that the church of Rome neither hath nor can erre Erraverunt aliae ecclesiae saith Di. Stella other churches as of Antioch Alexandria Constantinople c. haue erred sed nunquam ecclesia Romana but the church of Rome neuer yet erred Id constanter negamus saith Costerus the Iesuit we constantly deny that christ his Vicars Peters successors the Bishops of Rome haue either taught heresies or can propound errors God preserueth the truth of christian religion in the Apostolike sea of Rome and It is not possible that the church meaning the church of Rome can erre or hath erred at any time in any point say the Rhemists 20. Article Of the authoritie of the Church 1 The Church hath power to decree rites or ceremonies 2 and authoritie in controuersies of faith And yet it is not lawfull for the Church 3 to ordaine any thing that is contrarie to Gods word 4 neither may it so expound one place of Scripture 5 that it be repugnant to another VVherefore although 6 the Church be a witnesse and a keeper of holy writ yet as it ought not to decree any thing against the same so 7 besides the same ought it not to enforce any thing to be beleeued for necessitie of saluation The propositions 1. The church hath power to decree rites or ceremonies 2. The church may not ordaine what rites or ceremonies shee will 3. The church hath authoritie to iudge and determine in controuersies of faith 4. The church hath power to interpret and expound the word of God 5. The Analogie of faith must be respected in the exposition of the Scripture 6. The church is the witnesse and keeper of Gods written word 7. The church may not enforce any thing to be beleeued as necessarie vnto saluation that is either contrarie or besides the word of God 1. Proposition The church hath power to decree rites or ceremonies The proofe from the word of God THe churches authoritie to decree rites or ceremonies is warranted in the word of God first by the example of the Apostles who did ordaine rites and ceremonies among other things that In the church men should not be couered Women should keepe silence and be couered A knowen tongue vnderstood of the common auditorie should be vsed with other things Next by the generall and binding commandement of God himselfe who at all times will haue euery thing in the church to be done vnto edifying honestie and by order as beeing not the author of confusion but of peace All churches protestant confesse the same Errors adversaries vnto this truth This power being giuen by the Supreame authoritie vnto the Church they doe greatly offend which doe condemne either generally all or particularly some rites and ceremonies orderly and lawfully established of the former sort are 1. The Familie of Loue who say of themselues how they are a free people in bondage vnto no creature nor to any created thing they haue no seuerall distenting or variable religions either ceremonies 2. The Brownists who teach that euery Christian is to ioyn himselfe vnto that people among whome the Lords worship is free and not bound or withholden with any iurisdiction of this world 3. The Puritanes whereof some would haue all matters of ceremonies to be left in christian libertie vnto euery man Others would haue both temples to be left without seruice Sermons and Sacraments and Princes to be scared with the feare of vproares and sedition and all because they would be freed from the obedience vnto ceremonies not impious of themseluees imposed by the Church the Father of these men was Illyricus of whome Melancton writeth Of the latter kinde be 1. The Familie of Loue againe who vtterly dislike our Churches or Temples also our Liturgies formes of seruing our God and finally our designed times of meeting together for the worshippe of God Our Churches there blasphemously tearme Common houses and so we tearme Brothell houses or the stewes Our Lyturgies and manner of seruing of God they call Foolishnes of taken on seruices false and seducing Gods seruices of no man to be ordained nor to be obeied or vsed when they are established with these ioyne the Barrowists who doe write that to haue Leiturgies and formes of common praier is to haue another Gospell and another Testament Our Sabboths they contemne yea they condemne for they say There ought to be no Sabboth day Our Sabbatarians goe not so farre yet come they neere unto these Familists when they divulge that The Church hath no authoritie ordinarily and perpetually to sanctifie any day but the seuenth day which the Lord himselfe had sanctified The church cannot take away this libertie of working sixe daies in the weeke These assertions are against all holy daies lawfully established Barrow yet goeth further then doe these men for he saith how the obseruing of times as it is in our church is an error fundamentall They also be alike culpable who approouing some rites and ceremonies do yet tie the church or people of God to the obseruation of the ceremonies either Mosaicall as many haue donne and doe or of the Romish Church as doe the Papists and the halfe papists the Familie of Loue Finally they are out of the way which thinke that either one man as the Pope or any certaine calling of men as the clergie hath power to decree and appoint rites or ceremonies though of themselues good vnto the whole church of God dipersed ouer the vniuersall world 2. Proposition The Church may not ordaine what rites and ceremonies shee will The proofe from Gods word As it is a cleere truth that the church may ordaine ceremonies so true is it also that the church hath no power to appoint what rites or ceremonies shee will For shee must decree none which be Either for their owe nature impious like the ordinances manners and Idols of our forefathers teachers of vanitie and of lies Or for vse superstitious like the brazen Serpent which king Ezekiah brake in peices Or for their weight ouer heauie and greiuous to be borne like the Iewish constitutions Or for their worthines in the eies of the ordainers either of equall price or of more account then the very ordinances of God so as for the performance of them the lawes of God must be left vndone such were many of the Pharisaicall tires and traditions Or against the libertie of christians and to the entangling of them againe with the yoake of seruile bondage Or last of all any way contrary to the commandements word and will of God But the rites ceremonies and constitutions of the church they must make altogether and tend both to the nourishing and encrease of loue friedship and quietnes among christians and also to the retaining of Gods people in the holy seruice worship
