ΤΟ "THE ASSEMBLY'S SHORTER CATECHISM.” IN the discourse which I have written concerning catechisms, and the best methods of composing them, I think it is made sufficiently evident that this catechism framed by the assembly of divines, as comprehensive and as valuable as it is in itself, yet is by no means the fittest for the instruction of children in their youngest years; but I have here proposed it for the use of those that arrive at twelve or fourteen years of age, and who are supposed by learning shorter and easier forms of instruction to be better prepared to enter into the deep things of God which are treated of in this catechism. In copying it out I have not added the scriptures which are usually set to support every answer: This would have considerably enlarged the bulk of the book, and the book itself with the proofs of scripture is to be purchased any where at an easy rate. The creed and the Lord's-prayer stand at the end of it but there was no need to print the ten commanpments over again, they being all so expressly contained in the catechism itself. As for the explaining notes which are added at the end of most of the answers, I hope I have observed the rules which I proposed in my discourse of catechisms, and I need not repeat them here. Some persons perhaps may think I have explained too many words, and those which were weil enough known, such as chief end in the first question, and the like: But I have been informed of one child who was asked, What the chief end of man was, and he answered, His head; another being asked the same question, answered death: neither of them taking in the true idea or meaning of the words: And to avoid such mistakes I have explained this and such like words here. Others may imagine that many more words should have been explained which I have omitted, and the explications of all should have been larger and plainer; I grant it should be so, if I had designed them for young children of five, six or seven years old; but then what a bulky catechism would this be for infants? Whereas, since I propose this catechism only to youth of twelve or fourteen, I hope the words which I have explainedˇare sufficient for that age. 1 I would only take notice farther, that though I have not thrown these explications of the words into questions and answers, yet when parents or teachers make use of it for the instruction of youth, it is a very easy matter for them to ask, What is such a thing? Or, What is the meaning of such and such a term which is explained, and which is written in the italic letter? And the child should make answer according to what is written in the Roman letter. It is necessary also that I should add concerning this catechism what is said concerning the former, viz. that children should be put upon reading it often with these notes which explain the words, while they are learning the former catechisms by heart, and before they come to learn this as their appointed task. By this means they will know the meaning of many words which are used in scripture and in sermons more early, and understand their bible the better, as well as be better prepared to commit this catechism to their memory when they have learned the others. If the great God shall please to favour this small labour of mine in the exposition of this useful catechism, perhaps it may serve for the instruction of some fathers and mothers as well as children; and that at a smaller expence of the purchase, and much less labour of the memory than any other exposition which I bave either seen or read; and to this end I humbly entreat the divine blessing to attend it. A CATECHISM Proper for Youth at Twelve or Fourteen Years of Age, composed by the Reverend Assembly of Divines, with the more difficult words explained under each Answer. 1. QUESTION. WHAT is the chief end of man? Answer. Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever. Chief end. The chief design for which man was made, and which man should chiefly seek after. To glorify God. To do him honour as the most glorious and most excellent Being. To enjoy God, To rejoice in his presence, and in his love. 2. Q. What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him ? A. The word of God, which is contained in the scriptures of the Old and New Testament, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him. Scriptures, Holy writings. Old and New Testament. The two parts of scripture, which might as properly be called the old and new covenant, or the law and the gospel. 3. Q. What do the scriptures principally teach? A. The scriptures principally teach, what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man. Principally. Chiefly. 4. Q. What is God? A. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, o wer, holiness, justice, goodness and truth. A Spirit. A being that has understanding and will, but no shape nor parts, nor can be seen with the eyes. Infinite. Without bounds. Eternal. Without beginning or ending. 5. Q. Are there more God's than one? A. There is but one only. the living and the true God. 6. Q How many persons are there in the godhead ? A. There are three persons in the godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory. Three persons in the godhead. Three to whom the personal terms, I, thou, and he, are applied, and yet the one true godhead is ascribed to each of them. 7. Q. What are the decrees of God? A. The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby for his own glory he hath fore-ordained whatsoever comes to pass. Fore-ordained whatsoever comes to pass. Appointed to bring to pass all that is good, and to permit what is evil. 8. Q. How doth God execute his decrees? A. God executeth his decrees in the works of creation and provideace. 9. Q. What is the work of creation? A The work of creation is God's making all things of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good. The word of his power. His powerful word. 10. Q. How did God create man? A. God created man, male and female, after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness and holiness, with dominion over the creatures. Male and female. Man and woman. The image of God. Likeness to God. 11. Q. What are God's works of providence? A. God's works of providence are his most holy, wise and powerful preserv ing, and governing all his creatures, and all their actions. 12. Q. What special act of providence did God exercise towards man in the estate wherein he was created? A. When God had created man, he entered into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of perfect obedience, forbidding him to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil upon pain of death. Covenant of life upon condition of perfect obedience. A promise to bestow everlasting life if man continued to obey God perfectly without sinning. Tree of knowledge of good and evil. A tree in the garden of Eden, so called, because by eating of it contrary to the command of God, Adam knew what good he had lost, and what evil he bad brought upon himself. 13. Q. Did our first parents continue in the estate wherein they were created ? A. Our first parents, being left to the freedom of their own will, fell from the estate wherein they were created, by sinuing against God. 14. Q. What is sin? A. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of the law of God. 15. Q. What was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created ? A. The sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created was their eating the forbidden fruit. 16. Q. Did all mankind fall in Adam's first transgression? A. The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity, all mankind descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him in his first transgression. Covenant. See answer 12. Posterity. Children and grand-children, and all that proceed from them. Descending from him by ordinary generation. Proceeding or coming from him according to the common course of nature. 