to doe it Q. VVhat else doth the preface teach vs A. That wée are to come to God with c Heb. 4.16 boldnes because he is our Father and with d Eccles 5.1 2 reuerence because his Maiesty filleth the heauens Q. VVhich is the first petition A. Hallowed be thy name Q. VVhat is it to hallow Gods name A. It is to acknowledge and declare that God and his name is holy Luke 7.29 35 and is so to be vsed Q. VVhat doe wee ask of God herein A. That we may rightly know and acknowledge God and may reuerence praise and set forth his Almighty power Wisdome goodnes iustice mercy and truth shining in all his workes Ier. 9.23.24 Psal 145.8 9 10. Q. VVhat else doe we ask herein A. That both in minde and heart in life and conuersation we may glorifie God both in himselfe and in his works Q. VVhat is the second petition A. Thy kingdome come Q. VVhat is heere meant by the kingdome of God A. The kingdome of grace Mat. 6.33 Colos 1.13 14. Luke 23 42 and the kingdome of glory Q. What doe we desire heerein A. That God will more and more subdue and weaken the kingdome and power of sinne and Satan Q. What else A. That God by his holy Word and Spirit will rule raign in vs and that in the end he will bring vs to the kingdome of glory Q. VVhat is the third petition A. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Q. VVhat doe wee craue of God heerein A. That wée héere in earth may readily willingly chéerefully and faithfully doe the will of God as the Angels doe in heauen Q. Wherein consisteth the doing of Gods will A. In thrée things especially Q. VVhat is the first A. In denying our owne a Luke 22 42 will and b Iohn 6.40 1. Iohn 3 23 1 Thes 4.3 4 5 6 Acts 14.22 beléeuing in Christ Q. What is the second A. In dooing such good workes as God requireth Q. What is the third thing A. In the patient bearing of afflictions Q. VVhich is the fourth petition A. Giue vs this day our daily bread Q. What doe we ask heerein A. That God will giue vnto vs all things necessary and comfortable for this life Pro. 30.8 Q. What else A. That God will giue vs the grace to be contented with that he giueth vs. Phil. 4.12 13 Heb. 13.5 Q. VVhat needes the rich man to pray for daily bread A. Yes because without Gods blessing his abundance can do him no good Deut. 8.4 Psal 127.1 2 3. Q. Which is the fift petition A. And forgiue vs our trespasses c. Q. What doe wee desire of God heerein A. That God for Christs sake will forgiue vs all our sinnes Ier. 31.34 for euen wée forgiue such as offend vs. Q. Can wee forgiue others their sinnes A. We may and must a Luke 17 3 4. forgiue the wrongs don vnto vs by others but none can forgiue b Esay 43.25 Marke 2.7 sinnes but God onely Q. Is our forgiuing of others the cause why God doth forgiue vs A. No but it is a signe thereof Q. What if we forgiue not others A. Then God will not forgiue vs. Mat. 18.35 Q. Which is the sixt petition A. And lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill Q. What doe we ask heerein A. That God will not leaue vs to our selues 2. Chro. 32 31 Esay 63.17 Mat. 26.41 and giue vs euer to Satan to be tempted and ouercome in temptations Q. What else doe we ask heerein A. That God will strengthen vs against all temptations vnto euill and deliuer vs from sinne and the dwell 3 Tim. 4.18 Q. Which is the Conclusion A. For thine is the kingdome power and glory for euer Amen Q. VVhat are these words A. A reason why we doe ask the former things of God namely because the kingdome power and glory are his and therefore he both can and will giue them vs. Q. What signifieth the word Kingdome A. Gods absolute Soueraignty and Right ouer all things 1. Cor. 29 11 Q. VVhat signifieth the word Power A. Gods omnipotencie whereby he is able to doe whatsoeuer he will Luke 1.37 Q. VVhat is meant by the word Glory A. Maiesty and excellencie honour and praise Q. VVhat doth this Conclusion teach vs A. How to giue thankes to God 1. Chro. â—9 10 〈…〉 for these thrée kingdome power and glory doe generally comprehend all matter of praise and thanksgiuing vnto God Q. What do you meane then when you say these words A. It is as if wée should say The Kingdome of heauen is thine all power in heauen and earth is thine and therefore the glory is thine and from our hearts we do ascribe the same vnto thée Q. What signifieth the word Amen A. So be it 1. Cor. 1.20 or so it shall be