Feed my Lambs OR A Small Systeme of Divinity Minced into a CATECHISM AND Fitted for the Instruction of Children and young Beginners in Christianity It may serve also for an Exposition of the Catechism in the Liturgy of our Church the greatest part thereof being as it falleth into the Method with some little Variation taken into it By J. D. M. of A. This is life eternal that they might know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent John 17.3 LONDON Printed by J. H. for Samuel Richards Bookseller in Nottingham and sold by Luke Meredith at the Kings-Head in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCLXXXVI IMPRIMATUR Ex Aed Lambeth Nov. 19. A. D. 1685. Guil. Needham R mo in Christo P. ac D.D. Wilhelmo Archiep. Cant. a Sacr. Domest THere is now in the Press a Book intituled Rest for the Heavy-laden promised by our onely Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to all sincere Believers practically discoursed upon Written by Clement Elis Rector of Kirkby in Nottinghamshire Printed for Luke Meredith at the Kings-Head in St. Paul's Church-yard To the Honourable George Lord Hastings Son to the Right Honourable Theophilus Earl of Huntingdon My Lord THat which amongst the many composures of this nature can with the greatest advantage recommend this unto your Lordship is that being little it contains much in that little is both short and full methodical in its connexion and perspicuous in its brevity And that your Lordship may perceive how easie it is upon these accounts both to be learned and remembred let but a few of the questions herein be asked the answers thereto given and a few more added upon every repetition and the profit thereof will be found sweetly mixed with a speedy pleasant and happy progress I need not tell the world of your Lordships greatness the Nobility of your birth and early hopes have done that so much already that all that is now necessary is onely to propound a way for its confirmation And sâ—rely there is no better foundation for the support of Greatness than that of Religion nor can that be better laid than by an early instruction in the true principles thereof this being the training up a child in the way that he should goe Prov. 22.6 That your Lordship therefore may by such training become an experienc'd and truly valiant Souldier of Jesus Christ the great Captain of your Salvation and be both as great an Example of goodness your self and as great an Encourager of it in others as any of your Noble Predecessors have been is as the desire and design of your great Parent so in an humble compliance with them the hearty Prayers and as far as this may be assistant to you therein the earnest endeavour of Your Lordship's Most Humble Servant J. D. A Short Summ of Christian Doctrines and Principles Q Vestion Who caused you to be Answer God Q. Why or to what end did God cause you to be A. To serve him Q. How will God be served A. According to his word Q. Wherein is God's word contained A. In the Bible or Cononical Books of the Old and New Testament Q. How do you prove that the word of God is contained in those Books A. By the Testimony of the Spirit the Church and word it self or by the Doctrine Efficacy and Harmony of it Q. What doth the Bible teach you A. The knowledge of God and Jesus Christ Q. What is God A. A Spirit of infinite perfections Q. How many Gods be there A. One God Q. How is this one God distinguished A. Into three Persons or into a Trinity of Persons Q. Which be they A The Father or 1st the Son or 2d the Holy Ghost or 3d. Q. How do you prove that there is a God A. By his Attributes or infinite perfections discovered in his word and works Q In what works especially are those perfections discovered A. In his works of Creation and Providence Q. What is creation A. God's making all things of nothing Q. What is his Providence A. His preserving and governing all things made Q. Which are the special Creatures made preserved and governed by God A. Angels and men Q. What was the state of man by creation A. Very good Q. Did man continue in that good Estate A. No but he fell from it by Sin Q. What is fin A. A breach of God's law Q. What was mans first Sin A. Eating the forbidden Fruit. Q. What fruit was that A. The fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil Q. Who was it that did eat of that fruit A. Adam Q. Did all Mankind sin in Adam A. Yes for we were all in his Loynes Q. What is the Estate of all men by reason of Adams Fall A. A state of bondage Q. How doth that appear A. From the corruption of our natures Q. What is that Corruption commonly called A. Original sin Q. Wherein doth Original sin consist A. In an averseness to good and proneness to evil Q. What other sins do proceed from Original sin A. All actual sins Q. What punishments are due to man for these sins A. All woe and misery temporal spiritual and eternal Q. Being by nature in this state of misery how may we get out of it and recover happiness A. Onely by Jesus Christ Q. What is Jesus Christ A. The eternal Son of God and Saviour of man Q. How many things are we to consider in Christ A. Two his Person and his Office Q. What is his Person A. God and Man united in one Person Q. Being God before all time how could he be made Man A. By being conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary Q. Why was he God A. That he might bear the