A NEW CATECHISM Short and plain, and very neceſſary to be learned of the Younger ſort, before they come to be Partakers of the Holy Communion.
Publiſhed for the benefit of Shaffham School, Norfolk.
By GEO. DOCHANT, Miniſter of Gods Word, and there Teacher in a private School.
LONDON, Printed, and are to be ſold at the ſign of the Black-ſpread Eagle at the Weſt end of Pauls.⟨ feb: 21⟩ 1653.
THe rare bl•ſſing (mentioned by that royall Prophet) is by the Father of lights, and giver of all good things; plentifully poured upon you, Childrenſaith he, and the fruit of the Wombe are an inheritance from the Lord, Pſal. 127. 3, 4. Wherewith your quiver is well filled: And happy are you that you are ſo bleſſed; you ſhall not be aſhamed when you ſit in the gates among your Enemies.
God make your Sonnes his ſervants, the Patterns of Virtue, the haters of Vice: That your Sonnes may like pleaſant Plants ſtand about your Table: And your Daughters like the poliſhed corner of a Palace.
This ſmall Catechiſme divulged by me. I conſecrate to them and you, I have no better gift to beſtow on you for your ſuperabundant benefits which makes me preſume to preſent this paper preſent.
God bleſſe your Virtuous Conſort to you, and you to her, your children to you both, ſo having no preſent opportunity whereby I could more eminently teſtifie by obligations, I pray accept of this. For I call both God and the World to witneſſe that this way I honour you, reſting alwaies.
I Am not ignorant (Chriſtian Reader) that many Catechiſmes more pithy and profound then this, yea far tranſcending it both for Method and Matter have already been publiſhed, and this needs no more then to help the great ſun with a little light; or to put a ſuperfluous patch upon a compleat Suit. Yet notwithſtanding all the books which have been or ſhall be edited in this kind, I may thus much ſay, none of them that ever I ſee, but in ſome particular have what another wanted, and ſome one abridged, when ſome other dilated: all of them being chriſtian competitors, ſtriving who ſhould conduce moſt to ſhew the readieſt way to the Kingdom of Heaven.
So then, if this poor peece may be any thing, but even Gotes haire towards the ſanctuary of the Lord, nay may it but add one little grain to Gods great granarie, I ſhall be glad and give God the glory of it. Beſeeching our Lord Jeſus Chriſt that great Shepheard of his ſheep to make this and all the labors of his beloved ſervants fruitfull Paſtours for the comfort of his little flock. And the perpetuall praiſe of his Holy Name, Amen.
Q.WHo hath made thee, and all things elſe?
A.God.
Q.What is God?
A.A ſpirit Almighty and Eternal one in eſſence, three in perſon, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt.
Q.Wherefore hath he made thee?
A.To know him, worſhip him, and ſerve him.
Q.How is he known?
A.By his Workes, and word.
Q.How muſt he be worſhipped?
A.In Spitit and truth.
QWhat is that Truth?
A.His holy word containing the Law & Goſpel.
Q.What is the Law?
A.That which is comprehended in the ten Commandements.
Q.What doth God require of us in them?
A.Love to God in the firſt foure: and Love to our neighbours in the ſix laſt.
Q.How is God to be loved?
A.With all the heart, with all the ſoul, and with all the minde.
Q.How ſhalt thou know when thou doeſt ſo?
A. If I preferr his glory, and worſhip before all things.
Q.How is our neighbour loved?
A.If we do to him as we ſhould be done unto.
Q.Doth any man herein ſatisfie the Law?
A.No, and therefore all are concluded under ſin.
Q.What then becometh of all men?
A.They are all curſed to perpetual death which do it not, and none doe it.
Q.How then are we delivered from the curſe of death and Sin?
A.By Jeſus Chriſt who kept the Law and was accuſed for us.
Q.How knoweſt thou this?
A.By the Goſpel.
Q.What is the Goſpel?
