Mandate in the first words of the precept expressed Redoubled mandate in the next words of the explication of the precept but the seventh c. Example of God himselfe working the sixt resting the seventh day Reasons annexed of his so blessing this day other dayes with it and by it So sanctifying it to the holy use of his worship and service in it appointed so it is the whole scope of the Commandement from the first words of the memento remember to doe it to the last words the reasons rendred why so respectively commanded What followeth The fifth Commandement and first of the second Table as next to our duty to God expressing our duty to superiours SECT 7. The fifth Commandement The order of the fifth commandement first of the second Table and reasons of it with divers necessary rules for the better understanding or conceiving of the rest of the Commandement and differences of the two Tables as first of the affirmative and negative Commandements or parts of them compared Secondly of the ground of the duties of both Tables Thirdly of sinnes of divers degrees and imparity of offences Fourthly of sinnes of the first and second Table and Analysis of the same with the reason why the Commandements of the first Table have reasons annexed and not they of the second but this called the first Commandement with promise as nighest them and concerning those in whom is Gods image of authority The Analysis of this fifth Commandement with the parts or duties and opposite abuses therein intimated or expressed who are to be accounted fathers in what respects and what manner they are so and how diversly thereby distinguished with their general duties whereby to be worthy of honour hereby 〈◊〉 â—â—timatca of 〈◊〉 â—eriours and inferiours in gifts of minde or yeares in nobility and gentry in wealth and such externall matters the gifts of fortune in and good actions government and authority or private as Masters of families and their charge Parents and children and other the like Superiours and inferiours in the common and usuall oeconomioall or politick societies as of Tutors or Guardians and Pupills husband and wife their mutuall duties Masters and servants Governours in Colledges Schooles and any like societies or mysteries so of the Prelates and people or Preachers and their congregatiens Kings and Princes or Soveraignes and their subjects as under them the Magistrates and other the Kings Officers and the commâ—â— people with their severall duties and neglects thereof or enormities and vices opposite illustrated and explained where also in generall the duty of obedience in all lawfull commands in all singlenesse of heart and not with muttering and murmuring or other despitefull repirings and so in the duries in either side even all the vertues in a manner comprehended the reasons of the Commandment and promise of blessing in long life how to be understood and indeed when given of God though else a shorter life here so appointed by God no lesse to be accounted a blessing as well as the lands possession the good gift of the Lord. 1. VVHat is the fifth Commandement Honour thy father and thy mother that thy dayes may be long in the land c. 2. What is the order of it The first of the second Table as next to the honour of God importing our duty to superiours for good orders sake and better observation of the rest by their command as also this and all the Commandements of the second Table to be observed for the honour of God principally and in respect of the first Table according to the rules aforesaid manifesting the difference of the second Tables and Commandements among themselves and the dependancy of this 3. What rules were they 1. That every negative Commandement bindeth alwaies and at all times every affirmative only alwaies but not so precisely to all and every particle of time 2. That the Commandements of the first Table are to be kept for themselves absolutely those of the second for the first 3. That though every sinne deserveth death eternally yet there is and may be imparity of sins in many respects 4. That the sinnes against the first Table simply and in themselves considered are more heynous then those against the second though such aggravation or respects else of extreme malice presumption or infirmity or the like may over balance or much alter the same 5. There is so neare a tie and relation between the Commandements that whosoever faileth in one is guilty of all As that it is indeed a breach of the whole Law An offence against the royall Law of charity the intent and sum of all An offence against God the author of them all A contempt of his Majesty and command 4. What the meaning of the first rule That the negative commandement or negative part of the Commandement is at all times and every particle of time to be observed as not to deny God or set up any false gods abuse his holy name prophane the Sabbath dishonour parents commit murder adulterie stealth or other offence forbidden at anytime but all time and every and the least particle of time must be free from offence or the commandement is broken and in it the whole Law though the affirmative part or duty commanded is broken as honouring God or Parents observing the Sabbath or doing good actions cannot be performed at all times and every particle of time but at set and determinate times and occasions and that with some remission and relaxation as seene in sanctifying the Sabbath because of our weake nature requiring respitation so that as the Schoole phrase is the affirmative is semper but non ad semper the negative both semper and ad semper that is no minutes permission of the offence though some minutes relaxation of the duty may be necessity requiring 5. How the second rule explained That the Commandements of the first Table are meerly and absolutely to be observed for themselves and the love and honour of God in them commanded and who doth observe them but for fashion sake or worldly respects beforemen and to please others for feare of punishment or shame or the like doe mainly erre and offend and are guilty of sin though the action be performed but the Commandements of the second Table are to be observed for conscience of the first Table commending the love of God to us and the love of our neighbour for Gods sake whose image wee are and who do observe the Lawes of the second Table for the praise of men more then the love of God or of morality onely and to bee like dealt with againe and friendly to those deale friendly with them as Publicans and sinners doe the like though the action be done are farre from the performance or duty of the Commandement required to be done for the love of God 6. How the third rule explained That though eternall death be the wages of sin as an offence against the infinite Majesty of God
Ecclesiasticall government to which subordinate and generall confederacies and Corporations mixed between private and publicke governments or societies Thirdly politicall duties of all sorts in all kinds of governments in the world whether Monarchy Aristocracie Democracie where there are commanders and subjects to command 34. What duty of Parents The love and care of them love or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naturalis the fountaine of the other whence unnaturall parents that bring forth children and not care for them the care being seene in due providing for life naturally by 1. Nourishing them and 2. Bringing them up 3. Training them up in honest calling 4. Directing them in all matters of moment 5. Helping and storing for them as God giveth meanes For life spirituall by godly education instruction chastisement their prayers for them and blessings and the opposite hereof to be without naturall affection To traine them up in idlenesse and vanity To be neglective of providing for them or their education or instruction naturall or spirituall things or to curse and not blesse them 35. What the duty of children To answer their parents care and love with love and duty To reverence and obey them Matth. 21. 30. Eph. 6. 1. To stand in awe of them and submit to their instruction correction To preserve their parents goods and helpe them if need require To shew themselves thankfull as the Storke to her parents So a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if need or age require to help them with goods service reliefe To love and reverence them that be neare and deare unto them for their sakes Opposite to which is to neglect these duties not to love them but to hate revile scorn strike or deride them To be ashamed of parents contemne and despise them To be disobedient and unkinde To refuse or despise their instruction correction and to these heads or some of them may bee referred the duties of Tutors and Guardians towards Pupills and their Pupills towards them that as they succeed parents in government to succeed in fatherly love care and consequently Pupills to shew dutifull respects and love to them as good children to such their parents 36. What the duties of husbands and wives In generall mutuall love benevolence and conjugall fidelity in particular of the husband as head to guide direct and instruct protect cherish and defend provide things needfull and governe in loving sort giving honour also to her as the weaker vessell The wife as in subjection to her husband to acknowledge him her head reverencing fearing and obeying him being amiable and gracious seeking to please and cherish him be his assistant in the house and all duties of a good wife and huswife opposite to which is neglect of these duties and so his being his wives underling contrary to the law of nature and ordinance of God his hating striking or wronging her denying things needfull in his power or being too uxorious in in fond doting too imperious in rigour towards her As on her part her usurping dominion using unreverence unquietnesse causing trouble and griefe to him or being a crosse and not a helpe to him or idle at home or gadding abroad 37. What the duty of Masters To governe those under them with equity and moderation accounting them as children under us or brethren in Christ and fellow-servants in respect of our Master in heaven so commanding things lawfull honest possible and proportionable to their service paying their wages and wishing and procuring their good both in body and soule by instruction and else while with us and after esteeming them as our poore friends opposite to which is our neglect of them being too hard or tyrannizing over them commanding things unlawfull unpossible or too remisse in not correcting or not cockering them or suffering them in idlenesse not restraining and reproving them 38. What servants duties To love and reverence their Masters so to tender their credit and welfare submit themselves to their commands corrections and to be diligent faithfull and true thrifty and carefull to please their masters in all lawfull things opposite to which neglect and disobedience murmuring and answering againe idlenesse and unfaithfull wastefull and not carefull of their credit or displeasure 39. What the duties of other governours in Schools or other societies As they have the place of Fathers and Superiours to have a fathely love and care over them and their welfare opposite to which to neglect them or tyrannize over them and abuse their authority 40. What of the governed To demeane themselves with that reverence humility and respect as may become dutifull children to such fathers not neglective of their places or despising their authority to the disturbance of good order and bringing in impiety and hellish confusion 41. What duties of Ministers and Ecclesiasticall Fathers To be blamelesse and so behave themselves in their place that it may be to the edification of the Church both by their 1. Preaching in season and out of season 2. Their governing of the Church of God committed to them and their private families 3. Living and good example Opposite to which their inability and insufficiency impiety idlenesse and neglect of their charge or other irreligiousnesse prophanenesse or faults in preaching governing or living unworthy their place or calling 42. What duty of the people towards them Love reverence and submission to their Ministery and charge that they may performe their duty with cheerfulnesse not with griefe and so allowing liberall maintenance and their dues as those Elders that doe their duty well are worthy of double honour opposite to which hate neglect mocking or despising them resisting disobeying or abusing them denying or diminishing their dues with a mocking and a lying unto God Gal. 6. 6. or taking away and withdrawing them which is sacriledge or robbery and spoyling of God Mal. 3. 10. 43. What duty of Kings or Soveraignes In that high place and representation of Gods supreme authority the commendable exercise 1. Of that Soveraigne power in 1. making good Lawes 2. Seeing them executed 3. Creating Magistrates 4. Containing them in their duty 5. Mixing mercy with justice 6. Lawfull pardons 7. Waging war or concluding peace 8. Admitting or considering of high appeals godly to the glory of God justisie to the good of the Common-wealth II. Vertues of 1. Piety in all their actions 2. Justice in all their actions 3. Clemency in all their actions 4. Bounty in all their actions 5. Wisdome in all their actions 6. Fortitude temperance humility and generall all vertues to the good example of his subjects as Regis ad exemplum c. opposite to which is negligence and remissenesse in these duties bordering upon idlenesse or rigour degenerating into cruelty and tyranny 44. What subjects duties Honour obedience loyalty and service both with body and goods attended with love of their person desire of their welfare and prayer for their prosperity opposite to which neglect and contempt to speake evill or to curse him
denying duty or service disloyalty and disobedience bordering upon rebellion and treason 45. What duties of Magistrates The conscionable execution of the Lawes as justice and their office require to the glory of God whose authority they have The honour of their Prince in whose place they stand The good of the Common-wealth and shewing themselves in their places men of courage fearing God faithfull and hating rewards and covetonsnesse wise prudent and unpartially just without respect of persons opposite to which unconscionable and unjust unfaithfull and irreligious indisereet respecting persons or covetous and given to bribery and extortion 46. What the peoples duties Obedience and reverence to them as in the Princes stead as he is in Gods whose Deputy and Vicegerents they are for the punishment of vice and maintenance of Religion and vertue so submitting to their authority for conscience sake thankfully to yeeld them both honour and love together with their fees and dues for the maintenance of them the common peace and good order opposite to which neglect of this duty or denying the same bordering on sedition or rebellion 47. What is then the generall duty of governours or superiours in authority 1. The well governing of inferiours in the Lord and in piety and justice not seeking themselves but the glory of God good of others 2. Rewarding and encouraging the good correcting the offenders with 1. Discretion and without partiality or passion seeking the good of the 1. party if he be corrigible 2. Christian society that 1. evill be taken away 2. dishonour of God prevented 3. others may feare 2. Moderation that neither too remisse or indulgent severe or cruell in the punishments The opposite thereof ill governing and not encouraging the good or correcting offenders accordingly 48. What generall duties of inferiours and subjects to authority Love and awe of it obedience and submission both to the command and correction with testisication of gratitude to God for his ordinance and the powers ordained of him both by word and deed service both with body and goods if occasion require opposite to which contempt disobedience ingratitude resisting the power and sedition 49. What the generall duty of all Honour and love to Superiours love and benevolence to inferiours 50. What in generall forbidden to all Irreverence towards any our betters or superiours and churlish and carelesse behaviour in them towards those that bee of a low degree whereby they leave to be or appeare either loving good fathers or good or dutifull children 51. But what if it be an evill Prince or Tyrant Yet you must not break Gods commandement but obey for conscience sake and pray for his conversion 52. What if an unnaturall and evill or cruell father Yet you must not be disobedient to breake the Commandement that another is not good is no priviledge for thee to be evill 53. What of an evill husband or lewd wife More need of observation of ones duty and Gods commands that the evil party may the better be reclaimed by the others good example 54. What if an evill Minister or other notorious wicked person Yet thou must not be evill and disobey God because another is not good but expect his amendment and doe thy duty for thou must not curse father or mother or the ruler no not in heart for the foules of the aire will reveale and God revenge it much lesse commit open impiety to the disobedience and contempt of him or any authority 55. But what if they command evill Here only thou art free for if it be against Gods Law and command then you must obey God and not men for his authority is greater then theirs for whiles they command good his authority stengthneth theirs but here it not only leaveth them but oppresseth them and thee if thou obey to doe evill and who shall deliver thee from the revenging hand of God 56. May here be too much submission or obedience to Superiours Yes if contrary to Gods Law or honour as for example 1. In obedience to doe evill 2. Idolatry ascribing too much to them as that to Herod vox Dei c Acts 12. 3. In making them absolute patterns in good or ill even to their sinnes where as we ought rather to imitate Christ. 4. In preposterous and absurd observance to great persons when in the very act of the honour of God some neglect it and rise to honour them who ought rather to be kneeling with them then part stakes with God and take this honour with him or from him 5. Too submisse prostration to them or bordering upon adoration which even the Angells forbad to Daniel and John with a take heed thou do it not which divine adoration indeed some heathen Emperours required and Christians were martyred for not performing the same 57. What may we thinke of evill Princes or Superiours As the eldest sonnes of Satan and like those wicked Kings of Israell that caused many to sinne by their evill example and command have good reason to share deeply in his inheritance hell and punishment 58. What of eye-service fraudulent and deceitfull Obedience As of mockers of God who knowes the heart and sees the actions stealers from men and murderers of their owne soules by this deceit 59. What of cursers or mockers of Superiours Never found to escape fearfull judgements as the Law Exod. 21. 17. and 28. not to curse and the curser to dye and mocking Cham accursed so wayward youth that in heart mocke or despise good counsell or admonition of Parents Masters or Ministers God seeth it who saith of such the eie that mocketh or despiseth instruction the ravens of the valley shall picke it out Prov. 30. 17. the Divell and his night birds so the mocking children against Elisha torne by Bears 2 King 2. the mocking Ephraimites against Jephta slain 42000. Jud. 12. and so 1 Sam. 11. mocking Nahash and Ammonites that would have the Israelites right eyes put out slaine and scattered and the mocking Jewes at Christ and his Apostles a fearfull ruine and desolation so feare to mocke any good man or other much more such whom wee ought to reverence in regard of their place or function 60. What vertues in generall or particular here commanded In generall to all I. Piety roote of goodnesse and Justice 1. Universall inclination to all vertues 2. Particular disiributive in administratione praemiorum paenarum proper to Superiours II. Commutative in negociatione proper to all inferiours and so 1. To Superiours wisdome or providence and prudence fortitude Temperance and in summe all vertues as examples or emblemes to inferiours 2. Inferiours many or most at least of all the others that concerne not superiours particularly so that here might be a catalogue of all morall vertues either to make Superiours fit to governe Worthy of honour and their place Examples to others Or inferiours dutifull to them whereby fitted to obedience they may be afterwards fit to governe as imperare non satis perit qui
Magistrates that set forth his honour 2. All faithfull Pastors Prelates and Teachers that set forth the true faith 3. All godly Elders that governe well and give good example 4. All holy Confessors and Saints that have so set forth his glory 5. All glorious Martyrs Apostles Prophets Patriarkes and good men that have done and do their best endeavours to set forth and witnesse the truth 24. What doe you then pray for in this respect That God will be pleased to enable them with his graces more readily and cheerfully to set forth his glory as that 1. The King and Magistrate may be Carefull and zealous Prudent and Religious Just c. 2. Pastors and Prelates may be Faithfull in their places Diligent in their duty Conscionable and carefull of their charge all others may be godlily disposed according to their severall offices and duties and so to praise God for any his excellencies and graces appearing in them to the advancement of his Kingdome 25. What is opposite to this Kingdome The Divell and all his wicked agents and instruments raised up against God and his truth such 1. All evill Princes and Lawes 2. All evill Magistrates and negligent Pastors and slothfull 3. All evill and false Prophets and Idolaters 4. All evill blasphemers and 5. Generally all ungodlinesse and vanity 26. What of these That God would be pleased to overthrow root out and destroy all such as the power of the kingdome of Satan and opposite to his Kingdome 27. What in summe is there then expressed or intimated in this Petition 1. The part expressed as before shewed the 1. Petition it selfe for our selves 2. Intercession for others let thy Kingdome come for all our good II. The part intimated both a First confession of a 1. due that Gods Kingdome ought to be advanced 2. Duty from us and others that we ought so much as in us lies to advance that Kingdome 3. Defect in us and others too common to be too negligent hereof Secondly deprecation against all oppugners and opposition thereof whether in our selves or others Thirdly thanksgiving and praise 1. For the graces in us or others tending to the propagation of his Kingdome 2. For his so gracious government of us and of all things 28. How sum you up this in order 1. Confession of a 1. Due that it is most holy and just that Gods Kingdome should come and his power thereof declared 2. Duty of our selves and others that O Lord it is our duty all of us to endeavour the same and wish and seeke by all meanes to advance it 3. Defect that there is even too supine a negligence in us and others in this as well as in many other good duties II. Our petition for 1. Gods power to be shewne in advancing it 2. For our owne well disposednesse that it may be such that we may doe our best to promote it and that his Kingdome may come in us III. Our intercession for others that others may be as well disposed as we our selves and that his Kingdome may come in their hearts IV. Our deprecation that God will be pleased to pull downe all enemies of his Kingdome and all opposition and opposers with their malice and envy V. Our thanksgiving that it hath pleased him 1. So graciously to governe all things as hee doth to a good end 2. To give us grace to desire the same and to seeke it as well as many others 3. Further to assure our selves and soules of that his Kingdome so to be encreased perfected and consummate in his due time in us and others to the glory of his grace and power 29. What the third petition That Gods will may be done as readily by mee and all Gods people upon earth as by those blessed Saints and Angels in heaven where it is to be done with all joy courage and alacrity 30. What is the order of it After the desire of sanctifying Gods name and of the advancement of his Kingdome that in that Kingdom his will may be done by us and all men whereby better to be assured we are his subjects as well as those willing and ready Ministers of his Saints and Angels in heaven that his illustrious Kingdome of glory 31. What the parts The 1. Object the will of God 2. Action to be done or performed 3. Collimation of the action after the sublimed rule of Angels obedience and duty 32. What is the will of God Understood to be either his 1. Secret will which we are not to search into but he will see in due time and manner performed 2. His revealed will which is for us and other children which is required of us to be knowne and performed and so for us and our instruction revealed in his holy Word Law and Gospel a most sure and true record written for our remembrance 33. What the doing or performance of it Our holinesse in the 1. Faith knowing and beleeving it 2. Practice of good workes and obedience answerably to be thought on and proposed by us to be done as it is required at our hands by God and so herein professed obedience generally to Gods holy will and commandements and that in speciall sense as not only the actions but the heart and cogitations submitted to the performance thereof as in the last Commandement the very inmost cogitations of soule and thought to be reduced to this obedience and the love of God and thither tendeth that following collimation and direction 34. How is this that rule of direction or imitation In earth as it is in heaven understood either I. Improperly in 1. Our bodies and members that are earthly as well as in our soules and mindes that are heavenly 2. The lower parts and powers of our affections as well as higher power of will 3. Those that are yet uncalled as well as those that are called and already in the heaven of the Churches bosome and Kingdome of grace 4. In our owne selves endeavouring as in Christ to perfect the same II. Properly in earth by us that dwell in this world in the midst of many temptations and provocations to sin as well as by the inhabitants of heaven Saints and Angels free from all temptations and discouragements 35. How is it so done If as by them usually performed so we strive to doe it obeying both 1. Voluntarily which is with all our hearts willingly freely cheerfully readily without hypocrisie grudging repining murmuring griefe or delay 2. Totally endeavouring to his whole will for the matter of it manner of it every part of it so his will and not ours to the denying of our selves 3. Continually so with Constancie in our good intention Perseverance to the end and thus striving to perfection of obedience we yeeld true and sincere obedience which though in us imperfect when thus regulated by this perfect obedience and aiming at that perfection of Angels though not attaining unto it is accepted of God and so to the proportion of our ability here
sort for publique testification of the visible members of the Church their proficiency in that faith professed in Baptisme and approbation of them 26. Why is it then expunged in our Church It is not expunged 27. Is it then a Sacrament Not so neither but a religious ceremony well and profitably to be used 28. But how then in the Rubrique is it said it is no detriment if it be not used To take away the superstitious conceit in some that without it Baptisme were imperfect or that it is a Sacrament or of absolute necessity 29. But doe not some hence utterly neglect it If they doe the fault is their owne as wee see from a word misunderstood how ready many will be to take exceptions thence to establish their owne fancy and perversnesse and cause a world of wrangling and trouble 30. How is it then necessary Onely of conveniency and for politicall order not as a Sacrament 31 But he that said Goe baptize said also to Peter confirme thy brethren To be understood as it is expounded by us of his Stability in the faith for good example Duty in preaching as his office Diligence in his calling and Apostleship to the comfort of his brethren and good of the whole Church 32. Jf it be usefull why is it neglected It is not 33. Where or when is it executed Wheresoever required or when it may with conveniency be performed 34. What benefit is thereby Much and many wayes if we consider it both for 1. The testification of our proficiency 2. Approbation of our sufficiency 3. Gratulatory commendation of us to God by the Church 4. Benediction from such our superiours 5. Prayers for further graces then publiquely made for us and so a 6. Comfort to the party confirmed 7. Enabling us to further duties in religion and devotions that may so better be performed 8. Relaxation of our sureties who stand for us engaged 35. After the name and title what is next to be considered at the entrance into the Catechisme The matter or subject and division of the same 36. What is the matter or subject of it The summe and substance of Religion for the manner thereof also as we see so briefly set forth and explained 37. What is Religion The bond betweene us and God including our duty to him for his mercies given to us by his covenant of grace 38. What is that Covenant On Gods part mercy that he will be our God and give us all graces on ours obedience that we will be his servants 39. What is then required of us Faith to beleeve in God and his word and promises Hope to call upon him trust in and worship him Charity the expressing of our obedience by doing his will and shewing our love to him and our neighbour 40. But these are graoes of his Spirit Yes but given to us and required to bee exercised by us to his honour 41. What is the substance then of Religion To exercise our selves in these shewing Our Faith by beleeving in him and his word Hope by prayer and depending upon him Charity in willing obedience to his Commandements 42. What then is the summe and substance of the Catechisme The explication of these our duties Of Beleeving in him Praying to him Obeying his will The fundamentall points of Religion And Gods worship so briefly propounded whence the Cate chisme principally toucheth on and explaineth The Creed Commandements and Lords Prayer which are called summa credendor summa faciendor summa orandor The summe or breviate as it were of things that are to be Beleeved Done or Prayed for by us 43. How many parts are there of the Catechisme Especially these three and for a Corollary of them as it were tho doctrine of the Sacraments and seales of the Covenant and our faith and so foure parts usually expressed or with addition of the Introduction five parts mentioned 44. Which then are the foure parts The exposition or explication of 1. The Creed the Articles and summe of our beliefe 2. Commandements the duties of us required to be done 3. Lords Prayer teaching how wee ought to pray 4. Sacraments the seales of the Covenant 45. How else are these five parts set downe The Introduction in the foure first questions and answers before the Creed Explication of the Creed Commandements Lords Prayer Sacraments as aforesaid 46. Are all Catechismes concerning these things Yes for these are the maine points whereon they insist howsoever in divers manners as in other words or order set forth and more or lesse amplified and explained 47. Wherein doe they usually or chiefly differ from this or one from another In the order of the parts Or some Introduction Or some Additions or other as concerning the word of God or Magistracy or the like which yet may bee reduced to the former parts as the word of God and Scripture to the Beliefe concerning God who giveth his word for direction of our faith the Magistracy to our duty towards God to whom they are subordinate and our neighbours as all godly Magistrates and superiours are acknowledged 48. How differ they in introduction According to the variety of invention of severall Authours of them or proceeding after divers manners and order and so diversly occasioned 49. How differ they in their order Sometimes by placing the Explication of the Commandements Prayer or Sacraments before the Creed or either before other in some other order then is followed in this Catechisme though in substance and intention to teach even the meanest the very same 50. What thinke you of the order and method of this Catechisme As most convenient and profitable of all others both following the Liturgy and grounded on the words of the vow made in Baptisme and so prosecuting the parts occasioned by the same to bee considered and also according to the nature of the things there explained 51. How in respect of the things As 1. faith required to beleeve God and his promises so the Creed first propounded 2. Obedience and the fruit of faith good works directed by Gods will so the Commandements secondly proposed 3. Prayer for continuance in the most holy course and profession of faith and good workes and so in the third place the doctrine and rule of prayer 4. The seales of all this from God to us the Sacraments as the confirmation and ratification of his promises in the covenant of grace 52. How then is the Introduction fitted to this By putting us in minde of our name and Baptisme and so our vow and promise for performance of the aforesaid duties and devotions expressed and taught in those foure parts The Creed Commandements Lords Prayer Sacraments 53. How many points in particular in these foure parts 30. in all the 12. Articles of the Creed 10. Commandements 6. Petitions of the Lords Prayer 2. Sacraments 54. How are they else divided Into 10. heads or principall parts viz. 3. Parts or heads of the Creed 2. Tables of the Law and Commandments 3. Parts
the Churches command 10. But have not some kept their old names as those of yeares baptized Yes it may be so and no doubt but parents or themselves or others upon good occasions may and have authority at other times to change them as aforesaid 11. How are names then said received in Baptism Generally or for the most part and by common practice of all or most being a particular or personall and speciall priviledge doth not infringe or overthrow an universall law 12. But we finde many received names before baptisme It is true at Nations conversions and with people of yeares converted to Christianity it being at their owne choice to keepe or change their names but we speake generally here of children comming to baptisme of whom as well as the ancient manner thereof we shall speake more hereafter in the Sacraments 13. Jt is then most convenient to give names in Baptisme It is as at our birth wee receive the name of man and sirname of parents so at our new birth or regeneration in baptisme to receive a new name or Christian name in remembrance of the family of Saints whereinto we are by this meanes engrafted so also was it in Circumcision in whose place Baptisme succeedeth 14. But divers instances may bee given to the contrary for Circumcision To bee understood then of breach of the ordinance or in case of necessity or some extraordinary incumbrance or priviledge that doe not disanull or infringe a generall law 15. For Gersom he was named ere circumcised It was a plaine breach of the ordinance and Moses like to have beene punished and died for the fact and perversnesse of Zipporah his wife 16. All the children of Israel in the wildernesse not circumcised yet had names assuredly But that a place and case of extraordinary necessity and incumbrance when much good order and discipline was neglected and sometimes superciliously by the factious Israelites contemned 16. Benoni was named by Rachel before circumcision But as her wish onely held and at circumcision Benjamin by his father who had the absolute authority 17. But Saint John Baptist and Christ also by the Angels before circumcision Extraordinary revelation was the preparation of names for those sanctified persons yet the 8. day according to the Law ordinarily circumcised and the names solemnly imposed or published to the accomplishment of the very letter of Moses Law 18. It standeth then with best reason or conveniency to have the name imposed in baptisme It doth and from all antiquity so received at our new birth to receive that new or Christian name and that the Godfathers should impose or publish the same 19. Is that most convenient Yes for so is the generall use and we have no custome in the Churches to the contrary but many reasons for the same As 1. Not against Scripture but consonant to them 2. It is most anciently received and used 3. It proceeds from the love of parents requesting it and them undertaking it 4. It is a benefit to the infant if the parents die 5. It is a helpe to the parents by aiding and remembring them 6. It is a comfort encouragement and stirring up of the childe to remember the duties 7. It is a meanes to increase mutuall love and friendship among neighbours by performing this duty one for another 20. But why are children baptized being infants and not rather when they come to yeares and discretion For divers good reasons especially these foure viz. 1. Imitation of Circumcision in whose place it succeeded 2. After the example of Christs receiving little children 3. For that the covenant pertaines also to them as well as the parents and so that seale 4. That we may be so presented to God as earely as may be 21. How in imitation of circumcision As which was commanded the eight day and that being the seale of the Covenant and so this hence administred also to infants as that was by Gods speciall command 22. How from the example of Christ He not only not refusing the little children or their good will that brought them but blaming them that would have them kept from him and commanding them to be brought and suffered to come and more expressing his will and good will By his 1. Receiving them 2. Taking them in his armes 3. Laying his hands on them 4. Blessing them and his 5. Exhortation to all men to follow their innocency 6. Promising them and them only heaven 7. Affirming their Angels to stand before his Father in heaven c. 23. How pertaines the covenant to them As made to Abraham and his seed all the saithfull and their seed whosoever borne of faithfull parents and in the bosome of the Church and to whom as the Covenant so especially this seale at first as that of circumcision doth pertaine and though never so little ones yet we see respected by God and Christ in mercy 24. Why also presented so in the Church That as early as may be conveniently they may be testified so and Registred in the number of Gods children as what greater happinesse and so never too soone and from which to be kept a misery or abatement of the blisse as the utter deprivation endlesse misery 25. Then it is good children should be soon baptised As with conveniencie may be and to that purpose are divers Canons of the Church and though God can save without meanes yet we are called upon to shew our duty and love in not neglecting the ordinary meanes of our salvation 26. Is baptisme then a meanes thereof It is though not Ex opere operato in the bare worke yet our conduit of grace by the faith in Christ and application of other saving graces implied in the right use and receiving of the same 27. Then it is faith and not baptisme that saveth But that faith requireth also Baptisme as baptisme implyeth the vertue of faith and as Christ originally faith instrumentally so Baptisme Sacramentally cooperate worke and assure our salvation 28. Both faith and baptisme then are required Yes they are for he that beleeveth and is baptised shall be saved and except a man be borne of water and of the spirit he cannot be saved so not the bare circumcision but a new creature required 29 How doth this then pertain to Infants As they are borne in the bosome of the Church and the Covenant also made to them and are So 1. Presented to God in the Church and 2. By faithfull parents and 3. Upon Gods gracious promise in Christ in that covenant of grace 4. In the faith of the Church and parents 30. But is this enough For them it is but for others of riper yeares is required a due disposition to faith and repentance actually performed and grace to shew forth the fruits of the spirit and so in men of yeares as they are found in grace they were though fit to bee baptized as we read of Cornelius the Eunuch and others 31. Many then are baptized that are not
