Nice Creed Athanasius Creed and that which is commonly called the Apostles Creed ought throughly to be Received and Believed for they may be proved by most certain Warrants of Holy Scripture The Presbyterians Say the very same thing For in the Confession of Faith of the French Reformed Church who are well known to be Calvinists Article the Fifth these are the Words Suivant Cela nous Advouans les Trois Symboles Ossavoir des Apostres de Nice d'Athanase pource qu'ils sont Conformes a la Parole de Dieu We avow the three Symbols viz. That of the Apostles that of Nice and that of Athanasius because they are agreeable to the Word of God The Papists Profess likewise to Believe these three Creeds but not upon the same Grounds which the Church of England and the Presbyterians do For they Believe and Embrace those Summaries of Faith because they are agreeable to and may be proved by Holy Scripture Whereas the Papists Believe them for the Authority of Tradition or of those Councils that made or Confirmed them And touching that called The Apostles Creed They tell this Story The Apostles before they departed one from another the time whereof is not certainly known all Twelve Assembled together and full of the Holy Ghost each laying down his Sentence agreed upon 12 principal Articles of the Christian Faith and appointed them for a Rule to all Believers which is therefore called and is The Apostles Creed not written in Paper as the Scripture but from the Apostles delivered by Tradition The ninth Article of the Church of England Of Original Sin ORiginal Sin standeth not in the following of Adam as the Pelagians do vainly talk but it is the Fault and Corruption of the Nature of every Man that naturally is Ingendred of the Off-spring of Adam whereby Man is very far gone from Original Righteousness and is of his own Nature inclined to Evil so that the Flesh lusteth always contrary to the Spirit and therefore in every Person born into this World it deserveth Gods Wrath and Damnation and this Infection of Nature doth Remain yea in them that are Regenerated whereby the Lusts of the Flesh called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some do expound the Wisdom some the Sensuality some the Affection some the desire of the Flesh is not subject to the Law of God And although there is no Condemnation for them that Believe and are Baptized yet the Apostle doth Confess that Concupiscence and Lust hath of it self the Nature of Sin The Presbyterians Our first Parents being seduced by the Subtilty and Temptation of Satan sinned in eating the forbidden Fruit This their Sin God was pleas'd according to his Wife and Holy Counsel to permit having purpose to order his own Glory By this Sin they fell from their Orignal Righteousness and Communion with God and so became dead in Sin and wholly defiled in all their Duties Faculties and Parts of Soul and Body They being the root of all Mankind the Guilt of this Sin was imputed and the same death in Sin and Corrupted Nature conveyed to all their Posterity descended from them by ordinary Generation From this Original Corruption whereby we are utterly indisposed disabled and made opposite to all Good and wholly inclined to all Evil do proceed all Actual Transgressions This Corruption of Nature during this Life doth Remain in those that are Regenerated and although it be through Christ Pardoned and Mortified yet both it self and all the Motions thereof are truly and properly Sin The Papists If any one shall deny that the Guilt of Crignial Sin is remitted by the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ which is Conferred in Baptism or shall Assert That the whole thereof which has any true and proper Nature of Sin is not thereby taken away but shall say That the same is only Pruned or weakned or not Imputed Let him be Accursed Yet this Holy Synod Consesses and Believes That even after Baptism Concupiscence radix peccati the Root of Corruption does remain but it being left for Tryal or Exercise does not any way hurt those that Consent not thereunto This Concupiscence the Apostle sometimes calls Sin Rom. 6. 6. and 7. 