and solemn worship of God with the rest of his Church and people 2. I am forbidden on this day Exod. 31.14 34.21 Jer. 17 21 c. Deut. 5 14. Mat. 12.10 11 12 13. either my self to do or suffer any I have command over to do any servile work but what is of necessity or charity that so I may the better attend the service of God both publick and private And the reason is given Gen. 2.2 3. Exod. 31.17 Heb. 4.4 because the Lord after six daies labour in the work of the Creation rested on the seventh called therefore the Sabbath which signifies rest the commemoration whereof we Christians observe on the first day of the week which is Sunday Mat. 28.1 Ioh. 20.19 Rev. 1.10 because our blessed Lord arose on that day from death to life and perfected thereby the great work of our Redemption Quest What is the fifth Commandement Answ Honour thy father and thy mother that thy daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Quest What is herein commanded and what forbidden Answ 1. I am commanded in general to give honour to whom honour is due and to have respect to all my superiors Rom. 13.7 Lev. 19.32 whether in age quality or condition more particularly Eccles 10.20 Prov. 11.29 30.17 Ephes 6.1 Col. 3.20 Tit. 3.1 Prov. 24.21 Mat. 22.17 c 1 Pet. 2.13 14 15 16 17 18. Heb. 13.17 to reverence and obey my natural Parents in all their just and lawful domestick commands to obey Kings and all that are in authority paying them tribute custome and honour to obey also all civil Masters and all my spiritual Governour Pastors and Teachers according to their several respective interests and authority over me 2. I am herein forbidden all disrespectfulness to my superiors Eccles 10.20 Prov. 30.17 Rom. 13.2 3. 1 Pet. 2.18 Cos 3.20 c. all disobedience to the commands and contempt of the persons of my Parents and of all higher powers all murmurings and repinings against such as are in authority over me whether Civil or Ecclesiastical And this is the first Commandement with promise Ephes 6 2. 1 Tim. 2.2 For that all peace and security depends upon this that every one do his duty in all his relations unto others Quest What is the sixth Commandement Answ Thou shalt do no murther Quest What is commanded and forbidden herein Answ 1. Mat. 22.39 Ephes 5.29 Gen. 9.5 Rom. 12.18 Heb. 12.14 Rom. 13 9 10. 1 Pet. 1.22 1 Joh. 3.11 4.7 8. Mat. 5.43 44. Luk. 6.32 c. I am herein commanded to use all means for the preservation both of my own life and the lives of others also And to this end to live peaceably and charitably and to love all men even my very enemies 2. Gen. 9.6 Psal 55.23 Ephes 9.31 Col. 3.8 Lev. 19.17 Rom. 13.13 1 Thess 5.15 1 Pet. 3.9 Mat. 5.21 22. I am forbidden not only to avoid all manner of murder and bloudshed whether directly or indirectly but also all anger wrath hatred variance strife contention revenge and reviling of others though we be provok'd thereunto Quest What is the seventh Commandement Answ Thou shalt not commit adultery Quest What is commanded and what forbidden herein Answ 1. 1 Cor. 6.13 c 1 Thess 4.3 4 5. 5.6 8. 1 Pet. 1.13 4.7 I am herein commanded to be chaste sober and temperate that both my soul and body may be preserved the pure spotless and immaculate members of Christ and temples of the Holy Ghost 2. I am forbidden adultery Deut. 5.18 1 Cor. 2.10.8 Gal. 5.19 Ephes 5.3 Col. 3.5 2 Cor. 7.1 Mar. 5.27 28. Gal. 5.24 Rom. 13.13 Luk. 21.34 1 Cor. 5.9 11 1 Pet. 3.2 3. 4.3 Job 31. 1. Isa 3.16 c. 2 Pet. 2.14 Col. 3.8 Ephes 5.4 fornication and all kinde of corporal uncleanness which is not conjugal together with all kinde of unclean thoughts and desires words and behaviour and all provocations thereunto viz. all riot and excess surfetting gluttony and drunkenness all wanton and loose company light attire wandring eyes and filthy communication Quest What is the eighth Commandement Answ Thou shalt not steal Quest What is commanded and what forbidden you herein Answ 1. Isa 56.1 33.15 Psal 15.2 Prov. 3.3 vers 27 28. Psal 82.3 Ecclus 4.1 34.21 22. Mat. 5.42 Levit. 6.4 5. 24.21 Rom. 13.7 Luk. 19.8 Dan. 4.27 I am commanded to be just and upright in all my dealings that so no man may by me be depriv'd of what rightly belongs unto him and to my power I am commanded to be charitable also that the poor be not depriv'd of their proper livelihood and subsistence which is my superfluity And if in case of any wrong done by me I am hereby enjoyned to make restitution to the party wronged by me or if that cannot be done to give it to the poor 2. Lev. 25.14 17. Ezek. 22.12 Lev. 19.11 13. 