his jollity he is to be scorned as well as pityed 2. He allarms this brutish Sensualist with a prospect of Judgment God addresseth himself to thee as one stupidly ignorant but know thou it 's what thou art little acquainted with or thoughtful about for all these things he will bring thee into judgment a sore thorn in thy gay Cloaths a great cooler to thy lusts meer gall in thy Cups and a sad disturbance to thy airy conceits God will bring thee into judgment for all these things Thô thou despise his Laws thou shalt not escape his Sentence he will not leave it to thee whether thou shalt be miserable though he referr'd it to thy choice whether thou wouldst be serious hee 'l compell thee to feel his wrath though he would not force thee to refrain thy voluptuousness Yea Oh thou that sportest thy self in thy brutish delights thou shalt account for all thou shalt suffer for each Thy punishment shall be proportioned to thy sins and to thy pleasures thou didst take in sinning and dost thou never consider how great that 's like to be 3. He then annexeth a serious Caution against two evils to which Young Persons are obnoxious v. 10. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart that is anger as the word may be rendred or all those heart lusts which will end in sorrow of heart Thou art afraid of seriousness thou seemest to prevent sorrow by thy carnal mirth but alas thou art making way for the deepest groans by thy seeming cure thou bringest on sorrow by a pretended driving it away But Young Man God seeing thou takest a wrong course condescends to warn thee against the anguish which thou preparest by thy vicious inclination 2. And put away evil from thy flesh that is fleshly pollutions to which Youth is prone or the bodily punishments which vile courses expose to If you take the first sence then as in forbidding heart lusts he stops a course of sin at the Spring-head without which all the attempts for Reformation will be too feeble so in forbidding fleshly pollutions he would restrain the acting of sin q. d. Thô Lust is conceived in the Heart yet let it not break forth in thy practice for abstinence from wicked acts will conduce to change thy temper and abate thy guilt If you take the latter sence then he argues from that misery which brutish Youth is most likely to be affected by q. d. That Body which thou so indulgest that flesh whereof thou art so tender is like to feel the woful effects of thy folly Therefore as thou lovest thy very flesh kindle not the flames which are to devour it in Hell bring not down those Judgments which may torment thy Body on this side the Grave The wise Man introduces these advices by a Motive referring to v. 9. Therefore c. as if he had said because God will bring thee to judgment avoid these sins for which thou shalt certainly be arraigned and prevent the miseries which the sentence will include and which the Judge must execute according to the sanction of that Law whereby thou shalt be judged Then then O Young Man thou shalt know by the punishment felt that thy Lawgivers threatnings were not vain though during temptations they appeared so My Text is a further Motive and as such is here inserted For Childhood and Youth are Vanity q. d. To these sins your young years are prone they have room in your temper and without great care and labour cannot be removed or put away therefore be intent and vigorous to put away evil from your flesh to remove sorrow from thy heart Having thus described the Coherence of the words I shall lay them down for a Doctrine as they be in my Text. Doct. Childhood and Youth are Vanity I shall explain this Doctrine and insist on that sence of the words which will most conduce to the advantage of Young Persons 1. Childhood and Youth may be taken for that time of Humane Life which is short of Manhood If you take it thus then the whole clause may be thus expressed Though you are very apt to boast of these years as most conducive to happiness though now your Spirits are vigorous your Bodies healthy and strong your Sences quick the Cares and Maladies of Old-Age are far from you yet all this will not make you happy This time of Youth it self is vanity it 's insufficient to make thee a Blessed Creature yea though thou didst enjoy all sensible things that can minister to its satisfaction it is but vanity a poor thing a short and empty matter which leaves its admirers deceived yea undone if they have no better provision A serious Old Man disdains those years and would not live them over again yea few live long that wish not much of that time expunged out of their life and remember it with a blush 2. Childhood and Youth note Persons of those Years or age viz. Children and Young People I shall consider these words in this sence and of such of you the Spirit of God proclaimeth vanity as your proper Epithite Quest. What is meant by Vanity as it predicates of these Young People Answ. Vanity is either natural or moral and then it 's the same as to say 1. Young People are frail and mortal All flesh is grass and the goodliness thereof as the flower of the Field Isa. 40. 