with desire and hope As Heaven is the State and Place where God shineth to the understanding Creature in the greatest Glory and where he is best known so it is this heavenly Glory seen to us by Faith which is the most Glorious of all the Names or Notices of God to be hallowed by us Q. 19. What is the profaning of this Name of God A. The minding only of Earthly and Fleshly things and not believing considering or admiring the heavenly Glory Not loving and praising God for it nor desiring and seeking to enjoy it Q. 20. So much of God's Works which make him known Next tell us what you mean by the Words which you call his Name A. 1. All the Sacred Scripture as it maketh known God to us by History Precepts Promises or Penal Threats With all God's Instituted means of Worship 2. More specially the Descriptions of God by his Attributes 3. And most specially his Proper Name GOD Iehovah c. Q. 21. I 'le not ask you what his Attributes are because you have told us that before But how is this Name of God to be hallowed A. When the Soul is affected with that Admiration Reverence Love Trust and Submission to God which the meaning of these Names bespaeks And when the manner of our using them expresseth such affections Especially in publick Praises with the Churches Q. 22. How is this Name of God prophaned A. When it is used lightly falsly unreverently without the aforesaid Holy regard and affections Q. 23. III. What is that which you call God's Name imprinted on Mans Mind A. God made Man very good at first and that was in his own Image And so much of this is either left by the interposition of Grace in lapsed Nature or by common Grace restored to it as that all Men till utterly debauched would fain be accounted Good Pious Vertuous and Just and hate the imputation of Wickedness dishonesty and Badness And on the Regenerate the Divine Nature is so renewed as that their Inclination is towards God and HOLINESS TO THE LORD is written on all their Faculties And the Spirit of God moveth on the Soul to actuate all his Graces and to plead for God and our Redeemer and bring Him to our Remembrance to our Affections and to subject us wholly to his Will and Love And thus as the Law was written in Stone as to the Letter which is written only on tender fleshy Hearts as to the Spirit and Holy effect and disposition so the Name of God which is in the Bible in the Letter is by the same Spirit imprinted on Believers Hearts that is They have the Knowledge Faith Fear and Love of God Q. 24. How must we hallow this inward Name of God A. 1. By Reverencing and Loving God that is God's Image and Operations in us Not only God as glorified in Heaven but God as dwelling by Grace in Holy Souls must be remembred and reverenced by us 2. By living as in habitual Communion and Conversation with that God who dwelleth in us and who hath made us his Habitation by the Spirit 3. And by ready obeying the moving Operations of the Spirit for God And to contemn or resist these inward Ideas Inclinations and Motions is to prophane the Name of God Q. 25. But what is all this to the Sanctfying of God himself A. The Signs are but for him that is signified It is God himself that is to be admired Loved and Honoured as notified to us by these Signs or Name otherwise we make Idols of them In a Word God must be Esteemed Reverenced Loved Trusted and Delighted in Transcendently as God with affections proper to himself and this is to Sanctifie him by advancing him in our Heart in his Prerogative above all Creatures And all Creatures must be used respectively to this Holy End And specially those Ordinances and Names which are specially Separated to this use And nothing must be used as common and unclean especially in his Worship and Religious Acts. CHAP. XXVI Thy Kingdom come Qu. 1. WHy is this made the Second Petition A. To tell us that it must be the Second thing in our Desires We are to begin at that which is highest most excellent and ultimate in our Intentions and that is Gods Glory shining in all his Works and seen admired honoured and praised by Man which is the hallowing of his Name and the Holy Exalting him in our Thoughts Affections Words and Actions above all Creatures And we are next to desire that in which God's glory most eminently shineth And that is his Kingdom of Grace and Glory Q. 2. What is here meant by the Kingdom of God A. It is not that Kingdom which he hath over Angels and the innumerable glorious Spirits of the Heavenly Regions For these are much unknown to us and we know not that there is any Rebellion among them which needeth a Restoration But Man by Sin is fallen into Rebellion and under the Condemnation due to Rebels And by Christ the reconciling Mediator they are to be restored to their subjection to God and so to his Protection Blessing and Reward And because they are Sinners corrupt and guilty they cannot be Subjects as under the Primitive Law of Innocency And therefore God hath delivered them to the Mediator as his Vicegerent to be governed under a Law of healing Grace and so brought on to Perfect Glory So that the Kingdom of God now is his Reign over fallen Man by Christ the Mediator begun on Earth by Recovering Grace and perfected in heavenly Glory Q. 3. But the Scriptures sometimes speaks of the Kingdom of God as come already when Christ came or when he rose and ascended to his Glory and sometime as if it were yet to come at the great Resurrection Day A. In the first case the meaning is that the King of the Church is come and hath established his Law of Grace and Commissioned his Officers and sent forth his Spirit and so the Kingdom of healing Grace is come But in the second case the meaning is that all that Glorious Perfection which this Grace doth tend to which will be the Glory of the Church the Glory of Christ therein and the Glorification of Gods Love is yet to come Q. 4. What is it then which we here desire A. That God will enlarge and carry on the Kingdom of Grace in the World and bear down all that Rebells and hindereth it and particularly in our selves And that he would hasten the Kingdom of Glory Q. 5. Who is it then that is the King of this Kingdom A. GOD as the absolute Supream and Iesus Christ the Son of God and Man as the Supream Vicegerent and Administrator Q. 6. Who are the Subjects of this Kingdom A. There are three sorts of Subjects 1. Subjects only as to Obligation And so those without the Church are Rebellious obliged Subjects 2. Subjects by meer Profession And so all Baptized professing Christians
