A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION OF THE CATECHISM OF THE Church of England. In Thirty LECTURES. Purfuant to the Defign of the Late Reverend By BENJAMIN FARROW, Udum & molle lutum eft, nunc, nunc properandus, John XIII. 17. If ye know thefe things, happy are ye if ye do them. LONDON: Printed for Johu TUyat, at the Rofe in THE PREFACE. T no HERE have been fo many Books written on this Subject, and fome of them by fuch Eminent Hands, that it may be thought a Piece of Vanity and Prefumption, in any one who comes after them to undertake it: But as this was Difcouragment to many that have gone before me ; fo neither do I think so well of my own Performance, as to imagine it will be any hinderance to others, who may come after me. On the other Side, I shall rather be glad if what I have done, may excite others to do it better. I know that many Excellent Men have writ incomparably well on this whole Cathechism, and many more on the feveral Parts of it. The Creed, the Commandments, Lord's-Prayer and the Sacraments, have been fuch Common Themes, that nothing New can be faid on them; neither do I pretend to it. If I have but only fet things in a fomewhat different Light, and given them another Turn from what others have done before me, 'tis all that can be expected from me. As to the Occafion of making these Lectures, it was in pursuance of that Landable and Charitable A 2 the Defign Defign of the Late Reverend Dr. Busby, wherein be at once made Provifion for the Relief of fome of the poorer Clergy, and for the Inftruction of Youth in the Principles of Religion. And as I once came in for my Share of that Donative, So I con'd not fatisfie my felf without taking some Pains, in difcharging the Truft committed to me. I know not whether it be neceffary on this Occafion to take notice of what I have faid in the Tenth Lecture, of the vast Extent of the Universe, and of the wonderful Providence of God over it. I have been informed that Monfieur de la Bruyere has writ very finely on this Subject. But as I have never yet feen that Book, neither in French nor English, nor fo much as heard of it till long after that Lecture was finished; I hope that if there should happen to be any Affinity or Refemblance between them, yet none will hereafter accufe me of drawing an ill, Copy, from fo good an Original, which I was never yet acquainted with; and what I have there faid, was only the refult of my own thoughts, on what I had formerly read on that Subject. B. FARROW. Aug. 5th. 1707. A |