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
141.2 Heb. 14.15,16 Phil. 4.18 Psal 51.17 Rom. 6.13 12.1 3. Prophets in applying that knowledge we have to the benefit and good of others Luke 22.32 Q. Why is Christ called the only Son of God since we also are the Sons of God A. He is the Son of God by nature and by eternal generation we are the sons of Gods by Grace and by Adoption John 1.14 Rom. 8.15 Gal. 4.5 Q. What do you learn from hence that Jesus Christ is the Son of God by nature A. I learn to my comfort that he is very God and that therefore whatsoever was performed and suffered by him is infinitely meritorious for our salvation John 1.14 Col. 2.19 Q. Why is Jesus Christ called our Lord A. Because having redéemed our souls from sin and Satan he doth challenge us as his own to do him service Rom. 14 8,9 III. Art Q. How was Christ conceived by the Holy Ghost A. In that his humane nature was supernaturally framed by the powerful working of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin Lâ—ke 1,35 Q. Why was he conceived by the Holy Ghost A. To sanctifie the séed of the woman and to unite two natures in one person God and man in one Christ Luke 1.35 Rom. 9.5 1 Tim. 2.5 Q. Why must our Saviour be both God and Man A. He must be a man because man had sinned and therefore a man must die for sin to appease Gods wrath he must be God to sustain and uphold the Manhood to overcome and vanquish death 1 Tim. 2.5,6 Q. What learn you out of these words which was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary A. I learn 1. By his birth that he was man that so he might suffer for my sin 2. By the manner of his conception by the Holy Ghosh that he was without all manner of sin and so the Sacrifice of himself being most pure it was precious for our redemption IV. Art Q. VVhat was Pontius Pilatâ— that condemned Christ A. He was at that time the Governoâ— of Judea under the Roman Emperor Lukâ— 3.1 Q. VVhat death did Christ suffer A. The death of the Cross Q. VVhy suffered Christ the death of the Cross rather then any other kind of death A. 1. Because that kind of death was most shameful 2. It was most painful 3. Thereby he took upon him the curse to free me from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 Q. Seeing Christ hath thus died for us why yet must Gods Saints die A. Not as a satisfaction or penalty for sin but for two special benefits First for that sin is thereby abolished in my nature Rom. 6.7 Secondly death is made an entrance for our souls into Life eternal Phil. 1.23 Q. Could the sufferings of Christ which were but a short time countervail everlasting damnation and so appease Gods wrath A. Because Christ who was God suffered though not in his Godhead and that is more then if all the men in the world had suffered for ever Acts 20.28 Q. VVhat followed upon his death A. His burial and descending into hell that is his subjection to the power and dominion of death and the grave for a time Heb. 2.14 Acts 2.24 Q. Why did he abide thus under the power of death and the grave A. That it might be certainly known that he was dead and that the body of sin might be utterly destroyed and abolished in us for ever Rom. 6.6 V. Art Q Was it needful that Christ being dead should rise again A Yes it was for his own glory and our good Q. How for his glory A. That being formerly abased as a servant and crucified as a sinner he might thus be declared to be the Son of God and exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour Rom. 1.4 Acts 5.30,31 Q. How for our good A. That having paid the price of our redemption by his death we might have good assurance of our Iustification by his Life Rom. 4.25 Q. Why did Christ rise again the third day A. Because it was prophesied of him that he should see no corruption Acts 2.27 Q. Why did he not rise before the third day A. Lest rising so presently upon his death his enemies might take occasion to cavil that he was not dead Mat. 27.63 Q. Why would he not put it off untill the fourth day A. Lest the Faith of his Disciples should have been weakened and their hearts too much cast down and discouraged Luke 24.21 Q. What learn you out of the 5 th Article the third day he rose again from the dead A. 1. That he is risen and hath overcome death and Hell for my Iustification 1 Cor. 15.17.7 2. I learn to rise from sin and to delight in righteousness Rom. 6.4 3. By his rising I am assured that my body shall rise again 1 Cor. 15.16 VI Art Q. Why did Christ ascend into Heaven A That he might triumph more gloriously over his and our enemies and make way for our ascention thither Eph. 4.8 John 14.2.3 Q. What is meant by Christs sitting at the right hand of God A. 1. The honour that God hath given him Heb. 1.3 2. His exercising of the Sovereign power which he hath as he is our Mediator over all the world Eph. 1.20,21 VII Art Q. What learn you out of the Seventh Article from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead A. 1. I learn to my comfort that he that is my Saviour shall be my Iudge Job 19. verse 25. 