we deteste we haue made mention of them almost in euery Chapiter briefly recitinge reiecting them Men shall easely gather this also that we doo not by any wicked Schisme seuer or cut of our selues from Christ his holie Churches of Germany France Englande and other Christian Nations but that we well agrée with all and euery one of them in the truthe of Christe whiche here we haue acknowledged For albeit there is some varietie in diuers Churches aboute the vtteringe and settinge foorthe of their doctrine and aboute rites or Ceremonies Varietie of Ceremonies and dissent in trifels whiche they receaue as a meane to edifie their Churches yet that varietie neuer seemed to minister cause of dissention and Schisme in the Church For in suche matters the Churches of Christe haue alwaies vsed their libertie as we may Reade in the Ecclesiasticall Historie The Godly in time past thought it sufficient if they agreed Agrement in the chiefe pointes of their faith in the true meaninge thereof and in brotherly loue wherefore we truste that Christes Churches when they shall perceaue and finde that we consente in all Articles of our holy and eternall Gods doctrine in the true vnderstandinge thereof in brotherly loue with theim and chiefely with the auncient Apostolike Churche will likewise willingly agree with vs in those matters for the chiefest cause whiche moued vs to publish this Cōfession was to séeke obtaine and once obtayned to keepe peace concorde and mutuall loue with the Churche of Germany and other foraigne Countries who be as we throughly perswade our selues so kind so sincere and perfect that if any of our doinges haue perhaps not bene well vnderstoode hetherto of diuers they will herafter hearing this our plaine Cōfession not count vs Heretikes nor condemne our Churches whiche are true Christian Churches as impious But in especiall we professe that we are alwaies readie if any man require it more at large to declare all and eche particular thinge that here we haue proposed yea and to yeelde and giue them most hartie thankes and to obey them in the Lorde which can teach vs better doctrine by the woorde of God to whome be prayse and Glorie The firste of Marche 1566. All the Ministers of all Christe his Churches in Heluetia subscribed their names whiche be at Tygur Bern. Scaphonse Sangall the Court of Grisons and they whiche be ioigned in leage with them on this side and beyonde the Alpes Milhous and Bienne To whome the Ministers of the Churche of Geneua haue associated them selues also A briefe and plaine confession and declaration of true Christian Religion c. ¶ Of the holy Scripture and of the true woorde of God Cap. 1. WE beleue and confesse The Canonical Scripture is the vvoorde of God that the Canonical Scriptures set foorth in the olde new Testament by holie Prophetes and Apostles is the verse true woorde of God and that thei haue sufficient authoritie not of men but of them selues For God himselfe spake to our forefathers the Prophets and Apostles and speaketh yet to vs The Scripture is sufficiēt to instructe vs in al godlines by his holy Scriptures wherin the catholike Churche of Christe hath at full set foorth what so euer may truely instructe vs bothe how we should beleue to be saued and what life we shoulde leade to please God for the which cause he hath expresly commaunded that nothinge be added to his woorde or diminished from the same We thinke therfore that in these Scriptures we ought to séeke true wisedome and godlines reformatiō and gouernment of Churches instruction to gouerne our selues in all godlines to be shorte the proufe of doctrine reproufe or confutation of al errours with good admonitions accordinge to that sayinge of the Apostle The holy Scripture is geuen by the inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improue c. 2. Timoth. 3. And againe these thinges I wryte to thée sayeth he 1. Timoth. 3. that thou mayst know how thou oughtest to behaue thy selfe in the house of God and 1. Thes 2 when you receaued of vs the woorde of the preachinge of God ye receaued it not as the woorde of mē but as it is in déede the woorde of God The Lord himselfe saide in the Gospell you are not they which speake but the spirite Mat. 10. Luc. 10. Ioan. 13. of my father speaketh in you therfore he that heareth you heareth me but he that dispiseth you dispiseth me Wherfore when this woorde of God The preach ynge of Goddes voorde is the vvorde of God is preached in the Church by preachers lawfully therto called we beleue that the very true woorde of God is taught and receaued of the faithfull and that we ought not to imagine or to looke for frō heauē for any other woorde of God nor consider the preacher so muche as the woorde it selfe whiche is preached For albeit the preacher be euell sinfull The preachers sinne maketh not Gods vvorde the vvorse The invvard vvorkinge of the holye ghost disanulleth not the outvvarde preachyng Ier. 31. 