the Cross as a Sacrifice to make explation and satisfaction for the sins of the World Q. How is this Sacrament a remembrance of this Sacrifice A. In regard in this Sacrament we have as it were Christ crucified before our eyes represented lively before us on the Cross when the bread is broken it calls to mind how his sacred body was broken with the Crown of Thorns the scourges the nails the spear and when the wine is poured out it remembers us how his precious blood issued forth out of his hands feet head and side Q. What other end was thereof Christs instituting this holy Sacrament A. For the remembrance of those benefits we receive by the sacrifice of his death and passion that is that we should continually that is frequently remember and commemorate with joy and thanksgiving before God and man those benefits purchased by his death Q. What is the outward part or sign of the Lords Supper A. Bread and Wine which the Lord hath commanded to be received Q. Why are these two Elements rather than any other used in this Sacrament A. Because these do very fitly represent the inward spiritual grace which is the body and blood of Christ As Bread and Wine is the cheif nourishment of our Bodies the great preservatives of life and health so the Body and Blood of Christ is the onely food of our Soules which must hourish them to life eternal Q. Where hath the Lord commanded these elements to be received A. At his first institution of it he gave this command to his holy Apostles and in them to his whole Church when he had broke the bread he gave it unto them and said take eat this is my body and when he had blessed the cup he gave it them saying drink ye all of this Q. What is the inward part or thing signified in this Sacrament A. The Body and Blood of Christ which are verily and indeed taken and received by the Faithful in the Lords Supper Q. How can it possibly be that the very body and blood of Christ can be received in the Lord Supper A. In this Sacrament there is a true and real participation of Christ for as verily as every worthy communicant eats the Bread and drinks the Wine so verily God in heaven bestows on him and communicates unto him the body and blood of his Saviour and also makes over unto him all the benefits and advantages that proceed from the sufferings of his body and the effusion of his Blood Q. By whom is it that the body and blood of Christ are verily and indeed received in this holy Sacrament A. It is onely by the faithful that is such as worthily prepare themselves before they adventure to present themselves that behave themselves devoutly and reverently in the time of the administration of it and also after the receiving of it walk as becometh such who are united to Christ by so near a tye Q. Do not all then that come receive his body and blood A. This holy Sacrament is offered to all that judge themselves worthy of it but those onely receive benefit from it who are worthy in deed and in truth Q. But suppose others do adventure to come who are unworthy what do they receive A. They receive their own destruction being guilty of the body and blood of Christ Q. Certainly then it is far better to abstain from this sacred banquet A. There is a necessity lyes upon all Christians to come as also to come prepared in regard this is the food of our soules without which nourishment they will starve and perish and also by neglecting this weighty concern we shall disobey the command of our dear Saviour who hath solemnly enjoyned us to keep this feast in remembrance of him Q. What are the benefits whereof we partake by receiving the Lords Supper A. The strengthning and refreshing of our souls by the body and blood of Christ as our bodies are by the Bread and Wine Q. How many are these benefits in number A. They are two first to strengthen and secondly to refresh our Soules Q. In what measure are soules hereby strengthned A. In the very same degree as out bodies are by bread for as bread is the staffe of life without which the body is not able to subsist but grows feeble and weak and at length drops into the grave even so the body of Christ doth nourish and strengthen our soules enable them to the performance of good works without which they have no power to decline the ways of sin and death Q. In what measure are our soules refreshed in this Sacrament A. In the same degree as our bodies are refreshed by Wine for as Wine refreshes the body not only when it is thirstly but also when it is faint and feeble so doth the blood of Christ refresh our Souls wash them from the guilt of Sin which exposed them to the wrath of God which is the greatest refreshment the most powerfull cordial that can be administred to them Q. But how is it possible for so small a piece of Bread or one spoonful of Wine to produce such rare effects A. These proceed not from these outward elemens but from the will and power of Christ who was pleased to ordain these Elements as means and instruments to conveigh these graces unto us Q. What is required of those that come to the Lords Supper A. To examine themselves whether they repent them truly of their former fins stedfastly purposing to lead a new life to have a lively faith in Gods mercy through Christ with a thenkfull remembrance of his death and to be in charity with all men Q. What is the general duty here required A. Examination which is not only enjoyned by the Catechism but the very same duty St. Paul requires of every one that come to this Table let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that Cup. Q. What are those matters about which every Christian is not enquioe or examine himself before this Feast A. They are principally four Repentance Faith Thankfulness Charity Q. What is the first thing his examination must spend it self upon A. The first matter must be Repentance Q. What kind of repentance must a man find in himself before he partakes of these Viands A. It must consist of these two parts First there must be an entire renouncing and forsaking of sin of every evil way and Secondly a stedfast purpose and resolution by Gods grace and assistance for the time to come to lead a new and innocent life Q. What is the second matter he must bring under examination A. His Faith Q. How must this Faith be qualified A. It must be a lively Faith which life it must show forth by well doing and it must also be a Faith in Gods mercy through Christ that is stedfastly believing that it is God alone who through the merits and sufferings of his Son hath given to mankind
