abide for euer Question What meanest thou by the communion and felowship of saintes Answere First that all and euerie one that beleeueth are in common partakers of Christe and of his good déedes as his members and parts of his body and then that euerie man ought willingly readely and carefully to bestowe the giftes which hee hath receyued to the common profite and health of all men Question What beléeuest thou of the forgiuenes of sinnes Answere That GOD for the satisfaction or full recompence that Christ hath made hath put out the remembraunce of my sinnes and also of that my crooked nature and wickednesse wherewith I must fighte all my lyfe time and that hee will freely giue vnto mee the righteousnes of Christ so the I shall not come at any time to iudgement to be condempned Question What comfort hast thou by the rysing againe of the flesh Answere That not onely my soule after that it shall departe from the bodie shall streight way be taken vp vnto Christe her head but also that this my fleshe raised vp by this power of Christ shal be ioyned againe vnto my soule shall be made like vnto the glorious body of Christ Question What comfort takest thou of the article of euerlasting life Answere That for as much as I féele alreadie the beginning of euerlasting life in my hearte it shall afterwarde come to passe that after this life I shal come to full and perfect blessednesse wherein I may praise God for euer which blessednes neither eye hath séene nor eare hath hard neither the thought of man is able to reach vnto Question But when thou beleuest all these thinges what profite hast thou thereby Answere That I am righteous in Christ before God and an heire of euerlasting life Question Howe art thou rightuous before God Answere Onely by faith or beléefe in Iesus Christ in somuch that although my concience did accuse me that I haue sinned grieuously against all the commaundements of God and haue kepte perfectly neuer a one of them am also readie and disposed yet still to all euill yet for al that so that I can receiue all these good déeds of Christ by a true faith of my mind the perfecte satisfaction or amends making the righteousnesse and holynesse of Christe is counted and giuen vnto me by the only mercy of God euen as though I had neuer doe any sinne neither any spot shoulde cleaue vnto mee and furthermore as though I had fulfilled in mine owne person the obedience whiche Christ hath fulfilled and performed for me Question Why doest thou holde that thou art made righteous by faith alone Answere Not because I doe please God with the worthinesse of my faith but because the amendes making or satisfaction righteousnesse and holinesse of Christ are my righteousnesse before god I cannot take holde thereof and apply the same vnto me by any other means then by faith alone Question Why are not our good workes accounted righteousnesse or at the least some parte of righteousnesse before God Answere because that righteousnes that must stande faste before the iudgement of God must be in all pointes perfect and agréeing with the word of God and all our good workes euen the most holy perfectest workes that we do in this life are vnperfecte and defiled with sinne Question Howe doe our good workes deserue nothing when as God doth promise that hee will giue a rewarde for them both in this life and in the life to come Answere That rewarde is giuen not of deseruing but of fauour Question Doth not this learning make men to be carelesse Godlesse and of a loose life Answere No for it is not possible but that they that are grafted into Christe through faith shall bring forth good and thankful fruites Of the Sacramantes Question THen séeing that onely faith maketh vs partakers of Christ of his good déedes from whence commeth this faith Answere From the holy Ghost who kindleth it in our heartes through the preaching of the Gospell and strengtheneth the same by the vsing of the Sacramentes Question What are the Sacramentes Answere They are holy signes and seales set before our eyes ordeyned of God for that cause that by them he might open vnto vs and settle or confirme more largely the promise of the Gospell that is to witte he giueth fréely forgiuenesse of sinnes and life euerlasting not onely to the number of beléeuers but to euery one that beléeueth for the onely sacrifice of Christ which he made perfect vppon the crosse Question Then whether do both the worde and Sacraments tend to that end that they may leade our faith vnto the sacrifice of Christ fully ended on the crosse as vnto the ground of saluation Answere It is so in déede for the holy Ghoste teacheth by the Gospell and assureth vs by the Sacramentes that all our saluation standeth in the onelye sacrifice of Christe offered for vs vppon the crosse Question How many Sacraments hath Christ ordeined in the newe