^tv er PuiMCfffy 
 
 BX 9184 .A5 W45 1840 
 Whitecross, John. 
 The Assembly's shorter 
 catechism 
 


THE ASSEMBLY'S 
 
 SHORTER CATECHISM, 
 
 ILLUSTRATED BY 
 
 APPROPRIATE ANECDOTES; 
 
 CHIKFLY DESIGNED TO ASSIST 
 
 PARENTS AND SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHERS, 
 
 IN THE INSTRUCTION OF YOUTH. 
 
 ^ 
 
 Bv JOHN WPIITECROSS 
 
 TEACHER, EDINBURGH. 
 
 THIRD AMERICAN EDITION, 
 
 NEW-YORK: 
 ROBERT CARTER, 58 CANAL STREET, 
 
 1840. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The Assembly's Shorter Catechism has 
 heen long and justly esteemed an excellent 
 compendium of religious knowledge. To il- 
 lustrate it, explanatory catechisms, and even 
 Bodies of Divinity, have been composed. Pa- 
 rents and teachers have used it for the purpose of 
 initiating the young in the principles of religion. 
 To contribute to their assistance in a labor so 
 important, is the design of the following compi- 
 lation. 
 
 Having been in the habit of selecting an anec- 
 dote or two, suited to the subject of instruction 
 in the Sabbath School under his charge, the 
 compiler was led to conceive the plan of this 
 little work. It will be generally allowed, that 
 anecdotes and stories are calculated to engage 
 the attention of children, which gained by this 
 means, may be happily kept, while directed to 
 other parts of instruction. 
 
 While, from the similarity of several of the 
 questions, it was found difficult to prefix to each 
 its appropriate anecdotes, it is hoped there will 
 
IV. PREFACE, 
 
 be few, if any, altogether misplaced. Care has 
 been taken to admit as far as possible, only those 
 of a religious nature, which may, with propriety, 
 be related by a pious parent or teacher, when 
 instriicting his children or scholars on a Sabbath 
 evening. 
 
 Though this little volume is to be viewed as 
 chiefly adapted to the use of parents and Sabbath 
 School teachers, yet it may not be uninteresting 
 to the general reader. The questions under which 
 they are arranged, will serve as a guide in select- 
 ing anecdotes suited to particular circumstances ; 
 and something may be found fitted to please and 
 to instruct. 
 
 A few miscellaneous anecdotes have been ad- 
 ded, several of which were selected after most 
 of the sheets had gone through the press. Some 
 of these, it is presumed, will appear new and 
 striking. 
 
 If, through the Divine blessing, this work in 
 any measure serve the purpose designed, the 
 compiler will rejoice that his humble labors 
 have not been in vain. 
 
 Eilinhurgh, July 28, 1823. 
 
THE 
 
 SHORTER CATECHISM, 
 
 ILLUSTRATED, &c. 
 
 Q,. 1. What is fhe chief end of man? 
 A. Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him 
 for ever. 
 
 The late Lady Glenorchy, in her diary, re- 
 lates her being seized with a fever, whicli threat- 
 ened her life. " During the course of which," 
 she says, ^' the first question of the Assembly's 
 Catechism was brought to my mind, — What is 
 the chief end of man?" as if some one had asked 
 it. When I considered the answer to it, " To 
 glorify God and to enjoy him for ever," I was 
 struck with shame and confusion. I found I 
 had never sought to glorify God in my life, nor 
 had any idea what was meant by enjoying him 
 for ever. Death and judgment were set before 
 me 5 my past sins came to my remembrance ; 
 I saw no way to escape the punishment due unto 
 them, nor had I the least glimmering hope of 
 obtaining the pardon of them through the righ- 
 teousness of another." From this unhappy state 
 1* 
 
sTie was shortly after delivered, by believing on 
 the Lord Jesus as the only Savior of the guilty. 
 
 vSuch was Mr. Hervey's strict piety, that he 
 suffered no moment to go unimproved : when he 
 was called down to tea, he used to bring his He- 
 brew Bible or Greek Testament with him ; and 
 would either speak upon one verse or upon se- 
 veral verses, as occasion offered, " This," says 
 Mr. Romaine, " was generally an improving sea- 
 son. The glory of God is very seldom promoted 
 at the tea table; but it was at Mr. Hervey's. 
 Drinking tea with him, was like being at an or- 
 dinance ; for it was sanctified by the word of 
 God, and prayer." 
 
 An eminent minister, after havina: been silent 
 in company for a considerable time, and being 
 asked the reason, signified that the powers of 
 his mind had been solemnly absorbed with the 
 thought of eternal happiness. '* my friends," 
 said he, with an energy that surprised all present, 
 " consider what it is to be for ever with the Lord 
 — for ever, for ever, for ever !" 
 
 A French officer, who was a prisoner upon 
 his parole at Reading, met with a Bible ; he read 
 it, and was so struck with its contents, that he 
 was convinced of the folly of sceptical principles, 
 and of the truth of Christianity, and resolved to 
 become a protestant. When his gay associates 
 Tallied him for taking so serious a turn, he said 
 in his vindication, " I have done no more than 
 my old school-fellow Bernadotte, who has be- 
 come a Lutheran." " Yes, but he became so," 
 said his associates, " to obtain a crown." My 
 motive," said the Christian officer, "is the 
 
same ; Ave only differ as to the place. — The 
 object of Bernadotte is to obtain a crown in 
 Sweden, mine is to obtain a crown in heaven." 
 
 Q,. 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 Scrip- 
 tures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to 
 direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him. 
 
 A gentleman travelling* in a stage coach, at- 
 tempted to divert the company by ridiculing the 
 Scriptures: "As to the prophecies," said he, 
 •' in particular, they were all written after the 
 events took place." A minister in the coach, 
 who had hitherto been silent, replied. Sir, I beg 
 leave to mention one particular prophecy as an 
 exception, 2 Pet. iii. 2. ' Knowing this first, that 
 there shall come in the latter days. Scoffers^ 
 Now, sir, whether the event be not long after the 
 prediction, I leave the company to judge." The 
 mouth of the scorner was stopped. 
 
 The learned Salmasius said on his death-bed, 
 •* O ! I have lost a world of time ! If one year 
 more were added to my life, it should be spent in 
 reading David's Psalms, and Paul's Epistles." 
 
 Mr, Locke, a little before his death, being ask- 
 ed what was the shortest and surest way for a 
 young gentleman to attain a true knowledge of 
 the Christian religion, made this reply : " Let 
 him study the holy Scriptures, especially the New 
 Testament ; therein are contained the words of 
 eternal life. It has God for its author, salvation 
 for its end, and truth, without any mixture of er- 
 ror, for its matter." 
 
 It was customary in Cromwell's time for his 
 soldiers to carry, each a Bible in his pocket. 
 
8 
 
 Among others, a profligate young rnan, who was 
 ordered to attack some fortress. During the en- 
 gagement a bullet had perforated his Bible, and 
 gone so far as to rest opposite these words in 
 Ecclesiastics : " Rejoice, O young man in thy 
 youth, and letthy heart cheertheeinthedays of thy 
 youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in 
 the sight of thine eyes ; but know thou, that for 
 all these things God will bring thee into judg- 
 ment." The w^ords, so appropriate to his case, 
 powerfully affected his mind and proved by the 
 blessing of God, the means of his conversion. 
 He used to observe, that the Bible had been the 
 happy means of saving both his soul and his body. 
 
 A person in Birmingham, who lived in the neg- 
 lect of the worship of God, and of reading the 
 Bible, was, on a Lord's day, sitting at the 
 fire with his family ; he said that he thought he 
 would read a chapter in the Bible, not having 
 read one for a long time : But, alas ! he was dis- 
 appointed ; it was too late, for, in the very act of 
 reaching it from the shelf, he sunk down and im- 
 mediately expired. 
 
 Q,. 3. What do the Scriptures principally teach ? 
 
 A. The Scriptures principally teach what man is to 
 believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of 
 man. 
 
 Dr. Elliot was well acquainted with Colonel 
 Allen, a celebrated infidel in America, and made 
 him a visit at a time when his dauQfhter was sick 
 and near death. He was introduced to the libra- 
 ry, where the Colonel read to him some of his 
 writings with much self-complacency, and asked, 
 " Is not that well done ?" While they were thus 
 employed, a messenger entered, and informed 
 
Colonel Allen that his daughter was dying-, and 
 desired to speak with him. He immediately 
 went to her chamber, accompanied by Dr. Elliot, 
 who was desirous of witnessing- the interview. 
 The wife of Col. Allen was a pious woman, and 
 had instructed her daughter in the principles of 
 Christianity. As soon as her father appeared at 
 her bedside, she said to him, " I am about to 
 die ; shall I believe in the principles you have 
 taught me, or shall I believe in what my mother 
 has taught me?" He became extremely agi- 
 tated ; his chin quivered, his whole frame shook, 
 and after waiting a few moments, he replied, 
 " Believe what your mother has taught you." 
 
 A worthy officer, daring the war assembled 
 all his men in the cabin, and stating the critical 
 situation of his country, proposed to them the 
 contribution often day's pay, as a free will-offer- 
 ing to the neccessities of their country. This be- 
 ing cheerfully agreed to, he presented each of 
 them with a Bible, desiring them to peruse it care- 
 fully, adding, " It will instruct you to fear God, 
 honor the king, and love your country." 
 
 A poor boy, going to a Sabbath School, was 
 met by a companion, who invited him to play the 
 truant ; but he absolutely refused, and went to- 
 school. When this came to be known, the boy 
 was asked what it was that kept him from com- 
 plying with the temptation? He answered, " Be- 
 cause I read in my Bible, My son, if sinners en- 
 tice thee, consent thou not." 
 
 a. 4. What is God ? 
 
 A. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable 
 in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice; goodness, 
 and truth. 
 
10 
 
 Slmonides, a heathen poet, being asked by 
 Hiero, king of Syracuse, What is Godi desired 
 a day to think upon it ; and when that was ended, 
 he desired two; and when these were past, he 
 desired four days; thus he continued to double 
 the number of days in which he desired to think 
 of God, before he would give an answer. Upon 
 which the king expressed his surprise at his be- 
 havior, and asked him, What he meant by this? 
 To which the poet answered, " The more I 
 think of God, he is still the more dark and un- 
 known to me." 
 
 A little boy of extraordinary abilities, being 
 introduced into the company of a dignified cler- 
 gyman, was asked by him, " Where God was?" 
 with the j)romise of an Orange. " Tell me," re- 
 plied the boy, " where he is not, and I will give 
 you two." 
 
 The teacher of a Sabbath School in Bristol, 
 discoursing with the children, asked, among other 
 things, "where is God?" one of the elder boys im- 
 mediately answered, " In heaven." The teacher 
 not appearing satisfied with this reply, again re- 
 .peated the inquiry, when a lad younger than the 
 other, answered, "Every where." Requiring 
 still further explanation, the question was again 
 put, " Where is God ?" when a third boy called 
 out, " God is here." The views of the teacher 
 were now met; and he endeavored to impress 
 upon the minds ofthe children the important truth, 
 that God is in heaven — God is every where — God 
 is here. 
 
 It was a fine reply that a pupil ofthe deaf and 
 dumb institution at Paris made to the following 
 
11 
 
 question, put by a gentleman visiting it. "What 
 is eternity?" " It is the lifetime of the Al- 
 mighty!" 
 
 Q. 5. Are there more Gods than one 1 
 
 A. There is but one only, the living and the true God. 
 
 An Indian chief, having sent for Hiacoomes, 
 a converted native, with the view of receiving re- 
 ligious instruction from him, after some conver- 
 sation, the chief asked him, " How many Gods 
 the English worshipped?" Hiacoomes answered, 
 " One, and no more." On which the chief reckon- 
 ed up about thirty-seven principal gods which he 
 had ; " And shall I," said he, " throw away all 
 these thirty-seven for the sake of one only?" 
 *' What do you yourself think ?" said Hiacoomes ; 
 " For my part, I have thrown away all these and 
 many more, some years ago, and yet I am pre- 
 served, as you see, to this day." " You speak 
 true," said the chief, " and therefore I will throw 
 away all my gods too, and serve that one God 
 with you." Hiacoomes proceeded more fully to 
 instruct him, and the rest of the company with 
 him, and the chief having promised, as is 
 above declared, to worship the true God, and 
 serve him only, was as good as his word ; for he 
 carried himself as a true servant of God all the 
 days of his life after. 
 
 At Buhapurum, in the northern Cicars, a child 
 about eight years old, who had been educated in 
 Christianity, was ridiculed on that account, by 
 some heathens older than himself In reply, he 
 repeated what he had been taught respecting God. 
 "Show us your God!" said the heathens. '"I 
 cannot do that," answered the child ; " but I can 
 soon show you yours." Taking up a stone, and 
 
12 
 
 daubing with some resemblance of a human face, 
 he placed it very gravely upon the ground, and 
 pushing it towards them with his foot ; " There, 
 said he, "is such a god as you worship." 
 
 Q. 6, How many persons arc thare in the Godhead? 
 
 A. There are three persons in the Godhead ; tlie 
 Father, the Son, and the Holy Gliost; and these three 
 are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and 
 glory. 
 
 " Sitting lately," says one, "in a public room 
 at Brighton, where an infidel was harano-uing the 
 company upon the absurdities of the Christian re- 
 ligion, I could not but be pleased to see how 
 easily his reasoning pride was put to shame. He 
 quoted those passages, ' I and the Father are 
 one ;' ' I in them, and thou in me :' and that 
 there are three persons in one God. Finding his 
 auditors not disposed to applaud his blasphemy 
 he turned to one gentleman, and said with an 
 oath, ' Do you believe such nonsense V The 
 gentleman replied. ' Tell me how that candle 
 burns?' ' Why,' answered he, 'the tallow, the cot- 
 ton, and the atmospheric air produce the light.' 
 * Then they make one light, do they not V 
 ' Yes.' ' Will you tell me hoiu they are one in 
 the other, and yet but one light V ' No, I cannot.' 
 ' But you believe if?' He could not say he did 
 not. The company instantly made the applica- 
 tion, by smiling at his folly ; upon which the 
 conversation was changed. This may remind 
 the young and unexperienced, that if they believe 
 only what they can explain, they may as well 
 part with their senses, being surroimded by the 
 wonderful works of God, whose ways arc past 
 findina: out.'^ ^' 
 
In 
 O 
 
 When Mr. Job Orton, a dissenting minister at 
 Shrewsbury, was preaching from Isaiah ix. 6., 
 his more orthodox hearers, who had doubts con- 
 cerning his belief of the divinity of Christ, were 
 all attention in hopes of hearing their pastor's 
 real sentiments. They were, however, disap- 
 pointed ; for when he came to the words, " The 
 mighty God," all he said was, " The meaning of 
 this I cannot tell, and how should I, when his 
 name is called V/onderful ?" 
 
 Two gentlemen were once disputing on the 
 divinity of Christ. One of them who argued 
 against it, said, " If it were true, it certainly 
 would have been expressed in more clear and un- 
 equivocal terms." *' Well," said the other, " ad- 
 mitting that you believed it, were you authorized 
 to teach it, and allowed to use your own language, 
 how would you express the doctrine to make it 
 indubitable"?" " I would say," replied he, " that 
 Jesus Christ is the true GocV^ " You are very 
 happy," rejoined the other "in the choice of your 
 words; for you have happened to hit upon the 
 very words of inspiration. St. John, speaking of 
 the Son, says, ' This is the true God and eternal 
 life.'." 
 
 Q,. 7. What are the decrees of God '? 
 ' A. The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, ac- 
 cording to the counsel of his will, whereby for his own 
 glory, he hath fore-ordained whatsoever comes to pass. 
 
 " Some preachers near Olney," says Mr, 
 Newton, " dwelt on the doctrine of predestina- 
 tion. An old woman said, ' Ah, I have long 
 settled that point, for if God had not chosen me 
 before I was born, I am sure he would have seen 
 nothing in me to ha\e chosen me for afterwards!' " 
 2 
 
14 
 
 A young person, riding one day with a friend 
 of his, asked him, " What is your opinion of elec- 
 tion, sir?" His friend judiciously replied, " Ste- 
 phen, you have learned fractions, decimals, &c. 
 do you understand them ?" " Yes, sir." "Do 
 you think when you were in addition you could ?" 
 " No sir." " Neither can you, my dear boy, at 
 presentcomprehendthedeep things of God." The 
 youth appeared much interested, and during the 
 remainder of the journey he seemed to be absorbed 
 in his own reflections. 
 
 Mr. Winter was lately in company with an Ar- 
 minian, who spoke violently against the doctrine 
 of election, " You believe election," said Mr. Win- 
 ter, " as firmly as I do." " I deny it," answered 
 the other : " on the contrary, it is a doctrine I de- 
 test." " Do you believe that all men will be 
 saved on the last day, or some only ?" " Only 
 some." " Do you imagine that those some will 
 be found to have saved themselves?" " No, cer- 
 tainly : God in Christ is the only Savior of sin- 
 ners." " But God could have saved the rest. 
 could he not ?" " No doubt." " Then salvation 
 is peculiar to be saved ?" " To be sure." And 
 God saves them designedly, and not against his 
 will?" "Certainly." "And willingly suf- 
 fers the rest to perish, though he could easily 
 have hindered it?" " It should seem so." 
 " Then is not this election ? It amounts to the 
 same thing." 
 
 Q,. 8. How doth God execute his decrees? 
 A. God execute th his decjfees in the works of creation 
 and providence. 
 
 Julian, usually styled the apostate, one of the 
 Roman emperors, with the view of m validating 
 
15 
 
 the truth of our Savior's prophecies respecting" 
 the desolation of the Jews, made an attempt to 
 rebuild the temple of Jerusalem; but from the 
 breaking out of terrible balls of fire near the foun- 
 dations, the workmen were obliged to abandon the 
 impious attempt. " Who hath hardened himself 
 against God, and hath prospered ? His counsel 
 shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure." 
 
 The celebrated Richard Boyle, Earl of Cork, 
 who rose from a humble station in life to the 
 highest rank, and passed through strange and 
 trying vicissitudes, used these words as his motto, 
 and ordered them to be engraved upon his tomb : 
 God] s providence is my inheritance. 
 
 An ancient philosopher used to bless the gods 
 for three privileges. — That he was made, not a 
 brute but a rational creature — That he was born, 
 not in barbarous climes, but in Greece — That he 
 lived, not in the more uncultivated ages, but in 
 the time, and under the tuition of Socrates. How 
 much better reason have we to bless God, that in 
 his providence, we are born in Britain in a time 
 of Gospel light ! 
 
 Q,. 9. What is the work of creation ? 
 
 A. The work of creation is, God's making all things or 
 nothing, by the word of his power in the space of six days, 
 and all very good. 
 
 Sir Isaac Newton said, a little before his death, 
 " I do not know what I may appear to the world ; 
 but to myself, I seem to have been only like a 
 boy playing on the sea-shore, and diverting my- 
 self; now and then finding a smoother pebble, 
 or a prettier shell than ordinary, while the great 
 ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me. 
 
 The late Dr. Beattie of Aberdeen, wishing t^ 
 
IG 
 
 impress on the mind of his son, a little boy, about 
 six years of age, the important truth that God 
 made him. In the corner of a little garden, 
 Avithout informing any person of the circumstance, 
 I wrote in the mould, with my finger the three 
 initial letters of his name, and sowing garden 
 cresses in the furrows, covered up the seed, and 
 smoothed the ground. Ten days after this, he 
 came running to me, and with astonishment in 
 his countenance, told me that his name was grow- 
 ing in the garden. I laughed at the report, and 
 seemed inclined to dtsregard it, but he insisted on 
 my going to see what had happened. " Yes," 
 said I, carelessly, on coming to the place, " I see 
 it is so : but what is there in this worth notice ? 
 is it not mere chance?" and I went away. He 
 followed me, and taking hold of my coat, said 
 \vith some earnestness, " It cannot have happen- 
 ed by chance, — somebody must have con- 
 trived matters so as to produce it. " So you 
 think," said I, " that what appears as the letters 
 of your name, cannot be by chance?" " Yes," 
 said he, with firmness, " I think so." " Look at 
 yourself," I replied, "and consider your hand.s 
 and fingers, your legs and feet, and other limbs ; 
 are they not regular in their appearance, and 
 useful to you?" he said they were. " Came you 
 then hither," said I, " by chance ?" " No," he 
 answered, " that cannot be ; something must 
 have made me ;" " And who is that something?" 
 I asked. He said, " I do not know." I had now 
 gained the point I aimed at, and saw that his rea- 
 son taught him (though he could not express) that 
 what begins to be, must have a cause ; and that 
 what is formed with regularity, must have an in- 
 
17 
 
 telligent cause. I therefore told him the name of 
 the GREAT Being who made him, and all the 
 world; concerning whose adorable nature, I 
 gave him such information as I thought he could 
 in some measure comprehend. The lesson af- 
 fected him greately, and he never forgot either it 
 or the circumstance that introduced it. 
 
 A gentleman being invited by an honorable 
 personage to see a stately building, erected by 
 Sir Christopher Hatton, he desired to be excu- 
 sed, and to sit still, looking on a flower, which 
 he held in his hand. " For," said he, " I see 
 more of God in this flower, than ail the beau- 
 tiful edifices in the world." 
 
 Q,. 10. How did God create man? 
 
 A. God created man, male and female, after his own 
 image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, with 
 dominion over the creatures. 
 
 When Galen, a celebrated physician, but 
 atheistically inclined, had anatomized the human 
 body, and carefully surveyed the frame of it, 
 viewed the fitness and usefulness of every part of 
 it, and the many several intentions of every little 
 vein, bone and muscle, and the beauty of the 
 whole, he fell into a pang of devotion, and wrote 
 a hymn to his Creator. 
 
 Bailey, a Griqua, in South Africa, stated, that 
 the first thing which led him to think of religion, 
 was observing the Hottentots, who belonged to 
 Zak river mission, giving thanks when eating. 
 " I went," said he, " afterwards to that settle- 
 ment, where I heard many things, but felt no in- 
 terest in them. But one day, when alone in the 
 fields, I looked very seriously at a mountain, as 
 the work of that God of whom I had beard ; 
 2* 
 
18 
 
 then I looked to my two hands, and for the first 
 time noticed, that there was the same number of 
 fingers on each. I asked why are there not five 
 on this hand, and three on that ? it must be God 
 that made them so. Then I examined my feet, 
 and wondered to find my soles both flat ; not one 
 flat and the other round. God must have done 
 this, said I. In this way I considered my whole 
 body, which made a deep impression on my mind, 
 and disposed me to hear the word of God with 
 more interest, till I was brought to trust that Je- 
 sus died for my sins." 
 
 It happened on a day, when Mrs. Rowe and 
 Dr. Watts were together, that the former, who 
 was remarkable for the elegance of her person, 
 began to rally the latter on his external appear- 
 ance, which was rather diminutive. The doc- 
 tor heard her for some time with oreat ofood hu- 
 mor, but, at length, thinking that she was pro- 
 ceeding too far, he retreated a few paces, and 
 with a dignity and manner peculiar to himself, de- 
 licately chid her in the following extempore lines: 
 
 Could I in stature reach the pole, 
 Or grasp creation in my span; 
 
 I'd still be nieasur'd by my soul : 
 
 The soul's the stature of the man. ^ 
 
 Q. 11. What are God's works of providence? jy 
 A. God's vv^orks of providence are, his most holy, 
 wise,. and powerful preserving and governing all his crea- 
 tures, and all their actions. 
 
 The punctuality of Mr. Newton, while tide- 
 surveyor at Liverpool, wasparticularly remarked. 
 One day, however, some businesss had detained 
 him, and he came to his boat much later than 
 usual to the surprise of those who had observed 
 his former punctuality. He went out in the boat 
 
19 
 
 as heretofore to inspect a ship ; but by some ac- 
 cident the ship blew up just before he reached it ; 
 and it appears, that if he had left the shore a few 
 minutes sooner, he must have perished with the 
 rest on board. 
 
 Inscription on a tomh-stone in Jamaica. 
 
 — "Here lies the body of Lewis Galdy, Esq., who 
 departed this life at Port-Royal, the 22d of De- 
 cember, 1736, aged eighty. He was born at 
 Montpelier, in France ; but left that country for 
 his religion, and came to settle in this island, when 
 he was swallowed up in the great earthquake, in 
 the year 1692, and, by the providence of God, 
 was by another shock thrown into the sea, and 
 miraculously saved by swimming, until a boat 
 took him up. He lived many years after, in 
 great reputation, beloved by all who knew him, 
 and much lamented at his death," God is 
 a God of providence, as well as a God of grace. 
 " Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing ? and 
 one of them shall not fall on the ground without 
 your Father. But the very hairs of your head are 
 all numbered. Fear ye not, therefore, ye are of 
 more value than many sparrows," 
 
 Glueen Mary having dealt severely withthepro- 
 testants in England, about the latter end of her 
 reign, signed a commission to take the same 
 course with them in Ireland, and, to execute the 
 same with greater force, she nominated Dr. Cole 
 one ofthe commissioners. The doctor coming with 
 the commission to Chester, on his journey, the 
 Mayor of that city, hearing that her majesty was 
 sending a messenger into Ireland, waited on the 
 Dr., who in discourse with the mayor, took out of 
 
20 
 
 a cloak-bag a leather-box, saying, '* Here Is a com- 
 mission that shall lash the heretics of Ireland," 
 calling the protestants by that title. The good wo- 
 man of the house, being well affected to the protest- 
 ant religion ; and also having a brother named 
 John Edmonds, of the same religious profession, 
 then a citizen of Dublin, was much troubled at the 
 doctor's words ; but watching her convenient 
 time, while the mayor took his leave, and the 
 doctor complimented him down stairs, she open- 
 ed the box, took the commission out, and 
 placed in lieu of it, a sheet of paper with a 
 pack of cards wrapt up in it, the knave of 
 clubs being faced uppermost. The doctor com- 
 ing up to his chamber, and suspecting nothing of 
 what had been done, put up the box as formerly. 
 The next day going to the water side, wind and 
 weather serving him, he sailed towards Ireland, 
 and landed on the 7th of October, 1558; at Dub- 
 lin. When he arrived at the castle, the Lord 
 Fitz-Walter, being Lord Deputy, sent for him to 
 come before him and the privy council. He 
 came accordingly, and after he had made a 
 speech relating on what account he had come 
 over, he presented the box to the Lord Deputy, 
 who, causing it to be opened, that the secretary 
 might read the commission, there was nothing 
 save a pack of cards, vyith the knave of clubs up- 
 permost; which not only startled the Lord De- 
 puty and council, but the doctor, who assured 
 them he had a commission, but knew not how it 
 was gone. The Lord Deputy made answer, 
 •' Let us have another commission, and we will 
 shuffle the cards in the meanwhile.^' The doctor 
 being troubled in his mind, went away, and re- 
 
21 
 
 turned to England, and, coming- into the court, 
 obtained another commission ; but staying for 
 the wind on the water side, news came to him 
 that the Q,ueen was dead ; and thus God pre- 
 served the .protestants of Ireland. Q,ueen Eliza- 
 beth was so delighted with this story, which was 
 related to her by Lord Fitz-Waker on his return to 
 England, that she sent for Elizabeth Edmonds, and 
 gave her a pension of £40 a-year, during her life. 
 
 Q,. 12. What special act of providence did God exer- 
 cise towards man in the state wherein he was created ? 
 
 A. When God had created man, he entered into a co- 
 venant of hfe with him, upon condition of perfect obe- 
 dience ; and forbidding him to eat of the tree of tiie 
 knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of death. 
 
 In the reign of King Charles I. the goldsmiths 
 of London had a custom of weighing several sorts 
 of their precious metal before the privy council. 
 On this occasion, they made use of scales, poised 
 wdth such exquisite nicety, that the beam would 
 turn, the master of the company affirmed, at the 
 two-hundredth part of a grain. Noy.thefamous at- 
 torney-general standing by, and hearing this, re- 
 plied, "I shouldbe loaththen to have all my actions 
 weighed in these scales." With whom I heartily 
 concur, says the pious Hervey, in relation to my- 
 self And since the balances of the sanctuary, 
 the balances in God's hand, are infinitely exact, 
 O what need have we of the merit and righteous- 
 ness of Christ to make us acceptable in his sight, 
 and passable in his esteem. 
 
 A servant who had made that improvement 
 which might be expected from hearing the irre- 
 ligious and blasphemous conversation continually 
 passing at the table where he waited, took an 
 
22 
 
 Opportunity to rob his master. Being apprehend- 
 ed, and urged by his master to give a reason for 
 this infamous behavior, " Sir," said he, " I have 
 heard you and your friends, so often talk of the 
 impossibility of a future state, and that ^fter death 
 there was no reward for virtue, nor punishment 
 for vice, that I was tempted to commit the rob- 
 bery." "Well," replied the master, "but had 
 you no fear of that death which the laws of your 
 country inflict upon the crime?" "Sir," re- 
 joined the servant, looking sternly at his master, 
 ••what is that to you, if I had a mind to venture that ? 
 you and your wicked companions had removed 
 my greatest terror ; why should I fear the less ?" 
 
 Q,. ]3. Did our first parents continue in the estate 
 wherein they were created ? 
 
 A. Our first parents, being left to the freedom of their 
 own will, fell from the estate wherein they were created, 
 by sinning against God. 
 
 "Many have puzzled themselves," says Mr. 
 Newton, "about the origin of evil; I observe there 
 is evil, and that there is a way to escape it, and 
 with this 1 begin and end." 
 
 When the physicians told Theotimus, that ex- 
 cept he abstained from drunkenness and unclean- 
 ness, &c. he would lose his eyes ; his heart was 
 so wedded to his sins, that he answered, " Then 
 farewell sweet light." He had rather lose his eyes 
 than leave his sins. So a man bewitched with 
 sin, had rather lose God, Christ, heaven, and his 
 own soul, than part with it. 
 
 Colonel Gardner having received a challenge 
 to fight a duel, made the following truly noble and 
 christian reply; "I fear si?i7im^, though you know^ 
 Sir, I do not fear fighting." 
 
Q. 14. What is sin ? 
 
 A. Sill is any want of conformity unto, or transgression 
 of, the law of God. 
 
 The last words that Archbishop Usher was 
 heard to express, were, " Lord forgive my sins, 
 especially my sins of omissionP 
 
 A minister explaining the distinction between 
 sins of omission and commission, made use of the 
 following simile by way of illustration, "Behold 
 yonder fire which lately burnt with so much 
 brightness ; it is now dull : let it alone, and it will 
 soon go out; but if you pour water on it, you 
 will put it out. The first is an act of omission, 
 the second of commission." 
 
 Count Godomar, a foreigner of note, often 
 professed, in the declining part of his years, when 
 death and the eternal world seemed nearer, " That 
 he feared nothing in the world more than sin ; 
 and whatever liberties he had formerly taken, he 
 would rather now submit to be torn to pieces by 
 wild beasts, than knowingly or willingly commit 
 any sin against God." 
 
 Phebe Bartlett, a very little girl, went with some 
 other children, to gather plums in a neighbor's 
 orchard. On bringing some of the fruit home, 
 her mother mildly reproved her, and said she 
 ought not to have gathered the plums without 
 leave, because it was sin: God had commanded 
 her not to steal. The child not being sensible 
 of the evil before, seemed greatly surprised, and 
 bursting into tears, cried out, " I wont have these 
 plums !" and turning to her sister, Eunice, very 
 earnestly said to her, " Why did you ask me to 
 go to that plum tree 1 I should not have gone, if 
 you had not asked me." The other children did 
 
24 
 
 not seem much concerned ; but there was no pa- 
 cifying" Phcbe. Her mother mentioned the cir- 
 cumstance to the owner of the tree, and requested 
 of him that she might have the plums; but still 
 she was deeply affected ; and being asked what 
 it was that troubled her now? she said that she 
 wept, BECAUSE IT WAS SIN. She declared that 
 if Eunice were to ask her a hundred times, she 
 would not go again, and she retained an aversion 
 to that fruit for a long time after. 
 
 Q,. 15. What was the sin whereby our first parents fell 
 from the estate wherein they were created ? 
 
 A. The sin whereby our first parents fell from the es- 
 tate wherein they were created, was their eating tlie for- 
 bidden fruit. 
 
 The late Mr. Thomas, one of the missionary 
 brethren at Serampore, was one day, after addres- 
 sing a crowd of the natives on the banks of the 
 Ganges, accosted by a Brahmin as follows : " Sir, 
 don't you say that the devil tempts men to sin ?" 
 " Yes," answered Mr. Thomas." " Then," said 
 the Brahmin," " certainly the fault is the devil's ; 
 the devil therefore, and not man, ought to suffer 
 the punishment." While the countenances of 
 many of the natives discovered their approbation 
 of the Brahmm's inference; Mr. Thomas, obser- 
 ving a boat, with several men on board, descend- 
 ing the river, with that facility of instructive re- 
 tort for which he was so much distinguished, re- 
 plied, "Brahmin do you see yonder boat?" 
 " Yes." " Suppose I were to send some of my 
 friends to destroy every person on board, and 
 bring me all that is valuable in the boat. — who 
 ought to suffer punisliment? /for instructing them, 
 or they for doing ih is wicked act ?" " Why," an- 
 swered the Brahmin, with emotion, " yo^i ought 
 
25 
 
 all to be put to death together." '• Aye Brah- 
 min," replied Mr. T. " and if you and the devil 
 sin together, the devil and you will be punished 
 together." 
 
 " There is," says one, "a tree called the man- 
 chaneel, which grows in the West Indies ; its ap- 
 pearance is very attractive, and the wood of it 
 peculiarly beautiful ; it bears a kind of apple, re- 
 sembling the golden pippen. This fruit looks 
 very tempting and smells very fragrant ; but to 
 eat of it is instant death ; and its sap or juice is so 
 poisonous, that if a few drops of it fail on the 
 skin, it raises blisters, and occasions great pain. 
 The Indians dip their arrows in the juice, that 
 they may poison their enemies when they wound 
 them. Providence hath so appointed it, that one 
 of these trees is never found, but near it there also 
 grows a white loood, or a fig-tree, the juice of 
 either of which, if applied in time, is a remedy 
 for the diseases produced by the manchaneel. 
 Now, when I read this account, I thought of sin, 
 and salvation. Sin, like this poisonous apple, looks 
 pleasant to the eye, and men desire it — eat of it, 
 and die. We may think there is no harm in such 
 a thing, — it is only a little sin : but who would eat 
 only a little poison 1 The least sin, if not for- 
 given, will ruin our souls for ever. This is 
 fruit that must not be tasted ; yea, it ought not 
 to be looked upon, or thought of It is sin that 
 gives to the darts of Satan all their fiery qualities ; 
 and to the arrow of death all its bitterness. Now 
 all who have looked upon the fruit of this tree 
 have desired it, and have eaten of it ; and if not 
 delivered from its fatal effects will surely die: but 
 there is a remedy at hand; it is the precious blood 
 3 
 
26 
 
 of the Son of God, which soothes the troubled 
 conscience, and cleanses it from all sin. 
 
