their Neighbour and Themselves And whatever I say those several Duties are which arise from their several Stations in the Church they shall have a competent measure of Divine Grace Enabling them to discharge ' em They shall not have Gifts that are necessary to the Discharge of other's Offices but not of their own that is a private Christian call'd to no Office in the Church is not to expect nor ought to pretend to have received Gifts of Government and Teaching in a publick Ministerial way For God is not the Author of Confusion but of Peace in all the Churches of the Saints 1 Cor. 14.33 But every Member of the mystical Body by keeping himself United to the Head in such ways as has been shew'd shall have such Graces and Assistances derived down to him from Christ who is that Head as are necessary and proper for him And that too in such Measures and Proportions And also in such Measures as according to different Times and Occasions in the Church are wanting as according to the different Times and Occasions in the Church are wanting Thus in the first Plantation of the Gospel when the Work was so Extraordinary that there was need of Miracles to convince the Jews of the Insufficiency of Moses's Law and the Gentiles of the Falshood of the Pagan Superstition then did Christ bestow upon his Apostles divers Extraordinary Gifts viz. Of Miracles Prophecy discerning of Spirits divers kind of Tongues and the Interpretation of Tongues 1 Cor. 12.10 And as to all Christians in general as the Malice of Satan did then most violently rage against the Church Persecuting to the Death those who would not Renounce Christ and his Religion so all the Christians in those Times were very extraordinarily Strengthen'd no doubt to Resist such strong Temptations But now that the Church is Establish'd and the Truth of Christianity already Prov'd and Believ'd God does assist the Ministers of Religion only with the ordinary Graces of his Spirit in the discharge of their Ministry And as to Lay Christians therefore except it be when the Orthodox are call'd out in any Part of the World as sometimes they are to this Day to suffer for the Truth they receive no other than ordinary Assistances But this both Ministers and People are sure to do in the use of those Means that Christ has Appointed in his Church for that Purpose so very considerable on many accounts are the Priviledges that do belong to the Members of Christ's Church THE Seventh Lecture Wherein I was made a Child of God THE Preliminary Questions and Answers of your Church Catechism as I have already told you do give you a general Account of the whole Covenant of Grace And these Words Wherein I was made a Member of Christ being the First of those invaluable Priviledges made over to us in this Covenant on God's Part I have already explain'd and open'd to you what they do Import The next of those Priviledges made over to us in the Covenant of Grace is exprest in these Words Wherein I was made a Child of God in order to make you sensible of the Vastness of which Priviledge also First I will shew you what is meant in Scripture and here in your Catechism by a Child of God Secondly What an inestimable Priviledge accordingly it is to be a Child of God â—hat is â—â—t in the â—chism by â—hild of 〈◊〉 And first let us Enquire What is meant both in Scripture and here in your Catechism by a Child of God To understand which we must Enquire into the several meanings of this Phrase in the Holy Scriptures and then in which of those Sences it is to be understood here in your Catechism when every Catechumen is taught to Answer that In his Baptism he was made a Child of God And as to the several Acceptations of this Phrase in the Holy Scriptures I. 〈◊〉 the Son â—od by an â—nal Geâ—â—ion First In the highest most natural and most proper meaning of the Word there is He who is the Son or Child of God by an Eternal Generation viz. Our Saviour Jesus Christ who being Begotten of God the Father from all Eternity in a peculiar inconceivable and inexpressible manner so as to be Co-equal Co-eternal with the Father himself is call'd the Onely Begotten Son of God Joh. 3.16 But then being he is in so peculiar and high a manner the Son of God as infinitely to exceed that wherein any one else whether Angels or Men can be call'd his Sons he cannot in any measure be meant here by a Child of God which signifies a Priviledge common to many as will be presently shew'd â—ot every â—by Temâ—â— Creaâ—â— which is â—ence too 〈◊〉 Secondly There are those who are the Sons of God by a Temporal Creation and such are Reasonable Creatures both Angels and Men both being call'd the Sons of God as you will see Job 1.6 and Luk. 3.38 And that both upon the account of the manner of their Production which was by the immediate Power of God and because of their Spiritual and Immortal Natures in which both do so immediately resemble God But this is an Acceptation too wide That which is meant here by a Child of God is a Priviledge which all Men in the World do not enjoy but is the Favour which is granted to a selected Body of Men who are separated from the rest of the World Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we shoould be called the Sons of God 1 Joh. 3.1 Thirdly III. Nor such only who are Children of God by spiritual Regeneration which is a Sence too narrow There are those who are the Children of God by Spiritual Regeneration by being renew'd in the Spirit of their Minds and by being Created anew in Righteousness and true Holiness And these are such Who have put off concerning the former Conversation the Old Man which is corrupt according to the deceitful Lusts and who have put on the New Man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness Eph. 4.22 23 24. They are such who are Born not only of Water but also of the Spirit that is who have not only been Baptized into the Christian Church but have been Sanctify'd by the Holy Spirit and have their whole Natures and Dispositions so altered for the Better that from Vicious and Ungodly they are chang'd to Vertuous and Holy Dispositions and Inclinations And such a vast Change wrought in our Natures by the Word and Spirit of God may very justly give those who Enjoy it the Title of the Children of God for if in the way of Natural Generation the Communicating of a Principle of Life and of suitable Operations does found the Relation and Title of a Father there is as good Reason why in Regeneration the deriving such Holy and Heavenly Dispositions and Powers from the Word and the Spirit of God to the Soul as give to a Man a
Herod had done Luk. 3.19 And in the World to come such a One above all Men will be Beaten with many Stripes Luk. 12.47 So much is that Honour to be Renounc'd which pretends to put a Man above the Laws of God or Man or beyond Reproof or Punishment for the Violation of ' em Secondly And so likewise is that to be Renounced and Detested which exalts Persons above their Brethren to that degree as to despise and oppress the rest of Mankind as if they were but a lower Rank of Creatures and had not the same God to their Father Bodies formed out of the same Clay and Souls as excellent in their Natures and as capable of Improvements as precious in God's sight and as much the Heirs of Heaven as their own II. As also that which exalts Persons above their Brethren to that degree as to despise and oppress the rest of Manâ—â—nd as if â—â—y were but â—lower Rank 〈◊〉 Creatures â—â—d had not â—â—e same God 〈◊〉 their Faâ—â—er Bodies â—ormed out 〈◊〉 the same â—lay Souls 〈◊〉 Excellent 〈◊〉 their Naâ—â—res and as â—â—pable of Imâ—â—ovements 〈◊〉 precious 〈◊〉 Gods sight â—â—d as much â—â—e Heirs of â—eaven as â—â—eir own This is indeed observ'd to be for the most part the Property of those only of Vpstart Quality for whether it be that such are Transported above themselves by a sudden Rise of Fortune so as not to know their mean Beginning or whether it be that their Fathers being rais'd to their Greatness meerly by Vertue of their successful Fortunes in the World not for any noble and worthy Performances these have not that Vein of Magnanimity Largeness of Soul Generosity Courtesy and Liberality running in the Blood as it were of some Families whose Nobility was founded in some noble Exploits of Vertue Whatever may be the reason it is generally observ'd that your New Gentry are apt above others to carry it with an unreasonable Haughtiness and Disrespect towards their poorer Brethren But alas There is no Ground in the World for this Distance nor that Slavery they put 'em to Have we not one Father and hath not one God made us Mal. 2.10 And was it not out of the same Lump of Clay that he made one Vessel to Honour and another to Dishonour And when this Earthly Tabernacle of ours shall be dissolved who shall be able to distinguish betwixt the Dust of Princes and their meanest Vassals And is not the Soul of the poorest Indian Slave as Spiritual and Immortal as that of the Richest Merchant in Europe And had it but the Education which our Europians have it is capable of receiving as clear Notions of God and of Religion and of Vertue as any of us all And no doubt were it adorn'd therewith and so had the Image of God consisting in these Graces restor'd within it it would be as Precious and Dear to him and be receiv'd into those Mansions of Bliss from which those proud Tyrants over their Fellow-Creatures Liberty will certainly be Excluded if they continue to treat 'em with such Distance and Slavery Sure I am the Poor Lazarus is now in Abraham's Bosom when the Rich and Noble Dives who treated him not with that Respect and Kindness as he did his Dogs is scorching in the Flames of Hell All which consider'd it does become the highest in Birth and Quality to carry it with all due Humility and Courtesy to the lowest and to Renounce and Abandon those Thoughts of Honour and Quality which thrust away their Fellow-Servants to the same God so far off 'em tho' they may not have the Pretence of the Pharisee for so doing nor can say to 'em Come not near me I am Holier than thou III. Such ought â—ven to Reâ—ounce all â—retensions to Honour who â—ave degeneâ—ated from â—hose worthy Qualities â—hich Ennoâ—led their Ancestors But Thirdly Those Persons ought indeed even to renounce all Pretensions to Honour who have degenerated from those worthy Qualities which Ennobled their Ancestors The true Nobility of those who are really of Birth or Quality was founded as I have told you in the Heroick and extraordinary Vertues of their Ancestors and therefore their Quality cannot be suppos'd to remain with 'em when those Vertues which gave Being to it are departed from ' em But so it is that none are half so apt to Pride themselves in their Families and to talk so much of their Pedigree as those who have the least of any true Worth remaining in 'em And sure it is a sign they have but little of their own who do so much value themselves upon others Deservings and seem to have nothing to Brag of but borrowed Titles We have Abraham to our Father was the constant Cry of the Jews when they had least of the Faith and Vertues of Abraham However as apt as such are to assume this Honour to themselves there is no reason in the World but what was purchas'd by the Merits of others should be forfeited by their ill Deserts and that Vice should lose what Vertue did gain And this our Saviour and his Apostles did determine in the Case This the Determination of our Saviour and his Apostles in their Case of those Jews Think not to say within your Hearts we have Abraham to our Father for I say unto you that God is able of these Stones to raise up Children to Abraham Matth. 3.9 that is by having degenerated from Abraham you have forfeited your Title to the Name and Honour of being Abraham's Children and the vile Gentiles as you account 'em shall be taken into that Dignity and Relation For he is the Father of all them that Believe tho' they be not of the Circumcision And accordingly in a true Estimation of Things all those and those only are Honourable who are Vertuous tho' they cannot derive their Pedigree from noble Ancestors The Honour of my House beginneth with me and the Honour of thine endeth with thee said a worthy Commander in Plutarch to a Banisht Wretch who upbraided him with the meanness of his Parentage Lastly And such ought also even to Renounce all Pretensions to Honour amongst Christians at leastwise who despise Religion and its chiefest Vertues as Qualities beneath them Lastly and such ought to Renounce all Pretensions to Honour amongst Christians at least-wise who despise Religion and its chiefest Vertues as Qualities beneath ' em And yet those are the Persons who take themselves to be the only Men of Honour who can talk most Atheistically and Profanely whose Life and Conversation is made up of Lewdness and Debauchery and as to those grand distinguishing Graces of Christianity Humility Meekness and a patient Enduring of Injuries and Affronts who count them a meer Jest which Men of Quality and Honour it is impossible should submit to But be it so only let 'em withal consider that Not many Mighty not many Noble were called but the base things of the World and things which are despised hath God
in their kind but the Knowledge of our Christian Religion as it serves to nobler and better Purposes so ought it to be prefer'd to any other The Knowledge of our Christian Religion as it serves to nobler Purposes so ought it to be prefer'd to any other and most study'd by every Christian And hence therefore does St. Paul when he comes at any time to speak of Divine Knowledge not only barely enjoyn the Attainment of it as of other Vertues but does moreover add Prayers and Supplications to God to endow 'em therewith and to increase 'em therein We do not cease to pray for you and to desire that ye might be filled with the Knowledge of his Will in all Wisdom and Spiritual Vnderstanding that ye might walk worthy of the Lord in all pleasing being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the Knowledge of God Col. 1.9 10. And again I cease not says he making mention of you always in my Prayers that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory may give unto you the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of him Eph. 1.16 17. So that tho to be excellently well skill'd in any Art or Science whatsoever which terminates only in the Conveniencies of this Life be not only Lawful but Commendable yet it is a Profaneness fit to be Renounc'd by every Christian to prefer such to Divine Knowledge and to apply your Mind wholly to the attaining of such Skill to the Neglect of those Great and Important Truths the Knowledge of which is indispensably necessary to our Everlasting Happiness And therefore let your Profession and Calling be what it will you must make it your first Care and Study to know the Nature and Design of the Christian Religion The Necessary Points of Christian Knowledge how that it is a Body of the most Excellent Principles and Laws all of 'em tending wholly to render you Holy and Good Livers and then to make you to depend upon the Mediation of Christ with his Father for his Acceptance thereof to your Justification You must also next make it more your Study to understand throughly the Covenant of Grace than the Nature and Obligation of any Humane Covenants or Contracts whatsoever And since we must build our hopes upon the performance of particular Articles and as exactly as possible square our Lives according to each single Condition of the Covenant of Grace there can be nothing of more concernment to every Christian Lay as well as Clergy than throughly to understand both the Meaning and Importance of every Doctrine of Faith and the Nature and Extent of every Christian Duty And lastly Since a good End can never be obtain'd without the Knowledge and Use of due and proper means the Nature therefore and Use of Prayer and the Nature and End of Sacraments must be a most necessary part of Christian Knowledge So much must our Appetities after Knowledge in the most Excellent of Humane Arts and Science be Renounc'd in comparison of our Desires after a competent Measure of Divine Knowledge But Lastly above all we must Renounce that prevailing Appetite in such as are of most Depraved and Corrupt Minds viz. The setting up their own Imaginations and Fleshly Reasonings against those Spiritual Notions and those more Mysterious Articles of Faith which are delivered to us in the Scripture 3. When out of Pride Prejudice and Contradiction to all Sacred Truths we set up our own Carnal Imaginations and Fleshly Reasonings against those Spiritual Notions and those Mysterious Articles of our Faith which are deliver'd to us in Scripture In the more depraved Nature of some Men there is a great deal of Untowardness and Difficulty to submit to the Sacred Truths Revealed to us by Christ in the Gospel as to Matters of Faith or such Articles as are necessary to be believ'd One that is conceited of his own Wisdom strength of Parts or Improvement in Knowledge will not submit his Reason to entertain Notions which he cannot Comprehend and Penetrate The Carnal Mind which is Enmity against God Rom. 8.7 will disdain to have his Understanding baffl'd or puzzl'd with Sublime Mysteries of Faith he will quarrel at any thing too high for his Wit to reach or too Knotty for him to unloose How can these things be What Reason can there be for this I cannot see how this can be true This Point is not intelligible And perhaps he finds fault with the whole Body of the Scriptures either because some things are obscure to him or the Phrase is not queint and fine enough Thus the Carnal Mind treateth the Dictates of Faith and the Word of God But far be it from Christians thus to indulge their own Carnal Reasonings and Self-Conceits in opposition to what God has Reveal'd to us as necessary to be Believ'd by us For certainly the Infinite Wisdom both knows what is fittest to be taught and reveal'd to us and in what Manner and Method he had best to express himself Those that did thus proudly despise the Wisdom of God measuring it according to their own Talent of Wit and Understanding did at first and do to this Day most fatally miscarry for it is written 1 Cor. 1.19 I will destroy the Wisdom of the Wise and will bring to nothing the Vnderstanding of the Prudent But our Duty is to submit our Understandings to Almighty God to be Inlightn'd by his Infinite Wisdom Casting down Imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the Knowledge of God and bringing into Captivity every Thought to the Obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 There is a great deal of Vertue and Grace in an Obedient Understanding and therefore to the Disciples who were so dispos'd To them it was given as our Saviour tells us Matth. 13.11 To understand the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but to them who are not prepar'd with an humble Mind it is not given Nor is this an hard Imposition upon Mankind to oblige 'em to believe what is above our Reason to Comprehend It is sufficient that the Holy Scriptures which do deliver such Articles of Faith as necessary to be Believ'd are sufficiently witnessed to be Divine Revelations and that there is nothing contain'd in the Articles or Mysteries themselves which is contrary or contradictory to that Reason which God has given to Man But that there should be any thing in an Article of Faith which though it be above our Reason to Comprehend especially in this its State of weakness must yet be Believ'd will not seem hard if we consider that there are many Appearances even in Nature it self which no Man has been yet found who could give a tolerable account for and yet the truth of their being so and so cannot be call'd in question This Humour of opposing Reason to Revelation proceeds from mere Pride In short this Humour of opposing our own Fleshly Reasonings against those Divine Revelations which we cannot now