their owne accord perversnesse and pride when mans disobedience by the meanes subtilty and solicitation of that wicked one the old Serpent and enemy of mankinde one of those rebellious Angels the originall of his owne and Adams fâ—ll and so all our ruine 57. There is then onely that meanes left of mans salvation Onely in Christ the Mediator and Redeemer one of our owne bloud as man and one with God and in whom we are sons and beloved 58. This is then a great priviledge The greatest priviledge and prerogative that can be and most glorious title to be the sonnes of God for if Kings sons on earth bee honourable how much more sons of the King of heaven 59. What benefit by this priviledge or prerogative To be inheritors of the kingdome of heaven due onely to the sonship and to no other worthinesse or workes 60. How is the inheritance of heaven then due to us As sons not without doing good workes nor yet for the workes sake but for Christ in whom God is well pleased with us and our workes that would else bee but splendida peccata even our best works without Christ. 61. Why did the Lawyer then say Master what shall I doe to inherit eternall life A solecisme in both Law and Divinity to think that inheritance should descend by workes or doing and not by filiation or being sonnes which as sons will doe the will of their Father yet hope to have the inheritance not for doing the works but by being sons 62. The question was not then well proposed It shewed the propounder was no perfect scholler in Christs schoole and howsoever signifieth his good intention yet arguing him in that point neither good Lawyer nor found Divine 63. How is heaven then an inheritance As it belongs to the sons of God and by them to be inherited as they are members of Christ. 64. Are they inheritors then onely so Onely as they are thought worthy to have the prerogative to be accounted sons of God being members of Christ so accepted in him and made acceptable by him who is the true Vine and naturall Olive and all the elect the branches 65. How is it said a kingdome As it hath all the honour nobility splendor and glory that can be ensignes or annexed to dominion or majesty with stability of peace and eternity of durance in that most happy estate and in so high measure of contentment that all earthly Kingdomes State and Majesty are but drosse and contemptible in comparison of the same 66. How a kingdome of heaven In regard of the excellency and eminency of glory in that highest degree that nothing can bee more whereas in the kingdome of grace a small sparke of peace and comfort is onely seene to the soule and conscience of the faithfull all true sons and servants of God there God himselfe in full and beatificall vision is seene in the heavenly Jerusalem the City of God and supernall Palace and Courts of that great King filled with his glory presented before and in presence of Cheruh Seraph with all those heavenly Quires Orders and Hierarchy that celestiall company innumerable Saints and Angels 67. Is this the benefit of Baptisme It is thereunto ascribed as whereby I am so admitted into the Church the visible company of the faithfull and being engrafted into Christ accounted a childe of God and heire in hope of the kingdome of heaven SECT 4. The third Question The Godfathers promise in Baptisme for the performance of our Christian duties Of repentance faith and obedience our Repentance in forsaking world flesh and Divell The Divell and enmity to God man being anthor of all evill and sin in heaven paradise â—on the 〈◊〉 continually by his wicked motions and suggestions and Agents or instruments so sowing tares in Gods field Sin in the heart of seduced mankind The Divels works being sias of all sorts so evill and opposite to the works of God as sins of omision ana of commission of ignorancâ— and of malâ— of weaknesse of infirmity Or presumption and the like All workes of the Divell the wicked world with her ompes and vanities Or vain pompes how to be understood and distinguished from the necessary ornaments of the Prince or State How sinne is vaine and all worldly things vanity the sinful lusts and corruptions of the flesh all evill how to be resisted of faith and how we make profession of it in Baptisme and reason Of it The fruit of faith obedience So then also professed showne in our diligence to seeke learne and will therein revealed with constancy all the dayes of our life 1. VVHat did your Godfathers and Godmothers then for you They did promise and vow three things in my name 2. What is meant by promise and vow That they did Both promise the matter and for assurance Confirme it with a solemne vow for me and so not Only simply and Barely promise though promise bee much to be respected and kept in all honest and lawful things but solemnly vow and confirme that promise by publique profession and protestation Made Before God and the Church To God and his Church so In the face of his Congregation and for such things so Good holy and Just and My duty that had they neither been promised vowed or protested yet in all right ought to have beene so soone as knowne acknowledged and to the utmost of my power performed 3. Wherefore is this question here put To shew the reason of the ancient custome and use to have sureties at Baptisme 4. What is that To undertake for us between God and us so before the face of his Church our Christian duties 5. How our Christian duties here described By these three things in the answer propounded Of 1. Forsaking evill The Divell and all his works The world and the flesh 2. Beleeving the Articles of the Christian faith 3. Both Keeping Gods holy Will and Comandments Walking Diligently in the same Continually all the daies c. 6. Whence is this question and answer taken From the very words of the Liturgy where the things here repeated in the ordinary administration of Baptisme are required of the Infant and sureties and by them vowed and promised according to the Churches laudable and most ancient in stitution 7. Recite these three things briefly Repentance faith and the fruits thereof obedience 8. How Repentance To forsake all evill 9. How faith To cleaveto God by believing on him and pursuing that which is good 10. How obedience In that generall duty to feare God and keepe his Commandements 11. How is repentance described here By forsaking all evill in these three branches intended comprehended the Divell World Flesh. 12. What is the Divell The ancient and accursed enemy of Adam and all his posterity who fallen from God expelled out of heaven devoid of grace is the author of sin and of our ruine and misery 13. How fell he from God By disobedience and pride and so called 1. In
is of the power and by the finger of God effected so every evill thought word and act the workes of the Divell perpetrated by his lend agents and instruments 41. In the second place what meane you by the wicked world All that is not of God produced in the world viz. all the corruptions and as it is called the covetousnesse and concupiscience and pompes and vanities of the same 42. But are not these the workes of the Divell Yes and so with him and in him considered as the author in the world as the subject place and matter where seene and acted in the slesh as the agent and instrument the Divell useth in effecting them 43. VVhat is meant by pompes All unnecessary proud and superfluous excesses in the world exceeding that Christian measure and moderation becomming the servants of God whether in meat drink apparell or other vaine ostentation 44. Are all pompous showes pageants and solemnities then unlawfull By no meanes if within measure and moderation prescribed in comparison of the estate or persons to whom they appertaine 45. How meane you that All the solemnities in the publique service of God fitting the magnificence of him and his Temple all ornaments of estate belonging to King Magistrate City or University for the better administration of the government of the Church and Common-wealth all ensignes of honour and the like on lawfull and honest occasions used and worne Publique triumphs and shows in honour of Prince Countrey City or Common-wealth or any member thereof by law of God and man approved and allowed or for some good end ordained 46. VVhat doe these profit To the well and orderly government and apparant honour and decency of Church and Common-wealth yea to the advancement of vertue and so encouragement of good and vertuous mindes 47. How may it be By the fitting splendor and glory of Gods House the Kings Court City or University eminently advanced in such manner testifying the flourishing estate and prosperity of the same which every good man is glad to behold 48. Doe any envy them this If any doe as loath either Kingly Courtly or other robe of decent ornament should exceed the size of the Millers or Weavers jacket that may be apparantly seen such more precise then wise little respect the decency and comelinesse fitting a well ordered estate the honour of God and his Church or Majesty of the Prince 49. What is then here renounced Unnecessary proud vaine and superfluous pompe beyond those rules of decency ornament or honour by law and wisdome prescribed 50. VVhat are the vanities of the world All these superfluous excesses and whatsoever else savoureth of the nature of sin which is vaine 51. How is sin vaine As empty of all goodnesse and making the soule empty of grace and worse then nothing so both vaine the use not satisfying and in the end extreame vanity and vexation of spirit 52. How saith the wise man all is vanity In two respects 1. As all things in the world are but momentary and soone fading 2. As they are too much infected with sin the just sinning seven times a day and so all his actions and all things else even vanitie of vanities 53. VVhat are the sinfull lusts of the flesh Our homebred corruptions our sins and lusts traitours to our selves and owne soules by which the Divell working taketh us his captives and so we become servants to sin and him whom by his meanes we obey 53. VVhat meane you by the flesh The worse part of man the house of clay the body of death or prison of the soule as rebellion against God 54 VVhat the lusts All evill concupiscence tyrannizing over the soule by the meanes of the flesh so drawing both captive to sin and death 55. How sinfull lusts 1. By the subtilty of the Divel suggesting them 2. By the maliguity of the world fostring them 3. By the frailty of the flesh breeding them And by whom the soule infected the whole man becommeth exceedingly sinfull if we doe not resist and strive against them 56. How are we to resist them By faith and continuall and hearty prayer to God to give us his grace whereby it commeth to passe the life of a good Christian is a continuall warfare or combat against these three spirituall enemies fighting against the soule the Divell the World the Flesh. 57. In the second place how is faith here described By beleeving all the Articles of our Christian confession 58. VVhich are they Expressed hereafter in the Creed 59. VVhom doe they concerne God and his Church whereof we are made visible members of the baptisme so received into that society 60. VVhy doe we professe or learne them That we may know God and our owne estate 61. VVhat of God How he is a most powerfull eternall wise glorious and gracious God and our Creator and father in Jesus Christ. Redeemer delivering us from all our enemies Sanctifier comforting and preserving us in all our necessities 60. VVhat of our selves That though by nature we are sons of wrath in Adam yet in Christ adopted sons and made members of the Catholique Church and communion of Saints have blessed hope of forgivenesse of sins resurrection of the body and life everlasting 61. To what end are we taught this That we may both conscionably Learne Know Professe Promise Practise our Christian duties the better 62. How so By ordering our selves as the servants of so great and good a God and applying our selves to his worship and obedience as becommeth Saints 63. In the third place then how is obedience here decyphered That generall duty of ours is set forth 1. By the universall diligence in keeping and observing 2. By the universall object of this diligence the will and commandements of God 3. By the universall countenance of this diligence all the dayes of our life c. 64. How followeth it in this place As a fruit of faith whereon it dependeth for if we know God as we ought we cannot chuse but serve and obey him 65. How is this duty commended In that obedience is better then sacrifice 66. VVhy so preferred Because by sacrifice we offer but the flesh of Lambes Bullocks or other Cattel by obedience we offer our owne selves soules and bodies to God as a living holy and acceptable sacrifice mortifying and subduing our corrupt affections to the will of God 67. How is our diligence in this duty described By keeping and walking in or observing the Commandements and will of God 68. VVhat meant by keeping Our will and desire to Seeke into Learne to know Remember Lay up in our hearts Ponder consider That holy wil of God his Commandemēts 69. How to walke and observe them To direct our wayes and words and workes and counsells thoughts and hearts according to the same 70. VVhat the object or matter here named The will and Commandements of God his holy Lawes 71. VVhat is the will of God Our holinesse and sanctification in body and
spirit 72. How is Gods will knowne As it is revealed in his holy Word 73. VVhere is that word conteined In the bookes of the Old and New Testament 74. VVhat are the Commandements of God The Law of God given to us and his will in generall as before mentioned for the morall part thereof more particularly expressed in the ten Commandements hereafter recited 75. How long obliged to this duty and diligence So long as we have any being all the dayes of our life 76. VVhy so Because from him wee have received our life and being and so to his honour ought all to bee referred 77. How all our dayes Whether of prosperity in praises or adversity in patience to give him thankes and submit our selves wholly to his holy will and pleasure 78. How life Whether our naturall life so rightly understood or life of grace in Gods Church and service as well applyed that the life of grace here may bee an entrance to the life of glory hereafter 79. Is this the summe of the sureties promise It is into these three parts distributed viz. 1. Our repentance to forsake and renounce all evill the Divell World and the Flesh. 2. Our faith to beleeve all the Articles of our Christian faith 3. Our obedience to keep and walke in Gods holy wil and his Commandements all the dayes of my life SECT 5. The fourth Question Our Christian resolution to performe the vow made for us in baptisme and how we are bound to performe and that many wayes in common morality conscience and reason law and Religion since for our so apparent good and Church and superiour institution and command to which wee are to submit our selves in humility our duty to praise God for our happy estate of salvation given to us in Christ by the administry of the Church and meanes of the Sacraments Confirmed and sealed to our soules and to pray for the grace of continuance so to persevere therein to the 〈◊〉 and here also a reason is rendred why the first part of the sureties promise or vow in Baptisme is passed by and the second part concerning the Creed is so here first and principally insisted on as followeth 1. DOst thou thinke thou art bound to beleeve and doe as they have promised for thee Yes verily by Gods helpe so I will c. 2. What is conteined in this answer A fourefold resolution 1. As a direct and resoulte affirmation of the demand yes verily 2. As a resolute asseveration and protestation to the same and by Gods helpe 3. As a resolute praising of God and giving of thankes I heartily thanke c. 4. As a resolved prayer for grace of continuance and perseverance to the end I pray God c. 3. Is then the party bound by anothers act He is both in morality and conscience reason and Religion 4. Without any deputation Yes since it is for his good and if it had not been promised yet in conscience and else bound to performe that 5. How so 1. In common morality since it was for his good and so in duty for good order and vertues sake to doe it 2. In conscience since for the honour of God and good of our owne soule so obliged 3. In reason since by superiours and those that have authority over us our parents and superiours enjoyned 4. Religion since by the Churches authority so for the honour of God and our owne good ordained 6. But can Infants be bound or those under age by their owne or which is lesse others acts By both when it is for their good otherwise not if to their prejudice and rather by tutors and governours acts then by their owne 7. Why so Because they are intended of wisedome and judgement and knowing what is convenient and trusted with the guiding and government of the Infant or young here yet wanting discretion 8. How appearoth it that they are so bound In very law as well as reason the ground of all good lawes when it is for their good and necessary occasions as meat drinke and apparell teaching and bringing up and the like the Infant and Pupill or heire in nonage as well as the most aged persons bound to performe pay and discharge such dues and promises 9. What is the reason for it Because it is for his apparant good and benefit so if he finde a hand to receive a beneficiall lease in law being an Infant he must also finde a hand to pay the rent and performe the condicioned covenants 10. But how is this for his good In an uncomparable great and high degree as hereby received into the heavenly society of Saints and to have that glorious priviledge hereby signed to him to be the Son of God member of Christ and heire of blessednesse and so as hee receiveth the benefit tyed to performe the Covenants 11. How followeth it that he saith By Gods grace so I will In acknowledgement of 1. The fountaine whence all sufficiency and ability doth flow 2. The readinesse and propensity we ought to have to perform it 11. Have we then no ability of our selves No not so much as to thinke a good thought much lesse to performe any good deed but all our sufficiency is from God 12. What is our duty then to doe To pray for ability from him expect his graces and after the same in humility as considering whence all our ability comes to direct our courses 13. Can we doe this then Not we as of our selves but Gods grace and good Spirit within us that beginneth will performe every good worke to his glory 14. What shall we doe then Only submit our selves to his will be prest to obey and doe as his good Spirit moveth us not to quench the spirit but being ready to say Speake Lord for thy servant heareth accordingly continue in well doing 15. How shall we finde or know this If we praise God for graces received and pray unto him for more as followeth in this answer 16. Why should we praise him Because thanksgiving for graces received is the fruit of the former grace and seed of the latter 17. VVhat doe you praise him for here For calling me to this state of salvation 18. VVhat is this state of salvation The state of a Christian in the love and favour of God by his Covenant of grace whereof the Sacraments are signes and seales 19. How are we else Out of Gods favour weltering in our owne bloud and pollution of sin by nature but restored to his favour thus by grace 20. In or by whom or what meanes Through Jesus Christ our Saviour in whom God is well pleased and for his sake doth blot out all our guilt and offences 21. How are we brought to this estate We are called by God by whom elected and by the Ministry of his Church by his appointment and the voice of his holy Word and thus lastly sealed for his receive these signes the Sacraments with the vertue and effect of them pledges
the Father God the Son God and the holy Ghost God and Lord and Almighty and the rest But these are only attributed to one of the three persons and not to the others so the Son only is begotten and not the Father nor the holy Ghost and the like of the rest 26. Is there any precedency or priority in the Trinity None for in the Trinity none is a fore or after other none greater or lesse then another but all three co-essentiall co-eternall and co-equall 27. VVhy is the Father first mentioned For orders sake only for in the Deity is no imparity but the Son was from all eternity and before all worlds with the Father God of God Light of light and the Wisedome Word Truth and Councell of God and so was the holy Ghost 28. But is not the Son said under and inferiour to the Father Not as touching his Godhead for so he is equal only inferiour as touching his Man-hood when for our sakes he would assume our nature in the flesh and be humbled 29. But were not the Son and the holy Ghost sent after a certaine time At the fulnesse of time God sent his Son yet his Son eternally was willing and from eternity with the Father decreed and did consent and came voluntarily one God and one with God before all worlds only in his humility and humanity after a time manifested in the flesh so the holy Ghost eternally God yet said after a certain time sent and yet coming himselfe and so more visible apparant to the Church who before all time was God and with God coequall in power and majesty 30. How explaine you further your beleefe in God I beleeve with my heart and professe with my mouth this one God and so I put my whole trust and confidence in him and his mercy grace and truth 31. How expresse you what you conceive in this word I beleeve I beleeve not onely 1. That there is a God which is credere Deum 2. His words are true credere Dei verba esse firma certa vera stabilia 3. God in his promises and words is true which is credere Deo all which the Divels doe beleeve even beyond and better then some reprobates and any reprobates may doe this But which is more I beleeve in God which is credere in Deum to put my trust affiance and confidence in him And confesse it a Deo as the gift of God whence invocation obedience all good works and good life in Deo propter Deum ejus Christum doe proceed which is and ought to be the fruit of faith so shewing it a true saving and justifying faith and whereby the Soule is purified Life sanctified Conscience pacified of a good Christan 32. How apply you this faith To my soule as the subject as it is to bee saved justified sanctified purified and pacified by the same To God as the object and authour of it almighty alsufficient and able to performe this in me 33. How to God referred Both in the Unity of Essence and Trinity of Persons Father Son and Holy Ghost the author and finisher of this faith and object of the same 34. How is this generall Confession first applyed here To the first Person in Trinity the Father so I say I beleeve in God the Father 35. How is the Father here described By his Title of personality Father Attribute of omnipotency Almighty Action of creation Maker of heaven and earth 36. How is the title of Father attributed to God 1. Either indefinitely as creator and producer of all things and so in some sort attributed to the all three persons Esa. 9. 2. Or respectively as the first person is Father by nature of the second and in him by adoption of all his Elect. 37. How many wayes is he Father Three wayes principally Generally of all creatures by creation so Father of light and Spirits Specially by adoption and grace so Father of all the Elect in Christ. Particularly by nature of Christ his Son by eternall generation 38. How is Father understood here All these three wayes though most particularly and as foundation of the rest as Father of his owne and onely Son by nature 39. What note you in that especially Three most observable and wonderfull concurrents in that eternall generation beyond all others 1. That the Father communicates his whole essence to the Sonne who is very God of very God 2. Produceth him within himselfe for without him is no place 3. Hath his Sonne equall to himselfe in being and beginning as equall in essence and majesty so in time and co-eternity that there was no time nor durance when the Father had not this Sonne equall so to himselfe in time by eternall generation 40. What profit to us in this That for his sake his eternall Sonne whom hee loveth so dearly we having his love shall bee saved so as sonnes by creation wee have his power and providence but as Sonnes by adoption in Christ wee have his grace and goodnesse attending over us 41. What speciall comfort therein That as he is our Father and wee are his children wee shall want no manner of thing that is good either for body or soule for this life or the life to come 42. What duty are we hereby obliged unto The duty of sonnes to love honour and obey our Father to strive to be like him or to resemble our Father and beare his image and as our heavenly Father trust in him and cast our cares on him 43. What image of him Of righteousnesse and true holinesse 44. How shall we resemble him 1. By holinesse as he commandeth Be ye holy as I am holy 2. By mercy as be ye mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull 3. By love for God is love and so both to love one another and even our enemies doing good to all after his example who raineth and whose Sun shineth on the just and unjust 44. Why or how should we cast our care on him Because as our Father he careth for us and who feedeth the Ravens and clotheth the Lillies will doe much more for his children if they serve him 45. Js all care to be abandoned All superfluous and excessive care of worldly things for if we seeke heavenly things chiefly all other things shall be given sufficiently 46. How may this be further illustrated By the example of Kings children or heyres who having great provision of Kingdome and best things what should they carke for pinnes or trifles and if heaven be provided why carke and care for earth and earthly vanities and if Christ be theirs what can be wanting or withheld 47. What of the attribute Almighty To learne that he is able and can doe al things 1. Whatsoever hee pleaseth his will onely the bound of his active power 2. More then he will by his supreame and absolute power and so nothing is impossible with God 48. Is the Father onely omnipotent No for every attribute saving the
in glory Cupio dissolvi c. 3. Gracious steps of life and conversation to ascend up to his holy hill of sanctification as preparing heart and hand soule and body to ascend to Christ at last and pertake with him in sanctity here as in glory hereafter and therefore did hee send the holy Spirit or Comforter 38. What fruit hereby Cheerfull ability to goe forward both in our Christian callings and duties of Religion by his comfort guidance and instruction alwaies remembring that he is ascended and gone before to prepare a place That we ought to prepare our selves to be received That we are strangers and Pilgrimes here That we have a high and more enduring City That therfore we elevate our minds and hearts and eyes and hands towards that place where our hope and helpe is and thither ascended into glory 39. What followeth The third degree of his exaltation his session at the right hand of God in Majesty and glory expressed in these words He sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty 40. What is meant thereby His consistency for ever and plenitude of Majesty and glory there with the Father in the heavens 41. What in the words to be considered The figure or manner of the speech The meaning of the phrase 42. What the manner or figure The expression of this or the like divine matters and mysteries according to our humane capacity As by sitting understanding consistency being and remaining so for ever As by the right hand of God understanding his high power and Majesty 43. Is this frequent Yes concerning God especially where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 causâ for humane weaknesse sake the eyes armes hands fingers and feet of God are often mentioned and the like figures and Metaphors used when we are not with the Heretiques Anthropmorphites to thinke God hath them so really in humane figure but to signifie his greatnesse past finding out or goodnesse and benefits to us by them 44. How to be conceived then 1. By his eyes his providence over us and all things 2. By his mouth his word and divine revelation 3. By his armes outstretched and mighty hand his strength power and mighty deliverances 4. By the workes of his hand and fingers acts of his power and by him ordered and ordained 5. By his feet and goings his marvellous proceedings and the like and so here as aforesaid by sitting stability for ever by his right hand or at his right hand of Majesty and glory to be conceived so Bathsheba at Salomons right hand 1 Kings 2. 19. and the Queen at the Kings right hand in the 45. Psa. understood placed in the greatest honour glory and Majesty 45. What is the full meaning of the phrase As in other places expressed Christ being sitting or standing his consistency for ever at the right hand of God in the power and glory of the divine Majesty 46. Was not this meant by ascending to heaven No for it is a distinct thing from it for That The ascension is in order before it The ascension may be without it The ascension of Christ was to this end 47. How understand you this It is evident the ascension was in time and order before said session and glory and ascension to heaven may be without it as we see in Saints and Angels who doe and shall ascend and though have fulnesse and an unspeakable measure of glory yet not in so high degree and Christs ascension was to that end to have that high degree above all as the complement of all glory and majesty 48. But was not Christ in that glory and at the right hand of the Father set from all eternity 1. In respect of his divinity he was so before all worlds and from all eternity and to that can bee no accession or addition of glory 2. In respect of his divinity united to his humanity so that it was from that time forth onely so considered and manifested 3. In respect of his humanity it was from that time and in that order so exalted 49. How is this elsewhere expressed in Scriptures By these speeches and prophesies or prophetique phrases 1. His exaltation farre above all heavens Eph. 4. 10. To a name above all names that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow both of things in heaven and in earth Philip. 2. 9. 10. 2. All power given both in heaven and in earth Matth. 28. 18. 3. Let all Angels worship him Heb. 1. 6. so Psal. 97. 7. worship him all ye gods 4. I have set my King upon c. Aske of me and I shall give c. Psal. 2. c. 5. Sit at my right hand till I make thy enemies thy footstoole Psal. 110. 1. 6. All his enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15. 25. And the like places and phrases shewing his majesty and glory 50. What analogy in this to his humiliation To the lowest degree as this the highest step of glory from the deepes of grave and hell to heaven so from the lowest misery in them to the highest glory in heaven 51. What learne we hence His great power able to defend and glory in majesty to the comfort and consolation of his Church and so our duties of Honour to his Majesty Praise to his excellent name Joy in the excellency of his glory Obedience to his mighty power with the Father and Holy Spirit in the guidance and government of his Church 52. In what respect As he is the head of the Church powerfull and able to defend all that are his against all powers of sin death and hell and Satan and all worldly opposition and in that honoured above all and constituted over all both men and Angels 53. What followeth His further manifestation of his glory in his second comming his comming to judgement the fourth degree or part of his exaltation expressed in the seventh Article From thence he shall come againe to judge both the quicke and the dead SECT 9. The 7. Article Christs comming to judgement The seventh Article shewing the fourth part of Christs exaltation in his comming to judgement and Analysis thereof where the time the end of the world and other circumstances and reasons such his last comming to judgement are to be considered as the antecedents and terror of the same with the extreame strangenesse of many accidents then happening The righteous processe and manner of executing it in all evidence and equity yet with all authority and the event and consequences the finall sentence and distinction of the sheep and goats or good and bad the one to life the other to death eternall to the full manifestation of Gods mercy and justice which began before to be showne is there more perfited and published so what duties to be learned and use of comforts to be raised from the same 1. VVHat is comprised in this seventh Article The fourth part or degree of Christs exaltation his commission and comming to judgment in power and great glory 2. How
