A Short Catechism
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A01982.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
A short Catechism, wherein are briefly laid down the fundamental Principles of Christian RELIGION. Needful to be known of all such as come to the Lord's Table. Whereunto is added Morning and Euening Prayer for a Family.
The second Edition, corrected and enlarged.
HEB. 5. 12.
LONDON Printed by Io. Beale, 1616.
The Printer to the Reader.
Good Reader,
T Hou hast here again these short Principles of Religion published for thy good. I have the opinion of others, whose judgments I have just cause to reverence, concerning the soundness of them. And I doubt not but thou thyself, if thou shalt thoroughly observe and weigh them, wilt find abundance of matter couched in few words. The fewer and briefer that the Principles be, the sooner are they learned by heart, & the more firmelie are they retained in memory. They way easily be by word of mouth enlarged and amplified by any that hath any competent measure of knowledge. The texts of Scripture whereunto the Reader was referred before only by quotations in the margent, are now expressly set down directly against the words, that thou mayest more readily see the proofs, and compare the Principles and proofs together. There are also added two Prayers, fit to be used morning and evening in a family, by such as cannot pray without some such helps. These forms of Prayer, were gathered out of such Prayers as the Author of these Principles hath at diverse times used, by one that hath oft heard him All âre published for thy good▪ Farewell.
A SHORT Catachisme, containing the fundamental Principles of Christian Religion.
The places of Scripture for proof of every Answer.
Question. 1
W Hat is eueryone most bound to know?
Ans. Every one is bound to have knowledge of God and of himself.
Question. 1
This was one thing which God chiefly aimed at, to make Job know what man was compared unto God.
Question. 2
Q. Where is this knowledge to be had?
A. In the holy Scriptures, contained in the old and New Testament.
Question. 2
Question. 3
Q. Who is the author of the Scripture?
A. The holy spirit of God, who inspired holy men to write them.
Question. 5
God's infinite perfection is implied in these and such like phrases;
Question. 6
Q. How many God's are there?
A. Only one: but distinguished into three persons; the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost.
Question. 6
Question. 7
When God would make himself known unto Moses, he declared his properties unto him saying;
Question. 8
Q. What are the properties of God?
A. That he is eternal, almighty, everywhere present, infinitely wise, just, merciful, &c.
Question. 8
Q. What are the works of God?
A. His decree, and the execution thereof.
Question. 10
Q. What believe you touching his decree?
A. That he ordained all things before all times according to his will.
Question. 11
Q. Wherein consisteth the execution of God's decree?
Question. 11
Question. 12
Question. 13
Q. How doth God govern all things?
A. By his wise providence he preserveth all, and disposeth them to his own glory, and his children's good.
Question. 13
Question. 14
Q. How may we come to the knowledge of our selves?
A. By considering the several estates of man.
Question. 15
Q. Which are they?
A. First, that happy estate wherein man was made.
Secondly, that miserable estate whereinto he fell.
Thirdly, that renewd estate whereunto by grace he is called.
Fourthly, that glorious estate which is in heaven preserved for him.
Question. 15
Question. 16
Q. Do all men pass thorough all these estates?
A. Noah: only the elect of God: the rest as they fell into misery, so in misery they lie.
Question. 16
Question. 17
Q. Wherein especially did that happiness consist, in which man was made?
Question. 18
Q. In what respect is he said to be made after God's image?
A. In that he was endued with perfect knowledge, and true holiness and righteousness.
Question. 18
Question. 19
Q. Doth man still remain in that happy estate wherein he was made?
Question. 19
that is, Everyone born of a woman is most filthy and wretched.
Question. 22
Q. What be the kinds of sin?
A. Original, and Actual.
Question. 23
Q What is original sin?
A. That corruption of nature, wherein all are conceived and borne.
Question. 24
Q. How is the heinousness thereof discerned?
A. By three things:
First. that it is the seed of all sin.
Secondly, that it hath defiled the whole man.
Thirdly, that it never ceaseth to provoke man to sin, so long as he liveth.
Question. 24
The Apostle having reckoned up many particulars, addeth these words ( and such like; ) whereby he implieth that all particular sins are fruits of the flesh.
