Some PRINCIPLES and PRECEPTS of the Christian Religion.

Q. WHO made thee?

A. God made me, the world, and all things therein, and is Lord of heaven and earth ¹.

[Page 2] Q. Is it not the chief­est good to know God?

A. Yes: This is life eternal to know thee the only true God, and Je­sus Christ whom thou hast sent ².

Q. How may one attain to the knowledge of God?

A. By the revelation of the Son; for no man knoweth who the Son is but the Father, and who the Father is but the [Page 3]Son, and he to whom the Son reveals him ³.

Q. Where is the reve­lation of the Father and of the Son?

A. In Man. What is to be known of God is manifest in men, for God has shew'd it unto them ⁴. God has reveal'd them unto us by his Spi­rit, for the Spirit search­eth all things, yea the deep things of God ⁵.

[Page 4] Q. What is it that makes manifest?

A. Light: whatsoever makes manifest is light ⁶.

Q. Doth this light shine in man?

A. Yes: And the light shineth in darkness, but the darkness compre­hended it not ⁷.

Q. Is this light univer­sal, or doth it enlighten every man?

A. Yea: This is the [Page 5]true light, which light­eth every man that com­eth into the world ⁸.

Q. Is this light divine or human?

A. Divine: For in him [Christ the divine word] was life, and the life was the light of men ⁹. Then surely the life of Christ, who is the light of men, must needs be divine.

[Page 6] Q. Can't man be a light to himself?

A. No, can darkness be a light to itself? Man can be no more a light to his mind than he is to his body: as Cod has provided the sun a glori­ous light for the body; so himself is a far more exceeding light to the minds of all men, to whom the nearer they approach the more they partake of the enliven­ing [Page 7]beams of the sun of righteousness.

Q. How do'st thou prove this?

A. For ye were some­times darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord. God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts ¹⁰.

Q. Then should not we [Page 8]trust in God, and not lean to our own under­standing?

A. The wise man com­mands to trust in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not to thine own understanding. For he that trusts in his own heart, is a fool. We are are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing of our selves, but our sufficiency is of God ¹¹.

[Page 9] Q. Is then whole God, or whole Christ in every man?

A. No: Tho' the il­lumination or light comes from God and Christ: yet whole God and whole Christ is no more in eve­ry man, than the whole sun or whole air is in e­very chamber: so small a vessel of mortality can't confine him whom the heaven of heavens can't contain, that immense [Page 10]ocean of immortality and light inaccessible, which is every where present ¹².

Q. For what end doth this divine light shine in the dark hearts of the children of men?

A. God, who com­manded light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts to give us the light of the know­ledge of the glory of [Page 11]God in the face of his Son Jesus Christ ¹³. It gives a true discerning betwixt good and evil, comfort­ing in well-doing, and reproving for evil.

Q. How is that proved?

A. For every one that doth evil, hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. All things that are reproved are made manifest by the light. But he that doth [Page 12]truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God ¹⁴

Q. Doth Christ our Lord command us to believe in, and take heed to the light?

A. Yes: While ye have the light, believe in the light, that ye may be children of the light. The lamb is the light thereof, and the nations of them which are saved [Page 13]shall walk in the light of it ¹⁵.

Q. Were the apostles of our Lord directed to turn people to the light.

A. Yes: Delivering thee ( says our Lord to Paul) from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may [Page 14]receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctifi­ed by faith that is in me. This then is the message which we have heard of him and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no dark­ness at all ¹⁶.

Q. What benefits have they who walk in the light?

A. Very great and excellent ones; as, If we [Page 15]walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with an­other, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son clean­seth us from all fin; and our Lord says, I am the light of the world, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life ¹⁷.

Q. Did not the holy an­cients call this divine [Page 16]principle of light by many other names?

A. Yes, 'tis called the Grace of God which bring­eth salvation. 'Tis cal­led Truth, as, The law was given by Moses; but Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ: Also the Comforter and Spirit of Truth, as said our Lord; I will pray the Father, and he shall give you an­other Comforter, that he may abide with you for­ever, [Page 17]even the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him, for he dwell­eth with you, and shall be in you ¹⁸.

