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    Alleine, Richard Author Profile
    Author Alleine, Richard
    Denomination
    Breife explanation of the common Catechisme Text Profile
    Genre Catechism
    Date 1631
    Full Title A breife explanation of the common Catechisme, distinguished into three Parts. 1. Of the priuiledges, 2. Of the duties of a Christian. 3. Of the holy Sacraments, the pledges and bonds both of the one and other.
    Source STC STC 358
    Sampling Sample 1
    Text Layout
    The original format is octavo.
    The original contains first paragraphas are introduced by decorated initial,contains elements such as italics,change of font,footnotes,
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    THE FIRST Part of the priuiledges of a Christian.

    Question.
    WHat is your Name?
    Answ. N or M.
    Q. Who gaue you that
    name?
    A. My Godfathers and
    my Godmothers in my Baptisme;
    wherein I was made a member of
    Christ, a childe of God, and an inheritor
    of the kingdome of heauen.
    Q. Why was your name giuen to
    you in your Baptisme?
    A. First, to signifie that then and
    not before, I obtaine a name and account
    with God, to be knowne for his,
    and to be as on record in his Booke,
    enrolled a citizen with his Saints,
    when renouncing what formerly I

    A4

    1
    haue beene, I betake my selfe to his
    seruice.
    Secondly, that so oft as I remember
    my name, I should together call to
    minde the couenant made in my baptisme,
    and what dutie I therein promised
    vnto God.
    Q. If we now first come into account
    with God when we are baptized, what
    then are we all of our selues in our naturall
    condition?
    A. We are all borne in sinne, children
    of wrath, slaues of the deuill, subiect
    to all manner punishments both
    of soule and bodie in this life, and
    when death comes, to eternall damnation
    in hell fire.
    Q. How did we become thus sinfull
    and miserable?
    A. Not by our first creation: for God
    made man iust and righteous, but by
    our father Adams infidelitie and disobedience,
    in eating the forbidden
    fruite.
    Q. What meanes is there of our deliuerance
    from this damnable estate?
    A. No other but in Iesus Christ
    alone the Sonne of God: and the couenant
    of grace and mercie which he
    2
    maketh with vs in our baptisme.
    Q. What benefit haue we by our
    baptisme?
    A. Wee inioy hereby, as in the
    first answere is before shewed a three
    fold priuiledge wherein a Christian
    man goeth beyond all others in the
    world.

    The first Priuiledge.

    Q. What is the first priuiledge?
    A. The first is, that I thus become
    a member of Christ & of his Church,
    one of the number and societie of his
    people.
    Q. What is the benefit of such my
    being in Christ?
    A. An holy communion and fellowship,
    and that first with Christ himselfe
    for his righteousnesse, merite and
    obedience, for my iustification, pardon
    and sanctification thereby.
    Secondly, with his Church, to bee
    ioyned hereunto, and to enioy a right
    and freedome in all the graces and benefits
    which he hath bestowed thereon.

    The second Priuiledge.

    Q. What is the second priuiledge?
    A. That I am thus a child of God
    3
    through adoption and grace.
    Q. What are the signes of such my
    adoption, whereby I may know the
    same?
    A. First, if I can goe to God in the
    name of Christ, with a child-like confidence
    and comfortable boldnesse, as
    to my father in heartie and feruent
    prayer.
    Secondly, if I finde in my heart the
    same affection to God which a dutifull
    childe ought to haue to his father, with
    such loue, feare and thankefulnesse
    vnto him.
    Thirdly, if I conforme my selfe in
    obedience to his will, and endeuour
    to forme my conuersation in holinesse
    like vnto him, as an ingenious childe
    striues to imitate his father.

    The third Priuiledge.

