❧ A BRIEF Instruction, Collected for the exercise of youth, and sim ple sort of people. ❧ By Thomas Cobhead Preacher. Imprinted at London by Thomas Newton. A brief Instruction, collected for the exercise of youth, and simple sort of people. Demand. HOw wast thou created? Answer. By the hand of God. Gene. 1. 26. Demand. ●herof wast thou created? Answer. Of the dust of the ground. Gene. 2. 7. Demand. What dost thou learn thereby? Answer. That I should not wax proud Eccl. 10. 7. jere. 9 23. jere. 22. 29 of the Image of God: but that all vain glory should be cut away in me. etc. For so much as I shall return Gene. 3. 19 to the earth again. Demand. What is God? Answer. He is almighty, creator of all things, incomprehensible, invisible, eternal, preserver and governor of heaven and earth. etc. Demand. Show witness of the unity of God? Answer. Hear Israel, thy Lord God is Deut. 6. one Lord: and again. I am the Lord, first and the last, beside me Esa. 44. 1. Cor. 8. Ephe. 4. there is no God. Demand. How many persons of the Godhead be there? Answer. There is only one godly substance, but it is attributed unto three persons, that is to say, the Father, the Gene. 1. 26. john. 1. 1. cap. 10. 30. Son, and the holy Ghost, which be of one substance, like unmeasurable, and like everlasting. Demand. How provest thou that there be● three persons? Answer. Christ commanded all people Mark. 16. Math. 3. john. 14. et. 15. 1. john. 5. to be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the son, and of the holy ghost. Demand. What is the Father? Answer. He is the first person of the godhead, Ephe. 4. 6. everlasting, unmeasurable, unbegotten, and having his being of no man. Demand. Who is the Son? Answer. He is the second person in godhead, Gene. 1. john. 1. john. 17. 5. cap. 6. 62. Coll. 1. 15. ●●. 15. us. begotten of his father, before the world. Demand. What is the holy Ghost? Answer. He is the third person in godhead, Math. 3. 16 joh. 14. 26. cap. 16. 7. like everlasting, and like in substance, unto the Father, and the Son, proceeding from them both. Demand. Why did God created thee? Anuswer. To serve him. Esai. 44. 21 Demand. What service requireth he of thee? Answer. To serve him in spirit, & truth. john. 4. 23 Demand. In how many parts, may the service of God be divided? Answer. Into sour parts. Demand. Which be they? Answer. Obedience to the word of God, john. 8. 47 Esai. 1. 19 Deut. 6. 1. Re. 15. 22 to hear it, and to keep it. The second part, is prayer, by the which we worship God, and Psa. 50. 15. Mat. 6. et. 7 Luk. 18. Psa. 141. 2. Psa. 148. 13 Psa. 51. 15. Rom. 12. 1. Hebr. 13. 1. Pete. 2. 5. Psa. 116. 11 et. 12. us. call upon him for all things. The third, is the Sacrifice of praise, from a faithful heart, for the Lord requireth nothing of us, for all his benefits bestowed upon us: but to be thankful, calling upon his name, and obey his word. The fourth part, of the service Psal. 2. 11. Levit. 26. 2. Eccle. 4. 17 jere. 7. 9 Dau. 9 10. Exo. 17. 11 Hebr. 5. 7. of God, is the humble submission of the spirit, with faithful reverence, and fear: for there is neither true obedience, true invocation, nor yet true Sacrifice of praise, where the submission of the spirit is wanting. Demand. What are the Laws of God? Answer. GOD spoke all these words, and Exod. 20. 1. said, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, out out of the house of bondage. 1 Thou shalt have none other Gods but me. Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven Image, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor in the water under the earth, thou shalt not bow down to them, nor worship them. For I the Lord thy God am a gelious God, and visit the sins of the Fathers upon the children, unto the third & fourth generation of them that hate me: And show mercy unto thousands, in them that love me and keep my commandments. 3 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: For the Lord will not hold him guiltless, that taketh his name in vain. 4 Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day: Six days shalt thou labour, and do all that thou hast to do. But the seventh day, is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: In it thou shalt do no manner of work, thou and thy son, and thy Daughter, thy man servant, and thy maid servant, thy cattle, and the Stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth: the Sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it. 5 Honour thy Father, and Mother, that thy days may be long in the Land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee. 6 Thou shalt do no murder. 