the one is Baptisme wherwith I am receyued into Christes church The other is the Supper of the Lord wherwith I am nourished in the same Question What is Baptisme Answeare It is a sacramēt wherin as water washeth away the filthines of my body so the blood of Christ sprinkled vpon my soule by the hand of fayth washeth away my sins and the punishmēt therof wherby I am incorporate into his body made partaker of his benefits to dye vnto sin to liue vnto rightuousnes Question Why are children to be baptised Answeare Because by nature they be the children of wrath by Adams sin to whom also the promise of Gods free mercy and fauour reacheth Question What is the Lords supper Answeare It is the sacrament of my redemptiō by the death of Christ wherin by the misticall receyuing of bread and wyne through a true fayth I am made partaker of al the benefits of Christs passion for as bread broken doth feede nourish my body wine refresh my hart so the body of Christ was torne vpō the crosse his blud shed to wash away my sins and to feed refresh my soule to lyfe euerlasting Question Whether is the bread chaunged into the naturall body of Christ or no Answeare The Sacraments of bread and wyne remaine still in their former nature and substance neuerthelesse there is a great chaunge for those things which before were but as cōmon meats are now made the Sacraments or holy signes of Christes body and blood Question How dost thou eat Christs body or drinke his blood Answeare Spiritually and by grace whilest I beleeue that he dyed for my sins and rose agayne for my iustification for it is fayth that maketh me partaker of his benefits goodnes which are sealed to me by his Sacraments Question Do all men which receyue this sacrament receyue the spirituall grace alyke Answeare As in Baptisme none but the faithfull receiue remissiō of their sins so in the Lords supper none but such are partakers of the grace and benefits of Christes death The wicked in deed receyue the outward elements of bread and wine but because they lacke true fayth they are not partakers of the spiritual grace Question How must thou frame thy selfe to receyue this sacrament worthily Answeare First I must consider the greeuousnes of my sins from my hart vnfaynedly hate and detest the same euer after giue my selfe to godlines vertue Secondly I must try and examin my selfe whether I haue a true fayth in the promises of Christ Thirdly I must reconcile my selfe to all men and continue in Christian loue Question Now remayneth the other helpe giuen thee of God that is to say prayer tel me what it is Answeare Prayer is the lifting vp of my hart to God and the asking in Christs name of things needfull to me and the whole church with thankes geuing for his benefits and goodnes Question To whom must thou pray Answeare To God alone first because I beleeue in him alone Secondly he alone knoweth my hart thirdly he wil not giue his glory to any other therfore I am forbidden to pray to saints Question How canst thou which art a sinner pray to God which hateth sinne Answeare I pray not in trust of myne own rightuousnes but in the name of Christ who is the way for me to come to the father who continueth my mediatour at the right hand of the father d who loueth hath reconciled me to the father in whom the father is wel pleased Question For whom must thou pray Answeare For all men liuing for kings magistrates ministers yea and for my enemies but for the dead I haue no commaundement to pray neyther can I help them after they be gon hence for as they be found at the day of their death so shal they ryse agayne onely this I can doo to giue God thankes for their deliuerance out of this world Question How must thou prepare thy selfe to pray Answeare First I must be touched with the necessity of those whome I pray for my mynd must be deuout and not caried to fro with vayn thoughts I must appere before God in true repentance and fayth being at loue with al men framing my life ryghtuously asking in such a tongue as I vnderstand according to the will of God. Question How must thou pray Answeare According to the forme prescribed of our sauior Christ in these wordes Our father which art in heauē halowed be thy name Thi kingdom come Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauē Geue vs this day our dayly bread And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse agaynst vs And leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill For thyne is the kingdome the power and the glory for euer So be it Question What is the meaning of this prayer Answeare We pray to God in the first petition that his glory may appeare and that our liues conuersation may set forth the same In the second we pray that God would gouerne the kingdom of his church killing sin and the lusts thereof in the same and to renue it to rightuousnes of lyfe That he would also tread downe Satan and al his power and that he would shortly accomplish the number of his elect hasten the comming of Christ to iudgement In the third we pray that al our doings may be agreable to his will without contradiction or