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
into hell A. He did so otherwise my Creed hath taught me something that is not to be beleeved Q. Some are of opinion that it is a Metaphoricall speech and signifies that he was truly dead A. I know there are some of that opinion but I see no reason why I should assent thereto Q. Why so A. For these five reasons First because u S. Luc. 16 23. Ne ipsos quidem inferos uspiam Scripturarum locis in bono appellatos potui reperire Aug. Ep. 99. de Gen. ad lit l. 12. c. 33. Hell does not signifie the place of the dead but the place of the damned as in the case of Dives Secondly our Saviours death was sufficiently expressed before in that it is said he was dead and not only so but he was buried And we bury not the living but the dead Thirdly * Calvin Instit l. 2. c. 16. §. 8. Calvin saith it is a battalogy or needlesse repetition and not probable that such vanity should be admitted into so compendious a briefe of our faith Fourthly it is contrary to the course of order after buriall to returne to his death as if he had suffer'd death a second time But it is methodicall and orderly ' after they had done with his body to acquaint us what became of his soule when he was dead and to tell us that it descended or went downe into hell Fifthly by the primitive Church his descent into hell is not accounted any part of his humiliation but the first degree of his exaltation Q. Where learne you this doctrine A. In Dr Nowels Catechisme where I find that x D. Nowels Cate. upon this Article by his descending into hell is meant that as Christ in his body descended into the bowells of the earth so IN HIS SOVLE SEVERED FROM THE BODY HE DESCENDED INTO HELL Q. Js not this D. Nowels private opinion A. No it is the resolution of those blessed Reformers under King Edward VI. For they tell us that y Art 3. in the three daies of Christs death His Body was in the Grave HIS SOVL IN HELL and his Deity every where Q. Was not this cast off as an erroneous opinion in Q. Elizabeth's daies A. No certainely for their Scholers in the Articles of 1562. say thus z Art 3. As Christ died for us and was buried SO ALSO IS IT TO BE BELEIVED THAT HE DESCENDED INTO HELL But a Art 2. we beleeve that Christ truly died and was buried it is therefore to be beleived that he truly descended into Hell But to say as we beleive that Christ truly died so doe we beleive that he was truly dead were a most absurd inference and would be hissed out of the Schooles Q. This manifests their resolution but is this agreeable to the Ancient Church A. There is not one Councell or probable Father in the first 500 yeares but is of this opinion And S. Austine is so resolute for this Article that he saith b Quis nisi infidelis negaverit fuisse apud inferos Christum Aug. ep 99. Whosoever denies Christs descent into Hell is no Christian And Athanasius in his Creed puts it in among those Articles whereof he saith c Athan. Creed which faith except every one doe keep WHOLE AND VNDEFILED without doubt he shall perish everlastingly Q. Where is this Hell that he went into A. d Eph. 4 9. In the lower parts of the earth then which nothing is lower So S. Paul And e Christum in corde terrae triduum mortis logimus expunctum id est in recessu intimo interno in ipsa terrâ operto infra ipsam cavato inferioribus adhuc abyssis superstructo Tertul. de animâ c. 55. Christus ad solvendos inferni dolores descendit Aug. ep 99. Tertullian makes his expression so full for the bowels of the earth that no man can doubt of his opinion Q. What went he thither for A. To triumph over Hell and to fulfill that of the Prophet f Hos 13.14 1. Cor. 15.55 O death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy Victorie To this opinion assents D. Nowell in his Catechisme Q. Are all of this opinion A. No truly some conceive that he sufferd the torments of hell in his Soul which cannot be For * Vel peccato vel damnatione mors animae intelligi potest Aug ep 99. first the paines of Hell are the death of the soul and in that sence it is said g Ezek. 18.4 that soule which sinnes shall surely dye But Christs soule never sinned and for h 1. S. Pet. 2.24 our sinnes he bare them in his Body 2ly The Scriptures teach us that i 1. S. Pet. 4.1 Christ suffered for us in the flesh and that k 1. S. Pet. 3.18 he was put to death in the flesh not in the soule no such thing in Scripture 3ly That soule which is united to the Deitie is not capable of Hell torments That were to make the soule of God subject to the Divell which cannot be imagined without blasphemy 4ly l Act. 2. 30 31. David being a Prophet said of the Resurrection of Christ that m Ps 16.11 Act. 13.37 his Soule was not left in Hell neither did his flesh see corruption If then this was spoken of his Resurrection it was not spoken either of his Death or Passion As then his body was in the place of corruption but saw but suffered no corruption so his soule was in Hell the place of torments but suffered no torment Q. How understand you these two sayings of his n S. Mat. 26.38 My Soule is heavy even unto death and o S. Mat. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me A. The former he spake as he was man foreseeing his death at hand shewing that his Soule was exceeding sorrowfull as ours are to be parted from the body The other he spake because the Deity for a time had withdrawen her comfortable vision from the soule that so it might endure what sorrow it was any way capable of For if there were an exceeding sorrow in the soule to be parted a while from the body what excesse of sorrow was in it think you when the sight of God was subtracted from it since the vision of God is the highest comfort of the soule for p Ps 16.12 in his presence is the fulnesse of joy Q. What think you of his Resurrection A. After Christs soule had for three daies triumphed over Hell and all the powers thereof it was reunited to the body which arose from the grave without corruption and both were q Act. 2.28 filled with the joy of his countenance And to assure us of this his Resurrection r Act. 1.3 in his flesh he was conversant with his Apostles and Disciples forty daies Q. Which is the sixth Article A. He ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty
Q. What doest thou believe in this Article A. That the body and soule of Christ ascended together into Heaven the highest place of blisse where they never were before and Å¿ Te Deum at that time he opened the Kingdome of Heaven to all believers Q. Doest thou understand these words in the litterall sense A. I doe so Q. Can we say according to the Letter that God hath a right hand A. No we cannot But both Scripture and Creed in this phrase or manner of speech stoop to the capacity of man and expresse unto us hereby that height of glory which is otherwise unexpressible to our understanding For it is that glory which no other eye hath seene nor care hath heard neither hath it enter'd into the heart of man to conceive And how can the tongue utter what the heart hath not conceived what is unconceivable is unutterable Q. Thou believest then that he is ascended into the highest place of glory A. I doe so and that not only in place but in power for t S. Mat. 28.18 to him is all power given both in Heaven and in Earth And yet in this height of glory he is in himselfe so humble and to us so gracious that u Ro. 8.34 he makes continuall intercession for us Q. What is the seaventh Article A. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead Q. Is this certaine A. As certain as he is God And herein is a main comfort for us that he who suffered for us and died for us and continually prayes for us shall be our Iudge Q. Shall he judge us as he is man A. He shall for * S. Io. 5.27 the Father hath given him Power and Authority to execute judgement BECAVSE HE IS THE SONNE OF MAN And as man x Heb. 4.15 he is touched with the feeling of our infirmities y Heb. 5.2 that so he may have compassion upon us weake wandring silly men and apt to be deceived For z Heb. 4.15 16. in all poynts he was tempted like as we are yet without sinne Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need Q. The eight Article A. I believe in the Holy Ghost a Nic. Creed the Lord and giver of life who proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne who with the Father and the Sonne together is worshipped and glorified who spake by the Prophets These are three Persons and but one God Thus b Athan. Creed we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Vnity neither confounding the Persons nor dividing the Substance Q. We may not indeed say there be three Gods but may we not say there are three Lords A. We may not for though c Ib. we be compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by himselfe to be God and Lord yet we are forbidden by the Catholike Religion to say there be three Gods or three Lords Q. Why so A. Because Lord in respect of the three persons is a name of substance not of relation or property And in God there is but one Substance though threerelations Q. What meanest thou by relations A. God is called Father with relation to his Sonne or because he hath a Sonne The second person is called the Sonne because he hath a Father And the Holy Ghost is called so with relation to them both because he is the Spirit both of the Father and the Sonne for he proceeds from both Q. We have now the three Persons in the Trinity doe we not ascribe to every one of these a severall worke concerning man A. We doe so to the Father we ascribe our Creation to the Sonne our redemption and to the Holy Ghost our Sanctification As the Father created all so the Sonne redeemed all and the Holy Ghost sanctified me and all the elect people of God Q. Why to the Father is ascribed the Creation A. Because though the other two persons did joyntly and equally create with the Father yet the originall of that power is in and from him And yet d Athan. Creed none is afore or after other none is greater or lesse then another Q. Why to the Sonne our Redemption A. Because