solemnly vowed to keep them and at every Communion we renew that Vow therefore it is very fit we should have the Commandments repeated now when we are going to make a fresh engagement to observe them 2. And since we are to confess all our Sins before we come to the blessed Sacrament of Pardon the Church holds out this Glass unto us by which we may discover our Offences Q. Hath God given us no more than Ten Rules of Obedience A. There are no more requisite than these in reference to all Moral Actions as being the Summary and general Heads under which are comprehended all the Duties we are to do in particular and all the Sins we are to avoid but there are other Positive Precepts to which our Obedience is required God himself first divided this Law into Two Tables The first Four contain our Duty to God and the six Last our Duty to our Neighbour Q. What are the Duties required and the Sins forbidden in each Commandment A. In the First Commandment we are taught to have a right object of our Worship to take the true God for our only God and to Worship and Glorifie him accordingly And we are forbidden Apostacy Deifying the Creatures and Distrust of the true God 2. In the Second Commandment we learn the right Means or Matter of our Worship and it requires that we should worship God with such Worship as he has appointed in his Word suitable to his Nature And it forbids Idolatry Superstition and all carnal and careless Worship 3. In the Third Commandment we learn the right Manner of our Worship and it requires us devoutly to perform every part of Divine Worship and reverently to use every thing which nearly relates to God It forbids Blasphemy Vain and false Oaths Cursing Profaning holy Things and Sacrilege 4. In the Fourth Commandment we are taught the Solemn time of our Worship and it enjoins us to keep holy the Seventh Day call'd by Christians the Lord's-Day and observed by us in memory of Christ's Resurrection for as the learned Archbishop Bramhal remarks If the Memory of the old Creation and God's resting upon the Seventh Day had such an Influence upon the first Patriarchs that it is piously believed by some that they did freely without any Commandment observe that Day of Rest according to the Example of God Why should not Christians hallow the Day of Christ's Resurrection in Memory of Man's Redemption or the New Creation compleated upon that Day by Christ by spending it in worshipping God both in Publick and in Private or in Works of Necessity and Mercy And it forbids Neglect of the Publick Service on Sunday and other Holy Days and spending those times in Sin and Vanity and gives us the Reasons why we should obey this Commandment viz. God's allowing Six Days for our own Employment and his Challenging a Special Propriety in the Seventh and his own Examples and his Blessing and Sanctifying the Seventh Day 5. In the Fifth Commandment we are taught our Duty to our Neighbour with respect to their Persons in all our Relations Natural as Parents and Children Civil as Kings and Subjects Religious as Ministers and People Domestick as Masters and Servants as likewise of Inferiours to their Superiours And it forbids Superiours Pride Negligence and Evil Example and Inferiours Disobedience Contempt and Resisting 6. The Sixth Commandment requires all lawful Endeavours to preserve our own and our Neighbours Life and Health And forbids Killing others Challenging Anger Cruelty and Revenge 7. The Seventh Commandment enjoins us Chastity in Heart Speech and Behaviour And forbids actual Defiling of those that are Married or Single and wanton Thoughts Words Gestures and the occasion of these viz. Gluttony and Drunkenness 8. The Eighth Commandment requires the lawful furthering of our own and our Neighbours Wealth and outward Estate And forbids Thieving Cheating Unjust Detaining Oppression and the occasions of these viz. Idleness and Prodigality 9. The Ninth Commandment enjoins the Speaking of Truth and the promoting our own and others good Name And forbids all false Evidence Lying Slandering Tale-bearing and Flattery 10. The Tenth Commandment requires our being content with our own Condition and rejoicing at our Neighbours Welfare And it forbids an inordinate or unlawful Desire of any thing that is our Neighbours Envy or grieving at others Good and discontent with our own Condition But because I understand it will be more acceptable to some whose Judgment I highly value and esteem to give an Explication according to that made in our Church Catechism by applying severally to each Commandment what is there set down altogether I have therefore likewise here inserted it as well as I could in the Churches Words Q. What doth the first Commandment require A. To have the One only true God for our God and to believe in him and to fear him and to love him with all my Heart and all my Mind and all my Strength Q. What doth the second Commandment require A. Not to make any bodily Image or likeness of God