:

THE

PLAIN SUBSTANCE

OF THE

CHURCH CATECHISM;

AND

PRAYERS, for CHILDREN, and the weakest of. Riper Years.

1. Question. WHAT is your name?

II. Q. Who gave you this name? A. My Godfathers and Godmothers when I was Christen'd.

III. Q. What were you made when you were Christend?

One that A. Then I was made a Christian, and God's

belongs to child, and an heir of heaven a.

Chrift.

a. Gal. iii.

IV. Q. What must you do to be a Christian, and

26,27,29. God's child, and an heir of heaven?

b. Pet.

A. I must leave all naughtiness b, and believe iii. 21. God's Word c, and do all that God commands me d: c. Mark

xvi.15,16. as my Godfathers and Godmothers promis'd for d. Matth. me, when I was chriften'd.

xxviii. 19,

V. Q. What

V. Q. What is God's Word that you believe of
God?
A. I believe God is our kind Father, and the
Mighty Lord and Maker of all the worlde.

VI. Q. What is God's Word that you believe of
Jesus Chrift?

f. John xx. 31. Because he is God's own Son. Therefore he is God, John i. 1. ch. v. 17, 18. But he is in a wonderful manner the fame God that his Father is, Rev. i. 8, 11, 17. And his Father does all things by him, 1 Cor. viii. 6. Ephes. iii. 9. g. Matth. i. 18, 22, 23. So he is also a b. 1 Cor. xv. 3. And was buried; that

man.

be went down into hell: that is, he went into the condition of the dead in the grave. Pfalm lxxxix, 47, in

A. I believe Jesus Chrift is God's own Son, and our Lord f.

I believe he was, by the
power of the Holy Ghost,
bred and born of a Virgin g.

I believe he died nail'd to a
Cross for our faults b.

I believe he was alive again
within three days i.

I believe he went up into heaven, and is at God's right hand k, a praying for us ; and is King over all the world, takeing care of us m.

And I believe he will come
at the end of the world to

bring all God's children to hea-
ven, and to fend all naughty
people into everlasting fire n.

the Common Prayer
Book. The plain mean-
ing is, notwithstanding
he was alive again so
foon, he was in his
grave truly dead without his Soul. John xix. 33, 34, 35. The
water shew'd that he was wounded at the heart, and therefore
truly dead. i. 1 Cor. xv. 4. k. Mark xvi. 19. 1. Heb. vii,
25.
m. Matthew xxviii. 18, 19, 20. Rev. ii. & iii. Chap.
n. Matth. xxv. 31 to the end.

e. Heb. xi. 3,6.

VII. Q. What is God's Word that you believe of the Holy Ghost?

2

:

34.

A. I believe the Holy Ghost, God's own Spirit o does help all God's children to do all that God commands p.

0.1 Cor. ii. 10, 11. Therefore he is God; (Αεῖς ν. 3, 4. I Cor. vi. 19.) as a man's spirit is the man himself. So the Holy Ghost is the same God that the Father and the Son are. 2 Cor. iii. 17. They are three Persons, but one God. Matth. xxviii. 19. Exodus xx. 3. p. Luke xi. 13. Ephef. v. 9. God the Father and Jesus Chrift do fend to us the Holy Ghost, John xv. 26.

And they do, and speak all things by him, Job. xxvi. 13. John xvi. 13, 14, 15.

VIII. Q. What is God's word that you believe of God's children ?

9. Mark xvi. 15, 16,
None that do or may
know the Truth can be

fav'd without it. r. Ats
ii, 42, 44, 45, 46.
Heb. x. 24, 25. chap.
in. 13. s. Luke xxiv.
147 1 Cor. xv. 3.
t. John v. 28, 29.

A. I believe we must be all true Christians q, and serve God lovingly together, and do good to one another r.

I believe God forgives all our faults for the sake of Christ's dying for us s.

I believe God will at the end

of the world take us out of our graves t.
And I belive we shall live and be blessed for

Pet. i ever and ever in heaven u.

