395

THE

Shorter Catechifm,

Agreed upon by the Affembly of Divines at Westminster: Examined and Approved Anno 1648, by the GENERAL ASSEMBLY of the CHURCH of SCOTLAND, &c.

1. Question. WHAT is the chief End of Man?

Anfwer. Man's chief End is, to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever b

2. Queft. What Rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?

Anfw. The Word of God which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Teftament, the only Rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him &

3. Queft. 1. I Cor. IG. 31. Whether there- my truft in the Lord God, that I fore ye eat or drink, or whatfoever may declare all thy works. ye do, do all to the glory of God. Rom.11.36. For of him, and through him, and to him are all things: to whom he glory for ever. Amen.

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Pfalm 73.25. Whom have Iin heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I defire befides thee. v. 26. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the ftrength of my heart, and my portion for ever. v. 27. For lo, they that are far from thee, fhall perish: thou haft deftroy ed all them that go a whoring from thee. v. 28. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put

2. 2 Tim. 3. 16. All fcripture is given by infpiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for inftrution in righteoufnefs. Eph. 2. 20. And are built upon the foundation of the apofties and prophets, Jefus Chrift himfelf being the chief corner-ftone.

1 John 1. 3. That which we have feen and heard, declare we unto you, that ye alfo may have fellowfhip with us: and truly our fellowfhip is with the Father, and with his Son Jefus Chrift, v.4. And thefe

3. Queft. What do the Scriptures principally teach? Anfw. The Scriptures principally teach, what Man is to believe concerning God, and what DuGod requires of Man.

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4. Quelt. What is GOD?

Anfw. God is a Spirit, Infinite &, Eternal 1, and Unchangeable, in his Being, Wifdom', Power", Holinefs", Juftice, Goodnefs and Truth.

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5. Queft. Are there more Gods than One?

Anfw. There is but One only, the Living and True God P.

things write we unto you, that your joy may be full,

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3. 2 Tim. 1.13. Hold fast the form of found words, which thou haft heard of me, in faith and love which is in Chrift Jefus. 2 Tim. 3.16. See in letter.

4. f John 4. 24. God is a Spirit, and they that worship him, muft worship him in fpirit and in truth.

8 Job 11.7. Canft thou by fearching find out God? canft thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? v.8. It is as high as heaven, what canft thou do? deeper than hell, what canft thou know v. 9. The meafure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the fea.

6. Queft.

Pfalm 147.5. Great is our Lord, and of great power; his understand ing is infinite.

m Rev. 4.8. And the four beafts had each of them fix wings abou him, and they were full of eyes within; and they reft not day and night, faying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

Rev. 15. 4. Who fball not fer thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy; for all na tions fhall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifeft.

• Exod. 34. 6. And the Lord paf fed by before him, and proclaimPfalm 90. 2. Before the moun- ed, The Lord, the Lord God, mer tains were brought forth, or ever ciful and gracious, long-fuffering, thou hadst formed the earth and the and abundant in goodness and world: even from everlafting to everlasting thou art God.

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truth, v.7. Keeping mercy for thoufands, forgiving iniquity and tranfgreffion and fin, and that will viliby no means clear the guilty; ting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children,and upon the childrens children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

James 1. 17, Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither fhadow of turning, k Exod, 3. 14. And God faid unto Mofes, I AM THAT I AM; 5. ? Deut. 6. 4. Hear, Olfrael, and he faid, Thus fhalt thou fay the Lord our God is one Lord. unto the children of Ifrael, I AM Jerem. 10, 10. But the Lord a the hath fent me unto you.

6. Queft. How many Perfons are there in the God-Head? Anfw. There are Three Perfons in the God-Head; the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghoft; and thefe Three are One God, the fame in Substance, equal in Power and Glory 9.

7. Queft. What are the Decrees of God?

Anfw. The Decrees of God, are, his eternal Purpofe according to the Counsel of his Will, whereby for his own Glory, he hath fore-ordained whatfoever comes to pass *.

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8. Queft. How doth God execute his Decrees?

Anfw. God executeth his Decrees in the Works of Creation and Providence.

9. Queft: What is the Work of Creation?

Anfw. 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 1. 10. Queft. How did God create Man?

