This second part includes Greenham's treatment of the Ten Commandments.
Years ago, on a previous blog, I began the work of reproducing the Shorter Catechism of Richard Greenham. I never completed the project so I thought I would take this effort up again on the AGR blog. One of the most forgotten Elizabethan Purtians is Richard Greenham (c. 1542-1594). As an early Elizabethan puritan, Greenham’s influence in the late 16th century was second only to that of William Perkins. He wrote a very helpful catechism on the Christian faith that has not been reprinted since 1612 and has been forgotten with time. I edit the catechism only slightly to modern English while making some changes of word choice with proper synonyms to read Greenham more clearly. Section headings have also been added. The catechism is taken from the 1612 edition of his Workes, the last and best edition.
Introduction:
Q. Considering that all men desire to be blessed, and that most men are deceived in seeking blessedness, tell me which is the true way to blessedness?
A. To know God to be my father in Jesus Christ, by the revelation of the Spirit according to his Word and, therefore, to serve him according to his will, and to set forth his glory; believing that I shall want nothing that is good for me in this life, and that I shall enjoy everlasting blessedness in the world to come.
Q. How do you know this?
A. By the working of the Holy Spirit, and by the means of God’s Word.
Authority of Scripture:
Q. What do we call God’s Word?
A. It is the revealed will of God, set forth to us in the Holy Scriptures.
Q. Which do you call the Holy Scriptures?
A. The books of the Old and New Testament, commonly called Canonical.
Q. Are all things contained in them that are necessary for us to know?
A. Yes: for God being full of all wisdom and goodness, would leave out nothing that was required for us to know.
Q. Is it lawful for us to add or take away anything from God’s word?
A. No: for God has expressly forbidden it, and has pronounced grievous curses upon those that do.
Q. Why is it so grievous a sin?
A. Because it is a very great sin to alter the last will of a mortal man; therefore, it is a much more grievous sin to change the last testament of the eternal God.
Worship
Q. Why is it required that the will of God should be expressed to us?
A. That we might have pure rules of his worship, and sure grounds of our salvation.
Q. Is it not lawful to relax any part of God’s worship, or of salvation in the doctrine and doings of men?
A. No: for all men by nature are liars, and defiled with sin.
Q. What follows concerning this?
A. That all men’s doctrines and ways are mingled with lies and corruption.
Q. How far are we bound to their doctrines and ways?
A. So far forth as they be agreeable to God’s Word.
The Reading of the Scriptures
Q. May all read the Scriptures?
A. Yes, all that are of age who are able to discern between good and evil, ought to increase in knowledge, for the furtherance of their salvation, as they increase in years.
Q. Why must all read such Scriptures?
A. First, because everyone must be able to prove and try himself, whether he be in the faith, or not—2 Cor 13:5.
Q. What are other reasons?
A. Second, because everyone must be able to prove and examine men’s doctrines (Acts 17) and ways, by the Scriptures, that they are not deceived in their salvation by them.
Third, because everyone must be able, as his calling requires, to teach, admonish, exhort, and comfort one another.
Fourth, because everyone must be able to make an account for the faith and hope that is in them.
Q. What if men cannot read?
A. Then they must use the help of others that can read.
Q. Is it enough to read the Scriptures privately, or with others?
A. No: for God has also commanded to hear them read publicly in the church.
Q. And is it enough to hear then read publicly in the church?
A. No: for he also has ordained preaching to be used.
The Principal Means of Grace
Q. Why must preaching be joined with reading?
A. Because it is the most principal and proper means to create faith in us.
Q. Why must faith be mixed with the Word read and preached?
A. Because otherwise the Word profits us nothing.
Q. How many things are required to be in everyone that comes to hear the Word read and preached?
A. Among others, four are necessary.
Q. What are they?
First, a reverent fear of the majesty of God.
Second, an assured faith in Christ.
Third, an earnest endeavor to frame our lives after them.
