# Fisher's Catechism Back in Print



## Ed Walsh (Jul 12, 2015)

As promised, Fisher's Catechism will be on sale in about 2 weeks. There are three versions: Hardcover, Softcover, and eBook (epub) Here are images of the front and back covers. The list prices are as follows: Hardcover $36.95, (638 pages) Softcover $19.95, ePub $9.95 Of course you guys will be offered big discounts.


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## bookslover (Jul 12, 2015)

Who's the publisher?


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## Ed Walsh (Jul 12, 2015)

bookslover said:


> Who's the publisher?



Dovetale Books. Which means me.


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## MW (Jul 12, 2015)

Good to see! Does it contain the original questions on the civil magistrate?


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## Ed Walsh (Jul 12, 2015)

MW said:


> Does it contain the original questions on the civil magistrate?



Yes. They were added back in.


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## MW (Jul 12, 2015)

Ed Walsh said:


> MW said:
> 
> 
> > Does it contain the original questions on the civil magistrate?
> ...



Excellent!


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## Ed Walsh (Jul 12, 2015)

MW said:


> Excellent!



Below are most of them. There are several more... Please note that these are out of context with the Shorter Catechism Questions that they "Explain"

Q. 8. Are there not several in scripture who are called gods?
A. Yes; angels, magistrates, and the idols of the heathen nations.

Q. 10. Why are magistrates so called? Ex. 22:28.
A. Because they are God’s deputies for government and justice among men, Rom. 13:4

Q. 21. Does the civil magistrate, then, hold his office of Christ as Mediator?
A. No; but of him as God Creator, otherwise all civil magistrates, Heathen, as well as Christian, would be church officers; which would be grossly Erastian.

Q. 36. What is the doctrine of our Confession concerning the tolerating of those who publish and maintain erroneous opinions or practices?
A. That “for their publishing of such opinions, or maintaining of such practices, as are contrary to the light of nature, or the known principles of Christianity, whether concerning faith, worship, or conversation, or to the power of godliness, they may lawfully be called to account, and proceeded against by the censures of the church, and by the power of the civil magistrates.”68

Q. 28. When is a civil oath taken upon a lawful occasion?
A. When it is required by a lawful magistrate, for the ending of strife and debate, and the impartial administration of justice.

Q. 43. May not the supreme magistrate require an allegiance of his subjects, or an oath of fidelity to obey his just and lawful commands?
A. It appears evidently from scripture that he may, Eccl. 8:2 — “I counsel thee to keep the king’s commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God,” 1 Chron. 29:24.

Q. 42. Ought not magistrates to punish those who are guilty of the open and presumptuous breach of the Sabbath?
A. Undoubtedly they should; and they have the example of Nehemiah for a precedent, worthy of their imitation in this matter, chap. 13:21.

Q. 43. What is the most effectual way for the civil magistrate to
suppress Sabbath profanation?
A. To be impartial in the execution of the laws against Sabbath breaking, especially upon those who are of a more eminent rank and station, because they ought to be exemplary to others, Neh. 13:17 — “Then I contended with the NOBLES of Judah; and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the Sabbath day?”

Q. 16. What are the several relations in which duties are mutually to be performed, according to this commandment?
A. They are such as subsist between parents and children; magistrates and subjects; ministers and people; husbands and wives; masters and servants; and likewise between those who have a greater or less degree of gifts and graces.

Q. 22. What are the duties of magistrates towards their subjects?
A. To establish good laws, 2 Kings 18:4, and see them impartially executed, Rom. 13:3, 4; to protect their subjects in their religion, lives, and liberties, 1 Pet. 2:14; and to be nursing fathers to the church, Isaiah 49:23.

Q. 23. What is the duty of the magistrate with reference to the church of Christ?
A. Although he “may not assume to himself the administration of word and sacraments, or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven, yet he hath authority, and it is his duty to take order, that unity and peace be preserved in the church, — that the truth of God be kept pure and entire, — that all blasphemies and heresies be suppressed, — all corruptions and abuses in worship and discipline prevented and reformed, — and all the ordinances of God duly settled, administered, and observed.”84

Q. 24. What are the duties of subjects towards their magistrates?
A. To honour and reverence them, 2 Sam. 9:6; to obey their just laws, Eccl. 8:2; to pay them the tribute that is due to them, Rom. 13:7; to pray for them, 1 Tim. 2:1, 2; and to support and defend their persons and authority, 1 Sam. 26:15, 16; Esth. 6:2.

Q. 25. Are subjects bound to be obsequious to the lawful commands of magistrates, who are of a different religion from them?
A. “Infidelity, or difference in religion, doth not make void the magistrate’s just and legal authority, nor free the people from their due obedience to him.”

Q. 9. What is it to take away life in case of public justice?
A. It is to inflict capital punishment upon notorious criminals, by a lawful magistrate, who is ordained of God for that purpose, Rom. 13:2,4.

