sinne Answere God not without a great cause speaketh 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
the flesh and bloud of the virgin Mary by the working of the holy ghost that he might be also with all the true séede of Dauid like vnto his brethren in all thinges sauing onely in sinne Question What profit takest thou of the holy conception and byrth of Christ Answere That he is our meane or mediator and with his innocentnes and perfecte holines couereth my sinnes in the which I am conceiued to come into the sight of God. Question What beléeuest thou when thou sayest he suffered Answere That he all the time of his life while hee was here vppon earth but specially at his last time did suffer the wrathe of GOD againste the sinne of all mankinde that with his passion as one sacrifice once for all he should purchase mercie shoulde deliuer both our bodies and our soules from euerlasting dampnation get vs the grace of god and righteousnesse and euerlasting life Question For what cause did hee suffer vnder iudge Pilate Answere That he being innocent and yet condempned before a ciuill iudge might deliuer vs from the straight iudgement of God which we had deserued should haue suffered if Christ had not suffered this sharpe iudgement for vs. Question Is there any other cause beside why that he shold rather suffer on the crosse then die any other death Answere Yes there is one in déede for by this thing I am assured that he tooke vpon himsefe the curse which was due vnto me For the death of the crosse was cursed of God. Question Why muste Christ humble himselfe euen vnto the death Answere Because that the iustice and trueth of God could not be contented and swaged for our sinnes by any other meanes but by the death of the sonne of god Question Why was he also buried Answere That thereby we should haue sure witnesse that he was truely deade and not feynedly Question But when as Christ died for vs why must we also die Answere Our death is not a making of amends for our sinnes but a dying from Sinne and a going into euerlasting life Question What profite doe we further receiue by the sacrifice and death of Christ Answere That by the vertue of his death our olde man is crucified killed and buried with him that the euil desires and lusts of the flesh should not afterward raigne in vs but that we should offer our selues vnto him an offering of thankesgiuing Question Why is it further saide he went down into hell Answere That in my grieuous temptations assaltes I might stay make sure my selfe by this comforte that my Lorde Iesus Christ by vnspeakable verations and griefs painful troubles and feares of mind into the which both before and most of all when he hāged on the crosse he was caste into hath deliuered mee from the sorrowful griefe and paines of Hell Question What profite haue wee by the rising againe of Christ Answere First that by his rising againe he ouercame death that he might make vs partakers of his righteousnesse which hee had purchased vnto vs by his death Moreouer we are also stirred vp by his power vnto a newe life And the thirde profite is that the resurrection of our heade Christ is a pledge and a perfect assurance vnto vs that we shall rise againe in glorie Question Howe vnderstandest thou this that he is gone vp into heauen Answere That Christe the Apostles looking on was taken vp from the earth into heauen and yet stil is ther for our sakes will be vntill he shall come againe to iudge the quicke and the dead Question Shall Christe not then bée with vs vntill the end of the worlde as hee hath promised Answere Christ is true God and true man and so according vnto his mans nature hee is not nowe vppon the earth but after his Godly nature maiestie grace and spirite he is neuer away from vs. Question But whether by this meanes are the two natures of Christe pulled in sunder or no if Christes manhoode bee not wheresoeuer his godheade is Answere Nay for when as the Godheade of Christe cannot bee inclosed nor holden within anie certeine compasse and is present in euerie place it must néeds be a good argument that his Godhead is without the nature of his manhoode which he hath taken vppon him reacheth farther and yet for all that it is fast in the same and abideth personally ioyned therevnto Question What fruite haue we by the going vp of Christ into heauen Answere First that he maketh intercession for vs in heauen vnto the father Then that we haue our fleshe in heauen that thereby we may be surely assured as by a sure pledge that hereafter hee will take vs that are his members vnto him which is our heade Thirdly that he sendeth to vs his spirit in the stede of a pledge betwéene him vs by whose strong working we séeke not earthly things but the things that are aboue wher he is sitting at the right hand of god Question Why is it further saide that he is sitting at the right hand of God Answere Because Christ therefore is gone vp into heauen to shew that he is the head of the Church by whō the father gouerneth all thinges Question What profite is this glorie of our head Christ vnto vs Answere First that through his holy spirit he powreth into vs his mēbers heauenly gifts the next is that he shieldeth and defendeth vs by his might against all our enimies Question What comfort hast thou by the comming againe of Christ to iudge the quick and the dead Answere That in all my persecutions troubles I do look vp to heauen holding my head cherefully vp for the self same iudge which purposedly before did deliuer himself to the iudgment of God for me and hath taken away al curse from me which shal cast all his and my enimies into euerlasting paine shall bringe mee with all other chosen persons into the heauenly ioyes and euerlasting glorie Of the holy ghost Question VVHat dost thou beléeue of the holy Ghost Answere First that he is a true and euerlasting God with the euerlasting father and the sonne Secondly that he is giuen vnto me that by true faith hee maketh me partaker of Christ and all his good déedes And thirdly comforteth mee and abideth with mee for euer Question What is thy beliefe concerning the holy and Catholike Church of Christ Answere I beléeue that the sonne of God doth gather from the beginning of the world vnto the end out of whole mankinde a chosen cōpany by the spirit the word agréeing together in a true faith that he defendeth and saueth the same and that I am one liuely members of that cōpanie and shall so
