Lord forasmuch as we know that our labour is not in vain in the Lord and not to be weary in well doing seeing that in due season we shall reap if we faint not and whatsoever we do to do it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men knowing that of the Lord we shall receive the reward of the inheritance and that to those that by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory honour and immortality God will render eternal life Q. What is the fruit of the consideration of the glorious Rewardin heaven as to passive obedience and suffering the will of God A. The consideration of the glorious reward in Heaven encourageth us to run the race that is set before us with patience because we reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us Nay when men shall revile and persecute us and shall say all manner of evil against us falsly for Christ's sake we are to rejoice and to be exceeding glad and even leap for joy because that great is our reward in Heaven and our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Q. What doth the Scripture tell us of Hell A. The Scripture tells us that Hell is a place of torment and everlasting punishment where shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Q. Who are those that shall be thus everlastingly punished A. They that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus they shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power and shall be cast into Hell-fire where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched Q. Tell me once more what must we do to be saved from eternal misery and to escape the wrath to come A. That we may be saved from eternal misery and escape the wrath to come we must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and bring forth fruits meet for repentance and turn from all our transgressions so iniquity shall not be our ruine Two Short PRAYERS For the Use of CHILDREN By the same Author Morning Prayer MOst Great and Gracious Lord God the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort Thou art worthy to receive all thanks and praise for all thy mercies and favours towards me Blessed be thy name for preserving me the night past from all danger and evil for refreshing me with comfortable sleep and raising me up to see the light of another day In thee I live and have my being Thy mercies are new every morning and thy compassions fail not Grant therefore O Lord that as I live by the mercy and goodness I may also live to thy service and glory that I may love thee with all my heart and with all my strength and that I may be careful as thy obedient child to please thee O merciful Father in all things O give me understanding that I may learn thy Commandments Teach me to know thy will and enable me to do it that I may not sin against thee at any time Keep me this day from all evil and preserve me from all danger O Lord preserve my going out and my coming in from this time forth and for evermore And give me grace I beseech thee to serve thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of my life and to do that which is well pleasing in thy sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy name thy Kingdom come thy will be done on 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 Amen Evening Prayer O Almighty God and most merciful Father I thy poor Creature desire to praise thy holy name and to give thee all humble and hearty thanks for thy fatherly care over me this day and for all the blessings and comforts which I have received of thee day after day O Lord in mercy forgive my unthankfulness and all my other sins Forgive I beseech thee every evil thought word and deed whereby I have sinned against thee this day or at any other time And grant O Lord that for the time to come I may serve thee better and obey thee in all things Heavenly Father watch over me this night keep me from all evil and danger refresh me with comfortable rest and sleep and raise me up in health and safety to behold the light of another day And grant that the longer I live the better I may live and as I grow in age that I may also grow in grace and in the knowledge of thee and of thy Son Jesus Christ. Bless O Lord all that I am bound to pray for all my friends and kindred Bless all in this house and give us all grace to live in thy fear that we may die in thy favour and be received into thy heavenly and everlasting Kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour to whom be glory both now and for ever Amen THE END Some new Books Printed for Richard Royston at the Sign of the Angel in St. Paul's Church-yard THe Christian Sacrifice a Treatise shewing the necessity and manner of receiving the Holy Communion together with suitable Prayers and Meditations for every Month in the Year and the Principal Festivals in memory of our blessed Saviour in 12. The Devout Christian instructed how to Pray and give Thanks to God or a Book of Devotions for Families and for particular Persons in most of the concerns of Humane Life By the Author of the Christian Sacrifice in 12. The Practical Christian a Treatise explaining the Duty of Self-examination together with Confessions Meditations and Prayers By R. Sherlock D. D. Rector of Winwick The Principles of holy Christian Religion or the Catechism of the Church of England paraphras'd by the same Author A manifest Discovery of the Gross Ignorance Erroneousness and most Unchristian and Wicked Spirit of one John Bunyan Lay-preacher in Bedford which he hath shewed in a vile Pamphlet publish'd by him against The Design of Christianity The End Eccles. 12. 13. a Jo. 4. 24. b 1 Sam. 2. 2. Revel 4. 8. 1 Jo. 3. 3. Job 4. 17. Isa. 5. 16. c Mat. 19. 17. Psal. 103. 8. 119 68. 145. 8 9. d Deut. 32. 4. Job 34. 10. Gen. 18. 25. Isa. 26. 7. e Deut. 7. 9. Psal. 31. 5. 146. 6. Lam. 3. 23. f Jo. 21. 17. 1 Tim. 1. 17. Isa. 40. 13 14. Prov. 15. 3. g Revel 4. 8. Luke 18. 27. Dan. 4. 33. Job 42. 2. h Gen. 21. 33. Rom. 16. 26.
