84. What doth every sin deserve?

Every sin deserveth God's wrath and curse, both in this life and that which is to come.

85. What doth God require of us, that we may escape His wrath 5 and curse due to us for sin?

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Το escape the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin, God requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life, with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption.

86. What is faith in Jesus Christ?

Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon Him alone for salvation, as He is offered to us in the

gospel.

87. What is repentance unto life?

Repentance unto life is a saving grace, whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, doth, with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God, with full purpose of, and endeavour after, new obedience.

88. What are the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to 20 us the benefits of redemption?

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The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption are, His ordinances, especially the Word, sacraments, and prayer; all which are made effectual to the elect for salvation.

89. How is the Word made effectual to salvation?

The Spirit of God maketh the reading, but especially the preaching, of the Word an effectual means of convincing and converting sinners, and of building them up in holiness and comfort, through faith unto salvation.

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

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.

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

92. What is a sacrament?

A sacrament is a holy ordinance instituted by Christ, wherein, by sensible signs, Christ and the benefits of the New Covenant are represented, sealed, and applied to believers.

93. Which are the sacraments of the New Testament?

The sacraments of the New Testament are Baptism and the Lord's Supper.

94. What is Baptism?

Baptism is a sacrament, wherein the washing with water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, doth

signify and seal our ingrafting into Christ and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace, and our engagement to be the Lord's.

95. To whom is Baptism to be administered?

Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible church, till they profess their faith in Christ and obedience to 5 Him; but the infants of such as are members of the visible church are to be baptised.

96. What is the Lord's Supper?

The Lord's Supper is a sacrament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine, according to Christ's appointment, His death is shewed 10 forth; and the worthy receivers are, not after a corporal and carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of His body and blood, with all His benefits, to their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace.

97. What is required to the worthy receiving of the Lord's Supper? It is required of them that would worthily partake of the Lord's 15 Supper, that they examine themselves of their knowledge to discern the Lord's body, of their faith to feed upon Him, of their repentance, love, and new obedience; lest, coming unworthily, they eat and drink judgment to themselves.

98. What is prayer?

Prayer is an offering up of our desires to God, for things agreeable to His will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgment of His mercies.

99. What rule hath God given for our direction in prayer?

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The whole Word of God is of use to direct us in prayer, but the 25 special rule of direction is that form of prayer which Christ taught His disciples, commonly called, The Lord's Prayer.

100. What doth the preface of the Lord's Prayer teach us?

The preface of the Lord's Prayer, which is, Our Father Which art in heaven, teacheth us to draw near to God with all holy reverence and 30 confidence, as children to a father able and ready to help us; and that we should pray with and for others.

101. What do we pray for in the first petition?

In the first petition, which is, Hallowed be Thy name, we pray that God would enable us and others to glorify Him in all that whereby He 35 maketh Himself known, and that He would dispose all things to His own glory.

102. What do we pray for in the second petition?

In the second petition, which is, Thy kingdom come, we pray, that Satan's kingdom may be destroyed; and that the kingdom of grace may 40 be advanced, ourselves and others brought into it, and kept in it; and that the kingdom of glory may be hastened.

103. What do we pray for in the third petition?

In the third petition, which is, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, we pray, that God by His grace would make us able and 45 willing to know, obey, and submit to His will in all things, as the angels do in heaven.

104. What do we pray for in the fourth petition?

In the fourth petition, which is, Give us this day our daily bread,

we pray, that of God's free gift we may receive a competent portion of the good things of this life, and enjoy His blessing with them.

105. What do we pray for in the fifth petition?

In the fifth petition, which is, And forgive us our debts as we 5 forgive our debtors, we pray, that God for Christ's sake would freely pardon all our sins; which we are the rather encouraged to ask, because by His grace we are enabled from the heart to forgive others.

106. What do we pray for in the sixth petition?

In the sixth petition, which is, And lead us not into temptation, but 10 deliver us from evil, we pray, that God would either keep us from being tempted to sin, or support and deliver us when we are tempted.

107. What doth the conclusion of the Lord's Prayer teach us?

The conclusion of the Lord's Prayer, which is, For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen, teacheth us, to 15 take our encouragement in prayer from God only, and in our prayers to praise Him, ascribing kingdom, power, and glory to Him: and, in testimony of our desire and assurance to be heard, we say, Amen.

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Die Platform der Savoy-Declaration

von 1658.

Of the institution of churches,

and the order appointed in them by Jesus Christ.

I. By the appointment of the Father all Power for the Calling, Institution, Order, or Government of the Church, is invested in a Supreme 25 and Soveraign maner in the Lord Jesus Christ, as King and Head thereof.

II. In the execution of this Power wherewith he is so entrusted, the Lord Jesus calleth out of the World unto Communion with himself, those that are given unto him by his Father, that they may walk before 30 him in all the ways of Obedience, which he prescribeth to them in his Word.

III. Those thus called (through the Ministery of the Word by his Spirit) he commandeth to walk together in particular Societies a Churches, for their mutual edification, and the due performance of that publi35 que Worship, which he requireth of them in this world.

