Q. All men are not able to doe this you speake of A. The more shame for them that they will be fathers before they can do that which is the duetie of fathers and the more heauie iudgement tarryeth for them for casting away and spilling the soules of their children Q. What is required at the handes of the wife to her husband A. It is the dutie of the wife to bee in subiection to shew all obedience and reuerence and loue vnto her head and that with a meeke and quiet spirite y. Ephe. 5.22 23. 1. Pet 3.1.2.3.4 Q. What is the part of the husband vnto his wife A. The husband ought to loue cherish his wife z. Ephe. 5.25 And because she is the weaker and subiect to infirmities hee is to put away all bitternesse and tyrannicall roughnesse and to guide her with wisedome and discretion to couer her infirmities and to heale them and for suche knowledge as shee wanteth hee is to instruct her Q. Howe if the husbande bee an vngodly and a frowarde man and not meete to bee an head to gouerne being rather like a mad bedlim then a discrete guide A. The wife is to doe her dutie notwithstanding for why did shee make suche a choyce when shee shoulde haue been most carefull to marry in the Lorde And shee is to bee the more heedefull that by her godly and chaste conuersation ioyned with meekenesse her husbande may bee wonne from his naughtie life Likewise the man which is coupled with an euill wife is to vse all godly meanes and discretion to draw her to the Lord. Q. What owe the seruants vnto their masters A. The seruants ought to loue reuerence and obey their masters to doe their worke faithfully both in sight and out of sight a. C. 3.3.22.23 To see nothing goe to wracke nor to spoyle any thing nor to pilferre But to shewe all faithfulnesse and diligence Q. What must the masters doe vnto their seruants A. They are bounde in duetie before God not only to deale kindly and louingly and to doe them no wronge neither by defrauding nor oppressing them b. Ephe. 6.9 but also to instruct and teach them the true knoweledge of God Q. What proofe can you shewe that masters are bounde to teach their seruants A. There can be no reason shewed against it for when it is plaine by the scriptures that euery man is bound in conscience to admonish and instruct his neighbour whē hee goeth astray c. Heb. 3.13 Who can doubt but that a man is much more bound to doe it to those that are vnder his charge and of his own familie Q. What doe you thinke of those men which doe not this A. Howesoeuer they take themselues it is manifest that they haue not so muche as the shewe of Christianitie nor of any godly minde For can those bee good whiche suffer their family whiche shoulde bee a little Churche to bee so full of wickednesse as roysting swearing rayling lying quarrelling and all other filthinesse that is euen a little hell and neuer goe about to examine and instruct them in any goodnes So that they haue their woork wel done in the weeke day they care not where they become vppon the Sabboth day They neuer examine them how they profit by the worde Q. What is the duetie of subiectes to their Prince A. The Subiecte is to loue honour and obey the Prince d. 1. Pet. 2.17 and because he is defended both in his life and possessions by the Prince hee is to be ready with his body and goodes to defende his Prince and with a ready cheerefull mind to pay tribute and such like e. Ma. 17.24.25 Rom. 13.6 Q. What is required of Princes and gouernours A. It is their duetie for to seeke the benefit of their subiects to cherish and maintaine the good and to punish euil doers And this must bee by such lawes for temporall matters as be equall and for spiritual matters as do maintaine sound religion Q. The subiecte is to obeye the Prince and the childe his father Is this obedience to be shewed in all thinges A. They are to obey them in the Lord and not further for if they commaund that that God forbiddeth wee must obey God rather f. Act. 5.29 4.19 If the Prince should set vp false religion the people must not receiue it If the Father would match his Sonne with a wicked woman or his Daughter with an euill man voyde of true religion they are to refuse beecause they are commaunded to marry onely in the Lord g. Deu. 7.2.3.4 1. Cor. 7.39 Q. What are the people bound to shewe vnto their Pastors A. They are bounde to esteeme them as the Messengers of the Lorde of hosts h. Mal. 2.7 and disposers of Gods graces i. 1. Cor. 4.1 they ought to submitte themselues vnto them to bee taught and guyded and to obeye them in the doctrince whiche they teache And to followe theyr steppes k. He. 13.7.17 They muste also prouide things necessarye for their sustentation l. 1 Tim. 5.17 Q. And what must they doe to their flockes A. They are most straightly bound to watch ouer the flocke and to feede them m. Ioh. 21.15 16.17 1. Pet. 5.2 