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A06733 The demaundes of holy scripture, with answeres to the same wherein are defined, and declared the cheefe, and principall poyntes of Christian doctrine: very profitable for the right vnderstanding of holy scriptures: made by T. Becon, and dravven out of his great vvorkes. Becon, Thomas, 1512-1567. 1577 (1577) STC 1718; ESTC S110677 46,473 108

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the number of the leaues be considered but yf the matter therof be diligently pondered it shal be found both great profitable Thus for this present taking my leaue of you I vvysh to you and to the vvhole Tovvne all good and prosperous things both for your bodyes soules most humbly beseeching God to finishe that good vvoorke vvhich he hath begun in you vnto the glory of his name vnto the profite of his holy congregation Amen From my house at Caunterbury the fyrst of September 1563. The Demaundes of holy Scripture WHO did create vs God who also made al the world of nought What things damned vs Sinne. In so much as Adam did eate by the perswasion of Eua of the Apple forbidden him of god For sinne is the breaking of the commaundementes of GOD. Who redemed vs and set vs in the fauour of GOD againe Iesus Christ by takyng our nature on him What is God vnto vs Whereas before he was a seuere straight Iudge through Christe he is become our most louing tender and mercifull father What are we His dearely beloued children What thing is GOD An infinite substaunce which onely with his word of might did create and make all thinges and with his most high and incomparable wisedome gouerneth all thing and of his inestimable goodnesse suffereth and preserueth all thing I call that infinite both which hath neyther beginning nor ending and that which can not be comprehended nor compassed by mans braine what thing it is And in both these significacions God is infinite Furthermore that is to euery man god or a god that he loueth dread●th and worshippeth with all his hart The Scripture also calleth the Iudges and Officers of the earth gods What is a strange God or an other God What soeuer thing we worshyp besides the very lyuing god And that also that doth alienate and turneth our harte from Gods worde is called a strang or an other God. What thing is fayth It is a full and perfite confidence and trust in God through Christe ingendred in our harte by hearing the worde of God and as Paul defineth faith Faith is a sure confidence of thinges which we looke for and the certaintie of promises What is hope A styffe and firme expectacion of such thinges as be promised vs of the worde of GOD. What is charitie The principall fruite of faith a prompte and redy wyll to doo good to our neighbour Otherwhyles the workes of mercie are called charitie What is the lawe It is the liuely wyll of God geuen vs by commaundement as well in the newe testament as in the olde whose worke and operacion is to shewe sinne to shewe that God is angry with vs for our euill doing and dayly transgression of his commaundement whose duty is to accuse vs in our conscience to cast vs downe and make vs seeme vyle nought worth in our sight and by this meanes eyther bringeth vs to vtter desperacion or els leadeth vs as it were by the hande to Christe the only true pacifier of the conscience What is the Gospel It is a glad tiding Or els you may call it euery promise that God made of Christe and of other his good benefites wherby the cloudes of the conscience be put awaye and mans minde erected and made mery whether these promises be in the new testament or in the old Paule saith it is the power of God where by all that beleeue are brought to healthe and sauegarde What is it to be a godly man or who is godly He or shee that hath faith and the feare of God before their eyes Who is wicked or vngodly He or shee that beleeueth not the promise of God and that hath not the dreade of God before them Who is a Christian man He that beleeueth on Christe and liueth according to his worde Who is an Ethnike or Miscreant He that vseth not those lawes and ordinaunces and hath not the faith that we haue Or els he that seeketh to be saued by some other meanes then by Christ. Who is an Heretik He which thinketh and styfly mainteineth any thing against the doctrine of faith that is to say the word of God. Marke here the word of God to be called the doctrine of faith because faith draweth from no whence els her principles then from the worde of god Because she only learneth marketh and beareth away the word of God. What is the kingdome of Heauen It is where the word of God is truly preached and receiued and where it beareth fruite meete for the doctrine whose king and Lord is Christ. What is the worlde An heape and mustre of men without the word of God among whom the word of God is despised and persecuted where is a rablement of al vices whose Prince and God is Sathan In some place it is called an hot boyling Sea which can not rest and be asswaged What is the word of God It is the decreed sentence word and will of God expressed and left behind of the Prophetes and Apostles to vs in the canonical bookes of the newe testament and the old whiche word he that reciueth that is to say knowledgeth in his hart to be true and holy and liueth according to it receiueth God and he that refuseth it despiseth God and as much as lieth in him he maketh God a lyer The word of God hath sundry names in Scripture as the sword of the spirite a two edged sword a fire sword an iron wal a strong hold a well fensed towre consuming fire It is also called whete the rod of the mouth of the Lord the breth of the mouth of the Lorde a mysterie an oracle the print or secreat wyll of the Lord. What are mans tradicions What soeuer mans reason hath or doth imagen without the word of God and ordeyneth and wylleth it to be reputed and taken as good godly and pleasant in the sight of god They be called in Scripture Cocle and Chasse Of these speaketh Christe where he saith They do serue me in vaine whyle they teach such doctrine as are nothing but the commaundementes of men Who be good Only God is good Notwithstanding because all they that haue the spirite of God and are ruled by his word be of the flocke of God and vnder his keeping therefore God doth communicate and imparte his goodnesse to them and so they be called good as theyr Father Lord and Gouernour is Who be euill They that haue not the spirite of God nor be ruled by his word whether they liue vpright outwardly and according of the letter of the lawe as Cato Socrates and they that be counted good and vertuous among the Turkes and Iewes or els they that be open transgressours of the lawe For in Christ only is saluacion and remission of sinnes And vnto that time that our
sinnes be remitted we be euill vncleane and vnder dampnacion And on this fashion we are all euyll and sinners by nature Who is iust or righteous He that hath faith For through faith we are iustified To be iustified is to haue our sinnes not imputed vnto vs but to haue them forgeuen in Christ and for christ Euen as Dauid saith blessed are they whose vnrighteousnesses are forgeuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is that man to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne Now because the faithful man only receiueth and enioyeth this mercie forgeuenesse and this no imputing of sinne through faith therefore he is called iust and we through faith said to be iustified Sometime in Scripture the Hipocrites and they that thinke to be saued by their workes are called iuste or righteous as we rede I came not for the righteous c. Who is vnrighteous He that hath no faith What is euerlasting life It is the tast of the fauour and manifold mercies of God the peace of the conscience a feruent desire of heauen and to be with Christ which the holy Ghost doth kendle in the hartes of the faithfull Otherwhiles euerlasting life is called to knowe the very liuing God Iesus Christ whome he sent downe As it is sayd He that hath the Sonne and beleeueth in him hath euerlasting life What is euerlasting death or hell In this life it is the perpetuall grudge and horrible feare of conscience the distresse and tediousnesse of the minde dreding the wrath of God which the deuil increaseth in the vnfaithfull as it is plainely declared Also hell is taken for extreme temptacion which almost ledeth vs downe to desperacion as we rede The Lord leadeth vs downe to hell and bringeth vs vp againe After this life it betokeneth the fire of Hell where the damned soules be It is called also a fyrie furnesse and the vtter darknesse where is wayling and gnashing of teeth and vtter desperacion of the mercy of God. What thing is the blessing of God It is the fauour the grace the helpe and beneficence of God â–ª c. What is the curse of God It is the angre extreme wrath and the lacke of al the good benefites of God. What is a good conscience It is the peace of the mind a spirituall ioy and a plaine feeling and perceiuing of the goodnesse of God towardes vs through fayth in Iesus Christ which is described and set out And is no more to say but that when we perceiue that through faith in Iesus Christ our sinnes be forgeuen and that we be in the fauour of God we be harte hole mery and found What is an euill conscience It is an inward boyling heate and tossing of the minde for a mans wickednesse and when for pure anguish of the sight and horrore of sinne the hart fainteth and failleth him It is called in Scripture the worme of the conscience What is veritie and truth Christ himselfe the word of God and what soeuer els agreeth with the word of god For as Christ saith I am the way the truth and the life Also thy wordes be the truth There is also a Ciuile truth or veritie as it is called and that is when with that which is sayd the thing agreeth when we find words agreeing with the thing itselfe What is lesing or falsitie What soeuer thing is enemie and not agreeing to the truth and the word of God as mans tradicions or doctrines that serue not to the same word of God. What is the feare of God Suche an humblenes and lowe behauiour as naturall sonnes haue towardes their louing fathers It is also a redy glad and wylfull warenesse in ordering our selues that we do not commit any thing against God and his word for feare least we should offend so louing and tender a father Which feare as it springeth only out of faith so it is only in y faithful Then we feare God wisely when with hart and mind we so endeuer to liue and order our selues as yf we had God a witnesse and looker of all our deedes wordes ye and of our preuie thoughtes and cogitacious This louing dreade ingendereth wisedome and bringeth Gods blessing on vs and driueth out sinne out of the brest The seruile and bond feare is the amasing drede and abasshing of the mind that the wicked men haue of the wrath of God ingendred by laying the lawe to their euill liuing What is the contempt of God A dispising or a light regarding of the doctrine and the commaundementes of God proceeding of an vncleane hart and wicked minde a pleasure and delight in sinne and ignoraunce the roote of all mischiefe which fruite of incredulitie God neuer left vnpunished as it appeereth Exo. and Nume c. What is thankes geuing It is a remembraunce and a thankful acknowledging of the benefites of God when we surely thinke all that we haue commeth of him It is called in the Scripture sacrifice of