certainly just that it should be so whether we can see the Equity of it or not the Righteous God will act like himself and may as soon cease to be a God as lay any unjust punishment upon a Creature whether for ever or for one Hour Q. But what considerations may be urged for the cleering of it A. These following amongst many others 1. That the wicked shall dye a corporal Death no more after the Day of Judgment Those of them that were dead so many ages since shall then be raised to Life and so continue for ever and ever The Dead that is all the Dead shall be raised incorruptible in 1 Cor. 15.52 But the wicked shall not have an incorruptible state in Joy therefore certainly in punishment 2. The Desert of an Offence as to punishment is not to be measured by the shortness of the Time in which it was committed An offence against a King committed in a Minute may deserve perpetual Imprisonment and death 3. God that Sin offendeth is a God of Infinite and Eternal Majesty and Excellency 4. God is not bound to be reconciled to Offenders nor bound to pardon their offences at any time therefore he may justly punish them at all times or for ever Of this the Reader may see more in my Book entituled Everlasting Fire no Fancy Cap. 1. Sect. 3. pag. 19. Q. But will not the Terror of the Lord against the wicked in that Day strike Terror into the Hearts of the Righteous A. If it do it shall not be over-long nor shall be at all in any Miserable Sense or Manner For they shall see themselves safe in the Armes of his love before the dreadful Sentence shall be passed upon the wicked yea they shall meet Christ with peace when he is coming in the higher Regions St. Paul tells us in 1 Thes 4.17 that they shall be caught up together to meet the Lord in the Air. O wondrous word indeed Thrice Happy are they that shall partake of that Relicity And when once they have That they shall soon have all the priviledges of Heaven and be for Ever with the Lord 1 Thes 4.17 For which inexplicable Blessedness the Father of Mercies fit us more and more for His Son Christ Jesus sake To whom be Glory for Evermore The Lord's Prayer OUr Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this Day our Dayly Bread And forgive us our Debts as we forgive our Debtors And lead us not into Temptation but deliver us from Evil for thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen The Creed I Believe in God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord which was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was Crucified Dead and Buried he descended into Hell the third Day he arose again from the Dead he ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty from whence he shall come to judge both the quick and the dead I believe in the Holy Ghost the Holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints the Forgiveness of Sins the Resurrection of the Body and the Life Everlasting Amen The Ten Commandments Exodus XX. GOD spake all these words saying I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the House of Bondage I. Thou shalt have no other Gods before me II. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth thou shalt not bow down thy self to them nor serve them For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate me and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my Commandments III. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain IV. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any work thou nor thy son nor thy Daughter thy man-servant nor thy maid-servant nor thy cattle nor the Stranger that is within thy Gates For in six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it V. Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy days may be long upon the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee VI. Thou shalt not Kill VII Thou shalt not commit Adultery VIII Thou shalt not Steal IX Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy Neigbbour X. Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours house thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours wife nor his man-servant nor his maid-servant his Ox nor his Ass nor anything that is thy Neighbours Proofs that there is a God AND now good Reader I am to make good my word in the beginning of this Writing and if Solomon himself would sometimes apply his Heart to know the wickedness of Folly Eccl. 7. sure it cannot be below me or my Betters to spend some thoughts about the madness of those miserable Fooles that say in their Hearts there is no God And I fear there are too many that are not much ashamed to say so with their Lips in effect and consequentially at least where they do not say so expresly and directly as if they had been instructed by the Malmesbury-Man or thought that his Leviathan had devoured Religion or overturned it by main Force The Folly of such I shall make manifest by proving these