A N EXPLIGATION Of the First Part of the ASSEMBLr's SHORTER CATECHISM, In continued Discourses on each Question. To which is fubjoined, Never before printed. By the late Reverend and Learned Minister of the Gospel at Ettrick. ENTERED IN STATIONERS HALL. E DIN BURGH: little without the WeA Port. 1755. The following Explication of the Shorter Catechism, and the Sermons annexed, are printed from the Author's original Manuscripts, without the smallest Variation. BOL A BRIEF EXPLICATION OF The First Part of the ASSEMBLY'S SHORTER CATECHISM. the ana or's left Quest. 1. W Hat is the chief End of Man? EXPLICATION. PLICAT 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 last or farthest End. Man's chief Happiness is, to enjoy God as his God: Psal. lxxiii. 25. 26. 27. 28. 6 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is earth that I desire besides thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. "For lo, they that are far from thee, shall perish: А thou yer none upon • thou haft destroyed all them that go a-whoring s 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 subordinate End. A Sinner can never glorify God, until first he enjoy him as his God: Eph. ii. 12. At that time ye were * without Christ, being aliens from the common. 'wealth of Israel, and strangers from the cove nants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.' Gen. xvii. 1. "The Lord appeared to Abram, and said 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 Jesus Christ: John xiv. 6.' Jesus 6 faith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life : no man cometh unto the Father, s but by me.' And one may get a saving Interest in Christ, 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 os Spirit also helpeth our infirmities : for we know what we should pray for as we ought : but o the Spirit itself maketh interceffion 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 Momeni of their believing, for ever enjoy and glorify God; not God; imperfectly indeed here, but perfectly in oring near God!' Sin. him were moncove thout Lord Quest. 2. What Rule hath God given to direct us, how we may glorify and enjoy him? Ans. The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, is the only Rule to dia rect us, how we may glorify and enjoy him. I am thou thy EXPLICATION land Thou เ Jow, God, elus uth, her, eres en nim, em. the now but with: Fore, End The End for which the Scriptures are given, is, to be a Rule to direct us, low we inay glorify God, and come to the Enjoyment of him as our God. And they are the only Rule to direct us in there Matters. 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 Holinets and Efficacy of their Doctrine, and the Miracles wrought to confirm it: And this, although for the most Part they were written by Men, because all scripture is given by insp'ration of God, 2 Tim. iii. 16. The Word Scriptures signifies Writings : But the Church had not always te written Woril , till about Mofes's Time. Ho vbeit, they were supplied, while they wanted it, by extra rdinary Revelations : And it is the fam: Doctrine that was then fo revealed, which we have now in the Scripturc. Nevertheless, the Scripture is altogeiler neceffary for the A 2 Church Ond. cach yeni rify od; |