to open vnto them all the counsels of God and to doe it faythfully n. 1. Act. 20.27 Pet. 5.2 They must also be patterns and examples in al goodly conuersation o. 1. Pet. 5.3 For if they fayle in eyther of these they bee not true Shepheardes but Woolues and Hyrelinges Q. What must be the behauiour of youth to the aged A. They must honour and reuerence the gray heade p. Leui. 19.32 Q. What must they shewe vnto the younger sorte A. As they be aboue them in yeeres so must they excell in knowledge wisdome sobrietie and staydnesse q. Tit. 2.2 so that their very countenaunce must bee as a brydle vnto the lustes of youth that they maye bee ashamed to bee wanton and lyght in theyr presence And there is no greater shame then to see olde persons foolishe ignoraunt vaine giuen to boyishe trickes and lightnesse which spoyleth them of all reuerence and causeth them to bee condemned Q. The promyse seemeth to haue little force in it for if wee consider the miseries and daungers of this life wee will easilye confesse it to be farre better to bee out of the worlde A. Longe lyfe in it selfe is not suche a blessinge for to the vngodlye it is a greeuous curse beecause it had beene farre better for him to haue dyed in his cradle But yet it is a great blessing when GOD giueth it as a token and pledge of his fauour and when a man is so guided in it that it is to the increase and heaping vp of his euerlasting glory Q. The next commaundement forbiddeth to commit murther A. This precepte is of great waight for the sheddinge of mans bloud is a thinge
all be saued by Christ A. All that beleeue in him shal be saued b Ioh. 3.15 those whiche doe not beleeue in him are alreadye condemned because they beleeue not the testimony which God giueth of his sonn c Iohn 3.18 Q. What doe the names signifie in our tongue A. Iesus is a Sauiour and Christe is annoynted For he alone doth saue vs from our sinnes and hee is our annoynted king Prophet and Priest Q. Is euery one which confesseth that Iesus Christe is come in the flesh of god A. Euery one which doth rightly confesse him is of God And S. Iohn saieth that euery spirite which confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God d. 1. Iohn 4.2 Q. Then it doth seeme that euerye man which dooth beleeue that Iesus is Christ is of God and shall be saued A. This needeth exposition where S. Iohn saith that euerye spirite which confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh it is the doctrine which he calleth the spirit not the men for that doctrine which doth set forth Christ is of god although the man which vttereth it should be a reprobate And where he speaketh of the men and saith that euery one which beleueth that Iesus is the Christ is borne of God e 1. Iohn 5.1 He speaketh of a far other thing then a bare opinion Q. Doe yee then confesse that the doctrine of the Papistes is of God for they confesse Iesus Christ A. So farre as the doctrine of the Papistes or any other do confesse Iesus Christ so farre it is of God But the matter doth not consist in the bare titles or names for if a manne denye anye thing eyther in the personne or offyce of Christe hee denyeth Christe For it is but a vaine thing to confesse in woordes and to denye the effect and trueth of the matter And therefore besides others the Papistes also as moste wicked and rancke Heretikes doe denye Christe Q Sehw how both others and they denie Christ A. Some as concerning his person haue denyed him to be GOD and some haue denyed him to bee manne The Papistes confessing the trueth in these haue yet committed sacriledge and spoyled him in his office For hee beeing our great Prophet which hath perfectly reuealed the will of his Father f. Heb. 1.1 yet they take authoritie ouer his word and say it dependeth vpon thē They chaleng power to disanull what they will and to make lawes which they say are of as high authoritie as his He is our Lord and king which hath power to saue and destroy they ascribe the same to the Pope He is our Prieste which offred him selfe a Sacrifice to God to cleanse our sinnes and is our onely Mediatour to make intercession for vs. They spoyle him of all this when they ascribe the purginge of sinnes to the blood of Martyres and to other thinges Also when wee are bidde to come boldly vnto the throne of grace because he is there our high Prieste they pray to Saintes and Aungels and so deny him to be a mercifull high Priest Q. Then you confesse Iesus Christe our Lord the onely sonne of God to be the whole and perfect sauiour Is it then of necessitie that we confesse him to bee both God and man A. If hee were not God he could not haue beene able to saue vs If hee were not man we could not come nigh him to laye holde of lyfe For eternall lyfe by the Godhead is in the Manhood of Christ and from the manhood of Christ it is conueighed into vs. Q. Why is it mentioned that he was conceaued by the holy ghost A. This is to shewe that hee was brought forth a pure man without sinne For although the Virgin Marye was a sinner yet he tooke flesh of her without al spotte or infection of sinne Not beeing begotten of her by the naturall generation but conceaued by the holy Ghoste who from the very moment of her conception did sanctifie his humane nature Q. Was it requisite that he should be without sinne A. How could the most glorious godhead be cupled with sinnefull fleshe to make one person How coulde a sinner bee accepted to make the attonement and to be the sacrifice to purge sinne Fynallye howe could hee be the sanctifier of others g. Heb. 2 11. 