 " Not balm, new bleeding from the wounded tree, 
 Nor bless'd Arabia with his spicy grove, 
 Such fragrance yields." 
 
 ROWK. 
 
 Apply, therefore, to this means of cure ! fly to 
 a crucified Saviour ! there is no time to be lost ! — 
 the poison works within ! — the disease every mo- 
 ment is increasing ! — Go to the great Physician 
 without delay, and say, ' Lord, if thou wilt, thou 
 canst make me whole !' " 
 
 Q. 16. Did all mankind fall in Adam's first transgres- 
 sion? 
 
 A. The covenant being made with Adam, not only for 
 himself, but for his posterity ; all manldnd, descendina^ 
 from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell 
 with him in his first transgression. 
 
 A pious minister, having preached on the doc- 
 trine of original sin, was afterwards waited on by 
 some persons, who stated their objections to 
 what he had advanced. After hearing them, 
 he said, " I hope you do not deny actual sin 
 too ?" " No," they replied. The good man 
 expressed his satisfaction at their acknowledg- 
 ment ; but to show the absurdity of their opin- 
 ions in denying a doctrine so plainly taught in 
 Scripture, he asked them, " Did you ever see a 
 tree growing without a root ?" 
 
 When Melancthon was first converted, he 
 thought it impossible for his hearers to withstand 
 the evidence of the truth in the ministry of the 
 gospel : But after preaching a while, he com- 
 plained, " That old Adam was too hard for young 
 Melancthon." 
 
27 
 
 " I overheard a discourse," says one, " some- 
 thing like altercation, between a deacon, his son, 
 and servants. Some one had informed him that 
 the cattle had broken into the corn field, and 
 were making great ravages. His servants were 
 ordered to make haste and turn them out, and re- 
 pair the breach. 'How came they in there?' 
 says one; 'Which way did they get in?' cries 
 another ; ' It is impossible, the fences are good,' 
 says a third ; ' Don't stand here talking to no 
 purpose,' cries the deacon, with increased earnest- 
 ness, ' they are in the field destroying the corn. 
 I see them with my own eyes. Out with them 
 speedily, and put up the fence.' As I approach- 
 ed him, he began to be more calm. ' Your par- 
 don, sir ; these fellows have quite vexed me. 
 They make one think of our pastor's sermon on 
 the origin of sin, spending their time needlessly, 
 inquiring how it came into the world, while he 
 ought to be exhorting us to drive it oui^ ' Your 
 observation is just,' said I, ' and your directions 
 to your servants contain sound orthodox doctrine ; 
 — a good practical improvement to the discourse 
 we have heard to-day.' " 
 
 Q. 17. Into what estate did the fall bring mankind ? 
 A. The fall brought mankind into a state of sin and 
 misery. 
 
 The Rev. and pious Dr. Ives, whose house was 
 on Oxford road, and by which the criminals were 
 carried weekly in carts to Tyburn, used to stand 
 at his window, and say to any young friends who 
 might be near him, pointing out any of the most 
 notorious malefactors, " There goes Dr. Ives /" 
 — If an explanation was asked, he took occasion 
 tp expound the innate corruption of the human 
 
23 
 
 heart ; and appealed to the experience of his audi- 
 tors, " whether they had not feh the movements 
 of those very passions, errors, prejudices, lusts, 
 revenge, covetousncss, &c., whose direct tenden- 
 cy was to produce the crimes for which these of- 
 fenders satisfied the claims of public juctice, and 
 which were solely prevented from carrying them 
 to the same dreadful fate, by the restraining 
 grace of God." 
 
 " I have this evening," says Mrs. Houseman, 
 in her diary, " had my dear child with me in my 
 closet, conversing with her, endeavoring to 
 awaken her, and convince herofher sin and misery 
 by nature and practice. The child was seemingly 
 atlected, and melted into tears : so greatly was 
 she distressed, that I was obliged to turn my dis- 
 course, and tell her God was good, and willing to 
 pardon and receive sinners, especially those chil- 
 dren that were desirous to be good betimes, and 
 in their younger days set themselves to love God 
 and serve him. I told her she must pray to God 
 to pardon her, and give her grace to serve him. 
 The child seemed willing to pray, but wanted 
 words to express herself I asked her if I should 
 help her, and teach her to pray?" The pious 
 mother adds, " O Lord, may this dear offspring 
 rise and call thee blessed !" 
 
 Cyrus, the Emperor of Persia, after he had 
 long been attended by armies, and vast trains of 
 courtiers, ordered this inscription to be engraven 
 on his tomb, as an admonition to all men of the 
 approach of death, and the desolation that fol- 
 lows it, namely, " O man ! whatsoever thou art, 
 and whencesoever thou comest, I know that thou 
 wilt come to the same condition in which I now 
 
29 
 
 am. I am Cyrus, who brought the empire to the 
 Persians; do not envy me, I beseech thee, this 
 little piece of ground which covereth my body." 
 
 Q, 18. Wherein consists the sinfuhiess of that estate 
 whereinto man fell ? 
 
 A. The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, 
 consists in the guilt of Adam's first sin, the want of ori- 
 ginal righteousness, and the corruption of his whole nature, 
 which is commonly called Original Sin; together with alt 
 actual transgressions which proceed from it. 
 
 A certain Italian having his enemy in his 
 power, told him there was no possible way for to 
 save his life, unless he would immediately deny 
 and renounce his Savior. The timorous wretch, 
 in hopes of mercy, did it, when the other forth- 
 with stabbed him to the heart, saying, " That 
 now he had a noble revenge, for he had at once 
 killed both his soul and his body !" 
 
 Dr. Milne, the Jate missionary, in speaking of 
 his conversion, says, " The book which God 
 made use of more especially for convincing me 
 of my sin and misery, was Bostov!s Fourfold 
 State, which I read with the deepest attention. 
 It conducted me into my own heart, discovered 
 the evils which before lay hid in the chambers of 
 imagery; the monstrous ingratitude to God which 
 had marked all my conduct ; and the pollution of 
 original and actual sin, with which my soul was 
 contaminated. I saw that I was necessarily un- 
 der the strongest and most righteous obligations 
 to God, and had never for one hour of my life 
 discharged these, but lived in rebellion against 
 the author of my life; so I was justly under the 
 curse of God's righteous law, and exposed to 
 everlasting misery.'' — Under the tormenting 
 fears of eternal wrath, he sometimes wished him- 
 
30 
 
 self transformed into a stone, or one of the fowls 
 he saw flying- over his head in the fields. He 
 was frequent and fervent in prayer, and was in 
 the mercy of God, led to those means by which 
 he learned how even a vile and guilty creature, 
 such as he was, might be for ever saved. 
 
 It is a very singular fact, says a country pa- 
 per, that a hare which was opened a few days 
 ago at Sheffield, was found to have two hearts. 
 They were joined together by a thin membrane ; 
 An African heathen, after having heard the mis- 
 sionaries for some time, declared seriously to 
 one, that he had now got two hearts within him. 
 The one heart said. Do good ! the other said, Do 
 evil ! Many besides this heathen, feel within them 
 two opposing principles. 
 
 The beo-inninof of Nero's reigfn, was marked by 
 acts of the greatest kindness and condescension ; 
 by affability, complaisance, and popularity. The 
 object of his administration seemed to be the 
 good of his people ; and w'hen he was desired 
 to sign his name to a list of malefactors that were 
 to be executed, he exclaimed, " 1 loish to heaven 
 I could not write /" He was an enemy to flatte- 
 ry ; and when the senate had liberally commend- 
 ed the wisdom of his government, Nero desired 
 them to keep their praises till he deserved them. 
 Yet this was the wretch who assassinated his 
 mother, who set fire to Rome, and destroyed 
 multitudes of men, women, and children, and 
 threw the odium of that dreadful action on the 
 Christians. The cruelties he exercised towards 
 them were beyond description, while he seemed 
 to be the only one who enjoyed the tragical 
 
spectacle. " The heart is deceitful above all 
 things, and desperately wicked, who can know 
 
 it?" 
 
 Q,. 19. What is the misery of that estate whereinto 
 man fell ? 
 
 A. All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, 
 are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all 
 the miseries of this life, to death itself, and to the pains of 
 hell for ever. 
 
 Some of the natives of South America, after 
 listening a while to the instructions of the Catho- 
 lic missionaries, gave them this cool answer : 
 •' You say that the GJod of the christians knows 
 every thing, that nothing is hidden from him, 
 that he is every where, and sees all that is done 
 below. Now, we do not desire a God so sharp- 
 sighted ; we choose to live with freedom in our 
 woods, without having a perpetual observer of 
 our actions over our heads." 
 
 " I am creditably informed," says Mr. Orton, 
 in his sermons on Old Age, " that a person who 
 had lately a large sum of money left him to dis- 
 tribute in charity, had application made to him 
 for a share of it from no fewer than thirty per- 
 sons who had rode in their own carriages." 
 
 Some time ago, a gentleman in London, when 
 on his death-bed, felt so strong an aversion to 
 dying, and leaving behind him all his hard-earned 
 wealth, that he hastily rose from his bed, went 
 out and walked in his yard, calling out, that he 
 would not die : But the unhappy man's strength 
 being soon exhausted, he was brought back to 
 his bed by his afFiighted friends, where he expi- 
 red, for his hour was come. Love to Christ will 
 make the greatest monarch vvilling to lay down 
 
his crown and die, that he may be with Christ, 
 which to him, as well as Paul, will be great 
 gain. 
 
 " Ah ! Mr. Hervey," said a dying man, •' the 
 day in which I ought to have worked is over, and 
 now I see a horrible night approaching, bringing 
 with it the blackness of darkness for ever. Wo 
 is me ! when God called, I refused. Now I am 
 in sore anguish, and yet this is but the beginning 
 of sorrows. I shall be destroyed with an ever- 
 lasting destruction. 
 
 A young girl, eighteen years of age, a native 
 of New-York, was brought up by her parents, in 
 all the gaiety and follies of youth ; by them en- 
 couraged to ornament her person, and engage in 
 every vain amusement. When she was taken ill, 
 three physicians were sent for immediately, who 
 pronounced her speedy dissolution. No sooner 
 was their opinion made known to her, than she 
 requested as a favor, that all her gay companions 
 might be collected with haste. They were soon 
 around her bed, when she told them she was go- 
 ing to die, described the awful manner in which 
 they had spent their precious time, and exhorted 
 them all to repentance before it was too late, in 
 a very affecting manner. She then turning to her 
 father and mother, addressed to them, in the pre- 
 sence of her acquaintance, these heart-rending 
 words : " You have been the unhappy instruments 
 of my being ; you fostered me in pride, and 
 led me in the paths of sin ; you never once warn- 
 ed me of my danger, and now it is too late. In 
 a few hours you will have to cover me with 
 earth ; but remember, while you are casting earth 
 
33 
 
 upon my body, my soul will be in hell, and your- 
 selves the miserable cause!" — she soon after ex- 
 pired. 
 
 Q,. 20. Did God leave all mankind to perish in the es- 
 tate of sin and misery ? 
 
 A. God having, oat of his mere good pleasnre, from 
 all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did enter 
 into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate 
 of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of sal- 
 vation by a Redeemer. 
 
 The late Lord Bolingbroke, the celebrated in- \/ 
 fidel, was one day reading in Calvin's Institutions, 
 when a clergyman of his Lordship's acquaintance 
 came on a visit to him. Lord B. said to him, 
 " You have caught me reading John Calvin ; he 
 was indeed a man of great parts, profound sense, 
 and vast learning. He handles the doctrines of 
 grace in a very masterly manner." " Doctrines 
 of grace /" replied the clergyman ; " the doc- 
 trines of grace have set all mankind together by 
 the ears." " I am surprised to hear you say so," 
 replied Lord B. ; " you who profess to believe 
 and to preach Christianity. Those doctrines are 
 certainly the doctrines of the Bible, and if I be- 
 lieve the Bible, I must believe them ; and let me 
 tell you seriously, that the greatest miracle in the 
 world is, the subsistence of Christianity, and its 
 continued preservation as a religion, when the 
 preaching of it is committed to the care of such 
 unchristian wretches as you." 
 
 A good man who had been for a long time per- 
 plexed about the doctrine of election, as fearing 
 he was not among the number chosen, resolved one 
 day to fall down upon his knees, and give thanks 
 to God for having elected some to everlasting 
 life, though he should be passed by. He did so, 
 
34 
 
 and the happy consequence was, that while thus 
 engaged, he obtained assurance of his own per- 
 sonal election, and was freed from the perplexity. 
 
 When the Rev, George Whitefield was in the 
 zenith of his popularity. Lord Clare, who knew 
 that his influence was considerable, applied to 
 him by letter, requesting his influence at the en- 
 suing general election at Bristol. Mr. Whitefield 
 replied, that in general elections he never inter- 
 fered, but he would earnestly entreat his lordship 
 to use diligence to make his own particular call- 
 ing and election sure. 
 
 The late Mr. Newton, rector of St. Mary 
 Woolnoth, when his memory was nearly gone, 
 used to say, that forget what he might, he never 
 forgot two things, — 1st, That he was a great 
 sinner, — 2d, That Jesus Christ was a great Sa- 
 vior. Two most important subjects of recollee- 
 tion. 
 
 Q. 21. Who is the Redeemer of God's elect? 
 
 A. The only Redeemer of God's elect is the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, 
 and so was, and continueth to be God and man, in two 
 distinct natures, and one person, for ever. 
 
 A poor man, unable to read, who obtained his 
 livelihood by mending old shoes, was asked by an 
 Arian minister, how he knew that Jesus Christ 
 was the Son of God ? " Sir," he replied, "I am 
 sorry you have put such a question to me before 
 my children, although I think I can give you a 
 satisfactory answer. You know, sir, w^hen I 
 first became concerned about my soul, and un- 
 happy on account of my sins, I called upon you 
 to ask for your advice, and you told me to get in- 
 to company, and spend my time as merrily as I 
 
35 
 
 could, but not to go to hear the methodists." — 
 *' I did so," answered the ungodly minister. '• I 
 followed your advice," continued the illiterate cob- 
 bler, " for some time ; but the more I trifled, the 
 more my misery increased ; and at last I was per- 
 suaded to hear one of those methodist ministers 
 who came into our neighborhood, and preached 
 Jesus Christ as the Savior. In the greatest ago- 
 ny of mind, I prayed to Him to save me, and to 
 forgive my sins ; and now I feel that he has free- 
 ly forgiven them ! — and by this I know that he is 
 the Son of God." 
 
 " I have sometimes heard of Christ," said an 
 Indian girl, seven years old, '• and now I expe- 
 rience him to be just such a Savior as I want. 
 I have often heard people undertake to tell of the 
 excellency that is in Christ; but their tongues 
 are too short to express the beauty and love which 
 are contained in this lovely Jesus ! I cannot tell 
 my poor relations how lovely Christ is ! I won- 
 der my poor playmates will choose that dreadful 
 place Hell, when here stands that beautiful per- 
 son, Jesus, sailing upon sinners, and saying, 
 ' Come away sinners to heaven !' Come, O do 
 come to my Savior ! Shut him out no longer, 
 for there is room enough in heaven for all of you 
 to be happy for evermore. It causes much joy 
 at times, that I delight to serve him ; and by the 
 help of God I mean to hold out to the end of my 
 days." 
 
 Sometimes there were more kinofs than one at 
 Sparta, who governed by joint authority. A 
 king was occasionally sent to some neighbouring 
 senate, in character of a Spartan ambassador. Did 
 
36 
 
 he, when so sent, cease to be a king of Sparta, 
 because he was also an ambassador? No ; he did 
 not divest himself of his regal dignity; but only 
 added to it that of public deputation. So Christ, ' 
 in becoming man, did not cease to be God ; but 
 though he ever was, and still continued to be King 
 of the whole creation, he acted as the voluntary 
 servant and messenger of the Father. 
 
 Among the many whom Mr. Whitefield was 
 honored to be the means of convertinq- to the 
 knowledge and love of the truth, and who will be 
 a crown of joy to him in the day of the Lord, it 
 is perhaps not generally known that the celebrated 
 Mr. Hervey is to be mentioned. In a letter to 
 Mr. Whitefield, Mr. Hervey thus expresses him- 
 self: " Your Journals, dear sir, and sermons, es- 
 pecially that sweet sermon on What think yc of 
 Christ 1 were the means of bringing me to the 
 knowledge of the truth." 
 
 Q. 22. ^ow did Christ, being the Son of God, become 
 man ? l^' 
 
 A. Christ, the Son of God, became man, by taking to 
 himself a trne body, and a ruasonable sonl, being con- 
 ceived by the ])ower of the Holy Ghost, in the "wonib of 
 the Virgin Mary, and born of lier, yet without sin. 
 
 When the late Mr. Hunt was preaching one 
 Sabbath morning at his meeting-house, Horsley- 
 down, on '' The mystery of godliness," he took 
 occasion to challenge the audience to explain how 
 God assumed human nature ; when a little boy in 
 the gallery rose, and with much simplicity repeat- 
 ed the following answer from the Assembly's 
 Catechism, " Christ the Son of God became 
 man," &c. Mr. H. then inquired if he could 
 give the Scripture proofs, which, after a short 
 
37 
 
 pause, he did correctly. The venerable minister 
 was much affected, publicly thanked him, called 
 him his young tutor, and invited him into the ves- 
 try after the service, where several persons hand- 
 somely rewarded his diligence. 
 
 A boy, in Haggerston Fields, near London, 
 having a book under his arm, was asked what 
 book it was; he said, the New Testament. 
 Have you read about Jesus Christ in it ? he was 
 asked. No, said he, I am only in at Luke. And 
 immediately ran off. Thus the boy showed, that 
 though he had read two lives of Jesus Christ, viz. 
 by Matthew and Mark, yet had not considered 
 whose life he was reading. When will children 
 be wise and consider ? 
 
 Q,. 23. What offices does Christ execute as our Re- 
 deemer? 
 
 A. Christ, as our Redeemer, executeth the offices of a 
 prophet; of a priest, and of a king, both in his estate of 
 numihation and exaltation. 
 
 " Several persons of sixty years and upwards," 
 says Mr. Doolittle, " being asked concerning the 
 three offices of Christ, could give no other ac- 
 count of them than this, that they were Father, 
 Son, and Holy Ghost." 
 
 A trader once endeavoring to persuade the 
 Indian brother Abraham, that the Moravian bre- 
 thren were not privileged teachers, he replied, 
 " They may be what they will ; but I know what 
 they have told me, and what God has wrought 
 within me. Look at my poor countrymen there, 
 lying drunk before your door. Why do you not 
 send privileged teachers to convert them, if they 
 can? Four years ago, I also lived like a beast, and 
 not one of you troubled himself about me ; but, 
 4 
 
when the brethren came they preached the cross 
 of Christ, and I have experienced the power of 
 his blood, according to their doctrine, so that I 
 am freed from the dominion of sin. Such teachers 
 we want." 
 
 Gideon, a converted Indian, was one day at- 
 tacked by a savage, who presented his gun to his 
 head, exclaimed, " Now I will shoot you, for you 
 speak of nothing but Jesus." Gideon answered, 
 " If Jesus does not permit you, you cannot shoot 
 me." The savage was so struck with this an- 
 swer, that he dropped his gun, and went home 
 in silence. 
 
 Q,. 24. How doth Christ execute the office of a pro- 
 phet ? 
 
 A. Christ executeth the office of a prophet, in reveahng 
 to us, by his word and Spirit, the will of God for our sal- 
 vation. 
 
 The comfortable influence of the precious truths 
 of the Bible at a dying hour, was manifested in 
 the case of a poor soldier, who was mortally 
 wounded at the battle of Waterloo. His coni- 
 panion conveyed him to some distance, and laid 
 him down under a tree. Before he left him, the 
 dying soldier entreated him to open his knapsack, 
 and take out his pocket bible, and read to him a 
 small portion of it before he died. When asked 
 what passages he should read, he desired him to 
 read John xiv. 27. " Peace I leave with you ; 
 my peace I give unto you; not as the world 
 giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be 
 troubled, neither let it be afraid." " Now," said 
 he, " I die happy. I desire to have peace with 
 God, and I possess the peace of God which pas- 
 seth all understanding." A little while after, one 
 
39 
 
 of his officers passed him, and seeing him in such 
 an exhausted state, asked him how he did. He 
 said, " I die happy, for I enjoy the peace of God, 
 which passeth all understanding," and then expi- 
 red. The officer left him, and went into the bat- 
 tle, where he was soon after mortally w^ounded. 
 When surrounded by his brother officers, full of 
 anguish and dismay, he cried out, " Oh ! I would 
 give ten thousand worlds, if I had them, that I 
 possessed that peace which gladdened the heart 
 of a dying soldier, whom I saw lying under a 
 tree ; for he declared that he possessed that peace 
 of God which passeth all understanding, I know 
 nothing of this peace ! I die miserable ! for I die 
 in despair." 
 
 Dr. Owen, having been for a considerable time 
 in distress of mind, went one Lord's day with a 
 cousin of his to hear Mr. Calamy, a celebrated 
 preacher in London. From some occurrence 
 Mr. Calamy was prevented from preaching that 
 day. Being uncertain whether there would be 
 any sermon at all. Dr. Owen was solicited by his 
 relation to go and hear another eminent minister, 
 Mr. Jackson. Being indisposed to go farther, 
 however, he kept his seat, resolving if no minis- 
 ter came, to return to his lodgings. After wait- 
 ing sometime, a country minister came up to 
 the pulpit; a stranger, not only to Dr. Owen,, 
 but to the congregation, who, having prayed 
 earnestly, took for his text, these words. Matt. 
 viii. 26. " Why are ye fearful ? O ye of little 
 faith !" The very reading of the words surprised 
 Dr. Owen ; on which he secretly put up a prayer, 
 that God would be pleased by the minister to 
 speak to his case. And his prayer was heard ; 
 
40 
 
 for in that sermon, the minister was directed 1:0 
 answer those very objections which he had com- 
 monly formed against himself; and though he 
 had formerly given the same answers to himself 
 without effect, yet now the time was come, when 
 God designed to speak peace to his soul ; and 
 the sermon, (though otherwise a plain familiar 
 discourse,) was blessed for the removing of all 
 his doubts, and laid the foundation of that solid 
 peace and comfort, which he afterward enjoyed 
 as long as he lived. 
 
 Q,. 25. How doth Christ execute the office of a priest 1 
 A. Christ execnteth the office of a priest, in his once 
 offering up of himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, 
 and reconcile us to God ; and in making continual inter- 
 cession for us. 
 
 Xenophon mentions an Armenian prince, ta- 
 ken captive, together with his queen, by Cyrus^ 
 who, on being asked, if he desired the restoration 
 of his liberty, his kingdom, and his queen, an- 
 swered, " As for my liberty and my kingdom, I 
 value them not; but if my blood would redeem 
 my wife, I would cheerfully give it.'' Cyrus 
 having generously restored him all, he asked his 
 queen what she thought of Cyrus's person, she 
 replied, " I really did not observe him ; my min^ 
 was so occupied with the man who offered to- 
 give his life for my ransom that I could think of 
 no other." Jesus Christ has actually done what 
 this prince offered to do, and has abundantly ex- 
 ceeded that generous action. May I kel a similar 
 regard to him, so as to overlook all other objects. 
 
 "I observed a little Namaqua Girl in my house,*' 
 says Mr. Schmelen, "about eight years of age, 
 with a book in her hand, very accurately instruct- 
 ing another girl about fourteen. When I asked 
 
41 
 
 her if she loved the Lord Jesus ? she answered, 
 • Yes, I do, and I desire to love him more.' I in- 
 quired why she loved him, since she had never 
 seen him ? She answered, ' He loved me first, and 
 died for me on the cross, that I might live.' When 
 I asked her if the Lord Jesus Christ would love 
 little children, she could not answer me for weep. 
 ing, and at length fainted away. I had frequently 
 observed this child under deep impressions at our 
 meetings. She is descended from a wild bushman, 
 and was stolen from her people and country, but 
 has no desire now to return." 
 
 History informs us of two brothers, one of 
 whom, for capital crimes, was condemned to die ; 
 but on the appearance of the other, who had lost 
 an arm in the successful defence of his country, 
 and on his presenting the remaining stump, the 
 judges were so affected with a grateful recollection 
 of past services, as fully, for his sake, to pardon 
 the guilty brother. Thus the Redeemer, in inter- 
 ceding for his people, appears, " as a lamb that 
 had been slain," presenting the merits of his suf- 
 ferings and death on their behalf; nor does he 
 thus appear in vain. 
 
 Q. 26. How doth Christ execute the office of a king? 
 
 A. Christ execute th the office of a king, in subduing us 
 to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining 
 and conquering all his and our enemies. 
 
 It has been said of Edward the Black Prince, 
 that he never fought a battle which he did not 
 win : and of the great Duke of Marlborough, that 
 he never besieged a city which he did not take. 
 Shall that be said of men, which we deny con- 
 cerning the Most High God 1 Is he less success- 
 ful than some human generals 1 shall these invin- 
 4* 
 
42 
 
 cibly prevail, and grace be liable to defeat ? Im- 
 possible ! The former of these, having conquered 
 and taken prisoner king John of France, nobly 
 condescended to u'ait on his royal captive the 
 same night at supper. Christ having first subdued 
 his people by his grace, waits on them afterwards 
 to their lives' end. 
 
 Constantine the Great, observing the failure of 
 his predecessors, who sought the aid of their idols, 
 determined to acknowledge the true God alone ; 
 in which resolution he was strengthened by his 
 pious mother, Helena. Having addressed himself 
 in fervent prayer, his supplications were remarka- 
 bly answered. Dusebius, his biographer, affirms, 
 that while on his march, against Maxentius, one 
 of his rivals, he beheld in the heavens a luminous 
 cross, with this inscription, Bt/ this overcome I 
 Constantine was deeply impressed ; and ponder- 
 ing on the event, as the story states, Christ ap- 
 peared to him on the following night, with the 
 same sign of a cross, directing him to make use 
 of that symbol as his military ensign. He obeyed ; 
 and the banner of the cross was always afterwards 
 displayed in his camp. He obtained a remarka- 
 ble victory over Maxentius, and soon became sole 
 emperor. 
 
 The Roman Emperor Julian, a determined 
 enemy of Christianity, was mortally wounded in 
 a war with the Persians. In this condition, we 
 are told, that he filled his hand with blood, and 
 casting it into the air, said, " Galilean ! thou 
 hast conquered." During this expedition, one 
 of Julian's followers asked a christian of An- 
 tioch, "What the carpenter's son was doing?" 
 
48 
 
 •' The Maker of the world," replied the chris- 
 tian, "whom you call the carpenter's son, is em- 
 ployed in making a coffin for the emperor." In 
 a few days after, news came to Antioch of Ju- 
 lian's death. 
 
 Q,. '27. Wherein did Christ's humiliation consist? ~-p 
 A. Christ's humiliation consisted in his being born, and 
 that in a low condition, made under the law, undergoing 
 the miseries of this life, the wrath of God, and the cursed 
 death of the cross ; in being buried, and continuing under 
 the power of death for a time. 
 
 A gentleman being with Mr. Hervey in his 
 garden, he plucked a rose and desired the gentle- 
 man to present it to his wife to put her in mind 
 of her Redeemer, the Rose of Sharon. She put 
 such respect upon the giver and the gift, as to 
 put it into a frame with a glass; upon hearing of 
 this, he wrote the gentleman, " Your lady has 
 shown the most welcome complaisance to me, 
 and to the rose, in putting it to such a use; and 
 could that poor vegetable be sensible, it would 
 rejoice to be a remembrancer of its amiable Crea- 
 tor. I heartily wish she may every day become 
 more and more acquainted with the Rose of Sha- 
 ron ; that his loveliness, riches, and glory maybe 
 revealed in her heart by the Holy Ghost." 
 
 A little boy, between four and five years old, 
 was one day reading to his mother in the New 
 Testament ; and when he came to these words, 
 " the foxes have holes, and the birds of the air 
 have nests, but the Son of IVIan hath not where 
 to lay his head," his eyes filled with tears, his 
 tender breast heaved, and at last he sobbed aloud. 
 His mother inquired what was the matter ; but 
 for some time he could not answer her. At 
 length, as well as his sobs would let him, he i 
 
44 
 
 said, " I am sure, mamma, if I had been there I 
 would have given him my pillow." 
 
 Dr. Grosvenor's first wife was a most devout 
 and amiable Avoman. The Sabbath after her 
 death, the doctor expressed himself from the pul- 
 pit in the following manner: •' I have had an 
 irreparable loss : and no man can feel a loss of 
 this consequence more sensibly than myself; but 
 the cross of a dying Jesus is my support : I fly 
 from one death for refuge to another^^ How 
 much superior was the comfort of the christian 
 divine to that of the heathen philosopher, Pliny 
 the younger, who says, that, in similar distresses, 
 study was his only relief 
 
 Lewis II. of France, died of vexation, occa- 
 sioned by the revolt of his son Lewis of Bavaria. 
 The broken-hearted father said, as he expired, 
 " I forgive Lewis ; but let him know, he has been 
 the cause of my death." The sins of God's elect 
 were the cause of the Messiah's death : yet, in 
 dying he declared, "Father, forgive them; for 
 they know not what they do." 
 
 Q,. 28. Wherein consisteth Christ's exaltation? 
 
 A. Christ's exaltation consisteth in his rising again from 
 the dead on the third day, in ascending up into heaven, 
 in sitting at the right hand of God the Father ; and in 
 coming to judge the world at the last day. 
 
 A little child when dying, was asked where it 
 was going ? " To heaven," said the child. " And 
 what makes you wish to be there ?" said one. 
 "Because Christ is there," replied the child. 
 " But'' said a friend, " what if Christ should leave 
 heaven ?" " Well," said the child, " I will go 
 with him." Some time before its departure, it 
 expressed a wish to have a golden crown when 
 
45 
 
 it died, " And what will you do," said one, 
 ♦• with the golden crown ?" " I will take the 
 crown," said the child, " and cast it at the feet of 
 Christ." Does not such a child, to use the 
 language of prophecy, die a hundred years old ? 
 
 A Christian king of Hungary, being very sad • 
 and pensive, his brother, who was a gay courtier, ^ 
 was desirous of knowing the cause of the sad- 
 ness. " Oh, brother," said the king, " I have 
 been a great sinner against God, and know not 
 how to die, or how to appear before God, in 
 judgment!" The brother making a jest of it 
 said, " These are but gloomy thoughts." The . 
 king made no reply, but it was the custom of the 
 country that if the executioner came and sound- 
 ed a trumpet before any man's door, he was 
 presently kd "to execution. The king in the 
 dead of the night, sent the executioner to sound the 
 trumpet before his brother's door ; who hearing 
 it, and seeing the messenger of death, sprang in- 
 to the king's presence, beseeching him to know 
 in what he had offended. "Alas! brother," said the 
 king, " you have never offended me. And is the 
 sight of my executioner so dreadful ? and shall 
 not I, who have greatly ofTended, fear to be 
 brought before the judgment seat of Christ ?" 
 
 "On January last," said a pious father, in writing 
 to his friends, " I dreamed that ihe day of judg- 
 ment was come. I. saw the Judge on his great 
 white throne, and all nations were gathered be- ' 
 
 fore him. My wife and I were on the right hand ; 
 but I could not see my children. I said, I cannot 
 bear this ; I must go and seek them. I went to 
 the left hand of the Judge, and there found them 
 
46 
 
 all standing in the utmost despair. As soon as 
 they saw me, they caught hold of me and cried, 
 " Oh! father, we will never part." I said, " my 
 dear children, 1 am come to try, if possible, to 
 get you out of this awful situation." So I took 
 them all with me, but when we came near the 
 Judge I thought he cast an angry look, and said 
 " What do thy children with thee now? they 
 would not take thy warning when on earth, and 
 they shall not share with thee the crown in hea- 
 ven: depart ye cursed." At these words, I 
 awoke bathed in tears. A while, after this, as 
 we were all sitting together on a sabbath eve- 
 ning, I related to them my dream. No sooner 
 did I begin than first one, and then another, yea, 
 all of them burst into tears, and God fastened 
 conviction on their hearts. Five of them are 
 rejoicing in God their Savior; and I believe, 
 the Lord is at work with the other two, so that 
 I doubt not he will give them also to my prayers. 
 
 Q. 29. How are we made partakers of the redemption 
 purchased by Christ? 
 
 A. We are made partakers of the redemption purchased 
 by Christ, by the effectual appUcation of it to us by his 
 Holy Spirit. 
 
 When Bishop Butler lay on his death-bed, he 
 called for his chaplain, and said, " Though I have 
 endeavored to avoid sin, and to please God, to 
 the utmost of my power, yet, from the concious- 
 ness of perpetual infirmities, I am still afraid to 
 die." " My Lord," said the chaplain, "you have 
 forgotten that Jesus Christ is a Savior." — 
 " True," was the answer; "but how shall I 
 know that he is a Savior for meV^- — " My Lord, 
 it is written, • Hi?)i that comelh unto me I loill 
 
47 
 
 in no loise cast out^ " " True," said the bishop ; 
 *' and I am surprised, that though I have read that 
 Scripture a thousarid times over, I never felt 
 its virtue till this moment; andnovv I die happy." 
 
 Several learned men tried to persuade a great 
 scholar to believe in Christianity ; but it seems 
 all their labor was in vain. A plain honest per- 
 son, however, managed the argument in a differ- 
 ent manner, by referring not so much to logical 
 reasoning, as to the work of the Divine Spirit, so 
 that at last the scholar exclaimed, " When I 
 heard no more than human reason, I opposed it 
 with human reason ; but when I heard the Spirit, 
 I was obliged to surrender." Thus it is, the 
 wisest trusting^ to their own wisdom are lost ; while 
 those who are taught of the Spirit, know the way 
 of God in truth. 
 
 Mr. Guthrie, an eminent minister in Scotland, 
 was one evening travelling home very late. Hav- 
 ing lost his way in a moor, he laid the reins on 
 the neck of his horse, and committed himself to 
 the direction of Providence. After long travel- 
 ling over ditches and fields, the horse brought 
 him to a farmer's house, into which he went, and 
 requested permission to sit by the fire till morn- 
 ing, which was granted. A popish priest was 
 administering extreme unction to the mistress 
 of the house, who was dying. Mr. Guthrie 
 said nothing till the priest had retired ; then he 
 went forward to the dying woman, and asked her 
 if she enjoyed peace in the prospect of death, in 
 consequence of what the priest had said and done 
 to her. She answered, that she did not ; on which 
 he spoke to her of Salvation through the atoning 
 
48 
 
 blood of the Redeemer. I'he Lord taught her to 
 understand, and enabled her to believe the mes- 
 sage of mercy, and she died triumphing in Jesus 
 Christ her Savior. After witnessing this aston- 
 ishing scene, Mr. Guthrie mounted his horse, and 
 rode home. On his arrival, he told Mrs. Guthrie 
 he had seen a great wonder during the night. 
 " I came," said he, " to a farm house, where I 
 found a woman in a state of nature : I saw her in 
 a state of grace ; and left her in a state of glory." 
 
