66 "congregation whereof they are members, as well for their neighbours absent in their lawful affairs, as for "those that are at home. "The prayer may be closed with an earnest desire that "God may be glorified in the coming of the kingdom of "his Son, and in doing of his will, and with assurance " that themselves are accepted, and what they have asked "according to his will shall be done." X. These exercises ought to be performed in great sincerity, without delay, laying aside all exercises of worldly business or hinderances, notwithstanding the mockings of atheists and profane men; in respect of the great mercies of God to this land, and of his severe corrections wherewith lately he hath exercised us. And, to this effect, persons of eminency (and all elders of the kirk) not only ought to stir up themselves and families to diligence herein, but also to concur effectually, that in all other families, where they have power and charge, the said exercises be conscionably performed. XI. Besides the ordinary duties in families, which are above mentioned, extraordinary duties, both of humiliation and thanksgiving, are to be carefully performed in families, when the Lord, by extraordinary occasions, (private or publick,) calleth for them. XII. Seeing the word of God requireth, that we should consider one another to provoke unto love and good works; therefore, at all times, and especially in this time, wherein profanity abounds, and mockers, walking after their own lusts, think it strange that others run not with them to the same excess of riot; every member of this kirk ought to stir up themselves, and one another, to the duties of mutual edification, by instruction, admonition, rebuke; exhorting one another to manifest the grace of God, in denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, and in living godly, soberly, and righteously, in this present world; by comforting the feebleminded, and praying with or for one another. Which duties respectively are to be performed upon special occasions offered by divine Providence; as namely, when under any calamity, cross, or great difficulty, counsel or comfort is sought; or when an offender is to be reclaimed by private admonition, 12 admonition, and if that be not effectual, by joining one or two more in the admonition, according to the rule of Christ; that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. XIII. And, because it is not given to every one to speak a word in season to a wearied or distressed conscience, it is expedient, that a person (in that case) finding no ease, after the use of all ordinary means, private and publick, have their address to their own pastor, or some experienced Christian: but if the person troubled in conscience be of that condition, or of that sex, that discretion, modesty, or fear of scandal, requireth a godly, grave, and secret friend to be present with them in their said address, it is expedient that such a friend be present. XIV. When persons of divers families are brought together by divine Providence, being abroad upon their particular vocations, or any necessary occasions; as they would have the Lord their God with them whithersoever they go, they ought to walk with God, and not neglect the duties of prayer and thanksgiving, but take care that the same be performed by such as the company shall judge fittest. And that they likewise take heed that no corrupt communication proceed out of their mouths, but that which is good, to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers. The drift and scope of all these Directions is no other, but that, upon the one part, the power and practice of godliness, amongst all the ministers and members of this kirk, according to their several places and vocations, may be cherished and advanced, and all impiety and mocking of religious exercises suppressed: and, upon the other part, that, under the name and pretext of religious exercises, no such meetings or practices be allowed, as are apt to breed error, scandal, schism, contempt, or misregard of the publick ordinances and ministers, or neglect of the duties of particular callings, or such other evils as are the works, not of the Spirit, but of the flesh, and are contrary to truth and peace. A. KER. A TABLE Of the chief Matters contained in the CONFESSION of FAITH and LARGER CATECHISM. Con. signifies the Confession of Faith. The first number denotes the Chapter, the following figures denote the Paragraphs. Cat. signifies the Larger Catechism, and the figures denote the numbers of the Questions. A