Commandments of Christ whatsoever Christ had commanded his Apostles 4 As these and as these alone and all these must be taught so they must be taught and represented unto them as to be observed and that freely constantly and with delight out of love unto their dearest Saviour If they teach any other Commandments but these the knowledg of them will be in vain if they teach some and not all their knowledg will be imperfect if they teach all these so that their knowledg should be perfect and yet not effectually stir them up to obedience their knowledg will be in vain if they exhort them to observe some and not all their obedience will be short and not reach the end for which these Laws and Commandments were given Sect. 5. But because many may be ignorant oâ— these Laws I will 1. Premise some general observations 2. Note some places of Scripture where the morals are contracted 3. Shew how Love is the performance and fulfilling of them all 4. Deliver the Doctrine of the Eucharist 5. Reduce the matter of these Commandments into the form of a vow 1. The observations are these 1. That the Commandments of Christ are either moral as the precepts and the prohibitions of the moral Law or ceremonial as the two Sacraments of Baptism and the Eucharist which we call the Communion of the Lords Supper 2. That the morals are to be understood Evangelically in which respect they admit of divers additions whereby they differ much from the morals as given to Adam in innocency or to Israel in the Wilderness for they were given to Adam by God as Creator to Israel by God as choosing them and bringing them out of Egypt but they are given in the Gospel especially since the exhibition of Christ by God as redeeming us by Christ already come therefore called Christ's Commandments and so obedience in them must be performed unto God not only as Creator but as Redeemer 3. The blood of Christ's death made the transgressions against these morals pardonable and the punishment due unto the transgressors avoidable upon certain terms but according to the Covenant made with Israel and the Law of Works neither was transgression once past remissible nor the punishment possible to be avoided 4. According to the Law and Covenant of Works perfect personal perpetual Obedience was the only condition of life according to the Gospel Faith in Christ is the condition so that though the sins of man against this Law may be many heinous yet upon Faith in Christ they are noâ— only pardonable but shall be pardoned 5. Obedience to this Law was to be perform'd by Adam according to that sufficient power which he had received in his creation and lost by his transgression buâ— obedience of Believers is performed according to the power of the Spirit restored in regeneration 6. Tho' our obedience under the Gospel be imperfect and therefore by it we cannot be justified yet it 's accepted of God and rewarded ugon the account of Christ's Merit and Intercession 7. We are strictly bound under the Gospel unto these morals and therefore the sincere and constant obedience unto them is so much urged and professed by Christ and his Apostles in the New Testament For Christ died not to free us from obedience to these Laws but to sanctifie us that we may keep them better and that upon our transgressions we should renew our Repentance and Faith 8. Though these moral Laws are more at large expressed and made known unto us by Moses the Prophets the Evangelists both in the Old and New Testament yet in many places they are contracted in a few words and reduced to a few heads Sect. 6. These things premised I will in the second place observe some places where they are contracted 1. We are informed thaâ— in the Decalogue published upon Mouâ— Sinai all moral Duties are reduced to towords or heads and that in an excelleâ— method and manner And indeed upoâ— due consideration it will appear that thâ— model of the Law was from God as beinâ—â—ar above the wisdom of men and Angeâ—â—â— Because every Commandment hatâ—â—egative and an affirmative consideratioâ— and consists of a Precept requiring gooâ— and a prohibition of the contrary ev 〈…〉 erefore we find this moral Law contrâ—câ—ed divers times to two Heads the 〈…〉 ewing of evil and doing good Psal. 14. Isa. 1. 16 17. 3. Because that maâ— whom this Law is given hath relation God and man his Neighbour thereâ—â— the whole is reduced to two parts the Ouâ— duty towards God 2. Our duty tow 〈…〉 Neighbour therefore the whole bâ— of the Law is reduced to these two heads according to that of the Prophet He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God Micah 6. 8. Where to do justly and love mercy is our whole duty to man to walk humbly with God is our whole duty to God 4. But that contraction of the whole to one head which is Love is most excellent yet this Love is two-fold 1. The Love of God 2. Of our Neighbour For our blessed Saviour determined the first and great Commandment to be the Love of the Lord our God and the second which is like unto it is to love our Neighbour as our selves Yet though this latter be like unto yet it 's not equal with the first for there is so great an inequality between the love we owe to God and that which we owe unto man that if the love of man come in competition with our love to God so that they cannot consist together we must hate Father and Mother and nearest Relations for Christ's sake Our Saviour further adds that upon these two Commandments hang the Law and the Prophets that is all the moral Duties mentioned in the Law and the Prophets are comprized in these two Mat. 22. 37 38 39 40. The Apostle tells us that love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13. 10. that is of the second Table 5. Because man is indebted to himself to his Neighbour to his God therefore some think the Law is contracted in the words of the Gospel which teacheth us to live soberly in respect of our selves righteously towards man and godly towards God Tit. 2. 12. 6. The Divine Apostle Disciple whom Christ loved comprehends all in two Commandments Faith and Love saying And this is his Commandment That we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and that we love one another as he hath commanded us 1 3. 23. 7. And here we must observe that prohibitions reproofs threatnings examples exhortations dehortations promises denuntiations and executions of judgments belong and are to be referred to the Law of God 8. Repenâ—â—nce Faith in Christ Self-denial bearing Christ's Cross are duties not naturally but supernaturally moral and may be reduced to the first Commandment Evangelically understood Repentance as it hath God Creator
