are called the vessels of mercie Q How doth he shew mercie to them A. He giueth them the meanes whereby they come assuredly to life eternall Q. Vpon whom doth he shew iustice A. Upon all the rest of Adams posteritie which are called the children of wrath Q. When doth he this A. WheÌ„ he suffereth them patiently to walke according to their owne corrupt nature Q. What followeth vpon that walking A. Eternall perdition infallably according to Gods eternall decree Q. Doth God compell them to walke that way A. No but they willingly do embrace it against his word Q. How can men willingly embrace the way to perdition A. Because they are blinded and corrupted by Satan and their own lusts Q. May they embrace the way of life A. No they refuse it necessarily and yet freely without any compulsion Q. From whence commeth this necessitie A. From the bondage of sinne wherein they were cast by the fall of Adam Q. Is all Adams posteritie equally in the same bondage A. Yes no doubt but yet the chosen are redeemed through Christ and the others iustly left in their naturall estate Q. What thing then shall be seene perpetually in these vessels of wrath A. The glorie of Gods eternall and fearefull iustice Q. What shall be seene in the vessels of mercie A. The perpetuall praise of his mercie and goodnes through Jesus Christ our Lord. To whom with the father and the holy spirite be all honor and glorie eternally So be it A short and generall confession of the true Christian faith and religion according to Gods word acts of our Parliaments subscribed by the kings M. his houshold with sundrie others to the glorie of God and good example of all men At Edinburgh the xx of lanuarie 1180. and the 14. yeare of his raigne ⸫ VVe al and euerie one of vs vnder written protest that after long and due examination of our owne consciences in matters of true and false religion are nowe throughly reâ—â—lued in the truth by the word spirite of god And therfore we beleue with our hearts confesse with our mouthes subscribe with our hands and constantly affirme before God and the whole worlde that this is onely the true Christian faith and religion pleasing God bringing saluation to man which is nowe by the mercie of God reueiled to the world by the preaching of the blessed Gospell and is receiued beleued and defended by many and sundrie notable Churches Realmes but chiefely by the Church of Scotland the Kings M. and three Estates of this Realme as Gods eternall truth and only ground of our saluation as more particulerly is expressed in the coÌ„fession of our faith established and publikely confirmed by sundrie Acts of Parliaments now of a long time hath bin openly professed by the Kings M. and whole bodie of this Realme both in Citie and Countrey To the which confession and forme of religion we willingly agree in our consciences in all points as vnto Gods vndoubted truth and veritie grounded onely vpon his written word And therefore we abhorre and detest all contrarie religion and doctrine but chiefely all kind of Papistrie in generall and particuler euen as they are now damned and confuted by the word of GOD and Church of Scotland vsurped authoritie of the Romaine Antychriste ouer the Scriptures of GOD ouer the Church the ciuill magistrates and consciences of men all his tyrannous lawes made vpon indifferent things against our Christian libertie his erronious doctrine against the sufficiencie of the written worde the perfection of the lawe the office of Christ and his blessed Gospell his corrupted doctrine concerning originall sinne our naturall inhabilitie and rebellion to Gods lawe his blasphemie against our iustification by faith onely our imperfect sanctification and obedience to the lawe the nature number and vse of the holy Sacraments We detest his fiue bastarde sacraments with all his Rites Ceremonies and false doctrine added to the ministration of the true Sacramentes without the word of God his cruell iudgement against infants departing without the Sacrament his absolute necessitie of Baptisme his blasphemous opinion of transubstantiation or reall presence of Christes bodie in the Sacrament and receauing of the same by the wicked or bodies of men his dispensations with solemned othes periuries and degrees of mariage forbidden in the word his crueltie against the innocent deuorced We abhorre his diuelish Masse his blasphemous Priesthood his prophane sacrifice for the sinnes of the dead and the quicke his canonyzation of men women saints calling vpon angels or saintes departed worshipping of imagerie reliques crosses dedicating of Churches alters dayes vowes to creatures his purgatory praier for the dead praying or speaking in a strange language his processions and blasphemous letany his multitude of aduocates or mediators with his manifold orders and auricular confession his desperate and vncertaine repentance his generall and doubting faith his satisfactions of men for their sinnes his iustification by workes his Opus operatum workes of supererogation merits pardons peregrinations and stations We detest his prophane holy water Baptising of bels coniuring of spirites crossing fayning anointing coniuring his hallowing of Gods good creatures with the supestitious opinion ioyned therewith his worldlye Monarchie