great and so daungerous a burthen Truelie Irenaeus doth witnes that in times past the obseruation of faste in Churches was diuers and free as it is reade in the Ecclesiasticall historie lib. 8. cap. 14. In the same booke Eusebius maketh mention that one Apollonius an Ecclesiasticall writer among other arguments vsed this for one to confute the doctrine of Montanus the heretike Because he was the first that made lawes for fastes Therupon Chrysostome saith in a vertaine place Fasting is good but let no man be compelled thereunto And in another place he exhorteth him that is not able to faste to absteyne from deinties and yet affirmeth that it doth not much differ from fasting and that it is a strong weapon to represse the furie of the Deuill Moreouer experience also it selfe doth more then prooue that these precepts concerning fastes haue bin a great hinderance to godlines Therefore when we saw it verie euidentlie that the chiefe men in the Church did beside the authoritie of the Scripture take vpon themselues this power so to enioyne fastes as to binde mens consciences vnder paine of deadlie sinne we did loose the consciences out of these snares but by the Scriptures and chiefely by Pauls writinges which doe with a singular endeauour remooue these rudiments of the world from the necks of Christians For wee ought not lightlie to account of that saying of Paull Let no man condemne you in meate and drinke or in respect of an holie daie or of the new Moone or of the Sabbath daies And againe Therefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the worlde why as though ye liued in the worlde are ye burdened with traditions For if S. Paull then whome no man at any time did teach Christ more certainelie doe earnestlie affirme that through Christ wee haue obteined such libertie in outwarde thinges that he doth not onelie not giue authoritie to anie creature to burden those which beleeue in Christ no not so much as with those ceremonies and obseruations which notwithstanding God himselfe appointed and would haue to be profitable in their time but also denounceth that they be fallen awaie from Christ and that Christ shall nothing at all profitte them who suffer themselues to be addicted thereunto what shall wee then thinke of those commaundements which men haue deuised of their owne braine not onelie without anie oracle but also without anie example worthie to be followed and which are therefore made vnto manie not onelie beggerlie and weake but also hurtfull not elements that is rudiments of holie discipline but also impediments of true godlines How much more vniustlie shall anie man take vnto himselfe authoritie ouer the inheritance of Christ to oppresse him with such kinde of bondage and how farre shall he remooue vs from Christ if we submit our selues vnto him For who doth not see the glorie of Christ to whom we ought whollie to liue whome he hath whollie redeemed to himselfe and restored to libertie and that by his blood to be more obscured if beside his authoritie we doe binde our conscience to those lawes which are the inuentions of men then to those which haue God for their author although they were to be obserued but onelie for their time Certainelie it is a lesse fault to play the Iewe then the Heathen Now it is the manner of the heathen to receiue lawes for the worship of God which haue their beginning from mans inuention onelie God neuer being asked counsell of in the matter Wherefore if in anie matter at all certainlie here that saying of Paull taketh place Ye are bought with a great price be not made the seruants of men Of the choise of meates CHAP. 9. FOr the same cause was that forbearing and chusing of meates enioyned and tyed to certaine daies which S. Paull writing to Timothie calleth the doctrine of Deuils Neitheir is their answere sufficient Who saie that these thinges be spoken onelie against the Manichies Enâ—ratites Tatians and Marcionites who did whollie forbid certaine kindes of meates and mariage For the Apostle in this place hath condemned those which commaund to abstaine from meates which Gâ—d hath created to be taken with thankâ—giuing c. Now they also which do but forbid to take certaine meates on certaine daies do neuertheles commaund men to abstaine from those meats which God hath created to be taken are cosin germanes to the doctrine of the Deuils the which also is euidentlie seene by the reason which the Apostle addeth For saith he Whatsoeuer God hath created it is good and nothing is to be refused that is receiued with giuing of thankes Here he doth not take exception against anie times although no man fauoured frugalitie temperance and also choise chastisments of the flesh and lawfull fasting more greatlie then he did Certainlie a Christian must be frugall and sometime the flesh must be chastised by diminishing the dailie and accustomed portion or diet but base meates and a meane doth serue better to this purpose then anie kinde of meates to conclude it is meete for Christians now and then to take vpon them a lawful faste but that must not be an abstinence from certaine but from all meates nor from meates onelie but also from all the deinteis of this life whatsoeuer For what kinde of fast is this what abstinence onlie to chaunge the kinde of deinties the which thing at this day they vse to doe which are counted more religious then others seing that Saint Chrysostome doth not account it to be a faste if we continue whollie without meates euen vnto the euening except together with absteining from meates we doe also conteine our selues from those thinges which be hurtfull and bestow much of that leisure vpon the studie and exercise of spirituall thinges That by praiers and fastes we must not looke to merit anie thing CHAP. 10. MOreouer our Preachers haue taught that this fault is to be amended in praiers and fastes that commonlie men are taught to seeke to obtaine I know not what merit and iustification by these workes For As we are saued by grace through faith so also are we iustified And touching the wotkes of the law among the which praiers and fastes are reckoned Paull writeth thus For we through the Spiritwaite for the hope of righteousnes through faith Therefore we must praie but to this ende that we maie receiue of God not that wee maie hereby giue anie thing vnto him VVe must faste that we maie the better praie and keepe the flesh within the compasse of it duetie and not before God to deserue anie thing for our selues This onelie ende and vse of prayers both the Scripture and also the writinges and examples of the Fathers doe prescribe vnto vs. Moreouer the case so standeth with vs that although wee coulde praie and faste so religiouslie and so perfectlie doe all those thinges which God hath inioyned vs that nothing coulde more be required of vs which hitherto no mortall man hath