of the great King as the place of all felicity 25. How of the wicked In the same power but by the hands of those wicked and infernall spirits executing Gods judgment and heavie anger against sinners so tumbling them headlong into hell into that dungeon of eternall misery and confusion where is weeping wailing and gnashing of teeth the worme that never dyeth and fire that never goeth out death gnawing on them alwayes dying never put out of that paine but so eternally miserable 26. Js this the end Yes this is the end of the judgement though of the joyes or torments no end eternity being confirmed to both and by this meanes the equity of sentence of that most just Judge eternally manifested rendring to every one according to his workes 26. Are then the workes considered Yes and they that have done well goe to life everlasting and those that have done evill into everlasting fire 27. Is life then for the workes given No but rendred according to the workes whereby the faith vertue and graces of the godly given by God were approved to the eye of God and the world and now seene by it that verily there is a reward for the righteous there is a God that judgeth the earth 28. How is his mercy then seene In giving those graces that faith that apprehendeth the Saviour Christ and charity that so covereth and satisfieth all defects so in mercy imputeth that righteousnesse that now in justice according to his goodnesse bringeth their absolution whiles the wicked wanting these are taken in the workes of their owne hands and condemned 29. The wicked are then judged and condemned for their workes Yes and that in justice as without mercy who neither loved sought nor exercised mercy but the godly in justice also but according to their works testifying their faith so not for their works nor yet without workes as they are via Regni non causa regnandi as before was declared 30. Is there no other judgement Yes there is a particular judgement for every one at the day and houre of death wherein as the world leaveth us so judgement findeth us and the soule then separated from the body receiveth particular sentence of mercy or condemnation but at the last day both men and Angels beholding body and soule joyned together shall publiquely in the sight of all to the manifestation of Gods justice to all receive the sentence to their farther joy or griefe and to the consummation thereof which is the generall judgement 31. What learne we hence Divers good duties befitting Christians and their Christian conversation 1. As vigilancy in our callings as expecting the Lords comming to call us to account for our workes 2. Care of keeping a good conscience which is an onely comfort and assurance of our soules in Christ when all bookes and so that booke withall are opened 3. Avoiding rash judgement and censure of others leaving the judgement to the Lord who shall justly judge both us and them 4. Judging our selves in time and condemning what is ill that we may so by penitence avoyd the judgement and condemnation of the Lord. 5. Raising and rousing up our selves to all good workes especially prayers and praises to God for all his gifts and graces in the joyfull expectation of his comming and reward 32. What profit hence 1. Our chiefest and best comfort that in all afflictions there shall bee an end and for all good sufferings a reward 2. Joy in all good actions that shall then receive the crowne of praise and blessednesse 3. Preparation of our soules for heaven in expectation of the Lords comming and our rendring our account 33. It is then good to remember judgement An onely meanes to avoid sin by often remembrance as of God and heaven and hell so of this judgement and the account to be made and if it were possible as it were to have alwayes the trumpet of God and voice of the Archangell sounding in our eares his Surgite mortui venite ad judicium 34. VVhat followeth The eighth Article of the Creed concerning the third person in the Trinity our beliefe in God the Holy Ghost SECT 10. The eighth Article and third part of the Creed Concerning the Holy Ghost The Analysis of the eighth Article how wee beeleve in the holy Ghost and what concerning his essence God person and name the holy Spirit and why so called As also the manner of his existence and order in the Trinity his personall ppoprieties actions and operations to him attributed for the guidance and good of the Church and so how comfort is particularly ascribed to him and he called the Comforter his gifts and graces how distinguished and distributed among the members of the Church for the good of the same how also to be retained or said to be revised or quenâ—â—ed 〈…〉 us and what sinne against the holy Ghost is and how vnpardonable So what chiefly hence to be learned for our use and comfort 1. VVHat is the third person in Trinity God the Holy Ghost called the holy Spirit of God 2. How prosesse you your beleefe in him In these words I beleeve in the Holy Ghost 3. What therein to be considered The action or duty to beleeve in or put my trust and confidence in him as was before declared The object in respect of his essence God person the holy Spirit the third person in Trinity 4. VVhat concerning his essence That he is one God in unity of essence with the Father and the Sonne who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified who spake by the holy Prophets as is explained in the Nicene Creed so very one God with them working in unity with them as was before declared onely distinguished in the propriety of person 5. VVhat considerable in his person The name and reason thereof The manner of existence in the Trinity The order action and propriety of person 6. VVhence the name of spirit From that similitude to other spirits and spirituall natures the fountaine as it were and beginning of divers hidden secret and invisible motions and actions 7. How many sorts of spirits Some causes and substances the principall other onely effects and accidents So there are spirits Heavenly ones Increate so both Essentially we say God is a Spirit Personally the spirit of God Created Angels good and bad Soules of men all causes in one sort or other and producers of admirable effects Earthly ones as Spirits in the arteries of the body Winde and motion of the Ayre are moved and divers meteors So called of their secret and imperceptible beginnings and motion 8. VVhat else spirits The effects of the former spirit both Good motions as the spirit of fortitude gentlenesse understanding and other gifts of Gods Spirit Evill motions spirit of anger giddinesse cavillation contentions c. 9. VVhat then meant by the name Spirit In generall any hidden nature secretly with force stirring or moving any thing and as wee see sometimes the
some gifts taken from them Joh. 6. 37. but from the reprobate even that they seemed to have concerning faith and regeneration is taken away utterly Matth. 13. 12. and 29. Luke 8. 18. 31. How may we be assured of the presence of Gods Spirit dwelling in us By the good and holy effects of the same in our soule life and conversation as 1. Our knowledge faith hope charity and other graces 2. Carefull study of godlinesse and innocency 3. Love of God and hatred of sin 4. Comfort in holy actions and delight in Gods house and children 5. Separating our selves and affections from the world and placing them on God 32. How is Gods Spirit said to be quenched in us 1. By neglect and carelesnesse in holy duties and exercises 2. Contempt of the graces and good motions offered which is a despite to that Spirit of grace 3. Ungodly and wicked actions 33. What is the sin against the holy Ghost In generall as he is God all sins against the majesty of God in particular and properly in regard of his person and office as hee is the sanctifier and illuminating Spirit so those haynous and stubborne sins against the open and plaine truth and testimony of conscience of purposed malice wittingly and willingly against and in despite of that good and milde Spirit 34. How said to be unpardonable As commonly hardnesse of heart and finall impenitency is joyned with them and even so it is as a judgement laid on those sins said that we should not even pray for them 35. What learne we hence Many good duties concerning our sanctification and his graces as to Beleeve the holy Scriptures even by his inspiration as the way to God and take heed of neglect Keepe our bodies and soules holy and pure as Temples of the holy Ghost and not to defile them Use all our gifts to the honour of God for of him we have received them the graces of his Spirit and not abuse them to vanity Submit our selves to the government of Gods Spirit and not be proud or stubborne and so despise that Spirit of grace Seeke encrease in graces daily and confirmation and not to quench the Spirit or fall away 36. What profit hereof The joy and comfort of our Spirit called joy in the holy Ghost by his blessed operation making application of all Christs merits and mercies to our soules adorned with his graces giving us assurance thereof by his power in holinesse and newnesse of life or sanctification the earnest peny of glorification 36. What followeth The fourth and last part of the Creed in those foure last Articles concerning the Church of God and his graces bestowed on the same in these words The holy Catholique Church the Communion of Saints forgivenesse of sins resurrection of the body and life everlasting Amen SECT 11. The 9. Article concerning the Catholique Church The analysis of the 9. and following and here first of the Catholique Church and how we professe our beleefe concerning the same so how here is a Church or company of the faithfull separated from the world and vnited in God and Christ their head and so gathered or called thence named Ecclesia being but one universall or Catholique one though consisting of many particular branches so comprehending all times places and persons whence our Church one with that of the Iewes and our faith the same with Abrahams being all one in Christ the head and substance of the covenant how said to be visible or invisible militant or triumphant how also Catholique and holy and the notes of the true Church described whereby from all other companies or not so rightly named Churches distinguished by the true preaching of the word and right and due administration of the Sacraments and for the Notes of universality autiquity visibility succession consent and the like if without holinesse no perfect marks since so to be found in many false Synagogues and so what may be said of the Church of Rome and her holinesse and Religion and some other opposites or enemies to the same And of the promise of the holy Spirits presence in the Church to the end Of the world Of the communion of Saints what it is and between whom both between Saints themselves and them and Christ and so with God whence all happinesse peace and unity influence of grace and effects or fruits of holinesse all Saints in heaven and earth by their union in Christ to God combined so in the Comfort and fruition of this faith enjoying that glorious 〈◊〉 name and calling and happy assurance and priviledge of the Saints being many good uses to be made of the same three last Articles containing three great priviledges of the Church 1. VVHat doth the last part of the Creed concerne The Church of God and therein considered either the body of it called the holy Catholique Church and united in the communion of Saints Or the priviledges and graces indulged on the same 1. The forgivenesse of sins 2. The resurrection of body 3. The life everlasting 2. What herein to be then considered The Action as how we beleeve Object as aforesaid the Church her priviledges 3. What of the action That here we say not beleeve in that is put trust and confidence therein but onely beleeve the same that is that there is a holy Catholique Church of God so elected called and sanctified where of Christ the Lord and head that it is united into that communion of Saints his members united among themselves and to their head Christ and that in the same and no where else to bee fought or found salvation and so those priviledges consequently that there is truly forgivenesse of sins the blessed hope of resurrection and assurance of life everlasting 4. What difference to be noted herein That to beleeve in God or on him as the highest degree of faith is onely proper to God and so we can put our trust or confidence in him and no other but to beleeve the holy Catholique Church and the other points of faith is in a second degree and though with the same certainty and assent to the truth yet not with that confidence or trust in them for their power or any thing else which were to make idols of them and set them up in the place of God 5. What of the object the Church For the body and substance of the same these positions 1. That there is a Church 2. What that Church is and the Name Nature Parts Proprieties and Notes of the same 3. What union is in it viz. a communion of Saints 6. How shew you that there is a Church It is evident to the eye of Nature and Reason as well as Faith even to naturall men that see the Church and company of the faithfull separated from them and their prophane conversation and reason even testifying to the sense the causes of this separation the honour and service of God the supreme good with expectation of reward which faith most cleerly
Judges or Judges of these things we are to leave them to their superiours whom God appoi eth 43. Can the Church of Rome then or any particular Church fall from God It is apparent for that the Lords Spirit is not tyed to any place for then not only Jerusalem his City but the famous Churches of Asia long since collapsed had yet stood and flourished and many others now under Mahumetan and Turkish servitude or quite decayed 44. How then did God promise his Spirit to his Church to be with it to the end of the world To be present to lead it into all truth wheresoever it is even in all places of the world but as the winde bloweth where it listeth so his Spirit to the faithfull every where â—ut for their infidelity sometimes pulleth one downe and setteth up another even casteth off the naturall branches for unbeleefe and grafteth in others all according to his good will and pleasure 45 What learne you else concerning this Church That as it is the Church of God a holy Church and Catholicke in regard of all times places and persons of all sexes and degrees peoples and nations whatsoever whereof it consists consenting in the truth of the Catholicke doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles so it is also and in unity of Spirit in the communion of Saints 46. What in this communion of Saints considered The union in that it is a communion The persons who are Saints How is their union 1. in the unity of faith the doctrine of salvation 2. The head which is Christ. 3. The body which is his Church they members 4. The Spirit which is the bond of peace among them 2. In the participation of the Sacraments tokens of this union and communion 3. Bond of charity and love between themselves and Christ their head and by him also with God 47. What is that communion then That holy and sweet fellowship which all the members of the Church have one with another and with Christ their head and so with God whereby all good is communicated to them from above and consequently in mutuall charity one unto another 48. Between whom is this communion considered Between the Saints and Christ their head and so with God themselves one with another so the Saints both in heaven and earth 49. How with Christ and God As the excellent Meanes whereby reconciled to God and at peace with him Grace of partaking of Christs righteousnesse being one with him by faith Assurance of my hope of all good things in him and by him attained for that he so feeleth my wants heareth my prayers is ready to relieve my misery 50. What fruit and profit of this All happinesse and goodnesse thereby acquired As peace with God peace of conscience peace in the soule Influence of all graces from Christ our head Effects of holinesse and righteousnesse from him Glorious inheritance title estate and hope of all Saints and all comforts in him 51. How exemplified By the spirituall building Christ the foundation and head cornerstone and we the building By the peacefull Olive Christ and we the branches ingrafted By the Vine Christ and we the pruned branches By the head Christ and we the members By the Bridegroome Christ and we the spouse and such similies of his imparting his goodnesse righteousnesse and graces to us 52. How of the Saints among themselves As members of one body branches of that Vine and Olive stones of that spirituall building all for the good one of another bringing forth much good fruit to the honour of God 53. How between us and Saints in heaven In mutuall sympathy as branches of one vine consent in the praises of God praiers one for another though not one to another and all best duties however unknown to us now will be manifest hereafter they being our fellow servants and brethren that assuredly wish our good and happinesse and in the resurrection to be partakers with us in glory 54. How among the Saints on earth Though plainly and evidently in 1. The unity in Faith the doctrine of truth professed Hope of blessednesse Spirit and bond of peace 2. Union with the Head and participation of the Sacraments yet most essentially in the union in charity and workes of mercy By helping one another By releeving and comforting the weake By bearing one anothers infirmities and doing all good temporall to the body spirituall prayer instruction and the like to the soule to the comfort of the Saints and Church of God 55. Why called Saints Both By the generall calling of God to grace Out of charity to the Church of God in all The visible members presumed faithfull In hope of the inheritance of Saints and desire that it may be given to all For that the best part are indeed Saints of God What comfort in this faith Most heavenly to consider That 1. Christ himselfe in this sympathy feeling our wants heareth and knoweth our prayers 2. Even Saints in heaven desire our good and pray for it 3. How mean soever in worldly eyes yet if Saints of that high and holy fellowship wherewith no compare as joyned so to the King of Kings c. 4. All Saints their prayers devotions fastings are heard and made and done for us and our good as all Christs actions and merits applied 5. That hereby is more content and true riches then in all worldly possessions as all good enjoying of heavenly and earthly good comming of this communion 56. What learne we hence Many good duties and how to behave our selves in and towards the Church of God and communion of Saints As 1. To honour and reverently esteeme of this holy society 2. To desire the good of it as a faithfull member of the same 3. To bee of holy conversation as beseemeth a Saint and a Christian. 4. To come out of the world leaving Egypt and Sodome to be admitted into this Canaan the House and Church of God 5. To be in unity with my selfe God and his Saints in the bond of the peace of a good conscience love and charity 6. To seeke sit company of Saints and so to delight in Gods house the Saints on earth and such as excell in vertue 7. Conversing with Saints on earth by holy conversation and those in heaven by heavenly contemplation to aspire to a more strait union with that holy congregation 8. To doe good to all especially to those that be of the houshold of faith as having a fellow-feeling and compassion to all Gods Children 9. To exercise our selves in fit and holy actions beseeming Gods house and that holy company 10. To have comfort in all things and sufferings both in respect of the Saints and their fellow-sufferings but chiefly Christ his fellow-feeling of our infirmities to helpe and relieve us 57. What followeth The last three Articles of the Creed concerning the priviledges given and belonging to this holy Society remission of sins resurrection of the body and life everlasting SECT 12. The 10.
11. and 12. Articles of the Creed concerning the Priviledges of the Church and first forgivenesse of sinnes by washing us in Christs blood covering of our sinnes and imputation of his righteousnesse to those that are his and none others we being not able to satisfie for our owne but needing God powerfully the Church ministerially to forgive them where faith in Christ is required the condition whence the use of much comfort and consequently the blessed hope of resurrection the second priviledge manner certainty and reason wherof are here observed taken from Gods justice equity and mercy As also farther illustrated by divers examples and similitudes presenting to us a shew of the resurrection so the order of it and excellent estate therein more amply expressed in respect of the godly and what good duties to be hence learned and what good uses to be made of the same Whence also consequently our joyfull hope of life everlasting The last Articls where life of joyntly of soule and body raised and united in joy unspeakable and endlesse in heaven is by that to be understood which is also called the union With God and fruition of the glorious Godhead and blessednesse eternal which is the life of Angels though the meanes or cause of it as Christ or the word sometimes figuratively called life and life eternall or as it may be inchoate herein in the kingdome of grace as consummato in glory whereas the contrary and estate of the damned not properly a life but death or ever dying life and so not mentioned in the Creed where onely the comfort of the godly intended the use they make and duty they ought o learne in seeking striving for it in assurancâ— of which their blessed faith and hope they say Amen 1. VVHat is contained in these three last Articles Three priviledges granted to the Church and not elsewhere to be found or attained each Article one viz. 10. Forgivenesse of sinnes 11. Resurrection of body 12. Life everlasting 2. What is forgivenesse of sins Gods passing by our sins without calling them to his remembrance to shame or punish us for them but on the contrariwise imputing righteousnesse to us and accounting and allowing us just 3. Wherein consisteth it In these two things the Covering or cancelling and discharging of sinne Imputation and gift of justice 4. How is the covering or discharging of sin In taking away both the spot and staine of guilt and consequently the removing all punishment 5. How is it done By washing our soules in Christs bloud purging them by his merits and drowning them in the sea of his infinite love and mercy and as wee are in Christ he beholdeth no staine in us hee seeth no iniquity in Iacob and the cause of sin removed punishment the effect and death eternall the due to sin must needs be done away 6. How the imputation of Christs justice and his merits As in him our sins done away so in him is justice given by putting on him and his robes of righteousnesse as we are in him part of that holy society the communion of Saints and members of the true Catholique Church 7. To whom is then forgivenesse of sins Onely to the true members of the Catholique Church for so to them that are in Christ thence is no condemnation because they are of that body and in him in whom God is well pleased and so to all others who are not in him what can bee expected but condemnation 8. Can we not satisfie for our owne sins How can we satisfie for sin that without him and his grace are not able to thinke a good thought and when our best workes in comparison of true holinesse are but as poluted and filthy clouts before him and when wee have done the most we can it is but our duty yea when the best we can we are but unprofitable servants where is then our merit of our selves or ability to satisfie for our misdeeds 9. Who forgiveth sin Onely God the Father Son and Holy Spirit who having power to make the Law have power to forgive the offence 10. How is the Church said or men to forgive sinnes The Church ministerially and that divers ways from God as by The ministry of the word procuring it by offering and ordering the doctrine of repentance and forgivenesse of sin and converting sinners to God The exercising the power of the keyes by Gods order and commission for the benefit of the Church to humble the soule The applying the same to the penitent and so in the power of Gods commission to give and pronounce absolution to the benefit and comfort of the soule desiring the same 11. How the keyes or power of them exercised In foro 1. Exteriori in facie Ecclesiae more publiquely in the sight of the Church to the reforming of offences and removing of scandals 2. Interiori conscientiae more privately to the comfort of the soule and quieting the conscience of the humble penitent 12. How men how doe they forgive Onely partially in regard of some part of some offences concerning them but God forgiveth to the truly penitent totally in respect of all parts of both guilt and punishment and fully whatsoever either the Church holily intendeth or men neglect or wilfully refuse to forgive if he please 13. How stands this with Gods justice As in justice even to the utmost satisfied in the sufferings of Christ and in mercy as he gave and accepteth him and in his merits for us 14. What is then required to forgivenesse of sins A lively faith in Christ whereby we apprehend him and his merits and perfections thereby applyed and made ours whence commeth true repentance forsaking sinne and cleaving stedfastly to God 15. What certainty of it Gods gracious promises in Christ effectually applyed and sealed to the soule by the ministry of the Church in the holy use of his Word and Sacraments 16. What learne we hence In this life seeking this priviledge in the Church 1. To make our calling and election sure in Christ. 2. To become truly a member of his so to have our sins forgiven 3. Obtaine peace of conscience thus and both with God and men 4. To disclaime our owne merits so in humblenesse crave and have Christs justice 5. To try our faith by our repentance and so by our assurance of forgivenesse and thus seeking we shall surely attaine it both from God and his Church and have peace with God and men 17. What followeth of this Resurrection of body as a consequent of forgivenesse of sins for as death entred by sin so sinne also taken away the punishment also to be removed which being of the body in part shall also in that part be dissolved at the last and the body raised 18. But how and when shall it be By the mighty power of God and in his word by the voice of his Angell and sound of his trumpet at the end of the world 19. How can this be Though wormes have eaten it or
Seas or grave turned it to rottennesse or wilde beasts or fishes devoured it yet when he saith Come againe yee children of men no graves rottennesse or corruption can keepe them from his presence whose word can againe restore them as at first created them out of nothing 20. How is this further confirmed Even by the rules of reason at least from the justice equity and mercies of God in Christ. 21. How in reason As they in the soule pleased or offended God so to be made the object of his justice or mercy for as he is God of Abraham and God of the living of all Abraham and not a part onely his soule as else illustrated by divers examples and similitudes 22. How in the justice of God As the body with the soule offended the divine Majesty so with it to be called to account and since no such justice yet seene performed that it should hereafter bee at the last 23. How in equity As both soule and body served God and did honour him and in Christ accepted of him so both to rise to be honoured which commeth towards his mercy and as he is Father of both in Adam and Christ. 24. How his mercies in Christ As promised to all faithfull and for his promise sake both body and soule to be blessed else but a part of blessing and God and Christs servants but in part his or part of his servants raised but as his blessing perfect and promise without failing or repentance so full and perfect restoring and blessednesse both in body and soule 25. How farther illustrated By examples and similitudes of the resurrection 26. What examples Not onely Christ himselfe in whose forme we shall rise which also giveth a taste as a first fruits assurance and testimony of our Resurrection and sheweth Gods power and good will to our nature but also of divers others as the widow of Sarepta and Shunamites son by Eliah and Elisha raised to life the man by the Prophets bones and those three raised by Christ Dorcas by Peter and Eutiches by Saint Paul all farther testimonies and tokens of the very bodies resurrection 27. What other similitudes Of the day succeeding night spring after winter even flyes and Bees the Rigndove beast Myoxus and Phenix from death usually reviving to life againe seeds cast into the earth there dying yet quickned againe Saint Pauls instance of the Resurrection 28. What hence gathered That as when wee see some herbes bud in the spring we know so others may so when we see some bodies raised we may know by their example others may also or when we see some excellent Artist show some excellent workes by it wee know he can doe more if he please so when wee see God raised some and gave life and cloathed the soules with the bodies he can doe so by all the rest when he sees his time and when he please 29. With what bodies then shall we rise With the same wee live here as holy Iob saith and Saint Paul with our owne bodies yet made glorified incorruptible and spirituall bodies 30. How glorified As fitted to that mansion they shall possesse in the heavens 31. How incorruptible By doing away all corruptions and imperfections which may tend towards death or offence to the soule so a comfort whatever imperfection weaknesse or deformity there all such imperfection and defect shall be done away and the glorious soule as a glorified one so shall have a perfect and incorruptible body to praise God with eternally 32. How said a spirituall body Not that it is turned to a spirit but in regard of the excellent qualities it shall be then endued with in comparison of this body of frailty and earth that we now possesse and as it shall be comformable to these spirituall exercises of the soule then to bee used and sympathizing with that spirit subject in all things without reluctancy to the Spirit of God 33. How the Resurrection effected By the Father in the Sonne and virtue of the Holy Ghost whereby all shall be raised and brought to judgement 34. Of whom this resurrection meant Of the godly hereby princially intended the symboll of whose faith is here expressed but of all here intimated of the just to mercy the others condemnation hence consequently gathered 35. What learne we hence Good duties in preparation of our selves for a joyfull resurrection As 1. not to live like Epicures or such as expect no resurrection but in dayes of grace as preparing for a life in glory 2. To consider how though death impaire us there shall be a resurrection to renew us 3. To serve God with all our members bodies and soules also that all may be partakers of a joyfull resurrection of the just to glory 4. To be comforted against death in this hope and joyfully expresse the same in all things 36. What comforts to be hence raised In that as we may finde hough we live a thousand yeares yet wee must dye in the first Adams fall so now though a thousand or thousands in the dust yet in the second Adam we shall be raised in his forme and power so 1. To beare all weaknesse sicknesse deformity even death it selfe with patience since Christ will raise all that are his in power and beauty to glory 2. To bear the parting with our neerest friends patiently in remembrance of this resurrection and meeting againe in joy in body and soule at the resurrection 3. To beare the very parting and laying downe of this body of dust with that moderation and comfort beseeming a Christian and servant of him that will at last reward all our service done to him either in body or soule with a mercifull and just reward 37. What followeth hence As a consequent of this resurrection life everlasting for as forgivenesse of sinnes argueth taking a way the punishment death and so a resurrection no lesse it and the resurrection import the position of life everlasting 38. What is your hope then Of a joyfull resurrection to life everlasting both in body and soule to be consummate with God and all Saints in the heavens 39. What herein to be considered The life of body and soule eternity of the same The sum and consummation of all happinesse in such joyes that no eye hath seen or eare heard or could enter into the heart of man prepared for the Saints and to endure to eternity 40. What is life The act of living not so much consisting in the continuance as exercising the faculties of life and enjoying the goodnesse 41. How mean you that For that long continuance as a hundred or a thousand yeares without knowledge the light of life or action the exercise of life or doing good and the best acts of the soule is but as it were a long sicknesse and lethargy of the soule or deficiencie of life wanting the fruit and comfort of the the same 42. How doth the soule live By her owne being but from God authour of that being and
originall fountaine of life living of himselfe and undependently and so giving all things else their life and being 43. How doth the body live By vertue of the soule and her union with it and so by the power and operation of the same 44. What is eternity A duration and continuance or enduring without beginning or end or both 45. How explaine you this Eternity or such enduring is considered First either simply and absolutely without beginning or end and so only God absolutely eternall and inhabiting eternity 2. In part as the Schooles speake either a part ante without beginning but having end so Gods decrees from eternity either without beginning but ending in his workes or a part post having beginning but without end so the eternity of Angells and soules that by creation had beginning but by Gods grace and goodnesse continuing them shall never have end this is also called eviternity and thus all eternity is contra distinguished to time 46. In what manner As eternity absolute hath neither beginning nor end so God eternall Eviternity hath beginning but no end so Angels and Soules Time hath both beginning and end so this world and all temporall things and thus all continuance is usually distinguished 47. What is eternall life then The fulnesse of joy and comforts of life in the presence of God that shall never have end 48. How more largely The union of body and soule as the resurrection of the just to that end to be united unto God and have the fruition of the glorious God head enlightning and inhabiting those that are his for ever so making them to dwell with him in whose presence is fulnesse of joy and life for evermore 49. How is this else called Happinesse and blessednesse eternall as therein enjoying the fruits and comforts of that everlasting life 50. Js this also the life of Angels It is whose onely blessednesse and chiefe delight is in contemplation and fruition of the glory beauty and majesty of God then which there can be no greater joy or happinesse 51. How so Because in him is all goodnesse even in the fountaine all goodnesse else but a few dispersed sparkes of that eternall light or a drop of that Ocean wherein onely is plenitude to the satisfying of all desires of what goodnesse soever 52. How is eternall life else taken Sometimes in the Scripture for the meanes and beginning of this in the kingdome of Grace as it is said to Christ to whom shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life and this is eternall life to know thee and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ. 53. How is this eternall life As it is the union of the soule to God by grace though imperfectly yet receiving the comforts of life from him by the influence of his holy Spirit bringing joy and unspeakable blessings and peace to the same 54. How manifold is eternall life then Twofold either inchoate in this life in the kingdome of grace Or consummate as aforesaid in the kingdome of glory And this is also twofold or in two degrees 55. Which are they 1. Either in that part onely the soule as that is united to God and enjoying happinesse with him when the soules of the just depart hence in the Lord. 2. Or in body and soule most fully as shall bee after the generall resurrection and so principally here intended 56. What the parts of this life and blessednesse The divine and blessed living of the soule and body when joyned together in the presence of God and union with him enjoying the fulnesse of all that is called goodnesse as both joy and pleasure riches health liberty honour glory and all these absolute and entire not mixed with any grief or any other inconvenience as worldly things but perfect according to the perfection and excellence of the person place and giver 57. And how this estate expressed else in holy Scripture By many comfortable phrases and figures expressing the joy honour glory comforts or blessings there as said to be and remaine With God and in God in the Lord. In the hand of God in his presence In heaven in eternall rest and peace In Paradise in Abrahams bosome In joy blessednes as here in life everlasting 57. But is not life everlasting to the wicked No for their estate is not properly a life as wanting all joy comforts and fruits of life but a death or continuall dying in paine and torments and so if at any time said to live it is with addition of everlasting torments or to live in everlasting chaines of darknesse with the Divell and his Angels or the like whereby signifying an eternall dying life or living death and in that respect most properly termed everlasting death 58. Why is not this their estate expressed also in the Creed Because this is here intended as a symboll of their faith so penned for the comfort of the just and to remember them of their hope and happinesse and stirre them up to godlinesse leaving the others to the hand of God whose estate yet may hence be plainly gathered and also is in St. Athanasius Creed some others more fully expressed 59. What learne we hence Many good duties as in our Christian calling so to order our lives and conversation as alwayes having an eye to this blessed hope Remembring this end without end Breaking off sinne betimes since no uncleane thing may enter here Striving to enter the strait gate of vertue leadign to eternity leaving the broad way of the world Taking joy in things that shall yeeld everlasting joy Desiring praying longing for it c. 60. Why is Amen added To shew the certainty assurance and confidence we have as well as our owne consent to this faith 61. VVhat signifieth it Verily certainly or undoubtedly or as it is else usually rendred So be it 62. What meane you then by it That we doe beleeve and confesse Not onely in word professing but from the very heart Not wavering but certainly without doubting Not as though it were in our owne power but craving helpe and strengthning of our faith from the hand of God 63. But how should Amen bee added since it is no prayer 1. Either as the last Article signifies those priviledges of the Church whereunto all faithfull soules aspire and so in that aspiration say Amen 2. Or as we generally confesse the certainty of it and our submission of soule to this faith and the will and truth of God 3. Or in particular we intimate our prayers for this or some other thing for our owne good and the Church of God 64. For what things For faith as Lord give us true faith For encrease of our faith as Lord encrease our faith For helpe and comfort Lord helpe our unbeleefe For defence Lord defend us and all professors of this faith Or the like holy aspiration to heaven and heavenly things in the meditation and confession of this faith 65. But doe not they abuse it