same doe all reformed Churches beleeue and confesse The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth The premises doe make Against the Tretheites which affirme the holy Ghost to be inferior vnto the Father Against the Arrians who said the holy Ghost was inferior to the Sonne Against the Macedonian heretikes who held the holy Ghost to be but a minister and seruant of the Father and the Sonne yet of more excellent maiestie and dignitie then the Angels Against many erroneous spirits which deliuer the holy Ghost to be nothing els but The motion of God in his creatures as did the Samosatenians A bare power and efficacie of God working by a secret inspiration as the Turkes and certaine English Sadduces doe imagine The Inheritance allotted to the faithfull and the beeing or vertuous estate of Christ as dreameth H.N. The affection of charitie or Loue within vs an error of Petrus Lombardus Gods loue fauour and vertue whereby he worketh in his children so thought Ochinus and Seruetus 3. Proposition The holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne The proofe from Gods word The proceeding of the holy Ghost from the Father and the Sonne we gather from the holy scripture which teacheth how The Father sendeth the comforter which is the holy Ghost in the name of the Sonne and the sonne sendeth the comforter the spirit of truth from the Father he proceedeth of the Father and is sent of the Sonne So with vs say the auncient Fathers and Christians He proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne The holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Sonne neither made nor created but proceeding So there is one Father not three Fathers one sonne not three sonnes one holy Ghost not three holy Ghostes which is the faith of the moderne christians Errors and aduersaries vnto this truth This discouereth all them to be impious and to erre from the way of truth which hold and affirme That the holy Ghost proceedeth neither from the Father nor the Sonne but is one and the same person that Christ is as the Arrians doe That the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father but not from the sonne as at this day the Graecians the Russians the Moscouites maintaine That there is a double proceeding of the holy Ghost one temporall the other eternall an error of Peter Lombard vncontrolled hitherto and therefore well liked of the Papists 6. Article Of the sufficiencie of the holy Scripture for saluation Holy Scripture 1 containeth all things necessarie for saluation so that whatsoeuer is not read therein nor may be prooued thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be beleeued as an article of the Faith or be thought requisite necessary to saluation 2 In the name of the holy Scripture we doe vnderstand those Canonicall bookes of the old and newe testament of whose authoritie was neuer any doubt in the Church Of the names and number of the Canonicall bookes Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomium Iosue Iudges Ruth The 1. Booke of Samuel The 2. Booke of Samuel The 1. Booke of Kings The 2. Booke of Kings The 1. Booke of Chronicles The 2. Booke of Chronicles The 1. Booke of Esdras The 2. Booke of Esdras The Booke of Esther The Booke of Iob. The Psalmes The Proverbs Eccles. or the Preacher Canticles or song of Salomon 4. Prophets the greater 12Prophets the lesse 3 And the other bookes as Hierome saith the Church doth read for example of life and instruction of manners but yet doth it not applie them to stablish any doctrine Such are these following The 3. Booke of Esdras The 4. Booke of Esdras The Booke of Tobias The Booke of Iudith The rest of the Booke of Hester The Booke of wisedome Iesus the sonne of Sirach Baruch the Prophet Song of the 3. children The story of Susanna Of Bel and the Dragon The praier of Manasses The 1. Booke of Macchabes The 2. Booke of Macchabes 4 All the bookes of the newe Testament as they are commonly receiued we doe receiue and accompt them for Canonicall The propositions 1. The sacred Scripture conteineth all things necessarie to be knowen and beleeued for the saluation of man 2. All the bookes in the volume of the Bible are not Canonicall but some and namely those here specified are 3. The 3. 4. bookes of Esdras the booke of Tobias c. are apocryphal 4. Of the newe Testament all the bookes are Canonicall 1. Proposition The sacred Scripture containeth all things necessary to be knowne and beleeued for the saluation of man The proofe from Gods word THe holy Scriptures to be sufficient to instruct vs in all things necessary to be knowen and beleeued for mans saluation the word of God teacheth Ye shall put nothing vnto the word which I command you saith the Lord neither shall yee take ought therefrom Whatsoeuer I command you take heed you doe it thou shalt put nothing thereto nor take ought therfrom Thou shalt not turne away from it to the right hand nor to the left that thou maist prosper whither soeuer thou goest Euery word of God is pure c. Put nothing vnto his words least he reprooue thee and thou be found a liar These things are written that ye might beleeue c. and that in beleeuing yee might haue life through his Name The whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute beeing made perfect vnto all good workes If any man shall adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke and if any man shall diminish of the wordes of this booke God shall take away his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy cittie and from those things which are written in this booke Hereunto Gods people both alwaies haue and at this present doe subscribe The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth Therefore adversaries be wee to all adversaries to this truth especially To such as scorne and contemptuously reiect the booke of God as both did the Circumcellians which defaced and burnt the holy Scriptures and Pope Leo the tenth who tearmed the holy Gospel A fable of Christ and doe the prophane Atheists Also to such as debase the credite and estimation of the holy Scriptures as Dauid George did and both doe the papists who haue an opinion that the scriptures of God are not sufficient to instruct mankinde vnto saluation and the Anabaptists which deeme not the holy Bible to be the word of God with the Familie of Loue in whose bookes nothing is more frequent then the tearming of Gods reverend ministers and preachers Scripture learned Also to them which with Gods word doe equall their owne doctrines