testament Answere Two Baptisme and the holy supper Of Baptisme Question HOwe art thou warned and assured in Baptisme that thou art partaker of that onely sacrifice Answere Because Christe commaunded the outwarde washing putting to this promise that I am assuredly washed by his bloud the holy Ghost frō al the vncleannes of my soule that is from all my sinnes as I am outwardly washed with water wherby all the filthines of the body is scowred away Question What is it to be washed with the bloude and spirite of Christ Answere It is to receiue of God forgiuenesse of our sinnes freely for Christes bloude sake which he shed for vs in his sacrifice vpon the crosse and also to be made newe men by the holy Ghost and by his making of vs holy to be made members of Christ that thereby we may die from sinne more and more and may liue holily and vnblamedly Question Where promised Christe that hee would so surely wash vs with his bloud and spirite as we are washed outwardlye with the outwarde water of Baptisme Answere In the xvi of saint Marke where as he first ordeined Baptisme whose wordes are these Goe and teach all nations and Baptise them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy Ghost And he that will beléeue and be baptised shall be saued but he that will not beléeue shal be dampned and this promise is rehearsed again wheras the scripture nameth Baptisme the bath of the newe birth and washing away of sinnes Question Is not the outwarde baptising with water the washing away of our sinnes Answere It is not for onely the bloude of Christ maketh vs cleane from all sin Question Then why doth the holy Ghost call baptisme the bath of the newe birth and washing away of sinne Answere God not without a great cause speaketh
table teacheth in it sixe cōmandements what duetie good deedes and gentlenesse we owe vnto our neighbour Question What requireth God of vs in the first table Answere That euen so dearely as I loue the saluation of my soule so earnestly should I shunne and flye Idolatrie Maumetrie or worshipping of false gods witchchraft Sorcerie Enchauntmentes superstition or worshipping of God by other meanes then hee hath taught in his worde calling for helpe of Saintes or any other creatures But that I should rightly confesse and acknowledge the only and true God and only trust in him and should with great lowlinesse submitte my selfe vnto him and looke for all good thinges of him alone and that with all my heart and withal the desires of the same I should loue him and with reuerence worship honour him so much that I had leauer forsake all creatures then to doe anye thing contrarie to his will. Question What is idolatrie Answere It is in the stede of one God or beside him that is the true God who hath opened and shewed himselfe plainely and clearely in his worde to feigne make or haue any thing wherein thou beléeuest or puttest thy hope in Question What requireth the second commaundement Answere That we shoulde not shewe set out or expresse god by any Image or figure neither shoulde we worshippe him any other wise then he hath commaunded in his word himselfe to be worshipped Question Whether then ought any images or likenesse of thinges to be made Answere God neither ought neither can by any meanes bee counterfetted shewed or declared by any caster Founder Karuer or Painter And although they bee suffred to expresse creatures as herbes trées fishes and birdes and such like yet GOD forbiddeth their images to be made or had that through them wee should worshippe or honour God or giue to them any worship or outwarde reuerence Question Whether ought images to be suffered to stand in Churches to bee lay mens bookes or nor Answere No no. For it is not séemely that we should be wiser then God who willeth that his Church should bee taught with the liuely preaching of his word and not with dumme images Question What doth God ordayne in the third commandemente Answere That we should not onely not vse his name spitfully vnreuerently in banning cursing forswearing and rashly without a iust cause in any manner of swearing at all neither should we he partakers of those horrible and wicked sins either by holding of our peace or in wincking at them but that wee should vse that holy name of God no otherwise but with deuotion reuerence and worship that he may be worshipped honoured in all our wordes and deeds with a true stedfast comessione inuocation or calling vpon his name Question Is it then so gréeuous a sin to dishonor the name of God in swearing in cursing that God is also angrie with them that will not asmuch as lyeth in them hinder forbid and let it Answere Surely it is the most gréeuous sinne neither is there any that angreth and displeaseth him more then the spightfull misusing of his name Wherfore it was his wil the it shold be punished with deth