A NEW CATECHISME DRAWN Out of the Breasts of the Old and New Testament, for the soules nourishment, concerning the blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper, and the visible Signe in Baptisme.
Wherein is set forth, The strong Bond and Seales of the Covenant betwixt God and his People. With an excellent Caution to beware of Sectaries.
By W. COTTON, B. D. and Minister of the true Word of God.
Be ye not like to Horse or Mule which have no vnderstanding.
LONDON: Printed by B. ALSOP, dwelling neer Cripplegate, 1648.
A New Catechism, easie to be understood of children and the meanest capacities.
Question. WHat is Religion?
Answ. A binding of our selves over to serve God.
Q. What is God?
A. God is an infinite being Exod, 8.14.
Q. How many Gods are there? Job. 11.7, 8, 9.
A. Only one. 1 Tim. 2.5.
qu. How many persons are there?
A. Three the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy Ghost.
Q. How do you know that there is a God?
A. By his Workes of Creation in making all things by his workes of providence, in governing all things; by the generall consent of all Nations in acknowledging a God; by the terrours of conscience [Page 2]in wicked men, making them to tremble at him.
Q. Wherefore did God make you?
A. To serve him and seek his glory, Luke 1.74. Rom. 11.36.
Q. How will God be served?
A. As he appointed in his Law, Deut. 13.18.
Q. What Law do you mean?
A. The Moral Law, a perfect rule of righteousnesse, containing Ten Commandements, and therefore commonly called the Ten Commandements, divided as we were written at first in two Tables.
Q. What doth the first Table treat of?
A. Of piety, or our duty towards God, and contains the four first Commandements.
Q. What doth the second Table treat of?
A. Of charity, or our duty towards our neighbour, and containes the sixe last Commandements.
Q. What are the duties of the first Table?
A. Tha [...] we love the Lord our God with all out heart, and all our soule, and all our might; that wee may cleave wholly unto him, fearing, believing, trusting, and hoping in him; that we may call upon him, and worship him, according to his owne commandement, with all reverence and obedience, serving him truly all the dayes of our life.
[Page 3] Q. What are the duties of the second Table?
A. That we love our Neighbours as our selves doing as we would be done unto, studying to prefer our Neighbours honour, life, chastity, goods, and good Name, as wee would and should doe our own; that, we rest content and satisfied with that portion God hath alotted us, rejoycing in our Neighbors good as in our owne, which is the top and perfection of love.
Q. VVhat is the Law of God?
A. The ten Commandements.
Q. Are you able to keep these Commandements?
A. No.
Q. If we cannot keep the Law, wherefore then do we serve?
A. First to humble us, in regard of that miserable estate hereby discovered unto us.
Secondly to be a rule of good life unto us.
Q. VVhat belongs to those that keep not Gods Commandements?
A. Eternall damnation Rom. 6.23.
Q. How shall we escape eternall damnation?
A. Only by Jesus Christ.
Q. VVhat is Iesus Christ?
A. The eternall Son of God made man for our sakes.
Q. VVhat did Iesus Christ do for you?
[Page 4] A. He gave himself for us when he suffered upon the Crosse.
Q. VVhy did he give himself for us?
A. To free us from Hell, and to bring us to Heaven, where he himselfe is gone to prepare a place for us, 1 Ioh. 14 3.
Q. VVhether shall all persons be saved by Jesus Christ or not?
A. No none but the godly, or such as by faith receive him Ioh. 1.12.
Q. VVhat must the Godly do to be saved by Christ?
A. Believe and repent.
Q. VVhat is Faith?
A. A resting and relying upon God for salvation Ioh. 3.15.
Q. How is Faith wrought in us?
A. By the inward operation and perswasion of the holy Spirit, as the proper and principall cause, 1 Cor. 12.3.11. and by the outward Ministery of the Word as the instrumentall, Rom. 10.14.
Q. VVhat is repentance?
A. A work of the holy Ghost, whereby a sinner being tru [...]y humbled or sinne, turneth from his sinne, with a stedfast purpose to serve the Lord.
Q. Wherein stands true repentance?
A. In three things. First in the knowledge and acknowledging of our sins past. Secondly, in godly [Page 5]sorrow and griefe of heart for them. Thirdly, in a godly purpose to forsake all sin, and to lead a [...]ew life for all time to come.
Q. How are these graces of God encreased in [...]?
A. By the Word, Prayer, and Sacrament, Rom. 4.11.
Q. VVhat is that which you call the Word of God?
A. That which the Apostles and Prophets have left unto us in writing.
Q How do you know those Writings to be the word of God?