Fourth, they must pray for the Holy Spirit to be given them, to enlighten their minds, and to write all these things in their hearts.
The Law and the Gospel
Q. Which is the principal part of God’s Word?
A. The Law and the Gospel.
Q. What do you call the law?
A. It is that part of the Word that commands all good, and forbids all evil.
Q. What if we could keep the law?
A. Then we should be blessed.
Q. What if we break the law?
A. Then we are subject to the curse of God, and so to death and damnation.
Q. What call you the gospel?
A. It is that part of the Word which contains the free promises of God, made unto us in Jesus Christ, without any respect of our deserving.
Q. What does that work in us?
A. It works in us a true and lively faith in Jesus Christ, whereby we lay hold of the free remission of our sins in him, and the true repentance of them.
Q. What must we learn by the whole word of God?
A. Two things:
First, to make a right and sound entrance to our salvation.
Second, how to increase, and continue in our salvation to the end.
Q. What is required for our right and sound entrance to our salvation?
A. Three things are required:
First, to know and to be persuaded of the greatness of our sin and the misery due to the same.
Second, to know and be persuaded, how we may be delivered from our sin and misery.
Third, to know and be persuaded what thanks we owe to God for our deliverance.
Q. How shall we come to the right knowledge of our sins, and a sound persuasion of the greatness of them?
A. By the Spirit of God leading us into the true understanding of the law, and a proper examination of ourselves.
The Ten Commandments
Q. Where is the law set down?
A. It is written in many places of the Scriptures, but the sum of the law is contained in the Ten Commandments.
Q. Rehearse them:
A. “I am the Lord your God, you shall have no other gods before me…”
Q. How are they divided?
A. Into two principal heads or tables, as they are called.
Q. What does the first table teach us?
A. It teaches us our duty towards God, and is contained in the first four commandments.
Q. What does the second teach us?
A. Our duty towards our neighbor, and is contained in the last six commandments.
Q. Why are the duties towards God set down before the duties towards our neighbor?
A. Because the love of God is the ground of the love of our neighbor.
Q. What follows from here?
A. That no one can rightly love his neighbor expect he first loves God.
Q. Why are the duties towards our neighbor joined to our duties towards God?
Because the love of our neighbor is the proof of our love towards God.
Q. What follows from here?
A. That none can love God aright, except he also loves his neighbor.
Q. Why are the commandments set down in ten parts, and not in general?
A. Because God is not pleased with doing our duties in general or in some part, but he will
wholly be served in all and every one of his commandments.
Q. Why are they set down singularly to everyone?
A. Because everyone must do his own duty, though none go before him.
Q. What follows from this?
A. That everyone must bear his own burden, and none shall have excuse by the example of others.
Q. Are there not some rules which serve for the better understanding of everyone one of the commandments?
A. Yes, there are four that have special uses.
First, in every commandment where evil is forbidden, there the contrary good is commanded.
Second, many more evils are forbidden, and many more good things are commanded in every
commandment than the words expressed.
Third, because God is a spirit, therefore his commandments are spiritual, and require spiritual
obedience.
Fourth, in every commandment where evil is forbidden, there the occasions of the evil are
forbidden; and where good is commanded, there also the occasions of good are commanded.
The First Commandment
Q. Rehearse the first commandment.
A. “You shall have no other gods but me.”
Q. What evil is here generally forbidden?
A. Even that which the words do imply.
Q. What good is commanded?
A. To have God to be my only God, and to always be in his presence.
Q. What is it to have God to be our only God?
A. To give him all things which are proper and appropriate to his majesty.
Q. Which are those that properly concern God, and therefore are the special things commanded?
A. There are very many.
Q. Rehearse the sum of them, that the rest may be understood?
A. I am bound to believe in God, to love God, to fear and obey him, to pray to him and praise
him.
Q. In what manner must you perform these duties of faith, love, fear, obedience, prayer, and
thanksgiving?
