so called are properly but one Church in regard they are all subject to one and the same Governour they are all built upon the same Rock all profess the same Faith all receive the same Sacralments all perform the same Devotions which although divers congregations yet may they very aptly be reputed members of the same Church Q. But besides these several Churches we also read of a Church Militant and a Church Triumphant how say you then there is but one Church A. These are but the different state and conditions of the Holy Catholick Church and not two Churches In this world it is the Church Militant and it is so termed because alwayes in a posture of War continually fighting against the World the Flesh and the Devil And in the world to come it shall be Triumphant for then it shall take possession of that heavenly Kingdome which the Lord Christ Jesus hath purchased for it where it's warfare shall be ended and it shall gloriously triumph over all its enemies Q. How long shall this Church continue A. To the end of the world Christ from the beginning had and the end shall have a Church against which all the powers of Hell shall not be able to prevail in regard he hath promised to be with them always even unto the end of the world and then he shall receive the true members of it up into glory to reign with him in his everlasting kingdom to eternal Ages Q. Why do you call this a Holy Church A. For divers reasons as first because it is called by Christ Jesus and therefore seperated from the rest of the world by a Holy calling Secondly in regard all her offices administrations and powers are ordained to produce holiness the Religion she professeth is Holy the laws by which she is governed are holy and good the offices she performs are Divine Thirdly because whosoever is called to profess the Faith in Christ is hereby ingaged to holiness of life Fourthly in regard the end of constituting a Church was for the purchasing an holy and peculiar people to God zealous of good works Q. Why do you call this Church Catholick A. Catholick signifies universal or whole under which term the largeness of the Church is comprehended it being extended to all places and to all persons In former time the Jews only were the Church of God but now the partition-wall is broken down and all Nations and all Persons in all Nations have a capacity to be of the Church of Christ Q. What benefits do those receive who are members of his Holy Cathotholick Church A. There are four mentioned in this confession of Faith the communion of Saints the forgiveness of Sins the resurrection of the Body and the life Everlasting Q. Who do you mean by these Saints A. By the Saints I mean such persons as are called by a holy calling and are obedient to it such as are endowed with a holy Faith and purified there by such as are sanctified by the Spirit of God and by vertue thereof do lead an holy and unblameable life such persons are truly and indeed Saints Q. What is that Communion or wherein doth it consist that these holy Persons enjoy A. The Saints on Earth enjoy Communion either with those who are not of the same nature with them as men or with those that are of the same nature with them Q. What persons are those that are not of the same nature with whom the Saints have Communion and wherein doth that Communion consist A. First they have Communion with God the Father they are of his Family they are his Servants his Sons and therefore they may with boldness sue to him for his favours who is as dear and tender over them as a Father is over the fruits of his own Loins Secondly that Saints living in the Church of God have Communion with the Son of God he is our elder Brother our Intercessor and Advocate all our requests are put up to the Father in his Name who by presenting of them before the Throne of Grace makes them available for such things as we beg Thirdly the Saints in the Church of Christ have Communion with the Holy Ghost they become Saints and holy men by partaking of this Divine Spirit of life and by being sanctifyed by him he inhabits in them enlivens and actuates them to the performance of every good and Religious Duty Fourthly The Saints in the Church of Christ have Communion with the blessed Angels these are those Ministring Spirits who are sent abroad to Minister for their sakes who are heirs of Salvation yea the holy Jesus hath assur'd us that they have a particular sense of our condition enforming of us that there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth Q. What Persons are those that are of the same nature with the Saints with whom they enjoy fellowship and what Communion is it A. These are of two sorts Q. which is the first sort with whom they Communicate A. With those who partake not of the same holiness with them There was a Judas amongst the holy Apostles and there ever was and will be to the end of the World some Hypocrites in the Church of God the Tares must must grow up with the Wheat least by plucking up the one they destroy the other Q. What Communion have they with these A. They communicate in the same Water being both externally baptized they communicate in the same Creed both making the same open confession of Faith both agree in the acknowledgement of the same Principles of Religion both communicate in the same word both hear the same