    Q. What is the third Priuiledge?
    A. This followeth of the former,
    that being a sonne, I am also an
    heire, euen an heire of God, and coheire
    with Christ, and haue right of an
    inheritance by him.
    Q. What manner of inheritance is
    this?
    A. It is the inheritance of a kingdome,
    4
    and this immortall and vndefiled,
    and which withereth not, reserued
    in heauen for vs.
    Q. What learne we from the consideration
    of these Priuiledges?
    A. First, to magnifie God in such
    infinite mercie, as of heires of corruption
    and death, to beget vs againe to
    a liuely hope of such an immortall inheritance.
    Secondly, that we walke worthy
    the Lord and his high and holy calling,
    to please him in all things, and to
    count it a most vnbeseeming debasing
    of our selues, to seeke the fellowship
    of the world, and to minde earthly
    things.
    Thirdly, yet to know that in the
    things we doe, we merit not this
    kingdome, which as here we see is an
    inheritance, and is giuen vs in the
    right of sonnes through Christ from
    the first time of our new birth, as the
    first borne amongst men is heire, from
    the very moment of his birth and not
    for our obedience sake.

    The second part, concerning the duties of a Christian.

    Q. What did your Godfathers and
    5
    Godmothers promise for you in Baptisme?
    A. They did promise and vow three
    things in my name: first, that I should
    forsake the diuell and all his workes,
    the pompes and vanities of this wicked
    world, and all the sinfull lusts of
    the flesh.
    Secondly, that I should beleeue all
    the Articles of the Christian faith.
    Thirdly, that I should keepe Gods
    holy will and commandements and
    walke in the same all the dayes of my
    life.
    Q. Doe not you thinke that you are
    bound to beleeue and to do as they haue
    promised for you?
    A. Yes verily, and by Gods helpe so
    I will: and I heartily thanke our heauenly
    father, that he hath called me to
    this state of saluation, through Iesus
    Christ our Sauiour: and I pray God
    to giue me his grace that I may continue
    in the same vnto my liues end.
    Q. How are you bound to performe
    these duties?
    A. Not by an ordinarie bond, but by
    a solemne vow and oath hereof, which
    I must therefore holily obserue, as the
    6
    condition on my part couenanted, or
    else neuer expect performance of life
    and saluation from God.
    Q. But more specially, what be those
    duties contained in the former promise
    which we haue thus vowed?
    A. They are as is said three, first, Repentance,
    secondly, Faith, thirdly, Obedience.

    Of Repentance.

    Q.What is repentance which is first
    promised?
    A. It is a turning vnto God from
    the deuill, whom I thus forsake and renounce,
    with all sinnes which are his
    workes; and that not onely for the
    greatest and most notorious, but for
    the least, to the very thoughts and
    lusts hereof, and the vanities of the
    world: and the doing of that which is
    good and right before him.
    Q. What doe you meane by the vanities
    of the world?
    A. All those things, whether pleasure
    and delights or otherwise, whereof
    comes not some good to my selfe and others;
    the waies and deuises of mens
    owne hearts, for which God shall
    bring both yong & old to iudgement.
    7
    Q. Why are sinnes called the works
    of the diuell?
    A. Not onely because he is the author
    of these by whose temptation they
    come; but because in doeing of these,
    men serue the diuell himselfe, and
    shall with him receiue the wages of
    sinne which is eternall death.
    Q. What learne we hence?
    A. As men would abhorre and feare
    to thinke that the diuell is their master,
    so to flie and breake away from
    all sinne in whatsoeuer kindes thereof,
    and come to amendment out of his
    snares.
    Q. Is it in our power to repent
    when we will?
    A. No, but it is God that must conuert
    vs and giue vs repentance, and
    therefore in stead of putting off our amendment
    through such a presumptuous
    thought that we can turne to
    God when we see our time, we must
    heare when he calls, and without delay
    returne, praying him to giue vs
    a minde to know and obey him.
    Q. How may I approue my selfe that
    I haue truely repented?
    A. By my affection towards sinne,
    8
    that I leath and hate it, and not by
    forbearing to commit sinne onely, as
    also by my reformation, that I am
    cleansed hereof as a cloth sheweth that
    it hath been washed by the cleanenesse
    of it.

    Of Faith.

