NOTE X. Drunkenness weakens both the body and the mind. It destroys individual and domestic happiness, and usually terminates in a premature death of the body, and eternal death of the soul. It demoralizes society, and thus ruins many souls in time and ETERNITY. The friends of righteousness and humanity are loudly called on, in these degenerate days, to make united, powerful, and persevering exertions, to prevent the increasing ravages of intoxication, that MONSTER of INIQUITY and DEATH. According to a late very accurate computation, the United States annually expend more than 22,000,000 of dollars for ardent spirits. "A sum which exceeds all that is paid for the support of government, the education of children, and the support of religious instructors, by the people of this country." See Panoplist for Sept. 1812. O shame! folly! MADNESS! DESTRUCTION! NOTE Y. Is not unchastity in words, actions, and thoughts, strictly forbidden in the word of God? THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY. Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication, sinneth against his own body.- Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience. Ex. 20. 14. Prov. 6. 27-29. 1 Cor. 6. 18. Cal. 3. 5, 6. || Mat. 5. 28. and 15. 19. Deut. 22. 28, 29. and 23. 17. Prov. 5. 1-13. and 7. 6-10, 13-18, 21-23. Jude 7. The following able remarks are extracted from an invaluable Treatise on Education, by T. BABINGTON Esa. member of the British Parliament. I FEAR it is too common, to be satisfied with a less intimate acquaintance with the Word of God than becomes creatures to whom so inestimable a treasure is given. The Bible is at hand, perhaps is regularly read. Its different parts are recognised as old acquaintance on each re-perusal, and they are not passed over without care and attention. In this way a foun dation is laid, with the Divine blessing, of sound religious knowledge, and of solid piety. Still, however, there is often but little of readiness in producing from memory the very expressions of Scripture. There is a wide departure from the spirit of the directions given to the Israelites :-" And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates." And yet on an ability to do this promptly and correctly, often depends our right and ready application of this our Divine rule, both in directing our own course through life, and in giving useful advice to those about us. Have not we all felt the prodigious advantage of an apposite passage of Scripture, striking the mind on occasions when temptation has pressed upon us, or when we have doubted as to the course we ought to pursue? Nor is the advantage less, when we can support our advice to others by the very words of Holy Writ. But the benefits resulting from this knowledge of Scripture, are by no means confined to such occasions; they extend to the general frame of the soul, and to its growth in grace; and, in this point of view, are far more important than in any other. What a rich treasury for a supply of holy thoughts, and for the cultivation of holy affections, with the Divine aid, does that man possess whose mind is well stored with the Word of God!— Now, how will this knowledge of Scripture be best attained? Beyond all doubt, by learning much by heart during the period of youth. It is in youth that the memory is most retentive; and the stores it then lays up are the least subject to loss or decay from the lapse of time. Like certain flowers gathered at a proper season for preservation, they retain even to a late period much of their original freshness; while passages learnt in after-life, are apt to fade, and escape altogether out of the mind, if not frequently reinstated by repetition. Besides, by beginning early, there is ample time for laying in a large store of the more important parts of Scripture; and what is learnt will take deeper root, not only in the memory, but in the affections, and become more, if I may so say, a part of ourselves. The impressions thus received, will, with God's blessing, "Grow with our growth, and strengthen with our strength," and contribute essentially to the formation, in due time, of the perfect man in Christ. REESE LIBRARY OF THE TUNIVERSITY ASSEMBLALIFORNIA SHORTER CATECHISM; WITH PROOF TEXTS. 1. What is the chief end of man? Man's chief end is to glorify God, a and enjoy him for ever.b a1 Cor. 10. 31. Rom. 11. 36. b Ps. 73. 25, 28. 2. What rule has God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him? The word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, c is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him. d c2 Tim. 3. 16. Eph. 2. 20. d1 John 1. 3, 4. 3. What do the Scriptures principally teach? The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man. e e 2 Tim. 1. 13, and 3. 16. 4. What is God? God is a spirit, ƒ infinite, g eternal, h and unchangeable, i in his being, k wisdom, t power, m holiness, n justice, goodness, and truth. o f John 4. 24. i James 1. 17. m Rev. 4. 8. g Job 11. 7-9. k Ex. 3. 14. n Rev. 15. 4. h Ps. 90. 2. I Ps. 147. 5. o Ex. 34. 67. 