Question May not a man sometime godly and lawfully sweare by the name of God Answere He may Either when the Magistrate Gods officer requireth or commandeth a man to swear or otherwise when néed requireth that by this meane a mā may get credit and the trueth may be proued and stablished therewith that thereby God may be glorified and praised men may be holpen thereby For such a lawful othe is approued as holy by the word of God and therfore it was wel vsed of the fathers both in the olde and newt Testament Question Is it lawfull for a man to sweare by saintes or other creatures Answere Noe for a lawfull othe is the calling vppon or inuocation of God that he as onely the knower of the secretes of the heart may giue witnesse vnto the truth and punish the swearer if wittingly he sweare falsely but this honour is to be giuen vnto no creature Question What hath God commaunded in the fourth commaundement Answere First that the seruing in the office of preaching and ministring of the sacramentes and that the scholes should bee kept mainteined and prouided for that I on the hollyday and at other times when the Church is for some necessarie cause gathered together shoulde ioyne my selfe vnto that holy fellowshippe to heare the word of God diligently héedfully and to vse the sacraments wyne my praiers with the cōmon praiers giue somthing according to my ritches to the poore afterward for all my life time kéepe holliday and forbeare from all ill déedes giuing place and graunting vnto God that throughe his holy spirite he may work his workes in me and so may beginne the euerlasting Sabboth or holy day in this life Question What inioyneth God vs to do in the fift commaundement Answere That we should giue due honour and shewe faithfulnesse to our fathers and mothers and to all that are gouernours ouer vs and should submitte our selues with all conuenient obedience vnto their faithfull commaundementes and chastening and that we should suffer be are with their vices and maners euer thinking this in our minde the God wil gouern guide vs by their hand Question What doeth God require in the sixte commaundemente Answere That I shoulde do no iniurie wrong or reproch to my neighbour neither with my wordes gesture or outwarde behauiour either by my selfe or by anye other man hate him hurte him or kill him but to leaue and giue ouer al the desire of reuenging vnto god neither that I shoulde hurt my selfe nor cast my selfe wittingly into any ieoperdie Wherefore God hath armed the Magistrate his officer with the sworde that there should no murder be done Question Doth this commaundement onely forbid manslaughter Answere Almightie God by forbidding of murder teacheth that he hateth 〈◊〉 roote and beginning of murder anger enuy hatred and desire of wreaking or reuenging and that hee taketh all these thinges for murder Question Is it ynough for vs to kill no man by those meanes that are before rehear sede Answere Is it not ynough For when as God forbiddeth anger enuie and hatred hee requireth the we shoulde loue our neighbours as our selues shoulde vse towarde them gentlenesse mildnes méekenesse patience and mercy and to turne away or stop asmuch as lyeth in vs such thinges as may be hurtefull vnto them And finally that wes shoulde be so minded toward them that we should bee good euen vnto our enemies Question What is the meaning of the seuenth commaundement Answere That God defieth all
so to wit not onely to teach vs the as the filthines of our bodies is scoured away with water so likewise are our sins washed scowred away with the bloud and spirite of Christ but also much more that he might sicker assure vs by his goodly token pledge that we are as surely washed from our sinns inwardly by the inward washing as we are outwardly washed with the outwarde and seable water Question Ought all yong speachlesse children in be baptised Answere Yea in any case for when as they belong as well vnto the couenaunt or promise and to the Church of GOD as they doe that are fully growne and are perfect men and women when as forgiuenesse of sinnes and the holy Ghost the worker of faith is as well promised to them through the bloude of Christ as to them that are full growen men and women they are to be grafted into the Church by baptisme and are to be knowen from the children of vnbeléeuers or infidels as in the owe Testament the children of them that beléeued were knowen from them that beléeued not by circumcision In whose place and stéede it now being taken away Baptisme was appointed Of the Supper of the Lord. Question HOwe art thou in the Supper of the Lorde warned assured and sickered that thou art partaker of that onelye one sacrifice of Christ offered vppon the crosse and of all his good déedes Answere Because Christe hath commaunded me and all faithfull men to eate of this breade that