Heart Yes Should a Christian then follow the evil and corrupt Desires of his Heart No. Did they not promise in your Name that you should believe all the Parts of the Christian Religion Yes Shall you be saved if you do not believe them No. Did you not promise by your Sureties sincerely to obey God's Commandments Yes Seeing they promised these things for you when you were a little Child should you not labour to perform them now Yes Shall you ever go to God and Heaven unless you do sincerely perform them No. But can you do these things without God's Help No. Should you not pray to God for his Grace to keep you alway in this happy Covenant Yes Well then is it not your Duty to renounce the Temptations of the. World Flesh and Devil according to this Promise Yes Is it not your Duty to believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith according to this Promise Yes And do you firmly believe them Yes Can he be a true Christian that denies any one of them No. Is it not your Duty to keep God's Commandments as was promised for you Yes Can you without infinite danger live in the Breach of any one known Command of his No. Well then it seems this was promised for you that you should renounce the Temptations of the World Flesh and Devil believe the whole Christian Faith and keep God's Commandments was it not Yes And has not God promised upon these Conditions to give us pardon of Sin Grace and Glory Yes Suppose a Man after he is baptized should commit a Sin can he be saved unless he repent of it and sincerely forsake it No. Should we not then by this our Covenant of Baptism live a Godly and a Christian Life Yes If we do in Sincerity of Heart keep our Conditions of it shall we go to Heaven when we die Yes Will not Heaven and Happiness be a sufficient Reward for our renouncing of the Temptations of the World Flesh and Devil Yes Will not Heaven and Happiness be a sufficient Reward for our constant believing all the Articles of the Christian Faith Yes Will not Heaven and Happiness be a sufficient Reward for our keeping God's holy Will and Commandments here Yes Will not the Pleasure of Sin for a Season be a sufficient recompense for the Loss of Heaven and Happiness No. Well then was not this a Gracious Covenant which was made in your Name when you were baptized Yes Should we ever cease to be thankful to God for calling us to this State of Salvation No. When we were fallen was it not Jesus Christ that made this gracious Covenant between God and us Yes Did not God shew his great Hatred of Sin and his Willingness to have us save in sending his Son to die for us Yes Should you ever cease then to love God and Christ No. Should you cease to obey God and Christ No. Or to pray to God and Christ No. When we come to Years of Discretion should we not own all that our Godfathers and Godmothers promised in our Name Yes If we will not own it our selves do we not lose all our Title to Pardon Heaven and Glory Yes SECT II. Credendae Catechist REhearse the Articles of thy Believe Answer I believe in God the Father Almighty c. Question What dost thou chiefly learn in these Articles c. Answer First I learn to believe in God the Father c. Of the Creed and the practical Belief of it ARTICLE I. I believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth DO you believe in God Yes Do you believe in Jesus Christ Yes Do you believe in the Holy Ghost Yes Are there any more Gods than one No. Is not God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost three Persons and but one God Yes Though we cannot fully understand how three Persons can be but one God must we not firmly believe it Yes Is not this easie to God though it be hard to us Yes Shall we be saved without this Faith or Belief No. Do you love God Yes Do you hope to live with God when you die Yes Can any man be saved and go to Heaven without believing and trusting in Jesus Christ No. Do you love your Saviour Jesus Christ Yes Do you love the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit Yes Is it not the Holy Ghost that puts into your mind good Desires Yes Is not this good Spirit grieved when you do an evil Action Yes Is not God a Spirit Yes Can we see God with our mortal Eyes No. Do you believe that God made Heaven and Earth and all things out of nothing Yes Is not God an infinite and glorious Spirit Yes Is not God a Merciful Righteous Holy and Good Spirit Yes Is there any thing that God doth not know No. Can we do any thing and God not see it No. When you think upon any thing does not God know what you think on Yes Is not God a just a wise and powerful God Yes Is there any thing which God cannot do No. Will this good and great God love you if you keep his Commandments Yes ARTICLE II. And in Iesus Christ his only Son our Lord IS not Jesus Christ the Son of God Yes Is not Jesus Christ our Saviour God and Man too Yes Had Jesus Christ any Father besides God No. Did not God by his Holy Spirit cause him to be born of a Virgin Yes Is not Jesus Christ that Lord of ours by whom we hope Salvation Yes If God hear our Prayers at any time doth he not do it for Jesus Christ's Sake Yes If God do pardon our Sins when we repent of them will it not be for Jesus Christ's Sake Yes If God save us will it not be for Jesus Christ's Sake Yes And have we not reason to love Jesus Christ Yes Should we ever cease to obey Christ No. ARTICLE III. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost Born of the Virgin Mary WAS Jesus Christ begotten by Man No. Was he not conceived by the Holy Ghost after a wonderful manner Yes Was not Jesus Christ born of a holy and pure Virgin Yes Was not this Blessed Virgin 's Name Mary Yes Was he not born of this holy Virgin an Infant as other Men are Yes Because Man had sinned against God was it not necessary that Jesus Christ should die for our Sins Yes Could any thing satisfie an Infinite Justice but an Infinite Satisfaction No. Could any thing therefore satisfie God's Justice for our Sins but the Sufferings and Death of Christ No. Was it not fit that he should be both God and Man who was to reconcile God and Man Yes And have we not reason to love and obey him Yes ARTICLE IV. Suffered under Pontius Pilate Was crucified dead and buried He descended into Hell DID not a Man called Pontius Pilate cause our Saviour Jesus Christ to be put to death Yes Did not this Pontius Pilate sentence him to be crucified Yes Was
not this Pontius Pilate a Governour of the Country where Christ lived when he was on Earth Yes Was there any Sin or Fault in Christ No. Was he not accused by the Jews out of meer Malice Yes Was he not crucified that is nailed to a Cross till he was dead Yes That is were not his Hands and Feet nailed to a piece of Wood till he died Yes Was he content to suffer all this for our Salvation Yes Did not Christ by his Death satisfie God's Justice for our Sins if we repent of them and leave them Yes Shall any partake of the Benefits of Christ's Death but the true pernitent Sinner No. Before Christ was crucified was he not buffeted and spit on scourged and spightfully used Yes Did Christ give up the Ghost and really die upon the Cross Yes When he was dead was he not put into the grave and buried as other dead Men are Yes Did he not continue in the State of the dead for a time Yes When Christ descended into Hell did he suffer any Pains or Torments there No. Did he only descend to triumph over the Devil in his own Kingdom Yes Did he not suffer all this for our Sakes that we might be saved Yes And have we not infinite reason to love and obey him Yes ARTICLE V. The third day he rose again from the dead THough Christ were buried in the Grave does he continue in it to this Day No. Did not Christ come alive again the third day and rise out of the grave by his power Yes Did he not rise again out of it for our Justification Yes That is did he not by his coming out of the Prison of the grave shew that he had paid our debt that God's Justice was satisfied and he acquitted upon our Faith and Repentance Yes And can we ever cease to love and obey him No. ARTICLE VI. He ascended into Heaven And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty DID not Jesus Christ about forty days after he came alive again ascend up to Heaven Yes Was he not carried up to Heaven in a Cloud Yes Is not Jesus now at this present at God's right Hand making Intercession for us Yes You say at the right hand of God why Is not God a Spirit Yes Has a Spirit any hands as we have No. When we say that Christ sitteth at the right hand of God do we not mean that he is exalted to the greatest power and glory Yes Is he not there our Advocate to intercede and plead for us Yes And can we for this pay him less than Love and Obedience No. ARTICLE VII From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead DO you believe there shall be a Day of Judgment Yes Shall not Christ come in that day to judge the World and all Men Yes Shall any Man escape the Judgment of Christ No. Shall he not then turn the wicked into Hell Yes Shall he in that day of Judgment place all good Men in Heaven Yes And should we not prepare our selves for that Judgment Yes Must we not then give an account of what we have done here Yes Must we give an account of our Thoughts Words and Actions Yes Shall any Man be able to hide his Sins from this Judge No. Is there any thing that we do which this Judge sees not No. Is there any thing that we think which Judge hears not No. Is there any thing that we think which this Judge knows not No. What does he see and know our very Thoughts Yes But will he not be a merciful Judge to all truly reformed Penitents Yes And for that reason should