 Q,. 30. How doth the Spiritapply lo us ihe redemption 
 purchased by Christ ? 
 
 A. The Spirit appUeth to us the redemption purchased 
 by Christ, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us 
 to Christ in our eftectual calUng. 
 
 Mrs. Romaine was once in company with a 
 clergyman, at Tiverton, who ran out with no little 
 zeal against what he called " irresistible grace ;" 
 alleging that "such jrrace would be quite incom- 
 patable with free will." " Not at all so," answer* 
 ed Mrs. Romaine; "grace operates effectually, 
 yet not coercively. The wills of God's people 
 are drawn to him and divine things, just as your 
 will would be drawn to a bishopric, if you had the 
 offer of it." 
 
 ^ A talking ladjr, of that sect that honestly avow 
 their Arminian sentiments, was one evening en- 
 gaged in a dispute with a gentleman of the oppo- 
 site opinion, and argued so long, and so violently 
 in defence of the creature's being ^n-^ in the mat- 
 ter of conversion to God, that to her surprise, she 
 perceived it was one o'clock in the morning. She 
 started, and said, " Well, I have not thought it was 
 so late ; I see I cannot work upon you, and I am 
 sure all you say will not convince me; so good 
 
 /' 
 
49 
 
 night,"' " Yes," said the gentleman, " it is time 
 to go to rest. Madam, I Avish you a good night. 
 I suppose, however, that when you retire, you 
 think to spend a few minutes between you and 
 God:" " Doubtless, sir, I do." " Please then, 
 madam, to tell God what you have just told me." 
 •' What is that, sir ?" •' Why, madam, that you 
 began with him before he began with you." " No, 
 I will not," said she. "I knew you would not," 
 replied the gentleman, "and therefore I reserved 
 this argument to the last; for I never found any 
 person of your opinion, that could address God, in 
 consistency with the language which you hold out 
 so confidently to your fellow-mortals." She was 
 evidently hurt by this simple confutation ; went 
 away without answering a word, and never spoke 
 to him afterwards. 
 
 •'I have had six children," said Mr. Elliot, 
 " and I bless God for his free grace they are all 
 either with Christ, or in Christ ; and my mind is 
 now at rest concerning them. My desire was, 
 that they should have served Christ on earth ; 
 but if God will choose to have them rather serve 
 him in heaven, I have nothing to object to it. 
 His will be done." 
 
 Q. 31. What is effectual calling ? 
 
 A. Effectual calling is the work of God's Spirit, where- 
 by, convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our 
 minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our 
 wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus 
 Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel. 
 
 The Rev. Thomas Doolittle used to catechise 
 the members, and especially the young people, of 
 his congregation, every Lord's day. One Sab- 
 bath evening, after having received an answer in 
 5 
 
50 
 
 (.he words of the Assembly's Catechism, to the 
 question, "What is effectual calling-'?" and hav- 
 ing explained it, he proposed that the question 
 should be answered by changing the words usand 
 our, into me and mi/. Upon this proposal, a 
 solemn silence followed ; many felt its vast im- 
 portance ; but none had courage to answer. At 
 length a young man rose up and with every mark 
 of a broken and contrite heart, by divine grace, 
 was enabled to say, "Effectual calling is the 
 work of God's Spirit, whereby convincing me of 
 my sin and misery, enlightening my mind in the 
 knowledge of Christ, and renewing my will, he 
 did persuade and enable me to embrace Jesus 
 Christ, freely offered to me in the gospel." The 
 scene was truly affecting. The proposal of that 
 question had commanded unusual solemnity. The 
 rising up of the young man had created high ex- 
 pectations, and the answer being accompanied 
 with proofs of unfeigned piety and modesty, the 
 congregation was bathed in tears. This young 
 man had been convicted by being catechised, and 
 to his honor, Mr. D. says, " From being an ig- 
 norant and wicked youth, he had become an in-^ 
 telligent professor to God's glory, and my much 
 comfort." 
 
 Mr, George Whitefield was preaching once at 
 Easter, in England. A man was present, who 
 had loaded his pockets, with stones, in order to 
 throw them at Mr. W. He heard his prayer, 
 however, with patience ; but no sooner had he 
 named his text, than the man pulled a stone out 
 of his pocket, and held it in his hand, waiting for 
 a fair opportunity to throw it. But God sent a 
 Avord to his heart; and the stone dropped from 
 
51 
 
 his hand. After sermon, he went to Mr. W. and 
 told him, " Sir, I came to hear you this day, with 
 a view to break your head, but the Spirit of God 
 through your ministry, has given me a broken 
 hearth The man proved to be a sound convert, 
 and lived an ornament to the gospel. 
 
 Mr. Nathaniel Partridge, one of the ejected 
 ministers in England, having once preached at St. 
 Alban's upon those words, Rev. iii. 18. " Anoint 
 thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou may est see :" 
 a poor man who was as blind in mind, as he was 
 in body, went afterwards to his house, and asked 
 him very gravely, " where he might get that oint- 
 ment to cure his blindness?" It is to be hoped 
 the minister improved the occasion, for saying 
 something to this ignorant creature, with a view 
 to open the eyes of his mind, though we are not 
 informed respecting it. 
 
 Q,. 32. What benefits do they that are effectually called 
 partake of in this life 1 -j^ 
 
 A. They that are effectually called do in this hfe par- 
 take of justification, adoption, and sanctification, and the 
 several benefits which in this life do either accompany or 
 flow from them. 
 
 The Rev. Thomas Doolittle, a godly faithful mi- 
 nister, of the seventeenth century, having finished 
 prayer, looked round upon the congregation, and 
 observing a young man who had just been put 
 into one of the pews, very uneasy in his situation, 
 adopted the following singular expedient to 
 detain him: — Turning to one of the members of 
 his church, who sat in the gallery, he asked him 
 this question aloud, "Brother, do you repent of 
 coming to Christ?" "No, sir," he replied, "I 
 never was happy till I came ; I only repent that I 
 did not come to him sooner." The minister then 
 
52 
 
 turned to the opposite gallery, and addressed him- 
 self to an ao-ed member in the same manner, 
 *' Brother, do you repent of coming to Christ?" 
 *• No, sir;" said he, " I have known the Lord 
 from my youth upwards." He then looked down 
 upon the young man, whose attention was fully 
 engaged, and fixing his eyes upon him, said, 
 "Young man, are 3/0?^ willing to come to Christ?" 
 This unexpected address from the pulpit, exciting 
 the observation of all the people, so affected him, 
 that he sat down and concealed his face. The 
 person who sat next him encouraged him to rise 
 and answer the question. The minister repeated, 
 " Young man,are you willingto come to Christ?" 
 With a tremulous voice, he replied, " Yes, sir." 
 " But when, sir ?" added the minister, in a solemn 
 and loud tone. He mildly answered, " Now, 
 sir." "Then stay," said he, "and learn the 
 word of God, which you will find in 2 Cor. vi. 2. 
 'Behold, noio is the accepted time; behold, now 
 is the day of salvation.' " By this sermon he was 
 greatly affected and came into the vestry, after 
 the service, bathed in tears. The reluctance to 
 stay, which he had discovered, was occasioned 
 by the strict injunctions of his father, who threat- 
 ened that if he went to hear the fanatics, he 
 would turn him out of doors. Having now 
 heard the gospel, and being unable to conceal the 
 feelings of his mind, he was afraid to meet his 
 father. The minister sat down and wrote an af- 
 fectionate letter to him, which had so good an 
 effect, that both father and mother came to hear 
 for themselves. They were both brought to a 
 knowledge of the truth ; and together with their 
 son, were joyfully received into christian com- 
 munion. 
 
53 
 
 Mr. Matthew Henry, a little before his death, 
 said to a friend, " You have been used to take no- 
 tice of the sayings of dying men : this is mine, 
 That a life spent in the service of God, and com- 
 munion with him, is the most comfortable and 
 pleasant life that any one can live in this world." 
 
 a. 33. What is justification ? 
 
 A. Justification is an act of God's free grace, wherein 
 he pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in 
 his sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to 
 us, and received by faith alone. 
 
 Mr. Fleming, in his Fulfilling of the Scriptures, 
 relates the case of a man who was a very great 
 sinner, and for hishorrible wickedness was put to 
 death in the town of Ayr. This man had been so 
 stupid and brutish a fellow, that all who knew him 
 thought him beyond the reach of all ordinary 
 means of grace ; but while the man was in prison, 
 the Lord wonderfully wrought on his heart, and in 
 such a measure discovered to him his sinfulness, 
 that after much serious exercise and sore wrest- 
 ling, a most kindly work of repentance followed 
 with great assurance of mercy, insomuch, that 
 when he came to the place of execution, he could 
 not cease crying out to the people, under the 
 sense of pardon, and the comforts of the presence 
 and favor of God : " 0, He is a great forgiver ! 
 He is a great forgiver !" And he added the follow- 
 ing words : " Now hath perfect love cast out 
 fear. I know God hath nothing to lay against me, 
 for Jesus Christ hath paid all ; and those are free 
 whom the Son makes free." 
 
 In the parish where Mr. Hervey preached, 
 when he inclined to Arminian sentiments, there 
 resided a ploughman, who usually attended the 
 
 5* 
 
64 
 
 ministry of Dr. Doddridge, and was well informed 
 in the doctrines of grace. Mr. Hervey being ad- 
 vised by his physician, for the benefit of his health, 
 to follow the plough, in order to smell the fresh 
 earth, frequently accompanied this ploughman in. 
 his rural employment. Mr. Hervey, understand- 
 ing the ploughman was a serious person, said to 
 him one morning, " What do you think is the 
 hardest thing in religion ?" To which he replied, 
 " I am a poor illiterate man, and you, sir, are a 
 minister : I beg leave to return the question." 
 "Then," said Mr. Hervey, "I think the hardest 
 thing is to deny sinful self;" and applauded at 
 some length this instance of self-denial. The 
 ploughman replied, " Mr. Hervey, you have for- 
 got the greatest act of the grace of self-denial^ 
 which is to deny ourselves of a proud confidence 
 in our own obedience for justification." In re- 
 peating this story to a friend, Mr. Hervey ob- 
 served : " I then hated the righteousness of 
 Christ : I looked at the man with astonishment 
 and disdain, and thought him an eld fool. I have 
 since clearly seen who was the fool ; not the wise 
 old Christian, but the proud James Hervey." 
 
 The late Mr. Reynolds of Bristol, being im- 
 portuned by a friend to sit for his portrait, he at 
 last consented. — " How would you like to be 
 painted ?" " Sitting among books." " Any book 
 in particular?" " The Bible." Open at any 
 part?" At the fifth chapter of the Romans; 
 the first to be legible : ' Therefore being justified 
 bj'' FAITH, we have peace with God, through our 
 Lord Jesus Christ.' " 
 
 Q,. 34. What i.s .ifioption? 
 
 A. Adoption is an act of God's fiee grace, whereby vre 
 
55 
 
 are received into the number, and have a right to all the 
 privileges of the sons of God. 
 
 A Caffre boy, twelve years old, was asked 
 whether he did not repent having come to 
 Gnadenthall, the missionary settlement of the 
 Moravian brethren. On his answering- in the ne- 
 gative, the missionary observed, " But in the 
 Caffie country you had meat in plenty, and ex- 
 cellent milk, and here you can get neither." 
 To this he replied, " It is very true; but I wish 
 to become a child of God ; and I hear in this 
 place how I may attain it, whilst in my own coun- 
 try I hear nothing of it. I rejoice, therefore, that 
 I am come hither and am satisfied with anything." 
 
 The Rev. iMr. Thomas Boston, whose praise is 
 in all the churches, was one Sabbath evening sit- 
 ting in his room, musing upon his sinfulness, and 
 much dejected. One of his children came forward 
 to him, and said '* Father, did you not say in the 
 church to-day, that though we were rebellious 
 children, j'-et we were childreii still ?" The child 
 thus bringing his own words to 1ms recollection, 
 was a means of restoring peace to his mind. 
 
 A Popish priest in Ireland, who is making the 
 Scriptures his daily study, and is an advocate for 
 the schools in that country, which most of the 
 priests oppose, lately met one of the scholars going 
 to school, and asked him, what book it was he 
 carried under his arm ? " It is a will, sir," said 
 the boy. "What will?" rejoined the priest. 
 " The last will and testament that Jesus Christ 
 left to me, and to all who desire to claim a title in 
 the property therein bequeathed," replied the boy. . 
 *' What did Christ leave you in that will ?" " A'4 
 kingdom, sir." " Where does that kingdom lieC^" 
 
" It is the kingdom of heaven, sir," " And do 
 you expect to reign as a king there ?" " Yes, sir ; 
 as joint heir with Christ." •* And will not every 
 person get their as v^rell as you?" " No, sir: 
 none can get there but those that claim their title 
 to that kingdom upon the ground of the will :" 
 The priest asked several other questions, to which 
 the boy gave such satisfactory answers as quite 
 astonished him. " Indeed," said he, " you are a 
 good little boy : take care of the book wherein 
 God gives you such precious promises ; believe 
 what he has said, and you will be happy here and 
 hereafter." 
 
 Q,. 35. What is sanctification ? 
 
 A. Sanctification i& the work of God's free grace, 
 whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the im- 
 age of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto 
 sin, and live unto righteousness. 
 
 Two or three years before Mr. Newton's death, 
 when his sight was become so dim, that he was 
 no longer able to read, an aged friend and brother 
 in the ministry, called on him. to breakfast. Fami- 
 ly prayers succeeding, the portion of Scripture for 
 the day was read to him. It was taken out of 
 Bogatsky's Golden Treasury: "By the grace of 
 God I am what I am." It was the pious man's 
 custom, on these occasions, to make a short fa- 
 miliar exposition on the passage read. After the 
 reading of this text, he paused for some moments, 
 and then uttered the following affecting soliloquy : 
 " I am not what I ought to be. Ah ! how im- 
 perfect and deficient ! I am not what I wish to 
 be ! I abhor what is evil, and I would cleave to 
 what is good! I am not what I hope to be; 
 soon, soon, I shall put ofT mortality, and with 
 mortality all sin and imperfection. Yet, though 
 
67 
 
 I am not what I ought to be, nor what I wish to 
 be, nor what I hope to be, I can truly say, I am 
 not what I once was, — a slave to sin and Satan ; 
 and I can heartily join with the apostle, and ac- 
 knowledge, ' By the grace of God, I am what I 
 am!' Let us pray." 
 
 A friend of Archbishop Usher repeatedly urged 
 him to write on sanctification ; which at length he 
 engaged to do ; but a considerable time elapsing, 
 the performance of his promise was importunately 
 claimed. The bishop replied to this purpose : 
 •' I have not written, and yet I cannot charge my- 
 self with a breach of promise ; for I began to 
 write, but when I came to treat of the new crea- 
 ture which God formeth by his Spirit in every re- 
 generate soul, I found so little of it wrought in 
 myself, that I could speak of it only as parrots, or 
 by rote, without the knowledge of what I might 
 have expressed ; and therefore, I durst not presume 
 to proceedany further upon it." Amazed to hear so 
 holy a man speak in this manner ; the bishop 
 added, " I must tell you, we do not understand 
 what sanctification and the new creation are. It 
 is no less than for a man to be brought to an en- 
 tire resignation to the will of God, and to live in 
 the offering up ofhissoul continually in the flames 
 of love, as a whole burnt-offering to Christ ; and 
 oh! how many who profess Christianity are un- 
 acquainted experimentally, with this great work 
 upon their souls !" 
 
 King Robert Bruce, the restorer of the Scot- 
 tish monarchy, being out one day reconnoitering 
 the enemy, lay at night in a barn, belonging to a 
 loyal cottager. In the morning, still reclining his 
 head on the pillow of straw, he beheld a spider 
 
58 
 
 climbing up the beam of the roof. The insect 
 fell to the ground, but immediately made a second 
 essay to ascend. This attracted the notice of the 
 hero, who, with regret, saw the spider fall a 
 second time from the eminence. It made a third 
 unsuccessful attempt. Not without a mixture of 
 concern and curiosity, the monarch twelve times 
 beheld the insect baffled in his design ; but its 
 thirteenth essay was crowned with success ; it 
 gained the summit of the barn ; when the King 
 starting from his couch, he exclaimed, " This des- 
 picable insect has taught me perseverance ! I will 
 follow its example: have I not been twelve times 
 defeated by the enemy's superior force; on one 
 fight more hangs the independence of my coun- 
 try." In a few days, his anticipations were fully 
 realized, by the glorious result to Scotland of 
 the battle of Bannockburn. Let the christian 
 learn both from the insect and the patriot to per- 
 severe in his endeavors to overcome his spiritual 
 enemies, and to gain the crown of glory. Con- 
 stancy will issue in his reaching the objects of his 
 holy ambition. 
 
 Q,. 36. What are the benefits which in this life do ac- 
 company or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctifi- 
 cation ? 
 
 A. The benefits which in this Ufe do accompany or 
 flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification, are, 
 assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the 
 Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein 
 to the end. 
 
 The celebrated Philip de Morney, prime min- 
 ister to Henry the IVth of France, one of the 
 greatest statesmen, the bravest officers, and the 
 most exemplary christians of his age ; being ask- 
 ed a little before his death, if he still retained the 
 
59 
 
 same assured hope of future bliss, which he had 
 so comfortably enjoyed during his illness, made 
 this memorable reply, " I am," said he, " as con- 
 fident of it, from the incontestible evidence of the 
 Spirit of God, as ever I was of any mathematical 
 truth from all the demonstrations of Euclid." 
 
 Mr. Kidd, when minister of dueensferry, a fev/ 
 miles from Edinburgh, was one day very much 
 depressed and discouraged, for want of that com- 
 fort which is produced by the faith of the gospel 
 alone. He sent a note to Mr. L., minister of 
 Culross, a few miles off, informing him of his 
 distress of mind, and desiring a visit as soon as 
 possible. Mr. L, told the servant, he was so busy 
 that he could not wait upon his master, but de- 
 sired him to tell Mr. K. to remember Torwood ! 
 When the servant returned, he said to his master, 
 " Mr. L. could not come, but desired me to tell 
 you, to remember Torwood .'" This answer im- 
 mediately struck Mr. K., and he cried out, " Yes, 
 Lord ! I will remember Thee, from the hill Mizar, 
 and from the hermonites !" All his troubles and 
 darkness vanished, upon the recollection of a day 
 which he had formerly spent in prayer, along with 
 Mr. L. in Torwood, where he had enjoyed emi- 
 nent communion with God. 
 
 When Lord North, during the American war, 
 sent to the reverend Mr. Fletcher of Medeley, 
 (who had written on that unfortunate war, in a 
 manner that had pleased the minister,) to know 
 what he w^anted, he sent him word that he wanted 
 but one thing, which it was not in his lordship's 
 power to give him, and that was more grace. 
 
 A person who suspected that a minister of his 
 acquaintance, was not truly a Calvinist, went to 
 
60 
 
 him and said, " Sir, I am told that you are against 
 the perseverance of the saints." " Not I, indeed," 
 answered he, " it is the perseverance of sinners 
 that I oppose." " But that is not a satisfactory 
 answer, sir. Do you think that a child of God 
 cannot fall very low and yet he restored ?" He 
 replied, " I think it will be very dangerous to 
 make the experiment." 
 
 Q. 37. What benefits do believers receive from Christ 
 at death ? 
 
 A. The souls of believers are at their death made per- 
 fect in holiness, and do immediately pass into glory ; and 
 their bodies, being still united to Christ, do rest in their 
 graves till the resurrection. 
 
 Mr. Robert Bruce, the morning before he died, 
 being at breakfast, and having, as he used, eaten 
 an egg, he said to his daughter, " I think I am 
 yet hungry: you may bring me another egg.'* 
 But having mused a while, he said, " Holdj 
 daughter, hold, my Master calls we." With 
 these words his sight failed him : on which he 
 called for the Bible, and said, "turn to the 8th chap- 
 ter of the Romans, and set my finger on the 
 words, — ' I am persuaded that neither death nor 
 life, &c., shall be able to separate me from the 
 love of God, which is in Christ Jesus my Lord.' " 
 When this was done, he said, " Now, is my finger 
 upon them .<"' Being told that it was, he added, 
 " Now, God be loith you, my dear children : I 
 have breakfasted with you, and shall sup with my 
 Lord Jesus Christ this 7iight" And then expired. 
 
 Addison, after a long and manly, but vain strug- 
 gle with his distemper, dismissed his physicians, 
 and with them all hopes of life. But with his 
 hopes of life, he dismissed not his concern for the 
 living, but sent for a youth who was nearly re- 
 
61 
 
 lated, and finely accomplished. He came, and 
 after a decent pause, the youth said, " Dear, sir, 
 you sent for me, I believe: I hope you have some 
 commands; I shall hold them most sacred." 
 Forciblygrasping the young- man's hand, he softly 
 said, " See in what peace a christian can die T' 
 He spoke with difficulty, and soon expired. 
 
 A young girl at Portsea, who died at nine 
 years of age, one day in her illness, said to her 
 aunt, with whom she lived, " When I am dead, 
 I should like Mr. Griffin to preach a sermon to 
 children, to persuade them to love Jesus Christ, 
 to obey their parents, not to tell lies, but to think 
 about dying, and going to heaven. I have been 
 thinking," said she, " what text I should like him 
 to preach from, — 2 Kings iv. 26. You are the 
 Shunarnite, Mr. G. is the prophet, and I am the 
 Shunamite's child. When I am dead, I dare say 
 you will be grieved, though you need not. The 
 prophet will come to see you, and when he says, 
 ' How is- it with the child?' you may say, ' It is 
 well.' I am sure it will be well with me, for 
 I shall be in heaven, singing the praises of God. 
 You ought to think it well too." Mr. G. ac- 
 cordingly fulfilled the wish of this pious child. 
 
 A little girl in Yorkshire, about seven years of 
 age, went, accompanied by a brother younger 
 than herself, to see an aunt who lay dead. On 
 their return home, the little boy expressed his 
 surprise that he had seen his aunt, saying, *' I 
 always thought when people were dead, that they 
 went to heaven, but my aunt is not, for I have 
 seen her." " Brother," replied his sister, " I 
 feer you do not understand it: it is not the body 
 6 
 
62 
 
 that goes to heaven : it is the think that goes to 
 heaven : the body remains, and is put into the 
 grave, where it sleeps till God shall raise it up 
 again." 
 
 Q,. 38. What benefits do believers receive from Christ 
 at the resurrection ? 
 
 A. At the resurrection, believers being raised up in 
 glory, shall be openly acknovv^ledged and acquitted in the 
 day of judgment, and made perfectly blessed in the full 
 enjoying of God to all eternity. 
 
 An infidel and profligate youth, who had for- 
 merly disregarded all the pious injunctions of his 
 parent, on one occasion went with them to hear 
 a popular minister who had come to the town 
 where they dwelt. The subject of discourse 
 was the heavenly state ; and the minister descri- 
 bed in glowing language, the nature of the hap- 
 piness, employment, and company of the spirits 
 of just men made perfect. On his return home, 
 the youth expressed his admiration of the speak- 
 er's talents ; " but," said he, turning to his mo- 
 ther, " I was surprised, that while the smile of 
 approbation was visible in the countenances of 
 all around me, you and my father appeared gloo- 
 my and sad, and more than once were in tears. 
 I was surprised," continued the youth, "because 
 I thought that if any could claim an interest in 
 the subject, you were the happy persons." " Ah, 
 my son," replied the anxious mother, " I did 
 weep ; but it was not because I feared my own 
 personal interest in the subject, or that of your 
 affectionate and pious father. I wept, when I 
 thought of you; it was the fear that you, the son 
 of my womb, and the son of my vows, would be 
 banished at last from the delights of the celestial 
 paradise, which caused my bursting heart to seek 
 vent in tears." " I supposed," said the father, turn- 
 
63 
 
 ing to his wife, "those were your reflections. 
 The thought of the spiritual condition of our son 
 forcibly impressed my own heart, and made me 
 weep too." The pointed, yet cautious and ten- 
 der admonition of the mother, wisely sanctioned 
 by the husband, found its way to the youthful 
 heart of her child, and terminated in his saving 
 conversion to God. 
 
 " I remember," says the writer of Mr. John 
 Janeway's life, " once there was a great talk 
 that one had foretold that dooms-day should be 
 on such a day. Although he blamed their daring 
 folly that could pretend to know that which was 
 hid, yet, granting their suspicion to be true, what 
 then? said he; what if the day of judgment 
 were come, as it will most certainly come short- 
 ly ? If I were sure the day of judgment were to 
 come within an hour, I should be glad with all 
 my heart. If at this very instant, I should hear 
 such thunderings, and see such lightnings as Is- 
 rael did at Mount Sinai, I am persuaded my very 
 heart would leap for joy. But this I am confi- 
 dent of, through infinite mercy, that the very 
 meditation of that day, hath even ravished my 
 soul ; and the thought of the certainty and near- 
 ness of it is more refreshing to me than the com- 
 forts of the whole world." 
 
 Luther being once in great poverty, and a con- 
 siderable sum of money being sent to him unex- 
 pectedly, by a nobleman of Germany, said, '* I 
 fear God will give my reward here ; but t protest 
 I will not be so satisfied." A little will satisfy 
 the saints during their journey, but it is only the 
 enjoyment of God in heaven, that will satisfy 
 them as a portion. 
 
64 
 
 Q,. 39. What is the duty which God reqiiireth of man? 
 A. The duty which God requiretli of man, is obedience 
 to his revealed will. 
 
 •' A person," says Mr. Erskine, " who had 
 been at public worship, having returned home, 
 perhaps somewhat sooner than usual, was asked, 
 by another of the family, who had not been there, 
 
 • Is all done ?' ' No,' replied he, ' all is said, but 
 all is not donc.^ " 
 
 When a gentleman lately presented a Bible to 
 a prisoner under sentence of death, he exclaimed, 
 " Oh, sir, if I had had this book, and studied it, I 
 should never have committed the crime of which 
 I am convicted." So it is said of a native Irish- 
 man, when he read for the first time in his life, a 
 New Testament which a gentleman had put into 
 his hands, he said, " If I believe this, it is hn- 
 possiblc for me to remain a rebel." 
 
 Antonio Guevaza, used to say, " That heaven 
 would be filled with such as had done good u'orks, 
 and hell with such as intended to do them." A 
 very suitable hint to those who put off their con- 
 victions, to what they think will be a more conve- 
 nient season. 
 
 •' I remember," says Dr. Cotton Mather, •' what 
 Calvin said when the order for his banishment 
 from ungrateful Geneva was brought to him : 
 
 • Most assuredly, if I had merely served man, this 
 would have been a poor recompense ; but it is my 
 happiness that I have served Him, who never 
 fails to reward his servants to the full extent of 
 his promises.' " 
 
 Q. 40. What did God at first reveal to man for the rule 
 of his obedience ? 
 
 A. The rule which God at first revealed to man for his 
 obedience, was the moral law. 
 
65 
 
 A follower of Pythagoras had bought a pair of 
 shoes from a cobbler, for which he promised to 
 pay him on a future day. On that day he took 
 the money: but, finding the cobbler had died in 
 the interim, returned, secretly rejoicing that he 
 could retain the money, and get a pair of shoes for 
 nothing. His conscience, however, says Seneca, 
 would allow him no rest, till, taking up the money, 
 he went back to the cobbler's shop, and casting 
 in the money, said, " Go thy ways, for though he 
 is dead to all the world besides, yet he is alive to 
 me." 
 
 A clergyman once travelling in a stage-coach, 
 was asked by one of the passengers, if he thought 
 that pious heathens would go to heaven. " Sir, 
 (answered the clergyman,) I am not appointed 
 judge of the world, and consequently cannot tell ; 
 but if you ever get to heaven, you shall either find 
 them there, or a good reason why they are not," 
 A reply well fitted to answer an impertinent ques- 
 tion dictated by idle curiosity. 
 
 A certain preacher in the west of England, 
 remarkable for his opposition to the moral law 
 as a rule of life to believers, was preaching on a 
 week-day evening at a village, in a cottage full of 
 poor people ; when, declaiming in his usual way 
 against the law, and seeming at loss for expres- 
 sions sufficient to degrade it, he said, " the law 
 is dead ; it is fallen ; it is done ivith.^^ Having 
 just then occasion to us'e his handkerchief, he 
 spread it out, and holding a corner in each hand, 
 said, " The laio, my friends, has fallen doiun before 
 the believer like this handkerchief ;''^ then letting it 
 go from his hands, it unfortunately fell on the can- 
 6* 
 
66 
 
 dies, and extinguished them, leaving the preacher 
 and ail his hearers in darkness: — a very just 
 though accidental representation of that mental 
 and practical darkness which such preaching is 
 likely to produce. 
 
 Q. 41. Where is the moral law summarily compre- 
 bended ? 
 
 A. The moral law is summarily comprehended in the 
 ten commandments. 
 
 Archbishop Usher, being once on a visit to 
 Scotland, heard a -great deal of the piety and de- 
 votion of Mr. Samuel Rutherford. He wished 
 much to witness what had been told him, but was 
 at a loss how to accomplish his design. At 
 length it came into his mind to dress himself like 
 a pauper ; and on a Saturday evening, when turn- 
 ing dark, he called at Mr. R.'s house, and asked 
 if he could get quarters for a night. Mr. R. con- 
 sented to give the poor man a bed for the night, 
 and desired him to sit down in the kitchen, which 
 he cheerfully did. Mrs. Rutherford, according 
 to custom on Saturday evening, that her servants 
 might be prepared for the Sabbath, called them 
 together and examined them. In the course of 
 the examination, she asked the stranger how many 
 commandments there were. To which he an- 
 swered, eleven. On receiving this answer, she 
 replied, " What a shame is it for you ! a man with 
 grey hairs, in a christian country, not to know how 
 many commandments there are ! There is not 
 a child of six years old in this parish but could 
 answer this question properly." She troubled 
 the poor man no more, thinking him so very igno- 
 rant; bdt lamented his condition to her servants ; 
 after giving him some supper, she desired a ser- 
 
67 
 
 vant to show him up stairs to abed in the garret. 
 Mr. R. on discovering- who he was next morning, 
 requested him to preach for him that day, which 
 the bishop consented to do, on condition that he 
 would not discover him to any other. Mr. Ruth- 
 erford furnished tiio bishop with a suit of his own 
 clothes, and early in the morning he went into the 
 fields; the other followed him, and brought him 
 in as a strange minister passing by, who had 
 promised to preach for him. Mrs. R. found that 
 the poor man had gone away before any of the 
 family were out of bed. After domestic worship 
 and breakfast, the family went to the church, and 
 the bishop had for his text, John xiii. 34. " A 
 new commandment I give unto you, that, ye love 
 one another." In the course of his sermon he 
 observed, that this might be reckoned the eleventh 
 commandment: upon vi'hich Mrs. R. said to her- 
 self, "that is the answer the poor man gave me 
 last night;" and looking up to the pulpit, said, 
 " It cannot be possible that this is he ! " After pub- 
 lic worship, the strange minister and Mr. R., spent 
 *he evening in mutual satisfaction ; and early on 
 Monday morning the former went away in the 
 dress in which he came, and was not discovered. 
 
 Mr. Ralph Erskine composed the following 
 ode on the death of his first wife, Mrs. Margaret 
 Dewar, who died, November 22d, 1730, after 
 having borne ten children. Aged 32. 
 
 The law brought forth her precepts ten; 
 
 And these dissolv'd in grace : 
 This vine as many boughs, and then 
 
 In glory took her place, 
 
 Iler dying breath triumphantly 
 
 Did that sweet anthem sing, 
 7Vuniks be to God for victory ; /.d^^: 
 
 O Death ! ichcre is thxj st'iv^ ? 
 
68 
 
 Q,. 42. What is the sum of the ten commandiiients ? 
 
 A. The sum of the ten commandments is. To love the 
 Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all 
 our strength, and with all our mind ; and our neighbor 
 as ourselves. 
 
 •• Papa," said a little boy to his father, '• what 
 is the meaning of the words cherubim and sera- 
 phim, which we meet with in the holy Scrip- 
 tures?" " Cherubim," replied his father, '' is a 
 Hebrew word signifying knowledge, Seraphim is 
 another word of the same language, and signifies 
 flame. Whence it is supposed, that the cheru- 
 bim are angels who excel in knowledge ; and that 
 the seraphim are angels likewise, who excel in 
 loving God." "I hope, then," said the little 
 boy, " when I die I shall be a seraph ; for I would 
 rather love God than know all things." 
 
 '• I see God will have all my heart, and he shall 
 have it," was a fine reflection made by a lady, 
 when news was brought of two children drown- 
 ed, whom she tenderly loved, 
 
 A martyr was asked, •' Whether he did not 
 love his wife and children, who stood w^eeping 
 by him ?" " Love them ? Yes," said he : " If all 
 the world were gold, and at my disposal, I would 
 give it all for the satisfaction of living with them, 
 though it were in a prison. Yet, in comparison 
 of Christ, I love them not." 
 
 A boy, called Abraham, not quite four years 
 old, was not only remarkably patient and resigned 
 during his last illness, but his conversation pro- 
 ved an abiding blessing to his father, who hap- 
 pened then to be in an unhappy state of mind. 
 On the day before he died, he asked him, " Fa- 
 ther, do you love me?" the father replied, " Yes, 
 
69 
 
 I do." Upon repeating his question, he re- 
 ceived the same answer. But, then,'" added he, 
 •' do you love your Savior ?'' " No," replied the 
 father, " I am just now very poor and miserable." 
 "Ah I"' said the child, "if you do not love our 
 Savior, you canuot love me as you ought'' 
 
 During: the retreat of Alfred the Great, at 
 Athelney in Somersetshire, after the defeat of his 
 forces by the Danes, a beggar came to his little 
 castle there, and requested -^Ims ; when his queen 
 informed him that they had only one small loaf 
 remaining, which was insafiicient for themselves 
 and their friends, who were gone abroad inquest 
 of food, though with little hopes of success. The 
 king replied. "Give the poor Christian one half 
 of the loaf He who could feed five thousand 
 men with five loaves and two fishes, can certainly 
 make that half of the loafsutiice for more than 
 our necessities." Accordingly the poor man 
 was relieved, and his noble act oi^ charity soon 
 recompensed by a providential store of fresh pro- 
 visions, with which his people returned. 
 
