The Improved New-England primer; or, An easy and pleasant guide for the instruction of children, containing many explanatory notes, and references to the scriptures. To which is annexed, the Shorter catechism, as composed and agreed upon by the Reverend Assembly of divines at Westminster, in ENgland, in the year 1649. With explanations of difficult words and phrases in the answers.

              When thou prayest, enter into thy
closet; and, when thou hast shut thy
door, pray to thy Father which is in
secret, and thy Father, which seeth In
secret, shall reward thee openly.
My son, know thou the God of
thy father, and, serve him with a per­fect
heart, and with willing mind;
for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and
understandeth all the Imaginations of
the thoughts: if thou seek him, he
will be found of thee; but jf thou
forsake him, he will cast thee off for.
ever. David Solomon.
THE
NEW ENGLAND
PRIMER,
IMPROVED;
OR,
AN EASY AND PLEASANT 
Guide to the Art of Reading,
To which is added,
The Assembly's Catechism. 
ADORNED WITH CUTS. 
BOSTON:
Printed by JAMES LORING. 
Sold wholesale and retail at his
Bookstore, No.2, Cornhill, ~
The Capital Letters. 
A B C D E F G I
J K L M N O P Q R
S T U V  W X Y Z 
The Small Letters.
a b c d e f g h
i j k l m n o p
q r s t u v
w x y z &
Double Letters.
Et ff fi ffi fl ffl fh ff ffi fffi ffl ft fk fb
Italic Letter's.
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg
Hh Ii Jj Kk LI Mm Nn
Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss crt Uu
Vv Ww Xx ry Zz f.:j
italic Double Letter’s.
Et ff fi ffi fl ffl sh ss si ssi sl st sk sb 
Vowels.
a e I o u y 
Consonants
B c d f g h j k l m n p q r s t v w x z
Diphthongs .
AE ae CE ce
Easy syllables for children
Ab eb ib ob ub 
ac ec ic oc uc 
ad ed id ad ud 
af ef if at uf 
am em im om  um 
an en In on un 
ap ep ip op up 
ar er ir or ur
as es is os us 
at et it ot ut 
ba be bi bo bu 
ca ce ci co cu 
da de di do du .
ha he hi ho hu 
pa pe pi po pu 
fa fe fi fo fu 
ta te ti to tu
bla ble bli blo blu 
cla cle cli clo clu
Works of One Syllable
Act eat kite faid
add egg knife school
aIr fall lad feat
all for lamb that
and fork land them
bad free man this
ball gate may urn
bench give more use
bird gold nail vain
cake hall name vaft
came hat old walk
card his one well
cup ice out went
dark join pen when
dead joy play which
deaf judge poor year
dirt juft queen your
each keep ram youth
earth king read zeal
Words of two Syllables, Accented on the first.
Ad-der i-dol par-don
be-ing joy-ful ques-tion
cru-el keep-er ru-in
de-cent lad-der sto-ry
end-Iefs mod-e1 ta-ble
emp-ty na-ked un-to
fa-mous no-ble val-ley
glo-ry on-Iy wis-dom
hap-py or-der zeal-ous
Words of two syllables, accented on the last
ap -ply ja-pan re-gret
be-hold la-ment fa-lute
ca-nal
de-Iude
en-dear
for-bid
gen-teel
hu-mane
in-dite
mam-ma fe-cure
main-tain trans-late
o-bey u-nite
ob-tain ven-dee
pa-pa where-as
per.haps with-al
re.duce with-out
Words of three Syllables, accent on the first
Ad-mi-ral faith-ful-Iy
av-a-rIce fol-Iow-er
boun-ti-ful glo-ri-fy
but-ter-fly grat-i-fy
cal-i-co hap-pi-ness
ca-pa-ble ho-li-ness
du-ra-ble in-dus-try
du-ti-ful in-Fa-my
ex-er-cise in-ward-Iy
Words of three syllables, accent of the end.
A-ban-don no-vem-ber
be-hav-iour oc-ca-sion
con-tin-ue pre-cep-tor
do-mes-tic re-cov-er
for-get-ful sal-va-tion
gi-gan-tic sur-viv-or
he-ro-ic tor-men-tor
im-mor-tal un-com-mon
ma-jes-tic un-pleas-ant
Words of four syllables
A-mi-a-ble mem-o-ra-bIe
cat-er-pil-lar nat-ur-al-ly
dan-ger-ously par-don-a-ble
ex-cel-len-cy rea-son-a-ble
feb-ru-a-ry sanc-tu-a-ry
gen-er-al-ly sol-i-ta-ry
hab-it-a-ble  tes-ti-mo-ny
im-i-ta-ble val-u-a-ble
lib-er-al-ly vol-un-ta-ry
lu-mi-na-ry whim-si-cal-ly
Words of five Syllables.
