preached and beleeved and obeyed in all Nations whatsoever That his word may beare such sway in our hearts that the Kingdome of sinne and Satan being vanquished we may behave our selves as the sincere Subjects of such a King that so his Kingdome of glory may be replenished in due season Q. The third Petition A. Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven That with our Saviour each Christians prayer may be n S. Luc. 22.42 Not my will but thy will be done not only in Peace plenty and prosperity but in Warre in wants and persecution His revealed will is the rule whereby all our actions must be guided Our prayer is therefore that we his Servants may be diligent to performe this his will on earth as the Angells are diligent to doe it in heaven That we may listen to him and be obsequious to his will as they are That there may not be any dissension between our earthly and heavenly parts but that the flesh being subject to the spirit both may sincerely submit to his will and doe it to the utmost of their power This is the direct way to his Kingdome of glory Q. The fourth Petition A. Give us this day our dayly bread In this petition o Catech. in Common prayer Book we pray unto God that he will send us all things that be needfull both for our soules and bodies p Hieron in Mat. 6. This as the learned observe is intimated unto us by this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies not only dayly but supersubstantiall that q Spiritaliter potiùs intelligamus Christus enim panis noster est c. Tertul. de Orat. c. 6. so we might not only remember our bodily food but that we might have a speciall eye upon the food of our soules that bread of life the blessed Sacrament of Christs body bloud which was r Eucharistiam quotidiè ad cibum salutis accipimus Cypr. de Orat. domin n. 48. Aug. de Ser. Dom. in Monte. l. 2. dayly received in the primitive Church by the first Christians Q. The fifth Petition A. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us Herein we make confession that we have trespassed against God and his word we entreat him therefore against whom we sinne to forgive us our sinnes Q. Can God only forgive sinne A. God only powerfully but the Priest ministerially God hath power in himselfe and of himselfe to forgive sinnes but the Priest hath only a delegated power neither in nor of himselfe but from God who gave this Commission to his Apostles and in them to their successors ſ S. John 20.23 Receive saith he the Holy Ghost whosoever sinnes ye forgive they are forgiven c. Christ gave them the Holy Ghost that by his power they might remit and retaine sinnes Q. Doe Priests forgive sinnes absolutely A. No but conditionally as God doth if the person confessing t Absolution in the Common Prayer-Book truly repent and unfainedly beleeve the holy Gospell God you see forgives but upon condition we beg pardon but upon condition that God would deale with us as we deale with our Neighbours that he would forgive us as we forgive them that trespasse against us Q. Must we then expect no pardon but upon this condition A. We may not our Saviour saith so u S. Mat. 18.35 unlesse yee FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER FROM THE HEART your heavenly Father will not forgive you That is * Aug. Enchirid c. 73.74 unlesse ye be ready to forgive your trespassers when they crave pardon of you look for no pardon at my Fathers hands when ye beg forgivenesse of him x S. Luc. 6.38 For the same measure ye mere it shall be measured to you againe Q. The sixth Petition A. And iead us not into temptation Q. Can God rempt us A. He cannot the Scripture is plain y S. James 1.13.14 Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with evill NEITHER TEMPTETH HE ANY MAN But every man is tempted when he is drawne away of his owne lust and entised Q. Cannot God be the author of sinne A. He cannot for z Ps 5.4 He hath no pleasure in wickednesse but a Ps 11.6 Deus mali aliquid non potest velle Aug. Ep. 180. the ungodly and him that delighteth in wickednesse doth his soule abhorre It is therefore b Illo sacrilegio quo statuitur Deum esse mali authorem mihi detestabilius nihil occurrit Aug. de Ord. l. 2. c. 7. accounted most detestable sacriledge to make God the author of sinne Q. What pray wee against in this Petition A. Against Gods heavy wrath and censure namely that he would not punish one sinne with another For the later sinne is oft times a punishment of the former as Judas his murthering himselfe was a punishment of his treason We beseech God therefore c Et ne nos patiaris induci c. Cypr. de Orat Domin n. 69. Ne nos inducas c. id est Ne patiaris nos induci Tertul de Orat. c. 8. Aug. de Ser. Dom. in Monre l. 2. as our Forefathers had wont to speake not to suffer us to be led into temptation much lesse to be overcome thereby Since the withdrawing of his grace is as it were a leading or letting us into temptation so prone we are to sinne if God withhold