A NEW CATECHISM, Commanded to be set forth in this time of Reformation, being the Principal grounds of Christian Religion, with directions for the Exammining of all Persons, before they come to Receive the Holy Communion, or Lords Supper.  
ALSO, With a brief Direction, how to Read the Holy SCRIPTURES with profit.  
Written by WILLIAM GOOD. Minister of God's word, at Denton in Norfolk.  
Published according to Order.  
LONDON, Printed by Bernerd Alsop, 1645.   

A GODLY DIRECTION, For the Receiving of the HOLY COMMUNION.  
Q. WHat is required of a man, that he may receive the Communion to his comfort?  
A. Some thing is to be done before, some thing in the receiving, some thing after.  
Q. What is to be done before?  
A. * To perepare ourselves rightly for the receiung of it.  
Q. Wherein consists this preparation?  
A. In getting sound knowledge, true Faith, Repentance, Obedience, Love, and earnest and humble desire of it, and in exammination, and renewing of these graces.  
Q. What knowledge must we have?  
A. A sanctified knowledge of God, of ourselves, of Christ, of the grace of Christ, and the means of this grace, as hath been showed before. Now the Sacraments are one means of grace, the doctrine whereof we must know particularly.  
Q. What is a Sacrament.  
A. An outward sign ordained of God. Gen. 17.11. Math. 26.26.. whereby Christ and all his benefits are signified, Rom. 4.11. if we truly believe, are converted and sealed unto it: 1 Pet. 3.21. 1 Cor. 10.16. Exod. 12.3.4.5.  
Q. What mean you by Christ and and all his benefits.  
A. Not a corporal eating of Christ, as the Papist vainly immagin, compare Acts 3.21. with Matt. 28.6. john 16.10.. but Christ is received by a spiritual union with him and being made living members of that body, whereof Christ is the head, john 15, 2. Ephes 5.30. Acts. 3.21..  
Q. What mean you by the benefits of Christ.  
A. justification, comfort in affliction, sanctification, and all other blessings merited by him for us, 'tis 3.5.  
Q. How many Sacraments be there▪  
A. Two, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord.  
Q What is Baptism?  
A. A Sacrament of over engrafting into Christ, and the society of the faithful, and of receiving of the seal of the covenant of grace, Tit. 3.5. Matth. 28.17..  
Q. How many parts be there in a Sacrament.  
A. The sign, and the thing signified.  
Q What is the outward sign in baptism.  
A Water, wherewith the child is Babtized, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.  
Q. What is the inward Grace, or thing signified.  
A. The blood of Christ, whereby we are purged from sin, justified, Heb. 9.14. and the spirit of Christ, whereby we are sanctified, enabled to die to sin, and lead a new life▪ These benefits are sealed by Baptism to the true believer. Rom. 6.3.4.5. 2. Cor. 3.17. Gal. 5.24.  
Q. What is the Lords Supper.  
A. A Sacrament that causeth our continuance and groweth in Christ, Matt. 26.27. 1. Cor. 10.16.  
Q. What is the outward sign in the Lord's supper?  
A. Bread and Wine, with the actions pertaining to them, according to Christ's constitution, as breaking by any lawful means, Receiving, Eating, Drinking, Matt. 26.26.  
Q. What jam the thing signified?  
A. Christ and all his benefits, which I shall as certainly receive, if I believe, as I receive the Bread and Wine into my body 1 Cor. 11.24. 1 Cor. 1.30. Rom. 4.23.  
Q. How do the Bread and Wine in the Sacrament differ from common bread and wine?  
A. Not at all in nature and substance, but in use only, being now made means to increase in us our Sanctification, and to assure us of justification, Rom. 411.  
Q. Who ordained this Sacrament?  
A. Christ himself, 1. Cor. 11.23.24. Matt. 26.26.27.  
Q. What are the reasons, which are the ends for which we must receive the Sacrament?  
A. First, that we may obey Christ, that hath so commanded: Matth. 26.27. Secondly, that we may the better understand, and remember what Christ hath done for us, of whose death and blood shed, the breaking of the Bread, and the pouring out of the Wine, is a lively resemblance. 1 cor. 11.26. Heb. 9.26. Gal. 3.1. Thirdly, that I may be stirrred up to be more thankful to him for his infinite Mercy, 1 Cor. 11.24. Fourthly, that all Grace's needful to salvation, may be increased in me. Rom. 8.29. Matt. 25.45. 2 Cor. 11.25. Fiftly, that the assurance of my salvation, may be hereby sealed unto me, John 6.51. Rom. 4.11. Sixtly, to teach us what union and love ought to be amongst Christians, being all but one body, represented by one Bread, 1. Cor. 10.13.  
Q. What else is required in our preparation?  
A. Faith Repentance, Oobedience Love, as may be seen before.  
Q. What is the sum of them?  
A. First to take Christ as my only Lord and Saviour, believing the forgiveness of all my sins, and punishment due to them by Christ only, Ephes. 1, 13. Acts 16, 3.  
Secondly, that I grieve for nothing so much, as that I have offended God by my sins, Ezech. 10.12. Mourning and bewailing, from my very heart, all my sins, even my unclean thoughts, and evil motions, though I consent not to them, Rom. 7.2.  
Thirdly, that I hate and leave every sin. Psal. 119.104. and walk in obedience to every Commandment; so that I allow myself no sin to reign in me, but mortify, and lessen every sin, Psal. 119.104. James 2.19. so that I am willing, and resolved rather to suffer death, then to continue in any known sin, Luke 14.26.  