and Governour in general for it's object faith as it is an assent to God as the first truth revealing his mind to man or a reliance upon him as promising some thing to men Self-denial and bearing the Cross as they are a total resignation of our selves unto the will of God made known unto us I say all these in this sense are naturally moral But consider these as terminated upon God as Redeemer in Christ either promised or exhibited and as conditions upon which the Salvation of sinful man depends by divine Ordination they are not only naturally but supernaturally moral 9. When the Commandments of God are contracted and reduced to the love of God and our Neighbour we must understand that the love of God or the love we owe to God is not only antecedent and the first in order of nature but also of dignity far higher greater then the love of our Neighbour or which is due unto our Neighbour For we must love God with all our heart soul mind might and so we must love nothing else God is worthy of infinite love and therefore he loves himself infinitely yet he requires not in these words an infinite love from us who are infinite yet we must love him more then any other thing yea far more we must love him with the highest degree of love that possibly we can and should be willing if we could to love him infinitely we may exceed in loving our selves or any other thing in loving God we cannot they that love him most love him far less then he deserves To love God with the whole heart is not only to love God sincerely and truly but to love him so as that his love may take up and fill the whole heart this is to love God as God if the whole heart be wholly taken up with this love then all the powers and faculties of soul and body go along with the heart and are taken up with it Therefore these words all the Soul Mind Strength are added to that of the whole heart to signifie the great measure of this divine love 10. The love of our Neighbour as our selves pre-requireth the love of God for if we do not love God first we can neither love our selves or our Neighbour aright For our love of God must measure and qualifie both the love of our selves and our Neighbours and render it acceptable to God 11. This love of God presupposeth our knowledge of God both as excellent and amiable in himself and as good and loving to us especially in Christ and therefore some acts of faith in Christ must go before this love of God as God and our God Redeemer and Sanctifier And as it presuposeth knowledge and in us Christians faith in Christ already come so it vertually includes all subsequent duties and acts of obedience Sect. 7. Therefore after 1. The general observations premised and 2. This discourse upon the several abridgments of the moral Law I will in the third place manifest that love is the fulfilling of the Law 1. The love of God is against all Atheism Idolatry Apostasie renounceth all confidence in any other thing and will take God alone to be our God who created us preserveth redeemeth sanctifieth us unto everlasting life and will serve him fear him trust in him be loyal and obedient unto him in the highest degree and will give all praise glory honour and power to him as the only supreme Lord. 2. This love will not make any image or likeness of any thing visible or sensible to represent him nor cause any such thing to be made for that end neither will it ascribe any divine power or sanctifying vertue unto any such thing nor make it a sign of Gods special presence nor worship or serve it or serve God by it It will reject all traditions of men and all superstition in Religious Worship and will faithfully observe the institutions of God in Divine Service 3. This love will not swear falsly or vainly to the dishonour of God and Christ our Saviour It will be careful to swear the truth It will not prophane or pollute the name of God in the performance of his service but will worship God and perform all religious duties with humility and reverence so that God in them may be glorified 4. This love will not prophane the times determined and hallowed by God for his more solemn worship and will lay aside at those times not only all sinful but all secular imployments and will apply it in publick and private to the performance of holy and heavenly duties It will observe the first day of the week in acknowledgement of Christs Resurrection and the coming down of the Holy Ghost and by this observation signifie our belief of the abolition of the Law the taking down of the partition wall the uniting of Jew Gentile in one body Christian neither will love so confine it self to one day in seven as not to observe those standing occasional times of humiliation or thanksgiving appointed by Authority both Ecclesiastical and Civil for the publick service and solemn Worship of God 5. If we love God we will love our selves in God and as our selves our Neighbours and that not only our Acquaintance Friends near Relations but Strangers Enemies especially the Children of God and will do as we would be done unto This love will honour obey and submit unto all our Superiors whether in Family or State or Church according to their places and will not dishonour disobey or any ways as such disrespect them 6. This love will not give way to Anger malice envy implacable revenge or any such violent and destructive passion which tends to the endangering of limb or life but it will account the life of our neighbour very precious and will use all means to preserve it and to live in peace concord and safety 7. This love will detest adultery whoredom fornication incest and all uncleanness with all the causes and occasions thereof it will endeavour chastity in body and spirit and use all means to preserve it 8. This love will not by any fraud or force take away or detain the goods of his neighbour out of covetousness or any other iniquity but will be careful to give every one their own and so not only be just but also merciful and liberal when God requires it 9. This love will not bear false witness against his Neighbour though his Enemy nor any way seek to hinder or pervert just judgment but will desire and use their best means to right his Noighbour and to promote justice in all judicial proceeding 10. This love will not covet any thing that is his Neighbours though he want it himself will not envy his prosperity will not rejoyce in the misery of an enemy it will seek the good of every one rejoyce in their happiness look upon every one especially a godly man as his brother This love of God and our neighbour
MAGNA CHARTA Ecclesiae Universalis THE Grand Charter Issued out and Granted by JESUS CHRIST FOR THE Plantation of the Christian Faith In all NATIONS Registred and Enrolled Mat. 28. 18 19 20. Chosen for the subject of the ensuing Discourse By GEORGE LAWSON Rector of More in the County of Salop. The Second Edition Corrected LONDON Printed by T. M. for Jeremiah Lawson And are to be sold by Tho. Newborough at the Star in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1686. IMPRIMATUR Caroulus Alston R. P. D. Hen. Episc. Lond. Ã Sacris Martii 22. 