prayers to join praises, ascribing to God alone eternal sovereignty, omnipotency, and glorious excellency ; in regard whereof, as he is able and willing to help us s, so we by faith are emboldened to plead with him that he would, and quietly to rely upon him, that he will fulfil our requests. love him, and to them that keep his commandments. -Ver. 7. O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day:-Ver. 8. O Lord, to us be longeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. Ver. 9. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against him. Ver. 16. O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem.-Ver. 17. Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his sup plications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is de solate, for the Lord's sake. Ver. 18. O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. Ver. 19. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name. e Phil. iv. 6. Be careful for no. thing: but in every thing by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God, &c. f 1 Chron. xxix. 10. Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our Father, for ever and ever. Ver. 11. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and : the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. Ver. 12. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all, and in thine hand is power and might, and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Ver. 13. Now therefore, Our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. & Eph. iii. 20. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Ver. 21. Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. Luke xi. 13. If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children; how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? h 2 Chron. xx. 6. And (Jehoshaphat) said, O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? Ver. 11. Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit. i 2 Chron. xiv. 11. And Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude: O Lord, thou art our God, let not man prevail against thee. And to testify this our desire and assurance, we say Amen. k1 Cor. xiv. 16. Else, when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he un derstandeth not what thou sayest? Rev. xxii. 20. He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly: Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Ver. 21. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. FINIS. THE SHORTER CATECHISM, AGREED UPON BY THE ASSEMBLY OF DIVINES AT WESTMINSTER, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF COMMISSIONERS FROM THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND, AS A Part of the Covenanted Uniformity in Religion betwixt the Churches of CHRIST in the Kingdoms of Scotland, England, and Ireland. AND APPROVED ANNO 1648, BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND, TO BE A DIRECTORY FOR CATECHISING SUCH AS ARE OF WEAKER CAPACITY. WITH THE PROOFS FROM THE SCRIPTURE. ACT APPROVING THE SHORTER CATECHISM. THE General Assembly having seriously considered the SHORTER CATECHISM agreed upon by the Assembly of Divines sitting at Westminster, with assistance of Commissioners from this Kirk; do find, upon due examination thereof, that the said Catechism is agreeable to the word of God, and in nothing contrary to the received doctrine, worship, discipline, and government of this Kirk: And therefore approve the said Shorter Catechism, as a part of the intended uniformity, to be a Directory for catechising such as are of weaker capacity. A. KER. THE SHORTER CATECHISM. Quest. 1. What is the chief end of man? Answ. Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever b. 2. 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 Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him d. 1. a 1 Cor. x. 31. Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Rom. xi. 36. For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. b Psal. lxxiii. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. Ver. 26. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. Ver. 27. For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. Ver. 28. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works. 2. c 2 Tim. iii. 16. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. Eph. ii. 20. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone. d 1 John i. 3. That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Sơn Jesus Christ. Ver. 4. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. Gg |