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A41788 St. Paul's catechism, or, A brief and plain explication of the six principles of the Christian religion, as recorded Heb. 6., 1,2 with some considerations of the principles of natural and universal religion, as previous, and yet subservient to the rules of revealed and positive relgion: containing also, the duties of children to their superiors, written chiefly for the instruction of young Christians, children and servants in all Christian families / by Tho. Grantham. Grantham, Thomas, 1634-1692. 1687 (1687) Wing G1545; ESTC R39432 35,919 64

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Jesus which God forbid S. I desire you therefore to shew me this great Mystery of the Gospel which guides poor Sinners to the true Cause of Justification from the guilt and condemning Nature of Sin. F. That I will endeavour to do in our con●ideration of the second Principle of Christ's Doctrine to wit Of Faith towards God or towards our Lord Jesu● Christ Heb. 6. 1. Acts 20. 21. The Second Principle of St. Paul's CATECHISM Or Of Faith towards God. Son. I de●ire first to have a true definition of Faith that is I desire to know what Faith is Father St. Paul defines Faith thus Heb. 11. 1. Now Faith is the substance of Things hoped for the evidence of things not seen It is also truly defined of a firm belief of the Truth of God as made known in the Scriptures and particula●ly concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord John 20. 31. 1 John 5. 10 11. S. I perceive that the main design of the Holy Scriptures is to direct us to Jesus Christ I do therefore desire to know what Record God hath given of his Son F. This is the Record which God hath given of his Son That God hath given to us eternal Life and that this Life is in his Son. 1 John 5. 11. with John 1. 4. and 6. 51. S. Was the Son of God ordained to procure the Light of saving Life to the whole World F. Yes God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting Life And the reason why many shall not see Eternal Life is because they believe not on the Name of the only begotten Son of God John 3. 16 17 18. S. But how can they be saved by Christ who never heard of him F. Christ is the Lamb of God slain in the design of God to take away the Sin of the World John 1. 29. In whom God hath offered such means of Light as to him seemed convenient Act. 17. 26 27. that all might seek him and be reconciled to him 2 Cor. 5. 14 18 19. And according to the due use or wilful abuse of his Mercy so offered you shall all be acquitted or condemned in the day when God shall judg the Secrets of Men according to the Gospel Rom. 2. 14 15 16. Now the Gospel shews that God is not an hard Master he only expects improvement of what he gives he will not reap where he hath not Sown 2 Cor. 8. 12. Dying Infants never heard of Christ yet they shall be saved Mat. 19. 14. S. By this I perceive all Men are under the Mercy of God as well as under his Justice and that none shall therefore perish for want of Mercy but because they turn the Grace of God into wantonness Shew me therefore what we who have the holy Scriptures are bound to believe concerning God and Jesus Christ whom he hath Sent. F. We are firmly to believe that God is Heb. 11. 6. and that there 's no other God but one Mark 12. 32 34. This one God is made known to us by three Denominations especially The Father the Son and the Holy Ghost Mat. 28. 19. 1 John 5. 7. 1 Tim. 3. 16. John 1. 14. And that thou mayest know how this Great Mystery was understood by the Ancient Church about 1400 Years ago I will here shew thee their Confession of Faith published by a very great Council of the Christians in those daies wherein were 318 Pastors of the Church who thus profess their Faith. The Nicene Creed I Believe in one God the Almighty Father maker of Heaven and Earth and of all things visible and invisible And in one Lord Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God Begotten of the Father before all Worlds God of God Light of Light Very God of very God begotten not made of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made Who for us Men and for our Salvation descended from the Heavens and was incarnate of the Virgin Mary and became Man. Crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate Suffered and was buried And rose again the third day according to the Scriptures And ascended into Heaven and sits at the right Hand of God. And is to come again with Glory to judg the Living and the Dead and of whose