not bear false witness against thy Neighbour X. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours House thou shalt not covet thy neighbours Wife nor his Servant nor his Maid nor his Ox nor his Ass nor any thing that is his Quest What dost thou chiefly learn by these Commandments Ans I learn two things my duty towards God and my duty towards my Neighbour Quest What is thy duty towards God Ans My duty towards God is to believe in him to fear him and love him with all my Heart with all my Mind with all my Soul and with all my strength to worship him to give him thanks to put my whole trust in him to call upon him to honour his holy Name and his Word and to serve him truly all the days of my life Quest What is thy duty towards thy Neighbour Ans My duty towards my Neighbour is to love him as my self and to do to all Men as I would they should do to me To love honour and succour my Father and 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 Pastours and Masters To order my self lowly and reverently to all my Betters To hurt no body by word or deed To be true and just in all my Dealings To bear no malice nor hatred in my Heart To keep my hands from picking and stealing and my tongue from evil speaking lying and slandering To keep my body in temperance soberness and chastity Not to covet nor desire other mens goods but to learn and labour truly to get mine own living and to do my duty in that state of life unto which it shall please God to call me Cat. My good Child know this that thou art not able to do these things of thy self nor to walk in the Commandments of God and to serve him without his special Grace which thou must learn at all times to call for by diligent Prayer Let me hear therefore if thou canst say the Lords Prayer Ans Our Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdome come Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily Bread And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil Amen Quest What desirest thou of God in this Prayer Ans I desire my Lord God our heavenly Father who is the giver of all goodness to send his Grace unto me and to all People that we may worship him serve him and obey him as we ought to do And I pray unto God that he will send us all things that be needfull both for our Souls and Bodies and that he will be mercifull unto us and forgive us our sins and that it will please him to save and defend us in all dangers ghostly and bodily and that he will keep us from all sin and wickedness and from our ghostly enemy and from everlasting death And this I trust he will do of his mercy and goodness through our Lord Jesus Christ And therefore I say Amen So be it Quest How many Sacraments hath Christ ordained in his Church Ans Two only as generally necessary to Salvation that is to say Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. Quest What meanest thou by this word Sacrament Ans I mean an outward visible Sign of an inward and spiritual Grace given unto us ordained by Christ himself as a means whereby we receive the same and a pledge to assure us thereof Quest How many parts are there in a Sacrament Ans Two the outward visible Sign and the inward spiritual Grace Quest What is the outward visible sign or form in Baptism Ans Water wherein the person is baptized In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Quest What is the inward and spiritual Grace Ans A death unto sin and a new birth unto Righteousness for being by nature born in sin and the children of wrath we are hereby made the children of Grace Quest What is required of persons to be baptized Ans Repentance whereby they forsake sin and Faith whereby they stedfastly believe the promises of God made to them in that Sacrament Quest Why then are Infants baptized when by reason of their tender age they cannot perform them Ans Because they promise them both by their sureties which promise when they come to age themselves are bound to perform Quest Why was the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper ordained Ans For the continual remembrance of the sacrifice of the death of Christ and of the benefits which we receive thereby Quest What is the outward part or sign of the Lords-Supper Ans Bread and Wine which the Lord hath commanded to be received Quest What is the inward part or thing signified Ans The Body and Blood of Christ which are indeed taken and received by the faithfull in the Lords Supper Quest What are the benefits whereof we are partakers thereby Ans The strengthning and refreshing of our Souls by the Body and Blood of Christ as our bodies are by the Bread and Wine Quest What is required of them who come to the Lords Supper Ans To examine themselves whether they repent them truly of their former sins stedfastly purposing to lead a new life have a lively faith in Gods mercy through Christ with a thankfull remembrance of his death and be in charity with all men When the Sacrament comes every fourth moneth to be administred for any of the Divisions above mentioned the respective Church and Chappel-Wardens thereof are desired to give timely notice unto a fitting number of Servants and Children within the same to be catechised on the Sacrament Day for the said Division or on some other day of that Moneth Thus the care of this needfull exercise will be more equally shared among them and the duty it self more constantly performed And the better to observe an Order in thus calling