XXIX.  
DIRECTIONS AND Considerations, stirring up to Watchfulness, where every Christian may get Armour in these dangerous times, to fight against Antichrist, and his Adherents.  
With Thirteen Principles of Religion;  
By M. Perkins: By way of Question and Answer.  
Showing, What necessity there is for all that are for Reformation, and are desirous to venture life fortune and estate, for Religion, King, Parliament, laws and liberties; against those who (if they prevail) will blot out Religion, and utterly destroy us all.  
Published by Richard Marsal Minister of God's Word.  
Set forth by Authority, and printed with Order.  
LONDON, Printed by Bernard Alsop. 1647.   

Thirteen Principles of Religion, taught by Mr. William Perkins, Preacher of God's Word in Cambridge; (deceased) and sent to his Son in Law john Hind, resident in London in the Burrow of Southwark.  
Q. WHat is your Happiness;  
Answ. To know God and myself.  
Quest What is God;  
Answ. A spiritual substance, every way infinite; goodness itself, creator and governor of all things: Distinguished into the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.  
Q. What art thou by Creation;  
Answ. A creature endued with the image of God. which standeth in righteousness and true helinesse.  
Q. What art thou by the fall of Adam;  
Answ. A sinner, and by my sins I have deserved everlasting death which is the destruction both of body and soul for ever, in the pit of Hell.  
Q. What are thy principal sins?  
An. Guiltiness in Adam's first offence and the disposition of my heart to every evil, with the innumerable fruits thereof in thought, speech and action  
Q. What is the remedy of these sins?  
A. Jesus Christ the Son of God made man, who was cruecfied upon the cross to redeem all mankind that was lost in Adam's disebedience in eating the forbidden fruit.  
Q. Sinner, how dost thou know that Christ was crucified for thee?  
A. By faith I believe that Christ was crucified for me and all believers, and thahe was made unto me wisdom, justification, sanctification, and redemption.  
Q. When doth this faith begin to be bred in thy heart?  
A. When I begin to be settled in the knowledge of the love and mercies of God in Christ and to hunger and thirst after Christ and his righteousness, above all the things of this world.  
Q. What is the means to begin and confirm this faith?  
A. The preaching of the word of God, reading reverend receiving the sacraments and prayer.  
Q. What is a Sacrament?  
A. A sign to represent Christ till he came, a seal to confirm unto me his death and resurrection, an instrument to exhibit Christ with all his benefits to all believers.  
qu. What is Prayer?  
A. A speech to God made in faith wherein I ask in the Name of Christ, things wanting, and give thanks for blessings received.  
qu. What owest thou to God for thy redemption?  
A. All thankfulness.  
qu. Wherein standeth thankfulness?  
A. In new obedience, which is to carry in my heart a constant purpose never to sinne any more but to endeavour to do the will of God, and that within the compass of my calling,  

An Exposition on Mr. Perkins his Thirteen Principles.  
THe high calling that every child of GOD is called unto, is not this temporal calling which God hath placed us in, but out Election standeth in obedience to know Gods will, and to know what we are by nature, the children of wrath and firebrands of hell, if we labour not to know God, and to be assured that Christ hath redeemed us from the second death, and that the ●ates of Hell should not preaile against us; therefore our true happiness is, to labour while we have time, to know our duty to God and man, and to labour to know, that of ourselves we are lost in Adamstransgression, and that Christ hath made us free citizens by his death and resurrection. For man by nature in himself. out of Christ, is the unhappiest of all creatures that God made: therefore in these sad and perilous times, we must fit ourselves for a better life, and whilst it is to day, harden not your hearts, but redeem your misspending time, for the days are evil: Broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be that find it; but narrow is the way that leadeth to everlasting life, and few there be that find that straight gate.  
Therefore to labour to know Christ crucified that you may be sealed for the day of redemption:  
First, fast not as Adam fasted in eating the forbidden fruit, for which he lost Paradise, for in this world Paradise is won or lost? Man's life is short, and frail, in comparison but a span long, therefore Christ bids us come buy milk without money or price, God's Word is sweeter than the honey or the honey comb: therefore let us taste the benefit that we have by Christ and let us relish that by belief, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the Patriarches, were justified: It wet not Aaron's beard alone, but drenched his beard throughout, and finally it did rain down his rich attire. How precious it is and joyful for to see Brethren to hold together in the love of Christ, in the bouds of Unity: and he that created us for this thing is God, who hath given us the earnest of his Spirit, For he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth, live unto themselves, but unto him: which died for us and risen again.  