veniall sinnes 10. Article Of Freewill 1 The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such that he cannot turne and prepare hâ—mselfe by his owne naturall strength and good workes 2 to faith and calling vpon God wherefore we haue no power to doe good workes pleasant and acceptable to God 3 without the grace of God preuenting vs that we may haue a good will and working with vs when we haue that good will The Propositions 1. Man of his owne strength many doe outward and euil workes before he is regenerate 2. Man cannot doe any worke that good is and godly being not yet regenerate 3. Man may performe and doe good workes when he is preuented by the grace of Christ and renued by the holy Ghost 1. Proposition Man of his owne strength may doe outward and euill workes before he is regenerate The proofe from Gods word WEe denie not that man not yet regenerate hath free will to doe the workes of nature for the preseruation of the body and bodily estate which thing had and haue the bruite beastes and prophane Gentiles as it is also well observed in our neighbour churches Besides man hath free will to performe the workes of Satan both in thinking willing and doing that which euill is For the imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart are onely euill continually euill euen from his youth A truth confessed by our brethren d. Errors adversaries vnto this truth A false perswasion is it therefore that man hath no power to moue either his body so much as vnto outward things as Laur. Valla dreamed or his minde vnto sinne as the Manichies maintained affirming how man is not voluntarily brought but necessarily driuen vnto sinne 2. Proposition Man cannot doe any worke that good is and godly beeing not as yet regenerate The profe from Gods word The wisedome of the flesh is enimitie against God for it is not subiect to the Law of God neither indeede can be They that are in the flesh cannot please God The naturnll man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned No man can saie that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost Wee are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiencie is from God Without mee ye can doe nothing saith our Sauiour Christ Which is the confession of the godly reformed The adversaries vnto this truth Adversaries vnto this truth are all such as hold that naturally there is Free will in vs and that vnto the best things So thought the Pharisies the Sadduceis the Pelagians and the Donatists and the same affirme the Anabaptists and Papists For say the Papists Man by the force power of nature may loue God aboue all things Man hath free will to performe euen spirituall and heauenly things Men beleeue not but of their owne free will It is in a mans free will to beleeue or not to beleeue to obey or disobey the Gospell of truth preached The Catholike popish religion teacheth freewill 3. Proposition Man may performe and doe good workes when hee is preuented by the grace of Christ and renued by the holy Ghost The proofe from Gods word In a man preuented by the grace of Christ and regenerate by the holy Spirit both the vnderstanding is enlightened so that he knoweth the secrets and will of God and the minde and the minde is altogether changed and bodie enabled to doe good workes To this purpose the Sriptures are plentifull I will put my lawe in their inward parts and write it in their hearts No man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whome the Sonne will reuiele him Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas for flesh and blood hath not revelled it vnto thee but my Father which is in heauen No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost To one is giuen by the spirit the word of wisedome and to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit and to another faith by the same spirit and to another the gifts of healing by the same spirit and to another the operations of great workes and to another prophecie and to another the discerning of spirits and to another diuersities of tongues and to an other the interpretation of tongues c. God he purifieth mans hearts worketh in vs both the will and the deed the spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray as wee ought c Such were some of you but yee are washed but yee are sanctified but ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of our God Vnto you it is giuen for Christ that not onely yee should beleeue in him but also suffer for his sake And this doe the Churches of God beleeue and confesse 11. Article Of the iustification of man VVe are accounted righteous before God only for 1 the merit of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ 2 by faith and 3 not for our owne workes or deseruings VVherefore that we are iustified by Faith onely is a most wholesome doctrine and very full of comfort c. The propositions 1. Onely for the merit our Lord and Sauiour Christ are we accounted righteous before God 2. Onely by Faith are we accounted righteous before God 3. Not for our owne workes or deseruings are we accounted righteous before God 1. Proposition Onely for the merit of our Lord and Sauiour Christ we are accounted righteous before God The proofe from the word of God BY Christ his blood onely wee are cleansed Hee is the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinne of the world Wee are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus Wee are bought with a price euen with the pretious blood of Christ the lambe vndefiled and without spot which cleanseth vs from all sinne By his onely righteousnes wee are iustified By the obedience of one many be made righteous Christ is the ende of the Lawe for righteousnesse vnto euery one that beleeueth He of God is made vnto vs wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption and wee are made the righteousnes of God in him And therefore from heauen we looke for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ And this is the faith and Confession of all Churches reformed Errors Adversaries to this truth This truth is neither beleeued nor acknowledged Of the Atheists who are neither perswaded of the life to come nor vnderstand the mysteries of mans saluation through the merits of Christ. Nor of the Pharise is and their followers who thinke that by ciuill and externall righteousnes we are iustified before God Nor of Matthewe Hamant
into the world that he should condemne the world but that the world through him might be saued God will that all men shall be saued and come vnto the knowledge of the truth 2. The doctrine of the Gospell for the free remission of sinnes is to be preached not vnto a fewe but vniuersally and generally vnto all men Goe therefore and teach all nations baptizing them c Goe into all the world and preach the Gospell to euery creature He that shall beleeue and be baptized shall be saued but hee that will not beleeue shall be damned 3. The seales of the couenant be appointed to be giuen to all men and members of the visible Church or desirous to be ineorporated there into For All are to be baptized and all are to participate of the bread and cuppe at the Lords supper 4. As the disobedience of Adam brought condemnation vpon all men so the blood and obedience of Christ is able all-sufficient to wash away all sinnes and that of all men 5. No man euer truly repented but he was receiued againe into fauour so was Dauid after his adulterie Manasses after his Idolatrie Peter after his Apostacie the Thiefe vpon the Crosse the Niniuites The adversaries vnto this truth They are not to be heard then which say that The number of the Elect is but small and seeing wee are vncertaine whether wee be of that companie or no wee will proceede in our course as wee haue begunne God is an acceptor of persons and so vniust in chusing some and refusing others God hath predestinate all those personns to eternall death which are not in the state of true repentance which was one of Glouers errors It is the part therefore of all and euery man Not to refuse the mercies of God both generally and gratiously offered vnto all men by his word and Sacraments Not to despaire in respect either of the greatnes or multitude of his sinnes Nor yet to prouoke the Lord to execute his vengeance vpon them through prophanes of life or securitie 10. Proposition In our actions the word of God which is his reuealed will must be our direction The proofe from Gods word In our doings but cheiefly in the matter of Predestination wee are to follow not our own iudgement and what seemeth good in our owne opinions but the will of God and that will too not which is concealed from vs viz. of God his omnipotencie wherby he gouerneth at his pleasure the things by himselfe created whereof mention is made both in the Psalmes in the Prophet Isay and other places of his word but of his fauour and good pleasure towards man reuealed in the holy Scriptures by Iesus Christ whome wee are to heare Subscribed hereunto haue and doe Gods church euery where The adversaries vnto this truth This truth is gainesaid by the Phrygians Montanists and Messalians also by the Enthusiastes Anabaptists And Familie of Loue which leaue the written word of God and relie vpon their owne dreames visions and lying reuelations Hence proceedeth the contempt of Gods written word and of the Preachers and all religious exercises thereof For saith the Familie of Loue No difference is there betweene a ceremoniall either Letre Doctor Christian an vncircumcised Heathen 18. Article Of obtaining eternall saluation onely by the name of Christ. 1 They also are to be had accursed that presume to say that euery man shall be saued by the Lawe or sect which he professeth so that he be â—iligent to frame his life according to that Law and the light of nature For holy Scripture doth set out vnto vs 2 onely the name of Iesus Christ whereby men must be saued The propositions 1. The profession of euery religion cannot saue a man liue he neuer so virtuously 2. No man euer was is or shall be saued but onely by the Name or faith of Iesus Christ. 1. Proposition The profession of euery religion cannot saue a man liue hee neuer so virtuously The proofe from the word of God THis we cannot but acknowledge to be a truth if wee beleeue the Scriptures for they testifie that Iewes and Gentiles are all vnder sinn culpable before God and depriued of the glory of God All men that would be saued must be borne againe of the holy Ghost No man is iustified by the workes of the Lawe either ceremoniall or morall God hateth the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes and of Balaam The Reprobate whose names are not written in the booke of the life of the Lambe they doe worship the Beast Punishments eternall and intolerable are threatned both to the Beast and the false prophet and likewise to all such as will not goe out of Babylon and to all Idolaters The confessions of Gods people are to this ende and purpose Errors adversaries vnto this truth Then to be had accursed are they which affirme that This obseruation of the Iudaicall ceremonies is necessarie vnto saluation as did the false apostles the Ebionites and the Corinthians Such throughout the world as lead an vpright life and be morally righteous whatsoeuer their religion is shall be saued as many of the Philosophers were in the opinion of the Valentinian and Basilidian heretikes of Galeatus Martius and Erasmus Roterodam That men externally may professe any religion and notwithstanding be saued if their affections and hart be with the Familie of Loue That all those which