The first section .

Question 1 WHerefore hath God placed vs in this worlde ?

A. To know and serue him .

Qu. 2 Will he be knowne and serued according to our vnderstanding & wil : or according to that , which it hath pleased himselfe , to declare and sette out vnto vs touching the same ?

A. According to that which hee hath declared vnto vs concerning the same .

Qu. 3 Wher hath he declared and set out the same vnto vs ?

A. In that booke which wee cal the Bible , comprehending togither with diuers histories , the Law and the Gospell .

Qu. 4 Who hath made this booke ?

A. God himselfe , by the ministery of his holy Prophets and Apostles .

Qu. 5 What is the Lawe ?

A. The doctrin which teacheth vs what we ought to do , as wel towards God , as one of vs towards another .

Qu. 6 What is the Gospell ?

A. That heauenlye doctrine which teacheth vs , what we must beleeue to our saluation thorow Iesus Christ only .

Qu. 7 Doth this word contayne all that which we must beleue and doe ?

A. Yea , without hauing any neede to ad or ioyne anye thing thereto , or to take anye thing therefrom .

Qu. 8 Say now the articles of your beliefe .

A. I beleue in god , the father almighty . &c.

The second section .

Qu. 1 Doth this doctrine teach vs that there is but one onely God , or that there are more gods then one ?

A. It teacheth that there is but one God only , and that we may not haue more .

Qu. 2 Wherefore say you so ?

A. Because it must nedes be , that he which is God , shoulde bee aboue all other thinges , and therefore hee may not haue a fellowe or companion ioyned with him .

Qu. 3 Yet you in naming God , haue seemed to rehearse three , that is to say , the fathet , the sonne , & the holy Ghost ?

A. In dede there are thre persons in one only Godhead : but yet these three persons are but one , and the selfe same onely God .

Qu. 4 Meane you that God is deuided into three partes ?

A. No , for God cannot bee deuided , but I say , that euery one of these thre persons is one , and the selfe same onely God altogeather perfect .

Qu. 5 How can this be ?

A. It is a misterye or secreat beyond al our vnderstanding , and yet notwithstanding most certaine and sure , for God hath so declared it , and set it forth vnto vs , by hys holy word .

Qu. 6 Doe you then beleeue ín one onely God , the father , the sonne , and the holy ghost ?

A. Yea : and by Gods goodnes , will dye in thys fayth .

The third section .

Qu. 1 How is the sonne of God called ?

A. IESUS CHRIST .

Qu. 2 What meane these words Iesus Christe ?

A. Iesus is as much to say , as Sauiour , and Christ is as much as annointed and consecrated to be our soueraigne king , hauing power ouer all creatures , our soueraigne or high prophet , who hath fullye declared vnto vs the will of God his father , touching our saluation , and our soueraigne or high priest , which hath fullye appeased and pacified the wrath of God against vs for our sinnes .

Qu. 3 What hath he don and suffered to saue vs ?

A. He was conceiued by the holy ghost , and borne of the Virgin Mary , suffered vnder Pontious Pilate . &c.

Qu. 4 Can God suffer or dye ?

A. No ,

Qu. 5 Is not Iesus Christ true and very God eternall , with his father and the holy ghoste ?

A. Yea.

Qu. 6 Howe then is he sayd to haue dyed ?

A. Because that being verye God , hee was made man also , to the ende that in hys person our nature might beare or suffer the whole punishmente due to our sinnes and transgressions .

Qu. 7 Do you meane that the sonne of God was chaunged into man ?

A. No , because then he shuld be no more God : & God can not eyther change himselfe or be changed . But being of himselfe verye God , hee hath taken our nature vnto hymselfe , that so he might be very God and very man .

Qu. 8 If he had not bin God , could he haue bine our sauiour .

A. No , for it belongeth vnto God only to pardon and forgiue sinnes , and to giue eternall life .

Qu. 9 And if he had not bin man , could he haue bin our sauiour ?

A. If he had not bin man , he coulde not haue dyed , and therfore we our selues should haue bin subiect vnto death .

The fourth section

Qu. 1 Shall all the world be saued ?

A. No , for the greater part of the world refuse their saluation .

Qu. 2 Who then are they which shall be saued ?

A. They that haue fayth and beleeue .

Qu. 3 And what is fayth ?

A. A certaine perswasion and assurance , which euery true Christian man oughte to haue , that God the father loueth him , for Iesus Christ his sons sake .

Qu. 4 Wherfore do you say for Iesus Christs sake ?

A. Bicause that wee being altogither corrupted and wholy peruerse in our selues , God could not loue vs , but in respect of him onelye , which is man altogether iuste and perfect , that is to saye , Iesus Christe hys sonne .

Qu. 5 Commeth this fayth of our selues ?

