as certainely washed from your sinnes Original being an infant and actuall if you had beene of yeeres by the holy Ghost and the Blood of Christ as you were rinsed outwardly in body by this Element of Water Marke then these vses of Baptisme 1. It assures vs wee are washed from our sinnes by the Holy Ghost and the Blood of Christ 2. It keeps vs from despaire because it assures vs our sinnes are washed away 3. It keepes vs from sinne for it is a shame for one washed to soile himselfe againe 4. It giues an entrance into the Church 5. It hath a visible signe Water Grace inuisible Forgiuenesse of sinnes by the blood of Christ VII THe Lords Supper is a distribution of Bread and Wine which seales signes and exhibits or giues vnto you Christs true Body offered and his true Blood poured out vpon the Crosse for your sinnes as certainely as the Priests exhibite vnto your hands the Bread and the Wine And withall the Supper assures your heart that Christs Body and Blood nourish your soule to perpetual life as surely as Bread and Wine doth nourish your body to the offices of this temporall life Marke then the vses of this Sacrament of the Supper 1. It assures you of all the benefit that is to be expected from the Bodie and blood of Christ 2. It puts you continually in minde that Christ dyed for you 3. It strengthens and ascertaines your faith if it be receiued worthily And therefore you must not neglect twice in the yeere at the least to approch with all reuerence this heauenly Table VIII THat this Sacrament may be receiued worthily you must examin your selfe before the receiuing Pray vnto God for Faith in the receiuing and take heed of grosse and premeditated sinnes after the receiuing of this Sacrament IX BEfore the receiuing you must examine foure things 1. You must examin your knowledge 1. Whether you know how you ought to liue To this end read ouer the 10. Commandements 2. Whether you know how to beleeue Read ouer attentiuely your Creed 3. Whether you know how to Pray Say ouer aduisedly the Lords Prayer Without this little knowledge at the least you are not fit to Receiue 2. You must examine your faith Whether you are assured in your heart that Christ hath fully satisfied for your sins and perfectly reconciled you vnto God not others only but your selfe also Without this assurance in some measure you may not receiue 3. You must examine your Repentance 1. Whether you are sory for your sinnes 2. Whether you hate sinne 3. Whether you resolue to indeauour to sinne no more Without this Repentance you cannot receiue worthily 4. You must examine your Charitie 1. Whether you forgiue all the world 2. Whether you are free from malice and hatred When you haue examined these foure points you may receiue worthily X. NOw your faith in Christ which you haue gotten in Gods Church being thus hatched by the holy Ghost in your heart brought foorth by your hearing cherished by your reading of the word sealed by your Baptism and strongly confirmed and strengthened by your partaking of the blessed Sacrament of the Supper must be continually maintained and preserued by these two meanes Prayer vnto God him only And Good works or holines of life And this is the summe of all your notes which I recommend vnto you for this time 1. Saluation is only by faith in Christ 2. Faith onely in Gods Church 3. Where by the Word read or heard Faith is nourished 4. By the Sacrament of Baptisme assured 5. By the Sacrament of the Supper ratified and confirmed 6. By Prayer and Good workes for euer established A Prayer after the reading of these few Notes O Lord God that I may be partaker of thy couenant of Grace make me a beleeuing member of thy Church send thy holy Spirit into my heart to beget there a confidence and full assurance of the remission of all my sinnes in Christ Iesus let this assurance bee still nourished with my hearing and reading of the Word let it be sealed vnto mee by my Baptisme confirmed by the Sacrament of the Supper and fully established by my seruing of thee in Prayer and Good workes to the glory of thy Name and the endlesse comfort and saluation of mine owne soule through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ A SHORT CATECHISME concerning Faith and good Workes to be read and meditated vpon once euery weeke at the least which may be well called The Catechisme of the Conscience Question WHy hath GOD made me a reasonable Creature and not as well hee might of a meaner kinde Answ That with your whole heart that is with your will and vnderstanding you might serue him and loue him which creatures only indued with reason can doe Q. How is God principally serued and loued of mee A. By your faith and good workes which God commaunds you in his Word And these good workes of yours are twofold Prayers to God Charitie to men Q. What is Faith A. A full beliefe assurance and perswasion of your heart whereby you are vnmoueably resolued of these three points 1. That there