prayse geuing What is vnkindnesse and priuie murmuring against God It is to grudge and not to be content with the workes of God and to forget his benefites Examples hereof we rede What is it to haue the holy Ghost To be godly disposed and to haue an heauenly burning in the mind euer vpright whole sincere and pure vertuous alway iudging the best willing and wishing wel to euery body the fruites of whome be all vertues which ye may see in the Galathians What is an euill mind or to haue the deuill It is to haue an euil concard mind to be against God and his word to be geuen all to wickednesse to misdeeme and iudge all to the worst What is a good Angell The messenger of God or what soeuer ye wyll by which God worketh vs and in vs that that is good profitable and commodious What is Sathan or an euill Angel An aduersary and enemy of God a worker of al mischefe death vnto vs Otherwhiles it is put only for the deuill What is the Crosse It is all manner of greuaunce geuen to euery manner of vocacion kind of life grounded on faith and the word of God what that we doo goeth not forward as we would It is also the teaching warning chastising rod and staffe of the Lord which names be for to be seene in the prouerbes and psalmes The Crosse of Christ is his Passion and the preaching of the same and the persecution that followeth the preachers and beleeuers of the same What is pleasure and the ease of this life It is when we haue all at will when God leaueth vs to our selues and troubleth vs not with any aduersitie for faith and the word of God. What is sinne It is the transgression and breaking of any of Gods commaundementes It is also a naturall propencion and inclinacion to noughtinesse ingendred with vs at
speake vnto you they be spirite and life meaning they amount and passe the fleshe and sence of reason they be spirituall and heauenly It is sometime put for what so euer liueth and breatheth as all the spirits prayse ye the Lorde sometime for the breath and winde What is the fleshe Euery affection the hart the minde and thought of man and what so euer els man doth or can do by al the powers of his reason destitute of the worde of God. For Christe saith That which is borne of the fleshe that is it vnderstandeth not thinges that be spirituall Fleshe other while betokeneth the letter and fleshly vnderstanding The fleshe profiteth nothing it is the spirite that quickeneth What is the newe man It is the man that is renued and borne againe by faith and the worde through the spirite of god Except a man be borne a new he can not se the kingdome of heauen To be borne anewe he calleth where as before we were but carnall and fleshly not vnderstanding the misteryes of the spirite we must be borne agayne in spirite that is to become spirituall and more meete to vnderstan●e espirituall thinges What is the olde man Our affections appetites and vnderstanding according to reason without faith euen as we be all naturally borne of our mother as it appeareth in diuers places of the Scripture Also the whole body of sinne is called the old man in Scripture and they liue according to the old man that liue in ignoraunce and followe the lustes of their hart not walking in the newnesse of lyfe Who is blessed or happy All be it I may aunswere with Christ blessed is he that heareth and kepeth the woorde of God yet is he otherwyse defined in the Scripture As he is to be thought happy who holdeth him selfe well content with his fortune and thankefully receyueth whatsoeuer God sendeth him and who is at one with God and al creatures that is doth not murmure against God and on the other side enuieth nor dispiseth any man. Who is a wretch or vnhappy He that holdeth not him selfe content with that that God hath sent him He with whome nothing goeth forwarde nor agreeth not with God nor man. Who is poore He that can not make any great boastes or crakes of himselfe and who is destitute of all helpe as be they of whome Christe saith blessed are the poore in spirite in Scripture he is called lowe humble and hungry and he who is nowe in aduersitie Who is riche He is called riche in Scripture which needeth no helpe concerning his saluacion but hath workes ynough and more then ynoughe to bring him to heauen And as a man may call it full vp to the throte of the righteousnesse as be all Hipocrites Phariseies and iustifiers of them selues they also be called riche in Scripture which be proud mighty and dronken with fortune and prosperitie euer polling the poore Who is wyse and circumspect He which knoweth God and his worde which when he doubteth as keth counsell and doth all thing thereafter Who is a foole He that rashly is caried hither and thither with euery mocion that considereth nothing regardeth nothing nor suffereth himselfe to be corrected and warned of his euill doing but headlong runneth as he began forsing not whether he sinke or swymme or what becommeth of him and who as he knoweth not the worde of God so he passeth not on it The wisedome of God taken as foolishnesse before the worlde is the preaching of the Crosse of Christ and the iustifiing by faith that is to say though to suffer persecution for the worde of God and to preach that we iustified by faith be godly and the wisedome of the spirite yet the world laugheth it to scorne and counteth it highe foolishenesse The wisedome of the fleshe is foolishnesse before God. What is a childe or to be a childe A childe in Scripture is a wicked man or he that is ignoraunt and not excercised in godlynesse and Gods word be he olde or be he young Or he that lacketh spirituall iudgemēt in discerning chosing things Wo be to the countrey whose King is a childe And he shall die a childe of a C. yeere olde A child also is sometime taken for humble or meke Who soeuer hūbleth him selfe as this childe is greatest in the kingdome of Heauen What is an olde man auncient or elder He which is well taught and instructed in the worde of God and exercised therein He which liueth honestly and without reprose hauing horenesse of maners authoritie grauitie and high knowledge in the worde of God. What is Christe The annointed king and priest of God sitting on the right hande of the father hauing full power to defend and warrant his flocke and being a ready aduocate for his at their neede And by him all Christen men be annoynted kings and priestes They be called kinges when in Christe and through Christe they subdue their wylde affections the diuell and death They be called priestes and sacrificers when they offer vp their bodyes into a liuely holy and acceptable sacrifice vnto God which is our reasonable seruing of God. What is Antichriste The adnersary of Christe and he which goeth about to obscure or vtterly to abrogate and pull away his glory teaching defining and determining that Christe is not the king priest and aduocate of his flocke What is prayer A brenning desire or peticion of the minde lift vp and directed vnto God springing and comming of the neede and lacke that we find in our selfe as farre foorth as faith and the promise of God suffereth and permitteth vs where marke that we aske such thinges as be honest and lawfull Sometime it is taken for the lifting vp of the handes the desire trying and sighing of the poore and such as stand in neede And some doth call it more generally the lifting vp of the mind to God. What is temptation The profe and trial of our faith and an exercise and practise of the worde Otherwhiles it is called the rod and staffe of the Lorde and the discipline whereby we see our selues and perceyue how well we haue profited and gon forwarde in the word which may best be tryed then when that we goe about doth not goe forward as we woulde What is desperacion It is when in temptacion and such trying of vs wheither it be by aduersitie or any other thing we fall downe distrust and cast away all hope of the mercie and goodnesse of God then I say when of no side appeareth any hope or succor and when we be as seemeth to vs vtterly forgotten and cast away of God. Of which temptacion we may see a manifest example To speake properly desperacion is the vtter and finall dispayre and distrust of helpe VVhat is vocacion or calling It is the manner of life vnto which God hath
called thee Or els the common consent as Mayres and other Officers or els thou hast appoynted and purposed thy selfe vnto by thy owne accorde Or els ye may call it euery kinde of life in which we exercise faith and charity To be called to the kingdome of heauē is to heare the worde of god To be chosē or elected is to beleue it VVhat is predestinacion It is the secrete election of the wysedome of God to eternall life without our deseruing They be predestinate and called to euerlasting life which heare receiue the word of god VVhat is free wyll It is the libertie that man hath in doing outward thinges and the naturall worke of man in suche thinges as be not spirituall as in ordering him selfe after a ciuill and politicall fashion and outwarde fulfilling of the moral vertues Howbeit he hath not the power no nor yet the wil to loue God dreade God and to know him vntill that he be renued and that Christ hath set him at libertie For then as Iohn saith If the sonne hath made ye free then are ye free in deede For vnto that time that we know God we can not loue him nor dreade him And when we loue him and dreade him then haue we power through him to kepe the lawe Yet when man was in the state of originall iustice that is to say when he had the integritie wholenesse soundnesse of the powers of the body and soule then might he obey doo and fulfill freely the lawe of God but after the poyson of sinne entred it made weake and feble the whole nature of man. VVhat is the temple of God A pure cleane and single hart without all gyle fraude and doublenesse Also the Church wherein God is worshipped VVhat is the Church or congregation of Christe It is the company assemblement and consent of good men on the worde of God and in the faith of Iesus Christe VVhat is the Church of Sathan It is the multitude of wicked men conspiring against God and his word VVhat is the Sabboth day or to keepe holy day It is to abstayne from the outward workes of the fleshe and to pray vnto God in spirite heare his word and to haue our minde set on his lawe after what manner true Christians euer keepe the lawe You may els say that the holy day is wherein we remember the benefites of God and geue him thankes for them VVhat is grace The good wil of God towarde vs his fauour and bounteous goodnesse freely employed on vs without our deseruing VVhat be merites and workes They be called and counted in Scripture to be the refusing and contempt of the fauoure of God and a confidence to be saued by a mans owne power strength desertes VVhat is the name of God It is whatsoeuer pertaineth to God or els to euery name which we assigne vnto God cal him by as the God of hostes the strong and gelous god c Also his glory honor and maiesty To shewe the word of God is to preache sincerely the Gospell that is to say that all that beleeue haue theyr sinnes forgeuen them that they be deliuered from death and hell and hath geuen them euerlasting life freely through Iesus Christe VVhat is it to serue God To liue according to his word to beleeue and put trust in him to referre all thinges vnto his glory and to loue and helpe our neighbour VVhat is it to serue the deuill It is to resist the word to serue Mammon his belly his fleshly