onlie sonne to be our brother and giuen vnto vs grace to acknowledge and embrace him for our Mediatour as before is said It behooued farther the Messias and Redeemer to be verie God and verie man because he was to beare the punishment due for our transgressions and to present him selfe in the presence of his Fathers iudgement as in our person to suffer for our transgression and inobedience by death to ouercome him that was author of death But because the onlie godhead could not suffer death neither yet could the onlie manhood ouercome the same he ioyned both together in one person that the imbecillitie of the one should suffer and be subiect to death which we had deserued and the infinite and inuincible power of the other to wit of the godhead should triumph and purchase to vs life libertie and perpetuall victorie and so we confesiâ— and moste vndoubtedlie beleeue Christes death Passion and Bâ—riâ—ll THat our Lord Iesus offered himselfe a voluntarie sacrifice vnto his Father for vs that he suffered contradiction of sinners that he was wounded and plagued for our transgressions that he being the cleane innocent lambe of God was damned in the presence of an earthlie iudge that we should be absolued before the tribunall seate of our God that he suffered not onelie the cruell death of the Crosse which was accursed by the sentence of God but also that he suffered for a season the wrath of his Father which sinners had deserued But yet we auow that he remained the onelie welbeloued and blessed sonne of the Father euen in the midst of his anguish and torment which he suffered in bodie and soule to make the full satisfaction for the sins of the people After the which we confesse and auow that there remaineth no other sacrifice for sinne which if anie affirme we nothing doubt to auow that they are blasphemous against Christes death and the euerlasting purgation and satisfaction purchased to vs by the same Resurrection WE vndoubtedlie beleeue that insomuch as it was impossible that the dolours of death should retaine in bondage the author of life that our Lord Iesus crucified dead and buried who descended into hell did rise againe for our iustification and destroying of him whoe was the author of death brought life againe to vs that were subiect to death and to the bondage of the same we knowe that his resurrection was confirmed by the testimonie of his verâ—e enimies by the resurrection of the dead whose sepulchers did open and they did arise and appeered to manie within the City of Ierusalem It was also confirmed by the testimonie of his Angells and by the senses and iudgements of his â—postles and others who had conuersation and did eate and drinke with him after his resurrection Ascension VVE nothing doubt but the selfe same bodie which was borne of the virgin was crucified dead buried that it did rise againe and asâ—end into the heauens for the accomplishment of al things where in our names for our comforte he hath receiued all power in heauen and earth where he sitteth at the right hand of the Father crowned in his kingdome aduocate and onelie Mediatour for vs. Which glorie honour and prerogatiue he alone amongst the brethren shal possesse till that all his enimies be made his footestole As that we vndoubtedlie beleeue there shal be a finall iudgement to the execution wherof we certainelie beleeue that the same our Lord Iesus shall visibly returne euen as he was seene to ascend And then we firmelie beleue that the time of refreshing and restitution of all thinges shall come in somuch that those that from the beginning haue suffered violence iniurie and wrong for righteousnes sake shall inherite that blessed immortalitie promised from the beginning but contrariwise the stubborne inobedient cruell oppressors filthie persons Idolaters and all sortes of vnfaithfull shal be cast into the dungeon of vtter darkenes where their worme shall not die neithet yet the fire shal be extinguished The remembrance of which daie and of the iudgement to be executed in the same is not onelie to vs a bridle wherby our carnall lustes are refrained but also such inestimable comforte that neither maie the threating of worldlie princes neither yet the feare of temporall death and present daunger mooue vs to renounce and forsake the blessed societie which we the members haue with our head onelie mediatour Christ Iesus Whom we confesse and auow to be the Messias promised the onelie head of his Church our iust lawe giuer our onelie high Priest aduocate and Mediatour In which honours and office if man or Angell presume to intrude themselues we vtterly detest and abhor them as blasphemous to our soueraigne and supreame gouernuor Christ Iesus Faith in the holie Ghost THis faith and the assurance of the same proceedeth not from flesh and bloode that is to saie from no naturall powers within vs but is the inspiration of the holie Ghost whome we confesse God equall with the Father with the sonne whoe sanctifieth vs and bringeth vs into all veritie by his owne operation without whome we should remaine for euer enimies to God and ignorant of his sonne Christ Iesus For of nature we are so dead so blinde so peruerse that neither can we feele when we are pricked see the light when it shineth nor assent to the will of God when it is reuealed vnlesse the spirit of the Lord quicken that which is dead remooue the darkenes from our mindes and bowe our stubborne heartes to the obedience of his blessed will And so as we confesse that God the Father created vs when we were not as his sonne our Lord Iesus redeemed vs when we were enimies to him so also doe we confesse that the holie Ghost doth sanctifie and regenerate vs without all respect of anie merit proceeding from vs be it before or be it after our regeneration To speake this one thinge yet in more plaine wordes as we willinglie spoile our selues of alâ— honour and glorie of our owne creation and redemption so doe we also of our regeneration and sanctification for of our selues we are not sufficient to thinke one good thought but he who hath begone the worke in vs is onelie he that continueth in vs the same to the praise and glorie of his vndeserued grace The cause of good workes SO that the cause of good workes we confesse to be not our free will but the spirit of the Lord Iesus whoe dwelling in our harts by true faith bringeth forth such good workes as God hath prepared for vs to walke in For this we most boldlie affirme that it is blasphemie to saie that Christ abideth in the heartes of such as in whom there is no spirit of sanctification And therefore we feare noâ— to affirme that murtherers oppressers cruell persecuters adulterers whormongers filthy persons Idolaters dronkerds the eues and all workers of iniquitie haue
againe In vaine doe they worship me seeing they do only teach the commaundements of men But such works as are taught of men what shew soeuer they haue euen of goodnes are in no case to be so highly esteemed as those which are commaunded of God Yea to saie somewhat more if they be not of faith but contrary to faith they are of no value at all but are an abomination and filthines before the face of God Now all good workes are deuided first generallie into those which pertaine to all true Christians according to the vnitie of faith and catholicke saluation Secondly they are deuided particularly into those which are proper to the order age and place of euery man as the holie Ghost doth seuerallie teach Elders Masters the common sorte Parentes children the maried the vnmaried and euerie one what be their proper bonds and workes Moreouer in this point men are diligentlie taught to know how and wherein good workes doe please God Truelie they please God no otherwise then in the onelie name of our Lord Iesus Christ in whose name they ought to be done to the glorie of god according to the doctrine of Paull the Apostle who speaketh thus Whatsoeuer you doe in wordes and in deedes doe all in the name of our Lord Iesus And the Lorde himselfe saith Without me ye can doe thing that is nothing that maie please God and be for your saluation Now to doe good workes in the name of Christ is to doe them in a liuelie faith in him whereby we are iustified and in loue which is poured forth into our hearts by the holie Ghost in such sorte that God loueth vs and we againe loue him and our neighbour For the holy Ghost doth sanctifie mooue and kindle the hearts of them which are iustified to doe these holie actions as the Lorde saieth He shall be in you And the Apostle The anoynting of God teacheth you These two Faith and loue are the fountaine and square of all vertues and good workes according to the testimony of the Apostle The end of the commandement is loue out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith not feigned And againe Without faith it is not possible to please God Also without loue nothing doth profit a man In the next place they teach why and to what purpose or end such good workes as pertaine to Christian godlines ought to be done to wit not in this respect that men by these workes should obtaine iustification or saluation and remission of sins for Christ saith When you haue done all those thinges which were commaunded you saie we are vnprofitable seruants Also Paull saith Not for the workes of righteousnes which we haue done but through his mercie hath he saued vs wherewith al those words of Dauid agree when he praieth Lord enter not into iudgement with thy seruant because that in thy sight shall no flesh liuing be iustified But Christians are to exercise themselues in good works for these causes following First that by this meane they may prooue and declare their faith by these workes be knowne to be true Christians that is the liuelie members and followers of Christ whereof our Lorde saith Euerie tree is knowen by his owne fruites In deede good workes are assured arguments and signes and testimonies and exercises of a liuelie faith euen of that faith which lieth hidde in the heart and to be shorte of the true fruit thereof and such as is acceptable to God Paull saith Christ liueth in me for in that I now liue in the flesh I liue by faith in the Sonne of God And trulie it can not be otherwise but that as sinne doth bring forth death so faith and iustification which ariseth therout doth bring forth life inwardlie in the spirit and outwardlie in the works of charitie Secondlie we must therefore doe good workes that Christians might confirme and build vp their Election and vocation in themselues and preserue it by taking heed that they fall not in mortall sinnes euen as Saint Peter teacheth among other thinges writing thus Wherefore brethren endeauour rather to make your election and vocation sure or to confirme it And how this maie be done he doth brieflie declare a litle before Therefore giuing all diligence thereunto ioyne vertue with your faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance and with temperance pacience with pacience godlines with godlines brotherlie kindnes and with brotherlie kindnes loue For if these thinges be among you and abound in you they will make you that ye neither shall be idle nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lorde Iesus Christ In which place Saint Peter doth euidently shew that we must endeuour to exercise ourselues in good workse first for this cause lest that the grace of faith a good conscience which we haue be either lost or defiled but that it maie rather be preserued For the holie Ghost doth flie from Idolaters and departeth from prophane men and the euill and vnpure spirit doth returne into an emptie and idle house Also whosoeuer doth either loose or defile a good conscience what commendable thing or what worke can he do that is pretious and acceptable to God how shall he giue himselfe to prayer Secondlie for this cause that we maie profitte and increase more and more in this grace and that we maie gaine vnto the Lorde by occupying those talents which are committed to our trust whereof Saint Paull saith Now we all beholding as in a mirrour the glorie of the Lord with open face are changed into the same Image from glorie to glorie that is we beholde Christ who is the image and glorie of the Father herein we indeauour that we maie be conformed to the likenes of this Image by the holie ghost which doth kindle vs therunto til this Image doth get her perfection by the blessed resurrection Thirdly we must do exercise our selues in good workes as well for the promises of this life as also for the reward of eternall life whereof mention is made verie often and at large in the holie scripture that by faith in Christ wee maie haue a more easie entrance to the attaining of those rewards and to the eternal kingdome of heauen as S. Peter testifieth saying If ye doe these thinges ye shall neuer fall For by this meanes an entring shal be ministred vnto you abundantlie into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ But chiefelie we must doe the workes of mercie whereby we maie benefit our neighbour whereby we prouide and doe for him and whereof he standeth in neede such as these be to giue almes to visite the sicke to haue a care of them or to be at hand to doe them seruice to teach the simple by counsell and labour to helpe others to pardon offences and such like which all haue the promises of the bountifullnes of
place we adde how they maie be done Albeit that men by their owne strength be able to doe outward honest deedes in some sort and must also performe this ciuill obedience yet so long as men are voide of faith they are in the power of the Deuill who driueth them to shamefull sinnes occupieth their mindes with wicked and blasphemous opinions for that is the kingdome and tyrannie of the Deuil Moreouer nature by it selfe is weake cannot without gods helpe strengthen it sâ—lfe to the performaunce of anie spirituall workes And for that cause are men taught that in the Gospell the holie spirit is promised who shal aide and gouerne the mindes of them who do repent beleeue the Gospel Wherfore in so great infirmitie of nature in the middest of these assaultes of Sathan and in all daungers faith must be exercised in calling vpon God euen throughout our wholl life that we maie continue alwaies in the faith in our obedience towards God Therfore Zacharie saith I will poure forth the spiâ—it of grace of praier vpon the house of Dauid upon the inhabitans of Ierusalem He calleth him the spirit of grace because the holie spirit doth confirme and comforte troubled mindes and beareth record that God is pleased with vs. He calleth him the spirit of praier to the end we should dailie exercise our faith in praier that by these exercises our faith might be confirmed and a new life grow vp and increase in vs. There is no doubt but true vertues are the giftes of Go such as are faith clearenes of iudgement in discerning of pointes of religion courrage of minde such as is requisite in them which teach professe the Gospel true care paines in gouerning of Churches true humilitie not to hunt after preferment not to be puft vp with populare praise nor cast downe with their disliking and ill will true charitie c. These Princelie vertues Paull calleth Gods gifts Rom. 12. Hauing diuers giftes according to the grace that is giuen vs. And of these he saieth to the Cor. These thinges worketh one and the same spirit distrubuting to euerie one according c. Vnto these giftes we must ioyne our exercise which maie both preserue the same and deserue an increase of them according to the saying To him that hath shal be giuen And it is notably said of Augustine Loue deserueth an increase of loue to weet when t is put in vse For good workes haue rewardes as in this life so also after this life in the euerlasting life Now because that the Church in this life is subiect to the crosse and to the death of the bodie therefore many rewardes are differred vntill the life to come which though it be vndoubtedlie bestowed through mercy for Christs sake on those which are iustified by the faith of Christ yet there is also a rewarding of good workes according to that saying your rewarde is great in heauen By this it is euident that the doctrine of good workes is through the goodnes of God purelie and truelie taught in our Churches How full of obscuritie and confusion the doctrine of good workes was in former times all godlie mindes know full well There was none that put men in minde of the difference of mans traditions and the lawe of God none that taught how good workes did please God in this so great infirmitie of ours To be briefe there was not one word of faith which is most needfull vnto remission of sinnes But now that these matters be opened and vnfolded godlie consciences lay holde of comforte and of certaine hope of saluation and doe vnderstand which is the true worship and seruice of God and know how it pleaseth god and howe it doth merit at his handes This article is thus set downe in an other edition OVr diuines are falselie accused to forbid good workes For their writinges extant vpon the tenne commaundements and others of the like argument do beare witnes that they haue to good purpose taught concerning euerie kinde of life and duties what trades of life and what workes in euery calling doe please God Of which thinges preachers in former times taught litle or nothing onely they did vrge certaine childish and needles workes As keeping of holie daies set fasts fraternities pilgrimages worshipping of Saints friaries Monkeries and such trash wherof our aduersaries hauing had warning they do now forget them do not preach so concerning these vn profitable works as they were wont to doe Besides they begin now to make mention of faith which they were wont to pas ouer with silence But yet they cease not to obscure darken this doctrine of faith while they leaue the conscience in doubt would haue men to merit remission of sins by their workes and teach not that we doe by faith alone vndoubtedlie receiue remission of sinnes for Christes sake When as therfore the doctrine of faith which should be especially aboue others taught in the Church hath bene so long vnknowen as all men must needes graunt that there was not a word of the righteousnes of faith in all their sermons and that the doctrine of workes onelie was vsuall in the Churches for this cause our diuines did thus admonish the Churches First that our workes cannot reconcile God vnto vs or deserue remission of sins grace iustification at his hands But this we must obtaine by faith whiles we beleeue that we are receiued into fauour for Christ sake who alone is appointed the Mediatour intercessor by whom the father is reconciled to vs. He therfore that trusteth by his works to merit grace doth despise the merit and grace oâ— Christ and seeketh by his owne power without Christ to come vnto the father whereas Christ hath said expresselie of himselfe I am the waie the trueth and the life This Doctrine of faith is handled by Paule almoste in euerie Epistle Eph. 2. ye are saued freelie by faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes c. And lest anie here should cauill that we bring in a new found interpretation this wholl cause is vnderpropped with testimonies of the Fathers August doth in manie volumes defend grace the righteousnes of faith against the merit of works The like doth Ambrose teach in his booke De vocaâ— Gent. and els where for thus he saith in the forenamed place The redemption made by the bloode of Christ would be of small account and the prerogatiue of mans workes would not giue place to the mercie of God if the iustification which is by grate weere due to merites going before so as it should not be the liberalitie of the giuer but the wages or hire of the labourer This doctrine though it be contemned of the vnskilfull sorâ— yet â—ne godlie and fearefull conscience doth finde by experience that it bringeth verie great comfort because that the consciences cannot be quieted by anie workes but by faith alone when