5. But this Holy Synod does declare That the Catholick Church never understood it to be called Sin because it is truly and properly Sin in the Regenerate but because ex peccato est It is of Sin and inclines to Sin And whoever shall think otherwise Let him be Anathema So that once more the Church of England nay the Apostle too himself is not only Diametrically contradicted but expresly Cursed The tenth Article of the Church of England Of Free Will THE Condition of Man after the fall of Adam is such that he cannot turn and prepare himself by his own Natural Strength and good Works to Faith and calling upon God Wherefore we have no power to do good Works pleasant and acceptable to God without the Grace of God by Christ preventing us that we may have a good will and working with us when we have that good will The Presbyterians Man in his state of Innocency had freedom and power to will and to do that which was good and well pleasing to God but yet mutably so that he might fall from it Man by his fall into a state of Sin hath wholly lost all Ability of Will to any Spiritual Good accompanying Salvation So as a natural Man being altogether averse from that good and dead in Sin is not able by his own strength to Convert himself or to prepare himself thereunto When God converts a Sinner and translates him into the state of Grace he freeth him from his natural bondage under Sin and by his Grace alone inables him freely to will and to do that which is Spiritually good yet so as that by reason of his remaining Corruption he doth not perfectly nor only will that which is Good but doth also that which is evil The Will of Man is made perfectly and immediately free to Good alone in the state of Glory The Papists If any one shall say That the Free Will of Man moved and excited by God does not Co-operate by assenting to God exciting and calling whereby it prepares and disposes it self to obtain the Grace of Justification Let him be Accursed The eleventh Article of the Church of England Of the Justification of Man WE are accounted Righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord Saviour Jesus Christ by Faith not for our own works and deservings Wherefore that we are justified by Faith only is a most wholesom Doctrine and very full of Comfort as more largely is expressed in the Homtly of Justification The Presbyterians Those whom God effectually Calleth he also freely Justifieth not by insusing Righteousness into them but by pardoning their Sins and by accounting and accepting their Persons as Righteous not for any thing wrought in them or done by them
so full of Terror The four and thirtieth Article of the Church of England Of the Traditions of the Church IT is not necessary that Traditions and Ceremonies be in all places one or utterly like for at all times they have been diverse and may be changed according to the Diversity of Countries times and Mens manners so that nothing be ordained against Gods Word Whosoever through his private Judgment willingly and purposely doth openly break the Traditions and Ceremonies of the Church which be not repugnant to the Word of God and be ordained and approved by common Authority ought to be Rebuked openly that others may fear to do the like as he that offendeth against the common order of the Church and hurteth the Authority of the Magistrate and woundeth the Consciences of the weak Brethren Every particular and National Church hath Authority to Ordain Change and Abolish Ceremonies or Rites of the Church ordained only by Mans Authority so that all things be done to edifying The sense of this Article is explain'd by the Learned and Painful Mr. Rogers in his Comment on his 39 Articles Publisht in King James time and Attested in the Title-page to have been perused and by the Lawful Authority of the Church of England allowed to be Publick pag. 198. in the Words following Of Ceremonies and Traditions repugnant to the Word of God there be two sorts whereof some are of things meerly Impious and Wicked such was the Israelites Calf and Nebuchadnezzars Idol and be the Papistical Images Reliques Agnus Dei's and Crosses to which they give Divine Adoration These and such like be all flatly forbidden Others are of things by God in his Word neicommanded nor forbidden as of eating and not eating Flesh of wearing and not wearing some Apparel of keeping and not keeping some days Holy by abstinence from Bodily labour c. The which are not to be observed of any Christian when for sound Doctrine it is delivered that such Works do either merit Remission of Sins or be the acceptable Service of God or do more please than the observation of the Laws prescribed by God himself or necessarily to be done insomuch as they are damn'd who do them not We must therefore have always in mind that we are bought with a price and therefore may not be the Servants of Men and that no humane Constitution in the Church doth bind any Man to break the least Commandement of God The Presbyterians Use has obtain'd that those things be call'd Humane Traditions which are Establisht by Men for the Worship of God not grounded on any Warrant from his Word against these it is that we contend and not against Holy and Useful Constitutions of the Church which tend to preserve either Discipline or Honesty or Peace Our Lord has so faithfully comprehended and so plainly told the whole sum of true Righteousness and all the parts of his Worship that in those things he alone is to be heard but because he