Fides Catholica, or, The doctrine of the Catholick Church in eighteen grand ordinances referring to the Word, sacraments and prayer, in purity, number and nature, catholically maintained, and publickly taught against hereticks of all sorts : with the solutions of many proper and profitable questions sutable to to [sic] the nature of each ordinance treated of / by Wil. Annand ...

SECT. I.

The nature of this ordinance may be understood by this plain de∣scription.

It is a teaching or unfolding the grounds and principles of Christian religion by way of question and answer.

There is nothing here needs explication, and therefore we may passe it the sooner over: It teacheth the grounds and principles, reduceing the parts of religion to some few heads for the better preserving them in the memory. Our Saviour comprized the whole body of the law, into two parts. To the love of God, and to the love of ones neighbour, Mat. 22.37. So∣lomon draws the whole duty of man into two parts also; viz.

to fear God and keep his commandements, Eccl. 12.13. Paul draws all unto faith and repentance, Baptisme, Imposition of hands, the resurrection and of judgment, Heb. 6.1. So doth cate∣chizeing, draw those truths that are enlarged in preaching like an open hand into the closed fist of some larger head, that it may be the better remembered understood, and taught both by the catechist, and catechized.