the Gospell But if they will not doe it let this publique and euerlasting monument witnes to all that come after that we and all of our side are shall be free not onelie from the grieuous reproches with which wee are vndeseruedlie laden but also without blame of all the hurlie burlies and dissentions that haue beene hitherto and that which God forbid are peraduenture like tobe more greeuous vnles it be speedelie preuented on both sides And seeing in this Harmonie we speake not onlie with our owne but euen with the mouth of all those nations whose confessions we haue brought into one forme of one and the same doctrine we hope it will come to passe that not so much the seuerall names of the French Belgia and other Confessions shal hereafter be heard as that one onlie vniuersall simple plaine and absolute Confession of all Churches speaking as it were with one the same tongue of Chanaan shall be seene and that they who were thought to be farre wide as hath hitherto not altogether without desert by reason of ouer many mens priuate writings beene thought of vs and the brethren of the Confession of Auspurge if so be that men keepe within the boundes of the Confessions and all cauilling and sophistrie be laide aside and as well faithfull as fauourable exposition be admitted shall be thought very neerelie to agree in al things And this was the cause why we desired to put the confession of Auspurge together also with that of Saxony Wirtemberge in this Harmonie that it might be the more easilie known that both we agree with them in all particular points of faith and that there are verie few matters hanging in controuersie betweene vs. For concerning that doubt about the Lords Supper in the thing and of the thing i◠selfe there is no strife we differ in certaine adiuncts and circumstances of the thing In the thing it selfe I saie we agree although as the gifts of God are diuers so some do more plainly some do not so plain lie and perhaps not so fitlie vtter that which they thinke For we all acknowledge that the holie signes haue not a bare signification but that by the ordinance of God they assure our consciences that the things themselues are as truelie and certainlie giuen of God to all that come as the signes themselues are giuen by Gods minister But this questiō remaineth whether as the signe so also the present thing it selfe be giuen to the body or rather the present signe be giuen to the bodie but the present thing giuen onelie to the minde and faith Againe whether as both be giuen to al so both be receiued of al of some vnto life and of other some vnto death In like sort we all beleeue the true Communication of the true bodie and the true bloode of our Lord Iesus Christ The controuersie standeth in the manner of communicating but who may therefore of right thinke that the holie vnitie of the Churches is to be plucked a sunder That they of our side were alwaies desirous of peace and agreement the historie of the conference at Marpurge and such things as were afterward done in the yeare 1536. doe sufficientlie witnes Moreouer so often as there appeared any hope of agreement it is cleare that there was no other cause but the importunitie of some certaine men why new and sudden braules beeing raised the matter could not come or long continue in that agreement which was hoped for For that we may let passe very many other things although in the beginning it were openlie knowne among all that there was no controuersie betweene vs no not so much as the verie Papists excepted in the opinion about worshipping the mysterie of the holie Trinitie loe about the latter end that vnhappie monster of Vbiquitie came forth which if it be admitted will quite ouerthrow the true doctrine of Christs person and his natures Hence then come the distractions of Churches hence come so deadlie quarrellings But seeing this wholl matter hath beene often handled by verie learned men it is no time for vs to deale any farther therein For it is sufficient for vs to shew in few wordes that our men so farre as was possible alwaies prouided for the peace of the Church Neither truelie hath any man cause after the example of certain moderators such as not long since haue beene why he should perswade himselfe that we would here of this hotch-potch of opinions make a certaine medlie as it were of contrarie qualities But we leaue all thinges wholl that euerie one may so know his owne words beeing compared with the sayings of others that he shall finde nothing forged nothing taken away nothing put to or wrested And to conclude the forme and drift of this wholl work if it be more narrowlie vowed shal not vnworthily be iudged a sound body of christian doctrine framed and alowed by the writings and as it were by ◠common councell of the godlie Churches well nigh of all Europe For here all the chiefe points of our Religion beeing discussed and approoued are by the publique authoritie of all the chiefe nations in Christendome with one consent published and knit together yet we must confesse as we afore touched that through the manifolde and busie braulings of priuate persons and glosses as men commonly speak the matter was brought farre from the groundes thereof to things cleane besides the purpose and impertinent For first there beganne to be dealing onely about the supper then it came to Christs Ascension and sitting in heauen and within a while after to the personall vnion of both his natures and what stay will there be in the ende for many by all mens leaue be it spoken seeme to be delighted with this continual striuing that howsoeuer and whatsoeuer it might coste them they might not be vnknowne But it becommeth the Disciples of Christ to seeke peace and to despise glorie For as Bernard saith They that despise peace and seeke after glorie they lose both peace and glorie A way therefore with those speaches I am of Paull I am of Cephas let that one saying be heard I am Christs I am the Churches There is something that may be misliked yet there are verie manie things that may wel be liked the same ground work of faith abideth let therfore the same loue continue and let vs not think much to take them for brethren whome God vouchsafeth to take for sonnes neither let vs despise those for whome Christ despised him-selfe That thing is assuredlie true and very much liked of vs that nothing in holy doctrine is to be thought of smal importance but rather that euen in the least pointes thereof a certeine faith and full assurance is required flat contrarie to the wauering of the Academikes yet we can not like of too too much peeuishnes through which some do straight waie vpon verie smal occasion cal their brethren heretikes schismatikes vngodlie Mahumetanes let these speeches be
throwne out against Atheists Epicures Libertines Arians Anabaptists and such like mischieuous persons which desire to haue the Lords field vtterlie destroied but let vs euerie daie grow in faith and loue and let vs teach the flocks committed to our charge to feare God to hate vices and follow after vertues to denie the world and themselues obeying the commaundement of our Lord teacher Iesus Christ who biddeth vs not tobraule but to loue each other Whose example in gouerning the Church if we will follow we shal raise vp those that are afflicted take vp those that are fallen comfort the feeble waken the drousy not negligentlie denounce Gods wrath against sinnes and shall draw out the sword of the same word which is no blunt one against hypocrites wolues dogges swine goates and to conclude against all wicked ones which in our Churches mingle them-selues with the true sheepe and which cause the word of God to be euill spoken of It were a farre better thing surelie then that which some do busying the sharpnes of their wit in making of certeine trifles that forsooth the knowledge of such subtilties may shake out of our mindes all conscience It was iustlie said that the strength of the gospel was weakened through the thornie subtelties of schoole-questions and we through our wayward disputations what els do we then cause that the authority thereof be not strengthened but rather weakned and doe euen stagger among the wicked We read it excellentlie written in Liuie a verie graue writer that not onelie grudges â—ut also warres haue an end and that oftentimes deadlie foes become faithfull confederates yea and sometimes Citizens that by the same speeches of the people of Rome very bitter or cruel enmities haue bene taken vp betweene men of great account And that which these few wordes wrought with the heathen shall not godlines toward God obteine at the hands of Christians of deuines and of Pastours of Churches yea if the trauell of reading diligentlie examining conferring of this booke shall not be irksome if vpright and sincere iudgement if not preiudicate opinions but the loue of one truth shall beare swaie in al mens hearts it will shortly obteine it That olde contention about the celebrating of Easter very hotlie tossed to and fro for two hundred years or there about between the Greekes and the Latines was long since by vs thought worthie of laughter but we must take good heed lest in a matter not altogether vnlike we seeme to be wiser then both if so be that we desire to haue the Church wholl and not to leaue it rent vnto the posteritie and would haue our selues be counted not foolish among men and not stub born in the sight of god There hath scarce beene anie age which hath in such sort seen al Churches following altogether one thing in all points so as there hath not alwaies been some difference either in doctrine or in ceremonies or in manners and yet were not Christian Churches through the world therefore cut a sunder vnles peraduenture then when the Bishop of Rome brake of all agreement tyrannically â—ioyned to other Churches not what ought to be done but what him-selfe would haue obserued but the Apostle did not so Barnabas in deed departed from Paull and Paull also withstood Peter and surelie for no trifle and yet the one became not more enemie or strange to the other but the selfe same spirit which had coupled them from the beginning neuer suffred them to be disioyned from them-selues It is the fashion of Romists to commaund to enforce to presse to through out cursings and thunder excommunications vpon the heades of those that whisper neuer so litle against them but let vs according to the doctrine of the holie Ghost suffer and gentlie admonish each other that is keeping the groundwork of faith let vs build loue vpon it and let vs ioyntlie repaire the walls of Sion lying in their ruines It remaineth that through the same Lord Christ we besech our reuerent brethren in the lord whose confessions published we set forth that they take this our paines in good parte and fuffer vs to leane as it were to a certaine staie to the common consent of the reformed Churches against the accusations and reproches of the common aduersaries of the trueth But it had beene to be wished that we might at once haue set out all the Confessions of all the reformed Churches but because we had them not all therfore we set out them onelie that were come to our hands to which the rest also so farre as we suppose may easilie be drawne And we also could haue wished that the thing might haue bin made common to all the reformed Churches But when as the state of our Churches seemed to force the matter that they could not abide any longer delaie the right well beloued brethren will pardon vs with whom by reason of the time we could not impart both the Harmony it selfe and the obseruations as also the intent of this wholl edition Whereas moreouer we haue put to moe confessions of one and the same nation as of Auspurge Saxonie as also the former and latter of Heluetia that was not done without cause for besides that one expoundeth another we thought it good also hereby to ridde them from all suspicion of inconstancy and wauering in opinion which the aduersaries are wont to catch at by such repetitions oâ— confessions Yet why we would not adde some confessionâ— of the brethren of Bohemia often repeated we 〈◊〉 straight way shew a cause and we hope that ouâ— reason will easilie be liked of them And we haue set downe euerie where two yea and in some places three editions of Auspurge for this respect lest in this diuersitie we might seeme to haue picked out that which rather fauoured ourside to haue vtterlie misliked the other Wherein notwithstanding we haue not euery where followed the order of times in which euery of them came to light but the câ—ppie which we had in our hands printed at Wirtemberge 1572. with a double edition And wâ— therefore thought it meete to passe ouer the Apologies adioyned to the confessions as of Auspurge Bohemia Sucueland and England as wel that the work might not grow to be exceeding bigge as also that we might not seeme rather to increase disputations controuersies then to make an Harmony of doctrine And as for our obseruations our minde was to meete with the cauills of sophisters who we know well enough will take holde on the least matters that they may thereby set vs on worke Wherefore lest they should charge vs to set out a discorde rather then a concorde of confessions we haue added in the end very short obseruations in which we lay open those things which might seeme somewhat obscurelie spoken and doe fauourablie and freelie giuing them an interpretation expounde those thinges which either haue or seeme to haue any shew of repugnancie And we
