doth who many times hath in his net a true and liuing Larke indéede but it is onely to deceiue the Larkes and the more easily to catch them in his net So they professe Christ haue his Word and Sacraments among them but it is onely to deceiue simple people and to make a prey of them DIALOGVE 4. C. Doe they teach any other thing conâ—arie to any other Article of the Creed M. Yes diuers things In the Article we professe to beléeue that Christ was conceiued by the holy Ghost and so he and he onely was conceiued without originall sinne They teach that the Virgin Mary was also conceiued without originall sinne and that by this meanes it came to passe that Christ was frée from all spot Concil Trid. Sess 5. cap. 1. de peccato originali And so héerein they doe altogether ouerthrowe this Article of Christs conception by the holy Ghost to whose onely power the Scripture doth impute Christs holines not to the Virgin Mary which was no lesse then all others conceiued and borne in sinne and did néede Christ to be her Mediatour aswell as the rest of mankinde There was a long time a foule stirre in the Church of Rome betwéene the Dominicans and the Franciscans about this point Acts and Monuments page 732. It was the common opinion of Fathers and Writers vntill Lumbards time which was about the yéere 1150 that shée was conceiued in Originall sinne Perkins 2. Vol. 596. In the 4. Article we professe that Christ suffered c. by which he hath made a full and perfect satisfaction for the sinnes of his elect and for the whole punishment thereof both eternall and temporall The Popists teach that Christ hath satisfied for sinnes going before Baptisme but concerning sinnes following Baptisme the fault is remitted by the passion of Christ and the punishment which of infinite is made finite is to bee satisfied for by men themselues eyther heere or in Purgatorie that is men themselues must satisfie the iustice of God for the temporall punishment of their offences eyther on earth or in Purgatorie There is say they a certaine infernall place in the earth called Purgatorie in the which as in a prison-house the soules which were not fully purged in this life are there clensed and purged by fire before they can be receiued into heauen Bellar. de Purgat lib. 1. cap. 1. and cap. 3. lib. 2. cap. 6. Rhem. on 1 Cor 3. Sect. 4. They say also that it is an Article of faith to beléeue that there is a Purgatorie and that he which beliues it not is sure to go to Hell Bellarm. ibid. lib. 1. cap. 15. But this is so farre from béeing an Article of faith as that it is a méere fable and contrary to an Article of faith The bloud of Christ is the Purgatorie of our sinnes 1. Iohn 1.7 Afflictions are called the fiery triall 1 Pet. 1.7 4.12 whereby we are clensed from our corruption as gold is from the drosse by fire No other Purgatorie is to bee found in the Scriptures The Scriptures mention but two sorts of men beléeuers and vnbeléeuers and but two places after this for them heauen for the one and hell for the other Luke 16.25 26. Iohn 3.36 Reuel 20.14 15.21.7 8. They that die in the Lord rest from their labours which cannot bee true if any of them goe to Purgatorie Their workes follow them that is the reward of their workes Reuel 14.13 If any man should haue gone to Purgatorie then the thiefe vpon the Crosse had gone thither who repenting at his end wanted time to make satisfaction for the temporall punishment of his sinnes but Christ said to him To day shalt thou be with mée in Paradise The doctrine of Purgatorie came into the Church out of the heathen writers for the Philosophers and Poets were the first that euer wrote of it Popish Purgatorie was vnknowne to the Fathers many hundred yéeres after Christ Perkins 2. Vol. 568.569 C. If Purgatorie be but a fable contrary to an Article of faith then what is the cause that the Church of Rome so stifly maintaines it M. There is great cause why they should so do for it kéepes in the fire in the Popes Kitchin for if the fire of Purgatorie were not great the fire in the Popes Kitchin would bee but small for by this meanes they haue store of money for Pardons Masses Diriges and other such like trumperies DIALOGVE 5. C. Doe they teach any thing else contrary to the Creed M. Yes The sirth Article saith that Christ ascended into heauen c. and the Scriptures say that the heauens must containe him c. Acts. 1.11.3.21 They teach contrary héereunto namely that Christ is corporally present in the Sacrament and that in many places at once The which is contrary to the nature of a true body and contrary to the nature of the Sacrament which is a remembrance of Christ Vigilius against Eutyches lib. 4. saith thus When it that is the flesh of Christ was on earth it was not in heauen and because it is now in heauen it is not on earth This is the Catholike