of Christ doth mortifie and kill sinne in vs so also wee are quickened by the power of his resurrection vnto holinesse and newnesse of life Therefore the Apostle saith If yee be rysen with Christe seeke those thinges which are aboue where Christe sitteth at the right hand of God Set your affections vpon things which are aboue l. Col. 3.1.2 and not vpon things which are vpon earth Q. What is then the true faithe in the resurrection of Christe A. To bee partaker of the power of his resurrection and to bee raysed with him Therefore the blessed Apostle did still couet to knowe him and the power of his resurrection m. Phil. 3.10 Q. Doe ye conclude vpon this that suche doe not beleeue the resurrection of Christe as are not indued with true holinesse A. It is without all controuersie that those bee flat infidels which feele not the power of the resurrection of Christe All is in vaine which they holde of Christe for if they were partakers of his death to bee grafted with him in the similitude of his death they shoulde also be grafted to the similitude of his resurrection n. Rom. 6.5 Q. What saye yee to that which followeth A. I do beleeue that this Christ in his body is ascended into heauen Q. What benefite and comforte is there in this article A. Very great if wee consider it well For hee being our great high Priest is entred into the most holy place euen vnto the throne of glory there to present vs and to deale for vs for so long as hee is there and doth make intercessiō for vs it cānot but go well with vs Because we may nowe come boldly thither and present our selues our prayers and wee are accepted because god is well pleased with him o. Heb. 4.16 Q. Is there no more but this in his ascention into heauen A. Yes hee is there exalted and set at the right hande of God For as hee is there our Priest so also hee is our Lord and king hauing the highest rule and power committed into his handes Q. How doe you gather that A. Because it is saide that he sitteth at the right hand of God p. Ephe. 1.20 which is as much in effect as to say as that God doth by him gouerne and administer all thinges both in heauen and earth Q. Is this thing set foorth plainely in the worde A. It is expressed most plainely For hee saide all power is giuen vnto me in heauen and earth q. Mat. 28.18 The Apostle saith that hee is exalted farre aboue principalities and powers and aboue euery name that is named not only in this world but also in the world to come r. Ephe. 1.21 Also hee saith that God exalted him and gaue him a name which is aboue al names that in the name of Iesus euery knee shoulde bowe of thinges in heauen thinges in earth and thinges vnder the earth ſ. Phi. 2.10 Q. What say yee further as concerning his glory A. His authoritie and glory is suche that hee shall come at the last day to iudge the whole worlde both the quicke and the dead Q. What is the sense of the words A. He shall come downe from heauen where hee sitteth at the right hande of God with so great power and glory that at his commandement the dead shall be raised vp The diuels and all the rebels shal be forced by his might to come before him and to receiue their doome hee shall haue power in his hand to cast them into hel and to execute iudgement and on the other side to bring those which obey him vnto eternall glory t. Mat. 25.34.41 Heb. 5.9 Q. Proceede vnto the third part of our beliefe A. I beleeue in the holy ghoste Q. It hath bin proued that the holy ghoste is the same God with the father and the sonne so that hee can if we respect the Godhead bee no more a spirite nor no more holy then the father and the sonne Tel me therefore in what respect he is thus called distinguished from them A. He is distinguished from the father and the sonne by these names not in respect of that which he is in himselfe but in respect of his operation worke which he worketh in men whom he doth enspire santifie Q. This must bee opened more fully beeing so great an article of our faith A. The father hath giuen his sonne for the redemption of the worlde the sonne hath humbled himselfe in obedience vnto death so hath perfourmed the same but the holy ghost doth make vs partakers of it or els we are neuer the neere Q. What is then the worke of the holy ghoste A. Hee openeth the heart and giueth faith in the gospel He doth couple vs vnto Christe and make vs members of his body he doth wash vs with the blood of Christ he doth regenerate vs by mortifiyng in vs all carnall affections by making vs feele the power of the death of Christ he doth giue vs all heauenly vertues and good desires by the power of the resurrection of Christ hee doth seale vp the faith of the promises in our heartes and testifie vnto our spirits the we are the childrē of god he