Q. What doest thou believe in this Article A. That the body and soule of Christ ascended together into Heaven the highest place of blisse where they never were before and Å¿ Te Deum at that time he opened the Kingdome of Heaven to all believers Q. Doest thou understand these words in the litterall sense A. I doe so Q. Can we say according to the Letter that God hath a right hand A. No we cannot But both Scripture and Creed in this phrase or manner of speech stoop to the capacity of man and expresse unto us hereby that height of glory which is otherwise unexpressible to our understanding For it is that glory which no other eye hath seene nor care hath heard neither hath it enter'd into the heart of man to conceive And how can the tongue utter what the heart hath not conceived what is unconceivable is unutterable Q. Thou believest then that he is ascended into the highest place of glory A. I doe so and that not only in place but in power for t S. Mat. 28.18 to him is all power given both in Heaven and in Earth And yet in this height of glory he is in himselfe so humble and to us so gracious that u Ro. 8.34 he makes continuall intercession for us Q. What is the seaventh Article A. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead Q. Is this certaine A. As certain as he is God And herein is a main comfort for us that he who suffered for us and died for us and continually prayes for us shall be our Iudge Q. Shall he judge us as he is man A. He shall for * S. Io. 5.27 the Father hath given him Power and Authority to execute judgement BECAVSE HE IS THE SONNE OF MAN And as man x Heb. 4.15 he is touched with the feeling of our infirmities y Heb. 5.2 that so he may have compassion upon us weake wandring silly men and apt to be deceived For z Heb. 4.15 16. in all poynts he was tempted like as we are yet without sinne Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need Q. The eight Article A. I believe in the Holy Ghost a Nic. Creed the Lord and giver of life who proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne who with the Father and the Sonne together is worshipped and glorified who spake by the Prophets These are three Persons and but one God Thus b Athan. Creed we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Vnity neither confounding the Persons nor dividing the Substance Q. We may not indeed say there be three Gods but may we not say there are three Lords A. We may not for though c Ib. we be compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by himselfe to be God and Lord yet we are forbidden by the Catholike Religion to say there be three Gods or three Lords Q. Why so A. Because Lord in respect of the three persons is a name of substance not of relation or property And in God there is but one Substance though threerelations Q. What meanest thou by relations A. God is called Father with relation to his Sonne or because he hath a Sonne The second person is called the Sonne because he hath a Father And the Holy Ghost is called so with relation to them both because he is the Spirit both of the Father and the Sonne for he proceeds from both Q. We have now the three Persons in the Trinity doe we not ascribe to every one of these a severall worke concerning man A. We doe so to the Father we ascribe our Creation to the Sonne our redemption and to the Holy Ghost our Sanctification As the Father created all so the Sonne redeemed all and the Holy Ghost sanctified me and all the elect people of God Q. Why to the Father is ascribed the Creation A. Because though the other two persons did joyntly and equally create with the Father yet the originall of that power is in and from him And yet d Athan. Creed none is afore or after other none is greater or lesse then another Q. Why to the Sonne our Redemption A. Because by his blood we are redeemed from death and Hell Q. Why to the Holy Ghost our sanctification A. Because it is his speciall worke to e 1. S. Pet. 1.2 Sanctify us by his guifts and graces Hence is it that we call him the holy Spirit because he is the Spirit that makes us holy Q. We acknowledge that the Sonne of God redeemed all mankind why doe we not also confesse that the Holy Ghost Sanctifies all mankind but the elect people of God A. Because Christ redeemes all that they may be sanctified but the Holy Ghost Sanctifies only those that believe in Christ or are baptised into Christ that so they may be his elect For we are f 1. S. Pet. 1.2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ So both these workes must concurre to our election Q. Which is the ninth Article A. I believe the Catholike Church the Communion of Saints Or g Nic. Creed I believe one Catholike and Apostolike Church Catholike for time and place Apostolike for faith and government Q. Why call you this Church a Communion of Saints A. Because it is a society of men that are Sanctified in Baptisme by Faith in Christ through the operation of the Spirit Q. What is a Church A. h Art 19. The visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of faithfull men in the which the pure word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duely ministred according to Christs Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same Q. What doest thou collect from hence A. These three things 