liue vprightly and doe good deedes shall be of equall happines in the kingdome of heauen be they Turkes Christians Iewes or Moores A Turkish error That men may embrace and follow the sect and religion which they haue most minde vnto and so doing please God and shall be saued the Lampatians doctrine That no sect euer erred or were out of the way to heauen a fancie of the Rhetorians 1. Proposition No man euer was is or shal be saued but onely by the name or Faith of Iesus Christ. The proofe from Gods word This wee cannot but acknowledge to be true if also wee beleeue the scriptures which say that Among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby wee must be saued Through Iesus Christ his name all that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes In thee viz. Christ Iesus shall all the Gentiles be blessed And this is the Faith and confession of the reformed Churches The errors and Adversaries vnto this truth Many waies this truth very heretically is oppugned For Some teach that wee are saued not by Christ but as the Valentinians said by the labour of their hands and by their owne good workes as Simon Magus boasted by his faire Helene as Matthew Hamant held by other meanes and that all persons which worshipped Christ are abominable Idolaters as
mysticall and propheticall as Brocardus Morelius and others Some are of minde that the Gospell or Euangelicall word cannot be committed to letters and wrighting saith Lindanus Some doe thinke as afore also hath bin shewen how that is the olde and onely true sense of the Scriptures which is made and giuen by the Church and Pope of Rome Some doe maintaine that as the Church in time doth alter so the interpretation of the Scripture also therwithal doth vary wherby that which in the Apostles time was a truth in these daies shall be a falsehood In which error was Cardinall Cusanus 6. Proposition The Church is the witnesse and keeper of Gods written word The proofe from Gods word Though the Church hath authority to heare and determine in controversies of faith yet hath the Church power neither to iudge the word of God nor to iudge otherwise then Gods word doth iudge For it is saide to the Church and people of God I beseech you brethren marke them diligently which cause diuisions and offenses contrarie to the Doctrine which you haue learned and auoid them Here him To him giue all the Prophets witnesse Search the Scriptures whosoeuer trangresseth and abideth not in the the doctrine of Christ hath not God yee are c. built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets And of the holy Scriptures Thy word is the the truth They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them saith our S. Christ. Wee haue also a sure word of the Prophets saith Saint Peter And S. Paul The whole Scripture is profitable to teach c. If any man teach otherwise and consenteth not to the wholsome wordes of our L. Iesus Christ he is puft vp and knoweth nothing c And so with vs doe other Churches conceiue both of the Scriptures and Church yet all of vs do grant that the Church as a faithfull witnesse may yea of necessitie must testifie to the world what hath bin the doctrine of God his people from time to time and as a trustie Recorder is to keepe make knowne what the word of God which it hath receiued is which truly hath bin perfomed afore the word was written by the Patriarchs and after the same was committed to writing before Christ his incarnation by the Iewes in Christ his life time in the primitiue Church From the Apostles time by the godly Christians thoroughout the world Errors adversaries vnto this truth Be it farre therefore from vs to thinke which the Papists do not stick to write and say namely that The Church is to iudge the Scriptures and not the Scriptures the Church The Scripture is not of the essence of the Church Because without it a Church may be though not very well So said Card. Cusan The Scripture because in their opinion it is vnperfect cannot obscure may not ambiguous ought not be the iudge So Lindan Latomus Petrus a Soto Pighius Coster c. He is an heretike that cleaueth to the Scriptures So said Iacobus Hocstratus Againe the carefull keeping of the holy Scriptures by Gods people from age to age and time to time declareth first how the mother Church of Rome is not the onely keeper of the holy writ and next that cursedly they doe offend which either as greatly esteeme the Ethickes of Aristostle as the commandements of god the Odes of Pindar as the Psalmes of Dauid the workes and bookes of men as the writings of God which the Councell of Trent doth or before and aboue the scripture prefer vnwritten Traditions Hence Petrus a Soto Tradition saith hee is both more auncient and more effectuall the◠the holy Scripture and Lindan The scriptures would be of no validitie neither had continued till this day but for traditions 7. Proposition The Church may not enforce any thing to be beleeued as necessary vnto saluation that is either contrarie or besides the word of God The proofe from the word of God Yee shall put nothing vnto the word which I command you neither shall yee take ought there from Put nothing vnto his words least hee reprooue thee and thou be found a liar Though it be but a mans couenant when it is confirmed yet no man doth abrogate it or addeth any thing thereto If any man shall adde vnto these things God shall ad vnto him the plauges that are written in this booke And if any man shal diminish of the words of the booke of this prophecy god shall take away his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy cittie and from those things which are written in this booke And so witnesse with vs the Churches reformed Whatsoeuer also is grounded vpon Gods written word though not by our common and vulgar tearmes to be redde therein wee doe reuerendly embrace which maketh vs for doctrine to embrace the Consubstantiality of our Sauiour with the Father and the holy Ghost which the Arrians would not a Trinitie of persons in the Godhead which the Sabellians would neuer doe the iustification by faith Onely which the Papists will not the baptisme of Infants and young children which the Anabaptists