Therefore all they that desire to be in Christ, let them deny themselves, and hunger and thirst after Him and His righteousness above all the things in the world: For old things are passed away, behold all things are become new, Now is the axe laid to the root of the Tree, every tree that bringeth not forth fruit, shall be hewn down and cast into the fire. Therefore let us deny our own righteousness, and cry out with Saint Paul; O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death;  
Therefore these thirteen Principles holds forth our happiness to know what the essence of God is, in creating the world.  
Secondly, to know what we are by Adam's disobedience in eating of the forbidden fruit the which all Mankind standeth guilty of (which is our original sin which we brought into this world) till we are grafted and baptised into Christ's Flock and made lively Members of the same.  
Thirdly, the mercies of God in Christ, that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head, and pierce his héel.  
All that by the eye of Faith lay hold upon this promise, are justified, and in fullness of time God sent his only begotten Son born of the Virgin, which was conceived by the Holy Ghost; of whose Life, Death and Resurrection, his twelve Apostles are witnesses: And to confirm his Death and Resurrection the night before he was betrayed (instituted at the eating of his Passeover) the Sacrament as a pledge.  
First in the breaking of Bread, which sets forth the breaking of his Body.  
Secondly he took the cup, drink ye all of this in remembrance that my body was broken, and my blo●d sh●d for you, and for many, for the remission of sins.  
Christ's sufferings upon the cross is our glorification, which frees us from the second death: Therefore while we have time, let us have recourse to God in his Ordinances, for the righteous man sinned seven times in a day: nay, seventy times in a day. Therefore, how much need have we to renew our covenant with God, and to forsake our sins and to loathe them, and condition with God to become new creatures, that the guilt of sin may be taken away.  
For Christ pressed upon man, so oft as you take this sacrament by belief you are healed, and renew your covenant with GOD, to become new creatures.  
Let us take heed that we put not off this precious time lest we be numbered with the Foolish Virgin's th●t while they went to buy Oil, the wise Virgins entered into the wedding chamber with the Bridegroom: so many put off this duty, excusing themselves that they are not fitted; that is the Devil's policy: First, labour to try yourselves what you are by nature, than the benefit you have by Christ; He bids us, To day if you will hear my voice, harden not your hearts, to morrow is not ours again: Christ saith, Come unto me, all that are weary and heavy laden, and I will ease you.  
Therefore, we ought to crave a blessing of GOD by prayer, on all dur endeavours, whether in our callings, or in our walking abroad, or what ever we take in hand, we ought always to pray to GOD for his blessing, and to desire his Kingdom to come, and his will to be done. For God requires nothing of us but thankfulness, and obedience to walk with him, with a purpose of knowledge of life: Therefore let us beseech the Lord, in mercy to open our blind understanding, and to guide us in the right way, th●t the commandments, the Articles of our Belief, and the Lords Prayer, may be a savour of life unto life, and not a savour of death unto death.  
Therefore let us remember our creator in the days of our youth 〈◊〉 adversity, before the evil days come or the years approach, when we shall have no joy in them, and to cast off our sins by repentance. For the Lord hath promised, he will not leave us nor forsake us hough we suffer for a season.   

Considerations exciting to watchfulness against Temptations and motions to sin,  
1 COnsider the glorious and dreadful, Majesty o● that God with whom thou hast to do he is a consuming fire, his commandments are to be obeyed, his threaten to be feared, his service not to be slighted, but to be performed with watchfulness and fear, etc.  
2 Consider thy sins, that in number exceed the hairs of thy head, in weight and measure the sand of the sea, the vileness of sin, the unthankfulness of thy sin in respect of that good God who hath done more for thee then for others.  
3 Weigh the fearful curses and punishments threatened against sin, and misery of this life, eternal ●ntolerable torments hereafter.  
4 Nothing melts the heart like love, ponder therefore the infinite love of God, and the rich grace of Christ taking thy sin upon himself, and bearing the wrath of his Father, which was due to thee.  
5 Awaken thy soul with meditation of the small number of those that shall be saved, the multitude of those that shall perish, the certainty of their damnation who carelessly despise, or wilfully abuse the grace of Jesus Christ to carnal security, orwilful continuence in known sin.  
6 Never call to mind the Devil's unwearied malice, violence, and subtlety, how he goes up and down like a roaring Lion, seeking whom he may devour, to whom it is easy to become a prey.  
7 Know the desperate corruption that is in thy heart ready to betray thee to the basest lust, and most abominable wickedness.  
