and refuse the wayes of all sin in the purpose of the heart Psal 119.101 104. but when men have good things put to them by the word and Conscience and in the purpose and frame of their heart refuse them this argues a dead will Jer. 5.3 5. By the cleaving of the heart when the heart sticks so to its duty that nothing can pull it off neither bonds nor imprisonment Acts 21.13 Acts 11.23 so that though violence of torturing temptations may seem to carry the soul off in a fit as in some of the Martyrs yet in the habit of the heart it sticks so to God and his Word that nothing can unsettle the habit Psal 119.31 Dan. 3.16 17. Dan. 6.10 though tentation may unsettle an act 6. By the groanings and sighings of the heart under corruption Psal 119.5 David out of the unwillingness of his flesh fetch'd a groan saying O that my wayes were made direct 7. By the reachings of the will living wills use to reach after God Phil. 3.13 as a man that reaches as high as he can and strives to reach higher he believes in some measure and would believe more opposes every known sin and would oppose it more follows all goodness and would follow it more 8. By the intentions of the heart when they are set for God so that the soul saith thus So that I may keep close to God and keep my conscience pure and may not be carried away with the world this is that I desire so that as carnal men make honour and pleasure and that which leads thereto their ends so Saints make God and that which lead to him their end Q. How may a man know his conscience is made alive to God 1. Urgency of conscience to press the soul to its duty is no argument of spiritual life Numb 22.18 nor yet trouble of conscience before or after the committing of sin Mark 6.26 Dan. 6.14 1 Sam. 13.12 Mat. 27.41 Yea conscience awakened may make a man go against all outward by-respects Numb 22.18 Matth. 27.4 and make a man look at God Gen. 31.29 Ezra 1.2 Rom. 10.2 2. But then is the conscience alive when not onely conscience doth his duty but makes a man do his duty towards God and Man whether conscience do it with much adoe or little adoe as to believe with all the heart to love God soveraignly to serve God sincerely c. 2. When the conscience doth not onely excuse a man in part Gen. 20.6 7. Rom. 2.15 but excuses him full out that he stands guitless by faith in Christ Rom. 8.2 and that every purpose of his heart is set against every sin and for every duty Acts 23.1 Heb. 13.18 3. When we are glad our conscience is so busie with us Psal 16.7 yea we call upon our conscience to be busie with us Psal 103.1 Q. How may we know our affections are made alive to God A. 1. When our principall treasure is in heaven Mat. 6.20 and our affections are set upon it not upon the world Col. 3.12 That though worldly occasions may put off the heart from heaven for a time yet no sooner are these employments over but the heart endeavours after its former enjoyment of God so that as the affections of dead men are ever and anon upon the world because they have a dead and worldly frame of heart so the affections of men spiritually alive are ever and anon upon God because they have a quickned and heavenly frame of heart 2. VVhen the heart can relish good things Rom. 8.5 So that as carnal men savour profit and pleasure and carnal contents so the affections alive can savour communion with God the face of God the word of God the sweetness of a Spiritual duty 3. When the heart esteems God above all enjoyments Psal 73.25 26. So that thou wilt morgage any thing for God and the things of God so that thou wilt count his glory dearer then thy credit duty to him dearer then life to thy self Acts 20.24 to such affections the promise 2. Pet. 1.4 grace Prov. 3.15 and Christ 1 Pet. 2.7 is pretious above all 4. When thy greatest care is to please God Tit. 3.8 and how to get thy heart weaned from the world and how to keep conscience pure Acts 24.15 and thy greatest fear is to sin against God Gen. 39.10 so that thou fearest him above reproach poverty or death it self Dan. 3.16 17. Q. How may we know our memory it made alive A. Whereas by Nature corrupt we are apt to remember foolish things Psal 106.3 as foolish jests and wrongs and injuries done to us and are apt to forget God and all his commands Psal 78.7 the Spirit brings good