A Short Catechism
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A59043.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
A SHORT CATECHISME: BEING A brief Instruction of the most ignorant, before the receiving of the Sacrament of the LORD'S SUPPER.
By Obadiah Sedgewick.
LONDON, Printed for Stephen Bowtell, and are to be sold at the figne of the Bible in Popes-head-alley, 1647.
A BRIEFE INSTRUCTION OF The most ignorant, before the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.
10. Q. What is sin?
- 1. Original sin, •• d
- 2. Actual sin.
- 1. Whether he truly repents of his sins:
- 2. Whether he truly believes in Jesus Christ:
- 3. Whether he be in charity.
- 1 Experimentally he knows his sins.
- 2 He be heartily broken and grieved for his sins.
- 3 He hates all known sins.
- 4 He feareth to commit sin.
- 5 He carefully endeavors to forsake all sin.
- 6 He walks in newness of obedience.
- 1. He cannot else apply pardoning mercy.
- 2 He will else come unworthily, for which God will judge him.
- 1 His heart hath been broken for sins.
- 2 He seeth a need of Christ.
- 3 He be weary of sin, and so cometh to Christ.
- 4 He can prize Christ above all.
- 5 He be willing to forsake all, so as to enjoy Christ.
- 6 He receiveth Christ as Lord and Savior.
- 7 His heart be purified.
- 1 This Sacrament is a seal only to faith.
- 2 He must discern the Lord's body, which cannot be done without faith.
- 3 He can else receive no good by this Sacrament from Christ.
- 1. to meditate of the greatness of his sins which pierced Christ.
- 2 To meditate of the great and wonderful love of God in Christ.
- 3 To meditate of that bitter and accursed death that Christ suffered to make peace for his soul.
- 4 To lay hold on Jesus Christ offered unto him, by faith.
- 1. He is to be thankful, if he hath received any good.
- 2 He is to be humble and repent, if he hath received no benefit.
- 3 He is to be careful to keep his Covenant and Vowes.
- 4 He is to be more fruitful.