and Sauiour namelie his conception in the wombe of the Virgine Marie and his birth of her also for he was made the seede of the woman also his afflictions his rising againe from death his sitting at the right hand of God where he hath obtained the dignitie of a Priest and King of which thing the wholl life of Dauid was a certaine type for which cause the Lorde calleth himselfe another Dauid a Shepheard And this was the Gospell of those holy men before the law was giuen and since And Chapter the 6. a litle from the beginning For this is verie certaine that after the fall of Adam no man was able to set himselfe at libertie out of the bondage of sinne death and condemnation or come to be trulie reconciled vnto God but onelie by that one Mediator betweene God and man Christ Iesus through a liuelie faith in him who alone by his death and blood shedding tooke from vs that image of sinne and death and put vpon vs by faith the image of righteousnes and life For he made vnto vs of God wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption But firstmen are taught that these things are to be beleeued concerning Christ namelie that he is eternal of the nature of his heauenlie father the onelie begotten sonne begotten from enerlasting and so together with the Father and the holie Ghost one true and indiuisible God the eternall not created worde the brightnes and the Image or ingrauen forme of the person of his Father by whome all thinges as well those thinges which maie be seene as those which can not be seene and those thinges which are in heauen and those which are in the earth were made and created Moreouer that he is also a true and natural man our brother in verie deed who hath a soule and a bodie that is true and perfect humane nature which by the power of the holie Ghost he tooke without all sinne of Marie a pure Virgine according as S. Iohn saith The worde was made flesh And thus of these two natures their properties not being changed nor confounded yet by a wonderfull communication thereof there is made one indiuisible person one Christ Immanuell our King and priest our redeemer our Mediatour and perfect reconciler full of grace and trueth so that of his fullnes we all doe take grace for grace For the law was giuen by Moses but grace and trueth was giuen and exhibited by Iesus Christ being God and man in one person This grace and trueth are our men taught to acknowledge and by faith to beholde in all those sauing and wonderful works or affections of Christ which according to the meaning of the holie Scripture are by a stead fast faith to be beleeued and professed such as are his comming downe from heauen his conception birth torments death buriall refurrection ascension vnto heauen sitting at the right hand of God and his comming againe from thence to iudge both the quicke the dead In these principal affections as in a chest wherin treasure is kept are al those holsome fruits of our true iustification laide vp and are taken out from thence for the elect and those which doe beleeue that in Spirit and conscience they may be partakers thereof through faith which all hereafter at the daie of our ioyfull resurrection shall be fullie and perfectlie bestowed vpon vs. And towardes the ende of that Sixth Chapter these words are added In this Chapter also particularlie and for necessarie causes to shunne and auoide many pernicious and Antichristian deceites it is taught concerning Christe his presence namelie that our Lorde Christ according to his bodely coÌ„uersation is not amongest vs any longer in this worlde neither wil be vnto the ende of the worlde in such sort and manner as he was here conuersant amongest vs in his mortalitie and wherein he was betraied and circumcised nor yet in the forme of his glorified bodie which he got at his resurrection and in the which he appeared to his disciples the forâ—â—eth day after his resurrection departing from them ascended manifestly into heauen For after this manner of his presence companie he is in the high place with his father in heauen where al tongues professe him to be the Lord and euerie faithful one of Christ must beleeue that he is there worship him there according to the scriptures as also that part of the Catholike Christian faith doth expresselie witnes which is this He ascended into heauen he sitteth as the right hand of God the father almightie Also that other article from thence shal he come that is from an higher place out of heauen with his Angells is iudge both the quick the dead So doth Paul also say The Lord himselfe shall descend from heauen with a shoute and with the voice of an Archangell and with the trumpet of God And S. Peter saith Whom heauen must coÌ„taine vntil the time that al things be restored And the Euangelist Marke But when the Lord had spoken with theÌ„ he was taken vp againe into heauen sitteth at the right hand of God And the Angels which were there present whe he was taken vp into heauen said This Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen shal so come againe as you haue seene him go into heaueÌ„ Furthermore this also doe our men teach that the selfe same Christ verie God and verie man is also with vs herein this worlde but after a diuerse manner from that kinde of presence which we named before that is after a certaine spirituall manner not obiect to our eies but such a one as is hid from vs which the flesh doth not perceiue and yet it is verie necessarie for vs to our saluation that we may be partakers of him whereby he offereth and communicateth himselfe vnto vs that he may dwell in vs and we in him and this truelie he doth by the holie Ghost whome in his owne place that is in steede of his owne presence whereby he was bodelie amongst vs he promised that he would send vnto his Church and that he would stil abide with it by the same spirit in vertue grace and his holsome trueth at al times euen vntill the ende of the worlde when he said thus It is good for you that I go hence for except I go hences the comforter will not come vnto you but if I goe away I wil send him vnto you And againe I wil praie the father and he shal giue you another comforter that is another kinde of comforter then I am that he may abide iâ— you for euer euen the spirit of trueth whome the worlde cannot receiue because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwellesh in you shal be in you I wil not leaue you comforth but I wil come to you namelie by the selfe same spirit of trueth Now then euen as our Lord Christ
submission of the minde by their confession and inuocation to turne vnto the Lord and by faith in Iesus Christ our Lorde to conceiue sure and vndoubted trust in his mercie to hold fast the apprehended promise and to relie whollie thereon and seeing they haue no righteousnes of themselues earnestlie and faithfullie to desire of the diuine grace that God would haue mercie on them vouchsafe of his grace to forgiue them their sinnes for the Sonne and his pretious merites sake who was made an attonement or reconciliation for sinne yea also a cursse that he might make or consecrate vs as holie vnto God For to such men that they may be stirred vp to the greater confidence that sure and pretious promise is propounded and by preaching ought to be propounded whereby the Lord doth saie Call vpon me iâ— the daie of trouble and I will deliuer thee and this they ought to doe as often as they haue neede and so long as they liue Hereof the iudgement of Saint Augustine is extant Lib. 1. de Penitentia Cap. 1. No man can well meditate of repentance except he be perswaded of the mercie of God toward him or as he saith but he that shall hope for indulgence Now al men which do truelie repent them of their sinnes in regarde thereof are sorowfull and mislike themselues ought to cease from the coÌ„mitting of euil learne to do that which is good for so writeth Esai in that place wherin he exhorteth to repentance And Iohn Baptist in the like sort admonishing the people saith See that you bring forth or do the 〈◊〉 worthie of repentance which doth chieflie consist in mortification or putting of the old man in putting on the new man which after God is created in righteousnes c. as the Apostolike doctrine doth signifie Moreouer the penitent are taught to come to the Phisitians of their soules and before them to confesse their sinnes to God yet no man is commaunded or vrged to tell and reckon vp his sinnes but this thing is therefore vsed that by this meane euerie one maie declare their griefe wherewith they be troubled and how much they mislike them-selues for their sinnes and maie peculiarlie desire and know that they obteine of their God counsell and doctrine how they maie hereafter auoid them and get instruction and comfort for their troubled consciences and absolution by the power of the Keies and remission of sinnes by the ministerie of the Gospell instituted of Christ and when these things are performed to them of the ministers they ought to receiue them at their handes with confidence as a thing appointed of God to profit and to doe seruice vnto them for their sauing health without doubting to enioy the remission of their sinnes according to the word of the Lord whose sinnes you remit they are remitted And they relying vpon this vndoubted faith ought to be certaine and of a resolute minde that through the ministerie of those keies concerning the power of Christ and his word all their sinnes be forgiuen them And therfore they which by this meanes and order obteine a quiet and ioyfull conscience ought to shew them-selues thankfull for this heauenlie bountifullnes in Christ neither must they receiue it in vaine or returne againe to their sinnes according to that faithful exhortation of Christ wherein he commaundeth vs to take heede Beholde then art made wholl sinne nomore lest a worsse thing happen vnto thee And see that thou sinne no more Now the foundation whereon the whol vertue and efficacie of this sauing repentance doth stay it selfe is the merit of the torments of the death and resurrection of our Lord and sauiour whereof he him selfe saith These thinges it behooued Christ to suffer and to rise againe the third daie and that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his name to all people And againe Repent and beleeue the Gospell Also they teach that they whose sinne is publike and therefore a publike offence ought to giue an externall testimonie of their repentance when God doth giue them the spirit of repentance and that for this cause that it maie be an argument and testimonie whereby it may be prooued or made euident that the sinners which haue fallen and do repent do truelie conuert them selues also that it maie be a token of their reconciliation with the Church and their neighbour and an example vnto others which they maie feare and reuerence Last of all the wholl matter is shut vp with this or such like clause of admonition That euerie one shal be condemned whosoeuer he be which in this life doth not repent in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ according to that sentence pronounced by Christ Except ye repent ye shall al in like sort perish as they did who were slaine with the fall of the tower of Silo. Hitherto also perteineth that parte of the same confession which treateth Of the time of grace CHAP. 20. FVrthermore among all other thinges they teach concerning the time of grace and the fatherly visitation that men maie learne to consider that all that time of age they lead in this life is giuen them of God to be a time of grace in the which they maie seeke their Lord and God his grace and mercie and that they maie be loued of him and by this meanes obteine here their saluation in Christ whereof the Apostle also made mention in his sermon which he preached at Athens saying God hath assigned vnto man the times which were ordeined before and the bandes of their habitations that they should seeke the Lord if so be they might haue groped after him and found him And by the Prophet Esaie the Lorde saith In an acceptable time hâ—â—e I heard thee and in the daie of saluation haue I helped thee Beholde now saith Saint Paull is the acceptable time no◠〈◊〉 the daie of saluation Therefore at all times the people be admonished that whilest they liue on the earth and are in good health and haue in their hands and do presentlie enioy the time of grace offered by God they would truelie repent and beginne the amendment of their life and reconcile themselues to God that they would stirre vp their conscience by faith in Christ and quiet it by the ministerie of the Gospell in the Church and herein confirme themselues that God is mercifull vnto them and remitteth all their sinnes for Christ his sake Therefore when they are confirmed in this grace which is offred them to establish confirme their calling do faithfullie exercise themselues in good works then at the length they are also in an assured hope to looke for a comfortable end they must certenlie persuade theÌ„selues that they shal assuredlie be caried by the Angels into heauen eternall rest as was the soule of that godlie Lazarus that they maie be there where their Lord and redeemer Iesus
time or worthines of the Churches Authors that wrote them or other such like circumstance theâ—fore it seemed good without anie enuie or preiudice of other Confessions either more auncient or more famous to giue the first place to the latter Confession of Heluetia â—oth because the order thereof seemed more fitie and â—he wholl handling of doctrine more full and conuenient and also because that Confession was publiquelie approoued subscribed vnto by verie manie Churches of dâ—uers Naâ—â—onâ— Farther vpon â—his do the reâ—t fitly follow to wit â—he former confession of Heluetia then all other without any â—hoâ—sâ— indifferentlie saue that we had rather ioyne together thâ— Confessions of Germanie then sâ—uer them â—ach 〈…〉 according to â—hâ— argument of euerie Section 〈…〉 infoâ—â—ed to pâ—t that Confession of th◠〈…〉 as receâ—uâ—d somewhat â—â—te in the laâ—â— plâ—ce 〈…〉 if it shall not seeme fitte and conuenient to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may easilie be altered in the second edition as other Confessions also if anie such beside these shall be wanting may in their due place be adioyned To conclude that the godly Reader may want nothing and that no man may suspect anie thing to be taken awaie or added to anie of those Confessions we haue here set downe the articles or chiefe points in the order wherin they were first written Which we desire euerie man fauourably to interprete and to enioy this our labour rather seeking peace and agreement then malitiouslie hunting after occasions of dissensions PROPER CATALOGVES FOR EVERIE CONFESSION CONTEINED IN THIS HARMONIE AFTER THAT ORDER WHEREIN They were first written THE ARTICLES OF THE FORMER CONFESsion of Heluetia SCripture 1 Interpretation 2 Fathers 3 Humane Traditions 4 The drift of the Scripture 5 God 6 Man and his strength 7 Originall sinne 8 Free will 9 The eternall Counsell touching the restoring of man 10 Iesus Christ and those benefites which we reape by him 11 The drift of the doctrine of the Gospell 12 Faith and the force thereof 13 The Church 14 Of the Ministers of the word 15 Ecclesiasticall power 16 The choosing of Ministers 17 The head and Shepherd of the Church 18 The dueties of Ministers 19 Of the force and efficacie of the Sacraments 20 Baptisme 21 The Eucharist 22 Holie assemblies 23 Of Heretikes Schismatikes 24 Of thinges indifferent 25 Of the Magistrate 26 Of Holie Wedlocke 27 THE CHIEFE POINTS OF THE LATTER CONfession of Heluetia Of the holie Scripture being the true word of God 1 Of Interpreting the holie Scripture and of â—athers Councels and Traditions 2 Of God his vnitie and the Trinitie 3 Of Idoles or Images of God Christ and Saintes 4 Of the Adoration worshippe and Inâ—ocation of God through the onelie Mediatour Iesus Christ 5 Of the Prouidence of God 6 Of the creation of all thinges of Angells the Deuill and man 7 Of the fall of man sinne and the cause of sinne 8 Of free wâ—ll and so of mans power and abilitie 9 Of the Predestination of God and Election of the saintes 10 Of Iesus Christ being true God man and the onlie Sauiour of the world 11 Of the lawe of God 12 Of the Gospell of Iesus Christ of the Promises also of the spirit and the letter 13 Of Repentance and the Conuersion of man 14 Of the true iustification of the faithfull 15 Of Faith and good workes and of their reward and the merit of man 16 Of the Catholique holy Church of God and of the onely head of the Church 17 Of the Ministers of the Church their institution dueties 18 Of the Sacramentes of the Church of Christ 19 Of holie Baptisme 20 Of the holy Supper of the Lord. 21 Of holie and Ecclesiasticall assemblies 22 Of the Praiers of the Church of singing Canonicall houres 23 Of Holy daies fastes and choise of meates 24 Of Comforting or visiting the sicke 25 Of the buriall of the faithfull and the care that is to be had for the dead and of Purgatorie and the appeering of Spirites 26 Of Rites Ceremonies and thinges Indifferent 27 Of the goods of the Church 28 Of single life Wedlocke and the ordering of a Family 29 Of the Magistrate 30 THE ARTICLES OF THE CONFESSION OF Basill Of God 1 Of man 2 Of the care of God toward vs. 3 Of Christ being true God and true man 4 Of the Church 5 Of the Supper of our Lord. 6 Of the Magistrate 7 Of Faith and workes 8 Of the last daie 9 Of thinges commaunded and not commaunded 10 Against the error of the Anabaptistes 11 THE CHIEFE POINTS OF THE CONFESSION OF Bohemia Of the holy Scripture and of Eccâ—siasticall writers â— Of Christian Catechizing 2 Of the vnitie of the diuine essence of the three Persons 3 Of the knowledge of himselfe Also Of sinne the causes and fruites hereof and of the promises of God 4 Of repentance 5 Of Christ the Lord and of Iustification through faith in him 6 Of good workes which be holie actions 7 Of the holie Catholique Church the order and discipline hereof and moreouer of Antichrist 8 Of the Ministers of the Church 9 Of the word of God 10 Of the Sacraments in general 11 Of holy Baptisme 12 Of the Supper of the Lord. 13 Of the keies of Christ. 14 Of thinges accessorie that is of rites or Ecclesiasticall ceremonies 15 Of the politique or Ciuill Magistrate 16 Of Saints and their worship 17 Of fasting 18 Of single life and Wedlocke or the order of maried folke 19 Of the time of Grace 20 THE ARTICLES OF THE FRENCH CONFEssion Of God and his one onelie essence 1 Of the knowledge of God 2 Of the Caâ—onicall bookes of the holy Scripture 3 Of distinguishing the Canonicall bookâ— from the Apocryphall 4 Of the authoritie of the word of God 5 Of the Trinitie of the Persons in one onely essence of God 6 Of the Creation of the world 7 Of the eternal Prouidence of God 8 Of the fall of man and his free will 9 Of Originall sinne 10 Of the propagation of Originall sinne and of the effectes thereof 11 Of the free Election of God 12 Of the reparing of man from his fall through Christ 13 Of two natures in Christ 14 Of the hypostaticall vnion of his two natures 15 Of the death and resurrection of Christ and of the fruit thereof 16 Of the merit and fruit of the sacrifice of Christ 17 Of the remission of sinnes and true Iustification 18 Of the Intercession or Mediation of Christ 19 Of iustifying Faith and the gift and effectes thereof 20. 21. 22 Of the abolishing of Ceremonies and true vse of the Morall lawe 23 Of the intercession of Saintes Purgatorie and other superstitious traditions of the Popish sorte 24 Of the Ministerie of the Gospell 25 Of the vnitie of the Church and the true notes thereof 26. 27. 28 Of Ecclesiasticall functions 29 Of the power and authoritie of the ministers 30 Of their lawfull calling and election 31 Of Ecclesiasticall discipline 32
onlie sonne to be our brother and giuen vnto vs grace to acknowledge and embrace him for our Mediatour as before is said It behooued farther the Messias and Redeemer to be verie God and verie man because he was to beare the punishment due for our transgressions and to present him selfe in the presence of his Fathers iudgement as in our person to suffer for our transgression and inobedience by death to ouercome him that was author of death But because the onlie godhead could not suffer death neither yet could the onlie manhood ouercome the same he ioyned both together in one person that the imbecillitie of the one should suffer and be subiect to death which we had deserued and the infinite and inuincible power of the other to wit of the godhead should triumph and purchase to vs life libertie and perpetuall victorie and so we confesiâ— and moste vndoubtedlie beleeue Christes death Passion and Bâ—riâ—ll THat our Lord Iesus offered himselfe a voluntarie sacrifice vnto his Father for vs that he suffered contradiction of sinners that he was wounded and plagued for our transgressions that he being the cleane innocent lambe of God was damned in the presence of an earthlie iudge that we should be absolued before the tribunall seate of our God that he suffered not onelie the cruell death of the Crosse which was accursed by the sentence of God but also that he suffered for a season the wrath of his Father which sinners had deserued But yet we auow that he remained the onelie welbeloued and blessed sonne of the Father euen in the midst of his anguish and torment which he suffered in bodie and soule to make the full satisfaction for the sins of the people After the which we confesse and auow that there remaineth no other sacrifice for sinne which if anie affirme we nothing doubt to auow that they are blasphemous against Christes death and the euerlasting purgation and satisfaction purchased to vs by the same Resurrection WE vndoubtedlie beleeue that insomuch as it was impossible that the dolours of death should retaine in bondage the author of life that our Lord Iesus crucified dead and buried who descended into hell did rise againe for our iustification and destroying of him whoe was the author of death brought life againe to vs that were subiect to death and to the bondage of the same we knowe that his resurrection was confirmed by the testimonie of his verâ—e enimies by the resurrection of the dead whose sepulchers did open and they did arise and appeered to manie within the City of Ierusalem It was also confirmed by the testimonie of his Angells and by the senses and iudgements of his â—postles and others who had conuersation and did eate and drinke with him after his resurrection Ascension VVE nothing doubt but the selfe same bodie which was borne of the virgin was crucified dead buried that it did rise againe and asâ—end into the heauens for the accomplishment of al things where in our names for our comforte he hath receiued all power in heauen and earth where he sitteth at the right hand of the Father crowned in his kingdome aduocate and onelie Mediatour for vs. Which glorie honour and prerogatiue he alone amongst the brethren shal possesse till that all his enimies be made his footestole As that we vndoubtedlie beleeue there shal be a finall iudgement to the execution wherof we certainelie beleeue that the same our Lord Iesus shall visibly returne euen as he was seene to ascend And then we firmelie beleue that the time of refreshing and restitution of all thinges shall come in somuch that those that from the beginning haue suffered violence iniurie and wrong for righteousnes sake shall inherite that blessed immortalitie promised from the beginning but contrariwise the stubborne inobedient cruell oppressors filthie persons Idolaters and all sortes of vnfaithfull shal be cast into the dungeon of vtter darkenes where their worme shall not die neithet yet the fire shal be extinguished The remembrance of which daie and of the iudgement to be executed in the same is not onelie to vs a bridle wherby our carnall lustes are refrained but also such inestimable comforte that neither maie the threating of worldlie princes neither yet the feare of temporall death and present daunger mooue vs to renounce and forsake the blessed societie which we the members haue with our head onelie mediatour Christ Iesus Whom we confesse and auow to be the Messias promised the onelie head of his Church our iust lawe giuer our onelie high Priest aduocate and Mediatour In which honours and office if man or Angell presume to intrude themselues we vtterly detest and abhor them as blasphemous to our soueraigne and supreame gouernuor Christ Iesus Faith in the holie Ghost THis faith and the assurance of the same proceedeth not from flesh and bloode that is to saie from no naturall powers within vs but is the inspiration of the holie Ghost whome we confesse God equall with the Father with the sonne whoe sanctifieth vs and bringeth vs into all veritie by his owne operation without whome we should remaine for euer enimies to God and ignorant of his sonne Christ Iesus For of nature we are so dead so blinde so peruerse that neither can we feele when we are pricked see the light when it shineth nor assent to the will of God when it is reuealed vnlesse the spirit of the Lord quicken that which is dead remooue the darkenes from our mindes and bowe our stubborne heartes to the obedience of his blessed will And so as we confesse that God the Father created vs when we were not as his sonne our Lord Iesus redeemed vs when we were enimies to him so also doe we confesse that the holie Ghost doth sanctifie and regenerate vs without all respect of anie merit proceeding from vs be it before or be it after our regeneration To speake this one thinge yet in more plaine wordes as we willinglie spoile our selues of alâ— honour and glorie of our owne creation and redemption so doe we also of our regeneration and sanctification for of our selues we are not sufficient to thinke one good thought but he who hath begone the worke in vs is onelie he that continueth in vs the same to the praise and glorie of his vndeserued grace The cause of good workes SO that the cause of good workes we confesse to be not our free will but the spirit of the Lord Iesus whoe dwelling in our harts by true faith bringeth forth such good workes as God hath prepared for vs to walke in For this we most boldlie affirme that it is blasphemie to saie that Christ abideth in the heartes of such as in whom there is no spirit of sanctification And therefore we feare noâ— to affirme that murtherers oppressers cruell persecuters adulterers whormongers filthy persons Idolaters dronkerds the eues and all workers of iniquitie haue