is one onely God one Essence three Persons The Father who created you Sonne who redeemed you Holy Ghost who sanctified you 2. That God the Sonne came into the world to doe all that was to bee performed and to suffer all that was to be endured by you for your sinnes actuall and originall And hereby obtained for you perfect forgiuenesse of all your sinnes and hath bestowed vpon you his owne perfect righteousnesse by the meanes whereof you stand iust and guiltlesse before the throne of God 3. That God hath prompted with his holy Spirit the Pen-men of the Scriptures to teach you all this faith and beleefe as also all the course of his worship And that euery thing contained in these Scriptures is true Q. Why doeth God so much require of mee Faith and beleefe A. Because without beleeuing in him you cannot loue him nor reuerence him As if you did not beleeue your father to be your father you would not loue him or reuerence him as your father Q. How is this Faith first wrought A. By your hearing of Gods word and vsing those two Sacraments appointed by Christ in his Church Baptisme and the Lordes Supper And withall by praying continually vnto God and doing of good workes Q. How shall I know that I beginne to haue Faith A. If you finde in your selfe these alterations 1. If you finde that you haue gotten more knowledge of God and of Religion are glad therof 2. If you doe desire more then you did to haue the Sonne of God to become your Sauiour and to stand betwixt you and Gods wrath for the sinnes you haue committed against God 3. If you take more delight then you did in Reading and hearing the Word of God Receiuing the Sacrament 4. If you finde doubtings in your minde and can pray vnto God to strengthen your
Father 3 August de ciuit Dei l. 8. cap. 27. The better sort of Christians did not so And we hold it very idle to 4 Plin. Secâ—â— l. 4. ep 8. propose for our imitation any other then the best and most absolute patterne Pap. You do also speake basely of the blessed virgin and compare her to your owne wiues and such baggages Prot. A rayling Frenchman doth charge Melancthon with such a comparison Florim Remond en son Histoir ex Hom. Mel. in euang de incarnat but that booke or passage hee cites is not to bee found among the workes of that most learned and modest writer Howeuer our Church hath neuer a * Rogers in art 22. Saint Ruffyn as yours hath to heale all frenzies and madnesses and we count no better of those desperate speeches that any one shall vomit against the glorious virgin Yet I thinke your men abuse her farre more * Leo 10. ep ad Bemb 17. one calling her a Goddesse another * Rosar Mar. the Goddesse of the sea which is the title of Venus Making of Mary the euer Virgin a meere * in Petr. Arbit Quartilla that could neuer remember she was a Virgin In euery deed you all abuse her For * Polan synt l. 3. c. 24. as one wel obserues when you say your Aue Maries you pray for her But wee hold as to pray for her to be most * Aug. serm 17. de verb. Ap. iniurious so to pray to her to be most * Epiph. l. 3. aduers haeres vnlawfull and superstitious Pap. Also you neuer vse to pray for the dead although the Auncients did so Prot. Wee dare not indeed For if they bee in Heauen * P. Lomb. 4 sent distinct 45. we shall wrong them if in Hell we cannot helpe them and Purgatory * Roffens contra art Luther art 18. your owne men confesse was neuer heard of amongst the Auncients Now for those prayers for the dead in the old Liturgies they were conceiued if you marke them for men dying Caessand prec eccles and passing not dead already and so they are still vsed in the Church of England and most diligently deuourly in the Collegiate Church of Westminster But to stretch and extend these * Vide epist Vratislau apud Scultet Annal. dec 1. pa. 152. Collects to men stone-dead and past their particular iudgements was a pretty proiect of the Monkes and Friars and they were very wel payd for their wit and inuention as you shall finde when you shall haue occasion to purchase a Masse for any of your kindred departed Pap. Nay say you nothing of the Masse for out of malice and derogation from the Sacrifice therin offered you haue bred in the people such a sleight opinion of the Blessed Sacrament as they make of it but a bare signe or a token or a figure or I cannot tell what And dare not conceiue Christ to be there for feare of imprisonment or the high Commission Prot. Wee doe indeed acknowledge no oblation in the blessed Sacrament but a * See common praier booke liuely commemoration of that oblation of Christ which he offered vpon the Crosse for our redemption Nor any Sacrifice at all but that Sacrifice of Collects prayers and thankesgiuing which the Church powres out vnto God at the receiuing of the Sacrament And these commemorations and collects are the reason why the Supper of the Lord was termed by the Auncients a Sacrifice an Oblation the Eucharist the Hoast c. But the