A. By the antiquity, majesty, and holinesse of it, and treasures of divine Wisdome contained in it; by the miracles that confirmed it, and miraculous preservation of it to this day; by the incredible effects o [...] it subduing the whole World to the Kingdom of Christ, and mastering our unruly affections, which shewes it to be the Word of the mighty God, and not of weak Man.
Q. What is required to the right hearing of this Word?
A. To prepare our selves by prayer and meditation, to attend diligently and reverently upon the prevailing of it, to empty our hearts of all wordly thoughts and corrupt affections, to make room for [Page 6]it and lay it up for our dayly use in the well ordering of our lives.
Q. VVhat is prayer?
A. A making of our requests to God, or a begging of tho [...]e things whereof we stand in need, and a thanksgiving for those things which we have received.
Q. With what confidence can we sinfull wretches come before God, or call upon him?
A. We do no [...] call upon God in our own name, proudly presuming upon any worthinesse in our selves; but knowing and acknowledging our own unworthinesse, wee come in the Name of Christ our Mediatour, by whose intercession wee have accesse unto the throne of Gods Majesty, and trust to obtain favour.
Q. VVhat is a Sacrament?
A. A sign and seale of Gods Covenant of grace, Gen. 17.1.
Q. How many parts are there in a Sacrament?
A. Two: the outward element or crea [...]ure which is a visible signe of the inward and spirituall grace.
Q. How many Sacraments are there?
A Two: Baptisme and the Lords Supper, Mat. 28 9.
Q. VVhat is Baptisme?
A. A Sacrament of the New Testament ordained [Page 7]by Christ, wherein by sprinkling of the water, in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost, is sealed to all the faithful, the remission and washing a way of their sins, and regeneration to e [...]ernall life, Mat. 26.19.
Q. What is the visible sign in Baptism [...]?
A. The outward element of water, together with the action of wash ng, dipping, or sprinkling the party baptized, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
Q. What is the inward part signified?
A. The bloud and spirit of Christ, washing away both the guilt and filthinesse of sinne.
Q. How far is sinne done away in Baptism?
A. All sinne both original and actual, past and to come; perfectly in respect of the guilt, though imperfectly and by degrees in respect of the pollution and power of sin.
Q. Is there such vertue in water?
A. No: the vertue is in Christs bloud, applyed unto us by his spirit and apprehended by Faith; the visible signes of water and washing being helps [...]o our weaknesse.
Q. Who are to be admitted to this Sacrament?
A. Whosoever are outwardly comprehended in the Covenant, whether they be of riper yeeres counted to the Christian profession, or children born of believing Parents.
[Page 8] Q. VVhat is the Sacrament of the Lords Supper?
A. A Sacrament of the New Testament ordained by Christ, wherein by eating of the bread broken, and drinking of the Wine powred out, Christ and all the benefits of his passion and righteousnesse, are surely sealed and conveyed unto us.
Q. VVhat are the outward signes in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper?
A. Bread and Wine 1 Cor. 11.25.
Q. VVhat doth Bread signifie?
A. The Body of Christ, 1 Cor. 10.16.
Q. VVhat is meant by the breaking of the Bread▪
A. The torments which Christ suffered for [...]s in his humane nature.
Q. VVhat doth the wine signifie?
A. The bloud of Christ, 1 Cor. 10.16.
Qu VV [...]at is meant by the powring out of the wine?
Ans. The shedding of Christs bloud for our sins.
Qu. VVhat is meant by the eating of the Bread and drinking of the wine?
Ans. The receiving and enjoying of Christ by Faith, Ioh. 6.35.
Qu. Is Christs Body and Bloud, together with th [...] outward Elements, received of all the Communicans?
[Page 9] A. No: For howsoever they be offered to all, yet they be received of none, but such alone, as by the hand of Faith lay hold on Christ, they that come without Faith, they receive only the outward elements, and that unto condemnation.
Qu Are all fit to be admitted to the receiving of the Sacrament?
A. No: none but such as can examine themselves.
Qu. VVhat ought Mankind to examine themselves in?
A. Whether they have knowledge, faith, thankfulnesse repentance and charity, Ioh. 3.36. col. 3.45. Luke 13.3.5.
Qu. VVhat knowledge is requ [...]red of us?
Ans.
- First, knowledge of our excellency by creation.
- Secondly, knowledge of our misery by transgression.
- Thirdly, knowledge of our recovery out of this misery.
- Fourthly, knowledge of our duty for our Redemption.
- Fifthly, knowledge of the Sacrament, of the Lords Supper, and that of the Author, Na [...]ure, Use, and fruit of it.
