A COMPENDIOVS CHATECHISME.

Newly set forth for the benefit of such as intend the Sacra­ment of CHRISTS body and BLOOD, &c.

Jmprimatur

JOHN DOVVNAME.

LONDON, Printed by Tho: Paine, and are to be sold by Andrew Kembe at Margarets Hill in Southwarke. 1645,

1 PET. 3.15.

Sanctifie the Lord God in your Hearts; and be alwaies ready to give an answer to every one that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with Meekenesse and with Feare.

Quaere.
Q. How farre are people bound to make confession of their Faith; And to whom?

A.

  • 1. Affirmative precepts oblige not alwaies to actuall performances, yet in preparation of Minde and Ability to bee Alwaies ready to give an Answer.
  • 2. Calling thereunto is when one that hath authority asketh you a Reason, as Naturall Ci­vill or Spirituall parents, all such as give Ac­count for your soules.
  • 3. The end is needfull to approve to others as well as your selves, the hope that is in you, that Governours bee comforted, Brethren edifyed, and God glorified.
  • 4. The manner must bee discreet and so­lemne, with Meekenesse and godly Feare.
  • 5. Persons ready to give an Answer are such as sanctifie the Lord God in their Hearts.

Now see Brethren,

A VERY SHORT ACCOMPT of a Christians knowledge of God, of CHRIST, and of the SACRAMENT.

Penned for the use of the Au­thors Pastorall Charge,

And compiled into 16. Questions for short memories, especially for such as intend the Sacrament of Christs Body and Bloud.

Lesse then this, should not satisfie any Communicant.

1 COR. 11.29.

For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himselfe, Be­cause he discerneth not the Lords Body.

Much more is Requisite to the worthy Receiver.

Colos. 1.9, 10.

For this cause we also since the day we heard it, doe not cease to pray for you, and to desire that you might bee filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisedome and spirituall understanding.

That ye might walke worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitfull in every good worke, and in­creasing in the knowledge of God.

So prayeth Yours in Christ. J. F.
IOHN 17.3.

This is Life Eternall to know thee the onely true GOD, And IESUS CHRIST Whom thou hast sent.

1. Q. W [...]t is God?

Ans. God is a Spirit, One, Al­mighty, Eternall, Infinit, unchangeable Beeing, Absolutely Holy-Wise, Just and Good, and worshipped by his people in a Trinity of Persons, Iohn 4.24. 1 Cor. 8.4. Exod. 3.14. and 34 6.

2. Q. What doe you understand by the Trinitie of persons?

A. Three subsistances in that [...]ne Divine [Page] Being, namely the Father, Sonne, and Ho­ly Ghost. Mat. 28.19.

  • 1. Distinguished in themselves by their incommunicable properties of Relation, the Father begetting, the Sonne begotten, the Holy Ghost proceeding, Psal. 2.7. John 1 18. & 15.26.
  • 2 Discerned to us in their outward works the Father in Creating, the Sonne in Re­deeming, the Holy Ghost in Sanctifying, Ephes. 3.9. Gal. 3.13. 1 Cor. 6.11.

3. Q. What was the Creation of Man?

Ans. God framed his Body of the dust, and breathed into it a reasonable soule, con­stituting his Person i [...] [...] state of perfect holinesse and happinesse, from which be­ing seduced by Sathan hee fell under the power of Sinne and Death, without all possibilty of Redemption, but by the In­carnation of the Sonne of God, Gen. 2.7.3.15.

4. Q. What did God the Sonne to Redeeme us?

Ans.

  • He tooke our nature, and for us in it, 1 he performed all that righteousnesse the Law required, Mat. 3.15.
  • [Page] 2. Hee satisfied all that vengeance sinne deserved, Gal. 3.13. And is therefore called Jesus (that is) a Saviour, because he per­fectly saveth both our Soules and Bodies from sin and wrath, Heb. 7.21. Mat. 1.21.
    And Christ (that is) Annointed, to be our Priest to intercede for us, Heb. 4.14, 15. Our Prophet to instruct us, John 6.14. Our King to protect and rule us, Act. 2.36.

5 Q. How is the benefit of Christs Redempti­on made ours?

Ans.

  • 1. By his Spirit applying unto us the Merit and Efficasie of Christs Mediation in all those Ordinances and waies of Grace which God hath appointed his people to attend upon, Rom. 8 2. 2 Cor. 3 6.
  • 2 By a justifying Faith, which is a super­naturall gift wrought in our hearts by the Spirit of Grace through the ministry of the Gospel, apprehending and applying Christs active and passive obedience as our owne, imputed by God unto his chosen, Eph. 2.8. Rom. 10.17. and 4.24.

6. Q. What are the Seales of the righteous­nesse of Faith?

Ans. The Sacraments ordained of God, [Page] by visible and corporall signes to represent and to exhibite unto true beleevers, the in­visible and spirituall benefits of Christs death, Gen. 17 11. 1 Cor. 10.16.

7. Q How many Sacraments are there?

Ans. Of the new Testament there are two (to wit) Baptisme and the Lords Sup­per which by the institution of Christ suc­ceeded those two of the Old, namely Cir­cumcision and the Pascall Lambe, 1 Cor. 10.1, 2, 3. & 5 7. Colos. 1.11, 12.

