A Short Catechism, Catechism – Prayer
A ſhort Catechiſme, neceſſarie to be learned of all Chriſtians.
Q. WHo is the Creator and gouernour of this world?
A. aGeneſ. 1. Eſay 45. 5.One God, in whom there bee thrée perſons, b1. John 5. 7.the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
Q. Of all viſible creatures which is the chiefeſt?
A. cGeneſ. 1. 26. Pſal. 8. 5.Man.
Q. After what manner made hee him?
A. dGeneſ. 1. 26.Like vntounto himſelfe.
Q. How was that?
A. eEccleſ. 7. 31. Epheſ. 4. 24.Frée from ſinne, and perfect in righteouſnes.
Q. To what end made hee him righteous?
A. fPſal. 119. 73. Eſay 43. 7.To ſerue him.
Q. Did man continue righteous?
A. gGeneſ. 3. 6. 7. 10.No: he ſell from righteouſnes to ſinne.
Q. How did he fall into ſinne?
A. hGeneſ. 3 6. 7.By cating the forbidden fruit.
Q. What abilitie was left in man to ſerue God after that ſinne?
A. iGeneſ. 6. 5. Ierem. 4. 22. Epheſ. 4. 18.None at all, either in knowledge or affection.
Q. Did that ſinne reſt in Adam alone?
A. kIohn 3. 6. Rom. 5. 12.No: it deſcendeth from him into all mankind.
Q. What fruites doth it bring forth in all mankind?
A. lGeneſ. 6. 5. Rom. 5. 12. &c.Sinfull thoughts, words, and déeds.
Q. What is the puniſhment due for ſinne?
A. mGeneſ. 2. 17. Rom. 6. 12. & 6. 23.Euerlaſting death and damnation.
Q. How come we to the knowledge of ſinne?
A. nRom. 3. 20.By the Law.
Q. Wherunto ſerueth this knowledge?
A. oAct. 2. 37. & 24. 26. 1. Cor. 14. 24. 25.To humble man, and to caſt him downe in the conſideration of his owne miſerie.
Q. How is it poſſible for man to be ſaued in this miſerie?
A. pMatth. 1. 21. & 11. 28. Act. 4. 12. & 10. 43.By Ieſus Chriſt.
Q. What is Ieſus Chriſt?
A. qRom. 9. 5. Matth. 1. 23.God and rEſay 9. 6.Man in ſGal. 4. 4.one perſon.
Q. Wherefore was he man?
A. tGal. 4. 4. 5. Heb. 2. 9. 10. 11To do thoſe things which were to be done for mans redemption.
Q. What be they?
A. uPhilip. 2. 7. 8. 9. 10.His ſuffering, *Matth. 5 17.righteouſnes, *& 16. 28.and triumphing.
Q. Wherefore was he God alſo?
A. xHebr. 9. 14. Coloſ. 2. 9. &c.That the doings of his manhood might be of infinite vertue.
Q. Why did Chriſt ſuffer death?
A. yRom. 3. 24. 25.To be our Iustification. In acquiting zColoſ. 2. 13. 14. 15.vsus of our ſinne, *1. Pet. 1. 18. 19.by diſcharging the puniſhment due thereunto.
Q. Why was Chriſt righteous?
A. a1. Cer. 1. 30. 31.To be our Sanctification, in making bIohn 17. 19.vsus holy in ſome meaſure, cExod. 28. 38.and to couer the imperfection of our holines.
Q. What benefit inſueth that Iuſtification and Sanctification which we hauehave by Chriſt?
A. dRom. 1. 16. 17. & 6. 13.Euerlaſting life which Adam loſt by ſinne.
Q. What be the doings of Chriſt his triumph?
A. e1. Cor. 15. 55. 57.Reſurrection from death, and fEpheſ 4. 8.Aſcention into heauen.
Q. Why did he ariſe from death?
A. gRom. 4. 25. & 8. 34.To ſeale the merits of his ſufferings for our Iustification, h1. Cor. 15. 57.and to ouercome death for vsus.
Q. Why did he aſcend into heauen?
A. iRom. 8. 34.To make continuall interceſſion to procure kHebr. 7. 25.ſauing helpe, and to lIohn 14. 1. 2.take poſſeſſion for vsus.
