do thus stedfastly keep up this Communion with each other in all holy things in Faith and Worship Love and Obedience they all have a Communion or Fellowship with the Blessed Trinity with the holy Angels and with the Saints departed So that as I am a member of Christ's Catholick or Universal Church so I ever desire to keep Communion or Fellowship with them in all Holy Things and that as Christ is our Common Head and we his Members and I never withdrawing my self from this Communion so my Faith may be accepted with theirs my Prayers offered up with theirs my profession of the Gospel may appear with theirs my Duty Love and Obedience may be accepted with theirs in the Day of the Lord Jesus And thus I believe the Holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints X. ARTICLE The forgiveness of Sins THE meaning is I believe that whereas every Sin whether of Thought Word or Action is a transgression of the Law of God and for every transgression the Sinner is liable to Eternal Punishment by the infinite Justice of God Yet that God in his unspeakable Mercy gave his Son Jesus and the Son gave himself to become a Surety for this Debt of ours and did offer up himself a Sacrifice by his Death to God's Justice and a satisfaction for us Thus reconciling God's punishing Justice with his pardoning Mercy Provided that the Sinner who had chosen amiss chosen the ways of Sin and Death would in Faith and with Repentance and new Obedience turn seasonably to God and chuse better I firmly believe the first remission is obtained by the Holy Sacrament of Baptism All original and actual Sin being there washed away to every one that duly partakes of that Sacrament But whereas alas 't is too true we have some way or other stained the white Robes which we had put on when we came from the waters of Baptism and because every disobedience since is a recession or going back from our Baptismal Purity for all such Sins God in much Mercy through the death of Jesus hath given us the Covenant of Repentance Which being but this a turning from Sin to God a lasting durable state of new Life and Reformation he has promised through the Merits and the Death of Jesus that if I have but this to offer up to him from a sincere and contrite Heart it shall be accepted to my Pardon and Forgiveness and he will be reconciled to me And thus I believe the forgiveness of Sins XI ARTICLE The Resurrection of the Body THE meaning is I do profess solemnly that I am fully perswaded of this infallible truth That as 't is appointed for all Men once to die so 't is determined that all Men shall arise from death That the Souls separated or parted from our Bodies are in the Hand of God and live That the Bodies of the Dead although turned to dust mouldered into ashes consum'd in flames or swallowed up of the waters devoured by beasts or fishes or any way scattered shall be gathered together again all the scattered dust pack'd together and in an instant be revived and come alive by the Soul 's being united to it again The same Flesh which died shall live the same Body which fell shall rise the same Soul infallibly be united to the same Body So that the Soul and Body are parted asunder by Death yet at the last day they shall be joined together at the Resurrection and shall no more be parted And this Resurrection I firmly believe shall be Universal of all Mankind no Man shall be left in the Grave or Dead That this shall be at the end of the World when Christ shall come to Judgment when the Trump shall sound or when the Arch-Angel shall lift up his Voice like a Trumpet the just and unjust shall both arise out of their Graves and live The Just shall arise to the Resurrection of Life and the Unjust to the Resurrection of Damnation And thus I believe the Resurrection of the Body XII ARTICLE And the Life Everlasting Amen THE meaning is I do freely declare that I believe this to be an undoubted truth That besides this Life here in this World which is but for a short time there shall be another Life in the other World which shall last for ever I firmly believe that after this finite Life here is over and the Soul departed and the Body dead that the Soul still lives and shall live for ever and after the Resurrection the Body shall live also and both shall live together for Eternity The Soul and Body of the unbelievers disobedient and impenitent shall live for ever and be Partners with the Devil and his accursed Spirits in Hell And that the Souls and Bodies of the Righteous after the Resurrection and after their Sentence shall enter into the fullness of their Master's Joy beyond all possibility of Sin and Sorrow suffering and temptation doubts or scruples fears or dangers where they shall have their Understandings clarified and enriched where the Will shall be satisfied where the Affections shall be all Love and all Joy where they shall securely and peacefully possess all that they breathed after panted sighed and languish'd for