Devotion towards God Justice and Charity towards their Neighbour and a subjecting of their Lusts and Appetites to right Reason which is the great Duty to themselves I say Christians must as much distinguish themselves from the profane Crew of Idolatrous and Wicked Heathens and Unbelieving Jews by an exact and regular and a better Life as the Jews were to distinguish themselves from the Idolatrous and Wicked Heathens in those days by a Ritual Holiness Nay And does he call us a Royal Priesthood Why this he does here and also Rev. 1.6 where we are told That Christ hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father And what doth this import but that we are as much to exceed both Jews and Gentiles in holy Living as the Priests among the Jews were to excel the rest of the People in a Legal Purity and Cleanness Christians are to shew themselves to be Kings by their Victories over the World the Flesh and the Devil over Sin and Satan and they are to be as it were Priests because they are to present their Bodies a living Sacrifice Holy acceptable unto God which is our reasonable Service and are not to be conformed to this World but to be transformed by the renewing of their Minds Rom. 12.1 2. And are to offer up the Sacrifice of Praise continually the Praises of God Heb. 13.15 They are to offer charitable Alms which are called an Odour of a sweet smell a Sacrifice acceptable and well-pleasing unto God Phil 4.18 This is the Importance of those high Expressions of St. Peter and this indeed do the following Words declare But ye are a Chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood an Holy Nation a Peculiar People that ye should shew forth the Praises of Him who hath called us out of Darkness into his marvellous Light And indeed so much it concerns us who are Members of Christ's Church to distinguish our selves from the rest of the World by our excellent Lives far above other People that our Blessed Saviour came into the World died and suffered all those stupendious Things recorded in the Gospel all on this very Design To purchase such a Body of Men that should more peculiarly and zealously serve God and to work and persuade us to it Thus Tit. 2.14 it is said That he gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works And hence were all his Discourses and Preachings to us especially that most divine Sermon upon the Mount to raise all his Disciples and Followers to the highest pitch and perfection of moral Vertue and Goodness He came not to destroy the Law and the Prophets but to fulfil them Matth. 5.27 That is to enlarge and encrease our Duties to God and Man and to our selves to make the Obedience of the Heart as necessary as that of the outward Man to make the very Thoughts of Uncleanness criminal as well as Adultery it self And in a word hence does he require of us his Members that our Light should so shine before Men that they might see our good Works and glorifie our Father which is in Heaven vers 16. That is he requires that by the Eminence of all divine Graces and Vertues shining in our Lives we should be as a Candle set on an Hill to enlighten the benighted and bewildred World straying in the darkness of Ignorance and Errour that they might find their way by the Brightness of our Examples to Heaven and Happiness And by the savourliness lastly of our good Conversation he requires that we should be as Salt in the World to season the corrupted Manners of Men. Such strong Obligations lie upon us as Members of Christ's Church to be faithful in our Covenant that is to perform all due Obedience unto God Secondly Nor is the consideration of our being Children of God 2. As Children of God less fruitful of good Arguments shewing us those vast Obligations lying upon us faithfully and conscienciously to discharge our Covenant with him There is no relation that is which does speak more of Duty and Duty sounded upon better Reasons than that of a Child to his Father A Wifâ— owes some Duty and Observance to her Husband because the Husband is the Head of the Wife a Servant to his Master because from him he has Provision a Subject to his Prince Children are bound to the strictest Obedience to their Parents as owing to 'em their Being because of Protection But a Child owes his very Life and Being and all that he has is originally derived from his Parent Especially this is so with the Children of God upon a double account both that of Creation and that of Adoption Consider us as the Children of God with respect to Creation and not only our Life and Being but all Things necessary to the support and maintenance of this Being of ours that it falls not back into Annihilation and Nothing is wholly owing to that God whose Offspring we are according to that of the Apostle Acts 17.28 In him we live and move and have our Being for we are his Offspring But consider us who are Baptized Christians farther as the Children of God by Adoption and then over and above our Being and all that belongs to it our Well-being also both in this and a better Life is wholly of his Gift For if Children of God as St. Paul does argue Rom. 8.17 then Heirs Heirs with God and joint Heirs with Christ so that if we suffer with him we shall be also glorified together And now if for Life and Being and also for all that Well-being Children of God as owing both Being and Well being too which we have or hope to enjoy in this or the Life to come we wholly and entirely depend upon God our Father Do we not then owe to him as his Children all the Duty all the Observance and all the Diligence possible in the discharge of such Duty and Observance This the very Light of Nature teaches us but the Scripture does most expresly upon that very score of being his Children require of us A Son honoureth his Father and a Servant his Master says God by his Prophet Mal. 1.6 If I then be a Father where is mine Honour And if I be a Master where is my Fear And upon the same score of our being Children of God does St. Peter most earnestly exhort us to a Renunciation of the World and our filthy Lusts and to a faithful and careful discharge of our Duty to God our Father As Obedient Children says he 1 Epist 1.14 15. not fashioning your selves according to the former Lusts in your Ignorance but as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of Conversation And vers 17. If ye call on the Father that is profess your selves the Sons of your Heavenly Father who without respect of Persons judgeth every Man according to his Works can see Blemishes and
f. brak r. break A CATECHISM That is to say An Instruction to be learned of every Person before he be brought to be confirmed by the Bishop Quest WHat is your Name Answ N. or M. Quest Who gave you this Name Answ My Godfathers and Godmothers in my Baptism wherein I was made a Member of Christ the Child of God and an Inheritour of the Kingdom of Heaven Quest What did your Godfathers and Godmothers then for you Answ They did promise and vow three things in my Name First That I should renounce the Devil and all his works the Pomps and Vanity of this wicked world and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh Secondly That I should believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith And Thirdly That I should keep God's holy will and commandments and walk in the same all the days of my Life Quest Dost thou not think that thou art bound to believe and do as they have promised for thee Answ Yes verily and by God's help so I will And I heartily thank our Heavenly Father that he hath called me to this state of Salvation through Iesus Christ our Saviour And I pray unto God to give me his Grace that I may continue in the same unto my lives end THE First Lecture A Catechism that is to say an Instruction to be Learned of every Person before he be brought to be Confirmed by the Bishop THIS is the Title of your Catechism which you are now learning and before I proceed to discourse on the Catechism it self I thought it proper from these Words to define what a Catechism means and to let you know the Benefit and Use of Catechizing As for the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Catechize The Meaning of the Word Catechize it is often met with in the Holy Scriptures particularly Luk. 1.4 where it is taken in the self-same sense we now use it wherein it does import a more General Instruction in those Christian Truths which are afterwards to be more particularly and distinctly learnt by us for so St. Luke Dedicating his Gospel to Theophilus tells him Chap. 1. ver 3 4. Sensus loci q. d. ut ea quae olim Catechumenus viva voce didicisti nunc plenius accertius cognoscas Eras in Loc. That it seemed good to him having had perfect knowledge of all those things from the very first to write them in order to him that he might know the certainty or have a more full and particular Understanding of those things wherein he had been before Catechized for so it is in the very Letter of the Greek that is taught only in General to prepare him for Baptism Hesychius a Learned Grammarian does give the meaning of this word Catechize by another which signifies to Build and this does intimate to us the Matter of which a Catechism must consist viz. Of the main and fundamental Points of Religion such as are fittest to build up a firm and unshaken Christian withal Lastly It is deriv'd from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies an inculcating and sounding often in the Ear of the Learner the Principles to be imbibed and fixed in his Mind and Memory So the Heathens and so the Christians used the Word And this may suffice for the Importance of the Word which I thought might not be improper to Note because it gives so much Light into the Meaning of the Thing and the Nature of a Catechism which I shall therefore Define as follows taking the Title now read with some Explanatory Additions for the Text upon which I shall Comment A Catechism is a general Instruction in the Fundamental Principles of the Christian Religion The Definition of a Catechism necessary to be Learnt of every Person in order to his Confirmation or the solemn Renewing of his Baptismal Vow and Covenant with God and the receiving Benefit by the Bishop's Blessing Prayers and Laying on of Hands In which Definition you are told First As to the Matter of which a Catechism is to consist It is a General Instruction in the Fundamental Principles of the Christian Religion Secondly As to the Persons to be so Instructed It is necessary to be Learnt of every Person Thirdly As to the End of a Catechism It is necessary to be Learnt of every Person in order to his Confirmation or the solemn Renewing of his Baptismal Covenant and Vow before the Bishop and the receiving Benefit by the Bishop's Blessing Prayers and Laying on of Hands Of all which Particulars I shall discourse to you in their Order And First As to the Matter of which a Catechism is to consist It is a General Instruction in the Fundamental Principles of the Christian Religion â—tian Reâ— What Christian Religion is out of Christian Principles to live an Holy Good Life and together therewith to depend upon the Mediation of Christ with the Father for us that our imperfect Righteousness may be graciously accepted to our Justification I. Moral Life an â—ial part â—hristiaâ— That Morality or a good Life is a necessary and essential Part of Christianity is expresly affirm'd by St. James 1.27 where he tells us That Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father or such as God the Father will accept is this to visit the Fatherless and Widows in their afflictions and to keep one self unspotted from the world Many seem to place it in little less than Morality but it is the Life and Soul of all Religion as in respect of God to Love Honour and to Obey him to Trust in him and to Resign one self to him to Worship him and to be Devoutly given So in respect of our Neighbour to be Just and Charitable and particularly and especially to Relieve those that are in Distress And Lastly as to our selves to govern our Affections to subdue our Passions to mortify our Lusts and to moderate our Desires In a word To keep the Heart and Life clean from the Defilements of Sin In this I say consists One main Part of Religion in abstaining from all Sin and Wickedness and in a constant and steddy Performance of all the Parts of Vertue and Holiness This I am sure is a main Part of the Christian Religion the Religion that our Saviour came to Plant amongst Men for this St. Paul assures us Tit. 2.11 12 13 14. The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation to all men hath appeared teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed Hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works He appeared teaching us to deny all Ungodliness and he gave himself for us to redeem us from all Iniquity Hitherto indeed tended all he said all he did and all he suffer'd This was the Design of his
therefore to take down this proud and arrogant Presumption in us so natural to Man and so dishonourable to God together with his Design of making us Holy it was withal God's Intent by such a Dispensation of his Mercies as is given us in the Gospel to create in us such a Reliance and Dependance upon Christ for Salvation as to expect it not on the account of our own holy Performance but in the Vertue of his Mediation with the Father for us for so it is written 1 Cor. 1.29 30 31. That to the end that no flesh may glory in God's presence Jesus Christ is by him made to us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption that so he that glorieth might glory in the Lord. And indeed it does exceedingly tend to the praise and glory of his Grace that he hath made us accepted in the Beloved as it is said in Eph. 1.6 This does eminently set forth the exceeding Lustre of his Mercy towards us in the Gospel that our Imperfect if sincere Obedience shall be accepted through the Mediation of Christ It does utterly exclude Boasting and all occasions of proud Reflections on our Parts as if so mean an Obedience as ours could deserve such infinite Rewards as are made over to us in the Gospel a Temper of Mind which as it is very apt to get Entertainment in our Souls so ought of all things to be supprest within us And thus I have given you a larger account of the Nature of the Christian Religion than otherwise I should have done that I might clear the way towards coming to the Knowledge of those Fundamental Principles thereof which I told you are the proper Matter of a Christian Catechism And now answerably hereunto The Nature of Fundamental Principles the fundamental Principles of our Religion must be such Doctrines as being well understood and throughly believ'd do most powerfully and forcibly perswade and move Men to be thus Religious as to tend to destroy the Power of Sin to mortify our Lusts and all wicked Inclinations within us to render us pious and devout towards God just and charitable and peaceable Neighbours and sober chast and orderly Livers in this World And which shall withal create in us such an humble Opinion of our own Unworthiness that when we have done all that we can to deny our selves and have proceeded never so far in our Zeal to good Works we shall nevertheless confessing that we are but unprofitable Servants depend wholly on Christ's Merits and Mediation and in the Virtue of his Satisfaction and Intercession alone expect Salvation And now such is the Doctrine of the Covenant of Grace An Enumeration of Fundamental Principles particularly that part of it the Vow in Baptism wherein all do solemnly promise and vow Repentance Faith and Obedience engaging to renounce the World the Flesh and the Devil Whosoever considers this sees what Obligations ly upon him to deny himself the sinful Pleasures of the World I. The general Doctrine of the Covenant of Grace and to govern his whole Life and Conversation according to God's Commandments And whoever again understands the Constitution of this Covenant knows that it was obtain'd for him by the Mediation of Christ who is therefore Stiled The Mediatour of the New Covenant Heb. 12.24 and therefore that on his Mediation he must depend for the having those infinite Blessings made good to him which are promised therein to his Obedience And such fundamental Principles also in a prime Sense are the Belief of all the Articles of our Christian Faith as the Belief of God II. The Articles of our Christian Faith and of his Providence that he is our Creatour Governour and will Reward every Man according to his Works The Belief that Jesus Christ came into the World Died and Suffered to Attone for its Sins and Preach'd the Gospel to Reform it The Belief that he gives his Spirit to sanctify us and that he will hereafter come in Person to Judge us In a word The Belief of all the Articles of our Christian Faith These are indeed the true Principles of our Religion for these are all of them as I shall hereafter shew so many very powerful Motives to reform our Lives to forsake our Sins and to follow Holiness as that without which we shall never see God And these do most of them influence us as to a good Life so humbly to rely upon God's Mercies through Christ for the acceptance of it III. â—e Laws of Ten Comâ—â—dments And such also are the Laws of the Ten Commandments which contain the great Instances of our Duty to God our Neighbour and our Selves and to which all others may probably be reduced These Ten Commandments may properly enough be stiled the Principles of Religion for as the Root is the Principle as it were out of which all the Branches Stem forth so out of these Commandments do all the Duties of a Christian grow forth like so many Branches so that whosoever shall well study and digest these Ten Summary Commands shall scarcely fail of growing up to be a Good Christian IV. 