blish'd Church of England allow any Part of thefe Books to be ufed for proper Leffons, or LefJons of the Day? A. They are only read for Inftruction, and contain in them a great Number of excellent Maxims, inferior perhaps to none but thofe of the canonical Writings? fome of thofe Books therefore may be read to very good Purpofe in the Church and by every pious, as well as by every curious Perfon. Q. Why then does the efta- Books of Natham, Gad, Shemaiah, Iddo, Abijah, and Jehu, cited in the Chronicles; the Acts of the Kings of Judah and Ifrael, mentioned in the fecond Book of Kings; the Book of Samuel, cited i Chron. xxix. 29. the Acts of Uzziah, 2 Chron. xxvi. 22. by Ifaiah; Solomon's 3000 Proverbs, 1 Kings iv. 32. Solomon's 1005 Songs, ib. Solomon's Book of Trees, Beafts, Fishes, &c. 1 Kings iv. 33. the Prophecy of Jeremiah, torn to Pieces by Jehoiakim, Jer. xxxvi. another upon Babylon, Jer. li. the Prophecy of Jonah, in Jonah. Ifaiah wrote another Book, intitled, The Afcenfion of Ifaiah, (as Origin Epiphanius writes.) Jofephus fays, that Ezekiel left two Books concerning the Captivity of Babylon, Ant. 1. 10. c. 6. There was a Book of the Lamentations, or a mournful Poem, fo called, compofed by Jeremiah upon the Occafion of the Death of the pious King Jofiah: It was a long Time in the Mouths of the finging Men and Women of Ifrael, but this famous Poem is believ'd to be loft, with many others. Q. What are their Names? A. The first and fecond Books of Efdras, Tobit, Judith; the reft of Efther, Wifdom of Solomon, Ecclefiafticus, Baruch, with the Epiftle of Jeremiah; the Song of the three Children; the Story of Sufanna; the Idol, Bell and the Dragon; the Prayer of Manaffeb; and the first and fecond of the Maccabees. Q. What are the Books Names that are faid to be loft, burnt in the Temple, &c. A. The Book of the Wars of the Lord, Num.xxi. 24. the Book of the Covenant, Ex. xxiv. 7. the Book of Fafper, Fof. x. 13. the The Apocrypha are Writings, no doubt, of good Men, but of much lefs Authority than the canonical Books, being a Collection of Pieces written chiefly in the Greek and Chaldee Languages, as 'tis thought, between the Times of the Prophets and profe of the New Teftament: But as no certain Proof is found, they are therefore called Apocrypha, Aπoxgvpa, Ab. fcondita, hid, or concealed. The hiftorical Parts of them, particularly the Books of the Maccabees, are of confiderable Ufe, and give much Light into the Tranfactions of which they treat; and the Books of Wisdom and Ecclefiafticus are much used. Tho' the Apocryphal Books are not received into the Scripture Canon of Proteftants, yet they are admitted by the Romans as of equal Authority, to colour fome Things in their Religion which they cannot defend from the real Word of God. But how worthy fome of these Books are of the Honour done them by the Council of Trent, I leave to every impartial Reader to judge. The PRAYER of MAN ASSES, King of Judah, when he was Captive in Babylon. Lord, Almighty God of our Fathers Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, and of their righteous Seed, who haft made Heaven and Earth, with all the Ornament thereof; who hast bound the Sea by the Word of thy Commandment; who hast Shut up the Deep, and fealed it by thy terrible and glorious Name; whom all Men fear, and tremble before thy Power: for the Majefty of thy Glory cannot be borne, and thine angry Threatenings towards Sinners is importable: But thy merciful Promife is unmeasurable and unfearchable; for thou art the Moft High Lord, of great Compaffion, Long-fuffering, very merciful, and repenteft of the Evils of Men. Thou, O Lord, according to thy great Goodness, haft promised Repentance and Forgiveness to them that have finned against thee, and of thine infinite Mercy haft appointed Repentance unto Sinners, that they may be faved. Thou therefore, O Lord, that art the God of the Fuft, haft not appointed Repentance to the Juft, as to Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, which have not finned against thee; but thou haft appointed Repentance unto me that am a Sinner: For I have finned above the Number of the Sands of the Sea; my Tranfgref fons, O Lord, are multiplied; my Tranfgreffions are multiplied, and I am not worthy to behold and fee the Height of Heaven, for the Multitude of mine Iniquity. I am bowed down with many Iron Bands, that I cannot lift up mine Head, neither have any Releafe: For I have provoked thy Wrath, and done Evil before thee; I did not thy Will, neither kept I thy Commandments; I have fet up Abominations, and have multiplied Offences. Now, therefore, I bow the Knee of mine Heart, befeeching thee of Grace. I have finned, O Lord, I have finned, and I acknowledge mine Iniquities: Wherefore, I bumbly befeech thee, forgive me, O Lord; forgive me, and destroy me not with mine Iniquities. Be not angry with me for ever, by referving Evil for me; neither condemn me into the lower Parts of the Earth: For thou art the God, even the God of them that repent; and in me thou wilt fhew all thy Goodness: For thou wilt fave me that am unworthy, according to thy great Mercy. Therefore I will praise thee for ever all the Days of my Life; for all the Powers of the Heavens do praise thee; and thine is the