SHORT Questions and answers to be learned of such as be Ignorant, before they be admitted to the Lords supper. Whereunto are added certain observations necessary to be used of every Christian. By Giles Whiteing. 〈◊〉 ●●ACE PLENTY. BY WISDOM PEACE TO printer's device of Thomas Orwin LONDON, Printed by Thomas Orwin, for Robert Dexter. 1593. Short questions and answers, to be learned of such as be ignorant; before they be admitted to the Lords Supper. WHat Religion do you profess? Christian Religion. Act. 11. 26. What is Christian Religion? It is the true profession, believing, Rom 10 9 1● Act. 4. 12. and following of those things, which are commanded and taught us by God in the holy Scriptures. What call you the holy Scriptures? The word of God contained in the books 2. Tim. 3. 16. of the old and new testament. Doth this Scripture or word of God contain in it all points of true Religion, and every thing necessary for the salvation of a Christian? Yea. Tell me then from this Scripture, how many 2. Tim 3. 16. 17. Deut. 4. 35. 8● 6. 4 Gods be there? One. What is God? An everlasting Spirit, immortal, invisible, Eph. 4. 6. 1. Tim. 1. 17. john. 4. 24. most strong, only wise. How many persons are there? Three. 〈◊〉. ●. 7. ●. 3. 16. 17. Which be they? The Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost. 〈◊〉. 28. 19 john. 5. 7. 〈◊〉. 19 1. 7. & 29. 3. 4. 5. ●om. 1. 19 & 10. 18. Heb. 11 3. Gen 1. 1. 〈◊〉. 11. 3. How is God known? By his works, word and spirit. Who created the world? God. Whereof did he create it? Of nothing, and that by his word. Who made you? God the Father. Gen. 1. 27. ●. Cor. 8. 6. How did he create you? In holiness and righteousness. Why were you thus created? Ephe. 4. 24. Gen. 1. 27. Rom. 11. 36. To glorify him. Are you able to do this of yourself? No. Rom. 3. 10, 11. 12. Rom. 3 23. ●. joh. 1. 8. 10. Why so? Because I am a sinner. How come you to be a sinner, seeing you were so perfectly created? By the fall of Adam. Rom. ●. 12. 1● 19 What was his sin? Disobedience against God, in eating of the Gen. ●. ●. Rom. ●. 12. forbidden fruit. How cometh i● to pass, that you are become a sinner in Adam? Because he was the Father of all mankind. Rom. 5 12. How do you prove that you are a sinner? By the testimony of mine own conscience, Rom. 2. 1●. ● 3. ●▪ Gal. 3. ●9. and by the law of God. What is the law of God? A perfect rule of righteousness commanding Psal. 19 7. good, and forbidding evil: the sum whereof is contained in the commandments. How many be there? Ten. Exod 34. 〈◊〉. Rehearse them? Exod. 20. 10 Then God spoke all these words and said. I am the Lord thy God, etc. Are these words, I am the Lord thy God, etc. A commandment or preface? A preface to the whole law. Levit. 1●. 2. 9 How be the commandments divided? Into two tables or parts. Exod. 31. 1●. & 34. 26. How many be there of the first table? Four. How many of the second? Six. What do the commandments of the first table teach you? My duty towards God. Ma●. 22. 35. What do the commandments of the second table teach you? My duty towards my neighbour. 〈◊〉. 22. ●9. Are you to use the commandments as prayers? No, because they be no petitions but commandments. Are you able to keep them, without breaking any one of them, in thought, word, or deed? No. Why? Because I am ready & disposed by nature, Eph. ●. ●. Rom. 3. 10. to offend both God and my neighbour. To what end then serveth the law? Rom. 3. 10. Gal. 3. 24. Pro 2, 1▪ ●. Psal 119. 100LS. To show us our misery, and so lead us to Christ: and to be a rule ever after for the well ordering of our lives. What is the punishment for the breach of the law? Eternal destruction both of body & soul. ●om. 6. 23. Is there no way to escape it, and be saved? Yes. How? By jesus Christ. Act. 4. ●●. Who is this Christ? The son of God, perfect God and perfect Mat. 3. 17. Rom. 9 ●. 〈◊〉 ●. 9 ●. Heb. 1. 6. man. Can there no other mean, nor person be found in Heaven or Earth, to save you, but the son of God must do 〈◊〉▪ No verily. Must he needs be God and man? Yea. Why? First, because he must die for us, and God Heb. 9 22. cannot die, therefore he must be man. Secondly, he must overcome death, which Heb. 2. 14. being only man, he could not, therefore he must also be God. How did he save you? As he was man * 1. Pet. 1. 1●. & 2. 22. Heb. 4. 1●. perfectly righteous, he performed the perfect obedience of the law, and satisfied the * 1 Pet. 2. 24. & 4. 1. 1. Pet. 3. 18. justice of God for me. And as he was God, he overcame death, and raised up his body the third day. Are all men partakers of this benefit of redemption purchased by Christ? Mat. 25. 46. & 7. 23. reve. 22. 