doth teach vs all truth Finally it is he which doth teach vs to pray and to call vpon God v. Rom. 8.16.26 Q. Doe none beleeue in the holy Ghost but those that haue this A. The truth is that none beleeue in the holy Ghoste neither are they partakers of Christe vnlesse they bee indued with the holy Ghoste For whosoeuer hath not the spirite of Christe is none of his w. Rom. 8.9 Q. Doe those then which are abhominable sinners declare themselues to bee infidels A. What can bee more manifest For howe can that man commit sinne and haue it raigne in him which is ledde by the holie Ghoste Q. Are yee then of their minde which affirme that after they haue once receiued the spirite they sinne no more For as they say hee is a perfect spirite and because hee is most holy hee cannot dwell in sinfull fleshe A. I am farre from the minde of suche abhominable heretikes although I confesse that the power of the holy ghoste is such in all those whom hee doth sanctifie that hee doth mortifie and kil sinne in them so farre that albeit it trouble and vex them yet it doeth not raigne ouer them neyther doe they willingly obeye it They fall into this deuillish errour beecause they doe not put difference beetweene the essence of the spirite and his giftes and graces For it is most true that if the essence and substance of the holy Ghost shoulde be in men they must needes be perfect for euerye such man shoulde be a God but wee receiue the working and graces of the spirite not in full perfection but in such measure as that wee may still increase Q. Can yee shewe by the scriptures that those which were indued
exāples out of the scripturs A. The scriptures are plentiful in this point but a few examples may suffice in this behalfe Ioseph was solde into Aegypt by a wicked hatred of his brethrē n. Gen. 37.28 yet the holy Ghost saith God sent him thither o. Psa 105.17 and hee saith to his brethren you meant euil against me but God meant it for good p. Gene. 50. God in a righteous iudgement to punishe Dauid for his murther and adulterie threatned to raise vp the sword in Dauids house and also that he would take Dauids wiues and giue thē to his neighbours He addeth thou didst this secretely but I wil do it openly in the sight of Israel and in the sight of the sunne q. 2. Sam. 12 9.10.11.12 All this was good as God did it but moste abhominable in Absolon and Achitophell which were the instruments God appointed his sonn Iesus Christ to be crucified a most glorious work of God The heigh priests with Pilate did nothing but that whiche was the determinate counsell of God r Act. 4.28 and yet they did commit a most horrible sinn and are iustly damned for it Q. Al the doubt is not yet taken away for when we affirme that the will of God is executed by those wicked instrumentes in suche actions as he hath in his lawe which is his expresse wil flatly forbidden it may seem that he should haue a double wil one secret another reuealed which is a thing farre disagreeing frō the nature of God A. That it seemeth there should be two willes in God because of this it is to be ascribed to the weakenesse and imperfection of our vnderstanding for looke howe a daselled disturbed eye sight doth suppose there be two candles when there is but one euen so fareth our mynde when it looketh vppon the will of God Q. Yee conclude then that not onlie the motions of things without life or without vnderstanding are guided by God as stormes tempestes sicknesses warres famines but also the actions of the diuel and al the wicked are measured and directed by his prouidence to proceede so farre as hee doth appoynt A. Or els it were wide with vs for how euill were our case if the Diuels could goe any further then God letteth out the chaine in which hee hath tyed them or the wicked coulde put in practise any more then he doth let loose the bridle with whiche hee doeth restraine them Q. The common opinion is that the diuel doth raise vp great winds with tempests and thunders A. It is the common opinion but is contrary vnto the faith which we must haue in Gods prouidēce and gouernment and the Diuel doth deale craftily in the matter For to the end that he woulde make men beleeue that he doeth beare a greate stroke when the Lord doth sende any straunge and woonderfull tempest he doeth conueye himselfe into it and come with it that so they may thinke it is his Q. Proceede vnto the second part of our beliefe first what is the summe of it in generall A. The summe of it in general is how our Lorde Iesus Christe hath redeemed vs from destruction brought vs home againe to God Q. We cannot perceiue how great and wonderfull this grace of redemption is vntil we know the greeuousnes of our fal and decay A. By the fall disobedience of our first parents we