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
prove it Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves for they watch for your Souls as they that must give an account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you And so must servants obey and submit to their Masters in all lawful commands 1 Pet. 2.18 Servants be subject to your Masters without fear not only the gentle but also the froward And lastly All men must behave themselves lowly and reverently to all their betters in age estate or quality them that be elder either in higher Rank or Condition For this it is that will preserve order peace and good will amongst men And I shall only here give you the Text for reverencing the aged even in Gods own Law Lev. 19.32 Thou shalt rise up to the hoary head and honour the old man I am the Lord. Many more Texts might I have cited for each duty to these Relations but for brevities sake I must let these suffice beseeching you to let them sink and root in your hearts for the regulating your whole conversations in this world Now you will much better know these your duties required in this Commandment if you can well learn what the particular sins contrary to those duties are which are forbidden by this Commandment and those of both parties in these several Relations for though the one only is expressed yet doubtless the other are implied First then Q. What are the sins of Children against this Commandment A. Their despising of their parents in their hearts or their irreverence or disobedience to them in their behaviours or not relieving nor helping them when they fall into want or sickness Catechist All which God knows are too much to be seen in divers Children but for which no doubt they must at last find the effects of Gods terrible curse Deut. 27.16 It is threatned expressly to all Despisers of their parents but doubtless extends to all irreverence Undutifulness and Disobedience Cursed be he that setteth light by his father and mother To which all the people shall say Amen Prov. 1.8 My Son hear the instructions of thy Father and forsake not the law of thy Mother For chap. 15.5 A fool despiseth his Fathers Instruction And see how he threatens such a man chap. 30.17 The eye that mocketh at his Father and despiseth to obey his Mother The Ravens of the valley shall pick it out and the young Eagles shall eat it And mark it it is one of the Abominations foretold of the last and perillous times Men shall be Despisers of parents As for not succouring them or childrens not relieving their parents in need when and as they are able you cannot but know that it was for this that our Saviour rebuked the Pharisees most sharply Mar. 7.11 They taught men to neglect their parents in necessity so that they did but consecrate that to pious Uses to the Corban wherewith they should relieve them And so under pretence of piety it is said they suffered no man to do ought for his parents and thereby made the Commandment of God of none effect through their own Traditions Q. On the other hand what are the sins of parents A. Not providing for their Children or bringing them up in idleness and ungodliness Catechist You have the parents duty to provide for their childrens sustenance in our Saviours argument Luk. 11.11 If a son ask bread of his father will he give him a stone or if he ask a fish will he give him a Scorpion And the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 12.14 Children lay not up for their parents but parents for their children All men do this by the Law and instinct of nature And therefore he saith 1 Tim. 5.8 If any man provide not for his own He is worse than an Infidel It is true some men are in the other extreme taking immoderate care and using unjust means to enrich their families yet still all Unthrifts that piss against the walls all their earnings and through carelessness and profuseness let their children and families starve and fall into beggary are great sinners and so great that the Apostle censures them as worse than Heathens or Infidels But above all parents had need to be diligently taught that great duty of Godly education of their Children and their miscarriages shall aggravate the parents damnation if it be for want of bringing them up in the Nurture and admonition of the Lord Eph. 6.4 Q. What are the sins of subjects against Kings and Magistrates A. Contemning disobeying or rebelling against the King or those that are in Authority under him Catechist What a sin it is to despise or Contemn the King or his Magistrates may be seen by the strictness of the precepts Exod. 22.28 Thou shalt not revile the Gods nor curse the Ruler of thy people Eccl. 10.20 Curse not the King no not in thy thought for the bird of the air shall carry the voice and that which hath wings shall tell the matter As for disobedience and Rebellion we have terrible examples of Gods vengeance for it in Corah and his Company in Absalom and Sheba and as terrible a Commination to all that tread in their steps Rom. 13.2 Whosoever resisteth the powers resisteth the or dinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Q. What then are the sins of Kings and Men in Authority A. Not making good Laws or not executing them for the punishment of evil doers and the encouragement of them that do well Catechist For this is Gods declared end in raising up Kings and Magistrates 1 Pet. 2.14 That they may be Ministers of God saith St. Paul Rom. 13.3 for good to them that are good encouraging them in well doing but not bearing the sword in vain may be a terrour to evil doers Which also is well expressed in his Direction what to pray for in their behalf 1 Tim. 2.2 That under them we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty Which thing they can never perform any other way than by making good Laws and impartial putting them in execution and therefore not doing either of these is their sin against this Commandment Q. What are the peoples sins against their Teachers piritual Pastors and Ministers A. Despising them witholding their Dues or resisting or rejecting their Doctrine or Government causelessly Catechist Remember I pray you Abrahams answer to Dives in hell interceding for his brethren on Earth That one might be sent to them from the dead to warn them lest they should also come into those terments They have Moses and the Prophets that is such as teach their Doctrine If they will not hear them neither will they believe though One should rise from the dead As for withholding the Ministers dues titles or maintenance it is enough that the Prophet Malachi calls it theft or robbery and that a robbing of God Mal. 3.8 And that there is such a Sin as
