David, that I have been afflicted. By these things fin is prevented, difcovered, and mortified, the ensnaring world embittered, and the reft to come sweetened.

Many other excellent rules may be added: try these, and the bleffing of the Spirit accompany them.

To conclude; be not swallowed up of forrows for what you have loft; but balance all the troubles of this life with the hopes of the

next.

Your dear children are gone, your sweet husband is gone; but to confider who took them, and whither. It is faid of Enoch, Gen. V. 24. "He walked with God, and was not, for God took him." Mr Upton is not, and yet he is: he is not with men, he is with God: he ceases not to be, though he ceases to breathe: he is taken away, but God took him: he is better where he is than where he was: though he be not in your bosom, he is in Christ's.

Imitate his zeal, plain-heartedness, diligence in duties, and you shall shortly meet him again, and never part any more; I Theff. iv. 15, 16, 17, 18. "For this we say by the word of the Lord, that we "which are alive, and remain to the coming of the Lord, shall not " prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall def" cend from heaven with a shout, and with the voice of the arch"angel, and the trump of God: and the dead in Chrift shall rife " first: Then we which are alive, and remain, shall be caught up to"gether with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: And " so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one ano"ther with these words." Did you but know the deep emphasis of these words, ever with the Lord, I doubt not, but you would find comfort enough in them for yourself, and a great overplus for the comforting of others.

ASSEMBLY'S CATECHISM.

With Practical Inferences from each Question:

As it was carried on in the Lord's Days Exercises in Dartmouth, in the first Year of Liberty, 1688.

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THE PREFACE.

HAT catechizing is an ordinance of God, few will doubt, when they confider the apostles did first lay the fundamentals of religion; Heb. vi. 1. And "fed babes with milk, teaching " them the first principles of the oracles of God," Heb. v. 12. and questionless taught them in that manner, which was most suitable to the capacity of the learners, which may be well supposed to be by plain and short questions, and suitable answers thereunto; and therefore this has been a constant practice in the church of God; and the primitive church had a particular perfon appropriated thereunto, whom they called Catéchift.

And fo all well-governed, and wifely-managed churches, have still maintained and used it, as knowing the neceffity and usefulness thereof, for the younger fort to inform them in the principles of that religion whereinto they were baptized; and for the establishment of the adult and more aged therein.

Hence have issued those little composures of all the fundamental doctrines of faith and practice so handled (which we call Catechisms) in the churches, and particularly in ours, whereof there are many and divers, whose authors have well deserved for their endeavours to inform and edify the people thereby.

But among them all, none excel this little catechism of the Affembly, for orthodoxy, fulness, and method.

And because the answers therein are some of them pretty large, and treat of the most profound mysteries of our religion; therefore feveral persons have bestowed their good and laudable pains, fome in defcanting more largely, and proving by scriptural reasons the particulars: one has shewn the harmony thereof with the articles and homilies of the church of England (designed, I suppose, to remove the prejudice which some have taken against it): others have parted the

questions and answers into several little ones, under each, to make them more intelligible to younger ones, and more easy to be remembered.

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Among whom, worthy, orthodox, and excellent Mr John Flavel may be ranked, who among other of his many most profitable labours, applied himself to the chewing of this bread of life, or crumbling it into smaller pieces, for the convenience of children, and, indeed, of all; wherein (as in all his other works) he hath shewn himself a workman, that needs not to be ashamed.

There needs no other recommendation to this posthumous piece, but the worthy author's name; he was removed before he had completely finished it; he had prepared his questions and answers upon the fecond petition of the Lord's Prayer; but lived not to propofe them in the public congregation. God then translated him into his kingdom of glory above, while he was so industriously endeavouring to promote the kingdom of grace below.

The other five remaining questions and answers (to complete the work) were done by a ruder hand; as may be easily difcerned by any observant reader, who will find himself transferred from a plain, clear, and delightful stile, method, and maner, into more rough, diforderly, and unpleasant ones; for, who indeed could equal this divine la bourer? Not the completer; who would account himself to have made very great attainments in divinity and usefulness, if he were left but a few furlongs behind him.

Let the reader use and peruse this piece, and he will fee cause to bless God for the author.

VALE.

THE

TO THE READER.