1. That the Church consists of Faithfull men that is of such who professe the Christian faith 2. The word of God must be sincerely Preached And thirdly The Sacraments must be duely ministred to the Congregation according to Christ's Ordinance Q. Js it lawfull for every Christian that will to preach the word and administer the Sacraments A. No i Art 23. it is not lawfull for any man to do so unlesse he be lawfully called and sent to execute the same Q. Whom judge you to be lawfully called and sent A. All those k Ibid. who be chosen and called to this work by men who have publike authority given unto them in the Congregation to call and send Ministers into the Lords Vineyard Q. Who have publike authority given them to call and send Ministers into the Lords Vineyard A. Onely Bishops in the Church of England as is to be seen Article 36. and in the Book of Ordination Q. Why doth this Church allow no other but Bishops to give
we enquire not after no more then we enquire after the manner how Christs humanity was knit to his Deitie Q. Is the bread transubstantiated into the Body of Christ A. It is not x 1. Cor. 11.23 Bread it is before consecration y Ib. v. 24. bread at the time of Consecration and z Ib. v. 26 27 28. bread after Consecration but it is a Ib. v. 24 25. 29. the body and blood of Christ only after Consecration Q. After what manner doe wee receive the Body of Christ in this Sacrament A. By faith as the food is Spirituall so is the manner spirituall Q. What are the benefits whereof we are partakers thereby A. b Intelligo substantiâ corporis pasci animas nostras ut verè unum efficiamur cum eo Calvin in 1. Cor. 11.24 The strengthning and refreshing of our Soules by the body and blood of Christ as our bodies are by the Bread Wine We are sensible of the one let us beleeve the other For as veryly as our faint and hungry Bodies are strengthened and refreshed and comforted with bread and wine so verily is every penitent and faithfull Soule strengthened and refreshed and comforted with the body and blood of Christ Q. What is required of them which come to the Lords Supper A. To examine themselves whether they repent them truly of their former sinnes stedfastly purposing to lead a new life to have a lively faith in Gods mercy through Christ with a thankfull remembrance of his death and be in charity with all men Q. This for the inward preparation what for the outward reverence A. All outward and inward reverence is little enough when we come to receive the price of Heaven and Earth By some therefore it is called a dreadfull mystery because he that rightly considers of it will not approch to this Table without dread and trembling Q. Why so A. Because there we receive this holy Sacrament either to our salvation or damnation c 1. Cor. 11.29 If unworthily we eate and drinke damnation to our selves Whereas d Ib. v. 32. if we would judge our selves we could not but see our owne unworthinesse and then we would certainly endeavour to humble our selves as we ought both before and at our approch Thus if we doe we shall not be judged unworthy of the Lord but receive it to the comfort and salvation of our soules Q. Is not inward reverence sufficient A. He that hath commanded us at all times to e 1. Cor. 6.20 glorifie God in our bodies and in our spirits will have us more efpecially at this time to glorifie him in both Where both may be had he will have both The Church our Mother conceives kneeling not only decent but necessary at this time shee therefore hath made this Injunction that f Rubricke immediatly before the delivering The Minister shall deliver the Communion in both kinds to the PEOPLE KNEELING The people therefore are to kneele Q. Is this agreeable to the usage of the ancient Church A. It is so for S. Austine tells us that g Nemo illam carnem manducat nisi prius adoraverit Aug. in Ps 98. in his time no man received but first he kneeled And Chemnicius a learned Protestant speaking of due reverence to be used at this time professeth that h Chemnic Exam. Concii Trid. part 2. c. 5. we ought to kneele adding that externall irreverence in this action is the token of a prophane mind Q. Some abstain for feare of Idolatry A. I see not how there can be any such danger We worship not bread but the God of Heaven neither worship we God by the Bread but by or with that blessed Bread and Wine we receive the body and bloud of Christ i The vvords at the delivering which preserve us body and soul to eternall life And can any man be too good to receive such a blessing upon his knees Besides we acknowledge that Christ is present at this his supper after a more speciall and peculiar manner then at other times k Si haec verè ex animo credimus fieri nec potest nec debet quin fider Christum in illa actione praesentem veneretur adoret Chemnic Ib. If this we beleeve truly and sincerely it cannot it may not be but faith will reverence and adore our Saviour present in this action Q. Is there then no danger in kneeling A. Certainly none The danger is in not kneeling for I have learned of Chemnicius that there is no true faith in that Communicant l Non vera suisset fides si non secuta fuis set invocatio scu adoratio lb. where adoration is wanting And Saint Ambrose and Saint Austine are resolute that m Ambros