A Brief Catechism
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A05600.0001.001
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 BRIEFE CATEchisme, containing the Sum of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and his life, declared more at large by the four Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
Written by Edmund Littleton, of Sittingborne in KENT, Preacher.
Teach a child in the trade of his way, and when he is old, he shall not depart from it,
Pro. 22.6.
This is life eternal, that they know thee the only true God, and whom thou hast sent, Jesus Christ,
John 17.3.
LONDON, Printed by GEORGE PVRSLOWE for Simon Stafford. 1616.
A brief Catechism, containing the Sum of the Gospel of our blessed LORD and Savior Jesus Christ, set down more at large by the four Evangelists.
Ans. It is the glad tidings of salvation, brought unto us by Jesus Christ.
Q. What doth the Gospel principally contain?
A. The Gospel doth principally contain these four parts, to wit:
- 1 The birth of Christ.
- 2 The life of Christ.
- 3 The death of Christ, and
- 4 His resurrection.
Q. What do you comprehend under the title of his birth?
A. Under the title of his birth, I comprehend his pedigree, as he is man; and also his generation, as he is God, begot̄ of his Father before all worlds, John. 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 Judah, as it was before prophesied, Mica. 5.2.
Q. When was Christ borne?
A. When the Kingdom was taken from the royal tribe of Judah, as Jacob the Patriarch on his death-bed foretold, Gen. 49.10.
Q. What circumstances were incident to the birth of Christ?
A. Three most excellent and notable above the rest.
Q. Which were they?
A. 1 The most joyful song of the Angels, that gave witness to his birth, Luke 2.13.
2 The visitation of the sheep-herds, Verse 15.
3 The coming of the Wise men, & their homage don unto him, Mat. 2.1. &c.
Q. Who do make mention of these things?
A. Three of the holy Evangelists, that is, Matthew, Luke, and John.
Q. Now for the life of Christ, I pray you tell me what he did, before he took his public function upon him?
A. Before he took upon him the administration of his public function, First, he fled into Egypt, Mat. 2.13, 14
Secondly, he 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 law, Verse 43.
Q. Who do report this?
A. Matthew maketh mentiō 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 lived after he was called thereunto?
A. His calling was confirmed unto him by three notable testimonies: as,
First, by his baptism, wherein the Father and the holy Ghost approved him, Mat. 3.16, 17.
Secondly, by his conquest over the devil, tempting him in the desert.
And thirdly, by the faithful witness of John the Baptist.
Q. Who do make mention of this?
A. All the four Evangelists, Mat. 3.14. Mar. 1.9. Luk. 3.21. John. 1.6, 7. &c.
Q. What did he in the time of his calling, to wit, for those three years and 6. months, in which he was conversant in diverse places, amongst the Jews, as in Galilee, Samaria, and Judea?
A. He did teach the doctrine of salvation, and confirmed the same by working of miracles.
Q. What do you learn by the doctrine that he taught?
A. I do especially learn 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 contain?
A. The Doctrine of Jesus Christ containeth and truly teacheth us the matter of our faith, or Christ himself: that is to say, both who he is, & what a one he is to us, to wit, a Savior, Mat. 1.21.
Q. And what else?
A. That he is perfect God, & perfect man, and also the means how he is to be apprehended of us.
Q. How may we apprehend Jesus Christ?
A. Only by Faith.
Q. What benefits get we by Christ thus apprehended?
A. By Jesus Christ thus apprehended by a true and lively faith, we obtain these benefits following: viz.
- First, our Justification, which is, to be accounted perfectly 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 heirs and citizens of the kingdom of heaven.
And to conclude, that comfortable Charity wherewith we love both God and our neighbor; and all the good fruits that come thereof.
Q. But I pray you tell me, how is this doctrine confirmed unto us?
A. By the right use of the two Sacraments, Baptism, and the Lord's Supper.
Q. In the miracles of Christ, what have we chiefly to consider?
A. In the miracles of Jesus Christ, we have especially to consider his divine power in the working of them.
Q. Why, how did Christ work his miracles?
A. Sometime by outward application of means, as by touching those whom he healed, John 9.6.
Sometime by his word only, John 5.8, 9.
And sometime by his divine power without either, Mat. 9.20, 21, 22.
Q. What things do you contain under 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 Soldiers, Mat. 26.47.
The treason of Judas Iscariot, Vers. 48.49.
The outrageous violence of the Soldiers, Verse 50.
Secondly, the process, or declaration of the cause, for the which he was condemned:
- First, of the Jews, 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 Jews in the judgment hall.
- Fourthly, and lastly, the bringing of him before Herod, & the avouching of his innocence by the testimony of the Judge himself, 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 staves, 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 unworthily they did whip him, Mar. 15.15.
Q. What followeth next?
A. The sentence of condemnation, and the execution thereof.
Q. What have we to consider therein?
A. 1 The most lamentable kind of punishment that he was put to.
In body, the most painful & shameful death of the Cross, Mark. 15.24.
In soul, the most extreme torments of hell, Vers. 34.
2 The most vile reproach done unto him, in forcing him to bear his own Cross towards the place of execution: and there, in matching him between two arrant thieves; where the Jews taunt him, and scorn him, and in bitter despite, entitle him King of the Jews, Mat. 27.37.
Q. Where was Christ put to death?
A. In a noisome and and filthy place without the town gates, called Golgotha, Mat. 27.33.
Q. What miracles were shown at his death.
A. Divers, and those very strange and wonderful.
Q. What were they?
A. The sun was darkened for the space of three whole hours over all the land, Mat. 27.45.
2 The veil of the Temple rent asunder from the top to the bottom.
3 The earth did quake, Verse 51.
4 The rocks cleft asunder, and
5 The graves did open, Verse 52.
Q. What became of the body of Christ after his death?
A. It was buried in a garden, by two honorable Counsellers, Joseph, and Nicodemus, John. 19.38, 39, 41.
Q. What doth the fourth and last part of the Gospel contain?
A. His resurrection the third day, according to his promise, Mat. 28.6. & 20.19.
Wherein we are to consider:
- 1 The gard of Soldiers that watched the sepulcher.
- 2 The wonderful rising of his body out of the sepulcher, Mat. 27.66. & 28.2. &c.
Q. Whereby are those things proved and confirmed unto us?
A. First, by the testimony of the Angels, Mat. 28.6. John. 20.12.
Secondly, by the confession of the soldiers to the high Priests. Mat. 28.11.
And lastly, by the sight and feeling of the Apostles and many others, John. 20.27, 28. 1. Cor. 15.6.
Q. How long was Christ on the earth after his Resurrection?
A. The space of 40. days, & then he ascended up into heaven, Acts. 1.9.
Q. What doth he there?
A. He is there resident on the right hand of God his Father, making intercession for us, and from thence shall come at the last day, to judge both the quick and the dead.