1. Cor. 3. Ioan. 6. yet the woorde of God remayneth still true and good Neither doo we thinke that the outwarde preachinge is therefore to be compted vnprofitable because the true Religion dependeth of the inwarde lightninge of the holy Ghost or bicause it is written no man shall teache his neighbour for all men shall knowe me he is nothinge whiche watereth or planteth but God which geueth the sucrease For albeit no man come to Christe excepte he be drawen of his heauenly father and illuminated with the holy Ghoste yet we know that God wil haue his woord preached by some outwarde meanes also For he could haue faught Cornelius by his holy spirite or by an Angel without Peters ministerie yet not withstanding he sent him to Peter of whome the Angell speakinge sayeth He shall tell thée what thou muste doo For he whiche inwardly illuminateth by geuinge his holy spirite to men cōmaundeth also his Disciples sayinge Goe ye into all the world and preache the Gospel to euery creature as Paule preached the outward woorde to Lydia a sellar of purple at Philipie but inwardly the Lorde opened the womans harte And the saide Paule speakinge elegantly by degreese as it were Rom. 10. at the length inferreth Then faith is by hearinge hearinge by the woorde of God Howbeit we acknowledge that God can illuminate whom when he will euen without the outwarde ministerie suche is his omnipotent power but we speake of the ordinary waye showed to vs by Gods commaundement and declared by examples We detest therefore the Heresies of Artemon of the Maniches of Heresies the Valentinians of Cerdo and the Marcyonites who eyther denied the Scriptures to be of the holy Ghoste or els disalowed some part therof or māgled and corrupted them Not withstanding we plainely affirme that certaine bookes of the old Testament are called of some anncient writers
God onely knoweth not he but blindely I leaue this blinde guide and ignorant Doctor stumbling ignorantly in darknes and teachynge in ignorance he seeth not what It is a world to beholde how shamefully they disagrée about Hoc est Corpus Disagremēt about the vvoordes of Consecration meum This is my Bodie some say they be not the woordes of Consecration but that Christe did Consecrate whē he Blessed most parte denie that some saye by the woorde Hoc this is meante Bread not his Bodie some his Bodie and not Bread some nether Bread nor his Bodie but Indiuidüum vagū indiuidüum in genere indiuidüum entis indiuidüum insignitū Indiuidüum indiuidui I know not what phantasticall vnknowen vncertaine vnsensible thinge Vouchsafe good gentle Reader to peruse the answeare of the godly learned pretious Iuell and reuerende father in Christe B. of Sarum to Articl 24. M. Hardinges Indiuidum vagū and thou shalte finde vij or viij sundrie opinions or expositions aboute these woordes of Consecration Hoc est Corpus meum this is my Bodie which argueth either their blinde ignorance or their obstinate malitiousnesse Thus all men may sée howe they dissent in Trāsubstantiatiō one of the Articles of their beliefe I néede not to declare the vehemencie of Pope Gelasius to The Sacrament in bothe kindes haue the Sacrament ministred in both kindes affirminge that he which deuided the Euchariste when he taketh the one parte absteyneth frō the other doth wickedly committeth sacrilege For you know that Pope Innocentius thought it no sacrilege but highe seruice to God to commaunde that the Cuppe shoulde not be ministred to the Laye people It were to long to shew how pitifully thei dissent how vncōstantly they answeare when they be vrged with absurdities which necessarilie foloweth their Transubstātiatiō It were to tedious to trouble your Disagremēt about the Masse good eares with the iarring discorde of Pope Leo who helde it vnlawfull to saye any more then one Masse in one Churche in one daye and our later Popes who defende it to be meritorious to say a Trētall of Masses in one forenoone in one place whereas in déede one halfe Masse were to manie It were bootelesse to put you in remēbraunce that you shall finde very few or none but mislike some pointe or other of Popishe inuentions some the Latine seruice some praier to Saincts some the Popes Supremacie some Purgatorie some Iustification by woorkes some ministring in one kind some sole receauinge some crepinge offering to Images some the makyng the picture of God the Father and the most parte Pilgrimage pardons Reliques with such like trumperie howbeit they will openly defende the doctrine of the Romish Churche boldly talke their pleasure against the reprouers thereof Hereby thou maiste perceaue good Christian reader what credite should be giuen to thē who would accuse vs of discorde when they themselues agrée not emonge them selues but with shame inough be at great variance for their Princely Supremacie for the frée election sure confirmation and absolute iurisdiction of their holy Father the Pope for the glorious erecting of their wodden images for their meruailous miracle of their straunge Transubstantiatiō for the vnnatural presence of Christes Bodie in their hoste for the coniuringe Woordes of their diuine Consecration for the sacrilege robbing of the lay people of the Cuppe for to often sayinge of their Idolatrous Masse for the greatest misteries highest pointes strōgest keies and