Of the gospell of Iesus Christ and also of Promises of the spirit and of the letter CHAP. 13. THE gospell indeede is opposed to the lawe for the lawe worketh wrath and doeth denounce a cursse but the gospell doth preach grace and a blessing Iohn saith also The lawe was giuen by Moses but grace and trueth came by Iesus Christ Yet notwithstanding it is moste certaine that they which were before the lawe and vnder the lawe were not altogether destitute of the gospell For they had notable Euangelicall promises such as these are The seede of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed The scepter shall not be taken from Iuda vntil Silo come The Lord shall raise vp a Prophet from amongest his owne brethren c. And we doe acknowledge that the fathers had two kinde of promises reuealed vnto them euen as we haue For some of them were of present transitorie thinges such as were the promises of the lande of Canaan and of victories and such as are now a dayes concerning our dailie bread Othersome there were then also are now of heauenlie euerlasting things as of Gods fauour remission of sinnes life euerlasting through faith in Iesus Christ Now the fathers had not onelie outwarde or earthly but spiritual heauenly promises in Christ For the Apostle Peter saith that the Prophets which prophesied of the grace that should come to vs haue searched and inquired of this saluation Whereupon the Apostle Paul also saith that the gospell of God was promised before by the Prophets of God in the holie scriptures Hereby then it appeereth euidentlie that the fathers were not altogether destitute of all the Gospell And although after this manner our fathers had the gospell in the writinges of the Prophets by which they attained saluation in Christ through faith yet the gospell is properlie called that glad and happie tidings wherein first by Iohn Baptist then by Christ the Lorde himselfe and afterward by the Apostles their successours is preached to vs in the world that God hath now performed that which he promised from the beginning of the world hath sent yea and giuen vnto vs his onelie sonne and in him reconciliation with the father remission of sinnes all fulnes and euerlasting life The historie therefore set downe by the foure Euagelists declaring how these thinges were done or fulfilled of Christ and what he taught and did and that they which beleeued in him had al fulnes this I saie is truelie called the Gospell The preaching also and scripture of the Apostles in which they expound vnto vs how the sonne was giuen vs of the father and in him all things pertaining to life and saluation is truelie called the doctrine of the Gospell so as euen at this daie it looseth not that worthie name if it be sincere The same preaching of the Gospel is by the Apostle tearmed the spirit and the ministerie of the spirit because it is lining and workeing thorough faith in the eares yea in the hearts of the faithfull thorough the illumination of the holie spirit For the letter which is opposed vnto the spirit doth in deede signifie euerie outward thing but more speciallie the doctrine of the law which without the spirit faith worketh wrath stirreth vp sin in the mindes of theÌ„ that do not truly beleeue For which cause it is called by the Apostle the ministery of death for hitherto pertaineth that saying of the Apostle The letter killeth but the spirit giueth life The false Apostles preached the Gospel corrupted by mingling of the law therewith as though Christ could not saue without the law Such also were the Hebionites said to be which came of Hebion the heretike and the Nazarites which before time were called Myneans Al which we doe condemne sincerely preaching the worde and teaching that the beleeuers are iustified by the spirit onelie and not by the law But of this matter there shall follow a more large discourse in the title of iustification And although the doctrine of the Gospel compared with the Pharisees doctrine of the law might seeme when it was first preached by Christ to be a new doctrine the which thing also Ieremie prophesied of the new Testament yet in deed it not onelie was as yet is though the Papists call it new in regarde of Popish doctrine which hath of long time bin receiued an ancient doctrine but also the most ancient in the world For God from all eternitie fore ordeined to saue the world by Christ and this his predestination and eternal counsel hath he opened to the world by the Gospell Whereby it appeareth that the Euangelicall doctrine and religion was the moste auncient of all that euer were are or euer shal be Wherefore we saie that all they erre foullie and speake things vnworthy the eternall counsell of God who tearme the Euangelicall doctrine and religion a new start vp faith scarce thirtie yeares olde to whome that saying of Isaiah doth verie well agree Woe vnto them that speake good 〈◊〉 euill and euill of good which put darkenes for light and lightâ—â— darkenes that put bitter for sweete and sweete for sowre OVT OF THE FORMER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Therefore in the wholl Euangelicall doctrine this ought first and chiefely to be vrged that we are saued by the onelie mercie and grace of God and by Christ his merittes whereof that men may know how much they stand in neede their sinnes must be verie clearelie laid open vnto them by the law and by Christ his death OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BOHEMIA Of the word of God or the holie Gospell CHAP. 10. ANd seeing that the administration of thee new testâ— ment also the word and the sacraments are lawfully committed to the Ministers of the Church and their lippeâ— ought to preserue knowledge that the law maie be sought at their mouth therefore in this Chapter it is further taught what the word of God and the holie gospell is Now the Preaching of the word of God and of the Gospell is the true ministerie of grace instituted and commaunded of Christe our Lord wherein the full and perfect will of God touching eternall reconciliation necessarie to saluation and made manifest in the holie scripture is declared and preached vnto all people This doctrine did Christ giue in charge vnto his disciples in the wordes of this sentence Goye into all the world and preach the Gospell to euerie creature This doctrine doth Peter professe before Cornelius when he saith He commaunded vs to preach vnto the people and to testifie that this is he that is ordeined of God to be the Iudge of the quick and the dead To him also giue all the Prophets wines that through his name all that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes This ministery is more honorable greater and more necessarie to saluation then are
vngodlines and guiltie of death But we are iustified that is acquitted from sinne and death by God the iudge through the grace of Christ alone and not by any respect or merit of ours For what is more plaine then that which Paule saieth All haue sinned and are destitute of the glorie of God and are iustified freelie by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Iesus For Christ tooke vpon him selfe and bare the sinnes of the world and did satisfie the iustice of God God therfore is mercifull vnto our sinnes for Christ alone that suffred and rose againe and doth not impute them vnto vs. But he imputeth the iustice of Christ vnto vs for our owne so that now we are not onely clensed from sinne and purged and holie but also indued with the righteousnes of Christ yea and acquitted from sinne death and condemnation finallie we are righteous and heires of eternall life To speake properlie then it is God alone that iustifieth vs and that onelie for Christ by not imputing vnto vs our sinnes but imputing Christes righteousnes vnto vs. But because we doe receiue this iustification not by anie works but by faith in the mercie of god and in Christ therefore we teach and beleeue with the Apostle that sinnefull man is iustified onelie by faith in Christ not by the lawe or by anie workes For the Apostle saith We conclude that man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law If Abraham was iustified by workes he hath whereof to boast but not with God For that saith the scripture Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnes But to him that worketh not but beleueeth in him that iustifieth the vngodlie his faith is counted for righteousnes And againe You are saued by grace through saith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Not by workes lest anie might haue cause to boast c. Therefore because saith doth apprehend Christ our righteousnes aâ—â— doth attribute al to the praise of god in Christ in this respect 〈…〉 is attributed to faith chieflie because of Christ whome it receiueth and not because it is a work of ours For it is the gift of God Now that we doe receiue Christ by faith the Lord sheweth at large Ioa. 6. where he putteth eating for beleeuing and beleeuing for eating For as by eating we receiue meat so by beleeuing we are made partakers of Christ Therefore we doe not parte the benefite of iustification giuing part to the grace of God or to Christ a part to our selues our charitie workes or merit but we doe attribute it whollie to the praise of God in Christ and that through faith Moreouer our charitie and our workes cannot pleaâ—e God if they be done of such as are not iust wherfore we 〈◊〉 first be iust before we can loue or doe anie iust workes We are made iust as we haue said through faith in Christ â— the meere grace of God who doth not impute vnto vs oâ— sinnes but imputeth vnto vs the righteousnes of Christ yeâ— and our faith in Christ he imputeth for righteousnes vnâ—â— vs. Moreouer the Apostle doth plainelie deriue loâ— from faith saying The ende of the commaundement is loue prceeding from a pure heart a good conscience and a faith vnfeineâ— Wherefore in this matter we speake not of a fained vaine or dead faith but of a liuely and quicking faith which for Christ who is life and giueth life whome it apprehendeth both is in deed and is so called a liuelie faith doth prooue it selfe to be liuelie by liuely workes And therefore Iames doth speake nothinge contrarie to this our doctrine for he speaketh of a vaine and dead faith which certaine braggeâ— of but had not Christ liuing within them by faith Aâ—â— Iames also saieth that workes doe iustifie yet is he not contrarie to Saint Paull for then he were to be reiected but he sheweth that Abraham did shew his liuelie and iustifying faith by workes And so doe all the godlie who yet trust 〈◊〉 Christ alone not to their owne works For the Apostle said againe I liue howbeit not I but Christ liueth in me But the 〈◊〉 which now I liue in the flesh I liue through the faith of the sonne of God who loued me gaue himselfe for me I do not despise the gâ—â—â— of God for if righteousnes be by the law then Christ died in vain c. Of Faith and good workes Of their rewarde and of mans merit CHAP. 16. CHristian faith is not an opinion or humane persuasion but a sure trust and an euident and steadfast assent of the minde to be briefe a moste sure comprehensiâ—e of the trueth of God set forth in the scriptures and in the Apostles Creede yea and of God himselfe the chiefe blessednes and especiallie of Gods promise and of Christ who iâ— the consummation of all the promises And this faith is thâ—â—eere gift of God because God alone of his power doeth giue it to his elect according to measure and that when to whome and how much he will and that by his holie spirit through the meanes of preaching the Gospell and of faithfull praier This faith hath also her increases which vnles they were likewise giuen of God the Apostles would neuer haue saide Lord increase our saith Now all these thinges which we haue saide hitherto of faith the Apostles taught them before vs euen as we set them downe for Paul saieth Faith is the grounde or sure subsistence of things hoped for and the euidence or cleare and certeine comprehension of things which are not sâ—â—â—e And againe he saith that all the promises of God in Christ are yea and in Christ are Amen And the same Apostle saith to the Philippians that it was giuen them to beleeue in Christ And also God doeth distribute vnto euerie man a measure of faith And againe All men haue not faith and al doe not obey the Gospel Besides Luke witnesseth and saith As many as were ordeined to life beleeued And therefore he also calleth faith The faith of Gods elect And againe Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of god And in an other place he willeth meÌ„ to praie for faith And the same also calleth Faith Powreful and that sheweth it selfe by loue This faith doth pacifie the conscience and doth open vnto vs a free accesse vnto God that with confidence we maie come vnto him and may obteine at his handes whatsoeuer is profitable and necessarie The same faith doth keepe vs in our dutie which we owe to God and to our neighbour and doth fortifie our patience in aduersitie it doth frame and make a true confession and in a worde it doth bring forth good fruite of all sorts and good workes which are good in deede doe proceede from a liuely faith by the holie Ghost and are done of the faithfull according to the will or
againe In vaine doe they worship me seeing they do only teach the commaundements of men But such works as are taught of men what shew soeuer they haue euen of goodnes are in no case to be so highly esteemed as those which are commaunded of God Yea to saie somewhat more if they be not of faith but contrary to faith they are of no value at all but are an abomination and filthines before the face of God Now all good workes are deuided first generallie into those which pertaine to all true Christians according to the vnitie of faith and catholicke saluation Secondly they are deuided particularly into those which are proper to the order age and place of euery man as the holie Ghost doth seuerallie teach Elders Masters the common sorte Parentes children the maried the vnmaried and euerie one what be their proper bonds and workes Moreouer in this point men are diligentlie taught to know how and wherein good workes doe please God Truelie they please God no otherwise then in the onelie name of our Lord Iesus Christ in whose name they ought to be done to the glorie of god according to the doctrine of Paull the Apostle who speaketh thus Whatsoeuer you doe in wordes and in deedes doe all in the name of our Lord Iesus And the Lorde himselfe saith Without me ye can doe thing that is nothing that maie please God and be for your saluation Now to doe good workes in the name of Christ is to doe them in a liuelie faith in him whereby we are iustified and in loue which is poured forth into our hearts by the holie Ghost in such sorte that God loueth vs and we againe loue him and our neighbour For the holy Ghost doth sanctifie mooue and kindle the hearts of them which are iustified to doe these holie actions as the Lorde saieth He shall be in you And the Apostle The anoynting of God teacheth you These two Faith and loue are the fountaine and square of all vertues and good workes according to the testimony of the Apostle The end of the commandement is loue out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith not feigned And againe Without faith it is not possible to please God Also without loue nothing doth profit a man In the next place they teach why and to what purpose or end such good workes as pertaine to Christian godlines ought to be done to wit not in this respect that men by these workes should obtaine iustification or saluation and remission of sins for Christ saith When you haue done all those thinges which were commaunded you saie we are vnprofitable seruants Also Paull saith Not for the workes of righteousnes which we haue done but through his mercie hath he saued vs wherewith al those words of Dauid agree when he praieth Lord enter not into iudgement with thy seruant because that in thy sight shall no flesh liuing be iustified But Christians are to exercise themselues in good works for these causes following First that by this meane they may prooue and declare their faith by these workes be knowne to be true Christians that is the liuelie members and followers of Christ whereof our Lorde saith Euerie tree is knowen by his owne fruites In deede good workes are assured arguments and signes and testimonies and exercises of a liuelie faith euen of that faith which lieth hidde in the heart and to be shorte of the true fruit thereof and such as is acceptable to God Paull saith Christ liueth in me for in that I now liue in the flesh I liue by faith in the Sonne of God And trulie it can not be otherwise but that as sinne doth bring forth death so faith and iustification which ariseth therout doth bring forth life inwardlie in the spirit and outwardlie in the works of charitie Secondlie we must therefore doe good workes that Christians might confirme and build vp their Election and vocation in themselues and preserue it by taking heed that they fall not in mortall sinnes euen as Saint Peter teacheth among other thinges writing thus Wherefore brethren endeauour rather to make your election and vocation sure or to confirme it And how this maie be done he doth brieflie declare a litle before Therefore giuing all diligence thereunto ioyne vertue with your faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance and with temperance pacience with pacience godlines with godlines brotherlie kindnes and with brotherlie kindnes loue For if these thinges be among you and abound in you they will make you that ye neither shall be idle nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lorde Iesus Christ In which place Saint Peter doth euidently shew that we must endeuour to exercise ourselues in good workse first for this cause lest that the grace of faith a good conscience which we haue be either lost or defiled but that it maie rather be preserued For the holie Ghost doth flie from Idolaters and departeth from prophane men and the euill and vnpure spirit doth returne into an emptie and idle house Also whosoeuer doth either loose or defile a good conscience what commendable thing or what worke can he do that is pretious and acceptable to God how shall he giue himselfe to prayer Secondlie for this cause that we maie profitte and increase more and more in this grace and that we maie gaine vnto the Lorde by occupying those talents which are committed to our trust whereof Saint Paull saith Now we all beholding as in a mirrour the glorie of the Lord with open face are changed into the same Image from glorie to glorie that is we beholde Christ who is the image and glorie of the Father herein we indeauour that we maie be conformed to the likenes of this Image by the holie ghost which doth kindle vs therunto til this Image doth get her perfection by the blessed resurrection Thirdly we must do exercise our selues in good workes as well for the promises of this life as also for the reward of eternall life whereof mention is made verie often and at large in the holie scripture that by faith in Christ wee maie haue a more easie entrance to the attaining of those rewards and to the eternal kingdome of heauen as S. Peter testifieth saying If ye doe these thinges ye shall neuer fall For by this meanes an entring shal be ministred vnto you abundantlie into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ But chiefelie we must doe the workes of mercie whereby we maie benefit our neighbour whereby we prouide and doe for him and whereof he standeth in neede such as these be to giue almes to visite the sicke to haue a care of them or to be at hand to doe them seruice to teach the simple by counsell and labour to helpe others to pardon offences and such like which all haue the promises of the bountifullnes of
