he who loveth God should love his Brother also And for the other St. Paul tells Christians they must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for Conscience sake Rom. 13.5 St. Peter also joyns together Fear God and Honour the King 1 Pet. 2.17 that none may think he doth the one as he ought while he refuseth to do the other Q. Having told me from Scripture what God is tell me also who is God A. The Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost Mat. 28.19 Go saith Christ to his Apostles Teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Q. How doth this prove Each of them to be true and very God A. It proves it unanswerably and plainly too For 1. We are obliged to worship and serve in a Religious Manner Him in whose Name we are Rightly Baptized And therefore St. Paul would not have it be thought that he Baptized any in his own Name 1 Cor. 1.15 2. Faith and Baptisme are Joyned together Ephes 4.5 But we are to believe in None but God therefore not to be Baptized in the Name of any but God 3. Baptisme truly so called is but one as 't is said in the same Text. But if either of those Persons were a meer Creature there would be two sorts of Baptism For 'T is confessed by all Christians that the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is true and very God As Christ himself said I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth Matth. 11.25 Now If the Son of the Father Christ himself or the Holy Ghost were but a Creature then the Baptizing in the Name of of those three would bring in apparently Two Baptismes vastly different also One in the Name of God the other in the Name of a meer Creature And if either of those Persons be but a Creature our Lord in commanding the Apostles to Baptize in the Name of his Father and of himself and of the Holy Ghost should command them to Baptise in the same manner and at the same time in the 〈…〉 the glorious God and a meer Creature and so should give the same glory to the one as to the other therein than which what can ever be imagined more wickedly absurd and unreasonable Q. What Scriptures are there that do prove particularly the Godhead of the Son A. Very many and amongst them these two Rom. 9.5 The Apostle speaking of Christ saith He is over all God blessed for ever Joh. 20.28 The Apostle saith unto him My Lord and my God Q. What places prove the Holy Ghost to be true and very God A. Amongst others these two especially 1 Cor. 2.10 The Spirit searcheth all things even the deep things of God Now 〈◊〉 deep things of God is a Word that extendeth to all things in God His Nature Attributes Purposes and Providences for there is no Exception or Limitation added so to seurch them is throughly to know and understand them As God's infallible knowledge of what is in Man is call'd in Scripture his searching the Heart Thus the Spirit the Holy Ghost so called searcheth all things yea the deep things of God which certainly no Creatures are able to do In respect of them that of Paul is ever true That God's Judgments are unsearchable and his ways past finding out Rom. 11.33 So in Isa 6.8 9. What the Lord God said to the Prophet the Apostle applies to the Holy Ghost saying Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the Prophet Acts 28.25 And that very expression is a clear proof for it was God that spake by the Prophets Jer. 1.9 I have put my words in thy mouth Therefore the Holy Ghost is God also of the same substance with the Father and the Son Q. Then there should seem to be three Gods and why can it be said there is but one God when each of these three Persons is God A. They are three Persons and yet but one God because one and the same Divine Nature is in each of them which appears by this that the sarne Divine Honour is to be given to each of them for we are to Baptize in the Name of each of them and we are unchangeably engaged to the Religious worship and service of him in whose Name we are to be Baptized and therefore St. Paul abhorred the thoughts of Baptizeing any in his own Name 1 Cor. 1.15 And as Scripture tells us which Reason it self may inform us of that there is One God or but one God as there is but one Mediator Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 So it assures us that each of these Persons is true and very God so that both are certainly true Q. But how can this be we cannot conceive so strange a thing A. 'T is true indeed this Doctrine of the Trinity is the Highest Mystery in holy Story And it were no Mystery at all if we were able to comprehend it and conceive the manner of it Yet we have Reason to believe what Scripture tells us tho' it be that which is above the reach of humane Reason As we may safely believe that the Dead shall be raised to Life because of Scripture Testimony Joh. 5.28 All that are in the Graves shall hear Christs Voice and come forth Though we cannot conceive the manner of the Refurrection nor answer all curious questions that may be made about it Q. What is the Rule and Pattern of Prayer A. The Lords Prayer After this manner Pray ye c. in Matth. 6.9 Q. Is it therefore only a Rule of Prayer A. No it is also a Prayer it self and to be used as such For our Saviour saith thus Luk. 11.2 when ye Pray say Our Father c. that is Say these words Q. Is it lawful to pray in a Form or to use the same Expressions in Prayer over and over A. Yes For the Lord's Prayer is such a Form and is to be used in those very expressions to the VVorld's End Say Our Father and so forth And Christ's Example is beyond exception herein He prayed the third time saying the same words Matth. 26.44 So Mark 14.39 And again He went away and prayed speaking the same words Surely he had the Spirit indeed and could as easily have prayed in other words if it had been better so to do Q. But what need we pray for God knows our wants without our Prayers and what he gives us he gives for his own goodness sake and not for our Prayer's sake A. Yes we must pray for all that because he hath commanded us to Pray Psal 50.15 Call upon me Isa 55.6 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found He is a God that heareth Prayer Psal 65.2 Ask and ye shall have Matth. 7.7 that is in Gods due time And though he had promised Mercies to his People yet for those things he would be sought unto Ezek. 36 37. Q. How many Sacraments are mentioned for Christians to partake of A. Two only Baptisme
