Therefore being juftified by Faith, we have Peace with God through our Lord Jefus Chrift.

Q5. Have all Believers Peace in their Confciences at all Times ?

A. No, they are always in a State of Peace, but have not always the Senfe of Peace, Ifa. 1. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord, and obeyeth the Voice of his Servant, that walketh in Darkness, and hath no Light? Let him truft in the Name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.

Q. 6. What is that which hinders the Senfe of Peace in Believers ?

A. Their Sins against the Lord, and grieving of his Spirit, lfa. lix. 2. But your Iniquities have Jeparated between n you and your God; and your Sins havé hid his Face from you, that he will not hear.·

Q. 7. What maintains the State of Peace when the Sense of Peace is loft?

A. Chrift's continual and potent Interceffion with the Father for us, I John ii. 1, 2. My little Children, thefe Things write I unto you, that ye fin not; and if any Man fin, we base an Advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrift the righteous.

Q38. What is the beft! Way to maintain our Peace with God

A. Strict walking by Gofpel-Rules, Gal. vi. 16. And as many as walk according to this Rule, Peace be on them.

Q. 9. Doth this Peace come and go with outward Peace? A. No, we may enjoy this when no Peace is to be had in the World, John xvi. 33. Thefe Things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have Peace; in the World ye shall have Tribulation, but be of goad Chear, I have overcome the World. Q. 10. What is the firft Inftruction from hence ?

A. That the Wicked are in a fad Cafe at all Times, but especially in evil Times, Ifa. lvii. 2c, 21. But the wicked are like the troubled Sea, when it cannot rest, whofe Waters caft up Mire and Dirt; There is no Peace, faith my God, to the wicked. Q. 11. What is the fecond Inftru&tion from hence?

A. That the chief Care of a Chriftian should be to keep his Peace with God, Jer. xvii. 17. Be not a Terror to me, Thou art my Hope in the Day of Evil..

Q. 12. What is the last Inftruction ?

A. Let

A. Let the Saints long to be in Heaven; the State of full and perfect Peace, Ifa. lvii. 2. He ball enter into Peow; they fhall reft in their Beds, each one walking in his Uprightness.

Queft. 1.

Of Foy in the Holy Ghoft.

}

OW many Sorts of Joy are there among

HoMen?

A. There is a fenfitive Joy, A&ts xiv. 17. Nevertheless he left not himself without Witnefs, in that he did good, and gave us Rain from Heaven, and fruitful Seafons, filling our Hearts with Food and Gladness. A finful Joy, Prov. xv. 21. Folly is Joy to him that is defiitute of Wisdom. And a fpiritual Joy, Rom. v. 11 And not only fo, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jefus Christ.

Q2. Why is fpiritual Joy called Joy in the Holy Gholt?

A. Because the Holy Ghoft is the Author of it, Gal. v. 22. But the Fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, &c.

Q. 3. What is the firit Thing begets Joy in the Saints? A. The firft Thing they joy in is, their Juftification before God, Ifa. xi. 10. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my Soul fhall be joyful in my God; for he hath cloathed me with the Garments of Salvation, he hath covered me with the Robes. of Righteousness.

Q4. What is the fecond 'Thing that breeds this Joy? A. Hopes of Glory breeds Joy in the Saints, Rom. v. 2. And rejoice in Hopes of the glory of God.

Q5. What is the Inftrument by which the Spirit conveys this Joy?

A. Faith is the Inftrument of it, Phil. i. 25. And having this Confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all, for your furtherance and Joy of Faith.

Q. 6. What is the firft Property of this Joy?

A. It is Joy unspeakable, and full of Glory, 1 Pet. i. 8. Believing, ye rejoice with Joy unspeakable, and full of glory. Q. 7. What is the fecond Property of it?

A. That it is not in the Power of Men to deprive the Saints of it, John xvi. 22. And your Joy no Man taketh from

you.

Q. 8. What is the third Property of it?

A. It makes the Soul free and chearful in the Ways of Obedience, Pfal. cxix. 32. I will run the Ways of thy Commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my Heart.

Q. 9. What is most deftructive to a Chriftian's Joy?

A. Sin, efpecially Sin against Light, Pfal. li. 8. Make me to hear Joy and gladness, that the Bones which thou haft broken may rejoice.

Q. 10. What fhould be the main Care of a Chriftian in this World?

A. To maintain his Joy in God to the laft, Acts xx. 24. But none of thefe Things move me, neither count I my Life dear to myself, fo that I might finifh my Courfe with Joy.

Q11. Have not Hypocrites their Joys as well as real Chriftians?

A. Yes, but the Joy of the Hypocrite is not grounded upon Scripture-warrant, and will vanith away, and will come to nothing at last, John v. 35. He was a burning and a Shining Light, and ye were willing for a Seafon to rejoice in his Light.

Q. 12. What is the first Inference from hence?

A. Let all that expect Joy in the Holy Ghoft, fee that they preferve Purity of Confcience and Converfation, 2 Cor. i. 12. Grace be to you, and Peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jefus Chrift.

