Selected quad for the lemma: sin_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sin_n	gift_n	life_n	wage_n	3,267	5	10.5376	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47130	A Christian catechisme, for the instruction of youth, and others to whom it may be useful in the grounds of Christian religion, and practice of Christian piety wherein the twelve articles of the Christian creed, and the Godhead and manhood natures of Christ and his prophetical, priestly, and kingly office are briefly explained : and the true Christian doctrin, concerning Christ his being a sufficient saviour, as he is both God and man : and with respect to both the absolute necessity, and excellent consistencie of his outward coming in the flesh, and his inward coming, and spiritual appearance in our hearts, through faith in him, and love and obedience to him, in order to our eternal salvation, declared and demonstrated by testimonies of Holy Scripture : and the divine excellency of the light within, in distinction from humane reason, asserted and vindicated : and the question concerning its sufficiency to salvation, truly stated and resolved : where also many other Gospel doctrins, and practical Christian truths and duties are held forth / by George Keith.	Keith, George, 1639?-1716.	1698 (1698)	Wing K150; ESTC R19823	60,929	128

Consciences for the Transgression of which they are liable to his Judgment Rom. 2. 12. As well as they who have transgressed against the outward written Law or Gospel Q. What places of Scripture prove that the Gentiles or that part of Mankind which have not the outward written Law nor Gospel have a righteous Law placed by God and Christ in their Hearts and Consciences according to which they are liable to be Judged A. There are many such as Gen. 6. 3. Psal 94. 10. Job 28. 28. Micah 6. 8. John 1. 4 5 9. Rom. 1. 18 19 20 21. Rom. 2. 14 15. Q. Is that Law in Men's Consciences universally any other than the meer Reason of Man commonly called human Reason and the Use or Improvement of it by its meer natural Actings A. Yea for it is really Divine being given them of God to Rule and Govern all the natural Faculties of Man's Soul even his Reason it self which is out Corrupted and dictateth false and corrupt things to Man in his corrupt State but this Law of Righteousness writ by God's Finger in his Heart neither is nor can be Corrupted it is a Light given to enlighten his Reason and as a Lamp to him in his night State or as the Light of the Moon and Stars in the night Season Rom. 1. 13 12. 1 Thess 5. Q. If any Men should be found who have Obeyed this Law or Light in their Consciences universally should they be saved not having Faith in Christ Crucified A. First it is an improper and unfit Supposition because never any have universally Obeyed it in all Points for according to the Scriptures Testimony all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God and the Scripture hath concluded all under Sin for he who Transgresseth in one Point is guilty of the whole Law and whatsoever the Law saith whether outwardly or inwardly written it saith to them that are under it that every mouth may be stopp'd and the whole world become guilty before God Rom. 3. 9. 10. 19. 23. Jam. 2. 10. Secondly upon that supposition Men could not be saved with Eternal Life and Salvation by their best works and most perfect obedience to any Law or Light in them because Eternal Life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord and not the wages of Mens obedience nay not of the Saints in a strict sense for as saith Paul the Scripture hath concluded all under Sin that the promise to wit of Eternal Life and Salvation by Faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe Gal. 3. 22. Q. But did not Paul say that the doers of the Law are justified and that some of the Gentiles who had not the outward Law were doers of the Law or did by Nature the things contained in the Law and that their thoughts accused or excused one another Rom. 2. 13. 14. 15. A. Though they did some things contained in the Law yet they did not all things but failed in divers respects as oft even the Faithful do and that their thoughts excused them at some times as well as at other times accused them this proveth they did nor perfectly fulfil the Law wherein they were excused it was but in part and in comparison of greater Sinners as Christ said concerning Tyre and Sidon Sodom and Gomorrah that should rise up in judgment against the Jews yea excusing in the largest sense is far short of justification before God which none but Believers in Christ Jesus have Q. How then are Peter's words to be understood that God is no respecter of Persons But in every Nation he that f●areth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him A. There is a twofold acceptance