6. The robust Youth hath his breath in his Nostrils by the Course of Nature he may live longer than Old men yet by the Frailty of Nature he may die before the oldest man Thou reckonest upon long Life but thou mayest dye tomorrow Oh young man thou hast the seeds of Death in thee thou canst not resist any Messenger of Death Heb. 9. 17. the Sentence lies against thee and sin the cause of Death cleaves to thy early Age Rom. 8. 10. What variety of accidents art thou subject to every moment It 's by Gods power you Children are alive till now as well as the Man of eighty Oh young Folk that think of many years before Death and you can meet how many younger than you are already rotten in their graves there may be many Children in this place whose death your Fathers yea Grandfathers may live to mourn for it 's a brittle house your very Souls inhabit Exh. I cannot omit this Exhortation Do and forbear all you ought to do and forbear in order to Eternity as Persons within a step of Death I hope the youngest here are assured that there is no working in the grave Eccl. 9. 10. What is to be done for Eternity must be done while you live the state of trial lasts no longer than Life whatever is beyond the Grave is unchangeable reward or punishment Wilt thou lay to Heart these things 1. I have much to do for Eternity 2. Work for Eternity is hard to do 3. This work as hard as it is must be done or I perish for ever 4. How short a while may
Therefore press thy Soul with the sence of it's want and with the loveliness and necessity of Wisdom This will help thee to strong desires which are fervent Prayers Oh Child wilt thou be a Fool for want of praying Shall God say Here 's a Youth void of Wisdom because he would not ask it 2. Study and believe the Scriptures If thy Judgment bedirected by the Word it will be sound that gives understanding unto the simple Psal. 119. 130. Be sure you learn to read and when you can read read the Scriptures most there you must learn to think aright of God they will teach thee what the Will of God is the way of Salvation is there discovered from them thou hast the truest account of Sin and Holiness In the written Promises thou wilt know what to hope for in the Threatnings what thou shouldst fear in the Commandments what thou must do in the revealed Doctrines what thou shouldst believe Come Children you are allowed to learn the Scriptures Timothy is commended for knowing the Scriptures from a Child 2 Tim. 2. 15. Study you these there is nothing needfull for a Christian which is not contained therein Every thing as to Salvation is doubtful which is not deduced from these 3. Suspect thy first thoughts and never be governed by thy Fancy If thy sudden imaginations be right they will bear enquiry if they be wrong they need amendment Ordinarily the first dictates proceed from Vanity and shall that prescribe when Life and Death depend on thy Resolves nay how knowest thou but that they be Satans whispers which thou executest when Fancy is thy Guide for he speaks to the Soul by impressing the Imagination 4. Converse with the Godly Wise and strictly observe and lay up their Sayings and Examples The Word tells us He that walketh with wise men shall be wise but the Companion of fools shall be destroyed Prov. 13. 20. Their Speeches will instruct their practice will allure imitation whereas ill Company will debauch thy Mind and nourish thy Lusts. Prudent Persons will judge thy temper by thy associates well knowing thou art already or wilt certainly be what thy chosen Companions are 5. Design all knowledge in order to practice and live up to the light thou receivest He that in Sacred things takes up with Notions for notions sake is as truly a Fool as if he knew nothing It 's a practical Judgment that makes us spiritually wise when other knowledge will aggravate our sin and woe Oh Young Man wilt thou say unto Wisdom Thou art my Sister Prov. 7. 