    Q. What is Faith, which in the second
    place is promised?
    A. It is a grace of God, whereby we
    giue credence vnto his word, & whatsoeuer
    is contained therein concerning
    himselfe, his works and promises made
    vnto his Church, and particularly the
    promise of mercy and pardon through
    Christ, to euery one that repenteth
    and beleeueth, with an apprehending
    and applying hereof vnto our selues
    for our saluation thereby.
    Q. How is faith wrought in vs?
    A. By Gods Spirit through the
    preaching of the Word; when inlightning
    our mindes to see the danger
    and vglinesse of our sinnes, and
    the excellencie of the righteousnesse of
    Christ offered in the Gospell, he moueth
    vs to desire the same, and earnestly
    to pray for it: after which, he doth
    let vs feele the comfortable assurance
    9
    hereof, which is this true and sauing
    Faith.
    Q. What are those things which euery
    man must necessarily beleeue vnto
    saluation?
    A. They are such which either concerne
    God, his nature, the persons in
    the God-head, and his workes in our
    creation and redemption: or else the
    Church of God, and those benefits
    which he hath bestowed thereon, the
    summe whereof we haue comprised in
    the Articles of our beleefe.
    Q. Rehearse the Articles of thy beleefe.
    A. I beleeue in God the Father Almightie
    maker of heauen and earth;
    And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne
    our Lord, which was conceiued by the
    holy Ghost, borne of the Uirgin Marie,
    suffered vnder Pontius Pilate,
    was crucified, dead and buried: he descended
    into hell, the third day he rose
    againe from the dead, he ascended into
    heauen, and sitteth at the right hand
    of God the Father Almightie; from
    thence he shall come to iudge the quick
    and the dead: I beleeue in the Holy
    Ghost, the holy Catholique Church
    10
    the communion of Saints, the forgiuenesse
    of sinnes, the resurrection of the
    body, and the life euerlasting, Amen.
    Q. What doest thou chiefely learne
    in these Articles of thy beliefe?
    A. First I learne to beleeue in God
    the Father who hath made me, and all
    the world.
    Secondly, in God the Sonne, who
    hath redeemed me and all mankinde.
    Thirdly, in God the holy Ghost,
    who hath sanctified me and all the elect
    people of God.
    Q. What are we taught here to beleeue
    concerning God?
    A. First, that there is but one God,
    who is a spirit most wise, most holy,
    eternall, infinite.
    Secondly, that in this Godhead,
    there be three persons, the Father,
    the Sonne, and the holy Ghost, of the
    same eternity, equality, and essence together.
    Q. What is the Father?
    A. Hee is the first person in the
    Trinity, who eternally begetteth the
    Sonne.
    Q. What is his worke towards the
    creatures?

    B

    11
    A. That he made them at the beginning
    of nothing by his word, and
    gouerneth them still by his speciall
    prouidence.
    Q. What is the Sonne?
    A. He is the second person in the
    Trinitie, eternally begotten of the
    Father, God and man in one person.
    Q. How did Christ become a man?
    A. Hee was conceiued by the holy
    Ghost, and borne of the Uirgine Marie.
    Q. Why must he be both God and
    man?
    A. That he might be a meet mediatour
    betwixt God and man: a man to
    die for sinne, and God to ouercome
    death, and satisfie Gods iustice for
    vs.
    Q. What is the worke and office of
    Christ towards men?
    A. It is either speciall in regard of
    his Church, or more generall towards
    all.
    Q. What is his office towards his
    Church?
    A. To be the Sauiour and Redeemer
    thereof, to saue them from their
    12
    sinnes, and all punishment due
    thereto.
    Q. What did hee suffer, thus to redeeme
    vs?
    A. He suffered vnder Pontius Pilate,
    was crucified, dead, and buried, he
    descended into hell.
    Q. How can these his sufferings deliuer
    vs?
    A. Because he rose againe the third
    day, ascended into heauen, and sitteth
    at the right hand of God the Father, to
    make intercession for vs, thus by his
    Spirit, applying the benefit of his sufferings
    vnto vs, truly beleeuing in him,
    and willing that God for the merite
    hereof should accept vs.
    Q. What is his office in regard of all?
    A. To be the Iudge of quicke and
    dead, to absolue and acquite his chosen:
    and condemne the vngodly to euerlasting
    torment.
    Q. What is the Holy Ghost?
    A. Hee is the third person in the
    Trinity, eternally proceeding from
    the Father and the Sonne.
    Q. What is his office and worke?
    A. To regenerate and sanctifie vs,
    that is, to worke faith and conuersion