15. No, there are a number that shall have their part in hell with the devil and his Angels. Who are they that have their part in the death of Christ? john. 3. 16. Gall 3. 26. Only such as truly believe. What is faith? Faith, is * Heb. 10. 22. Rom. 4. 20. 21. a full assurance of * john. 1. 12. my salvation in jesus Christ * Act. 4. 12. alone. Hath every man this faith in himself? No, for it is the * 2. Thes. 3. 2. Phil. 1. 29. gift of God, and not of * Mat. 16. 17. nature. How is faith gotten? By the outward hearing of the word of Rom. 10. 17. 2. Cor. 1. 21. Acts. 2. 41. 2. Cor. 4. 1●. Acts. 16. ●● john. 8. 31. & 6. 17. 1. Pet. 2. 2. God preached, and the inward working of the Spirit. How is it strengthened & increased in you? By the same preaching of the word, and the use of the Sacraments▪ and prayer. How shall a man know whether he have this true and saving faith, or no? By the fruits and marks thereof. What be the fruits of faith? A hatred of all sin, a continual care to Act●. 2. 37. Heb. 11. 7. Psal. 119. 113. ●. john. 314. please God in the duties commanded, an vn●ained love to God's word and to his people. Rehearse the sum of your Faith? I believe in God the Father, etc. How many parts be there of this Creed? Two. Which be they? The first is of GOD, the second is of the Church. Let us now come to the means of strengthening our faith, as of the Sacraments and prayer: and first what is a Sacrament? Rom. 4. 11. A Sacrament is a seal and pledge of those benefits of my salvation, which I receive by Christ. How many Sacraments be there in the Church of God? Two. Mat. ●8. 1●. & 26. 26. Which be they? Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord. 1. Cor. 11. 23. Who ordained them? Mat. 26. 26. 1. Cor. 1●▪ 〈◊〉. The Lord jesus. To what end? To strengthen our faith, and to further our repentance. How many things are to be considered in a Sacrament? Two. Which be they? Gen. 17. 11. Rom. 4. 11. The sign, and the thing signified. In Baptism, which is the sign that may be seen? Acts. 8. 26. Water. What is the thing signified? john. 3. ●. The washing away of my sins by the blood of Christ. How is your Faith strongthened by Baptism? By Baptism I am received into the family Mark. 16. 16. and congregation of the Lord▪ and am thereby fully assured, that both my sins Act. 2. 3●. are forgiven me, and the punishment due to the same. What do you profess in Baptism? To die unto sin, and to live unto righteousness. Rom. ●. ●. In the Supper of the Lord, which be the Signs that may be seen? Bread and Wine. Mat. 26. 26. 27. 1. Co●. 11. 23. 24. 〈◊〉. What do they signify? The body and blood of Christ. How is your Faith strengthened by the Supper of the Lord? By the Supper of the Lord my Faith is strengthened, that as I receive the bread and wine into my body to become mine: so doth my soul receive withal jesus Christ▪ with all the benefits of his death to be wholly mine. Is the bread and wine turned into the natural body and blood of Christ, flesh, blood, and bone? No, the bread and wine of their own nature are not changed, but in use they differ from other common bread & wine, because they be appointed of God to be signs of the body and blood of Christ. Why then doth Christ say▪ This is my body? It is a figurative speech usual in the Scripture, as circumcision is called the covenant, Gen. 10. 10. 11 Exod. 12. 11. the Lamb is called the passover: and yet it is not the covenant, nor the passover, but a sign of it. How do you eat Christ's body, and drink his blood? Spiritually, and by Faith. john. 6. 63. Are all persons without exception to be admitted to the Supper of the Lord? No. Who are not to be admitted? Children, Fools, Madmen, Ignorant persons, 1. Cor. 11. 2●. Tit. 3. 10. known heretics, open and notorious sinners not repenting. What must he do that will 〈◊〉 worthily to the supper of the Lord? He must prove and examine himself. 1. Cor. 11. 28. 29. Wherein must he examine himself? First, what knowledge he hath in the principles of Religion, and especially in the matter of the Sacrament. Secondly, whether he hath true ●aith in jesus Christ, or no. Thirdly, whether he be penitent and ●●rie for his sins past, purposing to leave them, Mat. ●. 23. Rom. 12. 18. Heb. 12. 14. and to live godly, endeavouring himself to be in brotherly love & charity with all men. Then it seemeth there be some, ●h● 〈◊〉 they come, yet they lose the benefit of this communion in themselves? Yea. Who be they? Such as come not in Faith, and are not grieved for their sins past, as hypocrites, civil men, Church Papists, privy enemies to God's word, and so many of the godly as 1. Cor. 11. 30. 2. Chro. 30. 18 come not sufficiently prepared, procure a punishment. What is the other help you have to increase Faith? Prayer. What is prayer? Prayer, is a spiritual action of Faith wherein 〈◊〉. 