Question. 25
Q. What is actual sin?
A. The fruit of original sin, in evil thoughts, words, and deeds.
Question. 25
Question. 26
Q. How many ways is sin committed?
A. Three ways:
1. By omitting the good we should do.
Question. 26
Question. 27
Q. What is the punishment due to sin?
A. The curse of God, which causeth all miseries in this life, in the end death, and after it eternal torment in hell.
Question. 27
Question. 28
Q. Is any man able to free himself out of this misery?
A. No: for by nature we are dead in sin, and so no more able to help our selves then dead men.
Question. 31
Q. Was it necessary that our Savior should be both God and man?
A. Yea, because he was to make a reconciliation between God and man.
Question. 31
Question. 32
Q. How did Christ work this reconciliation?
A. Both by fulfilling the righteousness of the Law, whereunto we were bound: and also by bearing that punishment which we by sin had deserved.
Question. 32
Question. 33
Q. How can those things which Christ did in his own person be available for us?
Question. 34
Q. What is faith?
A. A belief of the Gospel, whereby Christ Jesus, and all his benefits offered therein, are received.
Question. 34
Question. 35
Q. What are the principal benefits which by faith we receive from Christ?
A. In this life justification and sanctification, and in the life to come eternal salvation.
Question. 35
Christ Jesus is made unto us righteousness and sanctification.
Ye are sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Question. 36
Q. Wherein consisteth our justification?
A. In the full remission of all our sins, and in the imputation of Christ his righteousness unto us.
Question. 36
Question. 37
Q. Wherein consisteth our sanctification?
A. In inligtning our mind, and in reforming our other parts.
Question. 37
Question. 38
Q. What is the illuminating of our mind?
Question. 39
Q What is reformation?
A. That which is commonly called Repentance, which is such a change of the heart as causeth a new life.
Question. 39
Question. 40
Q. Whence ariseth repentance?
A. From a godly sorrow for sin, and from faith in the forgiveness of sin.
Question. 40
Question. 41
Q. What are the parts of repentance?
A. 1. Mortification, which is a ceasting to sin.
2. Viuification, which is a living in true holiness and righteousness.
Question. 41
Question. 42
Q. What means hath God ordained to breed and increase these graces in us?
A. Three especially: First, the ministry of the word.
Question. 42
Question. 43
Q. How is the ministry of the Word made profitable unto us?
Question. 43
Question. 44
Q. What is a Sacrament?
A. An ordinance of God, wherein by outward signs God's promises in Christ are sealed up unto us, and our faith and repentance is testified.
Question. 44
Question. 45
Question. 46
Q. What is Baptism?
A. A Sacrament of Regeneration, wherein by the outward washing of our bodies with water, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost, the inward cleansing of our souls by the blood of Christ is represented and sealed up unto us.
Question. 46
Question. 47
Q. Why are the children of Christians baptized?
A. Because they are borne in the covenant, the promises of God belonging to faith full parents and their seed.
Question. 47
This is spoken in regard of God's covenant, under which the children of faithful parents are borne: otherwise being borne in sin, they are impure.
Question. 48
Q. What is the Lord's supper?
A. A Sacrament of our spiritual nourishment, wherein by receiving bread and wine according to Christ's institution, our communion with Christ, is represented and sealed up unto us.
Question. 48
Question. 49
Q. What must we do to partake of this Supper aright?
A. We must examine our selves, and come with knowledge, faith, repentance, and * love.
Question. 49
Question. 50
Q. Who pray aright?
A. They who pray to God in Christ his name, from the heart in faith, holiness, and love.
Question. 50
Question. 53
Q. What things are we to ask?
A. Such things as tend to God's glory, & our own good, whether temporal, or spiritual.
Question. 53
The three first petititions of the Lord's Prayer, declare the things which tend to God's glory; and the three last declare the things which tend to our good.
Question. 54
Q. For what things must we be thankful?
A. For all things, whether they be public, or private, concerning body, or soul, our selves, or others, either received or promised.
Question. 54
S t Paul gave thanks for the building up of God's Church in all the world.
Hezekiah gave thanks for the recovery of his health: a particular blessing, concerning his body.
David gave thanks for spiritual blessings concerning his soul.
Saint Paul giveth thanks for God's mercy towards himself.
And he exhorteth to give thanks for others.
Question. 54
Q. What is the estate of the faithful after death?
A. Their bodies sleep expecting the resurrection to life, and their souls go immediately to heaven, where at the last judgment their bodies shall be joined with their souls, and both enjoy everlasting happiness.
