cover our great and unspeakable miseries Thus for the Mediatours sake both the person is received and also our works doe please God that in either of them our faith may shine Therefore Peter saith 1 Pet. 2. Offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God through Iesus Christ This comfort is set forth Rom. 8. Now there is no condemnation to them which doe walke in Christ Iesus And Rom. 3. Ye are not under the law but under grace In that place this question is asked whether our obedience doe please God seeing it doth not satisfie the law Paul answereth that it doth please God Because we are not under the law that is condemned by the law but we are under grace reconciled or received into favour Rom. 8. Who shall condemâ—e Christ hath died for us and is risen againe and sitteth at the right hand of God and maketh request for us that is holy men doe please God for the Son his sake who also offered his obedience for us and maketh request for us We must oppose these sayings to doubting lest faith and invocation be extinguished for doubting doth weaken our invocation Seeing therefore that we know both that new obedience as necessary and that helpe is certainly given us and that this obedience doth please God although it be unperfect and needie let us acknowledge the infinite mercie of God and give thanks for it and have a great care how to governe our actions because we know that we are both helped and that this obedience is acceptable to God for the Sons sake And let this necessitie be alwaies in our eyes that if the benefits of God to wit Iustification and Regeneration be shaken of we loose eternall life according to that saying We shall be cloathed if so be that we be not found naked And Rom. 8. If any have not the Spirit of Christ he is not his And alwaies in Iustification let there be also a beginning of newnesse of life The theefe hanging on the crosse hath good works and those both internall and externall it grieveth him that he had sinned and he confesseth that he is justly punished then by faith he doth acknowledge the Saviour and desireth salvation of him and therefore he heareth expresse absolution and the preaching of eternall life and the promise and resteth in this voice of the Messias and submitteth himselfe to God and doth not beare the punishment impatiently but is eased by acknowledging the Messias and by the hope of eternall life and giveth thanks to God Moreover to give an evident token of his confession he found fault with the other which cursed Christ These things are done by him because this very Messias being partner with him in his punishment in a word doth teach his minde and by the same comfort the Word is effectuall in him and through him the eternall Father doth poure the holy Ghost into the heart of this hearer that he may kindle in him joy love invocation hope of eternall life and other vertues Of Rewards PAul saith Rom. 6. Eternall life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord and they that are reconciled or justified Are heires annexed with the Sonne of God and that for his sake not for their own merits Faith receiving remission of sins and justification and the hope of eternall life doe relie upon the Son of God the Mediatour as it is said Joh. 6. This is the will of the Father that every one that beleeveth in him should have eternall life And Rom. 5. Being iustified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have accesse through faith unto this grace wherein we stand and reioyce under the hope of eternall life He joyneth faith and hope together and affirmeth that either of them doth relie upon the Mediatour And it is manifest that hope ought not to relie on our works because it is said Psal 142. No man living shall be iustified in thy sight But as they which repent are accounted just by faith for the onely Sonne of God his sake and for him and through him are quickned so for him and not for our merits is eternall life given unto us as the thiefe on the crosse heareth this promise To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Luk 23. Neither must we dreame that the Sonne of God did merit or give unto us a preparation onely to eternall life but let that most comfortable saying of Hosea be alwaies in our sight O death I will be thy death O hell I will be thy destruction For by the Son of God and through him we are delivered from eternall death and translated into life eternall as he saith I give unto them eternall life And 1 Joh. 5. He that hath the Son hath life And let hope be sure and firme as Peter saith 1 Pet. 1. Hope perfectly that is looke for eternall life not with doubtfull opinion in an assured hope to wit for the Mediatours sake And Augustine saith well in his booke of Meditations The certaintie of our whole confidence consisteth in the blood of Christ Let us hold both these points assuredly that he which repenteth doth freely by faith receive remission of sins and justification for the Sonne of God his sake and that he is an heire of eternall life as Paul saith Rom. 8 As many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God And if they be children they are also the heires of God Yet notwithstanding this also is true * Looke the 1. observation upon this confession in the 4. Sect. that they which doe shake of the holy Ghost falling from faith or sinning grievously against their conscience and doe not returne unto God by repentance are not heires as it is said Galat. 5. They which doe such things shall not inherit the kingdome of God And 1 Tim. 2. Fight a good fight having faith and a good conscience which some have put away and as concerning faith have made shipwracke And Matth. 25. I was hungry and ye gave me not to eate And These shall goe into everlasting punishment but the righteous shall goe into life eternall Now although life eternall is given to the regenerate for the Sonne of God yet withall it is also a reward of good works as it is said Your reward is plentifull in heaven as a patrimonie is the reward of the labours of a sonne although it be given to the sonne for another cause Moreoever God hath added unto good workes certaine promises of his and therefore even for the good works of holy men God doth give spirituall and corporall gifts even in this life and that diversly as it seemeth good to his unspeakable wisdome 1 Tim. 4. Godlinesse hath the promises of the life present and of that that is to come Mark 10. They shall receive a hundred fold in this life but with tribulation and after this life eternall life Matth. 10. Whosoever shall give unto one of
one onely God who is one onely and simple essence spirituall eternall invisible immutable infinite incomprehensible unspeakable almightie most wise good just and mercifull The holy Scripture teacheth us that in that one and simple divine essence there be three persons subsisting the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost The Father to wit the first cause in order and the beginning of all things the Sonne his wisdome and everlasting word the holy Ghost his vertue power and efficacie the Sonne begotten of the Father from everlasting the holy Ghost from everlasting proceeding from the Father and the Sonne which three persons are not confounded but distinct and yet not divided but coessentiall coeternall and coequall And to conclude in this mysterie we allow of that which those foure ancient Councels have decreed and we detest all sects condemned by those holy ancient Doctors Athanasius Hylarie Cyrill Ambrose and such as are condemned by others agreeably to Gods word Hitherto also belongeth the 2. Art This one God hath revealed himselfe unto men to be such a one first by the creation preservation and government of his works then much more clearely in his word c. Seeke the rest in the 3. division We beleeve that we by this one meanes obtain libertie of praying Artic. 19. to God with a sure confidence and that it will come to passe that he will shew himselfe a Father unto us For we have no entrance to the Father but by this Mediatour We beleeve because Iesus Christ is the onely Advocate given Artic. 24. unto us who also commandeth us to come boldly unto the Father in his name that it is not lawfull for us to make our prayers in any other form but in that which God hath set us down in his word and that whatsoever men have forged of the intercession of Saints departed is nothing but the deceits and sleights of Satan that he might withdraw men from the right manner of praying We also reject all other meanes whatsoever men have devised to exempt themselves from the wrath of God So much as is given unto them so much is derogated from the sacrifice and death of Christ Out of the ENGLISH Confession VVE beleeve that there is one certaine nature and divine Artic. 1. power which we call God and that the same is divided into three equall persons into the Father into the Sonne and into the holy Ghost and that they all be of one power of one majestie of one eternitie of one Godhead and one substance And although these three persons be so divided that neither the Father is the Sonne nor the Sonne is the holy Ghost or the Father yet neverthelesse we beleeve that there is but one very God And that the same one God hath created heaven and earth and all things contained under heaven We beleeve that Iesus Christ the onely Sonne of the eternall Artic 2. Father c. The rest of this article you shall finde in the 6. section whereunto those things doe properly pertaine which are contained in this second article of the Person and Office of Christ We beleeve that the holy Ghost who is the third person in the Artic 3. Trinitie is very God not made not created not begotten but proceeding both from the Father and the Sonne by a certain mean unknowne unto man and unspeakable and that it is his very propertie to mollifie and soften the hardnes of mans heart when he is once received into the hearts of men either by the wholesome preaching of the Gospel or by any other way that he doth give other men light and guide them unto the knowledge of God to all way of truth to newnesse of life and to everlasting hope of salvation Neither have we any other Mediatour and Intercessour by Artic 3. whom we may have accesse to God the Father then Iesus Christ in whose onely name all things are obtained at his Fathers hand But it is a shamefull part and full of infidelitie that we see every where used in the Churches of our adversaries not onely in that they will have innumerable sorts of Mediatours and that utterly without the authoritie of Gods word so that as Ieremie saith the the Saints be now as many in number or rather above 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 many as they cannot be told yet every of them hath his peculiar dutie and office assigned unto him by these folkes what to give and what to bring to passe But besides this also in that they doe not onely wickedly but also shamefully call upon the Blessed Virgin Christs Mother to have her remember that she is the Mother And to Command her Sonne and to use a Mothers authoritie over him Out of the Confession of BELGIA VVE beleeve in heart and confesse with the mouth that Arâ—â—â— â— there is one onely and simple spirituall essence which we call God eternall incomprehensible invisible immutable infinite who is wholly wise and a most plentifull well-spring of all good things We know God by two meanes first by the creation and preservation Artic. 2. and government of the whole world For it is unto our eyes as a most excellent booke wherein all creatures from the least to the greatest as it were certaine characters and letters are written By which the invisible things of God may bee seene and known unto us Namely his everlasting power and Godhead as Paul the Apostle speaketh Rom. 1. â—0 which knowledge sufficeth to convince all men and make them without excuse But much more clearely and plainly he afterward revealed himselfe unto us in his holy and heavenly word so far forth as it is expedient for his owne glory and the salvation of his in this life According to this truth and word of God we beleeve in one onely God who is one essence truely distinguished into three persons from everlasting by meane of the incommunicable properties to wit in the Father in the Sonne and in the holy Ghost For the Father is the cause fountaine and beginning of all things visible and invisible the Sonne is the Word wisedome and Image of the Father the holy 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 divided into three parts seeing the Scripture teacheth that the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost have a distinct person or subsisting in their properties yet so that these three persons be one onely God Therefore it is certaine that neither the Father is the Sonne nor the Sonne the Father nor the holy Ghost either the Father or the Sonne Neverthelesse these persons thus distinguished are neither divided nor confounded nor mingled For neither the Father nor the holy Ghost have taken unto them mans nature but the Sonne alone The Father was never without his Sonne nor