the one of a Servant the other of a Son Cornelius and his Houshold being pious Gentiles who did fear God and work Righteousness were accepted in that State as Servants but this was short of the justification and acceptance of Sons and of being in a State of Salvation which none have but through Faith in Christ Jesus and that Cornelius before Peter Preached Christ to him as he dyed and rose again was not in the State of Salvation with respect to Eternal Life is evident from the Angels words to him how that Peter should Preach words to him whereby he and all his House should be saved Moreover that through faith in Christ as he dyed and rose again Peter Preached remission of Sins to Cornelius and not through his Obedience in respect of what he did formerly is clear from Acts 10. 43. To him said Peter gave all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins Q. Doth it from hence follow that all the Heathens however so virtuous and all others of Mankind who have not had Christ and the Gospel outwardly Preached to them and have not outwardly heard it are perished and shall be damned A. Nay it no wise followeth for tho' Gods ordinary way of Salvation is by the outward means of the Word outwardly preached or read yet this hinders not but that others may be and shall be saved who have not outwardly heard God working by his Spirit when where and how he pleaseth Q. Doth not this therefore lay a foundation of a judgment of Charity for such upright and virtuous Gentiles as Cornelius was before Peter Preached Christ to him of whom we read in the New Testament and as Abimelech was of whom and of his uprightness we read in the Old Testament Gen. 20. 5. 6. who have not had the Scriptures and other outward means of Salvation afforded unto them that Christendom hath that they are not without a possibility of Salvation though not on the account of their Works through Faith in Christ Jesus seeing God who is Light and in a true sense may be said to be the Light in them as being the Author and Fountain of all true Light or illumination whether common or special is abundantly sufficient to give them what degree of Faith in Christ Jesus either implicit or explicit for Eternal Salvation he thinks needful to them A. Yea. Q. But it is one thing what God can do or is sufficient and able to do and another what he doth or is pleased to do Have any such a degree of Faith either explicit or implicit given them of God by his inward teaching and illummation without the Scriptures as doth suffice to their Eternal Salvation A. Abraham Job and divers others have so bad it and all the Heirs of Salvation wheresoever scatter'd shall have it when and how God pleaseth whose ways are above our ways as the Heavens are above the Earth for as there is no Name under Heaven whereby Men must be saved but the Name of Jesus even him that dyed and rose again neither as Peter said is there Salvation in any other Acts 4. 12. so nor is there any promise of Salvation to any but through Faith in that same Jesus for it is one God

Death of the Cross therefore God hath highly exalted him to be a Prince and a Saviour Philip. 2. 8. 9. Q. What made his Obedience of so great merit and worth A. Because he offered himself through the Eternal Spirit Heb. 9. 14. and that he was both God and Man his Godhead gave that great dignity worth and value to his obedience That as the disobedience of one Man to wit Adam brought sin and guilt upon all so the obedience of one Man to wit Jesus Christ the second Adam should make satisfaction to God for the Sins of all and as the Judgment was by one to Condemnation so the free gift is of many Offences unto Justification Rom. 5. 16. 18. Q. Why did not God forgive Men's Sins without a satisfaction to his Justice seeing Men can and do oft forgive a debt of mony without payment or the least satisfaction A. The case is not alike betwixt the debt of mony and the debt of Mens Sins a Man may forgive a debt of mony without requiring any satisfaction but the Sin of Murder no Man can forgive it without a satisfaction of life for life and God hath expresly required it by his Law which may help us to understand how the Justice and just Law of God required a satisfaction and if Christ would make that satisfaction for us he was to give his life for us the just suffering for the unjust that he might bring us unto God God having laid on him the Iniquities of us all who did bear our Sins on the Tree of the Cross by whose stripes we are healed that being dead unto Sin we might live unto Righteousness Isaiah 53. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 24. 1 Pet. 3. 