there are wandring wicked thoughts with some liking though we reiect them Hither may be referred first vaine sudden wishes then dreames which haue some euill in them and yet are not from any liking of those things when a man is awake but which a man when he is awake misliketh Q. So much of the Commandement What is the vse of it A. It teacheth vs more then all other Commandements of the second table doe that wee are miserable and wretched by nature subiect to the curse and wrath of God CHAP. 26. Of the summe of the Law The summe of the Law consisteth in the loue of God with all the powers of our Soule in 1. Vnderstanding Iudgement Memorie 2. Will affectiō Body Our neighbour which is like to the first LVKE chap. 10. vers 27. Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy strength and with all thy mind and thy neighbour as thy selfe Q. HAuing spoken of all the ten Commandements tell me what is the summe of all A. Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart Luk. 10. 27. with all thy mind and with all thy vnderstanding and thy neighbour as thy selfe taken out of Deut. 6. 5. and Leuit. 19. 18. Q. VVhat is the summe of this summe A. Loue which consisteth of two heads to wit the loue of God and of our neighbour 1. Ioh. 5. 2. 1. Tim. 1. 4. 5. Q. VVhat vse is there of this short summe A. It furthereth vs in the twofold vse of the Law before spoken of for first it will be a meanes the more to humble vs and so the more effectually to driue vs to Christ because when all our sinnes are gathered and mustered into one troope or heape they will appeare the greater and cast vs downe the more as a man owing sundrie debts vnto diuers or vnto one man in the particulars is confident of his ability to pay all as long as he heareth they are all but smal sums but hearing the whole summe despaireth of the paiment of it Secondly it helpes vs much in our obedience to the Law for by this as by a glasse wee may the easier see and being shortly contriued we may the better remember our whole dutie both to God and man this being as a Card or Map of a Countrey easily carried about with vs. Q. What is it to loue the Lord with all our heart and all our mind and all our strength A When the whole man yeeldeth simple obedience vnto him in all the powers both of soule and body As when the vnderstanding doth perfectly comprehend all things that God would haue vs to know when in iudgement we thinke aright of them when the memorie accordingly retaineth them when in our wils and affections we perfectly loue al knowne good and perfectly hate all knowne euill and when all the members parts and graces of the body as beauty strength c. are wholly employed in the seruice of God and in the doing of his will Q. What is it to loue our neighbour as our selues A. When that which we would that men should Mat. 7. 12. doe to vs we doe to them Q. Is it not possible for a man to doe all this A. No for wee are ignorant of many things and those which we know we know but in part and that which we know we iudge not aright of nor remember as wee ought And as for will and affections they are a great deale shorter then our knowledge And the wandring of our eyes in the hearing of the Word and other parts of Gods seruice doth easily bewray the small obedience and conformity of the rest of the members and parts of the body To conclude if wee doe but examine our soules how wee stand affected to our enemies to strangers to common men to them wee know yea to our dearest friends we shall finde that we herein come short of any such affection to our neighbour which as it is so much lesse then the former by how much man is inferiour to God so wee being not able to accomplish it are much lesse able to accomplish the other And therefore the righteousnesse of the Papist is a rotten righteousnesse and such as will neuer stand before the iudgment seate of God Q. Seeing then that the whole summe and maine end of the Law is Loue what gather you thereof 1. Tim. 1. 4. 5. A. That which the Apostle exhorteth vnto viz. to leaue all idle questions as vnprofitable and to deale in those matters onely which further the practice of loue Q. Why is the loue of God called the first and greatest Commandement A. Because wee should chiefly and in the first place regard our duties to God and be most carefull 1. Ioh. 4. 20. to vnderstand his will and to worship him Q. Why is the second Table said to be like vnto the first A. For that they go so hand in hand together that no man can performe the one vnlesse hee accomplish the other which the Apostle Iohn plainly teacheth 1. Ioh. 15. 2. Q. What is to bee said of those that seeme to keepe the one and care not for the other A. If they seeme to serue God and are not in charity they are meere hypocrites and if they will seeme to deale vprightly with their neighbour and haue not the loue of God in them they are prophane politicks and very Atheists Q. Hitherto of the Couenant of workes what is the maine vse of all the doctrine hereof A. To shew that wee cannot thereby attaine vnto Reconciliation with God and life euerlasting by reason of our corruption and the infirmity of our flesh Rom. 8. 