Q. But more particularly, shall they enjoy there 1 A most blessed Place to abide and dwell in ? A. Yes. John xiv. 2. Saith Christ to his Disciples, In my Father's House are many Nations, I go to prepare a Place for you. 2 The bleffed Company of Christ, Angels and

Saints?

A. Yes. As we read, Heb. xii.

3 God himself? A. Yes. He will be their God, and they shall be his Sons. Rev. xxi. 7.

Q. Shall we be satisfied, and fully rest in the Enjoyment of God there?

A. Yes. Pf. xvii. 15. I will behold thy Face in Righteousness; I shall be fatisfied when I awake with thy Likeness.

Q. Will this Happiness be everlasting?

A. Yes. Ps. xvi. 11. In thy Presence is Fulness of Joy, at thy Right Hand there are Pleasures for evermore.

Catechist. You have here set before you the final Estates or Ends of all Mankind, everlasting Life, or everlasting Damnation. And one of these two must be your Lot for ever. There is no middle State betwixt these two Extremes, as fome pretend there is. Rev. XX. 13. Whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life, was cast into the Lake of Fire. And as he who believeth, and is baptized shall be saved, fo he that believeth not, shall be damned.

This our present Life is as the Seed-Time to Eternity; and as we fow here, so we shall reap hereafter. He that foweth to the Flesh, malt

shall of the Flesh reap Corruption: But he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap Life everlasting. Everlasting Life or Happiness is not only the Reward, but also the Fruit, and natural Effect of Holiness; as eternal Death and Misery is of reigning Sin and Wickedness. If therefore you would be happy, you see the Way and Means thereto. You must cleanse yourselves from all Filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit, perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God. And having your Fruit unto Holiness, you will have in the End everlasting Life.

CHAP. III.

Of Christian Obediences

Q. You said that your God-Fathers and God Mothers did promise for you that you should keep God's Commandments. Tell me how many there be ?

A. Ten.

Q. Which be they?

A. The same which God spake in the 20th Chapter of Exodus, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, out of the House of Bondage.

Catechist. The third special Part which the Catechism consists of, is that which is contained in the Moral Law expounded, viz. an Instruction in Obedience. God is the Supreme Supreme King, and Governor of all the World; to whom all things do bow and obey. And Man's Obedience to him is his Conformity to his Law. As the Nature of Sin is the Transgression of God's Law, so the Nature of Obedience is Conformity thereunto. And that it may be such, as God will accept of, it must be perfect and entire, according to this short Rule, viz. Totus, totum, toto, i. e. Total or universal in these three Respects, viz.

1. As to the Subject or Person in whom it is. It must be with the whole Man, Soul, Mind, and Strength.

2. As to the Object, or Matter to be observed. It must be to the whole Law, and not to some Commandments only. 3. As to its Continuance. It must be constant and perfevering.

And because the Laws of God are the Rule and Measure of our Obedience, to shew us wherein and how we must obey him, it is therefore necessary that we should rightly understand them. In general, they are the Sign or Notification of his Will, requiring our Duty, in order to Salvation. And they are of two forts, viz. Positive,and Moral.

1. The Positive Divine Laws are such as have no other, at least visible Ground and Reason, than the mere good Pleasure, and governing Will of God. And they are therefore good, because he hath appointed them; such a Positive Law of God was that Command of his to Adam, that he should not

not eat of the Fruit of the Tree of Know ledge. And the Jews had many fuch,under the Old Testament: Especially the two Sacraments, Circumcifion and the Paffover. But

2. As I said, there are other Laws of God, called the Natural or Moral Laws; as being in their own Nature, the Rules of our Lives and Actions. And these are all those Signs, or Notifications of Man's Duty, that in the Creatures, or Works of God, espe cially our ownselves, are intelligibly held forth, to our Reason or Understanding. And thus the Nature of things teaches us, not only that there is a God, but also that we must honour him both with inward and outward Worship; that his Name must be reverenced, and not used in a common Manner; and that some special Time should be observed and fet apart, for the Honour of his Name, in his publick and folemn Worship. Even Reason itself teacheth us all these Moral Duties in relation to God, our Maker. And likewise our Reason tedcheth us, with respect to Man our Neighbour, that we should do by others as we would be done by, in all the Concerns of both their Souls and Bodies, in their Lives, Dignity, Chastity, Estate, and Name; and having the fame Nature with them, to love them as ourselves.

But all those things which may be seen by Nature's Light, are much more clear and evident by the Light of the Holy Scripture, especially the ten Commandments, wherein are comprehended both the Love of God and Man, with the Fruits and Effects thereof

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of, which is the Sum of all Religion. So that all our Moral Duties which are difperfed throughout the Scriptures, may be fairly reduced to one or other of them, as their Head or Principle: And for the Interpreting of these Commandments, the following Rules are principally to be observed.

1. In every Commandment, the Affirmative implies the Negative, and the Negative the Affirmative.

2. A Negative is more obliging (as to the Act of Obedience, tho' not as to the Habit) than an Affirmative Command is, i.e. What God forbids is at noTime to be done: We must never do Evil that Good may come of it. But what he commands, though it be always our Duty, yet it is not to be done always, or at all Times whatsoever.. For then all other Duties of Religion must be neglected.

3. The Law is Spiritual, forbidding, or requiring the inward Act of the Soul, as well as the outward.

4. Where a Sin is forbidden or a Duty is required, there all of the same kind are forbidden or required likewise: together with all the Causes, Means, Occasions and Appearances thereof, and Provocations thereunto.

5. In the Fifth Commandment, where the Duty of one Relative towards another is expressed, there the Duty of his Correlative, and of all of the like Relation, is to be understood.

6. We must endeavour according to our Places, that the Law be kept by others, as well as by ourselves.

7. Our