have at Judgment A. They shall be acknowledged and acquitted Q. After what manner shall they be acknowledged and acquitted A. Openly Q. Will God acquit them from all their sins and the wicked slanders A. Yes Q. And acknowledg and own them before all the world A. Yes Q. When shall they be thus acknowledged and acquitted A. In the day of Judgment Q. What benefits shall they have after Judgment A. They shall be made perfectly blessed Q. Wherein A. In the enjoyment of God Q. What kind of enjoyment of God shall they then have A. A full enjoyment Q. What without interruption or intermission A. Yes Q. For how long A. To all eternity Q. Doth true blessedness stand in the enjoyment of God A. Yes Q. And perfect blessedness in the full enjoyment of God to all eternity A. Yes Hitherto are the matters of faith which make up the first part of the Catechism or what man is to believe concerning God Now follows the second part concerning the duty of which God requires of man Q. 39. What is the duty which God requireth of man A. The duty which God requireth of man is obedience to his revealed will Q. Is there any duty which God reqâ—ireth of man A. Yes Q. What is that duty A. Obedience Q. To what A. To his will Q. Is Gods secret will the rule of our duty A. No. Q. What then A. His revealed will Q. Where is the will of God revealed A. In his Word Q. And is that the rule of our duty A. Yes Q. 40. What did God at first reveal to man for the rule of his obedience A. The rule which God at first revealed to man for his obedience was the Moral Law Q. Did God at first give any Law to man for the rule of his obedience A. Yes Q. What the Ceremonial or judicial Law A. No. Q. What Law then did he give at first for the rule of mans obedience A The Moral Law Q. Doth God rule man by Law A. Yes Q. Why was Gods Law revealed to man A. For the rule of his obedience Q. Is man then in his obedience to look that it be according to the Law as his Rule A. Yes Q. 41. Where is the Moral Law summarily comprehended A. The Moral Law is summarily comprehended in the ten Commandments Q. How many Commandments are there A. Ten. Q. Is that which you call the Moral Law the same that we have in the ten Commandments A. Yes Q. Is the whole Law of God and duty of man shortly summed up and briefly comprehended in these Commandments A. Yes Q 42. What is the sum of the ten Commandments A. The sum of the ten Commandments is To love the Lord our God with all our heart with all our soul with all our strength and with all our mind and our neighbour as our selves Q. What is the comprehensive duty of all the Commandments A. Love Q How manifold is this love A. To God and our neighbour Q. How must we love God A. With all our heart and with all our soul with all our mind and with all our strength Q. How must we love our Neighbour A. As our selves Q. Who is our Neighbour A. Every man Q. Must we love our Neeghbour with the same degree of love as we do our selves A. No. Q. Must we love our Neighbour with the same truth of love as we do our selves A. Yes Q. Is this the sum of all the Commandments to love God with all our hearts and our Neighbour as our selves A. Yes Q. 43. What is the Preface to the ten Commandments A. The Preface to the ten Commandments is in these words I am the Lord thy God which hath brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage Q. What doth the Preface to the ten Commandments teach us A. The Preface to the ten Commandments teacheth us That because God is the Lord and our God and Redeemer therefore we are bound to keep all his Commandments Q. Are we bound to keep Gods Commandments A. Yes Q. Which of his Commandments A. All his Commands Q. Is there any reason why we should keep Gods Commandments A. Yes Q. How many are the Reasons why we should keep Gods Commandments A. Three viz. 1. God is the Lord. 2. And our God 3. And our Redeemer Q. Is this a Reason why we should keep his Commandments because he is the Lord A. Yes Q. And because he is our God A. Yes Q. And because he is our Redeemer A. Yes Q. Where are we taught that because God is the Lord and our God and Redeemer therefore we must keep his Commandments A. In the Preface to the ten Commandments Q. Which words in the Preface do teach us that God is the Lord A. These words I am the Lord Q. Which words do teach us that he is our God A. These words Thy God Q. Which words do teach us that he is our Redeemer A. These words That brought thee out of the land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage Q. Were we ever in Egypt or the house of bondage A. Yes in a spiritual Egypt and bondage under sin These two Rules must be learnt for the understanding of the Commandments R. 1. That when any sin is forbidden the contrary duty is required and when any duty is required the contrary sin is forbidden R. 2. That where any sin is forbidden all the kinds and degrees of it temptations and incentments to it are likewise forbidden and when any duty is required all the kinds and the highest perfection of it together