Anfw. God created Man Male and Female after his own Image, in Knowledge, Righteoufnefs,

true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king; at his wrath the earth fhall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.

alfo we have obtained an inheritance, being predeftinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Rom. 9. 22. What if God, 6.9 1 John 5. 7. For there are willing to fhew his wrath, and to three that bear record in heaven, make his power known, endured the Father, the Word, and the ho- with much long-suffering the vefly Ghoft and these three are one. fels of wrath fitted to deftruction; Mattb. 28. 19. Go ye therefore w. 23. And that he might make and teach all nations, baptizing known the riches of his glory on them in the name of the Father, the veffels of merey, which he had and of the Son, and of the holy afore prepared unto glory. Ghoft,

7. Eph. 1. 4. According as he hath chofen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we fhould be holy, and without blame before him in love. v. 11. In whom

9. Gen. 1. throughout. Heb. 11.3. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, fo that things which are feen were not made of things which do appear.

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• Gen.

ness, and Holiness, with Dominion over the CTMtures *

11. Quest. What are God's Works of Providence? Anfw. God's Works of Providence are his moli Holy, Wife, and Powerful preserving *, and governing all his Creatures, and all their Actions'.

12. Queft. What special A&t of Providence did God exercife toward Man in the Eftate wherein he was created?

Anfw. When God had created Man, he entred into a Covenant of Life with him, upon Condition of perfect Obedience: forbidding him to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, upon Pain of Death *.

* Pfalm 164. 24. O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wif dom haft thou made them all; the earth is full of thy riches, fai. 28. 29. This alfo cometh forth from the Lord of hofts, which iswond ful in counfel, and excellent in working.

10. * Gen. 1. 26. And God said, Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fifh of the fea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. v. 27. So God created man in his * Heb.1.3. Who being the bright own image, in the image of God nefs of his glory, and the expres creared he him: male and female image of his perfon, and uphold created he them. v. 28. And God ing all things by the word of his bleffed them, and God faid unto power, when he had by himself them, Be fruitful and multiply, and purged our fins, fate down on the replenish the earth, and fubdue it: right hand of the majesty on high. and have dominion overthe fish of 9 Pfalm 103.16. The Lord hath the fea, and overthe fowl of the air, prepared his throne in the heavens, and over every living thing that and his kingdom ruleth over all. moveth upon theearth.col.3.16,And Matth, 10,29. Are not two fparrows have put on the new man, which is fold for a farthing and one of renewed in knowledge, after the them thall not fall on the ground image of him that created him, Eph. without your father. .30. But the 4.24. And that ye put on the new very hairs of your head are all num man, which after God is created in bred. v. 31. Fear ye not therefore, righteousness, and trucholiness. ye are of more value than many 11. Pfalm 145. 17. The Lord is fparrows. righteous in all his ways, andholy in all his works.

12, * Gal, 3, 12. And the law is

13. Queft. Did our firft Parents continue in the Eftate wherein they were created?

Anfw. Our firft Parents, being left to the Freedom of their own Will, fell from the Eftate wherein they were created, by finning against God *. 14. Queft. What is Sin?

Anfw. Sin is any want of Conformity unto, or Tranfgreffion of the Law of God.

15. Quest. What was the Sin whereby our first Parents fell from the Eftate wherein they were created?

Anfw. The Sin whereby our first Parents fell from the Estate wherein they were created, was their eatng the forbidden Fruit *.

16. Queft. Did all Mankind fall in Adam's firft Tranfgreffion?

17. Queft.

Anfw. The Covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his Pofterity, all Mankind defcending from him by ordinary Generation, finned in him, and fell with him in his first Trans greffion. not of faith: but the man that doth wife hid themfelves from the prethem, fhall live in them. Gen. 2. 17. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day thou eateft thereof, thou shalt furely die.

fence of the Lord God, amongst the trees of the garden. v.13. And the Lord God faid unto the woman, What is this that thou haft done! and the woman faid, The ferpent be13. * Gỡh. 3. 6. And when the guiled me,and I did eat. Ectl.7.29. woman faw that the tree was good Lo this only have I found, that God for food, and that it was pleafant hath made man upright; but they to the eyes, and a tree to be defired have fought out many inventions. to make one wife; the took of the 14.1 John 3.4. Whofoever comfruit thereof and did eat, and gave mitteth fa tranfgreffeth alfo the alfo to her husband with her; and law; for fin is the transgression of he did ear. .7. And the eyesof the law.

them both were opened, and they IS. • Gen. 3. 6. See in letter a knew that they were naked; and v. 12. The woman whom thou gathey fewed fig-leaves together, and veft to be with me, the gave me of the made themfelves aprons. v.8. And tree, and I did eat.

they heard the voice of the Lord 16. a Gen. 2. 16. And the Lord God walking in the garden in the God commanded the man, faying, cool ofthe day; and Adam and his

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