Q. 13. What is the last Inference ?

A. That Religion is no melancholy Thing, but the Foun tain of all Joy and Pleasure, Prov. iii. 17. Her Ways are Ways of Pleasantness, and all her Paths are Peace.

Of the Increafe of Grace.

Quest. 1. DOTH all true Grace increase and grow?

A. Yes, it doth, like the Morning Light, Prov. iv. 18. The Path of the Juft is as the fhining Light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect Day. And for that End God hath appointed Minifters and Ordinances, Eph. iv. II, 12. And he gave fome Apostles, and fome Prophets, fome Evangelifts, and fome Paftors and Teachers; for the per

and

fecting

fitting of the Saints, for the Work of the Miniftry, for the edifying of the Body of Chrifti.

Q. 2. Cannot false or seeming Grace grow?

A. It may spring up and feem to flourish for a Time; bat comes not to Perfection, Luke viii. 14. And that which fell among Thorns are they which when they have heard, go forth, and are choaked with Cares, and Riches, and Pleasures of this Life, and bring no Fruit to Perfection.

Q. 3.

What is the first Respect in which Grace grows? A. It grows by deeper rooting itself in the Soul, Eph, iii. 17. That Chrift may dwell in your Hearts by Faith, that ye being rooted and grounded in Love, may be able, &c.

Q. 4. What is the Manner of its Growth?

A. It grows in Respect of its greater fitness and readiness for Acts of Obedience, Col. i. 11. Strengthned with all Might, according to his glorious Power, unto all Patience and Long-fuffering, with joyfulness.

Q5. What is the third Refpect or Manner of its Growth? A. It grows in Respect of its Abilities to fix the Mind more fteadily on fpiritual Things. Hence grown Chriftians are called fpiritual Men, Gal. vi. 1. Ye which are Spiritual reftare such an one in the Spirit of Meekness.

Q. 6. Why must all true Grace grow?

A. Because there is a Stature to which Christians are appointed, Eph. iv. 12, 13. Till we all come in the Unity of the Faith, and of the Knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect Man, unto the Measure of the Stature of the Fulness of Chrift.

Q. 7. What are the Causes of a Christian's Growth?

A. Union with Chrift, John xv. 4. As the Branch cannot bear Fruit of itself, except it abide in the Vine, no more can ye except ye abide in me. And his Bleffings on the Ordinances, Ifa. lv. 10, 11. For as the Rain cometh down, and the Snow from Heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the Earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give Seed to the Sower, and Bread to the Eater; so shall my Word be that goeth out of my Mouth, it shall not return unto me void, but it fall accomplish that which I pleafe, and it fhall profper in the Thing whereto I fent it. And Providences, Phil. i. 19. For I know that this fhall turn to my Salvation through your Prayers, and the Supply of the Spirit of Jefus Chrift.

I

Q. 8.

Q. 8. May not true Grace fometimes decay?

A. Yes it may, Rev. ii. 4.

Nevertheless I have somewhat

against thee, because thou haft left thy firft Love.

But not

utterly, 1 John iii. 9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin, for his Seed remaineth in him.

Q. 9. What is the firft Inference from hence?

A. To blefs God for Gospel Ordinances, Pfal. xcii. 13, 14. Thofe that be planted in the Houfe of the Lord, fhall flourish in the Courts of our God, they fhall fill bring forth Fruit in old Age; they fhall be fat and flourishing.

Q. 10. What is the fecond Inference?

A. Hence we fee the miserable State of them that grow worse and worse, Jude, verse 12. These are Spots in your Feafts of Charity, when they feaft with you, feeding themselves without Fear. Clouds they are without Water, carried about of Winds. Trees whofe Fruit withereth; without Fruit, twice dead, flucht up by the Root.

Q. 11. What is the third Inference?

A. Chriftians fhould not be difcouraged at their weakness in Grace, for they have a merciful Christ, Isa. xlii. 3. A bruifed Reed fhall be not break, and the Smoaking Flax, shall be not quench, be hall bring forth Judgment anto Truth. And a fure Promife, Job xvii. 9. The Righteous alfo fhall hold on his Way ;and be that bath clean Hands fhall be ftronger and ftronger. Q. 12. What is the laft Inference?

A. That all true Chriftians draw daily nearer and nearer to the heavenly and perfect State, 2 Cor. iv. 16. For which Caufe we faint not; but though our outward Man perish, yet the inward Man is renewed Day by Day, Rom. xiii. 11. Now is our Salvation nearer than when we believed.

Quet. I.

W

Of Perfeverance.

HAT is Perfeverance to the End? A. It is the fteady and conftant continuance of Chriftians in the Ways of Duty and Obedience, amidit all Temptations and Difcouragements to the contrary, Col. i. 23. If ye continue in the Faith, grounded and Jettled, and be not moved away from the Hope of the Gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every Crea

ture