faith and confession It is an Article of faith to beléeue the Catholike Church and faith is the euidence of things not séene Heb. 11 1. Therfore the Catholike Church is alwaies vnto the world inuisible and not to be espied but by the eyes of faith because things seene are not beléeued The Papists teach that the Catholike Church is and hath but alwaies visible Rhem. on Mat. 5. Sect. 3. The Church is said to be Catholike that is vniuersall because it is not tyed to any one speciall place but is spred abroad ouer the face of the earth They tie it to Rome alone which can be but a particular Church and not vniuersall In the Church there is a Communion of Saints and these are they that are sanctified by the blond and Spirit of Christ hauing the perfect holines of Christ put vpon them by imputation of faith and the quality of imperfect holines powred into their heart by the Spirit of sanctification And such are the faithfull heere on earth 1. Cor. 1.2 Psal 16.2 The Papists acknowledge none to be Saints but such as are in heauen They teach that the Pope can canonize Saints whereas to make one a Saint is onely the work of God 1. Cor. 11. The Pope hath canonized many that indéede were neuer true Saints of God but wicked men and rank Traitors to their Princes as Becket with many others This canonizing of Saints was neuer heard of with the Fathers vntill the yéere 880. and then Adrian took vp this authority And Alexâder the Third after him confirmed it in his decrées In the Créed we professe to beléeue the forgiuenes of sinnes that is I beléeue that God for Christs sake doth fréely forgiue the sinnes of his elect and my sinnes also And héerein consisteth our iustification namely in the frée forgiuenes of our sinnes and the
merit of the person is as they say a dignitie in the person whereby it is worthy of life euerlasting The merit of the worke is a dignity or excellencie in the work whereby it is made fit inabled to deserue life euerlasting for the doer of the worke See Rhem. on Rom. 8. Sect. 5. We now do renounce our owne personall merits and all merit of our owne workes and rely onely vpon the merits of Christ and wee hold that no workes of ours can merit That no man by any workes of his can merit may bee proued by the properties and conditions that must be in a worke meritorious and they are fiue First the worke must be absolutely perfect but all our workes are vnperfect aswell in parts as in degrées of accomplishment In parts because we omit many things which the Law prescribeth and doe many euill things which the Law prohibiteth In degrees because the workes of the Saints are vncleane Esay 64.6 Phil. 3.8 Secondly a man must doe the worke of himselfe and by himselfe for if it bee done by the hélpe of another the merit doth not properly belong to the dooer But the good workes which we doe are not ours but are wrought by God in vs. Thirdly a man must doe the worke of his owne free will and pleasure not of due debt for when we doe that which we are bound to doe we doe no more but our duty But whatsoeuer we doe we doe it as poore debters nay we are worse then poore debters wee are miserable bankrupts wee haue nothing wee haue lesse then nothing to pay Luke 17.10 Fourthly the worke must bée done to the benefit and profit of him from whom we looke to be repayed But no man by any worke of his can bring any profit vnto God Iob 22.2.35.7 Psal 16.2.50.12 Wée may benefit men but wée cannot benefit our Maker from whome wee haue receiued life and limbe soule and body and all that we haue wee can giue him nothing and therefore can deserue nothing from him Ro. 11.35 36. Lastly the worke and the reward must be in proportion equall for if the reward be more then the worke it is not then a reward of desert but a gift of good will But there is no proportion betweene our workes which are altogether vnperfect and the excellencie of those great blessings and benefits which the Father giueth vs freely in his Sonne Rom. 8.18 And therefore in this and the former respects there can bee no merit in any meere man wherefore it is no lesse absurd to say that wee merit saluation at Gods hands by good workes then if one should say Thou hast giuen mee an hundred pounds therefore thou oughtest to giue mee a thousand C. Was not this doctrine of merit taught in the times of ancient Fathers M. Merit being taken in his proper sense for due and iust desert was neuer allowed of the sound Professours for a thousand yeeres after Christ Perkins first Vol. 574 575. second Vol. 535 536 Such therefore as will be iustified and saued by their owne workes and challenge eternall life by their merits do shew themselues to be most proud and vnthankfull persons and deserue most iustly to bee condemned eternally C. The Papists at their end doe renounce their owne merits and professe that they