18. Means of Grace: Scripture (Qs 155-160)
155 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 enlightening,(1) convincing, and
humbling sinners;(2) of driving them out of themselves, and drawing them unto
Christ;(3) of conforming them to his image,(4) and subduing them to his will;(5)
of strengthening them against temptations and corruptions;(6) of building them
up in grace,(7) and establishing their hearts in holiness and comfort through
faith unto salvation.(8)
(1)Neh. 8:8;
Acts 26:18; Ps. 19:8
(2)1 Cor.
(3)Acts
(4)2 Cor.
(5)2 Cor.
10:4-6; Rom.
(6)Matt.
4:4,7,10; Eph.
(7)Acts
20:32; 2 Tim. 3:15-17
(8)Rom.
156 Is
the word of God to be read by all? A. Although all are not to be permitted to
read the word publickly to the congregation,(1) yet all sorts of people are
bound to read it apart by themselves,(2) and with their families:(3) to which
end, the holy scriptures are to be translated out of the original into vulgar
languages.(4)
(1)Deut. 31:9,11,12,13; Neh. 8:2,3; Neh. 9:3-5
(2)Deut. 17:19; Rev. 1:3; John 5:39; Isa. 34:16
(3)Deut.
6:6-9; Gen. 18:17,19; Ps. 78:5-7
(4)1 Cor. 14:6,9,11,12,15,16,24,27,28
157 How is the word of God to be read? A.
The holy scriptures are to be read with an high and reverent esteem of them;(1)
with a firm persuasion that they are the very word of God,(2) and that he only
can enable us to understand them;(3) with desire to know, believe, and obey the
will of God revealed in them;(4) with diligence,(5) and attention to the matter
and scope of them;(6) with meditation,(7) application,(8) self-denial,(9) and
prayer.(10)
(1)Ps. 19:10;
Neh. 8:3-10; Exod. 24:7; 2 Chron. 34:27; Isa. 66:2
(2)2 Pet.
(3)Luke
24:45; 2 Cor. 3:13-16
(4)Deut.
17:10,20
(5)Acts
(6)Acts
8:30,34; Luke 10:26-28
(7)Ps. 1:2;
Ps. 119:97
(8)2 Chron.
34:21
(9)Prov. 3:5;
Deut. 33:3
(10)Prov. 2:1-6; Ps. 119:18; Neh. 7:6,8
158 By whom is the word of God to be
preached? A. The word of God is to be preached only by such as are sufficiently
gifted,(1) and also duly approved and called to that office.(2)
(1)1 Tim.
3:2,6; Eph. 4:8-11; Hosea 4:6; Mal. 2:7; 2 Cor. 3:6
(2)Jer.
159 How is the word of God to be preached by those
that are called thereunto? A. They that are called to labour in the ministry of
the word, are to preach sound doctrine,(1) diligently,(2) in season and out of
season;(3) plainly,(4) not in the enticing words of man's wisdom, but in
demonstration of the Spirit, and of power;(5) faithfully,(6) making known the
whole counsel of God;(7) wisely,(8) applying themselves to the necessities and
capacities of the hearers;(9) zealously,(10) with fervent love to God(11) and
the souls of his people;(12) sincerely,(13) aiming at his glory,(14) and their
conversion,(15) edification,(16) and salvation.(17)
(1)Tit. 2:1,8
(2)Acts
(3)2 Tim. 4:2
(4)1 Cor.
(5)1 Cor. 2:4
(6)Jer.
23:28; 1 Cor. 4:1,2
(7)Acts
(8)Col. 1:28;
2 Tim. 2:15
(9)1 Cor.
3:2; Heb.
(10)Acts
(11)2 Cor.
(12)Col.
4:12; 2 Cor. 12:15
(13)2 Cor.
(14)1 Thess.
2:4-6; John
(15)1 Cor.
(16)2 Cor.
(17)1 Tim.
160 What is required of those that hear the word preached? A. It
is required of those that hear the word preached, that they attend upon it with
diligence,(1) preparation,(2) and prayer;(3) examine what they hear by the
scriptures;(4) receive the truth with faith,(5) love,(6) meekness,(7) and
readiness of mind,(8) as the word of God;(9) meditate,(10) and confer of it;(11)
hide it in their hearts,(12) and bring forth the fruit of it in their lives.(13)
(1)Prov. 8:34
(2)1 Pet.
2:1,2; Luke
(3)Ps.
119:18; Eph. 6:18,19
(4)Acts
(5)Heb. 4:2
(6)2 Thess.
(7)James 1:21
(8)Acts
(9)1 Thess.
(10)Luke
9:44; Heb. 2:1
(11)Luke
24:14; Deut. 6:6,7
(12)Prov.
2:1; Ps. 119:11
(13)Luke 8:15; James 1:25