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SHORTER CATECHISM,

Agreed upon by the

Affembly of Divines at WEST MINSTER,

WITH THE

Affiftance of Commiffioners from the Church of SCOTLAND,

A S

A Part of the Covenanted Uniformity in Religion betwixt the Churches of Chrift in the Three Kingdoms of Scotland, England, and Ireland.

WITH

An ACT of the General Assembly of the Church of SCOTLAND, Anno 1648, approving the fame; and Ratified and Established by Act of Parliament 1649.

With Proofs from the Scripture.

Printed in the Year 1764.

ACT approving the Shorter Catechism.

Affembly at Edinburgh, July 28, 1648. Seff. 19.

T

HE General Affembly having seriously confidered the Shorter Catechifm, agreed upon by the Affembly of Divines fitting at Westminster, with Affiftance of Commiffioners from this Kirk; do find, upon due Examination thereof, that the faid Catechifm is agreeable to the Word of God, and in nothing contrary to the received Doctrine, Worship, Difcipline and Government of this Kirk; and therefore approve the faid Shorter Catechism, as a Part of the intended Uniformity to be a Directory for catechifing fuch as are of weaker Capacity.

A. KER.

THE

**

SHORTER

THE

CATECHISM,

Agreed upon by the Affembly of Divines at
Westminster; Examined and Approved,
Anno 1648, by the General Affembly of
the Church of Scotland; and Ratified by
Act of Parliament, 1649.

Quest. I.

WHAT

HAT is the chief End of Man?
A Man's chief End is to glorify
God a, and to enjoy him for ever b.

a 1 Cor. 1o. 13. Rom.11. 36. b Pfal. 73. 25, to the End. 3/ Q. 2. 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 c) is the only Rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him d. C 2 Tim. 3. 16. Eph. 2. 20. d 1 John 1. 3, 4.

Q. 3. 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 e.

e 2 Tim. 1. 13. and 3. 16.

Q: 4. What is God?

A. God is a Spirit f, Infinite g, Eternal b, and Unchangeable i, in his Being k, Wifdom /, Power m, Holinefs, Juftice, Goodness and Truth o.

ƒ John 4. 24. g Job. 11. 7, 8, 9. h Pfal. 90. 2. i James 1. 17. k Exod. 3. 14. /Pfal. 147. 5. m Řev. 4.8. n Rev. 15. 4. o Exod. 34, 6, 7.

Q. 5. Are there more Gods than one?

A. There is but One only, the living and true God p. p Deut. 6. 4. Jer. 10. 10.

Q6. How many Perfons are there in the Godhead? A. There are Three Perfons in the God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and thefe Three are one God, the fame in Subftance, equal in Power and Glory q.

q 1 John 5. 7. Mat. 28. 19.

Q7. What are the Decrees of God?

A. The Decrees of God are his eternal Purpose, according to the Counfel of his Will, whereby, for his own Glory, he hath fore-ordained whatfoever comes to pass r.

r Eph. 1. 4, 11. Rom. 9. 22, 23.

Q. 8. How doth God execute his Decrees ?

A, God executeth his Decrees in the Works of Creation and Providence *.

* Rev. 4. II. Dan. 4. 35.

Q. 9. 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 s.

s Gen. 1. throughout. Heb. II. 3.

Q. 10. 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 1.

t Gen. I. 26, 27, 28. Col. 3. 1o. Eph. 4. 24. Q: II. What are God's Works of Providence?

A. God's Works of Providence are, his most holy u, wife w, and powerful Preferving x, and Governing all his Creatures, and all their Actions y.

& Pfal. 145. 17. w Pfal. 104. 24. Isa. 28. 29. x Heb. 1. 3. y Pfal. 103. 19. Mat. 10. 29, 30, 31.

Q. 12. What special Act of Providence did God exercife towards Man, in the Eftate wherein he was Greated?

A. When God had created Man, he entred into a Covenant of Life with him, upon Cordition of perfect

Obe

Obedience; forbidding him to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, upon Pain of Death z.

z Gal. 3. 12. Gen. 2. 17.

Q.13. Did our firft Parents continue in the Eflate wherein they were created?

A. Our firft Parents, being left to the Freedom of their own Will, fell from the Eftate wherein they were created, by finning againft God a.

a Gen. 3. 6, 7, 8, 13. Eccl. 7. 29.

Q 14. What is Sin?

A Sin is any Want of Conformity unto, or Tranfgreffion of, the Law of God b.

b 1 John 3. 4.

Q. 15. What was the Sin whereby our firft Parents fell from the Eflate wherein they were created?

A. The Sin whereby our firft Parents fell from the Eftate wherein they were created, was their eating the forbidden Fruit c.

c Gen. 3. 6, 12.

Q. 16. Did all Mankind fall in Adam's first Trans, greffion ?

A. 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 firft Tranfgreffion d.

d Gen. 2. 16, 17. Rom 5. 12. I Cor. 15. 21, 22. Q. 17. Into what Eftate did the Fall bring Mankind? A. The Fall brought Mankind into an Eftate of Sin and Mifery e.

e Rom. 5. 12.

Q. 18. Wherein confifts the Sinfulness of that Efate whereinto Man fell?

A. The Sinfulness of that Estate whereinto Man fell, confifts in the Guilt of Adam's first Sin, the Want of Original Righteoufnefs, and the Corruption of his whole Nature, which is commonly called Original Sin, together with all actual Tranfgreffions, which proceed from it f.

f Rom. 5. 19, to 20. Eph. 2. 1, 2, 3, Jam. 1, 14, 15. Mat. 15. 19.

Сс

Q. 19.

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