the Câ—mmandments of God Ps. 103. 17 18. Dan. 9. 4. 9. Assure your selves if you neglect this duty God will require their blood at your hands Gen. 9. 5. with Acts 20. 26. It is here with Parents as with Ministers if you do not warn and teach them God will require their blood at your hands Ezek. 3. 18. Object But teaching is the work of the Minister Answ. It is not only his but yours his in publick yours in your Families 10. Sin and corruption is so inherent in Children in their nature that all the care of Ministers in publick and Parents at home will be little enough to heal this plague of original corruption This plague is like the Leprosie There must be scraping and if cleansing will not do there must be pulling down So that you see all is little enough without teaching your Children may perish and you smart for it Object 1. But Children may do well that are not thus carefully instructed Answ. 1. They may do well as to the outward man they may prosper in the world God may cause his Sun to shine upon the unjust and the unthankful But Parents are to wish that their Children may do well as to the inward man and prosper in their Souls as John for his friend Gaâ—us 3 Joh. 2. 2. They may perish eternally for want of Knowledge Hos. 4. 6. 3. If some Children happen to come to good no thanks to such careless graceless Parents that neglect instruction at home Object 2. But we have known them that have been taught well enough to have made bad proof A. 1. This is too sadly true to be denied But the fault may be in one of the Parents by their bad example And Children as well as the conclusion in syllogizing will follow the worse and weaker part yet this is blame-worthy in Parents 2. Good Parents have severely smarted for their neglect of strict Discipline in their Families and their over great fondness in cockâ—ring their Children as you may read in Eli and David 1 Sam. 3. 13. 2 Sam 13 and 14 and 15. 1 Kings 1. 6. 3. But if the Children of good Parents prove bad this should make us more diligent If a Garden well weeded and kept down prove thus ill Is this any encouragement to sloth but rather a spur to double diligence Two or three Motives to excite to the Duty of Catechizing Let it be remembred that you are not perswaded to invade the ministerial office or to become of this or that Opinion or Party but to fall forthwith upon the practice of a manifest yet indispensable Duty 1. How doth the love of God dwell in your hearts when they are hardened against your Children Simon lovest thou me then feed my Lambs They are Gods Children and therefore you must bring them up in the â—â—ture and admonition of the Lord. The Children of any in Covenant with God are called his Children Ezek. 15. 21. When the woman of Samaria knew Christ she desired that all her Neighbours might also know him 2. Are they not your Children You shall diligently teach them to your Children they are bone of your hone and flesh of your flesh Are we to instruct one another and not our own Children 3. What a comfort will this be to you if you faithfully discharge this most profitahle Duty For 1. Such Parents shall have joy of their Children Prov. 23. 24. Ruth 4. 15. David and Bathâ—sheba had much comfort of Solomon which they had not of their other Children 2. You shall have spiritual rejoycing 2 Joh. 4. 3. You will gain a good evidence of the truth of grace in your hearts 4. You that thus propagate piety shall sow good seed that will endure to many Generations Jer. 33. 18. 5. You may avoid many crosses and heart-breaking sorrows which negligent Parents ordinarily meet with Abraham taught his Children and see what comfort he had of them He had a numerous Family 318. instructed Servants born in his own house Gen. 14. 14. and yet no disorder or disturbance there He had a numerous Family and yet a peaceable Family 1. Abraham Circumciseth Ishmael and yet it was a painful Sacrament 2. Isaac makes no oppâ—sitiâ—n when to be made a sacrifice to the Will of God 3. Yâ—u have a religious Servant Gen. 15 and 24. 4. At his death he gives what portions he pleaseth and yet you find no discord among them Gen. 25. 5 6. As you therefore desire peace in your Families and in after Generations bring them up in the fear of the Lord. On the contrary you Parents that teach your Children Arts and Trades and not Gods Commandments why you are making way for your own cross and vexation what heart-breaking will they be to you As 1. In their matching Prov. 17. 21 25. Gâ—n 26. 34. 35. 