10.9.10 vnlesse he had beene moste pure and holye For all the whole lumpe of manne-kynde beeinge wholye infected and defiled with sinne hee tooke one portion thereof and did perfectlye sanctifie it and out of it doth conueye and spread perfecte holynes vpon his whole Church Q. Did Christe then take our fleshe A. Hee tooke our fleshe or else wee are neuer the neere The holye Ghoste saieth hee tooke not the Aungelles but hee tooke the seede of Abraham h. Heb. 2.16 He was made of the seede of Dauid accordinge to the flesh Q. What saye yee then vnto those whiche holde that Christe did but passe through the Virgin Marye and not take flesh of her but brought his flesh from heauen A. Those are madde beastes whiche doe roote vp the whole fayth and take away all our comforte and denye the flatte testimonies of Scriptures which affyrme that hee was made of a Woman i. Gala. 4.4 and that hee was the seede of the Woman k. Gene. 3.15 and therefore hee was called the Sonne of manne l. Mat. 17.22 20.18 Q. Howe doe yee aunswere vnto those Scriptures by which they would prooue this errour which are these and suche lyke no man ascendeth into heauen but hee which came downe from heauen euen the Sonne of man which is in heauen m. Iohn 3.13 Also saint Paule sayeth the firste man is of the earth earthly the second man is of the Lord from heauen heauenly n. 1. Co. 15 4◠A. These places must so be taken that they denye not that which is most flatly and manifestly expressed in the Scriptures beefore noted but wee must acknowledge such a sense in them as agreeth with the other It is not the purpose therefore and meaning of the holye Ghost to teach that Christ brought his manhoode from heauen when he saith the second man from heauen or the Sonne of man came downe from heauen but beccause Christe God and Man is but one hee ascribeth that to the Manhoode which did belonge to the Godhead Which appeareth most plainelye in this that although in the Manhoode hee was at that tyme onely in earth yet he said the sonne of Man which is in heauen because in his godhead he was there Q. Had Christe both the bodye and soule of man together with his diuine nature or was onely the body cupled to the Godhead A. Hee was a perfect man both with soule and bodye he suffred in both beeinge to redeeme our soules and bodies And for this cause he sayde My soule is heauye vnto death o. Mat. 26.38 Q. Was the Godhead of Christe turned into man
yee beleeue that the bread is turned into the fleshe of Christ and the wine into his blood A. That is a most abhominable error For our Lorde is only in heauen thither must our faith ascend and lay holde on him to eate spiritually that fleshe of his whiche was crucified and to drink that blood of his which was shed This beeing so great a misterie and we so dull to conceiue the Lorde to helpe vs hath chosen bread and wine as a seale and pledge that hee doth giue vs the same For the bread broken doth signifie the crucified body of Christe and the wine powred foorth his blood that was shed Now because the Lord doth feed vs in deed with the fleshe and blood of his sonne not giue vs bare signes the bread is called his body and the wine his blood For the true receiuer doth as verilie and vndoubtedly receiue the fleshe and blood of Christe with the mouth of his soule as hee doth receiue the bread and wine with the mouth of the body Q. There bee reasons which seeme to proue that there is not after consecration the substance of bread wine but onely the accidents as they cal thē which are the proportion the colour taste with such like A. It is very truly spoken that the reasons vsed for this matter doe seeme to proue but doe not proue as being alleadged they shall easily bee answered Q. Christe brake the bread and said this is my body A. If it were not called his body because it was a Sacrament of the same wit because it was his very fleshe in deede then had Christe beene crucified before hee was betraied for hee deliuered the bread before Or we may say that the bread was crucified For it is the crucified fleshe of Christ which wee receiue by faith and the