of carriage and shortnesse of dayes Prov. 14.29 30. 4 That anger wrath and malice are the marks of unregenerate persons Now we should be as unwilling to undergoe the marks as the misery of such gracelesse persons Col. 3.8 Question 12. What is the third inward work of Satan Answer Filthy and unclean thoughts in the heart although they never break out in words or carriage Question 13. How doe you know that this uncleannesse of heart is the work of Satan Answer Because his Title is to be an unclean Spirit and accordingly his busines is to work uncleannesse in our spirits Question 14. What help is there to forsake and avoyd this work of the Devil Answer Some things are to be avoyded and some things are to be done Question 15. What are the things to be avoyded Answer 1 Such things as stir up uncleannesse as wanton Pictures Playes Songs wanton Books or looks Job 31.1 by means of which the unclean spirit enters in and defiles the heart 2 Such things as strengthen uncleannesse as excesse in meat and drink Gen. 19.32 Jer. 5.8 3 Such things as perfect it and whereby Satan fills the heart with it as dalliance and wanton carriages Question 16. What are the things to be done Answer 1 We must fill our hearts with good meditations The heart will be working and the way to free it from worse thoughts is to fill it with better 2 We must fill our hands and hearts with businesse An idle head and heart is the shop of the Devil and David fell into unclean walking not warring 2 Sam. 11.2 3 We must fill our mouths with earnest prayers to God to keep out and to cast out this unclean spirit Yea and in regard of all such inward works of Satan we must pray Lord rebuke Satan and incline not my heart to any evill way Zech. 3.2 Psal 141.4 Question 17. You have shewed the inward what be the outward works of Satan Answer First swearing falsly or vainly unto which cursing may be added Question 18. How do you know that swearing is a work of the Devil Answer Because Christ saith whatsoever is more then yea or nay cometh of evill or of Satan that evill one Mat. 5.27 Question 19. How doe you know that cursing is a work of the Devill Answer It appears that cursing of God comes from the Devil because the Devil by Jobs wife tempted him to curse God Job 2.8 9. Cursing of God by Job was the Devils aym and for that purpose Jobs wife was the Devils Agent And it appears that cursing of men comes from the Devil also because the tongue is set on fire of Hell when we doe therewithall curse men Jâ—mes 3.6 9. Question 20. What helps and meanes be there to forsake this work of the Devill Answer To consider that 1 There is a flying Book sent forth to overthrow his house and state that sweareth falsly Zech. 5.4 and God will not hold him guiltles that taketh his name into his mouth and sweareth vainly Exod. 20.7 2 Swearing doth not only make particular persons miserable but the whole Land also to mourne under the heavy judgements of God Jer. 23.10 Because of swearing or cursing as it is in the margent the Land mourneth Question 21. What help is there against cursing Answer First to consider that he that loves cursing cursing shall come unto him it shall cleave unto him it shall come into his bowels like water and like Oyle into his bones Psal 109.17 8. Secondly to consider how unseemly and unreasonable a thing it is with the same tongue to blesse God and then afterward to curse men that are made after the similitude of God James 3.9 Question 22. What help is there against both cursing and swearing Answer To consider that in both the name of God is taken in vain even that glorious and fearfull Name Exod. 20.7 The Lord our God which whosoever fear not the Lord will make their plagues wonderfull and the plagues of their seed even sore sicknesses and of long continuance sore diseases and of long durance Deut. 28.58 59. Question 23. But there be divers that doe not swear by this dreadfull name of God but by this bread or drink by this hand or by this light what shall we say to them Answer This was an old trick to shift off the force of the third Commandement and to such the Apostle James sayes that while they swear by Heaven or Earth or any other of the Creatures although they never name God yet God will not hold them guiltlesse but they shall fall into condemnation James 5.12 Question 24. But I cannot choose but swear say some for men will not believe me otherwise Answer Yes saith the Apostle Let your yea be yea Jam. 5.12 2 Cor. 1.17 18 19. and your nay nay That is be not off and on but be true and stable in your speeches and you shall never need an Oath A constant and ordinary true speaker is easily believed an ordinary swearer is never believed Question 25. What is it absolutely unlawfull then for a man to swear at all Answer Not so a man may swear before a lawfull Magistrate Nehem. 