the old Testament in memory of Gods Rest from his works of Creation and thence was it called the Lords day Rev. 1.10 John in the Isle of Patmos was in the spirit on the Lords day Act. 20.7 Vpon the first day of the week when the Disciples were together to eat bread Paul preached unto them 1 Cor. 16.1 2. Concerning the Collection for the Saints as I have given order to the Churches of Galatia so do ye Vpon the first day of the week let every one lay by him in store as God hath prospered him As for the Churches Holy days or Days appointed by Authority for solemn publick prayers and thanksgivings upon occasion of some great Calamities or Deliverances though they be appointed by man only yet have they as good Authority as the Feast of Purim and Dedication among the Jews for they had no other but Humane Appointment Q. How must God be served on those days A. By resting from all bodily labours except them of Necessity and Mercy to the end we may wholly attend the publick and private exercises of Religion and Godliness Q. What sins then are forbidden by this Commandment A. Mispending these days either in sin or idleness or the servile works of our callings or in vain sports or whatsoever may hinder our keeping them Holy Catechist The Commandment expressly forbids all servile works on the Sabbath day and so do divers Texts as Exod. 31.13 14. and 35.2 and Jer. 17.21 much more idleness vain sports and pastimes and all sinful spending it in gluttony drunkenness filthy Communications and all manner of Licentiousness We are to rest from our worldly labours but mark for what end not that bodily ease can of it self please God but it is that being free from all encombrances of this world and all earthly cares and distractions we may sanctifie the day keep it holy or hallow it Only as our Saviour clears the matter in Confutation of the Pharisees Matth. 12.11 12 13. Works of Necessity Mercy and Charity are allowed and lawful for What man of you saith he having an Ox or an Ass fallen into a pit on the sabbath day will not lift it up It is lawfull therefore to do good on the Sabbath day And therefore he Himself scrupled not to heal the sick cleanse the lepers restore the blind and lame c. and thus he justifieth himself in so doing against their cavills Q. What must parents and Masters do in obedience to this Commandment A. They must exercise their children and Servants in all Religious duties publick and private and restrain them from all contrary sins Catechist The Tenour of the Commandment runs thus Thou and thy Son and thy daughter thy man servant thy maid servant c. And for an example to all Householders as well as Kings and Princes Joshua said chap. 24.15 As for me and my house we will serve the Lord. So let all of us say Let other persons be careless how their families observe the Lords day whether they come to the Church or be absent how they mispend it in vain sports or prophaness I and mine will do otherwise we will serve the Lord publickly and privately with all good care and Conscience Ps 42.4 We will go up together unto the house of God with the voice of joy and praise with the multitude that keep holy day Psal 101.4 6. A froward heart shall depart from me I will not know a wicked person Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful that they may dwell with me He that walketh in a perfect way shall serve me Q. What Motives doth God use to engage our obedience to his Commandments A. His allowing us six days for our own labours and his own special property in the Seventh His own Example and His having Sanctified the Sabbath day to Holy Uses Catechist Every one is able of himself to discern all these in the words of the Commandment Let me then leave that to you and ask you in the next place Q. Is it sufficient to serve God in his Solemn days only A. No We must set apart some Competent part of our time every day and serve him truly all the days of our lives Catechist We are injoyned in Gods word to pray always Luk. 18.1 and to pray without ceasing 1 Thes 5.17 that is keep a constant daily course of prayer And in all things to give thanks 1 Thes 5.18 and to have God always before us Ps 16.8 So is every day to be so a Sabbath unto us as therein to rest from sin and to allot some competent time for Gods immediate service from our worldly business as well as to serve him by all diligence in labour and by faithful and righteous dealing in our Callings and Vocations Luk. 1.74 Being delivered from the hands of our enemies it is that we may serve him without fear in Holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our lives Q. Doth this fourth Commandment then oblige us Christians A. Yes though not the Ceremonial part as it requires the seventh-day Sabbath and the strict Jewish Rest yet what is of Moral equity in it to wit that a Competent part of our time be thus devoted to Gods Worship and Service Catechist It concerns us even us Christians to remember often Gods fearful judgements on divers prophaning of the Sabbath as him that gathered sticks on it Num. 15.32 and them that bare burdens on the Sabbath day in Jerusalem Jer. 17.27 And Nehemiahs zeal to restrain from buying and selling wares on the Sabbath day chap. 10.31 against those that trode the winepresses and brought in sheaves and asses laden with wine grapes and figs c. on the Sabbath day chap. 13. from ver 15. to 23. For as St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 10 11. These examples are written for our learning or admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come And as God gave Ten Commandments so had this in special the same Author and Lawgiver as the other had even the Eternal God the Creator of all things who as the very light of nature prompts if he be God must be worshipped and glorified as God which cannot be unless some competent portion of time suppose one in seven be set apart for it And therefore although the Ceremonial part of the Commandment be abrogated yet is the Moral still Obligatory to us Christians And so our Holy Church believes or else we should not be taught by it to pray after the reading of this as well as every other Commandment Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keep this Law I may now hope you pretty well understand your duty towards God taught you in the first Table of the Decalogue the four first Commandments Let us go on then to the second Q. How many Commandments are there in the second Table A. The Six last Commandments Q. What sort of duties doth the second Table teach you A. My duties towards my Neighbour Q. What is