A. With my whole mind and understanding, with my whole heart and my whole strength.
Q. What are the particular sins here forbidden?
A. To fail in giving to God any one of these or the forenamed good things, in any part or respect.
Q. What else is particularly forbidden?
A. To give any of the forenamed good things to any creature, or any other thing whatsoever,
whereby my heart may be withdrawn from God in any part or in any respect.
Q. What are the occasions of breaking this commandment?
A. First, the vain desires of the pleasures, riches, and glory of this world.
Second, a negligent and careless use of the means to serve God in his providence.
Q. Are there not contrary good things commanded? What are they?
A. First, a heart contented with any estate, and using things of this world, as though we used them not.
Second, a reverent and diligent use of the means to God to serve God’s providence.
The Second Commandment
Q. Rehearse the Second Commandment.
A. “You shall not make for yourself any graven image, nor the likeness…”
Q. What evil is expressly forbidden in this commandment?
A. I am forbidden to make any image either to represent God, or to worship him by.
Q. What evil is generally forbidden?
A. I must avoid all inventions and devices of men in the outward worship of God, which are contrary or besides the written Word of God.
Q. What are the special evils forbidden?
A. Chiefly all corruption in the substance of doctrine, prayer, sacraments, and the discipline of the church.
Q. What occasions of evil are forbidden?
A. There are some which we must necessarily avoid, unless we fall into superstition and idolatry, and they are these:
First, to join false parts of worship with the true worship of God.
Second, to be present in body at idolatrous and superstitious worship.
Third, the preservation of some special memorial of superstition and idolatry.
Q. What are the lesser occasions forbidden, and yet (so we have the special grounds of God’s worship) we must, and may tolerate them, when we cannot help them?
A. First, all vain, idle, and superstitious ceremonies.
Second, all keeping of company with false worshippers.
Q. Is not evil in the heart also forbidden?
A. Yes, in so far as I lust in my heart to have any of them prevail or to be established.
Q. What good is generally commanded?
A. All the outward means of God’s worship, which are agreeable to his written Word.
Q. What is specially commanded?
A. I must use such doctrine, prayers, sacraments, and discipline of the church, as are agreeable to God’s Word in substance.
Q. What occasions of good are here commanded?
A. First, to have use of good books of the doctrine and history of the church, written according to God’s Word.
Second, erecting and maintaining schools of learning, as nurseries of the ministry.
Third, sufficient provision to be made for the ministers of God’s Word.
Fourth, building and maintaining churches, and all things belonging to them.
Fifth, I must use all good ceremonies and orders agreeable to the Word of God.
Sixth, all familiar company with the true worshippers of God.
Q. What good in heart is commanded?
A. I am commanded to use the means of God’s worship, not only outwardly, but also in spirit and truth.
Q. What is meant by these words: “For I the Lord am a jealous God...”
A. That God will punish false worship in false worshippers, and in their children to the fourth generation.
Q. What is meant by these words: “And show mercy unto thousands…”
A. That God will bless his true worship in the true worshippers and their children, unto a thousand generations.
Q. What is the use of these?
A. The use is to make false worship more vile, and his true worship more precious in our eyes.
The Third Commandment
Q. Rehearse the third commandment.
A. “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain…”
Q. What evils are here forbidden?
A. First, all perjury, banning or cursing, enchanting, or conjuring.
Second, all swearing by false gods, or naming them with reverence.
Third, all customable swearing, or speaking of God without reverence.
Fourth, to cause God’s name to be dishonored by false doctrine or an ungodly life, either in myself or others.
Q. What good is here commanded?
A. First, in matters concerning God’s glory, I must swear by God only: justice, judgment, and
truth.
Second, I must endeavor from my heart to grow up in true knowledge, and a godly life, so that God’s name may be praised in myself, and by my example in others.
Q. What is meant by these words: “For the Lord will not hold him guiltless…”
A. That God will certainly punish the dishonoring of his name in any sort.
Q. What is the use of this?
A. The use of this is to make us more fearful to dishonor him, and more careful to glorify his
name.