before the promulgation of it in that forme at Mount Sinai as well as since and how far in force still with us Christians who though we are freed from the curse bare letter and slavish feare are yet bound to the duties and effect thereof by the Law of Grace that so agree Christ being the scope and end of both how and why it was written in the two Tables and that twice and how divided 1. YOu said that your Godfathers and Godmothers did promise that you should keepe Gods Commandements Yes in that third part of the vow and promise in Baptisme whence we come to consider in this third place the Commandements of God 2. Tell me how many there be Ten. 3. How appeareth that By the prescript word of God himselfe and his servant Moses by whom they are named the ten Commandements the ten words or decalogue signifying as much 4. What doe they containe The whole Will or Law of God or duty of man 5. What Law The morall Law binding the soule and conscience to the performance of such duties as are perpetuall and so this Law above all others perpetuall 6. What other differences of Lawes are there 1. Both Laws humane politique and municipall of divers formes according to the customes and manners of divers peoples and Countries 2. Divine or given by God himselfe of divers sorts Which are they Not onely that Law of nature written by God himselfe in the heart of all creatures but also other positive and written Lawes both the Law of workes doe this and live to the first Adam and all his posterity Of Grace beleeve and have life by the second Adam to all Saints 7. How was the first Law of works promulgated By God himselfe in Paradise to Adam onely abstaine or eat not of the forbidden tree By God himselfe to the Jewes upon mount Sinai the morall Law or ten Commandements 8. What was the event Both brake the Law and none was able to keep it wholly whence was need of the Messiah the promised seed who should satisfie for their misdeeds and breach of the Law of workes by their taking hold of the Covenant and Law of Grace 9. How was that shewed In the promises to Adam thy seed shall break the Serpents head or power of Sinne and the Divell and to all the Fathers consequently made of Christ as likewise by those many sacrifices and types and shadows of the Messiah and his offering sacrifice as well as those other Laws of the Jews to the talsing notice of punishing of sin offences thus entred into the world by Adams offence and hence that other division of the law springeth 10. What division Of the Jewes Law which was thence accordingly divided into The morall Law The ceremoniall Law The judiciall Law 11. Why are we to take notice of the Jews or their Lawes As they were the true Israelites the Church of God to whom both the Law and Testimonies the Arke and Temple of God and all tokens of his grace and favour were committed yea all the priviledges that belong to the whole Church once appropriated to that holy elect and chosen people as from whom the Messiah according to the flesh should spring to be the joy and light of all Nations and in whom all Adams posterity should be blessed 12. Was the whole Church straitned in so narrow limits as one little people It seems so to the good providence of God as once in one Adam and since in one Arke onely eight persons the whole Church yet cursed Chaâ— also among them and then one Abrahams family and one people of the Jewes and among them many unbeleevers to shew the few number of the truly faithfull and now though all Nations admitted yet but one Church a little flocke guided also by one rule and Law the Covenant of Grace 13. What were those Laws then of that Church of God among the Jews 1. The morall Law binding to performance of all good duties towards God and man 2. The ceremoniall setting forth the sacrifices for sinnes in the breaches of the former and directions in Gods house and service 3. Judiciall deciding controversies about politicall and temporall matters and inflicting punishments upon offenders against the same or the former which punishments of offences or sacrifices for sinne the greater part of these latter Lawes had beene of no use if the morall Law could have been performed and breaches thereof whether by ignorance uncharity and contentions or else could have been avoided 14. How long were these Laws to continue The judiciall Law so long as the State or Common-wealth of the Jewes as fitted to their state manner or customes the ceremoniall Law during the time of that their Temple or Tabernacle whose ceremonies and sacrifices as types and shadowes were referted to the substance and ended in Christ and the revelation of the Messiah who opened the second Tabernacle his Church but the morall Law binding to the duty of vertue and godlinesse abideth and standeth fast for ever 15. How then was it said a Law of the Jews As they were then accepted and were indeed the true Church of God for as considering 1. The letter it was delivered to them as Gods owne and peculiar people having such priviledges as no other people ever had and but the same or such as the Church hath now 2. The substance it was delivered to the Church in generall then in them and so to all people who must serve God in holinesse and righteousnesse and so standeth firme in that point for ever 16. What the difference between the judiciall and morall Law 1. The judiciall was chiefly in foro exteriori judiciae the morall in foro interiori conscientiae exercised and appointed 2. Judiciall was founded on the morall to certifie the outward breaches of the same 3. Judiciall was fitted to divers manners and customes of the people the morall to the heart and soule of all people in obedience to God 4. Judiciall is more particular and the morall more generall and divers such other respects from these flowing for difference may be seen 17. Why should the judiciall so soone end 1. Because the Common-wealth of the Jews to which it was particularly referred and to whose customes appropriated is ended 2. The ceremoniall to which it was also tied and allied as concerning manumission in the year of Jubilee and the like is also vanished 3. Diversity of manners and customes in other peoples and propensity to particular vices and diversified by divers respects doe often require divers and other Lawes and punishments 18. But are we no more then tyed to obey or respect it then any other strange Law whatsoever Though we be not tyed to the observation of it as abrogated yet we may therein see and respect the equity and excellency of it and wisdome of the Law-giver above all other lawes whatsoever and though we leave it in the very letter or circumstances yet in the substance we observe it
words which was both spoken by God himself and written in the Tables and that two severall times laid up in the Arke and recorded for publique testification by Moses also to teach the people and so the very letter and words by how much more dignified the more and above all others to be received and esteemed 7. How did God speake it Not onely by his Prophets and servants and dictate of his Spirit as other Scriptures so also holy and sanctified but this with his owne voice in audience of Israel to their terror in power and great glory that they were amazed and fled againe and with so much the more feare and reverence to be received 8. How is the 20. Chapter of Exodus urged As the duplicate probation from testimony of holy Scripture also where it is recorded with all the circumstances of the preparation and delivery of the same 9. What circumstances There in that 20. Chapter and the precedent Chapter set forth As 1. the preparation after the manner of those times with great purifying washing and cleansing the bodies and thereby signified the soules purity required to receiving that holy Law and so teaching us what preparation for it c. 2. Charge not to presume beyond certaine markes and bounds set on paine of death to signifie these bounds of the Law transgrest much more meriting death 3. The Lords 1. descending with great terror the trumpet sounding earth quaking lightning flying abroad that Moses trembled and the people fled for feare to shew and signifie how awfull regard to be had thereof Secondly the Lords speaking with so great power and majesty that people also feared so exceedingly that they prayed Moses thence forward to speake to them lest hearing Gods voice they should die Thirdly the Lords writing the Lawes with his owne finger in the Tables of stone shewing their stony-heartednesse and that nothing but Gods finger was able to imprint them there all for the more reverence and that we be not negligent of his most holy lawes 10. How is it called the law of Moses As by him recorded yea and the Tables by him received from the Lord and so of him noted these circumstances also there 1. His fasting forty dayes at the receiving therof to shew with what penitence abstinence and humility it ought to bee received by us and as Christ also to the promulgation of that better law fasted also forty dayes 2. His zeale for Gods honour against the peoples idolatry in so much that he brake the Tables as they their faith to God 3. His glorious aspect and face shining so at receiving of the Law that the people were not able to behold him to signifie the honour of his ministry from God and the blindnesse of the Jews that had not power neither to looke the Law or Moses in the face to see the end of the Law and looke upon the Messias as they ought unlesse the Lord take away the vaile of blindnesse from their eyes and heart 11. Why are the words double so of speaking and saying To signifie and shew not onely the speaking or pronouncing was from God to dignifie the words but saying as establishing with authority and commanding thereby requiring awfull obedience to the same 12. Which is Moses preface Intimated in the former and almost in the same words expressed thus God spake all these words saying Exod. 20. 1. 13. What to be observed For the most part as in the former preface so here to be noted The author God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He spake and said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law written wherein the universality all and not onely part thereof regularity reduced to words these words spoken heard written and recorded The authority whereby as spoken for declaration established for confirmation saying I am c. 14. Which is the third preface Gods own as immediately prefixed to that first Commandement and so by some called a reason of the Command and in these words I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of c. 15. Is it then a reason or preface It may well be both a preface taken from the reason of enforcing their obedience and so it is a Preface as it is prefixed to the Commandement Reason in respect of the obedience urged 16. Is it a preface to the first onely or all the Commandements To the first primarily as either immediately prefixed or as the first Commandement is the chiefe and ground of all the rest To the residue of good consequence as respecting them also and enforcing obedience to them all 17. VVhat observe you in that preface The Lords name the author and so the authority I am c. Attribute requiring reverence Lord thy God Actions of deliverance enforcing duty and obedience Which brought c. 18. VVhat is his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jehovah rendred the Lord I am the Lord taking it for his name and thereby manifesting himselfe to the Fathers in his mighty power essence and majesty and in that veneration held with the Jewes that in latter times they forbearing to speak or pronounce it they lost the true genuine pronunciation and spake read Adonai or Lord for it so it was called Ineffabile and Tetragrammaton as written with those foure letters the principall Matres Lectionis as it were whereof the Jewes writ many rare and excellent observations though in abstruse divinity and so by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the name is understood of this most high and holy name 19. VVhat noted you in it These things especially and usually 1. The originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also that other name of God or essence as originall of all being 2. Letters first of aspiration doubled in it as from whom all life and breathing derived and proceeding Secondly of it the formatives of the tenses as comprehending all time past present and future shewing his eternity 3. Signification in the highest degree substance essence or being as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or super substantia as it is said to the first and last who was and is and is to come yet semper eidem the same 4. Manifestation of it to Moses and the Fathers for a blessing and comfort and so is it to all them that are his and that may know him and call upon his name 20. VVhat learne we hence His great authority and awfull reverence to his most holy name and majesty 21. VVhat Attributes Of Thy God or strength Thy deliverer or defence So appropriating his goodnesse in mercy and deliverance to his people Israel 22. But is not God also his name It is but as Jehovah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is more peculiarly assumed to himselfe in testification of his Majesty and particular revelation of himselfe to Abraham Moses and the Fathers so more especially accounted his and God betokening his goodnes or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying his strength
and vertue thus comparative in respect of that name referred to his Attributes though otherwise usually accepted for his name 23. How are his attributes else showne By his appropriating or entituling himselfe to Israel or Israel to himselfe calling himselfe thy God O Israel and who brought the deliverance whereby he is not onely said the Lord or God but their Lord and their God their deliverer and defendor and as David speaketh the lifter up of their head 24. What learne we hence By that neare bond that we are obliged unto him so loving and good a God that calleth himselfe ours what should be our intimate affection duty and allegiance and how we should be his 25. But how doth this concern us As Israel was the true people of God the naturall vine and we the branches ingrafted in the same and so all true beleevers are in Christ the Israel of God as well as what was literally spoken of them is typically of the whole Church to be understood as is hereafter shewed 26. What the actions here Of deliverance from a most wretched estate and slavery into liberty and peace from all oppressors and oppression to worship and serve him so From Egypt and her proud King Pharaoh From Egypt and tyrannicall oppressors the Egyptians From Egypt and constrained Taske-masters of their owne Nation From Egypt and that house of bondage temporally and corporally of the bodies spiritually of the soules in danger of Idolatry and other abominations abounding there 27. How is this understood Literally of the Israelites so indeed delivered by the hand of Moses in the mighty power of God and mystically of all true Israelites in Spirit having many and mighty deliverances from all enemies spirituall and temporall by the hand of God and in Christ. 28. Who are the true Israelites in spirit All the faithfull engrafted into Christ and so the seed of Abraham who as many deliverances in body so more especially in soule are delivered by Christ out of The spirituall Egypt or Sodome of this world and her Prince the Divell wickednes and vanity and from her 1. Tyranny of sin death and hell 2. Oppressors and 3. Taske-masters 1. Of the Egyptians all externall Agents 2. Of the owne bloud evill lusts fighting against the Spirit House of bondage whether the Flesh and body of death house of clay that depresseth the Sipirit World wherein all wicked Agents and Instruments under the Divell their Prince threaten both spiritual and corporall and endanger us both in temporall and eternall bondage of sin and her punishments 29. What hence enforced As honour to this Lord and love to our God so all duties of love and thankefulnesse for these blessings and deliverances and in especiall obedience in all those respects to his Lawes As if Lord his honour and feare As if God his greatnesse and power As if our God and deliverer love and duty require our best respect reverence and obedience to his Lawes that doe so ensue 30. What else learne we from hence Gods mercy singularly manifested in thus dealing with us and those that are his to win us to grace and obedience our duty in following his example by all meanes to seeke how to procure our owne and others good to his glory 32. How his so especiall mercy In that in delivery of his Law and Commandements there he doth not onely shew what is good or his will and pleasing to him which is a favour and mercy or command it barely which he may doe with all authority in equity but much more seeketh by all meanes to allure us by his mercies favours and promises of life and goodnesse and putting us who are too forgetfull in minde of his many blessings and deliverances 33. What our duty hence For Ministers and all others to seeke by all meanes to bring themselves and many to God setting forth and calling to minde his manifold mercies and graces His goodnesse enforcing love of him His power and authority requiring obedience His excellencies winning honour and admiration His workes requiring reverent consideration His Law our meditation and best attention His deliverances binding us to all best duties of joy thankes praises and the like and that so what justice requires of duty may be performed towards him if possible with all sincere affection and good will 34. For what profit or to what end should wee doe this That by often and continuall meditations in his Law wee may know what the good and perfect will of God is who will so make it easie to us and us to understand wisedome secretly and the excellent and wonderfull things of his Law 35 How should we best understand his Law By seeking to know it in the internall meaning not so much according to the letter as in the intention and illumination of the Spirt for the letter seemeth sometimes dead but the spirit giveth life and as it is said holy Davids Psalmes ought to bee sung with his spirit or with the spirit and understanding to bee rightly used and so Saint Pauls writings to be read with his spirit to be truly understood so much more this holy writing the Law by Gods Spirit that endited it 36. VVhat rules or instructions have you for the better understanding of it There are certaine briefe rules and directions given for the right and true understanding of it or to guide the soule into due and orderly meditation of the things therein contained and may serve both Ministers in their interpretation and others in conceiving the true sense and interpretation or meaning thereof and where these come short of attaining this it is to bee further sought for by prayer in humility as from more speciall and internall illumination of Gods Spirit which can only bring the best knowledge of these things and contentation to the soule 37. Explaine this farther As required Davids spirit rightly to understand Davids Psalmes and Saint Pauls spirit or the Spirit of God rightly to conceive of Saint Pauls writings or holy Scriptures so for the spirituall and true understanding of the Law not onely according to the letter the letter killing or dead but the spirit giving life in the spirituall sense intending or comprehending all goodnesse here are further directions for such spirituall meaning required and as in law this one word the whole law and duty of man comprehended so in one word here not seldome to be seene in one vertue all the branches in one sinne all the kindes or what ever neere of kin comprised and therewith all signes meanes occasions and provocations to it so spiritually to be understood and by and with the vertue commanded and by and with the vice prohibited as well as by any vertue commanded the opposite vice and all his sequell discommended forbidden and by the vice or sin forbidden the opposite vertue and all of kin commanded and commended to bee embraced by our selves and all others in the Communion of Saints so there are such rules to this purpose
given for the right understanding and interpreting the Law whether to our conscience or the use and understanding of all others 38. VVhat rules are those Five principall that concerne the right and true understanding thereof to which some others secondary may be added for illustration VVhich are those five 1. That where any duty or vertue is commanded the opposite vice is forbidden é converso 2. Where any vertue or vice is commanded or forbidden there all of the same kinde are commanded or forbidden with it 3. Where any vertue or vice is so touched all signes meanes instruments occasions and circumstances of it are with it intended 4. Not only the outward actions but the whole man body and soule words thoughts and actions are hereby comprised 5. As we are a communion of Saints not onely to our selves but to all in our society to the uttermost of our power to further it these things are required and enjoyned 39. VVhy is it thus to be understood Because as the Law is spirituall and willing the sanctification of the whole man and whole society of mankinde and according to the direction of the Spirit the author giving life to the same diffusing it selfe to all and to the good of all in the amplest manner and so after the wisedome and meaning of that good Spirit that gave it penetrating and understanding all things to bee understood and interpreted it being that without this the bare letter killeth or is dead but the Spirit in the true full and spirituall meaning and intention giveth life 40. How explaine you the first rule The first where any duty or vertue is commanded there the contrary vice is forbidden and where the vice forbidden there the opposite duty is inferred or commanded whence doe grow in every Commandement 1. An affirmative part commanding the duty 2. A negative part forbidding the vice And hence that distinction of sinnes into sinnes of 1. Omission in omitting a good duty 2. Commission by committing of ill or vice 41. How the second Rule Under any particular vice all of that kind are forbidden and under any vertue all of that kind commanded even in the extremest degree so vertue required and commanded in the highest degree according to the rules of charity and portion of grace and vice in any degree forbidden whence unadvised anger is accounted murther and seeing a woman to lust after her adultery Matth. 22. 37. and so under those names forbidden 42. What of the third Rule Where any vertue or duties commanded or vice forbidden there also all meanes allurements signes and tokens of the same are likewise commanded or forbidden that so the graces of God may be sought for and shine forth to the glory of God and good example of all men Matth. 5. 16. and vices avoided and even all appearance and shew of evill 1 Thes. 5. 22. 43. What the fourth Rule That the effect of the Commandement concerneth not onely the outward actions of the body but the very inward dispositions of the minde for governing of the same Reasons of this are 1. The Law of God is perfect and so requireth perfect obedience both inward and outward even of the whole man 2. The Law of God is spirituall requiring not onely outward obedience in word and deed but inward also in soule and spirit in minde and heart where vertues are to be planted and corruptions rooted out 3. Our Saviour thus teacheth to expound the Law Matth. 5. 21 22 27. so also the first of John 3. 15. c. and divers other places 44. What the fifth Rule As we are of the communion of Saints vertues are to be procured and vices to be avoided not onely in our selves but also in others to our power whereby we are to instruct admonish comfort and encourage others in good to the edification of the Church and salvation of their souls and reprove disswade and if possible reclaime the evill so having no fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darkenesse Eph. 5. 11. nor accessory to the offences of others 1 Tim. 5. 22. 45. May not these five Rules be contracted to a lesse number Yes perhaps reasonably well to three as thus 1. That where any vertue commanded the opposite vice forbidden è converso 2. That where any vertue so commanded or vice prohibited all of kin to them together with all signes meanes and occasions or circumstances with them to be understood and that not onely for the outward actions but whole man body and soule 3. Where either prohibition or command is it extends not onely to our selves but as we are a communion of Saints to the good of others to our power to care for helpe and further them the neglect of which is but in effect with Cain to expostulate with God Am I my brothers keeper whom we else kill whether by murther ill example or not saving him if what in our power wee doe not when he is like to perish And how were they five rules then before By dividing this second rule and in it under every vertue and vice 1. Observing the species and kindes in the breadth making that the second rule 2. The meanes occasions signes and circumstances for the third rule 3. The extent to the whole man body and soul intensivè for the fourth rule and so are five as aforesaid 46. What are the other secondary rules Some that are directed rather to the understanding of the difference of the natures and qualities of the offences or the differences of the Tables rather then the true understanding of the sense immediately and interpretation or meaning of the Commandement as the former rules did such are these 1. That every negative Commandment bindeth alwaies and at all times every affirmative onely alwaies but not so precisely to all and every particle of time 2. That the Commandements of the first Table are to be kept for themselves absolutely those of the second for the first 3. That though every sinne deserveth death eternall yet there is an imparity of sinnes and one offence may be greater then another in many respects 4. That the sinnes against the first Table simply and in themselves considered are more heynous then those of the second though such aggravation or respects else of extreme malice presumption infirmity or the like may ever ballance or much alter the same 5. That there is so neare a tye and relation between the Commandements that whosoever faileth in one is guilty of all as a breach of the whole Law in breaking that royall Law of charity and offending God the author of them all in contempt of his Majesty which five last rules as secondary and more concerning the difference of sinnes among themselves compared and arising from the difference of the Tables more shall bee said of them at the beginning of the second Table 47. What followeth here then next to be considered The first Commandement of the first Table immediately following the Preface in these words Thou
shalt have no other Gods but me SECT 3. The first Commandement The division of the two Tables and how many Commandements comprised in the first Table and divers opinions concerning the same and foure Commandements proved properly to be in the first Table the first Commandement and full Analysis of it amply expounding the duties and opposite abuses therein literally or else intimated or expressed what it is to have the Lord for our God and the opposite Atheisme or having no God what also to have him alone and the opposite Polytheisme and Idolatry of divers sorts both among the Heathens and other carnall professors and false Christians making Religion but a cloake for their villany or maske for their sin and folly what it is to love know and honour God with the opposite thereof ignorance errors and prophanenes of all sorts springing from ignorance nothing rightly stiled the mother of devotion other malignant sins bordering on prophanenes And the love of God if with all the minde heart soule and strength seen in divers good Christians vertues and duties that with their opposites are here described as in knowledge beleeving 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 feare and rejoycing in him humility and mecknesse patience and constancy with perseverance and without murmuring obedience and thankefulfulnesse with a zeale of his glory and holy and godly life the branches and fruits of his love the very ground-worke of all the rest of the Commandements 1. VVHat is contained in the first Table By all confessed our duty towards God as in the second our duty towards our neighbour 2. How many Commandements are there in the first Table Though by some controverted yet as may most plainly appeare both by the words of command as well as the substance of the matter foure Commandements 3. What difference then is there of opinions Some distinguishing the first Table into three the second into seven Commandements as Saint Augustine sometimes did the Lutherans and Church of Rome doe others as we and generally all the Fathers the Jews themselves and the matter it self shewes properly dividing the first Table into foure the second into six Commandements 4. What reasons had they for the first Saint Augustine as it seems in holy and reverend respect to the Trinity and that sacred number three so in that comprising the Commandements pertaining to the honour of the Trinity as in that other sacred number seven the rest of the Commandements comprehending the duties to men in this septimana or weeke of the world the others insisting in his steps and for private reasons of their owne and in defence or at least respect of Images 5. What pretence for leaving out a Commandment As in the first Commandement including the second and proposing the second but an exposition of the first so by the first Commandement understanding all Atheisme Idolatry both internall and externall forbidden and true worship commanded and the second Commandement an explication of the former concerning that part chiefly externall Idolatry and worship and so are faine to divide concupisence in the last Commandement according to the severall objects of lust or covetousnesse and make two Commandements out of one so to supply the defect of this second Commandement thus lost or imbezled 6. How prove you rather foure Commandements in the first Table 1. By the foure words of absolute command set downe as in the 1. Commandement Thou shalt have none c. 2. Thou shalt not make c. 3. Thou shalt not take c. 4. Remember that thou sanctifie c. 2. By the things therein commanded viz. Who is to be worshipped the Lord Jehovah in the first Commandement How his solemne worship his owne prescript not Idolatrously second Commandement How far in our lives to honour him to glorifie his name third Commandement When to worship him solemnly on his Sabbath fourth Commandement 7. What the first Commandement Thou shalt have no other Gods but me 8. What Commandement is it A negative Commandement under it according to the first rule comprehending an affirmative so to have no other or strange gods but Jehovah for our God and him alone 9. What the negative part In the prohibition of these five things as forbidding 1. All Atheisme having no God 2. All Polytheisme having many gods 3. All Idolatry having strange gods or idols 4. All Ignorance no knowledge of the true God in the mind 5. All Prophanenesse no honour or expression of it in the life 10. What the affirmative part In these three things commanded 1. To have Jehovah for our God 2. To have him alone for our Lord and God 3. To honour and love him by all meanes in soule and mind as we ought or as agreeable to our duty and his Majesty or in these five parts 1. To have Jehovah and 2. Him alone 3. To Abhorre Idolls 4. Seek to know him faith 5. Seeke to honour him love and duty 11. How are the positive and opposite parts seene or opposed To 1. To have Jehovah for our God 2. Have him alone 3. Honour and love him opposite to 1. Atheisme having no God 2. both 1. Polytheisme many gods 2. Idolatry idols and strange gods 3. both 1. Ignorāce not knowing or loving him 2. Prophanenesse not honouring him 12 How is this further demonstrated 1. As to have Jehovah opposite to having no God 2. As to have him alone so not many gods 3. As to have no other god or strange gods so no idols 4. And if we have him need must it be if in minde to know and love him 5. And so as internall love externall honour opposite to Ignorance and Prophanenesse 13. What is it to have the Lord for our God 1. To set him up in our hearts who is Jehovah the Lord. 2. To set our hearts on him to honour love and feare him as the Lord. 3. To set and apply our whole selves to his worship 14. What the opposite of this Atheisme the not having the Lord and in effect having no God 15. How many sorts of Atheisme 1. Either open Atheisme as of ungratious reprobates 2. Or secret heart Atheisme in any 1. Doubting and questioning the divine Majejesty and his truth by whom they are and subsist 2. Conceiving otherwise of God then wee ought either of his Essence or Persons as Infidels or Hereticks 3. Denying him by prophane life 16. What is it to have him alone Setting him onely and him alone in our hearts and his honour before our eyes denying both our selves and all other things that shall offer to put him out of our hearts or obscure his honour 17. What opposite to this 1. Both Polytheisme having many or any other gods with him or besides him to his dishonour 2. Idolatry setting up other gods Idols or vanities in our hearts to worship them in his stead 18. What Polytheisme With God to joyne any other as those that 1. Either made two Gods one the beginning of all good the other of all ill 2. With God
joyned Baal as the Idolatrous Israelites 3. Joyned with God Angels or other Powers Intelligences or the like Nature fate or such dreams of the old Philosophers or Heathen whereby in effect Atheisme and denying him and his truth without the true God setting up many gods as the Gentiles in generall their many gods recorded in the Scriptures Dagon Ashteroth Moloch Bel and the Dragon c. In the Heathen Stories their Jupiter Mars Mercury and where majores minores dii more in number then the Nations or the Cities and Countries The Egyptians in particular gods of all sorts of things Sunne and Moone and Stars Serpents Fowles Fishes Beasts and men as Osiris ibis c. 19. What Idolatry All setting up of Idolls whether in the heart or Temples to worship them and so of two sorts 1. In the heart internally set on them 2. In the Temples externally to worship them against which especially is the second Commandement 20. Is there no other Idolatry Yes all falling away from the Lord and trusting in or seeking to the creature in neglect of him is before him accounted Idolatry so to trust in or set our heart upon this world with worldlings Upon uncertain riches whence covetousnesse Upon Idolatry pleasures of the Epicures Upon glutony and drunkennesse with the voluptuous pride and vanities of life long life and the like to the forgetting of God and trampling his Commandements under foot is to set up Idols and setting our hearts upon these Idolls ' and fancies of our hearts set up above him in our esteem 21. Who then as thus Idolatrous Both the Covetous worldings Idolatrising to his god Mamon Epicures making their belly their god Ambitious that on aspiring to high places set all their devotion Proud that honor Lucifer for their god Cockering parents that as Eli did above God set their love or dotage on their children and generally all sinners that leave God to serve sin c. or put their trust in creatures leaving the Creator whether wholly or in part totall or partiall Idolatry 22. Who are they Such as against God trust in Princes or any childe of man In the arme of flesh and bloud In force of united Nations In their wit and policy In Ships or Castles or Munitions In great persons their favourites In horses and chariots yea Men Angells or Divells and flie to any other helpes forgetting and neglecting God cannot be said free from Idolatry not David numbring his people nor Achitophel with his plots or Haman with his policy more then Nebuchadnezzar with his arme of flesh and great Babell 23. Who doe idolatrize to Men Angels or the Divels Those who trust in or flie 1. To men and their helpe above God 2. To Angells or Saints to invocate them besides or contrary to Gods will and commandement 3. To Witches and Wizards to helpe them where God leaveth them 4. Evill and wicked arts and meanes that God hateth and condemneth as leaving him his providence and goodnesse 24. What is it to love and honour God Not only to have him or him alone in our hearts in exculsion of other vaine gods but also to exhibite our duties and devotions to him best expressed in those tearmes of his honour and love the exhibition of honour to him as our Lord ' and Master Of love as to our good God and Father 25. What is opposite to this Both Ignorance next door to Atheisme sowing error and bringing forth Sin and Idolatry opposite to his love neither seeking to know or love him Prophanenesse near kin also to Atheism or a kinde of Atheisme in the living and therein expressing it in lewdnesse and denying God by the life and deeds opposite to his honour which is set forth by a godly life 26. How many sorts of ignorance 1. Either purae negationis in such as cannot understand the truth naturall corruption or blindnesse 1 Cor. 2. 14. Rom. 3. 11. 2. Pravae dispositionis affected ignorance wanting knowledge Either 3. Carelessely a carelesse ignorance 4. Stubbornely refusing it a perverse ignorance 27. What the fruit thereof Error and so Atheisme Idolatry and all kinde of sinne and foolishnesse Whiles the foole saith in his heart there is no God and so shew little love trust or confidence in him and consequently poore service or honour of him but much wickednesse abomination and prophanenesse 28. But may not a small measure of knowledge bee pleasing unto God Yes if it be joyned with a desire to have more and study to serve him according to the same and not an affected carelesse or stubborne ignorance 29. But often seene the more knowledge the lesse grace The more is the malice of the Divell seene the fault not being the knowledge by which God is most honoured but in abuse of the gift as good things may be abused yea optimi corruptio pessima and so much the more lamentable if lost or abused but it is the Divells policy and he will take most paines so to pervert and corrupt the best things yea assaile even the Saints and their best grace that did not leave our Saviour unattempted but such as in seeming knowledge fall away shew indeed that they knew nothing as they ought to know 2 Cor. 8. 30. But ignorance is the mother of devotion Yea of blinde devotion but truest devotion will hearken to the voice of wisdome to be guided thereby 31. How is ignorance the mother of prophanenesse As by not knowing caring or remembring there is a God men rush into ill as a horse into the battell or upon destruction without all feare or understanding or as prophane Esau hated of God preferred a messe of pottage and earthly things through ignorance before heavenly blessings 32. How prophanenesse seen In 1. Brutish living that also without all practice of devotion prayer or other godly Meditation Exercises with an irkesomenesse of godlinesse and all good duties 2. Securely living in open and notorious sin or courses as without feare or care grace or shame without God before their eyes 3. Prostituting themselves to sin as slaves to Satan and children of Belial tumbling both themselves and their associates headlong into hel of such we ought to beware destruction and unhappinesse being in their waies and the way of peace have they not knowne and no feare of God before their eies this the fruit of their ignorance 33. Is this the greatest sin against this Commandement It might seeme so by the uglinesse of it but there are sinnes also of a higher nature and degree and monstrous in the perversenesse against knowledge and conscience such as sinne against the Holy Ghost and sacriledge in respect of the heart though alias ressectu Oris Operis actionum ad extra They may be referred to the third Commandement and so as other compounded sinnes may bee found in other or divers Commandements 34. How are we to love God With all our heart with all our minde with all our soule and with all our