whereby I endeavour to encroach upon the goods and estate of my Neighbours as also I am hereby strictly enjoyned to be content with that portion of worldly goods which God hath given me to use justice in all mydealings to preserve my Neighbours goods and to suffer every man to enjoy his own propriety quietly and peaceably Q. In which of these commands dost thou learn to keep thy tongue from evil speaking lying and slandering A. This part of my duty towards my Neighbour I learn in the fifth command of this second Table or in the ninth of them all thou shalt not bear false witness against thy Neighbour in which I am forbidden all lying slandering backbiting evil speaking bearing false witness and all other vices of this nature whereby the Reputation or good Name of my Neighbour or his goods and life may be impaired or wronged As also by this Law I am enjoyned the contrary vertues that is to set so sure a guard over my tongue as nothing may proceed out of my mouth that may injure my brother Q. In which of these commands dost thou learn to keep thy body in temperance soberness and chastity A. This I learn in the third command of this Table or in the seventh of them all Thou shalt not commit Adultery wherein I am forbidden all manner of sensuality lasciviousness wantonness or uncleanness as also by this Law I am enjoyned to keep my body chast and clean from the sinful lusts of the flesh and to make use of all means conducing hereunto such are sobriety and temperance and if by a high and full diet my body should grow wanton and unruly then to bring it into subjection by prayer watching and fasting Q. In which command dost thou learn not to covet nor desire other mens goods but to learn and labour truly to get thy own living and to do thy duty in that state into which it shall please God to call thee A. Thus much I learn both in the last command of this Table and of them all wherein I am forbidden all covetous desires towards my Neighbour the envying his wealth or prosperity all carking over-solicitous distracting thoughts in the purchasing this worlds goods as also I am by this Law commanded to be content with mine owne to labour honestly in that employment wherein divine providence hath placed me without harbouring one evil thought against my brothers welfare Q. Are you able to keep these commands and hereby to make good that part of your promise you made at your Baptism A. In some measure I am able to observe them otherwise God would be unjust in exacting that obedience I am uncapable of performing Q. How are you able whether by your own strength or must you have the assistance of some higher power A. I am not able by my own innate power to observe these Laws but that God who commands me to keep them hath promised to assist my hearty endeavours in the observation of them Q. What means must you use to procure the assistance of your heavenly Father A. The only way to gain his aid is by earnestly and affectionately begging it by prayer and hence it is that my Catechism warns me at all times to beg Gods special Grace by prayer Q. How are you assured that God will help you when you pray unto him A. In regard that he hath faithfully promised that all such as ask shall have and his blessed Son hath passed his word that whatsoever we ask the Father in his Name it shall be given unto us Q. How comes it to pass then that all the requests even of the faithful are not granted A. Possibly they may beg such favours as may not be convenient for them at least not expedient to be bestowed upon them at that present Q. By what means may we know how to pray as we ought A. Our blessed Lord hath left us a form or president for the composure of our prayers and therefore it is that we call it the Lords Prayer Q. But what warrant have we to justifie our so frequent using the Lords Prayer A. We have the Authority of Gods holy word St. Matthew bids us when we pray to pray after that form and St. Luke enjoyns us to pray the very same words from whence we may gather that when we do not use the very words yet at least we ought to compose our prayers answerable to that most excellent pattern Q. Let me hear if thou canst say the Lords Prayer A. Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdome come thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the Kingdome the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen Q. What desirest thou of God in this Prayer A. I desire my Lord God our heavenly Father who is the giver of all goodness that he will send his Grace unto me and unto all people that we may worship him serve him and obey him as we ought to do and I pray unto God that he will send us all things that be needful both for our Souls and Bodies and that he will he merciful unto us and forgive us our Sins and that it will please him to save and defend us from all dangers ghostly and bodily and that he will keep us from all sin and wickedness and from our ghostly Enemy and from everlasting Death and this I trust he will do of his Mercy and Goodness through our Lord Jesus Christ and therefore I say Amen so be it Q. Why do you invoke God after this manner call him your heavenly Father A. Because when I consider him as my Father this gives me confidence to approach his sacred presence and also gives me assurance that he will supply my wants according as my necessities require Q. But why do you say our Father not my Father and also put up all the following petitions in generall terms A. In regard I am bound not only to pray unto him for my selfe but also for all those who have God for their Father Q. But why do you call him your Father which is in Heaven A. To distinguish him from my temporal Father and to acknowdedge my being and well-being solely to depend upon this my everliving and eternal Father Q. Is their any thing else you learn from this comfortable title A. Yes when I consider that he is in Heaven and I on Earth that there is so great a distance and disparity betwixt us this teacheth me to use all reverence and humility when in his presence to have clean hands and a pure heart when I appear before so great so infinite a Majesty Q. In which petition dost thou beg of God to send his grace unto you and unto all people that ye may worship him and serve him
