of honour set him above Angels principalities and powers and hath committed to his trust the Government of the world FROM THENCE To wit out of Heaven whither he ascended and where he now is Christ God Man at the last day in the end of the world riding upon the clouds shall shew himself and HE SHALL COME Attended with innumerable Angels and Saints with the voice of a Trumpet in a glorious manner to the joy of his servants and the terrour of his enemies TO JUDGE For all mankind shall be gathered together from the four quarters of the earth and we must all appear before the Iudgment-seat of Christ to give an account of our works Then shall the books be open'd and every man's conscience shall witness against him and that which hath bin done in secret shall be made known and the thoughts of the heart shall be discovered Then righteous sentence shall proceed from the Iudges mouth according to the Law and the Gospell Then shall be put a difference betwixt the good and bad the righteous and the wicked when God shall reward his servants with a Crown of Glory and destroy his enemies with an everlasting destruction endless torments There is a twofold coming of Christ Christ came first to be judged the second time he will come to judge THE QUICK Those who shall then be found alive who shall be suddenly changed in the twinckling of an eye and without death shall pass from death to life AND THE DEAD For the dead shall rise again as many as from the beginning of the world throughout all ages have lived upon the face of the earth and though they have been mouldered into dust or torn by wild beasts or buried in the waves of the Sea yet they shall take up the very same bodies again to which the soul may again be united God's power bringing this about and his justice so requiring it that every man may in his body reap the fruit of those things which he hath done in the body I BELIEV With the same Faith by which I believ the Father and the Son I believ also in the third Person of the holy and blessed Trinity Being verily perswaded that he is true God and the power of the most High depending upon his assistance and finding by experience that whatsoever good I either doe or have comes all from him IN THE SPIRIT He is therefore called Ghost or Spirit because he partly proceeds from the Father and the Son by way of breathing partly because he breaths into us good thoughts and holy desires wherefore it is added HOLY Seeing that he is not only Holy in himself with such holiness as far exceeds all other blessed Spirits both Angels Saints but also makes us holy by an effectual working of grace in our hearts He it is that applyes the benefits of Christ's death unto us and makes us partakers of the salvation which he hath purchased for us by his blood The holy Prophets and Apostles were the penmen of the Holy Ghost who wrote as they were inspired by him He gathers the Church by the Preaching of the word having furnisht the Apostles with the gifts of tongues provided a ministry and other holy ordinances for the propagation of the Gospell filling up the number of the elect and bringing souls to life THE CHURCH The company of believers whom God hath ordained to life before the foundation of the world was laid whom he hath called out of a state of sin to the profession of Faith in Christ and a holy conversation whom he also doth rule by his Word and Spirit HOLY Gathered and guided by the Holy Ghost distinguished from the rest of the world by holy appointments adorning their profession with holy works CATHOLICK or Vniversal in respect of time place and persons being to last through all ages of the world spread abroad over all quarters of the earth consisting of men of all ranks and conditions God having shut the gate of his Kingdom to none but such as wilfully refuse to enter Now the Holy Ghost bestows upon the Church which he gathers by the word and sanctifies by grace these Blessings which follow THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS Whereby the Saints who are the faithfull ones the chosen and the children of light are united to Christ as their head and amongst themselves as members of the same body the Church drawing virtue life and efficacy from Christ and performing to one another all offices of Charity as being knit together with a spirit of love and bond of peace THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS Which the spirit on our unfeined repentance assures us of by applying the merit of Christ and sprinkling our consciences from dead works with his blood which he powred forth to be a price of souls neither doth he onely seal to our hearts a pardon of former offences shewing us the favour of God reconciled in his Son but doth withall give us power to resist sin for the time to come cleansing us from every defilement of the flesh and spirit subduing our lusts changing our wils and renewing our natures according to righteousness THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY For in the last day when Christ shall come to judgement the trump shall sound and the dead shall arise with the very same bodyes that they had before and every one shall receive according to his works For as much as the wicked shall be thrown into Hell there to be tormented with the Divel with the worm which never dyes and the fire which is never quenched But the good shall enter into LIFE EVERLASTING Where they shall rest from their labours and enjoy God for ever living in abundance of joys and pleasures which neither eye hath seen nor ear hath heard nor can the heart of man conceiv And all these things I believ not onely with an Historical Faith but appropriate unto my self being fully perswaded that God made me by his power preserves me by his goodness and provides for me both in soul and body by his infinite wisdome And that the Son of God whatsoever he hath done or suffered he performed and underwent for my sake that I through him might live And that the Spirit of God dwelleth in me working in me Faith Repentance that I am a true member of the Church that my sins are forgiven me that I shall rise again and see my Redeemer with these eyes who shall out of his free bounty reward me his unworthiest servant with the Glory which shall have no end FINIS THE EXPLANATION OF THE TEN COMMANDEMENTS The Ten Commandements Exodus xx GOD spake all these words saying I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage I. Thou shalt have no other gods before me II. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above or that is in the earth
Be it more or less whatever it is it comes from the hand of a Father and is better then a rebellious child deserves We must neither envy those that have more given them nor scorn those that have less since it pleased God so to make the distribution Let not thy eye be evill because thy master is good nor censure any one from his outward fortune We are all children of the same Father and if he gives one child better cloaths and better fare then another he sees very good reason to diversifie his dispensations and 't is reason enough to quiet our thoughts that he hath so order'd it But if our curiosity do tempt us to look out upon the condition of others about us let us make this use of it and compare our selves with those above us to learn humility that we should not be proud for God's giving us so much since he has given to some others more and with those of lower degree to practise thankfulness that we may not grumble at God's providence who hath done better by us then by many our betters Let the rich be humble because he hath nothing but what he hath receiv'd and let the poor be thankfull for the little which he hath receiv'd and God if he see it fit for him will give him more One particular duty at our meals we may pick out here that we presume not to feed upon those meats which God hath prepared for us for so the Psalmist acknowledges Thou hast prepar'd a table for me and made my cup to run over till we have craved a blessing for them nor rise up without a thanksgiving our Saviours constant practice 'T is observ'd of the swine that he wants those nerves that should draw his