you not love and obey him Yes ARTICLE VIII I believe in the holy Ghost DO you believe in the holy Ghost or Spirit Yes Is there any Difference between these words Holy Ghost and Holy Spirit No. Is not the Holy Ghost God Yes Doth not this good and Holy Spirit convert us sanctifie us and comfort us Yes Is not this good and Holy Spirit ready by his Grace to assist us in doing our Duties Yes Is he not said to be grieved when we do not make use of the Grace and Strength afforded us Yes And should we grieve this Holy Spirit by a careless and disobedient Life No. Is it not this holy Spirit that puts into your mind good Desires Yes And should we refuse or neglect to perform them No. ARTICLE IX The Holy Catholick Church The Communion of Saints DO you believe that the whole Company or general Family of true Believers professing the Gospel under Christ their head are the Catholick Church Yes Is not Catholick Church as much as to say Universal Church Yes Are not the preaching of the Word and the due Administration of the Sacraments under Bishops and Pastors lawfully called are not these the Marks of it Yes Is it not Catholick in respect of Persons and Place Time and Doctrine Yes Are all the Believers of this Catholick Church holy by their Calling and Profession Yes Should you ever cease to bless God for being a Member of this Catholick Church No. Were you received into this number of Believers when you were baptized Yes Do you firmly believe the particular Church of England to be a sound part of the Catholick Church Yes Of the Catholick Church is not part on Earth and part in Heaven Yes Is not that part of it which is on Earth called the Church Militant Yes And is not that part of it which is in Heaven called the Church Triumphant Yes Do you believe that there is and ought to be a Communion of Saints Yes Is not this Communion of Saints a Communion one with another in all holy things Yes That is to say are we not to keep a Communion one with another in Faith in Love in Charity in Prayer in hearing the Word and receiving the Sacraments Yes May we forsake or withdraw our selves from the Communion or Fellowship of Christians in holy things No. Do you believe that while the Saints or true Believers on Earth do keep up their Communion with each other in all holy things that they have a Fellowship or Communion with the Blessed Trinity the Angels and the Saints departed Yes ARTICLE X. The Forgiveness of Sins DO you believe there is Forgiveness of Sins to be had in the Church of Christ Yes Can this Forgiveness be had unless we believe in Jesus Christ and repent of them and reform them No. If we do believe in Christ and repent of our Sins and leave them and live a new and Christian life shall we be forgiven Yes Is not Repentance this A turning from Sin to God a lasting durable State of new Life and Reformation Yes If the Sinner then have chosen amiss should he not speedily turn to God and chuse better Yes Is he wise or safe if he neglect to do it one day No. ARTICLE XI The Resurrection of the Body DO you believe that the Bodies of them that
Lord Jesus Christ and through Christ of all the Faithful did make Heaven and Earth the World and all things in it seen and unseen out of nothing and by his Word only And thus I believe in God II. ARTICLE And in Iesus Christ his only Son our Lord. THE meaning is I do solemnly profess to believe firmly Jesus Christ my Lord to be the Son of God to be both God and Man That he is the Son of God by eternal Generation who did from Eternity derive his Godhead from the Father As Man he is the Son of God being conceived by the Spirit of God alone So that as he was God from all Ages so being born of a Woman he was made Man for me and my Salvation I believe there is no other Name under Heaven by which we must be saved but Jesus Christ Who though he be Lord of all things by right of the First Creation and constant preservation of them yet he is more peculiarly the Lord of us who by Faith are consecrated to his Service That as God by the work of Creation he is the Lord that made me That as God and Man by the work of Redemption he is the Lord that bought me That he came from Heaven to visit us in great Humility and died to satisfie God's Justice for our Sins I do believe this Holy Jesus who is both God and Man to be and do in all humility and thankfulness love and obedience take him for my Saviour my Advocate my Redeemer and my Lord. And thus I believe in Jesus Christ III. ARTICLE Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary THE meaning is I do declare that I stedfastly believe That this holy Jesus my Saviour when he was pleased to become Man for me was not conceived as other Men are but after a miraculous manner by the immediate and only Power of the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit of God was