A. He makes more frequent and ordinary use of the [preaching] f the word; and therefore there is an [ESPE CIALLY] prefixed to it in the answer.

27. How do you prove, that the preaching of the word is honoured as the most ordinary mean?

A. From exprefs fcripture teftimony to this purpose, Acts iv. 4. Many of them which heard the word believed, chap. xi. 20, 21. And fome of them-fpake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Felus. 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 fermons at home, than in hearing from the pulpit, fuch as are not. perhaps. fo well digefted?

A. I they are in health, and not neceffarily detained from the public ordinances, they have no ground to expect any real and faving benefit to their fouls, in the ne gl &t of hearing the word preached because it pleases God, by the foolishness of preaching, to fave them that believe, 1 Cor. i. 2. And faith cometh by HEARING, Rom. x. 17.

:

2. 29. What ufe doth the Spirit make of the reading, but efpial y of the preaching of the word, with reference to [finners] in a natural flate?

A He makes ufe thereof as an effectual means of [con vincing and converting] them, 1 Cor. xiv. 24. Acts xxvi 18. © ༣. What doth the Spirit convince finners of by the Wor ?

A. Of their fin and mifery. †

Q3. Whether is it by the word of the law, or the word of the gofpel, that the Spirit convinces of fin?

A. It is ordinarily by the word of the law, Rom. iii. 20.
By the LAW is the knowledge of fin.

2. 32. What of fin doth the Spirit convince finners by the law?

A Both of the nature and defert of fin.

33. Wherein confifts the nature of fin?

A in the want of conformity unto, and tranfgreffion of the law of God ‡.

Q. 34. What is the defert of fin?

A. The wrath and curfe of God, both in this life, and that which is to come.

See As 37. vi. 7. PART 1.on Sin in general.

† See PART I, on Effe&ucl_calling,

Ser

See above, on the Defert of Sin.

Q. 3. How doth the Spirit convince men effectually, by the word, that they are finners ?

A. By convincing them therefrom, that they are unbe lievers John xvi. 8, 9. He [he Spirit] will reprove [or convince] the world of fin becaufe they believe not in me, faith our Lord.

2. 36. What influence has a conviction of unbelief upon convincing a perfon, that he is indeed a finner?

A. Were once a perfon convinced, that unbelief is a rejecting of the only method of falvation, devifed in infinite wifdom, or a treating of God's unfpeakable gift, offered in the word, with the utmost contempt, he could not but conclude himself, on account thereof, to be the greatest of finners, and that he deferves the foreft of punishment, Heb.

X. 29.

237. How doth the Spirit make the word an al means of [converting] finners ?

eff:&tu.

4. By making ufe 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.

238. Do all convictions of fin iffue in converfion?

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

29. What is converfion?

A. It is the fpiritual motion of the whole man, toward a God in Chrift, as the immediate effect of the real and fupernatural change, that is wrought in regeneration, Jer. iii 21.

240. Is there any difference between conversion and regeneration?

A. They are as infeparably conjoined, as the effect is to its caufe. Regeneration, or the formation of the new creature, (wherein we are wholly palive), is the caufe; and converfion, or the motion of the foul to God, is the effect, which infallibly follows thereupon, Hof. vi. z.

2. 41. Cannot man be the author of his own converfion? A. No: he can neither prepare himself for it, nor cooperate with God therein.

Q: 42. Why can lie not prepare himself for it?

A Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, ay and untilregenerating grace take place in the foul, Rom viii.7,8.

Q43. Why cannot man ca operate with God in this work?

A. Because there can be no acting, without a principle of action. Regeneration, being the infufing of fpiritual life into the foul, it is impoffible the creature can co-operate or concur with God therein, any more than Lazarus in the grave could concur in his own refurrection, till the powerful voice of Chrift infused life and ftrength in him.

2 44. What would be the confequence, if man could co-operate with God in regeneration?

