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Joseph Alleine, head and shoulders in an oval, an engraving
Engraving, 17th century (Bibliothèque nationale de France)

commentary

A Most Familiar Explanation of the Assemblies Shorter Catechism

1672 · 107 entries

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By
Joseph Alleine
Dates
first published 1672
Tradition
reformed, presbyterian
Also called
A Most Familiar Explanation of the Assembly’s Shorter Catechism
Follows
A Most Familiar Explanation of the Assemblies Shorter Catechism. Wherein their Larger Answers are broken into Lesser Parcels, thereby to let in the light, by degrees, into the minds of the Learners, the last edition, corrected and much amended, printed for Edward Brewster, 1674 (London); Wing A974, ESTC R25230 · the scan (PDF) , from archive.org
Transcribed
From EEBO-TCP A26693Checked against a copy at archive.org: where the import report flagged A26693 (its gaps, misnumbered questions and misprinted labels), by Claude, for cco3, 2026-10-28
License
Public domain
Notes

By Joseph Alleine (1634–1668), ejected from Taunton in 1662, who signs himself “Jos. Allaine”. It breaks each of the Assembly’s answers into small questions, most answered “Yes”, “No” or a phrase, and gives no Scripture proofs of its own. Each entry is the question as Alleine prints it and the Assembly’s answer, with his questions under it. The earliest printing known is “London, Printed in the Year 1672” (archive.org, bim_early-english-books-1641-1700_a-most-familiar-explanat_alleine-joseph_1672); Clavell’s catalogue of books printed from 1666 to 1672 lists one for George Calvert and Samuel Sprint, and Anthony Wood could not find when it was first printed. This text is Brewster’s of 1674, “The last Edition Corrected and much amended”, as EEBO-TCP transcribed it (A26693), and the scan is EEBO’s film of it. Its “Admonition to the Readers”, its “Useful Questions, Whereby a Christian may every day examine himself” and its letter to the people of Taunton are prose/; Brewster’s list of his books is left out. Imported by scripts/import-tcp.mjs (--kind commentary), and proofread against the scan only where the import report pointed.

On
Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647)
Download
alleine1672.json · 332 kB

