A. Ordinarily it is done so but here is a speciall cause Q. What comfort haue we of the person of the Iudge A. Our sauiour aduocate and mediatour shal onely be our iudge Q. What should the meditation of this Article worke in vs A. The contempt of all worldly pleasures ◠a delight in heauenly things Q. Who shall be saued in that day A. Al that are made here y e members of Christ Q Who maketh vs members of Christ A. Gods holy spirite onely working in our heartes The third part of our Beliefe Q. What thing is the holy Spirite A. He is God equall with the Father and the Sonne Q. From whence doth he proceed A. From the Father and the Sonne Q. What is his office in generall He putteth all things in execution which are decreed by Gods secrete councell Q. What thing doth he in the order of nature A. He keepeth al things in their natural estate Q. From whence then come all these alterations A. Frō y e same spirite working diuersly in nature Q. Is then the spirit but nature A. Not so for he is God ruling and keeping nature Q. What doth he in worldly kingdomes A. He doth raise and cast them downe at his pleasure Q. Why are these things attributed vnto him A. Because he is the power and hand of God Q. What doth he in the kingdome of Christ A. He gathereth all Gods elect to Christ Q. Why is he called holy A. Because he is the fountaine of holines and maketh vs holy Q. When and how doth he this A. When by his mightie power he separateth vs from our naturall corruption and dedicateth vs to godlines Q. What thing is this naturall corruption A. Blindnesse of mind hardnes of heart and contempt of God Q. How doth he dedicate vs to godlines A. He lighteneth our mindes mollifieth our hearts and strengtheneth vs. Q. What thing then is all flesh without the spirite of God A. Blind and dead in all heauenly things Q. What other names hath he in the scriptures A. He is called the spirite of faith regeneration strength and comfort Q. Why are these names giuen to y e holy Ghost A. Because he worketh all these things in vs. Q. How are these graces called A. Sanctification regeneration or new birth and spirite Q. How is our corrupted estate called A. The olde man old Adam flesh and bloud Q. What followeth vpon our sanctification A. A continuall battell betwixt the spirite the flesh Q. Who doth strengthen and keepe vs in this battell A. The same spirite who also giueth victory in the ende Q. what is this battell to vs A. A sure seale of y e presence of the holy spirite Q. what battell hath the old man in himselfe A. None at all against sinne and wickednes Q. In whom then is this battell A. Onely in the members of Christ and his Church through the presence of the spirite The fourth part of our beliefe Q. what is the Church which we confesse here A. The whole company of Gods elect called and sanctified Q. Doe we beleeue in this Church A. No but we beleeue onely in our God Q. what thing then beleeue we of this Church A. That it was is and shall be to the ende of the world Q. what nede we to beleue this A. For our great comfort the glorie of God Q. Declare that plainly A. The loue of the Father the death of Christ and the power of the Spirite shall euer worke in some Q. what thing followeth vpon this A. The glorie of God and confusion of Satan with our comfort Q. UUhy is this Church only knowen to vs by faith A. Because it conteineth onely Gods elect which are onely knowne to himselfe Q. VVhen and how may we know them A. When we see the fruites of election and holines in them Q. In what respect is the Church called holy A. In respect of our iustification and sanctification Q. How differ these two graces A. The first is perfect the second vnperfect Q VVhat is the cause of that diuersitie A. The first is in Christ the second is in vs. Q. Are not both these giftes ours A. Yes no doubt seeing Christ is ours Q. May we not come to a full perfection in this life A. No for the flesh doth rebell continually against the spirite Q. Why doth not the spirite sanctifie vs perfectly A. Least we should misknow our former captiuitie and redemption Q. What admonition haue we of our estate A. We should be humble repent be thankfull to our God Q. Why is the Church called vniuersall A. Because it is spread through the whole world Q. How many churches are there in the worlde A. One Church one Christ as one body and the head Q. Is it bound to any particular time place or persons A. No for then it should not be vniuersall Q. What is the communion of Saintes A. The mutuall participation of Christ and his graces among his members Q. What followeth vpon this communion A. A spirituall vniting and communion among all Christes members Q Whereupon is this communion grounded A. Upon their vnion with Christ their heat Q. Who maketh our vnion with Christ and among our selues A. The holy spirite by his mightie power Q. Is there any saluation