chiefest Articles of their opinions Turpe est doctori cum culpa redarguit ipsum It is a foule faulte to rebuke an other for that wherein thou thy selfe most offendest If they answeare that the truth of their doctrine is one albeit in some pointes a few dissent and sauour a little of errours so ascribe the blame to men and not to Religion it might please them to alledge the same excuse for our defence For as here in this confession thei may reade the Articles of our doctrine dissent not one from the other If thē any cominge out of Egipte desire to woorshippe God in the forme of a Calfe as the Egiptians did or beinge lately weaned from the breste of Gentilitie longe to lap some sower whigge of Paganisme or beyng turned from Iudaisme delight in sundrie of Aarons gorgious ceremonies or beynge conuerted from Papistrie smell fulsomely sauer ranckely yea stinke filthelie of some dunge of Poperie blame the mē and not the truth For wine is not to be dispraysed bicause dronkerdes distemper thēselues therewith nor meate to be refused for that gluttons surfaite thereby The vndoubted veritie of God his woorde is pleasaunt meate and comfortable drinke to that Christian soule whiche doth hunger thirste after rightuousnes albeit the queasiè stomackes of the vngodly cannot brooke it or the infirmitie of weakelings wil not kéepe al but caste vp some that it receaueth As for vs it may plainely be perceaued by this little treatise that we dissent not in any Article of our beliefe in any mater of saluation or damuation but rather in ceremonies in trifelinge and indifferent thinges yea in such sort that notwithstādyng we al consent in this that they may be altered remoued and quite abolished without any great hinderāce to Christ his Church Thus haue I giuen thée warning good Christian reader of two daungerous snares wilfull Ignorance and slaunderous Reportes wherwith thy craftie enemy Satan woulde intangle thée and withholde thée from cōminge to the truth Now then it resteth that thou wilfully doo not blindefield thine eies from beholding the clere light of the Gospel least wittingly thou stumble into perilous ginnes nor lightly open thine eares to beleue forged slaūders least thou be faste tied with the stronge cheynes of diuelishe illusions but that thou willingely marke the proufes on bothe sides indifferently heare what we teache and so vprightly iudge our cause whiche thinge that euen the simplest might the better doo I haue done mine indeuour faithfully to trāslate out of Latine into English the Confession of the Christian faith cōpiled by the generall consent of sundrie Christian Churches as by the title thou maist vnderstande I liste not at large to cōmēde their godly Zeale who woulde not couetously hoorde vp from their poore bretherne so greate a treasure but liberally deuide it emong them to the enritchinge of their soules with heauenly riches for so thei might lose the chiefest parte of their deserued prayse by the folye of a slender cōmender Neither minde I to extoll the woorthinesse of their woorke for pure Golde cōpared with rustie brasse preferreth it selfe and néedeth no prayser This onely I affirme that by readyng this booke the learned may refresh his memorie with profitable repetinge of that he hath bene taught the vnskilfull may learne that he neuer knewe the faithfull maye be confirmed in the truth the infidell reclaymed from his errour the Parent the Childe the Maister the seruaunt the Prince the subiect
the olde Testament to bee youth should be instructed in godlines verie diligent in instructyng a right their children euen from their infancie and gaue expresse cōmaundmente in his lawe to teache them and to expounde vnto theim the misteries of his Sacraments Seeyng then it is euidente by the doctrine of the Euangelistes and Apostles that God hath no lesse care for the youthe of his people with whom he lefte his newe Testamente when he openly witnesseth saiyng Suffer little children to come Mar. x. vnto me for to suche belongeth the kyngdome of heauen doubtlesse those ministers of churches doe moste wisely whiche betyme diligently instructe the youthe laiyng in theim the firste foundacions of faithe and faithefully teachyng the first principles of our religion expoundyng to them Gods cōmaundementes the Crede and the Lorde his praier the vse of his Sacramentes with suche other like firste instructions and chief poinctes of our religion Lette the congregacion shewe theim selues faithfull and diligent in bryngyng their children to be taught desiryng reioysyng that their youth maie be well instructed For as muche as menne are neuer more greuously tempted then whē thei be weake and sicke sore broken with diseases of the Visiting of the sicke mynde and bodie the Pastours of the Church doubtles ought at no time to be more watchfull and carefull to saue his flocke then in suche sickenesse and infirmities Let theim therefore visite the sicke betymes and let the diseased sende for theim without delaye if the cause so require Let the ministers cōforte The ministers duene and confirme theim in the true faithe arme them againste the