A short CATECHISM FOR The Instruction of the Inhabitants of S. M. For the better Preparation of the Sacrament of the LORDS-SUPPER.  
The first Part.  
LONDON: Printed by I. F. for Ralph Smith, and are to be sold at the sign of the Bible in Cornhill, near the Royal-exchange. 1645.   

A short Catechism.  
Quest. HOw did God make man?  
Answ. After his own Image, Gen. 1.27.  
Q What is the Image of God?  
A. The Image of God is a resemblance of his holiness and righteousness, and his other attributes created in man, Gen. 1.27. compared with Psal. 145.7. Exod. 34.6. Eccles. 7.29. Eph. 4.24. Col. 3.10.  
Q. Did man continue in this Image?  
A, No: Adam lost it for himself, and all us, in eating the forbidden fruit.  
Q How came we to lose this image by his sin?  
A. First, because Adam was a public person, and we being in his loins, his sin was imputed to us, Rom. 5 12.19. and so we were all accounted sinners in his offence.  
Secondly, the separation of the image of God, being the spiritual death, happened unto all men by him; because all men were accounted sinners in him, Rom. 5 12.14.16,17,18.  
Q. What followed up on the loss of this Image?  
A. First, we are all born without this image.  
Secondly, we are therefore born in sin, and conceived in iniquity, Psal. 51.5.  
Because being born with power to think, speak, and do; and wanting this image, which should teach, or guide us to think, speak, and do aright, we must needs sin in all these.  
Q. How many kinds of sin is there?  
A. Two, Original, and Actual.  
Q. What is Original sin?  
A. Original sin is an inclination of the whole man to all evil, and that continually, Gen. 6.5.  
Q. What is Actual sin?  
A. Actual, is a breach of the Law of God, in thought, word or deed, 1 Io. 3.4. Pr. 24 9 Mat. 12  
Q. How do we break the Law of God?  
A. We break the Law of God, when we do those things which God hath forbidden, and leave undone those things which God hath commanded, Rom. 7.19.  
Q. What are the wages of sin?  
A. The wages of sin is eternal death, Ro. 6.23.  
Q. Is there no way to avoid this death?  
A. There is no way for a sinner to escape eternal death, but only by jesus Christ, Act. 4.12.  
Q. What hath Christ suffered for us?  
A. First, jesus Christ hath born our sins, 1 Pet. 2.24. Heb. 9.28. 2 Cor. 5.21. Secondly, he hath suffered the wrath of God due to us for sin, 1 Pet. 3.18. 1 Cor. 15.3.  
Q. What hath Christ done for us.  
A. First, he hath fulfilled the Law, which we ought to have kept, Mat. 5.17,18. Rom. 10.5. Secondly, he hath merited a Crown of righteousness by fulfilling that Law, Phil. 2.9. Heb. 2.9. Heb. 12.2.  
Q. What benefit have we by his sufferings!  
A. He will not impute those fins to us which he hath born, 2 Cor. 5.19. Nor lay that wrath upon us, which he hath suffered, Rom. 5.9. 1 Thes. 1.10.  
Q. What benefit have we by his do?  
A. First, God will impute his righteousness to us in fulfilling the Law, Rom. 5.10. Rom. 10.5. Secondly, he will give us his Crown of glory, which his Son hath merited by his righteousness, Joh. 17.22. Col. 3.4. Heb. 9.24. joh. 1.32.  
Q. What be the main privileges we have by Christ?  
A. First, we are justified freely by his grace, Act. 13.39. Rom. 3.24. Secondly, we are sanctified by his spirit, 1 Thes. 5.23. And the image we lost in Adam, is restored in jesus Christ, Rom. 8.28. 1 Cor. 15.49. Thirdly, we are adopted and made the sons of God, 1 joh. 1.12. Gal. 3.26. Fourthly, all the promises be made, Yea, and Amen, to us in Christ, 2 Cor. 1.20. Heb. 9.15.  
Q. Can any man live without sin?  
A. No: For the most righteous man that is, sins in many things, jam. 3.2. Eccles. 7.20. 1 King. 8.46.  
Q. What must we do to avoid the danger of sin?  
A. First, when we have committed any sins, we must confess them to God, jer. 3.13. Secondly, we must judge ourselves for them. Thirdly, we must mourn and repent of them, jam. 4.9. Mat. 3.2. Fourthly, we must humble ourselves before God for them, james 4.10 Fiftly, we must resolve and endeavour to leave them, Isa. 1.16. 1 Pet. 2.11. Sixthly, We must fight against them, and labour to mortify them, 1 Tim. 6.12. Col. 3.5. Seventhly, we must pray to God to forgive them, and give us power against them, for jesus Christ his sake, Hos. 14.2. Rom. 6.14. Lastly, we must labour to hate and abhor them, Pro. 8.13. Psal. 97.10. Psal. 119.104. Pro. 13.5.  