we should thinke that then onelie we obteine remission of sins when we had deserued it by our former workes or when our repentance were well worthie of it For in true terrours the conscience findeth no worke which it maie oppose against Gods wrath but Christ is giuen and set forth vnto vs to appease the wrath of God This honour must not be transferred from Christ vnto our owne works therefore Paull saith Yeare saued freelie Againe Therefore by faith freelie that the promise might be sure that is thus shall remission be certaine when we know that it dependeth not vpon the condition of our vnworthines but is giuen vs for Christ his sake This is a sure and necessarie comfort to all godlie mindes that are terrified with the conscience of their sinnes And thus doe the holie fathers teach and there is a notable sentence in Saint Ambrose worthie the remembring in these wordes This God hath appointed that he which beleeueth in Christ should be saued without any work by faith alone receiuing the remission of sinnes Now this worde Faith doth not onelie signifie a knowledge of the historie of Christ but also to beleeue and assent unto this promise that is proper vnto the Gospell wherein remission of sinnes iustification and life euerlasting are promised vnto vs for Christs sake For this promise also doth pertaine to the history of Christ euen as in the Creede vnto the historie is added this article I beleeue the remission of sins And vnto this one the other articles touching the history of Christ are to be referred For the benefitte is the end of the historie therefore did Christ suffer and rise againe that for him remission of sinnes and euerlasting life might be giuen vnto vs. These things are found thus in an other edition ALso they teach that men cannot be iustified before God by their owne power merites or workes but are iustified for Christs sake thorough faith when they beleeue that they are receiued vnto fauour and their sinnes forgiuen thorough Christ who by his death hath satisfied for oâ—â— sinnes This faith doth god impute for righteousnes vnto them before himselfe Rom. 3. 4. For this cause Christ hath appointed the ministerie of teaching the gospel which preacheth repentance remission of sinnes and the preaching of either of these is general and laieth open the sinnes of all men and promiseth remision of them vnto al that beleeue for to the end that remission might not be doubted of but that all distressed mindes might know that they ought to beleeue that remission of sinnes is vndoubtedlie granted vnto them for Christ not for their owne merits or worthines All these doe certainlie obtaine remission of sinnes And when as we doe in this sort comfort our selues by the promise of the gospell and doe raise vp our selues by faith therewithall is the holie spirit giuen vnto vs. For the holie spirit is giuen and is effectual by the worde of god and by the Sacraments When as we do heare or meditate of the gospell or doe receiue the Sacraments and comforte our selues by faith therewithall the spirit of god is effectuall according to that of Saint Paull Gall 3. That the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ might be giuen to them that beleeue And to the Cor. The Gospell is the ministerie of the spirit And to the Rom. Faith commeth by hearing When as then we doe comforte our selues by faith and are freed from the terrours of sinne by the holie spirit our hearts do conceiue the other vertues acknowledge trulie the mercie of god and conceiue the true loue and the true feare of god trust and hope of gods helpe praier such like fruites of the spirit Such therefore as teach nothing concerning this faith whereby we receiue remission of sinnes but will haue mens consciences stand in doubt whether they obteine remission or no and doe adde further that this doubting is no sinne are iustlie condemned And these also doe teach that men maie obteine remission of sinnes for their owne worthines but they doe not teach to beleeue that remission of sinnes is giuen freelie for Christ sake Here also are condemned those phantasticall spirites which dreame that the holie ghost is giuen or is effectuall without the worde of god Which maketh them contemne the ministerie of the gofpel and sacraments and to seeke illumination without the word of god and besides the gospell And by this meanes they draw awaie mens mindes from the worde of god vnto their owne opinions which is a thing verie pernitious and hurtfull Such were in olde time the Manichees and Enthusiasts And such are the Anabaptists now a daies These and such like frensies we doe most constantlie condemne For they abolish the true vse of gods worde and doe falslie imagine that the holie spirit may be receiued without the word and sticking too much to their owne fancies they inuent wicked opinions and are the cause of infinite breaches These things are found thus in another edition FOr the obteining of this faith the ministery of teaching the gospell and ministring of the sacraments was ordeined For by the word and Sacraments as by certaine instruments the holie ghost is giuen who worketh faith where and when it pleaseth god in those that heare the gosspell faith I saie to beleeue that god not for our owne merites but for Christ doth iustifie such as beleeue that they are receiued into fauour for Christs sake They condemne the Anabaptists and others who are of opinion that the holie ghost is giuen vnto men without the outward word thorough their preparations and workes Also they teach that when we are reconciled by faith the righteousnes of good workes which God hath commaunded must follow of necessitie euen as Christ hath also commaunded If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundements But for somuch as the infirmitie of mans nature is so great that no man can satisfie the lawe it is needfull that men should be taught not onelie that they must obey the lawe but also how their obedience pleaseth God lest that their consciences sinck downe into despaire when they see that they doe not satisfie the law This obedience therefore pleaseth god not because it satisfieth the lawe but because the person that performeth it is reconciled by Christ through faith and beleeueth that the reliques of sinne which remaineth in him be pardoned Wherfore we must alwaies holde that we do obtaine remissâ— no of sinnes and that a man is pronounced iust freelie for Christ through faith And afterward that this obedience towardes the law doeth also please god and is accounted a kinde of iustice and deserueth rewards For the conscience cannot oppose it owne cleannes or workes vnto the iudgement of God as the Psal witnesseth Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for no man shall be iustified in thy sight and Iohn saith If we saie that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selueâ— if we confesse
by applying of masses it should be very vncertaine and our faith trust should be transferred from Christ vnto the work of a Priest so is it come to passe as all men see Now faith placed in the work of a man is whollie condemned These arguments with sundry other do witnes for vs that the opinion of the merit and applying of the masse for the quick and the dead was for good causes misliked and reprooued Now if we would stand to consider how farre this error is spread in the Church how the number of masses increased and how through this sacrifice forgiuenes both of the fault and of the punishment is promised to the quick and the dead it wil appeare that the Church is disfigured with shameful blots by this prophanation Ther neuer fell out a waightier cause in the Church O noble Emperour or more worthy for good and learned men to debate of it is the dutie of all the Godlie with most feruent praiers to craue at gods hand that the Church might be deliuered from these foule enormities All Kings and Bishops must with all their might endeuour that this wholl matter maie be rightlie laid forth and the Church purged Sixtlie the institution of a sacrament is contrarie to that abuse For there is not a word set downe of anie oblation for the sinnes of the quick and the dead but a commaundement to receiue the bodie and bloood of Christ and to doe it in the remembrance of the benefit of Christ This remembrance doth signifie not a bare representing of the historie as it were in a shew as they dreame that are the Patrons of merit by reason of the worke wrought but it signifieth by faith to remember the promise benefit to comfort the conscience and to render thankes for so great a blessing For the principall cause of the institution was that our faith might then be stirred vp and exercised when we doe receiue this pledge of Gods grace Besides the institution ordeineth that there should be a communication that is that the ministers of the Church should giue vntoothers the bodie and blood of the Lord. And this order was obserued in the primitiue Church Saint Paull is witnes to the Corinths when as he commaundeth That one should stâ—â— for another that there might be a common partaking of the Sacrament Now that the abuses of the priuate Masse be discouered for as much as they all for the most part were vsed for the application for the sinnes of other men and do not agree with the institution of Christ therefore they are left of 〈◊〉 our Churches And there is one common Masse appointed according to the institution of Christ wherein the Pastors of the Churches do consecrate themselues and giue vnto others the sacrament of the bodie and blood of Christ and this kinde of masse is vsed euerie holie daie and other daies also if anie be desirous to vse the sacrament Yet none are admitted to the communion except they be first tried and examined We adioyne moreouer godlie sermons according as Christ commaunded that there should be sermons when this ceremonie is vsed And in such sermons men are both taught diligentlie in other articles and precepts of the Gospel and also put in minde for what vse the sacrament was instituted to weet not that this ceremonie could merit for them remission of sinnes by the work done but that the sacrament is a testimonie and a pledge whereby Christ witnesseth vnto vs that he performeth his promises And in our sermons as men are taught diligently concerning other articles and precepts of the gospell so are they also put in minde for what vse the sacraments were instituted to weete not that the ceremonie should merit remission of sinnes by the bare work wrought but that the sacrament should be a testimonie and a pledge wherby Christ doth testifie that he performeth his promise and that his promises pertaine vnto vs that Christ giueth vs his bodie to testifie that he is effectuall in vs as in his members and his blood for a witnes vnto vs that we are washed with his blood The sacrament therefore doth profit them that do repent and seeke comfort therein and being confirmed by that testimonie do beleue that remission of sinnes is giuen them indeede and are thankfull vnto Christ for so great a benefit And so the application of the benefit of Christ is not by an other mans work but by euery mans own faith and his owne vse of the sacrament For when we in in our owne persons vse the Sacrament Christes institution of it doth belong vnto vs. This kinde of vse of the sacrament is holie and to be taught in the Churches which doth giue light vnto the doctrine of faith and of the spirituall exercises and true worship and bringeth vnto the consciences of the godlie verie great comfort and strength of faith Before these daies the Church hath beene farre otherwise taught touching the vse of the sacrament there was no word of anie thing but that this work was to be done But no man spake anie thing of faith or the comfort of consciences And mens consciences were racked with ouer great care paines of confessing themselues This they tooke to be the puritie which the gospell requireth whereas the gospell doth require true feare true faith and trust comforteth vs by the vse of this sacrament that they which do truelie repent maie assuredlie beleeue that God is become merciful vnto them by Christ though that our nature be fraile and vncleane and though that this our imperfect obedience be farre from the perfection of the law By all this that hath bene said it is cleare that the masse that is in vse amongst vs doth a gree with the institution of Christ and the manner of the primitiue Church And besides it doth notably lay open the true vse of the sacrament Such a common work was there in the Church of old time as Chrysostome doth witnes who saith that the Priest did stand at the aultar cal some vnto the communion put back others And by the decrees of the Nicen Synode it is euident that some one did celebrate the Liâ—urgie as the Grecians cal it and did minister the bodie and blood of the Lord to allthe rest For these are the words of the decree Let the Deacons in their order after the Priestes receiue the holy communion of a Bishop or of a Priest Here he doth expresselie say that the Priestes did receiue the sacrament of some one that ministred it And before Gregories time there is no mention of anie priuate Masse But as oft as the olde writers speake of a Masse it is euideÌ„t that they speak of a Masse that was common Seeing therefore that the rite and manner of the masse vsed with vs hath authority out of scripture example from the olde Church and that we haue onelie reiected certaine intollerable abuses we hope that the vse of our Churches
alreadie c. Vpon the Confession of Auspurge THe Gospell bewraieth our sinne These wordes â—eeme thus to be vnderstood that the Gospell should bewray all kinde of sinne yet not properly by it selfe For the proper difference between the law and the Gospell is to be held fast to wit that the Gospel doth properly reprooue the sinne of infidellity and by an accident all other sinnes also but the law doth properlie reprooue all sinnes whatsoeuer are committed against it Vpon the same And deserueth reward Touching the word of meriting or deseruing which this Confession vseth oft in this Section Looke before in the 8. Sect. the 7. obseruat vpon this same Confession and looke the 1. obseruat vpon the Confess of Wirtemb in this Section And againe after in the 16. Sect. the first obseruat on this Confess Vpon the same Liuing in mortall sinne Looke before in the 4. Sect. the 2. obseruat vpon the Confess of Saxony Nor the righteousnes of workes Looke before in the 4. Sect. the 1. obser vpon the Confession of Saxonie Vpon the same And like as the preaching of repentance is general so the promise of grace General that is offered to all sorts of men indefinitely as wel to one as to another without difference of country sexe place time or age But we can not conceiue how repentance and the promise of grace can be said to be preached vniuersallie to euerie nation much lesse to all men particularlie for as much as experience doth plainly prooue that to be vntrue Vpon the same Here needeth no disputation of predestination Euen as we doe abhorre curious disputations that is such as passe the boundes of Gods worde touching predestination of which sort we take these words to be meant as most dangerous matters for grieuous falls so we affirme that whatsoeuer the holy ghost doth teach touching this point in the holy Scriptures is warilie and wiselie to be propounded and beleeued in the Church as well as other parts of Christian Religion which thing the Doctors of the Church both olde and new did and among the rest Master Luther himselfe in his booke de seruo arbitrio and els where Vpon the same That they be necessarie We take them to be necessarie because they doe necessarilie follow the true faith whereby we are iustified not that they concurre vnto the working of our iustification in Christ as either principall or secundarie causes for that faith it selfe as it is an inherent qualitie doth not iustifie but onely in as much as it doth apprehend and laie hold on Christ our righteousnes Vpon the same Albeit that men by their owne strength be able to doe outward honest deedes c. Looke in the 4. Sect. the 3. obseruat vpon this Confess Vpon the same Moreouer nature by it selfe is weake Without Christ without regeneration the nature of man can doe nothing but sinne For God by his grace doth create the hability of thinking willing and doing well not helping the old man in that he wanteth but by little little abolishing it According to that saying When we were dead in sinnes c. Ephes 2. But touching the weaknes of our nature looke that which was said in the 1. obseruation vpon the Confession of Bohemia Section 4. Vpon the Confession of Saxonie BEcause that God left this libertie in man after his fall Here also looke in the 4. Sect. the 1. obseru vpon the Confession of Bohemia and the 3. vpon the Confession of Auspurge Vpon the same Therefore although men by the natural strength Looke here againe the 1. obseruation vpon the Confession of Bohemia in the 4. Sect. also the 9. obser vpon the Confess of Auspurge in this same Sect. Vpon the Confession of Wirtemberge WE teach that good workes are necessarilie to be done and doe deserue c. That is obteine and that as it is â—ell added by and by after by the free mercie and goodnes of God Touching which point looke the 7. obser vpon the Confession of Auspurge in the 8. Section the 2. obser vpon the same Confess in this Sect. Also touching the necessitie of good workes looke the 7. obser vpon the same Confess in this selfe same Sect. IN THE 10. SECTION Vpon the latter Confession of Heluetia ANd no maruell if it erre How and in what respect the visible Church considered vniuersallie is said to erre it is afterward declared more fullie in this same Confession Vpon the Confession of Bohemia THe Heathenish life This saying the breethren in Bohemia did themselues expound thus vnto vs in their letters to wit that they speake here of the notes of the visible Church which are all ioyntlie to be considered that looke where both the errors of Idolaters and heretikes and impietie of life do openlie ouerflow there it can not safelie be affirmed that the visible Church of Christ is to be seene or is at all And yet notwithstanding there is no doubt to be made but some secret true members of Christ and such as it may be are onelie knowne to God be there hid therfore that there is a Church euen in Poperie as it were ouerwhelmed and drowned whence God will fetch out his elect and gather them to the visible Churches that are restored and reformed whereas Popery neuer was nor is the true Church Vpon the same But he that looseth In what sense we thinke that a true faith maie be loste we haue declared before in the fourth Sect. in the first obseruation of the Confession of Saxony and els where Vpon the same By Ecclesiastical punishment which is commonly called c. We take this to be so meant as that notwithstanding euerie Church hath hir liberty left vnto hir what way to exercise such discipline as is before said in the 1. obser vpon this same confess in the 8. Sect. As for this particular cursing to wit of this or that man if the word be taken for a 〈…〉 vnrepealable casting out from the Church of God 〈…〉 it to God alone and therefore we would not 〈…〉 in our Churches For the Church vseth onelie 〈…〉 as determineth nothing finallie following S. 〈…〉 22. Vpon the same 〈…〉 that is reprooue him admonish him 〈…〉 Vpon the Confession of Saxonie The sentence of excommunication c. Looke before in the 3. obser vpon the confess of Bohemia in this same section Vpon the Confession of Wirtemberge HAth authoritie to beare witnes of the holie scripture This authoritie and right you must vnderstand in this respect that the true Church of God discerning the Canonical bookes of the scripture from al others teacheth defendeth that nothing is to be added to or taken from the canon of the olde Hebrew or the new Scripture of the Christians Vpon the same Authoritie to iudge al doctrines and to interpret scripture To this we yeald with these cautions First that in
AN HARMONY OF THE CONFESSIONS OF THE FAITH OF THE CHRISTIAN AND REFORMED CHVRCHES which purelie professe the holy doctrine of the Gospell in all the chiefe Kingdomes Nations and Prouinces of Europe the Catologue and order whereof the Pages following will declare There are added in the ende verie shorte notes in which both the obscure thinges are made plaine those thinges which maie in shew seeme to be contrarie each to other are plainelie and verie modestlie reconciled and if anie points doe as yet hang in doubt they are sincerelie pointed at All which things in the name of the Churches of Fraunce and Belgia are submitted to the free and discrete iudgement of all other Churches Newlie translated out of Latine into English Also in the end is added the Confession of the Church of Scotland Alowed by publique authoritie Imprinted by THOMAS THOMAS Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1586. A PREFACE IN THE NAME OF THE CHVRCHES OF FRAVNCE AND BELGIA VVHICH PROfesse the reformation of the Gospell â‚ AMbrose in a certaine place saith notablie There ought to be no strife but conference among the seruants of Christ. For seeing the dulnes of mans vnderstanding especiallie in heauenlie matters is such that we can not oft times perceiue matters otherwise verie plaine it can by no meanes be denied but that by mutuall conference and friendly and brotherly debating of the matter we come to verie great light And that especiallie seemeth profitable and needful that some should be set on edge by others that those thinges which the Lord hath particularlie bestowed vpon seuerall members of the Church may redound to the common benefit of the wholl bodie and that all sinister affection set a part Christ who is the Fathers wisdome and the onely Master and teacher of the Church may be heard and as he is the Prince of peace may so by his spirit ioyne together our mindes that if it be possible we maie all thinkâ— one and the same thing in the Lorde But to striue braule and fiercelie and frowardlie to contend as fensers doe is so farre from becomming men that are taught of god as that it is not seemely for modest or ciuill persons And if so be that in all yea euen in the verie least affaires of mans life that rule of modestie is to be kept what I pray you is to be done when we are in hand with God and Gods matters Surelie holie things are holily and deuoutly to be handled in the feare of god loue of our neighbour Who if he goe out of the way is by the Spirit of meâ—kenes to be called backe againe but if he take the right waie he is more and more to be instructed therein to the end it may appeare that we are not driuen by any motion of man but that in all things our mindes are ruled and gouerned by God Yet alas such is the spot and staine of our times that the euill custome of writing whatsoeuer and euen of railing hath seised vpon the wits mindes not of meane men onely but euen of those whom iâ— most of all behooued to doe the cleane contrary The roble of Iesuites and such other like fellows whose verie rewarde is the earnest of bondage and cursed speaking how shameleslie and outragiouslie they are caried against vs and the trueth woh what bitternes they cast out against vs such things as they haue bin taught in the schoole of shamelesnes it maâ—e be sufficientlie perceiued of any man For thâ—y when they feele them selues pressed with moste strong reasons and ouercome with expresse places of scripture they runne to cauills and slaunders as to the onelie refuge of their errours They say wee haue reuolted from the Catholique Church that we might follow the diuers imaginations of men they crâ—e aloud that we are heretikes schisâ—atiques and sectaries and they oft times in mockage cal vs Confessionists and moreouer they laâ—e in our dish that wee neither agree with our selues nor with others whoe detest the bishoppe of Rome but there are as many Religions among vs as there are Confessions of Faith And that they may seeme to procure credit to themselues and to giue a check to the Germane Churches especiallie they bring forth both certeine other writings and especiallie that Forme of Agreement of late published in Germanie in which there are certaine things to be seene farre differing from those auncient Confessions of Faith which the Churches of the Gospell haue euen since the beginning giuen out But let them so thinke that the fault of heresie is not to be laide vpon those whose faith altogether relieth on moste sure grounds of scripture that they are no schismatiques who intierly cleaue to Gods Church such an one as the Prophets Apostles doe describe vnto vs nor to be accounted sectaries who embrace the truth of God which is one and alwaies like it selfe What doe they mean I praie you by the name of Confessionists so often repeated For if euerie man be commaunded to make confession of his Faith so often as Gods glorie and the edifying of the Church shall require what a wonderfull or strange thing ought it to seeme if Cities if Prouinces if wholl kingdomes haue made profession of their faith when they were falsely charged by the Popish sorte that they had gone from the doctrine of the true beleeuing Church but they will saie there ought to be one confession of faith and no moe as though forsooth a confession of faith were to be valued rather by the words then by the thing it selfe What therefore will they saie to our ancetours who when they had the Apostles Creede yet for all that set out the Nicene Chalcedonian and manie moe such like Creedes Those Creedes saie you were generall Yea surelie but so generall that a great part of the world in those elder times followed the frantique heresies of the Arrians whom the godlie forefathers by setting forth those Creedes desired to bring home into the Church againe The trueth saith Hilarie was by the aduise and opinions of Bishops many waies sought a reason of that which was meant was rendered by seuerall confessions of faith set downe in writing And a litle after It ought to seeme no maruell right welbeloued breethren that mens faiths began to be declared so thick the outrage of heretiques laieth this necessitie vpon vs. Thus much saide Hilarie What that Athanasius Augustine and many other auncients set forth their Creedes also that the puritie of Christian faith might more and more shine sorth Therefore if Kingdoms Cities and whole prouinces haue priuatelie made confession of their faith this was the cause therof for that hitherto the state of times hath not suffered that a generall Councell of all those who professe the reformed religion might be holden But if it once come to passe and the Lord graunt that the Churches maie at length inioy so great a benefit then there may be one onelie confession of faith extant