Kingdom there shall be no end And in the holy Spirit the quickening Lord who proceeds from the Father and the Son and in like manner is adored and g●●rifyed with the Fathe● and the Son and who spake by the Prophets And I believe one holy Catholick and Apostolical Church I confess one Baptism f●r remission of Sins And I look for the Resurr●ction of the Dead And the Life in the World to come S. I much reverence this ancient Confession of Faith for it 's excellent Brevity and especially for the solidity of the Matter But I desire you to shew me what Scripture-Evidence we have for some things contained in the second Article where it says The Son of God was begotten before all Worlds F. In Heb. 1. 5. the Son of God is called the First-Begotten and vers 2. 't is said The Worlds that is all Worlds were made by him and vers 10. Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the Foundation of the Earth and the Heavens are the Works of thy Hands John 1. 1 2 3. is full evidence of the same thing And Colos 1. 17. He is before all things and by him all things consist S. But how is it said the Son is God of God Light of Light c. F. 1. The same Testimonies which prove He was God and that he was before all things proves that he was God of God because there was but one God nor as yet any other Essence but God. The Son w●s therefore begotten not made because all things were made by him which was made and sure he that made all things was not made himself 2. In 1 John. 5. 20. The Son is expresly called Very God and seeing there is but one God he must needs be very God of very God. 3. And for the same reason he is Light of Light for God is that Light in whom is no Darkness 1 ●ohn 1. ● and so is Christ John 1. 5 7 8 9. See also Rev. 21. 2● Heb. 1. 3. S. It seems the great Council did not want Scri●ture-evidence to confirm this great Article o●●he pr●existence of the Son of God. I pray explain the thi●d Article where the Son of God is said to be incarnate of of the Virgin Mary by the Holy ●●ost and became Man. F. It pleased the Father Almighty that his Son who being in the form of God and thought it not robbery to be equal with God should take upon him the form of a Servant and be found in the habit of Man Col. 2. 6 7. And in this state He that was above all Angels Heb. 1. 5. was now made a little lower than the Angels for the suffering
any Examples of this kind in the New Testament F. 1. Our Saviour raised a young Man as he was carried upon the Bier to be buried Luk. 7. 13 14 15. 2. He raised also the Daughter of Jairus Mark 5. 40 41 42. 3. Christ raised Lazarus when he had been dead and buried commanding the Dead to come forth and though he was bound hand and foot yet he came forth by the Power of God John 11. 43 44. 4. St. Peter raised Tabitha to Life by the strength of Christ Act. 9. 40 41. 5. But the greatest Instance of all is the Resurrection of Christ himself by which God hath given assurance to all Men that all Men shall rise again both the Just and Unjust Act. 17. 31. S. Was this Article of Faith received by the Prophets before the coming of Christ F. The Prophet David spake of the Resurrection of the Body of Christ Psal 16. 8. and of the hope of his own Resurrection also This was the hope of Israel Act. 23. 21. 24. 15. 2. The Prophet Isa hath these words Thy dead Men shall live together with my dead Body shall they arise awake and sing ye that dwell in the Dust Isa 26. 19. Augustine refers this to the Resurrection 3. Daniel tells us That many that sleep in the Dust of the Earth shall awake some to everlasting Life and some to everlasting shame and contempt Dan. 12. 2. 4. Hosea 13. 14. as interpreted by the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. is very plain I will ransom them from the Power of the Grave I will redeem them from Death O Death I will be thy Plagues O Grave I will be thy destruction S. These Testimonies are very clear I desire some further confirmation of this Truth from the New Testament F. 1. For this I refer you to the serious reading of 1 Cor. 15. throughout where the Apostle by divers Arguments confirms this Truth and especially by the Resurrection of Christ and the importance of the thing it self making all Religion insignificant unless there be a Resurrection from the Dead 2. I will here insert this excellent Testimony to the Thessalonians I would not have you ignorant Brethren concerning them which are asleep that ye sorrow not even as others which have no hope For if we believe that Jesus died and rose a●ain then they also