Gods Holy Mind Touching Matters Moral, Tract 2 · Part 8 – Part 9
Now to the second generall Dutie commanded in this first Commandement, namely, confidence in God, and resting on him alone.
Quest. What is that confidence in God, and resting on him alone, that is required in this Commandement?
Ans. This; when we stedfastly cleaue to God,2 Chro. 20.2…. Psalm. 37.3, 5. Prou. 3.5. Ierem. 17.7. and rest on him alone, casting our burden onelyonly on him, and committing our bodies and soules, our liues, our goods, and all that wee hauehave, into his hands at all times
Quest. What are the grounds of this confidence?
Answ. They are especially three.
Quest. What is the first of those?
Answ. This; a due consideration and acknowledgement of Gods power, that hee is able to doe vsus good, though all things in the world bee against vsus; and that all helpes in the world can doe vsus no good, but as his hand and power is in them, and makes them effectuall for our good. Gen. 15.1. Psal. 62.8, 9, 10.Genes. 15.1. Psal. 62.8, 9, 10 Dauid exhorts the people, Alwayes to trust in God, and to powre out their hearts before him, because hee is our Hope: Psal. 27.1, 2, 3 2 Tim. 1.12.and then hee shewes that the children of men are vanitie, and the chiefe men are lyes and altogether lighter then vanitie. Then verse 10. Trust not in oppression, nor in robbery, and bee not vaine; and if riches increase, that we should not set our hearts thereon. Then vers 11. Power belongeth vntounto God.
Quest. What is the second ground?
Answ. This; a due consideration,Psal. 33.18, 19. Psal. 84.11.12. Psal. 91.2. and acknowledgement of Gods good prouidence and mercy, that the eye of his good prouidence and merciemercy watcheth ouer vsus, disposing all things for our good,Psal. 33.18.19. Psal. 84.11.12. and that he looks on our wants and necessities, and of his mercy is ready to releeue them. Psal. 91.2.Psal. 91.2. I will say vntounto the Lord, O mine hope and my fortresse, he is my God, in him will I trust And then in the verses following he saith, Surely he will deliuer thee from the snare of the hunter, and from the noysome pestilence, he will couer thee vnderunder his wings, thou shalt be sure vnderunder his feathers; his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. &c.
Quest: What is the third ground of this confidence?
Deut. 7.17.18 19. 1 Sam. 17.37. Psal. 34.6.Ans: This; A due consideration of the former experience of gods power and prouidence, both towards our selues and others. Mat: 16.9.10.Mat. 16.9.10. Christ checks his disciples, for not hauing due consideration of this former experience of Gods power and prouidence. Do ye not (saith he) perceiue, neither remember the fiue loaues, when there were fiue thousand men, and how many baskets tooke yee vp? neither the seauen loaues when there were foure thousand men and how many baskets tooke yee vp?
Quest: How may we know that we hauehave confidence in God, and rest on him alone?
Ans: By two things especially.
Quest: What is the first of those?
2 Sam. 10.9.10.11.12. 2 Chron. 32.5.6.7.8. Nehem. 4.9.Ans: This; when we carefully vse good things and means God giues vsus; and yet wee vse them only as meanes, and we looke vp to the Lord for helpe, and comfort, and good by them.
Quest: What is the second thing?
Rom. 4.18.19.20.21.Ans. This; when we rest and relie on the bare and naked promise of god, hauing his promise without meanes. Thus did Abraham.
Quest. How may wee come thus to rest on the promise of God?
Exod. 34.28. Mat. 4.2. Iosh. 3.16. Iosh. 10.13. Dan 3.27. Dan 6.22.Answ. Thus; If we duely consider the Lords manner of working, that he worketh sometimes by meanes, sometimes without meanes, and sometimes contrary to meanes: as Moses did
Quest. What are the effects of confidence in God, and resting on him alone?
Ans: These two; first, a conuersation voyd of couetousnesse and distrustfull care.
Secondly, inuocation or calling on the name of God.
Quest. What is that conuersation voyde of couetousnes, and distrustfull care?
Ans. This;Pro. 16.3. Mat. 6.25. to the end. 1 Tim. 6.6.7.8.9 1 Pet. 5.7. Heb. 13.5.6. When men exercise themselues diligently in the Duties of their lawfull Callings; dealing therein iustly and truly with eueryevery one; and minding only to get things, honest and needfull for them, and leaue the successe of all their labours and endeuours, to the good prouidence and blessing of God, and trust God with that.