sin Rom. 7.14 The natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 Q By what means then may you obtain Gods special Grace A. By diligent that is by daily fervent prayer Catechist Of the efficacy of our prayers to obtain Gods special Grace Our Saviour assures us and that by way of Argument which gives us much stronger consolation Luk 11.13 If ye being evil know how to give good gifts to your Children how much more will your heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him But then Our asking must be thus qualified that it may obtain it must be daily we must pray continually or without ceasing 1 Thes 5.17 and fervently Jam. 5.16 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much Ask therefore and so ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you Matth. 7.7 Q. In what bodily posture must you pray A. Kneeling or at least with the greatest reverence possible Catechist For in this posture of kneeling have Gods Saints always made their solemn prayers or for the most part And as we cannot use too much reverence in our Addresses to so great a God so unto this are we daily invited in the words of the Psal 95.6 O come let us worship and fall down and kneel before the Lord our maker Q. What things must you pray for besides Gods Grace A. Only for things agreeable to Gods will Catechist 1 Joh. 5.14 This is the Confidence that we have in him that whatever we ask according to his Will he heareth us Q. In whose Name and Mediation must we put up our prayers A. Neither of Saints nor Angels but only that of our Lord Jesus Christ Catechist So he himself directs us For he the is one Mediator betwixt us and the one God 1 Tim. 2.5 Therefore he saith Joh. 14 13.14 Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in me If ye shall ask any thing in my Name I will do it And he assures us even with an Oath that his Father will do it chap. 16.23 Verily Verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you And he seems to solve the doubt why he saith he will do it and his Father will do it too ver 26. Ye shall ask in my Name and I say unto you that I will pray the father for you c. For Heb. 7.25 He is able to save to the ultermost seeing he liveth for ever to make intercession for us With great reason therefore doth our Holy Church conclude all her prayers with these words Through Jesus Christ our Lord. And praying in Christs Name we cannot pray better or more acceptably than in his words too Q. Which is the best form of prayer and most perfect pattern to direct you in praying A. The Prayer Christ taught his Disciples called The Lords Prayer Q. Let me hear you then say the Lords prayer A. Our Father which art in heaven Hallowed be thy name c. Catechist It is rightly called the Lords prayer as the Eucharist is called the Lords Supper because he composed it as he instituted and ordained this his Supper Now observe when Christ taught his Disciples this prayer it is said in Luk. 11.2 When ye pray say plainly making it Our duty as his Disciples as we will owne ourselves to be Christians to use this form of prayer at all times for it is a most perfect and Comprehensive prayer containing all that is needful to be prayed for and therefore supplying the defects of all other our prayers But at another time Matth. 6.9 He said After this manner pray ye as plainly there making it a pattern to all other our prayers And so doing Our prayers cannot be other than according to Gods will and being so we are sure he will hear and grant our petitions Now tell me what your Catechism teacheth you of this Q. What desirest thou of God in this prayer A. I desire my Lord God our Heavenly Father c. Catechist This is a very solid answer and teacheth you a great deal in a little Compass My part is to help you to understand to what part and petition of your Lords prayer every clause in this answer is to be referred and to make these and all other needful things concerning it as plain as I can In the mean time Let me give you this instruction It will be very good and profitable for you Good Children to get some other good and godly prayers by heart for your daily use out of some or other good books such as those sometimes annexed to your Bibles or those in that excellent Book called The Whole duty of man or the like And till you can do that let me tell you you may make a very good prayer of this your answer and using it devoutly and with understanding it will be acceptable to God Instead of saying I desire my Lord God Our heavenly Father c. it is but altering it thus and it will be a very good prayer O Lord God Our Heavenly Father who art the Author of all goodness I desire thee I beseech thee that thou wilt send thy grace to me and to all people that we may worship thee serve thee and obey thee as we ought to do and I pray unto thee that thou wilt send us all things that be needful both for our bodies and our Souls and that thou wilt be merciful unto us and forgive us our sins and I humbly beg that it will please thee to save us in all dangers Ghostly and bodily and that thou wilt keep us from all sin and wickedness and from our Ghostly Enemy and from Everlasting death And I trust and beg of thee that I may always trust that thou wilt do this of thy own mere mercy â—nd goodness through our Lord Jesus Christ Amen Say this your answer in such a form of â—â—ayer upon your knees every day morning and evening â—ith understanding and from your hearts and Souls and doubt not God who delights not in quaint words nor in the multitude of them will graciously accept it both till you have furnished yourselves with some larger forms and afterwards Now for our further understanding of our Lords prayer and of this account your Catechism gives of it I ask you Q. How many parts are there in the Lords prayer A. Three a Preface the Petitions and the Doxology or Conclusion Catechist See what you may learn by the Preface first Q. To whom must you pray that you may be sure to speed A. To our Father in Heaven only Catechist A very necessary Observation since we know the Papists practices of making their prayers to Saints and Angels nay to very Images and especially to the Virgin Mary Which if any Christians can lawfully do it is marvellous that our
