of heaven and earth and in Iesus Christ his only Son our Lord which was conceived by the holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontins Pilate was crucified dead and buried He descended into hell The third day he rose againe from the dead he ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty from thence he shall come to judge both the quick and the dead I beleeve in the holy Ghost The holy Catholick Church The Communion of Saints The forgivenesse of sins The Resurrection of the body and the life everlasting Amen Quest What doest thou chiefly learn in these Artieles Ans. First I learn to beleeve in God who made me and all the world Secondly in God the Son who redeemed me and all Mankind Thirdly in God the holy Ghost who sanctifieth me and all the elect people of God Quest What else art thou bound to beleeve Ans. All other holy truths as they shall be administred to me especially all the promises of the Gospel to be relyed upon the commands to be obeyed Quest The second condition of the Gospel is to repent and what is that repentance Ans. After a hearty sorrow for and an humble acknowledgement of my sins a total departure from them Quest But are there no sinnes which may consist with this state of Gospel-repentance Ans. Yes Sins committed in ignorance through infirmity or by supprise in a sudden temptation if we be truly humbled for them and constantly strive against them Quest What sinnes are not consistent with that estate Ans. All wilfull and deliberate courses of sinning and a customary continuing in any known wickedness Quest The third condition of the Gospel of Christ being to obey his Commandments among which are accounted the Ten Commandments and what are they 1. THou shalt have no other Gods but me 2 Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image nor the likenesse of any thing that is in heaven above or in the earth beneath or in the water under the earth thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God and visit the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shew mercy unto thousands in them that love me and keep my Commandments 3. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain For the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vain 4. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath-day six dayes shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast to do but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God In it thou shalt do no manner of work thou and thy son and thy daughter thy man-servant and thy maid-servant thy cattell and the stranger that is within thy gates For in six dayes the Lord made heaven and earth the sea all that in them is and rested the seventh day and hallowed it 5. Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee 6. Thou shalt do no murther 7. Thou shalt not commit adultery 8. Thou shalt not steal 9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour 10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours house thou shalt not covet thy neighbours wife nor his servant nor his maid nor his oxe nor his asse nor any thing that is his Quest Are there not other Commandments of Christ besides these which are properly the precepts of the Gospel Ans. Yes many which may be observed by diligent hearing the Gospel preached and reading the books of the New Testament which together with the former Commandments are reduced to these three principal heads Quest What are they Ans. To live Godly Righteously and Soberly The first respects my duties to God The second to men The third to my self Quest what is it to live godly in such duties as respect God Ans. To perform to him all that worship and service that is due unto him publickly and privately Quest What duties art thou bound to perform to him publickly Ans. To joyn with the Congregation in the frequent receiving the holy Sacrament in the publick prayers and in hearing the Word of God read and preached And in all these behaving my self with such reverence of body and mind as befits the presence of so great a Majesty Quest What is that private worship which thou art bound as a Christian to perform to God Ans. To offer up unto him the daily sacrifice of prayer and praise giving him the exercise of the affections of my heart and all other parts and faculties of my soul and body to honour him with my substance in the maintenance of his worship and relieving the poor and to serve him truly all the dayes of my life Quest What is it to live righteously in respect of our duties to men Ans. To yeeld all honour and obedience to the civil Magistrate to submit my self to all my teachers spiritual Pastors and Masters to love honour and succour my Father Mother to be civil and respective to all my betters To invade no mans rights or dues nor to advantage my self by anothers losse and in all things both in word and deed to do to all men as I would they should do unto me Quest What is it to live soberly as to thy self Ans. Not to minde high things above my degree but to behave my self contentedly in my present condition to be temperate in eating and drinking to be chaste in all my desires and actions and to keep my soul and body undefiled members of Christ and as becomes the temple of the holy Ghost Quest For asmuch as no man can do any thing without the grace of God which he must continually call for by diligent prayer What therefore are the words of the Lords Prayer Ans. Our Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdom come thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evill For thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen Quest But is God to be sought by no prayers but this Ans. Yes Here let the Master enquire into the childes progresse in the preceding Forms or some other of that kinde according to its capacity 2 Tim. 1. 9. Tit. 3. 5. Eph. 2. 5. 8. 9. 2 Cor. 5. 18 Rom. 3. 24. Iohn 10. 28. 1 Ioh. 2. 25 Tit. 1. 2. 1 Thes. 5. 9 1 Tim. 2. 4. 2 Pet. 3. 9. Ezâ—. 18. 31. John 3. 15. Luke 13. 3. 1 Iohn 1. 9. Heb. 5. 9. 1 Thes. 2. 8. Ioh. 5. 47. Acts 8. 37. Ioâ—. 8. 31. 1 Cor. 8. 4.
