A New Catechism, Catechism
A NEW CATECHISME: Very uſefull for perſons of meaneſt capacity and ſhorteſt memory, and for them onelyonly compoſed:
And ſince fitted to the Directions concerning ſuſpenſion from the Lords Supper, in caſe of ignorance, and publiſhed.
Iſa. 28 10.
Precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, and there a little.
…rvo 19.2.
That the minde be without knowledge, it is not good.
2 Theſ. 17, 8.
The Lord Ieſus ſhall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Goſpel of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt.
By T. Mocket, Maſter of Arts.
London, Printed by A. M. for Christopher Meredith, at the Crane in Pauls Church-yard, 1647.
A NEW CATECHISME.
Queſtion. WHat think you of the Bible or holy Scriptures?
A. They are the very Word of God, and moſt infallibly true, 2 Tim. 3.16, 17.
Q. What is God?
A. He is Almighty, the maker and governour of all things, Gen. 11. & 17. 1. Pſal. 103.19.
Q. How many Gods be there?
A. Only one God and three perſons, the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghoſt, Eph…ſ. 4.6. Mat. 28.19.
Q. How did God make man?
A. Marvellous holy and happy, Eccleſ. 7.29 or 31.
Q. Why ſay you man was made holy?
A. Becauſe he was made after the image of God, in knowledge, righteouſneſſe, and true holineſſe, Gen. 1.26. Col. 3 10. Epheſ. 4.23, 24.
Q. Did man continue in that good eſtate?
A. No, but he fell away by the inticement of Satan, Gen. 3.1, &c. 1 Tim. 2.14.
Q What was the ſinne he did commit?
A. Diſobedience againſt God, in eating of the forbidden fruit, Gen. 3.6. Rom. 5.12, 14.
Q. What is the eſtate of all men by nature?
A. Exceeding ſinfull and miſerable, Epheſ. 2.1.2.
Q How came we to be ſo?
A. By Adams ſinne and fall, for we were all in his loyns, Rom. 5.12. 1 Cor. 15.22.
Q. How elſe?
A. By our own tranſgreſſing the Commandements of God. And ſo do all that are of years of diſcretion.
Q. Which be they, and how many?
A. Ten, Exod. 20.1. Deut. 10.4.
1. Thou ſhalt have none other gods but me.
2. Thou ſhalt not make to thy ſelf any graven image, nor the likeneſſe of any thing that is in Heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth. Thou ſhalt not bow down to them, nor worſhip them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, and viſit the ſinnes of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and ſhew mercy unto thouſands of them that love me and keep my commandements.
3. Thou ſhalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltleſſe that taketh his Name in vain.
4. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath-day. Six dayes ſhalt thou labour and doe all that thou haſt to doe, but the ſeventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. In it thou ſhalt doe no manner of worke, thou, and thy ſonne, and thy daughter, thy man-ſervant, and thy maid-ſervant, thy cattel, and the ſtranger that is within thy gates. For in ſix dayes 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 thy mother, that thy dayes may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee,
6. Thou ſhalt doe no murder.
7. Thou ſhalt not commit adultery.
8. Thou ſhalt not ſteal.
9. Thou ſhalt not beare falſe witneſſe againſt thy neighbour.
10. Thou ſhalt not covet thy neighbours houſe, thou ſhalt not covet thy neighbours wife, nor his ſervant, nor his maid, nor his Oxe, nor his Aſſe, nor any thing that is his.
Q. Can you keep theſe Commandements?
A. No, I break them daily, in thought, word and deed, Iam, 3.2. Eccleſ. 7.20.
Q. What puniſhment is due unto you, and all men by reaſon of ſin?
A. Everlaſting damnation both in ſoul and body, beſide all the miſeries of this life, Rom. 6.23.
Q. How ſhall you eſcape this miſery?
A. OnelyOnly by Jeſus Chriſt, Act. 4.12.
Q. What is Ieſus Chriſt?
A. The Eternall Sonne of God, Matth. 17.5. Ioh. 1.18.
Q. What did he doe that you think to be ſaved by him?
A. He ſuffered death to ſatisfie Gods juſtice for mans ſinnes; alſo he did perfectly fulfill the Law of God for us, Rom. 4.25. Mat. 5.17.
Q. Being God, how could he dye?
A. He was both God and man in one perſon, Ioh. 1.14.
Q. How ſhall you be made partaker of Chriſt and all his benefits, and ſo be ſaved?
A. By faith alone, Ioh. 3.16. Mark. 16.16.
Q. Being guilty of ſinne, and therefore ſubject to eternall damnation, how doe you think to be juſtified, and ſo freed from ſinne and damnation?