The Fourth Commandment
Q. Rehearse the Fourth Commandment.
A. “Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy…”
Q. What is here generally commanded?
A. I am commanded to make it my whole delight, to sanctify the holy Sabbath of the Lord from morning until night.
Q. What is particularly commanded?
A. First, to use all public means of God’s worship in the congregation of God’s people.
Second, to rejoice to use all such private exercises, as may make the public means more profitable to myself and to others.
Q. What are those private exercises?
A. First, the examining of my sins and wants, private prayer, reading of the Scriptures, singing of
Psalms, conversation with others, and applying all things to myself, with a care to profit
others.
Second, relieving the needy, visiting the sick, and those that are in prison, comforting them that are in any misery, reconciling them that are at variance, admonishing the unruly, and such like these.
Q. What is especially commanded?
A. The spiritual observation of the creatures of God, to inspire myself and others to praise him.
Q. What else is commanded?
A. A diligent search of my heart, with a similar care to find it out, and to reap some profit of the
previously mentioned means, so that I may be the better for and through them.
Q. What is then particularly forbidden?
A. Firth, all such labors and pleasures, in thought, word, and deed are forbidden, as may hinder
me and others, for using or profiting by the same means.
Second, leaving unused any of the public means or private exercises.
Q. What is here generally forbidden?
A. The using either of those public or private means in ceremony without some good fruit in
myself, or care for fruit in others.
The Fifth Commandment
Q. Rehearse the Fifth Commandment
A. “Honor your father and mother, that your days may be long in the land…”
Q. What do you understand by father and mother?
A. By father and mother, I do not understand this to mean only my natural parents, but also those
who God has set over me for my good: magistrates, ministers, masters, and the like.
Q. What duties do children owe to their natural parents?
A. Children ought to reverently and obediently receive instructions, commandments, and the corrections of their parents; to support them, and to pray for them.
Q. What are they forbidden to do?
A. To refuse, or murmur at the instructions, commandments, and corrections of their parents, or
to neglect any duty belonging to them.
Q. How may they examine their love by these duties?
A. They may examine whether their love is right in three ways:
First, if they are desirous to do all these duties toward their parents, as they would have their
parents to do all duties to them.
Second, if they are desirous to do all duties to their parents, as they would have their own
children to honor them.
Third, if they are as willing to do all these duties to their parents, as they would receive long
life, or any other blessing at the hands of God.
Q. What duties do parents owe to their children?
A. Parents ought to teach, correct, pray, and provide for their children.
Q. How may they examine their love by these duties?
A. They may examine their love in two ways:
First, if they are as careful to do all duties to their children, as they would have their parents
in times past to have performed all good duties unto them.
Second, if they are as careful to do duties to their children, as they would have their children after to be dutiful to them.
Q. What are the duties of servants to their masters?
A. Servants ought in fear and trembling submit themselves to the instructions, commandments,
and corrections of their masters, and to do no eye service to them.
Q. What if parents and masters do not do their duties to their children and servants?
A. Yet, they must obey them for conscience to God’s ordinance.
Q. What if they command unjust things?
A. Then they must obey God rather than men, and submit themselves to their correction.
Q. Why are the words added, “That your days may be long…”
A. They are added to allure us more carefully to keep, and willingly obey this commandment.
Q. And shall not disobedience be punished?
A. Yes, it shall be rewarded with a short a miserable life.
Q. How may they examine their love by these duties?
A. They may examine it in three ways:
First, if they desire to do all these duties to their masters, as they would have their masters to
do the duty of masters unto them.
Second, if they are as careful to do all these duties to their masters, as they would have their
servants to be dutiful unto them when they shall be masters.
Third, if they are as willing to do all duties to their masters, as they would be glad to receive
long life, or any other blessing by the hand of God.
Q. What duties do masters owe to their servants?
A. Master ought to teach and correct their servants, and to pray for them.
Q. How may they examine their love by these duties?
A. They may examine their love in two ways:
First, if they are desirous to do all these duties to their servants, as they would have their
masters deal with them, if they were servants.