by his blood we are redeemed from death and Hell Q. Why to the Holy Ghost our sanctification A. Because it is his speciall worke to e 1. S. Pet. 1.2 Sanctify us by his guifts and graces Hence is it that we call him the holy Spirit because he is the Spirit that makes us holy Q. We acknowledge that the Sonne of God redeemed all mankind why doe we not also confesse that the Holy Ghost Sanctifies all mankind but the elect people of God A. Because Christ redeemes all that they may be sanctified but the Holy Ghost Sanctifies only those that believe in Christ or are baptised into Christ that so they may be his elect For we are f 1. S. Pet. 1.2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ So both these workes must concurre to our election Q. Which is the ninth Article A. I believe the Catholike Church the Communion of Saints Or g Nic. Creed I believe one Catholike and Apostolike Church Catholike for time and place Apostolike for faith and government Q. Why call you this Church a Communion of Saints A. Because it is a society of men that are Sanctified in Baptisme by Faith in Christ through the operation of the Spirit Q. What is a Church A. h Art 19. The visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of faithfull men in the which the pure word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duely ministred according to Christs Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same Q. What doest thou collect from hence A. These three things 1. That the Church consists of Faithfull men that is of such who professe the Christian faith 2. The word of God must be sincerely Preached And thirdly The Sacraments must be duely ministred to the Congregation according to Christ's Ordinance Q. Js it lawfull for every Christian that will to preach the word and administer the Sacraments A. No i Art 23. it is not lawfull for any man to do so unlesse he be lawfully called and sent to execute the same Q. Whom judge you to be lawfully called and sent A. All those k Ibid. who be chosen and called to this work by men who have publike authority given unto them in the Congregation to call and send Ministers into the Lords Vineyard Q. Who have publike authority given them to call and send Ministers into the Lords Vineyard A. Onely Bishops in the Church of England as is to be seen Article 36. and in the Book of Ordination Q. Why doth this Church allow no other but Bishops to give
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
orders A. Because she findes no meere men allowed to do it in the New Testament but only the Apostles and Bishops their Successors And she keeps close to Scripture Q. Have Bishops this Power of Ordination conferr'd upon them in Scripture A. It is evident they have l At the end of the second Ep. to Timothy Timothy was the first Bishop of the Church of the Ephesians And upon him S. Paul layes this charge m 1. Tim. 5.22 Lay hands suddainly on no man n At the end of the Ep. to Titus Titus was the first Bishop of the Church of the Cretians And to him the same Apostle speakes thus o Tit. 1.5 For this cause left I thee in Creet that thou should est ordaine Presbyters or Elders in every City Q. Is not this power given to Presbyters A. Not any where in the New Testament Q. Why doe you say I beleive the Catholique Church and not J beleive in the Catholique Church A. Because it is a part of my Creed to beleive that there is one Catholik Church but it is no part of my Creed to beleive in or to put my confidence in the Church since the Church is a Congregation of reasonable Christian Creatures and p Hâc praepositionis syllabâ IN Creator a Creaturis socernitur divina seperantur abhumanis Rufin in Symb. n. 〈◊〉 this is a peculiar which belongs only to the Creator God blessed for ever And I will beleive the Church so long as she contradicts not God in his word But if she doe I shall forbeare to credit her in such things I will beleive God who is truth it selfe and believe in that God who is able to undeceive her and to lead her into the way of all truth I will only beleive in him who cannot deceive or be deceived who cannot be overtopped or crossed Q. Why say you one Catholique Church A. Because * Vniversa Ecclesia ex multis constat Ecclesiis sicut universa terra ex multis terris Aug. de civit Dei l. 13. c. 12. though there be many particular Churches yet there is but one Catholique or universall Church which is not bounded but with q Psal 2.8 the uttermost parts of the earth and all these are but one in faith and Government as our Saviours Body though consisting of many Members is but one knit together by sinewes and quickened with the same Soule Q. The tenth Article A. I beleeve the forgivenesse of sins Q. Why doth this Article follow immediatly after mention of the Church A. Because it is a blessing which God bestowes only in the Church and upon the Members of the Church Q. Is Salvation to be hoped for in the Church only A. It is so by the joynt consent both of the Ancient and Moderne writers Q. What 's the reason A. Because