THE Catechizing OF FAMILIES A TEACHER OF HOUSHOLDERS HOW To Teach their Housholds Useful also to SCHOOL-MASTERS and Tutors of Youth For those that are past the common small Chatechisms and would grow to a more rooted Faith and to the fuller understanding of all that is commonly needful to a safe holy comfortable and profitable Life Written by RICHARD BAXTER in hope that Family and School-diligence may do much to keep up True Religion LONDON Printed for T. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside near Mercers-Chappel and B. Simmons at the Three Golden Cocks at the West end of St. Pauls 1683. The Reasons and Use of this BOOK MAN is born without Knowledge but not without a Capacity and faculty of Knowing this is his Excellency and Essence Nature Experience and Gods Word tell us the great necessity of Knowledge As the Souls essential form is the virtue of vital Action Understanding and Will conjunct so Holiness is Holy Life Light and Love conjunct The wisest men are the best and the best the wisest but a Counterfeit of Knowledge is the great deceiver of the World Millions take the Knowledge of bare Words with the Gramatical and Logical sence instead of the Knowledge of the things themselves which by these are signified as if the Glass would nourish without the Wine or the Dish without the Meat or the Cloathing or Skin were all the man God and Holiness and Heaven are better known by many serious unlearned Christians that cannot accurately dispute about them than by many Learned men who can excellently speak of that which their Souls are unacquainted with The Hipocrites Religion is but an Art the true Christians is a Habit which is a Divine Nature But yet the Words are signs by which we are helpt to know the things and must diligently be learned to that end and though men cannot reach the Heart God hath appointed Parents and Masters and Teachers to Instruct their Inferiours by words and hath written the Scripture to that use that by them his Spirit may teach or illuminate the Mind and renew the Heart God worketh on man as man and we must know by Signs till we know by intuition It is a thing well known that the Church aboundeth with Catechisms and Systemes of Divinity and doth there yet need more their scope and Substance is the same they differ most 1. In Choice of matter that there be nothing left out that is needful nor needless uncertainties and disputes put in 2. That the Method or Order of them be True agreeable to the matter and Sacred Scripture 3. And that they be not blotted with any drops of disgraceful Errour These are the requisites to desirable Catechisms No doubt but they should be sorted into three degrees suited to the Childhood Youth and maturer Age of Christians I. The Essentials of Christianity are all contained generally in Baptism this must be understood and therefore expounded the Creed Lords Prayer and Decalogue the Summaries of things to to be Beleived Desired in Hope and Practised were from the beginning taken for a good Exposition to those that were to be Baptized These three as Expounding Baptism are themselves a good Catechism the understanding of the Lords Supper being added for Communicants II. But here also Children will be childish and learn the words while they are mindless of the sence therefore an Explication of these in other words hath ever been thought a great part of the work of a Teaching Ministry whence the Ancients have left us their Expositions of the Creed c. But here the difficulty is made insuperable by the Learners indisposition if such a Catechism be short and much put in few words the vulgar cannot understand it if it be long and in many words they cannot learn and remember it III. For Remedy of this a Larger Catechism yet is needful not to be learnt without Book but to be a full Exposition of the Shorter which they learn that they may have recourse to this for a more full and particular understanding of a Shorter whose general words they can remember Accordingly having in my Poor Mans Family Book written two Catechisms of the former rank I here adde the third for those that have learned the two first Far am I from thinking that I have done any one of these to perfection I never yet saw a Catechism without some notable imperfection And no doubt mine are not free from such But while I avoid what I see amiss in others I hope God will illuminate some to do yet beter and to avoid what is amiss in mine The degree which yet pretendeth to greater accurateness in Method I have given in a Latine Methodus Theologiae The Uses for which I have written this are these I. For Masters of Families who should endeavour to raise their Children and Servants to a good degree of Knowledge I have divided it into short Chapters that on the Lords dayes or at nights when they have leisure the Master may read to them one Chapter at a time that is the Exposition of one Article of the Creed one Petition of the Lords Prayer and