Anrw. In fo far as therein we fee his love to us, in bringing us into his family, and pitying us, like as a father pitieth his children, Pfal. ciii. 13.

Queft. 1. How may it be faid to accompany or flow from SANCTIFICATION?

Anfw. In fo far as therein we fee his love to us in killing our corruptions, and quickening his graces, Rom. vi. 11, 14.

Quest. 12. How do you prove that the fenfible af furance of God's love is attainable?

Anfw. From the command to give diligence to attain it, 2 Pet. i. 10. and from its being actually attained by many of the faints; fuch as, Job, David, Paul, etc. Job xix. 25, 26. Pfal. lxxiii. 26. 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8.

Queft. 13. How are the faints brought unto this privilege?

Anfw. Sometimes by a track of holy and selfdenied diligence in the way of commanded duty, Ifa. xxxii. 17; and fometimes by the Spirit itfelf bearing witness with their fpirits, that they are the children of God, Rom. viii. 16.

Queft. 14. What may afford comfort to a believer, when, at any time, he lofes this affurance? Anfw. That the covenant stands fast withChrist; that the love of God is invariably the fame; and that he will, in his own time, return with wonted lovingkindness, Pfal. lxxxix. 28. Zeph. iii. 17. Isa. liv. 7, 8.

Queft. 15. What is incumbent on believers for recovering the affurance of God's love, when they have loft the prefent fenfe of it?

Anfw. To be humbled for fin, as the procuring caufe of the Lord's departure; to juftify God, and condemn themselves; and to wait, in the exercise of prayer and fasting, for the returns of his love, Pfal, xl. 12. Dan. ix 7, 8. Ifa. viii. 17.

Queft. 16. Of what advantage to believers is the. affurance of God's love? Anfw. It

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Anfw. It animates to the practice of every commanded duty; it fupports under all trials and afflictions; and it fills the foul with the love of God, because he first loved us, Pfal. cxix. 32. and xxiii. 4. 1 John iv. 19.

Queft. 17. How may we know if we have the well-grounded affurance of God's love?

Anfw. If it flow from faith acted on Christ in the promise, F.ph. i. 13.; if it fill the foul with an humble and holy wondering at the condescending goodness of God, 2 Sam. vii. 18; and if it beget ardent defires after nearer conformity to God bere, and the full enjoyment of him hereafter, I John iii. 2, 3.

Queft. 18. What is the difference betwixt a true affurance of God's love, and a falfe and presumptuous confidence ?

Anfw. True affurance makes a man more humble and felf-denied, Gal. ii. 19, 20.; but presumptuous confidence puffeth up with fpiritual pride and felfconceit, 2 Kings X. 15, 16.: the one excites to the practice of every commanded duty, Pfal. cxix. 32.; but the other encourages floth and indolence, Luke xi, 21. the man who has true affurance, wants to be fearched and tried as to the reality thereof, Pfal. xxvi. 1, 2.; but they who are stuffed with presumptuous confidence hate the light, neither come to the light, left their deeds should be reproved, John iii. 20.

Of PEACE of CONSCIENCE.

Queft. 1. What is peace of confcience?

Anf. It is the inward quiet and tranquillity of the mind, arifing from the faith of being juftified before God, Rom. v. 1.

Queft. 2. Why is peace of confcience faid to accompany or flow from juftification, adoption, and fanctification?

Anfw. Because

Anfw. Because none can have true peace of confcience who are not juftified, adopted, and fanctified; there being no peace to the wicked, Ifa. lvii. 21.

Queft. 3. When may we be faid to have that peace of conscience which flows from JUSTIFICATION?

Anfw. When the confcience, being sprinkled with the blood of Chrift, is fet free from the fear of vindictive wrath, Heb. x. 22.

Quest. 4. When have we that peace which flows from ADOPTION?

Anfw. When we have foul-quiet and compofure, thro' the faith of God's being our friend and father in Chrift, Jer. iii, 4, 19.

Queft. 5. When have we that peace which accompanies or flows from SANCTIFICATION?

Anfw. When we have the Spirit of God shining on us, in the exercise of grace, and affisting us in the performance of duty, Pfal. cxxxviii. 3.