Q. How are we made partakers of theſe foure meritorious workes of Chriſt, to wit, his Death, Righteouſnes, Reſurrection, and Aſcention?
A. mIohn 3. 16. Philip. 3. 9. 10.By a true Faith.
Q. What is Faith?
A. nHebr. 10. 22. 11. 1. 1. Tim. 1. 15. 16.A full perſwaſion that God is merciful to me for his Son Chriſt his ſake.
Q. If a true faith bee ſuch a perſwaſion, who then bee partakers of thoſe foure meritorious workes of Chriſt?
A. True faith is alwaies ſuch in it owne nature, but beleeuers are not alwaies ſenſible of ſo great a comfort, becauſe of their infirmities.
Q. May I craue ſome proofe hereof for my confirmation, & comfort?
A. Conſider well, 1. The quoted proofes of the deſcription of Faith. 2. That otherwiſe it ſhould not differ, either frō Opinion oLuke 24. 21. 25. Act. 26. 28. 29.which in it owne nature is doubtfull, or from the Diuels faith pIam. 2. 19.which trembleth, becauſe it doth not apply. 3. That the Godly qPſal. 27. 13. & 77. 9. 10. Ma…ke 9. 24. 2. Cor. 12. 7. 8. 9hauehave acknowledged as much. 4. What power r1. Pet. 5. 5. 6. 7.Faith is of to preſerue true beleeuers from deſpaire, their great feares notwithſtanding. And 5. That it is therefore ſRom. 8. 15. 16. 26. 27. Matth. 14. 30. 31.like vntounto the Spirit of Prayer, which the faithfull diſtreſſed feele weake in themſelues, but find ſtrong in the effect.
Q. How may we know when we hauehave a true faith?
A. When wee know that our faith t is grounded on Gods Word; Rom. 10. 14. 17.uPhilip. 4. 4. 5. 1. Pet. 1. 6. 8.Reioyceth in the Lord more or leſſe; but alwaies vnſeignedly, notwithſtanding croſſes and tribulations; and xMat. 7. 18. 20. Galat. 5. 6. Iam. 2. 18.In louelove bringeth forth good fruits, which are good workes.
Q. What calleſt thou good workes?
A. yMat. 19. 16. 17.Thoſe which God requireth in the ten Commandements.
Q. What if good workes be wanting?
A. zIam. 2. 20. 21. 26. Titus 1. 16.Then is inſtifying faith wanting whatſoeuer we profeſſe.
Q. Can good workes iuſtifie?
A. aIob. 29. Iam. 2. 18.They iuſtifie in declaring vsus to be iuſt before men, bRom. 3. 27. 28. & 4. 2. 5. 6but they do not iuſtifie in making vsus iuſt before God.
Q. Why ſo?
A. cGal. 3. 10. & 5. 3. 4. 17. Hebr. 12. 13.Becauſe they are not perfectly done of vsus.
Q. To what purpoſe ſerue they then?
A. dMatth. 5. 16.To glorifie. God, e1. Pet. 2. 12.and profit our brethren.
Q. Touching our ſelues what vſe hauehave they?
A. f1. Tim. 1. 5. Iam. 2. 22.They are certaine ſignes of vnfained …aith▪ gRom. 2. 6. 7.and of GOD are well rewarded.
Q. If good workes be rewarded, then they merite, if they merite, then they iuſtifie?
A. hRom. 8. 17. 18They are rewarded for Chriſt his ſake, iHebr. 10. 36. 2. Cor. 1. 20.and becauſe of Gods promiſe, kLuk. 17. 7. 8. &c.but not for their owne worthines
Q. How are Faith & good works begun in vsus?
A lRom. 10. 14. 17.By preaching of Gods word, and working m1. Cor. 12 3 4 2. Cor 4. 13.of his holy Spirit.
Q. How are they increaſed▪ and continued in vsus?
A. nEph. 4. 1. &c. 2. Cor. 3. 18.By the ſame meanes, and further by the vſe of the oRom. 4 11.Sacraments and pMarke 9. 24.prayer.
Q. What are the Sacraments?
A. qRom. 4. 11.Holy ſignes and ſeales of rMatth. 26. 26. &c. 1. Cor. 12. 13.Ieſus Chriſt▪ and his benefits.
Q. How many Sacraments bee there?
A. ſ1. Cor. 10. 2. 3 & 12. 13.Two: Baptiſme, and the Supper of the Lord.
Q Why be there two Sacraments and no more?