17. Q. Into what estate did the fall bring mankind? A. The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery. The fall. Adam's sin is so called, because he fell from the favour of God, by falling from his obedience to him. 18. Q. Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell? A. The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, consists in the guilt of Adam's first sin, the want of original righteousness, and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called original sin, together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it. Guilt of Adam's first sin. This must at least signify our interest in that sin, so far as to be justly exposed to pain and sorrow on the account of that sin. Original righteousness. The good inclinations that belonged to man in his first estate as God created him. Original sin. Evil inclinations which are born with every child of Adam since the fall. Transgression. See answer 14. 19. Q. What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell? A. All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever. him. Communion with God. Friendly converse with him, or receiving blessings from Curse of God. When a creature is devoted or given up to pain, or shame, or death, by God himself. 20. Q. Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery? A. God having out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation, by a Redeemer. Eternity. Before time began. Elected. Chose. Covenant of grace. The merciful appointment or agreement of God to save men called also, The new covenant, or the gospel. Salvation. Deliverance of men from hell, and bringing them to heaven. Redeemer. One that frees from bondage and misery by paying a price, or by an act of power. 21. Q. Who is the Redeemer of God's elect? A. The only Redeemer of God's elect, is the Lord Jesus Christ, who being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was, and continues to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person for ever. God's elect. Those whom God has chosen for his own people. Jesus. A Saviour. Christ. Anointed or appointed of God. 22. Q. How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man ? A. Christ the Son of God became man, by taking to himself a true body, and a reasonable soul, being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the virgin Mary, and born of her, yet without sin. 23. Q. What offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer? A. Christ as our Redeemer executeth the offices of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king, both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation. The offices of Christ. The special works or businesses which God appointed him to perform. Ezecute. See answer 8. Fulfil or perform. Redeemer. See answer 20. Humiliatian and exaltation. See answer 27, and 28. 24. Q. How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet? A. Christ executeth the office of a prophet, in revealing to us by his word and Spirit, the will of God for our salvation. To reveal. To make known what was hidden. Salvation. See answer 20. 25. Q. How doth Christ execute the office of a priest? A. Christ executeth the office of a priest, in his once offering up himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, and reconcile us to God, and in making continual intercession for us. A sacrifice. Some living creature slain, and offered up to God to answer for some offence committed against him. To satisfy divine justice. To answer for the dishonour which the sin of man hath done to the authority and justice of God as a governor. To reconcile. To make friends, to bring man into the favour of God again. Intercession. Pleading or praying for another. 26. Q. How doth Christ execute the office of a king? A. Christ executeth the office of a king, in subduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies. Subduing us to himself. Bringing our souls to the obedience of Christ. Note, I wish there had been something added here concerning Christ's office, as an example or pattern of holiness. 27. Q. Wherein did Christ's humiliation consist? A. Christ's humilation consisted in his being born, and that in a low condition, made under the law, undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God, and the cursed death of the cross, in being buried, and continuing under the power of death for a time. The cursed death of the cross. So called, because it is written, "Cursed is overy one that is hanged on a tree; Gal. iii. 13. Deut. xxi. 23." that is, Devoted to shame as well as to death. 28. Q. Wherein consisteth Christ's exaltation? A. Christ's exaltation consisteth in his rising again from the dead on the third day, ascending up into heaven, in sitting at the right-hand of God the Father, and in coming to judge the world at the last day. Sitting at the right-hand of God. Having power and authority over all things given him by God the Father. 29. Q. How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ? A. We are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ by the effectual application of it to us by his holy Spirit. Redemption. Deliverance from sin and misery. Effectual application of the redemption of Christ. The powerful conveying of the benefits of this redemption to us. 30. Q. How doth the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ? A. The Spirit applieth to us the redemption purchased by Christ by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling. Faith. Trust in Christ, or receiving him as proposed to us in the gospel. See answer 86. Uniling us to Christ Making us one with Christ, as the head and members are one. 31. Q. What is effectual calling? A. Effectual calling is the work of God's Spirit, whereby convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ freely offered to as in the gospel. To convince us. and holy inclinations. To make us sensible. Changing our old sinful inclinations, and giving us new Embrace Jesus Christ. To receive him in all his offices, as our prophet, our priest and our king, &c. Gospel, The covenant of grace, or the proposal of pardon and eternal life to sinners, or the promise of it to those who repent and believe in Christ. 32. Q. What benefits do they, that are effectually called, partake of in this life? A. They that are effectually called, do in this life partake of justification, adoption, sanctification, and the several benefits which in this life do either accompany or flow from them. To justify. To pardon sin, and receive a person into the favour of God as though he were righteous. To adopt. To take one that is a stranger to be a son. To sanctify. To make our sinful nature holy. Benefits Privileges, blessings. 33. Q. What is justification? A. Justification is an act of God's free grace, wherein he pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in his sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone. Free grace. Free and undeserved favour. Imputed to us. Reckoned to our account and advantage. 34. Q. What is adoption? A. Adoption is 'an act of God's free grace, whereby we are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God, 35. Q. What is sanctification ? A. Sanctification is the work of God's Spirit, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness Whole man. Our thoughts, memory, will, affections, and all our faculties. The image of God. That is, The likeness of his holiness. To die unto sin. To forsake sin in heart and life. To live unto righteousness. To follow after righteousness in heart and life. |