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
and that for the onely sacrifice of Christ offered vpon the crosse Maist What then do both these aswell the word as the Sacraments tend to that end to leade our faith vnto the sacrifice of Christ offered vpon the crosse as to the onely foundation of our saluation Schol Yea truly for the holy Ghost teacheth by the Gospell and confirmeth by the Sacraments that all our saluation standeth in the only sacrifice of Christ offered vpon the crosse Maist How many Sacraments hath Christ ordained in the new Couenant Schol Baptisme and the holy Supper Maist How art thou put in minde and confirmed in Baptisme that thou art partaker of that holy Sacrifice of Christ Schol Because Christ hath commaunded the outward washing with Water adding this promise that I shall no lesse assuredly be washed by his blood and by his spirit from the spots of my soule that is from all my sinnes then I am outwardly washed with Water wherewith the spottes of the bodie vse to be washed away Mai What is it to bee washed by the blood and Spirit of Christ Schol It is to receiue at the handes of God forgiuenesse of sinnes fréely for the blood of Christ which he hath shed for vs in his sacrifice vpon the crosse and next to be renued also by the spirit of Christ and being sanctified by him to become a member of Christ to the ende we may more and more dye vnto sinne and liue holy without blame Mai Where doth Christ promise that he will as certainly wash vs with his blood and with his spirit as we are washed with the water of Baptisme Schol In the Institution of Baptisme the wordes whereof are these Goe and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost he that beléeueth and is baptized shall be saued he that belieueth not shal be condemned This promise is repeated when the Scripture calleth baptisme the washing of the New birth and the washing away of sinnes Mâ—i Is then Baptisme the washing away of sinnes Schol. No. For the onely blood of Christ and the holie Ghost doth clense vs from all sinne Mâ—i Why then doth the holy Ghost call Baptisme the washing of Regeneration and the washing away of sinnes Schol God doth not without great cause so speake not onely to teach vs that as the spottes of the bodie are cleansed by water is our sinnes are purged by the Blood and Spirit of Christ but much more that by his heauenly Token and pledge hee may assure vs that wee are as truly washed inwardly from our sinnes as we are washed with outward and visible water Mai Ought Infants also to be baptised Schol Yea truely for seeing they belong to the Couenant and Church of God as well as those that be at yeares of discretion And séeing vnto them is promised by the Blood of Christ forgiuenes of sinnes and the holie Ghost the worker of faith no lesse then to the other they ought also by baptisme to be iâ—grafted into the Church of God and to be discerned from the chuldren of Infidells as they were in the olde Testament by Circumcision in place whereof was ordained Baptisme in the newe Testament Mâ—i How art thou put in minde and assured in the Supper of the Lorde that thou art partaker of that onely sacrifice of Christ offered vpon the Crosse and of all his benefites Schol Because Christ hath commaunded me and all the faithfull to eate of this Bread being broken and to drinke of this Cuppe being diuided amongst vs in remembrance of him and hath added this promise first that his bodie was no lesse offered and broken for me vpon the Crosse and his blood for mee shed then with mine eyes I sée the bread is broken vnto me and the cuppe reached vnto me Secondly that my soule is no lesse assuredly fed vnto euerlasting life by him with his bodie that was crucified and his blood that was shed for vs then I doe with my bodily mouth receiue bread and wine the tokens of the bodie and blood of the Lord beeing deliuered vnto me by the hands of the minister Maist What is it to eate the Bodie of Christ Crucified and to drinke his Blood that was shed Scholl It is not onely with certaine affiance of minde to lay holde of the whole Passion and death of Christ and thereby to obtaine forgiuenes of sinnes and life euerlasting but also by the Spirit of Christ which dwelleth at one time both in Christ and in vs in such sort more and more to be vnited to his holie bodie that although hée be in Heauen and we vpon Earth yet notwithstanding wee are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone and as all the members of the bodie are gouerned and quickened by one soule so are we all by one and the same spirit Mâ—i Where hath Christ promised that hee will as certainely giue vnto the belieuers his Bodie and his Blood in this manner to be eaten and drunke as they doe eate this Bread being broken and drinke this Cuppe Schol In the institution of the Supper the words wherof are these Our Lord Iesus Christ the same night he was betrayed tooke