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Orthodox Confession

St Peter Mogila, tr. Lodvel, 1762

Part 1, 6. Questions 51–60

Question 51

After what manner ought we to form the Sign of the venerable and Life-giving Cross?

Answer.

After this Manner; first, with thy Thumb and two Fingers touch thy Forehead, saying, “In the Name of the Father;” then in the same Manner touch thy Breast, saying, “and of the Son;” then touch thy right Shoulder, saying, “and of the Holy Ghost:” And, lastly, complete the Sign of the Cross, by touching thy left Shoulder, saying “Amen.” Thou mayest, also, when thou crossest thyself, say thus, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have Mercy on me a Sinner. Amen.”

Question 52

What is the fifth Article of the Faith?

Answer.

Who arose the third Day from the Dead, according to the Scriptures.

Question 53

What are we taught by this Article of the Faith?

Answer.

Two Things. First, That our Lord, Jesus Christ, returned to Life by the Power of his Divinity (Luke xxiv. 7), As it was written of him in the Prophets and Psalms. And, Secondly, That he arose in that same individual Body wherewith he was born, and died.

Question 54

According to what Scripture did it so become Christ to suffer and to die, and also to rise on the third Day?

Answer.

The holy Scriptures are twofold; of the Old and of the New Testament. The former foretold that Christ should come, and also the Manner in which he should redeem Mankind; namely, by suffering, dying and arising again from the Dead: Therefore, according to those Scriptures, all these Things were to be fulfilled by Christ. And by the latter, namely, the New Testament, it is manifestly confirmed, that Christ did fulfil all these Things, and that he came into the World for that very Cause whereof it was afore written, As he sayeth of himself (Mark xiv. 21), The Son of Man goeth indeed, as it is written of him. And again, after his Resurrection, to his two Disciples as they were journeying (Luke xxiv. 26), Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his Glory? And beginning at Moses, and all the Prophets, he expounded unto them, in all the Scriptures, the Things concerning himself. Now that the Old Testament ought to have full and satisfactory Credit and Authority with us, the Apostle testifies, saying of it (2 Pet. i. 19), We have also a more sure Word of Prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a Light that shineth in a dark Place, until the Day Dawn, and the Day-Star arise in your Hearts. Farthermore, all the Evangelists confirm unto us that these Things were done exactly according to those Scriptures. The Apostle also (1 Cor. xv. 3), Christ died for us, according to the Scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he arose again the Third Day, according to the Scriptures. And that he was seen of Cephas, and then of the twelve. After that he was seen of above five hundred Brethren at once, of whom the greater Part remain unto this present, but some have fallen asleep. After that he was seen of James, then of all the Apostles. And last of all, he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due Time. The Prophet Jonas had also, of old, beautifully represented the Resurrection of Christ; as our Lord Jesus Christ applied it to himself when he spake to the Jews, saying (Matth. xii. 39), An evil and adulterous Generation seeketh after a Sign, and there shall no Sign be given unto it but the Sign of the Prophet Jonas. For as Jonas was three Days and three Nights in the Whale’s Belly, so shall the Son of Man be three Days and three Nights in the Heart of the Earth.

Question 55

What is the sixth Article of the Faith?

Answer.

Who ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the Right Hand of the Father.

Question 56

What are we taught by this Article?

Answer.

Four Doctrines. First, That Christ ascended into Heaven, and sat down, with Glory and Honour, at the Right Hand of God; with that very same Body in which he had truly and really suffered the Torments of the Cross, and with which he had arisen from the Dead. Secondly, That he ascended into Heaven only as Man, for as God he was always there, and in all Places. Thirdly, That Christ never after put off the human Nature which he had taken upon him of the blessed Virgin, and that he will hereafter come again to Judgment therewith; as the Angels spake to the Apostles (Acts i. 11), This same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like Manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven. Fourthly, We are hereby taught the Body of Christ is in Heaven only, and not on the Earth, after the Manner it used to be whilst he conversed among us; but only after a¹ sacramental manner; whereby, in the holy Supper, the same Son of God, God and Man, is present on Earth² By a change of Substance, for the Substance of the Bread is³ changed into the⁴ Substance of his most holy Body, and the Substance of the Wine into the Substance of his most precious Blood. Wherefore we ought to glorify and reverence the holy Eucharist as our Saviour Jesus himself.

Question 57

What is the seventh Article of the Faith?

Answer.

He shall come again with Glory to judge both the Quick and the Dead, whose Kingdom shall have no End.

Question 58

What doth this Article teach us?

Answer.

Three Things. First, That Christ will come again, to judge the Living and the Dead; as he sayeth himself (Matth. xxv. 31), When the Son of Man shall come in his Glory, and all the holy Angels with him. And this coming will be with swiftness (Matth. xxiv. 27), As the Lightning cometh out of the East, and shineth even unto the West, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be; (ver. 36), But of that Day and hour knoweth no Man; no, not the Angels. But first it must be that these things happen (ver. 14), namely, That the Gospel be preached unto all Nations; that Antichrist come; that there be horrid and inhuman Wars, Famine, and Pestilence; and the like. In a Word, that there be many and great Afflictions, according to the Word of the Lord (ver. 21), Then shall be great Tribulation, such as was not since the Beginning of the World to this Time, no, nor ever shall be after. Of this Judgment the Apostle thus plainly teacheth (2 Tim. iv. 1), I charge thee, therefore, before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the Quick and the Dead, at his appearing and his Kingdom.

Question 59

What is the second Doctrine contained in this Article?

Answer.

That in this last Judgment all Men are to give an Account of all their Thoughts, Words, and Works, as the Scripture testifies (Matth. xii. 36), I say unto you, that every idle Word that Men shall speak, they shall give an Account thereof in the Day of Judgment. And so the Apostle (1 Cor. iv. 5), Therefore judge nothing before the Time until the Lord come, who both will bring to Light the hidden Things of Darkness, and will make manifest the Counsels of the Hearts; and then shall every Man have his Praise of God.

Question 60

What is the third Thing taught in this Article?

Answer.

That in that Day every one shall receive a full and Everlasting Reward, according to his Merit; some receiving this Sentence (Matth. xxv. 34), Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Beginning of the World. And to others shall be pronounced this afflicting Sound (ver. 41), Depart from me, ye cursed, into Everlasting Fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels; (Mark ix. 44), Where their Worm dieth not, and the Fire is not quenched.

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