is broken and to drinke of this cup that is reached vnto me in the remembrance of him with promise put thereto that first his body was assuredly broken on the Crosse and offered for me and his bloud as surely shed for me as I sée the breade of the Lord broken vnto me and the cuppe of the Lorde reached vnto me More ouer that my soule is as wel fed vnto euerlasting life with his body which was crucified for vs and with his bloud whiche was shed for vs as I receiue with the mouth of my bodye the bread the wine which are tokēs of the body bloud of our Lord at the handes of my shéepherd or elder of the Church Question What is it to eate the body that was crucified and to drinke the bloude that was shed Answere It is not onely to imbrace and receiue the whole Passion and death of Christe with a sure trust of minde and to get by it forgiuenesse of sinnes and life euerlasting but also to be so ioyned vnto his holy body more and more through the holy ghost which dwelleth in Christe and in vs that although he be in heauen and we in earth yet for all that we are fleshe of his fleshe and bones of his bones and as all the members or limmes of a mans body are quickned or haue life of one soule so are we quickned gouerned and haue life with one spirite Question In what place ▪ promised Christ that he woulde as surely giue his body and bloude to be eaten and dronken to them that beléeue as they doe eate the breade that is broken and drinke the wine out of the cup Answere In the place where he did first ordaine his supper in these words Our Lorde Iesus Christe in that night he was betrayed tooke the breade and after he had giuen thankes he brake it and said take eate this is my bodie which is broken for you doe this in the remembrance of me And so likewise after supper hee tooke the cup saying this cup is the new testament in my bloude doe this as oft as yée shal drink in my remēbrance For as oft as ye shall eate this bread and drinke of this cup ye shall shewe the death of the Lorde till be come i. Cor. xi This promise is rehearsed againe by S. Paule i. Cor. x. where he saith The cup of thākesgiuing wherw e we giue thāks is it not the pertaking of Christs bloud is not the bread that we breake the partaking of the body of Christ Because we being many are one breade one body for we are al partakers of one bread Question Are then bread and wine made the very body and bloud of Christ Answere No but as the water of baptisme is turned into the bloude of Christe neither is the washing away of sinne but onely a token and pledge of those things that are sealed vnto vs in baptisme euen so is not the breade of the Lordes supper the very body of Christ Notwithstanding after the manner of speaking of Sacramentes and the accustomed fashion of speaking of the holy ghost of these things bread is called the body of Christ Question Why then doth Christ call bread his body and the cup his bloude or the new Testament through his bloude And Paul calleth the breade and wine the communion or partaking of his body bloud Answere Christ speaketh so not without great consideration to wit that he may not only teach vs that euen as bread wine hold vp and kéepe in the life of the body so his crucified body and his bloude that were shedde are the very true meate and drinke of our soule whereby it is nourished into euerlasting life but al so much more he speaketh so to assure sicker vs with this visible token and pledge that we are as truely partakers of his body and bloude by the working of the holy Ghost as wee haue receiued these holy tokens in the remembrance of him with the mouth of our body and also that his passion or suffering and his obedience or keeping of the whole lawe are as surely ours as though wee had suffered our owne selfes for our sinnes and had made amendes to GOD for them Question What difference is there betwéene the supper of the Lorde and the popishe Masse Answere The supper of the Lorde witnesseth that all our sinnes are forgiuen vs through that onely one sacrifice that he once made on the crosse and that we are all through the holy ghost grafted into Christ who after his mans nature is only in heauen at the right hand of the father and will be worshipped there of vs But in the Masse it is denied that the quicke and the dead haue forgiuenesse of sinnes through the passion of Christ alone excepte Christ bee offered euerie day for them by the sacrificing Masse priestes Moreouer it is taught in the Masse that Christ is bodilie present vnder the likenesse of bread wine and is therefore to bee worshipped in them And so the foundation of the Masse is nothing else but a deniall of that onely sacrifice and passion of Iesus Christe and cursed Idolatrie maumetrie and worshipping of by gods beside the liuing God. Question Who ought to come to the supper of the Lorde Answere