Ac-a-dem-ic-al  lib-er-al-i-ty
ac-ci.dent-al-Iy min-is-te-ri-al
cer-e-mo-ni-al non-con-form-i-ty
con-sti-tu-tion-al op-por.tu-ni-ty
dis-a-gree-a-ble per –pen-dic-u-lar
e-van-gel-ic-al reg-u-Iar-i-ty
ev-er-Iast:-ing-Iy  sen-si-bil-i-ty
gen-e-ros-i-ty  tes-ti-mo-ni-al
hyp-o-crit-ic-al un-re-gen-er-ate
im-mor.tal-i-ty  vol-a-til-i-ty
In Adam' s Fall
We sinned all.
Thy Life to mend,
God's Book attend.
T he Cat doth play,
And after slay.
A Dog will bite
A Thief at Night.
The Eagle's Flight
Is out of sight
The idle Fool 
Is whipt at school
As runs the Glass,
Man’s life doth pass
MY Book and Heart
shaJl never part.
Job feels the Rod,
Yet blesses God.
Proud Korah's troop
Was swallow'd up.
The lion bold
The Lamb doth
hold.
The Moon gives light
In Time of Night.
Nightingales sing
In Time of Spring 
The royal Oak, it
was the Tree
That fav'd his roy­al
Majesty.
Peter denies
HisLord, and cries.
. Queen Esther comes
in loyal State,
To save the Jews
from dismal Fate.
Rachael doth mourn
For her first born.
Samuel anoints
Whom God appoints.
Time cuts down all,
Both great and small.
Uriah's beauteous
Wife
Made David seek
his life.
Xerxes the Great
did die,
And so most you
and I.
Youth forward slips,
Death soonest nips.
Zaccheus, he
Did climb the Tree,
His Lord to see.
An Alphabet of Lessons for Youth
A WISE son maketh a glad father,
but a fooIish son is the heaviness
of his mother.
BETTER is a little, With the fear
of the Lord, than great treasure,
and trouble therewith.
COME unto Christ, all ye who la­bour
and are heavy laden, and he
will give you rest.
Do not the abominable thing which
I hate, faith the Lord.
EXCEPT a man be born again, he
cannot see the kingdom of God. 
FOOLlSHNESS is bound up in
the heart of a child, but the rod
of correction will drive it far from him.
GRIEVE not the Holy spirit, lest
he depart from thee.
HOLINESS becometh the house
of God forever; for verily the
Lord is a holy God.
IT is good for me to draw near un­to
God. I will call upon him as
long as I liye.
KEEP thy heart with all diligence,
for out of it are the issues of life.
LIARS will have their part in the
lake which burns with fire and
brimstone.
MANY are the afflictions of the
righteous, but the Lord delivers
them out of them all.
NOW is the accepted time; now
is the day of salvation.
OUT of the abundance of the heart
the mouth speaketh.
PRA Y to thy Father who is in secret,
and thy Father who seeth in
secret shall reward thee openly.
QUIT you like men, be strong
stand fast in the faith.
REMEMBER thy Creator in the
days of thy youth,
SALVATION belongeth unto the
Lord. He is the shield and de-fence
of his people.
TRUST in God at all times; ye
people, pour out your hearts be--
fore him.
UPON the wicked God will rain a
horrible tempest
WO the wicked; it shall be ill
with him, for the reward of
his hands shall be given him.
EXHORT one another daily
while it is called to-day • lest
any of you be hardened through the
deceitfulness of sin.
YOUNG men, and maidens, praise
ye the name of the Lord.
ZEAL hath, consumed me, because
my enemies have forgotten the
words of God. 
Three choice Sentences.
1. P RAYING will make us leave
sinning, or sinning will make us
leave praying.
2. Our weakness and inabilities
break not the bond of our duties.
3. What we are afraid to speak be­fore
men, we should be afraid to think;
before God.
Informative Questions and Answers
WHO was the first man? Adam
Who the first woman? Eve
Who was the first murderer? Cain
Who was the first martyr? Abel.
Who was the first translated? Enoch.
Who was the oldest man? Methuselah
Who built the ark? Noah.
Who was the most faithful man? Abraham.
Who was the meekest man? Moses.
Who was the most patient man? Job.
Who wrestled with the angel of God? Jacob.
Who led Israel into Canaan? Joshua.
Who was the strongest man? Samson.
Who killed Goliath? David.
Who was the wisest man? Solomon.
Who was in the whale's belly? Jonah.
Who was cast into the lion's den? Daniel.
Who saves lost men? JESUS CHRIST
Who is Jesus Christ? THE SON OF GOD
Who was the mother of Christ? Mary.
Who was the beloved disciple? John.
Who betrayed his Master? Judas.
Who denied his Master? Peter.
Who were struck dead for lying? Ananias and Sapphira
Who was the first Christian martyr? Stephen.
Who was the chief of the apostle of the Gentiles? Paul.
The Burning of Mr. John Rogers
Mr. John Rogers, minister of the gospel
In London was the first martyr in
Queen Mary's reign; and was burnt at
Smithfield, February the fourteenth, 1554,
His wife, with nine small children , and one
At her breast: Followed him to the stake: with
Which sorrowful sight he was not in the least
Daunted, but, with wonderful patience died
Courageously for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Ten Commandments.
I. THOU shalt have no other gods
before me.
