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"And some of them-spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord."*

Q. 28. May not people be more edified in reading good sermons at home, than in hearing from the pulpit, such as are not, perhaps, so well digested?

Q. 34. What is the desert of sin? A. The wrath and curse of God, both in this life and that which is to come.*

Q. 35. How doth the Spirit convince men effectually, by the word, that they are sinners?

A. By convincing them therefrom, that they are unbelievers, John xvi. 8, 9. "He [the Spirit] will reprove [or convince] the world of sin, because they believe not in me," saith our Lord.

Q. 36. What influence has a con

A. If they are in health, and not necessarily detained from the public ordinances, they have no ground to expect any real and sav-viction of unbelief, upon convining benefit to their souls in the ne- cing a person that he is indeed a glect of hearing the word preach- sinner? ed: because it pleases "God, by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe," 1 Cor. i. | 21; and "faith cometh by hearing," Rom. x. 17.

Q. 29. What use doth the Spirit make of the reading, but especially of the preaching of the word, with reference to [sinners] in a natural state?

A. He makes use thereof as an effectual means of [convincing and converting] them, 1 Cor. xiv. 14. Acts xxvi. 18.

Q. 30. What doth the Spirit convince sinners of by the word? A. Of their sin and misery.† Q. 31. Whether is it by the word of the law, or the word of the gospel, that the Spirit convinces of sin?

A. It is ordinarily by the word of the law, Romans i. 20, "By the LAW is the knowledge of sin."

Q. 32. What of sin doth the Spirit convince sinners by the law?

A. Both of the nature and desert of sin.

A. Were once a person convinced, that unbelief is a rejecting of the only method of salvation, devised in infinite wisdom, or a treating of God's unspeakable gift offered in the word, with the utmost contempt, he could not but conclude himself, on account thereof, to be the greatest of sinners, and that he deserves the sorest of punishments, Heb. x. 29.

Q. 37. How doth the Spirit make the word an effectual mean of [converting] sinners ?

A. By making use of it to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, Acts xxvi. 18.

Q. 38. Do all convictions of sin issue in conversion?

A. Far from it: many may be very deeply convinced of sin by the law, and yet never have a thorough change wrought upon their heart: as in the instances of Cain, Judas and others.

Q. 39. What is conversion?
A. It is the spiritual motion of

Q. 33. Wherein consists the na- the whole man toward a God in ture of sin?

A. In the want of conformity unto, and transgression of the law of God?

See Acts ii. 37-vi. 7.

See Part I. On Sin in general.

Christ, as the immediate effect of the real and supernatural change, that is wrought in regeneration, Jer, iii. 21.

† See Part I. On Effect. calling See above, On the Desert of Sin.

tion ?

Q. 40. Is there any difference | the heart of man, out of which the between conversion and regenera-new creature can be formed: Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart being only evil continually, Gen. vi. 5.

A. They are as inseparably conjoined, as the effect is to its cause. Regeneration, or the formation of the new creature, (wherein we are wholly passive), is the cause; and conversion, or the motion of the soul to God, is the effect, which infallibly follows thereupon, Hos. vi. 2.

Q. 41. Cannot man be the author of his own conversion?

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Q. 47. Why called a resurrection?

A. Because it is God only "who quickeneth the dead, and calleth things which be not, as though they were," Rom. iv. 17.

Q. 48: What influence has the word upon the conversion of sinners?

A. It has no physical or natural influence of itself, but only as it is an instituted mean, in the hand of the Spirit of God to that end, John. vi. 63.

Q. 49. What is the efficacy of the word, in the work of conversion, compared unto in scripture?

A. It is compared to a fire, to a hammer, Jer. xxiii. 29; to rain, Deut. xxxii. 2; and to light, Psal. cxix. 105.

A. Because there can be no acting, without a principle of action. Regeneration, being the infusing Q. 50. Why compared to fire ? of spiritual life into the soul, it is A. Because as fire purifies the impossible the creature can co-op-metal, separating the dross; so the erate or concur with God therein, word, in the hand of the Spirit, any more than Lazarus in the grave purifies the heart, purging away could concur in his own resur- the dross of sin and corruption rection, till the powerful voice of that is there, Isa. iv. 4. Christ infused life and strength in him.