2. Their sins will be put upon your score and have you not sins enough of your own 3. Their perishing will be put upon your account Oh what fretting and cursing will there be at your meeting your Children in Hâ—ll Have you not heard of Children that have cursed Parents upon the Gallows Oh when the Word of God tells you that some evil will befall your Children how should this trouble you As it was said of Jeroboam that he made Israel to sin for all that succeeded pursued his sins even so you by your cursed ignorance negligence and slâ—th may propagate sin and misery from Generation to Generation to your Children We are to look upon this duty as one of the prime Ordinances of divine institution there was Family teaching before there was any other teaching 'T is the opinion of an eminent Divine that more Children are seasoned with grace by iâ—steâ—ction of Paâ—ents than by preaching Towns are made up of Families and where they are wicked in Towns Kingdoms cannot â—e righteous Our misery begins in bad Families This duty of Catechizing therefore is of as great weight as any which is commanded in the word of God Thus far he whose name I shall conceal because I have published it without his privity and consent though I hope not against his liking and approbation If any of you shall please diliâ—ently and impartially to examine Concordâ—nces and most Catechisms you will soon find that the former do furnish us rather with sounds than sense and that in the latter upon comparing the truths and the alledged Texts together there is so wide a distance that you will the better perceive the dâ—fficulty of our present undertaking notwithstanding all the forementioned helps than at first possibly you have imagined If you find any pertinency of the Scriptures produced for confirmation of the truths they refer unto in this Explication I know it will be acceptable to you and it is no less than what I have endeavoured after If you espie many proofs under any Principle of Religion it is either because that the truths there are more weighty or that the cavils against them are more
only the accidents remain so that there is length and nothing long breadth and nothing broad thickness and nothing thick whiteness and nothing white moisture and nothing moist sweetness and nothing sweet that is a long broad thick white moist sweet nothing The Priest pours out nothing but Lines and Colours when he pours out the Wine for these accidents of Bread and Wine are not in the Bread because that is avoided and vanisht and they are not in the Body of Christ as themselves say and yet it is plain this Bread and Wine do nourish the Body and is the Body nourished by meer accidents Can there be plainer contradictions 4. Can the same Body at the same time have his just Dimensions distance of parts symmetry proportion as the Body of Christ hath and yet not have these because all parts Yea the whole Body of Christ say they is in one and the self same point or crumb of Bread 5. Can the Body of Christ which is much greater be wholly contained in a Waâ—er or piece of Bread in his full Dimensions and that as many times as there are points crumbs drops in the Bread or Wine 6. Can the Bread be turned into the very Body of Christ and yet not any thing of that Bread become any thing of Christ nor the matter nor form nor accidents of Bread be made either the matter or form or accidents of Christ 7. Can the same thing as Christs true Body at the same time be wholly above it self and wholly below it self within and without it self Can it be moved and yet be still be carried from one place to another and yet not move be brought from Heaven to Earth and yet not come out of Heaven Who then can assure us that when Christ hung upon the Cross he was not walking somewhere else Crucified and not Crucified eaten and not eaten alive in one and dead in another place 8. What dishonour do these men render the Body of Christ obnoxious unto to be eaten by wicked men by brute Creatures by Mice by other vermine to be cast into some unclean place For so long as the form of Bread remains so long the Body of Christ is there though it be in the Mouth or Belly of a Mouse saith Hales and the rest of the Schoolmen who do one where or another acknowledge the most of these monstrous Absurdities and go about to heal and solve them Q. We shall surcease from raking further into the ingrateful sink whose Name Transubstantiation is but of yesterday in comparison and which dishonours the Body of Christ into a Monster destroyes the nature of a Sacrament and fills the world with dreadful Contentions and broils And shall now consider with our selves what may profitably be observed from all this What therefore may be observed upon the whole matter A. We may observe 1. What grievous impositions the Romanists lay upon the Faith of them that are devoted to her Communion 2. What contradictions and absurdities the common people do ignorantly and implicitly believe 3. What strong delusions even to believe lies God gives up learned men unto that refuse the simplicity of the truth for interests and politick ends 4. What a Mercy of God it is to deliver us from that Tyranny which leaves us no other choice but to swallow and digest such