doctrine or hath a tongue or hath reuelation or hath interpretation let all things be done vnto edifying Hierom vpon the Epist to the Eph. Cap. 5. saith Singing and making melody to the Lord in your heartes Let yong men heare these things let them heare whose office it is to sing in the Church that we must sing to God not with the voice but with the heart and that the throate and the iawes are not to be greased with some sweete liquore as they vse to doe that play in Tragedies c. Now that which was spoken touching the vse of a tongue that is commonlie knowne it must be vnderstoode nor onlie of the singing of Psalmes but also of all the partes of Ecclesiasticall ministerie For as Sermons and praiers are to be made in a well knowne tongue to the Church so also must the Sacramentes be dispensed in a speach that is knowne For although it be lawfull at some time to vse a strange tongue by reason of the learned yet the consent of the Catholique Church doth require this that the necessarie ministeries of the Church be executed in our countrie speache 1. Cor. 14. I had rather in the Church to speake fiue words with my vnderstanding that I mayalso instruct others then ten thousand wordes in a strange tongue Innocentius the third De offi Iud. Ord. C. Quoniam saith Because that in many partes within one Citie and Diocesse there be people of diuers languages mingled together hauing vnder one faith diuers rites and customes we doe â—â—reictlie commaund that the Bishops of such Cities or Diocesses doe prouide fit men who according to the diuersitie of ceremonies and language may execute among them the diuine dueties and minister the Ecclesiasticall Sacraments instructing them both by the worde and by their example Therefore they are to be said to doe godly and Catholiquelie who doe so appoint the dispensation of the Sacraments the singing of Psalmes and the reading of holy Scripture that the Church may vnderstand that which is said read or sung and the spirit may receiue fruit therby to comfort the minde to confirme the faith and to stirre vp loue OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SVEVELAND Of the singing and praiers of Ecclesiasticall men CHAP. 21. ANd for that cause to wit that men should not wincke at that offending of God which might be committed vnder a colour of his seruice then which nothing can offend him more greeuouslie our Ministers haue condemned the most of those things which were vsed in the singings and praiers of Ecclesiasticall men For it is too too manifest that these haue degenerated from the first appointment vse of the Fathers For no man which vnderstandeth the writings of the auncient Fathers is ignorant of this that it was a custome among them wisely to rehearse also to expound a few Psalmes with some Chapter of the scripture whereas now adaies many Psalmes are chaunted for the most parte without vnderstanding and of the reading of the Scripture there be onelie the beginnings of Chapters left vnto vs and innumerable things are taken vp one after an other which serue rather for superstition then for godlines Therefore our ministers did first of all detest this that many things which were contrarie to the Scriptures are mingled with holie praiers and songs as that those things are attributed to Saints which are proper to Christ alone namelie to free vs from sinne and other discommodities and not so much to obteine as to giue vs the fauour of God and all kinde of good things Secondlie because they are increased so infinitely that they cannot be sung or rehearsed with an attentiue minde Now it is nothing but a mocking of God whatsoeuer we doe in his seruice without vnderstanding Lastlie because that these things also were made meritorious works to be sold for no smal price that we may say nothing hereof that against the expresse commanndement of the holy ghost al things are there said and sung in that tongue which not onely the people doth not vnderstand but many times also not they themselues which do liue of those kinds of singing and praiers THE SIXTEENTH SECTION OF HOLIE DAIES FASTES AND THE CHOISE OF MEATES AND OF THE VISITATION OF THE SICKE AND THE CARE THAT is to be had for the dead THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of Holiedaies Fastes and choise of meates CHAP. 24. ALthough religion be not tied vnto time yet can it not be planted and exercised without a due diuiding allotting out of time vnto it Euery Church therfore doth choose vnto it selfe a certaine time for publique praiers and for preaching of the Gospell and for the celebration of the Sacramentes and it is not lawfull for euerie one to ouerthrowe this apointment of the Church at his owne pleasure For except some due time leasure were alotted to the outward exercise of religion out of doubt men would be quite drawne from it by their own affaires In regard hereof we see that in the auncient Churches there were not onelie certaine set howers in the weeke appointed for meetinges but that also euen the Lordes daie euer since the Apostles time was consecrated to the religious exercises and vnto a holie rest which also is now verie well obserued of our Churches for the worshippe of God and increase of charitie Yet herein we giue no place vnto the Iewish obseruation of the daie or to anie superstitions For we doe not account one day to be holier then an other nor thinke that resting of it selfe is liked of God Besides we do celebrate and keepe the Lords daie and not the Saboth and that with a free obseruation Moreouer if the Churches doe religiouslie celebrate the memorie of the Lordes natiuitie curcumcision passion and resurrection and of his ascension into heauen and sending the holie ghost vpon his disciples according to christian libertie we doe verie well allow of it But as for festiual daies ordeined to men or the saintes departed we cannot alow of them For indeede such feastes must be referred to the first table of the lawe and be long peculiarlie vnto God To conclude these festiuall daies which are appointed to saints and abrogated of vs haue in them many grosse things vnprofitable and not to be tolerated In the meanetime we confesse that the remembrance of saintes in due time and place may be to good vse and profit commended vnto the people in sermons and the holie examples of holie men set before their eies to be imitated of all Now the more sharpelie that the Church of Christ doeth accuse surfeting drunkennes al kinde of Iustes andintemperancie so much the more earnestlie it doth commend vnto vs Christian fasting For fasting is nothing els but an abstaining and temperancie of the godlie and a watching and chastising of our flesh taken vp for the present necessitie whereby we are humbled before God and withdrawe from the flesh those thinges whereby it is cherished to the eâ—de it