two particulars 1. That none can be sure that there is no God 2. That a Man of sober Reason may be sure that there is a God 1. That none can assure us that there is no God For whence should they be sure of such a thing Religion cannot be pretended to teach them so for all Religion is grounded upon the Notion of a God nor can they be assured of it by Reason For those that believed there is a God and forsake all Worldly Comforts in Hope of that happiness after death which none but a God can give as the Martyrs in all Ages yet had Reason as well as others and great Learning also and the subtilest Atheists as yet have not shewed half so much of any kind of Learning as many of those that are followers of Godliness I confess some few men of Ingenuity have been Atheistical a curious Wit was sometimes so and would delight himself in disputing against Religion so vain a thing is the the best thing without Grace But
and confirm our Resolutions of serving thee Help us by Faith to overcome the world to deny our selves and our own wills to follow thee Lord let thy Mercy Compass us about this day and preserve us from outward and Bodily Mischiefs for thou Lord only makest us to dwell in safety And especially be pleased to keep us from those things that may be hurtful to our Souls O let us not meet with Temptations to dishonour thee or else give us Grace and strength to Resist and overcome them And in the midst of all oppositions and Hindrances whatsoever Help us O God to look unto thee by Faith to wait upon thee by Prayer and to encourage our Selves in thy ways by the Hope of that Eternal Salvation which thou hast assured to them that truly obey thee Be gracious we beseech thee O Lord to this sinful Land and turn thy wrath away from us in the Causes of it Maintain thy true Religion among us and grant unto us and our posterity the blessed Liberty of looking into thy perfect Law for the Direction and comfort of our precious Souls Lord Bless in a special manner and with the choicest Blessings our Soveraign Lord the King and his Relations and Councils and grant That under Him we may lead quiet and peaceable Lives in all Godliness and Honesty Let his Reign be Prosperous and his Days many and make True Religion to flourish in his Time Bless our Relations Friends living in the World Lord give and continue to them what is needful for this Life and chiefly what is most needful for the Life to come And now also O our God we desire to Bless thy Holy Name for all thy Mercies to us sleeping and waking throughout all the parts and passages of our Lives that we have not this Night slept the sleep of Death but have awaked again because thou O Lord hast sustained us O help us still to live unto thee by whom we live And let our little time through thy Mercy and Grace prepare us for a Happy Eternity And all we beg in the Name and for the sake of the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord who hath taught us to pray saying Our Father c. An Evening Prayer for a Family MOst great and gracious Lord God who hast brought us by thy good Providence to the end of this Day thou art more than worthy of our evening Sacrifice of praises and Thanksgiving And though we are not worthy to lift up our Hands in thy Name yet O Father of Mercies accept our Prayers and Services which we offer up unto thee in the name of thy Son Jesus Christ O Lord we must needs Acknowledge we are by Nature Children of wrath we are sinful in our Natures and Sinful in our Lives transgressing thy Law dayly and do not know how often we have offended But all our offences are known unto thee who searchest the Hearts and art acquainted with all our ways We confess O God the least of them as committed against thy glorious Majesty makes us justly liable to thy Wrath and Displeasure for ever more O then into what a Depth of Destruction and Misery would all our sins together cast us if thou shouldst enter into Judgment with us and call us to strict Accounts for them even the sinning Angels could not stand in thy sight How then could we in such a Case But blessed be thy Name thou hast told us that thou art a Merciful God and that there is Forgiveness with thee O be gracious we beseech thee And let that Rich Mercy be shewed upon us O let the whole multitude of our Sins be blotted out in the greater multitude of thy tender Compassions Remember not any of our offences against us but pardon and Accept us O Heavenly Father for the sake of thy Son Jesus Christ in whom thou art alwaies well pleased For his sake we pray thee be Reconciled to us and shew us thy Salvation And as we Beg of thee that sin may not ruine us hereafter so we beseech thee O God Let it not Reign in us here but do thou vouchsafe to Rule us by thy Word and Spirit and so put thy Fear in our Hearts that we may not grosly depart from thee O teach us to do the things that please thee For thou art our God