2. 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 thyself 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 mer-
cy unto thousands of them that love
me, and keep my commandments.
3' 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.
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to
keep it holy. Six days shalt thou la-
bour, 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 daugt-
her, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid­servant
nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger
that is within thy gates: for in six days
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.
5• Honour thy father and thy moth­er;
that thy days may be long upon
the land which the Lord thy God
giveth thee.
6. Thou shalt not kill.
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
8. Thou shalt not steal.
9. Thou shalt not bear false witness
against thy neighbour.
10. Thou shalt not covet thy neigh­bours,
house, thou shalt not covet thy
neighbours  Wife, nor his man-servant,
nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor
his ass, nor any thing that is thy neigh­bour's.
The Lord’s Prayer.
OUR Father, who 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil. For thine is the
kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
forever. Amen.
Prayer at lying down.
NOW I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep;
If I should die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.
Agur Prayer. .
REMOVE. far from me vanity and
Lies; give me neither poverty
nor riches: feed me with food conve­nient
for me, left l be full, and deny
thee, and say, Who is the Lord ~ Or
lest l be poor, and steal, and take the
name of my God in vain.
The Infant's Grace before and after Meat.
BLESS me, O Lord, and let my
food shengthen me, to serve thee,
for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
I Deserve to thank God, who, for
Christ's sake, mercifully gives me
food to eat every day of my life.
Amen.
Remember thy Creator in the Days of thy
Youth.
Children, your great Creator fear,
To him your homage pay,
While vain employments fire your blood,
And lead your thoughts astray.
The due remembrance of his name
Your spirit regard requires: 
Till your breast glows with facred love,
indulge no meaner fires.
Secure his favour, and be wife,
Before those cheerful days, [more,
When age comes on, when mirth's no
And health and strength decay.
Human Frailty
OUR days begin with trouble here,
Our life is but a span ;
And cruel death is always near;
So frail a thing is man!
Believe in Jesus Christ: while young;
Then when thou com'st to die,
Thou shalt sing forth that pleasant song,
U Death, where's thy victory?"
Uncertainty of Life.
I IN the burying place may see
Graves shorter there than I ;
From death 's arrest: no age is free,
Young children too may die.
My God, may such an awful light
Awakening be to me !
O! that by early grace I might
For death prepared he.
Learn theft four Lines by Heart.
H AVE communion with few,
o Be intimate with OWE ;
Deal justly with all,
Speak evil of none.
A Morning Hymn.
My God, who makes the fun to
His proper hour to rife, [know
And, to give light to all below, 0
Doth fend him round the skies ;
When from the chambers of the east:
His morning race begins,
He never tires nor stops to rest,
But round the world he shines.
So like the fun would I fulfil
The business of the day,
Begin my work betimes, and still
March on the heav'nly way.
Give me, O Lord, thine early grace,
Nor let my foul complain
That the young morning of my days
Has all been spent in vain.
An Evening Hymn.
AND now another day is gone,
I'll sing my Maker's praise ;
My comforts every hour make known
His providence and grace.
But how my childhood runs to waste l
My sins how great their sum!
Lord, give me pardon for the past,
And strength for the days to come.
I lay my body down to sleep,
Let angels guard my head;
And through the hours of darkness keep
Their watch about my bed.
With cheerful heart I close my eyes,
Since thou will not remove;
And in the morning let me rise,
Rejoicing in thy love.
Duty to God and our Neighbour.
LOVE God with all your soul and
strength,
with all your heart and mind,
And love your neighbour as yourself:
be faithful, just and kind.
Deal with another as you  have
Another deal with you:
What you are unwilling to receive,
Be sure you never do.
Verses for little children.
T HOUGH I am young, a little one,
If I can speak and go alone,
Then I must learn to know the Lord,
And learn to read his holy word.
'Tis time to seek to God, and pray
For what I Want for ev' ry day :
I have a precious soul to save,
And I a mortal body have. 
Though I am young, yet I may die
And hasten to eternity ;
There is a dreadful fiery hell,
Where wicked ones must always dwell:
There is a heaven full of joy.
Where godly ones shall always, stay ;
To one or these my soul must fly,
As in a moment when I die.
When God who made me calls me home,
I must not stay, I must be gone :
He gives me life, and gives me breath,
And he can save my soul from death,
By jesus Christ, my only Lord,
According to his holy Word.
He clothes my back, and keeps me warm,
He saves my bones and flesh from harm.
He gives me bread, and milk, and meat,
And all I have that's good to eat.
When I am sick, he, if he please,
Can make me well, and give me ease.
He gives me sleep and quiet rest,
Whereby my body is refresh'd.
The Lord is good and kind to me,
And very thankful I must be.
I must not sin, as many do,
Lest I lie down in sorrow too;
For God is angry ev'ry day
With wicked ones who go astray.
From sinful words I must refrain;
I must not take God's name in vain;
I must not work, I must not play
Upon God's holy Sabbath day:
And if my parents speak the word,
I must obey them in the Lord:
Nor steal, nor lie, nor waste my days
In idle tales and foolish plays.