Doctrine preached they communicate at the same Table both eat the same Bread and drink of the same Cup which Christ hath appointed to be received Q. If then the Saint and the Hypocrite communicate in the same benefits how then doth the Saint differ from a Hypocrite or what priviledges doth the one enjoy more that the other A. Although the Hypocrite doth communicate in the same externals with the Saint yet he doth not communicate with him in the same saving Grace nor in the same Faith working by love nor in the same renovation of mind and spirit Q. Are there no other matters wherein they do not communicate A. They do not communicate with the Hypocrite in the same sins in the same accursed infidelity in the same barrenness under the means of Grace in the same false pretence and empty form of Godliness Q. What are the other sort of persons of the same nature with whom they communicate A. The Saints of God living in the Church have communion one with another Q. Wherein doth this Communion consist A. They all communicate of the same Ordinances all partake of the same promises are all endowed with the Graces of the same mutual love and affection keeping the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace all engrafted into the same Stock and all receive
life from the same Root Q. What is the second benefit that belong to be Members of the Church A. Forgiveness of Sins Q. What is Sin A. Sin is the transgression of the Law of God Q. What is the punishment due unto sin A. Eternal death the wages of sin is death Q. Is not all mankind lyable to this punishment in regard as the Scripture affirms all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God A. All mankind was once in a state of death and dammnation Q. How then came this benefit of the forgiveness of sins to be made over to them A. The Son of God by his active obedience fulfilling every title of the Law and by his passive obedience suffering the wrath of God due to us for the breach of the Law hath made full satisfaction on our behalf reconciled us to God by vertue of which reconciliation our sins are forgiven Q. To whom doth this favour belong A. To the Members of the Church Q. Shall all those that are Members of the Church partake of this benefit A. All those that by Baptism are received into the Church by that Sacrament receive the remission of those sins which they were guilty of before they were baptized and hence it is that in the Nicene Creed we profess to believe one Baptism for the remissioâ— of sins also after they be thus made Members of Christ they receive remission of their future sins by repentance Q. What is the third benefit that bâ—longs to the Members of this Church A. The Resurrection of the Body Q. Can the body then arise out of thâ— Grave when as it is mouldred in crumbs and dust A. It shall most certainly arise â—gain and he re-united to the Soâ— when together they shall render an account of all their actions performed iâ— this life Q. Shall the very same bodies arise that now we bare about with us A. They shall be the same for substance but not for qualities whereas they are now Earthly Mortal and Corruptible bodies they shall then be Spiritual Immortal and incorruptible Q. How can this possibly be that the same body which is devoured by Worms should again be raised A. This is performed by Gods infinite and unlimited power who shall call to the dead arise ye dead and come away to judgement and the dead shall hear his voice and obey it Q. VVhat necessity is there that the same body should arise A. The same body must arise and no other to magnifie Gods justice that so the same individual body that was a copartner in sin may be punished that which did partake in righteous actions and sufferings may be rewarded Q. Shall all bodies in general arise A. The bodies both of the Godly and wicked of the just and unjust all that ever lived shall arise and live again to eternal Ages Q. When shall this general resurrection be A. At the last and great day of accounts when the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout and with the voice of the Arch-angel and with the Trumpet of God Q. What is the fourth benefit that belongs to the Members of this Church A. The life everlasting Q. To whom doth this belong A. To all in general for although the life everlasting is frequently used to signifie that reward which in another life is bestowed upon the righteous yet the wicked shall live eternally Q. What shall then be the difference betwixt the godly and the ungodly in this respect A. The godly shall live to all eternity in unspeakable joys and never fading glories and the wicked shall live eternally or they shall remain alive in Soul Body to endure the Torments to be inflicted upon them by the justice of God for all the sins committed by them whilst they were in the body Q. Do you think that it is enough barely to believe all these Articles of your Faith A. As I am bound to believe them so it is my duty to frame my practice answerable to this my belief so that I must not only know what these words signifie but likewise I must perform such actions as are agreeable thereto Q. Is this all that your Baptismal vow and promise requires from you A. No it not only enjoyns me to believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith but also I am