A. tHebr. 9. 15.Becauſe the maker and Mediator of the new uRom 11. 27.Couenant xMatth. 28. …9. 1 Cor. 11. 23. 25ordained theſe and no more, yMarke 1. 4.as ſeales of the ſame.
Q. What difference is there betweene theſe two?
A. Baptiſme ſignifieth our new zTitus 3. 5.birth, or entring a1. Cor. 12. 13.into the Couenant: and therefore we are but once baptiſed.
Q. How doth the Supper of the Lord otherwiſe ſignifie?
A. Our ſpirituall féeding or continuance in the Couenant, and therfore bAct. 2. 42. 46. & 20. 7. 1. Cor. 11. 24. 26we receiue often, and not only once at Eaſter, which is cLeuit. 23. 6.Iewiſh.
Q. Why are children baptized?
A. d1. Cor. 7. 14.Becauſe they be the ſéed of the faithfull, and therefore eGen. 17. 7.within the viſible Couenant, ſo that the ſeale thereof is to be fAct. 10. 44. 47. Gen. 17. 11. 12.adminiſtred vntounto them.
Q. Why receiue they not the Supper of the Lord?
A. g1. Cor. 11. 28.Becauſe they cannot examine themſelues.
Q. Of how many things doth a Sacrament conſiſt?
A. Two: a ſigne perceiued hMark. 1. 4. …. 1. Cor. 11. 23. & 10. 25. 2. 3. 4by ſenſe, and a thing ſignified, not at all perceiued by ſenſe.
Q. In Baptiſme which is the ſigne, which is the thing ſignified?
A. iAct. 8. 36.Water the ſigne: Chriſt his blood kEph. 5. 25. 26. Hebr. 9. 14.the thing ſignified.
Q. Whath doth the waſhing of the body ſignifie and ſeale vntounto vsus?
A. lAct. 22. 16. Rom. 5. 9. & 3. 24. 25.The waſhing away of our ſinnes by the blood of Christ, which is our Iustification.
Q. What doth it elſe ſignifie and ſeale vntounto vsus?
A. mRom. 6. 3. 5. 1. Cor. 6. 11.The reforming of our actions and affections in the name of Christ, nGal. 3. 27. 24. Epheſ. 4. 23.which is our Sanctification.
Q. In the Supper of the Lord, which is the ſigne, which the thing ſignified?
A. o1. Cor. 11. 23. 24. 25.Bread and wine the ſigne, Chriſt his body and blood the thing ſignified.
Q. What ſignifieth the breaking of the bread, and powring of the wine?
A. p1. Cor. 11. 24.The breaking of his body and qMarke 14. 24ſhedding of his blood.
Q. What doth the eating and drinking ſignifie and ſeale vntounto vsus?
A. rPſal. 104. 15.That as bread and wine preſerueth our naturall life: ſo ſIohn 6. 54.Chriſt his body and blood is our ſpirituall food vntounto eternall life.
Q. How ſo?
A. Becauſe Christ is our continuall t1. Iohn 1. 7. 9.Iustification and uRom. 8. 10. 11.Sanctification.
Q. Why calleſt thou the body and blood of Chriſt ſpirituall food?
A. x1. Cor. 10. 3. 4. Ioh. 6. 35. 63. Epheſ. 3. 17.Becauſe it is ſpiritually receiued by faith, not corporally eaten with teeth.
Q. Are not the body and blood of Chriſt called ſpirituall food, becauſe the ſubſtance of bread & wine is tranſubſtantiated into the ſubſtāce of Chriſt his very body and blood, though only the accidents of bread and wine remaine and be ſeene?
A. No: For ſuch a Tranſubstantiation, is moſt contrary to this ſpirituall banquet, for thrée reaſons.
Q. Which be they?
A. If there be ſuch a Tranſubſtantiation, then this Sacrament ſhould want the outward ſigne. For the accidents; without the ſubſtance of bread and wine cannot nouriſh, and therefore there is no ſigne perceiued by ſenſe, to ſignifie ſpirituall feeding, not perceiued by ſenſe.