bread and when he had giuen thankes he brake it and said Take eate this is my body which is broken for you this do ye in remembrance of me Likewise after supper he tooke the cup saying This cup is the new TestameÌ„t in my blood this do as often as you drinke it in remembrance of me For as often as ye eate this bread and drinke this cup ye shew the Lords death till he come This promise is repeated by Paul when he saith The cup of thanksgiuing wherewith we giue thanks Is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we breake Is it not the Communion of the Lords body Because we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of one bread Maist What then are bread and wine made the very body and blood of Christ Scholl No truely but after the nature of Sacraments the manner of spéech which the holie Ghost vseth in speaking these things the bread is called the bodie of Christ Maist Why then doth Christ call the bread his body and the cup his blood or the new Testament in his blood and Paul calleth the bread and wine the Communion of the body and blood of Christ Schol Christ not without great cause so speaketh to wit not onely to teach vs that as bread and wine sustaineth the life of the body so also his body crucified and his blood shed is indeed the meate and drinke of our soule whereby it may be nourished vnto â—ife euerlasting But much more by this visible signe and pledge to assure vs that we are no lesse truly made partakers of his body and blood by the working of the holy Ghost then we do with the mouth of the body receiue these holy signes in remembrance
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
great comfort of my body I most entirely beséech thee O most mercifull father to shew the like kindnes towards me this day in preseruing my body and soule that as mine enemies may haue no power ouer me so I likewise may neither thinke breathe speake or doe any thing that may be displeasant to thy fatherly goodnesse dangerous to my selfe or hurtfull to my neighbour but that all my enterprises may be agréeable to thy most blessed will which is alway good and godly doing that that may aduance thy glorie answere to my vocation and profite of my neighbour whom I ought to loue as my selfe that whensoeuer thou callest me from this vale of miserie I may be found the childe not of darknes but of light and so for euer raigne with thée in glorie which art the true and euerlasting light to whom with thy dearely beloued Sonne Iesus Christ our alone Sauiour and the holy Ghost that most swéete comforter be all honour and glorie Amen ¶ A prayer for the night O Lord God and my heauenly father for as much as by thy diuine ordinance the night approacheth and darkenes beginneth to ouerwhelme the earth and time requireth that we giue our selues to bodily rest and quietnes I render vnto thee most hartie thanks for thy louing kindnesse which hast vouchsafed to preserue me this day from the danger of mine enemies to giue me my health to féede me and to send me all things necessarie for the comfort of this my poore néedie life I most humbly beseech thée for Iesu Christs sake that thou wilt mercifully forgiue me all that I haue this day committed against thy Fatherly goodnes either in word deede or thought and that thou wilt vouchsafe to shadowe me this night vnder the comfortable wings of thy almightie power and defend me from Sathan and from all his craftie assaults that neither he nor any of his ministers haue power ouer either my body or my soule but that although my body through thy benefite enioyeth swéet and pleasant sléepe yet my soule may continually watch vnto thée thinke of thée delight in thée and euermore praise thée that when the ioyfull light of the day returneth according to thy godly appointment I may rise againe with a faithfull soule and vndefiled body and so afterward behaue my selfe all the time of my life according to thy blessed will and commandement by costing away the workes of darknesse and putting on the armour of light that men séeing my good workes may thereby be prouoked to glorifie thée our heauenly Father which with thy onely begotten Sonne Iesu Christ our alone Sauiour and the holy Ghost thy most sweet comforter liuest and raignest one true and euerlasting God world without ende Amen A prayer to be said for all such as lye at the poynt of death O Most louing Sauiour and gentle redeemer which camest into this world to call sinners vnto repentance and to seeke that which was lost thou seest in what case this our brother lyeth here visited with thy mercifull hand all weake feeble sicke and readie to yeeld vp his soule into thy holy hands O looke vpon him most gentle Sauiour with thy mercifull eye pittie him and be fauourable vnto him He is thy workemanship despise not therefore the worke of thine owne hands Thou sufferedst thy blessed bodie and thy precious blood to be shed for his sinnes and to bring