The Shorter Catechism Explained from Scripture
Vincent takes each question of the Westminster Shorter Catechism, breaks it down with a series of follow-up questions, and answers them almost entirely with quoted texts of Scripture. First published in 1674 with a preface endorsed by John Owen, Thomas Watson, and dozens of other ministers, it remains a thorough tool for grounding catechetical teaching directly in the Bible.
Based on An Explicatory Catechism (1674), by Thomas Vincent
Puritan quotes
Quotes by Thomas Vincent
“Too many, even in our nation and city perish and run blindfold into hell, for want of knowledge; and the most are without knowledge, for want of instruction.”
“The life of Christianity consists very much in our love to Christ. Without love to Christ, we are as much without spiritual life, as a carcass when the soul is fled from it is without natural life.”
“Faith without love to Christ is a dead faith, and a professor without love to Christ is a dead professor, dead in sins and trespasses.”
“The ground of this love to Christ is the discovery and believing apprehensions of Christ's loveliness and love.”
“Whatever motive induces Christ to love you, it was not drawn from yourselves, but it was drawn from His own affectionate heart!”
“Be much in holy contemplation of Christ. Spend time in secret retirement, and there think and think again, of the superlative excellencies and perfections which are in Christ.”
“Christ loved you with the freest love; there is nothing in yourselves to draw and engage His love.”
“If you love Christ, you will account duty to be your privilege and the service of Christ to be freedom.”
“The love of Christ is not subject to mutations and changes like ours.”
“Christ's free and sovereign love is a matter of the greatest admiration, and should be a motive unto the greatest affection unto Him.”