Purgatorie it is flat contrarie to the Christian faith I beleeue the remission of sinnes and life euerlasting and to the absolute purgation of sinnes made by Christ and to these sayings of Christ our Lord Verilie verilie I saie vnto you he that heareth my word and beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come vnto condemnation but hath passed from death vnto life Againe He that is washed needeth not saue to wash his feete but is cleane euerie whitte and ye are cleane Now that which is recorded of the spirits or soules of the dead sometime appearing to them that are aliue and crauing certaine duties of them whereby they maie be set free we count those apparitions among the delusions crafts and deceits of the deuill who as he can transforme himselfe into an Angell of light so he laboureth tooth and naile either to ouerthrow the true faith or else to call it into doubt The Lord in the olde Testament forbad to enquire the truth of the dead and to haue any thing to do with Spirits And to the glutton being bound in torments as the trueth of the gospell doeth declare is denied anie returne to his brethren The Lord by his worde pronouncing and saying They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them if they heave not Moses and the Prophets neither will they beleeue if one shall arise from the dead OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BASIL THe Church of Christ doth herein labour all that she can to keepe the bondes of peace and loue in vnitie Therefore she doth by no meanes communicate with sectes and the rules of orders deuised to make a difference of daies meates apparell and ceremonies No man can prohibit that which Christ him selfe hath not prohibited For this cause we know that auricular confession holy daies dedicated to saints and such like thinges had there beginning of men and were not commaunded of God as on the other side we know that the mariage of ministers was not forbidden And againe No man can forbid those thinges which God hath permitted therefore we thinke that it is not by anie meanes forbidden to receiue meates with thankesgiuing OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BOHEMIA Hitherto perteine first those thinges which are to be found in the 15. Chap. about the middest concerning the keeping of hole daies and fastes IN like sorte manie of the auncient ceremonies and such as were brought in by custome so neere as may be are reteined among vs euen at this daie of this sort be certein daies appointed for feastes and holie daies the mattens that is morning sermons euening assemblies the Lords daies which be holie daies and speciall feast daies added thereunto which are consecrated to the celebrating of the workes of Christ as to his natiuitie his Passion resurrection c. and such as be dedicated to the remembrance of holie men as of the Virgine Marie of the Apostles and of other Saints and chiefely of those saints of whome there is mention in the holy scriptures and all these thinges be done of vs that the word of God may be taught that God maie be worshiped and serued and that he may be glorified among vs. That which followeth and is to be referred to this place is taken out of the 17. Chap. IN like sort also our ministers as it is meete for christian men to do to the glory and praise of God do celebrate holie daies consecrated to the Virgine the remembrance of hiâ— do make and sing godly and christian songs of hir with pleasure both diligentlie and that they maie confirme them-selues rehearse those great thinges wherewith God hath adorned hir aboue al other women and they al reioyce one with another and shew them-selues moste thankfull for the saluation which is purchased to mankinde and with all Christian people they confesse professe that shee is happie and they praise God for all these things and so much as lieth in them they do faithfullie follow and imitate the holy life and good manners of that Virgin and they do indeed execute that which she commaundeth to them that ministred in the Marriage at Cana and doe alwaies desire to be in heauen with her And all these things they do according to the meaning of the holie scriptures And a litle after And thus do we teach that the Saints are truely worshipped when the people on certaine daies at a time appointed do come together to the seruice of God and do call to minde and meditate vpon the benefits of God which he hath bestowed vpon holie men and through them vpon his Church and therewithall doth admonish it selfe concerning their calling or place which they held their doctrine faith life and exercises of godlines and the last end of their life to the end that it maie be as it were built vp in the same trueth by the word of God and maie praise God and giue him thankes for those men and in their name and may sing profitable songs and such as are free from superstition and maie raise and stirre vp themselues to the like obedience imitation of their faith workes and deedes godlines holines and honestie and that they maie call vpon God that he would vouchsafe to giue vnto them to enioy their companie and fellowship as well here in the time of grace as hereafter in eternall glorie All which things are in few wordes comprehended in the epistle to the Hebrewes where it is said Remember them which haue the ouersight ouer you which haue declared vnto you the word of God whose faith follow considering what hath bene the end of their conuersation Of Fasting CHAP. 18. TOuching true and Christian fasting we teach that it is an outward work of faith comprehending in it worship which is done by exercising the bodie to abstinencie ioyning therewithal praiers and giuing of almes and that it is due to God alone and that among Christians according as their strength will suffer and their affaires and busines desire and permit at what time soeuer they vse it in anie societie either generall or particular it must be done without hypocrisie or superstition as the holie scriptures do witnes and Paull among other thinges doth thus write of it Let vs approoue our selues as the ministers of God by fasting c. And Christ saith Then they shall fast And againe Paull saith in another place That ye maie giue your selues to fasting praier Now fasting doth not consist in the choise of meat which a man vseth but in the moderate vse of meat and in exercising chastising and bringing vnder the vnrulie flesh before god and chiefelie the matter consisteth in the spirit and in the heart to wit how for what cause with what intent and purpose a man doth faste and how and by what meane the godlie maie exercise a wholsome and acceptable faste vnto God and on the other side to know