strength 35. How is the love of God seen By adhering to him so with all our minde seen in knowing beleeving in remembring him With all Our heart in trusting hoping fearing and rejoycing in him soule in humility and submission patience and obedience gratitude and thankfulnes to him Strength to the uttermost of body and soule in all good duties to his honour 36. How in generall is the love of God considered 1. For the measure 1. Simply without measure and as before with all heart minde soule and strength comparatè 2. Comparatè above all things else Matth. 10. 37. Luke 14 26. 2. The manner absolutely and first our friends in the Lord. Secondly our foes for the Lord. Hence rising zeale of Gods glory opposite to this 1. Either in the defect want of the love of God with all our hearts above all things Hatred of God and his graces encreased by sin 2. Disorder loving our selves above God and his Commandements the world in the riches pleasures pride and other carnall things 37. VVhat are wee to consider in the knowledge of God The matter God and his truth and goodnesse revealed The measure according to our calling meanes time alotted The manner spirituall and holy knowledge in humility and effectuall to grace and salvation Opposite to this in the excesse curiosity wise above sobriety The defect 1. exceedingly ignorance simply affected 2. In a sort a small measure of knowledge too little for the quantity and 3. For the quantity a literall or speculative knowledge without care or conscience of godlinesse or the power thereof 38. VVhat in beleeving to be considered In generall faith in God and assent to the word of God In speciall to the threatnings of the Law and promises of the Gospell and for the Quantity with full understanding consent and assent Quality lively and working by charity Opposite to this in excesse credulity to even vanity without Gods word In defect in understanding by ignorance Consent by doubting Assent by wavering In Quantity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quality idle and dead faith And that either legally infidelity working carnall security Or evangelically counterfeit faith of hypocrites heretiques c. 39. VVhat in remembring God to be considered The laying up and treasuring in our mindes the things concerning God and secondly often calling such things to minde especially his mercies and judgements opposite to which if wee forget him his holy word mercies or judgements or so partially or slenderly remembring them without care conscience or obedience 40. What is assiance or trust Adhering to God and depending on him in all our needs whether we have means or not as who can helpe without above meanes Opposite to which if On the contrary in Excesse we tempt God Defect wee carke and care or use unlawfull meanes leaving God In disorder we trust in instruments and meanes as wealth world men many mighty wizards or divels 41. What hope A kinde of trust with faith fixed on God and his goodnesse expecting from him deliverance from ill and exhibition of good things whether for this present life or the life to come opposite to which in excesse is presumption in defect is despaire and so as wee ought to trust and hope in him and him alone are we to take heed wee presume not nor despaire or in participation of both with Epicures grow carelesse and without hope 42. What is his feare An awfull and son-like feare which though the object be Gods anger against sinne yet is more loath to offend him so good a God and mercifull then for the danger of punishment effect of his anger opposite to which is carnall security senselesnesse and despaire 43. What is rejoycing in God Delighting in him as the supreme good in his word his mercies and promises and the heavenly and inestimable comfort wee receive by them with joy in the prosperity of his house his Church his servants and honour which filleth the heart with more content then any carnall and worldly things Psal. 4. opposite to which are miserable delights of sinfull worldly carnall and voluptuous men 44. What is humility and submission to God A removing of all conceit of our owne worthinesse and humble acknowledgement of our owne vilenesse in nature and defect of sinne and desert of punishments together with consideration of Gods mercies and bounties to us whereby to bee cast downe before him that hee may raise us up Opposite to which a high conceit of our owne selves our worth and merits to the robbing him of his honour and praise and our forgetfulnesse of duty 45. What is patience An humble subjection of our selves to the crosse or hand of God in his chastisements and tryalls which must needs bee for our good and so found to be as his children by Our Meekly Cheerfully and comfortably Constantly Enduring entertaining them Opposite to which rashnesse and senselesnesse in excesse in defect impatience murmuring fainting and despaire or seeking issue by unlawfull meanes whiles wee will endure much for the world nothing for God 46. VVhat obedience The submitting our wils to the will of God and that onely rightly if voluntarily not forced totally not by fits or in part sincerely without hypocrisie and continually to the end Opposite to which either Disobedience to him by sinnes of omission and commission and that by negligence or contempt Obedience to men or other things more then God yea to sinne the flesh the world and the divell Gods enemies Disorder in the manner not voluntarily or totally sincerely or continually 47. VVhat gratitude or thankefulnesse A testification both by word and deed of a thankfull minde for all his benefits in all estates whether prosperity or adversity acknowledging him and him alone the author of all good things Opposite to which is unthankfulnesse and not acknowledging this or ascribing it to our owne power wit worth worke fortune idols or instruments or meanes forgetting the prime fountain 48. How to love God with all our strength With all powers of body and soule and so in the whole man to exercise all these good duties to his honour 49. How his honour set forth Both by word and deed internally in the soule and externally in the body and whose life and conversation to expresse and advance the praise and glory of God and so to avoid all prophanenesse which is especially to his dishonour Hence springeth 1. Internally zeale of Gods glory 2. Externally holy life and behaviour 50. What is the zeale of Gods glory A servent desire of the advancement thereof both in our selves and others and cheerfully using of the meanes thereof together with removing all impediments of the same proceeding from sincere affection guided by knowledge and discretion seene in the moderation in respect of all circumstances and especially of the time and seasonablenesse 50. What opposite to this Either want of zeale in luke warmnesse Apoc 3. 15. coldnesse Zeph. 1. 12. Or corrupt zeale mixed with Maliciousnesse bitter zeale Covetousnesse
Ambition Vaine-glory Hypocrisie Pharisaically Ignorance blide zeale Indiscretion preposterous zeale and without all moderation as in factious Schismatiques exceeding the proportion of the cause compasse of their calling and with much rankour commonly and unseasonablenesse 51. How holy life and behaviour In outward signes of honour and deeds expressing this inward affection of the soule seene as in all the Commandements By our setting forth his worship as in the second Commandement Glorifying his name as in the third Commandement Sanctifying of the Sabbath as in the fourth Commandement Obedience to these and all the rest and so avoiding all prophanenesse to his glory and others good example 52. Doth this extend then to all the Commandements Yes and this Commandement is set therefore in the first place as a ground or foundation of all the rest both of the first and second Table as establishing the duty we owe and especially inwardly in soule and affection to God and so the reasons in the preface drawne from equity as hee is our Lord and God and his authority as Lord and deliverer equally pertaining to this and the residue of the Commandements to this at least primarily to the others from this dependantly 53. What followeth The second Commandement concerning the externall worship of God SECT 4. The second Commandement The Analysis of the second Commandement with all the duties and opposite abuses whether implicitely or expresly forbidden or commanded here particularly expressed and in all the branches thereof more fully hereafter explained VVhere first in generall all false worship and unity and uniformity in the true worship thereby intended the civill use of images allowed but vanity and wickednesse in Idolatry to be detested and condemned so as no Image of the true Deity can be made All Images of false duities Heathen gods Sunne Moane Stars and host of Heaven Saint or Angell are forbidden to be made where any danger may be of worshipping them or appearance of evill humane inventions and wil-worship therefore to be avoided as a kinde of Idolatry though comely and decent ceremonies in the worship and service of God to be allowed of and approved The substance of true worship being prayer and praises hearing and handling the word sacrifices and Sacraments where first of prayer and the parts of it the order and manner and other circumstances of the same as the time place and persons so of hearing and handling the word True use of the same all of the Sacraments 〈…〉 and all externall worship to be performed in the Church of of God in all deâ—nt order and uniformity the reasons of Commandement enforcing the duties from Gods blessing an punishments assuredly promised to attend on those that neglect or observe the Commandements 1. VVHich the second Commandement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe c. What contained therein 1. The Commandement Thou shalt not c. 2. The explication of the same in the explication of the idols to the likenesse of any thing in heaven earth or under the earth all forbidden Idolatrous worship bowing downe to them 3. The reason from his Justice a jealous God and will punish c. Mercy promised to thousands c. 2. What manner of Commandement is it A negative inferring the affirmative opposite viz. not to make any idoll so to worship it and commit idolatry but to worship the true God only according to his will 3. What the negative part Whereby we are forbidden all idolatry and in that all will worship and superstition as both 1. The making of images of God or any thing else in Heaven Earth water c. for divine worship 2. The worshipping The image it selfe Or God in the image or by it 3. Corrupting Gods worship by Our will-worship Superstitions Our owne fancies 4. What the affirmative part To worship God and him alone as hee ought to be worshipped So these three things viz. 1. The matter his true worship in the parts duties and circumstances 2. The object of him and him alone not idols or our owne fancies 3. The manner of it according to his will revealed in his word and that is in Spirit and Truth as He is a Spirit and His Word the Truth 5. How are these parts positive and other parts seene opposite or opposed 1. As the true worship is opposite to idolatry or making any image to worship it 2. As the true God or opposite to idols and all vanity and vaine conceits and fancies of men 3. The true manner in the truth and uprightnesse of heart opposite to all will-worship grosse and false manner of worship and superstition 6. How farther explained In that if we intend his true worship the parts and duties of it both outwardly in the body and inwardly in the soule will be farre from that grosse and absurd idolatry here described the object of it the true God hath no affinity with those dumbe idols the Creator with those abominations of his deformed creatures and stupid gods or creatures of his blockish idolatrous creatures the manner and meanes in spirit and spirituall manner true heart and truth of heart informed by his blessed word as farre as may be distant from such idolatrous superstitions grosse or false and fantasticall will-worship 7. What is to be considered in the worship of God That the worship of God is set forth in regard of The 1. Substance of the same Internè in the heart in the first Commandement Externè manner and ceremomonies partly in the 2. 3. and 4. Commandements in the severall respects 2. Circumstance of 1. Place commanded as 1. Mount Morijah to Abraham 2. The Tabernacle ere the Temple builded 3. The Temple afterwards 4. Synagogues for the dispersed Jewes 5. Every place on good occasions or with looking towards and remembrance of Sion and the Temple 6. Christians Churches c. 2. Time the Sabbath as in the fourth Commandement 8. What is the scope of this Commandement The externall and publique worship of God to be decently set forth to his honour in his Church and all idolatry and false worship banished 9. VVhat profit thereof Both Unity in the Mind and Affection of all true worshippers Unformity in the True worship And Church of God 10. VVhat is first here forbidden The making of any images to worship them 11. Are all images forbidden It is plaine they are not but such as are made for idolatry as not onely images of the Cherubins and Palme-trees in the Sanctuary but of divers things else are read and so with us images and statues by painting graving and other Arts expressed may lawfully be had and kept for civill uses Of memoriall of men and their vertues or actions as monuments of antiquity Of ornament of houses and also palaces and buildings emblemes of divers best matters In representation of Vertues and vices Histories actions Triumphes c. Of instruction as of all kindes of beasts birds fishes and creeping things to know them and the like civill uses so they bee not
is bare Idoll service idolatrising or offering Idolls in Gods Temple and to him in stead of true worship and which is before God but as Cains sacrifice or the Jews imperfect offering which the Prophet told them was no more accepted of God then if they cut off a dogs necke oâ— offered mans bloud rather an abomination then devout action 32. What is it impenitently to goe about Christian duties To offer Idol service also as not performing any true service so seeming with unwashen hands to prophane Gods Altars in offering what is abomination to him as what he requireth not Esay 1. 12. or what maketh him more angry by such presumption and the Divell thereby honoured more then he by worshipping as it were his Idol and defacing Gods Image the soule bringing in it the hatefull character of the Beast into Gods house comming without penitence 33. What are then the holy duties in the true worship commanded The substance of the true worship of God in 1. The old Testament by God prescribed intending to prayer the word sacrifices and sacraments 2. The new by Christ the devotions of prayer also hearing and handling of his holy word right use of Sacraments 34. What in prayer to be considered The parts or kindes of it order or direction in it 35. What parts The universall parts and comprehension of all sors of prayer whether 1. In humility confession of our selves of our wants and miseries Gods greatnesse excellency and bounty 2. In necessity petition of what we want desiring to bee supplyed from his mercy and bounty 3. In charity intercession for others 4. Thankefulnesse offering praise and thanksgiving for blessings 36. What is confession A fit exordium to all prayers confessing both the great majesty mercy and bounty and other soveraigne excellencies of God the fountaine of all goodnesse to erect our mindes to him of whose fulnesse we hope to receive grace The great vilenesse misery and unworthinesse of our selves that come before him The great want and misery we sustaine in our soules or bodies for which we desire his mercy and goodnesse whence our petitions 37. What Petition Our humble request in what respect soever to receive any grace or gift from him the 〈…〉 and giver of all goodnesse wherein to bee heard and accepted required faith fervency constancy 38. What intercession That sympathyzing effect of charity whereby we not only desire our owne but others good yea and pray for others as earnestly as for our selves and for our selves only as it may be also for the good of others and glory of God with assurance that thus we may onely hope to be heard and no further can our prayers be effectuall for our selves then our charity fervent in desiring the good of others 39. What is thankesgiving The true token of a religious minde and most effectuall kinde of prayer by praises and acknowledging the giver and former blessings pulling downe new graces which God can never withhold from such as be thankefull which perfectly expresseth the former devotions and prayers were not vaine but holy and gracious 40. What opposite vices Neglect and carelessenesse remissenesse and arrogancie in prayer security coldnesse hypocrisie uncharity and unthankefulnesse 41. What order and directions in prayer To consider 1. to whom 2. in what manner 3. for what things 4. the circumstances of time place and persons to pray 42. To whom To God the true and living God and to him alone and not to any Saints Angels or other subordinate meanes mans idoll or creatures to exhibite this sacred and divine worship 42. In what manner In the name of Christ the only Mediator aid of Gods Spirit helping our infirmities Rom. 8. 26. and so with faith and understanding in spirit and truth according to his will presented preparation of soul in all humility and reverence Attention of heart Intention of minde Circumcised lips and heart in godly meditation to speak to Gods honour opposite to which precipitancy rashnesse and offering the sacrifice of fooles calves of the lips without the heart and as without holinesse without acceptation 43. For what things For good things and that may be for 1. our owne and others good 2. glory of God Opposite to desire unlawfull and ill things from God the fountain of all goodnesse or good things to abuse them to our owne and others hurt and his dishonour 44. What circumstances For time all times especially Sabbath and solemne feasts his publicke service and worship For places all places on all occasions especially his House and Temple dedicated to his worship and this exercise the house of prayer in which a blessing attending For persons all persons publicke and private especially the Ministers and for all persons praying and making intercession and giving of thanks for all men and especially for Princes and magistrates and those of the houshold of faith of Gods house the Church 45. What concerning the hearing and handling the word As a prime part of his worship for the edification of the people and training them to his worship wherein the office of teacher hearers to bee considered 46. What the teacher The Pastor or Minister to bee endued with sufficiency of gifts and willingnesse to teach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so sent of God ought to doe his office in His explication of Scriptures according to the analogy of faith and right dividing of the word of God His application to the hearers best use and instruction by doctrine confutation exhortation reproofe or consolation and for such Ministers fit educatiion in Schooles for preparation and provision to be had for maintenance in their charge opposite to this the unable unwilling and dumb idle and idoll Ministers making merchandize of the word and intruded to the destruction of many by simony and sacriledge that like Judas betray Christ part his garments among them and pull on their heads the guilt of murdering soules 47. VVhat of the hearers Their duty and diligence required Before hearing 1. Preparation of affections and soules c. 2. Comming to and presence at holy exercises 3. Removing all impediments In hearing attention alacrity meeknesse and desire to learne After hearing meditation and conscience carefull and conscronable practice Opposite to which absenting themselves and unpreparednesse to heare drowzy dease cares and unprofitable hearing forgetfulnesse and unfruitfulnesse without cart or conscience of good duties afterwards which are prophanations of Gods worship 48. VVhat of the Sacraments The carefull holy conscienable and religious administration use and receiving of them to bee performed on all parts both by the Minister and people opposite to which the negligent prophane and superficiall or irreligious use or rather abuse of them and the like of all other holy rites and ceremonies whose due use may promote neglect abuse or contempt doth hurt and impaire the true worship of God 49. VVhat say you of fasts and feasts 〈◊〉 and if well used yeelding Furtherâ—nce to the true worship of God The one holy
Fast preparing us to true 〈◊〉 humiliation penitence and contrition The 〈◊〉 holy Feasts preparing us to sing praise to God in voice of joy and thanksgiving opposite to which is irreligious fasting or feesting of prophane and vaine persons 50. To whom 〈…〉 worship doâ—cted To God anâ— him alone as that inward honour expressed in the first Commandement so all outward worship set forth in this opposite to which is to direct is to idols or idolatrize in it not doing it carefully and religiously 51. How is it then to be done In all uprightnesse and singlenesse of heart as done to him that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and tryer of the reynes and inward parts and without all hypocrisie which hee seeth and hateth and so consequently in spirit and truth inwardly in the soule so in spirit as he is a spirit and seeth our spirits after a spirituall manner the best So in truth as he is true and the truth his word the truth teacheth us and outwardly in all good order decent manner and convenient rites and ceremonies fitting his worship 52. How is that best seene If all things be done in 1. Order not confufedly for God is the author of order and not confusion 2. Decency that is well pleasing to the eyes of God and men and springing from good order 3. Humility and reverence for that is best beseeming his Saints and congregation 4. Uniformity for that betokeneth unity and God is the author of all peace and unity as who maketh brethren to be of one minde in a house and by these it will shew it selfe to all to be done 1. In the feare of God 2. For the honour of his name 3. Tending to the edification of his people as it is 1. accompanied with 1. Love to our neighbour 2. Zeale of Gods glory 2. Performed without show of 1. Hypocrisie vainglory 2. Affecting singularity or 3. Idolatry or appearance of evill opposite to all which is disorder confusion unreverence uncharity pharisaicall pride hypocrisie and singularity inclining all to will-worship superstition and idolatry 53. Whence are the reasons of this Commandement Drawne from Gods 1. Justice jealousie Punishing the delinquents Hating their delinquency 2. Mercy and truth Prospering the faithfull and their service Loving them and their fidelity 53. How this punishment set forth In visiting the sinnes of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation 54. Shall the children beare the fathers iniquity No but the soule onely that sinneth shall dye but here it is meant of wicked children treading in the steps of the fathers as commonly they doe because they were no better taught so it is a double punishment to have wicked children and to be punished in and with their children as their children with them 55. How are they said to hate God As they continue or neglect this honour then which if they did their worst in hate they could doe no more to displease him as hee is jealous of his honour which hee onely requireth for all his blessings and will not give it or part with it to any other and for which he hateth them and their doings 56. Why is the Lord said to hate them or jealous Because as adultery is a most hainous sin causing jealousie and the adulterer and murderer most worthy hate of God and men the Lord in detestation of that unnaturall sinne of idolatry expresseth it as a kinde of adultery to goe a whoring after idols and consequently his hate by their punishments that so hate and contemne him by adulterating his worship and committing spirituall fornication with idols and divels 57. How are his blessings to the faithfull described By his shewing mercy unto thousands in them that love him and keepe his Commandements extended to the bodies and soules of his service 58. Why said to thousands To shew the abundance of his mercy and goodnesse who though his jealousie burne like fire and justice punish to the third and fourth generation yet his mercy is greater his goodnesse is above it yea his mercy is over all his workes reaching to thousands and endureth for ever 59. But we see the righteous often troubled Yea but it may be in mercy too as a chastisement of the childe he loveth so the crosse bringeth forth patience and other graces yea sometimes more profitable farre then prosperity and God knoweth what is best for his for Removing of worldly confidence Confirming them to himselfe Renewing and perfecting grace in them 60. How are they said to love him In opposition to those haters and contemners of God whom God so also hateth and abhorreth these shewing their love by their fidelity and obedience to his Commandements whom God also therefore loveth shewing them mercies to them and their seed and giving them his graces and plentifully rewarding their love and obedience 61. To what end these reasons That since thou canst give him no more for all his blessings then thy love and obedience and thou oughtest to give him no lesse for else thou givest him nothing that his judgements and jealousie may terrifie thee or love and mercy may allure thee and so bring thee to this duty for thy good and his honour 62. What followeth The third Commandement concerning the honouring of Gods most holy name SECT 5. The third Commandement The Analysis of the third Commandement declaring the severall parts duties and opposite abuses therein forbidden or commanded with the reasons of the same What Gods name and how diversly to be understood and how honored or dishonored in his name or tytles attributes holy word and religion aswell as workes of creation gubernation povidence blâ—ssings anâ— judgements 〈◊〉 thelike in gâ—nerall and in paâ—ticular his dishonour by blasphemy against God in any sort whatsoever as well as all froâ— of evill and prophanenes also cursing and banning swearing vainely and lewdly in presumptuous and execrable impiety the false prophets in that matter not so wicked but as it were with us acknowledge it to belong to God or the Church to denounce or send cursing or blessing or we only to blesse God and men in his name The Abuses of swearing and vaine or rash oaths in common swearers and the heinousnesse thereof with the folly and vanity or rather blasphemy and impiety of such hel-hounds or hellish and damned swearers and swearing worse then the Heathen or Pagans and more like Atheists then Christians and so such also the odiousnesse of perjury the opposite whereof the true and lawfull use of oathes and swearing for just and godly ends whereby the way of promissory oathes or vowes and their nature sorts and holy use in the Church towards God especially and be fore him if among men the reasons of this Command ement from the Lords mighty power and majesty intimated as well the most fearfull commination and judgement so expresly there threatned 1. VVHich is the third Commandement Thou shalt not take the name of c. What contained in these words The
place appointing and establishing the time allotted to his publique service and worship his honour being the maine scope of the first Table And as it is to be set up in our hearts the intent of the first Commandement And as his outward worship rightly performed the intent of the second The glorifying of his name in all things the intent of the third The rightly observing of his Sabbaths the appointed times of his worship the intent of this fourth Commandement 4. What manner of Commandement An affirmative inferring and enforcing his opposite negative viz. to remember to sanctifie the Lords Sabbath and not negligently to let it passe or prophane the same 5. What the affirmative part 1. Our duty to sanctifie the Sabbath by setting a rest apart sanctifying the rest by holy exercises 2. Our duty to be mindfull and carefull of it so to remember to sanctifie it by preparing our selves using all good meanes removing impediments 6. What the negative part The forbidding of the prophanation of it by not setting apart a rest misspending it in any superstition idlenesse vanities sin c. The passing it over in forgetfulnesse by unpreparednesse neglect or contempt 7. How the parts and duties opposite seene opposed The sanctifying opposite to the prophanation of the Sabbath and holy exercises to the mis-spending it in ill actions The minding it opposite to forgetfulnesse and drowsinesse therein as the preparing the soule to that holy and fit celebration thereof opposite to neglect contempt or unpreparednesse 8. What is the duty of sanctification of the Sabbath The setting apart a day of rest and exercising our selves therein in such holy duties as the Lord requireth 9. What day is so to be set apart The seventh day so he appointeth and alloweth the six dayes for our labour whereby we with more chearfulnesse and readinesse may sanctifie his Sabbath the seventh 11. How is it that our Sabbath differeth from the Jewes Sabbath For divers reasons as to shew that the old Law hath given place to the new and so the Jews Sabbath to this of Christians That the ceremonies are vanished and what was ceremoniall in this vanished as the time altered though the morality remaine That the Sonne of Man indeed is Lord of the Sabbath and so hath power to alter it 11. How prove you this Commandement to be merall and perpetuall For that it is ranked there among the rest of the Commandements that are morall and to endure as well as from the necessity of it no lesse to us and to the worlds end for Gods honour then it was to the Jewes and all the holy Patriarkes and Fathers from the beginning and therefore vaine and impious is their assertion that as a ceremony would have it passed and vanished or account it needlesse or a burthen whereas it is indeed to all good Christians comfort and the especiall honour of God 12. What necessity of a Sabbath For divers and weighty reasons such as these 1. That the faith and obedience of men may hereby be exercised more particularly in setting themselves apart from worldly businesse what haste soever and dedicate themselves and this time holy to the Lord. 2. That concord and unity Doctrine and Gods service may be maintained which without this meanes would hardly be effected but confusion would follow every one let loose to his own will or fantasie as commonly so many heads so many opinions 3. That love and charity and all graces were encreased by publicke teaching the duties required and reproving the vices as it is done by Gods word preached then whereby the good and vertuous encouraged the vitious shamed 4. That Gods service and publicke worship may be thus upheld that else were like to decay if men left to private devotions had not such publicke meetings some forgetting others nelecting all duty and most that did not ignorantly or superstitiously performing the same 5. That more acceptable service to God performed when prayer and holy duties so publickely exercised by all as many brands making a great flame so the prayers of many with greater fervency ascending up to God and every good servant of his more enflamed by joyning with others in these holy duties 6. That it may be for rest to the very servants and cattle that else groning under their yoake may be too much grieved by unmercifull minded masters without relaxation 7. That it may be a difference between Gods servants and the heathen that know not God by such sanctifying the Sabbath and so be a signe to us of that eternall Sabbath and rest in Heaven wherein as we are taught we may meditate how with Saints and Angels we all doe enjoy Sabbath dayes recreations of singing hymnes and Hallelujahs as we shall the prayses of God for evermore 13. But is not a Christians Sabbath every day Yes in spirituall rest from sinne and private satisfaction of the soule in practising of holy duties sitting a godly life not to forget thereby or neglect the publicke service of God on his appointed Sabbath whichevere to dishonour God most of all and bringing in confusion and iâ— religion 14. But since the Jewes Sabbath altered may not any Christian make or set out what day he please for Sabbath Nothing lesse for it were not onely temerity and presumption to break the Lord and his Churches institution as may be shewed but the high way to Atheisme and Irreligion when if every one might set out what Sabbath he pleased one setting out one day and another another there would be no day in effect kept holy and so not onely no order and uniformity but even no unity or charity and likely much uncharity jangling and dissention and consequently irreligion 15. How then is our Sabbath to be shewed or proved or established instead of the Jewes Sabbath Most firmly against all obstreperâ—as clamors of gainsayers 1. By the Lords owne approving and sanctifying it who is the Lord of the Sabbath 2. By the Apostles doctrine and continuall practice and keeping the same 3. By the whole Churches and all holy mens uniforme practice and consent ever since 16. How by the Lords owne doings Most plainly by his 1. Naming or giving his name to it in holy Scripture as Apocal. 1. 10. called the Lords day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that as the Lords supper the Lords people and his Church or the like so his day 2. Sanctifying it by and with his First resurrection thereon and finishing the worke of our redemption and resting on the new Sabbath as God the Father the creation on the former Secondly presence and divers appearances to the Apostles on the same day at their holiest and Sabbath dayes exercises as I. To the women and the Disciples and Mary Magdalen at the first II. In the morning John 20. and to Simon III. And to the Disciples in the way to Emaus Luke 24. 34. IV. And to the Disciples and Thomas with them John 20. V. And at other times and to Saint Iohn in