excellent judgment made it to consist of all the most necessary and important points of Religion and of none other 2. That so all Christians of what denomination soever may have no temptation to suspect the truth of it he hath composed it of Texis of Scripture and not taken liberty to express any one Doctrine whether relating to Faith or Manners in words of his own invention nor hath he any where made use of such Scriptural Phrases as to men of competent understandings are obscure or ambiguous or so much as seemingly misapplied any but all he useth are very pertinent to his purpose according to the apparent sence of them as I promise my self all persons not grosly silly or prejudic'd will bear me witness And whereas several phrases are briefly explained in other words it is done only for the sake of the most ignorant and to render them at first sight intelligible to the very lowest capacities Nor are any of those explications such as I can see may be called in question with any shadow of reason But besides that no man may think his judgment imposed upon by them taking notice that they are not to be esteemed as a part of the Catechism and that so it may readily be read without them they are all markt to be printed in a distinct Character and moreover inclosed with two stroaks as Parentheses In short the Reader may reap these following advantages by the careful perusal of this Catechism 1. He may be instructed thereby in the main body and substance of simple pure Christianity without the adulterations and spurious mixtures to borrow a phrase from a very excellent Doctor of Man-made Divinity 2. He may here at once and with the self-same labour be both taught the main points of his Religion and how to prove them 3. He here hath them expressed in the mâ—st affecting manner and with greatest authority because in the words of the holy Scriptures which are certainly more commanding strike with greater awe and a quicker and more pungent sense more powerfully influence our minds and sweetly insinuate their sence into our souls than can any of our own devising And I may hereto apply the well known Verse Dulciùs ex ipso fonte bibuntur aquae Pipe-waters vapid taste and dead To those drunk at the Fountain-head 4. He will hence evidently perceive that the Christian Religion is no Speculative but a purely Practical Science and that the design and business thereof is though those that would not have it so will not see it to make men inwardly and really Righteous to purify our souls from all fleshly and spiritual pollutions and endue us with a God-like and divine nature I shall now make two humble and earnest requests and then conclude my already too long Preface First That Parents and others that have the charge of Youth will be pleased to instruct them thoroughly in this Catechism I mean after they have well learnt and digested that which the Church hath set forth for them concerning which I must needs say that as it is very well adapted to the capacities of young ones so whatsoever too many do think of it it is an excellently good foundation to superstruct upon Secondly That those that are more than Children either in age or understanding will not disdain because this is a Catechism frequently to read it and consideratively to weigh and ponder it I have said enough to perswade my Readers not to deny me these requests Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make us perfect in every good work to do his will working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight by blessing to us this and all those many other excellent helps he hath graciously afforded us for that purpose to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen Edward Fowler IMPRIMATUR Sam. Parker Ex Aed Lambethanis Novemb. 8. 1672. A Scripture-Catechism OR A FORM OF Sound Words Shewing What a Christian is to Believe and Practise in order to Salvation Quest. WHat is the main Duty and Concernment of Man Answ. To Fear God and keep his Commandements is the whole Duty of Man Q. What is God A. God is a Spirit most pure and holy most good merciful and gracious most just and rightcous most true and faithful All-knowing Almighty Eternal and every where present Q. How may it be known that there is a God A The Invisible things of God from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his Eternal power and Godhead Q. How many Gods are there A. There is none other God but one for though there be that are called Gods whether in Heaven or in earth as there'be Gods many and Lords many yet to us there is but oneGod the Father of whom are all things c. Q. What doth the Scripture affirm of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost A The Scripture saith that there are three that hear Record in Heaven the Father the Word or the Son and the Holy Ghost and these three are one Q. What is meant by God's being a Spirit A. By God's being a Spirit is meant that he hath not flesh and bones that he cannot be handled or seen so that there is nothing to which we can liken him nor any likeness which we may compare unto him Q. What do you ' earn from this that God is a Spirit A. From this that God is a Spirit I learn that they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth Q. What is meant by God's being most pure and holy A. By God's being most pu e and holy is meant that he is not a God thatrhath pleasure in wickedness that he is of purer eyes than to behold evil that is with a liking of it and that he cannot be tempted with evil neither doth he tempt any man Q. What do you learn from the Consideration of God's purity and holiness A. From the Consideration of God's purity and holiness I learn that I ought to abhorr that which is evil and cleave to that which is good to purifie my self even as he is pure and to be holy in all manner of Conversation as God is holy Q. What is meant by God's being most good merciful and gracious A. By this that God is most good merciful and gracious is meant that his tender mercies are over all his works that he doth good and giveth good things unto them that ask him that he is full of compassion and long-suffering ready to pardon slow to anger and of great kindness and that he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live and is not willing that any
