I doe owe vnto God for that deliuerance Ma How doest thou know thine owne miserie Scho By the law of God Ma What doth the law of God require of vs Schol That doth our Sauiour teach vs in the 2â— of Matt Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy minde This is the first and greatest commandement and the second is like vnto this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe On these two commandements hangeth the whole law and the prophets Ma. Art thou able to â—â—epe all tehse things perfectly Schol. In no wise for by nature I am prone to the hatred of God and my neighbour Ma Did God then make man so bad and corrupt Schol No truely God created him good and according to his owne Image that is endewed him with true righteousnes and holines that he might rightly know God his Creator loue him with all his heart and liue in blessednes with him for euer Ma From whence then ariseth this corruption of mans nature Schol From the fall and disobedience of our first parents Adam and Eue in Paradice where our nature was so corrupted that we are all conceiued and borne in sinne Ma But are we so corrupt that we are not at all fit to doe well but apt vnto all euill Schol Yea truely vnlesse we be regenerate by the holy Ghost Ma Doth not God then deale Iniuriously with man when he requireth that of him in his law which he is not able to performe Schol Not at all for God so created man that he was able to performe it but man inticed by the diuell by his owne disobedience depriued himselfe and all his posteritie of those gifts of God Ma What then will God let goe this disobedience and backsliding of man without punishment Schol No surely but he is most grieuously angry both with our naturall sinnes and with those sinnes which we our selues do commit and doth punish the same in most iust iudgement both with temporall and Eternall punishments euen as himselfe prenounceth Cursed is euery one who continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the law to do them Ma What is not God mercifull also Schol Yes truely he is mercifull but so also he is iust Therefore his iustice requireth to haue that punished with euerlasting punishment of soule and body whatsoeuer is committed against the maiestie of so soueraigne and almightie a God Ma Seeing then we are by the iust iudgment of God in danger of temporall and euerlasting punishment Is there any way or meanes left whereby we may be deliuered from these punishments and be reconciled to God Schol God will haue his Iustice satisfied wherâ—â—ore we must néedes make satisfaction either by our selues or some other Ma Are we able to satisfie by our selues Schol Not one whit but rather daily do encrease our debt Ma Can any creature in heauen or in earth make satisfaction for vs Schol None at all for first God will not punish any other creature for that sinne that man hath committed Secondly that which is but an onely creature is not able to endure the wrath of God against sinne and to deliuer others from it Ma Then what manner of mediator and deliuerer must we seeke for Schol Such a one as is true man and perfectly iust and yet notwithstanding more mightie then al creatures that is one who is also true God Ma Wherefore must he needs be true man and perfectly iust Schol Because the iustice of God requireth that the same nature of man which sinned should also pay the punishment of sinne but he that were a sinner himselfe could not pay for other men Ma Wherefore ought he also to be true God Schol That by the power of his Godhead he might be able to sustaine the burthen of Gods wrath in his flesh and to recouer and restore vnto vs the righteousnes and life that we had lost Ma But who is that mediator which is both true God and true perfect man Schol Our Lord Iesus Christ who is made vnto vs of God wisedome righteousnes satisfaction and perfect redemption Ma Whereby knowest thou this Schol By the Gospell which God first reuealed in Paradice and afterwards did publish by the Patriarkes and Prophets shadowed out in Sacrifices and Ceremonies and last of all accomplished by his onely begotten sonne Ma Is saluation then restored by Christ to all men that perished in Adam Schol No not to all but onely to those who are ingrafted into him by true faith and do lay hold vpon all his benefites Ma What is true faith Schol It is not onely a knowledge by which I do stedfastly assent vnto all things which God hath reuealed vnto vs in his word but also an assured affiance and trust kindled in my heart by the holy Ghost through the Gospell by which I rest vpon God making sure account that forgiuenes of sinnes euerlasting righteousnes and life is bestowed not onely vpon others but also vpon me and that freely by the mercy of God for the merit and desert of Christ alone Maister What are those things which a Christian man must of necessitie beleeue Schol All those things which are promised vnto vs in the Gospell the sum whereof is briefly comprised in the Apostles Creeds or in the chiefs heads of the Catholike and vndoubted faith of all Christians Maist What is that Creed of the Apostles 1. I beleeue in God the father almightie maker of heauen and earth 2. And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord. 3. Which was conceiued of the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary 4. Suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried descended into Hell 5. Rose againe the third aay from the dead 6. And ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God the father almightie 7. From thence he shall come to Iudge the quicke and the dead 8. I beleeue in the holy Ghost 9. I beleeue the holy Catholike Church the communion of Saints 10. I beleeue the forgiuenes of sinnes 11. The resurrection of the flesh 12. And the life Euerlasting Maist Into how many parts is the Creed diuided Schol Into thrée parts The first is of the euerlasting Father and of our Creation The second is of the Sonne and of our Redemption The third is of the holy Ghost and our Sanctification Maist Seeing there is but one onely substance of God why doest thou name those three the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Schol Because God hath so reuealed himselfe in his word that these thrée distinct persons are one true and euerliuing God Maist What beleeuest thou when thou saist I Beleeue in God the Father Almightie Schol I beléeue the euerlasting Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who created of nothing the heauen and the earth and all things that are therein and doth vphold and gouerne the same by his euerlasting counsell and prouidence to
and is yet there for vs and shall be till he come againe to iudge the quicke and the dead Maist What then is not Christ with vs as he promised vnto the end of the world Schol Christ is true God and true man therefore according to his manhood he is not now vpon earth but according to his Godhead his grace and his spirit is at no time from vs. Maist Are not the two natures of Christ by this meanes pulled asunder if the manhead be not wheresoeuer the God-head is Schol Not a whit for séeing the Godhead cannot be contained in any compasse and is present in all places it followeth necessarily that it is without the nature of man which it hath taken and yet neuertheles is in it also and remaineth personally vnited vnto it Ma What fruit doth Christs ascention into heauen bring vs Schol First that he maketh intercession in heauen vnto his Father for vs. Secondly that we haue our flesh in heauen whereby is a certaine Pledge we may be assured that hoe who is our Head will lift vp vnto him vs that are his members Thirdly that he sendeth vnto vs his Spirite as a Pledge betwéene vs by the working whereof we séeke not things on Earth but things that are aboue where hee sitteth on the Right hand of GOD. Mâ—ist Why is it added Hee sitteth on the Right hand of God Schol Because Christ did therefore ascend into heauen that he might there declare himselfe the head of his Church by which his Father gouerneth all things Mâ—i What doth this glorie of Christ our Head auaile vs Schol First that by the holie Ghost he powreth vppon vs his members heauenly gifts and then that by his power hee doth protect and defend vs against all enemies Maist What comfort doeth Christs comming againe to Iudge the quicke and deade bring thee Scholl That in all miseries and persecutions I lifte vp my head and waite for him who did before stand in my stead before Gods Iudgement seate and did take away all curse from me to come from heauen as a Iudge to throw all his and mine enemies into euerlasting paines and to receiue mee with all the Elect vnto himselfe into heauenly ioyes and euerlasting glorie Maist What belieuest thou of the Holie Ghost Scholl First that hée is true GOD and coeternall with the euerlasting Father the Sonne then that hée is also giuen to me that through Faith hee may make me partaker of Christ and all his benefites may comfort me and abide with me for euer Maist What belieuest thou of the holy Catholike Church of Christâ— Scholl I belieue that the Sonne of God doth by his Spirit and by the Word gather vnto himselfe out of all mankinde from the beginning of the world vnto the ende a congregation chosen vnto euerlasting life agréeing in true Faith and doth maintaine the same and preserue it and that I am a liuely member of that congregation and shall so for euer abide Maist What meaneth the Communion of Saints Schol First that all and euery one of she beléeuers haue fellowship with Christ and all his benefits as being members of him Secondly that euery one who hath receiued gifts ought to imploy them readily and chearefully for the common profit a nd saluation of all Mâ—ist What beleeuest thou concerning forgiuenes of sinnes Schol I beleeue that God for the satisfaction of Christ hath quite put out of his remembrance all my sinnes and euen that corruption also wherewith I must striue all my life long and doth fréely giue vnto me the righteousnes of Christ so that I shall neuer come into iudgement Mâ—â—st What comfort doth the resurrection of the flesh minister vnto thee Schol Not onely that my soule shall straight way after it is departed out of the body be taken vp vnto Christ the head thereof but that this flesh of mine also being raised vp by the power of Christ shall be vnited againe to my soule and shall be made conformable vnto the glorious body of Christ Maist What comfort receiuest thou by the Article of Euerlasting life Schol That because in this present life I feele the beginning of euerlasting ioy in my heart I shall after this life enioy full and