was ever a necessary instruction and belief of certain points had by word of mouth and Tradition before men came to the Scriptures which could not treat of things so particularly in any one place as was requisite for the teaching of all necessary grounds And the points instanced in there are The foundation of Repentance from dead works this was the Doctrine of Penance before Baptism and of Faith towards God which was the twelve Articles contained in the Apostles Creed The Doctrine of Baptismes that is the manner and necessity of Baptism Imposition of hands after Baptism called Confirmation The Articles of the Resurrection Judgment and such like without which things first laid if one should be sent to pick his Faith out of the Scriptures he must Read much to do it and perhaps he would be at last very far to seek So then the Church Catechism is to be taken of us as the sum of Christian Religion gathered ready to our hands out of the Holy Scriptures by the Church that contains all things necessary for us to know and consists of Propositions in number but few yet in substance of such moment that they are sufficient to make a man wise unto Salvation in which howsoever Learned Men may go beyond common Christians and exceed one another by many degrees yet if we respect the Radical Truths that are the necessary and common instruction of all the Children of the Church there is not an Vnity only but such a kind of equality also brought in among all sorts of Christians as was heretofore among the Israelites in their collection of Manna where he that gathered much had nothing over and he that gathered little had no lack Exodus 16.51 18. 2 Cor. 18. Now the Catechism begins with our Matriculation our initiation or entrance into the Church when we give up our Name to Christ and take a new Name from Him So the first Question that is used is What is your Name Catechetical QUESTIONS CONFORMED To the DOCTRINE of the CHURCH of ENGLAND Of Names Q WHat is your Name A. N. or M. Q. What is the use of Names A. To distinguish or note the difference between one thing and another Q. By how many Names are you usually called A. By my Christian-name and my Sir-name Q. Why is it called your Christian-name A. Christian is of Christ because it sheweth my entrance into Christ which giveth me my Being in Grace Q. Why is the other called your Sir-name A. Sir-name is of Sire a Father because it signifieth my descent and succession from my Father which under God gave me my Being in Nature Q. Whenas Nature is before Grace and we have our Sir-names from our Fathers before we have our Christian-names from Christ why then is the Christian-name set before the Sir-name A. To shew the dignity and excellency of the state of Grace above the condition of Nature Q Why doth the Catechism begin with asking of your Name A. Because my Christian-name sheweth the difference between me and an Infidel and is the remembrance of my initiation or entrance into the Church and it is the badge of my Christian profession by which it is fit that I shew unto the Catechist who I am and that I am a member of the Church before he deal with me in the nstruction of Religion Q. Who gave you your Name A. My Godfathers and my Godmothers Q. Why are they called Godfathers and Godmothers A. Because they present me to God in Baptism which is the Sacrament of Regeneration whereby I was born again unto God Q. What is the special use of Godfathers and Godmothers in Baptism A. Godfathers and Godmothers in Baptism 1. Are Witnesses of that which is done 2. They are Sureties for performance of that which is to be done Q. Of what did they bear witness that is done A. They did bear witness first and especially that I was born within the Church of believing Parents that are Christs and Abrahams seed according to promise Gal. 2.29 and so partakers of the Covenant that God made with Abraham to be a God unto him and to his seed Gen. 17.7 Not to that only which is of the Law but to that also which is of the Faith of Abraham who is the Father of us all Rom. 4.15 And therefore that I had a right to be admitted to the Sacrament of Baptism Q. But is not the Parents affirming of the same and their profession of their Faith a better evidence of this than the witness of Godfathers and Godmothers A. I answer That Children are brought to Baptism not as the children of this or that particular man but as children of the Church that is as the children of Christian men or Believers And to prove this the testimony of three or four Christian men of known Faith and Credit when in the mouth of so many Witnesses every word is established is better evidence than the bare report or profession of the Parents being interessed in that report as parties especially there being many men that are not able to give an explicit account of their Faith though nevertheless they be true members of the Church and believe rightly those things that are necessary to Salvation Q. Of