the Youth to Catechizing in the said Divisions it may be convenient to begin in the Higher End of each of them and so to go by House-rows as much as may be through the whole taking a convenient number of Families at a time Concerning Personal Instruction THe like course so far as it shall be found convenient may be used concerning Personal Instruction whereby as the younger sort in several Families come to the Church to be catechized so the elder People in the same or the like number of Families may come to the Ministers house or he go to theirs to discourse with him in a plain familiar way of the most necessary Gospel Truths and Christian duties which most nearly concern Gods honour and worship and our eternal Salvation To this purpose we may improve the Church Catechism or the following Profession of Faith and Catechism consisting but of 12 Questions and Answers endeavouring fully to understand and to practice the things therein
are ordered by the greatest Wisdom and shall work together for the good of those that love Thee We doubt not of thy Fatherly Affection to those that study in all sincerity to approve themselves unto Thee and therefore still resolve to leave our selves entirely to thy wise Counsels that thou mayst dispose us into such a condition as thou seest best in this World Oh remember us but of our Duty quicken and excite us to it strengthen us in the doing of it support us under all discouragements advise us in all difficult cases and comfort us with a stedfast Belief of thy holy Word and we shall ever be giving thanks and praise unto Thee who dealest so bountifully with us Moreover with our selves we desire O Lord the good of all Mankind especially that thou wouldest be mercifull to thy whole Church and particularly that thou wouldest bless that part of it which is planted in these Nations wherein we live inclining the hearts of all Ranks and Degrees of Men amongst us to follow after things which make for Peace Unity and Godliness But O gracious God as we are in duty bound in a more peculiar manner we do most earnestly beseech Thee on the behalf of this place of our Abode that our Minister being directed and assisted by Thee may be made a Blessing and a Comfort unto us and that we likewise having our Conversation as becomes the Gospel of Christ may be a Blessing and an Encouragement unto him Give we pray Thee repentance unto Sinners and increase of Grace and Strength to all thy faithfull Servants Reduce those among us that wander out of the way raise up those that are fallen confirm and settle those that stand and grant them a stedfast Resolution to persevere in Faith Love and Obedience Relieve and comfort all those that are in any Distress make the Earth to bring forth her increase in due season and let all honest and industrious People be succeeded and blessed in their Labours Remember all those who are nearly related to us or to whom we are indebted for our Birth Education Instruction or Promotion Thou who art rich in Mercy reward and recompence their care and love Grant Forgiveness and Charity to all our Enemies Continue good will among all our kind Neighbours Assist those that are Dying and leaving this World and fit their Souls for a better Place and let us also with them after our own last sickness in due time through Christ obtain a glorious Resurrection and Eternal Life And here O Lord we do from our very Souls render unto Thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy Blessings and Benefits bestowed upon us concerning this Life and that which is to come but more especially we praise Thee for the mercies of this day for any measure of success thou hast given us in our lawfull Endeavours that thou hast defended us from such dangers as might have fallen upon us We beseech Thee likewise of thine infinite Goodness and Mercy to defend and protect us and all that belong unto us this Night and let us be refreshed with moderate rest and sleep and so raised the next Day more able and willing to set forth thy Glory in the conscionable Duties of our Places and Callings These and all other needfull Mercies we ask of Thee for the alone merits of Jesus Christ in whose Name we continue to pray unto Thee as he himself hath taught us saying Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdom come thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven give us this day our daily Bread and forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us and lead us not into Temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy love O Heavenly Father thy comfort and consolation O holy and blessed Spirit be with us and remain with us this night and for evermore Amen Another Family-Prayer for the Evening on the Week-Days Saturday especially O Most blessed and eternall God thou alone art the fountain of our Happiness and the rest and satisfaction of our Souls Thou art infinitely more great and glorious in thy Wisdom Power and Goodness then either our words can declare or our hearts can conceive We therefore thine unworthy Servants do here most humbly adore and worship thine incomprehensible Majesty acknowledging that we were not only born in sin but in the course of our Lives have violated thy Sacred Laws and many ways transgressed our Duty as to Thee our Neighbours and our Selves so that if Thou shouldest deal with us according to the strictness of thy Justice and our own deservings we could expect nothing