A34242:966
The Confession of Faith, and the Larger and Shorter Catechism
The confession of faith ; and, The larger and shorter catechism first agreed upon by the Westminster Assembly of Divines at Westminster, and now approved by the General Assembly of the kirk of Scotland to be a part of uniformity in religion between the kirks of Christ in the three kingdoms.
Edinbourg: printed by George Swinton and Thomas Brown, 1671
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
4. That the end and scope of the Gospel and whole word of God, is threefold.
1. It serveth to make people sensible of their sins, and of their enmity against God, and of their danger if they should stand out, and not fear Gods displeasure.
2. The word of God serveth to make men acquainted with the course which God hath prepared for making friendship with him through Christ, viz. That if men shall acknowledge the enmity, and shall be content to enter into a ⟨image 115⟩Covenant of friendship with God, through Christ, then God will be contented to be reconciled with them freely.
3. The word of God serveth to teach men how to carry themselves towards God, as friends, after they are reconciled to him, viz. to be loath to sin against him, and to strive heartily to obey his Commandments, and therefore the Word of God here is called the Word of Reconciliation, because it teacheth us, what need we have of reconciliation, and how to make it, and how to keep the reconciliation of friendship, being made with God through Christ.