us not Q. Which is the last Petition A. But deliver us from evill In the two former Petitions we entreated for pardon for our former sinnes and to be preserved from future sinnes but here we beseech God to deliver us from the evill of punishment both in this life and in the life to come as also from that fierce executioner of Gods vengeance the Divell Q. Why doe we begge all this at Gods hands A. I. Because he is Our Father most fit therefore that we repaire to him for help and succour II. Because he is all-sufficient Almighty or as it is added in St Matthew d S. Mat. 6.13 for thine is the Kingdome power and glory for ever and ever His Kingdome is unlimited his power absolute God give us grace to seek his glory For he will be glorified either by us or upon us either by us in the performance of his Commandements or upon us in the demonstration of his justice Q. Why adde we Amen A. Because we desire all this may be done for so this word signifies e Sciendum est Amen Halleluja quae nec Latino nec Barbaro licet in suam linguā transserre Hebraeo cunctas gentes vocabulo decantare Aug. Ep. 178. It is an Hebrew word which we translate not into any language but preserve it as our Saviour gave it Wee end our Prayers and Creed with it to manifest the assent and consent of all Christians in matters of the highest moment Q. How ought we to
in Symb n. 13. Framed it was for this purpose that it might be the token of their unanimity and faith and that r Per quod agnosceretur is qui Christum verè secūdum Apostolicas regulas praedicaret Ib. n. 11. thereby it might evidently be seen who preached Christ truly according to the Apostles rules and who not It had been also contrary to the Apostles open profession who affirme that ſ 1. Cor. 2.1 they came not with excellency of speech or of wisedome but that t Rom. 6.19 they spake after the manner and custome of men Q. You take then the words of this Creed in the literall and plaine sense A. I doe so for u 1. Cor. 3.1 we are not taught at first as spirituall but as carnall men as babes in Christ because * Ib. v. 2. we are not able to beare strong meat we must be fed with milke And I have learned that x Hooker Eccles Pol. l. 5 §. 59. in Scripture where a literall construction will stand the furthest from the letter is commonly the worst Q That then we may fully discerne whether it may be taken in the usuall and ordinary sense let us take it asunder and weigh the particular words in the severall Articles How many Articles are there in this Creed A. Twelve Q. Which is the first A. I beleeve in God the Father Almighty maker of heaven and earth Q. How understand you these words A. Accordingly as I utter them namely that God the Father is the God of all might and power and that y Act. 14 15. he made or created Heaven and Earth and the Sea and all things that are therein all these of nothing Q. Which is the second Article A. And in Iesus Christ his only Son our Lord. Q. Is he also God A. The Sonne of the same substance and nature with the Father z Nicene Creed God of God very God of very God a Athan. Creed Coeternall to the Father and coequall and our Lord with the Father Q. Is he also Almighty A. Without question he is b Col. 1.16 for by him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth visible and invisible and c Ib. v. 17 by him all things consist Q. The third Article A. Who was conceived by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary Q. What is the meaning of this Article A. That d Gal. 4 4. in the fulnesse of time e Nicene Creed he was incarnate or made flesh of the Virgin Mary by the holy Ghost Q. Was he who is above and f Col. 1.17 before all things made flesh A. He that from all eternity is God with the Father in time was made man g Athan. Creed God of the substance of the Father begotten before the worlds and man of the substance of his mother borne in the world Perfect God and perfect man of a reasonable soule and humane flesh subsisting Q. Is not the holy Ghost his Father also A. No for in his Incarnation he took nothing of the Holy Ghost Only the Holy Ghost took the Seed of the Virgin Mary and made it flesh without the help of man or sense of the woman Which flesh united to the soule the second person in the Trinity assumed into his owne person and became h Ib. one Christ One I say not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh but by taking of the manhood into God Q. Is he not one as he is the Sonne of God and another as he is the Son of man A. No though he consist of two natures he is but one person i Ib. For as the reasonable soule and flesh is one man so God and man is one Christ Q. May then the Virgin Mary be said to be the Mother of God A. She may because she is mother of that man who is God k Ib. not by confusion of substance but by unity of person As Abraham is the Father of Isaac though not the Father of his soule so is she the mother of the second person in the Trinity though