murmuring In the fourth we desire him to grant vs whatsoeuer is needful to the sustenance and preseruation of our life and that all our doings may be to his glory and the profit af our neyghbours In the fift we pray for the forgiuenes of our sins the punishment thereof for his mercyes sake euen as we shal pardone others their offences done to vs without bearing malice or hatred towardes them In the last we pray that God would guyde vs with his spirit that we may get the victory ouer Sathan sin and hel be defended from all euyll After we conclude with these wordes For thyne is the kingdome c. to set forth our desire to his glory his honour prayse whose power is also infinit and therfore he can graunt our requestes We end with this word Amen both desiring that what we haue asked maye be fulfilled and also assuring our selues that our requestes shall be fulfilled accordingly as they be agreeyng to the wil of God. Question Is there any helpe for thee to praye more deuoutly Answeare Yea truely fasting is a special preparatiue to the same ▪ Question What is a Christian fast Answeare It is not onely an abstinence from meats and drynkes to chastice my body but also from sin and the delights thereof which
THE TESTIMOnie of a true Fayth Conteyned in a shorte Catechisme necessary to all Families for the more knowledge of God and better bryngyng vp of Chyldren in his fayth and feare Gathered and written for the benefite of Gods well disposed children by C. S. Preacher ¶ Jmprinted at London nygh vnto the three Cranes in the Vintree by Thomas Dawson and Thomas Gardyner Anno Do. 1577. March. 10. ⧠The Testimonie of a true fayth Question IT is the duetie of a true Christian alwayes to be readye to render an account of his fayth to the ende it may appeare that he is not ashamed of Christ his Doctrine Let me therefore heare what thou canst saye of the principall poynts of Christian Religion Answeare There be three speciall parts therof the first is to know God and my selfe the second is the meanes wherby my saluation is wrought the third what helpes God doth further mee withall vnto lyfe euerlasting Question What sayst thou of the knowledge of God Answeare The same is of two sortes the one is vniuersall and knowen by the creation of heauen and earth wherin God offereth him selfe to be seene and knowen of me as the onely fountayne of all goodnesse who alone ought to be worshipped For his eternitie appereth in the making of the world his goodnes in preseruing the same his prouidence in the tokens whiche are seene and felt wherby what pleaseth his godly will commeth to passe and not by blynd fortune his wisedome in ordering of the things created hys ryghtuousnesse in deliuering the godly punishing the wicked hys mercy in paciently forbearing synners and calling them to repentance So that what may be knowen of God is manyfest in the things created which vniuersall knowledge taketh away al excuse from the vngodly whiche worshyp not God aryght but to me it is a ready way to bring me to the true worship of God. The other knowledge is special onely proper to the elect wherby through faith poured into my hart by the holy ghost I am assured that my saluation is wrought by Christ the Sonne of God by whome I am made the childe of God thorow grace and heyre with Christ of his kingdome which knowledge onely commeth of grace and so is giuē to me but it is restrayned from the wicked because of their sinne and hardnes of hart Question What sayst thou of the knowledge of thy selfe Answeare By creation I was made in Adam according to the Image of God I meane not any bodily shape for God is a spirit and without body in true rightuousnes holynes that is to say in al perfectiō and happines of nature both in ryght iudgement reason wyll strength In which happy state if Adam had continued both I and al his posteritie had bene blessed for euer Question How diddest thou fall from this grace Answeare My fall appeareth in that Adam who had thys blessing for me thorow the intisement of the serpent brake the commaundement of God in eating of the forbidden fruite and by the same depriued him selfe of his former happynes and brought synne death hel the wrath of God and all kynde of miseries into the world as iust punishmēts for his deserts In which his sinful act his pride disobedience lacke of fayth vnthankfulnesse to his creatour lyght credit to the Deuyll appeared In which offence both I and all his ofspring are wrapped in as much as in hym we all haue synned for he had the blessing geuen to keepe or loose for hym and his Wherfore I and al others descending of hym by him and in hym haue fallen from grace and are infected wyth hys corruptions conceyued in sin borne in eniquitie and by nature the children of wrath and vtterly vndone without the grace and mercy of God. Question How art thou restored to grace agayne Answeare My restauration commeth thorow the free mercy and fauour of God who after this my fall in Adam raysed both hym and me vp again with the comfortable promise of a Saueour who by his death shoulde pacifie the wrath of God and bring