been finished by the committee, it was laid before the Assembly and approved of, first in so many successive portions, and afterwards as a whole. On the 5th of November, it was approved of by the Parliament, and would have been licensed by the king, had not certain hindrances occurred. It was next laid before the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. This was in July 1648. And the following was the deliverance of the Assembly:-"The General Assembly having seriously considered the Shorter Catechism, agreed upon by the Assembly of Divines sitting at Westminster, with the assistance of commissioners from this Kirk, do find, upon due examination thereof, that the said Catechism is agreeable to the Word of God, and in nothing contrary to the received doctrine, worship, discipline, and government of the Kirk; and therefore approve the said Shorter Catechism, as a part of the intended uniformity, to be a Directory for catechising such as are of weaker capacity." The year following it was also ratified by an act of the Scottish Parliament. And from that time it has continued to be in common use, generally in Scotland, and among Presbyterians and several other denominations in England and Ireland; and has latterly obtained a firm footing in the United States, in most of the British colonies, and at not a few missionary stations far hence among the heathen. And it is remarkable, that amidst all the controversies which have occurred, it has been almost universally approved by every party of orthodox believers. "Amidst the jealousy and rivalship of contending parties," says the late pious and judicious Dr Belfrage, "it has been a centre of union, in which the faith and charity of good men have met; and in seasons of innovation, when a veneration

reputation, that he often filled the Moderator's chair in his absence. Amidst claims so varied, I am inclined to think, with all due veneration for the memory of the rest, that the weightiest is that of Dr Arrowsmith. Baillie says, We have nearly agreed in private on a draught of Catechism, on which, when it comes in public, we may have little debate. From the MSS. of Mr George Gillespie, it appears, that after the report had been given in and considered, the Catechism was recommitted, that improvements suggested by the wisdom of the Assembly might be made. I find in the letters of Baillie various hints respecting the progress of the Catechism. We made long ago," says he, a pretty progress in the Catechism, but falling on rubs and long debates, it was laid aside till the Confession was ended, with the resolution to have no matter in it but what was expressed in the Confession, which should not be debated again in the Catechism.' In another letter of later date, he says, We have passed a quarter of the Catechism, and thought to have made a short work with the rest, but we have fallen into such endless janglings about the method and the matter, that all think it will be a long work: the increase of all heresies is very great.""— Belfrage's Shorter Catechism, vol. i., pp. 14-18.

for what is ancient is derided as the freak of imbecility or prejudice; when 'the march of intellect' is the pretext for every change, however presumptuous or violent, and when all the foundations of the earth seem out of course, this summary of the truth remains uninjured and revered; and it will continue to be an exhibition and defence of pure religion and undefiled, before God and the Father, to the latest age."

Frequent notice has been taken of the extraordinary simplicity of arrangement and depth of thought observable in the Assembly's Shorter Catechism. Of the former, I have just had a remarkable proof, in reading over Dr Chalmers' preface to the first volume of the new edition of his works. With his usual clearness and analytical acumen, he proposes two methods of studying Theology. According to the one, the first object of contemplation is the Divine Being; and then the history of his doings in this world, detailed in natural, if not chronological order. The other fixes at once on some awakened sinner, and accompanying him as he advances in knowledge and holiness, describes progressively the discoveries which he makes, or which are made to him, in the word and works of God. The former considers God abstractly, and follows out the other branches as so many of his works. And divinity taught upon this principle recommends itself to reason, as regularly deductive and capable of systematic arrangement. And accordingly, this is the principle on which catechisms and systems of divinity are usually constructed. The other, instead of the matter observed, takes up the observer; and simply recording what he is supposed to see and feel, as he advances towards perfection, the same subjects pass in review; but they are seen from different points, and under different lights. They are seen, not as abstract truths, but as practical directions. And this, therefore, is the view of divine truth best fitted for the guidance of the heart and conduct. The principles thus referred to, are, if we mistake not, the same with the categories of Aristotle and the first principles of Bacon; the one assuming, as the basis of his arrangement, being, or the things about which men think; and the other, the powers of mind by which these are known and enjoyed. Now, it is perhaps new to some of our readers to be told, that the profound distinctions of an Aristotle and a Bacon are employed in the construction of that humble Primer called the Shorter Catechism; and that the prolific

mind of a Chalmers could not have selected a finer example of its own original speculations, than is to be found in this directory for catechising such as are of a weaker capacity.

The number of Questions in this little manual, is, in all, one hundred and seven. The first three are introductory—God's chief or principal end in creating man; the rule by which man may attain to that end, and the principal branches into which that rule may be divided, are the topics thus introduced.