is a sin and one sin cannot excuse another but aggravates it when it is willful and here it must needs be so because the reason of mens not preparing themselves for the Lords Supper is most commonly because they have a desire to live on in their sins and therefore they have no mind to come to the Lords Supper because it will bind them to leave their sins and put them upon holy purposes and resolutions of new life which they do not think to do Now I pray you read and consider the Ministers Exhortation to the Communion in the Office for it and at present I shall only put you in remembrance of that terrible doom that was passed upon them who excused themselves and refused to come to the Kings feast when they were invited to it Luk. 14.24 The Lord said I say unto you none of those which are bidden shall tast of my Supper Q. What then is the unquestioned Duty of all Christians A. To set upon the Preparing for the Lords Supper whenever they are invited to it to Receive it reverently and devoutly and to be afterwards careful of performing their holy Vows and good resolutions made therein Catechist This evidently follows from all that hath been said and it shews you the duties you are to perform before and at and after your Receiving this Sacrament And now all the Questions and Answers that follow here are for this end to explain those great duties of Repentance New Obedience Faith Thankfulness and Charity to the meanest capacity which since all men know them to be generally required in all good books that treat of this Sacrament and who can say but they are injoyned us in Gods Word in our whole Conversations How much more requisite then are they in us when we are to make our most solemn addresses to Gods Altar I shall only therefore desire my Youth to give some fair account of these duties and spare my further pains and time in quoting particular Texts of Scripture for them referring all both elder and younger to their good books for a more particular instruction concerning them especially that incomparable Book The Whole Duty of man Q. What is that Repentance and New Obedience whereof all must examine themselves in Preparing themselves for the Lords Supper A. A man must compare his heart and life with every Commandment and bewail and confess unto God all the sins he finds himself guilty of and stedfastly resolve to forsake them and ever after to endeavour a new that is an holy life Q. What is that lively Faith required in Gods mercy through Christ A. Knowing his own Misery by sin a man must both understand and believe the sufficiency of Christs Death to Satisfie Gods justice for sin and Gods willingness to pardon sin for Christs sake upon Covenant terms to all Believers Q. What is the Thankfulness required A. A serious considering of Christs wonderful Love in dying to purchase such great benefits and an affectionate Commemorating this with the most hearty Thanksgivings Q. What is that Charity whereof a man must examine himself A. Being sorry for all injuries done to others and ready to make satisfaction to his power a man must be ready to be reconciled to those that have injured him and heartily forgive them and chearfully give them that are in need as he is able Q. What think ye then of the ignorant that do not at all nnderstand the meaning of this Sacrament and of all Vnbelievers or the Vnthankful or malicious persons or them that are out of Charity A. I think they will have no comfort of this Holy Feast of Charity and being unfit for it can have no hope to receive the Pardon or Grace promised in the Covenant and Sealed in this Sacrament FINIS
Catechetical Exercises OR QUESTIONS and ANSWERS For Youth to Learn THAT They may better understand THE CHVRCH CATECHISM WITH THE CATECHISTS Enlargements upon them Ps 34.11 Come ye Children hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. By Jos Briggs M. A. and Vic. of Kirkburton in the County of York CAMBRIDGE Printed by Joh. Hayes Printer to the University for Edw. Hall Bookseller there And are to be sold by Luke Meridith at the Star in St. Pauls Church-Yard London 1696. Imprimatur Thomas Browne Procan Jo. Beaumont Hen. James The Epistle DEDICATORY TO THE Most Reverend Father in God JOHN By Divine Providence Lord Arch-Bishop of YORK PRIMATE of ENGLAND AND METROPOLITAN May it please your Grace IT was a Mighty Veneration the first and better Ages had for their Governours The Guides of their Souls agreeably to the Rules of Christianity and even to the common sense of Mankind And that quite contrary now-a-dayes the Holy Orders are vilely esteemed by Abundance of Men and those sometimes pretending a High Zeal for Religion is to be imputed very much to their bad Education in their tender years and perhaps to no one thing more But it is not against this Evil alone that a good Education of our Youth would provide an effectual Remedy but in my opinion against a Multitude of Epidemical Errors and Immoralities It is certain True Religion thrives best when planted betimes having its Foundation in an early Piety Happy are those Children whose Lot is to be begotten of Godly Parents careful to season their Minds with vertuous and sober Principles and while they are Children to acquaint them with the Scriptures of Truth and Godliness None start with greater Advantages in the Christian Race nor usually persevere with a more vigorous Constancy therein then they who are taught to remember their Creator in the Days of their Youth the first Fruits of their Time being Consecrated to God and Religion before corrupt affections have clapt a Bias upon their Inclinations and a Train of Vices hath depraved and in great measure laid a sleep the Natural Notions of Good and Evil in