3. For we hauing on our part broke this Couenant God cannot without iniustice iustifie vs by this Couenant and consequently wee cannot bee saued thereby Q. But why then is it called a Couenant seeing it is in the nature of a Couenant to reconcile those that are at variance as is to be seene in the example of Abraham and Abimelech Laban and Iacob Gen. 21. 27. and 31. 44. A. Although it bee not able to reconcile vs yet it maketh way to reconciliation by another Couenant Neither is it meet strictly to bind Gods couenant with men to the same lawes that the couenants of one man with another are bound vnto for amongst men the weaker seeketh reconciliation at the hands of the Luk. 14. 31. 32. 2. Cor. 5. 20. mightier But God who neither can be hurt or benefited by vs seeketh vnto vs for peace CHAP. 27. Of the Couenant of Grace In the Couenant of Grace is to be considered First The parts Gods act with vs. Ours with God The sorts the Old Testament New Secondly the foundation thereof Christ Iesus Chap. 28. IER chap. 31. vers 31. 32. 33. 34. 31 Behold the daies come saith the Lord that I will make a new couenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Iudah
which brought thee out of the land of Egypt thou must then keepe all my Commandements but I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt therefore thou must keepe all my Commandements Q. How can this belong vnto vs which are not Israel A. Though we bee not Israel in name or according to the flesh yet we are the true Israel of God according to the Spirit and promise God also by this Leuit. 26. 4-10 Deut. 28. 13. 13. stile doth cleerely distinguish himselfe from all Idols whatsoeuer Q. Why doth the Lord make choyce of that benefit which seemeth nothing at all to belong vnto vs rather then of any other wherein we communicate with them A. First because it is the manner of God to allure the Israelites to whom the Law was giuen at the first as children with temporall benefits hauing respect to their infirmity and childhood wheras we are blessed of God with greater knowledge and therefore in respect of them are as it were at mans estate Secondly because it was fittest to expresse the spirituall deliuerie from Satan by Christ which was thereby after a sort represented and so it belongeth no lesse if not more to vs then to them And thirdly we hauing been freed from the slauerie of our bloody enemies whereunto we were so neere more then once and vnto whom we iustly haue deserued to haue been inthralled and it being the common case of all Gods children to be in continuall danger of the like and to feele the like goodnesse of God towards them wee may also make vse of this title and esteeme it a bond also for vs vnto God Fourthly because it was the latest benefit the sweetnesse whereof was yet as it were in their mouth And herein the Lord had a respect vnto our corrupt nature who are ready to forget old benefits how great soeuer Q. So much of the Preface How are the Commandements diuided A. Into two Tables whereof the first containe our duties to God in the four first Commandements and the other those to our neighbour in the six other Commandements Q. What are those towards God A. Such as concerne his worship and therefore to bee preferred before the other towards our neighbour Q. How may that be shewed A. By the inequality of the persons offended God and man then also by the punishments assigned in the Scripture for the breaches of the first Table are to be more seuerely punished then the breaches of the second As he that reuileth the Magistrate shall beare his sinne but he that blasphemeth God shall bee stoned â— Sam. 2. 25. to death Which serueth to discouer the craftie practices of the Papists who would make men beleeue that the chiefest and most meritorious good Workes of all required in the Law of God are the workes of the second Table as Charity almes-deeds thereby deceiuing the people to enrich themselues Q. Are all the duties of the first Table greater then all the duties of the second A. Yea if the comparison be equally made as if the chiefe of the first Table bee compared with the chiefe of the second the middle duties of the one with the middle duties of the other and the last and least of the former with the last and least of the latter otherwise not For if the murther of a man be compared with the least abuse of the name of God it is a greater sinne then it so is Adulterie being in comparison set against the least breach of the Sabbath Q. How is this Worship of God diuided A. Into Inward only and Outward also Q. Where is the Inward Worship commanded A. In the first Commandement CHAP. 15. Of the first Commandement The 1. Commandement is of the inward worship of God in the Vnderstanding Knowledge Faith Wil and affection aboue all to Loue him Feare him Reuerence him EXOD. 20. 