whereby I endeavour to encroach upon the goods and estate of my Neighbours as also I am hereby strictly enjoyned to be content with that portion of worldly goods which God hath given me to use justice in all mydealings to preserve my Neighbours goods and to suffer every man to enjoy his own propriety quietly and peaceably Q. In which of these commands dost thou learn to keep thy tongue from evil speaking lying and slandering A. This part of my duty towards my Neighbour I learn in the fifth command of this second Table or in the ninth of them all thou shalt not bear false witness against thy Neighbour in which I am forbidden all lying slandering backbiting evil speaking bearing false witness and all other vices of this nature whereby the Reputation or good Name of my Neighbour or his goods and life may be impaired or wronged As also by this Law I am enjoyned the contrary vertues that is to set so sure a guard over my tongue as nothing may proceed out of my mouth that may injure my brother Q. In which of these commands dost thou learn to keep thy body in temperance soberness and chastity A. This I learn in the third command of this Table or in the seventh of them all Thou shalt not commit Adultery wherein I am forbidden all manner of sensuality lasciviousness wantonness or uncleanness as also by this Law I am enjoyned to keep my body chast and clean from the sinful lusts of the flesh and to make use of all means conducing hereunto such are sobriety and temperance and if by a high and full diet my body should grow wanton and unruly then to bring it into subjection by prayer watching and fasting Q. In which command dost thou learn not to covet nor desire other mens goods but to learn and labour truly to get thy own living and to do thy duty in that state into which it shall please God to call thee A. Thus much I learn both in the last command of this Table and of them all wherein I am forbidden all covetous desires towards my Neighbour the envying his wealth or prosperity all carking over-solicitous distracting thoughts in the purchasing this worlds goods as also I am by this Law commanded to be content with mine owne to labour honestly in that employment wherein divine providence hath placed me without harbouring one evil thought against my brothers welfare Q. Are you able to keep these commands and hereby to make good that part of your promise you made at your Baptism A. In some measure I am able to observe them otherwise God would be unjust in exacting that obedience I am uncapable of performing Q. How are you able whether by your own strength or must you have the assistance of some higher power A. I am not able by my own innate power to observe these Laws but that God who commands me to keep them hath promised to assist my hearty endeavours in the observation of them Q. What means must you use to procure the assistance of your heavenly Father A. The only way to gain his aid is by earnestly and affectionately begging it by prayer and hence it is that my Catechism warns me at all times to beg Gods special Grace by prayer Q. How are you assured that God will help you when you pray unto him A. In regard that he hath faithfully promised that all such as ask shall have and his blessed Son hath passed his word that whatsoever we ask the Father in his Name it shall be given unto us Q. How comes it to pass then that all the requests even of the faithful are not granted A. Possibly they may beg such favours as may not be convenient for them at least not expedient to be bestowed upon them at that present Q. By what means may we know how to pray as we ought A. Our blessed Lord hath left us a form or president for the composure of our prayers and therefore it is that we call it the Lords Prayer Q. But what warrant have we to justifie our so frequent using the Lords Prayer A. We have the Authority of Gods holy word St. Matthew bids us when we pray to pray after that form and St. Luke enjoyns us to pray the very same words from whence we may gather that when we do not use the very words yet at least we ought to compose our prayers answerable to that most excellent pattern Q. Let me hear if thou canst say the Lords Prayer A. 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 for thine is the Kingdome the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen Q. What desirest thou of God in this Prayer A. I desire my Lord God our heavenly Father who is the giver of all goodness that he will send his Grace unto me and unto 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 needful both for our Souls and Bodies and that he will he merciful unto us and forgive us our Sins and that it will please him to save and defend us from 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 Q. Why do you invoke God after this manner call him your heavenly Father A. Because when I consider him as my Father this gives me confidence to approach his sacred presence and also gives me assurance that he will supply my wants according as my necessities require Q. But why do you say our Father not my Father and also put up all the following petitions in generall terms A. In regard I am bound not only to pray unto him for my selfe but also for all those who have God for their Father Q. But why do you call him your Father which is in Heaven A. To distinguish him from my temporal Father and to acknowdedge my being and well-being solely to depend upon this my everliving and eternal Father Q. Is their any thing else you learn from this comfortable title A. Yes when I consider that he is in Heaven and I on Earth that there is so great a distance and disparity betwixt us this teacheth me to use all reverence and humility when in his presence to have clean hands and a pure heart when I appear before so great so infinite a Majesty Q. In which petition dost thou beg of God to send his grace unto you and unto all people that ye may worship him and serve him