4. wilt thou cast off Folly with Indignation as thy great Disease should you be fond of that which sin introduced and will obstruct your healing whiles it prevails Folly is the bane of intellectual Beings and that 's of the worst sort which guides our practice Folly is the root of all your other Sins Wer 't thou spiritually wise thy work were more than half done and methinks thou shouldst not be hardly perswaded to get Wisdom Child wouldst thou be willing to be an Ideot Surely no every one pitieth such a one and is too apt to laugh at him But I tell thee to be a Fool as to Eternal things is much worse than to be an Ideot The Ideot hath few if any actual Sins to answer for but thou hast many There may be hopes of an Ideots Salvation especially if he be the Child of a Believer but if thou remain spiritually a Fool there 's no hope of thee tho' both thy Parents were the best of People All Folly is the blemish of Humane Nature but Spiritual Folly most of any 2. Young People are subject to Inconsiderateness and rashness How hard is it to make you think or lay the greatest things to heart neither Danger nor Duty do Young Ones apply to themselves Would not the Consciences of most of you agree with my accusation if I tell thee Child and thee Young Man or Woman Thou art under God's Wrath but wilt not consider it Thou dost not meditate on the way of recovery tho it be at great expence provided Christ dyed for thee but thou hast not spent one hour in the Contemplation of him Thou art loth to think what thy wayes are whether good or bad nor thy State whether safe or dangerous How few Young Ones here have seriously asked themselves Am I born again or no what will my sins bring me to what evil is there in my Sins when I must stand at Gods Tribunal to be judged what shall I answer what is like to be the issue how shall I dwell with everlasting burnings It 's too commonly with others as it was with that Young Man He goeth after her straightway or suddenly as an Oxe goeth to the slaughter till a dart strike through his Liver As a Bird hasteth to the snare and knoweth not that it is for his life Prov. 7. 22 23. He took not time to think what would be the issue of Sin unavoibable Torment gives the first prospect of his danger when consideration would have represented this Misery as a guard against Sin even whiles Temptation solicited Quest. What shall I a Young one do to deliliver me from this inconsiderateness Answ. In general strive to consider and bind thy mind to suitable and fixed Thoughts To this end 1. Do not at any time allow thy Thoughts to wander unaccountably It 's hard to confine them at any time when they usually rove It 's a great help for this World and for another to have our thoughts manageable and our Souls capable of being easily fixed in their Contemplations When ever thou thinkest be able to say What I think of it is worth a thought 2. Awe thy Soul with the importance of the things thou oughtest to consider If they be Soul-matters they be of the highest nature and they be of greatest concern to thee Tell thy self Life and Death depends on these If Sin have dominion over me I shall dye If I am not born again I cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Joh. 3. 5. And shall I lightly think of these what 's all the World to me if I perish for ever Things Divine things on which Eternity depends must be considered Oh my Soul wilt yea darest thou refuse to dwell on these which thou wert made for which thou must shortly converse with as the only realities whether thou wilt or no. 3. Get so much Knowledge of what thou shouldst consider as that thou mayst be able to represent it to thy Mind in some evidence It 's hard to consider long of what we little know if it be of God be not unacquainted with his Nature if it be of Sin be not ignorant of arguments to disswade from it and a sence of what aggravates it c. 4. Learn to discourse with thy self and to urge things upon thy Heart This will fix thy thoughts and bring things with some due impression on the Heart If thou canst not debate the matters
People are pleased that the Beast should rule the Man they quietly yield up themselves to the Empire of this brutal part they can bear no check to it they are afraid it should come under restraints But Oh young Man thou art carnal or spiritual as thy Appetite or sanctified Reason govern thee much of a Christians Warfare consists in the struggle between these the inordinate appetite is a great part of that Flesh which lusteth against the Spirit and is contrary to it Gal. 5. 