erronious doctrine and that with all humilitie wee imbrace the puritie of Christes Gospell which is the onelie foode of our soules and therefore so precious vnto vs that we are determined to suffer the extremitie of worldlie daunger rather then that we will suffer our selues to be defrauded of the same for hereof we are moste certainlie perswaded that whosoeuer denieth Christ Iesus or is ashamed of him in the presence of men shall be denied before the Father and before his holie angels And therefore by the assistance of the almightie the same our Lorde Iesus we firmelie purpose to abide to the ende in the confession of this our faith as by articles followeth Of God WE confesse and acknowledge one onelie God to whome onelie we must cleaue whome onelie we must serue whome onelie we must worshippe and in whom onelie we must put our trust who is eternall infinite vnmeasurable incomprehensible omnipotent inuisible one in substance and yet distinct in three persons the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost By whome we confesse and bâ—lâ—eue all things in heauen and earth as well visible as inuisible to haue beene created to be retained in their being and to be ruled and guided by his inscrutable prouidence to such ende as his eternall wisdome goodnes and iustice hath appointed them to the manifestation of his glorie Of the creation of man WE confesse and knowledge this our God to haue created man to wit our first father Adam to his owne image and similitude to whome he gaue wisedome Lordship iustice free will and cleare knowledge of himselfe so that in the wholl nature of man there could be noted no imperfection From which honour and perfection man and woman did both fall the woman being deceiued by the serpent and man obeying the voice of the woman both conspiring against the Soueraigne Maiestie of God who in expresse wordes had before threatned death if they presumed to eate of the forbidden tree Of Originall sinne BY which transgression commonlie called Originall sinne was the Image of God vtterlie defaced in man and he and his posterity of nature became enimies to God slaues to Satan and seruants to sinne Insomuch that death euerlasting hath had and shall haue power and dominion ouer all that haue not beene are not or shall not be regenerate from aboue which regeneration is wrought by the power of the holie Ghost working in the hearts of the elect of God an assured faith in the promise of God reuealed to vs in his word by which faith we apprehend Christ Iesus with the graces and benefits promised in him Of the reuelation of the promise FOr this we constantlie beleeue that God after the fearefull and horrible defection of man from his obedience did seeke Adam againe call vpon him rebuke his sinne conuict him of the same and in the ende made vnto him a moste ioyfull promise to wit that the seede of the woman should breake downe the serpents head that is he should destroie the workes of the Deuill which promise as it was repeated and made more cleare from time to time so was it imbraced with ioy and moste constantlie receiued of all those faithfull from Adam to Noe from Noe to Abraham from Abraham to Dauid and so forth to the incarnation of Christ Iesus all wee meane the faithfull Fathers vnder the lawe did see the ioyfull daies of Christ Iesus and did reioyce The continuance increase and preseruation of the Church WE moste constantlie beleeue that God preserued instructed multiplied honoured decored and from death called to life his Church in all ages from Adam til the comming of Christ in the flesh For Abraham he called from his Fathers countrie him he instructed his seed he multiplied the same he maruelouslie preserued and more maruelouslie deliuered from the bondage and tyrannie of Pharao to them he gaue his lawes constitutions and ceremonies them he possessed in the land of Chanaan to them after Iudges and after Saul he gaue Dauid to be King to whome he made promise that of the fruite of his loynes should one sit for euer vpon his regall seate To this same people from time to time he sent Prophets to reduce them to the right waie of their God from the which oftentimes they declined by Idolatrie And albeit that for the stubborne contempt of iustice he was compelled to giue them into the handes of their enemies as before was threatned by the mouth of Moses in so much that the holie Citie was destroyed the temple burnt with fire and the wholl lande left desolate the space of 70. yeres yet of mercie did he reduce them againe to Ierusalem where the Citie and Temple were reedified and they against all temptations and assaultes of Satan did abide till the Messias came according to the promise Of the incarnation of Christ Iesus WHen the fulnes of time came God sent his sonne his eternall wisdome the substance of his owne glorie into this worlde who tooke the nature of manhood of the substance of a woman to wit of a Virgin and that by operation of the holie Ghost And so was borne the iust seed of Dauid the angel of the great counsell of god the verie Messias promised whom we acknowledge and confesse Emmanuel verie God and verie man two perfect natures vnited and ioyned in one person By which our confession we condemne that damnable and pestilent heresies of Arrius Marcion Eutiches Nestorius and such others as either did denie the eternitie of his Godhead either the veritie of his humane nature either confound them either yet deuide them Why it behooueth the Mediatour to be very God and verie man WE acknowledge and confesse that this moste wondrous coniunction betwixt the Godhead and the manhood in Christ Iesus did proceede from the eternal and immutable decree of God whence also our saluation springeth and dependeth Election FOr that same eternall God and father who of meere grace elected vs in Christ Iesus his sonne before the foundation of the worlde was laid appointed him to be our head our brother our Pastour great Bishop of our soules But because that the enimitie betwixt the iustice of God our sinnes was such that no flesh by it selfe could or might haue atteined vnto God it behoued that the sonne of God should descend vnto vs and take him selfe a bodie of our bodie flesh of our flesh and bone of our bones and so become the perfect Mediatour betwixt God and man giuing power to so manie as beleeue in him to be the sonnes of God as himselfe doth witnes I passe vp to my Father and vnto your God By which moste holie fraternitie whatsoeuer we haue lost in Adam is restored to vs againe And for this cause are we not afraide to call God our father not so much because he hath created vs which we haue common with the reprobate as for that that he hath giuen to vs his
they cease to be right sacraments of Christ Iesus And therefore it is that we flâ—â— the societie with the papisticall Church in participation of their sacraments first because their ministers are no ministers of Christ Iesus yea this is more horrible they suffer women whome the holie Ghost will not suffer to teach in the congregation â—o baptize and secondlie because they haue so adulterated both the one sacrament and the other with their owne inuentions that no parte of Christes action abideth in the originall puritie For oile salte spattle and such like in baptisme are but mens inuentions adoration veneration bearing through streetes and townes keeping of bread in boxes or boists are prophanation of Christes sacraments and no vse of the same For Christ Iesus saide Take eate c. Doe you this in rememberance of me By which words and charge he sanctitied bread and wine to be the Sacrament of his holy body and bloode to the end that the one should be eaten and that all should drinke of the other and not that they should be kept to be worshipped and honoured as God as the Papists haue done heretofore who also haue committed sacriledge stealing from the people the one part of the sacrament to wit the blessed cup. Moreouer that the sacraments be rightlie vsed it is required that the end cause for which sacraments were instituted be vnderstanded and obserued as well of the Minister as by the receiuers For if the opinion be changed in the receiuer the right vse ceaseth which is most euident by the reiection of the sacrifices as also if the teacher plainlie teach false doctrine which were odious and abhominable before God albeit they were his own ordinance because the wicked men vse them to another end then God hath ordained The same we affirme of the Sacraments in the Papistical Church in which we affirme the wholl action of the Lord Iesus to be adultered as well in the externall forme as in the end and opinion What Christ Iesus did and commaunded to be done is euident by the Euangelists and by Saint Paul what the Priest doth at his â—ulâ—â—r we neede not to rehearse The end and cause of Christes institution and why the selfe same should be vsed is expressed in these wordes Doe ye this in rememberance 〈◊〉 me As ofâ—e as you shall eate this breade and drinke of this â—uppe you shall shew foorth that is extoll preach magnifie and praise the Lordes death till he come But to what ende and in what opinion the Priestes saie their masse let the wordes of the same their owne Doctours and writings 〈◊〉 wit that they as mediatours betwixt Christ and his Church do offer vnto God the father a sacrifice propitiatory for the sinnes of the quick and the dead which doctrine as blasphemous to Christ Iesus and making derogation to the 〈◊〉 of his onelie sacrifice once offered for purgation of all those that shall be sanctified we vtterlie abhorre detest and renounce To whome sacraments appertaine WE confesse and acknowledge that baptisme apperteineth as wel to the infants of the faithfull as vnto them that be of age and discretion And so we damne the error of the Anabaptistes who denie baptisme to apperteine to children before they haue faith and vnderstanding But the supper of the Lord we confesse to appertein to such onelie as be of the housholde of saith and can trie examine themselues as well in their faith as in their dutie towardes their neighbours Such as eat and drink at that holie table without faith or being at dissention with their breethren do eat vnworthelie and therefore it is that in our Church our ministers take publike and particular examination of the knowledge and conuersation of such as are to be admitted to the table of the Lord Iesus Of the ciuill maigistrates WE confesse and acknowledge Empires kingdomes dominions and cities to be distincted and ordained by God the powers and authoritie in the same be â—t of Emperours in their empires of Kinges in their realmes Dukes and Princes in their dominions and of other magistrates in their cities to be Gods holy ordinance ordained for manifestation ofhis owne glorie and for the singular profitte and commoditie of mankinde so that whosoeuer goeth about to take away or to confound the whol state of ciuill pollicies now long established we affirme the same men not onelie to be enimies to mankinde but also wickedlie to fight against Gods expressed wil. We farther confesse acknowledge that such persons as are placed in authoritie are to be beloued honored feared and holden iâ— moste reuerent estimation because they are the lieueteâ—anâ—es of God in whose seates God himselfe doth sit and â—â—â—ge yea euen the iudges and Princes themselues to whome by God is giuen the sworde to the praise and defence of good men and to reuenge and punish all malefactours Moreouer to Kinges Princes Rulers and Magistrates we affi me that chiefelie and moste principallie the conseruation and purgation of the Religion appertaineth so that not onelie they are appointed for ciuill pollicie but also for manteinance of the true Religion and for suppressing of idolatrie and superstition whatsoeuer As in Dauid Iosaphat Ezcehias Iosias and others highlie commended for their zeale in that case maie be espied And therefore we confesse and auow that such as resist the supreame power doing that thing which appertaineth to his charge do resist gods ordinance and therefore cannot be guiltles And farther we affirme that whosoeuer denie vnto them their aide counsell and comforte whilest the Princes and rulers vigilantlie trauell in execution of their office that the same men denie their helpe support and counsell to God who by the presence of his lieftenant doth craue it of them The giftes freelie giuen to the Church ALbeit that the word of God truelie preached and the Sacraments rightlie ministered and discipline executed according to the word of God be the certaine and infallible signes of the true Church yet we meane not that euery particuler person ioyned with such company is an elect member of Christ Iesus For we acknowledge and confesse that darnell cockell and chaffe maie be sowen grow and in great aboundance lie in the middest of the wheat that is the reprobate maie be ioyned in the societie of the elect and maie externallie vse with them the benefites of the word and sacramentes But such being but temporall professors in mouth and not in heart doe fall backe and continue not to the end And therefore they haue no fruit of Christs death resurrection nor ascension but such as with heart vnfainedlie beleeue and with mouth boldlie confesse the Lord Iesus as before we haue said shall moste assuredlie receiue these giftes First in this life the remission of sinnes and that by onelie faith in Christes blood In so much that albeit sinne remaine and continuallie abide in these our mortall bodies yet it is not imputed vnto vs but is remitted and couered with Christes
so glorious and receiued how many soeuer of them doe withdrawe or hinder vs as of thinges vnprofitable and hurtfull so we answere with that saying of the Lord They worship me in vaine teaching the doctrine of men The drift of the Canonicall scripture is this that God wisheth well to mankinde and by Christ the Lord his sonne hath declared this good will which is receiued by faith alone and faith must be effectuall through loue that it may be shewed forth by an innocent life OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BASILL Of things commaunded and not commaunded Art 10. WE confesse that as no man can commaund those things which Christ hath not commaunded so likewise no man can forbid those things which he hath not forbidden And in the margent For it is written heare him Also section the 3. in the same place And much lesse can any man license those things which God hath forbidden c. And in the marg God said I am Iehoua your god Leuit. 18. by Moses Deut. 10. for Iehoua your god is God of Gods a great god terrible Who therefore among his creatures can graâ—â— those things which he hath forbidden In like sorte Section 4. And againe no man can forbid those things which God hath graunted c. The other things which are conteined in this article because they belong to other sections they are inserted euerie one in their places OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BOHEMIA Oâ— THE WALDENSES Of the holie scriptures CHAP. I. FIrst of all the ministers of our Churches teach with one consent concerning the holy scripture of the neâ— and olde Testament which is commonlie called the Bible and is lawfullie receiued and allowed of the fathers which are of best and soundest iudgement that it is true certaine and worthie to be beleeued whereunto no other humane writings whatsoeuer or of what sort soeuer they be may be compared but that as mans writings they must giue place to the holie scripture First because it is inspired anâ— taught of the holie Ghost and vttered by the mouth of holie men written by them and confirmed by heauenlie and diuine restimonies which spirit also himselfe openeth discloseth the meaning how it ought to be vnderstood and the trueth of this scripture in the Church in what manner seemeth him best especiallie by raising vp and giuing faithful ministers who are his chosen instruments Of which spirâ— Dauid speaketh when he saieth The spirit of the Lord spake by me and his word was in my tongue and Peter For prophecie 〈◊〉 not molde time by the will of man but holie men of God spakes they were mooued by the holie Ghost and Paull The wholl scripture giuen by inspiration of God is profitable c. besides the Lord himselfe saith Search the scriptures And againe Ye are deceiued not knowing the scriptures neither doe ye vnderstand the power of God And He opened the mindes of his Disciples that they might vnderstand the scriptures Secondlie because it is a true and sure testimonie and a cleare proofe of Gods fauourable good will which he hath reueiled concerning himselfe without which reuelation of scripture there is no wholesome knowledge nor faith nor accesse to God For in this such thinges as are necessarie to doctrine to discipline gouernement of the holie Church for all and singular persons in the ordinarie ministerie of saluation whence also springeth true faith in this I say are all such things fullie absolutelie and so farre forth as 〈◊〉 requisite as in a moste excellent and moste exquisite worke of the holie Ghost comprehended and included then which no Angell from heauen can bring any thing more certaine and if he should bring any other thing he ought not to be beleeued And this perswasion and beliefe concerning holie scripture namely that it is taught and inspired of God is the beginning and ground of our Christian profession which taketh beginning from the worde outwardlie preached as from an ordinarie meane ordeâ—â—ed of god for this purpose Wherefore euerie one ought verie highly to esâ—eâ—â—e of the diuine writings of the holie Prophets and Apostles resolutelie to beleeue them and religiouslie to yeaâ—d vnto them in all things diligentlie to reade them to gather wholsome doctrine our of them and according to them ought euerie man to frame and order himselfe but especiallie they who after an holie manner are set ouer the Church of God For which causes in our Churches and meetings this holy scripture is rehearsed to the hearers in the common and mother tongue which all vnderstand and especiallie according to the auncient custome of the Church those portions of the Gospells in scripture which are wont to be read on solemne holie daies out of the Euangelistes and Apostles writings are vsually called Gospells Epistles out of which profitable and whollsome doctrines and exhortations and sermons are made to the people as at all times occasion and neede requiteth We likewise teach that the writings of holie Doctors especiallie of those that are auncient are also to be esteemed for true and profitable wherof there may be some vse to instruct the people yet onelie in those thinges wheerin they agree with the holie scripture or are not contrarie thereunto and so farre forth as they giue testimonie to the excellencie thereof to the information and example of the Apostolike Church and swarue not from the consent iudgement and decrees of the auncient Church wherein shee hath continued vnspotted in the trueth after what sort they themselues also haue charged men to iudge and thinke of their writings and haue giuen warning that heede should be taken lest that they beeing but men too much should be ascribed to them Of which thing S. Augustine speaketh in this manner Be not thou a seruant to my writings as it were to the Canonical scriptures but in the Canonical scriptures such things as thou didâ—t not beleue when thou hast there found them immediately beleue But in my writings that which thou knowest not for a certaine trueth vnlesse thou perceiue it to be certaine hold it not resolutelie And else where he saith Giue not as great credit to mine or Ambrose his words as to the Canonicall scriptures This is the right rule to discerne writings by which so greatlie liked the Papists that they haue cited it in their decretal distinct 9. Chap. Noli meis verbis c. OVT OF THE FRENCH CONFESSION THis one god hath reuealed himselfe to be such a one vnto men first in the creation preseruation gouerning of his works secondly faâ—re more plainely in his word which word in the beginning he reuealed to the fathers by certaine visions and oracles and then caused it to be written in these bookes which we cal Holie scripture All this holie scripture is conteined in the Canonicall bookes of the olde and new Testament The Catalogue whereof is this The fiue bookes of Moses namelie Genesis Exodus Leuiticus Numbers
praying We also reiect all other meanes whatsoeuer men haue deuised to exempt them selues from the wrath of God So much as iâ— giuen vnto them so much is derogated from the sacrifice â— death of Christ OVT OF THE ENGLISH CONFESSION WE beleeue that there is one certaine nature and diuine power which we call God and that the same is diuided into three equall persons into the father into the sonne and into the holie ghost and that they all be of one power of one maiestie of one eternitie of one Godhead and one substance And although these three persons be so deuided that neither the Father is the sonne nor the sonne is the holie ghost or the father yet neuerthelesse we beleeue that there is but one verie God And that the same one god hath created heauen and earth and all things conteined vnder heauen We beleeue that Iesus Christ the onelie sonne of the eternall father c. The rest of this article you shall finde in the 6. section whereunto those thinges doe properlie pertaine which art conteined in this second article of the Person and office of Christ We beleeue that the holie Ghost who is the third person in the Trinitie is verie God not made not created not begotten but proceeding both from the Father the Sonne by a certaine mean vnknowen vnto man and vnspeakeable and that it is his verie propertie to mollifie and soften the hardnes of mans heart when he is once receiued into the hearts of men either by the holesome preaching of the Gospel or by any other waie that he doth giue other men light and guide them vnto the knowledge of God to all way of truth to newnes of life and to euerlasting hope of saluation Neither haue we anie other Mediatour and Intercessor by whome we may haue accesse to God the father then Iesus Christ in whose onlie name al things are obâ—eined at his fathers hande But it is a shameful part ful of infidâ—lâ—tie that we see euery where vsed in the Churches of our aduersaries not onelie in that they will haue innumerable sortes of Mediatours that vtterlie without the authoritie of Gods word so that as Ieremie saith the Sainctes be now as manie in number or rather aboue the number of the Cities And poore men cannot tell to which saint it were best to turne them first and though there be so manie as they cannot be tolde yet euerie of them hath his peculiare dutie and office assigned vnto him by these folkes what to giue and what to bring to passe But besides this also in that they doe not onelie wickedlie but also shamefullie call vpon the Blessed Virgine Christes Mother to haue her remember that shee is the Mother And to Commaund her Sonne and to vse a Mothers authoritie ouer him OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BELGIA WE beleeue in heart and confesse with the mouth that there is one onely and simple spiritual essence which we call God eternall incomprehensible inuisible immutable infinite who is whollie wise and a most â—lâ—ntifull wellspring of all good thinges We know God by two meanes first by the creation and preseruation and gouernment of the wholl world For it is vnto our eies as a mostâ— excellent booke wherein all creatures from the least to the greatest as it were certaine charecters and letters are written By which the inuisible thinges of God may be seene and knowâ—n vnto vs Namelie his euerlasting power and Godhead as Paull the Apostle speaketh Rom. Chaper 1. 20. which knowledge sufficeth to conuince all men and make them without excuse But much more clearlie and plainlie he afterward reuealed him-selfe vnto 〈◊〉 in his holie and heauenlie word so farre forth as it is expedient for his owne glorie and the saluation of his in this life According to this truth and word of god we beleeue in one only god who is one essence truelie distinguished into three persons from euerlasting by meane of the incommunicable properties to wit in the father in the sonne and in the holâ—e ghost For the father is the cause fountaine and beginning of all things visible and inuisible the sonne is the word wisedome and Image of the father the holie ghost is the might and power which proceedeth from the father and the sonne Yet so that this distinction doth not make god as it were deuided into three parts seeing the scripture teacheth that the father the sonne the holie ghost haue a distinct person or subsisting in their properties yet so that these three persons be one onelie god Therefore it is certaine that neither the father is the sonne nor the sonne the father nor the holie ghost either the father or the sonne Neuerthelesse these persons thus distinguished are neither deuided nor confounded nor mingled For neither the father nor the holie ghost haue taken vnto them mans nature but the sonne alone The father was neuer without his soone nor without his holie Ghost because euerie one in one and the same essence is of the same eternitie For none of these is either first or last because al three are one both in trueth and power and also in goodnes and mercie And all these thinges we know as well by the testimonies of holie scripture as by the effects and chiefelie those which we feele in our owne selues and the testimonies of holie scripture which teach vs to beleeue this holy Trinitie are veâ—ie common in the olde testament which are not so much to be reckoned vp as with sound iudgement to be selected such as are these in the first of Genesis God saith Let vs make man according to our Image and likenes c. and straight after Therefore God made man according to his owne Image and likenes male I saie and female created he them Againe Beholde the man is become as one of 〈◊〉 For by that which is said Let vs make man after our owne likenes it appeareth that there are more persons in the godhead But when it is saide God created c. the vnitie of the godhead is signified For although it be not here expresselie set downe how many persons there are yet that which was obscurely deliuered in the old Testament in the new is made clearer vnto vs then the none daie For when our Lord Iesus Christ was baptized in Iordane the voice of the father was heard saying This is my beloued Sonne and the sonne himselfe was seene in the waters and the holie ghost appeared in the likenes of a doue Therefore are we also commaunded in the common baptisme of al the faithful to vse this forme Baptize ye all nations in the name of the father and the sonne and the holie Ghost So also in Luke the Angell Gabriell speaketh to Marie the mother of our Lord. The holie Ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of the highest shall ouershadow thee therefore that holie thing which shall be borne of thee shall be called the
