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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

the Man Christ can be loved without having outwardly seen him or heard him by the same reason he can be believed and trusted in without the outward sight and hearing of him For further Information concerning Baptism and the Supper I refer to my Book called The Arguments c. against Baptism and the Supper Examined and Refuted Printed 1698. The CREED I Believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried he descended into Hell The third day he rose again from the dead he ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right Hand of God the Father Almighty from thence he shall come to judge the quich and the dead I believe in the Holy Ghost the holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints the forgiveness of Sins the Resurrection of the Body and the Life Everlasting Amen The Ten Commandments XX. Chap. Exodus I. GOD spake all these words saying I am the Lord thy God Thou shalt have none other Gods but me II. Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image nor the likeness of any thing that is in Heaven above or in the Earth beneath or in the Water under the Earth Thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting the sins of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate me and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my Commandments III. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain For the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain IV. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day Six days shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast to do but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God In it thou shalt do no manner of work thou nor thy Son nor thy daughter thy man-servant nor thy maid-servant nor thy cattle nor thy stranger that is within thy gates For in six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it V. Honour thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee VI. Thou shalt do no murder VII Thou shalt not commit adultery VIII Thou shalt not steal IX Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour X. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife nor his servant nor his maid nor his ox nor his ass nor any thing that is his The Lord's Prayer 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 trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS POST-SCRIPT BEcause I know there are many who will not allow that there is any Light generally in Men but that of meer Humane Reason and esteem any who think otherwise to be Fanatick and Enthusiastical I shall here insert some words out of a Printed Sermon of D. South on Luke 11. 35. vol. 3. which I judge worthy to be noticed well agreeing with what I have delivered in my fore-going Catechism on that Subject Pag. 47. 63. 64. 65. Other Protestant Authors I could cite asserting the same Pag. 68. Vol. 3. Some of the ablest of the Peripatetick School not without countenance from Aristotle himself in the 5th Chapter of his 3d Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hold That besides the Native Inherent Light of the Intellect which is essential to it as it is a Faculty made to apprehend and take in its Object after a spiritual way there is also another Light in the Nature of a Medium bearning in upon it by a continual efflux and emanation from the Great Fountain of Light and irradiating this intellectual Faculty together with Species and Representations of things imprinted thereupon According to which Doctrin it seems with great reason to follow That whatsoever interposes between the Mind and those irradiations from God as all Sin more or less certainly does must needs hinder the entrance and admission of them into the Mind and then darkness must by necessary consequence ensue as being nothing else but the absence or privation of Light For the further illustration of which Notion we may observe that the Understanding the Mind or Conscience of Man which we shall here take for the same thing seem to bear much the same respect to God which Glass or Christial does to the Light or Sun which appears indeed to the Eye a bright and shining thing nevertheless this shining is not so much from any essential Light or Brightness existing in the Glass it self supposing that that there be any such in it as it is from the Porousness of its Body rendring it Diaphanous and thereby fit to receive and transmit those Rayes of Light which falling upon it and passing through it represent it to common view as a Luminous Body But now let any thing of dirt or foulness fully this Glass and so much of the Shine of Brightness of it is presently gone because so much of the Light is thereby hindred from entering into it and making its way through it In like manner every act of Sin every degree of Guilt does in its proportion cast a kind of soil and foulness upon the intellectual part of the Soul and thereby intercepts those blessed irradiations which the Divine Nature is continually darting in upon it a little after I will not affirm this to be a perfect exemplification of the Case before us but I am sure it is a lively illustration of it and may be of no small use to such as shall throughly consider it And concerning the donation of a certain determinate number of Persons made to Christ to be his People by an Eternal Compact or Transaction between the Father and the Son by virtue of which Agreement or Transaction he was in the Fulness of Time to suffer for them and to accomplish the whole Work of their Redemption from first to last See pag. 415. of his Sermon on Isa 53. 8. where he hath these following words greatly worthy of notice For to affirm that Christ dyed only to verisie a Proposition That whosoever Believed should be Saved but in the mean time to leave the whole issue of things in reference to Persons so loose and undetermined That it was a question whether ever any should actually Believe and very possible that none ever might and consequently that after Christ had suffered had been striken and dyed for Transgression yet for any thing he had done in all this he might never have had a People this certainly is a strange and new Gospel and such as the Doctrine of our Church seems utterly unacquainted with See pag. 51. 56. of the fore-going Catechisme well agreeing to this ERRATA PAge 14. Line 8. r. invissible p. 16. l. 10. r. Serpent's Head p. 42. l. 27. after Heb. 11. 19. r. A. Yea p. 60. l. 31. r. Isaiah 28. p. 61. sor sy r. say p. 88. l. ult after the begin the Parenthesis p. 7. l. 24. sor is r. are p. 89. l. 16. r. 1 Mac. 4.

