THE CATECHISME IN THE BOOK OF Common-Prayer EXPLAINED The Third Edition Corrected and Amended 1 Pet. 3.15 Sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear London Printed by T. R. and N. T. for Richard Thrale and are to be Sold under St. Martin Outwich in Bishopsgate Street 1672. THE CATECHISME IN THE Book of Common-Prayer EXPLAINED Quest Is set before many of the longest and hardest Questions c. * Is a mark of Explanation Question WHat is your name A. N. or M. Q. How many names have you A. Two a Christian and a Sirname Q. What may they put you in mind of A. Of a twofold Parentage Natural and Spiritual Q. Who are your Natural Parents A. My Father and Mother Q. Who are your Spiritual Parents A. God and his Church Q. Which of these two names are demanded of you A. My Christian name Q. Why so A. That by this name I may be put in remembrance of my Baptism wherein it was given me Q. Why was your name given you in Baptism A. That thereby I might be distinguished from other men and that I might be put in mind as often as I hear my name of the Covenant then ratified between God and me Q. VVho gave you this name A. My Godfathers and Godmothers in my Baptism wherein I was made a member of Christ the child of God and an inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven Q. What benefit did you then receive by Baptism A. Three First I was made a member of Christ Secondly the child of God Thirdly an inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven Q. What hath a Member relation unto A. To a Body Q. How many bodies hath Christ A. Two a Natural as we have and a Mystical Q. of which are you a member A. Of his Mystical Body Q. What Body is that A. His Church Col. 1.18 Q. What is Christ to his Church A. He only is the Head thereof Q. What doth Christ the Head for his Body the Church A. He giveth it Spiritual Life motion and direction as a head doth to the body Q. What must you feel in you to be sure that you are a true member of Christ A. That I live by him to God am mooved by his Spiriâ— and directed by his Word 2. Q. How are you made the child of God A. By the Grace of Adoption Q. How knowest thou that thou art the child of God by Grace A. Because he hath given the earnest of the Spirit into our hearts crying Abba Father which Spirit witnesseth to our spirits that we are the children of God Rom. 8.15,16 Q. Is Baptisme of that virtue that by the only outward washing thereof every one is made a member of Christ the child of God and an inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven A. No for unless a man be born again of water and also of the Holy Ghost he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven John 3.5 Q. Why then saist thou that by Baptism thou art made a member of Christ A. Because Baptisme is the laver of Regeneration by the power of the Spirit * And therefore we may rightly say that we are thereby made the Members of Christ and the children of God and believe the same touching all others that are baptized Q. Why is it added That we are Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven A. Because being sons by Adoption we are heirs and heirs of God and heirs annexed with Christ Rom. 8.17 1 Pet. 1.3,4 Q. What did your Godfathers and Godmothers then for you A. They did promise and vow thrée things in my name First That I should renounce the Devil and all his works the pomps and vanities of the wicked world and all the sinful lusts of the flesh Secondly That I should believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith And Thirdly That I should keep Gods holy Will and Commandments and walk in the same all the days of my life 1. Q. How are you to renounce the Devil A. By refusing to hearken to any of his wicked suggestions Q. How are you to renounce the world A. By withdrawing mine affections from the honors riches pleasures and other contentments which the world affordeth as they are a means to draw me from God 1 John 2.15 Q. How are you to renounce the lusts of the flesh A. By denying satisfaction to my own natural desires and affections so far as they are any way repugnant to the Word of God Rom. 13.14 Q. Dost thou think that thou art bound to do as they have 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 Iesus Christ our Saviour And I pray God to give me his Grace that I may continue in the same unto my lives end Q. Art thou able to perform all these things A. Not of my self but in some measure I am enabled thereunto by Gods Grace Phil. 4.13 Q. What dost thou chiefly learn out of the Articles of your 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 1. Q. What is God A. God is a Spirit invisible incompreâ—…ensible infinite eternal and Almighty one in nature and substance but distinguished into three persons the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost John 4.24 John 1.18 Job 11.7 Isa 40.12,13 Deut 6.4 Mat. 3.16,17 1 John 5.7 Q. For what end did God make all things A. For the praise of his great power goodness wisdom perfection and glory Rev. 4.11 Prov. 16.4 Q. What was man especially made of A. Man consists of Body and Soul the first mans body was made of the dust of the earth but our Bodies come by generation and are with his mortal and both his and all our Souls by inspiration and are immortal Q. How can our Souls be sinful that