things to a regenerate memory John 14.16 so that the soul remembers to practice Psal 109.16 And as at other times he remembers his duty so especially in time of tentation Gen. 39.10 Q. What ought to be the ground and motive of a Christians obedience A. 1. The command of Christ with is the bond of the conscience Rom. 1.14 Acts 20.22 2. The love of God from whence our obedience ought to flow John 14.15 2 Cor. 5.15 Q. What doth the Scripture reveal of the combat of the flesh and spirit A. It tells us that the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh so that we cannot do the good that we would do Gal. 5.17 Q. What my comfort a regenerate man in this combat of Flesh and Spirit A. This may comfort him 1. That he hates the evil that he doth and loves the good that he doth not Rom. 7.15 16. 2. That he delight in that law that forbids his evil Rom. 7.22 and consents unto it that it is a good law ver 16. 3. He groans under his evil as a most heavy burthen Rom. 7.24 and doth not allow himself in the least evil vers 15. 4. Though his flesh do too often serve the Law of sin yet in his mind or intention of his heart he still doth serve the Law of Christ Rom. 7.25 Q. But seeing many natural men have combats in themselves in respect of sin how shall I know that I combat aright A. The combats that Natural men have are mostly 1. Betwixt Reason and sensuality so many are sorry they cannot refrain their uncleanness drunkenness gaming because they are contrary to reason 2. Or betwixt natural Conscience and natural Passions as in Pilate whose conscience warned him not to pass sentence against Christ yet he durst not do otherwise for fear he should lose Caesars favour 3. Or betwixt some outward evil for a time or some gross sin all their life long mean time harbouring some secret darling-abomination as the love of their estates liberties and lives more then Christ 4. Or betwixt a purpose of continuing in sinfull pleasures and a desire to enjoy eternal pleasures as in Balaam who desired to live in covetousness yet would fain have died the death of the righteous so is this combat sometimes
betwixt these sinful pleasures here and the fear of eternal vengeance hereafter 5. Their combat how hot soever is still joyned with a custome and purpose of sinning so that they lay down the Cudgels to sin saying This is my nature and I must do it 2 Pet. 2.14 Now the combat in regenerate men is 1. Fierce and in the purpose of the heart against all sin though sometimes it be defective in some act or acts 2. In this combat they disallow the evil they do not onely from a principle of natural conscience which in some sins carnal men may do but also from a principle of spiritual life because it is contrary to the life which they live 3. They groan under their evils with many a sign and tear in secret yea such evils as the world takes no notice of as dead-hartedness declining of affection to God want of former feelings hard ness of heart unbelief coldness and distraction in good duties vain hopes vain fears carking cases lumpishness in Gods service risings of revenge also the tricks the soul hath had to keep off convincement in suffering times also the by-ends in the good it hath done One wears a chain as an ornament another as a fetter and would fain be rid of it so wicked men wear their lusts as ornaments to them but Gods people wear them as the heaviest chain 4. If in the combat the Flesh get the upper hand and they fall they cannot be quiet till they have turned to God and recovered their acquaintance with him Psalm 51.8 9 10 11 12. but carnal men are not troubled but add sin to sin Gen. 37.24 Q. Whether it be possible for a Christian to be assured of his union with Christ and of his acceptation into favour with God A. Yes 1. because the Scripture bids us prove our spirituall estate 2 Cor. 13.4 Gal. 6.4 1 Cor. 11.28 Now the Spirit would not bid us search for that which could not be found 2. Because the Scripture reveales unto us many evidences of our assurance some taken from our union with Christ and some from the in-dwelling of the Spirit in us Q. What markes or signs doth the Scripture reveal to evidence our union with Christ A. The most demonstrative signe or at least one of them is soveraigne love to God to the Lord better then any