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God requireth of us faith in Jefus Chrift, repentance unto lifec, with the diligent ufe of all the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption d.

Q. 86. What is faith in Jefus Chrift?

A Faith in Jefus Chrift is a faving grace e, whereby we receive, and reft upon him alone for falvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel f.

87. What is repentance unto life?

A. Repentance unto life is a faving grace g, whereby a fin

ten, Curfed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. Lam. iii. 39. Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his fins? Mat. xxv. 41. Then fhall he fay alfo unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye curfed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.

85. c Acts xx. 21. teftifying both to the Jews, and alfo to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jefus Chrift.

d 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 feekeft her as filver, and fearcheft for her, as for hid treasure: v. 5. then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord: and find the knowledge of God Prov. viii. 33. Hear inftruction and be wife, and refufe it not. v. 34. Bleffed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts 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:

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all they that hate me, love death. Ifa. lv. 3. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your foul fhall live, and I will make an everlaiting covenant with you, even the fure mercies of David.

86 e Heb. x. 39. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition. but of them that believe, to the faving of the foul.

f John i. 12. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the fons of God, even to them that believe on his name. Ifa. xxvi. 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whofe mind is ftayed on thee: becaufe he trußteth in thee. v. 4. Truft ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting ftrength. Phil. iii. 9. And be found in him, not having mine own righteoufnefs, which is of the law. but that which is through the faith of Chrift, the righteousness which is of God by faith. Gal. ii. 16. Knowing that a man is not juftified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jefus Chrift; even we have believed in Jefus Chrift; that we might be juftified by the faith of Chrift, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law fhall no flesh be juftified.

87. g Acts xi. 18. When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, faying

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ner, out of the true sense of his fin b, and apprehenfion of the mercy of God in Chrifti, doth with grief and hatred of his fin, turn from it unto God k, with full purpose of, and endeavour after, new obedience 7.

Q. 83. What are the outward means whereby Chrift communicateth to us the benefits of redemption?

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

Q. 89. How is the word made effectual to salvation?

A. The Spirit of God maketh the reading, but especially the preaching of the word, an effectual means of convincing

Then hath God alfo to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

h Acts ii. 37. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and faid unto Peter, and to the rest of the apoftles, Men and brethren, what fhall we do? v. 38. Then Peter faid unto them, Repeut, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jefus Chrift, for the remiffion of fins, and ye fhall receive the gift of the Holy Ghoft.

i Joelii. 12. Therefore alfo now, faith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fafting, and with weeping, and with mourning. Jer. iii. 22. Return, ye backfliding children, and I will heal your backflidings: Behold, we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God,

k Jer. xxxi. 18. I have furely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus, Thou hafl chaftifed me, and I was chaftifed, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God. v. 19. Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was inftructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was afhamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. Ezek.

and

xxvi. 31. Then fhall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own fight, for your iniquities, and for your abominations.

/ 2 Cor. vii. 11. For behold, this felf fame thing that ye förrowed after a godly fort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indig. nation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement defire, yea, what zeal. yea, what revenge! in all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter. Ifa. i. 16. Wash ye, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes, ceafe to do evil. v. 17. Learn to do well, feek judgment, relieve the oppreffed, judge the fatherlefs, plead for the widow.

88. Mat. xxviii. 19. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the 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. Amen. Acts ii. 42. And they continued fledfaitly in the a

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and converting finners, and of building them up in holiness, and comfort, through faith unto falvation n.

Q. 90. How is the word to be read and heard that it may become effectual to falvation?

A. That the word may become effectual to falvation, we must attend thereunto with diligence o, preparation p,

poftles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. v. 46. And they continued daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from houfe to houfe, did eat their meat with gladnefs and finglenefs of heart; v. 47. Praifing God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily fuch as fhould be faved.

89. Neh. viii. 8. So they read in the book, in the law of God diftinctly, and gave the fenfe, and caufed them to understand the reading. 1 Cor. xiv. 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. 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 truth. 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 taith that is in me. Pfal. xix. 8. The ftatutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightning the eyes. 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 among all them which are fanctified. Rom. xv. 4. For whatfoever things were written a

foretime, were written for our learning; that we through patience and comfort of the fcripture might have hope. 2 Tim. ii. 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, throughly furnished unto all good works. Rom. x. 13. For whofoever fhall 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 on him of whom they have not heard? and how fhall they hear without a preacher ? V. 15. And how fhall they preach, except they be fent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gofpel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things? v. 16. But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Efaias faith, Lord, who hath believed our report? v. 17. So then, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, Rom. i. 16. For I am not afhamed of the gospel of Chrift: for it is the power of God unto falvation, to every one that believeth, to the Jew firit, and also to the Greek.

