A briefe catechisme containing the summe of the Gospell of Iesus Christ, and his life, declared more at large by the foure euangelists, Mathew, Marke, Luke, and Iohn / written by Edmund Littleton, of Sittingborne in Kent, preacher. Littleton, Edmund. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A05600 of text S2196 in the English Short Title Catalog (STC 15717.5). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 12 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 7 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2018 A05600 STC 15717.5 ESTC S2196 23121751 ocm 23121751 26272 2248530543

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 Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A05600) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 26272) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1798:7) A briefe catechisme containing the summe of the Gospell of Iesus Christ, and his life, declared more at large by the foure euangelists, Mathew, Marke, Luke, and Iohn / written by Edmund Littleton, of Sittingborne in Kent, preacher. Littleton, Edmund. [13] p. Printed by George Purslouue, for Simon Stafford, London : 1616. Signatures: A⁸(-A1). Reproduction of original in the Harvard University. Library. eng Catechisms, English. eebo A briefe catechisme containing the summe of the Gospell of Iesus Christ, and his life, declared more at large by the foure euangelists, Mathew, Marke, Littleton, Edmund 1616 14 1877 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 A This text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. 2009-12 Assigned for keying and markup 2009-12 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2010-01 Sampled and proofread 2010-05 Rekeyed and resubmitted 2010-06 Sampled and proofread 2010-06 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2011-06 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

A BRIEFE CATEchisme , containing the Summe of the Gospell of Iesus Christ , and his life , declared more at large by the foure Euangelists , Mathew , Marke , Luke and Iohn .

Written by Edmund Littleton , of Sittingborne in KENT , Preacher .

Teach a child in the trade of his way , and when hee is olde , hee shall not depart from it ,

Pro. 22.6 .

This is life eternall , that they know thee the onely true God , and whom thou hast sent , Iesus Christ ,

Iohn 17.3 .

LONDON , Printed by GEORGE PVRSLOWE for Simon Stafford. 1616.

A briefe Catechisme , contayning the Summe of the Gospell of our blessed LORD and Sauiour Iesus Christ , set downe more at large by the foure Euangelists .

WHat is the Gospell ?

Ans. It is the glad tidings of saluation , brought vnto vs by Iesus Christ .

Q. What doth the Gospell principally containe ?

A. The Gospell doth principally containe these foure parts , to wit :

1 The birth of Christ . 2 The life of Christ . 3 The death of Christ , and 4 His resurrection .

Q. What doe you comprehend vnder the title of his birth ?

A. Vnder the title of his birth , I comprehend his pedigrée , as hee is man ; and also his generation , as hee is God , begotten of his Father before al worlds , Iohn . 1.1 .

And lastly , his Conception of the virgin Mary , Luke . 1.31 .

Q. Where was Christ borne ?

A. At Beth-lehem in the land of Iudah , as it was before prophecied , Mica . 5.2 .

Q. When was Christ borne ?

A. When the Kingdome was taken from the royall tribe of Iuda , as Iacob the Patriark on his death-bed foretold , Gen. 49.10 .

Q. What circumstances were incident to the birth of Christ ?

A. Three most excellent and notable aboue the rest .

Q. Which were they ?

A. 1 The most ioyfull song of the Angels , that gaue witnesse to his birth , Luke 2.13 .

2 The visitation of the sheepe-heards , Verse 15.

3 The comming of the Wise men , & their homage don vnto him , Mat. 2.1 . &c.

Q. Who doe make mention of these things ?

A. Thrée of the holy Euangelists , that is , Mathew , Luke , and Iohn .

Q. Now for the life of Christ , I pray you tell me what he did , before he took his publike function vpon him ?

A. Before he tooke vpon him the administration of his publike function , First , he fled into Egypt , Mat. 2.13 , 14

Secondly , hee was obedient to his supposed father , and to the virgin Mary his mother , Luke 2.51 .

And thirdly , he frequented the holy exercises of religion in the Temple , & there disputed with the Doctors of the lawe , Verse 43.

Q. Who do report this ?

A. Mathew maketh mention of the first , and Luke of the rest .

Q. I would gladly know of you , after what manner he was established in his office , and how he liued after he was called thereunto ?

A. His calling was confirmed vnto him by three notable testimonies : as ,

First , by his baptisme , wherein the Father and the holy Ghost approued him , Mat. 3.16 , 17.

Secondly , by his conquest ouer the deuill , tempting him in the desert .

And thirdly , by the faithfull witnesse of Iohn the Baptist .

Q. Who doe make mention of this ?

A. All the foure Euangelists , Mat. 3.14 . Mar. 1.9 . Luk. 3.21 . Ioh. 1.6 , 7. &c.

Q. What did hee in the time of his calling , to wit , for those three yeeres and 6. moneths , in which he was conuersant in diuers places , amongst the Iewes , as in Galile , Samaria , and Iudea ?

A. He did teach the doctrine of saluation , and confirmed the same by working of miracles .

Q. What do you learn by the doctrine that hee taught ?

A. I do especially learne two things .

Q. What are they ?

A. First , who is the true Christ .

Secondly , the benefits that are to be obtained by him .

