Q. What doest thou believe in this Article A. That the body and soule of Christ ascended together into Heaven the highest place of blisse where they never were before and Å¿ Te Deum at that time he opened the Kingdome of Heaven to all believers Q. Doest thou understand these words in the litterall sense A. I doe so Q. Can we say according to the Letter that God hath a right hand A. No we cannot But both Scripture and Creed in this phrase or manner of speech stoop to the capacity of man and expresse unto us hereby that height of glory which is otherwise unexpressible to our understanding For it is that glory which no other eye hath seene nor care hath heard neither hath it enter'd into the heart of man to conceive And how can the tongue utter what the heart hath not conceived what is unconceivable is unutterable Q. Thou believest then that he is ascended into the highest place of glory A. I doe so and that not only in place but in power for t S. Mat. 28.18 to him is all power given both in Heaven and in Earth And yet in this height of glory he is in himselfe so humble and to us so gracious that u Ro. 8.34 he makes continuall intercession for us Q. What is the seaventh Article A. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead Q. Is this certaine A. As certain as he is God And herein is a main comfort for us that he who suffered for us and died for us and continually prayes for us shall be our Iudge Q. Shall he judge us as he is man A. He shall for * S. Io. 5.27 the Father hath given him Power and Authority to execute judgement BECAVSE HE IS THE SONNE OF MAN And as man x Heb. 4.15 he is touched with the feeling of our infirmities y Heb. 5.2 that so he may have compassion upon us weake wandring silly men and apt to be deceived For z Heb. 4.15 16. in all poynts he was tempted like as we are yet without sinne Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need Q. The eight Article A. I believe in the Holy Ghost a Nic. Creed the Lord and giver of life who proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne who with the Father and the Sonne together is worshipped and glorified who spake by the Prophets These are three Persons and but one God Thus b Athan. Creed we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Vnity neither confounding the Persons nor dividing the Substance Q. We may not indeed say there be three Gods but may we not say there are three Lords A. We may not for though c Ib. we be compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by himselfe to be God and Lord yet we are forbidden by the Catholike Religion to say there be three Gods or three Lords Q. Why so A. Because Lord in respect of the three persons is a name of substance not of relation or property And in God there is but one Substance though threerelations Q. What meanest thou by relations A. God is called Father with relation to his Sonne or because he hath a Sonne The second person is called the Sonne because he hath a Father And the Holy Ghost is called so with relation to them both because he is the Spirit both of the Father and the Sonne for he proceeds from both Q. We have now the three Persons in the Trinity doe we not ascribe to every one of these a severall worke concerning man A. We doe so to the Father we ascribe our Creation to the Sonne our redemption and to the Holy Ghost our Sanctification As the Father created all so the Sonne redeemed all and the Holy Ghost sanctified me and all the elect people of God Q. Why to the Father is ascribed the Creation A. Because though the other two persons did joyntly and equally create with the Father yet the originall of that power is in and from him And yet d Athan. Creed none is afore or after other none is greater or lesse then another Q. Why to the Sonne our Redemption A. Because by his blood we are redeemed from death and Hell Q. Why to the Holy Ghost our sanctification A. Because it is his speciall worke to e 1. S. Pet. 1.2 Sanctify us by his guifts and graces Hence is it that we call him the holy Spirit because he is the Spirit that makes us holy Q. We acknowledge that the Sonne of God redeemed all mankind why doe we not also confesse that the Holy Ghost Sanctifies all mankind but the elect people of God A. Because Christ redeemes all that they may be sanctified but the Holy Ghost Sanctifies only those that believe in Christ or are baptised into Christ that so they may be his elect For we are f 1. S. Pet. 1.2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ So both these workes must concurre to our election Q. Which is the ninth Article A. I believe the Catholike Church the Communion of Saints Or g Nic. Creed I believe one Catholike and Apostolike Church