what else are your Godfathers and Godmothers Witnesses A. They are Witnesses also of the publick act of the Priest and of my being received into the Church Q. But may not the whole Congregation be witness of this also A. They may Yet they that are called on purpose and are paritcularly concerned in it would likely be surer and properer Witnesses if there should be any question of it Q. Of what are Godfathers and Godmothers Sureties A. They are Sureties but as my Proxies for I did engage by them as Sureties for my doing of those duties which I am bound to perform Q. But why are not the Parents rather to give in this Security than the Godfathers and Godmothers A. The Parents are not enjoyned by the Church at Baptism to look to their childrens education because they are bound to do the same otherwise namely by the Law of God and Nature Q. If the Parents are bound to do it what need the Godfathers and Godmothers be Sureties for it A. Yes there is need of them for the greater Security As in a Bond at the Common Law the Principal is bound in duty to pay the debt yet the Sureties are brought in to engage themselves for the same by contract and promise to secure the payment in case the Principal should be negligent of his duty or be hindred by some casualty or be prevented by death Q. When did your Godfathers and Godmothers give you your Name A. In Baptism Q. What is Baptism A. Baptism is the Sacrament of Regeneration wherein I was made the member of Christ the child of God and an inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven Q. Were you not the child of God the member of Christ and an inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven before
the experience of senses nor relyeth upon strength of reason but upon the power and authority of God who can neither deceive nor ever be deceived Q. Why is it called the Apostles Creed A. To distinguish it from the other two Creeds used in the Church Liturgie viz. St. Athanasius his Creed and the Nicene Creed as also from all other Confessions of Faith as that of Calcedon c. Q. Were the Apostles then the Composers of this Creed as St. Athanasius was of his and the Nicene Fathers were of theirs Or was it gathered out of their Writings only as agreeable to their Doctrine A. The Apostles themselves were the Composers of it Q. At what time did the Apostles compose their Creed A. When they were all together at Jerusalem filled with the Holy Ghost before they dispersed themselves abroad to preach the Gospel to several Nations then they agreed upon this as the common Subject and Rule of all their Preaching that there might be no difference in their Doctrines after their departures one from another Anno Domini Christi 44. Anno Imperatoris Claudij 2. July 15. Q. Was it composed by them all together and delivered as the common result of their joynt determination like the Decrees of a General Council or did every several Apostle deliver his own particular Dictate in it and so every one give in his Article A. It is an antient and received Tradition that every one of the Apostles composed his several Article and therefore they are twelve Articles according to the number of the twelve Apostles Q. Can you tell me which Article was made by each particular Apostle A. Yes according to the Tradition St. Peter gave in the first I believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth St. Andrew the second And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord. St. John the Evangelist the third Which was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary St. James the Son of Zebedee the fourth Suffered under Pontius Pilate was Crucified Dead and Buried St. Thomas the fifth He descended into Hell the third day he rose again from the Dead St. James the Son of Alpheus the sixth He ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty St. Philip the seventh From thence shall he come to judge the quick and the dead St. Bartholomew the eighth I believe in the Holy Ghost St. Matthew the ninth The Holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints St. Simon the tenth The Remission of Sins St. Judas Thaddeus the eleventh The Resurrection of the Body St. Matthias the twelfth The life everlasting Q. Is there any probability of truth in this Tradition A. There is first the like probability that is in other Ecclesiastical Traditions in that it hath been delivered to us by Godly men who of their piety were not willing and in policy could have no reason to deceive us with a false story Then again this is plainly intimated in that Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and from thence the Latin word Symbolum which signifieth a Shot a Collation or Contribution and implyeth that every particular Apostle conferred his several Article to the whole Sum and Reckoning of the Creed Q. But hath not the Word divers other significations A. Yes And very fitly answering to the Creed As when it is called an