Fourthly, that I love God above all, Matt. 22.37. grieved to see him offended by any, Psal. 119.136. useing all means, carefully, and constantly, whereby I may be enabled to keep all His Commandments, and desire nothing so much, as grace and power to do His will, Matth. 5.6.  
Fiftly, if any offence be between my Brother and me, that I reconcile myself unto him, wishing the same good to his soul and body as to my own; that I labour to bring others to true Repentance; that I love God's people, and that for their holiness, above all others, 1 John 3.14. that I love and do good to my enemies.  
Q. What else is required in this Preparation?  
A. That humbly and earnestly, thirst after this sacrament, and the blessing of God upon it, that it may work these effects in me, for which it is ordained.  
Q. What mean you by humble thirsting?  
A. That I acknowledge myself altogether unworthy to receive it, in respect of any thing in myself, and that I look for acceptance of my work through Christ.  
Q. What else is required?  
A. That I would strictly examine myself, whether I have these graces or no. 1 Cor. 11.28. 2 Cor. 13.5.  
Q. What else?  
A. That I should renew all these graces, 1 Cor. 11.31.  
Q. What is it to renew the graces of God in us?  
A. To quicken and stir them up, and to make them more active.  
Q. How may this be done?  
A. First our knowledge may be renewed, by meditating, reading, and conferring on the the chief principals of Religion.  
Secondly, our Repentance may be renewed by the consideration of the number, and haniousnesse of our sins, by that eternity of wrath, that is due unto them, and the infinite Goodness, Holiness, and Mercy of that God, that is offended by them.  
Thirdly, our Faith may be renewed, by considering the Alsufficiencie of Christ, to satisfy God's wrath for sin, to purchase salvation for us, and the fullness and freeness of Good grace offered unto us in the promises.  
Fourthly, our obedience may be renewed by resolutions and covenants, of better and more strict walking, for the time to come.  
Fiftly, our love to God may be renewed, by considering the infinite variety of the expressions of God's love to us, in forbearing, giving, and forgiving; and especially, in the unspeakable sufferings of Christ, Our love to man may be renewed, by considering how infinitely more is forgiven us by God in one day, than we can forgive to others in all our lives: How will God forgive us, if we forgive not our Neighbours? And by considering how bountiful love is, where it is true; and by labouring for meek, and humble spirits and contented minds.  
Sixtly, our hungering, and thirsting, after Christ, in this Ordinance, may be stirred up, by consideration of our lamentable emptiness in ourselves; our daily and grivious failings; and how fearful the absence of God's grace, or the comfort of his Holy Spirit, will be to our souls, especially, if procured by any neglect of means by us, Matt. 7.7.  
Q. What is to be done in receiving the Holy Communion?  
A. First, I must meditate upon the Elements, and the Actions of the Minister; for these are ordained of Christ, to teach us the nature of these benefits we receive by Him, being administered according to His institution.  
Secondly, I must meditate, when I see the Minister set apart the Bread and Wine, and blessing them; that Christ was set apart for man's redemption, and furnished with all needful abilities thereunto.  
Thirdly, when I see the Bread broken, and the Wine poured out, I must consider of the infinite haviousnesse of my sins, the infinite love of God, and the torments that Christ suffered for me; believing Christ's blood to have been shed, and His body broken, as verily for my sins, as this Wine is poured out, and this Bread broken, which is before my eyes. 1 Cor. 11.25.  
Fourthly, when the Minister cometh to me with Bread and Wine, I must put forth an act of Faith to believe, that my soul shall be as verily fed unto eternal life by Christ, as my body is nourished by the Bread and Wine.  
Fiftly, having received them, I must lift up my soul in thankfulness to God, praying, that as this is the greatest gift, that ever God gave or man received, and that it may be so to me, and that I may be able by his grace, to offer up my body and soul, even what I am, or have, as lively sacrafices unto him to honour him all the days of my life, a Knigs 8.66.  
Q. What is to be done after the receiving?  
A. We must labour co find our graces strengthened, and give God hearty thanks for his blessings, Prov. 4. ●8. Ezech. 47.12. And if we find little or no benefit, we must be humbled for our want of preparation, and depend upon God with patience, for increase of grace until He shall please to give it. We must also strictly endeavour, to keep the Covenants, and Promises, which we have made to God in this Sacrament, in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of our lives, Judges 10.14. Exodus 13.9.  
Q. How often must we receive this Sacrament of the Lords Supper?  
A. So often as it is appointed, by the Ministers, to be received in the Church where we live, Numb. 913.  
FINIS.   

DIRECTIONS HOW to Read the Holy SCRIPTURES, with Profit.  
FIRST, ever begin with Prayer, and Invocation upon God's holy Name. Read with a Mind, Learn your Duty, with a purpose to Practise what you know.  
Deny your own reason, and wisdom, in seeking to find out the sense of Scripture.  
When you read God's word, ever note especially those places, which will give you most comfort against all afflictions, and crosses in general.  
Then observe, more especially, wherewith God hath, or doth, most particularly try you withal; and gather the more especial places against them.  
Observe those places, especially, where the general duties of Christianity are commanded to us, and refer them to some of the commandments.  
Observe more particularly, those places, where your own particular duty, of a Father a Mother, a Son, a Servant, etc. And the particular duty of your general calling, as a Magistrate, Minister, etc. What ever your calling be. Observe especially, those places, wherein the principal grounds of our Religion are plainly laid down, that you may be able to render a reason of your Faith. Observe the heryses, which trouble the Church, werein you live, and ever as you Read observe places, which most of all make against those Herysies, that you may be able to stop the mouths of all gainsayers.  
Observe those sins whereto you are most especially tempted, and in danger to be drawn to; and gather places of Scripture, which most of all speak against them.  
FINIS.