must here reâ—…ve and the Glory which we shall receive hereafter at Death and at the General Resurrection Aâ—… the great dutyes of Faith and Repentance of Obdience and Love to God and Man and renouncâ—… the Lusts of the flesh the world and the Devil whâ—… must be done by all that will be Glorified by aâ—… with Jesus Christ. This is the Catechism which Parents must teâ—… their Children Q. 20. Alas it will be a hard and long work â—… teach Children all this or Servants either that â—… at age A. All this is but the plain meaning of the Crâ—… and ten Commandements which the Church reâ—…reth all to learn And no more than in their Bâ—…tism the Parents should and the Godfathers do â—…lemnly Promise to see them taught It is these thiâ—… for which God hath given them life and time and â—…son and on which their present safety and comfâ—… and their Everlasting Life dependeth And will yâ—… set them seven years Apprentice to a Trade â—… set them Seven and Seven to Schools and Univâ—…sities and Innes of Court where study must be thâ—… daily business And will you think it too much teach them the sence of the Creeds Lords Prâ—…er and ten Commandements needful to far greâ—…er and better ends Q. 21. In what manner must Parents teach thâ—… Children A. 1. Very plainly by familiar talk 2. Geâ—…ly and Lovingly to win them and not discourâ—… them 3. Beginning with the History and the â—…ctrine which they are most capable to receive 4. Very frequently that it be not neglected or forgotten Deut. 6. 11. 5. Yet a little at a time that they be not overwhelmed 6. Praising them when they do well 7. Doing all with such holy reverence that they may perceive it is the Work of God and not a Common matter 8. Teaching them by an answerable Life Q. 22. What else besides Teaching is the Parents duty A. 3. To use all just means to make Religion pleasant to them and win their Hearts to Love it And therefore to tell them the Author the Excelâ—…ency the certainty and profit of it here and hereâ—…fter 4. To possess them with necessary Fear of God of Death of Hell and of Sin 5. To make â—… great difference between the good and the bad â—…ewarding good Children and Correcting the bad â—…isobedient and stubborn 6. To choose safe and â—…odly School-masters for them if they teach them â—…ot all themselves 7. To keep them out of ill Comâ—…ny and from Temptations especially to know â—…heir Vices and watch against all occasions of their â—… 8. To choose meet Trades or Callings for them â—…d faithful Masters ever preferring the welfare â—…f their Souls before their Bodies 9. To choose â—…eet Husbands or Wives for them if they are to â—…e marryed 10. To settle them under a faithful â—…astor in the real Communion of Saints And all this with constant serious diligence praying to God for his Grace and Blessing O how happy were the Church and World if Parents would faithfully do all this needful certain Duty and not perfidiously and cruelly break the Promise they made in Baptism and by negligence worldliness and ungodliness betray the Souls of their own Children to Sin and Satan The happiness or misery of Families Churches Cities Kingdoms and of the World lyeth most eminently on Parents hands Q. 23. What is the duty of Children to their Parents in special A. To Honour their Judgment and Authority to be Thankful to them for their Being Love and Education To Love them Dearly To learn of them willingly and diligently To obey them faithfully and to requite them as they are able and what is included in the General duty of Subjects opened before Q. 24. What if the Father be a Papist and thâ— Mother a Protestant and one commandeth the Chilâ— to read one book and go to one Church and the othâ—â— another which must be obeyed A. Either the Child is of age and understanding to try and Judge which of them is contrary to Godâ— Law or not If he be he must obey God first and therefore not obey any thing that is contrary tâ— his Law But if not then he is one that will not puâ— such questions nor do what he doth out of Conscience to God but perform meer humane Obediencâ— to man And if his Ignorance of Gods Law bâ— through his own negligence it will not excuse hâ— Sin if he mistake But if it be from natural incapacity he is ruled like a Bruit and no doubt the Father is the Chief Governour of the house â—â—d will and must be obeyed before the Mother when obedience to God doth not forbid it which this Child understandeth not Q. 25. What if Children be rebellious in wickedness as Drunkenness Stealing c. must the Parents cause them to be put to death as Moses Law Commanded or what must they do with them A. Moses Law had some special Severities and was peculiar to that Nation and is abrogate whether the Common good and safety require the death of such a Son or any the Supream Power is judge and not the Parents Nor is it meet though some think otherwise that Parents have the Power of putting to death their Children For the Common-wealth which is better than the Family is concerned in all the Subjects lives And experience proveth it that were this granted Whores Beggars and raging passionate Persons would be Common Murderers of their Children But if the Magistrate would appoint one house of Correction in every County for Children that will not be ruled by Parents where they may be kept â—n labour till they are humbled and subdued it would â—e an excellent work Q. 26. But what shall such sorrowfull Parents â—o A. First use all means by Wisdom Love and Paâ—ience while there is hope And next if they are â—ast their Correction send them to the House of â—orrection And lastly disinherit them or deny them â—l maintenance for their lust Q. 27. Is it a duty to disinherit an incorrigible wicked Son or to deny such filial maintenance and Portions A. Supposing it to be in the Fathers power it is a duty to leave them no more than will maintain their lives in temperance For all men are Gods Stewards and must be accountable for all that he doth trust them with And they ought not to give it to be the fewel of Lust and Sin when they have reason to believe that it will be so used That were to give Gods Mercies to the Devil to be turn'd against him Nor are Parents bound to give those Children the necessary maintenance for their lives and health or any thing at all who by obstinate rebellion utterly forfeit it Nature is not so strong a bond but that some sin may dissolve it and forfeit Life it self and therefore forfeit fatherly maintenance The rebellion and ingratitude of an incorrigible Child is far more hainous than a Neighbours injuries And though Moses Law and its rigors be ceased
not my own but his that made me All things shew me that there is a God who must needs be Greater Wiser and Better than all his Creatures and therefore ought to be most Honoured Feared Loved and Obeyed I see multitudes of persons of the same Nature with me and therefore obliged to the same duty to God I see much of Gods work in them which is Good and therefore to be Loved And I see that we are all parts of one World and made to be useful to one another These and many such things the Reason of man may discern in himself and other works of God Q. 6. But I thought the Law of Nature had been every mans natural temper and disposition which inclineth him to action And you make it to be only a notifying sign of duty A. Figuratively some call every Inclination a Law but it 's no such thing that we are speaking of Only a mans natural Inclination among other signs may notifie his duty But I hope you cannot think that a mans vicious Inclination is Gods Law Then you would make Original sin and the work of the Devil to be Gods Law One mans sinful distemper of Soul and another mans bodily distemper the fruit of sin inclineth him to wrath to lust to idleness to sinful sports or drinking or gluttony And these are so far from being Gods Law of Nature that they are the contraries and the Law of Satan in our members rebelling against the Law of God And though the good Inclinations of our common Nature to Justice Peace Temperance be by some called The Law of Nature it is not as they are Inclinations but as from them we may know our duty Q. 7. Hath God any Natural Officers under him in governing man I pray you tell me how far Mans Power is of God A. God hath set up divers sorts of humane Governing Powers under him in the World which all have their place and order assigned them some by Nature as entire some by the Law of Nature since the Fall and some by supernatural Revelation which is not to be here spoken to but afterward Q. 8. Because I have heard some say that God made no Government but men do it by consent for their necessity I pray you shew me what Government God made by Nature and in what order A. 1. Next to Gods own Governing Right which is the first God hath made every man a Governour of himself For God made him with some faculties which must be ruled as the Appetite Senses and Tongue and other bodily members yea and Passions too and with some which must Rule the rest as the Understanding by guidance and the Will by command And this self-governing power is so necessary and Natural that no man can take it from us or forbid us the due exercise of it any more than they can bind us to sin or to self-destruction Q. 9. Which is the next humane Power in order A. 2. The Governing power of the Husband over the Wife whose very nature as well as Original shews that she was made to be Subject though under the Law of Love Q. 10. But is not this by consent rather than by nature A. It is by Consent that a woman is married but when she hath made her self a Wife Nature maketh her a Subject unless madness or disability make the man unmeet for his place Q. 11. Which is the next sort of Natural Government A. 3. The Parents Government of their Children Nature maketh it the duty of Parents to rule and of Children to obey And though some have been so unnatural as to deny this and say that Children owe nothing but reverence and gratitude yet there is no danger of the common prevalency of such a Heresie which the nature of all mankind confuteth save that licentious Youth will take advantage of it to disobey their Parents to please their lusts Q. 12. What is the humane Government which Gods Law of Nature hath instituted to man since his fall and corruption A. 4. That is to be afterward explained But Magistracy or Civil Government is certainly of Natural Institution though it is uncertain how God would have governed Man in such Societies by man if they had not sinned The Law of Nature teacheth man the necessity of Civil Society and of Government therein and therefore obligeth man thereto Q. 13. This seemeth to be but the effect of mens own perceived necessity and so to be but their arbitrary choice A. Their Necessity is Natural and the notice of it is Natural and the desire of Remedy is natural and the fitness of Magistracy to its use is natural Therefore it is the Law of God in Nature that bindeth them to choose and use it And if any Countrey should choose to live without Magistracy they would sin against the Law of Nature and their own good Q. 14. But I have heard that God hath made no Law what Form of Civil Government shall be used but left it to every Countreys choice A. God hath by nature made it necessary that there be Magistracy that is some men in power over Societies to enforce the obedience of Gods own common Laws and to make their subordinate Laws about undetermined mutable matters to that end for the honour of God and the Good of the Society But 1. Whether this Government shall be exercised by one or many 2. And who shall be the Persons Gods Law hath left undetermined to humane Liberty The Form and the Persons are chosen neither by the said persons nor by the People only but by the mutual consent and contract of both 3. And also by this contract the Degree of power and order of the exercise may be Stated and limited But for all that when humane consent hath chosen the persons the essential Power of Governing in Subordination to Gods Laws floweth not from man but immediately from Gods Law of Nature Q. 15. But what if these sorts of Government prove cross to one another and Reason commandeth one thing an Husband another a Parent another and the Magistrate another which must be obeyed A. Each have their proper Work and End which none of the other can forbid Self-Government is the Reasonable management of our own Faculties and actions in obedience to God for our own Salvation And no King or other can take this from us And if they forbid us any necessary duty to God or necessary Means of our Salvation they do it without Authority and are not to be therein obeyed A Husbands power to govern his Wife is for the necessary Ends of their Relation which the King hath no power to forbid A Parents power to rule his Children is for the Necessary Education of them for the welfare of Soul and Body and the King hath no power to forbid it Should he forbid Parents to feed their Children or teach them Gods Laws or to choose for them Orthodox fit Tutors Pastors and Church-Communion where God is lawfully worshipped
