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outward means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of his mediationé.

154. What are the outward means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of his mediation?

A. The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicates to his church the benefits of his mediation, are all his ordinances; efpecially the word, facraments, and prayer: all which are made effectual to the elect for their falvation /.

Q. 155. How is the word made effectual to falvation? A. The Spirit of God maketh the reading, but especially the preaching of the word, an effectual means of enlightning m, convincing and humbling finners n, of driving

whofoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. v. 18. He that believeth on him, is not condemned: but he that believeth not, is condemned already.

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Prov. ii. 1. My fon, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; v. 2. So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding v. 3. Yea, if thou crieft after knowledge, and lifteft up thy voice for understanding: v. 4. If thou seekeft her as filver, and fearcheft for her, as for hid treafures: v. 5. Then fhalt thou understand the fear of the Lord; and find the knowledge of God. Prov. viii. 33. Hear inftruction, and be wife, and refuse it not, v. 34. Bleffed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the pofts of my doors. v. 35. For whofo findeth me, findeth life, and fhall obtain favour of the Lord. v. 36. But he that finneth againft me, wrongeth his own foul; all they that hate me, love death.

154. / Matth. xxviii. 19. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the

Father, and of the Son, and of th Holy Ghoft: v. 20. Teaching them to obferve all things whatfoever I have commanded you and lo, I am with you alway even unto the end of the world. Acts ii. 42. And they continued ftedfaftly in the a poftles doctrine and followship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. v. 46. And they continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from houfe to houfe, did eat their meat with gladness and finglenefs of heat. v. 47. Praifing God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily fuch as should be faved.

155. m Neh. viii. 8. So they read in the book, in the law of God di ftinctly, and gave the fenfe, and caused them to understand the reading. Acts xxvi. 18. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darknefs to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of fins, and inheritance among them which are fanctified by faith that is in me. Pfal. xjx. 8.-The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

n 1 Cor. xiv. 24. But if all prophefy, and there come in one that

believeth

driving them out of themselves, and drawing them unto Chrifto; of conforming them to his image p, and fubduing them to his will q; of ftrengthening them against temptations and corruptions r; of building them up in

believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: v. 25. And thus are the fecrets of his heart made manifeft; and fo falling down on his face, he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth. 2 Chron. xxxiv. 18. Then Shaphan the fcribe told the king, faying, Hilkiah the priest hath given me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king. v. 19. And it came to pafs, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes. v 26. And as for the king of Judah, who fent you to inquire of the Lord, fo fhall ye fay unto him, Thus faith the Lord God of Ifrael concerning the words which thou hast heard: v. 27. Be cause thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyfelf before God, when thou heardít his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyfelf before me, and didft rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee alfo, faith the Lord. V. 28. Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou fhalt be gathered to thy grave in

peace,

• Acts 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? V. 41. Then they that gladly received his word, were baptized: and the fame day there were added unto them about three thoufand fouls. Acts viii. from v. 27. to 39.--And behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority,- v. 28. Was

grace returning, and fitting in his chariot, read Efaias the prophet. v. 29. Then the spirit faid unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. v. 30. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Efaias, and faid, Underftandeft thou what thou readeft ? -v. 35. Then Phillip opened his mouth, and began at the fame fcripture, and preached unto him Jefus. v. 36.-And the eunuch faid, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? Philip faid, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayeft. And he answered and faid, I believe that Jefus Chrift is the fon of God. v. 38. And they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.

V. 37. And

p 2 Cor. iii. 18. But we all with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the fame image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the

Lord.

q 2 Cor. x. 4. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of ftrong holds: v. 5. Cafting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Chrift: v. 6. And having in a readiness to revenge all difobedience, when your obedience is fullfilled. Rom. vi. 17. But God be thanked, that ye were the fervants of fin; but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

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r Matth. iv. 4. But he anfwered

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grace, and establishing their hearts in holiness and comfort through faith unto falvation t.

2.156. Is the word of God to be read by all?

A. Although all are not to be permitted to read the word

and faid, It is written, Man fhall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. v. 7. Jefus faid unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. V. 10. Then faith Jefus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only fhalt thou ferve. Eph. vi. 16. Above all, taking the fhield of faith, wherewith ye fhall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. v. 17. And take the helmet of falvation, and the fword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pfal. xix. II. Moreover, by them is thy fervant warned and in keeping of them there is great reward. I Cor. X. II. Now all thefe things happened unto them for enfamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

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 to give you an inheritance aniong all them which are fanctified. 2 Tim. i 15. And that from a child thou haft known the holy fcriptures, which are able to make thee wife unto falvation, through faith which is in Chrift Jefus. v. 16. All fcripture is given by infpiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for inftruction in righteoufnefs: V. 17. That the man of God may be perfect throughby furnished unto all good works,

