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
respectes which are to bee had A. In the one place where he saith The lawe is not giuen for a iust man the sense is this that it is not giuen against him which consenteth with it In the other place wee are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace is to be restrayned vnto this that we are not vnder the law as it is the strength of sin b. 1. Cor 15.56 And so the Apostle coupleth them together sin shal not haue dominion ouer yee for yee are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace Q. How is that to bee vnderstood A. Saint Paul compareth the law to the husband our corrupt nature to the wife the affections of sinnes which are brought foorth betweene them vnto the children c. Rom. 7. Q. Doe yee not charge and accuse the law and blame it when ye make it to be the strength of sinne and to bring foorth sinne A. The Apostle sheweth that there is no blam at al to be laied vpō the law for the law saith he is holy the commandement is good but our corrupt nature taketh occasion by the law to bring foorth euill d. Rom. 7.8 For the law shewing manifesting sin giuing no power to rid vs from it is called the dead letter which killeth e. 2. Cor. 3.6 and the heat of sin being kindled by it to become more sinnefull it is called the strength of sinne But when a man is vnder grace that is to say regenerate led by the spirite then doth he consent vnto the law his nature doth not take occasion any longer by the law to bring foorth sinne Q. If we be not freed from the law but in such sort then doe those wickedly whiche woulde not haue the law opened A. Doubtles they doe it of a very wicked mind euen because they loue to walk at libertie to fufill the lusts of the flesh which the law sharply rebuketh Their doctrine is libertie to the flesh when as they onely speake of redemption in Christ let sinne abound so they holde that Q. Ye say we cannot be iustified by the law because wee are of a corrupt nature and cannot fulfill it to what purpose then should it be preached seeing it doth but curse and condemne vs A. There is great cause why the lawe should bee seuerely sharply preached euen to that ende that men may see them selues to bee accursed and condemned in thēselues and so bee forced and driuen to seeke helpe els where for looke howe a man careth not for the Phisition so long as hee feareth no daungerous disease euen so no man feeleth the sweetnesse of Christe and his Gospell vntill hee feele himselfe by the knowledge of the law to be vtterly lost and condemned This is the cause why Christe saide The hole neede not the Phisition but the sick I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance f. Mat. 9.13.14 Mark 2.17 Luk. 5.31.32 Likewise hee calleth none vnto him but such as trauell and be heauie laden g. Mat. 11.28 Those which vnderstande not the law thinke themselues iolly fellowes and in good health and care little to knowe the Gospel Q. This vse of the lawe is chieflye before a man be in Christe but to what purpose is it when we know and beleeue the gospel A. When a man doth knowe and beleeue the gospel then is he called by repentance vnto true holines godlinesse of life euen so farre that he ought to striue hard for perfection to indeuour himself to come as nigh it as he can h. Phil. 3.13.13 And therfore now hee is deepely to search into the law which doth conteine the perfect doctrine of obedience Q. Yee haue shewed the vse of the lawe vnto those whom God doth conuert but is it for any purpose to the reprobate A. It is to this purpose in them that it maketh them void of all excuse for whereas they cannot performe any part of it they are hardened and sinne doth more abound in them i. Rom. 1.20 5.20 7.9 Q. Yee confesse that those whome God leaueth vnto themselues haue no power at all to performe any part of the law The law being spirituall they carnall altogether sold vnder sin k. Rom. 7.14 How cā they thē be iustly condēned vnto eternal fier Shal they be cast away for breaking those lawes which they were not able to keepe If the prince should commaund a subiect vnder paine of death to doe a thing vnpossible as to remoue a mountaine and then put him to execution for not doing the same who would not say this were extreeme tyrannie it is as possible for a man to remoue a moūtaine as to keepe the law And yet God doth damne him both bodie and soule for breaking it A. The answere vnto this is easie God doth iustly require at mans hand the perfect obedience vnto his law because in his first creatiō he made him perfect gaue him power to fulfil it We must not consider what we haue now but what was giuen vs in our first parents Q. Our first parents in whō we were created with whose flesh we are cloathed did loose all we cannot doe with it We be