but shame and misery both in this life and that which is to come But O God we beseech Thee do thou help us penitently and believingly to cast our selves upon thy Mercy and the Merits of Jesus Christ and for his sake graciously forgive unto us the sinfulness of all our thoughts words and ways and let thy Spirit witness with ours the comfortable assurance of that Forgiveness And for the future let us not be tempted by the allurements or discouragements of the World wilfully to allow our selves in the omission of any the least known Duty or in the Commission of any the least known Sin And because this is thy Will even our sanctification we beseech Thee O Lord that thou wouldest sanctifie our Understandings that being renewed in the Spirit of our Minds we may have a Spiritual Discerning of the things of Thee our God that we may know what it is that Thou requirest of us in those several Places Conditions and Relations Thou art pleased to set us in That Thou wouldest likewise enable us to submit our wills to thy Blessed Will in all things and to make it our daily care and exercise to keep our Consciences clear and unreproveable in thy sight That Thou wouldest help us to set our Affections upon things above that we may love thee the Lord our God with all our Heart and with all our Soul and with all our Strength and that Christ may be the Chiefest of ten thousands unto us Him whom our Soul loves That we may present our Bodies a living Sacrifice holy and acceptable unto Thee which is but our reasonable Service That so being sanctified throughout we may be whatsoever Thou wouldest have us to be that we may leave whatsoever thou wouldest have us to forsake that we may patiently suffer whatsoever Thou layest upon us to endure that we may freely cheerfully and readily do whatsoever thy Command obligeth us to do And because Thou requirest that we should grow in Grace by all those means of Grace and Salvation which Thou art pleased so plentifully to vouchsafe unto us Oh that Thou wouldest help us to walk yet more holily in respect of Thee our God then ever that we may be more fearfull
blessed Company above who are never weary of giving Honour Glory Blessing and Thanks to thee our mercifull God and Saviour O how great was that Love which an Angel came to give notice of and which a multitude of an Heavenly Host celebrated with songs of Praise when thou sentest thy dear Son in the likeness of sinfull Flesh and in the form of a Servant to minister to our necessities to relieve our misery and to be the Way to everlasting Life Oh the Riches of thy Grace that after Mankind had forfeited all the rights of thy Creatures and had contemned and despitefully used many of thy Messengers Thou wouldest in such Mercy create us again unto good Works and for that end appear thy self most gloriously among us in the Person of Jesus Christ We thank thee O Lord that thou hast assumed our Nature unto such a nearness to Thee as we are not able to understand We thank Thee for the glad tidings which Jesus hath brought us from Heaven that thou wilt be reconciled unto us and admit us again into thy Favour and that he hath observed the whole Law and fulfilled all Righteousness and shewn us in our Likeness what thou wouldest have us to do and to be We thank Thee for the Redemption which he hath wrought for us by his Blood and meritorious Passion We rejoyce in the Victory which he hath gotten over hell and the grave by his Resurrection from the dead and in his glorious Triumph when he ascended up on High and led Captivity captive And in his Royal Power wherewith He was invested when He sat down on the Right hand of the Majesty on High And in those Gifts which he received for Men even for the Rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell among them Blessed be thy Eternal Goodness which hath made him a most mercifull and compassionate High Priest and given us so great assurance that he is become the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him Blessed be thy Goodness which hath sent the Holy Ghost and continued to us a succession of Pastours and Teachers to be the Guides of our Souls and to minister to us those pledges of thy Love which our Saviour left us in the Communion of his Body and Blood O God that our hearts enflamed with ardent love to Thee who hast loved us in such a wonderfull manner could ascend up to Heaven in these devout Meditations and not come down again but with desires left in them still aspiring thitherwards Oh touch our Souls so powerfully with a sense of these things that with an hearty zealous Affection they may ever look towards Thee and our dear Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Oh fix our eyes on him as he was here on earth that we may learn of Him his humble and meek obedience to thy Commands and as he is now in Heaven that we may trust Him for the performance of his precious Promises and patiently wait till he carry us also to that glorious Place Since he appeared among us to destroy the works of the devil and died to redeem us from all sin and rose again that he might bless us in turning every one of us from our iniquities and is made Lord of all that he may govern us by his Laws and reward or punish us according to our works Preserve in our minds we beseech Thee a constant and lively sense of this great End of his whole Undertaking for us that he may see the fruit of the Travell of his Soul in us