Law of Iesus Christ. 1. The Law of Nature is not abrogate though the terms of Life and Death are not the same as under the Law of Innocency 2. The Law of Moses to the Iews as such never bound all other Nations nor now bindeth us but is dead and done away 2 Cor. 3. 7 9 10 11. Rom. 2. 12. 14 15. 3. 19. 7. 1 2 3. Heb. 7. 12. 1 Cor. 9. 21. But seeing it was God that was the Author of that Law and by it expresly told the Iews what the Law of Nature is we are all bound still to take those two Tables to be God's own Transcript of his Law of Nature and so are by consequence bound by them still If God give a Law to some one Man as that which belongs to the Nature of all Men though it bind us not as a Law to that Man it binds as Gods exposition of the Law of Nature when notified to us 3. As the Law of Christ it binds all Christians Q. 2. How are the Ten Commandements the Law of Christ A. 1. Nature it self and lapsed Mankind is delivered up to Christ as Redeemer to be used in the Government of his Kingdom And so the Law of Nature is become his Law 2. It was Christ as God-Redeemer that gave the Law to Moses and as it is a Transcript of the Common Law of Nature he doth not revoke it but suppose it 3. Christ hath repeated and owned the Matter of it in the Gospel and made it his Command to his Disciples Q. 3. Is there nothing in the Ten Commandements proper to the Israelites A. Yes 1. The Preface Hear O Israel And that brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the House of Bondage 2. The stating the Seventh Day for the Sabath and the strict Ceremonial Rest commanded as part of the Sanctifying of it Q. 4. How doth Christ and his Apostles contract all the Law into that of Love A. God who as Absolute Lord Owneth moveth and disposeth of all doth as Soveraign Ruler give us Laws and excute them and as Love and Benefactor giveth us all and is the most Amiable Object and End of all So that as to Love and Give is more than to Command so to be Loved is more than as a Commander to be Obeyed But ever includeth it though it be eminently in its Nature above it So that 1. Objectively Love to God our Selves and Others in that measure that it is exercised Wisely is Obedience Emenently and somewhat higher 2. And Love as the Principle in Man is the most powerful Cause of Obedience supposing the Reverence of Authority and the fear of punishment but is somewhat more Excellent than they A Parents Love to a Child makes him more constant and full in all that he can do for him than the Commands of a King alone would do In that measure that you Love God you will heartily and delightfully do all your duty to him and so far as you love Parents or Neighbours you will gladly promote their Honour Safety Chastity Estates Rights and all that 's theirs and hate all that is against their good And as Parents will feed their Children though no fear of punishment should move them so we shall be above the great necessity of the fear of punishment so far as God and Goodness is our delight Q. 5. How should one know the meaning and extent of the Commandements A. The words do plainly signifie the Sence And according to the reasonable use of Words Gods Laws being perfect must be thus expounded 1. The commanding of Duty includeth the forbidding of the contrary 2. Under General Commands and Prohibitions the kinds and particulars are included which the General word extendeth to 3. When one Particular sin is forbidden or duty Commanded all the Branches of it and all of the same kind and reason are Forbidden or Commanded 4. Where the End is commanded or forbidden it is implyed that so are the true Means as such 5. Every Commandement extendeth to the whole Man to our Bodyes and all the Members and to the Soul and all its Faculties respectively 6. Commands bind us not to be alwayes doing the thing Commanded Dutyes be not at all times duty But Prohibitions bind us at all times from every sin when it is indeed a sin 7. Every Command implyeth some reward or benefit to the Obedient and every sin of Omission or Commission is supposed to deserve punishment though it be not named 8. Every Command supposeth the thing Commanded to be no Natural impossibility as to see Spirits or into the Heart of the Earth to know that which is not intelligible c. But it doth not suppose us to be Morally or Holily disposed to keep it or to be able to change our Corrupt Natures without God's Grace 9. So every Command supposeth us to have that Natural freedom of Will which is a self-determining Power not necessitated or forced to sin by any But not to have a Will that is free from Vicious inclinations Nor from under God's disposing power 10. The breach of the same Laws may have several sorts of punishment By Parents by Masters by Magistrates by the Church On Body on Name on Soul in this Life by God and finally heavier punishment in the Life to come 11. The sins here forbidden are not unpardonable but by Christs Merits Sacrifice and Intercession are forgiven to all true penitent converted Believers CHAP. XXXIII Of the Preface to the Decalogue Qu. 1. VVHat are the Parts of the Decalogue A. I. The Constitution of the Kingdom of God over Men described And II. The Administration or Governing Laws of his Kingdom Q. 2. What words express the Constitution of God's Kingdom A. I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the House of bondage Q. 3. What is the Constitution here expressed A. 1. GOD the Soveraign 2. Man the Subject 3. The work of God which was the next Foundation or reason of the mutual Relation between God and Man as here intended Q. 4. What is included in the first part of God's Soveraignty A. 1. That there is a God and but One God in this special Sence 2. That the God of Israel is this One true God who maketh these Laws 3. That we must all obey him Q. 5. What is GOD what doth that word here mean A. This was largely opened in the beginning Briefly to be GOD is to be a Spirit Infinite in Being in Vital Power Knowledge and Goodness of whom as the efficient Cause and through whom as the Governour and to whom as the End are all things else related to us as our Creator and as our Absolute Owner Our Supream Ruler and our greatest Benefactor Friend and Father Q. 6. What words mention Man as the Subject of the Kingdom A. Hear O Israel and Thy God that brought Thee c. Q. 7. What
more on himself than on them And indeed Childrens or mens obedience to others is but an act of self-government It is a mans self-governing Reason and Will which causeth him to obey another nor can a Child perform any act of proper obedience differing from a Brutes unless by a self-governing act But Parents Government is the next to Self-government and the Government of Husbands Princes and Masters which are by Contract is next to that Every Subject therefore being first a Subject of God and next a self-governour is to obey as a reasonable Creature and to understand what is his duty and what not And because all is our duty which God commandeth but not all that man Commandeth Gods power being Absolute and all mens limited therefore we have nothing to do with the Laws of God but to know them and Love them and obey them But as to mans Commands we must know also that they are not contrary to Gods Laws and that they belong to the Office of the Commander If a Parent or Prince command you to blaspheme God or Worship Idols or deny Christ or renounce Heaven or not to pray c. you must obey God by disobeying him And if a King Command you not to obey your Parents or will choose for you your Wife your Dyet your Physick the words you shall say to God in your secret Prayers c. these are things which belong not to his Office no more than to a Captains to become Judge of the Common-pleas Subjects therefore must judge what they must or must not obey as Rulers must judge what they must or must not Command or else they act not as men Q. 9. But what Confusion will this Cause if every Subject and Child become judge whether their Princes or Parents Commands be lawful Will they not take all for unlawful which their folly or Corrupt wills dislike and so cast off all obedience A. It is not finding inconveniencies in the miserable state of lapsed Mankind that will cure them Were there any avoiding Errour Sin and Confusion by Government some would have found out the way before now But while man is bad he will do accordingly In avoiding these evils we must not run into far greater Are they not Greater if men must not discern who is their lawful Governour but must fight for an Usurper in Power against his Prince or Parents if Commanded by him And if every Child and Subject must renounce God Christ and Heaven that is Commanded and men become Gods and Antigods Q. 10. But is there no remedy against both these Confusions A. Yes the remedies are these 1. Rulers that should have most reason must give us the first remedy by knowing Gods Laws and taking care that they Command and forbid nothing contrary to them and not put on Subjects a necessity of disobeying them 2. Children and Subjects must be instructed also to know the Laws of God that they may not take that for his Law which is not It is not keeping them ignorant of Gods Laws lest they pretend them against the Laws of man that is the way no more than keeping them ignorant that there is a God lest they obey him against man 3. They must be taught betime the difference between the capacity of Children and of men at age and of young unfurnished wits and those that Study and Experience have ripened and they must be taught the duty of self-suspicion humility and submission and that as Learning is necessary to knowing so believing our Teachers with a humane belief is necessary to Learning of them Who can learn that will believe nothing which his Teacher saith But this is not taking him for Infallible nor resolving only to be ruled still by his knowledge but in order to Learn the same Evidence of Truth which our Teachers themselves discern it by 4. They must be taught to know that if they mistake Gods Laws and erroneously pretend them against their Rulers their errour and abuse of the Name of God is their sin and will not excuse their disobedience And therefore they must try well before they disobey 5. All the Churches near them should agree publickly of all the necessary Articles of Divine Faith and Obedience that the authority of their Concord may be some awe to the minds both of Commanders and Obeyers 6. Rulers are not to suspend the executive part of their Government upon every Consciencious errour of the Child or Subject If they will pretend Gods Law for intolerable sin or injury they must nevertheless be restrained by punishment 7. But lastly the Conscience of Subjects duty to God must be tenderly used and encouraged and their mistakes through infirmity must be tolerated in all tolerable cases Some differences and disorders in judgement and practice must be born with by them that would not bring in greater Gentle reasoning and Loving usage must cure as much of the rest as will be cured And our Concord must be placed in the few plain and necessary things The King hath more wit and clemency than to hang all ignorant erroneous faulty Subjects or else he would have none left to Govern And if Pastors have not more wit and clemency than to excommunicate all such they will be no Pastors as having no flocks But hainous is their sin that can tolerate multitudes of the ignorant and ungodly in their Communion who will but be for their power and wealth and can tolerate none of the Wise and Conscionable if they do but differ from them in tolerable cases or dislike them Yet there goeth more to make a tolerable Christian and Church-member than a tolerable Subject And consent to the Relation is necessary to both Q. 11. What duty doth the Word Honour contain and Command A. 1. The first and chief act of Honouring them is to acknowledge their Relation to God as his appointed Officers and the Authority which God hath given them that they may be obeyed reverently and God in them 2. The next is to take all their Laws and Commands which God hath authorized them to make to be the Rule of our duty in subordination to Gods Laws and so far to obey them for Conscience sake believing it a sin to resist or disobey them 3. Another is to maintain them honourably so far as we are able and they need Though parents provide for Children in youth Children must maintain Parents if they need it when they come to age And so must People their Princes and Pastors and pay Tribute to whom it is due 4. Also they ought to speak reverently to them and honourably of them and not use any unjust dishonouring Thoughts Words or Deeds against them specially which would disable them for Government 5. Lastly they ought to do their best to defend them against injuries Q. 12. But seeing Parents are named and not Princes must we defend our Parents against our King if he be their Enemy A. If their Cause be
