give our lives for him as often as his Honour shall require it Q. In what doth the Faith and Law of Christ chiefly consist A. In two principall Mysteries namely the Vnity and Trinity of God the Incarnation and death of our Saviour Q. What meaneth the Vnity and Trinity of God A. It meaneth that in God there is but one onely divine Nature or Essence although there bee three Persons the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Q. How shew you that A. Out of the 1. of S. John ch 5. v. 7. there be three which give testimony in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three be one Q. Why are there but three Persons only A. Because the Father hath no beginning nor proceedeth from any other Person the Son proceedeth from the Father the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne Q. Why are these three Persons but one God A. Because they have but one and the same Essence one and the same Power one and the same Wisdome one and the same Goodnesse Q. What meaneth the Incarnation and death of our Saviour A. It meaneth that the second Person of the Blessed Trinity was made man and died upon a Crosse to save us Q. In what are these two Mysteries contained A. In the signe of the Crosse as it is made by Catholikes Q. How declare you that A. Because when we put our right hand to our head saying In the Name we signifie Vnity and when we make the signe of the Crosse faying of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost we signifie Trinity Q. How doth the signe of the Crosse represent the Incarnation and death of our Saviour A. By putting us in mind that he was made man to die upon the Crosse for us CAP. II. Faith explicated Q. WHat is Faith A. It is the gift of God or a supernaturall quality infused by God into the Soule by which we firmely believe all those things which he hath revealed any way unto us Q. Why is Faith necessary to Salvation A. Because without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb. ch 11. v. 6. Q. What other proofe have you A. Because he that believeth and shall be baptized he shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be condemned S. Mark c. 16. v. the last Q. Why must we believe matters of Faith so firmely A. Because God hath revealed them who neither can deceive nor be deceived Q. If a man should deny or obstinately doubt of some one Point of Faith would he thereby lose his whole Faith A. Yes he would because true Faith must alwayes be entire and he that faileth in one is made guilty of all by discrediting the Authority of God revealing it Q. Is it not enough to believe all that is written in the Bible A. No it is not for we must also believe all Apostolicall Traditions Q. How prove you that A. Out of 2 Thes c. 2. v. 15. Therefore Brethren stand ye fast saith S. Paul and hold ye the Traditions which ye have learned whether by word or by our Epistle Q. What other proof have you A. The Apostles Creed which all are bound to believe although it be not in the Scripture Q. Is Faith onely as excluding good works sufficient to salvation A. No it is not according to S. James his Epist c. 2. v. 24. you see then Brethren how that by workes a man is justified and not by faith onely Q. What other proof have you A. The 1 Cor. ch 13. where S. Paul saith If a man have all faith so as to remove Mountaines and have not charity he is nothing and if hee distribute his goods unto the poore and give his body so that it burne and have not charity it profiteth nothing Q. What faith will suffice to justifie A. A Faith working by Charity in Jesus Christ Gal. ch 5. v. 6. Q. What vice is opposite to Faith A. Heresie Q. What is Heresie A. It is an obstinate Errour in things that of Faith Q. Is it a grievous sin A. A very grievous one because it wholly divides a man from God and leads to infidelity Q. How prove you that A. Out of S. Matth. ch 18. v. 18. where Christ saith If he will not hear the Church let him be unto thee as a Heathen or a Publican CHAP. III. The Creed Expounded Q. WHat is the Creed A. It is the sum of our Beliefe Q. Who made it A. The twelve Apostles Q. At what time did they make iâ— A. Before they divided themselves into the severall Countryes of the world Q. For what end did they make it A. That so they might be able to teach one and the same Doctrine in all places Q. What doth the Creed containe A. All those chiefe things which we are bound to believe concerning God and his Church Q. What is the first Article of the Creed A. I believe in God the Father Almighty Creatour of Heaven and Earth Q. What signifieth I believe A. It signifieth as much as I most firmly and undoubtedly hold Q. What means I believe in God A. It meaneth not onely that there is a God and that all is truth which he teacheth but also that we move unto him by Faith Hope and Charity Q. What signifieth the word Father A. It