18. By which satisfaction that Christ hath made to God for our Sins not only the justice of God is demonstrated but his Holiness and Purity for thereby he is made known to be a God that so loveth Righteousness and hateth Iniquity that the very Holiness and Purity of his Nature as well as the Righteousness of his Law required that satisfaction to be made that the Sins of Men might be pardoned and God and Men might be reconciled and thus both the Holiness of God's Nature is demonstrated and the due Honour of his holy Law is preserved Hab. 1. 13. Isaiah 42. 21. Q. Doth not Christ his making satisfaction to the Justice of God for our Sins hinder the free forgiveness of our sins How can a debt be fully paid and yet freely forgiven A. The forgiveness of our Sins Rom. 3. 24. is still a most free forgiveness to us because God freely gave us his dear Son Christ Jesus out of his abundant love to make that satisfaction for us and also that the Justice of God accepted that satisfaction from Christ which in strict instice might have been required of us Thus the wonderful Harmony of God's mercy and justice and also of his wisdom and power is demonstrated in the way of Mens Redemption Joh. 3. 16. Psal 85. 10. Q. Did not Christ also give himself for our Redemption A. Yea Gal. 1. 4. Titus 2. 14. Q. Doth it hinder God's free forgiveness that he forgiveth none their Sins without Faith Repentance and Conversion A. Nay which may help us to understand that as Repentance and Faith on our part doth not hinder the forgiveness of God to be free to us and of his rich free Grace so nor doth the satisfaction of Christ to God's justice on Christ's part hinder the same Q. But if Christ hath suffered Death being the Punishment of our Sin why should men dye should the same debt and payment be exacted both from us and our surety A. By Christ's dying for us the Death of the Body ceaseth to be a punishment strictly speaking though it is a consequence of Adam's Sin still remaining unto the Faithful the sting of Death which is Sin being removed Death is changed from being a Punishment to the Faithful to be a blessed and sanctified means to put an end to the Sorrows Tentations and Evils of this mortal life and to be unto them a passage and entrance into eternal life 1 Cor. 15. 55. 56. Q. Who were the chief acters that put Christ to Death A. The Jews who being filled with envy accused him of diverse things and particularly for saying he was the Son of God which they accounted Blasphemy and of his being the King of the Jews and the Messiah or Christ Matth. 27. 18. John 10. 36. John 19. 7. 12. Matth. 26. 63. 65. Q. Under whom did Christ suffer Death A. Under Pontius Pilate a Roman Governour John 19. 1. Q. Why under him A. Because the Jews at that time had their power taken away by the Romans so that they said to Pilate it was not lawful for them to put any Man to death John 18. 31. Q. Was there not a great hand of Providence in this A. Yea It having been foretold by some of the Prophets that the manner of Christ's Death should be by Crucifying and Hanging on a Tree therefore that manner of death was called in the Old Testament accursed Deut. 21. 23. to signifie before-hand that Christ should become a Curse for us and dye for us the accursed death of the Cross and also it was foretold by David in the second Psalm that both Jews and Gentiles should gather together and take counsel against the Lord and against his Anointed Q. How was it foretold by any of the Prophets that Christ should be Hanged or Crucified on a Tree A. David Prophecied that his Hands and Feet should be pierced which was accordingly fulfilled and was only used in that manner of death and Moses lifting up the Brazen Serpent on the Pole or Tree was a Figure of Christ his being lifted up on the Tree of the Cross as Christ himself deolared John 3. 14. Psal 22. 16. Q. Were not all other things concerning Christ of the chiefest moment recorded in the New Testament as his Doctrin Miracles manner of Birth Life Death Burial Resurrection and Ascension foretold by the Prophets and recorded in the Old Testament A. Yea Acts 26. 22. 23. Luke 24. 44. 45. 46. Q. Why was it so ordered by the Lord A. To give the greater Evidence that Jesus who was Born of the Virgin Mary was the Christ seeing to him only and to none else could all these things agree which were prophecied of him as also to shew the excellent Harmony of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament being all given forth by one and the same Spirit Q. What discovery of Christ's Death Resurrection and victory over Sin and the Devil and of Salvation from Sin by Christ had the Faithful from the beginning of the World A. By the first promise that God gave to our first Parents after the Fall Gen. 3. 15. That he would put enmity betwixt the Serpent and the Woman and between his Seed and her Seed and that the Womans Seed should bruise the head of the Serpent but he