appetites the world and carnall affections VVhat is to worship God It is not only to pray vnto him but also to shewe and exhibyte in the outward gesture honour and reuerence vnto him VVhat is to beleeue in God It is wholy to commit a mans owne selfe in all matters to him and to haue a sure hope in him selfe that what soeuer God promiseth shall be perfourmed VVhat is to fast To beware lest we ouer lade our body with surfetting in meates or drinkes that we liue chastly and soberly to abstayne from vyce to kepe our body lowe geuing it that only that is necessary VVhat is it to folow Christe It is to beleeue in him to marke and followe his doctrine and to followe him whether soeuer he leadeth vs or calleth vs and to suffer wyllingly what soeuer he layeth on our backes VVhat is to leaue and forsake all that a man hath to sell all and to denye a mans selfe To leaue forsake and sell is to repute recken such thinges as we haue as none of ours yea gladly to forsake and leaue for Christes sake if the matter came to that poynt wyfe chyldren parentes countrey house land and all other suche in so much that yf neede required we woulde for Christes sake and the Gospels quarell offer our selfe to all dangers and death at conclusion To deny a mans selfe is frankely and freely to graunt his workes and all his other good indeueringes to be vnable to his saluacion and vtterly to kill the old Adam in him with all his affections What is it to visite When it is taken in the good part it betokeneth that God looketh vpon and sendeth his benefites some whether The Lord hath visited his people When it is taken in the euil part it betokeneth as much as the Lorde punisheth and scourgeth wicked and cursed when he taketh vengeaunce on them for their wickednesse as I the Lord thy God am a iealous God visiting the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third fourth generatiō of them the hate me c What is the hand of God It is the power or strength of the Lord whereby he helpeth and doth good vnto the godly and whereby he worketh mischiefe and taketh vengeaunce on the cursed The arme of God betokeneth the power of him and Christe him selfe whereof ye may read abundantly The finger betokeneth the holy Ghoste What be the eyes of God The respect care and regarde that he hath vpon the good and his gentilnesse mercy and redinesse to defend them His countenaunce is taken for the straight and narowe looking of the wicked to their destruction and perdition The eyes of the Lord be on the righteous and his eares attend vnto their prayers But the countenaunce of the Lord is vpon the sinners His face betokeneth fauour beneuolence and the gladnesse in the lord But as sone as thou hast turned thy face they shall be confused and wyll turne againe vnto their earth The mouth of the Lord hath great vehemency and pythe in it for the Prophetes when they will haue theyr wordes marked and regarded say the mouth of the Lorde hath spoken this The outwarde appereaunce of any thing is also called the face as we say Iudge not according to the
the deuill A priest bicause he once for all hath entred In Sancta Sanctorum into the most holy and innermost tabernacle of God and hath offered once for all a perpetuall sufficient facrifice to satisfy for al mens sinnes and to purchase all mens redemption not ceasing nowe still to be a perpetuall Mediator and Intercessor to God his father for man he himselfe being both God and man making an ende of and abolishing all sacrifices and ceremonies which were but shadowes and significations to put the Iewes in remembraunce of his comming before he came A prophet for the true and onely sufficient doctrine whiche he preached being here in earth and lefte behinde him written by his Apostles for our learning binding our conscience to be subiect to none other doctrine but to his alone By his kingdome hee hath made vs kings and heires of his kingdome by adoption and conquerors through his most valiant victorie of oure enimies sinne death hell and the deuill By his Priesthoode with the holy oyle of his spirite he hath made and annoynted vs Priestes to offer to God the father acceptable sacrifices thorowe him whiche are the sacrifices of righteousnes of praise of thankesgiuing of an humble and contrite heart of fayth and wholye to crucifie and offer vp our selues vnto him and by the same office we being made partakers by him of the same maye be bolde to come to the sight of God to offer vp our sacrifice and prayer By the office of his prophecie or scholemaistership he doth lighten vs with the true knowledge of his Father instructeth vs in the truth and maketh vs the Disciples of god By this annoyntment receyueth he these three offices to communicate them with vs wherevpon we are called Christians What is a King A rightfull magistrate or heade power vnder God among men ordeyned of God for the defence of the good and keeping downe of the euill according to right and iustice What is a Priest An officer appointed and licenced of God to presente himselfe to the sight of God for to obtaine his fauour by intercession or to pacifie his wrath by offring vp of sacrifice acceptable to him What is a Prophet A messenger of God to declare the will of God eyther in shewing the threatenings or opening the promises or expounding and declaring the mysteries conteyned in his holy worde or will to vs his children Why doest thou call vs his children seeing that Christ is his only son We are not by nature the childrē of god as Christ only is but by adoption grace or fauour of god As for Christe he is of the same substance and essence with his father By what meanes doe wee receyue at the hande of God these heauenly treasures Or by what meanes are they conueyed vnto vs By Faith. What is Faith An assured confidence and trust in the truth of God in the merites and promises of Christ conceyued thorowe Christ by hearing of his worde hoping still for the performaunce of the sayde promises in the meane season not ydle but still working by charitie Or as S. Paule defineth it in his Epistle to the Hebrues Faith is a sure confidence of things that are hoped for and a certainty of things that are not seene What is Hope A constant looking for of those things which we haue conceyued thorowe faith by the worde of God. What is Charitie A godly vertue a louely and gentle affection of the minde whereby we loue God aboue all thinges and our neighbour as our selfe Charitie also is taken for the fruites of faith and workes of mercie Who is my neighbour Any man vpon whome I doo execute the workes of mercy or that standeth in neede of my helpe Were we predestinate by the grace of God through Christ to his vocation election iustification and saluation before the beginning of the world Yea verely so sayth S. Paule he chosed vs in Christ Iesu before the foundacions of the world were layde Agayne he sayth we know that al things worke for the best vnto them that loue God which also are called of purpose For those which he knewe before he also ordayned before that they should be like fashioned vnto the shape of his Sonne that he might be the first begotten sonne among many brethren Moreouer whome he appoynted before them also he called And whome he hath called them also he iustified whom he iustified them he also glorified What is the grace of God Gods fauour beneuolence and kinde minde that of him selfe without our deseruing he beareth toward vs whereby he was moued to bestow vpon vs his Sonne Christ and all other his good giftes with free imputacion of his goodnesse and vndeserued remission of our sinnes What is Predestinacion The secret● vnchaungeable appointment of God before all beginninges by his counsell and wisedome to life euerlasting concerning his elect and chosen people or any other beginning ordering or ending of all things What is vocation To be called of the Lord to any manner of benefite office or ministracion There be two kindes of vocation generall as thus in S. Mathewes Gospell come vnto me all ye that laboure and are laden and I will refreshe you Particular as the calling or appointment of Kings Prophetes Apostles c. What is election The choyce or appoyntment of God to anye ministration office dignitie or preheminence whiche immediatly followeth the particular calling as for an example He that heareth the word is called but he that beleeueth is chosen By this hearing and beleeuing may this place be expounded Manye are called but fewe chosen What is Iustification Of vnrighteous to be made righteous by the rigteousnesse of Christ which we conceyue by fayth What is Saluation To enioye the felicitie prepared of Christ for the faythfull to be of the number of the glorified saints Whereby art thou certified of this liberalitie and of these benefites of God towarde mankinde By the office of the Apostles and Preachers appointed for the same purpose What is the office of the Apostles and Preachers To preach the worde of God or the Gospell of Christ and to minister the sacraments which Christ himself hath ordeyned to be vsed in the Church Howe is that proued Christ sayd to his Apostles go and teache all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Againe Go throughout the whole world and preache the Gospell to euerye creature And of the Supper of the Lorde Christ sayde Doe this in the remembraunce of me What is the Gospell It is a doctrine conteyning the promise of free remission of sinnes purchased by Christ alone What is a Sacrament A visible signe of an inuisible grace or an outwarde element or corporall substaunce appointed of God to certifie our fayth wherewith onely wee receyue it of the promises of God annexed therevnto Of howe manye partes doth a Sacrament
¶ The Demaundes of holy Scripture with answeres to the same wherein are defined and declared the cheefe and principall poyntes of Christian doctrine very profitable for the right vnderstanding of holy Scriptures made by T. Becon and dravven out of his great vvorkes Matth. 7. Aske and it shall be geuen you Seeke and ye shall finde Knocke and it shall be opened vnto you Iames. 