Certayne short questions and answeres Very profitable and necessarye for yong children, and such as are desirous to be instructed in the principles of the Christian fayth. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A10270 of text S105680 in the English Short Title Catalog (STC 20558). 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. 16 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 9 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2018 A10270 STC 20558 ESTC S105680 99841406 99841406 5987 2248575467

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 Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A10270) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 5987) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 561:03) Certayne short questions and answeres Very profitable and necessarye for yong children, and such as are desirous to be instructed in the principles of the Christian fayth. [16] p. Printed by Henry Middleton, for Thomas Man, At London : 1580. Signatures: A. Reproduction of the original in the Folger Shakespeare Library. eng Catechisms, English -- Early works to 1800. eebo Certayne short questions and answeres. Very profitable and necessarye for yong children, and such as are desirous to be instructed in the principles o [no entry] 1580 18 2558 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. 2010-09 Assigned for keying and markup 2010-10 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2010-11 Sampled and proofread 2010-11 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2011-06 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

Certayne short Questions and Answeres .

Very profitable and necessarye for yong Children , and such as are desirous to be instructed in the principles of the Christian Fayth . ( ⸫ )

AT LONDON Printed by Henry Middleton , for Thomas Man . 1580.

Certayne short Questions and Answeres , very profitable and necessarie for yong Children , and such as are desirous to be instructed in the principles of the Christian Fayth .

WHat is GOD ?

A Spirite .

Why doest thou not saye he is Almighty , Eternal , Omnipotent , Inuisible , conteyning all , and not conteyned ?

All this I do confesse . But I answere simply as Christ sayth : Iohn 4. The substance of God is Spiritual , and not Carnall .

How is Man then sayde to be the Image of God ?

It is spoken of the principall part of Man , which is his Soule , whiche the Apostle sayeth is created in the true likenesse of God , in righteousnesse and holynesse : so is it like God , being both immortall and spirituall a God is .

Then is the Soule of man of one nature and substaunce with God ?

No , it is a substance spirituall , created of God , infused into man , and it is immortall .

How is God to be worshipped ?

In Spirit and Truth .

How in Spirite ?

With a deuoute minde , a faithfull heart , in a spirituall manner , not with earthly affection .

Howe then must hée bée worshipped in Truth ?

That is , according to hys holy will in his Word , not according to mans fantasie .

Howe if in worshipping of God we be not myndfull of hym in our Prayers ?

Then it is vayne ( sayeth Christ ) to worship him with our lippes and oure heartes farre from hym , and withoute we pray in Spirite , Prayer preuayles not , neyther dothe it pearce the eares of God .

Then a faithful & deuout mind is specially required in prayer ?

It is so , which God for Christes sake graunt vnto vs .

What is Christ ?

Perfecte God , and perfecte man .

Howe doest thou knowe he is God ?

Bycause he is equall wyth hys father .

Howe knowest thou he is equall with his father ?

Bycause he sayth , I and the Father are one , also Paule sayth , He being equall with his Father , tooke vpon hym the shape of a seruant .

How doest thou know that he is man ?

Bycause he tooke naturall fleshe of the virgin Mary , and was conceyued by the holy Ghost withoute sinne , and in that naturall body dyed a most paynefull deathe to redéeme vs from our synnes ( as the Apostle sayeth : ) He came into the world to saue sinners .

What is the Catholique Church ?

It is a congregation of all faithfull men , dispersed throughout the whole world , amongst whome the pure word of God is preached , and the sacraments are ministred , according to Christes institution .

Art thou the child of God ?

I am .

By Nature , or by Grace ?

Not by Nature , for so we are the children of Gods wrath .

Now knowest thou that thou art the child of God by Grace ?

Bycause he hath giuen the earnest of his spirit into our hearts , which crieth Abba Pater , whiche spirite witnesseth to oure spirite , that we are the sonnes of God .

Is not this presumption for a sinner to say he is Gods sonne ?

It is no presumption so to say , so it be holye presumption to call oure selues Gods children , from the testimonie of a good conscience , seing Christ hath willed vs in prayer to call his Father our Father .

Of what substance is the holy Ghost ?

A Spirituall substance as God is .

Of what Nature ?

Being God , one of nature with God .

Then the holy Ghost is God ?

He is so .

Then there be thrée Gods , as God the Father , God the Sonne , and God the holy Ghost ?

No , the distinction is in person , not in deitie , as the Catholique fayth teacheth vs . The conclusion therfore is , that God the Father is our Creator , Christ in his person is our Redéemer , the holy Ghost who procéedes from both , is oure sanctifyer , and procéedes from them , euen as lighte and heate from the Sonne , and yet so lightneth the whole Worlde , that it remayneth still with God , and is very God .

What is a Sacramente ?

It is a visible signe of an inuisible grace , as for example , the water wherewith the childe is baptised , is the visible signe of the inuisible grace of God , by whose grace these our sinnes be cleansed by Christes bloud , so likewise the Sacramental Bred & Wine do signifie to vs the body of Iesus Christ naturally and truly , his body broken , & his bloud shed vpon the crosse for our salution .

According to this definition , Sacramentes be infinite . Let me knowe why Baptisme and the Lordes Supper are only alowed Sacramentes in the Church ?

Bycause they be commanded by Gods worde , & haue promises of grace and saluation annexed vnto them .

Do Sacraments of themselues conferre grace ?

No , but God doth by them exhibit graces vnto vs , for Iohn sayeth , We Baptise with Water , we minister the outwarde signes , but it is Christ whiche doth Baptise with the holy Ghost : and by the outward Elementes by vs ministred we do confirme the inward grace which is giuen by God .

What be those graces that be conferred from God to vs by these sacraments ?