without this communion A. None at all for Christ is the ground of saluation Q. May men be ioyned with Christ and not with his Saintes A. No nor yet with the Saintes if not with Christ Q. What then should be our principall care A. To hold fast our vnion w t Christ our head Q. What followeth vpon that A. Then of necessitie we are ioyned with all his Saintes and Church Q. Should we not seeke them and ioine with them externally also A. No doubt whensoeuer we may see them or heare of them in particular How the Church may be knowen Q. How may we know this company externally A. By the true profession of the worde and holy Sacraments Q. What if these tokens bee not founde among them A. Then they are not y e communion of saints Q. May we with safe conscience ioyne our selues with such A. No for they are not the holy Church of god where these tokens are not Q. Then we depart from the vniuersall Church A. No but we depart from the corruption of mē remaine in the holy vniuersall Church Q. But yet they will call themselues the Church A. We should looke to the true markes of the Church Q. May we leaue the particuler Church where the word is retained A. No albeit sundrie other vices abound there Q. But the multitude are wicked and prophane A. Yet there is a true Church where the word truely remaineth Q. VVhat then is the infallible token of Christes Church A. The word truely preached and professed Q. Should we discusse who are Saintes in deede and who not A. No for that doth appertaine to God onely and to them selues
A. The worde the Sacraments and discipline rightly vsed Q. What if no order of discipline bee among them A. Then we should remaine with the word and Sacramentes Q. But what if both the worde and Sacramentâ— be corrupted A. Then we should not ioyne our selues with that companie Q. But what if they retaine the name of the true Church A. So did Satan cloth him selfe with the Angell of light for the further blinding of the world Q. But what shall men do when they know not another Church A. Let them content them selues with true faith in Christ Q. But then they are diuyded from the Church A. Not from the true Church and bodie of Christ Q. How can that be proued A. Thus all that are vnited with Christ are ioyned with the Church Q. Which of these two vnions is first and cause of the other A. Our misticall and spirituall vnion with Iesus Christ For we are ioyned with all the Saints of God because we are ioyned first with God in Christ Q. What comfort then is our societie with the Church to vs A. A singular comfort chiefly when wee are persecuted by the bastard church and tyrants of the world Q. What is the comfort to vs A. This that they can not seperate vs from Christ and his members albeit they seperat vs from their wicked societie 9. The 9. part is Of the first cause and progresse of our saluation and end of all flesh Q. OUt of what fountaine doth this our stabilitie flowe A. Out of Gods eternall and constant election in Christ Q. By what way commeth this election to vs A. By his effectuall calling in due time Q. What worketh his effectuall calling in vs A. The obedience of faith Q. What thing doth faith worke A. Our perpetuall and inseperable vnion with Christ Q. What worketh this vnion with Christ A. A mutuall communion with him and his graces Q. What worketh this communion A. Remission of sinnes and imputation of Iustice Q. What worketh remission of sinnes and imputation of iustice A. Peace of conscience and continuall sanctification Q. What worketh sanctification A. The hatred of sinne and loue of godlines Q. What worketh the hatred of sinne A. A continuall battell against sinne Q. What worketh this battell A. A continuall desire to profit in godlines Q. What worketh this desire A. An earnest studie in the worde of God Q. What worketh this earnest studie A. A further knowledge of our owne weaknes and Gods goodnes Q. What worketh this knowledge in vs A. An earnest calling vpon God for helpe Q. What worketh this earnest calling A. Uictory against Satan and sinne Q. What worketh this victory A. A liuely experience of Gods fauour Q. What worketh this liuely experience A. Boldnes to fight and sure hope of further victory Q. What worketh this sure hope A. An vnspeakable ioy of heart in trouble Q. What worketh this ioy of heart A. Patience to the ende of the battell Q. What worketh patience in vs A. Stoutnesse of heart to the finall triumph Q. What worketh this stoutnesse of heart A. A plaine defiance against Satan and sin Q. What is this defiance A. The beginning of the eternall life in vs. Q. What is this beginning to vs A. A sure seale of our election and gloryfication The certaintie of adoption Q. May not this seale bee abolished through sinne A. No for these giftes are without repentance Q. But many fall shamefully from God A. The spirit of adoption raiseth all the chosen againe