xxxvi. 31. And shall lothe yourselves in your own fight, for your iniquities, and for your abominations. And of our beft duties, as finful and infufficient things; Ifa. lxiv. 5, 6. We are all as an unclean thing; and all our righteoufneffes are as filthy rags, &c.

Q. 6. Wherein elle doth it confift?

A. In turning from fin, as well as grieving for it; Ifa. lv. 7. Let the wicked forfake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, &c. Prov. xxviii. 13. He that covereth his fins, fhall not profper; but whofo confeffeth and forfaketh them, fhall have mercy.

Q7. Is turning from fin fufficient?

A. No, that is but the negative part of religion; there must be alfo a fincere turning to God; Pfalm cxix. 59. I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy teftimonies; Acts xi. 23. And exhorted them all, that with purpofe of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.

Q. 8. Is all forrow for fin 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 himfelf, &c. And a repentance unto life; Acts xi, 18. Then hath God alfo to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

Q. 9. What are the figns of true repentance?

A. Fear of fin; care to preferve ourselves from it; and zeal to honour God by new obedience; 2 Cor. vii. 11. For behold, this felflame thing that ye forrowed after a godly fort, what carefulnefs it wrought in you; yea, what clearing of yourfelves; 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.

Q. 10. Is there a neceffity of repentance, in order to forgiveness? A. Yes, there is; and they are therefore conjoined in fcripture; Acts v. 31. For to give repentance to Ifrael, and forgiveness of fins, And defcruction threatened to the impenitent; Luke xiii. 3. Except ye repent, ye fhall all likewife perish.

Q. 11. What is the firft inference hence?

A That it is a falfe doctrine which teaches us that fins are actual ly forgiven from eternity; and therefore no need either of repentance or prayer, fave only for the manifeftation of pardon.

Q. 12. What is the fecond inference hence?

A. That an hard heart is a dreadful fign of a loft ftate of foul Rom. ii. 5. But after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasureft up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.

Q13. What is the laft inference hence?

. That there is no caufe to defpair of the vileft finner, feeing there is power enough in the Spirit of God to break the hardest heart;

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Ezek. xxxvi. 26. I will take away the ftony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Quest. 88.

tion?

W

Of Chrift's Ordinances.

HAT are the outward means whereby Chrift communicateth to us the benefits of redemp

A. The outward and ordinary means whereby Chrift communicateth to us the benefits of redemption, are his ordinances; efpecially the word, facraments, and prayer; all which are made effectual to the elect for falvation.

Q. I. What makes any thing become a divine ordinance?

A. The inftitution or appointment of God, is that alone which makes a divine ordinance: Matth. xxviii. 20. Teaching them to obferve all things whatsoever I have commanded you, &c.

Q. 2. Are the inftitutions of all ordinances alike clear in fcripture?

A. No; Some are more explicitly and clearly revealed in fcripture than others; as the Lord's fupper is more clear than baptifm: But whatever hath fcripture-warrant, in the words or confequence, is of divine appoi .tment.

Q3 May not men inftitute ordinances of divine worship?

A. No; this in fcripture 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 subject to ordinances? &c. Which things indeed have a fhew of wisdom in willworship, &c.

4. Why cannot man institute a divine ordinance?

cannot

A. He cannot do it, becaufe it is the prerogative belonging to Chrift's kingly office; Matth. xxviii. 20. Teaching them to obferve all things whatfoever I have commanded you.

Q. 5. For what other reason cannot man do it?

A Because he cannot bless 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 falvation?

Becaufe by and through them the Spirit of the Lord conveys fpiritual graces into men's fouls; 1 Cor. i. 21. It pleased God, by the foolishness of preaching, to fave them that believe. 1 Cor. iii. 5. Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but minifters by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

Q7. Whence is the virtue of ordinances?

A. It is not in, and from themfelves, or the gifts and abilities of him that adminifters them, but from the bleffing and Spirit of the Lord; 1 Cor. iii. 7. Neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth, 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 falvation or damnation of all that come under them; Ifa. lv. 10, 11. For as the rain cometh down, and the fnow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give feed to the fower, 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 fhall accomplish that which I pleafe, and it fhall profper in the thing whereto I fend it 2 Cor. ii. 15, 16. For we are unto God a fweet favour of Christ, in them that are faved, and in them that perifh: To the one we are the favour of death unto death, and to the other the favour of life unto life, &c. Q. 9. Are instituted ordinances the only means of falvation?