signifieth the first Person of the most Blessed Trinity who is by nature the Father of but one onely Son who is by Adoption the Father of all Christians who is by Creation the Father of all Creatures Q. What meaneth the word Almighty A. It meaneth that God is able to doe all things as he pleaseth that he seeth all things knoweth all things and governeth all things Q. Why is he called Almighty in this place A. That we might doubt of nothing which followeth Q. What signifie those words Creatour of Heaven and Earth A. They signifie that God created Heaven and Earth and all the creatures in them out of nothing by his sole Word Gen. ch 1. Q. What moved him to make them A. His own meer goodnesse that so he might communicate himselfe to Angells and to men for whom he made all other creatures Q. When did God create the Angells A. When he created Heaven which was on the first day for hee made that full of Angells Q. For what end did he create them A. To be partakers of his glory and our Guardians Q. How prove you by Scripture that they be our Guardians A. Out of S. Matth. ch 18. v. 10. where Christ saith See yee that ye destise not any one of these little ones For their Angells which are in Heaven alwayes see the face of my Father which is in heaven Q. Doe the Angells know our necessities and heare our Prayers A. Doubtlesse they doe since God hath deputed them to be our Guardians Q. How else prove you it A. Out of Zachary ch 1. where an Angell prayeth for two whole Cities the words are Then the Angell of the
Out of S. Matth. ch 28. v. 20. Going therefore saith our Lord teach ye all Nations and behold I am with you all daies even to the consummation of the world Q. What meane you by Vniversality of place A. I meane that the Church shall be spread over all Nations Q. How prove you that A. Out of S. Mat. above-cited teach ye all Nations and out of the 62. Psal v. 2. where we read All the earth shall remember and be converted to our Lord and all Nations whatsoever thou hast made shall come and adore before thee ô Lord. Q. What other proof have you A. Out of the Apoc. ch 7. v. 9. where we read that the Church shall be gathered out of all Nations Peoples Tribes and Tongues Q. Why do we call the Church the Romane Church A. Because since the Translation of S. Peters Chaire from Antioch to Rome the particular Romane Church hath been the Head of all Churches and to her the Primacy hath been affixed Q. What is the Rule of faith by which the Church conserveth her Infallibility A. Apostolicall Tradition or receipt of Doctrine by hand to hand from Christ and his Apostles Q. How prove you that A. Out of Rom. ch 16. v. 17. Therefore I beseech you Brethren saith S. Paul marke them which make dissentions and scandalls contrary to the Doctrine which you have learned and avoid them for such doe not serve Christ our Lord. Q. What other proofe have you A. Out of S. Paul saying But although we or an Angell from heaven Evangelize to you besides that which we have Evangelized to you be he Anathema or besides that you have received be he Anathema Gal. ch 1. v. 8 9. Q. Can the Church erre in faith standing to this Rule and admitting nothing for faith but what is consented by the whole Church to have been so received A. She cannot otherwise the whole Church must either conspire in a notorious lie to damne her self and her posterity or else she must be ignorant what hath been taught her for faith by the Church of the precedent Age which are both grand possibilities Q. How prove you these to be impossibilities in nature A. By the constancy and immutability which is found in the Universality of contingent causes whose particulars may be defective but the universalls cannot Q. Declare that a little A. I explaine it thus because one man or two or three may be borne but with one arme or one eye onely through the defect of their particular causes but that all nature should faile at once and all men should be so borne is totally impossible in nature so in like manner one man or two may conspire in palpable lies to damne themselves and their posterity or be deceived in what hath been taught them for faith from their very cradles but that the whole Church should so farre break with the nature of man which is reason to conspire in such a lie or be so mistaken is as impossible in nature as it is for men to be no men Q. Doth not the learned Richworth alias Blackloe out of whom you have borrowed both these and many other excellent convincing reasons demonstrate the Churches infallibility a little plainer yet A. Yes he doth and chiefely by this argument to move the whole Church to conspire at once in such a palpable and pernitious lie such a force of hopes and feares is necessary but it is totally impossible for such a force of hopes and feares to fall on the whole Church at once as is sufficient to make