Q. But many are neuer raised againe A. These were neuer of the chosen of God Q. Yet both they and the Church beleeued otherwise A. They deceyued them selues but the Church iudgeth charitablly Q. Then Faieh is not certaine A. True faith is euer certain to the beleeuers Q. What certaintie hath euery one of his faith A. The testimonie of the spirite of adoption with the fruites Q. But many glory in this testimony in vaine A. Yet this testimony is most sure and certaine Q. Why then are so many deceiued by this way A. Because they glory in a faith without fruites Q. How may we eschewe this danger A. By the right tryall of our adoption The tryall of our adoption Q. Where should we begin our tryall A. At the fruites of faith and repentance Because they are best known to our selues and others Q. What if we beginne at election A. Then we shall wander in darknesse Q. But Gods election is most cleare and certaine A. It is cleare and certaine in it selfe but it is not alway certaine to vs in speciall Q. When is it certaine to euery one of vs A. When it may be felt and knowne by the fruites Q. But this exact tryall hath brought some to desperation A. Yet Gods elect are alwaies susteyned and finally comforted Q. Yet this tryall is troublesome to mennes conscience A. But at length it bringeth greater peace of conscience Q. When and how is that A. When after the feeling of Gods iudgements we taste of his mercy againe more aboundantly Q. Why are Gods elect so oft thus troubled in minde A. Because that they may the better feele and knowe the mercy of God Q. Why do worldly men esteeme so litle the mercy of God A. Because they taste not throughly of his iustice Q. What thing then is trouble with the comfort of the spirit A. A seale of Gods loue and a preparation to life eternall Q. What is prosperitie without the taste of the Spirit A. A token of Gods wrath and a way to perdition Q. But some are troubled in minde without any reliefe A. Such men begin their hel here with Cain Of the last and eternall estate of mankinde Q. What then shall be the finall end of all fleshe A. Eyther life or death eternall without any change Q. With whom and where shall the faithful be A. With GOD in heauen full of allioye and felicitie Q. With whome and where shall the wicked be A. With Satan in hell oppressed with infinite miseries Q. Are these two endes certaine and sure A. Yes no doubt seeing the meanes are certaine and sure Q. Which are these sure meanes A. Faith and infidelitie with their fruites Q. What maketh these meanes sure A. Gods most iust and constant will reuealed in his worde Q. When ordained he these meanes and endes A. Before all beginninges in his secrete counsell Q. To what end did he this A. That his mercy and iustice might shinâ— perfectly in mankinde Q. How was this brought to passe A. Through the creation of man in vprightnesse and his fall from that estate Q. What followed vpon this fall of man A. All men once were concluded vnder sinnâ— and most iust condemnation Q. What serued this for his mercie and iustice A. Hereby occasion was offered both of mercie and iustice Q. To whom was mercie promised and giuen A. Only to his chosen children in Christ which
It is to applie a common thing to an holy vse Q. Who may do this A. God onely we at his commaundement Q. Doth the consecration or blessing chaunge the substance of the Elements A. No but it chaungeth the vse onely Q. How long then remaine they holy A. So long as they are vsed in that action Q. What are they after that vse A. Common things as before Q. Do the Sacraments profite all the receiuers when they are administred A. No seeing they are receiued by some without faith for a time Q. Then the wordes of consecration haue no force A. They haue no force to imprint any qualytie in the elements of vertue or holines Q. To whom then are they spoken A. To the receauers and not to the Elements Q. What is the office of those wordes of Blessing A. To testifie the will of God to the people Q. In what language should they be spoken A. In the Receauers owne language Q. Where should the Sacramentes bee administred A. Publikely before the congregation Of the Receauers Q. To whome shoulde the Sacramentes bee giuen A. To all the members of the Church in due time Q. How should the Sacraments be receiued A. In a liuely faith and true repentance Q. What if faith and repentance be not A. Then double condemnation is sealed vp Q. Can the sinnes of the Ministers or others hurt vs. A. No for they are Gods ordinances Q. How should we prepare our selues A. We should trie our knowledge faith and repentance Q. Should these giftes be perfect in vs A. Not so but they should be sound and without hipocrisie The causes and number of the Sacramēts Q. To what end are the Sacraments vsed A. For the nourishment of our faith and for anopen protestation of our religion before