10.29 to confirm a solemn Covenant Gen. 31.53 and upon speciall and important occasions Gen. 47.31 Heb 6.16 For God forbids us not the taking of his name into our mouths but the taking of it in vain Question 26. What 's the second outward work of Satan Answer Lying and deceiving Question 27. How doe you know that lying is a worke of the Devill Answer Because when the Devill speaketh a lye he speaketh of his own that is nothing is more usual with him nor more proper to him then a lye is and it is that also that proceeds from him for he is a lyar and the father of them John 8.44 Question 28. What helps be there for the forsaking of this worke of the Devill Answer 1 To consider that as all truth comes from God so all lying comes from the Devil Now who would be willing to conceive and bring forth a Child whereof the Devil should be the father 2 Every thing should be to us as it is to God Now lying lips are an abomination to the Lord but they that deale truly are his delight therefore lying and deceit should be abominable to us likewise Prâ— 12.22 3 We should consider that he shall be shut out of the Kingdome of Heaven that loveth or maketh a lye Rev. 22.15 withall that all lyars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Rev. 21.8 I ought therefore to love truth as I love Heaven and to fear lying as I fear Hell Question 29. What particular cases be there wherein men are more tempted to and therefore ought to be more watchfull against this sin of lying Answer In foure cases especially First in case of profit Hence it is that people doe so ordinarily lye in the Market and in trading to wit for the getting of a
penny and some worldly pelf This lying was Gehazi's sin and a leprosie was his punishment 2 Kings 5.22 25 27. Secondly in case of credit Hence comes so much lying in houses because people having done amisse are loath to be known of it lest they should be put to shame by it therefore they deny it stoutly when God is able to say to them as to Sarah who failed in the like case Nay but thou didst doe such a thing Gen. 18.15 Thirdly in case of safety and when som danger of smart is like to ensue by telling the truth Hence Children lie so often to avoid the rod yea Gods Children also doe to their shame and grief faile in this particular as Abraham and Peter Gen. 20.2.11.9 10. Mat. 26.70 75. But if holy parents whip a lying Child twice one for his fault and again for his lie How much more will a holy God of truth punish such a fault yea in his owne Children yea in them most Fourthly in case of complement entertainment wherein men professe more love then ever they mean and excuse entertainment beyond the truth Question 30. What further preservative is there against all these evills Answer This one thing may suffice that he that means to come to Heaven must have this mark upon him to speak the truth in his heart Psal 15.2 Question 31. Are there not besides these two outward and more common some more speciall works of Satan also that are to be avoided Answer Yes there are two of them the opposing of Gods truth and the persecuting of Gods Saints Question 32. How doe you know that opposing the truth of God is a work of the Devill Answer Because the Devil is a liar that is one in whom there is no truth and who is still setting a foot some lye or other against the truth and because he that opposes and perverts the right wayes of the Lord is a Child of the Devil John 8.44 Acts 13.10 So 2 Tim. 2.25 26. opposers of truth are in the snare of the Devil Question 33. What means is there to forsake this work of the Devill Answer 1 To hearken patiently to our Instructors with prayer to God to give repentance that so we may come to the acknowledgement of the truth and recover our selves out of the snare of the Devil 2 Tim. 2.25 26. 2 To consider that all liars in this high degree that is that lye against the truth James 3.14 set up falshoods whereby to fight against the word of God shall assuredly and especially have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone Revel 21.8 Question 34. How doe you know that opposing and persecuting the Children of God is also a worke of the Devill Answer Because the Devil hath ever been an Accuser Revel 12.10 an Imprisoner Rev. 2.10 and a murtherer John 8.44 and Rev. 2.13 of the Brethren and who so sets against and offers violence to his righteous brother he as Cain is of that wicked one 1 John 3.12 Question 35. But what if men doe no more but mock Gods Children and those that take good courses Answer Even that also is a Diabolicall persecution as Ishmaels mocking was Gal. 4.29 with Gen. 21.9 and a thing that ungodly men must in speciall manner be accountable for at the day of Judgment Jude 15. Question 36. What help is there against this work of the Devill