one Commandement Expounded II. For School-masters to cause their riper rank of Scholars to learn I am past doubt that it is a heinous Crime in the School-masters of England that they devote but one hour or two in a week to the learning of the Catechism while all the rest of the week is devoted to the learning of Lilly Ovid Virgil Horace Cicero Livy Terence and such like besides the loss and sinful omission it seduceth Youth to think that common Knowledge which is only Subsidiary and Ornamental is more excellent or necessary than to know God Christ the Gospel Duty and Salvation besides which all Knowledge further than it helpeth or serveth this is but fooling and doting and as dangerous diversion and perversion of the mind as grosser sensual delights He is not worthy the name of a Christian School-master who maketh it not his chief work to teach his Scholars the Knowledge of Christ and Life Everlasting III. But if they goe from the Countrey Schools before they are capable of the Larger Catechisms as to their great loss most make too much hast away why may not their next Tutors make it their chief work to train up their Pupils as the Disciples of Iesus and yet not neglect either Aristotle or any natural light To our present Universities I am not so vain as to offer such Instructions though to some small part of them I directed my Methodus Theologiae I learnt not of them and I presume not to make my self their Teacher Their late GUIDES their WORLDLY-INTEREST and their GENIUS have made my Writings odious to many even that which they like they will not read But I have oft with Lamentation wondered why Godly Ministers do no more of the work now appropriated to Universities for their own Sons Those men whose Church zeal would
Silver Psal. 41. 9. 55. 13 14. Zech. 11 12 13 and a Potters Field be bought with them all his Persecution and abuse and Sufferings are foretold Isa. 50. 6. 53. Psa. 69. 21. 22. 18. 118. 22. Isa. 6. 9. even â—o the Circumstances of giving him Vinegar casting Lots for his Garments suffering as a Malefactor Yea the very time is foretold Dan. 9. 25 26. And that then the second Temple should be destroyed II. The second part of the Spirits Testimony or the certain proof of Christian Truth is The Inherent constitutive Proof or Testimony in the unimitable Excellency of the Person and Gospel of Christ which is the Image and superscription of God The Person of Christ was of such excellency of Wisdom Goodness and power apparent in his Doctrine Works and Patience all sinless and full of Holy Love to God and Man as is not consistent with being the Deceiver of the World His Gospel in the very Constitution of it hath the impress of God He that hath the Spirit of God will find that in the Gospel which is so suitable to the Divine Nature as will make it the easier to him to believe it Angels preached the Summ of it Luke 2. 14. It is all but the fore-promised and prefigured Redemption of Man Historically delivered and the Doctrine Laws and Promises of saving Grace most fully promulgated It is the wonderful Revelation of the Power Wisdom and Goodness the Truth Justice and Holiness of God especially his Love to Man and of his marvellous design for the recovery Sanctifying and saving of Sinners and removing all the impediments of their Repentance and Salvation It is so wholly fitted to the Glorifying of God and the reparation of depraved Nature and the purifying and perfecting of Mans Soul to the guidance of Mens Lives in the wayes of true Wisdom Godliness Righteousness Soberness Mutual Love and Peace that Men may live profitably to others and live and die in the Sence of God's Love and in a safe and comfortable State that we may be sure so good a thing had a good Cause For had it been the device of Men they must have been very bad Men that would put Gods Name to it and tell so many Lies from Generation to Genration to deceive the World And it is not to be imagined that from Moses time to the writing of Iohn's Revelations there should arise a Succession of Men of such a strange self-contradicting Constitution as should be so good as to devise the the most Holy and Righteous and Self-denying Doctrines for the great good of Mankind and yet all of them so odiously wicked as to belye God and deceive Men and do all this good in so bad a manner with so bad a Heart And if any Blasphemer would Father it upon evil Spirits what a Contradiction would he speak As if Satan would promote the greatest good for the Honour of God and Benefit of Man while he is the greatest Hater of God and Man And as if he would devise a Doctrine to reproach himself and destroy his own Kingdom and bless Mankind and so were at once the best and the worst Indeed the Holy Scriptures do bear the very Image and Superscription of God in their Ends Matter and Manner and prove themselves to be his Word For God hath not given us external proofs that such a Book or Doctrine is his which is it self no better than humane Works and hath no intrinsick proof of its Divine Original But the intrinsick and extrinsick Evidences concurre What Book like the Sacred Scriptures hath taught the World the Knowledge of God the Creation of the World the End and Hope and Felicity of Man What the heavenly Glory is and how procured and how to be obtained and by whom How man became sinful and miserable And how he is recovered And what wonders of Love God hath shewn to Sinners to win their Hearts in Love to him What Book hath so taught Men to live by Faith and the hopes of Glory above all the Lusts of Sense and Flesh and to referr all things in this VVorld to Spiritual Holy and Heavenly Ends to Love others as our selves and to do good to all even to our Enemies to live in such Union and