A. By the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt alone, Rom. 3.20, 24, 28.
Q. How ſhall we be made partakers of Chriſts righteouſneſſe?
A. By Faith in Chriſt, Rom. 3.28.
Q What is Faith?
A. It is a grace of God, whereby we beleeve and truſt in God for remiſſion of ſinnes and everlaſting life, according to the promiſe of the Goſpel.
Q. What is the promiſe of the Goſpel?
A. He that beleeveth ſhall be ſaved: and he that beleeveth not ſhall be damned, Mark 16.16. Ioh. 3.16.
Q. What are you to beleeve? Rehearſe the ſumme and articles of your faith?
A. I beleeve in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. And in Ieſus Chriſt his onelyonly Sonne our Lord, which was conceived by the holy Ghoſt, borne of the Virgin Mary, ſuffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried, he deſcended into hell, the third day he roſe again from the dead, he aſcended into heaven, and ſitteth on the right hand of God the Father Allmighty, from thence he ſhall come to judge the quick and the dead. I beleeve in the holy Ghoſt, the holy Catholike Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveneſſe of ſinnes, the reſurrection of the body, and the life everlaſting. Amen.
Q. What is meant by deſcended into hell?
A. Not that he went down into hell, but that he remained a while in the ſtate of the dead, the body in the grave, and the ſoul in Paradiſe or Heaven. Or, that he ſuffered torments aequivalent to the pains of hell, and ſuch as no meer mortall man could ſuffer.
Q. How come men by faith? is it borne and bred in us?
A. No, the holy Ghoſt doth worke faith in the heart by the preaching of the Word. Rom. 10.14, 17.
Q. What means hath God appointed to increaſe faith?
A. The preaching of the Word, the Sacraments, and earneſt prayer.
Q What is a Sacrament?
A. A ſeal of the Covenant of grace, Rom. 4.11.
Q. What is the covenant of grace?
A. It is a covenant of ſaving man, by Faith in Jeſus Chriſt, wherein God promiſes to be our God, and we do binde our ſelves to be a faithfull, obedient people unto him, Ier. 31.33.
Q. How many Sacraments are there?
A. Two only, Baptiſme. and the Lords Supper, Mat. 28.19. & 26.26.
Q. What doth Baptiſme ſignifie?
A. The waſhing away of ſinne from the ſoul by the blood of Jeſus Chriſt, and ſo our juſtification and ſanctification, Mark. 1.4. Act. 2.38. Tit. 3.5.
Q. What doth Baptiſme binde you to doe?
A. To beleeve in Chriſt, to leave all ſinne, and live holily, according to the commandements of God, Act. 8.37. Mat. 3.8. Rom 6.4.
Q. What doth the bread and wine ſignifie in the Lords Supper?
A. The body and blood of Chriſt crucified, and all the benifits of his death and ſuffering, Mat. 26.26. and 28.
Q. What doth the breaking of the bread, and pouring out of the wine in the Sacrament ſignifi…?
A. That his body was broken, and his bloud ſhed for our ſinnes, Rom. 4 25. 1 Cor. 11.24, 25.
Q How muſt we receive Chriſt and all his benefi…s in the Sacrament?
A. Only by faith, as the hand and the mouth of the ſoul to receive and feed upon Chriſt ſpiritually, Iohn. 1.12.
Q What is the danger of unworthy receiving?
A. Vnworthy receivers are guilty of the prophanation of the body and blood of Chriſt, and ſo make themſelves guilty of damnation, 1 Cor. 11.27.…9, 30.
Q. What then is required to the right receiving of the Lords Supper?
A. Five things, Knowledge, Faith, Repentance, Love to God and our neighbour, and a hungering after Chriſt in the Sacrament.
Q What muſt you do when you rae to come to the Lords Table?
A. Examine my ſinnes, alſo whether I have ſaving knowledge, faith, repentance, love, and an hungring after Chriſt in the Sacrament, 1. Cor. 11.28
Q. How may you know that you have aright knowledge of God, and of your ſelf?
A. When I ſee and feel my ſelf to be a loſt creature without Chriſt, deſire Chriſt above all things in the world, and am carefull to obey God in all things out of conſcience to his command.
Q How ſhall you know whether you have true faith or no?
A. My faith is a ſaving faith. 1. If I prize Chriſt above all things. 2. If I love God ſincerely for himſelf, and 3. be carefull to live holily according to the will of God.