or to worship any Image for God but to worship him only by calling upon his Holy Name in my Prayers and Praises and putting my whole trust in him Q. What doth the third Commandment require A. To honour God's Holy Name and his Word and not to abuse it by Swearing falsely or causelesly or speaking irreverently of either Q. What doth the fourth Commandment require A. To set apart the First Day of the Week to God's Worship and Service in memory of Christ's rising from the Dead to cease and rest from Sin and to serve God truly and faithfully all the days of my Life Q. What doth the fifth Commandment require A. To love honour and succour my Father and my Mother to honour and obey the King and all that are put in Authority under him to submit my self to all my Governours Teachers Spiritual Pastors and Masters and to order my self lowly and reverently to all my Betters Q. What doth the sixth Commandment require A. Not by Violence to take away my own or another's Life to bear no Malice or Hatred in my heart and to hurt nobody by ill Words or Deeds Q. What doth the seventh Commandment require A. Not to lie Carnally with any Woman without lawful Marriage but to keep my body in Soberness Temperance and Chastity Q. What doth the eighth Commandment require A. To be true and just in all my dealings and to keep my hands from picking and stealing Q. What doth the ninth Commandment require A. To keep my Tongue from evil speaking lying and slandering and to speak the truth from my Heart Q. What doth the tenth Commandment require A. Not to Covet nor desire other Mens Goods but to learn and labour truly to get my own Living and to do my Duty in that state of Life into which it shall please God to call me The General Rule for these Commandments is that where a Duty is commanded there the contrary Sin
is forbidden and so on the other side where a Sin is forbidden there the contrary Duty is commanded Q. Why doth the Minister rehearse the Commandments Standing A. To shew his Authority here is God speaking by the Priest Q. Why do the People kncel all the time and beg mercy A. Because they have offended against all the Commandments therefore they kneel down as Criminals ought to do and earnestly beseech Pardon and that we may never commit the like again we pray that the Lord would incline our hearts to keep these Laws and so the Law may be a means of our Repentance and Reformation Q. Why do we pray for the King immediately after the Commandments A. Because he is Custos utriusque Tabulae the Defender of both Tables Q. Why is the Prayer for the King just before the daily Collect A. Because that when we have prayed for outward Prosperity to the Church the consequent of the King's Welfare we may in the Collect pray for inward Grace to make it compleatly happy Q. How long have the Collects been fixed to those very Sundays on which we now use them A. Above Twelve Hundred Years Q. Why is the Epistle read first A. As being the Word of the Servant appointed to personate the Law preceding the Gospel Q. Why doth the Gospel follow A. As being the Word of our great Master therefore when the Minister is about to read all the People stand up to express a more than ordinary reverence to it and to give Glory to God before it 's read and Thanks to God after Q. Why is that Creed which is rehearsed after the Gospel called the Nicene Creed A. Because it was for the most part framed at the great Council of Nice the same in substance with the Apostles Creed but doth more largely condemn all Heresies therefore is fitly enjoin'd to be recited before the Sacrament Q. Why are those Sentences used at the beginning of the Communion A. To stir us up more effectually to give bountifully Q. How is our Charity to be express'd A. Three Ways viz. by Giving Praying and Forgiving Q. Where have we Directions for each of these A. For Giving in the Sentences For Prayer in the Prayer for the Church Militant For Forgiving in the general Warning Q. How often ought we to receive A. It seems very probable from the Institution of this Sacrament that our Saviour design'd it should be part of God's Service in all the solemn Assemblies of Christians And we shew our Love by coming freely and frequently as often as we have an Opportunity for Publick Worship is very lame and imperfect without it Q. What is the Design of the Exhortations and of the Invitation before the Sacrament A. The former is to increase the Number and the latter to rectifie the Dispositions of the Communicants In the Invitation the Guests being prepared the Priest invites them to come near with Fear and Faith and that God may accept them he repeats those Graces with which they must be adorned viz. Repentance Charity and Holy Purposes shewing them what is the first Duty to be done viz. making an humble Confession upon their Knees Q. Why is this Confession here used A. Since Christ's Sufferings are here remembred we must own our Sins which were the Cause of them And since we