A Scripture Catechism, Chapter 18 – Chapter 20
Chap. 18. Of time for publique worſhip.
Q. DID ever God require any ſet day weekly for his worſhip, & ſervice?
A. Exod. 20.8, 9, 10. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six dayes ſhalt thou labour and doe all thy worke: But the ſeventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.
Q. Had our Lord Chriſt power to alter the weekly Sabbath from the ſeventh day of the week to the firſt?
A. Luk. 6.5. And he ſaid unto them, That the Son of man is Lord alſo of the Sabbath.
Q. Was the firſt day of the week obſerved a day of meeting of Chriſtians for the worſhip of God by the primitive Chriſtians?
A. Joh. 20.19, 26. Then the ſame day at evening, being the firſt day of the week, when the doores were ſhut, where the diſciples were aſſembled for feare of the Jewes, came Jeſus, &c. And after eight dayes again his diſciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jeſus, &c. Act. 20.7. And upon the firſt day of the week, when the diſciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them. 1 Cor. 16.2. Upon the firſt day of the week let every one of you lay by him in ſtore, as God hath proſpered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
Q. VVhat day was it when the Apoſtle John was in the ſpirit?
A. Rev. 1.10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.
Q. VVere the Jewiſh Sabbaths ſhadowes of things to come, and to end in Chriſt?
A. Col. 2.16, 17. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in reſpect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath dayes, which are a ſhadow of things to come, but the body is of Chriſt.
Q. Are the prayers and Adminiſtrations of the Elders of the Church more deſirable than of others?
A. Jam. 5.14. Is any ſick among you, let him call for the Elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with the oyle in the name of the Lord.
Q. Is it lawfull for Chriſtians, delivered from the Jewiſh obſervation of dayes, to have a ſet day, or time, appointed for any duty?
A. 1 Cor. 16.1, 2. Now concerning the collection for the Saints—upon the firſt day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in ſtore, as God hath proſpered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
Q. Should Chriſtians Aſſemble themſelves together to worſhip God?
A. Heb. 10.25. Not forſaking the aſſembling of our ſelves togeither, as the manner of ſome is; but exhorting one another, &c. 1 Cor. 11.20, 33, 34. When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's ſupper. Wherefore my brethren, when ye come together to eate, tarry one for another. And if any man hunger let him eat at home, that ye come not together unto condemnation.
Q. Is there to be teaching in the Church, when the Church meets?
A. 1 Cor. 14.19, 28. Yet in the Church I had rather ſpeak five words with my underſtanding, that by my voice I might teach others alſo, then ten thouſand words in an unknown tongue. But if there be no Interpreter let him keep ſilence in the Church; and let him ſpeak to himſelfe, and to God.
Q. Are women to be publique teachers in the Church?
A. 1 Tim. 2.11, 12. Let the women learne in ſilence with all ſubjection. But I ſuffer not a woman to teach—but to be in ſilence. 1 Cor. 14.34, 35. Let your women keep ſilence in the Churches, for it is not permitted unto them to ſpeak. And if they will learne any thing, let them aske their husbands at home: for it is a ſhame for women to ſpeak in the Church.
Q. Doth 1 Cor. 11.5. Philip. 4.2, 3. Joel. 2.28. Doe all theſe together authorize Women to be publique teachers in the Church of the Saints?
A. Propheſying may perhaps be found taken three wayes in Scripture: firſt for foretelling things to come, by an extraordinary ſpirit, and ſo we read of Huldah a Propheteſſe, and Deborah in the Old Teſtament, and of Anna in the New.
2ly. For ſinging, or framing, or both, of Pſalmes, Hymnes, or ſpirituall ſongs, and ſo I ſuppoſe the word is taken 1 Chron. 25.1, 2. And ſo both Miriam and Deborah prophecyed, and perhaps Women did ſo too in the Church of Corinth, whilſt they had the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghoſt.