impossible things or to be sacrificed in flames and the Lord forbid the Re-entrance of that Religion among us which in all likelihood will cost us our Souls or our Lives Q. Since the worthy Receivers are not after a corporal and carnal manner partakers of Christs Body and Blood After what manner are they partakers of them A. By Faith Q How understand you that A. As truly as the Minister gives them the Bread and Wine so truly doth God give them the Body and Blood of Christ that is the Crucified Saviour not by local motion but by real communication not to their teeth but to their Souls and consequently exhibits to them all the benefits thereof to their spiritual nourishment and growth in Grace and all the advantages that flow to them from the death of Christ. Q. 97. What is required to the worthy receiving of the Lords Supper A. It is required of them that would worthily partake of the Lords Supper that they examine themselves of their knowledge to discern the Lords Body of their Faith to feed upon him of their Repentance Love and new Obedience lest coming unworthily they eat and drink Judgement to themselves Explic. Q. How ought Christians to partake of the Lords Supper A. They ought to partake worthily that is suitably with a suitable frame of heart to this Ordinance Q. What is the great duty of those that would thus partake A. It is required that they examine themselves Q. How many things must they examine themselves about A. Five especially viz. 1. Knowledge 2. Faith 3. Love 4. Repentance 5. New Obedience Q. Must every one that cometh to the Lords Supper have Knowledge A. Yes Q Why is Knowledge necessary A. To discern the Lords Body Q. What other graces must they examine themselves about A. Their Faith Repentance and Love Q. In their examination what must they look after A. Two things especially 1. That they have these Graces 2. That the said Graces be in readiness for service and exercise that is that they so stir up these Graces of the Holy Ghost as they may be most profitably exerted in this most Sacred solemn Ordinance Q. Why is Faith necessary A. To feed on Christ. Iohn 6. 53. Q. Why is Repentance necessary A. Repentance for sin will fit them to receive and sweeten their receiving the benefits of Christs death to their Souls Q. Why is Love necessary A. Because they who have no Love to God and Christ and their Brethren are unfit to receive the pledge of Gods Love to themselves Q. What else must they examine themselves about A. New Obedience whether they propose and practise it in any good measure Q. Why is New Obedience necessary A. Because Christ only communicates the benefits of his death to them that obey him Q. What if any Communicants shall eat this Bread and drink this Cup of the Lord unworthily A. They shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ Q. What danger is there in that A. All such Communicants eat and drink Judgement to themselves Q. 98. What is Prayer A. Prayer is an offering up of our desires to God for things agreeable to his Will in the Name of Christ with confession of our sins and thankful acknowledgement of his mercies Explic. Q. What are the parts of Prayer A. Confession Petition and Thanksgiving Q. And how many things are there as the matter of these A. Three our sins as the matter of our Confession our desires and wants as the matter of our Petition and our Mercies as the matter of our Thanksgiving Q. What is Confession A. A due acknowledgement of
you that A. 1. Because the Will of God as secret is a peculiar Treasure which he hath put in his own power and will keep to himself 2. Because a man may sometimes sin in fulfilling the secret Will of God and be ashamed repenting in dust and ashes that he hath done it 3. Because all Creatures do this Will of God and none ever resisted it Q. Is the revealing of an event which God hath determined or those Actions whereby that event shall be brought to pass the Rule of Mans obedience A. No Q. But are not Gods own positive and ceremonial Laws this Rule of Mans obedience A. No. Q. How prove you that A. 1. Because they were so burdensome a yoke that neither we nor the Jews themselves were ever able to bear them 2. Because they were never pleasing to God irrespectively of themselves neither did he at all ever take delight in these Laws themselves simply considered 3. Because these positive Laws were such by which men should never obtain Eternal Life Q. What Law then is that which is the Rule of Mans obedience A. The Moral Law Q. Why is it so called A. Because it hath a perpetual binding power in all Ages unto the end of the world Q. When was this revealed A. At first Q. How understand you that A. Two waies 1. This Law was at first given to Adam in Innocency God having written it on his heart some small remainders whereof abide yet in mans nature 2. This Law was first revealed by Gods immediate voice after written in Tables of Stone and given to the Church as a perpetual Rule for their obedience Q. 41. Wherein is the Moral Law summarily comprehended A. The Moral Law is summarily comprehended in the ten Commandments Explic. Q What is it for the Moral Law to be summarily comprehended in the ten Commindments A. To have the summ and chief Heads of the Law contained in them Q. 42. What is the summ of the ten Commandments A. The summ of the ten Commandments is to Love the Lord our God with all our Heart and with all our Soul and with all our Mind and with all our Strength and our Neighbour as our selves Explic. Q In how many Tables were the teâ— Commandments at first written A. In two Tables of Stone Deut. 10. 