imploy their Talents for his Honour and others good and always reckoning that they must at last give an account of their Stewardship Luk. 16.2 Q. What doth God promise to them that keep and threaten to them that transgress this Commandment A. To the One he promiseth long life and prosperity and threatens the other to shorten their days upon Earth Catechist It is S. Pauls observation Eph. 6.2 that this is the first Commandment with promise that is the first of those that shew our duties towards men having an express promise of long life annexed to it and in this promise is implied a threatning to all disobedient Children and so to all other transgressors of this Law of shortning their days and cutting them off as an ear of corn untimely before it be ripe And especially let the Wise mans Comminations against all Rebellious Subjects be in our remembrance always Prov. 24.21 My Son fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change For who knows the destruction of them both both the ringleaders and their followers And for all other sinners against this Commandment in special Memorable is that in Prov. 10.27 The fear of the Lord prolongeth days but the years of the wicked shall be shortned So have you a comperent account of the duties required and the sins forbidden in the fifth Commandment and let it be all our prayer always Lord have mercy upon us to pardon our past transgressions and henceforth and for ever encline our hearts to keep this Law Q. What duties doth the sixth Commandment Thou shalt not kill require A. All lawful endeavours to preserve mine own life and the lives of others Catechist Therefore must we Gal. 6.10 do good to all men that is towards preserving their lives or rendring them more Comfortable Upon which account we must Rom. 12.18 as much as in us lieth live peaceably with all men And our Saviour propounds the good Samaritan for our example Luk. 10.34 Who finding the Man wounded by thieves bound up his wounds and poured in oil and wine unto them and took care of his recovery to which purpose are the precepts of feeding the hungry and clothing the naked and visiting the sick and them in prison Matth. 25.35 All which are required by this Commandment for if any man starve for hunger He that knew it and could but would not feed him is guilty of his death Q. What sins doth this Commandment forbid according to your Catechism A. Hurting any body by word or deed Bearing any Malice or Hatred in my heart Catechist It is written Rom. 12.19 20. Dearly Beloved avenge not yourselves that is by hurting even him that hath hurt thee For Vengeance is mine I will recompence saith the Lord. And therefore our Saviours precept is Matth. 5.38.39 Ye have heard that it hath been said An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth But I say unto you that ye resist not evil but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek turn to him the other also And his Apostle Rom. 12.20 teacheth doing good instead of doing evil if thine enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him drink for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head that is melt him into friendship and kindness Ver. 21. Be not overcome with evil but overcome evil with good Nor is it only hurting and extreme violence or murdering that is forbidden whereof it is said Gen. 9.6 Whoso sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed but also any lesser hurt as wounding or maiming or doing any thing to the prejudice of his health and wellbeing nay even hatred and malice occasioning or exciting to these in the heart 1 Joh. 3.15 Whoso hates his brother is a Murderer and no Murderer hath Eternal life abiding in him Q. What think you of rash or immoderate Anger and desire of revenge A. They are degrees of and provoke to Murder and so are also sins against this Commandment Catechist It is enough to say that this is our Saviours Doctrine in his Sermon on the Mount Matth. 5.21 22. Ye have heard that it hath been said to them of old time Thou shalt not kill and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment But I say unto you whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment and whosoever shall say unto his brother Racha shall be in danger of the councel but whosoever shall say thou Fool shall be in danger of hell fire Anger causeless and Anger immoderate such as breaks out into intemperate railing speeches both are great fins against this Commandment according to our Saviours exposition of it who therefore goes on there to injoyn a reconciling of such differences as arise from anger to all Christians before they offer their Holy Services to God if they will be accepted of God Ver. 23.24 Therefore if you bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee Leave there thy gift before the Altar and go thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift And so much for the Sixth Commandment Q. What duties doth the seventh Commandment require of you according to your Catechism Thou shalt not commit Adultery A. To keep my Body in Temperance Soberness and Chastity Q. Which of these is chiefly required here A. Chastity to wit in thought speech and behaviour and Temperance and Soberness in order to Chastity Catechist I pray you mark In your Catechism the Negative the Sins forbidden in most of the other Commandments is expressed and the Contrary duties are implied therein But the duties in the Affirmative is here expressed the duties injoyned in this Commandment and the Negative the sins forbidden are implied in them Now learn these Scripture Texts concerning them 1 Thes 4.3 4 5. This is the Will of God even your Sanctification that ye should abstain from Fornication that every one of you know how to possess his Vessel that is his body in Sanctification and Honour not in the lust of Concupiscence as the Gentiles that know not God For God hath called us not to Vncleanness but unto Holiness To the contrary therefore it is threatned 1 Cor. 3.17 If any man defile the Temple of God Him will God destroy Q What are the sins forbidden in this Commandment A. All gross Acts of Uncleanness Fornication or Adultery nay the lest signs or degrees thereof as filthy thoughts desires or Concupiscences wanton glances or any obscene talk Catechist Gal. 5.19 The works of the flesh are manifest Adultery Fornication Vncleanness Lasciviousness Fornication therefore and all Vncleanness Let it not saith the Apostle Eph. 5.3 be once named amongst you as becometh Saints And Col. 3.5 Mortifie your Members which are upon Earth Fornication Vncleanness inordinate affection or Concupiscence O! that you young people would learn these Texts and store
that if God should be extreme to mark what we do amiss in them O Lord who may abide it Psal 130.3 And 3 all we have and do is Gods Gift it is he that worketh in us both to will and to do Phil. 2.13 and we give him but his own Nor be it never so good can it 4 bear any proportion to that recompence of reward which God promiseth us Not our greatest suffering much less our good deeds Rom. 8.18 The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us 2 Cor. 4.17 They are but light Afflictions and but for a moment but they work for us a far more exceeding eternal weight of glory Well doth the Apostle therefore conclude Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death but eternal life is the Gift no Merit of ours but the â—ree gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Q. What Vse must we make hereof A. To be constant unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that our labour will not be in vain in the Lord. Catechist This is the use that St. Paul makes of this great Doctrine of Christianity 1 Cor. 15.58 and elsewhere he exhorts thus upon account hereof 2 Cor. 4.18 Let us not therefore look at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen For the things which are seen are Temporal but the things which are not seen are Eternal Q. Why do you say Amen after the Greed and why stand you up when it is rehearsed A. To declare my stedfast believing it and my resolution to live in and die for it if God should call me to that Honour Catechist Let us therefore make it our continual prayer that God whose Gift Faith is would encrease and strengthen this our Faith more and more and enable us so to live in Faith and so to dye in Faith that at last we may attain the end of our Faith even the salvation of our Souls through Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.9 Thus have you had the Rule and Summary of the Christian Faith in the Creed Now having often taught you that there is no true Faith without Obedience I pray Q. What is the Great Rule of your Obedience A. The Moral Law contained in the Commandments Catechist You remember Brethren I hope that you promised in your Baptism as to believe all the Articles of Christian Faith so to keep Gods Holy Will and Commandments Q. How many Commandments are there A. Ten. Catechist These Ten Commandments contain that which we call the Moral Law and it is so called because it orders our Manners and our whole lives and conversations both towards God and towards men Concerning which I would only teach you in opposition to the Antinomian Errors that this Moral Law contained in the Ten Commandments is still in force to us and as it was the Rule of life and manners and Obedience to Gods ancient people the Jews so is it still to us Christians For whatever moral duties God Commanded the Jews being his chosen people under the Old Testament the same doth Christ command us Christians under the Gospel and that while the world lasts for he said expressly Matth. 5.17 He came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it and reciting several Commandments He abrogated none but which shews their obligation on us sufficiently shewed their true and Spiritual meaning against the corrupt glosses the Pharisees had put upon them thereby making them of no effect It was said of old time saith he Thou shalt not kill but I say unto you Whosoever is angry with his Brother without a cause is in danger of the judgment Again ver 27. It was said of old time Thou shalt not commit adultery But I say unto you Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her in his heart Committeth Adultery with her And thus doth He there Explain other Commandments but Repeals none of them and in short St James saith chap. 2.8 of all the rest If ye fulfil the Royal Law of Liberty Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self ye shall do well Nor is the number of the Commandments impertinent to be observed it being