enjoyment of Lands Liberties Life Wife and Children Mat. 10.37 Luke 9.23 14.26 Mat. 16.24 which evidence if you leave out the soul may be deceived in others severed from this For whosoever believes in Christ his faith doth work by love Gal. 5.4 yea by a love of this measure Heb. 11.25 26 27 35. Q. What are the Witnesses that witness a Christians good condition to God-ward A. They are two 1. The witness of Gods Spirit 2. The witness of our regenerated Spirits Rom. 8.16 The Spirit beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the children of God Q. What doth the Spirit witness A. It witnesses God is our Father for we having received the Spirit of adoption thereby cry Abba Father Rom. 8.15 it witnesses the things that are freely given us of God 1 Cor. 2.9 12. Q. After what manner doth the Spirit witnesse A. Two wayes First by the impressions and stamps which like a Seal upon the Wax it maketh upon the soul Ephes 1.13 Secondly by the fruits and effects thereof Q What are the impressions or stamps the Spirit maketh upon the soul A. They are two First the stamp of Holiness whereby the Spirit changeth the Saints into the image of God from one glorious grace into another 2 Cor. 3.18 so that as a seal destroyes that image that was in the Wax before so doth the seal or stamps of the Spirit destroy corruption in the soul in respect of the reign of it and set up grace in the reign thereof Rom. 6.14 This same stamp of Holiness being throughout 1 Thess 5.23 and consisting in a change of the whole man 2 Cor. 3.18 and especially in a transformation of the minde Rom. 12.2 and will Acts 9.6 is one of the impressions of the Spirit Secondly the impression of Comfort and Feeling Psal 51.8.12 this being given of the Spirit Eph. 1.13 as an occasional refreshing not as daily food for the soul to feed upon Psal 6.8 Psal 31.22 doth shew the Spirit of God is in us 2 Cor. 1.3 yet doth not the want of his feeling prove that the Spirit of God is not in us for God doth sometimes hide himself from the soul Isa 45.15 Psal 51.8 the Spirit in respect of this feeling is one of the three witnesses that testifies Christ to be our Saviour 1 John 5.8 Q. whether is a Christians assurance and feeling all one A. No The word and promise of a powerful faithful and willing God with the Notes and Evidences of a Christians good estate as they are laid down in the Scripture are the grounds of a Christians assurance and comfortable feelings are the Crown thereof A poor deserted soul that hath little feeling may have a soveraign love of God fear of sin and an absolute purpose against it Psal 44.18 19. yea he may have uprightness of heart Job 1.1 compared with chap. 6.4 yea he may have faith in Christ Psal 22.1 yea an earnest thirsting after Christ Cant. 5.6 Now shall I have a purpose to deny credit wealth and life for Christ yea and have all the forementioned gracious fruits and shall I not have grounds of assurance that my estate is good to God-ward When Christ asked Peter whether he loved him he did not say Lord thou knowest we cannot tell whether we love thee or no but said Thou knowest that I love thee Q. Whew doth the Spirit seal the soul with comfort A. First when the soul is cast down in humiliation and earnestly longs for the light of Gods countenance Job 22.29 Isa 29.19 Secondly upon self-denial of that which is pleasant or suffering that which is painful Mat. 19.27 Thirdly after conflict with corruptions or other temptations and victory over them Apoc. 2.17 Fourthly when a believer takes paines with his heart and puts forth his strength in duty Hosea 12.4 Q What are the effects and fruits whereby the Spirit witnesses his in-being in the soul A. They are divers as 1. An inablement of the soul to do things above nature as to love the Lord Soveraignly to love our enemies to love the godly for the Image of God in them 2. When the Spirit is combating in us against all that is sin Gal. 5.17 so that we do not onely suppress the same but also lust after graces contrary thereunto 3. As the beames of the Sun shew forth the presence of the Sun so the sighs groans and meltings in holy hearts evidence that the Spirit is in them Zach. 12.10 Rom. 8.26 Q. What is the testimony of our own spirit A. It is the Testimony of a renewed Conscience witnessing us no be in the state of grace upon sufficient grounds Rom.