given them immortal soules so he hath not left them without a meanes of being proportionably blessed nor made them for destruction nor appointed them to wrath Quest What assurance hast thou that those promises do oblige to thy particular interest in them Ans. Because they are general and conditional Quest It is well said For the promises being general thou art secured God hath not passed upon thee an irreversible decree to an hopelesse dissertion and being conditional thou art encouraged to undertake the task Christ hath appointed whatsoever it is But name to me some Texts that signify a proof that they are generall Ans. Saint Paul saith God would have all men come to the knowledge of his truth and be saved S. Peter saith that he would not that any should perish but that all should come to repentance And his oath confirms me in a beleef That he willeth not nor delighteth in the death of a sinner Quest Forasmuch then that all men shall not be saved it followes necessarily that the promises are conditional that is that eternal life shall certainly be given to all them and none but them that perform the conditions What therefore are they Ans. To beleeve to repent and to obey the Commandments of Christ Quest How doth it appear to thee that eternal life is promised on those conditions Ans. For the first Saint John saith He that believeth in him shall not perish but have life everlasting For the second our Saviour saith except we repent we shall all likewise perish and St. Iohn saith If we confess our sins God is just and faithfull to forgive them For the third Saint Pâ—ul saith that Christ became an Authour of salvation to all them that obey him and the reason of the condemnation of the wicked shall be that they obeyed not the Gospel of Jesus Christ CHAP. II. Quest NOw conceiving thou considerest the necesary concernment of these conditions to salvation and that without or besides them there be no other declared conditions by which to hope for mercy It is requisit thou shouldst understand them fully and apart And first what is faith Ans. It is a cleare assent of the understanding to the whole word of God and to all things contained therein especially to the whole doctrine of Christ and in that to all the promises to be relyed upon and the commands to be obeyed Quest God as he is represented to us in his word being the primary object of Faith What art thou to believe concerning God Ans. That there is one only God who is an infinite spiritual essence omnipotent omniscient omnipresent and everlasting who by the word of his power made and by his providence governeth and disposeth all things both in heaven and earth Quest In what further mystery is God propounded in the Scriptures to our belief Ans. That there be three distinct persons of and which are the same One God distinguished by the names of Father Son and Holy Ghost which are all coequal coessential and coeternal The first so called as he is Father of the Lord Iesus Christ by an eternal and therefore unconceivable generation The second person called God the Son as so begotten of the Father The third God the Holy Ghost as proceeding from the Father and the Son Quest God represented to us in Christ as to the work of Redemption being chiefly in the Gospel propounded to our faith What doest thou beleeve concerning that Ans. That after the fall of Adam in Paradise by which himself and his posterity fell into a state of death from which they could never have been recovered by any possible satisfaction of Gods justice that was offended Christ being the promised seed God sent in the fulnesse of time and gave to be a Redeemer for them that by his sufferings he might satisfy his justice that all they which should accept such conditions as he hath propounded might partake of that redemption be delivered from death reconciled to God and live for ever Quest In what manner did or doth Christ work that redemption Ans. By the exercise of his three offices as a Prophet a Priest and a King The first he performed by preaching the Gospel and therein the condition of salvation The second by offering up himself a sacrifice upon the Crosse and now at the right hand of God by making intercession for us And the last by his dominion over and government of his Church subduing his enemies and protecting his Saints and servants Quest There being a more particular faith required of Gospel-beleevers such as shall be imputed to them for righteousnesse and accepted to a condition of justification as was the faith of Abraham What is that faith Ans. A particular reliance upon the promises of Christ without wavering with a clear resignation of the heart to obey Christ in all his commands which faith being tryed and approved by God to be sincere by following acts of such relyance and obedience as was Abrahams it s then accounted through Gods free mercy in Christ for righteousnesse and accepted as a condition of justification excluding the works of the law as circumcision and other legal performances but â—â—cluding the good works of the Gospel to a holy life such as make and evidence beleevers to be truly faithful and their Faith to have been true and sincere Quest Is not a particular confidence in thy self and a present assurance that thou art accepted in Christ to a justification and infallible salvation the very Gospel-faith