5. Are there more Gods than 6. How many persons are there in the Godhead? There are three persons in the Godhead the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one God-the same in substance, equal in power and glory.q g1 John 5. 7. Mat. 28. 19. 7. What are the decrees of God? The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his own will, whereby, for his own glory, he comes to pass.r hath foreordained whatsoever r Eph. 1. 4, 11. Rom. 9. 22, 23. 8. How does God execute his decrees? God executeth his decrees in the works of creation and providence. 9. What is the work of creation? The work of creation is God's making all things of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good. s 8 Gen. 1. 1. Heb. 11. 3. 10. How did God create man? God created man, male and female, after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over mankind, descending from him 11. What are God's works of providence? God's works of providence are his most holy,u wise, w and powerful preserving x and governing all his creatures, and all their actions. y u Ps. 145. 17. w Ps. 104.24. Is. 28. 29. Heb. 1. 3. y Ps. 103. 19. Mal. 10. 29-31. by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him in his first transgression. d d Gen. 2. 16, 17. Rom. 5. 12. 1 Cor. 15, 21, 22. 17. Into what state did the fall bring mankind? The fall brought mankind into a state of sin and misery.e e Rom. 5. 12. 18. Wherein consists the sin 12. What special act of provi- fulness of that state whereinto man fell? dence did God exercise towards man in the state wherein he was created? When God created man, he entered into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of perfect obedience, forbidding him to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, upon pain of death. z z Gal. 3. 12. Gen. 2. 17. 13. Did our first parents continue in the state wherein they were created? Our first parents, being left to the freedom of their own will, fell from the state wherein they were created, by sinning against God. a a Gen. 3. 6-8, 13. Eccl. 7. 29. 14. What is sin? Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God. b The sinfulness of that state whereinto man fell, consists in the guilt of Adam's first sin, the want of original righteousness, and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called original sin, together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it.f fRomans 5. 12, 16-20. Ephes. 2. 1-3. James 1. 14, 15. Mat. 15. 19. 19. What is the misery of that state whereinto man fell? All mankind, by the fall, lost communion with God,g are under his wrath and curse, h and so made liable to all the miseries of this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever. i g Gen. 3. 8, 10, 24. h Eph. 2. 2, 3. Gal. 3. 10. i Lam. 3. 39. Rom. 6. 23. Mat. 25. 41, 46. 20. Did God leave all mankind to perish in this state of sin and misery? God, having, out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life,k did enter into a covenant of grace to deliver them out of this state of sin and misery, and to bring them into a state of salvation by a Redeemer. I k Eph. 1. 4. 1 Rom. 3. 20-22. Gal. 3. 21, 22. 21. Who is the Redeemer of God's elect? The only Redeemer of God's elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, m who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, n and so was and continues to be God and man, in two distinct natures, and one person forever. o m1 Tim. 2. 5, 6. n John 1. 14. Gal. 4. 4. o Rom. 9. 5. Luke 1. 35. Col.2.9. Heb.7.24,25. 22. How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man? Christ, the Son of God, became man, by taking to himself a true body,p and a reasonable soul, q being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the virgin Mary, and born of her, r and yet without sin. s z Acts 15. 14-16. a Isa. 33. 22. b Isa. 32. 1, 2. c1 Cor. 15. 25. Ps. 110. 1—. 27. Wherein did Christ's humiliation consist? Christ's humiliation consisted in his being born, and that in a low condition, d in being made under the law, e in undergoing the miseries of this life, f the wrath of God, g and the cursed death of the cross, h in being buried, i and continuing under the power of death for a time.k d Luke 2. 7. e Gal. 4. 4. f Heb. 13. 2, 3. Isa. 53. 2, 3. g Luke 22. 44. Mat. 27. 46. h Phil. 2. 8. i1 Cor. 15. 3, 4. k Acts 2. 24-27, 31. 28. Wherein consists Christ's exaltation? Christ's exaltation consisteth in his rising again from the dead on the third day, in ascending up into heaven, m and sitting at the right hand of God the Father,n and in coming to judge the world at the last day.o 11 Cor. 15. 4. m Mark 16. 19. n Eph. 1. 20. o Acts 1. 11, and 17. 31. 29. How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ? We are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ by the effectual application of it to us p by his Holy Spirit. q p John 1. 11, 12. q Titus 3, 5, to us the redemption purchased 30. How does the Spirit apply by Christ? redemption purchased by Christ The Spirit applieth to us the by working faith in us, r and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.s r Eph. 1. 13, 14. John 6. 37, 39. Eph. 2. 3. s Eph. 3. 17. 1 Cor. 1. 9. 31. What is effectual calling? |