    B2

    13
    in our hearts: to enlighten and
    teach vs in the truth, to comfort and
    confirme vs, whence hee is by our Sauiour
    called the comforter of his
    Church.
    Q. Hauing seene what each person
    is, what is it to beleeue in God the Father,
    the Sonne, and the holy Ghost?
    A. This is not onely to beleeue that
    they are, and such in their nature,
    workers of benefits towards men as
    hath beene shewed, true in word and
    promises; but according to these promises
    to put our whole trust in this
    one God, that hee will make all this
    good vnto vs, and to be perswaded
    that whatsoeuer each of them are in
    grace and mercy, they will referre it
    all to our saluation
    Q. What doe you beleeue concerning
    the Church?
    A. This concerneth either what the
    Church is, or what the benefits are,
    that Christ hath endowed it with.
    Q. What is the Church?
    A. It is the holy company of the
    elect, that haue beene or shall be in the
    world, in whatsoeuer parts thereof
    professing faith in Christ, and embracing
    14
    his Word and Sacraments
    in the right and pure vse thereof.
    Q. What are the benefits which he
    hath obtained for his Church?
    A. First the communion of Saints,
    that is, an holy fellowship they haue
    with Christ, and amongst themselues,
    whereby each one hath right in anothers
    gifts and graces to be imployed
    and vsed for the common good of all.
    Secondly, the forgiuenesse of sinnes
    according to his rich grace.
    Thirdly, the resurrection of our bodies
    at the last day.
    Fourthly, eternall life in the world
    to come.

    Of Obedience.

    Q. What is Obedience which wee
    haue promised in the third place?
    A. It is a diligent obseruing of all
    the Commandements of God to doe
    the same: and carefull attending the
    direction hereof, as a rule of our conuersation,
    what we must auoid or doe,
    both towards God or man.
    Q. How many Commandements
    be there?
    A. Ten, which our Sauiour doth
    reduce to two heads: loue and duty

    B3

    15
    to two heads: loue and duty to God,
    and duty towards my neighbour.
    Q. What is your duty towards God?
    A. My duty towards God is to beleeue
    in him; to feare him, and to loue
    him with all my heart, with all my
    minde, with all my soule, and with all
    my strength: to worship him, to giue
    him thankes, to put my whole trust in
    him, to call vpon him, to honour his
    holy name and his word, and to serue
    him truly all the dayes of my life.
    Q. In which Commandements is this
    duty contained?
    A. In the foure first Commandements
    which are called the first Table
    of the Law, concerning the worship of
    God.
    Q. What is the first Commandement?
    A. Thou shalt haue no other Gods
    but me.

    Q. What is required in this Commandement?
    A. That wee giue to God his full
    due of all diuine worship, in prayers,
    praises, faith, confidence; hope,
    feare and loue, with all our hearts:
    which if wee giue to any other thing,
    16
    we make a God thereof, and so are
    breakers of this Commandement.
    Q.Which is the second Commandement?
    A. Thou shalt not make to thy selfe
    any grauen Image, nor the likenesse of
    any thing that is in heauen aboue, or
    in earth beneath, or in the waters vnder
    the earth, thou shalt not bow downe
    to them, nor worship them. For I the
    Lord thy God am a iealous God, and
    visite the sinnes of the fathers vpon
    the children vnto the third and fourth
    generation of them that hate mee, and
    shew mercie vnto thousands in them
    that loue me, and keepe my commandements.

    Q. What is required in this commandement?
    A. That we worship God as himselfe
    hath appointed, not to make any
    image or similitude of any creature
    whatsoeuer, to represent God, or to
    worship him in or before the same.
    Q. Which is the third Commandement?
    A. Thou shalt not take the name of
    the Lord thy God in vaine: for the
    Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that

    B4

    17
    taketh his name in vaine.