Ans. No for as there is no promise that God will grant any such assurance in this life by any direct act of faith nor any degree of perswasion otherwise then may be collected from the performance of the conditions so it necessarily follows that whatsoever degree of assurance we may have of our present safeestate towards God is but an effect of faith and our holy walking with God in all the conditions Now forasmuch as most of Gods servants are very defective when they come to proportion their particular estates by the strict rules of Gospel-holinesse though they may be in a very safe condition towards God may yet through an humble sense of their own failings more or lesse want such applications of certitude The assurances which the Gospel mentions signify the infallibility of the object that is the promises to be infallibly certain upon such conditions and not a necessity of a perpetual application of them with such certitude as to the subject our selves Though we must always be endeavouring to make those promises sure to us by our universal obedience to all Gospel-commands But when such assurances are upon any other ground ordinarily pretended they may justly be suspected to be but vain presumptions and unreasonable confidenciâ—s Quest
Thine in all the offices of his holy Calling W. S. THE First Forme Thy child having been baptized and thereby made a member of Christ as soon as thou perceivest the eye of its reason to open direct it to that Kingdom of Christ to which its name was given up by Baptisme Begin to instruct it in the lesser Catechisme and as it maketh progresse in it morning and evening let it use such little services to God as this A Morning PRAYER for a Childe Our Father which art in heaven Hallowed be thy Name c. ALmighty God and merciful Father who hast kept me this night in all safety preserve me likewise this day from all sad accidents Keep my mind from evill thoughts my tongue from swearing lying and all evill speakiug and let all my actions be such as please thee And as I grow in age let me enerease in grace and goodnesse through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour Amen An Evening PRAYER Our Father which c. LOrd I Blesse thee that thou hast defended me this day from all evills and dangers I beseech thee forgive me wherein I have offended thee in thought word or deed Keep me this night in safety let me rest in the armes of thy providence that no evill spirits do violence to me nor any sad accident befall me through Jesus Christ my Saviour Amen As thou perceivest an improvement in capacity so adde this short intercession to both these Prayers O Lord protect thy Church be mercifull to this nation comfort all afflicted spirits return my Parents cares and love into their bosomes Blesse my brothers and sisters my friends and all thy people with grace and salvation for Jesus sake Amen THE Second Form When thou observest the former office to be too little for thy childes capacity be carefull according to its increase in knowledge that it may be obliged to larger services For that purpose I have prepared these following prayers Now supposing by this time that thy childe is made perfect in the lesser Catechisme I desire that first it rehearseth the Articles of its Christian Faith that so they may be accustomed upon its spirit and by prayer fastened upon the soul that it may never depart from that faith upon any temptation I beleeve in God the Father Almighty maker of heaven and earth c. After which let it be taught to say this short PRAYER O Lord preserve my soul in this faith let me not depart from it through any temptation but give me grace to continue in the profession of it to my lives end for thy mercies sake in Christ my Saviour Amen After which it will be expedient that thy childe should recite all or some of the Commandments by several periods that it may understand that it is necessary Christ should be obeyed as well as beleeved After which whole or part rehearsed let it be taught this short PETITION O Lord which hast made known thy will and pointed out thy wayes unto me wherein I should walk O let thy holy Spirit incline my affections to love them and strengthen my soule to keep them through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Morning PRAYER Our Father which art c. Confession of sin and Prayer for Pardon and Grace O Lord God dreadful in thy justice and power Gracious in thy mercies and loving kindnesse I that am thy poor and sinful creature do present my self my soul and body to thy divine Majesty trusting in thy tender mercies and acknowledging my unworthinesse to appear before so holy a presence For Lord I am thine enemy by nature the imaginations of my heart are evill continnally and as thou hast added years to my life so have my corruptions increased My sins do multiply every day my own lusts and the worlds temptations do more and more prevaile upon me O Lord be merciful unto me forgive me what is past and for the time to come prevent me with thy grace restrain my lusts suffer me not to be ingaged in the sinful courses of the world nor be betrayed to any gross sins by the ill examples of men Lord make me to love and to submit to the holy Religion of Christ and in the strength of thy grace to lead a godly righteous and sober life through Jesus Christ my Saviour Amen The thanksgiving Lord I blesse thee for all the expressions of thy love and sweet providence to me Praised and for ever praised be thy Name for the Redemption of Mankind by Iesus Christ and for the particular work of thy grace upon my soul for all thy temporal blessings my health peace plenty friends and safety for that thou hast kept me this night from every evill due in justice to my