me into his fauour agayne by whose obedience I am made ryghtuous which my regeneration commeth thus to me whylest by the preaching of the Lawe I am brought to the feeling of my syns and raysed vp with the comfortable promises of the Gospell receyued by fayth My hart is lightned purifyed and gouerned by the holy Ghost my wil and mind reformed and the image of God renued agayne in me Question Shewe me what be the meanes wherby thy saluation is wrought Answeare The ordinary meanes commonly are two that is to say the word of God and fayth Question What is the word of God Answeare It is those Canonicall scriptures written by the spirit of God and commended to man both in the olde and in the new Testament wherin are conteyned all things necessary to saluation according to the which the Lord will haue all his religion measured without eyther addyng or dimishing Question How canst thou know the true Religion in so many opinions of the same as be in the world Answeare Fyrst I trye the religion taught me by the word of God and by his spirit geuen me to vnderstand the same Secondly I know thys spirit to be a ryght spirit because it confesseth Christ to be come in the fleshe that is to say ascribeth the whole worke of my saluation to him and to no other thing Thyrdly I expound one place of Scripture as it is not contrarye to another And thus I trye the truth making the worde of God to iudge and determine what I ought to folowe Question How is the worde of God deuided Answeare Into the Law and Gospell Question What is the Lawe Answeare It is the ten commaundementes of God requiring of euery one most pure perfect and perpetuall obedience promisyng saluation to them which fulfill the same threatning death and damnation to the transgessours thereof Question Rehearse the same to me Answeare 1 Thou shalt haue none other Gods but me 2 Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenes of any thing that is in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath or in the waters vnder he earth thou shalt not bowe down to them nor worship them for I the Lord thy God am a ielous god visiting the iniquities of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shewe mercy to thousandes in them that loue me and keepe my commaundements 3 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vayne for the Lord will not holde him giltles that taketh his name in vayne 4 Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabboth daye sixe dayes shalt thou labour and do all that
thou hast to doo but the seuenth day is the Sabboth of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt doo no manner of worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter thy man seruaunt and thy mayde seruaunt thy cattel and straunger within thy gates for in sixe dayes the Lord made heauen and earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seuenth day wherefore the Lord blessed the seuenth day and hallowed it 5 Honour thy father and thy mother that thy dayes may bee long in the land which the Lord thy God geueth thee 6 Thou shalt not kill 7 Thou shalt not commit adultry 8 Thou shalt not steale 9 Thou shalt not beare false witnes against thy neighbour 10 Thou shalt not couet thy neyghbours house thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife nor his seruaunt nor his maid nor his oxe nor his asse nor any thing that is his Question What sayst thou of the first commaundement Answeare The Lord therin requireth true obediēce to his word the feare loue of his name a sure faith trust in his promises the right inuocatiō vpon his name with thankes geuing for his benefites whereby his true worship may be knowē aryght which things as he dooth commaund so doth he forbid all maner of superstition and Idolatry the contempt denial of his word the lacke of feare faith and loue towards him calling vpon other creatures finally what soeuer polluteth his seruice or our consciences in whose presence all our doings do appeare Question What sayest thou of the second Thou shalt not make c. Answeare God doth therein declare how he will be worshipped for seeing that his true worship is a worke or seruice commaunded in his woord proceeding of fayth tending to his glory as he is a spirit so wil he be worshipped in spirit truth without any myxture of Idolatry or superstition And therfore he forbiddeth the making of Images to expresse hym by all maner deuotion or reuerence giuing to thē either in looking at them or in bowing the knee before them in prayer for he is the Lord our God and wyl not haue his power to be contemned he is ielous ouer vs wyl not suffer eyther our soules or bodyes to be defiled with any filthines of Idolatry which if we doo he wyll reuenge the same to the third fourth generation Briefly he forbiddeth hereby all representations tokens of Idolatrie al straunge worship deuised by man all Antichristian Decrees and whatsoeuer corrupteth the true seruice spiritual worship of God. Question What is cōmaunded in the third Thou shalt not take c. Answeare Herein the Lord commaūdeth a reuerend vse of his Name truely to sweare