to it again M. Now it remaineth for thee to tell of the spiritual rest S. That is when resting from worldly business and from our own Works and Isa 14. 16. 51. 13. Studies and as it were having a certain holy Vocation we yeild our selves wholly to Gods governance that he may do his Works in us and when as the Scripture termeth it we crucifie our flesh we Heb 4 9. Gal. 5. 24. Col. 3. 5. bridle the froward desires and motions of our heart restraining our own nature that we may obey the Will of God for so shall we most aptly reduce and bring the Figure and Image of eternal rest to the very Thing and Truth it self M. May we then cast away this care on the other dayes S. No for when we have once begun Mat. 24. 19 we must go forward to the end throughout the whole race of our life and the number of seven for asmuch as in the Gen 2. 2 3. Psal 12. 6. Scripture it signifieth Perfection putteth us in remembrance that we ought with all our force and endeavour continually to labour and travel toward perfection Gen 17. 1. Mat 5 48. and yet therwithall is it shewed us that so long as we live in this world we are farr from perfection and full attaining of 1 Cor 2. 9. this spiritual rest and that here is given us but a certain tast of that Rest which we shall enjoy perfectly fully and most Isa 25. 8. 1 Cor 2 9. 2 Thes 1. 7. blessedly in the Kingdome of God M. Hitherto thou hast well rehearsed me the Laws of the first Table wherin the true worshipping of God which is the fountain of all good things is briefly comprehended now therefore I would have thee tell me what be the Duties of our Charity and Love toward men which duties do spring and are drawn out of the same fountain and which are contained in the second Table S. The second Table beginneth thus Exod. 20. 12. Deut. 5. 16. Mar. 25. 4. Eph. 6. 2 3. Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee M. What is meant in this place by the word Honour S. The honour of Parents containeth love fear and reverence and consisteth Pro. 1. 8. Mar. 7. 10. 12. Col. 3. 20 1 Tim. 5. 4. Heb. 12 9. as in the proper work and duty of it in obeying them and also finding and relieving them if ever they be in need M. Doth the Law extend only to Parents by Nature S. Although the very words seem to express no more yet we must understand Deuâ— 17. 1â— Rom. 13 1. 1 Tim. 5. 1. Pro. 5. 13. Ioh. 9. 31. Levit. 10. 32. Pro. 19. 10. that all those to whom any Authority is given as Magistrates Ministers of the Church Schoolmasters Finally all they that have any Ornament either of reverend age or of wit wisdom or learning worship or wealthy state or otherwise be our Superiours are contained under the name of Fathers because the Authority both of them and Fathers come out of one Fountaine M. Out of a what Fountain S. The holy Decree of the Laws of God by which they are become worshipful Deut. 17. 10. Tit. 3 1. 1 Pet. 2. 13. and honorable as well as natural Parents for from thence they all whether they be Parents Princes Magistrates or other Superiors whatsoever they be have all their power and authority because by these it pleased God to rule and govern the world M. What is meant by this that he calleth Magistrates and other Superiors by the name of Paâ—ents S. To teach us that they are given us of God both for one and publik benefit and also by example of that authority Rom. 13. 4. Heb. 13. 17. which of all other is naturally least grudged at to train and inure the mind Pro. 3. 12. Mat. 7. 9. 1. Thes 2. 11. Exod. 32 9. of man which of it self is puffed with pride and loath to be under others Commandemement to the duty and obedience toward Magistrates for by the name of Parents we are charged not only to yeild to and obey Magistrates but also to honour and love them and likewise on the other part Superiors are taught so to govern their inferiors as a just Parent useth to rule over good children M. What meaneth that promise which is added to the Commandement S. That they shall enjoy long life and shall long continue in sure and stedfast possession of wealth that give just and Exod. 20. 12. Deut. 5. 16. Eph. 6. 2 3. due honour to their Parents and Magistrates M. But this promise seemeth to belong particularly to such Jews as be kind to their parents S. It is no doubt but that which is by name spoken of the Land of Canaan pertaineth Gen. 12. 7. 13. 15. Deut. 34. 4. Gen 1. 1. Psal 24. 1. 1 15. 16. Dan 4. 22. only to the Jews but for as much as God is Lord of the whole world what place soever he giveth us to dwell in the same he promiseth and assureth us in this Law that we shall keep still our Possession M. But why doth God reckon for a benefit long continued age in such a miserable and wicked life S. Because when he releiveth the miseries Psa 18. 