1685 6 THE PREFACE THough it be no ways needful to usher in this little Treatise with a Preface or Epistle yet I will premise a few things concerning the occasion matter method use and end thereof When I considered the multitudes amongst us who profess their Faith in Christ own the name of Christian and seem to glory in that title and yet are ignorant not only of the original and ground of Christianity but of the very first Principles and Rudiments of Religion and also highly guilty of the breach of that Covenant whereby they solemnly in the sight of men and Angels bound themselves to be loyal and obedient unto Christ their Saviour I thought it might be a service acceptable to God and profitable unto the Church to mind them of their sin and give them some directions with an exhortation to amend betimes that so they may avert Gods judgments and escape the wrath to come therefore I took occasion to single out this Text compose this brief Treatise submit it to the judgment of the Church and upon approbation make it publick And first I bring the Reader into the sacred Arches where the Monuments of eternal saving truth are kept and shew him the very place where the grand Charter of our profession is enroled for we find it in the words of our blessed Saviour related by the Evangelist St. Mat. ch 28. v. 18 19 20. Where we have a commission issued out from Christ to his Apostles and Successors and the same grounded upon a far higher Patent whereby all power in heaven and earth is derived immediately from his heavenly Father and given unto him And seeing as Tertullian observes we receive our Christian Religion and Faith from the Apostles the Apostles from Christ and Christ from God it must needs be from heaven and here we should take special notice of and admire the excellent wisdom of Christ our Lord and Saviour as far above all the wisdom of men and Angels who could in so few words and in such excellent order contract so many high mysteries and matters of greatest weight and concernment for here ' in a very narrow compass we may find the Credenda all the Articles of our Faith and the Agenda all the commands of Christ Here we have the original Creed and perfect form of Confession which was the ground of all the ancient and Apostolical Creeds here we have the sum and substance of all that excellent Doctrine which is dispersed here and there through all the Books of Moses the Prophets Evangelists and Apostles Here we have the institution of sacred Orders for the dispensation of Word and Sacraments and the application of the benefits of Redemption Here we have the institution of Baptism with a certain form of words the Eucharist and Prayer as parts of Divine Worship are to be reckon'd amongst the commandments of Christ So that here is a Rule of Faith of Obedience of Worship and something of Discipline implied All these things I make clear then proceed to say something of that form of Confession we call The Apostles Creed and of the principal points of Scripture in order to the same teach the Reader how to refer the several parts and passages of Scripture unto the general heads of the Creed and reduce the matters of Faith into a form of a larger Confession This I conceived a ready way to understand the publick Catechism so much despised by many to improve our knowledge of the Word of God and of the particulars of that Faith which by our Baptism we are bound to hold and profess unto the end After this I go on to the Agenda the Commandments of Christ and shew how they are in several parts of Scripture contracted how all are performed in Love give a more full explication of the moral Law which is to be understood Evangelically as including Repentance and Faith in Christ and then bring them into the form of a Vow that so we may have a more explicite knowledge of the last part of our promise made to God in Baptism be more sensible of our obligation and more careful of performance and obedience formerly urged upon most effectual reasons Amongst the Agenda I reckon the Sacraments and Prayer and after I have declared the nature end and use of the Sacraments from the Institution I single out that Prayer of Prayers the pattern of all our Devotions which is commonly called the Lords Prayer and having explained it in all the parts I reduce the particulars into a larger form of Prayer The former makes it clear how comprehensive and methodical it is as being a wonderful abridgment of all Scripture Prayers the latter teacheth us how to reduce all the parts of our publick Prayers unto the heads thereof and to enlarge upon them in our private Devotions Something 's in my Theopolitica are here repeated yet they are but few and are here improved handled there more largely here more briefly there in one manner here in another and for another use and immediate end Here I single out a certain Text and confine my self unto it and fit it to the capacity of the common sort and weaker Christians for whom it was principally intended I further conceived that many who will not meddle with a greater Volume may yet buy a lesser Book or Manual such as this is and read it through Now if after these and many other helps we continue ignorant or if not ignorant yet impenitent we shall render our selves highly guilty of Rebellion against Christ's Power of Disobedience to his Commands and of perfidious violation of the Covenant of God but if we diligently use the means and exercise the power God hath given us and pray continually for Grace there is comfort and hope of mercy for here we have a promise That Christ will be present with the Church unto the end and assist us with his blessed Spirit to whom with the Father and the Son be given all Glory Honour Praise and Thanks for ever and ever Amen Matthew 28. 18 19 20. And came and spake unto them saying All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you annd loe I am with you alway even unto the end of the
the Text I may seem to exclude Infants from Baptism and this place is alledged by divers against their admission yet nothing in the Text nor any thing in my Discourse doth debar them from this Sacrament For the Apostles were sent to preach the Gospel both to the unbelieving Jew and also to the Gentiles neither of these much less their Children were inclosed in the pale of the Christian Church as believing in Christ already come and not only the Gentile but the proselyte and native Jew must repent and profess their faith before they were baptized and this is evident out of the history of the new Testament And can any man infer from hence that because those who were adult and at age out of the Church might not be baptized before they were taught and confessed the faith therefore the Infants of Christian parents who are actual members of the Church may not be baptized It s evident the sequel is not good Some doubt might be made of Infants born of Parents before they were made Christians and yet we find no question made of them in the Scriptures But of such as are born in the Church of Christian parents after they were Christians there is less doubt for these are part of their parents not only as their parents by nature but as Christians and were always so accounted as born under the Covenant and in their parents bound to the condition thereof and so far as they were bound so far they had right to the priviledges and promises which might be sealed unto them God did not require any profession or promise personal from them because they had not the use of reason and all the duty for the present lay upon the parents and the Church till the Infant came to age and was capable of instruction for then being taught they were bound in their own persons to make their confession and vow and so own their Baptism and this was the end of Confirmation which is an act performed by the Bishop with imposition of hands certain words according to a certain form prescribed in the ritual part of our Liturgy The covenant of Righteousness by Faith was sealed to infants by circumcision from the times of Abraham untill this commission was granted by Jesus Christ who neither by himself nor his Apostles except them or exclude them but of this see more in my Theopolitica lib. 2. cap. 15. Sect. 19 20. CHAP. 7. Of touching persons baptized to observe Christs Commandments Sect. 1. THE fourth proposition is Christ commanded the Apostles to teach all persons baptized to observe whatsoever Christ commands them This implies that the parties to be baptâ—zed must not only profess their faith but promise obedience