and the Lords Supper Q. May Baptisme be administred in the Name of a meer Creature A. No. For we are by Baptisine Consecrated to the Holy VVorship and Service of Him in whose Name we are Baptized VVherefore Paul abhorred that any should think he Baptized in his own Name 1 Cor. 1.13 14 15. Q. May Infants be Baptized A. Yes For the command to Baptize the Nations makes for it for the word Nations includeth Infants They therefore being of professing Parents may be Baptized Matth. 28.19 And tho' Teaching be mentioned also yet that affords no Reason to the contrary For tho' Infants be not capable of being taught yet they are capable of being consecrated to God by Baptisme Q. VVhy and how should Christians partake of the Lords Supper A. For Christ's command sake and in Remembrance of Him Luk. 22.19 Q. VVhat must they do on that occasion A. As they must rely in Christ for Acceptance and beg acceptance for his sake so they must be in Charity with Men and endeavour to renew their Repentance and Resolutions of Obedience For they do in a special manner draw near unto Christ therein who hath given us the best Example of good Living and the greatest engagements and encouragements to it And of these things aforesaid we must Examine our selves 1 Cor. 11.28 Q. But is the Bread in the Sacrament the real and substantial Body of Christ or is Christ present therewith or therein as to his Bodily presence A. No certainly Christ is not now to be seen by us in Heaven much less on Earth Ye see him not saith St. Peter twice in a Verse 1 Pet. 1.8 But if the Sacramental bread were the very Body of Christ we should see Him as often as we see That 2. VVe see the Bread to be for substance Bread indeed and nothing else And Scripture doth not require us to believe any thing to be other than what we see it to be The Disciples had not nor did they need to have any better proof of Lazarus his being raised from the dead than this that they saw him Alive after he had been Dead Q. But how doth Christ then say This is My Body A. It is spoken Figuratively that is 't is his Body Sacramentally a Sign Token Representation and Memorial of it as the Apostle saith That Rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10.4 yet no man thinks therefore that Christ was really a Rock much less that particular Rock mentioned by Moses in Exod. 17. Q. VVho is Christ A. The only begotten Son of God even the Father John 1.18 Jesus Christ the Son of the Father in 2 Epist John the 3 verse Q. VVhat a Son is He A. He is such a Son as is true and very God of the same Substance with his Father Heb. 1.8 Vnto the Son he saith thy Throne O God is for ever and ever And all must honour the Son even as they honour the Father John 5.23 Q. VVhat is Christ A. Christ is God and Man at once Rom. 9.5 Of whom came Christ according to the Flesh who is over all God blessed for ever and in 1 Tim. 3.16 He that was believed on in the world and received up into glory which can be none but Christ is said to be God manifested in the Flesh And in Matth. 1. we read of his Birth And the Angel said to the Virgin Mary that she should bring forth a Son and his Name should be called Jesus Matth. 1.21 23. Q. Why did the Son of God became Man A. Jesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 Q. But why should he become Man for the saving of Sinners A. Because he was to save them in a way of suffering for them He came to redeem them from the curse of the Law being made himself a Curse for them Gal. 3.13 He came to give his Life a Ransom for many Matth. 20.28 as St. Peter also saith Christ suffered for Sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God 1 Pet. 3.18 And the Prophet foretold that the Saviour of Mankind should be true man and be born of a Virgin which was fulfilled in Christ Isa 7.14 compared with Matth. 1.23 Q. What may we learn from these things A. 1. That Man was fallen into a dreadfull Depth of Misery by Sin seeing he hath need of such a mighty Saviour to deliver him from the guilt and punishment thereof 2. That our own works and services are not sufficient to save us for then what need of Christ to save us through the merit of his Sufferings 3. That Christ having done and suffered so much for Sinners therefore Returning Sinners fleeing to him for Mercy shall be sure to find it for his sake He himself saith whosoever cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out Joh. 6.37 Q. But why would Christ become subject to Death and such extreme Sorrows for Sinners sake A. It was his Love that moved him thus to suffer for them He loved us and gave himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice as we read in Eph. 5.2 Q. But how could it be Just that Christ should suffer so great Miseries for he being free from evil of Sin Holy Harmless Undefiled in Heb. 7. did not deserve any evil of Suffering A. Very sure since Christ was such an one he could deserve no Suffering and therefore could not justly be exposed to such Sufferings upon his own Account he became therefore a Sufferer upon the Account of Sinners undertaking for them and offering himself as the great High Priest of his Church and People Eph. 5.2 He gave himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice Heb. 7.26 Such a High Priest became us as is Holy Harmless Vndefiled and in 1 Pet. 3.18 Christ suffered for Sins The just for the unjust Q. But was it not a wrong to Him to be such a Sufferer A. He suffered indeed wrongfully from Men because he deserved not those Evils which they layed upon by crucifying him by reproaching him and the like that we read of in the Gospel But it was no wrong to be exposed thereto by the appointment of his Heavenly Father who was infinitely Just and Holy and yet delivered Him to punishment that is for our offences as in Rom 4.25 And as he came to do the will of God his Father Lo I come to do thy will Heb. 10.9 So it was his own will to suffer for sinners and he came for that purpose into the World The Son of man said Christ of himself came to give his Life a Ransome for many Matth. 20.28 Q. What may this teach us A. 1. It may teach us that Christ was the great Example of Lowliness and Love and to think nothing too much to do for his glory whose Loving-kindness moved him to stoop so Low and suffer so much for the sake and Salvation of Sinners 2. It may assure us that Christ who in his abundant Love came to seek and to save lost Sinners and