with all the means and helps to it are also required Q. 45. Which is the first Commandment A. The first Commandment is Thou shalt have no other Gods before me Q. 46. What is required in the first Commandment A. The first Commandment requireth us to know and acknowledg God to be the only true God and our God and to worship and glorifie him accordingly Q. Is there something required as well as something forbidden in this and every Commandment A. Yes Q. Are we required to know God A. Yes Q. May we lawfully or safely live in ignorance of God A. No. Q. Against what Commandment is ignorance A. Against the first Q. Is it sufficient to know there is a God though we do not own nor acknowledg him to be a God to us A. No. Q. How must we own or acknowledg God A. To be the only true God and our God Q. Doth the first Commandment require us to have a God A. Yes Q. And to have the true God for our God A. Yes Q. May we have any other God besides him A. No. Q. May we have any other God with him A. No. Q. Must we own him for the only true God A. Yes Q. And for our only God A. Yes Q. Doth the First Commandment determine then of the only right Object of Divine worship or whom only we must worship A. Yes Q. Is it enough for
A Most Familiar EXPLANATION OF THE ASSEMBLIES Shorter Catechism Wherein their Larger Answers are broken into Lesser Parcels thereby to let in the light by degrees into the minds of the Learners To which is added in the close a most brief help for the necessary but much neglected duty of self-examination to be daily perused And to this is subjoined a Letter of Christian Counsel to a destitute Flock The last Edition Corrected and much amended By JOS. ALLAINE late Preacher of the Gospel at Taunton in Somerset-shire a Lover of Truth and Peace London Printed for Edw. Brewster at the Crane in St. Pauls Church-yard 1674. AN ADMONITION TO THE READERS I Am not insensible that this little tract may seem to many as a thing born out of due time But they that have their spiritual senses exercised and have seen and tasted how jejune and lifeless and insipid the more publick exercises of religion somewhere are will be easily convinced that now they are called to double their diligence in family duties And sith it is the great charge of Housholders to teach their Children and their housholds after them and to catechize them in the way wherein they should go whereunto the present exigencies do more than ordinarily oblige them it may not seem altogether unseasonable to have added this plain and familiar help for their assistance If therefore the earnest Calls of your suffering Ministers the dreadful Charge of immortal souls the strict Commands of your Maker and Judg have engaged you in a resolution to set up this much neglected but necessary and most beneficial exercise let me advise you to take this plain method First let those under your charge learn the Answers in the Assemblies Catechism Then ask them these little Questions drawn from thence and if they are at a loss shew them out of which part of the greater Answer they should have made return to the lesser Question And this would be the more effectual if you did run over all a second time that they might observe the force of every clause and word in the Answer out of the Assembly before you pass to examine them further on Do not put them upon learning the Scriptures till they ean get through all the Chatechism and then examine them how they can prove such or such a clause in the answer leaving the order that the Scriptures ly in And as ever you desire to see the happy issue of this most useful exercise 1. Let it be done solemnly and appoint stated times for the weekly performing it and if through necessity or negligence you should omit the season watch for an opportunity speedily to do it at least let it be done once the oftner the next week 2. Set to every one his task according to their several capacities and be punctual in requiring it and shew your selves as zealous for the doing of Gods work as you are for your own But let not the explicatory Questions and Answers be learnt without book by any because this would be a needless burden and they are in effect learnt already by them that can give an account of the Catechism it self This I cannot omit that it is my fervent desire that not only the younger but also the elder sort would become students of the Catechism and if able commit it to memory Beloved would you know wherein you might rejoice the soul of your Minister would you do me a pleasure and refresh me in my tribulations for your sakes why herein you may do it This would be no little pleasure to me and I am sure no little profit to you O the miserable defect of knowledg even among Professors themselves for want of humility and diligence to commit to memory the principles of religion There is a twofold knowledg Confused and Distinct The confused knowledg is only to know the quod sit that there is such or such a thing and here too often many Professors rest The distinct knowledg