and wicked Hierarchie his three solemned vowes with al his shauelings of suÌ„drie sortes his erronious and bloudie decrees made at Trent with al the subscribers and approuers of that cruell and bloudie band coniured against the Church of God And finallye wee detest all his vaine allegories rites signes and traditions brought in the Church without or against the word of God and doctrine of this reformed Church To the which we ioine our selues willingly in doctrine faith religion discipline and vse of the holy Sacraments as liuely members of y e same with Christ our head promising swearing by the great name of y e Lord that we shal continue in the obedience of the doctrine discipline of this Church shall defend y e same according to our vocation and power all the daies of our liues vnder the paines conteined in the law and danger both of body and soule in the day of Gods fearefull iudgement And seeing that many are stirred vp by Satan and the Romaine Antichrist to promise sweare subscribe and for a time vse the holye Sacramentes in the Church deceitfully against their owne conscience minding hereby first vnder the eternall cloake of religion to corrupt and subuert secretly Gods true religion within the church afterward when time may serue to become open enemies and persecutours of the same vnder vaine hope of the Popes dispensation deuised against the word of God to his greater confusion and their double condemnation in the day of the Lord Jesus We therefore willing to take awaye all suspition of hipocrisie and of such double dealing with God and his church protest and call the searcher of all heartes for witnes that our mindes and hartes do fully agrée with
God through Jesus Christ and to honour him aright Q. What are these foure partes of Gods honour A. They are his onelye seruice pleasyng him Q. What are these foure partes to vs. A. Infallyble seales of our election and saluation Q. By whom are we kept in this estate A. By the power of the holy spirite Q. What instruments vseth hee for this purpose A. The worde the sacraments ministerie of men The 8. part is Of the outward instrumets of our saluation Of the word of God Q VVHere shall we finde the worde A. In the holy Scriptures Q. How should we behaue our selues towards the word A. We should loue receiue and obey it as Gods eternall truth Q. But it commeth to vs by men onely A. Yet alwaies we should receiue it as sent of God Q. Who can assure vs of this A. The holy spirite onely working in our hearts Q How should we vse the word A. We should reade it and heare it reuerently Q. May the common people reade the Scriptures A. They may and are commaunded to reade them Q. May they haue them in their owne language A. I no doubt for otherwise they coulde not profite Q. Is not priuate reading sufficient for vs A. No if publike teaching may be had Q. How may that be proued A. Thus as the ministers are commaunded to teach euen so are we commaunded to heare them Q. How farre should we obey their doctrine A. So far as it agreeth with the word Q How long should we continue in hearing A. As long as we liue and teaching may bee had Q. What neede is there of this continuall hearing A. Because we are both ignorant and forgetfull Q. What shall wee iudge of them that will not heare A. They refuse the helping hand of God Q. What shall we do when preaching can not be had A. We should reade the scriptures with all diligence Q. What if we can not reade them A. We should haue recourse to them that can reade Q. But the Scriptures are obscure and hard A. The holy Spirite will helpe the well willers Q. What if we be once well iustructed by our Pastors A. Yet wee must continue in this schole to the ende Q. Wherefore that if we be once sufficiently instructed A. God hath established this order in his Church because we neede continually to be instructed Q. What followeth vpon this A. The Ministers or Pastors are needefull for vs. Q. But they are commonly neglected and contemned A. Who so contemneth them contemneth God and his own saluation Q. What should this continuall exercise worke in vs A. Increase of faith and godlines of life Q. What if these two things followe not A. Then in vaine is our reading and hearing Q. What other thing is ioyned with the word for our comfort A. The holy Sacraments of Jesus Christ Of the Sacraments in generall Q. What is a sacrament A. A sensible signe and seale of Gods fauour offered and giuen to vs. Q. To what ende are the sacraments giuen A To nourishe our faith in the promise of God Q. How can sensible signes do this A. They haue this office of God and not of themselues Q. It is the onely office of the spirite to nourish our Faith A. Yet they are added as effectuall instruments of the spirite Q. From whence then commeth the efficacie of the Sacraments A. From Gods holy spirite onely Q. What moued God to vse this kinde of teaching A. Because it is naturall to vs to vnderstand heauenly things by sensible and earthly things Q. May we be saued without the sacraments A. Yes for our saluation doth not absolutely depend vpon them Q. May we refuse to vse the Sacraments A. No for then we should refuse the fauour of God Q. Do all men then receaue the fauour of God by them A. No but onely the faithfull receaue it Q. How