I must obey my Lord's commands,
Do something with my little hands;
Remember my Creator now,
In youth, while time will it allow.
Young Samuel, that little child,
He serv'd the Lord, liv'd undefil'd ;
Him in his service God employ'd,
While Eli's wicked children dy'd.
When wicked children, mocking, said,
To a good man, Go up, bald head:
God was displeases with them, and sent
Two bears, which them in pieces rent.
I must not, like these children vile,
Displeaee my God, myself defile;
Like young Abijah, I must see .
That good things may be found in me.
Young king Josiah, that blest youth,
He sought the Lord and loved the truth;
He like a king did act his part,
And foJlow'd God with all his heart.
The little children they did sing
Hosannas to their heavenly King.
That blessed child, young Timothy,
Did learn God's word most heedfully.
It seem'd to be his recreation,
Which made him wife unto salvation,
By faith in Christ which he had gain'd,
As God's free gift, with love unfeign'd.
These good examples were for me ;
Like these good children I must be.
Give me true faith in Christ: my Lord,
Obedience to his holy word:
No word is, in this world, like thine;
There's none so pure, sweet and divine;
From thence let me thy will behold,
And love thy word above fine gold.
Make my heart in thy statutes found,
And make my faith and love abound:
Lord, circumcise my heart to love thee,
And nothing in this world above thee.
Let me behold thy pleased face,
And make my soul to grow in grace,
And in the knowledge of the Lord
And Saviour Christ, and of his word.
Dr. Watts's Cradle Hymn.
HUSH, my dear, lie still and slumber;
Holy angels guard thy bed;
Heav'nly blessings, without number,
Gently falling on thy head.
Sleep, my babe, thy 'food and raiment,
House and home thy friends provide,
All without thy care or payment,
All thy wants are well supply'd .
How much better thou'rt attended
Than the Son of God could be,
When from heaven he descended,
And became a child like thee!
Soft and easy is thy cradle,
Coarse and hard thy Saviour lay,
When his birth-place was a stable,
And his softest bed was hay.
Blessed babe! what glorious features,
Spotless, fair, divinely bright!
Must he dwell with brutal creatures?
How could angel, bear the fight?
Was there nothing but a manger,
Cursed sinners could afford,
To receive the heav'nly stranger?
Did they thus affront the Lord?
Soft, my child, I did not chide thee,
Though my song may found too hard:
'Tis my mother fits beside thee,
And her arms shall be thy guard.
Yet, to read the shameful story,
How the Jews abus’d their King;
How they serv'd thy Lord of Glory.
Makes me angry while I sing.
See the kinder shepherds round him,
Telling wonders from the sky ;
There they fought him, there they found
With his virgin mother by [him,
See the lovely babe a dressing,
Lovely infant! how he smiled !
When he wept, his mother's blessing
Sooth'd and hush'd the holy child.
Lo! he slumbers in a manger,
Where the horned oxen fed!
Peace, my darling, here's no danger,
Here's no ox a near thy bed.
'Twas to save thee, child, from dying,
Save my dear from burning flame,
Bitter groans and endless crying,
That thy blest Redeemer came.
May'st: thou live to know and fear him,
Trust and love him all thy days!
Then go dwell forever near him,
See his face, and sing his praise.
I could give thee thousand kisses,
Hoping what I most desire ;
Not a mother's fondest wishes
Can to greater joys aspire.
THE
 SHORTER CATECHISM:
Agreed upon by the Reverend Assembly of
Divines at Westminster.
Q, WHAT is the chief end of man!
A. Man's chief end is to glo­rify
God, and to enjoy him forever.
Q. What rule hath God given to di­rect
us how we may glorify and enjoy him!
A. The word of God, which is con­tained
in the scriptures of the Old and
New Testament, is the only rule to direst
us how we may glorify God and enjoy
him.
What do the scriptures principally
teach?
A. The scriptures principally teach
what man is to believe concerning God,
and what duty God requireth of man.
Q _ What is God?
A. God is a spirit infinite, eternal
and unchangeable in his being ,wisdom
power, holiness, justice goodness and
truth . 
Q: Are there more Gods than one?
A. There is but one only, the living
and true God. 
Q: a How many persons are there In
the Godhead?
A. There are three persons in the
Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Ghost:; and these three are one
God, the fame in substance, equal in
power and glory.
Q. What are the decrees of God?
A.	the decrees of God are his eter­nal
purpose, according to the counsel
of his own will, whereby, for his own
glory, he hath. fore-ordained whatfoever
comes to pass.
Q. How doth God execute his de-crees?
A. God executeth his decrees in
the works of creation and providence.
Q. What is the Work of creation?
A. The work of creation is God's
making all things of nothing, by the
word of his power, in the space of fix
days, and all very good.
Q. How did God create man?
A. God created man male and fem-,
ale, after his own image in knowledge,
righteousness and holiness, with domin-
ion over the creatures.
Q. What are God's works of provi-
dence?
,A. God's works of providence are,
His most holy, wife and powerful pre­serving
and governing all his creatures
and all their actions . 