thereby bound to keep Gods holy Will and Commandments and to walk in the same all the dayes of my life Q. When was these Commandments given A. God speak them to Moses upon Mount Sinai who wrote them upon Tables of Stone made them known to the people of Israel for the regulating of their manners Q. If these Commandments are part of Moses his Law then certainly they were abrogated by the coming of Christ A. This Law was before Moses was although not literally recorded and it shall continue after him to the end of the World and therefore it is called the Moral Law because it is to be a perpetual rule of good manners to mankind Q. To whom did God make it known before Moses A. He did implant it in mans nature by Creation and for this reason St. Paul calls it the Law of Nature but when mans light and knowledge was decayed and impaired by the fall of Adam God again renewed this Law to his Servant Moses and likewise our blessed Lord in his first Sermon that most excellent Sermon he preached on the Mount reinforces this Law and rescues it from those corrupt glosses the Scribes and Pharises had put upon it Q. How many Commandements doth this moral law contain A. Ten. Q. Which be they A. The same which God spake in the twentieth Chapter of Exodus saying I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Aegypt out of the house of Bondage 1. Thou shalt have none other gods but me 2. Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image nor the likeness of any thing that is in Heaven above or in the Earth beneath or in the waters under the Earth thou shalt not how down to them nor worship them For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God and visit the iniquities of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shew mercy unto thousands unto them that love me and keep my Commandments 3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain 4. Kemmember that thou keep holy the Sabbath-day six dayes shalt thou labour and do all that thou vast to do but the Seventh day is the Sabboth of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt do no manner of work thou and thy son and thy daughter thy man-servant and thy maid-servant the Cattel and the Stranger that is within thy Gates for in six dayes the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the Seventh day wherefore
the Lord blessed the Seventh day and hallowed it 5. Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee 6. Thou shalt do no Murther 7. Thou shalt not commit Adultery 8. Thou shalt not Steal 7. Thou shalt not bare false witneses against thy Neighbour 10. Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours house thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours Wife nor his Servant nor his Maid nor his Ox nor his Ass nor any thing that is his Q. What dost thou chiefly learn by these Commandments A. I learn two things my duty towards God and my duty towards my Neighbour Q. In which of these Commandments do you learn you duty towards God A. In the four first commonly called the first Table Q. In which of them do you learn your duty towards your Neighbour A. In the six last commonly called the second Table Q. What is your duty towards God A. My duty towards God is to believe in him to fear him and to love him with all my heart with all my mind with all my soul and all my strength to worship him to give him thanks to put my whole trust in him to call upon him to honour his holy name and his word and to serve him truly all the dayes of my life Q. In which of the four first Commands do you learn to believe in God to fear him and to love him with all your heart with all your mind with all your soul and with all your strength A. This part of my duty towards God I learn in the first of the Commandements Thou shalt have no other Gods but me in which precept I am bound first to believe that there is a God secondly I am to believe that there is but one God thirdly I am to believe in the true everliving God and to have him for my God and when I have thus chosen him to be my God it can be no less than my duty to stand in awe of so glorious a Majesty and to be fearful of displeasing him and also to love him above all things and for himself alone and to love him not faintly or languidly but sincerely and cordially with my whole mind with all my soul and with all my strength Q. Is this all that you learn from this Command A. No every Command besides that duty it positively enjoyns also forbids the contrary vice as likewise that command which forbids a vice also enjoyns the contrary vertue so that by this command I not only learn to believe in God to fear him and to love him but also I am forbidden infidelity not to believe the one true God or those Laws he hath delivered to the world careless presumption not fearing to offend him hatred of him or of whatsoever he commands Q. In which of these four first commands do you learn to worship this true everliving God to give him thanks to put your whole trust in him and to call upon him A. This part of my duty towards God I learn in the second Commandment Thou shalt not worship any graven Image wherein as I am expressly forbidden the making any graven Image or the worshipping of them when made so also I am implicitely enjoyned to worship that supream infinite Majesty of Heaven and Earth uprightly