Onely they that repent and are verie sorie that they haue angried God with their sinnes and yet trust that they are forgiueÌ„ them for Christes sake and that the rest of their weakenesse and vnperfectnes is couered with his deth passion who also desire to goe forwarde and growe more and more in holy life conuersation But hypocrites false feigners of holinesse and they that repente not and will not amende their liues eate and drinke their owne damnation Question Ought we also to allow them to this supper which shewe themselues to bee faithles and vngodly both in their own confession and naughtie life Answere No for so is the couenaunt of God vnhallowed and the wrathe of God is stirred against the whole Churche Wherefore the Church of God according to the appointment of Christe and his Apostles vsing the keyes of the kingdome of heauen ought to hold back such from the Lords supper vntill they repent and amend their manners Question What are the keyes of the kingdome of heauen Answere The preaching of the Gospell and correction or discipline of the Churche whereby the kingdome of heauen is opened to them that beléeue and is shut vp against them that beléeue not Question Howe is the kingdome of heauen opened and shut by the preaching of the Gospell Answere Where at the commaundemente of Christ we openly declare and shew that all and euerie mans sinnes are forgiuen them by God for the onely deseruing of Christe as often as they receyue with a true faith and beléeue the promise of the Gospell Of the contrarie parte it sheweth vnto all them that beléeue not and to all hipocrites feigners of holynesse that are wicked within that the wrath of God and euerlasting damnation hangeth ouer their heads according to which witnesse of the Gospell God will iudge as well in this life as in the life to come Question Howe is the kingdome of heauen shut to or opened by the correction or discipline of the Church Answere When as according vnto the commandemeÌ„t of Christ they the are Christen men in name but shewe themselues both in learninge and life farre from Christe after that they haue beene certaine times brotherly warned to forsake their errours and leaue their euill déeds and are presented or shewed to the Church or to them that are appointed of the Churche vnto that office and will not obey their warning they are shutte out by the same from the vse of the sacraments and from comming to the felowship of Christes Church from God himselfe and the kingdome of Christe But againe if they promise to amende their liues and doe so indéede they are receiued into the Church againe as meÌ„bers of Christ and of the Church The thirde part is of thankefulnesse Question WHen as we are deliuered from all our sinnes and wrechednes without any deseruing of vs by the onely mercie of God for Christes â—â—â—e why shoulde we then doe good workes Answere Because that after Christ hath bought vs againe with his bloude and maketh vs newe men by his holy spirit like vnto the image of himselfe that we hauing receyued so many good turnes shoulde shew our selues all our life time thankful to God and that hee may bee honoured After that we euerie man may be assured of his faith by his fruits Laste of all that we may win other vnto Christ by our honest and sober life or good example of liuing Question Can they then not be saued which d ee vnthanksfull and abide still carelesse in sinne and are not turned to God from their wickednesse Answere In no case for the scripture beareth witnes that no vnchast persons neither worshipper of straunge Gods neither horemaister or aduoulterers neither couetous men neither Théeues nor drunkardes neither scolding raylers neither robbers shal enter into the kingdoÌ„ of god Question In what part standeth the turninge of a man to God Answere In the killing or putting downe of the olde man and the quickening and raising vp of the new man. Question What is the killing of the old man Answere It is truely and with all thy hearte to be sorie that thou hast angred GOD with thy sinnes and euerie day more more to hate them to flye from theÌ„ Question What is the quickening or raysing vp of the â—ewe man Answere True gladnes or God through Christ and an earnest and readie desire of a man to order his life according to the will of God in doing of all manner of Good workes Question What are good workes Answere Onely they the are done in faith according to the lawe of GOD and are wrought for that ende that God may be honoured therby and not they that are deuised by vs and in our opinion without the worde of God séene to be good Question Which is the lawe of God Answere God hath spoken all these wordes The tenne Commandementes I. I am the Lorde thy God whiche hath brought thée out of Egypt out of the house of bondage Thou shalt haue no other Gods in my sight II. Thou shalt make to thée no grauen image nor the likenes of any thing that is in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath nor in the water vnder the earth Thou shalt not bowe downe to them nor worshippe them for I the Lorde thy God am a ielouse God and visite the sinnes of the fathers vppon the children vnto the third and fourth generation of them that hate mee and shewe mercie vnto thousandes in them that loue me and kéepe my coÌ„maundements The III. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lorde thy God in vaine for the Lorde will not hold him giltles that taketh his name in vaine The IIII. Remember thou kéepe holye the Sabboth daye Sixe dayes shalte thou labour and doe all that thou haste to do but the seuenth day is the Saboth of the Lorde thy God in it thou shalt do no maner of worke thou and thy sonne and thy daughter thy man seruaunt and thy maide seruant thy cattell and the straunger that is within thy gate For in sixe dayes the Lord made heauen and earth the sea al that is in them and rested the seuenth day wherefore the Lorde blessed the seuenth day and hallowed it The V. Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the lande whiche the Lorde thy God giueth thée The VI. Thou shalte doe no murther The VII Thou shalt not do aduoutrie The VIII Thou shalt not steale The IX Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour The X. Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house nor his wife not his seruaunt nor his maide nor his oxe nor his Asse nor ane thing that is his Question Howe are these commaundementes deuided Answere Into two tables of the which the former teacheth in it foure commaundements how that we shall behaue our selues towarde god The seconde