conceived in the Womb of a vertuous and holy blessed and pure Virgin known by the name of Mary Who being espoused to Joseph of Nazareth was yet before and after her Espousals a pure and unspotted Virgin Who after the natural Time of other Women brought forth the holy Infant the only begotten Son of God who was still God as well as an Infant His holy Mother still a most pure and immaculate Virgin A Virgin who was of the House and Lineage of David he being therefore called the Son of David And I Adore the infinite Wisdom of God who caused him to be born without the least shadow of Original Corruption who was to deliver us from the guilt of Sin I Adore the infinite Wisdom of God who caused his Conception and Nativity to be perfectly Immaculate that so being without Sin himself he might be a fit Sacrifice to atone for us Sinners And I Adore the infinite Wisdom of God who was pleased to order that he should be both God and Man who was to be the Mediator between God and Man and to reconcile God and Man And thus I believe he was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary IV. ARTICLE Suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried He descended into Hell THE meaning is I do declare that I do assent to this as an undoubted Truth and firmly believe that Jesus Christ my Saviour who was both God and Man having published his Gospel among the Jews he was accused by them out of meer Malice and brought before a Man called Pontius Pilate who was the Roman Governor of the Country where Christ lived which was Judea With Grief and Love I profess to believe that they the Jews tumultuously prevailed with Pilate to sentence him to Death though he declared he found no fault in him The Death which he sentenced him to was that most shameful painful and accursed Death on the Cross Before that Sentence was executed the Jewish Rabble and the Roman Souldiers mocked spit upon buffetted scourged and most vilely abused him I declare with Grief and Love that I believe this my Saviour was Crucified for me that is that his Hands and Feet were nailed to a Cross till he died I believe firmly that he Died as other Men and the reason of it was that he might reconcile the World to his Father and become a Sacrifice for all our Sins or that he might reconcile the Divine Justice and Mercy together that as Man he was to die to suffer in our stead as God he was to merit and make Satisfaction for our Sins and thus he became an infinite Satisfaction to an infinite Justice I entirely believe that when he had given up the Ghost and was dead that his dead Body was by Joseph of Arimathea wrapped in fine Linen and buried in a new Tomb I believe that he being dead and his Soul separated from his Body that he continued in the State of Separation or in the State of the Dead for a time and though between the time that he died and the third Day on which he rose again he did descend into Hell 't was not to suffer any thing there but to triumph over the Devil in his own Kingdom and Quarters and to shew him the Victory he had got over him To break the Iron Bars of these lower Prisons that they might open and shut for ever after only at his Command And thus I believe That he suffered under Pontius Pilate was Crucified dead and buried and descended into Hell V. ARTICLE The third Day he rose again from the dead THE meaning is I do solemnly profess That I assent to this as an undoubted Truth that Jesus Christ our Saviour though he was crucified and died for our Sins and by his Death had overcome Death did not continue long in the State of Death for his Soul was separated from his Body and his Body lay in the Grave but till the Third Day Upon the Third Day after he was buried reckoning that very Day on which he was buried for the First he by his own infinite Power as he was God did revive and raise himself by uniting the same Soul to the same Body and opened his Grave and came out of it and openly shewed himself alive for he conversed with his Disciples for the space of Forty Days after he arose from the Grave till he went away to Heaven And thus I believe that the Third Day he rose again from the Dead VI. ARTICLE He ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty THE meaning is I do firmly believe that our dearest Lord after he rose out of the Grave stayed on Earth for the space of Forty Days In which time he ordered his Disciples how they should preach the Gospel and govern the Church and promised them the Holy Ghost At the End of the Forty Days he walks with them a Mile or Two out of the City of Jerusalem and when he had blessed them there comes down a Cloud and