believing Pâ—rent that the unbeliever is sanctified to the believing for the begetting of a Holy Seed else weâ—â— your Children unclean but now they are Holy meeâ— Legitimation is never called Holiness nor are Heâ—thens Children Bastards 8. And most plainly Christ when he instituteâ—â— baptism saith Go Disciple me all nations baptiziâ—â— them which fully sheweth that he would have Mâ—nisters endeavour to Disciple and baptize Nationâ— of all which Infants are a part 9. And accordingly many Prophesies foretell thâ—â— Nations shall come in to Christ and Christians aâ—â— Called A Holy Nation And it 's said The Kiâ—â—doms of the World are become the Kingdoms of tâ—â— Lord and of his Christ. Q. 14. But though Infants be Church-Memberâ— is it not better that their Baptism be delayed till thâ—â— know what they do A. Christ knew what 's best And he hath toâ—â— us of no other door of entrance into the visibâ—â— Church regularly but by Baptism And if he 〈◊〉 intended so great a change to the believing Iems to unchurch all their Infants he would have told â—… And the Apostles would have had more ado to quiâ—â— them in this than they had for casting off Circumâ—…on But we read of no such thing but the câ—â—stant baptizing of whole housholds Q. 15. But Infant-Baptism seems to let in all the Corruption of the Churches while Infants receive they know not what and are all taken after for Christians how â—ad soever or without knowing what Christianity is Whereas if they stayd till they understood â—…t it would engage them to be resolved Christians indeed A. This is not long of Infant-Baptism but of unfaithful Parents and Ministers For 1. If the Parents were told their Duty and also what a Blessing â—… is to have their Children in Christs Church and Covenant it would awaken them better to do their â—…rt and comfort them in their Childrens state of Grace 2. And if Infants were not betime engaged the â—sage would tempt Multitudes to do as some did of â—â—d even sin on as long as they durst that Baptism â—â—ght wash it away at last 3. And doubtless with unfaithful Ministers Bapâ—ism at age also would be made but a Ceremony â—â—d slubbered over as Confirmation is now and as â—â—stomary going to the Church and Sacrament is 4. But that which should be done is that at age â—ery baptized person before he is admitted among â—â—ult Communicants should be as diligently Cateâ—â—ized and as solemnly own and renew his Baptisâ—al Vow and Covenant as if it were now to be â—â—st done The full nature of Baptism is best to be â—â—derstood by the case of the adult who were caâ—â—ble of more than Infants are And no adult Perâ—â—n must be baptized without serious deliberate unâ—â—rstanding Profession of Faith Repentance and hoâ—… Obedience to Christ. Infants cannot do this â—hough they must not do that again which they did and could doe viz. receive Baptism yet they must do that which they did not nor could do I confess to you of the two evils I think the Church is more corrupted for want of such a solemn serious renewing of the Baptismal Covenant at age and by turning Confirmation into a Ceremony than by those Anabaptists who call People to be seriously rebaptized as the Africk Councel did those that had been baptized by Hereticks Q. 16. Do you think that Anabaptists should be tolerated or that all should not be forced to bring their Children to Baptism A. 1. Infant Baptism is no such easie Controversie or Article of Faith as that no one should be tolerated that receiveth it not 2. The ancient Church which we most reverence left all men to their liberty to be baptized only when they pleased and compelled none for themselves or their Children Tertullian was for the delay till they understood Gregory Nazianzen was â—oâ— staying some years Augustine and other of the Fathers were baptized at age 3. Baptism giveth so great a gift even Christ aâ—â— Pardon and Adoption and Right to Life Eternal â—â— Condition of thankful acceptance and believing Coâ—…sent that undoubtedly the unwilling have no rigâ—… to it The ancient Church baptized none till the desired and sought it for themselves or Children Yea they must be willing of it on self-denyal-termâ— forsaking the Flesh the World and the Devil aâ—â— taking God instead of all So that to force any 〈◊〉 be Baptized by Mulcts and Penalties and baptiâ—â— those so forced is to deceive Souls defile Chrisâ—â— Church and profane the Sacred Ordinance of God Q. 17. I have oft wondred what harm twice baptizing doth that it should be accounted a Heresie and intolerable A. It is a fault because it 's contrary to Christs appointed Order Baptism is the Sacrament of our New-Birth and we are born but once To be baptized again implyeth an Untruth that we were not baptized before But I suppose none do it but through Ignorance And Cyprian and the Bishops of many Countreys in many Councils were so ignorant is to be guilty of rebaptizing all that Hereticks baptized The great fault of the Anabaptists is their Schism that they cannot be contented when they are rebaptized to live in Love and Communion with others but grow so fond of their own Opiâ—â—on as to gather into separated Churches and avoid Communion with all that are not of their Mind and â—â—end their time in contentious Endeavours to draw â—en to them Q. 18. What the better are Infants for being baptized A. The Children of the Faithful are stated by it â—… a Right to the foresaid Benefits of the Covenant â—…e Pardon of their Original sin the Love of God â—â—e Intercession of Christ and the help of the Holy Ghost when they come to Age and title to the Kingdom of Heaven if they die before they forâ—eâ—t it Q. 19. Rut how can we judge all such in a state â—f Salvation when we see many at age prove wicked â—â—d Enemies A. This is a point of so great difficulty that I â—ay but humbly propose my Opinion to tryal â—… There is a degree of grace or goodness which doth only give a man a Power to believe or obey God but not give a rooted habitual determination to his will such the fallen Angels had and Adam before his fall who was thereby in a state of Life till he fell from it by wilfull sin And so it may be with the baptized Infants of Believers But when the special sanctifying gift of the Holy Ghost is given them and they are habitually rooted in the Love of God as the seed sown in good ground they fall not totally away 2. As Parents and Children are Covenanters for their several Duties if Parents will perâ—idiously neglect their promised duty for the holy Education of their Children or Children rebelliously sin against that Power and Measure of Grace which they received they may perish by Apostacy as the Angels did or need as Adam a renewing by Repentance All Christs Grace is not confirming As the best may
must be Taught and must Learn 1. What to Know and Believe 2 What to Love and Choose and Hope for 3. What they must Do or Practice Q. 2. What is it that we must Learn to know and believe A. We must Learn to know our selves and our concerns Q. 3. What must we know of our selves A. We must know what we are and what Condition we are in Q. 4. What mean you by our concerns which we must know A. We must know 1. Whence we are or who made us 2. And whither we are going or for what End he made us 3. And which is the way or what means must be used to attain that end Q. 5. What must we Learn to Love and Choose and Hope for A. We must learn to Love best that which is Best in it self and best to us and others and to choose the means by which it must be attained which implyeth Hating and Refusing the contraries Q. 6. What must we learn to practise A. We must Practise the means to obtain the End of our lives and that is our Obedience to Him that made us Q. 7. Cannot we learn this of our selves without Teachers A. There is some part of this which Nature it self will teach you as soon as you come to the free use of Reason and look about you in the World And there is some part of it that Nature alone will not teach you without a higher Teaching from above And even that which Nature teacheth you you have also need of a Teachers help â—o Learn it speedily and truly For Nature doth â—ot Teach all things alike easily speedily and sureâ—y It quickly teacheth a Child to suck It quickâ—y teacheth us to eat and drink and go and talk â—nd yet here there is need of help Children learn â—ot to speak without teaching It teacheth men â—ow to do their worldly business And yet they â—ave need of Masters to teach it them and will â—erve an Apprentiship to learn Some things Naâ—â—re will teach to none but good wits upon diliâ—ent search and study and honest willingness to â—now which Dullards and slothful and Bad men â—each not Q. 8. Who be they that must Teach and who must â—earn A. None is able to Teach more than they Know â—â—emselves And all that are Ignorant have need â—â— Learn But Nature hath put all Children unâ—er a necessity of Learning for though they are â—â—rn with a Capacity to know yet not with actuâ—â— knowledge And Nature hath made it the duty â—â— Parents to be the Teachers of their Children â—â—st and then to get the help of others h Q. 9. May we give over Learning when we are â—â—st Childhood i A. No We must go on to Learn as long as we live For we know but in part and therefore still have need of more But those that have neglected to Learn in their Childhood have most need of all it being most sinful and unnatural to be ignorant at full age and signifieth great neglect Q. 10. Who must teach us at Age A. Parents and Masters must teach their House holds and Publick Teachers are Officers to Teacâ— all publickly And all that have Wisdom shoulâ— take all fit opportunities in Charity to teach anâ— edifie one another Knowledge and Goodness haâ—â— a communicative nature Q. 11. How must Parents teach their housholds A. Very familiarly and plainly according â—â— their capacities beginning with the plain and nâ— cessary things and this is it which we call Catâ—chizing which is nothing but the choosing out â—â— the few plain necessary matters from all the resâ— and in due method or order teaching them to tâ—â— ignorant Q. 12. What need we Catâ—chisms while we haâ—â— the Bible A. Because the Bible containeth all the whoâ—â— body of Religious Truths which the ripest Chrâ—stians should know but are not all of equal necessitâ— to Salvation with the greatest points And it caâ— not be expected that ignorant persons can cull oâ— these most necessary points from the rest withoâ—â— help A man is not a man without a Head and Heart But he may be a man if he lose a finger or a hand but not an intire man Nor a comely man without Hair Nails and Natures Ornaments So a man cannot be a Christian or a good or happy man without the Great most necessary points in the Bible nor an intire Christian without the rest Life and Death lyeth not on all alike And the skilful must gather the most necessary for the ignorant which is a Catechisme Q. 13. But is not Knowledge the gift of God A. Yes but he giveth it by means Three things must concurr 1. A right presenting to the Learner which is the Teachers work 2. A fitness in the Learner by capacity willingness and diligence 3. The blessing of God without which no man can be wise And therefore three sorts will be ignorant and Erroneous 1. Those that have not the happiness of true Teachers nor Truth presented to them 2. Those that by sottishness pride sensuality malignity or sloth are uncapable or unwilling to learn 3. Those that by wilful sinning against God are deprived of the necessary blessing of his help and Illumination CHAP. II. How to know our selves by Nature Qu. 1. WHat is the first thing that a man must know Ans. The first in Being and Excellency is GOD But the first in Time known by Man or the lowest step where our Knowledge beginneth are the sensible things near us which we see hear feel c. and especially our selves Q. 2. What know we of the things which we seâ— and feel c A. A Man of sound senses and understanding knoweth them to be such as Sense apprehendeth whilâ— they are rightly set before him the Eye seeth Lighâ— and Colours the Ear heareth Sounds and words and so of the rest and the sound Understanding judgeth them to be such as the sense perceiveth unlesâ— distance or false Mediums deceive us Q. 3. But how know you that sense is not deceived you say that is Bread and Wine in the Sacrament which the Papists say is not A. God hath given us no other faculties buâ— Sense by which to judge of sensible things as Lighâ— and Darkness Heat and Cold Sweet and Bitter Soft and Hard c. Therefore if we be here deceived God is our Deceiver and we are remediless even Faith and Reason suppose our Senses and their true Perception and if that first Perception be false Faith and Reason could be no truer God expecteth not that we should Judge by other Faculties than such as he hath given us for the Perception of those Objects Q. 4. What doth a Man first perceive of himself A. We first feel that we are real Beings and we perceive that we use and have our Senses that we See Hear Feel Smell Taste and then we perceive that we Understand and Think of the things so Seen Felt c.