the very same continuance with it the shallowest capacity easily apprehending that when the foundation is rooted up the whole Fabrick must be thrown down But then again this Ministry will appear to be of a larger continuance than the Apostles time in regard that blessing which by this Ministry is conferred is to abide with the Church for ever viz. The benigne influence and assistance of the Holy Ghost When Our Saviour made this gracious promise at the first to his Disciples to give them the comforter he was to abide with them to the end of the world John 14.16 And I will pray the Father and he shall send you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth And we shall find that when this gift was so miraculously bestowed upon the holy Apostles at the day of Penticost insomuch that those who were Eye-witnesses were strangly amazed and marvelled to hear them speaking in divers languages at that very same time St. Peter to take off the strangeness of the wonder and the envy of the power tels them in plain terms that upon condition they would Repent and be baptized they should every one of them receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost not the meanest the most inconsiderable amongst them but should receive that great thing which they observed in them and not only themselves but their Children also For the promise is to you and to your Children and to all that are afar off even to as many as the Lord our God shall call Acts 2.38 39. Now it is very unreasonable to suppose that the Rite which is partly moral and partly ceremonial the first is prayer the other is laying on of hands that this should be transient only for a short time when as the promise it selfe is to continue for ever It cannot but seem very strange that a solemn Rite annexed to a perpetual promise should be transient and temporary The promise is of a blessing to endure for ever the Ceremony or Rite was annexed to the promise and therefore this also must be for ever And as this Ministry was to continue for ever so was it duly observed and actually practised by the succeeding Ages of the Church as the Reverent Bishop of Down in his Treatise upon this subject hath very learnedly proved And certainly next after the plain words of Scripture the universal tradition of the Church is the best argument for the probation of Rituals And what I have hitherto discoursed of the lawfulness of this Rite is certainly sufficient to satisfie every reasonable person of the necessity of it for that which is Authorized by no meaner a Person than the Eternal Son of God which was practised by the Holy Apostles was observed in the purest ages of Christianity and is a never-ceasing Ministry must of necessity both be lawful to be done and very meet and convenient to be retained in practise But in regard there is nothing more powerfully prevailes with mankind than their interests I shall in the last place in order to the proving the necessity of this wholsom Discipline and to encourage all to the due observation of it endeavour to manifest those great graces and excellent priviledges which are consequent to the worthy reception and due Ministry of it When Confirmation is rightly performed and worthily received it will be highly advantagious to us and will greatly promote the Spiritual good and interest of every Christian and therefore ought not by any means to be neglected And in this respect the Scripture hath spoken so fully plainly as is abundantly sufficient to prove that great blessing that waits upon us It is recorded by St. Luke in the Acts of the Holy Apostles that at the first ministration of this Rite they received the Holy Ghost that is according to the expression of the Holy Jesus to his Disciples when he commanded them to tarry at Jerusalem in expectation of the accomplishment of his glorious promise they are endowed with vertue from on high that is with strength to perform their duty to persevere in their Christian profession notwithstanding all the opposition of Satan and his accursed instruments So that this power from on high which is the proper blessing of Confirmation was expressed not only with speaking of Tongues and doing Miracles but it was effected in spiritual and inward strengths They were not only enabled for the service of the Church to speak in a languages for the benefit of all nations and to do mighty works to convince Gain-sayers but also they were endowed with courage and wisdom and Christian fortitude and boldness openly to confess the faith of Christ crucified and manfully to fight under his Banner against Sin the World and the Devil and to continue Christs faithful Servants and Souldiers to their lives end And if we do but duly consider how apt we are to erre out of the way of Gods Commandments to start aside like a broken Bow and what great opposition we meet with in running the Race that is set before us we shall find abundance of reason to make use of all lawful means to gain a greater measure and assistance of Gods good Spirit That Body of death which St. Paul so earnestly desired to be delivered from that old man of Sin our Rebellious Wills and Affections do fatally resist all good motions and inclinations within us This Law in our members is continually warring against the Law in our minds and bringing us into captivity to the law of sin that is in our members but when this Allmighty Spirit descends upon us he supplies us with such a measure of strength as enables us to mortifie all our earthly Members to keep them under subjection to vanquish all those proud lusts of the flesh which lead us Captive to the committance of evil But besides these inward we have also outward enemies the Devil and his accursed Retinue which bandy together their Forces to overcome us and draw us into their snares and Vassalage these exercise all their malice and cunning to provoke us to renounce our solemn Baptismal engagements and to walk in a down-right opposition to that duty our Maker expects from us When we are once engaged in a holy profession and have faithfully covenanted to forsake every evil practise that is unworthy this our high calling then is the time that our grand adversary fearing that he shall lose a prosellyte will violently oppose us he will make us promises as large as heart can either wish or desire nay he will not stand out for any thing rather than lose a Disciple he will out of design court us at an exceeding high rate telling us as he did our Saviour that all the kingdoms of the world with their glory are at his disposal so that nothing shall be wanting to compleat our desires that this world can afford will we but throw off the yoak of our dear Saviour and list our selves under his accursed banner