7 Thou shalt not commit adultery. 8 Thou shalt not steal. 9 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 10 Thou shalt not desire thy neighbours house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbours wife, nor 〈◊〉 servant, nor his maid, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbours. Demand. Art thou bound to observe these precepts, in thought, word and deed. Answer. d Ezec. 18. 10. Luke. 2. 10. Levit. 18. 5. Math. 5. 28 Yea, and if I break but one of them, in thought, word or deed, once only in all my life: I shall be guilty of eternal death. Demand. Dost thou keep them? Answer. b Rom. 1. 3 cap. 7. Not, nor no man verily. Demand. Then thou grantest thyself, all men worthy of God's displeasure, and eternal damnation? Answer. f Rom. 1. 18 cap. 2. 8. Deut. 27. 1. Cor. 6. 9 Mat. 25. 41 Yea, verily, I feel God's wrath, and damnation, to be my reward. Demand. How shalt thou escape God's wrath, and this damnation? Answer. Only by jesus Christ. Demand. How shall he save thee? Answer. Because he being d john. 10. 30. cap. 14. 28. God, and man, hath e E●a. 53. Math. 8. 17 suffered all the punishment due for my sins, and f Ro. 10. 40 hath fulfilled the law. Demand. Art thou so freely redeemed by Christ, that thou needest do Sacrifysing Priest, or any other merit, or means, to help thee to salvation? Answer. Yea, verily, for e Ro. 4. 25. cap. 7. 24. cap. 5. 1. cap. 8. 2. Christ was delivered for my sin, and rose again for my justification: and hath f Ro. 3. 24 1. Pet. 2. 24 1. joh. 1. 7. freely paid my ransom to his Father. Demand. Shall all men be saved by Christ? Answer. Not, c joh. 8. 24 31. et. c. us. cap. 15. 5. Rom. 6. 5. Hed. 3. 14. none but such as believe effectually in him, and live thereafter. Demand. Who believeth thus in him? Answer. They d ●. joh. 2. 12. cap. 3. 2. only that assure then selves, that all his sufferings was for them, and so travel a 1. joh. 3. 3 mortification of the flesh. Demand. Who worketh in thee, this belief, and this mortification? Answer. The holy ghost doth work it me, by b joh. 1●. 3 I●●. 1. 18. cap. c. 6. Rom. 10. 17 Psal. 19 7. 1 Tim. 4. 16 hearing the word preached. Demand. May every one that believeth effectually, and travel to mortify A straunce of salvation. the flesh, by the help of the spirit: assure themselves of salvation. Answer. Yea, verily, for Saint Paul saith, c Rom. 8. 1. 2. et. 14. v, Ro. 5. 1. etc. 1. john. 3. 2. 1. Cor. 13. 5 john. 5. 24 et. 26. us. cap. 11. 25. cap. 8. 26. there is no damnation, to them that are in Christ jesus: Which walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. Demand. May every man that travel, not mortification of the flesh, but liveth in filthy sin: assure himself of salvation? Answer. Not not so. For he is the e Phi. 3. 18 reve. 3. 9 1. Cor. 6. Math. 25. enemy of Christ: and doth f Heb. ●. 6. crucify the son of God. etc. Demand. That we may the better understand, that thou art the child of God, thorough faith in jesus Christ: declare the effect of thy belief? Answer. I believe in God the father almighty, maker of heaven & earth. And in jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord: which was conceived by the holy ghost, borne of the virgin Marie. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried, he descended into hell, and the third day he rose again from death. He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty. From thence shall he come to judge both the quick and the dead. I believe in the holy Ghost. The holy Catholic Church. The Communion of Saints. The forgiveness of sins. The resurrection of the body. And the life everlasting. So be it. Demand. Is thy faith perfect assoon as thou believest? Answer. Not so: but increaseth by g Rom. 10. 17. cap. 1. 16. Ephe. 4. 7. hearing the word of God: using h Lu. 21. 36. prayers, and i 1. Cor. 11. 26. Sacraments. Demand. Thou sayest, prayers is a help to increase thy faith? Answer. Yea, for it k Mat. 7. 11 assures me that I shall have all things that I ask for, in Christ's name, agreeing to his will. Demand. What things mayst thou pray for, agrreeing to the will of God? Answer. For l joh. 16. 24. jac. 5. 16. joy, and for the increase of love, between all degrees: m jac. 1. 