weight of God's wrath Q. Why was he Man A. That he might be capable of dying for us Q. What was Christ's office A. To be a Mediatour to reconcile God and Man Q. How did he that A. By his active obedience or fulfilling the law and by his passive or sufferings Q. By what sufferings especially A. By his suffering death upon the Cross Q. How are we made partakers of the benefits of Christ's sufferings A. By our Faith in him Q. What is Faith A. A receiving Christ upon his own terms for Salvation Q. What are those terms of Salvation upon which Christ is by Faith to be received A. A Repentance and Obedience Q. What is Repentance A. A Grace by which upon a due sight of and sorrow for sin we are turned from it to God both in heart and life Q. What is Obedience A. A sincere and faithfull performance of God's Commandments Q. How is that Faith by which we receive Christ upon these terms wrought in us A. Outwardly by the preaching of the word and inwardly by the spirit Q. How is it encreased A. By the same word preached and also by praying as the ordinary means thereof Q. What is Prayer A. It is a coming to and calling upon God in
and through Christ with the heart and voice or with the heart onely for our selves or others Q. How must we pray A. In faith with reverence fervency and charity Q. What Prayer was that which Christ taught his Disciples A. The Lords Prayer Say it Our Father c. Q. How many things are we to consider in the Lord's Prayer A. Three the Preface the Prayer it self and the Conclusion Q. What is the Preface A. Our Father which art in Heaven Q. How many things are we to consider in the Prayer it self A. Two the Petitions and the Thanksgivings Q. How many Petitions are there A. Six Q. Whom do the three first concern A. God Q. Whom do the three last concern A. Vs Q. What desirest thou of God in the three first Petitions A. I desire my Lord God our heavenly Father who is the 1 Pet. Governour of the World In the first that he will give his Grace unto me and to all people that we may worship him and glorifie his name 2 Pet. In the second that we may endeavour the enlarging and promoting of his Kingdom 3 Pet. In the third that we may obey him keep his Laws and serve him as we ought to doe Q. What desirest thou of God in the three last Petitions A. I desire of God the giver of all good things First That 4 Pet. he will give unto me and unto all people all things that be needfull both for our Souls and Bodies 5 Pet. Secondly That he will be mercifull unto us and forgive us all our sins as we forgive men their trespasses against us 6 Pet. Thirdly That it will please him to defend us from all dangers both of our outward and inward man and that he will keep us from sin Satan and everlasting death Q. What is the Thanksgiving A. For thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Q. What is the conclusion A. Amen Q. What doth Amen here signifie A. So be it or this I trust God will do of his mercy and goodness in and through our Lord Jesus Christ and therefore I say Amen So be it Q. What must we do after we have prayed A. We must observe what answer we receive Q. What if we have prayed often and received no answer A. We must examine our selves how we have prayed and continue still praying and waiting on God for what answer he in his good time shall think fit to give Q. Who can or may pray with hope to be heard A. Onely they that are unwilling to sin Q. For whom must we pray A. For our selves and all others that now live or shall live hereafter but not for the dead Q. And why not for the Dead A. Because if their Souls be in Heaven they need not our Prayers and if in Hell our Prayers cannot bring them out Q. You said that Faith was encreased by hearing the word preached and praying as some of the ordinary means thereof by what other ordinary means may it be encreased A. By reading and hearing the Scriptures read and by meditation and conference Q. By what more especial and extraordinary means may it be encreased A. By religious vowing fasting and feasting and especially at the Lords Table Q. When are we said to feast at the Lords Table A. When we receive the Sacrament of his Supper Q. What is a Sacrament A. A seal of the Covenant of Grace Q. Whom is that Covenant betwixt A. Betwixt God and Man Q. In what words is it expressed in the Scripture A. In these words I will be thy God and you shall be my people Q. When do we personally enter into this Covenant A. When we are baptized Q. How many parts be there in a Sacrament A. Two the outward sign and inward grace benefit or thing signified Q. How many are the Sacraments of the New Testament A. Two Baptism and the Lord's Supper Q. What is Baptism A. A Sacrament wherein we enter into the aforesaid Covenant with God and are made members of his visible Church Q. What is the outward sign in Baptism A. A Water wherewith the party is baptized in the Name of the Father the Son and Holy Ghost Q. What is the inward Grace benefit or thing signified A. Pardon of sin and sanctification Q. What is required of those that are to be baptized A. That they profess their willingness to forsake sin and believe in Christ and that they promise so to doe either by themselves if they be of age or by their sureties if Infants Q. By whom did you make this Profession and promise by your self or sureties A. By my Sureties Q. How many things did they