which sleep in Jesus shall God bring with 〈◊〉 For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord 〈◊〉 we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent or hinder the Resurrection of them that are asleep For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the Voice of the Arch-angel and with the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Thess 4. S. I bless God for these clear Testimonies I desire now to be instructed concerning the Eternal Judgment The Sixth Principle of St. Paul's CATECHISM Or The Eternal Judgment Father THE manner of Christ's coming to Judgment is thus described Then shall appear the Sign of the Son of Man in Heaven And then shall all the Tribes of the Earth mourn and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds of Heaven with great Glory And he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather together his Elect from the four Winds from one end of Heaven to another Mat. 24. 30 31. S. This will be a terrible day Who is this Son of Man F. This Son of Man is Christ Jesus For God 〈◊〉 se●d Jesus who before was preached unto you Act. 3. 20 The same Jesus which you have seen go up into Heaven sha●● so come in like manner as you have seen him go into Heaven Acts 1. 11. Behold he cometh with Clouds and every Eye shall see him and they also who pierced him and all Nations shall wail because of him Rev. 1. 7. S. Why shall the Nations wail because of him F. Because when the Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all the Holy Angels with him then shall he sit upon the Throne of his Glory And before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep from the Goats Mat. 25. 31 32. S. To what end shall Christ thus divide the Nations F. To give to every Man according as his Work shall be For he shall set the Sheep on his right Hand and the Goats on the left Then shall the King say to them on his right Hand Come ye Blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World for I was hungry and ye sed me c. Then shall he say also unto them on his left hand Depart from me ye Cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels For I was an hungry and ye gave me no Meat Mat. 25. 34 35 41 42. S. This is a glorious and terrible description of the Judgment of the World. I pray by what Records will Christ judg the Nations F. He shall especially proceed in Judgment with all Men according to the Gospel that is according to the means of Grace which he gave them Rom. 2. 15 16. For this is the condemnation That Light is come into the World and Men love Darkness rather than Light John 3. 17 18. And yet more particularly they that have sinned without Law shall perish without Law and they that have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law. And those that have the Gospel the Word which Christ hath spoken shall judg them at the last day S. There are several Books spoken of in Rev. 20. 10. What are these Books F. The Books are Metaphorical and signify 1. God's Omniscience for he shall bring every Work to Judgment with every secret Thing whether it be Good or Evil Eccles 12. ult 2. The Consciences of Men which then shall be awakened to condemn them or acquit them Rom. 2. 15 16. may here be called Books S. I desire to know what is meant by the Book of Life and whether any that were once written in it may be blotted out of it F. The time when this Book shall be opened will best resolve the first Question But thus much we know That the Promise and Covenant of Life made with Adam renewed with Noah and with Abraham and confirmed by Christ is to us the Book of Life out of which Men may blot themselves or render themselves unworthy of Eternal Life by Sin and especially by Unbelief Mark 16. 16. He that believeth not shall be damned Act. 13. 46. See and consider Exod. 32. 32. Psal 69. 28. Rev. 3. 5. 21. 17. S. Shall the punishment of ungodly Men be perpetual shall it never end F. The
