A COMPENDIOUS CHATECHISME. Newly set forth for the benefit of such as intent the Sacrament of CHRIST'S body and BLOOD, etc. Jmprimatur JOHN DOWNAME. LONDON, Printed by Tho: Pain, and are to be sold by Andrew Comb at Margaret's Hill in Southwark. 1645, 1 PET. 3.15. Sanctify the Lord God in your Hearts; and be always ready to give an answer to every one that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with Meekness and with Fear. Quaere. Q. How fare are people bound to make confession of their Faith; And to whom? A. 1. Affirmative precepts oblige not always to actual performances, yet in preparation of Mind and Ability to be Always ready to give an Answer. 2. Calling thereunto is when one that hath authority asketh you a Reason, as Natural Civil or Spiritual parents, all such as give Account for your souls. 3. The end is needful to approve to others as well as yourselves, the hope that is in you, that Governors be comforted, Brethren edified, and God glorified. 4. The manner must be discreet and solemn, with Meekness and godly Fear. 5. Persons ready to give an Answer are such as sanctify the Lord God in their Hearts. Now see Brethren, A VERY SHORT ACCOUNT of a Christians knowledge of God, of CHRIST, and of the SACRAMENT. Penned for the use of the Author's Pastoral Charge, And compiled into 16. Questions for short memories, especially for such as intent the Sacrament of Christ's Body and Blood. Less than this, should not satisfy any Communicant. 1 COR. 11.29. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, 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, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. So prayeth Yours in Christ. J. F. JOHN 17.3. This is Life Eternal to know thee the only true GOD, And JESUS CHRIST Whom thou hast sent. 1. Q. W●●t is God? Ans. God is a Spirit, One, Almighty, Eternal, Infinite, unchangeable Being, Absolutely Holy-Wise, Just and Good, and worshipped by his people in a Trinity of Persons, john 4.24. 1 Cor. 8.4. Exod. 3.14. and 34 6. 2. Q. What do you understand by the Trinity of persons? A. Three subsistances in that ●ne Divine Being, namely the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Mat. 28.19. 1. Distinguished in themselves by their incommunicable properties of Relation, the Father begetting, the Son 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 Son 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 soul, constituting his Person i● 〈◊〉 state of perfect holiness and happiness, from which being seduced by Satan he fell under the power of Sin and Death, without all possibilty of Redemption, but by the Incarnation of the Son of God, Gen. 2.7.3.15. 4. Q. What did God the Son to Redeem us? Ans. He took our nature, and for us in it, 1 he performed all that righteousness the Law required, Mat. 3.15. 2. He satisfied all that vengeance sin deserved, Gal. 3.13. And is therefore called Jesus (that is) a Saviour, because he perfectly saveth both our Souls and Bodies from sin and wrath, Heb. 7.21. Mat. 1.21. And Christ (that is) Anointed, 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 Christ's Redemption made ours? Ans. 1. By his Spirit applying unto us the Merit and Efficasie of Christ's Mediation in all those Ordinances and ways 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 supernatural gift wrought in our hearts by the Spirit of Grace through the ministry of the Gospel, apprehending and applying Christ's active and passive obedience as our own, imputed by God unto his chosen, Eph. 2.8. Rom. 10.17. and 4.24. 6. Q. What are the Seals of the righteousness of Faith? Ans. The Sacraments ordained of God, by visible and corporal signs to represent and to exhibit unto true believers, the invisible and spiritual benefits of Christ's 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) Baptism and the Lords Supper which by the institution of Christ succeeded those two of the Old, namely Circumcision and the Pascall Lamb, 1 Cor. 10.1, 2, 3. & 5 7. Colos. 1.11, 12. 8. Q. What are the parts of the Sacrament of Baptism? Ans. The visible part is Water sprinkled on the Child in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; The invisible part is the Regeneration of our Nature, and the washing away of sin through the blood of Christ, applied 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 Baptism? Asw. 1. Baptism is only an initiating and engrafting ordinance, wherein the Lord would signify unto Believers that their children as well as themselves, are taken into covenant with God, Rom. 6.5. Act. 2.39. 2. Being the seal of the Covenant of Grace it carries with it all the Grace of the Covenant from which it hath its virtue; which Grace though it be sealed in present yet is not performed till the several seasons thereof, as perfection in holiness is sealed here, though not accomplished till we come to heaven, Ephes. 4.30 3. Union between Christ and the child, is, when the grace of the Covenant is in any measure applied; though comfort of it is not, till effectual calling, that the child comes actually to believe and to give up itself 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 showing Christ to be come, and to have suffered in the flesh; wherein by the outward Elements of Bread and Wine are signified and applied to Believers the saving benefits of Christ's Body broken, and his blood shed for sin, Mat. 26.26, 27. 1 Cor. 11.24, 25. 11. Q. What is the union between the signs and the things signified? Ans. Not Corporal but Spiritual, yet Real in the saving effects of Christ's Real presence to the worthy Receiver, Joh. 6.63. 1 Cor. 10.3.4.16. 12. Q. How doth a Christian become a worthy Receiver? A. There is a two fold worthiness, 1. Of the person, which is God's gracious acceptation of poor sinners in Jesus Christ, Mat. 3.17. 2. Of the Action which consists in our due preparation by Examining ourselves, 1 Cor. 11.28. 13. Q. By what Rule ought we to examine ourselves? A. By the word of God which is a spiritual Glass to show us the face of our consciences in our twofold estate, either of Nature or of Grace. The Law discovers our sin, the Gospel our remedy, that seeing our sin, we might make out after our Remedy, 1 Cor. 3.18. Rom. 7.24 25. 14. Q. Wherein stands this self Examination? A. In setting a part some time before we receive solemnly to seek our Reconciliation with God, and to prove unto ourselves. Fi●●●, our Knowledge. 1. In the Doctrine of the Trinity. John 173. 2. In the Mystery 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 own part and ours. 3. Laying the promises to our hearts and lives to try out our own 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 firm purposes and promises to God, to Abominate all our former sins, and to serve the Lord Christ sincerely and constantly in newness of life, Psal. 119.106. 15. Q What are the benefits which we Receive in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper? A. Two especially; as 1. The sealing of all the comforts of God's promises to the truly humbled an●●eleeving soul, Rom. 4.11. 2. The engaging of the heart to keep closer in communion with jesus 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 works against Infidelity and the power of corruption. 16. Q What may be our Evidences of our interest in the Covenant of grace? A. Chief these three. 1. The witness 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 filthiness of flesh and spirit, and perfecting holiness in the fear 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 works, Act. 15.9. Heb. 9.14. 3. Working by Love, by Patience, and by all other sanctifying gifts, Gal. 5. Rom. 6 5.24. 4. Carrying us with an holy boldness, and with full assurance to the throne of Grace, Heb. 4.16.10.22. 5. Lifting us up above the world, sin, and sufferings, or any temptation that interrupts the Grace or Peace of our Communion with the Lord jesus, 1 john 5.4. Rom. 8.38, 39 FINIS.