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THE Divine Providence having unexpectedly cast my lot, for few days, in Dartmouth, where that blessed man of God, Mr John Flavel, did for many years honour Christ, and was honoured by him; I have been favoured with a fight of that most judicious explication of the Assembly's Catechism, which is emitted herewith. Being defired to testify my respect to the worthy author, by prefacing this excellent labour of his with a few lines; I can truly say, (as fometimes Beza of Calvin,) Now Mr Flavel is dead, life will be less sweet, and death less bitter to me.

My heart bleeds to look on this desolate place, and not to see him, that, whilst living, was the glory of it.

But neither the author, nor his writings, stand in need of the commendation of others, much less of mine.

His works, already published, have made his name precious in both Englands; and it will be so, as long as the earth shall endure.

There are fome confiderations which may cause the reader to ex

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pect (and he will not find himself disappointed therein) that which is extraordinary in this little manual; for the author's heart was very much engaged in doing this service for Christ, in thus feeding his lambs. And he did himself design the publication of what is here committed to the press; and was very desirous (with an holy fubmiffion to the will of God) to have perfected this work before his decease; but had strange intimations that he should finish his course before that could be done.

When he did, viva voce, deliver his meditations, there were many enlargements, and lively passages, which are not here inserted: nevertheless, here is as much as he thought needful for public view, not being willing that his book should be voluminous.

In his last catechetical exercise, concerning Hallowing the name of God, he was exceedingly enlarged; but he must himself go into the kingdom of glory, when he intended to have discoursed on that petition, Thy kingdom come.

He also began some meditations on the joys of heaven; but before he had an opportunity to express what had been in his heart, the Lord Jesus said unto him, "Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." And thus doth it happen many times to the eminent and holy servants of

God.

Another confideration, recommending what comes herewith, is, that it was amongst Mr. Flavel's last works. The (εξοδια ρημαία) last sayings of wife and great men have been esteemed oraculous; and the Scripture puts an emphasis on the last words of David, the sweet finger of Ifrael, 2 Sam. xxiii. 1. Not that those were the last words that ever David spake, only they were written not long before his death, when he was come near heaven.

So was what is now put into the reader's hand, written by Mr. Flavel not long before his tranflation to the world of fouls, where the spirits of just men are made perfect.

There was a more than ordinary prefence of God with him to his last; and in his last day, not the last fermon that he preached (which was June 21, 1691.) he did more than once surprize his hearers with an intimation, that that might be the last time he thould speak to them in the name of the Lord. And was not then the fecret of the Lord with him?

Dartmouth will know, and Devonshire will know, that there has been a prophet among them.

And now my foul bleeds to look on the dear flock of God, which are as sheep without a shepherd. The Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, have compaffion on them, and give them a thepherd like to his blessed servant Flavel, who did for many years feed them with knowledge, and with understanding.

Dartmouth, March 21st,

1692.

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INCREASE MATHER.

AN

EXPOSITION

OF THE

ASSEMBLY's SHORTER CATECHISM.

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Question I. Of Man's chief End.

THAT is the chief end of man?

A. Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever. Q1. Seeing a chief supposeth an inferior end; what is that inferior end for which man was made?

A. It is prudently, foberly, and mercifully, to govern, use, and difpose of other creatures in the earth, fea, and air, over which God gave man the dominion; Gen. i. 26. And God faid, let us make man in our own image, after our likeness: and let him have dominion over the fish of the fea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So Pfal. viii. 6. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet.

Q. 2. What then is to be thought of those men, who being wholly intent upon inferior things, forget and neglect their principal end? A. They are dead whilst they live; I Tim. v. 6. But the that liveth in pleasure, is dead whilst the liveth: They have their portion in this life; Pfal. xvii. 14. From men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and their end is destruction; Phil. iii. 19. Whose end is destruction.

Q. 3. How can man glorify God, seeing he is perfectly glorious in himfelf?

A. Man cannot glorify God by adding any new degree of glory to him; Job xxxv. 7. If thou be righteous, what givest thou him, but by manifesting his glory with the lips? Plal. 1. 23. Whoso offereth praife, glorifieth me; or with the life; Matth. v. 16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may fee your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Q. 4. Wherein confists the enjoyment of God?

4. It confifts, first, in the facial vision of him in heaven. Secondy, in full conformity to him; 1 John iii. 2. But we know, that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall fee him as he is. Thirdly, in that full fatisfaction which results from both the former; Pfal. xvii. 15. I shall be fatisfied when I awake with thy likeness.

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