them To this great purpose Catechizing and Diligence in teaching the Catechism is continually and very appositely urged upon Us of the Parochial Clergy by our Ordinaries in their Annual Visitations according to the Royal Injunctions And loth I am to say or even to think any of my Brethren so culpable as either to be so ignorant as to need my Instructions or so negligent as to want my Excitements in so necessary and as is Universally acknowledged so profitable an Office of their Ministration It is for the common People's sake therefore that I expose these Specimens of my Labours in this kind to a publick View I think it a great Blessing to them that they may have the Advantage of being taught by both their senses their Eyes as well as their Ears What is taught by the Ear may affect and pierce more but the Letter written endureth longer and the Souls of men have the Advantage of a more deliberate Consideration and a longer continuance therein Having therefore a Desire to do good both ways according to my poor Abilities not so much fearing Censures as endeavouring to Edifie I submissively offer these my Labours to your Graces Patronage as justly yours being performed in your Charge by one under your Fatherly Jurisdiction who unfeignedly prayeth for the Peace and Prosperity of Gods Holy Catholick Church and the continual dew of his Heavenly Blessing upon the Bishops and Clergy thereof and particularly a double Portion of his Spirit upon your Grace that we may be long happy in your Wise and Active Conduct and one who earnestly begging your Graces Prayers for him heartily desires to approve himself upon all Occasions Your Graces in all humble Duty and Observance Jos Briggs THE PREFACE To Every CHRISTIAN READER Particularly to my Brethren the Younger of the Reverend CLERGY OF THE Church of England c. Reverend Brethren WHAT Place and Figure the Catetechist had in the Primitive Churches is well known and the Diligent Discharge of this part of our Ministry being most strictly required by the Canons of that Holy Church whereunto by all manner of right we ow the most sincere Obedience which being also so frequently urged upon our practice by our Ordinaries at every Visitation and there being perhaps nothing we do or can do that can be more beneficial to our Flocks Nothing which if rightly performed can more conduce to a thorough Reformation of Christians or to the comfort and Satisfaction of the Pastors Consciences It seems strange to me That it is so much neglected at least most cursorily and insipidly performed in many Parishes especially in Market Towns where nothing pleaseth but the Minister's sett and solemn Discourses on some particular Texts in Scripture commonly called Preaching as if there were no other preaching but this God forbid I should pass the least undecent Reflection upon those but this I am bold to say Whatever good Man will take the pains as every one ought to examine his Children and Servants of what they have learnt by them and to assist them to his utmost power to profit thereby He will soon find it a very slender Account they are able to give of an hours Discourse and must from a constant Experience hereof conclude an absolute Necessity of both Ministers and Masters of Families greatest Diligence in this easie and Familiar way of instructing them in matters of Religion and that it is very little good which Sermonizing without Catechizing can do and therefore hath not the least appearance of justice for thrusting it out of the Church That we ought to Catechize I hope I need not say much to convince any thinking Man the stress lies in finding out such a course as wherein it may be done to purpose that if it be possible We may save ourselves and them that hear us even the most ignorant of them that are willing to learn And I would gladly be confident of your charitable construction of this my publishing my own Method so as by no means to interpret it a self-conceited or presumptuous prescribing it to others Give me leave only to shew you how I fell into it and then be it at your own Discretion how far you will accept or reject it imitate alter or wholly decline it I account it to my self a great Blessing that being by a sickly Constitution of Body forced from the Breasts of my Mother that Famous School of the Prophets the Vniversity of Cambridge a very good Providence cast me under the Wings and Guidance of an aged Divine Grave Learned and pious a truly Loyal Subject to and sufferer for his Sovereign a most Orthodox Son of the Church From him I had this Advice in my studies and it would be Envy to others Good to conceal it to fix my Theological Studies in the first place upon the Creed The Lords Prayer and
Debauchery thereof is very great and therefore it is as needful now as ever That some Persons be engaged publickly to see that children that are baptized be brought up in the doctrine of Christ and in the fear of God Q. What just exception can be made against this Custome A. None but Godfathers and Godmothers neglecting their duties now this or the like Exceptions lye against the best and most wholesome Institutions both of God and man Catechist It is indeed a very sad thing that Godfathers and Godmothers so generally neglect their duties I say therefore O that All persons would be serious in undertaking this charge and fulfill it more Conscientiously than commonly men do And then The Benefit of this Custom would convince all mankind how convenient it is that it be retained to prevent any persons making Shipwrack of Faith and of a good Conscience when they come to years of discretion Q. Why do Christians give their Children names in Baptism A. Because the Jews gave names to their children in Circumcision and Baptism succeeds in the room of it Again it is intended That their names should always put them in mind of their Christianity which they received together with their names Catechist First That Baptism succeeds in the room of Circumcision As it is clear in matter of Fact so I take it to be manifest in that one Text of St. Paul Coloss 1.11 In whom also ye are Circumcised by the Circumcision made without Hands in putting off the Body of the Sins of the flesh by the