WHat meaneth this woord , Catechisme ?

It is as much as to say , a Christian Instruction .

What is the cheefe part of a Christian mans duetie ?

To knowe God .

By what meanes may we best knowe God ?

By his worde , and by his workes .

By what meanes , is Gods will best made knowne vnto vs ?

By these two parts of his word , namelie , the Lawe and the Gospell .

What learnest thou by the Lawe ?

I learne three thinges .

Which be they ?

First , I learne my miserable , wretched and wofull estate , and my corrupt and most dampnable condicion by nature .

Secondly , I learne thereby , both what Gods will is I should doo , and what I ought to doo . And what Gods will is I should not doo , and so , what I ought not to doo .

Thirdly , I am thereby taught , to flie to Christ for my saluation . Because I see nothing but condemnation in the Law , and the dexteritie , and righteousnesse thereof . And this is the summe and effect of Gods Lawe in generall .

Shew mee then the breefe sum of Gods Lawe in speciall ?

You meane the commaundements of almightie God , that he gaue vnto Moses in the mount .

Yea the same , how many be there ?

There be ten commaundements .

If you can , I pray you declare them ?

Yes that I can , they be the same which God spake in the xx . Chapter of Exodus , saying : Heare O Israel , I am the Lord thy God , that brought thee out of the land of Egipt , out of the house of bondage . 1. Thou shalt haue none other Gods but mee . 2. Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image , nor the lykenesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue , or in the earth beneath , nor in the waters vnder the earth , thou shalt not bowe downe to them nor worship them , for I the Lord thy God am a gealous God , and visite the sinnes of the Fathers vpon the chyldren , to the third and sowrth generation of them that hate mee : & shew mercie vnto thousandes , in them that loue mee and keepe my commaundements . 3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine , for the Lord will not holde him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine . 4. Remember thou keepe holy the Sabbaoth day : sixe daies shalt thou labour & doo all that thou hast to doo , but the seuenth day is the Sabaoth of the Lord thy God , in it thou shalt doo no manner of worke , thou and thy sonne , and thy daughter , thy man seruant , and thy maide seruant : thy thy cattaile , & the straunger that is within thy gates . For in sixe dayes the Lord made heauen and earth , the sea and all that in them is , and rested the seuenth day , wherfore the Lord blessed the seuenth day and hallowed it . 5. Honour thy Father and thy Mother , that thy dayes may be long in the lande , which the Lord thy God giueth thee . 6. Thou shalt doo no murder . 7. Thou shalt not commit adulterie . 8. Thou shalt not steale . 9. Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour . 10. Thou shalt not couet thy neighbors house , thou shalt not couet thy neighbors wife , nor his seruaunt , nor his maide , nor his oxe , nor his asse , nor any thing that is his .

How many Tables be there in these ten commaundements ?

There be two Tables .

How many commaundements are there in the first Table ?

There be fowre .

How many in the second Table ?

There be sixe .

How many of these are commaunded to be done , and how many are forbidden not to be donne ?

Which be they that be commaunded to be done , and which not to be done ?

The 4. and 5. commaunded to be done , The 1 2. 3 of the first Table , And the 6.7 . 8.9.10 . of the second Table not to be done .

Rehearse them ?

1. The sowrth and last commaundement of the first Table , is commaunded to be done , namely : Remember thou keepe holie the Sabboth day , &c.

2. So is the fift commaundement , being the first of the second Table , namelie : Honour thy father and thy Mother , &c.

3. All the rest are forbidden , and are discerned by these notes or tytles . As

4. Thou shall 1. Haue none As in the 2. Not As in the 3. Doo no As in the First Table , three forbidden . thou shal 1. Haue none other Gods , &c. thou shal 2. Not make to thy selfe any grauen Image , &c. thou shal 3. Not take the name of the Lord , &c. In the second Table , fiue forbidden . 4. 6. Doo no murder . 5. 7. Commit no adulterie . 6. 8. Steale not . 7. 9. Beare no false witnesse , &c. 8. 10. Court not thy neighbours house , nor his wife , &c.

So thou seest how fewe God commaunds to doo ?

Yea , and yet we doo them not . And how many forbidden , &c. and yet we doo them .

But what learnest thou by this ?