do thus stedfastly keep up this Communion with each other in all holy things in Faith and Worship Love and Obedience they all have a Communion or Fellowship with the Blessed Trinity with the holy Angels and with the Saints departed So that as I am a member of Christ's Catholick or Universal Church so I ever desire to keep Communion or Fellowship with them in all Holy Things and that as Christ is our Common Head and we his Members and I never withdrawing my self from this Communion so my Faith may be accepted with theirs my Prayers offered up with theirs my profession of the Gospel may appear with theirs my Duty Love and Obedience may be accepted with theirs in the Day of the Lord Jesus And thus I believe the Holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints X. ARTICLE The forgiveness of Sins THE meaning is I believe that whereas every Sin whether of Thought Word or Action is a transgression of the Law of God and for every transgression the Sinner is liable to Eternal Punishment by the infinite Justice of God Yet that God in his unspeakable Mercy gave his Son Jesus and the Son gave himself to become a Surety for this Debt of ours and did offer up himself a Sacrifice by his Death to God's Justice and a satisfaction for us Thus reconciling God's punishing Justice with his pardoning Mercy Provided that the Sinner who had chosen amiss chosen the ways of Sin and Death would in Faith and with Repentance and new Obedience turn seasonably to God and chuse better I firmly believe the first remission is obtained by the Holy Sacrament of Baptism All original and actual Sin being there washed away to every one that duly partakes of that Sacrament But whereas alas 't is too true we have some way or other stained the white Robes which we had put on when we came from the waters of Baptism and because every disobedience since is a recession or going back from our Baptismal Purity for all such Sins God in much Mercy through the death of Jesus hath given us the Covenant of Repentance Which being but this a turning from Sin to God a lasting durable state of new Life and Reformation he has promised through the Merits and the Death of Jesus that if I have but this to offer up to him from a sincere and contrite Heart it shall be accepted to my Pardon and Forgiveness and he will be reconciled to me And thus I believe the forgiveness of Sins XI ARTICLE The Resurrection of the Body THE meaning is I do profess solemnly that I am fully perswaded of this infallible truth That as 't is appointed for all Men once to die so 't is determined that all Men shall arise from death That the Souls separated or parted from our Bodies are in the Hand of God and live That the Bodies of the Dead although turned to dust mouldered into ashes consum'd in flames or swallowed up of the waters devoured by beasts or fishes or any way scattered shall be gathered together again all the scattered dust pack'd together and in an instant be revived and come alive by the Soul 's being united to it again The same Flesh which died shall live the same Body which fell shall rise the same Soul infallibly be united to the same Body So that the Soul and Body are parted asunder by Death yet at the last day they shall be joined together at the Resurrection and shall no more be parted And this Resurrection I firmly believe shall be Universal of all Mankind no Man shall be left in the Grave or Dead That this shall be at the end of the World when Christ shall come to Judgment when the Trump shall sound or when the Arch-Angel shall lift up his Voice like a Trumpet the just and unjust shall both arise out of their Graves and live The Just shall arise to the Resurrection of Life and the Unjust to the Resurrection of Damnation And thus I believe the Resurrection of the Body XII ARTICLE And the Life Everlasting Amen THE meaning is I do freely declare that I believe this to be an undoubted truth That besides this Life here in this World which is but for a short time there shall be another Life in the other World which shall last for ever I firmly believe that after this finite Life here is over and the Soul departed and the Body dead that the Soul still lives and shall live for ever and after the Resurrection the Body shall live also and both shall live together for Eternity The Soul and Body of the unbelievers disobedient and impenitent shall live for ever and be Partners with the Devil and his accursed Spirits in Hell And that the Souls and Bodies of the Righteous after the Resurrection and after their Sentence shall enter into the fullness of their Master's Joy beyond all possibility of Sin and Sorrow suffering and temptation doubts or scruples fears or dangers where they shall have their Understandings clarified and enriched where the Will shall be satisfied where the Affections shall be all Love and all Joy where they shall securely and peacefully possess all that they breathed after panted sighed and languish'd for here and enjoy it not for Years or Ages but for all Eternity