hope for Pardon we ought with Shame and Sorrow first to own our Transgressions Q. Why is this Form of Absolution here used A. Lest our Guilt should terrifie us from coming to this Holy Table the Priest pronounceth Absolution in Christ's Name in the Form of a Prayer or Benediction which ought to be received with Faith and Gratitude Q. Why are those Sentences of Scripture used A. The Church hath chosen these Sentences to confirm the Faith and revive the Hope of poor Penitents and they are those very Promises on which the foregoing Absolution is grounded so that unless they doubt the Truth of God's Word they must believe these Promises of Mercy Q. Why are the Responses Prefaces and Trisagium here appointed to be used A. This Sacrament is a Feast of Joy and Thanksgiving and the Nature of the Eucharist requires some Acts of Praise and Gratitude 1. Here the Priest admonisheth us to Praise God in the Responses 2. And gives the Reason of it in the Prefaces 3. And joins with us in doing of it in the Trisagium which because the Word Holy is Thrice repeated was by the Greeks so called Q. Why are the Angels mentioned in this Hymn A. Because the Christian Church believed the Angels were present in Christian Assemblies therefore thought it sit that Men should join with them in this Heavenly Song over the Memorial of our Redemption Q. Why doth the Priest on great Festivals add other Prefaces A. They contain proper Reasons for our Thanksgiving on those special Occasions and the Decay of Devotion letting fall the Primitive and Apostolical Life of Weekly Communions and the People receiving but at the great Festivals the Church therefore added to the General Prefaces some special ones relating to the peculiar Mercy of that Feast on which they did communicate â— What Reason for the Vse of the Address or the Collect which â—â—ns thus We do not presume to come to this thy Table c A. The nearer we come to God the more Holy we ought to be and when we are just going to make so immediate Approaches our very Joy must be tempered with Humility and we must excuse our own Unworthiness Q. Why is the Prayer of Consecration used A. In Imitation of our Lord and Saviour and his Apostles all the Churches in the World have used such a Form We do not eat our common Food without first praying for a Blessing on it which Pious Custom is so universal that it is certainly a piece of natural Religion much more then are we obliged before we eat and drink this Bread and Wine which Christ designed to set forth the Mystery of his Death to consecrate and set it apart by a solemn Prayer Q. What Words are they which properly make the Consecration A. The Words of our Saviour's Institution pronounced by a lawful Priest Q. Why do the People join with the Priest in saying Amen A. In Testimony of their Faith that the Elements are become what Christ made and intended them to be that they have the Merits of his Sacrifice annexed to them by his own Institution Q. Why do the Communicants receive the Holy Symbols kneeling A. To express their Humility and the Sense they have of their own Unworthiness and that they may be in a posture of Prayer Q. Of how many Particulars do the Words consist which the Priest useth when he delivereth the Bread and Wine A. Three 1. Instruction declaring what it is viz. The Body of our Lord c. The Blood c. 2. Prayer desiring this Communication of them to us may preserve our Bodies and Souls unto everlasting Life 3. Direction what we are to do
Finger of the Left Hand where is a Vein that comes directly from the Heart and where it may be always in View and being a Finger least used it may be less subject to be worn out Q. What 's the meaning of those Words With this Ring I thee wed A. This is a Pledge of that Covenant of Matrimony which I just now make with thee Q. What are the Rights accruing to the Wife by this Covenant of Matrimony A. To share in all the Honours belonging to the Man's Person which is the meaning of those Words With my Body I thee worship 2. To have an Interest in his Estate signified by that Phrase With all my worldly Goods I thee endow and it was an ancient Usage to lay down a Summ of Money on the Book which the Priest delivers the Wife to give her Livery and Seising of her Husband's Estate Q. What do those Words signifie In the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost A. The Man makes this Covenant by his Christianity and before the Trinity as Witnesses thereto who if he break will be the Avenger of this Perjury for these Words calling God to Witness turn this Promise into a solemn and sacred Oath Q. Why are Isaac and Rebecca proposed as Examples A. Because Isaac kept him only to this One Wife when he might have had more Q. How is this Matrimonial Covenant ratified A. The Priest pronouncing them to be Man and Wife together In the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen doth set God's Seal to this Holy and Religious compact to make it perfect and