men Q. To what other end serue they A. They craue the increase of newnesse of life with brotherly loue and concord Q. Did the Sacraments of the olde Testament serue for the same vses A. Yes no doubt as the Prophets and Apostles do testifie Q. How many Sacramentes hath Christ giuen vs. A. Two onely Baptisme and the Lordes Supper Q. Wherefore haue we onely these two Sacraments A. Because we neede both to be receaued and also feede in Gods familie Q. The Fathers had verie many sacraments V. Yet they had but two principals that is Circumcision and the Passeouer Q. What did these two testifie to them A. Their receiuing and continuall feeding in Gods houshold Of the Sacrament of Baptisme Q. What is the signification of Baptisme A. Remission of our sinnes and regeneration Q. What similitude hath Baptisme with remission of sinnes A. As washing clenseth the bodie so Christes bloud our soules Q. Wherein doth this cleansing stand A. In putting away of sinne and imputation of iustice Q. Wherein standeth our regeneration A. In mortification and newnes of life Q. How are these things sealed vp in Baptisme A. By laying on of the water Q. What doth the laying on of the water signifie A. Our dying to sinne and rising to rightepusnes Q. Doth the externall washing worke these things A. No it is the worke of Gods holy spirite onely Q. Then the Sacrament is a bare figure A. No but it hath the veritie ioyned with it Q. Do all men receiue these graces with the Sacrament A. No but onely the faithfull Q. What is the ground of our regeneration A. The death buriall and resurrection of Christ Q. When are we partakers of his death and resurrection A. When we are made one with him thorow his Spirite Q. How should we vse Baptisme aright A. Wee shoulde vse it in faith and repentaunce Q. How long doth Baptisme worke A. All the daies of our life Of the Baptisme of Children Q. How then may little children receaue Baptisme A. Euen as they receiued circumcision vnder the lawe Q. Upon what ground were they circumcised A. Upon the ground made to the Fathers and their seede Gene. 17. Act. 7. verse 8. Q. Haue we the like promise for vs and our children A. I no doubt seeing Christ came to accomplish the same to the faithfull Q. What if our children die without baptisme A. Yet they are saued by the promise Q. Why are they baptised seeing they are yong vnderstand not A. Because they are the seede of the faithfull Q. What comfort haue we by their baptisme A. This that we rest perswaded they are inheritours of the kingdome of heauen Q. What should that worke in vs. A. Diligence to teach them the waye of saluation Q. What admonition haue they hereby A. That they should be thankefull when they come to age Q. What thing then is Baptisme to our children A. An entrie into the Church of God and to the holy Supper Q. How doth Baptisme differ from the Supper A. In the Element Action Rites and signification Q. Wherefore is Baptisme once administred only A. Because it is inough to be once receyued into Gods familie Q. Why is the Lords Supper so often administred A. Because we haue neede to be fedde continually Q. Why is not the Lords Supper ministred also to infants A. Because they can not examine themselues Of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Q. What signifieth the Lords Supper to vs A. That our soules are fedde with the body and bloud of Christ Q. Why is this represented by breade and wine A. Because what the one doth to the bodye the same doth the other to the soule spiritually Q. But our bodies are ioyned corporally with the Elements or outwarde signes A. Euen so are our soules ioyned spiritually with Christ his body Q. What neede is there of this vnion with him A. Otherwise we can not enioy his benefits Q. Declare that in the Sacrament A. As we see the Elements giuen vs to feeds our bodies Euen so we see by saith Christ giue his body to vs to feede our soules Q. Did he not giue it vpon the Crosse for vs A. Yes and here he giueth the same body to be our spirituall foode which we receiue and feede on by faith Q. When is his body and bloud our foode A. When we feele the efficacie and power of his death in our consciences Q. By what way is this done A. By his offring and our receyuing of it Q. How doth he offer his bodie and bloude A. By the worde and Sacraments Q. How receiue we his bodie and bloude A. By our owne liuely faith onely Q. What followeth vpon this recyuing by faith A. That Christ dwelleth in vs and we in him Q. Is not this done by the Worde and Baptisme A. Yes but our ioyning with Christ is more euident and manifest here Q. Wherefore is it more euident A. Because it is expressed by meate drinke ioyned with vs inwardly in our bodies The parts of the Sacrament and their signification Q. What signifieth this breade and wine to vs A. Christes body and bloud once offered vppon the Crosse for vs and