not the mother of his Godhead Q. Which is the fourth Article A. He suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried he that very person that is the sonne of God and was borne of the Virgin Mary Q. Why did he suffer all this A. l Nicene Creed For us men and for our salvation for m 1. S. Pet. 2.24 he bare our sinnes in his owne body that we being dead unto sinne should live unto righteousnesse by whose stripes we are healed He suffered here that we might not suffer hereafter he endured the cursed death that we might escape the curse of the Law he dyed for a time that we might live for ever he was buried that he might sanctifie the grave and make it a place of rest for us Q. Did the second person in the Trinity suffer A. His person suffer'd though not each nature in his person As man but not as God for God cannot suffer Q. Who did he suffer for A. For all the sonnes of Adam He took not therefore upon him the person but the nature of man that so he might perfect this great worke of Redemption for all that are of the same nature with him Q. Are you sure of this A. The Scriptures have taught me so n S. John 8.16 So God loved the World saith our blessed Saviour that he gave his only begotten Sonne to the end that ALL THAT BELEEVE IN HIM should not perish but have life everlasting And St John o 1. S. Joh. 2.1 2. If ANY MAN sinne WE have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours only but also for the sinnes of the WHOLE WORLD And Saint Paul assures us that p Heb. 2.9 Christ tasted death for EVERY MAN What would we more Q. This is comfortable doctrine A. It is so and to this agrees the doctrine of my mother the Church of England who hath taught me q Artic. 17. to receive Gods promises in such wise as they are GENERALLY set forth to us in holy Scripture assuring me that our Saviour r Prayer before the Communion upon the Crosse made a full PERFECT and sufficient sacrisice oblation and SATISFACTION FOR THE SINNES OF THE WHOLE WORLD yea ſ Artic. 31. FOR ALL THE SINNES OF THE WHOLE WORLD both originall and actuall Q. How comes it then to passe that so many are damned A. Either for want of Faith or for want of obedience and repentance for t S. John 1.12 to as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sonnes of God Q. Which is the fifth Article A. He descended into Hell the third day he rose againe from the dead Q. How understand you this Article A. Literally as I doe the rest Q. Did Christ goe downe
to his bone and sinewes and flesh came upon them and flesh upon the skin and breath enter'd into them and they stood up an exceeding great armie Q. When shall this Resurrection be A. g 1. Cor. 15.24 At the last and great day of Doome Q. What becomes of the Soule all this while does that also dye A. No. Q. How prove you that A. h Mat. 22.32 God calls himself the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob but God is not the God of the dead but of the living Though then they be dead in body in soule they live i Luc. 16.22 We finde Lazaru's soule alive in a place of blisse k Ib v. 24. and Dive's soule in a place of torment l Ib. v. 28. while his brethren were living here on earth And our saviour promised the penitent Theif that m Luc. 23.43 he should be that day with him in Paradice Which was spoke of his soule for n Io 19.31 32. his body was that day buried in the grave To these may be added o Rev. 6.9 the soules of the Martyrs which lye under the Altar Q. By whose power shall they be raised A. By the power of Christ For p Ioh. 5.28 29. all that are in their graves shall heare the voyce of THE SON OF MAN And shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of life and they that have done evill unto the Resurrection of damnation If then we should not have these our own very bodies at the resurrection God should deale unjustly to torment those bodies in hell fire which had never done amisse Q The last Article A. The life everlasting For they that have done good q Dan. 12.3 shall shine as the stars for ever and ever r Mat. 25.41 and they that have done evill shall be cursed into everlasting fire Å¿ Athan. Creed This is the Catholique Faith which execept a man beleive faithfully he cannot be saved Q. You said that your Godfathers and Godmothers did also promise for you that you should keep God's Commandements Tell me how many there be A. Ten. Q. Which be they A. The same which God spake in the twentieth Chapter of Exodus saying I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage This is the preface wherein he shews who it is that speaks unto them and laies this obligation upon them to harken to his words Q. Which is the first Commandement A. Thou shalt have none other Gods but me None but this God who by a strong hand and stretched out arme delivered them out of the hands of Pharao and from all his Host and brought them as safely as miraculously through the red Sea Q. What God is this A. The same God whom in our Creed