in their Sins and the Apostles are false Witnesses and Christ 's Prophecy who foretold his Resurrection on the third Day hath failed 1 Cor. 15. 13 14 15. Q. But may not his Resurrection be owned and not his Ascension into Heaven with the same Body A. The one cannot be owned without the other for if Christ 's Body did not ascend it did evanish or return to Dust and Christ Dyed again and his Body suffered Corruption which could not be for the Scripture witnesseth that Christ having once dyed dyeth no more Death hath no more dominion over him Q What Scriptures in the Old Testament foretold Christ 's Ascension A. Diverse places such as Psal 24. 7 8 9 10. Psal 47. 5. Psal 68. 18. Isaiah 52. 13. Gen. 49 9. Q. What Figure in the Old Testament did signifie Christ 's Ascension A. The burnt Offering the Smoke of which ascended straight upwards whence it has its name in the Hebrew from a word that signifieth to ascend Q Was not Isaack's being said on the Altar and afterwards being raised alive a Figure of Christ 's Death and Resurrection according to Heb. 11. 19. Q. Is there a real place above the Earth called Heaven into which Christ hath entred with his Body and whole glorified Manhood of Soul and Body A. Yea. Q How doth this agree with Scripture that saith Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15. 50. A. It is the same Body in Substance though changed greatly in Manner and Qualities from Natural or Animal Gen. 11. 12. Matth. 1. 17. to Spiritual from Mortal to Immortal such as the Bodies of the Saints shall be at the Resurrection Q. Why do we not see that Heavens with our bodily Eyes into which Christ 's Body is entered A. Because of the Weakness and Grossness of our Flesh and of our fleshly Sight which can scarce see the Body of the Air that we breath in nor behold the brightness of the Sun but when our Bodies shall be changed and made Spiritual at the Resurrection we shall see the glorious Heavens and also the glorious Body of Christ and the glorified Bodies of all the Saints in Heaven Q. Is there also a real place called Hell into which the Wicked both Soul and Body shall be cast at the Day of Judgment A. Yea which is that called Tophet Isaiah 30. 33. Which hath been ordained of old he hath made it deep and large the Pile thereof is Fire and much Wood the Breath of the Lord like a stream of Brimstone doth kindle it Q. What signifieth Tophet and why is it so called A. Tophet signifieth the beating of a Drum and was the place where the Idolatrous Israelites burned their Children and Sacrificed them alive to their Idol Molech where they used to beat Drums to hinder them from hearing the pitiful Cry of their Children therefore by a Metaphor Hell is called Tophet and by the like Metaphor Hell is called by Christ in the N. Testament Gehenna i. e. the Land or Field of Hinnon where all the Filth of the City of Jerúsalem was cast into that piece of Ground having formerly belonged to a Man called Hinnon Q. Why hath God so ordered it that as the place of Reward to the Saints and of Punishment to the Wicked should not be seen by us in this Life nor apprehended by any of our outward Senses so that none should come from the Dead to tell us of these things A. That thereby we might have the greater occasion for the Exercise of our Faith which is the Evidence of things not seen Heb. 11. 1. We have not only Moses and the Prophets Testimony concerning future Rewards and Punishments but the Testimony of Christ himself who rose from the Dead and hath given us in the Records of the holy Evangelists and Apostles in the New Testament full and sufficient Ground of Faith to believe these things to which the Spirit of Truth doth bear an inward Witness and who will not believe on such great Evidences nor would they believe if any should rise from the Dead to tell them Luke 16 31. Q. How is Christ the Object of our Faith for Remission of Sin and Justification is it as his Blood is shed in us and as he offers up himself a Sacrifice in us as some say to appease the Wrath of God A. Nay for all such Notion of Christ 's blood being shed in us and his offering up himself in us a Sacrifice for Sin to appease the Wrath of God is false and contrary to Scripture c. Q Is then Jesus Christ considered as he died for us without us and rose again and as he was the Sacrifice for our Sins by his Death and Blood that was outwardly shed the Object of our Faith for Remission of Sins and Justification A. Yea Rom. 10. 9 10. Coloss 1. 20. Heb 12. 2. Acts 10. 41. SECT VII Q. HOW doth Christ perform his Kingly Office A. By his various Administrations of it in the several Parts thereof Q. Which are the several Parts of it A. First Such as respect Angels both good and bad and the whole Creation Secondly Such as respect the World or that part of Mankind that do not belong to his Church Thirdly Such as belong to his Church Q. Hath Christ a Kingly Power and Government over all the good and holy Angels A. Yea Heb. 1. 