3. Thou shalt haue no other Gods before mee Q. WHat is the first Commandement A. Thou shalt haue no other gods before mee Q. What is the dutie required in this Commandement A. The inward worship of God as appeareth by the words before me that is that whereof I alone take notice Where wee must take heede wee imagine no likenesse of God thereby setting vp an Idoll in our hearts which wee shall doe if wee liken him to any thing whatsoeuer subiect to the sense or imagination of man Q. Wherein consisteth the inward worship of God A. In two things according to the inward man first in the vnderstanding 2. In the will and affections Q. VVhat is required in the Vnderstanding A. The knowledge of God and of his Attributes 1. Chron. 28. 9. properties and actions so farre forth as he hath reuealed himselfe in his word and workes Secondly Faith John 17. 3. both in beleeuing the things that are written of him and applying to our selues his promises Q. VVhat is contrary to this A. Confidence and trust in our selues or in our Ierem. 17. 5. Psal 62. 10. friends honour wisedome money learning or credit c. which are but meanes giuen vs of God whereby to glorifie him the better Q. What is our duty to him in regard of these and all other good meanes A. First to trust in God no lesse when wee haue them then when we want them Secondly by hope Iohn 13. 15. patiently to attend for al things that we need at Gods hands not onely when we haue the meanes but also when we want all apparant meanes as was the condition of the Israelites in the desert yea when the meanes shall seeme contrary as it was in the case of the Psalm 37. 7. 22. 4. 5. Dan. 3. 17. 18. three companions of Daniel of Daniel himselfe and as Iob profest he would do saying I will trust in God although Iob. 13. 15. he kill me Thirdly by humility to cast our selues downe before God acknowledging our insufficiency in our selues and therewith also to season all our behauiour both towards God and man Contrary whereunto is presumption whereby wee vse to glorie and boast of our selues and our owne strength and goodnesse Q. VVhat is required in the will and affections A. In the will and affections is required first to loue Deut. 6. 5. God that as wee know and beleeue that hee is good yea the chiefest good so wee loue him aboue all John 14. 15. 21. 23. Psal 119. 97. which loue for that we cannot loue God in himself is then in truth in vs when wee loue his word and Commandements Q. What is contrary to this loue of God A. Such a loue of our selues and of worldly 1. John 2. 15. Exod. 32. 32. Rom. 9. 3. pleasures as causeth vs to leaue those duties vndone which God requireth of vs whereas the true loue of God will moue vs with Moses and Paul to wish our selues accursed rather then that the glory of God should any thing at all be stained by vs. Q.
all kind of delicates flesh and that which commeth of flesh only excepted so that the fastings of the one and the other is but a fulnesse and the latter may be more truly said to feast then to fast Q. Wherein else doth this outward abstinence consist A. In wearing of old homely and meaner apparell a Exod. 33. 4. 5. Ionas 3. 6. also in ceasing from labour on the day of the fast to the end we may the better attend vnto the holy exercises b Leuit. 23. 28. 30. 31. 32. Numb 29. 7. vsed in fasting and this abstinence is required of all that celebrate the fast but c Ioel 2. 16. 1. Cor. 7. 5. of married persons there is further required a forbearance also of the companie each of others Q. Is there any necessity of this outward abstinence A. Yea as the words of our Sauiour in this place do declare who saith that the time shall come when his Disciples shall fast For euen after the ascension of Christ when the graces of Gods spirit were most abundant vpon them they should need this exercise Q. What may be noted by the way from this that our Sauiour would not haue his Disciples fast till after his ascension A. His kindnesse and care ouer their weaknesse that would suffer no great trouble or cause of fasting to befall them before they had strength to vndergoe the same and to make a right vse thereof Q. They then that are sicke and weake are not tied to this strict abstinence A. No they may take somewhat for necessarie sustenance thereby to be better inabled to serue God in the day of the fast prouided that they doe not abuse this liberty to the satisfying of the flesh Q. What are the spirituall affections A. First a Leuit. 23. 27. 29. Iudg. 20. 26. Neh. 1. 4. Ioel. 2. 12. 13. Mat. 9. 15. speciall anguish and griefe of our harts conceiued for our sinnes and the iudgements of God due vnto them grounded vpon the meditation of the Law and threats of God secondly a speciall sorrow for those speciall iudgements of God that are vpon vs or are likely to fall vpon vs with a holy feare of the encrease or continuance of them without speciall humiliation and repentance Where we may by the way note the great abomination in Poperie for in stead of being truly humbled in soule the Papists in the day of their fast b Esay 58. 3. pride themselues and lift vp their hearts thinking they deserue some great matter at Gods hand for their very outward abstinence Q. VVhat are the spirituall exercises vpon this day A. First an acknowledgement and profession of our vnworthinesse of any blessing or benefit from God either concerning this life or the life to come and of our worthinesse of all iudgements and calamities euen death it selfe which by the abstinence aforesaid wee testifie and which the holy Fathers in times past did signifie by putting ashes or dust vpon their Iohn 3. 