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 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 dreadâ—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
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
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
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
Antichrist is Prayer what is is Temptacion what it is Desperation what is is Iob. 7. Vocation or calling what it is Math. 20. Predestination what it is Rom. 9.10.11 Free wyll what it is Ioan. 8. Eccl. 1◠The temple of God what it is 1. Cor. 3. 2. Cor. 6. The church what it is The church of Christe The Church of Sathan To keepe holy day what it is Esay 56. Grace what it is Merites workes what The name of God what it is What it is to shew the word of God. To serue God what it is To serue the deuill what it is To worship God what it is To beleeue in God what it is To fast what is is Luke 21. To folowe Christ what it is What it is to leaue all things for Christes sake To deny a mans selfe what it is To visite what it is Luke 7. Exo. 20. What the hand of God is The arme of God. Esay 54. The finger of GOD. Luke 13. The eyes of God. The countenance of God. Psalm 33. The face of GOD. Psalm 103. The mouth of the Lorde Esay 1. What the face of the anger of God is Abac. 2. Psalm 67. The eye of man what A single eye A wycked eye Math. 21. Math. 5.18 Feete what they signify Psalm 25. Psalm 25. To wash one an others feete what it is Slaunder or offendicle what it is Math. 18. Phil. 3. Math. 13.14.15 Hipocrite Enuious man. Gen. 4. 1. Reg. 18. 2. Reg. 20. Ioan. 3.1 Reg. 18. God to sleepe what it is Math. 8. Psalm 44. Men to sleepe what it is Math. 13. Ioan. 7. To be awake Fortune Brother Math. 23. Weake brother Rom. 14. Neighboure Lorde or Maister Mark. 2. Seruaunt Ioan. 8. A true and faithfull seruaunt Matth. 24. A slouthfull and vnfaithfull seruaunte Magistrate Roma 13. Tirant Exod. 1. Note well Matrymony Gen. 3. Adultery Mans worke Workes passing mans power Fleshe and blood what it is Ioan. 3. Math. 16. Care and thought what it is Math. 6. Gladnesse of harte what it is Prouerb 3. Heb. 12. Luke 6. Sinne against the father and the sonne 1. Timo. 1. Sinne against the holy Ghost Zeale what it signifieth Iealousy Why God is called a iealouse God. The body of Christ what it is Rom. 7. Iac. 1. Sacramentes what they are Gen. 3.9.17 Baptisme Tit. 3. The supper of the Lorde Repentance Ionas 3. 2. Par. 33. The signes of repentance Math. 27. The latter tims what they signifie 1. Timo. 4. 1. Cor. 10. The ende of the worlde The day of the Lorde Math. 25. Gene. 1. Iere. 10. Eccle. 18. Act. 4. Ioan. 1. Math. 3.28 1. Ioan. 5. Ioan. 1. Psalm 41. Eccle. 40. Esay 55. 1. Pet. 2. Psalm 119. Ioan. 10. Psalm 80. 2. Thess. 2. Ioan. 6. Math. 13. Gen. 2. Sap. 2. Eccle. 15. Gen. 3. Rom. 5. Rom. 14. Gal. 3. Ephe. 2. Ioan. 1. Eccle. 15. Rom. 4◠Gen. 3. 1. Timo. 2. 1. Pet. 2. 1. Pet. 2. Ephe. 1.5 Coloss. 2. Psalm 118. Ose. 2. Ioan. 1. Galat. 3. Rom. 8. Math. 1. Christ is our king Heb. 2 Christ is our priest Heb. 7.9.10 Christ is our Prophet 2. Pet. 2. Apoc. 1. 1. Cor. 15. 1. Pet. 2. Heb. 13. Rom. 12. Rom. 13. 1. Pet. 2. Heb. 5◠Christe by nature is the sonne of God we by adoption Rom. 10. Heb. 2. Math. 25. Luke 10. Ephe. 2. Rom. 8. Ephe. 1. Math. 11. Math. 22. Math. 28. Marc. 16. 1. Cor. 4. Math. 28. Mar. 16. Math. 26. 1. Pet. 3. Tit. 3. Ioan. 3. Rom. 6. Mark. 16. Gen. 17. Gen. 17. 1. Cor. 1. Act. 16. 2. Tim. 1.4 Exod. 13.14 1. Cor. 10. Gen. 17. Act. 8. Act. 10. Ephe. 2. Rom. 11. Note wel 1. Cor. 10. 1. Cor. 10.11 Act. 2.20 Matth. 26. Marc. 14. Luke 22. Gen. 2. Math. 19. 1. Cor. 7. 1. Tim. 5. Prou. 1. Eccle. 25. Pro. 14. Eccle. 1. Esay 29. Ionas 1. Iac. 2. Two kinds of feare 1. Ioan. 4. Psalm 90. Math. 11. 1. Ioan. 5. Ioan. 14. Ioan. 17. Ephe. 4. Zach. 8. 1. Pet. 1. Esay 40. Iac. 1. Heb. 13. 1. Tim. 6. Rom. 5. Luke 21. Tit. 1. 1. Timo. 4. Ioan. 14. Ioan. 16. 1. Ioan. 5. Act. 5. Rom. 12. 1. Pet. 5. Luke 23. 1. Pet. 2. Ioan. 3. Ephe. 4. Coloss. 3. Ioan. 3. Ephe. 4. Coloss. 3. Math. 10. Luke 14. Ioan. 4. 1. Cor. 3. 