perfect blessednes wherein I shall praise God for euer which blessednes neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor any heart of man can conceiue Maist When thou beleeuest all these things what benefit commeth to thee thereby Schol That in Christ I am righteous before God and heire of life Euerlasting Maâ—st How art thou righteous before God Schol By faith alone in Iesus Christ so that although mine owne conscience doe accuse me that I haue most grieuously offended against all the commandements of God and haue not kept any one of them moreouer also that I am prone to all euill yet notwithstanding so that I do embrace these benefits with true affiance of mind without any merit of mine owne of the meere mercy of God the perfect satisfaction righteousnes and holines of Christ is imputed and giuen vnto me as if I had neither committed any sinne neither were there any blot or corruption cleauing vnto me Yea as if I had my selfe perfectly performed that obedience which Christ hath performed for me Maist Why doest thou say that thou art righteous by faith Schol Not because by the worthines of my faith I please God but because the onely satisfaction righteousnes holines of Christ is my righteousnes in the sight of God and I can lay hold vpon and apply the same vnto my selfe by no other meanes but by faith Maist Why cannot our good workes be righteousnes or any part of righteousnes in the sight of God Schol Because that righteousnes which is able to abide the iudgment of God must be most perfect and in all points agreeing with the law of God but our best workes that we do in this life are imperfect and euen defiled with sinnes Maist How sayest thou that our good workes deserue nothing whereas God promiseth that he wil giue vs a reward for them both in this life and in the life to come Schol That reward is giuen not of desert but grace Maist Doth not this doctrine make men secure and prophane Schol No for it cannot be but they who are ingrafted into Christ by faith should bring forth fruits of thankfulnes Maist Seeing then faith alone maketh vs partakers of Christ and all his benefits from whence proceedeth this faith Schol From the holy Ghost who by the preaching of the Gospel doth kindle the same in our hearts and doth confirme it by the vse of the Sacraments Maist What are Sacraments Schol They are holy and visible signes and soules ordained of God to this end that he might thereby more fully declare and seale vnto vs the promise of the Gospell to wit that he doth fréely giue forgiuenes of sinnes and life euerlasting not onely to all in generall but euen to euery one that beléeueth
of him Secondly that his passion and obedience is as certainely ours as if we our selues had paid the punishment of our sinnes and made satisfaction to God Mâ— What difference is there between the Supper of the Lord and the Popish Masse Schol The supper of the Lord doth witneâ— vnto vs that we haue perfect forgiuenes of all our sinnes for that onely sacrifice of Christ which he himselfe once offered vpon the crosse and then that we are by the holy Ghost ingrafted into Christ who now according to his humanitie is onely in heauen at the right hand of his Father and will there be worshipped of vs. But in the Masse it is denied that â—â—e quicke and dead haue forgiuenes of sinnes for the once suffering of Christ vnles Christ be still euery day offered for them by the Priests and then it is taught that Christ is bodily vnder the appearance of bread and wine and therefore ought to be worshipped in them And so the very foundation of the Masse is nothing else but a denying of that onely sacrifice and suffering of Iesus Christ Ma Who ought to come to the supper of the Lord Schol Onely they that are truely sorie that they haue offended God by tâ—eâ—â— sins and do beleeue that they are forgiuen them for Christs sake and that whatsoeuer infirmities they haue they are reuered by his passion and death and who desire more and more to goe forward in faith and vprightnes of life But hypocrites and they that do not truly repent do eate and drinke vnto themselues conâ—emnation Ma May they also be admitted to this supper who declare themselues by their confession and life to be vnbeleeuers and vngodly men Schol In no wise for by that meanes the couenant of God is prophaned aâ—◠〈◊〉 wrath of God prouoked against the whole congregation Wherefore the Church by the commandement of Christ and his Apostles vsing the keyes of the kingdome of heauen ought to keepe backe such from the supper vntill they repent and amend their manners Ma What are the keyes of the kingdome of heauen Sch The preaching of the Gospell and Eclesiasticall discipline whereby heauen is opened to them that beléeue and shut against vnbeléeuers Ma How is the kingdome of heauen opened and shut by the preaching of the Gospell Schol When by the commandement of Christ it is openly preached to all and euery one that beleeuerâ— that all their sins are forgiuen them by God so often as they lay bold vpon the promise of the Gospell by a true faith Contrariwise vnto all vnbeleeuers Hypocrites it is denounced that the wrath of God and euerlasting condemnation lyeth vpon them so long as they continue in their sins According to which testimonie of the Gospell God will iudge aswell in this