the kingdome of heauen reuealed in Christ the second Adam the Lord from heauen and by him purchased and prepared vnto all the elect So that naturall moralists are here rewarded with outward blessings so Gods children are here afflicted but their reward is in heauen Q. It should seeme then that the estate we haue in and by Christ is infinitely better then that which we lost in Adam A. Yes certainly and that in regard of many more priuiledges and prerogatiues then haue vet béen mentioned for by this we are partakers of the diuine nature made one mysticall body of Christ vnited to him our head made the adopted Sonnes of God coheires with Christ hauing the holy angels appointed for our guardians which Adam had not till after the fall he beléeued in Christ. Psal. 91. 11. Heb. 1. 6. 14. Againe we haue in Christ such a kind of sanctification and holinesse as Adam neuer had for Adams righteousnesse was a created righteousnesse connaturall vnto him but ours is a righteousnesse and holinesse that fioweth from Christ our head as beames from that sunne and as streames from that fountaine into all his mysticall members yea they are the graces of Christ glorified so as they are of a glorified nature as 2. Cor. 3. 18. Rom. 6. 4 5. 1. Cor. 15. 45 46 47 48 49. Q. How is the couenant of grace sealed vnto vs A. By foure seales first by the seale of the holy Ghost 2 Cor. 1. 20 21 22. and Eph. 1. 13. and 4. 30. Secondly by the seale of faith Ioh. 3. 33. and 1. Ioh. 5. 10. Thirdly by the two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper Q. How proue you the Sacraments to be seales A. Rom. 4. 11. Circumcision was a seale of Abrahams faith and of the Couenant of grace which God made with him Q. But doe not the Sacraments of the new Testament differ from those of the old A. They differ not in regard of their diuine institution end and vse all of them pointing out Christ vnto vs in his death whereby the Couenant of grace was ratified onely circumcision and the Paschall Lambe poynted out Christ to come and Baptisme and the Lords Supper point him out already come as the Lambe slaine Q. What other argument haue you to prooue all the Sacraments as well those of the Old Testament as those of the New to be seales of the Couenant of grace A. This that all of them as types or signes point vnto Christs death wherein the Couenant is ratified Q. How may a Sacrament be defined or what is a Sacrament A. A Sacrament is a sacred action of Christs institution wherein the visible elements sanctisied by the Word doe not onely signifie and represent to the outward senses but also instrumentally conney and seale to the faith of the receiuer that holy inuisible grace whereof it is a signe and seale Q. How proue you this definition of a Sacrament And first how proue you a Sacrament to be an action A. By these reasons 1. Because it is no longer a sacrament then it is in the action 2. Because the force and efficacy of the sacrament consists in the action rightly performed Q. How proue you this in the Sacraments A. Thus circumcision is an action the cutting off the foreskin The slaying and eating of the Passeouer is all in action so baptizing an action so of the Lords Supper the whole celebration of it is action as consecrating giuing receiuing eating drinking al is action Do this in remembrance of me Q. What vse make you hereof A. Hereby I learne that that is no sacrament which is idly gazed vpon or reserued in a box or carryed about in solemne pomp to be adored for Christ but is very Idol Q. Why call you the Sacrament an action sacred A. In regard of the parties conuersant about the sacrament who are all sacred Q. Who are they A. The minister of the Gospel the communicants the holy Ghost working in and by them Q. What is the action of the minister about the sacrament of the Lords Supper A. To sanctifie or consecrate the elements by the Word of God prayer to a sacramentall or holy vse 2. He is to eate and drinke the Lords Supper 3. He is to distribute the consecrated bread and wine vnto the people the communicants Q. What doth the Ministers action in consecrating the elements and distributing of them to the people signifie A. His consecrating of the elements signifieth Christs consecrating of himselfe for vs his distributing of them to euery Communicant signifieth Christ giueth himselfe to euery true beleeuer Q. What is the action of the holy Ghost about the Sacrament A. To seale inwardly to the beléeuing soule of the communicant the merits and vertue of Christs death Q. What is the action of the Communicants in the Lords Supper A. Twofold 1. Outward with the hand of the body to take eate drinke 2. Inward with the hand of the soule to wit faith to receiue and spiritually to faéd vpon the body and bloud of Christ. And with these two is ioyned the action of prayer and thanksgiuing in the very act of receiuing Q. How is the minister sacred or holy A. By his ministeriall