University of Virginia Library

A Brief Catechism.

The Preface.

Q.
Know'st thou, my Childe, wherfore thou wast created?

A.
Sir, to serve God, who mee and all created.

Q.
How ought wee him to serve and to adore?

A.
The Summe thereof consisteth in these foure.

Q.
Which foure bee they?

A.
Faith, and obedient Living
After Gods Law, with Praier and Thanksgiving.

Q.
Of each of these apart, and (orderly)
First, of the first let mee examine thee.

1. Of Faith.

Q.
In whom hast thou thy Faith's affiance founded?

A.
In God alone my trust is wholly grounded.

Q.
Why?

A.
God the Father made mee first of nought,
And God the Son redeem'd mee worse then nought,
God th'Holy Ghost (my Guide and Consolation)
Instructs, conducts mee to Sanctification.

Q.
Are th'Holy Ghost, the Father and the Son,
Three gods?

A.
No; Persons three, God onely one.

2. Of Obedience.

Q.
Will God bee served after the Commission
Of his owne word, or after Mans tradition?

A.
Doubtless, according to his owne behest,
And not the motions of mans brain or brest.

Q.
But, of thy self canst thou accomplish fully
The Law of God? canst thou perform it wholly?

A.
No, God doth knowe.

Q.
Who doth it then in thee?

A.
The Holy Ghost begetting Faith in mee.

Q.
Having (within) the Spirit for thy direction,
Canst thou perform obedience, in perfection?

A.
No, neither yet.

Q.
Yet God rejecteth all
That perfectly keep not his Law in all.

A.
'Tis very true.

Q.
How then, or by what action,
Canst thou please God, give the Law satisfaction,
Or scape that Death which to damnation brings?

A.
By Iesus Christ, and by his sufferings.

Q.
How so?

A.
Why thus: Christ our high-priest for ever,
Self-offring once to bee re-offred never,
Hath pleas'd his Father, hath appeas'd our strife,
And by his Death purchast vs endless life;
So that, by lively Faith to vs applying
Th'one Sacrifice of Christ our Saviour dying,
By imputation w'have his righteousnes,
As Ours, with God; and thereby life and peace.

3. Of Praier.

Q.
Whom prai'st thou to?

A.
To the true God (of powr
And will to help) who hears vs every hour.

Q.
But in whose name will hee bee call'd vpon?

A.
Onely in Christ's, our Saviour and his Son,
Our Price, our Peace, our Reconciliation,
Our Advocate of much commiseration,
Sole Mediatour of Mankinde; who needs
No Aid of Saints, or any that succeeds.

4. Of Thanksgiving.

Q.
While Christ, our King, our Prophet, Priest, and Preacher,
Converst with his Disciples, as a Teacher;
Tell mee, I pray, how many Sacraments
Did hee ordain his Church for evidence?

A.
Two.

Q.
Which are they?

A.
Baptism, and the Supper
Which hee assign'd the night yer hee did suffer.

Q.
Of Sacraments what end, what vse have wee?

A.
Signes to our Sense, seals to our Faith they bee.

Of Baptism.

Q.
What is it that is signifi'd vnto vs
In sacred Baptism?

A.
It betokens to vs
Full pardon and remission of our sins,
And a new birth, where better Life begins.

Q.
But in whose name is Baptism to bee giv'n?

A.
In th'onely Name of th'one-three God of Heav'n;
The Father, Son and Holy Ghost: to whom
Be praise alwaies beyond all time to come.

Of the Lords Supper.

Q.
What's signifi'd vnto vs and presented
In th'Holy Supper?

A.
There is represented
The true Communion of Christs Bodie and Blood
Giuen for, and to vs, for immortall food:
Whereby our soules are fed in expectation
Of Life eternall purchast by his passion.

Q.
When wee receive these Mysteries Divine,
What's showne vnto vs by the Bread and Wine?

A.
These Elements, before vs lively figure
Of Christ his Death the virtue and the vigor.
For, as our bodies by the staff of Bread,
And cheer-heart Wine, are strengthned heer, and fed:
Even so his Body and his Blood doo nourish
Our Faith-mouth'd Soules, that they may never perish.

Q.
But, is Christ present in the Sacrament?

A.
Yea: and his Flesh hee doth vs there present.

Q.
How meanest thou, that the substantiall Essence
(After a reall and a carnall presence)
Of Christ his Body, in the Bread is closed;
And, of his Blood within the Wine inclosed?

A.
No; nothing less.

Q.
Then plainly let mee knowe
Where wee may finde him.

A.
Not in Earth belowe;
But, in Heav'ns glory, with his glorious Sire:
Whence, hee shall com, to judge the World, in Fire.

Q.
But, to climb Heav'n, what Ladder can suffize vs?

A.
Faith.

Q.
Then wee must beleeve, ere yee advize vs
Vnto this Feast for faithfull ones ordain'd.

A.
So it behooves.

Q.
But, how is Faith attain'd?

A.
Faith coms by hearing; when the Holy Spirit
Works with the word, and in vs doth aver-it;
Confirming vs in all the promises
Which in his Gospell Christ hath made to his.

The Praier.

Q.
O Gracious GOD, that grant'st the just Desires
Of Soules whose zeal to thee by Faith aspires:
Sith onely those doo worthily receive
The Sacred, Supper which thy Son did leave;
Who first by Faith, with strict examination,
Doo sound themselves by vpright conversation:
Give vs the grace, so to examine (then)
Our Faith and Life as appertains.

A.
AMEN.