men and for the same cause we doe utterly dislike the Monasticall vowes of single life Touching other causes wee shall speake hereafter for those Popish lawes and vowes are flat contrary to the law of God The Lord said It is not good for man to bee alone He said that is by his unspeakable wisedome he decreed in this sort to make mankinde that by the societie of man and woman it might be propagated And He made them two that there might bee a Church and he established these bounds that lusts might not stray abroad for he would have an understanding of chastitie to be in mankinde Although God hath said and decreed these things yet Tatianus the Pope and the Monks doe say the contrarie who when as they forbid marriage doe give occasion to many men being otherwise fit unto vertue to heape up many horrible sinnes by reason whereof very many doe fall headlong into eternall destruction and the wrath of God is more kindled against whole mankinde A law of man being contrarie to the decree of God and to the very work of God instituted and established in the creation and also to the commandements of God and that law which is the fountaine of great wickednesse and hainous deeds for the which both many doe perish and the wrath of God is the more kindled yea which law the holy Ghost doth affirme to have it beginning from the Devil is in no case to bee laid upon the Church but by the consent of all godly men to be abolished Now it hath fallen out very often within these 30. yeers that Priests whose manners were blamelesse and honest have chiefly beene put to death because they were married Thus the Devil goeth about to establish his law by most cruell murders and he hath for his instruments most impudent writers Ecchius Faber Pighius who hath expressely written That a Priest doth lesse offend if he be an adulterer then if he marry a wife It is an unworthy thing that these who will be counted Christians should write and speake such things Wise men doe see that in this declining age of the world both the nature of men is more weak and by little and little there is greater releasing and confusion of discipline And at all times a license in this kind did immediately goe before the destroying of Cities and the ruines of Kingdomes Therefore such as are governours ought to be more vigilant and severe in maintaining discipline in strengthning the laws of wedlock in punishing and prohibiting wandring lusts touching which matter we rejoyce that our admonitions be extant for all posterity and we also desire the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ the keeper of his Church and a true lover of charitie that he would bow the mindes of Governours to listen to wholsome counsels and represse the Devil which kindled the flames of lusts and hinder evill examples that they may not be farre spread The mindes and hearts of all godly men doe tremble when they reade and heare of such foule and horrible heathenish examples the which truly afterward were accompanied both with blindnesse in the mindes and with other outrages which were pernicious to whole Nations as in the histories of the heathen examples doe every where offer themselves to all men The Scedasians had cast into a well two daughters of Spartanus being deflowred afterward as it were in the very same footstop the armie of the Lacedemonians wasslain and the Empire changed But there be many examples of all ages We our selves doe remember that certain Bishops who were famous for their nobilitie and their wits were slaine in adulterie But we beseech the Sonne of God that for this cause he would preserve many and bow them unto chastitie that he may sincerely be invocated of many As for those things which are alledged of our odversaries for the defence of single life they are as well applied to the matter as that saying of Christ to Solomon which Tacianus did alledge out of the Gospel according to the Egyptians I came to destroy the workes of the woman Tacianus did thus interpret it I came to destroy that is to abolish wodlocke * Looke the 4. observation whereas the words of Christ did speake of the fall of Eve and of the miseries that followed that fall as also Iohn doth write The Sonne of God came to destroy the workes of the Devill Hitherto also pertaineth the 21. Article of the same Confession Of the Monasticll life VVE omit a larger rehearsall out of ancient Writers of those who either departed into the wildernesse as did Antonius or erected like Colledges or Schooles as did Basilius for divers men had divers causes of separating themselves We speake now of the present Monks which are not in the wildernesse but are Colledges of men either learned or unlearned which doe live more commodiously in the open light and in places of greatest resort then other men doe They have those pleasures which they desire some one some another and they have much more leasure then other men have that live either in civill or in domesticall affaires Neither doe they now transfer unto themselves those ridiculous praises of perfection and of a contemplative life as in times past some did And seeing that there is great difference in divers societies of men we will not preach to the evill who for the kitchins and all licentiousnesse do love those darke places but those of whom there is hope of amendment we do earnestly request for the glory of God and their owne salvation that they would think upon these sayings Thou shalt have no strange Gods Flie from Idols What manner of thing is the Monasticall life now adayes It hath very much wicked worship and vanitie their Masses for the quick and the dead they set out to sale and this is the greatest gaine that Monasteries for the most part have there is used invocation of the dead heaped up with very foule superstitions as with the adoring of Images with indulgences and other jugling tricks The studie of doctrine is either none at aâ—l or very corrupt These onely causes are great enough why men which are not prophane ought to depart out of such societies because that the vowes which wrap them in a kinde of life wherein is the worship of Idols are without doubt frustrate according to the first commandement which is immoveable eternall and the rule of all other commandements Thou shalt have no strange Gods Exod. 20. They do bring a testimonie out of Paul 1 Tim. 5. Concerning widows They have lost their first faith But the answer is sure and cleare although Paul should speak of vows yet would he in no case alow of such vows as are joyned with the worship of Idols and with many errors But there be also many other lies in vows They promise chastitie and poverty but how many of them be fit to leade a single life they themselves do know And touching poverty they know
Saint Paul whereby every Christian man doth assure himselfe that all righteousnesse and salvation is to be sought for onely in Christ Iesus our Lord and is also assured that he must at all times use all the things of this life as to the profit of our neighbours so to the glory of God and that all which he hath is to be arbitrated and moderated by the holy Ghost who is the giver of true adoption and true libertie and that he ought freely to permit them to be appointed and bestowed both to the reliefe of his neighbours and also to the advancement of the glory of God Seeing that we retaine this libertie we shew our selves to be the servants of Christ when we betray it to men addicting our selves to their inventions we doe like runnagates forsake Christ and flie to men The which thing we doe so much the more wickedly because that Christ hath freed us by his blood not by a vile or common price and hath redeemed us to himselfe from the deadly slavery of Satan And this is the cause why Saint Paul writing to the Galathians did so much detest it that they had addicted themselves to the ceremonies of the law though they were commanded of God whereas notwithstanding as we declared before that might be farre better excused then to submit themselves to the yoke of those ceremonies which men have feigned of their own brain For he did write and that truely that they which admit the yoke of those ceremonies despise the grace of God and count the death of Christ as a thing of nothing and thereupon he saith That he is afraid lest that he had bestowed his labour among them in vain and he exhorteth them That they would stand stedfast in that liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and not to be intangled againe with the yoke of bondage Now it is evident that Monkerie is nothing else then bondage of traditions devised by men and indeed of such as Paul hath by name condemned in the places which we alledged For undoubtedly they which professe Monkerie doe addict themselves to those inventions of men for hope of merits And hereupon it is that they make it so hainous an offence to forsake those inventions and to imbrace the libertie of Christ Therefore seeing 1 Cor. 6. that as well our body as our spirit belong unto God and that in a double respect to wit of our condition and Redemption it can not be lawfull for Christians to make themselves slaves to this Monasticall servitude much lesse then for prophane servants to change their masters Moreover it cannot be denied but that by such like bondage and vowes to live after the commandement of men a certaine necessitie as it alwaies useth to be of transgressing the law of God is brought in For the law of God doth require that a Christian man should as much as lyeth in him Matth. 