calling as he ought also to be holy in his conuersation Q. What if he be profane in his life A. Yet that hinders not but tha the may administer the Sacrament sith his calling is holy Q. How is the Communicant sacred or holy A. Not onely by his common calling as he is a Christian whereby he hath a right to the outward ordinance but specially by his holy faith and life being a liuing member of Christ by which he hath an interest to Christ himselfe in the ordinances Q. May none of these three agents the holy Ghost the Minister the Communicants be wanting to make vp the full Sacrament A. No sir The minister may not communicate alone without the people communicating with him and the element is of no efficacy without the holy Ghost do apply the inward grace which he doth to euery beléeuer Q. You say a Sacrament is instituted of Christ why so may not the Church instiuute a Sacrament A. No onely Christ is the authour of a Sacrament for these reasons 1. because he is the authour of saluation and therefore he onely may appoint the meanes as the Word Sacraments secondly because Christ only can make the Sacraments effectuall by his spirit thirdly because his heauenly wisedome knew best how and wherof to institute the sacramentall signes or elements Q. But may not the Church dispense with the Sacraments as by altering of them by adding or taking away A. No in no case for it brings that curse Reuel 22. 18. 19. Deut. 4. 2. 12. 32. Pro. 30. 6. Q. May not the cup be taken away in the Lords Supper A. No for it is the communion of the bloud of Christ. Q. Is not the bloud of Christ contained in his body which is represented vnder the
formes of bread and is not the cup then superfluous A. Neither is Christs body carnally vnder the formes of bread nor is the bread sufficient alone to represent Christs death without the cup which powred out doth represent the shedding of Christs bloud for vs as the bread broken doth the breaking of his body And Christs ordinance must in no sort be broken Q. But doth not the bread wine after the words of consecration cease to be bread and wine their substance being changed or transubstantiated into the very body and bloud of Christ nothing but the colour and sauour of the elements remaining A. The bread and wine being consecrated by the word prayer receiue a change indéed in regard of their vse being now sacred which before were common but not in regard of their substance which remaineth one and the same still Q. But is it not said of the bread This is my body and of the wine This is my bloud And are not Christs words true A. Yes Christs words are true and because they are true therefore the substance of the bread is not changed into the substance of Christs body and so of the wine Q. But is not God omnipotent Cannot he change the substance of bread into the substance of Christs body A. God is omnipotent and therefore he cannot lye But such a change must néeds import and imply a lye for 1. Christs body is in heauen and therefore cannot be in earth and in many places at the same instant 2. Christs body was made of the substance of the Uirgin and therefore not of the substance of a peece of bread Q. Why doth Christ say then This is my body A. He saith no otherwise of this Sacrament then he doth of all the rest both of the old Testament and of the New For so circumcision is called the Couenant being but a signe and seale of it as Gen. 17. 10 11. The Paschall Lambe is called the Passeouer Exod. 12. 11. though it were but the sacrifice and memoriall of the Passeouer v. 27. So baptisme is called regeneration Tit. 3. 5. though it be but a signe and seale of it And thus the Sacramentall bread is called Christs body so that this is the constant language of the holy Ghost in all the sacraments both of the old and new Testament to call the signes by the name of the thing signified that we might not be deceiued in the meaning of the holy Ghosts words Q. But are the Sacramentalll elements bare signes Doe they not worke grace effectually of themselues A. They neither worke grace effectually of themselues nor are they bare signes but these signes are called by the name of the thing signified to signifie that they are meanes ordained of Christ to confirme to the faithfull receiuer the thing signified not of themselues but by vertue of Christs institution where the conditions of faith and repentance be obserued Q. What then is euery man to doe before he come to the Lords Table A. He must examine himselfe 1. Cor. 11. 28. Q. Wherein is a man to examine himselfe A. In two things 1. touching his knowledge of the Sacrament 2. touching his knowledge of himselfe Q. What is a man to know touching the Sacrament of the Lords Supper A. He must be able to discerne the Lords body 1 Cor. 11. 