sins O Lord preserve me this day under the protection of thy providence keep me that I may not offend thee in thought word or deed nor fall into any danger of soul or body through the might of Iesus Christ my Saviour Amen The intercession Lord be mercifull unto all men preserve thy universal Church from the enemies of the Gospel Be gracious to thy Churches planted in these nations in all these present dangers and departures from the faith Blesse all Christian Magistrates and preserve the Ministers of the Gospel that thy people may lead a godly and quiet life Blesse my Parents and near relations Releeve all in affliction hear their cry and help them Forgive mine enemies and give thy Grace to all people through Iesus Christ our Lord and blessed Saviour Amen Evening PRAYER Our Father c. Confession of sin and Petition for Grace and Pardon O Lord I that am but dust and ashes a finful and therefore miserable creature do again in confidence of thy goodness and my Iesus address my poor soul unto thee and lay my selfe at the foot of thy grace and mercy I confess I may justly be ashamed to appear before that holy presence which I have so often and so heinously offended this day in thought word and deed had I not a blessed Advocate that sitteth at thy right hand to make intercession for me O my dear Iesus have mercy upon me have mercy upon me receive me into the armes of thy compassion who like a lost sheep have this day ssrayed from thee into many errors and vanities Lord lay them not to my charge but put them upon the account of thy sufferings that I may never suffer thy vengeance for them in this world nor the world to come And now I commit my self to the protection of thy mercy this night defend me from all those miseries my sins have deserved and so hereafter direct me with thy Grace that I may live to thy glory all the dayes of my life through Jesus Christ our Saviour Amen Thanksgiving O Lord the heavens declare thy glory and all the creatures blesse thee O my soul do thou also praise the Lord and let all that is within me blesse his holy Name For thou only O Lord art the light of
the Gospel as to such an holy obedience Ans. Where it is said that the Gospel teacheth us to live godly righteously and soberly in this present world Quest What obligation to holiness do these three expressions signify Ans. All that is required of a soul in this condition that is to lâ—ve godly to God justly to our neighbour and soberly to our selves Quest Forasmuch then that in them is contained the third great condition of salvation It concerns thee to be well informed what they oblige thee to And first what is it to live godly to God Ans. It binds me to perform to him all that holy worship and service which he hath required of me Quest Now because God hath appointed both publick and private worship for his faithful servants to perform To what duties do the publick worship of God oblige thee Ans. To worship him in all the publick exercises of the Church that is First in the administration of the Sacraments Secondly in the hearing the word preached and thirdly in adjoyning my self to the publick prayers of the Congregation Quest Conceiving thy readiness to entertain a clear understanding of thy duty in all these parts of his service First what and how many Sacraments hath Christ ordained to be observed Ans. Two Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord both instituted by himself to become outward and visible signs of inward and spirituall grace arguments of his love to us and actions of our service and obedience to him Quest What is Gospel-Baptisme Ans. A dipping or sprinkling with water in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Quest With what spirituall benefits doth Christ bless the baptized Ans. With grace to die unto sin and to be borne again to a life of righteousness thereby to put on Christ and to be received into the Covenant of Grace Quest To what respective duties do the baptized stand obliged by that Sacrament Ans. An engagement to give up themselves to the Kingdome of Christ by faith and holy living with whom they then entered covenant to forsake whatsoever is contrary to that his Kingdom that is the devil and all his works the Pomps and vanites of this wicked world and all the sinful lusts of the flesh Quest Are not christian parents bound in duty to Christ to present their infants to Baptisme Ans. Yes for Parents must consider that the promises were not made to themselves onely but to their children also to which promises they having a right as well as themselves are not to be debarred from nor deprived of the seal consignation of them in that blessed Sacrament Further as to the right of baptizing infants as it is proved by many necessary deductions from so as to the matter of fact it is collected by many probable instances in Scripture In either of which if the scruples of an unbeleeving and quarrelling age have raised doubts and questions the universal practice of the Churches of Christ in all ages and places hath determined it from which to depart in this or any other service of God that is grounded especially upon such binding consequences of Scripture gives a just reason for any man to be charged with private presumption and dangerous singularity Quest What is the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Ans. The receiving of bread and wine in remembrance of the death and passion of our Saviour which bread and wine being blessed by the Minister are the communion of the body and blood of Christ to the prepared receiver Quest What spiritual benefit doth God communicate to such a receiver Ans. The strengthening and refreshing his soul with all spiritual graces and the