dare not and for discipline not to refuse of Church officers the names Archbishops Patriarches Primates Metropolitanes Suffragans Parsons Vicars c. of ecclesiasticall censures the tearmes Suspension Excommunication of Ceremonies none at all which tend either vnto order comelines or edification But from the heart wee abhor in matters both of doctrine and disciple whatsoeuer either agreeth not with the canon of the Scripture or is not grounded thereupon The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth Hence detest wee both all the old heretikes and their fancies with the newe prophets of Basilides the Manifestation of Marciō the mysteries of the Manichies the Iobolia of the Sathiās the Symbonia of the Archōtikes the Cabala of the Iewes the Alcaron of the Turkes and also all newe heretikes and Schismatikes with all their cursed opinions as first the Anabaptists and namely the Libertines the Dauigeorgians and Familie of Loue and all the codeified Elders thereof as Henry Nicholas Eliad Fidelitas Christopher Vitell Theophilus the Exile and the rest Next the Papists whereof Some haue commanded that all the Popes decrees should be taken as confirmed by the mouth of God himselfe so did Pope Agatho the first Some write as Busgradus that if the Pope beleeue there is no life to come as some Popes haue done wee must beleeue it as an article of our faith Some say if the Pope carrie innumerable soules with him vnto hell yet he may not be iudged so did Pope Boniface the 8. Some as Bellarmine conclude that it is a point of faith to hold that the Bishop of Rome hath succeeded Peter in the vniuersall regiment of the Church Others as the Iesuites perswade their Catholikes
and by thy feete all the Angels Archangells Patriarches Prophets Apostles EuaÌ„gelists Martyrs Confessours Virgins Widdowes Infants heale thee The Minister therof vsually is a priest but may be any other Christian. The effect of annoiling is to purge and put away veniall sinnes committed by mispending of our senses as also sinnes forgotten In this antichristian doctrine many errors be contained For In respect of the matter the Papists make of greasie matter a spiritual ointment whereas there is none ointment spirituall but the holy Ghost In respect of the forme the onely propitiator and mediatour betweene God and man Christ Iesus is blasphemed and the merit and power of his death ascribed vnto greasie oile Besides Christ is not acknowledged for the onely Sauiour of mankinde and Physitian of our soules but other Physitians be called vpon besides him In respect of the minister they hold how any maÌ„ hath power to forgiue sinns which belongeth vnto God alone also that other men yea women and not the minsters of the word onely may be minsters of the Sacraments In respect of the effect they teach vs which is vtterly vntrue that neither all sinnes be mortall nor that Christ hath cleansed such as be his from all their sinnes by his pretious blood 10. Proposition The Sacraments are not to be abused but rightly to be vsed of vs all The proofe from Gods word In the word of God the right vse of the Sacraments and the ends of their institution are euidently set downe For Concerning Baptisme Christ hee saith Teach all nations baptizing them c Hee that shall beleeue and be baptized shall be saued Touching the Lord his Supper saith our Sauiour of the Bread take eate c. and of the Cup Drinke yee all of it and S. Paul The cup of blessing which wee blesse is not the communion of the blood of Christ The bread which wee breake is not the communion of the body of Christ This truth doe the Chruches reformed by their Confessions subscribe vnto The errors adversaries vnto this truth Then greatly doe they sinne who either doe not vse the Sacraments either at all as doe the Schwenfeldias or minister them but vnto whome they list so is Baptisme of the Seruetians and Anabaptists ministred onely vnto elder persons denied vnto Infants and so is the same Sacrament of the Marcionites ministred vnto single persons but denied vnto married folkes or doe abuse them So abused is baptisme by them who baptise things without reason yea some times without life or sense so haue the Papists baptized both Bells and Babels as the greater Bell of S. Iohn de Lateran at Rome by Pope Iohn the 14. who named it Iohn after his owne name and the great Bell of Christ church in Oxford which D. Trâ—sham the Vice chancellor named Mary Babells as the Duke of Aluar cheife Standare which hee vsed in the Lowe countries was baptized by Pius Quintus An. 156â— and called Margaret by the said Pope and so the Cataphrygians baptized the dead bodies of men Againe Baptisme was Baptized by the Marcionites when they baptized the liuing for the dead also by the Noâ—uatian and Papists when they rebaptized infants afore baptized as they tearmed them by Heretikes And so abused was the Lords Supper by certaine Heretikes condemned in a Councell at Carthage whose manner was to thurst the Sacrament into the mouthes of dead men and is by the Papists whose gift is to vse it magically as a salue against bodily siâ—knes and aduersitie also to carrie the same about pompously and superstitiously in the open streetes to be adored of the beholders 11. Proposition All which receiue the Sacraments receiue not therewithall the things signified by the Sacraments The proofe from Gods word Wee read in the holy Scripture that Some persons doe receiue the Sacraments and the things signified by the Sacraments which are the remission of sinnes and other spirituall graces from God and so receiued was the Sacrament of Baptisme of Cornelius and the Lords Supper of the good disciples and the godly Corinthians Some againe receiue the sacraments but not the things by them signified so receiued was Baptisme of Sunon Magus and the Lords Supper of Iudas and so receiue the Atheists Libertines and impenitent persons And some receiue not the Sacraments at all and yet are partakers of the things by the Sacraments signified such a communicant was the Theife vpon the Crosse This maketh vs to conceiue well both of those men and womeÌ„ which would and yet cannot communicate in the publike and Christian