and there is none that teacheth like thee In the light of thy Law O Lord let us see light and know in this our Day the things that most concern our Everlasting Peace Give us such a deep sense of our own sinfulness as may make us prize us prize thy Christ above all this world and enable us so to come unto Him as that we may find in him true Rest for our Soules Lord make us to see the vanity of the Earth the vileness of Sin the beauty of Holiness and the benefit of thy Service And let our Hearts be in love with those holy Commandments in keeping of which there is great Reward And enable us so to be Followers of Righteousness as that the Day of our Death may be unto our Souls a Day of Peace And with us O God we pray thee be merciful to all thy Afflicted people that call upon thee send them help in time of need And let them find thy peace in due season that truly seek thy Mercy and Grace Be gracious to the Land wherein we live Lord forgive the crying Sins of the Nation O Consult thy own Compassions and turn from us those heavy Judgements that we have deserved And when the Day of Evil comes upon us O Remember us in thy goodness Lord mercifully grant to us and our Posterity the purity of thine Ordinances the liberty of thy Word and Worship O let thy Testimonies be our Heritage for ever And never leave us in the Hands of those Men that would hide thy Commandments from us And let thy Mercy O God be magnified upon and continued towards thy Servant and our Soveraign that now is over us Let thy Wisdom be his Guide and thy providence his Guard agaist all his Enemies Help him to Rule for thee in Earth and fit him to Raign with thee in Heaven Bless we pray thee also our Friends and Relations wheresoever dispersed upon the face of the Earth Lord graunt them the protections of thy Providence and call not for them out of this Life till thy grace hath fitted them for a Better Let our Enemies also find thy Favour fit them for thy Mercy and shew thy Mercy upon them Bless O Lord we pray thee All that belong to our Family and make all of them that are capable of knowing thy Name to serve thee acceptably with Reverence and Godly Fear And now O thou powerful preserver of Men without whom nothing is able to keep us in safety we pray thee keep us safe from the power of Evil Men or Spirits from Fire Frights and all dreadful Dangers whatsoever And now also O God we desire to offer up our unfeigned Praise and Thanks for All the manifold Benefits that we have received at thy merciful Hand For Food and Raiment Rest and Peace and all those things that are needful for our Bodies But especially for all those advantages that are afforded us for our Soul 's good O help us so to improve them for all purposes of Holiness as that at the Day of Jesus Christ we may find Peace and not be ashamed before Him at his Coming And all we humbly beseech at thy Hands for the same Christ Jesus sake in whose blessed Name and Words we pray as he hath taught us saying Our Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this Day our Daily Bread And forgive us our Debts as we forgive our Debtors And lead us not into Temptation but deliver us from Evil for thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen O Everlasting Lord most High Vouchsafe to hear for Jesus ' Merit And to my Soul do thou draw nigh By th'Influences of thy Spirit Thy Greatness cause me to Adore Who all my Breath hast in thy Hand And thine Assistance to implore That dost the Hosts of Heaven command And as the Hart that Hunted is Doth for the Streams of water Thirst So make me seek the path of Bliss And prize the Riches of thy Christ Oh fix my Thoughts on things Above And let my Soul more often Taste Even here on Earth by Faith and Love The Pleasures that for ever last FINIS
their Souls before they undertake to make the likeness of their God 3. That they are Fools or worse than such that will not believe there is a God because they never saw Him For a Spirit as such cannot be seen Secondly God is a Spirit Uncreated for 't is He that is the Creatour In the Beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth Gen. 1.1 Q. What learn you from that A. Thus much That the Creatures received all their perfection from God but he received none from them Thirdly God is Unchangeable Mal. 3.6 I the Lord change not Jam. 1.17 With him is no variableness nor shaddow of turning Q. What learn you from hence A. 1. That we should be constant in the way of Religion and Obedience For all those Attributes of his his Greatness and Goodness and the rest that should engage us to his Service and encourage us in it are the same at all times 2. That we should possess our selves in Patience and not be discontented at any changes we meet with in the World for God on whom all our Happiness dependeth is still the same as able to help us and as ready to receive us if we return unto him as ever he was