to Christs commands In the words we may observe a two-fold duty 1. Of the people which was the observation of Christs commandments 2. Of the Minister who must teach the people to observe these commandments In the first we have 1. Christs laws and precepts 2. The peoples obedience 1. Laws are moral acts of a superiour power which bind the parties subject to obedience or upon disobedience to penalty The sovereign and universal Monerch is God who by creation preservation and redemption hath a total and absolute power over man and especially in respect of his piritual capacity as he is a subject ordinable to an eternal estate After Christ was risen from the dead God communicates a transcendent power unto him especially as redeemer of man therefore as Christ had received this glorious power so he did exercise the same by making laws and binding all the subjects of his spiritual and eternal kingdom to the observation of the same For these laws are not only a rule to direct them what to do but of a binding force and the obligation is so strict that whosoever shall refuse to obey shall be liable to eternal punishments for those Laws being written in the Scripture are far more excellent then any humane decrees and statutes not only because they are the Laws of God and the other of men but also because they are made in exact wisdom are most fitted for man so as to direct all acts and operations of soul and body bind the conscience and immortal soul promise eternal rewards and threaten eternal punishments and aree very way so perfect that upon obedience eternal peace and happiness will certainly follow The ignorance of these things and want of consideration is the cause why these laws are so little regarded so much neglected and disobeyed though they shall be the rule according to which Christ shall judge the world and determine of mens final and eternal estate Sect. 2. There are divers laws therefore of Christ as is here implyed and the same published not only by word but writing and that long ago and if so it 's the duty of all to whom these laws are made known especially of persons baptized to obey these and because this duty concerns us all and that very much therefore I will first inform you of the duty more particularly that you may know what it is and secondly stir you up unto performance by certain reasons and motives This obedience doth presuppose our submission unto Christ as our superiour Lord upon our acknowledgment of his power and this is the condition of admission into his kingdom and is the foundation of all obedience for we may do many things which another wills us to do and yet the doing of them is no obedience because he hath no power over us neither do we acknowledg him as our superiour 2. As it presupposeth submission to his legal power so it doth the promulgation of his Laws for where there is no law as there can be no sin so there can be no obedience 3. These Laws must be known to us before we can observe them for the laws of Christ as in our understanding and known by us are the immediate rule of our obedience yet when they are sufficiently published it may be our own fault to be ignorant of them as through our own negligence it may so come to pass 4. This obedience is properly an act of the will of man freely conforming to the will of Christ and is required in the first Commandment 5. The matter of this obedience is the law and command of God the proper and formal object is Christ as our supreme Law-giver 6. When the will of Christ is once made known unto us our liberty is so far restrained nay altogether taken away in those things that are commanded and we must have no will of our own but his will must be ours These things observed we must know 1. That this obedience must be yeilded out of love unto our Sovereign yet with humble reverence to his Majesty and joyned with a fear to offend him and the more we love him the more willingly and freely we shall obey and it will be our joy and delight to do his Commandments 2. This obedience
our Saviour Jesus Christ and do his Commandments and never suffer our Baptism to be brought as a witness against us in the great day of our final Trial and Account 2. Let us consider the nature and qualities of these Commandments for there are no penal Statutes imposed by an arbitrary Power intending to oppress us and undo us There is no injustice can be charged upon them they are no ways defective but perfect every way in respect of the end for which they were given they are holy just and good Laws of Equity Wisdom and given out of dearest love directing us to Heaven and everlasting happiness and in keeping them there is great content Nothing is so grievous to Gods Saints as to transgress them and to keep them is the joy and delight of their hearts 3. The reward which Christ doth promise is excellent and far greater than man could expect or hope for rich prizes high preferments glorious rewards work strangely upon the hearts of mortal men and cause them to venture life and limb and many times Soul and all yet if any man could gain the Kingdom of the World and all the Glory thereof yet this is nothing to the reward of this obedience the least work of obedience shall be rewarded a cup of cold water shall not be forgotten and this reward is certain most certain as depending upon the promise of an Almighty Lord who can do what he will and will do what he hath promised and the time will not be long before it shall be rendred and received For he that shall come will come and will not tarry and it shall be eternal and eternally enjoyed and let all those who are obedient rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is their reward in Heaven 4. Yet if reward should not move us so much yet love should even constrain us and we should have no power to resist it Christ loved us and gave himself for us and greater love greater gifts there cannot be Therefore let us consider whose commandments these are which we must observe Are they not the commands of Christ our dearest Saviour who hath redeemed us with his precious blood is the propitiation for our sins and pleads his blood for us in Heaven and shall he love us so much and shall not we love him again O let us love him love him so much as nothing more and if we love him we will keep his Commandments and the more we love him the more obedient we shall be to the laying down of our liveâ— Though we love him much yet he loveâ— us more and though we should perform the obedience of Angels yet we canno◠〈◊〉 him seeing therefore that we ha 〈…〉 so solemnly engaged our selves by our Baptism to this obedience the Laws are so just and tending effectually to our eternal good the reward which God hath promised is so glorious and it is our Saviour who loved us so much who commands us therefore let us be obedient in all things to the end and let this be our great business Sect. 4. The second part of the Proposition is concerning the Ministers duty which is to teach the persons baptized to do whatsoever Christ hath commanded them In this we must consider 1. The persons teaching 2. The persons to be taught 3. The act and work of teaching 4. The matter to be taught or the heads of the Doctrine First The persons teaching are first the Apostles and after them their successors whose duty is not only to disciple the Nations and baptize them but also to inform them of the Laws of Christ for they must not only begin the work