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POE BIBLE CLA3S AND FAMILY INSTBUdTIOB. THE WESTMINSTER SHORTER CATECHISM. ANALYSIS, SCRIPTURAL PROOFS, EXPLANATORY AND PRACTICAL INFERENCES, AND ILLUSTRATIVE ANECDOTES. REY. JAMES R. BOYD, AUTHOR Of " ELEMENTS OF RHETORIC," AND " ECLECTIC MORAL PHTLOSOPH*,* EDITOR 01 "ENGLISH POETS, WITH NOTES," ETC. PHILADELPHIA: PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION, 1884 CHESTNUT STREET, IZ61 Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1854, BY M. W. DOPD, In the Clerk's Office of the Southern District of New York. ~"\ ^^^^ l^> £ Jl <>£/\ r- ^y 4*u y V 9s9Sl Westminster Abbey. 137* 17145 TO A GREAT ADMIRER OF THE WESTMINS1ER SHORTER CATECHISM, THE WIFE OF A BELOVED AND VENERATH3 PASTOR OF MY EARLY YEARS, art) t » 3L 1 1 tie Volume, UNDERTAKEN AT HER EARNEST REQUEST, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE YOUTH OF CHRISTIAN C O N G RE GATIONS IS MOST AFFECTIONATELY AND GRATEFULLY INSCRIBED; WITH THE PLEASING HOPE THAT IT MAY GAIN HER APPROVAL, AS TO ITS PLAN AND EXECUTION, ANE SERVE THE IMPORTANT PURPOSE ABOVE SUGGESTED. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. The Westminster Shorter Catechism has now fairly entered upon its Third Century of existence and of usefulness ; and, like the writings of Shak- speare and Milton, composed not far from the same period, remarkably retains its high and de served reputation, amidst the ever-flowing and overflowing issues of the press. Many excellent works have at different times appeared, in explana tion and amplification of this admirable compend of Christian doctrine. Some of these have been consulted, and others largely used, in the prepara tion of the work now submitted, — particularly those of Vincent and Paterson; the Eev. Dr. Green's Lectures, and the works of Doolittle and Watson have been occasionally referred to. All these publications have their respective merits and appropriate fields of usefulness ; yet it is supposed, that neither they nor others in common use, super sede the experiment of presenting the Catechism in still another form, somewhat original, and with some accompaniments that may render the system <fl INTRODUCTORY REMjvRKS. atic study of divine truth more attractive and useful than heretofore, to the youth connected with Christian congregations. PECULIARITIES OF THE PRESENT WORK. With this view the Answers of the Shorter Catechism are, for the most part, presented, by way of inference, in other words, more plain and less technical — conveying the same truth, but in modern and easy style of speech, so that the sub ject may be readily and agreeably laid hold of, and understood, before an attempt is made to commit to memory the concise, condensed, and theological forms of thought presented in those Answers. In the Second place, the doctrinal instructions of the original answers are analysed and presented in a distinct and separate form, and are supported by appropriate passages of Scripture, which may easily and profitably be committed to memory. The study of this portion will show that the Cate chism is not a mere human composition, not "a cunningly-devised fable," but that it derives its being, its vitality, its beauty, its grandeur, its high authority, from the very words of Divine inspira tion. In the Third place, it seemed desirable to turn the doctrinal instructions of the Catechism to a practical account ; to make them instrumental in rousing the conscience, and impressing the heart, and influencing the every-day life of the student. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. TO For this purpose I have represented him as draw ing/or himself, from the Answers, Practical Les sons for the guidance of his own future conduct, and the control of his own mind and heart. The Catechism, thus enlarged, and carried out into a form personally and practically useful, loses its ab stract, and much of its repulsive aspect ; and, when committed to memory, under such advantages, cannot fail to exert a more valuable influence, not only intellectual, but moral and practical, even upon comparatively young minds. In the Fourth place, from the field of Christian aud General Biography, have been selected many useful, impressive, and entertaining Anecdotes, which serve to throw light, and to spread no small de gree of attractiveness, around each successive doc trine and duty, and also to impress them more vividly upon the understanding and upon the heart. These illustrative Anecdotes may be regarded as a delightful commentary, furnished by Divine Provi dence, for leading the popular, as well as the youth ful mind, into a larger knowledge, appreciation, and love of the sublime doctrines and holy precepts of the Christian Faith. In these various methods have I sought to allure my young readers, and perhaps others beyond the period of youth, to study this good old Catechism, and to examine and draw out, as for themselves, the rich treasures of divine wisdom and counsel and saving influences, which they will find embodied INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. and consolidated in its compact, scholar-like, ei> during, and noble structure. ORIGIN OF THE SHORTER