17. Is it not high time thou shouldst set thy self to contend with this Enemy and attempt to bring it into subjection This is Temperance when thou canst restrain its irregular motions and deny its cravings Oh then daily quench this fire and press after that Sobriety which implies a moderation of Soul to the objects of sense and a Government of our Life by the Will of God and not by fleshly desires Let it then be thy business in every duty to weaken this Tyrant and the scope of thy Life to deliver thy self from the power of thy Appetite 2. Make no provision for the Flesh to fulfill it's Lusts Rom. 13. 14. It 's afflictive to behold some Persons contriving for their Bellies as if carefull for nothing else it 's the design of their labours and the thing that makes Riches valuable with them is that they may pamper the Flesh and fulfill it's desires But resolve with thy self thou wilt not minister to this flame nor live as if catering for the Flesh were thy principal employment in this World Prepare what is meet for thy Body it 's a mercy in our Pilgrimage to have the conveniencies of Life but excesses are fittest for them who dare brutishly say Let us eat and drink for to morrow we die 1 Cor. 15. 32. Poor Worms is there nothing after Death that they should live in preparation for yea is not Life it self as bad as Death whiles it serves to no higher an end nay these voluptuous Courses do often so enfeeble Nature and multiply Diseases that Life is a burthen and some beginning of Hell in bodily Torments 3. Avoid Temptations according to thy weakness to resist them He that 's prone to slip ought the more carefully to look to his ways Is Gluttony thy Crime be afraid of Feasts Art thou apt to be Drunk look not at the Wine when it sparkles refrain the Company in compliance with whom thou hast so oft offended Knowest thou not that the companion of riotous persons shameth his Father Prov. 28. 7. It 's in vain to pretend I will not be drunk though I do associate with them that will perswade me to it How oft hast thou resolved and yet complyed Nay thy delight in the Sin is plain in the choice of such Associates and thy Lust is strong enough to prevail when the Temptation offers if it be able thus before hand to lead thee into the occasion 4. Force thy self to an abstinence from just liberty for some time when the strength of thy Lust is found to abuse what is otherwise lawfull Some People are so exorbitant that if they drink any Wine they must drink to excess if they go into a Tavern at all they cannot forbear Drunkenness if that be thy case do not despise it as below Vertue for a while to drink no Wine at all or wholly to forbear a Tavern or Alehouse it is thy misery that what is to another Man lawful is to thee a snare but it is thy Duty and Wisdom to manage thy self with a regard to thy weakness that thou mayest by degrees get rid of thy wickedness 5. Be content by watchfulness and hard struggles to oppose thy Lusts till time and frequent repulses abate their power An appetite long indulged is not soon brought under the power of the Soul it will be importunate and uneasie even after it's dominion is removed much more whiles the contest for Superiority between it and Grace is undecided Therefore sink not as if it were in vain to strive nor let the uneasiness of the struggle tempt thee to give it over for as yielding to the flesh makes it more impetuous so frequent denying it will abate the strength of its motions Many Drunkards after a while become rid of all Inclinations to be drunk and Sobriety grows so habitual to them as if excess had never been their Temper Oh Children never make your Cure hard by beginning a wicked Custom Oh young men that are ensnared grieve not to be at due pains nor patiently to wait the stopping the Course of sin which thou hast strengthned by frequent compliances Thou must cease to be a Drunkard or thou art miserable for ever And thou must be at all the labour and be willing to continue it till thou art reformed or a Drunkard thou wilt be still 2. Quest. How shall a young Man be delivered from Uncleanness The former Directions are proper to this Case I shall apply somewhat of them and add some more Rules 1. Awe thy Soul with the Purity and Perfection of Gods Law as it referrs to this Sin It 's a great snare to mistake a Precept and confine it below God's explication of it or intention in it yet how many Young People allow themselves in degrees of Uncleanness as innocent not seeing that these things are comprehended in that Precept Thou shalt not commit Adultery Therefore Young Man examine the Word more strictly and thou wilt find that God hath provided against every degree of uncleanness and against all that leads thereto Are thy hidden thoughts and motions free No the thought of foolishness is sin Prov. 24. 