here and enjoy it not for Years or Ages but for all Eternity Amen THE meaning of that Word at the end of the Creed is I do declare that I do stedfastly believe all this and desire to live accordingly Question What dost thou chiefly learn in these Articles c. Answer First I learn to believe in God the Father c. THE meaning is I do according to this my confession of Faith firmly and as I hope to see the Face of God believe in God the Father who is the first Person of the adorable Trinity who created me and all Men who made the whole World and all Things therein out of nothing Secondly I do likewise firmly believe in God the Son Jesus Christ my Saviour who is the second Person of the Adorable Trinity Perfect God and perfect Man equal to the Father as touching his Godhead but inferiour to the Father as touching his Manhood who redeemed me and all Men by his Death and who has satisfied God's Justice for my Sins upon my Faith and my Repentance my future Love and Obedience Thirdly I do also firmly believe in God the Holy Ghost or holy Spirit who is the third Person of the adorable Trinity who proceeds from the Father and the Son and is co-equal and co-eternal with them It is he who is my Guide my Sanctifier my Comforter who puts into my Mind good desires pious purposes and devout resolutions who offers me his Grace and Assistance to do God's Will so truly that he is said to be grieved when I refuse it And although I cannot fully understand in this Life how these three Persons can be but one God yet I do fully and firmly assent to it as an undoubted truth that it is so without which Belief I cannot
I determined not to know any thing among you save Iesus Christ and him Crucified 1 Cor 2.2 Iesus saith to Simon Peter Simon Son of Ionas lovest thou me He saith unto him yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee He saith unto him Feed my Lambs St. Iohn 21.15 I. Sturt sculp THE Art of Catechising OR THE COMPLEAT CATECHIST In Four Parts I. The Church-Catechism resolved into easie Questions to be Answered only by Yes or No. II. An Exposition of It in a continued full and plain Discourse III. The Church-Catechism resolved into Scripture-Proofs IV. The Whole Duty of Man reduced into Questions to be Answered by a single Yes or No. Fitted for the meanest Capacities the weakest Memories the plainest Teachers and the most un-instructed Learners IMPRIMATUR Z. Isham R.P.D. Henrico Episc Lond. Ã sacris Feb. 4. 1690 1. LONDON Printed by J. L. for Henry Bonwicke at the Red-Lion in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1691. THE PREFACE THE Neglect of Catechising is complained of by a great many and even by some of them who add something to the Cause of the Complaint The Mischiefs of which Neglect will soon appear as great now as ever For the numerous Enemies of the best establish'd Church in the World are all at work and with united Voices crying Down with it down with it to the Ground One of the best Remedies that I know of next to our Prayers and Tears for its Preservation is to take great Care that our Youth be well instructed in the Principles of that holy Religion which we profess whatever Self-denial or Pains or Difficulties or Humility or Condescension or letting down of our selves it cost us I have found by my own Experience that to do it well and conscionably has more of all these in it than Preaching it self and when all is done it shall please much less But when I consider that my Business is to please God and not Man and that my Hopes and Consolations will at last result from my having with Purity of Intention designed the Former more than the Latter When I consider that a poor Soul placed under my Charge and Conduct for whom the great Lover of Souls has provided no other Ordinary Means of Salvation but what is to be conveyed to him by me by my Assistances and Ministration if it should want these too it will have none and may for ever be undone for me When I consider that when he admitted me to cultivate a corner of his Vineyard as he did me a greater Honour than he did thousands of others so he expected more Glory more Love and more Obedience from me too that he might confer on me a peculiar Coronet of Glory When I consider that he never meant the Ministery to be a Station of Ease and Indiligence When I think how reasonable a thing 't is that I should shed some of the Sweat of my Brows for them for whom he was well contented to shed the Blood of his heart When I in a close and piercing thought reflect on these things I find I can be content with that Contempt and Scorn those Pains and Difficulties that Self-denial and humble Condescension which will most times accompany the conscionable Discharge of this very useful and very necessary Duty It were well if the Devout Pastor would sometimes when he is retired and with-drawn from the World with pious Emotions and devout Affections with panting sighing languishing Aspirations say as St. Peter thrice did