8. Esay 58. 4. heads Ester 4. 1. Lament 2. 10. Dan. 9. 3. The truth whereof remaineth still although the ceremonie bee not vsed Secondly earnest and strong crying and calling vpon the name of God for mercy grounded vpon the meditation of the promises of God touching the remouing of our sins that iudgement that is vpon vs for them and for the bestowing of such gifts and graces vpon vs as wee stand in need of Thirdly an humble carefull harkening vnto such parts of Gods word as may further vs in the affections and exercises Q. Thus much of the exrcise of fasting in generall What are the kinds thereof A. Two either publike or priuate Q. What is the publike A. It is when for a generall cause the Churches do fast and it is either more publike when all or many Churches fast generally or lesse publike when some Ionah 3. 7. Iudg. 20. 26. Ierem. 36. 9. Ioel 14. 2. 17. Dan. 9. 3. Neh. 1. 4. particular Church is humbled by fasting Q. What is the priuate fast A. It is either lesse priuate as when a particular house or more priuate when a particular person is humbled in fasting CHAP. 42. Of a holy Feast Where of The parts consisting in Certaine duties To God Man Friends Poore Liberall vse of food and apparell The sorts Publike Priuate ESTER chap. 9. vers 17. 18 c. 17. On the thirteenth day of the moneth Adar and on the fourteenth day of the same rested they and made it a day of feasting and gladnesse 18. But the Iewes that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof and on the fourteenth thereof and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested and made it a day of feasting and gladnesse 19. Therefore the Iewes of the villages that dwelt in the vnwalled townes made the fourteenth day of the moneth Adar a day of gladnesse and feasting and a good day and of sending portions one to another 20. And Mordecai wrote these things and sent letters vnto all the Iewes that were in all the prouinces of the king Ahassuerus both nigh and farre 21. To stablish this among them that they should keepe the fourteenth day of the moneth Adar and the fifteenth day of the same yeerely 22. As the dayes wherein the Iewes rested from their enemies and the moneth which was turned vnto them from sorrow to ioy and from mourning into a good day that they should make them daies of feasting and ioy and of sending portions one to another and gifts to the poore 23. And the Iewes vndertooke to doe as they had begun and as Mordecai had written vnto them 24. Because Haman the sonne of Hammedatha the Agagite the enemie of all the Iewes had deuised against the Iewes to destroy them and had cast Pur that is the lot to consume them and to destroy them 25. But when Ester came before the King he commanded by letters that his wicked deuice which hee deuised against the Iewes should returne vpon his owne head and that hee and his sonnes should be hanged on the gallowes 26. Wherefore they called these dayes Purim after the name of Pur therfore for all the words of this letter of that which they had seene concerning this matter and which had come vnto them 27. The Iewes ordained and tooke vpon them and vpon their seed and vpon all such as ioyned themselues vnto them so as it should not faile that they would keepe these two daies according to their writing and according to their appointed time euery yeere 28. And that these daies should bee remembred and kept throughout euery genereation euery family euery prouince and euery city and that these daies of Purim should not faile from among the Iewes nor the memoriall of them perish from their seed 29. Then Ester the Queene the daughter of Abihail and Mordecai the Iew wrote with all authority to confirme this second letter of Purim 30. And he sent the letters
outward meanes we pray for A. Those whereby the spirit is conueyed viz. the word and the dependances thereof the Sacraments and discipline of the Church Q. What pray we for concerning the word A. That it being a Psal 110. 1. Esay 11. 4. Mark 1. 14. the scepter of Christs kingdome b Mat. 13. 19. and called the word of the kingdom and the kingdome of heauen c Mat. 9. 38. 2. Thess 3 1. 2. may be plentifully and freely preached euery where And that that onely hauing place all traditions and inuentions of men may be reiected Q. What pray we for concerning the Sacraments A. That as they are the seales of Gods promises and of the couenant of grace so they may bee both ministred and receiued in that purenesse and sincerity which is according to his word and that all false Sacraments and sacrifices may bee put vnder foot and abandoned out of the Church Q. What pray wee for concerning the discipline of the Church A. First that not onely priuate persons but the whole Church may bee ruled by the line of Gods word that so well doers may bee aduanced and euill doers censured and corrected according to the degree of their fault and therefore that all impunitie or tyrannous tortures of consciences may be taken away Secondly that God would furnish his Church Rom. 12. 