15. imploy his service to the benefit of the Magistrate his parents kinred and others and of all those whom the Lord hath made his neighbours and brought to him to be delivered in what place time or manner soever their necessitie shall require it Then let him imbrace that kinde of living whereby he may chiefely provide for the affaires of his neighbours neither let him chuse a single life but let him know that to renounce marriage and to make himselfe an Eunuch for the kingdome of heaven that is to further godlinesse and the glory of God it is a peculiar and a speciall gift of God For that Edict which Paul did publish standeth firme and stedfast neither can any vowes of men make it frustrate For the avoyding of whoredome let every man he excepteth none have his owne wife and every woman her owne husband For all men doe not receive that word of taking upon them a single life for the kingdome of heaven as Christ himselfe doth witnesse then whom no man did more certainly know more faithfully teach either of what force mans nature is or what is acceptable to his Father Now it is certaine that by these Monasticall vowes they which doe make them are bound to a certaine kinde of men so that they thinke it not lawfull to shew themselves obedient and dutifull any longer either to the Magistrate or to their parents or to any men onely the chiefe governour of the Monasterie excepted nor to releeve them with their substance and least of all to marry a wife though they be greatly burned and therefore they doe necessarily fall into all kindes of dishonesties of life Seeing therefore that it is evident that these Monasticall vows doe make a man which is freed from the service of Christ to be in danger not so much of the bondage of men as of Sathan and that they do bring in a certaine necessitie of transgressing the law of God according to the nature of all such traditions as are devised by men and that therefore they be manifestly contrary to the commandements of God we doe not without cause beleeve that they are to be made frustrate seeing that not onely the written law but also the law of nature doth command to disanull a promise if being kept it be a hinderance to good manners not onely to religion Therefore we could not withstand any which would change a Monasticall life which is undoubtedly a bondage to Sathan for a Christian life as also we could not withstand others of the Ecclesiasticall order who marrying wives have imbraced a kinde of life whereof their neighbours might looke for more profit and greater honestie of life then of that kinde wherein they lived before To conclude neither did we take upon us to drive them from the right of wedlocke who among us have persevered in the ministery of the word of God whatsoever chastitie they had vowed for the causes before specified seeing that Saint Paul the chiefe maintainer of true chastitie doth admit even a Bishop to be a married man For we have lawfully preferred this one law of God before all laws of men For the avoiding of whoredome let every man have his owne wife Which law truly for that it hath been rejected so long time all kindes of lust even those which are not to be named be it spoken with reverence to your sacred Majestie O noble Cesar have more then horribly overthrowne this Ecclesiasticall order so that at this day amongst men there be none more abhominable then they which beare the name of Priests THE NINETEENTH SECTION OF THE CIVILL MAGISTRATE The latter Confession of HELVETIA Of Magistracie CHAP. 30. THE Magistracie of what sort soever it be is ordained of God himselfe for the peace and quietnesse of mankinde and so that he ought to have the chiefest place in the world If he be an adversarie to the Church he may hinder and disturbe it very much but if he be a friend and a member of the Church he is a most profitable and excellent member thereof which
that the Lord God for sin doth permit and bring all kinds of afflictions miseries and vexations of minde in this life upon all men such as are heate cold hunger thirst care and anguish sore labours calamitie adversitie dolefull times sword fire diseases griefs and at the last also that intollerable and bitter death whereby nature is overthrowne as it is written Thou shalt die the death Again Cursed is the earth for thy sake Gen. 2. Gen. 3. in sorrow shalt thou eate of it all the daies of thy life thornes also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee And yet it is taught that men must and ought to bear all these punishments patiently seeing that they owe unto God and have deserved a farre more cruell punishment Yet they must not be so perswaded as though they deserved any thing by suffering this punishment or should receive from God any grace or reward in recompense for the merit of these punishments seeing that Paul speaking of a much more worthy crosse and sufferings which the true beleevers take upon them for Christs sake saith that they be not comparable to the glory which shall be shewed unto us And these punishments are layed upon us and are patiently to be borne that we may acknowledge the greatnesse of our sin and how grievous a thing it is and there withall our own weaknesse needs and miserie and that by experience we may know how wicked foule and bitter a thing it is even above all that we are able to conceive for a man to forsake the Lord his God as saith the Prophet And moreover that they which being plunged in these miseries and oppressed with these burthens may again be stirred up to repentance and to seeke for favour and help from God which is a Father full of mercie and compassion Howbeit this is also expressely added that the labours and torments which holy men doe suffer for the name of Christ that is in the cause of eternall salvation for the holy truth of Christ are an acceptable and pleasant sacrifice to God and have great and large promises especially in the life to come the which thing also did even so fall out with Christ our Head of whom the Epistle to the Hebrews speaketh thus that for the ioy that was set before him he endured the crosse who also by himself consecrated and hallowed the crosse to them even to this end that those sufferings which we indure for Christ his names sake might be pleasant and acceptable unto God Out of the FRENCH Confession VVE beleeve that man being created pure and upright and Artic. 9. conformable to the image of God through his own fault fell from that grace which he had received and thereby did so estrange himselfe from God the fountaine of all righteousnesse and of all good things that his nature is become altogether defiled and being blind in spirit and corrupt in heart hath utterly lost all that integritie For although he can somewhat discerne betweene good and evill yet we affirme that whatsoever light he hath it straightwayes becommeth darknesse when the question is of secking God so that by his understanding and reason he can never come to God Also although he be endued with will whereby he is mooved to this or that yet insomuch as that is altogether captivated under sin it hath no libertie at all to desire good but such as it hath received by grace and of the gift of God We beleeve Artic. 10. that all the off-spring of Adam is infected with this contagion which we call Originall sin that is a staine spreading it self by propagation and nor by imitation onely as the Pelagians thought all whose errors we doe detest Neither doe we thinke it necessary to search how this sin may be derived from one unto another For it is sufficient that those things which God gave unto Adam were not given to him alone but also to all his posteritie and therefore we in his person being deprived of all those good gifts are fallen into all this miserie and curse We beleeve that this staine is indeed sinne because that it maketh Artic. 11. all and every man not so much as those little ones excepted which as yet lie hid in their Mothers wombe guiltie of eternall death before God We also affirme that this staine even after baptisme is in nature sinne as concerning the fault howbeit they which are the children of God shall not therefore be condemned because that God of his gracious free goodnesse and mercy doth not impute it to them Moreover we say that this frowardnesse of nature doth alwaies bring forth some fruits of malice and rebellion in such sort that even they which are most holy although they resist it yet are they defiled with many infirmities and offences so long as they live in this world Out of the ENGLISH Confession VVE say also that every person is borne in sinne and leadeth Artic. 18. his life in sinne that no body is able truly to say His heart is cleane That the most righteous person is but an unprofitable servant That the Law of God is perfect and requireth of us perfect and full Obedience That we are able by no meanes to fulfil that Law in this worldly life that there is no mortal creature which can be justified by his own deserts in Gods sight Ou of the Confession of BELGIA VVE beleeve that God of the slime of the earth created man Artic. 14. Gen. 1. 26. Ephes 4. 24. after his Image that is to say good just and holy who had power by his owne free will to frame and conforme his will unto the will of God But when he was advanced to honour he knew not neither did he well understand his excellent state but wittingly and willingly did make himselfe subject to sinne and so Gen. 3. 17. consequently unto eternall death and malediction whilest that giving eare to the words and subtilties of the devill he did transgresse that commandment of life which he had received of the Lord and so did withdraw and alienate himselfe from God his true life his nature being altogether defiled and corrupted by sin Rom. 5. 12. whereby it came to passe that he made himselfe subject both to corporall and to spirituall death Wherefore being made wicked and perverse and also corrupt in all his wayes and endeavours he lost those excellent gifts wherewith the Lord had adorned him so that there were but a few little sparkes and small steps of those gracesleft in him the which notwithstanding are sufficient to leave men without excuse because that what light soever we Acts 14. 16. Rom. 1. 20 21 Joh. 1. 5. have is turned into palpable darkenesse even as the Scripture it selfe teacheth saying The light shined in darknesse and the darknesse comprehended it not For there Iohn doth manifestly call men darkenesse Therefore * Look the 1. observ upon this Confession Joh. 3. 27. whatsoever
life and make us fellow heires with himselfe He taking flesh of the most pure Virgin Mary the holy Ghost working together flesh I say being sacred by the union of the Godhead and like unto ours in all things sin onely excepted because it behooved our sacrifice to be unspotted gave the same flesh to death for the purgation of all sin The same Christ as he is to us a full and perfect hope and trust of our immortalitie so he placed his flesh being raised up from death into heaven at the right hand of his Almightie Father This Conquerour having triumphed over death sin and all the infernall devils sitting as our Captaine Head and chiefe high Priest doth defend and plead our cause continually till he doe reforme us to that Image after which we were created and bring us to the fruition of life everlasting we looke for him to come in the end of the world a true and upright Iudge and to give sentence upon all flesh being first raised up to that judgement and to advance the godly above the skie and to condemn the wicked both in soule and body to eternall destruction Who as he is the onely Mediatour Intercessor Sacrifice and also our high Priest Lord and King so we doe acknowledge and with the whole heart beleeve that he alone is our attonement redemption sanctification expiation wisdome protection and deliverance simply herein rejecting all meane of our life and salvation beside this Christ alone The laetter part of this Article we placed also in the second section which entreateth of the onely Mediatour Out of the Confession of BASILL Of Christ being true God and true man VVE beleeve and confesse constantly that Christ in the time hereunto appointed according to the promise of God was given to us of the Father and that so the eternall word of God was made flesh that is that this Son of God being united to our nature in one person was made our brother that we through him might be made partakers of the inheritance of God We beleeve that this Iesus Christ was conceived of the holy Ghost borne of the pure and undefiled Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate crucified and dead for our sins and so by the one oblation of himselfe he did satisfie God our heavenly Father for us and reconcile us to him and so by his death he did triumph and overcame the world death and hell Moreover according to the flesh he was buried descended into hell and the third day he rose againe from the dead These things being sufficiently approoved he in his soule and body ascended into heaven and sitteth there at the right hand that is in the glory of God the Father Almightie from thence he shall come to judge the quicke and the dead Moreover he sent to his disciples according to his promise the holy Ghost in whom we beleeve even as we doe beleeve in the Father and in the Sonne We beleeve that the last judgement shall be wherein our flesh shall rise againe and every man according as he hath done in this life shall receive of Christ Rom. 2. 