1. If any of you lacke vvysdome let him aske of hym that geueth it euen God vvhich geueth to al men indifferently and casteth no man in the teeth and it shall be geuen him But let him aske in faith and vvauer not for he that doubteth is like a vvaue of the Sea vvhich is tost of the vvindes and caryed vvith violence Neither let that man thinke that he shall receiue any thing of the Lorde A vvauering minded man is vnstable in all his vvayes AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Day 1577. Cum Priuilegio 1. Peter 3. Be ready alvvayes to geue ansvvere to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you and that vvith meckenesse and feare hauing a good conscience that vvhere as they backbite you as euyll dooers they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conuersation in Christe Apocalips 3. Thou sayest I am riche and encreased vvith goods and haue neede of nothing knovvest not hovve thou art vvretched and miserable and poore and blind naked I counsell thee to bye of me gold tryed in thesyre that thou mayest be riche and vvhite rayment that thou mayest be clothed that thy filthy nakednesse do not appeare and annoint thyne eyes vvith eye salue that thou mayst see ¶ To the godly and right woorshipfull Senate the Mayre and his brethren of Sandwich in Kent Thomas Becon vvysheth long life continuall health and prosperous felicitie SO oft as I consider the blessed state of your tovvne vvhereof God by his deuine prouidence and vnsearcheable counsell hath made you rulers vnder the Queenes Maiestie our Soueraigne liege Lady I am entirely prouoked and stirred vp to geue most entire thankes to the Prince of Princesses and Lorde of Lordes that mighty GOD of Hostes for his so great and singuler benifites so bounteously and largely poured vpon you and other the inhabitauntes of your tovvne For I doo not vvell knovve yf any thing may any vvhere be found meete to beautifie a common vveale that iustly may be counted to lacke in you so plentifully hath GOD poured his blessinges vpon you VVho is able to expresse vvhat a goodly ornamente precious ievvell and noble ouche Christian doctrine is to a Christian common vveale The sage and prudent Philosophers and other vvyse and expert men of this vvorlde iudged these common vveales most blessed happy and fortunate most noble beautifull and florishing vvhere the Princes and Rulers thereof vvere eyther Philosophers or studious of Philosophie But hovv much is that common vveale to be counted happy and blessed vvhere not humaine Philosophie vvhether vve respect naturall or morall but diuine Philosophie brought from the hie Heauens by him vvhich is the vvysdome of the father prospereth florisheth triumpheth vvhere also not vaine and curious Philosophers but true faithfull and godly Philosophers raigne and beare rule VVhatsoeuer the Philosophers taught although neuer so much enforced vvith sugred eloquence probable reasons and apparent argumentes it vvas the fruite of the earth and of mans braine but that vvhiche Christe deliuered vnto vs came out of the bosome of his Father so that looke hovve much the noble Heauens surmount passe the vile base Earth in higth indignitie so much and incomparable vvyse more doth the heauenly Philosophie vvhereof the holy Ghost alone is the aucthour exceedeth the earthy Philosophie vvhereof man is the deuiser He that cometh from an high sayth that blessed Iohn Baptist is aboue all He that is of the earth is earthy speaketh of the earth He that commeth from Heauen is aboue all and vvhat he hath seene and heard that he testifieth and no man receiueth his testimonie He that hath receiued his testimonie hath set to his seale that GOD is true For he vvhom GOD hath sent speaketh the vvoordes of god VVhat other thing is this diuine Philosophie vvherof vve novve speake then the holy vvoord of God And vvhat other are these faithfull and godly Philosophers then the true preachers and professours of the sacred Scriptures All these are to be founde among you plentifully The Christian Philosophie I meane the vvoord of GOD raigneth ruleth and triumpheth among you so that according vnto to it all things are ordered among you in that your Tovvne In other places this diuine and Christian Philosophie is counted heresie nevve learnyng straunge doctrine the mother of errours the cause of rebellion sedition insurrection c. and the plaine subuertion of common vveales but vvith you that most iustly it is reperted taken for the alone trueth for the ancient doctrine of the Patriarches Prophets and Apostles for the mother of all godlynes and vertue for the onely alone cause of vnitie concord quietnesse amitie obedience and for the alone stay vpholding and maintenance of all Christean and vvell ordred common vveales so that vvhere this is not there is a Chaos and plaine confusion of thinges This holy vvoord of GOD among you svvimmeth not in your lippes only but it also shineth in your lyfe and conuersation vnto the good example of all them that are conuersant vvith you By this vvoord according to the commaundement of GOD geuen to Iosua ye do not only frame your ovvne life but ye also gouerne your Tovvne and iudge al causes that come before you as a rule from the vvhich it is not lavvfull for you by any meanes to depart Of this vvoord ye reuerently talke commune conferre sing and haue continuall meditation as your chiefe ioy and comfort This vvoord is vnto you that noble treasure hydde in the Feelde the vvhiche a man found and hydde and for ioy thereof goeth and selleth al that he hath and byeth the Feelde This vvoord is to you more svveete then the Hony or the Hony Combe and more precious then Gold or Precious stone And as this most blessed and holy vvoorde dooth occupie the principall and highest place among you so haue you both godly professors and faithfull preachers of the same vnto the great ioy aud singular comfort of all the inhabitauntes of your Tovvne For as there can not be a greater ievvell in a Christian common vveale then an earuest faythfull and constant preacher of the Lordes vvorde so can there not be a greater plague among any people then vvhen they haue raigning ouer them blind guides dumme dogges vvicked vvolues hypocriticall hyrelinges popishe Prophetes vvhich feede them not vvith the pure VVheate of Gods vvoord but vvith the VVoormevvod of mens tryfling traditions and vvith the sovvre leauen of the Papisticall Pharisees as Salomon sayth VVhen the preaching of Gods vvoord fayleth the people perishe and
our byrth What soeuer is not of faith is sinne It is also the distrust in God and the ignoraunce and contempt of him and a trust and confidence in our owne workes What is originall sinne It is the poyson and corruption that we haue in our birth through the infection of our nature in Adam which doth bring foorth in vs the fruite of incredulitie and all wickednesse and maketh vs vnable to the workes of the lawe as the lawe requireth them to be done of vs vntil Christ and his word hath made vs a newe creature What is originall Iustice The integritie holenesse soundnesse of the powers of the body and the soule whereby both the soule and the body could verely obey doo and fulfill the lawe of god Wherefore after the poison of sin entred nature lost her integritie and soundnesse and the venim of sinne made weake faint and feeble the whole nature of man so that it could not in no wise wil or do the worke that it whole before could do And not this only but it infected and corrupted the flesh and the soule and all the powers of them both which infection ingendred in the nature of man hus febled the ignoraunce and contempt of God the distrust in God the murmuring against God when he sendeth aduersitie or sicknesse It causeth furthermore man to be without the feare of God to hate the iudgement of God to flee and runne away from God when he chasteneth vs to be angry with him and dispayre and to trust in thinges corruptible c. These be the horrible biles sores pockes and carbucles that disfigure the face of man Which though they be neuer so high yet our schole men and canonistes I meane the professours of the Byshop of Romes lawes coule neuer see or perceyue These Chiste through faith at our baptisme doth suppresse and abate theyr power and at the last by death doth vtterly vainguishe and kill What meane you by these wordes Poena and Culpa This word Culpa which is in english a faute or trespasse properly in this place betokeneth the gilt as we call it or the trespasse and that which the law punisheth in the deede or fact as in an act of felony the law punisheth not the comming to the Horse nor yet the brideling no nor the leading of the Horse from the stable medowe or common for all these may be doone without the euill and vnlawfull desire of the Horse and agayne with the owners leaue But the lawe punisheth the comming the brydeling and taking away the Horse against the owners wyll and with the mind of stealing him and calleth the facte thefte or felony This word Poena which is in Englyshe payne is the wages and punishment taken for the faute And thus some kinde of vices al hurtes damages sicknesse pest ilences perils errours and the lacke of Gods word that we haue among vs be paines and punishmentes of sinne That God punisheth sinne with losse and daunger both of body goodes with sicknesse pestilence and such other none I thinke doubteth but that he punisheth sinne by sinne and sinne by errours and heresies the worlde can not so clerely perceiue Howe be it Paul doth playnly declare it where he sayth because the Gentils turned the glory of God and worshiped the creature more then the maker c. Therefore saith he God gaue them vp vnto shameful lustes c. Which iustes be there straight after expressed And this punishment I meane to punish sinne by sinne is a very sore punishment He punisheth sinne by errours and heresies thus When the word of God is plenteously and sincerely preached as it is nowe and yet men still kicke against it or in case many receiue it yet fewe or non regard it or liue according to it but with their wordes make on it only for a fleshly libertie then I say God taketh his word away from thence as who be not worthy of it and letteth the worlde preuaile against his preachers and suffreth Antechriste who must nedes succeede Christ to kill them so that Antichriste peaceably enioyeth his kingdome as he hath doone all ready this great while and he must needes haue like doctrine to him selfe So did he punishe the Iewes his owne elected people at sundry times more then .ii. M. yeere and suffered them to worship false Gods or els to set vp their owne tradicions Gods preceptes neglected So also hath he punished our fore fathers these viii or ix C. yeeres And now except we thankefully receyue his woord and liue thereafter in the newnesse of life according as we are called no doubt of it he wyll not only revolue and cast vs downe againe to our old ignoraunce captiuitie and bondage but also shortly take such vengeaunce on vs as he threatened Bethsaida Corazin c. Nowe God remitteth the crime gylte and trespace to his electe through faith in Christe but he reserueth after a certayne manner a little porcion of the paine not to counterpeise therewith or satisfy his iustice for the crime as the Byshop of Rome with his complices hath taught vs this great while but to chastise their flesh with all and sometime to be an example vnto other to forbeare like crimes for fear of like punishment or to declare the yre of God for such crimes So that what trouble vexacion griefe losse sicknesse so euer the best men that be haue they deserue it with much more Howbeit no not thus GOD would beate scourge and trye his and it were not for their owne profite and auayle For by this meanes he nourtereth reineth and humbleth his electe that they may knowe them selues the better and lest they runne at large after the world as it appeareth by the aduoutry of Dauid and many other storyes in the Byble What is innocencie The purenesse of the minde and when the conscience is not giltie or findeth it selfe culpable in any thing This innocency only the faythe in Iesus Christe ingendereth in vs In this state was Paule after many interpreters mindes when he sayd I knowe nought by my selfe c. He sayd not this that he thought not him selfe a sinner and that he trespassed not afore God for then had he ben a lyer For Moyses saith to the Lord it is thou that takest away trespasse iniquitie and sinne and none innocent before thee but he meaneth of his conuersacion In this state also was Ezechias the good King when he turned him to the wal and wepte Here we call not to be giltie or culpable to haue the peace of the conscience and the is when we beleeue through Christe that our sinnes be hid for vnto that time the lawe ceaseth not to accuse vs in our conscience What is the spirite It is a Heauenly sence or vnderstanding springing out of the worde of God or els the selfe word of God exceeding the sence of the fleshe and reason The wordes that I