Fourthly God is Eternal Isa 40.28 The Everlasting God fainteth not neither is weary Psal 90.2 From everlasting to everlasting thou art God Q. What do you gather from that A. 1. That All Creatures are as nothing in Comparison of Him for they had their beginning and could not continue but by his Power and Providence 2. That God hath an Eternity to do all his works in That he can punish the wicked with Everlasting punishment and give his Servants Everlasting Joy Fifthly God is most Holy Exod. 15.11 Glorious in Holiness Isa 6.3 Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts Q. What Gather you from this A. 1. That he is holy in all his works and cannot be the Author or approver of any Sin 2. That an unholy Person is not fit to enjoy Him in Heaven 3. That we must be Holy because the Lord our God is holy 1 Pet. 1.16 Sixthly God is most Wise Jer. 10.12 By his wisdom he established the world And His Vnderstanding is infinite Psal 147.5 Q. What may we gather from it A. 1. That God knows what is best for us in the world 2. That he alone can give us the true wisdom and 3. That it is our wisest course to do as he commands us in his Holy Word The fear of the Lord that is wisdom and to depart from Evil is understanding Job 28.28 Seventhly God is most Just Isa 45.20 A just God and a Saviour Psal 92.15 The Lord is upright and there is no unrighteousness in Him Q. What can you conclude from it A. 1. That he will do no unjustice himself nor approve of it in his Creatures The Righteous Lord loveth righteousnes Psal 11.7 And will punish the wicked for their iniquity Isa 13.11 2. That He will judge the told in Righteousness Psal 9.8 3. That the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6.9 Eighthly God is Merciful Exod. 34.6 The Lord God Merciful and Gracious Eph. 2.4 God who is rich in mercy Q. VVhat learn you from that A. Several things 1. That we must seek to him in our trouble whether should Men flee for help in Misery but to Him who is the God of all Mercy Psal 50.15 God saith Call upon me in the time of Trouble 2. That they are utterly inexcusable that refuse to serve a Mercifull God 3. That we must be Merciful because our Father in Heaven is Merciful Luke 6.36 Ninthly God is most True Exod 34.6 Abundant in Goodness and Truth A God that cannot Lye Titus 1.2 Q. VVhat do you gather thence A. 1. That All is true that his Word tells us and that therefore his Threatnings against the wicked and his Promises to the godly shall be accomplished in time in that way as they are made 2. That He is a Lover of Truth and that Lying Lips are an abomination to Him Prov. 12.22 Tenthly God is most Powerful 2. Cor. 6.18 Saith the Lord Almighty 1. Chron. 29.19 In thy Hand is all Power and Might Q. VVhat follows from this A. 1. That we are safe enough if God defend us whatsoever dangers we may be in 2. That he can deliver us out of the greatest Distresses and make a way for us to Escape when we can see no way for it 3. That All out States and Concerns are in his hand He is able to save and to destroy Jam. 4.13 Eleventhly God is present in all Places VVhither shall I flee from thy Presence Psal 139.7 And Jer. 23.24 Do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord Q. VVhat do you gather from thence A. 1. That no place can secure us from his Displeasure if we provoke him by wicked Courses 2. That if we serve and please him in the main we may be assured that we have a Friend at hand wherever we be that is every way sufficient for us 3. That seeing we cannot flee from him we have no way left for our safety but to return unto him in true Obedience and to beg his Mercy Protection and Salvation Twelfthly God seeth all things at once Job 28.24 He looketh unto the Ends of the Earth He seeth under the whole Heaven Heb. 4.13 All things are open unto his Eyes with whom we have to do Q. VVhat do you infer from hence A. That he is acquainted with all our ways Psal 139.3 and that therefore we are concerned to take heed to our ways and Rule our selves according to his Word Psal 119.9 2. That it is a folly for Men to hide their Sins by lies or excuses or any other ways 3. That we want for Encouragement in secret Duties VVe can do no good so privately but our God takes notice of it He can see his Servants in secret and will one day through his Mercy reward them openly Matth. 6.6 Q. God being such a God as you have now said and proved VVhat can you most easily conclude from it A. I conclude from Hence that He is a glorious God indeed and hath none like unto him that he is every way fit to be the Ruler of Heaven and Earth the Disposer of all Things the Judge of all Men the Revenger of VVickedness the Rewarder of VVell-doing the Portion and Felicity of all his Servants Q. God being so great and glorious Is it not enough that we Love and Honour Him If we do so what matter is it how we behave our selves as to our Neighbours or our Governours or how we stand affected towards Them A. No VVe must keep a good Conscience towards Men also in Acts 14.16 Paul did exercise himself thereunto to have a Conscience void of offence towards God and towards Men. Our Saviour also teaches us to do as we would be done by Matth. 7.12 So 1 John 4.21 This Commandment we have of him that