9. And our Lord reproves the Pharisees as Hypocrites because their hearts were full of uncleanness Mat. 23. 27. Evil concupiscence inordinate affections c. are to be mortified Col. 3. 5. Are thy lustfull Gazings on a Woman allowed No our Saviour expressely saith He that looketh on a Woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart Matth. 5. 28. Mayest thou talk Obscenely No Neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting are convenient nor to be once named among Christians Eph. 5. 3 4. If the Command of God reach to these lesser degrees sure thou art not so stupid as not to see that all grosser acts are forbidden as more abominable And if Marriage be the remedy against Incontinence thou darest not think that God allows thee other wayes to gratifie thy lust and so frustrate the great ends of that Ordinance and the aptitude of humane Nature for it 2. Be watchful against all occasions of Uncleanness Nourish not Lust by an intemperate Diet. He had need be free from fleshly Inclinations who dare strengthen the assaults of the Flesh against his Chastity The Spirit of God tells thee that if Wine prevail thine eyes shall behold strange women Pr. 23. 32 33. Be not in the reach of a Woman that will entice thee Ioseph escaped the snare by flying from his Mistress
created in A. God made all of us holy and happy in Adam our first Father and common Head Eccl. 7. 29. Gen. 1. 27. Q. By what Rule did God govern all men in Adam A. God required sinless Obedience as a Condition of Life and denounced Death if Man should in any thing break his Law Gen. 2. 17. Gal. 3. 10. Q. Did Mankind continue holy and happy by a perfect Obedience to this Law of Innocency A. No Adam sinned against God and thereby he corrupted the Humane Nature and became subject to all the Misery which the Law threatned against sin Rom. 5. 12 18 19. Q. What Condition wert thou born in A. I was born in a very miserable and sinful Condition Eph. 2. 3. Ps. 51. 5. Q. How camest thou to be born in this Condition A. I must be miserable if sinful and I could not but be born sinful because my Nature was depraved in Adam from whom it descends so to me by the Line of my Forefathers Iob 14. 4. 25. 4. Q. Why must thou be sinful because thy Nature was at first depraved A. God enacted this as the Law of Generation that Adam should beget his Children in natural likeness Gen. 5. 3. Q. What if thou shouldst die in that Condition wherein thou wert born by nature A. I should be undone and be with the Devils in Hell for ever Ioh. 3. 5 36. Q. Doth the Law of Innocency provide no way for thy deliverance out of that misery A. The Law of Innocency provides no way for my Deliverance out of this Misery as great and dreadful as it is Rom. 3. 19 20. Gal. 3. 21 22. Q. Why dost thou think so A. Because the Law of Innocency admits no pardon but condemns for one sin and I daily find that I have many sins Rom. 3. 23. Iam. 3. 2. Q. Is there no way then for to avoid that Sin and Misery thou wert born in A. Yes there is by the rich mercy of God a way to save lost Sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. Act. 16 17. Q. What is the way which God hath contrived to save lost Sinners A. The way of Pardon and Reconciliation revealed in the Gospel Rom. 4. 7. 2. Tim. 1. 10. Q. How did God appoint a way of Pardon and Reconciliation A. The Father appointed his Son to be the Saviour of Sinners and Christ accepted of that Work under certain terms agreed on between them both Zech. 6. 13. Ioh. 17. 3 20 21 25. Q. What was appointed to and undertaken by Christ as Saviour or Mediator A. Christ was to assume our Nature and therein to fulfil all Righteousness and die a Sacrifice for our Sins and to save all the Elect committed to him Is. 53. 5. Ioh. 10. 15 16. Q. What was promised to Christ as the Reward of his Vndertaking A. There was promised to Christ besides the Glory of his Person as God-Man that his Obedience and Sufferings should be accepted as an effectual Price for the Reconciliation of all such Sinners to whom it was applied Is. 53. 10 11 12. Q. Was there nothing else promised to Christ with respect to the Elect A. All the absolute Promises of Grace in order to the Application of his Blood were made to Christ Gal. 3. 16. 2 Cor. 1. 20. Q. Did our Lord Iesus fulfil all Righteousness and make his Soul an Offering for sin A. He did and thereby honoured the Law and vindicated the Government of our Creator notwithstanding his gracious dealings with Sinners Matth. 3. 15. Ioh. 19. 30. Is. 42. 21. Heb. 9. 