What further is required A. To feare him aboue all others because hee aboue Matth. 10. 28. 1. Pet. 3. 6. all others is most powerfull and iust .. And this feare is then in vs when it is stronger to moue vs to good then the feare of men to moue vs to euill Secondly when we doe not the good wee doe onely or principally for feare of danger from men but for feare of God Q. What is yet further required in the inward worship A. The reuerénce of the Maiesty of God in regard wherof we should carry such a holy shamefacednes in all our actions that no vnseemly behauiour proceed from vs that may any waies bee offensiue to him of which if men be so carefull in the presence of Princes who are but mortall men how much more carefull ought we to be therof in the presence of the Almighty and most glorious God Which holy Reuerence of God was specially prefigured in the Ceremoniall Deut. 23. 12. 14. Law where it was required that whē men would ease themselues according to the course of nature they should goe without the Host and carrie a paddle with them to couer their feet because saith the Lord I am in the middest of you whereby the filthinesse and impurity of the mind was forbidden more then of the body and the equity hereof reacheth also vnto vs. Q. VVhat is contrary to this reuerence of the Maiesty of God A. Irreuerence or prophanesse when men regard not how basely and vilely and vnseemely they behaue themselues before God And thus much of the Inward Worship of God the Outward Worship of God followeth Of which more generally in the Second Commandement more particularly in the third and fourth CHAP. 16. Of the Second Commandement The outward worship of God in general in the second Cōmandement where consider the Things Forbidden Generall Special Images Making Bowing downe and worshiping Commanded Generall Speciall Substātiall Ordinary Prayer Extraordinarie Fasting Feasting Circumstantiall as conuenient gestures Reason Threatning Promise EXOD. 20. 4. 5. 6. 4. Thou shalt not make vnto thee any grauen Image or any likenesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water vnder the earth 5. Thou shalt not bow downe thy selfe to them nor serue them For I the Lord thy God am a iealous God visiting the iniquities of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me 6. And shewing mercy vnto thousands of them that loue me and keepe my Commandements Q. VVHat is the second Commandement A. Thou shalt not make thee any grauen Image nor likenesse of things c. Q. VVhat is treated of in this Commandement A. The outward worship of God as appeareth by the words make bow worship Q. What learne you from this order of the Commandements A. It sheweth that the inward and outward worship of God ought to goe together so that they who dare present their bodies to a Masse or any other grosse Idolatrie and say they keepe their harts to God are here conuicted of falshood and hypocrisie Q. VVhat is forbidden in this Commandement generally A. All will-worship how great a shew soeuer it haue Q. VVhat are the parts of that will-worship A. The outward worship of any besides God and of God any otherwise then hee commandeth Q. VVhat are the particulars forbidden in the outward worship of God A. First we are forbidden to make Images and secondly to bow vnto them or worship them Q. Why is this part so largely set forth A. To meet with the corruption of men that by nature are exceeding prone to Idolatrie Q. Are all Images by this Commandement vnlawfull A. No but such as are made for religious ends and vses for in ciuill matters they may haue a lawfull and commendable vse Q. What gather you of this A. That the Popish doctrine of Images that they are Lay mens books is directly contrary to the word of God and therefore to be detested of all Gods children Q. What Images are most of all condemned A. Images of God for it is a great sinne to conceit or imagine in our hearts that he is like any thing how excellent soeuer we doe thinke it but it is much worse so to set him out to the view of others considering that the mind can conceiue a further beautie then the hand of the Artificer can expresse And therfore the children of Israel did sin grienously and were Exod. 32. 4. 9. 10. 27. 28. worthily condemned for worshipping God in the Image of a Calfe Q. Did not the Israelites worship the Calfe as God as the Papists say A. No but they worshipped God in the Calfe Exod. 32. 5. for they said Let vs make a feast to morrow to the Lord. Q. Wherein did they sinne so grieuously A. In tying the presence of God to the worke of their owne hands and coupling him with their Idols Exod. 20. 4. 5. 6. 1. King 18. Matth. 15. Hos 2. 16. which he cannot endure for God saith by his Prophet Hosea You shall no more call vpon me in Baal So impossible it is truly to serue God by an Idoll as the Papists doe Q. How appeareth it that we should make no Image of God A. In the 4. of Deuteronomie the Lord forewarned Vers 12. the Israelites that because they saw no Image of him when he gaue the Law therefore they should make no likenesse of him Q. But what moues the Papists to paint God like an old man A. The false expounding of a place in Daniel where Dan. 7. 