Communion and Peace as is caused by this Vital Grace of Love and not like a Heap of Sand that every spurn or blast of cross Interest will separate VVhat Book so teacheth Man to Love God above all and to pray to him praise him and absolutely obey him with constant pleasure and to trust him absolutely with Soul Body and Estate and cast all our care upon him and in a word to converse in Heaven while we are on Earth and to live as Saints that we may live as Angels Q. 14. But how few be there that do all this A. 1. I shall further answer that anon None do it in Perfection but all found Christians do it in Sincerity 2. But at present it is the perfection of the Doctrine of Christ and of the Sacred Scriptures that I am proving And it is not Mens breaking the Law that will prove that God made it not Q. 15. You have told me of the foregoing Testimony of the Spirit to Christ and the Gospel and of the Inherent Constitutive Testimony or Proof Is there any other A. Yes III. There is the Concomitant Testimony by the Works of Christ Nicodemus could say We know that thou art a Teacher come from God for no Man can do the Works that thou dost except God were with him Joh. 3. 2. He cleansed the Lepers with his word he cast out Devils he healed the Lame the Deaf the Blind yea that were born Blind he healed Palsies Feavers and all manner of sicknesses with a touch or a word he turned Water into Wine he fed twice many Thousands by Miracle he walkt on the Sea and made Peter do the same the Winds and Sea obeyed his Command he raised the Dead This course of Miracles were the most evident Testimony of God And he was brought into the World by Miracle Born of a Virgin Foretold and Named Iesus by an Angel Preached to Shepherds by Angels from Heaven a Star conducting the Eastern Wise-men to the place Iohn his foregoer named by an Angel and Zacharias struck dumb for not believing it Prophesied of by Anna and Simeon owned at his Baptism by the visible descent of the Spirit in the shape of a Dove and by a Voice of God from Heaven and the like again at his Transfiguration when Moses and Elias appeared with him and he did shine in Glory And at his Death the Earth trembled the Sun was obscured and the Air darkened and the Vail of the Temple rent But the fullest Evidence was Christs own Resurrection from the Dead his oft appearing to his Disciples after and conversing with them at times for Forty Dayes and giving them their Commission and promising them the Spirit and ascending
Church by the Apostolical Power Preaching Writings and Miracles and in the Sanctifying and helping all true Believers Q. 7. By this it seems there are many wayes of denying the Holy Ghost A. Yes 1. They deny him who deny his Godhead as the Third Person in the Blessed Trinity 2. They deny him who deny that the Miracles oâ— Christ and his Apostles were God's Testimony to Christ being convinced of the Trueth of the Facts 3. They deny him who deny the extraordinary qualifications of the Apostles and suppose them to have had but the prudence of ordinary honest Men. 4. They deny the Holy Ghost who deny the sacred Scriptures to be indited by him and to be true 5. They deny him who deny him to be the Sanctifier of God's Elect and feign Holiness to be bâ—â— conceit deceit or common Virtue Q. 8. But are all these the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost A. The unpardonable sin is called The Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost Mat. 12. And it is when Men are convinced that those Miracles were done and those gifts given which are God's attestation to Christ and his Gospel but they fixedly believe and say That they were all done by the power of the Devil by Conjuration and not by God and therfore notwithstanding them Christ was but a Deceiver And this sin is unpardonable because it rejecteth the only remedy The Spirits witness to the truth of Christ He that will not believe this Witness shall have no other Q. 9. But how may we know that we are Sanctifyed by the Spirit A. By that Holiness which he causeth 1. When our Understandings so know and believe the Truth and Goodness of the Gospel and its Grace as that we Practically esteem and prefer the Love of the Father the Grace of the Son and the Communion of the Holy Ghost and the heavenly Glory before all the Pleasures Profits and Honours of this World that stand against them and before Life it self 2. When Our Wills do with habitual Inclination and Resolution Love and Choose the same before all the said things that stand in competition 3. When in the course of our Lives we seek them first and hold them fastest in a time of Tryal forsaking the Flesh the World and the Devil so far as they are against them and living in sincere though not perfect Obedience to God Q. 10. Is the Spirit or the Scripture higher and the Rule of Faith and Life A. The Spirit as the Author of the Scripture is greater than the Scripture and the Scripture as the Word of the Spirit is the Rule of our Faith and Lives and greater than our Spiritual gifts The Spirit in the Apostles was given them to write when they had preached that Doctrine which is our Rule But the Spirit is not given to us to make a new Law or Rule but to believe Love and Obey that already made As under the Law of Moses God that made the Law was greateâ— than the Law But when God had made that Law their Rule he did not after that teach good Men to make another Law but to understand and obey that Q. 11. There are many that boast of the Spirit and Revelations how shall we try such whether their Spirits â—â— of God A. 1. If they pretend to do that which is fully done by the Spirit already that is to preach or write another Gospel or make a new Law for the Universal Church