of the Book of Creation Psal 19. 1 2 3. Rom. 1. 2. whereunto it has pleased God to add this great Blessing that we have the Divine Law as contained in the Holy Scriptures by which more excellent Things are made known which are also explain'd and confirm'd to us by Jesus Christ in the New Testament whom we are commanded to hear in all things And thus we are under the teachings of the Law both Natural Divine S. Where shall we find the Substance of the Law Natural and Divine recommended and explained to us F. In the Ten Commandments Exod. 20. which are explained in our Saviour's Sermons on the Mount c. Mat. Chap. 5 6 7. and comprised by him in the two great Evangelical Precepts that is To love God above all and our Neighbours as our selves Mat. 22. 37 38 39 40. Upon these two Commands hang all the Law and the Prophets S. How may a Man know that he is guilty of the breach of these Laws F. 1. By considering the quality of that Love which we owe to God and to our Neighbour respectively For our Love to God must be of the superlative or highest Degree less than this he will not accept 2. Our Love to our Neighbour must be of the Possitive Degree even as we love our selves and by how much we come short in these by so much we sin and come short of the Glory of God or of glorifying him as God. S. What are the true demonstrations of Love to God F. 1. When God is chiefly and most delightfully in our thoughts of all things whatsoever Psal 43. 4. Psal 25. 2. When his Word and chiefly his Commands are not grievous but delightful to us 1 John 2. 3 4 5. 3. When Sin is the Object of our hatred because it is contrary to the Nature and Will of God Psal 37. 10. Jude 23. Rev. 2. 6. 4. When we hunger and thirst for the gracious and for the glorious enjoyment of God Psal 42. 1 2. John 14. 8. S. What are the true Demonstrations of Love to my Neighbour F. They are many some are continual and some are occasional and they flow from this Spring A hearty desire of their good or constant Prayer to God for them for this keeps our Heart open in love towards them not only to avoid all things that may do them harm but also to pity and help them in their Necessities as we are able both in things Temporal and Spiritual This is that Charity without which the highest Pretences to Religion are nothing S. By these brief Rules I perceive how greatly Sin has prevailed against Men generally and against my self in particular whilst we have followed the desires of the Flesh and of the Mind neglecting both God and our Neighbour What manner of Repentance is that which you call the second Part F. It is a godly Sorrow or sorrowing for Sin after a godly sort 2 Cor. 7. 9. and arises in the Heart from this Consideration That whilst a gracious God hath been following us with Mercies from day to day we have consum'd these Days and Mercies in ignorance of God and in sinful Courses in the sight of God and against Heaven Luk. 15. 18. And the truly Penitent do often meet with David's experience Psal 51. 4. 77. 2 3 4. Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord my sore ran in the night and ceased not my Soul refused to be comforted I thought upon God and was troubled I complained and my Spirit was overwhelmed I am so troubled I cannot speak And in this Conflict the Sinner will remember his sinful Original Psal 51. 5. S. Is Original Sin cause of Humiliation F. Yes undoubtedly For all Flesh was and is defiled by it Christ only excepted Heb. 4. 15. and should have perished under it had not Christ the Lamb of God been in God's Decree slain from the Foundation of the World to take away this Sin of the World in the condemning power of it John 1. 29. Rom. 5. 18. S. I would gladly know how to attain this Godly Sorrow which worketh Repentance unto Salvation F. 1. Consider in order thereunto That the Holy God hates those who presumptuously go on in their Trespasses Psal 7. 11 12 13. 68. 21. 2. But if any say I have sinned and perverted that which was right and it profited me not he shall deliver his Soul from going to the Pit Job 33. 27 28. 3. Think often of the Judgments of God against obdurate Sinners and of his Mercy in sparing thee so long And let his Goodness and Forbearance lead thee to Repentance Rom. 2. 4. 4. Pray much to Almighty God to be thy help herein Jer. 31. 18. Turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God. S. May these Directions be blessed to me I shall then have my desire But what mean you by the third part of Repentance F. I mean 1. a holy loathing and abhorring all Sin because it is of the Devil 1 John 3. 8. And because God hates it and because Christ died for it or because of it 2. Abstain from the act of Sin in Desire Word and Deed as much as possible Jonah 3. 10. God saw their Works that they turned from their evil ways Break off thy Sins by Righteousness Dan. 4. 27. Repent you therefore and be converted Acts 3. 19. This is to bring forth Fruit meet for Repentance S. Hath Man any liberty of Will and any measure of Power thus to hate and forsake Sin F. 1. By the Bounty of God Man hath some Liberty and Power this way he is not chained to his Sin of necessity Josh 24. 