why perfecuteft thou me? And he said, who art thou, Lord! And the Lord faid, I am Jefus whom thou perfecuteft: It is hard for thee to kick against the Pricks. But they are the ordinary ftanding Means, Rom. x. 14, 15. How then fhall they call on him in whom they have not believed: and bow shall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a Preacher? and how shall they preach except they be fent? &c.

Q. 10. To whom are the Ordinances made effectual to Salvation?

A. To all God's Elect they are effectual tó Salvation, and to them only, A&ts xiii. 48.--As many as were ordained to eternal Life, believed, John x. 26. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my Sheep, &c.

Q. 11. What is the first Instruction from hence?

A. That great Freparation is due to all the Ordinances before we engage in them, Job xi. 13, 14. If thou prepare thine Heart, and ftretch out thy Hand towards him. If Iniquity te in thine Hand, put it far away, and let not Wickedness dwell in thy Tabernacles, 1 Chron. xxix. 18. And prepare Heart unto thee.

their

Q. 12. What is the fecond Inference from hence? A. That great Reverence is due to God's: Ordinances, when we are actually engaged in the Ufe of them, Pfal. lxxxix. 7. God is greatly to be feared in the Assembly of the Saints: and to be had in Reverence of all them that are about

him.

Q. 13. What is the third Inference from hence?

A. That thofe People that want Ordinances, are in a fad and deplorable Condition, Eph. ii. 11, 12. Wherefore remember that ye being in Time paffed Gentiles in the Flesh, who are called uncircumcifion by that which is called the Circumcifion in the Flesh made by Hands; that at that Time ye were without Chrift, being aliens from the Commonwealth of Ifrael, and Strangers from the Covenants of Promife, having no Hope, and

without God in the World.

Q. 14. What is the laft Inftruction hence?

A. That thofe that perish in the midst of Ordinances, Means of Salvation, will perifh with aggravated perdition, Matth. xi. 23 And thou Capernaum, which art exalted unto Heaven, fhall be brought down to Hell; for if the mighty Works,

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which

which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would . have remained until this Day.

Quest. 89.

Of the Word read and heard.

H

OW is the Word made effectual to Salvation ?

A. The Spirit of God maketh the Reading, but efpecially the Preaching of the Word, an effectual Means of convincing and converting Sinners; and building them up in Holiness and Comfort, through Faith unto Salvation?

Q. What mean you by the Word?

A. By the Word is meant the Word of God, configned to Writing in the Books of the Old and New Testament, which though it be miniftred by Men, yet it is no other than the very Word of God, and as fuch to be received, 1 Theff. ii. 13. For this Caufe also thank we God without ceafing, because when ye received the Word of God, which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the Word of Men: but (as it is in Truth) the Word of God, &c.

Q. 2. Whence is the Efficacy of this Word?

I

A. It is wholly from the Spirit of God that it becomes effectual to any Man's Salvation, 1 Cor. iii. 6. I have planted, and Apollo watered, but God gave the Increase. So then neither is he that planteth any Thing, neither he that watereth ; but God that giveth the Increase.

Q3. Is the reading of the Scripture an Ordinance of God for Mens Salvation?

A. Yes, it is, Deut. xvii. 19. And it shall be with him, and be hall read therein all the Days of his Life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the Words of this Law, and thefe Statutes to do them. And in reading of it, God fometimes comes in by his Spirit to Mens Converfion, Acts viii. 27, 28, 29. And be arofe and went, and behold a Man of Ethiopia, an Eunuch of great Authority under Candace Queen of the Ethiopians, who had the Charge of all her Treafure, and had come to Jerufalem for to worship, was returning, and fitting in bis Chariot, read Ifaias the Prophet. Then the Spirit Jaid to Philip, go near, and join thyself to his Chariot, &c. Q4. Is the hearing of the Word a Means of Salvation?

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A. Yes,

A. Yes, it is, Ifa. lv. 3. Incline your Ear, and come unte me; hear, and your Soul hall live, &c. 1 Cor. i. 21. It pleafed God by the Foolishness of Preaching to save them that believe?

Q. 5. To what End is the Word ufeful to Men?

A. The firft End and Ufe of the Word is to convince Men of their Sin and Mifery out of Christ, 1 Cor. xiv. 24, 25. But if all Prophefy, and there conie in one that believeth not, or one unlearned: he is convinced of all, he is judged of all. And thus are the Secrets of his Heart made manifeft, &c.

Q. 6. What is it ufeful for befides Conviction?

A. 'Tis ufeful for Converfion, as well as Conviction, Pfal. xix. 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the Soul, &c. Acts xxvi. 18.-To turn them from Darknefs to Light, and from the Power of Satan unto God, &c.

Q. 7. Doth the Word convince and convert all that hear it?

A. No, but thofe only that are ordained to eternal Life, Acts xiii. 48. As many as were ordained to eternal Life be

lieved.