Q. What doth it teach vs A. Feruently to desire the things aforesaid Ephes 6.18 Iames 1.6 and to assure our selues therof Q. What shall become of such after this life as are carefull to know and practise these grounds of Religion A. They shall liue in glory for euer with Christ in heauen Mat. 25.46 Iohn 17.24 305. Q. What shall become of such as care not eyther to know or to practise these things A. They shall liue for euer in Hell in forments 2 Thes 1 8 9 Mat. 25.41 with the diuell and his Angels FINIS To the Christian Reader THere is one thing Christian Reader which I would haue thee especially to take notice of concerning the former Principles or Grounds of Religion namely that nothing is to be receiued for a Principle of Religion or true and sound doctrine which hath not foundation in the Word of God or is not contained therein for the Word of God or the Scripture as we call it is the rule of all truth and giues vs a perfect direction both for faith and manners and whatsoeuer Article and doctrine is necessary to saluation is deliuered plainly in the holy Scripture and therefore in reading this or any Catechism you are not by and by to beleeue whatsoeuer is therein contained but to see and consider how euery thing is confirmed by the Scriptures for your faith and conscience must be grounded not vpon the weake and vnperfect speeches of sinnefull men but vpon the pure and sure Word of God And therefore at the end of euery answere I haue quoted some plaine place of Scripture to confirm the same some few only excepted which though in plain words they are not to be found in the Scriptures yet by good consequence they are drawn from the Scriptures And whatsoeuer is truly and soundly collected from Scripture is to be beleeued of vs as though it were expresly written As for example when Christ would confute the Sadduces that denyed the resurrection he alleadgeth the words of God to Moses I am the God
not only from meat and drink but also from all delights for the furtherance of the speciall practice of repentance and the enforcing of our Prayers Ioel 2.12 Turne ye euen to me with all your hearts with fasting c. 1. Cor. 7.5 Defraud ye not one the other except it be with consent for a time that yee may giue your selues to fasting and prayer Of Death and the last Iudgement Heb. 9.2 27. It is appointed vnto men once dye and after this the Iudgement Acts 17.31 God hath appointed a day in the which he will iudge the world in righteousnesse by that Man whom he hath ordained c. 2. Corin. 5.10 VVe must all appeare before the Iudgement seat of Christ c. Mat. 25.31 32 c. When the Sonne of man shall come in his glory and all the Angels with him then shall he sit vpon the throne of his glory And before him shall be gathered all Nations c. Verse 46. These shall goe away into euerlasting punishment but the Righteous into life eternall FINIS A Pill to purge out Poperie OR A Catechisme for Romish Catholikes Shewing that Poperie is contrarie to the grounds of the Catholike Religion and that therefore Papists cannot be good Catholikes The Speakers A weake Christian A Minister DIALOGVE I. Christian AMong the diuersities of opinions that are in the world how may I know which is the truth whereto I must cleaue and who are the true Church and true Catholikes Minist a Beleeue not euery spirit that is euery doctrine which men bragging of the Spirit do teach but trie them whether they be of God or no b Examine all things hold fast that which is good a 1. Iohn 4.1 b 1. Thessal 5.21 C. VVhereby shall I trie them M. By the Scriptures Iohn 5.39 Acts 17.11 C. I am vnlearned and the Scriptures are hard to be vnderstood M. There are indeed many things in them hard to be vnderstood 2. Pet. 3.16 but such things as are necessary to bee knowne of all to saluation are plainly set downe Prouer. 