assemblies and of the children of Christian parents which depart this world vnbaptized Furthermore it is apparent how Saluation is promised to such as are baptized yet not simply in respect of their baptisme but if they doe beleeue Againe S. Paul faith whosoeuer shall eate the bread or drinke the cuppe of the Lord Vnworthily shall be guiltie of the body and blood of Christ And this the purer Churches euery where doe acknowledge The adversaries vnto this truth The Papists therefore be in a wrong opinion which deliuer that The Sacraments are not only Seales but also causes of grace and The Sacraments doe giue grace euen because they be deliuered and receaued ex opere operato 26. Article Of the vnworthinesse of the Ministers which hinder not the effect of the Sacraments Although in the visible Church the euill be euer mingled with the good and sometime the euill haue chiefe authoritie in the ministration of the word and Sacraments yet forasmuch as they doe not the same in their owne name but in Christs and doe minister by his commission and authoritie 1 wee may vse their ministerie both in hearing the of God and in the receiuing the Sacraments Neither is the effect of Christs ordinance taken away by their wickednes nor the grace of Gods gifts diminished from such as by faith and rightly doe receiue the Sacraments mâ—nistred vnto them which are effectuall because of Christs institution and promise although they be ministred by euill men Neuerthelesse it appertaineth to the discipline of the Church that 2 enquirie be made of euill ministers and that they be accused by those that haue knowledge of their offenses and finally being found guiltie by iust iudgement be deposed The propositions 1. The effect of the word and Sacraments is not hindred by the badnes of ministers 2. Euill Ministers are to be searched out convicted and deposed but orderly and by the discipline of the Church 1. Proposition The effect of the word and Sacraments is not hindered by the badnes of Ministers The proofe from Gods word OF the ministers ecclesiasticall the Church is to conceiue neither to sinisterly as though their vnworthines could make the word and Sacraments the lesse effectuall to such as worthily doe heare and receiue them nor on the
THE FAITH DOCTRINE and religion professed protected in the Realme of England and dominions of the same Expressed in 39 Articles concordablie agreed vpon by the reuerend Bishops and Clergie of this Kingdome at two seuerall meetings or Conuocations of theirs in the yeares of our Lord 1562 and 1604 THE SAID ARTICLES ANALISED INTO Propositions and the Propositions prooued to be agreeable both to the written word of God and to the extant Confessions of all the neighbour Churches Christianlie reformed THE ADVERSARIES ALSO OF NOTE AND name which from the Apostles daies and primitiue Church hetherto haue crossed or contradicted the said Articles in generall or any particle or proposition arising from anie of them in particular heereby are discouered laid open and so confuted Perused and by the lawfull authoritie of the Church of England allowed to be publique Rom. 16.17 I beseech you bretheren Marke them diligently which cause diuisions and offences contrarie to the doctrine which yee haue receaued and auoide them PRINTED BY IOHN LEGATT PRINTER to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1607. TO THE MOST REVErend Father in God his right honorable good Lord Richard by the diuine prouidence Archb. of Canterburie and Primate of England and Counselar to the most high mighty Prince Iames King of great Brittaine France Ireland MOst reuerend Father in God there is no one thing in this world that of men truly zealous Christian in these latter daies of the world with greater earnestnes hath bin desired then that by a ioynt common consent of all the Churches rightly according to the canons of the sacred Scriptures reformed there might be a draught made and diuulged containing and expressing the summe substance of that Religion which they doe all both concordablie teach vniformely maintaine That holy man of happie remembrance D. Cranmer who sometime enioyed that roome in our Church which your Grace nowe worthily possesseth in the daies of that most godly young Prince King Edward the sixt employed a great part of his time and studie for the effecting of that worke and imparted his thoughts with the most principall persons and of rarest note in those daies for their wisdome pietie and credit among the people of God throughout Christendome M. Caluin vnderstanding of his intent addressed his letters vnto the sayd Archbishop and offered his seruice saying that might his labours stand the Church in steede ne decem quidem maria it would not grieue him to saile ouer ten Seas to such a purpose 2. But this proouing a worke of much difficultie if not altogether vnpossible in mans eies especially in those daies to be brought about the next course and resolution was that euerie Kingdome and free state or principalitie which had abandoned the superstitious and Antichristian religion of the Church of Rome and embraced the Gospell of Christ should diuulge a Briefe of that religion which among themselues was taught and beleeued and whereby through the mercie of God in Christ they did hope to be saued Which to God his great glorie the singular benefit comfort of all Churches both present and to come as the extant Harmonie of all their confessions doth most sweetely record with no great labor was notablie performed This worke of theirs tolde the Churches in those daies and doth vs and will enforme our posteritie that not only in euery particular State Kingdome but also throughout Christendome where the Gospell was entertained the primitiue and Apostolicall daies of the Church were againe restored For the multitudes of them that did beleeue I speake both ioyntly of all and seuerally of each reformed people not of euery particular person fantastique False-apostles and peruerse teachers or professors in any Church who were not wanting euen in the Apostles daies touching the maine and fundamentall points of true religion were then of one hart and of one soule and did thinke