Aug. in Psal 98. it is so farre from being a sinne to kneele at receiving this Sacrament that it is a sinne not to kneele Q. We have done with the ordinary course of Cathechising and yet there remaine two points of n Heb. 6.1 Hicrespexit ad usitatam Catechismi formulam Calvin in Heb. 6.1 Saint Pauls Care chisme namely 1. Repentance from dead workes and 2. Imposition or laying on of hands That we may orderly proceede in these tell me first what these dead workes are A. Dead workes are such as by the Catechists of those times were done before they beleeved in Christ Which being done without faith and the least relation to Gods glory tended to death Since o Heb. 11.6 without faith it is impossible to please God and without pleasing God no life * Aug. de Fide Oper. c. 20. These workes then are to be repented of by the Elder sort before they repaire to Baptisme Q. What is Repentance A. It is an hearty sorrow for our sinnes past accompanied with a change of mind from evill to good with a resolution by Gods grace to continue in good courses If thus we p S. Mat. 4 17. repent the Kingdome of heaven is at hand Q. What meane you by Imposition of hands A. It is a signe or Ceremony by which and Prayer God conveyes his holy Spirit upon those that heretofore were baptized Q. Have not Persons baptized the Holy Ghost before Confirmation A. Yes but not in that measure nor for the same end Q. In what measure and for what end is the Holy Ghost bestowed upon us in Baptisme A. To wash and cleanse us from sinne from all sinne that is in us that so we may be cleane and pure as Adam was when he came first out of Gods fingers and that we may be the members of Christ Q. Why is he given us in Confirmation A. That q Rubrick◠before the Catechism we may receive strength and defence against all temptations to sinne and against the assaults of the world and the Divell At Baptisme we promised not to follow any of these nor to be led by them and in Confirmation God strengthens us by
his Spirit that we may make good this promise Q. Is it not enough to receive the Holy Ghost once A. No r S. Joh. 3.34 Eph 4.7.1 Cor. 12.11 for God gives his Spirit and his graces according to measure some at one time and some at another some by one meanes and some by another as is to be seen in Baptisme Confirmation the Lords Supper and Orders Q. Did the Apostles receive the Holy Ghost more then once A. It is evident they did That the Apostles were baptized no man I hope questions And that they received the Holy Ghost in Orders and Confirmation is manifest in Scripture In Orders S. Joh. 20.22 23. In Confirmation Act. 2.4 And at each time they received a severall measure or grace of the Holy Ghost and for a severall end Q. Did the Apostles make use of this Rite or Ceremony A. They did as is to be seen Act. 8. and Act. 19. In the one place ſ Act. 8.17 S. Peter and S. John laid their hands on the baptized Samaritans and they received the Holy Ghost In the other t Act. 19.6 S. Paul laid his hands upon the baptized Ephesians and the Holy Ghost came on them u Prayer in Confirmation This then is done by our Bishops after the example of the holy Apostles and * Hic unus locus abunde testatur huius Ceremoniae originem fluxtsse ab Apostolis Calvin in Heb 6.2 is the same with that Heb. 6.2 Q. Is this Rite necessarily to be continued in the Church of Christ A. Not of necessity to salvation but of necessity for the obtaining of certaine gifts of the Spirit x Act. 19.2.6 which cannot ordinarily be acquired but by this meanes Q. Why is not more care taken that it be continued A. Our Church hath taken order that y Rubricke in publique Baptisme and after the Catechisme Children so soon as they can say the Articles of the Faith the Lords Prayer and the ten Commandements and be further instructed in the Catechisme set forth for that purpose be brought to the Bishop to be confirmed of him z Ib. And the Bishop shall confirme them Besides it is ordered that a Rubricke after Confirmation None SHALL be admitted to the holy Communion untill such time as he be confirmed Our Church conceives it to be necessary at least by way of preparation for all such as repaire to the Lords Table Q. Who are the Ministers of this blessing A. Bishops and only Bishops The reason is because the Apostles only did it in their time and Bishops are the only successors of the Apostles Q. Was it not an extraordinary act A. No but such a blessing as is to be retained in the Church of God for the good of his people that so we may increase in his holy Spirit more and more untill we come to his everlasting Kingdome AMEN Haec non praecipiendi authoritate sed proficiendi exercitatione scribuntur à nobis Aug. Cont. Faust l. 11. c. 5. A praesenti saeculo maligno salvi fieri non possumus nisi nos ad salutem proximorum nitentes etiam ore profiteamur fidem quam corde gestamus quae fides ne fraudulentis calliditatibus haereticorum possit in nobis aliqua ex parte violari piâ cautaque vigilantiâ providendum est Aug. de fide Symbolo c. 1. Tractatio fidei ad muniendum Symbolum valet non ut ipsa pro Symbolo gratiam Dei consequentibus memoriae mandanda reddenda tradatur sed ut illa quae in Symbolo retinentur contra haereticorum insidias authoritate Catholicâ munitiore defensione custodiat Ibid. FINIS