A Short Catechism, Catechism

A Short Catechism · Catechism

A SHORT CATECHISME: BEING A briefe Inſtruction of the moſt ignorant, before the receiving of the Sacrament of the LORDS SƲPPER.

By Obadiah Sedgewick.

LONDON, Printed for Stephen Bowtell, and are to bee ſold at the figne of the Bible in Popes-head-alley, 1647.

A BRIEFE INSTRUCTION OF The moſt ignorant, before the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper.

Queſt. VVHAT is God?

Anſw. God is a moſtaaHab. 1.13. Rev, 4.8.Hab 1:13 ho-bb1 King. 8.27. Pſal 139.7.1 Kgs 8:27Ps 139:7 infinite,ccIob 9.4. Rom. 16.27.Job 9:4Rom 16:27 wiſe,ddPſal. 119.68.Ps 119:68 good, mercifull,ffEſay 44.21.Isa 44:21 iuſt, g ſpirituall,Matth. 19.17.Matt 19:17 …ll-ſufficient,iiExod. 6.3.Exod 6:3 being of him…fe,eePſal. 116.5. Exo. 43.6.Ps 116:5 and the onelyonlykkActs …8.Acts 8 Author being to others.…any 3.5. Iohn 4.24.John 4:24hhGen. 17.1.Gen 17:1

2. Q. How many Gods b… there?

A. There is but one onelyonly true God.1 King. 8.60. Eſa. 44.8. 1 Cor. 8, 6.1 Kgs 8:60Isa 44:81 Cor 8:6

3. Q. How many perſons ar… there?

A. Three:1 Iohn 57. 1. God th… Father, 2. God the Sonn… 3. God the holy Ghoſt.

4. Q. How doe theſe thr… perſons agree?

A. Every one of them God.

1 The Father is God.Epheſ. 4.6. Iohn 11. 1 Theſ. 5.23.Eph 4:6John 111 Thess 5:23

2 The Son is God.

3 The holy Ghoſt God.

5. Q. How do theſe th… perſons differ?

A.

The Father begets.

The Son is begotten.Pſalm. 2.7, Iohn 1.14. Iohn 14.26. Iohn 15 26Ps 2:7John 1:14John 14:26John 15:26

The holy Ghoſt procee… from the Father and Sonne.

6. Q. Who made man?

A. God.Gen 1.27.Gen 1:27

7. Q. How did God make man?

A. After hisaaGen. 1.26, 27. Epheſ. 4.24.Gen 1:26Gen 1:27Eph 4:24 own image …nd likeneſſe,bbEccleſ. 7.29.Eccl 7:29 holy and righ…eous.

8. Q. Did man continue in …is eſtate?

A. No, butccEccleſ. 7.29.Eccl 7:29 fell from it …y eatingddGen 3.6.Gen 3:6 of the forbidden …uit.

9. Q. What followed up… eating of the forbidden …uit?

A. Sin and Death.Rom. 5. 1….Rom 5:1

10. Q. What is ſin?

A. 1 Ioh. 3.4.1 John 3:4It is the tranſgreſſi… of Gods Law.

11. Q. How many ſorts of are there?

A. Two,

1. Originall ſin, …d

2. Actuall ſin.

12. Q. What is originall ſin?

A. It is the univerſal pollution of the heart or nature,Eph. 21, 2 Jam. 1.14. Eccleſ. 9.3.Jas 1:14Eccl 9:3 and an inclination to al… evill.

13 Q. What is actuall ſin?

A. EvillaaMat. 9.4.Matt 9:4 thoughts, evil… bbRom. 1.26.Rom 1:26affections, evillcc1 Cor. 15.33.1 Cor 15:33 words▪ evillddJohn 3.20.John 3:20 actions, alleeJam 4.17.Jas 4:17 omiſſion… of good, or commiſſions o… evill.

14 Q. What is due to ma… for ſin?

A. Wrath,Eph. 2.3. Gal. 3.10. Rom. 5.12 2 Theſ. 2.12.Eph 2:3Gal 3:10Rom 5:122 Thess 2:12 curſe, death and damnation.

15 Q. Can any ſinner d… liver▪ himſelfe from this fea… full and miſerable condition?

A. No, for he isaaEph 2.1.Eph 2:1 dead i… ſins, andbbRom. 5.6.Rom 5:6 without ſtrength

16 Q. Who is the Savio… and Redeemer of ſinners?

A. OnelyOnly Ieſus Chriſt.

17 Q. What was Ieſ… Chriſt?1 Tim. 2.5 5. Acts 4 12.1 Tim 2:5Acts 4:12

A. He was both God and man.1 Joh. 1.14.1 John 1:14

18 Q. How did Ieſus Chriſt deliver a ſinner from Gods wrath and damnation?

A. By a perfect ſatisfaction to Gods Iuſtice,Rom. 5 18, 19. Gal. 3.13.Rom 5:18Rom 5:19Gal 3:13 in his active and paſſive obedience.

19 Q. What offices did belong to Chriſt as Mediator?

A. Three: He was

1. AaaHeb. 7.22.Heb 7:22 Prieſt,

2. abbActs 3.22.Acts 3:22 Prophet,

3. accAct. 5.3 1. Pſ. 2.6Acts 5:3Ps 2:6 King.

20 Q. What is required of any who ſhall be ſaved by Chriſt?

A. ddMar. 15. Act. 2.38. Luke 3.3.Mark 15Acts 2:38Luke 3:3Repentance andeeJoh. 3.16. Act 16.30, 31.John 3:16Acts 16:30Acts 16:31 Faith.

21 Q. What is Repentance?

A. Repentance is a turning of the heart and life from all ſin,Joel. 2.12, 13. Eſa 55.7. Eſa. 16.17.Joel 2:12Joel 2:13Isa 55:7Isa 16:17 unto God.