eyes upward so that when he feeds on the mast and the acorns he ne're looks up to the tree whence they fall He that feeds himself thus without fear or looking upward for a blessing sacriâ—ices to his belly and makes it his God and with him sure as the belly is for meats and meats for the belly so God shall destroy both it and them THIS DAY Day by day from one day to another without any carking thought for the future for sufficient for the day is the evill thereof And who that sayes this prayer knows but this day may be his last we should at least live so as if it were to be Besides it puts us in mind of a constant dependence upon God He that hath provided for me to day will not let me want to morrow we have been cast upon his care from our mother's womb and have liv'd ever since we came into the world at his charges He will not therefore cast us of now no nor forsake us in our old age when our strength fails us We have had so many tryalls of God's goodness towards us as we have liv'd dayes and hours we may well trust him then for the time to come 'T is true all futurity to us is uncertain 't is not so to him to morrow is all one with him as to day and this is certain that he will never want power or love to help us nor will he fail the expectation of those who put their trust in him who is the same yesterday to day and for ever Let us content our selves then with present enjoyments and not care for to morrow for the morrow will care for it self While we have a mouth to ask God will not want a hand to give And this word makes the prayer as dayly as the bread it asks Wherefore be sure be thy condition what it will if thou sayest this Prayer every day thy dayly allowance will find thee out and be where thou wilt it shall be sent thee some way or other as the Ravens were caterers for Elias Christ's miracles of the loaves his turning water into wine may assure us that be our provision never so scant or mean yet if his blessing be in them they will be sufficient for our support and comfort DAYLY That which thou hast apportioned for us that which God's providence has set out in the particular distributions to be our part and portion This Petition alludes to the Manna Angels food that fell every morning among the Tents of the Israelites in the wilderness whereof he that gather'd much had nothing over and he that took up little had no lack but every one enough for his eating 'T is so ordinarily and 't is little less then miracle how so many thousand families as are in a great city in a nation live by one another and how they are provided for according to their severall rates proportions Thus the Syriac renders it The Bread of our sufficience or of our proportion He then that takes more then belongs to him and exceeds his allowance must look that the overplus shall stink and breed worms The Greek word is indeed doubtfull and admits of a double interpretation First as 't is deriv'd from a word which signifies the day a coming to morrow's or the next day's bread and thus it signifies an honest care to be aforehand in the world and not as we say to live from hand to mouth And such a care does not argue distrust but on the contrary a man's improvidence may seem to call God's providence in question For so the Apostle pronounces of him that he 's worse then an infidel that does not provide for his family And so before we were obliged to trust in God because 't is to be given and yet take care of our selves and use the means because we must make it ours before he give it Secondly as 't is compounded of a word that signifies substance and a particle of various use on over to beside in c. 't is render'd super substantial bread added to our substance belonging to our substance by which we are maintain'd or kept alive or of an excellent substance And so some apply it to Christ who was that bread that came down from heaven of which the Mannâ— was a type Whose holy Body is in the Sacrament of the Supper represented by the symbol of Bread And what so fit to beg of our heavenly Father as this heavenly Bread by which our souls are fed to life everlasting our nature repair'd and perfectly restor'd our hearts strengthened our spirits quickened and our graces kept alive The meaning of this Petition is that God would feed us with food convenient for us that he would supply all our necessities and fill up all our wants That he would as a faithfull creatour preserve us in the land of the living and give us all things that he knows convenient for us in this our pilgrimage That his blessing may every day fall round about our dwelling like the morning dew and as the Manna lift amongst the tents of the Israelites That he would provide for us all accommodations suitable
't is true in a temporal sense and observation will make it good that the wicked children of godly parents have some what extraordinary providence attend them in this world and 〈◊〉 much 〈…〉 for their fathers 〈…〉 God 〈…〉 tender of their concerns 〈…〉 for his and 〈…〉 promis'd that it shall be well with those that fear him and with their 〈◊〉 after them He owns them here as friends and will not forget them in their relations but will shew them all the kindness which the◠are capable of And thus the Israelites in their distresses thought it a great argument in their Prayers to plead with God not the merits but the memoryes of their fore-fathers Abraham 〈◊〉 and Iacob What better portion can a loving father provide for his children what greater legacy of love leave behind him then God's favour and 〈◊〉 est in divine mercy Who are those God here calls his Lovers his Friends those 〈◊〉 keep his commands that observe his precepts For indeed friendship consists in the union of minds and the compliance of wills And 't is the nature of love to seek by all means to please the party loved and not to cross his desires or give him any offence This is the true mark of our love to God if we are carefull to keep his commands to doe what he would have us doe And who would not love God that loves himself and seek his friendship who is so ready to engage his kindness to us and our heirs for ever and requite our love a thousand fold This reason as it contains a threat and a promise and is grounded upon the Iustice and mercy of God is common to all the Commandements but is peculiarly annex'd to this as that which God takes the greatest care of and is most jealous of the breach and it may justly occasion our wonder to consider that notwithstanding God's strictness in propounding the command and his severity upon the breaches yet his own people have been ever forward to run into Idolatry and to take example from those very nations whom they themselves for this very sin have by God's command rooted out of their land and country So that it should seem there was but too great reason why this reason should be set particularly to back this command The meaning of the precept is this Thou shalt not make use of any Image whether graven of whatsoever metall gold or silver or cut out of stone or carv'd in wood or fashion'd in wax or what other material soever or any picture drawn or pourtray'd in cloth paper c. or any likeness and resemblance of any creature in the whole world for a religious purpose in the way of worship upon any pretence Thou shalt not worship the work of mens hands or the work of their brains neither Image nor imagination none of my creatures much less any of thine own Thou shalt neither worship them nor me by them but shalt consult my word and fetch thence the rules and wayes of worship Thou shalt not be led by the example of Heathen-people whose ignorance of me may be some excuse to their Idolatry to follow their practises and turn my glory into the likeness of any corruptible thing The Sun and Moon and Stars above thee shall not dazzle thy mind by their lustre so as to forget me and pay that homage to those glorious lights which is due to me who live in unapproachable light The trees and springs bread and wine and other blessings of life shall not for their usefulness and for that helpful virtue which I their Creator have put into them win so much upon thy affections as to asscribe that