so precisely noted by the Holy Ghost Deut. 4.13 Ten and no more which puzzles them of the Romish Communion to make them so while they leave out the second in their Catechism because it so apparently condemns their Image worship and then for a mere shift they would divide the last Commandment making two of one And now before we close with the Commandments we must not neglect the Preface to them God spake these words and said I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of Bondage which what it imports you may learn by the next Question and Answer Q. What are those motives God himself used when he gave those Commandments to engage his people's Obedience A. First His Sovereignty For he is the Lord. 2 His near Relation to his people for He is the Lord Our God 3 His delivering the Israelites from the Egyptian Bondage which was a Type of our Greater deliverance even from our spiritual Bonddage to sin and Satan Catechist The like arguments to Obedience we have in other Scriptures to name but one to the Israelites Deut. 27.9 10. Take heed and hearken O Israel This day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the Lord thy God and do all his Commandments and statutes which I command thee this day And that of Zacharias in his song Luk. 1.74 75. urgeth the same Obedience upon us upon account of our greater deliverance That being delivered from the hands of our enemies we should serve Him without fear in Holiness and righteousness all the days of our lives Now I pray Q. How many Tables are there in the Decalogue or Ten Commandments A. Two Q. How many Commandments are there in the first Table A. The four first Commandments Q. What sort of Duties doth the first Table teach you A. My Duties towards God Catechist And as the second Table teaches you your duties towards your neighbour so let me tell you by the way that our Saviour Himself divides the Law after this manner even according to the twofold Object of Love God and our Neighbours Matth. 22.37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind This is the first and great Commandment and the second is like unto it Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self on these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets For as S. Paul saith Rom. 13.10 Love is the fulfilling of the Law Now for explaining the Questions and Answers in your Church Catechism concerning the duties contained in these two Tables I conceive the chief task is to let you see to which Commandment each clause in them is to be
Prayers and Thanksgivings are parts of Divine Worship Unquestionedly commanded by God is evident by S. Pauls direction to Timothy as Provincial Bishop of Ephesus 1 Ep. 2.1 2. Which was to take order that prayers supplications and thanksgivings be made for all men for Kings and all in Authority c. And how God ordained the publick reading of Scriptures you may see Deut. 31.11 12. When all Israel is come to appear before the Lord in the place which he shall choose Then shalt thou read the Law before all Israel in their hearing c. And accordingly S. James Bishop of Jerusalem spake it in the Councel held there Act. 15.21 That Moses had in every city them that preacht him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day And if God appoints his word to be Read it must needs be the peoples duty to hear the Reading and Luk. 16.31 If they will not hear Moses and the Prophets neither would they repent though one should rife from the dead And to what purpose is it either to Read or Hear if they do not Meditate on it for as it is in the Parable of the Sower of the seed Matth. 13.8 By this it is that the good seed takes root and bringeth forth fruit And therefore Ps 1.2 Blessed is the man that Meditates on Gods law day and night As for the Holy Sacraments Baptism and the Supper of the Lord you may see their Institution at large Matth. 28.19 and 1 Cor. 11.23 Q. What are the sins forbidden in this Commandment A. Corrupting neglecting or hindring any Ordinance of Right Worship Idolatry or Worshipping Saints Angels or Images or God by Images or Worshipping God in any way contrary to or not directed in his word Catechist If the Commandment require us to worship God then must they necessarily be transgressors thereof that come not to Church to joyn in Gods worship or are negligent in attending any Ordinance of Divine worship as many do apparently seldom coming to Church at all or coming after the prayers and the reading of the Scriptures as if it did not at all concern them or that being here behave themselves most slovenly and irreverently in Gods Service and then we must be sure that we avoid all idolatry and false worship For as it was charged upon Gods people the Jews Lev. 19.4 Not to turn to Idols nor to make any graven Images nor to bow down to them for this reason I am the Lord thy God so is it also upon us of the Christian Church 1 Cor. 10.14 Dearly beloved flee from Idolatry 1 John 5.21 Little Children take heed of idols Q. Whom do you think guilty of such Idolatry A. The Papists as much as Heathens or Jews in worshipping the Molten Calf and Brazen Serpent for they worship Saints Angels and Images and adore the Cross and the Host and have no better plea for so doing but what might serve to excuse both Heathens and Jews from being Idolaters Catechist In short let me tell you that Popish Idols or Images having the like matter and shapes and figures they do the same service to them and use the like pleas and pretences as the Heathens did and as the Idolatrous Jews did and therefore are as truly Idolaters as they and they that would see this fully proved let them read the Churches Homilies of the peril of Idolatry Q. How doth the Lord threaten all