and our whole life may be a serious study and endeavour to imitate Him by purifying our selves as he is pure Oh that thy Fear and Love may keep us from abusing any of the good things which thou hast allowed us for our bodily Refreshment grant that we may receive them thankfully as from thy Hand and enjoy them moderately as in thy Presence with bowels of Mercy to those who are in need with a tast of better spiritual Delights and Heavenly Joyes and with hunger and thirst after the Fulness and Perfection of those Joyes when our Lord Jesus shall come to shew us his Glory and entertain us with eternal Satisfaction in his incomprehensible Love Amen Here you may add the Collect for the Morning or Evening respectively set down page 6. Concluding always with the Lords Prayer The following Prayer for the Sacrament may be used by one alone after a Private Prayer or by more after a Family-Prayer at convenient times before Receiving ANd as for those of us in this Place or Family who intend to receive the Sacrament of Christs Body and Blood pardon Lord we pray Thee our former not hungering and thirsting after it our not Preparing for it not Partaking of it so often as our necessities and opportunities have required Enable us now we earnestly beseech Thee being duly prepared to come as worthy and welcome Guests unto thy Table Give us a Lively sight and sense of our sins and imperfections of our wants and weaknesses that we may hunger and thirst after Christ and his Righteousness expecting from his Fulness to be supplied in whatsoever our Souls may stand in need of Let us be enabled rightly to discern the Lords Body and feelingly to understand the relation between the Signs and things signified applying both unto our selves in their proper use To this end Enlighten our Minds more and more with the Knowledge of Jesus Christ and of his Gospel especially of the great work of our Redemption by his Blood and his unspeakable Love shining forth therein as also of the Covenant of Grace and Seals annexed thereunto Work in us an unfeigned Repentance bewailing our sins past and resolving to leave them for the time to come and to serve thee in Righteousness and Holiness all the days of our Life Endue us also with a true and lively Faith that we may not only receive the outward Elements of Bread and Wine but inwardly partake of the Spiritual Blessings and benefits of our Saviours Death that so we may be assured of the forgiveness of all our forepast sins and be better enabled to withstand Temptations for the time to come that thereby our Souls may be enriched with all saving Graces strengthened unto all good Duties and nourished unto Everlasting Life Inflame our hearts with most fervent Love towards Thee and our Neighbours yea even our Enemies for thy sake and link our hearts together in an Holy Communion as it becometh the true Members of Jesus Christ And being thus in some measure prepared let us yet look up to Thee to pardon our Unpreparedness Let us still continue our dependance upon Christ for his Assistance as knowing that we are not sufficient of our selves so much as to think any thing but our Sufficiency is of God And when we come to thy Table let us not coldly and formally perform this high and holy Service but with the exercise of Faith Love Repentance Reverence with the renewal
Word and Works of our own sin and danger of our Redemption of our Duty of our Death Judgement and the endless Joy or Torment after it The diligent examination of our own hearts and watching over our thoughts affections words and actions The mortifying of our sins especially unbelief error hardness of Heart pride worldliness sensuality and hypocrisie The exercise of all Graces watching against temptations and resolute resisting them And secret Prayer unto God Psal 104. 34. 119. 97 99. 1. 2. 63. 6. 77. 12. 143. 5. 119. 59. Hag. 1. 5. Deut. 32. 29. Psal 50. 22. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Psal 4. 4. Prov. 4. 23. Mat. 5. 28. 12. 34 15. 18 19. Psal 119. 113. 39. 1. Mar. 13. 33. Luke 21. 8 34. 1 Cor. 10. 12. Col. 3. 5. Heb. 3. 12 13 14. Mat. 24. 4. Luke 12. 15. Rom. 13. 13 14. Mat. 6. 6 16. 1 Cor. 3. 18. Jer. 17. 9. 1 Pet. 2. 1. 2 Tim. 1. 6. 4. 7. Acts 24. 16 Mat. 26. 41. 1 Cor. 16. 13. Eph. 6. 11. to 19. 1 Thes 5. 17. Acts 10. 9. Luke 6. 12. Quest 11. What private duties of Holiness must be performed with others The private duties of Holiness to be performed with others are these Parents and Masters must teach their children and servants the Word and fear of God and pray with them and for them and hinder them from sin Children and Servants must willingly learn and obey Husbands and Wives must be loving faithfull and helpfull to each other especially in the best things which concern their eternal Welfare We must seek advice in the matters of Salvation especially of our Teachers we must friendly prudently and faithfully admonish and exhort one another using gracious and edifying Conference and a winning Conversation Eph. 6. 4. Deut. 6. 7. 11. 18. Josh 24. 15. Psal 101. 2 3. Acts 10. 30. Gen. 18. 19. Prov. 22. 6 15. 25. 13. 1 Sam. 2. 23 29. Col. 3. Eph. 6. 1 5 6 7 8. Deut. 21. 18 20. Mal. 2. 7. Jer. 6. 16. 50. 5. 1 Cor. 14. 35. Acts 2. 37. 16. 30. Rom. 15. 14. Heb. 3. 13. Eph. 4. 29. 1 Pet. 3. 1 2. Jam. 3. 13. Acts 12. 5 12. Col. 1. 3. 4. 3. 1 Thess 3. 