Second, if they are as careful to do all these duties to their servants, as they would be to have their servants to do all duties unto them.
The Sixth Commandment
Q. Rehearse the Sixth Commandment
A. “You shall commit no murder.”
Q. How many things are here forbidden?
A. There are especially four things forbidden:
First, is forbidden, by weapon or poison to kill our brother.
Second, by wound or blow, or any other means to shorten the life, or impair the health of any man.
Third, by word, looks, or gesture, to mock, grieve, or despise any man.
Fourth, we are forbidden all anger, hatred, or envy, whereby we may be brought to revenge ourselves upon our brother.
Q. What good is here commanded?
A. First, we are commanded to be at peace with all men, as much as is possible in us.
Second, we are commanded in thought, word, and deed, to seek the preservation of the health
of our brother.
The Seventh Commandment
Q. Rehearse the Seventh Commandment.
A. “You shall not commit adultery.”
Q. How many things are here forbidden?
A. Three things are forbidden:
First, all outward actions are forbidden whereby the body is defiled, as adultery, fornication,
and uncleanness.
How many ways is uncleanness committed?
Two ways:
First, either against our own bodies, which is unnatural, or the bodies of beasts, which is
monstrous.
Second, by marrying one of false religion, or of no religion at all, within the degrees forbidden, or without the consent of parents. It is committed by using the marriage bed intemperately.
Second, all instruments and occasions are forbidden, whereby sin is raised up or strengthened in us, and they all contained in this word: wantonness.
Q. How is wantonness seen?
A. In two things:
First, when either the whole body is abused in idleness, or vain sports; or any part of the body,
as the eye, the ear, the tongue, the nose, the hand, or foot are abused.
Second, when we do intemperately abuse meat, drink, sleep, or apparel, or use any
inconvenient company in time or place.
Q. What is the third thing forbidden?
A. Third, all inward settled lusts are forbidden, when the heart does give consent.
Q. What good is commanded?
A. First, I am commanded to keep myself pure and chaste both in body and soul.
Second, to use those means carefully, which may keep us chaste.
Q. What are the means of chastity?
A. Continual sobriety in meat, drink, sleep, and apparel; continual effort in our calling; fasting
and watching, so often as need requires.
Q. What if by these means we cannot be kept chaste?
A. Then, third, we are commanded to marry, and in marriage to use those means carefully,
whereby the marriage bed may be kept pure and undefiled.
The Eight Commandment
Q. Rehearse the Eight Commandment
A. “You Shall Not Steal”
Q. How many evils are here forbidden?
A. First, all those outward acts are forbidden whereby stealing is committed.
Q. How many ways is stealing committed outwardly in action?
A. By ourselves, in three ways:
First, all secret pilfering and open robbery, even if be a small thing, for whatever so great a
need.
Second, all extortion or violent wrongs, all oppression and unmerciful dealing.
Third, all deceit in buying and selling, or exchanging, in restoring things borrowed, found,
given to keep, and things like these.
By others, either, by commanding or counseling others to steal, by keeping counsel, nor by
consenting any way to them when they steal.
Q. What are the second evils forbidden?
A. Second, all outward occasions of stealing forbidden.
Q. What are they?
A. All idleness, wasteful spending of goods, living in an unlawful calling, all false weights and measures, coins, and things like these.
Q. What is forbidden thirdly?
A. Third, all inward stealing of the heart is forbidden?
Q. What is that?
A. The settled will or desire of our neighbor’s goods, although we cannot get them for fear, shame, or some other reason we do not take them.
Q. What is here commanded?
A. First, to restore goods ill-gotten, or wrongfully kept.
Second, to labor faithfully in a lawful calling, to be sparing of what we get, and to help others,
as their needs require.
The Ninth Commandment
Q. Rehearse the Ninth Commandment
A. “You shall not bear false witness…”
Q. What is forbidden in this commandment?
A. We are forbidden not only to bear false witness ourselves, but also to be partakers with those
who bear false witness.