seeing this was the Prophetical extraordinary Office of Christ and the Spirit in the Apostleâ— such imply an accusation of insufficiency on Christs aâ—â— the Spirits Law or Rule and arrogate a power never given them and so are false Prophets 2. If they contradict the written Word of God which is certainly Sealed by God's Spirit already â—â— must needs be by an evil Spirit For God's Spirit doth not contradict it self Q. 12. But had not the Priests under the Law tâ—â— Spirit of God as well as Moses that gave them tâ—â— Law A. Moses only and Aaron under him had God Revelation to make the Law And the Priests only to keep it teach it and rule by it And so it is as tâ— the Apostles of Christ and the succeeding Ministry Q. 13. But might not Kings then make Religioâ— Laws A. Yes to determine such circumstances as Goâ— had only given them a General Law for and left to be determined by them but not to make new Laws of the same kind with Gods nor to add to or alter them Q. 14. But were there not Prophets after Moses that had the Spirit A. Yes But they were not Legislators but sent with particular Mandates Reproofs or Consolations save only David and Solomon who had directions from God himself not to make a new Law of God but to order things about the Temple and its Worship So if any Man now pretend to a Prophetical Revelation it must not be Legislative to the Catholick Church nor against Scripture but about particular Persons Acts and Events and it must be proved by Miracle or by Success before another is bound to believe him Q. 15. Must I take every motion in me to be by the Holy Ghost which is agreeable to the Word of God or for doing what is there commanded A. Yes if it be according to that Word for the Matter End Manner Time and other circumstances But Satan can transform himself into an Angel of Light and mind us of some Text or Truth to misapply it and put us on Meditation Prayer or other duty at an unseasonable Time when it would do more hurt than good or in an ill manner or to ill Ends He can move Men to be fervent Reprovers or Preachers or Rulers that were never called to it but are urged by him and the Passion and Pride of their own Hearts And good Men in some mistakes know not what manner of spirit they are of CHAP. XVIII The Holy Catholick Church Qu. 1. HOw is this Article joyned to the former A. This Article hath not been alwayes in the Creed in the same order and words as now But the belief of a Holy Church was long before it was called Catholick And it is joyned as part of our Belief of the Work of the Holy Ghost and the Redemption wrought by Christ Christ by his death purchaseth and the Holy Ghost gathereth the Holy Catholick Church It were defective to believe Christs Purchase and the Holy Ghost's Sanctification and not know for whom and on whom it is done To Sanctifie is to Sanctifie some Persons and so to make them the Holy Society or Christian Church Q. 2. What is a Church A. The Name is applied to many sorts of Assemblies which we need not name to you But here it signifieth The Christian Society Q. 3. Why is it called Catholick A. Catholick is a Greek word and signifieth Universal It is called Catholick because 1. It is not as the Iews Church confined to one Nation but comprehendeth all
2. To shew us in the blessed effect that the Sanctification of the Spirit is not a Fancy but a Holy Church is renewed and saved by it 3. To tell us that God forsaketh not the Earth though he permit Ignorance Infidelity and Wickedness to abound and Malice to persecute the Truth still God hath a Holy Church which he will preserve and save And though this or that Church may apostatize and cease there shall be still a Catholick Church on Earth 4. To mind us of the wonderful Providence of God which so continueth and preserveth a Holy People hated by open Enemies and wicked Hypocrites by Satan and all his Instrments on Earth 5. To teach us to love the Unity of Christians and carefully maintain it and not to tear the Church by the Engins of proud Mens needless Snares nor to be rashly censorious of any or excommunicate them unjustly nor to separate from any further than they separte from Christ but to rejoice in our common Union in Christian Faith and Love and not let wrongs or infirmities of Christians or Carnal Interests or Pride or Passion nor different Opinions about things not necessary to our Unity destroy our Love or Peace or break this holy bond CHAP. XIX The Communion of Saints Qu. 1. HOw is this Article joyned to the former A. As it belongs to our Belief in the Holy Ghost it tells us the effect of his Sanctification And as it belongs to our belief of the holy catholick Church it tells us the end of Church Relation that Saints may live in a holy Communion Q. 2. What is it to be a Saint A. To be separated from a common and unclean Conversation unto God and to be absolutely devoted to him to Love serve and trust him and hope for his Salvation Q. 3. Are all Saints that are members of the catholick Church A. Yes by Profession if not in sincerity All that are sincere and living members of the Church are really devoted to God by Heart-consent and the rest are devoted by Baptism and outward Profession and are Hypocrites pretending falsly to be real Saints Q. 4. Why then doth the Church of Rome Canonize some few and call them Saints if all Christians be Saints A. By Saints they mean extraordinary Saints But their appropriating the Name to such much tendeth to delude the People as if they might be saved though they be not Saints Q. 5. What is meant by the Communion of Saints A. Such a frame and practice of Heart and Life towards one another as supposeth Union such as is between the Members of the Body Q. 6. Wherein doth this Communion