pernicious suggestiōs of Sathan let theim say praiers in the sicke mannes house and if nede require let theim praie for his recouery bothe of bodie and soule in the Churche also And let theim do their indeuour that he maie depart out of this worlde in blessed state The Popishe visityng of the sicke Popishe visiting the sicke with their extreme vnction or ennoylyng we saied before that we allowed not because it containes many foolishe and odious thynges not approued by the Canonicall scripture ¶ Of buriyng the faithfull and care whiche men ought to take for the dedde of Purgatorie and thapperyng of spirites Cha. 26. THe scripture commaundeth to burie honestly and without Burying cōmaunded in scripture supersticion the bodies of the faithfull as the temples of the holie ghoste whiche we beleue shall rise again in the latter daie Also to make mencion after a comelie forte of theim who died Godlie in the what care we shoulde take for the dedde Lorde and to be ready to helpe and releue those whom thei haue left behind theim as widdowes and fatherlesse children We teach men to take none other care then this for theim that bee dedde Wée therefore muche disalowe the heretikes called Cynici who despised dedde bodies or very negligentlie Heretikes and contemptuously hurle theim into the yearth neuer speakyng so muche as a good woorde of them nor caryng any thyng at all for those whom they left behinde thē Now on thother side wee like not those that are to muche and to ouerthwertly seruicable to the dead howlīg like Ethnikes for their friendes departed saiyng or hearyng Masse for their soules and mummelyng for pence certaine praiers to deliuer them by this their deuocion from tormentes wherewith thei suppose that thei are after their death tormented yet so that by their lamentable sōges and Diriges thei are released of their paines Hobeit moderate mournyng whiche the Apostle j. Thes iiij Moderate mornynge is cōmendable graunteth we discommende not iudgyng it an vnnaturall parte to be nothyng greued in suche a case Wée beleue that the faithfull goe straight too Christe after their bodily death and therefore neede not the Suffrages or whether mē◠soules go after their departure praiers of the liuyng Wée beleue also that Infidelles are without delaye caste doune hedlonge into helle from whence no seruice of the liuyng is able to deliuer them The doctrine whiche some teache concernyng the fire of Purgatorie is Purgatorie contrary to our Christian faithe I beleue the forgeuenes of sinnes and the life euerlastyng and contrary to our cleane purgyng from all our iniquities by Christe Neither agreeth Purgatorie with these saiynges of the lord Christ Verely verely I saie vnto you Iohn v. he that heareth my woorde and beleueth in hym that sent me hath euerlastyng life and shall not be condemned but hath passed from death to life Againe Ihon. xiij He that is wasshed needeth not saue to wasshe his feete but is cleane euery whitte and ye are cleane Moreouer as touchyng their doctrine The appearig of spirits is disceate of the deuyll of spirittes or dedde mennes soules some tymes apperyng to thē that liue and desiryng them to dooe somewhat wherby thei maie be deliuered we esteme suche visions or sightes as mockynges craftes and disceiptes of the deuil Who as he can trāsfigure hym self into an Angell of lighte so is he busie to ouerthrowe and bryng in doubte the true faithe The Lorde forbadde in the olde Testamente to aske counsaille of the dedde or to haue any Deut. xviii thyng to doe with spirites It was denied to the riche glutton who laie tormented in hell fire as Christe the aucthour of all truthe in the Gospell declareth that Lazarus should retourne to his brethren God by the mouthe of Abrahā pronoūcyng and saiyng thei haue Moses and the Prophettes let them heare them if thei hear not Moses Luc. xvi and the Prophettes neither will thei bee perswaded though one rise againe from the dedde ¶ Of rites ceremonies and indifferent thinges Chap. 27. CEremonies were in tyme why ceremonies were geuen paste deliuered to the people in the olde Lawe as a certaine scolynge to them who were kepte vnder the lawe as it were vnder a scholemaister and tutor But when Christ came our deliuerer and had taken awaye the ceremoniall Ceremonies remoued by Christ lawe we that beleue are no more vnder the lawe nor yet boūde to obserue those ceremonies which at our Messiascōming vanished away which the Apostles were so farre from kepynge Ceremonies not kepte of the Apostles or renewynge in Christe his churche that they openlye affirmed that they would laie no suche yoke nor burthen vpō the churches necke Wherfore we might séme to bryng in or restore Iudaisme if in the Churche of Christ we Increase of Ceremonies to Iudaisme should heape vp ceremonies vpon Ceremonies after the maner of the olde churche Wherfore we bée not of their mindes who thought it good that Christ his churche should be kepte vnder as with a certain scoling with many and sundrie rites For if thapostles would not burthen Christian people with ceremonies why multitude of Ceremonies is not allowed which were firste ordained and apointed by God hymselfe who I praye you being well in his wittes woulde violently thruste