5. he is called the Ancient of daies Whereby is meant his Eternity how he was before all times But whatsoeuer Deut. 27. 15. property in God it be that they set forth by an Image it is execrable so to doe Q. What other Inuentions of men besides Images are here forbidden A. All such inuentions of men as are deuised for any worship or seruice of God likewise all representations of any grace of God otherwise then God hath appointed or may be allowed by his word And herein wee are to obserue the Apostles rule and practice 1. Cor. 11. where he saith That whicb I haue receiued of 1. Cor. 11. the Lord I haue deliuered vnto you for if he might adde nothing to Gods Ordinance much lesse may we Q. What else is here condemned A. First to vse any Word publikely in the Church besides the writtē word of God contained in the Canonicall Scripture Secondly to deuise any other ministerie then that which God hath appointed Thirdly to goe to Witches to consult with Starre gazers or the like to whom Moses opposeth a Prophet as the onely lawfull Minister of God warrantable meanes to know his will by Q. What further is forbidden A. All the meanes and occasions of Idolatrie and al Deut. 7. 3. 4. 1. Cor. 11. 39. league and amity with Idolators therefore no professor
or both Doctrinall and foretelling things to come as the Psalmes Q. What are they that are written in Prose A. They are either Historicall or Doctrinall and foretelling things to come called the Prophets Q. What are the Historicall A. Iosuah Iudges Ruth the 2. bookes of Samuel the 2. bookes of the Kings Ezra Nehemiah Hester and the 2. bookes of Chronicles Q. What are the Doctrinall and which foretell things to come A. They are called either the greater Prophets as Esay Ieremie Ezechiel and Daniel Or the smaller as Hoseas Ioel Amos Abdias Ionas Micheas Nahum Habakkuk Zephanie Aggei Zacharie and Malachy Q What are the bookes of the New Testament A. They are Historicall or Doctrinall Q. VVhat are the Historicall A. Either such as write of Christ as Matthew Marke Luke and Iohn or of the Apostles as the History of the Acts. Q. What are the Doctrinall A. They are such as are either only Doctrinall or Propheticall also Q. What are they that are Doctrinall onely A. The Epistles of Paul to the Romans the 1. and 2. to the Corinthians to the Galathians Ephesians Philippians Colossians the 1. and 2. to the Thessalonians the 1. and 2. to Timothie to Titus Philemon the Hebrewes the Epistle of Iames the 2. Epistles of Peter the 3. Epistles of Iohn the Epistle of Iude. Q. VVhat is that which is Propheticall also A. The booke of the Apocalyps or Reuelation Q. How may these bookes bee discerned to bee the word of God A. By these considerations following First they Prou. 8. 8. 30. 5. Psalm 12. 7. 19. 8. are perfectly holy in themselues and by themselues whereas all other writings are prophane further then they draw holinesse from these which yet is neuer such but that their holinesse is imperfect and defectiue Secondly they are perfectly profitable in themselues Jam. 1. 21. to instruct to saluation and all other are vtterly vnprofitable thereunto any further then they draw from them Thirdly there is a perfect concord and harmonie Act. 26. 22. in all these Bookes notwithstanding the diuersity of persons by whom places where and times when and matters whereof they haue been written Fourthly there is an admirable a Psalm 19. 7. Heb. 4. 12. force in them to incline mens hearts from vice to vertue Fifthly in great b 1. Cor. 1. 17. 18. 21. 24. 2. 15. 1 Tim. 5. 21. plainenesse and easinesse of stile there shineth a great Maiesty and authority Sixthly there is such a gracious simplicity in the writers of these Bookes that they neither spare their friends nor themselues but most freely and impartially set downe their owne faults and infirmities as well as others Lastly Gods owne Spirit working in the harts of his children doth assure them that these Scriptures are the word of God Q. Is it agreed vpon that these Bookes are alone in account of the Bookes of Scripture A. Concerning the Bookes of the New Testament it is generally agreed that all they and that they alone are of that account But the Church of Rome holdeth that diuers other books called Apocrypha doe belong to the Old Testament and are of the same authority with the other that haue been named Q. By what reasons may this errour of theirs bee ouerthrowen A. By these First they were not written at the first in the Hebrew tongue in which all the authenticall Bookes of the Old Testament were originally written Secondly the Iewes to whom the Oracles of God Rom. 3. were committed vnder the Old Testament haue acknowledged and kept these onely as Canonicall and the Oracles of God and not the other Thirdly these onely were read and expounded in Act. 13. 