present life as in the life to come Ma How is the kingdome of heauen shut and opened by Eclesiasticall discipline Schol When by the commandement of Christ they who are in name Christians but in doctrine and life shew themselues strangers from Christ after they haue bene once or twice admonished and will not depart from their errours or sinfull liuing are presented to the Church or to those who are appointed to that office by the Church and if they obey not their admonition are by forbidding them the Sacraments shut out from the assembly of the Church and not receiued againe till they professe amendment Ma Seeing we are deliuered from all sinnes and miseries without any desert of our owne by the only mercy of God for Christs sake to what end should we do good workes Schol Because after that Christ hath redeemed vs by his blood he doth also renew vs with his spirit according to his owne Image to the end that hauing receiued so great benefits we should all our life long shew our selues thankfull towards God and that he might be glorified by vs. Secondly that we also euery one of vs may be assured of our faith by the fruites thereof Lâ—st of all that by the vprightnes of our life we may gaine others to Christ Mâ—i Cannot they then be saued who being vnthankfull and continuing securely in their sinnes are not turned from their wickednes vnto God Schol By no meanes For as the scripture witnesseth neither vncleane persons nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor theeues nor coueteus persons nor Drunkards nor Rulers nor Oppressors shall Inherit the Kingdome of God Mâ—i Of what parts consisteth true Repentance or turning to God Schol Of the mortifying or killing the old man and quickning of the new man Mâ— What is the mortification of the olde man Schol Truely and from the hart to be sorie that by thy sinnes thou hast offended God and more and more to hate and siye from thy sinnes Mai What is the quickning of the new man Schol True reioycing in God through Christ and a forward desire to frame our life according to Gods will and to exercise all good worâ—s Mai What works are good Schol Onely those which are done of a true Faith according to the Law of God and are referred onely to his glorie and not those which are deuised by our selues vpon a good intent or commandement by mens traditions Mai What is the law of God Schol The Lorde spake these wordes saying 1. I am Iehoua thy GOD which brought thee out of the land of Aegipt from the house of bondage thou shalt haue none other Gods but mée 2. Make not to thy selfe any grauen Image nor draw any likenes of those things which are either in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath or in the water vnder the earth thou shalt not fall downe before them nor worship them for I thy Lord and God strong and Iealous auenging the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children and that to the third and fourth generation of them that hate mee and shewing mercie vpon thousands in them that loue me and keepe my commandements 3. Take not the Name of the Lord thy God in vaine for the Lord will not let him goe vnpunished that taketh his Name in vaine 4. Remember to kéepe holie the Saboth day sixe dayes shalt thou labour and doe all thy worke but the seuenth day shall be the Sabaoth of the Lord thy God Thou shalt doe no worke neither thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter nor thy seruant nor thy handmaide nor thy cattell nor the stranger that is within thy gates for in sixe dayes the Lord made the heauen the earth the Sea and all things that are in them and rested the seuenth day therefore the Lorde blessed the seuenth day and hallowed it 5. Honour thy father and thy mother that thou mayest liue long vpon the Land which the Lord thy God shall giue thée 6. Thou shalt not kill 7. Thou shalt not commit Adultery 8. Thou shalt not steale 9. Thou shalt not beare false witnes against thy neighbour 10. Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife nor his
be by the meanes of Christ â—ay God and my father therefore I so trust in him and so repose my selfe vpon him That I doubt not but he will prouide all things necessarie both for my soule and for my body And moreouer also that what soeucr euill he sendeth vpon me in this miserable life he will turne the same vnto my saluation seeing he is both able to do it as being God Almightie and willing to do it as being my mercifull father Maist What is prouidence Schol The Almightie and euerie where present power of God whereby he doth as it were beare vp with his hand and gouerne the heauen and earth with all creatures So that whatsoeuer groweth out of the Earth as also Rayne and drouth Plentie and dearth meate and drinke health and sicknes Riches and pouertie Finally all things that are fall out not rashly or by chance and fortune but by his Fatherly counsell and will Maist What profit haue we by this knowledge of the creation prouidence of God Schol Hereby we are in aduersitie made patient in prosperity thankfull for the time to come we haue a good hope reposed in GOD our most trustie Father knowing assuredly that nothing can drawe vs from his loue séeing all Creatures are so in his power that without his pleasure they are not able not onely not to doo any thing but not so much as to