Of the manner of hearing,
An Exposition of the affembly's Catechifm.
beautiful upon the mountains arethe feet ofhim that bringeth goodtidings, that publiſheth peace, that publiſheth ſalvation, thatfaith unto Zion, ThyGod reigneth.
OftheManner ofHearing.
Queſt. 90.
OW is the word to be read and heard, that H itmaybecome effectual to ſalvation ?
A. That the wordmay become effectual to falvation, we must attend thereunto with diligence, preparation, and prayer, receive it withfaith and love, lay it up in our hearts, andprac tiſeit in our lives.
Q. 1. Ifthe matterwe reador hear begood, isnot that e nough for our falvation ?
A. No, God requires thatthe wordbe read and heard in a due manner, and the manner of hearing is ofſpecial regard withGod; Luke viii. 18. Take heed thereforehowyehear, &c.
Q.2.Howmanythings belong tothedue manner of hearing?
A. Three forts ofdutiesbelong to it; ſome antecedent, as preparation and prayer ; ſome concomitant, as due diligence andretention; and ſome ſubſequent, as practice.
Q. 3. What is duepreparationforhearing?
A. It confifts inſerious confideration ofthe greatneſs and holineſs ofthatGodwhom we approach inhearingthe word;
Acts x. 33. Now therefore we are allhere preſentbeforeGod, to hear allthings thatarecommanded thee ofGod. And awingtheheart even to adegree of holy trembling thereby ;
Ifa. lxvi. 2. To him will I look, eventohim that is poorandof acontrite ſpirit, and trembleth atmyword.
Q. 4. What is the principal confiderationthus to awe the heart?
A. Theword is initsownnatureanheart-fearching word ; Heb. iv. 12. For the wordofGod is quick and powerful, and ſharper than any two-edged ſword, piercing even tothedivid ingaſunder offouland ſpirit, and ofthejoints andmarrow, and is adifcerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Andthateventually itwillbe the favour oflife or death tous ; 2Cor. ii. 16. To the one we are the favour of death unto death ; and tothe other the favour of life untolife, &c.
Q. 5. What elſe belongs to due preparation tohear ?
A.Thedifchargingofthe heart from worldly cares; Matth. xiii. 7. Andfome fellamong thorns, and the thorns ſprang up andchoaked them. And carnal lufts ; James i. 21. Where-
VOL. VIII.
An Exposition of the Assembly's Catechism. fore lay apart all filthineſs and fuperfluity ofnaughtiness, and receive with meekneſs the ingrafted word, which is able to faveyour fouls.
Q. 6. What is the third act of due preparation ?
A. Longing afterthe word for further communications of grace by it ; Pet. ii. 2. As new-born babes defire the ſincere milk ofthe word, that ye may grow thereby.
Ifa. ii. 3.
And manypeople ſhall go andſay, Comeye, and letus goup tothemountain ofthe Lord, tothehouſe ofthe God ofJacob, and hewill teach us ofhis ways, andwe will walkin his paths : for out of Zion ſhallgo forth the law, and the word ofthe
Lord from Jerufalem.
Q. 7. What is the ſecond antecedent duty ofhearing ?
A. Prayer is an antecedentduty to hearing the word, and that both for the aſſiſtance of the miniſter ;
2 Theff. iii. 1 .
Finally,brethren, prayfor us, that the word of the Lord may havefreecourſe, andbe glorified, evenas it iswith you. And our own illumination ; Pfalm cxix. 18. Open thou mine eyes,that Imaybehold wondrous things out ofthylaw.
Q. 8. What elſe ſhouldwe pray for ?
A. That God would pour out his Spirit with the word, according to that promiſe, Prov. i. 23. Iwill pour out my Spirit upon you, I will make known mywords unto you.
Q. 9. Doth unpreparedneſs for the word always hinder its efficacy on theheart ?
A. No,God fometimes isfound ofthem that fought him not; Ifa. lxv. 1. I was found ofthem thatfought me not, &c.
Butit is isa finto neglect it, and needs apardonofGod.
Q. 10. What is the firſt motivetoprepare for folemnduties ?
A. That it argues the fincerity of the heart, and in that cafeGod will be merciful to infirmities ; 2 Chron. xxx. 18,
19. For a multitude of the people, even a multitude ofEphraim and Manaſſeh, Iſſachar and Zebulun, had not cleanfed themſelves, yet did eat the pafſover, but not as it is written.; wherefore Hezekiah prayed for them, faying, The good Lord be merciful towards him that prepareth his whole heart to feek the Lord God, the God of his fathers, though hebe not cleanſed, according to the purification ofthe ſanctuary.
Q. 11. What is the ſecond motive ?
A. Itis a ſweet ſign that God will makethat duty fuccefsful for which the heart is prepared ; Pfalm x. 17. Thou prepareſt their heart ; thou bendeſt thine ear to them.