Answer To consider that every persecuter of good Christians is a persecuter of Jesus Christ himself and does but kick therein against the pricks and that without timely repentance unto his eternal perdition Acts 9.4 5. Question 37. How doe you know that Answer Because he that hates his Brother is a murtherer and we know that no murtherer hath eternall life abiding in him 1 John 3.15 yea how can such Vipers escape the damnation of Hell Mat. 23.33 Question 38. What generall Motive is there to stir us up to forsake the Devill and all those works of his that have been formerly mentioned Answer To consider that they that forsake not Satan shall by Gods just judgement be given to him here to be his Vassalls in sin 2 Thess 2.11 12. and Mat. 12.43 44 45. and shall be partners with him hereafter in Hellish misery Mat. 25.41 Mat. 23.33 Question 39. What general help and means is there to free us from Satan and his works Answer 1 To be diligent and obedient hearers of Gods Ministers who are sent of God for this very purpose to bring men from the power of Satan unto God Acts 26.18 2 Even after we are brought to God we must still labour to beat down those lusts which use to betray us for want of the mortifying them into the hands of Satan who would not be able to prevaile over us but that he finds something that is a corrupt nature in us John 14.30 3 When we have done this also we must still watch and still pray unto him that came of purpose to destroy the works of the Devil 1 John 3.8 that we may not enter into tentation Mat. 26.41 Question 40. What other thing was promised in Baptism besides forsaking the Devill and all his works Answer To forsake the pomps and vanities of this wicked world Question 41. What is meant by the pomps and vanities of this world Answer In generall all the goodly and glorious things of this world Mat. 4.8 whereof there be three particular heads Pleasure Mark 6.22 Heb. 11.25 pleasures of sin Profit Josh 7.21 Micha 2.2 Preferment 2 Sam. 15.4 1 John 2.16 Question 42. But why are they called pomps and vanities Answer Because in the worlds conceit they are pomps and glorious things Dan. 4.30 Acts 25.23 But in true judgement they are very vanities Eccles 1.2 Question 43. Why is it added that they are the pomps and vanities of the wicked world Answer Not only because there is a great deale of wickednesse in the world the whole world either lying in wickednesse 1 John 5.19 Or else wickednesse lying and abiding in them Rom. 7.20 But also because there is a great deale more then otherwise there would be through the tentation of these worldly things Josh 7.21 When I saw c. Question 44. How far forth are the world and the things of the world to be forsaken Answer When we cannot enjoy them and Christ both when we cannot keep them and keep our Covenant with God both then they must be forsaken that Christ may be followed and that our Covenant made with God in Baptism may be performed Heb. 11.25 26. Heb. 10.34 Question 45. What helps be there for the forsaking of the world Answer 1 We must labour to be in love with better things then the world hath Psal 119.36 Heb. 10.34 And to embrace Christ as Simeon did that so we may not embrace the world as Demas did Luke 2.28 2 Tim. 4.10 2 We should avoid worldly company especially in the neerest society Ahab was much more drawn after that worldly thing
of God wherein you say God hath declared himself unto us Answer It is the holy Scriptures Rom. 1.2 Question How can the Scriptures be called the word of God seeing they are written by men Answer Although holy men wrote the Scriptures yet did not they write by their own power or in their own name but by the power of the Spirit of God and in the name of God himself and therefore what they wrote is to be accounted the word of God himself Hos 8.12 1 Pet. 1.20 21. 2 Sam. 23.2 Question What hath God in the Scripture declared himself to be Answer An eternall most gracious most wise most just unchangeable infinite and all glorious Majesty from whom all things have their being and by whom all things are Governed and preserved Isa 43.10 13. Jude 25. Exod. 34.6 Deut. 32.4 Num. 23.19 Question Who is God the father in whom you believe The Father Answer He is the first person of these three the Father Son and Holy Ghost who are the one and onely God Eternall 2 Chron. 