belief of this Rule of Faith be qualified A. It must be intire and universal I must neither add to not diminish from this Confession of Faith but I am obliged by my Baptismal vow to believe all and every Article of this Christian Faith Q. The last thing which your Sureties promised for you was to keep Gods Holy will and Commandments and to walk in the same all the days of your life How or by what means come you to know the will of God A. He hath revealed it in his Holy Word wherein he hath at large manifested how and in what manner he will be worshipped and served Q. For what end and purpose hath God made known his mind unto us A. That we might make it the Rule of our lives and walk according to that Rule all the days of our lives Q. Dost thou think that thou art bound to believe and do as they promised for thee A. Yes verily and by Gods help so I will and I heartily thank our Heavenly Father that he hath called me to this state of Salvation through Jesus Christ our Saviour And I pray unto God to give me his Grace that I may continue in the same unto my lives end Q. How comes it to pass that thou art bound to perform that promise which others made A. Because they only made it in my behalf when by reason of my tender Years I was uncapable of making of it in my own person which promise I am bound actually to perform when I come to years of discretion Q. Are you then able to perform that promise which was made on your behalf A. I am not by my own strength but by the grace of God I am which he hath faithfully promised to give to all those that heartily beg it Q. What think you of this Estate which by your Baptism you are placed in A. I think it is an excellent and blessed Estate as far excelling my natural condition as light doth darkness the one being a state of death and the other a state of life Q. How come you to have a right to this excellent condition A. By vertue of Christs sufferings who hath purchased this condition for me by his Death and Blood-shedding in which by the help and grace of God I do resolve to continue unto my lives end Q. Rehearse the Articles of thy belief A. I believe in God the Father Allmighty maker of Heaven and Earth and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried he descended into Hell the third day he arose again from the dead he ascended into Heaven and there be sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead I believe in the Holy Ghost the Holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints the forgiveness of Sins the Resurrection of the Body and the Life everlasting Amen Q. What dost thou chiefly learn in these Articles of thy belief A. First I learn to believe in God the Father who hath made me and all the World Secondly in God the Son who hath redéemed me and all mankind Thirdly in God the Holy Ghost who sanctifieth me and all the Elect people of God Q. In which Article do you learn to believe in God the Father A. This I learn in the first Article I believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth Q. How many Gods are there A. There is but one only the true everliving and eternal God Q. How can that be when you profess that you believe in God the Father God the Son God the Holy Ghost How sayest thou then that there is but one God A. In the God-head indeed there are three Persons the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost but these three are but one God and this great truth St. John thus expresseth There be three that bare record in Heaven the Father the VVord that is Jesus Christ the Son of God the VVord incarnate and the Holy Ghost and these three are one Q. What is God A. God is a Spirit Infinite in all his Attributes and Perfections Q. How knowest thou that there is such a being as God A. Several ways by his wonderful work of Creation the Heavens declare the Glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy work but especially by my own Conscience which this Infinite Being hath placed within me to accuse me of all those Crimes I commit against his Divine Majesty Q. Vpon what grounds do you call God Father A. He is my Father by Creation giving me at the first my Being he is also my Father by Adoption having through the Gate of Baptism received me into the number of his Servants and Members Q. How did God at the first create you A. By his Almighty and Infinite Power by vertue whereof he can do whatsoever pleaseth him both in Heaven and in Earth Q. And did he finish the Heavens and the Earth and all the rest of his Creation by his Power and Word alone A. Yes he spake and it was done he commanded and they were brought forth Q. In what time did God finish his Creation A. In the space of Six days and rested the Seventh day Q. Why did God at the first give you a Being A. To advance his Honour and to perform his sacred Will Q. Of what did God make Man A. He made his Body of the dust of the ground and breathed into his Nostrils the breath of Life and so he became a living Soul Q. In which Article do you learn is believe in God the Son who redeemed you and all mankind A. In these And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was Crucified dead and buried he descended into Hell the third day he rose again from the dead he ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty from thence he shall come to judge both the quick and the dead Q. What is this Jesus Christ in whom you believe A. He is perfect God and perfect Man equal to the Father as touching his God-head but inferiour to the Father as touching his Man-hood Q. What Relation stands this Person in to God A. He is his only Son begotten of the Father before the world his first born from all Eternity Q. Why did this Eternal God take upon him our nature and so become Man A. That he might Redeem me and all mankind Q. But how can this be that God should be made Man A. He became Man not by turning the God-head into the nature of Man but by taking Mans nature into the God-head that so one person might be both God and Man Q. What need was there that so excellent a Person as the Son of God should thus abase himself A. Because there