them break with nature and contradict the very light of reason by such a lie therefore it is totally impossible for the whole Church at once to conspire in such a lie or consequently to erre in Faith Q. May not some errours have been received for faith and crept insensibly over the whole Church no man perceiving or taking notice of them A. No that is as impossible as that the Plague or burning Feaver should infect or spread it selfe over a whole Kingdome for many years no man perceiving it or seeking to prevent it for nothing causes greater notice to be taken then any publike or notorious change in matters of Religion Q. May not the power of temporall Princes or the over-prevalency of humane wit and reason have introduced errours into the Church A. Neither is that possible seeing we are not regulated in things which are of faith either by power o◠any strength of reason but by the rule of Apostolicall Tradition and by inquiring of the whole Church of every Age what hath been taught by our fore-fathers from Christ and his Apostles Q. At least doe not Heretiques say and averre that the Church hath Apostatized and erred in Faith A. They doe indeed but it will not serve their turne barely to say it unlesse they were able also to prove it which they neither are nor ever will be by evident convincing and undeniable proofs Q. How prove you that A. First because the presumption and possession of her integrity and infallibility is on the Churches side and therefore ought not to be yeeded up without clear evidence of her prevarication Q. What other reason have you A. Because he that accuseth his neighbours wife of Adulterie without convincing and manifest proofs thereof is not to be hearkned unto but to be hated of all good men as a most infamous slanderer much more ought they who shall accuse the Church the Spouse of Christ of Errours and Apostacy unlesse their proofes be evident and undeniable to be detested as blasphemous Heretiques Q. What other proof have you yet A. Because if lesse then manifest and convincing evidence be sufficient to prove matters of this high nature it is not possible but very false and shall set dissention betwixt man and wife and stirre up the most faithfull Subjects in the world to a Rebellion against their Princes both spirituall and temporall Q. What meaneth The Communion of Saints A. It meaneth First that the faithfull do all communicate in the same Faith and Sacraments in the same Sacrifice and also in the merits of one another Q. How prove you that A. Out of 1 Cor. ch 12. v. 25. where we read And if one member suffer any thing all the members suffer with it or if one member do glory all the members rejoyce with it You are the Body of Christ and members of a member Q. What else meaneth it A. It meaneth also That the faithfull on earth do communicate with the Angells and Saints in Heaven we by praising and praying to them they by praying for us Q. How prove you this Communion A. Out of S. Luke ch 15. ver 10. where we read That there is joy before the Angells of God upon one sinner that doth Penance Q. How prove you that the Saints have any power to do us good A. Out of the Apoc. ch 2. v. 26 27. where Christ hath promised them power above us To him saith he
A. It maketh us the children of God and remitteth both originall and actuall sinne if he that is baptized be guilty of it Q. What else A. It infuseth justifying grace into the Soule with habits of Faith Hope and Charity and all supernaturall gifts and virtues Q. How prove you that A. Out of Gal. ch 3. v. 27. As many of you as are baptized in Christ have put on Christ. Q. What other proofe have you A. Out of 1. Cor. ch 6. v. 10. where speaking of Fornicators Idolaters Theeves Adulterers and Liers These things saith S. Paul ye were but yee are washed but yee are sanctified but yee are justyfied in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God Q. What other yet A. Out of Titus ch 3. v. 6. and 7. He hath saved us by the Laver of Regeneration and Renovation of the Holy Ghost whom he hath abundantly powred out upon us by Iesus Christ our Saviour that being justified by his Grace we may be Heires according to the hope of life everlasting Q. What other effect hath Baptisme A. It maketh a spirituall mark or character in the soule which shall remaine for ever either to our great joy in Heaven or our confusion in hell Q. What sinne is it to baptize a man twice A. A mortall sinne of sacriledge Q. How prove you that A. Out of Heb. ch 6. v. 4. 