A.The power of God to ſalvation, proclaiming forgiveneſs of ſin to every beleever through Chriſt.
Q.What is Chriſt?
A.the Son of the living God our Saviour, our Anointed, becauſe he is King, Prieſt, and Prophet.
Q.Why a King?
A.To reign and rule over us.
Q.Why a Prophet?
A.To teach us his Fathers will.
Q.Why is he a Prieſt?
A.Becauſe he hath ſacrificed for us.
Q.What hath he ſacrificed for us?
A.That part of himſelf which ſuffered.
Q.Did Chriſt then ſuffer but in part?
A. No, for conſiſting of God-head and Man-hood, his Man-hood only ſuffered.
Q.What ſuffered he in ſoul?
A.Helliſh torments to acquit our ſoules.
Q.What ſuffered he in body?
A.Death temporal, to deliver us from death eternal.
Q.Did he then give bodie for our bodies, and ſoule for our ſoules?
A.Yes verily.
Q.How knoweſt thou this to be for thee?
A.By the Certifficate of Gods ſpirit, faith and the Sacraments.
Q.Why, what doth Gods ſpirit certifie the?
A.That I am the Son of God.
Q.What doth Faith?
A.Purifie my heart, aſſuring the ſame that Chriſt with his merits are made mine.
Q.How can this be?
A.All my ſins became his, and his righteouſneſs became mine.
Q.Whereof cometh this faith?
A.By hearing & hearing by the word of God.
Q.How is this faith ſtrengthened and increaſed in us?
A.By the word preached & by the Sacraments
QHow many Sacraments be there?
A.Two, baptiſme and the ſupper of the Lord.
Q.What is the ſigne in baptiſme?
A.Water.
Q. What is the thing ſignified?
A.Chriſt his blood cleanſing us from our ſins.
Q.What benefit have we by baptiſms?
A.Incorporation into the viſible Church, aſſurance of Gods grace and promiſe: and that as water doth waſh away the filthyneſſe of our bodies, ſo by Chriſt we are waſhed away from all evill, both of body and ſoul, teaching us our new birth.
Q.What benefits have you by the ſupper of the Lord?
A.We are taught Chriſt his death, it ſealeth up Gods promiſe unto us, and teacheth us to love one another.
Q.What be the parts of theſe Sacraments?
A.Viſible ſignes and inviſible graces.
Q.What are the viſible ſignes?
A.Bread and wine.
Q.What are the inviſible graces.
A.Full Redemption and Juſtification by Jeſus Chriſt?
Q.Why is there uſed both Bread and Wine?
A.To teach us that Chriſt is both our meat and drink.
Q.The bread then is not Chriſts body?
A.No, for the Heavens hold his body until the day of the reſurrection of all things, but the bread repreſents his body, as the wine doth his blood, ſeeing that by one oblation he hath conſecrated for ever thoſe that are ſanctified.
Q.Then Maſſes are blaſphemous, and Maſſmongers, and ſuch as ſeek Salvation by works, are likewiſe blaſphemous?
A.They are ſo, for they reſt not only on this ſacrifice.
Q.Must not then works be done?
A.Yes, but not the works of our will, but ſuch as God hath commanded; and then to have no truſt in them, for when we have done all that we can we are unprofitable ſervants.
Q.How muſt we come to this Supper?
A.In examination of our ſelves, whether we have a godly ſorrow for our ſins paſt, and purpoſe of a new life. Secondly, Whether we have faith to take hold of Chriſt and his righteouſneſs. Thirdly, Whether we have love, declaring us one Body. Fourthly, Whether we be thankful to God for his benefits.
Q.Whence cometh it if we come ſo prepared?
A.Of the grace of God.
Q.How is that obtained?
A.By prayer made in Chriſt his name, that we eat not, nor drink not unworthily, 'tis good that we come together in prayer, joyning together with the Miniſter in the Congregation, that we may worthily take it. God grant us ſo to do.
Amen.
(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A81582)
Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 119939)
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