2. To the terror of the wicked and ungodly that he shall be their Iudge whom they have refused and despised 2 Thes 1.8 Q. Who are the quick and the dead that are to be judged by Christ A. All men that ever were from the beginning are or shall be to the end of the world whether they shall be alive then or dead before Q. Why doth Christ defer his coming A. He waiteth till the number of the elect be accomplished till the measure of iniquity be fulfilled till his enemies be all subdued and abolished Rev. 6.11 Mat. 13.30 Heb. 10.13 Q. What need is there that the dead should be brought to Judgment seeing particular judgment was given of them before whether they be good or evil A. It is needful for two causes 1. Because the first judgment pertains only to the soul but the latter to the whole man both body and soul 2 Cor. 5.10 2. That that particular Iudgement may be made manifest before all men and that there may be a more manifest declaration of Gods just judgment Rom. 2.5 VIII Art Q. What is the Holy Ghost A. The third person in the Trinity equal in majesty and glory to the Father and the Son and joynâ—ly proceeding from them both Acts 5.3,4 John 15.26 Q. Ghost is an old English word and signifies Spirit why is the third person called Spirit A. 1. Because God is a Spirit that is an immaterial and pure essence John 4.24 2. Because the Holy Ghost is the
Spirit and breath of God blowing freely where it listeth and working spiritually for manner means and matter where it pleaseth John 3.8 Acts 2.2,3,4 Q. Why is the third person called holy A. Not only because of his essential holiness as God but because he is the author and worker of holiness in men 1 Cor. 6.11 IX Art Q. Why do you say I believe the Church not in the Church A. We do believe that there is a Church but we do not believe in the Church but in God the Church here below at the best is but a company of men called justified sanctified in part and therefore may erre Q. What is it then to believe the Church A. 1. That there is and always shall be a Church 2. That I am one of the Church 3. To believe the doctrine of the Church wherein it followeth Christ the Prophets and Apostles the onely sure pillars and ground of truth Q. How many sorts of Churches are there A. Two sorts Triumphant and Militant Q. What is the Church Triumphant A. The company of Gods children in Heaven Heb. 12.23 Q. VVhy is it so called A. Because they are all out of danger and so do triumph Rev. 21.4 Q. VVhat is the Church Militant A. The company of Gods Children here on Earth Q. Why are they thus called A. Because they fight the Lords battles against the world the flesh and the Devil 2 Tim. 2.3 Eph. 6.12 Q. What Church is here meant A. The Church Militant Q. What do you learn hence A. That God hath a Church and will have to the end of the world Q. Is there but one Church A. No there is but one true Church of Christ though there may be many particular visible Churches which are parts thereof yet there is but one Catholick and Vniversal Church of which not one shall be lost and out of which not one shall be saved Eph. 5.23 John 17.12 Q. Why is it called Catholick or Universal A. It is called Catholick or Vniversal 1. In respect of time because it hath been and shall be in all ages Acts 2.39 2. In respect of persons it consists of all sorts of men high and low rich and poor Acts 2.10,34 3. In respect of place it hath been gathered from all parts of the earth Rev. 5.9 Rev. 7.9 Q. Why is the Church called Holy A. Because it is made holy by justification in Christ and Sanctification of the Spirit Rom. 3.24 Cant. 4.7 Q. What is the Communion of Saints A. That holy and sweet fellowship which all the members of Christs Church have one with another as they make all but one body in Christ so communicating of all good things unto one another whether spiritual or temporal as their mutual necessities do require 1 John 1.3 2 Cor. 8.14 Q. Why are all believers called Saints A. Because they are partakers of Christs holiness daily growing and increasing in the same And to let us know that none shall be Saints in Heaven but such as are first Saints on Earth Heb. 12.10 3 Cor. 7.1 Q. What duty doth this communion of Saints require of us A. To renounce all fellowship with sin and sinners to edifie one another in Faith and Love to delight in the society of the Saints and to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace X. Art Q. What is meant by the forgiveness of sins A. Forgiveness of sins is that great blessing of God which Iesus Christ by his death and passion procured for all that believe in him whereby God esteems of their sins as no sins or as never committed by them Q. What duties are required of us that find our sins pardoned A. To sin no more lest a worse thing come unto us to forgive others as God hath forgiven us to renew our assurance by prayer repentance and new obedience XI Art Q. What professest thou to believe in the eleventh Article The resurrection of the body A. That the bodies of the wicked shall be raised by the power of Christ as he is Iudge and joyned to their souls so to continue together without separation for evermore in the torments of Hell but the bodies of the faithful and so mine among others shall be raised by virtue of Christs resurrection to enjoy in body and soul together life everlasting 1 Cor. 15.20 1 Thes 4.14,16 John 5.28,29 XII Art Q. What is life everlasting A. That glorious estate of absolute holiness and happiness in the Heavens which all the elect shall for ever enjoy with Christ in the presence of God and his Angels 1 Thes 4.17 Q. What assurance have we of this estate A. It is prepared by the Father purchased by the Son confirmed by the Holy Ghost entred upon here and inherited hereafter Mat. 25.34 Eph. 1.13,14 Col. 1.5 1. Pet. 1.3,4,5 Q. What profit dost thou get by believing all these things A. 1. By this means I am justified before God even by faith alone in Christ Acts 13.39 Phil. 3.9 2. By faith I shall overcome the enemies of my Salvation 1 John 5.4 3. Being justified and overcomming I shall inherit eternal life Rom. 8.38 Tit. 3.7 Q. What is justification A. It is Gods accepting and accounting of a sinner as guiltless not for any righteousness of his own but upon the frée remission of his sins and the imputation of Christs righteousness and obedience Phil. 3.9 Rom. 3.24 Q. How is faith wrought and confirmed in our hearts A. 1. Inwardly by the Spirit the fountain of all Spiritual Graces Acts 16.14 1 Cor. 14.1,2 2. Outwardly by the Word of God which containeth the promises the ground of Faith Rom. 10.17 3. By the Sacraments which are seals of those promises Rom. 4.11 4. By prayer which addeth strength to Faith Luke 17.5 The Third Part of the CATECHISME concerning the COMMANDEMENTS Qu. HOw many Commandements are there A. Ten. Q. Into how many Tables are the commandements divided A. Into two * and no more because all righteousness is reduced to two Heads namely towards God or towards man Mat. 22.39,40 Q. What doth the first Table concern A. Our duty to God contained in the four first Commandments Q. What doth the second Table concern A. Our duty to our Neighbor contained in the six last Commandments Q. In this order of the Tables that the Duty to God is set before the duty to our neighbour how many Lessons do you learn A. 1. I learn to serve him before all thing and not to regard worldly things no nor life it self in respect of his glory Mat. 6.33 2. If I render my duty truly to God I must do my duty also to my Neighbour for if I neglect it to my neighbour whom I see daily it is evident that I do so to God 1 John 3.17 Q. How many Lessons learn you out of the Preface or Introduction to the commandements 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
pure in soul and body both towards our selves and others VIII Command Q. How many things are forbidden in the either Commandement Thou shalt not steal A. Thrée 1. All desire of any mans goods wrongfully Eph. 5.5.2 All stealing robbing and unlawful getting Lev. 19.11 1 Thes 4.6 3. Vpholding of theft in others by letting them escape unpunished féeding and maintaining of théeves and idle persons Isa 1.23 2 Thes 3.10 Q. How many things are we commanded in it A. Thrée 1. To be content with that portion which the Lord hath sent us 1. Tim. 6.6 2. That we labour for our living in a lawful calling 2. Thes 3.12 3. To be helpful to them that need especially to the poor Saints both by hospitality and alms-déeds Gal. 6.10 Heb. 13.2,16 IX Command Q. What things are forbidden in the Ninth Commandement Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour A. 1. We are forbidden to speak falsely in witness bearing Prov. 19 5,2 2. To backbite or â—lander any Psal 15.3 3. To lye flatter or dissemble Eph. 4.25 Q. What are we commanded herein A. We are commanded in all things to speak and maintain truth as 1. in bearing witness 2. In plain reproving our brethren Lev. 19 12. 