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Henry Jessey · 1652
A Catechism for Babes, or, Little Ones
An early Baptist catechism (London, 1652) for very small children, written in plain, stammering language so that babes "that can speak but stammeringly" might understand what they say. 61 questions in six brief sections covering creation, the fall, Christ, and the two eternal conditions. Original text by Henry Jessey (London, 1652), public domain. Scripture references normalized to standard format for 1693.org.
A Catechism for Babes, or, Little OnesP. 1–42
1Who made you?2When did God make you?3Where did God make you?4Wherefore did God make you?5Must you not then learn to know God, that so you may rightly serve him?6When must you learn to know God?7How may you learn to know God?8What doe we call the word of God?9What's the first book of the Bible called, and what's the last Book?10What doth the Scripture say that God is?11How many Gods are there?12What workes hath God Made?13Of what did God make all things?14How can this be?15Why must we believe that God made all of nothing?16How did God make all things?17In how many daies did God make all things in the beginning?18What did the Lord God on the seventh day?19What must we and you do on the Lord's Sabbath day?20Whether did God make all things good or bad?21What other workes doth God, besides his making of all things?22Why doth the Lord uphold, preserve, and govern all things in Heaven and Earth?23Whereas God made all very good. How then came in naughtiness, and death, and all paines?24How came Adam to sin and fall?25What hurt came to them, and to us, by that sin?26What is sin?27What doe we deserve by any sin or naughtiness?28How then can you avoid Gods curse?29But yet God is wonderfull good and mercifull; What hath God done for redeeming these naughty ones?30What did, and what doth this Surety for us?31For what end was all this done?32Who comes to reap these benefits by Jesus Christ?33What assurance have we that God will doe so great things for naughty ones?34How must the Lord God be served?35How many Commandments are there in the Law?36Must you not hearken to Gods word, and to Gods counsel; and pray for all this?37Wherefore did God give the Law?38How do they live, and how must they live, that hope to be saved by Jesus Christ?39Must we always live here?40What must be after our death?41What will become of all naughty people at that day of judgement after death?42What will then be done to all good men, and to good women, and to good children?
The First Catechism of the Four Conditions of Every ManP. 43–46
43What was our condition at first, when God made all things very good?44What is our Condition now, by Adams sin and naughtiness, eating the fruit that God forbad him?45What may be our Condition by the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (who is the second Adam), and by the Love of God, and the Communion of the Holy Spirit?46What must be our Condition after Death, when God sends Jesus Christ to judgement?
The Second Catechism: Of Man's First ConditionP. 47–51
Of Man's Second ConditionP. 52–53
52When Adam the first man had sinned by doing naughtily, against what God bad him, yielding to Eve his wife, and to the Devil, more than to God: What was Adams Condition then? And what is now the Condition of every Child, of every Man, and of every Woman by Nature?53How is this condition of all now like the Devil?
Of Man's Third ConditionP. 54–58
54Mans Condition was good at first by Creation: now tis bad by Corruption: What may be your Condition here in this world by Regeneration?55How may Mans Condition be brought here into that good way of Blessedness?56And how else?57And how else?58How may Mans Condition, and your own condition be in the bad way of Wo, and of Cursedness for ever?
Of Man's Fourth ConditionP. 59–61
59Mans Condition at first was Holy and Happy; now it is Sinfull and wofull; it may be here in this life, in the good way of happiness, or in the bad way of Wo forever. What must be all mens Condition at the day of Judgement after Death?60What shall then be done to all naughty people, that died in the bad way?61What shall then be done to all Good people, and good Children?