19. Chuse you this day whom you will serve To day if you will hear his Voice harden not your Hearts Heb. 3. 7 8. Mary hath chosen the good part uk 10. 42. 2. Yet Man's Infirmity in the exercise of this Liberty and Power is so great that he is not to depend upon this Liberty and Power but upon the strength of God in the use of them Hos 14. 2. 2 Cor. 3. 5. S. I confess my self and all Men indispensably bound to repent and turn to God. But I desire to know whether this Repentance will justify the Sinner or how far it is available hereunto F. Though a Sinner humble himself and repent in Dust and Ashes as truly as Job did Job 42. 6. Yet is he not thereby justified but only prepared to justification for remission of Sin follows Repentance Luke 24. 47. and is made ours freely by the Grace of God through the Redemption which is in Christ Jesus For without shedding of Blood there is no Remission Heb. 9. 22. 10. 18. Rom. 5. 9. We must therefore in no wise place our Justification in our Repentance for that were to place our Justification from the guilt and condemning Power of Sin in our Duty and not in Christ
that he might be Lord both of the Dead a●d L●ving Rom. 14. 9. He gave himself a Ransom for all ● Ti● 2. 6. He tasted Death for every Man Heb. 2. ●9 〈◊〉 bought them that deny him and bring upon themselv●● 〈◊〉 destruction 2 Pet. 2. 1. S. These things cannot be spoken against But 〈◊〉 Christ die as he was God or as he was Man only F. Not as God for if God should die nothi●● could live Man cannot kill the Soul of Man muc● less the Divine Nature of Christ our Saviour was 〈◊〉 to death in the Flesh 1 Pet. 3. 18. He died through wea●ness 2 Cor. 13. 4. He was made Lower than the Angel that he might suffer Death Heb. 2. 9. It was sufficient that an holy Man perfectly jus● without Sin should die for the unjust that he mig●● bring us to God. S. To strengthen my Faith I desire to know som● clear Grounds or Evidence that the holy Spirit is God. F. 1. Because he is called the eternal Spirit Heb. ● 14. and is present in every place Psal 39. 7. He is e●presly called God Act. 5. 3 4 9. 2. We are baptised into his Name Mat. 28. But we are not to be baptised into the name of a Created Spirit 3. The Work of Creation is ascribed to him and he hath his procedure from the Father and the Son and is one with them Gen. 1. 1 2 3. Psal 104. 30. John 15. 26. S. I am well satisfied that the Righteousness of Faith is a grea● 〈◊〉 I desire to learn the Righteousness of Practice● F. Practical Righteousness is a holy walking with God in obedience to all his Commands to the best of our k●owledg and ability 1 John 2. 4 5 6. For the Gosp●● of the Grace of God teacheth us to deny all Vngodlyne●● and worldly Lusts and to live soberly righteously and g●dly on this present Life Tit. 2. 11 12. Christians are ●●rictly obliged to observe all things whatsoever Christ comm●●ded Ma● 28. 19. For they are God's workmanship 〈◊〉 in Christ Jesus unto good Works which God hath 〈◊〉 ordained that they should walk in them Ephes 2. 10 Christians are bo●●d to hear Christ their great Prophet ●n whatsoever 〈◊〉 shall say Nor are they his true Friends unless the● do to their best whatsoever he commands them Act. 3. 22. John 15. 14. S. Will not Faith save us without Works F. Altho we are not saved by Works yet we are not saved without Works For what doth it profit if a Man say he hath Faith and have not Works can Faith save him Jam. 2. 14. As the Body without the Spirit is dead so Faith without Works is dead also S. What shall I do that I may work the Work of God F. 1. This is the Work of God that you believe on him whom he hath sent John 6. 29. This Faith must be put into act else it is not the Work of Faith with Power 2 Thes 1. 9. Gal. 5. 6. Jam. 2. 22 24. 2. True Faith overcometh the World to wit 〈◊〉 Lusts of the Flesh the Lust of the Eyes and the Prid● of Life For this is the victory which overcometh the World even our Faith 1 John. 5. 4 5. and 2. 15 16. This Faith purifieth the Heart in obeying the Truth through the Spirit and leads to every good Work Act. 15. 9. 1 Pet. 1. 22. Philip. 2. 12 13. Colos 〈◊〉 10. S. Is this Faith in the act the Gift of God or the Work of Man F. With the Heart Man believeth and it is Man that worketh Good Rom. 10. 10. Rom. 2. 10. But the preparation of the Heart in Man to these things is of the Lord Prov. 16. 1. 1 Cor. 4. 7. 2 Cor. 3. 5. Isa 10. 23. S. Does God work this preparation in Man's Heart irresistibly F. In some special Case it may be so Gen. 20. 6. But God ordinarily works upon the Heart or Understandings of Men by his Works 〈◊〉 4. 