1 2 3. Jer. 14 8. Heb. 2. 15. and calamities of them that be his or preserveth them in so many perils that beset them round about and calleth them back from vices and sins he sheweth to them a fatherly mind and good will as to his children M. Doth it follow on the contrary side that God hateth them whose life is taken away quickly or before their ordinary race of years expired or that be distressed with miseries and adversities of this world S. Nothing less but rather the dearlier that any man is beloved of God he Ioh. 1. 12. 5. 17. Prov. 3 12 Mat. 5. 10. 11. is commonly the more burdened with adversaries or is wont the sooner to remove out of this life as he were delivered and let by God out of prison M. Doth not this in the mean time seeme to abate the truth and credit of Gods Promise S. No for when God doth promise us worldly good things he alwayes addeth this exception either expresly uttered or Deut. 21. 1 2. Isa 1. 19 20. Jer. 12. 4 9. secretly implyed that is that the same be not unprofitable or hurtful to our souls for it were against Order and Reason if chief regard should not be had of Mat. 5. 29. 18. 8. 2 Cor. 6. 8. the soul that we may so either attain or lack worldly commodities as we may with blessedness enjoy eternal life for ever M. What shall we then say of them that be disobedient to Parents or Magistrates or do misuse them yea or kill them Exod. 21. 17. Levit. 20. 9. Deut. 12. 18.
The Watch-Mans LANTHORN BEING A SUMM OF DIVINITY In a short but very plaine Exposition of the Ten Commandements the Lords Prayer and the Creed Fitted to the meanest Capacity in the Nature of a DIALOGUE By A. E. a Servant of Jesus Christ Psal 19. 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soule Heb. 11. 6. Without Faith it is impossible to please God Matth. 26. 41. Watch and pray that ye enter not into tentation LONDON Printed by T. R. for Nath. Ekins at the Sign of the Gun in Pauls Church-Yard 1655. TO THE READER Deare Friends THis Treatise was cheifly intended for the private use of me and those of my Family that God had given me the tuition of but upon the desire of some Friends it s now made publike for your use and benefit which through the blessing of God who many times useth weak instruments to accomplish great designs I question not but it may The subject hereof is an Exposition of the Morall Law or ten Commandements the Confession of Faith or the Apostles Creed and upon the Lords Prayer wherin all Christians may behold as in a Glass their duty both towards God and their neighbor in their several relations they may be Gods blessing grow strong in faith and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ as also finde favour and comfortable acceptance with God by Prayer Despise it not for the plainness of the Stile or Method for therein have I chiefly respected the ignorant and vulgar sort whose edification and spiritual grouth I much hunger after Well knowning and grieving that mans nature is so dull to receive and entertain spiritual exâ—rcises at the best for as the Apostle saies The natural man receiveth not the things that are of God neither can he for they are spiritualy discerned nay indeâ—d he accounts them foolishness Aâ—d as there is an aversness in Nature to heavenly doctrines so the Will and Affections being wholly setled upon the pleasures and profits of this life do not solidly regard and retain Divine Truths most being as unwilling and unfitting to learn as they are unable and careless to apply Principles of saving knowledge to their souls for the Apostle Paul saith of some among whom he preached that he could not speak to them as to men but as unto babes and that they were not fit for strong meat but for milk being babes and tutors the Hebrews that after all his paines he was necessitated to lay again the Grounds and first Principles of the Doctrine of Christ amongst them whereas they might for the time have been Teachers they were yet fitter to be taught the very grounds of Religion And such I doubt we have amongst us who after many years hearing the Word are yet without spiritual and saving knowledge Now for their sakes and for the unlearned I have published this to the world desiring with my whole heart that none might perish but that all might come to be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ Therefore to your serious perusal and diligent practise I heartily present it entreating that God from whom only commeth all good so by his Spirit to accompany this and all other means of Knowledge to you that in his mercy through Jesus Christ your souls may be eternally saved Which is the earnest prayer of your poor Friend and Servant in our Lord Jesus Christ A. E. A Plain EXPOSITION upon the MORAL LAVV the Confession of FAITH and the LORDS PRAYER FOrasmuch as the Master ought to be to his Scholars The Masters dutie a second Parent and Father not of their bodies but of their minds I see it belongeth to the order of my duty my dear child not so much to instruct thee civilly Godliness in Childhood Dâ—ut 4. 