when they should not faste but rather take heede that they do not faste it is expressed in the Prophet and manifestlie taught of Christ himselfe What is to be thought of the choise and difference of meates euerie man ought to learne out of the doctrine of Christ that by this meane what doubt soeuer is in this pointe it maie be taken awaie and decided Then Christ called the multitude vnto him and said Heare and vnderstand That which goeth into the mouth defileth not the man but that which commeth out of the mouth that defileth the man that is maketh him guiltie Also out of the doctrine of the Apostle whose wordes are thus I am perswaded through the Lord Iesus that nothing is vncleane of it selfe but vnto him that iudgeth anie thing to be vncleane to him it is vncleane But if thy brother be grieued for the meat now walkest not thou charitablie Destroy not him with thy meat for whome Christ died For the kingdome of God is not meate nor drinke but righteousnes and peace and ioy in the holie Ghost Christians indeed are not tyed to anie law in this case yet so that they be not an offence to the weaker sorte therefore the Apostle addeth All things indeed are pure but it is euill for the man which eateth with offence And in another place he writeth Meat doth not make men acceptable to God for neither if we eate haue we the more neither if we eate not haue we the lesse OVT OF THE FRENCH CONFESSION TO conclude we thinke that Purgatorie is a feigned thing comming out of the same shoppe whence also Monasticall vowes Pilgrimages the forbidding of mariage the vse of meates a ceremoniall obseruation of certaine daies auricular confession indulgences and such like thinges haue proceeded by which things certaine men haue thought that they doe deserue fauour and saluation But we doe not onelie reiect all those thinges for a false opinion of meritte added thereunto but also because they are the inuentions of men and a yoke laide vpon the consciences of men by mens authoritie OVT OF THE ENGLISH CONFESSION ANd as for their bragges they are wonte to make of their Purgatorie though wee know it is not a thing so verie late risen amongst them yet is it no better then a blockish and an olde wiues deuise Augustine indeed sometime saith there is such a certaine place sometime he denieth not but there may be such a one sometime he doubteth somtime againe he vtterlie denieth that there is anie at al and thinketh that men are therein deceiued by a certaine naturall good will they beare their friends departed But yet of this one errour hath their growne vp such a haruest of those Massemongers that the Masses being solde abroad commonlie in euerie corner the Temples of God became shoppes to get monie and seelie soules were borne in hand that nothing was more necessarie to be bought In deede there was nothing more gaine full for these men to sell OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF AVSPVRGE Of Abuses that be taken awaie Of putting difference betweene meates and such like Popish traditions IN this corporall life we haue neede of traditions that is of the distinctions of times and places that all things maie be done orderlie in the Church as Paull willeth Let all thinges he done in order and so as is meete and decent Therefore the Church hath her traditions that is shee appointeth at what times and where the Church shall come together For this ciuill end it is lawfull to make traditions But men that are not acquainted with the doctrine of Christ are not content with this end but they ioyne superstitious opinions vnto traditions and by superstition multiplie traditions out of measure Of this there hath beene complaint made in the Church not onelie by late writers as Gerson and others but also by Saint Augustine Wherefore it is needfull to admonish the people what to thinke of the traditions which are brought into the Church by mans authoritie For it is not without cause that Christe and Paull doe so often speake of traditions and admonish the Church to iudge wiselie of traditions There was a common opinion not of the common sort alone but also of the teachers in the Church that the difference of meates and such like workes which the Ecclesiasticall traditions doe commaund are seruices of God which deserue remission of sins Also that such kindes of worship are Christian righteousnes and as necessarie as the Leuiticall ceremonies in the olde Testament euer were and that they cannot be omitted without sinne no not then when they might be omitted without daunger of giuing offence These persuasions haue brought forth many discommodities First the doctrine of the Gospell is hereby obscured which teacheth that sinnes are forgiuen freely by Christ This benefit of Christ is transferred vnto the worke of man And by reason of this opinion traditions were especiallie encreased because that these workes were supposed to deserue remission of sinnes to be satisfactions and to be Christian righteousnes Moreouer for this cause especiallie doth S. Paull so often and so earnestlie giue vs warning to beware of traditions lest that Christes benefit should be transferred to traditions lest the glorie of Christ should be obscured lest that true and sound comforte should be withheld from mens consciences and in a worde lest that faith that is trust of the mercie of Christ shoulde be quite smothered These daungers Saint Paull would haue auoided For it is greatlie needfull that the pure doctrine of the benefit of Christ of the righteousnes of faith and of the comforte of consciences should be continued in the Church Secondlie these traditions haue obscured the Commaundemenss of God for this kinde of schooling was thought to be spirituall and the righteousnes of a Christian man Yea the traditions of men were set aloft aboue the commaundements of God All Christianitie was placed in the obseruation of certaine festiuall daies rites fastes and forme of apparell These beggerlie rudiments caried goodlie titles namelie that they were the spirituall life and the perfection of a Christian In the meane while the commaundements of God touching euerie calling were of small estimation that the Father brought vp his children that the Mothet bare them that the Prince gouerned the common wealth these workes were litle set by They were not taken to be any seruice of God The mindes of many stoode in a continuall mamering whether mariage magistracie and such like functions of a ciuill life did please God or no. And this doubtfullnes did trouble manie verie much Manie forsaking their callings leauing the common welth did shut vp themselues in monasteries that they might seeke that kinde of life which they thought did more please God yea which they supposed to merit remission of sinnes Thirdlie the opinion of necessitie did much vexe and disquiet the consciences Traditions were thought necessary And yet no man though neuer so