Q. What special aact of providence did
God exercise toward man in the state
wherein he was created?
A. When God had created man,
he entered into a covenant of life with
him, upon condition of perfect obedi-
ence, forbidding him to eat of the tree
of  knowledge of good and evil , upon pain of death.
Q: Did our first parents continue in
the state wherein they were created?
A. Our first parents, being left to
the freedom of their own will, fell from
the state wherein they were created, by
sinning against God.
Q. What is sin? 
A. Sin is any want of conformity
unto, or transgression of, the law of
God.
Q What Was the sin whereby our ,
first parents fell from the state wherein they
were created?
A. The sin whereby our first parents
fell from the state wherein they were
created, was their eating the forbidden
fruit.
Q. Did all mankind fall in Adam's
first transgression ? 
A. The covenant being made With
Adam, not only for himself, out for his
posterity, all mankind descended from
him by ordinary generation, sinned in
him and fell with him in his first trans-
gression.
Q: Into what state did the fall bring
mankind?
A. The fall brought mankind into
a state of sin and misery.
Q:. Wherein consists the sinfulness of
that state whereinto man fell?
A. The sinfulness of that state
whereinto man fell, conflicts in the guilt
of Adam's first sin, The want of origin-
al righteousness, and the corruption of
his whole nature, which is commonly
called original sin, together with all ac-
tual transgressions which proceed from it.
Q. What is the misery of that state
whereinto man fell ?
A. All mankind, by the fall, lost
communion with God, are under his
wrath and curse, and to made liable to
all the miferies of this lite, to death it­felf,
and to the pains of hell forever.
Q. Did God leave all mankind to perish
in a state of sin and misery ?
A. God having, out of his mere
good pleasure. from all eternity, elected
some to everlasting life, did enter into
a covenant of grace, to deliver them
out of a state of sin and misery, and to
bring them into a state of salvation, by
a Redeemer.
Q:. Who is the Redeemer of God's 
Elect?
A. The only Redeemer of God's
elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being
the eternal Son of God, became man
and so was and continues to be God
and man, in two distinct natures and
one person forever.
. Q:. How did Christ, being the Son of
God, become man?
A. Christ, the Son of God became
man, by taking to himself a true body
and a reasonable soul, being conceived
by the power of the Holy Ghost in the
womb of the virgin Mary, and born of
her, and yet without sin.
Q: What offices doth Christ execute
as our Redeemer?
A. Christ, as our Redeemer, exe-
cuteth the offices of a Prophet, of a
Priest, and of a King, both in his state
of humiliation and exaltation.
Q: How doth Christ execute the Of-
fice of a Prophet?
A. Christ executeth the office of a
Prophet, in revealing to us, by his word
and Spirit, the will of God, for our sal-
vation.
Q. How doth Christ execute the office
of Priest?
A. Christ executeth the office of a
Priest, in his once offering up himself a
sacrifice to satisfy divine Justice and rec-
oncile us to God, and in making continu-
al intercession for us.
Q:  How doth Christ execute the office
of a King?
A. Christ executeth the office of a
King, in subduing us to himself, in rul-
ing and defending us, and in restraining
and conquering all his and our enemies.
Q: Wherein did Christ’s humiliation
consist?
A. Christs humiliation consisted in
his being born, and that in a low con-
dition, made under the law, undergoing
the miseries of this life, the wrath of
God, and the cursed death of the cross,
in being buried, and continuing under
the power of death for a time.
Q: Wherein consists Christ’s exalta-
tion ?
A. Christ’s exaltation consisteth in
his rising again from the dead on the
third day, in ascending up into heaven.
and sitting at the right hand of God
the Father, and in coming to judge the
world at the last day.
How are we made partakers of
the redemption purchased by Christ?
A. We are made partakers of the
Redemption purchased by Christ, by the
effectual  application of it to us by his
Holy Spirit. 
Q... How doth the Spirit apply to us
The redemption purchased by Christ?
A. The Spirit applieth to us the
redemption purchased by Christ, by
working faith in us, and thereby uniting
us to Christ in our effectual calling.
Q.. W hat is effectual calling?
A. Effectual calling is a work of
God's Spirit, whereby, convincing us of
our sin and misery, enlightening our
minds in the knowledge of Christ, and
renewing our wills, he doth persuade
and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ:,
freely offered to us in the gospel.
Q:. What benefits do those who are ef-
fectually called partake of in this life?
A. Those who are effectually call-
ed, do in this life partake of justification,
adoption and sanctification, and
the severaJ benefits which in this life do
either accompany or flow from them.
Q. What is justification ?
A. justification is an act of God's
free grace, wherein he pardoneth us of our
sins, and accepteth us as righteous in his
sight only for the righteousness of Christ
imputed to us, and received by faith
alone.
Q. What is adoption?
A. Adoption is an act of God's
free grace, whereby we are received in­to
the number and have a right to all
the privileges of the sons of God.
Q. What is sanctification?
A. Sanctification is the work of
God’s free grace, whereby we are re-
newed in the whole man, after the im­age
of God, and are enabled more and
more to die unto sin, and live unto
righteousness.