is to understand the quid sit and to be able to give a description of any grace priviledg or the like and the difference of it from any other and also the cur sit or the ground or reason from the Scripture why they do believe such or such a truth and here men do generally unhappily fail Beloved my ambition is that you should grow in grace and the knowledg of our Lord Jesus Christ that you should be clear and distinct in your knowledg that there should not not be one among you but should be able to give a good account of his faith from the Word of Truth Verily it is no small shame for men of years under the Gospel especially for Professors and this when we have yet such easie and excellent helps not to be able to prove the main point of our religion from the Scriptures and to give a solid description of faith repentance justification sanctification effectual calling and the like which will never be done to purpose except they will learn a Catechism If any think themselves above it I fear it is from their pride and ignorance for my part I profess my self a learner Well will you learn with me why should you not stir up each other and engage together that you will set to this work O that I might but hear that you would so far gratifie the request of a Messenger of Christ and his Embassador to you-ward Quest. 1. WHat is the chief end of man Ans. Mans chief end is to glorifie God and to enjoy him for ever Q. Is mans chief end to seek himself A. No. Q. Is it to enjoy the profits and pleasures of this world A. No. Q. Is it to glorifie God and enjoy him for ever A. Yes Q. What do you mean by mans chief end A. That which God did chiefly intend or aim at in making man and which man is chiefly to intend Q. What is mans chief duty A. To glorifie God Q. What is mans chief happiness A. To enjoy God Q. May a man have another subordinate or less principal end besides glorifying and enjoying God A. Yes Q. May a man make any thing else his ultimate or principal end besides glorifying and enjoying God A. No. Q. Is the glorifying and enjoying of God mans subordinate end or else his ultimate and chief end A. His chief end Q. 2. What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorifie 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 glorifie and enjoy him Q. Hath God given any rule to direct us A. Yes the Scriptures Q. Whose Word is the Scriptures A. The Word of God Q Where is the Word of God conteined A. In the Scriptures Q How are the Scriptures divided A. Into the Old and New Testament Q. Are not the Apocryphal Books Scripture nor any other but the Books of the Old and New Testament A.
What is the meaning of Amen A. 1. So let it be 2. So it shall be Useful Questions Whereby a Christian may every day examine himself Psal. 4. 4. Commune with your heart upon your beds EVery Evening before you sleep unless you find some other time in the day more for your advantage in this work sequester your self from the world and having set your heart in the presence of the Lord charge it before God to answer to these Interrogatories For your Duties Q. 1. Did not God find me on my Bed when he looked for me on my knees Job 1. 5. Psal. 5. 3. Q. 2. Have not I prayed to no purpose or suffered wandring thoughts to eat out my duties Mat. 15. 8 9. Jer. 12. 2. Q. 3. Have not I neglected or been very overly in the reading Gods holy word Deut. 17. 19. Josh. 1. 7 8. Q. 4. Have I digested the Sermon I heard last Have I repeated it over and prayed it over Luke 2. 19 51. Psal. 1. 2. 119. 5 11 97. Q. 5. Was there not more of custom and fashion in my family-duties than of conscience Psal. 101. 2. Jer. 30. 21. Q. 6. Wherein have I denyed my self this day for God Luke 9. 23. Q. 7. Have I redeemed my time from too long or needless visits idle imaginations fruitless discourse unnecessary sleep more than needs of the world Eph. 5. 16. Col. 4. 5. Q. 8. Have I done any thing more than ordinary for the Church of God in this time extraordinary 2 Cor. 11. 28. Isa. 62. 6. Q. 9. Have I took care of my company Prov. 13. 20. Psal. 119. 63. Q. 10. Have not I neglected or done something against the duties of my Relations as a Master Servant Husband Wife Parent Child c. Eph. 5. 22. to chap. 6. v. 10. Col. 3. 18. to the 4. v. 2. For your Sins Q. 1. Doth not sin sit light Psal. 38. 4. Rom. 7. 24. Q. 2. Am I a mourner for the sins of the Land Ezek. 9. 4 Jer. 9. 1 2 3. Q. 3. Do I live in nothing that I know or fear to be a sin Psal. 119. 101 104. For your Heart Q. 1. Have I been much in holy Ejaculations Neh. 2. 4 5. Q. 2. Hath not God been out of mind Heaven out of sight Psal. 16. 8 Jer. 2. 32. Col. 3. 1 2. Q. 3. Have I been often looking into mine own heart and made conscience even of vain thoughts Prov. 3. 23. Psal. 119. 113. Q. 4. Have not I given way to the workings of pride or passion 2 Chron. 32. 26. James 4. 5 6 7. For my Tongue Have I bridled my Tongue and forced it in Jam. 1. 26. Jam. 3. 2 3 4. Psal. 39. 1. Q. 2. Have I spoken evil of no man Tit. 3. 2. Jam. 4. 