15. their Synagogues and not the other Fourthly the Primitiue Churches after the Apostles both Greek and Latine did receiue these Books onely for Canonicall Scripture Q. VVhat worthie vse and effect of these bookes of holy Scripture doth the Apostle set forth in this place A. This that they are able to make a man wise to 2. Tim. 3. 16. 17. Saluation through faith in Iesus Christ Q. How doth that appeare A. First for that God is the Author of them who is for his wisdome able for his loue to his Church willing to set downe such a Rule as may guide them fully and perfectly to eternall Life Secondly for that it is profitable to teach all true doctrine and to confute the false to correct all disorder priuate and publike and to informe men throughly in the way of righteousnesse Thirdly for that the Minister of the Word is said thereby to be made compleat and perfect to euery dutie of the Ministerie Q. How doth this last reason hold A. Very strongly for more being required of a Minister that is to bee the eye and mouth of the people then of the people themselues if it be sufficient to make him perfect it is much more able to giue them sufficient Instruction And seeing the Minister is Act. 20. 27. bound to disclose the whole Counsell of God to his people may be therunto fully furnished out of the treasurie of the Word of God it followeth that they also out of the Scriptures may be abundātly taught to Saluation need not elsewher to seek for any supply Q. VVhat other things doe you gather from these causes properties and effects of Scripture A. First that it alone being able and sufficient to Mat. 23. 8. Ioh. 5. 39. Matth. 15. 9. make vs wise to Saluation we need no vnwritten Verities no Traditions of men no Canons of Councels or Sentences of Fathers much lesse Decrees of Popes to supply any supposed defect of the written Word of God or to giue vs a more perfect direction in the way of life then is already set downe expressely in the Canonicall Scriptures Q. VVhat else learne you from thence A. I learne further especially from this that they Iohn 12. 48. Galath 1. 9. they are inspired of God 1. That they are of diuine authority 2. That they are the rule the line the squyre and light wherby to examine and trie all iudgements and sayings of men and of Angels whether they bee such as God approueth yea or no that they are not to be iudged or sentenced by any And therfore that the Church of Rome who hangeth the credit and authority of the Scriptures on the Churches sentence doth therein offer horrible iniurie and indignity vnto God making thereby the Churches word of greater credit and authority then the Word of God Q. What further doe you learne from hence A. I learne from hence and especially in that it is Matth. 5. 18. Psalm 19 9. said to be a rule and a line that it is firme and stable and changeth not and therefore is as a rule of steele and not as the Church of Rome blasphemously affirmeth like a rule of lead which may be bowed euery way at mens pleasures Q. But it seemeth the Scriptures are darke
sins which wee are by our corrupt nature prone vnto as spirituall fornication but also to the great prophanation of the holy name and profession of Christ permitting and teaching for lawful such as euen our corrupt nature not wholly subuerted through enormeous custome of sin abhorreth as incestuous marriages and breaking of faith and leagues equiuocating and the like which prophane men by the very light of nature doe detest Q. In what sense is he called the child of perdition A. Not as the vnthrift mentioned in the Gospell Luk. 15. 32. John 17. 12. neither as Iudas who is passiuely called the sonne of perdition but actiuely as it is otherwhere expounded where hee is called the destroyer because he destroyed Reuel 9. 11. many and that the Pope is such a one some of his owne secretaries make it good confessing that many that were well disposed persons before their entrie into that See became cursed and cruell beasts when once they were setled in the same as if there were some pestilent poyson in that seat infecting those who sit therein Q. VVhat learne you of this A. That the calling of the Pope is vnlawfull for euery office or calling which the Lord doth not blesse or wherein none occupying the place groweth in piety is to be esteemed for an vnlawful calling for in a lawfull calling some at the least in all ages are found profitable to the Church or Common-wealth Q. What is the vse of all this doctrine A. That whosoeuer are partakers of the sinnes of Rome are also vnder the same curse and therefore such of vs as haue liued in Poperie should examine our selues if wee haue truly repented vs of it first by the change of our vnderstanding as whether wee haue growne in the knowledge of the truth and secondly by the change also of our affections as whether wee hate Poperie and loue the truth vnfainedly And so let euery one iudge himselfe that hee bee not iudged and that with harder iudgement according as Rom. 2. 