Circumcision of Christ buried with him in Baptism 2. That the Jews gave their names when they Circumcised their Children is plain in divers instances To name but two Gen. 21.3 4. Abraham called the name of his Son which Sarah bare unto him Isaac and Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being Eight days old as God commanded him And so had John Baptist his name given to Him at his circumcision Luk. 1.59 and so had our Saviour Luk. 2.21 When 8 days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child his name was called Jesus which was so named of the Angel before he was conceived in the Womb. 3. As often as we mention or think of our names we should as much as possible call to mind our Baptismal Covenant viz. To be Christs faithful servants to our lives end and hereof St. Pauls text 2 Tim. 3.19 may serve for a good Paraphrase Let every one that nameth the name of Christ or upon whom the name of Christ is called in that he is called a Christian depart from iniquity Q. Seeing then you received both these in Baptism I ask you what is Baptism as it is in this place offered to your Consideration A. It is one of the Seals of the new Covenant Catechist Such was Circumcision and therefore such is Baptism that succeeds it Rom. 4.11 Abrahams circumcision was to Him a seal of the Righteousness of Faith which He had being Vncircumcised Q. What Covenant do you mean A. The same which God made with Adam after his fall in those words The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head and which he afterwards renewed at several times to Gods people by the Patriarchs and Prophets and at last Ratified in Christs blood called the Covenant of Grace Catechist This Covenant as made with Adam as the common parent and Representative of all mankind you have in Gen 3.15 and as it was renewed to Abraham you have Gen. 12.3 and 22.18 In thee in thy Seed i. e. in Christ as St. Paul explains it Gal. 3.8 shall all Families of the earth be blessed Which Covenant was afterwards renewed or new revealed in other words to Jacob Gen. 49.10 The Scepter shall not depart from Judah till Shilo come by Moses Deut. 18.15 A Prophet shall the Lord God raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto me him shall ye hear by David by Isaiah Jeremy and the rest of the Prophets too many to recite particularly here and still in every age it was more clearly revealed then the former until the Seed came the Mediator of this covenant and ratified and established it by his Blood It will be of great Use to you Good Children if you can reach to understand thus much much more if you can attain a competent practical knowledge of the terms of this Covenant as your Catechism well understood may instruct you I ask you therefore Q. How many parts are there in this Covenant A. Two Gods part and ours Catechist For so it is in all Covenants which being between parties it obligeth them both to their respective parts and neither of them can expect the benefit of the Covenant without his own performance of what belongs to him Q. What then is Gods part or what doth God promise in the Covenant of Grace A. Forgiveness of Sins Sanctifying Grace and Eternal Life Q. How doth your Catechism express these A. It shews what Benefits we receive by Baptism to wit that of limbs of Satan we are therein made members of Christ Of Children of Wrath and of the Devil we are therein made Children of God and of heirs of Hell we become inheritors of the Kingdom of heaven Catechist These are great things Good Children for you to learn and having learnt them I beseech you do your best to consider them and see how all are grounded in the plain words of Holy Scripture Of Limbs of Satan as the Head and Father of all wicked ones we are by Baptisme made members of Christ Members you all know relate to a Body Now the Church is the Body whereof Christ is the Head and by Baptism we are made members of the Church which is the Mystical Body of Christ For Baptism is the Sacrament of Admission into the Church as the Lords Supper is the Sacrament of nourishment in the Church 1 Cor. 12.13 By one spirit we are all baptized into one body whether Jew or Gentile 2. Whereas we are all by nature Children of wrath one as well as other Ephes 2.3 By Baptism we are born anew of water and the spirit John 3.5 and so have the power and dignity or priviledge to be called the Children of God by Regeneration as well as by Adoption for John 1.12 To as many as received him to them gave be power to become the Sons of God even as many as believed in his name and professed that belief by being Baptized Gal. 3.26 27. Ye are all the children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ And from hence they may call God Father saying Our Father which art in heaven witness what Christ said to his Disciples John 20.17 I ascend to my Father and your Father and from hence they are brethren to Christ for Heb. 2.11 He is not ashamed to call them Brethren And being thus children and sons of God they are 3. By Baptism made Heirs of his Kingdom
now Q. What is that Faith that you also promised A. To believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith that is All that Christ taught did and suffered for our Salvation as they are recorded in the Gospel and summed up in the Creed Q. Is it enough to assent to the Truth of those Articles or what farther is required to make my Faith acceptable to God A. I must so believe every Article as to live answerably to what it teaches us for Faith is nothing worth without good works of obedience Catechist Concerning the former Answer I shall only remark to you that Definition St. Luke gives of his Gospel Acts 1.1 It is a Treatise he saith of all that Jesus began to do and to teach and adding only what he suffered for the Salvation of sinners you have then the true object of a Christians faith and belief Now them must we believe that is assent to them from our hearts profess them with our lips and walk suitably to them in our lives And this is that Faith S. James teaches us Chap. 2.17 He affirms That the Faith which hath no works is dead being alone For ver 21. Was not Abraham the great pattern of Faith the Father of the Faithful justified by