r Eph. 1.22 23. The Church is the Body of Christ As therefore no Member that is seperated from the body receives life by or with the body neither doth any Christian partake of the life of grace or forgivenesse of sinnes that is divided or cut off from the Church which is Christs Body Observe the body receives life from the head and distributes it to all the members that it hath ſ Ib. Col. 1.18 Christ is the head of the Church from him the Church receives life and comfort and conveies them to every particular member that so they may live and discharge their severall duties But divided from the body the members can receive no life or comfort from the head Q. Is this remission of sinnes to be found in all Churches A. Yes without question in all such Churches wherein t Art 19. the pure word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duly ministred according to Christs ordinance but in no other Q. To whom is this forgivenesse promised A. To all those u Absolution that truly repent and unfeignedly beleeve his holy Gospell * S. Mat. 11.28 He calls to all he is mercifull to all he hath given us a tast of his goodnesse in pardoning the greatest and fowlest sinnes Not that we might imitate or practice them but that we might understand that our gracious God is ready to pardon the greatest sinner if so he turne unto the Lord humbly with unfeigned sorrow and repentance and bring forth fruits worthy of amendment of life Q. May the sinne against the holy Ghost be pardoned A. This sinne is raised to the full height it is made up by finall impenitence Take away finall impenitence and the sinne is pardonable x S. Mat. 4.17 Repent saith the Scripture and the Kingdome of Heaven is at hand but y S. Luc. 13.3.5 unlesse you repent ye shall all perish Q. This is comfortable doctrine but what reason have you for it A. My faith rests upon Gods goodnesse and gracious promises z De remissione peccatorū sufficere deberet sota credulitas Quis enim cansas aut rationem re quirat ubi indulgentia principalis est Rufin in Symb. n. 171. When God hath spoke the word reason must submit Q. Which is the eleventh Article A. J beleeve the Resurrection of the body namely that this very body in which I live and move shall be raised out of the dust in the last day Q. What this very body A. Certainly this selfe same body For doth not Job say a Job 19.26 27. I shall see God in my flesh and not with other but with THESE EYES shall I behold him And S. Paul THIS CORRVPTIBLE shall put on incorruption and THIS MORTALL b 1. Cor. 15.53 shall put on immortality This and no other c Rufin in Symb. n. 182. In the Church of Aquileia therefore at the rehearsall of the Creed every man when he came to this Article signed his forhead with the signe of the Crosse and said I beleive the Resurrection of THIS FLESH this very flesh that he touched with his finger Q. Js not this a wonderfull thing A. It is so and so are the rest of the Articles if strictly scanned all above the eye of Reason d 1. Cor. 15.36 c. S. Paul gives us a simily of a grain of Wheat how it is buried and dies and rots and then riseth again far more fresh then it was cast into the earth Were this but rarely seen it would seem most wonderfull Q. What if the body be burned to ashes A. e Clem. ep 1. ad Cor. p. 34 35. S. Clement f Phil. 4.3 of whom S. Paul makes mention Phil. 4.3 in that Epistle which in the primitive times was usually read in all Churches to prevent this question gives us the example of the Phenix which every 500 yeares is burnt to Ashes and out of those Asnes ariseth the same Phenix againe young fresh and vigorous Q. Have we no such example in Scripture A. We have Ezek. 37.1 where the dead dry scatter'd bones come together bone
we enquire not after no more then we enquire after the manner how Christs humanity was knit to his Deitie Q. Is the bread transubstantiated into the Body of Christ A. It is not x 1. Cor. 11.23 Bread it is before consecration y Ib. v. 24. bread at the time of Consecration and z Ib. v. 26 27 28. bread after Consecration but it is a Ib. v. 24 25. 29. the body and blood of Christ only after Consecration Q. After what manner doe wee receive the Body of Christ in this Sacrament A. By faith as the food is Spirituall so is the manner spirituall Q. What are the benefits whereof we are partakers thereby A. b Intelligo substantiâ corporis pasci animas nostras ut verè unum efficiamur cum eo Calvin in 1. Cor. 11.24 The strengthning and refreshing of our Soules by the body and blood of Christ as our bodies are by the Bread Wine We are sensible of the one let us beleeve the other For as veryly as our faint and hungry Bodies are strengthened and refreshed and comforted with bread and wine so verily is every penitent and faithfull Soule strengthened and refreshed and comforted with the body and blood of Christ Q. What is required of them which come to the Lords Supper A. To examine themselves whether they repent them truly of their former sinnes stedfastly purposing to lead a new life to have