14 28. Q. When Christ had thus made atonement was he sufficient to be a Saviour A. Yes for 1. He hath the Spirit and a fulness of Grace with a right to give thereof to men 2. All Judgment is committed to him whereby he is the Lawgiver to a sinful World 3. By the fulness of his Merits he hath Pardon Peace and eternal Life to dispose of notwithstanding we had forfeited all into the hands of our Creator Ioh. 16. 14. Ioh. 1. 15. Ioh. 5. 22. Heb. 5. 9. Heb. 7. 25. Q. What more is necessary to restore the happiness of lost Man A. The Application of the Effects of Christs fulness to their Persons that they may be regenerated pardoned and saved Rom. 5. 11. Act. 2. 38. Q. What way doth Christ take to apply his merits for the Salvation of Sinners A. He enacteth and publisheth a Law of Grace wherein he promiseth Pardon and Life to such sinners as will accept of him as a Saviour on the terms of the Gospel Heb. 11. 6. Ioh. 3. 16 17 18. Rom. 3. 27. Q. What are the terms of the Gospel A. True Repentance Faith in Christ and sincere Obedience Act. 3. 19. Act. 16. 31. Ch. 20. 21. Heb. 5. 9. Q. What is Repentance A. A Sorrow for and the separation of the Heart from sin as the greatest evil Ier. 31. 18. Q. What is Faith in general A. Such a sight of things revealed in the Word as powerfully affects the Heart sutably to the nature of them Heb. 11. 1. Q. What is Faith in Christ A. Such a sight of and regard to Christ as causeth the humbled Soul to accept of and come to him as our Prophet Priest and King Iohn 1. 12. Mat. 11. 28. Q. What is it to come to Christ as a Prophet A. To yield up our selves to his teachings believing him infallible Ioh. 6. 68 69. Q. What is it to come to Christ as our Priest A. Under a Conviction of our guilt and the fulness of his Merits to rely on him as the only atonement for Sin and purchaser of all good for Sinners Gal. 2. 16. Rom. 3. 25. Q. What is it to come to Chrlst as King A. To acknowledge his sole authority submit to all his Laws unfeignedly resolving to obey him in every one of his appointments Acts 9. 6. Luke 19. 14. 27. Isa. 50. 10. Q What else doth the Gospel contain A. It contains a Prophetick Account of what God decreed and a transcript of what was promised to Christ with respect to the Elect to say nothing of Doctrinal Mysteries Rules of a Christians walk conditional Promises the danger of Sinners that reject Christ c. Q. When did this Gospel Rule of Life begin A. In the first promise to Adam after his Fall though the fullest discoveries of it were reserved till Christ came in the Flesh Gen. 3. 15. Gal. 3. 8. 2 Pet. 2. 5. Q. Did God ever since the Fall propose any way of Salvation besides this Law of Grace A. No. And every saved Sinner was saved by this Rule according to the measure of its discovery that obtained in every Age 1 Cor. 10. 4. Q. How far are all Sinners that live under this Gospel concerned in it A. Life through Christ is freely offered sincerely to every Sinner that will repent and believe if they do thus the want of perfection shall not condemn them Act. 3. 19. ch 10. 43. Acts 16. 30. 31. Rom.
3. 22. Q. What if thou dost not accept of Christ A. I shall be more miserable than if Christ had never dyed 1 Pet. 2. 8. Mat. 11. 24. Q. Is the meer enacting and publishing the Gospel all that Christ hath done towards the application of his Merits to Elect Sinners A. Besides that he hath appointed his Spirit to encline and effectually enable them to obey those terms which the Gospel requireth 1 Thes. 1. 4 5 6. 1 Cor. 2. 10. Gal. 3. 14. Q. And doth the Spirit thus concurr to apply Redemption and enable them to obey the Gospel A. Yes and not only strive with them as he doth with others 2 Cor. 3. 3. 1 Pet. 1. 2. 2 Thes. 2. 13. Q. By what means doth this Spirit work upon Souls A. Principally and most usually he works by the Gospel it 's self putting forth his power thereby as a seed of Life Gal. 3. 2. Iam. 1. 18. Rom. 10. 14. Q. By what part of the Gospel doth the Spirit usually work A. He is confined to no part he works by the Precepts by the account of Christs Death by the Promises Threats or the great Rewards yet which ever of these he works by it is pursuant to and in accomplishment of the absolute Promises of Grace which were made to Christ Act. 16. 30 31. Gal. 3. 29. Gal. 4. 28. Q. How dost thou expect to be made willing and able to accept of Christ A. Not by any natural power of my own who am dead in sin but by the Grace of Christ expressing it self in the operations of the Spirit Eph. 2. 1. Acts 5. 31. Tit. 3. 5. Q. How doth the Spirit cause the Sinner to accept of Christ A. By enlightening the Mind and changing the Heart in Regeneration whence there is an Inclination Will and Ability to accept of Christ Acts 26. 