CATECHISM. It may serve to excite a deeper interest in this theological composition itself, to be informed that it was produced and published under the sanction of an assembly, consisting of one hundred and twenty-one divines, and thirty laymen from Eng land, and of five commissioners from Scotland, convened in 1643, by order of the British Parlia ment, in a part of the celebrated Westminster Abbey. This assembly embraced, as will not be denied, some of the most godly and learned men that ever adorned the British empire. Richard Baxter, from personal acquaintance with the greater part of them, avows that the Christian world, since the days of the Apostles, never had a Synod of more excellent divines. In the striking language which he employs : — " The divines there congre gated, were men of eminent learning, godliness, ministerial abilities, fidelity ; and being not worthy to be one of them myself, I may the more freely speak the truth, even in the face of malice and envy, that as far as I am able to judge, by the information of all history of that kind, and by any other evidence left us, the Christian world, since the days of the Apostles, had never a synod of more excellent divines than this and the Synod of INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. IX Dort." It is remarkable that this assembly was engaged for more than five years and a half in pre paring a Form of Church Government, and sum maries of religious doctrine and practice for Eng land and Scotland. " It was felt," says Dr. Bel- frage, " by the leading men in the struggle with superstition and arbitrary power, in the seventeenth century, that a scheme of doctrine, church govern ment and worship, pure and scriptural, would be a most excellent means of establishing the rights for which they were contending, and forming the virtues by which freedom is blest. It was with this view that the Westminster Assembly was convened ; and that its proceedings were honored with the countenance of the first and best man in the land — the first in influence, and the best in true worth." While the Confession of faith was still under discussion, able committees were appointed to present its substance in the form of the Larger and Shorter Catechism, which, after careful examin ation, received the solemn sanction of the Assem bly. In the latter part of 1647, they were pre sented for approval to the House of Commons, and adopted by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, in 1648. They were not adopted by the ecclesiastical authorities in England. These documents, with sl;ght emendations in the Confess ion of Faith and Larger Catechism, relative to civil government, were adopted by the Presby terian Church in this N>untry, as standards of doe X INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. trine and church government and discipline, iri the city of Philadelphia, in May 1788. TESTIMONIES TO THE UNRIVALLED EXCELLENCE OF THE SHORTER CATECHISM, AND THE ADVANTAGES OF AN EARLY STUDY OF IT. The above historical sketch will prepare us to assent to the high but deserved eulogium, which the Rev. Dr. Humphrey (in his work on Domestic Education) has pronounced in the following terms : — " In calling the particular attention of heads of families to that admirable compendium of Chris tian doctrine, the Westminster Shorter Catechism, I do not mean to speak disparagingly of the Cate chisms of those evangelical Christians, who dissent from some of its statements ; but only to express my own admiration of it, as the most lucid, guarded, and comprehensive epitome of Bible truth which I have ever seen ; and as, in my judg ment, the best family manual that the wisdom and piety of any body of uninspired men has ever yet given to the church. And however the advocates of other creeds may differ from me in opinion, I cannot well see how any of the enlightened mem bers of that very large body of Christians, Presby terian and Congregational, who embrace the West minster Confession of Faith, can dissent." I cannot forbear to add, in conclusion, the equally valuable testimony of the late venerable INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. XI and reverend Dr. Ashbel Green, who, in his In troductory Lecture, thus speaks of the advantages to be derived from an early and thorough study of the Shorter Catechism : — " The catechetical or ques- tionary form of religious summaries, renders them most easy and interesting to children and youth, and, indeed, to Christians of all ages and descrip tions. For myself, I have no reluctance to state here publicly, what I have-frequently mentioned in private, that in the composition of sermons one of the readiest and best aids I have ever found, has been my Catechism. Let me add, further, that long observation has satisfied me, that a principal reason why instruction and exhortation from the pulpit are so little efficacious, is, that they presup pose a degree of information, or an acquaintance with the truths and doctrines of divine revelation, which, by a great part of the hearers, is not pos sessed ; and which would best of all have been supplied by catechetical instruction.

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