were al vtterly cast away For we haue not onely lost the glory and happinesse of our first creation but also we are become by nature the childrē of wrath ſ. Ephe. 2.3 which is no lesse then to be the very children of hell and destructiō Q. Was the decay so great that there was no help at al left in vs A. It was an vtter downfall a perfect breach For although there remained some litle sparks of light as it wer some litle peeces of a sumptuous buylding pulled down should be found in the dust yet the same are no further auaileable then to make men void of al excuse t. Rom. 10.1 Q. Then ye affirme that it is not in the power of man to recouer him selfe out of this miserie A. I doe not only affyrme that but also that man is not able so much as to help to recouer himself nor once to moue towards it Q. That seemeth much seeing ye cōfesse that in the decaied estate of man there remaine some sparkes of light and of excellent gifts A. I confesse so much but yet those do not auaile so far as to giue him any help to recouer or any motion but he doth so choak and peruert this light that it thrusteth him further from God because it lifteth him vp in pride and this is the cause why the scripture dooth set forth the inwardes of man which seeme most gay to be so corrupt that it doth not affoord him a good thought v. Gen. 6.5 When al the thoughts of his heart are onely euill frō his youth how could he haue any motion to help himself Q. This point is hard to perswad some men in and therefore needeth a more manifest declaration and proofe A. To set forth the depth of our miserie the scripture doth not onely affirme that we are dead in our sinnes but also shut vp inclosed vnder the dominion of the prince of darknes w. Ephe. 2.12 Rom. 11.32 Gal. 3.22 We are then far from any motion of life not onely because we are dead deade men can not stir but also that we are holdē vnder by the power of the deuil For this cause the holy scripture saith no man can enter into the kingdōe of God except he be borne again x. Iohn 3.3 Likewise it affirmeth a new creation y. 1. Cor. 5 1◠and that we must be raised frō the dead z. Col. 3.1 None of these speeches could be vsed if there had beene any thing at al to helpe left in man Q. How may this be said of the soule which neuer dieth A. In respect of the true life whiche is called the life of God a Eph. 4.18 the soule is dead beeing separated from God The soule by nature hath stil a kind of life in it as the diuels and damned shall liue for euer but their life is no more but a continuall death a man hath no life in him vntill he be partaker of the spirite of life Q. You seeme to make the woorke of God in bringing men to saluation to be euen as a Carpenter worketh vpon a blocke A. Not so for men differ from blockes because they haue reason wil and affections which God frameth for they be all against God vntill hee frame them so they feele the worke of God and are moued to put to their consent and indeuour Q. Now yee haue set foorth the fall and decay shew the recouery A. The recouerie is onelie by our Lord Iesus Christ Q. All were cast away in Adam shall
toppe of a house and saye I trust so in God that I fear not any daunger of breaking my legges or my necke Or that shal cry out say Lorde keepe me from drowning and skip into the sea For when a man hath heard the word and doth call vpon God to saue him he must auoide all occasions of euill and therefore God doth command al his seruants to come out from among the wicked and to seperat them selues He pronounceth those blessed which shunne their counsel and their way Q. Doe yee esteeme those to bee worthy receiuers then which striue and labour to returne home vnto God and vse al good meanes which hee hath appoynted although they be stil but weak and ful of infirmities A. They are worthy receiuers and the Sacraments are ordayned for such For if mens faith and repentaunce were perfect then should not stand in neede of such helpe But because they seeke to come vnto God are not able to ascend he commeth down vnto them to lift them vp Q. Then yee take those men to be in good case which carefully and thankfully imbrace the meanes which GOD hath ordayned to draw them vnto eternall life A. Those are in most happy case for although they seeme to trauell in vaine yet it is far otherwise for GOD is faythfull and cānot cast away those which seeke him If they craue of God to be taught the truth and to abide in it they cannot miscary but the proud minde which doth swell shall obtaine no fauour nor grace Q. Let vs proceede now to speake of prayer which is a speciall meane which God hath ordayned to helpe our selues withall and first shew what those things are which we obtaine through true and hearty prayer A. Wee are by prayer