a general councell for plaine it is as they were men so haue some of them manifestlie erred and that in matters of great weight and importance So farre then as the Councel prooueth the determination and commaundement that it giueth by the plaine worde of God so soone doe we reuerence and embrace the same But if men vnder the name of a Councel pretende to forge vnto vs newe Articles of our faith or to make constitutions repugning to the worde of God then vtterlie we must refuse the same as the doctrine of Deuils which draweth our soules from the voice of our onelie God to follow the doctrine and constitutions of men The cause then why that generall Councels came together was neither to make anie perpetuall lawe which God before had not made neither yet to forge new articles of our beliefe neither to giue the word of God authoritie much lesse to make that to be his word or yet the true interpretation of the same which was not before his holie will expressed in his word But the cause of councels we meane of such as merit the name of Councels was partlie for confutation of heresies for giuing publike confession of their faith to the posteritie following which both they did by the authoritie of Gods written word and not by anie opinion of prerogatiue that they could not erre by reason of their generall assemblie And this we iudge to haue beene the chiefe cause of general Councells The other was for good pollicie and order to be constitute obserued in the Church wherein as in the house of God it becommeth all things to be done decentlie and in order Not that we thinke that one pollicie and one order in ceremonies can be appointed for all ages times and places for as ceremonies such as men haue deuised are but temporall so maie and ought they to be changed when they rather suffer superstition then that they edifie the Church vsing the same Of the Sacramentes AS the fathers vnder the law besides the veritie of the sacrifices had two cheefe Sacramentes to wit Circumcision and the Passeouer the despisers and contemners whereof were not reputed for Gods people so we acknowledge and confesse that we now in the time of the Gospell haue two chiefe Sacraments onelie instituted by the Lord Iesus and commaunded to be vsed of all those that will be reputed members of his bodie to wit Baptisme and the Supper or table of the Lord Iesus called the communion of his bodie and his bloode And these Sacramentes as well of the olde as of the new Testament now instituted of god not onelie to make a visible difference betwixt his people those that were without his league but also to exercise the faith of his children and by participation of the same Sacramentes to seale in their heartes the assurance of his promise and of that most blessed coniunction vnion and societie which the elect haue with their heade Christ Iesus And thus we vtterlie damne the vanitie of those that affirme sacramentes to be nothing else but naked and bare signes No we assuredlie beleeue that by baptisme we are ingrafted in Christ Iesus to be made partakers of his iustice by which our sins are couered and remitted And also that in the Supper rightlie vsed Christ Iesus is so ioyned with vs that he becommeth the verie nourishment food of our soules Not that we imagine any transâ—ubstantiation of the bread in Christs naturall bodie and of wine in his naturall blood as the Papists haue perniciously taught and damnablie beleeued but this vnion and coniunction which we haue with the bodie and blood of Christ Iesus in the right vse of the Sacramente is wrought by operation of the holie Ghost who by true faith carieth vs aboue all things that are visible carnal and earthlie and maketh vs to fâ—â—de vpon the bodie and bloode of Christ Iesus which was once broken and shed for vs which now is in heauen and appeareth in the presence of his father for vs and notwithstanding the farre distance of place which is betwixt his bodie now glorified in the heauen and vs now mortall in this earth yet we must assuredlie beleeue that the breade which we breake is the communion of Christs body and the cup which we blesse is the communion of his bloode so that we confesse and vndoubtedlie beleeue that the faithfull in the right vse of the Lords table doe so eate the bodie and drinke the bloode of the Lord Iesus that he remaineth in them and they in him Yea they are so made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones that as the eternall Godheade giueth to the flesh of Christ Iesus which of the owne condition and nature was mortall and corruptible life and immortalitie so doeth Christ Iesus his his flesh and bloode eaten and drunken by vs giue vnto vs the same prerogatiues Which albeit we confesse are neither giuen vnto vs at this time onelie neither yet by the proper power and vertue of the Sacrament onelie yet we affirme that the faithfull in the right vse of the Lordes table haue such coniunction with Christ Iesus as the naturall man cannot apprehend yea and further we affirme that albeit the faithfull oppressed by negligence and manly infirmitie doe not profit so much as they would in the verie instant action of the Supper yet shall it after bring fruite forth as liuelie seede sowne in good ground For the holie spirit which can neuer be deuided from the right institution of the Lord Iesus will not frustrate the faithfull of the fruite of that mysticall action but all this we saie commeth of true faith which apprehendeth Christ Iesus who onelie maketh his Sacraments effectuall vnto vs. And therefore whosoeuer slaundereth vs as that we affirme or beleeue Sacraments to be onely naked and bare signes doeth iniury vnto vs and speaketh against the manifest trueth But this liberallie and frankelie we confesse that we make distinction betwixt Christ Iesus in his eternal substance and betwixt the elementes in the sacramentall signes So that we will neither worship the signes in place of that which is signified by them neither yet do we despise interpret them as vnprofitable and vaine but doe vse them with all reuerence examining our selues diligentlie before that so we doe Because wee are assured by the mouth of the Apostle that such as eate of that bread drinke of that cup vnworthelie are guiltie of the bodie and of the bloode of Christ Iesus Of the right administration of the Sacramentes THat sacraments be rightlie ministred we iudge two thinges requisite the one that they be ministred by lawful ministers whome we affirme to be onely they that are appointed to the preaching of the word into whose mouthes God hath put some sermon of exhortation they being men lawfullie chosen there to by some Church The other that they be ministred in such elements and in such sort as God hath appointed else we affirme that
him alone shalt thou worship or him onelie shalt thou serue Surelie all the Prophets inueighed earnestlie against the people of Israell whensoeuer they did adore and worship straunge Gods and not the one onelie true God But we teach that God is to be adored and worshipped as himselfe hath taught vs to worship him to weere in spirite and trueâ—h not with any superstition but with sinceritie according to his worde lest at any time he also saie vnto vs who hath required these thinges at your handes For Paull also saith God is not worshipped with mans hands as though he needed any thing c. We in all daungers and casualties of our life call on him alone and that by the mediation of the onelie Mediatour and our intercessour Iesus Christ For it is expressely commaunded vs Call vpon me in the daie of trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me Moreouer the Lord hath made a moste large promise saying whatsoeuer ye shal aske of my father he shall giue it you And againe Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauie loaden and I will refresh you And seeing it is written How shall they call vpon him in whome they haue not beleeued and we doe beleeue in God alone therefore we call vpon him onelie and that thorough Christ For there is one God saith the Apostle and one Mediatour betweene God and men Christ Iesus Againe If anie man sinne we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous c. Therefore we doe neither adore worshippe nor praie vnto the Saints in heauen or to other Gods neither do we acknowledge them for our intercessours or Mediatours before the father in heauen For God and the Mediatour Christ do suffice vs neither do we imparte vnto others the honour due to God alone and to his sonne because he hath plainlie said I wil not giue my glorie to another and because Peter hath said There is no other name giuen vnto men whereby they muste be saued but the name of Christ In which doubtles they that rest by faith doe nor seeke aniething without Christ Yet 〈◊〉 all that we doe neither despise the Saints nor thâ—nke basâ—lie of them For we acknowledge them to be the 〈◊〉 members of Christ the friends of god who haue glorâ—ouslie ouercome the flesh and the world We therfore loue them as â—â—â—thâ—en and honour them also yet not with any woâ—sh◠〈…〉 an honourable opinion of them and to conclude 〈◊〉 their iust praises We also doe imitate them For we desire wâ—â—h most eaâ—nest affections and praiers to be followers of their faith vertues to be partakers also with them of euerlasting siluation to dwell together with them euerlastinglie with God to reioyse with them in Christ And in this point we approoue that saying of Saint Augustine in his booke De vera relig Let not the worship of men departed be any religion vnto vs. For if they haue liued holily they are not so to be esteemed as that they seek such honours but they wil haue vs to worship him by whose illâ—minatioÌ„ they reioice that we are fellow seruantâ— â—s touching the reward They are therefore to be honoured for imitation not to be worshipped for religions sake c. And we muchlesse beleeue that the reliques of Saints are to be adored or worshiped Those auncient holie men seemed sufficientlie to haue honoured their deade if they had honestlie committed their bodies to the earth after that the soule was gone vp into heauen and they thought that the moste noble reliques of their ancetours were their vertues doctrine faith which as they commended with the praise of the dead so they did endeuour to expresse the same so long as they liued vpon earth Those auncient men did not swear bâ—t by the name of the only Iehoua as is it commaunded in the lawe of God Therefore as we are forbidden To sweare by the names of strange Gods so we do not sweare by Saints although we be requested thereunto We therefore in all these things doe reiect that doctrine which giueth too much vnto the Saintes in heauen OVT OF THE FORMER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA WE thus thinke of God that he is one in substance three in persons and almightie Who as he hath by the worde that is his sonne made all thinges of nothing so by his spirite and prouidence he doth iustlâ—â— truely and mosâ—e wiselie gouerne preserue and cherish all things Who as he is the onelie Mediatour intercessour and sacrifice also our high priest Lord and King so we acknowledge and with the wholl heart beleeue that he alone is our attonement redemption satisfaction expiation wisedome protection and deliuerance simplie reiecting herein all meanes of life and saluation besides this Christ alone OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BASILL WE beleeue in God the father in God the sonne in God the holie Ghost the holie diuine Trinitie three persons and one eternall almighte God in essence and substance and not three Gods And in the marginall note is added This is prooued by manie places of the wholl scripture of the olde and new testament Therefore we mislike the worship and inuocation of dead men the worshipping of Saintes and setting vp of Images with such like thinges And in the same place in the marginall note vpon the worde Saints Neuerthelesse we confesse that they serue in Gods presence and that they reigne with Christ euerlastinglie because they acknowledged Christ and both in deede word confessed him to be their sauiour redemption and righteousnes without any addition of mans merit For this cause doe we praise and commend them as those who haue obteined grace at Gods hand and are now made heites of the euerlasting kingdome Yet doe we ascribe all this to the glorie of God and of Christ We plainlie protest that we condemne and renounce al straunge and erronious doctrines which the spirits of errours bring forth c. And ss 2. of the selfe same article We condemne that doctrine which saith that we may in no case sweare although Gods glorie and the loue of our neighbour require it And in the marginall note vpon the worde sweare It is lawfull to vse an oath in due time For God hath commaunded this in the olde testament and Christ hath not forbidden it in the new yea Christ and the Apostles did sweare OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BOHEMIA Oâ— THE WALDENSES Of the vnitie of the diuine essence and of the three persons CHAP. 3. OVt of this fountaine of holie scripture and Christian instruction according to the true and sound vnderstanding and meaning of the holie ghost our men teach by faith to acknowledge with the mouth to confesse that the holie Trinitie to wit god the father the sonne and the holie ghost are three distinct persons but in essence one onelie true alone eternall almightie and incomprehensible God of one equall
praying We also reiect all other meanes whatsoeuer men haue deuised to exempt them selues from the wrath of God So much as iâ— giuen vnto them so much is derogated from the sacrifice â— death of Christ OVT OF THE ENGLISH CONFESSION WE beleeue that there is one certaine nature and diuine power which we call God and that the same is diuided into three equall persons into the father into the sonne and into the holie ghost and that they all be of one power of one maiestie of one eternitie of one Godhead and one substance And although these three persons be so deuided that neither the Father is the sonne nor the sonne is the holie ghost or the father yet neuerthelesse we beleeue that there is but one verie God And that the same one god hath created heauen and earth and all things conteined vnder heauen We beleeue that Iesus Christ the onelie sonne of the eternall father c. The rest of this article you shall finde in the 6. section whereunto those thinges doe properlie pertaine which art conteined in this second article of the Person and office of Christ We beleeue that the holie Ghost who is the third person in the Trinitie is verie God not made not created not begotten but proceeding both from the Father the Sonne by a certaine mean vnknowen vnto man and vnspeakeable and that it is his verie propertie to mollifie and soften the hardnes of mans heart when he is once receiued into the hearts of men either by the holesome preaching of the Gospel or by any other waie that he doth giue other men light and guide them vnto the knowledge of God to all way of truth to newnes of life and to euerlasting hope of saluation Neither haue we anie other Mediatour and Intercessor by whome we may haue accesse to God the father then Iesus Christ in whose onlie name al things are obâ—eined at his fathers hande But it is a shameful part ful of infidâ—lâ—tie that we see euery where vsed in the Churches of our aduersaries not onelie in that they will haue innumerable sortes of Mediatours that vtterlie without the authoritie of Gods word so that as Ieremie saith the Sainctes be now as manie in number or rather aboue the number of the Cities And poore men cannot tell to which saint it were best to turne them first and though there be so manie as they cannot be tolde yet euerie of them hath his peculiare dutie and office assigned vnto him by these folkes what to giue and what to bring to passe But besides this also in that they doe not onelie wickedlie but also shamefullie call vpon the Blessed Virgine Christes Mother to haue her remember that shee is the Mother And to Commaund her Sonne and to vse a Mothers authoritie ouer him OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BELGIA WE beleeue in heart and confesse with the mouth that there is one onely and simple spiritual essence which we call God eternall incomprehensible inuisible immutable infinite who is whollie wise and a most â—lâ—ntifull wellspring of all good thinges We know God by two meanes first by the creation and preseruation and gouernment of the wholl world For it is vnto our eies as a mostâ— excellent booke wherein all creatures from the least to the greatest as it were certaine charecters and letters are written By which the inuisible thinges of God may be seene and knowâ—n vnto vs Namelie his euerlasting power and Godhead as Paull the Apostle speaketh Rom. Chaper 1. 20. which knowledge sufficeth to conuince all men and make them without excuse But much more clearlie and plainlie he afterward reuealed him-selfe vnto 〈◊〉 in his holie and heauenlie word so farre forth as it is expedient for his owne glorie and the saluation of his in this life According to this truth and word of god we beleeue in one only god who is one essence truelie distinguished into three persons from euerlasting by meane of the incommunicable properties to wit in the father in the sonne and in the holâ—e ghost For the father is the cause fountaine and beginning of all things visible and inuisible the sonne is the word wisedome and Image of the father the holie ghost is the might and power which proceedeth from the father and the sonne Yet so that this distinction doth not make god as it were deuided into three parts seeing the scripture teacheth that the father the sonne the holie ghost haue a distinct person or subsisting in their properties yet so that these three persons be one onelie god Therefore it is certaine that neither the father is the sonne nor the sonne the father nor the holie ghost either the father or the sonne Neuerthelesse these persons thus distinguished are neither deuided nor confounded nor mingled For neither the father nor the holie ghost haue taken vnto them mans nature but the sonne alone The father was neuer without his soone nor without his holie Ghost because euerie one in one and the same essence is of the same eternitie For none of these is either first or last because al three are one both in trueth and power and also in goodnes and mercie And all these thinges we know as well by the testimonies of holie scripture as by the effects and chiefelie those which we feele in our owne selues and the testimonies of holie scripture which teach vs to beleeue this holy Trinitie are veâ—ie common in the olde testament which are not so much to be reckoned vp as with sound iudgement to be selected such as are these in the first of Genesis God saith Let vs make man according to our Image and likenes c. and straight after Therefore God made man according to his owne Image and likenes male I saie and female created he them Againe Beholde the man is become as one of 〈◊〉 For by that which is said Let vs make man after our owne likenes it appeareth that there are more persons in the godhead But when it is saide God created c. the vnitie of the godhead is signified For although it be not here expresselie set downe how many persons there are yet that which was obscurely deliuered in the old Testament in the new is made clearer vnto vs then the none daie For when our Lord Iesus Christ was baptized in Iordane the voice of the father was heard saying This is my beloued Sonne and the sonne himselfe was seene in the waters and the holie ghost appeared in the likenes of a doue Therefore are we also commaunded in the common baptisme of al the faithful to vse this forme Baptize ye all nations in the name of the father and the sonne and the holie Ghost So also in Luke the Angell Gabriell speaketh to Marie the mother of our Lord. The holie Ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of the highest shall ouershadow thee therefore that holie thing which shall be borne of thee shall be called the