honour to them which belongs to their Maker nor shall the wonders of the deep and the prodigious secrets which I have laid in the womb of the seas swallow up thy admiration so as to drown that respect which thou oughtst to have for me the sight of whatsoever excellency or convenience or dreadfulness in any of the creatures shall but serve to give thee an occasion of magnifying my glorious perfections and goodness and power not to fix thy devotion upon them for I commanded and they were made for my own glory and for thy use not for thy worship The Angels thou shalt respect as my messengers and receive my errands with reverence but shalt not by worshipping them make them my fellows The Saints who now rest from their labour and have left thee their examples of a holy life thou shalt remember with thanks and endeavour to imitate and thus make them the object not of my jealousy but of thy emulation The evill spirits shall not fright thee into religious observance being able to doe no more hurt then I let them Thou shalt not with base flattery Idolize the persons of men whether they be Good or Great but carry a respect subordinate to me In fine Thou shalt not set thy affections and respects upon any thing so as to make it an Image of jealousy Thou shalt not fall flat on thy face before any creature or its resemblance nor bow thy knee nor kiss thy hand nor make any other sign of adoration nor pray to them or before them or use any other gesture of worship however thou mayst pretend to direct thy intention nor shalt thou pay them any religious service or attendance by building groves temples and altars by making priests and appointing sacrifices or any other rites But thou shalt worship me the Lord thy God and me alone shalt thou serve in body as well as soul for I am the Creatour of both and though I am a spirit and am to be worshipped in spirit and in truth yet your bodyes also shall be temples of my holy spirit I will be sanctified in them in the use of such holy rites and Ceremonies as I have appointed shall hereafter appoint in my word and by my Church that all things in my service may be done decently in order Thou shalt therefore worship me according to my appointments come to my house in my fear behave thy self with care and reverence in the holy place whilst thou art in my presence in the performance of all religious acts and shalt bow down to me kneel before the Lord thy Maker Thou shalt not consult with witches or use other unlawful means nor shalt thou regard sorceries or any superstitious observances Lastly thou shalt give thy self up wholly both in body soul and spirit to my worship and shalt dedicate thy self so to my service that thy body also may become a Temple of the holy Ghost And all this thou must be the more carefull of that thou mayst not deprive me of that homage which I expect from thee and give away my glory to another when thou considerst my jealousy to observe such indignityes and my power to avenge them the severity of my Iustice in punishing Idolaters and their posterity after them and the multitude of my
and affectionate care for one anothers good this society having been the blessed ordinance of Paradise being the most solemn engagement of friendship To conclude in whatsoever estate of life whether single or married let thy conversation be clean and free from all pollution both of body soul and spirit and be not fashion'd to the world but keep thy self unspotted from it To reflect upon our selves we must confess our selves very guilty of the breach of this Commandement who are so full of uncleanness who serve divers lusts and pleasures and are lovers of pleasure more then of God who make provision for the flesh study our ease and carnal content give our selves up wholly to the lust of the eyes to the lust of the flesh and the pride of life who pamper our bodies and starve our souls who drink wine to excess and sit at it till it inflame us who spend our time in chambering and wantonness in sports and playes with that constancy as if recreation were the duty of our life and we had nothing else to doe in this world but to take our pastime in it who follow wicked counsel and lewd practises boast of sins many times we do not commit who are immodest in our attire wanton in our carriage filthy in our discourse abominable loath-some in our actions without shame of sin or fear of judgement who wallow in all sensuality and study fleshly delights who take up affected garbs imitate every foolish fashion who think we can never serve our selves enough nor our God little enough who are not asham'd of the appearances of evil but account our shame our glory and think it our gallantry that we dare seem lewd who have forgot modesty and know not what Temperance means who take marriage for an opportunity of sinning with a greater safety and use it as a market rather then an institution of God's and besides those purposes for which it was appointed who would willingly have no other God but our belly no other religion then Epicurism no other business or study but our ease and pleasure so that we have too just an occasion to make use of the Churches words Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keep this Law The eighth Commandement The sixth and seaventh secure our persons This our goods and is the fence of propriety for estates are not to lye in common but are bounded with Laws that every one may know his own The seaventh forbids the community of wives This of other possessions And indeed the breach of this Command is the great disorder of society and the main drift of Laws is to secure estates to the owners and to judge of titles and to punish fraud and cousenage And the various condition of men as it serves to set forth the wisdom of God's Providence in contriving suitable accommodations to every family and person so it encourages industry seeing every one may by the labour of his hands provide for himself and exspect a success according to his diligence whereas were things put in an equality or laid up in one common stock the idle would live upon the labours of the painful and he that were strongest would invade other's right and make himself master of the greatest share Well then has this Commandement provided that men may not think to thrive by idleness or unjust means THOU SHALT NOT STEAL Thou shalt doe thy neighbour no wrong in his estate but in all worldly concernments observe such a rule of justice and equity in thy dealing that thou neither injure him nor thy self Thou shalt not directly nor indirectly play the thief by taking away that which belongs to another either privily and without his knowledge or openly and by force without his consent Thou shalt not goe shares with thieves not consent to them Thou shalt restore what thou find'st to the right owner nor conceal and keep it by thee Thou shalt not take bribes nor set justice to sale Thou shalt not inveagle persons nor steal goods Thou shalt be faithful in thy stewardship and just in all thy accounts Thou shalt perform thy trusts and be upright in thy place Thou shalt not meddle with any thing dedicated to my service and the use of the Church or think sacriledge an improvement of estate Thou shalt not remove the ancient bound and land mark nor encroach upon thy neighbour's possession Thou shalt not defraud the labourer of his hire nor detain his wages which he hath earned with his sweat Thou shalt be true and just in all thy dealings in buying and selling thou shalt consider and prize things according to their worth Thou shalt not cheat and over-reach in bargains by putting of false wares or using false weights and measures by raising prices and setting up monopolyes Thou shalt not borrow or take up upon trust without intention to pay Thou shalt not oppress the poor nor exact more of him then he 's well able to part with Thou shalt make punctual restitution of any thing receiv'd and be exact in the discharge of thy debts and in all engagements use conscience Thou shalt not purchase preferment in the Church nor buy or sell places of justice or publick trust which are to be rewards of merit not the acquists of money