LECTURES

ON

THE CATECHISM,

ARRANGED IN

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS,

FOR

THE USE OF SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES.

" It was the observation of the most learned King that ever sat on the
English Throne, that the cause of the miscarriage of our People into
Popery and other errors, was the ungroundedness in the points of
Catechism. How should those souls be but carried about with every wind
of doctrine, that are not well ballasted with solid information ? It was the
ignorance and ill disposedness of some cavillers, that taxed this course as
prejudicial to preaching; since, in truth, the most useful of all preaching
is catechistical, This lays the grounds, the other raiseth the walls and
roof. This informs the judgment, that stirs up the affections. What good
use is there of those affections, that run before the judgment? Or of
those walls that want a foundation"

BISHOP HALL.

LEAMINGTON:
PRINTED BY MESSRS. ELLISTON AND CO. AT THE HERALD

OFFICE, BATH STREET.

SOLD BY LONGMAN & CO. LONDON, AND ALL BOOKSELLERS.

1827.

F

SECKER'S

LECTURES ON THE CATECHISM

ARRANGED IN QUESTION AND ANSWER.

LECTURE I.

IN
N matters of importance, what should every one that

wants information do ?
They should first seek for it, and then attend to it.

What does the happiness of all persons depend beyond comparison chiefly upon ?

On being truly religious.
Why?

Because true religion consists in three things:-Reasonable government of ourselves--good behaviour towards our fellow creatures and dutifulness to our Maker.

What will the practice of these duties generally give us?

Health of body and ease of mind; a comfortable provision of necessaries; and peace with all around us.

What will the performance of them always secure to us?

The favor and blessing of God; who on these terms, will both watch over us continually with a fatherly kindness in this life, and bestow upon us eternal felicity in the next.

Since, whoever is religious must be happy, what is it the great concern of

every one of us to know and observe? The doctrines and rules which religion delivers.

A

Do we not of necessity all come into the world ignorant of these?

Yes; and our faculties are so weak at first, and gain strength so slowly; the attention of our earlier years to serious things is so small; that even were our duty to comprehend no more than our reason could teach us, few, if any, would learn it sufficiently without assistance ; and none so soon as they would need it.

What further would be the consequence of this state of ignorance? ::

We should enter into a world full of dangers, every way unprepared for avoiding them ; we should go wrong

the very beginning of life, perhaps fatally; we should hurt, if we did not ruin ourselves.

Could reason if improved to the utmost, discover to us all that we are to believe and do ?

No, a large and most important part of it is to be learnt from the Revelation, made to us in God's holy word : and this, though perfectly well suited to the purposes for which it was designed, yet the information of the learned must, in many respects, be needful to prepare the young and ignorant for receiving the benefits of which they are capable from reading the Scriptures.

Of what service is instruction, besides enlightening the ignorant ?

It does equal, if not greater service, by preventing or opposing their prejudices and partialities.

From our tenderest age of what are we constantly giving proof?

Of wrong inclinations.
What are we prone to form ?