to save them in a way of suffering will not think Scorn of them when they Humbly and Penitently seek Him 3. And especially it should move us to think often of Heaven and to Thirst for that blessed place where we may better understand Christ's wonderful Love and give him the glory thereof for evermore saying with those in Rev. 5. Blessing and Honour and Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth on the Throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever Q. How often did Christ offer up himself a Sacrifice for Sin A. He did so but once on the Cross when he gave his Life a Ransom for many For so the Apostle tells us saying He needed not daily to offer up Sacrifice for this he did once when he offer'd up himself Heb. 7.27 So Heb. 9.28 Christ was once offered to bear the Sins of many Q. What may this teach us A. 1. It may teach us the Horrible Folly and Impiety of the Popish Religion in the Principal part and service of it The Mass as they call it wherein they pretend to offer up Christ as a Real proper and propitiatory Sacrifice for sin Whereas Christ's offering is past long since and it was but once saith the Apostle in those places But if Christ be really offered as a Sacrifice for Sin so often as their Masses are used he may be offered many times yea ten Thousand times ten Thousand For there may be Multitudes of Masses in the same Hour And there is no Reason why the Apostle's once should be should be thought to signifie so many thousand times and as little that we should think it meaneth any more than once indeed 2. It may teach us the Excellency and sufficiency of Christ's Sacrifice since it need be offered but once as the Repetition of the other Sacrifices shewed the Imperfection of them Q But how could Christ's Death and Sacrifice be sufficient for the Sins of so many seeing he dyed but once and offered himself but once A. Yes very well for as he bore the utmost Misery even the curse of the Law for Sin Gal. 3.13 So he that bare it was a Person of Infinite Excellency being the Son of God whom all the Angels of Heaven Worship and in a word very God of the same Substance with his Father 1 Joh. 5.20 Heb. 1.6 and therefore it was more for Christ himself to Dye and be a Sacrifice for Mens Sins than for all the Angels of heaven to do so if such a thing had been possible And accordingly his Love which was especially discovered in his Dying and offering himself He loved us and gave himself for us Eph. 5.2 I say this Love of his towards sinners is said to be such as passeth Knowledge that is all created Knowledge so that the most enlarged Understandings of Men or Angels are not able fully to conceive or comprehend it Eph. 3.19 Q. What must a Christian do when he hath done Amiss especially in any gross manner to the Dishonour of his holy Profession Must he think to make God any amends by doing Better afterwards or hope to make an attonement for himself and Reconcile himself to God by performing of Duties or enduring voluntarily any Sufferings or Hardships A. No by no means these are vain Imaginations and proceed from Pride and Ignorance of Christ and his Sacrifice 'T is true indeed They must Repent of their sins and must of their greatest and resolves by God's help to Reform what is amiss Repent and turn from your Transgressions Ezek. 18.30 They must take care of their Duties in the main and call Christ their Lord to little purpose if they do not take care to do as he commands them They must also submit themselves to God in the affliction that he lays upon them Jam. 4.7 But withal and above all they must in this Case have Recourse unto Christ and flee unto him in all Humility by Faith and Prayer as the Rock of their Salvation and the Refuge of a guilty Soul beseeching their Heavenly Father to apply unto them the Infinite Merit of that All-sufficient Sacrifice which his Son Christ Jesus hath offered Beging mercy and acceptance for his Name-sake in whom he is always well pleased Mat. 3.17 For 't is only through him that we can be accepted Eph. 1.6 and He is the propitiation for our Sins 1 Joh. 2.2 and He is the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sin of the World Joh. 1.29 in way of Sacrifice he means so as to remove the condemning Power of it from Penitent and Believing Sinners Q. By what may Sinners be made Righteous in the sight of God A. By Christ's Obedience imputed to them Rom. 5.19 By the Obedience of one speaking of Christ shall many be made righteous Q. VVhy did not Christ remain under the power of Death A. It was impossible that he