3ly. For teaching, and inſtructing, by expounding and applying ſome part or portion of God's word, and I dare not ſay, becauſe of thoſe Scriptures above named, that it was never lawfull for Women to teach in the Chriſtian Church; namely, whilſt thoſe extraordinary gifts laſted and they were not prohibited by the Apoſtle Paul: but I dare not embolden a Woman to be a publique teacher in the Church.
Q. Do we read of a Woman, who pretēded her ſelfe a Propheteſſe, & would have this preheminence to be a teacher of others in the Church, who did really ſeduce Chriſtians?
A. Revelat. 2.20. Notwithſtanding I have a few things againſt thee, becauſe thou ſuffereſt that woman Jezabel, which calleth herſelfe a Propheteſſe, to teach, and to ſeduce my ſervants to commit fornication.
Q. May a Woman teach her children at home the Principles or myſteries of religion?
A. Prov. 31.1. &c. The words of King Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him. Prov. 1.8. My Son— forſake not the law of thy Mother. So chap. 6.20.
Q. May not Women as well teach authoritatively in the Church, as Governe in a Common-wealth?
A. See Iſa. 49.23. And Kings ſhall be thy nurſing Fathers, and Queenes thy nurſing Mothers. &c.
Q. If a crown be her Patrimony deſcending to her by inheritance, in the want of ſons, querie why ſhe may not inherit? and whether the French Salique law, forbidding women to inherit the Crown, be contained in Scripture?
A. Joſ. 17.4. And they came neere before Eleazar the Prieſt, and before Joſhua the Son of Nun, and before the Princes, ſaying, The Lord commanded Moſes to give us an inheritance among our brethren: therefore according to the commandement of the Lord he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their Father. Job. 42.15.—And their Father gave them an inheritance among their brethren.
Chap. 19. Of an Oath.
Q. MAY we ſweare at all?
A. Heb. 6.16. For men verily ſweare by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all ſtrife. 2 Cor. 1.23. Moreover, I call God for a record upon my ſoul, that to ſpare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.
Q. Muſt we ſweare by the Creator?
A. Iſ. 65.16.—He that ſweareth in the earth, ſhall ſweare by the God of truth. Jer. 4.2. And thou ſhalt ſweare, the Lord liveth in Truth, in Judgment, and in Righteouſneſſe.
Q. May we not ſweare by our Lady, our Faith, or Troth, and ſuch like oathes?,
A. Mat. 5.34, 35, 36. Swear not at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne: nor by the earth, for it is his footſtool: neither by Jeruſalem, for it is the city of the great King: Neither ſhalt thou ſwear by thy head, becauſe thou canſt not make one haire white or black. Jam. 5.12. But above all things my brethren ſwear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath.
Q. What think you of that expreſſion, As I live, is it God's oath? ſhould wee ſweare, As we live, or As the Lord liveth?
A. Ezek. 17.19. Thus ſayth the Lord, As I live, ſurely mine oath that he hath deſpiſed, and my Covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompenſe upon his own head. Rom. 14.11. For it is written, As I live ſaith the Lord, every knee ſhall bow downe, and every tongue ſhall confeſſe to God.
Q. What ceremony is it fitteſt then to uſe in ſwearing, Kiſſing the book, or lifting the hand up to heaven?
A. Rev. 10.5, 6. And the Angell which I ſaw ſtand upon the Sea, and upon the earth, lifted up his hand to Heaven, and ſware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created Heaven, &c.
Q. Doth one maine end of an oath yet continue?
A. Yes. Hebr. 6.16. For men verily ſwear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all ſtrife.
Q. If a man ſweare to bind his ſoule under a curſe to ſinne againſt God, either by omitting what is his duty to doe, or by committing or doing what God forbids, is he bound to keep that oath?
A. No. 1 Sam. 25.22. compared with 32. and 33. So and more alſo doe God unto the enemies of David, If I leave of all that pertaine to him by the morning light any that piſſeth againſt the wall. And David ſaid to Abigail, Bleſſed be the Lord God of Iſrael, which ſent thee this day to meet me. And bleſſed be thy Advice, and bleſſed be thou, which haſt kept me this day from coming to ſhed blood, and from avenging my ſelfe with mine own hand.