Q. What are the benefits which in this
life do either accompany or flow from Justification,
adoption, and sanctification?
A. The benefits which in this life
do either accompany or flow from jus-
tification, adoption, and sanctification,
are assurance of God's love, peace of
conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, in­crease
of grace, and perseverance there.
in to the end.
Q. What benefits do believers receive
from Christ at their death?
A. The souls of believers are at
their death made perfect in holiness, and
do immediately pass into glory, and their
bodies being still united to Christ, do
rest in their graves until the resurrection.
Q. What benefits do believer recieve
from Christ at the resurrection?
A. At the resurrection, believers be-
ing raised up to Glory, shall be openly
acknowledged and acquitted in the day
of judgment, and made perfectly blessed
in the full enjoyment of God, to all eter­nity.
Q. What is the duly which God re-
quires of man?
A . The duty which God requires of
man, is obedience to his revealed will.
Q: What dis God at first reveal to
man, for the rule if his obedience?
A. The rule which God at first re-
vealed to man for his obedience, was
the moral law.
Q. Where is the moral law summari-
Iy comprehended?
A. The moral law is summarily
comprehended in the ten command-
ments.
Q. What is the sum of the ten com­mandments?
A. The sum of the ten command-
ments is, to love the Lord our God
with all our heart, with all our soul,
with all our strength, and with all our
mind, and our neighbour as ourselves.
Q. What is the preface to the ten
commandments ?
A. The preface to the ten com­mandments
is in these words; "I am
the Lord thy God, which have brought
thee out of the land of Egypt, and out
of the house of bondage."
Q. What doth the preface to the ten
commandments teach us?
A. The preface to the ten com­mandments
teacheth us, that, because
God is the Lord, and our God and
Redeemer, therefore we are bound to
keep all his commandments.
Q: Which is the first commandment?
A. the first commandment is,
"Thou shalt have no other Gods be-
fore me."
Q. What is required in the first commandment?
A. The first commandment requir­eth
us to know and acknowledge God
to be the only true God, and our God,
and to worship and glorify him accord-
ingly.
Q: What is forbidden of the first
commandment ?
A. The first commandment forbid-
deth the denying, or not worshipping
and glorifying the true God, as God,
and our God, and the giving that war-
ship and glory to any other which is
due to him alone.
Q:. What are we especially taught by
these words, 'before me,' in the first com­mandment?
A. These words, 'Before me,' in the
first commandment, teach us, that God
who seeth all things, taketh notice of,
and is much displeased with, the sin of
having any other God.
Q. Which is the second commandment ?
A. The second commandment is,
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 thyself 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 Iove me, and keep my com­mandments."
Q. What;s required in the second
commandment ?
A. The second commandment re­quireth
the receiving, observing and
keeping pure and entire all such religions
is worthy and ordinances as God
hath appointed in his word.
Q. What if forbidden in the second
commandment?
A. The second commandment forb-
iddeth the worshipping of God by im­ages,
or any other way not appointed
in his word.
Q. What are the reasons annexed to
the second commandment?
A. The reasons annexed to the sec-
ond commandment, are God's sover­eignty
over us, his propriety in us, and
the zeal he hath , for his own worship.
Q. Which is the third commandment?
A. The third commandment is,
" 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."
Q. What is required in the third com­mandment?
A. The third commandment re­
quireth the holy  and reverend use of
God's names, titles, attributes, ordi­nances,
word and works.
Q. What is forbidden in the third
commandment?
A. The third commandment forbid­deth
all profaning or abusing of anything
whereby God maketh himself known.
Q. What is the reason annexed to the 
third commandment?
A. The reason annexed to the third
commandment is, that however the
breakers of this commandment may es­cape
punishment from men, yet the Lord
our God will not suffer them to escape
his righteous judgment.
Q. Which is the fourth commandment?
A. The fourth commandment is,
" 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 man­servant,
nor thy maid-servant, nor thy
cattle, nor thy stranger that is within
thy gates:  for in six days 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."
Q. What is required in the fourth
commandment?
A. The fourth commandment re­quireth
the keeping holy  to God such
set times as he hath appointed In his
word expressly one whole day in seven,
 to be an holy sabbath to himself.
Q. Which day of the seven hath God
appointed to be the weekly Sabbath?
A. From the beginning of the world
to the resurrection of Christ, God ap­pointed
the seventh day of the week to
be the weekly Sabbath; and the first
day of the week ever since, to continue
to the end of the world, which is the
Christian Sabbath.
Q. How is the Sabbath to be sanctified?
A. The Sabbath is to be sancitifed
by an holy resting all that day, even
from such worldly employments and
recreations as are lawful on other days,
and spending the whole time in public
and private exercises of God's worship,
except for much as is to be taken up in
the works of necessity and mercy.
Q. What is forbidden in the fourth
commandment ?
A. The fourth commandment for-
biddeth the omission or careless perfor­mance
of the duties required, and the
profaning the day by idleness, or doing
that which is in itself sinful; or by unne­cessary
thoughts, words or works, about
worldly employments or recreations 
Q. What are the reasons annexed to
the fourth commandment ?
