So short a CATECHISME, that whosoever cannot, or will not learn, are not in any wise to be admitted to the LORDS SUPPER.
Newly Corrected and Amended.
Edward Fenton.
LONDON, Printed for R. Eeles, in the year 1662.
So short a Catechisme, that whosoever cannot, or will not learn, are not in any wise to be admitted to the Lords Supper.
CREATION.
Question. WHo made thee?
Answer. Isay 44.2 Psal. 139.13.14 15.God.
Q. What is God?
A. He is Ge. 17.1 Iere. 32.18.19. Almightie, the Ge. 24.6. Isa 44.24 Maker and Iere. 10.23. Pro. 21 30 31. Governour of all things.
Q. Wherefore did he make thee?
A. Deut. 10.12. Iosh. 12.5 To serve him.
Q. How oughtest thou to serve him?
A. Deut. 12.32. Psa 119.4. Of the Law. As he hath appointed in his laws,
Q. Which be they?
A. Exod. 20 Deut 6.5. God spake all these words, and said, Thou shalt have none other Gods before me, &c.
Q. Canst thou fulfill all these Commandements without breaking any one of them?
A. No, though I doe all that I can, yet I breake them every day in Mat 5.18 Rom. 7.18 19. thought, word, and deed.
[Page] Q. What punishment is there appointed for the breach of these Commandements?
A. Deut. 27.26 Mat. 25 42 The curse of God, which is eternall destruction both of body and soul.
REDEMPTION.
Q. By what meanes then shalt thou escape this punishment?
A. Gal. 3.13. Col. 2 14 15. Onely by Iesus Christ.
Q What is Iesus Christ?
A. He is the Mat 17.5 H [...]b. 1.3 4 eternall Son of God.
Q. What hath he done for thee?
A. He Phil. 2.8 Heb 5.7.8 9. suffered the Torments of Death for me.
Q. Christ Iesus was God, and how then could he dye?
A. Christ Iesus was Isa. 9.6. Rom. 9.5. both God and 1 Tim 25 Phil 2 1.7 Man and in that he was God, hee could not dye: but being Man, he dyed Ro. 2.24 1 Pet 2. [...]4 Of faith. for my sinnes, and rose again to make me righteous.
Q Are all men then saved by his death?
A. No, none are saved, Ioh 3.18 Acts 3 49 but such as lay hold on him by a lively faith.
Q. What is a lively faith?
A. A lively faith is a Eph. 2.11 Col. 2.5 7 full perswasion [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] of my Ephe. 3.17. Acts 15.9. heart, grounded upon the Rom. 4.18.21. heb. 11.11 promises of GOD: that whatsoever Christ hath done for the salvation of Man, he hath done it as well Ioh. 20.28. Gal. 2.30. for me as for any others.
Q Where is the sum of your faith?
A. In the Creed: I believe in God the Father, &c.
SANCTIFICATION.
Q. How commest thou by this faith? Of preaching.
A. The Holy Ghost doth work it Act. 16.14 Iohn 6 45. inwardly in my heart, by the outward Rom: 10.14.17. preaching of his word.
Q. How is that faith increased and made strong in us?
A. Thes. 1.3 Pro, 4. [...]8 Of the Sacraments. By hearing the same word preached, and using the Sacraments?
Q. What be Sacraments?
A. Sacraments be outward Gen. 17.11. Exo 12.10. signes ordained of God, & are left as R [...]. 4. .1 1 Cor 1 10 17.2 seales and pledges of those benefits of our salvation which we receive in Christ to strengthen our faith.
Q How many Sacraments be there?
A. Two, 1 Cor. 1 1, 2, 3, 4. Baptisme and the Lords Supper.
Q. What profit hast thou by Baptisme?
[Page] A. I believe that by Baptisme my Acts. 22.16 &c. 38 sinnes are forgiven me: for as the water doth wash the filth of my body: so I believe that the Eph. 1.7 1 Pet. 1.2. bloud of Christ being sprinkled upon my soule by the Heb. 10.22. Acts 15 9. hand of faith, doth wash me from all my sinnes.
Q What profit hast thou by the use of the Lords supper?
A. As I receive the Math. 26 26.27. 1 Cor. 11.23, 24, 25. bread and wine into my body, to become wholly mine, so I believe that my Soul receiveth withall Christ Iesus with 1 Cor. 1.30. 2 Cor. 5.2 his death and righteousnesse to the Rom. 4.1 Eph. 1.13. sealing up of my everlasting Salvation.
Q. Seeing that they which receive these mysteries unworthily, eat and drink their own condemnation: how oughtest thou to prepare thy selfe to the right receiving of them?
A.
- First I must
1 Cor. 11 28. 2 Cor 13.5examine my selfe whether I2 Thes. 2 15. 1 Cor. 16.13.stand strongly in the true saith of Iesus Christ, or no.
- Secondly, whither I find my heart
Mat. 26.75 2 Cor. 7.9.10.inwardly grieved for my sins, with anPsal. 51.17. Rom. 7.24hatred and loathing of the same.
- Thirdly, if any offence be betwixt others and me, that I
Mat. 5.24 Heb 12.44reconcile my [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] selfe unto them, andMat 8.22forgive them even as Christ hath forgiven me.
Q. Is not prayer a speciall meanes to increase our faith? Col. 3 12.13. of praier
A. Yea, it is a Act. 4.29 31. Luk. 17.5 speciall help.
Q. How oughtest thou then to pray?
A. Onely Ioh 16.23 Iam. 8.5. to God in the name of Iesus Christ.
Q. What forme of prayer usest thou most?
A. That which the Man. 6.9. Luk. 2.18. Lord Iesus taught his Apostles.
Q. What is that?
A. Our father which art in heaven &c.
Q. How understandest thou this prayer?
A. This prayer containeth six petitions: whereof the first thrée are appointed only to Gods glory: the other thrée belong unto us, wherein we ask things necessarie both for soul and body.
OPen our eyes, O Lord, that wee may see the wonderous things of the Law: that by them as by a Glasse we may see our own weaknesse, and [Page] by our weaknesse our wickedness, and by them both our accursedness: then cause thy sweet comforts and consolations contained in thy Gospel, to shine into our Soules, by a true and lively faith in Christ Jesus: beseeching thee, that our dry and stony hearts may by the sweet Dews and Showers of thy Heavenly Spirit, be so moystned and softened, that as good ground they may ever be yeelding forth good fruit, to the glorifying of thy name, to the suppressing of sin, and increasing of Vertue, through Christ our Saviour. Amen.