possible endeavours for his dâ—liverance A. Yes if thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death and those that are ready to be slain if thou sayest behold we know it not doth not he that pondereth the heart consider and he that keepeth thy soul doth not he know it shall not he render to every man according to his deeds Prov. 24.11 12. Q. Is not the duty of Alms-giving perfectly necessary for the approving of our love to God A. Yes whoso hath this world's good and seeth his brother hath need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him 1 Joh. 3.17 Q. And is not the performance of this duty very acceptable unto God A. Yes but to do good and communicate forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased Heb. 13.16 Q. Must not men beware that they prâ—pâ—se nâ—t tâ— themselves the praise of men as the motive of their charity A. Yes when thou doest thine alms do not sound a trumpet before thee as the hypocrites do in the Synagogues and in the streets that they may have glory of men otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven Mat. 6.2 1. Q. And is it not a vain thing to give alms where love to God and men is not the motive A. Yes though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned and have not charity it profiteth me nothing 1 Cor. 13.3 Q. But must not men give cheerfully and without grudging A. Yes every man as he purposeth in his heart so let him give not grudgingly or of necessity for God loveth a chearful giver 1 Cor. 9.7 Q. Is it not vain and impious to think that the parting with any thing for Christ will impoverish men A. Yes every one that hath forsaken houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my names sake shall receive an hundred fold and shall inherit everlasting life Mat. 19.29 Q. And hath not God particularly promised that the charitable shall not want but shall have a recompense of reward A. Yes the Liberal soul shall be made far and he that watereth shall be watered also himself he that giveth to the poor shall not lack but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse Prov. 11.25 and 28.27 Q. Is not this a putting our wealth in his hands who hath made solemn promise of repayment A. Yes he that hath pity on the poor lendeth to the Lord and that which he hath given will he pay him again Prov. 19.17 Q. And will not the reward be more or less according to to the degrees of our alms A. Yes he that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly and he that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully 2 Cor. 9.6 Q. Sh uld we not be very tender of the credit of our neighbour A. Y s a good name is better than precious ointment and rather to be chosen then great riches Eccel 7.1 Prov. 22.1 Q. Will not mens unmercifull judging of others be paid home to them in the strict and severe judgment of God A. Y s judg not that ye be not judged for with what judgment ye judge ye shall be judged and with what measure you mete it shall be measured to you again Mat. 7.1 2. Q. Is it not a christian duty to study to reconcile and make peace among brethren A. Yes blessed are the peace-makers for they shall be called the children of God Mat. 5.9 Q. If Christians will observe all those duties which they owe to God to themselves and to their neighbour may they not expect the reward of eternal life Q. Yes this do and thou shalt live Luke 10.28 Q. Are not Christian duties both profitable and pleasant even when they expose us to outward sufferings A. Yes Christ's yoke is easie and his burden is light and his commandements are not grievous therefore rejoyce that ye are counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ Mat 11.30 1 John 5.3 Act. 5.41 Q. Since the danger of delaying our turning to God is so evident and certain should we not betimes set about it A. Yes whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledg nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest Ecc. 9.10 The Ten Commandments 1. THou shalt have no other Gods before me 2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness of any thing that is in Heaven above or that is in the Earth beneath or that is in the water under the Eâ—rth Thou shalt not bow down thy self to them nor serve them for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shewing mercy unto thousands of 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. Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any work thou nor thy son nor thy daughter thy man-servant nor thy maid-servant nor thy cattel nor thy stranger that is within thy gates For in six days 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 days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee 6. Thou shalt not kill 7. Thou shalt not commit Adultery 8. Thou shalt not steal 9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour 10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife nor his man-servant nor his maid-servant nor his ox nor his ass nor any thing that is thy neighbour's The Lord's Prayer 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 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 the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen The Belief I Believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord which was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilat was crucified dead and buried he descended into Hell and rose again from the dead and ascended up into Heaven and fitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty from thence he shall come to judg the quick and the dead I believe in