29. Q. How is that Lords body discerned A. By two things 1. by the outward elements of bread and wine as they are consecrated to an â—oly vse which must not be receiued as â—â—â—â—mon bread and wine secondly by the analogy or proportion which they beare to Christs body Q. What analogy or proportion do the consecrated bread and wine hold with Christs body and bloud being receiued by the faith of the Communicant A. A twofold proportion one in respect of the benefits of Christs body and bloud to euery faithfull receiuer signified by the benefits which the body receiueth by the bread wine the other proportion in respect of the communion of Christs mysticall body signified by the nature of the bread wine Q. What be the benefits which the body receiueth by the bread and wine A. These Nourishment strength and comfort bread strengthening and wine comforting mans heart and so becomming one with our body Q. What doe these signifie A. That Christs death receiued and applyed by faith in the Sacrament doth strengthen our faith and comfort our consciences in the pardon of our sinnes and so nourisheth vs to eternall life Christ becomming one mysticall body with vs by faith liuing in vs. Gal. 2 20. Q. What is the other proportion which the bread and wine doe beare of Christs body A. They beare a proportion of the communion of his mysticall body Q. What call you Christs mysticall body A. The whole company of the faithfull elect vnited in one mysticall body of Christ. Q. Wherein stands their communion A. In two things in the vnion of euery true beléeuer to Christ the head 2. In a communion with the members among themselues all ioyned to that one Head Q. How is euery member vnited to Christ the Head A. By the holy Ghost and by a holy faith 1. Cor. 12. 12 13. Gal. 2. 20. Q. How are all the mysticall members of Christ vnited in a communion together as of one body A. By charity and by the vnity of the spirit Eph. 4. 2 3 4 5 6. Q. How doth the Sacramentall bread and wine signifie or represent this communion of Christs mysticall members in one body A. As one and the same bread is made of many graines and one and the same mysticall body of Christ is made vp of many members euen all the faithfull whereof consists the holy Catholike Church the Communion of Saints Q. What vse make you of this knowledge concerning the sacramentall signes A. It leades me to the examination of a second knowledge namely concerning my selfe before I come to communicate at the Lords Table Q. What are you chiefly to examine concerning your selfe before you come to the Communion A. Two things especially my faith and my charity Q. Why these two especially A. Because by hauing faith and charity I come to discerne the Lords body while by faith I am vnited to Christ my Head and by charity to the mysticall body of Christ the communion of Saints Q. How is your faith to be examined A. By the nature of sauing faith and by the fruits of it Q. You shewed me before the nature of sauing and iustifying faith which you must examine in your selfe whether it be truely in you or no according to that of the Apostle 2. Cor. 13. 5. Tell me therefore what be the speciall fruits and signes of sauing faith A. They are especially two to wit repentance and charity Q. What is true repentance A. It is a godly sorrow causing repentance vnto saluation not to be repented of 2. Cor. 7. 10. Q. Why is it called a godly sorrow A. Because it is a
not vnto them but vnto God represented by them A. No for we are forbidden to make any image or picture of God at all much lesse are we to worship God in or by it Deut. 4. 15 16. Q. True God forbad them to make no similitude of him because they saw no forme of God in the mount But may we not make the picture of Christ and so pray before it or a crucifixe A. No in no wise for to make such a picture were to make a lie because a false representation for first no man now for 16. hundred years almost euer saw Christs body as he was before his death And secondly no mortall eye can behold his face in heauen which passeth the brightnes of the sun And thirdly though we had the true picture of his body yet it is not lawfull to pray before it as hauing no warrant in Scripture for it but against it as in the second commandement Q. But may we not pray for our friends departed A. No it is vaine because all that die goe immediately either to heauen or to hell When Dauids child was dead he ceased praying for it saying Wherefore should I fast or pray any longer And there is no example nor rule in Scripture for praying for men departed so as it is against our faith in Gods word Q. But is there not a third and middle place namely Purgatory where souls must be purged before they come into heauen into which no vncleane thing can enter A. Purgatory is a méere deuice of mans braine to pick fools purses who must pay swéetly for so many masses for their friends soules And it is a blasphemous doctrine destroying the blood of Christ which alone doth purge euery true beléeuer from all his sins 1 Ioh. 1. 7. It leaues neither spot nor wrinkle nor any such thing Eph. 5. 