Thou shalt be grateful to thy benefactors acknowledge their courtesies and to thy ability make requital Thou shalt not study thy own gain alone but be helpful to thy poor neighbour and be mov'd with charity towards him lending and not hoping for any thing back forbearing him and sometimes forgiving if thy condition will permit and his require it Thou shalt not put thy money out to biting usury so as to oppress and disable the debtor Thou shalt honestly return any pledge or pawn which is put into thy hand Thou shalt doe good with thy estate and forget not to communicate and to distribute Thou shalt be merciful as I am merciful feeding the hungry cloathing the naked visiting the sick relieving the prisoner and shewing kindness to strangers Thou shalt be liberal free hearted open handed in thy alms-doings and upon occasions of pâ—blick necessity or design Thou shalt not be niggardly or sordid in thy way of life or hard-hearted or uncharitable nor yet unthrifty lavish so as to disable thy estate Thou shalt not trouble thy self with unquiet thoughts and carking cares for this life what thou shalt eat and wherewith all thou shalt be cloath'd Thou shalt not be covetous to gather wealth any how and deny thy self those enjoymeâ—ts which God hath allow'd thee Thou shalt know how to want and how to abound Thou shalt not murmur and repine at God's disposals but submit to his wisdom trust his providence and rest fully satisfied with thy present condition assuring thy self that a contended mind and an estate well got be it never so little is better then much riches Thou shalt not be too sparing nor too profuse but
but to be the stay of the family In Deuteronomie the wife is mention'd first and so by the Septuagint here as the Mistress of the House one that is not to be reckon'd as a part of possession but as the man's partner in all his fortune governesse of his affairs The wife then is not to be desired for her beauty for her portion for her discretion c. The House and Wife are a mans particular choice the House his castle and the Wife of his bosom the delight of his eyes and the joy of his heart 'T is most injurious therefore to covet these The Samaritan here and the Greek make mention of his field and the Syrick of his vineyard too the one for bread and herbage the other for drink i.e. Thou shalt not covet any part of his revenue Mens estates lying generally in houses and lands and in former times in cattle too servants wherefore they are also expressed by name NOR HIS MAN-SERVANT that tills his ground that looks to his cattle that waits upon his person and manages his affairs in whatsoever condition he serve him Thou shalt not desire him for his fidelity for his strength or for his wit or any other good quality thou hearest of him for this would be to disable thy neighbour and take his right hand from him NOR HIS MAID-SERVANT that looks to the house that makes provision that gives her attendance within doors and minds the business of the family under her Mistresses government and direction Thou shalt not cover her for her care or her diligence or her prudence or any other good quality for this would take away his wives right hand and make her cares toilsome much less shalt thou desire her out of lust for this would bring an infamy and reproach upon thy Neighbours house NOR HIS OX which helps him in the tillage of his ground NOR HIS ASS which helps him in carriage of burdens for this would be to lay a load of drudgery upon the servants and disappoint the culture of his field and vineyard The Greek adds nor any of his cattle for they are to maintain his house NOR ANY THING THAT IS THY NEIGHBOUR'S This includes every thing else Moneys Iewels Rayment c. Whatsoever he has be it of great or small concernment whether it be for his profit or his delight Thou shalt not meddle with it in thy thoughts nor hanker after it in thy desires The Summ of all may be this Thou shalt not think it enough to doe thy neighbour no wrong in word or deed but thou shalt love him wish him well in thy heart Thou shalt not covet any thing that is his but shalt regulate thy affections and set bounds to thy thoughts and desires Thou shalt subdue all carnal lusts and evil concupiscences that thou mayst be sanctified throughout both in body soul and spirit and mayst be led by no unruly passions Thou shalt refrain thy appetite and keep it within the rules of right reason the necessityes of nature and the appointments of God's Law so as to be moderate in thy desires and enjoyments of meat and drink of ease and sleep and all lawful pleasures Thou shalt gather in thy affections and bind them up with my fear Thou shalt not hate thy brother nor yet love him with that sondness as to honour him above me Thou shalt not love the world nor the things of the world nor ingross all thy love to thy self Thou shalt take heed of all unchast love and wanton dalliance but thou shalt love thy neighbour with unfaigned Charity and make after whatsoever things are good and of good report Thou shalt not give thy self to immoderate joy or to over much melancholly Thou shalt not rejoyce at any ones misfortunes nor be griev'd at his well-doing or look upon him with an evil eye But thou shalt keep an even and composed spirit equally temper'd to joy and sadness that thou mayst rejoyce with them that rejoyce and weep with them that weep that thou mayst in thy grievances pray and in thy mirth sing Psalms Thou shalt not be too confident nor yet too distrustfull of thy self neither shalt thou place thy trust in man nor too much stand in fear of him seeing his breath is in his nostrils But thou shalt hold so even a balance betwixt thy hopes and fears that thou mayst in Charity endure all things and hope all things and that thou mayst walk with care and circumspection and set thy heart upon thy way Thou shalt not break out into passions upon slight occasion or study revenge but shalt keep in thy anger and when my glory calls for 't imploy it in zeal and sin not Thou shalt cleanse thy heart the fountain of actions denying all ungodly lusts mortifying the desires of the flesh wrestling with temptations and fighting the good fight against thy three grand enemyes the world the flesh and the Divel Thou shalt not nuzzle thy self in carnal security and give thy self to idleness neglecting thy prayers and thy dutyes and opening the door to temptation and fatning thy heart for destruction Thou shalt strive against the first suggestions of thy lust and shalt crush the cokatrice in the egg before vanity have got the dominion over thee Thou shalt withstand the evil one that he may fly from thee that having done all thou mayst stand Thou shalt not entertain ill thoughts with delight nor roll the sweet morsel under thy tongue Thou shalt not give consent to the wicked enticements of thy own flesh but arm thy self with holy resolutions Thou shalt do thy utmost endeavour to root out all evil concupiscence to keep that noisom puddle of original corruption that body of death which thou carryest about with thee from streaming breaking forth into inordinate desires irregular words or actions whereby God is offended or thy neighbour injur'd and lastly thou shalt so bound thy appetite keep it within the limits of that condition wherein providence hath placed thee that thou mayst without envying thy neighbour or desiring any thing that is his quietly rest satisfied with thy own estate and carefully mind the dutyes of thy calling knowing that contentedness with what a man hath is both the great duty of Christian Religion and the greatest felicity of this life That we may inquire into our selves it hath been plain by our actions how full of concupiscence our hearts have been when the Lusts of this Age have been as wild and the practises as loose as the Opinions mens minds have been as free to covet as they have been to think when appetite has been boundless and being goaded by ambition has rambled over all Sacred Civil Rights left nothing untouch'd that belong'd to God or man which the covetousness of wicked hearts could reach at when we have coveted God's House as well as our neighbour's made conscience of nothing that might improve our estates when instead of