Q. Doth Math. 5.34, 35, 36, 37. James. 5.12. Forbid and condemne as utterly unlawfull all oathes, though in weighty matters, and before a lawfull Magiſtrate?
A. No, thoſe Scriptures condemne raſh cuſtomary ſwearing, particularly by the Creatures; and imply, the one, that in ordinary ſpeech we ſhould content our ſelves with ſimple affirmations and negations; and the other perhaps may imply farther, that our affirmations and negations ſhould be plain, and ſure grounded on a mere truth: that with us there ſhould not be yea and nay, but that as there is yea in our promiſe, ſo there ſhould be yea in our performance: we ſhould be as good as our word. Conſider firſt, that the third commandement forbids taking God's name in vaine, and not ſimply the taking up of his name. 2ly. That an oath is the end of ſtrife. 3ly. That the Apoſtle Paul calls God to witneſſe, 2 Cor. 1.23.
Chap. 20. Of buriall of the dead.
Q. WHERE did the Lord's people of old uſe to bury their dead, did they bury ſometimes in a cave in a field, ſometimes in a garden, and ſometimes in the city?
A. Gen. 25.9. And his Sonnes Iſaack and Iſhmael buried him in the Cave Machpelah, in the field of Ephron. Joh. 19.41, 42. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new ſepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid: There laid they Jeſus &c. 1 King. 2.10. So David ſlept with his Fathers, and was buried in the City of David.
Q. Have godly people taken care of their buriall, and eſpecially to be buried in the ſepulchres of their Fathers?
A. Gen. 49.29, 31. I am to be gathered unto my people, bury me with my Fathers, in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Iſaack & Rebeckah his wife; and there I buried Leah.
Q. Was it a part of the Prieſt's office under the Law to bury the dead?
A. Num. 19.11. He that toucheth the dead body of any man ſhall be uncleane ſeven dayes. Lev. 21.1, 2, 10, 11. Speak unto the Prieſts, the Sons of Aaron, & ſay unto thē, There ſhall none be defiled for the dead among his people; But for his kinne that is neer unto him &c. And he that is the High Prieſt among his brethren — ſhall not uncover his head, nor rent his cloathes, neither ſhall he goe in to any dead body, nor defile himſelfe for his Father, or for his Mother.
Q. Hath Chriſt laid his commands on the Miniſters of the Goſpel to bury the dead?
A. Luk. 9.60. Jeſus ſaid unto him, Let the dead bury their dead; but goe thou and preach the Kingdome of God.
Q. Is it lawfull for a miniſter to take occaſion from Providence, & the opportunity of the peoples meeting, to preach, or give a word of Exhortation, preaching to their eares, as God doth th… to their eyes?
A, Prov. 25.11. A word fitly ſpoken is like apples of gold in pictures of ſilver. 2 Tim. 4.2. Preach the word, be inſtant in ſeaſon, out of ſeaſon, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long ſuffering and Doctrine. Luk. 14.15, 16. And when one of them that ſate at meat with him heard theſe things, he ſaid unto him, Bleſſed is he that ſhall eat bread in the Kingdome of God. Then ſaid he unto him, A certaine man made a great ſupper &c.
Q. Is it lawfull to make a funerall oration, or Elegies for the dead?
A. 2 Sam. 1.71, 19. And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul, & over Jonathan his ſon. The beauty of Iſrael is ſlain upon thy high places, how are the mighty fallen, &c. So verſ. 23. Saul and Jonathan were lovely & pleaſant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided; they were ſwifter than Eagles, they were ſtronger than Lyons. 2 Chr. 35.25. And Jeremiah lamented for Joſiah, and all the ſinging men and ſinging women ſpake of Joſiah in their lamentations to this day &c.