would not particularly prescribe every thing that we are to observe in external Discipline and Ceremonies since he foresaw the same would depend upon the condition of times nor did judge that one form would agree with all Ages we therefore ought to have recourse to the General Rules by him laid down that by the same all things which the necessity of the Church should require be exacted and therefore herein he did not expresly deliver any thing both because neither are those things necessary to Salvation and that they may variously be accommodated according to the manner of Nation and Age for the edification of the Church and as the profit of the Church requires We may as well change and abrogate those that have been used and institute new ones though we ought not frequently and on slight Causes recur to Innovation but what is prejudicial what is tending to Edification Charity will best judge which if in such Cases we suffer to be Moderatrix all will be safe And whatsoever things shall be instituted according to this Rule it is the Duty of Christian people with a Conscience still free and without superstition but yet with a pious and ready inclination to Obedience and Peace to observe not to contemn or with supine negligence omit much less ought they with Pride and Obstinacy openly to violate them Thus Calvin whose whole 10 Chapters on this Subject in the 4th Book of his Institutes whence these few sentences are briefly drawn is well worthy perusual and I conceive enough to satisfie any unprejudiced Reader That he intirely agrees with the true sense of the Church of England in this Article God alone is Lord of the Conscience and hath left it free from the Doctrines and Commandements of Men which are in any thing contrary to his Word or beside it in matters of Faith and Worship so that to believe such Doctrines or to obey such Commands out of Conscience is to betray true liberty of Conscience and the requiring of an implicite Faith and an absolute and blind obedience is to destroy Liberty of Conscience and Reason also They who upon pretence of Christian Liberty do practice any Sin or cherish any Lust do thereby destroy the end of Christian Liberty which is that being delivered out of the hands of our Enemies we may serve the Lord without Fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the days of our Life And because the Power which God hath Ordained and the Liberty which Christ hath purchased are not intended by God to destroy but mutually to uphold and preserve one another They who upon pretence of Christian Liberty shall oppose any Lawful Power or the Lawful exercise of it whether it be Civil or Ecclesiastical resist the Ordinance of God and for their publishing such practices as are contrary to the light of Nature or to the known Principles of Christianity whether concerning Faith Worship or Conversation or to the power of Godliness or such erroneous Opinions or Practices as either in their own Nature or in the manner of publishing or maintaining them are destructive to the external Peace and Order which Christ hath Established in the Church they may lawfully be called to account and proceeded against by the Censures of the Church and by the Power of the Civil Magistrate The Papists If any one shall say That the received and approved Rites of the Church Catholick may be contemned or at pleasure omitted by the Ministers without Sin or that they may by any Pastour of Churches be chang'd into any new ones Let him be Accursed Now that the Church of Rome prescribes and observes a vast multitude of Rites and Ceremonies too tedious here to be specified not only besides but contrary to Gods Word and without any real profit to the Church of Christ is notorious yet Durandus Rationale Liber Ceremoniarum and such like Popish Authors expresly obtrude their Trumpery as both necessary and unalterable The five and thirtieth Article of
Papists agree to the first Part of this Article But as to the latter Part whereas the Church of England and Presbyterians do declare the Passion of Christ to have been a sufficient Sacrifice both for Original and Actual Sins They on the Contrary First by their Doctrine of the Sacrifice of the Mass Prayers unto Saints Popes Pardons and Purgatory do make void the Passion of our Blessed Saviour or that it puts away but Original Sin only See for this Article 31. Secondly They Teach Although our Saviour have Suffered for all Men in general yet both each man must suffer for himself in particular Rhem. Annotations on Rom. 8. 17. and that the Works of one Man may satisfie the Wrath of God for another Same Annotations on Coloss 2. 