8.9 The meaning of which place is this The Word of God in points necessary to saluation is easie vnto all that haue a desire vnto it Turne to the places of Scripture added to euery answer of the Catechisme and you shall finde this to be most true C. Is there no other way and meanes whereby to try and know the truth and the true professours thereof M. Yes it may be done euen by the aforesaid grounds of Religion Whatsoeuer doctrine is agréeable thereunto is true and to be receiued but whatsoeuer is contrary to the same is false and to be reiected As many as doe sincerely and soundly embrace professe and practise the same they are the Catholike Church that is parts and members of the Catholike Church and true Catholikes indeed But such as teach professe and practise things contrary thereunto are not the true Church nor true Catholikes C. The Papists say that they onely are the true Church and true Catholikes and that we are not M. So the Iewes cried a The Temple of the Lord b We are the séede of Abraham the children of GOD. a Ieremy 7.4 b Iohn 8.33 41. But Christ told them they were the children of the diuell Ioh. 8.44 Ch. Are not the Papists then good Catholikes M. No but rather grosse Heretikes C. What is an Heretike M. One that doth erre in any fundamentall point of Christian Religion and dooth obstinately teach maintaine and defend the same C. Do the Papists erre in the fundamentall points of Religion M. They doe teach and maintaine many false opinions against the verie grounds of Religion as by and by shall be shewed in many particulars C. Are all Papists then hereticks M. No for there are no doubt many of them that doe erre of simplicity and ignorance which would be brought from their errours if they had the meanes namely the Scriptures in their owne language preaching catechizing and the like Wée doe not therefore account them all Hereticks but onely those before mentioned C. How doe you prooue that they are not good Catholiâ—ks M. I prooue it thus They are good Catholikes which are of sound faith and good life Augustin lib. quaest in Mat Chap. 11. but Papists are neither of sound faith nor good life therefore they are no good Catholikes C. How doe you proue that they are not of sound faith M. Euen by the Apostles Créed which may serue instead of a rule whereunto the faith of all men ought to agrée contrary whereunto they teach many things C. Shew mee wherein M. The Créed is a confession of faith containing the summe of the Gospell and of such things as are necessary to be beléeued of all that wil be saued They haue deuised many other new Articles of faith besides and contrary to the Articles of the Apostles Créed which they hold necessarily to be beléeued of all that will bée saued As namely indulgences and a treasury of saints merits the reall presence the Popes supremacie Purgatorie and such like In the Councell of Trent the curse Anathema is pronounced vpon all such as denie these or any of them Master Perkins first Vol. page 621. The Créed teacheth what euerie one in particular is to knowe and beleeue and a true faith cannot stand without certain knowledge The Papists maintaine an implicite or an ignorant faith namely that it is enough to beleeue as the Church beleeueth though they know not what the Church is nor what the Church beleeueth And they commend this faith by the example of an old deuout father a Colliar who being tempted of the Diuell and asked how he beléeued answered That he beléeued as the Church beléeued being asked againe how the Church beléeued he answered As I beléeue whereupon the Diuell as they say was faine to depart C. It should seeme it was but a simple diuell for if he had bin wise he would haue asked him this question What if the Church beleeue that thou art a foole what would the Colliar think you haue answered then M. I thinke hee would haue sayd nothing for if he should haue said I beléeue so too the diuell might then haue begged him for a foole indéede And yet such fooles are the simple ignorant Papists which content themselues with this kind of faith for thus one may reason with them You are to beléeue as the Church beléeueth but the Church beléeues that you are fooles therefore you are to beléeue so to This their implicite faith euery one of himself may haue The diuels in some sence may be said to haue a better faith then this for they know what is contained in the Scriptures and beléeue it to be true Mat. 4.6 Iam. 2.19 This fond ridiculous kinde of faith is a notable meanes to muzzle people in blindnes superstition and perpetuall ignorance Againe faith is a certaine and true perswasion of the heart whereby wée are perswaded and in some measure assured of the