90. Prov. viii. 34. Bleffed is the mar that heareth me, watching dai. ly at my gates, waiting at the pofis

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on p, and prayer q; receive it with faith and love r, lay it up in our hearts, and practise it in our lives 1.

Q. 91. How do the ficraments become effectual means of falvation?

A. The facraments become effectual means of falvation, not from any virtue in them, or in him that doth adminifter them, but only by the blefling of Chrift v, and the working of his Spirit in them that by faith receive them w.

Q.92 What is a facrament?

A. A facrament is an holy ordinance instituted by Chrift; wherein, by fenfible figns, Chrift and the benefits of the new covenant are reprefented, fealed and applied to believers x. Q. 93.

of my doors.

1 Pet. ii. 1. Wherefore laying afide all malice, and all guile, and hypocrifies, and envies, and all evil fpeakings, v. 2. as new born babes defire the fincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.

9 Pfal. cxix. 18. Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

r Heb iv. 2. For unto us was the gofpel preached, as well as unto them but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it 2. Theff. ii. 10. And with all deceivea bleness of unrighteoufnefs in them that perifh; becaufe they received not the love of the truth, that they might be faved.

Pfal. cxix. 11. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not fio against thee.

t Luke viii. 15. But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. James i. 25. But whofo looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man fhall be bleffed in his deed.

91. v. 1 Pet. iii. 21. The like figure whereunto, even baptifm, doth alfo now fave us, not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the anfwer of a good confcience towards God, by the refurrection of Jefus Chrift. Mat. iii. II. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but he that cometh after me, is mightier than I, whofe fhoes I am not worthy to bear: he fhall baptize you with the holy Ghoft and with fire. 1 Cor. iii. 6. I have planted, Apollos watered: but God gave the increase. v. 7. So then, neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth: but God that giveth the increase.

I Cor. xii. 13. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

92. x Gen. xvii. 7. And I will eftablish my covenant between me and thee, and thy feed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting covenant to be a God unto thee, and to thy feed after thee. v. 10. This is my covenant, which ye fhall keep between me and you, and thy feed after thee: Every man child among

you

Q. 93. Which are the facraments of the new Testament? A. The facraments of the new Teftament are, baptifm y, and the Lord's fupper z.

Q. 94. What is baptifm?

A. Baptifm is a facrament, wherein the washing with water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost a, doth fignify and feal our ingrafting into Christ, and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace, and our engagement to be the Lord's b.

Q.95. To whom is baptifm to be adminiftred?

A. Baptifm is not to be adminiftred to any that are out of the visible church, till they profefs their faith in Christ, and obedience to him c: but the infants of fuch as are members of the visible church are to be baptized d.

Q. 96. What is the Lord's Supper?

A. The Lord's fupper is a facrament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine according to Chrift's appointment, his death is fhewed forth; and the worthy receivers are, not after a corporal and carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of his

you shall be circumcifed. Exod. xii. throughout. Cor. xi. 23. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jefus, the fame night in which he was betrayed, took bread. v. 26. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do fhew the Lord's death till he come.

93 y Mat xxviii. 19. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost. z Mat. xxvi. 26. And as they were eating, Jefus took bread, and bleffed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and faid, Take, eat; this is my body v. 27. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, faying, Drink ye all of it, v 28. For this is my blood of the new Testament, which is fhed for many for the remiffion of fins.

94. a Mat. xxviii. 19. See in letter y.

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b Rom. vi. 4. Therefore we are buried with him by baptifm into death: that like as Chrift was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even fo we also should walk in newness of life. Gal. iii. 27. For as many of you as have been baptized into Chrift, have put on Christ.

95. c Acts viii. 36. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch faid. See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? v. 37. And Philip faid, If thou believeft with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and faid, I believe that Jefus Chrift is the Son of God. Acts ii. 38. Then Peter faid unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Chrift, for the remiffion of fins, and ye fhall receive the gift of the holy Gholt.

d Acts ii. 38. See before, v. 39.

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