24. The third Article of the Church of England Of the going down of Christ into Hell AS Christ dyed for us and was Buried So also is it to be believed That he went down into Hell The Presbyterians Although by the Writings of the Ancients it appears That this Clause in the Creed was not so usual of Old Time in the Churches yet in delivering a Summary of Doctrine it is necessary As that which contains an useful and not to be slighted Mystery And so he proceeds to explain it of the Anguish and Internal Sufferings of Christ under a Sense of the Wrath of God for the Sins of Mankind when the Chastisement of our Peace as the Prophet speaks was upon him And Doctor Fulk on the Rhem. Testament Matth. 27. Sect. 3. expresly clears Calvin in this point The Assembly in their larger Catechism thus express their Sense Christs Humiliation after his Death consisted in his being Buried and continuing in the State of the Dead and under the power of Death till the Third Day which hath been otherwise expressed in these Words He descended into Hell So that the Article is agreed both by them and Calvin nor hath the Church of England thought fit particularly to explain it but left it free to be understood in any such sound Sense as is not contrary to Scripture or the Analogy of Faith Indeed there hath been great Diversity of Opinions between Men both Good and Learned about it Many there are that by Hell here understand the Grave and I think none will deny but the Word is capable of such a Sense but then the Sense must run thus He was Crucified Dead and Buried and Descended into the Grave which is a vain Repetition for if he were Buried he must be in a Grave And such a Tautology is not to be supposed in so brief a Summary of Faith But in my private Thoughts I have happen'd upon a Notion which avoids that Absurdity and that is this When our Blessed Lord was Crucified and Dead and his Body Buried his Humane Soul return'd to God in which Sense he saith to the Thief This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise and afterwards when it came to re-enliven and be united to the Body in the Grave at his Resurrection why may not that be the Descent here intended And so the Sense be thus He was Crucified Dead and Buried He that is his Humane Soul at the time appointed descended into Hell that is the Grave and then the Third day he rose again c. Nor do I perceive that this Interpretation how new soever it may seem does in any kind Contradict the Analogy of Faith However I submit it to the Censure of the Learned Pious Reader But The Papists Teach a quite contrary Doctrine to all this viz. That the Souls of the Patriarchs and Holy Men that departed this Life before our Saviours Crucifixion were kept as in Prison but without pain in a certain Apartment of Hell which they call Limbus Patrum And that Christ that is the Soul of Christ did really go down into the Local Hell and deliver'd the said Captive Souls out of this Confinement and at his Ascension they accompanied him to Heaven Bellarm. de Christo li. 4. cap. 11 12 and 13. The Bosom of Abraham is the resting place of all them that died in perfect State of Grace before Christs time Heaven before being shut from Men. It is called in Zachary a Lake without Water and sometimes a Prison but most commonly of Divines Limbus Patrum for that it is thought to have been the Higher part or Brim of Hell the places of Punishment being far lower than the same which therefore be called Infernum Inferius the lower Hell Where this Mansion of the Fathers stood or whether it be any part of Hell St. Augustin doubteth but that there was such a place he nor no Catholick man ever doubted And the Fathers make it most certain That our Saviour descending into Hell went thither specially and deliver'd the said Fathers out of that Mansion which Truth though of all the Ancient Writers Confessed and Proved by Scripture yet the Adversaries they mean Protestants deny it as they doe Purgatory most Impudently The fourth Article of the Church of England Of the Resurrection of Christ CHRIST did truly Rise again from Death and took again his Body with Flesh Bones and all things appertaining to the perfection of Mans Nature wherewith he Ascended into Heaven and there sitteth until he Return to Judge all Men at the last Day The Presbyterians On the Third Day he Arose from the Dead with the same Body in which he Suffered with which also he Ascended into Heaven and there sitteth at the Right Hand of his Father making Intercession and shall return to Judge Men and Angels at the end of the World The Papists Seem in Words to own this Article but really deny it or Contradict themselves for they hold That the true Carnal Body of Christ is every day wherein Masses are said on Earth and at a thousand places at once Now if it be thus daily here how does it remain in Heaven and sit there till he return to Judge all Men at the last Day And if it be thus at so many places at an Instant must it not