Q12. What isthe third motive to preparation ?
A. The majestyandjealousy ofGod, towhomweapproach,
An Expofition of the Affembly's Catechism.
obliges us to folemn perparation ; Heb. xii. 28, 29. Whereby wemay ferveGod acceptably, with reverence andgodly fear; for our God is a conſuming fire.
Q. 13. But muſt a manneglect the duty, if his heart be not dulyprepared for it ?
A. No ; for that would be to add a new ſin to a former, and aggravate it the more.
Q. 14. In what manner muſt thepreparedheartgo to the word?
A. Not in dependance on its own preparations, butupon the Spirit's aſſiſtance ; Pfalm lxxi. 16. I will go forward in the ſtrength ofthe Lord God, &c.
Q. 15. What is the firſt act of faithdue to the word?
A. The affenting act offaith is required to the word read or preached, whereby we acknowledge it to be ofdivine authority ; 2 Tim. iii. 16. All fcripture is given by inſpiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for inftruction in righteouſneſs ; 2 Peter i. 21. For the prophecycame not inoldtime by the will of man : but holy menofGodſpake as they were moved bytheholyGhost.
Q. 16. What is thefecond act of faith required of us ?
A. An applying act offaith is alſo required of us ; Rom. xv. 4. For whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for ourlearning, that we through patience and comfortof the fcriptures might havehope.
Q. 17. What is the firſtend in applying the word ?
A. It is firſt to be applied to our conviction both of fin andmiſery ; Acts ii. 37. Now when they heardthis, they were pricked in their hearts, and faid unto Peter, and tothe rest of the apostles, Men andbrethren, what ſhall we do ?
Q. 18. What is the fecond end, or uſe ofapplying it ?
A. It mustbe applied for our guidance and direction to Chriſt ; John vi. 45. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father cometh unto ne.
Q. 19. What is the third uſe to which it must be applied ?
A. Wemust apply it for our direction through the whole courſeofChriftianduties ; 2Pet. i. 19. We have alſo amore furewordof prophecy ; whereunto yedo well that ye take heed, as unto a light that ſhineth in adark place, until the daydawn, andthe day-ftar arife in your hearts.
Q. 20. What other uſe muſtwe applyit to ?
A. Itmustbe applied for our comfort in allinward and outward troubles ; Rom. xv. 4. For whatsoeverthings were writ.
An Expofition of the Affembly's Catechism. ten aforetime,were writtenfor our learning, that we through patienceandcomfort ofthe ſcriptures mighthavehope.
Q. 21. On what account are we toreceive itwith love?
A. We are to love it for its author's sake, becauſe it is the word ofGod ; Pfalm cxix. 159. Confider how I love thy precepts, &c.
Q. 22. What is theſecond motive of love to the word ?
A. The holiness and purity ofitdeserves and engages our love to it ; Pfalm cxix. 140. Thy word is very pure : therefore thyfervant loveth it.
Q. 23. What is the third motive toengage our love to it?
A. The great andconſtant uſefulness of ittoour fouls, as thatwe cannot ſubſiſt without Job xxiii. 12. I have eſteemedthe words ofhis mouth morethan my neceſſary food.
Q. 24. How doth this love to the word manifeſt itſelf ?
A. Our love manifeſts itſelf in our longing after it ; Pfalm cxix. 20. My foul breaketh for the longingthat it hath unto thy judgments at all times.
Our diligent attendance on it; Acts x. 33. Immediately therefore I fent unto thee, andthou haftwelldone that thou art come. Now therefore arewe all herepreſentbeforeGod, to hear all things that are command. edthee ofGod.
25. How is faith and love evidenced totheword after hearing it?
A. Bypreſerving it carefully inour hearts and memories; Pfalm cxix, 11. Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not fin against thee.
26. What is the best cure for abad memory ?
A. Labour toget anhigh eſteemofit, and anexperimental feeling of it, and frequently meditate on it; Pfalm cxix. 16.
Iwilldelight myselfinthy ſtatutes : Iwillnotforgetthy word.
Pfalm cxix. 93. I will never forget thy precepts ; for with them thou hast quickenedme. Plalm cxix. 99. Thy teſtimonies are my meditation.
27. How is faith and loveprincipally manifeſted to the word after hearing ?
A. It is principally manifeſtedby bringing forth the fruits ofit in our lives ; Col. i. 5, 6. Forthe hope which is laidup foryou in heaven, whereofye heardbefore inthe word of the truth ofthegoſpel, which isiscomeuntoyou, as it is in all the world, and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth alſo in you, fince thedayyeheard of it, and knew the grace ofGod in truth.
28. What isthe use ofall this ?
A. This ferves to reproveour formal anddeadhearing the