8.16 Q. What are those grounds A. 1. Because Faith evidences Heb. 11.1 1 John 5.10 That none can lay any thing to my Charge seeing Christ did not onely dye for me but rose again and ascended into heaven making intercession for me Rom. 8.33 So that he appearing for me as my Advocate Heb. 9.24 And his blood speaking good things Heb. 12.24 he is not onely able to save me to the uttermost though my sins be great and many Heb. 7.25 but is also willing in that he promises in no wise to cast off them that come unto him John 6.37 which my poor soul doth Q What other ground is there A. My union with Christ Q. How knowest thou thou art united with Christ A. 1. By my soveraign love to him 1 John 4.19 2. By my being made a new Creature and my crucifying the flesh with the lusts and affections thereof 2 Cor. 5.17 Gal. 5.24 which is not meant as if there were no oldness of nature in me or that every lust were actually and perfectly dead but it 's meant thus my lusts are crucified and I am new intentionally because it is that I aime at and strive after daily 3. He that is united to Christ lives not in sin 1 John 3.6 He that abideth in him sins not which is not meant simply of not sinning for no man lives that sins not 1 Reg. 8.46 therefore it is meant of a purpose of sinning hence those in Christ are said not to walk after the flesh Rom. 8.1 that is though sometimes they may slip yet the constant purpose of their heart is after the guidance of the Spirit 4. He that abides in Christ walkes as Christ walked 1 John 2.6 with an as of similitude though not of equality 1 John 3.7 he endeavours to follow Christ in every step though he cannot take such long strides As a young writer begins and ends his lines and makes his letters like his Master though he cannot write so fair so every Member of Christs body having the same mind in his measure that was in Christ Phil. 2.5 endeavours to follow Christ in all graces and duties and his so walking is evidential unto him and to every one that thus obeys Christ he becomes the Author or Causer of eternal salvation Heb. 5.9 5. He that abides in Christ is fruitful Joh. 15.5 which though Hypocrites may seem to imitate yet the fruitfulness of Christians is easily distinguished in that it 's not from external motives but from Christ Hos 14.8 nor for ends selfish and base but for Christ Rom. 14.7 8. Q. What other ground of assurance for the soul A. I have this ground that my sins are forgiven me because I have the other branches of the new Covenant made over to me as the taking away from me a stony hard heart and my heart and the Commandment closes together and that I know God with a relishing knowledge and not onely with a bare notional knowledge therefore I have this branch of the new Covenant that my sins and iniquities God will remember them no more Jer. 31.34 Ezek. 36.25 Heb. 8.11 12. for all the branches of the new Covenant are undivided and my soul truly repents and therefore God hath promised faithfully to forgive Prov. 28.13 1 John 1.8 9. Luke 24.47 Acts 3.19 Acts 5.31 So that whatever evidences my repentance the same also evidences the pardon of my sin Q. What other grounds of assurance have you for your soul A. I finde an universal change in the understanding from darkness to light Acts 26.18 in the judgement from false discerning to a right discerning Isa 5.20 in the Conscience from benummedness to tenderness 1 Sam. 24.5 in the will from wilfulness to evil Jer. 14.16 Iohn 8.44 to willingness for good Acts 9.6 Rom. 7.19 in the imagination from habitual running upon the World Phil. 3.19 to be often in Heaven Col. 3.1 2. in the desires which formerly were lawless now awed by the eye of God Job 31.23 Q. But seeing there may be changes as from prophaness to civility and from civility to a form of Religion without the power how shall I know my change to be right A. I know it to be a true change because I go from one contrary to another that the things which I hated now I love and the carnal courses I loved now I hate Rom. 7.15 holy duties were tedious now they are delightful and now my soul begins to relish that which formerly I loathed Rom. 8.5 Q. What other ground of assurance have you A. This that I have a true conversion which appeares 1. By the humiliation and confusion of spirit I have for living so long a stranger from God Jer. 31.19 Luke 15.19 Rom. 6.21 being sorry I begun no sooner in Gods wayes and that since I have begun I have made no greater haste 2. By my high esteem of my present condition in a converted estate though never so base that I would not change my condition with the greatest man upon earth that is a stranger from the Lord Heb. 11.25 26. Acts 8.39 Q. What other ground of assurance have you A. As the Saints of God of old have gathered comfort and assurance from their uprightness 1. Chron. 