that justifieth the Circumcision i. e. the Jews by Faith and the Uncircumcision Rom. 3 30 〈◊〉 c. the Gentiles through Faith and another way than by Faith or without Faith in Christ Jesus the scriptures do not hold 〈◊〉 for attaining Eternal Life and Salvation Q. How doth Christ perform his Kingly Office in and over his Church A. By converting them and ●●●hering them out from among the Dross an●●●●…ish of the World to himself God having 〈…〉 in Christ Jesus before the Foundation of the World that they should be holy and having given them to him Ephes 1. 4. Joh. 6. 37. 39. Joh. 1● 6. by giving them the Holy-Spirit and the saving Gifts and Graces thereof to sanctifie renew and regenerate them into his own Image and Likeness and to crucifie and mortifie the Old Man in them with his deeds by pardoning their Sins and justifying them by giving them his Laws and writing them in their hearts by protecting and defending them and ruling them by his spiritual Presence and Indwelling in their hearts and by subduing his and their Enemies Matth. 1. 21. Acts 3. 26. 1 John 3. 58. Jer. 31. 18. 19. 33. 34. John 11. 92. Isa 11. 12. Isa 43. 5. 6. 7. John 16. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. Titus 3. 4 5. 6. Mark 2. 10 John 10. 28. 29. Isa 9. 6. 7. John 17. 23. 26. Psal 110. 1. 2. 3. 5. 6. Coloss 2. 11. 12. Q. Was not Christ's Resurrection from the Dead and his Ascension into Heaven as well as his giving and sending down the Holy Ghost upon his Disciples on the day of Pentecost all great and glorious Acts of his Kingly Office and Power A. Yea John 10. 17 18. Psal 68. 18. Eph. 4. 8 12 13. Q. What place of Scripture in the Old Testament was a Figure of Christ's giving the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost which was the fif●●●th day from his Resurrection A. The Feast of Weeks that was commanded to be kept on the fiftieth day from the day 〈…〉 Sheaf of the first Fruits was offered Levit. 23. 15. 16. Q. Is Christ to come from Heaven to judge all Men that ever lived or shall live even the quick and the dead A. Yea as the Scriptures plainly testifie 2 Tim. 4. 1. John 5. 27 28 29. Q. Will his coming and appearance be without us in his glorified Body and true Manhood Nature A. Yea. Acts 1. 11. Q. When will that time be that he will so come A. Of that Day and Hour knoweth no Man nor the Angels in Heaven Matth. 24. 36 42 44. The coming of Christ is infallibly certain but the particular time of it God would not have made known unto Men that we may be continually watching and give no way to security or sloath but be always preparing for our Lord 's coming Q. How or in what manner will Christ come A. He will come with great Power and Glory by which Power he will raise the dead Bodies of all Men both Just and Unjust in the Glory of his Father and of his holy Angels with the Voice of the Archangel and the mighty sound of a Trumpet in Kingly Power and Majesty who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Matth. 15. 27. Mark 8. 38. 2 Thess 7. 8 9 10. 1 Thess 4 16. Q. Is then his coming to raise the dead and to judge the quick and the dead a part of his Kingly Office A. Yea Matth. 25. 34 40. Rev. 19. 16. SECT VIII Q. WHat did the Covenant of Works or the Law of Works require of Men A. The Law and Covenant of Works required of Men perfect and perpetual Obedience in their own Persons and doth so still require of all that are under it so that the breach of it and the transgression against it in the least point brings under Wrath and Condemnation and the Curse without any promise of forgiveness the terms of which are Do and Live Rom. 10. 5. Gal. 3. 10 12 13. Q. Were not many of the Jews and Twelve Tribes of Israel under the Covenant of Works A. Yea. Q. What was that Covenant of Works A. The Moral Law delivered to them in the two Tables of Stone from the Lord himself by the Hand of Moses the which Law written and engraven in Stones though Glorious is called by Paul the Ministration of Death and Condemnation 2 Cor. 3. 7 9. and some other positive and special Laws as contained in the Books of Moses Q. Was the Law of Circumcision the Passover the Sacrifices of Sin-offerings any part of the Covenant of Works A. Strictly considered they were not but according to the design of God and their true signification they all belonged to the Covenant of Grace as it was then administred as Signs and Seals thereof being a part of the more obscure Administration and Dispensation of it for that time as under Vails and Figures during that state of Minority as it were of the Church Q. But such as relyed and rested upon their Obedience that they performed to these Laws and had not Faith in Christ and relyed not upon the free Love Mercy and Grace of God in and through Christ did they not make it a Law of Works to themselves and so fell short of Justification A. Yea Rom. 10. 