Truth, and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me.

Q. By whom, and after what manner, doth the Son reveal this knowledge?

2 9, 10,

II. 12.

A. But as it is written, Eye hath not Cor. feen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him; but God hath revealed them unto us by his fpirit: For the spirit fearcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, fave the fpirit of a man which is in him? Even fo the things of God knoweth no man, but the spirit of God. Now, we have received, not the fpirit of the world, but the fpirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

14. 26.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy John Ghoft, whom the Father will fend in my name, he fhall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, &c.

CHAP. II.

Of the Rule and Guide of Chriftians, and of the Scriptures.

Queft.-SEEING it is by the Spirit, that Chrift reveals the knowledge of God in things Spiritual;

B 2

Rom.

8.9.14.

fpiritual; is it by the Sprit that we must be led under the gofpel?

A. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if fo be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the fons of God.

I Thef. 4.9.

1 John A. But the anointing, which ye have re

not that

2. 27. ceived of him, abideth in you; and ye need any man teach you, but as the fame anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie; and even as it hath taught you, ye fhall abide in him.

Q. Is it an inward principle then, that is to be the guide and rule of Chriftians?

Heb. 8. 10.

But as touching brotherly-love, ye need not that I write unto you; for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. I perceive by this, that it is by an inward anointing and rule that Chriftians are to be taught is this the very tenour of the new covenant difpenfation?

A. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Ifrael; after those days, faith the Lord, I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their Ver. 11. hearts and I will be to them a God, and they fhall be to me a people. And they fhall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, faying, Know

the

the Lord; for all fhall know me, from the least to the greatest.

And they fhall be all taught of God.
Q. Did Chrift then promife, that the Spirit
Should both abide with his difciples, and be in
them?

John

6.45.

16, 17.

A. And I will pray the Father, and he John 14. fhall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it feeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwells with you, and fhall be in you.

Q. For what end were the Scriptures written?

A. For whatfoever things were written Rom. aforetime, were written for our learning, 15:4 that we through patience and comfort of the fcriptures might have hope.

Q. For what are they profitable?

A. Thou hast known the holy fcrip- 2 Tim. tures, which are able to make thee wife 16, 17. unto falvation, through faith which is in Chrift Jefus. All fcripture is given by infpiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for inftruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnifhed unto all good works.

Q. Wherein confifteth the excellency of the fcriptures?

A. Knowing this first, that no prophecy 2 Pet 1.

20, 21

B3

of?

John
5. 45,
46, 47.

of the fcriptures is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men. of God fpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft.

John

A. Search the fcriptures, for in them ye 5. 39. think ye have eternal life, and they are they which teftify of me.

Q. I perceive there was a generation of old, that greatly exalted the fcriptures, and yet would not believe, nor come to be guided by that, the fcriptures directed to: how doth Chrift befpeak fuch?

A. Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accufeth you, even Mofes, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Mofes, ye would have believed me, for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how fhall ye believe my words?

2 Pet. 3. 16.

Q. The fcriptures are then to be regarded, because they came from the Spirit, and they alfo teftify, that not they, but the Spirit, is to lead into all truth: in what respect doth Chrift command to fearch them?

Q. What ought fuch then to be accounted of, notwithstanding of their pretences of being ruled by the Scriptures?

A. In which are fome things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable, wreft, as they do alfo the other fcriptures, unto their own deftruction.

CHAP.

CHAP. III.

Of JESUS CHRIST being manifest in the
Flesh the use and end of it.

;

Queft.-WHAT are the fcriptures which do moft obfervably prophesy of Chrift's appear

ance?

A. The Lord thy God will raise up unto Deut. thee a Prophet from the midft of thee, of 18. 15. thy brethren, like unto me, unto him ye fhall hearken.

Therefore the Lord himself fhall give Ifa. you a fign: Behold a virgin fhall conceive 7. 14. and bear a Son, and fhall call his name Immanuel.

Q. Was not Jefus Chrift in being before he appeared in the flesh? What clear fcriptures prove this, against fuch as erroneously affert the contrary?

A. But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, Mic. though thou be little among the thoufands 5.2. of Judah, yet out of thee fhall he come forth unto me, that is to be ruler in Ifrael, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

In the beginning was the Word, and the John r. Word was with God, and the Word was 1, 2, 3. God; the fame was in the beginning with God: all things were made by him, and

without