Christian He who hauing been baptized belieueth the true faith of Christ and liueth accordingly 11. How shall we learne to do this By the Christian doctrine that is by that doctrine which Christ Iesus came to teach and preach vnto the world 12. Where is this doctrine contained It is contained in God his holy word which is deliuered to vs at large partly by scripture and partly by tradition of the holy Catholike Church 13. How manie be the chiefe and principall heads of the Christian doctrine They may be reduced to six to wit the Creed the Pater noster the ten Commandements the seuen Sacraments Prayer and the Sacrifice of Masse 14. Wherefore are these six the principall heads of Christian doctrine Because whereas there are principally foure thinges necessary to saluation that is faith which giueth vs light to belieue well hope which giueth vs confidence to demand well charity which giueth vs strength to doe well and God his actuall assistāt grace which is the most necessary of all for without it we cannot get the other three nor make the least progresse in the way of saluation Now the Creed teacheth vs what belongs to faith the Pater noster what belongs to hope the ten Commandements what belongs to charity and the three last partes the Sacraments Prayer and Sacrifice of Masse are the meanes whereby to obtaine God his actuall assistant grace 15. Why do you account the Pater noster a distinct part from the rest seeing that it is included in prayer which you number as making one principall part by it selfe The reason of it is because the Pater noster is not only actually a prayer it selfe but it is also a generall instruction whereby we are taught how to pray and what to demand Now as it is actually a prayer it selfe it belongeth to Prayer which we haue reckoned for the fifth part of the Christian doctrine but as it is an instruction it maketh a part by it selfe because to instruct is a qualitie which is not essentiall to actuall praying and so it belongeth properly to hope which is the foundation of all actuall prayer and is practised by knowing what and how we are to demand 16. Why do you number but foure thinges necessary to saluation since that no man can be saued without inherent iustice or sanctifying grace which is a distinct thing from God his actuall assistant grace and therefore in all there are fiue thinges necessary The reason of it is because sanctifying grace is either charitie it selfe or at least it is a thing which cannot be separated from charitie and therefore whosoeuer hath charitie may be assured that he hath sanctifying grace and the meanes to obtaine one doth serue for both 17. What is the visible signe or badge of a Christian The signe of the holy crosse accompanied with these words In the name of the father the sonne and the holy ghost 18. Wherefore is this the badge of a Christian Because by making this holy signe with these words we professe the three chiefest mysteries of our Christian faith which are the mystery of the Vnitie and Trinitie of God the mystery of the Incarnation and the mystery of our blessed Sauiour his sacred Passion 19. Why is the mystery of the Vnitie and Trinitie of God said to be contained in the signe of the crosse Because by saying in the name and not names we declare the Vnitie of one sole essence power and diuinitie in one only God and by naming the father sonne and holy ghost we plainely manifest the three distinct persons of the most blessed Trinitie 20. Why are the other two mysteries of the Incarnation and Passion of our blessed Sauiour said to be included in the signe of the crosse Because by putting our hand from the head vnder the breast we professe the sonne of God to haue descended from heauen to become incarnated in the wombe of the most blessed Virgin and by putting our hand from the left shoulder to the right we declare how he redeemed vs by dying vpon the crosse in forme whereof we make this holy signe 21. Wherefore hath it been the custome of all true Christians at the beginning of their chiefe actions to make so frequently the signe of the holy crosse pronouncing the former words For diuers good reasons and first thereby to consecrate their actions vnto the honour of the most blessed Trinitie Secondly to craue in all their actions God his diuine assistance through the merits of the sacred death and Passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Thirdly to make a briefe profession of the Christian fayth the chiefe mysteries whereof we see are so liuely expressed vnder this signe Fourthly to declare thereby that they fight vnder this signe as vnder Christ his standard and so like faithfull souldiers to distinguish themselues from Pagās Turkes Iewes and all other his enemies Fifthly to arme ourselues by it against the Diuell and all his temptations for that he doth feare and flie this signe as the malefactour doth feare the Ministers and sharpe instruments of iustice Lastly by the helpe of this holy signe men do most frequently escape many both corporall and spirituall dāgers as innumerable most authentike histories and good Authors declare Now we make this signe so frequently because faith is the foundation and groundworke of Christianitie and therefore we ought to make a frequent profession of it LESSON XII Of Fayth 1. WHy is fayth the first foundation and groundworke of Christianity Because by naturall knowledge