Prefaces and appendices

Contents

  1. 1What is the chief end of man?WSC Q. 1
  2. 2What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorifie and enjoy him?WSC Q. 2
  3. 3What do the Scriptures principally teach?WSC Q. 3
  4. 4What is God?WSC Q. 4
  5. 5Are there more Gods than one?WSC Q. 5
  6. 6How many persons are there in the God-head?WSC Q. 6
  7. 7What are the decrees of God?WSC Q. 7
  8. 8How doth God execute his decrees?WSC Q. 8
  9. 9What is the work of Creation?WSC Q. 9
  10. 10How did God create man?WSC Q. 10
  11. 11What are Gods works of Providence?WSC Q. 11
  12. 12What special Act of Providence did God exercise towards man in the estate wherein he was created?WSC Q. 12
  13. 13Did our first Parents continue in the state wherein they were created?WSC Q. 13
  14. 14What is Sin?WSC Q. 14
  15. 15What was the Sin whereby our First Parents fell from the Estate wherein they were Created?WSC Q. 15
  16. 16Did all Mankind fall in Adams first transgression?WSC Q. 16
  17. 17Into what estate did the fall bring Mankind?WSC Q. 17
  18. 18Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell?WSC Q. 18
  19. 19What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell?WSC Q. 19
  20. 20Did God leave all Mankind to persih in the state of sin and misery?WSC Q. 20
  21. 21Who is the Redeemer of the Elect?WSC Q. 21
  22. 22How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man?WSC Q. 22
  23. 23What Offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer?WSC Q. 23
  24. 24How doth Christ execute the office of a Prophet?WSC Q. 24
  25. 25How doth Christ execute the Office of a Priest?WSC Q. 25
  26. 26How doth Christ execute the office of a King?WSC Q. 26
  27. 27Wherein consists Christs Humiliaiion?WSC Q. 27
  28. 28Wherein consists Christs Exaltation?WSC Q. 28
  29. 29How are we made partakers of the Redemption purchased by Christ?WSC Q. 29
  30. 30How doth the Spirit apply to us the Redemption purchased by Christ?WSC Q. 30
  31. 31What is Effectual Calling?WSC Q. 31
  32. 32What benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this life?WSC Q. 32
  33. 33What is Justification?WSC Q. 33
  34. 34What is Adoption?WSC Q. 34
  35. 35What is Sanctification?WSC Q. 35
  36. 36What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from Justification, Adoption, and Sanctification?WSC Q. 36
  37. 37What benefits do believers receive from Christ at death?WSC Q. 37
  38. 38What benefit do believers receive from Christ at the Resurrection?WSC Q. 38
  39. 39What is the duty which God requireth of man?WSC Q. 39
  40. 40What did God at first reveal to man for the rule of his obedience?WSC Q. 40
  41. 41Where is the Moral Law summarily comprehended?WSC Q. 41
  42. 42What is the sum of the ten Commandments?WSC Q. 42
  43. 43What is the Preface to the ten Commandments?WSC Q. 43
  44. 44What doth the Preface to the ten Commandments teach us?WSC Q. 44
  45. 45Which is the first Commandment?WSC Q. 45
  46. 46What is required in the first Commandment?WSC Q. 46
  47. 47What is forbidden in the first Commandment?WSC Q. 47
  48. 48What are we specially taught by these words [before me] in the first Commandment?WSC Q. 48
  49. 49Which is the second Commandment?WSC Q. 49
  50. 50What is required in the second Commandment?WSC Q. 50
  51. 51What is forbidden in the second Commandment?WSC Q. 51
  52. 52What are the reasons annexed to the second Commandment?WSC Q. 52
  53. 53Which is the third Commandment?WSC Q. 53
  54. 54Which is the third Commandment?WSC Q. 54
  55. 55What is forbidden in the third Commandment?WSC Q. 55
  56. 56What is the reason annexed to the third Commandment?WSC Q. 56
  57. 57Which is the fourth Commandment?WSC Q. 57
  58. 58What is required in the fourth Commandment?WSC Q. 58
  59. 59Which day of the seven hath God appointed to be the weekly Sabbath?WSC Q. 59
  60. 60How is the Sabbath to be sanctified?WSC Q. 60
  61. 61What is forbidden in the fourth Commandment?WSC Q. 61
  62. 62What are the Reasons annexed to the Fourth Commandment?WSC Q. 62
  63. 63Which is the fifth Commandment?WSC Q. 63
  64. 64What is required in the fifth Commandment?WSC Q. 64
  65. 65What is forbidden in the fifth Commandment?WSC Q. 65
  66. 66What is the reason annexed to the fifth Commandment?WSC Q. 66
  67. 67Which is the sixth Commandment?WSC Q. 67
  68. 68What is required in the sixth Commandment?WSC Q. 68
  69. 69What is forbidden in the sixth Commandment?WSC Q. 69
  70. 70Which is the seventh Commandment?WSC Q. 70
  71. 71What is required in the seventh Commandment?WSC Q. 71
  72. 72What is forbidden in the seventh Commandment.WSC Q. 72
  73. 73Which is the eighth Commandment?WSC Q. 73
  74. 74What is required in the eighth Commandment?WSC Q. 74
  75. 75What is forbidden in the eighth Commandment?WSC Q. 75
  76. 76Which is the ninth Commandment?WSC Q. 76
  77. 77What is required in the ninth Commandment?WSC Q. 77
  78. 78What is forbidden in the ninth Commandment?WSC Q. 78
  79. 79Which is the tenth Commandment?WSC Q. 79
  80. 80What is required in the tenth Commandment?WSC Q. 80
  81. 81What is forbidden in the tenth Commandment?WSC Q. 81
  82. 82Is any man able perfectly to keep the Commandments of God?WSC Q. 82
  83. 83Are all transgressions of the Law equally heinous?WSC Q. 83
  84. 84What doth every sin deserve?WSC Q. 84
  85. 85What doth God require of us that we may escape his wrath and curse, due to us for sin?WSC Q. 85
  86. 86What is faith in Jesus Christ?WSC Q. 86
  87. 87What is Repentance unto life?WSC Q. 87
  88. 88What are the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of Redemption?WSC Q. 88
  89. 89How is the Word made effectual to Salvation?WSC Q. 89
  90. 90How is the Word to be read and heard, that it may become effectual to salvation?WSC Q. 90
  91. 91How do the Sacraments become effectual means of salvation?WSC Q. 91
  92. 92What is a Sacament?WSC Q. 92
  93. 93Which are the Sacraments of the New Testament?WSC Q. 93
  94. 94What is Baptism?WSC Q. 94
  95. 95To whom is Baptism to be administred?WSC Q. 95
  96. 96What is the Lords Supper?WSC Q. 96
  97. 97What is required in the worthy receiving of the Lords Supper?WSC Q. 97
  98. 98What is Prayer?WSC Q. 98
  99. 99What rule hath God given for our direction in Prayer?WSC Q. 99
  100. 100What doth the Preface of the Lords Prayer teach us?WSC Q. 100
  101. 101What do we pray for in the first Petition?WSC Q. 101
  102. 102What do we pray for in the second Petition?WSC Q. 102
  103. 103What do we pray for in the third Petition?WSC Q. 103
  104. 104What do we pray for in the fourth Petition.WSC Q. 104
  105. 105What do we pray for in the fifth Petition?WSC Q. 105
  106. 106What do we pray for in the sixth Petition?WSC Q. 106
  107. 107What doth the Conclusion of the Lords Prayer teach us?WSC Q. 107