beleeue that it is expedient that they which be chosen to be gouernours in anie Church do wiselie looke vnto it among them selues by what meanes the wholl bodie maie conuenientlie be ruled yet so that they do neuer swarue from that which our Lord Iesus Christ hath instituted Yet this doth not hinder but that euerie place maie haue their peculiar constitutions as it shall seeme conuenient for them But we exclude all humane deuises and all those lawes which are brought in to binde mens consciences vnder pretence of the word of God and we do onelie like of those which serue for the nourishing of concord and to keepe euerie one in due obedience wherein we think that we are to follow that which our Lord Iesus Christ appointed touching excommunication which we do allow of and together with it additions thinke to be necessarie OVT OF THE ENGLISH CONFESSION AS touching the multitude of vaine and superfluous Ceremonies we know that Saint Augustine did greeuouslie complaine of them in his owne time and therefore haue we cut of a great number of them because we know that mens consciences were encombred about them and the Churches of God ouerladen with them Neuerthelesse we keepe still and esteeme not onely those Ceremonies which we are sure were deliuered to vs from the Apostles but some others too besides which we thought might be suffered without hurt to the Church of God for that we had a desire that all thinges in the holy congregation might as Saint Paull commaundeth be done with comelines and in good order But as for all those thinges which we saw were either verie susuperstitious or vtterlie vnprofitable or noisome or mockeries or contrarie to the holie scriptures or else vnseemelie for sober discreet people wherof there be infinite numbers now a daies where the Roman Religion is vsed these I saie we haue vtterlie refused without all manner exception because we would not haue the right worshiping of God to be anie longer defiled with such follies OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BEGIA IN the meane time we beleeue that it is in deede profitable that the Elders which doe gouerne in Churches should appoint some order among them-selues so that they do diligently take heed that in no case they do swarue or decline from those things which Christ himselfe our onelie master hath once appointed Therefore we do reiect all humane inuentions and all those lawes which were brought in to be a worship of God that mens consciences should anie waie thereby be snared or bound and we receiue those onelie which are fit either to cherish or manteine concord or to keepe vs in the obedience of God And hereunto excommunication is chiefelie necessarie being vsed according to the commaundement of the word of god and other additions of Ecclesiasticall discipline annexed thereunto OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF AVSPVRGE Art 15. COncerning Ecclesiasticall rites which are ordeined by mans authoritie they teach that such rits are to be obserued as maie be kept without sinne do tend to quietnes and good order in the Church as namelie set holidaies and certein godlie psalmes and other such like rits But yet touching this sort of rites they teach that mens consciences are not to be burdened with superstitious opinions of them that is it must not be thought that these humane ordinances are righteousnes before God or do deserue remission of sinnes or are dueties necessarie vnto the righteousnes reuealed in the gospel But this is to be thought of them that they are indifferent thinges which without the case of offence may be omitted But such as breake them with offence are faultie as those which doe rashlie disturbe the peace of the Churches Such traditions therefore as cannot be obserued without sinne are reiected of vs as the tradition of single life We reiect also that impious opinion of traditions and vowes wherein they feign that worships inuented by mans authority do merit remission of sinnes are satisfactions for sinne c. Of which like false opinions touching vowes and fastings not a few haue beene spread abroade in the Church by vnlearned men This Article is thus to be found in another edition COncerning Ecclesiasticall rites they teach that those rites are to be obserued which maie be kept without anie sinne and are auaileable for quietnes and good order in the Church such as are set holiedaies feastes and such like Againe out of the 7. Article touching abuses of the same confession These wordes that follow perteine to this place and the rest vno the eleuenth section Of the authoritie of the ministers BEsides these things there is a controuersie whether Bishops or Pastors haue power to ordeine ceremonies in the Church to make lawes of meates and holie daies and degrees or orders of ministers They that ascribe this power to the Bishops alledge this testimonie for it I haue yet manie thinges to saie vnto you but you cannot beare them away now But when that spirit of trueth shall come he shall teach you all trueth They aledge also the examples of the Apostles which commaunded the Christians to absteine from blood and that which was strangled They alledge the change of the Sabboth into the Lords daie contrarie as it seemeth to the morall law they haue no examples so oft in their mouthes as they change of the Sabboth They will needes haue the Churches power authoritie to be very great because it hath dispensed with a precept of the moral law But of this questiō our men do thus teach that the Bishops haue no power to ordeine anie thing contrarie to the Gospel as was shewed before The same also do the Canons teach distinct 9. Moreouer it is against the scriprure to ordeine or require the obseruation of anie traditions to the ende that we might merit remission of sinnes and satisfie for sinnes by them For the glorie of Christes merit receiueth a blow when as we seeke by such obseruations to merit remission of sinnes and iustification And it is verie apparant that through this persuasion traditions grew into an infinite number in the Church In the meane while the doctrine of faith and of the righteousnes of faith was quite smoothered for euer and anone there were new holiedaies made new fastes appointed new ceremonies new worshippes for Saints ordeined because that the authors of such geare supposed by these works to merit remission of sinnes and iustification After the same manner heretofore did the penitential Canons increase wherof we still see some footings in satisfactions Againe manie writers imagine that in the new testament there should be a worship like to the Leuitical worship the appointing whereof god committed to the Apostles and Bishops wherein they seeme to be deceiued by the example of the law of Moses as if the righteousnes of the new testament were the outward obseruing of certeine rites as the iustice of the law was Like as therefore in the lawe