works when he offered up Isaac thereby shewing the truth of his Faith by ready obedience to Gods Commandments Ver. 26. By works was his Faith made perfect and he instanceth there in Rahabs faith also ver 25. and requires this therefore of all that pretend to believe Shew me thy Faith by thy works v. 18. For they it is that must shew it to be true or nothing can shew it Every evil worker is a real Unbeliever Good works are Faiths witnesses as the tree is known by its fruits Q. What then is that Obedience you promised in Baptism A. To keep Gods Holy Will and Commandments and walk in the same all the days of my Life Catechist It is therefore a constant effect of true faith in whomsoever it is it produceth an Universal Obedience of the whole man to all Gods Commandments and that so constant as to continue and persevere therein to our lives end Church Catechism the fourth Question Q. Dost thou not think that thou art bound to believe and do as they promised for thee A. Yes verily c. Explanatory Questions and Answers Q. How can Godfathers and Godmothers promise such great things as these for Children whom they bring to Baptism A. They only promise them in the Childrens names till they be of age to take it upon themselves so the duty promised belongs to the Children and Godfathers and Godmothers engage only to see they be taught what they promised for them and to excite them to perform it by instructions reproofs exhortations and prayers Catechist The scope of this Answer is to state the matter how far Sureties stand engaged by what is done at Baptism But to this are children chiefly to take heed that the things promised do chiefly lye on them to perform though not themselves but others engaged it only in their names For they are in equity bound thereby For Parents usually oblige their Children in civil contracts and Bargains and why not much more then to what is their Bounden duty before as Creatures to their Lord their Maker and Redeemer Or who will say but that it is in the Parents power to devote their Children to Gods special service as Hannah did Samuel 1 Sam. 1.18 or as Timothy's parents may well be supposed to have done Him in that they taught Him the Scriptures of a child and without doubt whatsoever children they be that renounce or do not perform this their Baptismal Vow though but made by others in their name they incur the Guilt of Perjuty and forfeit all the promises of God made to them in his Covenant To prevent this therefore and to make children when grown up sensible of their having entred such a vow and that they may now voluntarily take it upon themselves and that before the Congregation and thenceforth look upon themselves as engaged by their own Act and deed To this end is this Question intended whose answer hath divers excellent parts all remarkable agreeable to sound and Orthodox Doctrine and to the H. Scriptures I shall reduce them to these Questions Q. Art thou then willing now to take this vow and promise upon thy self A. Yes verily Catechist Mark here good child what thou professest even to stand to the vow made in thy name and remember the Text Eccles. 5.4 Better never vow than not perform what thou hast vowed Q. How shalt thou ever be able to do those things being by nature so prone to all evil and averse to all Good A. I shall be able to do them through Christ strengthning me therefore I say and by Gods help so I will Catechist Thus is every child taught modestly to declare his Resolution in the words of St. Paul Phil. 4.13 and it much concerns you and all men to be humbly sensible of what the same Apostle saith Rom. 7.18 In me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing And that our Saviour saith expresly John 15.5 I am the Vine ye are the branches He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing And because this help shall not be wanting to any that will sincerely endeavour it therefore doth the Apostle Phil. 2.12 13. hereby enforce his exhortation work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God that worketh in you both to will and do of his good pleasure As if he had said take heed to yourselves that you make use of Gods help while you may have it work yourselves while God worketh with and in you Q. What art thou better for being baptized more than those that never were baptized A. This being Gods own Ordinance for washing away Original sin and admitting men into Covenant with God I am thereby called into a state of Salvation through Christ for which therefore I heartily thank God my heavenly father Catechist By this Answer a child is well taught to be deeply sensible and to declare himself to be so that he is in a much better Condition then he was before or than they are who never were Baptized For who can deny that Baptism is Christs own ordinance for washing away sin and admitting him into Covenant with God And what is this but a state of Salvation by Christ there being as S. Peter saith Act. 4.12 No salvation to be had by any other no other name given under heaven whereby we must be saved but only the name of our Lord Jesus Christ For this therefore their being brought thus into a state of Salvation Holy Church very laudably teaches her children to give publick thanks according to that in Psal 8.2 Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings God hath ordained praise Q But what if you should fall off from