John 21.15 16 17. Lord thou knowest that I love thee but in the same devout and affectionate thought to imagine he hears the holy Jesus giving him the same Answer Feed my Lambs And then that he would please to consider whether his Love of Jesus would permit him to be content well pleased and easie while he refuses to give him this his own way of demonstrating both That and his Obedience If any plain Man who is a Master or a Father an Housholder or Guardian and who has in part that great Trust committed to him of the Care of a Soul shall derive any Assistances or Intimations for its Conduct and Institution from this Book I do earnestly request the Good Man to put me into his Litanies and that his Prayer for the Author may be this That my Passage over the World being safe and holy I may come to sit at the Feet of them who with primitive Affections have loved and obeyed Jesus in the Mansions of Glory Amen THE Art of Catechising OR THE COMPLEAT CATECHIST PART 1. Question WHAT is your Name Answer N. or M. Question Who gave you this Name Answer My Godfathers and Godmothers in my Baptism wherein c. Question What did your Godfathers and Godmothers then for you Answer They did promise and vow three things in my Name First c. Question Dost thou not think that thou art bound to believe c. Answer Yes verily and by God's help so I will And I heartily c. SECTION 1. Of our Baptism Of The Benefits of Baptism The Vow of Baptism and Our promising to perform it WAS not your Name given you when you were baptized Yes Were you not made a Disciple of Jesus Christ when you were baptized Yes Was it not a great Happiness and Favour to have been baptized Yes Should we ever forget this Mercy of God toward us No. Were you not made a Member of Christ and his Church when you were baptized Yes Were you not made a Child of God when you were baptized Yes Were you not made an Heir of Christ's Kingdom when you were baptized Yes Can we think upon this Favour without Love and Thankfulness to our God and Saviour No. When you were baptized did not they who brought you to Baptism make a Covenant between God and you Yes Is not God's part of the Covenant this That he will give you Pardon of Sin Grace and Glory Yes Is not your part of the Covenant this That you will believe in Christ repent of your Sins and obey his Laws Yes Should you neglect to perform your part if you expect God should perform his No. Should we not stand to this happy Covenant when we come to Age if we will be saved Yes Did not they who brought you to be baptized covenant in your Name that you should renounce the Temptations of the Devil and all his Works Yes Are not all Sins and specially tempting others to sin Works of the Devil Yes Should a Christian therefore do any of the Works of the Devil No. Did not they who brought you to Baptism promise for you that you should renounce the Temptations of the World Yes Did they not promise for you that you should renounce the Pomps that is all the vain and sinful Customs of the World Yes Should a Christian therefore do according to the vain and sinful Customs of the World No. Did they not promise for you that you should renounce all the evil and corrupt Desires of the Flesh and your own
our Souls are thus strengthened so are they refreshed too by the comfortable Apprehensions of having renewed the Covenant of Grace with our God and Saviour to the Conditions of which if we sincerely stand on our part we are certainly intituled to Heaven and Glory and Immortality We are refreshed as we before intimated by the comfortable Hopes of Pardon of Sin and of being restored to the Divine Favour which we certainly then are if we fail not of our part These are strengthenings and refreshings of the Soul as great as any that can be given to the Body by bread and wine Question What is required of them who come to the Lord's Supper Answer To examine themselves whether they repent them c. THE meaning is All that come to this Sacrament if they hope to feast comfortably on the body and blood of their Saviour and to partake of all the benefits of his Death and Sufferings are to come daily prepared And to that end are as the Apostle advises 1 Cor. 11.28 to examine themselves Now this Examination is chiefly to be touching these Five things which are here summed up together in this Answer 1. touching their Repentance 2. Touching their Resolutions of a new Life or Obedience 3. Touching their Faeith 4. Touching their Charity 5. Touching their Thankfulness and Devotion 1. Touching their Repentance Repentance in short is this A change of Life a turning from Sin to God with Confession and Contrition a lasting durable State of new Life and Reformation 2. Touching resolutions of a new Life and Obedience That is a future sincere universal constant and persevering discharge of all known Duty to our God our Selves and Neighbours and where at any time we fail of perfection through Infirmity there instantly to rise again by