    Q. What is required in this Commandement?
    A. That as God is holy in himselfe,
    so wee honour him in the reuerent
    mention and speaking of his titles,
    word, and workes, and the sacred vse
    of an oath when we are called hereunto:
    and auoid not onely wicked and
    rash and ordinary swearing, but also
    the vaine vsing of his name without
    iust cause: according to that of the
    wise man, take not vp for a custome
    the naming of the holy one, for as a
    seruant that is oft punished, cannot be
    without some fearre, so hee that sweareth
    and nameth God continually shal
    not be innocent.
    Q. Which is the fourth Commandement?
    A. Remember to keepe holy the
    Sabbath day: six dayes shalt thou labour
    and doe all that thou hast to doe:
    but the seuenth day is the Sabbath of
    the Lord thy God, in it thou shalt doe
    no manner of worke, thou and thy
    Sonne, and thy Daughter, thy manseruant
    and thy maidseruant, thy cattell,
    and the stranger that is within thy
    18
    gates; for in six dayes the Lord made
    heauen and earth, the sea and all that
    in them is, and rested the seuenth day,
    wherefore the Lord blessed the seuenth
    day and hallowed it.

    Q. What is required in this Commandement?
    A. Herein God setteth apart the
    Sabbath day for his seruice; which we
    must therefore so wholly consecrate
    hereunto as as not to take liberty of
    speaking or thinking of worldly businesses,
    much lesse then spend it in sinfull
    delights.
    Q. What is your dutie towards your
    neighbour.
    A. My dutie towards my neighbour
    is to loue him as my selfe, and to
    doe vnto all men, as I would they
    should doe vnto me. To loue honour
    and succour my father and mother, to
    honour and obey the King and his
    Ministers, to submit my selfe to all my
    Gouernors, Teachers, spirituall Pastors
    and Masters: to order my selfe
    lowly & reuerently to all my betters:
    to hurt no body by word nor deed: to be
    true and iust in all my dealing: to
    beare not malice nor hatred in my
    19
    heart; to keepe my hands from picking
    and stealing, and my tongue from
    euill speaking, lying or slandering, to
    keepe my body in temperance sobernesse
    and chastity, not to couet nor desire
    other mens goods, but to learne
    and labour truely to get mine owne
    liuing, and to doe my dutie in that
    state of life, vnto the which it shall
    please God to call me.
    Q. In which Commandements is
    this duty contained.
    A. In the sixe last, which are called
    the second Table.
    Q. Which then is the fift Commandement?
    A. Honour thy father and thy mother,
    that thy dayes may be long in the
    land, which the Lord thy God giueth
    thee.

    Q. What doth God require in this
    Commandement.
    A. Honour to my Superiours, whether
    in the Family, Church, or
    Common wealth: who as they should
    bee fathers in their gouernment, so
    must I be as a child in willing and
    cheerefull obedience to them, in the
    seuerall duties that their callings doe
    20
    require, and that for conscience sake,
    giuing honour to whom honour, tribute
    to whom tribute, feare to whom
    feare, succour to whom succour belongeth.
    Q. Which is the sixt Commandement.
    A. Thou shalt doe no murther.
    Q. What is required in this Commandement.
    A. A care of my neighbours person
    to helpe the preseruation of his life by
    all meanes, and eschew all things euen
    to angry and malicious thoughts
    that may endanger the same.
    Q. Which is the seuenth.
    A. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
    Q. What is required in this Commandement.
    A. A care of my neighbours chastity
    and mine owne, in flying all fornication
    and vncleannesse to inward lusts
    and outward lookes and gestures that
    bewray wantonnesse, as sinnes not to
    be named among Christians.
    Q. What is the eight.
    A. Thou shalt not steale.
    Q. What is required in this Commandement.
    21
    A. A care of my neighbours goods
    not by stealing, or any indirect
    meanes of cousenage, guile or oppression
    to releeue my selfe, but contrarily
    to worke with my hands the thing
    that is honest.
    Q. Which is the ninth?
    A. Thou shalt not beare false witnesse
    against thy neighbour.

    Q. What is required in this Commandement?
    A. A care of my Neighbours good
    name, neither by lying, nor slandering,
    telling of tales, or lightly receiuing
    or reporting of them, to wrong
    him herein.
    Q. Which is the tenth?
    A. Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours
    house: thou shalt not couet thy
    neighbours wife: nor his manseruant,
    neither his mayd, nor his oxe, nor his
    asse, nor any thing that is his.

