Neighbours that never did him wrong This all sober-minded men will confess is a great Evil Sin or Fault call it what you please Now it must be thus evil or sinful either because it is contrary to some changeable Good or to some unchangeable Good For if it be not contrary to good it would not be evil truly so called If it be thus Evil because it is contrary to an unchangeable Good then there is an unchangeable good and therefore a God And that it is not Evil only or chiefly because it is contrary to a changeable good is very plain For such malicious Lyes are unchangeably Evil and hateful things and cannot be made good or harmless by any means or ends whatsoever And if one should tell us that such vile things may be allowable at sometimes and in some Cases I doubt not but we should think him to be a wicked Fellow at all times Thus we have seen that such Sins are unchangeably Evil and Hateful Things And if they were not so a man might commit them and be never the more to blame for it which is impossible And we have no more Reason to think that any Sin can have an unchangeable Evil in it as it is contrary to or committed against a changeable Being than to think a Building may be safe and sure while it stands upon an unsound Foundation 5. And especially observe good Reader the wonderful works of Mercy and Judgment that have been shewed in the world which as plainly declare a God to whom Mercy and Judgment belongeth as a curious Building discovers that there was some understanding Agent that employed himself about it 1. Works of Mercy that have been shewed upon Men and the wondrous supports and comforts that good Men have had in the world especially in Times of persecution for the gospel sake are no small proofs of a Divine Power and Goodness as the Author and giver of them Besides many Marvellous Deliverances that are mentioned in Scripture as of the Israelites from Pharaoh and his Host by a way made for them in the Red Sea whereby they went in the midst of the Sea upon dry ground Exod 14.22 And that of Daniel from the Lions and the three Worthies from the Fiery Furnace in the 3d. and 6th Chapters of Daniel which Josephus the Jew makes mention of in his Antiquities and would not have any to look upon as incredible Matters I say besides these and many more mighty Deliverances mentioned in Scripture and Humane History Those that our Land hath had experience of from time to time and especially of late Time are so strange and great so signal and so seasonable that He who cannot or will not acknowledge them for the Effects of a Divine Providence is fitter to be call'd a Block than a Man and may be thought to have a Plot against all True Religion in the World And what shall we think of that happy Victory over the Fears of Death which many Good Men have had in the World How manifest was this in those worthies of the Lord that with Caleb followed him fully and wore the Crown of Martyrdom in Q. Maries Dayes Dr. Taylor told his friends that he thanked God that he had no fears of Death upon him after he was condemned to be burned Rawlins White a poor Fisherman that went crooked by Age and weakness and was naturally of a Sad and Melancholy Disposition when he was going to dye for the Truth of Christ that he had professed went upright to the Fire and had his Countenance filled with Cheerfulness and Joy W. Carver a mean man also and one that could not read well till he was persecuted for living well had the same Spirit of Power and Peace in the like Condition saying a little before his Death Lord have Mercy upon me into thy Hands I commit my Spirit and my Soul rejoyceth in thee Surely one Hour of such Joy is more worth than an Age of worldly mirth Mr. Laurence Saunders a faithful Minister called upon his Friends to Rejoyce with him and having prayed he rose up and took the Stake in his Armes saying Welcom Cross of Christ welcom Everlasting Life Mr. Thomas Hawkes a Gentleman of Note in that time told his Friends that he would give them a Token by which they should see that it was no such grievous thing to be burned for God's Cause as men were apt to think And accordingly when he had been in the Flame a considerable time his speech was taken from him his Skin drawn together and his fingers most of them consumed so that the People thought he had been dead on a suddain he lifted up his hands above his Head and clapped them together three Times in a most Joyful and Triumphant manner At which the Protestants rejoyced much and gave great thanks to the God of all Comfort Mr. Bainham also told them that the Fire was not painful to him but pleasant as a Bed of Roses So that famous Martyr Bishop Farrar when a Friend seemed to be very much troubled that he should suffer such a painful death declared He was not concerned for it and had an Assurance that he should not so much as shrink from the Fire saying If you see me stir in the Fire Believe not my Doctrine Many others also who dyed in their Beds have been Eminent Instances of Victory over the Fears of Death O Lord said B. Jewel a little before his Death break off all delays and suffer thy Servant to come unto thee Mr. Robert Bolton on his Death-bed being desired by one that as he had discovered to others the Comforts of Christ he would also tell them what he felt in his own Soul He answered Alas I now want Breath to speak Yet to give you satisfaction I am by the wonderful Mercies of God as full of Comfort as my heart can hold and feel nothing in my Soul but Christ with whom I do infinitely desire to be He that sees his house as light for many hours time as ever he saw it in all his Life will easily believe that this light came from the Fountain of Light So he that well consider's these High and Holy Conquering Comforts that possest the Souls of such good Men that believed a Judgment and an everlasting State hereafter and lead their lives according to such Principles I say He that duly considers hereof will need no Arguments to prove that such Comforts came from the Fountain of Goodness and had a God indeed for their Author And if I could as easily assure my self to have such Comforts when I have most need of them as I can that those Comforts came from the God of Heaven I should think my self a happy Man tho' all the World should despise me And so I come to the last particular mentioned even The works of Judgment that have been shewed in the world which must needs convince the blindest Sinners unless they be as blind as those that will not see
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
and the Lords Supper Q. May Baptisme be administred in the Name of a meer Creature A. No. For we are by Baptisine Consecrated to the Holy VVorship and Service of Him in whose Name we are Baptized VVherefore Paul abhorred that any should think he Baptized in his own Name 1 Cor. 1.13 14 15. Q. May Infants be Baptized A. Yes For the command to Baptize the Nations makes for it for the word Nations includeth Infants They therefore being of professing Parents may be Baptized Matth. 28.19 And tho' Teaching be mentioned also yet that affords no Reason to the contrary For tho' Infants be not capable of being taught yet they are capable of being consecrated to God by Baptisme Q. VVhy and how should Christians partake of the Lords Supper A. For Christ's command sake and in Remembrance of Him Luk. 22.19 Q. VVhat must they do on that occasion A. As they must rely in Christ for Acceptance and beg acceptance for his sake so they must be in Charity with Men and endeavour to renew their Repentance and Resolutions of Obedience For they do in a special manner draw near unto Christ therein who hath given us the best Example of good Living and the greatest engagements and encouragements to it And of these things aforesaid we must Examine our selves 1 Cor. 11.28 Q. But is the Bread in the Sacrament the real and substantial Body of Christ or is Christ present therewith or therein as to his Bodily presence A. No certainly Christ is not now to be seen by us in Heaven much less on Earth Ye see him not saith St. Peter twice in a Verse 1 Pet. 1.8 But if the Sacramental bread were the very Body of Christ we should see Him as often as we see That 2. VVe see the Bread to be for substance Bread indeed and nothing else And Scripture doth not require us to believe any thing to be other than what we see it to be The Disciples had not nor did they need to have any better proof of Lazarus his being raised from the dead than this that they saw him Alive after he had been Dead Q. But how doth Christ then say This is My Body A. It is spoken Figuratively that is 't is his Body Sacramentally a Sign Token Representation and Memorial of it as the Apostle saith That Rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10.4 yet no man thinks therefore that Christ was really a Rock much less that particular Rock mentioned by Moses in Exod. 17. Q. VVho is Christ A. The only begotten Son of God even the Father John 1.18 Jesus Christ the Son of the Father in 2 Epist John the 3 verse Q. VVhat a Son is He A. He is such a Son as is true and very God of the same Substance with his Father Heb. 1.8 Vnto the Son he saith thy Throne O God is for ever and ever And all must honour the Son even as they honour the Father John 5.23 Q. VVhat is Christ A. Christ is God and Man at once Rom. 9.5 Of whom came Christ according to the Flesh who is over all God blessed for ever and in 1 Tim. 3.16 He that was believed on in the world and received up into glory which can be none but Christ is said to be God manifested in the Flesh And in Matth. 1. we read of his Birth And the Angel said to the Virgin Mary that she should bring forth a Son and his Name should be called Jesus Matth. 