reuerence due to this great Sacrament is as obseruable as the maner of Christs presence therein is vnexpressable The names of a figure a signe a type and the like wee keepe to expound the words onely but not as though they were keyes to open and vnfolde the maner of the mysterie The speech is to be expounded figuratiuely because * Schoolemen in 4. sent This and Christs body before the pronuntiation of the last syllable of the wordes are disparats and of a contrary nature But Christ is present there for the matter a Aug. confess apud Cassand consult art 10. substantially b Caluin in 1. Cor. 11.21 truely c Melan. in ep ad Palat. Granguellam really nay most truely d Fortunatus Caluinista apud Greg. de Valent. l. 1. de praesen Christi in Euchar. c. 7. dist Istius and most really and more truely and more really then the bread and the wine but for the maner ineffably and vnexpressably And this is that Caluinisticall doctrine you so much cauill at and deride 1 Wee honour the Saints with Ecclesiasticall obseruation but not with a Spirituall adoration 2 The ancient Fathers made Orations but no Orisons vnto them 3 The blessed Virgin is more abused by Papists who make her To giue sucke to a Priest Vincent Spec. hâ—st l. 7. 84. Mend Thomas a Beckets old hose Cantip. lib. 2. c. 29.12 Heale a scabd head Caes l. 7. c. 25. Clippe a Monke Id. l. 7. c. 51. Kisse another Id. l. 7 c. 33. Sing to a third Id. l. 7. c. 22. Lie betweene man and wife Vincent lib. 7. c. 8. Supplie a Nunnes place that was gone to a Bawdy house Caesar lib. 7. cap. 35. Bring an Abbesse to bed gotten with childe by her Seruing-man Vincent Spec. hist lib. 7. cap. 87. 4 Wee are ready to bury but not to adore reliques 5 We pray for men departing as the Fathers did not for the departed as the Friars did 6 Christ is in the Sacrament really for the matter ineffably for the maner CHAP. 5. Some idle personall exceptions Prot. HAue you any other points of our Religion that you stumble at Pap. These are the main points of your religion questioned But some aspersâ—ons more are cast vpon the persons of your Ministers As that they lie wilfullie and against their knowledge in points of Diuinity and are thus zealous in the cause out of a desire onely to preserue their great estates in the Church wheras our Priests haue no other worldlie comfort but the goodnesse of their cause and the testimonies of their consciences Prot. Let your common discretion be your iudge in this case whether wee that ground our doctrines vpon the word of God interpreted by those ten rules I formerly set downe or these men that put all to the determination of the Church that is to their own proper phantasies and the grosse exposition of an vnlearned Pope are most likely to gull the world with crotchets and Chimaeras Besides you know how full this kingdome is of men well read as in all sciences so especially in Diuinity You know and yet none knowes it so well as they that best know him the profound learning and deepe apprehension of the King himself as hauing perfectly digested the very body and bulke of all sacred knowledge And is this a stage for ignorance imposture to play their parts on Or doeth this
neither be deceiued nor deceiue vs. For the King and the Royall Issue I Humbly beseech thee G. Cass Almighty God to preuent with all blessings of goodnesse our King and his Royall issue Increase vpon them day by day all thy fauours vanquish with thy mighty hand all open enemies and priuie Conspirators who oppugne their religion life diademe or dignitie Crowne each of them with all vertues these vertues with long liues and their liues at the last with eternall glory Amen For Charitie or the workes of Mercie August Meditat. O Lord of mercie and compassion I beseech thee by the tender bowels of thy Sonne Christ Iesus to mooue my stonie heart to the workes of mercie that I may keepe my howers of prayers mourne with them that mourne counsell them that are amisse helpe them that are in miserie releeue the poore comfort the sorrowfull helpe the oppressed forgiue them that trespasse against me pray for them that hate mee requite good for euil despise no man or woman reuerence my betters respect my equals be humble and courteous to my inferiors imitate those that are good shunne those that are bad embrace vertue eschew vice Be patient in aduersitie modest in prosperitie thankfull in either Keepe a watch ouer my tongue Scorne this world and thirst after heauen Amen For the receiuing of the B. Sacrament O Lord Iesus Christ the onely begotten Sonne of God G. Cass thorough whom onely is granted forgiuenesse of sinnes and life euerlasting who diddest iustifie the Publican when he confessed the woman of Chanaan when shee prayed Peter when hee repented and the thiefe vpon the Crosse when hee called vpon thee grant vnto me a most miserable and wretched sinner pardon and forgiuenesse of all my transgressions which I most humbly confesse I haue