8. 26. ●am. 1. 6. ●. john. 5. 14. we require of God in the name of Christ, all things necessary, his glory and our comfort. To whom must you Pray? To God only. In whose name? Psal. ●0. 14. 15. In the name of Christ. Then you may not pray to Saints, or Angels, john. 16. ●3. or to God in the name of a Saint or Angel? No. Wh●●? Because there is neither commandment, promise, nor example in the Scripture for it. How must you pray? As Christ hath taught me, saying: Mat. 6. ●. Our Father which art, etc. How many petitions be there in this prayer? Six, three concerning the glory of God, and three our own necessities. What are these words, Our Father which are in heaven? A preface or introduction to the prayer. What are these words: For thine is the kingdom, the power and glory for ever? The conclusion of the prayer. What do you own to God for all his benefits? Thanksgiving. Psal. 1●6. 12. ●3. Is it enough that you thank him with your ●lips alone? Eph. ●. 10. Deut. 8. 3. 6. 〈◊〉. No, but I must be obedient to his laws and commandments: which grace the Lord grant. Amen. FINIS. Sundry necessary observations for a Christian. 1. THat weekeepe a narrow a 1. Pet. 1. 15. watch over our hearts, words, and deeds continually. 2. That with all ●are the b Ephes. 5. 16. Col. 4. ●. time be redeemed, which hath been idly, carelessly, & unprofitably spent. 3. That once in the day at the least private c Col. 4. 2. prayer and meditation be used. 4. That care be had d Luk. 14, 15, 16. to do, and receive good in company. 5. That our family be with diligence and regard e Deu●. ●. ●. & 6. 7. Gen. 18. 19 instructed, f Pro. 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉. 2●. watched over and governed. 6. That no more time or care be bestoweding matters of the world the must needs. g Col. 3. 2. 7. That we stir up ourselves to h Heb. 13. 16. G●● 6. 10. liberality to God's saints. 8. That we give not the least bridle to wandering i Col. 3. 5. Eph. 5. 3, 4. lusts and affections. 9 That we prepare ourselves to k Mat. 16. 24. bear the cross, by what means it shall please God to exercise us. 10. That we bestow some time not only in l 〈◊〉. ●. 3, 4. 〈◊〉. ●0. Lam●●●●. ●. mourning for our own sins, but also for the sins of the time and age wherein we live. 11. That we m ●. Co●. ● Ti●. 2. 13. look daily for the coming of our Lord jesus Christ, for our ●●ll deliverance out of this life. 12. That we use (as we shall have opportunity, at least as we shall have necessity) to n jam ●. 〈◊〉. acquaint ourselves with some godly and faithful person, with whom we may confer of our christian estate, & open our doubts, to the quickening up of God's graces in us. 13. That we o 〈…〉 Philip. 〈…〉 Revel. 〈…〉 observe the departure of men out of this life, their mortality, the vanity & alteration of things below, the more to contemn the world, & to continue our longing after the life to come. And that we meditate and mu●e often of our own death, and going out of this life how we must lie in the grave, all our glory put off, which will serve to beat down the pride of life that is in us. 14. That we p 〈…〉 read somewhat daily of the holy scriptures, for the further increase 〈…〉 of our knowledge. 15. That we q 〈…〉 enter into covenant with the Lord to strive against all sin, & especially against the special sins & corruptions of our hearts and lives, wherein we have most dishonoured the Lord, and have raised up most guiltiness to our own consciences, and that we carefully see our covenant be kept and continued. 16. That we r 1. Pet. 1. 14. ● Pet. 2. 2●. 21 22. mark how sin dieth and is weakened in us, and that we turn not to our old sins again, but wisely s Mat. 1●. 8. avoid all occasions to sin. 17. That we t Thes. 5. 22. ● reve. 24. fall not from our first love, but continue still our affections to the liking of God's word, & all the holy exercises of religion, u 〈◊〉 ●. 19 diligently hearing it, & w jam 1. 22. Rom. 2. 13. faithfully practising the same in our lives and conversations: that we x 〈◊〉. 4. ●7. prepare ourselves before we come, & meditate and confer of that we hear, either by ourselves or with other: & so mark our daily profiting in religion. 18. That we be often occupied in y Eph. 5 20. Psal. 116 12 13. & 118. 〈◊〉 meditating on God's benefits and works, and sound forth his praises for the same. 19 That we z Phil. 1. 23. ●. T●●. 4. 7. ●. exercise our faith by taking comfort and delight in the great benefit of our redemption by Christ, and the fruition of God's presence, in his glorious and blessed kingdom. 20. Lastly, that we make not these ho●● practices of repentance common in time, nor use them for course. FINIS.