Catholike for time and place Apostolike for faith and government Q. Why call you this Church a Communion of Saints A. Because it is a society of men that are Sanctified in Baptisme by Faith in Christ through the operation of the Spirit Q. What is a Church A. h Art 19. The visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of faithfull men in the which the pure word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duely ministred according to Christs Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same Q. What doest thou collect from hence A. These three things 1. That the Church consists of Faithfull men that is of such who professe the Christian faith 2. The word of God must be sincerely Preached And thirdly The Sacraments must be duely ministred to the Congregation according to Christ's Ordinance Q. Js it lawfull for every Christian that will to preach the word and administer the Sacraments A. No i Art 23. it is not lawfull for any man to do so unlesse he be lawfully called and sent to execute the same Q. Whom judge you to be lawfully called and sent A. All those k Ibid. who be chosen and called to this work by men who have publike authority given unto them in the Congregation to call and send Ministers into the Lords Vineyard Q. Who have publike authority given them to call and send Ministers into the Lords Vineyard A. Onely Bishops in the Church of England as is to be seen Article 36. and in the Book of Ordination Q. Why doth this Church allow no other but Bishops to give
in judgement the right of the stranger of the Fatherlesse and Widow And z Ib. v. 24. Cursed is he that smiteth his neighbour secretly Q. Who is my Neighbour A. Not only those that are of our Kindred or such as are neere us by acquaintance or habitation or Country but even those that are of another Nation and Religion as our Saviour manifests in his Parable of the Jew and Samaritane S. Luc. 10.30 c. Q. We are now come to the last tell me that A. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours house c. This last takes away all evasion from those who conceive only actuall adultery and actuall theft to be sinne For if sinne be a breach of Gods Law then is it sinne to covet or lust after that which is none of mine Thus this precept teacheth us to resist all evill motions and to root out all lusts and covetous desires that so they may never break forth into Rebellion against God and bring the second death upon us Q. Art thou able to keep these Consmandements A. Of my selfe I am not but a Phil. 4.23 I can doe all things in God that strengthneth me We are taught therefore at the end of each Commandement to call upon the Lord by Prayer Lord have mercy upon us and encline our hearts to keep this Law And after the last Commandement Lord have mercy upon us and write all those thy Lawes in our hearts we beseech thee And I am taught b Câ—â—ech in Common Prayer Book at all times to call for his speciall grace by diligent Prayer that I may walke in his Commandements Q. What Prayer doest thou chiefly use A. The Lords Prayer Q. Why is it called so A. Because our Lord Jesus Christ made it and commanded his Disciples to make use of it in these words c S. Luc. 11.2 When yee pray say OVR FATHER c. Our Church therefore When as often as we pray in â—â—blique commands to use this prayer And we do so d Praemissâ— legitimâ ordinariâ oratione quasi fundamento accideraium iâ—â— est de fideriorum Testul de Dâ—al 〈◊〉 in the beginning of our first and second Service that so laying this for a foundation we may justly proceed to our ensuing requests Q. Why so A. 1. In obedience to our Saviours injunction 2. Because it is so absolute a Prayer that it comprehends breifly what we may or ought to pray for 3. Because e Hooker Eccles Pol l 5. §. 35. it fully perfecteth whatsoever may be defective in the rest And 4. It is observed that f Ib. Tertullian and S. Austine terme it Orationem legitimam the prayer which Christ's owne Law hath tyed his Church to use in the same prescript form of words wherewith he himselfe did deliver it Besides it is called g Tertul de Orat. c. 9. the ordinary or usuall prayer because it is used in all the Churches of the Saints And * The Lords prayer is called quotidiana oratio fide lium Aug-Enthirid c. 71. our dayly prayer because Christ hath taught us to use it every day by commanding us to pray for our dayly Bread this day that so praying but for this day we might be bound to make use of this prayer every day Q. Repeat the whole Prayer A. Our Father which art in Heaven c. This Prayer consists of a Preface h Hooker Eccles Pol. l. 5. §. 