    Q. What is required in this Commandement?
    A. A minde and inward affection
    truely disposed according to Charitie,
    in all things whatsoeuer belonging to
    my neighbour, not to lust for, or couet
    the same, no though I yeeld no consent
    22
    thereunto, nor purpose at all to seeke
    after them.
    Q. Can we fulfill this law of God
    ashe requireth?
    A. No, in no wise: for in many
    things we sinne all: and he that faileth
    in one point saith the Apostle
    is guilty of all.
    Q. What learne we hence?
    A. First, not to seeke righteousnes
    by the Law, nor our doing the workes
    thereof, but to approue our selues
    obedient vnto God in cheerefully doing
    what he doth enable vs vnto, to serue
    vnto his honour, and to shew our selues
    desirous of conformitie to his will.
    Secondly, this shewes what neede
    we haue of Christ, and to be found in
    him to deliuer vs from the curse due
    to the breach of the Law.
    Thirdly, to pray to him for the assistance
    of his speciall grace to be vpright,
    diligent, and constant in his
    statutes, though wee cannot be perfect
    in them.

    Of Prayer.

    Q. Let me heare if you can say the
    Lords Prayer?
    A. Our father which art in heauen
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    hallowed be thy name; thy kingdome
    come: thy will be done, in earth as it
    is in heauen: giue vs this day our
    daily bread: and forgiue vs our trespasses,
    as we forgiue them that trespasse
    against vs: and lead vs not into
    temptation, but deliuer vs from euill
    for thine is the kingdome, the power,
    and glory for euer and euer. Amen.

    Q. What desirest thou of God in this
    Prayer.
    A. I desire my Lord God our heauenly
    Father, who is the giuer of all
    goodnesse, to send his grace vnto me,
    and to all people, that wee may worship
    him, serue him, and obey him as
    we ought to doe, and I pray vnto God
    that he will send vs all things that bee
    needfull both for our soules and bodies:
    and that he will be mercifull vnto vs,
    and forgiue vs our sinnes, and that it
    may please him to saue and defend vs
    in all dangers ghostly and bodily, and
    that he will keepe vs from all sinne &
    wickednesse, and from our ghostly enemy,
    and from euerlasting death: and
    this I trust he will doe of his mercie
    and goodnesse, through our Lord Iesus
    Christ, and therefore I say Amen,
    so be it.
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    Q. To whom must wee make our
    prayers?
    A. To God onely, the Father, the
    Sonne, and the Holy Ghost, from
    whom all good things doe come, and
    who hath willed vs to pray for these to
    him alone.
    Q. In whose name must we pray?
    A. In the name of Christ onely, as
    who alone is our Mediatour, and
    hath willed vs to pray in his name;
    giuing vs a gracious promise to heare
    vs in so doing.
    Q. May not we pray to the Virgin
    Mary and other Saints?
    A. No, in no wise: for besides that
    they heare vs not, nor know our
    selues, or our wants; this were flat
    idolatry, and to rob God of his honour:
    who alone can heare vs, and
    giue vs such things as we stand in need
    of: in whom alone wee must beleeue,
    and therefore he alone must be prayed
    vnto.
    Q. But may not we vse their mediation
    and intercession to God?
    A. No neither: for Christ in this
    Prayer, teacheth vs to goe to God as
    to our Father through him, in whom
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    alone is well pleased with vs. And
    if children alike beloued of their father
    vse not their brethrens intercession:
    no more neede we theirs, since by
    Christ we haue boldnesse & entrance,
    with confidence by faith in him.
    Q. Why do we here call God our
    Father not my Father?
    A. To teach vs to come to pray in
    charitie, with peaceable mindes one
    towards another, and that wee ought
    to pray one for another as for our
    selues.
    Q. Why is it further added which
    art in heauen
    ?
    A. To teach vs to come with reuerence
    when we would present our praiers
    vnto God: & also to assure vs that
    as he is willing to heare vs in that he
    is our Father, so he is able to helpe vs
    beeing an heauenly Father.
    Q. What are we to obserue in the
    rest of the words?
    A. First, the things wee desire of
    God: Secondly, the order thereof.
    Q. What are the things wee here
    pray for?
    A. They either concerne God, or
    our owne selues.
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    Q. What are the things we pray for
    appertaining to God.
    A. They be three especially, contained
    in the three first clauses or petitions.
    First, that as hee is holy in himselfe,
    so hee may be honoured, feared,
    and praised, of vs.
    Secondly, that his kingdome in his
    Church may be aduanced, and his
    kingdome of glory hastened in the
    world to come.
    Thirdly, that renouncing our
    owne wills, his Will and Commandement
    alone may take place, and
    we so readily and spedily doe them, as
    the Angells in heauen fulfill the same.
    Q. What be the things we pray for
    concerning our selues.
    A. They be three also in the three last
    clauses. First a supply of our wants
    for the things necessary for this life
    from day to day.
    Secondly, pardon of our sinnes
    past.
    Thirdly, preseruation against sins
    to come, and temptations hereunto.
    Q. What is the order to be noted in
    these petitions.
    A. That the things concerning the