IV. To each of these Churches thus gathered, according unto his minde declared in his Word, he hath given all that Power and Authority, which is any way needfull for their carrying on that Order in Worship and Discipline, which he hath instituted for them to observe with Commands and Rules, for the due and right exerting and executing 5 of that Power.

V. These particular Churches thus appointed by the Authority of Christ, and intrusted with power from him for the ends before expressed, are each of them as unto those ends, the seat of that Power which he is pleased to communicate to his Saints or Subjects in this world, so 10 that as such they receive it immediately from himself.

VI. Besides these particular churches, there is not instituted by Christ any Church more extensive or Catholique entrusted with power for the administration of his Ordinances, or the execution of any authority in his name.

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VII. A particular Church gathered and compleated according to the minde of Christ, consists of Officers and Members: The Lord Christ having given to his called ones (united according to his appointment in Church-order) Liberty and Power to choose Persons fitted by the holy Ghost for that purpose, to be over them, and to minister to them in 20

the Lord.

VIII. The Members of these Churches are Saints by Calling, visibly manifesting and evidencing (in and by their profession and walking) their obedience unto that Call of Christ, who being further known to each other by their confession of the Faith wrought in them by the 25 power of God, declared by themselves or otherwise manifested, do willingly consent to walk together according to the appointment of Christ, giving up themselves to the Lord, and to one another by the will of God in professed subjection to the Ordinances of the Gospel.

IX. The Officers appointed by Christ to be chosen and set apart 30 by the Church so called, and gathered for the peculiar administration of Ordinances, and execution of Power or Duty which he intrusts them with, or calls them to, to be continued to the end of the world, are Pastors, Teachers, Elders, and Deacons.

X. Churches thus gathered and assembling for the Worship of God, 35 are thereby visible and publique, and their Assemblies (in what place soever they are, according as they have liberty or opportunity) are therefore Church or Publique Assemblies.

XI. The way appointed by Christ for the calling of any person, fitted and gifted by the holy Ghost, unto the Office of Pastor, Teacher 40 or Elder in a Church, is, that he be chosen thereunto by the common suffrage of the Church it self, and solemnly set apart by Fasting and Prayer, with Imposition of Hands of the Eldership of that Church, if there be any before constituted therein: And of a Deacon, that he be chosen by the like suffrage, and set apart by Prayer, and the like Im- 45 position of Hands.

XII. The Essence of this Call of a Pastor, Teacher or Elder unto Office, consists in the Election of the Church, together with his acceptation of it, and separation by Fasting and Prayer: And those who are

so chosen, though not set apart by Imposition of Hands, are rightly constituted Ministers of Jesus Christ, in whose Name and Authority they exercise the Ministery to them so committed. The Calling of Deacons consisteth in the like Election and acceptation, with separation by Prayer. 5 XIII. Although it be incumbent on the Pastors and Teachers of the Churches to be instant in Preaching the Word, by way of Office; yet the work of Preaching the Word is not so peculiarly confined to them, but that others also gifted and fitted by the holy Ghost for it, and approved (being by lawful ways and means in the Providence of 10 God called thereunto) may publiquely, ordinarily and constantly perform it; so that they give themselves up thereunto.

XIV. However, they who are ingaged in the work of Publique Preaching, and enjoy the Publique Maintenance upon that account, are not thereby obliged to dispense the Seals to any other then such as 15 (being Saints by Calling, and gathered according to the Order of the Gospel) they stand related to, as Pastors or Teachers; yet ought they not to neglect others living within their Parochial Bounds, but besides their constant publique Preaching to them, they ought to enquire after their profiting by the Word, instructing them in, and 20 pressing upon them (whether young or old) the great Doctrines of the Gospel, even personally and particularly, so far as their strength and time will admit.

XV. Ordination alone without the Election or precedent consent of the Church, by those who formerly have been Ordained by vertue of 25 that Power they have received by their Ordination, doth not constitute any person a Church-Officer, or communicate Office-power unto him.

XVI. A Church furnished with Officers (according to the minde of Christ) hath full power to administer all his Ordinances; and where there is want of any one or more Officers required, that Officer, or those which are 30 in the Church, may administer all the Ordinances proper to their particular Duty and Offices; but where there are no teaching Officers, none may administer the Seals, nor can the Church authorize any so to do. XVII. In the carrying on of Church-administrations, no person ought to be added to the Church, but by the consent of the Church it 35 self; that so love (without dissimulation) may be preserved between all the Members thereof.

XVIII. Whereas the Lord Jesus Christ hath appointed and instituted as a means of Edification that those who walk not according to the Rules and Laws appointed by him (in respect of Faith and Life, 40 so that just offence doth arise to the Church thereby) be censured in his Name and Authority: Every Church hath Power in it self to exercise and execute all those Censures appointed by him in the way and Order prescribed in the Gospel.

XIX. The Censures so appointed by Christ, are Admonition and 45 Excommunication: and whereas some offences are or may be known onely to some, it is appointed by Christ, that those to whom they are so known, do first admonish the offender in private: in publique offences where any sin, before all; or in case of nonamendment upon private admonition, the offence being related to the Church, and the offender 50 not manifesting his repentance, he is to be duely admonished in the