Amen THE meaning of that Word at the end of the Creed is I do declare that I do stedfastly believe all this and desire to live accordingly Question What dost thou chiefly learn in these Articles c. Answer First I learn to believe in God the Father c. THE meaning is I do according to this my confession of Faith firmly and as I hope to see the Face of God believe in God the Father who is the first Person of the adorable Trinity who created me and all Men who made the whole World and all Things therein out of nothing Secondly I do likewise firmly believe in God the Son Jesus Christ my Saviour who is the second Person of the Adorable Trinity Perfect God and perfect Man equal to the Father as touching his Godhead but inferiour to the Father as touching his Manhood who redeemed me and all Men by his Death and who has satisfied God's Justice for my Sins upon my Faith and my Repentance my future Love and Obedience Thirdly I do also firmly believe in God the Holy Ghost or holy Spirit who is the third Person of the adorable Trinity who proceeds from the Father and the Son and is co-equal and co-eternal with them It is he who is my Guide my Sanctifier my Comforter who puts into my Mind good desires pious purposes and devout resolutions who offers me his Grace and Assistance to do God's Will so truly that he is said to be grieved when I refuse it And although I cannot fully understand in this Life how these three Persons can be but one God yet I do fully and firmly assent to it as an undoubted truth that it is so without which Belief I cannot
they come Yes Are we not undone for ever if he be not merciful to us and forgive us our Sins Yes Should we therefore forget earnestly to beg forgiveness daily No. Should not our expectation of God's forgiveness make us incline to forgive our Brethren Yes Are we not liable to Dangers ghostly and bodily every Day of our lives Yes Is it not God's Protection and Grace that secures us from any of them Yes And have we not reason to beg him daily to save us from all dangers ghostly and bodily i. e. of Soul and Body Yes Is it not by his restraining Grace that we are kept from all sin and wickedness Yes Is it not by his Power and Providence that we are kept from our ghostly Enemy the Devil Yes Is it not by his Mercy that we are kept one day more from everlasting death Yes Can we desire any thing better than to be kept by his Grace from Sin the Devil and Hell No. Are not Sin Hell the Devil and Everlasting Death the most dreadful things imaginable Yes And have we not reason to beg God daily to deliver us from them Yes Are we not to trust that our loving Father for Christ's sake will do these things for us Yes SECT V. Of the Sacraments Question HOW many Sacraments hath Christ ordained c. Answer Two only as generally necessary to Salvation c. Question What meanest thou by this Word Sacrament Answer I mean an outward and visible sign of an inward c. Question How many Parts are there in a Sacrament Answer Two the outward visible sign and the inward spiritual Grace HATH not God besides Prayer appointed the Word and Sacraments as the ordinary means of Salvation Yes Are there any more than Two which are necessary for all Men to whom Christianity is revealed No. But are not these Two necessary for all men in general Yes Are not these the Two Sacraments Baptism and the Lord's Supper Yes Will not the willful neglect of either of these Sacraments highly offend God Yes Can any wilfully neglect them without endangering their Salvation No. Are not the Sacraments Signs or Tokens of God's Favour to us Yes And that we shall partake of all the Benefits of Christ's Death if we are not wanting to our selves Yes Are they not means to convey Grace to the Soul Yes Can there be a more dangerous folly than to refuse the Pledges of our Master's Love and the Conveyances of his Grace No. Is there not in every Sacrament an outward part to be seen by the Eye Yes And is there not in every Sacrament an inward part to be received by Faith Yes Of Baptism Question WHat is the outward visible sign or form in Baptism Answer Water wherein the Person is baptized In the Name of c. Question What is the inward and spiritual Grace Answer A Death unto Sin and a new Birth unto c. Question What is required of Persons to be baptized Answer Repentance whereby they forsake sin and Faith c. Question Why then are Infants baptized c. Answer Because they promise them both by their Sureties c. IS not Baptism a Sacrament or sacred Rite Yes Are we not admitted into the Covenant of Grace by the Sacrament of Baptism Yes Was not this the Covenant which your Godfathers and Godmothers promised you should stand to Yes Should we cease to be thankful to God for calling us to this Grace and Favour No. Well then in this Covenant of Grace did not God promise Pardon of Sin Grace