Q What will the Lord do for a sinner that takes this course?  
A. First, if we confess our sins, he hath promised to show mercy, and to forgive them, Pro. 28.13. 1 joh. 1.9. Secondly, if we judge ourselves for our sins, he hath said, we shall not be judged, 1 Cor. 11.31. Thirdly, if we mourn, we shall be comforted, Mat. 5.4. Isa. 61.3. Ezech. 9.4. If we repent, iniquity shall not be our ruin, Ezech. 18.30. Fourthly, if we humble ourselves before God, he will save us, job 22.29. He will uphold us, Pro. 29.23. He will give us more grace, 1 Pet. 5.5. jam. 4.6. Pro. 3.34. And he will dwell with us, Isa. 57 15. Fiftly, if we forsake, and turn from our sins, they shall not be our ruin, Ezech. 18.30. The Lord will pardon them, Isa. 55.7. abundantly, so as they shall not be mentioned, and we shall save our souls alive, Ezech. 18.21,22.27,28. Sixtly, if we fight the good fight, we shall have a crown of righteousness, 2 Tim. 4.7,8. Seventhly, if we humbly pray for pardon, and power against sin, he will forgive our sins, and heal our souls, 2 Chro. 7.14. Psal. 10.17.  
Q. What else doth the Lord require?  
A. Faith, Joh. 14.1. 1 joh. 3.23.  
Q. How many sorts of faith be there?  
A. Three: Historical faith, justifying faith, and faith of Assurance.  
Q. What is historical faith?  
A. Historical faith is a grace of God, whereby we believe what ever is written in the Book of God to be true, 1 Cor. 12.3. joh. 3.33. joh. 5.46.  
Q. What is justifying faith?  
A. justifying faith is a grace of God, whereby I rest upon God in jesus Christ, to make good all his promises unto me, Isa. 26.3. joh. 1.12. Isa. 50.10. job 13.15.  
Q. Explain this by an Example?  
A. God saith, if we confess our sins, he will forgive, I have confessed my sin to God (saith the believer) and now I will rest upon God to forgive and pardon.  
Q. What is faith of assurance?  
A. Faith of assurance is a grace of God, whereby I am fully persuaded, that God in Christ will make good all his promises unto me, 1 joh. 5.10. Eph. 1.13. 2 Tim. 1.12. Ro. 8.38. Ro. 4.21.  
Q. What will the Lord do for a true Believer?  
A. He that hath true faith shall not perish, but have everlasting life, joh. 3.16. Hab. 2.1. joh. 11.26. 1 Pet. 1.9.  
Q. What else doth the Lord require?  
A. The Lord requires that we should obey all his commands, with all our whole might, and that continually, Deut. 10.12. Deut. 11.13. 1 Cor. 6.30. Luke 1.6. joh. 8.29. Psal. 119.6.112. Mat. 28.20. Deut. 12.32.  
Q. What if we come short in this?  
A. If there be first a willing mind, God will accept according to that a man hath, 2 Cor. 8.12. To him that hath shall be given: God will give more grace, Mar. 4.24. Mat. 13.12.  
Q. How shall we know true faith?  
A. First, by cleaving unto God when he hides his face from us, Isa. 8.17. job 13.15. Hab. 3.17,18. Rom. 4.18.  
Secondly, by readiness to yield obedience to the Law of faith, jam. 2.17.18.26.  
Thirdly, by purifying the heart, Act. 15.9. 1 joh. 3.3.  
Fourthly, by love to God and his Saints, Gal. 5.6.  
Q. How many Commandments be there?  
A. Ten: which were at the first delivered by God, Exod. 20.  
Q. Which be they?  
A. I am the Lord, etc.  
Q. Is there any other commands?  
A. There be many other commands, whereby God forbiddeth us some things, and commands us to do other things, according to his own good pleasure, Mar. 28.20.  
Q. What is a Sacrament?  
A. An outward visible sign, and seal appointed by God to represent, and confirm a spiritual Grace.  
Q. How many Sacraments be there?  
A. Two, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord.  
Q. What is the outward sign in Baptism?  
A. Water, wherewith, or wherein the party baptised is to be sprinkled or dipped in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Mat. 28,19. Mar. 16.16.  