2. To shew us in the blessed effect that the Sanctification of the Spirit is not a Fancy but a Holy Church is renewed and saved by it 3. To tell us that God forsaketh not the Earth though he permit Ignorance Infidelity and Wickedness to abound and Malice to persecute the Truth still God hath a Holy Church which he will preserve and save And though this or that Church may apostatize and cease there shall be still a Catholick Church on Earth 4. To mind us of the wonderful Providence of God which so continueth and preserveth a Holy People hated by open Enemies and wicked Hypocrites by Satan and all his Instrments on Earth 5. To teach us to love the Unity of Christians and carefully maintain it and not to tear the Church by the Engins of proud Mens needless Snares nor to be rashly censorious of any or excommunicate them unjustly nor to separate from any further than they separte from Christ but to rejoice in our common Union in Christian Faith and Love and not let wrongs or infirmities of Christians or Carnal Interests or Pride or Passion nor different Opinions about things not necessary to our Unity destroy our Love or Peace or break this holy bond CHAP. XIX The Communion of Saints Qu. 1. HOw is this Article joyned to the former A. As it belongs to our Belief in the Holy Ghost it tells us the effect of his Sanctification And as it belongs to our belief of the holy catholick Church it tells us the end of Church Relation that Saints may live in a holy Communion Q. 2. What is it to be a Saint A. To be separated from a common and unclean Conversation unto God and to be absolutely devoted to him to Love serve and trust him and hope for his Salvation Q. 3. Are all Saints that are members of the catholick Church A. Yes by Profession if not in sincerity All that are sincere and living members of the Church are really devoted to God by Heart-consent and the rest are devoted by Baptism and outward Profession and are Hypocrites pretending falsly to be real Saints Q. 4. Why then doth the Church of Rome Canonize some few and call them Saints if all Christians be Saints A. By Saints they mean extraordinary Saints But their appropriating the Name to such much tendeth to delude the People as if they might be saved though they be not Saints Q. 5. What is meant by the Communion of Saints A. Such a frame and practice of Heart and Life towards one another as supposeth Union such as is between the Members of the Body Q. 6. Wherein doth this Communion consist A. 1. In their common Love to God Faith in Christ and Sanctification by the Spirit 2. In their Love to one another as themselves 3. In their care for one anothers welfare and endeavour to promote it as their own and when Love makes all their goods so far common to all Christians within their converse as that they do to their power supply their wants in the order and measure that Gods Providence and their Relations and Acquaintance direct them preferring the relief of others necessities before their own superfluity or fulness 4. In their joyning as with one Mind and Soul and Mouth in Gods publick Worship and that in the holy Order under their respective Pastors which Christ by his Spirit in the Apostles hath instituted Q. 7. Why is our joyning in the Lords Supper called our Communion A. Because it is a special Symbol Badge and Expression of it instituted by Christ to signifie our Communion with him and one another Q. 8. Is that to be only a Communion of Saints A. Yes that in a special manner is appropriated to Saints Other parts of Communion as eating together relieving each other duties of Relation c. are so far to be used towards Unbelievers that they are not so meet to be the distinguishing Symbols of Christians But the two Sacraments Baptism for Entrance and the Lords Supper for continuance of Communion Christ hath purposely appointed for such Badges or Signs of his People as separate from the World Q. 9. By what Order are others to be kept from Church-communion A. Christ hath instituted the Office of the Sacred Ministry for this end that when they have made Disciples to him they may be entrusted with the Keyes of his Church that is especially the Administration of these Sacraments first judging who is fit to be entred by Baptism and then who is fit for continued Communion Q. 10. May not the Pastors by this means become Church-Tyrants A. We must not put down all Government for fear of Tyranny else Kingdoms Armies Colledges Schools must be all dissolved as well as Churches some body must be trusted with this Power and who is fitter than they who are called to it as their Office and therefore supposed best qualified for it Q. 11. What if none were trusted with it and Sacraments left free to all A. Then Sacraments would be no Sacraments and the Church would be no Church If any man or woman that would might baptize whom and when they would they might baptize Turks and Heathens and that over and over who come in Scorn and they might baptize without a Profession of true Faith or upon a false Profession And if every man might give the Lords Supper to another it might be brought into Alehouses and Taverns in merrymerit or as a Charm or every Infidel or Enemy might in scorn profane it Do you think that if Baptism and the Lords Supper were thus administred that they would be any Symbols or Badges of Christianity or of a Church or any means of mens Salvation No Christians ever dreamt of such Profanation Q. 12. But why may not the Pastors themselves give them to all that will A. Either you would have them forced to do so or to do it freely If forced they are no Judges who is fit And who then shall be Judge If the Magistrate you make him a Pastor and oblige him to teach examine hear and try all the Peoples Knowledge Faith and Lives which will find them work enough And this is not to depose the Ministers power but to put it on another that hath more already than he can do And a Pastor then that delivereth the Sacrament to every one that the Magistrate bids him shall be a Slave and not a free performer of the acts of his own Office unless that Magistrate try and judge and the Minister be but a Deacon that must give account for no more than the bare delivering it But if it be the Receivers of Baptism or the Lords Supper that shall be Judges and may force the Pastor to give it them I have shewed you already the profanation will make it no Sacrament nor Church And if Pastors that are Judges shall freely give them to all they will be the Profaners and such Ministration will confound the Church and
the Creature-knowledge and to be able to talk as knowing Men or the better to serve our Worldly Ends and not to know and glorifie God is to prophane the works of God And alas then how common is prophaneness in the World Q. 10. What is it to Sanctifie God's Name as in our Redemption A. Redemption is such a wonderful work of God to make him known to sinners for their Sanctification and Salvation as no Tongue of Man can fully utter To think of God the Eternal Word first undertaking Man's Redemption and then taking the Nature of Man dwelling in so mean a Tabernacle fulfilling all Righteousness for us Teaching Man the knowledge of God and bringing Life and Immortality to light dying for us as a Malefactor to save us from the Curse Rising the third day Commissioning his Apostles undertaking to build his Church on a Rock which the Gates of Hell should not prevail against ascending up to Heaven sending down the wonderful and sanctifying Spirit Interceding for us and Reigning over all who receiveth faithful Souls to himself and will raise our Bodies and judge the World Can all this be believed and thought of without admiring the manifold wisdom the unconceivable Love and Mercy the Holiness and Justice of God! This must be the daily study of Believers Qu. 11. How is this Name of God prophaned A. When this wonderful work of Mans Redemption is not believed but taken by Infidels to be but a deceit Or when it is heard but as a common History and affecteth not the Hearer with admiration thankfulness desire and submission to Christ when Men live as if they had no great Obligation to Christ or no great need of him Q. 12. How is Gods Name as our Sanctifier to be hallowed A. Therein he cometh near us even into us with Illuminating Quickening Comforting Grace renewing us to his Nature Will and Image Marking us for his own and maintaining the cause of Christ against his Enemies And therefore must in this be specially notified honoured obediently observed and thankfully and joyfully admired Q. 13. But how can they honour God's Spirit and Grace who have it not Or they that have so little as not well to discern it A. The least prevailing sincere Holiness hath a special excellency turning the Soul from the World to God and may be perceived in Holy desires after him and sincere endeavours to obey him And the beauty of Holiness in others may be perceived by them that have little or none themselves if they be not grown to Malignant Enmity You may see by the Common desire of Mankind to be esteemed Wise and Good and their Impatience of being thought and called Foolish Ungodly or Bad Men that even corrupted Nature hath a radicated Testimony in it self for Goodness and against Evil. Q. 14. Who be they that prophane this Name of God A. Those that see no great need of the Spirit of Holiness or have no desire after it but think that Nature and Art may serve the turn without it Those that think that there is no great difference between Man and Man but what their Bodily temperature and their Education maketh and that it is but Phanatick delulusion or Hypocrisie to pretend to the Spirit Those that hate or deride the Name of Spirituality and Holiness and those that resist the Holy Ghost Q. 15. How is God known and honoured in his Providence A. By his Providence he so Governeth all the World and particularly all the Affairs of Men as shews us his Omnipotence his Omniscience and his Goodness and Love ordering them all to his Holy End even the pleasing of his good Will in their Perfection Q. 16. How can we see this while the World lyeth in Madness Unbelief and Wickedness and the worst are greatest and Contention Confusion and Bloody Wars do make the Earth a kind of Hell and the Wise Holy and Iust are despised hated and destroyed A. 1. Wisdom and Holiness and Justice are conspicuous and honourable by the odiousness of their contraries which though they fight against them and seem to prevail do but exercise them to their increase and greater glory And all the Faithful are secured and purified and prepared for Felicity by the Love and Providence of God 2. And as the Heavens are not all Stars but spangled with Stars nor the Stars all Suns nor Beasts and Vermine Men nor the Earth and Stones are Gold and Diamonds nor is the Darkness Light the Winter Summer or Sickness Health or Death Life And yet the wonderful Variety and Vicissitude contributeth to the Perfection of the Universe as the Variety of parts to the Perfection of the Body so God maketh use even of Mens Sin and Folly and of all the mad Confusions and Cruelties of the World to that perfect Order and Harmony which he that accomplisheth them doth well know though we perceive it not because we neither see the Whole nor the End but only the little Particles and the Beginnings of God's unsearchable works 3. And this dark and wicked World is but a little Spot of God's vast Creation and seemeth to be the lowest next to Hell while the lucid Glorious heavenly Regions are incomprehensibly great and no doubt possessed by Inhabitants suitable to so glorious a place And as it is not either the Gallows or the Prison that is a dishonour to the Kingly Government so neither is Hell or the Sins on Earth a dishonour to the Government of God 4. And as every Man is nearest to himself it is the duty of us all carefully to record all the Mercies and special Providences of God to our selves that we may know his Government and him and use the remembrance of them to his Glory Q. 17. How is the heavenly Glory as a Name of God to us that see it not A. We see vast lucid Bodies and Regions above us And by the help of things seen we may conceive of things unseen and by Divine Revelation we may certainly know them We have in the Gospel as it were a Map of Heaven in its description and a title to it in the Promises and a notifying earnest and foretast in our Souls so far as we are Sanctified Believers Q. 18. How must we hallow this Name of God A. 1. Firmly believing the heavenly Glory not only as it shall be our own Inheritance but as it is now the most Glorious and Perfect part of Gods Creation where Myriads of Angels and Glorious Spirits in perfect Happiness Love and Joy are Glorifying their most Glorious Creator and as the Saints with Christ their most Glorious Head shall for ever make up that Glorious Society and the Universe it self be seen by us in that Glorious Perfection in which the Perfection of the Creator will appear 2. And in the constant delightful Contemplation of this Supernal Glorious World by Heavenly Affections and Conversation keeping our Minds above while our Bodyes are here below and looking beyond this Prison of Flesh