Queft. 6. Whether is the peace of fanctification, or that of juftification most stable and permanent?

Anfw. The peace of fanctification, having many imperfections cleaving to it, is more fluctuating and unstable than the peace of justification, which is grounded upon a righteousness that is everlasting, and always the fame, Ifa. xlv. 24, 25.

Queft. 7. Have all believers peace in their conSciences at all times?

Anfw. They have ground of peace, being in a State of peace; but have not always the sense of it, Job vi. 4.

Queft. 8. What is it that hinders, or marrs, the fenfe of peace, in those who are in a state of peace ?

Anfw. Their not improving the promises, by faith, for promoting their fanctification; their fitting down upon prefent or former attainments; and their giving way to the temptations of Satan, who

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is an enemy both to their grace and comfort, Ifa. xl. 27, 28. Pfal. xxx. 6, 7. Ifi. lv. 11.

Queft. 9. What are the marks of true peace of confcience, which diftinguish it from carnal fecurity? Anfw. A ftated warfare against all known fin; and a fincere endeavour to please God; with a conftant fear of offending him, Pfal. cxix. 128, 165. Gen. xxxix. 8.

Of Joy in the HOLY GHOST.

Queft. 1. What is joy in the Holy Ghost?

Anfw. It is that inward elevation and enlargement of foul, which flows from the lively exercise of faith, feafting on Chrift in the promife, 1 Pet. i. 8.-----Believing, ye rejoice, etc.

Queft. 2. Why is this joy faid to be in the Holy Ghost ?

Anfw. Because the Holy Ghoft is the author of it, as perfonally inhabiting, or refiding in the believer, John xiv. 16, 17.

Queft. 3. What is the matter, or ground, of this joy?

Anfw. God in Chrift as the everlasting portion of the believing foul, Pfal. xvi. 5, 6.

Queft. 4. What are the properties of it?

Anfw. It is an hidden, permanent, and unspeakable joy, Prov. xiv. 10. John xvi. 22. 1 Pet. i. 8. Queft. 5. What are the peculiar feasons of this

joy?

Anfw. The time of fpecial manifestations after a dark night of defertion, Ifa. liv. 7, 8.; the time of tribulation for Chrift's fake, Acts xvi. 25.; the time of God's remarkable appearance for his church, Exod. xv. 1; and fometimes in and about the time of death, Pfal. xxiii. 4.

Queft. 6. When may believers be faid to have that joy in the Holy Ghost, which accompanies or flows Anfw. When

from JUSTIFICATION?

Anfw. When they have boldness to enter into the bolieft by the blood of Jefus, Heb. x. 19.

Queft. 7. When may they be faid to have that joy which flows from ADOPTION?

Anfw. When the Spirit itself beareth witness with their spirit, that they are the children of God; and enables them to cry, Abba, Father, Romans viii. 15, 16.

Queft. 8. When may they be said to have the joy that flows from SANCTIFICATION?

Anfw. When they have the teftimony of their confcience bearing witnefs to their fincerity, and to the uprightness of their aims and endeavours in all the duties of religion, 2 Cor. i. 12. For our rejoicing is this, the teftimony of our confcience, that in fimplicity and godly fincerity, not with fleshly wif dom, but, by the grace of God, we have had our converfation in the world.

Queft. 9. What are the figns and evidences of joy in the Holy Ghost, which diftinguish it from that joy which temporary believers, or bypocrites, may have fometimes in the word, Matth. xiii. 20.?

Anfw. Joy in the Holy Ghoft hath an enlivening, enlarging, humbling, and sanctifying influence upon the foul, Neh. viii. 10. Pfal. xlv. 1. Job xlii. 5, 6. 2 Cor. iii. 18.; whereas the joy of hypocrites hath no fuch effects.

Of INCREASE of GRACE.

Queft. 1. What do you understand by increase of grace ?

Anfw. The gradual advances which the faints are helped to make in the exercife of grace, and experimental godlinefs, Pfal xcii. 12, 13.

Queft. 2. Whereunto is the increase of grace compared in fcripture?

Anfw. Unto