then are they true seales to all men A. They offer Christ truely to all men Q. When are the Sacraments fruitfull A. When we receaue them with faith Q. Is there any vertue inclosed in them A. None at all for they are but signes of heuenly misteries Q. What should our faith seeke by them A. To be led directly to Jesus Christ Q. If they require faith first how can they nourish faith A. They require some faith first and then they nourish the same Q. Are wee not infidels when wee neede signes A. No but rather we are weake in faith Q. What then is our estate in this life A. We are alway imperfect and weake in faith Q. What then should we do A. We should vse diligently the word and the Sacraments How the Sacraments and the word differ and agree Q. How do the Sacraments differ from the word A. They speake to the eye and the worde to the eare Q. Speake they other things then the word A. No but the same thing diuersly Q. But the word doth teach vs sufficiently A. Yet the Sacraments with the worde do it more effectually Q. What then are the Sacramentes to the word A. They are sure and authentike seales gyuen by God Q. May the Sacraments be without the word A. No for the worde is their life Q. May the word be fruitfull without the Sacraments A. Yes no doubt but it worketh more plenteously with them Q. What is the cause of that A. Because more senses are moued to the cōfort of our faith The partes of the Sacraments Q. What are the principall partes of a Sacrament A. The eternall action and the inward signification Q. How are they ioyned togither A. Euen as the word and the signification Q. What similitude haue the Sacramentes with the thing signified by them A. Great similitude in substance in qualities Q. What signifieth the substance of the Elements A. The verie substance of Christes bodie Q. What if the substance of the Elements were not there A. Then they were not true Sacraments of Christes bodie Q. What meane the naturall qualities of the Elements A. The spirituall qualities giuen by Christ Q. What signifieth our neare coniunction with the Sacraments A. Our spirituall vnion with Jesus Christ and among our selues Q. What meaneth the outward giuing and taking A. The spirituall giuing and taking of Christ Q. What meaneth the naturall operation of the Elements A. The spirituall operation of Christ in vs. Q. Are these things onely signified by the Sacraments A. No but they are also giuen and sealed vp by the Spirite Q. Who may giue the seale of these things A. God onely may giue the seale of his promise Of the Minister and order of the sacraments Q. Who may administer the Sacraments A. Onely the minister of the worde of God Q. After what manner should they be ministred A. According to the order giuen by Christ Q. How are they sanctified consecrated or blessed A. By the practise of the order commaunded by Christ Q. What is it to consecrate or blesse a Sacrament A.
if eyther the brethren or other woulde haue further confirmation of this doctrine let thē reade the Institution of M. Iohn Calum and other godly men who haue written aboundantly for the defence of this doctrine according to the scriptures of God I doubt not but good men and such as are perswaded of the trueth will take this mine excuse in the best part and giue thankes to God for my labour taken for their comfort But as for the godles band of Atheistes and Apostates whom God hath ordained to distruction I care not what they shall iudge of this my simple writing paines taken for the instruction of the ignorant I woulde maruell greatly of the successe of our doctrine which is now impugned and pursued by men to the sight of the world of great estimation and iudgement if the same had not come to passe to the Prophets and Apostles in their age whose doctrine and religion was most faisty impugned and cruelly persecuted by the Sonnes of perdition Of this we are forwarned by the Apostles that men after the witnessing of the truth shall depart to their vomit againe and become Traitoures and persecutors of Gods trueth which they professed afore with vs. When we see this fierie tryall and fearefull iudgement in the Church let vs examine our selues be time and call to God for constancie in the trueth and praise his iustice in the blinding of those that in so great a light willingly and maliciously delite in darkenesse and blaspheme the way of righteousenesse Of this sort are sundrie of our nation whose blasphemous writinges come dayly to our handes to the tryall of our faith and constancie to the farther blinding of the reprobate and their greater condemnation in the day of the Lord Iesus Christ To whome with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honor and praise eternally Amen The first part Of the Creation and first estate of Mankinde Question VVHo made man and woman A. The eternall God of his goodnes Q. Whereof made he them A. Of an earthly bodie and an heauenly spirite Q. To whose image made he them A. To his owne image Q What is the image of God A. Perfect vprightnes in bodie and soule Q. To what ende were they made A. To acknowledge and serue their maker Q. How should they haue serued him A. According to his holy will Q. How did they know his will A. By his works word and Sacramentes Q. What libertie had they to obey his will A. They had free will to obey and disobey Q. What profite had they by their obedience A. They were blessed and happie in bodye and soule Q. Was this felicitie giuen to them onely A. No but it was giuen to them and their posteritie Q. With what condition was it giuen A. With condition of their obedience to God Q Why was so small a commaundement giuen A. To shew Gods gentlenes and to try mans obedience Q. What auaileth to know this felicitie lost A. Hereby we know Gods goodnes and our ingratitude Q. But we can not come to this estate againe A. We come to a better estate in Christ Q. What should we learne of this discourse A. That the Church was first planted blessed and made happie through obedience to Gods word 2. Of the fall of Man from God and his second estate Q. VVHat brought them from that blessed estate A. Satan and their owne inconstancie Q. How were they brought to that inconstancy A. Through familiar conference with Sathan against the word Q. What thing did Sathan first secke of them A. Mistrust and contempt of Gods word Q. Wherefore did he begin at their faith A. Because he knewe it was their life Q. How coulde they consent to their owne perditions A. They were deceiued by the craft of Satā Q. What was the craft of Satan here A. He perswaded them that good was euill and euill was good Q. How could they be perswaded hauing the Image of God A. They had the image but not the gift of constancie Q. What things lost they through their fall A. The fauour and image of God with the vse of the creatures Q. What succeeded the losse of the fauour and image of God A. The wrath of God and originall sinne Q. What thing is originall sinne A. The corruption of our whole nature Q. How doth this sinne come to vs A. By naturall propagation from our first parents Q. What are the fruites of this sinne A. All other sinnes which we commit Q. What is the punishment of this sinne A. Death of bodie and soule with all other miseries Q. What other thing did followe vpon this sinne A. A curse vpon the creatures and our banishment from the vse of them Q. But the most wicked vse them obundantly A. That is with testimonie of an euill conscience Q. These paines were ouer great for the eating of the forbidden fruit A. Their sinne was not the eating of the fruit simplie Q. What thing then properly was their sinne A. Infidelitie pride open rebellion to God Q. How can that be proued A. They consented to Satans lies mistrusted Gods word and sought to be equal with God Q. Wherefore are we punished for their sinne A. We are punished for our owne sinne seeing we were all in them standing and falling with them Q. In what estate is all their posteritie A. Under the same bondage of sinne Q. What naturall freedome haue we A. We haue freedome to sinne and offends our God Q. Haue we not power to serue and please God A. None at all til we be called and sanctified Q Haue we lost our mindes and wils A. No but we haue lost a right mind and a right will Q. Naturall men may do many good deedes A. Yet they can not please God without faith Q. Why did God suffer this fall of man A. For the declaration of his mercy and iustice Q. Declare that A. By his mercie the chosen are deliuered and the rest punished by his iustice 3. Of mans restitution againe and his third estate Q. VVHo called our Parents to repentance A. God onely of his infinite mercie Q. What did they when he called them A. They hid and excused them selues Q. But it was foolishnes to flie from God A. Such is the foolishnes of all his posteritie Q. How were they conuerted to God A. By the almightie power of Gods spirite Q. How did the spirite worke their conuersion A. He printed the promise of mercie in their heartes Q. What was their promise of mercie A. Uictorie in the seede of the woman against the Serpent Q. Which is the seede of the woman A. Jesus Christ God and man Q. How was his posteritie conuerted to God A. By the same spirite and promise Q. May we vnderstand and receiue the promise by our selues A. No more then blind and dead men may see and walke Q. What more is required for our
now giuen to vs to be the foode of our soules Q. What signifieth that breaking of that breade A. The breaking and suffering of Christs bodie vpon the Crosse Q. What meaneth the powring out of the wine A. The shedding of his bloud euen to the death Q. Whereunto then doth the Supper leade vs A. Directly to the Crosse and death of Christ Q. Should we offer him againe for our sinnes A. No for Christ did that once for all vpon the Crosse Q. What things are we commanded to do here A. To take it eate it and drinke it in his remembrance Q. what meaneth the giuing of that bread wine A. The giuing of Christes body and bloud to our soules Q. Is it not first giuen to our bodies A. No for it is the onely foode of our soules Q. What signifieth the taking of that breade and wine A. The spirituall receyuing of Christes bodie in our soules Q. What meaneth our corporal eating and drinking here A. Our spirituall feeding vpon the bodie and bloud of Christ Q. By what way is this done Q. By the continuall exercise of our faith in Christ Q. What meaneth the neare coniunction we haue with meate and drinke A. That spiritual vnion which we haue with Jesus Christ Q. What signifieth the comfort which we receiue of meate and drinke A. The spirituall fruites which we receiue of Christ Q. Why is both meate and drinke giuen here A. To testifie that Christ onely is the whole foode of our soules Q. Doth the Cuppe appertaine to the common people A. Yes and the wisedom of God did so teach and command Mat. 26. 