or recreation allowed Yes we have liberty to refresh and cheare our selves with those things that may comfort our weak nature and make us more able or disposed to celebrate the day as a festivall and day of joy unto the Lord for so it is and the Prophets expresse it so and as we have flesh about us as well as spirit and a body of dust the Lord who knoweth this our weaknesse appointeth the best things of the earth if we serve him for our comfort as in Paradise so on his Sabbath even to our bodily delight as the comfort of the soule so farre forth as it may helpe not hinder the hallowing of the day and expresse a holy not heathenish feast or drunken Bacchanalia on this day 49. How is that to be understood As that we may use to our comforts both the creatures by eating and drinking to make it a festivall day Musicke and godly singing or mirth to make it a joyfull day Other such like delights and recreations to refresh our spirits in honest manner whereby to be more cheerfull able to spend the allotted and best parts of the time in those holy duties appointed and so those delights to be a means to further these duties and without all excesse scurrility and prophanenesse which else may prove both an abuse of them and the Sabbath 50. What is the opposite part or vice hereunto opposed The not setting apart a rest or the pollution abuse and prophanation of that rest and day of the Sabbath 51. How not setting apart a day of rest Either in setting out none at all in effect or by not resting from sinning perturbation of the soule ordinary workes or worldly thoughts as they ought to doe or in stealing a part from God by their allotting unnecessarily 1. Early mornings workes to hinder the due observation 2. Part of the day or sometimes chiefe part of the day to other occasions 3. Latter businesses even to be set in hand before the Sabbath ended as too frequent instances may be given in worldings hying to fayres and markets before the Sabbath ended Carriers Millers Shop-keepers Alehouses Tavernes and others no necessity urging but filthy lucre stealing a part if not wholly prophaning the Lords day against which many good Lawes have by good Princes beene enacted though too often the more the shame slenderly executed 52. How to be remedied If good Lawes well enacted were by good Magistrates carefully executed as we read in some Councells decreed the goods to be forfeited as Concilio Dingulonencsis Canon 13. and by Leo and Authemius the persons to be proscribed whereby they were out of the lawes and Princes protection and the goods forfeited 53. How is the farther abuse and prophanation By abusing that rest and day of Sabbath to any evill end as superstition in Jewish abstinency from necessary things to be done for the better sanctification thereof Any Idolatrous fashion Idlenesse only and in doing no good which is worse then bodily labour and this Sabbatum Asinorum or of beasts Vanity or prophane sports which hinder holy duties and sanctification worse also then honest labour this onely Sabbatum tituli bare name of Sabbath Sinne as to gluttony exccesse drunkennesse and the like spending the best day in the worst exercises or wasting idly on the Sabbath what gotten the weeke which is Sabbatum Satanae the Divells holyday and they his slaves that use it 54. How is the heynousnesse of this sinne intimated 1. By Gods strict penall law enacted against it the offendors to dye the death Exod. 31. 15. 2. By that laws execution on him that gathered but sticks Num. 15. 32. 3. By Gods sending the people into captivity for it that the land might keepe her Sabbath that they his people had broken Jerem. 25. 4. Gods providence to have it observed that the day before only no other sent and allowed double Manna Exod. 26. 5. And lastly God and all good mens execrations of it and Prophets exclamations against it as Nehemiah also threatning the Merchants Nehemiah 13. 55. How is it then generally or commonly prophaned 1. Either by labours and journying that are not of necessity and might be avoided 2. By idle resting and sitting at home or other absence from publicke duties 3. By sinfull and vain spending the time allotted to holy duties in wicked manner 4. By suffering others especially those under the authority of Master or Magistrate to offend therein 56. What is the issue generally hereof By neglecting Gods ordinance and herein honour both good order overturned Good duties of all sorts neglected Magistrates and Superiours with God contemned Inferiours by prophanenesse come to misery Gods blessings alienated c. and his judgements assuredly appropriated to the offenders 57. What is the second part of the duty in sanctifying the Sabbath To remember it or mindefully with care and conscience to prepare for it and set about it 1. Seene in removing impediments 2. Using all good helpes 3. Convenient preparation to both the publicke and private duties to be performed by both 1. Ministers 2. People in the celebrating and being present at the celebration of divine Service and publicke worship of God in his Church performing the divine offices or officiating there with helping and assistance in the same 58. What is it to remember To take speciall note of this Commandement as begun in Paradise sanctified by God and now renewed in Christ c. To take speciall note of the duty enjoyned sanctifie the time the Sabbath ourselves to bee prepared And so remember all the dayes of the week so to labour that we may rest and sanctifie this The day before as a parasceve or halfe holyday begin to prepare ourselves to the sanctification of this The last Sabbath how we profited what wee learned and how to improve it in this 59. What impediments to be removed Of workes and labour that would importune us to neglect it worldly cares and distractions and specially sinne and vanity with sleepy drowsinesse of devotion and idlenesse perswading us to absent our selves from holy duties and stay at home 60. What helpes to be used Holy meditations of the benefit institution and command of the Sabbath and blessings attending the same as well as reading conference c. 61. What preparations else Fitting our bodies to the outward rest and presenting our selves and those that belong to us at the Church as our minds to the holy actions and present devotions in such preparation yeelding our presence both of body and minde even to all both publique and private duties of the Sabbath 62. What private duties Those preparations going before and good exercises and actions following the publique duties as also the ordinary meanes of sanctification private prayer reading and meditation Workes of charity and mercy Outward almes visiting the sicke c. peace-making Inward to the soule instruction reproofe exhortation comfort counsell c. 63. What publique The ordinary duties of the Sabbath in the publique worship
the prohibition of all worke in amplification of the command 78. Wherein the amplification chiefly 1. In that the six dayes are allotted commanded and by Gods example also established for labour and workes that the seventh may be a Sabbath a holy and festivall day of rest 2. In that all worke is thereon forbidden not onely to the Master or Magistrate but even 1. To the son and daughter and servant 2. To the cattell Oxe Asse c. 3. Nay the very stranger whatsoever with us in company 79. Why so That it may be the better sanctified by all That the cattell and servant may rest with us That the stranger draw us not away by evill example from God nor we accessory to others offences 80. Why this so strictly urged 1. Because Parents and Masters being in Gods stead are to see inferiours trained up in godlinesse 2. As the head receiveth comfort in the good of the other members so should the superiours from these 3. It is a sin and shame for Parents to bring up children not servants of God but vassalls of the Divell and firebrands of hell or masters of such servants 4. What blessing can be expected from their labours if they sanctifie not the Sabbath with us 5. What comfort can it be for Parents or Masters to see their sons or servants come to wretchednesse or misery or miscarry as they cannot chuse in neglect of Gods service and their duty nay what corrasive to their conscience by suffering it to be accessory to their wickednesse and how shall they be taught if not brought to Church to learne their duties 81. What then the end of the Sabbath 1. For the sanctification of Gods name in holy and publique duties 2. For the rest of even the servant and cattell 3. For the type of the spirituall rest both from sinne by the Messiah and perpetually in the Heavens 82. What reasons of this duty urged here Divers both 1. Interlaced and intimated by the 1. Antiquity and excellency thereof 2. Equity and justice of it 3. Propriety of it to God belonging Expressed by the 1. Reduplication of the Commandement 2. Example of God himselfe 3. His blessing annexed 83. What are the reasons intimated 1. The antiquity and excellency of that day and duty instituted by God himselfe in Paradise in time of mans innocency sanctified first with his owne example intimated in the serious remembrance and reiteration of the command as well as in the example of God Secondly the equity and justice of it that having allowed six dayes to us he may well require the 7. with our best duty and care to sanctifie it Thirdly the propriety the Lord hath to it it being his day or Sabbath not onely made by him as all the rest but the day of his rest besides 84. What reasons expressed 1. The often reduplication of the command as both the day to be remembred rested upon sanctified and no servile worke done not by any person thereon 2. The example of God not onely working the six dayes to appoint that our exercise but also resting and sanctifying this for our instruction and to perswade us 3. His blessing annexed who both rested and sanctified and for that use blessed it so the holy use of it shall procure us a blessing in the blessednesse thereof both to our labours in this to our comfort and rest hereafter to eternall happinesse What more learne you from the sanctifying the Sabbath day With it may be noted the setting apart to holy uses other things whereby the sanctification of the day may be better performed and observed and thereby as it were depending upon the sanctification of the same Which are they With the sanctification of the time may bee well understood to be inferred the sanctifying 1. Place or places for Gods service such as his Altars in the most ancient times the Tabernacle Temple and Synagogue of the Jewes afterwards and since our Churches and Christian Temples throughout the world set apart for such holy meetings and actions principally on that day 2. Persons as of the first borne and eldest of the families for Priests to attend Gods service before the Law and since by Christ appointed the Evangelicall Priests and Ministers of the Gospell who all were principally to attend that day and service 3. Maintenance of those persons and this ordinance tythe offerings and the like consecrated and set apart to this use and maintenance of them that attend his service and consequently maintenance of his honour upon earth whose morality and so perpetuity of institution may abundantly be shewed both before under and since the Law under the Gospell 4. Other things consecrate and set apart to holy uses and performance of Gods service especially on this day both which the Fathers in the Jewes Church and now since in ours abundantly to be shewed as both the sacrifices Arke Cherubins Shewbread Candlesticke and ornaments of the Temple and such things for practise of devotion ornament order or decency in our Christian Churches appointed And Lastly the very bringers offerers of the sacrifices themselves and those that joyne with the Priests in performance of the holy duty the Saints on earth and such as excell in vertue or the communion of Saints a people holy and acceptable to the Lord and no lesse with the holy actions practises and performance of those knowne duties in Gods service and worship on that day of rest such as hearing praying preaching or the like and their comming and presence at them the rites orders ceremonies used in the performance of that duty of publique sanctification of the day all of them included sanctified with it they with the day and the day the better by them But these things are not to be found perpetuall and at all times in the Church Yes the most essentiall of them and for the others as the infancy or growth of the Church did obtaine to more maturity and perfection whereby Gods appointment and for the more accomplished and orderly performance of his service in their due time left to the wise governours discretion instituted What difference between Gods sanctifying the Sabbath and ours His sanctifying it authoritative have full power to constitute and ordaine the setting apart of it to holy uses our sanctifying of it either imitative so appointed to follow him our patterne in the setting of it apart to such holy use or obedientialiter and executive in performance of those holy services and duty therein by him commanded This duty it seems of sanctifying it is vehemently and often here pressed and urged Yes as principally inforced and so five times at least therein urged in memento both of the prevention of the neglect preparation to the duty being by the neglect of it many other good duties are neglected which by it might and ought to bee learned and by the practise of it all other good duties are practised or renewed and recalled to minde by hearing the word then read and preached
yet imparity of sins may be and one offence greater then another in many respects as 1. Some lesse offences against the neighbour then others as lying then adultery and murder and so the smaller offences compared with bloudy and crying sins as Peters denyall or Eutiches sleeping with Davids adultery or Noahs drunkennesse with Cains murder 2. Sins against the second Table and against the creature lesse in regard of the object then those against the first being immediately against Gods infinite Majesty 3. Sins also of infirmity and ignorance and the like though not the lesse able to damne us yet lesse accounted then those of malice and contempt or presumptuous sins so all those other sins in comparison of those perverse haynous and stubborne sins against the holy Ghost whereby the difference and degrees of sin and offences is apparant 7. How is the fourth rule to be understood That though the sins against the first Table simply and absolutely in themselves considered as immediately against the infinite Majesty of God are more heynous then the sins against the second Table where the offence is but against the finite creature immediately though secondarily against the divine Majesty contemned yet such may the aggravation be on the one side by extreame malice perversnesse presumption supine negligence and the like and the extenuation on the other side by infirmity ignorance feare or other humane passion or frailty that may quite alter and weigh downe or over balance the former respect that as in the same first Tables offences compared among themselves there is no comparison of Sarahs infidelity when she laughed and for which she was reproved with Lots wives looking back Achans sacriledge or the gainsaying of Korah so neither in the second Tables offences compared with the first or first with the second that infidelity of Sarahs or Eutiches sleeping at Pauls Sermon both of infirmity though against God or such like negligence on the Sabbath to be thought equall to Cains murder Davids adultery backed with murder or such other crying sins of oppression and blood though against men onely immediately since so aggravated by perversnesse malice and presumption or security as well as secondarily also redounding to the dishonour of God and contempt of the divine Majesty 8. How the fifth rule explained That there is so near a tye and relation between the Commandements all of them having one rule the love of God one end the honour of God one author of them all God and one authority commanding all and so binding to every one of them in particular as to all of them and the whole Law in generall saying thou shalt observe all these Lawes to doe them and Cursed is he who walketh not in all these Lawes to doe them that one of them not performed the whole Law is broken and the disobedience manifest requiring punishment as the guilt also shewing it selfe 1. Against the Author of them all 2. Against the authority of his command 3. Against the royall Law of love 4 In contempt of that divine Majesty so that though there are degrees of offences and some are to be more earnestly and carefully avoyded as more haynous ones yet simply none are to bee chosen as inter mala culpae omnino non datur electio 9. What is the summe of the second Table To love thy neighbour as thy selfe Levit. 19. 18 Math. 22. 39. Rom 13. 8. 10. What is thereby expressed The duty love which in the first place God in the next place respectively the neighbour The object the neighbour as neare to us of the same flesh and blood viz. all mankinde The manner as thy selfe both in regard of the love First naturall whereby thou desirest the preservation of thy life goods c. Secondly spirituall whereby thou desirest thy soules good and salvation and expressed either I. To superiours in the 5. Commandement here expressed II. To allmen by not onely not hurting or wishing but even not consenting to the hurt of his 1. Person by murder 6. Commandement 2. Second selfe wife by adultery 7. Commandement 3. Goods by stealth 8. Commandement 4. Good name by lying 9. Commandement Or 11. even without consent by any concupiseence whatsoever in the 10. Commandement the first motions of sin forbidden 11. Why have all the Commandements of the first Table their reason annexed and so not the second 1. To shew how especiall care ought to be had of the honour of God whence all other duties depend 2. To shew that the first Table the foundation of the second and the duties therein contained thence depending 3. To shew our backwardnesse in the honour of God and ingratitude needing such spurres and remembrances as more prone to wrong God then men the Creator and giver of all good then the creature though too mischievous and malicious to all but in imitation of the first Table this first Commandement of the second and this onely hath a reason or promise annexed 12. Why hath this onely the promise Because as from the first Table the second and the duties thereof depend and from the first Commandement of the first Table the rest of the Commandements there so from this 1. Commandment of the second Table concerning duties to superiours the rest of the Commandements doe also seeme to depend in regard of the due observation of them by their authority and command and also in the superiours doth more especially shine the image of Divinity so as next to the first Table in place and first of the second graced also with a reason or promise 13. How is the image of the divine Majesty more particularly expressed in superiours 1. As in the King represented majestie power and soveraigne authority 2. As in the Magistrates the image of his government and justice 3. As in the ancient in yeares image of that Ancient of dayes in eternity 4. As in the Parents image of his goodnesse our Father and Creator 5. As in the Tutors Ministers and Teachers bearing the image of his divine Majestie wisdome and knowledge whose honour in his image is thus attended with the promise in this first Commandment with promise the first of the second Table 14. What is therein contained 1. The Commandement Honour thy father and mother 2. The promise That thy dayes may bee long c. What manner of Commandement is it An affirmative and thereby inferring his opposite negative viz. commanding to exhibit all love honour and obedience to our superiours and to avoid all unreverence disobedience and dishonour of them 15. What is the affirmative part Commanding respect of Inferiours their exhibition of 1. Honour and reverence 2. Duty and obedience 3. Love humility with the signes 4. Thereof to be exhibited to all superiours Superiours to be worthy of that honour by their 1. Gravity and good example 2. Mercy and bounty 3. Justice moderation and 4. Benevolence to all inferiours 16. What the negative part Forbidding in respect of Superiours their offences in shewing
themselves unworthy of honour and respect by their Insolent carriage towards inferiours Light Dissolute Unmercifull Unjust behaviour in their places Inferiours their despising unreverence disobedience and dishonour of superiours by any Vndutiful Vnreverent Despitefull words behaviour actions towards them 17. How are the opposite or opposed parts seene or intimated here The honour reverence love and obedience required of inferiours expressed in this word Honour to which opposed dishonour unreverence despising or disobedience as the gravity good example mercy justice moderation and beneficence intimated in this word Father which sheweth what superiours are required to bee else not fathers opposite to which are insolent light dissolute unmercifull and unjust carriage and behaviour whereby they seeme to leave and lose the name of father 18. Who are then accordingly accounted Fathers 1. The Prince who is parens or pater patriae so Abimelech the name of the King of the Philistims King father 2. Magistrates patres conscripti so Senatours Councellors of Estate Fathers of the State and Fathers of the King as Ioseph to Pharaoh Gen. 45. 8. 4. Superiours in First knowledge and science Iubal father of them that play on the Organs Iabal father of them that make Tents Gen. 4. Secondly holinesse as Elisha called so by the King of Israel Shall I smite father 2 King 6. 21. Thirdly by instruction oversight and government as Elisha said of Eliah My father my father 1 King 1. 12. Fourthly in estate or riches Job 31. 18. 5. Ancient in yeares fathers by age 6. Spirituall Pastors Ministers and Teachers Fathers in Christ. 7. Masters of families and servants Patres familias 8. Naturall and legall parents as fathers mothers fathers in law mothers in law also Godfathers and Godmothers Benefactors and who in any the like respect guardians or have delegated power or tuition and government over us as children and inferiours to bee understood by all these severall respects and bonds of nature law or other contract 19. In what manner are they so Fathers By the law of 1. Of Nature naturall parents father in law c. 2. Nations 1. Kings and Soveraignes 2. Magistrates Senatours Councellors of State 3. Judges and Officers of justice 4. Spirituall Pastors and Fathers in Christ. 3. Contract Masters of Families Guardians Tutors and such other superiours for our instruction or aid c. by our selves or others appointed or desired How may these superiours be distinguished Into superiours In 1. Gifts 1 Received frō God whether Inward of the mind as in Arts wisedome Learning vertue or the like Outward as in Age the ancient Degree of Birth nobility or gentry Schoole or church dignity Wealth the rich or potent 2 Bestowed on us as Benefactors Guardians and helpers 2. Authority governors of Family Schooles Corporation Church Commonwealth in governm oeconomic scholasticall cōfederacy ecclesiastic politicall What the generall duties of superiours that they may worthily be accounted so Wisedome and gravity together with good example good deeds 20. What the generall duties of inferiours To exhibit honour Inwardly in reverent estimation of their worth and wisedome place and authority Outwardly both in the 1. Signe of reverence whether Rising up to them Going to meet them Bowing the knee Vncovering the head Standing before them Giving them the precedency Silence when they speake Words of reverence 2. Deed as occasion is offered to minister unto them 21. What the opposite vices in generall 1. In superiours neglecting inferiours lightly or foolishly 2. Inferiours neglecting or despising their superiours unreverently undutifully 22. What the duties in particular of superiours in inward gifts of minde In humility to acknowledge them received from God and thence willing to employ them to his glory and the good of others opposite to which is insolence and abuse of them 23. What of inferiours herein In thankfulnesse acknowleding reverence and respecting them as the gracious instruments of God for our good and in modesty even to account our equals rather superiours or betters then any way to deny deprave or disdaine their good gifts 24. What the duties of the ancient To bee sober and grave ready to instruct the younger sort both by their wisedome and good example as patternes and presidents of good and no wayes of lewdnesse or evill 25. What the duties of youngers To reverence them as fathers learne and imitate their good examples and no wise to despise the aged contemne their counsell or direction 26. What duties of those dignified by nobility gentry or other degrees of eminency By magnanimity magnificence and other heroicall and divine vertues to remember the giver of all good and use the same to his honour the good of the Church and Commonwealth thereby shewing themselves worthy of that honour who otherwise shall seeme but bubbles of honour and a shame or disgrace to their degree 27. What the duty there of inferiours To reverence respect honour them according to their worthinesse places and degrees readily exhibiting the signes thereof and no way to presume against them or neglect them 28. What the duty of the wealthy To remember the giver and that they are but stewards and shall bee called to account to use their riches as instruments of liberality and bounty to the helpe and releefe as well as protection of the poore and helplesse and not to niggardlinesse and avarice or oppression and cruelty 29. What duties of inferiours The reverent esteem and welwishing to them and their estate as the blessings of God and instruments of their good and not to disdaine presume or murmure against them or God 29. What requiredin Benefactors In that act of bounty or charity to give willingly cheerfully freely and discreetly bis dat qui cito and not grudgingly or for his own profit so not given or without discretion so cast away or with delay so qui sero dat diu noluit tardius beneficium perdit gratiam and the like exprobation or casting in the teeth of a good turne 30. What duty of the receivers of a benefit Thankfully to acknowledge and remember it with testification both by word and deed if occasion be offered as well as prayer opposite to which forgetfulnesse of a good turne or requiting evill for good 31. What the opposite or negative part of all the former Easily collected from the premises and partly expressed in them a neglect of those good duties in any respect by any of the parties or in stead thereof the return and exercise of the contrary to them 32. Who are those other superiours in authority Governours 1. Of families as Parents over children Husband over wife and family Master over servants apprentices 2. Of Schooles or Universities or other Corporations Master Guardians and Presidents 3. Of Church as Bishops Pastors and Minister 4. Of Common-wealth the Prince our Soveraigne and all Magistrates 33. How the order of these First Oeconomicall duties as that the first government in the world Secondly instruction in Vertue and Religion so Scholasticall and
parere non didicit whence 1. In Superiours required Justice Temperance Prudence Charity Clemency Liberality Meeknes Gentlenesse Piety Gravity Sobriety Constancy and almost what not vertue so to shew themselves truly fathers and honourable for the good example of others 2. Inferiours requisite also Humility Obedience Reverence Love Meeknesse Goodnesse Piety Modesty Justice Temperance Patience Constancy Prudence c. and all sorts of vertues vertuously to be inclin'd and ready to yeeld all due honour to Superiours as well as more to honour them in following and imitating their vertues and godly example 61. What is the reason of this Commandement The promise of blessing of long life if God please not to prevent it with a better blessing of eternall life 62. How is this to be understood As that either the Parents blessing shall prolong the childrens dayes from God Or that the dayes shall be prolonged for the phrase seems to beare both that they may prolong thy dayes or that thy dayes may be prolonged in that land 63. How is long life a blessing since many dayes commonly evill and troublesome As Gods gift and sanctified in the good use to his honour and so an entrance to a long life even for ever and ever 64. But we see disobedient and evill children sometimes live long and the vertuous dye in prime of their age Yet this may very well be seene verified of them and it is often verified 1. As they are seene often to live long who obey the counsells of the wise whereas the disobedient by this meanes and scorning good counsell come to evill and untimely ends by their lewd courses 2. As it is alwaies verified in respect of their good life which is only to be accounted a life and a long life as in grace and Gods house where one day is better then a thousand and a sinners life is nothing nor nothing worth if he live a hundred yeares Eccl. 8. 12. 3. As it is most surely verified in the life to come and land of the living where it is made up to more then full measure in and with God and also happinesse so taken sooner from basenesse to glory as from beggery and the dust to the place of honour as if from the dunghill or Princes gate to be honoured and advanced and who may esteem Enoch lesse blessed then others though living some fewer yeares since taken up to God or the just as taken from the evill to come Esay 57. 1. 65. But it seems contrary when evill and unruly children live long It may seeme so indeed but is not since their life is no life or nothing but vanity Eccl. 8. 12. or but a death and they dead even whiles alive 1 Tim. 5. 6. and such life will be but sorrow here and hereafter since only Salomon miserae bene acta juventa senectae 66. Why is long life proposed the promise or blessing Because it is most sweet and desired and so a most forcible reason to all and especially to flesh and bloud who desire by all means to live long to procure the observation of this Commandement 67. So it might be to all the Commandements And so it may be understood as the high way to the observation of all the rest by obedience to Superiours who command the rest to be observed and yet particularly and primarily belonging to this 68. How meane you that 1. As children that honour their Parents or relieve them in need in some sort prolong their lives that else bring their heads sooner with sorrow to the grave as Jacob said Gen. 42. 38. seene particularly herein worthy of this recompence 2. As the way to honour is to give honour and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before honour goeth humility so it is sit that they which give honour to parents should live long and have honour rendred to them again as likewise the just judgement of God may be and is often seen over the disobedient in the contrary 69. How so 1. In that either such vipers as did kill by not relieving and obeying or dishonouring their paents that gave them life should not live long or 2. If they live should have a generation or race of such vipers following them that should dishonour and shame them and so never come to honour that trod not this way to honour 70. Why said the land that the Lord God giveth To put us in minde that not only the life or long life and prosperity but even the land and all things we possesse in this life are the gifts of the Lord so to minde us of our duty and in whose love to performe our best endeavours for the observation of this and the rest of all the Commandements which as was before shewne are never well observed no not though the action be performed unlesse it proceed from this fountaine the love and honour of God 71. What followeth The sixth Commandement a duty generally to all though in them particularly respecting the good of our neighbours life and person not to murder SECT 8. The sixt Commandement The order and Analysis of the sixt Commandement withall the severall duties and abuses opposite intimated or expressed amply deciphered and so first murder in all kindes and branches thereof and the severall degrees of it prohibited foule shedding of bloud the maine sin the degrees of it thence participating their malice as from Cain and the Divell first murderers of bodies and soules so unjust anger and rages with the fruits thereof in envy revenge and the like also hatred a confirmed or inveterate anger and implacablenesse malice and uncharitablenesse with the severall branches thereof against friends or foes Neighbours or others with the opposite duties here remembred and explained the farther degrees of murder in the tongue by railing reviling scoffing tale-bearing slanderers and also in quarrelling and contentions violence and wrongs fighting poysoning sorcery and self-murder with the unnaturalnesse of that sinns and with the haynousnesse the occasions of it where also speciall remedies and performances against the same and the temptations especially of Satan the fact of Lucretia examined and disavowed the severall sorts self-murder and other by the circumstances of persons manner and punishments to the same due and belonging used to be inflicted and the violence thereby more to be observed in all the kinds of it soul-murder and sorts thereof with the opposite duties and some of the Commandement observed 1. VVHich is the sixt Commandement or second of the second Table Thou shalt doe no murder or thou shalt not kill 2. What is the order of this Next to that duty of obedience in the fifth Commandement the high way to the observation of all the rest this generall duty of doing good to all especially respecting the preservation of the life and welfare of our neighbours so deare to us all as we see in the last pressed Commandment proposed as a most forcible reason and so as of a thing of dearest price care thereof here
first taken that we doe not murther 3. What manner of Commandement A negative inferring his opposite affirmative viz. thou shalt not only doe no murther or any thing prejudiciall to the life or health or person of thy neighbour or seeke his bloud but by all meanes wish well unto him and seeke the good and preservation of his health life and welfare 4. What the negative part and what here forbidden All murder or injury and hurt to life offered in thought word or deed by plotting wishing counsell or practise against ones 1. neighbour 2. own selfe and that either outwardly in body or inwardly in soul. VVhat the affirmative part or here commanded All preservation or saving of life or benefit to it afforded whether by welwishing counsel or helping hand and so in heart word or deed afforded to ones neighbour or selfe in respect of body or soule 5. How the opposite parts herein seene or opposed As by murder all hurt and injury to life all kindes of it and meanes of procuring thereof to ones owne or neighbours body or soule are to be understood and as to murther and destroying of life is opposed the saving of life and the preservation of the same And as to hurt and injury offered unto it the benefit and helpe in any kinde or by any meanes whether thought word or deed for the saving ones owne or neighbours life of soule or body 6. What things in particular then understood forbidden Murder in the full extent in all the kindes means and occasions thereof with the being accessory or consenting to the same or any kinde thereof and so 1. Anger a short madnesse 2. Hatred a continued and inveterate anger 3. Malice offering to shew it selfe with despite and all uncharitablenesse that are inward murders committed in the soule and often occasions of externall quarrells contentions and murder it selfe 4. Reviling quarrelling brawling slandering and backbiting are murders by the ill and lewd tongue set on the fire of hell setting on foot and often causing further murders 5. Contentions fighting offering wrong doing violence and taking away life murders committed in act c. all which are forbidden here as being murders of the 1. heart and thought 2. tongue and word 3. hand deed the third sort 7. VVhat is murder in the foulest sense The barbarous and actuall taking or making away of ones owne or neighbours life and unjust shedding of bloud 8. VVhat is the hoynousnesse of it A most inhumane and barbarous fact and most to be abhorred as most opposite to the goodnesse of God the giver and preserver of life as is also shewed in the severe punishment bloud for bloud 9. VVhat is to be thought of the former branches thereof As participating of the foulenesse and abomination thereof and tending thereunto to be abhorred of men and be accounted actuall murder before God as who seeth the heart and often accepteth or accounteth the will for the deed 10. VVhence floweth it Usually from the heart and shewing it selfe in the tongue is acted in the deed and by the suggestion of the divell who was the first murderer or a murderer from the beginning a murderer of soules as his eldest sonnes in other murder Cain the murderer of his innocent brother 11. VVhich are the steps to actuall murder 1. Those cruell and poisonous passions in heart of unjust anger hatred malice and the like as the second in 2. Raylings revilings quarrellings and the other abuses of the tongue to uncharity and thirdly 3. The open wrong violence and contentious actions whence murder produced either fully in foulest degree or at least even in the very least degree to uncharity and thereby the murder of the soule whose life in grace and in God is love 12. VVhy say you unjust anger To distinguish it from holy and just anger which is also called godly zeale used to be against sinnes as Moses for the Israelites Idolatry Because God is offended and for his honour as zeale of his glory Seen reconciled after repentance herein seene arising fromlove the love of God by desire of his glory Love of our neighbour and guided by love with desire of his amendment c. 12. How is unjust anger knowne 1. By the groundlesse unadvisednesse thereof often on no just cause but rashnesse and sometimes so habituated that not only ira but iracundia given over to hasty anger 2. Extent 1. in fury immoderate so a short madnesse orrage 2. In continuance growing inveterate to hatred or malice 13. VVhat the fruit of this anger Envy and despitefulnesse or desire and purpose of revenge often breaking out into more bitter flames of evill words and worsedeeds 14. VVhat the opposite duty required Both holy and just anger against sinne and for Gods glory and else long suffering mildnesse and goodnesse by being 1. Slow to anger 2. Ready to forgive 3. Ready to 1. passe by an offence 2. Forget it and 3. Requite good for evill to the offenders by 1. Helping or 2. Praying for them 15. VVhat is hatred An inveterate anger or uncharitablenesse conceived against our neighbour his person or else 1. Whether for evill received or supposed suspected or doubted 2. For no cause but want of love 3. Evill thou hast done to him in unjustice and so fearest requitall 4. His goodnesse and justice most unjustly as Abel hated by Cain for being good and Aristides not loved or favoured for his being just 16. VVhat the fruits The same with the fruits of anger or a more eager desire of revenge and other further mischiefe so budding into open hostility enmity and implacablenesse 17. VVhat the opposite duty required or commanded The hatred of the sinne but love and good esteeme of thy neighbours vertues and person and with readinesse to cover and passe by offences and requite good for evill or to be reconciled 18. VVhat is malice A kinde of violent hatred more obvious to the sense and ready to shew it selfe in action or as it were hatred of the heart shewing it selfe more openly with the bitter sting of desire of revenge or other open and further mischiefe which whiles it is smothered is accounted hatred when it beginneth to worke malice and so the fruits or effects of inhumanity and churlishnesse and opposite duties of humanity and curtesie may be better understood by those of hatred in some sort amplyfied or extended more to the sight and outward appearance 19. VVhat is uncharitablenesse Generally the want of love in any degree and shewing it selfe on any occasions against all sorts of persons whether in prosperity or adversity Whether friends or foes Whether neighbours or strangers or under our command 20. How against those in prosperity and adversity Against those in prosperity by 1. Envy against Superiours as Pompey against Cesar. 2. Emulation against equalls as Cesar against Pompey 3. Disdaine of inferiours as Haman set against Mordecai Against those in a dversity by 1. Contempt in poverty 2. Hardheartednesse in want 3.