6 7. Col. 2. 10. Eph. 1. 21. Phil. 2. 10. Mark 1. 25 9 25. Luke 4. 35 9 42. Q. Hath he also a Power and Government over the evil Angels and all evil and unclean Spirits and the Devil the Prince of them A. Yea as plainly appeared by the Power and Authority he used to cast forth the unclean Spirits out of the Bodies of many that were Possessed Q. Hath Christ also a Kingly Power and Government over Heaven and Earth and the whole Creation A. Yea as is evident from his own words that all Power in Heaven and Earth was his being given him of the Father Matth. 28. 18. Matth. 8. 26 27. Mark 2. 27 28. Acts 10. 36. And which he shewed by his commanding the Winds and the Seas and the great Miracles which he wrought who as he was Lord of the Sabbath so he was Lord of all Creatures Q. How doth Christ put forth his Kingly Power and Government over Devils and wicked Men seeing they are Disobedient to him A. By restraining and limiting their Power over-ruling their evil Designs and Actions and causing them to turn to his Glory and the Glory of his Father and to the good of his chosen and lastly by Judging and Punishing them at the last day Psal 76. 10. Rom. 8. 28. Acts 17. 31. Matth. 8. 29. Q. How doth Christ perform his Kingly Office over the World or that part of Mankind that do not belong to his Church and neither are nor shall become Members of it but remain Impenitent to the last A. By giving them a righteous Law universally in their

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

in all Men and more specially in the Faithful it being generally acknowledg'd not only by Christians but by Heathen Poets Orators and Philosophers that God and his Word and Spirit is in all the Creatures and as it is said in the Book called Wisdom Gods incorruptible Spirit is in all things Wisdom 12. 1 So that there is no Goodness or Virtue or Excellency that is in either Stone Metal Vegetable or Animal but God is the Author and first Cause of it and that not as at a distance or without things only but as near yea so near that as God is in all things so all things are in him and in him we live and move and have our Being and therefore as God is Light essentially in and to himself so by an easie Metonymie God and Christ may be said to be a Light to and in all Men as the Cause and Author of all the Light that Men have universally and more especially he is in and to the Faithful their Light as David said The Lord is my Light and my Salvation Psal 27. 1. enlightning them with greater and more high and noble Illuminations and Lights than he doth other Men and so is a true Cause of their Salvation as their Light in them but not the only Cause as within them but also as in Christ God-man without them and together with him their great High Priest Mediator Advocate Head of divine Influence and spiritual Nourishment c. Q. But if God and Christ be a Light in Men then what need is there of any thing else without Men What need of Christ God-man without them to enlighten them seeing they have God and Christ in them A. The Presence and In-being of one Cause takes not away the Influence Virtue and Operation of another Cause as it were a false Argument to say God is in a Field of Earth as the great Cause of its fruitfulness and therefore that Field will produce Corn without Seed and without Dew and Rain from Heaven and without the Influence of the Sun all which are external second Causes even as false it is to argue God and Christ considered as the Word is in every Man and in the Saints and Operates in them therefore they need not Christ considered as God-man the Word made Flesh their High Priest Mediator Advocate and Propitiation in Heaven without them or any influence of heavenly Dow Rain or Warmth from him that Sun of Righteousness in whom the Fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily who is full of Grace and Truth and of whose Fulness as said John we all receive and Grace for Grace Q. I● it not therefore a great Error in them who blame that assertion that the Light Within whether in Saints or Heathens is not sufficient to Salvation without something else that something else being understood to be the Man Christ who is both God and Man and the Sacrifice of himself by his Death on the Cross his Resurrection Ascension and Intercession for us in Heaven all which are something else than the Light Within whether in Saints or Heathens A. Yea and 't is a downright setting Deism and Hethenism in opposition to Christianity and a subversion of it Q. But did not Christ say to Paul 2 Cor. 12. 