A CONFESsion of Fayth made by common consent of diuers reformed Churches beyonde the Seas with an Exhortation to the Reformation of the Churche Perused amd allowed accordinge to the Queenes Maiesties Iniunctions Imprinted at London by Henry Wykes for Lucas Harrison Vnto the Christian Reader THe subtill Serpent our deadly enemie Satan laieth many snares to intangeil mankinde to withhold him frō cōming to the truth but especially two whiche be of all other most perilous Wilfull ignorance and Slaūderous reportes wherwith if once man be ensnared say what you liste doo what you please he lieth still in his errours and will not be remoued for wilfull ignorance so blindeth his eyes from readinge slaunderours reportes so stoppe his eares from hearinge the truth that not knowynge the clerenesse of the light he estemeth the darknes of a cloudie night as the brightnes of noone daies and giuinge light credite to false rumors beleueth forged lies as vnfallible truthes Thus many a Christian ketcheth his bane and no maruell For what disease is cured by increasing the corrupt humors whereon the sicknes féedeth howe is it possible that he shoulde be wonne to the Gospell that wittingly wilfully doth blindesielde him selfe dothe stubbernly refuse to Reade the truthe dothe frowardely disdayne to peruse any other bookes then suche as nussell him in his errours What good successe trowe you is that Capitayne like to haue that considereth his owne powre onely and is not desirous to know his enemies strength also what wise and trustie Lawier will harken to his Clientes tale alone and would not gladly if opportunitie were offered scanne his aduersaries writinges also If the iudge will giue eare to the first accuser beleue all that he sayeth to be true and either wil not heare the defendant or if he doo estéemeth his woordes as lies howe can he iudge arighte if thou wander in Poperie as in darknes and wilt not walke in the light of the Gospell if thy soule be poisoned with venimous superstitiō and wilte not tast the preseruatiue of God his woorde if thou consider Antichrist his powre onely and wilt not vnderstāde Christe his might and puisance if thou defende thine errours as an euill cause and wilt not regarde thine aduersaries proufes to mayntaine his righte if thou wilt credite the first doctrine that euer thou hardest which is nothinge els but mens Traditions wilt not harken to any other truthe no maruell if thou be blinde if thy soule be poisoned if thou be cōquered if thou lose thy cause if thou iudge wrongefully in weightie matters of Faith and true Religion Suche was the wilfull ignorāce of the Idolatrous Iewes who sayed to Ieremie The woorde that thou haste spoken to vs in the name of the Lorde we will not heare it of thée but we will doo what soeuer thinge goeth out of our owne mouth we will burne incense to the Quéene of Heauen we wil powre out drinke offerings vnto her as we haue done bothe we and our Fathers our Kinges and our Princes for then had we plentie of vitayles and were well and felte no euill so they that now adaies will not heare the Preacher of God his woorde that wil doo what thei liste that will offer to theyr Ladie of heauen that will sence to their worm-eaten Images that will doo as their forefathers their Kinges and Princes haue done bosting that then they had plentie of all thinges that then it was a merie worlde that then they felte no euill doo wilfully as it were hydewinke themselues frō seing the truth No maruell if Iehoiakim runne hedlonge into his destruction when he woulde not vouchsafe so muche as to giue Iehudie the hearyng while he red the booke of the Lorde written by Baruch but cut it with a penknife hurled it into the fier and brente it to Ashes Ahab was content at the length to heare what Michah woulde saye but estemyng his woordes as lesinges and beleuing his flattering false Prophets hasted to his miserable ende And as Michah then saide that a spirite went out was a false spirit in the mouthes of al his Prophetes so in this our age not one but many spirites are broken lose and be false Spirites bothe in the mouthes tounges hartes of our Romishe cole Prophetes For how many lies coyne they howe many slaunderous Sclaunderous reportes reportes forge they to deface the Gospell and the true professours therof Doo thei not laye to our charge as that Iewes did to Christ that our doctrine is newe learnynge that we are Anabaptistes Pelagians Libertines detestable Heretikes that we contemne fastinge neglect prayinge doo no Almes déedes dispraise good woorkes that we denie God his powre beleue not his woordes defie Christe his Image and are enemies to his Crosse that we falcifie the Scriptures refuse the Doctors deface the Councels sette at naught Traditions that we honour not the Sainctes estéeme not the Mother of Christe nor his blessed Martirs that we care not for the dead that we make God the auctor of sinne and man as a stocke or a blocke voide of all goodnes that we passe not for the Churche and rayle