〈◊〉 Doctrine Prayer 〈◊〉 of the â—raments And if to these we add the Doctrine of Prayer and of the Sacraments which are the necessary Means and appointed us by God of our procuring and conveying unto us his Assistance to enable us to mortify and forsake our Sins and to become Holy I do not know any other Principles that are Fundamentally necessary either to the promoting of a Good Life here or an Happy One hereafter at leastwise so far as to be the Matter of Catechetical Instruction and the Buisiness of a Catechist to inform you of them And indeed as these Doctrines are every One of them necessary to be Known Believ'd and Practic'd by every Christian that may have the Means of Knowing them and may be taught them being no other than the Covenant of Grace it self or those particular Articles contained in it and which are expresly Enjoined upon us by the Word of God to be Believ'd and Practic'd by us so our Church does account them the only Fundamental and Necessary Principles that are to be the Matter of a Christian Catechism There are it must be confest many other useful Truths contain'd in the Scriptures and those who having first laid the Foundation in these already mention'd would go on to Perfection should endeavour by Reading the Bible and other good Books and by Attending to the Preaching of the Word to gain the Knowledge of them But a Catechism ought not to be crouded with any thing more than what is purely Fundamental to a Good Life here Catechism â—ht not to crouded any thing â—e than â—at is pureâ—â—undamenâ— to a Good 〈◊〉 here and â—ppiness â—eafter and Happiness hereafter And if other Churches have fill'd their Catechisms either with many Unscriptural Tenets as the Church of Rome has hers or with any doubtful and nice Doctrines concerning
have shewed you by learning of the Catechism I do not say that Persons should be always in their Catechism but when they have laid the Foundation there so that they cannot only say but understand it by having had it explain'd to them my advice then with the Apostle to the Heb. 6.1 is That leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ they proceed to perfection and farther to improve their Knowledge in Divine Things But this I say that every Christian must lay the Foundation of his Religion there and if this has not been yet done it is better late than never â—he Contempt â—ereof is the â—fect of Pride â—nd the cause 〈◊〉 Ignorance Those who think themselves too Wise already or too Good to submit themselves to so mean an Instruction as they ignorantly esteem Catechising to be I can never promise my self much Good from them Such indeed are generally Self-conceited enough of their own Skill and Knowledge but it is scarcely to be imagin'd that they should not remain very ignorant in all sober and substantial Truth nor can they but be subject to fall into the grossest Heresies and Errors being untaught in those Principles which are the only Foundations of all saving Knowledge and true Religion and the Touchstone to try false Opinions by True it is The Seeds of Virtue and Principles of Religion can never be too soon Sown in Children's Hearts Children are the Persons that we do now commonly Instruct this way and it is requisite that even Children should be so Instructed for the Seeds of Virtue and Principles of Religion can never be too soon sown in their Hearts that if possible Religion may have the first Possession of their Souls which is a great Advantage before that evil Examples and bad Customes have corrupted them But in regard Children tho' they learn the Words can understand but little of the Meaning and the Principles of our Religion being for the most part deep Mysteries hard to be understood the fittest Persons to receive an Exposition of these Things However a clear Vnderstanding of Catechetical Doctrines is attainable only by Persons grown up to some Years of Discretion must be Youth grown up to some Years of Discretion for even these first Principles if we regard the more clear distinct and satisfying Knowledge of them and the more orderly Knowledge of their Method and Dependance one upon another and the Knowledge of their useful Consequences are strong meat belonging to them who are of full Age even those who by reason of use have their Senses exercised to discern between Good and Evil as the Apostle's Expression is Heb. 5.14 The Matter without doubt of Catechetical Doctrines is fit to be apply'd to Persons of any Age that are as yet but Beginners in the School of Christ And therefore as we find in Church History not only the most Learned of the Primitive Fathers as Pantaenus Clemens Origen did open Schools of Catechizing by which means several Countries within few Years receiv'd the Gospel It is not below Persons of any Age or Quality to lay the Foundation of their Knowledge in Catechetical Instruction So we also find from the same Histories that Persons of all Ages and of all Qualities did submit themselves to be Instructed this way till such time as they were perfected in the Mysteries of Religion We read of Emperors that have stood amongst the Catechumens or Persons Catechized and of some who have been Advanc'd from being Catechumens to be Bishops the Highest Degree in the Church as the other in the State Nor is it design'd by our Church for the Instruction of Children only But a Catechism is an Instruction necessary to be learnt of every Person indifferently before he be brought to be Confirmed by the Bishop as appears by the Title and Description of your Catechism on which Words I am now discoursing which brings me to speak to what End Catechizing is design'd Thirdly The End of Catechizing to prepare for Confirmation And it is design'd to prepare you to be Confirm'd by the Bishop Confirmation is an open Profession from the Mouth of One formerly Baptized and now come to Years of Discretion made before the Bishop and the Congregation of Christ's Church of Consenting to and Ratifying that Vow made in Baptism by his Godfathers and Godmothers in his behalf with a solemn Promise Confirmation What that he will Endeavour in his own Person according as was Engag'd for him to Renounce the World the Flesh and the Devil to Believe in God and to Obey him This on the part of the Person Confirm'd And then on the Bishop's part It consists in his solemn Prayers to God to enable the Party by the Grace of his Holy Spirit to do the same and in his Episcopal and Fatherly Benediction or Blessing of him together with his Laying on of Hands after the Example of the Holy Apostles to certify him of God's Favour and gracious Goodness towards him This is the Doctrine of Laying on of Hands or Confirmation entire and unmaim'd in either of its essential Parts according as it is deliver'd in our Church and is order'd to be Perform'd both by those who come to this Holy Institution and by those who are Intrusted with the Administration of it And a Rite it is both greatly Necessary and of singular Benefit in the Church of Christ â—onfirmation â—cessary And First It is greatly Necessary if you consider it only as that wherein you do solemnly Ratify and Confirm your Covenant with God for if when you come to Years of Understanding you refuse or wilfully neglect to appear before the Chief Minister of Christ I. â—s a solemn â—atification the Coveâ—nt with â—od the Bishop there solemnly to declare and profess That you will stand to that Covenant your Sureties in your Infancy did make with God for you you may be reasonably deem'd to have Renounc'd the Covenant of Grace and to have Repented it was ever made in your behalf to have Renounced that Blessed Covenant I say and all claim to the precious Promises and Priviledges thereof which puts you above the Condition of Infidels and Heathens which are without Christ and strangers from the Covenants and Promise having no hope and without God in the world which the Apostle mentions as a most forlorn and desperate Condition Eph. 2.12 So that it is highly requisite therefore as you will not throw your selves back into the sad and comfortless Rank and State of Infidels that you should Ratify and Confirm your Covenant when you come to Age. II. â—s it consists 〈◊〉 the Episcoâ—â—l Benediâ—â—ion and â—aying on of â—ands Nor is it less necessary with respect also to that other solemn Part of it the Laying on of the Hands of the Bishop together with his Prayers and Episcopal Blessing The whole Ordinance passes in the Scripture under this Title of Laying on of Hands that being so eminent a Part of it and
repair here to be Catechized and Instructed by me to have attentive Ears open Hearts and faithful Memories And Oh! That I might always find you such What Satisfaction would then accrue to my self What Profit to you And how great and eternal Rewards to us both And that it may thus succeed with all of us Pray let it be our constant and fervent Desires to God thro' Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen THE Fourth Lecture Quest Who gave you that Name Answ My Godfathers and Godmothers in my Baptism wherein I was made a Member of Christ a Child of God and an Inheritour of the Kingdom of Heaven Quest What did your Godfathers and Godmothers then for you Answ They did promise and vow three things in my Name First That I should Renounce the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh Secondly That I should Believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith And Thirdly That I should keep God's holy Will and Commandments and walk in the same all the days of my Life Quest Dost thou not think that thou art bound to believe and to do as they have promised for thee Answ Yes verily and by God's help so I will And I heartily thank our Heavenly Father that he hath called me to this State of Salvation through Iesus Christ our Saviour And I pray unto God to give me his Grace that I may continue in the same unto my Lives end AS the Compilers of the Catechism did very wisely begin with a Question and Answer about your Christian Name to the End that at the mention thereof you might take occasion to consider the great Obligation which lies upon you to live according to that most Holy Religion which under that Name you have received so in Commenting upon that Question and Answer about your Christian Name I have given you my self some preparatory Admonitions accordingly to make that good Use of those Instructions shall be given you from your Catechism as to live suitably to them And being thus well prepar'd I hope to receive Benefit from what shall hereafter be deliver'd what remains but that I proceed to Instruct you in all the Material Parts of the Christian Religion to the Belief and Practice of which you have given up your Names This by the Assistance of God I shall endeavour to do and I beg your Prayers to obtain his Assistance and in the same Method your Catechism teaches you Our Catechism gives an entire Instruction in the Covenant of Grace both generally and particularly and I am sure I cannot choose a better to do it in since whatsoever is necessary to be Believ'd and Practis'd in order to Salvation you have therein taught you both generally and particularly As to a more General Institution you have the summ and substance of the Christian Religion and whatsoever is necessary to Salvation taught you that way in those Three Questions and Answers which I have now read to you The summ and substance of Christian Religion I. Generally in the 3 First Questions and Answers and whatsoever is necessary to Salvation is certainly contain'd within the Covenant of Grace for undoubtedly there can be nothing more of absolute Necessity to Salvation than what God himself has been pleas'd to Promise and Ensure unto us and we our selves have Engag'd to perform And now in these Three Questions and Answers now read to you First You have whatsoever pertains to the Nature of the Covenant of Grace expresly deliver'd I will instance to you the particulars which pertain to the Nature of it and will point to the Words wherein they are taught And in the first place you are Instructed what are the Terms and Conditions whereof it consists both on God's Part and on Ours in these Words Wherein I was made a Member of Christ a Child of God and an Inheritour of the Kingdom of Heaven which are the Mercies and Favours made over to us on God's Part of the Covenant and in these First That I should Renounce the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh Secondly That I should Believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith And Thirdly That I should keep God's Holy Will and Commandments and walk in the same all the days of my Life which are the Conditions to be perform'd on our Part of the Covenant Secondly You have here taught you the Gracious Importance of this Covenant we are put thereby into A State of Salvation Thirdly You have an Account of the Original of it and by whose Mediation you obtain'd so Beneficial and Gracious a Covenant taught you in these Words Through Jesus Christ our Saviour It was through the Mediation of Jesus Christ that we obtain'd the Benefit of so Gracious a Covenant Fourthly You are Instructed by whom and how you have been call'd into this State of Salvation by Means of the Covenant of Grace It was your Heavenly Father who hath call'd you to this State of Salvation through Jesus Christ our Saviour And Lastly You are Admonisht of the very great reason you have to thank God and our Saviour Jesus Christ for so exceeding great a Mercy as his Calling you into it And I thank God our Heavenly Father that he hath call'd me to this State of Salvation thro' Jesus Christ our Saviour Thus far you are Instructed concerning what pertains to the Nature of the Covenant II. You have also declar'd unto you by what Sacrament or Solemnity you first enter'd into it It was in your Baptism wherein you was made a Member of Christ c. III. You have then those vast Obligations lying upon you Faithfully and Conscientiously to discharge your part of the Covenant laid plainly before you This you own in your Answer to this Question Dost thou not think that thou art bound to Believe and to Do as they have promis'd for thee To which you are taught to Answer Yes verily so I will IV. You have farther yet the Means whereby you shall be enabled to perform your Part of the Covenant The First is the Grace Help and Assistance of God And by God's Help so I will The Second Means both to obtain the Divine Assistance and to enable you thereby to discharge your Covenant is Prayer unto God And I Pray unto God to give me his Grace that I may continue in the same unto my Lives end And Lastly You have also Intimated herein Two material Circumstances relating to the making of this Covenant betwixt God and You viz. 1. The time of Infancy wherein you enter'd into it imply'd in these Words Wherein I was made 2. The Persons by whom as Proxies you were Initiated therein My Godfathers and Godmothers did promise and vow three Things in my Name I will endeavour to Explain all these Points unto you in this First and General Part according as they are here taught you