Q. 51. Why compared to a hammer?

Q. 44. What would be the con- A. In regard that as a hammer sequence if man could co-operate" breaketh the rock in pieces,' with God in regeneration?

A. The consequence would be, that God would not be so much the author of grace, as he is of nature; nor have such a revenue of glory from the one, as from the other.

Q.45. How are regeneration and conversion denominated in scripture, to prove that God only can be the author of them?

A. They are called a creation, Eph. ii. 10. and a resurrection, chap. v. 14.

Jer. xxiii. 29.) and thereby fits it for the building; so the Spirit of God, by the word, breaks the hard heart of man, and fits it for being built on the foundation God has laid in Zion, Prov. xvi. 1.

Q.. 52. Why compared to rain? A. Because as the rain falls irresistibly, so there is no withstanding the efficacy of the word in the hand of the Spirit, Isa. lv. 11.

Q. 53. Why compared to light? A. Because as light discovers things that were indiscernible in Q. 46. Why called a creation? the dark; so the Spirit, by the A. Because there is nothing in the word, discovers the latent

Q. 56. How doth he, by means of these ordinances, build them up in [comfort]?

wickedness of the heart, 1 Cor. | peated discoveries of the glory of xiv. 25. and the matchless glory Christ, as thereby they are more and excellency of Christ, as IMMA- and more transformed into the NUAL, God with us, John xvi. 14. same image with him, 2 Cor. iii. Q. 54. What use doth the Spirit 18. make of the reading, but especially the preaching of the word, with reference to SAINTS, who are brought into a state of grace? A. He makes use thereof as an effectual means [of building them up in holiness and comfort, through faith unto salvation,] Acts xx. 32.

Rom. xv. 4.

Q. 55. Is [holiness] necessary in order to our justification before God?

A. It is necessary in the justified, but not in order to their justification; because this would found their justification upon works, contrary to Rom. iii. 20. "By the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight."

Q. 56. Is it necessary as the ground of our title to heaven?

A. It is necessary to clear our title; but our title itself can be founded only in our union with Christ, and the imputation of his righteousness, 1 Cor. iii. 22. 23."All are yours, and ye are Christ's" compared with Rom. viii, 30" Whom he justified, them he also glorified."

Q. 57. Why are the saints said to be built up in holiness?

A. Because the work of sanctification, like a building, is gradually carried on towards perfection at death, Prov. iv. 18.

Q. 58. How doth the Spirit make the reading and preaching of the word, an effectual mean of building up the saints in holiness?

A. By conveying with power unto their souls, the great and precious promises, which contain all the grounds of real and lasting comfort, Gal. iii. 29. and iv. 28.

Q. 60. Through what instrument is it, that the Spirit makes these means effectual, for building up the saints in holiness and comfort?

A. It is [through faith,] 1 Thess. ii. 13.

Q. 61. What instrumentality has faith, in the hand of the Spirit, for building up the saints, in holiness and comfort?

A. It rests upon God's faithful word for the promoting of both, Psal. cxxxviii. 8. "The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me."

Q. 62. Unto what end does the Spirit, by means of the word, build them up in holiness, and comfort through faith?

A. It is unto their complete and eternal [salvation,] Rom. i. 16.

Q. 63. What may we learn from the Spirit's making the means effectual to salvation?

A. That as no special blessing can be expected from God, in the wilful neglect of the ordinances, Prov. xxviii. 9; so we may sit all our days under a pure dispensation of the gospel, without reaping any spiritual profit, unless divine supernatural agency concur,

A. By giving them, in the glass of the word, such clear and re- 1. Cor. iii, 6.

* See part 1. Sanctification, Quest. 45.

QUEST. 90. How is the word to be read and heard, that it may become effectual to salvation?

ANSW. That the word may become effectual to salvation, we must attend thereunto 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. What hath God enjoined us, in order to our reading and hearing his word in a right manner?

A. That we [attend thereunto]; that we [receiv it]; and that we [lay it up in our hearts, and practise it in our lives].

* Q. 2. What is it to [attend] unto the reading and hearing of the word?

A. It is to make the reading and hearing thereof the main business of our life; to have it mostly at heart, because the word contains "that good part which shall not be taken away," Luke x. 42.

