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QUESTΙΟΝ:

As it was carried on in the Lord's Days Exercises in DARTMOUTH,

In the First Year of Liberty, 1688.

By JOHN FLAVELL, Preacher of the Gofpel in DARTMOUTH.

2 Тім. і. 13.

Hold faft the Form of found Words which thou hast beard of mes in Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus

SALISBURY:

Printed and Sold by EDW. EASTON, Bookseller,

in the MARKET-PLACE.

M.DCC.LXVII.

138.L.454.

THE

PREFACE.

T

HAT Catechizing is an Ordinance of God, few will doubt, when they confider the Apostles did first lay the Fundamentals of Religion; Heb. vi. 1. And fed Babes with Milk, teaching them the first Principles of the Oracles of God, Heb v. 12. and questionless taught them in that Manner, which was most suitable to the Capacity of the Learners, which may well be supposed to be by plain and short Questions, and fuitable Answers thereunto; and therefore this has been a constant Practice in the Church of God: and the Primitive Church had a Particular appropriate hereunto, whom they called Catechist.

And fo all well governed and wifely managed Churches, have still maintained and used it, as knowing the Necessity and Usefulness thereof: for the younger Sort to inform them in the Principles of that Religion whereinto they were Baptized; and for the Establishment of the Adult and more aged therein.

12

:

Hence have issued all those little Composures of all the fundamental Doctrines of Faith and Practice so handled (which we call Catechisms) in the Churches, and particularly in ours, whereof there are many and divers, whose Authors have

A 2

well well deserved for their Endeavours to inform and edify the People thereby.

But among them all, none excel this little Catechism of the Affembly, for Orthodoxy, Fulnefs, and Method.

And because the Answers therein are fome of them pretty large, and Treat of the most profound Mysteries of our Religion; therefore several Persons have bestowed their good and laudable Pains, some in descanting more largely, and proving by Scriptural Reasons the Particulars: and one has shewn the Harmony thereof with the Articles and Homilies of the Church of England (designed, I suppose, to remove the Prejudice which fome have taken against it). Others have parted the Questions and Answers into several little ones, under each, to make them more intelligible to younger Ones, and more easy to be remembred.

Among whom, Worthy, Orthodox, and Excellent Mr. John Flavel may be ranked, who among other of his inany and most profitable Labours, applied himself to the chewing of this Bread of Life, or crumbling it into fmaker Pieces, for the Conveniency of Children and (indeed) of all; wherein (as in all his other Works) he hath shewn himself a Workman that needs not to be ashamed.

There needs no other Recommendations to this Posthumous Piece, but the worthy Author's Name; he was removed before he had compleatly

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