Q. 8. What elfe is the Word ufeful for?

A. To build up the Saints to Perfection in Chrift, Eph. iv. 11, 12, 13. And he gave fome Apofiles, and fome Prophets, and fome Evangelifts, and fome Paftors and Teachers; for the perfecting of the Saints, for the Work of the Miniftry, for the edifying of the Body of Chrift: Till we all come in the Unity of the Faith, and of the Knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfeat Man; unto the Measure of the Stature of the Fulness of Chrift, A&ts xx. 32. And now Brethren, I commend you to God, and to the Word of his Grace, which is able to build you up, and give you an Inheritance among all them that are fanctified.

Q. 9. May the common People read the Scriptures?

A. Yes, it is a Duty commanded by Chrift, Joh. v. 39. Search the Scriptures, &c. and commended by the Apoffle, Acts xvii. 11. These were more noble than thofe in Theffalonica, in that they received the Word with all Readiness of Mind, and Jearched the Scriptures daily, whether thofe Things were fo.

Q. 10. Is it their Duty of Liberty alfo to preach it?

A. No, it is not, for befides Abilities for that Work, there muit be a Call, Rom. x. 14, 15.-How shall they bear without

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without a Preacher, and how fall they preach except they be Jent? &c.

Q. 11. What is the firft Inftruction from hence?

A. That the Enjoyments of the Scripture, and an able faithful Ministry to expound and apply them, is a special Mercy to any People, Pial cxlvii. 19, 20. He fheweth his Word unto Jacob, his Statutes and Judgments unto Ifrael, he bath not dealt fo with any Nation, and as for his Judgments they have not known them.

Q. 12. What is the fecond Inftruction?

A. That Men cannot expect Special and Spiritual Bleffings from God in the wilful Neglect of the Ordinances, Prov. xxviii. 9. He that turneth away his Ear from hearing the Law, even his Prayer shall be Abomination.

Q. 13. What is the third Inference?

A. That fad is their Condition, who fit all their Days under the Word to no Purpose at all, 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. If our Goffel te bid, it is hid to them that are loft: In whom the God of this World hath blinded the Minds of them which believe not, left the Light of the glorious Gospel of Chrift, who is the Image of God, fhould fhine into them.

Q. 14. What is the last Inference?

A. That Chrift's Ordinances and Minifters fhould be most welcome to the People to whom God fends them, Ifa. Jii. 7. How beautiful upon the Mountains are the Feet of him that bringeth good Tidings, that publisheth Peace, that publisheth Salvation, that faith unto Zion, thy God reigneth

Of the Manner of Hearing.

Quest. 90. H

OW is the Word to be read and heard, that it may become effectual to Salvation? A. That the Word may become effectual to Salvation, we must attend thereto with Diligence, Preparation and Prayer, receive it with Faith and Love, lay it up in our Hearts, and practise it in our Lives..

Q. 1. If the Matter we read or hear be good, is not that enough for Salvation?

A. No, God requires that the Word be read and heard in a due Manner, and the Manner of hearing is of fpecial ReM 3 gard

gard with God, Luke viii. 18. Take heed therefore how ye bear, &c.

Q2. How many Things belong to the due Manner of Hearing?

A. Three Sorts of Duties belong to it; fome antecedent, as, Preparation and Prayer; fome concomitant, as due Diligence and Retention; and fome fubfequent, as practise.

Q. 3. What is due Preparation for hearing?

A. It confifts in ferious Confideration of the greatness and Holiness of that God, whom we approach in Hearing the Word, Acts x. 33.-Now therefore we are all here prefent before God, to hear all Things that are commanded thee of God. And awing the Heart even to a Degree of holy trembling thereby, Ila. Ixvi. 2.—To him will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite Spirit, and trembleth at my Word.

Q4. What is the principal Confideration thus to awe the Heart P

A. The Word is in its own Nature an Heart-fearching Word. Heb. iv. 12. For the Word of God is quick and powerful, and harper than any two-edged Sword, piercing even to the dividing afunder of Soul and Spirit, and of the Joints and Marrow, and is a Difcerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart. And that eventually it will be the Savour of Life or Death to us, 2 Cor. ii. 16. To the one we are the Savour of Death unto Death; and to the other the Savour of Life unto. Life, &c.

Q. 5. What elfe belongs to due Preparation to hear?

A. The difcharging of the Heart from worldly Cares, Matth. xiii. 7. And Jome fell among Thorns, and the Thorns Sprang up and choaked them. And carnal Lufts, Jam. i. 21. Wherefore lay apart, all Filthiness and Superfluity of Naughtinefs, and receive with Meekness the engrafted Word, which is able to fave your Souls.

Q6. What is the third Act of due Preparation?

A. Longing after the Word for further Communications of Grace by it, 1 Pet. ii. 2. As new Born Babes defire the fincere Milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby, Ifa. ii. 3. And many People shall go and fay, come ye, and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord, to the Houfe of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his Ways, and we will walk in bis

Paths: