"They are to pray for fuch particular benefits, fpiritual and tem"poral, as they stand in need for the time, (whether it be morning ❝ or evening), as anent health or fickness, profperity or adverfity. "They ought to pray for the kirk of Chrift in general, for all "the reformed kirks, and for this kirk in particular. and for all that "fuffer for the name of Chrift; for all our fuperiors, the King's "Majefty, the Queen, and their children; for the Magiftrates, Mi"nifters, and whole body of the congregation whereof they are ❝ members, as well for their neighbours abfent in their lawful af"fairs, as for thofe that are at home. "The prayer may be closed with an earnest defire, that God may "be glorified in the coming of the kingdom of his Son, and in do"ing of his will, and with affurance that themfelves are accepted, "and what they have asked according to his will shall be done." X. Thefe exercifes ought to be performed in great fincerity, without delay, laying afide all exercifes of worldly bufinefs, or hinderances, notwithstanding the mockings of Atheists, and profane men; in refpect of the great mercies of God to this land, and of his fevere corrections wherewith lately he hath exercised us. And to this effect, perfons of eminency (and all elders of the kirk) not only ought to ftir up themselves and families to diligence herein; but also to concur effectually, that in all other families, where they have power and charge, the faid exercifes be confcionably performed. XI. Befides 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 occafions, (private or public), calleth for them. XII. Seeing the word of God requireth, that we should confider one another to provoke unto love, and good works; therefore, at all times, and specially in this time, wherein profanity abounds, and mockers, walking after their own lufts, think it frange that others run not with them to the fame excefs of riot; every member of this kirk ought to stir up themselves, and one another, to the duties of mutual edification, by inftruction, admonition, rebuke; exhorting one another to manifeft the grace of God, in denying ungodliness and worldly lufts, and in living godly, foberly, and righteously, in this prefent world; by comforting the feeble-minded, and praying with or for one another. Which duties refpectively are to be performed upon fpecial occafions offered by divine providence; as namely, when under any calamity, croís, or great difficulty, counfel or comfort is fought, or when an offender is to be reclaimed by private admonition, and if that be not effectual by joining one or two more in the admonition according to the rule of Chrift: that in the mouth of two or three witnefles every word may be established. XIII. And, because it is not given to every one to speak a word in feafon to a wearied or diftreffed confcience, it is expedient, that a perfon (in that cafe) finding no cafe after the ufe of all ordinary means, private and public, have their addrefs to their own paftor or fome experienced Chriftian: but if the perfon troubled in confci ence be of that condition, or of that fex, that difcretion, modefty, or fear of fcandal, requireth a godly, grave, and fecret friend to be prefent with them in their faid addrefs, it is expedient that fuch a friend be prefent. XIV. When perfons of divers families are brought together by divine providence, being abroad upon their particular vocations, or any neceflary occafions; as they would have the Lord their God with them whitherfoever they go, they ought to walk with God, and not neglect the duties of prayer and thanksgiving, but take care that the fame be performed by fuch as the company fhall judge fittest. And that they likewife take heed that no corrupt communication proceed out of their mouths, but that which is good, to the ufe of edify. ing, that it may minifter grace to the hearers. The drift and fcope of all thefe directions is no other, but that upon the one part, the power and practice of godliness, amongst all the minifters and members of this kirk, according to their several places and vocations, may be cherished and advanced, and all impiety and mock. ing of religious exercifes fuppreffed: And, upon the other part, that, under the name and pretext of religious exercifes, no fuch meetings or practices be allowed, as are apt to breed error, fcandal, fchifmm, contempt, or mifregard of the public ordinances and minifters, or neglect of the duties of particular callings, or fuch other evils as are the works, not of the Spirit, but of the flesh, and are contrary te truth and peace, と A. KER FINI S Of the chief matters contained in the CONFESSION of FAITH and LARGER CATECHISM. Con. fignifies the Confeffion of Faith. The firft number denotes the chap ter, the following figures denote the paragraph. Cat. fignifies the Larger Catechifm, and the figures denote the numbers of the questions. CCEPTANCE. The perfons of believers are accepted as righteous in the fight of God only for the obedience and fatisfaction of Chrift, con. xi. 1. cát. 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 Chrift, con. xvi. 6. Acceptance in prayer, through Chrift and his mediation, cat. 180. Accefs. No accefs unto the prefence of God, without the Mediator Jefus Chrift, con. xii. cat. 39, 55, 181. Who hath purchased for believers under the gofpel, a greater boldness of accefs to the throne of grace, than believers under the law did ordinarily partake of, con. xx. I. Actions. God orders and governs all the actions of his creatures, by his moft wife and holy providence, according to his infallible foreknowledge, and immutable decree, con. v. I. cat. 18 See providence. Actual fins, proceed from the original corruption of nature, con. vi. 4. cat. 25. See fin. Admonition of the church, con. xxx. 4. Adoption, the nature and privileges of it, con. xii. cat 74. Adultery, a juft ground of divorce, con. xxiv. 5, 6. Aggravations of fin, cat. 151. Amen, the meaning of it, cat. 196. Angels, God's decree concerning them, con. iii. 3, 4. cat 13. How created, cat. 16. God's providence towards them, cat. 19. They are all employed at his pleasure in the adminiftrations of his power, mercy, and juftice, ib. Not to be worshipped, con. xxi. 2. cat. ios. Antichrift, what, con. xxv. 6. The pope is Antichrist, ib. Antiquity, no pretence for ufing the devices of men in the worthip of God, cat. 109. Anxiety about the things of this life, finful, cat. 105, 136. 142. The Apocrypha, not being of divine infpiration, is of no authority in the church, con. i. 3. Immodest apparel, forbidden, cat. 139. Afcenfion of Chrift. con. viii. 4. cat. 53. Affembly. See councils. Public affemblies for the worship of God not to be carelessly or wil fully neglected, con. xxi 6. Affurance of grace and falvation, attainable in this life, con. xviii. 1. 2. cat, 4. cat. cat. 80. Without extraordinary. BA B 4. Aptifm, what, con. xxviii. 1. 2. tion, union, communion, liberty, The body of Christ, how present in The myftical body of Christ. True The bodies of the elect after death, and at the refurrection, con. xxxii. and lending freely according to our ability, and the neceffities of others, is a duty, con. xxvi. 2. cat. 141. Charms, unlawful, cat. 113. Chastity, cat. 137. Children that die in infancy, how faved, con. x. 3. The children of fuch as profefs the true religion, are members of the vifible church, con. xxv. 2. cat. 62. And are to be baptifed, con. xxviii. 4. cat. 166. Chrift, why fo called, cat. 42. Is the only Mediator between God and man, con. viii. 1. cat. 36. Who being very God, of one fubftance, and equal with the Father, con. viii. 2. cat. 11. 36. In the fulness of time became man, con. viii. 2. cat. 36, 37. The neceffity of his being God and man, cat. 38, 39, 40. He was ordained by God from eternity to be Mediator, con. viii. 1. He was fanctified 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 facrifice of himself, he purchafed reconciliation and eternal life for all the elect, con. viii. 5. cat. 38. To whom, in all ages the benefits of his mediation are effectually applied, con. viii. 6, 8. Chrift's offices of Prophet, Prieft, King, cat. 43, 44, 45. See acceptance, accefs, body of Chrift, church, death of Christ, exaltation, expiation, humiliation, imputation, interceffion, judge, merit, Meffiah, name of Chrift, perfonal union, propitiation, reconciliation, redemption, refurrection, righteoufnefs, facrifice, falvation, fatisfaction, furety. Chriftian liberty. See liberty. The church is the object of God's fpecial providence, con. vii. 5. cat. 63. Chrift the only head of it, con. viii. 1. xxv. 6. The catholic church invifible, what, con. XXV. I. cat. 64. Given to Chrift 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 catholic church vifible, what, con. xxv. 2. cat. 62. Out of it no ordinary poffibility of falvation, con. xxv. 2. Its privileges, con. xxv. 3. cat. 63. Particular churches more or lefs pure, con. xxv. 4. The pureft fubject to mixture and error, con. xxv. 5. There shall always be a church on earth to worship God according to his will, ib. Church-cenfures. See cenfures. Church-government, appointed by the Lord Jefus in the hand of church-officers, diftinct from the civil magiftrate, con. xxx. 1. cat. 45, 108. But they are not exempted from obedience to the magiftrate, con. xxiii. 4. They have the power of the keys committed to them, con. xxx. 2. What that power is, and its ufe, con. xxx. 2, 3, 4. They are not to be oppofed in the lawful exercife of their powers, upon pretence of Chriftian liberty, con. xx. 4. See councils. There are some circumstances concerning church-government, which are to be ordered by the light of nature and Chriflian prudence, according to the general rules of the word, con. i. 6. Circumcifion, one of the ordinances by which the covenant of grace was adminiftred under the law, con. vii. 5. cat. 34. Civil magiftrate or civil powers. See magistrate. The Ten Commandments are the fum of the moral law, con. xix. 2. Cat. |