of Grace but must go on and finish they must not only lay the foundation but build on and consummate the work The business of Pastors and Teachers is not only to bring men to the amity of Faith but to perfection in Christ. Seconly The persons to be taught are such as having professed their Faith and premised obedience were baptized already and so admitted into the Church The former teaching respected them as out of the Church and tended to prepare them for Baptism and Admission This latter considers them as in the Church and tends to the further edification The end of the former was regeneration and conversion and the end of the latter is spiritual nutrition and confirmation For the subject of this teaching are such as as had promised but as yet not performed obedience such as were but babes and children whose condition required a tender and continual care in their teachers And though they know some of the Commandments by a general and imperfect knowledge yet they had not so clear and distinct knowledge of many of them in particular and did need not only instruction but exhortation 3. Therefore this teaching was not a bare instruction for to inform their understandding but also exhortation to stir them up diligently constantly and zealously to observe the Commandments made known unto them and besides with exhortation sometimes must be some admonition and reproof with directions in particular cases First knowledge was necessary for how can they obey when they know not the particular commands to be obey'd and to what purpose is knowledge though never so clear and distinct if they do them not When our Saviour had given his Apostles a commandment and improved it by his own example he adds If you know these things blessed are ye if ye do them 13. 17. So that it 's plain that the end of this teaching is the doing and observation of Christ's Commandments and therefore as they must represent them clearly to their understanding so they must press the obedience upon the strongest motives and let them know that though their knowledge should be sufficient and they should have perfect directions yet without the continual supply of God's Grace they will not be able to perform any thing and from all this we may observe that profession and knowledge will not be sufficient to Salvation This is the reason why the Apostles do labour so much not only to confirm their Disciples and Conâ—â—rts but also exhort them to obedience profession and practice must go hand in hand and never part assunder profession and knowledge without obedience is but hypocrisie an outward form and shadow of Christianity without the soul and power but where obedience accompanies profession it will be an evidence of the sincerity of their Faith and of their happy condition that they are passed from death to life 4. The principal thing in this Proposition is the matter of this teaching and that is the observation of all Christ's Commandments The matter of the former Doctrine was Truths to be believed and professed the matter of this latter is Commandments to be known and obeyed 2. These Commandments must not be the Traditions Superstitions and inventions of men nor the Laws and Edicts of Temporal Princes but they must be the Commandments of Christ. 3. They must be all the
pardonable the belief in this blood-shed and accepted obtains actual remission For God was so just that he would not pardon any sin without effusion of this blood and yet so merciful that for an inconsideration of the same believed on by guilty man on Earth and pleaded by Christ in heaven he will fully and for ever pardon sin and justifie the guilty 3. The Testament is the Covenant which is so called because in some respect it 's like a Testament which is confirmed and made effectual by the death of the Testatour so the Covenant being grounded upon the death of Christ whereby he became mediatour of the same is confirmed by the blood and death of Christ and is made eternally effectual It 's called the New Testament or Covenant to distinguish it from the Old which was also confirmed with blood Exod. 24. And is a Covenant not of works and strict justice but of faith and Gods mercy and it s said to be the New Covenant in this blood because confirmed by this blood and to be the New Covenant in this blood and the blood of the New Covenant are the same For both signifie the Confirmation of it by Christs Blood 4. We have the Cup that is the Wine contained in the Cup which signifies the Blood of Christ shed for the Remission of sins and puts us in mind of Christs Death and Blood shed and it s given and taken to confirm the Covenant renewed between God and the Communicant 5. The Communicants are commanded to drink of this Cup in remembrance of Christs Blood shed for the remission of sin And by this command they are bound to drink and also to drink it in remembrance of Christ that so by faith they may receive Christ into their hearts for their spiritual life and comfort In this part we have as before in the former the Redemption the Covenant the fealing of the Covenant The Redemption was signified before by the bread broken and given and here by the Wine in the Cup poured out for both signifie but one and the same death and sacrifice of Redemption The Covenant as formerly hath a promise of remission of sins and a precept commanding to take and drink of the Cup in remembrance of his death And this remembrance presupposing knowledge and faith with sense of our sins is practical and effectual to stir up to love and thankfulness in an high degree For how can we remember and seriously consider the greatest love of our Saviour unto us his enemies his cruel sufferings for us and the incomparable blessings merited thereby and not be made sensible of our sins relie upon his sufferings love our enemies and be for ever thankful to our God! 3. The sealing of the Covenant in this part is like unto the former And here it 's to be observed that the Covenant is sealed and confirmed in this Sacrament two several times that God may more fully assure man that as by his Minister he gives both Bread and wine so certainly he will give Christ and all his benefits and continue constant in his Covenant and as certainly as he receives bread and eats it wine and drinks it in remembrance of Christ so certainly he shall receive remission of sins and eternal life by Christ. And by the Celebration of this Sacrament doth more deeply engage himself to God for to continue faithful in his Covenant unto the end Sect 9. Before I conclude this Doctrine of the Eucharist I will add some observations upon the same For 1. As Christ in Baptism contracted all Purifications Cleansings and Lustrations in the Law so in this he abridged all the Ilastical and Eucharistical sacrifices with their Meat-offerings Drink-offerings and sacrificial Feasts 2. The Author institutor and first efficient cause of this Sacrament is Christ the Son of God our Saviour 3. The subject and principal matter thereof is the death of Christ and the benefits procured thereby 4. The form is the use of the Elements with the words according to the first institution 5. The end is the continued remembrance of the sacrifice of Christ upon which depends our eternal salvation 6. This is one of the Laws of Christ which we are bound to observe till his coming to judgment as appears by these words Do this in remembrance of me 7. The dispensation of it belongs to