3. Q. And are not many called Christians in the same danger if they rely and rest upon their Obedience to any Law either Outwardly or Inwardly given them as the Foundation of their Justification A. Yea. Q. Are the Gentiles who have not either Law or Gospel outwardly Preached or Administred to them under any other Covenant of God than that made at first with Adam A. They are not under any other Covenant but they are under the Law of Righteousness writ or plac'd by God in their Hearts and Consciences Rom. 2. 15. Q. Why may not the Gentiles in their meer Gentile-dispensation be strictly said to be under a Covenant of Works without respect to Adam A. Because all Covenants that ever God made since with Men both were by some special Revelation and had some external Figure or Signs given by God for its Confirmation but so is not this Law universally put in all Men. Q. May not this divine Law or Light put in all Men be called the Law or Light of Nature which seemeth warranted by Rom 2. 14. where it is said The Gentiles do by Nature the things contained in the Law A. If by Nature in that place we understand the Nature of Man to be the subject of Reception and not the efficient Cause and Author of it it may be in called But tho' Man's Nature is the subject of it yet it is God and the eternal Word that is the efficient Cause Author and Original of it and not the corrupted and defiled Nature of Man Q. What is the nature of the Covenant of Grace called the New Covenant A. It holds forth Remission of Sin and Justification freely by the Grace and Favour of God through Jesus

Christ the Mediator of it the promise of the Spirit and the saving Graces and Gifts thereof for our Sanctification Regeneration and Renovation and for our mortifying and crucifying the Old Man and the body of the Sins of the Flesh the taking away the heart of Stone and giving us a heart of Flesh God's writing his Laws in those hearts of Flesh and giving us his special teachings and special Illuminations Operations and influences of his Holy Spirit working in us Faith Hope and Love and filial Fear and all other Virtues and Fruits of the Spirit and true Gospel Repentance all suited to the Gospel and new Covenant Dispensation and all this freely by and through and for Jesus Christ's sake together with the promise of Eternal Life and Salvation Jer. 31. 33. 34. Jer. 32. 39. 40. Ezek. 11. 19. 20. 36. 25. 26. 37. 26. 27. Gal. 4. 24. 26. 28. Heb. 12. 24. Isa 44. 3. 4. 59. 21. Q. But doth not the Covenant of Grace require any terms or conditions on our part as Faith and Repentance and new Obedience A. It requireth nothing of the true Subjects of it as terms and conditions but such as God promiseth freely to give the Faith and Repentance and Obedience that it requireth God has promised freely to give by virtue of his Covenant and no condition or terms that Men can perform are any the least moving cause to move God to enable us to perform those conditions Q. But is there not an Order in the way and manner of God's giving his many several Favours Gifts and Blessings to the Children of the New Covenant as remission of Sin Justification Adoption and Eternal Salvation A. Yea There is an excellent Order of some things to go before and other things to follow some of which go before and others follow only in order of Nature and others in order of time as plowing and sowing the Ground goes before Harvest and Reaping yet neither the plowing or sowing are the moving cause to move God to give the Fruit and Increase Q Doth then Faith and Repentance in order of Nature go before remission of Sin and Justification though they are together in time A. Yea. Q. How doth this appear from Scripture A. By many plain testimonies of Scripture as first concerning the necessity of Conversion and Faith in order both to forgiveness of Sin Justification and Salvation This was Paul's Commission given him by Christ unto both Jews and Gentiles Acts 26. 18. To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the Power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified through faith that is in Christ Jesus and Rom. 10. 6. The righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise say not in thy heart c v. 7. but what saith it the word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which we preach that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness c. Again Rom. 8. 29 30. In that excellent golden Chain containing several Links that follow one after another There is Predestination going before Calling and Calling before Justifying and Justifying before Glorifying The Calling that is not an outward Calling only but chiefly an inward Calling and inward Work of God's Holy Spirit enlightning the understanding and moving the Heart and Will to answer the Call is not the proper Cause of either Justification or Glorification but a necessary antecedent of it in order of Nature as the holding out of the Hand is antecedent in order of Nature to receive a free gift from him who freely gives for Faith has no causality in order to receive forgiveness of Sin and Justification more than the Hand has to receive a rich and free Gift which Faith is also the free Gift of God Again Acts 10. 