35. Septem petitiones continere Dominica videtur oratio Aug. Enchirid. c. 115. de Ser dom in Monte. l. 2. seven Petitions and the reason why we begge these things at his hands Q. Which call you the Preface A. Our Father which art in Heaven Herein we manifest whom we pray to viz. to that holy blessed and glorious Trinity the Father the Son and the holy Ghost As these three Persons are but one God and one Lord so they are in respect of us but one Father each person hath an equall interest in our Creation preservation and Regeneration Hence is it that as we are created by the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost so are we Baptised in the Name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost As we are Baptised so we beleeve and as we beleeve so we pray in whom we beleeve to them we pray Q. Is not God every where that we say which art in Heaven A. Every where he is without question by his Essence since i Act. 17.28 In him we live we moove and have our being but in the soules of the faithfull he is by his Grace and in Heaven by his Glory Hence is the k Is 66.1 earth called his Footstool and Heaven his Throne We confine him not to Heaven but we name Heaven as the place where his Glory is most eminent where our Saviour is said to sit at his right hand the Angels to attend him and the soules of the Saints departed have the fruition of Ioy and Glorie Q. Why begin we our Prayers so A. 1. To put us in mind that our Pedegree is from Heaven 2. That we may take care to behave our selves as the Children of such a Father And 3. That the inheritance we hope for is in Heaven We are not therefore to set our minds upon earthly but heavenly things Q. Who may pray thus A. None but those that are Baptized In the primitive Church l Quomodo dicunt Pater noster qui nonduÌ„ nati sunt sciticet per BaptismuÌ„ Aug. de Symbolo ad Catechum l. 1. c. 6. quinquag homil 42. Consule Gab. Alvaspin Observat l. 1. c. 19. the Catechumeni such as were prepared for Baptisme learned it for an Instruction or preparation but they might not use it as a prayer till they were Baptized Immediatly after Baptisme they did and so do we The Heathen cannot say Our Father Our Creator Our Lord they may The Jewes as Jewes were never taught to say Our Father this prayer is peculiar to Christians Our Father he is by grace and we his sonnes by the same grace God make us sonnes in glory Q. Which is the first Petition A. Hallowed be thy name wherein we desire not that his Name may be made Holy we know m Ps 99.3 it is so and it cannot be otherwise But our prayer is that his Name and his word may be used and mentioned by us holily that in all our actions we may honour Our Father and the stocke we come off and that we may ever seek his honour and glory and not our owne That as we beare his Name so we may behave our selves as beseemes his Name and good Christians not only by worshiping him at the Church but by our dayly and hourely conversation in all places Q. The second Petition A. Thy Kingdome come his Kingdome of grace and his Kingdome of glory That his Kingdome of grace which is his Church may so spread over the face of the whole earth that his word may be
preached and beleeved and obeyed in all Nations whatsoever That his word may beare such sway in our hearts that the Kingdome of sinne and Satan being vanquished we may behave our selves as the sincere Subjects of such a King that so his Kingdome of glory may be replenished in due season Q. The third Petition A. Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven That with our Saviour each Christians prayer may be n S. Luc. 22.42 Not my will but thy will be done not only in Peace plenty and prosperity but in Warre in wants and persecution His revealed will is the rule whereby all our actions must be guided Our prayer is therefore that we his Servants may be diligent to performe this his will on earth as the Angells are diligent to doe it in heaven That we may listen to him and be obsequious to his will as they are That there may not be any dissension between our earthly and heavenly parts but that the flesh being subject to the spirit both may sincerely submit to his will and doe it to the utmost of their power This is the direct way to his Kingdome of glory Q. The fourth Petition A. Give us this day our dayly bread In this petition o Catech. in Common prayer Book we pray unto God that he will send us all things that be needfull both for our soules and bodies p Hieron in Mat. 6. This as the learned observe is intimated unto us by this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies not only dayly but supersubstantiall that q Spiritaliter potiùs intelligamus Christus enim panis noster est c. Tertul. de Orat. c. 6. so we might not only remember our bodily food but that we might have a speciall eye upon the food of our soules that bread of life the blessed Sacrament of Christs body bloud which was r Eucharistiam quotidiè ad cibum salutis accipimus Cypr. de Orat. domin n. 48. Aug. de Ser. Dom. in Monte. l. 2. dayly received in the primitive Church by the first Christians Q. The fifth Petition A. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us Herein we make confession that we have trespassed against God and his word we entreat him therefore against whom we sinne to forgive us our sinnes Q. Can God only forgive sinne A. God only powerfully but the Priest ministerially God hath power in himselfe and of himselfe to forgive sinnes but the Priest hath only a delegated power neither in nor of himselfe but from God who gave this Commission to his Apostles and in them to their successors ſ S. John 20.23 Receive saith he the Holy Ghost whosoever sinnes ye forgive they are forgiven c. Christ gave them the Holy Ghost that by his power they might remit and retaine sinnes Q. Doe Priests forgive sinnes absolutely A. No but conditionally as God doth if the person confessing prayer- t Absolution in the Common prayer-Prayer-Book truly repent and unfainedly beleeve the holy Gospell God you see forgives but upon condition we beg pardon but upon condition that God would deale with us as we deale with our Neighbours that he would forgive us as we forgive them that trespasse against us Q. Must we then expect no pardon but upon this condition A. We may not our Saviour saith so u S. Mat. 18.35 unlesse yee FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER FROM THE HEART your heavenly Father will not forgive you That is * Aug. Enchirid c. 73.74 unlesse ye be ready to forgive your trespassers when they crave pardon of you look for no pardon at my Fathers hands when ye beg forgivenesse of him x S. Luc. 6.38 For the same measure ye mere it shall be measured to you againe Q. The sixth Petition A. And iead us not into temptation Q. Can God rempt us A. He cannot the Scripture is plain y S. James 1.13.14 Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with evill NEITHER TEMPTETH HE ANY MAN But every man is tempted when he is drawne away of his owne lust and entised Q. Cannot God be the author of sinne A. He cannot for z Ps 5.4 He hath no pleasure in wickednesse but a Ps 11.6 Deus mali aliquid non potest velle Aug. Ep. 180. the ungodly and him that delighteth in wickednesse doth his soule abhorre It is therefore b Illo sacrilegio quo statuitur Deum esse mali authorem mihi detestabilius nihil occurrit Aug. de Ord. l. 2. c. 7. accounted most detestable sacriledge to make God the author of sinne Q. What pray wee against in this Petition A. Against Gods heavy wrath and censure namely that he would not punish one sinne with another For the later sinne is oft times a punishment of the former as Judas his murthering himselfe was a punishment of his treason We beseech God therefore c Et ne nos patiaris induci c. Cypr. de Orat Domin n. 69. Ne nos inducas c. id est Ne patiaris nos induci Tertul de Orat. c. 8. Aug. de Ser. Dom. in Monre l. 2. as our Forefathers had wont to speake not to suffer us to be led into temptation much lesse to be overcome thereby Since the withdrawing of his grace is as it were a leading or letting us into temptation so prone we are to sinne if God withhold us not Q. Which is the last Petition A. But deliver us from evill In the two former Petitions we entreated for pardon for our former sinnes and to be preserved from future sinnes but here we beseech God to deliver us from the evill of punishment both in this life and in the life to come as also from that fierce executioner of Gods vengeance the Divell Q. Why doe we begge all this at Gods hands A. I. Because he is Our Father most fit therefore that we repaire to him for help and succour II. Because he is all-sufficient Almighty or as it is added in St Matthew d S. Mat. 6.13 for thine is the Kingdome power and glory for ever and ever His Kingdome is unlimited his power absolute God give us grace to seek his glory For he will be glorified either by us or upon us either by us in the performance of his Commandements or upon us in the demonstration of his justice Q. Why adde we Amen A. Because we desire all this may be done for so this word signifies e Sciendum est Amen Halleluja quae nec Latino nec Barbaro licet in suam linguā transserre Hebraeo cunctas gentes vocabulo decantare Aug. Ep. 178. It is an Hebrew word which we translate not into any language but preserve it as our Saviour gave it Wee end our Prayers and Creed with it to manifest the assent and consent of all Christians in matters of the highest moment Q. How ought we to