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

Q. 45. How are regeneration and converfion denomi nated in fcripture, to prove that God only can be the au thor of them?

A. They are called a creation, Eph, ii, 1c. and a reførreftion, chap. v. 14.

Q46. Why called a creation ?

A. Because there is nothing in the heart of man, out of which the new creature can be formed; Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart being only evil continually, Gen. vi. 5

47. Why called a refurrection?

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

iv. 17.

248. What influence has the word upon the conver, fion of finners?

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

Q49 What is the efficacy of the word, in the work of converfion compared unto in fcripture ?

A. It is compared to a fire, to a hammer, Jer. xxiii. 29.; to rain, Deut. xxxii. 2; and to light, Plal, cxix. 1c 5. Qo. Why compared to fire?

A. Becaufe as fire purifies the metal, feparating the drofs; fo the word, in the hand of the Spirit, purifies the heart, purging away the drofs of fin and corruption that is there, Ifa. iv 4.

Q. 51. Why compared to a hammer?

4. In regard that as a hammer breaketh the rock in pico

es, (Jer. xxiii. 29) and thereby fits it for the building; fo 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. Becaufe as the rain falis irrefiftibly, fo there is no withstanding the efficacy of the word in the hand of the Spirit, Ifa. lv. 11.

2. 53. Why compared to light?

A. Becaufe as light difcovers things that were indifcernible in the dark: fo the Spirit, by the word, discovers the latent wickedness of the heart, 1 Cor. xiv. 25. and the matchlefs glory and excellency of Chrift, as IMMANUEL, God with us, John xvi. 14.

254. What ufe doth the Spirit make of the reading, but especially the preaching of the word, with reference to SAINTS, who are brought into a fate of grace?

A. He makes ufe thereof as an effectual means [of building them up in boliness and comfort, through faith, unto fal vations xx. 32. Róm. xy. 4.

255. Is [holiness] neceffary in order to our juftification before God.

A. It is neceffary in the juftified, but not in order to their juftification; becaufe this would found their juftification upon works, contrary to Rom. iii. 2c. By the deeds of the law fhall no flesh be justified in his fight *.

26. Is it neceffary as the ground of our title to hea- ̄ ven?

A. It is neceffary to clear our title; but our title itself can be founded only in our union with Chrift, and the imputation of his righteoufnefs Cor. iii. 22, 23- All are yours, and ye are Chrift's: compared with Rom. viii. 3c-Whom he juftified, them he alfo glorified.

257. Why are the faints faid to be built up in holiness? A. Because the work of fanctification, like a building, is gradually carried on towards perfection at death, Prov. iv. 18.

2.58 How doth the Spirit make the reading and preach. ing of the word, an effectual mean of building up the faints in holiness?

A. By giving them in the glafs of the word, fuch clear

* See PART I. on Sanctification, Quest. 45.

and repeated difcoveries of the glory of Chrift, as thereby they are more and more transformed into the fame image with him, 2 Cor. iii 18.

259. How doth he, by means of thefe ordinances, build then up in [comfort]?

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

Q. 60. Through what inftrument is it, that the Spirit makes thefe means effectual, for building up the faints in holinefs and comfort?

A. It is through faith], 1 Theff ii. 13.

261. What inftrumentality has faith, in the hand of the spirit. for building up the faints in holiness and comfort?

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

22 Unto what end docs the Spirit, by means of the word, build them up in holinefs and comfort, thro' faith? A. It is unto their complete and eternal [falvation], Rom. i. 16.

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

A. That as no fpecial blefling can be expected from God, in the wilful neglect of the ordinances, Prov. xxviii. 9 fo we may fit all our days under a pure difpenfation of the gospel, without reaping any fpiritual profit, unless divine fupernatural agency concur, 1 Cor. iii. 6.

GO. QUEST. How is the word to be read nd beard, that it may become effectual to faition?

ANSW. That the word may become eQual to falvation, we must attend creunto with diligence, preparation, and prayer; receive it with faith and love; lay it up in our hearts, and practife it in our lives.