Rom. xvi. 25. Now to him that

is of power to establish you according to my gofpel, and the preaching of Jefus Chrift, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept fecret fince the world began. Theff. iii. 2. And fent Timotheus our brother and minifter of God, and our fellow-labourer in the gospel of Chrift, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith. v. 10. Night and day praying exceedingly, that we might fee your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith. v. 11. Now God himself, and our Father, and our Lord Jefus Chrift direct our way unto you. V. 13. To the end he may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jefus Chrift, with all his faints. Rom. xv. 4. For whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning; that we through patience and comfort of the fcriptures might have hope. Rom. x. 13. For whofoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, fhall be faved. V. 14. 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 fhall they preach, except they be fent as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! v. 16. But they have not all obeyed the gofpel. For Efaias faith, Lord, who hath believed our report ? . 17. So then, faith cometh by

V. 15.

hearing

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word publickly to the congregation, yet all forts of people are bound to read it apart by themselves w and with their families : to which end, the holy fcrip

hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Rom. i. 16. For I am not afhamed of the gofpel of Chrift: for it is the power of God unto falvation, to every one that believeth, to the Jew firft, and also to the Greek. 156. v. Deut. xxxi. 9. And Mofes wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the fons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and unto all the elders of Ifrael. v. 11. When all Ifrael is come to appear before the Lord thy God, in the place which he fhall choose thou shalt read this law before all Ifrael, in their hearing. v. 12. Gather the people together, men and women, and children, and thy ftranger that is with in thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and obferve to do all the words of this law: v. 13. And that their children which have not known any thing, may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to poffefs it. Neh. viii. 2. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation, both of men and women, and all that could hear with underftanding, upon the first day of the feventh month. V. 3. And he read therein before the street that was before the water-gate, from the morning until mid-day, before the men and the women, and thofe that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law. Neh. ix. 3. And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the Lord their God, one fourth part

tures

of the day, and another fourth part they confeffed, and worshipped the Lord their God. V. 4. Then stood up upon the stairs of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, &c. and cried with a loud voice unto the Lord their God. v. 5. Then the Levites, Joshua, and Kadmiel, &c. faid, Stand up and blefs the Lord your, God for ever and ever; and bleffed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blefling and praise.

Deut. xvii. 19. And it fhall be with him, and he shall 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 ftatutes, to do them. Rev. i. 3. Bleffed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep thofe things which are written therein : for the time is at hand. John v. 39. Search the fcriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which teftify of me. If. xxxiv. 16. Seek ye out of the book of the Lord, and read: no one of these shall fail,

x Deut. vi. 6. And these words which I command thee this day, fhall be in thine heart. V. 7. And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and fhalt talk of them when thou fittest in thine house, and when thou walkeft by the way, and when thou lieft down, and when thou rifest up. v. 8. And thou fhalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. v. 9. And thou fhalt write them upon the posts of thy houfe, and on thy gates. Gen. xvii. 17. And the Lord said, Shall

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tures are to be tranflated out of the original into vulgar languages y.

Q. 157. How is the word of God to be read?

A. The holy fcriptures are to be read with an high and reverent esteem of them z; with a firm perfuafion that

I hide from Abraham that thing which I do? v. 19. For I know him, that he will command his children, and his household after him, and they fhall keep the way of the Lord.-Pfal Ixxviii. 5. For he eftablished a teftimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Ifrael, which he commanded our fathers, that they fhould make them known to their children. v. 6. That the genera tions to come might know them, even the children which fhould be born: who fhould arife and declare them to their children: v. 7. That they might fet their hope in God, and not forget the works of God: but keep his commandments.

y1 Cor. xiv. 6. Now, brethren, if I come unto you fpeaking with tongues, what fhall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophefying, or by doctrine? v. 9. So likewife you, except ye utter by the tongue words eafy to be under ftood, how fhall it be known what is fpoken? for ye fhall speak into the air. v. 11. Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I fhall be unto him that fpeaketh, a barbarian; and he that fpeaketh 'fhall be a barbarian unto me. v. 12. Even fo ye, forafmuch as ye are zealous of fpiritual gifts, feek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. v. 15. What is it then? I will pray with the fpirit, and I will pray with the understanding alfo: I will fing with the fpirit, and I will fing with the understanding also. v. 16. Elfe when thou shalt blefs

with the fpirit, how fhall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned, fay Amen, at thy giving of thanks, feeing he understandeth not what thou fayeft? v. 24. But if all prophefy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all. v. 27. If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by courfe? and let one interpret. v. 28. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep filence in the church; and let him fpeak to himfelf, and to God.

157 z Pfal. xix. 10. More to be defired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: fweeter alfo than honey, and the honey comb, Neh. viii. 3. And he read therein before the street that was before the water-gate, from the morning until mid-day, before the men and the women, and thofe that could underftand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.

V. 4. And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpofe. v. 5. And Ezra opened the book in the fight of all the people, (for he was above all the people) and when he opened it, all the people ftood up v. 6. And Ezra bleffed the Lord, the great God: and all the people anfwered, Amen, amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground, &c. to verfe 10. Exod. xxiv. 7. And he (Mofes)

took

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