IX. Q. What is God's word that you believe of

our Souls when we die ?

A. I believe when we die

x. Luke xxiii. 43.

2 Cor. v. 1 to 9.

God takes the fouls of his chil

y. Luke xvi. 22, 23.

dren into heaven x; and sends

the fouls of naughty people into hell y.

X. Q. How must you believe God's word?
A. I must believe God's word so as to do all

z. Jam. ii. that he commands me z.

19. 20.

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XI. Q. What does God command you to do? A. God commands me to love him with all my heart, and with all my might, and to love every a. Matth. body as well as I would have him love me a.

xxii. 36 to

XII. Q. What does God command you to do for the 41.

Love of him?

1. Commandment.

A. God commands me not

to serve the devil b; to be-
lieve God's word c; to fear d,
and love him more than alle;
to kneel down with fear f, and
give him thanks, and pray to
him for all good, every day
and night g;

to put all my

trust in him b; to have a great

regard to his Name i; and all
things that belong to himk;
and carefully to learn and do
his Word more and more as

long as I live 1; and carefully

to teach all that belong to me m.

XIII. Q. What else does God command you to do

for the love of him?

n. Deut. iv. 15 to 19.

0. Levit. x. 1, 2, 3.. p. Matth. v. 33 to 38. James v. 12. Lying brings us to forswear

ing and vain swearing. 9. Except works of holy days; as works of mercy, (Matth. xii. 11, 12, 13.) and neceffity, (Luke xiii. 15.)

11. A. God commands me not to serve him with picturesn; nor to serve him any wrong way 0.

111. Not to forswear my self, nor to swear in talking, nor to lie p.

Iv. And to do no work

on the Lord's day q; but to

and dressing meat for the day; (Exod. xii. 16.) but not making bread, chap. xvi. 5, 23.

:

ferve

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r. Luke iv. 16. Acts xx. 7. Rev. i. 10. The Lord's day is a day for the Service of the Lord. I must serve God at church morning and evening, (Luke i. 10. compar'd with Exod. xxx. 7, 8. Acts ii. 15. and chap. iii. 1. compar'd with Exod. xxix. 38, 39.) if I can, every day; (Luke ii. 37. Alts ii. 46.) then to be fure every Lord's day and holy day. s. The duty of every day; then much more of the Lord's day. See Question 12, note g.

serve God at church r, and at homes.

XIV. Q. What does God command you to do for the love of every body ?

t. Lev. xix. 3.
u. Col. iii. 18 to 23.
Heb. xiii. 17. 1 Pet.ii.
13, 14, 18. chap. v. 5.
x. 1 Tim. v. 4. I must
fuccour them in their
need, with the best I
have, and in the best
place in my house.
y.
Lev. xix. 32.
Rom. xii. 10.

z. Heb. 12. 14. Juft
and neceffary correc-
tions, punishments, de-
fending our selves, and
wars are not forbidden.
a. Lev. xix. 17, 18.
b. Matth. v. 22.
c. Matih. v. 43, 44.
d. Matth. v. 28, 29, 30.
Eph. v. 3 to 8.

v. A. God commands me to love and fear t my Father and my Mother, and all that have any power over me, and to do as they bid me; and to succour my Father and Mother; and to pay respect to all my betters y:

VI. To hurt or vex no bodyz; to have no spite nor hatred in my heart a; nor to be angry without a cause b; but to love and forgive every body, friend and foe c.

VII. To do no whoredom, fenor any wantonness in word or deed, or in my heart d; nor to be a glutton nor drunk e.

e. Deut. xxi. 18 to 22.

Luke xxi. 34. Gluttony and drunkenness bring us to whoredom.
XV. Q. What else does God command you to da

for the love of every body?

i

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tobe la VII. A. God commands me

f. 1 Cor. vi. 8,9, 10.

g. Lev. xix. 35, 36.

b. Eph. iv. 28.1

not to steal nor cheat f; but

to be honeft g, and give to the poor h:

To