Q. What is the inward grace signified, and sealed to us by Baptism?  
A. First, by this we are made visible Members of the visible Church of Christ, 1 Cor. 12.13. Act. 2.41.  
Secondly, To them that believe it signifies, and seals their real and firm union to jesus Christ, Rom. 6.3. Gal. 3.27. Eph. 4.5.  
Thirdly, It signifies, and seals the Spiritual washing of our souls from the guilt of sin. Act. 2.38. Rom. 4.11. and the imputation of Christ's righteousness.  
Fourthly, it signifies and seals the washing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, 1 Pet. 3.21. Tit. 3.5. Acts 13.24. Mat. 3.11. Mar. 1.8. Luk. 3.16.  
Q. Are all that are Baptised thus washed?  
A. No: The grace of God is not tied always to the outward sign: Those that are not elected have nothing sealed to them, Simon Magus had the outward Sign, but was not washed with the inward grace, Act. 8.13.23.  
Q. Who be so washed?  
A. Those that believe and repent, Mar. 16.16. Acts 2.38.  
Q. What shall we think of those that are baptised?  
A. As all that believe are inwardly washed by the Spirit, so those that are elected have right to be washed in time. But because we cannot infallibly judge who be elected, and do believe, we cannot certainly know, who be washed in Baptism by the Spirit, 1 Cor. 2.11.  
Q. Who is then to be admitted to the Sacrament of Baptism?  
A. Those are to be Baptised that profess their Faith, repentance and obedience to the Gospel of jesus Christ, and their children, Mat. 3.6. Act. 8.13.38. Act. 2.41.  
Q. How do you prove that the Infants of Believers are to be Baptised?  
A. First, because all Saints have right to Baptism, and children of believing Parents are esteemed Saints, 2 Cor. 7.14.  
Secondly, because children are capable of the inward grace, else they cannot be saved, 3 joh. 3 36. Heb. 12.14.  
Q. How prove you by the Word of God that they may have the inward Grace?  
A. God promises to circumcise their heart, Deu. 30.6. Our Saviour saith, that of such is the Kingdom of Heaven, Mat. 10 14. And Peter saith, that the Promise belongeth to them, Act. 2.39.  
Q. What Promise is that?  
A. In the verse before, the promise made to those that are baptised, is the remission of sins, and the gift of the holy Ghost, Act. 2.38.  
Q. What is the third Reason, why children are to be baptised?  
A. God appointed children to be circumcised, Gen. 17.12. And Baptism is a seal of the same Covenant of Grace, Rom. 4.11. Act. 2.38.17. Gen. 11.  
Q. What is the fourth reason?  
A. If children may not be baptised, the Law was more glorious, and full of Grace then the Gospel; and the children of the Jews more happy before Christ, than the children of Christians under Christ; but the Scripture teaches the contrary, 2 Cor. 3.8 9  
Q. What is the fifth reason?  
A. All were baptised in the Red Sea, 1 Cor. 10.2. And we read that whole houses and families were baptised in the Apostles time, Act. 16.15.33. 1 Cor. 1.16.  
Q. What do you gather from that?  
A. Because no man can say, there were no children in those families, or that the children were not baptised; therefore we conceive there was some children baptised, and we ought not to deny Baptism to children.  
Q What other reason have you?  
A. Mat. 28.19 Christ commanded his Apostles to Baptise all Nations. As God had formerly commanded to circumcise all jews, and if children had not been to have been baptised our Saviour would have excepted them in that command.  
Q. How many signs and significant actions are there in the Lord's Supper, and what do they signify,  
A. There be six: First, the Materials, bread and wine, which signify the body and blood of Christ, Mat. 26.26.28.  
Secondly, the setting these signs apart for this holy use, which signify how Christ was set apart from eternity for the work of our redemption, Rev. 13.8. joh. 10.36.  
Thirdly, the Blessing, the signs, which puts us in mind how Christ jesus blessed the bread and the wine, in the first institution for this holy Sacrament; Mat. 26.26. 1 Cor. 11.24.  
And how the Father blessed Christ in his do, Offices, and sufferings to finish the work of our Redemption, Mat, 1.20. Rom. 3.29.  
Fourthly, the breaking of the Bread, and pouring forth of the Wine, show how his body was broken, his blood shed, and his soul made an offering for our sins.  
Fifthly, the giving of the bread and wine, is a token that God offers to the faithful; receive Christ jesus, and the benefit of all that he did and suffered, of all his offices, merits and promises, of which gift these signs are a pledge, 1 Cor. 10.16.  