From the beginning of the fourth question, to the end of the thirty-eighth, we have a system of divinity, regularly constructed according to the first of the two principles explained. Every thing stated under these questions, is laid down speculatively; that is, as a matter of study and contemplation, not of command and direction. Each answer tells us what is, and not what should be. The arrangement of topics, also, is such as to show their consecutive dependence on each other, so that, like so many links of a chain, they are all sustained from the primary question,-"What is God?" This will be observed in a mere rehearsal of the subjects, of which the questions are composed :—the being and attributes of God-the persons in the Godhead-the divine purposes or decrees-the execution of these in creation -their fulfilment in providence-the special providence of God towards man, in an unfallen state-in the fall and its consequences-in redemption from these-in the character and offices of the Redeemer-in what he did on earth to redeem man, and in what he is raised to in heaven, for the farther purposes of redemption-in applying to sinners the blessings of redemption by the Holy Spirit-his operations in effectual calling, justification, adoption, and sanctification— and the fruits of these in life, at death, at the resurrection and throughout eternity.

From the beginning of the thirty-ninth question, to the end of the book, the topics are strictly practical, and they are so arranged as to furnish an appropriate directory for every stage of Christian advancement. The subjects introduced, are not presented speculatively, but as pointing to the conscience and the heart, and as leading forth the mind, and guiding the conduct, into the ways of God. And accordingly, the arrangement, instead of assuming some principle in the matter of contemplation, assumes a principle in the man, and proceeds to address and direct him in all his advances onward to perfection. It is in this way that the thirty-ninth question

Nor

commences with what "God requireth of man!" It is thus the first arrow driven from this quiver, is so pointed as to aim at the conscience, God's witness in man. And the commandments which follow are as a bundle of these. They are variously pointed, yet all have a point; and this very diversity only fits them the more for the diversified circumstances in which man is found. One, for example, is aimed at the conscience of such as worship strange gods,-another at those who worship even the true God, through the medium of images,—a third at the blasphemer, a fourth at the Sabbath-breaker,-a fifth at children who are disobedient to parents, a sixth at murderers, a seventh at adulterers,— an eighth at thieves,-a ninth at liars, and a tenth at the covetous. And to render each of these sharp as a "twoedged sword," there is under each, first, what concerns the "want of conformity to," and then, what belongs to the "transgression of;" in other words, a "required," and a "forbidden," with occasional reasons also annexed. does each commandment point only to as many individual sins or duties, but under these, to as many classes of both. It is therefore scarcely possible to conceive of any arrangement better fitted to bring home guilt to every conscience. And it is accordingly followed by other questions, respecting man's inability to keep the commands, the sins of which he thus becomes guilty, and the eternal judgments to which he is exposed. By these he is left helpless and hopeless, under a sentence of condemnation, and is thus driven to inquire, what he must do to be saved. Here the very next question takes him up, tells him how he may escape the wrath and curse of God due by sin, and explains this, under the heads of faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life, and the ordinary means of grace. Even in this subordinate arrangement, the condition of the inquirer is kept steadily in view. The only direct answer which can be given to the question, "What must I do to be saved?" is, "repent and believe; and agreeably to this, the only points immediately explained in the Catechism, are faith in Jesus Christ, and repentance unto life. Repentance is the turning of the heart from every thing else to God, as reconciled in Christ; and faith is the looking at Christ believingly, as the gift of God, and receiving him as the salvation of the soul. But this very "looking at Christ," and "turning of the heart" to God, as reconciled in Christ, imply some knowledge of his will, and create a desire for the enjoy

ment of other ordinances. And these next follow, under the teaching of the word, the observance of the sacraments, and the exercise of prayer. An awakened and repentant sinner seeks early and earnestly to know the will of God. The Catechism meets him, offering instruction respecting the profitable reading of the word, and waiting on the ordinance of preaching. But supposing him to be in some measure instructed, he yet desires to receive seals of the covenant, and may never before have partaken of any of its signs. The nature, use, and proper observance of the sacraments are therefore now unfolded. And last of all comes prayer, not as if the individual were up till this time considered prayerless, but because it is now that he especially requires to be taught how to pray for such things as he ought; and this, because it is now that he declares himself to be an heir of those promises on which prayer rests, and through which it obtains blessings. The prayer of the soul, like breath in the natural body, is essential to life, and, like it, begins properly as soon as we are born anew. But though this be its beginning, its end is unseen. The renewed soul becoming more and more conformed to the will of God, enters more and more into the spirit of prayer, and finds, in the simple but comprehensive example with which the Catechism concludes, materials more and more fitted for guiding its intercourse with the Father of Spirits.

1. By using the Catechism in the right observance of these distinctions and principles, we shall be better able to understand each question in its true and proper meaning; and the reason why such questions as Effectual Calling and Justification are so far separated from Faith in Jesus Christ and Repentance unto Life; and how, in general, the doctrines of the Gospel, as contained in both parts of the Catechism, should not be together. These things happen, simply because we have, in the first, a speculative system, and, in the latter, a practical directory. The doctrines of the Gospel are necessary to both, but require to be presented in different forms, so as the more perfectly to secure the different ends contemplated.

2. Each division may thus be turned to its own proper use. Suppose, for example, that I were asked in what book a clear outline of the Christian faith might be found and studied, I would at once say, "In the first thirty-eight questions of the Assembly's Shorter Catechism." But if I were asked for a