Paths: for out of Zion fhall go forth the Law, and the Word of the Lord from Jerufalem.

Q. 7. What is the fecond Antecedent Duty of Hearing?

A. Prayer is an antecedent Duty to hearing the Word, and that both for the Affiftance of the Minifter, 2 Theff. iii. 1. Finally, Brethren, pray for us, that the Word of the Lord may have free Courfe, and be glorified, even as it is with you: And our own Illumination, Pfal. cxix. 18. Open thou mine Eyes, that I may behold wondrous Things out of thy Law.

Q. 8. What elfe fhould we pray for?

A. That God would pour out his Spirit with the Word according to that Promife, Prov. i. 23.-I will pour out my Spirit unto you, I will make known my Words unto you.

Q: 9. Doth unpreparedness for the Word always hinder its Efficacy on the Heart?

A. No, God fometimes is found of them that fought him not, Ifa. lxv. 1.-I was found of them that fought me not, &c. But it is a Sin to neglect it, and needs a Pardon of God. Q. 10. What is the first Motive to prepare for folemn Duties?

A. That it argues the Sincerity of the Heart, and in that Cafe God will be merciful to Infirmities, 2 Chron. xxx. 18, 19. For a Multitude of the People, even a Multitude of Ephraim and Manaffeth, Ifachar and Zebulun had not cleansed themfelves, yet did eat the Paffover, but not as it is written: Wherefore Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, the good Lord be merciful towards him, that prepareth his whole Heart to feek the Lord God, the God of his Fathers, though he be not cleanfed according to the Purification of the Sanctuary.

11. What is the fecond Motive?

A. It is a fweet Sign that God will make that Duty fuccessful for which the Heart is prepared, Pfal. x. 17.-Thou prepareft their Heart: Thou bendeft thine Ear to them..

Q. 12. What is the third Motive to Preparation ?

A. The Majefty and Jealoufy of God, to whom we approach, obliges us to folemn Preparation, Heb. xii. 28, 29. Whereby we may ferve God acceptably, with Reverence and godly Fear; for our God is a confuming Fire.

Q. 13. But muft a Man neglect the Duty if his Heart be not duly prepared for it?

A. No.

A. No, for that would be to add a new Sin to a former, and aggravate t the more.

Q. 14. In what Manner muft the prepared Heart go to the Word?

A.. Not in Dependence on its own Preparations, but upon the Spirit's Affillance, Pfal. lxxi. 16. I will go forward in the Sirength of the Lord God, &c.

Q. 15. What is the firft Act of Faith due to the Word? A. The afferting Act of Faith is required to the Word read or preached, whereby we acknowledge it to be of Divine Authority, 2 Tim. iii. 16, All Scripture is given by Infpiration of God, and is profitable for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Correction, for Inftruction in Righteousness: 2 Pet. i. 21. For the Prophely came not in old Time by the Will of Man: but holy Men of God fpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft.

Q16. What is the fecond Act of Faith required of us? A. An applying A&t of Faith is also required of us, Rom. xv. 4. For whatsoever Things were written afore-time, were written for our learning, that we through Patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have Hope.

Q17. What is the firft End in applying the Word ?

A. It is first to be applied to our Conviction both of Sin and Mifery, A&ts ii. 37. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their Heart, and faid unto Peter, and to the reft of the Apostles, Men and Brethren, what fhall we do?

Q. 18. What is the fecond End, or Use of applying it? A. It must be applied for our Guidance and Direction to Christ, John vi. 45. Every Man therefore that hath heard, and bath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

Q. 19. What is the third Ufe to which it must be applied? A. We muft apply it for our Direction through the whole Courfe of Chriftian Duties, 2 Pet. i 19. We have also a more fure Word of Prophefy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a Light that shineth in a dark Place, until the Day dawn, and the Day ftar arife in your Hearts.

Q. 20. What other Ufe muft we apply it to?

A. It must be applied for our Comfort in all inward and outward Troubles, Rom. xv. 4. For whatsoever Things were written afore-time, were written for our Learning, that we

through

through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures might have Hope.

Q. 21. On what Account are we to receive it with love? A. We are to love it for its Author's fake, because it is the Word of God, Pfal. cxix. 159. Confider how I love thy Precepts, &c..

Q. 22. What is the second Motive of Love to the Word? A. The Holiness and Purity of it deferves and engages our Love to it, Pfal. cxix. 140. Thy Word is very pure: therefore thy Servant loveth it.

Q. 23. What is the third Motive to engage our Love to it? A. The great and conftant Usefulness of it to our Souls, as that we cannot fubfift without, Job. xxiii. 12. I have efteemed the Words of his Mouth more than my neceffary Foods

Q24. How doth this Love to the Word manifeft itself? A. Our Love manifefts itself in our longing after it, Pfal.. cxix. 20. My Soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy Judgments at all Times. Our diligent Attendance on it, Acts x. 33. Immediately therefore I fent unto thee, and thou baft well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all bere prefent before God, to hear all Things that are commanded thee of God.