Self-denyal which is the principle of Christianity Self-preservation has been set up and Interest made our Idol when we have been so far discontented at our present condition that we have over-run all orders to mend our private fortunes have ruin'd the publick when we walk disorderly and are immoderate in the use of our pleasures and are taken up with the love of the world and impure affections and cannot rellish the things of God when we cannot indure one another and require that of others we would not allow them and set our selves at irreconcileable distances when we indulge our selves in carnal joyes and have no compassion for our suffering Brethren when our hopes depended on an arm of flesh and the fear of man deterred us from our duty so that we would not trust God for our delivery in the performance of our duty when every small thing puts us into passion and in our zeal we design a revenge on the person more then a reformation of his vice when we follow the guidance of a deluded conscience and mistake both covetousness and ambition for zeal when we prefer publick mischief before our own disappointments and had rather Church State should be indanger'd then our design should miscarry when we hug temptations and make much of our lusts and lull them on the pillows of ease and security when we wish for things unlawful and take unlawful courses to get them when all our desires are let out for carnal satisfactions and we make it the great business of our lives to provide for our content and yet can never be contented When by our covetousness and evil concupiscences we have thus broken not only this but all Gods Laws and Commandements we may very well desire God's pardon for what is past and his assistance for the time to come in the Churches form Lord have mercy upon us and write all these thy Laws in our hearts we beseech thee FINIS AN EXPLANATION Of the SACRAMENTS The II. SACRAMENTS Baptism GOe ye and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every ereature He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned The Lords SUPPER THe Lord Iesus the same night in which he was betraid took bread And when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to his disciples and said Take eat this is my body which is broken given for you this do in remembrance of me Likewise also he took the cup after supper and when he had given thanks he gave it to them saying Drink ye all of it For this is my bloud of the New Testament which is shed for you for many for the remission of sinnes This doe ye as â—ft as ye drink it in remembrance of me Of the SACRAMENTS THe Sacraments That is to say Holy Rites or Ceremonies or mysteries used in the Church appointed by Christ himself Now Sacrament is a military term and signifyes that oath whereby souldiers were wont to engage to be true and faithfull to their General in the War against the enemyes of their countrey And thus it is with us Christians who have vow'd obedience to Christ the Captain of our Salvation and sworn to fight under his Banner that we may by his strength overcome the world the flesh and the Divel The Sacraments are but two Holy Baptisme and the Holy Supper which come in the place of Circumcision and the Iewish Passeover By Baptism we are admitted into the bosom of the Church and as it were entred into God's family being by nature aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and of the children of wrath become heirs of the promise The Supper affords us a spiritual repast and by it we grow up and are intimately united to Christ and are preserved and fed to life everlasting There are two things to be considered in a Sacrament an outward Sign and an inward Grace signified Sign in Baptisme is Water which washeth the filth of our body the Thing signified is the Blood of Christ whereby our souls are cleansed from the filth of sin The outward Elements in the Supper are Bread and Wine by which the strength of nature is repair'd and maintain'd The Things signified are the Body of Iesus crucified and his Blood shed which being partaken by Faith doe heighten our graces and nourish the souls of believers Baptisme then is the laver of regeneration and the Supper is the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ. In a word the Sacraments are annexed to the Word of God as the seals of the promise conveyances of grace and evidences of the Spirit by which he doth effectually apply to believers the love of the Father and the merits of the Son assuring their hearts confirming their Faith fastning their Hope and enlarging their Charity Of BAPTISM THe Institution of Baptisme was after this manner When Christ had with his Blood sealed the truth of his Doctrine and purchased to himself a Church i.e. a peculiar people the chosen ones of God whom he fore knew from all eternitie for he was the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world was laid and had made good this his purchase by his resurrection in that the bands of death sell off and he was released out of the prison of the grave having paid the debt for which he as our surety suffered it was then convenient that this Church thus purchased should be gathered and the chosen ones be called and converted to the saith by the preaching of the Word and distinguished from the rest of the world by a profession of the Gospel and the use of holy ordinances Wherefore being himself to depart hence to ascend to Heaven he leaves his Disciples with instructions how to propagate the faith and to order the affairs of his spiritual Kingdom to the end of the world and to proclaim throughout all quarters of the world the good tidings of peace and pardon to all such as should by faith and repentance come in and give up their names to Christ It being God's will that all should be say'd and come to the knowledge of the truth Whereupon he sends the Apostles to preach and by Baptisme i.e. by a solemn rite of washing with water receive into the bosom of the Church as many as should profess faith in him giving them this commission before his departue as it is set down by the Evangelist Goe ye and teach all Nations baptizing them c. Baptism having bin formerly us'd by Iohn the forerunner of our Saviour and honour'd by the example of our Saviour himself who at his Baptism was signally own'd from Heaven for the Son of God the Spirit also in the shape of a Dove lighting upon him Our Saviour in these words wherein he appoints the form and use of Baptism partly
to our condition and to that station of life whereunto his good providence hath design'd us That he would give us strength of body and vigour of mind perfect health and all natural and moral abilities that may fit us for the discharge of our duties and above all a contented spirit that we may eat our bread with chearfulness and be satisfied with his gracious disposals of us and any condition that he shall in his wisdom cast us into either riches or poverty That he would neither send us so much of the world 's good as to tempt us to wantonness and riot nor so little as to make us repine but assign us such a competent portion that we may find a comfortable subsistence and have where with to doe good to others That we may be enabled to provide things honest and fashionable before all men yet not make provision for the flesh to satisfy the lusts thereof That our food may be wholsome rather then delicious so that in the strength thereof we may do him service That our attire may be decent and comely to cover shame not to show pride and vanity that we may not turn his gifts into wantonness or â—mbezill his talents but imploy them to his glory and others good â— and make us friends of the unrighteous mammon That he would bless our labours and give success to our honest undertakings that we may eat the labour of our hands and it may be well with us That he would procure us faithfull friends diligent servants dutifull children fruitfull seasons and furnish us with all other perquisites that may make our condition comfortable That he would bless the nation with righteous government and honest magistrates indue the nobles with courage the commons with loyalty bless all orders and conditions of persons from the highest to the lowest from him that sitteth on the throne to him that is behind the mill enlarge all that are in distress send us plenty and peace in our dayes crown the year with his goodness and make all his steps toward us drop fatness that we may thankfully acknowledge his benefits and be charitably disposed to those that are in want that we may be tender-hearted compassionate not forget to communicate and distribute and show gratitude to all those whom he has made instruments of good to us who have obliged us by any kindness and pray for them that God would restore seaven-fold into their bosome That he would keep us in an humble constant dependance on him and provide honest courses for us that we may not eat the bread of idleness or tempt his providence with the use of unlawfull means That he would deliver us from dangers and distresses preserve us from rapine and spoil and keep us from distrusts and anxietyes about the things of this life but that we may seek first the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof assuring our selves that then all things else shall be added to us and whatsoever our share be of outward things take the Lord for our portion and our inheritance That he would to this end give us Christ the bread of life and with him all things and that he would with that bread which came down from heaven feed our souls to life everlasting strengthning our graces pardoning our sins and subduing our lusts AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THEM THAT TRESPASS AGAINST US Pardon is as necessary for our spiritual life as bread for our natural For the soul that sins shall dy In many things we offend all even the righteous falls seven times a day For death came into the world by sin over all mankind but righteousness and life came by Iesus Christ And we have dayly need on 't too for we provoke God every day So then we are to hunger and thirst after the righteousness of Christ that our souls may live And as Christ's flesh is bread indeed so is his blood which he shed for the atonement of wrath and forgiveness of sins drink indeed the water out of that spiritual rock which is Christ. Oh that our souls might thirst for the living God as the wounded hart panteth after the water-brooks OUR TRESPASSES The other Evangelist useth another word debts which comes all to one both signifying sins by a translated sense borrowed from dealings amongst men betwixt creditor and debtor the person suffering the injury and the person doing it For a debtor or trespasser that is not solvent or hath not wherewith to make satisfaction agrees with his adversary puts it to reference comes to composition and by mediation of friends takes up the business that there may be no arrest or inditement or other procedeur in law against him as knowing that he should come by the worst be cast in his fuit and be sent to prison where he must ly by it till he have paid the uttermost farthing which being utterly unable to doe he must never hope to come out but rot in prison The same is the case betwixt God and us we are bound to him by our creation to an observance of his laws or to undergoe the penalty of the breach which is everlasting death But we are fallen short and are unable to discharge that debt nor are we able to answer him one word of a thousand so that there are due to us all the plagues written in his book We have gone astray and done abominably we have broken all his laws and commandments we have been rebellious children from our youth up and the imaginations of our hearts have been evill continually we have neglected our duty in every thing and have not harkned to him to obey his voice so that to us belongs shame and confusion of face for ever Now Christ became our surety took up the business undertook our reconciliation and hath answer'd the law satisfied justice discharg'd our debts cancell'd the obligation and nail'd the hand writing of the law unto his cross making a new covenant of life betwixt God and us upon Gospell-terms of grace and new obedience yet still we are wanting on our part and deal treacherously in our covenant trampling upon his blood and despising so great salvation Nay even the best of Saints have their dayly slips and failings Who is he that can justify himself and if any perfectist say he has no sin he deceives himself and the truth is not in him Our sins All Adam's off-spring the whole race of mankind is tainted Behold saith the holy Prophet a man after God's own heart I was brought forth in iniquity and in sin hath my mother conceiv'd me And the Apostle has concluded all under sin so that we are all guilty of original corruption whereby all the faculties of our soul and members of our body are over-spread as with a leprosie from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot beyond the cure of all humane arts and helps Philosophy education
beam and his holy feet closed together to the upright beam of the Cross exposed him naked to publick shame being hung betwixt two theevs in a place without the city at the Feast of Passeover and when he had given up the ghost with many pains and groans a souldier pierced his side with a launce that that saying might have place they shall look on him whom they have pierced DEAD By the separation of soul and body for his body remain'd upon the Cross and his soul return'd immediately to God as himself told the penitent theef This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise He was not born after an ordinary manner neither dyed he a common death for as much as beside the extream pain he suffered whilest he hung with the weight of his body upon the Cross and the great shame to which he lay open he lay under a curse the Law pronouncing him cursed that hangs upon the tree AND BURIED Taken down from the Cross embalm'd with spices wrapped up in fine linnen and laid in a tomb where none had lay'n before by the care and cost of Ioseph of Arimathea And the malice of his enemies persued him beyond death and attended him to his very grave who that he might not rise again as himself had promised rolled a great stone to the mouth of the tomb and clapping on their own seals set a guard to watch him HE DESCENDED INTO HELL That is he went down into the lower-most parts of the earth and for the space of three dayes remain'd in the grave amongst the dead Or as some expound it he suffered the pains of Hell and the wrath of God due to our sins and underwent the curse of the law and terrours of conscience to which we were lyable Others take the words as they sound of the place that he did coveigh himself into the regions of darkness and discovered to the divels and to the wicked spirits the glory of his presence and routing the powers of Hell leading captivity captive and trampling Satan that old serpent the enemy of mankind under his victorious feet according to the first Prophesie of Christ The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpents head And in this sense this article is the beginning of Christ's exaltation The other degrees are his Resurrection his Ascension his Sitting at the right hand of God the Father and his Coming to judgement THE THIRD DAY After that he had lain three dayes in the grave as Ionas who ws the type of the Son of Man continued three days in the whale's belly It being observ'd that on the fourth day the body begins to corrupt which was not to happen to Christ David thus speaking concerning him My flesh shall rest in hope because thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption Wherefore early in the morning on the third day which was for that reason appointed the Christian Sabbath HE ROSE AGAIN Partly raising himself by his own virtue and divine power as himself saith I lay down my life that I may take it up again I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again Partly being raised by God the Father who when his Iustice was fully satisfied released Christ out of the prison of the grave and to that purpose sent his Angels to roll away the stone death having