a lively faith in Gods mercy through Christ with a thankfull remembrance of his death and be in charity with all men Q. This for the inward preparation what for the outward reverence A. All outward and inward reverence is little enough when we come to receive the price of Heaven and Earth By some therefore it is called a dreadfull mystery because he that rightly considers of it will not approch to this Table without dread and trembling Q. Why so A. Because there we receive this holy Sacrament either to our salvation or damnation c 1. Cor. 11.29 If unworthily we eate and drinke damnation to our selves Whereas d Ib. v. 32. if we would judge our selves we could not but see our owne unworthinesse and then we would certainly endeavour to humble our selves as we ought both before and at our approch Thus if we doe we shall not be judged unworthy of the Lord but receive it to the comfort and salvation of our soules Q. Is not inward reverence sufficient A. He that hath commanded us at all times to e 1. Cor. 6.20 glorifie God in our bodies and in our spirits will have us more efpecially at this time to glorifie him in both Where both may be had he will have both The Church our Mother conceives kneeling not only decent but necessary at this time shee therefore hath made this Injunction that f Rubricke immediatly before the delivering The Minister shall deliver the Communion in both kinds to the PEOPLE KNEELING The people therefore are to kneele Q. Is this agreeable to the usage of the ancient Church A. It is so for S. Austine tells us that g Nemo illam carnem manducat nisi prius adoraverit Aug. in Ps 98. in his time no man received but first he kneeled And Chemnicius a learned Protestant speaking of due reverence to be used at this time professeth that h Chemnic Exam. Concii Trid. part 2. c. 5. we ought to kneele adding that externall irreverence in this action is the token of a prophane mind Q. Some abstain for feare of Idolatry A. I see not how there can be any such danger We worship not bread but the God of Heaven neither worship we God by the Bread but by or with that blessed Bread and Wine we receive the body and bloud of Christ i The vvords at the delivering which preserve us body and soul to eternall life And can any man be too good to receive such a blessing upon his knees Besides we acknowledge that Christ is present at this his supper after a more speciall and peculiar manner then at other times k Si haec verè ex animo credimus fieri nec potest nec debet quin fider Christum in illa actione praesentem veneretur adoret Chemnic Ib. If this we beleeve truly and sincerely it cannot it may not be but faith will reverence and adore our Saviour present in this action Q. Is there then no danger in kneeling A. Certainly none The danger is in not kneeling for I have learned of Chemnicius that there is no true faith in that Communicant l Non vera suisset fides si non secuta fuis set invocatio scu adoratio lb. where adoration is wanting And Saint Ambrose and Saint Austine are resolute that m Ambros Aug. in Psal 98. it is so farre from being a sinne to kneele at receiving this Sacrament that it is a sinne not to kneele Q. We have done with the ordinary course of Cathechising and yet there remaine two points of n Heb. 6.1 Hicrespexit ad usitatam Catechismi formulam Calvin in Heb. 6.1 Saint Pauls Care chisme namely 1. Repentance from dead workes and 2. Imposition or laying on of hands That we may orderly proceede in these tell me first what these dead workes are A. Dead workes are such as by the Catechists of those times were done before they beleeved in Christ Which being done without faith and the least relation to Gods glory tended to death Since o Heb. 11.6 without faith it is impossible to please God and without pleasing God no life * Aug. de Fide Oper. c. 20. These workes then are to be repented of by the Elder sort before they repaire to Baptisme Q. What is Repentance A. It is an hearty sorrow for our sinnes past accompanied with a change of mind from evill to good with a resolution by Gods grace to continue in good courses If thus we p S. Mat. 4 17. repent the Kingdome of heaven is at hand Q. What meane you by Imposition of hands A. It is a signe or Ceremony by which and Prayer God conveyes his holy Spirit upon those that heretofore were baptized Q. Have not Persons baptized the Holy Ghost before Confirmation A. Yes but not in that measure nor for the same end Q. In what measure and for what end is the Holy Ghost bestowed upon us in Baptisme A. To wash and cleanse us from sinne from all sinne that is in us that so we may be cleane and pure as Adam was when he came first out of Gods fingers and that we may be the members of Christ Q. Why is he given us in Confirmation A. That q Rubrick◠before the Catechism we may receive strength and defence against all temptations to sinne and against the assaults of the world and the Divell At Baptisme we promised not to follow any of these nor to be led by them and in Confirmation God strengthens us by