Chrysostome saieth for a man liuing in Matrimonie to take vpon him therewith the dignitie of a Bishoppe And as Sozomenus saith of Spiridon and as Nazianzene saieth of his owne Father we saie that a good and diligent Bishoppe doth serue in the Ministerie neuer the worse for that he his maried but rather the better and with more hablenes to doe good Further we saie that the same lawe which is by constraint taketh awaie this libertie from men and compelleth them against their willes to liue single is the doctrine of deuills as Paull saieth and that euer since the time of this lawe a wonderfull vncleannes of life and manners in Gods ministers and sundrie horrible enormities haue followed as the Bishop of Augusta as Faber as Abbas Panormitanus as Latomus as the Tripartite Worke which is annexed to the second Tome of the Councells and some other champions of the Popes bande yea and as the matter it selfe and all histories doe confesse For it was righlie saide by Pius the second Bishoppe of Rome that he saw manie causes why wiues should be taken awaie from Priestes but that he saw manie moe and more weighty causes why they ought to be restored to them againe OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF AVSPVRGE Art 5. Of Abuses Of the marriage of Priests WHereas the Doctrine of Christ maketh honourable mention of mariage and willeth men to vse the same not onelie for procreation sake but also to bridle and auoide lustes now a daies the mariages of Priestes are not onelie by the popes lawe but also by a new and vnwonted cruelty forbidden and such as be made and contracted are dissolued and broken Which is so much the more vnseemelie for that these thinges are done in the Church which as she ought most of all to abhorre and detest filthines so should shee with great care defend Wedlocke for the auoiding of manie greeuos enormities Besides seeing that in all heathenish common wealthes that were but meanelie well ordered mariage was in great account for verie waightie causes what is there lesse seemelie in the Church then either to breake in sunder the moste holie knoâ— of wedlocke or to punish mariage with punishmentes of death as though it were a most hainous offence Whence is it that this crueltie hath spread it selfe into the Church in which mutuall loue should florish moste of all Moreouer the matter it selfe doth testifie how much beast lines how manie vilanies this popish law of single life doth bring forth no voice of man is able to shew how manie vices haue issued forth of this fountaine into the Church For to saie nothing of Epicures whoe blush at nothing how manie good and godlie men haue had all successe in striuing with their natural weaknes and at the last haue fallen into horrible dispaire Now wherto tendeth this new crueltie but that those innumerable vilanies might be confirmed in the Churches and that wicked men might sinne more freelie This matter needeth no disputation at all For this now law defended by our aduersaries which forbideth Priestes to marie and dissolueth those that are contracted is flat contrarie to the lawe of nature to the lawe of god to the Gospell to the constitutions of auncient synods and to the examples of the auncient Church Onelie in this calling we need the godlines and equitie of the moste excellent Emperour whome we beseech for his godlines and dueties sake that he would seeke some remedie for the Church by abolishing this tyrannicall law For as all vniust crueltie doth displease God so that moste of all which is exercised against godlie and learned Priestes which deserue well of the Church And in this case we haue not onelie the worde of God threatning moste greeuous plagues against them which exercise crueltie on the Priestes but also there are examples to be seen in al ages which do plainely testifie that such threatnings are not in vaine For to let posse infinit other examples the Tribe of Benjamin was almost quite destroied for abusing the Priestes wife that came thither as a stranger For when as the dead bodie of the woman which died after shee had beene so abused was cut in peeces and sent to all the Princes of Israell all the people iudged that such outrage ought moste seuerelie to be reuenged And when they could not get the authors of this shameful fact to be deliuered vnto them for to be punished the wholl Tribe of Beniamin receiuing a great ouerthrowe was punished for it Now in these daies the Priestes are vexed with sundrie iniuries they are when no other crime is obiected vnto them but mariage racked with moste horrible torments and so put to death their miserable wiues and litle children being throwne out of house and home wander vp and downe as banished persons without anie certaine place of abode or house to dwell in Paull calleth The forbidding of mariage the Doctrine of Deuilles which to be true not onelie these filthie vices which the single life hath brought into the Church but also the crueltie which by reason of this lawe is exercised vpon Priestes and their wiueâ— and Children doe testifie plainelie For the Deuil is a murtherer and he is chiefelie delighted with the miseries of the godlie But the deuisers of such counsell shall one day haue their iust reward from God We iudge that such crueltie is not worthie for Christians to vse nor profitable to the Church of God Whereas they obiect the authoritie of the Popes lawe whie doe they not alledge the authoritie of the Canons against those shamefull examples of vncleane single life and those vilanies that were worthie of moste seuere punishment The authoritie of the Popes decree which is contrarie to the lawe of nature and the commaundement of God should be of no waight Men are so made by nature that they should be fruitfull Whereupon the lawiers saie That the coniunction of man woman is by the law of nature And the same the first book of Moses teacheth in the first second Chapters Againe when Saint Paull saith To auoide fornication let euerie man haue his wife it is certaine that he biddeth all which are not apt for a single life to ioyne in mariage And Christ doth admonish that all are not fit for a single life when he saieth All men doe not reeeiue this thing Moreouer neither mens lawes nor anie vowes are of force which are against the commaundement of God And the euent it selfe doth testifie that nature cannot be chaunged by mans lawe For we see what vile filthines this single life doth bring forth and if there be anie honest men which endeuour to keepe themselues chaste they preceiue right wel how great a burden how great daunger there is in this thing and they doe especiaâ—llie bewail this slauery of their order Certaine men went about in the Nicen Synod to make a lawe to forbid Priestes the vse of their wiues This law was refused by the holie