Idolaters and Image worshippers and all Transgressors of this Commandment A. Being jealous of his own glory He will punish them as Haters of himself nay them and their seed after them Catechist How jealous God is of his Glory you may read Isaiah 42.8 I am the Lord That is my name My Glory will I not give to another neither my praise to graven Images And hence Idolatry is often in Scripture called a spiritual whoredom and adultery which you know provokes any Husband to jealousy and rage against his Wife And here in this Commandment it is express that God looks on them as them that hate Him who give his Worship to Images or any others besides Him and he threatens to visit their children after them for this sin to many generations Q. Are the Protestants and particularly we of the Church of England clear from all Idolatry in observing Ceremonies in Gods Worship not expresly required in Gods Word A. Yes because God hath left it in charge to Church Rulers to appoint such Ceremonies in his Worship as conduce to Order and Decency and Edification and being once appointed by our lawful Governors We ought to observe them in Obedience to God who requires us to obey our Governors Catechist It may suffice to tell you thus much upon this head and you can by no means turn Dissenters upon this account if you remember this That it is the Apostles direction that all things in Gods Worship be done decently and in order and so as may conduce to Edification 1 Cor. 14.26 40. Which being the Duty and Province of the Churches Governours to take care of as they do at this day in all the Reformed Churches and as they apparently did in the Primitive Churches it is very plain that all private Christians are to yield a ready Conformity Submission and Obedience to their Orders and Canons by a strict Commandment 1 Pet. 2.13 Submit yourselves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the Rule over you and submit yourselves c. And what saith our Apostle upon the matter 1 Cor. 11.16 He brands them for contentiousness that dissent and Conform not saying If any man be Contentious nay seem to be Contentious we have no such custom neither the Churches of God Thus much for the second Commandment Q. What doth the third Commandment require A. It requires us to perform every part of Worship Devoutly to Gods Glory and Reverently to use every thing relating to God as his Name Titles Ordinances House Revenues Word and Works Catechist Will you hear the General Rule 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the Glory of God If all our actions much more then what we do in the Worship and Service of God must be directed to His Glory and therefore must be performed with the greatest Reverence and Devotion both of body and mind to which purpose is that in the 29. Psal 1 2. very memorable Give unto the Lord O ye mighty Give unto the Lord Glory and Strength Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name How It follows Worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness in the Margent it is in his Glorious Sanctuary As for the Name of God To which the Glory is Due thereby by a Figure is to be understood not only God Himself but also all that whereby God is Known to us or which hath a peculiar Relation to God or which hath Gods Name upon it or that is Gods to all which we must in using them
your duty to your Neighbour Rehearse it out of the Church-Catechism A. My duty to my Neighbour is to love him as my self c. Catechist In this Answer you have first your whole duty to your Neighbour summed up in a few words and then set before you in its several branches as the particular precepts of Gods law require them I pray then first Q. What is the summ of your duties towards your Neighbour A. To love my Neighbour as my self and to shew that love by doing to all men as I would they should do unto me Q. May I not do to others as they do unto me A. No but as I would they should do unto me Catechist That to love my Neighbour as my self is the summ and substance of the Six last Commandments and so of all the duties we owe him appears by Rom. 13.9 For this saith the Apostle Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not steal Thou shalt not bear false witness Thou shalt not coâ—â—t and if there be any other Commandment it is briefly comprehâ—nded in this saying Thou shalt Love thy Neighbour as thy self For we must manifest our loving him as our selves by doing to all as we would they should do unto us And whosoever doth so he cannot do any act of injury or wrong or injustice to any person forbidden by any of these Commandments If a man indeed do to others as others do unto him This is Revenge and he cannot but do them wrong as or because they injure him But he that doth to others as he would have others to do to himself in the like case This man cannot deal unjustly or uncharitably with any person in any cause or matter He will neither fail of doing his duty to his Superiors Inferiours nor Equals against the fifth Commandment because were he in their place and station he would expect such duty from them to himself He will neither wrong any person in his body person Goods or good name against the other Commandments because he would by no means have them so to wrong himself in the like case So this is a Comprehensive Law containing all others in it whether of justice or charity all the Six last Commandments Let us now cast our eyes upon every of them apart One by one Q. What duties doth the fifth Commandment Honour thy father and thy mother c. require of you A. The respective duties of all Inferiours and Superiours to each other Q. Shew them particularly in the words of your Catechism A. To love honour and succour my Father and Mother to Honour