9. and thc 31. 12 13. Psal 78. 3 4. Mat. 19. 13. 2 Tim 3. 15. in Learning and good Manners as to furnish thy mind with good opinions and true Religion for this age of childhood ought no less yea also much more to be trained with good Lessons to godliness then with good Arts to Humanity wherfore I thought meet to Examine thee by certain short Questions that I may surely know whither thou hast well bestowed thy Study and Labour therin or no Sâ—holar And I or my part shall willingly answer your demands so far as I have been able with wit to conceive or keep in memory and can at this present call to mind and remember what I have heard you teach me out of the Holy Scriptures Master Go therefore now and tell me what Religion thou professest Sch. The Religion that I profess is the same whereof the Lord Christ is the Authour Câ—â—istian Râ—ligiâ—n Châ—istâ—ans named of Châ—iâ—t Act. 11. 26. and Teacher and which is therefore properly and truly called the Christian Religion like as the Professors therof are also named Christians Ma. Dost thou then acknowledge thy self to be a Follower of Christian Godliness and Religion and a Scholar of our Lord and Saviour Christ Sch. I do so acknowledge in deed and do unfainedly and freely profess it yea I Rom. 10. 9 10. do settle therin the summ of all my felicity as in that which is the cheifest good Psal 1. 33. 12. Ioh. 3. 18. that can come to man and such as without it our State should be farr more miserable then the state of any bruit creature Ma. Well then I would have the substance and nature of Christian Religion and Godliness the name wherof is most honorable and holy to be briefly expressed with some definition of it Sch. Christian Religion is the true and The Definition Deut 4. 1. 2. 10. 12. Psal 19. 4. godly worshipping of God and the keeping of his Commandements Ma. Of whom dost thou think it is to be learned Sch. Of none other surely of the heavenly Word of God himself which he hath left unto us Written in the holy Psal 1. 2. and 78. 1. and 119. toto Ioh. 3 39. 2 Tim. 3. 15. Scripture Ma. What Writings be those which thou callest the Word of God and the holy Scriptures Sch. None other but those that have been published first by Moses and the Prophets the friends of Almighty God by the instinct of the holy Ghost in the Exod. 32. 35 16. 2 Pet. 1. 20. Old Testament and afterward more plainly in the New Testament by our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God and by his holy Apostles inspired with the Spirit of God and have been preserved Ioh 1. 5. 9. and 8 12. Mat. 28 20. Ephe. 3. 5. Isa 40. 8. Mat. 5. 18. unto our time whole and uncorrupted Ma. Why was it Gods Will so to open unto us his Word in Writing Sch. Because we of our selves such is Ioh. 1. 5. 1 Cor. 21. Ephe. 4. 1â— Mat. 7 17. Heb. 10. 36. 1 Ioh. 2. 17. the darkness of our hearts are not able to understand the Will of Almighty God in the
themselves with all vices and hainous sins refuse to submit themselves to the Kingdome and Dominion of Almighty God being once subdued and destroyed and the tyranny of Satan himself utterly rooted out and all the enemies slain â—ppressed and troden downe so as nothing may once breath against the becke and power of God he alone may every where gloriously Raign Imperially Rule and triumph And as while God raigneth by his Spirit in us men have a certaine Rom. 8. 9. 10 11. 1 Ioh. 3. 24. 4. 8. 13. Community with God in this world so we pray and wish that he will also by Christ communicate with us in heaven the joy of the most blessed Kingdome Mat. 13. 43. 1 Cor. 2. 9. and the Glory that in everlasting Ages of worlds shall never be changed that we may be not only children but also heires of our heavenly Mat. 25. 34. Rom. 8. 15 16 17. â—iâ— 3. 7. Father which desire also we verily nothing mistrust or doubt that our heavenly Father will one day grant us to enjoy M. What followeth next S. That Gods Will be done For it is Psal 4. 8. Mat. 26. 30. 42. Ioh. 4. 34 5. 30. 6. 38. Ephe. 6. 1. 1 Ioh. 4. 14. the dutie of children to frame their life according to the will of their fathers and not contrariwise the Parents to conforme themselves to the will of their children M. Dost thou then think that men are able to do any thing against the Will of God S. Surely it is evident and plainly known among all that many sins and foule deeds are daily done and committed by mortall men to the grievous offending of his Will yet so as God cannot by any force or necessity be compelled Psal 5. 