Repentance a greater diligence and watchfulness 3. Touching our Faith Faith in short is this Such a belief of Jesus Christ and his Gospel as makes us sincerely obedient to his Laws and to live accordingly We are to come with Faith in God's Mercy that is stedfastly believing that for the sake of our Saviour our God will not fail to be reconciled to us upon Repentance Reformation and a persevering future Obedience 4. Touching our Charity Charity in brief is this A sincere Love of God and of our Neighbour for God's sake Now this Charity is to shew its self to our Neighbour in a readiness to Give and Forgive To forgive Injuries that is all lesser and more inconsiderable Injuries so as to seek no satisfaction In greater instances or in considerable and insupportable matters though we may seek for legal Reparation from the injurious Person yet we are so far to forgive as not to seek it with spite and rigour and malice and hatred and with designs of gratifying our revengeful Humour But still to carry a treatable and friendly a Christian and charitable Disposition toward the Person And to be ready to make satisfaction to and to seek a reconciliation with them whom we have injured In giving to them of need and in this holy Sacrament never to appear before the Lord empty In short to be charitably inclined to all Men not only our Friends but even our bitterest Enemies and not to be hindred from it by the difficulty of the Duty considering the Example of our Master and the Crown before us 5. Touching our Thankfulness and Devotion That is to come to these holy Mysteries with a thankful remembrance of Christ's astonishing and most endearing Love in dying for us with a Heart and Soul and Mouth full of Thanks and Praises and Zeal and Devotion Divine Love and purposes of Obedience full of the most affectionate admiration that our God and Saviour should do so much more for us fallen Men than he did for the fallen Angels As for that unworthiness the Apostle speaks of in not discerning the Lord's body that consists in these Four Things 1. In not discerning it by Faith from a common meal or from common food Not discerning Christ's body in the consecrated bread and Christ's blood in the consecrated wine 2. In not by Faith discerning this holy Sacrament from the Jewish Passover as some of the half converted Jews did not 3. In not discerning Christ's body and blood in the consecrated bread and wine so as to come to it irreverently 4. Not so to discern Christ's body as to come to it with a remaining affection to sin with a known willful sin unrepented of unresolved against particularly hatred and malice These are the chief parts of unworthiness So that if we examine our selves touching the Five things mentioned 1. Repentance 2. Faith in the Holy Jesus 3. Resolutions of a Christian Life and a new Obedience 4. Our Charity 5. Our Thankfulness and Devotion and find them in the Soul though in lower degrees and measures yet if we find there withal desires of having them greater let us not then fear of eating and drinking our own Damnation but ever come with a holy chearful humble and devout heart to this most heavenly Duty Thus have I briefly explained the Nature and the meaning and the benefits of the Two Sacraments which are necessary for all men in general to Salvation and which our blessed Saviour a little before he left this lower World appointed and ordered to be continued by us in his Church to the Worlds end to be dispensed by the Ministers of the Gospel to all believers as the ordinary way and means to keep us in Covenant with him and to convey Grace to his People Accordingly he has appointed and set apart a whole Order of Men in succession down from the Apostles to administer the Word and both these Sacraments to all faithful People till his second coming to judge the World The First of these I mean Baptism is the Sacrament by which we are admitted into his Church the Second of these the Lord's Supper is the Sacrament by which we solemnly and thankfully own our having been so The First of these is the Sacrament by which we are admitted to the Favour of our God and Saviour the Second is that Sacrament by which we are to continue our selves in that Favour Again The First of these is the Sacrament by which we are admitted and received into the Covenant of Grace before we knew it the Second of these is the Sacrament by which we renew and confirm this gracious Covenant with our God and Saviour The First of these the Sacrament by which we have a Title given us to a Kingdom of Glory the Second is the Sacrament to which God mercifully invites us to ratifie confirm and renew that Title of ours to a Crown of Life The First of these the Sacrament by which we are new-born to Righteousness the Second of them is the Sacrament by which we are nourished up in it The First of these the Sacrament by which we are made Christians or Disciples of the Holy Jesus the other the Sacrament by which we solemnly