Q. Why hath it these different names?

A. To set forth its va­rious manifestations and operations in the soul of man.

Q. As how?

[Page 18] A. Because it enlivens, therefore it is called the Spirit; because it en­lightens, therefore it is called light, and because it renders the Spirit tru­ly gracious and accepta­ble in the sight of its Sa­viour, 'tis call'd the Grace of God and Spirit of Truth.

Q. But why are shey the same?

A. Inasmuch as the same divine properties [Page 19]are ascribed to one and all of them, 'tis plain it is the same and not ano­ther principle, proceed­ing from the father and the son, and leading all its followers to God a­gain.

Q. Can'st thou prove this briefly from the holy scriptures?

A. Yes, David long ago prayed, O! send out thy light and thy truth; let them lead me, let [Page 20]them bring me unto thy holy hill, and thy ta­bernacle. And the spirit of God strove with the old world ¹⁹. And in the new, a manifestation of the spirit is given to every one to profit with­al. When the spirit of truth (says our Lord) is come, he will guide you into all truth. He will reprove the world of sin [Page 21] &c. ²⁰. And the apostle to Titus, says, The grace of God that bringeth sal­vation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, right­eously and godly in this present world ²¹.

Q. If the saving grace of God appears to all, why are not all saved?

A. 'Tis not because [Page 22]the grace is not suffi­cient; but because all do not obey the bles­sed discoveries of this saving grace, light and truth; but some turn from them into wanton­ness, like truants, from this school of grace, they become neither disciples, nor learned in this hea­venly university. Such who rebel against, and quench the good spirit of God are the cause of [Page 23]their own destruction ²².

Q. Then this blessed principle is a divine guide and perfect teacher, see­ing it leads into all truth, moral and divine, in faith and practice, what hath it taught the holy artients?

A. Many wonderful and divine truths, re­corded in that best of all books, the holy scrip­tures [Page 24]of the old and new testament, which holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost ²³.

Q. For what end were the scriptures writ?

A. From a child thou hast known the holy seriptures, which are a­ble to make thee wise un­to salvation, thro' faith which is in Christ Jesus: all scripture given by [Page 25]inspiration of God, is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correcti­on, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be per­fect, thoroughly furnish­ed unto all good works ²⁴.

Q. What do these ex­cellent writings teach us concerning God the Father Almighty?

A. That there is but one God, who is an eter­nal [Page 26]Spirit, and must be worship'd in Spirit and in truth, that he is Almigh­ty, the Creator and Su­preme Governor of heaven and earth, and all things therein, and upholds them all by the word of his power, is every where present, and knows the secrets of all men, of infinite justice, wisdom, holiness and goodness ²⁵.

[Page 27] Q. What in particular do the holy evangelists teach concerning Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord?

A. That he the eter­nal word, took our na­ture upon him, and was like us in all things, sin excepted, that he was conceived by the holy Ghost in the womb of the virgin Mary, born in Bethlehem of Judea above 1700 years ago, preached many heaven­ly [Page 28]doctrines, which he confirmed by many won­derful miracles, and suf­fered a shameful death under Pontius Pilate the Roman governor, being crucified, dead and bu­ried in the sepulchre of Joseph of Arimathea, rose again on the third day, and ascended into heaven, where he sits at the right hand of God.

Q. Will not God judge [Page 29] the world by Jesus Christ?

A. Yes, God hath ap­pointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by him, even that bles­sed man Christ Jesus, ac­cording to their works; when all nations shall be gathered before him, and he shall separate the sheep from the goats, to the sheep, he will pro­nounce the joyful sen­tence, Come ye blessed [Page 30]of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; but to the goats that dreadful sen­tence: depart from me ye cursed into everlast­ing fire, prepared for the devil and his angels ²⁶.

Q. What do the scrip­tures teach concerning the Holy Ghost?

A. That it is the spi­rit [Page 31]of the Father, and of the Son, the Comforter and Sanctifier of all God's people, and that which reproves the world of sin, and that these Three, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one God, bles­sed for ever ²⁷.