we confesse to be the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and earth Q. VVhy then doth he not tell them so A. Because they were eye-witnesses of this his miraculous power wherein he manifested his Omnipotencie t Ex. 14.21 in commanding the Winds and the Sea u Ex. 13.21.14.20 in making the day as night to the Egyptians and the night as day to the Israelites by the Cloud and Fiery Pillar * Ib. v. 24.25 c. In routing and destroying the mighty and delivering the naked from the perill of the sword x Num. 20.11 Ps 114.8 In causing the rock of flint to yeeld a spring of water y Ex. 16.13.15 and the heavens to showre downe Manna and Quailes for their food This his late kindnesse bound them to harken to him Q. Which is the second Commandement A. Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any Graven Image nor the likenesse c. Q. Is it not lawfull to make a Graven Image A. It is otherwise z 1. Kings 6.23 Solomon would not have made a 1. Kings 6.23 those two Cherubims much lesse have b Heb. 9.5 placed them in the Holy of Holies over the mercy seat and these are they as I take it which are called the Cherubims of Image-worke 2. Chron. 3.10 Neither would he have made the c 1. Kings 6.29 carved Cherubims Palm-trees upon the walls d Ib. v. 32.35 and upon the doores both of the Temple and Oracle nor e 2. Chron. 4.3 the molten Oxen or f 1. Kings 7.36 graven Lyons g Ib. v. 51. All which he caused to be set in the house of the Lord. Q. Where 's the fault then A. In making them to thy selfe to be thy God in bowing downe to them and worshiping them Elsewhere therefore it is said h Lev. 26.1 Yee shall not set up any Image of stone in your Land TO BOW DOWN VNTO IT And i Deut. 17.15 Ps 97.7 the curse is laid upon those that worship carved or molten Images not upon those that make them unlesse they make them for that or the like use Q. VVhy so A. Because this is God's honour and he will not part with it to any other Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and HIM ONLY SHALT THOV SERV. k Deut. 13.4 So the Law l S. Mat. 4.10 so the Gospell As then they offend that give God's worship to Idols so do they sinne against his Commandements that do not bow downe to God and worship him As the former are Jdolaters the latter are little better then Atheists for m Tit. 1.16 in their workes in their Church duties they deny him to be their God Q. Hath not God himselfe given a reason for this A. He hath in the very next words For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God And the condition of jealousie is that as it cannot endure to have that which is our due given to another neither can we disgest to have it denied to our selvs For it is all one to me to have that which is mine denied me or given to another Q. What followes upon this A. That God is equally angry with them that do not bow downe to him and with those that bow dow down to Idols he counts them equally haters of himsefe and will equally Visite the sinnes of the Fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that sin against him either way Q. But how doth he esteem of them that detest Idolatry and give him his due worship that bow downe to him and worship him A. He reckoneth them among his lovers and friends they love me saith he and keep my Commandements And as they love him so doth he love them for in them he will shew mercy unto thousands of their generation And surely this is reason sufficient to move every Christian n Ps 95.6 to worship and fall downe and kneele before the Lord our God Q. The third Commandement A. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh
in judgement the right of the stranger of the Fatherlesse and Widow And z Ib. v. 24. Cursed is he that smiteth his neighbour secretly Q. Who is my Neighbour A. Not only those that are of our Kindred or such as are neere us by acquaintance or habitation or Country but even those that are of another Nation and Religion as our Saviour manifests in his Parable of the Jew and Samaritane S. Luc. 10.30 c. Q. We are now come to the last tell me that A. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours house c. This last takes away all evasion from those who conceive only actuall adultery and actuall theft to be sinne For if sinne be a breach of Gods Law then is it sinne to covet or lust after that which is none of mine Thus this precept teacheth us to resist all evill motions and to root out all lusts and covetous desires that so they may never break forth into Rebellion against God and bring the second death upon us Q. Art thou able to keep these Consmandements A. Of my selfe I am not but a Phil. 4.23 I can doe all things in God that strengthneth me We are taught therefore at the end of each Commandement to call upon the Lord by Prayer Lord have mercy upon us and encline our hearts to keep this Law And after the last Commandement Lord have mercy upon us and write all those thy Lawes in our hearts we beseech