27. Q. Is Christes body and bloud in that breadâ— and wine A. No his body and bloud is only in heauen Q. Why then are the Elements called his bodie and bloud A. Because they are sure seales of his bodie and bloud giuen to vs. Christes naturall bodie is receyued Q. Then we receiue onely the tokens and not his bodie A. Wee receiue his very substantiall bodie and bloud by faith Q. How can that be proued A. By the truth of his worde and nature of a Sacrament Q. But his naturall bodie is in heauen A. I no doubt but yet we receiue it in earth by faith Q. How can that be A. By the wonderfull working of the holie spirite Q. What thing should we behold in this SacrameÌ„t A. The visible foode of our bodies and the inwarde foode of our soules Q. Should we seeke the foode of our soules in the elements of bread and wine A. No for they were not giuen to that ende Q. To what ende then were they giuen A. To leade vs directly to Christ who onely is the foode of our soules Q. What profite shall our bodies haue by this Sacrament A. It is a pledge of our resurrection by Christ Q. Wherefore that A. Because our bodies are partakers of the signe of life The order and vse of this Sacrament Q. How should this Sacrament bee administred and vsed A. As Christ with his Apostles did practise and command Q. May the Minister alone vse it in the name of the rest A. No for it is a common publike banquet Q. What thing maketh this action holy A. Christes ordinance practised by the lawfull Minister Q. How is it made fruitfull A. Through the true faith of the receyuers Q. To whome should this Sacrament be giuen A. To all that belieue and can examine them selues How we should prepare our selues Q. What should they examine A. If they be the liuely members of Christ Q. How may they knowe this secret A. By their owne faith and repentance Q. How may faith and repentance be knowne A. By their fruites agreeable to the first and second table Q But al mens faith repentance is imperfect A. Therefore we come to the Sacrament for remedie Q. What kind of faith repentance is required A. That which is true vpright and not counterfaited Q. What receyue they that come with guiltie conscience A. They eate drinke their own damnation Q. How can Christ receyued bring damnation A. He is not receyued with the wicked but refused and that by dissimulation and abuse of the Sacrament Q. Then it is best to abstaine from the SacrameÌ„t A. We are not so commanded but to examine and prepare our selues Q. What if men can not examine them selues A. Then â—hey should reade the Scriptures and consult with their pastors Q. What if men will not vse these meanes A. Then they deceiue them selues and abuse the Sacrament Q. What if the Minister admitte such carelesse men A. He doth then prophane this holy sacrament Of the Ministery of men and the discipline Q. How shoulde men bee excluded from the Sacrament A. By the iudgemeÌ„t of the elders of the church Q. What kinde of men should be excluded A. All infidels and publike slaunderers of the Church Q. What if their crime be secrete A. TheÌ„ they should be left to their own iudge Q. Wherefore are men excluded from the Sacramentes A. Least they should hurt themselues slaunder the Church and dishonour God Q. By whom and when should such persons bee admitted A. By the Eldershippe after iust tryall of their repentance Q. Who established this order in the Church A. Iesus Christ by his worde his Apostles Q. What is the office of this eldership A. They should watch vpon the manners of men and exercise the discipline Q. What authoritie haue they A. Authoritie to binde and lose in earth Q. May they do this at their owne pleasure A. No for their authoritie is bounde to the worde Q. Wherein then serueth the ciuill Magistrat A. He should cause all things to be done according to Gods word and defend the discipline Q. Doth the care of the religion appertaine to him A I no doubt seeing he is raised chiefly for this cause Q. May the Magistrat vse the office of the Ministers A. No but he chargeth them to vse their own office Q. What may the Eldershippe doe to the Magistrate A. Admit him to the Sacraments or exclude according to the word of God Q. May the Minister vse the office of the Magistrate A. No for they should not be entangled with worldly affaires Two Iurisdictions in the Church Q. Howe manie Iurisdictions are then in the Church A. Two one spirituall and another ciuile Q. Howe do they agree in the Church A. As the mouth and hande of God Q. To what ende were they established in the Church A. For the planting and preseruation of the same Q. How far should we obey these Iurisdictions A. So farre as their commandement agreeth with the worde Q. What should we doe when they are both against the Church A. We should remaine with the Church of GOD. Q. But they will say the Church must needes be with them A. We should try their sayings by the tokens of the true Church Q. What are these tokens or markes