Question. 54
The beggar died, & was carried by the Angels into Abraham's bosom.
To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.
Question. 55
Q. What is the estate of the wicked after death?
A. Their bodies are held with the chains of death against the great day of judgment, and their souls pass immediately into hell torment, and at the general resurrection their bodies and souls shall be joined together again, and both cast into that torment, which is easeless, and endless.
Question. 55
Morning Prayer for a Family.
O Eternal God, we thy poor servants acknowledge that from thee we first received our being, and every good thing we enjoy▪ and that by thee the same is continued and preserved unto us, by thy good providence is this day renewed unto us, and we kept safe unto it: wherefore, desirous to perform our duty unto thee, and to receive a blessing from thee, (without which we cannot prosper in anything that we take in hand) we do humble our selves before the glorious throne of thy grace, to offer up unto thee our morning sacrifice of prayer. We know that our sins have made us odious in thy sight, unworthy of all thy blessings, and liable to all the judgments denounced in thy Word: they are for number innumerable, for we have committed more sins then we have lived moments; all our thoughts, words, and actions have been sinful, even the best things which we do are defiled with that sink of natural corruption which is in us, and by our careless manner of performing them. Every sin is in the nature of it infinitely heinous, because it is committed against thee, a God of infinite Majesty: but our sins are so much the more heinous, because they have been committed against our knowledge and conscience, yea and against those manifold means, which thou in mercy hast afforded to keep us from sin: we have long inioied the Ministry of thy Word, but have little profited thereby: thou hast accompanied the same with many sweet blessings, all which we have abused: like a careful Father thou hast tenderly corrected us; yet we have not been bettered thereby, but carried our selves stubbornly against thee. We are very prone to yield to all the corrupt suggestions of our flesh, and to the evil temptations of the Devil: and we are too much delighted with the wicked customs and fashions of this world: but exceeding dull and untoward we are to all holy exercises, and to every good thing. When we enter into an examination of our spiritual estate, we can find in our selves nothing but matter of horror, and of despair: we do therefore, as we have just cause, utterly deny our selves, and renounce all confidence in our selves, we fly to thy mercy-seat for mercy and pardon, and that in the name of thy dear son Christ Jesus, who came to save sinners, and who by the sacrifice of himself hath made a perfect satisfaction unto thine infinite justice for all our sins Enter not therefore into judgment with thy servants (O Lord) but accept of that alsufficiēt sacrifice of Christ for us; and be pleased we most humbly beseech thee, to remove the guilt and punishment of all our sins, that they may never rise up in judgment against us, to deprive us of thy favor and blessing, or to provoke thy wrath and vengeance against us in this world or in the world to come. And we do also earnestly entreat thee for Christ's sake to subdue in us all our corruptions, that they may not bear such sway in us as they have done heretofore: make us wise and watchful over our selves, that we may avoid as all sins, so all occasions and provocations, whereby we may be lead into evil: and make us conscionable in practicing all good duties which we are bound to do, and in using all good means whereby we may be kept in compass of our duty. O Lord let thy good spirit always abide in us, to assure us of thy love to us, and to renew us daily more and more according to thine own most glorious image. We beseech thee to enlighten our dark understandings, to rectify our perverse wills, to mollify our hard hearts, to quicken our dull affections, and to reform all our outward parts, so as we may serve thee in true holiness and righteousness all the days of our life.
Make us just, faithful, and true in all our actious and words: make us pitiful and merciful to such as stand in need of our help, and that according to their necessity & our ability: and grant that by our humble, modest, gentle carriage of our selves towards all men, we may adorn out Christian profession.
And now, heavenly Father, we commend our selves, souls, and bodies to thy blessing. Bless us we beseech thee in our callings, direct thou the work of our hands, and prosper them unto us. Sanctify also all thy good creatures which thou affourdest unto our use.