4 5. 41. 7 8. Psal 119. 104. 1â—8 Psal 115. 3. 135 6 7. Rom. 9. 19. but that he can most easily bring to effect whatsoever he hath purposed to do We do therefore pray not only that that may come to pass which he hath decreed which must needs come to pass because the Will of God doth ever carry with it a necessity of performing but for as much as our minds burning with lusts are commonly carried Rom. 8. 7. c. Gal. 5 16 17. to desire and to do those things that most displease God we pray that he would with the moving of his holy Spirit so change and fashion all the Rom. 8. 2. 4 5 c. 14 15 16. 1 Cor. 2. 12. 3 16. wills of us all to the meaning and will of his Majestie that we may will or wish nothing much less do any thing that his Divine Will misliketh and that Acts 11. 14. 1 Pet. 3. 17. 5. 13. whatsoever we perceive to be tied by his Will we may receive and suffer it not only with contented but also with gladsome hearts M. Whereto dost thou adde That Gods Will be done In earth as it is in heaven S. Forsooth that we be in all things serviceable and obedient to Gods Majestie Psal 91. 11. 105. 20. 21. 104. 4 5. Heb. 1. 6 7 14. after the example of those heavenly spirits whom we call Angels and as in heaven there is no rebellion so in earth also there be none any where found that will or dare resist and strive against the holy Will of God Psal 19. 4 5 104. 20. c. 135. 7. 136 7 8 9. Yea and when we behold the Sun and Moone and other Starrs which we see in the heaven to be carried with continuall motion and perpetuall stirring and with their beames to lighten the earth by the Will of God we behold an example of obedience set forth for us to follow Moreover wheras God Deut. 5. 32. Mat. 7. 21 12. 50. hath in the holy Scriptures expresly declared his Will which he hath plainly 1 Cor. 3. 6. 14 Gal. 4. 24. notified by giving them the name of his Testament or last Will they that vary from the meaning of the Scriptures surely do manifestly depart from the Will of God M. Now I think thou hast sufficiently spoken of the first part of the Lords Prayer which part containeth these three Poynts that belong only to the glory of God Now it is good time for us to go forward to the second part which properly concerneth things profitable for us and meet for our commodities S. The first Point of the second Part is Give us this day our dayly bread M. What dost thou mean by the name of daily bread S. Not only those things that minister Psal 104. 15. 27. c. 105. toto 144. 10 11 12. 145. 14 15 16. c. us foode and apparrel but also all other things universally that are needful to the maintaining and preserving of our life and leading it in quietness without feare M. Is there any thing else whereof this word Bread doth admonish us S. That we seek not and gather together curiously dainty things for Psal 18. 18. 20. 29 30. 106 14. Mat. 6. 15. Lukâ— 16. 19. 1 Tim. 4. 8. 9. banqueting or precious apparel or sumptuous houshold-stuffe for pleasure but that we despise delicacies and excess and contented with little be satisfied with temporal and healthful diet and with mean and necessary apparrel M. How dost thou call Bread thinâ— which thou prayest to have given thee of God S. By Gods gift it becommeth ours Psal 115. 16. Mat. 7 7. 8 1 Cor. 4. 7 when he liberally giveth it to us for our daily uses though by right it be not due to us M. Is there any other cause why thou callest it thy Bread S. By this word we are put in mind Gen. 3. 19 Ephe. 4 28. 2 Thes 3. â— 10. 11. that we must get our living with our labour or by lawful means that being therewith contented we do never by covetousness or fraud keep any thing of other mens M. Seeing God biddeth us get our living by our own labour why dost thou ask Bread of him S. It is God alone that giveth fruitfulness Psal 24. 1 65 9. 68 9. 104. 13 147 8. c. to the ground that maketh the land plentiful and to bear fruit abundantly and therefore it is certaine that in vaine shall we waste and spend out all the course of our life in toyle of body and travel of mind unless it please God to prosper our endeavors It is meet therefore that we daily crave in Psal 117. 1 2. 1 Cor. 3. 7. prayer things necessary for our foode and life at the hands of Almighty God which according to the Divine saying of David as he created all things so Psal 104. 145. 15. 147. c. doth also feed and preserve them and that with thankful hearts we receive the same as it were given and reached to us by God and delivered by his own hand into our hands M. Thinkest