1.21 23. Q. Why did the Son of God became Man A. Jesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 Q. But why should he become Man for the saving of Sinners A. Because he was to save them in a way of suffering for them He came to redeem them from the curse of the Law being made himself a Curse for them Gal. 3.13 He came to give his Life a Ransom for many Matth. 20.28 as St. Peter also saith Christ suffered for Sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God 1 Pet. 3.18 And the Prophet foretold that the Saviour of Mankind should be true man and be born of a Virgin which was fulfilled in Christ Isa 7.14 compared with Matth. 1.23 Q. What may we learn from these things A. 1. That Man was fallen into a dreadfull Depth of Misery by Sin seeing he hath need of such a mighty Saviour to deliver him from the guilt and punishment thereof 2. That our own works and services are not sufficient to save us for then what need of Christ to save us through the merit of his Sufferings 3. That Christ having done and suffered so much for Sinners therefore Returning Sinners fleeing to him for Mercy shall be sure to find it for his sake He himself saith whosoever cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out Joh. 6.37 Q. But why would Christ become subject to Death and such extreme Sorrows for Sinners sake A. It was his Love that moved him thus to suffer for them He loved us and gave himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice as we read in Eph. 5.2 Q. But how could it be Just that Christ should suffer so great Miseries for he being free from evil of Sin Holy Harmless Undefiled in Heb. 7. did not deserve any evil of Suffering A. Very sure since Christ was such an one he could deserve no Suffering and therefore could not justly be exposed to such Sufferings upon his own Account he became therefore a Sufferer upon the Account of Sinners undertaking for them and offering himself as the great High Priest of his Church and People Eph. 5.2 He gave himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice Heb. 7.26 Such a High Priest became us as is Holy Harmless Vndefiled and in 1 Pet. 3.18 Christ suffered for Sins The just for the unjust Q. But was it not a wrong to Him to be such a Sufferer A. He suffered indeed wrongfully from Men because he deserved not those Evils which they layed upon by crucifying him by reproaching him and the like that we read of in the Gospel But it was no wrong to be exposed thereto by the appointment of his Heavenly Father who was infinitely Just and Holy and yet delivered Him to punishment that is for our offences as in Rom 4.25 And as he came to do the will of God his Father Lo I come to do thy will Heb. 10.9 So it was his own will to suffer for sinners and he came for that purpose into the World The Son of man said Christ of himself came to give his Life a Ransome for many Matth. 20.28 Q. What may this teach us A. 1. It may teach us that Christ was the great Example of Lowliness and Love and to think nothing too much to do for his glory whose Loving-kindness moved him to stoop so Low and suffer so much for the sake and Salvation of Sinners 2. It may assure us that Christ who in his abundant Love came to seek and to save lost Sinners and
The Lord is known by the Judgments that he executeth Psal 9.16 And I am confident he that considers of them with the Reason of a Man shall not at the same time have ignorance enough to become an Atheist Some Examples whereof it will be proper to set down 1. A Souldier of King Pyrrhus being found dead and his Dog by him and could not be driven from him the King had notice of it and caused his Souldiers that were in those parts to be brought to the place and to pass in order two and two by the dead Body when the Murderers came the Dog fell upon them with the greatest fierceness imaginable upon which they confessed the Murder and dyed for it Which none can judge to be a story feigned in favour of Christanity since 't is reported by Plutarch a Heathen Writer in his Book De solertia Animalium Doth not this prove that there is a Supream Being that takes notice of mens wickedness and to whom it belongeth to execute wrath for it He that can think a Dog should do thus Naturally or by chance is a Person too bruitish to be disputed with Salust also a Heathen Writer tells us of Jugurtha that after the many Villanies he had committed and the disturbances he had made his Mind and Conscience was so strook with Terrours that he would go from one Room to another several times in the Night Season in a manner utterly unbecoming a Prince he durst not trust any man in any place he feared all Friends and Foes and would look pale at every noise he heard From whence the Author though a Heathen Man as was said concludeth that there is a God that observeth Mens Actions It is not my purpose to mention the Examples of God's