God sent a deluge, which destroyed the whole human race, excepting Noah and his family. Q. What happened after the deluge?

A. Idolatry became universally established, and God chose and called Abraham, from whom the Jews are descended, who were the only people prior to the coming of our Lord, who knew and served the true God.

Q. What was the state of the other nations? A. For some time after the deluge the knowledge of the true God was preserved by tradition among the nations of the East; but by degrees this knowledge became extinct, and idolatry, ignorance, and the grossest vices obtained universal influence, and in this state the world continued till the coming of our Lord.

Q. Was it the will of God that the world should continue in this state?

A. No, He had promised to send a Redeemer to rescue it from this condition. This promise had been made to Adam, to the Patriarchs, and to the Jewish nation by his Prophets, and was fulfilled by the coming of our Lord.

SECT. 3.-Man's restoration by a Redeemer. Q. For what purpose did our Lord come into the world?

A. To redeem mankind from sin, from death, and to bring "life_and_immortality to light through the Gospel." 2 Tim. i. 10. "As by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so by the righteousness of

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one, the free-gift came upon all men, unto justification of life." Rom. v. 18. "Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection from the dead; for as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive." 1 Cor. xv. 21, 22. Q. How are these blessings secured to believers?

A. By the death of our Lord, and the imputation of his merits to them. "As by one man's disobedience, many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one, shall many be made righteous." Rom. v. 19. and x. 8, 4. "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth, and we are sanctified by the will of God, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ." Heb. x. 10, 14.

CHAPTER IV.

Of the Christian Religion.

Of faith, and the truths of the Christian Religion. Q. Of how many parts does the Christian religion consist?

A. There are two. The first treats of faith, or of the truths which a Christian should believe. The second treats of our duties, or of those things which we should practise.

Q. What is the meaning of the words belief and faith?

A. Their meaning is the same, namely, the persuasion and conviction of the truth of those facts or doctrines which are their objects.

Q. How do we ascertain the truth and certainty of any thing?

A. In two ways: first, from our conscious

ness and experience. It is thus we know our own existence, and the existence of the objects of our senses. In the second place, from the testimony of others, either written or oral. Thus we believe many things which we have never seen or experienced, upon the evidence of credible witnesses; and thus we receive the testimony of historians, in relation to events that have long since happened, where there is no reason to doubt their veracity or knowledge.

Q. On which of these two foundations does our faith in the Christian religion rest?

A. Chiefly on the second, for we have not been eye witnesses of the things which are taught in Scripture; nevertheless, we ought to believe them as firmly as if we had actually seen them. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen.' Heb. xi. 1.

Q. On what then is our faith founded ?

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A. It is founded on this principle, that God is true in all that he says, that Scripture comes from him, and that the things which we believe are contained in Scripture.

Q. How then is faith defined?

A. It is an enlightened apprehension, and cordial reception of the truths which God has revealed to us in his word.

Q. What is it indispensibly necessary to believe, in order to have a true Christian faith?

A. A Christian should believe all that is contained in the holy Scriptures, especially he must believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of

God, and the Saviour of the world; that he died for our sins, and has purchased salvation and eternal happiness for all those who believe in him, and who obey him.

Q. What are the principal qualities of a true Christian faith?

A. That it should be enlightened, sincere, and efficient.

Q. What are the effects of a true faith?

A. They are three: the first is that it should induce a public profession of the Christian religion. "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved; for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Rom. x. 9, 10.

Q. What is the second effect of faith? A. It produces obedience to the commandments of God, and holiness of life.

Q. How is it that faith produces obedience ? A. It is because faith worketh by love-purifies the heart and overcomes the world.

Q. Is it possible to have a true faith without obedience?

A. It is impossible. "He who says that he knows God, and does not keep his commandments, is a liar." 1 John ii. 4. St. James declares the same thing, chap. ii. 14, 17. What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works; can faith save him? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Q. What is the third effect of faith?

A. It is the consolation that springs from the assurance that believers feel, that God, according to his promise, will pardon their sins for the sake of Jesus Christ, and will bestow on them eternal life. St. Paul points out this effect, in the epistle to the Romans, chap. V. 1. "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ." Q. Can every one obtain this assurance?

A. All can believe that God is merciful, and disposed to impart his grace to such as believe in him, and obey him. But it is only those who possess a true faith, and sincere repentance, who can enjoy an assurance that they have an interest in the death of the Redeemer, and are in a state of salvation.

Q. And what are the proofs of such a faith and repentance?

A. The only certain proofs of these graces are holiness of heart and of life.

Q. Have those persons then, who indulge habitually in the practice of sin, any reason to consider themselves as trusting in God, and in the merits of Jesus Christ?

A. No, such a trust would be false and deceitful, as Scripture has no promises for wilful impenitent sinners.

Q. Which, then, is the most certain test of a true faith?

A. It is obedience: for he who obeys the commandments of God, of necessity has a true faith, as it is impossible that faith should be sincere and conformable to the will of God, unless it produces good works and ho