consist A. 1. In their common Love to God Faith in Christ and Sanctification by the Spirit 2. In their Love to one another as themselves 3. In their care for one anothers welfare and endeavour to promote it as their own and when Love makes all their goods so far common to all Christians within their converse as that they do to their power supply their wants in the order and measure that Gods Providence and their Relations and Acquaintance direct them preferring the relief of others necessities before their own superfluity or fulness 4. In their joyning as with one Mind and Soul and Mouth in Gods publick Worship and that in the holy Order under their respective Pastors which Christ by his Spirit in the Apostles hath instituted Q. 7. Why is our joyning in the Lords Supper called our Communion A. Because it is a special Symbol Badge and Expression of it instituted by Christ to signifie our Communion with him and one another Q. 8. Is that to be only a Communion of Saints A. Yes that in a special manner is appropriated to Saints Other parts of Communion as eating together relieving each other duties of Relation c. are so far to be used towards Unbelievers that they are not so meet to be the distinguishing Symbols of Christians But the two Sacraments Baptism for Entrance and the Lords Supper for continuance of Communion Christ hath purposely appointed for such Badges or Signs of his People as separate from the World Q. 9. By what Order are others to be kept from Church-communion A. Christ hath instituted the Office of the Sacred Ministry for this end that when they have made Disciples to him they may be entrusted with the Keyes of his Church that is especially the Administration of these Sacraments first judging who is fit to be entred by Baptism and then who is fit for continued Communion Q. 10. May not the Pastors by this means become Church-Tyrants A. We must not put down all Government for fear of Tyranny else Kingdoms Armies Colledges Schools must be all dissolved as well as Churches some body must be trusted with this Power and who is fitter than they who are called to it as their Office and therefore supposed best qualified for it Q. 11. What if none were trusted with it and Sacraments left free to all A. Then Sacraments would be no Sacraments and the Church would be no Church If any man or woman that would might baptize whom and when they would they might baptize Turks and Heathens and that over and over who come in Scorn and they might baptize without a Profession of true Faith or upon a false Profession And if every man might give the Lords Supper to another it might be brought into Alehouses and Taverns in merrymerit or as a Charm or every Infidel or Enemy might in scorn profane it Do you think that if Baptism and the Lords Supper were thus administred that they would be any Symbols or Badges of Christianity or of a Church or any means of mens Salvation No Christians ever dreamt of such Profanation Q. 12. But why may not the Pastors themselves give them to all that will A. Either you would have them forced to do so or to do it freely If forced they are no Judges who is fit And who then shall be Judge If the Magistrate you make him a Pastor and oblige him to teach examine hear and try all the Peoples Knowledge Faith and Lives which will find them work enough And this is not to depose the Ministers power but to put it on another that hath more already than he can do And a Pastor then that delivereth the Sacrament to every one that the Magistrate bids him shall be a Slave and not a free performer of the acts of his own Office unless that Magistrate try and judge and the Minister be but a Deacon that must give account for no more than the bare delivering it But if it be the Receivers of Baptism or the Lords Supper that shall be Judges and may force the Pastor to give it them I have shewed you already the profanation will make it no Sacrament nor Church And if Pastors that are Judges shall freely give them to all they will be the Profaners and such Ministration will confound the Church and
29. But if Bishops judge that Civil Magistrates are bound to destroy or punish Hereticks Schismaticks or Sinners are not such Magistrates thereby bound to do it A. They are bound to do their duty whoever is their Monitor But if Prelates bid them sin they sin by obeying them Nor may a Magistrate punish a Man meerly because Bishops judge him punishable without trying the Cause themselves Q. 30. But if it be not of Divine Institution that all the Church on Earth should have one Governing Unifying Head Monarchical or Aristocratical is it not meet as suited to humane Prudence A. Christ is the builder of his own Church or House and hath not left it to the Wit or Will of Man to make him a Vicegerent or an Unifying Head or Ruler of his whole Church that is to set up an Usurper against him under his own Name which is Naturally uncapable of the Office Q. 31. But sure Unity is so excellent that we may conceive God delighteth in all that promoteth it A. Yes And therefore he would not leave the Terms of Unity to the Device of Men in which they will never be of a mind nor would he have Usurpers divide his Church by imposing impossible Terms of Unity Must God needs make one Civil Monarch or Senate to be the Unifying Governour of all the Earth as one Kingdom because he is a lover of Unity The World is politically Unified by one God and Soveraign Redeemer as this Kingdom is by one King and not by one Civil humane Supream Ruler Personal or Collective Men so mad as to dream of one Unifying Church Governing Monarch or Aristocracy are the unfittest of all Men to pretend to such Government Q. 32. At least should we not extend this Unifying Government as