against the head therof that we abuse the Sacramentes that we are rebelles and teach subiectes to disobay their Prince inferiours to resist their superiours that we preache nothinge but libertie libertie to be shorte that we cannot agrée amonge our selues about the chiefest pointes of our Religion These and many such like slaunderous reportes haue lyinge spirites put into the mouthes of the Romishe Cleargie and their adherentes which if thou credite to be as true as the Gospell it wil be longe before thou beleue the truth of the Gospell But if thou wilt voutchsafe good Christian Reader diligently to peruse in the feare of the Lord this litle treatise not condemnynge it before thou reade it nor wrestynge euery woorde to an euill sence but with indifferēcie ponder eche thyng and iudge vprightly then then I hope that God will opē thine eies and giue thée grace to sée to acknowledge his truth wil enriche thée with wisedome to discerne the Spirite of truthe from the Spirite of errour light from darknesse Christe from Antichriste To those slaunderous reportes I néede not to answeare particularly bicause they be confuted by this woorke it selfe as by readinge thou maist vnderstande But two pointes I cannot omitte vntouched which are often vrged and neuer proued that we falcifie the Scriptures and agrée not emonge our selues in the weightiest matters of Religion Touchynge the firste we gather the true meaning of the Scriptures Expoundinge of Scripture by the circumstances of the text by reconcilinge it with other places of God his woorde to the confirmation of the truth and not to the establishinge of our owne deuises as some wreste them racke them to maintaine their fonde phantasies inuented of their foolishe braynes We alledge not the Racking of Scripture sayinge of Christe to Peter Ego oraui pro
Epistles chiefly to Timothe i. Tim. iiii and Titus But with the saied To forbid mariage is a doctrine of deuils Apostle we compt it a doctrine of Deuils to forbidde or openly to dispraise mariage or to restrain it by some croked or couerte meanes as though it were not holy or cleane Wee deteste Heresies vnchaste single life the secrete or open and manifeste lustes and fornicacion committed by hypocrites faining chastitie when thei are moste lasciuious of all others God will iudge them all We disalowe not riches and riche Ritches men if thei be godlie and vse their riches well but wee mislike the secte of the Apostolicans who would haue all thynges common ¶ Of Magistrates EVery chief Magistrate is ordained of God hym self for Magistrates be ordained of God the peace and tranquilitie of mankynde and to beare the chiefeste rule and degree of honour in the worlde If he bee an enemie to the Churche he maie hinder and trouble it muche But if he be a friende and so a member of the churche he is the profitableste and moste excellente parte thereof whiche maie greatly profitte and beste helpe the Churche His chiefeste office is to prouide for The duetie of a Magistrate and kepe the publike peace and quietnesse Whiche thing he shall neuer do with better successe then when he feareth God in deede and zelously setteth for the his religion imitating the steppes of moste godlie Kynges and Princes that gouerned the Lordes people and aduaunseth the Preachyng of the truthe and sincere faithe rooteth out lies and vntruthes all Supersticion with all impietie and Idolatrie and defendeth God his churche We teach that a godlie Magistrate ought chiefly to care for the furtheraunce of Religion Lette hym therefore with all his might maintaine the worde of God and prouide that no doctrine contrary to it bée taught Let hym also rule the people cōmitted by God to his charge with good lawes agreyng with gods worde and thereby kepe them in good order in doyng their duetie and in obedience Lette hym exercise hym self in iudgyng causes iustly not respectyng persones refusing bribes defendyng widowes fatherlesse children and other afflicted punishyng yea and rootyng out vniuste deceiptfull and cruell persones For he hath not Roma xiii the swearde of God for naught Letts hym therefore drawe his swearde against euill doers sowers of dissencion theues murtherers oppressours blasphemours forswearers of theim selues and againste all those whom God hath commaunded hym to punishe and put to death Lette hym chasten Heretikes also and correcte vncorrigible heretikes whiche be heretikes in deede which cease not to blaspheme the maiestie of God to trouble and destroye his Churche If it bee necessarie to defende warre the sauegarde of his people by warre lette hym goe to warre in the name of Lorde so that firste ▪ he seeke peace by all meanes he maie and can defende his subiectes none otherwise then by battaile While the Magistrate dooeth this of faithe he with the self same workes as good in déede serueth God and is blessed of hym Wee condemne the Anabaptistes who as Heresies thei deny that any Christian cā beare the office of a Magistrate so thei defende that no manne can lawfully be putte to death by a Magistrate or that a Magistrate oughte to wage battaile with any or that thei