11. Q. 3. Hath the Law of the Lord been in my mouth as I sate in my house went by the way was lying down and rising up Deut. 6. 6 7. Q. 4. Is there no company I have come into but I have dropped something of God and left some good savour behind Col. 4. 6. Eph. 4. 29. For your Table Q. 1. Did not I sit down with no higher end than a beast meerly to please my appetite Did I eat and drink to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 31. Q. 2. Was not my appetite too hard for me Jude 12. 2 Pet. 1. 6. Q. 3. Did not I arise from the Table without dropping any thing of God there Luke 7. 36 c. Luke 14. 1 c. John 6. Q. 4. Did not I mock God when I pretended to crave a blessing and return thanks Acts 27. 35 36. Mat. 15. 36. Col. 3. 17. 23. For your Calling Q. 1 Have I been diligent in the duties of my Calling Eccles. 9. 1 Cor. 7. 17. 20. 24. Q. 2. Have I defrauded no man 1 Thes. 4. 6. 1 Cor. 6. 8. Q. 3. Have I dropped never a lye in my shop or trade Prov. 21. 6. Eph. 4. 25. Q. 4. Did not I rashly make nor falsly break some promise Psal. 106. 33. Josh. 9. verse 14 c. Psal. 15. 4. An Addition of some brief Directions for the Morning D. 1. If through necessity or carelesness you have omitted the reading and weighing of these questions in the Evening be sure to do it now D. 2. Ask your self what sin have I committed what duty have I omitted Against which of these Rules have I offended in the day foregoing And renew your repentance and double your watch D. 3. Examine whether God were last in your thoughts when you went to sleep and first when you awoke D. 4. Enquire whether your care of your heart and ways doth increase upon your constant using of this course for self-examination or whether it doth abate and you grow more remiss D. 6. Impose a task of some good meditation upon your selves while you are making ready either to go over these Rules in your thoughts or the heads of the Sermon you heard last or the holy meditations for the purpose in the practice of Piety or Scudders daily walk D. 6. Set your ends right for all that day D. 7. Set your watch especially against those sins and temptations that you are like to be most incident to that day To the most endeared People the Inhabibitants of Taunton Salvation Most dearly beloved aud longed for my Joy and Crown MY hearts desire and prayer for you is that you may be saved This is that which I have been praying and studying and preaching for these many years and this is the end of my venturing and suffering and writing at this prsent time God that knoweth all things he knoweth that this is my wish Oh that I could but come at your souls And that this is the prize and the gain that I run for that I might win souls I seek not other gifts give me your hearts let me but part between your sins and you suffer me but to save you Give me leave to carry you over to Jesus Christ and I will not ask you any more I will serve you gladly I will suffer for you thankfully so I may but save you Do not wonder why I follow you so pressingly why I call upon you so frequently let not my importunity be grievous to you all this is but to save you Christ did not bethink his blood and shall I bethink my breath or ink in order to your salvation What pity is it that any of you should miscarry at last under the power of ignorance or by a prophane negligence or a formal and lifeless profession of strict godliness Beloved I am afraid of you lest as to many of you I have run in vain I cannot but most thankfully acknowledg that considering the paucity of these that are saved there are not a few of you who are the joy of your Ministers the glory of Christ. But it cannot be dissembled that far the greater number give little ground to hope that they are in the
quarreller or a thief or a backbiter or a railer for I denouce unto you from the living God that destruction and damnation is the end of all such 2. Family godliness He that hath set up Christ in his heart will be sure to study to set him up in his house Let every family with you be a Christian Church every house a house of Prayer every houshold a houshold of faith Let every housholder say with Johua I and my house will serve the Lord and resolve with David I will walk within my house with a perfect heart Let me press upon you a few duties which I have been long harping upon but alas I speak it to your shame with many too too many of you to little purpose in general First Let Religion be in your families not as a matter by the by to be minded at leisure when the world will give you leave but the standing business of the house Let them have your prayers as duly as their meals is there any of your families but have time for their taking food wretched man canst thou find time to eat it and not find time to pray in Secondly settle it upon your hearts that your souls are bound up in the souls of your family They are committed unto you if they be lost through your neglect will be required at your hands Sirs if you do not you shall know that the charge of souls is a heavy