6.18 Psal 119.91 Acts 17.28 1 John 5.7 Question Why is the first person in the blessed Trinity called Father Answer He is called so especially in respect of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ our Lord and secondarily in respect of all his Saints who are adopted to be his Children by grace in Jesus Christ Jer. 20.17 Ephes 1.5 Question Why doe you call God the father Almighty Almighty Answer Because he is abundantly sufficient to accomplish his will so that he can doe whatsoever he will doe Psal 115.3 Question Whereby doth the Almighty power of God appear Answer It appears by this Maker of Heaven and Earth that he is the Maker of Heaven and Earth Question Why doe you call God the Maker of heaven and earth Answer Because God did at first make and doth still preserve the heaven and earth and all things that are in them Jer. 42.5 Question Of what did God at first make the Heaven and Earth Answer God created that is made the Heaven and Earth of nothing in the beginning and then brought them into that order wherein they now stand in six dayes Gen. 1. Question What did God doe in the first day of the world Answer He made the light and divided it from the darknesse calling the light day and the darknesse night Gen. 1.3 Question What did God in the second day Answer He made the firmament and therewith he divided the waters calling it Heaven Gen. 1.7 9. Question What did God in the third day Answer He made the dry Land calling it Earth and Seas and all kinds of Grasse and Hearbs and Trees Gen. 1.9 10 11 12. Question What did God in the fourth day Answer He made the Son the Moon and the Stars and placed them in the Firmament of Heaven that they might divide the day from the night and be for signs and seasons and dayes and years Gen. 1.3 5. Question What did God in the fifth day Answer He made all such Creatures as live in the water and all kind of Fowles which fly about the earth Gen. 1.20 21 22. Question What did God in the sixth day Answer He made creeping things of the earth and all Cattel and Beasts of the Earth and last of all he made man to whom he gave dominion over the Fish of the Sea Fowles of the aire and every living thing that moveth upon the earth Gen. 1.24 28. Question Whereof did the Lord God make man Answer The Lord God made man of the dust of the earth Gen. 2.7 Question Is there no part of man which was not made of the dust Answer Yes there is an immortall spirit in man which the Lord God breathed into him after he had formed his body of the dust Gen. 2.7 Eccles 12.8 Question How many more did the Lord at first make Answer He made only one and that was Adam the father of all mankind Gen. 2.7 Question How was woman made Answer The Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and whilst he slept the Lord God took out one rib of his and made a woman of it Gen. 2.21 22. Question How many women did the Lord at first make Answer He made onely one and that was Evah whom he gave to Adam for wife and so they two became the first Parents of all mankind Gen. 2.22 23. Question Were Adam and Evah our first parents created sinfull and miserable as we are now Answer No the Lord God created them holy glorious and upright in his Image according to his likenesse Gen. 1.26 27. Eccles 7.3 Question How did they become then sinfull and miserable Answer By breaking the Commandement of their God Question What Commandement was it that they brake Answer That Commandment whereby the Lord forbad them to eat of the fruit of the Tree of the knowledge of good and ill which was in the midst of the Garden of Eden wherein God put the man Gen. 2.17.3.6.2.8 Question Seeing the Lord God created our first Parents holy and perfectly able to fullfill his will how became they so rebellious as to transgresse his Commandement Answer The Devil by his subtilty deceived them and so caused them to transgresse the Commandement of their God in eating the forbidden fruit Gen. 3.1 2 3 4. Question Was this sin of our first parents a small offence Question No it was a great and most grievous sin and that in a three-fold respect 1 Because it proceeded from the belief of the Devils lye before and against the knowne truth of God 2 Because it proceeded from a causeless and wicked distrust of Gods goodnes to them as if he envying their happines had by his Commandements restrained them from a principall means thereof 3 Because it was a willfull act of disobedience even against their Creators revealed will Question What effect wrought this disobedience in our first parents Answer It made them subject unto death and so to him who hath the power of death which is the Devil Rom. 5.12 Gen. 2.17 Heb. 2.14 Question What death were our first parents subjected unto by sin Answer They were subjected to a three-fold death The first of sin The second corporall The third everlasting Question How did our first parents disobedience make them subject to the death of sin Answer By depriving them of that righteousnesse wherein they were created making their hearts inclinable to all wickednesse and working darknesse in their understandings perversenesse in their wills disorder in their affections readinesse in all the members of their bodies to serve uncleanesse and so wholly subjecting them to the Dominion of sin and death Gen. 6.5 21. Ephes 2.3.4.8 Pro. 1.24 25. 1 Pet. 2.11 Rom 6.19 Ephes 2.5 Rom. 6.17 Question What is that corporall death which sin brought upon our first parents Answer It is that death which is caused by the separation of the body from the soul when the body returneth to the ground whence it was taken