and sincerely with all bodily worship and external forms of address to adore him with all humility and reverence in all my wants to call upon him who is a ready help in time of need and when he hath fulfilled my desires to give him hearty thanks for his mercies in all straits and dangers to put my whole trust in him who is a sure rock of defence in a word in all respects to pay him that homage reverence and adoration as his greatness and goodness requires from me Q. Wherefore are you bound to worship no Idol nor any representation of God but onely the true God A. Because he is a jealous God and will not suffer the least contempt that is offered to his honour to pass by unpunished Q. In which of these commands dost thou learn to honour his Holy name A. This part of my duty towards God I learn in the third command Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain wherein I am bound to honour Gods Holy Name by not abusing of it in my daily communication not using it rashly foolishly or vainly in my common discourse not cursing either my neighbour or any of his possessions in Gods name not swearing by his name falsly or at all unless it be in a just cause before 〈◊〉 lawful Magistrate for the deciding of some controversie As also by this precept I am obliged to honour Gods name by esteeming highly of it and speaking of it with reverence and sobriety and at all times and upon all occasions praising magnifying exalting and honouring the most holy and reverend name of God his Attributes or any thing whereby he hath made himself known unto us Q. What punishment do you incur if you are failing in your duty in this respect A. God will proceed against me as against a malefactor or guilty person and although possibly in this life I may escape without chastifinent yet in another I cannot but expect to be severely punished Q. In which command do you learn to serve God truly all the dayes of your life A. This part of my duty towards God I learn in the last of these four commands Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath Day wherein I am bound to devote that time to the worship and service of God which the Church by her authority hath set apart for that purpose Q. Are you not then bound to observe the Sabboth day that is the seventh day on which God rested from the works of his creation A. I am bound to observe one day in seven as a Sabboth that is a day of rest but the primitive Christians instead of the Jewish Sabboth which was to be abolished after the Resurrection of Christ made choice of the first day of the week on which he arose from the grave to be observed as the Christian Sabboth and also honoured it with the title of the Lords day Q. What are the duties required for the right observation of this day A. They are two Sanctification and Rest Q. How must this day be Sanctified A. In must be sanctified by setting it apart to the Worship and service of God Q. What is that service of God which on this day must be performed A. It may be reduced to these three heads either that publique service we are obliged to perform in the Church or that charitable service we are to do towards our neighbour or that private service we are to perform at our own houses Q. Wherein consists that publique service of God we are bound to perform on this day A. It consists in meeting together at the house of Prayer the Church and unanimously joyning together
in the publick prayers of the Church in hearing the word of God read and preached in Catechising and in receiving the Holy Sacrament of Christs most precious body and blood and in all these offices behaving our selves with all reverence decency and humility Q. Wherein consists that service we are on this day bound to performe towards our neighbour A. It consists in forgiving offences reconciling such of them as are at variance exhorting and edifying one another in love giving of alms and visiting the sick Q. What is that private service we are bound to performe to God on this day A. Reading good and profitable books meditating instructing our families in the principles of religion together with the performance of our private devotions which is every dayes duty Q. What is that rest which on this is required A. It is a rest from our common affairs and all servile works and labours unless of charity and necessity Q. Is this all the rest required on this day A. No we must not onely rest our selves but also we must suffer our Servants our Cattel and all that belongs unto us to rest on this day Q. What is your Duty towards your Neighbour which you learn in the second Table or in the sixth following command A. My Duty towards my Neighbour is to Love him as my self and to do to all men as I would they should do unto me to Love Honour and Succour my Father and Mother to honour and obey the King and all that are put in Authority under him to submit my self to all my Governours Teachers spiritual Pastors and Masters to order my self lowly and reverently to all my betters to hurt no body by Word or Deed to be true and just in all my Dealings to bear no malice nor hatred in my Heart to keep my Hands from picking and stealing and my Tongue from evil speaking lying and slandering to keep my Body in temperance soverness and chastity not to covet nor desire other mens goods but to learn and labour