Q. To what end do the scriptures ascribe the death and sufferings of our blessed Lord?

A. He was wounded [Page 32]for our transgressions, he was bruised for our ini­quities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. Christ also hath once suffered for our sins, the just for the unjust. By the grace of God he hath tasted death for every man. Who is a propitiation not for our sins only, but for the sins of the whole world. Whom God hath [Page 33]sent forth to be a propi­tiation thro' faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the re­mission of sins that are past, thro' the forbear­ance of God. When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God, by the death of his son ²⁸.

Q. How may we reap the benefit of Christ's death and sufferings?

[Page 34] A. By faith and obe­dience, for we are saved by grace thro' faith, and that not of ourselves, 'tis the gift of God. He became the author of e­ternal salvation unto all them that obey him ²⁹.

Q. Which is the true faith?

A. That which works by love and purifies the heart, gives victory o­ver sin, which separates [Page 35]from God, by which faith we have access to God, and without which 'tis impossible to please God ³⁰.

Q. Must obedience al­ways accompany true faith?

A. Yes, for faith with­out works is dead. And they which have believ­ed in God must be care­ful to maintain good works ³¹.

[Page 36] Q. What will be the end of those that obey not the gospel?

A. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance of them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ ³².

Q. Then are good works and holiness absolutely necessary?

[Page 37] A. Yes, Because God hath commanded them, and without holiness no man shall see the Lord. The unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God, who will ren­der to every man accord­ing to his works ³³.

Q. What is pure and true religion?

A. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father, is to visit [Page 38]the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world ³⁴.

Q. What are the spots of the world?

A. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, are not of the Father, but are of the world ³⁵.

Q. Who are of the true church?

[Page 39] A. Such as are accept­ed of God for his Son's sake, i. e. all that fear God and work righteous­ness, such as are sancti­fied in Christ Jesus, by the spirit of our God ³⁶.

Q. What ought a christian to seek after in the first place?

A. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be add­ed, [Page 40]for godliness is pro­fitable to all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come ³⁷.

Q. What doth the Lord require of man?

A. He hath shewed thee O man, what is good, and what the Lord doth require of thee; to do justly, love mercy, and to walk humbly [Page 41]with thy God ³⁸.

Q. Is it possible to keep the commandments of God?

A. Yes doubtless, for our merciful Lord and law-giver, would never command impossibilities, at the same time he de­clares his yoke is easy, and his burthen light, and his beloved disciple assures us, This is the love of God, that we [Page 42]keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous ³⁹.

Q. What gracious pro­mises are to them that keep his commands?

A. Blessed are they that do his command­ments, that they may have a right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. If thou wilt enter into life keep the commandments ⁴⁰.

[Page 43] Q. What is the first and great commandment?

A. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind; this is the first and great command­ment, and the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self. On these two commandments, hang all the law and the prophets ⁴¹.

[Page 44] Q. Why so, is love the fulfiling of the law?

A. Yes, Thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false wit­ness, thou shalt not co­vet, and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, thou shalt love thy neigh­bour as thy self, love worketh no ill to his [Page 45]neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law ⁴².

Q. Is not love the pe­culiar mark and badge of a christian?

A. Yes, By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to an­other. This is my commandment that ye love one another, as I have loved you. A [Page 46]new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another, as I have loved you, that ye also love one another ⁴³.

Q. What other gene­ral rule hath our Lord left, for our conduct to­wards all men?

A. All things what­soever, ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them, [Page 47]for this is the law and the prophets ⁴⁴.

Q. Why so?

A. Because 'tis not reasonable, that there should be one law for me, and another for o­thers; therefore I ought to think, speak of, and act towards others, as I would desire them to think, speak of, and act towards me.

Q. What enables us to [Page 48]keep the commandments of God?

A. The Grace and good Spirit of God, which leads into all truth; my Grace is suf­ficient for thee. I com­mend you to God, and to the Word of his Grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanc­tified ⁴⁵.

[Page 49] Q. How is an encrease of this spirit obtained?

A. By prayer and supplication: ask and it shall be given: seek and ye shall find. If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heaven­ly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him ⁴⁶.

Q. What is prayer?

[Page 50] A. 'Tis the speech or earnest breathing of the soul to the Almighty, whether exprest in words or not ⁴⁷.