8 What terrors of conscience what sharp and stinging scourges of outward crosses, sickness, pains, poverty, may God inflict to rouse thee out of thy spiritual slumber, if other means avail not.  
9 How unworthily hast thou rejected the commandment of God, whose mercy have been and are so abundant and free towards thee, with promise of more and larger mercies then for the present thou enjoyest.  
10 What snares and temptations thou art every day exposed to, by occasions ministered from the flesh within from the world without sometimes from the godly as well as from the wicked.  
11 Consider thy latter end the shortness of life, how it is subject to a thousand calamities, & nothing to be done for God or thy soul, after death.  
12 Meditate on the nobleness and excellency of thine immortal soul it is born to a higher employment than the service of a base lust, or of the vanishing world, that is not fit to put pebbles in a golden casket.  
●3 Often revolve in thy mind the infinite glory of heaven & that eternal happiness there kept in flore for them that fight the good fight of faith and finish their course and keep the faith, & look for the appearing of Jesus Christ.  
14 Be every day drawing some sweetness from the precious promises of all sorts for comforts of this life to them that love God, and forsake any thing for Christ, that all things shall work together for good to them, no good thing shall be withholden from them, and for any thing thou hast forsaken, thou shalt receive them in this world in the midst of persecutions, an hundred fold more, and eternal life in the world to come.  
15 Behold the experience of the sweet peace of conscience, and blessed contentation, and spiritual rejoicing in the midst of tribulations and persecutions that is found in many of the servants of God and withal profess to be certainly attainable by those that watch and pray and are sober, & exercise that faith and grace which the Lord hath imparted to them.   

Christian directions concerning duties in evell times.  
1 BE diligent to examine thyself whether thou art in the state of grace, or no, when we are like to be tried, it is wisdom to do it before hand.  
2 Strive with God to get thine heart weaned from the love of this pre●ent world; a thing which is but hanged on a pin, is ●oon heaved off; things glued together are hardly sundered, excessive love to the world makes the Cross ten times heavier.  
3 Be much with God in holy duties: when judas plotted against our Saviour, he prepared for the Passeover, and last Supper: let us be moved with reverence to use the means to have ourselves and our families say to God, Thou art my hiding place, enter into thy closet, shut the door to thee, hid thyself with God, until the indignation be over-passed.  
4 Pray earnestly that thou mayst enjoy the favour of God, which is better than life. It is intolerable to fear the wrath of God, and to be deprived of all comfort of the creature at once.  
5 Exercise thyself to keep a clear conscience towards God and man, that if crosses and troubles come to molest the outward man, yet thou mayest have sweet peace within.  
6 Acquaint thy felse with the precious promises: they will be as strong water to keep the from sainting in the day of trial.  
7 Get into thy heart the experimental know ledge and love of the truth: you can never suffer for that you know not, much less for that you love not.  
8 In evil times be forward to comfort and encourage others: for God hath a book of remembrance to write their names in, Mal. 3. 16. who often meet to commune together of the ways of God.  
9 Set before your eyes the joys of heaven, as Jesus Christ did, and Moses, and Paul, 2 Cor. 4. 17. and all the Martyrs, who for the name of Christ suffered tormenting deaths; our momentany sufferings shall be recompensed with eternal refresh.  
10 Spare not one sin unmortified: for the love of any one sin will work us more woe than all our enemies, and raise doubts and fears in us when others shall have comfort.  
11 Cast away all confidence in thyself, trust not to any righteousness or work of thine own; in his own strength shall no man prevail: boast not thyself of any thing in thee, but be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, Eph. 6. 10.  
12 Take heed unto thy words, The prudent shall keep silence in evil times: It is their wisdom to 〈◊〉 now before whom and w … that er●●hey speak.  
13 Exercise yourself in works of mercy, Cas● thy bread upon the face of the waters, though it se●m to be lost for the present, yet afterward thou shalt find it, Again, Give a portion to seven, and al●o to eight, because thou knowest not what days 〈◊〉 ●ome, take the present season to do good in, the merciful have the promise of mercy.  
14 Prepare for a Judgement before it come, forewarned by God's faithful watchmen, fore-armed; meditate upon the miseries which have befallen our neighbour nations, the Sword, famine, pestilence devouring thousands, and what do we know how God will deal with us.  
Those who slight God and Religion in prosperity, take up religion for credit, and will not endure small trials, they will not suffer the power of Religion to come into their hearts, nor will for religion and the truth, lay down their lives.   
FINIS,