the forbidden fruite and punished his transgression and also that the things done are not euill in respect of the prouidence will and power of God but in respect of Sathan and our will resisting the will of God Of free will and so of mans power and abilitie CHAP. 9. WE teach in this matter which at all times hath bin the cause of many conflicts in the Curch that there is a triple condition or estate of man to be considered First what man was before his fall to wit vpright and free who might both continue in goodnes and decline to euil but he declined to euil hath wrapped both himselfe al mankind in sinne and death as hath bin shewed before Secondlie we are to consider what man was after his fall His vnderstanding indeed was not taken from him neither was he depriued of will and altogether chaunged into a stone or stocke Neuettheles these thinges are so altered in man that they are not able to doe that now which they could doe before his fall For his vnderstanding is darkned and his will which before was free is now become a seruile wil for it serueth sinne not nilling but willing for it is called a wil and not a nilling Therfore as touching euil or sin man doth euil not compelled either by god or the deuil but of his owne accord and in this respect he hath a moste free wilâ— but whereas we see that often times the moste euill deedes and counsells of man are hindered by god that they cannot attaine to their end this doth not take from man libertie in euill but God by his power doth preuent that which man otherwise purposed freelie as Iosephes brethren did freelie purpose to sleie Iosephe but they were not able to doe it because it seemed otherwise good to God in his secret counsell But as touching goodnes and vertues mans vnderstanding doth not of it selfe iudge aright of heauenlie thinges For the Euangelicall and Apostolike scripture requireth regeneration of euerie one of vs that wâ— be saued Wherefore our first birth by Adame doth nothing profit vs to saluation Paull saith The naturall man perceiueth not the thinges which are of the spirit c. The same Paull else were denieth That we are fit of our selues to thinke anie good Now it is euident that the minde or vnderstanding is the guide of the will and seeing the guide is blinde it is easie to be seene how farre the will can reach Therefore man not as yet regenerate hath no free will to good no strength to performe that which is good The Lord saieth in the Gospell Verilie verilie I say vnto you that euerie one that committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne And Paule the Apostle faith The wisdome of the flesh is enmitie against God For iâ— is not subiect to the law of God neither indeed can be Further more there is some vnderstanding of earthlie thinges remaining in man after his fall For God hath of mercie left him wit though much differing from that which was in him before his fall god commaundeth vs to garnish our wit and theirwithal he giueth gifts also the increase thereof And it is a cleare case that we can profit verie litle in al artes without the blessing of God The scripture doubtles referreth all artes to God Yea and the Ethnikes also did ascribe the beginninges of artes to the Gods as to the authors thereof Lastlie we are to consider whether the regenerate haue free will and how farre forth they haue it In regeneration the vnderstanding is illuminated by the holie Ghost that it maie vnderstand both the mysteries and will of God And the will it selfe is not onelie chaunged by the spirit but is also endued with faculties that of it owne accord it may both will do good Vnles we graunt this we shall denie christian libertie and bring in the bondage of the law Besides the Propher bringeth in god speaking thus I wil put my lawes in their mindes and write them in their heartes The Lord also saieth in the gospell If the sonne make you free then are you free indeede Paull alâ—o to the Phillip Vnto you it is giuen for Christ not onely to beleeue in him but also to suffer for his sake And againe I am perswaded that he that began this good worke in you will preforme it vntill the daie of the Lord Iesus Also It is God that worketh in you the will and the deede Where neuerthelesse we teach that there are two thinges to be obserued First that the regenerate in the choice working of that which is good do not onelie work passiuilie but actiuely For they are mooued of God that themselues maie doe that which they doe And Augustine doth trulie alledge that saying that God is said to be our helper For no man can be helped but he that doth somewhat The Manichees did bereeue man of all action and made him like a stone and a blocke Secondlie that in the regenerate there remaineth infirmitie For seeing that sinne dwelleth in vs and that flesh in the regenerate striueth against the spirit euen to our liues end they do not redâ—lie performe in euery point that which they had purposed These things are confirmed by the Apostle Rom. 7. Gal. 5. Therfore our free wil is weak by reason of the reliques of the old AdaÌ„ remaining in vs so long as we liue of the humane corruption which so neerely cleaueth to them In the meane while because that the strength of the flesh and reliques of the olde man are not of such great force that they can whollie quench the worke of the spirit therefore the forthfull are called free yet so that they do acknowledge their infirmitie glorie no whit at al of their free wil For that which Saint Augustine doth repeate so often out of the Apostle ought alwaies to be kept in minde by the saithfull What hast thou that thou hast not receiued and if thâ— hast receiued it why doest thou boast as though thou hadest not receiued it Hetherto may be added that that commeth noâ— straight way to passe which we haue purposed For the euents of things are in the hand of god For which cause Paul besought the Lord that he would prosper his iournie Wherfore iâ— this respect also free wil is very weak But in outward things no man denieth but that both the regenerate and vnregenerate haue their free will For man hath this constitution common with other creatures to whome he is not inferiour to wil some things and to nill other things So he may speake or keepe scilence go out of his house or abide within Although herein also Gods power is euermore to be marked which brought to passe that Balaam could not goâ— so farre as he would and that Zacharias comming out of the Temple could not speake as he would haue done In this matter we condemne the Manichees whoe denie that the
thou sorsaken me All which he suffered for the remission of our sinnes Wherefore we doe not without iust cause professe with Paul that we know â—â—thiâ—g but Iesus Chrisâ— and him crucified and that we doe aâ—â—ount all thinges as dung in respect of the excellent knowledge of Iesus Christ our Lord finding in his woundes and stripes all manner of comfort that can be deserued VVherefore there is no neede that oâ— her we should wish for any other meanes or 〈◊〉 any of our owne bâ—aines whereby we might be reconciled vnto God besides this one oblation once offred by the which all the faithfull which are sanctified are consecrated or perfected for euer And this is the cause why he was called of the Angell Iesus that is to saie a sauiour because he should save his people from their sinnes Last of all we do beleeue out of the word of God that our Lord Iesus Christ when the time appoâ—â—ted by God but â—nto all creatures vnknowen shall come and the number of the elect shal be accomplished shall come againe from heauen and that after a corporall and visiâ—â—e mâ—nner as heretofore he hath ascended being adorned with gâ—â—â—t glorie and maiestie that he maie appeare as iudge of the quicke and the dead the olde world being kindelâ—d with fire and flame and puriâ—ied by it Then all creatures and aswell men as women and children as manie as haue bene from the beginning and shall be to the end of the world shall appeare before this high Iudge beeing sâ—mmoned thither by the voice of Archangeils and the trumpet of God For all that haue bene dead shall then rise out of the earth the soul and spirit of euerie one being ioyned and coupled together againe to the same bodies wherein before they liued They moreouer which shall be aliue at the last dare she ll not die the same death that other men haue done but in a moment and in the twinkling of an eie they shall be changed from corruption to an incorruptible nature Then the bookes shall be opened namelie the bookes of euerie mans conscience and the dead shal be iudged according to those things which they haue done in this world either good or euill Moreouer then shall men render an account of euerie idle worde which they haue spoken although the worlde doe now make but a sporâ—e and a iest at them Finall e all the hypocrisie of men and the deepest secrets of their hearts shall be made manifest vnto all so that worthelie the onelie remembrance of this iudgement shall be terrible and fearefull to the wicked and reprobate But of the godlie and elect it is greatlie to be wished for and is vnto them exceeding comfort For then shall their redemption be fullie perfited and they shall reape moste sweete fruite and commoditie of all those labours and sorrowes which they haue suffered in this world Then I saie their innocencie shall be openlie acknowledged of all and they likewise shall see that horrible punishment which the Lord will execute vpon those that haue moste tyrannic allie afflicted them in this world with diuers kindes of torments and crosses Furthermore the wicked being conuinced by the peculiar testimony of their owne conscience shal indeed be made immortal but with this condition that they shall burne for euer in that eternal fire which is prepared for the deuil On the contrarie side the elect and faithfull shal be crowned with the crowne of glorie and honour whose names the sonne of God shall confesse before his Father and the Angels and then shall all teares be wiped from their eyes Then their cause which now is condemned of heresie and impietie by the magistrates and Iudges of this worlde shall be acknowledged to be the cause of the sonne of God And the Lorde shall of his free mercie reward them with so great glorie as no mans minde is able to conceiue Therefore we doe with great longing expect that great daâ—e of the Lorde wherein we shall moste fullie enioy all those thinges which God hath promised vnto vs and through Iesus Christ our Lorde be put into full possession of them for euer more OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF AVSPVRGF ALso they teach that the word that is the sonne of God tooke vnto him mans nature in the wombe of the blessed Virgine Marie so that the two natures the deuine and the humane inseperablie ioyned together in the vnitie of one person are one Christ true God and true man who was borne of the Virgine Marie did truelie suffer was crucified dead and buried that he might reconcile his father vnto vs and might be a sacrifice not onely for the originall sinne but also for all actuall sinnes of men The same also descended into hell and did truelie rise againe the third daie Afterward he ascended into heauen that he might sit at the right hand of the father and raigne for euer and haue dominion ouer all the creatures sanctifie those that beleeue in him by sending the holie spirit into their heartes and giue euerlasting life to such as he had sanctified The same Christ shall openlie come againe to iudge them that are found aliue and the dead raised vp againe according to the Creed of the Apostles In the end of this Article after these words by sending his holie spirit into their heartes these wordes are found in some editions BY sending his spirit into their hearts which may reigne comfort and quicken them and defend them against the Deuill and the power of sinne The same Christ shall openlie come againe to iudge the quick and the dead c. according to the Creed of the Apostles Also they teach that in the end of the world Christ shall appeare to iudgement and shall raise vp all the dead and shal giue vnto men to weete to the godlie and elect eternal life and euerlasting ioyes but the vngodlie and the Deuills shall he condemne vnto endles torments Also we condemne the Origenistes who imagined that the deuill and the damned creatures should one daie haue an end of their paines After the first periode of this Article this is thus found else where THey condemne the Anabaptistes that are of opinion that the damned men and the deuillâ— shall haue an end of their torments They condemne others also which now a daies do spread abroade Iewish opinions that before the resurrection of the dead the godlie shall get the soueragintie in the world and the wicked be brought vnder in euerie place OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SAXONIE Hitherto pertaineth a parte of the third article THe sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ who is the Image of the eternall father is appointed our Mediator Reconciler Redeemer Iustifier and sauiour By the obedience and merit of him alone the wrath of God is pacified as it is said Rom. 3. Whome he set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloode And Heb. 10. It is impossible that the bloode of Bulls should take away
the sacraments the which is prooued by that sentence of the moste excellent Apostle Saint Paul For Christ sent me not to Baptize that is not chieflie to do this but to preach the Gospell For onelie through the pure Gospell and the preaching thereof is faith sowed inwardlie in the heart by the holie Ghost and from thence also must we conceiue and seeke the true meaning of God and Christ touching all thinges necessarie to saluation and also touching the sacramentes them-selues Amongst those who by reason of their age are able to vse their vnderstanding it is of necessitie that the preaching of the Gospell go before the receiuing of the sacramentes Wherof we maie see an euident proofe in those three thowsand which were conuerted by Peter also in Cornelius in the Chamberlaine we maie see that according to the example of Phillippe the question is thus to be made Doest thou beleeue with all thy heart Then it maie be that thou who hast true faith grafted in thy heart maiest receiue profit by the participation of the sacraments For without the hearing of the word of God which is the sauing power of God no man shall wittinglie attaine vnto faith and saluation according to that saying of Paull Therfore faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God And againe How shall they beleeue in him of whome they haue not heard Therefore herein our preachers endeuour them selues moste earnestlie that in our Ecclesiastical meetings they maie propound vnto the people the sincere word of God without all mixture or inuentious of men For which cause also they do by an auncient custome recite in the mother and vulgare tongue which maie be vnderstood of all not onelie those Chapters which are appointed to be read out of the gospell at certaine times but also all other partes of holie scripture and do exhort the people with an earnest desire to heare the word oâ— God and to frequent those Ecclesiasticall meetings that by the diligent teaching of the Gospell and by often repeating it in their sermons they maie first teach the people repentance and faith and then the vse and administration of the sacraments and by this meanes prepare them to the right receiuing of the sacraments afterwardes also boâ—â— whilest the sacraments be administred and after they be administred they doe conuenientlie instruct them in all those thinges which the Lord commaunded and chieflie in those things which doe appertaine to the leading of an honest life and such a one as beseemeth a Christian profession as Christ saith Teach them to keepe all things which I 〈◊〉 commaunded you In this place also it is taught verie diligentlie and as the matter requireth touching the difference which is to be obserued betwixt the worde or doctrine and worke of the lawe and betwixt the worde and force of the holie Gospell The worde or ministerie of the lawe and of the olde Testament is the worde of death feare and of the letter also the worde of wrath and the worde of malediction but the worde of the new Testament that is of the holie Gospell is the ministerie of faith and the spirit of cleerenes or glorie through our Lord Iesus Christ the worde of grace of the new couenant the worde of comfort and the messenger of peace Of them both the Apostle writeth thus The letter killeth but the spirit quickneth And Christ saith The wordes which I speake 〈◊〉 spirit and life Also there is mention made of the vse of the 〈◊〉 law in the fourth Chapter of this confession beginning with these wordes This doctrine of the true knowledge of sinne c. 〈◊〉 is to be seene before in the fourth Section whereunto all that Chapter apperteineth OVT OF THE FRENCH CONFESSION WE beleeue that all the figures of the law are takes awaie by the comming of Chist howbeit we are assured that the truth and substance of them doth abide iâ— him in whome they are all fulfilled Yet we must vse the doctrine of the law and the Prophets both to frame our life aright and also that we may so much the more be confirmed in the promises of the Gospell OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BELGIA WE beleeue that all the ceremonies figures and shadows of the law haue ceased at the comming of Christ so that now euen the vse of them ought to be taken away abolished among Christians Yet in the mean time the truth substance of them doth remaine to vs in Christ in whome they are all fulfilled And therfore we doe still vse the testimonies of the law the Prophets to confirme our selues in the doctrine of the gospell and to lead an honest life vnto Gods glorie according to his will THE CONFESSION OF AVSPVRGE doth by the way mention the doctrine of the Gospell of the end thereof in the 4. and 5. Articles which we haue placed in the ninth Section wherein iustification and remission of sinnes by faith in Christ is handled OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SAXONY ANd that the benefittes of this Mediatour might be knowen vnto mankinde and applied vnto vs there was a promise giuen straight in the beginning after the fal of our first parents and afterwardes often times repeated and by voice of the Prophets declared but moste cleerely was it recited by the verie Sonne and afterwardes by the Apostles And there was a ministery instituted to teach and to spread abroade that promise also there was a Church made and often renued by the same very voice touching the Sonne of God our attonement By this mynisterie the Sonne of God alwaies was is and shall be effectuall in the beleeuers as it is saide Rom. 1. The Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to euerie one that beleeueth And he doth renue this ministerie when he saith As my Father sent me so doe I send you also Go preach repentance remission of sinnes in my name He wil that sin should be reprooued in all mankind as he saith The spirit shall reprooue the world of sinne because they beleeue not in â—ee And Rom. 1. The wrath of God is reueiled from heauen against all vngodlines and vnrighteousnes of men God will haue his wrath to be acknowledged against all sinne and chieflie against the contempt of the Sonne as he saith in the Psalme Kisse the Sonne lest he be angrie and so ye perish from the waie c. He wil haue vs truelie to be put in great feare by the knowledge of our darkenes of our horrible wickednes and our stubbernes And truelie God himselfe doth amazâ— our heartes with the sense of his anger as Ezechiah saitâ— Like a Lyon he brake all my bones And to this iudgement 〈◊〉 doth not onelie vse the voice of the ministerie of the lawâ— and of the Gospell but also all calamities be as it were the voice of the lawe admonishing vs of the wrath of God 〈◊〉 calling vs to repentance Now when the minde is