43. Said Peter in his Preacing to Cornelius and his Friends To him viz. Christ Jesus even him whom they Slew and Hanged on a Tree gave all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of Sins Secondly As to Repentance its being necessary in order to forgivness and blotting out of Sins Peter's words are plain Acts 3. 19. Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out c. And Acts 5. 30 31. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a tree him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance unto Israel and forgivness of sins And Luke 24. 47. Christ after his Resurrection taught the Disciples the true Method and Order of Preaching That repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem Thus we see how though Repentance and Remission of Sins are joyned together in those places yet in order Repentance is put antecedent to Remission of Sins Q. But is not Repentance a proper effect of remission of Sin as the Soul has a lively sense of it wrought by the Spirit of God in the Soul as it was said of Mary Magdalen she loved much because much was forgiven her who was a deep and great Penitent A. As some degree of Repentance is antecedent to forgiveness not as its Cause so there are other degrees of it that are consequents thereof and may be called the effects of it Q. Are the Infant Children of believing Parents within the Covenant of Grace together with their Parents so that the Promise is to them and their Children A. Yea Act. 2. 39. Gal 4. 28. Gen. 17. 7. 1 Cor. 7. 14. Q. What is the alone meritorious and material Cause of Mens Justification before God Is it not the Righteousness of Christ's most holy and perfect Obedience unto Death and the shedding of his most precious Blood done and performed by him without us freely of God imputed to us and received by Faith A. Yea. Q. What places of Scripture in the Old Testament hold forth the Justification of the Faithful and their eternal Salvation by Faith A. That in Genesis 15. 6. compared with Rom. 4. 2 3. Abraham believed in the Lord and it was counted to him for Righteousness from whence Paul inferred that Abraham was not justified by Works though he was a very holy Man but by Faith And though Abraham's Faith is not expresly said to have been in Christ as he was to come and suffer Death for our Sins in the Flesh yet it is certainly imply'd for the great Promise of God to Abraham was That in his seed all nations of the earth should be blessed and therefore Abraham also was blessed in that seed which seed was Christ as he came in the Flesh out of Abraham's Loins and not the Light within or

the difficulty comes gradually to be removed and such an attainment becomes exceeding delightful and sweet as well as profitable to the Soul surely David had attained it when he said Truly my Soul is silent on God Psal 62. 1. as the best translation is and Unto thee O Lord silence praise in Zion Psal 65. 1. As intimating that as God is praised in silence so praise cannot be truly performed unto God while the Mind is unsettled disquieted and discomposed which it will needs be until it come to true Silence as also when he said My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed Psal 57. 7. and then it follows I will Sing and give Praise and divers places of Scripture hold forth not only the duty of inward Silence or ceasing from all Self-actings whether of the Understanding or Will but also the great profit and benefit of it Lam. 3. 27 28. Psal 4. 4. 46. 10. Isa 30. 7. 19. Q. How by Meditation A. After the Mind is cleared and disburdened of all Self-disquieting thoughts and actings then as a fruitful Soil having good Seed sown in it and being watered with Rain from above and warmed with the Sun's heat brings forth plenty of sweet smelling Herbs and Flowers both pleasant to the Sight and profitable for Use which it could not do while it was loaded with Rubbish being helped with the Rain and Warmth of God's Holy Spirit it bringeth forth with ease and pleasure precious and wholsom Meditations and Thoughts most sutable and proper to its present state upon variety of objects all which do greatly conduce to dispose the Soul for Prayer and Thanksgiving and any other religious Duty Q. Doth the holy Spirit help us in Meditation without all use of outward means of Instruction as Reading in the holy Scriptures Hearing Conference A. Nay but by using frequently these outward means the Holy Spirit by his holy Inspirations and Motions brings seasonably to our remembrance what we have formerly heard or read and have been taught out of the holy Scriptures of divine Truth and also brings to our frequent remembrance the great Love and the many Mercies of God to us both Spiritual and Temporal and his great and manifold Deliverances Preservations and gracious Providences which afford us matter of Praise and Thanksgiving unto God which ought to be offered up with our Prayers Q. What things more particularly are the proper and necessary matter and subject of our Meditation A. The Works of Creation and Providence both in general and particular and more especially the Psal 77. 