T 407858A ADVERTISEMENT. IN order to avoid repetitions, and render the following EXPLICATION at once low priced, abundant in matter, as well as practical, plain, and brief in its answers; some more important questions of the Shorter Catechism are more largely handled, while others, especially towards the end, are more briefly reviewed, their subject-matter being considered under some other head. It is therefore hoped, the reader will compare Quest 9, 11, 46, 54, 55, with Q. 4.—Quest. 31. with Q, 14, to 28.-Quest. 33, with Q. 14, 18, 19, 20, 25.-Quest 35, with Q. 46. to 81.-Quest. 50, with Q. 26, 54, 55, 88, 102.-Quest. 84, with Q. 14, 19.-Quest. 86, 87, with G. 18, 31, 35, &c. &c. The Author has been at no small pains, to correct, enlarge, and improve this edition of his Catechism; particularly by adding a great number of additional Scripture Texts, in order more clearly to elucidate and confirm the different points of doctrine advanced therein. He has also prefixed a warm ADDRESS to the Young Readers of it, not printed with any of the first impressions. PREFACE. Tsystem of divinity laid down in the ASSEMBLY'S SHOR 10 manifest the importance, fulness, and order of that TER CATECHISM, it is observable, that it contains. 1. The GREAT END OF ALL RELIGION, Quest, 1. II. The unerring STANDARD ofit, Quest 2. III. The SUM and PRINCIPAL PARTS of it, Q 3. which are three, (1.) The DOCTRINAL part, Q. 4,-38 (2.) The PRACTI CAL part, 39,—81. (3.) The APPLICATION of both conjunctly, 82,-107. FIRST, The DOCTRINAL part, which describes what we are to believe concerning GoD and MAN. 1st. Concerning GOD, wherein view,-(1) The PERFEC TIONS of his NATURE, 4, 5-(2.) The PERSONS in his ESSENCE, 6.-(3.) The PURPOSES of his will, 7-(4) The PRODUCTIONS of his POWER, 8. in [1] The work of CREATION, 9 [2] The work of providence, 11. 24. Concerning MAN; in (1.) His STATE OF INNOCENCY; which consisted in his [1.] Likeness to God, 10 [2] Covenant alliance with God, 12-(2.) HiS FALLEN STATE, in [1] Its sinful CAUSE, 13; where we have the nature of sin in general, 14. and the particular sin by which man fell, 15 [2] Its EXTENT over all mankind by that sin, 16. [3] Its fearful INGREDIENTS, 17. of SINFULNESS, 18 and MISERY, 19-(3) His STATE OF SALVATION; in which is represented, [1] Its CAUSES and MEANS, the electing and covenanting Love of God the Father, 20 ;—the redeeming GRACE of the Son, manifested in his INCARNATION, 21, 22. OFFICES of prophet, priest, and king, 23, to 26 and STATES of humiliation and exaltation, 27, 28. ;—and the apply. ing WORK of the Holy Ghost, 29, 30. The BLESSINGS thereof; as UNION to Christ in effectual calling, 30, 31. JUSTIFICA. TION, ADOPTION, SANCTIFICATION, and their attendant COMFORTS, 32, to 36.; an HAPPY DEATH, 37.; and complete and everlasting GLORY, 38 SECOND, The PRACTICAL part; which represents our DUTY, in (1.) Its NATURE, 39.—(2.) Its rule, 40, 41.—(3.) Its SUBSTANCE, 42-(4.) The Reasons of, and OBLIGA. TIONS to it, 43, 44.-(5.) Its particular PARTS and BRANCH ES, vig.. [1] DUTY TO GOD; with respect to the nature and object of worship, command 1st, Q. 45,-48; the ordinances of worship, command 2d, Q49-52; manner of worship, command 3d, Q. 53,-56; and times of worship, command 4th, Q 57,-62.- [2] DUTY TO MAN; respecting our own and our neighbor's relations, command 5th. Q 63,66 life, command 6th, Q.67, 68, 69; chastity, command 7th, Q. 70, 71, 72; civil property, command 8th, Q. 73, 74, 75; reputation, command 9th, Q. 76, 77, 78; contentment and charitableness, command 10th, Q. 79, 80, 81. THIRD, The APPLICATION; serving, (1.) For conviction of our weakness, and of the number, aggravations and desert of our sins, Q. 82, 83, 84 (2.) For direction, how to receive and improve the redemption prepared for us in Christ, Q 95; by faith, Q86; by repentance unto life, Q. 87; by a diligent use of God's instituted means of salvation, 88; especially, [1.] His word, Q. 89, 90. [2] sacraments; whose efficacy, nature, number, and different forms of BAPTISM and LORD'S SUPPER and the proper subjects of which are represented, Q. 91, 97 [3.) Prayer; the nature and rule of which, particularly the Lord's prayer, in its preface, petitions, relative to God's glory and our happiness, and its conclusion, are explained, Q. 98,-107. Ma Y dear young Ones, for whom my heart's desire prayer to God, is, that ye may be saved; Let mo seech you, while you read this, and especially while e useyour Bible, or hear the precious truths contained in Tengthed to you, to hearken and hear for the time, for the e you to come. Now, Now, in the most proper season of iparwisdom as the principal thing; and with all yopposition get understanding of the important, the infon small and concerns of your salvation. others around What! know ye not your own selve: S reproach upon sake, seriously think, what souls ye havur, as if he, his souls, one of which, is inconceivably were unworthy of thousand worlds;-souls which are c in sin. They de infinite God as their everlasting ALL TS, as if they had which shall, which must ere long, ente ey draw down reof inconceivable misery or happiness. r, either in deep friends, must souls formed by God him.. They deprive with an understanding and will-souls fcowship with God, A 2 of long life and dgments in this souls formed for the everlasting and immediate service and enjoyment of God:-Must souls, which by the mercy of God, have been solemnly devoted to him in baptismal and other covenant engagements ;-souls upon which parents, masters, or ministers, have bestowed so many prayers, instructions, and exhortations ;-souls upon which God himself hath bestowed such instruction, warning, terrible alarms, and engaging alurements, and such striving of his Spirit,-be lost, -for ever lost, for ever damned by you, who possess them, in order to obtain some trifling, some carnal, some filthy, some pernicious gratification, that perhaps a beast would contemn? anu Being O think, as before God, what state you are in, while ye remain careless and unconverted.-Being without Christ and strangers to the covenant of promise, ye are altogether guilty before God,—alienated from the life of God, and enemies to him; cursed and condemned by God, because ye have not believed in his only begotten Son,-having no holiness of the devil, your heart is filled with all unrighteousness, pride, debate, deceit, malignity, hatred of God; is full of all ignorance, unbelief, subtlety and mischief. It is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Its carmal mind is enmity against God, and is not subject to his law, neither indeed can be. It is infected with every defiing, every ruinous, every damning plague; replenished with sinful lust, in the reigning power of it, and inhabited s of devils, ready to tempt you to every thing wickut of it, as permitted by God, have in all the past of your life, proceeded evil thoughts, murders, adulfornications, thefts, false witness, idolatries, blasphehave lived after the course of this world, according "the power of the air, who worketh in you as lience. Ye have hitherto been foolish and ed, serving divers lusts and pleasures ; envy, hateful and hating one another ; evil things as ye could.--And, ah! hat dreadful curses of almighty God, exed to all your sinful dispositions, actions? Alas! how those render all his gospel not excepted, the savour of to you! Dreadful thought! Eternal deyour side. God is angry with you every deth on you; his sword is drawn and his |