and Sauiour namelie his conception in the wombe of the Virgine Marie and his birth of her also for he was made the seede of the woman also his afflictions his rising againe from death his sitting at the right hand of God where he hath obtained the dignitie of a Priest and King of which thing the wholl life of Dauid was a certaine type for which cause the Lorde calleth himselfe another Dauid a Shepheard And this was the Gospell of those holy men before the law was giuen and since And Chapter the 6. a litle from the beginning For this is verie certaine that after the fall of Adam no man was able to set himselfe at libertie out of the bondage of sinne death and condemnation or come to be trulie reconciled vnto God but onelie by that one Mediator betweene God and man Christ Iesus through a liuelie faith in him who alone by his death and blood shedding tooke from vs that image of sinne and death and put vpon vs by faith the image of righteousnes and life For he made vnto vs of God wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption But firstmen are taught that these things are to be beleeued concerning Christ namelie that he is eternal of the nature of his heauenlie father the onelie begotten sonne begotten from enerlasting and so together with the Father and the holie Ghost one true and indiuisible God the eternall not created worde the brightnes and the Image or ingrauen forme of the person of his Father by whome all thinges as well those thinges which maie be seene as those which can not be seene and those thinges which are in heauen and those which are in the earth were made and created Moreouer that he is also a true and natural man our brother in verie deed who hath a soule and a bodie that is true and perfect humane nature which by the power of the holie Ghost he tooke without all sinne of Marie a pure Virgine according as S. Iohn saith The worde was made flesh And thus of these two natures their properties not being changed nor confounded yet by a wonderfull communication thereof there is made one indiuisible person one Christ Immanuell our King and priest our redeemer our Mediatour and perfect reconciler full of grace and trueth so that of his fullnes we all doe take grace for grace For the law was giuen by Moses but grace and trueth was giuen and exhibited by Iesus Christ being God and man in one person This grace and trueth are our men taught to acknowledge and by faith to beholde in all those sauing and wonderful works or affections of Christ which according to the meaning of the holie Scripture are by a stead fast faith to be beleeued and professed such as are his comming downe from heauen his conception birth torments death buriall refurrection ascension vnto heauen sitting at the right hand of God and his comming againe from thence to iudge both the quicke the dead In these principal affections as in a chest wherin treasure is kept are al those holsome fruits of our true iustification laide vp and are taken out from thence for the elect and those which doe beleeue that in Spirit and conscience they may be partakers thereof through faith which all hereafter at the daie of our ioyfull resurrection shall be fullie and perfectlie bestowed vpon vs. And towardes the ende of that Sixth Chapter these words are added In this Chapter also particularlie and for necessarie causes to shunne and auoide many pernicious and Antichristian deceites it is taught concerning Christe his presence namelie that our Lorde Christ according to his bodely coÌ„uersation is not amongest vs any longer in this worlde neither wil be vnto the ende of the worlde in such sort and manner as he was here conuersant amongest vs in his mortalitie and wherein he was betraied and circumcised nor yet in the forme of his glorified bodie which he got at his resurrection and in the which he appeared to his disciples the forâ—â—eth day after his resurrection departing from them ascended manifestly into heauen For after this manner of his presence companie he is in the high place with his father in heauen where al tongues professe him to be the Lord and euerie faithful one of Christ must beleeue that he is there worship him there according to the scriptures as also that part of the Catholike Christian faith doth expresselie witnes which is this He ascended into heauen he sitteth as the right hand of God the father almightie Also that other article from thence shal he come that is from an higher place out of heauen with his Angells is iudge both the quick the dead So doth Paul also say The Lord himselfe shall descend from heauen with a shoute and with the voice of an Archangell and with the trumpet of God And S. Peter saith Whom heauen must coÌ„taine vntil the time that al things be restored And the Euangelist Marke But when the Lord had spoken with theÌ„ he was taken vp againe into heauen sitteth at the right hand of God And the Angels which were there present whe he was taken vp into heauen said This Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen shal so come againe as you haue seene him go into heaueÌ„ Furthermore this also doe our men teach that the selfe same Christ verie God and verie man is also with vs herein this worlde but after a diuerse manner from that kinde of presence which we named before that is after a certaine spirituall manner not obiect to our eies but such a one as is hid from vs which the flesh doth not perceiue and yet it is verie necessarie for vs to our saluation that we may be partakers of him whereby he offereth and communicateth himselfe vnto vs that he may dwell in vs and we in him and this truelie he doth by the holie Ghost whome in his owne place that is in steede of his owne presence whereby he was bodelie amongst vs he promised that he would send vnto his Church and that he would stil abide with it by the same spirit in vertue grace and his holsome trueth at al times euen vntill the ende of the worlde when he said thus It is good for you that I go hence for except I go hences the comforter will not come vnto you but if I goe away I wil send him vnto you And againe I wil praie the father and he shal giue you another comforter that is another kinde of comforter then I am that he may abide iâ— you for euer euen the spirit of trueth whome the worlde cannot receiue because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwellesh in you shal be in you I wil not leaue you comforth but I wil come to you namelie by the selfe same spirit of trueth Now then euen as our Lord Christ
sinnes But he offering a sacrifice for sinnes sitteth for euer at the right hand of God c. And although we doe not see as yet in this our infirmitie the causes of this wonderfull counsell why mankinde was to be redeemed after this sort but we shall learne them hereafter in all eternitie yet these principles are now to be learned In this sacrifice there are to be seene iustice in the wrath of God against sinne infinite mercie towards vs and loue in his Sonne towards mankinde The seueritie of his iustice was so great that there could be no reconciliation before the punishment was accomplished His mercie was so great that his Sonne was giuen for vs. There was so great loue in the Sonne towards vs that he deriued vnto himselfe this true and exceeding great anger O Sonne of God kindle in our hearts by thy holie spirit a consideration of these great and secret things that by the knowledge of this true wrath we may be sore afraide and that againe by true comforte we may be lifâ—ed vp that we may praise thee for euer OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF WIRTEMBERGE WE beleeue and confesse that the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ be gotten of his eternal Father is true and eternal God consubstantial with his father and that in the fullnes of time he was made man to purge our sinnes and to procure the eternall saluation of mankinde that Christ Iesus being verie God and verie man is one person onelie and not two and that in this one person there be two natures not one onelie as by testimonies of the holie scripture the holie Fathers haue declared in the Councells held at Nice Ephesus and Chalcedon Therfore we detest euerie heresie which is repugnant to this doctrine of the Sonne of God OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SVEVELAND ALSO we beleeue that our Sauiour Iesus Christ being true God was also made true man his natures not beeing confounded but so vnited in one and the same person that they shall neuer hereafter be dissolued Neither do we differ any thing in those points which the Church being taught out of the holie Gospells doth beleeue concerning our Sauiour Iesus Christ conceiued of the holie Ghost borne of the Virgine Marie and who at the length after he had discharged the office of preaching the Gospell died on the crosse and was buried and descended into hell and the third daie he was called backe from the dead vnto life eternall the which life when he had by diuers arguments prooued vnto witnesses hereunto appointed he was caried vp into heauen to the right hand of his Father from whence we looke that he should come to iudge the quick and the dead In the meane time let vs acknowledge that he is neuer thelesse present with his Church that he doth renew and sanctifie it and as his onelie beloued spouse beutifie it with all sortes of ornaments of vertues and in these things we doe nothing varie from the Fathers nor from the common consent of Christians we thinke it sufficient after this sorte to testifie our faith THE SEVENTH SECTION OF THE LAVV AND THE GOSPELL THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVEITA Of the lawe of God CHAP. 12. WE teach that the will of God is set downe vnto vs in the lawe of God to wit what he would haue vs to doe or not to doe what is good and iust or what is euill and vniust we therefore confes that the lawe is good and holie and that this lawe is by the finger of God either written in the heartes of men and so is called the lawe of nature or ingrauen in the two tables of stone and more largelie expounded in the bookes of Moses For plainnes sake we deuide it vnto the morall lawe which is contained in the commaundementes or the two tables expounded in the books of Moses and into the ceremoniall which doth appoint ceremonies and the worshipâ— of God and into the iudicial law which is occupied about politicall and domesticall affaires VVe beleeue that the wholl will of God and all necessarie precepts for euerie part of this life is fullie deliuered in this lawe For otherwise the Lord would not haue forbidden That anie thing should be either added or taken away from this law Neither would he haue commaunâ—â—d vs to goe straight forward in this and Not to decline out of the waie either to the right handor to the left We teach that this lawe was not giuen to men that we should be iustified by keeping it but that by the knowledge thereof we might rather acknowledge our infirmitie sinne and condemnation and so dispairing of our owne strength might turne vnto Christ by faith For the Apostle saith plainlie The law worketh wrath and by the law commeth knowledge of sinne And If there had bene a law giuen which could haue iustified and giuen vs life surely righteousnes should haue bene by the law But the spirit to wit of the law hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them which beleue Therfore the law was our schoolemaster to Christ that we might be iustified by faith For neither could there euer neither at this daie can anie flesh satisfie the law of God fullfill it by reason of the weaknes in our flesh which remaineth and sticketh fast in vs euen to our last breath For the Apostle saith againe That which the law could not performe in as much as it was weake through the flesh that did God performe sending his own sonne in similitude of flesh subiect to sinne Therfore Christ is the perfiter of the law and our fullfilling of it who as he tooke awaie the cursse of the law when as he was made a cursle for vs so doth he coÌ„municate vnto vs by faith his full filling thereof his righteousnes obedience is imputed vnto vs. The law of God therefore is thus farre abrogated as that it doeth not henceforth condemne vs neither work wrath in vs. For we are vnder grace and not vnder the law Moreouer Christ did fulfill all the figures of the law Wherefore the shadow ceased when the bodie came so that in Christ we haue now all trueth and fullnes Yet we do not therefore disdaine or reâ—ect the law We remember the wordes of the Lord saying I came not to destroie the law and the Prophets but to fullfill them We knowe that in the law are described vnto vs the kindes of vertues vices We know that the scripture of the lawe if it be expounded by the Gospell is very profitable to the Church and that therefore the reading of it is not to be banished out of the Church For although the countenance of Moses was couered with a vaile yet the Apostle affirmeth that the vaile is taken awaie and abolished by Christ We condemne al thinges which the olde or new heretikes haue taught against the lawe of God
the sacraments the which is prooued by that sentence of the moste excellent Apostle Saint Paul For Christ sent me not to Baptize that is not chieflie to do this but to preach the Gospell For onelie through the pure Gospell and the preaching thereof is faith sowed inwardlie in the heart by the holie Ghost and from thence also must we conceiue and seeke the true meaning of God and Christ touching all thinges necessarie to saluation and also touching the sacramentes them-selues Amongst those who by reason of their age are able to vse their vnderstanding it is of necessitie that the preaching of the Gospell go before the receiuing of the sacramentes Wherof we maie see an euident proofe in those three thowsand which were conuerted by Peter also in Cornelius in the Chamberlaine we maie see that according to the example of Phillippe the question is thus to be made Doest thou beleeue with all thy heart Then it maie be that thou who hast true faith grafted in thy heart maiest receiue profit by the participation of the sacraments For without the hearing of the word of God which is the sauing power of God no man shall wittinglie attaine vnto faith and saluation according to that saying of Paull Therfore faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God And againe How shall they beleeue in him of whome they haue not heard Therefore herein our preachers endeuour them selues moste earnestlie that in our Ecclesiastical meetings they maie propound vnto the people the sincere word of God without all mixture or inuentious of men For which cause also they do by an auncient custome recite in the mother and vulgare tongue which maie be vnderstood of all not onelie those Chapters which are appointed to be read out of the gospell at certaine times but also all other partes of holie scripture and do exhort the people with an earnest desire to heare the word oâ— God and to frequent those Ecclesiasticall meetings that by the diligent teaching of the Gospell and by often repeating it in their sermons they maie first teach the people repentance and faith and then the vse and administration of the sacraments and by this meanes prepare them to the right receiuing of the sacraments afterwardes also boâ—â— whilest the sacraments be administred and after they be administred they doe conuenientlie instruct them in all those thinges which the Lord commaunded and chieflie in those things which doe appertaine to the leading of an honest life and such a one as beseemeth a Christian profession as Christ saith Teach them to keepe all things which I 〈◊〉 commaunded you In this place also it is taught verie diligentlie and as the matter requireth touching the difference which is to be obserued betwixt the worde or doctrine and worke of the lawe and betwixt the worde and force of the holie Gospell The worde or ministerie of the lawe and of the olde Testament is the worde of death feare and of the letter also the worde of wrath and the worde of malediction but the worde of the new Testament that is of the holie Gospell is the ministerie of faith and the spirit of cleerenes or glorie through our Lord Iesus Christ the worde of grace of the new couenant the worde of comfort and the messenger of peace Of them both the Apostle writeth thus The letter killeth but the spirit quickneth And Christ saith The wordes which I speake 〈◊〉 spirit and life Also there is mention made of the vse of the 〈◊〉 law in the fourth Chapter of this confession beginning with these wordes This doctrine of the true knowledge of sinne c. 