to know natural good from evil and an Appetite to desire it accordingly But because Natural Good and Evil are to be estimated as they tend to Spiritual and everlasting Good or Evil God giveth us Reason and Faith to Order our desires accordingly And because our Knowledge of this is imperfect when and how far Natural Good or Evil conduceth to Spiritual and Eternal it is still supposed that we make not our selves but God the Judge and so desire Life Health and Food and Natural Supplies with submission to his Will for time and measure they being but means to higher things Q. 4. Why ask we for no more than Bread A. To shew that Corporal things are not our Treasure nor to be desired for any thing but their proper use and to renounce all covetous desires of Superfluity or provision for our inordinate fleshly Lusts. Q. 5. Some say that by Bread is meant Jesus Christ because there is no Petition that mentioneth him A. Every part of the Lord's Prayer includeth Christ It is by him that God is our Father by him that the Holy Name of God is hallowed It is his Kingdom that we pray may come it is his Law or will which we pray may be done It is he that purchaseth our right to the Creature and redeemed Nature It is by him that we must have the forgiveness of Sin and by his Grace that we are delivered from temptations and all Evil c. Q. 6. Why ask we Bread of God as the Giver A. To signifie that we are and have nothing but by his gift and must live in continual dependance on his Will and begging receiving and thanksgiving are our work Q. 7. But do we not get it by our Labour and the gift of Men A. Our Labours are vain without God's Blessing and Men are but God's Messengers to carry us his gifts Q. 8. What need we Labour if God give us all A. God giveth his Blessings to meet Receivers and in the use of his appointed Means He that will not both beg and labour as God requireth him is unmeet to receive his gifts Q. 9. Why do we ask Bread from Day to Day A. To shew that we are not the keepers of our selves or our stock of Provisions but as Children live upon our Fathers daily allowance and continually look to him for all and daily renew our thanks for all and study the daily improvement of his maintenance in our Duties Q. 10. But when a Man hath Riches for many Years what need he ask daily for what he hath A. He hath no assurance of his Life or Wealth an Hour nor of the Blessing of it but by God's gift h Q. 11. Why say we Give us rather than Give me A. To exercise our common Love to one another and renounce that narrow selfishness which consineth Mens regard and desires to themselves And to shew that we come not to God meerly in a single Capacity but as Members of the World as Men and Members of Christ's Body or Church as Christians And that in the Communion Saints as we shew our Charity to one another so we have a part in the Prayers of all Q. 12. May we then pray against Poverty and Sickness and hurt A. Yes as aforesaid so far as they are hurtful to our Natures and thereby to our Souls and the ends of Life Q. 13. Doth not naming Bread before Forgiveness and Grace shew that we must first and most desire it A. We before exprest our highest desire of God's Glory Kingdom and Will and as to our own Interest all the three last Petitions go together and are inseparable but the first is the lowest though it be first in place Nature sustained is the first but it will be but the subject of sin and misery without Pardon and Holiness I told you that the three last Petitions go according to the Order of Execution from the lowest to the highest step God's Kingdom and Righteousness must be first sought in order of Estimation and Intention by all that will attain them Q. 14. But if God give us more than Bread even Plenty for our delight as well as necessaries may we not use it accordingly A. Things are necessary to our well being that are not necessary to our Being We may ask and thankfully use all that by strengthening and comforting Nature tendeth to fit the Spirit for the joyful Service of God and to be helpful to others But we must neither ask nor use any thing for the service of our Lusts or tempting unprofitable pleasure Q. 15. What if God deny us necessaries and a Christian should be put to beg or be famished how then doth God make good his Word that he will give us whatever we ask through Christ and that other things shall be added if we seek first his Kingdom and Righteousness and that Godliness hath the promise of this Life and that to come A. Remember as aforesaid 1. That the things of this Life are promised and given not as our happiness but as Means to better 2. And that we are promised no more than we are fit to receive and use 3. And that God is the highest Judge both how far outward things would help or hinder us and how far we are fit to receive them Therefore if he deny them he certainly knoweth that either we are unmeet for them or they for us Q. 16. When should a Man say He hath enough A. When having God's Grace and favour he hath so much of Corporal things as will best further his Holiness and Salvation and as it pleaseth the Will of God that he should have Q. 17. May not a Man desire God to bless his labours and to be rich A. A Man is bound to labour in a lawful Calling that is able and to desire and beg God's Blessing on it But he must not desire Riches or Plenty for it self or for fleshly Lusts nor be over importunate with God to make him his Steward for others Q. 18. What if God give us Riches or more than we need our selves A. We must believe that he maketh us his Stewards to do all the good with it that we can to all but specially to the Houshold of Faith But to spend no more in sinful Lust and Pleasure than if we were Poor Q. 19. What doth daily Bread oblige us to A. Daily Service and daily Love and thankfulness to God and to mind the end for which it 's given to be alwayes ready at the end of a Day to give up our account and end our journey Q. 20. What is the sin and danger of the love of Riches A. The Love of Money or Riches is but the fruit of the Love of the Flesh whose Lust would never want Provision But it is the Root of a Thousand farther Evils As it shews a wretched Soul that doth not truly believe and trust God for this Life much less for a better but
us preach and pray c. and yet to quench a Fire or save mens Lives we may and must at that time forbear Preaching or Sacraments or other publick Worship Q. 7. But what if as many will be scandalized or tempted to sin on the other side if I do it not A. No duty being a duty at all times much less a thing indifferent though commanded everâ— Christian must prudently use the Scales and by aâ— the helps of wise men that he can get must discern which way is like to do most good or hurâ— considering the persons for number for quality and probability of the effect God binds us to Charity and Mercy and no man can disoblige us from that And he that sincerely desireth to do the greatest good and avoid the greatest hurt and useth the best means he can to know it shall be accepted of God though men condemn him Q. 8. But is nothing here forbidden but symbolizing with Idolaters in seeming to mean as they by doing as they A. That 's it that is directly forbidden But by consequence it is implyed that all Doctrines are forbidden that falsely represent God and all Worship â—or acts pretended to be Religious which are unâ—â—itable to Gods holy Nature Attributes Will or Word as being prophanation and an offering to God that which is unclean Q. 9. What is the Command which is here imâ—lyed A. That we keep our Souls chast from all outward and seeming Idolatry and that we worship â—im who is the Infinite Almighty Holy Spirit with Reverence Holiness in Spirit and Truth according to his Blessed perfect Nature and his holy Will and Word Q. 10. Hath God given us a Law for all things â— his Worship A. The Law of Nature is Gods Law and obâ—…geth man to that devotion to God and worship â—f him which is called Natural And the sacred Scripture prescribeth both that and also all those positive means or Ordinances of Gods Worship which are made necessary to the universal Church on Earth And as for the meer Accidents of worship which are no proper parts as Time Place Words Methods Gesture Vesture c. Gods Laws give us gèneral Precepts only telling us how to order them leaving it to humane Prudence and Church Guides to order them according to those general Rules Q. 11. Is à ll use of Images unlawful A. God did so much hate Idolatry and the Neighbourhood of the Idolaters made it so dangerous to the Israelites that he did not only forbid the Worshipping of Images but all such making or using of them as might become a snarâ— or temptation to any So that though it be lawful to make Images for Civil uses and when they are made to fetch holy Thoughts or Meditationâ— from them as from all other Creatures or thingâ— in the World yet in any case when they becomâ— a snare or danger being not necessary things â—… they become a sin to those that so use them as snare to others or themselves Q. 12. Is it lawful to make any Picture of God A. No for Pictures are the signs of Corporeal things and it is Blasphemy to think God likâ— a bodily Substance But it is Lawful to make sucâ— Pictures as of a Glorious Light from which oâ—casion may be taken of good thoughts concerniâ— God Q. 13. Is it lawful to make the Picture of Christ as Man or as Crucified A. The doing it as such is not forbidden nor the right use of it when done But the abuse i. e. the worshipping of it or of Christ by it is forbidden and the making or using such when it tendeth to such abuse and hath more of snare than profit Q. 14. Why is Gods Iealousie here mentioned A. To make us know that God doth so strictly require the great duty of worshipping him as the true God and hate the sin of Idolatry or giving his Glory to another or blaspheming him as if he were like to painted things that he would have us accordingly affected Q. 15. Why doth God threaten to visit the iniquities of the Fathers on the Children in this Command rather than in the rest A. God hath Blessings and Curses for Societies as well as for individual persons And societies are constituted and known by the Symbols of publick profession And as Gods publick Worship is the Symbol of his Church which he will bless so Idolatrous Worship is the Symbol of the societies which he will Curse and Punish And it was Specially needful that the Israelites should know this who could never else have been excused from the guilt of Murdering Man Woman and Child of all the Nations which they conquered had not God taken it on himself as judging â—hem to death for their Idolatry and other Crimes â—nd making the Israelites his Executioners Q. 16. But doth not God disclaim punishing the Children for the Fathers sins and say the Soul that sinneth shall die A. Yes when the Children are either wholly innocent of that sin or else are pardoned through Christ upon their true repentance and hating and renouncing their Fathers sins But not else Q. 17. Are any Children guilty of their Parents sins A. Yes all Children are guilty of the sins which their Parents Committed before their birth while they were in their loins Not with the same degree and sort of Guilt as the Parents are but yet with so much as exposeth them to just penalties Q. 18. How prove you that A. First by the Nature of the Case For though we were not Personally existent in them when they sinned we were seminally existent in them which is more than Causally or Virtually And it was thaâ— semen which was guilty in them that was after made a person and so that person must have the same guiltâ— 2. From the whole History of the Scripture which tells us of the Children of Cain the old World Sodoâ— Cham the Canaanites Saul David as an Adulterer Achan Gehazi and others punished for theiâ— Parents sins And the Jews cast off and Cursed oâ— that account to this day 3. And our common Original sin from Adam proveth it Q. 19. But our Original sin from Adam had anâ— ther cause God decreeing that Adam should stanâ— or fall for all his posterity A. We must not adde to Gods Word much leâ—… blaspheme him as if it were God himself that bâ—… a Decree or Covenant made all the world sinneâ—… save Adam and Eve If Adam had not sinned it would not have saved all or any of his Posterity unless they also had continued innocent themselves Nor did God make any promise to continue and keep innocent all Adams posterity in case he sinned not We sinned in Adam because we were seminally in him and so are our Children in us And who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean if it was essentially in it Q. 20. If we are guilty of all neerer parents sin will not our guilt increase to the end of the World and the
for man and not man for the Sabbath so were the other dayes Q. 17. May not Rich men that have no need forbear the six dayes Labour A. No if they are able It is part of Gods Service and Riches are his gift And to whom he giveth much from them he expecteth not less but more Shall servants work less because they have more wages It is not only for their own supplyes that God commandeth men to Labour but also for the publick good and the benefit or relief of others and the health of their Bodies and the suitable employment of their minds and that none of their short precious time be lost in sinful idleness Q. 18. But it will seem sordid for Lords and Knights and Ladies to labour A. It is swinish and sinful not to Labour But they must do it in works that are suitable to their places As Physicians School-masters and Church-Ministers labour not in the same kind of imployment as Plow-men and Tradesmen do so Magistrates have their proper Labour in Government and Rich Persons have Families Children and Servants to oversee their poor Neighbours and Tenants to visit encourage and relieve and their equals so to converse with as tendeth to the greatest good But none must live idly Q. 19. Was Rest on the Sabbath absolutely commanded A. It was alwayes a duty to break it when a greater duty came in which required it As Christ hath told the Pharisees in the Case of feeding Man or Beast healing the sick and doing such necessary good For God preferreth Morals before Rituals and his rule is I will have mercy and not Sacrifice Q. 20. Why then was bodily Rest Commanded A. That body and mind might be free from diversion weariness and distraction and fit with pleasure wholly to serve God in the religious dutyes of his Worship Q. 21. Why doth God mention not only Servants but Beasts A. As he would not have Servants enslaved and abused by such Labour as should unfit them for Sabbath-work and Comfort so he would have man exercise the clemency of his Nature even towards the Brutes and Beasts cannot labour but man will be put to some Labour or diversion by it And God would have the whole place where we dwell and all that we have to do with to bear an open signification of our obedience to his Command and our reverence to his sanctified Day and Worship Q. 22. Is this Commandement now in force to Christians A. So much of it materially is in force as is of the Law of Nature or of Christ by supernatural Revelation and no more Therefore the Seventh day Sabbath of Corporal Rest is changed by Christ into the Lords day appointed for Christian Worship Q. 23. Was not all that was written in stone of perpetual obligation A. No Nor any as such For as it was written on those stones it was the Law of Moses for the Iews and bound no other Nations and is done away by the dissolving of their Republick and by Christ. Q 24. How prove you all this A. 1. As Moses was Ruler or Mediator to none but the Iews and the words of the Decalogue are appropriate to them as redeemed from Egyptian bondage so the Tables were delivered to no other and a Law cannot bind any without promulgation All the world was not bound to send to the Iews for Revelation nor to be their Proselytes 2. The Scripture expresly affirmeth the change 2 Cor. 3. 