participation of Christ in all the effects of his death and passion Quest What preparation is required of them that come faithfull receivers to that Sacrament Ans. To examine themselves whether they repent them truly of their former sinnes stedfastly purposing to lead a new life To have a lively faith in Gods mercy through Christ with a thankful remembrance of his death and be in charity with all men Quest What other consideration may be added in order to the service of God in that Sacrament Ans. To make conscience of entertaining all possible opportunities to receive the same as my love to God will make it necessary to serve him as often as I can Omitting no present occasion lest it be the last that shall be offered to me and to decline which there can be no plea allowable before God either in respect of sins or enemies unless I can think it safe for me to dye which I may the next moment without repentance or charity Quest But may not the sinfull and scandalous conversation of some that are admitted to the same Sacrament with thee give thee a just cauâ—e to decline it Ans. No For had any detriment accrewed to the other Apostles by Judas his receiving with them Christ who knew his unpreparednesse by his desperate designe against him and other gross wickednesse and which was not likely to be unknown to the rest of the Apostles would certainly for presidents sake have debarred him the Sacrament And Saint Paul who punctually treated his Corinâ—hians about the holy communion and so fully described sharply reproved those scandalous persons who mixed themselves in the society of the faithful receivers would not certainly have passed over so necessary a reproof to the Ministers of Corinth for admitting them and to the faithfull for receiving with them had an unworthy receiver eat damnation or sin to any other besides himself Quest The second part of publick worship being hearing of the Word preached How mayest thou serve God acceptably in that Ans. To hear the Sermon attentively as a religious exercise and instrumentall to the work of Grace To treasure up the promises to my comfort the reproofs for my amendment and the directions for the rule of my life Not taking offence at Religion in general nor at that service in particular by the weakness or infirmities of him that ministers those holy things unto me Quest The third part of publick worship being to adjoyn thy self to the publick prayers of the congregation How mayest thou discharge thy duty to God therein Ans. To oblige my self conscioâ—ably to be present at them as at the hearing of the Sermon or the performing any other holy duties to come timely and with a pious mind to honour God and with a charitable spirit that the whole Church of Christ and the present congregation may receive the benefit of my prayers Quest What other directions may be propounded for the more pious performance of thy duty to God in all the publick worship Ans. That I be present with an humble and awfull mind a lowly and reverent comportment of my body
bind my Conscience without any dispensation to sanctifie the Morning and Evening of every day with that service to chuse other times of the day by the example of other holy men as Christian prudence zeal and opportunity shall give me and to intermix my lawfull employments with frequent recourses to God in pious ejaculations Quest What are the offences against the calling upon Gods name in prayer in this holy worship Answ. As all omissions of the duty and neglect of invocation upon God are chargeable as sins so all taking his holy name in vain by useless unsanctified interpositions of it in our vain discourses by blasphemies and bold expressions of God by cursings imprecations and by all kinds of unnecessary and customary swearing not onely by the names of God but by any thing else are offences against God and contrary to this Gospel-duty Quest Together with private prayer you mentioned private fasting as a christian duty fitly â—onjoyned with prayer the one being sanctified by the other And doest thou suppose thou art obliged to perform such a servâ—ce to God Ans. Yes by the care our Saviour takes for the more religious performance of it and other frequent expressions of the exercise of it by holy persons in the Gospel Quest But being a duty which ever stands in relation or becomes instrumental to some other holy office and ought to be designed by religious persons for various ends as holy occasions will be administred Which be the chief ends and opportunities for the exercise of the duty of private fasting Ans. These three especially First to excite a zeal and fervencie in prayer in pursuit of some remarkable blessing Secondly to assist the soul in the work of repentance and humiliation for sin Thirdly to mortify the lust of nature and to assist the spiritual part against the contentions of the flesh Quest Now the times and repetitions of this service of private fasting being left to christian prudence and piety How often ought a Christian to return to this service Ans. The more frequently the more acceptably to God Therefore it is religion to undertake it as often as the ends of the duty shall occurre Quest But besides this may not a more punctual advice be given of general concernment Ans. Yes forâ—â—much as the life of the best Christian is full of frailties and defects it is expedient that the return of this duty be certain and determinate and that some day or days in the week be set apart for a more strict and severe examination of life and repentance heightned with the holy exercise of fasting Quest Whether after all these exercises and severities of a christian life will recreations be allowed to be consistent with the holy yoke