A LITTLE

Catechism,

WITH

LITTLE VERSES,

AND

LITTLE SAYINGS,

FOR

Little Children.

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LONDON,

Printed for John Lawrence at the Angel in the Poultrey, 1692.

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A Catalogue of Books, &c. Husband Mr. Joseph Rowlandson, &c.

Remarks on the Affairs of Trade of England and Ireland, &c.

Officium Cleri Desiderium Populi, or Canonical Obedience asserted and proved to be the Duty of Gospel Ministers, and the Desire of all good Hearers.

Books in Octavo.

The Catechizing of Families, a Teacher of Householders how to teach their Households; useful also to School-masters and Tutors of Youth.

Scripture Gospel defended, and Christ, Grace, and free Justification vindicated against the Libertines, in two Books. The first a Breviate of Fifty Controversies. Second upon the re-printing of Dr. Crisp's Sermon.

Full and Easy Satisfaction, which is the true Religion, in a Conference between a Doubter, a Papist, and a Reformed Catholic Christian.

A Key for Catholics to open the jugling of the Jesuits, containing some Arguments by which the meanest may see the Vanity of Popery, &c.

A

CATECHISM

For Little Children to Learn.

Question. Who made you?

Answer. GOD.

Quest. Who Redeemed you?

Answ. Jesus Christ.

Quest. Who Sanctifieth and preserves you?

Answ. The Holy Ghost.

Quest. Wherefore did God make you?

Answ. To Serve him.

Quest. How must he be served?

Answ. In Spirit and in Truth.

Quest. What is it to serve God?

Answ. To keep his Commandements.

Quest. How many Commandments be there?

Answ. Ten.

Quest. Which be they?

Answ. The same which God spoke in the twentieth Chapter of Exodus, saying, I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, out of the House of Bondage.

Quest. Which is the First?

Answ. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Quest. Which is the Second?

Answ. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven Image, or any likeness of any thing that is in Heaven above, or that is in the Earth beneath, or that is in the Water under the Earth: thou shalt not bow down thy self to them, nor serve them; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the Iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and showing mercy unto thousands, of them that love me and keep my Commandements.

Quest. Which is the Third?

Answ. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain.

Quest. Which is the Fourth?

Answ. Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy, six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattel, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; for in six dayes the Lord made Heaven and Earth, the Sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath-day, and hallowed it.

Quest. Which is the Fifth?

Answ. Honour thy father and thy Mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Quest. Which is the Sixth?

Answ. Thou shalt not kill.

Quest. Which is the Seventh?

Answ. Thou shalt not Commit Adultery.

Quest.. Which is the Eighth?

Answ. Thou shalt not steal.

Quest. Which is the Ninth?

Answ. Thou shalt not bear false Witness against thy Neighbour.

Quest. Which is the Tenth?

Answ. Thou shalt not Covet thy Neighbour's House, thou shalt not Covet thy Neighbours Wife, nor his Man-servant, nor his Maid-servant, nor his Oxe, nor his Ass, nor any thing that is thy Neighbour's.

Quest. Are you bound to keep all these Commandments?

Answ. YES.

Quest. Are you bound to keep them in Thought, Word, and Deed?

Answ. YES.

Quest. How are you bound to keep them?

Answ. By my Baptism and by the Word of God.

Quest. Are you able to keep them of your self?

Answ. NO.

Quest. Why so?

Answ. Because I was conceived and born in sin.

Quest. From whence was that?

Answ. From Adam's Fall.

Quest. How did Adam fall?

Answ. By Eating the forbidden Fruit.

Quest. Do you sin daily?

Answ. YES.

Quest. What is Sin?

Answ. The Breaking of God's Law.

Quest. What doth Sin deserve?

Answ. HELL.

Quest. What is Hell?

Answ. Darkness and Torments.

Quest. How long doth it last?

Answ. For Ever and Ever.

Quest. Is it not a sad thing to lie under the Wrath of God for ever? to lie in devouring Flames for Ever?

Answ. YES.

Quest. Can you deliver your self from Hell?

Answ. NO.

Quest. How must you be delivered.

Answ. Only by Jesus Christ?

Quest. Who is Jesus Christ?

Answ. The Son of God.

Quest. Is he not Man also?

Answ. YES. He was always God, and in the Fullness of time became Man, and so he is both God and Man, in two Natures, and one Person for ever.

Quest. What hath Christ done for Sinners?

Answ. He hath died for them.

Quest. What Death did he die?

Answ. The Death of the Cross.

Quest. Why died he that Death?

Answ. Because it is written, Cursed is he that hangeth upon a Tree.

Quest. Did Christ bear the Curse of God that was due to Sinners?

Answ. YES.

Quest. Are all the World saved by him?

Answ. NO.

Quest. Why so?

Answ. Because he is not theirs.

Quest. What must we do, that Christ may be ours?