to seeke in generall for all thinges which set forth Gods honour and aduaunce his trueth here below in earth We are also to seeke for al things which we stand in neede of either for body or soule for this life or for the life to come Q. Haue we the summe of all these in one prayer A. Our Sauiour Christ hath in very fewe woordes comprised the summe of all these in that prayer which he taught his Apostles which wee call the Lordes prayer For the whole prayer dooth consist of sixe petitions whereof the three firste concerne God him selfe and the other three our own estate Q. Shal not al those be saued which cal vpon the name of the Lord and pray the same prayer A. It is out of controuersie that euery one which doth call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued for so God saieth by the Prophet h. Ioel. 1.32 But yet this is to be added that they he such as call vpon him in trueth i. Psa 145.18 for otherwise their prayers are turned into sint and they doe in moste fearefull manner procure the vengance of God against their own foules which do not pray rightly For prayer being a thing most excellent precious the abuse therof must needes be a most fearful sin God saith that when they stretch forth their hāds he wil turn away his face k. Esai 1.15 He calleth such praiers the sacrifice of fooles l. Eccle. 40. He saith that the sacrifice of that wicked is abhominable vnto him m. Prou. 15. Q. What are the things which are required in prayer to make it to bee in trueth and right before God A. There be diuers thinges required which go together in true prayer which if they be wanting al is marred And therfore our Sauiour doth vse a few wordes to put vs in minde of the same when hee teacheth vs to say Our Father which art in heauen For in these woordes we are taught to make our prayers onely to GOD reconciled vnto vs in Christe and become our father Also when we come as children to theyr father which dooth loue and pittie them we muste aske in assuraunce and boldenesse of fayth For he which doth not aske in fayth but wauereth and doubteth shal receiue nothing n. Iam. 1.6.7 Our hearts must also be lifted vp into the heauens with great reuerēce of the glorious maiestie of our God vnto whome we speake Q. Shewe howe men breake these rules in prayer and faile in them A. Those which cal vpon Angels and the soules of men departed thinking to find more pitie and mercy at their hands then at the hands of God bewray a wicked conscience deny the throne of grace vnto which we are willed to come boldly to obtayne mercy and grace o. Heb. 4 1◠Those which doo not ground their prayers vpō the promises of the word nor cannot perswade their hearts that God is indeed their most louing father and therefore to be out of doubt that he heareth them and sure they shal obtaine all that he hath promised them do but speak with their mouth and not thinke it in their heart when they call GOD father For canne they take him to bee their Father and not to loue them Canne hee loue them and not giue them all good things which they beg of him Q. How shall a man come vnto this assuraunce to knowe that God heareth him and wil saue him because he dooth continually beg it of God A. No man can come vnto this assuraunce of him selfe For it is the spirite of adoption which doth perswade men to call God their Father and that dooth witnesse vnto their spirite that they be the children of God p. Rom. 8 1◠and therefore the guiltie conscience of the wicked man doth cause him that hee cannot pray being without the spirit of god which only teacheth men to pray maketh intercession for them with sighes grones which cannot be expressed q. Rom. 8.26 What is the vngodly man therefore the better if he lye at the poynt of death and the guiltinesse of sinnes cause him to tremble so that he cry out with bitter teares if for wante of the holye spirite of adoption to regenerate him hee doubte whether God heare him Q. It is not in the power of man to obtaine such a treasure A. That is moste sure but those which begge of GOD to haue his spirit shal haue him r. Luk. 11.13 and those whiche labour to obtayne the fayth to call vppon GOD shal finde it s. Mat. 7.7 Q. Which way shal they labour and what meanes shal they vse A. They must seeke for the true vnderstanding of the will of GOD and meditate vpon the faythfulnesse and trueth that is in him to perfourme his promises and cleanse their heartes and their handes from euill for the holye Ghost dooth affirme that hee which turneth awaye his eare from hearing of the lawe his prayer shall bee abhominable t. Pro. 28. Also hee willeth a manne to take heede vnto his foote when hee commeth into the house of God and to be ready to heare rather then to offer the sacrifice of fooles v.