Q. Did not our Lord teach his disciples to pray?

A. He gave them be­fore the plentiful effusi­on of the Holy Ghost, a most excellent pattern, quite contrary to those of the pharisees, which [Page 51]were long and abounded with vain repetitions.

After this manner therefore pray ye.

OUR Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy Name, Thy Kingdom come, thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Hea­ven, give us this day our daily Bread, and forgive us our debts, as we for­give our debtors, and lead us not into temptation, [Page 52]but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom, and the Power and the Glory, for ever. Amen ⁴⁸.

Q. How are Prayers to be performed?

A. They are to be fer­vent, short and sound, to proceed from the Spi­rit, and with a good un­derstanding, in deep hu­mility, in the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, [Page 53]with purity, charity, fer­vency and constancy ⁴⁹.

Q. Are we commanded to pray?

A. Yea. And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation ⁵⁰.

Q. Ought men to run [Page 54]hastily or rash to God in prayer?

A. No. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in hea­ven, and thou upon earth, therefore let thy words be few ⁵¹.

Q. Do we know what to pray for, and what helps us to pray acceptably?

A. No; no more than [Page 55]the apostle Paul, who tells us, notwithstanding our Lord's excellent pray­er aforesaid, that, We know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us, with groanings which cannot be uttered ⁵²

Q. Whose prayers doth God hear and answer?

A. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination [Page 56]to the Lord. But the prayer of the upright is his delight. God hear­eth not sinners; but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doth his will, him he heareth ⁵³

Q. Seeing sin separates the soul from God, what is the best preservative a­gainst sin?

A. The fear of God, and hiding his Word in my heart, How can I do [Page 57]this wickedness, and sin against God. Thy Word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin a­gainst thee ⁵⁴.

Q. Is Pride an abomi­nable sin?

A. Yes: A high look and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wick­ed is fin. Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord ⁵⁵.

[Page 58] Q. What follows pride?

A. Destruction: Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit be­fore a fall. The losty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haugh­tiness of men shall be bowed down ⁵⁶.

Q. Is there an eminent instance of it?

A. Yes, in Nebuchad­nezzar, When his heart was lifted up, and his [Page 59]mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him, and he was driven from the sons of men, and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses, they fed him with grass like oxen ⁵⁷.

Q. Do not the men of God pronounce woes and judgments upon the proud?

[Page 60] A. Yes. Woe to the crown of pride and to the drunkards of Ephraim: They shall be trodden down. God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, and all that do wickedly shall be stub­ble, and the day that cometh, shall burn them up, faith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall nei­ther [Page 61]leave them root nor branch ⁵⁸.

Q. Was and is the Lord offended at the proud and wanton dress and behaviour of his peo­ple?

A. Yes: a memorable instance is in the 3d of Isa. Moreover the Lord faith, because the daugh­ters of Zion are haughty and walk with stretched forth necks, and wanton [Page 62]eyes, walking and min­cing as they go, and ma­king a tinkling with their feet. Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will disco­ver their secret parts in that day, the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling orna­ments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon, [Page 63]the chains, and the brace­lets, and the musslers, the bonnets, and the orna­ments of the Legs, the head-bands, and the ta­blets, and the ear-rings, the rings and nose-jewels, the changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping-pins, the glasses, and the sine linnen, and the hoods, and the vails.

Q. What further Judg­ments did that prophet of [Page 64] God denounce against those haughty sons and daugh­ters of Zion?

A. And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell, there shall be a stink, and instead of a girdle, a rent, and in­stead of well-set hair, baldness, and instead of a stomacher, a girding of sackcloth, and burning instead of beauty: thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty [Page 65]in the war: and her gates shall lament and mourn, and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground ⁵⁹.

Q. What commands in the New Testament can be produced against the vain, proud and costly fa­shions of the times?

A. Many, of which take one from the apostle Paul, In like manner al­so that women adorn [Page 66]themselves in modest ap­parel, with shamesaced­ness and sobriety, not with broidered hair, or gold or pearls, or costly array, but (which be­cometh women professing Godliness) with good works ⁶⁰.

Q. Is not the aposile Peter of like mind?

A. Yes, While they behold your chaste con­versation with fear, whose [Page 67]adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel, but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves ac­cording to the former [Page 68]lusts in your ignorance. And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the re­newing of your mind ⁶¹.