Q. 3. How ought we to attend, or set about the reading and hearing of the word?

A. [With diligence, preparation, and prayer].

Q. 4. What do you understand by attending to the word [with diligence]?

and none else, who can dispose our hearts for the right performance of those religious exercises, so he ought always to be addressed and supplicated for that end, Psal. cxix. 18.

Q. 7. What should we pray for, when setting about the reading and hearing of the word?

A. That it may be "the power of God unto our salvation," Rom. i. 16.; or an effectual means in his hand for convincing, converting, and edifying of our souls, John vi. 63.

Q, 8. What is our immediate duty, when we are actually engaged in reading or hearing the word?

A. Our immediate duty, in that case, is to [receive it].

Q. 9. What is it to receive the word?

A. Itis with all readiness of mind, to take it in, as the dictates of the Holy Ghost to our souls, Acts xvii.

A. A careful observing and embracing every seasonable opportu--11. nity, that may offer in providence, for reading and hearing the same, Prov. viii. 34.

Q. 5. What [preparation] should we make for reading and hearing the word?

Q. 10. Why is the right improvement of the word, in time of reading and hearing thereof, called a receiving it?

A. Because we can reap no real benefit to our souls, by the offer and exhibition of all the blessings that are brought nigh to us therein, unless we receive them as God's free gift to us, John iii. 27.

A. We should consider, that the word has the authority of God stamped upon it, 2 Tim. iii. 16; that it is he himself who speaketh to us therein, Heb. xii. 25; that it is his ordinance for our salvation, John v. 39; and will be the sa-therein? vour either of life or death unto us, 2 Cor. ii. 16.

Q. 6. Why is [prayer] requisite for reading and hearing the word in a right manner?

A. Because as it is God alone,

Q. 11. How are we to receive the word, and all the good that is

A. [With faith and love].

Q. 12. When is the word received [with faith,] in time of reading and hearing thereof?

A. When there is an application of it to the soul in particular, in a

suitableness to the state and case | tions, to love it; and the memory, of the person, and the nature of to retain it. the word, whether in a way of promise, Lam. iii. 24. or threatening, Psal. cxix. 120.

Q. 13. How may a person know if he receives the word with faith? A. By the quickening, Psal. cxix. 50. enlightening, ver. 130. sanctifying, ver. 9. and strengthening effect of it, Dan. x. 19.

Q. 18. What is implied in laying up the word in our hearts?

A. That we account it the most valuable treasure, Psal. cxix. 127; that we want to keep it with the utmost care, ver. 11; and that we resolve to use it in all the future exigencies of our souls, ver. 24. Q. 19. How may we know if the

Q. 14. What is the native conse-word is really laid up in our hearts? quence of receiving the word with faith?

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Q. 15. How may our receiving the word with love be discerned? A. When our affections are drawn out to the blessed truths and objects revealed therein; so as to esteem them better unto us than thousands of gold and silver, Psal. cxiv. 72. or even than our necessary food, Job xxiii. 12.

Q. 16. What improvement ought we to make of the word after reading or hearing of it?

A. We should [lay it up in our hearts, and practise it in our lives]. Q. 17. What do you understand by the heart, where the word should be laid up?

A. By our delighting to meditate upon it, Psal. cxix. 97; by the Spirit's bringing it to our remembrance, John xiv. 26; and by our habitual desire of farther conformity and subjection unto it, Psal. cxix. 5.

Q. 20. For what end should we lay up the word in our hearts? A. That we may [practise it in our lives]?

Q. 21. What is it to practise the word in our lives?

A. It is to have a conversation becoming the gospel, Phil. i. 27; or to have both the outward and inward man regulated according to the unerring rule of the word, Psal. cxix. 105.

Q. 22. What doth the right manner of reading and hearing the word teach?

A. The soul, with all its facul- A. That the bare outward perties, Prov. xxiii. 26. The under-formance of duty will not be acstanding, to know the word; the ceptable to God, unless the heart will, to comply with it; the affec-is engaged therein, Isa. xxix. 13.

QUEST. 91. How do the sacraments become effectual means of salvation?

ANSW. The sacraments become effectual means of salvation, not from any virtue in them, or in him that doth administer them; but only by the blessing of Christ, and the working of his Spirit, in them that by faith receive them.

Q.1. What is meant by [effectu-ing of God, do fully attain the end al means of salvation]? for which they are appointed, 1 A. Such means as, by the bless- Thess. ii. 13.

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