and obey the King and all that are put in Authority under â—im to submit my self to all my Governours Teachers spiritual Pastors and Masters to order my self lowly and reverently to all my betters Catechist My good children These are great Lessons and very proper for you to learn and have a special care to practice for our Relative duties have a most considerable place in true Religion and no man can be said to be truly Religious that makes no conscience of a careful performing them For further understanding whereof Let me acquaint you in the first place That the great thing required in this Commandment is in other words S. Pauls precept Rom. 13.7 Render therefore to all their Dues tribute to whom tribute is due custome to whom custom fear to whom fear honour to whom honour Owe no man any thing c. More particularly Children must love their parents their natural parents their Father and Mother And that this is included in the word honour as belonging to parents is evident by the Prophet Malachi opposing that honour which is due to fathers to that fear which belongs to servants towards their Masters Mal. 1.6 A Son honours his father and a servant his Master If I then be a father where is my honour and if I be a Master where is my fear And the love children owe to their parents is not denied but implied in that of our Saviour when it interferes not with our duty to God Mat. 10.37 He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me 2 Children must honour their parents which you see is the letter of the Commandment that is have a high and reverend esteem of them in their hearts 3 They must succour them that is in case of poverty want old age or sickness relieving their wants and helping their Infirmities 1 Tim. 5.4 If any widow have children or nephews Let them learn to shew piety at home and to requite their parents For this is good and acceptable to God And in a word which is the result of all they must obey them in all their lawful commands and fulfil them Col. 3.20 Children obey your parents in all things for this is well pleasing to God Now besides natural parents there are civil and political parents the Fathers of our Country the King and such as are in Authority under him and there are Spiritual parents Governours Teachers Spiritual pastors and Masters and all our Betters in Age or quality or estate have a sort of parental Relation to us and so all these are included in the words Father and Mother in the Commandment For Subjects then their duty is to honour the King and all that represent the King in their respective places and offices all that are in Authority under him to honour them for his sake as bearing his Authority And this Honouring the King is so necessary that God joyns these two together in one precept as if we could not do the one aright without the other Prov. 24.21 My Son fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change 1 Pet. 2.17 Fear God Honour the King And this Honouring him in our hearts must be shown by obeying their good Laws in our Actions whether concerning our manners or concerning their tributes and prerogatives For so Christ himself teacheth Matth. 22.21 Render to Caesar the things which are Caesars as unto God the things which are Gods Rom. 13.1 Let every Soul be subject to the Higher powers c. Ver. 4. They are the Ministers of God for Good Ver. 6. For this cause pay ye tribute also they being Gods Ministers attending continually on this very thing Of this therefore we that are Christs Ministers are to put you always in mind Tit. 3.1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers to obey Magistrates And so S. Peter teacheth how contrary soever his pretended Successors the Pope and Priests of Rome teach 1 Pet. 2.13 Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as supreme or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by Him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well As for Governours Teachers and Spiritual pastors to them the Catechism saith is due the peoples submission One Text is sufficient to
Sacriledge under the Gospel is manifest because else St. Paul would never have mentioned and reproved it Rom. 2.22 Thou that abhorrest idolatry dost thou commit Sacriledge As for rejecting their doctrine or Government it is apparently a breach of good order and God is the Father of order and not of confusion in all the Churches 1 Cor. 14.33 And it is against that precept Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the Rule over you And no doubt what our Saviour said to his Disciples extends to all lawful Pastors in a just proportion as being sent by Chirst and speaking in his name and acting by the rules of his Gospel Luk. 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Q. On the other hand what are the sins of Pastours or Ministers A. Neglecting to teach or guide their flocks or misleading them by corrupt doctrine or by the bad example of a wicked life Catechist There being none of that sacred function here present I need say little of it only this God make me and all my Brethren sensible how sad it will be for us if preaching to others we ourselves prove cast-aways 1 Cor. 9.27 which we shall certainly if we do the work of the Lord negligently Jer. 48.10 Not feeding Christs sheep and lambs as we ought John 21.15 c. For such Ministers are called dumb dogs idle or idol shepheards Vnprofitable Servants And for all wicked Ministers that of St. Paul is very sharp Rom. 2.1 Thou art inexcusable O man ver 21. Thou that teachest another teachest thou not thy self And Psal 50.16 Vnto the wicked God saith What hast thou to do to declare my statutes seeing thou hatest to be reformed Yea let such be never so commendable for their