Rejoyeing in others harmes or ill called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 24. 17. Job 31. 29. Psal. 35. 19. 21. VVhat opposite duty required Rather to wish others good and congratulate their welfare by rejoycing with them that rejoyce in prosperity or pitty mercy and compassion ready to mourne with them that mourne and helpe them in any calamity 22. How against friends or foes 1. Against friends by 1. Faigned friendship worse then open hostility seen in slattery treachery and the like 2. Dissolving friendship and setting friends at variance II. Against foes by enmity hostility grudge and implacablenesse and minde to doe mischiefe 23. What duties on the other side required Christian sincere and constant friendship or pacification among friends and charity and desire of reconciliation to and with others 24. How against neighbours strangers or underlings 1. Against neighbours by discord contentions and janglings or unquiet and harsh behaviour 2. Against strangers by inhospitality and incivility 3. Against those under our command and power by cruelty and rigour in offering injuries revenge or harme and unmercifulnesse even to the dumb beasts for a good man is mercifull even to the life of his beast 25. What opposite duties required Peace and concord peaceablenesse hospitality and civility gentlenesse and clemency 26. What outward signes of uncharitablenesse anger hatred or rankor 1. The eyes cast downe or awry 2. The countenance distorted or estranged 3. The gestures proud or disdainfull 4. The voice loud speaking or angerly as tus◠Racha c. Math. 5. 22. opposite to which the signes of good will in courteous and milde behaviour 27. What farther degrees of murder In the tongue and malicious words either in I. Presence and to the face or not secretly as by 1. Brawling and scolding or loud clamours 2. Reviling and railing noted by superiours against inferiours with menacing By inferiours against superiours murmuring 3. Scoffing and scorning mocking and taunting cursing and blaspheming c. II. Absence and behinde ones backe tale-bearing slandering and calumny to which adde those that are accessory to this ill which as the sharpe darts of the divell wound three at once the soule of him that is telling hearing wounded by the slander And which as an untruth is condemned in the ninth Commandement as a murderer of the good name and reputation deare as life here 28. What is the opposite duty here required A peaceable temperate and quiet tongue speaking good and not evill or words that may doe hurt 29. How are these sinnes branded or the heynousnesse noted As the hater of his brother a manslayer accounted Iohn 3. 15. The tongue and heart set on fire of hell Iames 3. The sure token of reprobates to have their throat an open sepulchre poyson of Aspes under their lips and their mouthes full of cursing and bitternesse Rom. 3. 13. 30. VVhat farther degrees of murther In quarrelling and contention In fighting and challenging In offering violence and wrong In taking away life of ones selfe or ones neighbour or the accessory or assistant to any of these 31. How quarrell and contention As a breach of charity and peace and the high way to open murder and bloodshed and the like may be said of fighting and chalenging in time of peace to the danger of life if not destroying therof or losse of life or member 32. VVhat punishment Life for life bloud for bloud eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand by the law of Moses and Talion law or Lex talionis 33. VVhat opposite duty A peaceable minde and hand ready to doe the actions tending to humanity and concord 34. What of offering violence and wrong As the fore-runners and occasions of shedding of bloud or destroying life whether by 1. Indignity or disgrace offered 2. Hurting and wounding the body of our neighbour 3. Grinding the faces of the poore and oppression 4. Vsing any meanes to impaire the neighbours health as by Witchcraft poysons deceit Withholding helpe or reliefe in our power so Apothecaries or unskilfull Physitians and false drugs or that use deceit in things medicinable or sustenance to the adulterating of good things and destruction of life and health 35. What opposite duty Just and conscionable dealing in all the aforesaid respects and person or any other for the conservation of life or health and detecting all deceit and preventing violence against the same 36. What utmost degree of murder Taking away of life by violence or else of ones selfe or other 37 What of selfe murder A most unnaturall sin and most dangerous as unlesse sinne against the holy Ghost more monstrous then any others and scarce having hope of repentance after so immediate temptations of the divell to so horrible an act as laying violent hands on ones selfe yeelded unto and as dying in Satans worke and to be feared in Satans hands only Gods boundlesse mercy that inter pontem fontem as fate inter calicem labra may shew it selfe but in all probability and humane sense a most dangerous damnable and desperate case 38. What may be occasions of so horrible a sin so to be avoyded 1. Either pride in a high degree and loth to stoope to others or beare lower faile then used or will agree with so high a minde 2. Some crying sinnes as murder adultery perjury usury that tormenting the conscience driveth to despaire and so divellish a designe 3. Apostasie from God or the truth or carnall security blinding the eyes of the soule slipping from God and into the power of Satan and his temptations 4. Poverty disgraces or other heavy crosses overwhelming the soule that forgetting to lay hold on Gods mercie the divell is ready to drive to this desperate execution 5. Melancholy and such mists of minde with any or sometimes many of the foresaid things and the divell like a roaring lion alwayes ready seeking whom he may devoure taking occasion of all occasions and our weaknesse there laying his strong battery of temptations if we leaving God he give us over to our selves too weak for such a potent inveterate and malicious adversary 39. What speciall remedy or preservative in such danger Avoiding of sinnes repentance of sinnes to labour for patience in adversity and crosses humility of soule and by prayer to commit our selves and soules into the hand of God But what if Satan and his temptations be too busie and present To remember he is a liar and an adversary and so that he suggesteth neither truth nor good for if he presse the threatnings of the law and grievousnesse of notorious sinnes yet the mercy of God is greater if he urge thou art a reprobate yet he is a liar and God is true and good giving mercy to every penetent sinner if he say thou art unworthy yet Christ in whom thou art or maist be if thou but desirest it is most worthy and beloved and thy full redemption and price if he tempt thee to despaire or murther that is a deniall of God and
childbed or any other sicknesse 16. VVhat the opposite of this 1. Both incontinency in single life or widowhood 2. Breach of wedlocke 3. Using the mariage bed First immoderately and lustfully Secondly immodestly without shamefastnesse or honesty Thirdly unseasonably at forhidden times 17. VVhat meanes of preserving chastity to bee observed I. Either generall 1. Prayer for continency as the gift of God 2. Keeping company with sober and chaste persons II. Speciall preservatives and remedies 1. Sobriety and moderation of delights 2. Temperance in diet 3. Diligence and painfulnesse in our callings 4. Vigilancy over our affections 5. Modesty in eyes and countenance Speech and behaviour Attire and gesture 6. Marriage it selfe the lawfull remedy if the other means faile provided that such as have not the gift of continency may marry and keep themselves undefiled members of Christs body 18. What opposite to this I. Both frequenting the company of unchaste drunken effeminate and wanton persons places suspected and infamed II. Intemperance in gluttony drunkennesse and the like III. Idlenesse and slothfulnesse IIII. Immodest 1. Eyes beholding unchaste or beautifull and wanton persons obscene pictures reading lewd bookes or playes 2. Countenance impudent and harlots forhead 3. Speech gesture and gate wanton mincing and dancing 4. Attire proud and excessive V. Unlawfull marriages vowes divorces either expresly and ipso facto adultery or the occasions and meanes of it 19. What signes of chastity to be noted Sobriety modesty and shamefaltnesse keeping good and chaste company and avoiding suspicious shew of evill which are both meanes and signes of chastity and so doubly worth the regard as on the contrary wantonnesse immodesty impudency haunting unchaste company suspected places and at suspected times both signes and meanes of unchastity 20. What duty of procuring or preserving others chastity The generall care thereof in all as occasion serveth and especially For parents to provide for their childrens honest bringing up behaviour and marriage For Magistrates to provide good lawes and due execution with severe punishments to represse uncleannesse 21. What the opposite hereof To be accessory or procurers of others unchastity as bawds the divells instruments to bring naughty packs together those that counsell consent hire or allure to uncleannesse or prostitute them whose chastity they ought or promised to protect and so Parents Magistrates or others that connive at such offence deny or forbid the remedy marriage or execute not due punishment against the offenders 22. What are the degrees in this sin 1. In this order the first means motives and all occasions of this sinne by gluttony drunkennesse intemperance or other meanes whatsoever 2. Motions of the heart whether with or without consent of the will so who seeth a woman to lust hath committed adultery Mat. 5. 28. 3. Outward appearance of evill in adulterous and unchaste eye and countenance tongue gesture attire c. 4. Fornication and the act of uncleannesse in any sort 5. Adultery and other the monstrous and unnaturall sins whose punishments ordinarily by divine and humane lawes is death and sometimes with more infamous aggravations thereof 23 How account you of the first degree As the high way to the foulest of the rest and therefore he that would avoid crying and great sins ought to make conscience of the smallest as occasions draw on the action and gluttony and drunkennesse marshall in chambering and wantonnesse the heart is made the shop and store house of sin and the eyes the lewd shop windowes to let it in or set it to sale evill words corrupt good manners light and vaine apparrell curious ornaments frizeled haire and the like signs of loosenesse and immodesty as idlenesse the way to wantonnesse and that to impudency which at last bringeth forth fornication and adultery or other grosse and crying sins 24. What of pride in atire dancing and gadding abroad As appearances of evill and fruits of the flesh if not open defiance and enmity with God and so noted alwaies as pride the forerunner of shame wanton dancing of all good men condemned as an extreame folly and enticement to lewdnesse if not used with rare moderation as for the dancing in armour in the Pirrichian dances or men or women by themselves for exercise or joy of some great good hap or victory as Miriam as David before the Arke excellent and commended by all but for lascivious and amorous dances men and women confusedly together with wanton gestures kissings and dalliance the fuell of lust and as Herodias daughters dancing cost Saint John Baptists head so this many a headlesse soule and for gadding abroad the token of the wanton and idle widdowes 1 Tim. 5. 12. and of the harlot and those of loose behaviour Prov. 7. 9. and cost Dinah her honesty and the Sichemites their ruine 25. Some speake very bitter words against dancing Very true and so to be understood of wanton and dissolute dancing and at unfit times or in too impudent and foolish manner with mimique and even zany gestures and fashions as loosely as lewdly performed the very fellowes to kindle the flames of lust and impudency and such indeed was the gravity of the Romans at sometimes and some other Nations that they highly detested or were displeased with such lightnesse and folly as Demosthenes before his Athenians reproached Philip of Macedon and his Courtiers for common dancers such as having filled their bellies with meat and heads with wine fell scurriloussy and loosely a dancing and Salust of Sempronia said she was to fine a singer and dancer to be honourable withall and Cioero in his Apologie for Murena challenged also for dancing not minding to excuse it of him putteth it of or slatly denieth it with a concession nemo saltat sobrius and Plutarch in the vertues of women putteth it that shee ought to be no dauncer 26. But doe not the Fathers and Doctors say as much Yes for Saint Basil saith thou caprest and leapest with thy feet in dances unwise as thou art when thou shouldest rather bend thy knees in prayer to thy Creator but what gaine is got thereby surely this that virgins returne robbed of their virginity married wives of the truth to their husbands all lesse chaste then they went and more dishonest then they should though lesse perhaps then they would as if not in act which peradventure may be yet stained in thought which cannot be eschewed 1. So Saint Chrysostome saith to the maides and wives that daunce at marriages and so pollute their sex in such lascivious daunces the divell beareth a part as dauncing with them 2. Saint Ambrose that it is better to dig and delve on holy-dayes then to daunce and where banquets are concluded with dauncing there chastity is commonly but in an evill case 3. Vives in his instruction to a Christian woman hath not a little to this purpose who holdeth it for a strange vanity and saith he certaine Asians seeing the Spaniards daunce ran away for feare thinking them lunaticke nothing
practices whatsoever but in charity and love III. Things of trust or hire with due restitution and discharge of trust and recompence without fraud or delay opposite to which all cousenage and fraud in buying and selling borrowing or lending or other reall or verball contracts and bargaining in usuall traffique and commerce 43. What lawfull trades or honest meanes of gaine commanded 1. All publique offices in Church and Common-wealth supreme of the Prince subordinate all others 2. Private Trades Arts and imployments of life in the sundry vocations warranted by the law and word of God Statutes of the Realme where we live opposite to which to live in no trade or by lewd and dishonest trade or meanes in lowdnesse to get a living or in idlenesse to eate the sweat of others browes hatefull to God and men 44. What sorts of honest getting of things Attained to either I. Without contract 1. By succession and inheritance descended from ancestors 2. By our own honest labours and endeavours 3. By the gift and bounty of others II. By contract as by honest bargaining and purchase 45. What things required to honest gettings I. Both internall vertues of the minde 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not setting our hearts upon riches Psal. 62. 10. opposite to it love of money root or evill and all the sins of this Commandement 1 Tim. 6. 10. 2. Contentednesse with our estate and condition that Gods providence allotteth us opposite to which male contentednesse the root of much mischiefe 3. Moderate desire of things necessary 1 Tim. 6. 8. without covetousnesse or ambition hasting to be rich or great 1 Tim. 5. 8. Prov. 27. 20. 4. A moderate care of such things without immoderate carking or improvident carelesnesse 1 Tim. 5. 8. Matth. 6. 25. Prov. 10. 15. II. Externall honest calling and vocation Diligence in that calling opposite to inordinate walking or living and idlenesse 46. How are they to be preserved By such honest meanes as they are to be gotten to our use and reliefe of others and to that end defended from fraud and oppression or repine by wisedome providence or any lawfull and just meanes 47. Is it lawfull to goe to law to retaine or preserve them or maintaine our right There is no doubt of it if 1. The cause be just weighty and necessary 2. If charity be not broken 3. If it be used as the last refuge else too many offend in going to law 1. For unjust and trifling matters 2. In stomack and malice 3. When other remedies may be had and this onely to molest their neighbours 48 How is the due use of our goods To our comfort as the good gifts of God and also for other reliefe and communicating them liberally if we have plenty if little yet gladly even out of that little to the poore and those in necessity Tob. 4. 8. and so enjoying them our selves 1. With honest parsimony saving and sparing them that they be not wastfully and unprofitably spent 2. Frugality according to our ability laying them out in needfull uses not idlely or vainly Opposits to niggardlinesse and keeping them from our owne and others needfull uses and so a double theft as well as covetousnesse the root of it and prodigality her wastfull adversary 49. How liberally to be used In free communication of our goods to the benefit of others on good occasions and pious sort wherein required that if it be done 1. Justly giving our owne without wrong to others 2. Willingly without constraint as freely done 3. Cheerfully without grudging or exprobrations and so truly liberality bounty or munificence be it much or little according to our power opposite to it fast-handed avarice and vaine and wastfull prodigality 50. How is mercy and charity to be showne To those in need and necessity and so who giveth to the poore lendeth to the Lord Prov. 19. 17 and it shall be paid him againe and who doth not stealeth from the poore their dues for which theft Dives was cast into hell and so the workes of mercy to the I. Bodies six to 1. Visit the sicke and needy 2. Feed the hungry 3. Give drinke to the thirsty 4. Cloath the naked 5. Helpe the weake 6. Buty the dead II. Soule six to 1. Instruct and counsell the ignorant 2. Chastise and reprove the offender 3. Comfort the distressed 4. Forgive the penitent 5. Beare with the weake 6. Pray for all According to the verses Visito 1 poto 2 cibo 3 divestio 4 colligo 5 condo 6 Consule 7 castiga 8 solare 9 remitte 10 for 11 ora 12 Opposite to which all cruelty hard-heartednesse unmercifulnesse and uncharitablenesse 51. What is the summe of all To be true and just in all our dealings not to covet nor desire other mens estates but to learne and labour honestly to get and lawfully to use our owne and preserve our neighbours goods whereby we a void all shew and manner of theft 52. What followeth The ninth Commandement commanding all truth and justice in our words as well as our dealings to the preservation of charity and good name SECT 11. The ninth Commandement The orders and of Analysis of the ninth Commandement where the parts and duties with the opposite â—es and abuses as well expressed as intimated are further shewed and explained and first of truth and the brancches thereof and opposite falshood lying slander tale-telling and all false witnes-bearing whether in publique place of judgement by any sort of persons whatsoever as plaintiffe or defendant Iudge or other agent instrument or witnesse or otherwise in more private manner compared with the former in whispering and tale bearing slander and backbiting calumny or other disparagements flattery or such parasiticall or sycophanticall behaviour in any respect or degree tending to the suppressing or subversion of truth or charity where farther of jesting and lying and of all sorts of lies and their much used and frequented Asylum of equivocation with the heinousnesse patrons and practisers or inventers or defenders of the same the generall good use of the speech and hearing or care and tongue in regard of the truth and charity to be extended to our selves and others especially in the maintenance of a good name and rules thereunto belonging or necessarily for the same 1. VVHat is the ninth Commandement Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour 2. What is the order of this Commandement to the first Next after the care of other greater things as the neighbours life body and goods even his name is cared for and words and lips have a rule prefixed to direct them according to the Psalmist that we may take heed to our words that we offend not in our tongues and so as the leafe of the tree that God careth for shall not fall the very words of our lips and thoughts of our hearts are weighed as the haires of our head numbred and here the words of our mouth as in the next Commandement the thoughts of our
heart have a law prescribed to make them holy and acceptable unto the Lord. 3. What manner of Commandement A negative inferring his opposite affirmative viz. not speake untruth or make lyes in uncharitable manner against our neighbour but to preserve truth and charity among all men 4. What the negative part Not to speake or broach untruth in uncharity to the hurt or infamy of our neighbour or our own honest estate credit or good name 5. What the affirmative part To speake and utter truth in charity to the good of our neighbour or our owne honest estate credit and good name 6. How are the parts seene opposite or opposed As truth opposite to untruth Charity to uncharity The good to the hurt or infamy of our neighbour or ones honest estate credit and good name 7. What manner of vice is it forbidden Maledicentia evill and untrue language or lying or abuse of the tongue Whose root an evill heart and thought Whose blossome and branches evill words Whose fruit evill deeds not onely infamy lyes and slander but sometimes reaching as far as the breach of the other Commandements in theft cousenage fraud oppression yea mischiefe of spilling bloud and murder as well by being the fuell of fury in quarrels and contentions as betraying innocent bloud so that an evill tongue the occasion of much evill and hence said set on fire of hell Iam. 3. 8. What manner of duty commanded Good and gracious language or the right use of the tongue that excellent instrument of the soule well used and occasion of much good both to body and soule especially by truth learning and instruction 9. What is truth 1. In the minde a conformity of the minde to the truth of things as they are and so to the mind of God by which they are and were created 2. In the words a conformity of the words to the truth in the minde conceived and so to the things 3. In the deed conformity of actions and deeds to the words and profession of the truth by the tongue 4. In the will a love desire and study of truth which is called veracitas opposite to which is lying and falshood and an unconformity of the Minde to the things as they are or to the minde of God and conformity to the devill the father of lyes Words to the minde or things in truth Deeds to the words or minde in simplicity Will to the love or desire of truth and so a dedication of minde and speech deeds and will to the devill the enemy of God and truth and author of mischiefe whence proceedeth and appeareth commonly the malice of untruth in uncharity 10. What are the parts of the vice here forbidden In opposition to truth and honesty or charity found especially 1. All false witnesse bearing and accusation the maine sin here forbidden 2. All false slanders calumniation and backbiting 3. Tale-bearing and lending the tongue or eare to heare tell or carry false reports 4. Flattering and soothing any for subtilty or advantage 5. Lying and equivocation any untruth against knowledge or conscience of our selves or others in vainglory boasting depraving or diminishing truth or good name 11. How false witnesse bearing In testimonies whether 1. Publique in face of judgment as of the Judge Notaries Lawyers and parties themselves or witnesses Out of judgement but for elections or like publique businesse 2. Private in regard of the authority not appearing or wanting to sight though else publique defamation or libell as else all other private defame or lying 12. How in the Judge to be found In false evill judgment or proceeding therin 1. As rash judgement either The cause not well understood One party onely heard not the other Witnesse of one alone in capitall causes 2. Perverse judgement when the wicked absolved and just condemned as commonly if he be a taker of bribes accepter of persons 3. Being accessory to the offences of others by Admitting needlesse suits Protracting suits Rash imposing oathes Allowing or setting and admitting of false courses or witnesses as in Naboths case and Christs condemnation 13. What then required of the Judge Due proceedings without respect of persons or bribes to the full examination of the truth and giving sentence according to Truth Justice Equity to the Righting of wrong Punishment of vice Maintenance of vertue 14. How false testimony in the Notaries In the Notaries dealing falsly in writing preserving reciting of the Records thereby corrupting them and wronging of right in which they ought to deale truly and justly 15. How in Lawyers 1. By entertaining and promoting evill causes 2. Animating the followers of evill causes and contention as amicos curiae 3. Using false accusations and calumniations against the adverse party 4. Being unfaithfull to the helping a bad or betraying a good cause 5. Taking of fees ambidexter-wise on both hands and betraying the client 16. What their duty then To entertaine or promote no cause they know to be evill To maintaine the good cause with good conscience truly faithfully How false dealing in the parties In going to law for stomacke malice and contention In dealing untruly by 1. Forging false accusations and calumniations false Instruments or Deeds 2. Suborning false witnesses whose duty were that truth charity and right might take place 17. How the offence in the Plaintife or Defendant more in particular In the Plaintife in 1. All causes to seeke the molestation of his neighbour 2. Criminall causes Calumniari to urge untrue and uncertaine matters or crimes Praevaricari making only a show of accusation Tergiversari to fly from his accusation In the Defendant to Deny the truth Appeale without just cause Not submit to judgement lawfully given 18. How the offence of witnesses Either not to give testimony to truth Or give false testimony and that by witnessing what hee knoweth not to be true doubteth or knoweth to be false 19. What their duty then 1. To give testimony when on just occasion required When hee seeth innocency oppressed though unrequired 2. To testifie the truth only wholly Pro 14. 25 What other publique testimonies Out of the place of judgement by publique speeches as Orations writings testimonials for elections or any other advancement that onely truth and worthy persons be allowed not falshood spread and unworthy persons promoted 20. What other private testimonies 1. In reprehension or dispraising of vertues or commendable things or extenuation of the same 2. In extolling or praising vices and bad things with undue and untrue testimony contrary to honesty and charity and if in presence is flattery or derision or else reviling and contumely in absence growing towards slander or mocking howsoever evill cursed speaking Opposite to which wee ought constantly on all occasions to praise and acknowledge vertue and discommend vice 21. What is slanders and backbiting A false testimony behinde ones backe to the wrong of the good name dear as life or credit so a kind of murder and also a blasphemy against
Yes but not beyond the intent of the Law which willeth absolute righteousnesse both in our soules and bodies or actions and most inward affections and is hereby a Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ and when wee are not able to doe it to send us to him that hath done it for us if wee shew our love and obedience by our willingnesse 23. How may our willingnesse be seene 1. By our hate of the things of the flesh 2. By our delight in the Law of the Lord Rom. 7. 16. 3. By our stirring or striving and moving in holy duties 4. By our desire to bee instructed and directed 5. By our growing up in godlinesse and these are also assigned as tokens of our new birth proceeding by degrees in grace directed by the Law profiting and perfected in Christ. 24. What generally commanded here Contentednesse with our estate in not covetting our neighbors goods but submitting our souls to the good will and pleasure of God and his holy Spirit and ordering our selves with thankfulnesse according to the direction of the same in which contentednesse all vertues seeme to shine forth and to be comprehended as Prudence justice temperance fortitude constancy c. both in generall and in particular of all vertues as in their severall kindes and branches is to bee seene as what Christian prudence and heavenly wisedome sheweth it selfe where wee are graciously contented with Gods providence over us and appointment of us in that our estate and condition to doe him such service as therein required what justice towards God and men shineth forth in our readinesse so contentedly to doe our duties what Christian moderation and temperance to be seene above all turbulent affections of vainglory pride or covetousnesse so to submit our selves to Gods will and command and our fortitude and constancy so to continue and persevere as indeed where any virtue is actually there habitually are all the rest virtues and graces goe concatenate there is such mutuall league of love and tye of affinity betweene and among them as no virtue without prudence to gurde it justice the soule and substance of it in the duty whether to God or man our selves or others temperance the mediocrity and moderation of it fortitude the strength of it and courage to proceed constancy the continuance and so the rest humility the ground continency the girdle love the comfort chastity the ornament piety the crowne of them all and each adding a lustre to other and where any deficient the rest blemished by it but in this one contentednesse all generally entertained and every one particularly illustrated by it 25. What are the fruits hereof True blessednesse here and hereafter the promise annexed to the performance of good duties 26. What the whole duty man To feare God and keepe his Commandements 27. VVhat the sum of the Commandements Love 28. VVhat followeth in the Catechisme The explication of that love the summe of the Commandements as it extendeth it selfe to the performance of duties both towards God and men and so to shew what we learne in them SECT 13. The ninth and next Questions Love the sum and substance or root and fountaine of the Law and all good duties therein comprised whether to God or man pertaining so called the royall law of love or fulfilling of the law whose degrees in our duty to God to superiours to equals and inferiors in their severall orders and kindes to be exercised how to love the neighbour as ones owne selfe and what by the Talion law to doe as we would be donâ— to is required our giving honâ—â— to superiours love of equalls all else shewn by hurting none by breach of any the Commandements as 〈…〉 or 〈…〉 incontinency picking and stealing evill speaking lying or slandering or coveting other mens goods and so consequently to use the honest meanes whereby to be better able to perform this to learne to labour in some lawfull calling as God appointeth us with thankefulnesse and contentednesse 1. VVHat doe you chiefly learne in these Commandements Two things my duty towards God and my duty towards my neighbour or the root and fountaine whence these duties doe slow love extending it selfe to God Men. 2. How is love the fountaine of these duties or sum of the Law 1. It is the summe of the Law as it is the whole scope of all good duties and intention of the law and inward forme of that spirituall life we live by grace ready to performe all good duties and so called the royall law of love 2. It is the fountaine and root of his double duty as the love of God produceth the zeale of his glory seeking his honour and so obedience to all the Commandements and thereby performance of duties both to God and men 3. What is thy duty towards God To beleeve in him To feare him and to love him with all my heart minde soule strength as Luke 10. 27. Deut. 6. 5. Mat. 22 28. Marke 12. 30. Whence sloweth the performance of all other services of his and honor done unto him as from the first Commandement all the rest 4. VVhat meane you by this A faith in God producing his feare in love and filiall observance the feare of God the beginning of wisedome performing obedience and love in hearty affection adhering unto him and trusting in him with minde unfainedly seeking knowing and remembring him and soule wholly addicted to his honour and service to the utmost strength and power of both bodily and spirituall faculties persevering therein the substance of the first Commandement and so performing all parts of his service in the rest of the Commandements 5. In what wanner 1. Both to worship him after his will 2. Give him thankes and praise him for his benefits 3. Put my trust in him in distresse 4. Call upon him in all my needs as in the second Commandement 5. Honour his holy name and his word as in the third Commandement 6. Serve him truly all the dayes of my life and especially his Sabbaths as the fourth Commandement 6. VVhat is love to these duties The very foundation of them for if I doe love Cod With all my heart sincerely With all my minde understandingly With all my soule affectionately With all my strength effectually I will assuredly also strive to perform these things and continue in them all the dayes of my life 7. VVhat is thy duty to thy neighbour I. In generall 1. As by our Saviour Christ is taught to love him as my selfe so reade Math. 22. 39. Luke 10. 27. Marke 12. 31. so Lev 19. 18. 2. According to talion Law to doe to all men as we would they should doe unto us by our Saviour taught Math. 7. 12. Luke 6. 31. so Tob. 4. 15. II. Speciall to First superiours as in the fifth Commandement to 1. To love honour and succour father c. 2. Honour and obey King and his c. 3. Submit my selfe to c. 4. Order my selfe lowly c. Secondly all
of our owne and neighbours credit enjoyned 21. What is it not to covet or desire other mens goods The plaine sense and substance of the negative part of the tenth Commandement forbidding to covet any thing that is our neighbours whether in the inmost thought or cogitation and first bud of concupiscence in the soule or any farther growth to will or consent to such covetous desire or wish of the same and whence followeth the affirmative part of the same Commandement that I must 1. Learne and labour to doe my duty in some state of life and honest calling 2. I must be content with my place and calling as appointed by God 3. I must be thankfull to God for the same and so persevere in honest courses in obedience to his Commandement 22. Why are we to learne or labour 1. That we may avoid idlenesse mother of no goodnesse 2. That we may have sufficient for curselves and need not covet other mens goods 3. That we may be able to helpe others and so being ornaments to our profession shew our workes of piety charity mercie to the glory of God and good of his Church 4. That we may acknowledge our obedience herein and duty to God and our neighbour 23. How ought we to be content in our estate As submitting our selves to Gods providence and fatherly care over us without which nothing commeth to passe not a sparrow falleth to the ground nor a thought in our heart much lesse our lives and actions ordered without it and in remembrance of this not to I. Grudge or murmure 1. at our crosses or misfortunes since all sent from God 2. At others prosperity no not of the wicked since Gods pleasure 3. Against God in these things c. II. Not to repine in any trouble or adversity III. Not to torment our selves in vaine with carking and caring as it were over-peering Gods providence and out going it to the manifestation of our impious and shamefull infidelity IV. Nor lye downe under any crosses in despaire arguing a faithlesse heart c. 24. How is God said to call us to our estate By that his providence over us from whom all good commeth to us and whose ordinance or allowance all honest callings are as the neglect in idlenesse or no calling or transgressing in unlawfull arts are from the divell authour of sin and all evill withall to put us in minde to whom to looke for a blessing and to pray aswell as to expresse our thankfulnesse 25. How are we to shew our thankefulnesse 1. In our hearts by our inward rejoycing our comforts sent from God his blessings and contednesse 2. In our words by prayers and prayses expressing these our good thoughts and motions in our minde 3. In our works in a godly and Religious course of life to the glory of God and good example of our brethren 26. Are we able to performe this Never either of our selves alone or our owne power or perfectly as we ought to doe in exact righteousnesse required but only in some acceptable measure as we are enabled by Gods grace his speciall gift in Christ to whom we are by the law directed to looke and to call for that his grace and assistance by prayer as we are taught in the next place 27. What followeth then An introduction to the consideration of prayer in the 11. Question where wee are taught the right use of the Law our insufficiencie to fulfill it and the necessity of prayer The fourth part of the Catechisme Concerning Prayer SECT 1. The twelfth Question The introduction to the fourth part of the Catechisme concerning prayer with the Analysis of the 12. Question or preface to the doctrine of prayer wherein the holinesse excellency and purity of the Law and Law-giver with our impurity and weaknesse are set forth motives to us looking at the use of the law to a rule of good life and a schoolmaster bring us to Christ to move and urge us to humility that consideration of our inability more especially to induce us to seeke for a better estate of grace and more perfection in Christ which 〈◊〉 we have no other meanes to attain unto but only prayer we are hereby to be enforâ—â—d what true earnest and continuall and hearty prayer is at our hands and of necessity required and so the Lords Prayer as the most perfect and absolute patterne or forme thereof propounded from the 1. WHat is here next proposed The twelfth Question concerning prayer and with it a preface or preamble to the same in these words My good childe know this c. 2. What is therein contained A preface and question and in the I. Preface First intimated 1. The purity holinesse and excellency of the Law and Law-giver 2. The use of the Law to shew Gods purity and holinesse our impurity and weaknesse so to humble us and direct us to a better law of grace in Christ and prayer Secondly expressed 1. A necessary caution of consideration of our estate and inability in that My good childe know this c. 2. Our inabilitie in it selfe to performe the Law as we ought Thou art not able c. 3. What ability wee may expect onely of grace and in some measure 4. Whence to expect that ability from God 5. What meanes to obtaine it prayer 6. The necessity of prayer We must c. 7. What manner of prayer continuall earnest diligent II. Question 1. Intimating the Lords prayer for the most absolute platforme of prayer and so 2. Expresly requiring the same 3. How is the purity and excellency of the Law-giver understood By the excellency and beauty of holinesse which is in him originally thence into his law and Statutes diffused and derived that are true and righteous altogether and shew his love of holinesse integrity and purity and hate of the contrary 4. How the purity and holinesse of the Law seene 1. Both in regard of the author so holy and from whom all impurity removed 2. And in respect of us so impure and argued thereby and unable to fulfill the same It selfe so good that it is 1. Pure and giveth light to the eyes 2. Holy and undefiled converting the soule 3. More to be desired then gold yea then much fine gold 4. Sweeter then the honey and honey combe 5. Pretious above thousands of gold and silver 6. Instruction to the simple and wisedome and in keeping thereof great reward even to everlasting remembrance c. 5. How is then called the strength of sin 1 Cor. 15 As it meeteth with our weaknesse and impurity that being no way able to fulfill it of our selves sheweth our guilt and it is to our ill nature a stumbling blocke of offence and not onely shewing sinne but making it more stubborne and outrageous though it selfe good and holy as wholesome meat and nourishing meeting with an ill stomack is not onely not comfortable to it but loathsome and provoking even fainting and vomiting or as good councell meeting