look to be saued only by the merits of Christ M. If there were nothing else but this it were enough to proue their doctrine of merit to be a false doctrine for if it were a truth then a man is not only in his life time to professe it and maintaine it but also in his death yea rather to dye for it then to deny it But séeing they in their life professe it and maintaine it but at their death renounce it it is a manifest argument that euen they themselues do know that it is not a true but a false doctrine C. If they know that it is not a truth what makes them then in their life time so stifly to maintaine it M. It serues greatly to maintaine and vphold the Popes kingdome for they teach that the ouer-plus of Christs merits and of the merits of Saints and Martyrs is the treasure of the Church which being gathered together and put into a store-chest is in the Popes custodie and he alone hath the plenary opening and shutting of this Chest and the ordering and disposing of these merits by vertue whereof he giues out Indulgences and Pardons when and to whom he will So that such as haue not merits enow of their owne may haue them from thence And so héereby he maintaines and vpholds his kingdome for heerby comes in infinite wealth and reuenewes Perkins 3. vol. 1. part page 165.2 D. 2. vol. 590. 2. a. In these and many other particular points the Papists teach contrary to the Articles of the Créed and therefore are no true Catholikes neither doe they belong to the Catholike Church as is thus proued Whosoeuer haue not the Catholike faith doe not belong to the Catholike Church but the Papists haue not the Catholike faith therefore they do not belong to the Catholike Church That they haue not the Catholike faith is plaine by that aforegoing DIALOGVE 6. C. Doe they teach any thing contrary to the doctrine of the Sacraments M. Yes many things Christ ordained but onely two Sacraments The Church of Rome hath added to them fiue more namely Confirmation Penance Matrimonie Orders and ertreme Vnction C. Are not these Sacraments indeede M. No surely for there are foure things necessarily required to make a Sacrament First the authority of Christ commanding it Secondly the element or outward signe as the matter of it Thirdly the word of institution as the forme Fourthly the end and vse to bee a scale of our faith for remission of sinnes These foure things are not to be found in their fiue latter Sacraments and therefore they are no Sacraments indéede Master Attersoll on the Sacraments page 119. to 150. Synopsis Papis Controu 14 15 16. C. May not the Church then institute and ordaine Sacraments M. None may ordain a Sacrament but only the Lord. As none may put a signe and seale to a mans last will and Testament but onely the maker of the Testament so none may ordaine Sacraments which are signes and seales of the new Testament and couenant of grace but onely the Lord which made the couenant And therefore the Church of Rome in doing the contrary proues her selfe not to be the true Church of Christ but rather the Church of Antichrist They doe also in many other things teach contrary to the doctrine of the Sacraments As First that the Sacraments doe giue grace and namely remission of sinnes ex opere operato by the worke wrought Rhem. Acts. 22. Sect. 1. Secondly that not onely faith doth iustifie but the Sacraments also Rhem. Rom. 6. Sect. 5. Whereas Sacraments me signes and seales of iustification Rom. 4.11 Thirdly that Infants dying without Baptisme cannot bee saued
Mat. 25.41 condemnation 77. Q. How is all that which Christ hath done made profitable to vs Iohn 5.29 A. By the inward and secret working of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12.13 Q. In what Article is this expressed A. In the eightth Article I beléeue in the holy Ghost Q. VVhat is the holy Ghost A. The third person in the Trinity very a Acts 5 4â— 3 4 true God equall with the Father and the Sonne and b Ioh. 14 26 15.26 procéeding from them both Q. What is the office of the holy Ghost A. To a Iohn 14.26.16.3 teach b Ioh. 3.5 1. Cor. 6.11 regenerate and sanctifie vs and to c 1 Ioh. 4.13 vnite vs with Christ 88. Q. Who are they which by the holy Ghost are sanctified gathered vnto Christ and made one with him A. The holy Catholike Church Q. What is the Catholike Church A. A a 1 Pet. 2.9 peculiar company of people b 1 The. 5.8 chosen of God to life euerlasting and c Eph. 5.30 Colos 1 made one with Christ Q. Why is the Church called holy A. Because by Christ it is made holy Ephes 5.26 27 Q. What signifieth Catholike A. Vniuersall Q. Why is it so called A. Because at all times in all places and of all sorts of people God hath some that are his Q. What are the speciall workes of the Church A. A sincere profession of the true a Acts 2.42 doctrine of the Word of God obedience to the