of man coming in the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory for he shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-Angel and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Mat. 24.30 1 Thess 4.16 Q. Is Christ then to be Judg of the World A. Yes because he hath appointed a day in which he will judg the World in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead Acts 17.31 Sect. 7. Concerning the Resurrection of our Bodies Q. DO you believe that the dead shall rise again A. Yes for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation Joh. 5.28 29. Q. Is not the Doctrine of the Resurrection very incredible A. No why should it be thought a thing incredible with you that God should raise the dead Acts 26.8 Q. If the dead rise not are not the faithful witnesses of God found false A. Yes yea and we are found false witnesses of God because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ whom he raised not up if so be that the dead rise not for if the dead rise not then is not Christ raised 1 Cor. 15.15 16. Q. And were it not a vain thing to believe in Christ if there be no resurrection of the dead A. Yes for if there be no resurrection of the dead then is Christ not risen and if Christ be not risen then is our Preaching vain and your Faith is also vain and ye are yet in your sins 1 Cor. 15.13 14 17. Q. If the dead rise not were not good and vertuous men of all men the most miserable A. Yes if in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15.19 Q. Might not men lawfully commit all unlawful acts all excess of riot and live as they please if the dead rise not A. Yes if the dead rise not let us eat and drink for to morrow we die 1 Cor. 15.32 Q. But is it not certain that Christ is risen from the dead A. Yes but now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first-fruits of them that slept 1 Cor. 15.20 Q. How are the dead raised up A. The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-Angel and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise 1 Thess 4.16 Q. With what body shall they rise A. The body is sown in corruption it is raised in incorruption it is sown in dishonour it is raised in glory it is sown in weakness it is raised in power it is sown a natural body it is raised a spiritual body 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44. Q. What is the reason that men do err in not believing the Doctrine of the resurrection A. They do err not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God Matt. 22.29 Sect. 8. Concerning the Iudgment of the Great Day Q. DO you believe that God hath appointed a day in the which he will judg the World by his Son A. Yes because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judg the World in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead Acts 17.31 Q. Must all men appear before their Judg to get a sentence according to the life they have lived upon earth A. Yes for we must all appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 Q. Will every work that man hath done be brought into judgment A. Yes for God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil Eccl. 12.14 Q. And must men give account of every idle word A. Yes But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of Judgment for by their words they shall be justified and by their words they shall be condemned Mat. 12.36 37. Q. Will not the Judg of the whole earth judg righteous judgment A. Yes we are sure the judgment of God is according to truth for he will render to every man according to his deeds and there is no respect of persons with God Rom. 2.2 6 11. Q. What is the sentence Christ will pass on the righteous in the great dâ—y A. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand Come yâ— blessed of my Father inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world Mat. 25.34 Q. What is the sentence Christ will pass on the wicked A. Then shall he say unto them on the left hand Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Mat. 25.41 Q. Who is he that shall enter into eternal life A. He that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousness and speaketh the truth in his heart he that backbiteth not with his tongue nor doth evil to his neighbour in whose eyes a vile person is contemned but he honoureth them that fear the Lord he that sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not he that putteth not our his money to usury nor taketh reward against the innocent he who by patient continuance in well-doing seeketh for glory and honour and immortality shall inherit eternal life And he that doth these things shall never be moved Ps 15.2 3 c. Rom. 2.7 Q. Who are they on whom God will take vengeance A. On them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ but obey unrighteousness these shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power 2 Thess 1.8 9. Rom. 2.8 Q. Since there are such joys prepared for the righteous and such torments for the wicked were it not great wisdom in every man to order his conversation aright A. Yes seeing then that all these things shall be what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness looking for and hastning to the coming of the day of God that we may be accounted worthy to escape the wrath to come and be able to stand before the Son of man 2 Pet. 3.11 12. Luke 21.36 PART II. A particular Account of those Duties men are obliged to perform CHAP. I. Containing our Duty to God Sect. 1. Of Faith Hope Love Fear and Trust Q. SInce you believe there is a God who is truth and that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the word of God do you not also believe that all that is contained 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 Private Devotions laid down in Scripture-Expressions A Prayer for Morning and Evening Our father which art in heaven who ruleth over all the kingdoms of the earth who searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts who art of purer eyes than to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity I which am