same whiche the Lorde gaue vnto them in the night hee was betrayed the same is also nowe deliuered vnto vs. Moreouer if the bread bee chaunged because hee saith This is my bodie then was the rocke also changed for the Apostle saith They did all drinke of the spirituall rocke that followed them the rock was Christ x. 1. Cor. 10.4 This blasphemie shoulde also followe that the vncleane reprobate shoulde eate the fleshe of Christ But Christ saith That whosoeuer eateth his fleshe shall liue for euer Q. They say that is to bee taken of those which eate his flesh and drinke his blood worthily for all such shal liue for euer But say they some doe eate his fleshe and drinke his blood vnworthilie or els how shoulde the vnworthie receiuer bee giltie of the body and blood of Christe If it bee bread wine still then shoulde he bee giltie but of bread and wine and not of the body and blood of Christe which hee doth not touche nor come nigh A. In so saying they shew themselues to bee impudent and blind in the scriptures For howe holdeth the reason of Christe by which he proueth that manna was not the true bread of life because their fathers had eaten of it and yet were dead y. Ioh. 6.59 If the reprobate may eate the fleshe of Christe Also where they say if it bee bread still a mā should not be giltie of the bodie of Christ but of bread that is absurde for it is not common bread but a Sacrament of Christes body and God doth offer the fleshe of his sonne vnto those which receiue it Also it is a seale and pledge of the holy mysteries If a man contemptuously breake and deface the Princes seale shall hee not bee guiltie of treason against the person of the Prince Shall it bee saide that hee hath defaced but a peece of waxe Because in substance it is still but waxe Q. Make that reason of our Sauiour Christe more plaine Because it doth fully and flatlye ouerthrowe the cauill of the Papistes of eatyng the naturall fleshe of Christe vnworthilie For they like blasphemous wretches to defend theyr transubstantiation doe affirme that the wicked doe eate the very flesh of Christe And so they ioyne Christe and Belial Heauen and Hell GOD and the Diuell togeather and this they muste doe or els denie the bread and the wyne to bee the verye fleshe and the blood of Christe For the very Reprobate doe receyue the Sacrament A. The reason of our Sauiour is most euident to shewe that the reprobate do not eate his flesh Because he proueth the manna was not the true bread of life seeing the mē which did eate it were dead He speaketh of the spirituall death for hee dooth not promise to set those free from the bodily death which eate his fleshe If the wicked and damned might eate the true bread of life and yet die in their sinnes it might be then obiected that Christes wordes were of no force to proue the Manna not to be the very bread of life For a man may aunswere and saye that it might bee the true breade of life but they did eate it vnworthely and so it profited not them Q. What charge dooth the holye Ghost inioyne those which come vnto this Sacrament A. Hee willeth that a man try himself and so let him eate of that bread and drinke of that Cup z. 1. Co. 11.2 Q. What cause is there shewed whye they should doe so A. The cause is rendred that he which eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh to him self damnation And therof also there is a reason giuen namely that he is guyltie of the bodye and bloude of the Lorde Q. Are not men damned vnlesse they eate vnworthily A. A man is subiect vnto damnation although he neuer doe prophane these holy misteries but the Apostle dooth speake of greater and sorer damnation whiche those doe draw vpon them selues which are defilers of the Sacramentes They deserue hell which commit adulterie and other suche sinnes but those shall bee cast into deeper horrour whiche commit a sinne so foule aboue many sinnes For whereas the body of our Lord and his bloud are the moste precious of all other thinges so muste GOD needes be most hyghlye displeased and his wrath in greater measure kyndeled againste all those which receyue vnwoorthily and pollute the same Q. Wherein is a manne to examine and trie himself that he may come worthily A. Seeing we are to come euen vnto the moste holye fleshe and precious bloud of Christe it selfe wee are to discerne the Lords body that is we ought to come with reuerence and feare not with vncleane and filthy harts For the vncleane are no meete guestes to come to that table Q. Shew then how each man is to deale with him selfe A. Hee is to looke into him selfe whether hee haue the true and liuely fayth in Christe which is knowne by true repentaunce which it bringeth forth For if a man doe not bring Christ in him he shal not there receiue him Q. Is the fayth of Christe in none but such as dwell in Christ and Christ