HARVARD
UNIVERITY
LIBARY

The following Explication of the Shorter Catechism, and the Sermons an nexed, are printed from the Author's original Manufcripts, without the smalleft Variation.

BRIEF EXPLICATION

OF

The First Part of the ASSEMBLY'S
SHORTER CATECHISM.

Queft. 1. What is the chief End of

Man?

Ans. Man's chief End is, to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.

EXPLICATION.

By Man's chief End is meant, the End which Man was chiefly made for, and which he should chiefly feek to reach unto. It consisfts of two Parts; his chief Duty, and his chief Happiness. Man's chief Duty is, to glorify God: 1 Cor. x. 31. Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatfoe. ver ye do, do all to the glory of God.' Man glorifies God, by thinking, speaking, and living, to his Glory. And this is Man's chief, and laft or farthest End. Man's chief Happiness is, to enjoy God as his God: Pful. Ixxiii. 25. 26. 27. 28. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I defire besides thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the ftrength of my heart, and my portion for ever. To, they that are far from thee, shall perifh*

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For

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thou

* thou hast destroyed all them that go a-whoring from thee. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God.' And this is Man's chief fubordinate End. A Sinner can never glorify God, until first he enjoy him as his God: Eph. ii. 12. 'At that time-ye were * without Chrift, being aliens from the common' wealth of Ifrael, and strangers from the cove'nants of promife, having no hope, and without God in the world. Gen. xvii. 1. 'The Lord appeared to Abram, and faid unto him, I am the almighty God; walk before me, and be thou 'perfect.' Exod. xx. 2. 3. I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land * of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou ' shalt have no other gods before me.' Now, the Sinner can attain to the Enjoyment of God, only through Jefus Christ: John xiv. 6. Jesus faith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, * but by me.' And one may get a saving Interest in Chrift, by Faith. Moreover, they who enjoy God as their God, are enabled to glorify him, by the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them as Members of Christ: Rom. viii. 26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with 'gronings which cannot be uttered. Wherefore, none that are out of Christ, reach the chief End of Man: But they make themselves their chief End. Howbeit, Believers do reach it and they reach, it, in so far as they shall, from the first Moment of their believing, for ever enjoy and glorify God;

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God; imperfectly indeed here, but perfectly in
Heaven.

Queft. 2. What Rule hath God given to direct us, how we may glorify and enjoy him?

Anf. 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 glorify and enjoy

him.

EXPLICATΙΟΝ.

The End for which the Scriptures are given, is, to be a Rule to direct us, how we may glorify God, and come to the Enjoyment of him as our God. And they are the only Rule to direct us in these Miatters. Withal, they are a certain and infallible Rule; and that, because they are the Word of God. It appears, that they are the Word of

God, by the Holiness and Efficacy trime, and the Miracles wrought to confirm it: And this, although for the most Part they were written by Men, because all fcripture is given by inspiration of God, 2 Tim. iii. 16 The Word Scriptures signifies Writings: But the Church had not always the written Word, till about Mofess Time. Howbeit, they were supplied, while they wanted it, by extraordinary Revelations: And it is the fame Doctrine that was then fo revealed, which we haveftrine that scripture. Neverthee lefs, the Scripture is altogether neceffary fourch

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Of the holy Scriptures.

Church now; and that because extraordinary Reve lation of Doctrine is ceafed, and God hath bound us to the Scripture as the Test or Touchstone of Doctrine: If. viii. 20. To the law and to the ' teftimony: if they speak not according to this ' word, it is because there is no light in them," Neither will God ever give us another Rule: For the Scripture is a testamentary Word of God. Now, a Teftament is the last Will of a dying Perfon. So the Scripture is Christ's Testament, confirmed by his Death: And as a Testament, it declares the last Will of God concerning Man's Salvation and Duty. Christ's Testament is twofold; namely, the Old Testament, and the New Teftament. The Books beginning with Genesis, and ending with Malachi, are Christ's Old Testament: Those beginning with Matthew, and ending with the Revelation, are Christ's New TestaThese two Teftaments are one and the fame for Substance: For in both, Jesus Christ is the Teftator; eternal Life is the Legacy; Sinners of Mankind are the Legatees; and Faith in Jesus Chrift is the Way of claiming and obtaining the Legacy: 1 John v. 11. 12. And this is the re'cord, that God hath given to us eternal life: and ' this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son, ' hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not life.' Prov. viii. 4. Unto you, Ο men, I call, and my voice is to the fons of man.' But they differ in Circumstances; the new being more clear and full than the old one. Howbeit, neither the one nor the other can be savingly understood, without an inward Illumination of the Mind by the Spirit of Christ: 1 Cor. ii. 10. 'But * God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: 'for