should require othes of menne and sweare them on a Booke c. For as God will that the sauegard of his people be wrought by his Magistrate Subiectes duetie whom he hath geuen to the worlde to bee as a father euen so all subiectes are charged to acknowledge this benefit of God in the magistrate It is their duetie therefore to honour and reuerence hym as God his minister to loue hym to praie for hym as for their father to obeie all his lawful and iuste commaundementes to bee shorte to paie hym Tribute with all suche like duetie faithefully and willynglie If the conseruacion of the publike wealthe and Iustice so require and the Magistrate bee forced necessarilie to warre let his subiectes be reddie to hassarde their liues and to shed their bloude gladlie valiauntlie and cherfullie in Gods name to saue their Countrie and their chief gouernour For he that resisteth his rewler doeth purchase God his greuous wrathe againste hymself We condemne therfore all despisers of Magistrates Rebelles Dispisers of Magistrats Traitours enemies to the common wealth sedicious knaues to bee shorte all that refuse either openlie or craftely and couertly to do their boūden duetie and allegeaunce to their gouernour We praie God our moste mercifull and heauēlie father to blesse the princes of his people and vs also with all his people through Iesus Christe our onely Lorde and sauior to whom bee praise glorie and thankes worlde without ende So be it A confession Of Faith made by common agreement of suche Frenchemen as desire to liue accordinge to the puritie of the Gospel of our Lorde IESVS CHRIST The Frenchmen that desire to liue accordyng to the puritie of the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ to the King WE haue great cause most mightie Prince to geue God thankes that hauing not hitherto had accesse to youre Maiestie whereby we mighte declare what rigour of persecutions we haue suffered and dayly do suffer for desiring to liue according to the puritie of the Gospell and quietnesse of our consciences he hath no vouchsaued to graunt vs this fauour that your grace is willinge to vnderstande of our cause as appeareth by the last proclamation gyuen at Amboise the moneth of Marche the yeare 1559. when it pleased your Maiestie to cause the publicatiō of the same Whiche boldeneth vs at this present to open mouth whiche before by the violence and iniustice of certaine your officers was closed and stopped vp rather of malice to vs ward than good affection or seruice to you ward And to the ende your Maiestie maye be plainelye and fullye informed of the whole cause we most humbly beseche you to read and vnderstand this our Confession of Fayth whiche wee here present vnto you hopinge it to be sufficient defence for vs against all such blames and slaunders as we haue hitherto wrongfully ben charged withall by suche as haue daily sought to condemne vs before our cause were knowen or heard Wherin we proteste there is nothinge repugnant to the worde of God or contrary to that subiection which we owe to your Maiestie For these articles of Faithe set forth at large in our confession tend all to this ende that seeyng God hath sufficiently declared his wille by his Prophettes and Apostles yea by the monthe of his derely beloued soonne our sauiour Iesus Christe wee ought so to honour and reuerence this holie woorde of God that we adde nothyng thereto of our owne but wholie conforme our selues to the rewle prescribed vnto vs therein And for that the Romishe Churche leauyng the vse and custome of the primitiue Church
hath broughte in newe commaundementes and a newe maner of seruing God we thinke it moste reasonable to preferre the coÌ„maundmentes of God whiche is the truthe it self to the coÌ„maundementes of men who naturally are enclined to lesyng and vanitie And what soeuer our aduersaries preteÌ„de against vs yet dare we saie bothe before God and manne that we suffer for none other cause but for maintainyng our Lorde Iesus Christe to bee the onely Sauiour and redemer and his doctrine to be the onely doctrine of life and saluacion And this is the onely cause why the handes of hangmen haue been so ofte embrued with the bloodde of your poore subiectes Who sparyng neither life nor gooddes for maintainaunce of this Confession of faithe haue manifestly declared to all the worlde that thei wer moued therto by a farre mightier spirit then any spirit of manne whiche is more carefull of quietnes and commoditie then of the honour and glorie of God And therefore accordyng to the goodnesse and clemencie whiche your Maiestie promiseth to shewe to vs your poore subiectes wee moste humblie beseche you to bee so gracious as to take in hande the knowledge of the cause by whiche beyng daily pursued to death or banishemente wee lose the power and meane to shewe to you that most humble seruice whiche of duetie wee owe. Maie it therfore please your Maiestie in stede of fire and sweard heretofore vsed to examine our Confession by the worde of God and to graunt vs sufferaunce and sauetie in the meane while And then wee hope that your self shall iudge of our innoceÌ„cie well