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    glory of God are first set downe, and
    those which concerne our selues last,
    to teach vs to seeke the best things in
    the first place, and to preferre Gods
    glory before our selues, and whatsoeuer
    is most necessary and behoouefull
    for vs.
    Q. Why are the last words added
    for thine is the kingdome &c.
    A. To teach vs to be thankfull for
    benefits receiued, if wee would looke
    for new blessings: and to pray in faith
    and assurance that God for his Sons
    sake heareth vs, and will grant our desires
    so farre as he seeth it expedient
    for vs.
    The third part, of the holy Sacraments.
    Q. How many Sacraments hath
    Christ ordained in his Church.
    A. Two onely, as generally necessary
    vnto saluation: that is to say,
    Baptisme, and the Supper of the
    Lord.
    Q. How are these Sacraments necessary.
    A. They are necessary against the
    wilfull neglect and contempt hereof.
    yet not absolutely and simply necessarie
    but that God may giue grace vnto
    28
    saluation, where the seales hereof cannot
    be had.
    Q. How proue you that there be
    onely these two Sacraments?
    A. First Christ instituted no more
    but these: who onely can giue the grace
    signified, and therefore onely hath authority
    to ordaine the signe.
    Secondly, there needs no more: for
    as for our naturall life being borne, it
    is sufficient hereunto, that wee haue
    food and raiment; so for our spirituall
    life being borne againe of the Holy
    Ghost, it is sufficient that we haue the
    robe of righteousnes for our clothing,
    which is put vpon vs in our Baptisme
    and food of life for our growth
    and nourishment, to the state of perfect
    men in Christ, which is giuen vnto
    vs in the Lords Supper.
    Q. What meanest thou by this word
    Sacrament.
    A. I meane an outward and visible
    signe, of an outward & spirituall grace,
    giuen vnto vs, ordained by Christ
    himselfe, as a meanes whereby wee
    receiue the same, and as a pledge to
    assure vs thereof.
    Q. How many parts be there in a Sacrament.

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    A. Two, the outward visible signe,
    and the inward spirituall grace.
    Q. But in other institutions, as of
    Matrimonie, & c. there is an outward
    signe of an inuisible grace, why then
    are not these Sacraments?
    A. Not euery grace freely giuen of
    God, and whereof there may be alleadged
    some outward signe, is sufficient to
    constitute a Sacrament, but only the
    grace published in the Gospell, as
    the immediate and maine tenour therof,
    for which we are accepted of God:
    namely, the promise of Christ himselfe
    with his merits and righteousnesse,
    with his sufferings and bloodshed,
    for the washing away of our sins,
    and the spirituall nourishment of our
    soules: But hereunto alone are these
    two Sacraments annexed as the seales
    thereof, and not any ordinance else,
    and therefore are these the onely Sacraments.

    Of Baptisme.