A. No , but from the onely grace and goodnesse of God , which doth freely giue it to his elect and chosen ones .

Qu. 6 And they which haue this faith at they saued ?

A. Yea of necessity , for God hath giuen his sonne to the ende that euerye one which beleueth in him , should haue life euerlasting : and he is not a lyer .

The fifth section .

Qu. 1 But whereby may a man know whether he haue faith or no ?

A. By good workes .

Qu. 2 Which be good workes , and which be euill ?

A. Those onely are good which he hymselfe hath commanded , and those euill which he hath forbidden .

Qu. 3 Rehearse now the commandements of God ?

A. Heare Israel . &c. The summe wherof is , thou shalt loue the Lord thy God .

Qu. 4 To know Gods commaundements is not onely to know to say them , but men muste also vnderstand that which they say : wherfore I demaund of you what meaneth that which is sayde in the thirde commaundement , to take the name of GOD ?

A. It is to name God which we must neuer doe , but vppon iust and good cause , and with feare of his maiesty whom we name .

Qu. 5 Then it is by stronger and greater reason more forbidden to sweare by God in vaine , that is to say , to take him for a witnes and iudge , without iuste and good cause why ?

A. It is so in deede .

Qu. 6 What meaneth it to sanctifie the Sabaoth day or day of rest ?

A. It is to dedicate and consecrate it to the glory of God.

Qu. 7 Ought we not also to dedicate vnto him al the rest of the dayes of our life ?

A. Yea but this day is particularly and chiefely ordeyned for this end and purpose .

Qu. 8 Doe men forbid to trauaile or worke on the saboth day , as thogh to labor wer a thing euil of it self ?

A. No , but they forbid ordinary and vsuall labor , to doe a worke which is better and more profitable .

The sixt section .

Qu. 1 You haue said that they only are good works which God hath commanded . Wherfore tel me can we accomplish & fulfil the commaundements of God ?

A. No , not so much as begin to doe anye thing , but by a certaine singuler and speciall grace of God . Yea there neuer hath bine or shall be a man , excepting Iesus Christ only , which hath perfectly fulfilled the same .

Qu 2 Wherefore say you so ?

A. Because God will saue vs thorowe his onely mercy in Iesus Christ .

Qu. 3 Yet so it is that a good life is the way to saluation ?

A. It is true , that repentaunce & amendment is ioyned with the forgiuenesse of our sinnes : but yet followeth not therevpon that we be saued by our workes .

Qu. 4 And why shall wee not bee saued by oure works , seeing that they are good ?

A. Because they be not good ynough for that purpose .

Qu. 5 Wherefore then are they good ?

A. To set forth Gods honour : to winne or else to strengthen our neighbours , and to make vs know and feele in our selues , that we are the children of God .

Qu 6 Good works then make vs not gods children ?

A. No , for contrariwise , a man must first be the childe of God before hee can doe good workes : but this is a marke or badge wherby a man may know the children of God .

Qu. 7 What then maketh vs the children and sonnes of God ?

A. The onely grace and mercye of God , by his holye spirite , because hee hath elected and chosen vs from before all euerlastingnes , according to hys good pleasure .

The seuenth section .

Qu. 1 The holy ghost then is he which maketh vs the children of God : but what instruments or means doth he ordinarily and commonly vse to bring vs to that honour and keepe vs in the same ?

A. The preaching of the worde , prayer , and the vse of the Sacraments .

Qu. 2 What call you preaching of the word ?

A. An exposition of the writinges of the Prophets and Apostles , which is don in the Church by such as he hath called to that holy ministry : of whom it is sayd : he that receiueth you , receiueth me .

Qu. 3 How doe you pray ?

A. Saying . O our father which art in heauen . &c.

Qu. 4 To whom speak you these words ?

A. To God the Father .

Qu. 5 How is he your father , seing that he hath but one onely Sonne , that is to saye , IESVS CHRIST ?

A. First bicause that Iesus Christe his eternall sonne , being made man is become our brother : secondly bicause he loueth me in Iesus Christ his sonne , with a greater then a fatherly loue and affection .

Qu. 6 Albeit then that you direct not your speach and words , eyther to the Sonne or to the holy ghost , yet you doe not exclude or shutte out eyther the one or the other .

A. No , for I can not cal him father but in the name of his sonne Iesus Christe , nor pray vnto him but by the holy Ghost .

Qu. 7 And is it not lawful for a man to frame or make his prayer to the person of the sonne & of the holy Ghost ?

A. Yea in deede . For seeing that the three persons are one only , and the selfe same God , inuocation or prayer doth equally belong vnto them . And whether I call vpon the father in the name of the son by the holye ghost , or that I make my praier vnto the loue to lead and bring me to the father , or that I pray the holy ghost to teach me the father & the sonne , all commeth to one .

The eyght section

Qu. 1 And what is a Sacrament ?