Q. How many ways do men bear false witness?
A. Two ways:
First, against others outwardly, in judgment or out of judgment, when they
deny what is true of them, or when they take upon them that which does not belong
to them, whether it be good or evil. In judgment, when they give or receive false
information, pronounce or write any false sentence. Out of judgment when
any raise up, spread abroad, or listen to false reports; when any report the faults of others
without care of their credit, or when with flattering hearts they commend any man.
Second, this is done inwardly either in suspicion without a just cause, or in judgment falsely
or slightly of any man.
Q. What are the occasions of false witness bearing?
A. They are fleshly hatred of our enemies, the carnal love of ourselves or of our friends; to get
the things that we love, and to avoid the things that we fear or hate.
Q. How are we partakers with false witness bearers?
A. If we either command or counsel it to be done, or if we mislike it not, or not prevent it if we
can.
Q. What is here commanded?
A. First, in judgment to further righteous causes, so far set forth as my calling requires.
Second, to speak the truth from my heart to every man, so far as it is required for him to
know it.
Third, to be as careful of the approval of my neighbor as of my own, both in his presence and
absence, so far as the nature of his offence will permit.
Fourth, to hope and believe the best of every man.
The Tenth Commandment
Q. Rehearse the Tenth Commandment.
A. “You shall not covet…”
Q. Are all motions and desires evil?
A. No: For the desire for meat, drink, sleep, and such are natural, and in their own nature good,
unless through our corruption they become sinful.
Q. What motions are evil?
A. These motions are evil, which are either against God or our neighbor.
Q. Are all those forbidden in this commandment?
A. No: for all those which are against God are forbidden in the first commandment; but these
motions are only forbidden here which are against our neighbor.
Q. Seeing in the former commandments we are forbidden to hurt our neighbor in the heart, how
does this differ from the former?
A. In the former commandments the settled desires of the heart are forbidden; but the motions
are only here forbidden, whereunto the heart does not consent.
Q. From where do these motions arise?
A. They either arise from our own corruption, or are offered by Satan, or by the world.
Q. Are all of these motions sin in us?
A. All that arises out of our corruption are sin in us; but they that are offered by Satan or the
world are not sins.
Q. How are we infected with them?
A. First, when we take pleasure in them.
Second, when we are entangled with them.
Third, when we suffer them to tarry in our minds, though our hearts do not give consent.
Q. How is this commandment broken?
A. First, when evil motions arise out of our corruptions, moving us to hurt our neighbors.
Second, when we are infected with those motions which Satan or evil men put into our
minds.
Third, when we do not with similar affection desire the good of our neighbor as we do our
own.
Q. What is then commanded?
A. I am commanded to love my neighbor as myself.
Q. Who is our neighbor?
A. Everyone that is near me, and who stands in need of my help, and who is lies within me to
help him, though otherwise he is a stranger to me or my foe.
Q. Why do you judge this to be so?
A. Because of the image of God in him, and that he is my own flesh in respect of our first
parents.
Q. Does the law of God prescribe the perfect rule for righteousness?
A. Yes, for there is no good thing in deed, word, or thought, but here it is commanded, and
likewise no evil, but here it is forbidden.
Q. Can everyone keep the law of God perfectly?
A. They that are not born of God cannot keep it, neither in all, not in any one point, as pleasing
God thereby in respect of themselves.
Q. Why is this so?
A. Except a man be born of God, he cannot see the kingdom of heaven, nor enter therein, neither
can he keep the commandments of God. Moreover, all men by nature being born and
conceived in sin, are not only insufficient to do any good thing, but also inclined to all vice
and wickedness.
Q. What punishment is due to the breakers of God’s law?
A. In this life the curse of God, and death, with manifold miseries both of body and soul, or both.
Q. What else?
A. Where this curse is not taken away, everlasting death and damnation both of body and soul in
the world to come.
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