truly to get my own living and to do my Duty in that state of life into which it shall please God to call me Q. Who is your Neighbour A. Every man without exception unless the Church of God by its power hath for some notorious offence cut him off from her communion Q. Are we then bound to love our enemies those that hate us and persecute us A. These we are also to love and hereto we are strictly bound by our Blessed Saviours express command But I say unto you love your Enemies bless them that curse you pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you Q. In which of these six commands do you learn to love your neighbour as jour self A. This general duty I learn in all of them wherein is contained that kindness mercy and compassion which one man ought to entertain towards another it being the great design of this Table to maintain amity friendship amongst brethren Q. In which of these commands do you learn to do unto all men as you would they should do unto you A. This duty towards my neighbour I likewise learn from them all in general which teach me to give to all their just due and right not to detract from my neighbour by word nor deed neither to injure him either in body goods or name Q. In which of these commands dost thou learn to love honour and succour thy Father and Mother to honour and obey the King and all that are put in authority under him to submit your self to all your teachers governours spiritual pastors and Masters to order your self lowly and reverently to all your betters A. This part of my duty towards my neighbour I learn in the first precept of this Table or of the fifth in order honour thy Father and thy Mother Q. How can you learn thus much by this precept when as it onely enjoyns you to honour your father and mother A. These terms Father and Mother are very comprehensive under which are included all that are above us in what relation soever whether natural civil or Ecclesiastical Q. What is that duty which this command requires from you towards your natural relations that is your parents A. It is first to love them with so cordial an affection as so near a relation requires Secondly to honour them as those from whom I received my being who take care and provide for me in all respects next under my Creator Thirdly to succour them if providence should ever cast them into distress in every respect according to the best of my ability Q. What is that duty which this command requires from you towardes your civil relations that is the King who is the Father of his Country and all that are put in authority under him A. It is to give them that honour which is due unto them such as their eminent places and qualities require heartily to obey all their just commands patiently to suffer the penalties of their Laws when inflicted never upon any account whatsoever to rebell against them but quietly to submit my self to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake Q. What is that duty which this command requires from you towards your Ecclesiastical relations that is towards your Teachers spiritual Fathers Pastors A. It is to obey those good instructions they give me to follow their good examples patiently submitting to all those censures which for my extravagancies they inflict upon me and to endeavour by my true penitency to be absolved from them Q. So then I perceive there is a general duty by this command required of you towardes all your Superiours A. Yes this Law enjoyns me to order my selfe lowly and reverently to all my betters that is to give unto them that due subjection reverence honour and respect that their several qualities and employments challenge from me Q. In which of these commands dost thou learn to hurt no body by word nor deed to be true and just in all thy dealings to beare no malice nor hatred in thy heart A. This part of my duty towards my-Neigbour I learn in the second command of this Table or in the sixth of them all thou shalt do no murther wherein I am forbidden to offer any violence to my Neighbour either by word or deed not to take away his life either by open force or private treachery or any other way neither to harbour any murtherous malicious or envyous thoughts against him nor to utter any reviling railing bitter speeches In general here is forbidden all cruelty or unmercifulness either to men or beast Q. In which of these commands dost thou learn to keep thy hands from picking and stealing A. This part of my duty towards my Neighbour I learn in the fourth command of this second Table or in the eighth of them all thou shalt not steal wherein I am forbidden picking stealing secret purloyning open robberies violence plundering and rapacity or any other way