promise for you A. They did promise and vow three things in my Name 1st That I should renounce the Devil and all his works the pomps and vanities of this wicked world and all the sinfull lusts of the flesh 2dly That I should believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith 3dly That I should keep God's holy Will and Commandments and walk in the same all the days of my life Q. Are Infants baptised bound to perform the things thus promised for them in their Baptism A. Yes so soon as they are of age to understand what they are Q. Doest thou in particular think that thou art bound to doe as they have promised for thee A. Yes verily and by God's help so I will And I heartily thank our heavenly Father that he hath called me to this state of salvation through Jesus Christ our Saviour And I pray unto God to give me his grace that I may continue in the same unto my lives end Q. You said that faith was encreased by hearing the word and praying and more especially receiving the Lord's Supper What is the Lord's Supper A. A Sacrament ordained by Christ for the shewing forth of his death canfirming our baptismal Covenant and encreasing our faith love and other graces Q. What are the outward signs in this Sacrament A. Bread and Wine with the actions pertaining to them Q. What do the Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper signifie A. The Body and Bloud of Christ Q. What are the actions belonging to the bread and wine A. Taking blessing breaking giving receiving eating and drinking Q. To whom do the actions of taking blessing breaking and giving belong A. To the Minister Q. To whom do the actions of receiving eating and drinking belong A. to the Communicants Q. What doth the Ministers taking the bread and the cup signifie A. God's sanctifying them or separating them from a common and ordinary to a sacramental use Q. What is that sacramental use A To signifie Christ's being set apart by him to be our Saviour Q. What doth his blessing the bread and wine signifie A. His thanking God and praying for his blessing upon them Q. What doth his breaking the bread signifie A The breaking of Christ's Body on the Cross Q What doth his giving the bread and cup to the Communicants
signifie A. God's offering and giving Christ with all his benefits Q What doth the Communicants receiving the bread and wiue signifie A. His receiving Christ by Faith Q. What is eating the bread and drinking the wine A. His feeding upon Christ crucified by Faith as on spiritual food Q. What is signified by the bread and wine thus received and fed upon in the Lords Supper A. Christ crucified with all the benefits of his death and passion Q. What are the benefits of Christ's death which hereby we are made partakers of A. The pardon of our sins the strengthening of our graces and the refreshing of our souls Q. What are the ends for which we should receive the Lords Supper A. That we may remember Christ dying for us and obtaining the aforesaid benefits of his death and passion Q. How may we so receive the Lords Supper as to be hereby made partakers of the benefits of Christ's death and passion A By doing what is required of us before in and after our receiving it Q What is required of us before we receive it A. That we examine our selves whether we truly repent of our sins believe in Christ Jesus have a thank full sense of his mercy in dying for us and true love to him and our brethren Q What is required of us in receiving A. That exercising of our Repentance faith love and thankfulness with reverence and joy Q. What is required of us after our receiving A. That we examine our selves how we have received be heartily thankfull to God for his goodness to us therein firmly resolve to walk carefully in his ways and earnestly endeavour to grow in grace Q. When are we to receive this Sacrament A. When we understand the Doctrine and can perform the duties of it Q. What if we receive it unworthily A. We are guilty of the body and bloud of Christ 〈…〉 eat and drink damnation to our selves Q. You said that Faith was wrought in us outward 〈…〉 the word and inwardly by the spirit and â—hat 〈…〉 encreased by praying and receiving the Lâ—â—d's Suâ—per can faith thus wrought and increased in us be fruitless and unprofitable A. No for it worketh by love Q What is one of the chief and principal works of it A. Its purification of the heart Q. How may we know when faith is thus wrought and encreased in us A. By the fruits and effects of it Q. What are the fruits and effects of faith A. A loathing renouncing and abhorring of sin in our hearts and a leaving forsaking and turning from it in our lives Q What else A. Love and delight in that which is good with a sincere desire to please God in all things Q. How may we please God in all things A. By believing and doing what he requires Q. What is the rule which God hath given us to direct us in our believing what he would have us to believe A. His whole written word or the whole Bible with all the Truths Doctrines Promises Threatnings therein Q What is the Summ of those truths that are to be believed by us A. The Creed or that we commonly call the Apostles creed Q. How are the doctrines or truths contained in this creed divided A. Into twelve Articles and a Conclusion Q. Which are the twelve Articles A. 1. I believe c. 2 And in Jesus c. 3. which was conceived 4. Suffered