diligence in preaching and prophecying in the name of Christ Himself tells them what he will say to them at the last day Mat. 7.23 Depart from me ye workers of iniquity Q. What are the sins of Servants against their Masters A. Being stubborn or slothful or Unfaithful in their Masters business or trust Q. And what are the sins of Masters against their Servants A. Hard using their Servants withholding their wages or not providing what is needful both for their bodies and souls Catechist Not to multiply Texts The sins of Servants are very easie to discern in Col. 3.22 Servants obey in all things your Masters according to the flesh not with eye service as Men-pleasers but with singleness of heart as fearing God and whatsover ye do do it heartily as to the Lord not as to men Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ And for the sins of Masters as we know how great that is of withholding the hire of the Labourer Jam. 5.4 it is a crying sin so the other sins are evident in that of the same Apostle Col. 4.1 Masters give unto your Servants that which is just and equal knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven Q. What are the sins of wives against their husbands A. Disobeying or resisting their lawful Commands unquiet behaviour and unfaithfulness Q. What are the sins of husbands against their wives A. Unkindness Unfaithfulness not providing for their Sustenance and not bearing with their infirmities as weaker vessels Catechist To prove which I need no more but shew what the Apostle requires of either of them for that shews their respective transgressions Eph. 5.22 Wives submit yourselves to your husbands as it is fit in the Lord and mark his reason for the Husband is the Head of the wife as Christ is the Head of his Church Ver. 33. Let the wife therefore see that she reverence her husband For quiet and unquiet behavior what St. Peter speaks is excellent for this Sex to be often thinking of 1 Ep. 3.4 Commending to them a meek and quiet spirit as the best ornament far to be preferred before those of gold silver or pearl it being in the sight of God of great price As for Unfaithfulness that is of two sorts that in his bed which is Adultery and that in such concerns as are committed to them by their husbands Concerning which I shall need say no more but offer you that description the Wise-man gives of a good wife and then it will follow unfaithfulness must needs be an argument of a bad one Prov. 31.11 The Heart of her busband safely trusts in her so that he shall have no need to fear spoil or waste On the other hand there are like sins of husbands towards their wives unfaithfulness and any thing contrary to true love especially unkindness or bitterness of anger For Eph. 5.28 They ought to love their wives as their own bodies and as Christ loved the Church Col. 3.19 Husbands love your wives and be not bitter against them Not providing for their Comfortable Sustenance For that is a fault in many Husbands to drink and tipple while their Wives and Families mourn and starve and have hard fare or famine and to this extends the forequoted censure of the Apostle He that provides not for them of his own household is worse than an Infidel And lastly it is expressly injoyned them 1 Pet. 3.7 Likewise ye husbands dwell with your wives according to knowledge giving honour unto the Wife and so bearing with her infirmities as the weaker vessel and as heirs together of the grace of life that your prayers be not hindred Q. What are the sins of all other Inferiours against their Betters whether in Age Gifts or Estate A. All proud or irreverent behaviour towards them whether in word or deed Catechist In all degrees of men The Lord hateth a proud look as well as a lying tongue Prov. 6.17 The younger sort therefore are to be humble and sober minded Tit. 2.6 And it is Gods express Law that they rise up before the hoary head and bonour the old man with this reason I am the Lord Lev. 19.32 And as for the wiser and richer sort their Wealth and Wisdom being the Blessings of God useful to the good of mankind there is a reverence due to them whence Solomon in the forequoted place forbids as cursing the King in our thoughts so the rich in our bed-chamber for a bird of the air shall carry the voice and that which hath wings will tell the matter Q. What then are the sins of Betters to them below them A. Scornful despising them or not using their own respective abilities for others good as need requires Catechist For as for the Aged it is discretion that makes the gray hairs truly venerable And S. Paul enjoyns them to be sober and temperate as also the younger to follow the good councels and examples of the wise and experienced Tit. 2.2 And whosoever they be that extol others in wealth wisdom or dignity they must consider of them as Gods Gifts and Blessings and themselves as his Stewards bound to