2 Cor. 5. Joa 5. the Iudge to wit eternall life if he hath shewed forth the fruits of faith which are the works of righteousnesse by a true faith and unfeined love and eternall fire if he hath committed good or evill without faith or love Out of the Confession of BOHEMIA CHAP. 4. Towards the middle NEither hath any man of all things whatsoever any thing at all whereby he may deliver set free or redeeme himselfe from his sins and condemnation without Christ by whom alone John 15. they which truly beleeve are freed from sinne from the tyrannie and prison of the devill from the wrath of God and from death and everlasting torments And a little after towards the end of the said fourth Chapter Together with this point and after it considering that both the matter it selfe and order of teaching so requireth the Ministers of the Church teach us after our fall to acknowledge the promise of God the true word of grace and the holy Gospell brought to us from the privy counsell of the holy Trinitie concerning our Lord Christ and our whole salvation purchased by him Of these promises there be three principall wherein all the rest are contained The first was made in Paradise in these words I will put enmitie betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed Gen. 3. and her seed He shall breake thine head and thou shalt bruise his heele The second was made to Abraham which afterwards Iacob also and Moses did renew The third to David which the Prophets recited and expounded In these promises are described and painted forth those most excellent and principall works of 2 King 7. 23. Christ our Lord which are the very ground-worke whereon our salvation standeth by which he is our Mediatour and Saviour Psal 131. 89 namely his conception in the wombe of the Virgin Mary and his birth of her also for he was made the seed of the woman also Isa 9. 11. 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 whole life of David was a certaine type for which cause the Lord calleth himselfe another David Eph. 3. 4. and a Shepherd And this was the Gospell of those holy men before the Law was given and since And Chapter the 6. a little from the beginning For this is very certaine that after the fall of Adam no man was able to set himselfe at libertie out of the bondage of sin death and condemnation or come to be truly reconciled unto God but onely by that one Mediatour betweene God and man Christ Iesus through a lively faith in him who alone by his death and blood-shedding tooke from us that image of sinne and death and put upon us by faith the image of righteousnesse and life For he made unto us of God wisdome righteousnesse sanctification 1 Cor. 2. and redemption But first men are taught that these things are to be beleeved concerning Christ namely that he is eternall and of the nature of his heavenly Father the onely begotten Son begotten from everlasting and so together with the Father and the holy Ghost John 1. Heb. 1. Coloss 1. one true and indivisible God the eternall not created word the brightnesse and the Image or ingraven forme of the person of his Father by whom all things as well those things which may be seene as those which can not be seene and those things which are in heaven and those which are in the earth were made and created Moreover that he is also a true and naturall man our brother in very deed who hath a soule and a body that is true and perfect humane nature which by the power of the holy Ghost he tooke without all sin of Mary a pure Virgin
shall then rise out of the earth the soule and spirit of every one being joyned and coupled together againe to the same bodies wherein before they lived They moreover which shall be alive at the last day shall not die the same death that other men have done but in a moment and in the twinkling of an eye they shall be changed from corruption to an incorruptible nature Then the bookes shall be opened namely the bookes of every mans conscience and the dead shall be judged according to those things which they have done in this world either good or evill Moreover then shall men render an account of every idle word which they have spoken although the world doe now make but a sport and a jest at them Finally all the hypocrisie of men and the deepest secrets of their hearts shall be made manifest unto all so that worthily the onely remembrance of this judgement shall be terrible and fearfull to the wicked and reprobate But of the godly and elect it is greatly to be wished for and is unto them exceeding comfort For then shall their redemption be fully perfited and they shall reape most sweet fruit and commoditie of all those labours and sorrowes which they have suffered in this world Then I say their innocencie shall be openly acknowledged of all and they likewise shall see that horrible punishment which the Lord will execute upon those that have most tyrannically afflicted them in this world with divers kindes of torments and crosses Furthermore the wicked being convinced by the peculiar testimony of their owne conscience shall indeed be made immortall but with this condition that they shall burne for ever in that eternall fire which is prepared for the devill On the contrarie side the elect and faithfull shall be crowned with the crowne of glory 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 eies Then their cause which now is condemned of heresie and impietie by the Magistrates and Iudges of this world shall be acknowledged to be the cause of the Son of God And the Lord shall of his free mercy reward them with so great glory as no mans minde is able to conceive Therefore we doe with great longing expect that great day of the Lord wherein we shall most fully enjoy all those things which God hath promised unto us and through Iesus Christ our Lord be put into full possession of them for evermore Out of the Confession of AUSPURGE ALso they teach that the word that is the Sonne of God tooke unto him mans nature in the wombe of the blessed Virgin Mary so that the two natures the divine and the humane inseperably joyned together in the unitie of one person are one Christ true God and true man who was borne of the Virgin Mary did truely suffer was crucified dead and buried that he might reconcile his Father unto us 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 truely rise againe the third day Afterward he ascended into heaven that he might sit at the right hand of the Father and reigne for ever and have dominion over all the creatures sanctifie those that beleeve in him by sending the holy Spirit into their hearts and give everlasting life to such as he had sanctified The same Christ shall openly come againe to judge them that are found alive and the dead raised up againe according to the Creede of the Apostles In the end of this Article after these words by sending his holy Spirit into their hearts these words are found in some Editions BY sending his Spirit into their hearts which may reigne comfort and quicken them and defend them against the Devil and the power of sin The same Christ shall openly come againe to judge the quicke 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 judgement and shall raise up all the dead and shall give unto men to wit to the godly and elect eternall life and everlasting joyes but the ungodly and the devils shall he condemne unto endlesse torments Also we condemne the Origenists who imagined that the devill and the damned creatures should one day have an end of their pains After the first period of this Article this is thus found else-where THey condemne the Anabaptists that are of opinion that the damned men and the devils shall have an end of their torments They condemne others also which now adaies do spread abroad Iewish opinions that before the resurrection of the dead the gody shall get the soveraigntie in the world and the wicked be brought under in every place Out of the Confession of SAXONIE Hitherto pertaineth a part of the third Article THE Son of God our Lord Iesus Christ who is the Image of the eternall Father is appointed our Mediator Reconciler Redeemer Iustifier and Saviour By the obedience and merit of him alone the wrath of God is pacified as it is said Rom 3. Whom he set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood And Heb. 10. It is impossible that the blood of Buls should take away sins But he offering a sacrifice for sins sitteth for ever at the right hand of God c. And although we doe not see as yet * Looke the first observat upon this confession in this our infirmitie the causes of this wonderfull counsell why mankinde was to be redeemed after this sort but we shall learn them hereafter in all eternitie yet these principles are now to be learned In this sacrifice there are to be seene justice in the wrath of God against sin infinite mercie towards us and love in his Son towards mankinde The severitie of his justice was so great that there be no reconciliation before the punishment was accomplished His mercie was so great that his Son was given for us There was so great love in the Son towards us that he derived unto himselfe this true and exceeding great anger O Son of God kindle in our hearts by thy holy spirit a consideration of these great and secret things that by the knowledge of this true wrath we may be sore afraid and that again by true comfort we may be lifted up that we may praise thee for ever Out of the Confession of WIRTEMBERGE VVE beleeve and confesse that the Son of God our Lord Iesus Christ begotten of his eternall Father is true and eternall God consubstantiall with his Father and that in the fulnesse of time he was made man to purge our sins and * Looke the 1. Observat upon this confession to procure the eternall salvation of mankinde that Christ Iesus being very God and very man is one person onely and not two and that in this one person there be two natures not one
and life everlasting through faith in Iesus Christ Now the fathers had not onely outward or earthly but spirituall and heavenly promises in Christ For the Apostle Peter saith that the Prophets which prophesied of the grace that should come to us have searched and inquired of this salvation Whereupon the Apostle Paul also saith that the Gospel of God was promised before by the Prophets of God in the holy Scriptures Hereby then it appeareth evidently that the fathers were not altogether destitute of all the Gospel And although after this manner our fathers had the Gospel in the writings of the Prophets by which they attained salvation in Christ through faith yet the Gospel is properly called that glad and happie tidings wherein first by Iohn Baptist then by Christ the Lord himselfe and afterward by the Apostles and their successours is preached to us in the world that God hath now performed that which he promised from the beginning of the world and hath sent yea and given unto us his onely Sonne and in him reconciliation with the Father remission of sinnes all fulnesse and everlasting life The history therefore set downe by the foure Evangelists declaring how these things were done or fulfilled of Christ and what he taught and did and that they which beleeved in him had all fulnesse this I say is truely called the Gospel The preaching also and Scripture of the Apostles in which they expound unto us how the Sonne was given us of the Father and in him all things pertaining to life and salvation is truely called the doctrine of the Gospel so as even at this day it looseth not that worthy 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 living and 2 Cor. 3. working through faith in the eares yea in the hearts of the faithfull thorough the illumination of the holy Spirit For the letter which is opposed unto the spirit doth indeed signifie every outward thing but more specially the doctrine of the Law which without the spirit and faith worketh wrath and stirreth up sinne in the mindes of them that doe not truely beleeve 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 giveth life The false Apostles preached the Gospel corrupted by mingling of the law there