Q. What is your ſecond reaſon?
A. This Trauſubstantiation being a miracle, ſhould bee euidently ſéene (as was yJoh. 2. 8. 9. 10. 11.the tranſubſtantiation of water into wine at the mariage in Cana) for confirmation of the word, eſpecially in a Sacrament. Seeing both zMarke 16. 20miracles, and aRom. 4. 11.Sacraments be called Signes, in regard of ſuch confirmation.
Q. What is your third reaſon?
A. By ſuch Tranſubstantiation, the ſuppoſed ſpirituall food, ſhould be a body and blood preſently made of bread and wine, and not the body and blood of Chriſt crucified, and long ſince bGalat. 4. 4.made of a woman, which this ſpirituall banquet doth ſignifie, and ſeale vntounto faithfull receiuers.
Q. If there be no ſuch Tranſubſtantiation, how then can wee eate Christ his very body, and drinke his very blood, which are bodily ſubſtances cAct. 3. 21.abiding in heauen, and that only by faith ſpiritually?
A. As they who acknowledge his Maieſtie to bee their only ſoueraigne, and do accordingly ſubmit themſelues vntounto his gouernment, become members of the ſame politique body, whereof his very perſon is head: So they dIoh. 1. 12. & 6. 35. 37. Act. 4. 12. Epheſ. 4. 13. 15.who by faith profeſſe Chriſt to be their only Sauiour, and do accordingly committe themſelues to his ſaluation, become members of the ſame myſticall body whereof his very perſon is the head.
Q. You ſpeake now of the whole perſon, & incorporation; but before of the body and blood of Chriſt, and feeding.
A. As e1. Cor. 12. 13. Epheſ. 5. 23. Ioh. 15. 1. 4.Incorporation, and other borrowed ſpeeches of Holy writ, ſo f& 6. 56. 1. Cor. 10. 16.Feeding ſignifieth our ſpirituall cō munion with Chriſt, yet with ſome further conſideration.
Q. What is that?
A. To teach vsus that we are incorporated into gIoh. 12. 32. 33 Rom. 6. 3.Chriſt crucified. As wee are fedde with the fleſh of beaſts not liuing, hAct. 10 13.but ſlaine.
Q. Is not this the reaſon why both bread and wine be neceſſarily diſtributed in the Lords Supper?
A. Yes: and further, i1. Cor. 11. …3. 24. 25. Matth 19 6.becauſe of the inſtitution: k1. Cor. 11. 26.for a liuely repreſentation of Chriſt his death: lJoh. 19. 32. 33. 34.differing from the thieues death: mLeuit. 7. 2.and anſwering to the ſacrifices: nPſal. 104. 1…. Ioh 6. 35. 54. 55.and for the comfortable aſſurance of our perfect nouriſhment.
Q. Is not then our perfect nouriſhment another conſideration of our ſpirituall feeding, beſides our incorporation into Chriſt?
A. Yes: for oIo… 6. 57.if we eate Chriſt, we ſhall liue by Chriſt, and p& 4. 49. 51. 52.that (as it were) with health, q& 15. 4. 5.which is the effect of ſuch incorporation.
Q Expreſſe this yet more fully.
A. As he who corporally feedeth with good digeſtion, feeleth his heart rAct. 14. 17. 1. King. 19. 7. 8gladded, and the whole man better inabled to performe the actions of naturall life: So be who ſpiritually féedeth by a true faith, feeleth ſRom. 5. 1. 2.the peace of conſciente, and tGalat. 2. 20. John 6. 57.the whole man better inabled to performe the actions of a ſpirituall life.
Q. Then I perceiue that the Scripture vſeth borrowed ſpeeches in regard only of Eating and Drinking, and not of Christ his body & blood; becauſe our communion▪ though really and verily with Christ himſelfe crucified, is yet by the ſpirituall meane of a true faith.
A. It is ſo; As may be euidently ſéne in the 6. chapter of Iohn ſo often quoted. For whereas in the 54. verſe Chriſt ſaith, Whoſoeuer eaſeth my fleſh, and drinketh my blood hath eternall life; in the 35 verſe he ſaith, He that commeth to me ſhall not hunger, and he that beleeueth in me ſhall neuer thirst. So that F…eding▪ Comming, and Beleeuing are manifeſtly▪ th… caſe, all on…, And conſequently our receiuing of Christ crucified muſt of neceſſity be ſpirituall. As it further appeareth in the 12. verſe of the firſt chapter of the ſame booke.
