The Common Catechism with Commentary, Title page – Preface
THE COMMON Catechiſme, With a Commentarie therevpon, by Queſtions and Anſwers, following the verie words, as they lie in their order without alteration.
A profitable way, as alſo verie eaſie, and ſo likwiſe pleaſant both to The Teacher and Learner, as by experience will be found true.
By RICHARD BERNARD, Paſtor at Batcomb.
LONDON, Printed by W. Sta. for Samuel Man, at the Swanne in Pauls Churchyard. 1630.
To the Worſhipfull, M. Thomas Hanham Eſquire, to the wel-affected Gentle-woman his Wife, and to their whole family, found knowledge, with increaſe of faith, which worketh by louelove, is heartily wiſhed.
WORSHIPFVLL,
AFter I had made an eſſay in your Family, of this manner of Catechiſing, it pleaſed you ſo well to approue thereof, as to deſire a written Coppie to inſtruct your Houſhold, I promiſed it: but for that ſome other hauehave alſo requeſted the like of mee, I thought it fit (being thereto alſo intreated) to publiſh it for the greater benefit.
This is eaſily learned of any that can ſay the words of the common Catechiſme, ſo much neglected. This bindeth the Learner ſtrictly to the words of that Catechiſme, in anſwering to the Queſtions here propounded: And ſerues more to direct the Maſter of the family, to make queſtions out of that Catechiſme, then for other to learne to make anſwere thereunto, if they, can but ſay the words, except in ſome few places.
This manner of queſtioning to draw anſwers from the words as they lie in order, may bee obſerued not onelyonly in Catechiſmes, but alſo in reading holy Scrptures, as is not vnknowne to my people here at home, with good fruit.
This my labour ſuch as it is for the preſent, I preſent you with. For I acknowledge your good fauour towards my ſonne, and I am very thankfull in his behalfe, as he alſo himſelf is, being …r ready vponupon any occaſion to expreſſe it to your ſelfe, as alſo to that worthy honoured Knight, Sir. Walter Earle, at whoſe requeſt it pleaſed you ſo fauourably and freely to beſtow the liuing.
I cannot but make mention of him, when I write of Catechiſing to you, for his more then ordinary religious care in the well trayning vp of his family this way. In all my dayes, among all my acquaintance I hauehave not ſeene the like: and I rather admire it, when I conſider his daily imployment ſundry waies otherwiſe in publik buſineſſes, the leaſt wherof doth commonly draw moſt men from almoſt alea… of inſtructing their houſholds. But what cannot a ſetled reſolution, an induſtrous nature, a holy zeale, and a godly care to hauehave religion in honour, make a pious and deuoted heart to doe.
Sir, I pray you accept this vn…aigned witneſſe of my thankfulneſſe, and a ſome little furtherance for the inſtruction of your familie, vponupon which I heartily wiſh a bleſſing from God the Author of all good; to whoſe gracious guidance, I commend you and all yours, and ſo in all due reſpectfulneſſe I take my leaue.
Your Worſhips, to be commanded. Rich: Bernard, Batcomb.
THE PREFACE To the Reader. By Queſtion and Anſwer vponupon the Title of the Booke, and the parts thereof.
Q. HOw many things are you to obſerue for entrance into this Booke?
A. Two things.
Q. Which be they?
A. The title and the book… it ſelfe.
Q. What is the title?
A. A CATECHISME, that is An inſtruction to be learned of eueryevery Child, before he be brought to be confirmed by the Biſhop.
Q What things are you to conſider in this title?
A. Theſe fiue circumſtances. 1. The name of the Booke, a Catechiſme. 2. The expoſition of the name, an inſtruction. 3. Why it was ſet out, to be learned. 4. Of whom, of Children. 5. When and in what ſpare of time, before they come to be confirmed by the Biſhop.
Q. Is there any difference betweene this Catechiſme and other Catechiſme?
A. Not in ſubſtance, nor in manner of deliuery, but in other reſpects,
Q. Which be they?
A. 1. In reſpect of the Generalitie of it for all places. 2. Of the publike Athority commanding it.
Q. What is a Catechiſme?
A. It is an Inſtruction.
Q. Is eueryevery inſtruction a Catechiſme?
A. No: but an inſtruction of the principles of Religion, by the way of Queſtion and, Anſwer.
Q. In how many things then doth a Catechiſme differ from other inſtructions?
A. In two things. 1. In the matter, the principles of Religion. 2. In the manner, by queſtion and anſwer,
Q. Why is it ſet forth?
A. That it may be both taught & leraned.
Q. How is that?
A. Two wayes; according to his Maieſties directions, ſet forth to this purpoſe.
Q. Which be thoſe two waies?
A. 1. By examination, in propounding the Queſtions and receiuing the Anſwers. 2. By expoſition, in giuing the ſenſe & meaning of the words, for further benefit to all the hearers.