forbad vnto his all dominion and highlie commended humility In deed there is one kinde of power which is a meere and absolute power called the power of right According to this power all things in the wholl worlde are subiect vnto Christ who is Lorde of al euen as he himselfe witnesseth saying All power is giuen vnto me in heauen and in earth And againe I am the first and the last and beholde I liue for euer and I haue the keies of hell and of death Againe He hath the keie of Dauid which openeth and no man shutteth shutteth and 〈◊〉 man openeth This power the Lord reserueth to himselfe and doth not transferre it to anie other that he might sit idlie by and looke on his ministers while they wrought For Isaiah saieth I will put the keie of the house of Dauid vpon his shoulder And againe Whose gouernement shall be vpon his shoulders For he doth not lay the gouernement on other mens shoulders but doth still keepe and vse his owne power thereby gouerning all things Furthermore there is an other power of duetie or ministeriall power limited â—ut by him who hath ful and absolute power and authoritie And this is more like a ministerie then dominion For we see that some Master doth giue vnto the steward of his house authority and power ouer his house and for that cause deliuereth him his keies that he may admit or exclude such as his Master will haue admitted or excluded According to this power doth the minister by his office that which the Lord hath commaunded him to doe and the Lord doth ratifie and confirme that which he doth and will haue the deedes of his ministers to be acknowledged and esteemed as his owne deedes vnto which ende are those speaches in the Gospell I will giue vnto thee the keies of the Kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou bindest or loosest in earth shall be bound and loosed in heauen Againe Whose sinnes soeuer ye remit they shal beremitted and whose sinnes soeuer yea retaine they shal be retained But if the the minister deale not in all things as his Lorde hath commaunded him but passe the limits and bondes of faith then the Lord doth make voyd that which he doth Wherfore the Ecclesiasticall power of the ministers of the Church is that function whereby they doe indeed gouerne the Church of god but yet so as they do al things in the Church as he hath prescribed in his word which things being so done the faithfull doe esteeme them as done of the Lorde himselfe but touching the keies we haue spoken somewhat before Now the power that is giuen to the Ministers of the Church is the same alike in all in the beginning the Bishops or Elders did with a common consent labour gouerne the Church no man lifted vp himselfe aboue an other none vsurped greater power or authority ouer his fellow Bishops for they remembred the wordes of the Lord He which will be the cheifest among you let him be your seruant they kept in themselues by humilitie and did mutuallie aid one another in the gouernement and preseruation of the Church NotwithstaÌ„ding for orders sake some one of the ministers called the assemblie together propounded vnto the assemblie the matters to be consulted of gathered together the voices or sentences of the rest and to be briefe as much as lay in him prouided that there might arise no confusion So did S. Peter as we read in the Acts who yet for all that was neither aboue the rest nor had greater authoritie then the rest Veriâ— true therefore is that saying of Cyprian the Martyr in his book De simpl Cler. The same doubtles were the rest of the Apostles that Peter was hauing an equall fellowship with him both in honoâ—â— and power but the beginning hereof proceedeth from vnity to signifie vnto vs that there is but one Church Saint Ierom vpon the epistle of Paull to Titus hath a sayingnot much vnlike this Before that by the instinct of the deuil there was partaking in religion the Churches were gouerned by the common aduise of the Priests but after that euery one thought that those whome he had baptized were his own not Christs It was decreed that one of the priests should bâ— chosen set ouer the rest who should haue the care of the whol church laide vpon him and by whose meanes al schismes should be remoued Yet Ierom doeth not auouch this as an order set downe of God For straight waie after he addeth Euen as saith he the priests knew by the continuall custome of the Church that they were subiect to him that is set ouer them So the Bishops must know that they are aboue the priests rather by custome then by the prescript rule of Gods truth they should haue the gouernement of the Church in common with them Thus farre Ierome Now therefore no man can forbid by any right that we may returne to the olde appointement of God and rather receiue that then the custome deuised by men The offices of the ministers are diuers yet notwithstanding moste men doe restreine them to two in which all the rest are comprehended to the teaching of the Gospell of Christ and to the lawfull administration of the Sacraments For it is the duetie of the ministers to gather together a holie assemblie therein to expound the worde of God and also to applie the generall doctrine to the state and vse of the Church to the end that the doctrine which they teach maie profit the hearers and maie build vp the faithfull The ministers duetie I saie is to teach the vnlearned and to exhort yea and to vrge them to goe forward in the waie of the Lord who do stand stil or linger and go flowlie forwarde moreouer to comfort and to strengthen those which are fainthearted and to arme them against the manifold temptations of Sathan to rebuke offenders to bring home them that goe astraie to raise vp them that are fallen to conuince the gainsaiers to chase awaie the wolfe from the Lordes flocke to rebuke wickednes and wicked men wiselie and seuerelie not to winke at nor to passe ouer great wickednes and besides to administer the sacraments to commend the right vse of them to prepare al men by holsome doctrine to receiue them to keep together all the faithful in an holie vnity to meete with schismes To conclude to catechise the ignorant to commend the necessitie of the poore to the Church to visit instruct those that are sick or intangled with diuers temptations so to keep them in the way of life Lasty to looke diligently that there be publike praiers supplications made in time of necessity together with fasting that is an holy abstinency most carefully to look to those things which belong to the tranquillity safe tie and peace of the Church And to the ende that the minister maie performe al these thinges the
for that they maie haue a competent liuing and such thinges as are needfull for the mantinance of the bodie according to the Lordes ordinance whereof Paull speaketh after this sorte The Lord hath so appointed that they which preach the Gospell should liue of the Gospell And to the end that the daunger of an idle secure and Sodomiticall life maie be auoided and so they maie be an example to the flocke whereof they haue charge and that by a feeling of the burdens of this common life they maie learne to vnderstand the miserie of men and may by this meanes be touched and haue compassion on the miseries of others for these causes I saie this is taught that they whose abilitie of strength is such especiallie those on â—â—â—me as yet the greatest and painfullest charge of the people is not laide should themselues with their owne handes get their liuing that they be not a burden to the Churches especiallie in the beginning of their buildinges and reparations or also intimes of long persecution or otherwise by reason of the weaker sorce and that they giue not place to vaine volâ—ptuâ—us and riotous sloth as those who faithfullie follow Saint Pauls doctrine and who haue the Lords speach before their â—â—es saying it is a more happie thing to giue then to take And if so be that some one of these Pasâ—ors slip into sin or errors or be somewhat negligâ—nâ— in looking to this charge hé ought by the ordinarie lawfull discipline of the Church to be brought into the ware againe and to be chastised but if he will not repente nor be healed then he ought first to be remooued from the executing of his charge and from the ministerie and afterward as an vnprofitable seruant as a member which causeth offence a dâ—â—e braunâ—h and vnsauotie salt to be cast out or banished from the fellowship of the Church and inioying of saluation of whome the Lord saith that this salt is henceforth good for nothing that which Paull also teacheth when he saith Those that offend meaning those that are elders reprooue or chastise before al men that the rest also mâ—ie stand in feare But the people ought so to be haue themselues toward such teachers either grown out of kinde or entangled with errors or toward other elders also not repenting and excommunicated as the holie scripture sheweth and first Christ saith Take ye heede of false Prophers which come to you in sheepes clothing but inwardlie are raâ—ening wolues ye shall know ahem by their fruites and Paull Now I beseech you breethren marke those diligentlie which cause diuision and offences contrarie to the doctrine which ye haue learned and auoid them for they that are such serue not our Lord Iesu Christ but their owne bellies Of the keies of Christ CHAP. 14. THe fourteenth Chapter of Ecclesiastical doctrine is of the Lords keies of which he saith to Peter I will giue thee the keies of the kingdome of heauen and these keyes are the peculiar function or ministerie and administration of Christ his power and his holie spirit which power is committed to the Church of Christ and to the ministers thereof vnto the end of the world that they should not onelie by preaching publish the holie gospel although they should do this especiallie that is should shew forth that word of true comfort and the ioyfull message of peace and new tidings of that fauour which god offereth but also that to the beleuing and vnbeleeuing they should publikelie or priuatelie denounce and make knowen to wit to them his fauour to these his wrath that to al in general or to euery one in particular that they may wisely receiue some into the house of God to the communion of saintes and driue some out from thence and maie so through the performance of their ministerie holde in their hand the scepter of Christ his kingdome and vse the same to the gouernment of Christ his sheepe Therfore the condition and proper office of the keies is first to open and loose that is in Christ to appease and still the conscience of the faithfull ones and of those that turne againe by repentance to make it knowne vnto them that their sins be forgiuen to strengthen theÌ„ in a sure hope of saluation by this meanes to open the kingdome of heaué vnto them to giue them courage against all temptations to stirre vp stedfastnes and chearefullnes in them And all these thinges are done by the faithfull Shepheards of soules in the Lords stead not dooing this of them selues but vpon Christ his commaundement not by their owne and proper vertue but by Christes and by the efficacie of his word and sacraments as those that are stewards and dispensers of the mysteries of God and ministers onelie In the administration of which thinges they maie vse some semelie and indifferent ceremonies that is which are no waie necessarie such as are to lay on hands or to reach out the right hand or els they maie omit them On the other side the office and proper work of the keies of Christ is to shut and binde that is by the commaundement of Christ and the authoritie of this office giuen by him to the Church which is his power and scepter to denounce against all stubborne impenitent vnbeleeuing and other such like sinners Gods horrible iudgement and his intollerable wrath which no nature can abide and his seuere sentence and so by the word of Christ according to the qualitie of the offence to reprooue sinne to seuer them from the fellowship of Christ our sauiour and from the fruit and participation of the sacraments and to cast them out of the christian Church and in a worde to shut the kingdom of heauen vpon them and at the length to deliuer them to Sathan This power of his scepter and spirit hath the Lord graunted and deliuered to the holie Apostles and in them to all ministers of Churches lawfullie ordained that they might exercise it in his stead and he graunted it to them by these words As the Father hath sent me so do I send you also And by by he addeth these words Recâ—â—ue ye the holie Ghost If ye forgiue anie men their sins they are forgiuen them and if ye 〈◊〉 any mans sinnes they are retained Moreouer a manifest example of vsing the power of the keies is laied out in that sinner of Corinth and others whome Saint Paull together with the Church of that place by the power and authoritie of our Lord Iesâ— Christ and of his spirit threw out from thence and deliuered to Sathan and contrariwise after that God gaue him grace to repent he absolued him from his sinnes he toke him againe into the Church to the communion of saints and sacraments and so opened to him the kingdome of heauen againe By this we maie vnderstand that these keies or this diuine function of the Lordes is committed and
in this rehearsall he maketh no mention at all of priuat Priestes of which sorte the world is now full neither is it like that he world haue omitted this kinde of Priestes if either Christ had appointed it or if it had beene profitable and necessarie for the Church And Paull writeth that a Bishope ought to be apâ—e to teach And Ierome teacheth that A Priest and a Bishoppe are all one Therefore it is euident that excepta Priest be ordeined in the Church to the ministerie of teaching he can not rightly take vnto him neither the name or a Prieste nor the name of a Bishoppe OVT OF THE CONFSSION OF SVEVRLAND Of the Office dignitie and power of Ecclesiasticall Persons TOuching the ministery and dignitie of the Ecclesiasticalorder we do thus 〈…〉 that there is no power in the Church but that which tendeth to edifying â— Cor. 10. Secondlie that we must nor thinke otherwise or any man in this state then Paull would haue men to esteeme either of him selfe or of Peter and Apollo and others As of the seruantes of Christ and the dispensers of the mysteries of God in â—â—ome this is chiefelie required that they be faithfull For these be they which haue the keies of the kingdome of God and the power to binde and loose 〈◊〉 â—o remit or retaine sinnes yet that power is so limited that they be neuerthelesse the ministers of Christ to whome alone the right and authoritie to open heauen and forgiue sinnes doth properlie pertaine For neither he which planteth nor he that watereth is anie thing but God that giueth the increase 1. Cor 3. Neither is anie man of himselfe fitte to thinke anie of those thinges as of himselfe but if anie man be found fitte thereunto he hath it all of God VVho giueth to whome it pleaseth him to be the ministers and preachers of the new Testament to wit so farre forth as he giueth them a minde faithfullie to preach the meaning and vnderstanding of the Gospell vseth them hereunto that men maie be brought by a true faith to his new couenant of grace Furthermore these be they which doe minister vnto vs the dead letter that is such a doctrine of trueth as pearceth no farther then to humane reason but the spirit which quickneth and doth so pearee into our spirit and soule that it doth throughlie perswade our heart of the trueth These are the true fellow labourers of the Lord 1. Cor. 3. opening in deed heauen and forgiuing sinnes 〈◊〉 those to whome they declare the doctrine of faith 〈◊〉 meanes of the grace and spirit of God Whereupon Christ sending out his Apostles to exercise this duetie he breathed vpon them saying Take yee the holie Ghost And further more he addeth whose sinnes ye remit c. Hereof it is manifest that the true and fit ministers of the Church such as be bishops Seniors annointed and consecrated can doe nothing but in respect of this that they be sent of God For how shall they preach saith Paull except they be sent That is except they receiue of God both a minde and power to preach the holie Gospell aright and with fruit and to feede the flocke of Christ And also except they receiue the holie Ghost whoe maie worke together with them and perswade mens hearts Other vertues wherwith these men must be endued are rehearsed 1. Tim. 3. Tit. 1. Therfore they which are in this sort sent anointed consecrated and qualified they haue an earnest care for the flocke of Christ and doe labour faithfullie in the worde and doctrine that they maie feed the people more fruitfullie and these are acknowledged and accounted of our preachers for such Bishops as the Scripture euerie where speaketh of and euery Christian ought to obey their commaundements But they which giue them selfes to other things they place them selfes in other mens seats and do worthelie take vnto them selues other names Yet notwithstanding the life of any man is not so much to be blamed as that therfore a Christian should refuse to heare him if peraduenture he teach somthing out of the chaire of Moses or Christ that is either out of the law of God or out of the holie gospell that maie serue for edification They which bring a diuers or a staunge voice whatsoeuer they be they are in no account or estimation with the sheepe of Christ Ioh. 10. Yet they which haue a seculare power and soueraigntie they haue it of God him selfe howsoeuer they be called therefore he should resist the ordinance of God whosoeuer should oppose him-selfe to that temporall gouernment These things doe our Preachers teach touching the authoritie of Ecclesiasticall persons so that they haue great iniurie offered to them in that they are blamed as though they sought to bring the authoritie of Ecclesiasticall prelats to nothing whereas they neuer forbad them that worldlie gouernement and authoritie which they haue But they haue often wished that they would come nearer to the Ecclesiasticall commaundements and that either they them selues would instruct and faithfullie feede the consciences of Christians out of the holie Gospell or that at the least wise they would admit others hereunto and ordeine such as were more fitte for this purpose This is it I saie that out Preachers haue oftentimes requested of the Prelates them selues so faire haue they beene from opposing themselues at anie time to their spirituall authoritie But wheras we could not either beare anie longer the doctrine of certaine Preachers but beeing driuen thereunto by necessitie we haue placed others in their roome or els haue reteined those also which haue renounced that Ecclesiasticall superioritie We did it not for anie other cause but for that these did plainlie and faithfullie declare the voice of our Lord Iesus christ the other did mingle therwith all mans inuentions For so often as the question is concerning the holie Gospell and the doctrine of trueth Christians must whollie turne them selues to the Bishop of their soules the Lord Iesus Christ and not admit the voice of anie straunger by any meanes wherein notwithstanding neither we nor they do offer violence to anie man for Paull saith All thinges are yours whether it be Paull or Apollos 〈◊〉 Cephas or the worlde or life or death whether they be thinges present or thinges to come euen all are yours and ye Christes and Christ Gods Therefore seeing that Peter and Paull are ours and we are not theirs but Christes and that after the same manner that Christ himselfe is his Fathers to witte that in all thinges which we are or maie be we might liue to him alone Furthermore seing to this ende we haue power to vse all thinges yea euen men themselues of what sorte soeuer they be as though they were our owne and are not to suffer that anie man or anie thing should hinder vs therein no Ecclesiasticall persons maie iustlie complaine of vs or obiect to vs that we are not sufficientlie obedient to them or
that we doe derogate any thing from their authority suing that the thing it selfe doth witnes that we haue attempted and done all those thinges according to the will of God which we haue attempted against the will of Ecclesiasticall persons These therefore be those thinges which we teach touching the office dignitie and power of the Ministers of the Church whome they cal Spirituall the which that we maie credit wee are mooued thereunto by those places of Scripture which for the moste part we rehearsed before THE TWELFT SECTION OF TRVE AND FALSE SACRAments in generall THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of the Sacraments of Christ CHAP. 19. GOD euen from the beginning added vnto the preaching of the word his sacraments or sacramental signes in his church And this doth the holie scripture plamlie testifie Sacraments be mysticall signes or holie rites or sacred actions ordained of God him selfe consisting of his word of outward signes and of things signified wherby he keepeth â—o continuall memorie and eftsones calleth to minde in his Church his great benefits bestowed vpon man and wherby he sealeth vp his promises and outwardly representeth and as it weare offereth vnto our sight those things which inwardly he performeth vnto vs and therewithall strengthneth and increaseth our faith through the working of Gods spirit in our hartes lastlie whereby he doth separate vs from all other people and religions and consecrateth and bindeth vs wholly vnto himselfe and giueth vs to vndo stand that he requireth of vs. These Sacraments are either of the olde testament or of the new The sacraments of the olde testament were circumcision and the pascall lambe which was offered vp in sacrifice and for that cause isreferred to the sacrifices which were in vse from the beginning of the world The sacraments of the new testament are baptisme and the supper of the Lord. Some there are which reckon seauen sacraments of the newe testament Of which number we graunt that repentance matrimonie and the ordination of ministers we meane not the popish but the Apostolicall ordination are verie profitable ordinances of God but no sacraments As for confirmation and extreame vnction they are meere deuises of men which the Church may verie well want without anie damage or discommoditie at all and therefore we haue them not in our Churches because there be certaine things in them which we can at no hand allow of As for that marchandise which the Romish prelates vse in ministring their sacraments we vtterlie abhor it The author and institutor of al sacraments is not any man but God alone for men can by no meanes ordaine sacramentes because they belong to the worship of God and it is not for man to appoint and prescribe a seruice of God but to embrace and retaine that which is taught vnto him by the Lord. Besides the sacramentall signes haue Gods promises annexed to them which necessarilie require faith now faith staieth it selfe onelie vpon the word of God And the word of God is resembled to writings or letters the sacraments to seales which the Lord alone setteth to his owne letters Now as the Lord is the author of the sacraments so he continually worketh in that Church where they be right lie vsed so that the faithfull when they receiue them of the ministers do know that the Lord worketh in his owne ordinance and therfore they receiue them as from the hand of God and the ministers faults if there be anie notorious in them can not hurt them seeing they do acknowledge the goodnes of the sacraments to depend vpon the ordinance of the Lord. For which cause they put a difference in the administration of the sacraments betweene the Lord and the Lordes ministers confessing that the substance of the sacraments is giuen them of the Lorde and the outward signes by the hands of the ministers Now the principall thing that in all the Sacramentes is offered of the Lorde and chieflie regarded of the godlie of all ages which some haue called the substance and matter of the sacraments is Christ our sauiour That onely sacrifice the lambe of God slaine from the beginning of the world the rocke also of which all our Fathers drank by whome all the elect are circumcised with circumcision made without handes through the holie spirit and are washed from all their sinnes and are nourished with the verie bodie and blood of Christ vnto eternall life Now in respect of that which is the cheife thing and the verie matter and substance of the sacraments the sacraments of both the testaments are equal For Christ the only mediatour and sauiour of the faithfull is the chiefe thing substance in them both one and the same God is author of them both They were giuen vnto both Churches as signes and seales of the grace and promises of God which should call to minde and renew the memorie of Gods great benefits to them and should distinguish the faithfull from althe religions in the world lastly which should be receiued spirituallie by faith and should binde the receiuers vnto the Church and admonish them of their duetie In these I saie such like things the sacraments of both Churches be not vnequall although in the outward signes they be diuerse And in deede we do yet put a greater difference between them for ours are more firme durable as those which are not to be changed to the end of the world Againe ours testifie that the substance and promise is all readie fulfilled performed in Christ whereas the other did onelie signifie that they should be performed And ours are more simple nothing paineful nothing so sumptuous nor so ful of ceremonies Moreouer they belong to a greater people that is dispersed thorough the face of the wholl earth Againe because they are more excellent and do by the spirit of God stirre vp in vs a greater measure of faith therefore a more plentifull measure of the spirite doth follow of them But now since that Christ the true Messias is exhibited vn to vs and the aboundance of grace is powred forth vpon the people of the new testament the sacraments of the olde law are surelie abrogated and ceased and in their steed the sacraments of the new testament are placed namelie for circumcision Baptisme and for the pascall lambe and sacrifices the Supper of the Lord. And as in the olde Church the sacraments consisted of the word the signe the thing signified so euen at this day they stand as it were of the same parts For the word of God maketh them Sacraments which before were none for they are consecrated by the word declared to be sanctified by him who first ordeined them To sanctify or consecrate a thing is to dedicate it vnto god vnto holy vses that is to take it froÌ„ the common and ordinarie vse and to appoint it to some holie vse For the signes that be in the Sacraments are drawne from common vse to thinges eternall and inuisible As