〈◊〉 is to be seene before in the fourth Section whereunto all that Chapter apperteineth OVT OF THE FRENCH CONFESSION WE beleeue that all the figures of the law are takes awaie by the comming of Chist howbeit we are assured that the truth and substance of them doth abide iâ— him in whome they are all fulfilled Yet we must vse the doctrine of the law and the Prophets both to frame our life aright and also that we may so much the more be confirmed in the promises of the Gospell OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BELGIA WE beleeue that all the ceremonies figures and shadows of the law haue ceased at the comming of Christ so that now euen the vse of them ought to be taken away abolished among Christians Yet in the mean time the truth substance of them doth remaine to vs in Christ in whome they are all fulfilled And therfore we doe still vse the testimonies of the law the Prophets to confirme our selues in the doctrine of the gospell and to lead an honest life vnto Gods glorie according to his will THE CONFESSION OF AVSPVRGE doth by the way mention the doctrine of the Gospell of the end thereof in the 4. and 5. Articles which we haue placed in the ninth Section wherein iustification and remission of sinnes by faith in Christ is handled OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SAXONY ANd that the benefittes of this Mediatour might be knowen vnto mankinde and applied vnto vs there was a promise giuen straight in the beginning after the fal of our first parents and afterwardes often times repeated and by voice of the Prophets declared but moste cleerely was it recited by the verie Sonne and afterwardes by the Apostles And there was a ministery instituted to teach and to spread abroade that promise also there was a Church made and often renued by the same very voice touching the Sonne of God our attonement By this mynisterie the Sonne of God alwaies was is and shall be effectuall in the beleeuers as it is saide Rom. 1. The Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to euerie one that beleeueth And he doth renue this ministerie when he saith As my Father sent me so doe I send you also Go preach repentance remission of sinnes in my name He wil that sin should be reprooued in all mankind as he saith The spirit shall reprooue the world of sinne because they beleeue not in â—ee And Rom. 1. The wrath of God is reueiled from heauen against all vngodlines and vnrighteousnes of men God will haue his wrath to be acknowledged against all sinne and chieflie against the contempt of the Sonne as he saith in the Psalme Kisse the Sonne lest he be angrie and so ye perish from the waie c. He wil haue vs truelie to be put in great feare by the knowledge of our darkenes of our horrible wickednes and our stubbernes And truelie God himselfe doth amazâ— our heartes with the sense of his anger as Ezechiah saitâ— Like a Lyon he brake all my bones And to this iudgement 〈◊〉 doth not onelie vse the voice of the ministerie of the lawâ— and of the Gospell but also all calamities be as it were the voice of the lawe admonishing vs of the wrath of God 〈◊〉 calling vs to repentance Now when the minde is
we should thinke that then onelie we obteine remission of sins when we had deserued it by our former workes or when our repentance were well worthie of it For in true terrours the conscience findeth no worke which it maie oppose against Gods wrath but Christ is giuen and set forth vnto vs to appease the wrath of God This honour must not be transferred from Christ vnto our owne works therefore Paull saith Yeare saued freelie Againe Therefore by faith freelie that the promise might be sure that is thus shall remission be certaine when we know that it dependeth not vpon the condition of our vnworthines but is giuen vs for Christ his sake This is a sure and necessarie comfort to all godlie mindes that are terrified with the conscience of their sinnes And thus doe the holie fathers teach and there is a notable sentence in Saint Ambrose worthie the remembring in these wordes This God hath appointed that he which beleeueth in Christ should be saued without any work by faith alone receiuing the remission of sinnes Now this worde Faith doth not onelie signifie a knowledge of the historie of Christ but also to beleeue and assent unto this promise that is proper vnto the Gospell wherein remission of sinnes iustification and life euerlasting are promised vnto vs for Christs sake For this promise also doth pertaine to the history of Christ euen as in the Creede vnto the historie is added this article I beleeue the remission of sins And vnto this one the other articles touching the history of Christ are to be referred For the benefitte is the end of the historie therefore did Christ suffer and rise againe that for him remission of sinnes and euerlasting life might be giuen vnto vs. These things are found thus in an other edition ALso they teach that men cannot be iustified before God by their owne power merites or workes but are iustified for Christs sake thorough faith when they beleeue that they are receiued vnto fauour and their sinnes forgiuen thorough Christ who by his death hath satisfied for oâ—â— sinnes This faith doth god impute for righteousnes vnto them before himselfe Rom. 3. 4. For this cause Christ hath appointed the ministerie of teaching the gospel which preacheth repentance remission of sinnes and the preaching of either of these is general and laieth open the sinnes of all men and promiseth remision of them vnto al that beleeue for to the end that remission might not be doubted of but that all distressed mindes might know that they ought to beleeue that remission of sinnes is vndoubtedlie granted vnto them for Christ not for their owne merits or worthines All these doe certainlie obtaine remission of sinnes And when as we doe in this sort comfort our selues by the promise of the gospell and doe raise vp our selues by faith therewithall is the holie spirit giuen vnto vs. For the holie spirit is giuen and is effectual by the worde of god and by the Sacraments When as we do heare or meditate of the gospell or doe receiue the Sacraments and comforte our selues by faith therewithall the spirit of god is effectuall according to that of Saint Paull Gall 3. That the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ might be giuen to them that beleeue And to the Cor. The Gospell is the ministerie of the spirit And to the Rom. Faith commeth by hearing When as then we doe comforte our selues by faith and are freed from the terrours of sinne by the holie spirit our hearts do conceiue the other vertues acknowledge trulie the mercie of god and conceiue the true loue and the true feare of god trust and hope of gods helpe praier such like fruites of the spirit Such therefore as teach nothing concerning this faith whereby we receiue remission of sinnes but will haue mens consciences stand in doubt whether they obteine remission or no and doe adde further that this doubting is no sinne are iustlie condemned And these also doe teach that men maie obteine remission of sinnes for their owne worthines but they doe not teach to beleeue that remission of sinnes is giuen freelie for Christ sake Here also are condemned those phantasticall spirites which dreame that the holie ghost is giuen or is effectuall without the worde of god Which maketh them contemne the ministerie of the gofpel and sacraments and to seeke illumination without the word of god and besides the gospell And by this meanes they draw awaie mens mindes from the worde of god vnto their owne opinions which is a thing verie pernitious and hurtfull Such were in olde time the Manichees and Enthusiasts And such are the Anabaptists now a daies These and such like frensies we doe most constantlie condemne For they abolish the true vse of gods worde and doe falslie imagine that the holie spirit may be receiued without the word and sticking too much to their owne fancies they inuent wicked opinions and are the cause of infinite breaches These things are found thus in another edition FOr the obteining of this faith the ministery of teaching the gospell and ministring of the sacraments was ordeined For by the word and Sacraments as by certaine instruments the holie ghost is giuen who worketh faith where and when it pleaseth god in those that heare the gosspell faith I saie to beleeue that god not for our owne merites but for Christ doth iustifie such as beleeue that they are receiued into fauour for Christs sake They condemne the Anabaptists and others who are of opinion that the holie ghost is giuen vnto men without the outward word thorough their preparations and workes Also they teach that when we are reconciled by faith the righteousnes of good workes which God hath commaunded must follow of necessitie euen as Christ hath also commaunded If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundements But for somuch as the infirmitie of mans nature is so great that no man can satisfie the lawe it is needfull that men should be taught not onelie that they must obey the lawe but also how their obedience pleaseth God lest that their consciences sinck downe into despaire when they see that they doe not satisfie the law This obedience therefore pleaseth god not because it satisfieth the lawe but because the person that performeth it is reconciled by Christ through faith and beleeueth that the reliques of sinne which remaineth in him be pardoned Wherfore we must alwaies holde that we do obtaine remissâ— no of sinnes and that a man is pronounced iust freelie for Christ through faith And afterward that this obedience towardes the law doeth also please god and is accounted a kinde of iustice and deserueth rewards For the conscience cannot oppose it owne cleannes or workes vnto the iudgement of God as the Psal witnesseth Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for no man shall be iustified in thy sight and Iohn saith If we saie that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selueâ— if we confesse
himselfe Christ Iesus into whose handes the Father hath deliuered al things And he hath instituted and appointed them for great and sauing causes and such as are necessarie for this Church and all those that beleeue to wit that like as by the preaching of the word so by the administration of the visible Sacraments and the mysteries thereof faith might be helped and furthered and that there might be an assured testimonie and confirmation of the fauourable and well pleased will of God towards vs and that they might giue witnes to that trueth which is signified by them and should reach it out as doth the word to be apprehended by faith and that the mindes of the faithfull in the receiuing of them should by faith receiue the grace and trueth whereof they be witnesses and applying it vnto them-selues shoulde make it their owne and confirme themselues therein and on the other side by giuing themselues to God should consecrate and as it were by an othe religiouslie binde them selues to serue him alone and as it were be ioyned together among themselues by the ioyning and knitting as of one spirit so also of one body to wit of the Church of the fellowship of saints and of loue And according to these thinges the Sacraments as in times past Circumcision was may be called the holie couenants of god with his Church and of the Church with God the minsters of faith and loue by which the ioyning and vnion of God and Christ our Lord with these beleeuing people and theirs againe with Christ is made and perfited and that among themselues in one spirituall bodie of the Church by which also euen as by the word Christ and his spirit do cause in the faithfull that is in those that vse them worthelie a pretious participation of his excellent merit neither doth he suffer them to be onelie bare and naked ministers and ceremonies but those things that they signifie and witnes outwardlie that doth he worke inwardlie to saluation profitablie and effectuallie that is he clenseth nourisheth satisfieth looseth payeth remitteth confirmeth They therefore which contemne these Sacraments and through stubbornnes will not suffer them to be of anie force with themselues and making small account of them do esteeme them as trifles or do otherwise abuse them contrarie to the institution will or commaundement of Christ all these do greeuouslie sinne against the author thereof who hath instituted them and make a verie great hazarde of their saluation But if some man would willinglie vse these sacraments according to the institution of Christ and yet cannot haue leaue either entirelie or withourt deceit so to do as he would as if peraduenture one that is taken be kept in prison or if one should be hindred by sicknes or should liue in strange countries among the enemies of the trueth such a man in such a case if he do whollie and truelie beleeue the holie Gospell maie by that faith be saued although he haue not the vse of the Sacramentes whereof Augustine vpon Iohn cap. 16. hath this worthie saying Beleeue and thou hast eaten seeing that the Sacraments are not necessarie to saluation but onelie by the addition of a certaine condition Also we teach this that the sacraments of themselues or by their owne vertue for the workes sake or for the onelie outward action that is for the bare participation receiuing and vse thereof can not giue grace nor a iustifying or quickening faith to any which before was not inwardlie quickened by the holie ghost and hath no good motion within him-selfe I saie the Sacraments can not giue to anie such either grace or iustifying and quickening faith and therefore they can not iustifie anie man nor inwardlie quicken or regenerate anie mans spirit for faith must goe before whereby the holie ghost doth inwardlie quicken and lighten man and stirre vp or cause good motions in the heart Without this faith there is neither anie iustification nor saluation neither do the Sacraments of or by themselues helpe anie whit hereunto as in the holy scripture manifest examples of this matter are found in manie places especially in Iudas who receiued the sacrament of the Lord Christ him-selfe did also execute the function of a preacher and yet he ceased not to remaine a Deuill an hypocrite and the lost sonne neither was he made better by the Sacrament or by the vse thereof neither did this profit his anie thing to saluation Also in Ananias and his wife who had beene baptized of the Apostles and had also without doubt receaued the Lords supper and yet notwithstanding they did continue in their wickednes iniustice and lies against the holy ghost the sacramētes did neither take away their wickednes nor giue thē the sauing or iustifying faith which maketh the heart the better by repenting giueth it to God an vpright and obedient heart and doth appeare the conscience Therefore the Sacramentes did not giue this conscience and this faith vnto them as Circumcision and the Sacrifices of the olde testament did not giue a liuelie and iustifying faith without the which faith those thus auailed nothing to eternall saluation or iustification And so doth Saint Paull speake of all these thinges in his Epistle to the Romanes and bringeth in the example of Abraham and doth witnes that he had faith and righteousnes which is auaileable with God before that he was circumcised 〈◊〉 like sorte he writeth of the people of Israel that they also wer◠baptized and they all did eat one and the same spirituall meat and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke but with manie of the God was not pleased And therfore euen in the aboundance of all these thinges they were thought vnworthie to be receiued they were reiected of God For if a dead man or one that is vnworthie do come to the Sacraments certainlie they do not giue him life and worthines but he that is such a one doth load himselfe with a far greater burthen of fault and sinne seeing that he is vnworthie the which thing the Apostle doth expresselie declare in the doctrine touching the Supper of the Lord where he saith whosoeuer doth eate of this bread or drinke of this cup of the Lord vnworthely he is guiltie of the bodie and blood of the Lord Also He doth eate and drinke iudgement to him-selfe Lastlie this also must be knowne that the veritie of the Sacraments doth neuer faile them so that they shoulde become not effectuall at anie time but in the institution of Christ they doe alwaies exercise their vertue and efficacie in witnessing sealing confirming vnto the worthie receiuers present grace and saluation but vnto the vnworthie their fault and condemnation whether they be administred by a good and honest Priest or by a close sinner For so long as the ouerthwartnes of such wicked hypocrites is not as yet publiquelie knowne neither punished more gentlie or seuerelie by the Ecclesiasticall