1 Thess 4.6 Luk. 6.30 Rom 13.8 Tob. 4.7 8 9. I am forbidden all oppression and extortion stealth cousenage circumvention denial of an almes to the poor and in a word all waies and means whereby either publickly or privately by force or by fraud I may acquire or detain from any what either by the rule of righteousness or charity belongs unto them Quest What is the ninth Commandement Answ Thou shalt not bear salse witnese against thy neighbour Quest What is herein commanded and forbidden you Answ 1. Psal 15.2 Luk. 8.16 Ephes 4.25 Prov. 22.1 Eccles 7.1 Rom. 13.9 10. Jam. 3.9 10. Col. 4.6 I am commanded in general to give testimony to the truth upon all occasions and particularly to preserve and advance the good-name and esteem of my neighbour and to speak well of all men as far as in truth and modesty and without flattery I may 2. I am forbidden all false and evil speaking lying and slandering Lev. 19.11 16. Tit. 3.2 Jam. 4.11 Rev. 22.15 Prov. 10.18 Psal 110.5 1 Pet. 3.9 10. Mat. 7.1 c. Prov. 11.13 18.8 Ecclus. 19.6 7 c. 21.25 26. 20.25 Jam. 1.19 railing and reviling rash censuring and condemning others And to this end I am forbidden all tale-bearing and much medling and talking of other mens lives and manners wherein by some respective duty I am not concerned Quest What is the tenth Commandement Answ Thou shalt not cover thy neighbours house thou shalt not cobet thy neighboures wife nor his serbant nor his maid nor his oxe nor his asse nor any thing that is thy neighbours Quest What is commanded and what forbidden you herein Answ 1. Phil. 4.11 1 Tim. 6.6 8. Heb. 13.5 Ephes 4.28 2 Thes 3.8 c. Prov. 10.4 13.4 21.5 I am commanded to be content with my present state and condition what ever it be and in order hereunto to be diligent and industrious in the duties of my calling both for my own
8 6. 1 Tim. 4.8 Heb. 4.8 9. The promises under the Gospel to those that shall be obedient to Gods commands are greater and more full or at least more clear then under the Law 4. Ier. 31.31 Heb. 8. Ioel 2.28 Act. 2. Ioh. 1.16 17. Iam. 4.6 More grace is communicated to us Christians under the Gospel for the observation of Gods commands then was given to the Jewes under the Law Quest How many Commandements are there Answ The words God himself delivered on Mount Sinai consist of ten Commandements Deut. 5.22 Mat. 22.40 Rom. 13.9 10. and the text saith he added no more Because all that is through the whole Word of God enjoyned besides may in some respects or other be reduced to one of these ten words of command Quest What general rules are to be observed to understand the full meaning of each Commandement Answ Two most especially 1. That where any duty is commanded the contrary thereunto is forbidden and where any sin is forbidden the contrary duty is commanded 2. That in all duties commanded and sins forbidden the means conducing thereunto are commanded and forbidden also Quest What is the first of these ten Commandements Answ Thou shalt have none other Gods before me Quest What is herein commanded and what forbidden you Answ 1. Prov. 3.6 1 Chr. 28.9 Deut. 6.13 14. 10.12 20. Mat. 4.10 Deut. 6.4 5. Joh. 14 15. Rom. 10.14 Psal 32.6 50.15 ult I am herein commanded to acknowledge the God of Israel for the only true God and accordingly to serve and worship him as God viz. To believe in him to put my whole trust in him to fear him and to love him above all and to express my inward faith hope and love towards him by the reverent performance of all external acts of divine worship commanded by him and most especially by my daily prayers unto him and praises of him 2. Exod. 24.14 Deut. 6.14 Isa 42.8 48.11 Mat. 6.24 Rom. 1.25 Rev. 22.9 I am forbidden to acknowledge any other god besides him or to pay any such divine worship to any other neither yet to prefer the love and service of any creature before the love and service of my Creator who is God blessed for ever Quest What is the second Commandement Answ Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image nor the likeness of any thing that is in the heaven above or in the earth beneath or in the water under the earth Thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God and visit the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shew mery unto thousands of them that love me and keep my Commandements Quest What is herein commanded and what forbidden you Answ 1. Exod. 34.11 Deut. 4.2 12.32 Mat. 28 20. Ioh. 4.24 Psal 95.6 132.7 Rom. 12.1 1 Cor. 6.20 I am herein commanded to worship this only true God after an holy and true manner that is after such a manner as himself hath prescribed in his holy Word And that I do it not only internally in spirit and in truth but also externally with all lowly humble and reverent prostration of body before him 2. Lev. 19.4 26.1 1 Cor. 10.14 Ezek. 14.4 6. 