3 Works of charity as visiting the sick administring to laying up for the necessities of those that be in distresse 1 Cor. 16.2 5 Much adoe there is about a Sabbath day and Sabbath duties and they that account fellowship with God a heavy burden are glad they have this to say that learned men differ that so they may better take leave to doe what they list and be far from God without the condemnation of men but they that love that life that we shall lead in heaven will be glad to live with God one day in a week here at least in some degree as they look to live with him every day hereafter RULES FOR A Christian Carriage EVERY DAY 1 A Wake with God giving him thanks in thy first thoughts for the rest of the night and craving his presence for the occasions of the day Parents look their Children should doe their duty to them in the morning when they see them first so when we are first awakened and look up God that is ever before us and whom whensoever our eyes be open we should think we see ought to be reverently and dutifully acknowledged 2 If there be much busines let not prayer be omitted that the businesse may be dispatched that is as if a man having a long journey to goe should hasten out a foot and not stay to make ready his Horse for it is God that must carry us along in all our businesses but rise the sooner that the duty of prayer may first be performed rather out of sleep then put off prayer Mark 1.35 for all prosperity comes from this I am with thee Gen. 39.5 And how shall God be obtained if he be not sought Luke 11.9 3 Betake thy self to thy private prayers before thou enter upon the world for thy heart will hardly be with God wholly and fully if thy worldly occasions have taken possession of it formerly 4 Let Family exercises be performed either the first time thou canst take or the fittest time thou canst choose 5 As for worldly employment 1 See thou have a Calling it being not enough that thou be about some work or some good work but this also being required that thou be about that good work which God committeth to thee to doe John 17.4 for God gives to every servant of his his work Mark 13.34 2 Thy works and occasions being such as thou art called to Be about them 1 diligently a good Christian should not be a bad husband Prov. 27.23 Eph. 4.28 2 Justly and conscionably A good husband should not be a bad Christian nor any way defraud or over-reach his brother 1 Thes 4.6 3 Discreetly for he that handleth a matter wisely shall find good Prov. 16.20 Eccles 9.10 4 Faithfully and with a dependance upon God notwithstanding all thy wit and care for he that trusteth in the Lord happy is he Prov. 16.20 6. When thou art alone hate vaine thoughts Psal 119.113 when thou art in company let thy communication be such as if Jesus Christ were at thy heels ready to overtake thee and to ask what communications are these that ye have one with another while ye wake together Luke 24.17 and whether thou be alone or in company let thy carriage be ordered with such respect unto that God in whose presence thou art that thy tongue and thy doings may not be against him to provoke the eyes of his glory Isa 3.8 Generally be such in company as that thou maist with comfort remember thy carriage when thou art alone and such alone as that thou mayest with credit declare thy carriage when thou art in company 7 Take a view at night of the passages of the day which would best be done by putting them down in writing particularly in that view consider thy dealing and Gods dealing 1 Thy dealing and in what 1 Thy sins and any evill thou hast done as carefull men write down every debt that they may mind it and pay it so do tender Christians take notice and rather then faile a note of their sins that they may not be out of their remembrance and that they may take the next opportunity for repentance wherein be thou so far from deferring as to resolve for every evill of the day that upon the review smites thy heart and clogs thy conscience to judge thy selfe before thou sleepest that if thou shouldst never awake till the day of Judgement yet at that day thou mayest not be condemned of the Lord thou having before hand judged and condemned thy selfe 1 Cor. 11.31 2 Thy good deeds for as thou art to recount thy sin because thou art a debtor in it so any good deed because thou art a debtor for it and God without whom thou canst doe nothing John 15.5 should not want the due praise of thy well doing Howbeit it is fit also that thou shouldst