and testifie the truth not only in truth iudgment rightuousnes but also for necessities sake especially whē the glory of God the saluation of our brethren is sought requiring also herein a faithfull zeale and loue towardes his word Sacraments and what soeuer may set forth his glory forbidding the indiscret vnreuerend vse of his name in vaine friuolous things al rash othes al othes made for fauor lucre and feare rather than for trial of truth al periurie al othes made by Saints Idols Meate or other creatures all Coniurations Sorceries Charmyngs Soothsayings witchcraft cursing bannyng all false doctrines and corruptions of true Religion and what soeuer causeth the name of God to be euyll spoken of Question Shewe the meanyng of the fourth Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabboth day Answeare The Lord cōmaundeth herein the ceassyng from bodyly labors sinnes to meete together in his true feare and loue to heare learne confesse his woord and to instruct one another in the same to communicate at his Sacramentes to render thankes for his benefites to distriubute vnto the necessitie of the poore to meditate our spiritual rest which shal be after this lyfe forbidding likewise the contempt of Ecclesiastical meetings his woord and Sacraments the superstitious obseruance of dayes tymes the folowing of pastymes gamyng daunsing banquetting and other outward pleasures without meditation of heauenly things Question What is the meanyng of the fift Commaundement Honour thy father and thy moother Answeare Herein the Lorde requireth humble reuerence loue not only towardes our natural parents but also towards our Magistrates Ministers and maisters whom he placeth ouer vs for the benefite of them which doo well and for the punishment of the euyl requiring our obedience towardes them so long as they obey his word from whence whē they decline they are no longer to be obeyed forbidding also al disobedience ingratitude of chyldrē towards their parents al contempt and rebellion of subiects against their magistrates also to blaspheme them and to obey them in matters contarry to the truth Question What canst thou say of the sixt Thou shalt not kyll Answeare God in this cōmaundeth faithful loue mercy kindnesse compassion reconciliation mutual embracyng one another in peace as wel of our enemyes as of those which loue vs forbydding al vnlawfull murder and quarelling outwardly al fayned loue vnmercyfulnesse hatred malice anger reproches tauntes slaundering murmuring contentions desire of vengeance whatsoeuer is repugnant to Christian loue Question Proceede to the seuenth Thou shalt not commit adultry Answeare The Lord commaundeth not only perfecte chastitie both in soule and body whether it be in mariage or in single life that all our partes may be sanctified vnto him but also he forbiddeth al maner of adultry fornication the restraining of lawfull mariage in any calling and the rashe vowing of single life vnlawfull lustes lyght behauiour and vnseemely adorning of the body filthy talke and idle pastimes drunkennes minstrelsie daunsing what besides tendeth to impurity and lecherous lust Question Declare the eyght Thou shalt not steale Answeare Herein God commaundeth rightuousnes true dealing in euery calling that euery man be content with his owne state geuing to euery one what of right he ought to haue forbidding also all robbing fashood couetousnes vsury oppression bying and selling with false measures idle liuing vnhonest wasting of goods or substance what els doth sauour of deceyt the same is stealing Question Shewe the sense and meanyng of the Ninth Thou shalt not beare false witnesse c. Answeare God cōmaundeth herein in court iudgmēt in al our wordes couenaunts that truth may florish to saue our neighbors harmles forbidding wrong iudgment or any respect of persons therin the making of wicked Lawes decrees also false witnes and lying tales flattery suspitions false accusations and what so euer empayreth the good name
of our brethren Question What sayst thou of the last Thou shalt not couet Answeare In this the Lord commaundeth the whole harte to be possessed with loue that what soeuer man doth wish or desyre it may be free from lust corrupt affection serue to the glory of God and profit of his neighbours forbidding hereby al wicked thoughts vnlawful desires both of soule body although our cōsent be not therto al corruptiō of original sinne by Adam al lack of grace and what soeuer wanteth of the integritie perfectiō wherin man was made By al which precepts it may appere that nothing but true rightuousnes and innocencie can please God. Question By this I vnderstād that thou art not able of thy self because of thy sins to fulfil these lawes why therfore did God commaund that which thou canst not do Answeare First hereby he declareth how that his Image in me is corrupted with sin for nothing is here required which I could not haue done before my fal in Adam Secondly here is nothing commaūded which I am not bound to do Thirdly he doth not respect what I of my self cand do but what his iustice doth require Last