with as though Christ could not save 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 All which we doe condemne sincerely preaching the word and teaching that the beleevers are justified by the spirit onely and not by the law But of this matter there shall follow a more large discourse in the title of justification 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 Ieremy prophesied of the New Testament yet indeed it not onely was and as yet is though the Papists call it new in regard of Popish doctrine which hath of long time beene received an ancient doctrine but also the most ancient in the world For God 2 Tim. 1. from all eternitie fore-ordained to save the world by Christ and this his predestination and eternall counsell hath he opened to the world by the Gospel Whereby it appeareth that the Evangelicall doctrine and religion was the most ancient of all that ever were are or ever shall be Wherefore we say that all they erre foully and speake things unworthy the eternall counsell of God who tearme the Evangelicall doctrine and religion a new start up faith scarce thirty yeeres old to whom that saying of Isaiah doth very well agree Woe unto them that speake good of evill and evill of good which put darkenesse for light and light for darkenesse that put bitter for sweet and sweete for sowre Out of the former Confession of HELVETIA THerefore in the whole Evangelicall doctrine this ought first and chiefly to be urged that we are saved by the onely mercy and grace of God and by Christ his merits whereof that men may know how much they stand in need their sinnes must be verie cleerely laid open unto them by the law and by Christ his death Out of the Confession of BOHEMIA Of the word of God or the holy Gospel CHAP. 10. ANd seeing that the administration of the New Testament and also the Word and Sacraments are lawfully committed to the Ministers of the Church and their lips ought to preserve 1 Cor. 4. 2 Cor. 3. knowlege that the law might be sought at their mouth therefore in this Chapter it is further taught what the word of God and the holy Gospel is Now the Preaching of the word of God and Malac. 2. of the Gospel is the true ministery of grace instituted and commanded of Christ our Lord wherein the full and perfect will of God touching eternall reconciliation necessarie to salvation and made manifest in the holy Scripture is declared and preached unto all people This doctrine did Christ give in charge unto his disciples in the words of this sentence Goe ye into all the world Mark 16. and preach the Gospel to every creature This doctrine doth Peter professe before Cornelius when he saith He commanded us to Acts 20. preach unto the people and to testifie that this is he that is ordained of God to be the Iudge of the quicke and the dead To him also give all the Prophets witnesse that through his name all that beleeve in him shall receive remission of sinnes This ministery is more honourable greater and more necessarie to salvation then are the sacraments the which is proved by that sentence of the most excellent Apostle Saint Paul For Christ 1 Cor. 2. sent me not to Baptize that is not chiefly to doe this but to preach the Gospel For onely through the pure Gospel and the preaching thereof is saith sowed inwardly in the heart by the holy Ghost and from thence also must we conceive and seeke the true meaning of God and Christ touching all things necessary to salvation and also touching the sacraments themselves Amongst those who by reason of their age are able to use their understanding it is of necessitie that the preaching of the Gospel goe before the receiving of the Sacraments Whereof we may see an evident proofe in those three thousand which were converted by Peter Acts 2. Acts 8. also in Cornelius and in the Chamberlaine we may see that according to the example of Philip the question is thus to be made Doest thou beleeve with all thy heart Then it may be that thou who hast true faith grafted in thy heart mayest receive profit by the participation of the Sacraments For without the hearing of the word of God
of that thing which by Christs owne words is assigned to this age and is imparted unto it For so Christ in generall and without exception giveth in charge not touching some but touching all Teach ye all nations and baptize them in the name Matth. 28. Act. 4. of the Father the Son and the holy Ghost And so over children this most holy name is called upon in which alone there is salvation This is further also taught that they who are once lawfully and truely baptized when they come to yeeres ought to do their endeavour that they may learn to acknowledge and know what holy Baptisme is and therewithall the Catholike and Christian faith without which Baptisme availeth nothing to the end that afterward when they doe desire to be partakers of the Lord his Supper they may with their owne mouthes and of their owne accord make profession of their faith and may renew their sanctification by which they were consecrated to the Lord. And such that is which are thus instructed our ministers receive unto this covenant of holy baptisme and * Looke the 1. Observation upon this confession by the laying on of hands do testifie to them that grace is conteined in baptisme to strengthen them to the warfare of faith and so after a convenient and godly manner with use of pure ceremonies and such as are profitable to edifying they bring them to the sacrament of the L. Supper without any reiteration of baptisme as there are evident tokens and examples to be seen of this matter in the Primitive Church which is the true and best maistresse of the posteritie and going before leadeth us the way For if so be that a man should even after a true manner enjoy the Baptisme of Christ and should by meanes here of be buried with Christ into his death to newnesse of life if afterward his life being prolonged he should not according to the doctrine of the holy Gospel shew forth a true and lively faith in Iesus Christ brotherly love towards all those that are consecrated to the Lord and so should leade a life unworthy his place or calling and unworthy of God and his neighbour and should not in baptisme conceive a lively hope of life everlasting such a one should assuredly give certain testimonie of himselfe that he had in vaine received grace in holy Baptisme wherein the name of the holy Trinity was called on over him the which thing God the Lord as his word declareth suffereth Exod. 20. by no meanes to escape unrevenged or unpunished Out of the FRENCH Confession VVE acknowledge that there be two onely Sacraments Artic. 35. common to the whole Church whereof the first is Baptisme the which is given to us to testifie our adoption because that therein we are ingrafted into Christs body that being washed in his blood we may also be renued to holinesse of life by his Spirit This also we say Although we are baptized but once yet the fruit of baptisme doth pertaine to the whole course of our life that this promise to wit that Christ will be alwaies unto us sanctification and justification may be sealed up in us with a sure and firme seale Furthermore although Baptisme be a Sacrament of faith and repentance yet seeing that God doth together with the Parents account their posteritie also to be of the Church we affirme that infants being borne of holy parents are by the authoritie of Christ to be baptized We say therefore that the element of water be it never so Artic. 38. fraile doth notwithstanding truely witnesse or confirme unto us the inward washing of our soules in the blood of Iesus Christ by the vertue and efficacie of the holy Ghost Out of the ENGLISH Confession VVE say that Baptisme is a Sacrament of the remission of Artic. 12. sinnes and of that washing which we have in the blood of Christ and that no person which will professe Christs name ought to be restrained or keept backe therefrom no not the very babes of Christians forsomuch as they be borne in sinne and pertaine unto the people of God Out of the Confession of BELGIA VVE beleeve and confesse that Iesus Christ which is the end of the law hath by his owne bloud sheading made an end of all other propitiatorie sacrifice for sinnes Also that Circumcision which was done by blood being abolished he hath instituted Baptisme in the place thereof whereby we are received into the Church of God and separated from all other nations and all kinde of strange religions being consecrated unto him alone whose badge and cognisance we weare Finally Baptisme is a token unto us that he will be our God for ever who also is our gracious Father Therefore the Lord hath commanded all his to be baptized with pure water In the name of the Father the Sonue and the holy Ghost To signifie that the blood of Christ doth internally through the operation of the Spirit performe and effect that in the soule which water doth externally worke in the bodies For as water being poured upon us and appearing in the body of him that is baptized moistning the same doth wash away the filthines of the body so the blood of Christ washing the soule doth cleanse it from sinne and doth make us the sonnes of God which before were the children of wrath Not that this materiall water doth these things but the sprinckling of the precious blood of the Son of God which is unto us as the red sea wherethrough we must passe that we may depart from the tyranny of Pharaih that is the Devill and enter into the spirituall land of Canaan Therefore the ministers verily doe deliver unto us the Sacraments and the visible thing but it is the Lord himselfe that giveth it unto us that is represented by the Sacrament namely the gifts and invisible graces washing purifying and cleansing our soules from all spots and iniquities renuing in like manner and filling our hearts with all comfort and to conclude giving unto us a certain perswasion of his Fatherly goodnesse cloathing us with the new man and putting off the old man with all his deeds For these causes we do beleeve that every one that desireth to obtaine eternall life ought to be baptized with one baptisme and that once alone which never afterwards is to be itcrated seeing that we cannot be borne twise Neither doth this Baptisme profit us onely at that moment when the water resteth upon us and when we are sprinckled with it but it is available throughout the whole time of our life Therefore here we doe detest the errour of the Anabaptists who are not onely content with one onely Baptisme and that once received but doe also condemne the Baptisme of infants yea of those that be borne of faithfull parents but we by the same reason doe beleeve that they ought to be baptized and sealed with the signe of the covenant for the which in times past the infants amongst
