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
The Cathechisme or manner how to instruct and teach children and others in the Christian faith ¶ Appointed to bee read in all the lands and dominions of the late right and mightie Prince Fredericke Counte Palatine by the Rhine one of the Electors of the holy Empire and Duke in 〈◊〉 Newly translated out of Latin and Dutch into Englishe AT LONDON Printed by Henrie Middleton 〈…〉 A note to the Reader The firste number of the notes in the margent signifieth the Chapter The seconde number betokeneth the verse as they are vsually marked in the Bibles A Cathechisme for Children Question WHich is the only comfort both in life and in death Answere That both concerning my soule and my bodie whether I liue or I die I am not mine owne but belong onely vnto my most faithful Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ who with his precious bloud most fully making amendes for all my sinnes hath deliuered me from the power of the Diuell and kéepeth me so that without the will of my heauenly father there can not so much as an haire fall from my head Yea and further that all thinges must serue for my saluation wherefore hee hath made me sure of euerlasting life by his holy spirite and maketh me prompt and ready from hencefoorth to liue according to his will. Question Howe many thinges are néedfull for thée to knowe that thou maist come by and inioy this comforte that thou maist both liue and die blessedly Answere Thrée first howe great my sinne and wretchednes is The seconde by what meanes I may bee deliuered from my sinne The thirde is what thankes I owe vnto my Lorde God for my deliuerance The first part of mans wretchednesse or miserable state Question BY what meanes shalt thou come by the knowledge of thy wretchednesse Answere By the lawe of God. Question What doth the lawe of God require of vs Answere That doth Christ in a short summe teache vs Mathew xxij Luke x. Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule with al thy thought with al thy strength This is the first and greatest cōmandement And the seconde is like vnto this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thine owne selfe And the whole law and Prophets hang vppon these two commaundementes Question Canst thou kéepe all these thinges perfectly Answere No for I am readie disposed of nature to hate God my neighbor Question Did God then make man so vntoward crooked and so frowarde Answere No for he made him good and vnto the likenesse of his owne selfe that is endued with true righteousnes and holinesse that he shoulde rightly know God his maker and hartely loue him and liue for euer with him to that end that he might loue prayse him Question Then from whence sprange vp this crooked frowardnes of mans nature Answere Of the fall and disobedience of our first father and mother Adam Eue by whom our nature is made so crooked naughtie that we be all conceiued and borne in sinne Question Are we then all so wounded that we be vtterly vnsufficiēt to do any good thing and disposed and readie to all vice and wickednesse Answere Yes surely except that we be borne againe by the holie Ghost Question Doth not God then do wrong to man whiles he requireth of him by the lawe to doe those things which he is not able to doe performe and fulfill Answere Noe for God made Adam so that he might fulfil those thinges but he at the entisement of the diuel by his owne stubbornes both spoyled himselfe and his after commers of those godlye giftes Question Doeth God let go vnpunished such stubburnes and departing from him Answere Nay he is by horrible meanes angrie both with our sinns that are grafted in vs by nature also with them that we afterwards worke and doe and the same he punisheth by his moste righteous iudgement with present and euerlasting punishments as hee doth pronounce Cursed is euerie man that abideth not in all thinges that are written in the booke of the Lawe to doe them Question Then is not God also mercifull Answere He is in déed mercifull but so that he is also righteous wherfore his righteousnes requireth the that which is don against the most high maiestie of God shold be punished with the greatest punishmentes both of soule and bodie The seconde part of the deliuerance of man. A. iiij Question THen when as by the right iudgemēt of God we are in daunger both of euerlasting paynes and of such that lasteth here but for a time is there yet any way or meanes whereby we may be deliuered from these paynes and bee brought into fauour againe with God Answere God will that we shal make amends or satisfactiō vnto his righteousnes wherefore we must néeds either by our selues or by some other content him Question Can we by our selues make amends or satisfaction vnto him Answere By no meanes at all but rather frō day to day to encrease our debt Question Can any creature in heauen or in earth which is onely a creature make satisfaction recompence or amendes for vs and our sinnes Answere None at all For to beginne withall God will not punish that in any other creature which is due to be paid by mā and moreouer it can not because it is nothing but a creature abyde the wrath of god against sinne and deliuer other from the same Question What manner of man is to be sought out to be our mediatour and deliuerer Answere He which is in déede a verie right man and perfectly righteous and yet more mightie then al creatures that is he which also is euen verie true god Question Why is it néedefull that hee shoulde be a verie man perfectly righteous Answere Because the righteousnesse of God requireth that the same nature which hath sinned should pay and make amendes for sinne But he that is a sinner can not paye and make amendes for other sinners Question Why must he also be verie GOD withall Answere A.v. That by his godly power he may abide the burthen of gods wrath in his flesh may get againe and restore vnto vs the righteousnes and life which we haue lost Question Who is that mediatour which is both verie God and verie man and perfectly righteous withall Answere Our Lord Iesus Christ which is made vnto vs the wisedome of GOD righteousnes hallower deliuerer Question Howe knowest thou this Answere By the Gospel which God did open in Paradise and afterwarde hath farther set it abroade by the Patriarches and Prophets did darkely declare it as it were in a shadow by the sacrifices and other ceremonies of the law e and laste of all fulfilled it by his onely
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