should perish but that all should come to repentance Q. What duty towards God do you learn from theconsideration of his goodness and mercy A. The duty towards God that I learn from the consideration of his goodness and mercy is this that we ought to love God because he first loved us that we should praise him and give thanks unto him and be perswaded by his mercies to present our bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is our reasonable service Q. What duty towards man do you learn from the consideration of God's goodness and mercy A. The duty towards man which I learn from the consideration of God's goodness and mercy is this that we should be patient towards all men not rendring evil for evil to any man but do good to all even to them that hate us and to be merciful as our Father also is merciful and kind to the unthankful and to the evil and forgive one another even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven us Q. In what especially is the kindness love and mercy of God manifested to us A. In this was manifested the love of God to us in that he sent his only begotten Son into the world to be the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world that we might live through him Q. Doth the goodness and grace of God in the Gospel give security to Sinners or shall we continue in sin that Grace may abound A. God forbid for the goodness of God leadeth us to Repentance and the grace of God that bringeth salvation teacheth us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly rightcously and godlily in this present World Q. You said that God is most just and righteous what is meant thereby A. By God's being most just and righteous is meant that God the Judge of all the Earth will do right and render to every man according to his deeds that his ways are right and equal and his judgment is according to truth Q. What duty towards God do you learn from his justice and righteousness A. The Duty towards God that I learn from his justice and righteousness is this that seeing God without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans work we ought to pass the time of our sojourning here in fear and I farther learn that when God's judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the world should learn righteousness and acknowledge that God is just and righteous in all his works that he doth and that therefore we should not complain but be humbled and accept of the punishment of our iniquities and bear the indignation of the Lord because we have sinned against him Q. What duty towards man do yo learn from the justice and righteousness of God A. The duty towards man that I learn from the justice and righteousness of God is this to do no evil to my neighbour nor go beyond or defraud my brother in any matter the Lord being the avenger of all such but without having respect of persons to do justice and judgment which is more acceptable to the Lord than Sacrifice to render unto all their dues and to do to others as I would that they should do to me and lastly when I am reviled not to revile again when I suffer not to threaten but to commit my self as Christ did to him that judgeth righteously Q. You said that God is most true and faithful what is meant thereby A. By God's being most true and faithful is meant that God cannot lye nor deny himself that with him is no variableness nor shadow of turning but that he keepeth covenant and mercy to them that love him and keep his Commandments he will do and make good what he hath spoken nor shall any word fail of all that he hath promised Q. duty towards God do you learn from his being most true and faithful A. The duty towards God which I learn from his being most true and faithful is this that we draw near to God with a true heart in full assurance of saith and call upon him in truth for he trieth the heart and hath pleasure in uprightness he requireth truth or sincerity in the inward parts and will give ear unto the prayer that goeth not out of feigned lips Q. What farther duty towards God do you learn from his truth and faithfulness A. I do farther learn from the truth and faithfulness of God that if we suffer according to the will of God we should commit the keeping of our souls to him in well doing as unto a faithful Creator as being perswaded that he is able to keep that which we commit to him against that day and therefore will do it and that we should hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering he being saithful that promised and will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that we may be able to bear it and will establish us and keep us from evil Q. What duty towards man do you learn from God's being most true and faithful A. The duty towards man which I learn from God's being most true and faithful is this that putting away lying every man should speak truth with his neighbour from his heart and that in our mouth and spirit there should be no guile but in simplicity and godly sincerity we should have our conversation in the world For lying lips are an abomination to the Lord but they that deal truly and are upright in their way are his delight Q What is meant by this that God is All-knowing A. By God's being All-knowing is meant that he is perfect in knowledge and his understanding is infinite that he understands our thoughts a far off and is acquainted with all our ways and that there is not a word in our tongue but he knoweth it altogether neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do Q. What do you learn from God's being most wise and All-knowing A. From God's being most wise and All-knowing I learn that I ought to serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind for the Lord knoweth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts and his eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men to give to every one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings Q. What is meant by this that God is Allmighty A. By God's being Almighty is meant that he is the blessed and only Potentate