of Christ Ans. Yes if they be innocent and sinlesse short and transient not scandalous not expensive of time nor such as shall indanger a temptation to lose zeal in devotion or hinder the holy offices of serving God in their chosen periods Quest Having served God thus far thou hast made good progress in this condition of the Gospel yet still is there a further process to be made and that is as thou saydst by serving God with the exercise of thy talent to the good of others And what is the command of the Gospel and thy duty therein Ans. To be charitable merciful and affectionately studious and active to advance the good of all men in whatsoever capacity of help God by his goodnesse hath put me Quest An example of such a course of living the conversation of our holy Master hath presented to us in whose steps we must walk if ever we expect to be members of his Kingdom here or hereafter But because the actions of this service of God bâ— as various as the necessities of men What method wilt thou take to guide thy conscience therein Ans. To help and assist them that want me first as to my spiritual Secondly as to my temporal capacity Quest Instance in some partiticulars that may direct thee to the understanding of all the parts of serving God by relieving others as to thy spiritual capacity Ans. To admonish some inconsiderate sinner and to endeavour to recover him from the errour of his way to go to some ignorant understanding to instruct some doubtful spirit to counsell and confirm some drooping afflicted soul to comfort and many such like which are called the spiritual Almes Quâ—st Blessed employments and acceptable services to God Yet the Commands of Christ to serve God with thy temporal capacity are more frequent and forcible and crowned with greater promises of reward What are the actions of that service Ans. All supplies whatsoever to my brothers present necessity want and my Saviours enumeration of some principal of them in the description of the accounts that must be given at the last day will help me to the understanding of all the other holy exercises of christian charity Quest It is true those acts of mercy have the honour to be mentioned by our Saviour as the rule of his sentence of absolution or condemnatiou to mankind And what are they Ans. To relieve the hungry and thirsty to entertain the destitute stranger to clothe the naked to visit and help poor prisoners and sick persons and all other actions of mercy and doing good that hold proportion with these Quest O rich souls that have laid down their present interests at the foot of Christ and made advantage of their earthly enjoyments to prepare a foundation for the time to come Now because there cannot be a punctual designment what proportion of every mans estate may be sufficient for the discharge of this duty to Christ What is the safest rule herein Ans. That my almes be liberal and plentifully distributed beyond the result of a consultation with flesh and blood or the examination of worldly prudence Considering what vain expenses of pride revenge and unnecessary luxuries my carnal part would judge fit to be allowed for the satisfaction of my lusts and were now more nobly and religiously expended in the service of God Again considering what accidental losses by casualty deceits of men extraordinary charges and many other disimprovements I have patiently borne and otherwise provided for which if I had begun to choose to have served God with I might easily have been tempted to thoughts of utter undoing had I so bestowed them Quest What other considerations may be added to move thee to enlarge thy heart and hand in this service besides the bare injunction of it by Christ as a Gospel-duty Ans. That almes are acts of purest generosity and most rational noblenesse in themselves and have a blessing beyond other noble actions that the very disbursements are gains and the securing of an immutable estate and reall treasure That
immoderately of them more then is consistent with the severity of a sober and Christian carriage much more not to pull another mans sin upon me by tempting or urging him to drink Quest What other seasonable advice may be given to prevent a compliance with this intemperate age Ans. Besides that no drunkard shall inherit the Kingdom of heaven drunkennesse is a sin that is attended with a complication of evils and infelicities every one of which were enough to make it as odious to men as it is to God Quest Now because we have with this direction arrived at the last period of our discourse name some of them though you digresse to a little disproportion to the brevity of the method Ans. It is a sin which as it certainly makes a man to be no good man so it maketh him to be no man at all and by its debauchery gives not a man the honour to be so sensible as a beast It fills the mad society with the shame of every mans infirmity it makes it a scene of apish gestures brawls murders oaths cursings and susts It makes a man a fatall governour a loathsome husband a shamefull parent a disobedient child a carelesse servant and an untrusty friend It turns a mans body to a deluge and marsh of humours and an hospital of diseases it shortens his dayes he dies and his soul that he drowned in his life sinks into a lake of fire where one drop will not be allowed to alleviate his eternall thirst Thus thou hast finished the third and last Condition of the Gospel with the whole course of a Christians life in which he ought to walk if ever he intend to be accepted to salvation in Christ the Lord give thee an heart to desire power to perform it Now unto him that is able to do exceeâ—ing abundantly above all that we are able to ask or think according to the