Q. 25. How is Faith and Love evidenced to the Word after hearing it?

A. By preferving it carefully in our Hearts and Memories, Pfal. cxix. 11. Thy Word bave I hid in my Heart : that I might not fin against thee.

Q 26. What is the beft Cure for a bad Memory?

A. Labour to get an high Efteem of the Word, and an experimental Feeling of it, and frequently meditate on it, Pfal. cxix. 16. I will delight myself in thy Statutes: I will not forget thy Word, Pfal. cxix. 93. I will never forget thy Precepts 3: for with them thou baft quickned me, Pfal. cxix. 99. — Thy Teftimonies are my Meditation.

Q. 26. How is Faith and Love principally manifested to the Word after hearing?

A. It is principally manifefted by bringing forth the Fruits of it in our Lives, Col. i, 5, 6. For the Hope which is laid up for you in Heaven, whereof ye heard before in the the Word of the Truth of the Gospel, which is come unto you, as

it is in all the World, and bringeth forth Fruit, as it doth aljo in you, fince the Day ye heard of it, and knew the Grace of God in Truth.

Q. 28. What is the Ufe of all this ?

A. This ferves to reprove our formal and dead Hearing the Word, and excites us all to evidence and exercise more Faith, Love and Obedience in hearing it.

Of Sacraments as Means of Salvation.

Queft. 91. H

OW do the Sacraments become effectual
Means of Salvation?

A. The Sacraments become effectual Means of Salvation, not from any vertue in them, or in him that doth adminifter them, but only by the Bleffing of Chrift, and the working of his Spirit in them, that by Faith receive them.

Q. 1. What is the first proper Sense of this Word Sacra

ment?

A. It privately fignifies a folemn Oath taken by Soldiers when they lift themfelves under a Prince or General; and and this Oath was mutual.

Q. 2. Why do we use it feeing it is not a Scripture Word?

1 S...

A. Though the Word be not found in Scripture, yet the Thing intended by it is, and that brings the Word in Ufe, for in the Sacraments God obliges himfelf to us by confirming his Covenant by it, Rom. iv. 11. And he received the Sign of Circumcifion, a Seal of the Righteousness of the Faith, which he had yet being uncircumcifed: that he might be the Father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcifed, that Righteoufnefs might be imputed unto them alfo. And we oblige ourfelves to God, Rom. vi. 3, 4. Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Chrift, were baptized into his Death? Therefore we are buried with him in Baptifm into Death, that like as Chrift was raised up from the dead by the Glory of the Father, even fo we also should walk in Newness of Glory of the Father, even fo Life.

Q3. What is here meant by Salvation ? nie

A. By Salvation is meant our compleat and final Delive rance from Sin and Mifery, both temporal and eternal.

From

From Sin, Matth. i. 21.

-

For be fhall fave his People from their Sins. From Mifery, 1 Thef. i. 10.-Even Jefus which delivereth us from the Wrath to come.

Q. 4. What is a Mean of Salvation?

a

A. A Mean of Salvation fignifies any Appointment of God, whereby he promotes and accomplishes his Defign of faving our Souls, fo the Word is a Mean, Rom. i. 16. For I am not ashamed of the Gofpel of Chrift, for it is the Power of God unto Salvation, to every one that believeth.

..

Q. 5. How doth the Word and Sacraments differ as Means of Salvation?

A. The Word is appointed to be the first Means of begeting Faith; 1 Cor. iii. 5. Who then is Paul? or who is Apollo? but Minifters by whom ye believed, &c. Sacraments

are to feal and confirm it, Rom. iv. 11. And he received the Sign of Circumcifion, a Seal of the Righteoufnefs of Faith, &c. Q. 6. What is meant by an effectual Mean of Salvation? A. By an effectual Mean, is meant fuch a Mean as fully obtains and accomplishes the End it was appointed for, Theff. ii. 13. Becaufe 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, which effectually worketh alfo in you that believe.

Q.7. Don't all the Means of Salvation prove effectual to Men?

A. Though the Means of Salvation prove effectual to all God's Elect, yet they are fo to no others, Acts xxviii. 23, 24. And when they had appointed him a Day, there came many to him into his Lodging, to whom he expounded and teftified the ·Kingdom of God, perfuading them concerning Jefus, both out of the Law of Mofes, and out of the Prophets from Morning till Evening. And fome believed the Things which were Spoken, and fome believed not.

Q. 8. Do not the Sacraments fave all that partake of them?

A. No, they do. not;: Baptifm may pafs on a caft-away, Acts viii. 23. For I perceive that thou art in the Gall of Bitternefs, and in the Bond of Iniquity. And the Lord's Supper may be received unworthily, 1 Cor. xi. 27. Wherefore whofoever shall eat this Bread, and drink this Cup of the Lord unworthily, fhall be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord.