these seven particulars relating to it are to me unquestionable from the Scriptures First That God really and truly desireth their Salvation at least simply considered or as men or members of mankind This is fully evident from these places with many others 1 Tim. 2.4 2 Pet. 3.9 Tit. 2.11 Heb. 2.9 Secondly That as of him unto whomsoever much is given much will be required viz. to his Salvation Luk. 12.48 so by the rule of equity and proportion to whomsoever little or lesse is given little or lesse will be required of him This agreeth with that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 8.12 If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not Thirdly That there is no person of mankind but hath received a Talent one or more by a diligent and conscientious use and improvement whereof he shall be accepted with his Lord and Master Mat. 25.14 15. c. Luk. 19.12 13. c. Fourthly That in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousnesse is accepted with him Act. 10.35 Fifthly That the forbearance and long-sufferance
the sense declared will sufficiently appear and be acknowledged The Jewish Doctors out of the curiosity of their observations have as they affirm found in the books of Moses the two affirmative Commandements in the Law the fourth and the fifth for all the rest are negative multiplyed in their explication into 248. according to the number of joints in a mans body which they call commanding precepts and the eight negative Command into 365 negative commands according to the number of the daies in a year which they term precepts forbidding Both numbers added together make 613. which it seems is the just number of the Letters in the Ten Commandements The observations if true or near unto truth are not altogether uselesse Quest 17. What are the Rules or Directions you speak of which are of such use for the better and more perfect understanding of the Law and of the several precepts of it Answ The principal and most useful are 20. in number the first of them may be this The proper End of every Commandement is to lead and govern the sense and interpretation of that Commandement So that as on the one hand whatsoever directly contributeth towards this end being not repugnant to the end of another as great or greater then it is to be looked upon as commanded therein so on the other hand whatsoever is contrary to this end and of a direct tendency to hinder it is to be reckoned amongst the things forbidden in this Commandement Now the end I mean the appropriate end of every Commandement respectively is not hard to be found out A little consideration will discover it unto us Quest 18. What is a Second Rule Answ Every affirmative precept includeth his negative as on the other hand every negative his affirmative This rule is but rational and the reason of it near at hand For if God commandeth such or such a thing to be done it is plain that he forbiddeth the doing of that which is contrary to it Again when he restraineth or forbiddeth any thing it is as plain that his will and meaning is to have that done which is opposite to it If he commandeth Children to honour their Parents or inferiours their superiours he doth by the vertue and import of this Command forbid them to neglect despise or dishonour them So when he forbiddeth men to murder he doth hereby enjoyn them to be careful for the preservation of the lives of men and to use all due means when occasion requireth for the maintaining and safe guarding of them This Rule gives light to the sense and mind of God in all the Commandements Quest 19. What is the Third Rule Answ Where one sin or vice is expresly forbidden all things homogeneal hereunto that is of like nature kind or consequence are forbidden likewise It being requisite in the tenour and frame of all Laws and observed accordingly in all as well humane as divine that they be as concise and compendious in words as well may be their sense and interpretation had need be directed by some such rule as that now mentioned because otherwise their restrictive authority will not reach unto the one half of things intended to be restrained by them But to give a little light to the meaning of the rule by an instance or two Where Murther is expresly forbidden as in the 7th Commandement all assaulting of men by force all intended affrighting them all wounding or maiming their bodies the doing of any thing without just Cause that is like to cause grief or sadnesse of heart unto any the withholding the wages or hires of poor labouring men the detaining of their pledge if they have occasion to use it for their Livelyhood the refusing to pay monies when they are due unto such persons who live and subsist they with their Families by the employment of their monies in any Trade or course of life all these with many others being related in affinity unto Murther and having a direct tendency to the wasting and destroying of the lives of men are prohibited by God under the title or name of Murther In like manner in the prohibition of stealing are intended and included all such actions which directly tend to the impairing or ruining a mans outward estate yea and inward also as the setting of his house on fire the putting of Cattel into his Corn-fields the setting or leaving open gates or breaking his fence by means whereof Cattel are like to endamage him all deceit in dealings circumventing or over-reaching in bargains c. These with many others of like consideration being of the same consequence with stealings to the diminishing of a mans estate are restrained in the same Commandement with it Quest 20. What is a Fourth Rule Answ Where any duty is commanded as there is one or more in every Commandement as appears by the second Rule lately given there the u e of all regular and lawful means which are necessary or proper for the qualifying preparing or enabling men for the practise and performance of this duty is commanded likewise The reason of this Rule also is not far off For men being generally indisposed unto vertuous actions and such which are their duty to do he that enjoyneth them such actions must be conceived to injoin them as it were of course the use of such means which are proper and likely to remove that indisposition and in the stead thereof to introduce or raise an inclination or willingnesse in the Soul unto these actions or duties Yea the neglect of the use of means that are proper to prepare and sanctifie men for the performance of a duty is in reason a greater sin and for the most part more burdening the conscience yea and more provoking in the sight of God then the non-performance of the duty it self The meaning of this Rule is obvious and plain enough and needeth no further explication Quest 21. What is your Fifth Rule Answ Where any thing vicious or sinful is forbidden there all things directly tending towards the perpetration of the sin are forbidden also yea though this perpetration doth not alwaies follow upon them As for Example Where stealing is forbidden Idlenesse Slothfulnesse Prodigality Pride of Life Affectaion of costlinesse in a mans House-furniture Table Apparel c. above his standing-Revenues acquaintance and familiarity with persons addicted to these evill practises with many the like are forbidden also because though all that be Idle Prodigal c. do not actually steal yet these evill demeanours Idlenesse Prodigality c. have an expresse tendency to bring men to poverty and want of things needful in which condition they are under a sore Temptation to put forth their hand unto this Wickednesse Pro. 30.9 6.30 The reason of this Rule also is easie to be conceived For men being of themselves more generally prone more then enough unto that which is evil he that commandeth them to refrain from it notwithstanding doth vertually and by evident consequence