committed against thee that I may receiue this Communion of thy body and blood not to my iudgement and condemnation but to my euerlasting comfort and saluation who liuest and raignest with the Father and the holy Ghost one God world without end Amen Meditation When you haue newly receiued O Lord encrease my faith O Lord G. Cass let the body and blood of Christ be fixed in my soule to my comfort in this life and eternall saluation in the life to come Amen For that day you expect to heare a Sermon or when you reade vpon your Bible G. Cass ALlmighty and euerlasting God whose Word is a lanterne to our feete and a light vnto our pathes open and enlighten my vnderstanding that I may learne the mysteries of thy Word so farre foorth as is necessary to my saluation purely and syncerely and bee so transfigured in my life and conuersation vnto that which I shall learne as to please thee in will and deede through Iesus Christ my Lord and onely Sauiour Amen For sicknesse and all other vses you haue excellent Prayers in the Booke of Common prayers PRINCIPLES Few Notes for the priuate vse of my L. M. B. A Prayer to be said vpon your knees before the reading ouer of these Notes ALmightie God the Fountaine of true Wisedome and knowledge send thy holy Spirit into my heart that I may sufficiently vnderstand and stedfastly beleeue all the doctrines necessary to my Saluation and adde such practise and obedience to this Faith thorough the whole course of my life and conuersation as I may so serue thee in thy kingdome of Grace that hereafter I may be made partaker of thy kingdom of Glory through the onely merit and mediation of thy deare Sonne and my deare Sauiour Iesus Christ. Amen I. MAn sithence his fall in Adam hath no hope of saluation but by the Couenant of Grace betwixt God and Man Whereby God promiseth vnto man Mercie and Forgiuenesse of Sinnes and man vnto God true Faith in Christ and holines of life and conuersation II. ALl men haue not interest in this Couenant of Grace but they onely that are of Gods Church Now the Church of God is Any Company or Congregation of men wheresoeuer liuing called by God through the sound of the Gospel vnto the Faith of Christ and distinguished from other Societies by these fiue Marks especially 1. hearing and reading the Word 2. Faith thereunto 3. the vse of the Sacraments 4. Prayer and 5. Sanctity of life Where these fiue things are there is euer a Church of God and sufficient means of saluation III. THe Word must be read often vpon your Bible with modesty and short desires of the heart vnto God to giue you grace to vnderstand it to beleeue it and to practise it It must bee heard vpon all conuenient occasions especially in those two houres of the Sabbath day appointed by the Church and the State for that Diuine worship and then you must obserue foure Rules 1 Obserue the Preacher with attention modestie 2. Secondly apply vnto your selfe in particular the Doctrines and Vses which are deliuered in generall 3. Examine your conscience if you be guilty of the sinnes there reproued and presently call to God for grace to amend them 4. Thinke vpon these things againe when you come to your Chamber IIII. THis outward hearing and reading of the Word together with the inward working of the holy Ghost in your heart doeth beget a true liuely and sauing faith which is A certaine knowledge and assurance of the heart that all is true which God hath spoken or promised in the Scripture and that you rest wholly and confidently vpon God that he hath granted vnto your selfe in particular forgiuenes of sinnes and true righteousnesse in Christ Iesus This is the maine point you are seriously to meditate vpon and therefore obserue these precepts 1. If you doe not beleeue or if you doe doubt of any thing in Scripture presently pray vnto God to strengthen and enlighten you 2. If you doubt whether you may haue any particular interest in those generall promises of grace in Christ propounded in the Gospel fall againe to your prayers for an increase of Faith 3. If you doubt and yet can finde in your heart to pray for more faith Let your conscience neuer bee troubled with such a doubting 4. Marke well when the Creed is in reading and giue an assent with your heart to euery Article And as I doubt not you haue learned it so keepe it still in memorie V. NOw as this faith of remission of sinnes and righteousnesse in Christ is wrought in vs by the reading and hearing of the Word ioyned with Prayer so is it signed and sealed in our hearts by the two Blessed Sacraments Baptisme The Lords Supper Obserue in either Sacrament two parts A visible signe Water in Baptisme Bread Wine in the Supper An inuisible grace Remission of sinnes in Baptisme The benefite of Christs passion in the Supper VI. BAptisme is the first Sacrament of the new Testament to wit An outward washing of Water appointed by Christ in his Church with this promise that vpon your being Baptized you were