we cannot come to know the meanes which are prescribed for our saluation and therefore we haue need of a supernaturall helpe which is fayth and so the Apostle telleth vs that without fayth it is impossible to please God 2. What then is fayth Fayth is a gift of God and a light whereby we do firmely and without doubting belieue all that which is proposed to vs by the Catholike church to be belieued not because we see it but because it is reuealed by God who cannot speake vntruthes So that to an act of fayth necessary for saluation two thinges are required first in regard of God that it be an obiect reuealed by him and proposed to vs by the Church as such secondly in regard of man that he giue a firme assent to it 3. Is there no more required to an act of fayth No more is required to an inward act of fayth yet to practise this vertue perfectly we are some times obliged to declare our beliefe by an outward act when occasion requireth it for man being composed of body and soule he ought to acknowledge God his veracitie by both these partes by his soule in belieuing and by his body in professing with his mouth what he belieueth And therefore it is neuer lawfull to dissemble our fayth by professing one thing and belieuing an other for whosoeuer denyeth Iesus Christ before men will be denyed by him before his father 4. Why is fayth called a gift of God Because
preacher is not sufficient but that we must besides hearing the preacher addresse our selues to God and demand of him his holy spirit and his grace Secōdly the holy Ghost did afterwards reuiue in the hearts of Christ his disciples all that which he had told them during his life 16. In what manner did Iesus Christ dye As his life from the beginning to the end was full of pouerty subiection contradiction and affliction so was his death as full of all indignitie and torment as humane witt could inuent and humane nature keeping the shape of man indure yea it was so full of torments as to induce thē surpassed the strength of humane nature yet it was such and in that manner as he himselfe made choice of and as he himselfe had foretold by the Prophets without omitting anie of the circumstances which they pointed out verie particularly as the crosse the nails whips the two theeues and others 17. He dyed then freely and willingly Yes in so much that although the Iewes had often attempted to take him yet they could neuer doe it vntill he himselfe permitted it by deliuering himselfe into their hands that he might dye at the very houre which his father had ordained 18. Why was it necessarie for him to dye That he might accomplish the last worke necessarie for the redemption of mankinde for such was his fathers will as that all which he had done and suffered during his life had not been sufficient if he had not also shed his pretious bloud for vs vpon the crosse in order to his fathers sentence who ordained for the satisfying of his diuine iustice that his only sōne should destroy our spirituall death by his owne corporall death and although the least action he did was of it selfe sufficient so that all his actions being of infinite value no more had been necessary if his father had not ordained it otherwise for our greater good yet his loue was so great towards man that he himselfe did reioyce that his father had ordained him to suffer death it selfe for our redemption 19. Was it sufficient that he dyed No for as he dyed to destroy our death so it was necessary that he should rise againe from death to life to communicate his owne diuine life to vs and also to confirme vs in hope by considering that as our head is risen so shall we rise who are his members 20. Who did raise him againe from death to life The scripture telleth vs that his father did raise him againe to life and also that he did raise himselfe 21. Why is his father said to haue raised him againe from death to life Because as he is his father he is the fountaine and source of all his glorious and diuine life from whence all life is deriued And the father is said to doe it because it belongeth to the father to giue life to his sonne 22. How did the sonne raise himselfe from death By the power of his diuinitie which remained alwaies hypostatically vnited to the flesh he had taken without being separated at anie time either from his bodie or soule by vertue of which vnion eternall life was due both to his bodie and soule because the word to whom they were vnited is immortall in so much that our Sauiour could not haue dyed at all if God had not granted it to him through a particular dispensation for mans saluation 23. How did he communicate life to men through the vertue of his Resurrection By giuing them the holy Ghost his owne diuine spirit not long after that he had raised himselfe from death and much more afterwards vpon the day of Pentecost when his Resurrection being fully accomplished by being seated at the right hand of his father he sent the holy Ghost downe to them in a visible forme LESSON X. Of the Church 1. WHy was the holy Ghost sent into the world To render the disciples of Iesus Christ perfect and to begin in them his mysticall bodie 2. What perfection did he giue them The perfection of charitie which before was but weake and imperfect in them for the holy Ghost tooke away this weakenesse from them and made them strong and vigorous in the loue of Iesus Christ to serue