Judgements recorded in Scripture or Church History for tho' those are most considerable in themselves yet too many in this Age can make light of these things supposing them to be the Politick Inventions of Christians to make their Religion regarded in the World But Arguments to the Eye-sight one would think may signifie something to these Men and are such as Mr. Hobbs his Philosophy will not teach them to deny or doubt of And such they might have had in various Instances One having stol'n some things at Reading in Berks being eating said If I know of them I wish to God this Bit may be my Death And by that next Bit he was choked presently and fell down dead in the sight of those that accused him and the things were found about him The Truth of which hath had Testimony enough in that place And more lately An Example beyond exexception was given us in the Year of our Lord 1677. one that had stollen a Bible wished That if he had done so his Hands might Rot off A few days after this wish there began to be a Blackness about his wrists which turn'd to a swelling exceeding painful to himself and as lothsome and offensive to others after it broke at length there came out wormes And having been a Spectacle of God's just Displeasure to Multitudes that came to see him for many weeks his hands did Rot off and he died a little time after on the 21. of June 1677. in King's Swinford in Staffordshire of which there is a Narrative in print published by Dr. Symon Ford with such concurrent Testimony as no sober man can cavil against If this doth not prove that there is a God that took notice of his Stealing and his wicked Wish aforesaid and that God was highly offended thereby I shall never know what is a sufficient proof of any thing And if any man shall impute this great thing to Fortune or Chance or to any thing else than to a Divine power that judgeth in the Earth I shall fear he is one of those who the Devil and Sin hath blinded to Destruction Thus Reader I have proved that an Atheist is a Fool and if thou art so wise as to live like a Christian endeavour to serve thy Lord with Joyfulness of Heart whatsoever Sorrows may threaten thee in the World For his mercy is to everlasting upon them that fear him Psal 103.17 VVhatsoever changes may be in thy self or others yet He who is thy Happiness changeth not Mal. 3.6 If all thy Friends on Earth should forsake thee yet thou shalt live under the care and compassions of thy Heavenly Father who will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13.5 If thou art never so weak and thy Enemies never so strong yet thou shalt alwaies have an Infinite Goodness and Everlasting strength to trust unto If all the Streams of Creature Comforts should fail thee at once yet still thou shalt have a God to enjoy To whom be Glory for Evermore A Morning Prayer for A Family O Most Great and Glorious Lord our God thy Name alone is Excellent and thy Praise above Heaven and Earth we confess thou art infinitely pure and perfect in thy Self and hast been abundantly good and gracious towards us Thy great goodness hath followed us daily and thy Mercies have been renewed upon us every Morning And it is thy goodness alone O God that we have awaked in Comfort and not in Torment To thee therefore we desire to offer up our Morning Sacrifice of Prayer and Thanks-giving And tho' we are unworthy to offer thee any Sacrifice yet we beseech thee O Lord Accept of us and our services in the worthyness of thy Son Jesus Christ the Righteous for his sake we humbly pray thee forgive us all our Sins of what number or nature soever against thee by Thought Word or Deed by Negligence and Ignorance by Presumption and Wilfulness O let thy mercy be magnified in the pardon of them all And let them never be charged upon us to our Discouragement in this world or our Destruction in the world to come And O Lord we pray thee let us not only find Mercy with thee hereafter but also let us obtain powerful and effectual grace to live as becomes thy Servants Here. O turn our Hearts still more unto thee and fix our Affections on the things that are Above and give us Hearts suitable to those blessed Laws which thou hast commanded us to walk in O Lord we know thou hast the greatest Right unto us O do thou maintain thy Right within us Set up thy Throne in our Souls and let thine own Arm Rule for thee there And graciously subdue every Thought Affection and Passion that exalts it self against thy Law Give us thy Holy Spirit to Sanctifie our Natures more and more and to instruct us savingly in the Truths of thy Holy Word Lord help us so to make it the Rule of our Lives as that it may be our Comfort at our Deaths We know O God it is not in Man to direct his ways we pray thee do thou undertake the work and make our ways acceptable to thy Self To this End increase our Knowledge of thee quicken our Love to thee