should be holden of it Acts 2.24 As the Scripture tells us that he was the Son of God whom Angels worship and therefore the Lord of Life and Death So his Resurrection is told us as plainly as his Dying It is Christ that died yea rather that is Risen again Rom. 8.34 and in 1 Cor. 15.3 He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures Q. VVhat Vse is his Resurrection of A. 1. It is of use to confirm us in the Belief of that Satisfactory Sacrifice which in Dying he offered for the Sins of Men. What greater Testimony of acceptance could God the Father give than by Raising him from the Dead especially as it was a Resurrection to Glory and in order to his Ascension into Heaven Acts 3.15 Ye killed the Lord of Life whom God hath raised from the Dead whereof we are witnesses See Acts 4.10 2. It serveth to assure us of the Truth of that Religion and Doctrine which Christ hath Preached himself and appointed his Apostles to preach to the World For 't is certain if Christ had not been a true Preacher he should not have been raised from the dead to propagate and confirm his Doctrine God never did Honour any Deceiver in such a Manner And if he should it would lay the World under a necessity being deceived by him which may not be thought of the God of Truth and Holiness 3. It serveth to confirm the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Dead at the appointed time For if the dead Rise not or not at all then is not Christ raised 1 Cor. 15 16. He arose as the Head of his Church and therefore his People shall be raised in due time Christ the first Fruits afterwards they that are Christs at his coming 1 Cor. 15.23 Q. How did Christ after his Resurrection Ascend into Heaven was it only in Mind and Affection A. No He ascended properly so as to pass from Earth to Heaven indeed Q. Where is that proved A. Among many Scriptures in these two Mark 16.19 After the Lord had spoken to them he was received up into Heaven received from the place he
he who loveth God should love his Brother also And for the other St. Paul tells Christians they must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for Conscience sake Rom. 13.5 St. Peter also joyns together Fear God and Honour the King 1 Pet. 2.17 that none may think he doth the one as he ought while he refuseth to do the other Q. Having told me from Scripture what God is tell me also who is God A. The Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost Mat. 28.19 Go saith Christ to his Apostles Teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Q. How doth this prove Each of them to be true and very God A. It proves it unanswerably and plainly too For 1. We are obliged to worship and serve in a Religious Manner Him in whose Name we are Rightly Baptized And therefore St. Paul would not have it be thought that he Baptized any in his own Name 1 Cor. 1.15 2. Faith and Baptisme are Joyned together Ephes 4.5 But we are to believe in None but God therefore not to be Baptized in the Name of any but God 3. Baptisme truly so called is but one as 't is said in the same Text. But if either of those Persons were a meer Creature there would be two sorts of Baptism For 'T is confessed by all Christians that the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is true and very God As Christ himself said I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth Matth. 11.25 Now If the Son of the Father Christ himself or the Holy Ghost were but a Creature then the Baptizing in the Name of of those three would bring in apparently Two Baptismes vastly different also One in the Name of God the other in the Name of a meer Creature And if either of those Persons be but a Creature our Lord in commanding the Apostles to Baptize in the Name of his Father and of himself and of the Holy Ghost should command them to Baptise in the same manner and at the same time in the 〈…〉 the glorious God and a meer Creature and so should give the same glory to the one as to the other therein than which what can ever be imagined more wickedly absurd and unreasonable Q. What Scriptures are there that do prove particularly the Godhead of the Son A. Very many and amongst them these two Rom. 9.5 The Apostle speaking of Christ saith He is over all God blessed for ever Joh. 20.28 The Apostle saith unto him My Lord and my God Q. What places prove the Holy Ghost to be true and very God A. Amongst others these two especially 1 Cor. 2.10 The Spirit searcheth all things even the deep things of God Now 〈◊〉 deep things of God is a Word that extendeth to all things in God His Nature Attributes Purposes and Providences for there is no Exception or Limitation added so to seurch them is throughly to know and understand them As God's infallible knowledge of what is in Man is call'd in Scripture his searching the Heart Thus the Spirit the Holy Ghost so called searcheth all things yea the deep things of God