 Q. 43. What is tho preface to the ten commandments ? 
 
 A. The preface of tho tea commandments is in these 
 words. I am the Lord thy God. which h.ive brought thee 
 out of the land of Egypt, out of tlie liouse of bondage. 
 
 A friend calling on the Rev. Ebenezer Ers- 
 kine, during his last illness, said to him, "Sir, 
 you have given us many good advices, pray what 
 are you now doino; with your own soul I"* " I am 
 doing with it," said he, " what, I did forty years 
 ago: I am resting on that word, / ajn the Lord 
 thy God; and on this I mean to die." To 
 another, he said. " The covenant is my charter, 
 and if it had not been for that blessed word, / am 
 
70 
 
 the Lord thy God, my hope and strength had 
 perished from the Lord." The night on which 
 he died, his eldest daughter was reading in the 
 room where he was, to whom he said, " What 
 book is that you are reading, my dear?" " It is 
 one of your sermons, sir." " What one is it?" 
 •• It is the sermon on that text, I am the Lord thy 
 GodJ^ " O woman," said he, " that is the best 
 sermon I ever preached." And it was most 
 probably, the best to his soul. A little after- 
 wards, with his finger and thumb, he shut his own 
 eyes, and laying his hand below his cheek, breath- 
 ed out his soul into the hands of his living Re- 
 deemer. Happy the man that is in such a state ! 
 happy the man whose God is the Lord ! 
 
 A gentleman one day took an acquaintance of 
 his upon the leads of his house, to show him the 
 extent of his possession ; waving his hand about. 
 ••There," says he, "that is my estate." Then 
 pointing to a great distance on one side, " Do 
 you see that farm?" " Yes." •' Well, that is 
 mine." Pointing again to the other side, " Do 
 you see that house?" "Yes," "That also be- 
 longs to me." " Then," said his friend, "do you 
 see that ' little village out yonder ?" " Yes," 
 " Well, there lives a poor woman in that village, 
 who can say more than all this." " Aye ! what 
 can she say ?" " Why, she can say, ' Christ is 
 mine !' " He looked confounded, and said no 
 more. 
 
 Q. 44. What doth the preface to the ten commandments 
 teach lis ? 
 
 A. The preface to tlie ten commandments teacheth us, 
 That because God is tlie Lord, and our God, and Redeem- 
 er, therefore we are bound to keep his commandments. 
 
71 
 
 Cardinal Wolsey, a great minister of state, un- 
 der king Henry VIII. of England, having fallen 
 under the displeasure of that monarch, made the 
 following sad reflection a little before his death : 
 *' Had I but served my God as diligently as I 
 have served my king, he would not have forsa- 
 ken me now in my grey hairs. But this is the 
 just reward that I must receive for my indulgent 
 pains and study, not regarding my service to God, 
 but only to my prince." 
 
 When Polycarp was exhorted to swear, and 
 blaspheme Christ in order to save his life, he re- 
 plied, "Fourscore years have I served Christ, and 
 have ever found him a good master, how then 
 can I blaspheme my Lord and Savior !" When 
 he came to the stake at which he was to be 
 burnt, he desired to stand untied, saying, " Let 
 me alone ; for he that gave me strength to come 
 to the fire will give me patience to undergo the 
 Are without your tying," 
 
 Mr. Venn, an evangelical and faithful minister 
 of Christ, was one day addressed by a neigh- 
 boring clergyman, in nearly the following words, 
 " Mr. Venn, I don't know how it is, but I should 
 really think your doctrines of grace, and faith, 
 were calculated to make all j'-our hearers live in 
 sin, and yet I must own that there is an astonish- 
 ing reformation wrought in your parish; whereas 
 I don't believe I ever have made one soul the bet- 
 ter, though I have been telling them their duty for 
 many years." Mr. Venn smiled at the clergy- 
 man's honest confession, and frankly told him, 
 •' he would do well to burn all his old sermons, 
 and try what preaching Christ would do." 
 
72 
 
 Q,. 45. Which is the first commandment? 
 
 A. The first commandment is, Thou shall have no other 
 gods before me. 
 
 Q,. 46. Whut is required in the first commandment? 
 
 A. The first commandment requireth us to know and 
 acknowled^je God to be the only true God, and our God; 
 and to worship and glorify him accordingly. 
 
 A poor Arabian of the desert was one day 
 asked how he came to be assured that there was 
 a God? "In the same way," replied he, "that 
 I am able to tell by the print impressed on the 
 sand whether it was a man or a beast that passed 
 that way." 
 
 Mr. Hervey for some years before his death, 
 visited very few of the principal persons in his 
 neighborhood. Being once asked, " Why he 
 so seldom went to see the neighboring gentle- 
 men, who yet showed him all possible esteem 
 and respect?" He answered, "I can hardly 
 name a polite family where the conversation ever 
 turns upon the things of God. I hear much frothy 
 and worldly chit-chat, but not a word of Christ ; 
 and I am determined not to visit those compa- 
 nies where there is not room for my Master as 
 well as myself." 
 
 Mr. Collins, the deist, met one day with a plain 
 countryman going to church. He inquired where 
 he was going. " To church, sir," " What to do 
 there ?" " To worship God." " Pray, whether, 
 is your God a great or a little God?" "He 
 is so great, sir, that the heaven of heavens cannot 
 contain him : and so little that he can dwell in 
 my heart." Collins declared, that the simple an- 
 swer by the countryman, had more effect upon 
 his mind than all the volumes which the learned 
 doctors had written against him. 
 
73 
 
 An atheist being asked by a professor of Chris- 
 tianity, " how he could quiet his conscience in so 
 desperate a state?" replied, "As much am I 
 astonished as yourself, that believing the christian 
 religion to be true, you can quiet your conscience 
 in living so much like the world : Did I believe 
 what you profess, I should think no care, no dili- 
 gence, no zeal enough." AJas ! that there should 
 still, by christians, be so much cause given for the 
 astonishment of atheists ! 
 
 Q,. 47, What is forbidden in the first commandment ? 
 
 A. The first commandment forbiddeth the denying, or 
 not worshiping and gloryfying the true God as God, and 
 our God ; and the giving of that worship and glory to any 
 other which is due to him alone. 
 
 Lord Rochester was one day at an atheistical 
 meeting in the house of a person of quality. He 
 undertook to manage the cause, and was the 
 principal disputant against God and religion, and 
 for his performance received the applause of the 
 whole company. " Upon which," says he, " my 
 mind was terribly struck, and 1 immediately re- 
 plied thus to myself: Good God ! that a man 
 that walks upright, that sees the wonderful works 
 of God, and has the use of his senses and reason, 
 should use them to the defying of his Creator !" 
 
 The famous astronomer, Athanasius Kircher, 
 having an acquaintance who denied the existence 
 of the Supreme Being, took the following method 
 to convince him of his error upon his own princi- 
 'ples. Expecting him upon a visit, he procured 
 a very handsome globe of the starry heavens, 
 which being placed in a corner of the room in 
 which it could not escape his friend's observation, 
 the latter seized the first -occasion to ask from 
 7 
 
74 
 
 whence it came, and to whom it belonged. •' Not 
 to me," said Kircher, "nor was ever it made by 
 any person, but came iiere by mere chanced 
 "That," replied his sceptical friend, is "absolutely- 
 impossible: you surely jest." Kircher, however, 
 seriously persisted in his assertion, took occasion 
 to reason with his friend upon his own atheistical 
 principles. "You will not," said he, "believe 
 that this small body originated in mere chance ; 
 and yet you will contend that those heavenly 
 bodies of which it is only a faint and diminutive 
 resemblance, came into existence without order 
 and design." Pursuing this chain of reasoning, 
 his friend was at first confounded, in the next 
 place convinced, and ultimately joined in a cordial 
 acknowledgement of the absurdity of denying the 
 existence of a God. 
 
 Nichols, Potter, and T. Wilson, of Westmin- 
 ster, preaching one after another before his late 
 Majesty, bedaubed the king, who, as Lord Mans- 
 field told Bishop Warburton, expressed his offence 
 publicly, by saying, that he came to chapel to 
 hear the praises of C4od, and not his own. 
 
 A gentleman in England, who had a chapel 
 attached to his house, was visited by a person 
 form London, to whom he showed the chapel. 
 " What a glorious kitchen this would make !" said 
 the visiter. " When 1 make a God of my belly," 
 replied the gentleman, " I will make a kitchen of 
 my chapel." 
 
 Q,. 48. What are we specially taught by these words' 
 [before me] in the first commandment ? 
 
 A. These words [before me] in the first commandment, 
 teach us, That God, who seeth all things, taketh notice of, 
 and is much displeased with, the sin of basing any other 
 God. 
 
75 
 
 Mr. Scott, the venerable expositor of the Bible, 
 speaking of his early years, says, " A hymn of 
 Dr. Watts' entitled, ' The all-seeing- God,' at this 
 time fell in my way : I was much affected by it, 
 and having committed it to memory, was fre- 
 quently repeating it, and w^as thus continually led 
 to reflect on my guilt and danger. "Parents," 
 he adds, "may from this inconsiderable circum- 
 stance, be reminded, that it is of great importance 
 to store their children's memories with useful mat- 
 ter, instead of suffering them to be furnished with 
 suchcorruptingtrash as is commonly taughtthem. 
 They know not what use God may make of these 
 early rudiments of instruction in future life." 
 
 A profane coachman pointing to one of the 
 horses he was driving, said to a pious traveller, 
 " That horse, sir, knovvs when I swear at him." 
 "Yes," replied the traveller, "and so does One 
 above.'''' The coachman seemed to feel the re- 
 proof, and immediately became silent. 
 
 A lady who once heard Mr. Romaine, ex- 
 pressed herself mightily pleased with his dis- 
 course, and told him afterwards, that she thought 
 she could comply with his doctrine, and give up 
 every thing but one. " And what is that, ma- 
 dam?" "Cards, sir." "You think you could 
 not be happy without them." " No, sir ; I know 
 I could not." " Then, madam, they are your 
 god, and they must save you." This pointed 
 and just reply is said to have issued in her con- 
 version. 
 
 Q,. 49. Which is the second Gommandment ? 
 
 A. The second commandment is, Thou shall not makp 
 unto thee any graven image, or any Ukeness of any thing 
 that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, 
 
76 
 
 or that is In the water under the earth. Thou shalt not 
 bow down thyself to them, nor serve them : for I the 
 Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity 
 of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth 
 generation of them that hate me ; and showing mercy unto 
 thousands of them that love me, and keep my command- 
 ments. 
 
 Q,. 50. What is required in the second command- 
 ment? 
 
 A. The second commandment requireth the receiving, 
 observing, and keeping pure and entire, all such religious 
 worship and ordinances as God hath appointed in his 
 word. 
 
 In the beginning of the reign of Edward VI. 
 of England, Charles V. Emperor of Germany, 
 having requested that leave might be given to the 
 Lady Mary, afterwards Queen Mary, to have 
 mass said in her house; the council sent the 
 bishops Cranmer and Ridley to the king to en- 
 treat him, for certain state reasons, to grant it. 
 The king having heard all they could say on the 
 matter, gave them such grave and sound answers, 
 supported by scripture, against any such permis- 
 sion, that the bishops could not reply. However 
 they continued to press him not to disoblige the 
 Emperor, as such a step might have very bad 
 consequences. The king bade them be satisfied, 
 and told them, " He was resolved rather to lose 
 his life, and all that he had, than agree to that 
 which he knew with certainty to be against the 
 truth." The bishops slill continued to urge him ; 
 the king at length burst into tears, witnessing his 
 tenderness for the truth, and his zeal for the de- 
 fence of it, by much weeping, which the bishops 
 no sooner saw, than they wept as fast as he, took 
 leave, and withdrew. In their return, meeting 
 with Mr. Cheek, the king's tutor, archbishop 
 
77 
 
 Cranmer took him by the hand, and said, "Ah ! 
 Mr. Cheek, you may be glad all the days of your 
 life that you have such a scholar ; for he hath 
 more divinity in his little finger, than we have in 
 our whole bodies." 
 
 When one of the kings of France solicited M. 
 Bougier, who was a protestant, to conform to the 
 Roman Catholic religion, promising him in re- 
 turn a commission or a government. " Sire," 
 replied he, " if I could be persuaded to betray 
 my God for a marshal's staff, I might be induced 
 to betray my king for a bribe of much less value." 
 
 When Mr. Nathaniel Heywood, a nonconfor- 
 mist minister, was quitting his living, a poor man 
 came to him, and said, " Ah ! Mr. Heywood we 
 would gladly have you preach still in the church." 
 " Yes," said he, " and I would as gladly preach 
 as you can desire it, if I could do it with a safe 
 conscience." " Oh ! sir," replied the other, "many 
 a man now-a-days makes a great gash in his con- 
 science ; cannot you make a little nick in yours?" 
 
 Q,. 51. What is forbidden in the second command- 
 ment? 
 
 A. The second commandment forbiddeth the worship- 
 ing of God by images, or in any other way not appointed 
 in his word. 
 
 One day in the spring of 1823, a little girl, 
 about five years old, accompanied her mamma to 
 pay a visit to a lady in the neighborhood of C — . 
 When alighting from the carriage in the court- 
 yard, she espied a statue of king William III. and 
 immediately addressed her mamma in these 
 words: " Mamma, is that a graven image there? 
 If it is, I will not fall down and worship it, I will 
 only worship God Almighty !" This prompt and 
 
78 
 
 christian-like determination of the little girl, not 
 only pleased but astonished all present. 
 
 A writer in the Anti-Jacobin Review for April 
 1819, informs us, that a native of India, lately in 
 London, very much censured the want of images 
 in our churches; he said, "The worshipers had 
 nothing upon which they could fix their attention, 
 and hence they were often gazing at each other, 
 and often at mere inanity. " We," says he, " have 
 in our temples an image of the Deity to look at, 
 with large eyes, huge ears, great hands, and long 
 feet. Not that we believe this very image to be 
 the Deity, but we use it only to fix our attention, 
 and to remind us that the Being which it repre- 
 sents can see every thing, hear every thing," «fcc. 
 
 A protestant who rented a small farm under 
 Alexander, second Duke of Gordon, having fallen 
 behind in his payments, a vigilant steward, in his 
 Grace's absence, seized the farmer's stock, and 
 advertised it to be sold by auction on a fixed day. 
 The Duke happily returned home in the interval, 
 and the tenant went to him to supplicate for in- 
 dulgence. " What is the matter, Donald?" said 
 the Duke, as he saw him enter with sad downcast 
 looks. Donald told his sorrowful tale in a concise 
 natural manner : it touched the Duke's heart, and 
 produced a formal acquittance of the debt. Do- 
 nald, as he cheerily withdrew, was staring at the 
 pictures and images which he saw in the ducal 
 hall, and expressed to the Duke in a homely way, 
 a wish to know what they were. " These," said 
 the Duke, who was a Roman Catholic, " are the 
 saints vvho intercede with God for me." " My 
 lord Duke," said Donald, " would it not be better 
 
79 
 
 to apply yourself directly to God? I went to 
 muckle Sawney Gordon, and to little Sawney 
 Gordon ; but if I had not come to your good 
 Grace's self, I could not have got my discharge, 
 and both I and my bairns had been turned out 
 from house and home." 
 
 Q,. 52. What are the reasons annexed to the second 
 commandment ? 
 
 A. The reasons annexed to the second commandment 
 are, God's sovereignty over us, his propriety in us, and 
 the zeal he hath to his own worship. 
 
 When certain persons attempted to persuade 
 Stephen, king of Poland, to constrain some of his 
 subjects, who were of a different religion, to em- 
 brace his, he said to them, " I am king of men, 
 and not of consciences. The dominion of con- 
 sciences belongs exclusively to God," 
 
 Two men of learning were conversing together, 
 about the method they should take, in reiierence 
 to a certain regulation imposed upon them by the 
 higher powers, and to which they had conscien- 
 tious scruples. One of them thoughtlessly and 
 impiously swore, " By my faith," said he, " I must 
 live." The other calmly and pleasantly replied, 
 •' I hope to live by my faith too, though I dare 
 not swear by it." The result was that the man 
 who resolved by grace, to venture his temporal 
 interest for conscience-sake, lived in prosperity 
 to see the other begging, and to contribute to his 
 relief. 
 
 A Spanish boy, who was a 'Roman Catholic, 
 having a silver crucifix hanging in his bosom, was 
 asked by a person in his company to sell it for a 
 half dollar, at which he shook his head. He was 
 then offered a dollar, to whichhe replied in broken 
 
80 
 
 accents, " No, not for tousands of iousands." Is 
 not this a keen reproof to children of protestant 
 countries, who live in the awful neglect of God's 
 "unspeakable gift?" 
 
 Q,. 53. Which is the third commandment? 
 
 A. The third commandment is, Thou shalt not take the 
 name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not 
 hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 
 
 Q,. 54. What is required in the third commandment? 
 
 A. The third commandment requireth the holy and 
 reverend use of God's names, titles, attributes, ordinances, 
 word, and works. 
 
 In the year 1796, when the ship Duff was pre- 
 paring to take out the missionaries from the Lon- 
 don Missionary Society, Mr. Cox, one of the 
 Directors, was one day walking in the street; 
 he was there met by a very fine looking boy, about 
 14 years of age, v^rho, stopping him, said, " Pray, 
 sir, have not you some management in the ship 
 that is going out with the missionaries'?" " Yes, 
 I have, my young man," said Mr. Cox. " I should 
 like very much, sir, to go out with her as a cabin- 
 boy." " Would you," said Mr. Cox, " have you 
 any parents ?" " I have a mother," said the boy, 
 " but no father." " And is your mother willing 
 you should go?" "O yes, sir, very willing." 
 Mr. Cox then desired the boy to call at his house, 
 and to bring his mother along with him, that she 
 might speak for herself At the time appointed, 
 the boy and his mother came, who, having de- 
 clared her willingness that her son should go, the 
 matter was accordingly settled. In the course of 
 the conversation, a gentleman who was present, 
 in order to try the boy, said to him, " So you 
 wish to go to sea?" " Yes, sir, in the missionary 
 ship." •' And you can swear a good round hand, 
 
r 
 
 81 
 
 I suppose ?" Shocked at the very idea of such a 
 thing-, the ingenuous little fellow burst into tears, 
 and exclaimed. "//"/ thought there would he 
 swearing aboard at all, I would not goP 
 
 A man that was addicted to a very wicked 
 course of life, going one Sabbath morning to buy 
 a game cock for fighting, was met by a good man 
 on his way to a meeting, who asked him, where 
 he was going. He related the whole to him, and 
 after much entreaty, was prevailed on to go with 
 him to the meeting, where it pleased God to con- 
 vince him of his misery. On the Monday morn- 
 ing he went to his work, where he was beset by 
 the rest of the colliers, who swore at him, told him 
 he was going mad, and upbraided him, by sa5nng, 
 that before a month, was at an end, he would 
 swear as bad as ever. On hearing this, he kneeled 
 down before them all, and earnestly prayed that 
 God would sooner take him out of the world, 
 than suffer him to blaspheme his holy name ; on 
 which he immediately expired. The person who 
 was the instrument of bringing him to the know- 
 ledge of the truth, died in a few days afterwards. 
 
 Mr. John Howe being at dinner with some per- 
 sons of fashion, a gentleman expatiated largely in 
 praise of Charles I., and made some disagreeable 
 reflections upon others. Mr. Howe observing 
 that he mixed many horrid oaths with his dis- 
 course, took the liberty to say, that in his humble 
 opinion, he had omitted one great excellence in 
 the character of that prince; which, when the 
 gentleman had pressed him to mention, and waited 
 with impatience to hear it, he told him it was 
 this : " that he tvas never heard to swear an oath 
 
82 
 
 in common conversation^ The gentleman took 
 the reproof, and promised to break oft^the practice. 
 
 Q. 55. What is forbidden in the third commandment? 
 
 A. The third commandment forbiddeth all profaning 
 or abusing of any thing whereby God maketh himself 
 known. 
 
 The late Rev. John Brown of Haddington, once 
 passing the Frith of Forth, between Leith and 
 Kinghorn, had for a fellow-passenger, one who 
 appeared to be a Highland nobleman. Mr, B. 
 observed with grief, that he frequently took the 
 name of God in vain ; but suspecting, that to re- 
 prove him in the presence of the other passen- 
 gers, might tend only to irritate him, he forbore 
 saying any thing till he reached the opposite 
 shore. After landing, Mr. B. observing the 
 nobleman walking alone, stepped up to him, and 
 said, " Sir, I was sorry to hear you swearing while 
 on our passage. You know it is written, ' Thou 
 shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in 
 vain.' " On this the nobleman, lifting his hat, 
 and bowing to Mr. B. made the following reply ; 
 " Sir, I return you thanks for the reproof you have 
 now given me, and shall endeavor to attend to 
 it in future ; but," added he, " had you said this 
 to me while in the boat, I believe I should have 
 run you through with my sword." 
 
 The Rev. John Maclaurin of Glasgow, well 
 known to the Christian world by his valuable 
 writings, in passing one day along the street, was 
 disturbed by the noise of some disorderly soldiers. 
 One of them particularly, just as Mr. Maclaurin 
 approached them uttered this awful imprecation, 
 " God damn my soul, for Christ's sake !" The 
 good man, shocked with hearing such blasphe- 
 
83 
 
 mous language, went up to him, and laying hh 
 hand on the shoulder of the man, said to him with 
 peculiar mildness and solemnity, " Friend, God 
 has already done much for Christ's sake ; tsuppose 
 he should do that too, what would become of 
 you?" It was a word in season, and it came 
 with power. The conscience of the soldier sunk 
 under the reproof. He was led not only to reform 
 the evil habit of swearing, to which he had been 
 long addicted, but to reflect on his ways, and to 
 turn to the Lord. He became a real Christian ; 
 and proved the soundness of his conversion by 
 maintaining to the end of his life, a conversation 
 becoming the gospel. 
 
 A minister of the gospel one day finding a ser- 
 vant beating his master's horses, and taking the 
 name of God in vain, he stood still and reproved 
 him sharply. The servant made no reply; but, 
 prompted by curiosity, came next Lord's day to 
 hear his reprover preach. " Swear not at all," 
 said the preacher, when concluding his discourse, 
 " is a divine command that binds both master and 
 servant. I knew a man, not long ago, who sur- 
 prised one of the swearing tribe of servants, in the 
 very act of damning his master's horses. The 
 son of Belial, though challenged, durst not open 
 his mouth for his father's interest ; but hung 
 down his head like a coward in the devil's service. 
 He passed by, and had not the manners to thank 
 his reprover, or grace to promise amendment. Is 
 he here? — Do I see him ? — Shall I name him?" 
 After some pause, he added, " We shall rather 
 pray for him?" The servant vvas sitting trem- 
 bling before him ; and it may be proper to add, 
 that he came afterward to the minister, confessed 
 
84 
 
 cd his fault, gave signs of true penitence, was 
 added to the church, and never after heard to 
 plaspheme the worthy name. 
 
 Q. 56. What is the reason annexed to the third com- 
 mandment ? 
 
 A. The reason annexed to the third commandment is, 
 That however the breakers of this commandment may 
 escape punishment from men, yet the Lord our God will 
 not suffer them to escape his righteous judgment. 
 
 An elector of Cologne, who is likewise an arch- 
 bishop, one day swearing profanely, asked a pea- 
 sant, who seemed to wonder, "what he was so 
 surprised at ?" " To hear an archbishop swear," 
 replied the peasant. " 1 swear," replied the elec- 
 tor, "not as an archbishop, but as a prince." 
 "But, my Lord," said the peasant, "when the 
 prince goes to the devil, what will become of the 
 archbishop ?" 
 
 A person who lived in the parish of Sedgley, 
 near Woh'^erhampton, having lost a considerable 
 sum by a match at cock-fighting, to which practice 
 he was notoriously addicted, swore in the most 
 horrid manner, that he would never fight another 
 cock as long as he lived ; frequently calling upon 
 God to damn his soul to all eternity if he did, and 
 with dreadful imprecations, wishing the devil 
 might fetch him if he ever made another bet. It 
 is not to be wondered at, if resolutions so im- 
 piously formed, should be broken ; for a while, 
 however, they were observed; but he continued 
 to indulge himself in every other abomination 
 to which his depraved heart inclined him. But, 
 about two years afterward, Satan, whose w^illing 
 servant he was, inspired him with a violent desire 
 to attend a cocking at Wolverhampton ; and he 
 
85 
 
 complied with the temptation. When he came 
 lo the place, he stood up, ss in defiance of Hea- 
 ven, and cried, " I hold four to three on such a 
 cock." "Four what"?" said one of his comjia"* 
 nions in iniquity. " Four shillings," replied he. 
 " I'll lay," said the other. Upon which they con- 
 firmed the wager, and, as his custom was, he threw 
 down his hat, and put his hand in his pocket for 
 the money ; when, awful to relate, he instantly 
 fell a ghastly corpse to the ground. Terrified at 
 his sudden death, some who were present, for ever 
 after desisted from this infamous sport; but others, 
 hardened in iniquity, proceeded in the barbarous 
 diversion, as soon as the dead body was removed 
 from the spot. 
 
 Q,. 57. Which is the fourth commandment ? 
 
 A. The fourth commandment is, Remember the Sab* 
 bath-day, to keep it holy. Six days sh&lt thou labor^ 
 and do all thy work ; but the seventh-day is the Sabbath 
 of the Lord thy God : in it thou shalt not do any work, 
 thou, nor ihy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor 
 thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor the stranger that is 
 within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven 
 and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the 
 seventh-day : wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath-day, 
 and hallowed it. 
 
 Q,. 58. What is required in the fourth commandment? 
 
 A. The fourth commandment requireth the keeping 
 holy to God such set times as he hath appointed in his 
 word, expressly one whole day in seven, to be a holy 
 Sabbath to himself. 
 
 That great man. Sir Matthew Hale, thus speaks 
 of the Sabbath : " I have," says he, " by long and 
 sound experience, found that the due observance 
 of this day, and of the duties of it, have been of 
 singular comfort and advantage to me. The ob- 
 servance of this day hath ever had joined to it, a 
 blessing upon the rest of my time ; and the week 
 8 
 
86 
 
 that hath been so begun, hath been blessed and 
 prosperous to me ; and, on the other side, when 
 I have been negligent of the duties of this day, 
 the rest of the week has been unsuccessful and 
 unhappy to my own secular employments ; so 
 that I could easily make an estimate of my suc- 
 cesses the week following, by the manner of my 
 passing of this day : and this I do not write light- 
 ly or inconsiderately, but upon a long and sound 
 observation and experience." 
 
 It is said of the pious and learned Mr. Gouge, 
 that as he forbore providing suppers on the eve 
 before the Sabbath, that servants might not be 
 kept up too late, so he would never suffer any 
 servant to tarry at home to dress any meat on 
 the Lord's day for any friends, whether they were 
 mean or great, few or many. 
 
 A girl of only eight years of age, seemed al- 
 ways much impressed by what she heard at school, 
 and often rehearsed it to her mother after she 
 came home. One evening, the teacher had been 
 speaking against the evil of Sabbath profanation, 
 and little M returned as usual, deeply affect- 
 ed by the teacher's remarks. In order to see if 
 she still recollected this subject, her mother re- 
 quested her one Sabbath morning, a short time 
 afterwards, to go to the well and fetch some wa- 
 ter. She looked her mother in the face, and re- 
 plied with tears, " But God will see me, mother j 
 for he sees and knows all that we do. Have you 
 forgotten what we heard in school about the evil 
 of breaking the Sabbath; I will rise early to- 
 morrow morning, and bring you as much water 
 as you please." 
 
87 
 
 Q,. 59. Which day of the seven hath God appointed 
 to be the weekly Sabbath ? 
 
 A. From the beginning of the world to the resurrec- 
 tion of Christ, God appointed the seventh day of the 
 week to be the weekly Sabbath ; and the first day of the 
 week, ever since, to continue to the end of the world, 
 which is the Christian Sabbath. 
 
 Mr. Phillip Henry used to call the Lord's day, 
 the queen of days, the pearl of the week, and ob- 
 served it accordingly. His common salutation 
 of his family or friends, on the Lord's day in the 
 morning, was that of the primitive Christians ; 
 "the Lord is risen ! he is risen indeed !" making 
 it his chief business on that day, to celebrate the 
 memory of Christ's resurrection ; and he would 
 say sometimes, "Every Lord's day is a true Chris- 
 tian's Easterday." 
 
 On Easter Sunday, the Greek church are ac- 
 customed to perform a solemn service in honor 
 of our Lord's resurrection. On Easter Sunday 
 in 1814, the Emperor of Russia, &c. &c., not 
 being able as usual, to assemble for this purpose 
 in their cathedral, met, with the whole Russian 
 army, in the palace of Louis the XV. at Paris, 
 when the service was performed by seven of the 
 priests. The Emperor kneeled down, as did his 
 80,000 soldiers, and all united in solemn thanks- 
 giving to God for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 
 The French soldiers, and innumerable spectators, 
 though ignorant in a great measure of the inten- 
 tion of the ceremony, were deeply affected with 
 the spectacle, and burst into tears. 
 
 Mr. John Knox, a little before his death, rose 
 out of his bed ; and being asked, " Why he rose, 
 being so sick ?" he answered, " That he had had 
 in the night sweet meditations on the resurrection 
 
88 
 
 of Jesus Christ; and now he would go into the 
 pulpit, and impart to others the comforts he felt 
 in his soul." 
 
 Q,. 60. How is the Sabbath to be sanctified ? 
 
 A. The Sabbath is to be sanctified by a holy resting all 
 that day, even from such worldly employments and re- 
 creations as are lawful on other days; and spending the 
 whole time in the public and private exercises of God's 
 worship, except so much as is to be taken up in the works 
 y of necessity and mercy. 
 
 V A little boy in London, who attended a Sab- 
 •■ bath School, having occasion every Lord's day 
 to go through a certain court, observed a shop 
 always open for the sale of goods. Shocked at 
 such a profanation, he considered whether it was 
 possible for him to do any thing to prevent it. 
 He determined to leave a Tract, on the " Lord's 
 Day," as he passed the shop in the course of the 
 week. He did so ; and on the following Sabbath 
 observed that the shop was shut up. Surprised 
 at this, he stopped, and considered whether this 
 could be the effect of the tract he had left. He 
 ventured to knock gently at the door ; when a 
 woman within, thinking it was a customer, an- 
 swered aloud, " You cannot have any thing ; we 
 don't sell on the Sunday .'" Encouraged by what 
 he had heard, the little boy still begged for ad- 
 mittance ; when the woman recollecting his voice, 
 said, " Come in my dear little fellow ; it was you 
 that left the tract here, against Sabbath-breaking ; 
 and it alarmed me so, that I did not dare to keep 
 my shop open any longer ; and I am determined 
 never to do so again while I live." 
 
 A woman who always used to attend public 
 worship with gceat punctuality, and took care to 
 be always in time, was asked, how it was she 
 
89 
 
 could always come so early ; she answered, very 
 wisely, " That it was part of her religion, not to 
 disturb the religion of others." 
 
 The attention of a servant maid in Edinburgh 
 to the spiritual interest of a little girl committed 
 to her charge, and who died when nine years old, 
 was peculiarly owned of God. The servant was 
 accustomed to attend on the ministry of the late 
 Mr Patison, and the child was permitted to ac- 
 company her. By degrees, the attention of her 
 young charge was so drawn out to the sermons 
 she heard, that the account she gave of many of 
 the precious truths which fell from the lips of that 
 worthy minister of Christ, far exceeded what 
 might'have been expected from her tender years. 
 Happening, one day, in the course of his family 
 visits, to call at the house where the dear child 
 and her maid lodged, during the bathing season, 
 Mr. Patison entered into conversation with her, 
 and from her punctual attendance on public or- 
 dinances, took occasion to ask her if she recol- 
 lected his preaching on Isaiah xl. 11. " He shall 
 feed his flock like a shepherd, he shall gather his 
 lambs with his arms," &c. •' Yes," replied the 
 child, " I remember it very well ; for all the time 
 you were preaching, I was wishing with all my 
 heart, that I were one of Christ's Iambs." " Ah ! 
 my dear," said the good man, not a little affect- 
 ed, " What a happy day would it have been in 
 Bristo-street, had all my hearers been employed 
 in a similar manner !" 
 
 One Lord's day, as a man was passing through 
 
 Haworth on horseback, his horse lost a shoe : he 
 
 applied to a blacksmith, who told him, " That he 
 
 could not shoe a horse on the Lord's day, with- 
 
 8* 
 
90 
 
 out the minister's permission." They went tO' 
 getherto Mr, Grimshawthe minister of the place, 
 and the man satisfying him that he really was in 
 haste, going for a midwife, Mr. Grimshaw per- 
 mitted the blacksmith to shoe the horse, which 
 otherwise he would not have done for double pay. 
 
 Q,. 61. What is forbidden in the fourth commandment? 
 
 A. The fourth commandment forbiddeth the omission 
 or careless performance of the duties required, and the 
 profaning of the day by idleness, or doing that which is 
 in itself sinful, or by unnecessary thoughts, words, or 
 works, about our worldly employments or recreations. 
 
 It was the frequent and almost constant custom 
 of Mr. Grimshaw to leave his church while the 
 psalm was singing, to see if any were absent from 
 worship, and idling their time in the church-yard, 
 the street, or the ale-houses: and many of those 
 whom he so found he would drive into the church 
 before him. " A friend of mine, says Mr. New- 
 ton, " passing a public-house in Haworth, on a 
 Lord's day morning, saw several persons making 
 their escape out of it, some jumping out of the 
 lower windows, and some over a low wall : he 
 was at first alarmed, fearing the house was on fire; 
 but, on inquiring what was the cause of the com- 
 motion, he was told, that they saw the parson 
 coming. They were more afraid of their parson 
 than they were of a justice of peace. His reproofs 
 were so authoritative, and yet so mild and friendly, 
 that the stoutest sinners could not stand before 
 him." 
 
 A minister, observing that some of his people 
 made a practice of coming in very late, and after 
 a considerable part of the serm.on was over, was 
 determined that they should feel the force of 
 
91 
 
 public reproof. One day, therefore, as they en- 
 tered the place of worship at their usual late hour, 
 the minister, addressing his congregation, said, 
 "Bat, my hearers, it is time for us now to con- 
 clude, for here are our friends just come to fetch 
 us home." We may easily conjecture what the 
 parties felt at this curious but pointed address. 
 
 On a Sabbath-day, two sons of a poor widow 
 in Derbyshire, the elder sixteen and the younger 
 thirteen years of age, went to slide on some ice 
 at a short distance from home. Before they left 
 their habitation, they had been requested by their 
 mother to accompany her to the house of God, 
 and, whilst on the ice, were warned of their dan- 
 ger, by a person who passed by and knew the 
 depth of the water. But, alas ! their mothers 
 pious request, and the seasonable warning of their 
 neighbor were both in vain. In a little time the 
 ice gave way ; and, awful to relate ! clasped in 
 each others' arms, they sunk to rise no more ! 
 Thus were these youthful Sabbath-breakers called 
 to stand before the judgment seat of that almighty 
 Being who has said, " Remember the Sabbath- 
 day, to keep it holy." 
 
 In the year 1809, a youth about seventeen years 
 of age, the son of a respectable tradesman in 
 London, went out for the purpose of shooting 
 birds on a hordes day in the afternoon. He had 
 done so more than once before, which coming to 
 the knowledge of his father, he expressly enjoined 
 him never to do the like again. But the lad, 
 disregarding this command, and taking advantage 
 of his father's absence, borrowed a gun from a 
 person in the neighborhood, and went out as 
 
92 
 
 usual. While he was watching the birds, the gun, 
 by some accident, went ofl^ and killed him on the 
 spot. Not returning at the accustomed time, his 
 friends were alarmed ; a search was made, and 
 at length his body was discovered in a barn, in a 
 state too shocking to be described. 
 
 Q,. 62. What are the reasons annexed to the fourth 
 commandment ? 
 
 A. The reasons annexed to the fourth commandment 
 are, God's allowing us six days of the week for our own 
 employments, his challenging a special propriety in the 
 seventh, his own example, and his blessing the Sabbath 
 day. 
 
 ■/'' " I now beg permission," says one of the mis- 
 sionaries, "to relate the simple argument of a 
 pious poor man with a Sabbath-breaker. I had it 
 from the poor old man a few weeks since, in the 
 course of conversation with him, which very much 
 interested me : He is a member of our church at 
 Mattishall. In reasoning with the Sabbath-break- 
 er, he said, 'Suppose now, I had been at work 
 hard all the week, and earned seven shillings; and 
 suppose I met a man, and gave him six shillings 
 out of the seven, what should you say to that?-' 
 • Why, that you were very kind, and that the man 
 ought to be thankful.' ' Well, but suppose he was 
 to knock me down, and rob me of the other shil- 
 ling; what then ?' ' Why, then he would deserve 
 hanging.' 'Well, now, this is your case; thou 
 art the man : God has freely given you six days 
 to work in, and earn your bread, and the seventh 
 he has kept for himself, and commands us to keep 
 it holy; but you, not sntisfied with the six days 
 God has given, rob him of the seventh; what 
 then do you deserve?' The man was silenced." 
 An old man who lived on the Jura mountain in 
 
93 
 
 Switzerland, where the winter is very long and 
 the summer very short, and where it is of great 
 consequence to preserve their hay, and put it up 
 in good order ; because, if they run out, their 
 cattle must starve, as the snow lies so long and so 
 deep, they cannot go to their neighbors and get 
 any, even if they had sufficient to spare. This 
 man had the love of Jesu? and the fear of God in 
 his heart, and kept the Lord's day as the Lord 
 commands his people to keep it. One Lord's 
 day, when the hay was just in the finest order for 
 putting up, his sons came to him and proposed to 
 him to go and put up the hay : but he said, " Not 
 so, my sons; this is the Lord^s day." However, 
 his sons were tempted by the value of the hay, 
 and the fineness of the weather, to prepare them- 
 selves for work ; but the moment they put their 
 forks into it, a storm broke over their heads, and 
 the rain poured upon them in torrents — one of 
 the most violent storms they ever had — and the 
 hay was completely destroyed. The old man ad- 
 dressed his sons : " Thou shalt do no work on the 
 Sabbath-day. Six days shalt thou labor and do 
 all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of 
 the Lord thy God ; in it thou shalt not do any 
 work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy 
 man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, 
 nor the stranger that is within thy gates. My 
 sons," continued the old man, "yow have done a 
 ivork to save your hay, and the rain has destroyed 
 it. Learn from this to respect the commandments 
 of the Lord." His sons never forgot this lesson ; 
 and they never again did common work on the 
 Lord's day. 
 
 On a Lord's day, at the time of the great frost 
 
94 
 
 in the year 1634, fourteen young- men were play- 
 ing at football, on the river Trent, near Gains- 
 borough : while thus engaged, in the open viola- 
 tion of God's command, they met together in a 
 scuffle ; the ice suddenly broke, and they were 
 all drowned ! 
 
 When a minister of the gospel was spending a 
 few weeks in Edinburgh, there came, on business, 
 to the house where he was, a man of the world — 
 one ofthose modern scoffers who are so constantly 
 fulfilling Peter's prediction, 2 Peter iii. •^. He 
 was introduced to the preacher in the following 
 
 manner: "This is Mr. , an acquaintance of 
 
 mine, and I am sorry to add, though young and 
 healthy, never attends public worship." " I am 
 almost tempted to hope," replied the minister, 
 •' that you are bearing false witness against your 
 neighbor." " By no means," said the infidel, 
 "for I always spend my Sunday in settling ac- 
 counts." The minister immediately replied, 
 " You will find, sir, that the day of judgment will 
 be spent in exactly the same manner." 
 
 Q,, 63. Which is the fifth commandment? 
 
 A. The fifth commandment is, Honor thy father and 
 thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land 
 which the Lord thy God giveth thee. 
 
 Q,. 64. What is required in the fifth commandment? 
 
 A. The fifth commandment requireth the preserving 
 the honor, and performing the duties, belonging to every 
 one in their several places and relations, as superiors, in- 
 feriors, or equals. 
 
 The judicious Hooker used to say, " If I had no 
 other reason and motive for being religious, I 
 would earnestly strive to be so for the sake of 
 my aged mother, that I might requite her care of 
 me, and cause the widow's heart to sing for joy." 
 
95 
 
 The danger occasioned by an awful eruption 
 of Mount Etna, many years since, obliged the 
 inhabitants of the adjacent country to flee in every 
 direction for safety. Amidst the hurry and con- 
 fusion of this scene, every one carrying away 
 whatever he deemed most precious, two sons, the 
 one named Anaphias, the other Ampkonimus, in 
 the height of their solicitude for the preservation 
 of their wealth and goods, recollected their father 
 and mother, vi^ho, being both very old, were 
 unable to save themselves by flight. Filial ten-- 
 derness overcame every other consideration : — ■ 
 " Where," exclaimed the generous youths, " shall 
 we find a more precious treasure than our pa- 
 rents ?" This said, the one took up his father on 
 his shoulders, the other his mother, and so made 
 their way through the surrounding smoke and 
 flames. 
 
 A little boy about seven years old, was on a 
 visit to a lady, who was very fond of him. Al- 
 thoughjhe was a great way from home, he behaved 
 very well, and endeavored to do every thing 
 that he thought would have pleased his parents 
 had they been present. One day, at breakfast, 
 there was some hot bread upon the table, and it 
 was handed to him ; but he refused to take it. 
 " Do you not like hot bread ?" said the lady. 
 " Yes," replied he, " I am very fond of it." 
 " Then, my dear, why do you not take some ?" 
 •' Because my papa does not approve of my eating 
 hot bread " I suppose that his father thought, as 
 most people think, that hot bread is not wholesome. 
 " But your father," said the lady " is a great way 
 off, and will not know whether you eat it or not. 
 
96 
 
 You may indulge yourself for once. There will be 
 no harm in that." "No, I willnot disobey my fath- 
 er and mother. I must do what they have told me 
 to do, though they are a great way ofT I would 
 not touch the roll, if I were sure nobody would see 
 me, I myself would know it : and that would be 
 sufficient." When the lady found him so reso- 
 lute in doing what was right, she was pleased 
 with him, and commended him : and, no doubt, 
 he felt much happier, in his own mind, than he 
 would have done if he had eaten the hot roll. 
 
 Frederick II. king of Prussia, made it a point 
 to return every mark of respect or civility shown 
 to him in the street by those who met him. He 
 one day observed at table that, whenever he rode 
 through the streets of Berlin, his hat was always 
 in his hand. Baron Pollnitz, who was present^ 
 said, " That his majesty had no occasion to notice 
 the civility of every one who pulled his hat ofT 
 to him in the streets." " And why not," said the 
 king in a lively tone, "are they not all human 
 beings as well as myself." 
 
 Q,. 65. What is forbidden in the fifth commandment ? 
 
 A. The fifth commandment forbiddeth the neglecting 
 of, or doing any thing against, the honor and duty 
 which belongeth to every one in their several places and 
 relations. 
 
 An amiable youth was lamenting, in terms of 
 the sincerest grief, the death of a most affection- 
 ate parent. His companion endeavored to con- 
 sole him, by the reflection, that he had always be- 
 haved to the deceased with duty, tenderness, and 
 respect. So I thought, replied the youth, " whilst 
 my parent was living: but now I recollect with 
 pain and sorrow many instances of disobedience 
 
97 
 
 and neglect, for which, alas ! it is too late to make 
 atonement." 
 
 There was lately a man who had an only son, 
 to whom he was very kind, and gave every thing 
 that he had. When his son grew up and gx)t a 
 house, he was very unkind to his poor old father, 
 whom he refused to support, and turned out of 
 the house. The old man said to his grandson, 
 " Go and fetch the covering from my bed, that I 
 may go and sit by the way-side and beg," The 
 child burst into tears, and ran for the covering. 
 He met his father, to whom he said, " lam going 
 to fetch the rug from my grandfather's bed, that 
 he may wrap it round him, and go a-begging ?" 
 Tommy went for the rug, and brought it to his 
 father, and said to him, " Pray, father, cut it in 
 two, the half of it will be large enough for grand- 
 father, and perhaps you may want the other half 
 when I grow a man and turn you out of doors." 
 The words of the child struck him so forcibly, 
 that he immediately ran to his father, and asked 
 forgiveness, and was very kind to him till he died, 
 
 A certain farmer in England had an only son, 
 to whom he was greatly attached, and never 
 could think of chastising him for his faults. 
 When he arrived at the age of twelve years, he 
 bade adieu to his father's house, and went with a 
 band of gypsies. For nearly twenty years he was 
 never heard of It happened, however, that the 
 old man was under the necessity of taking a jour- 
 ney a considerable way, with a large sum of money. 
 He had to pass a wood, and as he went on, a man 
 rushed from it, seized his horse, and demand- 
 ed his money. The old man remonstrated with 
 9 
 
98 
 
 him. He would not hear, but again demanded 
 his money. Most reluctantly he gave it up. 
 The robber gazing at him, said, " Do you know 
 me?" " No," said the old man. " Do you not 
 know me ?" he repeated. " No, I do not know 
 you." " Well," said the robber, " I am your 
 son!" and, returning his money, added, "Had 
 you corrected me when young, I might have 
 been a comfort to you ; but now I am a disgrace 
 to you, and a pest to society !" 
 
 The Rev. Mr. Berridge being once visited by 
 a loquacious young lady, who, forgetting the mo- 
 desty of her sex, and the superior gravity of an 
 aged divine, engrossed all the conversation of the 
 interview with small talk concerning herself 
 When she rose to retire, he said, " Madam, be- 
 fore you withdraw, I have one piece of advice to 
 give you ; and that is, When you go into com. 
 pany again, after you have talked half an hour 
 without intermission, I recommend it to you to 
 stop a while, and see if any other of the company 
 has any thing to say." 
 
 Once, at a meeting of ministers, a question was 
 started to be debated among them. Upon the 
 first proposal of it, a confident young man shoots 
 his bolt presently. " i'ruly,'' said he, " I hold 
 it so." " You hold, sir," answered a grave min- 
 ister, " it becomes you to hold your tongue." 
 
 Q,. 66. What is the reason annexed to the fiftli com- 
 mandment ? 
 
 A. The reason annexed to the fifth commandment is, 
 a promise of long hfe and prosperity (as far as it shall 
 serve for God's glory and their own good) to all such as 
 keep this commandment. 
 
 Frederic, the latekingof Prussia, having rung 
 
99 
 
 his bell one day, and nobody answering-, opened 
 the door, and found the page in waiting, asleep 
 on a sofa. He was just going to awake him 
 when he perceived the end of a paper out of his 
 pocket, on which something was written ; this 
 excited his curiosity ; he pulled it out, and found 
 it to be a letter from the mother of the page, 
 thanking him for having sent her a part of his 
 wages, which had proved a very timely asssistance 
 to her, and, in conclusion, beseeching God to 
 bless him for his filial duty. The king stepped 
 softly to his room, took a roleau of ducats, and 
 slipped them with the letter into the page's pocket. 
 Returning to his apartment, he rang so violently, 
 that the page awoke, opened the door, and en- 
 tered. " You have been asleep," said the king. 
 The page attempted to excuse himself; and in 
 his embarrassment, happening to put his hand 
 into his pocket, felt with astonishment the ro- 
 leau. He drew it out, turned pale, and looking 
 at the king, burst into tears, without being able 
 to speak a word. " What is the matter ?" said 
 the king, "what ails you?" "Ah! sire," said 
 the young man, throwing himself at his majesty's 
 feet, "somebody wishes to ruin me; I know not 
 how I came by this money in my pocket." 
 "What God bestows," resumed the king, "he 
 bestows in sleep ;* send the money to your moth- 
 er ; salute her in my name, and assure her, that 
 I shall take care of both her and you." 
 
 A clergyman, who is now fulfilling the duties 
 of his office with faithfulness and punctuality, 
 was asked, when examined for orders by the 
 
 * A German proverb. 
 
100 
 
 bishop's chaplain, whether he had made divinity 
 his study 1 he replied, that he had noi particularly 
 studied it; "but," said he, "my mother taught 
 me the scriptures." " Ah !" said the chaplain, 
 •'mothers can do great things!" The young 
 man was examined with respect to the extent of 
 his knowledge, waS approved, ordained, and desi- 
 red to preach before the bishop. The excellent 
 mother alluded to, in writing to another of her 
 sons, on the birth of his eldest child, says, " Give 
 him an education that his life may be useful — 
 teach him religion that his death may be happy ?" 
 
 Philip Henry, speaking once of a wicked son 
 in the neighborhood, that was very undutiful to 
 his mother, charged some of his children to ob- 
 serve the providence of God concerning him; 
 perhaps, saith he, I may not live to see it, but, do 
 you take notice, whether God do not come upon 
 him, with some remarkable judgment in this life, 
 according to the threatening implied in the rea- 
 son annexed to the fifth commandment ; but he 
 himself lived to see it fulfilled not long after in a 
 very signal providence. 
 
 *' Some time ago," says one, " I met with a 
 little boy of a most interesting character. He 
 was happet aneath his grey plaid, in the bield of 
 a green rash bush. He had been reading; for 
 when I came up, he closed a small pocket Bible. 
 I imagined he had been weeping, for his eyes 
 were wet. I inquired after his little history, and 
 where his parents lived. 'My father and mither 
 are baith dead,' said he, 'an' I ha'e nea body to 
 leuk to me but my maister and mistress, but they 
 are unco kind to me. Yonder the place where 
 my father stay'd ; it gars me aye greet when I leuk 
 
101 
 
 at it. That was my father's Bible ; there the 
 psalm (referring to the 12th) they sung that nicht 
 he de'ed. I'm aye vex't when I read the psalms ; 
 I us'd to say them to my father on the Sabbath 
 nichts, when he teJl't me an' my wee brithers he 
 was soon gaim to d'e, an' gar't us aye fa' to the 
 greetin', but he bade us dight our een, an' no 
 greet; for if we saught the Almighty, he wad be 
 a father to us when he was dead and gane.' " 
 
 Q,. 67. Which is the sixth commandment ? 
 A. The sixth commandment is, Thou shall not kill. 
 Q,. 68. What is required in the sixth commandment ? 
 A. The sixth commandment requireth all lawful en- 
 deavors to preserve our owu life, and the life of others. 
 
 Sir Theodore Mayem, on his death-bed, gave 
 this advice to a noble friend that asked his coun- 
 sel for the preservation of heahh, — "Be mode- 
 rate in your diet, use much exercise, and little 
 physic." 
 
 "A meek man," says Mr. Henry, "escapes 
 many of those perplexities, those woes, and sor- 
 rows, and wounds without cause, which he that 
 is passionate, provoking, and revengeful, brings 
 upon his own head." An instance of this he 
 mentions, taken from Mr. Baxter's book on Pa- 
 tience , " Once as the author was going along 
 the streets of London, a hectoring rude fellow 
 jostled him : he went on his way, and took no 
 notice of it ; but the same man, affronting the 
 next person he met, in a similar manner, he drew 
 his sword, and demanded satisfaction, on which 
 mischief ensued." 
 
 A certain person, being on a jury in a trial of 
 life and death, he was completely satisfied of the 
 innocence of the prisoner ; all the other eleven 
 9* 
 
102 
 
 were of the opposite opinion ; but he was resol- 
 ved, that a verdict of guilty should not be brought 
 in. In the first place, he spent several hours in 
 trying to convince them; but found that he 
 made no impression, and that he was exhausting 
 the strength which was to be reserved for another 
 mode of operation. He therefore, calmly told 
 them it should now be a trial who could endure 
 confinement and famine the longest, and that 
 they might be quite assured he would sooner die 
 than release them at the expense of the priso- 
 ner's life. In this situation they spent about 
 twenty-four hours, when, at length, they all ac- 
 ceded to his verdict of acquittal. 
 •^ The Romans had a law, that no person should 
 
 approach the emperor's tent in the night, upon 
 pain of death; but it once happened, that a sol- 
 dier was found in that situation, with a petition 
 in his hand, waiting for an opportunity of present- 
 ing it. He was apprehended, and going to be 
 immediately executed ; but the emperor having 
 overheard the matter in his pavilion, cried aloud, 
 saying, " if the petition be for himself, let him die, 
 if for another spare his life." Upon inquiry, it 
 was found that the generous soldier prayed for 
 the lives of his two comrades who had been taken 
 asleep on the watch. The emperor nobly forgave 
 them all. 
 
 Q. 69. What is forbidden in the sixth commandment ? 
 
 A» The sixth commandment forbiddeth the taking away 
 of our own life, or the life of our neighbor unjustly, or 
 whatsoever tendeth thereunto. 
 
 It is recorded of John Dod, that one night, 
 very late, he felt strongly moved to visit a gentle- 
 man of his acquaintance, who lived at some dis- 
 tance. Not knowing what might be the design 
 
lOS 
 
 of Providence in this, he went. Having come to 
 the house and knocked at the door, the gentleman 
 himself opened it; to whom Mr. Dod said, •' I am 
 come to you ; I know not why myself, but I was 
 restless in my spirit till I had done it." The gen- 
 tleman replied, " You know not why you came; 
 but God knew why he sent you." On which he 
 pulled out the halter with which he intended to 
 take away his own life, which by this means was 
 happily prevented. 
 
 A gentleman, who was very ill, sending for the 
 late Dr. Lake, told him that he found he must 
 die, and gave him the following account of the 
 cause of his death. He had about a fortnight 
 before been riding over Hounslow-heath, where 
 several boys were playing at cricket. One of 
 them, striking the ball, hit him just on the toe 
 with it, looked him in the face, and ran away. 
 His toe pained him extremely. As soon as he 
 came to Brentford, he sent for a surgeon, who 
 was for cutting it off. But unwilling to suffer that, 
 he went onto London. When he arrived there, 
 he immediately called another surgeon to examine 
 it, who told him his foot must be cut off But 
 neither would he hear of this ; and so, before the 
 next day, the mortification seized his leg, and in 
 a day or two more struck up into his body. Dr. 
 Lake asked him, whether he knew the boy that 
 struck the ball % he answered, " About ten years 
 ago, I was riding over Hounslow-heath, where an 
 old man ran by my horse's side, begged me to 
 relieve him, and, said he was almost famished. I 
 bade him be gone. He kept up with me still; 
 upon which I threatened to beat him. Finding 
 that he took no notice of this, I drew my sword, 
 
104 
 
 and with one blow killed him. A boy about four 
 years old who was with him screamed out, ' His 
 father was killed !' His face I perfectly remem- 
 ber. That hoy it was who struck the ball against 
 me, which is the cause of my deathJ^ 
 
 Alexander the Great having invited several of 
 his friends and general officers to supper, pro- 
 posed a crown as a reward for him who should 
 drink most. He who conquered on this occasion 
 was Promachus, who swallowed fourteen mea- 
 sures of wine, that is eighteen or twenty pints. 
 After receiving the prize, which was a crown 
 worth a talent, i. e. about a thousand crowns, he 
 survived his victory only three days. Of the rest 
 of the guests, forty died of their intemperate drink- 
 ing. " The end of these things is death." 
 
 Q,. 70. Which is the seventh commandment ? 
 
 A. The seventh commandment is, Thou shall not com- 
 mit adultery. 
 
 Q,. 71. What is required in the seventh command- 
 ment ? 
 
 A. The seventh commandment requireth the preserva- 
 tion of our own and our neighbor's chastity, in heart, 
 speech, and behavior. 
 
 Alexander the Great, having defeated Darius 
 king of Persia, the wife and daughters of Darius, 
 who were women of remarkable beauty, were 
 taken captive. Though it was but too common 
 to use female captives with indecency, Alexander 
 strictly avoided everything in his conduct towards 
 them that would have given them cause to suspect 
 any danger to their honor ; and no doubt, think- 
 ing it was more glorious and worthy of a king, 
 to conquer himself, than to subdue his enemies, 
 he never approached any of them, but permitted 
 them to live unseen in the greatest privacy. 
 
105 
 
 Mr. Newton, as a commander of a slave ship, 
 had a number of women under his absolute com- 
 mand ; and knowing the danger of his situation 
 on that account, he resolved to abstain from flesh 
 in his food, and to drink nothing stronger than 
 water durin g the voyage ; that by abstemiousness 
 he might subdue every improper emotion. Upon 
 his setting sail, the sight of a certain point of land, 
 was the signal for his beginning a rule which he 
 was enabled to keep. 
 
 Dr. Hugh Latimer, one of the primitive re- 
 formers, was made Bishop of Worcester in the 
 rei o-n of Henry VIII. It was the custom of those 
 times for each of the bishops to make presents to 
 the king on new-year's day. Bishop Latimer 
 went with the rest of his brethren, to make the 
 usual offering ; but instead of a purse of gold, 
 he presented the king with a New Testament, in 
 which was a leaf doubled down to this passage: 
 *' Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." 
 
 Q. 72. What is forbidden in the seventh command- 
 ment ? 
 
 A. The seventh commandment forbiddeth all unchaste 
 thoughts, words, and actions. 
 
 A lady of suspected chastity, and who was 
 tinctured with infidel principles, conversing with 
 a minister of the gospel, objected to the Scrip- 
 tures on account of their obscurity, and the great 
 difficulty of understanding them. The minister 
 wisely and smartly replied. — "Why, madam, 
 what can be easier to understand than the seventh 
 commandment. Thou shall not commit adultery^ 
 
 Anthony William Boehm, a German divine, 
 once preached from Exod. xx. 1 4. " Thou shalt 
 not commit adultery." A Chevalier, who was 
 
106 
 
 one of his hearers, felt himself so much offended 
 and insulted, that he challenged Boehm to fight 
 a duel, because he thought his sermon designed 
 entirely to offend him. Boehm accepted the 
 challenge, and appeared in his robes, but instead 
 of a pistol, he had the Bible in his hand, and 
 spoke to him in the following manner : " I am 
 sorry you were so much offended when I preach- 
 ed against that destructive vice ; at the time I 
 did not even think of you : here I appear with the 
 sword of the Spirit, and if your conscience con- 
 demns you, I beseech you for your own salvation, 
 to repent of your sins, and lead a new life. If 
 you will, thei) fire at me immediately: for I would 
 willingly lose my life, if that might be the means 
 of saving your soul." The chevalier was so struck 
 with this language, that he embraced him, and 
 solicited his friendship. 
 
 It is said that Henry the Great of France, took 
 much pleasure in conversing with an honest and 
 religious man of low situation in life, who used 
 great freedom with his majesty. One day, he said 
 to the king, "sire, I always take your part when 
 I hear any man speaking evil of you ; I know that 
 you excel in justice and generosity, and that many 
 worthy things have been done by you. But you 
 have one vice for which God will condemn you 
 if you. do not repent, I mean the unlawful love of 
 women." The king, it is said, was too magnani- 
 mous to resent this reproof, but he long felt it like 
 an arrow in his bosom ; and sometimes said, that 
 the most eloquent discourses of the doctors of the 
 Sorbonne had never made such an impression on 
 his soul, as this honest reproof from his humble 
 friend. 
 
107 
 
 Q,. 73. Which is the eighth commandment ? 
 
 A. The eighth commandment is, Thou shalt not steal? 
 
 Q,. 74. What is required in the eighth commandment? 
 
 A. The eighth commandment requireth the lawful pro- 
 curing and furthering the wealth and outward estate of 
 ourselves and others. 
 
 Two persons who were employed in collect- 
 ing money for some public charity, knocked at the 
 door of a certain gentleman, intending to solicit 
 his donation. While waiting there, they over- 
 heard the master of the house severely reproving 
 his servant, for the waste of a small piece of can- 
 dle. Judging from this appearance of extreme 
 parsimonj^ that he was a covetous man, one of 
 them proposed that they should lose no more time 
 in waiting there, but go on to the next house : the 
 other person, however, thought it best to stay. 
 At length they were introduced, when the gen- 
 tleman, having read their case, immediately pre- 
 sented them with five guineas. The collectors, 
 so agreeably disappointed, could not conceal their 
 surprise ; which, being observed by the donor, he 
 desired to know why they expressed so much won- 
 der at the gift. " The reason, sir," said one of 
 them, " is this : we happened to hear you se- 
 verely blaming your servant for losing an inch of 
 candle, and expected nothing from a person who, 
 we feared, was so parsimonious." " Gentlemen," 
 replied he, " it is true, I am very exact in the 
 economy of my affairs: I cannot endure the 
 waste of any thing, however small its value; 
 and I do this, that I may save out of a moderate 
 income, something to give to God and religion." 
 
 A nobleman, lately travelling in Scotland, was 
 asked for alms, in the High street of Edinburgh, 
 by a little ragged boy : he said he had no change j 
 
Ids 
 
 upon which the boy offered to procure it. His 
 lordship, in order to get rid of his importunity, 
 gave him a piece of silver, which the boy conceiv- 
 ing was to be changed, ran off for the purpose. 
 On his return, not finding his benefactor, who he 
 expected would have waited ; he watched for seve- 
 ral days in the place where he had received the 
 money, pursuing his occupation. At length the 
 nobleman happened again to pass that way ; he 
 accosted him, and put the change he had procured 
 into his hand, counting it with great exactness. 
 His lordship was so pleased with the boy's honesty, 
 that he placed him at school and designed to do 
 for him. 
 
 Some years ago, resided in a country village, a 
 poor but worthy clergyman, w^ho, with the small 
 stipend of 40/. per annum, supported himself, a 
 wife, and seven children. At one time walking and 
 meditating in the fields in much distress, from the 
 narrowness of his circumstances, he stumbled on 
 a purse of gold. Looking round in vain to find 
 its owner, he carried it home to his wife ; who 
 advised him to employ it, at least a part of it, in 
 extricating them from their present difficulty ; but 
 he conscientiously refused, until he had used his 
 utmost endeavors to find out the former pro- 
 prietor, assuring her, that honesty is always the 
 best policy. After a short time, it was owned by 
 A gentleman, who lived at some little distance, to 
 whom the clergyman returned it, with no other 
 reward than thanks. On the good man's return, 
 his wife could not help reproaching the gentle- 
 man with ingratitude, and censuring the over- 
 scrupulous honesty of her husband ; but he only 
 replied as before, honesty is the best policy. A 
 
 1 
 
109 
 
 few months after this, the curate received an in- 
 vitation to dine with the gentleman, who, after 
 hospitably entertaining him, gave him the presen- 
 tation to a living of 300Z. per annum, to which 
 he added, a bill of 501. for his present necessities. 
 The curate, after making suitable acknowledge- 
 ments to his benefactor, returned with joy to his 
 wife and family, acquainting them with the happy 
 change in his circumstances : and adding, that 
 he hoped she would now be convinced that 
 honesty was the best policy ; to which she readily 
 assented. 
 
 Q,. 75. What is forbidden in the eighth commandment ? 
 
 A. The eighth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever 
 doth or may unjustly hinder our own or our neighbor's 
 wealth or outward estate. 
 
 A gentleman in Surrey, some years ago, held a 
 farm worth 200/. a-year in his own hands, till he 
 was obliged to sell half of it to pay his debts, and 
 let the other half to a farmer, on a lease of 21 years. 
 After a while, the farmer wanted to buy the land. 
 "How is this," said the gentleman, "that I could 
 not live upon the farm, being my own, while you 
 have paid rent, and yet are able to purchase it?" 
 " O," said the farmer, "two words make all the 
 difference : you said go, and I say come ; you lay 
 in bed, or took your pleasure, and sent others about 
 your business ; and I rise betimes, and see my 
 business done myself." 
 
 One of^ the catechists of a Sabbath school 
 going to visit a boy who had been absent, heard 
 the following story related by his mother ; " O mo- 
 ther !" exclaimed the boy, as he entered the house 
 one day, "something has killed all my rabbits." 
 Without giving his mother time to reply, he con- 
 10 
 
110 
 
 tinned, " It is a judgment of God come upon me for 
 stealing meat for them ; but," said he, " I am glad 
 that I have none left, for ihey would have been a 
 temptation to make me steal again." 
 
 Mr. Samuel Fairclough,at thirteen years ofage, 
 hearing his godfather, Mr, Samuel Ward, preach- 
 ing on restitution, from the instance of Zaccheus, 
 and often repeating, that the sin vv^as not forgiven 
 unless what was taken was restored, was so 
 touched with remorse for the robbing of an or- 
 chard, that, after a restless night, he went to a 
 companion of his, who was guilty of the same 
 crime, and told him that he was going to Mr. Jude, 
 the owner, to carry him twelve pence for his 
 three-pennyworth of pears, of which he had wrong- 
 ed him. His companion, fearing whipping from 
 his master, answered, " Thou talkest like a fool, 
 Sam, for God will forgive us ten times sooner than 
 old Jude will forgive us once." But Sam, being 
 of another mind, went to Jude's house, confessed 
 the injury, and offered the money. Jude par- 
 doned him ; but would take no money. This 
 grieved him more ; upon which he made ap- 
 plication to his spiritual father, Mr. Ward, and 
 opened to him the whole state of his mind, who 
 received and treated him with great kindness and 
 attention. 
 
 Mr. Boston states in his memoirs, that having 
 been employed, when a young man, for some time, 
 by a notary, his employer failed to pay him for 
 his services. Seeing a neglected book lying iti 
 the notary's chamber, he secretly took it away, 
 thinking he might lawfully use this method of pay- 
 ing himself; but on farther reflection, he viewed 
 
Ill 
 
 his conduct as sinful, and inconsistent with strict 
 justice. Impressed with this conviction, he re- 
 placed the book with the same secresy in which 
 he had taken it away. An amiable instance of that 
 tenderness of conscience for which the venerable 
 man was remarkable. 
 
 Q,. 76. Which is the ninth commandment ? 
 
 A. The ninth commandment is, Thou shalt not bear 
 false witness against thy neighbor. 
 
 Q,. 77. What is required in the ninth commandment? 
 
 A. The ninth commandment requireth the maintaining 
 and promoting of truth between man and man, and of our 
 own and our neighbor's good name, especially in witness- 
 bearing. 
 
 Petrarch, a celebrated Italian poet who flourish- 
 ed 400 years ago, recommended himself to the 
 confidence and affection of Cardinal Colonna, in 
 whose family he resided, by his candor and strict 
 regard to truth. A violent quarrel having occur- 
 red in Cardinal Colonna's household, the Car- 
 dinal, wishing to decide with justice, assembled 
 all his people, and obliged them to bind themselvr-o 
 by a solemn oath on the gospels to declare the 
 whole truth. Every one, without exception, sub- 
 mitted to this determination, even the Cardinal's 
 brother, bishop of Luna, was not excused. Pe- 
 trarch, in his turn, presented himself to take the 
 oath : the Cardinal closed the book, and said, "As 
 to you, Petrarch, your word is svfficient.^^ 
 
 \ When the late president of the United States 
 ^ of America was about six years of age, some one 
 made him a present of a hatchet. Highly pleased 
 with his weapon, he went about chopping every 
 thing that came in his way ; and going into the 
 garden, he unluckily tried its edge on an English 
 cherry-tree, stripping it of its bayk, aod leaving 
 
112 
 
 little hope of its recovery. The next morning-, 
 when his father saw the tree, which was a great 
 favorite, he inquired who had done the mischief, 
 declaring he would not have taken five guineas 
 for it ; but no one could inform him of the offender. 
 At length, however, came George, with the 
 hatchet in his hand, into the place where the 
 father was, who immediately suspected him to be 
 the culprit. " George," said the old gentleman, 
 "do you know who killed that beautiful little 
 cherry-tree yonder in the garden ?" The child 
 hesitated for a moment, and then nobly said, '• / 
 cannot tell a lie, papa, — you know I cannot tell a 
 lie. — I^did cut it with the hatchet!" "Run to 
 my arms ! Glad am I, George, that you have kill- 
 ed my tree — you have paid me for it a thousand 
 fold ! Such an act of heroism in my son is of more 
 worth than a thousand cherry-trees, though blos- 
 somed with silver, and their fruits of gold." 
 
 Not many years ago, a man waited on a magis- 
 trate near Hitchen, in the county of Hertford, and 
 informed him that he had been stopped by a young 
 gentleman in Hitchen, who had knocked him 
 down, and searched his pockets : but not finding 
 any thing, he suffered him to depart. The ma- 
 gistrate, astonished at this piece of intelligence, 
 despatched a messenger to the young gentleman, 
 ordering him to appear immediately, and answer 
 to the charge exhibited against him. The youth 
 obeyed the summons, accompanied by his guar- 
 dian and an intimate friend. Upon their arrival 
 at the seat of justice, the accused and the accuser 
 were confronted ; when the magistrate hinted to 
 the man, he was afraid he had made the charge 
 with no other view than that of extorting money, 
 
113 
 
 and bade him take care how he proceeded ; exhort- 
 ing him in the most earnest and pathetic manner, 
 to beware of the dreadful train of consequences at- 
 tending perjury. The man insisted upon making 
 oath to what he had advanced; the oath^as ac- 
 cordingly administered and the business fully inves- 
 tigated, when the innocence of the young gentle- 
 man was established by the most incontrovertible 
 evidence. The infamous wretch finding his inten- 
 tions thus frustrated, returned home much chagrin- 
 ed ; and meeting soon afterwards with one of his 
 neighbors, he declared he had not sworn to noth- 
 ing but thetruth, calling God to witness the same in 
 the most solemn manner, and wished, if it was not 
 as he had said, his jaws might be locked, and that 
 his flesh might rot upon his bones ; when, terri- 
 ble to relate ! his jaws were instantly arrested, 
 and the use of the faculty he had so awfully per- 
 verted was denied him for ever ! and, after lin- 
 gering nearly a fortnight, he expired in the great- 
 est agonies, his flesh literally rotting upon his 
 bones ! 
 
 Q,. 78. What is forbidden in Ihe nindi commandment? 
 
 A. The ninth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever is 
 prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own or our 
 jieighbors good name. 
 
 " It was but the other night,'' says a pious gen- 
 tleman, "that I wandered across the bleak and 
 barren mountains, at the foot of which stands the 
 little cottage where I was born : and, O delight- 
 ful thought, born again ! Yes, it was at that 
 humble spot, that I first tasted the bitter cup of 
 true repentance, and drank of the spring of peace, 
 purity and joy : the remembrance of which often 
 iills my eyes with tears, and my heart with rap- 
 10* 
 
ture. Seeing a cottage at a distance, I walked 
 up to it, entered, and told the inmates the cause 
 of my being there. I was most kindly received. 
 Seven sweet children were stationed round the 
 homelji board : yet, sadness seemed to prevade 
 the whole circle. On asking the cause, the mo- 
 ther informed me, that one of the children had 
 been telling a falsehood; upon this a little girl 
 was instantly covered with blushes, and a tear 
 gtarted from her eye. ' Robert,' said the father, 
 'bring the Bible, and show your sister who it is 
 ghe has offended.' The little boy, younger than 
 herself, read the ninth commandment, and the 
 first eleven verses of the fifth chapter of the Acts . 
 This being done, every member of the family 
 JDrought a proof from Scripture of the sin and 
 danger of lying. The father, then, with much af- 
 fection, showed them that this was as offensive to 
 God now, as it was when he struck Ananias and 
 Sapphira dead ; and that it was of the Lord's mer- 
 cies we were not consumed. He then sung the 
 the 5 1st psalm, read a portion of the word of God, 
 frequently making pious and solemn observations 
 as he went along, and afterwards prayed with his 
 children most devoutly. On rising from prayer, 
 the offending girl wept bitterly. She approached 
 her father with pensive looks, begged him to 
 forgive the offence, and withdrew, that she might 
 pray alone to God for his forgiveness. I was of 
 course highly gratified. I returned home under 
 the deep impression of the awfulness of the sin 
 of lying ; and could not help wishing that all 
 parents would correct their children in a similar 
 >vay, whenever they offended in a similar manner." 
 
 One day there happened ^ tremendous storm 
 
115 
 
 of lightning and thunder, as Archbishop Leighton 
 was going from Glasgow to Dunblane. He was 
 descried, when at a distance, by two men of bad 
 character. They had not courage to rob him : 
 but wishing to fall on some method of extorting 
 money from him, one said, " I will lie dovm by the 
 way-side as if 1 were dead, and you shall inform 
 the archbishop, that I was killed by the lightning, 
 and beg money of him to bury me." When the 
 archbishop arrived at the spot, the wicked wretch 
 told him the fabricated story. He sympathised 
 with the survivor, gave him money, and proceed- 
 ed on his journey. But when the man returned 
 to his companion, he found him really lifeless ! 
 Immediately he began to exclaim, " Oh ! sir, he 
 is dead ! Oh ! sir, he is dead !" On this the arch- 
 bishop discovering the fraud, left the man with 
 this important reflection, " It is a dangerous thing 
 to trifle with the judgments of God." 
 
 When any one was speaking ill of another in 
 the presence of Peter the Great, he at first listen- 
 ed to him attentively, and then interrupted him. 
 " Is there not," said he, "a fair side also to the 
 character of the person of whom you are speak- 
 ing ? Come, tell me what good qualities you 
 have remarked about him !" 
 
 Q,. 79. Which is the tenth commandment ? 
 
 A. The tenth commandment is, Thou shalt not covet 
 thy neighbor's house, thou shah not covet thy neighbor's 
 wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, 
 nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's. 
 
 Q. 80. What is required in the tenth commandment ? 
 
 A. The tenth commandment requireth full content- 
 ment with our own condition, with a right and charitable 
 frame of spirit toward our neighbor, and al). that is 
 his. 
 
116 
 
 " No doubt," said the late Mr. Brown of Had- 
 dington, '* I have met with trials as well as others ; 
 yet so kind has God been to me, that I think, if 
 God were to give me as many years as I have 
 already lived in the world, I would not desire one 
 single Circumstance in my lot changed, except 
 that I wish I had less sin. It mis^ht be written on 
 my coffin, Here lies one of the cares of provi- 
 dence, who early wanted both father and mother, 
 and yet never missed them." 
 
 An Italian bishop struggled through great 
 difficulties without repining, and met with much 
 opposition, without ever betraying the least im- 
 patience. An intimate friend of his, who highly 
 admired these virtues which bethought impossible 
 to imitate, one day asked the bishop, if he could 
 communicate his secret of being always easy? 
 " Yes," replied the old man, " I can teach you my 
 secret with great facility : it consists in nothing 
 more than making a right use of my eyes." His 
 friend begged him to explain himself " Most 
 willingly," returned the bishop : " in whatever 
 state I am, I first of all look up to Heaven, and 
 remember that my principal business here, is to 
 get there ; I then look down on the earth, and 
 call to mind how small a space I shall occupy in 
 it when I come to be interred ; I then look abroad 
 on the world, and observe what multitudes there 
 are who are in all respects more unhappy than 
 myself Thus I learn where true happiness is 
 placed, where all our cares must end, and how 
 very little reason I have to repine or complain." 
 
 A poor little boy, in the neighborhood of Chat- 
 ham, was bound apprentice to a chimney-sweeper. 
 
117 
 
 Some time afterwards he began to attend the 
 Sabbath school, and there was reason to hope that 
 the instructions he received were made useful to 
 his precious soul. Being one day sent to sweep 
 a chimney, instead of the dismal noise which is 
 usually made on those occasions, he was heard to 
 sing these sweet lines of Doctor Watts : 
 
 " The sorrows of the mind 
 Be banish'd from this place ; 
 
 Religion never was design'd 
 To make our pleasure less." 
 
 What a striking instance of the power of religion 
 on the youthful mind ! it not only promotes sub- 
 mission in a state the most abject, and a calling 
 the most dangerous, but imparts true pleasure 
 even when surrounded with the darkness and soot 
 of a chimney. 
 
 Q,. 81. What is forbidden in the tenth commandment? 
 
 A. The tenth commandment forbiddeth all discontent- 
 ment with our own estate, envying or grieving at the good 
 of our neighbor, and all inordinate motions and aiFections 
 to any thing that is his. 
 
 ^ " When I was a lad," says one, " an old gentle- 
 man took some trouble to teach me some little 
 knowledo-e of the world. With this view I re- 
 member, he once asked me, when a man was rich 
 enough? I replied, when he has a thousand 
 pounds. He said, No. — Two thousand? No. 
 — Ten thousand ? No. — Twenty thousand ? No. 
 — An hundred thousand? which I thought would 
 settle the business; but he still continuing to say 
 No, I gave it up, and confessed I could not tell, 
 but begged he would inform me. He gravely 
 said. When he has a little more than he has, and 
 that is never ! If he acquires one thousand, he 
 wishes to have two thousand ; then five, then ten, 
 
118 
 
 then twenty, then fifty ; from that his riches 
 would amount to a hundred thousand, and so on 
 till he had grasped the whole world ; after which 
 he would look about him, like Alexander, for 
 other worlds to possess." 
 
 A young person once mentioned to Dr. Frank- 
 lin, his surprise, that the possession of great riches 
 should ever be attended with undue solicitude ; 
 and instanced a merchant, who, although in pos- 
 session of unbounded wealth, was as busy, and 
 much more anxious than the most assiduous clerk 
 in his counting-house. The Doctor, in reply, 
 took an apple from the fruit basket, and present- 
 ed it to a child in the room, who could scarcely 
 grasp it in his hand. He then gave it a second, 
 which filled the other hand ; and choosing a third, 
 remarkable for its size and beauty, he presented 
 that also. The child, after many ineffectual at- 
 tempts to hold the three apples, dropped the last 
 on the carpet, and burst into tears. "See there," 
 said he, " is a little man with more riches than he 
 can eqjoy." 
 
 Mutius, a citizen of Rome, was noted to be of 
 so envious and malevolent a disposition, that Pub- 
 lius one day observing him to be very sad, said, 
 "Either some great evil is happened to Mutius, 
 or some great good to another." 
 
 A gentleman was once extolling at an extra- 
 vagant rate, the virtue of honesty ; what a dignity 
 it imparted to our nature; how it recommended 
 us to the Supreme Being. He confirmed all by 
 a celebrated line from Pope, 
 
 " An honest man's the noblest work of God." 
 "Sir," replied one, "however excellent the vir- 
 
119 
 
 tue of honesty may be, I fear there are very few 
 men in the world that really possess it." " You 
 surprise me," said the stranger. " Ignorant as I 
 am of your character, sir, I fancy it would be 
 no difficult matter to prove even you a dishonest 
 man." " I defy you." " Will you give me leave 
 then to ask you a question or two, and promise 
 not to be offended ?" " Ask your questions and 
 welcome." "Have you never met with an op- 
 portunity of getting gain by unfair means?" 
 The gentleman paused. " I don't ask whether 
 you made use of, but whether you have met with 
 such opportunity ? I for my part have, and I be- 
 lieve every body else has." " Very probable I 
 may." " How did you feel your mind affected 
 on such an occasion ? Had you no secret desire, 
 not the least inclination to seize the advantage 
 which offered ? Tell me without any evasion, 
 and consistently with the character you admire." 
 •' I must acknowledge, I have not always been 
 absolutely free from every irregular inclination ; 
 but," — " Hold, sir, none of your salvos, you have 
 confessed enough. If you had the desire, though 
 you never proceeded, this shows you were dis- 
 honest in heart. This is what the Scriptures call 
 concupiscence. It defiles the soul. It is a breach 
 of that law which requireth truth in the inward 
 farts ; and unless you are pardoned by the blood 
 of Christ, will be a just ground of your condem- 
 nation, when God shall judge the secrets of men." 
 
 Q,. 82. Is any man able perfectly to keep the com- 
 mandments of God ? 
 
 A. No mere man since the fall is able in this life perfect- 
 ly to keep the commandments of G!od, butdoth daily break 
 them in thought, word, and deed. 
 
120 
 
 Dr. Gill once preaching on human inability, a 
 gentleman present was much offended, and took 
 him to task for degrading human nature. " Pray, 
 sir," said the doctor, " what do you think that 
 man can contribute to his conversion?" He 
 enumerated a variety of particulars. " And have 
 you done all this?" said the doctor. " Why, no, 
 i cannot say I have yet ; but I hope I shall begin 
 soon." " If you have these things in your pow- 
 er, and have not done them, you deserve to be 
 doubly damned, and are but ill qualified to be an 
 advocate for free-will, which has done you so 
 little good." 
 
 Anne de Montmorency, constable of France, 
 having been mortally wounded at an engagement, 
 was exhorted by those who stood around him, to 
 die like a good christian, and with the same 
 courage, which he had shown in his life time. 
 To this he most nobly replied in the following 
 manner : *' Gentlemen, and fellow soldiers ! I 
 thank you all very kindly for your anxious care 
 and concern about me : but the man ivho has been 
 enabled to endeavor to live we'll, for four score 
 years past, can never be to seek now, how to die 
 WELL for a quarter of an hour. But observe, my 
 having been enabled to endeavor to live well, is 
 not the ground of my dependence ; no, my sole 
 dependence is on Jesus Christ. It is by the grace 
 of God, through him, that I now am what I am." 
 
 It is related of one of the ancients, that a man 
 without learning came to him to be taught a 
 psalm. He turned to the 39th, but when he had 
 heard the first verse of it, " / said I will take 
 heed to my loays, that 1 sin not with my tongue ; 
 
121 
 
 the man would hear no more, saying, this was 
 enough if he could practice it ; and when the in- 
 structor blamed him, that he had not seen him 
 for six months, he replied, that he had not done 
 the vexse ; and forty years after, he confessed he 
 had been all that time studying it, but had not 
 learned to fulfil it. '' If any man ojfend not in 
 ivord, the same is a perfect man, and able also to 
 bridle the whole bodyP 
 
 A woman, professing to be under deep con- 
 viction, went to a minister, crying aloud that she 
 was a sinner ; but when he came to examine her 
 in what point, though he went over and explained 
 all the ten commandments, she would not own 
 that she had broken one of them. 
 
 Q. 83. Are all tiansgressions of the law equally he- 
 nious ? 
 
 A. Some sins in themselves, and by reason of several 
 aggravations, are morehenious in the sight of God than 
 others. 
 
 On the 4th of August, 1796, between II and 
 12 o'clock in the forenoon, a violent storm of 
 thunder and lightning arose in the district of 
 Montpelier. In a field, about a mile from the 
 town, a body of 900 French soldiers lay encamped. 
 At a small distance from the camp, five of the 
 soldiers were assisting a husbandman in gather- 
 ing in the produce of the earth, for hire. When 
 the storm came on, the whole party took refuge 
 under a tree, where the five soldiers began to 
 blaspheme God for interrupting them in their la- 
 bor ; and one of them in the madness of his 
 presumption, took up his firelock, which he hap- 
 pened to have by him, and pointing it toward the 
 skies, said that he would fire a bullet at him who 
 11 
 
122 
 
 cent the storm ! Seized with horror at this blasphe- 
 mous declaration, the husbandman made all the 
 haste he could to quit their company ; but scarcely 
 had he got to the distance of ten paces, from the 
 tree, when a flash of lightning struck four of the 
 soldiers dead, and wounded the fifth in such a 
 manner, that his life was despaired of 
 
 When that truly devoted missionary, Henry 
 Martyn, was at Shiraz, in Persia, translating the 
 New Testament into the language of that coun- 
 try, he seems to have been delighted with the 
 following incident, w^hich he notices in his jour- 
 nal, June 28, 1811. "The poor bojV says he, 
 " while writing how one of the servants of the 
 high priest struck the Lord on the face, stopped, 
 and said, sir, did not his hand dry up ?" 
 
 Bonner was one of the most bloody instruments 
 of persecution, during the cruel reign of Mary of 
 England. Being confined in the tower of London, 
 upon the accession of (dueen Elizabeth, which 
 was the highest punishment inflicted on him, he 
 went to visit some of the criminals kept in that 
 prison, and wishing to ingratiate them, called 
 them his friends and neighbors. Upon this, one of 
 them answered, " Go, you beast, into hell, and 
 find J ouv friends there, for we are none of them. 
 I killed but one man upon a provocation, and do 
 truly repent of it ; but you have killed many holy 
 persons of all sorts, without any provocation from 
 them, and are hardened in your impenitence." 
 This fact is related by Bishop Jewel, in a letter to 
 Peter Martyr. 
 
 Q,. 84. What doth every sin deserve ? 
 A. Every sin deserveth God's wrath and curse, both iu 
 this Hfe and that which is to come. 
 
123 
 
 Walking in the country, (says the Rev. Mr. 
 Jay,) I went into a barn, where I found a thrasher 
 at his work ; I addressed him in the words of Solo- 
 mon, " My friend, in all labor there is profit." 
 But what was my surprise, when, leaning upon 
 his flail, he answered, and with much energy, 
 " No, sir : that is the truth, but there is one ex- 
 ception to it : I have long labored in the service 
 of sin, but I got no profit by my labor." " Then," 
 answered I, " you know somewhat of the apostle's 
 meaning when he asked, ' What fruit had ye 
 in those things whereof ye are now ashamed :' " 
 " Thank God," he replied, "I do : and I also 
 know, that now, being freed from sin, and having 
 become a servant unto righteousness, I have my 
 fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." 
 
 A German prince, travelling through France, 
 visited the arsenal at Toulon, where the galleys 
 are kept. The commandant, as a compliment 
 to his rank, said he was welcome to set any one 
 galley-slave at liberty, whom he should choose to 
 select. The prince, willing to make the best use 
 of his privilege, spoke to many of them in sue 
 cession, inquiring why they were condemned to 
 the galleys. Injustice, oppression, false accusa- 
 tion, were the only causes they could assign : 
 they were all innocent and ill-treated. At last he 
 came to one, who, when he had asked the ques- 
 tion, answered to this effect, " My lord, I have 
 no reason to complain, I have been a very des- 
 perate wicked wretch : I have often deserved to 
 be broken alive upon the wheel I account it a 
 great mercy that I am here." The prince fixed 
 his eyes upon him, gave him a gentle blow upon 
 
124 
 
 his head, and said, " You wicked wretch, it is a 
 pity you should be placed among so many honest 
 men. By your own confession, you are bad 
 enough to corrupt them all; but you shall not 
 stay with them another day." Then turning to the 
 officer, he said, " This is the man sir, whom I 
 wish to be released." 
 
 A venerable minister at H , preached a 
 
 sermon on the subject of eternal punishment. 
 On the next day, it was agreed among some 
 thoughtless young men, that one of them should 
 go to him, and endeavor to draw him into dis- 
 pute, with the design of making a jest of him and 
 of his doctrine. The wag accordingly went, was 
 introduced into the niinister's study, and com- 
 menced the conversation, by saying, " I believe 
 there is a small dispute between you and me, sir, 
 and I thought I would call this morning, and try 
 to settle it." "Ah," said the clergyman, "what 
 is it ?" " Why," replied the wag, " you say that 
 the wicked will go into everlasting punishment, 
 and I do not think that they will." " Oh, if that 
 is all," answered the minister, -'there is no dis- 
 pute between you and me. If you turn to Matt. 
 XXV. 46, you will find that the dispute is between 
 you and the Lord Jesus Christ, and I advise you 
 to go immediately and settle it with him." 
 
 Q. 85. What doth God require of us, that we may 
 escape his wrath and curse due to us for sin ? 
 
 A. To escape the wrath and curse of God due to us 
 for sin, God requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ, repent- 
 ance unio Hfe, with tlie dihgent use of all the outward 
 means whereby Christ comnumicateth to us the benefits 
 of redemption. 
 
 The late Rev, Mr. Brown of Haddington, to- 
 wards the close of his life, when his constitution was 
 
125 
 
 sinking under his multiplied and unintermitted 
 labors, preached on the Monday after the dis- 
 pensation of the Lord's supper, at Tranent, a se- 
 rious and animated sermon from these words, 
 *' The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with 
 you all. Amen." After the service was con- 
 cluded by prayer and praise, and he was just 
 about to dismiss the congregation, it occurred to 
 him that he had made no direct address to those 
 who were destitute of the grace of the Lord 
 Jesus ; and though Avorn out by his former exer- 
 tions, he, at considerable length, and with most 
 intense earnestness, represented the horrors of 
 their situation, and urged them to have recourse, 
 ere the season of forbearance was past, to the 
 rich and sovereign grace of the long despised 
 Savior. This unlooked-for exhortation, appa- 
 rently made a deep impression, and was long re- 
 membered by the more serious part of the hearers. 
 
 A certain man, on the Malabar coast, had in- 
 quired of various devotees and priests, how he 
 might make atonement for his sins ; and he was 
 directed to drive iron spikes, sufficiently blunted, 
 through his sandals ; and on these spikes, he was 
 directed to place his naked feet, and to walk 
 about four hundred and eighty miles. If through 
 loss of blood, or weakness of body, he was obliged 
 to halt, he might wait for healing and strength. 
 He undertook the journey, and while he halted un- 
 der a large shady tree, where the gospel was some- 
 times preached, one of the missionaries came and 
 preached in his hearing from these words, " The 
 blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin." 
 While he was preaching, the man rose up, threw 
 off his torturing sandals, and cried out aloud, 
 11* 
 
126 
 
 " This is what I want ;" and he became a lively 
 witness, that the blood of Jesus Christ does cleanse 
 from all sin indeed. 
 
 It is related of one, who, being a prisoner in a 
 dark dungeon, when the light was brought to 
 him for a little to eat his diet, would pull out 
 his bible, and read a chapter, saying that he could 
 find his mouth in the ^^dark, but not read in the 
 dark. 
 
 A poor boy, about ten years old, brought a few 
 pence, his savings from the small presents which 
 his father had occasionally given him, for which 
 he seemed highly pleased, to obtain a bible. He 
 was asked if he should not repent, when the fruit 
 should be ripe of having given away all his money. 
 " Oh ! no," he replied with great vivacity ; " what 
 we eat is soon gone, but the word of God endu- 
 reth for ever." 
 
 Q. 86. What is faith in Jesus Christ ? 
 
 A. Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby 
 we receive and rest upon him alone for Salvation, as he 
 is offered to us in the Gospel. 
 
 "Children," says Cecil, "are capable of very 
 early impressions. I imprinted on my daughter 
 the idea of faith, at a very early age. She was 
 playing one day with a few beads, which seemed 
 wonderfully to delight her. Her whole soul was 
 absorbed in her beads. I said, " My dear, you 
 have some pretty beads there ?" — " Yes, papa." — 
 "And you seem vastly pleased with them? — 
 Well now, throw them behind the fire." The 
 tears started into her eyes ; she looked earnestly 
 at me, as if she ought to have a reason for so 
 cruel a sacrifice. Well, my dear, do as you please : 
 but you know, I never told you to do any thing 
 
127 
 
 which I did not think would be for your good ; 
 she looked at me a few moments longer, and 
 then summoning up all "her fortitude, her breast 
 heaving with the effort, she dashed them into the 
 fire. "Well," said I, "there let them lie; you 
 shall hear more about them another time ; but 
 say no more of them now." Some days after, I 
 bought her a box full of larger beads and toys of 
 the same kind. When I returned home, I opened 
 the treasure, and set it before her ; she burst into 
 tears with excessive joy. " These my child," 
 said I, " are yours, because you believed me when 
 I told you to throw these paltry beads behind the 
 fire ; your obedience has brought you this trea- 
 sure. But now, my dear, remember as long as 
 you live, what faith is. I did all this to teach 
 you the meaning of faith. You threw your beads 
 away when I bade you, because you had faith in 
 me, that I never advised you but for your good. 
 Put the same confidence in God ; believe every 
 thing that he says in his word. Whether you 
 understand it or not, have faith in him that he 
 means your good." 
 
 Mr. Marshall, author of the " Gospel Mystery 
 of Sanctification," having been for several years 
 under distress of mind, consulted Dr. Goodwin, 
 an eminent divine, giving him an account of the 
 state of his soul, and particularising his sins, 
 which lay heavy on his conscience. In reply, 
 he told him, he had forgot to mention the greatest 
 sin of all, the sin of unbelief, in not believing on 
 the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of his 
 sins, and sanctifying his nature. On this he set 
 himself to the studying and preaching of Christ 
 and attained to eminent holiness, great peace of 
 
128 
 
 conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Mi\ 
 Marshall's dying words were these, " The wages 
 of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, 
 through Jesus Christ our Lord." 
 
 The Rev. Dr. Mason, of New- York, was re- 
 quested to visit a lady in dying circumstances in 
 that city, who, together with her husband, openly 
 avowed infidel principles, though they attended 
 his ministry. On approaching her bedside, he 
 asked if she felt herself a sinner, and her need of 
 a Savior. She frankly told him she did not, 
 and that she believed the doctrine of a Mediator 
 to be all a farce. " Then," said the Doctor, " I 
 have no consolation for you, not one word of 
 comfort. There is not a single passage in the 
 Bible, that warrants me to speak peace to one 
 who rejects the Mediator provided : you must 
 take the consequences of your infidelity." He 
 was on the point of leaving the room when one 
 said, " Well, if you cannot speak consolation to 
 her, you can pray for her." To this he assented, 
 and kneeling down by the bedside, prayed for 
 her as a guilty sinner just sinking into hell, and 
 then, rising from his knees, he left the house. 
 To his great surprise, a day or two after, he re- 
 ceived a message from the lady herself, earnestly 
 desiring that he would come down and see her, 
 and that without delay. He immediately obeyed 
 the summons. But what was his amazement, 
 when on entering the room, she held out her 
 hand to him, and said with a benignant smile, 
 " It is all true, — all that you said on Sabbath is 
 true, I have seen myself the wretched sinner 
 you described me to be in prayer, I have seen 
 Christ to be that all-sufficient Savior you said 
 
129 
 
 he was, and God has' mercifully snatched me 
 from the abyss of infidelity in which 1 was sunk, 
 and placed me on that rock of ages. There I am 
 secure ; there I shall remain ; / know whom I 
 have believed^ The doctor's prayer, through 
 the divine blessing fastened on her mind, she 
 was convinced of her guilty state, and enabled 
 to rest wholly on the Savior, and after solemnly 
 charging her husband to educate their daughter 
 in the fear of God, she expired in the exercise of 
 joy and peace in believing. 
 
 The Rev. David Dickson, professor of divinity 
 in Edinburgh, being asked, when on his death- 
 bed, how he found himself, answered, "I have 
 taken my good deeds and bad deeds, and thrown 
 them together in a heap, and fled from them 
 both to Christ, and in him I have peace." 
 
 Q. 87. What is repentance unto life ? 
 
 A. Repentance unto life is a saving grace, whereby 
 a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin, and apprehension 
 of the mercy of God in Christ, doth, with grief and hatred 
 of his sin, turn from it unto God, with full purpose of, and 
 endeavor after, new obedience. 
 
 A lady being visited with a violent disorder 
 was under the necessity of applying for medical 
 assistance. Her doctor, being a gentleman of 
 great latitude in his religious sentiments, endea- 
 vored in the course of his attendance to persuade 
 his patient to adopt his creed, as well as to take 
 his medicines. He frequently insisted with a 
 considerable degree of dogmatism, that repen- 
 tance and reformation were all that either God or 
 man could require of us ; and, that consequently 
 there was no necessity for an atonement by the 
 sufferings of the Son of God. As this was a 
 
130 
 
 doctrine the lady did not believe, she contented 
 herself with following his medical prescriptions, 
 without embracing his creed. On her recovery, 
 she forwarded a note to the doctor, desirino- the 
 favor of his company to tea, when it suited his 
 • convenience, and requested him to make out his 
 bill. In a short time he made his visit, and the 
 tea-table being removed, she addressed him as 
 follows : " My long illness has occasioned you 
 a number of journeys, and I suppose, doctor, you 
 have procured my medicines at considerable ex- 
 pense." The doctor acknowledged that "good 
 drugs were not to be obtained but at a very high 
 price." Upon which she replied, " I am ex- 
 tremely sorry that I have put you to so much la- 
 bor and expense, and also promise, that on any 
 future indisposition, I will never trouble you 
 again. So, you see, I both repent and reform." 
 The doctor immediately shrugging up his shoul- 
 ders exclaimed, " That will not do for me." — ■ 
 ' The words of the wise are as goads.^ 
 
 " I have heard," says Mr. Daniel Wilson, in a 
 sermon of his, " of a certain person, whose name 
 I could mention, who was tempted to conclude 
 his day over, and himself lost ; that, therefore, it 
 was his best course to put an end to his life, which, 
 if continued, would but serve to increase his sin, 
 and consequently his misery, from which there 
 was no escape ; and seeing he must be in hell, the 
 sooner he was there the sooner he should know the 
 worst; which was preferable to his being worn 
 away with the tormenting expectation of what 
 was to come. Under the influence of such sug- 
 gestions as these, he went to a river, with a de- 
 sign to throw himself in ; but as he was about to 
 
131 
 
 do it, he seemed to hear a voice saying to him, 
 Who can tell ? at least, as deep an impression 
 was made upon him, as if these words had been 
 audibly delivered. By this, therefore, he was 
 brought to a stand ; his thoughts were arrested, 
 and thus begin to work on the passage mention- 
 ed, Who can tell ? (Jonah iii. 9.) viz. What God 
 can do when he will proclaim his grace glorious ? 
 Who can tell — How far God may suffer the 
 tempter to prevail, and yet after all, disappoint 
 his malice? Who can tell — How long the Spirit 
 may strive, and yet return with renewing effica- 
 cious grace? Who can tell but such an one as 
 I may find mercy 1 or what will be the issue of 
 humble prayer to heaven for it ? Who can tell — 
 what purposes God will serve in my recovery ? 
 By such thoughts as these, being so far influen- 
 ced as to resolve to try, it pleased God graciously 
 to come in and enable him, through all his doubts 
 and fears, to throw himself by faith* on Jesus 
 Christ, as able to save to the uttermost all that 
 come to God by him, humbly desiring and ex- 
 pecting mercy for his sake, to his own soul. In 
 this he was not disappointed ; but afterwards be- 
 came an eminent christian and minister; and 
 from his own experience of the riches of grace, 
 was greatly useful to the conversion and comfort 
 of others. 
 
 Q. 88. What are the outward means whereby Christ 
 commiinicateth to us the benefits of redemption "? 
 
 A. The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ 
 communicateth to us the benefits of redemption, are his 
 ordinances, especially the word, sacraments, and prayer ; 
 all which are made effectual to the elect for salvation. 
 
 The Rev. Mr, Berridge is said in one year to 
 have been visited by a thousand different persons 
 
132 
 
 under serious impressions, and it has been com- 
 puted, that under his own and the joint ministry 
 of Mr. Hicks, about four thousand were awaken- 
 ed to a concern for their souls in the space of 
 twelve months. Incredible as this may appear, 
 it comes authenticated through a channel so res- 
 pectable, that it would be illiberal to disbelieve it. 
 
 John Skinner, of Houndscroft, in Gloucester- 
 shire, was a strolling fiddler, going from fair to 
 fair, and supplying music to any that would hire 
 him. Having determined to incommode Mr. 
 Whitefield, who was going to preach, he obtained 
 a standing on a ladder raised to a window near 
 the pulpit ; he remained a quiet, if not an atten- 
 tive hearer, till the text was named, when he in- 
 tended to begin his opposing and annoying ex- 
 ercise on the violin. It pleased God while he was 
 putting the instrument in tune, to convey the word 
 spoken with irresistible power to his soul ; his at- 
 tention, being diverted from his original design, 
 and his purpose broken, that God's purpose ac- 
 cording to election might stand, he heard the 
 sermon out, when he became altogether a chang- 
 ed character. 
 
 The Rev. John Baily, an eminent divine of the 
 17th century, was so honored of God as to be 
 made the instrument of the conversion of his own 
 father, while he was yet a child. His mother was 
 a remarkably pious woman, but his father a very 
 wicked character. The good instructions and 
 frequent prayers of the former, were so blessed 
 to the soul of little John, that he was converted to 
 God while very young; and having a remarkable 
 gift in prayer, his mother caused him to pray in 
 
133 
 
 the family. His father overhearing him engaged 
 in this exercise, was so struck with remorse and 
 shame at finding his child, then not above eleven 
 or twelve years of age, performing that duty in 
 his house, which he had neglected himself, that it 
 brought on a deep conviction of his wretched state, 
 and proved under God the means of his salvation. 
 
 Q,. 89. How is the word made effectual to salvation ? 
 
 A. The Spirit of God maketh the reading, but espe- 
 cially the preaching of the word, an eifectual means of 
 convincing and converting sinners, and of building 
 them up in holiness and comfort, through faith untff 
 salvation. 
 
 A certain libertine of a most abandoned cha- 
 racter, happened one day to stroll into a church, 
 where he heard the 5th chapter of Genesis read ; 
 importing that so long lived such and such persons, 
 and yet the conclusion was, " they died." EnoS" 
 lived 905 years, and he died. — Seth 912, and he 
 died. — Methusalah 969, and he died. The fre- 
 quent repetition of the words he died, notwith- 
 standing the great length of years they had lived, 
 struck him so deeply with the thought of death 
 and eternity, that, through divine grace, he be^* 
 came a most exemplary christian. 
 
 Dr. Staunton was called the searching preach- 
 er. Once, when preaching at Warborough, near 
 Oxford, a man was so much affected with his first 
 prayer that he ran home, and desired his wife to 
 get ready and come to the church, for there was 
 one in the pulpit who prayed like an angel. The 
 •vVoman hastened away, and heard the sermon, 
 which, under the divine blessing, was the means 
 of her conversion, and she afterwards proved ar$ 
 eminent christian. 
 12 
 
134 
 
 Archbishop Leighton, before his attaining this 
 high dignity in the church, being asked, " Why- 
 he did not preach on the times, as the rest of his 
 brethren did," replied, " That if they all preach- 
 ed on time, might not one poor brother be allow- 
 ed to preach on eternity ?" 
 
 The Rev. Mr. N. one Sabbath morning, open- 
 ed his Bible to mark the passage he had been 
 studying throughout the week, and from which he 
 intended to deliver his discourse that day ; but to 
 his great surprise, he could not find the passage; 
 for neither words nor text could he recollect. He 
 endeavored to recall the subject to memory ; 
 butall to no effect. While thinking how he should 
 be confounded before the congregation, another 
 passagedarted into his mind with peculiar energy. 
 He accordingly preached from it, and during the 
 discourse, he observed a person, apparently in a 
 clerical habit, enter the place, and after having 
 heard a little, seemed bathed in tears, and never 
 raised his head throuofh the whole of the sermon. 
 Mr. N. never had more liberty in preaching. In 
 the evening, this person called on Mr. N., and 
 after expressing his obligation for the sermon he 
 had heard, he added, " Two or three years ago, 
 I heard you in such a place, preach upon a subject, 
 and ever since I have been under the spirit of 
 conviction and bondage. This day I took my 
 horse and rode to hear you, and blessed be God, 
 he has now given me to see him as my reconciled 
 God and Father in Christ Jesus, and has also 
 given me to enjoy that liberty wherewith he makes 
 his people free." " After some interesting con- 
 versation, we both," says Mr. N., " began to see 
 the good hand of God in this matter, and his 
 
135 
 
 good providence in determining me in such a 
 remarkable manner, to preach upon a subject I 
 had never before proposed, and which he had ac- 
 companied with such a powerful efficacy. To 
 me, it was one of my best days, and one which 
 both by him and me, will be remembered through 
 a joyful eternity,". 
 
 Q,. 90. How is the word to be read and heard, that it 
 may become effectual to salvation. 
 
 A. That the word may become effectual to salvation, 
 we must attend thereunto with diligence, preparation, 
 and prayer ; receive it with faith and love, lay it up in 
 our hearts, and practise it in our lives. 
 
 As Mr. Nicoll, of Exeter, was once preaching, 
 he saw several of the aldermen asleep, and there- 
 upon sat down. Upon his silence, and the noise 
 that presently arose in the church, they awoke, 
 and stood up with the rest, upon which he arose 
 and said, " The sermon is not yet done, but now 
 you are awake, I hope yon will hearkeji more dili- 
 gently i"' and then went on. 
 
