X. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet
thy neighbour's wife, nor his servant, nor his maid, nor his ox,
nor his ass, nor any thing that is his.
_Question_.
What dost thou chiefly learn by these Commandments?
_Answer_. I learn two things: my duty towards God, and my duty
towards my Neighbour.
_Question_. What is thy duty towards God?
_Answer_. My duty towards God is to believe in him, to fear him,
and to love him, with all my heart, with all my mind, with all my
soul, and with all my strength; to worship him, to give him thanks,
to put my whole trust in him, to call upon him, to honour his holy
Name and his Word, and to serve him truly all the days of my life.
_Question_. What is thy duty towards thy Neighbour?
_Answer_. My duty towards my Neighbour is to love him as myself,
and to do to all men as I would they should do unto me: To love,
honour, and succour my father and mother: To honour and obey the
King, and all that are put in authority under him: To submit myself
to all my governors, teachers, spiritual pastors and masters: To
order myself lowly and reverently to all my betters: To hurt nobody
by word nor deed: To be true and just in all my dealing: To bear
no malice nor hatred in my heart: To keep my hands from picking and
stealing, and my tongue from evil-speaking, lying, and slandering:
To keep my body in temperance, soberness, and chastity: Not to
covet nor desire other men's goods; but to learn and labour truly
to get mine own living, and to do my duty in that state of life,
unto which it shall please God to call me.
_Catechist_.
My good child, know this, that thou art not able to do these
things of thyself, nor to walk in the commandments of God, and
to serve him, without his special grace; which thou must learn at
all times to call for by diligent prayer. Let me hear therefore if
thou canst say the Lord's Prayer.
_Answer_.
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name, Thy kingdom
come, Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this
day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive
them that trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil. Amen.
_Question_. What desirest thou of God in this Prayer?
_Answer_. I desire my Lord God our heavenly Father, who is the
giver of all goodness, to send his grace unto me, and to all
people, that we may worship him, serve him, and obey him, as we
ought to do. And I pray unto God, that he will send us all things
that be needful both for our souls and bodies; and that he will be
merciful unto us, and forgive us our sins; and that it will please
him to save and defend us in all dangers ghostly and bodily; and
that he will keep us from all sin and wickedness, and from our
ghostly enemy, and from everlasting death. And this I trust he will
do of his mercy and goodness, through our Lord Jesus Christ. And
therefore I say, Amen, So be it.
_Question_.
How many Sacraments hath Christ ordained in his Church?
_Answer_. Two only, as generally necessary to salvation; that is
to say, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord.
_Question_. What meanest thou by this word Sacrament?
_Answer_. I mean an outward and visible sign of an inward and
spiritual grace given unto us, ordained by Christ himself, as a
means whereby we receive the same, and a pledge to assure us
thereof.
_Question_. How many parts are there in a Sacrament?
_Answer_. Two: the outward visible sign, and the inward spiritual
grace.
_Question_. What is the outward visible sign or form in Baptism?
_Answer_. Water: wherein the person is baptized, In the Name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
_Question_. What is the inward and spiritual grace?
_Answer_. A death unto sin, and a new birth unto righteousness: for
being by nature born in sin, and the children of wrath, we are
hereby made the children of grace.
_Question_. What is required of persons to be baptized?
_Answer_. Repentance, whereby they forsake sin: and faith, whereby
they stedfastly believe the promises of God, made to them in that
Sacrament.
_Question_. Why then are infants baptized, when by reason of their
tender age they cannot perform them?
_Answer_. Because they promise them both by their sureties: which
promise, when they come to age, themselves are bound to perform.
_Question_. Why was the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper ordained?
_Answer_. For the continual remembrance of the sacrifice of the
death of Christ, and of the benefits which we receive thereby.
_Question_. What is the outward part or sign of the Lord's Supper?
_Answer_. Bread and Wine, which the Lord hath commanded to be
received.
_Question_. What is the inward part, or thing signified?
_Answer_. The Body and Blood of Christ, which are verily and
indeed taken and received by the faithful in the Lord's Supper.
_Question_. What are the benefits whereof we are partakers thereby?
_Answer_. The strengthening and refreshing of our souls by the Body
and Blood of Christ, as our bodies are by the Bread and Wine.
_Question_. What is required of them who come to the Lord's Supper?
_Answer_. To examine themselves, whether they repent them truly of
their former sins, stedfastly purposing to lead a new life; have a
lively faith in God's mercy through Christ, with a thankful
remembrance of his death; and be in charity with all men.
_The Curate of every Parish shall diligently upon Sundays and
Holy-days, after the second Lesson at Evening Prayer, openly in
the Church instruct and examine so many Children of his Parish sent
unto him, as he shall think convenient, in some part of this
Catechism_.
_And all Fathers, Mothers, Masters, and Dames, shall cause their
Children, Servants, and Prentices,_ (_which have not learned their
Catechism,_) _to come to the Church at the time appointed, and
obediently to hear and be ordered by the Curate, until such time
as they have learned all that is here appointed for them to learn_.
_So soon as Children are come to a competent age, and can say, in
their mother tongue, the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten
Commandments; and also can answer to the other questions of this
short Catechism; they shall be brought to the Bishop: And every one
shall have a Godfather, or a Godmother, as a witness of their
Confirmation_.
_And whensoever the Bishop shall give knowledge for Children to be
brought unto him for their Confirmation, the Curate of every Parish
shall either bring or send in writing, with his hand subscribed
thereunto, the names of all such persons within his Parish, as he
shall think fit to be presented to the Bishop to be confirmed. And,
if the Bishop approve of them, he shall confirm, them in manner
following_.