22 Q. What is ſaving faith?

A. It is aaa1 Ioh. 1.12.1 John 1:12 right receiving of Ieſus Chriſt as Mediatour, and a truſting onelyonly on him forbb2 Cor. 5.21.2 Cor 5:21 righteouſneſſe,ccActs 13.38.Acts 13:38 pardon of ſinnes, anddd1 Ioh 5.11, 121 John 5:111 John 5:12 everlaſting life.

23. Q. What is the means by which faith is wrought?

A. By the Word.

24 Q. What is the meanes by which Faith and all other Graces are nouriſhed and increaſed?Rom. 10 17. Epheſ. 1.13Rom 10:17Eph 1:13

A. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is one of thoſe meanes.

25. Q. What is a Sacrament?

A. It is an outward and viſible ſigne,…om. 4.11. and ſeale of the Covenant of Grace.

26. Q. How many Sacraments are there under the New-Teſtament?

A. OnelyOnly two,

1.Baptiſme,Mat. 28.19. Cor. 11.23, 24Matt 28:19

2. The Lords Supper.

27. Q. Which be the outward and viſible ſignes in the Lords Supper?

A. Bread and Wine conſecrated.Luke 22.19.2…Luke 22:19Luke 22:2

28. Q. What is the Bread a ſigne of?

A. Of the body of Chriſt.1 Cor. 10.16.1 Cor 10:16

29. Q. What is the VVine a ſigne of?

A. Of the blood of Chriſt.1 Cor. 10.16.1 Cor 10:16

30 Q. VVhat is the thing ſignified in the Sacrament?

A. Ieſus Chriſt crucified,1 Cor. 11.27, &1 Cor 11:27 and all the benefits by his death.

31. Q. How is Ieſus Chriſt received at the Sacrament?

A. Not corporally, for ſo he is in heavenaaActs 3.21.Acts 3:21, but ſpiritually, and by faithbbIohn. 6.63.John 6:63.

32 Q. What is required of a perſon before he commeth to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper?

A. He is to examine himſelfe.Cor. 11.28.

33 Q. Of what is he to examine himſelfe?

A. Eſpecially of three Graces:

1. Whether he truly repents of his ſinnes:

2. Whether he truly beleeves in Ieſus Chriſt:

3. Whether he be in charity.

34 Q. How may a man know that he truely repents of his ſins?

A. If

1 Experimentally hee knows his ſins.…erem. 8.6.

2 He be heartily broken and grieved for his ſins.…el 2.13. Zach. …2.10.Zech 2:10

3 He hates all knowne ſinnes.…zek. 36.31.

4 He feareth to commit ſinne.2 Cor 7.11.2 Cor 7:11

5 He carefully endevours to forſake all ſin.Prov. 28.13.Prov 28:13

6 He walks in newneſſe of obedience.Ro. 6.18. Ro.Rom 6:18

35 Q. Why muſt a perſon repent, who commeth to the Sacrament?

A.

1. He cannot elſe apply pardoning mercy.Eſa. 55.7. R… 2.5.Isa 55:7

2 He will elſe come unworthily,1 Cor. 11.29.1 Cor 11:29 for which God will iudge him.

36 Q. How may a man know that he truly beleeves in Jeſus Chriſt?

A. If

1 His heart hath been broken for ſins.Acts 2.37, 4 … Eſay 61.1.Acts 2:37Acts 2:4Isa 61:1

2 He ſeeth a need of Chriſt.Mat. 15.24.Matt 15:24

3 He be weary of ſin,Mat. 11.28.Matt 11:28 and ſo commeth to Chriſt.

4 He can prize Chriſt above all.…lip. 3.8, 9.

5 He be willing to forſake all,…ke 14.26.27. ſo as to enioy Chriſt.

6 He receiveth Chriſt as Lord and Saviour.… 1.12. Heb. 4.Heb 4

7 His heart be purified.… 15 9.

37 Q. VVhy muſt a man be a Beleever before he commeth to this Sacrament?

A. Becauſe,

1 This Sacrament is a ſeale onelyonly to faith.

2 He muſt diſcerne the Lords body,…or. 11.29. which cannot be done without faith.

3 He can elſe receive no good by this Sacrament from Chriſt.

38. Q How may a man know that he is in charity?

A.

1. If he can heartily forgive wrongs.… 3.13, 14.

2 If he can do good for evil.… 43, 44.

39. Q. VVhat is a perſon to doe at the time of the Sacrament?

A. He is

1. to meditate of the greatneſſe of his ſinnes which pierced Chriſt.Zach. 12.10.Zech 12:10

2 To meditate of the great and wonderful love of God in Chriſt.Ioh. 3.16. Rom. 5.8.John 3:16Rom 5:8

3 To meditate of that bitter and accurſed death that Chriſt ſuffered to make peace for his ſoule.

4 To lay hold on Ieſus Chriſt offered unto him,Mat. 26.28. Phil. 3.10, 11.Matt 26:28Phil 3:10Phil 3:11 by faith.

40 Q. VVhat is a perſon to doe after he hath received the Sacrament?

A.

1. He is to be thankfull,Acts. 8 38, 39 Pſal. 10 3.1, 2Acts 8:38Acts 8:39Ps 10:3Ps 10:1Ps 10:2 if he hath received any good.

2 He is to be humble and repent,Cor. 6.1. if he hath received no benefit.

3 He is to be carefull to keepe his Covenant and Vowes.…ſa 19.21. Pſal. 6.11. Pro. 9.5, 6Ps 6:11Prov 9:5Prov 9:6

4 He is to be more fruitfull.Pet. 3 18. Rom 2.Rom 2

FINIS.

End of the text · Obadiah Sedgwick, A Short Catechism (1647)