18. Tit. 3. 5. Q. Doth the Spirit nothing in order to the making the Soul earnest and willing to this A. He awakens the Soul to a concern for Salvation and a deep sence of its present misery without Christ Acts 2. 37. Luke 15. 17. Q. What oughtest thou to do on thy part in order to get this Grace A. I must not be idle but I must 1. Diligently hear the Word 2. Pray fervently to Christ for the Spirit 's Operations 3. Consider and bewail my Condition 4. Put a stop to all wayes of sin to my utmost 5. Carefully entertain and improve every motion of the Spirit 6. Strive with my Heart and urge it with all Gospel Arguments to obey the Call of Christ Prov. 2. 3 4 5. Mat. 13. 19. Q. What may a Sinner expect when he accepteth of Christ A. He may expect 1. To be united to Christ in the nearest Relation 2. To be admitted into a State of Pardon and Peace 3. To be adopted and made still more conformable to Christ in Grace and Holiness 4. To be supported with strength for service and Perseverance 5. And when he dies to be Partaker of the Glory of Christ in the highest Heavens Eph. 5. 30. Gal. 2. 16. Iohn 1. 12. Col. 1. 11. 1 Iohn 3. 2. Q. What is the condition of every Sinner till he do accept of Christ A. He abides under the wrath of God and hath no personal title to Pardon Peace or Glory Ioh. 3. 36. Q. Is this the condition of the Elect while they abide in Vnbelief A. Yes For tho God hath decreed and Christ hath purchased Faith and Life for them yet God hath determined by the Law of Faith that all are under condemnation untill they do believe Mar. 16. 16. Luke 13. 3. hence Rom. 5. 1. c. 8. 30. c. 4. 24. Q. Is not a Believer pardoned before he can put forth any other acts of Obedience A. Thô true Faith is a certain Principle of Obedience yet as soon as we believe we are pardoned even before there can be any time to put forth any other acts of obedience Gal. 5. 6. Q. Do Repentance or Faith any way make satisfaction to justice A. No. That is only Christs work but God hath appointed that that Soul shall repent and believe on whom pardon for Christs sake shall be bestowed and he hath solemnly declared hee 'll forgive no man till then Mark 16. 16. Rom. 11. 20 23. Heb. 4. 6. Ioh. 8. 24. Rom. 10. 13 16. 1 Pet. 2. 7 8. hence Gal. 2. 16. Q. What assurance hast thou that God will forgive and save thee if thou believe A. I have Gods Testimony and Promise and the Seals of the Covenant viz. Baptism and the Lords Supper 1 Iohn 5. 9 10. Acts 22. 16. Luke 22. 20. Rom. 4. 11. Q. Art thou engaged to accept of and submit to Christ according to the Gospel A. Yes I am strongly engaged to submit to Christ because he bought me with his blood my Parents dedicated me to him in Baptism and love to my own Soul requires it Rom 14. 9. Mal. 28. 19. Ezek. 33. 11. Q. On what account wert thou baptized A. My believing Parents were allowed and engaged to dedicate me to God as their Child and God graciously admitting the Infant seed of Believers into Covenant as part of themselves he did seal to me those blessings which my Infant state needed and was capable of Deut. 29. 11 12. Gen. 17. 7. Act. 2. 39. 1 Cor. 7. 14. Q. What doth the Covenant bind thee to A. To be the Lords in a sincere care to know love believe obey worship and serve him all my dayes and to depend on God thrô Christ for all happiness Ezek. 16. 8. Rom. 12. 1. Rom. 6. 4. Q. What didst thou engage against A. I engaged against being governed by Satan or the Flesh as my Rulers and against taking up with the worlds Goods as my portion and against the customes of the Men of this World as my guide Rom. 6. 14 15. Q. When ought a Child to know consider and agree to this Covenant A. As soon as he is capable to use his Reason and judge of good or evil which many are fit to do about seven years old 2 Tim. 3. 15. Psal. 34. 11. Q. What if a Child through the love of sin or vanity of mind will not agree to this Covenant when he is capable A. He then rejecteth Christ our Saviour and renounceth the blessings of the Gospel 2 Pet. 2. 1. Q. Is it a great sin to refuse to agree to the Covenant to which thy Baptism engaged thee A. It 's the damning Sin and the heart of all sin for 1. It 's rebellion continued against my Maker 2. It 's ingratitude and perjury to my Redeemer 3. It 's gross injustice to my Parents 4. It 's an affront to all the Godly 5. It 's self-killing Cruelty to my own Soul Psal. 2. 3 c. Q. When wilt thou personally consent to this Covenant as the only way of life to Sinners A. I will truly with my whole Soul consent now and live expressing my consent And as soon as I