power that worketh in us unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jâ—sus â—hroughout all ages world without end Amen Satisfactions About the DOCTRINE OF GRACE In order to the clearing some doubts which may hinder the Purposes and Attempts of obeying the GOSPEL Satisfactions About the DOCTRINE OF Grace AFter these Directions to a strict and severe profession of Christian holinesse some unhappy yet too commonly received principles have made it necessary to adjoyn some other Considerations to remove many possible scruples which being collected from those principles do naturally impede the chearfull undertaking this attempt of holy living Now these Considerations will be of two sorts ' First such as concern the doctrine of Grace Secondly such as concern an outward Profession in some visible Church Quest As to the first it is fit to enquire lest thou be discouraged in the beginning whence thou mayest expect ability to perform these conditions of the Gospel-Covenant being of thy self unable to think a good thought of or for thy self Ans. Onely from the assistance of the Grace of God who worketh in me to will and to do of his free mercy which grace is sufficient for me in all parts of holinesse so that though I can do nothing of my self yet I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me Quest What assurance hast thou that God will vouchsafe to thee such assistance of his Grace Answ. I have so much assurance of it as that Christ dieâ— for me which is as sure as I am a son of Adam in Adam all dye in Christ are all made alive as sure as he that hath given me Christ will together with him give me all things besides necessary to my salvation as sure as I have an honourable belief that that God which gave me a condition for salvation will not deny me a sufficient power to perform it Quest How dost thou expect or believe that God will be pleased to work this Grace in thee Ans. Ordinarily by making the internall office of the Holy Ghost the outward administrations of the Word and Sacraments and oftentimes by othersweet overtures of his visible providence to be instrumentall to the working of it though besides them I believe God exercises other wayes means and instruments known onely to himself as mens present needs and other individuall circumstances are seen by his wisdome to be fitting opportunities of mercy But in what manner that is in what proportions or order whether in this or that degree or whether this Grace or that hath the priority it is distributed or whether he gives it by irresistable impulsion or by resistable swasion whether by a Physicall or a morall impression and many such like unedifying curiosities I altogether lay them aside humbly conceiving the work of Grace in the will of man a mystery not to be unfolded and a point as to such enquiries indeterminable so I account such Controversies about them not onely very unnecessary and impertinent but very occasionall to the making of parties and factions among the learned and of creating troubles and discouragements to the pious of all sorts in their purposes and attempts of living according to Gospel-conditions I say passing by such riddles of dispute it is a sufficient argument and ground to support and incourage my soul in all religious enterprises that I am ascertained whatsoever the manner or method of Gods working his grace in me be that he will not be wanting to afford me such a proportion of it as shall be sufficient to begin pursue and finish the work of salvation in me Quest But some Texts of Scripture seems to weaken this your assurance as that God will blind some mens eyes and harden their hearts that they shall not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart And that whom he will he hardeneth and there be some on whom he will not have mercy What may be said of such like Texts and inferences from Scripture that may administer comfort Ans. That such acts of Gods justice in taking away or denying grace in reprobating and casting off are only subsequent to the despising and neglecting the foregoing offers of his grace and visitations of mercy This truth is fully evidenced in many instances of Scripture As first St. Paul in his Epistle to the Romans affirmes that it was because when They knew God they worshipped him not as God c. Therefore he gave them up c. And because they changed the truth of God into a lye c. Therefore he gave them up to a reprobate mind c. In another place he writes that the power of Antichrist shall become effectual to the destruction of many and that they should believe a lye c. But it is of such as before received not the love of the truth that they might be saved St. Peter tells us that they to whom Christ should become a stumbling-block and a Rock of offence are
have made himself blessed even in this life What is the third Ans. That though the conditions be thus pleasant in their exercise approveable in their own nature and so successefull in their end yet such is naturally the infelicity of man that his whole frame being corrupted and depraved and having in all parts and faculties such a general ineptitude and aversenesse to his owne principall good and so proclive a disposition to all evill to love and pursue it that I say how excellent soever those conditions be yet he is altogether unable to perform them by any power in himself as to accomplish an impossibility Therefore in the third place Christ hath merited that there should be given to man a new principle of life that is by Gods grace an ability to perform those conditions acceptably to God having the mercy to receive of his fulnesse Grace for Grace To cure therefore the erringnesse of our nature the Holy Spirit is sent a Guide