Quest: How may we know, that doing our duties diligently, in our lawfull callings: we leaue the successe of all our labours to the blessing of God, and we trust him for that?
Answ. By these two things.
1. First, if our hearts be not taken vp with needlesse feare of want or losse, while we enioy good things;Mat. 6.31.34. Iob. 1.21. or with immoderate sorrow, when good things are taken from vsus.
2. Secondly, if our mindes be not troubled,Mar. 4.19. Luk. 8.14. Ezech. 33.3…. and perplexed with thoughts of our worldly affaires, in performance of heauenly duties: as in Prayer, hearing of the Word, and such like: so as those thoughts make vsus weary of Gods worship.
Now to inuocation.
Quest: Wherein stands that inuocation and calling on the name of God, that is an effect of confidence in God?
Ans: In two things.
1. In petition.
2. In thankes giuing. Philip. 4 6.Philip. 4.6.
Quest. What is petitions?
Ans. A crauing at the hands of God alone,Dan. 9 17.18. Psal 50.15. Iames. 1.5. as the fountaine of all goodnesse, and giuer of all good things, such things as are wanting and needfull for our selues, and for others.
Quest. How many sorts of petition be there?
Ans: These three.
1 Fi st, supplication, when we entreat god to remoou… some euill from our selues.
2. Secondly, Prayer, when wee intreat God to bestow some good thing ou our selues. And
3. Thirdly intercession, when we intreat God to giuegive some good thing to others, or to remoue some euill thing from others. 1 Tim. 2.1.1 Tim. 2.1.
Quest. What is thankes-giuing?
Psal. 103.1. to 6 Psal. 108.3.4. Ephes. 5.20.Ans. This; when we giuegive laud and thankes to God for good things, either promised, or bestowed on our selues or others.
Quest. Wherein stands that giuing laud & thankes to God?
Answ. In ascribing to God, absolute Soueraigntie ouer the good things wee hauehave,1 Chro. 29.11.12.13. Iud. Epist. v. 25. Reu. 4.11. Mat. 6.13. that wee hauehave them from him and not of our selues; and acknowledging his prouidence and power: in that wee hauehave those good things, and that they serue for our good, and accordingly giuing him due honour and glory.
Thus we hauehave heard also the duties required in the first Commandement.Comman. 2. Now to the second commandement.
Quest. How differ the first and second Commandements, one from the other?
Answ. Thus; the first Commandement, teacheth to hauehave the true God for our God and no other: And the second commandement prescribeth the solemne worship of the true God.
Quest. What are the words of the second Commandement?
Ans: Those we finde Exod. 20.4.5.6.
4. Thou shalt make thee no grauen Image, neither any similitude of things that are in Heauen aboue, neither that are in the earth beneath, nor that are in the waterts vnderunder the earth:
5. Thou shalt not bow downe to them, neither serue them: for I am (Iehouah) the Lord thy God, a Jealous God; visiting the iniquitie of the Fathers vponupon the Children, vponupon the third generation, & vponupon the fourth of them that hate me:
6. And shewing mercy vntounto thousands, to them that louelove me, and keepe my Commandements:
Quest. What are the generall things contained in those words?
Answ. These two. First, a precept or Commandement.
Secondly, a confirmation of the Commandement by arguments, perswading to the obedience of it. The Commandement in these words: Thou shalt not make thee any grauen Image, neither any similitude of things that are in heauen aboue, neither that are in the earth beneath, nor that are in the waters vnderunder the earth: Thou shalt not bow downe to them, neither serue them. And the confirmation in the words following; for I am Iehouah thy God, a Iealous God, visiting the iniquitie of the Fathers vponupon the Children, vponupon the third generation, and vponupon the fourth of them that hate me: and shewing mercy vntounto thousands to them that louelove me and keepe my Commandements.
Of these in Order.
First of the Commandement.
Quest: What are the parts of the Commandement?
Answ: These two:
1. First, it forbids the making of any grauen Image, or similitude of any thing in Heauen, in Earth, or in the waters vnderunder the earth.
2. Secondly, it forbids the bowing downe to Images, and similitudes, and worshiping of them.