now no more dominion over him who having finisht the work of our redemption rose again for our justification FROM THE DEAD He return'd to life appeared to his Disciples and others several times shewed the wounds which he had received on the Cross and made Thomas who was hard of belief to feel his side that he might know it was a true body And having for fourty dayes together conversed upon earth and given orders to the Apostles how they should goe into all the world and preach the Gospell and plant churches promising them the assistance of the spirit he took his leave of them in this manner as followeth HE ASCENDED In the sight of his Apostles from the top of mount Olivet where he had bin formerly used to spend much of his time in holy retirements and spiritual exercises he lifted up himself from the ground and so mounting upward through the aire was received by a cloud and to the wonder of them all carried aloft out of sight two Angels telling them as they stood gazing that as they had seen him goe away so he should come again INTO HEAVEN The seat of the blessed where God sits on his Throne attended by millions of Angels far above the sphear of the stars the sky to wit the highest heaven For having dispatched the business for which he came down on earth he return'd to the Father by whom he had bin sent to intercede with him in our behalf and make out to us thence the benefit of all those things which he had done and suffer'd for us here And having conquer'd sin and death and broken the power of Hell what remains but that he should as in triumph ride upon the wings of the wind ascend to Heaven as the prize of his glorious conquest AND SITTETH To note that he hath fully accomplished the work of our Salvation he is said at last to sit down that he may as it were rest from his labours For the servant stands or goes whilest he is employ'd and sits not down till his work be done Now Christ put on the form of a servant and came as he saith of himself to wait not to be waited on That he sits also is a token of that authority which the Father hath given him having delivered unto him all power both in heaven and in earth and put all things under his feet So God sits in Heaven to order all things at his pleasure Again to sit sometimes signifies stay he sits there not to return before the end of the world Lastly by this word is expressed the blessed and glorious condition of the Saints in the life to come who shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdom of Heaven and therefore to shew the greatness of the dignitie to which Christ according to his humane nature is advanced is added At the right hand of God the Father Almighty The right hand usually expresseth strength and honour power and glory besides to give the right hand is a sign of fellowship and friendship wherefore God calls him the man my fellow Now to speak properly God hath no right hand or left nor any bodily parts but that he may apply himself to our capacities he doth use to speak of himself after the manner of men Becuse earthly Princes are wont to place those at their right hand whom they favour and would shew a particular honour as Solomon entertained his mother The meaning is that God hath raised him to the highest pitch
faith applyes that purchase So then we are sav'd by the mercy of the Father by the merit of the Son and by the efficacy of the Spirit This form of Baptism is one of the clearest proofs of Trinity in all Scripture and indeed when our Saviour was Baptiz'd of Iohn all Three did shew themselves present Christ himself whom Iohn did Baptize was the second Person the Spirit descended upon him in the shape of a Dove and the Father spoke out of the Cloud saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased In the Command is set down the rite or outward action i.e. the washing with water The Promise delivers the grace signified and conveyed by the action to wit remission of sins The analogie betwixt the outward sign and the inward grace lyes in this that as Water being powred or sprinkled on the body washes off the filth so the Blood of Christ which was the Fountain open'd for the cleansing of iniquity doth purge the conscience and doe away sin whether original or actual and present us clean without spot in the sight of the Father by the virtue of the Spirit HE THAT BELIEVES AND IS BAPTIZED SHALL BE SAVED Faith is the soul's hand by which a man receives and applyes to himself the benefits purchased by Christ. By Faith we are justified Baptism is the laver of regeneration the seal of the Covenant the conveyance of Grace They are both necessary neither can either of them serve turn by it self There must be an Ordinance to ground Faith upon and there must be a Faith to make the Ordinance effectual For every appointment as the just man doth lives by Faith Faith without Baptism were a bucket without water and Baptism void of Faith were but a well without a bucket to draw up the waters of life He that believes by confessing his sins and professing Faith resolves upon amendment of life and gives himself up to Christ's discipline and then is baptiz'd obliges himself by vow enters into Covenant of strict walking with God He shall be sav'd from his sins the punishments due to them being free as well from the power as from the guilt His nature shall be renewed and by the continual supplyes of grace if he make good use of it he shall be enabled more and more to withstand temptations get ground of his lusts he shall be put into a state of salvation and every day set forward on his way to bliss through the paths of holiness till with Christ at last he arrive at perfection have his grace changed into glory HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT SHALL BE DAMNED This is a threat annexed to the promise which holds good by the law of contraries for if those that believe shall be saved then those that believe not must expect nothing but damnation We must observe that there is not added here any mention of Baptism because unbelief it self is enough to shut the gates of Heaven against any one and send him to Hell wherefore it is not said he that believes not and is not Baptiz'd for the unbeliever whether he be baptiz'd or no is lyable to this sentence If he hath been baptiz'd it will be look'd upon as a formal cheat a cloak to disguise his hypocrisy And if he hath not the very neglect of Baptism serves for an open discovery of his unbelief so that either way he aggravates his sin by being on one side hypocrite on the other profane The meaning of these words then is this But on the contrary whosoever doth not with true Faith entertain my Doctrine and with sure purpose of mind resolve on the keeping my Commands but doth either so far disbelieve Christian Truth that he will not so much as take upon him the outward profession of it or having been baptiz'd is of loose opinions and practises and disparages his profession with foul errors or wicked manners such an one will have no benefit by Christ no share in the salvation wrought by him but brings upon himself the guilt of his own sins and continues still in a state of wrath and perishing in his unbelief will assuredly be cast into everlasting torments If the One Sacrament may be termed the Bosom of the Church by which we are entred and have admittance into the fellowship of the Saints The Other may not without reason be call'd the Churches Breast by which we are nourished to a spiritual growth and are refreshed and fed to life everlasting Of the Lord's SUPPER AFter that our Saviour had sufficiently made known by his Doctrine the will of God concerning man's salvation and proved by many miracles that he was the Son of God that came down from Heaven to the end that having put on our nature he might in our stead satisfy the Law and undergoe the punishments due to us for our sins that we through Faith in him might live It pleased him that he might leave with us the Symbols of his presence for ever and preserve the memory of his sufferings afresh in the mind of the faithful to prefigure his Death by a Sacrament appointing Bread Wine the usual supplyes of life for the representing