that in nature assisted by grace will suppose free will 〈…〉 of supererogation 24. What ability then may we 〈…〉 Only that which is of grace in Christ and to that measure that may be acceptable though not perfect since God is pleased so to accept of our best endeavours 25. Whence are we to expect it From God the giver of all goodnesse and so who is only able to worke in us both the thought the will and the deed 26. What meanes to obtaine it As here is prescribed continuall and earnest prayer the effectuall meanes to obtaine grace and all other blessings from the hand of God 27. Is there such necessity of prayer then Yes as the naturall life cannot be preserved without continuall food no more the spirituall life of the soule in grace without continuall accesse of Gods graces and comforts to refresh and nourish it 28. Is there such need for the faithfull also to pray Yes both I. As continually standing in need of such comfort 1. To shew they are Gods children and faithfull servants 2. To pay their vowes and duties of praise and thanksgiving 3. To performe their obedience to him 29. What manner of prayer required As is here expressed continually earnestl◠and diligent prayer so said we ought at all times to call for grace by diligent prayer and to this purpose we are bid pray continually 1 Thes. 5. 17. 30. What further intimated in the question following this preface That the Lords Prayer is the most excellent platforme that we may desire of prayer and absolutely in it containing all that we need pray for and as a rule for our hearts and words to make request by so most reverently and religiously to be respected and used whence the reproofe of any that either I. Superstitiously neglect 1. It or sleight it 2. All set formes of prayer II. Ignorantly attribute too much to the bare recitall of it so religiously using it with vaine repetitions and babling III. Superstitiously use it to the expiating of sin by the only often repeating it c. 31. Why is it called the Lords Prayer As by him taught to his Disciples and in them to the whole Church so sanctified by his holy lips teaching and commanding it saying when you pray pray after this manner 32. Is it then meant in those very words No doubt after so good a Schoolmaster and in words so well couched in so holy perfect and absolute manner and for the substance comprehending all things necessary to be desired 33. What followeth The expresse requiring the recitall of the same prayer intimated so necessarily to be learned and religiously used by all good Christians SECT 2. The Lords Prayer Hypothesis of the Lords prayer here proposed the generall thesis of prayer and the nature definition excellency sorts order and rules of it come to be considered So the definition explaned and parts of prayer and order of them described as also the sorts or kinds of prayer among themselves compared and illustrated as of vocall and mentall of publick and private ejaculatory and others the difference and degrees of excelleney all of them excellent and usefull in their kindes the holy and religions use of set form of prayer in the Church of God and reasons of the same and how from all antiquity and by all godly men used whence also the Lords prayer by the Lord himselfe so propounded to be used yet none of the others in their due seasons to bee neglected but most necessary on the divers occasions of our life estate and callings to be religiously practised all of them and often as the many and continuall blessings of Almighty God are powred out upon us or presented to our eyes and remembrance the circumstances of prayer further set downe and declared of kneeling and the like gestures the order and rules and conditions of all true prayer the wings of prayer and how made so powerfull and why the prayers of the wicked prove so uneffectuall and unacceptable how we may pray or more to elevate our minds and inflame our zeale and affections to this divine duty of prayer in a due estimate of it we may consider the rare excellencie of it by the divine Elogies and other testimonies of holy scripture concerning it as likenise the exceed 〈…〉 and urgent nesessity pressing us on inciting us to this duty and lastly the admirable force or surpassing vertue and efficacie of true prayer which is of faith even to the obtaining of all our desires overcomming the greatest powers that are in the world the great dignity urgent necessity and wondrous efficacie of it here amply appearing from a survey of the reall worth right use and rare 〈◊〉 both effects of it to which may be added these further godly and profitable directions therein for the right use and practise of the same 1. REcite the Lords Prayer Our Father which art in heaven hallowed 2. What is here especially to be observed In generall what prayer is and how regulated In speciall this prayer the perfection and parts of it 3. What is prayer Oratio quasi oris ratio the calves of the lips or rather a devout pouring forth of the soule before God in our submission to his Majesty and ordinance and so honouring him 4. What in it to be considered The Nature Parts Sorts Rules of it whereby the Essence Matter Manner Order of it declared 5. What the nature or essence As expressed in the definition of it said to be the immediate worship of God by our calling on him in the name of Jesus Christ with devout pouring forth of the soule before him acknowledging his great Majesty and mercies and our owne miserie so desiring both for our selves and others supply of our wants and necessities from the fulnesse of his bounty and giving him praise for the same or more briefly thus a lifting up of the heart to God in the name of Jesus Christ according to his will in full assurance to bee heard and accepted of him 6. Why say you an immediate worship of God Because that though many other holy actions both at Church and else are his worship as preaching and hearing the word receiving the Sacraments sacrifice and obedience better then sacrifice yet none so immediately honouring him as this that primarily and totally respecteth it as tendring him in that very act our duty and so in the act honouring and worshipping him whereas preaching helpeth but our infirmity and prepareth us to this duty sacraments sacrifice and obedience and all other good duties in the service of God and his worship are promoted and made more acceptable by this and have as it were their best perfection from hence and thus this is the greatest highest and holiest duty that can be done by man and even Kings in this action though other great matters required at their hands doe the greatest matter that ever they can doe on earth and performe the holiest duty and most honourable and strongest for their
estate as whence a blessing on all other their designes depends and in this serving God in other greatest matters but themselves or the people and consequently David or Salomon himselfe more honourable on their knees at this duty then else in their greatest royalty 7. How meane you the rest 1. By calling on him the very act of his worship expressed in invocation or lifting up our heart 2. By pouring forth the soule before him the true effigies of hearty and devout prayer not of the lips onely but of the very soule and without which it is not prayer but onely a bare repeating as of the Creed 3. In the name of Jesus Christ the onely means and helpe we have to be either heard or accepted the foundation of our faith and confidence 4. By acknowledging his Majesty mercies and our misery the substance of confession that consorteth true prayer and so prepareth it even accounted a part of prayer 5. By desiring for our selves and others including petition and intercession the parts of prayer intimating our faith and charity as other parts of prayer intimating our humility and piety 6. According to his will the rule of all right and true prayer 7. By supply of necessities from his bounty what and whence we desire or expect it 8. By giving him praise the last part of prayer and as consummation of the former an effectuall new prayer for more blessings 9. By assurance to be heard and accepted the stability of prayer our faith without wavering without which no prayer can be acceptable 7. What are the parts then of prayer These foure 1. Confession of Gods Majesty and mercy our wants and misery humbly 2. Petition or craving the things we want faithfully under which deprecation for avoiding ill or danger 3. Intercession for the good of others charitably 4. Thanksgiving or prayses for benefits received and dangers avoided according to our bounden duty gratefully 8. What order of these As they are here remembred and so to be seene in our ordinary Liturgy and all other publique authorized Liturgies used and that most conveniently in all devout and godly prayer where first humble confession to God of his greatnesse and graces from the bottome of our hearts maketh us more sensible of our owne weaknesse wants and miseries which confessed likewise prepareth us in the second place to pray and desire supply of our wants from his bounty and forgivenesse of all defects from his grace and mercy and that not onely in faith for our selves so to bee heard for Christs sake but in the third place in charity also for others by intercession for their good and lastly with praises and thanksgiving for benefits received whereby more testifying his honour and our humility whereby we may appeare worthy of more blessings and this the ordinary use in all prayers though sometimes to be seene else intermixedly proposed 9. What sorts of prayer are there Chiefly either in regard of the 1. Diversity of the instrument the Heart Tongue Mentall or Vocall prayer 2. Diverse use and exercise of it Publique or Private prayer 3. Manner of conceiving it as With premeditation set formes of prayer Without premeditation and so Ejaculatory or short prayers Or of longer continuance 10. What mentall prayer All holy aspirations of sanctified soules silently in the heart thought breathing out and sending up prayer and praises unto God so Piorum desideria preces and of this their holinesse it is said Non vox sed votum non chordula musica sed cor Non clamans sed amans cantat in aure Dei And so Deus audit vota desideria cordium as Hanna when she praied though not heard to speak with her lips yet prevailing with God in her petitions 1 Sam. 1. 20. and Moses crying Exod. 14. 15. 11. What vocall prayer The uttering the wel conceived and holy vows and praiers of the heart with lips and voice so it may be noted that though mentall prayer may be without the voice yet vocall prayer cannot bee without the minde for if it be it is not praying but onely speaking the words of prayer that a Parrat may be taught to doe as well as his Ave Caesar. 12. VVhich the more excellent Both most excellent in their due use and time and mentall preferred as it is and seene to be the 1. Primary and proper instrument of prayer 2. Fountaine of the other and perfection of it 3. Best part of man thus employed in best use 4. Spirituall exercise of the best part 5. Directed in spirit to the father of Spirits and so most sitting to bee offered to that divine Majesty as also vocall prayer dignified in that it is 1. Comprehending both rightly used 2. Lending a tongue and further complement to the former 3. Profitable for others and use of edification 4. Vsefull to stirre up our owne and others affection 5. More publiquely setting forth the glory of God and thus both excellent and exceeding usefull in their kindes and either as excelling so diversly excelled by other 13. What publique prayer That publique service and worship of God performed by many Saints jointly together in the great Congregation 14. What private prayer The more retired and private use thereof whether of one alone or of more together yet in a more private manner as in a private house or family and to this sort referred salutations asking blessing saying grace and thanksgiving before and after meat 15. Which the more excellent of private or publique prayer As before was said of vocall and mentall prayer so may be said of these both excellent and right usefull in their kindes and in divers respects excelling and excelled by other for publique prayer more excellent in that it 1. Is a more publique honour and worship of God 2. Is a more generall service performed by so many 3. Is more representing the heavenly Hierarchy where myriads of Saints and Angels perpetually praise God 4. Is more powerfull with God as wherein the united force of many prayers joyntly ascend 5. Hath and more particularly may expect to receive a greater blessing promised as having a more especiall promise of blessing annexed to it whereas on the other side private prayer excelleth in that 1. It may be used more frequently at all good occasions 2. It may be exercised continually when the mind best disposed 3. It may be had when the other often cannot 4. It is the daily sacrifice when the other but the Sabbaths exercise or sacrifice 5. It hath a blessing also promised even when two or three are gathered together that God will be among them and never failed any good man of the gracious effect and so the frequency of this as at all times on all good occasions every day or houre or other season and as a daily sacrifice of a good Christian and when our necessities urge or devotions best enable us by such often use may seeme in some sort to countervaile the others greatnesse 16. What
are ejaculatory prayers The continuall breathing or short sighings of a sanctified soule on any good occasions breaking out into the praises of God either by desire or words uttered in briefe to shew the good desire motion or prayer of the soule and so many holy and good short speeches and sentences of divers Saints of God and holy Scripture are used to this purpose as these of 1. The Publican Lord bee mercifull to mee a sinner 2. David first My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Secondly Lord remember me in thy righteousnesse or according to the innocency that is in me or any sentence almost of his Psalmes 3. Nehemiah Remember me O God of thy goodnesse 13. 31. 4. And divers even set formes are prescribed on sundry occasions though generally such ejaculations are reckoned in that sort of prayer as a sudden cruption of a pious thought that is without much premeditation 17. What other sorts of prayer Both those larger prayers of the Saints of God on any good occasion though not without all yet without much premeditation speaking to God in the humble voyce of prayer as Gods Spirit doth give utterance and all set formes of prayer whether in private or publique used to the honour of God and so indicted for that purpose of which sort the praiers of many godly men in all ages are recorded for to prompt memory and helpe our weaknesse even many Treatises to be found written for that end and fitted to most particular occasions and persons many also even in holy Scripture and most especially that divine platforme the Lords Prayer 18. But doe not some despise or disprove these set formes of prayer Nothing so good that some will not dislike nor so bad that some vicious humour will not fancy so not to be stood on what some but what the best approve but that set formes of prayer may be religiously used is by many sufficient and good reasons proved in that 1. Every one and at all times when necessary to pray is not endued with so great a gift or ability and therefore fit to make use of such as these 2. Even in publique place not onely much inequality of prayer but confusion for want of uniformity would be found if there were no publique prayers used and prescribed 3. It hath beene the use of the Church of God from all antiquity 4. It hath beene approved of at all times and by the best and wisest 5 It is found by experience the weaknesse insufficiency excursions tautologies and impertinencies by tedious and idle repetitions in such as so much affecting singularity would onely have such unpremeditated stuffe for Gods publique and solemne service 6. In particular holy men recorded and approved in Scripture by Gods holy Spirit and have so instituted and used it as 1. Moses used the same forme of prayer when the Arke removed or stood still Numb 10. 35. 2. Aaron had a set forme of blessing the people with a kinde of prayer prescribed 3. David many Psalmes set formes of praises thanksgiving and prayer to be used publiquely as Psal. 91. for the Sabbath so did Asaph and others 4. The Apostles used generall and set formes of blessing 5. Our Saviour prescribed this excellent set formes of blessing 5. Our Saviour prescribed this excellent set forme of prayer John also having taught his Disciples to pray Luke 11. 1. 6. Lastly Gods solemne and publicke service must needs be often very slenderly and perfunctorily performed if not more disgraced by the confusion turbulency and other deficiencies in that holy action if it were not thus godlily cared for prevented what ever some few fanaticke or turbulent spirits may bable to the contrary or offer to trouble and disturbe the peace of the Church and good order or despise the same 19. What sorts of prayer chiefly to be used Even all sorts as occasion is offered by every one as they are able and though publicke prayer the chiefest as the most publicke and solemne worship of God and to be performed by all that a face of a Church of God may appeare upon earth in resemblance of that glorious company in heaven yet not any of the other sorts in their due times to be neglected 1. Not private prayer because that a daily sacrifice and may be offered more often and so acceptable 2. Not mentall neither for it is of our best part and best sacrifice and may be oftenest offered of any other 3. Not vocall because we should praise God with every member and especially our tongue the glory of man to the encouragement of others and stirring up our owne and others affections 4. Not set formes because provided to helpe our weaknesse that are sometimes so unprepared we want so good matter and words to move us as they afford 5. Not other ejaculations that are so holy and good aspirations of the soule nor other longer prayers if Gods Spirit be so present that we are able to have longer Colloquie and speech with God 20. But what if we use only some of these If we practise onely some of these and not others we may well want much comfort of soule and spirituall strength that otherwise we might receive if we used or practised to use them 21. But what if we neglect any of these or some one onely So much worse then the former as the neglect or contempt of any grace or goodnesse is worse then the not having it or not knowing our defect which with ignorance may seeme to have some spice or measure of malice and so if we neglect or use not publicke prayers it would argue us schismaticall or wretchedly prophane Or use not private prayers without grace and having only a forme of godlinesse without the power thereof Or use not mentall prayers it may shew little devotion or worth in our prayers Or use not vocall prayers want of charity coldnesse and much imperfection Or use not set formes arguing either presumption on our owne strength or scorne of others and their pious industry Or use not ejaculations and such aspirations arguing a deadnesse of spirit that on many or any excellent occasions not once look up ward when we might with these sharpe-pointed and piercing meditations ascend to God and up to heaven almost continually and so likewise in neglect of the former parts of prayer 22. How meane you that If we neglect or use not 1. Confession arguing a senselessenesse and stupidity of soule not considering Gods mercy or our own misery duly 2. Petition shewing want of faith and no lesse senselessenesse of our great wants weaknesse and miserable wretchednesse 3. Intercession for others a great want of charity and extreame coldnesse of devotion without hope almost to be heard 4. Thanksgiving arguing extreame ingratitude and unworthinesse of further blessings 23. What good meanes may be used to stir us up to these duties Even prayer it selfe to pray that we may pray better as scribendo disees scribere legendo disces
either our necessities require or Gods blessings invite every day houre minute of time yeelding some new blessing or it selfe a blessing in the enjoying a longer time of grace and so such imitation 6. Fideliter fidenter in true saith with love unsained and sure confidence reposing our trust in God without waving or doubting as Saint James speaketh 7. Presenter as knowing or considering with the Philosopher the present time is only ours and delay breeds danger and here is no delaying or dallying with God in this to be used for true it is Nescis quid serus vesper ferat qui non est hodie cras minus aptus erat as true in this 8. Perseveranter with all constancie and patienc waiting the Lords seisure and never weary of weldoing remembring the widow importunity prevailing with the unjust Judge as much more we with the most good God 9. Practice and thus as perseveringly even to pray continually not only the vicissitude of frequent confession in humility fervent prayer in true faith pious intercession in unfaigned charity and praise and thanksgiving in duty and gratitude a forcible kinde of prayer to pull downe new blessings each taking their turns in a constant and continued course but such gracious speech of the tongue seconding the humble desires of the heart and both seconded by a godly course of life best fitting a devout Christian as the good life of the Preacher may seeme a continuall Sermon so this godly life of a good Christian in this course may seeme a continuall prayer from which directions how great abundance of holy meditations and helpes to devotion all incentives to this divine duty will arise may plainly appeare What followeth in speciall to be considered The Lords prayer as an absolute platforme of true prayer the Preface and other parts of it SECT 3. Of the Lords Prayer in particular and the Preface thereof and that fitly in the words or forme of the Lords prayer or any part of its the Analysis of the same prayer and first of the Preface of it how is our Father and what sons he hath with the comfort that we have of such his being our Father more then in any other title or respect and what use we should make of it in our well living hom he is said ours and in what respect so by us in our prayers to be named viz. to minde us to pray for the generall good of all our brethren why it is said in heaven to minde us of our owne low estate and his excellent Majesty so to elevate our eyes and soules to his Throne of glory Whence we hope for and expect all our helps and supply from him who though on earth and in all places most gloriously there raigning with our greatest joy and comfort if we be truly his why we ought to pray and not neglect it how in this Preface the holy Trinity in mâ—â—ed or to be understood 1. IS it fit to pray in the very words of the Lords Prayer It is very convenient and being rightly understood there cannot be conceived better that if all the wise men in the world had consented together a more absolute frame could not be contrived nor uttered with humane wisdome and therefore well worthy to be used and if God be pleased with us for his sake his words also may well be deemed acceptable especially when we present our selves in his merits and our minde in his words 2. But may we not alter them 3. Not in substance but in circumstance or manner to expresse more in particular our necessities or desires which there in generall are contained 3. May we not pray the effect of any one petition by it selfe Yes if our necessities so require and though in more ample illustration yet the same in effect for if opposite or besides the matter there expressed in briefe it cannot be right or accepted and so having used our best skill to expresse our wants or desires in any particular we usually close with this as in the most perfect and assured acceptable forme that can be uttered and more acceptable how much better understood for so we pray more truly in his words and with his Spirit wherefore we ought to take the best care we may rightly to understand the same 4. What is therein contained Three parts the Preface of confession Our Father which art in heaven The Petitions for our selves and other six in number Hallowed be thy name c. The conclusion of praise and thanksgiving For thine is thy Kingdome power and glory c. 5. What is contained in the Preface I. A confession of Gods great Majesty mercy and goodnesse in that a Father our Father in heaven his throne of glory II. A confession of our owne 1. humility 2. duty 3. wants and 4. hope As we are sonnes we say our Father as we are in earth looke up to heaven up to the hills from whence commeth our helpe even to our God in his holy habitation 6. Who is here understood called Father 1. Either God according to his essence the Father of lights and so the whole Trinity may bee understood as Father of spirits and as the Sonne is called Counsellour everlasting Father and Prince of peace Isaiah 9. 6. 2. Or first Person in Trinity in relation to the Sonne and Holy Ghost and so we pray to the Father in the name of the Sonne and by the help of the Holy Ghost 7. How is God our Father Not only by creation for so are all creatures also with men and Angels But first more particularly as made sonnes in Christ his naturall Son By redemption restored By adoption acknowledged 2. Manifested sonnes by our education in his house the Church Teaching by his word and doctrine Correction by his fatherly chastisements Sanctification by his holy Spirit Inheritance of Sons in his blessing 8. What Sons hath God Both 1. generally all creatures by creation 2. Specially Princes by participation of honour and authority children called of the most High and Gods Most especially and naturally Christ by eternall generation 3. Particularly and legally all Christians by adoption in Christ and though false restored to be the Sons of God 9. What are we put in minde of by this name Father 1. Of the means wherby we are restored to favour our elder brother Christ. 2. The confidence that we may come with before him being admitted Sons 3. The love that he beareth to us whom hee accounteth so as himselfe our Father 4. The dignity and what persons we ought to be so accounted his Sons 5. The indignity we offer if we be not Sonnes or faithfull to presume and so to be assured our prayer is but sinne and we deserve a curse and not a blessing 10. Why call we him Father rather then by any other name Because a name as most truly honourable so most arguing love for though King or Judge or Prince or the like seem in common eyes more honourable titles yet
or not prophaned not only in the duty of the third Commandement so mentioned but even all of them so what is either expressed or intimated in this petition is thus sumed up and declared the second petition order and Analysis of it shewing the parts of the same what meant by Gods Kingdome and how prayed for that it may come as his Kingdome of grace how to be promoted and his Kingdom of glory to be compleat and hastened the Scepter of Gods Kingdome and officers and instruments exercised in it according to their places and degrees as well as the opposite of it the Kingdome of Satan described so what is either intimated or expressed in this second Petition here briefly summed up and delivered the third petition with the order and Analysis of it what the will of God is and performance thereof here intended on earth by men as by Angels in heaven with all alacrity willingnesse and constancy the opposite whereof proceeding from the world the flesh and the Divell how to traine our selves to seek and our will to be more pliable to Gods will which is to be sought in his word and all both active and passive obedience to be ye elded unto it so what is either expressed or intimated in this third petition is here summed up and this briefly delivered 1. HOw many petitions are there and how divided Six in all thus distinguished I. The three former concerning heavenly things for the glory of God viz. 1. Hallowed be thy name 2. Thy kingdome come 3. Thy will be done c. II. The three latter part temporall and part spirituall things for our good 4. Give us this day our daily bread 5. And forgive us c. 6. Lead us not c. 2. Doe not all of them concerne Gods glory Yes but the first primarily and immediately and wholy intend it the three latter not so immediately but of necessary consequence and secondarily as wee ought to referre our selves and all our good to the glory of God 3. What learne you from the order of them In the first place to propose the glory of God in all our actions and prayers which cannot bee without our exceeding good and then our own good but so as directed to the glory of God and all things shall succeed well with us and our prayers bee heard according to that Seeke yee first the kingdome of heaven and the righteousnesse thereof and all these things shal be ministred unto you 4. What farther reasons for this 1. For that God is to bee respected absolutely for himselfe man for Gods sake as first such the order of the two Tables the duty to God for himselfe to men for his sake Secondly so God reverenced simply for his owne Rulers for his sake Thirdly God if he command as in his owne power is obeyed for his owne men in his right and for his sake whence they that respect men and above God may bee great persons ashamed and confounded 2. Gods creation and workes were and are principally for his glory and so ought our works intentions and prayers to be 3. The finall dissolution and end of all and judgement is for his glory and so the end of all our actions and of our duty should bee for his glory 4. Gods Saints servants holy men and Angels doe all aime at his glory principally and so ought wee if ever we hope to bee of that holy company 5. The very vessels of wrath and evill Angels are and shall bee to his glory the glory of his justice and so shall we if we neglect it here So this the scope that God prefixeth to his own actions and ours and all good creatures doe it willingly and all others shall doe it though unwillingly for God will have it done so deare unto him is his glory 5. What note you else generally in petitions The forme or manner of them they showing all the parts of prayer as well as the substance of it I. Ingenerall expresly in the whole frame of the prayer wherein the 1. Preface is confession 2. Petition and intercession the body of it 3. Praise and thanks giving the conclusion II. Particular in each of them and is either First expressed as 1. Petition for our selves 2. Intercession for others in the very words of each petition so uttered indefinitely or in the plurall number as they are Secondly intimated else therein a 1. Confession of some due to God or duty from us or both or neglect too frequent in us and others 2. Deprecation against such neglect or things opposite to the petition 3. Thanksgiving and praise for the performance of our vowes and duty by us or others in any measure as also for graces desired hoped or received which more in particular will be seene in the handling of each severall petition 6. What for the number of the petitions The equality 1. argueth his mercy that will heare us as much for our good as his owne glory 2. Sheweth our duty that ought as much to seeke his glory as our owne good if not more 3. Reproveth us else and our ingratitude that can desire more or more earnestly for our selves then his glory since hee hath granted us to pray three for his glory and three for our good with promise to heare a shame to inconsiderate petitioners that can aske three score for themselves ere one for God 7. How doe the three first petitions concerne his glory As they desire his name kingdome and will to be sanctified promoted and performed and honour so advanced as in the 1. That his honour in holinesse may be promoted hallowed c. 2. That his honour in power may be propagated Thy Kingdome come 3. That his honour in obedience may bee performed Thy will be done c. 8. What desire you then in that first petition Hallowed be thy name That Gods holy name may bee glorified in the holy and reverend use of his titles words and workes 9. Why this petition first placed Because none can bee truly a subject of Gods kingdome or doe his will that doth not in the first place propose this the scope of all his actions and make principall account of Gods glory 10. Who erre from this Whosoever either 1. Propose any thing to themselves before or above Gods glory as honour riches profit pleasure 2. Account such gaine godlinesse and so are but fleshly minded puffed up and knowing nothing as they ought 3. Runne on in prophane courses to the dishonour of God 11. What parts of this petition Two the 1. Object the name of God 2. Action sanctifying it 12. What is meant by the name of God As is expressed in the third Commandement the meanes whereby hee is made knowne unto men or his glory showne in the world whereby even every thing that serveth or should serve for his honour in some sort or other therein comprehended and briefly thus I. His titles 1. Proper Jehovah Lord God and the like Father Sonne Holy Ghost
others good 9. Uncharitable that hate or love not their brother 10. Hard hearted and cruell or disdainfull that scorne or pitty not others 11. Malecontented that doe enjoy nothing as not content with any thing 12. Idle and sloathfull oppressors and theefe deceiver c. that get not their owne but others bread 13. Unthankfull and they that trust in riches or the arme of flesh and never truly depend upon God to aske or receive it of his gift and so in generall we see all ungodly and ungracious men faile in this as most of the other petitions 20. What pray we against Against both 1. Extreame poverty or want of necessaries 2. Want of quietnesse content peace and other comforts of life 3. Unseasonable weather 4. Invasion of enemies 5. Sicknesse and mortality whereby deprived or cannot comfortably enjoy Gods blessings 6. Idlenesse covetousnesse 7. Worldly care 8. Discontent uncharity whereby wee get not or use not our goods lawfully 9. Too much fulnesse whereby in pride or vanity and excesse we forget God and all moderation of daily bread and abuse his blessings and our selves 21. What in the letter hereof expressed 1. The petition for our selves to obtaine such our daily bread and a blessing upon it 2. The intercession for others for the same grace and gifts from God to bee granted there with us What intimated I. A confession of 1. God the giver of all goodnesse and so of his continuall graces to us in giving us c. 2. Our duty to beg it daily at his hand Our defect and neglect of this duty II. A deprecation against all extreame want and poverty or other hindrances of enjoying our daily bread III. Thanksgiving and praise for 1. For all benefits and blessings in generall or speciall received 2. Deliverance from adversities and want Hope of being heard in the continuance and comfortable enjoying c. 22. How summe you it up together in order I. Our confession of 1. Gods bounty that O Lord that every good gift and every perfect giving commeth downe from above c. and that thou clothest the Lilies and feedest the young Ravens that call upon thee 2. Next our duty the eyes of all things looke up and trust in thee O Lord for thou givest them meat in due season thou openest thy hand and fillest all things living with plenteousnesse 3. Defect too often O Lord wee have gone away from thee and have not looked up to the hils from whence commeth our helpe II. Petition Be mercifull unto us O Lord and give us this day our daily bread III. Intercession Shew us the light of thy countenance give thy blessing unto the people IV. Deprecation defend us O Lord from want and let there be no decay no leading into captivity and no complaining in our streets V. Thanksgiving and praise 1. Happy are the people that be in such a case yea blessed are the people that have the Lord for their God 2. We will also tell of thy mercies and sing of thy praise without ceasing 3. In assurance of thy grace we will trust in thy salvation yea Iacob shall rejoyce and Israel shall be right glad 23. What the second petition for our selves The fifth in order forgive us our trespasses as we forgive c. wherein we aske forgivenesse of all sinnes errors and offences against God or man as we are in charity affected and in repentance humbled and ready to forgive others without which condition of charity and repentance in faith it is impossible our sinnes should be forgiven 24. What the order of it After asking good things from God our daily bread we are hereby put in minde what is the hindrances of his blessings our sinnes and so taught to desire the impediments may be removed whereby his blessings may more freely descend for our sinnes are a separation of our soules from God and of him and of his favour from us which that it may be removed and we reconciled we pray forgive c. 25. What herein contained 1. The petition wherein the Action forgivenesse Object of our sins 2. The conditions as we forgive them that c. 26. What meant by forgivenesse Gods absolute remission of sin both in guilt and punishment and blotting it out of his booke and remembrance that it never rise up in judgement against us to shame or condemne us with the meanes whereby we desire it gratiously effected in us therein considered I. The giving of his graces of Faith and Repentance Humility Confession II. Forgiving the Guilt of sin spotting the soule Punishment deserved in his anger Death temporall and eternall III. Acquitting us by 1. Applying Christs merits to us 2. Accounting and acknowledging us just before him 3. Renewing our decayes by his Spirit by sanctification and holinesse 27. What meant by sin or our debts Our offences against God or man for which we owe satisfaction and so become debtors which debts we are never able to satisfie and so we pray for forgivenesse of those sinnes offences or debts of ours being so many and so grievous both against God and men 28. What sorts of these debts are there I. Against God many and infinite ones in number and greatnesse as 1. Errors 2. Ignorances negligences 3. All manner of breaches of his Law both in thought word and deed II. Against superiours in disobedience III. Against equalls in love and and charity IV. Against inferious in uncharity and want of mercy V. Against our selves by our intemperance error and rebellion Or we are debtors To God owing love and duty To all superious owing obedience To all men owing justice in love unicuique suum reddere To enemies to put away anger and forgive injury To our selves owing abstinency from ill that hurts the soule by which we are to be rightly ordered towards God our superiours our neighbours our enemies our selves and ought to render every one of these their due or we be else debtors to God and men and sinners against God especially in every of them as breakers of his Commandements 29. Why say we our trespasses As most sensible of our owne sinnes which doe in number passe the sands or the haires on our head in number and are innumerable as the Psalmist speaketh and which may be a motive to us both 1. To forgive others since we have so many sins to be forgiven at Gods hand 2. To pray also for the forgivenesse of others sins which we will if we have either charity or sense therein of ours or others misery 30. Why adde we that condition 〈◊〉 we forgive c. To teach us that without charity as well as saith it is impossible to please God or obtain our prayers to be heard or forgivenesse at his hand therefore if we ever hope to obtaine our prayers we must be in perfect charity and able truly to pray for our enemies perfecutors and slanderers and forgive them that trespasse against us 31. What if we doe not forgive them We may
O Lord take evill out of our wayes and remove all lying lips and deceitfull tongues and keep us from blasphemy and all cursed speaking and whatsoever may polute us or prophane thy holy and sacred Name that ought to be sanctified 4. In our thanksgiving for all graces reeceived so O Lord we remember those blessings bestowed on our souls that we doe desire thy glory or in any measure performe the same Others that O Lord many on earth doe with us sanctifie thy Name shewing thy praise and so consort with those holy Quires in the heaven that doe ever sing thy honour Our blessed hope of continuance for ever in that holy course of sanctifying thy name and that confidence of that thy grace 7. How in the second Petition 1. In our confession of Gods glory Thy kingdome O Lord is an everlasting Kingdome and thy dominion endureth throughout all ages and thou O Lord art King for evermore Our duty it is meet O Lord that wee should desire thy glory and advancement of thy Kingdome Our neglect but in stead thereof wee have neglected our duty and in too many things we lament our misdeeds rather promoted the kingdome of Satan 2. In our petition and intercession of us all that thy kingdome may come both by us and all people thy kingdome may bee desired and promoted and that thou wilt 1. Governe thy universall kingdome to thy glory and in the same erect 2. Enlarge and confirme thy kingdome of grace and thereby also 3. Perfect and hasten thy kingdome of glory for the good of us and all Saints 3. In our deprecation that O Lord thou wilt bee pleased to remove all impediments of thy kingdome in us and all others and destroy the kingdome of Satan and Antichrist 4. Thanksgiving for the 1. The advancement of thy kingdome O Lord both in thy universall government and guiding all things to thy glory and particularly in thy kingdome of grace for thy erecting increasing and restoring the kingdome of Christ and the Gospel 2. The blessed hope wee have of thy everlasting kingdome of glory in the heavens 8. How in the third Petition 1. In our confession of Gods great power and authority that thy will O Lord is the perfect rule of all right cousnesse and goodnesse and so worthy to be obeyed by all as for thy wills sake they had a being and all things are and were created Our duty that it is just and meet that we and all creatures should obey thy will and conforme our selves unto it In our defects that we have been too negligent and disobedient children and have gone astray from our mothers womb it is too apparant and we lament the same 2. In our requests and intercession for our selves and others Lord let thy secret will be done according to thy good pleasure and thy revealed will so likewise by us and all creatures with ready cheerfull and willing obedience here on earth as it is in heaven 3. Deprecation Remove O Lord all obstacles both of our stubborne and uncircumcised hearts and whatsoever is displeasing to thee either in us or the world as all sinne and disobedience 4. Thanksgiving for our selves and that measure of obedience which wee are enabled unto and for thy will accomplished in us for our good Others in the like sort that doe thy will or patiently suffer the same and that thy Saints doe it jo fully Our hope and assurance that it shall be fulfilled by us and in us to our comforts though lesse perspicuously here yet more perfectly hereafter in heaven 9. How in the fourth Petition 1. In our confession of 1. Gods bounty That thou O Lord openest thy hand and fillest all things living with good feedest the hungry the Lions and young Ravens that call upon thee clothest the Lillies and refreshest all things with thy goodnesse 2. Our duty to looke up to thee the spring of all comfort and fountaine of living waters 3. Our neglect that O Lord wee have been too neglective and undutifull we have not herein honoured thee wee have fallen from thee trusted to our strength and arme of flesh and uncertaine riches we bewaile our foolishnesse and offences II. In our request or petition and intercession for all other our necessities Give us this day our daily bread all necessaries for this life yea comfort both of body and soul spirituall and temporall food and blessings with comfort to eate our bread III. Deprecation of evill and famine O Lord to keep us from hunger and want from plague pestilence and famine from battell and murder and from sudden death and all other misery and wayes of the destroyer IV. Thankesgiving 1. For ourselves and others the peace plenty and prosperity wee enjoy our daily food and comforts received both temporall and spirituall of our souls and bodies 2. For our hope and assurance of his favour and continuance of all blessings that O Lord we and all that are thine may bee sure wee shall want no manner of thing that is good for body or soul and we doe therefore praise thee and will ever sing of thy mercies 10. How in the fifth Petition 1. Confession of Gods mercy That there is mercy with thee O Lord and plenteous redemption and therefore thou shalt be feared and thou O Lord onely canst absolutely forgive sinnes 2. Confession of our duty that we should flye to the shadow of thy wings for mercy to cover our transgressions and wee ought to forgive our enemies 3. Our neglects that 1. O Lord we have gone astray every way from thee and have not hearkened to thy law and we are miserable sinners 2. Our neglects that we have not sought thee or thy mercies betimes we have not repented as we ought we lament both our sinnes and unrepentance 3. Our neglects that wee have not been mercifull as wee ought to bee the better assured and prepared for mercy c. II. In our request and intercession Lord forgive us our trespasses our sinnes and ignorances our infirmities and presumptions our unrepentant and unmercifull behaviour as we desire that wee may have thy graces more freely hereafter to performe these things and so O Lord make us to forgive others that we may be forgiven III. Deprecation Take from us O Lord our hard and stony hearts and give us hearts of flesh that we may obey thee repent us of our sinnes and forgive others as wee hope for forgivenesse from thee remove sinne and all obstacles of mercy or penitence all unmercifulnesse and impenitence IV. Thanksgiving 1. For Gods mercies that thou O Lord art so ready to forgive more then we to ask 2. For his grace that hee hath promised and assured us his mercies in Christ and hath so forgiven sealed to us his forgivnes of our many misdeeds 3. For that measure of grace and repentance give us to fly from sin desire repentance shew mercy 4. For our hope and assurance of his mercies to our selves and others and all graces