Q. 9. What is the fourth Sign of a weak Faith?

A. When a new Temptation makes us eafily let go Qur former Confidence, Luke xxiv. 21. But we trusted that it bad been he which should have redeemed Ifrael: and befides all this, to day is the third Day fince thefe Things were done.

Q. 10. What is the fifth Sign of a weak Faith?

A. The Prevalence of carnal Fears in Times of Trouble argues weak Faith, Matth. viii. 26. And he faith unto them, why are ye fearful, Oye of little Faith? &c.

Q. 11. What is the fixth Sign of a weak Faith?

A. Too much Carefulness and Anxiety about the Things of this Life, Matth. vi. 30. Wherefore if God fo clothe the Grafs of the Field, which to day is, and to morrow is caft into the Oven, fhall be not much more clothe you, O ye of little Faith? Q. 12. What is the first Benefit of a strong Faith? A. A ftrong Faith gives much Glory to God, Rom. iv. 19, 20. And being not weak in Faith, he confidered not his own Body now dead, when he was about an hundred Years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's Womb: He faggered not at the Promife of God through Unbelief: but was strong in Faith, giving Glory to God.

Q. 13. What is the fecond Benefit of a strong Faith?

A. It gives the Soul the ravishing Forefight and Foretaftes of Heaven upon Earth, 1 Pet. i. 8. Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom though now you see him not, yet believing ye rejoice with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory.

Q 14. What is the last Office Faith doth for a Believer in this World ?

A. It fupports and encourages him at Death by the Promifes, when all other Comforts fail, Heb. xi. 13. These all died in Faith, not having received the Promises, but having Leen them afar off, and were perfuaded of them, and embraced them, and confeffed that they were Strangers and Pilgrims an the Earth.

Of Saving Repentance.

Quest. 87.

WH

HAT is Repentance unto Life? A. Repentance unto Life is a faving Grace, whereby a Sinner out of a true Sense of his Sin, and Apprehenfion

Apprehenfion of the Mercy of God in Chrift doth with Grief and Hatred of his Sin, turn from it unto God with full Purpose of, and endeavour after new Obedience.

Q1. Who is the Author of faving Repentance?

A. The Spirit of God is the Author of it; the Heart by Nature is fo hard, that none but the Spirit can break it, Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27. A new Heart alfo will I give, and a new Spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the ftony Heart out of your Flesh, and I will give you an Heart of Flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, &c.

Q. 2. In what Act doth all true Repentance begin?

A. It begins in a true Sight and Senfe of Sin, and the Danger and Mifery we are in by Sin, A&ts ii. 37. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their Hearts, &c.

Q. 3. Why doth God work fuch a Sense of Sin and Misery? A. He doth it to make Chrift defirable in the Sinner's Eyes, that he may fly to him, Matth. ix. 12, 13. But when Jefus heard that, he jaid unto them, they that be whole need not a Phyfician, but they that are fick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth. I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice: for I am not come to call the Righteous, but Sinners to Repentance.

Q. 4. Is the Sight of Sin fufficient to Repentance?

A. No; there must be Apprehenfion of Mercy and Forgiveness with God, or elfe no Man can fincerely repent, Rom. ii. 4. -Not knowing that the Goodness of God leadeth the to Repentance. And this Mercy must be difcerned in and through Chrift,-Zech. xii. 10. —And they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only Son, and shall be in Bitterness for him as one that is in Bitterness for his first-born.

Q5. Wherein doth Repentance chiefly confift?

A Loa

A. It confifts in real inward Sorrow for Sin, as committed against God, Pfal. li. 3, 4. For I acknowledge my Tranfgref fions, and my Sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only have I finned, and done this Evil in thy Sight, &c. thing of ourselves for it, Ezek. xxxvi. 31—And shall loath yourselves in your own Sight for your Iniquities, and for your Abominations. And of our beft Duties as finful and infufficient Things, Ifa, Ixiv, 5, 6.—We are all as an unclean Thing; and all our Righteousnefs are as filthy Rags, &c.

Q. 6. Wherein else doth it confist?

A. In turning from Sin as well as grieving for it, Ha. lv. 7. Let the wicked forfake his Way, and the unrighteous Man his Thoughts, &c. Prov. xxviii. 13. He that covereth his Sins, fhall not profper, but whofo confefjeth and forfaketh them, fhall have Mercy.

Q. 7. Is turning from Sin fufficient?

A. No, that is but the negative Part of Religion, there must be alfo a fincere turning to God, Pfal. cxix. 59. I thought on my Ways, and turned my Feet unto thy Teftimonies, Acts xi. 23. And exhorted them all that with Purpose of

Heart, they would cleave uuto the Lord.

Q. 8. Is all Sorrow for Sin faving?

A. No, there is a Repentance that doth no good, Matth. xxvii. 3. Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he faw that he was condemned, repented himself, &c. And a Repen

tance unto Life, Acts xi. 18.-Then hath God also to the Gen

tiles granted Repentance unto Life.