the Minister of the Gospel for he that must baptize must administer the Eucharist and he that dispenseth the one must dispense the other Sacrament 8. The reason why this Sacrament is administred in two several Elements is more fully and distinctly to represent the death of Christ to signifie the plenty of food God hath prepared for our souls and the more strongly to confirm the Covenant 9. It 's to be celebrated not only once but often and is to be continued in the Church unto the worlds end 10. In it we have many points of Christian Doctrine concerning mans sin Gods love the Redemption the Covenant and therein of Gods promises mans duty as Repentance and Faith the benefits wereceive thereby and the Confirmation of the Covenant 11. In it we have many parts of Gods worship imployed as confession of sin profession of faith prayer charity thanksgiving and the whole Celebration of it is a piece of Divine Service 12. By receiving of this Sacrament we profess our Christianity our continuance in the Christian faith and in the Communion with the holy Catholick Church and the Renunciation of all other Religions 13. By the Doctrine of this Sacrament and the tenor of Christs commission we understand something of Church Discipline For as no man before he by the profession of his faith and promise of obedience manifest himself to be a Disciple can be baptized so no man except he appear to be baptized continue in the Christian faith keep Christs Commandments may be admitted to this Table neither may one grosly ignorant before he be instructed or guilty of scandal before he signifie his repentance and be absolved be received as a guest of this heavenly Feast They also who do neglect it when they are invited and have opportunity are unworthy Therefore besides the power which God gives unto the Minister it is fit that in every Church there should be some order established and some trusted with power to judge what persons are fit and worthy and who are not 14. No man can have benefit by this Sacrament but such as are truly penitent and believing of whom God can only judge and the Minister doing his duty according to his best judgment and the appearance of such as desire to communicate must refer all such as he admits to the judgment of God who alone knows the hearts of men And here it s to be noted that such as are habitually penitent and believing may so come unto the Sacrament as that they may offend God because not actually prepared at such a time Sect. 10. The last work to be done for to close up
will seek their temporal and eternal good relieve mine enemies do good for evil and overcome evil with good pray for them that despitefully use me bless them that curse me think none evil and have charitable thoughts till I have evidence of the truth to the contrary I will endeavour to reform such as do amiss and wander out of the right way I will do all the acts and good offices of love and will not do any thing contrary to true love and charity Thus I will love not only my private but my publick Neighbour and I will not deny it to strangers or enemies and out of this love will endeavour to do as I would be done unto and be perfect as my heavenly Father is perfect and follow the example of my dearest Saviour These are the moral Laws of my Saviour which by my Baptism I am bound to observe By them I understand my sins to be many and grievous and my self guilty and liable not only to temporal but eternal punishments even the regenerate Children of God cannot obey them perfectly but have their failings and sometimes grievously fall so that by the works of the law no man living can be justified yet this is my comfort that my Saviour by suffering for these my sins hath made them pardonable and the punishments deserved by them avoidable And he not only dyed for mine offences but rose again for my justification makes intercession in heaven and pleads his blood for all penitent sinners These things I verily believe and according to this belief I rely upon my Savirous propitiation and intercession and renewing daily my supplications before the throne of grace hope to obtain remission of all my sins against this Law and his other commands I acknowledge it a great unspeakable mercy that my God hath made faith and not perfect obedience the condition of life As this Law doth discover my sins so it is a rule of my life and as I will renew my repentance daily and seek remission of sin past so I will daily pray for the sanctifying power of his Spirit to write thâ—se Laws more and more in my heart to strengthen me against all temptations enable me to observe them willingly and with delight beseeching him to accept my poor endeavours and to look upon me as washed in the blood of my Saviour There is another positive and ceremonial Law of my Saviour which I by Baptism am bound to observe together with these morals and that is the Sacrament of the Eucharist which is to be Celebrated by all Christians to the worlds end in remembrance of the Sacrifice sof Christ death Therefore I promise with an humble penitent and believing heart to come unto this heavenly Table when I am invited and called to eat the blessed Bread in remembrance of my Saviours body which was broken and offered for me and drink the blessed Cup in remembrance of his blood whereby the New Covenant is confirmed as being shed for the remission of my sins And as my God by his Ministers giving this Bread and this Cup doth seal and confirm anew his promises unto me to strengthen my faith and hope so I will by receiving these Elements according to the first institution solemnly renew and confirm my engagement for the performance of the conditions of the Covenant and thereby I will testifie my union with the Church my charity to all my thankfulness to Christ and will never forget his unspeakable love to my poor soul manifested in his sacrifice of everlasting vertue and will hope according to the integrity of my heart though my failings be many that he will increase my graces and heavenly comforts upon the receiving of the same Chap. 8. Of Prayer one of Christs Commandments Sect. 1. PRayer is a duty required in the moral Law of God especially as it is understood Evangelically and is to be used both by every Christian both in private and publick and also by the universal Church whilst Militant on Earth until it become triumphant in Heaven when all prayers shall be turned into praises and petitions into thanksgiving It s a part of Gods worship both moral and ritual for neither Word nor Sacraments can be rightly dispensed without it and this is the reason why it takes up so great a part of our Liturgies and Forms of Worship To pray alwaies is one of Christs Commandments and without prayer we can neither observe his Commandments nor persevere in our profession because without prayer we cannot expect grace which is necessary to enable us to do both And because it is continual a necessary and an excellent piece of service I intend to speak of it more particularly and distinctly And for order sake I will 1. Premise some generals 2. Expound the Lords Prayer 3. Reduce the matter of it into a form of Prayer 1. Prayer may be described thus It 's a part of God's Worship wherein we represent our minds unto God As it is a part of God's Worship it 's to be ranked amongst the duties of the first Table and in several respects to be referred to the several commandments of it It looks at God as