2 Cor. 10.5 Rom 2.22 I am forbidden to worship the true God after a false manner not to worship him by an Idoll nor by an Image neither yet according to the fond imaginations of my own heart And that as I must avoid Idolatry and all false worship on the one hand so I must also take heed of sacriledge which is to rob God of the maintenance of his true worship on the other side And the reason of this Law is given Deut. 4.24 5.9 6.15 2 Cor. 11.2 Deut. 23.2 Rev. 2.6 because God is so jealous of his worship and glory lest we should give it to any other or to our selves that he will severely punish all such as deprave his worship Exod. 34.7 Deut. 5.10 Dan. 9.4 Ioh. 15.14 15. even to the third and fourth generation accounting of them as his enemies but he will mercifully reward them that obey and serve him according to his will as being his friends and promoters of his interest Quest What is the third Commandement Answ 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 Quest What is herein commanded and forbidden you Answ 1. 1 Cor. 10.31 Psal 93.5 Ezek. 22.8 Psal 105.15 Luk. 10.16 Ezek. 44.23 I am herein commanded to propose to my self the honour of Gods holy Name in all my actions both divine and moral And to have a separate and distinct respect for all such such things and persons as have the name of God called upon them and more immediately relate to his service 2. Lev. 18.21 19.12 21.6 22.2 15 32. Mat. 23.16 20 22. Hos 10.4 Lev. 24.14 Jam. 3.9 Prov. 30.9 2 Tim. 2.19 2 Sam. 12.14 Rom. 2.24 Psal 5.7 Heb. 12 28. Prov. 13.13 Isa 62.2 1 Cor. 11.22 c. I am herein forbidden all rash unadvised wilful profanations of Gods ever blessed Name by oathes perjuries execrations cursings of the creatures of my neighbors or of my self not to use the name of God slightly idly foolishly and vainly much less to cover any deceits falshoods or what is in any respect unlawful or sinful not unadvisedly or irreverently to entermeddle with Gods holy Word Sacraments or any parts of his holy worship neither yet to slight undervalue or despise either things or persons wherein and whereby God is honoured and whereupon his holy Name is called And the reason is given Zach. 5.3 4. Deu. 28.58 59 Heb. 12.28 29. because God will never excuse such irreligious profanations of his Majesty but will assuredly punish all offenders in this kinde 7. Quest What is the fourth Commandement Answ Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day fix daies shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast to do but the sebenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God In it thou shalt do no manner of work thou and thy son and thy daughter thy man-serbant and thy maid-serbant thy cattell and the stranger that is within thy gates for in six daies the Lord made beaven and earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the sebenth day wherefore the Lord blessed the sebenth day and hallowed it Quest What is herein commanded and what forbidden Answ 1. Col. 2.16 17. 1 Pet. 2.5 Heb. 4.10 Exod. 31.15 35.2 Luk. 23.56 Heb. 10.25 I am commanded in general to dedicate every day of my life a spiritual Sabbath unto God that is a rest from sin and vacancy to his service And in particular that I devote every seventh day or one day in seven to the publick
Doctrines of Christ because I must forsake the service of sin and all temptations leading thereunto before I can truly serve God or receive any benefit by the means of Grace O God which art the author of peace and lover of concord in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life whose service is perfect freedome defend me thy humble servant in all assaults of my ghostly enemies the world the flesh and the Devil that I surely trusting in thy defence may not fear the power of any such adversaries through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. CHAP. I. Of the Creed Quest WHat is the second part of that promise you made when you were baptiz'd Answ To believe all the Articles of the Christian faith that is Act. 1.1 all those chief heads of Doctrine which Christ commanded and taught as also what himself did for our example and suffered for our salvation Quest What is the sum of them Answ The Apostles Creed Quest What mean you by a Creed Answ A Creed is as much as Belief And it is a brief Summary of all the chief heads of Religion which we are bound to believe as necessary to everlasting salvation Quest Why do you call it the Apostles Creed Answ Because 1. it contains the sum of that Doctrine which the Apostles preached 2. It was compiled either by the Apostles themselves or Apostolical men and it consists also of 12. Articles according the number of the 12. Apostles Quest Rehearse the Articles of your Belief distinctly Answ 1. I believe in God the Father Almighty maker of heaven and earth 2. And in Iesus Christ his onely Son our Lord 3. Which was conceived by the holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary 4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried 5. He descended into hell the third day he rose again from the dead 6. He ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty 7. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead 8. I believe in the holy Ghost 9. The holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints 10. The forgiveness of sins 11. The Resurrection of the body 12. And the life everlasting Amen Quest What do you chiefly learn to believe in these Articles Answ Hence I learn to believe in that only true God who being one in essence Deut 6.4 Mar. 12.29 1 Joh. 5.7 is three in subsistence 1. God the Father Mal. 2.10 1 Cor. 8.6 who hath made me and all the world 2. God the Son 1 Tim. 2.5 Rev. 5.9 who hath redeemed me and all mankinde 3. God the Holy Ghost Ephes 4.30 Rom. 15.16 who hath sanctified me and all the elect people of God which divides this Creed into three general parts according to the number of these three Persons of the Godhead Quest What does the first general part of of your Creed concern Answ God the Father Artic. 1. Gen. 1.1 Col. 1.16 Heb. 11.3 Psal 36.5 6. Mat. 6.26 10.29 30. who by his Almightiness of nothing hath made all things both the Heavens and the Earth and all that is contained therein and by the same his power does still sustain and govern all things which is the sum and meaning of the first Article Quest What use are you to make of this Answ That I am therefore bound to serve Mal. 1.6 Dan. 5.23 Rev. 4 11. 5.12 13. Deut. 32.18 Act. 17.24 25 26 27 28. Deut. 10.12 13 14 and worship him and obey his Lawes as being the great Lord and Father of all from whom I have received all that I am and all that I have in the world Quest What do's the second general part of your Creed concern Answ God the Son Gal. 3.13 Luk. 1.68 69 74. and the Redemption of mankinde by him from sin and death Quest By what means and titles is he known Answ He is first called Jesus which signifies Salvation 2. Christ Artic. 2. Mat. 1.21 Act 10.38 Rev. 1.5 Heb. 6.20 12.24 Act. 3.22 23. Luk. 1.32 Joh. 8.56 57 58. 1 Cor. 6.20 Act. 2.3 Mat. 28.18 1 Cor. 8.6 which signifies Anointed and denotes his threefold office of King Priest and Prophet 3. The only Son of God viz. by eternal generation 4. Our Lord in that he hath bought and redeemed us and hath the sole power over us Quest What do you beleeve that he did and suffered to redeem you Answ I do believe that he came down from heaven Artic. 3. Joh. 16.28 Luk. 1.35 31. Gal. 4.4 Luk. 2.7 Joh. 8.46 Tit. 2.11 12. and was by the power of the Holy Ghost after a wonderful manner conceived and made man in the sanctified Womb of the blessed Virgin Mary That he was born of her that he lived a most holy life and by his doctrine and example guided and directed us in the way to heaven That he suffered for our sins many grievous and bitter things under Pontius Pilate the Governor of Judea Artic. 4. 1 Pet. 2.21 3.18 4.1 Mat. 27.26 that he was by his command crucified or the several parts of his body were stretched out upon the crosse as upon a rack and nailed thereunto to his unspeakable torment untill through the violence of his pangs he gave up the ghost Mat. 27.50 60 Phil. 2.8 1 Cor. 15.3 4. and being dead was also buried to manifest the reality and truth of his death That he descended into hell Artic. 5. Ephes 4.10 Col. 2.15 Heb. 2.14 Rev. 1.18 20.14 Psal 16.16 Act. 10.40 5.30 Rom. 14.9 Col. 1.18 vanquishing both the first and second death and him who had the power of death that is the Devil and all the spirits and powers of darkness That he rose again the third day thereby declaring his victory over death and over all our ghostly enemies That having accomplished the great work of our Redemption Artic. 6. Luk. 24.51 Act. 1.9 Eph. 4.8 c. Heb. 6.20 Mark 16.19 Col 3.1 Phil. 2.9 c. Rom. 8.34 7 27. he again ascended into heaven from whence he came down That he sitteth at the right hand of God reigneth as King over all and intercedes for all them that call upon God in his name And that he shall come again at the last day to judge the quick and the dead Artic. 7. Mat. 25.31 c. 1 Thess 4.16 17. 2 Tim. 4.1 Rev. 1.7 Psal 62.12 Mat. 16.27 Rom. 2.6 Rev. 22 22. and render to all men according to their works Quest What use are you to make of this second part of your Creed Answ That I therefore put my trust only in the mercies of God through the merits of Christ Ps 2.12 34.8 44.6 Rom. 8.32 Act. 2.38 3.19.27.30 Mat. 9.13 Tit. 2.14 1 Cor. 15.3 Mat. 11.29 Joh. 15.10 1 Pet. 2.21 Col. 3.1 Luk 21.34 c. Tit. 2.11 12 13. Mat. 24.42 c. for whatever concerns the good either of body or soul That I repent