be a Fantastick Body And consequently do they not deny the Truth of Christs Resurrection or that he hath the same Body now which was Crucified Dead and Buried The fifth Article of the Church of England THE Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son is of one Substance Majesty and Glory with the Father and the Son Very and Eternal God Touching this Article there is no Dispute on either side The sixth Article of the Church of England Of the sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation HOLY Scripture containeth all things necessary to Salvation so that whatsoever is not read therein or may be proved thereby is not to be required of any Man That it should be Believed as an Article of the Faith or be thought requisite or necessary to Salvation In the name of the Holy Scripture we understand those Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament
of whose Authority was never any doubt in the Church viz. Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings 1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Job Psalmes Proverbs Ecclesiastes Solomons Song Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi And the other Books as Hierom saith the Church doth Read for Example of Life and Instruction of Manners All the Books of the New Testament as they are commonly Received we do Receive and Account them Canonical The Presbyterians Under the Name of Holy Scripture or the Word of God Written are now Contain'd all the Books of the Old and New Testament which are these Genesis c. just as the Church of England reckons them All which are given by Inspiration to be the Rule of Faith and Life The Books commonly called Apocrypha not being of Divine Inspiration are no part of the Canon of the Scripture and therefore are of no Authority in the Church of God nor to be any otherwise approved or made use of than other Humane Writings The Authority of the Holy Scripture for which it ought to be Believ'd and Obey'd dependeth not upon the Testimony of any Man or Church but wholly upon God who is Truth it self the Author thereof and therefore it is to be Receiv'd because it is the Word of God We may be mov'd and induc'd by the Testimony of the Church to an High and Reverend esteem of the Holy Scriptures And the Heavenliness of the Matter the Efficacy of the Doctrine the Majesty of the Stile the Consent of all the Parts the Scope of the whole which is to give all Glory to God the full Discovery it makes of the only way of Mans Salvation the many other incomparable Excellencies and the entire Perfection thereof are Arguments whereby it doth abundantly Evidence it to be the Word of God yet notwithstanding our full Perswasion and Assurance of the Infallible Truth and Divine Authority thereof is from the Inward Work of the Holy Spirit bearing Witness by and with the Word in our Hearts The whole Council of God concerning all things necessary for his own Glory Mans Salvation Faith and Life is either expresly set down in Scripture or by good and necessary Consequence may be deduc'd from Scripture unto which nothing at any time is to be added whether by New Revelations of the Spirit or Tradition of Men nevertheless we do acknowledge the Inward Illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are Revealed in the Word and that there are some Circumstances concerning the Worship of God and Government of the Church Common to Humane Actions and Societies which are to be ordered by the Light of Nature and Christian prudence according to the general Rules of the Word which are always to be observed The Old Testament in Hebrew which was the Native Language of the People of God of old and the New Testament in Greek which at the time of the Writing of it was most generally known to the Nations being immediately inspir'd by God and by his singular Care and Providence kept pure in all Ages are therefore Authentical so as in all Controversies of Religion the Church is finally to Appeal to Them But because these Original Tongues are not known to all the People of God who have Right unto and Interest in the Scriptures and are Commanded in the Fear of God to Read and Search them Therefore they are to be Translated into the Vulgar Language of every Nation unto which they come that the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all they may Worship him in an acceptable manner and through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures may have hope The Infallible Rule of the Interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture it self and therefore when there is a question about the true and full Sense of any Scripture which is manifold but one it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly The Supream Judge by which all Controversies of Religion are to be Determined and all