Regeneration of life , increase of spirituall blessings , forgiuenesse of sinnes , and life euerlasting .

Then of necessitie all are not saued which participate Baptisme and the Lords Supper ?

So many are saued as are partakers of the inuisible graces , whereof the Sacraments are visible signes .

How if a child borne of beléeuing parents , be preuented with death before Baptisme , and so receyue not the visible signe ?

It is most requisite that we endeuour to offer them to publique Baptisme by all meanes lawful , otherwise if we be hindered by some necessitie not to be shunned , yet we oughte to perswade our selues that they are saued by the inuisible grace , bycause the children of faithfull beléeuing parents , are receiued in the couenaunt , and may be sanctifyed in their mothers wombes .

Then what néedeth Baptisme ?

It is of great necessitie for the commaundements sake , conteyned in the eight and twentieth of Mathew : and to refuse it , is to despise the ordinance of God , for although he worke sometime without all meanes , yet must not we ceasse to vse the meanes appoynted , when we are in a Christian Church , and may haue them , that is , to Baptise the whole World in the name of the Father , of the Sonne , and of the holy Ghost .

Haue you no further reason for the vse of Baptisme ?

That is said , is sufficient : yet I doe say further , it is the pledge of Gods couenant made with vs , and the visible signe of oure adoption that wée are his by Grace and Faith in Christ , and the visible marke , whereby wée are knowen from the vncircumcised sort .

What is Faith ?

It is a sure trust in God , and in Iesus Christ our Lorde , and a certaintie of things promised by God , whiche can not otherwise be discerned , than with the eye of Faith .

Whence commeth Faith ?

It is the gifte of God , as Paule sayth in the second to the Ephes. By grace you are saued through Fayth , not of our selues , it is the gift of GOD .

Doth Faith only iustifie a man ?

It doth Iustifie .

How is a iustifying faith knowen from a dead fayth ?

By the fruites & works which are with faith that iustifieth .

What is Faith withoute good life ?

It is dead .

What are workes without Faith ?

They be sinne , be they neuer so glorious before men .

How come men by faith ?

In the tenth to the Romaynes it is shewed , that Faith commeth by hearing the Word of God .

Can a man be saued without faith in Christ ?

No , for Christ saith , Hee that beleeueth not , is condemned already .

These Questions are briefely collected out of the former , for the help of such as in a shorte summe are desirous to learne by hearte the chiefe principles of Christian Religion .

WHat is God ?

God is a Spirite .

How must he be woorshipped ?

In Spirite and truth .

What is Iesus Christ ?

Christ is perfect God and perfect Man .

How know you he is God ?

Bycause he is equall with hys Father .

How know you he is Man ?

Bycause in our nature he redéemed vs from our sinnes .

What is the Catholike Church ?

All faythfull people dispersed throughout the whole world .

Art thou the sonne of God ?

I am .

Art thou the sonne of God by nature , or by grace ?

By grace .

Howe doest thou knowe that thou art the sonne of God by grace ?

The spirit doth witnesse to our spirit that we are the sonnes of God .

Of what substance is the holy ghost ?

A spirituall substance .

Of what nature ?

Of one with God .

Then the holy ghost is God ?

He is so .

Then there be thrée Gods , as God the Father , God the Sonne , and God the holy Ghost .

No , the distinction is in persons , not in deytie , as the Catholike Fayth teacheth vs . The conclusion , then God the Father is our creator , Christ in his person oure Redéemer , the holy Ghost who procedeth from both our sanctifier , and procéedes from them as light & heate from the sonne , and so lightneth that whole world , and remayneth still in God , and is very God . Qu. What is a sacrament ?

It is a visible signe of an inuisible grace , as for example , the water wherewith the childe is baptised , is the visible signe of the inuisible grace of God , by whose grace these our sinnes he cleansed by Christes bloud : so lykewise the sacramentall bread and wine do signifye to vs the body of Iesus Christ naturally and truly , both his body broken , and his bloud shed vpon the crosse for our saluation .

Do not these Sacraments of themselues conferre grace ?

No , we ( saith S. Iohn ) Baptise with water , we minister the outwarde signes , but it is Christe whiche doth Baptise with the holy Ghost , and by the outward Elements by vs ministred we do confirme the inward grace , which is giuen by God .

Then of necessitie al are saued whiche participate Baptisme and the Lords Supper ?

So many are saued as are partakers of the inuisible graces , whereof the sacraments are visible signes .

How if a childe borne of beléeuing parents be preuented with deathe before Baptisme , and so receiue not the visible signe ?

It is most requisite that we doe preserue it to publike Baptisme by all meanes lawful , if not , yet they be saued by inuisible grace , bycause the children of faithfull beléeuing parents are sanctifyed in their mothers wombes .

Then what néede Baptisme ?

It is of greate necessitie for the commandements sake , Math. 28. and to refuse it , is to despise that ordinance of God , for although he worke sometime wythout all meanes , yet we must not ceasse to vse the meanes appoynted , that is , to baptise the whole world in the name of the father , the sonne , and the holy ghost .

What is Faith ?

It is a sure trust in God , and Iesus Christ our Lord .

Whence commeth Faith ?

It is the gift of God .

Doth Faith only iustifie a man ?

It doth iustifie .

Howe is a iustifying Fayth knowen from a dead Fayth ?

By the fruites & works which are with faith that iustifyeth .

What is faith without good life ?

It is dead .

What are workes without faith ?

They be sinne , be they neuer so gorgeous before men .

How come men by faith ?

In the tenth to the Romaines , Faith commeth by hearing the word of God .

Can a man be saued without Faith in Christ ?

No , for Christ sayeth , He that beleeueth not , is condemned already .

FINIS .