10. 11. Psal 143. 5. Eccles 12. 1. great Work of our Redemption and the great Glory of God that is wonderfully demonstrated therein in his great Attributes of Mercy and Justice Wisdom and Power in most excellent Harmony and how the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost are all concerned in that great Work the Father did not dye for us but he so loved us that he spared not his dear Son but gave him freely to dye for us and Christ so loved us that he freely gave himself for us to suffer the cursed Death of the Cross in our stead and the Holy Ghost so loved us that he is come to be a true and faithful 〈◊〉 so us in our hearts to assure us that Christ dyed for us and to apply to us the great Worth Essicacy and Merit of what Christ hath done and suffered for us who is the free gift both of the Father and the Son to us and also freely giveth himself to us by whom God through Christ doth work the true convincement in us of our sin and misery and the true Conversion from it begotting in us true Faith Hope and Charity and all other Evangelical Virtues and Fruits which are therefore called the Fruits of the Spirit all which ought to be the most frequent matter and subject of our most serious and devout Meditation together with the exceeding great obligation of duty that lyeth upon us of Love and Obedience as the reasonable return of such exceeding great and rich favour love and mercy freely bestowed upon us which are the great motives to Christian Obedience also the Laws and Commandments of God and Christ to the end we may obey them ought to be our daily study and meditation in the doing of which we may expect the Blessedness and Promises of God to be fulfilled to us Psal 1. throughout and likewise the precious Promises of God recorded in Scripture ought to be frequently in our Meditations that by them we may be encouraged to pray to God for the performance of them And we ought not only to have continually before the eyes of our Minds the great Love of Christ in his dying for us but his most holy Example in his most perfect Obedience Resignation Patience Humility Self-denyal Love to his Enemies that we may follow his Steps 1 Pet. 2. 21. Moreover the frequent consideration of our State past present and future with the most diligent and impartial examination of our selves and of our daily conversation both exteriour and interiour is most necessary for us that wherein we have failed in our duty either to God to our selves or our neighbours we may be humbled and sorry for it confess our sins to God and ask forgiveness of God for Christ's sake and wherein we have been helped by his Spirit and Grace to advance in the ways of Holiness to bless and praise God through Christ Jesus for the same also the frequent meditation of Death and Judgment the vanity of the World with all its Prouts Pleasures Honours and Preferments and the exceeding great advantage of Godliness which hath both the Promises of this Life and of the life to come is exceeding both profitable and necessary to us in all which or whatever is necessary to be remembred by us Cant. 1. 4. Psal 8. 3. 4. Psal 63. 5. 6. Psal 119. 23. 48. 148. 1 Tim. 4. 15. 2 Tim. 2. 8. Psal 104. 34. and made the subject of our frequent meditation the faithful may expect the assistance of God's blessed Spirit in the diligent use of the means and helps that God hath offered to us Q. To whom are we to pray and give thanks as the one intire object of Divine Worship Prayer and Thanksgiving A. To God the Father the Son Jesus Christ God Man and the Holy Spirit and who is also the one intire object of our Faith 1 Cor. 1. 2. 3. Revel 1. 4 5. 6. Q. Are we to make use of any Images in Divine Worship A. Nay Exod. 20. 4. 5. Acts 17. 25. 29. 30. Q. How are we to pray and give thanks so as to be accepted A. In Spirit and Truth in sincerity of heart in Faith without doubting in humility in holy fear with understanding with love and fervency of heart with frequency and constancy to all which we need the continual help of God's Spirit and Grace to aid and assist us John 4. 23. 1 Tim. 2. 8.