3 7 11. If the ministration of death written and engraven in stones was glorious so that the Children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the Glory of his Countenance which was to be or is done away c. For if that which is done away was Glorious or By Glory much more that which remaineth is Glorious or In glory Here it is evident that it is the Law written on Stone that is mentioned and that it is not as some say the Glory only of Moses Face or the flaming mount which is done away for that was done away in a few dayes But it is the Law which is called Glorious that is said to be done away The words can bear no other sence It 's too tedious to cite all The Texts following fully prove it Heb. 7. 11 12. 18. 9. 18 19. Eph. 2. 15. Ioh. 1. 17. Luk. 16. 16. Rom. 2. 12 14 15 16. 3. 19 20 21 27 28 31. 4. 13 14 15 16. 5. 13 20. 7. 4 5 6 7 8 16. 9. 4 31 32. 10. 5. Gal. 2. 15 16 19 21. 3. 2 10 11 12 13 19 21 24. 4. 21. 5. 3 4 14 23. 6. 13. Phil. 3. 6 9. 1 Cor. 9. 21. 3. And the Sabbath it self is expresly said to be â—eased with the rest Col. 2. 16. Let no man judge â—ou in meat or in drink or in respect of an Holy day or Feast or of the New Moon or of the Sabbaths which are a shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ. It was the weekly Sabbath that was the thief of Sabbaths and therefore included in the pluâ—…al name there being no exception of it 4. And to put all out of doubt Christ who commandeth not two weekly Sabbaths hath appointed and sanctified the First day of the week instead of â—he Seventh-day Sabbath not calling it The Sabbath but the Lords day Q. 25. How prove you that A. If you will search the Scripture you shall see â—â—proved by these degrees I. Christ commissioned â—is Apostles to teach the Churches all his Doctrines Commands and Orders and so to settle and guide them Luk. 6. 13. Mat. 28. 18 19 20. Ioh. 20. 21. Luk. 10. 16. Mat. 10. 40. Act. 26. 17. 1 Cor. 15. â— 11. 23. 4. 1 2. Gal. 1. 11 12. Ioh. 21. 5 16 17. Mat. 16. 19. Ioh. 17. 18. 13. 16 â—0 Act. 1. 2 24 25. 2. 42. 10. 5. Gal. â— 1. Eph. 4. 11 to 16. 1 Cor. 12. 28 29. Eph. â— 20. 2 Pet. 3. 2. II. Christ promised his Spirit to them to enable them to perform their Commission and lead them into all truth and to bring all to their remembrance and to Guide them as his Churches Guides and so as the promulgators of his Commands For this see Ier. 3. 15. Isa. 44. 3. Ioel 2. 28 29 c. And Luk. 24. 49. Ioh. 15. 26 27. 16. 7 12 13 14 15 17. 18. Mat. 28. 20. Act. 1. 4 8. III. Christ performed this promise and gave them the infallible Spirit accordingly to perform their Commissioned work See Heb. 10. 23. Tit. 1. 2. 1 Ioh. 5. 10. Ioh. 20. 22. Act. 2. 15. 28. Heb. 2. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 12. Rom. 15. 19 20 c. IV. Christ himself laid the Foundation by Rising that day as God did of the Sabbath by ceasing from his Work He appeared to his disciples Congregate on that day He sent down the Holy Ghosâ— his Agent
the reason of it still remaineth as directive to us When thousands of good people want food and we cannot give all it 's a sin to prefer an incorrigible wicked Son before them Q. 28. But God may change them when the Parents are dead A. It is supposed that the Parents have tryed to the utmost of their Power And Parents cannot judge of what unlikelihoods God may bring to pass when they are dead If God change them God will provide for them If Parents have any hope they may leave somewhat in trusty hands to give them when they see them Changed If not such may work for themselves Q. 29. But what if a Son be not deboist but Civil But be of a Corrupt understanding inclined to ill Opinions and averse to serious Piety and like to use his Estate to the hurt of the Church or Common-wealth What shall Parents do by such A. The publick Interest is to be preferred before a Sons If Parents have good hopes that such a Son may do more good than harm with his Estate they must trust him as far as Reason requireth rather than to trust a Stranger But if they have reason to believe that he will do more harm than good with it they should settle it in trust to do all that good which he should do and not leave it to do hurt if it be in their Power Allowing him necessary maintenance Q. 30. Should not Parents leave all their Estates to their Children Or what proporion must they give them A. Nature makes Children so near their Parents that no doubt they must be specially careful of their Corporal and Spiritual welfare above others And the Israelites being tyed to keep their Possessions in their Families and Line were under an extraordinary obligation in this matter But to all Christians the Interest of God and the Common good is the Chief and to be preferred They that all Sold their possessions and laid down the Money at the Apostles feer did not scruple alienating them from their Heirs In this case Children are to be considered 1. As meer Receivers of their own due 2. Or as their Parents Trustees for doing good If they be like to prove faithful their Parents should rather trust them than others with their Estates to do good when they are gone But if not they should secure a due proportion for good Works And however all men should in their Life do all the good that regularly they can do For who can expect that his Son should do that good with his Estate which he had not a Heart to do himself And who would not rather secure a reward to himself than to his Son Q. 31. Do you disallow of the Common Course which is to give all that men can get to their Children save some small droppings now and then to the Poor A. I take it to be the effect of that SELFISHNESS which is the grand Enemy to the Love of God and Man A carnal Selfish man doth live to his Flesh and Carnal Self for which he gathers all that he can get And when he must needs dye and can no longer enjoy it he takes his Children to be as parts of himself and what they have he thinks he almost hath himself And so out of meer Self-love doth Love them and enrich them But a Holy person thinks all is Gods and that it is best used which is best improved to his Will and Kingdom But Alas what have Selfish carnal worldlings to account for When the best they can say of the use of Gods talents is that they pampered the flesh with as much as it craved and the rest they gave their Children to make them rich that their Flesh also might be pampered and their lust might want no fewel or provision nor their Souls want temptation Hundreds or Thousands given to Daughters and Lands purchased for their Sons and now and then a Farthing or a Penny given to the Poor And though the Hypocrites take on them to believe Christ that it 's harder for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God than for a Camel to go through a Needle 's eye yet they live as if nothing were the desire and business of their lives but to make their own and their Childrens Salvation by Riches thus next to impossible Q. 32. Is it well as is usual to give the eldest Son all the Inheritance A. Nature and Scripture tell us of some preeminence of the eldest This Birthright Iacob thought worth the buying of Esau Christ is called the First-born of every Creature because the first-born have the preeminence of Rule Wealth and Honour And the heavenly Society are called The general Assembly of the first-born whose Names are enrolled in Heaven Heb. 12. Because they are in Honour and Power above others But yet 1. The Younger also are Sons and must have their part And it pleased God to leave on record how oft he hath preferred the Younger Even an Abel before Cain a Seth before his Seniors a Sem before Iaphet and Cham Isaac before Ishmael Iacob before Esau David and Solomon before their Elder Brethren 2. But to the faithful though Nature be not disregarded yet Grace teacheth us what to prefer And Christ and his members are dearer to us than our Sons or natural members In cases where we must deny our selves for Christ and the publick good we may also deny our natural Kindred For they are not nearer to us than our selves And if an eldest Son be wicked or unprofitable a believing Parent should give him the less and more to a younger yea to a Stranger that will do more service to God and his Countrey and not prefer a fleshly difference and priviledge before a Spiritual and his Masters Service Q. 33. What is the Duty of Husbands to their Wives A. To love them as themselves and live with them in conjugal Chastity as Guides and Helpers and provide for them and the Family to endeavour to cure their infirmities and passions and patiently bear what is not cured to preserve their honour and authority over inferiours and help them in the education of their Children and comfort them in all their sufferings Q. 34. What is the duty of Wives to their Husbands A. To live with them in true Love and Conjugal Chastity and Fidelity to help them in the Education of Children and governing Servants and in worldly affairs To learn of them and obey them To provoke them to dutyes of Piety and Charity and to bear with their infirmities and Comfort and Help them in their Sufferings And both must live as the Heirs of Heaven in preparation for the Life to come Q. 35. What is the duty of Masters to their Servants A. To employ them suitably not unmercifully in profitable labour and not in sin or vanity To allow them their due wages and maintenance keeping them neither in hurtful Want nor in Idleness or sinful fulness To
when the Ear is set open to ribald and defiling words Q. 17. How is the Tongue guilty of Uncleanness A. By the aforesaid filthy or wanton talk reading alluring Books using alluring words to others â—ut worst of all by defending extenuating or excuâ—â—ng any filthy Lusts. Q. 18. What are the chief Causes of this sin A. It is supposed that God put into Nature an â—rdinate Governable Appetite to Generation in Manâ—ind But that which rendereth it inordinate and unâ—â—ly and destructive is 1. Overmuch pampering â—â—e flesh by pleasing Meats and Drinks 2. Idleness â—ot keeping under the Body by due labour nor â—eeping the Mind in honest employment about our â—allings and the great matters of our Duty to God â—â—d of our Salvation which leave no room for Filth â—â—d Vanity 3. Want of a sanctified Heart and tenâ—er Conscience to resist the first degrees of the sin â—… Specially wilfull running into temptation Q. 19. By what degrees do Persons come to Forniâ—…ion A. 1. By the foresaid cherishing the Causes Apâ—…ite and Idleness 2. By this means the lustfull Inclinations of the â—â—esh grow as strong and troublesome in some as a â—…lent Itch or as a Thirst in a Feaver 3. Then an ungoverned Eye must gaze upon some tempting piece of Flesh. 4. And if they get opportunity for frequent privacy and familiarity and use it in immodest sights and actions they are half overcome 5. For then the Devil as an unclean Spirit gets possession of the Imagination and there is a strong inclination in them to think of almost nothing else but fleshly filth and the pleasure that their Sense haâ— in such immodest bruitishness When God should have their Hearts Morning and Night and perhapâ— at Church and in holy Actions this unclean Spiriâ— ruleth their thoughts 6. Then Conscience growing senseless they feaâ— nor to seed these pernicious flames with ribbaâ—… talk and Romances and Amorous foolish Playes and conversing with such as are of their owâ— mind 7. After this where their Fancy is infected theâ— study and contrive themselves into further temptation to get that nearness opportunity and Secrecâ—… which may encourage them 8. And from thence Satan hurryeth them usuallâ— against Conscience into actual Fornication 9. And when they are once in the Devil and â—… Flesh say Twice may be pardoned as well â—… once 10. And some at last with seared Conscience grow to excuse it as a small sin And sometimâ—… are forsaken to fall into utter Insidelity or Atheisâ—… that no fear of Judgment may molest them â—… others sin on in horror and despair Of whom the two there is more hope as having less quiâ—…ness in their sins to hinder their repentance Q. 20. What are the best Remedies against all Unchastity and uncleanness of Mind and Body A. 1. The principal is the great work of renewing grace which taketh up the Heart of man to God and maketh him perceive that his Everlasting concerns are those that must take up his Mind and Life And this work still mortifieth the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof 2. Another is to make it seriously a great part of â—â—r Religion to subdue and destroy all fleshly sinâ—ul lusts and not to think a bare Conviction or Wish will do it But that it requireth more Labour than â—o kill Weeds in your ground or to tame unruly Colts or Cattle 3. Another means is to resolve upon a constant â—iligence in a lawful Calling Poor labouring men â—re seldom so vicious in Lust as idle Gentlemen â—…e 4. Temperance and Fasting when there is need â—nd avoiding fulness and flesh-pleasing meats and â—rinks Gluttons and Drunkards are fitted to be â—oars and Stallions 5. To keep a Conscionable Government of the â—ye and Thoughts and call them off as soon as Satan â—empteth them 6. Above all to be sure to keep far enough from â—empting persons Touch them not Be not priâ—…te with them