that without any good affection of him that vseth it This article we finde thus in another Edition COncerning the vse of the Sacramentes they teach that they were ordained not so much to be marâ—es and badges of profession amongst men as that they should be signes or testimonies of the will of God towards vs set forth vnto vs to stirre vp and confirme faith in such as vse them Whereupon they condemne those that teach that the sacraments do iustifie by the work done and doe not teach that faith to beleeue remission of sinnes is requisite in the vse of sacraments OVT OF THE CONFSSION OF SAXONIE Of the sacraments THe Church also is discerned from other Gentiles by by certaine rites or ceremonies instituted of God vsuallie called Sacraments as are Baptisme and the Lords Supper which notwithstanding are not onelie signes of a profession but much more as the auncient Fathers saide signes of grace that is they be ceremonies added to the promise of the Gospell touching grace that is touching the free remission of sinnes and touching reconciliation and the wholl benefit of our redemption the which are so instituted that euerie man maie vse them because they be pledges testimonies which declare that the benefits promised in the Gospell doe appertaine to euerie one For the voice of the Gospell is generall this vse doth be are witnes that this voice doth appertaine to euerie one which vseth the Sacraments OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF WIRTEMBERGE Of the Sacramentes THe worde Sacrament as also the worde Mysterie which interpreters do expounde Sacrament is very large But because some haue thought it good to restraine it to the number of seauen Sacraments we wil briefly runne ouer euerie one that we may shew what we finde wanting in the doctrine that some haue broched and what maie seeme to be repugnant to the meaning of that Church which is in deede Catholike or orthodoxe OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SVEVELAND Of the Sacraments SEeing that the Church of Christ doth liue here in the flesh howbeit not according to the flesh it pleased the Lord also to teach admonish and exhort it by the outwarde worde And that this might be done the more commodiouslie he would also haue his to make much of an externall societie among them selues For which cause he gaue vnto them holie signes among which these are the chiefest Baptisme and the Lords Supper the which we doe not onelie think therfore to haue had the name of Sacraments among the Fathers because they are visible signes of inuisible grace as Saint Augustine doth define them but also for that purpose because that by them we doe consecrate our selues vnto Christ and doe binde our selues as it were by the othe or Sacrament of faith THE THIRTEENTH SECTION OF THE SACRAMENT OF Holie Baptisme THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of holie baptisme CHAP. 20. BAptisme was instituted and consecrated by God and the first that baptized was Iohn who dipped Christ in the water in Iorden From him it came to the Apostles whoe also did baptize with water The Lord in plaine words commaunded them To preach the Gospel and to baptize in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost And Peter also when diuers demaunded of him what they ought to doe said to them in the Acts Let euerie one of you be baptized in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and you shall receiue the gift of the holy Ghost Whereupon Baptisme is called of some a signe of inâ—tiation of Gods people as that whereby the elected of God are consecrated vnto God There is but one Baptisme in the Church of God for it is sufficient to be once baptized or consecrated vnto God For baptisme once receiued doth continue all a mans life and is a perpetuall sealing of our adoption vnto vs. For to be baptized in the name of Christ is to be enrolled entered and receiued into the couenant and familie and so into the inheritance of the sonnes of God yea in this life to be called after the name of God that is to saie to be called the Sonne of god to be purged also from the filthines of sins to be indued with the manifolde grace of God for to lead a new and innocent life Baptisme therefore doth call to minde and keepe in remembrance the great benefit of God performed to mankinde for we are al borne in the pollution of sinne and are the Sonnes of wrath But God who is rich in mercie doth freelie purge vs from our sinnes by the blood of his Sonne and in him doth adopte vs to be his sonnes and by an holie couenant doth ioyne vs to himselfe and doth inrich vs with diuers giftes that we might liue a new life All these thinges are sealed vp vnto vs in Baptisme For inwardlie we are regenerated purified and renued of God through the holie Spirit and outwardlie we receiue the sealing of moste notable gifts by the water by which also those great benefites are represented and as it were set before our eyes to be looked vpon And therefore are we baptized that is washed and sprinckled with visible water For the water maketh cleane that which is filthie refresheth things that faile and faint and cooleth the bodies And the grate of God dealeth in like manner with the soule and that inuisible and spirituallie Moreouer by the Sacrament of Baptisme God doth seperate vs from all other religions and people and doth consecrate vs a peculiar people to himselfe We therefore by being baptized doe confesse our faith and are bound to giue vnto God obedience mortification of the flesh and newnes of life yea and we are billed souldiers for the holie warfare of Christ that all our life long we shoulde fight against the worlde Sathan and our owne flesh Moreouer we are baptized into one bodie of the Church that we might well agree with all the members of the Church in the same religion and mutuall duties We beleue that that of al other is the most perfect manner of baptisme wherin Christ was baptized and which the rest of the Apostles did vse in baptisme Those things therfore which by mans deuise were added afterwards vsed in the Church we thinke them nothing necessary to the perfection of Baprisme Of which kinde is exorcisme and the vse of lightes oyle salte spattle and such other things as namelie that baptisme is twise euerie yere consecrated with diuerse ceremonies For we beleeue that the baptisme of the Church which is but one was sanctifed in Gods first institution of it and is consecrated by the word and is now of full force by and for the first blessing of God vpon it We teach that baptisme should not be ministred in the Church by women or midwiues For Paul secludeth women from Ecclesiasticall callings but Baptisme belongeth to Ecclesiasticall offices We condemne the Anabaptists who denie that young infants borne of
procession which hitherto hath beene in vse OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SAXONY Of the holy Supper of the Lord. BOth Baptisme and the supper of the Lord are pledges and testimonies of grace as was saide before which doe admonish vs of the promise and of our whole redemption and doe shew that the benefites of the Gospell doe pertaine to euery one of those that vse these ceremonies But yet here is the difference by Baptisme euerie one is ingrafted into the Church but the Lord would haue the supper of the Lord to be also the sinew of the publique congregation c. The rest that followeth pertaineth to the 15. Sect. till you come to these words that folow Euen as also in the very words of the supper there is a promise included seing he commaundeth that the death of the Lord should be shewed forth and this supper distributed till he come That the rore we maie vse this sacrament with the greater reuerence let the true causes of the institution thereof be well weighed which pertaine to the publique Congregation and to the comforte of euerie one The first cause is this The Sonne of God will haue the voice of his gospell to sound in a publique congregation and such a one as is of good behauiour the bond of this congregation he will haue this receiuing to be which is to be done with great reuerence seeing that there a testimonie is giuen of the wonderfull coniunction betwixt the Lorde and the receiuers of which reuerence Paull speaketh 1. Cor. â—1 saying He that receiueth vnworthelie shall be guiltie of the bodie and blood of the Lorde Secondlie God will haue both the sermon and the ceremonie it selfe to be profitable boâ—â— for the preseruation and also for the propagation of the memorie of his passion resurrection and benefits Thirdlie He will haue euerie receiuer to be singularlie confirmed by this testimonie that he maie assure himselfe that the benefittes of the Gospell doe pertaine to him seeing that the sermon is common and by this testimonie and by this receiuing he sheweth that thou are a member of his and that thou art washed in his blood and that he doth make this couenant with thee Ioh. 15. Abide in me and I in you Also I in them and they in me Fourthlie he will haue this publique receiuing to be a confession whereby thou maist shew what kinde of doctrine thou doest imbrace and to what companie thou doest ioyne thy selfe Also he will haue vs to giue thâ—nkes publiquelie and priuatelie in this verie ceremonie to God the eternall Father and to the Sonne and to the holie Ghost both for other benefits and namelie for this infinite benefit of ouâ— redemption and saluation Also he will that the members of the Church should haue a bonde of mutuall loue among themselues Thus we see that manie endes doe meete together By the remembrance of these weightie causes men are inuited to the reuerence and vse of the sacrament and we teach how the vse maie be profitable We doe plainlie condemne that monstrous errour of the Monkes who haue written that the receiuing doth deserue remission of sinnes and that for the workes sake without anie good motion of him that vseth it This Pharisaicall imagination is contrarie to that saying Habac. ca. 2. The iust shall liue by his faith Therefore wee doe thus instruct the Church that they which will approch to the Supper of the Lorde must repent or bring conuersion with them and hauing their faith now kindled they must here seek the confirmation of this faith in the consideration of the death and resurrection and benefits of the Sonne of God because that in the vse of this sacrament there is a witnes beating which declareth that the benifits of the Sonne of god doe pertaine to thee also also there is a testimonie that he ioyneth thee as a member to himselfe and that he is in thee as he saide Ioh. 17. I in â—hem c. Therefore we giue counsell that men doe not thinke that their sinnes be forgiuen them for this workes sake or for this obedience but that in a sure confidence they beholde the death and merit of the Sonne of God and his resurrection and assure themselues that their sinnes are forgiuen for his sake and that he will haue this faith to be confirmed by this admonition and witnes bearing when as faith comforte the ioye of conscience and thanksgiuing doe after this sorte increase the receiuing is profitable Neither are anie admitted to the Communion except they be first heard and absolued of the Pastour or his fellow ministers In this triall the ruder sorte are asked and oftentimes instructed touching the wholl doctrine and then is absolution published Also men are taught that Sacraments are actions instituted of God and that without the vse whereunto they are ordeined the thinges themselues are not to be accounted for a Sacrament but in the vse appointed Christ is present in this communion trulie and substantiallie and the bodie and blood of Christ is in deed giuen to the receiuers â— that Christ doth witnes that he is in them and doth make them his members that he doth wash them in his blood as Hilarie also saith These things being eaten and drunke 〈◊〉 cause both that we may be in Christ and that Christ may be in 〈◊〉 Moreouer in the ceremonie it selfe we obserue the vsuall order of the wholl auncient Church both Latine Greeke We vse no priuate Masses that is such wherein the bodie and blood of Christ was not distributed as also the auncient Church for many yeres after the Apostles times had no such Masses as the old descriptions which are to be found in Dyoâ—â—sius Epiphanius Ambrose Augustine and others doe shew And Paul 1. Cor. 11. Doth commaund that the Communion should be celebrated when many do meet together Therfore in the publique congregation such as is of good behauiour prayers and the creede are rehearsed or sung and lessons appointed vsualllie for holie daies are read After that there is a sermon of the benefits of the Sonne of God and of some part of doctrine as the order of time doth minister an argument Then the Pastour doeth rehearse a thanksgiuing a praier for the whol Church for them that are in authoritie as the present necessitie requireth he prayeth to God that for his Sonnes sake whome he woulâ— haue to be made a sacrifice for vs he would forgiue vs ouâ— sinnes and saue vs and gather and preserue a Church Then he rehearseth the words of Christ concerning the institution of the Supper and he himselfe taketh and distributeth to the receiuers the wholl Sacrament who come reuerentlie thereunto beeing before examined and absolued and there they ioyne theirs with the publique prayers In the ende they doe againe giue thankes All men which are not altogether ignorant of antiquitie doe know that this rite and this Communion doth for the most
both administer and receiue the diuine sacraments that is the holie Supper of Christ By these things which are thus in deede as we haue set them downe your sacred Maiestie O most gratious Emperour doth know how falselie our aduersaries doe boast that our men doe change the wordes of Christ and teare them in peeces by humane glosses and that in our Suppers nothing is administred but meree bread and meere wine and also that among vs the Supper of the Lord is contemned and reiected For our men doe verie carefullie teach and exhort that euerie man doe in a simple faith imbrace these wordes of the Lorde reiecting all deuises of men and false glosses and remoouing awaie all kinde of wauering doe wholly addict their minde to the true meaning thereof and to conclude doe oftentimes with as great reuerence as they may receiue the Sacraments to be the liuelie foode of their soules and to stirre vp in them a gratefull rememberance of so great a benefit the which thing also vseth now to be done among vs much more often and reuerentlie then heretofore was vsed Morouer our Preachers haue alwaies hitherto and at this daie do offer themselues with al modestie and trueth to render a reason of their faith and doctrine touching all those things which they beleeue and teach as wel about this Sacrament as about other things and that not onelie to your Sacred Maiestie but also to euerie one that shall demaunde it Of the Masse CHAP. 19. FVrthermore seeing that after this manner Christ hatâ— instituted his Supper which afterward beganne to be called the Masse to wit that therein the faithfull being fed with his bodie and bloode vnto life eternall should shew forth his death whereby they are redeemed our Preachers by this meane giuing thankes and also commending this saluation vnto others could not chuse but condemne it that these things were euerie where neglected And on the other side they which do celebrate the masses do presume to offer vp Christ vnto his Father for the quicke and the deade and they make the Masse to be such a worke as that by it alone almost the fauour of God and saluation is obteined howsoeuer they doe either beleeue or liue Whereupon that most shamefull twise thrise impious sale of this Sacrament hath crept in and thereby it is come to passe that nothing at this daie is more gainefull then the Masse Therefore they reiected priuate Masses because the Lorde did commende this Sacrament to his Disciples to be vsed in common Whereupon Paul commandeth the Corinthians when they are to celebrate the holie Supper to staie one for another and denieth that they doe celebrate the Lordes Supper when as euerie man taketh his owne Supper whilest they be eating Moreouer whereas they boast that they doe offer vp Christ in steade of a sacrifice they are therefore condemned of our men because that the Epistle to the Hebrewes doth plainlie witnes that as men doe once die so Christ was once offered that he might take awaie the sinnes of many and that he can no more be offered againe then he may die againe and therefore hauing offered one sacrifice for sinnes he sitteth for euer at right hand of God waiting for that which remaineth to wit that his enemies as it were a footestoole may be troden vnder his feete For with one oblation hath he consecrated for euer them that are sanctified And whereas they haue made the Masse to be a good worke whereby any thing may be obteined at Gods handes our Preachers haue taught that it is repugnant to that which the Scripture doth teach in euerie place that we are iustified and receiue the fauour of god by the spirit of Christ and by faith for which matter we alledged before manie testimonies out of the Scriptures So in that the death of the Lorde is not commended to the people in the Masse our Preachers haue shewed that it is contrarie to that that Christ commaunded to receiue these Sacraments in remembrance of himselfe and Paul that we might shew forth the death of Christ till he come And whereas many doe commonlie celebrate the Masses without all regard of godlines onelie for this cause that they may nourish their bodies our Preachers haue shewed that that is so execrable a thing before god that if the Masse of it self should nothing at al hinder godlines yet worthely by the commaundement of God it were to be abolished the which thing is euident euen out of Esay onely For our God is a Spirit and trueth therfore he cannot abide to be worshiped but in Spirit and trueth And how greeuous a thing this vnreasonable selling of the Sacraments is vnto the Lord our Preachers would haue men thereby to coniecture that Christ did so sharplie and altogether against his accustomed manner taking vnto himselfe an external kinde of reuengement cast out of the Temple those that bought solde wheras they might seme to exercise marchandize onely in this respect that they might further those sacrifices which were offered according to the law Therefore seeing that the â—iâ—e of the Masse which was wont to be celebrated is so manie waies contrarie to the Scripture of God as also it is in euerie respect diuers from that which the holie Fathers vsed it hath bene verie vehementlie condemned amongst vs out of the pulpit and by the worde of God it is made so detestable that manie of their owne accorde haue altogether forsaken it and elsewhere by the authoritie of the Magastrate it is abrogated The which thing we haue not taken vpon vs for anie other cause then for that throughout the whol Scripture the Spirit of God doeth detest nothing so much neither commaund it so earnestlie to be taken awaie as a feigned and false worship of himselfe Now no man that hath anie sparke of religion in him can be ignorant what an inâ—uâ—â—able necessitie is laid vpon him that feareth God when as he is perswaded that God doth require a thing at his handes For anie man might easilie foresee how many would take it at our hands that we should chaunge aâ—y thing about the holie rite of the Masse neither were there anie which would not rather haue chosen in this point not onelie not to haue offended your sacred Maiestie but euen anie Prince of the lowest degre But when as herewithal they did not doubt but by that common rite of the Masse God was moste grieiouslie prouoked and that his glorie for the which we ought to spend our liues was darkened they could not but take it awaie lest that they also by winking at it should make themselues partners with them in diminishing the glorie of god Trulie if god is to be loued and worshipped aboue all godlie men must beare nothing lesse then that which he doth hate and detest And that this one cause did constraine vs to chaunge certaine things in these points we take him to witnes from whome no