29. and Paul had rejoycing from their uprightness and godly sincerity 2 Cor. 1.12 so we may gather assurance from them when 1. We ordinarily and usually look at the eye of God in the things we do Col. 3.23 Eph. 6.6.7 and have a desire if it might be alwayes to look at his eye Isa 38.3 2 Cor. 2.17 by-ends beings a grief unto us Rom. 7.15 2. Uprightness is seen by a disposition to part with whatsoever God commands when we cannot hold Christ and such enjoyment together Mat. 19.21 3. When the same sins we avoid in publick we avoid in secret out of Conscience to God Job 31.1 Gen. 39.10 and the same duties we do before men we labour to do them in secret before God Mat. 6.6 4. When a bare Command moves us to act in our duty though no second respects of credit or profit accompany Esth 4.16 Mat. 14.3 and contrary though second respects of credit and profit which are offered move us to act against duty yet we will not act out of Conscience of our duty to God Gen. 39.10 Q. But how do you alledge all the fore-named signs do you make the soul to stay upon these as a righteousness to answer divine justice A. In no wise but I make them evidences that I have the Spirit of Christ in my heart and having the Spirit I also have the blood of Christ because these are not severed one from the other in justified persons 1 Cor. 6.10 11. Rom. 8.30 Q. What is that righteousness which answers Divine Justice A. It was the satisfaction of Christ upon the Cross for the merit or desert whereof God did not only forgive us our sins but did also blot out take away and by nailing to the Cross did tear all
such inspired and cast into his mind by Satan though not arising from himself pray as David Psal 19.12 14. 2. Wash thy heart in Christ his blood that it may be enabled to think good thoughts Jer. 4.14 3. Study good thoughts Carnal men have many good thoughts cast into their hearts which they cast out again as fast but their hearts have no good thoughts arising from them contrarily Gods people Act. 7.23 2. Tim. 2.15 Q. What means are there to govern our tongues A. 1. Pray to God to set a watch over them Psal 141.3 Psal 19.14 Psal 51.15 2. Get an holy frame of heart Mat. 12.34 35. Psal 37.30 31. Prov. 16.23 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things 3. Let the purpose of thy heart be set against unholy speaking Psal 17.3 Psal 39.1 4. Suppress sin when it is onely in the motion so will it not come forth of the tongue Prov. 30.32 Mat. 15.19 5. Be sparing in thy words men that speak much must needs lash out Eccles 5.3 7. Prov. 10.19 Prov. 17.27 6. First think then speak Dan. 2.14 Prov. 16.23 7. The sad account that men who speak idle words must give Mat. 12.36 Jude 1 5. Psal 50. 19 20 21. 8. Consider a happy life depends much on the well-Government of the tongue Psal 34.12 Prov. 21.33 And upon the mis-government of it comes much of our misery 2 Chron. 10.13 14. Prov. 18.21 Jam. 3.6 9. Inure your selves to gracious and savory words Col. 4.6 powdered with salt so that as salt draws out of meat putrifying humors and makes it rellishable for the palate and fit for digestion so should a principle of grace in the heart purge rottenness out of the tongue Of family-Family-Duties Q. WHat is the duty of a Master of a Family A. To provide for their souls Gen. 18.19 and bodies of his Family 1 Tim. 5.8 Q. What is the Husbands Duty A. To love his wife as himself affording comforts to her as to himself Ephes 5.28 and not to be bitter to her Col. 3.19 Q. What is the Wives Duty A. Submission to their Husbands Col. 3.18 and reverence towards them inward in heart and outward in carriage Ephes 5.33 Q. What are the Parents Duties towards their Children A. To train them up in Gods wayes