    Q. What is the outward visible
    signe or forme in Baptisme.
    A. Water, wherein the person
    baptized is dipped or sprinkled with
    it, in the name of the Father, and of
    30
    the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost.
    Q. What may we obserue in the
    outward administration thereof.
    A. First the element that is vsed,
    namely, Water: Secondly, the rite of
    vsing it, dipping or sprinkling.
    Q. What is the inward and spirituall
    grace signified by Water.
    A. Christ and his bloudshed as it
    hath vertue to cleanse from sinne and
    to purge the conscience from the pollutions
    hereof.
    Q. What is signified by this rite of
    dipping or sprinkling.
    A. A death vnto sinne, and a new
    birth vnto righteousnesse: for being by
    nature borne in sinne and children of
    wrath, we are hereby made the children
    of grace.
    What is required of persons to be
    baptized.
    A. Repentance whereby they forsake
    sinne, and faith whereby they
    stedfastly beleeue the promises of God
    made to them in that Sacrament.
    Q. Why then are infants baptized,
    when by reason of their tender age
    they cannot performe them.
    A. Yes: they doe performe them by

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    their sureties, who promise and vow
    them both in their names, which when
    they come to age themselues are bound
    to performe.

    Of the Lords Supper.

    Q. Why was the Sacrament of the
    Lords Supper ordained.
    A. For the continuall remembrance
    of the sacrifice of the death of Christ,
    and the benefits which we receiue
    thereby.
    Q. What doth this remembrance
    require.
    A. First a meditation of the historie
    of the passion of Christ, and what befell
    him herein.
    Secondly, together to consider the
    hatefulnesse of sinne, which God would
    thus punish in his owne Sonne.
    Thirdly, the iustice of God and his
    seueritie, whereby no reconciliation
    could be made, vnlesse by due punishment
    there were a satisfaction thereof.
    Fourthly, the endlesse mercie of
    God prouiding a remedie for vs in his
    owne sonne, when there was no
    meanes else.
    Fiftly, as truely to feare in the acknowledgement
    of Gods wrath against
    32
    our sinnes, and heartily to bee
    grieued for them, so to bee raised vp
    with comfort in our deliuerance thus
    obtained, and with our whole hearts
    praise our redeemer, who hath deliuered
    vs.
    Q. What is the outward part or
    signe of the Lords Supper.
    A. Bread and Wine which the
    Lord hath commanded to bee receiued.
    Q. Why did he ordaine both Bread
    and Wine.
    A. To note that he is the all sufficient
    food of our soules, euen as bread
    & wine are a compleate nourishment
    of our bodies.
    Q. What is the inward part or
    thing signified.
    A. The bodie and bloud of Christ,
    which are verily and indeed taken and
    receiued of the faithfull in the Lords
    Supper.
    Q. What is it to eate the bodie and
    bloud of Christ.
    A. This is to beleeue the divine
    promise which testifieth that the body
    of Christ was crucified for vs, and
    his bloud shed for the remission of our

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    sinnes, and by our faith so to bee ioyned
    vnto Christ, to partake in him,
    as the nourishment is ioyned with
    our bodies for our refreshing thereby.
    Q. How may wee eate the body of
    Christ and drinke his bloud?
    A. By the same our faith beleeuing
    in him, truely, yet spiritually,
    and not after a carnall and bodily
    manner: as our Sauiour saith, hee
    that commeth vnto me shall not hunger,
    and he that beleeueth in me shall
    neuer thirst.
    A. What are the benefits whereof
    wee are partakers thereby.
    A. The strengthening and refreshing
    of our soules by the body and
    bloud of Christ, as our bodies are by
    the bread and wine.
    Q. What is required of them which
    come to the Lords Supper.
    A. To examine themselues whether
    they repent them truely of their
    former sinnes, stedfastly purposing to
    leade a new life: haue a liuely faith in
    Gods mercy through Christ, with a
    thankfull remembrance of his death,
    and be in charity with all men.
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    Q. What is the especiall end of this
    holy institution.
    A. To be a most effectuall pledge
    and confirmation, and that first of our
    Communion and fellowship with
    Christ, and by him with the Father
    and the Holy Ghost: according to
    that of the Apostle, the cuppe of
    blessing which wee blesse, is it not
    the Communion of the bloud of
    Christ.
    Secondly, of that immortall inheritance
    reserued in heauen for vs, for
    as in the sale and conueyance of land,
    seizon and liuerie is made by giuing
    one mote or turffe thereof; so by this
    Sacrament Christ doth seize vs,
    and giue vs inuestment of our
    heauenly kingdome.
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