Q. Why is a Catechiſme to be learne?
A. For many reaſons. 1. For better ſetling of mens iudgements in the truth, by being well grounded in the principles of Religion. 2. To profit the more in reading holy Scriptures 3. To heare Sermons with vnderſtanding and iudgement. 4. To diſcouer error. 5. To be able to examie our ſelues of our faith, of our duties to God and man, of our right deuotion in prayer, and of the holy vſe of the bleſſed Sacrament, eſpecially before we come to receiue. 6. To be able readily to giuegive an anſwer of our hope to any one. 7. To be able to teach and admoniſh others, eſpecially ſuch ouer whom we hauehave a ſpeciall charge.
Q. Why is this Catechiſme to bee taught and learned before all other Catechiſmes?
A. 1. To ſhew obedience to authority, commanding this eueryevery where to be taught. 2. For vniformity ſake, that the ſame truths from on and the ſame Catechiſme, may bée knowne to all in eueryevery place. 3. For the benefits of ſuch as remoue their dwellings from one Pariſh to another, that Children and Seruants may not be to ſpéee in their anſwers, when they come to be catechiſed, as it otherwiſe falleth out by variety of Catechiſmes taught in ſeuerall pariſhes,
Q. Who is to learne this Catechiſme?
A. EueryEvery Childe comming to yeeres of diſcretion.
Q. How many wayes is the name Childe to be taken?
A. Two waies, according to the Scrptures.
Q. Which be they?
A. 1. For a Childe in yéeres, as it is commonly vnderſtood. 2. For a Childe in vnderſtanding as the ſcripture ſpeaketh. 1. Cor. 3. 1. Heb. 5. 13.
Q. Whom comprehend you vnderunder the name of Children in yeeres?
A. All Children, Apprentiſes and ſeruants, which hauehave not learned this Catechiſme,
Q. How muſt theſe be taught?
A. By examination.
Q. Who are to be vnderſtood by Children in vnderſtanding?
A. All ignorant of the grounds of Chriſtian faith, though married and well ſtrucken in yéeres, yea, the very eldeſt for age.
Q. How are theſe to be catechiſed?
A. By their being preſent with attention, when others are examined, and by hearing their Teacher expound the Catechiſme.
Q. When and in what ſpace is this to bee learned?
A. Before any either be admited to receiue the Lords Supper, or be brought vntounto the Biſhop to be confirmed.
Q. Why is it to be learned before any come to the Sacrament?
A. Becauſe by the knowledge hereof they may be the better prepared thereunto, without which preparation they are not counted ſit to be communicants.
Q. Why is it to be learned before one bee brought to the Biſhop?
A. That hée may now in his owne perſon make profeſſion of his faith, and with his owne mouth ratifie that which in Baptiſme was by his God-fathers and God-mothers promiſed in his name.
Q. But ſeeing our Church doth not allow Confirmation for a Sacrament, nor doth acknowledge that it addeth any thing vntounto Baptiſme, why are Children brought to bee confirmed?
A. 1. To ſée whether Children hauehave béen ſo religiouſly trained vp, as their God-fathers and God-mothers promiſed, and vowed at Baptiſme for them. 2. Whether they be able to promiſe and profeſſe ſo much now in their owne perſons. 3. Hauing ſo done, that prayer may bee made vntounto God, for his bleſſing and grace to ſtrengthen them, that they may continue and increaſe therein, vntounto their liues end.
Q. HAuing gone through the Title now can you tell me how many parts the Booke conſiſts of?
A. Of theſe two. 1. Of the Preface. 2. Of the matter of the Booke.
Q. Which is the Preface?
A. All that which goeth before the rehearſall of the Creede.
Q. What doth the Preface containe in it?
A. The foure firſt queſtions, with the anſwers thereunto.
Q. What is the matter of the Booke, or Catechiſme?
A. It is the Créed, the tenne Commandements, the Lords Prayer, & the Doctrine of the Sacrments.