4. God hath been the longer patient towards vs. Q. VVhat further A. That there can be no sound agreement betwixt Poperie and the profession of the Gospell no more then betwixt light and darknesse falshood and truth God and Belial and therefore no reconciliation can be deuised betwixt them for if the members of Antichrist shall be destroyed wee cannot in any sort communicate with them in their errours vnlesse wee will beare them companie in their destruction also Q. Why doth euery errour destroy the soule A. No verily for as euery wound killeth not a 2. Pet. 2. man so euery errour depriueth not a man of saluation but as the vitall parts being wounded or infected bring death so those errours that destroy the fundamentall points heads of faith bring euerlasting destruction in which kinde is Poperie which sundry waies ouerthroweth the principles and grounds of our holy faith and therefore is tearmed an Apostasie or departure from the faith Q. Is it not then impossible for a Pope to be saued A. No it is not impossible his sinne being not necessarily against the holy Ghost to which only repentance is denied for some in likelihood haue entred into and continued in that See ignorantly and therefore may possibly find place to repentance But if any be saued it is a secret hidden with God for concerning any thing that appeares by the end of any one Pope since hee was lift vp into the Emperours chaire and discouered to be the man of sin there is no grounded hope giuen to perswade that any one of them is saued Q. So much of the Antichrist what he is towards others What is he in himselfe A. That is set downe in two points first in that contrary to right and by meere vsurpation hee seateth himselfe in the Temple of God as if hee were Christs vicar being indeed his enemie both which the word Antichrist noteth Secondly in that he is here expressely named an Aduersarie and one that is contrary to Christ Q. Wherein is the Pope aduersarie vnto Christ A. Euery way in life and in office Q. How in life A. In that Christ being most pure and holy yea holinesse it selfe the Popes many of them are and haue been most filthie and abominable in blaspheming coniuring murthering couetousnesse whoring and that incestuously and Sodomitically and yet will they in their ordinarie titles be called holy yea holinesse it selfe which is proper onely to Christ Q. How in office A. First in his kingdome Christs kingdome is without all outward shew or pompe but the Popes kingdome consisteth wholly in pompe and shewes as imitating his predecessors the Emperors of Rome in his proud stately and lordly offices Princely traines and outragious expences in euery sort Secondly in his Priesthood in raising vp another sacrifice then Christs another priesthood then his other mediators then him Thirdly in his Propheticall office in that he teacheth cleane contrary to him Christ taught nothing but what he receiued of his Father the Pope setteth out his owne canons and decrees of Councels and in them hee teacheth such doctrine as ouerthroweth the maine foundation of that which Christ taught Q. What is the second effect A. That he is exceedingly lift vp against all that is called God Q. How doth this agree to the Pope A. More fitly then to any other person for Christ being very God abaseth himselfe vnto the assuming of the nature of man the Pope a vile man aduanceth himselfe to the throne of God Christ being aboue secular power paid tribute and was taxed and suffered himselfe to bee crowned with a crowne of thornes and bare his owne crosse But the Pope being vnder all secular power exalteth himselfe aboue all secular powers exacteth tribute of Kings setteth his foot on the necke of Emperours carrieth a triple crowne of gold and is borne vpon mens shoulders Q. But he calleth himselfe the seruant of seruants A. Though hee doe yet by the confession of his owne Canonists he doth it but dissemblingly and in hypocrisie which is double iniquitie for they say that he doth in humility onely say so not that hee is indeed so as he saith Q. What are the effects of this his pride A. They are two first he sitteth in the Church as God for he bindeth the consciences of men by his decrees which no Princes lawes can doe for though men obserue not such lawes yet if they breake them not of contempt they are discharged if they beare the penaltie prescribed in them Q. By this it seemeth that the Church of Rome is yet the Church of God although corrupt seeing it is said that hee sitteth in the temple of God A. No verily but it is so said first because it beareth the name of the Church for the Scripture giueth the name to a thing according to that it hath been as when Christ saith the abomination of desolation shal stand in the holy place he meaneth not that the temple was