perceiue that there is neither heresie nor rebellion in vs but that we onely tende to this ende to liue in quietnesse of conscience serue God as he hath coÌ„maunded and to obeye your Maiestie in all humble obedience and seruice And bicause the preaching of the word of God is necessarie to putte vs in remembraunce as wel of our duetie towardes hym as towardes you wee moste humbly beseche your Maiestie that we maie sometymes gather together to be exhorted to the feare of God by his woorde and confirmed by the administracion of the Sacramentes whiche our Sauiour Christe hath appoincted to his church And if it would please you to graunte vs some open place where all the worlde might see our assemblies that onely sight should discharge vs of those hainous crimes that heretofore our said asseÌ„blies haue been charged withall For there is nought to been but modestie and chastitie nought to be heard but praise to God exhortacion to his seruice and praier for the conseruacioÌ„ of your Maiestie and kyngdome And if it please not your grace to shew vs this fauor yet maie it please you at the leaste to graunte that wee maie particularly vse that quiet order whiche is established Moste humblie besechyng your Maiestie in readyng this present supplicacion to coÌ„sider that it is the cries and groaries of an infinite nomber of your poore subiectes whiche craue suche mercie at your handes that it maie quenche the fires that your cruel Iudges haue kindled in your realme And so that huÌ„blie seruyng your maiestie wee maie lawfully serue hym that hath exalted your highnes to this dignitie and state And if ye refuse to beare vs yet maie please you to heare the voice of the sonne of God who geuyng you power ouer oure bodies goodes liues requireth of you that the power and gouernment ouer our soules and consciences whiche he so dearely bought by the price of his hart bloud should be reserued to hym onely The same God we beseche to guide you with his holy spirit and with pour yeres to encrease your might and power to geue you victorie ouer all your enemies and establishe for euer in all equitie and iustice the throne of your Maiestie Before whom it maie please hym to graunte vs to finde suche fauour that we maie obtain some frute of our presente supplicacion That so chaunging our grieffes and afflictioÌ„s into quietnesse and libertie wee maie also chaunge our sighes and teares into perpetuall thankyng GOD for your Maiestie for grauntyng a thing so agreable to hym so worthie of your goodnesse and Iustice and so necessarie for the conseruacion of your most humble and obedient subiectes and seruauntes ¶ A confession of faithe made by common agrement of suche Frenchemen as desire to liue accordyng to the puritie of the Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christ The firste article WE beleue and confesse that there is a Deut. 4. 35 39. 1. Cor. 8. 4. 6. one onely GOD which is one onely and simple substaunce b Gene 1. 3. Iohn 4. 24 2. Cor. 3. 17. spirituall c Exod 3. 15 16. 18. euerlastyng d Rom 1. 20 1. Tim. 1. 17 inuisible e Mala. 3. 6. vnchaungeable f Rom. 11. 33 Act. 17. 24. 7. 48. endlesse incomprehensible vnspeakable g Ier. 10. 7. 10. Luc. 1. 37. that can doe all thynges who is h Ro. 16. 27 whollie wise i Mat. 19. 17 whollie good k Iere. 12. 1. whollie iuste and whollie mercifull 2. This God declareth himself to men l Exod. 34. 6. 7. so to be Rom. 1. 19. and first by his woorkes as well in creatyng conseruyng as guidyng of the same n Heb. 1. 1. But secondlie and more plainlie by his worde whiche in the beginnyng was o Gene. 15. 1 reuealed by Oracle and afterwardes p Exod. 24. 3. 4. written in bookes whiche we call q Rom. 1. 12 holy scripture 3. All this holie scripture is comprised in the Canonicall bokes of the old and newe Testament whereof the names hereafter followe Firste the fiue bookes of Moises that is to saie Genesis Exodus Leuiticus Nombers Deuteronomie Further Iosue the Iudges Ruth the firste and seconde bookes of Samuel the firste and seconde bookes of the Kynges The firste and seconde bokes of the Chronicles otherwise called Pariâ—â—pomenon and the firste booke of Esoras Also Nehemias the bookes of Hester Iob Psalmes of Dauid Prouerbes of Salomon the booke of Ecclesiastes otherwise called the Preacher The Canticles of Salomon Likewise the bookes of Esaie Ieremie the Lamentacions of Ieremie Ezechiell Daniell Osee Ioell Amos Abdias Ionas Miche Nahum Abacucke Sophonie Agge Zacharie Malachie Also the holy Gospell of S. Matthew sainct Marke S. Luke S. Ihon Furthermore the seconde booke of saincte Luke otherwise called the Actes of the Apostles and one Epistle of sainct Paule to the Romaines twoo the Corinthians one to the Galathians one to the Ephesians one to the Philippians one to the Collossians twoo to the Thessalonians twoo to Timothe one to Tite and one to Philemon Also the Epistle to the Hebrewes the Epistle of sainct Iames the firste and seconde Epistles of saincte Peter The firste seconde and third Epistles of sainct Ihon The Epistle of saincte Iude and the Apocalipse or Reuelacion of sainct Ihon. 4. We knowe these bookes