shew the greatest Reverence not only to his Names but also his Titles Attributes Ordinances Houses Revenues Words and Works For unto them all hath the Apostles exhottation Heb. 12.28 relation Let us have grace whereby to serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear And the particular Duties respecting all these you have in the next Questions and their Answers Q. How doth your Catechism express this A. To give him thanks to put my whole trust in him to call upon him to honour his Holy Name and his Word Q. What then are the sins forbidden in this Commandment A. Unthankfullness Distrustfullness not praying to God or praying to any other but God all Abuses of or irreverent use of or medling with His Word Sacraments House Titles or Ministers and especially rash and vain Swearing Cursing and Blasphemy Q. What doth God threaten them that thus transgress his Commandment A. That he will not hold them Guiltless that is they shall be held guilty and by no means escape his Vengeance Catechist It cannot be expected that all duties and sins herein required and forbidden should be particularly named in so short an Abstract as a Catechism is and should be but these are the chief We must give God thanks for all his Works and Benefits Temporal and Spiritual 1 Thes 5.18 In every thing give thanks Psal 50.14 Offer unto God thanksgiving and pay thy vows to the most High We must call upon God by Solemn Religious prayer and Invocation as alone able and willing to hear and help us and upon no other Ps 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me And these two are closely joyned together by the Apostle in one precept Phil. 4.6 Be careful for nothing but in every thing let your requests be made known to God by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving We must put our whole trust in God Psal 62.8 Trust in the Lord at all times ye people pour out your hearts before Him for God is our hope And on the contrary ingratitude and unfaithfulness was the sin of the Israelites Deut. 32.15 18. Jesurun waxed fat and kicked then he forsook God that made him and lightly esteemed the rock of his Salvation Of the rock that begat thee thou art unmindful and hast forgotten him that formed thee Isaiah 1.2 3. I have nourished and brought up children but they have rebelled against me The Ox knoweth his owner and the Ass his Masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider Luk. 17.18 Of the ten Lepers that were cleansed but one returned to give thanks And as prayer is Our duty so it is branded as Atheistical and shews that a man saith in his heart there is no God that he calls not upon the Lord Psal 14.4 And we are not to call upon any other but Him Not Angels for so the Angel forbad S. John Rev. 22.9 See thou do it not I am thy fellow servant Not Saints for Isaiah 63.16 Abraham is ignorant of us and Israel acknowledges us not And as we are to put our whole trust in God so distrustfulness was the Israelites sin Psal 78.19 Can God prepare a table in the wilderness Behold He smote the rock indeed that the waters gushed out and the streams overflowed but can he give bread also Can He provide flesh And therefore Our Saviour cautions us against this Matth. 6.25 Take no thought no distrustful thought for your life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink or wherewithall ye shall be clothed ver 32. your heavenly father knoweth that ye have need of all these things And so are we forbidden trusting in any other things whether in wants or dangers Not in horses or chariots Psal 20.7 Not in Princes Psal 118.8 Not in any Son of man Psal 146.3 Not in bow or shield Psal 44.6 Not in our riches Prov. 11.28 Not in ourselves Prov. 18.26 We are also warned to take heed of all irreverent use of Gods word Luk. 8 18. Take heed how you hear Prov. 13.13 Whoso despiseth Gods word shall be destroyed And of his Sacraments â— Cor. 11.27 Whoso eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks damnation to Himself not discerning the Lords Body And his House the Church For 1 Cor. 11.22 What have ye not houses to eat and drink in or despise ye the Church of God And of his Titles and Revenues what is set apart for Holy Uses and for the maintenance of his Ministers For the Prophet Malachi saith chap. 3.8 that to defraud or alienate them is to rob God or to abuse his Ministers or not to hearken to and obey them Luk. 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me And then for taking Gods Name in vain by vain or false Swearing Cursing or Blaspheming the letter of the Commandment is express and innumerable Texts speak terribly to all that are guilty thereof To name but one or two I will bring the Curse saith the Lord of hosts by his Prophet Zechariah 5.4 and it shall enter into the house of him that sweareth falsly by my Name and shall remain in the midst thereof and consume it with the Timber thereof and with the stones thereof And one Text in Deut. 28.58 59. may serve instead of all other Texts If thou wilt not observe to fear this great and glorious Name The Lord thy God Then will the Lord make thy plagues great and wonderful and the plagues of thy seed even great plagues and of long continuance and sore sicknesses and of long Continuance In short our Saviour explains this Commandment to forbid not only perjury or false swearing but also swearing vainly and in our ordinary talk and Communication and swearing by any other but God For an Oath is a Divine Honour Mat. 5.33 34 37. Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time Thou shalt not forswear thy self But I say unto you swear not at all neither by heaven nor by the Earth c. But let your Communications be yea yea nay nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil and so much also of the third Commandment Q. What are the duties required by the fourth Commandment A. To serve him truly as in his Solemn days of Worship so all the days of my life Q. Which are those Solemn days of Worship wherein we are especially to serve God A. The Lords day and days set apart for Humiliation and Thanksgiving the Feasts and Fasts of the Church Q. Which is the Lords day A. The First day of the week observed by Christians because of Christs Resurrection upon it as the Seventh day was by the Jews in memory of the Creation Catechist We are assured both by Scripture and the Churches Histories that the First day of the week was after Christs Resurrection and in memory thereof observed by the Christians for all the Holy Offices as the Seventh day Sabbath was by them under
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