Lastly, as we take and eat the bread and drink the wine for the nourishment of our bodies, so ought we to take, and eat the body and blood of Christ by Faith, for the nourishment of our souls, joh. 53,54,55,56.63. 1 Cor. 10.17.8.  
Q. What is it to take Christ by Faith in the Sacrament?  
A. To rest upon God in Christ, to make good unto us, or give us the benefit of the do, sufferings, offices, merits, and promises of Christ, and to receive this Sacrament as a pledge, sign and seal of the Lords engagement, and intention to do the same, Isa. 26.3. Isa. 50.10.  
Q. Do all receive Christ in this Sacrament?  
A. No: Only such as come rightly prepared.  
Q. How must we prepare ourselves?  
A. First, with knowledge of the do, sufferings, offices, and merits, Laws, promises and Sacraments of Christ, which is called discerning the Lords body, 1 Cor. 11.29.  
Secondly, by due examination of our thoughts, words and actions according to his Laws, and taking that course which hath been taught to avoid the danger of sin, 1 Cor. 11.28.  
Thirdly, with true Faith: First, in God the Father, to commit our souls to him in his son, in his promises, commands & Sacraments, as a saithful Creator, 2 Pet. 4.19 Isa. 58.9 1 Thes. 24.26. Secondly, with Faith in Christ, rely upon his do, sufferings, offices, and merits, to blot our sins, and free us from wrath, to make us righteous, and give us a Crown of glory, Heb. 8.12. 1 Thes. 1.10. Rom. 3.20,21. 1 Cor. 1.30. Phil. 3.9. joh. 17.22. Tim. 2.48.  
Q. What is the act of Faith, required in the offices of Christ.  
A. First, we must rest upon him as our King, Isa. 62.11. Zach. 9.9. Mat. 2.5. Mat. 25.34.  
To rule us by the Law of righteousness, Heb. 1.8.  
To confirm the charter of the promises, 2 Cor. 1.20. Heb. 9.15. Rom. 15.8.  
To subdue all our enemies, 1 Cor. 15.25.26.  
To protect us in all our adversities, 1 Cor. 15.57. 1 Pet. 1.5. 1 Cor. 10.13. Heb. 13.5 6. Isa. 46.4.  
Secondly, we must rest upon him as a Priest, Hebrews 6.20. To have offered a sufficient Sacrifice to satisfy for our sins, 1 joh. 2.2. To be our Advocate, 1 joh. 2.1. And to plead for the Pardon of those sins we confess, judge, and humble ourselves for, by mouring, repentance, and turning from them. And to intercede for us, Heb. 7.25. Rom. 8.34. Rev. 8.3. And offer up our prayers to his father: Lastly, we must rest upon him as a Prophet, Deut. 18.18. Act. 3.22. Not only to it struck us by his Word, and Ministers, Act. 26.18.4. Eph. 11. But also by the unutrerable working of his Spirit in heavenly motions, joh. 16.13. Isa. 44.3 Joh. 5.20. Act. 3.26. Eph. 1.17,18.  
And by giving us new understandings, wills rectified, affections to receive those motions; And to create in our souls the image of his heavenly graces, joh. 1.16. Rom. 8.29. Luk. 24.45  
Q. What else is desire to come prepared?  
A. To come with reverence to that glorious Majestly there present, of that holy Ordinance there celebrated & that invaluable grace there offered, Psa. 89.7. Mat. 21.37. Leu. 19.30. Leu. 26.2. Heb. 12.28.  
Q. What else is required to come prepared?  
A. If in this Sacrament God scale the Pardon of our sins, deliverance from wrath, and the firm union of his love: It is fitting we should forgive others, lay down thoughts of wrath and revenge, and come together with bowels of compassion and love.  
Q. How prove you that?  
A. God requires these things at all times; how much more will he require, we should come clothed with these graces to his table, Mat. 6.14,15. 2 Cor. 2.7,8. ja. 2.8. Rom. 12.9,10. 14.18 20. Rom. 13 8. Coll. 3.12. 1 joh. 3.23.  
Q. What is the danger for a man to come unprepared?  
A. He may eat and drink unworthily, and so eat and drink his own damnation, 1 Cor. 11.29. After unprepared judas eat the sop, Satan entered into him, joh. 13.27. He that came to the Lords Table wanting a Wedding Garment, was bound hand and foot, and cast into utter darkness, Mat. 22.12.  
FINIS.