1 2 4. Q. How many Commandments are comprized under the first Table or first great Commandment A. The soâ—r first Q How many under the second Table or second great Commandment A. Six Q. Do the Papists well in leaving out the second Commandment and in their dividing the tenth into two A. No Q. What is the comprehensive Duty of all the Commandments written in these two Tables A. Love Rom. 13. 9. For this Thou shalt not commit Adultery Thou shalt not Kill Thou shalt not Steal Thou shalt not bear false Witness Thou shalt not Covet And if there be any other Commandment it is briefly comprehended in this saying Namely Thou shalt Love thy Neighbour as thy self The like may be said of all the Commandments of the first Table Q What is the summ of the first Table of the Law A. To love the Lord our God with all our Heart and with all our Soul and with all our Mind and with all our Strength Q. What mean you by the word Summ A. A general or chief Head which comprehends other particulars in it Ibid. Rom. 13. 8. Q. What is it to love the Lord our God with all our Heart c A. It doth imply the supremacy ardency and activity of our Love whereby we chuse the Lord cleave to him and delight in him as our chief Good and employ all our faculties and powers in his service in obedience to him out of Love Q. What is the summ of the second Table of the Law A. To love our Neighbour as our selves Q Who is our Neighbour A. Every man Luk. 10. 29 38. Q. What is it to love our Neighbour as our selves A. To love him with the same truth and constancy of Love as we do our selves Q. But are we not bound to love our Neighbour with the same Degree of Love as we do our selves A. No. Q. 43. What is the Preface to the ten Commandments A. The Preface to the ten Commandments is in these words I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of Bondage Q. 44. What doth the Preface to the ten Commandments teach us A. The Preface to the ten Commandments teacheth us that because God is the Lord and our God and Redeemer therefore we are bound to keep all his Commandments Explic. Q. How many reasons or arguments are there in the Preface to oblige and perswade us to keep all Gods Commandments A. Two 1. God is the Lord. I am the Lord. 2. God is our God and Redeemer I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of Bondage Q. How are we bound and obliged to keep Gods Commandments as he is the Lord A. As he is the Lord he is our Creator and supream Soveraign and we owe him obedience as we are his Creatures and Subjects Q. You say you owe God obedience as you are his Creatures and Subjects what mean you thereby A. We mean that once we were not were made and are preserved by God or that we derived our Being from anâ— hold it of God and that we are undâ—â— the unlimited and absolute Dominioâ— and Soveraignty of God and thereforâ— ought to serve and glorifie God in 〈◊〉 Body and in our Spirit which 〈◊〉 Gods and to be in perfect subjection 〈◊〉 the Laws of Heaven Q. How are we bound and obliged 〈◊〉 keep Gods Commandments as he is our God and Redeemer A. As our God and Redeemer our Father and Benefactor he hath brought us into the special relation of Children to himself and hath entred into Covenanâ—â—â— with us to bring us out of spiritual Egypt and Bondage under sin as he brought his people of old out of the earthly Egypt and the Bondage of men These two Rules must be learn'd for the understanding of the Commandments Rule 1. That when any sin is forbidden the contrary Duty is required and when any Duty is required the contrary sin is forbidden Rule 2. That where any sin is forbidden all the Kinds and Degrees of it temptations and incentments to it are likewise forbidden and when any Duty is required all the kinds and the highest perfection of it together with all the means and helps to it are also required Q. 45. What is the first Commandment A. The first Commandment is Thou shalt have no other Gods before me Q. 46. What is required in the first Commandment A. The first Commandment requireth us to know and acknowledge God to be the only true God and our God and to worship and glorifie him accordingly Explic. Q Is