stirre or haue motion Maist Wherefore is the Sonne of GOD called IESVS that is a 〈◊〉 Scholl Because he saueth and deliuereth vs from all sinnes neither ought saluation to be sought for in any other neither can it elsewhere be sound Maist Do they belieue in the onely Sauiour Iesuâ— who seeke for happines from Saints or from themselues or from any thing else Scholl No for although in worde they glorie in him as a Sauiour yet in déede they denie the onely Sauiour Iesus Christ for it must néedes be that either Iesus is not a perfect Sauiour or else that whosoeuer by true Faith imbrace him as a Sauiour they also are possessed of all things in him which are required vnto saluation Maist Wherfore is he called Christ that is Annoynted Scholl Because he is ordained of the Father annointed with the holy Ghost to be the chiefe Prophet and teacher to reueale vnto vs the secret Counsell and will of the Father concerning our Redemption and to be our high and onely Priest to redéeme vs by the onely sacrifice of his owne bodie daily to make intercession vnto the Father for vs and to be the Euerlasting King to gouerne vs by his word and with his spirit and to preserue and maintaine that saluation which he hath purchased for vs. Maist Why art thou called a Christian Scdoll Because by Faith I am a member of Christ Iesus and partaker of his anointing so that I both confesse his Name and present my selfe vnto him a liuely offering of thanksgiuing and in this life with a frée and good conscience fight against sinne Sathan and after this life to possesse with Christ an euerlasting Kingdome ouer all creatures Maist For what cause is Christ called the onely begotten Sonne of God whereas we also are the Sonnes of God Schol Because Christ is the Eternall and naturall Sonne of his Eternall Father but we for his sake by grace are made the Sonnes of the Father by adoption Mai Wherefore doest thou call him our Lord Schol Because he hath redéemed our bodies and soules from sinne not with gold nor with siluer but with his owne pretious blood and hauing deliuered vs from all power of the diuell doth challenge vs properly to belong vnto himselfe Maist What doest thou beleeue when thou saist He was conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary Schol That the very Sonne of God who is and abideth true and euerlasting God did through the working of the holy Ghost take the very true nature of man of the flesh and blood of the Virgin Mary so that he is also the true séede of Dauid like vnto his brethren in all things sinne onely excepted Maist What fruit reapest thou by the holy conception and birth of Christ Schol That he is our Mediator and by his Innocencie and perfect holines doth couer my sinnes wherein I am conceiued and kéepeth them from comming in the sight of God Maist What beleeuest thou when thou saist He suffered Schol That in the whole time of his life which he continued heere vpon earth but especially in the end thereof he sustained both in body and soule the wonderfull paine and griefe of God for the sin of all mankind that by his suffering as by the only sacrifice of reconciliation he might both deliuer our soules from euerlasting condemnation and might also purchase for vs the fauour of God righteousnes and euerlasting life Maist What reason was there why hee suffered vnder Iudgâ— Pilate Schol That he an Innocent being condemned before a ciuill Iudge might set vs frée from the straight iudgment of God which was to fall vpon vs. Maist Is it any more that he was fastned to the crosse then if he had bene put to any other kind of death Schol Yea truly it is more for by this I am sure that he hath taken vpon him the curse which did hang ouer me for the death of the crosse was cursed by God Maist Why was it necessarie that Christ should humble himselfe vnto the death Schol Because the iustice and truth of God could by no other meanes be satisfied for our sinnes but by the death of the Sonne of God Maist Wherefore was he also buried Schol That he might thereby make it knowne that he was truly dead Maist But seeing Christ died for vs why must we also die Schol Our death is not a satisfaction for our sinnes but an vtter destroying of sinne and a passage into euerlasting life Maist What profit receiue we further by the sacrifice and death of Christ Schol That by the power of his death our old man is crucified together with him and is also dead and buried that the euill concupiscences and desires of the flesh may not hereafter raigne in vs but that we may offer our selues vnto him a sacrifice of thanksgiuing Maist Why is this added he descended into Hell Schol That in my greatest sorrowes and most grieuous temptations I may vphold my selfe with this comfort that my L. Iesus Christ hath deliuered me from the anguish and torments of Hell Maist What doeth Christs rising againe profit vs Schol First by his rising againe he hath ouercome death that he might make vs partakers of that righteousnes which he purchased by his death Secondly we also now by the power thereof are raised vp vnto a new life Last of all the rising againe of Christ our head is a pledge vnto vs of our glorious resurrection Mâ—ist How dost thou vnderstand that he ascended into Heauen Schol That in the sight of his Disciples Christ was taken vp from earth to heauen