but dust and ashes nor worthy of the least of all thy mercies being abominable and filthy and a transgressor from the womb do now come and kneel before thee O Lord my maker to offer to thee the Sacrifice of thanksgiving and to call upon thy name O let thy good spirit help my infirmities and make intercession for me for I know not what I should pray for as I ought I confess my transgressions unto thee O Lord I have sinned against heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy son iniquities so prevail against me that when I would do good evil is present with me O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death here mention thy most prevailing corruptions O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God for my iniquities are increased over my head and my trespass is grown up unto the heavens But Lord to whom shall I go thou hast the words of eternal life thou hast no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live and thou hast said him that cometh to thee thou wilt in no wise cast out O stablish this word unto thy servant who is now devoted to thy fear Remember not the sins of my youth nor my transgressions for thy names sake O Lord pardon mine iniquity for it is great order my steps in thy word and let not any iniquity have dominion over me create in me a clean heart O Lord â—â—d renew a right spirit within me that I may no longer live the rest of my time in the flesh to the lusts thereof but as he that hath called me is holy so I may be holy in all manner of conversation denying ungodliness and wordly lusts and living soberly righteously and godly in this present world Into thine hand I commit my spirit and body O lord God of truth o let integrity and uprightness preserve me instruct me and teach me in the way wherein I should go guide me with thine eye this day Lord preserve my going out and my coming in establish thou the work of my hands set a watch before my mouth and keep the door of my lips encline not my heart to any evil thing to practice wicked works with men that work iniquity but give thy Angels charge over me to keep me in all my ways at night say let the Angel of the Lord encamp round about me that I be not afraid for the terror by night the Lord that keepeth Israel who neither slumbreth nor sleepeth be my keeper In confidence of this I will both lay me down in peace and sleep for thou Lord only makest me dwell in safety Let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee that thy way may be known upon earth thy saving health among all Nations add to the Church daily such as should be saved give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death that the Kingdoms of this World may become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ O continue thy loving kindness unto them that know thee and thy uprightness to the upright in heart Be a strength to the poor and a strength to the needy in his distress Abundantly bless our provision and satisfy our poor with bread make Wars to cease unto the end of the Earth break the bow and cut the spear in sunder let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end but establish the just and thou who hast commanded that supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in authority I beseech thee be a sun and shield to our dread Soveraign Lord King Charles O prepare mercy and truth which may preserve him prolong the King's life and his years as many generations that judgment may run down as waters and righteousness as a mighty stream do good in thy good pleasure unto Sion let our Priests lips always keep knowledg that the people may only seek the Law at their mouths and many may be turned away from iniquity O let the work of the Lord prosper in their hands be gracious to my brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh here thou mayest name particular persons and grant that all men do the will of their Father which is in Heaven And now what shall I render unto thee O Lord for all thy benefits towards me Thou art he that took me out of the womb and hitherto hast made me dwell in safety Many O Lord my God are the wonderful works which thou hast done for me I will sing unto thee O Lord as long as I live I will sing praise unto my God while I have my being Blessed be the Lord God who only doth wondrous things and blessed be his glorious name for ever and let the whole earth be filled with his glory Amen Our Father which art c. Another O Blessed and Glorious God who art exalted above all blessing and praise Thou even thou art Lord alone and there is no Saviour beside thee Lord what is man that thou takest knowledg of him or the son of man that thou makest account of him I confess I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God for my iniquities are encreased over my head and my trespass is grown up into the heavens I have sinned what shall I do unto thee O thou preserver of men here mention thy particular sins if thou Lord shouldest mark iniquities o Lord who shâ—ll stand but there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared O Remember not against me former iniquities let thy tender mercies speedily prevent me Help me o God of my salvation for the glory of thy name purge away my sins for thy names sake cast down every imagination that exalteth it self against the knowledg of God and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ O grâ—nt that I may be renewed in the spirit of my mind that I put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness and that I no longer have any fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness And now what shall I render unto thee O Lord for all thy benefits towards me because thou hast commanded thy loving kindness in the day time therefore this night is my prayer unto thee O God of my life Lord be my keeper and