5. and 6. It is impossible for those who have beene illuminated and made partakers of the Holy Ghost to wit by Baptisme and are fallen c. To be renewed againe unto Penance c. viz. by a second Baptisme Q. What if a man die for the Faith before he can be baptized A. He is a true Martyr and baptized in his owne blood Q. Why have we a Godfather and a Godmother in Baptisme A. That if our Parents should neglect it or be prevented with death they may instruct us in the Faith of Christ which obligation lieth on them Q. How many Godfathers may we have A. But one Godfather and one Godmother at the most since the Councell of Trent Q. Why so few A. To prevent the too great extent of spirituall affinity which is contracted betwixt them and their Godchildren and his Father and Mother which is an impediment not only making Marriage unlawfull but also invalid betwixt the parties Q. How can infants be christened which have but actuall Faith A. In the Faith of the Church and of their Godfathers and Godmothers Q. Why do we use so many Ceremonies in Baptisme A. To stirre up reverence to the Sacrament and signifie the inward effects thereof Q. What meaneth the Priests breathing on the childs face A. It signifies that by Baptisme the evill spirit is cast out and the Spirit of God is given to him Q. Why is the child signed on his brest and forehead with the Signe of the Crosse A. To signifie that he is there made the servant of Christ crucified Q. Why doth the Priest lay spettle on his ears and nostrils A. Because Christ by so doing healed one that was both deafe and dumb as also to signifie that by Baptisme his eares are opened to the Word of Faith and his nostrills to the good Odour of all Christian vertues Q. Why doth the Priest ask the child if he renounce the Devill and his Pomps A. To signifie that he which will be the child of God cannot be the child of the Devill Q. What meane the severall Annointings of the child A. They signifie the interiour Annointing or Vnction of divine Grace given to the Soule in Baptisme Q. What meane they in particular A. He is annointed on the Head to signifie that by Baptisme he is made partaker of the Kingly dignity of Christ on the Shoulders to signifie that he must beare his Crosse couragiously on the Brest to signihe that the heart is there strengthened with grace to fight against the Devill Q. What signifies the white Chrisome given to the child A. The purity and innocence which he there receiveth Q. What signifies the hallowed Light given to the child A. The light of Faith and fire of Charity with which his soule is there inflamed Confirmation Expounded Q. WHat is the second Sacrament A. Confirmation Q. When did Christ ordaine this Sacrament A. At his last Supper Q. What proofe have you for that A. An Apostolicall Tradition Q. What is the matter of this Sacrament A. Oyle mingled with Balme blessed by a Bishop Q. What is the forme of it A. I signe thee with the Signe of the Crosse I confirme thee with the Chrisome of Salvation in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Q. What Scripture have you for this Sacrament A. 2 Cor. ch 1. v. 22. And he that confirmeth us with you in Christ and hath annoyled us God who also hath sealed us with the spirituall Character and given the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts Q. What other place have you A. Acts ch 8. v. 14 15 16. where wee read that when Philip the Deacon had converted the City of Samaria to the Faith the Apostles who were at Hierusalem sent two Bishops S. Peter and S. John to confirme them who when they were come saith the Text prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost for he was not yet come upon any of them but they were only baptized in the Name of our Lord Jesus then did they impose their hands upon them and they received the Holy Ghost Q. What other yet A. Out of Act. ch 19. v. 5 6. where we read that S. Paul baptized and confirmed twelve of S. Johns Disciples Hearing these things saith the Text they were baptized in the Name of our Lord Jesus and when Paul had imposed hands upon them the Holy Ghost came upon them Q. Why is Oyle used in this Sacrament A. To signifie that the principall and proper effect of it is to make us strong and perfect Christians men able to professe our Faith before persecuting Tyrants Q. Why is Balme used in it A. To signifie the good odour of a Christian Name according to that We are a good Odour of Christ to God Q. In what appeareth the force of Confirmation A. In the undaunted confidence and suffering of the Apostles Martyrs and Saints of God after they had received it Q. When were the Apostles confirmed A. On Whit-sunday in an extraordinary manner the Holy Ghost descending upon them in Tongues of Fire Q. Doth Confirmation give a Character A. It doth according to 2 Cor. ch 1. v. 22. above cited where we read who also hath sealed us that is to say with a Character Q. Who is the Minister of this Sacrament A. A Bishop onely as appeareth by Act. ch 8. above cited where two Bishops were sent unto Samaria to give it Q. Is there any necessity of this Sacrament A. There is a morall necessity of it according to the Councell of Laodieaea Can. the 48. in