5. 3. Reg. 3. for heavenly wisdom: for the n Luk. 11. 13 holy ghost. To be delivered from evil in the time of o Math. 26 temptation. For to obtain p Luk. 21. 36. us. mercy of our heavenly Father. Demand. Is God content, and pleased with every man's prayer? Answer. Not: for if we pray to him, not agreeing to his will, he will ●o● hear us. Demand. What things are not agreeing to his will, that we may not pray for? Answer. To pray to them that be dead for any thing: as to the virgin Marie, or any other, for any thing, is not agreeing to his will. For we have but only q 1. joh. 2. 1 1. Tim. 2. 5 john. 14. 6. Mat. 11. 28 one mediator, to pray for us, and that is Christ. Demand. Doth them that be deaf, hear when they be prayed unto? Answer. Not, for the Prophet Esay sayeth unto the Lord: thou r 1. Esa. 6;. 6 art our Father, for Abraham knoweth us not, neither is Israel acquainted with us. Demand. May we pray for them that be dead? Answer. Not, for it is not agreeing to the will of God. For s 1. joh. 5. 14. 2. Re. 12. 22. Eccle. 17. 18 Luke. 16. 26 Saint john saith, there is a sin unto death, I say not, that thou shouldest pray for it. Demand. What sayest thou of them that live in filthy sins, are their prayers heard? Answer. Not, for t 1. Reg. 25 22. Pro. 28. 9 john. 4. 7. disobedience, and wicked u Esa. 59 1 Psa. 66. 16. jere. 7. 9 sins, is the cause that God will not hear our prayers. Demand. What is prayer? Answer. It is a petition made unto God, for things that we have need of, with the affection of the heart. Demand. How many kind of prayers be there? Answer. v Psa. 50. 15. Two: Invocation, and prayer. Demand. What is Invocation? Answer. It is, whereby God is called upon in any thing. Demand. How many things be required in prayer? Answer. Four. The commandment of God. The promise: faith, and the things desired. Demand. What is the first? Answer. The commandment of GOD which x Psal. 50. Mat. 6. et. 7 Luke. 18. commandeth us to pray, and call upon him: and as it is sin to swear, so it is y 1. Reg. 12 23. sin not to pray. Demand. What is the second? Answer. The promise of God, which certifieth us that our prayers are heard in Christ's name. For Christ saith, z john. 16. 23. Math. 7. Luke. 11. 13 Psa. 50. 15. Acts. 12. 5. whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Demand. What is the third? Answer. Faith, for we must believe that our sins are forgiven us, when we pray with pensive hearts. a Mark. ●1. 24. jac. 1. 5. Math. 8. 2. For Christ saith, what thing so ever when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. Demand. What is the fourth? Answer. The thing that is asked? Demand. What things must we ask? Answer. For heavenly wisdom from b. jac. 1. Luk. 11. 3. Reg. 3. above, and we shall have it. c Math. 26 Psal. 50. 15. In the time of trouble, seek for help from above, and it shall be delivered. d Math. 11. 28. If any man be weary of the burden of sin, let him ask for mercy, and he shall have it. Doth any man lack e john. 16. 23. Ezech. 18. love, from a pure heart toward God, and man, let him pray for it, and God will give it him. Or whatsoever we have need of, as we are taught in the lords prayer. Demand. What is the lords prayer? Answer. It is a brief form of praying, which Christ taught his disciples, and all faithful men: saying. When ye pray, say thus. Our father which art in heaven, Math. 6. hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power & glory, now and for ever. Amen. Demand. How many Sacraments be there? Answer. Two, the lords Supper, and Baptism. Demand. What is a Sacrament▪ Answer. It is a holy sign instituted of God, to confirm my faith, and to seal in my heart, the promises of God's mercy towards me, for the forgiveness of my sins, and salvation in Christ. Demand. W●●● are Sacraments in gene●●●●▪ Answer. They are visible signs, which signify unto us, both grace and conjunction with Christ, and seal unto us the promises of salvation, f Gen. 17. 4 et. 10. us. for God delivered unto us sacraments, as seals of his promises, and when we have received them, g Gal. 3. 27 they bear witness that we belong unto Christ. Demand. Who gave the sacraments? Answer. The author and giver of the sacraments, is God the m Gen. 27. 