Agreement it signifieth that it was consented to by all Sometimes it is a watch word a signal or mark of distinction by which a man may know his fellow-souldier from his enemy And so it is the badge of our Profession by which you may know the difference between a Christian and an Infidel as a Souldier is known in the field as well by the Word as by his Coat and his Colors Yet the first sense as it is a Contribution or Share or Shot is as proper as any and seemeth most to be warranted by the Derivation and Etymologie of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à conjiciendo from casting together or adding one thing to another Q. Why is it called Creed A. Creed is of the first word in Latin Credo to believe So that to say our Creed is to say our Belief that is that which is to be believed Q. Is it sufficient for a Christian man to believe those things only that are contained in the Apostles Creed A. Those things especially are the first and immediate object of our Faith and are to be believed in express terms But also with those we must believe the Canonical Scriptures out of which they may be proved and the expositions and right consequences drawn by the Church from them both and also the other Orthodox and Catholick Confessions of Faith as the Creeds of St. Athanasius Nice and Chalcedon And also those Traditions which we have received by faithful hands from the Apostles As that these and none other are Canonical Scriptures That the Jews Sabbath which was on the last day of the week to wit on Saturday is changed into our Lords-day or Sunday That the power of Governing the Church and Imposition of hands belongs to the Bishops and such like that are agreeable to the Articles of our Creed Q. But is not this to make new Articles of Faith No. These are but explanations of and deductions from the Apostles Creed As the Nicene Athanasian and Chalcedon Creeds are not new ones or other Creeds but the expositions of the old one And concerning those aforenamed Traditions 1. When I know this Creed is agreable to and to be proved by the Canonical Scriptures then I must believe that to be the Scripture which the Church by Tradition commendeth unto us for the same 2. Again When I believe there is a God and that he is to be worshipped and so that some time is to be set a part for his service then I am easily induced to believe that This day that is the Lords-day is the fittest standing time which was first begun by our Saviours Resurrection and seconded by his appearing to his Disciples confirmed by the coming of the Holy Ghost and by the meetings of the Apostles and continued unto our time by the practice of the whole Church 3. Lastly When as I believe the Holy Catholick Church to be a Communion of Saints a company of faithful people then it easily followeth in my perswasion That our Saviour Christ who is the God of order left not this Society in confusion for every man to do and teach when and what he listeth as though all Christians upon their Baptism had presently power given them to Govern Teach and Ordain in the Church as they should see occasion But that our Saviour left this power to his Apostles and they left their Authority to set things in order that should be wanting in the Church upon emergent occasions and to Ordain Priests in every City not to all Christians nay nor to all Priests but to some particular men as to St. Timothy at
eternal happiness of the eight Beatitudes Q. Which be the five Senses A. 1. Seeing 2. Hearing 3. Touching 4. Tasting 5. Smelling Q. Which are the four Cardinal Moraâ— Virtues A 1. Prudence 2. Justice 3. Fortitude 4. Temperance Q. Which be the three Theological Virtues A. 1 Faith 2. Hope 3. Charity Q. What be the seven guifts of the Holy Ghost A. 1. Wisdom 2. Understanding 3. Counsel 4. Fortitude 5. Knowledge 6. Godliness 7. The Fear of the Lord. Q. Which be the twelve Fruits of the Holy Ghost A. 1. Love 2. Joy 3. Peace 4. Patience 5. Benignity 6. Goodness 7. Longanimity 8. Mildness 9. Faith 10. Modesty 11. Continence 12. Chastity Q. Which be the three kinds of Good Works A. 1. Alms. 2. Prayer 3. Fasting Q. What be the seven works of Corporal Mercy A. 1. To feed the hungry 2. To give drink to the thirsty 3. To cloath the naked 4. To visit and redeem the Captives 5. To harbour the harbourless 6. To visit the sick 7. To bury the dead Q. What be the seven works of Spirituaâ— Mercy A. 1. To correct the sinner 2. To instruct the ignorant 3. To counsel the doubtful 4. To comfort the sorrowful 5. To take wrongs patiently 6. To forgive wrongs willingly 7. To pray for all men Q. What be the Offices of Christian Justice A. 1. To decline all evil 2. To do all good Q. VVhich be the eight Beatitudes A. 1. Blessed are the poor in spirit For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven St. Mat. 5. 2. Blessed are the meek For they shall possess the earth 3. Blessed are they that mourn For they shall be comforted 4. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness For they shall be filled 5. Blessed are the merciful For they shall find mercy 6. Blessed are the clean in heart For they shall see God 7. Blessed are the Peace-makers For they shall be called the Sons of God 8. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousness sake For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Q. VVho are the persons sanctified by the Holy Ghost A. In one word they are the Church Q. VVhat is the Church A. The Church is a visible company of Christs faithful people for whom He the Son of God taking upon Him the Nature of Man did and suffered all things necessary to their Salvation Q. VVhat do you observe in your Creed concerning the Church A. 1. Her Being that there is a Church 2. Her Proprieties 3. Her Priviledges Q. What are the Prproieties of the Church A. 1. One 2. Holy 3. Catholick 4. Apostolick 5. A Communion of Saints Q. VVhat are the Priviledges of the Church A. 1. Concerning the Soul Forgiveness of Sins 2. Concerning the body Resurrection of the Body 3. Concerning both Body and Soul Life Everlasting Q. What needs this be an Article of your Christian Faith that the Church hath a being For do not all Jews Turks and Infidels c. believe that there is a Church A. They believe that there is such a Sect of Christians in the world as we call the Church But they believe it not to have such means of Salvation such saving truth in the Word such efficacy in the Sacraments such power of binding and loosing such proprieties and priviledges as I believe to be in the Church Q. VVhat is the first propriety of the Church A. To be one Q. How do you say the Church is but One A. The whole multitude of Believers dispersed far and wide over the whole world is but One Collective Mystical Body of our Lord Jesus Christ Therefore I say I believe the Church Not Churches in the plural number but in the singular number One Church as it is intimated in the Apostles Creed and expressed in the Nicene Creed And so it is written There is One Body and One Spirit even as you are called in One hope of your calling One Lord One Faith One Baptism One God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in us all Eph. 4.4 5 6. As it is but One Body so it hath but One Head One Supream invisible Rector or Governor even Christ Jesus our Lord whom the Father hath given to be Head of the Church which is His Body Eph. 1.22 23. Thus the Church is but One because She teacheth in all places and at all times one and the same Doctrine of Faith Administreth the same Sacraments is guided by the same Spirit and hath the same invisible Head And so the particular Members though they cannot be all together in one place ought to be of one mind and endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace Q. What is the second Propriety of the Church A. She is Holy Q. How is the Church said to be Holy A. First As all things consecrated and set a part for Religious uses are said to be holy so all the Faithful are holy that have dedicated themselves and given up their names in Baptism unto Christ And so then again In Him the Church is holy as a Body that is joyned to an holy Head from Whom as from the Fountain of all holiness the Graces of the Holy Ghost and the Riches of the goodness of the Father are diffused and derived Lastly She is Holy because of the Holy Word that is Preached the Holy Sacraments that are Administred the Holy Service that is performed and the Holy Lives that are practised in the Church Q. VVhy is She called Catholick A. Catholick is as much as General and Universal and then therefore She is called Catholick because being dispersed throughout the whole world She doth in Her Motherly bosome receive embrace and safe-keep all persons of all times places and Nations so that they be of one mind and consent in the Faith and Doctrine of Christ Q VVhy is the Church called Apostolick A. This was added by the Fathers of Nice and Constantinople to prove the Church truly Catholick in that the Doctrine thereof which all men of former ages in all Nations had received and all for the present and hereafter are bound to stand to as received from the very Apostles themselves and from their writings Q. VVhy is the Church called the Communion of Saints A. 1. In respect of Christ the Head in whose benefits every Member hath a common interest in that He took upon Him the Nature of Man not of this or that particular but of all in general and so for all men that believe in Him He effectually suffered all things necessary for their Salvation 2. In regard of the society of all the Elect people of God all the faithful Members of the Church both Militant and Triumphant that have been are or shall be in all times and in all places who hold an inseparable Communion and Unity among themselves as Members of one and the self same body and do help and assist one another with mutual acts of mercy and all good works among whom there is