ACCEPTANGE. The persons of believers are accepted as righteous in the sight of God only for the obedience and satisfaction of Christ, con. xi. 1. cat. 70. Which is imputed to them by God, and received by faith, con. xi. 1. cat. 70, 71, 72. How their good works are accepted in Christ, con. xvi. 6. Acceptance in prayer through Christ and his mediation, cat. 180. Access. No access unto the presence of God without the Mediator Jesus Christ, con.xii.cat. 39, 55, 181. Who hath purchased for believers under the gospel, a greater boldness of access to the throne of grace, than believers under the law did ordinarily partake of, con. xx. 1. Actions. God orders and governs all the actions of his creatures by his most wise and holy providence, according to his infallible foreknowledge and immutable decree, con. v. 1. cat. 18. See Providence. Actual sins proceed from the original corruption of nature, con. vi. 4. cat. 25. See Sin. Admonition of the church, con. xxx. 4. Adoption, the nature and privi- Aggravations of sin, cat. 151. t Assembly. See Councils. ship of God not to be carelessly B BAPTISM, what, con. xxviii. 1, 2. it, con. xxviii. 6. How to be im Believers. See Faith, Justification, The Body of Christ, how present cat. 170. The mystical Body of Christ. True The Bodies of the elect after death, Lascivious Books not to be read, cat. 139. C CALLING. See Effectual Calling. To Censures of the Church, what, con. Ceremonial law. See Law. Charity towards our neighbour, wherein it consists, cat. 135, 141, 144, 147. What contrary to it, cat. 136, 142, 145, 148. Giving and lending freely according to our ability, and the necessities of others, is a duty, con. xxvi. 2. cat. 141. Charms unlawful, cat. 113. Chastity, cat. 138. Children that die in infancy, how saved, con. x. 3. The children of such as profess the true religion are members of the visible church, con. xxv. 2. cat. 62. And are to be baptized, con. xxviii. 4. cat. 166. He Christ, why so called, cat. 42. Is the only Mediator between God and man, con. viii. 1. cat. 36. Who being very God, of one. substance, and equal with the Father, con. viii. 2. çat. 11, 36. In the fulness of time became man, con. viii. 2. cat. 36, 37. The necessity of his being God and man, cat. 38. 39, 40. was ordained by God from eternity to be Mediator, con. viii. 1. He was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit to execute the office of Mediator, con. viii. 3. cat. 42. To which he was called by the Father, con. viii. 3. And willingly undertook and discharged it, con. iv. 8. By his perfect obedience and sacrifice of himself, he purchased reconciliation and eternal life for all the elect, con. viii. 5. cat. 38. Το whom, in all ages, the benefits of his mediation are effectually applied, con. viii. 6, 8. Christ's offices of prophet, priest, king, cat. 43, 44, 45. See Acceptance, Access, Body of Christ, Church, Death of Christ, Exaltation, Expiation, Humiliation, Imputation, Intercession, Judge, Merit, Messtah, Name of Christ, Personal Union, Propitiation, Reconciliatiom, Redemption, Resurrection, Righteousness, Sacrifice, Salva tion, Satisfaction, Surety. Christian liberty. See Liberty. The Church is the object of God's special providence, con. v. 7. cat. 63. Christ the only head of it, con. viii. 1. xxv. 6. The catholick church invisible, what, con. xxv. 1. cat. 64. Given to Christ from all eternity, con. viii. 1. The benefits which the members of it enjoy by Christ, cat. 65.66, 69, 82, 83, 86, 90. The catholick church visible, what, con. xxv. 2. cat. 62. Out of it no ordinary possibility of salvation, con. xxv. 2. Its privileges, con. xxv. 3. cat. 63. Particular churches more or less pure, con. xxv. 4. The purest subject to mixture and error, con. xxv. 5. There shall always be a church on earth to worship God according to his will, ib. Church-censures. See Censures. Church-government appointed by the Lord Jesus in the hand of church-officers, distinct from the civil magistrate, con. xxx. 1. cat 45, 108. But they are not exempted from obedience to the magistrate, con xxiii. 4. They have the power of the keys committed to them, con. xxx. 2. What that power is, and its use, con. xxx. 2, 3, 4. They are not to be opposed in the lawful exercise of their powers upon pretence of Christian liberty, con. xx. 4. See Councils. There are some circumstances concerning church-government, which are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the word, con. i. 6. Circumcision, one of the ordinances by which the covenant of grace was administered Cc2 under |