Q. 9. What are the Signs of true Repentance ? A. Fear of Sin, Care to preferve ourselves from it, and Zeal to honour God by new Obedience, 2 Cor. vii. 11. For behold, this felf fame Thing that ye forrowed after a godly Sort, what Carefulness is wrought in you, yea, what clearing of your Selves, yea, what Indignation, yea, what Fear, yea, what vehement Defire, yea, what Zeal, yea, what Revenge? in all Things you have approved yourselves to be clear in this Matter. Q10. Is there a Neceffity of Repentance in order to forgiveness?

A. Yes, there is, and they are therefore conjoined in Scripture, Acts v. 31.-For to give Repentance to Ifrael, and forgiveness of Sins. And deftrruction threatned to the Impenitent, Luke xiii. 3. — Except ye repent, ye shall all likeswife perish.

Q. 11. What is the firft Inference hence?

A. That it is a falfe Doctrine which teaches us that Sins are actually forgiven from Eternity, and therefore no Need either of Repentance or Prayer, fave only for the Manifeftation of Pardon.

Q12. What is the second Inference hence?

A. That

A. That an hard Heart is a dreadful Sign of a loft State of Soul, Rom. ii. 5. But after thy hardness and impenitent Heart, treafureft up unto thyself Wrath against the Day of Wrath, and Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God.

Q. 13. What is the laft Inference hence?

A. That there is no Cause to despair of the vilest Sinner, feeing there is Power enough in the Spirit of God to break the hardest Heart, Ezek. xxxvi. 26.—I will take away the ftony Heart out of your Flesh, and I will give you an Heart of Flesh.

Of Chrift's Ordinances.

Queft. 88. Chrift communicateth to us the Benefits W of Redemption?

HAT are the outward Means whereby

A. The outward and ordinary Means whereby Chrift communicateth to us the Benefits of Redemption, are his Ordinances, efpecially the Word, Sacraments and Prayer, all which are made effectual to the Elect for Salvation.

Q. What makes any Thing become a Divine Ordi

nance ?

A. The Inflitution or Appointment of God, is that alone which makes a Divine Ordinance, Matth. xxviii. zo. Teaching them to obferve all Things whatsoever I have commanded

you, &c.

Q. 2. Are the Inftitutions of all Ordinances alike clear in Scripture.

A. No, fome are more explicitly and clearly revealed in Scripture than others; as the Lord's Supper more clear than Baptifm, but whatever hath Scripture Warrant in the Words or Confequence, is of divine Appointment.

Q3. May not Men institute Ordinances of Divine Worship?

A. No, this in Scripture is condemned as Will-worship, Col. ii. 20, 22, 23. Wherefore if ye be dead with Chrift from the Rudiments of the World, why, as though living in the World are ye fubject to Ordinances? &c. Which Things indeed have a Shew of Wisdom in Will-worship, &c.

Q4. Why cannot Man inftitute a Divine Ordinance?

A. He

A. He cannot do it, because it is the Prerogative belonging to Chrift's Kingly Office, Matth. xxviii. 20. Teaching them to obferve all Things whatsoever I have commanded you.

Q5. For what other Reafon cannot Man do it?

A. Because he cannot blefs them, and make them effectual to their Ends, but they will be in vain, Matth. xv. 9. But in vain do they worship me, teaching for Doctrines, the Commandments of Men.

Q. 6. Why are the Ordinances called Means of Sal

vation?

A. Becaufe by and through them, the Spirit of the Lord conveys Spiritual Graces into Mens Souls, 1 Cor. i. 21.It pleafed God by the foolishness of preaching to fave them that believe, 2 Cor. iii. 5. Not that we are fufficient of ourselves to think any Thing as of ourselves: but our Sufficiency is of God. Q. 7. Whence is the Virtue of Ordinances?

A. It is not in and from themselves, or the Gifts and Abilities of him that adminifters them, but from the Bleffing and Spirit of the Lord, I Cor. iii. 7.-Neither is he that planteth any Thing, neither he that wateretb, but God that giveth the Increase.

Q. 8. Do all God's Ordinances attain their End?

A. Yes, there is none of them in vain, but do attain their End, in the Salvation or Damnation of all that come under them, Ifa. lv, 10, 11. For as the Rain cometh down, and the Snow from Heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the Earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give Seed to the Sower and Bread to the eater: So fhall my Word be that goeth forth out of my Mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it fall accomplish that which I please, and it shall profper in the Thing whereto I send it, 2 Cor. 2. 15, 16. we are unto God a fweet Savour of Chrift, in them that are faved, and in them that perifh: To the one we are the Savour of Death unto Death, and to the other the Savour of Life unto Life, &c.

For

Q. 9. Are inftituted Ordinances the only Means of Salvation?

A. They are not the only Means; for God Men to Chrift without them, Acts ix. 4, 5. the Earth, and heard a Voice, faying unto him, e

can convert And he fell to Saul, Saul,

why