examine himselfe c. So the Supper of the Lord doth profit him that useth it when as hee bringeth with him repentance and faith and another mans work doth nothing at all profit him Furthermore concerning the dead it is manifest that all this shew is repugnant to the words of the institution of the Supper wherein it is said Take ye eat ye c. Do ye this in remembrance of me What doth this appertain to the dead or to those that be absent and yet in a great part of Europe many masses are said for the dead also a great number not knowing what they doe doe reade Masses for a reward But seeing that all these things are manifestly wicked to wit to offer as they speak to the end that they may deserve for the quick the dead or for a man to do he knoweth not what they do horribly sin that retain and defend these mischievous deeds And seeing that this ceremony is not to be taken for a Sacrament without the use whereunto it was ordained what manner of Idol worship is there used let godly and learned men consider Also it is a manifest profanation to carry about part of the Supper of the Lord and to worship it where a part is utterly transferred to an use clean contrary to the first institution whereas the Text saith Take eat and this shew is but a thing devised of late To conclude what be the manners of many Priests and Monks in all Europe which have no regard of this saying 1 Cor. 11. Let every man examine himselfe Also Whosoever taketh it unworthily shall be guiltie of the body and blood of the Lord. Every man of him-self doth know these things Now although the chiefe Bishops and hypocrites who seeke delusions to establish these evils doe scoffe at these complaints yet it is most certaine that God is grievously offended with these wicked deeds as he was angry with the people of Israel for their prophanations of the sacrifices And we do see evident examples of wrath to wit the ruines of so many kingdomes the spoile and waste that the Turks do make in the world the confusions of opinions and many most lamentable dissipations of Churches But O Son of God Lord Iesus Christ which wast crucified and raised up again for us thou which art the high Priest of the Church with true sighes we beseech thee that for thine and thy eternall Fathers glory thou wouldest take away idols errours and abominations and as thou thy selfe didst pray Sanctifie us with thy truth and kindle the light of thy Gospel and true invocation in the hearts of many and bowe our hearts to true obedience that we may thankefully praise thee in all eternitie The greatnesse of our sins which the prophanation of the Supper of the Lord these many yeers hath brought forth doth surpasse the eloquence of Angels and men We are herein the shorter seeing that no words can be devised sufficient to set out the greatnesse of this thing and in this great griefe we beseech the Sonne of God that he would amend these evils and also for a further declaration we offer our selves to them that will heare it But in this question we see that to be chiefly done which Salomon saith He that singeth songs to a wicked heart is like him that powreth vineger upon nitre Our Adversaries know that these perswasions of their sacrifice are the sinews of their power and riches therefore they will heare nothing that is said against it Some of them do now learn craftily to mitigate these things and therefore they say The oblation is not a merit but an application they deceive in words and retaine still the same abuses But we said before that every one doth by faith apply the sacrifice of Christ to himselfe both when he heareth the Gospel and then also when he useth the Sacraments and it is written 1 Corinth 11. Let every man examine himselfe Therefore Paul doth not meane that the ceremonie doth profit another that doth not use it And the Son of God himselfe did offer up himselfe going into the holy of holies that is into the secret counsell of the Divinitie seeing the will of the eternall Father and bearing his great wrath and understanding the causes of this wonderfull counsell these weightie things are meant when the text saith Heb. 9. He offered himselfe And when Esay saith Cap. 53. He will make his soule an offering for sin Now therefore what do the Priests meane who say that they offer up Christ and yet antiquitie never spake after this manner But they do most grievously accuse us They say that we do take away the continuall sacrifice as did Antiochus who was a type of Antichrist We answered before that we do retaine the whole ceremonie of the Apostolike Church and this is the continuall sacrifice That the sincere doctrin of the Gospel should be heard that God should be truly invocated to conclude as the Lord saith Joh. 4. It is to worship the Father in spirit and truth we doe also herein comprehend the true use of the Sacraments Seeing that we retaine all these things faithfully we doe with great reverence retaine the continuall sacrifice they doe abolish it who many waies doe corrupt true invocation and the very Supper of the Lord who command us to invocate dead men who set out Masses to sale who boast that by their oblation they doe merit for others who doe mingle many mischievous errours with the doctrine of Repentance and remission of sins who will men to doubt when they repent whether they be in favour who defile the Church of God with filthy lusts and Idols These men be like unto Antiochus and not we who endeavour to obey the Son of God who saith Joh. 4. If any man loveth me he will keepe my word Of the use of the whole Sacrament LEt Sophistrie be remooved from the judgements of the Church All men know that the Supper of the Lord is so instituted that the whole Sacrament may be given to the people as it is written Drinke ye all of this Also the custome of the ancient Church both Greeke and Latine is well knowne Therefore we must confesse that the forbidding of one part is an unjust thing It is great injurie to violate the lawfull Testament of men Why then do the Bishops violate the Testament of the Sonne of God which he hath sealed up with his own blood But it is to be lamented that certaine men should be so impudent as to feigne feigne sophistrie against this so weightie an argument that they may establish their prohibition the refutation of whom the matter being so cleare and evident we doe omit In another place this Article is not distinguished from that which went before but is thus ioyned with it To conclude we must also speake in few things of the use of the whole Sacrament Let sophistrie be remooved c. Out of the Confession of WIRTEMBERGE Of the Eucharist CHAP.
world but that the world through him might be saved He that beleeveth in him shall not be condemned but he that beleeveth not is condemned already because he beleeveth not in the onely begotten Sonne of God Therefore if any man shall depart out of this life in the faith of Christ he hath a I the merit of Christ and needeth none other For God which gave his Sonne doth also give all things with him as Paul saith But he that departeth hence without Christ cannot be helped by any merits of men because that without Christ there is no salvation Cyprian against Demet. Tract 1. saith When a man is once departed hence there is no place left for repentance there is no effect of satisfaction here life is either lost or held fast here we must provide for eternall salvation by the service or worship of God and by the fruit of faith And Hierome upon the Epistle to the Gal. Chap. 6. saith We are taught by this small sentence though obscurely a new point of doctrine lyeth hid to wit that whilest we be in this present world we may help one another either by prayers or by counsell but when we shall come before the tribunall seat of Christ it is not Iob nor Daniel nor Noe that can intreat any thing for us but every man shall beare his owne burden For as touching that which is cited out of the Maccabees That sacrifices were offered for the sinnes of the dead the Authour himselfe of the booke doth doubt in the end of the booke whether he hath written well c. craveth pardon if in any point he hath erred Therefore let us pardon him that without any authoritie of the holy Scripture he affirmeth that the dead are freed from their sin by the sacrifices and prayers of them that be alive And Tertullian saith Oblations are made one day every yeere for them that are dead But this was either received without authoritie of the word of God from the customes of the heathen as many other things were or by the name of Oblation we must understand a publique remembrance of those which died in the faith of Christ and a thanksgiving for those benefits which God bestowed upon them CHAP. 25. Of Purgatorie ALthough we ought not to doubt but that the Saints have their Purgatorie fire in this life as the examples of David Ezechias Jonas and others doe witnesse yet it is not without cause doubted whether that after this life there be such a Purgatorie as the common sort of men do thinke there is wherein the souls be so long tormented till either by their punishment they doe satisfie for their sins or be redeemed by Indulgences For if Purgatorie be such a thing it is much to be marvelled at that neither the Prophets nor the Apostles have in their writings delivered unto us any thing thereof certainly and plainly but rather doe teach and that not obscurely the cleare contrary Mark 16. Preach ye the Gospell to every creature he that shall beleeve and be baptized shall be saved but he that will not beleeve shall be condemned Here be two degrees of men placed the one of them which beleeve the Gospell and they are pronounced saved the other of them which doe not beleeve the Gospell and these are pronounced condemned there is no meane betwixt these two For either thou doest depart out of this life in the faith of Iesus Christ and then thou hast remission of thy sinnes for Christ his sake and the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to thee Therefore he which dyeth being accompanied with Christ he wanteth nothing toward the obtaining of true and eternall life but he which departeth from hence without Christ goeth into eternall darknesse If beside these two degrees there were some other third state of souls in another world certainly Paul Who was taken up into Paradise and into the third heaven and saw many secret things would not have envied the Church this knowledge But see when he doth of set purpose write to the Thessalonians concerning Christians that sleepe he maketh no mention at all of any Purgatorie but rather willeth them Not to be sorrowfull even as others which have no hope Therefore if there were any such state of souls in another world as the common people thinketh there is Paul could not be withheld but in so fit a place he would plainly have declared this state of souls and would have prescribed a meane unto the Church whereby miserable souls might be delivered from their torment But the true Catholike Church in deed hath plainly shewed that she hath no certaintie at all concerning this third kinde of the state of souls in another world Chrysostome in his second Sermon of Lazarus saith If thou hast violently taken any thing from any man restore it and say as doth Zacheus If I have taken from any man by forged cavillation I restore fourefold If thou art become an enemie to any man be reconciled before thou come to iudgement Discharge all things here that without griefe thou maist behold that tribunall seat Whilest we be here we have many excellent hopes But so soone as we depart thither it is not then in our power to repent nor to wash away our sins And againe He that in this present life shall not wash away his sins shall not finde any comfort afterward Augustine although he place certaine men in the middest betwixt them that be very good and those that be very evill to the one sort whereof he seemeth to assigne the place of Purgatorie yet in other places he doubteth of that matter and doth not define any certaintie Therefore we must so thinke of this opinion of Augustine as he requireth that is we must receive that which is confirmed either by the authoritie of the Scripture or by probable reason But it is evident that those places of the Scripture which are commonly cited to establish Purgatorie are wrested from the naturall to a strange sense and are farre otherwise expounded even of the ancient Writers themselves And those reasons which Augustine bringeth for his opinion doe seeme to leane to this foundation That we obtaine remission of our sins and life not onely for Christ his sake through faith but also for the merits of our works But how this agreeth with the true Apostolike doctrine we have before declared Wherefore we thinke that this speculation of Purgatorie fire is to be left to it own authors and that we must chiefly doe this as Paul exhorteth us that we may confirme our selves one another with speeches touching the assured faith of our resurrection and salvation in Christ Iesus for whose sake God doth so favour the faithfull that in the middest of death he preserveth them and giveth them true peace Out of the Confession of SVEVELAND Of Prayers and fastings CHAP. 7. VVE have among us Prayers and Religious Fasts which are These things which are mingled in this 7. and after in the 10.