corrupt worship should be established The moste parte do feigne that the workes of mans traditions as satisfactions such like doe merit remission of sinnes This opinion is apparantlie false for it remooueth the benefit of Christ vnto mans traditions And there needeth here no long confutation we will content our selues with one thundring saying of Saint Paull Ye are made void of Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the law Ye are fallen from Christ This saying teacheth that men doe not merit remission of sinnes by the proper workes either of Gods lawe or of mans traditions Others being put in minde what grosse absurditie there is in this first errour they beginne to talke more modestlie of traditions But yet they houlde still an errour that is not to be borne with all They saie That these workes though they doe not deserue remission of sinnes yet are they seruices of God that is workes the immediat ende whereof is that God by them might be honoured This errour also must be stiffelie withstoode For Christ saieth plainelie They worshippe me in vaine with the preceptes of men And Paull doth expresselie condemne will worshippe to the Coloss And seeing that the worshippe of God must be done in faith it is necessarie that we should haue the word of God that may testifie that the worke pleaseth God For how can the conscience offer a worke vnto God vnlesse there be a voice of God which maie declare that God will so be worshipped or serued with this honour But vngodlie men vnderstanding this Doctrine of faith haue in all ages with damnable boldnes deuised worshippes without commaundement or word of God which thing if it be lawfull to doe you can shew no cause why the heathenish sacrifices slaing of dogges sacrifices offered at Lampsacum to Priapus such like monstrous worship should not please God Whether hath mans foolehardines rushed not onelie amongst the Ethnicks in feigning worships but also among the Popish rout in deuising eftsons new foolish ceremonies in praier to the dead in the worshipping of saintes and in the babling of Monkes Here therefore let vs be watchfull and not suffer lawes to be thrust vpon the Churches which prescribe workes without the commaundement of God as Gods worshippe and mans righteousnes And whereas all our aduersaries euen they that speake moste modestlie doe tie this opinion of worshippe vnto those workes let vs know that it is a good worke to withstand them and by violating such traditions to shew a patterne by which the godlie may knowe what to iudge of them As Eusebius writeth of Attalus That he was commaunded by God to speake vnto a certaine man which ate nothing but bread salte and water that he would vse common meat lest he should bring others into errour Moreouer this second errour which maketh these workes to be the worshippe of God brake farther For manie in the Church were deceiued through a peruerse emulation of the Leuiticall ceremonies and did thinke that there should be some such rites in the new Testament and that they are the worshipe of God or things whereby God wil be honoured yea that they are righteousnes And for that cause they gaue authoritie to the Bishops to ordaine such rites and such seruices This Pharisaicall errour Christ and his Apostles noted who taught that the worship of the new Testament is repentance the feare of God faith and the workes of the tenne commaundementes as Paull saieth The kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but righteousnes and peace and ioie in the holie Ghost For he that in these serueth Christ pleaseth God and iâ— approoued of men The Monkes fained themselues to be Nazarites The Masse Priestes that sacrifice for the dead would haue men think that they imitate Aaron offering sacrifices But these examples doe not agree the rites of Monkes and the Priests mercenary Masses haue no word of god for them yea there are manie fonde opinions mingled with them which of necessitie must be reprooued in our Churches The third errour is the opinion of necessitie wherein they imagine that the Church is like vnto other humane gouernmentes For they surmise that it is a kingdome wherin the Bishoppes as if they were Kinges haue power to make new lawes that are besides the Gospell and that they must of necessitie be obeied euen as the Princes lawes must necessarilie be obeied especiallie seeing this life of man can not be without traditions And this opinion of the necessitie of these things hath stirred vp contentions whilst euerie one defendeth his owne rites inuented by man as simply necessarie But Christ and his Apostls teach that such rites set forth without Gods commaundement are not to be taken for thinges necessarie Against this libertie enacted and established by Gods authoritie the opinion which maintaineth that the violating of traditions about thinges indifferent though it be not in a case where offence maie be giuen is not to be receiued Hetherto belongeth the saying of Paull Let no man iudge you in meat and drinke and entercourse of â—olie daies c. For to iudge signifieth to binde the consciences and to condemne them that doe not obeie Againe Gal. 5 Stand in the libertie wherein Christ hath made you free Hitherto it hath bin shewed in what respect it is not lawful to appoint traditions or to approoue them Now some man may aske whether we would haue this life of man to be without order rites No surelie But we teach that the true Pastors of the churches may ordein publike rites in their churches but so as it be onelie for an end belonging to the bodie that is for good orders sake to wit such rites as auaile for the instruction of the people As for example set daies set lessons and such like and that without anie superstition and opinion of necessitie as hath bin said before so that it maie not be counted anie sinne to violate anie of these ordinances so it be not with giuing offence But if so be that they be broken with offence there where the Churches are well ordered and there is no error in doctrine let him that in such place breaketh theÌ„ know that he doth offend because he disturbeth the peace of the Church wel ordered or doth withdraw others from the true ministerie This reason doth sufficientlie warrant the authority of profitable traditions laieth no snare on mens consciences So the Church in the beginning of it ordained set daies as the Lords day the daie of Christs natiuity Easter PeÌ„ticost c. Neither did the church dispense with the moral precepts but Gods owne authority abrogated the ceremonies of Moses law And yet it was meet that the people should know when to come together to the hearing of the Gospel vnto the ceremonies which Christ did ordaine And for that cause certain daies were appointed to that vse without anie such opinions as were aboue mentioned And the general equity abideth stil in the moral law that at certeine
Epistles especially in those to Timothie Titus And with the same Apostle we account the doctrine of such as forbid mariage or do openly dispraise or secretlie discredit it as not holie or cleane amongst the doctrines of Deuills And we do detest vncleane single life licentious lusts and fornications both open and close and the continencie of dissembling hypocrites when as they are of all men most incontineut All that be such God will iudge We doe not disalow riches and rich men if they be godly and vse their riches well but we reprooue the sect of the Apostoliques c. OVT OF THE FORMER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of holie wedlocke WE thinke that wedlocke beeing appointed of God for all men that be fit for it and are not called to some other thing is nothing repugnant to the holynes of any degree The which as the Church doth consecrate and establish with a solemne exhortation and praier so it is the duetie of the Magistrate to see that it be worthelie kept and mainteined and that it be not dissolued but vpon iuste cause Therefore we doe farre reiect this Monasticall single life and this wholl slothful kinde of life of superstitious men which is nothing else but an abhominable deuise as beeing as much repugnant to the Church as to the common wealth OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BOHEMIA Hitherto perteineth first that which is set downe in the 19. Chap. of this confession in these wordes FOr this cause it is thought to be good and well standing with wisdome so farre vndoubtedlie as may be done by conscience that Priests to the end that they may so much the more diligentlie exercise them-selues in the studie of the holie Scriptures and may the more readilie and profitablie serue the Church of God be free and exempted from all affaires and burdens of ciuill conuersation seing that it behooueth them to fight valiantlie for the faith of the gospell of God and if it may be to be also free from wedlock to this end that they may be the more ready and free to do that which is for the increase and furtherance of the saluation of the people and that manie harmfull impediments may be turned from them which doe concurre with that kinde of life do often times withhold and hinder the due workes of the ministerie For which causes our ministers think that they are more readie prest and more fit for the Ecclesiasticall Ministerie which are vnmarried yet they meane such vnmarried persons as haue this peculiar gift giuen to them of God that they maie remaine such and so giue them-selues whollie to the Ministerie This thing is so obserued among vs as is meet yet is it neither taken for a sinne neither doth anie man disdaine at it if Priests vpon iust and lawfull causes be married For holy Paull teacheth how such ought to be chosen to this function yea the holie Ghost himselfe doth permit that Byshops and Elders should haue their lawfull and honest wiues and he doth in no case giue them libertie contrarie to order and the discipline of God to entertaine concubines or otherwise so to liue as that they maie thereby giue offence to others And concerning marriage it is thus written It is better to marie then to sinne so manie waies and to burne with so great dishonestie for which sinnes not onely the Priest but also euerie Christan without respect of persons both ought and shall worthelie by excommunication be cast out of the Church Also CHAP. 19. Of single life and of Wedlock COncerning the condition of single life virginitie and widowhead our Preachers do teach that euery man hath free libertie either to chuse it to himselfe or to refuse it for by waie of a law nothing is commaunded of God to men touching these things neither is this thing appointed of God neither is it on the other side forbidden for which cause no man ought to be enforced thereunto against his wil nor be driuen from it And as concerning the Church and certaine men chiefly the ministers of the church our men haue taught from the begâ—nning and do now teach first that the gift of chastitie by the peculiar goodnes of God and of the holie ghost both in times past was giuen at this day also is giuen to some for the singular vse and profit of the Church as Christ his speach doth euidentlie witnes Euerie man saith he doth not receiue these wordes that is that a man should keepe him-selfe single without a wife but they to whome it is giuen And holie Paull also doth both place and celebrate this amongst peculiar giftes and whereunto some are peculiarlie called And moreouer the examples of certaine in the Propheticall and Apostolicall writings and of Iohn Bapist and of many ministers and weomen ministers of the Church do witnes this thing In the second place they teach that this gift is not of flesh and blood for the Lord by distinguishing doth remooue and seperate from hence that vnablenes which is in this kinde but of the spirit which is ielous who from his heart hath a care and pleasure in the glorie of God and in his owne and his neighbours saluation and also in the Ministerie of the Church and for this cause he doth of his owne accord absteine from wedlock Therefore the Lord saith Those which haue made them-selues Eunuches for the kingdome of heauen that is who be such as might be maried yet they do omit and absteine from it because of the affection of the inward heart and their loue toward God and his word and for the pleasure and ioy which they receiue thereof and through this gift of the spirit whose vertue and power doth ouercome the motions of nature they do preserue the purenes as well of the spirit as of the bodie howbeit this thing is not in them without labour and difficulty euen as it is a thing of no small labour and difficultie for all Christian men to forsake and to want the vse of other pleasant things and also such as are profitable for this life as friendes riches and monie Thirdlie that single life is to be chosen and taken with a true intent and a godlie meaning that is not to this end or with this purpose that a man would by this meanes merit or get vnto himselfe or to another remission of sinnes and eternall life and so consequentlie saluation it selfe For ther is no continencie or chastitie nor anie humane action or other vertue which can merit the onelie innocencie and death of the onely begotten Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ doth performe and perfit this thing Neither must the thing be receiued with this meaning as to think that some dignitie is added to the holie ministerie of the Church by reason of this gift or that the workes of those that be vnmaried in this ministerie are to be preferred in merit and dignitie before the works of