vncleane before we are borne are cast into a necessitie of sinning and so it may seeme still great rigour to condemne where there is a necessitie of trāsgression A. The necessitie doth not excuse because mā cast himself into the bands thereof And because men do willingly with a glad consent cōmit sin before they be regenerate if it did greeue him if he did hate vncleannesse struggle against it there were som pitie to be had But whē he doth ioy take delite in it greedily swallow it vp euē as a sweete poyson what cōpassiō is to bee shewed Q. Let vs proceed vnto the words of the law how do ye deuide it A. The whole law of the ten precepts was deliuered vnto Moses written in two tables of stone l. Exod. 31.18 the one table in 4. cōmandements containing al duties which are required towards god himselfe And the other in 6. commandements all things towards mē Q. Do yee affirme that God neuer required any duty of mā saue that which he requireth in the ten cōmandements A. God hath neuer required more of any man then to walke in those duties which are conteined in these commandements Q. How say ye then vnto those precepts which were giuen vnto certain persons as to Abrahā to slay his son m. Gen. 22.2.3 To the Israelites to rob the Aegyptiās n Exod. 3.22 to the yoūg man which came vnto Christ to sell away al that he had to giue to the poore o. Mat. 19 2◠21.22 A. There was no more commanded vnto anye of these but that which the lawe did binde them to shew their obedience in Q. The lawe is giuen generallie vnto all men and therefore if the law did
in them A. We are by fayth made members of Christe euen fleshe of his flesh and bones of his bones a. Ephes 5.30 And for the same cause the Church is called Christe b. 1. Co. 12.12 it is also Christe crucified whose fleshe we eate and which dwelleth in vs. And therefore those whiche are in Christe are newe creatures theyr carnall lustes and sinnefull affections are mortified by the vertue and power of the crucified fleshe of Christe And also they are raysed by him vnto true holynesse Q. Doe yee then denye the true faith in Christ vnto those in whom sinne liueth and beareth sway A. They spoyle the passion of our Lorde of al power and glory which say they beleeue in him and eate his flesh and yet are abhominable sinners For what doe they leaue vnto him if he doe not by his flesh crucified slay sinne where he commeth Q. Doe not menne remaine sinners still when they haue eaten the flesh of Christe and drunke his bloud A. The Scripture saith that he which committeth sinne hath not seene him nor knowne him c. 1. Iohn 3.6 but yet it is one thing to commit sinne and to liue vnto sinne and an other to haue the remnaunts of sinne abyding in vs which those that be in Christ haue d. Rom. 7. Q. How shal a man know then seeing sin remaineth still in him whether it be aliue or dead A. Hee may easily know that by his heare For if sinne stincke and be loathsom vnto him and hee is displeased and mislyketh and condemneth him selfe for it And if it were possible hee would vomit it vppe as a thing that doth annoy the stomacke of his soule Hee dooth abhorre it wheresoeuer it doth appeare eitheir in him selfe or in others Then is the bodye of sinne as a rotten caryon in him which hath from christ crucified receiued a deadly wounde But if hee take ioy and delight still in sinne and thinke it sweete and pleasaunt then is sinne aliue in him stil he is dead because Christ doth not liue in him Q. There is no man liuing but taketh delight in some sinne or other A. I graunt that the moste godlye are sometime deceiued and take pleasure in doing or speaking that which they consider not to bee sinne whiche they are greatlye grieued for when they perceaue they did offende Also in the heate of tentation the corruption of fleshe dooth sometime preuaile and take some delight in one sinne or other which he knoweth to be sinne But yet afterwarde it bringeth more griefe of hearte then it hadde pleasure in it And so there is great difference betweene the faithful and the infidel in the manner of sinning Q. What say yee then to the common saying wee be all sinners and shall be to our lyues end we must repente so nigh as God will giue vs grace But yet wee cannot leaue those thinges whiche we haue bin accustomed vnto are these worthy receiuers A. These are not woorthy receiuers howsoeuer they flatter themselues because they neuer fealt the power of godlines nor knowe not true repentaunce They are greatly bewitched with those general speeches which in some sorte be true They doe not perceiue what work God worketh in his children to draw them out of the filthines of the worlde that they be not spotted with it Q. What is the practise then of the godly in which they excell those other A. The godly man at all times but especially