supreme Lord of infinite and eternal excellency and perfection as all other religious acts do yet it considers in God some particular perfections more then others as shall be shewed hereafter The more particular nature of it is a presentation of our minds to God The matter thereof is something in our minds which we desire and propose to make known to God and the act of it is the representations of these to his glorious Majesty Therefore the School-men make prayer to be an act of the understanding presupposing the heart first affected with those things which are the matter of our prayers which were nothing to purpose without the affection of the heart which may be said to animate and give life unto them yet we must not think that we can inform God who knows our thoughts afar off of any thing which he is ignorant of Therefore the intention of prayer is not only to honour him but to move and affect him with the matter represented This is the nature of prayer largely taken so as to include in one continued Speech Petition Praise Thansgiving Therefore Praise and Thanksgiving are said to be parts of Prayer which in respect of the representation of our minds is said to be a speaking unto God and a conference with him For in all these we address our selves to God approach to his Throne and express our minds unto him and pour our hearts out before him Petition ascends mercies descend praise and thanksgiving are returned unto him again Prayer strictly taken is an humble presentation of our petition unto God as able and willing to effects them This may be made either unto a false God or the true God and to the true God either according to the Law of Nature or the Light of Grace and that either implicitly in the name
of Christ as before his Ascension or explicitly as after They must be made especially by us Christians in the name of Christ who by his blood hath satisfied Gods justice made him propitious the Throne of grace accessible hath merited all mercies promised to be our Advocate and to sollicite our cause in heaven and procure for us whatsoever we ask in his name They must also be made by the Spirit who alone doth sanctify us and qualifie our hearts for this duty and enables us to perform it so as that it may be effectual and when we know not how to pray as we ought he stirs up in us sighs and groans which cannot be uttered by which he makes intercession for us to the Father who not only understands these dark expressions but is much moved and affected with them So that a Christian effectual prayer is a presenting of our petitions to God the Father in the name of Christ by the Spirit And how powerful must that prayer be which is offered to the Father in the name of his Son by the power and grace of his Spirit A prayer may be made inwardly in the soul without any words of the Mouth and it may be â—o qualified as to prevail very much with God who principally looks at the heart It may be made outwardly and that without any understanding sense and inward affection and this is but a Carkase of prayer and not regarded of God though delivered in most excellent expressions and as it were in the language of Angels This outward prayer whether said or sung in Prose or Verse if made in publick or in company must be in a language and in terms more easily understood by the people with whom we pray that they may say Amen which they cannot if they understand not And though they understand yet if their hearts be not affected with the matter and rightly disposed towards God it s to no purpose For all outward prayer should be joyned with the inward and issue from an heart rightly disposed A prayer of a righteous man may sometimes be ineffectual because it s not made by him as righteous Sect. 2. These things concerning prayer in general observed I proceed unto the Lords prayer we find many particular prayers praises and thanksgivings in the Scripture and many forms both for publick and private devotion taken out of this blessed Book yet all these seem to be but so many branches of that excellent form which our Saviour taught his Disciples wherein he contracted the substance of all lawful prayers and that in an excellent method It was taught and prescribed in the days of his humiliation and was suitable unto their present light and condition For herein he gives no direction how to ask any thing in his name and the reason was he was not yet glorified nor made Advocate general in heaven nor possessed of his glorious Kingdom This may seem to be intimated in that petition Thy Kingdom come For then to him and so to them it was to come In it we may observe 1. The Entrance or Preface 2. The Body and Matter 3. The Conclusion In the entrance we may take notice of 1. The parties who must perform this duty 2. The parties for whom Prayer must be made 3. The party to whom Prayer must be made 4. The qualification of the Prayer it self 1. The parties who must perform this duty are persons living on Earth who have not lost their interest in God upon whom all and every one depends and our necessities are many and great and prayer is Ordained as a means whereby all things we need may be obtained and that more certainly because we have a Promise Besides its an universal Command and all Men are bound in that respect to pray and by prayer to worship and glorifie God For by it we acknowledge that God is the supreme Lord the fountain of all goodness the Father of Mercies willing freely to give us what we need and that we are miserable and indigent persons and that God is no ways bound to relieve us or supply our wants but only he promised to hear and help and this promise was freely made Some will not pray some cannot some can pray but not effectually yet all these are bound to pray and therefore their sin or misery must be very great 2. The persons for whom we must pray are our selves and all others who are capable of any benefit by our prayers For we are directed to say Our Father and in this word Our we include our selves and others too As we must love our Neighbour as our selves so we must pray for our Neighbour as for our selves And by Neighbour we must understand not only our Acquaintance and Friends but strangers and Enemies For we must pray for them which despitefully use us So Christ prayed for such as did Crucifie him saying Father forgive them for they know not what they do yet as we must love some more then others so we must pray more especially for some then others most of all for the Church and our persecuted Brethren For Christian charity in our prayers doth enlarge it self and abhors partiality and self-love 3. The person to whom we must pray is God and God is our Father in heaven Father is a word of power and pity Father in heaven is a term of supreme power and infinite pity And if all the power and pity of all Fathers even the best were united in one yet all were nothing to the pity and power of our God This Father loved us and gave his Son for us when we were Enemies and called us when we were dead in Sins and Trespasses greater love never was manifested to any creature and greater love to any creature there cannot be And how much must he love us when once we begin to love him as our God! What cannot a Father in heaven what will not a father in Christ do for his Children seeing in him meet in one power and pity might and mercy greatness and goodness which include all his perfections Thus we must conceive of God to whom we address our selves to whom we direct our prayers 4. The qualifications of prayers are many 1. One is faith whereby we believe that he is present in all places at all times hears all prayers knows all things and with what heart we pray that he is just holy wise of infinite goodness and unspeakable mercy in Christ who makes intercession for us in heaven that his power is Almighty and his dominion over all things is supreme 2. In respect of his infinite and eternal excellency and supreme dominion we must come into his presence with all humility and reverence adoring his eternal Majesty 3. As he is holy we must be holy and draw near with pure and upright hearts 4. As he is just we must petition for just things 5. As he is a father we must be obedient Children 6. As he is full of love so we must