27. And for Purgatory it is not so much as once named in all the Scripture as heauen and hell are And if purgatory or any materiall fire could purge away sinne as it neuer can then Christs blood was spilt needlesly and in vaine And it is against nature for a materiall fire to work vpon a spirituall substance as mans soule is Q. Is faith in Christ then sufficient to carry a man straight to heauen A. Yes surely for so Christ saith Ioh. 5. 24. Q. But no man is saued out of the Church which is then the true Church of Christ visible A. That Church whose faith is guided by the onely rule of Gods Word and hath the due administration of the Sacraments Q. Cannot that be a true Church of of Christ visible which denyeth the Scriptures to be the onely rule of faith A. It cannot Because the onely rule to know the true Church by is the Scripture Secondly because humane Traditions being against the Word of God and yet added to it as an equal rule of faith and of equall authority quite razeth the foundation of faith Because such Traditions destroy the Scriptures and in vaine do such worship to God teaching for doctrines the commandements of men Mar. 7. 7. And will worship separates from Christ. Col. 2. 19 23. Q. But is not that a true yea and the onely true Church of Christ on earth visible which hath one visible head as the Pope A. No. Such is neither the onely true Church no nor yet a true member of the true Church of Christ visible on earth Q. Why so A. Because such a visible Head must needs be the great Antichrist who vsurpes that title and office which is proper to Christ alone for such a one as the Pope saith in effect I am Christ because hee takes vpon him all the offices and prerogatiues of Christ ouer his Church He vsurpes Christs Kingly office challenging subiection of all men great and small vnder paine of damnation Secondly hee vsurpes Christs propheticall office challenging a freedome from and an impossibility of erring a power to determine all matters of faith Thirdly the Pope vsurpeth Christs Priestly office in challēging a plenary power to pardon sinnes and in setting vp a breaden Christ in the masse to be a propitiatory sacrifice for quick and dead And thus be is that Antichrist spoken of 2. Thes. 2. who sheweth himselfe that he is God Q. What becomes then of that body which cleaues to such a head A. He is so powerfull in all deceiueablenes of vnrighteousnes and hypocrisie that those doe perish who trust vnto him such as are possessed with a strong delusion to beléeue lies that they all might be damned who beléeued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse 2 Thes. 2. Q. But is not that the onely true Church of Christ visible which only can shew a visible vninterrupted succession of Bishops sitting in Peters chaire euer since the Apostles times Is not this visibility of succession an infallible mark of the true Church of Christ visible A. No surely for first for Peters chaire that 's but made of cunning net work to inclose and catch the silly fish And if euer Peter had béene Bishop of Rome what is Peters chaire without Peters faith and doctrine They haue quite destroyed Peters doctrine 2 Pet. 5. 2. who said féed the flocke of God c. taking the ouer sight of it not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind neither as being Lords ouer Gods heritage but being ensamples to the flocke But the Pope and his Clergy doe quite contrary Secondly visible succession of Bishops is no true mark of a true Church of Christ vnlesse it can shew a true succession of doctrine from the Apostles writings For may not errours and heresies créepe vpon the same particular visible Church and so in time insensibly like a gangrene eate into the very heart of it and so leaue it nothing but the very carcasse of a Church as it hath done with the Church of Rome Thirdly the succession of Romish Bishops hath had many interruptions so as the chaire hath béene empty for many yéeres together the body wanting a head or els hauing sometimes two sometimes thrée heads at once while thrée Popes were at once Once a woman Pope made the interruption And so many hereticall Popes so many Simoniacall so many exercising diabolicall artes haue made a fearfull interruption neuer to be made vp againe Q. But how can the Protestant Churches proue themselues true Churches while they cannot shew an vninterrupted line of succession of such and such Doctours as haue from age to age conueyed the Doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles downe to our very times A. This is as friuolous as it would be a tedious taske It sufficeth vs that we can shew our faith to be euidently grounded vpon doctrine of the Apostles and so we are sure wee succéede them in their doctrine and faith though perhaps wée cannot punctually and particularly number vp all those Doctours by whom we haue receiued it from hand to hand It sufficeth