which certainly no Creatures are able to do In respect of them that of Paul is ever true That God's Judgments are unsearchable and his ways past finding out Rom. 11.33 So in Isa 6.8 9. What the Lord God said to the Prophet the Apostle applies to the Holy Ghost saying Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the Prophet Acts 28.25 And that very expression is a clear proof for it was God that spake by the Prophets Jer. 1.9 I have put my words in thy mouth Therefore the Holy Ghost is God also of the same substance with the Father and the Son Q. Then there should seem to be three Gods and why can it be said there is but one God when each of these three Persons is God A. They are three Persons and yet but one God because one and the same Divine Nature is in each of them which appears by this that the sarne Divine Honour is to be given to each of them for we are to Baptize in the Name of each of them and we are unchangeably engaged to the Religious worship and service of him in whose Name we are to be Baptized and therefore St. Paul abhorred the thoughts of Baptizeing any in his own Name 1 Cor. 1.15 And as Scripture tells us which Reason it self may inform us of that there is One God or but one God as there is but one Mediator Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 So it assures us that each of these Persons is true and very God so that both are certainly true Q. But how can this be we cannot conceive so strange a thing A. 'T is true indeed this Doctrine of the Trinity is the Highest Mystery in holy Story And it were no Mystery at all if we were able to comprehend it and conceive the manner of it Yet we have Reason to believe what Scripture tells us tho' it be that which is above the reach of humane Reason As we may safely believe that the Dead shall be raised to Life because of Scripture Testimony Joh. 5.28 All that are in the Graves shall hear Christs Voice and come forth Though we cannot conceive the manner of the Refurrection nor answer all curious questions that may be made about it Q. What is the Rule and Pattern of Prayer A. The Lords Prayer After this manner Pray ye c. in Matth. 6.9 Q. Is it therefore only a Rule of Prayer A. No it is also a Prayer it self and to be used as such For our Saviour saith thus Luk. 11.2 when ye Pray say Our Father c. that is Say these words Q. Is it lawful to pray in a Form or to use the same Expressions in Prayer over and over A. Yes For the Lord's Prayer is such a Form and is to be used in those very expressions to the VVorld's End Say Our Father and so forth And Christ's Example is beyond exception herein He prayed the third time saying the same words Matth. 26.44 So Mark 14.39 And again He went away and prayed speaking the same words Surely he had the Spirit indeed and could as easily have prayed in other words if it had been better so to do Q. But what need we pray for God knows our wants without our Prayers and what he gives us he gives for his own goodness sake and not for our Prayer's sake A. Yes we must pray for all that because he hath commanded us to Pray Psal 50.15 Call upon me Isa 55.6 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found He is a God that heareth Prayer Psal 65.2 Ask and ye shall have Matth. 7.7 that is in Gods due time And though he had promised Mercies to his People yet for those things he would be sought unto Ezek. 36 37. Q. How many Sacraments are mentioned for Christians to partake of A. Two only Baptisme
was before in into another place even Heaven Luk. 24.50 While he blessed them he was parted from them and received up into Heaven Q. How is it said by him Matth. 28.20 I am with you always if he be gone from Earth to Heaven A. Yes very well for tho' he be gone into Heaven and so hath left the Earth in Respect of his Bodily Presence as he said in the Gospel the poor ye have always with you but me ye have not always yet in Respect of his Divine Presence he was always with his People and cannot be absent from any place seeing he upholds all things Heb. 1.3 Q. What may these things serve for A. 1. They serve to confute the Papists that say the Body of Christ is really and properly present in their Sacrament Now Christ's Body is in Heaven he is ascended thither in that Respect And when he comes from it he shall come so as he went that is so as to be seen of men Acts 1.10 11. But he shall not so come till the Day of Judgment Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing 2 Tim. 4.1 2. To confound the Atheists that mock at Heaven as if it were an idle Fancy But let them say what they please and use their Wits to wrong their Souls yet we may safely think that to be a Real place and a happy place too into which our blessed Lord is really ascended 3. To teach Christians to look beyond this present World and raise their Thoughts to the things above thirsting far a nearer communion with Christ and to see the