charge and that the blood of souls is a heavy guilt O man hast thou a charge of souls to answer for and dost thou not yet bestir thy self for them that their blood be not found in thy skirts wilt thou do no more for immortal souls thèn thou wilt do for thy beasts that perish What dost thou do for thy children and servants Thou providest meat and drink for them agreeable to their natures and dost thou not the same for thy beasts Thou givest them medicines and cherishest them when they be sick and dost thou not as much for thy swine more particularly 1. Let the solemn reading of the word and singing of Psalms be your family exercises 2. Let every person in your families be duly called to an account of their profiting by the word heard or read as they be about doing your own business This is a duty of consequence unspeakable and would be a means to bring those under your charge to remember and profit by what they receive See Chists example in calling his family to an account Mat. 16. 11. 13. 15. 3. Often take an account of the souls under your care concerning their spiritual estates make inquiry into their conditions insist much upon the sinfulness and misery of their natural estate and upon the necessity of regeneration and conversion in order to their salvation Admonish them gravely of their sins incourage beginnings Follow them earnostly and let them have no quiet for you till you see them in a saving change This is a duty of high consequence but I am afraid fearfully neglected even by some that are godly Doth not Conscience say Thou art the man 4. Look to the strict sanctifying of the Sabbath by all your housholds Many poor families have little time else O improve but your Sabbath days as diligently in labouring for knowledg and doing your Makers work as you do the other days in doing your own work and I doubt not but you may come to some proficiency 5. Let the Morning and Evening Sacrifice of solemn Prayer be daily offered up in all pour families Beware they be not found among the families that call not upon Gods name for why should there be wrath from the Lord upon your families O miserable families without God in the world that are without family Prayer What have you so many family sins family wants family mercies what and yet no family Prayers How do you pray with All prayer and supplication if you do not with family prayer Say not I have no time What hast thou all thy time on purpose to serve God and save thy soul and yet is this for which thou canst find no time Find but a heart and I will find time Pinch out of your meals and sleep rather than want for Prayer Say not my business will not give leave This is the greatest business to save thy self and the souls committed to thee Besides a whet will be no let In a word the blessing of all is to be got by prayer and what is thy business without Gods blessing Say not I am not able Use the one talent and God will increase Helps are to be had till thou art better able But if there be no other remedy thou must join with thine abler neighbour God hath special regard to joint-prayer and therefore you must improve family advantages for the performing of it 6. Put every one in your families upon private prayer Observe whether they do perform it Get them the help of a form if they need it till they are able to go without it Direct them how to pray by minding them of their sins wants and mercies the materials of prayer This was the practice of John and of Jesus Luke 11. 1 2 c. 7. Set up Catechizing in your Families at the least once every week It was my parting dying request that you would set up and maintain this duty constantly in your families Have you done it all accordingly Cannot your consciences witness cannot your families witness you have not Well I thought my parting words would have done something with you I hoped the fervent request of a dying Minister would have prevailed for such a small matter with you What to this day without solemn catechizing in yonr houses Ah what a discouragement to your Teacher is this Brethren shall I yet prevail with you will you reject me now also O let me perswade you before you take off your eyes from these lines to resolve to set upon the constant exercise of this duty Surely I have done and suffered more for you than this comes to will you now deny me I beseech you let me find if ever God do again bring me to visit your houses that the words of a suffering Minister have some power with you I have sent you an help on purpose what shall all my perswasions be but speaking in the wind and all my pains but labouring in the fire Beloved have you no dread of the Almighties charge That you should teach these things diligently to your children and talk of them as you sit in your houses c. and train them up in the way wherein they should go Hath God so commended Abraham that he would teach his children and houshold and that he had many instructed servants and given such a promise to him thereupon and will not you put in for a share neither in