Q. All that come to the Lords table, do they ſpiritually receiue the body and blood of Chriſt?
A. No: The wicked receiue only u…uke 1…. 26. 27. & 22. 14.the ſignes▪ to their damnation, not xIohn 13. 2. & 6. 35.the things ſignified to their ſaluation.
Q. Why ſo?2. Theſſ 3. 2.
A. yM…t 8. 11. 12. 1 Cor. 11. 27.Becauſe they receiue vnworthily.
Q. How may we receiue worthilie?
A. By comming to the Lords table with zIohn 6. 35.Faith and a1. Cor. 11. 30. 3…Repentance.
Q. What is repentance?
A. A forſaking bEzec. 33. 11.of our ſinnes and turning cJerem▪ 4▪ 1▪ 2.to God, by dMatth. 4. 17.amendment of life.
Q. Can we beleeue and repent of our ſelues?
A. ePhilip. 1. 29. Ezec. 11. 19.No: And therfore we muſt craue fMarke 9. 24. Je…em. 31. 18.theſe and all other graces of God by hartie prayer.
Q. What is prayer?
A. gLuke 18. 1. &c.An earneſt requeſt to God, in y• name hIohn 14. 13.of Chriſt for all things iIam. 4. 3.neceſſary.
Q. How may we be ſure to obtaine all things neceſſary?
A kMar. 9▪ 22. 33If we aſke in faith: lMatth. 21. 2… ▪For ſo God hath promiſed. To whom b… glory for euer.
Amen.
A PRAYER.
O Moſt mercifull and gracious Father, whereas we are not able of our ſelues to perceiue the things of the Spirit, m1. Cor. 2. 14.being naturall men, yea ſo fooliſh nIerem. 4. 22.and of no vnderſtanding, that howſoeuer, we are wiſe to do euill, to do well we hauehave no knowledge, we moſt humbly beſeech thee for Chriſt his ſake to remember thy oIer. 31. 33.Couenant, and teach vsus by thy pIoh. 16. 13.holy Spirit, which ſearcheth all things, q1. Cor. 2. 10. 12.yea the deepe things of God, to know thoſe things which thou haſt giuen vsus. Suffer vsus not therefore, O Lord, with the r1. Ioh. 5. 19. 20.world to lie in wickednes, but giuegive vsus a mind to know thy Sonne Ieſus Chriſt, who is very God and eternall life. And open our ſLuke 24. 45.vnderſtanding, that we tIohn 5. 39.ſearching may vnderſtand the Scriptures, which are able to u2. Tim. 3. 14. 15.make vsus wiſe vntounto ſaluation. And whereas ſinne xHebr. 12. 1. 2hangeth ſo faſt on, that we cannot run the race that is ſet before vsus, with an eye ſtill looking to Ieſus the Author and finiſher of our faith, with groning ſpirits we intreate thee, to ſeparate them from vsus, as far as the Eaſt is yPſal. 103. 12.from the Weſt, that hauing laid a ſure foundation zHebr. 6. 1.of repentance from dead works and faith towards God, we may be led forward to perfection, and hauing learned the doctrine of the beginning of Chriſt, we may grow aEph. 4. 15. 13vp into him which is our head, vntill we meete together in the vnitie of faith, and knowledge of the Son of God vntounto a perfect man, and vntounto the meaſure of the age of the fulnes of Chriſt. That ſo growing in b2. Pet. 3. 17. 18grace and knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, we be not plucked away with the error of the wicked, and fall from our owne ſtedfaſtnes: but hauing the righteouſnesRom. 1. 16. 17. of God reuealed to vsus from faith to faith, we may perceiue indeed, the Goſpel to be to vsus the power of God to ſaluation, and ſo go from ſtrengthPſal. 84. 7. to ſtrength, till we appeare before God in Zion. Which graces, with all other bleſſings ſpirituall and temporall, for our ſelues and eueryevery member of thy Church, we beg of thee O holy Father in the name and mediation of our Lord and Sauiour Chriſt Ieſus, further recommending our ſelues, our prayers and wants to thy fatherly conſideration, concluding in that moſt holy prayer which our Maiſter himſelfe hath taught vsus, ſaying: Our Father which art in heauen, &c.
FINIS.
End of the text · James Balmford, A Short Catechism (1607)