far as we can even to Europe if not to all the World A. Try first one Unifying Civil Government Monarchical or Aristocracitical for Europe and call Princes Schismaticks as these Men do us for refusing to obey it and try the success 2. And who shall make this European Church-Soveraign And by what Authority and limit his Kingdom 3. And what is all this to do To make better Laws than Christs When were any so mad as to say that all Europe must have one Soveraign Person or Colledge of Physicians School-masters Philosophers or Lawyers to avoid Schism among them 4. Is not Agreement by Voluntary consent a better way to keep Civil and Ecclesiastical Unity in Europe than to have one Ruling King Senate or Synod over all Councils are for voluntary concord and not the Soveraign Rectors of theiâ— Brethren Q. 33. But are not National Churches necessary A. No doubt but Christ would have Nations discipled baptized and obey him And Kings to govern them as Christian Nations and all men should endeavour that whole Nations may be Christians and the Kingdoms of the World be voluntarily the Kingdoms of Christ. But no man can be a Christian against his will Nor hath Christ ordained that each Kingdom shall have one Sacerdotal Head Monarchical or Aristocratical But Princes Pastors and People must promote Love Unity and Concord in their several places Q. 34. So much for Gods publick Kingdom on Earth But is there not also a Kingdom of God in every Christians Soul A. One mans Soul is not fitly called A Kingdom But Christ as King doth govern every faithful Soul Q. 35. What is the Government of each Believer A. It is Christs Ruling us by the Laws which he hath made for all his Church proclaimed and explained and applyed by his Ministers and imprinted on the Heart by his holy Spirit and judging accordingly Q. 36. What is the Kingdom of Glory A. It hath two degrees The first is the Glorious reign of our Glorified Redeemer over this World and over the Heavenly City of God before its Perfection which began at the time of Christs Ascension his Resurrection being the Proeme and endeth at the Resurrection 2. The perfect Kingdom of Glory when all the Elect shall be perfected with Christ and his work of Redemption finished which begins at the Resurrection and shall never end Q. 37. What will be the state of that Glorious Kingdom A. It containeth the full Collection of all Gods Elect who shall be perfected in Soul and Body and employed in the perfect Obedience Love and Praise of God in perfect Love and Communion with each other and all the blessed Angels and their Glorified Redeemer and this is in the sight of his Glory and the Glory of God and in the continual joyful sence of his Love and essential Infinite Perfection All imperfection sin temptation and suffering being for ever ceased Q. 38. But some think this Kingdom will be begun on Earth a Thousand Years before the General Resurrection and some think that after the Resurrection it will be on Earth A. This very Prayer puts us in hope that there are yet better things on Earth to be expected than the Church hath yet enjoyed For when Christ bids us pray that His Name may be hallowed his Kingdom come and his Will done on Earth as it is done in Heaven we may well hope that some such thing will be granted for he hath promised to give us whatever we ask according to his Will in the Name of Christ And he hath not bid us pray in vain But whether there shall be a Resurrection of thâ—… Martyrs a thousand years before the general Resurrection or whether there shall be only a Reformation by a holy Magistracy and Ministry and how far Christ will manifest himself on Earth â—… confess are Questions too hard for for me to determine He that is truly devoted to Christ shall have his part in his Kingdom though much be now unknown to him of the Time Place and Manner And as to the Glory after the General Resurrection certainly it will be Heavenly for we shalâ—… be with Christ and like to the Angels And thâ—… Nâ—w Ierusalem being the Universality of the Blessâ—… how with Christ may well be said to come doâ—… from Heaven in that he will bring all the Blessâ—… with him and in the Air with them will judge tâ—… World But whether only a New Generation shâ—… inhabit the New Earth and the Glorified rule theâ—… as Angels now do or whether Heaven and Eartâ—… shall be laid common together or Earth made â—… Glorious as Heaven I know not But the perfect knowledge of Gods Kingdom â—… proper to them that enjoy it Therefore even wâ—… who know it but imperfectly must daily pray thaâ—… it may come that we may perfectly know it wheâ—… we are perfected therein CHAP. XXVII Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven Qu. 1. VVHy is this made the Third Petition A. Because it must be the Third in our Desires I told you this Prayer in perfect Method beginneth at that which must be the first in our Intention and that is God's Interest as above our own which is consistent