the very same continuance with it the shallowest capacity easily apprehending that when the foundation is rooted up the whole Fabrick must be thrown down But then again this Ministry will appear to be of a larger continuance than the Apostles time in regard that blessing which by this Ministry is conferred is to abide with the Church for ever viz. The benigne influence and assistance of the Holy Ghost When Our Saviour made this gracious promise at the first to his Disciples to give them the comforter he was to abide with them to the end of the world John 14.16 And I will pray the Father and he shall send you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth And we shall find that when this gift was so miraculously bestowed upon the holy Apostles at the day of Penticost insomuch that those who were Eye-witnesses were strangly amazed and marvelled to hear them speaking in divers languages at that very same time St. Peter to take off the strangeness of the wonder and the envy of the power tels them in plain terms that upon condition they would Repent and be baptized they should every one of them receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost not the meanest the most inconsiderable amongst them but should receive that great thing which they observed in them and not only themselves but their Children also For the promise is to you and to your Children and to all that are afar off even to as many as the Lord our God shall call Acts 2.38 39. Now it is very unreasonable to suppose that the Rite which is partly moral and partly ceremonial the first is prayer the other is laying on of hands that this should be transient only for a short time when as the promise it selfe is to continue for ever It cannot but seem very strange that a solemn Rite annexed to a perpetual promise should be transient and temporary The promise is of a blessing to endure for ever the Ceremony or Rite was annexed to the promise and therefore this also must be for ever And as this Ministry was to continue for ever so was it duly observed and actually practised by the succeeding Ages of the Church as the Reverent Bishop of Down in his Treatise upon this subject hath very learnedly proved And certainly next after the plain words of Scripture the universal tradition of the Church is the best argument for the probation of Rituals And what I have hitherto discoursed of the lawfulness of this Rite is certainly sufficient to satisfie every reasonable person of the necessity of it for that which is Authorized by no meaner a Person than the Eternal Son of God which was practised by the Holy Apostles was observed in the purest ages of Christianity and is a never-ceasing Ministry must of necessity both be lawful to be done and very meet and convenient to be retained in practise But in regard there is nothing more powerfully prevailes with mankind than their interests I shall in the last place in order to the proving the necessity of this wholsom Discipline and to encourage all to the due observation of it endeavour to manifest those great graces and excellent priviledges which are consequent to the worthy reception and due Ministry of it When Confirmation is rightly performed and worthily received it will be highly advantagious to us and will greatly promote the Spiritual good and interest of every Christian and therefore ought not by any means to be neglected And in this respect the Scripture hath spoken so fully plainly as is abundantly sufficient to prove that great blessing that waits upon us It is recorded by St. Luke in the Acts of the Holy Apostles that at the first ministration of this Rite they received the Holy Ghost that is according to the expression of the Holy Jesus to his Disciples when he commanded them to tarry at Jerusalem in expectation of the accomplishment of his glorious promise they are endowed with vertue from on high that is with strength to perform their duty to persevere in their Christian profession notwithstanding all the opposition of Satan and his accursed instruments So that this power from on high which is the proper blessing of Confirmation was expressed not only with speaking of Tongues and doing Miracles but it was effected in spiritual and inward strengths They were not only enabled for the service of the Church to speak in a languages for the benefit of all nations and to do mighty works to convince Gain-sayers but also they were endowed with courage and wisdom and Christian fortitude and boldness openly to confess the faith of Christ crucified and manfully to fight under his Banner against Sin the World and the Devil and to continue Christs faithful Servants and Souldiers to their lives end And if we do but duly consider how apt we are to erre out of the way of Gods Commandments to start aside like a broken Bow and what great opposition we meet with in running the Race that is set before us we shall find abundance of reason to make use of all lawful means to gain a greater measure and assistance of Gods good Spirit That Body of death which St. Paul so earnestly desired to be delivered from that old man of Sin our Rebellious Wills and Affections do fatally resist all good motions and inclinations within us This Law in our members is continually warring against the Law in our minds and bringing us into captivity to the law of sin that is in our members but when this Allmighty Spirit descends upon us he supplies us with such a measure of strength as enables us to mortifie all our earthly Members to keep them under subjection to vanquish all those proud lusts of the flesh which lead us Captive to the committance of evil But besides these inward we have also outward enemies the Devil and his accursed Retinue which bandy together their Forces to overcome us and draw us into their snares and Vassalage these exercise all their malice and cunning to provoke us to renounce our solemn Baptismal engagements and to walk in a down-right opposition to that duty our Maker expects from us When we are once engaged in a holy profession and have faithfully covenanted to forsake every evil practise that is unworthy this our high calling then is the time that our grand adversary fearing that he shall lose a prosellyte will violently oppose us he will make us promises as large as heart can either wish or desire nay he will not stand out for any thing rather than lose a Disciple he will out of design court us at an exceeding high rate telling us as he did our Saviour that all the kingdoms of the world with their glory are at his disposal so that nothing shall be wanting to compleat our desires that this world can afford will we but throw off the yoak of our dear Saviour and list our selves under his accursed banner