That all lyes are of the Devil is plain by what Christ said John 8.44 When the Devil speaks a lye he speaks of his own For he is a Lyer and the Father of lyes And as for Officious lyes that is lyes for the better as we commonly say S. Pauls Rule to Christians condemns them sufficiently Rom. 3 8. No man may do evil that good may come of it For they that do so their Damnation is just Now have you but one Commandment remaining which most Divines expound to design chiefly the regulating the very heart and so to have influence upon all the rest which restrain the hands and tongue and outward man from all acts of Injustice and Unrighteousness but let us learn what your Catechism teaches you of it Q. What duties doth the Tenth Commandment require of you according to your Catechism Thou shalt not covet c. A. Labour and diligence in my Calling that I may get mine own Living and Contentment doing my duty in that state of life unto which it hath pleased God to call me Catechist If any man be idle and will not labour S. Paul censures him to hunger saying neither let him eat 1 Thes 3.10 For such a man crosseth Gods Ordinance who as it is in Job 5.27 made man to labour as the sparks to fly upward Such is therefore Gods Canon-law Eph. 4.28 Let him that stole steal no more but rather let him labour with his hands the thing that is good that he may have to give to him that needeth And as for diligence in this labour we know what God promiseth and may daily see how God prospers it Prov. 10.4 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand But the hand of the diligent maketh rich Chap. 13.4 The Soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing but the Soul of the diligent shall be made fat Now being diligent and industrious in our Callings we must be content with that Condition and State of life wherein God hath placed us 1 Tim. 6.6 Having food and raiment let us therewith be content For Godliness with Contentment is great gain Let your Conversation therefore be without Covetousnes Heb. 13.5 And be content with such things as ye have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee And herein we have the Apostle for an excellent example who saith Phil. 4.11 I have learnt to abound and to suffer want and in whatsoever Estate I am therewith to be content Q. What then are the sins forbidden by this Commandment A. Idleness in my Calling Discontent with my present Condition Envying Coveting or inordinate desiring the Goods of others Catechist Hear a little out of the Scriptures of each of these The Prophet Ezekiel 1.6.49 tells you what the sins of Sodom was even fulness of bread and abandance of Idleness And as Solomon often inveighs against the sluggard so his Censure of this vice to name no more methinks deserves your good remmembrance Eccl. 10.18 By much slothfulness the Building decayeth and through Idleness of the hands the House droppeth through As for Discontentment in whatever Condition Gods providence placeth us it is quite contrary to Holy Davids resolves Psal 39.9 I will lay my hand upon my mouth and say nothing because it is thy Doing And to Jobs carriage under his unspeakable losses and crosses For when all was destroyed and he fell into most extreme poverty and misery He sinned not but said chap. 1 21. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. And to his murmuring wife he said chap. 2.10 Thou speakest like one of the foolish women for shall we receive good and not evil at the hands of the Lord And now as we must not be discontent with nor impatient under our own Condition so must we not envy at another mans For Envyings are numbred amongst the works of the flesh Gal. 5.21 And the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 13.4 Charity envyeth not but rejoyceth in others good The Psalmist therefore cautions every godly man against envying fretting at even the wicked mans prosperity in this world Ps 37. throughout And the Apostle saith Rom. 13.13 Let us walk not in strife nor envying no more than in gluttony and drunkenness and St. James makes envy the Fountain of many mischiefs saying chap. 3.16 Where envying is there is Confusion and every evil work And lastly as for Coveting and inordinate desire of others goods The letter of the Commandment expressly forbids it saying Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours house c. And therefore I say in the words of the Prophet Ezekiel 33.31 Let not your hearts go after your Covetousness So have you now all the Commandments set before you by which I exhort you often to examine yourselves how your estate stands towards God and concerning your hopes of Salvation and great cause have we all to say as Holy Church directs us after the repeating them in the Communion Service and that even from the bottom of our hearts Lord have mercy to pardon us all our Omissions and Commissions therein and for the time to Come write all these Laws in our hearts So proceed we to the next General Head in Catechism The Lords Prayer for an Introduction whereto I ask you Q. My Good Child Dost thou think thou art able to do these things of thy self or to keep these Commandments of God or to serve him of thy self by any natural power of thine own A. No. Q. What then is needful to enable thee thereunto A. Gods special Grace Catechist I have minded you before of what our Saviour said to his Disciples John 11.15 I am the Vine ye are the branches He that abideth in me and I in him bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing Joh. 15.5 it is God that worketh in us both to will and do that which is good And thence are we able to do all things Phil. 4.13 any good thing through Christ strengthening us Q. Why are you unable to keep Gods Commandments or to serve him without this special Grace assisting you A. Because my duties are Spiritual and having many mighty Enemies and strong Temptations I am by nature prone to all evil and averse from all good Catechist I have before upon the fourth Question in Catechism and in the Creed instructed you in this your natural Corruption and I cannot do it too often S. Paul speaks much of it in Rom. 7. saying In me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing Ver. 18. For to will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I know not Ver. 14. What I would that I do not but what I hate that do I. Our Enemies they are mighty and very subtile even the Devil the world and the flesh Our duties are spiritual for God saith My Son Give me thy heart Prov. 23.26 and will be worshipped in spirit and in truth Joh. 4.24 But we are carnal sold under