Q. Gives the apostle a­ny reason for these com­mands?

A. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corrupti­ble things, as silver and gold, from your vain con­versation, received by [Page 69]tradition from your fa­thers. But with the pre­cious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot ⁶².

Q. Will God's children tell lies?

A. No: Surely, they are my people, chil­dren that will not lie, so He was their Saviour ⁶³.

Q. Why so?

[Page 70] A. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neigh­bour, for we are mem­bers one of another. Lie not one to another, see­ing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds ⁶⁴.

Q. Who is the father of a lie?

A. The Devil. When he speaketh a lie, he [Page 71]speaketh of his own, for he is a liar, and the fa­ther of it ⁶⁵.

Q. What is the end of liars?

A. A false witness shall not be unpunished and he that speaketh lie [...] shall perish. What shall be given unto thee? [...] what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue sharp arrows of the mi [...]ty with coals of juni [...] [Page 72]All liars shall have their part in the lake, which burneth with fire and brimstone ⁶⁶.

Q. Will good men har­bour liars?

A. No: he that work­eth deceit shall not dwell within my house. He that telleth lies shall not [...]rry in my sight ⁶⁷.

Q. Why so.

A. Because the Lord [Page 73]hates a lying tongue, and a false witness. Remove far from me vanity and lies ⁶⁸.

Q. Is it lawful to give flattering titles to men or to uncover the head, in way of honour and respect to persons?

A. No, because 'tis an outward sign of that honour we pay to the Almighty in our prayers. Every man praying or [Page 74]prophesying, having his head covered, dishonour­eth his head. Elihu faith, let me not I pray you, accept any man's person, neither let me give flat­tering titles unto man: for I know not to give flat­tering titles, in so doing, my Maker would soon take me away. With God there is no respect of persons, and James faith, if you have re­spect of persons you com­mit [Page 75]sin, and are convin­ced of the law as trans­gressors. How can you believe, said our Lord, that receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour which com­eth from God only ⁶⁹.

Q. But is it not the duty of young people to ho­nour their parents and elders?

A. Yes, the fifth com­mand is, honour thy fa­ther [Page 76]and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man. And let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour. But the eye that mocketh at his father and despiseth to obey his mother, the ra­vens of the valley shall [Page 77]pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it ⁷⁰.

Q. Wherein doth true honour consist?

A. In obedience from the heart, not in false flattery from the Lips.

Q. Must we not give true honour to whom it [...] due?

A. Yes: Render there­ [...]e to all their dues, [...]ibute to whom tribute [Page 78]is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour. Honour all men love the brotherhood fear God, honour the king ⁷¹.

Q. Why do certain christians differ from o­thers, in their speech using only thee and thou to one, and you to more than one?

A. Because it is evi­dent [Page 79]that thee and thou to a single person is sound, proper, and grammatical not only in the stile of the Holy Scripture throughout, without one exception, but also the common dialect of the first ages of christianity, and is still preserv'd in many countries to this day.

Q. How came in this corruption of speech of saying you to one, and calling the days of the [Page 80]week and months of the year by such heathenish names as are not to be found in holy writ?

A. This corruption of speech had an evil origi­nal, to wit, to flatter princes and great men, nay, some have so far de­generated from the scrip­ture form of sound words, that they have learn'd the ways and stile of the old pagan Saxons, in naming the months, [Page 81]and days of the week af­ther them, whereas we are forbid to learn the way of the heathen, for the customs of the people are vain. Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me ⁷².

Q. Is it lawful to swear, now in this Gos­pel-dispensation?

A. No: our blessed Lord saith, Swear not at [Page 82]all, neither by heaven, for 'tis God's throne, nor by the earth, for 'tis his foot-stool. And the a­postle James adds, But above all things my brethren, swear not, nei­ther by heaven, neither by earth, neither by any other oath, lest ye fall into condemnation ⁷³.

Q. Where doth anger rest?

A. In the bosom of [Page 83]fools: Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry, for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. But he that is slow to wrath is of great understanding ⁷⁴.