come not by propagation but by inspiration A. 1. For that Adams Soul was deputy for all Souls of men naturally begotten 2. Because man sinned and man is not man before body and soul be knit together which being conjoyned become together as man partakers of mans fall and corruption Q. In what state was man first created A. In the Image of God that is to say holy and righteous enjoying the favour of God and all happiness Gen. 1.27 Eph. 4.14 Q. How did man fall from this estate that is deface the Image of God and lofe his favour A. By the transgression of our first Parents who eating of the forbidden fruit both themselves and in them all mankind became first guilty of eternal death and liable both to temporal and spiritual miseries Secondly deprived of original righteousness Thirdly corrupt in
institute the Sacramental signs or elements 5. Because Christ is the only Lord to whose Laws alone the Church is and may be tyed Q. How many parts be there in a Sacrament A. Two the outward visible sign and the inward spiritual grace Q. What is the outward visible sign in Baptism A. Water wherein the person baptized is dipped or sprinkled with it In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Q. What is the inward and spiritual grace A. A death unto sin and a new birth unto righteousness for being by nature born in sin and the children of wrath we are thereby made the children of grace Q. Why hath Christ ordained Baptism A. That being out of Christ by nature we might by the Sacrament of our new birth be engrafted into his Mystical body again Tit. 3.5 John 3.5 Q. What instruction doth the Sacrament of Baptism teach us A. As by water the filthiness of the flesh is washed and done away so by the vertue of Christs blood the filthiness of the soul should be washed away * For the blood of Christ that is the force of his death and the Spirit of Christ serve to cleanse the soul of a right receiver of Baptism from the filthiness of sin 1 John 1.7 Ezek. 36.25 Q. What is required of persons to be Baptized A. Repentance whereby they forsake sin and faith whereby they stedfastly believe the promises of God made to them in that Sacrament Q. Why then are Infants baptized when by reason of their tender age they cannot perform them A. Yes they do perform them by their sureties who promise and vow them both in their names which when they come to age themselves are bound to perform Q. What other reason can you shew why Infants are baptized seeing they do not yet actually believe A. Because the covenant and promises of God do belong unto them Gen. 17.7 Acts 2.38 Mat. 19.14 Rom. 11.16 Q. Seeing we are baptized only in Infancy how hath Baptism â—ffect to wash away sins afterwards commâ—…ted A. Baptism hath this effect during our whole life and is a perpetual fountain ever washing us while we with a lively faith do look unto the shedding of Christs blood Zach. 13.1 Heb. 10.10,14 Q. Why was the Sacrament of the Lords Supper ordained A. For the continual remembrance of the Sacrifice of the death of Christ and the benefits we receive thereby Q. Why is it called the Lords Supper A. Because Christ ordained it at his last Supper Q. What is the outward part or sign of the Lords Supper A. Bread and Wine which the Lord hath commanded to be received Q. Why be there two representing signs in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper A. 1. That we might know that in Christ we have whole and perfect spiritual nourishment and whatsoever is requisite to Salvation 2. For a more lively representation of his death and passion wherein his body and blood were separated Q. What is the duty of the Minister in the administration of the Sacrament A. To consecrate it by declaring the institution thereof and prayer joyned with thanksgiving as also to break the Bread and afterwards to deliver the Bread and Wine to the people Q. What is hereby signified A. The action of God the Father offering Christ to all and bestowing him effectually upon the worthy receiver 1 Cor. 10.16 Q. What is the duty of the receiver A. To receive the Bread and Wine delivered and to eat and drink thereof Mat. 26.26,27 1 Cor. 11.23,24 Q. What is signified hereby A. Our receiving and féeding upon Christ by faith Q. What is the inward part or thing signified A. The Body and Blood of Christ which are verily and indéed taken and received of the faithful in the Lords Supper Q. By what means do we eat Christs Body and drink his Blood in the Sacrament A. Spiritually by faith while in those outward signs we do behold Christ crucified for us John 6.35,47 â— Christ is truly and spiritually present in the Sacrament exhibited to the faith of every worthy receiver but not corporally united to the bread and wine in respect of place Acts 3.21 compared with Mat. 28.6 John 16.18 Q. Is the bread and wine turned into the Body and Blood of Christ A. No for so 1. the unbelievers should eat Christs Body and drink his Blood 2. We should destroy the nature of the Sacrament by taking away the outward sign 3. We should destroy the truth of his natural body by depriving it of the true properties thereof Heb. 2.17 Q. What difference is there between our common bread and wine which we receive for our bodily sustenance and the bread and wine in the Sacrament A. There is no difference in their nature and