Prov. 22.6 Ephes 6.4 and to provide for them 2 Cor. 12.14 Q. What is the childs duty A. To honour their Parents Ephes 6.2 and to obey them in all lawful things Col. 3.20 and to requite their kindness 1 Tim. 5.4 Q. What is the Masters duty to his Servant A. To give them what is just and equal knowing they have a Master in heaven Col. 4.1 Q. What is the Servants duty A. To honour their Masters 1 Tim. 6.1 and sincerely to do them service abhorring eye-service Col. 3.22 doing service not onely for the gaine of their wages but principally out of Conscience to the Lord Ephes 6.5 6 7. Col. 3.23 24. Of the Resurrection and last Judgement Q. WHether shall thâ—re be a Resurrection of the Body A. Yes John 5.28 All that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth some to the Resurrection of life and some to the Resurrection of eternal damnation Acts 24.15 Q. What Body shall rise again the same or another A. The same body in number though with more glorious qualities as the same seed that is sown groweth again 1 Cor. 15.36 So that the godly when they rise again shall see God not with other but with these same eyes Job 19.25 26 27. He means the eyes of his body because he saith I and I my self and not a stranger and because he mentions his skin flesh and the same eyes he then had It is just that Jobs eyes that had wept tears and Pauls body that bore brands or markes of the Lord Jesus Gal. 6.17 should be rewarded and not a new made body or new eyes 1 Cor. 15.42 The Apostle pointing at his own body saith This corruptible shall put on incorruption and this mortal shall put on immortality John 2.19 Destroy this Temple and I will raise it up meaning the Temple of his body See also Rom. 8.11 John 11.24 Q. How doth it appear that the bodies of Saints shall rise the same bodies but with new qualities A. The Apostle makes it appear by a plain similitude 1 Cor. 15.35 37. of a wheat-corn cast into the earth which being rotten comes forth not naked hard dry without life as it was sown nor rotten as it was in the earth but keeping the same substance and kind it comes forth with new qualities of ears husk stalk being living and full of juice so the same body in number shall rise again but with more glorious qualities Q. What are those glorious qualities our bodies shall rise with A. They are these 1. Incorruptibility they shall not dye any more Mat. 22.30 2. Gloriousness they shall shine like the glorious body of Christ Phil. 3.21 3. Powerfulness it shall be raised in power able to move whither it will 1 Cor. 15.43 1 Thes 4.16.17 4. Spirituality 1 Cor. 15.44 not onely because it shall not need meat drink or apparel but also because it shall be like a spirit in the nimbleness of its motion 1 Thes 4.17 Q. What follows the resurrection A. The last and general Judgement John 6.39 I will raise him up at the last day Q. Who shall be judged A. All persons shall come to judgement the godly having their sins forgiven them shall come to a judgement of tryal 2 Cor. 5.10 Mat. 12.38 but the wicked unto a judgement of condemnation Iohn 5.28 Q. Who shall be the Judge A. Although the Trinity shall judge yet the Exercise and Administration of it is committed to the Son John 5.22 27. Acts 10.42 17.31 He is most fit to be Judge for as God he knows the secrets of all hearts and he is fit to speak to man as being man Q. What are the rules Christ will proceed by in judgement A. Such as never had the Scriptures shall be judged by the Law writ in their hearts they not having walked sutably thereto Rom. 2.13 and those that have had onely the old Testament shall be judged out of that Iohn 5.45 and those that have had the whole word shall be judged out of it Rom. 2.16 Q. What will Iesus Christ do after he is set in judgement A. All shall be called forth and the sheep evidencing their faith in Christ not onely by their words Mat. 12.38 but also by their works Mat. 25.35 shall receive the blessed sentence of absolution Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you but the Goats having neither faith nor fruits Matth. 25.42 43. shall be so straitly reckoned with that they shall be called to an account for every ungodly speech Matth. 12.37 Jude 15. and so shall receive that dreadfull sentence Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the