A. The reasons annexed to the
fourth commandment are, God's al­Iowing
us six days of the week for our
own employments, his challenging a
special propriety in the seventh, his own
example, and his blessing the sabbath day.
Q. Which is the fifth commandment?
A. The fifth commandment is,
"Honour thy father and thy mother,
that thy days may be long upon the
land which the Lord thy God giveth
thee. "
Q. What is required of the fifth com-mandment?
A. The fifth commandment requir­eth
the preserving of the honour, and
performing the duties, belonging to ev­ery
one in their several  places and rela­tions,
as superiors, inferiors, or equals.
Q. What is forbidden in the fifth
Commandment? 
A. The fifth commandment forbidde-
th the neglecting of, or doing any
thing against, the honour and duty
which belongeth to everyone in their
several places and relations.
Q. What is the reason annexed to the
fifth commandment?
A. The reason annexed to the fifth
commandment is, a promise of long life
and prosperity (as far as It shall serve
for God's glory and their own good)
to all such as keep this commandment.
Q. Which is the sixth commandment?
A. The sixth commandment is
“thou shalt not kill."
Q What is required in the sixth commandment?
A. The sixth commandment requir-
eth all lawful endeavors to preserve our
own life, and the lives of others.
Q. What is forbidden the sixth com-
mandment?
A. The sixth commandment forbid-
deth the taking away of our own life,
or the life of our neighbour unjustly,
and whatsoever  tendeth thereunto.
Q. Which is the seventh command-
ment?
A. The seventh commandment is
“Thou shalt not commit adultery."
Q. What is required in the seventh
commandment?
A. The seventh commandment re-
quireth the preservation of our own and
our neighbour's chastity in heart,
speech and behaviour.
Q. What is forbidden in the seventh
commandment?
A. The seventh commandment for­biddeth
all unchaste thoughts, words
and actions.
Q. Which is the eighth commandment?
A. The eighth commandment is,
" Thou shalt not steal."
Q. What is required in the eighth com­mandment?
A. The eighth commandment re­quireth
the lawful procuring and furthering 
the wealth and outward estate
of ourselves and others.
Q. What is forbidden in the eighth
commandment ?
A. The eighth commandment for­biddeth
whatsoever doth or may unjust
ly hinder our own or our neighbour's
wealth or outward estate.
Q: Which is the ninth commandment?
A. The ninth commandment is,
“Thou shalt not bear false witness
against thy neighbour." 
Q. What is required in the ninth com­mandment?
A. The  ninth commandment requir -
eth the maintaining and promoting of
truth between man and man, and of our
own and our neighbour's good name,
especially in witness bearing.
Q. What is forbidden in the ninth
commandment?
A. The ninth commandment for­biddeth
whatsoever is prejudicial to
truth, or injurious to our own or our
neighbour's good name.
Q. Which is the tenth commandment?
A. The tenth commandment is,
" Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's
house, thou shalt not covet thy neigh­bour's
wife, nor his man-servant, nor
his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass,
nor any thing that is thy neighbour's."
Q: What is required in the tenth com­mandment?
A. The tenth commandment requir­eth
full contentment with our own con­dition,
with a right and charitable frame
of spirit towards our neighbour and all ,
which is his.
Q. What is forbidden in the tenth com­mandment?
A. The tenth commandment for­biddeth
all discontentment with our
own state, envying or grieving at the
good of our neighbour, and all inordi­nate
motions and affections to any thing
which is his.
Q. Is any man able perfectly to keep
the commandments of God?
A. No mere man, since the fall, Is
able in this life, perfectly to keep the
commandments of God, but daily doth
break them, in thought, word and
deed.
Q: Are all transgressions of the law
equally heinous?
A. Some sins in themselves, and by
reason of several aggravations, are more
heinous in the light of God than others.
Q. What doth every sin deserve ?
A. Every sin deserveth God's wrath
and curse, both in this life and that
which is to come.
Q. What doth God require of us, that
we may escape his wrath and curse, due
to us for sin?
A. To escape the wrath and curse of
God due to us for sin, God requireth
of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance 
unto life, with a diligent use of all out- 
ward means whereby Christ communi­cateth
to us the benefits of redemption.
Q. What is faith in Jesus Christ?
A. Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving
grace, whereby we receive and rest upon
him alone for salvation, as he is of-
fered to us in the gospel.
Q What is repentance unto life?
A. Repentance unto life is a saving
grace, whereby a sinner, out of a true
sense of his sin, and apprehension of the
mercy of God in Christ, doth with
grief, and hatred of his sin, turn from it
unto God, with full purpose of, and en­deavours
after, new obedience.
Q. What are the outward and ordi­nary
means whereby Christ communicateth
to us the benefits of redemption?
A. The outward and ordinary means
whereby Christ communicateth to us
the benefits of redemption, are his or­dinances,
especially the word, sacra­ments,
and prayer; all which are made
effectual to the elect, for salvation.
Q. How is the word made effectual
to salvation?