and Glory to us Yes But must we expect these unless we perform something on our part No. Is it not our part to believe in Jesus Christ to repent of our Sins and to obey him Yes Was not this the happy Covenant we were received into at our Baptism Yes You said but now that in every Sacrament there was an outward part to be seen by the Eye and an inward part to be discerned by Faith did you not Yes Is not Water the outward part of the Sacrament of Baptism Yes And is not this the inward and spiritual part that our Sins are pardoned and we made God's Children Yes Is not this washing by Water in Baptism to be In the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Yes Are we not by this Sacrament of Baptism admitted to God's Favour Yes And received into his Church Yes And made his Children by Adoption as we were before by Creation Yes Should this Mercy and Favour ever be forgotten by us No. Suppose any Person be not Baptized till he come to be a Man or Woman must he not declare his belief in Christ and his Repentance before he be baptized Yes Can Infants declare their Faith and Repentance themselves No. Seeing they cannot is it not fit that others should promise them for them Yes But must not they themselves stand to this Covenant of Faith Repentance and Obedience when they grow up if they hope to be saved Yes If they will not stand to these things in sincerity do they not forfeit the Benefits of their Baptism Yes Well then do you your self firmly believe the Christian Religion as was promised for you Yes Do you repent of and renounce all Sin as was promised for you Yes Will you sincerely Love and Obey your God and Saviour as was promised for you Yes Should we ever forget these our Promises in Baptism No. Should we be ever faithful to our baptismal Vow Yes Of the Lord's Supper Question WHY was the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper ordained Answer For the continual remembrance of the sacrifice c. Question What is the outward part or sign of the Lord's Supper Answer Bread and Wine which the Lord hath commanded c. Question What is the inward part or thing signified Answer The Body and Blood of Christ which are verily c. Question What are the Benefits whereof we are made partakers thereby Answer The strengthening and refreshing of our Souls by c. Question What is required of them who come to the Lord's Supper Answer To examine themselves whether they repent c. IS not the Lord's Supper the other Sacrament Yes Was not this ordained for a remembrance of Christ's dying for us Yes And do we not in this Sacrament renew the Covenant of our Baptism Yes Well then are not these two things the meaning and end of this Sacrament that is a remembrance of Christ's Death and a renewing of the Covenant of Baptism Yes And have we not need to renew it often Yes Does it shew our Love of Christ to come to the Sacrament but seldom No. Do we in this Sacrament profess our selves solemnly to be Christians or Christ's Disciples Yes If it be in remembrance of Christ's Death and be a renewing of the Covenant of Baptism can we do it too often if we come prepared No. Can we too frequently commemorate the Sufferings and the Love of the Lord that bought us No. Is not Bread and
whose Gospel we derive our Hopes and Expectations of a joyful Resurrection And that we may be constantly put in mind that seeing we name the name of Christ we are to depart from iniquity Question Who gave you this name Answer My Godfathers and Godmothers in my Baptism c. THE meaning is This Name was given me by them who brought me when I knew it not to be admitted to the Favour of God and to be made a Lamb of Christ's Flock And by my Baptism I was made I thank God a Lamb of that Flock a Member of his Church and an Heir to an Inheritance above in Heaven Question What did your Godfathers and Godmothers c. Answer They did promise and vow three things in my name c. THE meaning is They promised for me what I should have promised for my self had I been of Age but seeing I was not and they did promise it I will now stand to it And so I am sensible I must if I hope to receive the Benefits of my Baptism These were then the Three Things they promised which follow 1. They promised I should renounce the World the Flesh and the Devil The Pomps of the World that is all that Pride Vain-glory and Excess that is in the World in Food Raiment or any thing else All vain and sinful Companies and Customs of the World All the Temptations of the World All that is vain or wicked in the World All that Friendship of the World that is Enmity with God All things of the World that may be an occasion of sin to me All the unlawful Riches Honours or Pleasures of the World and never greedily to seek or set my heart upon those that are lawful Thus they renounced for me the Pomps and Vanities of the World