SPIRITVALL FOOD AND PHYSICK Viz. MILKE for the Younger MEAT for the Stronger The Substance of Diuinitie A Pill to purge out Poperie The Second EDITION corrected and inlarged LONDON Printed by H. L. for Beniamin Fisher and are to be sold at his Shop in Pater-noster Row at the signe of the Talbot 1623. TO ALL CHRISTIAN Parents and Gouernours of Families Grace Peace be multiplied IT is as yee know welbeloued the Commandement of God that Parents should teach and instruct their children in the true Religion and worship of God as it is to be seene in these places following Deut. 4.9.6.6.11.18 19. Prouerbs 22.6 Ephes 6.4 Examples also there are of many that did it as Abraham Dauid c. Gen. 18.19 1 Chro. 28.9 Prouerbs 4.3 4. Timothy knew the Scriptures from a child 2. Tim. 3.15 that no doubt by the instruction of his mother and his grandmother who are commended for their faith by S. Paul 2. Tim. 1.5 Secondly the benefit that followeth heereof is great Prouerbs 22.6 And the want heereof is the cause of much euill to your children and many times of great griefe to your selues Be diligent therefore and carefull to performe this duty Parents generally teach their children to say the Lords prayer the Creede and the ten Commandements and it is a good and commendable thing for them so to doe But they are not there to stay as if it were sufficient to say these things without booke but to goe further and to teach them the meaning thereof Many aged persons there be that can say the words but vnderstand little or nothing thereof nay know not so much as what the Creed is but vse it for a prayer The reason heerof is they were not â—nstructed in their youth That all therefore euen the simplest may be able to teach their children the meaning of the things aforesaid I haue heer framed first of all a very short Catechisme for little ones from the age of foure to 6 or 7 yeeres In which time I think there is scarce any of so weak capacitie but may be able to learne it Secondly I haue framed another fit for such as are of six or seuen till they come to ten or twelue yeeres of age and may in that time be easily learned and the rather because the first is comprehended in it Then thirdly I haue more particularly largely set downe the meaning of each Article of the Creede of the Sacraments of euery Commandement and of euery petition of the Lords prayer with diuers other points necessary to be knowne of all Christians and that before they come to bee partakers of the Lords Supper And this also may the more easily be learned because the second Catechisme is included in it And in all three I haue laboured for three things namely order breuitie and plainness For this I finde by almost 30. yeeres experience in the Ministerie that things orderly briefly and plainely handled are best remembred and soonest learned and though the Answeres bee many yet if they bee short and plaine both children and others will learne them with ease and delight Concerning the method and order heere obserued it is this First briefly it sheweth the benefit of Catechizing what it is and what be the parts of it Quest 1. to Q. 8. Secondly it sheweth what God is and setteth downe his workes of Creation and Prouidence and namely mans creation All which are comprehended in the first Article of the Creed Quest 8. to 30. Thirdly it discouereth our misery by reason of sinne Quest 30. to 44. Fourthly it declareth how we are redeemed from our misery namely by Christ where is shewed what Christ is concerning his person Quest 44. to 57. Then what hee did to worke our redemption and to make it perfect the which is set downe in the 4.5 and 6. Articles Quest. 57. to 74. And what is the last worke that Christ shall performe on earth Quest 74 75 76. Fiftly it maketh knowne how all that which Christ hath done is made profitable to vs Quest 77. to 81. Sixtly it sheweth who they are which are sanctified and ioyned to Christ namely the Church and what benefits belong to the Church Quest 81. to 98. Seuenthly it sheweth what is required on our behalfe that we may be partakers of Christ and his benefits namely a true faith what this faith is how it is wrought in vs and wherefore wee are said to bee saued by faith onely Quest 98. to 104. Now because the Sacraments are ordained of God for the helpe of our faith it sheweth next what these Sacraments are what things are thereby signified and sealed to vs and what is required to the right vse of them Quest 104. to 144. And forasmuch as that faith whereby