Savages are who are taught by nature to set bounds to lust And besides all this the very Lust it self thus increased by lawless liberty would so corrupt mens Minds and Fantasies and Affections into a sordid beastly Sensuality that it would utterly indispose them to all spiritual and heavenly yea and manly employments of Heart and Life men will grow sottish and stupid unfit to consider of Heavenly things and uncapable of Holy pleasures Q. 5. But if these evil consequents be all then a man that can moderately use Fornication so as shall avoid these evils sinneth not A. Sin is the breach of Gods Law These mischiefs that would follow lawless lust shew you that God made this Law for the welfare of Mankind But Gods own Wisdom and Will is the Original reason of his Law and must satisfie all the World But were there none but this forementioned to avoid the Worlds confusion and ruine it was needful that God set a Law to Lust And when this is done for the Common good it is not lest to man to break Gods Law whenever he thinks he can avoid the consequents and secure the end of the Law For if men be left to such liberty as to judge when they may keep Gods Law and when they may break it lust will alwayes find a reason to excuse it and the Law will be in vain The World needed a regulating Law and Gods Law must not be broken Q. 6. Which are the most hainous sorts of filthyness A. Some of them are scarce to be named among Christians 1. Sodomy 2. Copulation with Bruits 3. Incest sinning thus with near kindred 4. Rapes or forcing Women But the commonest sorts are Adultery Fornication self-Pollution and the filthiness of the thoughts and affections and the words and actions which partake of the Pollution Q. 7. Why is Adultery so great a sin A. Besides the foresaid evils that are Common to it and Fornication it is a perfidious violation of the Marriage Covenant and destroyes the conjugal Love of Husband and Wife and confoundeth Progeny and as is aforesaid corrupteth Family order and humane Education Q. 8. Why may not a man have many Wives now as the Jews had A. As Christ saith of Putting away From the beginning it was not so but it was permitted for the hardness of their Hearts that their Seed might be multiplyed in which they placed their chief prosperity And that we may not think worse of them than they were as God hath taught the very Bruits to use Copulation no ofter than is necessary to Generation so it is probable by many passages of Scripture that it was so ordinarily then with men and consequently that they that had many Wives used them not so often as now too many do one and did not multiply Wives so much for Lust as for Progeny Q. 9. But is no ofter use of Husband and Wife lawful than for Generation A. Yes in Case of necessitating Lust But such a measure of Lust is to be accounted inordinate either as sin or a disease and not to be causlesly indulged though this remedy be allowed it Q. 10. But why may not many Wives be permitted now as well as then A. 1. No man can either dispense with Gods Laws or forgive sin against them but God himself If he forbear men in a sin that doth not justifie it 2. If a few men and many Women were cast upon a Wilderness or sent to plant it by Procreation the case were liker the Israelites where the Men were ofter kill'd by Wars and Gods Judgments than the Women But with us there is no pretence for the like Polygamy but it would confound and disquiet Families If one should make a difficult case of it whether a Prince that hath a Barren Wife may not take another for the safety of a Kingdom when it is in notorious danger of falling into the hands of a destroyer as Adams own Sons and Daughters lawfully marryed each other because there were no others in the World this would be no excuse where no such publick notorious necessity can be pleaded Q. 11. Why must marriage be a publick act A. Because else Adultery and unlawful Separations cannot be known nor punished but Confusion will come in Q. 12. But is it not Adultery that is committed against secret Marriage which was never published or legally Solemnized A. Yes Secret consent makes a Marriage before God though not before the World and the violation of it is Adultery before God Q. 13. May not a man put away his Wife or depart from her if she seek his death or if she prove utterly intolerable A. While he is Governour he hath divers other Remedies first to be tryed A Bedlam must be used as a Bedlam And no doubt but if he have just cause to fear poysoning or other sort of Murder he may secure his life against a Wife as well as against an Enemy Christ excepted not that case because Nature supposeth such Exceptions Q. 14. But if utter unsuitableness make their Cohabitation an insuperable temptation or intolerable misery may they not part by consent for their own good seeing it is their mutual good which is the end of Marriage A. 1. The publick good is a higher end of all mens worldly Interests and Actions than their own And when the Example would encourage unlawful Separators they must not seek their own ease to the publick detriment 2. And if it be their own sinfull distempers which maketh them unsuitable God bindeth them to amend and not to part And if they neglect not his Grace he will help them to do what he commandeth And it 's in his way and not their own by the Cure of their sin and not by indulging it that they must be healed But as the Apostle saith in another Case if the faulty Person depart and the other cannot help it a Brother or Sister is not left in Bondage but may stay till the allay of the Distemper incline them to return Q. 15. What is inward heart Fornication or Uncleanness A. 1. Inordinate filthy thoughts are some degree 2. Inordinate desires are a higher degree 3. Inordinate contrivance and consent are yet a higher And when such thoughts and desires become the ordinary Inhabitants of the Soul and pollute it when they lie down and when they rise and shut out holy and sober thoughts and become a filthy habit in the Mind then the degree is so great as that an unclean Devil hath got great advantage if not a kind of possession of the Imagination and the Soul Q. 16. Which way are the other senses guilty of this sin A. 1. When an ungoverned Eye is suffered to fetch in lustfull thoughts and desires into the mind 2. Much more when to such immodest or unchasâ—e Looks there is added immodest Actions and dalliance unfit to be named 3. And when fleshly Appetite and Ease do bring in fewel to unchaste incliâ—ations 4. And