I learne and see hereby , two speciall things to be remembred . 1. First Gods fatherlie care , loue & goodnesse towardes vs , in both warning vs , and teaching of vs : Both what he would haue done , and what he would not haue done . What we should doo , and what we should not doo . 2. Secondly againe , I see first how fraile and vntoward we are , either to doo that he commaundeth , or to forbeare that hee forbiddeth : such is our corrupt and sinful state and naughtie nature , and euill inclined disposition .

Then thou hast profited somthing hereby .

Yea , I thanke God I know and haue learned , both how gratiously and mercifullie God hath dealt with vs in this , and all other his holy Scriptures . And how far we are from dooing his holy will , and how prone , ready , and foreward we are to doo the contrarie : euen our owne will and heart lusts and delights . And yet by this meanes I hope heereafter by Gods grace , to be put in minde & remembrance to haue more care to doo Gods will , and lesse delight in mine owne will , then euer I had before .

God graunt it to thee and vs all , to haue such grace for Christes sake .

Amen .

Seeing we be in such a daungerous state of dampnation , what meanes haue we to obtaine Gods mercie and pardon for our sinnes ?

Ouely by faith in Christ Iesus .

And nothing else but faith ?

No , no other thing but faith in Christ , ioyned with true repentaunce & Christian loue & charity . And then folowes a zelous minde to the truth , ane a harty and an vnfeined purpose to amend , whatsoeuer is amisse before God and man , &c.

Rehearse the sum and effect of that faith , perticularly and distinctly .

1. I beleeue in God the Father almightie , maker of heauen and earth .

2. 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 .

3. He descended into hell .

4. The third day he rose againe from the dead .

5. He ascended into heauen , and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty .

6. From thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead .

7. I beleeue in the holie Ghost .

8. The holie Catholique Church .

9. The Communion of Saintes .

10. The forgiuenesse of sinnes .

11. The resurrection of the body .

12. And the lyfe euerlasting .

Twelue .

Howe many partes is the Creede to be deuided into ?

Into three in generall . 1. As to God the Father and our creation , by him . 2. To God the sonne , and our redemption in him . 3. To God the holy Ghost , & our sanctification and regeneration & new birth in him .

Is there any moe diuisions vsed ?

Yea , by some two other .

Which be they ?

1. One of the Cotholique Church , and the Communion of Saintes .

2. The other of these three Articles , specially to be noted , as the sum , comfort , and effect of all our faith , &c.

And they be 1 The forgiuenes of sinnes , 2 The resurrection of the body . 3 And the life euerlasting .

Are these the cheefe partes of our Creede or Articles of our Faith , both generall , speciall and perticular ?

How is this Faith obtained , encreased , and established ?

By three speciall meanes . 1. By our humble and heartie Prayer to God . 2. By hearing of the word , and receiuing of the Sacraments . 3. By the working of Gods holy spirit in our harts , in hearing of the same word , & receiuing of the same Sacraments , &c.

What is the cheefest prayer , to obtaine all thinges at Gods hand by ?

The same which Christ hath taught vs , saying : when you pray , pray on this manner , &c. Luk. II.

O Our Father which art in Heauen .

1. Halowed be thy name .

2. Thy kingdome come .

3. Thy will be doone in earth as it is in heauen .

How many partes are contained in the prayer .

There be three partes in generall . 1. The preface . 2. Sixe peticion . 3. The conclusion .

But two partes speciall , &c. 1. The preface is , Our Father wich art in heauen . 2. The sixe peticions , be deuided into two partes in speciall .

The fyrst contayneth three peticions .

The second containeth other three peticions .

The 1. containing the glorie of God .

The 2 containing the necessity of men .

The fyrst three Bee , 1. Hallowed be thy name . 2. Thy kingdom come . 3. Thy will be done in earth , as it is in heauen .

This consernes the glorie of God .

Then I perceiue this beginning , Our Father which art in heauen : is but a preface or an entrance into the prayer , or a preparing Gods eare and our heartes therevnto , And so the end but a conclusion , yeelding all power and glorie to God ?

You saye verie truelie .

I see also , that you vnderstand both , what thou speakest , and also what thou prayest for ?

Yea , that I doo I thanke God , & I giue you thankes also , for your freendly and Christian endeuour . And the Lord giue me grace to vse this prayer and all other , a right . And so hartelie , reuerently , faithfully , and vnfeinedly , as may be to Gods glorie and my comfort .

Amen . The Lord graunt it to all men &c.