face and outwarde sight The face of the anger of God is the feling of the curse wrath of God also the presence sight iudgment of God is caled his face as Let al the earth hushe or be stil before the face of the Lord. As the Waxe vadeth and consumeth in the face of the fire so shal all sinners perishe before the face of God. What is the eye of man It is reason or the wysedome of the flesh A single eye is reason instructed with the word of God. A wicked eye is reason depraued and corrupt enuye engendred against their neighboure for the gyftes of god Otherwhiles the eye hand right foote c. betoken our kinsmen and best belooued freendes What betoken feete in Scripture The feete be and betoken the affections desire and will of the harte My foote stode straight foorth that is to say I haue neyther hurt any man nor would hurt And though perchaunce I haue hurt any yet I willed none euill or hated any c. To washe one an others feete is one to loue an other and to wyll well one to an other What is a slaunder to offende or to be offendicle to any man It is whereby the faith or charitie of our brother is offended or hurt The faith of the brother is offended when any man preacheth teacheth other thinges then the word of god Of this kind of slaunder speaketh Christ. Who soeuer offendeth one of these little ones c. The charitie of our neighbour is offended or hurt when we helpe not the poore when we be not glad of our neyghboures prosperitie and sory in his aduersitie c. It is the obstacle and let whereby we fall and stomble in the way of the Lorde that is to say we haue not a life vpright and worthy the Lorde I meane when we stagger in the faith or loue towardes our neighbour in which two euery christian ought stoutly and still to walke Forgetting with saint Paule the thinges that be behind our backes endeuering to come to the marke set before our eyes Otherwhiles slaunder or offending is taken in Scripture for the offending wher by the wicked can not beare the word What is an Hipocrite It is the wicked man coloured and cloked with godlynesse Wherefore hipocrisy is called fayned holynesse What is an enuious man He whose hart for anger burneth at an other mans prosperitie nor can suffer with his will any other to be enriched with the benefites of god So did Cayn enuy Abell his brother Saul Dauid and Ioab Amasas But Iohn did not enuy Christ his successour when he sayd He must increase and I decrease Nor Ionathas Saules sonne did not thus hate Dauid his loyall and trusty freende and companion What is for God to sleepe When he seemeth to vs to forsake vs in our temptation nor helpeth vs So slept Christe in the ship his Apostles being in daunger and ieoperdye And so doth Dauid call vpon God to awake saying arise wake Lorde why doest thou sleepe so long What is it for men to sleepe When they without all care of the word of God slugge and sleepe in sinne and ignoraunce when they refuse contemne and regarde it not To rest and sleepe in the Lord is to dye in fayth c. What is to be awake To exercise and put in vre the word of God and our faith What is fortune It is fate or destiny chaunsing to any man by the will of God without mans prouidence Who is my brother He that hath one father with me that is to say God. Who is my weake brother He that hath one faith with me in God and fauoureth the Gospell but yet wauereth and doubteth in his conscience of some things as meates and difference of dayes Who is my neighbour He on whom I exercise charitie and loue or hee who needeth my helpe Who is a Lorde or maister He that hath a seruant gouerneth and ruleth another as he whiche keepeth vnder vices and lewde appetites is Lord and maister ouer them so through faith in Iesus Christ we be Lordes ouer the Deuill Death and sinne Also he that vseth the Sabboth or holy daye as he seeth neede that is to saye doubteth not if he see the loue of his neighbour requireth the contrarie to breake it that man I say is the Lorde of the Sabboth day Who is a seruant He that hath a maister and is not his owne man or else he that is at the becke and commaundement of another Thus Paule calleth himselfe the seruant of Christ as he that doth and accomplisheth the will of sinne he is a seruaunt to sinne What is a true and faithfull seruaunt He that hath fayth and doth his duetie with all diligence according to his vocation and calling What is a slothfull and vnfaithfull seruant He which beleeueth not in God negligently ordereth himselfe in his vocacion and refuseth to beare his crosse What is an officer or ruler Euery lawfull power among men ordeined of God to the defence and protection of that that is good and to prohibite and to punishe that that is euill according to right and equity What is a tyraunt An vnlawfull and vniust ruler which administreth all things as he list and laieth great burdens yokes vpon the people doing against all conscience equity Such a one was Pharao to the children of Israell Howbeit suche be not to be resisted of Christian men but obeyed in all thinges saue where they wil haue vs doo that that God forbiddeth vs and haue vs not to do that that god biddeth And we must tarye till God deliuer vs out of suche tyrauntes handes as the children of Israel did What is matrimony or wedlocke The lawfull coupling and resort of man and woman according to the ordinance and commaundement of God. What is adultery The vnlawful company of man and woman as is the mariage with the mother sister aunt brothers wyfe and such other wherein Moyses treateth To that perteyneth stupre incest fornicacyon and like abhominacions touched in the foresaid Chapiters What is properly mans worke or that man can doo What soeuer that reason and the nature of man can inuent and doo as to rule his house well to gouerne the common weale buylde and searche the nature of thinges and dispute and reason vpon them What is that that is aboue mans power otherwise called spirituall and heauenly What soeuer surmounteth reason and that man can not attaine vnto except God graunteth it and geueth power to obtaine it as that our sinnes be forgiuen through faith and that we be saued by Iesus that dyed on the crosse That God is our defender and louing father yea in aduersitie and trouble That God is iust yea whē he suffereth the good men to
be persecuted and troubled And on the otherside letteth the euill men to enioy and haue all their pleasure and will here and preuaile against the good men What is fleshe and bloud The circumlocution and very descripcion of man For man of him selfe is nothing but fleshlye and carnall Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas for fleshe and bloude hath not opened this vnto thee but my father that is in heauen sayth Christ. What is care and thought A playne token of diffidence and distrust in god It is an vnfaithfull care pensifenesse of the minde for meate drinke clothing and suche other necessaries which in whome soeuer you doe see it surely it can not bee denied but that he is destitute of fayth in God and that his minde is set ouermuch to worldly things Therefore I saye vnto you be not carefull for the life c. After all such things doe the heathen seeke sayeth Christ. The care and thought of faith is prohibited by Gods worde For faith onelye looketh and leaneth to Gods worde and promises Nowe to take thoughte and care least God will not fulfill his worde and promises is to mistrust and not beleeue God and so much as lyeth in vs to make God a lyer Wherefore as I saide before all thought and care of matters pertaining to faith is vtterly to be put away The care and sorowe in thinges belonging to charitie and loue in euery mans vocation is commaunded by Gods word as one to be sorie for anothers mischaunce and miserie What is the gladnesse of the heart A token of confidence in God when in aduersitie trouble or affliction wee wayle not frowne or fret within our selues but reioyce looke stoutly on it and holde our selues well apayde hauing this euer before our eyes The sonne whom GOD loueth and receyueth he vseth to chasten and beate Cōtrariwise it is also a token of worldly welthinesse and delight in pleasures of the fleshe whom God threatneth Wo be vnto you that laugh here for ye shall wepe and wayle sayth Christ. What is to sinne against the father and the sonne It is to resist and persecute the worde of God but yet by ignoraunce and of a good zeale as Paule did before he was conuerted What is the sinne against the holy ghost It is when any resisteth the open manifest and knowne truth when any beleeue not the open and playne promises of God and when any dispaireth finally in the mercie of God. What is ment by this word Zeale in Scripture Zeale is anger medled and mixte with loue as when the louing father is angry with his childe for doing amisse he doth it not because he hateth his sonne but in doing so he signifieth his fatherly loue towardes him willing by that that shall do no more so but endeuer to better For when the childe is thus chidden or beaten he taketh heede that he doth not so againe for feare of a more grieuous punishment It betokeneth also the anger that chaunseth betwixt them that loue hartely togeather c. From hence commeth iealousy whiche springeth out of vehement loue God is called in Scripture a iealous God not that because any should thinke that any such affections were in God But that we might learne that God dooth all the things that are done for nothing else but for their sake onely whome he loueth so tenderly euen his elect Not bicause he looketh for anye vauntage by it but that they may be saued and enioye the kingdome prepared for them What is the bodie of Christ The congregation of all faithfull and of all that dinesse of the will to naughtinesse There dwelleth not in me that is to saye in my flesh ought that is good Wherfore what soeuer is in vs that is good commeth of GOD. What be Sacraments and Signes Good assurances and confirmations of the word of God. Some define them thus Sacramentes be signes and witnesses of the will of god towardes vs by whiche hee moueth and stirreth our heartes to beleeue Such were the skinnes wherwith God clothed Adam and Eua the Rainebowe Circumcision c. Such be with vs Baptisme and the Sacrament of Christes bodie and bloude What is Baptisme The dipping into the water in token of repentance and newnesse of life to followe It is also defined to be the badge and cognizaunce whereby not onely we be knowen to be of the flocke of Christ but that also wee bee stablished in our conscience that we be in the fauor of God and our sinnes forgiuen It is called the cleane and pure water the lauacre of our regeneration or fountayne of the newe birth What is the Sacrament of Christes bodie and bloude or of thankesgiuing An holy mysterie of the bodie and bloude of Christ institute of Christ to be eaten of all Christian men in token of remission of sinnes through Christ That euen as sure as we take the bread and eate it with the mouth of the bodie and drinke the wine so verily and certainly euē at the same instant with the mouth of our faith we receyue the verie bodie and bloude of Christe and there it doth as actually comforte and sustayne the soule as dothe the breade and the wyne nourishe and comfort the heart and the outwarde man. And as verily as the most souereign plaster and salue layde to a wounde or sore draweth oute the filth and healeth it so verily and really doth the bodie and bloud of Christe thus receyued put awaye the sores and deformities of the soule and not alonely maketh it whole but also pure cleane without scar wrinkle and spot and so maketh it a delectable louely and fayre spouse in the sight of god Lo what it is to receyue the bodie and bloude of Christ in faith What is penitence or repentance We reade of two manner of kindes of repentances One was a Legale in the olde lawe vsed of the Iewes and Israelites This kinde of repentaunce is a certaine contricion of the minde and hatred and detestation of our sinne with a sorowe and compunction of the hart which springeth and ryseth as soone as we begin to feele and perceyue the abhomination of oure sinne by laying our deedes and desires of our heart to Gods lawe Suche was the repentaunce and penitence of the Niniuets and of Manasses and of other which were greatly sorie and compunct in their hart what by cōsidering their offences on one part the anger iust wrath of God hanging ouer their heade for these offences The tokens and outward signes of which repentaunce amongest the Iewes was commonly clothing in sacke cloth sprinkling and casting asshes vpon theyr heare and fasting a day two or three This kinde of penitence may also the wicked men haue For Iudas that betrayed Christ afterward when he perceyued how wickedly he had done toke such care sorowe and pensifnesse that for pure