 When Archbishop Cranmer's edition of the 
 Bible was printed in 1538, and fixed to a desk in 
 all parochial churches, the ardor with which 
 men flocked to read it was incredible. They who 
 could, procured it; and they who could not, 
 crowded to read it, or to hear it read in churches, 
 where it was common to see little assemblies of 
 mechanics meeting together for that purpose after 
 the labor of the day. Many even learned to read 
 in their old age, that they might have the plea- 
 sure of instructing themselves from the Scrip- 
 tures. Mr. Fox mentions two apprentices who 
 joined each his little stock, and bought a Bible, 
 which at every interval of leisure they read; 
 
but being afraid of their master, who was a zea- 
 lous papist, they kept it under the straw of their 
 bed. 
 
 The pastor of a congregation in America, after 
 many year's labor among his people, was suppos- 
 ed by some of them to have declined much in his 
 vigor and usefulness; in consequence of which, 
 two gentlemen of the congregation waited upon 
 him, and exhibited their complaints. The minister 
 received them with much affection, and assured 
 them that he was equally sensible of his langor 
 and little success, and that the cause had given 
 him very great uneasiness. The gentlemen wish- 
 ed he would mention what he thought was the 
 cause. Without hesitation, the minister replied, 
 " The loss of mj'- prayer-book." " Your prayer 
 book!" said one of the gentlemen with surprise; 
 " I never knew that you used one." " Yes," re- 
 plied the minister, " I have enjoyed the benefit of 
 one for many years till lately, and I attribute my 
 want of success to the loss of it. The prayers of 
 my people were my prayer-book ; and it has oc- 
 casioned great grief to me that they have laid it 
 aside. Now if you will return, and procure me 
 the use of my prayer-book again, I doubt not I 
 shall preach much better, and that you will hear 
 more profitably." The gentlemen, conscious of 
 their neglect, thanked the minister for the reproof, 
 and wished him a good morning. 
 
 Mr. W. a merchant at Boston, in America, ac- 
 cording to his wonted, liberality, sent a present of 
 chocolate, sugar, &-c., to the Rev. Dr. B. with a 
 billet desiring his acceptance of it, as a comment 
 on Gal. vi. 6. " Let him that is taught in the^word, 
 
137 
 
 communicate to him that teacheth, in all good 
 things." The doctor, who was then confined by 
 sickness, returned his compliments to Mr. W. 
 thanked him for his excellent family expositor, 
 and wished Mr. W. to give him a practical expo- 
 sition of Matt. XXV. 36. " I was sick and ye visited 
 me." 
 
 A poor woman in the country went to hear a 
 sermon, wherein among other evil practices, the 
 use of dishonest weights and measures was ex- 
 posed. With this discourse she was much af- 
 fected. The next day when the minister, accord- 
 ing to his custom, went among his hearers, and 
 called upon the woman, he took occasion to ask 
 her what she remembered of his sermon. The 
 poor woman complained much of her bad memo- 
 ry, and said she had forgotten almost all he had 
 delivered. " But one thing," said she, " I re- 
 member, I remembered to burn my bushel." — A 
 doer of the word cannot be a forgetful hearer. 
 
 Q. 91. How do the sacraments become effectual means 
 of salvation? 
 
 A. The sacraments become effectual means of salva- 
 tion, not from any virtue in them, or in him that doth 
 administer them : but only by the blessing of Christ, 
 and the working of his Spirit in them that by faith 
 receive them. 
 
 During the residence of Sir Ralph Abercrom- 
 bie, at the ancientseat of his family, in Clackman- 
 nan-shire, his humility and christian deportment 
 pointed him out as a proper person to fill the office 
 of an elder in his parish-church. Being ordained 
 according to the rites of the Church of Scotland, 
 when the solemnity was ended, he addressed the 
 minister to the following purpose ; " Sir, I have 
 12* 
 
138 
 
 often been entrusted by my sovereign with hon- 
 orable and important commands in my profes- 
 sion as a soldier, and his majesty has been pleased 
 to reward my services with distinguished marks 
 of his royal approbation ; but to be the humble 
 instrument, in the office of an elder, of putting 
 the tokens of my Savior's dying love into the 
 hands of one of the meanest of his followers, I 
 conceive to be the highest honor that I can re- 
 ceive on this side of heaven. 
 
 Colonel Gardiner, in a letter, mentions the 
 pleasure with which he had attended a prepara- 
 tion sermon the Saturday before the dispensation 
 of the Lord's Supper. He writes, " I took a walk 
 on the mountains over against Ireland ; and I per- 
 suade myself, that were I capable of giving you 
 a description of what passed there, you would 
 agree that I had much better reason to remem- 
 ber my God from the hills of Port-Patrick, than 
 David from the land of Jordan, and of the Her- 
 monites, from the hill Mizar. In short, I wrest- 
 led some hours with the Angel of the covenant, 
 and made supplications to him with floods of 
 tears and cries, until I had almost expired ; but 
 he strengthened me so, that like Jacob, I had 
 power with God and prevailed. You will be 
 more able to judge of this, by what you have felt 
 yourself, upon the like occasions. After such a 
 preparatory work, I need not tell you how bless- 
 ed the solemn ordinance of the Lord's Supper 
 proved to me ; I hope it was so to many." 
 
 Q,. 92. What is a sacrament? 
 
 A. A sacrament is an holy ordinance instituted by 
 Christ; wherein, by sensible signs, Christ, and the bene- 
 fits of the new covenant, are represented, sealed, and ap- 
 plied to believers. 
 
139 
 
 In the year 1805, when an installation of the 
 knights of the garter was approaching, and. his 
 late majesty was conversing with some persons 
 of high rank on that subject, a distinguished no- 
 bleman, said to the king, "Sir, are not the new 
 knights, now to be installed, obliged to take the 
 sacrament before the ceremony ?" His majesty 
 changing countenance, and assuming a severe 
 look, replied, " No ; that religious institution is 
 not to be mixed with our profane ceremonies. 
 Even at the time of my coronation, I was very 
 unwilling to take the sacrament ; but when they 
 told me it was indispensable, and I must take it, 
 before I approached the communion table, I took 
 off the bauble from my head. The sacrament, 
 my lord, is not to be profaned by our Gothic in- 
 stitutions." 
 
 " On Sabbath last," says a good man, " we 
 were enabled to keep our New Testament pass- 
 over ; it was a good day, a day of salvation. At 
 the sacred banquet my hard heart melted, and 
 the tears flowed plentifully from my eyes ; but 
 they were tears of joy; my heart was full. On 
 
 Monday Mr. B preached from these words : 
 
 "And one shall say, I am the Lord's!" Oh 
 what a sermon to me ! my heart made the happy 
 claim, and cheerful surrender again and again. 
 My soul said, I am the Lord's ; and with my hand 
 I subscribed it, and I hope and believe will never 
 unsay it. 
 
 " Sweet was the hour I freedom felt, 
 
 To call my Jesus mine, 
 To see his smiling face, and melt 
 
 In pleasures all divine." 
 
 Truly I am thy servant, I am thy servant, the 
 
140 
 
 son of thine handmaid, thou hast loosed my bonds. 
 Why me, O Lord ? Why me ? What am I, or 
 what is my father's house, that thou hast brought 
 me hitherto ?" 
 
 Q,. 93. Which are the sacraments of the New Testa- 
 ment? 
 
 A. The sacraments of the New Testament are, bap- 
 tism, and the Lord's supper. 
 
 Mr. Matthew Henry, the author of the excel- 
 lent commentary on the Bible, baptized one of 
 his children himself His friends thought this not 
 so proper, but he judged it as fit as it is for a 
 minister to communicate in the Lord's supper, 
 which he himself administers. 
 
 " We can truly say," observes a Moravian mis- 
 sionary, " that among the very considerable num- 
 ber of Esquimaux who live with us, we know of 
 few who are not seriously desirous to profit by 
 what they hear, and to experience and enjoy 
 themselves, that which they see their countrymen 
 possess. Our communicants give us pleasure ; 
 for it is the wish of their very hearts to live unto 
 the Lord, and their conduct affords proofs of the 
 sincerity of their professions ; thus for example, 
 Esquimaux sisters, who have no boat of their own, 
 venture across bays some miles in breadth, sitting 
 behind their husbands, on their narrow kajahs, in 
 order to be present at the holy sacrament, though 
 at the peril of their lives." What a lesson is this 
 for those who live near, and make any trifling 
 thing an excuse ! 
 
 Melancthon relates a story of a tragedy that 
 was to be acted, of the death and passion of 
 Christ. But he that personated the Redeemer 
 joa the cross, was wounded to d.eath by one that 
 
141 
 
 should have thurst his sword into a bladder of 
 blood ; and he, by his fall, killed one that acted a 
 woman's part, lamenting under the cross. The 
 brother of him who was first killed, slew the per- 
 son who stabbed him, for which he was apprehend- 
 ed and executed. So speedily was their daring 
 impiety punished. 
 
 Q. 94- What is baptism ? 
 
 A. Baptism is a sacrament, wherein the washing with 
 water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of 
 the Holy Ghost, doth signify and seal our ingrafting 
 into Christ, and partaking of the benefits of the covenant 
 of grace, and our engagement to be the Lord's. 
 
 Mr. Philip Henry drew up the following short 
 form of the baptismal covenant, for the use of his 
 children : 
 
 " I take God the Father to be my chiefest good 
 and highest end. 
 
 I take God the Son to be my Prince and Sa- 
 vior. 
 
 I take God the Holy Ghost to be my sanctifier, 
 teacher, guide, and comforter. 
 
 I take the work of God to be my rule in all 
 my actions. 
 
 And the people of God to be my people in all 
 conditions. 
 
 I do likewise devote and dedicate unto the 
 Lord, my whole self, all I am, all I have, and all 
 I can do. 
 
 And this I do deliberately, sincerely, freely, and 
 for ever." 
 
 This he taught his children, and they each of 
 them solemnly repeated it every Lord's day in 
 the evening, after they were catechised, he put- 
 ting his amen to it, and sometimes adding, "So 
 say, and so do, and you are made for ever." 
 
142 
 
 A Greenlander, who for many years had com-r 
 munication with the Moravian missionaries, but 
 could never resolve to forsake his land, where he 
 was held in great respect, being at the capelin 
 fishery, got a sight of his daughter, v^^ho had re- 
 moved from him, and was baptized, and showed 
 his resentment at it. But she modestly told him 
 the reasons that induced her to it ; set forth the 
 happiness of believers, concluding with these 
 words : " So happy may yoii also be : but if you 
 will not, I cannot stay and perish with yonP 
 This softened his heart, and he began to weep ; 
 went with her to the missionary, and declared, 
 his intention now was, not to take away his daugh- 
 ter from the baptized, but rather go with her. 
 He expressed his resolution to remain with the 
 missionaries, and his wish that the rest of his 
 children might be baptized. " As to myself," 
 said he, " I dare not think of baptism, as I am 
 very bad, and old too, and incapable of learning 
 much more ; but yet I will live and die with you, 
 for it is very reviving to me, to hear of our Sa- 
 vior." 
 
 A murderer being present at a baptism among 
 the Indians, and getting upon a form, to have a 
 full view of the ceremony, was so moved, that he 
 crept under the seats. He entered afterwards 
 into conversation with Isaac Glikkikan, and 
 among other things asked him, whether he knew 
 where the devil lived, " That I do," replied Isaac, 
 "he lives in your heart." 
 
 Q,. 95. To whom is baptism to be administered? 
 
 A. Baptism is not to be administered to any that are 
 out of the visible church, till they profess their faith in 
 Christ, and obedience to him ; but the infants of such 
 as are members of the visible church are to be baptized. 
 
143 
 
 As an instance of the misapplication and abuse 
 of the sacred ordinance of baptism, the author 
 of the Protestant, publishes in that excellent 
 work, a description sent him by a correspondent, 
 of the ceremony of the baptism of a bell, which 
 took place at Naples. A noble lord was god- 
 father to the bell, and a lady of quality was god- 
 mother. Most of the prayers said on the occa- 
 sion, ended with the following words ; " That 
 thou wouldest be pleased to rinse, purify, sancti- 
 fy, and consecrate these bells with thy heavenly 
 benediction." The following were the words of 
 consecration : " Let the sign be consecrated and 
 sanctified in the name of the Father, and of the 
 Son, and of the Holy Ghost." The bishop then 
 turning to the people, said, The bell's name is 
 Mary. He had previously demanded of the god- 
 father and god-mother, what name they would 
 have put upon the bell, and the lady gave it this 
 name. 
 
 A gentleman in Vermont, who had lived to 
 middle age, without religion and without family 
 prayers, was thus accosted by his little son, not 
 quite seven j'-ears old : " Papa, you have taught 
 me to pray morning and evening, and now I want 
 to know if you ever 'pray ?" The father con- 
 scious of his failure in this duty, and astonished 
 at this unexpected question, was at a loss for a 
 reply. At length, recollecting that he had some- 
 times attempted to pray in secret, replied, •' I hope 
 I have sometimes endeavored to pray that you 
 might be a good boy, and that I might also be 
 enabled to do my duty." The child replied, 
 
 " Well, papa, Mr. and Mrs. pray in their 
 
 families, and some times, whep they have been 
 
144 
 
 here, you have asked them to pray. Is it wicked, 
 Pa?" "O no my child, all good people pray, 
 and it is right they sfiould." " Well, papa, if it 
 is right they should, is it not right that ?/ow should ?" 
 " I suppose it would he my son, if my heart was 
 right." " Well, papa, were my sister and I ever 
 baptized ?" " No," says the father, sighing with 
 a heavy heart; " No, you are neither of you bap- 
 tized." " Why not, papa? I have seen several 
 little children baptized, when I have been at meet- 
 ing. Is it wicked, papa, to baptize children?" 
 *' O no, my son, I do not conceive it to be wick- 
 ed, but I cannot get you baptized " " Why not, 
 papa?" "Because I do not belong to the church." 
 " Why do you not belong to the church, papa? 
 is it wicked ?" " O no, my son, nothing I sup- 
 pose debars me, but my own wicked heart." 
 " Well, pa, if it is right you should, why will you 
 not belong to the church, and so get sister and 
 me baptized ?" 
 
 These solemn inquiries were directed by the 
 Holy Spirit, to the conversion of the father, who 
 soon commenced family prayer, and is now a dis- 
 tinguished member of the church. 
 
 Q. 96. What is the Lord's Supper ? 
 
 A. The Lord's supper is a sacrament, wherein, by 
 giving and receiving bread and w^ine, according to 
 Christ's appointment, his death is showed forth; and 
 the worthy receivers are, not after a corporal and car- 
 nal manner, but by faith, made partakers of his body 
 and blood, with all his benefits, to their spiritual nour- 
 ishment, and growth in grace. 
 
 One Sabbath morning, during the reign of 
 James II. of England, a captain, with a party of 
 soldiers, went out to hunt down the protestants, 
 as they termed it ; they met a young woman, a 
 
145 
 
 servant-maid, running along the road early in the 
 morning, without either shoes or stockings. The 
 captain of the band asked her where she was go- 
 ing, so early in the morning, and what was the 
 urgency of the business that made her run so fast. 
 ' She told him that she had learned that her elder 
 brother was dead, and she was going to receive 
 her share of the riches he had bequeathed to her, 
 as well as to her other brothers and sisters; and 
 she was afraid she should be too late. The com- 
 mander was so well pleased with her answer, that 
 he gave her half-a-crown to buy a pair of shoes, 
 and also wished her success : but if he had known 
 the real business she was going on, which was to 
 a sacrament, he would most probably have pre- 
 vented her from going that day, to. the place 
 where she hoped to receive durable riches. 
 
 " Do you believe in transubstantiation ?" said 
 a protestant to a papist. •' Yes, I do," was the 
 reply. " Why," said the other, "the thing is im- 
 possible." "And I," said the papist, "believe 
 it because it is impossible!" 
 
 "Supposing," says Archbishop Tillotson, "the 
 doctrine of transubstantiation had been delivered 
 in Scripture, in the very same words that it is 
 decreed in the council of Trent, by what clearer 
 evidence could any man prove to me, that such 
 words were in the Bible, than I can prove to him, 
 that bread and wine after consecration, are bread 
 and wine still ? He could but appeal to my eyes 
 to prove such words to be in the Bible ; and with 
 the same reason and justice might I appeal to 
 several of his senses, to prove to him, that the 
 bread and wine after consecration, are bread and 
 wine still." 
 
 13 
 
146 
 
 " A more devout communicant at the table of 
 the Lord," says Dr. Doddridge, in his Life of 
 Colonel Gardiner, " has perhaps seldom been any 
 where known. Often have I had the pleasure to 
 see that manly countenance softened into all the 
 marks of humiliation and contrition on this oc- 
 casion ; and to discern, in spite of all his efforts 
 to conceal them, streams of tears flowing down 
 from his eyes; while he has been directing them 
 to those memorials of his Redeemer's love. And 
 some who have conversed intimately with him 
 after he came from that ordinance, have observed 
 a visible abstraction from surrounding objects, 
 by which there seemed reason to imagine, that his 
 soul was wrapped up in holy contemplation. And 
 I particularly remember, that when we had once 
 spent a great part of the following JMonday in 
 riding together, he made an apology to me for 
 being ?o absent as he seemed, by telling me, that 
 his heart was flown upwards, before he was aware, 
 to him whom not having seen he loved ; and that 
 he was rejoicing in him with such unspeakable 
 joy, that he could not hold it down to creature 
 converse." 
 
 Q,. 97. What is required to the worthy receiving of the 
 Lord's supper? 
 
 A. It is required of them that would worthily partal<e 
 of the Lord's supper, that they exairiine themselves, of 
 their knowledge to discern the Lord's body, of t';eir faith 
 to feed upon liiin, of tijeir repentance, love, and new obe- 
 dience; lest, coming unworthily, they eat and drink judg- 
 ment to themselves. 
 
 The three questions which Philip £Tenry ad- 
 vised people to put to themselves in self-examina- 
 tion before the sacrament,were, Whatam I? What 
 have I done ? and, What do I want 1 
 
147 
 
 A notorious drunkard and swearer once com- 
 ing to partake of the Lord's supper from the 
 hands of Mr. Higginson,the good man warned him 
 to withdraw. On which the wretch went away, 
 venting his resentment, but filled with horrors 
 of conscience; under which continuing a few 
 days, he at length cried out, " He was damned, 
 he was a dog, and was going to the dogs for ever." 
 And in this miserable condition he died. 
 
 In a speech in the house of Lords, in 1719, 
 Lord Lansdowne said, " The receiving of the 
 Lord's supper was never intended to be as a quali- 
 fication for an office ; but as an open declaration 
 of one's being and remaining a sincere member 
 of the church of Christ. Whoever presumes to 
 receive it with any other view, profanes it, and 
 may be said to seek his promotion in this world, 
 by eating and drinking his own damnation in the 
 next." 
 
 During the ministry of Mr. Andrew Gray at 
 Glasgow, Mr. William Guthrie of Fenwick, on 
 one occasion, assisted him at the dispensation of 
 the Lord's supper. Some of Cromwell's officers, 
 then in Glasgow, acting on the principle of pro- 
 miscuous admission to the Lord's table, were 
 coming irregularly, without havingacquainted the 
 minister, or giving evidence that they were pre- 
 pared for the observance of that holy ordinance. 
 Mr. Guthrie addressed them, when leaving their 
 pews to come to the table, with such gravity, reso- 
 lution, and zeal, that they were quite confounded, 
 and sat down again, without giving any further 
 disturbance. 
 
 a. 98. What is prayer ? 
 
 A. Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God, 
 
148 
 
 for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ, 
 with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgment 
 of his mercies. 
 
 Amyntor, at a memorable period of his life, 
 was under great distress of conscience, and har- 
 lassed by violent temptations. He made his case 
 known to an experienced friend, who said, " A- 
 myntor, you do not 'prayV Surprised at this, he 
 replied, " I pray, if such a thing be possible, too 
 much. I can hardly tell how many times in the 
 day I bow my knee to God ; almost to the omis- 
 sion of my other duties, and the neglect of my 
 necessary studies." •' You mistake my meaning, 
 dear Amyntor: I do not refer you to the ceremony 
 of the knee, but the devotion of the heart, which 
 neglects not any business, but intermingles prayer 
 with all : which in every place looks unto the 
 Lord; and on every occasion lifts up an indigent, 
 longing soul, for the supply of his grace. This," 
 added he, and spoke with peculiar force " this is 
 prayer, which all the devils in hell cannot with- 
 stand." 
 
 A poor man once came to a pious minister, and 
 said, " Mr. Carter, w^hat will become of me ? I 
 work hard, and fare hard, and yet I cannot thrive." 
 " Mr. Carter answered, " Still you want one 
 thing ; I will tell you what you shall do. Work 
 hard, and fare hard, and pray hard ; and I will 
 warrant you shall thrive." 
 
 Dr. Johnson once reproved the Rev. Dr. 
 Maxwell, for saying grace in his presence, with- 
 out mentioning the name of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ; and hoped he would be more mindful 
 in future of the apostolical injunction. A sea- 
 sonable hint to many. 
 
149 
 
 A gentleman of very considerable fortune, but 
 a stranger both to personal and family religion, 
 one evening took a solitary walk through part of 
 his grounds. He happened to come near to a 
 mean hut, where a poor man lived with a nume- 
 rous family, who earned their bread by daily la- 
 bor. He heard a continued and pretty loud 
 voice ; Not knowing what it was, curiosity 
 prompted him to listen. The man, who was pi- 
 ously disposed, happened to be at prayer with his 
 family. So soon as he could distinguish the 
 words he heard him giving thanks, with great 
 affection, to God for the goodness of his provi- 
 dence, in giving them food to eat and raiment to 
 put on, and in supplying them with what was ne- 
 cessary and comfortable in the present life. He 
 was immediately struck with astonishment and 
 confusion, and said to himself, " Does this poor 
 man, who has nothing but the meanest fare, and 
 that purchased by severe labor, give thanks to 
 God for his goodness to himself and family ; and 
 I, who enjoy ease and honor, and every thing 
 that is pleasant and desirable, have hardly ever 
 bent my knee, or made any acknowledgement to 
 my Maker and Preserver !" It pleased God to 
 make this providential occurrence the means of 
 bringing him to a real and Jastingsense of religion. 
 
 The mother of a little boy about six years of 
 age, sometime ago, went in search of a house, 
 taking her son along with her. Having taken one 
 of but a single apartment, on their way home the 
 boy burst into tears. His mother inquired what 
 was the matter ; " Because you have taken that 
 house," said the child. " My dear," replied the 
 mother, *• is not that a better house than the one 
 13* 
 
150 
 
 which we at present occupy ?" " Yes," said the 
 little boy, sobbing, " but there is no closet for 
 'prayers in it." How few, when taken bouses, 
 look out for such conveniences ! 
 
 Q. 99. What role hath God given for our direction 
 in praver ? 
 
 A. The whole word of God is of use to direct us in 
 praver : but the special rule of direction is that form of 
 praver which Christ taught his disciples,, commonly 
 called The Lord's Prayer. 
 
 A good man speaking one day to a pious girl, 
 of prayer, she said, " When I was a child my mo- 
 ther taught me to pray : but now the Lord makes 
 me." Being asked how she knew the Lord's 
 teaching from that of her mother, her reply was : 
 " The Lord makes me both to rejoice and weep : 
 he makes my heart glad, and gives me new words." 
 
 When Mr. Thomas Watson ^va3 in the pulpit 
 on a lecture-day, before the Bartholomew act 
 took place : among other hearers, " there came 
 in," says Dr. Calamy, " that reverend and learned 
 prelate. Bishop Richardson, who was so well 
 pleased with his sermon, but especially with his 
 prayer after it, that he followed him home, to give 
 him thanks, and earnestly desired a copy of his 
 prayer." "Alas!" said 'Mr. Watson, -'that is 
 what I cannot give ; for I do not use pen to my 
 prayers ; it was not a studied thing, but uttered, 
 as God enabled me, from the abundance of my 
 heart and affection, j^ro re jiata.^' Upon which 
 the good bishop went away, wondering that any 
 man could pray in that manner extempore. 
 
 A Hottentot of immoral character, being un- 
 der deep conviction of sin was anxious to know 
 how to pray. He went to his master^ a Dutch' 
 
151 
 
 man, to consult with him ; but his master gave 
 him no encouragement, A sense of his own 
 wickedness increased, and he had no one near 
 him to direct him. Occasionally, however, he 
 was admitted with the family at the time of pray- 
 er. The portion of Scripture which was one day 
 read by the master was the parable of the Phari- 
 see and Publican. While the prayer of the Pha- 
 risee was read, the poor Hottentot thought within 
 himself, " This is a good man ; there is nothing 
 for me ;" but when his master came to the prayer 
 of the Publican, — God be merciful to me, a sin- 
 ner — "This suits me," he cried ; "now I know 
 how to pray !" With this prayer he immediately 
 retired, and prayed night and day for two days, 
 and then found peace. Full of joy and gratitude, 
 he went into the fields, and as he had no one to 
 whom he could speak, he exclaimed, " Ye hills, 
 yt rocks, ye trees, ye rivers, hear what God has 
 done for my soul ! — he has been merciful to me, 
 a sinner." 
 
 " I once," said Mr. Romaine, " uttered the 
 Lord's prayer without a wandering thought, and 
 it was the w^orst prayer I ever offered. 1 was on 
 this account, as proud as the devil." 
 
 Q,. 100. What doth the preface of the Lord's prayer 
 teach us ? 
 
 A. The preface of the Lord's prayer, (which is, Our 
 Father which art in heaven,) teacheth us to draw near to 
 God with all holy reverence and confidence, as children to 
 a father, able and ready to help us ; and that we should 
 pray with and for others. 
 
 In a family at Shelton, lived Mr. G.,a person, 
 much given to swearing. A child about four 
 years of age would often remark to her mother, 
 with great horror, how Mr. G. swore, and wished 
 
152 
 
 to reprove him, but for some time durst not. 
 One day she said to her mother, " Dors Mr. G. 
 say Our Father V (a term she used to express 
 in her prayers.) The mother replied, she could 
 not tell ; she then said, " I will watch, and if he 
 does, I will tell him of swearing so." She did 
 watch, and heard him say his prayers privately 
 in bed. Soon after this she heard him swear 
 bitterly ; upon which she said to him, " Did you 
 not say Ovur Father this morning? — how dare 
 you swear ! Do you think he will be your father 
 if you swear?" He answered not a word, but 
 seemed amazed ; and well he might. He did 
 not live long after this, but was never heard to 
 swear again. " Out of the mouths of babes and 
 sucklings God has ordained strength." 
 
 "My grandfather," says Mr. Orton, "once 
 solicited a very excellent but modest minister to 
 pray in his family, when there were several others 
 present ; he desired to be excused, alleging that 
 he had not thought of it and there were so many 
 other ministers present." My grandfather re- 
 plied, " Sir, you are to speak to your master, 
 and not to them; and my Bible tells me, he is 
 not so critical and censorious as men are." 
 
 " Some impressions," says a young man lately 
 gone abroad as a Missionary to the heathen, " of 
 the importance and necessity of true religion, 
 were made upon my mind at a very early peroid. 
 The first particular one that I recollect, was, I 
 think, when I was about five years of age. There 
 happened one day a very violent storm of thunder 
 and lightning in our neighborhood ; on which 
 occasion a few Christian friends, who lived near 
 
153 
 
 us, terrified by its violence, came into my father's 
 house. When under his roof, in a moment there 
 came a most vivid flash, followed by a dreadful 
 peal of thunder, which much alarmed the whole 
 company, except my father, who turning towards 
 my mother and our friends, with the greatest 
 composure, repeated these words of Dr. Watts : 
 
 " The God that rules on high, 
 And thunders when he please ; 
 
 That rides upon the stormy sky, 
 And manages the seas : 
 
 This awful God is ours ; 
 
 Our father and our love," &c. 
 
 These words, accompanied with such circum- 
 stances, sunk deep into my heart. I thought how 
 safe and happy are those who have the great God 
 for their father and friend ; but, being conscious 
 that I had sinned against him, I was afraid he was 
 not my father, and that, instead of loving me, he 
 was angry with me; and this, for some time 
 after, continued to distress and grieve my mind." 
 He then proceeds to say, that these early im- 
 pressions were succeeded by others, occasioned 
 by parental admonitions, the death of a sister, 
 the conversation of pious friends, and the reading 
 of useful books, which terminated in his conver- 
 sion. 
 
 A wealthy planter in Virginia, who had a 
 great number of slaves, found one of them read- 
 ing the Bible, and reproved him for the neglect 
 of his work, saying there was time enough on 
 Sundays for reading the Bible : and that on other 
 days he ought to be in the tobacco house. The 
 slave repeating the offence, he ordered him to be 
 whipped. . Going near the place of punishment, 
 soon after its infliction, curiosity led him to listen 
 
# 
 
 154 
 
 to a voice engaged in prayer : and he heard the 
 poor black implore the Almighty to forgive the 
 injustice o( his master, to touch his heart with a 
 sense of his sin and to make him a good Chris- 
 tian. Struck with remorse, he made an imme- 
 diate change in his life, which had been careless 
 and dissipated, burnt his profane books and cards, 
 liberated all his slaves, and appears now to study 
 how to render his wealth and talents useful to 
 others. 
 
 Q. 101. What do we pray for in the first petition 1 
 A. In the first petition, (which is, Hallowed be thy 
 name,) we pray, That God would enable us and others 
 to glorify him in all that whereby he maketh himself 
 known ; and that he would dispose all things to his own 
 glory. 
 
 The great Mr Boyle had such a veneration of 
 God, and such a sense of his presence, that he 
 never mentioned the name of God without a pause 
 and a visible stop in his discourse. 
 
 In the life of Mr. Wyndham, prefixed to his 
 speeches in parliament, it is remarked, that no- 
 thing so highly offended him as any carelessor ir- 
 reverent use of the name of the Creator. " I 
 remember," says his biographer, " that, on read- 
 ing a letter addressed to him, in which the words 
 ' My God,' had been made use of on a light oc- 
 casion, he hastly snatched a pen, and before he 
 could finish the letter, blotted out the misplaced 
 exclamation." 
 
 When the Rev. Thomas Scott was speaking 
 to Mr. Newton on a change of situation with re- 
 gard to interest ; Mr. N. told him the story of a 
 nobleman who was selected as ambassador by 
 his king, but excused himself, on the ground of 
 
155 
 
 his family, and urgent concerns at home ; but 
 was answered, " You must go, only do you mind 
 my concerns heartily, and I will take care of 
 yours." " Thus," saith Mr. Newton, " God, as 
 it were, says to you." 
 
 One day, when the Rev. Mr, James Durham 
 and the Rev. Mr. Andrew Gray, were to preach 
 
 in the same town, as they were walking together, 
 Mr. Durham observing multitudes throng in- 
 to the church where Mr. Gray was to preach, 
 and but one here and there dropping into the one 
 he was to preach in, said to Mr. Gray, " Brother, 
 I perceive you are like to have a throng church 
 to-day." To which Mr. Gray answered, " Truly 
 brother, they are fools to leave you, and come to 
 me." To which Mr. Durham nobly replied, 
 " Not so, dear brother, for a minister can receive 
 no such honor and success in the ministry, ex- 
 cept it be given him from heaven. I rejoice that 
 Christ is preached, and that his kingdom and in- 
 terest are getting ground, and that his honor 
 and esteem do increase, though my esteem in 
 people's hearts should decrease, and be diminish- 
 ed : for I am content to be any thing, so that 
 Christ may be all in all." 
 
 Q,. 102. What do we pray for in the second petition ? 
 
 A. In the second petition, (which is. Thy kingdom come,) 
 we pray, That Satan's kingdom may be destroyed ; and 
 ihat the kingdom of grace may be advanced, ourselves and 
 others brought into it, and kept in it ; and that the king- 
 dom of glory may be hastened. 
 
 A little girl sent about ten shillings to a gen- 
 tleman for the purchase of some missionary tracts; 
 and in her letter she says, " She who takes this 
 Ireedom to ask so much of a stranger, began this 
 
156 
 
 letter with a trembling hand. She is indeed 
 young in years and in knpwledge too, and is not 
 able to talk much with a gentleman on religion; 
 but her mother has taught her, almost eleven 
 years, to say, ' Thy kingdom come ;' and she be- 
 lieves she cannot be saying it sincerely if she does 
 nothing to help it on among the heathen. This 
 thought emboldens her to write to a stranger, 
 almost as though he were a friend." 
 
 Melancthon, going once upon some great ser- 
 vice for the church of Christ, and having many 
 doubts and fears about the success of his busi- 
 ness, was greatly relieved by a company of poor 
 women and children, whom he found praying to- 
 gether for the prosperity of the church, 
 
 " I know," says Mr. Fenner, "an old man that 
 used constantly to go to the laborers in the field 
 and talk to them about religion as they were 
 reaping and working. He would go to men's 
 shops where he was acquainted, and stir them up 
 to the care of iheir souls ; and by this means, 
 brought above forty men and women to seek for 
 heaven, who before had no more care that way, 
 than if they had been a company of beasts. 
 Wouldst thou not be glad to do good ? Thou 
 wilt never be able to do it, except thou be zealous. 
 Paul had women and sundry private christians, 
 who labored with him in the gospel. This, this 
 beloved, would cause religion to thrive here 
 among us." 
 
 Dr. James Spencer, some days before his 
 death, gave orders that nothing of black should 
 be in his coffin ; — " For," said he, "I have been 
 a sorrowful man these many years, lamenting the 
 
157 
 
 deplorable state of Christ's church militant upon 
 earth ; but now being upon the point of retiring 
 into the church triumphant in heaven, I will not 
 have the least mark of sorrow left upon me; but 
 my body shall be wrapped up all over in white, 
 for a testimony that I die in expectation of a better, 
 and more glorious state of Christ's church to 
 come, even upon earth." 
 
 Q,. 103. What do we pray for in the third petition? 
 
 A. In the third petition, (which is, Thy will he done 
 On earth as it is in heaven;) we pray, that God by his 
 grace would make us able and willing to know, obey, 
 and submit to his will in all things, as angels do in 
 heaven. 
 
 There was a good woman, who, when she was 
 ill being asked, whether she was willing to live 
 or die, answered, "Which God pleaseth." 
 •' But," said one standing by, " if God should re- 
 fer it to you, whether would you choose ?" " Tru- 
 ly," said she, " if God should refer it to me, I 
 would even refer it to him aofain." 
 
 "•o" 
 
 Some years ago, a Christian Avidow in London 
 saw, with great alarm her only child taken dan- 
 gerously ill. As the illness increased she became 
 almost distracted, from a dread of losing the child ; 
 at length it became so extremely ill, and so con- 
 vulsed, that she kneeled down by the bed, deeply 
 affected, and in prayer said, " Now, Lord, thy 
 will be done." From that hour the child began 
 to recover, till health was perfectly restored. 
 