him with intire fidelitie so that the stratagems of men and diuells could not afterwards diuert them from seruing him 3. How did the holy Ghost forme the mysticall bodie of Iesus Christ By vniting his disciples hearts with God and amongst themselues by charitie with which he did replenish them for the life of this bodie is the holy Ghost by the fire of his charitie 4. How is this bodie called It is called the Church whereof all the faithfull are members and Christ is the head in so much that there is made of Iesus Christ and of all the faithfull but one bodie and one Church 5. How can persons so farre separated from one an other be truly vnited into one and the selfe same bodie This is done by the holy Ghost who is euerie where for he is the linke and soule of this bodie vniting all these members more firmely together then man his soule doth vnite the members of the bodie it informeth 6. Why did he make this Church That he might thereby plant the doctrine which he had taught and which was altogether necessarie for the saluation of mankinde so firmely that it might continue for euer And for this end the holy Ghost according to the outward apparition in which he was sent filled the hearts of his Apostles who were to be the first teachers of it with fierie zeale and their tongues with the praises of allmightie God that they being vehemently cōceited themselues of the truth and of the great good the knowledge thereof brought vnto the world might be most earnestly desirous to breed the like conceit in others and that so it might descend in vertue of the first plantation to the end of the world 7. Who were the Apostles and of what condition They were those who being called by Christ left all to follow him and to serue him in the publication of the ghospell And as for their condition they were poore ignorant men of a contemptible ranke most of them being fishermen and the greater their weakenesse was so much the more did it set forth the power of the holy Ghost for in one day they became so learned and so powerfull to perswade as that they were able to confound and conuert the most learned Philosophers in the world 8. Of what partes doth the Church consist It consisteth of two partes in generall which are necessarie to all well ordered Communities that is of those who are gouerned and taught and of those who gouerne and teach 9. Who are those that Christ appointed to gouerne and teach They are chiefly Bishops and next vnder Bishops other inferiour Preists who are commonly called Curats 10. Are Bishops then necessarie in the Church Yes for if we looke into the institution of Bishops
we shall finde that they were instituted immediatly by Christ to rule and consequently commanded to be cōtinued and to be obeyed in his Church for he who instituteth an authority to rule by the very institution of it commandeth obedience to it and that it be perpetuated and vsed to that end for which it was instituted 11. For what end are Bishops necessarie in the Church For many ends whereof we shall speake in the Sacrament of Order and chiefly to take care of the common and to gouerne the Church for gouernment is a thing in it selfe absolutely necessarie vnto all Communities in so much that though we may see some communitie gouerned by superiours without lawes and prosper for a while yet we shall neuer finde that there was anie seene gouerned by lawes without superiours and if there were any such the lawes would be but occasions of quarrells and dissensions Wherefore as euerie man by his vnderstanding directeth himselfe so is the Bishop the vnderstanding that directeth the whole for Bishops are the heads and Princes from whom all inferiour Priests and directors in particular Churches are to take their rules and iudgement in all spirituall affaires 12. How doe we know that Christ instituted the gouernment of the Church himselfe and did not leaue it to the Church to doe it Because we know that he came into the world to erect and establish a Church which in it selfe should haue ordinarie power to conserue and propagate it selfe as we see all States and Communities doe Now he who hath vnderstanding knoweth that this cannot be done but by ordering of gouernours so that the institution of the verie Church it selfe which is a thing that no man can deny to come from Christ doth necessarily implie the institution of the gouernment of it 13. But how doe we know that those gouernours instituted by Christ were Bishops and not Priests or Lay Elders We know this first because we are told expresselie in scripture that Bishops were appointed by the holy Ghost to gouerne the Church of God Secondlie we know it by the same rule whereby we know all thinges that we beleeue in the Church for since you see that Bishops that is men consecrated by a speciall ordination are gouernours in the Church ouer all the Christian world if one should aske you who made them such I am sure you would say they were made such by others who are dead that were themselues such and those againe by others and so vpwards to the Apostles themselues who were made such immediately by Christ which is as strōg a motiue as anie we haue to receaue the Blessed Trinitie Incarnation Sacraments and all other mysteries of our faith And therefore he who denieth necessitie of gouernment by Bishops in Christ his Church is as absolute an hereticke as he who denieth anie