9. My grace is sufficient for thee and was not that Grace in Paul and if sufficient what need any thing else A. The Grace of Christ was in Paul but in measure and in Christ in all fulness and tho' the present measure of Grace that was in Paul was sufficient for that present time yet not without Christ as a Man's Hand is sufficient to handle a Pen and Write or do other Work but not without the Man himself nor was that measure sufficient for all time to come but Paul needed a daily supply of more Grace out of Christ's fulness as the Bread we received last Work and the Drink we then drank will not satisfie us now without a new supply of daily Bread and Drink so nor will the measure of Grace given the last Week or Day suffice to Day but we need daily to pray in respect of our spiritual Bread from Heaven Give us this day our daily Bread or as some think it better translated Give us this day the Bread of our Sustinence or Sustentation Q. Hath the Grace of God and of Christ then as it signifieth an inward Principle that he giveth to Men its several measures A. Yea it hath as Paul said to every of us ●s Grace given according to the measure of the Gift of Christ Eph. 4. 7. Q. Hath the Spirit of God any measures or parts A. Properly speaking nay For the Spirit of God is one and the same Infinite Being with God and God has no Measures Parts nor Passions Q. Is then the Grace of God a distinct thing from the Spirit of God A. Yea though not divided or separated there-from Q. How then are we to understand that manner of Speech used by some that one hath a greater or lesser measure of the Spirit than another A. Not as with respect to himself but with respect to the Gifts and Graces thereof also when the Spirit is said to be quenched that cannot be understood of the Spirit himself but of his Operations Q. How is the Scripture to be understood that saith the Holy Ghost was sent down by Christ upon the Apostles for seeing the Holy Ghost is that Infinite Spirit and is every where present he is not capable of any local motion of Descent or Ascent A. That Descent is also to be understood not with respect to himself but his Gifts and Graces Q. What are the saving Graces and Gifts of Christ and of the Holy Spirit Are they not an inward Seed and Principle of a spiritual and holy Life the same that John calls the Seed of God 1 John 3. 9. and Peter the Incorruptible Seed of which the Children of God are Born 1 Pet. 1. 23. containing all the Virtues Graces and Fruits of the Spirit in it Seminally as Faith Hope Love Temperance Patience Humility Meekness c. Even as the several Parts and Fruits of a Tree are contained in the S●●d o● it which Seed is by Christ Jesus infused into the Souls of the Faithful to be in them a Principle of spiritual Life and of holy Living and Acting A. Yea. Q. But is not the Word and Doctrin of the Gospel outwardly Preached called the Seed by Christ himself Matth. 13. 19. A. It is so called partly Metaphorically and partly by a Metonymie where the Thing containing receives the Name of the thing contained the External Word and Doctrin being as it were the Conduit whereby the Seed of God's Grace is conveyed into the Soul and whereby that Seed doth Operate in the Souls of Men for their Regeneration who receive it with Faith and Love Q. How and whence have the Faithful the Holy Spirit given unto them of God Is it not by and through Christ considered

and though there be ever so much good Water in the River without me yet if I drink not of it and have not some of it within me I cannot be refreshed nor satisfied nor can I live by all the Water that is in the River or Fountain without me unless I receive of it within me to refresh me But if there were no Water in the River without me I could have none to drink and receive within me but behoved to perish for thirst SECT XI Q. WHen we feel a great thirst and want of the Water of Life within us how are we to receive a supply to refresh and satisfie our thirsty Souls A. By asking it of God through Christ and praying to God in the Name of Christ with true Faith Q. How are we to pray to God and Christ whether as God and Christ are within us or without us or as both within us and without us A. We are to pray to God as he is Omnipresent who is above All and through All and in All as well as that he is Omniscient i. e. knowing all things and Omnipotent i. e. able to do all things and as the Saints Recorded in Scripture prayed to God in Heaven because that is the most glorious Place where he reveals his greatest Glory and is his Throne so they prayed to him who is the Great and Holy One in the midst of them And Christ promised to be in the midst of them that should meet together in his Name according to his spiritual Presence with them and in them Eph. 4. 6. 1 Kings 8. 23. 30. 39. 43. 49. 2 Chron. 6. 14. 21. 23. 25. Psal 46. 5. Psa 12. 6. Zeph. 3. 5. 17. Joel 2. 27. Ezek. 43. 7. Zech. 2. 10. 11. Matth. 18. 