Q. What doth the doctrine of Christ containe ?

A. The Doctrine of Iesus Christ containeth and truely teacheth vs the matter of our faith , or Christ himselfe : that is to say , both who he is , & what a one hee is to vs , to wit , a Sauiour , Mat. 1.21 .

Q. And what else ?

A. That he is perfit God , & perfit man , and also the meanes how he is to be apprehended of vs .

Q. How may wee apprehend Iesus Christ ?

A. Onely by Faith .

Q. What benefits get we by Christ thus apprehended ?

A. By Iesus Christ thus apprehended by a true and liuely faith , we obtain these benefits following : viz.

First , our Iustification , which is , to be accounted perfitly righteous in the sight of God . Secondly , our Sanctification , which is , the restauration of the integrity of our nature lost by Adam . Thirdly , our Glorification , which is , to be made heires and citizens of the kingdome of heauen .

And to conclude , that comfortable Charity wherewith we loue both God and our neighbour ; and all the good fruits that come thereof .

Q. But I pray you tell mee , how is this doctrine confirmed vnto vs ?

A. By the right vse of the two Sacraments , Baptisme , and the Lords Supper .

Q. In the miracles of Christ , what haue we chiefly to consider ?

A. In the miracles of Iesus Christ , we haue especially to consider his diuine power in the working of them .

Q. Why , how did Christ worke his miracles ?

A. Sometime by outward application of meanes , as by touching those whom he healed , Iohn 9.6 .

Sometime by his word onely , Iohn 5.8 , 9.

And sometime by his diuine power without eyther , Mat. 9.20 , 21 , 22.

Q. What things do you containe vnder the title of his death ?

A. First , a preparation to the story of his death , wherein these things are chiefly to be considered , viz.

The apprehending of Christ by the Souldiers , Mat. 26.47 .

The treason of Iudas Iscariot , Vers. 48.49 .

The outragious violence of the Souldiers , Verse 50.

Secondly , the processe , or declaration of the cause , for the which hee was condemned :

First , of the Iewes , Mat. 26.65 , 66. Secondly , of Pilate , at their importunacy , in the presence of Annas and Caiaphas , Luke 23.22 , 23. And thirdly , the strife between Pilate and the Iewes in the iudgement hall . Fourthly , and lastly , the bringing of him before Herod , & the auouching of his innocency by the testimony of the Iudge himselfe , Luke 23.14 , 15.

Q. What did they to Christ before his condemnation ?

A. 1 They did buffet him , Mat. 26.67 .

2 They beat him with staues , Mat. 27.30 .

3 They scorned him , Mat. 26.68 .

4 They spat in his face , Mat. 26.67 .

5 They crowned him with thorns , and clothed him with purple , in derision .

6 And to conclude , most vnworthily they did whip him , Mar. 15.15 .

Q. What followeth next ?

A. The sentence of condemnation , and the execution thereof .

Q. What haue we to consider therein ?

A. 1 The most lamentable kind of punishment that he was put to .

In body , the most painefull & shamefull death of the Crosse , Mark . 15.24 .

In soule , the most extreme torments of hell , Vers. 34.

2 The most vile reproch done vnto him , in forcing him to beare his owne Crosse towardes the place of execution : and there , in matching him betwéen two arrant theeues ; where the Iewes taunt him , and scorne him , and in bitter despight , entitle him King of the Iewes , Mat. 27.37 .

Q. Where was Christ put to death ?

A. In a noysome and and filthy place without the towne gates , called Golgotha , Mat. 27.33 .

Q. What miracles were shewed at his death .

A. Diuers , and those very strange and wonderfull .

Q. What were they ?

A. The sunne was darkened for the space of three whole houres ouer all the land , Mat. 27.45 .

2 The vayle of the Temple rent asunder from the top to the bottome .

3 The earth did quake , Verse 51.

4 The rockes cleft asunder , and

5 The graues did open , Verse 52.

Q. What became of the body of Christ after his death ?

A. It was buried in a garden , by two honourable Counsellers , Ioseph , and Nicodemus , Ioh. 19.38 , 39 , 41.

Q. What doth the fourth and last part of the Gospell containe ?

A. His resurrection the third day , according to his promise , Mat. 28.6 . & 20.19 .

Wherein we are to consider :

1 The gard of Souldiers that watched the sepulcher . 2 The wonderfull rising of his body out of the sepulcher , Mat. 27.66 . & 28.2 . &c.

Q. Whereby are those things prooued and confirmed vnto vs ?

A. First , by the testimony of the Angels , Mat. 28.6 . Ioh. 20.12 .

Secondly , by the confession of the souldiers to the high Priests . Mat. 28.11 .

And lastly , by the sight and féeling of the Apostles and many others , Ioh. 20.27 , 28. 1. Cor. 15.6 .

Q. How long was Christ on the earth after his Resurrection ?

A. The space of 40. dayes , & then he ascended vp into heauen , Acts. 1.9 .

Q. What doth he there ?

A. He is there resident on the right hand of God his Father , making intercession for vs , and from thence shall come at the last day , to iudge both the quicke and the dead .

And this is briefly the Summe of the whole Gospell , described more at large by the foure Euangelists , Mathew , Marke , Luke , and Iohn . FINIS .