thing that Christ hath taught and he who impugneth it impugneth Christ and seeketh to destroy his Church 14. Are all Bishops equall No for as S. Peter was chiefe amongst the Apostles so is the Bishop of Rome who succeeded to S. Peter chiefe amongst all Bishops and it belongeth to him as supreme Prince of the Church to pronounce the definitiue sentence in all matters of Church controuersies for as it is not fitting that there should be more then one king in a kingdome one master in a house and one pilot in a ship so is there but one head ouer the whole Church 15. If Christ be the head of all the Church what need is there of anie other head especially since you say there cannot be two heads Christ alone is the supreme and absolute head and the Bishop of Rome is only his Vicare and ministeriall head And this was necessarie because Christ being now ascended into heauen he doth not conuerse with his Church anie more in a visible manner but gouerneth it spiritually and inuisibly wherefore seeing that the members of his Church here vpon earth are corporall and visible it was necessary that they should haue also a visible head to gouerne them and instruct them according to the exigencie of their capacitie in this world 16. What then is the Church It is the societie or companie of those who are baptized and serue God by professing the true faith and by being vnited amōgst themselues and with their visible head the Bishop of Rome 17. Which be the markes to know the true Church from all false ones They are principally foure Sāctity Vniuersality Succession and Vnity that is to be holy to be vniuersall to be Apostolicall to be one 18. Is the true Church then allwaies holy Yes certainly both in doctrine and practise for holinesse is the thing which Christ came chiefely to settle in his Church 19. What is it to be holy It is to teach and practise those vertues which leade vs to heauē which is the life that Christ Iesus came to giue vs. And this can be no where but in the true Church faith being the first principall vertue that putteth vs in the waie to heauen and from it springeth good liuing and execution correspondent and also miracles wrought in token of holinesse which are the workes of God whereby his Church doth shine throughout the world not only to the confirmation of those faithfull who are weake but also to the cōuersion of Infidells And this marke of holinesse and miracles agreeth to none but to the Roman Church for although there may be more and greater wickednesse amongst Catholikes by reason of the multitude of the professors of the Catholike religion nay of it selfe the wickednesse must needs be greater for those who haue not so good thinges to offend against cannot be so wicked and as the Philosopher saith Corruptio optimi pessima a good thing when it is corrupted becomes starke naught yet is there also great and extraordinary holinesse Whereas amongst other sects there is neuer anie man heard of who whilest he liued had the reputation and credit amongst wise men to be a Saint or of extraordinary holinesse and deuotiō Congregations of men and woemen absteining from pleasures and separating themselues from the world none are found vnlesse such as were begun in Catholike times Extraordinary acts of pennance or heroicke vertues are not to be looked for And as for miracles they do not pretend vnto them in their churches In fine very little more then nature affordeth is to be seene amongst them sauing some bare words of God and Christ 20. Must the Church also be vniuersall Yes certainly for Christ commanded his Apostles to preach through the whole world and there can be no doubt but that they did what they were bidden And this also is a marke belōging only to the Roman Church for she alone is found in euery part of the Christian world all Heretikes being euery kinde in some countries but none in all 21. What is meant by the churches being Apostolicall To be Apostolicall is to receiue their beliefe from the Apostles by a continuated
diuine beliefe surpasseth the forces of our nature so that we cannot any way deserue it in so much that the holy Ghost doth inspire it into vs through his owne meere bounty And it is the first Theologicall gift of God by which we are disposed by litle and litle to obtaine the rest 5. Why is it called a light Because it enlightens our vnderstanding by making vs belieue the holy mysteries of our Christian fayth deliuered to vs by the Church 6. Why do you say deliuered to vs by the Church Because as I haue obserued before we cannot haue Catholike fayth but by the instruction of the church which proposeth to vs those truthes which God did reueale to his Apostles and disciples to the end that they should communicate them to others who were to succeed to themselues in the church and they againe to others and so till the end of the world 7. Who are those that succeeded to the Apostles and Disciples They are the Bishops and Pastours of the Catholike Church whom the Apostles and Disciples left behind them to teach vs that doctrine which they themselues had taught and preached before to the whole world And therefore we are boūd to belieue what the Bishops and Pastours of the Catholike Church teach because we are sure that the Catholike Church deliuereth to vs that same doctrine which the Apostles deliuered to her 8. How are we sure of this First because our Sauiour