There is no safety when fire and â—…powder are long near Nor in an infectious â—ouse Distance is the greatest means of safety 7. Another means is to foresee the End and think what will follow specially think of Death and Judgement Consider what the alluring flesh will be wheâ—… the Small-pox shall cover it with Scabs or when iâ—… shall have lain a few weeks stinking in a grave Thiâ— must be But O the thoughts of the Judgment oâ— God and the torment of a guilty Conscience shoulâ— be more mortifying helps To go to the house oâ— Mourning and see the end of all men and see whaâ— the dust and bones of men are when they are caâ—â— up out of the grave and to think where the Soâ—… are and must be for ever methinks should cure thâ—… folly of Lust. Q. 21. Is it unlawful for Men and Women especially the unmarryed to set out themselves in such Ornaments of Apparel as may make them seem most comelâ— and desireable A. 1. The common Rule is to be cloathed witâ— decent but modest Apparel such as shews the Body without deceit to be what it is which is neitheâ— loathsome nor alluring 2. And persons must bâ— invited to conjugal desires by Truth and not by Dâ—ceit and by the matters of real worth such as wiâ—dom godliness patience and meekness and not bâ— fleshly snares For Marriages so contracted are likâ— to turn to continued misery to both when the Body is known without the Ornaments and deceiâ— and the diseases of the Soul become vexatious 3. But there is much difference to be made â—… the Time and Ends. A young Woman thâ—… hath a Suitor and intendeth Marriage may go furthâ—… iâ— adorning her self to please him that chooseth her â—nd a Wife to please her Husbands Eye than they â—ay do to Strangers where there is no such purâ—ose or Relation To use a Procatious garb to be â—hought amiable to others where it may become a â—â—are but can do no good is the act of one that â—ath the folly of Pride and some of the dispositiâ—n of a Harlot even a pleasure and desire to have â—…ose think them amiable desirable persons in whom â—… may kindle concupiscence liker than any good Q. 22. But may not a crooked or deformed person â—…de their deformity by apparel or other means A. Yes so far as it only tends to avoid mens disâ—…in in a Common Conversation But not so as to â—eceive men in Marriage-desires or purposes or praâ—â—ice Q. 23. What if ones Condition be such that Marâ—…ge is like to impoverish them in the World and cast â—… into great streights and temptations and yet they â—… a bodily necessity of it A. God casteth none into a necessity of sinning â—…ication must not be committed to avoid poverâ—… If such can by lawful means overcome their lust â—…er must do it If not they must marry though they â—…er poverty Q. 24. What if Parents forbid their Children neâ—…ry mariage A. Such Children must use all lawful means to â—…ke Marriage unnecessary to them But if
more or run the hazard or what a man loseth by one bargain he gets by another 16. Some Usury is an Act of great Charity viz. A Landlord offereth to sell his Tenant his Land for much less than the worth The Tenant hath not Money to buy it A Rich Neighbour told him The Land is also offered to me but if you will I will lend you Money on use to buy it and pay me when you can It was Wood Land The Tenant borrows the Money and in two years sells the Wood which paid it all and had the Land for almost nothing Was not this charitable Usury I knew a worthy Person that trading in Iron works did partly for himself and partly in Charity take to Use the Moneys of many honest mean people that knew not else how to live or to use it and from a small Estate he grew to purchase at least Seven thousand pound per Annum to himself and his Sons was there any uncharitableness in this Usury 17. It is great uncharitableness in some not to give use for Money and Cruelty to set it out without use As when poor Orphans are left with nothing but a little Money to maintain them and abundance of Poor Widdows that have a little Money and no trade to use it in and must beg if they presently spend the stock If they lend it the Rich or those that gain by it in trading the gainers are unmerciful if they pay not use for it as well as unjust 18. They that say we must not lend to make men rich but only to the needy do put down all common Trading And forbid most young men to marry For that which will maintain a single man plentifully will not maintain a Wife and Children and provide them necessary Portions And if he must not endeavour to grow richer than he is how shall he maintain them who had but enough for himself before And how shall he be able to relieve the Poor or do any such good works if he may not endeavour to grow richer Q. 15. If a Merchant find that it 's usual to deceive the Custom-house or poor men think Chimney-Money or other Legal Taxes to be an Oppression may they not by Concealment save what they can A. No The Law hath given it the King if you like not to be his Subjects on the Terms of the Law remove into another Land If you cannot you must patiently suffer here It is no more lawful to rob the King than to rob another man Q. 16. Is it necessary to restore all that one hath wrongfully got A. Yes if he be able Q. 17. What if he be not able A. If he can get it by his Friends he must if not he must humble himself to him that he wrong'd and confess the debt and bind himself to pay him if ever he be able Q. 18. But what if it be a malicious man that will disgrace or ruine him if he know it Is he bound to Confess it A. Humanity it self will tell a man that Repentance is the greatest Honour next to Innocence and that a Repenting person that wâ—ll do it at so dear a rate is unlike to wrong him any more And therefore we may suppose that there are few so inhumane as to undo such a penitent But if he that knoweth him have good cause to judge that the injured person will make use of his Confession â—… To the wrong of the King or the Common-wealth or the Honour of Christianity or to a Greater hurt of the Confessor than the Confession is like to prove a good to any he may then forbear such a Confession to the person injured and send him secretly his Money by an unknown hand or if he cannot pay him Confess it to God and his spiritual Guide Q. 19. What if a man can restore it but not without the wrong or ruine of his Wife and Children who knew not of his sin A. His Wife took him with his debts as he did her and this is a real debt She can have no right by him in that which he hath no right himself to And â—e cannot give his Children that which is none of â—is own Q. 20. What if I wrong'd a Master but in some small matter in Marketting which is long since gone A. The debt remaineth And if you have the Value you must offer satisfaction Though its like that for â—mall things few will take it But you must Conâ—ess the fault and debt And forgiveness is equal to â—estitution Q. 21. What if those that I wronged be dead A. You owe the value to those that they gave â—heir Estate to Or if they be dead to the next â—eirs And if all be dead to God in some use of Charity Q. 22. What if any Father got it ill and left it â—s A. He can give you no Right to that which he â—â—d none to himself sinfull keeping is Theft as well â—s sinfull getting Q. 23. What if the thing be so usual as well as small as that none expect confession or restitution As for Boyes to rob Orchards A. Where you know it would not be well taken Restitution is no duty But if you have opportunity it is safest to confess Q. 24. Is it Thievery to borrow and not pay A. Deceitfull borrowers are of the worser sort of Thieves against whom one cannot so well save his Purse as against others And they would destroy all charitable lending by destroying mutual belief and trust Many Tradesmen that after break do steal more and wrong more than many High-way Robbers that are hanged But it is not all Breakers that are so guilty Q. 25. What borrowing is it that is Theft A. 1. When you have no intent to pay 2. When you know that you are not able to pay nor like to be able 3. When there is a great hazard and danger of your not paying with which you do not acquaint the Lender and so he consenteth not to run the hazard Q. 26. What if it would crack my Credit and ruin my Trade if I should reveal the hazard and weakness of my Estate A. You must not rob others for fear of ruine to your self If you take his Money without his Consent you rob him And no man that is Ignorant iâ— said to consent If you hide that which would hinde him from consenting if he knew it you have not really his consent but rob him Q. 27. What is the duty required in this eighth Commandement A. To further the Prosperity or Estate of your Neighbour as you would do your own that is with the same sincerity Q. 28. Must a man work at his Trade for his Neighbour as much as for himself Or as much use his Estate for others A. I said with the same sincerity not in the same manner and degree For there are some dutyes of Beneficence proper to our selves as the Objects and some common to others And as Nature causeth the Eye
Countreys 2. It is a fundamental Pravity and disorder of Mans Will It is made to Love Good as Good and therefore to Love most the greatest good 3. Yea it blindly casteth down and trampleth on all Good in the World which is above self-interest For this prevailing Selfishness taketh a mans self for his ultimate end and all things else but as means to his own Interest God and Heaven and all Societies and all Virtue seem no further Good to him than they are for his own good and welfare And Selfishness so overcometh Reason in some as to make them dispute for this fundamental Errour as a Truth That there is nothing to be accounted Good by me but that which is Good to me as my interest or welfare And so that which is Good to others is not therefore Good to me 4. And thus it blasphemously deposeth God in the Mind of the sinner making him no further Good to us than as he is a means to our Good and so he is set quite below our selves As if he had not made us for Himself and to Love him as God for his own Goodness 5. I told you before of the First Commandement how this maketh every man his own Idol to be Loved above God 6. Yea that the Selfish would be the Idols of the World and have all men conformed to their Judgement Wills and Words 7. A Selfish man is an Enemy to the publick Peace of all Societies and of all true Unity and Concord For whereas Holy persons as such have all one Center Law and End even God and his Will the Selfish have as many Ends and Centers and Laws as they are persons So that while every one would have his own Interest Will and Lust to be the Common Rule and Center it is by the wonderful over-ruling Power of God that any order is kept up in the World and because when they cannot be all Kings they agree to make that use of Kings which they think will serve their Interest best 8. A Selfish man so far can be no true Friend For he loveth his Friend but as a Dog doth his Master for his own Ends. 9. A Selfish Person is so far untrusty and so false in Converse and all Relations For he chooseth and changeth and useth all as he thinks his own interest requireth If he be a Tradesman believe him no further than his interest binds him If he be a Minister he will be for that Doctrine and Practice which is for his Carnal Interest If he be a Ruler wo to his Inferiours And therefore it is the highest point in policy next Conscience and Common Obedience to God to contrive if possible so to twist the Interest of Princes and People that both may feel thaâ— they are inseparable and that they must live and thrive or dye together 10. In a word Inordinate Selfishness is the granâ— pravity of Nature and the Disease and Confusion oâ— all the World whatever Villanies Tyrannies Rebellions Heresies Persecutions or Wickedness yoâ—… read of in all History or hear of now on Earth â—… is but the effects of this adhering by inordinate self-love to self-interest And if Paul say of one branch of its effects The Love of Money is the root of all Evil we may well say it of this radical Comprehensive sin Q. 9. Alas who is it that is not selfish How Common is this sin Are there then any Saints on Earth Or any hope of a remedy A. I. It is so Common and so strong as that 1. All Christians should most Fear it and Watch and Pray and Strive against it 2. And all Preachers should more open the Evil of it than they do and live themselves as against it and above it 1. How much do most over-value their own dark Judgments and weak reasonings in comparison of others 2. How commonly do men measure the Wisdom or Folly Goodness or Badness of other men as they are for or against their selfish Interest Opinions Side or way 3. How impatient are men if self-will Reputation or Interest be Crost 4. How will they stretch Conscience in Words Deeds or Bargaining for gain 5. How soon will they fall out with Friends or Kindred if Money or Reputation come to a Controversie between them 6. How little feeling Pity have they for another in Sickness Poverty Prison or Grief if they be but well themselves 7. How ordinary doth Interest of Body Reputation Wealth corrupt and change mens Judgments in Religion So that Selfishness and Fleshly interest chooseth not only other Conditions and Actions of Life but also the Religion of most men yea of too many Teachers of Self-denyal 8. And if Godly people find this and lament it how weakly do they resist it and how little do they overcome it 9. And though every truly Godly man preferre the Interest of his Soul above that of his Body how few get above a Religion of Caring and Fearing for themselves to study more the Churches good and more than that to Live in the delightful Love of God as the Infinite Good 10. And of those that Love the Church of God how many narrow it to their sect or party and how few have an Universal impartial Love to all true Christians as such Q. 10. Where then are the Saints if this be so A. All this sin is predominant in ungodly men saving that common Grace so far overcometh it in some few that they can venture and lose their Estates and Lives for their special Friends and for their Countrey But in all true Christians it is but in a subdued degree They hate it more than they Love it They all Love God and his Church with a far higher Estimation than themselves though with less passion They would forsake Estate and Life rather than forsake Christ and a Holy Life They were not true Christians if they had not learnt to bear the Cross and Suffer They seek and hope foâ— that Life of perfect Love and Unity where Selfishness shall never more divide us Q. 11. What is it that maketh the Love of others so great a duty A. 1. It is but to Love God his Interest and Image in others No man hath seen God But rational Souls and specially Holy ones are his Image in which we must see and Love him And there is no higher duty than to Love God 2. Love maketh us meet and useful members in all Societies especially in the Church of God It maketh all to love the Common good above their own 3. It maketh all men use their utmost power for the good of all that need them 4. It overcometh Temptations to hurtfulness and division It teacheth men patiently to bear and forbear It is the greatest keeper of Peace and Concord As one Soul uniteth all parts of the Body one Spirit of Love uniteth all true Believers It is the Cement of Individuals the vital healing Balsom which doth more than Art to cure our Wounds