observe that good that is in thee that thou maist not want the comfort of it but maist support thy selfe with it when thy heart is sad with sin and vert with Satan 2 Gods dealing what God by his providence reproves in thee one day rush not upon it the next and in that which thou findest God according to his word to countenance be thou constant let the affâ—ictions of the day make thee more carefull and fearfull of sin and the mercies more chearfull and forward in service COUNSELL FOR A Christian Carriage TAsk thy selfe in businesse Stint thy selfe in pleasure Take heed that these two never meet together A loose life and a light heart but when the carriage is loose let the heart be laden When thou differest from others in thy education see that thou differ from them in thy conversation that being so much holier then they as thy education hath been better The mind is the guid of the tongue therefore consider before thou speak The tongue is the messenger of the heart therefore as oft as thou speakst without meditation going before so oft the messenger runs without errand Let not pleasure steal away the mind from businesse but let businesse win and wean the mind from pleasure After good education take heed of the first errors lest the virginity and tendernesse of conscience being taken away it grow bold and impudent in evill FINIS A Table of the chief Heads handled in the foregoing Tract WOrks of the Devill p. 21 Pride 23 Anger Envy Malice 24 Anger 25 Filthy and unclean thoughts 26 Swearing and cursing 28 Helps against swearing and cursing 30 Lying a work of the Devill 34 In what cases lying is to be watcht against especially 36 Helps against the works of the Devil 38 Opposing the truth of God a work of the Devill 40 Opposing the children of God a work of the Devill 42 Generall helps to free men from the works of the Devill 44 Pomps and vanities of the world 46 Helps against them 48 The sinfull lusts of the flesh 50 Reasons of forsaking the works of the flesh 52 In what manner we must forsake the Devill the world and the flesh 54 Of the Christian faith 56 What it is to believe the Articles of Christian faith 58 Helps for the applying Christ to our own soules 62 The use of our believing the Articles of the Christian faith 64 What Gods will is and what to keep it 66 What to keep Gods will and commandement 68 The use of Gods word c. and how it must be heard 70 The manner of the right receiving of the Lords Supper 72 The manner how to pray and to fast aright 74 Vowing 78 Rules for vowing 79 The duty of simpathising 82 Rules for Edifying 84 Almes giving 85 Almes giving and mourning for the sins of the times 86 Helps to mourn for the Sins of the times 88 Of the Sabbath and morality thereof 90 Of the Sabbath and the duties thereof 94 Helps for sanctifying the Sabbath 96 Christian duties to be done in the week dayes 100 Rules of Resolution concerning 6 dayes Sermons 102 Opportunities of hearing discovered by conscience 104 Opportunities of hearing discovered by providence 106 Of reading and Christan conference 108 Of christian conference and daily payer 110 Of prayer in the family 112 Helps to establish a course of family prayer 114 Every one must have a calling 118 What calling to chuse 121 Whether a man may change his calling 122 How to be conversant about a mans calling 124 Recreation allowed and how far 126 Rules for Recreation 128 Of playing for money 130 Of our carriage alone 134 Helps against vile thoughts when we be alone 136 How to take care of our carriage in company 138 Rules for company 140 Duties to Superiours 142 Duties to superiours and inferiors 144 Of our carriage towards equalls 146 Of our carriage towards friends 148 Of our carriage toward enemies and strangers 150 Rules for our carriage in regard of our selves 152 Rules concerning meats and drinks 154 Whether lawfull to drink healths 156 Rules for apparell 160 Of fashions of attire 162 Against pride and vanity in apparell 164 Rules for a good carriage in prosperity 168 Rules for a good carrage in adversity 172 Directions for a good carriage in spirituall afflictions 174 Helps for our carriage in temptations 176 A comfort in all afflictions 178 Common breaches of the 1 Commandement 180 Common breaches of the 2 Com. 182 Common breaches of the 3 Com. 186 Common breaches of the 4 Com. 188 Common breaches of the 5 Com. 192 Common breaches of the 6 Com. 198 Common breaches of the 7 Com. 202 Common breaches of the 8 Com. 206 Common breaches of the 9 Com. 212 Common breaches of the last Com. 217 Infallible signes of a sincere heart 223 The first principles and most fundamentall points of Religion opened 234 Rules for a Christian way 299 Rules for the Sabbath-day 305 Rules for a christian carriage every day 310 Counsell for a christian carriage 317. FINIS