Q. How ſhall you know that you do truly repent of your ſinnes?
A. 1. When I am heartily grieved for my ſins, becauſe ſins, and diſpleaſing to God, 2. When I hate and abhorre them, 3. Doe alſo leave them, 4. By my feare to ſin againſt God, and 5. By my care to live holily in all my wayes.
Q. How ſhall you know that you doe truly love God?
A. By my care to keep his Commandements, and by my hearty love to the godly, 1 Ioh. 5.1, and 3.
Q. How ſhall you know that you love the godly as you ought?
A. VVhen I love them chiefly for their godlineſſe and holineſſe.
Q. How ſhall you know that you truly love, and are in charity with your neighbours?
A. By this, 1. That I do from my heart forgive my neighbour that hath wronged me. And 2. Am ready to do any office of love for him.
Q. How ſhall you know whether you hunger after Chriſt in the Sacrament?
A. By this, that I ſee my want of Chriſt, and therefore do deſire to receive the Sacrament, that I may be farther partaker of Chriſt and his grace, Mat. 5.6. Rev. 22.17.
Q. Why was the Sacrament ordained? and why do you deſire to receive it?
A. 1. To confirm and increaſe faith and all ſaving grace in me. 2. To keep in remembrance what Chriſt hath done and ſuffered for me, and his great love to me, and 3. To teſtifie my love to others, 1 Cor. 11.24, 26. & 12.13.
Q. What muſt you doe after you have received?
A. I muſt endeavour to finde in me an increaſe of faith, love and all ſaving graces, and to abound more and more in all well doing, Prov. 4.18.
Q. Whence have we all the grace we have?
A. From that fullneſſe that is in Jeſus Chriſt, by the right uſe of his ordinance.
Q. What ſhall become of thoſe that do not beleeve in Ieſus Chriſt, and alſo ſorrow for their ſinnes, turne from them to the Lord, & live holily?
A. They ſhall ſurely periſh for ever Mark 16.16. Luk. 13.3 5.
Q. What becomes of the ſoule after death?
A. The ſouls of all the faithfull after death, do goe immediately to heaven, and there live with Chriſt in bleſſednes, Luk. 16.2…. & 23.43.
Q. What becomes of the ſouls of the wicked after death?
A. The ſouls of the wicked after death goe immediatly to hell fire, and muſt ſuffer there for ever with the divels. Luk 16.22, 23. Mat. 25. ver. 41 & 46.
Q. What ſhall become of the bodies of all men?
A. The bodies of all men ſhall by the power of God, be raiſed up again at the laſt day.
Q. And what ſhall then become of them?
A. They ſhall all appeare before the judgement ſeat of Chriſt, to receive according to that they have done in the body, whether it be good or evil, 2 Cor. 5.10.
Q. What ſhall become of the bodies of the Godly?
A. They ſhall goe into everlaſting life and bleſſedneſſe, Mat. 25.34 & 46.
Q. What ſhall become of the wicked?
A. They ſhall goe into everlaſting puniſhment, Matth. 25.41, and 46,
Q. What rule of direction is there according to which all ought to pray?
A. The generall rule is the Word of God, the more ſpeciall is the Lords Prayer, Mat. 6.9.
Q. Rehearſe that.
A. Our Father which art in heaven. Hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdome 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 treſpaſſe againſt us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver usfrom evil, Amen.
Q. What doth this prayer contain?
A. Three parts, 1. a preface, the prayer it ſelf, and the concluſion.
Q. Which words are the preface?
A. Our Father which art in heaven.
Q. Which are the prayer it ſelf?
A. Hallowed be thy name, &c.
Q How many parts doth the prayer it ſelf contain?
A. 1. Six petitions, whereof the three firſt concern God, and the three laſt our ſelves, and 2, a thankſgiving.
Q. In which words is the concluſion?
A. In the word Amen: which ſignifies ſo be it, and ſo it is.
Q. Is it enough to ſerve God in publike only?
A. No, but all muſt ſerve God in private alſo, by praying unto him, thanking him for his benefits, and reading of his Word: alſo meditation on his word and works, and ſinging of Pſalms, are godly Chriſtian private duties, Pſal. 55.17. Dan. 6.10. Deut. 17. 19. Col. 3.16.
Q. And will you promiſeto doe your true endeavour, to grow in knowledge, to leave all ſinne, and walk according to the commandmnets of God as it becomes a true Chriſtian?
A. I will, God inabling me.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Mocket, A New Catechism (1647)