we teach that such as would be saued must in no wise separate themselues from the true Church of Christ But yet we do not so strictlie shut vp the Church within those markes before mentioned as thereby to exclude al those out of it which either doe not communicate in the sacraments by reason that they want them or else not willinglie nor vpon contempt but being constrained by necessitie do against their willes â—bstaine from them or in whome faith doth sometimes faile though not quite decaie nor altogether die or in whome some slippes and errors of infirmitie maie be found for we know that God had some friendes in the worlde that were not of the common wealth of Israell We know what befull the people of God in the captiuitie of Babylon where they wanted their sacrifices seuentie yeâ—es We know verie well what hapned to S. Peter who denied his Master and what is wont daylie to fall out among the faithfull and chosen of God which go astraie and are full of infirmities We know moreouer what manner of Churces the Churches at Galatia and Corinth were in the Apostles time in which the Apostle Paull condemneth diuers great and hevnous crimes yet he calleth them the holie Churches of Christ Yea and it fulleth out sometimes that God in his iust iudgement suffereth the trueth of his worde and the Catholique Faith and his owne true worship to be so obscured and defaced that the Church seemeth almost quite rased out and not so much as a face of a Church to remaine as wee see fell out in the daies oâ— Eliah and at other times And yet in the meane time the Lorde hath in this world euen in this darkenes his 〈◊〉 worshippers and those not a few but euen seuen thousand and more For the Apostle crieth The foundation of the Lord standeth sure and hath this seale the Lorde knoweth who are his c Whereupon the Church of God maie be termed inuisible not that the men whereof it consisteth are inuisible but because it being hidden from our sight and knowne onelie vnto God it cannot be discerned by the iudgement of man Againe not all that are reckoned in the number of the Church are saintes and the liuelie and true members of the Church for there be manie Hypocrits which outward lie doe heare the worde of God and publiquelie receiue the Sacramentes and beare a shew to praie vnto God alone through Christ to confesse Christ to be their onelie righteousnes and doe seeme outwardlie to worshippe God and to exercise the dueties of charitie to the bretheren and for a while through patience to indure in troubles calamities And yet they are altogether destitute of the inward illumination of the spirit of God of faith and sinceritie of heart and of perseuerance or continuance to the ende And these men are for the most part at the length laid open what they be For the Apostle Iohn saieth They went out from among vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would haue taried with vs. Yet these men whilest they doe pertend religion they are accounted to be in the Church howsoeuer indeed they be not of the Church Euen as traitours in a commonwealth before they be detected are counted in the number of good Citizens and as the cockell and darnell and chaffe are founde amongst the wheate and as wennes and swellinges are in a perfect bodie when they are rather diseases and deformities then true members of the bodie And therefore the Church is verie well compareed to a drawnet which draweth vp fishes of all sortes and to a fielde wherein is founde both darnell and good corne We are to haue a speciall regarde that we iudge not rashlie before the time nor go about to exclude cast of and cut awaie them whom the Lord would not haue excluded nor cut of or whome without some damage to the Church we cannot separate from it Againe we must be verie vigilant lest that the godlie falling fast a sleepe the wicked grow stronger and doe some mischiefe to the Church Furthermore we teach that it is carefully to be marked wherein especiallie the trueth and vnity of the Church consisteth lest that we either rashlie breede or nourish schismes in the Church It consisteth not in outward rites and ceremonies but rather in the trueth and vnity of the Catholike faith This Catholike faith is not taught vs by the ordinancesor lawes of men but by the holie scriptures a compendious short summe wherof is the Apostles creed And therfore we reade in the auncient writers that there was manifolde diuersities of ceremonies but that was alwaies free neither did any man think that the vnity of the church was therby broken or dissolued We saie then that the true vnitie of the Church doth consist in seuerall points of doctrine in the true and vniforme preaching of the gospell in such rites as the Lord himselfe hath expresly set downe and here we vrge that saying of the Apostle verie earnestly As many of vt therefore as are perfect let vs be thus in minded If any man thinke otherwise the Lord shall reueale the same vnto him And yet in that whereunto we haue attained let vs all follow one direction and all of vs be like affected one towardes another OVT OF THE FORMER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of the Church THis we holde that of such liuelie stones beeing by this meane built vpon this liuelie rocke the Church and the holy gathering together of al the Saints the Spouse of Christ which beeing clensed by his blood he shal once in time to come present without blot before his Father is founded The which Church though it be manifest to the ties of God alone yet is it not onelie seene and knowen by certaine outwarde rites instituted of Christ himselfe and by the worde of God as by a publique and lawfull discipline but it is so appointed that without these marks no man can be iudged to be in this Church but by the special priuiledge of God OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BASILL Of the Church WE beleeue a holie Christian Church that is a communion of Saints a gathering together of the faithfull in spirit which is holie and the Spouse of Christ wherein all they be Citizens which doe truelie confesse that Iesus is the Christ the Lambe that taketh away the sins of the worlde and doe shew forth that faith by the workes of loue And a little after This Church of Christ doth labour all that it can to keepe the bondes of peace and loue in vnitie Therefore it doth by no meanes communicate with Sectes and the rules of orders deuised for the difference of daies meates apparell and ceremonies OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BOHEMIA Of the holie Church and of the godlie institution and gouernement thereof and of Discipline Also of Antichrist CHAP. 8. IN the eight place it is taught touching the acknowledging of the