13. Isa ●0 26. And by his Word Rom. 1. 16 17 18 And by the motions of his Spirit ministerially and graciously 1 Thes 1. 5. Against which Men may ●nd often do make resistance to their own destruction Psal 88. 8. This whole Psalm shews much of this to be too common and so does Act. 7. 51. S. I desire a short view of this excellent Grace of Faith. F. 1. It is an hearty and universal Credence of the Truth of God as revealed or made known to Man in the Scriptures or otherwise Luk. 24. 25. Deut. 1. 32. Rom. 1. 19 20 21 22. 2. A cleaving to God and his Truth as made known to us in sincere Love Psalm 119. 31. 1 Thes 1. 5 6. 2 Thes 1. 10. 3. A Shewing the Fruit of Faith by a ready obeying the Truth and suffering for it when called thereunto James 2. 28. 1 Pet. 3. 14 15. 4. An holy dependance upon God for the fulfilling all his Promises for his Grace and Help in this World and for Glory in the World to come 1 Pet. 1. 3. Heb. 10. 35 to the end Rom. 2. 7 10 11. S. I can say in some measure I believe and pray that God may help against my unbelief What I pray is the next Principle which belongs to a beginning Christian F. The next Principle is the Doctrine of Baptisms Of which we shall treat briefly Of the Third Principle of St. Paul's CATECHISM Or The Doct●ine of Baptisms Son. WHy is the word BAPTISMS used in this place Are there more Baptisms than one pertaining to Christians Father Yes there are three distinct Baptisms pertaining to the Christian Man. The first is the Baptism of Repentance for remission of Sins This was of divine Original it came from Heaven and was first administred by that great Prophet and Messenger of Christ John the Baptist Mat. 21. 25. The second is the pouring out of the Spirit of promise and in the ordinary way of its reception follows the Baptism of Repentance for the remission of Sins Act. 1. 5. 2. 38. 19. 5 6. Ephes 1. 13. The third is the Afflictions which attend Christians for the Gospel's-sake Luk. 12. 50. Mat. 20. 22. S. How is it said there is but one Baptism seeing it's evident there are three F. That is a gross mistake It is not said Ephes 4. 5. there is but one Baptism 't is said there is one and yet Paul speaks of two of these Baptisms in that very place as vers 4. There is one Body and one Spirit as ye are called in one hope of your Calling And the Ephesians had received both the Baptism of Repentance for remission of Sins in the Name of the Lord Jesus and also the Baptism of the Spirit afterward as is undeniable Act. 19. 5 6. So that Paul should have spoken false if he had said there is but one Baptism and also must have contradicted himself in his Epistle to the Hebrews where he speaks of Baptisms in the plural Number S. I confess the mistake of
Wicked shall be turned into Hell and all that forget God Psal 9. 17. Where their Worm di●th not and their fire is not quenched Mark 9. 44 45. They shall be punished with everlasting destruction 2 Thess 1. 19. The Hellish Torments are for the Devils and the Wicked for ever There is no promise of any Pardon to the Damned nor that their Torments shall have an end and therefore for any to say these Torments shall end is presumptuous Folly. S. Of what duration shall the Glory of the Saved be F. Their Life and Glory is every where said to be Everlasting their Kingdom incorruptible and undefiled that fadeth not away God shall wipe away all Tears from their Eyes and there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away Rev. 21. 4. They shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and as the Stars for ever and ever Dan. 12. 3. S. Shall the Children of God know one another and so rejoice together in the Kingdom of their Father F. 1. Yes they shall be like the Angels who know one another and rejoice together in Heaven Luke 15. 7 10. They shall be like Christ for they shall see him as he is and as he conversed of the things concerning his Kingdom after he was risen He will tell them also of his Brethren and what kindness they shewed to them 2. St. Paul tells the Thessalonians That they were the Hope and Crown of his rejoicing in the Day of the Lord Jesus Christ yea his Glory and Joy. But how this should be and he not know them is not easy to conceive 3. The Communion of the Faithful in Heaven shall far exceed what it was on Earth but this cannot well be unless they know each other S. Does the last Judgment agree to the Principles of common Justice and Equity F. 1. There is nothing in it contrary thereunto for when Life and Death are set before Men and Men chuse Death by chusing sinful ways against the known Will of God it 's just with God to give them their choice 2. If there were not a Judgment to come wicked Men would go unpunish'd for in this World they commonly escape they can bribe almost any wicked Action even Murder it self Now all Principles of Justice cry for Vengeance in this Case both to the Offender and he that covers Iniquities And hence the Last Judgment is necessary and agrees with all Principles of Common Justice 3. If there were not a Judgment to come the Just and Righteous People of God would be of all Men most miserable 1 Cor. 15. 