life from the same Root Q. What is the second benefit that belong to be Members of the Church A. Forgiveness of Sins Q. What is Sin A. Sin is the transgression of the Law of God Q. What is the punishment due unto sin A. Eternal death the wages of sin is death Q. Is not all mankind lyable to this punishment in regard as the Scripture affirms all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God A. All mankind was once in a state of death and dammnation Q. How then came this benefit of the forgiveness of sins to be made over to them A. The Son of God by his active obedience fulfilling every title of the Law and by his passive obedience suffering the wrath of God due to us for the breach of the Law hath made full satisfaction on our behalf reconciled us to God by vertue of which reconciliation our sins are forgiven Q. To whom doth this favour belong A. To the Members of the Church Q. Shall all those that are Members of the Church partake of this benefit A. All those that by Baptism are received into the Church by that Sacrament receive the remission of those sins which they were guilty of before they were baptized and hence it is that in the Nicene Creed we profess to believe one Baptism for the remissioâ— of sins also after they be thus made Members of Christ they receive remission of their future sins by repentance Q. What is the third benefit that bâ—longs to the Members of this Church A. The Resurrection of the Body Q. Can the body then arise out of thâ— Grave when as it is mouldred in crumbs and dust A. It shall most certainly arise â—gain and he re-united to the Soâ— when together they shall render an account of all their actions performed iâ— this life Q. Shall the very same bodies arise that now we bare about with us A. They shall be the same for substance but not for qualities whereas they are now Earthly Mortal and Corruptible bodies they shall then be Spiritual Immortal and incorruptible Q. How can this possibly be that the same body which is devoured by Worms should again be raised A. This is performed by Gods infinite and unlimited power who shall call to the dead arise ye dead and come away to judgement and the dead shall hear his voice and obey it Q. VVhat necessity is there that the same body should arise A. The same body must arise and no other to magnifie Gods justice that so the same individual body that was a copartner in sin may be punished that which did partake in righteous actions and sufferings may be rewarded Q. Shall all bodies in general arise A. The bodies both of the Godly and wicked of the just and unjust all that ever lived shall arise and live again to eternal Ages Q. When shall this general resurrection be A. At the last and great day of accounts when the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout and with the voice of the Arch-angel and with the Trumpet of God Q. What is the fourth benefit that belongs to the Members of this Church A. The life everlasting Q. To whom doth this belong A. To all in general for although the life everlasting is frequently used to signifie that reward which in another life is bestowed upon the righteous yet the wicked shall live eternally Q. What shall then be the difference betwixt the godly and the ungodly in this respect A. The godly shall live to all eternity in unspeakable joys and never fading glories and the wicked shall live eternally or they shall remain alive in Soul Body to endure the Torments to be inflicted upon them by the justice of God for all the sins committed by them whilst they were in the body Q. Do you think that it is enough barely to believe all these Articles of your Faith A. As I am bound to believe them so it is my duty to frame my practice answerable to this my belief so that I must not only know what these words signifie but likewise I must perform such actions as are agreeable thereto Q. Is this all that your Baptismal vow and promise requires from you A. No it not only enjoyns me to believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith but also I am thereby bound to keep Gods holy Will and Commandments and to walk in the same all the dayes of my life Q. When was these Commandments given A. God speak them to Moses upon Mount Sinai who wrote them upon Tables of Stone made them known to the people of Israel for the regulating of their manners Q. If these Commandments are part of Moses his Law then certainly they were abrogated by the coming of Christ A. This Law was before Moses was although not literally recorded and it shall continue after him to the end of the World and therefore it is called the Moral Law because it is to be a perpetual rule of good manners to mankind Q. To whom did God make it known before Moses A. He did implant it in mans nature by Creation and for this reason St. Paul calls it the Law of Nature but when mans light and knowledge was decayed and impaired by the fall of Adam God again renewed this Law to his Servant Moses and likewise our blessed Lord in his first Sermon that most excellent Sermon he preached on the Mount reinforces this Law and rescues it from those corrupt glosses the Scribes and Pharises had put upon it Q. How many Commandements doth this moral law contain A. Ten. Q. Which be they A. The same which God spake in the twentieth Chapter of Exodus saying I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Aegypt out of the house of Bondage 1. Thou shalt have none other gods but me 2. Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image nor the likeness of any thing that is in Heaven above or in the Earth beneath or in the waters under the Earth thou shalt not how down to them nor worship them For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God and visit the iniquities of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shew mercy unto thousands unto them that love me and keep my Commandments 3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain 4. Kemmember that thou keep holy the Sabbath-day six dayes shalt thou labour and do all that thou vast to do but the Seventh day is the Sabboth of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt do no manner of work thou and thy son and thy daughter thy man-servant and thy maid-servant the Cattel and the Stranger that is within thy Gates for in six dayes the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the Seventh day wherefore
the Lord blessed the Seventh day and hallowed it 5. Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee 6. Thou shalt do no Murther 7. Thou shalt not commit Adultery 8. Thou shalt not Steal 7. Thou shalt not bare false witneses against thy Neighbour 10. 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 Q. What dost thou chiefly learn by these Commandments A. I learn two things my duty towards God and my duty towards my Neighbour Q. In which of these Commandments do you learn you duty towards God A. In the four first commonly called the first Table Q. In which of them do you learn your duty towards your Neighbour A. In the six last commonly called the second Table Q. What is your duty towards God A. My duty towards God is to believe in him to fear him and to love him with all my heart with all my mind with all my soul and 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 dayes of my life Q. In which of the four first Commands do you learn to believe in God to fear him and to love him with all your heart with all your mind with all your soul and with all your strength A. This part of my duty towards God I learn in the first of the Commandements Thou shalt have no other Gods but me in which precept I am bound first to believe that there is a God secondly I am to believe that there is but one God thirdly I am to believe in the true everliving God and to have him for my God and when I have thus chosen him to be my God it can be no less than my duty to stand in awe of so glorious a Majesty and to be fearful of displeasing him and also to love him above all things and for himself alone and to love him not faintly or languidly but sincerely and cordially with my whole mind with all my soul and with all my strength Q. Is this all that you learn from this Command A. No every Command besides that duty it positively enjoyns also forbids the contrary vice as likewise that command which forbids a vice also enjoyns the contrary vertue so that by this command I not only learn to believe in God to fear him and to love him but also I am forbidden infidelity not to believe the one true God or those Laws he hath delivered to the world careless presumption not fearing to offend him hatred of him or of whatsoever he commands Q. In which of these four first commands do you learn to worship this true everliving God to give him thanks to put your whole trust in him and to call upon him A. This part of my duty towards God I learn in the second Commandment Thou shalt not worship any graven Image wherein as I am expressly forbidden the making any graven Image or the worshipping of them when made so also I am implicitely enjoyned to worship that supream infinite Majesty of Heaven and Earth uprightly and sincerely with all bodily worship and external forms of address to adore him with all humility and reverence in all my wants to call upon him who is a ready help in time of need and when he hath fulfilled my desires to give him hearty thanks for his mercies in all straits and dangers to put my whole trust in him who is a sure rock of defence in a word in all respects to pay him that homage reverence and adoration as his greatness and goodness requires from me Q. Wherefore are you bound to worship no Idol nor any representation of God but onely the true God A. Because he is a jealous God and will not suffer the least contempt that is offered to his honour to pass by unpunished Q. In which of these commands dost thou learn to honour his Holy name A. This part of my duty towards God I learn in the third command Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain wherein I am bound to honour Gods Holy Name by not abusing of it in my daily communication not using it rashly foolishly or vainly in my common discourse not cursing either my neighbour or any of his possessions in Gods name not swearing by his name falsly or at all unless it be in a just cause before 〈◊〉 lawful Magistrate for the deciding of some controversie As also by this precept I am obliged to honour Gods name by esteeming highly of it and speaking of it with reverence and sobriety and at all times and upon all occasions praising magnifying exalting and honouring the most holy and reverend name of God his Attributes or any thing whereby he hath made himself known unto us Q. What punishment do you incur if you are failing in your duty in this respect A. God will proceed against me as against a malefactor or guilty person and although possibly in this life I may escape without chastifinent yet in another I cannot but expect to be severely punished Q. In which command do you learn to serve God truly all the dayes of your life A. This part of my duty towards God I learn in the last of these four commands Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath Day wherein I am bound to devote that time to the worship and