20. Q. Ought we not in all our Prayers Adorations and Thanksgivings to direct the Eyes of our Minds by Faith to God especially as dwelling in the glorified Manhood-nature of Christ without us in Heaven and also to Christ God-man in Heaven who in respect of his Bodily Presence is only in Heaven and is in us by his Spiritual Presence and gracious Influences A. Yea. Q. What Type was there of this in the Old Testament A. The Children of Israel when-ever they prayed being remote from it were to direct their Faces towards the Temple of Jerusalem 1 Kings 8. 29. 30. 38. 42. 48. Which Temple was a Type of our Lord's Body and Manhood-nature in Heaven to which our Minds by Faith and Love should be turned when we pray to God and Christ which yet doth not hinder but that we should and ought to pray to God and Christ spiritually Present with us and in us whose Presence filleth Heavens and Earth and who is not a God afar off only but a God nigh at hand a present and ready help to help and relieve us at all times Q. What Type was there in the Old Testament of Christ's Intercession for us in Heaven A. Moses's Intercession for the Children of Israel in the Mount who prevailed against Amaleck their great Adversary below while Moses in the Mount held up his Hands Exod. 17. 11. 12. making Intercession for them even so by Christ's continual Intercession for us in Heaven we have not only acceptance of God but receive power to overcome our Sins and Lusts and the Devil and all his Tentations that assault us here on Earth which were it not for Christ's continual Intercession for us in Heaven we could never do Q. Doth the Man Christ now in Heaven hear our Prayers whether uttered in Words or conceived in our Minds and knoweth all our afflictions tryals and exercises A. Yea certainly and his tender Heart and Soul is touched therewith for we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our Infirmities Heb. 4. 15. And seeing we have this great High Priest that is passed into the Heavens let us hold fast our Profession and let us come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtain Mercy and find Grace to help in time of need Heb. 4. 14. 16. Q. Are Saints or Angels to be prayed unto A. Nay Rev. 22. 9. Q. Seeing we cannot pray acceptably to God nor profitably to our selves without the present Aid and Assistance of the Spirit of God ought we not at all times to wait with inward attention to that Assistance to help us to pray and in our praying A. Yea Eph. 6. 18. Q. Is that Aid and Assistance of the Spirit perceptible to the Souls of the Faithful so as to be felt and discerned by them A. Yea when the Mind is in a right frame Q. Seeing it is possible that a Man may take that for an inward assistance of the Spirit of God which is not really such but some deception of Satan or strong imagination and on that mistake may have a false joy and counterfeit refreshment how is he to be helped in that Case A. Though the use of outward means is good in their place as Reading Conference Advice from others of greater Spiritual Experience and Attainments and examining both the Case and a Man 's own Sincerity by the outward help of the holy Scriptures yet a Spiritual discerning given of God is most necessary for his help 〈…〉 prevent a Man's being deceived and ●●●…ceived to discover the deception to him Heb. 5. 14. Q. Can it be supposed that any of the Faithful will want that assistance of the Spirit either to pray or give thanks or perform any religious Service that is their Duty to perform to God upon all occasions that their state and condition requires of them whether in private or publick in some measure or degree that God will accept A. Nay Q. Is it not therefore a great Error and Sin in them who omit Prayer and Thanksgiving and other religious Exercises upon that pretence and excuse that they want the motion and assistance of the Spirit thereunto A. Yea Jerem. 10. 25. Q. But ought we not to take great Care to have our Hearts and Minds in some prepared frame in order to Prayer or any other religious Exercise A. Yea. Q. How is that Preparation obtained A. Partly by internal Silence and partly by Meditation Q. How by internal Silence A. By suppressing and silencing not only all worldly Thoughts but all Self-thinking Self-willing and Self-acting whatsoever Note by Self-thinking Self-willing and Self-acting here is understood whatever a Man Thinks Wills or Acts by his meer natural strength of Mind without the gracious Aids and Assistances of the Holy Spirit all which do but Cloud and Vail the understanding and weaken and hinder the exercise of our Graces and the more Noble Faculties and Powers of our Souls and quench the Motions and Operations of the Holy Spirit Q. Is such an internal Silence possible and have any attained to it A. It is not only possible but many have attained to it and it is very necessary to attain to it which is gradually obtained and