A. The Spirit of God maketh the
reading, but efpecially the preach­ing
of the word, an effeCtual mean of
convincing and converting sinners, and
of building them up in holiness and
comfort, through faith, unto salvation.
Q. How is the word to be read and
heard, that it may become effectual unto
salvation?
A. That the word may become effectual
to salvation we must attend
there unto with diligence, preparation
and prayer, receive it with faith and
love, lay it up in our hearts, and practice
it in our lives.
Q. How do the sacraments become effectual
means of salvation ?
A. The sacraments become effectual
means of salvation, not from any vir-tue
in them, or in him who administers
them, but only by the blessing of Christ,
and the working of his Spirit in them
who by faith receive them.
Q. What is a sacrament?
A. A sacrament is an holy ordinance,
instituted by Christ, wherein, by sensi­ble
signs, Christ and the benefits of the
new covenant are represented, sealed
and applied to believers.
Q: What are the sacraments of the
New-Testament ?
A. The sacraments of the New Testament
are Baptism and the Lord's
Supper.
Q. What is baptism?
A. Baptism and sacrament wherein
the washing with water in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost, doth signify and real our
ingrafting into Christ, and partaking of
the benefit of the covenant of grace,
and our engagements to be the Lord's.
Q. To whom is baptism to be administed?
A. Baptism is not to be administed
to any who are out of the visible
church, till they profess their faith in
Christ, and obedience to him; but the
infants of such as are members of the
visible church are to be baptized.
Q. What is the Lord's Supper?
A. The Lord's Supper is a sacra-ment
wherein, by giving and receiving
bread and wine, according to Christ's
appointment, his death is slewed forth,
and the worthy receivers are, not after
a corporal and carnal manner, but by
faith, made partakers of his body and
blood, with all his benefits, to their
spiritual nourishment and growth in
grace.
Q. What is required to the worthy re­ceiving of
the Lord's Supper?
A. It is required of those who would
worthily partake of the Lord's Supper,
that they examine themselves of their
knowledge to discern the Lord's body,
of their faith to feed upon him, of their
repentance, love, and new obedience;
left, coming unworthily, they eat and
drink judgment to that themselves.
Q. What is prayer?
A. Prayer is an offering up of our
desires to God for things agreeable to
his will in the name of Christ, with
confession of our sins, and thankful ac­knowledgment
of his mercies.
Q. What rule hath God given for our
direction in prayer?
A. The whole word of God is of
use to direct us in prayer; but the
special rule of direction is that form of
prayer which Christ taught his disciples,
commonly called The Lord's Prayer.
Q. What doth the preface to the Lord's
prayer teach us?
A. The preface to the Lord's prayer,
which is, “Our Father, which art in
heaven," teacheth us to draw near un-
to God, with all holy reverence and
Confidence, as children to a father, abIe
and ready to help us, and that we should
pray with and for others.
Q. What do we pray for in the first
petition?
A. In the first petition, which is,
"Hallowed be thy name," we pray,
that God would enable us and others
to glorify him in all that whereby he
makes himself known, and that he would
dispose all things to his own glory.
Q.  What do we pray for in the second
petition?
A. In the second petition, which is,
" Thy kingdom come," we pray, that
Satan's kingdom may be destroyed, that
the kingdom of grace may be advance-
ed, ourselves and others brought into it
and kept In it, and that the kingdom
of glory may he hastened.
Q. What do we pray for in the third
petition?A. In the third petition, which is,
"Thy will be done in earth, as it is in
heaven," we pray, that God by his
grace would make us able and willing
to know, obey and submit to his will in
all things, as the angels do in heaven.
Q. What do we pray, for in the fourth
Petition?
A. In the fourth petition, which is,
" Give us this day our daily bread,"
we pray, that of God's free gift we may receive a competent portion of the good
things of this life, and enjoy his blessing
with there.
Q. What do we pray for in the fifth petition?
A. In the fifth petition, which is,
" And forgive us our debts as we for-
give our debtors," we pray, that God,
for Christ's sake, would freely pardon
all our sins, which we are the rather
encouraged to ask, because by his grace
we are enabled from the heart to forgive
others.
Q. What do we pray for in the sixth
petition?
A. In the sixth petition, which is,
" And lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil," we play, that
God would either keep us from being
tempted to sin, or support and deliver
us when we are tempted.
Q. What doth the conclusion of the
Lord's Prayer teach us?
A. The conclusion of the Lord's
prayer, which is, "For this is the
kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
forever, Amen," teacheth us to take
our encouragement in prayer from God
only, and in our prayers to praise him,
abiding kingdom, power and glory, to
him; and in testimony of our desire
and assurance to be heard, we say,
amen.
Children, obey your parents in
the Lord: for this is right. Honour
thy father and mother, (which is the
first commandment with promise,)
that it may be will with thee, and
thou mayest live long on the earth.
The Sum of the ten CammanfTments. WITH all thy foul love God above,
And as thyself thy neighbour love.
Our Saviour's Golden Rule.
BE you to others kind and true,
As you’d have others be to you.
And neither do nor say to men,
Whatever you would not take again.