earthlie to heauenlie thinges moreouer they be tokens of Christian brotherhood and fellowshippe Therefore a sacrament is not onelie a signe but it is made of two thinges to wit of a visible or earthlie signe and of the thing signified which is heauenlie the which two although they make but one Sacrament yet it is one thing which is receiued with the bodie another thing which the faithfull minde being taught by the spirit of god doth receiue For the signes and the thinges signified by the signes doe cleaue together onlie by a certaine mysticall meane or as others speake by a Sacramentall vnion neither be they so made one that one in nature is made the other or that one is contained in the other For either of them the which thing also holie Gelasius did acknowledge doth keepe it owne proprietie Therefore the outward signes are not the selfe same thing substantiallie and naturallie which they doe signifie neither do they giue it of themselues and by their owne power no more then the minister doth but the Lord vseth the minister and the signes and the word to this ende that of his meere grace when and so much as pleaseth him he maie represent declare visibilie shew and set before our eies his heauenlie giftes and all this according to his promise Now as it doth derogate nothing from the ministerie of the worde when it is saide that the outwarde preaching of the worde doth profit nothing except the inwarde husband man giue the increase for Paull saith He that planteth and he that watereth is nothing but god that giueth the increase so he doth not make the Sacraments of no effect which saith that not they but God himselfe doth purge vs that is which doth attribute the force of the sacrament to the Creator For Peter saide Baptisme doth saue vs but he addeth Not whereby the filth of the flesh is washed away but in that a good conscience maketh request vnto God For as in other creatures as in the Sunne the Moone the Starres fire pretious stones hearbes and such like things which God doth vse as instrumentes towarde vs we ought not to put any confidence nor admire them as the causes of any benefit so our trust ought not to rest in outwarde signes nor the glorie of God be transferred vnto them as they be outwarde signes howbeit the Lord doth vse their helpe toward vs and they be holie ordinances but by them our trust must lift vp it selfe to him beeing both the author of the sacramentes and the Creator of all thinges And seeing that the Sacraments are the institution and worke of the Lord himselfe the faithfull doe receiue them not as certaine superfluous inuentions of men as at the hand of men but as his heauenlie giftes and that at the hand of the Lorde For as touching the word of the Gospell which he preached the Apostle writeth thus When yee receiued of vs the word whereby ye learned God yee did not receiue it as the word of men but as it was indeed as the worde of God who also worketh in you that beleeue The like reason is there of the Sacramentes Therefore as a little before we testified that we doe and alwaies did receiue these sentences and speaches of Scripture touching the Ministerie of the worde the Minister doth conuert remit sinnes open the eies and heartes of men giue faith and the spirit so being well vnderstood we doe acknowledge also these speaches touching the Sacramentes the Minister through Baptisme doth regenerate and wash awaie sinnes he doth distribute and giue the bodie and bloode of the Lord For Ananias saide to Paull Arise and be baptised wash awaie thy sinnes by calling on the name of Iesus Also Iesus tooke breade gaue it to his Disciples and said this is my bodie Also it is manifest that the auncient Fathers did vse such kinde of speaches because that by this meanes they would propound and commend more royallie the giftes of God Moreouer seeing that the institution and worke of the word and of the Sacraments proceedeth not from men but from God we do here reiect the errour of the Donatistes and of the Anabaptists who esteemed the holie giftes of god according to the worthines or vnworthines of the minister Now in that heauenlie giftes are represented vnto vs by earthlie things it commeth so to passe by a certaine singular goodnes of God who by this meane would helpe our weakenes For the weakenes of mans wit doth vnderstande all things the better if they be resembled by visible things Therefore the Lord would by Sacramentes set before the eies of mortall men his heauenlie gifts and his promises as it were a linelie picture in a certaine table that is those things which are perceiued by the minde he deliuered to vs in sensible things Whereupon we doe gather that the Sacramentes doe apperteine to them which are in the Church For prophane men do scoffe at our Sacramentes insomuch as they esteeme them according to the externall things onely But they which haue faith vnderstand the mysteries of the Sacraments and they which receiue them in a true and liuely faith receiue them with fruit if they be receiued without faith they doe hurt not that the good giftes of God doe hurte of themselues but because that they being not receiued aright doe hurte through our default Furthermore the Sacraments are badges of the people of God For by these we are gathered together into a holie companie and we professe our faith For it pleased the Lord by this meane to gather his people to himselfe and as it were to marke them with this signe whereby also he might put euerie one in minde of his duetie Now of this kinde there be two Sacramentes in the Church of Christ Baptisme which is called the font of regeneration and the supper of the Lord which is called the bodie and blood of the Lord or the communion of the bodie and blood of the Lord. And now we will speake seuerallie of them for hitherto we haue discoursed of the Sacraments in generall as before God we do beleeue and wherein we hope that Luther will not think anie thing wanting OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BASIL THe same Sacraments are vsed in the Church to 〈◊〉 Baptisme at our entrance into the Church and the supper of the Lord in due time when we are come to typer yeares to testifie our faith and brotherlie charitie as in baptisme was promised OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BOHEMIA Of Sacraments in genrall CHAP. II. AS touching the Sacraments we teach that they be externall earthlie as they which consist of the elements and visible signes consecrated by the word of God and by his owne mouth appointed hereunto to signifie and witnes to vs that selfe same spirituall and inuisible grace and trueth whereof they haue the name and which they are also sacramentallie These sacraments no man either did or can institute but the Lord and God
that without any good affection of him that vseth it This article we finde thus in another Edition COncerning the vse of the Sacramentes they teach that they were ordained not so much to be marâ—es and badges of profession amongst men as that they should be signes or testimonies of the will of God towards vs set forth vnto vs to stirre vp and confirme faith in such as vse them Whereupon they condemne those that teach that the sacraments do iustifie by the work done and doe not teach that faith to beleeue remission of sinnes is requisite in the vse of sacraments OVT OF THE CONFSSION OF SAXONIE Of the sacraments THe Church also is discerned from other Gentiles by by certaine rites or ceremonies instituted of God vsuallie called Sacraments as are Baptisme and the Lords Supper which notwithstanding are not onelie signes of a profession but much more as the auncient Fathers saide signes of grace that is they be ceremonies added to the promise of the Gospell touching grace that is touching the free remission of sinnes and touching reconciliation and the wholl benefit of our redemption the which are so instituted that euerie man maie vse them because they be pledges testimonies which declare that the benefits promised in the Gospell doe appertaine to euerie one For the voice of the Gospell is generall this vse doth be are witnes that this voice doth appertaine to euerie one which vseth the Sacraments OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF WIRTEMBERGE Of the Sacramentes THe worde Sacrament as also the worde Mysterie which interpreters do expounde Sacrament is very large But because some haue thought it good to restraine it to the number of seauen Sacraments we wil briefly runne ouer euerie one that we may shew what we finde wanting in the doctrine that some haue broched and what maie seeme to be repugnant to the meaning of that Church which is in deede Catholike or orthodoxe OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SVEVELAND Of the Sacraments SEeing that the Church of Christ doth liue here in the flesh howbeit not according to the flesh it pleased the Lord also to teach admonish and exhort it by the outwarde worde And that this might be done the more commodiouslie he would also haue his to make much of an externall societie among them selues For which cause he gaue vnto them holie signes among which these are the chiefest Baptisme and the Lords Supper the which we doe not onelie think therfore to haue had the name of Sacraments among the Fathers because they are visible signes of inuisible grace as Saint Augustine doth define them but also for that purpose because that by them we doe consecrate our selues vnto Christ and doe binde our selues as it were by the othe or Sacrament of faith THE THIRTEENTH SECTION OF THE SACRAMENT OF Holie Baptisme THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of holie baptisme CHAP. 20. BAptisme was instituted and consecrated by God and the first that baptized was Iohn who dipped Christ in the water in Iorden From him it came to the Apostles whoe also did baptize with water The Lord in plaine words commaunded them To preach the Gospel and to baptize in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost And Peter also when diuers demaunded of him what they ought to doe said to them in the Acts Let euerie one of you be baptized in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and you shall receiue the gift of the holy Ghost Whereupon Baptisme is called of some a signe of inâ—tiation of Gods people as that whereby the elected of God are consecrated vnto God There is but one Baptisme in the Church of God for it is sufficient to be once baptized or consecrated vnto God For baptisme once receiued doth continue all a mans life and is a perpetuall sealing of our adoption vnto vs. For to be baptized in the name of Christ is to be enrolled entered and receiued into the couenant and familie and so into the inheritance of the sonnes of God yea in this life to be called after the name of God that is to saie to be called the Sonne of god to be purged also from the filthines of sins to be indued with the manifolde grace of God for to lead a new and innocent life Baptisme therefore doth call to minde and keepe in remembrance the great benefit of God performed to mankinde for we are al borne in the pollution of sinne and are the Sonnes of wrath But God who is rich in mercie doth freelie purge vs from our sinnes by the blood of his Sonne and in him doth adopte vs to be his sonnes and by an holie couenant doth ioyne vs to himselfe and doth inrich vs with diuers giftes that we might liue a new life All these thinges are sealed vp vnto vs in Baptisme For inwardlie we are regenerated purified and renued of God through the holie Spirit and outwardlie we receiue the sealing of moste notable gifts by the water by which also those great benefites are represented and as it were set before our eyes to be looked vpon And therefore are we baptized that is washed and sprinckled with visible water For the water maketh cleane that which is filthie refresheth things that faile and faint and cooleth the bodies And the grate of God dealeth in like manner with the soule and that inuisible and spirituallie Moreouer by the Sacrament of Baptisme God doth seperate vs from all other religions and people and doth consecrate vs a peculiar people to himselfe We therefore by being baptized doe confesse our faith and are bound to giue vnto God obedience mortification of the flesh and newnes of life yea and we are billed souldiers for the holie warfare of Christ that all our life long we shoulde fight against the worlde Sathan and our owne flesh Moreouer we are baptized into one bodie of the Church that we might well agree with all the members of the Church in the same religion and mutuall duties We beleue that that of al other is the most perfect manner of baptisme wherin Christ was baptized and which the rest of the Apostles did vse in baptisme Those things therfore which by mans deuise were added afterwards vsed in the Church we thinke them nothing necessary to the perfection of Baprisme Of which kinde is exorcisme and the vse of lightes oyle salte spattle and such other things as namelie that baptisme is twise euerie yere consecrated with diuerse ceremonies For we beleeue that the baptisme of the Church which is but one was sanctifed in Gods first institution of it and is consecrated by the word and is now of full force by and for the first blessing of God vpon it We teach that baptisme should not be ministred in the Church by women or midwiues For Paul secludeth women from Ecclesiasticall callings but Baptisme belongeth to Ecclesiasticall offices We condemne the Anabaptists who denie that young infants borne of
to be obserued but to be auoided For Christ our Lord doth sharpely reprooue those Pharisies and Masters of the Iewes by the name of such rites and traditions and for that they doe obserue such when he saith Verie well hath Esay prophecied of you hypocrites as it is written This people honoureth me with their lippes but their heart is farre away from me But they worship me in vaine seeing that they teach such doctrine as is deliuered and brought in by men For ye laie the commaundements of God aparte and obserue the traditions of men And holy Paull doth admonish vs to take heede of such toies deuised by men when he saith Beware lâ—st there be any that spoile you through philosophie and vaine deceit through the traditions of men according to the rudimentes of the world and not after Christ Whereof also there be Canons extant in the Canon lawe and the wordes be these We praise custome yet that onely which is knowne to vse nothing contrarie to the Catholique faith Wherfore those rites onely and those good ceremonies are to be obserued which among the people of God doe builde vp one onelie and that a true faith and a sincere worshippe of God concord charitie and true and Christian or religious peace Therefore whether they haue their beginning and be brought in of Bishops or of Ecclesiasticall Councells or of anie other authors whatsoeuer the simpler sorte are not to care for it neither to be mooued or disquieted but to vse them to good because they are good and to obserue this onelie rule therein as alwaies to put their greatest confidence in those things onelie which are of God settle their onelie and chiefe refuge in those things and with all diligence take heede that they be not withdrawne by such ceremonies from those things which are the chiefest of all and whereon religion is founded and so by consequent from the thinges themselues For those diuine and holsome things are to be preferred in euery respect before all other things of all men and the conscience ought to be bounde to them alone For the Lorde himselfe did pronounce a Woe against those Elders of the Iewes who preferred their owne traditions before the commaundements of God and those which were the lesser before things of greater weight You leaue saith he the weightiest matters of the lawe as iudgement and mercie and fidelitie These ought ye to haue done and not to haue lefâ—e the other And although our Preachers doe not keepe all rites alike with other Churches the which thing neither can be neither is necessarie to be done that in all places where there be Christian assemblies one and the same ceremonies should be vsed yet they doe not withstande or oppose themselues to anie good and godlie constitution neither are they so minded as that for the ceremonies sake they would raise vp anie dissensions although they should thinke that some of them were not verie necessarie so that they be not founde to be contrarie to God and to his worship and glorie and be such as do not diminish true faith in Iesus Christ which alone doth purchase righteousnes Howbeit in this place and in this point it must not be passed ouer with silence to wit that we ought by no meanes to burden the people with many superfluous and grieuous traditions such as the Mosaical traditions were vnder the law For the Apostles forbad that this should be done as also holie Peter said vnto certeine concerning this matter Why do ye tempt God in laying a yoke vpon the neckes of the disciples Also Be ye not saith Paul intangled with the yoke of bondage For which cause also Christ did vehementlie inueigh against the Scribes saying Woe also be to you Scribes for ye laie burdens vpon mens shoulders which can scarse be borne Also men are taught to acknowledge this that humane traditions do not containe a perpetual and immutable law but as they are for iust causes instituted of men so also they maie vpon iust and weightie causes and if the matter so require be broken abrogated and changed without anie sinne according to the example of the Apostles who did transgresse the traditions of the Elders when as they did eate bread with vnwashed handes and did not obserue the same fastes with others add yet they were not by this meanes guiltie of any sinne also according to the example of the first and holie Church vpon which the Apostles and the wholl councel laied this commaundement by the holie ghost that they should absteine from the eating of those thinges which were sacrificed to Idolls and of blood and of that which is strangled Notwithstanding after that the causes and occasions for the which this decree was made in processe of time did vanish awaie euen this Apostolicall constitution did grow out of vse Neither in these things ought we to care for the offence of the wicked who are offended with this thing as the Lord saith Let them alone they be blinde and guides of the blinde And on the other side we must take diligent heede hereunto that no offence be giuen to litle ones by a rash froward and wicked vsing of Christian libertie for this also the Lord saith Woe be to that man by whome offence commeth Now if so be that there be anie vnlikenes in traditions and externall ceremonies and if anie diuersitie which is not hurtfull be found in Ecclesiasticall assemblies certeinlie no man ought to be so ignorant in these thinges as for this cause to be offended therewith or to take offence at others and in this respect to reproch or hurt others or to be an author of sectes and also of factions seeing that there was neuer in all places one and the same forme of an Ecclesiasticall constitution in this point neither is at this day the same The which thing also is mentioned in the bookes of the Canon law in these wordes The holie Church of Rome doth know that constitutions and customes beeing diuers according to time place do nothing at all hinderthe saluation of the faithfull if the Canonicall authoritie be not against them Rather it becommeth euerie sound Christian to be content in his conscience to rest in that if he see Christians to haue the one spirit of Christ and with agreeing mindes to holde and follow his true meaning and one and the same doctrine in al these things and chiefe pointes of faith For he that hath not this Spirit of Christ he is not Christes as the Apostle doth witnes although he vse all and euerie kinde of ceremonies or constitutions Therefore whosoeuer be Christes this is their duetie as in all other such like thinges that as members of one bodie they do suffer and beare one with an other in charitie without the which no thing can profit anie whit according to the meaning of the Apostolike doctrine OVT OF THE FRENCH CONFESSION WE