doctrine and the right vse of the b Mat. 28.19 20 Sacraments Q. What do you then meane when you say The Catholike Church A. I beléeue there is a Catholike Church that is there are some that are chosen of God to life euerlasting and made one with Christ and that I am one of the number of them Q. What are the benefits belonging to the Church A. Foure especially Q. What is the first A. The Communion of Saints 1 Ioh. 1.3 â— Q. Who are those Saints A. All the faithfull as well in earth as in heauen Psal 16.3 Rom. 1.7 Q. What is meant by Communion A. A knitting together in one a societie and fellowship that one hath with another 1. Ioh. 1.7 Q. What is meant then by the Communion of Saints A. The spirituall fellowship which the faithfull haue with Christ 1. Ioh. 1.3 and all his benefits by faith Q. What else A. The society which the faithfull haue among themselues by loue which makes all their gifts touching the vse common to euery one Acts 4.32 Q. What is the second benefit A. The forgiuenes of sinnes Q. What do you meane when you say these words A. I beléeue that a Heb 8.12 God for b Ephes 1.7 Christs sake doth fréely forgiue the sinnes of the faithfull yea and my sinnes also Q. VVhat is the third and fourth benefit A. The resurrection of the body and the life euerlasting Q. What doe you professe to beleeue heerein A. That the bodies of the faithfull shal be raised vp by Christ in the last day and ioyned to their soules 1. Thess 4.14 16 17 Phil. 3.21 Mat. 25.46 and that both in body and soule they shall liue for euer with Christ in heauen 98. Q. What is required of vs that we may indeede be partakers of Christ and his benefits A. A true and liuely faith in Christ Ioh. 3.36 Acts 16.31 Q. What is this faith A. A speciall a Phil. 1.29 gift of God whereby we doe b Gal. 3.14 apprehend and apply Christ with all his benefits to our c Ioh. 20.28 Gal. 2.20 selues particularly Q. Who doth work this faith in vs A. The holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12 3.9 Q. By what means workes he it A. By the hearing of the Word of God preached Rom. 10.17 Q. Are we then saued by this our faith A. Yes by faith onely Rom. 3.28 Q. Why are we said to be saued by faith onely A. Because by faith onely we lay hold on Christ and apply Christ withall his merits to our selues and because nothing in vs can doe this but onely our faith The second part of the Catechisme Quest. 104. IF we be saued by faith onely then wherefore do the Sacraments serue A. They were ordained by Christ for the strengthening of our faith Q. What is a Sacrament A. An outward and visible signe and seale of an inward and spirituall grace Gen. 17.11 Rom. 4.11 Q. How many Sacraments bee there A. Two 1. Cor. 10.1 2 3 Baptisme and the Lords Supper Q. What is Baptisme A. A signe and seale of our receiuing into the Church and grafting into the body of Christ Gal. 3.27 Q. What is the outward signe in Baptisme A. Water Ioh. 1.38 Q. What is the inward grace A. The bloud and Spirit of Christ Marke 1.8 Q. What is signified by the sprinkling or washing with Water A. The a Reuel 1.5 washing away of our sins by the bloud of Christ and our newe b Titus 3.5 birth by the holy Ghost Q. Are Infants to be baptized A. Yes because the conenant and promise of God Gen. 17.7 Acts. 2.39 is made to the faithfull and to their séed also Q. Are such Infants as die without Baptisme damned A. God forbid It is not the want but the contempt of the Sacrament that bringeth death Q. VVhat is required of vs after Baptisme A. Truly to a Mark 16.16 beléeue in Christ to b Rom 6.4 by to sin and to rise vp to newnes of life Q. VVhat is the Lords Supper A. It is a signe and seale of the spirituall nourishing of our soules to eternall life 1 Cor. 10.16 Ioh. 6.54 by the body and bloud of Christ Q. What are the outward signes A. Bread and Wine 1. Cor. 11.23 Q. What are the things signified thereby A. The body and bloud of Christ 1 Cor. 11.24 25 Q. Are the Bread and Wine turned into the body and bloud of Christ A. No they remaine still Bread and Wine 1. Cor. 11.26 27 28 for take away the outward signe and then it is no Sacrament Q. Why so A. Because in euery Sacrament there must bée both an outward signe and an inward grace Q. Doth the Bread and Wine then in the Sacrament differ nothing from common Bread and Wine A. Yes not in nature and substance 1 Sam. 21.4 1 Cor. 10.16 but in the end and vse thereof Q. How is the Bread and Wine receiued A. After an outward and bodilie manner by the hand and mouth Q. How is the bodie and bloud of Christ reâ—eiued A. After an inward and spirituall manner by a true and liuely faith Joh. 6.35 â—â— Q. If it bee done by faith then wherefore doe wee receiue the Sacrament A. For a continuall thankfull remembrance of Christs death 1. Cor. 11.24 25 26 and the benefits me receiue thereby and for the