68. Ephes 4. 8. 11. 12. with all such officers as he appointeth that being endued with speciall gifts may be both able and willing to execute their charge diligently and faithfully Thirdly that where these things are onely begun they may bee perfected and that euery Church may be polished and garnished that Sion may appeare in her perfect beautie and a Rom. 10. 1. 11. 12. 15. so the Iewes may bee called and so many of the Gentiles as belong vnto Christ and b Mat. 5. 44. Deut. 33. 11. the contrary enemies may bee either conuerted or confounded Q. With what affection ought wee to pray for the kingdome of grace A. With a sorrowfull heart out of the sense and feeling of our spirituall bondage vnder Satan and sin b euen as poore captiues are alwaies labouring to bee freed of their bolts and to be at liberty Q. What pray you for concerning the kingdome of glory A. That we may haue our title and interest therin and that Christ would hasten his comming for the elect sake who with singular loue and affection long for Reuel 21. 20. 2. Tim. 1. 8. it saying Come Lord Iesus come quickly Which day vnto the wicked is a day of darknesse wrath and vengeance Amos. 5. 18. Reuel 6. 16. 2. Thessal 1. 8. and therefore there is no cause why they should desire it but to the godly a day of comfort Luk. 21. 33. Luk. 2. 29. CHAP. 46. Of the third Petition The second meanes of hallowing Gods name is the third Petition wherein we pray First To know Gods will To doe the same Secondly to doe it willingly and readily MAT. 6. 10. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Q. THus much of the second Petition which concernes the first meanes whereby the name of God is hallowed the third Petition concerning a second meanes followeth What is that Q. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Q. What is here meant by the will of God A. The will of God is diuersly vnderstood first it is taken for his a Psal 33. 11. Ephes 1. 11. Matth. 10. 26. most wise counsell and absolute determination of all things This will is alwaies b Esay 46. 10. done and all creatures euen the diuels themselues doe fulfill and accomplish the same and c Rom. 9. 19. it cannot bee resisted and from this will a man may d Act. 16. 7. Luk. 19. 41. sometime dissent and yet not sinne e Act. 4. 28. 29. and fulfill the same and yet sinne and therefore we need not pray for the fulfilling thereof any further then that whatsoeuer it is wee may with patience submit our selues thereunto and in all euents acknowledge his good pleasure and will and the holinesse Coloss 1. 12. thereof and that nothing may displease vs that shall please him Secondly the will of God is taken for that which he propoundeth to vs and requireth of vs to imbrace and entertaine in our wils and affections that is that law and rule by which our willes are to bee framed if we looke that he should blesse vs. And this will is Iohn 4. 34. 7. 17. 1. Thess 4. 3. Rom. 12. 2. reuealed vnto vs in the Law Gospell and is cōtained in al the precepts b Deut. 29 19. threatnings exhortations c Iohn 6. 29. Act. 22. 19. promises therof This will may be and daily is resisted and opposed And this is that will which either onely or principally is meant in this precept Q. What doe we then more specially pray for in this Petition A. First a Ephes 5. 17. Col. 1. 9. 10. Rom. 12. 2. Psal 67. 2. that we may know and vnderstand his wil without the which we cannot doe it Secondly b Ephes 4. 1. 2. Thess 1. 11. that as good subiects we may be obedient vnto the reuealed will of God c Mat. 6. 33. which is also called the righteousnesse of Gods kingdome so that there is a mutuall relation betweene this petition and the former for there we pray that God may rule and gouerne here that his rule and gouernment may bee obeyed Thirdly that our owne willes may bee suppressed Psal 51. 10. Gen. 6. 5. 8. 21. Ephes 2. 1. Mat. 26. 24. Iohn 1. 13. subdued and renounced which are by nature opposite to the reuealed will of God and are as apt and prone to all sinne as is a match to take fire which is implied in the word Thy. Fourthly that wee may not onely intend and endeauour but a Phil. 2. 13. Act. 20. 24. accomplish his will although with griefe and smart and against our owne willes and seeing wee cannot doe it by our owne naturall strength that God would assist and helpe vs to doe it by power of his grace Fifthly that we a Psal 40. 8. 110. 3. 119. 60. Cant. 1. 3. should performe our obedience to his will most willingly readily patiently cheerfully and perfectly not by the halues doing one duty and leauing another vndone but so to doe it b Psal 103. 20. Mat. 18. 10. Esay 6. 2. as the Angels and Saints in heauen do it throughly so that here we pray against all vnwilling forced and idle obedience and c Ezech. 1. 7. all murmuring and d Phil. 2. 14. repining against the will of God Sixthly a Psal 40. 8. 110. 3. 119. 60. Cant. 1. 3. that wee should performe our obedience and seruice vnto God most willingly readily cheerfully patiently and wholly not doing one duty and leaue another vndone b Psal 103. 20.