Epistles especially in those to Timothie Titus And with the same Apostle we account the doctrine of such as forbid mariage or do openly dispraise or secretlie discredit it as not holie or cleane amongst the doctrines of Deuills And we do detest vncleane single life licentious lusts and fornications both open and close and the continencie of dissembling hypocrites when as they are of all men most incontineut All that be such God will iudge We doe not disalow riches and rich men if they be godly and vse their riches well but we reprooue the sect of the Apostoliques c. OVT OF THE FORMER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of holie wedlocke WE thinke that wedlocke beeing appointed of God for all men that be fit for it and are not called to some other thing is nothing repugnant to the holynes of any degree The which as the Church doth consecrate and establish with a solemne exhortation and praier so it is the duetie of the Magistrate to see that it be worthelie kept and mainteined and that it be not dissolued but vpon iuste cause Therefore we doe farre reiect this Monasticall single life and this wholl slothful kinde of life of superstitious men which is nothing else but an abhominable deuise as beeing as much repugnant to the Church as to the common wealth OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BOHEMIA Hitherto perteineth first that which is set downe in the 19. Chap. of this confession in these wordes FOr this cause it is thought to be good and well standing with wisdome so farre vndoubtedlie as may be done by conscience that Priests to the end that they may so much the more diligentlie exercise them-selues in the studie of the holie Scriptures and may the more readilie and profitablie serue the Church of God be free and exempted from all affaires and burdens of ciuill conuersation seing that it behooueth them to fight valiantlie for the faith of the gospell of God and if it may be to be also free from wedlock to this end that they may be the more ready and free to do that which is for the increase and furtherance of the saluation of the people and that manie harmfull impediments may be turned from them which doe concurre with that kinde of life do often times withhold and hinder the due workes of the ministerie For which causes our ministers think that they are more readie prest and more fit for the Ecclesiasticall Ministerie which are vnmarried yet they meane such vnmarried persons as haue this peculiar gift giuen to them of God that they maie remaine such and so giue them-selues whollie to the Ministerie This thing is so obserued among vs as is meet yet is it neither taken for a sinne neither doth anie man disdaine at it if Priests vpon iust and lawfull causes be married For holy Paull teacheth how such ought to be chosen to this function yea the holie Ghost himselfe doth permit that Byshops and Elders should haue their lawfull and honest wiues and he doth in no case giue them libertie contrarie to order and the discipline of God to entertaine concubines or otherwise so to liue as that they maie thereby giue offence to others And concerning marriage it is thus written It is better to marie then to sinne so manie waies and to burne with so great dishonestie for which sinnes not onely the Priest but also euerie Christan without respect of persons both ought and shall worthelie by excommunication be cast out of the Church Also CHAP. 19. Of single life and of Wedlock COncerning the condition of single life virginitie and widowhead our Preachers do teach that euery man hath free libertie either to chuse it to himselfe or to refuse it for by waie of a law nothing is commaunded of God to men touching these things neither is this thing appointed of God neither is it on the other side forbidden for which cause no man ought to be enforced thereunto against his wil nor be driuen from it And as concerning the Church and certaine men chiefly the ministers of the church our men haue taught from the begâ—nning and do now teach first that the gift of chastitie by the peculiar goodnes of God and of the holie ghost both in times past was giuen at this day also is giuen to some for the singular vse and profit of the Church as Christ his speach doth euidentlie witnes Euerie man saith he doth not receiue these wordes that is that a man should keepe him-selfe single without a wife but they to whome it is giuen And holie Paull also doth both place and celebrate this amongst peculiar giftes and whereunto some are peculiarlie called And moreouer the examples of certaine in the Propheticall and Apostolicall writings and of Iohn Bapist and of many ministers and weomen ministers of the Church do witnes this thing In the second place they teach that this gift is not of flesh and blood for the Lord by distinguishing doth remooue and seperate from hence that vnablenes which is in this kinde but of the spirit which is ielous who from his heart hath a care and pleasure in the glorie of God and in his owne and his neighbours saluation and also in the Ministerie of the Church and for this cause he doth of his owne accord absteine from wedlock Therefore the Lord saith Those which haue made them-selues Eunuches for the kingdome of heauen that is who be such as might be maried yet they do omit and absteine from it because of the affection of the inward heart and their loue toward God and his word and for the pleasure and ioy which they receiue thereof and through this gift of the spirit whose vertue and power doth ouercome the motions of nature they do preserue the purenes as well of the spirit as of the bodie howbeit this thing is not in them without labour and difficulty euen as it is a thing of no small labour and difficultie for all Christian men to forsake and to want the vse of other pleasant things and also such as are profitable for this life as friendes riches and monie Thirdlie that single life is to be chosen and taken with a true intent and a godlie meaning that is not to this end or with this purpose that a man would by this meanes merit or get vnto himselfe or to another remission of sinnes and eternall life and so consequentlie saluation it selfe For ther is no continencie or chastitie nor anie humane action or other vertue which can merit the onelie innocencie and death of the onely begotten Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ doth performe and perfit this thing Neither must the thing be receiued with this meaning as to think that some dignitie is added to the holie ministerie of the Church by reason of this gift or that the workes of those that be vnmaried in this ministerie are to be preferred in merit and dignitie before the works of
married men but as the Lord saith that it maie be receiued for the kingdome of heauen that is in such sort as he which for the gift spoken of before is fit to lead a single life As therefore by these things he may with lesse hindrance and more easily and readilie with great leasure and more commodiouslie imploy his labour to the saluation of the Church and holy assemblies euen so he may be a more conuenient minister then others of the same saluation which Christ hath purchased for him and whereof that he may be partaker by faith it is giuen him freelie of grace and wherein he doth keepe and vpholde him selfe seeing that it is certeine that by the state of marriage many lets manie cares and manie thinges whereby necessary quietnes is disturbed are cast in our way And this is it which Paul saith I would that you should be without such cares He that is vnmarried is careful for those things which pertein to the Lord how he may please the Lord. Also I think that this is good for the present necessitie Also to that which is seemlie to performe diligence by seruing the Lord without distraction And before we rehearsed the voice of the Lord who saith that there be some who for the kingdome of heauen do abstaine from marriage And holy Paull saith He that giueth not his virgine to be married doth the better For which cause it is taught that all they who of their owne accord do take and chuse vnto themselues this kinde of life ought carefully to haue regard hereunto that in such a life they may with a singular earnest endeauour exercise godlines and be holie as Paull commaundeth as well in body as in spirit and giue more light then others by the honestie of their actions by the laboures of such trades as beseeme a Christian profession by doing all that they can for the benefit of the Church and by yeelding their seruice to the sicke and to other needy members This gift and purpose of such which do thus in this matter consecrate themselues to God and such an exercise of their godlines is commended of our men and they do faithfully persuade men hereunto but they do persuade as we said and not compell the which thing Paull also doth who writeth thus Concerning Virgines I haue no commaundement of the â—â—rd but I deliuer my iudgement which haue receiued this mercie of the Lord that I maie be faithfull I thinke it good for a man to be such a one and he concludeth after this sort He is more happie in my iudgement if he remaine such a one that is vnmarried then if he marrie and I thinke that I haue the spirit of God In like sorte in comparison of others there be bountifull and peculiar promises and singular rewardes offered vnto those that keepe themselues single to wit that their worthie workes shall be recompensed with a great reward and that no man shall in vaine for sake anie thing as house father brother so also his wife c. as the Apostles did for the Lords cause Furthermore it is taught that they which haue receiued this gift of God and being throughly prooued and tried in this behalfe do of their own accord serue the Lord and the Church they are taught I saie together with other giftes to make great account of this gift and to keepe it diligentlie lest that by anie euill lustes or by anie allurements of occasions they do loose it Yet notwithstanding if anie good faithful and diligent man chaunce to be assaulted with such a tentation as to feare in himselfe the heat and wicked fact of luste then there is no snare laid for such a one neither is there anie daunger of entrapping his conscience but he that is in this case let him be put ouer to take counsell of the Elders and gouernours of the Church who haue the spirit of God that all may be done in the Church in order decentlie with honestie of the example and with the vsing of all due consideration Then verilie if vpon these thinges thus done he doth lawfullie chaunge his kinde of life he doth not sinne seeing that he obeyeth the counsell of the holie Ghost and the holie Church ought not for this cause to contemne him nor to make anie thing the lesse account of his ministerie Notwithstanding if for this cause he should be contemned which the Church can not do without sinne it were certeinly better for him by this meanes to preserue his soule although he should be one of the common sort of Christians onely then by persisting in his ministerie with sinne to loose and condemne it But although it seemeth to come neerer to the example of the Primitiue Church that worthie and honest maried men may be chosen to take the charge of soules in the Church theÌ„ to giue them leaue to change their kinde of life who before being vnmaried did labour diligently in the ministery of the Lord yet notwithstanding our men do not ground the worthines holines and vertue of the Ecclesiasticall ministerie no more then they doe of Christian saluation vpon either of these kindes to wit neither vpon the state of single life nor of wedlocke neither is there any other thing sought or looked for as it is before declared more then that onelie profit and opportunitie which falleth into a single life and is commended of the holie Ghost After these thinges they doe thus consequentlie teach touching wedlocke that such a condition of life though it haue many difficulties punishments and curses ioyned with it wherewith after the fall of man both mankinde and this order is opressed yet that it is in this wise holie and acceptable vnto God because that God himselfe did in the beginning ordaine it and afterward Christ our Lord did confeciate it and doth daily consecrate it in those that are his and that in such sort that their children also be holie and that moreouer God hath offered vnto it peculiarlie singular promises and blessings which are conteined in the Scriptures Thence therefore must al true Christians know that whosoeuer doe chuse this kinde of life so as it becommeth them and with an vpright purpose doe both giue them selues thereunto and be conuersant therein they doe not onelie not sinne but they doe and accomplish that which God would haue them to doe and that they lead such a kinde of life as God doth peculiarlie call some vnto and that they doe serue the selfe same Lord whome the vnmaried men doe serue THE FRENCH CONFESSION doth condemne Monasticall vowes and the forbidding of Mariage Artic. 24. which we haue inserted in the 16. Sect. OVT OF THE ENGLISH CONFESSION VVE saie that Matrimonie is holie and honorable in all sortes and states of persons as in the Patriarchs in the Prophets in the Apostles in the holy Martyrs in the Ministers of the Church and in Bishops and that it is an honest and lawfull thing as
wholl doctrine touching mariage and chastitie VVe affirme that all commixtions and spilling of the seed without marriage are sinnes condemned of god as mortall sinnes and such as driue out of men the holie Ghost and that manie greeuous punishmentes are spreade throughout mankinde by reason of lusts as it is written Fornicatours and adulterers God will iudge And there is a threatning of these punishmentes set downe Leuit. 18. Now we counte that to be chastitie both to keepe puritie in a single life and also to haue the lawes of wedlocke obserued and we affirme wedlocke as we did before describe it to be a societie instituted and consecrated of God and that this verie societie and the dueties of a life in wedlocke doe please God And we condemne all those fanaticall spirites Basilides Tatianus Carpocrates and such like whereof some by one meanes and some by another did either condemne wedlocke or did approoue filthie confusions Also we condemne that Popish lawe which forbiddeth Priestes to mary and giueth occasion of destruction to a great multitude of men and for the same cause we doe vtterlie dislike the monasticall vows of single life Touching other causes we shall speake hereafter for those popish lawes and vowes are flat contrarie to the lawe of God The Lorde saide It is not good for man to be alone He said that is by his vnspeakeable wisdom he decreed in this sorte to make mankinde that by the society of man and woman it might be propagated And Hâ— made them two that there might be a Church he established these bounds that lustes might not straie abroade for he would haue an vnderstanding of chastity to be in mankinde Although God had saide and decreed these thinges yet Tatianus the Pope and the Monkes doe saie the contrary whoe when as they forbidde mariage doe giue occasion to manie men being otherwise fit vnto vertue to heape vp manie horrible sinnes by reason whereof verie manie do fal headlong into eternall destruction and the wrath of God is the more kindled against wholl mankinde A lawe of man being contrarie to the decree of God and to the verie worke of God instituted and established in the creation and also to the commaundementes of God and that lawe which is the fountaine of great wickednes and hainous deedes for the which both manie doe perish and the wrath of God is the more kindled yea which lawe the holie Ghost doth affirme to haue it beginning from the deuill is in no case to be laide vpon the Church but by the consent of all godlie men to be abolished Now it hath fallen out verie often within these 30. yeares that Priestes whose manners were blameles and honest haue chiefelie beene put to death because they were maried Thus the Deuill goeth about to establish his lawe by moste cruell murthers and he hath for his instruments moste impudent writers Ecchius Faber Pighius whoe hath expresselie written That a Priest doth lesse offend if he be an adulterer then if he marrie a wife It is an vnworthie thing that these who will be counted Christians should write and speake such thinges Wise men doe see that in this declining age of the world both the nature of men is more weake and by litle and litle there is greater releasing and confusion of discipline And at all times a license in this kinde did immediatlie goe before the destroying of cities and the ruines of kingdomes Therefore such as are gouernours ought to be more vigilant and seuere in mainteining discipline in strengthning the lawes of wedlocke in punishing and prohibiting wandring lustes touching which matter we reioyce that our admonitions be extant for all posteritie and we also desire the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ the keeper of his Church and a true louer of charitie that he would bow the mindes of gouernours to listen to wholsome counselles and represse the deuill which kindeled the flames of lustes and hinder euill examples that they maie not be farre spread The mindes and heartes of all godlie men doe tremble when they read and heare of such foule and horrible heathnish examples the which trulie afterward were accompanied both with blindnes in the mindes and with other outrages which were pernitious to wholl nations as in the histories of the heathen examples do euerie where offer themselues to all men The Scedasianâ— had cast into a well two daughters of Spartanus being deflowred afterward as it were in the verie same footestep the armie of the Lacedemonians was slaine and the Empire changed But there be manie examples of all ages We our selues doe remember that certaine Bishoppes whoe were famous for their nobilitie and their wittes were slaine in adultrie But we beseech the Sonne of God that for this cause he would preserue many and bowe them vnto chastitie that he may sincerelie be inuocated of many As for those thinges which are alledged of our aduersaries for the defense of single life they are as well applied to the matter as that saying of Christ to Salomon which Tacianus did alledge out of the Gospel according to the Egiptians I came to destroie the workes of the woman Tacianus did thus interpret it I came to destroie that is to abolish wedlocke whereas the wordes of Christ did speake of the fall of Eue and of the miseries that folowed that fall as also Iohn doth write The sonne of god came to destroie the workes of the Deuill Hitherto also perteineth the 21. Art of the same Confession Of the Monasticall life WE omit a larger rehearsall out of auncient writers of those who either departed into the wildernes as did Anâ—onius or erected like Colledges or Schooles as did Basilius for diuers men had diuers causes of separating them selues We speak now of the present Monks which are not in the wildernes but are Colledgesof men either learned or vnlearned which do liue more commodiouslie in the open light in places of greatest resort then other men do They haue those pleasures which they desire some one some another and they haue much more leasure then other men haue that liue either in ciuill or in domesticall affaires Neither do they now transferre vnto themselues those ridiculous praises of perfection of a conteÌ„platiue life as in times past some did And seing that there is great difference in diuers societies of men we will not preach to the euill who for the kitchins al licentiousnes do loue those darke places but those of whom there is hope of amendment we do earnestlie request for the glory of God their owne saluation that they would think vpon these sayings Thou shalt haue no strange Gods Flie from Idols What manner of thing is the Monasticall life now a daies It hath verie much wicked worship and vanitie their Masses for the quick the dead they set out to sale and this is the greatest gaine that Monasteries for the most part haue there is vsed inuocation of the
remission of sinnes which is promised to euerie one that beleeueth euen as euerie one is baptized and doe testifie of it that it doth particularlie appertaine to all Neither doe we imagine that this absolution is made anie whit more effectual for that which is mumbled into some priests eare or vpō some mans head particularly yet we iudge that men must be taught diligentlie to seeke remission of sinnes in the bloode of Christ and that euerie one is to be put in minde that forgiuenes of sinnes doth belong vnto him But how diligent and carefull euerie penitent man ought to be in the endeuour of a new life and in sleying the olde man raising vp the new man the examples in the gospel do teach vs. For the Lord saith to him whome he had healed of the palsie Behold thou art made hole sinne no more lest a worsse thing come vnto thee Likewise to the adulteres woman which was deliuered he said goe thy waie and sinne no more By which wordes he did not meane that any man could be free from sinne whiles he liued in this flesh but he doth commend vnto vs diligence and an earnest care that we I saie should endeuour by al meanes and begge of god by praier that we might not fall againe into sinne out of which we are risen after a manner and that we maie not be ouercome of the flesh the world or the deuill Zacheus the publicane being receiued into fauour by the Lorde he cryeth out in the gospell Beholde Lorde the halfe of my goods I giue to the poore if I haue taken from anie man anie thing by forged cauillation I restore him foure folde After the same manner we preach that restitution and mercie yea and giuing of almes are necessarie for them which doe truelie repent And generallie out of the Apostles words we exhort men saying Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodie that you should obey it through the lustes thereof Neither giue ye your members as weapons of vnrighteousnes to sinne but giue your selues vnto God as they that are aliue from the dead and giue your members as weapons of righteousnes vnto God Wherefore we condemne all the vngodlie speaches of certeine which abuse the preaching of the Gospel and saie To returne vnto God it is verie easie for Christ hath purged al our sinnes Forgiuenes of sinnes is easily obteined What therefore will it hurt to sinne And we neede not take anie great care for repentance c. Notwithstanding we alwaies teach that an enterance vnto God i◠open for all sinners and that this God doth forgiue all the sinnes of the faithful onelie that one sinne excepted which is committed against the holy ghost And therefore we condemne the olde and new Nouatians and Catharines and especiallie we condemne the Popes gaineful doctrine of penance and against his Simonie and Simoniacall indulgences we vse that sentence of Simon Peter Thy 〈◊〉 periesh with thee because thou thoughest that the gift of god might be bought with mony Thou hast no parte or fellowshippe in this matter for thy heart is not vpright before God We also disalow those that think that themselues by their owne satisfactions can make recompence for their sinnes committed For we teach that Christ alone by his death passion is the satisfaction propitiation and purging of all sinnes Neuertheles we cease not to vrge as was before said the mortification of the flesh and yet we adde further that it must not be proudly thrust vppon God for a satisfaction for our sinnes but must humblie as it becommeth the sonnes of god be performed as a new obedience to shew thankfull mindes for the deliuerance and full satisfaction obteined by the death and the satisfaction of the sonne of God OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BOHEMIA CHAP. 5. NOw that we know what sinne is in the next place we are taught concerning holie repentance which doctrine doth bring great comfort to all sinners and generallie it is verie profitable and necessarie to saluation for all men as well for Christians which beginne to learne as for those which haue profited yea euen for sinners that haue fallen yet such which by the grace of God being conuerted doe repent Of this repentance Iohn Baptist did preach and after him Christ in these words Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand Afterwarde also the Apostles preached thereof throughout the wholl world for so it is written And thus it hehooued that repentance and remission of sinnes shoulde be preached in his name among all nations Now this repentance doth whollie arise out of a true knowledge of sinne and the wrath of God And to attaine vnto this knowledge we must vse the full and entire helpe of the ministerie by peaching to laie open vnto vs both the doctrine of repentance or the law touching that righteousnes which is due vnto God and the sentence of God pronounced against sin also of faith in Christ Iesus and of that holy satisfaction which he hath made for vs by suffering moste greeuous torments This repentance and sauing conuersion doth our mercifull God by his peculiar gifte offer and bestowe and he writeth the same in the hearts of the faithfull euen as he saith I will giue you a new heart and I will put my spirit in the midst of you and I will cause you to walke in my waies Againe That you maie repent of your sinnes and of your Idolatrie And againe When I was conuerted I did repent This sauing repentance which doth differ verie much from the repentance of Esau and ludas taketh it true and right beginning from this gifte of God who bestoweth it and from the sermons of the word of God whereby sinne is reprooued and it hath this in order first that it is a feare and terrour of the secret heart before God and that by repenting and sorowing it doth tremble at this iust and seuere iudgement and reuengement whereupon ariseth a heauie trembling and vnquiet conscience a troubled minde a heart so sorrowfull carefull and bruised that a man can haue no comfort with himselfe and of himselfe but his soull is full of all griefe sadnes anguish and terrour wherby he is much troubled because of the feare of that burning wrath which he seeth in the seuere countenance of God We haue an example in Dauid when he saith There is nothing sound in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there rest in my bones because of my sinnes I am become miserable and crooked verie sore I goe mourning all the daie Such a terrour and true sense of sinne doth worke in the faithful an inward chaunge of the minde and the soule and a constant detesting of sinne and the causes and occasions thereof Hereunto it is streightwaie added by diligent teaching of the troubled terrified repentant that such men ought in a sincere affection of the heart with repentance an humble