compleat so that the Union is sacred inviolable and never to be dissolved Q. When God made the Society of Marriage why was Man made Superiour A. Because he knew Equality would breed Confusion Q. Why is Man commanded to Honour his Wife A. The Meaning is That he must give Respect and Maintenance suitable to her Degree Q. Why doth the Rubrick after this Office advise the Persons who are married to receive the Holy Communion either that Day or as soon after as is possible A. To confirm their Vows to each other by the Blessed Sacrament and to bind themselves more strictly to their several Duties Of the Visitation of the Sick Quest TO whom doth this Duty especially belong A. To the Clergy Q. Have we any Command in Holy Scripture for it A. Yes In St. James 5. 14 15. Is any sick among you Let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him anointing him with Oil c. Q. Why are not the sick now anointed with Oil A. In St. James's Time as long as the miraculous Gift of Healing continued it was used not to convey Grace to the Soul but to work a miraculous Cure which was the usual Effect But the Power and Gift being ceased the Church hath left off the Oil which was the Sign but we retain all the Substantial Parts of this Office Q. Why doth the Priest when he enters the sick Man's House salute all that are in it with those Words Peace be to this House A. Because our Lord and Saviour ordered his Disciples to use it when they went to cure both Souls and Bodies Q. What 's the Meaning of that Phrase A. It is a Pious Wish for the Health and Prosperity of all that dwell in it Q. VVhy is the Exhortation used A. Because we are commanded by God not only to pray for but to support the Weak by Comfort Counsel and Exhortation Q. VVhat are the Duties we are exhorted to A. Repentance Charity and Confession Q. VVhat doth the Exhortation consist of A. Of Instruction concerning the Author of Afflictions the End why they are sent the Manner how we must bear them the Benefit of so doing with Exhortations to several Graces and Duties Q. Why doth the Priest repeat the Creed and the Sick Man say it after him A. Because we vowed in Baptism we would believe all the Articles of our Christian Faith And the Sick Man declares his stedfast Faith to every Article to shew he dies a true Christian and a sound Member of the Holy Catholick Church And to arm himself with this Shield against the Fear of Death and the Arguments Satan may use to bring him to Despair Q. Why is the Absolution used in this Office A. Because St. James expresly requires it to be given to a Sick Penitent after the Priest hath prayed over him and since Christ left such a Power with his Church there is never more need to use it than now This is the Highest Form of Absolution used by this Church Q. How doth the Priest close this Office A. He doth it with giving the Sick a Blessing at the parting by 3. Solemn Forms the first directed to God the Son the second is a Formal Blessing in the Name of God the Father and the last is an Address to the whole Trinity Q. Why doth the Church think it necessary that the sick Man should receive the Communion A. It 's the highest Mystery of Religion and fittest for those who are by Sickness put into a Heavenly Frame and are nearest to Perfection 2. It 's God's Seal of Remission to all that receive it with Penitence and Faith 3. It arms them against the Fear of Death by setting Jesus before them who died for them and hath pulled out the Sting of Death 4. It assures them of their Resurrection by making them Members of Christ's Body 5. It declares they die in the Peace and the Communion of the true Church Of the Burial of the Dead Quest HATH the Burial of the Dead been the Practice of all Nations Answ The Care of the Bodies deceased hath been accounted a Pious thing among all Nations tho' the Manner hath been diffesent some Burning others Burying and other Embalming their Dead Q. What Regard had the Jews and Primitive Christians for Burials A. The Jews counted it an eminent kind of Mercy and the Primitive Christians were famous for their Charity in burying the Bodies not of their Friends only but of their very Enemies Q. Did any believe that the Dead were the better for what was done to their Bodies A. No Divers of the Philosophers cared not whether they were buried or no and some of the Martyrs despised their Persecutors threatning them with want of a Grave Q. What then are the true Reasons for Burials A. That our Friends Bodies may not be a Prey to Birds and Beasts 2. That the Shame of nature may not be expos'd 3. That all may return to their proper Place and be covered with the Skirt of their Mother the Earth To which the Christians add three more Reasons Because Men are made after God's Image 2. And as they were Christians their Bodies were the Temples of the Holy Ghost 3. And shall be raised again and made glorious Q. Why do we Bury in the Church or Church-Yard A. To put those in mind of their Mortality