himselfe doth assure vs so for he telleth vs that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against his Church so that the Church is the supreme and certaine guide to which Christ directeth vs for the knowledge of the true faith and true religion Secondly because abstracting from supernaturall meanes reason it selfe doth conuince as much for the Church being vniuersall that is a Congregation of Christians dispersed through the whole world it followeth that she cannot propose a falsehood seeing that the Christians dispersed in so many countries as are necessary to make vniuersality cannot meete together and agree to frame a lye and therefore if they consent together that such a thing was deliuered vnto them for the doctrine of Christ it cannot choose but be so And this is that which Diuines call Traditiō which descendeth from father to sonne in all nations where the Catholike fayth is professed and when it is contradicted or called in to doubt the question is decided by a generall Councel which is a congregation of Catholike Bishops and Doctours gathered together out of all partes where the Church is dispersed And to this I meane to vniuersall tradition no heresy layeth clayme and yet Religion is so grounded vpon it that euen all Heretikes must acknowledge this same authority for the receauing of scripture So that we see how the vniuersality of the Church is euen in grounds of nature and abstracting from all supernaturall aduantages as great a warrant as can be that what the Church teacheth is that same which the Apostles and Disciples of Christ dispersed through the whole world had taught before Lastly we are sure that what the Church sayeth is true not only because she is vniuersall but also because she is inuested with all the other motiues that are apt to beget beliefe as santity vnity antiquity c. and so she is credible of herselfe in whatsoeuer she affirmeth LESSON XIII Of the Creed 1. What is the doctrine which the Apostles and Christ his Disciples taught It is chiefly that which is comprised in the Creed 2. Say the Creed 1. I belieue in God the father Allmighty creator of heauen and earth 2. And in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord. 3. Who was conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Marie 4. Suffered vnder Pōtius Pilate was crucified dead and buried 5. Descended into Hell the third day rose againe from the dead 6. Ascended into heauen sitteth at the right hand of God the father Allmighty 7. From thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead 8. I beleeue in the holy Ghost 9. The holy Catholike Church the communion of sanctes 10. Remission of sinnes 11. Resurrection of the flesh 12. Life euerlasting Amen 3. What is the Creed and who made it It is a briefe rule of our christian faith made by the 12. Apostles as a symbole or marke whereby to distinguish and know the true disciples of Iesus Christ from all others of what profession soeuer ARTICLE I. 4. What doth the first Article signifie I belieue in God the father Allmighty creator of heauen and earth It teacheth vs that God the father is the source and first producer of all thinges hauing produced within himselfe the other two persons and out of him selfe all created thinges And this God is omnipotent because he can doe all that he will and hath made of nothing both heauen and earth with whatsoeuer is in them as well Angells as men and the whole vniuersall world and is able to create more and more worlds without end 5. The sonne and the holy Ghost are not they also omnipotent Yes and they created the world with the father but creation and omnipotencie are particularly attributed to the father for they belong to him in a particular manner because he is the first ofspring of all production within himselfe from whence is deriued all creation and being out of him selfe whereas the other two persons haue their production and being from him as from their source and because production of thinges is done by power therefore power also properly belōgeth to him who is the first origine of all thinges produced So wisedome is attributed to the sonne because he is produced by the vnderstanding which is the seate of wisedome and goodnesse to the holy Ghost because he proceedeth by loue which hath goodnesse for its obiect 6. Why do we professe God his omnipotencie in the first article To the end that we may be prepared to beleeue all that which followeth although it surpasse humane force and also to let vs know how he created the world which did require an infinite power in the creator for otherwise he could not haue done it 7. Why do we say I beleeue in God and not I beleeue God or I beleeue a God There is a great difference betwixt beleeuing a God beleeuing God and beleeuing in God The first doth import only I beleeue there is a God and the second I beleeue all that which God reuealeth but the third doth import not only an act of faith but an act of faith and loue together and so the Apostles vsed expressely this kinde of speach I beleeue in God to teach vs that faith is vnprofitable without loue ARTICLE II. 8. DEclare the second Article and in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord. I beleeue also in Iesus Christ who is the sonne of God the Father not by adoption or grace but by nature and the onely begotten of his owne substance in so much that he cannot beget any