will desire endeavour and intend the observation of all these commandments from the heart and soul that in obedience to Jesus Christ who loved us and gave himself for us it will repent and grieve for disobedience and speedily return sincerely to God Redeemer seek for pardon in the name of Christ and pray for the Spirit of sanctification to renew us more and more Sect. 8. In the next place after these natural and supernatural morals follow the ceremonials of the New Testament which are Baptism and the Lords Supper Of Baptism I have spoken at large it remains therefore that I further add something concerning the Eucharist which is a Sacrament of the New Testament as Baptism is and follows it because as that is a Sacrament of our initiation and regeneration so this is of our continuance in Christ and the Church and of our spiritual nourishment and increase In this as in Baptism we may observe 1. The Elements or Signs 2. The Actions 3. The Words In Baptism the sensible Sign and Element was single and only one which was Water but in this Sacrament we have two 1. Bread 2. Wine Both these presupposing life in them who use them are great blessings of God given to continue and preserve the same and were singled out and determined by Christ to be used in this Sacrament to signifie the spiritual food and repast of our souls and by these two in his heavenly discourse concerning the meat that perisheth not but endureth to everlasting life did represent unto his hearers the food of life which came down from Heaven whereby sinful men live for ever Bread did signifie his Flesh and Body which he gave and offered for the life of the world and Wine did signifie his Blood And as Bread must be eaten and Wine must be drank that we may live thereby so by a divine Faith we must eat his Flesh and drink his Blood that we may live for ever In this respect this Sacrament agrees with the Eucharistical Offerings and Sacrificial Feasts wherein the Sacrifice was first slain and offered to God and then part of it given to men to eat and drink before God in his Sanctuary Christs Body was the Sacrifice and was crucified slain and offered upon the Cross and in this Sacrament given and received for our spiritual food The Bread and Wine signifie his Body the breaking of the Bread pouring out the Wine signifie his Death and Sacrifice the eating of this Bread and the drinking of this Wine the participation of those spiritual and heavenly Blessings which he merited by his Sacrifice Death and Passion 2. The Actions are according to some Consecration Distribution Participation Yet may be reduced to two the 1. Of Administration the 2. Of Participation The Administration which in this Commission is proper to the Minister of the Gospel is performed in Consecrating or blessing Breaking and pouring out Distribution The Participation is Taking Eating Drinking 1. The Consecration is by word and prayer thanksgiving and petition 2. The breaking of the Bread pouring out of the Wine do serve not only for the better distribution but also to signifie the Death and Sacrifice of Christ offering himself for our sins 3. The distribution it self puts us in mind of God's giving us the benefit of his passion unto our eternal Salvation for as in death he was given for us so in this Sacrament he is given unto us 4. The taking eating drinking signifies our receiving by Faith first of Christ himself then of all his benefits 5. The words are such as our Saviour used at the first Institution and Administration of this Sacrament in the distribution of the Bread and the Cup. 1. The words used in giving the Bread are Take eat this is my body given broken for you do this in remembrance of me In them we may observe 1. The body of Christ. 2. The offering of this body 3. The giving of it unto Communicants 1. The body of Christ was the Sacrifice or thing to be sacrificed 2. The giving and breaking this for us signifies the offering of this Sacrifice unto God for to expiate the sins of man 3. The commanding of man to take c. signifies God's promise and readiness for to give Christ sacrificed with all his benefits commanding and by command binding man to take This is the mystical hidden matter of this part of the Sacrament In the outward sensible matter is 1. Bread to signifie the body of Christ. 2. This Bread broken to signifie the offering of this body 3. The taking and eating of this Bread to signifie the receiving of Christ sacrificed into our hearts by Faith 4. The manner and end of this receiving which is expressed in the words Do this in remembrance of me In these words we have 1. The Death and Passion of Christ. 2. The Covenant 3. The sealing and confirmation of the Covenant 1. The Death of Christ and the Redemption by this death is expressed in these words My body given broken for you 2. The Covenant which consists of a Promise a Precept The promise is implyed in the words Take eat this is my body the precept expressed in these words Do this in remembrance of me To take and eat is an action of the body to take and eat in remembrance of Christ is an action of the soul The promise offers remission of sin the precept requires Faith and remembrance of Christ's Death the principal object of this Faith 3. The Covenant is sealed and confirmed on Gods part of giving thâ— bread upon condition of remembrance of Christs death or mans part by taking and eating in remembrance of Christ so that the bread blessed broken given taken eaten in remembrance of Christ is a signe and a feal 2. The words used in giving the Cup are This cup is the New Testament in my blood this do as often as ye drink it in remembrance of me Thus Luke and Paul Drink ye all of it for this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for the remission of the sins of many Thus Matthew where we have many things observable and amongst others these 1. The blood of Christ shed 2. The remission of sins 3. The New Testament 4. The Cup. 5. The drinking of it in remembrance of Christ. 1. The Blood of Christ shed and the Body of Christ broken and given are nothing else but the Death of Christ which he suffered upon the Cross for the expiation of our sins whereby Gods justice was satisfied his wrath appeased sin made justly pardonable and man savable This unspotted blood of Christ the great High Priest was of infinite value the great ransome whereby heaven gates were opened and eternal life merited 2. The end of this blood shed and this cruel cursed and ignominous death was the actual remission of the sins of many even of all such as should believe in him The shedding of this purest blood accepted of God made sin