10. Father, n Mar. 16. Math. 26. and his son jesus Christ our Lord. Demand. Are there seven sacraments, as the Bishop of Rome affirmeth? Answer. Not, but two, as we have said before: for the other sacraments, can be no sacraments, because they want the manifest words of promise, which should by a visible sign be sealed, and because there is no commandment given of God, whereby we are bound to observe them as sacraments. Demand. What do you come to receive? Answer. The holy sacrament of the body, and blood of Christ. Demand. Why dost thou come to receive it? Answer. Because God hath commanded me, e Lu. 22. 19 1. Cor. 11. saying: do this in remembrance of me. Demand. Of how many parts, consisteth a sacrament? Answer. Of two parts. The outward Element, being a visible sign: and the invisible grace. Demand. What is the outward sign? Answer. f Math. 26 Bread and Wine, which the Lord hath commanded to be received. Demand. What is the heavenly part? Answer. It is the body and blood of Christ which was broken for me, and e Math. 27 john. 19 34. shed for me, which is eaten and drunken of the faithful, spiritually. Demand. Is the Bread and Wine, changed into the body and blood of Christ? Answer. Not, for then the nature of the Sacrament were destroyed. For God ordained it to be received in the e Math. 29 Luke. 22. Augu. To eat Christ, is to be refreshed, and to drink him is to live. remembrance of his death. The bread sacramentally, is the lords body, and so likewise the cup. The cup naturally, is a cup of wine, but sacramentally, it is the cup of the lords blood & new Testament. Christ called it his blood, not that his blood should be really in it, but that it should be the Sacrament of his blood, Demand. Was this Supper ordained of Christ, to be offered as a Sacrifice to God the Father for remission of sins? Answer. Not truly, for when Christ died upon the Cross, he f Heb. 7. 27 cap. 9 21. et. c. cap. 10. 10. 14. 18. et. 26. us. once fully made, that only everlasting sacrifice, for our salvation for ever. The bread was delivered to the Disciples: as the sacrament of the lords body, but the very body itself, should be given upon the cross, not to the Disciples, but to God the father for the Disciples. Demand. What is the lords Supper? Answer. It is the sacrament of my redemption, by the death of Christ. Demand. What thinkest thou of the lords Supper? Answer. I believe that as my body is nourished with bread, and wine, there broken, and powered for thee, that even so my soul is nourished spiritually by Christ's body, broken, and his bloodshed; for the remission of my sins. Demand. Wherefore it is our duty to a 1. Cor. 10 16. Math. 26. give thanks at the Lords supper. And the Lord gave thanks thereat. thirdly, it putteth us in remembrance, that as the bread which we eat, is made of many grains, one loaf, and the grapes being many, pressed together, is made one wine: so we being many, are e Rom. 11. 4. et. c. 1. Cor. 1●. 17 cap 12. 27. one body, whereof Christ is the head. Seeing then that, we are all one body, we aught to help one another, and to c Rom. 1●. 2 I●●n. 3. 17. b. 1. Cor. ●3 ●. 2. et. c. love one another. Demand. What is our duty to do, that we may come to the lords supper rightly? Answer. To examine ourselves, whether we be true members of Christ, depending our f 2. Cor. 13. 5. Hebr. 11. 4. faith wholly upon him, as our g Act. 4. 12 Math. 1. 2. only saviour. Secondly, to examine ourselves, whether we be in love one with another, i Mat. 5. 23 cap. 18. and forgive one another. thirdly, we must examine ourselves, what sins we have committed, and repent, that we may with a clear a Sap. 17. Eccle. 18. Psa. 26. 6. conscience, come to the lords Table. Demand. What is Baptism? Answer. Baptism, is the Sacrament of our c Tit. 3. 5. regeneration: cleansing admission, sanctification, incorporation, admission, whereby they which do d Act. 2. 38 repent, and profess the faith, and Religion of Christ, are incorporated, & c Gal. 3. 27 consigned up to Christ and his Church. Demand. Who did institute Baptism? Answer. b Mat. 28. Mark. 16. Our saviour Christ. Demand. What doth baptism signify? Answer. It declareth the p 1. Pet. 1. 19 john. 3. 5. Act. 2. 38. washing away of my sins by Christ's blood, and my new birth. Demand. Can none assure themselves of salvation, unless they be baptized? Answer. I say not so, God's grace is not tied to extern Elements, we believe his b Gen. 17. c Rom. 4. 11 promise, and therefore doubt not, but the children of the faithful are saved, although they pass away in their mother's womb, for they are holy by virtue of the a Goe 17. 