19. for here they are oftentimes exposed to the hardest things and that for well-doing too Now 't is equal that they should have a time of refreshing and to this common Principles of Justice do agree Finally We can none of us perfectly understand how hainous the Sins of those are who reject the Grace of God in the Gift of his Son and therefore we are not able to measure what Punishment is proportionable to such Iniquity But here we must rest That the Judg of all the Earth will do ●ight For if there were Unrighteousness with God How then should he judg the World Rom. 3. 5 6. But all his Ways are Judgment a God of Truth and without Iniquity Just and Right is he Deut. 32. 4. S. When shall be the Time of this Eternal Judgment F. God has not revealed that to Man but in that our Life here is very short this Judgment is at hand in respect of us For it is appointed unto Man once to die and after that the Judgment Heb. 9. 27. S. I am well satisfied concerning these Sacred Principles of the Christian Religion I desire some further Instruction concerning my walking with God in the Communion of his Church F. Being thus a Christian built upon this Foundation Christ being the chief Corner-Stone thou must continue in the Faith Colos 1. 23. and keep thy self in the Love of God praying in the Holy Ghost Judge 20. walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless Luke 1. 6. obeying all thy Superiors S. I desire you to shew me the Rules of Prayer And also the Rules of my Obedience to my Superiors F. These things are briefly comprehended in the Lord's Prayer which he taught his Disciples and in the fifth Commandment which is the first Commandment with Promise Matth. 6. 9 10 11 12 13. Ephes 6. 2. which in the next Discourse we will consider Of the Duty of Prayer Son. WHo may warrantably pray according to Christ's Directions in the Prayer set down Mat. 6. 9 c Father Although it is the Duty of all Men to humble themselves in Prayer before the Lord their Maker yet these Rules were given to the Disciples of Christ to the Children of God. S. In what sence are Christians the Children of God F. By Adoption and Regeneration they are born of God or of the Spirit and received into Grace and Favour S. I desire you to expound unto me the Lord's Prayer F. That I shall endeavour to do 1. Our Father which art in Heaven Christ teacheth us to put on Charity when we pray that is to include our Brethren with our selves When we pray unto God we must also pray in Faith believing that he heareth us Jam. 1. 6 7. Mat. 21. 22. 2. Which art in Heaven Here we profess that our God is in Heaven as the place of his special Residence Hence our Saviour in Prayer did frequently lift up his Eyes to Heaven 3. Hallowed be thy Name We are to make the Honour and Glory of the Name of God the dearest to us of all things thus Moses was more willing to die than that the Name of God should be reproached 4. Thy Kingdom come The Kingdom of God is to be considered with respect to his Church in this World. And then we pray in this Petition for it's growth in Number and in Grace We ought also to hope for the coming of Christ's Kingdom in the Glory of it and by Prayer to seek for it 5. Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven It is evident here that by Heaven is meant Heaven in a literal sence the place which is opposed to the Earth And in all Prayer we must submit our will to the Will of God and to beware that we do not act contrary to his Will and so contradict our own Prayer 6. Give us this Day our Daily Bread. Here we acknowledg that our common Mercies are all in the Hand of God to give them or to withhold them We are also taught to live by Faith in these Enjoyments and not only by some because God has promised that all these things shall be added to those that seek him rightly 7. And forgive us our Debts as we forgive our Debtors We learn here that the best of God's Children are liable to offend they never