of his sacred Body which was broken on the Cross and torn with the nails and the spear and his Blood which trickled from his sacred Head by the pricking of the thorns gush'd out of his hands feet when he was nail'd to the tree and brake forth of his side when he was wounded with the launce and plentifully stream'd forth out of every vein of his sacred Body when he was cruelly scourged with whips Now his Body thus broken and his Blood thus shed doe no less feed a believers soul and improve the force of grace then the body is nourished and natures strength repaired by Bread and Wine But this hath a spiritual meaning not that any one doth eat the very flesh of Christ and drink his very blood in a gross manner for that will be as absured to think as 't is savage to doe or that Christ can be receiv'd any other way then by Faith for 't is a point of Faith that the Body of Christ did goe up to Heaven and there is to remain till the last day and 't is contrary to very reason to say that the same Body can at the same time be in several places and to bring to pass contradictions is a thing out of the power of omnipotence it self not to say that it is plain even to our outward senses that the elements of bread and wine doe still remain after consecration the same in substance as well as in colour and accidents as they were before In fine it would indeed be no Sacrament if the signs should change their nature and the thing signified be it self really there for a Sacrament is nothing else but a figure and representation of some thing that is absent exhibiting to the understanding that which cannot be seen with the eye and by
outward actions resembling the inward virtue and efficacy of that thing of which it is a sign This sacred Rite is called the Holy Supper either by the way of Metaphor to denote the communion and fellowship which the Saints have with one another for which reason we also usually term it with the Apostle Paul the Communion The whole family meeting together at that time when all the business of the day is over to refresh themselves and take their repast Nor is it otherwise with the houshold of Faith who though imployed in several dwellings and dutyes of life yet as members of one and the same body whereof Christ is the Head are united to one another by the same spirit fed with the same spiritual food So that the Mystical body of the Church is made up of many Saints just as the bread it self of many corns and the wine of drops whence 't is frequently by the Greek Fathers called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. the gathering together of the Saints whither as some Interpreters would have it that place hath allusion where the car case is that is the crucified Body of Christ thither shall the eagles the quick-sighted high-flown believers be gathered together Or out of a more particular respect to the Passeover into the place and stead whereof this Sacrament came as the other succeeded circumcision for the Iews were wont by God's appointment yearly to celebrate a Feast whereon at evening in each houshold they slew a Lamb dressed it and eat it together in remembrance of the deliverance from the Egyptian slavery and from the Angel who striking all the first born of Egypt pass'd over the houses of the Israelites who for that purpose had according to that command dash'd the Blood of the Lamb upon the lintel of the door Now Christ being the substance was to put an end to all ceremonies came to make one perfect sacrifice once for all who in that he dyed dyed but once being the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world and his death we are to remember in these pledges of his love whereby he hath delivered us from a spiritual slavery and wrought salvation for us And indeed in that very nick of time when our Saviour had finisht the Paschal Supper with his Disciples he appointed this as to abide for ever in the room of the other The Lord's Supper it is styled because appointed by the Lord Jesus and represents him to be fed on by Faith The words of the Scripture wherein the Institution is set down expresse both time when and manner how it was performed the manner again delilivers partly what he did partly what he said in consecrating the bread first and then the cup. The Institution of this Sacrament is described by the authour time and manner The Authour the Lord Iesus The Time the night wherein he was betrayed the Manner consists of two parts shewing partly what he did partly what he said and that severally of these two several signs by which he would represent his Body and Blood For this Holy Supper was to consist of spiritual meat and drink as men use both to eat and drink in their other ordinary meals The Bread is the sign of his Body the Cup of his Blood First as to the Bread what did he He took it he bless'd it he broke it he gave it What said he Take eat this is my Body Again for the Cup what did he he took it he bless'd it he gave it What said he Drink ye all of it for this is my Blood c. Now let us goe over each part again and explain it more fully THE LORD JESUS Who by the merit of his Passion and at the price of his Blood purchased for us Salvation and for himself glory and a Name above every Name that he might become Head of the Church and to him might be given all power from the Father He alone has authority to appoint Sacraments and order the affairs of his Church by his word and spirit whereby he hath impowerd his Ministers to act in his Name to dispense his ordinances even to the end of the world IN THE NIGHT. For it was a Supper which he intended and 't was at supper or rather after supper when he had with his Disciples about him eaten the Passeover the type of himself who was the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world when he said at the Table One of you shall betray me and discovered his betrayer by giving him a sop which some think was no other then a piece of consecrated bread Nay the self-same night IN WHICH HE WAS BETRAID by Iudas with a kiss bringing a multitude along with him arm'd with swords and staves the rage of the rulers and the curses of the priests to lay wicked hands on him after he had sweat drops of blood in his agony and powred out his Soul in Prayer being sad even to death in a garden where he made the praeludium to his Passion BREAD by which the heart of man is strengthned which is therefore called the staff of life is made use of to represent the Body of Christ who was the bread which came down from Heaven by which souls are fed to life everlasting HE TOOK IT That he might by his example shew the Ministers of his word what they are to doe when they invite their people to the holy Table himself doth in a solemn manner begin the ceremonies taking the bread i.e. lifting it up and holding it in his hand which amongst the Iews was then the fashion observ'd by the master of the house AND GIVING THANKS We doe not read anywhere that Christ ever sate down to meat without Thanksgiving which especially before the Holy Supper is necessary it being for that reason call'd the Eucharist And surely the death of Christ which is here set forth was the greatest blessing that ever befell mankind Or Blessing it The meaning may be that by consecrating it he did set it aside from common use and praying for a special blessing upon it that it may become an effectual means of grace he stamp'd upon it a kind of reverence which was not due to it before HE BROKE IT Whence this mystery is also call'd the breaking of bread he divided it into several pieces that there might be the better distribution of it amongst the company at table AND GAVE IT i.e. reaching out his hand he set to every one his part and bestowed it amongst them TO THE DISCIPLES Who did then represent the whole Church of Christ and society of the faithful both men and women who should give up themselves to the discipline of Christ and take upon them the profession of the Gospel not so much as Iudas excepted though Christ well knew what was in his heart Wherefore by Christ's own example Ministers might learn that none should be excluded and kept from the table where Christ