anguish he hanged himself So horrible and dreadfull were in his sight hell gates the wages payment of his iniquity There is also an euangelicall penitence whiche is a continuall study purpose and endeuerment and wilfull meditacion of mortifieng our fleshe and fashioning our liues to the wyll of the Lorde And this kind of penitence is onely in them that are renued and vnto whom the forgiuenesse of sin through Christ is giuē As for this word penaunce because the Popes clergy hath iugled with it so craftely and deceyued the poore innocentes eyes it is well done to reproue the euill vse and handling of it as the mainteyning of the same is wicked What signifie the latter times in Scripture The Prophetes signifie by them commonly the dayes wherein the prophesies and the figures of the olde testament going on Christ toke effecte and were perfourmed For when Christ came both the prophesies figures ceased And euer sence Christ is openly sincerely clearely and without all shadowes set out and preached and so shall continue vnto the worldes ende Paule calleth The latter dayes the time a little before the end of the worlde and the day of the iudgement of the lord In which we be euen nowe What is the consummation and ende of the worlde It is when the state and forme of the worlde shall passe by And when this chaunge of Winter Sommer and spring shall cease when there shall be neyther night nor day What is the day of the Lorde The greate assemblement court and paritament of all men that hath ben from Adam to the last man at what day our Lorde Iesus Christ shall come with great power and maiesty and pronounce the last sentence and dome both to the good and to the euill adiudging the euill to euerlasting punishment with the deuilles and graunting the good and godly man euerlasting ioye and felicitie to the which that we may come God through our Sauiour Iesus Christ graunt to whome be all honor and prayse Amen Geue the glory to GOD alone ¶ An other booke of Demaundes of holy Scriptures verye profitable to all Students of Diuinitie WHO is the author and maker of the most beautifull frame of this world God whiche by his almightie power wisedom and goodnesse doth now also order gouerne and preserue the same What is God An endlesse vncreated substance without both beginning and ending Which by his worde alone first created all things and nowe disposeth and ruleth ▪ yea and conserueth all things one substance distinguished but not deuided into thre sundrie persons the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost and notwithstanding remayning one alone true and perfect God. What is his word whereby he first created and nowe preserueth and gouerneth all things It is the decreed sentence appointment will power and wisedome of God. The Sonne is also called the word bicause he is the wisedome and might of his father the word in the Scripture is oftentimes called by a metaphore or similitude water wine milke a lantern or candle the voyce of the shepeheard the ryght hand of the Lord the breath of the Lords mouthe the bread of life a pearle or precious stone and such like In what state did God create man Perfect righteous and good according to his owne image and likenesse hauing fier and water set before him to take which he would being endued with free will to doo euill or to continue still in goodnesse What then condemned vs Sinne by the lawe What is Sinne Sinne is the transgression or breaking of the whole lawe or of any one commaundement of god And all that is done without fayth is sinne and therefore the good workes of the infidelles doe nothing profite them What is the Lawe A learning teaching vs with authoritie what ought to be done or auoyded in thought worde or deede with rewardes and punishmentes for doing or omitting the same This law is our schoolemaister to teach vs the waye to Christ by whome the violence sting power and the shadowes of the lawe bee takē away in whose place he hath brought in grace and truth Howe chaunced we to synne By the choyce of our free will graunted to vs either to doe good or euill whereby we lost both our felicitie that we were first placed in and that our free will also Howe then were both we and our forefathers reconciled to the fauour of God which wee lost by our disobedience being as vnfruite full branches of the rotden roote of Adam By the performance of the mercifull promise of God giuen to Adam that the seede of the woman shoulde breake the serpents heade Renued to Abraham that in his seede all Nations shoulde bee blessed and perfourmed by Christ which by his death payd our raunsome whiche promise and perfourmaunce conueyed vnto our forefathers and vs and vnto all the Church by faith hath ben and is the common and general meane of saluacion they that is to say our forefathers beleeuing that Christ was to come by whome alone they should be saued we with no doubtfull faith confessing that he is come dyed and rose againe for to regenerate vs to God to mortify vs to sinne the fleshe and the world to rayse vp againe at the laste day and so to take vs vnto him selfe placing vs in the glory of his father Who receyueth this benefyte The church of Christ only What is the church of Christ The whole number of the faithfull beleeuers in Christes comming sufferance and resurrection members of the misticall body of Christ Graines to make one loafe Graps to make one wine liuely stones to buylde on a spirituall house in Christ to offer spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God thorowe the same Christ Iesus which is the head of the same body the corner stone of the sayd house the Lord and husband to the sayd church his spouse maried to him by faith Who bestoweth this benefyte vpon vs God through Iesus Christ his sonne by whome he hath made vs his children also and fellowe heyres with Christe of hys What sygnifyeth this name IESVS A Sauiour which is the chiefe poynt of his office and cause of his comming into this worlde as appeareth by the wordes of the Aungell to Ioseph shee meaning Marie shall bring forth a sonne and thou shalt call his name Iesus For he shall saue his people from their sinnes What signifyeth this name CHRIST Annointed whereupon it may be gathered that our Sauiour Christ is a king a priest and a Prophet which .iii. were accustomed by the lawe ceremonial to be annointed A king bicause by inheritance he being the sonne of God ought to be Lord and Ruler of all thinges and bicause he hath conquered and subdued vnto him selfe by death by bearing our sinnes by redeeming vs his inheritance out of the power of the deuill all the whole kingdome power and aucthority ouer death sinne and
as the floure of the grasse c. Knowing and acknowledging with S. Paule that wee haue here no certaine abyding place but seeke for one to come againe that as we brought nothing into the world so shall we cary nothing out of it but hauing meate drinke and cloth we ought to be content and abundantly satisfied forasmuch as godlynesse is great riches yf a man be content with that he hath What is thankes giuing to God To remember the benefites of the Lord confessing and acknowledging al to come of him offryng him our whole hart loue seruice for the same What is innocencie A mind or conscience giltie of no sinne which commeth through faith in Iesus Christ as the Apostle sayth we being iustified by faith are at peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whome also it chaunced vnto vs to be brought in through fayth vnto this grace wherein we stand and reioyce in the hope of the glory of God. What is fasting To beware that wee oppresse not the bodie and so by that meanes the minde also with surfetting drunkennesse and excesse as our Sauiour Christ sayth Take heede to your selues least at any time your hearts be ouercome with surfetting drunkennesse cares of this lyfe c. Agayne to liue chastly purely and soberly to abstayne from vices to bring oure bodie into bondage to the spirite and the spirite to God to minister to the bodie only y that is necessarie to mortifie the flesh with the affections and lustes of the same The right abstinence from meates taken as a way or helpe to the abstinence from sinne consisteth not in the qualitie but in the quantitie of the meat not what but how much meat drink thou receyuest For whether fasteth more aright he that moderately receyueth of flesh or he that cloyeth himselfe with fish ▪ All things are pure to them that are pure sayth the Apostle All the creatures of God are good and nothing to bee refused if it be receiued with thankesgiuing For it is sanctified by the worde of God and prayer Why then is this lawe so earnestlye established with such penaltie vpon it that wee eate no fleshe on Fridayes or other dayes appointed to abstayne from the same I take that as a ciuile positiue Lawe lyke to the actes of Parliament made for sundrie and diliers purposes concerning the state of a Realme and for the wealth of the same For if it were anye lawe of God binding our conscience no King nor Pope myght dispence with the breaking of it What is prayer To call vpon the name of the Lorde assuredly trusting to obtayne that we require so that wee aske of him in his sōnes name and none other that thing whiche he will to bee required and none other that eyther for obtayning of good things auoyding of euill or releasing and forgiuenesse of euill and sinnes past Whatsoeuer ye aske in my name sayeth Christ that will I doe that the Father maye bee glorified by the Sonne If ye shall aske any thing in my name I will do it Again verilye verilye I say vnto you Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you And Saynt Iohn in his Epistle sayth This is the truste that we haue in him that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs And if we knowe that he heareth vs we knowe that we haue the petitions that wee desire of him What is obedience A lowlye and hartie submission of our selues to God and afterwarde to oure Parentes to the Magistrates to oure Superiours and to all those to whome God hath committed the rule and gouernance of his flocke and people in this worlde or in iust causes to all them to whome we be by anye title inferiour But what yf our Superiours wyll enforce vs to obey them in vniust causes In this behalfe we owe them no obedience God is the highest Magistrate If any inferiour Magistrate commaundeth any thing contrary to his godly commaundement and blessed wyll we must aunswere with the apostles Oportet deo magis obedire quam hominibus We must obey God more then men Examples hereof we haue many and diuers both in the olde and in the newe Testament What is humilitie A subiection of the proud hauty courage of our mind shewing our selues inferior to all men presuming in nothing esteming our selues worse then all men in our owne conceates And this is that which the apostle saith In giuing honor goe one before an other Againe be not hye minded but make your selues equall to them of the lower sorte Be not wyse in your owne conceates Hereto agreeth the saying of S. Peter submit your selues euery man one to an other Knit your selues togeather in lowlynesse of mind For God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble Submit your selues therefore vnder the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you when the time is come What is pacience Willingly without resistance eyther in thought word or deede to suffer vndeserued punishment after the example of Christ which prayed for them that persecuted and moste cruelly tormented him This pacience is described of S. Peter in his first Epistle where he sayth seruauntes obey your maisters with feare not only yf they be good and courteous but also though they be froward For this is thanke worthy yf a man for conscience toward God endure griefe and suffer wrong vndeserued For what prayse is it yf when ye be buffeted for your faultes ye take it paciently But and yf when ye doo well ye suffer wrong and take it paciently then is there thanke with god For hereunto verely were ye called for Christe also suffered for vs leauing vs an example that we should follow his steppes whiche did no sinne neyther was there guile found in his mouth which when he was reuiled reuiled not againe when he suffred he threatned not but committed the vengeance to him that iudgeth righteously c. What is the olde man that we must put of The naughty corrupt and rotten nature which sithens the fall of Adam we haue lineally at our first generation receaued of our parentes through the corruption of the first roote Adam Or thus the noughty concupiscence lust to sinne and affection of our fleshe without faith of this olde man speaketh our Sauiour Christ on this maner That which is borne of flesh is fleshe And except a man be borne from aboue he cannot see the kingdome of god Also the Apostle Laye from you the olde man which is corrupt according to the deceauable lustes Againe put of the olde man with his workes What is the newe man that we must doo on The renewyng of man by fayth and the word of God the spirite of God geuen by Christ our spirituall and second Adam Agayne to tame the old man our fleshely and first Father Adam to beget vs agayne and adopte vs
to God whiche Spirite we receaue by Christ at our regeneration Of this newe man speaketh our Sauiour Christe thus That whiche is borne of the spirite is spirite Also S. Paule Be renued in the spirit of your minde and put on the newe man whiche after God is shapen in righteousnesse and true holynesse Againe put on the newe man which is renued in the knowledge and image of him that made him What is it to denye our selues Playnly to professe that all our laboures and works profit nothing vnto saluatiō to slea the old Adam with al his lusts affectiōs What is it to forsake all that we haue for Christes sake To esteeme al that we haue not to be ours for his sake and willingly if neede so require for the profession of his name to depart from wyfe children parentes freendes countrey house landes and all thinges els that we doo or may enioye yea and to put our selues in danger of all perill for the name of Christ and profession of the Gospell He that loueth father or mother more then me saith Christ is not worthy of me And he that loueth sonne or daughter more then mee is not worthy of me And he that taketh not his crosse and followeth me is not worthy of me He that findeth his life shall lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake shall finde it Agayne if a man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wyfe and children and bretheren or sisters yea his owne life also he cannot be my disciple And whosoeuer doth not beare his crosse and come after me he cannot be my disciple What is the crosse that we must take vpon on vs Any sorow or payne that belonggeth to any vocation or trade of life for the tryall and profe of our faith and pacience Also it is the correction chastening rodde and staffe of the Lord wherewith he punisheth them whome he loueth not to theyr damnation or vtter casting away from his fauour but to saluation and to teach vs to flye vnto him in our trouble aduersity as children to our most deare louing father What is ment by the name of the Lorde whose glory we must set forth The glory prayse wysedome might power worship honor and maiestie of the Lorde Or the knowledg preaching and aduauncement of his holy worde What is the temple of the holy Ghost An honest godly and faithfull christian hart in the which God is rightly worshipped in spirite and truth wherein are offered spirituall sacrifices of prayse innocencie thankes geuing of an humble and contrite hart whose chiefe corner stone is christ Knowe ye not saith Saint Paule that ye are the temple of God and howe the spirite of God dwelleth in you ▪ If any man defile the temple of God him shall God destroye For the temple of God is holy which temple ye are Saint Peter also sayth Ye as liuing stones are made a spirituall house an holy Priesthode for to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. What is the kingdome of heauen The kingdome of heauen is diuerslye taken in the Scriptures First for the holy Gospell and worde of God bicause that is the scepter and yron rodde whereby God ruleth reygneth and dwelleth in the hearts of the faythfull Of this kingdome speaketh Christ in the Gospell on this wise I will giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen that is to saye I will commit vnto thee the office to preache the Gospell of saluation which openeth and vnlocketh vnto men the waye and doore by the whiche they may be saued and enter into the kingdome of heauen Item the kingdome of heauen is lyke vnto leauen which a woman tooke and hydde in three peckes of meale tyll it were all leauenned Secondlye the kingdome of heauen is taken for fayth it selfe as Saint Paule sayeth The kingdome of heauen is not meate and drinke but righteousnesse and peace and ioye in the holy ghost Thirdlye the kingdome of heauen is expounded the whole congregation of the faythfull abyding in this lyfe in whome the Lorde by his worde and spirite doth inuisibly dwell and reygne Of this kingdome speaketh Christ in the Gospell on this maner The kingdome of heauen is lyke to ten virgines whiche tooke their lampes and went to meete the Brydegrome Fyue of them were wyse and fiue were foolishe c. Fourthlye the kingdome of heauen is taken for the ioye felicitie and pleasure which the soules of the beleeuers enioye when they are departed out of this world and their bodies also ioyned with the soules at the day of Iudgement shall enioy euen in that place which Christ hath prepared for them to possesse where they shall bee comforted with the sight of his Maiestie and Godheade and with the fruition of his perpetuall felicitie with him Of this kingdome speaketh Christ in the Gospell When ye shall see Abraham Isaac and Iacob and the Prophets in the kingdome of God and you to bee driuen out of the dores Finallye the kingdome of heauen is wheresoeuer Gods worde is preached from which kingdome they onely are excluded whiche beleeue not the worde according to this saying of Christ He that is of God heareth the wordes of god But yee heare not bicause yee are not of god Agayne My sheepe heare my voyce Item Euerye one that is of the truth heareth my voyce What meanest thou by a lande that floweth with milke and honie Pleasaunt abundance of all things both sweete and profitable By the honie is vnderstoode sweetenesse ioy gladnesse and pleasure By the milke pure nourishment whereby we still continue growe and increase in fayth and godlynesse vnto the measure of Christ. When shall we enter vppon and enioye this kingdome this promised lande that floweth with milke and honie The church militant in this worlde gouerned by the spirite of their most mightie valiant victorious and triumphant Captayne Christ already enioyeth after a certayne maner in spirite thorowe fayth in this kingdome and blessed lande as it is written He that beleeueth on the Sonne hath euerlasting life Hee that beleeueth not on the Sonne shall not see lyfe but the wrath of God abydeth vpon him But when they are ioyned togither both bodie and soule with the reast of the faithfull congregation which are departed out of this world in the faith of Christ to make one whole tryumphant congregation when they haue by the power of Christe conquered the malignant church of the deuill which shall be at the last day of iudgement which we doo dayly looke for nowe in these latter times then shall they truely and perfectly enioye and possesse all the ioyes and pleasures of that most ioiful and pleasant lande whereof Dauid speaketh on this manner I beleeue to see the good things of the Lorde in the land of the liuing Nowe we see in a glasse sayth the Apostle euen in a