thee And I am taught b Câ—â—ech in Common Prayer Book at all times to call for his speciall grace by diligent Prayer that I may walke in his Commandements Q. What Prayer doest thou chiefly use A. The Lords Prayer Q. Why is it called so A. Because our Lord Jesus Christ made it and commanded his Disciples to make use of it in these words c S. Luc. 11.2 When yee pray say OVR FATHER c. Our Church therefore When as often as we pray in â—â—blique commands to use this prayer And we do so d Praemissâ— legitimâ ordinariâ oratione quasi fundamento accideraium iâ—â— est de fideriorum Testul de Dâ—al 〈◊〉 in the beginning of our first and second Service that so laying this for a foundation we may justly proceed to our ensuing requests Q. Why so A. 1. In obedience to our Saviours injunction 2. Because it is so absolute a Prayer that it comprehends breifly what we may or ought to pray for 3. Because e Hooker Eccles Pol l 5. §. 35. it fully perfecteth whatsoever may be defective in the rest And 4. It is observed that f Ib. Tertullian and S. Austine terme it Orationem legitimam the prayer which Christ's owne Law hath tyed his Church to use in the same prescript form of words wherewith he himselfe did deliver it Besides it is called g Tertul de Orat. c. 9. the ordinary or usuall prayer because it is used in all the Churches of the Saints And * The Lords prayer is called quotidiana oratio fide lium Aug-Enthirid c. 71. our dayly prayer because Christ hath taught us to use it every day by commanding us to pray for our dayly Bread this day that so praying but for this day we might be bound to make use of this prayer every day Q. Repeat the whole Prayer A. Our Father which art in Heaven c. This Prayer consists of a Preface h Hooker Eccles Pol. l. 5. §. 35. Septem petitiones continere Dominica videtur oratio Aug. Enchirid. c. 115. de Ser dom in Monte. l. 2. seven Petitions and the reason why we begge these things at his hands Q. Which call you the Preface A. Our Father which art in Heaven Herein we manifest whom we pray to viz. to that holy blessed and glorious Trinity the Father the Son and the holy Ghost As these three Persons are but one God and one Lord so they are in respect of us but one Father each person hath an equall interest in our Creation preservation and Regeneration Hence is it that as we are created by the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost so are we Baptised in the Name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost As we are Baptised so we beleeve and as we beleeve so we pray in whom we beleeve to them we pray Q. Is not God every where that we say which art in Heaven A. Every where he is without question by his Essence since i Act. 17.28 In him we live we moove and have our being but in the soules of the faithfull he is by his Grace and in Heaven by his Glory Hence is the k Is 66.1 earth called his Footstool and Heaven his Throne We confine him not to Heaven but we name Heaven as the place where his Glory is most eminent where our Saviour is said to sit at his right hand the Angels to attend him and the soules of the Saints departed have the fruition of Ioy and Glorie Q. Why begin we our Prayers so A. 1. To put us in mind that our Pedegree is from Heaven 2. That we may take care to behave our selves as the Children of such a Father And 3. That the inheritance we hope for is in Heaven We are not therefore to set our minds upon earthly but heavenly things Q. Who may pray thus A. None but those that are Baptized In the primitive Church l Quomodo dicunt Pater noster qui nonduÌ„ nati sunt sciticet per BaptismuÌ„ Aug. de Symbolo ad Catechum l. 1. c. 6. quinquag homil 42. Consule Gab. Alvaspin Observat l. 1. c. 19. the Catechumeni such as were prepared for Baptisme learned it for an Instruction or preparation but they might not use it as a prayer till they were Baptized Immediatly after Baptisme they did and so do we The Heathen cannot say Our Father Our Creator Our Lord they may The Jewes as Jewes were never taught to say Our Father this prayer is peculiar to Christians Our Father he is by grace and we his sonnes by the same grace God make us sonnes in glory Q. Which is the first Petition A. Hallowed be thy name wherein we desire not that his Name may be made Holy we know m Ps 99.3 it is so and it cannot be otherwise But our prayer is that his Name and his word may be used and mentioned by us holily that in all our actions we may honour Our Father and the stocke we come off and that we may ever seek his honour and glory and not our owne That as we beare his Name so we may behave our selves as beseemes his Name and good Christians not only by worshiping him at the Church but by our dayly and hourely conversation in all places Q. The second Petition A. Thy Kingdome come his Kingdome of grace and his Kingdome of glory That his Kingdome of grace which is his Church may so spread over the face of the whole earth that his word may be