of al it setteth forth the wrath of God bryngeth me to the feelyng of my sinnes Question Why God is mercyful to thousands wil not surely punish sinne so sharply as thou thinkest Answeare God in deede is mercyfull to them that loue hym truly repent but he is a iust Iudge a God of vēgeance to punish the wickednes of the vngodly which breake his commaundementes Question By this I gather that many are in a woful case Answeare Concernyng the wicked which be voyde of fayth of the mercy of God the curse of the law hangeth vpon them But touching the elect of which company I am perswaded that I am one Iesus Christ the sonne of God in myne own nature hath suffred to deliuer me from sinne the punishments therof hath brought me into the fauor of God againe of which benefite I lay holde with a true fayth which commeth by the preaching of the Gospell Question What is the Gospell Answeare It is the doctrine of faith conteynyng the promises of God vnto saluation to all whiche truely repent and lay hold of Christes merites by a sure trust in the same Question What do the promises of the Gospel meane Answeare First they teach me that the law of God is fulfilled for me by Christ by whom I haue my sins forgiuen with whose ryghtuousnes I am clothed may now boldly stand before the iudgmēt seat of god Secondly that my saluatiō commeth onely of the free mercy of God without my merites or good deedes Thirdly although they be offred to all yet they take effect in none to saluation but onely in the electe whose harts God lighteneth with fayth Question Shew me what fayth is Answeare There is a kind of faith called a dead faith beleuing the word of God to be true al things therein conteyned and goeth no further but the true faith is the faire knowledge of the fatherly good will and mercy of God shewed towards man in Christ a sure trust in the same which in due time bringeth forth the fruites of good liuing Question What doest thou learne hereby Answeare First I learne to know God who is made my father by Christ thorow adoption and grace 2 Secōdly I apply to my selfe by this my fayth al the merits of Christ as fully as if I had done the same my selfe 3 Thirdly I haue a sure trust in his merits and mercy boldnes to offer vp my prayers to God the father by him 4 Last of all I knowe his promises to be faithfull true and that he will performe them when it pleaseth his godly wisdome Question Whence commeth fayth Answeare It is the gifte of God wrought in my hart by the preaching of the Gospel and by the holy Ghost Question What is the summe of the fayth Answeare I beleeue in God the father almighty maker of heauen and earth and in Iesus Christ his only sonne our Lord which was conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Mary suffred vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead buried he descended into hel and rose again the third day frō the dead he ascended into heauē sitteth on the ryght hand of God the father almighty frō thence shall he come to iudge the quicke and the dead I beleeue in the holy Ghost the holy catholike church the communion of saintes the forgeuenes of sins the resurrection of the body the life euerlasting Question What art thou taught hereby Answeare 1 First what to beleeue of God my father creatour 2 Secondly of Christ my redeemer Thirdly of the holy ghost my sanctifier Last of all concerning the church of God. Question What canst thou say of God Answeare God is a spiritual nature euerlasting almighty infinite true good righteous and mercifull who hath made the world hath begotten the sonne of him selfe frō euerlasting The sonne is wisedome image of the father begotten of the father very God of very God who in his tyme appoynted became man. The holy Ghost is the power vertue proceeding from them both which three although they be distinct in persons yet are they equall and al one in Godhead eternitie dignitie and power Question What saist thou of the first part of this faith Answeare I beleeue that God is not only the natural father of his sonne Christ but also that he is by grace my father by whose wisedome as heauen and earth and all things therin conteyned were made so the same by his power is gouerned preserued Question What thinkest thou of the second Answeare I beleue that the sonne of God became man in al things lyke vnto me onely syn excepted in my nature wrought what was needfull to my saluatiō wherefore he is named Iesus that is a saueour Question How is thy saluation wrought Answeare This word Christ doth teach the same for first it signifieth him to be a king to haue purchased to him selfe by his blood the spirituall kingdome of his church all the enemies therof cōquered Which kingdome now he gouerneth by his word and by his spirit wherby he raigneth in my hart and in the harts of his elect Secondly it teacheth that he was a priest to offer vp him self once for al a sweet sacrifice to take away my sins to be a mediator by whō in whose name I maye offer vp my prayers to God my heauēly father through him be heard Thirdly it putteth me in minde that he was a Prophet sent to