Synod and the Latine Churches in the olde time was not so seuere in this pointe for they did put from the ministerie onelie such as when they had taken vpon them anie Ecclesiastical function did afterwards marrie wiues yet they did not forbid mariage But this is a new law of the Pope vnknowne to the auncient Churches and Synods which doth whollie forbidde mariages and breaketh of such as are contracted But it is euident that either part of this decree is flat contrarie to the Gospell They alledge against vs the authoritie of the Church and of synodes which the Popes them selues that were authors of this decree did impudentlie contemne and godlie Priestes did euidentlie withstand this new lawe For the Ecclesiasticall histories doe testifie that it was neuer laied vpon the Churches without great contentions and resistance The Bishoppe of Tarracon writeth to Syricius the Pope That the Priestes of Spaine could not be brought to admit that lawe which for bad them the vse of their wiues What a stirre doth Syricius keepe there How sharpelie doth he write For these are the wordes of Syricius which are vnmeete for a Pope Let him tell me whosoeuer he be a hunter after lustes and a Master of vices And thereupon he wresteth the words of S. Paull to his cause which are most farre from it They which liue in the flesh can not please god A man may doubt suerelie whether it maie better be attributed to his ignorance or his impudencie that he speaketh so disdainefully of mariage For he goeth about nothing else but to forbidde Priestes the vse of their wiues which then they had maried But the Popes that succeeded after were yet more harde and cruell When the Archbishop of Mentz did in a Synode rehearse the Popes decree touching the putting awaie of wiues in Germanie the Priestes were so kindled in their anger that they threatned to set vpon the Archbishoppe himselfe And it was in deed both an vnworthie and cruell thing to put awaie their wiues which they then had But at last either force or superstition got the vpper hand Cyprian was farre more equall and gentle to such women as had not kept their vowed chastitie For he writeth in the first booke the 11. Epist If they will not or cannot indure it it is better they should marrie then that they should fall into the fire through their importune lusts In any wise let them giue no offence to the breethren or sisters Besides this vniust lawes are not wonte to be perpetuall Wee doe therefore intreat the moste excellent Emperour that among manie other enormities of the Church he will also consider the faultes of this law in which case that also is to be weighed The nature of man doeth as it were waxe olde and is become weaker Wherefore there must be care had that vices doe not increase Neither must the lawes themselues be seedes of vices Plato saith verie wiselie that Lawes must be made for vertues sake Now whether this tradition of single life be mainteined for pieties sake or for some other purpose it is no hard matter to determine Last of all seeing that Christ hath especiallie commended the care of the ministers of the Gospell to the godlie wee desire therefore that the moste excellent Emperour would restraine this crueltie which hath a long time bin exercised vpon godlie Priestes and would rather consult with the Church then with our aduersaries in that behalfe Surelie loue and mercifull dealing should florish in the Church Wherfore the true church doth greatlie abhorre vnnecessarie crueltie and would not haue the Priestes put to death for a tyrannicall tradition She would also haue the poore Wiues Children of Priests fauourablie dealt with All whose liues saftie the Church doth commend vnto thee O most mercifull Emperour All the godlie wheresoeuer are touched with their miseries doe in heart desire Christian lenitie in this behalfe and doe also with teares iointlie commend learned and honest men that are profitable to the Church together wth their wiues and children vnto thee whome they se both to be indued with an excellent and heroiâ—all goodnes and kindenes and also to haue vsed in this cause verie notable moderation which doth let vs vnderstand that thou art carefull of bringing some remedie vnto the common wealth The Church would not haue thee to be a minister of another mans crueltie The greatest honour of Kings is that which Esaie giueth to them when he saith that they should be nurse fathers to the Church that is that kingdomes and the maintenance of peace and of humane society should not onlie serue for the profit of the bodie but also should further the gospel namelie when as they both rule the Priests and also graunt peace quietnes to Cities that the youth might be trained vp in religion and men might be instructed The Church therefore doth beseech thee to remember that the care of defending the godlie Priests as of certeine nourslings lieth vpon thee It belongeth vnto this calling to be a succour for innocencie to saue from iniuries especially such as are weake which are not able to defend themselues as namelie godlie women children and orphanes or the fatherles Among which you maie well thinke that the wiues and children of Priests which are right orphanes in deed are left vnto your charge by the Lorde The Church as moste full of naturall affection and loue doth not onelie approoue of the mutuall loue of maried folkes one to another and of the loue of parents to their children but is also touched with the miseries of those that are forlorne and fatherles And surelie shee iudgeth in so great goodnes of your nature that there is no inhumanitie or want of naturall affection VVherefore shee is in good hope that the murders and executions of Priests and the banishment of their wiues and children doe grieue thee not a litle The Church also doth giue thee warning to looke to it lest manie points of Christian doctrine the vnfolding and laying open whereof is verie necessarie be smothered vp whiles godlie and learned ministers are put to death and whiles men are driuen from the studie of Christian doctrine VVhat else do our aduersaries seeke but that all good learning true doctrine may be rooted out or oppressed men maie onlie depend vpon the authoritie of such as do bear rule that they might esteem the dreams of vnlearned men though neuer so impious neuer so absurd for oracles Our aduersaries imagine that this barbarous bondage is the best and surest for their Lordlie rule And in deed it is verie euident how the Church in manie places iâ— oppressed with this bondage Now though libertie maie not be graunted to disanull such determinations as be receiued by good authoritie and though men ought not to depart either from the scriptures or from the decrees of the ancient Synods wherin they haue determined of Christian doctrine yet is it not meet that the authority
saieth They worshippe me in vaine with the traditions of men and also wicked because the obedience of Christ alone which he performed to god his Father hath purged our sins and reconciled vs with god By all these things it is manifest that the kinde of vowing single life pouertie and obedience doeth not agree with that doctrine which is indeede Catholique especiallie seeing that certaine men are not afraid to make this kinde of vowing equall with Baptisme OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SVEVELAND Of Monkerie CHAP. 12. AND for the same cause that all our Iustification doth consist in faith in Iesus Christ whereupon we haue libertie giuen to vs in all externall things we haue permitted the bondes of Monkerie to be released among vs. For we saw that this libertie of Christians was vehementlie challenged in euerie place by S. Paull whereby euerie christian man doth assure himselfe that alrighteousnes and saluation is to be sought for onelie in Christ Iesus our Lorde and is also assured that he must at all times vse all the things of this life as to the profitte of our neighbours so to the glorie of God and that all which he hath is to be arbitrated and moderated by the holie Ghost who is the giuer of true adoption and true libertie and that he ought freelie to permitte them to be appointed and bestowed both to the reliefe of his neighbours and also to the aduancement of the glorie of God Seing that we retaine this libertie we shew ourselues to be the seruants of Christ when we betray it to men addicting our selues to their inuentions we doe like runnagates forsake Christ and flie to men The which thing wee doe so much the more wickedlie because that Christ hath freed vs by his blood not by a vile or common price and hath redeemed vs to himselfe from the deadlie slauerie of Sathan And this is the cause why S. Paul writing to the Galathians did so much detest it that they had addicted themselues to the ceremonies of the law though they were commaunded of God whereas notwithstanding as we declared before that might be farre better excused then to submit themselues to the yoke of those ceremonies which men haue feigned of their owne braine For he did write and that trulie that they which admitte 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 vaine and he exhorteth them That they would stand steadfast in that libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free and not to be intangled againe with the yoke of bondage Now it is euident that Monkerie is nothing els then bondage of traditions deuised by men and in deede of such as Paule hath by name condemned in the places which we alledged For vndoubtedlie they which professe Monkerie do addict themselues to those inuentions of men for hope of merits And hereupon it is that they make it so hainous an offence to forsake those inuentions and to imbrace the libertie of Christ Therefore seing that as well our bodie as our spirit belong vnto God and that in a double respect to wit of our condition and Redemption it can not be lawfull for Christians to make themselues slaues to this Monasticall seruitude much les then for prophane seruants to chaunge their Masters Moreouer it can not be denied but that by such like bondage and vowes to liue after the commaundement of men a certaine necessitie as it alwaies vseth 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 lieth in him imploie his seruice to the benefit of the Magistrate his parents kinred and others and of all those whome the Lord hath made his neighbours and brought to him to be deliuered in what place time or manner soeuer their necessitie shall require it Then let him imbrace that kinde of liuing whereby he may chiefly prouide 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 kingdom of heauen that is to further godlines and the glory of God it is a peculiar and a speciall gift of God For that edict which Paull did publish standeth firme and stedfast neither can anie vowes of men make it frustrate For the auoiding of whordome let euerie man he excepteth none haue his owne wife and euerie woman hir owne husband For all men doe not receiue that worde of taking vpon them a single life for the kingdome of heauen as Christ himselfe doth witnes then whome no man did more certenly know and 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 lawful to shew themselues obedient and dutifull any longer either to the Magistrate or to their parents or to anie men onely the chiefe gouernour of the Monasterie excepted nor to releeue them with their substance and least of all to marrie a wife though they be greatlie burned and therefore they doe necessarilie fall into all kindes of dishonesties of life Seeing therefore that it is euident that these Monasticall vowes doe make a man which is freed from the seruice of Christ to be in daunger not so much of the bondage of men as of Sathan and that they doe bring in a certaine necessitie of transgressing the law of god according to the nature of all such traditions as are deuised by men and that therefore they be manifestlie contrarie to the commaundements of god we doe not without cause beleeue that they are to be made frustrate seeing that not onelie the written law but also the law of nature doth commaund to disanull a promise if beeing kept it be a hindrance to good manners not onelie to religion Therefore we could not withstand any which would change a monastical life which is vndoubtedlie a bondage to Sathan for a Christian life as also we could not withstand others of the Ecclesiasticall order who marrying wiues haue imbraced a kinde of life wherof their neighbours might looke for more profitte and greater honestie of life then of that kinde wherein they liued before To conclude neither did we take vpon vs to driue them from the right of wedlocke who among vs haue perseuered in the ministerie of the worde of god whatsoeuer chastitie they had vowed for the causes before specified seeing that Saint Paull the chiefe mainteiner of true chastitie doth admit euen a Bishop to be a married man For we haue lawfully preferred this one law of god before all lawes of men For the auoiding of whoredome let euerie haue his owne wife Which law truelie for that it hath beene
confession of Belgia AL the operations of the holie Ghost are hidden c. That is to saie both when the proper force of the holie spirit which is incomprehensible is regarded and seeing that his effectes doe exceed our senses Both which doe come to passe in these mysteries Vpon the same That which is eaten c. Namelie by faith as it is often iterated in this confession that is to saie that which is receiued spirituallie by the minde by beleeuing as the signe is eaten and dronken corporallie For the wordes eating and drinking can no otherwise be spoken of the minde and of faith which are the onelie instrumentes of receiuing the verie bodie and bloode of Christ then metaphoricallie or metonymicallie Vpon the same By the eating of his flesh and drinking of his bloode c. That is as hath beene said in the former obseruation by a spirituall participation the which sometimes by reason of the sacramentall receiuing and sometimes by reason of that spirituall life which Christ ingendereth in vs is metaphoricallie signified by the names of eating or drinking Vpon the same Although the sacramentes be ioyned to the thing c. Of the sacramentall vnion we haue spoken before in the second obseruation vpon the Confession of Bohemia Vpon the confession of Auspurge THat the body and blood of Christ are there in deed and are distributed c. We also doe alowe of this namely that the word of God is not deceitfull and therefore as often as the holy signes are rightly giuen that is according to Christ his institution that then also the thing signified by the signe which is the verie bodie of Christ crucified for vs and the very blood of Christ shedd for vs is also giuen to be receiued But we affirme that the thing signified is no otherwise coupled with the signe then sacramentallie The trueth of which sacramental coniunction doth not consist in this that wheresoeuer the signe is there the thing represented by the signe should also be present but in this that that which God promiseth by the signe he also doth offer to be receiued Therefore we hold that the bodie of Christ is not really present in with or vnder the bread otherwise then after this sacramentall manner both because it is a true body being circumscribed in his local situation and also hath truly ascended from the earth aboue the heauens that be subiect to our sight and shall there remaine from whence he exerciseth a gouernment ouer al these beneath euen as he is man vntill he come truely from thence to iudge both quicke and dead Moreouer we doe also auouch that as the signes are offered to the bodie so the thinges signified are offered to the minde and therefore that the signes are receiued of euery one with the hand and mouth that come vnto the supper the which vnto some namely to the worthie receiuets do turne vnto saluation but vnto others that is the vnworthy communicants by reason of the profanation of the signes and contempt of the thing signified they doe turne to condemnation As for the things signified those we affirme to be truely and effectuallie apprehended onely of those that be indued with a right minde and a true faith and that alwaies vnto saluation whereunto the distance of place is no hinderance by reason of the vnspeakeable operation of the holie Ghost And yet not so as that the substances should be mingled betwixt themselues or cleaue together in any place for Christs flesh abideth in heauen and ours vpon the earth but that these things being mysticallie vnited which in true distance of situation are seperated we might draw from the flesh of Christ all gifts necessary for our saluation and especiallie that liuely iuise wherby we are nourished to eternall life Therefore whatsoeuer they pretend which are of the contrarie iudgement the controuersie is not either of the signe or of the thinges signified or of the truth of the sacraments or of the receiuing of them or of the effectes but of the onely definition of the sacramentall coniunction also of the manner of receiuing the thinges signified Both which we contend to be so interpreted by some out of the word of God that if their opinion be once graunted both the truth of Christes bodie his assention into heauen and his second comming is consequentlie ouerthrowne Looke the exposition of this article expressed in the diuers editions of the Auspurge confession though not after the same manner in the same words and for the full declaration therof look in the admonition lately set forth by our bretheren the Neustadians in the 5. chapter out of the which our agreement in this point of doctrine rightly declared doth appeere vpon the same Art 1. Of the abuses For the Masse is retained still amongst vs c. The Princes and Diuines in the assemblie at Newburdge testified in the yeare 1561. as is manifest by the decrees of that assemblie that they by the word Masse doe vnderstand the administration of the Supper and do from the bottome of their hearts detest the Romish Masse And although we doe abhorre all contentions about words and doe acknowledge that the worde Masse is not newlie sprong vp in the latine Church yet seeing that the originall of this tearme namely because almes were sent from the faithfull in their vsuall meetings at their loue feasts is long since abolished and seeing that this worde hath these many yeares broken out into great abhomination and so great that none so grosse or execrable was euer heard of wee doe not with out cause together with the thing abolish the name it selfe out of our Churches As for the holie liturgy there we think that it is most rightly celebrated where it is most simply most nearelie vnto the first institution obserued And seing it is manifest that the ceremonies in the Romane Liturgie are partlie in them selues vnprofitable partlie tending rather to an ambitious shew and pompe then to edification partlie ridiculous and partlie either in themselues superstitious or else readie to be turned into superstition Therfore the moste of them or in a manner all we haue in euery place vtterlie swept awaie Yet so as that the Church hath her liberty leftin things indifferent as it is meet and shall be declared in the 17. Section As for the speaking or singing of any thing in the publique Liturgie in such a tongue as is vnknowne to the common people vnlesse there be an interpreter the Apostle doth plainlie forbid it 1. Cor. 14. Vpon the same A Ceremonie in the new couenant without faith doth merit nothing c. No nor yet in the olde Testament yea neither any ceremonie nor faith it selfe doth merit anie thing but whereas the externall worke being performed with faith according to Gods commaundement is acceptable vnto him all that we teach out of Gods word to be of grace and not of debt Whereof looke the 8.