for mens traditions but such as are condemned in Scripture but such as are contrary to the law of God such as binde the Conscience about meat drink and times and other outward things such as forbid marriage to them who have need thereof to live honestly and the rest of that stamp For such as agree with the Scripture and were ordained for good manners and the profit of men although they be not word for word expressed in the Scriptures neverthelesse in that they proceede from the commandement of love which ordereth all things most decently they are worthily to be accounted rather of God then of man Of this sort were those set downe by Paul that women should not pray in the Church bare-headed 1 Cor 14. 1 Cor. 14. nor men with their heads covered that they who are to communicate together should tarry one for another that no man should speake with tongues in the congregation without an Interpreter that the Prophets without confusion should deliver their Prophecies to be judged by them that sit by Many such the Church at this day for good cause observeth and upon occasion also maketh new which who so refuseth he despiseth the authoritie not of men but of God whose tradition it is whatsoever is profitable For whatsoever truth is said or written by his gift it is spoken and written who is truth as Saint Augustine hath godly written But oftentimes there is disputing about that what tradition is profitable what not that is what set forward godlinesse what doth hinder it But he that shall seek nothing of his owne but shall wholly dedicate himselfe to the publike profit he shall easily see what things are agreeable to the law of God what are not Furthermore seeing the estate of Christians is such that they are also helped by injuries the Christian will not refuse to obey no not unjust lawes so they have no wicked thing in them according to the saying of Christ If any man compell thee to goe with him one mile go with him two Even so servile the Christian ought to become all unto all that he may studie to do and suffer all things so that they be not contrary to the commandements of God to pleasure and profit men withall Hence it cometh to passe that every man so much the more willingly obeyeth the civill lawes which are not repugnant to religion the more fully he is indued with the faith of Christ THE EIGHTEENTH SECTION OF WEDLOCK SINGLE LIFE AND MONASTICALL VOWES The latter Confession of HELVETIA Of Single life Wedlocke and Houshold government CHAP. 29. SVch as have the gift of chastitie given unto them from above so as they can with the heart or whole minde be pure and continent and not be grievously burned with lust let them serve the Lord in that calling as long as they shall feele themselves indued with that heavenly gift and let them not lift up themselves above others but let them serve the Lord daily in simplicitie and humilitie For such are more apt for doing of heavenly things then they which are distracted with private affaires of their family but if againe the gift be taken away and they feele a continuall burning let them call to minde the words of the Apostle It is better to marry then to burne 1 Cor. 7. For wedlock which is the medicine of incontinencie and continencie it selfe was ordained by the Lord God himselfe who blessed it most bountifully and willeth man and woman to cleave Mat. 13. one to the other inseparably and to live together in great love and concord Whereupon we know the Apostle said Marriage Heb. 13. 1 Cor. 7. is honourable among all and the bed undefiled And againe If a Virgin marry she sinneth not We therefore condemne Poligamie and those which condemn second marriages We teach that marriages ought to be made lawfully in the feare of the Lord and not against the lawes which forbid certaine degrees to joyn in matrimony lest the marriages should be incestuous Let marriages be made with consent of the parents or such as be instead of parents and for that end especially for the which the Lord ordained marriages and let them be confirmed publikely in the Church with prayer and blessing of them Moreover let them be kept holy with peace faithfulnesse dutifulnes love also puritie of the persons coupled together Therefore let them take heed of brawlings debates lusts and adulteries Let lawfull judgements and holy Iudges be established in the Church which may maintaine marriages and may represse all dishonestie and shamefulnesse and before whom the controversies in matrimonie may be decided and ended Let children also be brought up of the Parents in the feare of the Lord and let Parents provide for their children remembring the saying of the Apostle He that provideth not for his owne hath 1 Tim. 5. denied the faith and is worse then an infidell But specially let them teach their children honest sciences whereby they may maintaine themselves let them withdraw them from idlenesse and plant in them a true confidence in God in all these things lest they through distrust or overmuch carelesse securitie or filthy covetousnesse waxe loose and in the end come to no good Now it is most certaine that those workes which parents doe in a true faith by the duties of marriage and government of their families are before God holy and good workes indeed and doe please God no lesse then prayers fastings and almes deeds For so the Apostle hath taught in his Epistles especially in those to Timothy and Titus And with the same Apostle we account the doctrine of such as forbid marriage or doe openly dispraise or secretly discredit it as not holy or cleane amongst the doctrines of Devils And we doe detest unclean single life licentious lusts and fornications both open and close and the continencie of dissembling hypocrites when as they are of all men most incontinent All that be such God will judge We doe not disallow riches and rich men if they be godly and use their riches well but we reprove the sect of the Apostoliques c. Out of the former Confession of HELVETIA Of holy Wedlocke VVE thinke that wedlock being appointed of God for all Artic. 37. men that be fit for it and are not called to some other thing is nothing repugnant to the holinesse of any degree The which as the Church doth consecrate and establish with a solemne exhortation and prayer so it is the dutie of the Magistrate to see that it be worthily kept and maintained * Looke the 1. Observation upon this confession and that it be not dissolved but upon just cause Therefore we doe farre reject this Monasticall single life and this whole slothfull kinde of life of superstitious men which is nothing else but an abominable devise as being as much repugnant to the Church as to the common wealth Out of the Confession of BOHEMIA Hitherto pertaineth
some who for the kingdome of heaven doe abstaine from marriage And holy Paul saith He that giveth not his virgin to be married doth the better For which cause it is taught that all they who of their owne accord doe take and chuse unto themselves this kinde of life ought carefully to have regard hereunto that in such a life they may with a singular and earnest endevour exercise godlinesse and be holy as Paul commandeth as well in body as in spirit and give more light then others by the honesty of their actions by the labours of such trades as beseem a Christian profession by doing all that they can for the benefit of the Church and by yeelding their service to the sick and to other needy members This gift and purpose of such which doe thus in this matter consecrate themselves to God and such an exercise of their godlinesse is commended of our men and they doe faithfully perswade men hereunto but they doe perswade as we said and not compell the which thing Paul also doth who writeth thus Concerning Virgins I have no commandement of the Lord but I deliver 1 Cor 7. my iudgement which have received this mercy of the Lord that I may be faithfull I thinke it good for a man to be such a one and he concludeth after this sort He is more happy in my iudgement if he remaine such a one that is unmarried then if he marry and I thinke that I have the spirit of God In like sort in comparison of others there be bountifull and peculiar promises and singular rewards offered unto those that keep themselves single to wit that their worthy works shall be recompensed with a great reward and Matâ—h 17 that no man shall in vain for sake any 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 have received this gift of God and being throughly proved and tried in this behalfe doe of their own accord serve the Lord and the Church they are taught I say together with other gifts to make great account of this gift and to keep it diligently lest that by any evill lusts or by any allurements of occasions they doe loose it Yet notwithstanding if any good faithfull and diligent man chance to be assaulted with such a tentation as to feare in himselfe the heat and wicked fact of lust then there is no snare laid for such a one neither is there any danger of entrapping his conscience but he that is in this case let him be put over * Looke the 4. Observat to take counsell of the Elders and governours of the Church who have the spirit of God that all may be done in the Church in order decently with honesty of the example and with the using of all due consideration Then verily if upon these things thus done he doth lawfully change his kinde of life he doth not sinne seeing that he obeyeth the counsell of the holy Ghost and the holy Church ought not for this cause to contemne him nor to make any thing the lesse account of his ministerie Notwithstanding if for this cause he should be contemned which the Church cannot do without sinne it were certainly better for him by this means to preserve 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 Primitive Church that worthy and honest married men may be chosen to take the charge of souls in the Church then to give them leave to change their kinde of life who before being unmarried did labour diligently in the ministery of the Lord yet notwithstanding our men doe not ground the worthinesse holinesse and vertue of the Ecclesiastical ministery no more then they do of Christian salvation upon either of these kinds ro wit neither upon 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 onely profit and opportunitie which falleth into a single life and is commended of the holy Ghost After these things they doe thus consequently teach touching wedlocke that such a condition of life though it have many difficulties punishments and curses joyned with it where with after the fall of man both mankinde and this order is oppressed yet that it is in this wise holy and acceptable unto God because that God himselfe did in the beginning ordaine it and afterward Christ our Lord did consecrate it and doth daily consecrate it in those that are his and that in such sort that their children also be holy and that moreover God hath offered unto it peculiarly singular promises and blessings which are contained in the Scriptures Thence therefore must all true Christians know that whosoever doe chuse this kinde of life so as it becometh them and with an upright purpose doe both give themselves thereunto and be conversant therein they doe not onely not sinne but they doe and accomplish that which God would have them to doe and that they leade such a kinde of life as God doth peculiarly call some unto and that they doe serve the selfe same Lord whom the unmarried men doe serve The FRENCH Confession doth condemne Monasticall vowes and the forbidding of Marriage Artic. 24. which we have inserted in the 16. Section  Out of the ENGLISH Confession VVE say that Matrimonie is holy and honourable in all sorts 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 Chrysostome saith for a man living in Matrimonie to take upon In Tit. 1. Hom. 11. Theo. ad Tit. 10. Euseb lib. 10. cap. 5. him therewith the dignitie of a Bishop And as Sozomenus saith of Spiridon and as Nazianzene saith of his owne Father we say that a good and dâ—ligent Bishop doth serve in the Ministery never the worse for that â—e is married but rather the better and with more ablenesse to do good Further we say that the same law which is by constraint taketh away this liberty from men and compelleth them against their wils to live single is the doctrine of devils as Paul saith and that ever since the time of this law a wonderfull uncleannesse of life and manners in Gods Ministers and sundry horrible enormities have followed as the Bishop of Augusta as Faber as Abbas Panormitanus as Latomus as the Tripartite Worke which is annexed to the second Tome of the Councels and some other Champions of the Popes band yea and as the matter it selfe and all Histories doe confesse For it was rightly said by Pius the second Bishop of Rome that he saw many causes why wives should be taken away from Priests but that