Decrees of Councils Opinions of Ancient Writers Doctrines of Men and Private Spirits are to be examined and in whose Sentence we are to rest can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture The Papists The Decree of the Council of Trent touching the Canonical Scriptures Session the Fourth The Holy Oecumenical and General Tridentine Council lawfully Congregated in the Holy Spirit the three Legats of the Apostolick See presiding therein considering That the Purity of the Gospel as to Truth and Discipline is contained in Books Written and in Traditions not Written which received by the Apostles from the Mouth of Christ himself or by the Apostles by the Dictates of the Holy Ghost delivered as from Hand to Hand have come down even unto us following the Example of the Fathers does with an equal Affection of Piety and like Reverence receive and regard as well all the Books of the Old and New Testament since one God is Author of both as such Traditions pertaining either to Faith or Manners the same being dictated either Orally by Christ or by the Holy Spirit and Conserv'd by a continual Succession in the Catholick Church and as touching the Books of Holy Scripture that none may doubt which they are which by this Sacred Synod are received an Index of them is annexed and they are as follows Of the Old Testament five Books of Moses that is Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth Four Books of Kings under that name they include the two Books of Samuel two of Chronicles the first of Esdras and the Second which is called Nehemias Tobias Judith Esther Job David's Psalter of 150 Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes the Canticles Wisdom Ecclesiasticus Isaiah Jeremiah with Baruch Ezekiel Daniel Twelve lesser Prophets viz. Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonas Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechary and Malachi and the First and Second of the Maccabees Of the New Testament the Four Evangelists Matthew Mark c. as we reckon them And if any Person shall not receive all the said whole Books with all their Parts as they have wont to be read in the Catholick Church and as they are in the old Vulgar Latin Edition for Sacred and Canonical or knowingly shall contemn the aforesaid Traditions Let him be Anathema or Accursed And the said Sacred Council does also Appoint and Declare That the said old Vulgar Latin Edition which hath by the long use of so many Ages been approved of in the Church shall in all publick Readings Disputations Preachings and Expositions be esteemed Authentick And that none on any pretence whatsoever shall dare or presume to Reject the same And for the restraining of wanton Wits does likewise Decree That no one Person leaning on his own Prudence shall in matters of Faith and Manners pertaining to
Heresies be suppressed all Corruptions and Abuses in Worship and Discipline prevented or reformed and all the Ordinances of God duly settled administred and observed For the better effecting whereof he hath Power to call Synods to be present at them and to provide that whatsoever is transacted in them be according to the mind of God It is the duty of People to pray for Magistrates to honour their Persons to pay them Tribute and other dues to obey their Lawful Commands and to be subject to their Authority for Conscience sake Infidelity or Indifference in Religion doth not make void the Magistrates Just and Legal Authority nor free the People from their due Obedience to him from which Ecclesiastical Persons are not exempted much less hath the Pope any Power or Jurisdiction over them in their Dominions or over any of their People and least of all to deprive them of their Dominions or Lives if he shall judge them to be Hereticks or upon any other pretence whatsoever If we look into the Word of God it enjoins us not only to be Subject to those Princes who rule Righteonsly and as they ought do discharge their Office towards us But also to all those in whom the Supream Power is vested Though they perform nothing less than that which truly is their Duty For as God has Establisht Magistracy as a principal gift of his Beneficence for the Commodity of Mankind and prescribes to Rulers their Duties so like wise he declares That whatsoever they are they still have their Dominion from him making those who Rule for the publick good true Examples of his Goodness and those who exercise their Authority unjustly and wickedly his Instruments to punish the Iniquities of his People but both of them still endowed with that Majesty wherewith he hath armed all Authority on which score it is that if the publick Power happen to fall into the hands of a Wicked Man and one that in himself appears altogether unworthy of Honour yet we must acknowledge the same Eminent and