to direct into all truth When the darknesse of our depraved understanding impedes the work it is then a spirit of wisdome to enlighten When our infirmities render us unable for the duties of the Gospel then it is a Spirit of might to strengthen us with power in the inner man When our naturall aversenesse to good hinders our comming to Christ the work of mercy is to draw us in unto him And that which summes up all the comforts of this kind in one is this that these and all other spiritual assistances shall not be denied us in our wants when by prayer we seek for Grace to help in time of need especially when our addresses in such cases to God are made by Him who ceaseth not to make intercession for us Quest Is there now after all this a further necessity of another degree of Christs merits and mediation Ans. Yes For though as you even now said the Commandments are not grievous and the spiritual assistance powerful to enable the soule to performe them yet still such is the corruption of nature and the direct opposition of our carnal part to Christ and his government that no man can perform the conditions without innumerable and intolerable imperfections as was also even now intimated Therefore in the fourth place see the exceeding riches of Grace and persuancy of mercy he hath merited that though our obedience be defective yet if it be sincere upon our humiliation for those failings and endeavours to withstand them in future it should be accepted the sins pardoned and the soul delivered from the hell that was the due and proper wages of every one of those sins Quest Though the mercies you have already mentioned reach unto the clouds and by a just acknowledgement of their greatnesse have out stript wonder and silenced even hope it self yet because you mentioned a fifth effect of the merits and mediation of Christ where is the the necessity and blessednesse of that to be discovered Ans. That forasmuch as whatsoever degree of holinesse a soul by Gods grace may arrive unto and how acceptable soever the performancies of a sincere heart may be to that God who will not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax upon termes of mercy yet cannot that soul by any such holinesse or obedience deserve or merit the least of mercies for its future well-being Woe to the holiest person that ever served Christ if he should have no more comfort to come then what he himself hath merited or could challenge in justice at the hands of God In the last last place therefore Christ hath merited and mediated that so many as shall truly persevere in such faithful and sincere performance of all the conditions and continue their ingagement to him to obey him in all his commands unto their lives ends shall not only be delivered from hell and destruction but shall also O unsearchable treasures of Grace and stupendous love inherit a portion of the greatest felicity which is to see God as he is and to possesse a mansion of immutable rest of his own preparing that mansion to be a Kingdom and that a Kingdom of glory that glory of an exceeding weight where every subject having been here an heir and co-heir with Christ shall be a spirituall King his reign and honour immortal and crown eternall By this discourse I finde my self fully satisfied in all my scruples about the particulars contained in the questions and all my discouragements removed that might hinder the undertaking a life according to those strict rules of holinesse And now as I cannot but glorify God for a work of so infinite a mercy in his servants having made the promises rules and arguments to be religious and consequently blessed as evident as the light and as certain as a demonstration so I cannot but justify him in the condemnation of the wicked That he should make the Gospel to become a milstone to fall upon and grinde them to powder because they despised it and that the case of Sodom and Gomorrah should be more tolerable at the day of judgement then theirs For how shall they escape that have neglected so great salvation Let every evil man therefore that despiseth the grace of God offered in Christ and that chuseth rather to satisfy his vain lusts then to give up his soul to his dominion I say let every such person know that there is no true peace for him in this life nothing but horrour at his dying houre a curse at the great judgment and after that an hell to all eternity And all this justly because he despised so tender a love of a merciful God so dear a suffering of a gracious Jesus so importunate swasions of the holy Spirit and with all these rejected such sweet precepts upon promises of infinite rewards Satisfactions OF DOUBTS About the Visible Profession OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND And its MINISTERY Satisfactions of Doubts about the visible Profession of the Church of England and its MINISTERY FOrasmuch as there be many outward differing professions of Christianity in the world and as many if not more in this nation as in all the world besides so that many pious spirits may stand amazed and doubtfull which way to take in such various and inconsistent tracts and by that amazement are discouraged to adjoyn themselves to any and unconfident in that way they have assumed I have thought it necessary thou shouldst account some short directions proportionable to the businesse in hand that may best establish and quiet the revolutions and doubts of thy mind the more cheerfully to undertake a religious life and to confirme thee in the profession in which thou standest What therefore are such directions Ans. First to beware of such a Profession and Religion that hath no other ground but the pretence of the light and immediate gifts and