Answ. Believe on him.

Quest. What is it to Believe on him?

Answ. To rest upon Him for Salvation.

Quest. What grounds of Encouragement have we to rest upon Christ for Salvation?

Answ. These six:

1. He is an only Saviour. 2. He is an able Saviour. 3. He is a willing Saviour. 4. He is a faithful Saviour. 5. He is a suitable Saviour. 6. He is an offered Saviour.

Quest. When is Christ offered?

Answ. In the Gospel.

Quest. Name some Places?

Answ. John 3. 16. God so loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have Everlasting Life. John 6. 37. Him that comes unto me, I will in no wise cast out. I Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the World to save sinners.

Quest. Multitudes are called and invited, why do they not come to Christ?

Answ. Because they are not Humble.

Quest. Why are they not Humble?

Answ. Because they do not see their sins and sinfulness.

Quest. What must we do that we may see our sins and our sinfulnesses?

Answ. 1. We must search the Scriptures. 2. We must hear the Word of God Preached. 3. We must Examine our Consciences. 4. We must Pray to God for his Spirit.

Quest. If a poor Creature comes to Christ, crying, lamenting and confessing his sins, will Christ receive him?

Answ. YES, YES: His mercifull Arms are spread wide open to receive him.

Quest. What will the Lord do for such a one that comes to him?

Answ. 1. He will Pardon all their sins. 2. He will give them Grace. 3. He will give them Peace. 4. He will Comfort them. 5. He will provide for them. 6. He will take their parts. 7. He will bring them to Heaven.

Quest. What is Heaven?

Answ. An everlasting Enjoyment of God in glory.

Quest. When the Lord has done this for a poor Creature, what must he do for this good God of his?

Answ. He must be Humble and Thankful.

Quest. How must he shew himself Humble and Thankful?

Answ. He must love the Lord with all his Heart, with all his Soul, and serve the Lord with all his strength, and he must love his Neighbour as himself, and for the Lords sake; and this he must do all the dayes of his Life.



VERSES,

For little Children to Learn.

I Must Pray Both Night and Day. Before I Eat, I must entreat That God would Bless to me my Meat. I must not play On the Sabbath-day: But I must hear God's Word in Fear. I must not SWEAR. I must not Lye, I must not Feign, I must not take God's Name in vain. I must not Rail. I must not Steal. It is a Sin To steal a Pin, Much more to steal a greater thing. It's better for me to be poor, And beg my Bread from door to door, Than to steal my Neighbour's Store. I must Work, and I must Pray, And God will feed me day by day, Mine honest Labours God will Bless, But he hateth Idleness. My King, and all my Governors, My Parents and Superiors, These I must Honour and Obey, To these I must my Duty pay. I must not be Rude nor Wild, I must not be a Wanton Child: I must sing no wanton Songs, I must forgive my Neighbours wrongs: I must speak of no Man ill, But to all must bear good will: I had better die Than tell a Lie. I must not sin, A World to win. My Tongue Must do no wrong. If my Tongue do here Rebel, Then my Tongue must burn in Hell. I must Read, I must heed, And on the Scriptures I must feed. I must Put my Trust In Christ above, The God of Love. Christ alone my Soul can save, And raise my Body from the Grave. Christ alone must have my Heart, Christ and I must never part. Lord, Grant that I In Faith may dye, And live with Christ Eternally! AMEN.

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SAYINGS,

For little Children to Learn.

Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy Youth; and thy Creator will remember thee in the dayes of thy Old Age.

Praying Is better than Playing. Grace is better than Gold. Singing of Psalms Is better than Ringing of Bells. Mothers love young Children, And Christ loves young Saints. It is better not to live in the World, Than to live without God in the World. One day in God's Courts, Is better than a thousand elsewhere. God's Presence makes Heaven, and God's Absence makes Hell. If I draw nigh to God, God will draw nigh to me. In God's Favour is Life, and In God's displeasure is Death. If I put off my Repentance to another day, I have a day more to Repent of, And a day, less to Repent in. Christ is a poor Sinners Hope. Christ's Blood is a Souls Ransom. To have a Portion in the World is a Mercy, But to have the World for a Portion is Misery. An Interest in Christ is the greatest Interest. The Love of God is sweeter than Wine, And better than Life. God's Ways are the best Ways, God's Peace is the best Peace, and God's People are the best People. The worst of the ways of GOD, are better than the best of the ways of Sin. 'Tis better to suffer the greatest Suffering in the World, Than to sin the least Sin in the World. A poor Man is better than a Liar. Without Holiness no Man shall see the Lord.



IF I BE NOT Holy, Heaven cannot make me Happy. I must do the Lords-Work On the Lords-Day. If I want a Dram of Grace to Tame my Tongue, The time will come when I shall want a drop of Water to Cool my TONGUE.



FINIS.