Glory for ever and ever. Amen. A N A B STR ACT OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. The Gospel according to St MATTHEW. good News, or joyful Tidings; and therefore the Authors are called Evangelists.) Q. What doth it principally contain? A. The Hiftory of Christ. Q. Upon how many Points ftands the History of Chrift? A. Upon five. Q. Which be they? A. Upon his Birth, his Life, his Death, his Resurrection, and Afcenfion. Q. What doth his Birth 'teach us? A. That he is the Day Star of Mercy, rifen to conduct us out of the Darkness of Death, and to guide our Feet in the Way of Peace, Luke i. 78. Q. What doth his Life teach us ? A. All Virtues requifite to a true Chriftian, he being the Way, the Truth, and the Life, John xiv. 6. tion, Matth. xx. 28. Gal. iv. 5. of the Gospel, Life, John xvii. 5. Heb. vi. 10. Q. How in their Ceremo Q. What doth his Refurrection teach us? A. The Conqueft over Death, Sin, and Hell, wherein ftandeth our Juftification, Rom. iv. 25. Q. What doth his Afcenfion reach us? A. That our Paffage into Paradice is by him made open, which before (thro'Sin) was fhut up against us; to the Intent that where he is, we may also be, John xiv, 23. and xii. 26. Q. What doth Chrift require nies? A. In the Law their Altar was made of Stones; in the Gofpel our Altar is Chrift Jefus, Heb. xv. 10. In the Law they did facrifice Calves; in the Gofpel our Sacrifice must be Prayer and Thanksgiving, Heb. xiii. 15. In the Law they did circumcife the Fore-skin; in the Gospel we must circumcife and cut off the lewd Affections of our Hearts, Rom. ii. 29. In the Law their Paffover was a Lamb of the Flock, Exod. xii. 14. In the Gospel our Paffover is the Lamb Chrift Jefus, 1 Cor. v. 7. In the A. An affured Belief of all his Law the Paffover was but the Words and Deeds. Q. What is Obedience? A. A conftant Endeavour to perform all that he hath commanded, Mut. xxviii. 20. Q. How do the Old and New Teftament agree? A. In this, that they both teach to know one God, embrace one Faith, and erect one Church. Q. How do they differ? A. Four Manner of Ways: firft, in their Publication; fecondly, their Effect and Fruit; thirdly, their Ceremonies; and fourthly, their Teachers. Q. How do they differ in their Publication? A. The Law was published with Horror, the Golpel with Joy. Q. How do they differ in their Fruit? A. The Fruit of the Law is Death, Deut. xxvii. 26. the Fruit Shadow of the Thing; in the Gofpel the Paffover is the Gofpel itself. Q. How do they differ in their Teachers? A. The Publifher of the Law was Man, Mofes; the Publisher of the Gofpel, God and Man, Chrift. The Teachers of the Law foretold the Coming of Chrift in the Flefh, Ifa. vii. 14. The Teachers of the Gospel foretel his Coming in Glory, Mat. xxiv. 30, 31. and xxv. 31. The Teachers of the Law led forth the Children of God to Canaan, Fofb. xii. 6. The Teachers of the Gofpel do direct them to Heaven, Mat. v. 3, to 10. They delivered them from the Hands of human Tyrants, Exod. xii. 31. Judg. xvi. 36. Chrift in the Gofpel fets us free from the Hands of the fpritual Tyrant, the Devil, Mat. xv. 54. Q. How Q. How many are the Writers Reports which the Jews had of the Gospel? Q. What Methods fhall we ufe to draw particular Points of Doctrine from each of them, and not repeat any thing? A. Divide the whole Hiftory of Chrift into four Parts, and every Part into four Branches. Q. Very well: What are the four Branches I fall difpute with you upon in the Gospel after Matthew? A. Thefe; Chrift's Birth, his Perfecution, Baptifm, and the Election of his Apoftles. Q. How are the four Evangelifs prophetically reprefented in the Old Testament? A. Expofitors do generally believe, that they are fhadowed out by the four living Creatures in Ezekiel, chap. i. 10. which had four Faces, 1ft, of a Man, 2d, of a Lion, 3d, of an Ox, and the 4th, of an Eagle. Q. What was Matthew by Profeffion? A. A Publican. Q. What were the Publicans? A. Thofe kind of Jews, which in the Name of the Romans did gather up the Taxes and Tallages impofed upon the People. Q. How came he to be an Apostle? A. Chrift called him as he was fitting at the Receipt of Cuftom; who prefently, notwithftanding the Scandals and bad given out of Christ, an 1 that he himfelf was exceeding rich, left all, and followed him. Q. What doth Matthew first fet down? A. The Coming of Chrift into the World. Q. How is that? 4. Two manner of Ways. up Q. How comes he in the Spirit? A. Two manner of Ways: by Grace to infpire us; as when the Spirit of God fell upon the 70 Elders, Num. xi. 25, 26, and on the Apostles, Acts ii. 3, 4. or by Faith, to affure, as St Paul faith, The fame Spirit beareth Witnefs with our Spirits, that we are the Children of God, Rom. viii. 15, 16. Q. By what Example do we learn the Coming of Christ in the Spirit? A. By the Example of God's Appearance to Eliah. "Q. How was that? A. First came a mighty Wind, and tore the Rocks, but God was not there; then arofe an Earthquake, but God was not there; then came a Fire, but God was not there; at last came a foft and still Wind, and God was there, 1 Kings x. 11, 12. Q. Doth Chrift's Spirit, after the fame Manner, defcend into us ? A. Yes. Q. How ? A. First, there comes the Breath of his threatning Voice, A. 2 |