Q. 10. What warrant has the civil magistrate to take away the life of a wilful murderer?
A. The express command of God, Gen. 9:6 — “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed.”

Q. 11. Is it lawful for a magistrate to spare, pardon, or reprieve a convicted murderer?
A. It is expressly forbidden as a land-defiling sin, Num. 35:31, 33 — “Ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death; but he shall surely be put to death. For blood defileth the land, and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.”

Q. 13. Is it warrantable in a Christian magistrate to repeal or disable penal laws against witchcraft?
A. By no means; for God has expressly said, “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live,” Exod. 22:18.


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## Reformed Covenanter (Jul 13, 2015)

Ed Walsh said:


> MW said:
> 
> 
> > Does it contain the original questions on the civil magistrate?
> ...



From which edition were these questions and answers omitted?


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## MW (Jul 13, 2015)

Reformed Covenanter said:


> From which edition were these questions and answers omitted?



The 1911 Presbyterian Board of Publication ed.


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## Reformed Covenanter (Jul 13, 2015)

MW said:


> Reformed Covenanter said:
> 
> 
> > From which edition were these questions and answers omitted?
> ...



Am I right in saying that the Tentmaker reprint used an earlier version (my copy is in storage at the minute)?


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## Reformed Covenanter (Jul 13, 2015)

MW said:


> Reformed Covenanter said:
> 
> 
> > From which edition were these questions and answers omitted?
> ...



Am I right in saying that the Tentmaker reprint used an earlier version (my copy is in storage at the minute)?


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## Ed Walsh (Jul 13, 2015)

Reformed Covenanter said:


> Am I right in saying that the Tentmaker reprint used an earlier version



They used my manuscript and did a lot of scripture reference correcting. There were a lot of bad references that carried through all the previous versions. 3's that should be 8's etc. If I remember correctly they are the ones that added the original 'magistrate' questions back in to my American version.


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## Jake (Jul 13, 2015)

Great! I've benefited much from the version on your site and can't wait to get this copy.


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## Ed Walsh (Jul 13, 2015)

Jake said:


> Great! I've benefited much from the version on your site and can't wait to get this copy.



Well I did it... I took the free PDF of the catechism down from www.reformed.org — I feel sick about it. Really... I really hope others will feel like you do Jake and appreciate it enough to at least buy the ebook version. If anyone is interested here is a link to the one page PDF I put in its place explaining myself. For those who don't read the PDF, I am keeping the html version up for the forseeable future.

Hope I did the right thing.

PS - Did I spell 'forseeable' correctly? It doesn't look right and my Mac is underlining it in red.


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## johnny (Jul 13, 2015)

Does this scripture apply to the situation perhaps?

1 Tim 5:17-18 The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING,” and “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”


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## JimmyH (Jul 13, 2015)

Ed Walsh said:


> PS - Did I spell 'forseeable' correctly? It doesn't look right and my Mac is underlining it in red.



Should be foreseeable ........


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## Ed Walsh (Jul 13, 2015)

JimmyH said:


> Should be foreseeable ........



Thank you. That looks much better.


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## bookslover (Jul 14, 2015)

Ed Walsh said:


> bookslover said:
> 
> 
> > Who's the publisher?
> ...



So, now, the only question is: if one wants one, how does one get one? In my case, a hardcopy.


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## Ask Mr. Religion (Jul 14, 2015)

bookslover said:


> So, now, the only question is: if one wants one, how does one get one? In my case, a hardcopy.


An epub for me. Anxious to know where and when I can purchase, so keep us in the loop, Ed!

And thank you for your tireless efforts!


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## Ed Walsh (Jul 14, 2015)

Ask Mr. Religion said:


> An epub for me. Anxious to know where and when I can purchase, so keep us in the loop, Ed!



Amazon has it advertised but I doubt they have any inventory. But don't buy it from them. I will offer a big discount to PB members as soon as I get my shipment of books. Ten days maybe. Amazon is big on Kindle, epub is different right? I made an ebub that Amazon converted to Kindle (.mobi I think) I can send an epub but I have no way to download it to your device.


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## earl40 (Jul 14, 2015)

MW said:


> Reformed Covenanter said:
> 
> 
> > From which edition were these questions and answers omitted?
> ...



....


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## bookslover (Jul 29, 2015)

Ed: Well? Your ten days are up.


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## bookslover (Aug 8, 2015)

I just received my hardback copy of _Fisher's Catechism_ in the mail today (Saturday, August 8th, at 3:00 pm). And it's a handsome looking volume, I must say. Well bound, with a nice dust jacket. Looking forward to reading it - all 619 pages of it.

Judging by the introductory matter, it looks like a reproduction of the third edition of 1765 (first edition, 1753).

Good job, Ed!

PS: By the way, John Macleod's _Scottish Theology_ is about to be republished again by the Banner of Truth Trust. So, we're having a good year, books-wise.


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