We humbly beseeth thee to bless also thy whole Church: and particularly the whole Nation wherein we live: continue in it the light of thy Gospel, and give a free passage thereunto. Vouchsafe unto it all needful prosperity. We heartily pray thee to bless our royal Sovereign King James and his government: long preserve his life, & health, and reign. Bless all our Magistrates and Ministers of thy holy word. Succor all the afflicted members of Christ Jesus. Do good to all our kindred, alliance, friends, acquaintance, neighbors. Linke all of us together by the bond of thy holy spirit, who are knit by any outward bond; that thus we may have just cause to rejoice one in another, and to bless thee one for another. Let thy blessing remain on all Christian families which call upon thy name, and particularly upon this our family: grant that we may make our house to be thy Church by performing an holy worship unto thee, that so thy gracious presence may be ever among us: and because thy promises do belong to us, and our children, we pray thee to bless our issue with all needful blessings. Work in us a religious care well to train them up, and give thou a blessing to all the means that are used for their good education, that they being taught by us to fear thee, may teach their children also so to do, and thus thy fear be continued among our posterity from generation to generation. O Lord our God, we know that the good things we want, and the dangers whereunto we are subject, are many more then we can think of, yet are they all well known unto thee; we do therefore entreat thee to bestow upon us what good things soever thou seest to be needful unto us, and to preserve us from all those evils which thou seest us subject unto.
According to our bounden duty we do also offer up our sacrifice of praise unto thy divine Majesty, in the mediation of Christ: blessing thee first of all, and above all, for those blessings which are proper to thine elect: as are our redemption by Christ, our reconciliation with thee, our adoption to be thy children, our justification & sanctification, and hope of eternal life, together with all the good graces which by thy good Spirit thou hast wrought in us. We thank thee also for all the means of our salvation, and for all the means of preserving our temporal life. In particular, we thank thee for the last nights quiet rest, and for bringing us safely to the beginning of this day. Neither are we unmindful of thy general blessings upon thy whole Church, upon this Land and Kingdom, upon our house and family, and upon all that any way belong unto us. We acknowledge thee (O Lord) to be the Author and giver of all things; & accordingly we give the praise of all unto thee.
Accept (we beseech thee) this our bounden duty, pardon all the defects & imperfections thereof, for thy Son, and our Savior Jesus Christ's sake: in whose name we conclude our prayers with that perfect form of prayer which he hath taught us, saying▪ Our Father, &c.
Euening Prayer for a Family.
MErcifull Father, Lord of heaven & earth, by thy good providence have we been safely kept this day, and all the days of our life heretofore. Many are the blessings which throughout the whole course of our life we have received from thee. It hath pleased thee to afford us sufficient means for the preservation of our life, health, and estate in this world, and also to bring us to eternal life: we praise thy holy name for them all: And now being about to go to our rest for this night, we commend ourselves, souls, bodies, goods, and all that belong to us, to thy safe keeping. O Lord accept us in thy beloved son, and be reconciled unto us, pardon we beseech thee all the sins which this day, or at any time heretofore we have committed against thee: grant that we may put off the old man with all the corrupt lusts thereof, and that the nearer we approach unto our dissolution, and the glorious appearing of Christ unto judgment, the better we may be prepared thereunto. For this end (we most humbly and earnestly pray thee) our knowledge of thy holy will, strengthen our faith in thy gracious promises, establish our hope of eternal life, work in our harts such a sweet sense of thy love to us, as thereby we may be provoked to love thee again; and in and for thee to love our brethren, yea even our enemies. Give us grace daily to renew our repentance, and to bring forth fruits meet for repentance. Continue in us a true fear of thy great name, which may keep us from sinning against thee; and an holy zeal of thy glory, which may stir us up to honor thee. Season all other graces with honesty, and sincerity of heart, wherewith thou (O Lord, the searcher of hearts) art much delighted. So frame the dispositiō of our minds and hearts, as we may wholly resign our selves to thy guiding providence, and remain contented in our several places, patient under all crosses, thankful for all blessings, and constant in our Christian course, till we come to receive the Crown of glory, promised by thy divine Majesty to all that overcome. In particular, we beseech thee to bless us this night, and to take us into thy safe protection. O our God, who neither slumberest, nor sleepest, watch over us whether we wake or sleep. Keep us, and all that belong unto us safe from all dangers: especially keep our persons safe from all the assaults of Satan, that he get no advantage against us. Give us, we pray thee, such quiet and moderate rest, as our bodies may be refreshed thereby, and we the better enabled to do that work which thou appointest unto us in our several places. O Lord hear and grant unto us all needful good things for Christ Jesus sake. In whose name and words we further cal upon thee, saying, Our Father which art in heaven, &c.