lose much and fall into foul sin and grow worse than they once were so common Grace and I think this middle Infant Grace which Children have as related to their Parents may be lost Q. 20. But is it not safer to hold that Baptism putâ— none but the Elect who never lose it into a title to Salvation A. 1. Then it would be little comfort to Parents when their Children die who know not whether one of ten thousand be Elect. 2. And it would be little satisfaction to the Minister to Baptize them who knoweth not the Elect from others 3. It 's plain that it is not another but the same Covenant of Graâ—â— which is made with Infants and Adult And thâ—â— Covenant giveth pardon of Sin and right to Life to all that have the requsiite qualification And â—… that qualification in the Adult is Faith and Râ—pentance so in Infants it is nothing but to be the Children of the faithful dedicated to God God never instiâ—uted any Baptism which is not for Remission of Sin If I thought Infants had no visible right to Remssion in which Baptism should invest them I durst not Baptize them I think their Holiness containeth a certain title to Salvation Q. 21. But is it not enough to know that they are of the Church visible A. All at Age that are of the visible Church are in a state of Salvation except Hypocrites Therefore all Infants that are of the visible Church are also of the Mystical Church except such as had not the requisite qualification and that is such as were not the Children of the Faithful All the World are in the Kingdom of the Devil who are not in the Kingdom of God And if there be no visible way of Salvation for them what reason have we to hope that they are saved Q. 22. Some say we must leave their case to God as unknown to us and that he will save such of them as he electeth A. True Faith and Hope is grounded on Gods Promise What reason have we to believe and hope that any are saved whom God never promised to save This would reach wicked men to presume that God will save them too though he do not promise it And this giveth no more comfort to a Christian than to an â—nfidel How know we but by his promise whether God elect one of ten thousand or any at all But God hath promised a special blessing to the Seed of the Faithful above all others Q. 23. You make the Mercy so very great as maketh the denyal of it seem a hainous sin in the Anabaptists A. There are three sorts of them greatly differing 1. Some say that no Infants have Original sin and so need no Baptism nor Pardon Or if it be sin it 's done away by Christs meer death and all Infants in the World are saved 2. Others say that Infants have Original sin but have no visible Remedy nor are any in Covenant with Christ nor Members of his Church because no Pardon is promised but to Believers 3. Others hold that Infants have Original sin and that the Promise is to the Faithful and their Seed and that Parents ought thankfully to acknowledge this Mercy and devote them to Christ as Infant-members of his Church but that Baptism is not for Infant-members but only as the Lords Supper for the adult This last sort are they whom I speak of as such whom I would not separate from if they separate not from us But the other two sorts are dangerously erroneous When God hath made so many plain Promises to the Seed of his Servants and in all Ages before Christ hath taken Infants for Church-members and never made a Covenant but to the faithfull and their Seed to say that Christ the Saviour of the World came to cast all Infants out of the Visible Church into the visible Kingdom of Satan and give them no greater Mercy instead of it seemeth to me very great Ingratitude and making Christ too like to Satan as coming to do much of his destroying work Q. 24. But every where Salvation is promised only to Believers A. The Promise is to them and their Seed keeping Covenant The same Text that saith He that believeth shall be saved saith He that believeth not shall be damned Which sheweth that it is only the Adult that it speaketh of Or else all Infants must be damned for Unbelief It shuts them no more out of Baptism than out of Heaven Q. 25. But the Scripture speaks of no Infants baptized A. 1. No Infants are to be baptized but the Infants of the Faithful Therefore the Parents were to be made Believers first 2. The Scripture speaks of baptizing divers Housholds 3. No Scripture mentioneth that ever any Child of a Believer was baptized at age 4. The Scripture commandeth it and that 's enough Disciple Nations baptizing them Mat. 28. 19. Q. 26. How can Infants be Disciples that learn not A. 1. Did Christ mistake when he sent them to Disciple Nations of which Infants are a part 2. Cannot Infants be Disciples of Christ if Christ an Infant can be the Master and King of his Church Christ was our Teacher Priest and King in his Infancy by Right Relation and Destination and undertaking and Obligation to what he was after to do and so may Infants be his Subjects and Disciples May not an Infant be a King that cannot rule And are not Infants the Kings Subjects though they cannot obey May not they be Knights and Lords and have right to inheritances 3. Yea are not Infants called Gods Servants Levit. 25. 42. Yea and Christs Disciples Act. 15. 10. Peter saith those that would have imposed Circumcision would put a Yoak on the neck of the Disciples But it was Infants on whom they would have put it Q. 27. We are all by Nature Children of Wrath and none can enter into Heaven that is not regenerate and born of the Spirit A. But we are all the Children of God we and our Seed by the Grace of Christ And Infants are capable of being regenerate by the Spirit Or else they would not be called Holy 1 Cor. 7. 14. Q. 28. The Apostle only giveth a reason why a believing Husband may lawfully live with an unbelieving Wife A. True But what is the Reason which he giveth The doubt was not whether it be Fornication that was past doubt But the Faithful must in all their Relations be a peculiar Holy People and the doubt was Whether their Conjugal Society became not such as Infidels common and unholy And Paul saith No To the pure all things are Sanctified The Unbeliever is not Holy in her self but sanctified to the Husband for conjugal Society Else saith he Your Children were unclean not Bastards but unholy as those without are But now are they Holy as the Israelites adult and Infants were a Holy People separated from the World to God in the Covenant of peculiarity and not common and unclean Q. 29. Is it the
Joy to long to depart and be with Christ then we are prepared not only for a safe but a joyful Death Q. 3. O! But this is a great and difficult work A. It is not too hard for the Sâ—… of Christâ— and a Soul renewed by it It is our great follâ—… and naughtiness that maketh it hard Why eâ—… should it be hard for a man that loveth himself and knoweth how quickly a Grave and rotting in the Dark must end all his pleasures in this World to be earnestly desirous of a better after it And why should it be hard for one that believeth that mans Soul is immortal and that God hath sent one from Heaven who is greater than Angels to purchase it for us and promise it to us and give us the first fruits by his Holy Spirit to rejoyce that he dyeth not as an unpardoned Sinner nor as a Beast but shall live in perfect Life and Light and Love and Joy and Praise for ever What should rejoyce a believing considering man like this Q. 4. O! But we are still apt to doubt of things unseen A. 1. You can believe Men for things unseen and be certain by it for instance that there is such a place as Rome Paris Venice that there have been such Kings of England as Hen. 8. King Iames c. You know not but by believing others whether ever you were Baptized nor who was your Father or Mother 2. You see not your own Soul nor any ones that you talk with and yet you feel and see such things as may assure any Sober man that he hath a Soul God is not seen by us yet nothing is more certain than that there is a God 3. We see Plants Flowers Fruits and all vital Acts produced by an unseen Power we see â—ast lucid glorious Regions above us and we see and feel the effects of invisible powers therefore to doubt of things because they are unseen is to doubt of all the vital noblest part of the World and to believe nothing but gross and lowest things and to lay by Reason and become Bruits But of this I have said more near the Beginning Q. 5. What should we do to get the Soul so familiar above as to desire to be with Christ A. I. We must not live in a foolish forgetfulness of Death nor flatter our Souls into delayes and dulness by the expectations of long life on Earth the grave must be studied till we have groundedly got above the fears of it II. We must not rest quiet in such a humane belief of the Gospel and the Life to come as hath no better grounds than the common opinion of the Countrey where we live as the Turks believe Mahomet and his Alcoran for this leaveth the Soul in such doubts and uncertainty as cannot reach to solid Joy nor Victory over the World and Flesh But the true Evidences of the Gospel and our Hopes must be well digested which I have opened to you in the beginning of which I give you a breviate in two Sentences 1. The History of the Gospel of Christs Life Miracles Death Resurrection Ascension sending down the Spirit the Apostles Miracles and Preaching and Writing and Sufferings is a true History Else there is none sure in the World for none of such Antiquity hath greater Evidence 2. And if the History aforesaid be true the Doctrine must needs be true for it is part of the History and owned and sealed certainly by God III. We must not be content to be once satisfied of the Truth of the Life to come but we must mentally live upon it and for it and know how great business our Souls have every day with our Glorified Lord and the Glorified Society of Angels and the perfected Spirits of the just and with the blessed God of Love and Glory We must daily fetch thence the motives of our desires hopes and dutyes the incentives of our Love and Joy The Confutation of all Temptations from the Flesh and World and our supporting patience in all our Sufferings and Fears Read oft Ioh. 17. 22 23 24. 20. 17. Heb. 12. 22 23 24. Mat. 6. 19 20 21 33. Col. 3. 4 5. 2 Thes. 1. 10 11. Heb. 11. 2 Cor. 4. 16 17. 5. 1 2 3 5 7 8. Phil. 1. 21 23. 3. 18 19 20 They that thus live by Faith on God and Glory will be prepared for a joyful death IV. We must take heed that no worldly Hope or Pleasure vitiate our Affections and turn them down from their true delight V. We must live wholly upon Christ his Merit Sufficiency Love and Mediation His Cross and his Kingdom must be the summe of our Learning Study and Content VI. We must take heed of grieving the Spirit of Consolation and wounding our Consciences by wilful Sin of Omission or Commission VII We must Faithfully improve all our Time and Talents to do God all the Service and others all the good that we can in the World that we may be ready to give an account of our Stewardship VIII We must be armed against Temptations to unbelief and despair IX We must while we are in the Body in our daily thoughts fetch as much help from sensible Similitudes as we can to have a suitable Imagination of the Heavenly Glory And one of the most Familiar is that which Christ calleth the Coming of the Kingdom of God which was his Transfiguration with Moses and Elias in Glorious appearance in the Holy Mount Mat. 17. 1. Which made Peter say It 's good to be here Christ purposely so appeared to them to give them a sensible apprehension of the Glory which he hath promised And Moses that was buried appeared there in a Glorified Body And we must not think only of God but of the Heavenly Society and even our old Acquaintance that our Minds may find the more Suitableness and Familiarity in their objects and Contemplations X. We must do our best to keep up that Natural Vivacity and Chearfulness which may be Sanctified for Spiritual Employment for when the Body is diseased with Melancholy Heaviness or Pains and the Mind diseased with Griefs Cares and Fears it will be hard to think joyfully of God or Heaven or any thing XI We must exercise our selves in those dutyes which are nearest kin to the work in Heaven Specially labouring to excite Hope Love and Joy by Faith and Praising God especially in Psalms in our Families and the sacrâ—d Assemblies and using the most Heavenly Books and Company XII We must not look when all is done to have very clear Conceptions of the quality and acts of separated Souls or the World of Spirits But must be satisfied with an implicite Trust in our Father and our Glorified Lord in the things which are yet above our reach And giving up Soul and Body to him we should joyfully trust them with him as his own And believe that while we know as much as may bring us well