under 5. He descended 6. He ascended 7. From thence 8. I believe 9. the Holy 10. the Forgiveness 11. the Resurrection 12. the Life Q. What is the conclusion A. Amen Q. What doth Amen signifie here A. So it is or so I believe it to be Q. What doest thou chiefly learn in these Articles of thy Belief A. In the first I learn to believe in God the Father the Creator who made the World In the 6 next in God the Son the Redeemer and in the 5 last in God the Holy Ghost the Sanctifier of all the elect people of God Q. What is the rule which God hath given us to direct us in the doing of what he would have us to do A. It is his holy and righteous Law or the commandments he hath given us in his word Q. What is the Summ of those Commandments A. That which we call the Moral law or the 10 Commandments given by God to the Israelites Q. How are these X Commandments divided A. Into two Tables Q. How many are the Commandments of the 1st Table A. Four Q. What do these four first Commandments teach us A. Our duty towards God Q. What duties towards God doth the first Commandment teach us A. To believe in him fear him according to his word 1st to love him with all my soul with all my heart and with all my strength 2d The 2d To worship him and him onely in spirit and in truth and to give thanks to him 3d. The 3d. to honour and reverence his holy Name and his word 4th The 4th to keep holy his day and to serve him truly both that day and all the days of my life Q. How many are the Commandments of the 2d Table A. Six Q. What do these six last Commandments teach us A. Our duty towards our Neighbour Q. What is thy duties towards thy Neighbour A. My duty towards my Neighbour is to love him as my self and to do unto all men as I would they should do unto me Q. What duties to thy Neighbour do these 6 last Commandments teach thee A. The 1st teacheth me to love honour and succour my 5. Father and Mother to honour and obey the King and all that are put in authority under him to submit my self to all my Governours Teachers spiritual Pastors and Masters and to order my self lowly and reverently to all my betters 6. The 2d teacheth me to bear no malice nor hatred in my heart to hurt no body by word or deed but to preserve my own and others life and health 7. The 3d. teacheth me to keep my Body in temperance soberness and chastity and to preserve and promote chastity and sobriety in others 8. The 4th teacheth me to be true and just in all my dealings to keep my hands from picking and stealing and to preserve my own and my Neighbours Estate and Goods 9. The 5th teacheth me to keep my tongue from evil speaking lying and slandering and to maintain my own and my Neighbours good name and credit 10. The last teacheth me not to covet nor desire other mens goods but to learn and labour to get my own living and to do my duty in that state of life unto which it shall please God to call me Q. What is the Summ of this Law A. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and thy Neighbour as thy self Q. Is any man able to keep this Law A. No not perfectly for in many things we offend all but he may and must earnestly strive and sincerely endeavour to keep it Q. Should not a man therefore omit and give over doing of good seeing he cannot do it so well as he ought A. No but he must still strive and continue doing it as well as he can Q. What if notwithstanding we do strive and continue doing as well as we can we yet break God's law and sin A. We must confess and bewail our sins before God reform our lives and relying upon the promises of mercy and pardon through Christ persevere in doing our endeavour unto our lives end Q. What is the state of the Godly after this life A. A state of everlasting rest joy and glory Q. What is the state of the wicked A. A state of endless woe and misery Q. When shall the happiness of the select be compleat A. At the day of Judgment Q. Who shall be Judge at that day A. J. Christ ordained of God to be Judge of quick deaâ— Q. When shall Christ come to Judgment A. We are not told when he shall come but we are bid tâ— watch and prepare for his coming Q. How or in what way and manner shall he come A. He shall come visibly in the clouds descending from heaven with a shout the voice of the Archangel anâ— the Trumpet of God and he shall be most royally attended with innumerable multitudes of mighty Angels Q. Whom shall he Judge at his coming A. The Apostate-Angels and Men and Women of all sortâ— Q. How shall those be judged at that day whose bodie are rotted turned into dust or eaten by birds beast or fishes A. They shall by the power of God be raised up brought together and have their souls united to them Q. What are we to believe of them that shall be found alive at Christ's coming to Judgment A. They shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye and so presented before the Judgment-seat of Christ Q. What shall be the effect and issue of this Judgment to the Godly A. A sentence of blessedness Q. In what words is that senteâ—â—â—â—xpressed in the Scriptures A. In these words Come ye blessed of my Father inheriâ— the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World Q. What shall be the effect and issue of it to the wicked A. A sentence of cursedness Q. In what words is that sentence expressed A. In these words Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels FINIS