them up in your hearts which if you would do you would not so monstrously commit that detestable Crime of Fornication either simple Fornication or that before your Marriages as we too often see And to the end you may avoid these I beseech you consider the necessity of avoiding the least degrees thereof much more the gross sins For 2 Cor. 7.1 You must Cleanse yourselves from all filthiness not only of the flesh but also of the spirit Gal. 5.24 You must crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts You must take heed of even wanton glances with Job 31.1 Make a Covenant with your eyes not to look upon a Maid For your Saviour saith upon this Commandment Mat. 5.28 He that looketh on a woman to lust after her Commits Adultery with ber in his heart And hence you read of such as have eyes full of Adultery 2 Pet. 2.14 And you must likewise take heed of all wanton and obscene discourse and corrupt Communications all filthiness and foolish talking which are not Convenient that is by the Figure Meiosis are very hurtful instaming lust Eph. 4.29 Q. What sins are forbidden as provoking or pampering lust A. All excess in Meats or Drinks Gluttony and Drunkenness Catechist Temperance and Soberness therefore are enjoyned you in this Commandment Rom. 13.13 Let us therefore walk honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkenness not in chambering and wantonness Observe how closely these are joyned together because they most commonly follow each other Lot was therefore overtaken in incest with his two Daughters through drunkenness And it is a sad saying of a Father I never knew a drunkard chast Let the time past therefore as S. Peter 1 Ep. 4.3 exhorts suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in all lasciviousness lusts excess of wine revellings banquettings For as S. Paul saith Rom. 13.14 It is by these things that men make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof Q. What doth the Eight Commandment require A. All lawful endeavours to further my Neighbours Wealth as well as mine own Q. How doth your Catechism express this A. To be true and just in all my dealings Catechist This Commandment enjoyns you just and plain and honest dealing with all men For Mic. 6.8 What doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to do justly love mercy and walk humbly with thy God And without this let no man think he can be saved Psal 15.1 2. Who shall dwell in thine Holy hill He that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousness and doth no ill to his Neighbour For in this saith S. John 1 Ep. 3.10 In this are the Children of God manifest and the Children of the Devil He that doth not righteousness is not of God neither he that Hateth his Brother But then I pray Q. In what Commandment are Alms and works of Mercy and Charity required A. Both in this and in the Sixth Commandment In this Commandment because Almsgiving is a work of Justice and Righteousness as well as of Charity it is the poor Mans due And in the Sixth Commandment for we are guilty of his Blood who perished for want when we are able to relieve him Catechist This is excellently illustrated in a passage of the Son of Sirach Ecclus. 4.1 My Son defraud not the poor of his Living neither make the needy to wait long Make not the hungry Soul sorrowful and defer not to give to him that is in need chap. 34.25 The Bread of the needy is his Life He that defraudeth a man thereof is a man of Blood He that takes away his Neighbours living slayeth him and he that defrauds his Labourer of his hire is a blood-shedder This is plain we must be charitable to relieve men in extreme need or else we are guilty of injustice and fraud defrauding the poor of his Living and we are guilty of blood for not relieving Him that is ready to starve for extreme want we do in effect slay or kill him And for Alms being required by this Commandment Thou shalt not steal Hear a greater than the Son of Sirach even Solomon in his Proverbs 3.27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due when it is in the power of thine hand to do it In a word A man cannot be Uncharitable but he is withall Unjust and Unrighteous For the Rich man is Gods Steward his riches are his Talent to be employed for his glory and others good and his Superfluity are the poor mans Due if need require what he hath to spare is due unto him to do him good by Gods Ordinance and Commandment Q. What then are the sins forbidden by this Commandment A. All picking and stealing that is All acts of Fraud and Oppression as well as Violence and Robbery Q. What is required of those who have thus wronged others in any kind or degree that they may be saved A. Restitution to their power For he is Unjust and a Thief in Gods account who witholds what is another mans being able to restore it Catechist It is not for nothing that your Catechism thus teacheth you distinctly and expressly both the Affirmative and Negative both the duties enjoyned and the sins forbidden in this Commandment more then in the other Commandments It is because just and honest dealing carry a great place and figure in true Religion and no Unjust man can be truly Holy and Religious before God whatever he pretends Now know that the Letter of this Commandment forbids Stealing that is all acts of Violence or Robbery and other Scriptures manifestly extend the prohibition to all Acts of Fraud Falshood Guile and Oppression and make them degrees of Theft what softer notions soever the world may have of them Lev. 19.11 Ye shall not steal nor deal falsly nor lie one to another Ver. 13. Thou shalt not defraud thy Neighbour nor rob him And chap 25.17 Ye shall not oppress one another that is by over or undervaluing what ye Buy or Sell I am the Lord. 1 Thes 4.6 Let no man defraud or go beyond his brother in any thing for God is the Avenger of all such But if any one have done any of these things then must he of necessity restore to every one what he hath wronged him of if ever he hopes to be saved The Holy Fathers of the Church give it as a certain Canon or Rule that without this Restitution there can be no Remission no Salvation And with great reason for God saith in his Law expressly Lev. 6.4 He that hath sinned and is guilty He shall restore that which he hath taken violently away or the thing which he hath gotten deceitfully or all that about which being delivered him to keep or being lost he found or for whatsoever he swear falsely He shall restore it even in the principal and shall add a fifth part more and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth in the day of his trespass offering Examples of which