place where his Honour dwelleth Q. But considering how many Enemies poor Christians may meet with was it not ill for them that their Saviour should leave the world A. No not at all For as he would have them here to live by Faith and not by Sight so his care of them is as great now as when he lived on Earth he is the same yesterday to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 and in John 16.7 he saith 't is expedient for you that I go away Yea it was for their great advantage and on their account that he went to Heaven For he saith in John 14.2 I go to prepare a place for you And that Text in Heb. 9. is a wonderful ground of Comfort to all Godly Christians where he telleth them ver 24. that Christ is gone into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for them Q. Shall Christ continue always in Heaven whereto he is ascended A. No He shall come again to Judge the World 2 Cor. 5.10 We shall all stand before the Judgment-seat of Christ Matth. 25.31 The Son of man shall come in his Glory and all the Holy Angels with Him And then shall he sit upon the Throne of his Glory and before him shall be gathered all Nations 2 Tim. 4.1 before the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing Behold he cometh with Clouds and every Eye shall see him Rev. 1.7 Q. According to what shall men then be judged A. According to their works Behold I come quickly and my Reward is with me to give to every man according as his work shall be Rev. 22.12 Q. But mens works are some good and some bad in the best Men and the best have done evil as well as good in Gods sight shall they therefore be rewarded then for their good works and be punished also for their sins A. No. There shall then be no such Mixture of good and evil upon them but they shall be altogether Happy or Miserable and be adjudg'd to Everlasting Life or Happiness or else to everlasting punishment Matth. 25.46 Q. How then is it said that Christ will give every man according to his work A. By work understand not a particular work but his ordinary way and Course and the main Scope of his Conversation whereby he is in the Main a worker of Iniquity or a worker of a Righteousness and shews himself to be a godly or ungodly Man In which sense the Prophet seemeth to speak when he saith the work of Righteousness shall be peace or end in peace Q. Can any thing be so closely carried as to escape the Eye and Judgement of Christ A. No For God shall judge the secret Things of men by Jesus Christ as St. Paul saith Rom. 2.16 Q. Shall the sins of good Christians be discovered to the world at Judgment A. No. For all their Trespasses were forgiven in this life Col. 2.13 and if God forgive them in this life Men have nothing to do with them in the life to come Yea so far shall they be from having any Reproach for sin at Christs coming that they shall appear with him in Glory Col. 3.4 Q. Should Christ's true Servants be afraid of the Day of Judgment A. No For the Judge is their Advocate and his appearing is called The blessed Hope because they shall then enjoy the happiness they hope for according to the Scriptures Tit. 2.13 1 Joh. 2.1 Q. But what if through some Temptations of the Devil and snares of the world they should fall away and fall off from all Grace and Religion would not the Day of Judgment prove a Day of Perdition unto them A. 'T is little to the purpose what the Day of Judgment might prove to them in such a Case For such a thing is not to be supposed they shall not utterly fall from Grace and Perish by any means whatsoever For God will confirm them to the end that they may be blameless at the Day of Christ 1 Cor. 1.8 and in 1 Pet. 2.25 Christ is called the Shepherd of their Souls A word that importeth a special and particular care of them and therefore sure he will not suffer them to go so far astray as to perish at last Q. What will Christ say to the Rightcous at that Day A. He will say to them Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you Matth. 25.34 Q. What to the Wicked A. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting Fire Matth. 25.41 Q. Shall these sentences be certainly executed accordingly A. Yes For those shall go away into everlasting punishment and the Righteous into Life Eternal as we read expresly Matth. 25 46. Q. Shall the Righteous obtain that Happiness by their own deservings A. No. For they were sinners before and were by nature Children of wrath Eph. 2.3 But Christ hath merited for them and for his sake it is given them The gift of God 〈◊〉 Eternal Life through Jesus Christ Rom. 6 2â— Q. Do the wicked deserve such punishment A. Yes that Eternal Death of misâ—â— is the Wages of Sin Rom. 6.23 Q. But how can it be just to punish Everlastingly for the offences of a little time A. We read it shall be so with the wicked and Impenitent They shall go away into everlasting punishment And if God will have it so 't is