Q. Then ought not christians to put it away?

A. Yes: Let all bit­terness and wrath, and anger and clamour and evil speaking, be put a­way from you, with all [Page 84]malice. For where en­vying and strise is, there is consusion and every evil work ⁷⁵.

Q. What is the true and saving baptism of a christian?

A. The dipping, wash­ing or cleansing of the soul from the corrupti­ons and pollutions of sin. Even baptism doth now save us, says Peter, not the puting away of the [Page 85]filth of the flesh; but the answer of a good con­science towards God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ ⁷⁶.

Q. How many bap­tisms are to remain in the christian church?

A. One: As, one Lord, one faith, and one baptism ⁷⁷.

Q. Who is the bap­tizer?

A. John is decreased, [Page 86]and Christ must increase; Christ then is the bap­tizer either mediately or immediately. I (John) indeed baptize you with water, he (Christ) shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. And as I ( Peter) began to speak, the Ho­ly Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning ⁷⁸.

Q. Into what doth he baptize?

[Page 87] A. Into the Name (or Divine nature) of the Fa­ther, Son and Holy Ghost. For by one Spirit, we are all baptized into one Bo­dy. That by these, you might be partakers of the Divine Nature, hav­ing escaped the corrup­tion that is in the world, through lust ⁷⁹.

Q. What are the ef­fects of this spiritual baptism?

[Page 88] A. A death unto sin, and a new birth unto righteousness, they that are baptized into Christ have put on Christ, do obtain the answer of a good conscience, become new creatures and pure in heart, whereby they are blest with a sight of God, and his holy king­dom into which nothing that is unclean can enter ⁸⁰.

[Page 89] Q. Is this new crea­ture essential to salvati­on?

A. Yes: Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God ⁸¹.

Q. Of what seed com­eth this birth?

A. Being born again not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for­ever ⁸².

[Page 90] Q. What is the Lord's supper?

A. The soul's parta­king of the bread which comes down from hea­ven, and the wine of the kingdom, which Christ our Lord gives to those souls who hunger and thirst after righteousness ⁸³.

Q. What preparations must the soul undergo be­fore this heavenly supper?

[Page 91] A. It must be washed and cloathed with the wedding garment, the righteousness of Christ, which he puts on all his disciples who hear his voice and open their hearts unto him.

Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him and he with me ⁸⁴.

[Page 92] Q. Is it necessary to partake of this blessed supper?

A. Yes: Except ye eat of the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you ⁸⁵.

Q. What are the bles­sed effects of this heaven­ly supper?

A. The strength'ning and refreshing of our souls by the body and [Page 93]blood of Christ spiritu­ally received. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever, and the bread that I give, is my flesh. Who­so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day ⁸⁶.

Q. After death where are the souls of believers?

A. It is appointed unto [Page 94]men once to die, but after this the judgment. When we are absent from the body, we are present with the Lord. We have a house not made with hands, eter­nal in the heavens ⁸⁷.

Q. Is the death of the body a loss or terror to a good christian?

A. No: For to live is Christ, and to die is gain, the righteous has [Page 95]hope in his death. Pre­cious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints ⁸⁸.

Q. What shall they re­ceive who are sanctified thro' faith?

A. A crown of glory incorruptible, which fa­deth not away: an in­heritance amongst the saints in light with ful­ness of joy, in the pre­sence of God, angels and [Page 96]spirits of just men made perfect ⁸⁹.

Q. What shall be the portion of the wicked?

A. An eternal sepa­ration from God, and the spirits of the just, to be punished with hell torments. Where the worm dieth not, neither is the fire quenched. Ye shall die in your sins: whether I go, ye cannot come. Who shall be [Page 97]punished with everlast­ing destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his Power ⁹⁰.

Q. What believest thou concerning the day of judgment?

A. At the last day, all men, both just and unjust, shall appear be­fore the judgment-seat of Christ, to receive ac­cording to the things [Page 98]done in their bodies ⁹¹.

Q. What believest thou concerning the life ever­lasting?

A. The wicked shall be cast into hell-fire, and the godly shall be recei­ved into that glorious kingdom prepared for them from the founda­tion of the world, the one shall be eternally miserable, and the other blessed in the perfect en­joyment [Page 99]of God for ever and ever ⁹².