we are iustified is not a dead but a liuely faith it sheweth what this faith doth bring forth in vs namely repentance and repentance good workes what these good workes are namely such as God hath commanded Quest 144. to 159. And then followeth in order the meaning of the ten Commandements Quest 159. to 247. Then after that follow certaine points concerning the Law as whether wee can bee iustified by the workes of the Law If not then to what end the Law doth serue and wherefore wee are to doe good workes how they are to bee done and whether they shall be rewarded of God or no Quest 247. to 258. Lastly it sheweth that wee of our selues can doe no good work but onely by the grade of God and that the grace of God is to be obtained of vs by prayer and then followeth the meaning of the Lords prayer and what shall become of all after this life Quest. 258. to the end All which things are briefly familiarly and plainely set downe by Questions and Answers that euen the simplest may easily if they will vse the meanes both learne and vnderstand the same And because that in matters of Religion nothing is to bee receiued but what is plainely proued by the Scriptures I haue at the end of almost euery Answere quoted the places of Scriptures for the proofe of the same And the places for the most part are plaine and easie as you shall finde if you turne to them And that you may see that whatsoeuer is necessary to be knowne beleeued and practised of vs to saluation is conteined in the Scriptures I haue also set downe in order the very substance of Diuinity in Texts of Scripture Lastly to the end that all may the more detest Popery I haue added a Dialogue betweene a weake Christian and a Minister shewing that Popery is contrary to the very grounds of the Catholike Religion and that therefore Papists cannot be good Catholikes And this I haue done not in hatred of their persons for I wish vnfainedly their conuersion in this world and their saluation in the world to come but in hatred of their false doctrine and that the simple may not be seduced with the title and colour
Church the Moone The Pope is the Bridegroom the Church the Bride The Pope is the head the Church the body And what is this but to place the Pope in the roome of Iesus Christ and euen to say that the Pope is Christ Confor F. 2. li. 2. fol. 10. That they do thus place S. Francis the Virgin Mary and the Pope in Christs roome and so make them Sauiours is more at large and sufficiently prooued out of their owne Writers in a little Treatise set forth by M. Thomas Rogers in the yéere 1589 intituled An historicall Dialogue of Antichrist and Poperie DIALOGVE 3. Ch. Hitherto you haue shewed how the Sonne of God is called IESVS because he is a Sauiour and how the Papists do place others in his roome Now shew me also why hee is called CHRIST and what that title signifieth M. Christ signifieth Anointed which title setteth forth his Office namely that he is our only true Prophet Priest and King C. Do they teach any thing contrary hereunto M. They doe euen denie this Office of his and so consequently deny the fruites of his comming in the flesh 1. Ioh. 4.3 C. Shew me wherein they deny his Office M. Christ is a Prophet to teach his Church and to reueale the will of God vnto vs to whom all are to hearken Mat 17.5 Ioh. 10.27 Act. 3.22 23. And this he hath perfectly done in the Scriptures They preferre their owne blinde traditions before the Scriptures they lay aside the Scriptures accounting and calling them Dumb Iudges A Nose of waxe The black Gospell Inken diuinity c. Piggius Contr. 3. de Eccl. Hierarch lib. 3. cap. 3. A certaine popish Doctor reasoning with M. Tindal was not ashamed to say that wee were better to be without Gods Law then the Popes They likewise set vp Images to be Lay-mens books and so in all this they deny by consequence his Prophetical office Christ is also a Priest and that for euer after the order of Melchisedech Heb. 7.24 And in this his office he hath none to succéede him They acknowledge not this but maintain still an outward and corporall Priest-hood to offer vp an outward sacrifice euen Christ himselfe Rhem on Heb. chap. 7.7 Sect. 7.8 C. If this were true why then the Priest were become a Mediatour betweene God and Christ the which is most absurd to think that any creature should be such a one