A. They are not the only means; for God can convert men to Chrift without them; Actsix 4, 5. And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice faying unto him, Saul, Saul, why perfecuteft thou me? And he faid, 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 standing means; Rom. x. 14, 15. How then fhall they call on him, in whom they have not believed? And how fhall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how hall they preach, except they be fent? &c.

Q. 10. To whom are the ordinances made effectual to falvation? A. To all God's elect they are effectual to falvation, and to them only; Acts xiii. 48. As many as were ordained to eternal life, believed. John x. 26. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my fheep, &c.

Q11. What is the first inftruction from hence?

A. That great preparation is due to all the ordinances, before we engage in them; Job xi. 13, 14. If thou prepare thine heart, and ftretch out thine hands towards him. If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles. 1 Chron. xxix. 18. And prepare their heart unto thee.

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; Pfalm lxxxix. 7. God is greatly to be feared in the affembly of the faints; and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.

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

A. That those people that want ordinances, are in a fad and de plorable condition; Eph. ii. 11, 12. Wherefore remember that ye being in time paft 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 last inftruction hence?

A. That those that perifh in the midst of ordinances, and means of

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falvation, will perish with aggravated perdition; Mat. xi. 23. And thou Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, fhalt be brought down to hell for if the mighty works, 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.

OW is the word made effectual to falvation?

How

A The Spirit of God maketh the reading, but efpecially the preaching of the word, an effectual means of convincing and converting finners; and building them up in holiness and comfort, through faith unto falvation.

Q. I. 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 Teftament, which though it be miniftered by nen, yet is no other than the very word of God, and as fuch to be received; 1Theff. ii. 13. For this caufe alfo thank we God without ceafing, 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, &c.

Q. 2. Whence is the efficacy of this word?

A. It is wholly from the Spirit of God that it becomes effectual to any man's falvation; 1 Cor. iii. 6, 7. I have planted, and Apollos watered, but God gave the increafe. 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 fcripture an ordinance of God for men's falvation?

A. Yes, it is; Deut. xvii. 19. And it fhall be with him, and he fhall feed 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 ftatutes to do them. And in reading of it, God fometimes comes in by his Spirit to men's converfion; Acts viii. 27, 28, 29. And he 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 his chariot, read Ifaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said to Philp, Go near, and join thyfelf to this chariot, &c.

Q. 4. Is the hearing of the word a means of falvation?

A. Yes, it is; Ifa. Iv. 3. Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your foul fhall live, &c. 1 Cor. i. 21. It pleafed God by the foolishness of preaching, to fave them that believe.

Q. 5. To what end is the word ufeful to men?

A. The first end and ufe of the word is to convince men of their fin and mifery out of Chrift; 1 Cor. xiv. 24, 25. But if all prophefy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is con

vinced of all, he is judged of all. And thus are the fecrets of his heart made manifeft, &c.

Q. 6. What is it ufeful for, befides conviction?

A. It is ufeful for converfion, as well as conviction; Pfalm xix. 7. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the foul, &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 those only that are ordained to eternal life; Acts xiii. 48. As many as were ordained to eternal life believed. Q. 8. What else is the word useful for?

A. To build up the faints to perfection in Chrift; Eph. iv. 11, 12, 13. And he gave fome apoftles, and fome prophets, and fome evangelifts, and fome paftors and teachers; for the perfecting of the faints, for the work of the ministry, 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 perfect man; unto the measure of the ftature of the fulness of Chrift. Acts 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 fcriptures?

A. Yes, it is a duty commanded by Chrift; John v. 39. Search the fcriptures, &c. And commended by the apoftle; Acts xvii. 11. Thefe were more noble than thofe in Theffalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the fcriptures daily, whether thofe things were fo.

Q. 10. Is it their duty or liberty alfo to preach it?

A. No, it is not; for befides abilities for that work, there must be a call; Rom. x. 14, 15. How fhall they hear without a preacher? and how fhall they preach, except they be fent, &c.

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

A. That the enjoyments of the scriptures, and an able, faithful miniftry to expound and apply them, is a special mercy to any people; Pfal. cxlvii. 19, 20. He fheweth his word unto Jacob, his ftatutes and judginents unto Ifrael; he hath not dealt fo with any nation; and as for his judgments they have not known them.

Q. 12. What is the fecond instruction?

A. That men cannot expect special and fpiritual 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 purpofe at all; 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. If our gofpel be hid, 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

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