to be well Instructed in and to be consider'd by you None of you shall be able to perform a Bargain except you know what you have bargain'd and agreed to do No One can discharge a Bond except he knows distinctly what he is oblig'd to pay no more can any of you be able to perform the Covenant of Grace except you do well understand the Nature Terms and Conditions of it And indeed Little more of universal Concernment to be known but the Articles of this Covenant there is perhaps but little necessary to be known in Religion besides the Articles of this Covenant We may without Prejudice to our Salvation doubtless be ignorant of many Points that are Canvast with Heat enough in the Controversies of Men of all Perswasions but to know what inestimable Blessings God has Promis'd and Ensur'd to us and what we are to perform to make our selves Inheritours of those Blessings is what every Body who believes a future State and the Immortality of his Soul and that it is worth his while to study the Salvation of his Soul must think it necessary except he can imagine it safe to take his Journey to Heaven blindfold when he cannot think of getting but to his short Home here on Earth without his Eyes open A distinct and clear Understanding of the Nature Terms and Conditions and of all that pertains to the Covenant of Grace is without doubt of all things in the World the most necessary The Catechetical Method most useful to that Purpose And there is no Method of Instruction whereby it can be so distinctly and clearly known as the Catechetical way For not to say that Preaching now upon one Head and immediately after upon another without any dependance and coherence of the several parts of Christianity together is not so likely to give Persons a clear understanding of the whole Nature and Design of Christianity as may be requisite The Catechetical way by treating orderly on all the Parts of our most Holy Religion and by giving thereby a distinct View of their natural Connection with and Dependance one upon another has this Excellency in it no doubt that thereby Persons shall be better able to judge of the beautiful Contexture and admirable Contrivance of the whole and shall easily discern what End it is that Christianity aims at and how admirably every Part of it is fitted to carry on that great End It is without all doubt a most useful Method of Instruction and it would soon appear to be so in its happy Effects would all Persons but lay aside their unhappy Prejudices against it as if it were proper only for Children to be Hearers thereof Whereas indeed it is no ways unbecoming the Eldest and most Knowing Persons to hear the great and fundamental Doctrines of Religion explain'd and handled distinctly and clearly and separated from all unnecessary Mixtures But where all the Means and Methods of Instruction are little enough to give Men a sufficient Understanding in all that is necessary to Salvation instead of comparing 'em one with another we had better to make use of all and to Pray to God to give a Blessing to all his Ordinances that every one may be useful to the Edification and Salvation of every Christian which that they may all prove may God Almighty grant of his infinite Goodness thro' Jesus Christ our Lord To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory now and for ever Amen THE Fifth Lecture Wherein I was made a Member of Christ THE Preliminary Questions and Answers of your Catechism do give you a general Account of all the Terms and Conditions of the Covenant of Grace both of the Priviledges made over to us by God and of the Conditions to be perform'd by us And these Words Wherein I was made a Member of Christ expressing the First of those invaluable Priviledges made over unto us in this Covenant on God's Part I shall therefore endeavour as well as I can to Explain and open to you what they do Import Christ is in Scripture often styl'd The Head of the Church as particularly Col. 1.8 And he is the Head of the Body the Church it is there said and we are also styl'd Members of this Body the Church Thus Eph. 5.30 We are Members of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bones so that to be a Member of Christ is to be a Member A Member of Christ is a Member of Christ's Church or Part of that Body of which he is the Head or to be a Member of Christ's Church And to make it appear to you how happy a Thing it is to be a Member of Christ's Church First I will shew you What kind of Body the Church of Christ is Secondly What it is to be a Member of it And then Thirdly What exceeding great and invaluable Priviledges do belong to a Member of Christ's Church And First let us see What kind of Body that is which is call'd the Church of Christ And tho' it does not belong to this Part of your Catechism to give you a full account of all that is Necessary to be known concerning Christ's Church which may more properly be refer'd to that Article of our Creed I believe the Holy Catholick Church However since the High Priviledge and Dignity of any Member as a Member cannot be sufficiently understood nor valued without knowing the Nature and Excellency of that Body of which it is a Member I do therefore think my self obliged in order to let you into a through Understanding of what is meant by A Member of Christ's Church and of the greatness of that Priviledge to speak something largely in this Place concerning the Nature and Constitution of the Church it self and I shall therefore Define it and also Explain and prove each Part of the Definition I shall give of it as follows â—â—nition â—â—ist's â—o The Church of Christ is the universal Society of Christians consisting both of Lawful Governours and Pastors and also of the People of God committed to their Charge and who are call'd forth out of the wicked World by the Preaching of the Gospel to a holy Profession and Calling Namely To Repentance from dead Works to the Knowledge Belief and Service of the One True God Father Son and Holy Ghost and to the Enjoyment of those inestimable Priviledges of the Gospel viz. Most reasonable and excellent Laws to Conduct 'em to Heaven Divine Grace and Assistance to Enable 'em to Obey those Laws Pardon of Sins upon Repentance for the Violation of 'em and Eternal Life and Happiness upon sincere Obedience to ' em And who to the End of being Incorporated into one Society and of having God to be their God and they themselves his People have Enter'd into Covenant with him at Baptism and do often Renew the same in the Lord's Supper and are Incorporated thereby into one Body subdivided indeed into several particular Bodies
that Mountain near to Samaria whereon they both stood or in Jerusalem were the place where men ought to Worship he assures her The hour cometh when neither in that Mountain nor yet at Jerusalem they should worship the Father that is not there only nor any where in so carnal a manner Joh. 4.20 21 22 23. But as St. Peter tells us now under the Gospel In every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him Act. 10.35 And therefore our Saviour when he sent forth his Disciples into the World to Preach the Gospel and to gather a Church he commanded them Mar. 16.15 saying Go ye into all the World and preach the Gospel to every Creature From whence we find them in Revelations 5.9 Crying unto the Lamb Thou wast slain and hast Redeemed us unto God by thy Blood out of every Kindred and Tongue and People and Nation So that whereas concerning the Jewish Church it was that God declar'd formerly Exod. 19.5 6. That in keeping his Covenant they should be a peculiar Treasure unto him above all People a Kingdom of Priests and a holy Nation Now under the Gospel it is declared 1 Pet. 2.9 with respect to Persons of all Nations who shall come within the Christian Church that they are a Chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood an Holy Nation a peculiar People that they should shew forth the Praises of him who hath call'd them out of Darkness into his marvellous Light But then I say the Church of Christ tho' it takes in Persons of all Nations yet it is still to be a Holy Nation a peculiar People For tho' it be spread over all the World yet 〈◊〉 consists of â—h who are â—l'd out of 〈◊〉 World by 〈◊〉 Preachâ—â— of the â—spel to a â—y Professiâ—â— and Calâ—g Thirdly It consists only of such who are Call'd forth out of the wicked World by the Preaching of the Gospel to a Holy Profession and Calling It is not either Jews or Gentiles whilst they continue such that are of the Church of Christ but it consists of those who are Call'd out from amongst both The Church is a selected People separated from the Prophane part of the World to be a Chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood a Holy Nation a Peculiar People To understand which you must know that the World at the Time of our Saviour's coming into it was grown to a sad pass and was miserably Estrang'd from God The World indeed soon after the Creation began to fall off from God and to take part with the Devil But by the time that our Saviour came into the Flesh the Apostle declares Rom. 3.11 12. concerning as well Jews as Gentiles that there was none that understood there was none that sought after God that they were all gone out of the way they were all become unprofitable that there was none that did good no not one Particularly as to the Gentiles they were charg'd Rom. 11.23 24.28 29. to have Changed the Glory of the incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible Man and to Birds and four-footed Beasts and creeping things and were thereupon given up to Vncleanness and vile Affections and as they did not like to retain God in their Knowledge they were given up to a reprobate Mind being fill'd with all Vnrighteousness Fornication Wickedness c. And as to the Jews they had in a manner wholly voided the Force of God's Laws by their false Interpretations as you will see in our Saviour's Sermon on the Mount which cost him so much Pains to clear the Text from their false Glosses and to shew them the full Extent of their Duty contain'd in the Law This was the State of both Jews and Gentiles at that time And therefore did Christ come to Call out such as would Obey his Calls to Call 'em out I say out of the wicked World to a Holy Profession and Calling for which reason he is said to have Saved us and Called us with an Holy Calling 2 Tim. 1.9 and in a great many Places of Scripture Christians are therefore styl'd the Called and Joh. 17.6 they are said to be such whom the Father had given our Saviour out of the world and tho' they are in the world ver 11. that is Live in the World yet they are not of the world ver 16. True it is It is not every Member of the Visible Church that does effectually Obey this Holy Calling and in his Life and Conversation shews himself not to be of the World and therefore it is that the Kingdom of Heaven that is the Church is liken'd Matth. 13.24 to a Field in which Wheat and Tares grow up together until the Harvest and to a Net that was cast into the Sea and gather'd of every Kind But however tho' too many of those of whom the Church is compos'd are in their own Persons Ungodly yet I say Fourthly They are Called by the Preaching of the Gospel to a Holy Profession and Calling as Namely to Repentance from Dead Works I. Repentance from Dead Works for so our Saviour says He came to Call the Sinners to Repentance Matth. 9.13 And thus also his Apostles Preacht unto Men that they should turn from the Vanities of Idol-worship unto the Living God which made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and all Things therein Acts 14.15 which is an Instance of Repentance that the Gentile World were particularly Call'd to And then as to the Knowledge and Belief of the only True God II. To the Knowledge Belief and Service of the One True God Father Son and Holy Ghost and Jesus Christ the distinguishing Character given of the Church of Christ Joh. 17.2 is that they are such whom the Father hath given him or given him out of the world as it is ver 6. that they might have Eternal Life and this he tells us ver 3. is Eternal Life or the way by which we can only come by Eternal Life That we Know the only True God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent The Gentiles they Knew not the only True God but Own'd and Worship'd many Gods and did Sacrifice to Devils 1 Cor. 10.20 And as for the Jews tho' they Believ'd indeed in the only True God yet they Acknowledg'd not his Son Jesus Christ whom he had sent to be also the True God as he is call'd 1 Joh. 5.20 And now both these Enemies to Truth our Saviour Calls the world Joh. 17. and in Opposition to both tells us ver 3. that this is Life Eternal to Know the only True God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent So that the Church of Christ are such who are peculiarly Separated from the World to the Knowledge and Belief of the Only True God And they are such also who have been Baptiz'd into the Knowledge Belief and Service of Three Persons Father Son and Holy Ghost in that One Godhead Matth. 28.19 And particularly they are such as are Baptized into the Name of
Jesus Acts 19.5 that is into the Belief that Jesus is the Christ or Mediatour between God and Man for this is the great Fundamental Doctrine of Christianity as the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 3.11 assuring us that Other Foundation can no Man lay than that Jesus is the Christ And he that denyeth that Jesus is the Christ is the great Liar and an Anti-Christ 1 Joh. 2.22 But whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is Born of God 1 Joh. 5.1 that is is Adopted into the Christian Church and Family â—II â—njoy the â—ledges 〈◊〉 Gospel Fifthly And as Christians are a Society of Persons call'd out of the World to Repentance Faith and Gospel-Obedience so to the Enjoyment of those Inestimable Priviledges of the Gospel viz. 1. Most Reasonable and Excellent Laws given by a most Great and Gracious Governour to Conduct 'em to Heaven Laws writ in their Minds and in their Hearts Heb. 8.10 that is Laws which are for the most part the very Dictates of natural Reason 2. They are such as are Priviledg'd with having great Measures of Divine Grace and Assistance to enable 'em to Obey those Laws for whereas the Law was given by Moses Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ Joh. 1.17 and is the Priviledge of the Church of Christ under the Gospel 3. They are such who have Assurance of Pardon of Sins upon their Repentance for the Transgression of those Laws for with Respect to those of the Christian Church God is pleas'd to say Heb. 8.12 I will be Merciful to their Vnrighteousness and their Sins and Iniquities will I remember no more And lastly As to the Eternal Life and Happiness Christ does assure us Joh. 17.2 that The Father has given him Power over all Flesh that he should give Eternal Life to as many as are given him or are given him out of the world ver 6. that is that he has a Power of conferring the Rewards in Heaven to as many as come within the Pale of the Church if they do withal live in Obedience to its Laws and Constitutions Thus is the Church of Christ a Society of Men call'd forth of the World as to a most Holy Profession and Calling so to the Enjoyment of most singular Priviledges Church â—h who 〈◊〉 End of â—ncorpoâ—â—nto one 〈◊〉 and of â—g God 〈◊〉 their Sixthly And they are such Who to the End of being Incorporated into One Society and of having God to be their God and they themselves his People have Enter'd into Covenant with him It is the Royal Charter granted by the King to the Members of a Corporation or City whereby they have certain Priviledges granted them from the King and wherein they are Tied to discharge certain Duties to him and to One another that makes 'em of a confus'd Multitude to become a Corporation or regulated Society And those who stand out and will not accept of those Priviledges nor oblige themselves to their several Duties shall not be reputed of that Corporation nor receive any Advantages from it And so it is here with that Society which is call'd the Church of Christ It is the Covenant of Grace granted us by the King of Heaven wherein we have the most inestimable Priviledges those contain'd in the Gospel graciously Ensur'd unto us and most reasonable Duties both to God and Man required of us that do embody and join us into one Spiritual Society the Church and those who will not Enter into such a Covenant with God are Aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and Strangers from the Covenantts of Promise having no hope and without God in the world Eph. 2.12 But those who have join'd themselves in Covenant with Him are No more Strangers and Forreigners but Fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God ver 19. And as by being United in one Covenant Christians are Incorporated into one Society so by the same Means it comes to pass also that they have God to be their God peculiarly and they become his People Thus Heb. 8.10 This is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days that is in the time of the Gospel I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a People It is the Nature of all Covenants to Unite the Parties Covenanting together and to give to each Party an Interest in the other I entred into Covenant with thee and thou becamest mine Ezek. 16.8 So that by having Enter'd into Covenant with God we are Entitled to his particular Protection and Care over us and we give to him thereby a new and stronger Claim to our Obedience Seventhly I. In Baptism And Christians are thus Enter'd into Covenant with God and thereby made Members of Christ's Church in their Baptism For as all the Members of a Corporation are not usually made Members of that Society without some certain Solemnities so it pleased God that no One should be Enter'd into Christ's Church and be made a Partaker of the Priviledges of it without that outward Rite of Baptism for so we find that when our Saviour sent his Apostles to Found and Build the Church they receiv'd as a Commission to call forth out of the World a Church by the Preaching of the Gospel So an Appointment to Incorporate all Men therein by Baptism Go and Teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Matth. 28.19 And hence 1 Cor. 12.13 it is said That we are all Baptiz'd into one Body or admitted by Baptism into one Church Eighthly And they are Appointed to Renew the same II. To Renew it at the Lord's Supper by Feasting often together at the Lord's Supper This was anciently and is still the usual Method of Uniting more closely together the Members of any Society or Corporation their Feasting often together at one common Table and for this Reason amongst others it is that the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is Appointed in the Church of Christ So the 1 Cor. 10.17 it is said That we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all Partakers of that one Bread Ninthly And now upon all these foremention'd Accounts The Church one Body the Church of Christ is One Body Thus Eph. 4.4 5 6. There is one Body and one Spirit even as ye are all called in one Hope of your Calling one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all where you see that because all Christians are call'd out of the World into one Hope of their Calling or to the Enjoyment of the same Priviledges to one Faith or to Believe one God Father Son and Holy Ghost exprest here by one Spirit one Lord one God and Father of all and because Incorporated by one Baptism or by the Use of the same Sacraments that therefore they are one Body The Covenant of Grace that great
the Image of God in Knowledge Righteousness and true Holiness are the only Persons of which the Invisible Church as it is call'd does consist in this World these perhaps being meant by the Little Flock Luk. 12.32 and of such only will the whole Church in the World to come be made up being of The many that are Called the few that are Chosen Matth. 20.16 But if we consider the Church of Christ in its full Latitude and in that imperfect State wherein it now is on this side Heaven many Hypocrites and bad Men as well as truly sincere and good Christians do belong to it for the Church of Christ here on Earth is compar'd Matth. 13.24 25. to a Field which contains Wheat and Tares growing up together and to a Net ver 47. wherein there are Fish both good and bad Such you see is the Nature and Temper of that Body of Christ his Church concerning which I thought it requisite to give you a more than ordinary full account even in this place before we come to the Article I Believe the Holy Catholick Church because that otherwise it cannot be so well Apprehended â—t it is to 〈◊〉 Member â—hrist's â—rch Secondly What it is to be a Member of Christ's Church which now the way being so far clear'd I shall in few words shew you And from what his been said it does easily now appear that a true Member of the Church of Christ is one who belongs to that Society of Christians which consists of Lawful Governours and Pastors and of the People of God committed to their Charge the one Ministring in Holy Things and the other Partaking thereof at their Hands He is not a Member of that narrow and enclos'd Society of Worshipers the Jewish Synagogue who by their peculiar Rites and Ways of Worship were confin'd to one Nation and Place no more than he is one of the Gentile World at large but he is one who either himself was call'd or is descended of those who were call'd from out of the wicked World of Jews and Gentiles to a Holy Profession and Calling viz. To the Belief of the One True God Father Son and Holy Ghost as also to Repentance from dead Works to serve Him the only Living and True God And he is call'd as to Faith and Repentance so to enjoy the Priviledges of the Gospel and the Rewards of such Faith and Repentance namely Most Reasonable and Excellent Laws and Ordinances to Conduct him to Heaven with a plentiful measure of Divine Grace and Assistance also convey'd by those Ordinances to Enable him to Obey those Laws and he is one who to the End of being of that Society of Men the Christian Church and of having God a Friend to him and he himself a Servant of God's has solemnly Enter'd into Covenant with God in his Baptism and continues often to Renew the same in the Lord's Supper because the Divine Goodness does in both Vouchsafe to make over and ensure to him those exceeding Great and Invaluable Priviledges and most singular Benefits as well as he on the other side does solemnly Engage to yield himself up to the Service and Obedience of God Farther yet a Member of Christ's Church is one who is not only United to the Catholick Church in and by one Covenant that is in the Profession of the same Faith and Repentance and in the Enjoyment of the same Priviledges and in the use of the same Sacraments But also he maintains this Union therewith by Communicating with that particular Part of the Catholick Church where he lives and whereof he is a Member in particular by communicating I say therewith in Hearing together with the rest of the Body the same Doctrine in Joyning in the same common Prayers and receiving the same Holy Sacraments and Lastly in Receiving from and Administring mutual Assistances to the Members of that Body wherever dispers'd or however distress'd over the Face of the whole World as there shall be occasion And lastly a Member of Christ's Church is One who belongs to that universal Society of Men call'd out of the World to such Duties and Priviledges as has been spoke and is United into one Body by the same means as has been declar'd under Jesus Christ its supreme Head And if you consider him as a Member of the Kingdom of Christ he is one who is Delivered by God from the power of Darkness and is translated into the Kingdom of his dear Son Col. 1.13 that is he is one of those who is deliver'd by the Gospel from under the Tyranny of Satan under which the whole World was held Captive and is made a Subject to the Gracious Government of the Son of God From what has been said it does plainly appear I think that such and such a One only is a true Member of Christ's Church And in the Sence of your Catechism which teaches all to Answer That in their Baptism they are made Members of Christ every Person who has been admitted into the Church by Baptism is a Member of Christ and shall continue such till he is cut off by the just Sentence of those Governours in the Church who have the Power of the Keys to Receive in or Shut out or till he cuts off himself from that mystical Body by a causless Schism and Separation from any of its sound Parts Every Baptized Person I say is a Member of the Visible Church Every Baptized Person is a Member of the Visible Church So the Apostle expresly speaks Gal. 3.27 assuring us that As many as have been Baptized into Christ that is the Christian Church have put on Christ or have put on that Relation to Christ that Members have to the Body True it is amongst those that are Incorporated by Baptism into the Church many do prove but very unsound and unfruitful Members such as tho' they are admitted into that Holy Society in order to their Edification and through Conversion by the means of those Holy Ordinances which Christ has appointed in in his Church do yet continue to be very bad Men both in their Principles and Practices Hence it is said Matth. 22.10 that of those who are called into the Wedding that is the Church by the Servants or Officers of the Bridegroom that is Christ there are as well Bad as Good Yet as appears from that and many the like Parables of our Saviour concerning the Materials and Constitution of his Church even such bad Men when once Baptized into it are Members of it And shall continue to be Members of it And shall continue such 〈◊〉 off by â—st Senâ—◠〈◊〉 those â—ave the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 to Reâ—â—n or â—â—ut till such time as they are cut off by the just Sentence of those who have the Power of the Keys to Receive in or Shut out For this you are to know that Christ has given his Apostles and their Successors in the Government of the Church a Church Authority consisting in
Divine Nature whereby he is a Partaker of the Life and Likeness of God himself should Entitle God to be also a Father and such who are so Regenerated and Renew'd his Children And accordingly in the Holy Scripture we find that such a derivation of Strength and Grace from the Word and Spirit of God does Entitle those who are Renew'd thereby to be Children of God St. Paul not only attributing to the Ministry of the Word a Power of Begetting in Christ 1 Cor. 4.15 But withal expresly assuring us that As many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God Rom. 8.14 So that he is undoubtedly a Child of God whoever giving himself up to the Guidance of God's Word and Spirit is thereby Sanctify'd wholly in his own Spirit Soul and Body 1 Thes 5.23 so as to sudue and mortify every Lust and every naughty inordinate and worldly Desire And indeed every truly Regenerate Child of God does do so such a One does by the power of the Word and in the use and strength of that Grace that God does afford him subdue and mortify every Lust and every naughty inordinate and worldly Desire So we are expresly told 1 Joh. 3.9 Whosoever is Born of God doth not commit Sin for his Seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is horn of God that is a sanctify'd Child of God does really hate Sin the very Temper and Bent of his Soul is against it and as to living in any gross and wilful Sin he cannot without much Reluctancy force himself to it his renew'd Nature is so much contrary thereto Such I say is every Regenerate Child of God and such indeed in a peculiar manner â—ch indeed in a peâ—ar manâ— and in 〈◊〉 highest â—e the â—ldren of â—l and in the highest and strictest sence of the Word that it can be apply'd to a meer Man is a Child of God But then all who are the Children of God either in the sence of Scripture or of your Catechism are not actually thus Regenerate As to the sence of Scripture it is plain as will presently appear that every One who bears the Relation of a Child to God is not Dutiful to his Father â—ut every â—â—d of God â—t actualâ— Regeneâ— either in sence of â—â—ture of your â—chism which is in Heaven no more than all Children are to their Natural Parents It is a monstrous Thing indeed that any Child should be Undutiful to so good and gracious a Father but it is too true that too many are so Hear O Heaven and give ear O Earth for I the Lord have spoken I have nourished and brought up Children and they have rebelled against me Isa 1.2 And as to the meaning of a Child of God here in your Catechism it is also plain tht it is not only such as are Renew'd in the Spirit of their minds and do imitate God that are there to be understood for every One who is Catechized is requir'd to Answer that In his Baptism he was made a Child of God whereas many Catechumens are not actually as yet Renew'd and really Converted and by their own Fault many will never be so that a Child of God by spiritual Regeneration and a God-like Imitation expresses rather the Duty of every One what he ought to be than the Notion and Nature of a Priviledge which many may Enjoy who in the mean time are not over Dutiful So that a Child of God by spiritual Regeneration or a God-like Imitation is a meaning of the Word as much too narrow to be the sence of it here in your Catechism as a Child by Creation was too wide To proceed then Fourthâ—â— Child â—od as 〈◊〉 in the â—hism is one who by Verâ—â—f a Coâ—â—t Relaâ— Fourthly There are the Children of God by Vertue of a Covenant Relation and also by Adoption who are neither all the Sons of God by Creation nor yet on the other side such onely as are Renew'd in the Spirit of their Minds and do imitate God But they are all those who have been Baptiz'd into the Covenant of Grace and have been Incorporated into Christ's Church and who do profess the true Religion and themselves the Servants of the True God Thus before the Law Gen. 6.2 the whole House and Posterity of Seth are call'd the Sons of God as on the contrary the Posterity of Cain are call'd the Daughters of Men. They are there call'd the Sons of God because that in the Family of Seth â—was the â—â—n of a 〈◊〉 of God 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 the Worship of the True God was continued and establish'd from which the Posterity of Cain had Revolted And so likewise under the Law the whole Body of the Children of Israel are call'd the Children of God Deut. 14.1 and that for this Reason â—der the 〈◊〉 as it follows ver 2. because they were a Holy people unto the Lord and the Lord had chosen them to be a peculiar people unto himself above all the Nations that were upon the Earth They were a Holy people unto the Lord not all of 'em by an inward and real Change in their Natures but by a Foederal Holiness and by reason of their separation from the rest of the Idolatrous and wicked World by a Holy Covenant Alas as to their inward Holiness this very Body of Men who were call'd the Children of God are said Deut. 32.5 to have Corrupted themselves and to have not the spot of Children but to be a very froward Generation Children in whom is no Faith ver 20. But their outward Relation to God continued notwithstanding and that whole Body of People being in Covenant with God were styl'd thereupon his Children And under the Gospel likewise Vnder the Gospel all that are Members of the Church and in Covenant with God are styl'd his Children Thus 2 Cor. 6.16 17 18. you will find that with Relation to all those concerning whom God declar'd He would be their God and that they should be his People which are the express Terms of the Covenant betwixt God and all Christians as you will see Heb. 8.10 and with Relation to all those whom he commanded to Come out from among the Gentiles and to be separate and not to touch the unclean thing that is not to Partake in their Idolatry which is the very Description of the Members of Christ's Church I say with Relation to all these he declar'd he would be a Father unto 'em and that they should be his Sons and Daughters And such are called Sons by Adoption Also a Child of God as meant in the Catechism is every One who is so by vertue of Adoption concerning whom it is said Gal. 4.4 5. When the fulness of time was come that God sent forth his Son made of a Woman made under the Law to Redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons Now this word Adoption is much used in
power or the Right and Priviledge as it is in the Original to become the Sons of God Joh. 1.12 This is a remarkable Text to our Purpose In the Two Verses immediately before viz. The 10 and 11 it is said He was in the World and the World was made by him and the World knew him not he came unto his own and his own received him not but as many as received him to them gave he Power or the Right and Priviledge to be the Sons of God even to them who Believe in his Name So that by this time I hope it does fully appear to you what is meant by a Child of God especially in that sence wherein it is to be understood here in your Catechism And you see as he is not every Child by Creation which is a sence too wide so neither on the other side is he only One who is so by Regeneration which is a sence as much too narrow but every one is such who has Enter'd into Covenant with God and whom the Heavenly Father has thereupon Adopted into his Family to partake of the Priviledges which belong to his Adopted Sons which Secondly What are the Priviledges which do belong to the Children of God as such Brings me next to Enquire what a Vast Priviledge it is accordingly to be made the Children of God And truly upon Enquiry it will be found to be in general the very same Priviledge in Kind but infinitely greater in Degree as Heavenly Things are always greater than Earthly which the most Tender and Indulgent Father that is withal Wise as well as Good can be suppos'd to allow his own Children In general such as an indulgent but wise Father may be suppos'd to allow his Children beyond Aliens and Strangers beyond what he will do to Strangers and Aliens For is it natural to such a One more easily to Pardon the Offences of his Child than of his Slave more favourably to over-look his Infirmities more readily to hear his Requests and to instate him in a surer Title to his Possessions than he will do others that have no such Relation to him Why such are the Priviledges our Heavenly Father will allow to us who are his Children by Adoption above others who stand in no such Relation to him He will be Just to all but these are properly Fatherly Kindnesses and he will Indulge 'em to none therefore but those who are his Children But more particularly Particularly First It is worthy our Consideration I. Pardon of all Sins upon hearty Repentance that we shall have this inestimable Priviledge by being his Children above the rest of Mankind namely We shall have all our Sins Pardon'd upon our hearty Repentance of 'em upon Condition we forsake 'em and return to God The unbelieving Jews and Gentiles and all Persons remaining in a State of Nature who have not Embrac'd the Gospel who have not been Baptized nor have Enter'd into Covenant with God have no Assurance from him that their Sins should be ever Pardon'd tho' they should forsake 'em because God never gave any Promise of Pardon to any other but his Children who are in Covenant with him And for want of their having any express Engagements and Promises from God of Mercies from him does the Apostle therefore speak of the State of the Gentiles as exceedingly Uncomfortable Eph. 2.11 12. in these very remarkable Words Remember that ye being in times past Gentiles in the flesh that at that time ye were without Christ being Aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel Strangers from the Covenants and Promises having no hopes of Pardon and without a God in the world But we Christians who have Enter'd into Covenant with God and so are his Children have the utmost Assurance possible grounded upon the most gracious and express Promises that upon laying down our Rebellious Arms upon our Renouncing of his and our own most mortal Enemies our Sins and Coming over to him we shall have all our Sins Pardon'd Or rather as the Apostle himself does Express it in the following viz. The 13 14 ver But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the Blood of Christ for he is our Peace And indeed that this Pardon and Peace with the Father does more peculiarly belong to us under the Character of his Children who had formerly stray'd afar off from him by our Sins but are now return'd Home to him by Repentance we have Exemplify'd to us in that famous Parable of the Prodigal Son Luke 15. That Person we there read after a most Lewd and Riotous Life after he had spent and squander'd away all his Substance that his Father gave him yet upon his deep Humiliation for his Vile and Undutiful Behaviour towards his Father and his hearty Desires to return Home and to his Duty and Obedience to him was thereupon admitted to his former Interest in his Father's Affections Yea and receiv'd with more than usual Joy Why the whole Design of that Parable is to shew us how our Heavenly Father will graciously deal with us his Undutiful and Rebellious Children and that after even a very Ill Life upon our laying down of our Sins the forsaking the service of our Lusts and Return to him he will graciously Pardon and Forgive us his Children And Secondly II. being his â—ldren he 〈◊〉 not be so â—re as to â—k what is â—e amiss as Sins of Inâ—ity being his Children he will not be severe to mark what is done amiss tho' after our Return to him through the Infirmity of our Flesh we do not altogether Live up to the Rule by an Unsinning Obedience provided we watch carefully against the common Infirmities of Humane Nature and do not wilfully Indulge our selves in any of ' em The Rigour of the First Covenant would admit of no less than a Perfect Exact Vnsinning Obedience the never Offending in any One Point In the day thou dost Eat thereof thou shalt surely dye Gen. 2.17 But here under the Second our Father deals with us with the Indulgence of a tender Parent who does not throw off his Child and withdraw his Kindness upon the smallest Offences and such as through Ignorance Surprize or the like cannot in this our fall'n and corrupt State be avoided But as a Father pitieth his own Children even so the Lord pitieth them that fear him that is Who do not willingly displease him Psal 103.13 In a word As the Pardon of Sins whether great or small is a Mercy held out to us only in the Covenant of Grace so it is granted us under this very Notion of being Children of God as appears from Mal. 3.17 where the Prophet foretels the Happy State of Christians upon this very Score in these words And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own Son that serveth him And more particularly
following words or they put some forc'd and violent Interpretation upon 'em not at all agreeable to the meaning thereof in that Place Thus they are deceitful Workers And They will Transform themselves into the Apostles of Christ putting on the Garb and outward Appearance of Apostolick Vertues and Graces when they go forth into the World to disperse these their Errors Indeed Satan is careful to furnish those whom he sends out with suitable and agreeable Qualities according to the Nature of those Errors they are to sow in the World If their Business is to undermine the Faith of Christians to disparage the more mysterious Doctrines of Christianity of a Trinity of Persons in one Divine Nature â—â—ch as place Religion Morality â—ll be adorâ— with â—uâ—nity and of the Divinity and Satisfaction of Christ and to place the whole of the Christian Religion in Morality and a Good Life why then he will adorn his Agents with the fair and plausible Vertues of Humanity and Courtesy and Civility of Manners which are most taking amongst Persons of better Quality the likeliest Soil to sow Heterodox Opinions of that Nature in But on the other side Is it his Design to starve that Part of Christianity which consists in the Practice of moral Vertues and to Represent it all as Mystery â—â—ch as turn â—ll into Myâ—â—ry shall be â—â—ied with â—â—ting Why then his Agents shall have the Gift of Uttering themselves in Canting Phrases and obscure and dark Forms of Expressions that seem to have something of Mysteriousness in them And all they Teach it shall look as if it were Inspir'd being pour'd forth with mighty Noise and Vehemence accompany'd sometimes with Tremblings and Shakings as if under some strong Impulse from a Spirit within And yet to see the Crooked Windings of this Subtle Serpent And yet sometimes the Crooked Serpent by Men seeming Godly will propagate Principles extreamly Immoral you shall observe which is a wonderful Artifice of Satan even those very Persons whose Doctrines do directly tend to render an Honest and Upright Conversation very insignificant in Religion to be notwithstanding themselves very Demure and in outward Appearance sanctify'd Persons no Swearers nor Riotous Livers and free from those gross and scandalous Immoralities which some of the Professors of a much better Religion are perhaps notoriously Guilty of insomuch that the undiscerning Part of Men do often Embrace those very Heresies which naturally and directly tend to Encourage Sin and Dishonesty and Unmercifulness And in a word To render Men secure in the Practice of any Wickedness meerly for the sake of the appearing Holiness of those Men's Lives who teach those Principles tending to Immorality And this is an extraordinary Reach in Satan That Impure Spirit is sometimes content that some of his principal Agents should not be immorally Wicked for by a few such Men's seeming Godliness he Propagates those dangerous and destructive Principles which will make Multitudes become securely and without Remorse of Conscience Villainously Wicked And now there is not a greater Difficulty perhaps in the whole Christian Warfare The most difficult Part of a Christian's Warfare is to preserve One self untainted with Heretical Pravity colour'd over with the Varnish of Gospel Truth But yet by Trying it by proper Rules it may be done viz. than to preserve One-self untainted with Heresies and the most poysonous Errors colour'd over with a meer Resemblance of Gospel-Truth But however as difficult as it is no honest Mind that will be careful to weigh those Poisonous Doctrines and the Persons who Propagate them in the Ballance of the Sanctuary that is by those Rules which the Scripture has given us But may be able to discover the Lightness and Vanity of both and so to Renounce both one and the other And that which every one is to do that he may Renounce them is not to be too easy in Entertaining 'em because Plausible at first appearance but Impartially to Try and Examine by a true and infallible Touch-stone both their Doctrines and those who Propagate them whether they Be of God Thus we are directed 1 Joh. 4.5 Beloved Believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God because many false Prophets are gone out into the World And how shall you do this Why the Scripture does give you Two most infallible and plain Rules whereby to do it The one Matth. 7.16 The other the Verse immediately following the now cited Place of St. John That in Matthew is this I. By its Tendency to an Ill Life II. By its Taking off from our Dependance upon the Mediation of Christ for the Acceptance of a good One You shall know them by their Fruits If their Doctrines are apt to Infuse into your Minds any unworthy and undue Thoughts of God or any Seeds of Impiety Injustice Uncleanness Uncharitableness Sedition Rebellion in a word if they do Countenance any Immorality c. Let their Pretences and Carriage be never so fair and free from Scandal to be sure they are False Prophets and the Devil's Agents The Rule given us 1 Joh. 4.2 3. whereby to discover the Doctrines of Satan's Infusing is this Hereby know ye the Spirit of God every Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come into the Flesh is not of God By Jesus Christ being come in the Flesh is meant that Jesus Christ took our Nature upon him that he might be a Mediatour betwixt God and Us to Reconcile the Father to us by his Satisfaction and Intercession for us And whosoever shall teach contrary to this so as to take off our Dependance upon Christ let him seem never so Zealous for a Good Life his Doctrine is of Satan's devising The whole Design of Christianity is no doubt as appears from these Two former Rules to make us Holy in this World and yet withal to create in us such a Dependance and Reliance on Christ for Salvation as to expect it not on the account of our own Holy Performances which are so Imperfect but in the Vertue of Christ's Mediation with the Father for us And whosoever will but carefully Examine the several false Doctrines so much Preacht up at this Day by our Enemies on either side by these Two Rules shewing the Design of Christianity I am verily perswaded will find most of them to thwart one Part or other of this Design and that either they discourage Holiness or if they seem to stand upon the Necessity thereof they decry the Necessity of our Dependance upon Christ's Mediation for God's Acceptance of it to our Justification and so by one or other of these Rules we may discover them to be Doctrines of Satan's infusing Most of the Doctrines of the Church of Rome do plainly tend to make Men secure in a Course of Sin and those Antinomian Tenets wherewith some of our Dissenting Brethren are too much in Love do also tend to the same causing us to depend so entirely on
fall short of them also if they Renounce and Refuse not with the utmost Detestation such Impiety And it is indeed so common a strain of Wickedness that I thought it very requisite to Advertise you of it and seriously to warn you against admitting it Secondly Every Man must renounce and refuse those Titles and Respects and Precedences which are not his due but belong to Persons above him II. Every Man must renounce and refuse those Titles and Respects and Precedences which are not his due but belong to Persons above him A Distinction of Titles and Respects is necessary to keep up Order and Distinction of Men and their Merits and it is a great Disorder and Confusion when Persons either Take or Receive such as do not belong to 'em So that one cannot know who is High in Rank or Reputation or who is Low in the World in respect of either This is what the Wise-man complains of Eccl. 10.5 6 7. as a great Evil and such as it concerns the Magistrate to restrain by Law There is an Evil which I have seen under the Sun as an Error which proceedeth from the Ruler Folly is set in great dignity and the Rich sit in low place I have seen Servants upon Horses and Princes walking as Servants upon the Earth Nay Lastly So far must any One be from Assuming any thing of this Nature above him that It becomes every Person out of Modesty Humility and good Manners to decline his due in this kind And must ever Renounce the Entitling and Placing of himself and leave it to others Lastly And must in Modesty Humility and good Manners decline his due in this kind and must renounce the Entitleing of himself and permit that to others This our Saviour prescribes Luk. 14.8 9 10 11. When thou art bid to a Wedding sit not down in the highest Room lest a more honourable than thou be bidden of him but sit down in the lowest Room that when he that bade thee cometh he may say unto thee Friend go up higher Then shalt thou have Worship in the presence of them who are at meat with thee And the reason of this Appointment of our Saviour's in so seemingly trivial a Case was not only to pull down our Ambition and Pride but to promote Courtesy and Civility and good Manners which are very considerable Vertues in Society and therefore to be sure of good account in Christianity But the Contrary to both these last Instances of Renouncing outward Respects and Honours is one of the great Vanities of the World which shall be more fully spoke to under another Head But yet I must not dismiss this without answering an Objection or Two It is usual amongst other Titles of Princes Objections against receiving Titles of Honour Respect and Precedency Answered to ascribe to 'em the Attributes of most Gracious most Religious most Excellent and the like which may seem to savour too much of that Flattery for admitting of which Herod was Punisht And the Absurdity seems to be the greater if those Princes happen to be Vicious and Ungodly But here it is to be consider'd that Princes and great Magistrates as they are in an Exalted Condition above the rest of Men so those Titles must be given 'em which shall raise and maintain a due Veneration towards them and their Office And even when the Persons Invested with those Dignities happen to be Cruel and Wicked yet such Titles as most Gracious most Religious are not un-befitting their Office tho' they may not so well suit their Personal Character and it is upon the account of that that they are given 'em As it was upon the Score of his Office that St. Paul styl'd Festus a Heathen Magistrate most Noble Act. 26.25 Next it is urged against Receiving Titles of Respect those words of our Saviour Be ye not called Masters for one is your Master even Christ Matth. 23.10 But in order to clear this you must consider that this is an Hebrew Idiom or manner of Expressing in which Calling and Being are all one as They shall call his name Emanuel signifies he shall be Emanuel or God with us So here Be ye not called Masters is a forbidding of Men to be Masters one to another And in what Sence is this to be understood Why amongst the Jews you must know those who took upon 'em to be Leaders and Teachers did challenge a blind Obedience from their Disciples and Followers and requir'd 'em to give up their Faith to be absolutely Sway'd by 'em But our Saviour would have no meer Man pretend to be so much a Master over Men's Faith as if he were Infallible in which Sence to be a Master was our Saviour's Right But otherwise the Title of Master as it signifies no more than a Humane Respect is no more to be refus'd than that of Father Which yet as amongst the Jews it was used to mean such a Principal of the School of the Prophets as no Man ought to contradict was also forbid Matth. 23.9 Lastly It is objected against Persons of Quality being Placed or Seated higher than others in Religious Assemblies from those words of St. James 2.2 3 4. If there come into your Assembly a man with a gold Ring in goodly Apparel and there come also a poor man in vile Raiment and ye have respect unto him that weareth the gay Clothing and say unto him Sit thou here in a good place and say to the poor Stand thou there or sit under my footstool Are ye not then partial in your selves and become Judges of evil thoughts But this Objection will be taken off and this difficult Place clear'd if you consider what is here meant by Assembly and upon what account Respect of Persons is forbid to be had to any one in them Now by Assembly is here to be understood a Court of Judicature where Law-suits are tryed for so not only the word translated Assembly does elsewhere as Matth. 10.17 signify but there are several Expressions in this place which do determine it here to this Sence as particularly when those that order'd the Rich to sit in a more Honourable Place and the Poor in a less Honourable are said to have a Footstool which did belong to Tribunals and to be Judges of evil Thoughts that is partial in their Judgments Men that thought more of the Persons than their Causes And the reason why that sort of Respect of Persons in their judicial Assemblies the Placing of the Man of Quality in a higher the Poorer in a lower Place which seems not to have been so material was notwithstanding forbid was because this would have been lookt upon according to the then Apprehensions of the Jews as a Token of Partiality in the Judge For as the Learned Hammond upon the Place does observe It was provided by a Canon of the Jews that when a Rich Man and a Poor have a Suit together before their Consistories either both must sit or
Pen the Holy Scriptures and by many other Arts and Sciences which are Hand-maids to Divinity and can there only be sufficiently attain'd to There ought next to be great Abilities and Gifts both Natural Parts and Divine Graces and a good share of all sorts of Learning acquir'd by much Study and great Industry to make an useful Divine there being no one Profession in the World which requires to its Perfection such an universal Knowledge as Theology does And to all these there must be added strong Inclinations to the Holy Office Inclinations to it not upon the account of the Preferments and Dignities that attend it but for the Works sake Inclinations indeed to be an Instrument of God's Glory and of the Salvation of Men's Souls therein And now if a Person of no good Abilities or Gifts should be determin'd to the Ministry it is a Sacrilegious Profaneness of equal Guilt as it is Impiety in some Parents who think such of the most promising Parts amongst their Children an Offering too good for the Lord. Or if a Person of a suitable Education and of great Abilities that fit him for it should enter into it with an unwilling Mind is often too great a sign of unsanctify'd Affections that would be for greater Liberty and Gaiety than the Gravity and Seriousness of his Profession will allow him and the Fop should be counted unworthy of it Or lastly if there be never so strong Inclinations to be a Teacher without the Preparations of an University Education and learned Abilities as well as Divine Graces it shews the Person to be One of those who Desiring to be Teachers of the Law understood neither what they said nor whereof they affirmed 1 Tim. 1.7 And indeed in any Calling whatsoever there must be a joint concurrence of every one of these fore-mention'd Qualifications for if any one of 'em be wanting that Person will be unsuccessful in his Calling insomuch that if there be never so suitable an Education and good Abilities if there be wanting that one other Requisite of strong Inclinations to such a Course of Life the Business of it will be carried on with Sloth and Negligence which is the Sixth Thing that must be Renounced as to any Calling VI. Idleness in any Calling is to be renounced Idleness has the same Effect in any other Calling as Solomon observ'd it had in the Husband-man's concerning whom he tells us That going by the Field of the Slothful and by the Vineyard of the man void of Vnderstanding lo it was all grown over with Thorns and Nettles had covered the face thereof Prov. 24.30 31. Thereby the Understanding of the Scholar is over-spread with Ignorance the Manners of the Gentleman with Barbarity and Savageness and Poverty and Nakedness do enter through Sloth the Houses of Tradesmen But on the other side how comfortable are the Fruits of Industry either in Man or Woman Particularly as to the Woman's Industry there is such an Account given thereof Prov. 31. from the 10 ver to the End of that Chap. as shews the mighty Happiness to Husband Children and Servants where such a One is the Mistress of the Family and her Character ought to begot by Heart by every Person of her Sex And therefore the Effects of Sloth being so dismal and miserable but the Fruits of Industry so very advantagious and comfortable according as the Wise-man advises Eccl. 9.10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with all thy might Well but it is enough you 'll say for those to be Industrious Idleness not allowable no not in Gentlemen who are to Live by their Calling But as for such who enjoy a sufficiency and plenty of the Necessaries Conveniencies and Superfluities of this World what occasion is there that they should be Industrious For as it is commonly said What is a Gentleman but his Pleasures But give me leave to Answer in the words of an excellent Person that if this be true If a Gentleman be nothing else but this then truly he is a sad Piece the most inconsiderable the most despicable the most pitiful and wretched Creature in the World If it be his Priviledge to do nothing then it is his Priviledge to be Good for nothing to be a meer Weight and Burthen upon the Earth nay the Pest and Plague of Mankind since the Soul of Man is that active Power that if it does not actuate and employ a Man in doing Good it will certainly in doing Mischief So that to say thus of the Gentleman or Man of Fortunes is highly to Reproach him But the Contrary is most certain And no Man be he in never so flourishing a State and Condition must give himself up to Idleness as being One of the greatest Temptations in the World to Sin and in it self a Life very displeasing to God It is one of the greatest Temptations in the World to Sin Idleness I say is one of the greatest Temptations in the World to Sin So great a Temptation indeed it is that the idle Person Tempts the Devil to come and Tempt him That wicked Spirit Continually walketh about the Earth seeking whom he may devour and spying a Person to be Idle he infallibly lies down before him He musters up all his Forces to beleaguer that Man sends for the like idle and licentious Persons as himself and those with all possible Allurements inveigle him to join with 'em in their wicked Courses And his Mind being taken up with no honest Cares the Devil throws into his Soul a Thousand ill Thoughts and base Designs and lewd Imaginations to corrupt him and make him yield And the greatest of Men and Saints have been Overcome meerly by being found Idle as we have an eminent Instance in David 2 Sam. 11.2 Who walking on the roof of his House his Mind then roving and being untackt from honest Cares that Temptation seiz'd on him whereby he was plung'd into that woful Miscarriage in the Matter of Vriah which did create him so much Sorrow did make such a Spot in his Life as was never washt off no not with his Tears of Repentance So excellent was the Advice of the Father Be always doing something that the Devil may never find thee Idle And is it self a very great Sin Nor is the Idleness of Persons in a plentiful and flourishing Condition in it self less a Sin than it is a Temptation to other Sins These are the Persons who have Talents given 'em and their Idleness is exprest by Hiding their Talents in the Earth Mat. 25.25 which how great a Sin it is is evident from our Saviour's severe Menaces thereupon calling such an idle Person a Wicked and slothful Servant and commanding him to be cast because an unprofitable Servant into outer darkness where should be weeping and gnashing of teeth ver 30. It is remarkable that here the wicked Servant is so severely Doom'd not for mis-employing but for being Idle and not employing his Talent So
Pompous Shows and Spectacles exhibited by the Emperors and Great Men of Rome in the Roman Theaters wherein Multitudes of Captive Wretches were put to Slay one another in their Sword-Plays for the Diversion of the People And indeed it is not unlikely that thereby may be meant not only those Bloody Sword-Plays but all those Scenical Representations and Plays whatever Acted in Memory of their false Gods upon their Great Festivals which were sometimes so very Lewd and Impious for Instance those which were Acted in Honour of Flora that the People of Rome were asham'd to proceed in 'em Valer. Maxim Lib 2. Cap. 8. whilst Cato a Person of Renown'd Vertue amongst 'em was present in the Theater They were also wonderfully Pompous and the Scenes Magnificent the greatest Grandees of Rome appearing at 'em and having their proper Seats or Boxes appropriated to each Order and Rank of Great Men according to their Degrees and Qualities And here also very likely it was that the Lewd Crew of both Sexes met together to make their Assignations for near to the Circus and Theater there were those Stews where they withdrew to act their vile Abominations Our Modern Plays no less Inferior to 'em â—n Impiety â—han in Pomâ—ousness And now that which Approaches in these our Days nearest to those sort of Heathenish Pomps and which in Pompousness and Magnificence of Scene are not much Inferior to them are those Profane and Lewd Plays Acted in our Publick Play-houses where for ought I know more Souls are now Murder'd than in the former were Bodies more Profaneness utter'd and more Lewd Assignations made than at the Pagan Theaters And how infinitely unfit then is it that those kind of Diversions should be suffer'd in a Christian State or that Persons professing Christianity should be permitted to go near ' em The Primitive Fathers lookt upon the Theaters and Play-houses as no other than the Devil's Territories insomuch that it happening once that when a Christian being prompted by Curiosity to be present at the Spectacles therein was possest by the Devil the Father was not at all Startle'd at it but readily own'd that Satan had a Right to take that Person Captive whom he found within his own Precincts And if those who frequent our Modern Play-houses Est nihil omnino damnosius quam Spectaculis assidere quando per Voluptatem facilius proclivius obrepant vitia Quid me existimas dicere Avarior Ambitiosior Luxuriosior imo vero Crudelior Inhumanior redeo Coel. Rhodi Ant. Lib. Octa. c. 7. do generally return thence possest with a Spirit of Profaneness Lust or Vanity it is but what may reasonably be expected for tho' all Evil Conversation is Infectious yet Vice does then most easily Insinuate it self into our Dispositions and Flies to the very Heart when the Poison is mixt with Pleasure Wit and Smartness of Conceit And having â—ch a maligâ—ant Influence â—pon Faith â—nd Manners â—â—ght never to â—e frequented 〈◊〉 Christians And now since it is Universally agreed amongst all serious Persons that a more Irreligious Spirit did never Reign upon any Theater than has in this last Age on our Modern Play-houses Since as is the general Complaint in these Houses Piety is so strangely Ridicul'd the Holy and Reverend Name of God Profan'd and his Glory and Interest render'd so Contemptible and Vile Since the Youth especially of our Nation are so allur'd hereby into the Love of and Delight in Idleness excessive Vanity Revelings Luxury Wantonness Lasciviousness Whoredoms and such Debaucheries by Oaths Looseness of Conversation and corrupt Atheistical Principles Since our Gentlemen are here taught to Deride Religion to Dissolve in Luxury to Abandon themselves to their Pleasures to be Debauchers of Women to be Profuse and Extravagant in their Expences and to be entirely Libertines Since the Young Ladies of our Nation are here throughly Instructed in Intrigues and Assignations to Scoff at the prudent Reservedness and Modesty of the best of their Sex to despise the wise Instructions of their Parents and Guardians to be Disobedient to their Authority and at last without their Knowledge or Consent to Marry themselves to some loose or lewd Libertine And indeed since the Minds and Manners of the Great Ones especially of both Sexes are thereby so foully Corrupted and their Affections so sadly alienated from the Love of God and Goodness All these things consider'd 't were greatly to be wisht our Play-Houses were totally supprest However in the mean time I think it concerns all that will be secure from ever Apostatizing from the Faith of Christ and a Religious Life so far to Reject these our modern Pomps as never to Enter within those Houses where these Plays are acted Secondly By Pomps in the Sence of the Ancients as some do think are meant the Solemn Processions of the Heathens II. By Pomps in the sence of the Ancients were meant the solemn Processions of of the Heathens in Honour of their Gods wherein they carried the Images of their Gods through the Streets of the City in a most Pompous manner all the Priests Magistrates and People of Rome as Tertullian does Represent it Attending and Paying their Veneration towards them And answerably to these without the least straining of the meaning in the present State of the Church may be understood those Idolatrous Processions amongst the Papists The Idolatrous Processions of the Papists in honour of the Saints answerable to these where sometimes the Images of the Saints sometimes the Host is carried in the same Solemn manner as among the Pagans were the Images of their Gods And the like Adoration and Worship requir'd from all who accompany or accidentally fall amongst 'em out of Curiosity to observe their Vanities And as amongst the Ancients those were Censur'd as Partakers with the Heathen in their Idolatry who went along with them or were publick Spectators of 'em as thereby signifying to the Eyes of Men their Allowance and Approbation thereof and of the Idolatry they contain'd and were certain to be cast out of the Communion of the Church for the same And must not therefore be joined in So those Protestant Gentlemen who Traveling into Forreign Countries out of Curiosity to observe the Popish Vanities shall Voluntarily appear amongst the Train accompanying them cannot be thought more Favourably of And if through Force they are Compel'd to join in the Adoration of those Images and shall rather comply than suffer they are wanting in Discharging that great Duty of Confessing of Christ which is so strictly requir'd at our Hands as ever we expect to have him Confess us before God and his Holy Angels Thirdly By Pomps may be meant reductively III. By Pomps Reductively may be meant the Revels DruÌ„ken Riots of our Youth at Wakes and Festivals all those Revels and Riotous Meetings of Youth whereby our Great Festivals Piously Instituted by the Church to be kept with Joyful Thanksgivings to God for
every New Dress or from Singularity of Apparel us'd on purpose and on that Affectation because it is Singular for all these seem so far to Betray the sinful Principle that tho' it is not reasonable for one Man to judge another for every thing of this nature yet it will be fit for all that do thus to examine and charge it upon themselves and if they cannot perfectly clear themselves from that evil Principle or worse End then to remember that this is it which they Renounced in their Baptism The short is this Decency Decency according to what is suitable to Age Sex or Quality the Rule in this Case is that he says which must give Limits to Attires This Decency is to be taken from that which is Usual and Customary amongst those with whom we Live and is oft varied by Change of Times and of the Condition of the Age or Dignity of each Person that being Comely for one Age and Sex and Quality of Persons which is not for another And He or She that rests contented with those ways of Adorning themselves which are most usual among the more Sober and Grave of their Age and Quality are not to be judg'd guilty of the Breach of this Vow tho' there are perhaps some Things in their Attire Gold Jewels and the like which might be thought to own this Title of Pomps and Vanities as those words signify Bravery and Superfluity Nevertheless the Truth is as he goes on it were to be wisht that Men and Women of the highest Quality would choose to Distinguish themselves from others rather by that Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit commended to the weaker Sex by St. Peter as a far more amiable Ornament than that of Apparel and make shew of their Wealth by those more profitable beneficial Expences for the supply of the Wants of others And no doubt this would contribute more to their own Ends if they be the Aims of Christians and would set them out more in the Opinion of all wise and good Persons But this being affirm'd will not conclude the Use of any of those Ornaments which are agreeable to Time and Place and Callings to be Sinful or of the Number of those Vanities that are to be Renounced in our Baptism THE XX. Lecture First That I should Renounce the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanity of this wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh IN the Explication of these Words I have fully laid before you the Stratagems and Wiles of Satan and the various Temptations also wherewith the World doth assault us to withdraw us from God and to make us break our Covenant with him And it only remains to compleat this Account of our Spiritual Warfare to consider the sinful Lusts of the Flesh and to know in what sense and how far we are also to Renounce and Resist them And indeed this is a most Material and Important Part of Christian Knowledge To Know our selves is next in Dignity and Usefulness to the Knowledge of God himself To know our selves especially our natural Imperfection a most useful part of Knowledge And if we did but distinctly Know the Imperfection and Weaknesses of our Corrupted Nature and of all the Powers and Faculties within us neither the whole World with all its formidable Host of Temptations nor Satan himself Marshalling and managing of 'em against us with all the Malice and Cunning he is Master of would be in much danger of doing us hurt For tho' our case is that of a Besieged Fort to take which there are not only a numerous Army under the Conduct of a wary General who narrowly views every part of us and orders the Attack where he finds us weakest But what is worse the whole Fabrick of our Corrupted Nature is extremely decay'd and all the Faculties and Powers thereof are but so many Traitors within us ready to deliver us up to our Enemies Yet however in Knowing the Weakness of our Nature we may be able to repair its Decays and by Knowing also the Treachery of all its Faculties we shall successfully prevent their delivering of us up to our Adversaries And therefore for the more full discovery of so Useful and Important a Subject to you 1. I will shew you what is meant by the Flesh 2. What by the sinful Lusts of the Flesh and together with each of these will also declare unto you in what sense and how far we are to Renounce the Flesh and its sinful Lusts. And â—he Flesh vaâ—ously exâ—â—est First Let us enquire what is meant by the Flesh and in what sense and how far we are to Renounce the Flesh And in order to this we are to consider that as the Knowledge of Things does much depend upon understanding those Phrases whereby they are usually express'd so there are very many Words in the Holy Writings of like Meaning and Importance with this of the Flesh And indeed there is not any one thing so variously express'd in the Holy Striptures as this is It is called the Old Man as to denote the Antiquity of this Corruption and from whom it descended even from Adam the first Father of us all so to signifie that it has universally infected the whole Race of Mankind It is called the Natural Man both because this Corruption over-spreadeth the whole Nature and because it is become Natural to Man in this Corrupt State to Sin It is called the Flesh because the very Soul in a Man and all its Faculties are Carnal and Sensual And Lastly 't is termed Evil Concupiscence because this Fleshly Nature of ours Lusteth after Evil Things And so much for the meaning of the Word Flesh and its synonimous Phrases What is meant â—y the Flesh And now by the help of what has been said we may form this Account of the Flesh That it is the whole Vnregenerate Nature of Man as spoil'd as to its Original Frame and Constitution and despoil'd of that Image of God consisting in the Perfection Order and Purity of all his Faculties whereby he was Originally making towards GOD his Chief End and Happiness And it is that Corruption of this his Nature and Faculties whereby he is inordinately Converted in all the Tendencies of Soul and Body and of all the Faculties and Powers thereof towards the Creature 1. I say by the Flesh is meant the whole Vnregenerate Nature of Man not only the Body 1. The whole Vnregenate Nature of Man Soul and Body but also the Soul not only the Inferior Powers as the Affections Lusts and Appetites but also the Superior Faculties as the Understanding Conscience and the Will For it is not only said Tit. 1.15 That the Mind and Conscience is defil'd but the Mind as well as the Body is said to be Fleshly Col. 2.18 and Carnal Rom. 8.7 And Gal. 5.20 we find Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath Seditions Heresies reckon'd amongst the Works of the Flesh tho' they are
Subjection to Right Reason which is called Crucifying of the Flesh with its Affections and Lusts Gal. 5.24 and mortifying our Earthly Members Col. 3.5 Thus must the whole Corrupt Nature be Restor'd as near as it can to its first Constitution and that Divine Likeness wherewith it was at first stamp'd The Image of God must be Restor'd as far as it can in â—his Corrupt State Thus I say it must be Restor'd as near as it can for as long as we are in this Mortal State some Relicks of Sin and Corruption will still remain within us so that even in the Regenerate Nature The Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that we cannot do the things that we would Gal. 5.17 That is we cannot without the Resistance and Opposition of our Fleshly Nature act in Obedience to the Spiriritual and Renewed Nature so long as we are here on this side the Grave but the most Holy Persons that are have their Graces allayed with a mixture of Sin and Corruption The most Universal Knowledge is not free from Ignorance and Error the Will which is most complying with the Commands of God has sometimes its contrary Velleities or Wouldings the Affections which are most Refin'd are sometimes Inordinate and Earthly so that every Faculty of our Nature and every Action we do have some mixture of Sin and Frailty In a word we cannot attain whilst here on Earth to these degrees of Perfection wherein we were first Created But the Image of God which is restored to us in our Regeneration tho' it have not the Perfection of Degrees yet it must indispensably have the Perfection of parts It must be Renew'd to a perfection of Parts tho not Degrees as Divines do distinguish that is we must have an Universal Inclination to all that is Holy Just and Good and an Universal Aversion from all Sin And we must have our selves actually Adorn'd with all Divine Graces and Holy Dispositions and we must actually forsake every known Sin And then tho' something of Humane Frailty will mix it self in the Exercise of all our Vertues yet through the Mercies of God the Father in Christ his Son it will be graciously dispens'd withal So that thus you see when the whole Nature of Man in every part and faculty thereof is Chang'd Repair'd and Renew'd according to the Happy Constitution and Subordination of the several Faculties one to another wherein Man was at first Created and consequently when the Divine Image which is now defac'd is in some good measure restor'd when thus we shall have put on the New Man Eph. 4.24 partake of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. and be conformed ro the Image of his Son Rom. 8.29 then can we be truly said to Renounce the Flesh 2. To Renounce the Flesh is to be Converted in the whole Bent and Inclination of the Soul toward God 2. To Renounce the Flesh is to be Converted in the whole Bent and Inclination of the Soul towards God Smith's Select Discourses p. 374. 430. This is the true Property of the Regenerate Nature to be exalted above all Worldly Things and to be carried out in Love and Affection towards God The Soul says a Learned and Pious Author is a more vigorous and puissant thing when it is once Restor'd to the possession of its own Being than to be bounded within a narrow Prison of Sensual and Bodily Delights but it will break forth with the greatest Vehemence and Ascend upwards towards Immortality For it is only true Religion that teaches and Enables Men to die to this World and to all Earthly Things and to rise above the Sphere of Sensual and Earthly Pleasures which darken the Mind and blind it that it cannot enjoy the brightness of Divine Light so that whereas the Fleshly Mind never minds any thing but Flesh and never rises above the Outward Matter but always creeps up and down like Shadows upon the Surface of the Earth and if it begin at any time to make any faint Essays upwards it presently finds it self laden with a weight of Sensuality which draws it down again Holy and Religious Souls being toucht with an Inward Sense of the Divine Goodness and Beauty are mov'd swiftly after God and as the Apostle expresses himself forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth to those things which are before they press towards the Mark for the Prize of the high Calling of God in Christ Jesus that so they may attain to the Resurrection of the Dead In short therefore whereas there is now a continual Conflict betwixt the Flesh and the Spirit the Flesh Lusting against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh we must never cease Mortifying and Subduing all the Motions of Corrupt Nature tending downward towards the Creature till they be brought in Subjection to the Power and Influence of God's Holy Spirit which alone can lift up our Hearts and Affections to God and Heavenly Things THE XXI Lecture First That I should Renounce the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanity of this wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh IN order to the full Explication of these Words the sinful Lusts of the Flesh The sinful Lusts of the Flesh what Having already shew'd you First what is meant by the Flesh and in what sense and how far we must Renounce the Flesh 2. I am now to give you in like manner the full Meaning and Importance of the sinful Lusts of the Flesh and to shew you in what sense and how far we are to Renounce them And as by the Flesh is meant the whole Unregenerate Nature of Man Soul as well as Body in its State of Corruption and as it Acts contrary to the Holy Will and Spirit of God so proportionably by the sinful Lusts of the Flesh must be understood all the Faculties and Powers of this Corrupted Nature as they carry us out to commit Sin as well the Faculties of the Soul the Understanding and Will as the Bodily Powers viz. the Affections Lusts and Appetites These are all of 'em in their own Nature the Effects of God's Workmanship and were pure as they came forth of his hands But ever since the Fall of Adam they are wofully Corrupted and there is none of these Faculties or Powers either of Soul or Body but may be called a sinful Lust of the Flesh Every Faculty and Power of Soul and Body is properly enough term'd a Lust as it Craves and Desires its Object And they are all of 'em sinful Lusts of the Flesh just as the whole Unregenerate Nature was said to be Flesh that is either First as those several Faculties of the Soul do move downwards from God and Heavenly Things Immediately and Inordinately towards the Creatures Or Secondly as the Inferior and Bodily Powers the Affections Lusts and Appetites do disorderly Rebel against the Superior Faculty of
in our state of Weakness might be capable of performing Who then was so proper to propose to and obtain of the Father such gracious Terms for us as one who was himself Man and so could be sensible of all the Weakness and Infirmities of Man Sin excepted and had experienced himself what was in the Power of Man to perform Why all this does of it self appear to have been considered in the Divine Wisdom and in the Contrivance of Man's Recovery to a state of Salvation through the Mediation of Jesus Christ our Saviour but for our better assurance the Author to the Hebrews does expresly declare it to have been so Heb. 2.17 18. telling us That since he had undertaking to mediate a Peace for us with God that therefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in Things pertaining to God to make Reconciliation for the Sins of the People For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted By being God he was qualified to be a faithful High Priest in Things pertaining to God and to make Reconciliation for the Sins of the People That is as God alone he knew what Satisfaction was sufficient to be offered to God and was fit for him to accept ere he would be reconciled to Sinners and by being Man he was also qualified to be a merciful High Priest for in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted That is as Man who is sensible what Temptations and Infirmities we lie under he was more proper to be entrusted with the Appointment of such Terms and Conditions as Man was capable to perform and therefore did prescribe us a Covenant of Grace consisting accordingly of such reasonable and performable Conditions And thus you see also by whose Mediation we obtained such a Covenant of Grace such a state of Salvation viz. that it was through Jesus Christ our Saviour And now Fourthly let us consider The infinite Care of God the Father to call us into it as you are also taught in your Catechism by whom and how you are called to this state of Salvation And truly the same Heavenly Father who granted us and the same Jesus Christ our Saviour who purchased this state of Salvation for us have also most mercifully called us to it And behold and consider first I beseech you what infinite Care our Heavenly Father hath taken in this great Affair to call us to this state of Salvation And we have seen and do testifie says St. John that the Father hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the World 1 Epist 4.14 And how hath he sent him to save it Why as was long before prophesied Isai 61.1 He put the Spirit of the Lord upon him to preach the Gospel to the Poor he sent him to heal the broken-hearted to preach deliverance to the Captives and recovering of Sight to the Blind to set at liberty them that are bruised to preach the acceptable Tear of the Lord Luke 4.18 19. Such was the very earnest Care of the Father that he Commissioned and sent his own Son to envite us his rebellious Creatures and Subjects to lay down our rebellious Arms against him and to embrace those Overtures and Conditions of Mercy and Salvation that he offered to us by the Preaching of the Gospel Nor was the Ever-blessed Son of God less intent upon this Blessed Work 〈◊〉 Ever-blessed Son of God no less intent upon this blessed Work than the Father No sure it was his Meat to do the Will of Him that sent him and to finish his Work John 4.34 It was his Meat and Drink to save Men's Souls and therefore He went about doing good Acts 10.38 Doing good that is executing that Office to which the Father had authorized him in order to the Salvation of Men that Office of Mercy instructing and calling of the World to Repentance and in order to that winning 'em to it by other Works of bodily Charity with which carnal Men are most taken as Curing their Diseases Casting out Devils by the Power of him who was present with him He went about doing good of all kinds but all in order to the good of Men's Souls and he was zealous also to the highest degree in this blessed Work How mightily he importuned us to come into this state of Salvation For good God! with what mighty Importunity and winning Rhetorick did he the Son of GOD address himself to his own foolish Rebellious Subjects to come into this state and to receive freely the Means of Salvation Ho every one that thirsteth cries he as the Evangelical Prophet represents him bespeaking the World Isai 55.1 2 3. come ye to the Waters and he that hath no Money come ye buy and eat yea come buy Wine and Milk without Money and without Price Wherefore do ye spend Money for that which is not Bread and your Labour for that which satisfieth not Hearken diligently unto me and eat ye that which is good and let your Soul delight it self in fatness Encline your Ear and come unto me hear and your Soul shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure Mercies of David It is not to be expressed nor imagined with what mighty Zeal and Persuasion he did himself whilst on Earth pursue this blessed Work of our Salvation Nor was he contented himself whilst on Earth thus to call us into this state of Salvation but moreover when he was to leave the World he provided a Succession of Ministers which he has left behind him He has left a succession of Ministers behind him to do the like to continue to the end of the World to do the same good Office under him for the Salvation of Mankind empowering them with the Gifts of the Holy Ghost to enable 'em to do it effectually As my Father hath sent me so send I you John 20.21 And accordingly has he committed it to our care as he made it his own to Preach the Gospel to Mankind to make known the Love of God as manifested in Christ to the World to receive those that believe into the Covenant of Grace and Society of Christians by Baptism and by this means to call you into a state of Salvation And as he hath committed to us the Word of Reconciliation we therefore as the Ambassadors for Christ and as though God did beseech you by us we do pray you in Christ's stead to be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5.19 20. We are perpetually preaching and declaring this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this good Tidings to you we instruct you in the Nature of that Salvation which is wrought for you we direct you to the means of attaining it and with all the powerful Motives drawn from the Word of GOD we do all we can to move you to seek
11 Catechism necessary First To the solemn Ratifying of our Covenant with God pag. 12 Secondly To the Receiving Benefit by the Episcopal Benediction Prayers and laying on of Hands pag. 13 LECT II. Catechizing requisite to prepare Persons to be worthy Communicants pag. 15 The want thereof the occasion of People's Ignorance concerning the Sacrament and consequently First of Receiving Unworthily Secondly of not Receiving at all pag. 16 Thirdly Catechizing is requisite to Persons being Edify'd by Preaching pag. 17 Fourthly Catechizing necessary to prevent being seduc'd into dangerous Errors pag. 18 Lastly Catechizing is exceedingly necessary First to preserve Youth from ever falling into an Ungodly way of living pag. 19 Secondly To recover out of it when fallen therein pag. 20 LECT III. The reason wherefore the Catechism begins with asking the Catechumen his Christian Name is to put him in mind of his Christian Profession The Force there is in a Christian Name to make a Man lead a Christian Life as under that Name having Listed himself First a Disciple of a most holy and excellent Religion pag. 24 Secondly a Servant of a most Holy and Just God Thirdly to fight against the World the Flesh and the Devil Fourthly as under that Name he professes to believe such Articles as are the most powerful Motives to deny all Ungodliness Fifthly to obey the most Righteous Laws Lastly as having under that Name received Promises of most powerful Assistances to do all this pag. 25 The bad Lives of Nominal Christians do an infinite Prejudice and Dishonour to Christianity It hinders the Conversion of Infidels It puts bitter Reproaches in the mouths of Atheists especially when Wickedness is committed under the guise of Religion Few Men will endure their worldly Calling to be put at naught and Reproacht pag. 26 An Exhortation therefore to Christians to stand upon the Dignity of their Christian Name and Profession First as that which is more considerable than Titles of Honour Secondly because of that near Alliance there is between the Christian Name and Profession Thirdly Because the primitive Christians did in vertue of the Christian Name resist the fiercest Temptations pag. 27 Fourthly because of the Indecency of living unsuitable to the Christian Name and Profession Fifthly That to quite other Purposes we gave up our Names to be Christians Sixthly most Christian Names afford some Examples of Vertue which should prompt Christians to an Imitation of those who were Eminent under those Names pag. 28 And therefore Parents are advis'd to choose for their Children the Names of Persons Eminent for Vertue not Infamous for Vice pag. 29 LECT IV. Our Catechism gives an entire Instruction in the Covenant of Grace both generally and particularly First Generally in the Three first Questions and Answers pag. 32 The Notion of a Covenant It is a mutual Agreement pag. 33 As there are Conditions therein on our side so express Promises on the other A View of the Covenant of Grace God having made Man upright and in a capacity never to have violated his Covenant did engage him to a perfect exact and unsinning Obedience Man did violate it pag. 34 The Divine Justice Wisdom and Holiness requir'd Satisfaction Man being himself uncapable to make it by less than suffering an everlasting Punishment The Son of God undertook First to satisfy for the Breach of the First Secondly to Cancel it and in its stead to make a Covenant of Grace consisting of Conditions performable in our fallen State Wherein Repentance Faith and a sincere Obedience is accepted instead of a perfect exact and unsinning Obedience pag. 35 It resembles Articles of Accommodation made thro' the Intercession of a Prince's Eldest Son betwixt him and his Rebellious Subjects pag. 36 Little more f universal Concernment to be known but the Articles of this Covenant The Catechetical Method most useful to that Purpose pag. 37 LECT V. A Member of Christ is a Member of Christ's Church pag. 39 A Definition of Christ's Church The Church of Christ a well-order'd Society wherein some are Governours some Governed pag. 40 An Episcopal Clergy undoubtedly such pag. 41 The Church is the universal Society of Christians taking in Men of all Nations as well of the Gentiles as of the Jews It consists of such who are call'd out of the World by the Preaching of the Gospel to a holy Profession and Calling pag. 42 First Repentance from Dead Works Secondly to the Knowledge Belief and Service of the One True God Father Son and Holy Ghost pag. 43 Thirdly to enjoy the Priviledges of the Gospel The Church are such who to the End of being Incorporated into one Society and of having God to be their God and they themselves his People have Enter'd into Covenant with him pag. 44 First in Baptism Secondly to renew it at the Lord's Supper The Church one Body pag. 45 Subdivided into several particular Bodies and Churches First for the convenience of Government into Diocesan Churches Secondly for the convenience of Worship into particular Congregations pag. 46 But however United by one Covenant into one Body As also by holding Communion with each other in hearing the Word in Common-Prayers Sacraments and in affording to each other mutual Assistances pag. 47 The Church united into one Body under Jesus Christ its supreme Head Christ a Political Head of the Church Christ the Mystical Head of the Church pag. 48 The Church of Christ a Spiritual Kingdom But yet notwithstanding a visible Society pag. 49 What it is to be a Member of Christ's Church pag. 50 Every Baptized Person is a Member of the Visible Church And shall continue such till cut off by the just Sentence of those who have the power of the Keys to Receive in or shut out pag. 51 Or till he cuts himself off by a causless Schism and Separation from any of its sound Parts pag. 52 LECT VI. The Priviledges of our being Members of Christ's Church First a most excellent Body of Religion Laws and Ordinances The Christian Religion and Laws far exceed the Pagan Mahometan or Jewish The Pagan Superstition tended to nothing but to defile humane Nature pag. 55 The Gods the Pagans worshiped were at best the most Infamous Men and Women Many times they worshiped the very Devils themselves And that with lewd barbarous and cruel Rites The Mahometan Religion is a vile Imposture pag. 56 Its Principles tend to Lust and Cruelty Judaism was an imperfect and unfinished Draught of Religion Christianity a most excellent Religion pag. 57 It gives a most excellent Representation of God It gives an honourable account of his proceedings with Mankind with reference both to his Creation and Redemption of us pag. 58 Its Laws are excellently contrived for the good Order and Happiness of Mankind And are Enforc'd by most powerful Principles and Motives Another Branch of this first Part of a Christian's Priviledge are most edifying and comfortable Institutions and Ordinances pag. 59 First Publick Ordinances the Priviledge of every Member