Divine Power to reside in him which the Lord hath conferr'd by his Word on the Ministers of his Justice and the same Reverence and Honour is to be paid him by his Subjects as to outward Obedience as they ought to pay to the best of Kings If they were so happy as to enjoy him And having proved this by several Instances from Holy Writ especially from that of Jeremy 27. He Concludes thus Let us therefore never entertain such Seditious Thoughts as these that a King ought to be treated according to his Personal Merits or Demerits or that we need not be obedient Subjects to a King that does not again justly discharge his Office towards us Wherefore if by a cruel Prince we are grievously afflicted if by a Covetous or luxurious one we are fleec'd to the Skin and abused If by a slothful voluptuous one the grand Interests of the publick be neglected Nay more if meerly for Righteousness sake by an Ungodly Sacrilegious Tyrant we are persecuted and slaughtered it ought first to put us in mind of our Sins which by such scourges of God are undoubtedly punished In the next place let Humility restrain our Impatience And in the last place Let us consider that it is not our part to Redress these Evils all that we can do is to implore the help of God in whose hands are the Hearts of Kings and the Revolutions of Empires Thus far Calvin And we appeal to Envy it self whether the Doctrine of Loyalty and Obedience can be more expresly or fully delivered by any The Papists Exempt all Clergy-Men from obeying the Laws or submitting to the Jndgments of Temporal Magistrates or to pay them Tribute The Canon Law hath utterly exempted them from it saith Bellarmine de Cler. cap. 1. That the Civil Magistrate hath no Cognizance over the Clergy is Decreed by several Councils as Conc. Later 3. cap. 14. and Conc. Later 2. Can. 15. Because some Lay-Men constrain Ecclesiasticks yea and Bishops themselves to appear before them and to stand to their Judgments Those that henceforth shall presume to do so we Decree That they shall be Excommunicated Pope Gregory the 7th in a Synod at Rome made this Decree We observing the Decrees of our Holy Predecessors by our Aposlolical Authority do Absolve these from their Oath who are bound by their Fealty and Oath to persons Excommunicated and we forbid them by all means That they yield them Obedience The Jurisdiction of the Pope is Vniversal even over the whole World Rhem. Annot. Him upon pain of Damnation all Christians are to obey Bonif. 8th in Extrav The eight and thirtieth Article of the Church of England Of Christian Mens Goods which are not Common THE Riches and Goods of Christians are not Common as touching the Right Title and Profession of the same as certain Anabaptists do falsly boast Notwithstanding every Man ought of such as he possesseth liberally to give Alms to the Poor according to his Ability The Presbyterians The Communion which Christians have one with another as Saints doth not take away or infringe the Title or Propreity which each Man hath in his Goods and Possessions The Papists Do not deny this Article yet conceit their Monasticks who have all things in Common to be in a State of greater perfection than other Christians The nine and thirtieth Article of the Church of England Of a Christian Mans Oath AS we confess That vain and rash swearing is forbidden Christian Men by our Lord Jesus Christ and James his Apostle so we Judge that Christian Religion doth not prohibite but that a man may swear when the Magistrate requireth in a cause of Faith and Charity so it be done according to the Prophets teaching in Justice Judgment and Truth The Presbyterians A Lawful Oaths is a part of Religious Worship wherein upon just occasion the Person swearing solemnly calleth God to Witness what he asserteth or promiseth and to judge him according to the Truth or Falshood of what he sweareth The name of God only is that by which Men ought to swear and therein is to be used with all Holy Fear and Reverence Therefore to swear vainly and rashly by that glorious and dreadful Name or by any other thing is sinful and to be abhorred Yet as in matters of weight and Moment an Oath is Warranted by the Word of God under the New Testament as well as under the Old so that a Lawful Oath being imposed by Lawful Authority in such matters ought to be taken Whosoever taketh an Oath ought duly to consider the weightiness of so solemn an Act and therein to avouch nothing but what he is fully perswaded is Truth Neither may any Man bind himself by Oath to any thing but what is good and Just and what he believeth so to be and what he is able and resolved to perform yet it is a Sin to refuse an Oath touching any thing that is Good and Just being impos'd