certainly just that it should be so whether we can see the Equity of it or not the Righteous God will act like himself and may as soon cease to be a God as lay any unjust punishment upon a Creature whether for ever or for one Hour Q. But what considerations may be urged for the cleering of it A. These following amongst many others 1. That the wicked shall dye a corporal Death no more after the Day of Judgment Those of them that were dead so many ages since shall then be raised to Life and so continue for ever and ever The Dead that is all the Dead shall be raised incorruptible in 1 Cor. 15.52 But the wicked shall not have an incorruptible state in Joy therefore certainly in punishment 2. The Desert of an Offence as to punishment is not to be measured by the shortness of the Time in which it was committed An offence against a King committed in a Minute may deserve perpetual Imprisonment and death 3. God that Sin offendeth is a God of Infinite and Eternal Majesty and Excellency 4. God is not bound to be reconciled to Offenders nor bound to pardon their offences at any time therefore he may justly punish them at all times or for ever Of this the Reader may see more in my Book entituled Everlasting Fire no Fancy Cap. 1. Sect. 3. pag. 19. Q. But will not the Terror of the Lord against the wicked in that Day strike Terror into the Hearts of the Righteous A. If it do it shall not be over-long nor shall be at all in any Miserable Sense or Manner For they shall see themselves safe in the Armes of his love before the dreadful Sentence shall be passed upon the wicked yea they shall meet Christ with peace when he is coming in the higher Regions St. Paul tells us in 1 Thes 4.17 that they shall be caught up together to meet the Lord in the Air. O wondrous word indeed Thrice Happy are they that shall partake of that Relicity And when once they have That they shall soon have all the priviledges of Heaven and be for Ever with the Lord 1 Thes 4.17 For which inexplicable Blessedness the Father of Mercies fit us more and more for His Son Christ Jesus sake To whom be Glory for Evermore The Lord's Prayer OUr Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this Day our Dayly Bread And forgive us our Debts as we forgive our Debtors And lead us not into Temptation but deliver us from Evil for thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen The Creed I Believe in God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord which was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was Crucified Dead and Buried he descended into Hell the third Day he arose again from the Dead he ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty from whence he shall come to judge both the quick and the dead I believe in the Holy Ghost the Holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints the Forgiveness of Sins the Resurrection of the Body and the Life Everlasting Amen The Ten Commandments Exodus XX. GOD spake all these words saying I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the House of Bondage I. Thou shalt have no other Gods before me II. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth thou shalt not bow down thy self to them nor serve them For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate me and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my Commandments III. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain IV. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any work thou nor thy son nor thy Daughter thy man-servant nor thy maid-servant nor thy cattle nor the Stranger that is within thy Gates For in six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it V. Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy days may be long upon the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee VI. Thou shalt not Kill VII Thou shalt not commit Adultery VIII Thou shalt not Steal IX Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy Neigbbour X. Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours house thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours wife nor his man-servant nor his maid-servant his Ox nor his Ass nor anything that is thy Neighbours Proofs that there is a God AND now good Reader I am to make good my word in the beginning of this Writing and if Solomon himself would sometimes apply his Heart to know the wickedness of Folly Eccl. 7. sure it cannot be below me or my Betters to spend some thoughts about the madness of those miserable Fooles that say in their Hearts there is no God And I fear there are too many that are not much ashamed to say so with their Lips in effect and consequentially at least where they do not say so expresly and directly as if they had been instructed by the Malmesbury-Man or thought that his Leviathan had devoured Religion or overturned it by main Force The Folly of such I shall make manifest by proving these two particulars 1. That none can be sure that there is no God 2. That a Man of sober Reason may be sure that there is a God 1. That none can assure us that there is no God For whence should they be sure of such a thing Religion cannot be pretended to teach them so for all Religion is grounded upon the Notion of a God nor can they be assured of it by Reason For those that believed there is a God and forsake all Worldly Comforts in Hope of that happiness after death which none but a God can give as the Martyrs in all Ages yet had Reason as well as others and great Learning also and the subtilest Atheists as yet have not shewed half so much of any kind of Learning as many of those that are followers of Godliness I confess some few men of Ingenuity have been Atheistical a curious Wit was sometimes so and would delight himself in disputing against Religion so vain a thing is the the best thing without Grace But