substance but only in the use and end * for that elements before common are now consecrated to the signs of things spiritual and holy And therefore they are called holy Mysteries because they lively set forth and seal unto us the Mystery of our redemption purchased by Iesus Christ Q. What are the benefits whereof we are partakers thereby A. The strengthening and refreshing of our souls by the body and blood of Christ as our bodies are by the bread and wine Q. In respect of this benefit What is the Lord Supper A. It is a Sacrament whereby our continuance nourishment and growth in Christ is sealed unto us Q. What special benefits shall we have by receiving the holy Communion A. 1. We have hereby communion and fellowship with Christ and through him with the Father set forth by our taking eating and inward digesting the bread and wine that become nourishment unto us and are united to the substance of our bodies 2. Communion with one another and with all the faithful in all ages set forth by the same bread being made of many grains of Corn and by the same wine made of many grapes 3. Strength of faith for the death of Christ received and applyed by faith in the Sacrament doth strengthen our faith and comfort our consciences in the pardon of our sins 4. All other graces and blessings are thereby conveyed unto us And all the marits of Christs passion and whatsoever is in him is verily become ours Rom. 8.38 Q. What is required of them that come to the Lords Supper A. To examine themselves whether they repent them truly of their former sins stedfastly purposing to lead a new life have a lively faith in Gods mercy through Christ with a thankful remembrance of his death and be in charity with all men Q. That a man may know how to examine himself what is he to know touching the Lords Supper A. He must be able to discern the Lords Body Q. How is the Lords body discerned A. Two ways 1. In our understanding when we know what this Sacrament is the Author the end and use thereof 2. In our practice Q In how many things ought every one principally to examine himself A. In thrée things 1 Faith 2 Repentance 3. Charity Quest What faith is here required of you A. A special and peculiar faith that applyeth to my soul and conscience the body and blood of Iesus Christ crucified and shed for me as truly as my mouth receiveth the bread that is broken and the wine that is poured out Quest Why is faith required A. Because well we may eat the bread and drink the wine without faith but we cannot eat Christs body and drink his blood without faith Q. What if a man find himself weak in faith and full of doubting A. He must bewail his unbelief pray for faith séek to have his doubts resolved and so receive to be further strengthened in believing because the Sacraments are given us of God for the confirmation and strengthening of our faith Mark 9.24 Judg. 6.37 A. Chiefly thrée things 1. Confession that we acknowledge our selves sinners 2. Contrition that we be heartily and sincerely sorry for our sins 3. Purpose of amendment that we fully resolve and purpose with our selves never to commit them nor the like again but to lead the rest of our lives according to Gods holy Will and Commandments Q Why is repentance so necessary A. Because this Sacrament is the seal of the remission of sins in Christs blood which cannot be had without repentance Q. How many offices be there of love A. Thrée 1 To do our neighbour no wrong 2 To do him good if we can 3 If he doth us wrong to forgive him Q. Why is charity so necessary A. Because this Sacrament is a seal as of our union with Christ so of our Communion and fellowship with our brethren the members of Christ Q. Why ought every one to examine himself A. 1. Because the unworthy receiver is guilty of the body and blood of Christ 1 Cor. 11.27 2. He provoketh the Lord to wrath and so eateth and drinketh his own damnation 1 Cor. 11.29 Q. How ought a mans heart to be affected in receiving the Sacrament A With reverence Ioy and comfort meditating on the outward signs and what they signifie of the wonderful love of God and of Christ herein of our Communion with Christ his graces and faithful people Lastly we ought to stir up our hearts to be excéeding thankful for so precious benefits Exod. 3.5 Gen. 28.17 1 Kings 8.66 Q. How ought every Christian to behave himself after the receiving of the Sacrament A. He must endeavour to find an encrease of faith in Christ and of his love to all Gods children a greater measure of dying to sin and a greater care to live in newness of life abounding more and more in well doing Prov. 4.18 Ezek. 47.12 FINIS Books Printed and are to bâ— Sold by Richard Thrale under St. Martin Outwich Church in Bishops-Gate Street near the Post-house COntemplation of Death and Immortality A short Narrative of the late dreadful Fire in London together with certain considerations remarkable therein The Mirror which flatters not concerning the contempt of the world or Meditation of the Death of Philip King of Macedon Soladine the Magnificent Conqueror of Asia and Monarch of the whole East Adrian the Emperor of Rome Alexander the Great that conquered the world A true Notion of the worship of God on a vindication of the service of the Church of England Posie of godly prayers by â—ich Themilthorp Carminum Proverbialium