whē he prepareth him self to come to the holy table of the lord doth go through al the Commaundements of the lawe to search and spy out what sin there is in him against any of them But most of all hee doth make narow search for those sinnes with haue a deepe secret roote in our nature as pride vaine glory couetousnes And when he findeth himself faulty then he crieth vnto God to haue his spirit to mortifie the flesh He is humbled at the sight of his corrupt nature he doth euen vow to God solemnly with a ful setled purpose of hart not for a day or two but al his life long to trauel in al holy exercise of prayer hearing meditating in the word carefull practising the same so to waight paciently attend when God wil succour him Q. This diligēce is required at our hands But that it may be the better known shew the negligence of the other A. The other sorte of men doe not rightly consider the worthines and dignitie of the flesh and bloud of Christ but come rashly vnreuerently in the filthy ragges of their sinnes They do not purpose in theyr hart to turne from wickednes but to liue as they haue done euen in those things which they know to be vngodly And as for other foule sinnes which swarme in them that they vnderstand not to be sinnes they are so farre from the desire to finde them out by the true knowledge of the law that they couet labour to defend them to be no sins And therfore they are wonderful glad when they cā get any colour of matter to proue that to be lawful which their flesh lusteth after findeth sweetnes in And for this cause they do not cal vpon God to haue power to ouercōe their sinnes Q. They confesse when they heare of that which is euill that they should leaue it and they say God graunt we may leaue it A. They cannot but confesse that men ought to forsake wickednesse they haue also a desire that they coulde so doe but in this they fayle that they neuer labour about it They haue the witte to say that if a man be fallen into a ditch hee may cry long enough Lorde helpe me if hee do not striue to come out and take hold of such things as he may clamber vp by And yet they are not so wise as to consider the meanes by which GOD dooth reache foorth his mightie arme vnto them to drawe them out of the puddle and mire of sinne For God doth reach downe his arme to drawe men vp to heauen and to saue them by the preaching of the Gospel e. 1. Cor. 1.21 which is the power of God to saluation vnto euery one which doth beleeue f. Rom. 1.16 1. Cor. 1.18 But who beleeue this preaching or to whome is the arme of GOD reuealed g. Esai 53.1 They doe not seeke to lay holde of it But contrariwise they caste them selues headlonge into the snares of tēptation by ioyning in felowship with the workers of iniquitie Q. Is that so great a hinderaunce vnto true repentaunce when men accompanie them selues with such as liue and walke in sinnefull wayes There bee some which say I thanke God I haue such a strong faith in Christe that I can keepe company with the worst and yet they cannot hurt me I hope to do them good A. Such men are euen as wise and haue as good a fayth as that man whiche shoulde skippe downe from the
or the manhood into God A. No in no wise for the Godhead did retayne stil the properties of the diuine nature and the Manhoode did keepe still the humane qualities And yet they are so ioyned together that euen as the body and soule do make but one man so God and man do make but one Christ And for this it is sayde the word was made flesh p. Iohn 1.14 Q. Then yee beleeue that the manhoode did retaine this nature still to be passible or to feele the bytternesse of payne and greefe And likewise that the gloryous Godhead remayned styll impassible and not subiecte to any suffring A. I doe moste constantly beleeue so and they bee detestable Heretikes which beleeue otherwise Q. Wherefore is it expressed that hee was borne of the Virgin Marye A. This is to shewe that hee is the true Messias which was promysed of olde which shoulde come of the seede of Dauid of whose lynage Mary was q. Luke 2.4 and also should be borne of a Virgin as the Prophet saieth behold a virgin shall conceaue and shal bring forth a son r. Esai 7.14 Q. What followeth next A. He suffered vnder Pontius Pilat was crucified dead and buried descended into hell Q. What is the summe of all this A. Heere are contayned all his suffringes how farre he did abase him selfe to deliuer vs. Q. What was the extremitie and deapth of these sufferings A. It was euen the whole burthen which was to bee layde vppon vs for our sinnes For in al this he set him selfe in our place Q. The holy Scriptures doe teach that the punishment for sinne besides al the miseries of this life is euerlasting torment in hell Then if Christe tooke our place and bare that which wee shoulde haue borne hee