him vnto the glorie of thy heauenly Father let it not therefore come to passe that thou shouldest suffer so great paines for him in vaine He was baptised in thy name and gaue himselfe wholy to be thy seruant forsaking the Diuell the World and the Flesh confesse him therefore before thy heauenly Father and his blessed Angels to be thy seruant His sinnes we confesse to be great for who is able to say my heart is cleane and I am free from sinne but thy mercies O Lord are much greater and thou camest not to call the righteous but sinners vnto repentance To them that are diseased and ouerladen with the burden of sinne doest thou promise ease Thou art that God which willest not the death of a sinner but rather that he should turne and liue Thou art that Sauiour which willest all men to be saued to come to the knowledge of thy truth Withdrawe not therefore thy mercie from him because of his sinnes but rather laie vpon him thy sauing health that thou mayest shew thy selfe towards him to be a Sauiour What greater praise can there be to a Phisition then to heale the sicke Neither can there be a greater glorie to thee being a Sauiour then to saue sinners Saue him therefore O Lord for thy names sake Againe let the Law be no corsiue to his conscience but rather giue him grace euen in this extreame agony and conflict of death to be fully perswaded that thou by thy death hast taken away all his sinnes fulfilled the Lawe for him and by this meanes deliuered him from the curse of the Law and payed his ransome that he thus being fully perswaded may haue a quiet heart a free conscience and a glad will to forsake this wretched world and to goe vnto his Lord GOD. Moreouer thou hast conquered him that had rule ouer death euen Sathan Suffer him not therfore to exercise his tyrannie vpon this our sicke brother nor to disquiet his conscience with the terrors of sinne and paines of Hel. Let not Sathan nor his infernal armie tempt him further then he is able to beare but euermore giue him grace euen vnto his last breath valiantly to fight against the diuell with a strong faith in thy pretious blood that he may fight a good fight and finish his course with ioy vnto the glorie of thy name and the health of his soule O Lord so worke in him by thy holy spirit that he with all his heart may contemne and despise all worldly things and set his minde wholy vpon heauenly things hoping for them with a strong and vndoubted faith Againe let it not grieue him O sweet Sauiour to be losened from this vile and wretched carcasse which is now so full of sorrowe trouble and anguish sicknesse and paine but rather let him haue a bent and readie will through thy goodnesse to put it off yea and that with this faith that he at the last day shall receiue it againe in a much better state then it is now or euer was from the day of his birth euen as a body vncorruptible immortall and like to thy glorious body Let his whole heart and minde be set onely vpon thee Let the remembrance of the ioyes of heauen bee so seruent in his brest that he may both patiently and thankfully take his death and euer wish to bee with thee in glorie And when the time commeth that he shall giue ouer to nature and depart from this miserable world◠vouchsafe we most humbly beseech thee O Lord Iesu to take his soule into thy hands and to place it among the glorions companie of thy holie Angels and blessed Saints and to keepe it vnto that ioyfull day of the generall Resurrection that both his body and soule through thine Almightie power being knitie againe together at that day hee may for euer and euer enioy that glorious kingdome and sing perpetuall praises to thy blessed Name Amen A Grace before meate WEe beseethe thee O heauenly Father to blesse vs and these thy meates and drinkes that we shall receiue from thée and make vs thankfull for all thy heauenly Creatures which wée daily receiue from thée through Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Amen A Grace after meate FOr this thy bountifull goodnes in féeding vs at this time wée hartily thanke thee O most mercifull Father desiring thée so to feede our Soules likewise with that meate and drinke which perisheth not but abideth in Euerlasting life that we being fed both in bodie and soule at thy mercifull hands may alwayes doe that which is acceptable in thy sight through Iesus Christ Amen Grace before meate HEauenly Father graunt that our bodies being fed with these thy Creatures wee may serue thée in feare and reioyce before thée with trembling and in all things stand in awe of thy Maiestie lest thou be angrie and wee perish For the feare of the Lorde is the beginning of wisedome and blessed are they that walke therein through Iesus Christ our onely Lorde and Sauiour Amen Grace after meate FOr that wée haue receiued at thy hands O God thy most holie and euerlasting Name be blessed and praised from this time foorth and for euermore Amen