when they know that we are not of their foot-marks but have publickly disowned their ungodly practises and principles You complain of lewd society of friends and acquaintance that draw you into many inconveniences do but let them know that you intend to be religious and they will let you alone The Philosophers openly professed a severe and unusual life that all men might let them live Philosophically and not be a disturbance unto them Let but us do so and be professedly religious and they will have the less boldness for to trouble us Our work is half done when we are heartily resolved and more than half done when we publickly profess these our good resolutions Thirdly This open renewing of our Baptismal engagements wil very much lead to the bringing of Religion into fashion and to make it a thing very creditable and honorable When men openly appear for it and are not ashamed publiquely to confess and acknowledge it then the perverse sons of Belial will be discouraged from scoffing and reproaching of it it will stop the mouths of all gainsayers when they behold the greatest and soberest part of mankind to countenance it by professing seriously to practise it And this certainly will mightily prevail with all those as have any kindness or honour for Religion openly to renew their vows especially in this careless age wherein Atheism and prophaneness have joyned forces to discountenance yea utterly to banish all Religion from amongst us Fourthly The open owning of our Baptismal vow wil be a great preparatory in order to the receiving the holy Sacrament of Christs most precious body and blood neither is it meet that any should be admitted to so neer a communion with Christ who will not openly acknowledge and promise fealty and obedience to his Sacred commands And therefore what our Church enjoyns in this case is very reasonable viz. that none should be admitted to the holy Communion untill such time as he be confirmed or be ready and desirous to be confirmed and therefore if we intend to receive Christ in the Sacrament to feed upon his body and blood which is such excellent food as most certainly will nourish our souls to life eternal it is but very meet and convenient that we should first openly profess our selves his members and servants and that we resolve so to continue this will reduce us into a fit capacity to feed at the Lords Table whereby we may encrease in strength enjoy a more intimate communion with the Father Son and Holy Ghost And indeed until this is done I may justly say men are but imperfect members babes and infants in Christ and not to be admitted in the judgment of all ages to tast of the meat of men until they shew themselves to be men by speaking for themselves And to all this I shall only add the misery that in the end shall attend those that will not make an open profession of Christ as also the priviledge that they shall enjoy who are free to perform this so reasonable a duty and this I shall give you in our Saviours own words Mat. 10.72 Whosoever shall confess me before men him will I confess before my Father which is in Heaven That is will confess him to be one of my flock my true disciple and member and accordingly will reward him but whosoever shall deny me before men and certainly he that is ashamed openly to profess Christ will not be afraid to deny him if moved thereto either by fear or advantage him will I also deny before my Father which is in Heaven And it is not within the power of any man to imagine how dreadful and insupportable their doom will be who are denyed and disowned by the great Judg of Heaven and Earth So that now I cannot see what there is to deter men from submitting to this wholsome discipline it being not only necessary but also highly reasonable that we should openly promise to be his faithful servants who both created us and redeemed us Why should we not as freely and readily promise in the face of the congregation obedience to Gods sacred pleasure and commands as we do allegiance and loyalty to our Prince before a Court of Justice If it is reasonable that we should be obedient to the laws of our Maker which no Christian will deny what harm is their in making an open profession that we will be so and therefore it would be very happy and cannot but be earnestly desired by all good Christians that all animosities and vain janglings might be quite layed aside and that we may all joyn together in practising whatsoever may advance us forward towards the end of our hopes the Salvation of our Souls FINIS