suffered the paines of hell A. The holy scriptures doe teach that wee shoulde al be arraygned before the high throne of God and receiue the sentence of condemnation proceeding vppon vs from the iust iudge Hee submitted himself and was arraigned before the iudge Pilate and although the Iudge himselfe did pronounce him innocent yet hee did pronounce vppon him the sentence of condemnatiō vnto death This sentence of Pilat was ratified by God in as much as nothing was doone but by his determinate councell s. Act. 2.23 and the execution followed from him as if it had been from his owne seate Also where the scriptures doe teach that Gods anger and curse and the bitter paines and torments of hell were due for our sinnes they doe also teach that hee tooke all these vpon him For vnder this condition he did offer himselfe vnto his father hanging vpō the crosse that with whatsoeuer the iustice of his father could charge vs hee shoulde charge him and to strike him as deepely with his wrath as wee were to bee stricken Q. This is a great point of our faith and therefore yee must confirme it by manifest proofe of the worde A. The worde of God doeth plentifully declare this matter for it doth affirme that he bare our sinnes in his body vpō the tree t. Pet. 1.2.2 to deliuer vs from the curse hee himselfe was made the curse v. Ga. 3.13 Hee was made sinne for vs whiche knewe no sinne w. 2. Co. 5.21 Q. Is it a sufficient proofe that he descended into hell or did indure there the torments of condemnation when it is saide hee bare our sinnes hee was made the cursse and that he was made sinne A. It is a most sufficient and perfect proofe thereof For what is it to beare sinne but to beare the torment of it What is it to bee made sinne but to haue the giltinesse thereof put vpon him not to defile him but to torment him What is it to bee made the curse but to haue the bitter anguish of Gods wrath in his soule and body which is the fier that shall neuer be quenched Q. Is there any outwarde appearance giuen in the sufferinges of Christ whereby it is euident that hee suffered condemnation A. There is most cleere and euident appearance of this thing First in his agonie before hee was apprehended where there appeareth a most wonderfull horrour by the maner of his prayer by his strong crying and teares and by his sweate whiche was as droppes of blood Who can bee so simple as to thinke that this coulde be in the sonne of God for feare of the bodily death x. Luke 22.44 then when hee did hang vppon the crosse cryed out with a lowde voice My God my God why hast thou forsaken me y. Mat. 27.46 Shal wee not see that there was an vnspeakeable torment which caused him which had al fulnesse and perfection of faith to cry out as a man condemned and forsaken Q. Then yee affirme that our Lord Iesus Christe did indure and suffer paines and tormentes which we are not able to conceiue nor to vtter seeing all the sinnes of Gods elect were laide vpon him and striken in him how could a man be able to indure suche a thing A. If hee had beene no more but a mā hee coulde neuer haue indured it although he had had the strength of all the angels in heauen For how can a creature stand vnder the burthen of the wrath of the Almightie But hee was also God and so by that power he was susteined and made able to hold out vntill he had made full satisfaction so ouercame it Q. You beleeue and confesse that thus Christ is said to haue descended into hell because hee was in this state and condition but yee do not beleeue that his soule went downe vnto the place of the damned either to preach or to fetch out soules from thence A. I beleeue so farre as the holy scriptures doe teach I renounce that fable of heretikes and Papistes which affirme that after his death he went to fetch out soules or to preache there Because it is contrary to the doctrine of the scriptures Q. What Scriptures doe yee alleadge A. Moses and Elias did appeare vnto Christe in glory z. Mat. 17.3.4 before hee suffered his passion shall wee suppose they were fetched out of hell and that they returned thither Christe teacheth that Lazarus died and was carried by the Angels not into hel but into Abrahams bosom where hee was in ioye and comfort a. Luk. 16.22.23 Q. They say this doth confirme the matter for Abrahams bosome was a border of hell which appeareth by the speech that passed betwene the rich glutton and Abraham A. This Diuinitie of the Papistes is as sound as can be found among the Poets How blinde are they to make abrahams bosome and hell to bee so nigh as though there were but an hedge between thē whē as it is expressed that there was so great distance that those which woulde passe from the one to the other coulde not and to gather it by the conference of speech is very grosse whē it is manifest that our