holie Catholike Christian Church And first of all that the foundation and head of the holy Church is Iesus Christ himselfe alone together with the wholl merit of grace and trueth to life eternall vpon whome and by whome this Church is at all times built by the holie Ghost the word of God and the sacramentes according to the meaning of that which Christ saide vnto Peter vpon this rocke to wit wherof thou hast made a true confession I will builde my Church And Saint Paull saith Other foundation can no man laie then that which is laid which is Iesus Christ. And in another place And hath appointed him ouer all thinges to be the head of the Church which is his bodie and the fullnes of him which filleth all in all thinges Out of these thinges it is taught that this is beleeued held and publikelie confessed that the holie Catholike Church beeing present at euerie time militant vpon earth is the fellowshippe of all Christians and is here and there dispersed ouer the wholl worlde and is gathered together by the holie Gospell out of all nations families tounges degrees and ages in one faith in Christ the Lord or in the holie Trinitie according to that saying of Saint Iohn who speaketh thus And I sawe a great companie which no man can number of all nations peoples and tongues standing before the throne and before the lambe This true Church although while it lieth here in the Lords floore to wit in the wide worlde and as it were in one heape confusedlie gathered together containeth in it as yet as well the pure wheat as the chaffe the Godlie children of God and the wicked children of the world the liuing and dead members of the ministers of the people yet where it is least defiled or most pure it maie be knoweÌ„ euen by these signes that follow namelie wheresoeuer Christ is taught in holie assemblies the doctrine of the holie Gospell is purelie and fullie preached the Sacraments are administred according to Christs institution commaundement meaning and will the faithfull people of Christ doth receiue vse them by these gathereth it selfe together in the vnitie of faith and loue and in the bonde of peace and ioyneth it selfe in one and buildeth it selfe hard together vpon Christ There therfore is the holie Church the house of God the temples of the holie Ghost liuelie members the partes of the heauenlie Ierusalem the spirituall bodie of Christ and ioynts knit together the which are ioyned and coupled ech with other by one head Christ one spirit of regeneration one worde of god the same and sincere sacramentes one faith one loue and holie communion one bonde of peace order discipline and obedience whether the number of this people be great or small as the Lorde witnesseth Where two or three are gathered together in my name in what countrie and nation and in what place soeuer this be there am I in the middest of them and contrarily where Christ and the spirit of Christ dwelleth not and the holie Gospell cannot haue anie place graunted vnto iâ— c. but on the contrarie side manifest errors and 〈…〉 life haue their full course and by getting the vpper hand do spread themselues faite there most also needes be a Church so defiled that Christ will not acknowledge iâ— for his welbeloued spouse seeing that none belongeth to Christ who hath not the spirit of Christ 〈◊〉 Christian is also bound with diligent care to seeke after this and such a true part of the holie Church and after he hath founde it to ioylie and mainteine holie communion and fellowship therewith as the other parte of that point of the Church in our christian Câ—â—â—de doth declare where we doe profelie that we 〈…〉 communion of Saints and ought altogether with this fellowship or spirituall companie of Gods people to 〈…〉 the true vnitie and concord of Christs spirit to Liue and beare good will to all the members to yâ—lde obedience thereunto and endeauour by all meanes possible to procure the profitte and furtherance thereof and in truth to holde agreement therewith and by no meanes thorough sâ—â—bboâ—nnes to mooue schismes seditions and sects against the truth To which thing the Apostle exhorteth all men where he saith So walke or behaue your selues as worthie of the place or vocation whereunto ye are called with all humblenes and â—â—ekenes with a quiet minde and long suffering forbearing one another and indeauour ye to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace There is one bodie and one spirit euen as ye are called in one hope of your vocation there is one Lord one faith one baptisme ore God and Father of all And againe Let euerie man please his neighbour in in that that is good to edification Also doe nothing through sâ—râ—â—e or for vaine glorie Againe Let there not be dissentions among you He therefore that in this life walketh according to these commaundements he is a true and liuelie member of the holie Church which bringeth forth the fruite of Faith and loue But he that looseth the spirit of Faith and looue in the holie fellowship must needes be a deede member Together with these thinges the ministers of our Churches teach that this is to be thought of their fellowship which is in like manner to be thought of any other Christian fellowship whether it be great or small to wit that it selfe alone is not that holie Catholike Christian Church but onely one part therof as the Apostle writeth of the Church at Corinth Ye are the bodie of Christ and members of him euerie one for his parte They teach also that there must be a platforme and certaine order of gouernment in the holie Church For without a platforme of order and outward gouernement it can not be in good case or go well with it no more then it can with anie other euen the least societie But this platforme of order consisteth chiefelie in this that they be both ordinarilie called and lawfullie ordained who execute due functions in the same beginning at the least proceeding to those that are of a meane sort so sorth euen to the chiefest The next point is that euerie one do wel discharge that place as it were his warde to which he is called vse watchfulnes suffer nothing to be sound wanting in himselfe nor at his owne pleasure do closelie conuey him selfe out of the same or go beyond the bondes thereof and meddle with other mens charges and moreouer that all among them-selues submit them-selues one to an other and al performe obedience from theleast to the greatest euerie man in his owne place whereunto he is called and do it with the affection of loue and of his owne accord not of constraint euen for Christes sake and for the care they haue of eternall saluation according as the Apostles and other holie men haue taught concerning this matter