lawfull for the ministers of the Church to be married before they were ordained ministers but also to marry after their ordination For which opinion there be very evident arguments Neither ought the vow of chastitie to be any hinderance herein because that such a vow being taken upon a man by humane superstition without the authoritie of the word of God and against faith is not acknowledged of God and wedlock also hath it chastity that he which before had vowed chastitie marrieth a wife in the Lord doth indeed fulfill the vow of chastitie Seeing therefore that the word of God is evident touching the honestie of wedlock the examples of the Apostles and Bishops of the Primitive Church be evident the weaknesse of mans nature is evident dangers of single life be evident and seeing that the offences which unchaste Priests do give are evident we do verily hope that it will come to passe that they which have the government of the Church will not go forward severely to maintaine and defend this constitution touching the marriage of Priests but favourably to interpret it For so it shall come to passe that there may be both fewer and lesse offences in the Church and that many good mens consciences may be relieved Also we hope that it will come to passe that all good Bishops and Princes will permit them who by a lawfull divorce are separated from their adulterous wives or husbands to use that libertie of marrying againe in the Lord which the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ hath granted to them Matth. 5. and 16. Hitherto also pertaineth the 26. Article Of Monasticall vowes THere is no doubt but that godly just and lawfull vowes are to be kept and payed and that wicked vowes are to be disanulled But it is not without cause made a matter of controversie in what kinde of vowes Monasticall vowes touching virginitie or single life povertie and obedience are to be placed For it is evident that single life is not commanded by the Word of God also it is evident that although the estate of single persons be in publike dangers quiet and more fit and commodious to execute the publike Ministeries of the Church then is theirs which use it not yet we must not think that this kind of life is of it selfe before the tribunal seat of God more excellent and more holy then is marriage For as in Christ there is neither Iew nor Grecian neither servant nor freeman as Paul saith so in Christ there is neither married nor unmarried And as In Christ Iesus circumcision availeth nothing but the keeping of the commandements of God and a new creature so also doth single life availe nothing and wedlock availeth nothing but to be renued in Christ Iesus and to obey the calling of Christ In the Councel held at Gangrum there was this Canon If any of those who for the Lords sake do keep virginitie is lifted up against those that be married let him be accursed And an other Canon saith If any man for continencie as it is thought doth weare a cloake as beleeving that hereby he hath righteousnesse and doth despise others who with reverence doe weare other common and usuall kindes of garments let him be accursed And Augustine De bono coniugali cap 21. dareth not preferre the virginitie of the Baptist before the wedlock of Abraham Therefore he that doth vow virginitie or single life doth either vow it as a singular worship of God And then because the state of single life is not commanded by the word of God this vow pertaineth to the commandements of men whereof Christ saith In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the precepts of men Or else he worketh it as a merit of remission of sinnes and of life eternall and then it is evidently a wicked vow whereunto no man is bound It is to no better purpose to vow povertie For either thou are poore by condition or estate and possessest no earthly substance And then this crosse which God hath laid upon thee thou must beare it patiently which moreover if thou doe vow thou doest nothing else then if in thy sicknesse thou shouldest vow that thou wouldest alwaies bee sicke or that in thy infamie thou shouldest alwaies vow to be infamous which kind of vow is rather a madnesse then godlinesse Or else thou dost possesse substance and vowest that forsaking thy substance thou wilt alwaies leade a poore life and get thy living by beging and obtaine by the merit of this vow eternall life and then this vow is first of al repugnant to the love of thy neighbour which requireth that by thy begging thou be not troublesome to any further then necessitie compelleth secondly it is contrary to faith in Christ because that he alone is the merit of eternall life Therefore it is evident that this kind of vow is unlawful and wicked But so to forsake thy substance as to give it to a common use is not to follow after poverty but to provide a more certaine and bountiful living for thy selfe the which what manner of worship it is before God it cannot be unknown And as for obedience it is either referred to God and then it is not an arbitrary vow but of due necessitie of which obedience it is said Obedience is better then sacrifice Or else it is referred to man and then of their owne accord they are to perform those duties which the subject oweth to the Magistrate children to the Parents servants to their Lords and schollers to their Schoolemasters These things doth God look for at mens hands whether they be vowed or not vowed but yet with this condition that we do alwaies rather obey God then men But to vow obedience unto man without a speciall calling of God that by the works of such obedience a man may not onely performe a singular worship unto God but also purge his sins before God it is altogether superfluous because that Christ saith They worship me in vain with the traditions of men and also wicked because the obedience of Christ alone which he performed to God his Father hath puged our sinnes and reconciled us with God By all these things it is manifest that the kinde of vowing single life povertie and obedience doth not agree with that doctrine which is indeed Catholique especially seeing that certain men are not afraid to make this kinde of vowing equall with Baptisme Out of the Confession of SUEVELAND Of Monkerie CHAP. 12. ANd for the same cause that all our Iustification doth consist The former part of this 12. Chap. might more commodiously have been referred to the 17. Sect. where we intreated of true Christian libertie if those things which follow had not hindered it in faith in Iesus Christ whereupon we have libertie given to us in all externall things we have permitted the bonds of Monkerie to be released among us For we saw that this liberty of Christians was vehemently challenged in every place by
latter Confession of Helvetia But the thing is the communication of the body c. that is the body and blood of Christ communicated to us spiritually by faith to the remission of sinnes and to eternall life Vpon the declaration of the said former Confession of Helvetia Visible shew that is shew by setting forth visible signes Observat 1. pag 276 Observat 2. pag. 277. Vpon the same The Minister doth convert To wit as the instrumentall outward cause which the holy Spirit useth to work those things inwardly which are preached to us outwardly Vpon the Confession of Basil TO testifie our faith Hereunto adde also the other ends and Observat 1. pag 278 effect which are more fully set forth in other Confessions Vpon the Confession of Bohemia EIther entirely Entire that is lawfull libertie such as doth agree Observat 1. pag. 279 with Christ his institution Vpon the same They doe alwaies exercise their vertue This must warily be understood Observa 2. pag. 281. For properly the Sacraments doe witnesse seale or confirme no other thing but grace and salvation The condemnation of such as use them unworthily doth not flow from any vertue or power of the Sacraments which doth availe onely to salvation but onely from the fault of the unworthy themselves whereby it cometh to passe and that by an accident that whilest they receive the signes alone and that unworthily they deprive themselves of the Sacraments and yet for all that they cease not on Gods behalfe to be perfect Sacraments whether they be given to the worthy or to the unworthy touching which point look after in the 14. Section the 1. and 2. Observations upon the Confession of Auspurge IN THE THIRTEENTH SECTION Vpon the latter Confession of Helvetia THat is the most perfect forme of Baptisme c. Vnderstand by Obser 1 pag. 287. forme the externall ceremonie whether it be of dipping or of sprinkling Vpon the same We thinke them nothing necessarie c. Yea we have utterly Obser 2. pag. 288. rejected some of them as meere superstitious some as being manifestly brought by the negligence of Bishops from the Baptisme of those which be of age unto the baptisme of infants and some to be short as altogether unprofitable as it is clearely expounded in the Confession of Wirtemberge Vpon the Confession of Bohemia BY the laying on of hands c. This whole ceremonie is profitably Obser 1. pag. 293. kept in the Churches of Bohemia not as a point of doctrine but as a part of Ecclesiasticall Discipline without any prejudice to the libertie of other Churches seeing that it is no where commanded in the writings of the Apostles neither doth this Confession therefore approve Papistical confirmation which they do falsly call a Sacrament But that which is added that they which are thus baptized are received into the covenant of Baptisme it is well expounded a little after to wit so farre forth as that grace which they received in Baptisme is by this meane made manifest to the Church and to them that are baptized Vpon the Confession of Auspurge THat it is necessary to salvation c. Vnderstand this by those Obser 1. pag. 294. things which afterward were declared in the agreement made at Wirtemberge 1536. the 29. of May where these words be read Master Luther and his fellowes doe agree upon this that by the power of Christ even those which are not Baptized may be saved But it is necessary that these should not contemne Baptisme And hence it is that they will have infants to be batized of necessitie c. Vpon the same And hold that infants are saved c. Looke the former Observation Obser 2. pag. 94. We also condemne the Catabaptists who doe either forbid the baptisme of Infants or else teach that it is by no means necessary Vpon the Confession of Saxonie ANd that the holy Ghost is given in Baptisme c. That is that Obser 1. pag. 296. it is in deed offered indifferently to all but is received onely by faith and not given to wit through faith for the works sake And that it is so received as that neither faith nor the efficacie of faith are necessarily to be referred to that very moment wherin any one is baptized Moreover in the very forme of the administration of baptisme we use in our Churches to declare that baptisme is not onely a pledge of our Renuing but also and that chiefly of the remission of sinnes Vpon the same That Baptisme is necessarie c. Look the 1. Observation upon Obser 2 pag. 296. the Confession of Auspurge Vpon the same And to those onely c. And a little after Because that then Obser 3. pag. â—96 they be grafted into the Church How we understand this grafting Look before in the former Confession of Helvetia Art 21. IN THE FOVRTEENTH SECTION Vpon the latter Confession of Helvetia NOt as they be corporally eaten The Adverb so farre as understand Obser 1. pag. 304. to be used casually for because as if he had said not that they be eaten corporally c. But in this place and other places elsewhere afterward so understand these Adverbs corporally and spiritually that by them not the thing signified which is received but the manner of receiving it is declared namely to be not corporall but spirituall that is not of the externall mouth but of the faithfull minde Vpon the former Confession of Helvetia THese things be holy and to be reverenced c. By holy understand Obser 1 pag. 307. those things which are appointed to a most holy use not those wherein consisteth any inherent holinesse In like manner by reverent understand those things which are to be received with outward comelinesse and in that order which might testifie an internall reverence namely when our mindes are lifted up unto God not that any worship ought to be yeelded to the signes themselves or that those rites which are either in their owne nature superstitious or else may easily be turned into superstition ought to be used in the holy service of the Lord. Vpon the Confession of Bohemia THat which of themselves they doe signifie c. That is to say of the true bread and wine and also of the very body that Obser 1. pag. 3â—3 was given for us and of the very bloud that was shed for us As for that attribution wherein the bread is said to bee the body and wine to be the blood even in this Confession it is evidently set downe that it ought to be interpreted by a sacramentall metonymie Vpon the same And the truth thereof By the word truth in this place understand Obser â— pag. 313. not the fruit of the Sacraments which is received of the faithfull onely neither yet the very body and blood of Christ seeing that they also can not be received but by faith to salvation but the bread and the wine the which