Qu. How shall a man or woman know that they have Faith?
[Page 10] A. By these two signes: First, by believing every part of Gods Word.
Secondly, by depending upon God for the things of this life.
Qu. How shall a man or woman know that they have this grace of Repentance?
A. By these two signes: First, by an hatred of all sins.
Secondly, By an amendment of life.
Qu. How shall a man or woman know that they have this grace of charity?
A. By wishing well to all. by doing them all the good we can and by reconciling our selves unto them.
Qu. What shall he do that finds not these things in himself after due examination?
A. He may not keep away from the Lords Supper for all that, for this were a provoking of GOD to wrath, neither can he come unto it without offending in a higher degree.
Qu. What shall a man do in this case?
A. He must humbly sue unto God for the pardon of his sins, to strike his hard heart that he may melt into tear for them and constantly cleave unto his Commandements, and if there be any dissention, he must go and be reconciled.
Qu. What must he do in receiving?
A. With reverence and thanksgiving commemorate [Page 11]the Lords death for the comfort and refreshing of his soule, and offer up himself soul and body a living Sacrifice of thanks; in which regard, it is called the Eucharist.
Q. What is to be done after re [...]eiving?
A. Media [...]e on the covenant of new obedience renewed by this Sacrament, that wee may more carefully perform it, flying sin and vice all the days of our life.
Qu. What shall become of us after we have finisht our course in this world?
A. Every one shall be rewarded according to the life which he hath led, the Godly receiving that joy [...]ull sentence, come ye blessed of my Father, inherit a Kingdome prepared for you: the ungodly receiving that wofull doome, Go ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the Divell and his Angels, Mat. 25.34.
Q. How doe wee give vp our selves and our seed to the Lord?
A. By receiving through Faith the Lord and his covenant to themselves and to their seed: and accordingly walking themselves, and training up their children in the wayes of his coven [...]nt.
qu. How do vve give vp our selves and our seed to the Elders and Brethren of the church?
A. By confession of our sinnes, and profession of our faith, and of our subjection to the Gospell of [Page 12]Christ: and so they and their seed are received into fellowship of the church, and the seales thereof.
qu. What are the seales of the covenant now in the dayes of the Gospel?
A. Baptisme and the Lords Supper.
qu. What is done for you in Baptisme?
A. In Baptisme, the washing with water is a sign and seal of my washing with the bloud & spirit of Christ, and thereby of my ingrafting into Christ: of the pardon and cleansing of my sins: of my rising up out of affliction, and also of my resurrection from the dead at the last day.
qu. What is done for you in the Lords Supper?
A. In the Lords Supper the receiving of the bread broken, and the wine powred out, is a signe and seale of my receiving the communion of the body of Christ broken for me, and thereby of my growth in Christ, of the pardon and healing of my sins of the fellowship of his spirit, of my strengthning and quickning in grace, and of my sitting together with Christ on his throne of glory at the last judgment
qu. What is the resurrection of the dead?
A. First, When Christ shall come to his last judgment, all that are in the Graves shall arise again, both the just and unjust.
Secondly, at the last day we shall all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, to give an account [Page 13]of our works and to receive our reward according to them.
qu. Hovv d [...]h Christ redeem and save us?
A. First, by his righteous life, and bitter death & glorious resurrection to li [...]e again.
Secondly, by the power of his Word and Spirit, which brings us to Christ, and keeps us in him.
qu. What is his Word?
A. The Holy Scriptures the Old and New Testament, Law and Gospel.
qu. Hovv doth the Ministery of the Law bring you towards Christ?
A. By bringing me to know my sinne, and the wrath of God against me for it.
qu. What are you thereby the neerer to Christ?
A. So I come to feel my cursed estate, and need of a Saviour.
qu. Hovv doth the Ministery of the Gospel help you in this cursed estate?
A.
- First, By humbling me yet more, and then raising me up out of this Estate.
- Secondly, By revealing the grace of the Lord Jesus, [...]n dying to save sinners: and yet convincing me of my sinne, in not believing on him, and of my utter insufficiency to come to him, and so I feele my self u [...]terly lost.
- Thirdly, By teaching me the value and the vertue of the death of Christ, and the riches of his [Page 14]grace to lost sinners: By revealing the promise of grace to such, and by ministring the spirit of grace to apply christ and his promise of gr [...]ce unto my self, and to keep me in him.
- And lastly, by begetting in me Faith to receive him: Prayer to call upon him: Repentance to mourn after him, and new obedience to serve him.
Amen.