10. Quest 12. What are the necessary duties of Righteousness and Mercy towards Men The necessary duties of Righteousness and Mercy towards Men are such as these Superiours must rule for God and the Common-good with justice and mercy Inferiours must willingly obey them in the Lord. We must deal truly and be diligent in our Places and Callings We must love our Neighbours as our selves and do as we would be done by behaving our selves to all Men in meekness harmlesness sobriety and truth not wronging any in their Bodies Chastity Estates or Names no not in desire but forbearing and forgiving one another loving our very Enemies and doing good to all according to our Power Deut. 1. 17. 2 Chr. 19. 6 7. Deut. 17. 18 19. Josh 1. 8. Isa 56. 1. Zach. 7. 9. Rom. 13. 1 2 3. 1 Pet. 2. 13. Eph. 6. 1 5. 1 Cor. 7. 20 21. Col. 3. 20 22 23 24. Mat. 19. 19. 22. 39. 7. 12. Eph. 4. 2. Phil. 2. 3 15. Mat. 10. 16. Eph. 4. 25. Tit. 2. 12. Col. 3. 25. 1 Cor. 6. 7 8. Mat. 5. 21 22 23 24 25 27 28 39 44 45. Eph. 4. 28. Exod. 20. 16. Psal 15. 3. Col. 3. 13. Eph. 4. 2. Mat. 5. 44. Gal. 6. 10. Heb. 13. 16. Mat. 25. Phil. 2. 4 20 21. 2 Cor. 8. 11 12. Concerning the Sick FIrst When thou findest thy self visited with sickness thou art presently to remember that it is God who with rebukes doth chasten Man for sin and therefore let thy first care be to find out what it is that provokes him to smite thee and to that purpose examine diligently thine own heart and ways and confess thy sins humbly and penitently unto God begging most earnestly his Mercy and Pardon in Christ Jesus and putting on sincere and zealous Resolutions of forsaking every evil way for the rest of that time which God shall spare thee Secondly That your own Heart deceive you not in this so weighty a business which is for Eternity it will be your Wisdom before your Disease prevail too much upon you to send for some godly Divine your own Minister especially under whose care you live and who may be best acquainted with your Condition using his help to settle your Conscience aright and to make your Peace with God And to that end open your heart so freely unto him that he may be able to judge whether your Repentance be such as may give you Confidence to appear before Gods dreadfull Tribunal and if it be not that he may help you what he can towards the making of it so Thirdly Let it be remembred that there is also a Private Communion of the Sick which People generally are so far from seeking after that though we often and earnestly desire them they are but few comparatively who as S. James enjoyns Ch. 5. 14. Call or send for the Elders of the Church or Ministers of Religion to pray with or over them and to perform such other Duties belonging to the Visitation of the Sick as may fit them if they recover for a more holy Life or if they die for a more happy Death Lastly Take notice that I have not here set down any Prayers for the Sick as is usually done in such Books of Devotion because I would have Neighbours oftner to acquaint me with their sickness in order to my Visiting of them And then as occasion shall require I shall be ready to help them to such Prayers and Meditations as may be sutable to their Condition which they may make use of in my absence Grace before Meat O God be mercifull unto us and bless us and injoying of these thy Gifts give them strength to nourish us and us Grace to serve and please Thee through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen After Meat Gods holy Name be blessed and praised for these and all other his Benefits vouchsafed unto us he save his Church our King Queen and these Realms comfort the afflicted and send us Peace in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A short Grace before Meat O God bless these thy good Creatures unto our use and us unto thy service through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen After Meat We praise thee O God for these and all other thy Mercies bestowed upon us through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Or this Enable us O God with thankfull hearts to live in the strength of these thy Mercies to thy Praise and Glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Children or Servants may be taught to say the larger or at least the shorter of these Graces when Parents or Family-Guides please not to do it themselves It is a duty of daily Practice to own and praise God as being the Authour and Giver of all our outward Enjoyments and to crave his Blessing upon them It is very unseemly for Christians to go to their Meals like brute creatures we are taught better by the Holy Scriptures S. Mat. 14. 19. S. John 6. 9 10 11. Acts 27. 35. 1 Tim. 4. 3 4 5. FINIS S. Mat. 6. 33. Ph. 2. 12. S. Luke 24. 47. 2 Cor. 6. 8. Acts 20. 30. 1 Cor. 11. 19. 2 Pet. 3. 16. Eph. 4. 12 14. Heb. 13. 9. Heb. 10. 23. Conf. l. 1 c. 4. If in the Morning If in the Evening Here thou mayst confess to God those sins thou art most guilty of * Here beg strength against those sins thou are especially in danger of * Here praise God for special Blessings concerning thy self or others * Leaving out the three last Lines and saying Particularly for the Mercies of the Day past it will also be a Prayer for the Evening * Here thou mayst pray for special Mercies for thy self or others See the Lords Prayer and Blessing page 23. Canon 13. of those 103. Vide late Act for the Lords-Day * Here reckon up those particular sins which thou art conscious of Psal 103. * Here make thy special Requests for thy self and others * Page 62 63.