M. It is indéede most absurd and yet in the very Canon of the Masse they intimate thus much when they request God to accept their gifts and offerings namely Christ himselfe offered as he did the sacrifices of Abel Noah And which is more absurd than this yea blasphemy for any to affirme they by their former doctrine do make the Priest to be more worthy in some respect then Christ for the person that doth offer a sacrifice is of more worth and honour then the thing which he offereth but the Priest as they say offereth vs Christ to God his Father therefore the Priest that offereth him is of more worth and honor then Christ whom he offereth As Christ is a Priest so he alone and that but once for all effred himselfe and by his one offering once offered hath made a full and perfect satisfaction for all our sins so that now there remaineth no more offering for sinnes Heb. 9.12 14 26 10 14 18. They teach that in the Masse there is dayly a sacrifice offered for the sinnes both of the quick and the dead and so they make Christs sacrifice not to bee the perfect and onely sacrifice of the new Testament but set vp another instead thereof C. They say that their sacrifice is not a new sacrifice or another from Christs but that it is the same M. The Author to the Hebrewes teacheth that Christs sacrifice neither may nor ought to be reiterated and repeated for as it is but one so it was but once offered And this word Once he vseth fiue seuerall times Heb. 7.27.9.12.26 28.10 C. They say that Christ indeed was offered but once after a bloudy manner but he is often offered after an vnbloudy manner M. This distinction of theirs hath no warrant out of Gods Word nay rather it is directly against the Word for Heb. 9.22 it is said Almost all things are by the law purged with bloud and without shedding of bloud is no remission From whence we may thus reason Without shedding of bloud is no remission but in the Masse is no shedding of bloud therefore no remission And therefore it is no sacrifice for sinne C. Though this their distinction bee not to be found in the Scriptures yet it is in the writings of the Fathers M. The Fathers indéede make mention of vnbloody Sacrifices but they hereby vnderstand not outward and bodily Sacrifices for sinne but the Spirituall Sacrifices of Christians and they so call them in comparing them with the bloudy sacrifices of the Law and with Christs bloudy Sacrifice C. The Papists doe not say that the sacrifice of the Masse is an expiatorie but an applicatory sacrifice that is it serues not properly to make any satisfaction to God but rather to apply vnto vs the satisfaction of Christ alreadie made M. Their doctrine is that it is a sacrifice propitiatory that is auaileable to obtaine ex opere operato by the very worke wrought remission and pardon of all their sinnes yea that it is auaileable to obtain all other benefits as peace health and such like Concil Trid. Sess 22. Can. 3. Bellarm. lib. 1. de Miss cap. 25. lib. 2. cap. 9. But let it be as you say that they account it but an applicatory sacrifice yet this maketh nothing for them The Sacrifices of the Law did serue to apply the vertue of Christs Crosse and yet the Apostle excludeth them by this reason that where there is remission of sins there is no more Sacrifice Heb. 10.18 Wherfore if the Apostles reason be good it concludeth also against their Sacrifice applicatory Again the Apostle teacheth that therefore the Sacrifices of the Lawe are abolished by the death of Christ because they were but shadowes of good things to come and could not make the offerers perfect c. Heb. 10.1 2 3. And therefore this kind of applying Sacrifice which they faine themselues hath ceased Wée néede not now a Sacrifice for the application of Christs death for Christ to that end hath appointed the preaching of the Word and hath instituted Sacraments whereby his death with all the benefits thereof are most fruitfully applied vnto vs Gal. 3.1 1. Cor. 11.26 Againe this their applying sacrifice is against the nature of a Sacrament in which God giues Christ vnto vs wheras in a Sacrifice God receiues from man and man giues something to God C. The ancient Fathers vsed to call the Supper of the Lord a Sacrifice it should seem therefore that there is some Sacrifice offered therein to God M. It is true that they called it so not that