3. In defending his good name Phil. 10.11 c. X Command Q. What is required of you in the Tenth Câ—mmandement A. That I be truly contented with my own outward condition resting always thankful to God for my present estate and that I may not once have an unlawful lust or motion in my self or an inordinate desire to any thing that is my neighbours but for ever think good towards him rejoycing in anothers good as in our own Heb. 13.5 Phil. 4.11 1 Thes 5.18 1 Kings 21.2 Acts 26.29 Rom. 12.15 Q. Is any man able to keep the Commandements A. No 1. Because we sin the best of us in many things 2. Our best works do savour of the flesh and are defective Q. To what end serve they then A. 1. To humble us in regard of our miserable estate hereby discovered 2. To be a rule of good life into us 3. To set us awork daily to pray and cry to the Lord for mercy and for strength to live accordâ—… to his laws Q. As you have shewed me the profit of the Law so tell me why we should do good works since they cannot save us A. 1. To shew our love to God our Father in walking as becometh his children John 14.15 2. To shew our love to our selves making thereby our election certain to our selves 2 Pet. 1.10 3 To win our brethren to Christ by our godly life and conversation Mat. 5.6 1 Pet. 3.1 4 To stop the mouths of all blasphemous adversaries 1. Pet. 2.15 1 Pet. 3.16 Q. How â—ay things are principally to be considered in good works A. Thrée 1. that they be commanded in the Law of God Eph. 2.10 2 That they procéed from a heart purged by faith Heb. 11.6 Rom. 14.23 3 That they be done to Gods glory 1 Pet. 4.11 The Fourth Part of the CATECHISME concerning the LORDS PRAYER Qu. WHat is Prayer A. A calling upon God in name of Christ whereby we séek unto him to give the good things we stand in need of and to remove the evil things which our sins deserved and to give him thanks for blessings and mercies received Q. How many principal parts be there of the Lords Prayer A. Thrée 1 A Preface and Introduction to prayer in these words Our Father which art in Heaven 1. The matter of prayer contained in the six petitions 3. An assurance of that we pray for contained in the conclusion For thine is the kingdom the power and the glory for ever Amen Q. What learn you out of the Preface Our Father which art in Heaven A. Thrée things 1. He to whom we must pray is a father and no tyrant to be fled from 2. He is our Father and therefore loveth us 3. Heaven is his Throne and therefore he is able to â—elp Q. Why do you say Our Father and not my Father A 1. Because God is the Father of us all 2. To teach us to pray for others as well as for our selves Q. Why is God said to be in Henven A. Not that he is contained or included there for he fills Heaven and Earth but because his glory is most manifold as in Heaven so from Heaven * For from heaven especially the glory of his power providence and justice mercy and other attributes is declared I. Peti Q How is Gods Name said to to be Hallowed A. By acknowledging the holiness thereof and honouring it accordingly Q. What doth this word Name signifie A. Those things whereby God is made known unto us which are six especially his nature the distinction of the persons in the holy Trinity his Titles his Attributes his Word and his Works II. Peti Q What is meant by Gods Kingdoâ—… A. The peculiar Sovereignty which God hath over his Elect begun here in grace hereafter to be perfected in glory Q. How many things do you pray for in this petition Thy Kingdom come A. Four 1. That he may reign in as our hearts by the Sceptre of his Word 2 Cor. 10.5 2. That by his holy spirit he will govern us Rom. 14.17 3. That Satan and all our lusts may be overthrown Rom. 16.20 1 John 3.8 4. That he would finish these days of sin and receive us into his kingdom of glory Rev. 22.20 III. Peti Q. What do you pray for in the third Petition Thy will be done c A. That as the will of God is done in Heaven readily chéerfully and faithfully so we may faiâ—hfully believe obediently perform and patiently bear the known and revealed will of God here on earth and that in truth and sincerity of affection as it is in Heaven though we cannot in like measure and degree of persection Psal 103.20 Deut. 29.29 Heb. 10.36 2 Cor. 8.12 Q. Why must we pray to do Gods will as the Angels do it A Because one day we shall be like unto them in glory therefore we have cause to desire to be like unto them here in holiness IV. Peti Q. What is meant by this word Bread A. All manner of temporal blessings néedful for the sustentation and preservation of this life as meat drink cloth health peace and liberty c. Q. How is Bread said to be ours A. In regard of a just and true right we have thereunto which right is twofold 1. Spiritual proper to the Saints that believe in Christ 1 Cor. 3.22,23 2. Civil which is agréeable to Iustice and equity and that in the Courts of men Q. What is meant by this word daily A. Ordinary and usual bread whereof we do every day stand in néed being fittest for our nature to preserve soul and body together and to nourish and cherish us here in this life Prov. 30.8 Q. Why do you add this day A. To shew the moderation of our desire