30 covenant. And are g jer. 1. 5. 1. Cor. 7. 14 sanctified in their mother's womb. For example a Gene. 25 23. Rom. 9 9 et. 11. us. Isaac, which was borne the child of God, by virtue of the promise. Whereby it followeth that the promise is the fountain of salvation, and not the sacrament. Another example, the d L●. 2●. 24 thief that died with Christ asked for mercy, and was saved: where was he baptized. Demand. Is it in our will to be baptized, or not to be baptized? Answer. We are e Math. 28 Mark. 16. john. 3. 5. commanded of Christ to be baptized, and therefore he that may be baptized, and will not, he breaketh the commandment of God, and is i Goe 17. 14 Reu. 22. 19 cursed. Demand. May one fall from grace, after he is baptized? Answer. Yea verily, for whoremongers, swearers, and other wicked livers do fall from the f Gal. 5. 4. Tir. 1. 16. grace, and as long as they remain in sin, they are a Ep. 2. 12. without God, and c joh. 15. 6 cut of from the vine Christ, and can not be d 1. Cor. 6. 9 Hebr. 10. 26 Math. 25. saved, although they be baptized, unless they g Luk. 13. 4. repent. h 1. Pet. 3. 21. Saint Peter saith, Baptism taketh not away the filth of the flesh: But in that a good conscience consenting to God, by the resurrection of jesus Christ. i 1. Cor. 7. 9 Rom. 2. 25. Gal. 6, 15. And S. Paul saith: circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. So then, Baptism is no cause of our salvation. For example a Act. 8. 27. Simon Magus, which was baptized, and yet remained the child of the devil. Demand. What dost thou promise', when thou art baptized? Answer. I promise' to forsake the devil, the world, and the flesh, and to be Christ's servant all the days of my life. Demand. didst thou never break this promise? Answer. Yea, for if I swear, lie, steal, or do any other thing, contrary to the will of God: I break my promise made unto God. Demand. Whose servant art thou, when thou hast broken thy promise: the servant of God? Answer. Not, verily, for Christ saith, e joh. 8. 34. Rom. 6. 23. Math. 6. 24 he that committeth sin, is the servant of sin. Demand. What is the reward of this servant, for breaking his promise made in Baptism? Answer. s Rom. 6. 23 cap. 8. 6. Damnation, for Saint Pa●● saith, the reward of sin, is death▪ Demand. What is done of thee now, seeing thou hast forsaken thy promise, 〈…〉, to live still in that state of damnation? Answer. Not, but to remember my promise, and return unto God for the remission of my sins, and for his holy spirit, to lead me into newness of life. Demand. Dost thou think that God will receive thee, if thou repent, seeing thou hast broken thy promise in Baptism, and lived in filthy sin many years, serving e 1. joh. 3. 8 et. 10. us. the devil. etc. Answer. Yea, truly, for Christ saith, b Luk. 5. 32 I came to call the sinners to repentance: I am a sinner, and if I repent, and forsake sin, I believe, I am become his c Luk. 15. 21. et. c. servant again, and all my sins forgiven me, according to his b Math. 11 28. promise. Demand. What difference is 〈…〉 sacrament, and a sacrifi●●▪ Answer. A Sacrament is a sign, or 〈…〉 of the promise of God, that he giveth unto us a certain thing. So was circumcision, a certain token whereby he would c receive the Goe 17. 10 circumcised. Baptism is a token whereby God worketh with us, and b receive us unto grace. Gal. 3. 27 Sacrificium, is a work of ours, which we give unto God. Whereby we c honour him. Psal. 50. Demand. How many kinds of Sacrifices be there? Answer. Two, the one is called Propitiatorium, that is, which obtaineth mercy, and appeaseth the wrath of God. The other is called, Eucharisticum, that is to say, a thanksgiving. Demand. What is Sacrificium Propitiatorium. Answer. It is a work, b Esa. Math. 8. deserving remission of sins, & deliverance from everlasting punishment: and there is only a Hebr. 9 et. 10. one Sacrifice, which deserveth remission of sins: that is to say, the death and passion of Christ. Demand. What is the Sacrifice of thanksgiving. Answer. h Psa. 50. et. 23. us. 1. Pet. 2. 5 Hebr. 13. 1. It is a thanksgiving unto God the Father, thorough jesus Christ, the remission of our sins, and for all other benefits received of him. Therefore, whether we eat ●r drink, or whatsoever we do, let us praise God, thorough jesus Christ our Lord, and say. Amen. FINIS. 1579.