darke speaking but then shall we see face to face And as S. Iohn saith It dooth not yet appeare what we shall be But we knowe that when it shall appeare we shall be like him For we shall see him as he is The eye hath not seene and the eare hath not heard neyther haue entred into the hart of man the thinges which God hath prepared for them that loue him And all these thinges shall the elect congregation of God enioy and possesse immediatly after the ende of these latter times wherein we now liue What callest thou the latter times The first times were vnder the lawe of nature till the lawe of Moyses The seconde vnder the lawe of Moses till the kingdome thereof abolished Christ entred into this worlde Nowe the thirde and last time is and hath bene sithence the entring of Christ into this worlde to take out fleshe vpon him by ioyning in him togither both Godheade and Manheade with an vnseparable knotte to reconcile and knitte togeather God and man nowe that all the prophecies figures of Christ be brought to an ende The last times also are the times that goe immediatly before the day of the Lord and ende of the world Saint Iohn saith Little children it is the last time Saint Paul saith We are they whom the endes of the world are come vpon Saint Iames saith The comming of the Lorde draweth nigh The Iudge standeth before the doore And our Sauiour Christ himselfe sayth The time is at hande Beholde I come shortly and my rewarde is with me to giue euerye man according as his deedes shall be Howe farre thinkest thou that daye to be hence No man can pronounce any certaintie of the time when that day shall be as our sauiour Christ sayth â–ª Of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Aungels in heauen but my father onely Agayne It is not for you to knowe the times and seasons which the father hath put in his owne power Saint Paule saith that the day of the Lorde shall come euen as a thiefe in the night For when they shall saye Peace peace all things are safe then shall sodayne destruction come vpon them as sorowe commeth vppon a woman trauayling with childe and they shal not scape Notwithstanding although the holy Scriptures doe passe ouer with silence the certaintie of the time when Christ shall come to iudge the worlde as a thing more curious than profitable for our saluation that by this meanes wee might set our selues in the more readinesse against his comming bicause we are not certaine of the day and houre yet we may plainely perceyue that it is not farre of both by the comparison of our dayes with the dayes of Noe For thus saith Christ as it happened in the dayes of Noe so shal it be also in the dayes of the Sonne of man. They did eate and drinke they maryed wyues and were maryed euen vnto the same day that Noe went into the Arke and the floud came and destroyed them all c. Euen so shall it bee in the day when the sonne of man shal appeare and by the shortening of the dayes promised in the Scripture for the electes sake and diuers other argumentes besides Nowe when that day shall once come which vndoubtedly shall come out of hand then shall the Lord seperate the Sheepe from the Goates rewarde the vngodly with punishment due to their vnbeleife and the godly he shall put in possession of that most glorious and blessed kingdome whiche he purchased for them by the crucifying of his bodie and shedding of his bloude To this Lorde Christ our alone Sauiour with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour and prayse both now and euer Amen Giue the glorie to God alone Iohn 3. Matth. 13. Amos. 8. Actes 16. Iohn 13. Luke .3 1. Ioan. 3. Ezech. 16. Luke .6 Esay 58. Exod. 22. Leuit. 19. Matth. 25. Romans 12. Hebru 13. Gene. 19. 1. Peter 4. Leuit. 19. and. 23. Deut. 24. 1. Tim. 4. Titus 1. Iude. Epist. Matth. 25. Romans .2 Galat. 5. Ephe. 2. Tit. .3 Ioan. .15 Gene. 1. Eccle. 18. psalme 146. Acte 14.17 Romans 5. Gene. 3. What sin is Gene. 3. Romans 5. 1. Timoth. 2. Romans 5. Ephe. 1.2 Collossi 1. 1. Ioan. 3. Ioan. 1. Galathi 4. What God is God is infinite Exodus 22. Psalme 82. What a strange God is What faith is Romans 10. Hebru 11. What hope is What charitie is Math. 25. What the law of god is The office of the law Ioan. 7. Romans 7. 2. Cor. 3. Galat. 3. What the Gospell is Romans 1. Who is godly Who is vngodly Who is a Christian. Who is an Ethnike An Heretike who The word of God is the doctrin of faith The kingdom of Heauen what it is The world what it is The word of God what it is The nams of the worde of God. Ephe. 6. Heb. 4. Iere. 22. 2. Thess. 2. What mens traditions are Math. 13. Iere. 23. Math. 15. Marke 7. Math. 19 How men are good Who be euill Acte 4. Ephe. 2. Who is righteous What it is to be iustified Psalm 32. Rom. 4. Rom. 4.5 Gal. 2.3 Vnrighteous who Euerlasting life what Ioan. 17. Ioan. 5. Hell or euerlasting death what it is Hell diuersly taken 1. Reg. 2. Esay 66. Apoc. 22. Math. 13.22.25 What the blessing of God is What the curse of God is What a good conscience is Rom. 5. Esay 57.35 What an euyl conscience is Ioan. 14. Ioan. 17. What falshod is The feare of God what it is Rom. 8. What the contempt or despysing of God is Thankes geuing what it is Psalm 50. Vnkindnesse and murmuring against God what it is Exod. 16.17 To haue the holy Ghoste what it is Galat. 5. To be euill minded or to haue the deuil what it is A good Angell what it is An euill Angell what it is The Crosse what it is What the Crosse of Christe is What the pleasure and ease of this life is What sinne is Originall sinne what it is Originall iustice what it is Rom. 7.2 Cor. 3. The corruption of the nature of man. What this word Culpa signifieth What this word Poena signifieth Rom. 1. Math. 5. Note wel God punisheth sinne in this worlde not after thys life in purgatory as the Papistes faine 1. Cor. 11. 2. Reg. 12. Innocencie what it is 1. Cor. 4. 1. Ioan. 1. Exod. 34. 4. Reg. 20. What the spirite is Ioan. 6. Psalm 150. Ioan. 3. What the fleshe is Ioan. 3.1 Cor. 2. Ioan. 6. What the newe man is Ioan. 3. What the old man is Psalm 51. Ephe. 2. Coloss. 2. Blessed or happy who Luke 12. Who is vnhappy Poore who is Math. 5. Ritch who is Luke 1.6 Luke 16. Iac. 5. Wise and circumspect who A foole who 1. Cor. 3. A child what Eccl. 10. Esay 65. Math. 18. What an Elder is What Christe is Exod. 19. 1. Pet. 2. Apoc. 1. Romans 12. What
consyst Of two partes that is to saye of the element and of the worde Howe manye Sacramentes are there Two Baptisme and the Lordes supper What is Baptisme The washing of euerye beleeuing Christian in water that taketh vppon him to professe the name of Christ whiche water certifieth our fayth of the inwarde washing and clensing of our soules by the spirite of God a token of our regeneration of the mortification of our fleshe of our buriall with Christe and of our resurrection vnto a newe lyfe If the beleeuing Christians onely be baptised according to this saying of Christe He that beleeueth and is baptised shall bee saued Why shoulde the Infantes be baptised which for imperfection of age are not able to beleeue Though Infantes haue not power to beleeue or to confesse their beliefe yet haue they fayth imputed vnto them for the promise sake of God bicause they bee the seede of the faythfull as hee sayde to Abraham I will be thy God and the God of thy seede Seeing then that they also haue that promise of saluation why should they be forbiddē the promised pledge or seale of that same promsied saluation The Sacraments of the Iewes diffred nothing from ours in effect but onelye in the outwarde element and forme of executing the same Why then shoulde oure Infants be more forbidden Baptisme than the Iewes infantes were forbidden Circumcision at the eyght daye Seing we reade that the Apostles baptised sundrie housholdes as of Stephana Lidia Onesiphorus c. if a man may gesse at a thing whereof wee haue no certaintie it is lyke inoughe that they baptised some Infantes also But to leaue all gesses and vncertain coniectures we are sure that the Iewes infantes passed with their parentes out of Egypt thorow the red sea and vnder the cloud which were tokens of our baptisme What if the infants die before they receaue the Sacrament of Baptisme Gods promise of saluacion vnto them is not for default of the Sacrament minished or made vayne and of no effect For the spirite is not so bound to the water that it can not worke his office where the water wanteth or that it of necessitie must alway be there where the water is sprinckled Simon Magus had the Sacramētal water but he had not holy Ghost being in dede an Hipocrit and filthy dissembler In the Chronicle of the Apostles Artes we reade that while Peter preached the holy Ghost came vpon them that heard him yea and that before they were baptised by the reason whereof Peter brast out into these wordes saide can any man forbyd water that these should not be baptised which haue receaued the holy Ghost as well as we True Christians whether they be old or young are not saued bicause outwardly they bee washed with the Sacramentall water but bicause they be Gods children by electron through Christ yea and that before the foundacions of the world were layd and are sealed vp by the spirite of God vnto euerlasting life the giftes and calling of God being such that it can not repent him of them Notwithstanding the Sacrament of Baptisme ought not therefore to be neglected but with all reuerence to be embraced both of old and young For he that despiseth the Sacrament despiseth not the Sacrament only but the authour of the Sacrament which is Christ Iesus the Lorde What is the Supper of the Lord or the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ Bread and Wine consecrated that is to say made and appoynted of God to bee a Sacrament to put vs in rememberance that as the bread is broken and the wine powred out so Christes body was broken and his blood shed for our redemption And as the bread receaued through our mouth and digested in our stomacke driueth away our hunger and norysheth our body the wine likewise receiued and digested quencheth our thirst and quickeneth our bloud so Christes bodie and bloude receyued by fayth digested with worthie continuaunce therein not disagreeing from the right receyuing thereof slaketh our hunger and thirst that is to saye our emptynesse of grace and drynesse of fayth nourysheth and quickeneth both our bodye and soule making vs partakers of the whole merites and dignitie of the bodie and bloude of christ And as the bread of many granes is made one loafe and the wyne pressed togither of sundry grapes so wee being many are one body in Christ And bicause we are of his body we must needes also be quickened by his bloude and lyue of hys spirite Remayneth there the substance of breade and wine after the wordes of consecration as they terme them or but the accidentes of them onely as the authors of Transubstantiation haue heretofore taught If the substaunce of breade and wyne shoulde bee denied to remayne in the Sacrament of the bodie and bloude of Christ so shoulde it cease to be a Sacrament For euery sacrament as we haue tofore hearde consisteth of the word and of the element Now yf we take away water from Baptisme so is there no Sacrament verely euen so in like manner take away Bread and Wine from the Lordes Supper so ceaseth it to be a sacrament To declare that bread remayneth after the wordes of consecration Saint Paule calleth it breade diuers times as we may see in his first Epistle to the Corinthians S. Luke also in his Chronicle of the Apostles actes whēsoeuer he maketh mention of the Lordes Supper calleth it the breaking of breade And it is to bee thought that so worthye learned men woulde haue presumed to call so honourable a mysterie breade if there had bene no breade remayning but onelye the accidentes of breade as oure Transsubstantiators teache Doth not our Sauiour Christe after the wordes of consecration call the misterie of his bloud the fruite of the vine And who is so farre estraunged from the right rule of reason whiche knoweth not that the fruite of the vine is wyne Here doth it euidently appeare by the authoritie of Gods worde that in the Sacrament of Christes bodie and bloude there remayneth after the wordes of consecration the substance both of breade and wine whereof it truly followeth that the Popishe doctrine of Transsubstantiation is nothing else than a vaine dreame and foolishe fancie brought in by Antichrist neuer knowne of the ancient fathers of Christes church nor yet receyued of the Greekes vnto this day Why sayst thou there but two Sacramentes when we haue heretofore bene taught that there are seauen Sacramentes Bicause Christ in the newe Testament lefte no mo to be occupied in his Churche As there were giuen to the people of the olde lawe but two Sacramentes That is to say Circumcision and the Passeouer so likewise in the newe Testament Christe appointed but two Sacraments that is in steade of Circumcision Baptisme and in the place of the Passeouer the Lordes Supper Therefore as for the rest they be not aptly called Sacraments They