 Thomas Potter, a plain and simple man, whom. 
 Dr. Doddridge mentions in his Life of Colonel 
 Gardiner, that he was very deficient in natural 
 things, yet, he enjoyed the gift of a vast retention, 
 both of scripture phrases and scripture places ; 
 
158 
 
 and had an aptness of applying suitable texts, in 
 a wonderful, though he pointed them out in an 
 awkward manner. Two young persons, whose 
 intentions were to be married in a short time, ap- 
 plied to him, acquainting him with their circum- 
 stances, and requesting a text ; he immediately 
 pointed them to Psalm xlvi. 10. " Be still and 
 know that I am God," as altogether suitable to 
 their case. The parties were quite at a loss how 
 to apply this to their intentions and replied, that 
 he must be mistaken, asking for another ; but 
 Thomas insisted on it; he had no other for them. 
 The parties retired; but Providence soon ex- 
 plained that scripture, for within 'a few days, by 
 a sudden illness, one of the parties died, and the 
 survivor was left to learn the needful lesson, of 
 submission to His will who does as it pleases 
 him in heaven or in earth. 
 
 " What occasions that melancholy look ?" said 
 a gentleman to one of his young favorites, one 
 morning. He turned away his face, to hide a 
 tear that was ready to start from his eyes. His 
 brother answered for him, "Mother is very an- 
 gry with him," said he, "because he would not 
 say his prayers last night; and he cried all day, 
 because a sparrovv died of which he was very 
 fond." The little mourner hastily turned round, 
 and looking at me, exclaimed, "I could not say 
 ihy will be done, because of my poor bird." The 
 gentleman took him by the hand, and pointing to 
 his school fellows, " Mark the observation," said 
 he, "from the youngest present only six years 
 old ; for it explains the nature of prayer, of which, 
 perhaps, some of you are ignorant. Many per- 
 sons repeat words, who never prayed in their lives. 
 
 1 
 
159 
 
 My dear boy, I am very glad to find you were 
 afraid to say to God what you could not say truly 
 from your heart ; but you may beg of him to s^ive 
 you submission to his will." 
 
 d. 104. What do we pray for in the fourth petition ? 
 
 A. In the fourth petition, (which is, Give us this day our 
 daily bread,) we pray, That of God's free gift we may re- 
 ceive a competent portion of the good things of this Jife, 
 and enjoy his blessing with them. 
 
 _ Professor Frank relates that at one time all 
 his provision was spent ; " but in addressing my- 
 self," says he, "to the Lord, I found myself deep- 
 ly affected with the fourth petition of the Lord's 
 prayer. Give us this clay our daily bread ; and 
 my thoughts were fixed in a more especial man- 
 ner, upon the words, this day, because on the 
 very same day we had great occasion for it. 
 While I was yet praying, a friend of mine came 
 before my door in a coach, and brought the sum 
 of 400 crowns. 
 
 A pious woman used to say, she should never 
 want, because her God would supply her every 
 need. In a time of persecution, she was taken 
 before an imjust judge, for attending a conventi- 
 cle as they styled her offence ; the judge on see- 
 ing her, rejoiced over her, and tauntingly said, " I 
 have often wished to have you in my power, and 
 now I shall send you to prison, and then how w\\\ 
 you be fed ?" she replied, " If it be my heavenly 
 Father's pleasure, I shall be fed from your table." 
 And that was literally the case ; for the judge's 
 wife being present at her examination, and being 
 greatly struck with the good woman's firmness, 
 took care to send her victuals from her table, so 
 that she was comfortably supplied all the while 
 
160 
 
 she was in confinement ; and the other found her 
 reward, for the Lord was pleased to work on her 
 soul, to her real conversion. 
 
 Mr. C. Winter observes, that in a time when 
 he was destitute, and knew not where to look for 
 a supply, he received a letter, of which the fol- 
 lowing is a copy, and which he kept, as he said, to 
 record the kind providence of the Lord. " Dear 
 and Rev. Sir, I enclose you twenty pounds, as I 
 suppose your purse may be low. I commend 
 you to the grace and love of Jesus ; may he long 
 shine upon you, and bless you. My dear friend, 
 your's affectionately, J. Thornton." 
 
 A poor servant who had a wife and children 
 to support, was once reduced to such distress, 
 that, with the concurrence of his wife, he went to 
 his master's flock, and brought home a lamb, 
 which was killed, and a part of it dressed, and set 
 on the table. The next thing to be done before 
 their hunger could be relieved, was to ask a bless, 
 ing on the food. The poor man's heart was fill- 
 ed with anguish. How could he ask a blessing 
 from God on the fruit of unrighteousness? tears 
 gushed from his eyes. He rose ; he went di- 
 rectly to his master, told him what he had done, 
 and implored his forgiveness. His master knew 
 him to be not only a sober and industrious but an 
 honest and well-disposed man, and, that nothing 
 but the greatest straits, could have tempted him 
 to be guilty of what he had done. After a suita- 
 ble admonition, he assured him of his hearty for- 
 giveness, told him that he was welcome to what 
 he had got, and that he should not be disappoint- 
 ed in any future application which he might find 
 
161 
 
 it necessary to make to him, for the supply of his 
 wants. The servant returned home with joy ; 
 and with his family, he ate that food which was 
 now his own, with gladness, and praised the 
 Lord. 
 
 Q,. 105. What do we pray for in the fifth petition ? 
 
 A. In the fifth petition, (which is, And forgive us our 
 debts, as we forgive our debtors,) we pray, That God, for 
 Christ's sake, would freely pardon all our sins; which we 
 are the rather encouraged to ask, because by his grace we 
 are enabled from the heart to forgive others. 
 
 When Tetzel was at Leipsic, and had collected 
 a great deal of money from all ranks of people, a 
 nobleman, who suspected the imposition, put the 
 question to him : " Can you grant absolution for 
 a sin which a man shall intend to commit in fu- 
 ture?" "Yes," replied the frontless commission- 
 er, "but on condition that the proper sum of 
 money be actually paid down." The nobleman 
 instantly produced the sum demanded ; and in 
 return, received a diploma, sealed and signed by 
 Tetzel, absolving him from the unexplained crime, 
 which he secretly intended to commit. Not long 
 after, when Tetzel was about to leave Leipsic, the 
 nobleman made inquiry respecting the road he 
 would probably travel, waited for him in ambush 
 at a convenient place, attacked and robbed him ; 
 then beat him soundly with a stick, sent him back 
 again to Leipsic with his chest empty, and at 
 parting said, " This is the fault I intended to com- 
 mit, and for which I have your absolution." 
 
 A gentleman once went to SirEardley Wilmot, 
 
 (late Lord Chief Justice of the court of common 
 
 pleas,) under the impression of great wrath and 
 
 indignation, at a real injury he had received from 
 
 14* 
 
162 
 
 a person high in the political world, and which 
 he was meditating how to resent in the most ef- 
 fectual manner. After relating the particulars, 
 he asked Sir Eardley, if he did not think it would 
 be manly to resent it ? " Yes," said the Knight, 
 •' it will be manly to resent it, but it will be God- 
 like to forgive it." The gentleman declared that 
 this had such an instantaneous effect upon him, 
 that he came away quite a different man, and in 
 a very different temper from that in which he 
 went. 
 
 In a school at Youghall, in the master's acci- 
 dental absence, one boy having been provoked, 
 struck another. On hearing the complaint, the 
 master determined to punish the culprit, when the 
 aggrieved boy entreated pardon for the offender. 
 On being asked, why he would interpose to pre- 
 vent a just example? he said, "I was reading 
 the New Testament lately, that Jesus Christ said, 
 we should forgive our enemies, and I wish to for- 
 give him, and I beg he may not be punished for 
 my sake." This Christian plea was too powerful 
 to be resisted. The offender was pardoned, and 
 the parent of the poor boy was highly pleased at 
 the circumstance. 
 
 A poor little African negro, only ten years of 
 age, went to hear the preaching of one of the 
 missionaries, and became through his instrumen- 
 tality, a convert to the Christian religion. His 
 master (an inveterate enemy to missions,) hear- 
 ing of it, commanded him never to go again, and 
 declared he would have him whipped to death if 
 he did. The poor little boy in consequence of this 
 mandate, was very miserable. He could scarcely 
 
163 
 
 refrain from going", yet knew his death was ine- 
 vitable if he did. In this critical situation, he 
 soifght direction and assistance at the throne of 
 grace, and after having done this, he felt convinced 
 that it was still his duty to attend, but to be care- 
 ful that he should never interfere with his mas- 
 ter's business, and, for the rest, to leave himself 
 in the hands of God. He therefore went, and on 
 hisreturn,wassummonedto his master's presence; 
 and after much violent and abusive language, re- 
 ceived five-and-twenty lashes, and then in asarcastic 
 tone of blasphemous ridicule, his master exclaim- 
 ed, " What can Jesus Christ do for you now?" 
 " He enables me to bear it patiently," said the 
 poor child. " Give him five-and-twenty lashes 
 more," said the inhuman wretch. He was obey- 
 ed. '• And what can Jesus Christ do for you 
 now ?" asked the unfeeling monster. " He helps 
 me to look forward to a future reward," replied 
 the little sufferer. " Give him five-and-twenty 
 lashes more," vociferated the cruel tyrant, in a 
 tra'nsport of rage. They complied ; and while 
 he listened with savage delight to the extorted 
 groans of his dying victim, he again demanded, 
 " what can Jesus Christ do for you now ?" The 
 youthful martyr, with the last effort of expiring 
 nature, meekly answered, "He enables me to pray 
 for you, massaP And instantly breathed his last ! 
 
 Q,. 106. What do we pray for in the sixth petition ? 
 
 A. In the sixth petition, (which is, And lead us not into 
 temptation, but deliver us from evil,) we pray that God 
 would either keep us from being tempted to sin, or s,upport 
 and deliver us when we are tempted. 
 
 Dr. Pendleton and Mr. Saunders meeting to- 
 gether in the beginning of Glueen Mary's reign, 
 
164 
 
 and speaking of the persecution which would 
 likely arise ; with regard to which Mr. Saunders 
 discovered much weakness and fear ; Pendleton 
 on the other hand, boasted of his resolution, that 
 he would endure the severest treatment, rather 
 than forsake Jesus Christ, and the truth which 
 he had professed. Yet not long after, poor fee- 
 ble, faint-hearted Saunders, through the goodness 
 of God, sealed the truth with his blood, while 
 proud Pendleton played the apostate, and turned 
 papist. 
 
 A plain countryman, who was effectually call- 
 ed by divine grace under a sermon from Zech. 
 iii. 2, was some time afterwards accosted by a 
 quondam companion of his drunken fits, and 
 strongly solicited to accompany him to the ale- 
 house. But the good man strongly resisted all 
 his arguments, saying, " I am a brand plucked 
 out of the fire." His old companion not under- 
 standing this, he explained it thus: "Look ye," 
 said he, " there is a great difference between a 
 brand and a green stick; if a spark flies upon a 
 brand that has been partly burned, it will soon 
 catch fire again ; but it is not so with a green 
 stick. I tell you, I am that brand plucked out of 
 the fire, and I dare not venture into the w^ay of 
 temptation for fear of being set on fire." 
 
 The following anecdote may perhaps illustrate 
 the promise, "asthy days so shall thy strength be." 
 Under the reign of Paganism, a Christian, not- 
 withstanding her pregnancy, was condemned to 
 die in her profession. The day before her exe- 
 cution, she fell into labor, and crying out in her 
 pangs, the jailor insulted her, saying, " If you 
 make a noise to-day, how will you endure a vio- 
 
165 
 
 lent death to-morrow ?" to this she replied, " To 
 day I suffer what is ordinary, and have only or- 
 dinary assistance ; to-morrow, I am to suffer what 
 is more than ordinary, and shall hope for more 
 than ordinary assistance." Oh ! woman great 
 was thy faith. 
 
 One night Mr. Newton found a bill put up at 
 St. Mary Woolnoth's, upon which he comment- 
 ed a great deal when he came to preach. The 
 bill was to this effect, "A young man, having 
 come to the possession of a very considerable for- 
 tune, desires the prayers of the congregation, 
 that he may be preserved from the snares to which 
 it exposes him." — "Now, if the man," said JVlr. 
 Newton, " had lost a fortune, the world, would 
 not have wondered to have seen him put up a 
 bill, but this man has been better taught." 
 
 Q,. 107. What does the conclusion of the Lord's prayer 
 teach us ? 
 
 A. The conclusion of the Lord's prayer, (which is, 
 For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory 
 for ever. Amen.) teacheth us, to take our encouragement 
 in prayer from Cod only, and in our prayers to praise 
 him, ascribing kingdom, power, and glory to him. And 
 in testimony of our desire, and assurance to be heard, 
 we say, Amen. 
 
 Alexander the Great had a famous but indigent 
 philosopher in his court. This adept in science 
 was once particularly straitened in his circum- 
 stances. To whom alone should he apply, but 
 to his patron, the conqueror of the world ? His 
 request was no sooner made than granted. Alex- 
 ander gave him a commission to receive of his 
 treasurer whatever he w^anted. He immediately 
 demanded, in his sovereign's name, ten thousand 
 pounds. The treasurer, surprised at so large a 
 
166 
 
 demand, refused to comply ; but waited upon the 
 king, and represented to him the affair, adding 
 withal, how unreasonable he thought the petition, 
 and how exorbitant the sum. Alexander heard 
 him with patience ; but, as soon as he had ended 
 his remonstrance, replied, " Let the money be 
 instantly paid : I am delighted with this philoso- 
 pher's way of thinking ; he has done me a singu- 
 lar honor ; by the largeness of his request, he 
 shows the high idea he has conceived, both of my 
 superior wealth and my royal magnificence." 
 Thus let us honor what the inspired penman 
 styles the marvellous loving kindness o/Jehovah. 
 " He that spared not his own Son, but delivered 
 him up for us all, how shall he not with him also 
 freely give us all things ?" 
 
 Mr. John Janeway, when on his death-bed, 
 was employed chiefly in praise : " O," said he to 
 his friends, " help me to praise God ; I have now 
 nothing else to do. I have done with prayer and 
 all other ordinances. Before a few hours are 
 over, I shall be in eternity, singing the song of 
 Moses and the Lamb. I shall presently stand 
 upon mount Zion, with an innumerable compa- 
 ny of angels, and spirits of just men made perfect, 
 and with Jesus the mediator of the new covenant. 
 I shall hear the voice of much people, and with 
 them, shall cry. Hallelujah, glory, salvation, ho- 
 nor, and power unto the Lord our God. And 
 again we shall say. Hallelujah!" In this tri- 
 umphant manner he expired, about the twenty- 
 second year of his age. 
 
 A lady, who had just sat down to breakfast, 
 had a strong impression upon her mind that she 
 
167 
 
 must instantly carry a loaf of bread to a poor man 
 who lived about half a mile from her house, by 
 the side of a common. Her husband wished her 
 either to postpone taking the loaf of bread till af- 
 ter breakfast, or to send it by her servant; but 
 she chose to take it herself instantly. As she 
 approached the hut, she heard the sound of a hu- 
 man voice. Willing to hear what it was, she stepped 
 softly, unperceived to the door. She now heard 
 the poor man praying, and, among other things, 
 he said, " O Lord, help me; Lord, thou wilt help 
 me; thy providence cannot fail: and although 
 my wife, self, and children, have no bread to eat, 
 and it is now a whole day since we had any, I 
 know thou wilt supply me, though thoushouldest 
 again rain down manna from heaven." The lady 
 could wait no longer: she opened the door. 
 " Yes," she replied ; "God has sent you relief 
 Take this loaf, and be encouraged to cast your 
 care upon Him who careth for you ; and when 
 you ever want a loaf of bread, come to my house.' ' 
 
MISCELLANEOUS 
 
 ANECDOTES. 
 
 REMARKABLE CONVERSION. 
 
 The Lord has various means to bring about 
 his own gracious purposes ; and sometimes con-' 
 descends to make use of incidents apparently 
 trifling to accomplish his most important designs. 
 The truth of this remark may be exemplified in 
 the following fact : — A young gentleman of high 
 connexions, and great respectability, was induced 
 by gay acquaintance to accompany them to a ball 
 Arrived at the scene of dissipation, the festive 
 company proceeded to their amusement. The 
 music struck up, and he among the rest was high- 
 ly delighted with the diversion. In the midst of 
 their enjoyment, as though a messenger had been 
 sent immediately from heaven, — the clock struck 
 one. That striking passage of Dr. Young's in- 
 stantly rushed upon his mind : 
 
 " The bell strikes one. We take no note of time 
 
 But from its loss. To give it then a tongue 
 
 Is wise in man. As if an angel spoke, 
 
 I feel the solemn sound. If heard aright, 
 
 It is the knell of my departed hours ; 
 
 Where are they ? with the years beyond the flood : 
 
 It is the signal that demands dispatch : 
 
 How much is to be done ! My hopes and fears 
 
 Start up alarm'd, and o'er life's narrow verge 
 
 Look down — On what ? a fathomkss abyss ; 
 
 A dread eternity 1" 
 
169 
 
 Conviction seized the youth. Alarmed and 
 terrified, he left the dissipated throng, and retired 
 to his closet. The result was, a saving change, 
 and he is now a Christian indeed, in whom is no 
 cherished guile. 
 
 MERCIES ASCRIBED TO THE PROPER SOURCE 
 BY A LITTLE BOY UNDER SIX YEARS OF AGE, 
 
 A little girl being indisposed, complained of 
 feeling pain. Her mother said to her, " I will 
 give you some medicine, my love, which will make 
 you quite well to-morrow." Her brother, who 
 was standing by, replied, " Oh no, mamma, medi- 
 cine alone will not make her well : when I was 
 ill, I took a great deal, but it did me no good 
 until I jprayed to God to make me well ; and then 
 1 was better the very next morning ; when I 
 thanked God for making me better; and now I 
 am quite well, and so will Annifshepray to God." 
 
 INSUFFICIENCY OF WORLDLY AMUSBMENTS, 
 
 A French physician was once consulted by a 
 person who was subject to most gloomy fits of 
 melancholy. He advised his patient to mix in 
 scenes of gaiety, and particularly to frequent the 
 Italian theatre ; and added, " If Carline does not 
 expel your gloomy complaint, your case must be 
 desperate indeed." The reply of the patient is 
 worthy the attention of all those who frequent such 
 places in search of happiness, as it shows the unfit- 
 ness and insufficiency of these amusements. '• Alas f 
 sir, / am Carlme ; and while I divert Paris with 
 mirth, and make them almost die with laughter, I 
 myself am dying with melancholy and chagrin." 
 
 ZEAL FOR THE SCRIPTURES, 
 
 There was a peasant in the county of Cork, 
 15 
 
170 
 
 who understood that a gentleman had a copy of 
 the Scriptures in the Irish language, and begged 
 to see it. He asked whether he might borrow the 
 New Testament in his own ton^yue. The gfentle- 
 man said, he could not obtain another copy, and 
 he was afraid to trust it to take a copy in writing. 
 " Where will you get the paper ?" asked the 
 gentleman. " I will buy it.'- " And the pens 
 and ink ?" " I will buy them." Where will you 
 find a place?" " If your honor will allow me 
 your hall, I would come after I had done my 
 work in the day, and take a copy by portions of 
 time in the evening." The gentleman was so 
 struck with such zeal, that he gave him the use of 
 the hall and light, by which to take a copy. The 
 man was firm to his purpose, finished the work, 
 and produced a copy of the New Testament in 
 writing by his own hand. A printed copy has 
 been given him in exchange, and the written one 
 is placed in the hands of the Noble President of 
 the British and Foreign Bible Society, as a 
 monument of the desire of the Irish to know the 
 Scriptures. 
 
 PROVIDENTIAL INTERPOSITION. 
 
 Mr. John Craig, a distinguished minister, and 
 colleague of Knox, having gone to reside in Bo- 
 logna, in a convent of Dominicians, found a copy 
 of Calvin's Institutions, which God made the 
 means of his conversion to the reformed faith. 
 He was seized as a heretic soon after, and car- 
 ried to Rome, where he vi^as condemned to be 
 burnt; but on the evening preceding the day of 
 execution, the reigning pontiff died, and accord- 
 ing to custom, the doors of all the prisons were 
 
171 
 
 thrown open. All others were released ; but 
 heretics, after being permitted to go outside the 
 walls, were reconducted to their cells. That 
 night, however, a tumult was excited, and Craig 
 and his companions escaped. They had entered 
 a small inn at some distance from Rome, when 
 they were overtaken by a party of soldiers sent to 
 apprehend them. On entering the house, the 
 captain looked Craig stedfastly in the face, and 
 asked him if he remembered having once relieved 
 a poor wounded soldier in the neighborhood of 
 Bologna : Craig had forgotten it, "But," said the 
 captain, " I am the man ; I shall requite your 
 kindness ; you are at liberty ; your companions I 
 must take with me ; but for your sake I shall treat 
 them with all possible lenity." He gave him all 
 the money he had, and Craig escaped. But his 
 money soon failed him ; yet God who feedeth the 
 ravens did not. Lying at the side of a wood, full 
 of gloomy apprehensions, a dog came running 
 up to him with a purse in his teeth. Suspecting 
 some evil, he attempted to drive the animal away, 
 but in vain. He at length took the purse, and 
 found in it a sum of money which carried him to 
 Vienna. 
 
 WARNING TO SABBATH-BREAKERS. 
 
 A horse-dealer in London, of considerable pro- 
 perty, had for some time past made it his constant 
 practice to nick his horses on the Sabbath. One 
 Lord's day morning he was employed as usual ; 
 his horse was bound with cords, the fatal knife 
 applied, and whether it went in too deep or not, 
 is unknown : but the horse gave a violent jirk, by 
 which he loosened himself from his bandage, and 
 
172 
 
 gave his owner a blow on the stomach, which oc- 
 casioned instant death. Let those who profane 
 the Sabbath, remember, that God is jealous for 
 the honor of his holy day. 
 
 THE BIBLE SUPERSEDED. 
 
 An English officer, who was lately at Valen- 
 ciennes, states the following fact, which came un- 
 der his own observation. A number of Bibles in 
 French had been sent from England to the above 
 city, for sale or distribution. Many of the people 
 received them with gratitude, and read them with 
 avidity; but the priest getting information of the 
 matter, ordered all the Bibles to be returned. The 
 English officer, who was acquainted with him, 
 asked the reason of this : to which he gave the 
 truly Popish reply : — " / teach the people every 
 thing that is necessary for them to know !" 
 
 THE LOSS OF HOPE THE LOSS OF ALL. 
 
 The brother of the late Dr. F. was on a voyage. 
 A violent storm drove the ship near a dangerous 
 coast. The danger every moment increasing, 
 led Mr. F. at length to ask the captain, if there 
 was a possibility of being saved 1 The captain 
 replied in the negative. Upon this Mr. F. re- 
 tired to his cabin, lay down on his bed, and re- 
 signed himself to a watery grave. The captain 
 and crew remained upon deck. In a moment, an 
 unexpected surge, with an immense swell of the 
 sea, carried the ship over the reef of rocks, and 
 left her, as the sea retired, upon a sand-bank. In- 
 stantly the captain and crew jumped upon the 
 sand, and before the return of another wave, got 
 upon an eminence, and thus providently escaped 
 death. M. F. was the only man lost. The waves 
 
173 
 
 soon beat the ship to pieces. Had he been 
 watching, his life would have been saved. 
 
 NEW SHOES. 
 
 A very gratifying instance of generosity was 
 lately witnessed among the boys of a Sabbath 
 School. One of their number having been ab- 
 sent for several Sabbaths, the boys were informed, 
 that the cause was his having no shoes, and his 
 parents being too poor to buy him any. The next 
 Sabbath, they freely contributed a sufficient sum 
 to enable their schoolfellow to appear among 
 them, at their next meeting in school, with new 
 shoes. 
 
 HUMAN MERIT. 
 
 The following epitaph is inscribed upon a monu- 
 ment in one of the Roman Catholic chapels, in 
 the city of Cork: — "J. H. S. Sacred to the me- 
 mory of the benevolent Edward Molloy, the friend 
 of humanity, and father of the poor ; he employ- 
 ed the wealth of this world, only to procure the 
 riches of the next ; and leaving a balance of 
 merit on the book of life, he made heaven debtor 
 to mercy. He died 17th October, 1818, aged 
 90. R. J. P." How daring the impiety of making 
 the Creator debtor to his creature ! 
 
 NOTHING TO DO. 
 
 A tradesman who had acquired a large fortune 
 in London, retired from business, and went to 
 reside in Worcester. His mind, without its usual 
 occupation, and having nothing else to supply its 
 place, preyed upon itself, so that existence became 
 a torment to him. At last he was seized with the 
 stone ; and a friend, who found him in one of its 
 15* 
 
174 
 
 severest attacks, having expressed his concern, — 
 " No, no, sir," said he, " do not pity me, I beseech 
 you, for what I now feel is ease compared with 
 the torture of mind from which it relieves me." 
 
 THE BIT OF STRING. 
 
 A poor lame boy came one day to a gentleman 
 who was very kind to him, and asked for a piece 
 of string, saying, " Do let it be a good long bit, 
 sir." The gentleman inquiring what it was for, 
 the boy seemed unwilling to tell ; but at last said 
 it was to make a cabbage net, which he could 
 sell for three-pence, as he wished to send the mo- 
 ney to help to pay for printing Bibles for the 
 poor heathen : " And you know, sir," added he, 
 " It may pay for the printing one side of a leaf of 
 one of them." The gentleman gave him a large 
 piece of string, and told him to bring the net when 
 it was finished. The boy brought it, and the 
 gentleman said, *' you are a good boy ; there is 
 three-pence for 3''ou to send for the Bibles, and 
 three-pence for yourself" '• No, sir," exclaimed 
 the boy, "do send it all, perhaps it will pay for 
 printing both sides." 
 
 THE WAY TO THE PIT. 
 
 A young man, on reaching the door of a thea- 
 tre, overheard one of the door-keepers calling out, 
 •' this is the way to the pitV Having had some 
 instruction in the word of God in early life, he in- 
 terpreted what the man said, that the employ- 
 ments of the theatre led to hell. The thought 
 haunted him, made him cease frequenting such 
 amusements ; he became attentive to the concerns 
 of his soul, and was afterwards a preacher of the 
 Gospel. 
 
175 
 
 THE OLD FORMALIST CONVERTED. 
 
 A poor old man, when a child of three years 
 of age, had been taught by his mother to repeat 
 a prayer every night, which he did till he was 
 seventy -three years old ; and not a little proud was 
 he to say that he had not omitted saying his 
 prayers every night for seventy years ! At this ad- 
 vanced age, it pleased God to afBict him severely : 
 he was led by the Holy Spirit to see that he was 
 a poor sinner, who had been living in the form of 
 godliness, but had never felt its power. He was 
 enabled to spend the few last years of his life in 
 humble dependence on the grace of Christ ; and 
 when he referred to himself j he would often add, 
 *' I am the old man who said his prayers for seven- 
 ty years, and yet all that time never prayed at all." 
 
 THE PRAYING LITTLE GIRL. 
 
 A little girl in London, about four years of age, 
 was one day j)]aying with her companions. Ta- 
 king them by the hand, she led them to a shed in 
 the yard, and asked them all to kneel down, as 
 she was going to pray to God Almighty ; " But 
 don't you tell my mamma," said she, "for she 
 never prays, and would beat me if she knew that 
 I do." Instead of keeping the secret, one of her 
 play-mates went directly and told this little girl's 
 mother, who was very much struck, but for the 
 present took no notice. Some time after, on her 
 going in doors, her mother asked her w^hat she 
 had been doing in the yard; she tried to avoid 
 giving a direct answer. The question being re- 
 peated, the answer was the same: when her 
 mother having promised not to be angry with her, 
 and pressing the inquiry by very kind words, she 
 
176 
 
 said, " I have been praying to God Almighty." 
 " But why do 3'ou pray to him ?' " Because I 
 know he hears me, and I love to pray to him." 
 " But how do you know he hears you ?" This 
 was a difficult question, indeed, but mark her re- 
 ply ; putting her little hand to her heart, she said, 
 " Oh, I know he does, because there is something 
 here that tells me he does." This language 
 pierced her mother's heart, who was a stranger 
 to prayer herself, and she wept bitterly. — " I love 
 them that love me : and they that seek me early 
 shall find me." 
 
 USEFULNESS. 
 
 On the day of his death, in his eightieth year, 
 Elliot, the " apostle of the Indians," was found 
 teaching the alphabet to an Indian child at his 
 bedside. " Why not rest from your labors 
 now ?" said a friend. " Because," said the ve- 
 nerable man, " I have prayed to God to render 
 me useful in my sphere ; and he has heard my 
 prayer, for now that I can no longer preach, he 
 leaves me strength enough to teach this poor child 
 his alphabet." 
 
 REi>IARKABLE PRESERVATION. 
 
 Sir Thomas Gresham, who built the Royal 
 Exchange in London, was the son of a poor wo- 
 man, who, while he was an infant, abandoned 
 him in a field. By the providence of God, how- 
 ever, the chirping of a grasshopper attracted a 
 boy to the spot where the child lay ; and his life 
 was, by this means, preserved. After Sir Thomas 
 had, by his unparalleled success as a merchant, 
 risen to the pinnacle of commercial wealth and 
 greatness, he chose a grasshopper for his crest; 
 
177 
 
 and becoming, under the patronage of dueen 
 Elizabeth, the founder of the Royal Exchange, 
 his crest was placed on the walls of the building 
 in several parts, and a vane or weathercock, in the 
 figure of a grasshopper, was fixed on the summit 
 of the tower. i 
 
 RECONCILIATION, 
 
 Two good men on some occasion had a warm 
 dispute; and remembering the exhortation of the 
 apostle, '* Let not the sun go down upon your 
 wrath," .just before sun-set, one of them went to 
 the other, and knocking at the door, his offended 
 friend came and opened it, and seeing who it was, 
 started back in astonishment and surprise ; the 
 other, at the same time cried out, " The sun is 
 almost downy This unexpected salutation soft- 
 ened the heart of his friend into affection, and 
 he returned for answer, " Come in brother, come 
 in," What a happy method of conciliating mat- 
 ters, of redressing grievances, and of reconciling 
 brethren. 
 
 OMNISCIENCE OF GOD. 
 
 A father said to his son, who was at Sabbath 
 school, and had attended to what he heard there, 
 " Carry this parcel to such a place." " It is Sab- 
 bath," replied the other. " Put it in your pocket," 
 replied the father. " God can see in my pocket," 
 answered the child. 
 
 A LIAR TAKEN AT HER WORD. 
 
 In the year 1824, a woman, who resided near 
 Wedmore, was taken before J. Barrow, Esq., a 
 magistrate of the county, charged with having 
 stolen cider from a neighboring farmer. During 
 the examination, the woman wished that God 
 
178 
 
 would never suffer her to speak again, or let her 
 go home to her family, if she was guilty ; the 
 words were scarcely spoken, when she fell to the 
 ground speechless ! She was conveyed immediate- 
 ly to the inn, where she continued for some time 
 in a dreadful state. 
 
 BIBLE MEN NOT COWARDS. 
 
 The captain of a ship, says, " I am in the habit 
 of reading the Scriptures to the crew. I have 
 suffered much lately at sea; having been dis- 
 masted, and had all my boats washed away, a little 
 to the westward of Cape Clear. I then had an 
 opportunity of seeing who was who ; and I found 
 the most unprincipled men the most useless and 
 the greatest cowards in this awful gale, and the 
 Bible men altogether the reverse, most useful 
 and courasfeous." 
 
 PRAYING TO THE VIRGIN MARY. 
 
 The following prayer was offered by the late 
 king of France, on the occasion of the baptism of 
 his young grand-nephew, the Duke of Bordeaux ; 
 " Let us invoke for him the protection of the mo- 
 ther of God, the queen of the angels; let us im- 
 plore her to watch over his days, and remove far 
 from his cradle the misfortunes with which it has 
 pleased Providence to afflict his relations, and to 
 conduct him by a less rugged path than I have 
 had, to eternal felicity." Here there is no God 
 acknowledged but a mere creature ; and if such 
 idolatry shall be persevered in, it is probable that 
 the young prince, if spared as long in the world, 
 will have to go over a still more " rugged path" 
 than that of his predecessor. 
 
179 
 
 BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF CHURCH DISCIPLINE. 
 
 A woman who had once and again been guilty 
 of a sin which incurred the censure of the.church, 
 in the way of public rebuke, presented herself be- 
 fore the parish session, that she might betaken un- 
 der discipline, expecting as a thing of course, that 
 she would have to stand in the church, and that 
 she would be restored to church privileges. 
 But appearing to the minister and elders to be a 
 person who had no just sense of the evil of her 
 sin, and exhibiting no signs of repentance, she 
 was told that she could not be admitted to the 
 privilege of the discipline and censure, which 
 could be properly applied only to the penitent, 
 and could be of no use to the hardened and in- 
 sensible, such as she appeared to be. She went 
 away greatly disappointed, because she was not 
 to be rebuked, as she expected. She was in 
 effect though not in form, excommunicated. 
 
 But the matter did not rest here. The sinner 
 could find no peace in her conscience. The idea 
 haunted her by night and by day; she began to 
 reflect on her own character and conduct ; she 
 thought she must be a wicked creature indeed, 
 seeing she was not reckoned worthy so much as 
 to give public satisfaction for her sin ; she was, 
 in short, brought to consideration, and deep re- 
 pentance ; on evidence of which, she was restored 
 to church communion, and she maintained a good 
 character all the rest of her life. When she ap- 
 plied to the session, she was very ignorant, and 
 could not read, but, when awakened to a sense 
 of her guilt, she immediately learned to read, so 
 as to be able to read her Bible, and make it appear 
 that she had profited by the merciful discipline of 
 the church. 
 
180 
 
 YOUTHFUL PRAYER, 
 
 A Sabbatl\ school boy, in London, who had 
 been well taught, received a visit from a country 
 cousin, about the same age, and it was agreed 
 they should sleep together. When they went to 
 their room, the Sabbath school boy kneeled down 
 by the bed-side, and said his prayers ; but the 
 country cousin stripped off his clothes and jump- 
 ed into bed. When the other arose from his 
 knees, he asked his cousin how he could think of 
 going to bed without saying a prayer. He re- 
 plied, that he did not know any ; however, this did 
 not satisfy the Sabbath scholar; he made his 
 cousin get out of bed and repeat the evening 
 prayer after him. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 W. B. & T. Smith, Piinterfl, 89 Nassau and ViS Fulton streets. 
 
 { 
 
Princeton Theological 5emmary-Speer Library 
 
 1 1012 01038 4297