A. It is a thing which God setteth before mens eyes in his Church , to signifie vnto vs for our saluation , an other thing which men see not .

Qu. 2 And wherefore hath God ordeyned these signes to his promises ?

A. For to make vs so much the more assured of the certainty of them .

Qu. 3 Howe manye suche signes are there in the christian Church ?

A. Two , that is to saye , Baptisme , and the holy Supper .

Qu. 4 What see you in Baptisme ?

A. Water .

Qu. 5 What doth this water signifie vnto you ?

A. The bloud of Iesus Christ .

Qu. 6 To what ende ?

A. To make cleane my sinnes , as the water being occupied maketh cleane the filthines of the body .

Qu 7 Doth this water make cleane and purge sins ?

A. No , but it signifieth vnto mee , that which washeth my sinnes , to wit , the bloude of Iesus Christ .

Qu. 8 Meane you that this matter or substance of the bloud of Iesus Christ washeth our soules ?

A. No , for our soules can not be clensed with any matter as our bodyes . But this bloud maketh me cleane , because that Iesus Christ hath shed it for satisfaction and ful recompence for my sinnes .

Qu 9 Is there anye difference betewene the water of Baptisme , and common water ?

A. No , as concerning the matter and substance ( for it is alwayes water ) but there is very great difference , as concerning the vse : for the common water serueth to washe and make cleane our bodely filthinesses , and the water vsed in Baptisme , is a sacrament of the washing of our soules .

The ninth section

Qu. 1 What see you in the supper ?

A. The bread and the wine which is ther giuen and receiued , according to the ordinance and institution of God .

Qu. 2 What doth this bread and this wine signifie vnto you ?

A. The bread signifieth to me , the bodye crucified for me , and the wine signifieth vnto me , the bloud shed out for me .

Qu. 3 To what end ?

A. To testifie vnto me , & to assure me that euen as this bread & this wine , are ordeyned for the maintenance and nourishment of this life , so our Lord Iesus Christ hath giuen his body and his bloud for me , & giueth himselfe to me , to the ende that from him , as from a fountaine , there may flowe vnto me eternall life .

Qu. 4 Are this bread and wine our spirituall nourishment ?

A. No , but they signifie vnto vs that from whence very eternall lyfe it selfe procedeth , that is to saye , from him which hath suffered his death and passion , to take away the cause of our death , that is to saye sinnes , and to renue vs vnto eternall life , thorow a spirituall liuelinesse , which resteth and remaineth in him .

Qu. 5 Is there any difference betwene the breade and wine vsed in this sacrament , and common breade and wine ?

A. No , as touching the matter and substance , ( for it is alwayes bread and wine : ) but there is very great difference , as concerning the vse : for ordinary and common meates are appoynted for the vse of this present life , but this sacrament is ordeined to signify and seale vnto vs our spirituall and euerlasting nourishment .

The tenth section .

Qu. 1 Wherefore hath the Lord ordeyned & instituted two signes in his holy Supper , seing that in Baptisme there is but one onely .

A. To assure vs that hee doth not feede vs to the halues but wholly , being not only our meate but also our drinke .

Qu. 2 Where is Iesus Christ nowe according to hys humaine nature ?

A. In heauen , from whence he shal come to iudge the liuing and the dead .

Qu. 3 By what meanes can you then which are on the earth receiue him ?

A. As I receiue with my hande and my mouth the Sacrament , that is to saye , that bread and that wine , for the nourishment of this body , euen so by the vertue , and power of the holye ghoste , I doe inwardly and in my soule receiue and imbrace thorowe fayth our Lord Iesus Christ , very God and verye man , that by him I may liue eternally .

Qu. 4 Doe they which haue no faith receiue Iesus Christ in the Supper ?

A. No , for Iesus Christ is not receiued but by faith , yet doe they in deede receiue the sacraments , but to their condemnation .

Qu. 5 How so ?

A. Because that they make no difference betwene common bread and common wine , and that which is the sacrament of the body and bloud of Iesus Christ , whom they reiect and throw from them thorowe their vnbeleife .

Qu. 6 How must a man prepare himselfe to come worthely to the supper .

A. If he haue true repentance of the life that is passed , confessing their sinnes before God , and amending them towards God and his brethren , so much as in him lyeth , wyth a ful deliberation and purpose to doe better in time to come , and imbracing Iesus Christ by a true fayth in his promises and Sacraments for the alone and onely sauiour .

Qu 7 But hath Iesus Christ left it vnto our libertye and choyse , whether we will go to the supper , or not goe to it ?

A. In forbidding men to resort thither vnworthily , he commandeth al them which haue iudgement and discretion , to prepare themselues that they may repaire worthily to it .

God giue vs all grace to go to it , to his honor and glory , and to our saluation . So be it .