which was the first thing they renounced in my name The next was All the sinful Lusts of the Flesh That is all the evil Affections sinful Desires and unlawful Lusts of my corrupt Heart By no means either to be led by them to yeild to them or consent to them The other Branch of what they renounced in my name was The Devil and all his Works Which works are Lying Envying Slandering Pride Murder Hatred but especially tempting others to sin And the actual committing or habitual living in any one wilful known sin Thus in this sense they promised I should renounce The World The Flesh and The Devil Which Renunciation of all these was the First of the Three things they did for me 2. When they presented me to Baptism the second thing they did for me was they promised in my Name That I should believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith The meaning is They promised in my Name that I should believe all the Parts of the Christian Religion which are briefly contained in the Creed That is they promised I should believe in God and I do now believe in him They promised I should believe in Jesus Christ and I do firmly believe in him That he was born of a Virgin was crucified died and rose again c. All which I stedfastly believe They promised I should believe the Resurrection of the Body and a Life eternal after Death And I firmly believe these and all other Parts of the Gospel That I should believe these things was the second thing they did for me 3. They promised in my name That I should keep God's holy Will and Commandments and walk in them all the days of my Life The meaning is When they presented me to Baptism they promised in my Name That I should obey God's Will in avoiding all those things which he hath forbidden me and in performing all those things he hath commanded me And to do this not for a day only or a year but all the days of my Life Thus for instance 'T is God's Will and Commandment that I should be Sober Temperate Chast Pure Just and Upright Repent of and Reform my Sins believe in Christ be a very charitable Person That I should be meek humble and peaceable self-denying and mortified fear him love him above all things trust in him be patient in Afflictions submitting to his Will and to his Wisdom attend upon his Ordinances attend upon his Word attend upon Prayer attend upon his holy Sacraments and perform all other parts and instances of my Duty to God to my self and Neighbour This is to keep his holy Will and Commandments So that they who presented me to Baptism and charitably brought me to be received into Christ's Church by it promised in summ these things in my Name 1. That I should renounce the World the Flesh and the Devil so as by neither of them to be led to any known Sin 2. That I should believe the Christian Religion and live according to that belief 3. That I should give God one short life of Love and Obedience in sincerely though imperfectly doing what he has commanded As they promised this in my Name before I was baptized so I am now to keep it afterward that after death I may enjoy the Promises of God which he has made me upon these three Conditions in a joyful Resurrection and an eternal Life of Glory Question Dost thou not think that thou art bound c. Answer Yes verily and by God's help so I will c. THE meaning is As they promised these things in my name or for me when I was an Infant and could promise nothing for my self so I do now heartily own them all and take them intirely upon my self 1. I will and do renounce what they promised in my Name to renounce 2. I will and do believe firmly what they promised in my Name I should believe 3. I will ever by divine aid keep that holy Will and those Commandments of my God and Saviour which they promised in my Name I should And I bless God that he hath in infinite Love to me and Compassion to my Soul called me to this hope this great hope of being saved when I die And I earnestly beg his Grace that I may continue in this Faith this Hope this Love and this Obedience till the end of my Life till I change Worlds and come up to him SECT II. Of the Creed Catechist REhearse the Articles of thy Belief Answer I believe in God the Father c. I. ARTICLE I believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth THE meaning is I do profess that I really believe there is an infinitely knowing just powerful holy wise good and merciful Spirit whom we call God that has been from ever and shall be for ever that he is eternal unchangeable omnipresent or every where present omnipotent or able to do all things who gave being to all things and received his Being from none That he orders all things in this lower World by his Providence that being omniscient he knows every Man's Thoughts Words and Actions I firmly believe that this Almighty God who is the Father of our