8. Q. What are the parts of the Sacrament of Baptisme?

Ans. The visible part is Water sprinkled on the Child in the name of the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost; The invisible part is the Regeneration of our Nature, and the washing away of sin through the blood of Christ, applyed by the Spirit of God to those that are Elect. Tit. 3.5. Act. 2.38.

9. Q Is the invisible grace performed in the time of Baptisme?

Asw.

  • 1. Baptisme is onely an initiating and ingrafting ordinance, wherein the Lord would signifie unto Believers that their [Page] children as well as themselves, are taken in­to covenant with God, Rom. 6.5. Act. 2.39.
  • 2. Being the seale of the Covenant of Grace it carries with it all the Grace of the Covenant from which it hath its vertue; which Grace though it bee sealed in present yet is not performed till the severall seasons thereof, as perfection in holinesse is sealed here, though not accomplished till we come to heaven, Ephes. 4.30
  • 3. Vnion between Christ and the child, is, when the grace of the Covenant is in any measure applyed; though comfort of it is not, till effectuall calling, that the child comes actually to beleeve and to give up it selfe in Covenant with God, 1 Pet. 3.21.

10. Q. What is the Sacrament of the Lords Supper?

Ans. It is an Ordinance of the New Te­stament shewing Christ to be come, and to have suffered in the flesh; wherein by the outward Elements of Bread and Wine are signified and applyed to Beleevers the sa­ving ben [...]fits of Christs Body broken, and his blood shed for sinne, Mat. 26.26, 27. 1 Cor. 11.24, 25.

[Page] 11. Q. What is the union betweene the signes and the things signified?

Ans. Not Corporall but Spirituall, yet Reall in the saving effects of Christs Reall presence to the worthy Receiver, Joh. 6.63. 1 Cor. 10.3.4.16.

12. Q. How doth a Christian becom a wor­thy Receiver?

A. There is a two fold worthinesse,

  • 1. Of the person, which is Gods gracious acceptation of poore sinners in Jesus Christ, Mat. 3.17.
  • 2. Of the Action which consists in our due preparation by Examining our selves, 1 Cor. 11.28.

13. Q. By what Rule ought wee to examine our selves?

A. By the word of God which is a spi­rituall Glasse to shew us the face of our con­sciences in our twofold estate, either of Na­ture or of Grace. The Law discovers our sinne, the Gospel our remedy, that seeing our sinne, we might make out after our Re­medy, 1 Cor. 3.18. Rom. 7.24 25.

14. Q. Wherein stands this selfe Examina­tion?

[Page] A. In setting a part some time before we receive solemly to seeke our Reconciliation with God, and to prove unto our selves.
Fi [...], our Knowledge.

  • 1. In the Doctrine of the Trinity. John 173.
  • 2. In the Mysterie of redemption. John 173.
  • 3. In the Nature, End, and uses of the Sacrament, 1 Cor. 11.29.

Secondly, our Faith.

  • 1 Studying out the Conditions, Com­forts, and Fruits of the promises.
  • 2. Relying on the Free grace of the Co­venant, wherein God undertakes both his owne part and ours.
  • 3. Laying the promises to our hearts and lives to try out our owne interests in them, 2 Cor. 13.5. Heb. 11.6.

Thirdly, our Repentance.

  • 1. In a through sight of, and a proporti­onable sorrow for our manifold breaches of Covenant with God, Jsa. 1.13 16.
  • 2. In our firme purposes and promises to God, to Abominate all our former sinnes, and to serve the Lord Christ sincerely and constantly in newnesse of life, Psal. 119.106.

15. Q What are the benefits which wee Re­ceive [Page] in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper?

A. Two especially; as

  • 1. The sealing of all the comforts of Gods promises to the truly humbled an [...] [...]elee­ving soule, Rom. 4.11.
  • 2. The engaging of the heart to keepe closer in communion with Iesus Christ, 1 Cor. 10.16 21.

In both which after we have received we are carefully to observe the force of the Sa­crament how it workes against Infidelity and the power of corruption.

16. Q What may bee our Evidences of our interest in the Covenant of grace?

A. Chiefly these three.

  • 1. The witnesse of the Spirit of Adopti­on in the vital operations of the New birth, Rom. 8.14.16.
  • 2. The Efficacy of the promises purging us from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit, and perfecting holinesse in the feare of God, 2 Cor. 7.1.
  • 3. The proper effects of a living Faith, as,
    • 1. Acting the life of Christ in us, Gal. 2.20.
    • 2. Purifying our hearts, & our consciences from dead workes, Act. 15.9. Heb. 9.14.
    • [Page] 3. Working by Love, by Patience, and by all other sanctifying gifts, Gal. 5. Rom. 6 5.24.
    • 4. Carying us with an holy boldnesse, and with full assurance to the throne of Grace, Heb. 4.16.10.22.
    • 5. Lifting us up above the world, sinne, and sufferings, or any temptation that inter­rupts the Grace or Peace of our Communi­on with the Lord Iesus, 1 Iohn 5.4. Rom. 8.38, 39.
FINIS.

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