by lawful Anthority An Oath is to be taken in the plain and common sense of the Words without Equivocation and Mental Reservation It cannot oblige to Sin but in any thing not sinful being taken it binds to performance although to Mans hurt nor is it to be violated though made to Hereticks or Infidels No Man may vow to do any thing forbidden in the Word of God or what would hinder any Duty therein Commanded or which is not in his own Power and for the performance whereof he hath not promise of Ability from God in which respects Popish Monastical Vows of perpetual single Life professed Poverty and Regular Obedience are so far from being degrees of higher perfection that they are Superstitious and sinful Snares in which no Christian may intangle himself The Papists Do not in Terms deny this Article But First they maintain That the Pope hath a Power to dispence with or Absolve any Man from the Obligation of any lawful Oath And Secondly They allow the Doctrine of Equivocation so that a Man may lawfully take any Oath provided that by a secret Reservation in his mind he make or form to himself a tollerable lawful Sense Thirdly They teach that if any Prince become an Heretick all his Subjects are immediately Absolved from their Oaths of Subjection and Allegiance Fourthly They declare That no Faith is to be kept with Hereticks and this is a Vote even of one of their Councils to wit That of Constance who on that very score burnt John Hus though they before had given Letters of safe Conduct by all which They render all Oaths the highest Security mortal Creatures are able to give to each other either insignificant or but Shares to deceive the Credulous And in a word destroy as much as in them lies all Faith and Honesty Confidence and fair dealing amongst Humane Society FINIS * As Mr. Jenkins's Celeusma The 4th part of the Naked Truth c. a Ass Conf. Cap. 2. b Counc Trent Sess tho 3d. Ass Conf. Cap. 8. Sect. 2. Ibid. Sect. 5. Calv. Instit l. 2. cap. 16. Rhem. Annot on â—â—k 16. Sect. 7. Ass Câ—nf cap. 8. Sect. 4. Con. Trid. Sess 13. Can. 1. Ass Conf. ca. 1. Rhem. Test 1 Thess 4 8. History of the Bohemian Persecution p. 329 and 348. a I Believe in one God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth and of all things Visible and Invisible c. b Whoever will be saved before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholick Faith c. c I Believe in God the Father Almighty maker â—â— Heaven and Earth c. Rhemish Annot. in the Argument of the Epistles Ass Conf. cap. 6. Coune Trent Sess 5. Decr. 5. Ass Conf. cap. 9. Counc Trent Sess 6. Can. 4. Ass Conf. cap. 11. Conc. Trid. Sess 6. cap. 9. Ibid. can 11. Ass Conf. cap. 16. Coune Trent Sess 6. cap. 10. Ibid cap. 9. Ass Conf. cap. 16. Sect. 7. Calv. Inst l. 27. cap. 1â— Sect. 1. Counc Trent Sess 6. Can. 7. Ass Conf. cap. 16. Sect. 4 5. Rhem. Annot on Luk. 10. Sect. 3. Ibid. 1 Cor. 9. Sect. 6. Ibid. 2 Cor. 8. Sect. 3. Ass larger Catech. Q. 37. Abid Q. 22. Coâ—â—â— Trent Sess 5. Ass Conf. cap. 3. Sect. 3 4 5 6. and 8. Rhem. Annot on Mat. 20. 23. Counc Trent Sess 6. can 17. Ibid. Can. 15. Ass Conf. cap. 10. Calv. Inst l 4. cap. 8 Sect. 9. Ass Conf. cap. 31. 3. Sect. Sess 1. cap. 2. Pighius in Controv. de Ecclesia * That is when the Princes where they are Assembled are Christians else this Article will condemn the First and most Holy Council that ever was in the World Acts 15. * Piz. Pagans Bellarm. de Conc. cap. 12. Rhem. Annot on Mat. 16. Rhem. Annot on John 16. 13. Calv. Inst l. 3. cap. 5. Sect. 6. Ass Conf. cap. 32. Sect. 1. Counc Trent Sess 25. Sess 9. Ibid. Calv. Inst l. 4. cap. 3. Sect. 10. Calv. Inst l. 3. cap. 20. Sect. 33. Ass Conf. cap. 21. Sect. 3. Conc. Trid. Sess 22. cap. 8. Ibid. Can. 9. Rhem. Annot p. 463. Rhem. Annot on Mat. 21. 6. Ass Cons cap. 27. Sect. 4. Conc. Trid. Sess 7. Can. 1 Conc. Trid. Sess 13. Can. 6 7. Conc. Trid. Sess 7. Can. 8. Ibid. C 〈…〉 Rhem. Annot on Tit. 3. 10 anÌ„d Mark 3. 13. Ass Consâ— cap. 28. Sect. 1. 4. Rhem. Annot on Acts 22. 17. Conc. Trid. Sess 5. decret 5â— Bellarm. de Baptism l. 1. cap. 13. Ibid. Can. 4. Rhem. Annot on John 3. Bellarm. Ibid. Can. 7. Ass Cons cap. 29. Sect. 6. Ibid. Sect. 2. Conc. Tridâ— Sess 1. 3. Can. 1. 2. Can. 8. Ass Conf. cap. 29. Sect. 8. Rhem. Annot on 1 Cor. 11. 27. Calv. Inst l. 4. cap. 17. Sect. 47. Ass Conf. cap. 19. Sect. 3. Ibid. Sect. 4. Con. Trid. Sess 21. cap. 2. Ibid. Can. 1. 2. Ass Conf. cap. 29. Sect. 2. Conc. Trâ—â— Sess 22. Can. â— Ibid. Can. 4. Calv. Inst l. 4. cap. 12. Sect. 23. Ibid. Can. 13. Sect. 21. Conc. Trid. Sess 24. Can. 9. Aâ—â— Cons cap. 30. Sect. 3 4. Calv. Inst l. 4. cap. 10. Sect. 1. Ibid. Sect. 30. Calv. Ibid. Ass Conf. cap. 20. Sect. 2 3 4. Conc. Trid. Sess 7. Can. 13. Reconciler of Religions p. 50. Ass Conf. cap. 23. Sect. 1. 3 and 4. Calv. Inst l. 4. cap. 20. Sect. 24. 25 26 27 28 29 30 31. Ass Cons cap. 26. Sect. 3. Ass Cons 22. Sect. 1 2. 3 4 7.