1. Pet. 2. Math. 16. Math. 13. Rom. 14. Math. 25. Luk. 13. Ioan. 8. Ioan. 10. Ioan. 19. Ioan. 3. Psalm 17. 1. Cor. 13. 1. Ioan. 3. 1. Cor. ◠1. Ioan 2. 1. Cor. 10. Iac. 5. Apoc. 22◠Math. 24. Act. 1. 1. Thess. 5. Math. 24. Luk. 17. Math. 24. Math. 25. ¶ To the Christian Reader VPon vewe of these our demaunds Christian reader if thou further demaunde some question of the boke of the towne for which it is of the Author and of the Printer no answere I suppose so fully iust be it that the question double it self twice and againe as to adiudge the one both in name and deede holy the other in life godly the third in his worke learned the last in his intent carefull for them and not vnmindefull of thee For in whatsoeuer true religion christian example godly inuention and studious enterprise coulde be beneficiall in that haue they all ioyntly and seuerally eche by doctrine practise wit with paynfull and no lesse chargeable endeuour serued if not satisfied thy godly contentation And for that in doctrine all thinges are written for instruction rightly to vnderstande faithfully to beleeue and readily to confesse that reason of hope which we haue demaunde who will frende or aduersarie aunswere who shall skilfull or vnlearned to eche of these Christian dueties with respect of their person and eche capacitie this little Pamphlet ministreth readilye sufficient furniture by playne explication of the principall grounds of our religion worthy of thy diligence thou if not vnworthy of the knowledge But I lament with alas What is it to talke rightly or smothly and to walke crookedly Is not the sweete Christian harmonie in consent of saying and doing For what discorde maketh eyther of these by it selfe or what agreement To apply or pleade very olde and almost deade example hath some force to vice or vertue in priuate talke or publike sermon And the late allegations of Fraunce or Flaunders purporting noueltie doe spedily quicken our dull sense of hearing but the home made mention of our familiars whose affection doth it not moue to eyther side What can you more greedily heare or I long as with child to tel The great grace and gift of God on Sandwich towne by the sound of the Gospel hath it wrought in vain with the townesmen are they taught wel not wel gouerned shew thei forth gods prais with mouth and plucke it down with hand or rather they expresse their fayth by their works and their works by faith in brotherly loue eche to other in liberalitie to the poore in hospitalitie to the Straunger in erection and maintenance of schooles in most carefull prouision that no one among them lyue ydle Which godly proceedings when the father of this booke that painfull and godly instrument of Christ his church maister Thomas Becon did with priuate comforte beholde be coulde not with safe dutie but acknowledge soūd out the same publikly to the great prayse of God the increase of their beginnings and example of all others who by reason of decay through sande and shelf albeit they cannot so happily ēter their welnere stopped hauen yet by view of their race in Iesus Christ maye finishe the same course by repayred lyfe to their hoped heauen And therefore this worke he tooke in hande in order and matter excellent edifying by question playne for capacitie and briefe for memorie not as the Seraphicall and Sorbonicall Doctors of the schole who giue sucklings in religion vinegar for milk the stronger hard stones for hartie meat but following the precept of Saint Paule teacheth and confirmeth them in such as bee good and profitable But least the author of his intent the Senate and towne of Sandwich of their benefite shoulde be frustrate and the commendation of their godly example hidden from such as contende to followe wee haue thought it good nowe first separately and alone to print the same whiche before without greater charge in buying the whole workes of Thomas Becon coulde not be bad This our labour if thou shalte accept it cannot be otherwise God giuing grace but that in all profitable maner wee shall be further carefull and diligent for thy Christian vtilitie Farewell in Christ. R. D.