service of God which the Church by her authority hath set apart for that purpose Q. Are you not then bound to observe the Sabboth day that is the seventh day on which God rested from the works of his creation A. I am bound to observe one day in seven as a Sabboth that is a day of rest but the primitive Christians instead of the Jewish Sabboth which was to be abolished after the Resurrection of Christ made choice of the first day of the week on which he arose from the grave to be observed as the Christian Sabboth and also honoured it with the title of the Lords day Q. What are the duties required for the right observation of this day A. They are two Sanctification and Rest Q. How must this day be Sanctified A. In must be sanctified by setting it apart to the Worship and service of God Q. What is that service of God which on this day must be performed A. It may be reduced to these three heads either that publique service we are obliged to perform in the Church or that charitable service we are to do towards our neighbour or that private service we are to perform at our own houses Q. Wherein consists that publique service of God we are bound to perform on this day A. It consists in meeting together at the house of Prayer the Church and unanimously joyning together
when they know that we are not of their foot-marks but have publickly disowned their ungodly practises and principles You complain of lewd society of friends and acquaintance that draw you into many inconveniences do but let them know that you intend to be religious and they will let you alone The Philosophers openly professed a severe and unusual life that all men might let them live Philosophically and not be a disturbance unto them Let but us do so and be professedly religious and they will have the less boldness for to trouble us Our work is half done when we are heartily resolved and more than half done when we publickly profess these our good resolutions Thirdly This open renewing of our Baptismal engagements wil very much lead to the bringing of Religion into fashion and to make it a thing very creditable and honorable When men openly appear for it and are not ashamed publiquely to confess and acknowledge it then the perverse sons of Belial will be discouraged from scoffing and reproaching of it it will stop the mouths of all gainsayers when they behold the greatest and soberest part of mankind to countenance it by professing seriously to practise it And this certainly will mightily prevail with all those as have any kindness or honour for Religion openly to renew their vows especially in this careless age wherein Atheism and prophaneness have joyned forces to discountenance yea utterly to banish all Religion from amongst us Fourthly The open owning of our Baptismal vow wil be a great preparatory in order to the receiving the holy Sacrament of Christs most precious body and blood neither is it meet that any should be admitted to so neer a communion with Christ who will not openly acknowledge and promise fealty and obedience to his Sacred commands And therefore what our Church enjoyns in this case is very reasonable viz. that none should be admitted to the holy Communion untill such time as he be confirmed or be ready and desirous to be confirmed and therefore if we intend to receive Christ in the Sacrament to feed upon his body and blood which is such excellent food as most certainly will nourish our souls to life eternal it is but very meet and convenient that we should first openly profess our selves his members and servants and that we resolve so to continue this will reduce us into a fit capacity to feed at the Lords Table whereby we may encrease in strength enjoy a more intimate communion with the Father Son and Holy Ghost And indeed until this is done I may justly say men are but imperfect members babes and infants in Christ and not to be admitted in the judgment of all ages to tast of the meat of men until they shew themselves to be men by speaking for themselves And to all this I shall only add the misery that in the end shall attend those that will not make an open profession of Christ as also the priviledge that they shall enjoy who are free to perform this so reasonable a duty and this I shall give you in our Saviours own words Mat. 10.72 Whosoever shall confess me before men him will I confess before my Father which is in Heaven That is will confess him to be one of my flock my true disciple and member and accordingly will reward him but whosoever shall deny me before men and certainly he that is ashamed openly to profess Christ will not be afraid to deny him if moved thereto either by fear or advantage him will I also deny before my Father which is in Heaven And it is not within the power of any man to imagine how dreadful and insupportable their doom will be who are denyed and disowned by the great Judg of Heaven and Earth So that now I cannot see what there is to deter men from submitting to this wholsome discipline it being not only necessary but also highly reasonable that we should openly promise to be his faithful servants who both created us and redeemed us Why should we not as freely and readily promise in the face of the congregation obedience to Gods sacred pleasure and commands as we do allegiance and loyalty to our Prince before a Court of Justice If it is reasonable that we should be obedient to the laws of our Maker which no Christian will deny what harm is their in making an open profession that we will be so and therefore it would be very happy and cannot but be earnestly desired by all good Christians that all animosities and vain janglings might be quite layed aside and that we may all joyn together in practising whatsoever may advance us forward towards the end of our hopes the Salvation of our Souls FINIS