and speake one thing and liue in peace 3. The said Archbishop for vnto whom better after God and the King can we ascribe the glorie of this worthy act hee wrought this Vnitie and Vniformitie of doctrine in this kingdome in the Halcyon daies of our English Iosias K. Edward the sixt of that name and the same doctrine so by his meanes established in the time of peace a notable worke of peace like a manly haeroicall and heauenly Capitane vnder our Generall Iesus Christ he resolutely euen with his heart blood in the fierie torments afterwards confirmed in the daies of persecution A certaine learned man speaking of the Religion heere then professed and wrighting vnto the Lords of our late Queenes Counsell doth say he meaning the Papist his aduersarie who charged our Church with discord and disagreements about matters of religion He ought saith he if hee had bin able to haue brought out the publike Confession and Articles of faith agreed in K. Edwards time and haue shewed any in England that professing the Gospell dissenteth from the same So esteemed hee and with him many thousands of learned and iudicous men of the doctrine then ratified by authoritie and professed in this kingdome But those daies of our Churches peace continued not long through our vnthankefulnesse and sinnes neither on the other side was our persecution permanent through the goodnes of god though for the time exceeding vehemt violent For nubecula fuit cito transiit it vanished away quickely as do many raging stormes euen vpon the suddaine yet not through the power of Gunpowder and treasons but through the force of ardent praiers vnto the Almightie For arma ecclesiae preces 4. Wee finde that M. Latimer that sacred and reuerend Father addicted himselfe very seriously in those daies vnto the exercise of prayer and his principall and most vsuall praiers were first for himselfe next for the afflicted church of England and lastly for Lady Elizabeth the deceassed K. Edwards and Q. Maries sister For himselfe hee praied that as God had made him a minister and Preacher of his truth so hee might constantly beare witnesse vnto the same haue the grace and power to maintain it in the face of the world euen till the hower of his death For the church of Enlād hee praied that God would be pleased once againe to restore the free Preaching of the Gospell to this realme and this withall possible feruencie of Spirit hee craued at the hands of God And for Lady Elizabeth that hee would preserue and make her a comfort to his then comfortlesse people in England And the almightie and our heauenly Father both heard and granted all and euery of his petitions M. Gualter that learned painfull excellent diuine at Tigure dedicating his holy and Christian comments vpon the lesser Prophets vnto D. Parkhurst Bishop of Norwich who in the daies of the forementioned Q. Mary voluntarily had exiled himselfe so farre as Switzerland for his preseruation if it might be vnto better times
yet these faithfull Brethren either through forgetfulnes or frailtie or which I rather thinke forced thereunto by the power of truth doe plainly confesse that those verie decrees of our Bishops and Articles of the conuocation house euen that little litle part of the Gospel which the said Bishops and Martyrs brough to light and hath enlightned the whole realme containeth the very fundamentall points of Christianity Whereof I still gather that had their newly reuealed tearmed learned Discourses and doctrines touching Discipline their Presbyteries howsoeuer with goodly glorious titles to rauish poore heartes with the desire thereof brandished and set out neuer bin diuulged or preached we may be saued but without knowing and beleeuing the Articles or doctrine of our Church which yet is not ours but Gods there is no saluation ordinarily to be looked for of any man so true and of such necessitie is this so impertinent and vnneedefull the other 18. Octogesimus octauus mirabilis annus it was prophecied to be a wonderfull yeare long afore it came and will neuer be forgotten now it is past Among the things for which the yeare 88. is famous one and not of least regard is that afore it expired these bookes of the brethren by a Proclamation from Q. Elizabeth were denounced Schismaticall and seditious and the doctrine in them contained erroneous tending to perswade and bring in a monstrous and apparent dangerous Innouation within her dominions and countries and to make a change euen a dangerous change of the forme of doctrine then in vse And therefore the said bookes were commanded to be brought in and deliuered into the hands of authoritie and speciall charge giuen that no moe of that nature should come abroad or be printed Wherby so much as in that blessed Queene whose name with eternall honour shall be recorded these newe fancies of the brethren were hissed and exploded out of this Christian kingdome and the articles or publike doctrine of our Church confirmed countenanced and by the royall prerogatiue of that peerelesse Prince more strongly ratified and commended to her awefull and good subiects then afore 19 The zeale of learned and godly men herevpon was inflamed and their courage so encreased as whereas afore this time but one or two or a very few the first whereof was your L. imediate Predecessor whose memorie be alwaies honourable among the Saints did encounter the Brethren and oppugned their fancies now an Armie of most valourous and resolute Champions and Challengers rose vp which then and diuers yeares ensuing among whome as your Grace was the first in time which gaue the onset so are you to be reckoned with the first and best for zeale wisedome and learning did conflict with these Brethren defended the Prelacie stood for the Prince and State put the newe Doctors to the foile profligated the Elders set vpon the Presbyterie and so battered the new Discipline as hitherto they could neuer nor hereafter shall euer fortifie and repaire the decaies thereof 20. Notwithstanding what the brethrē wanted in strength and learning they had in wilynes and though they lost much one way in the generall maine point of their discipline yet recouered they not a litle aduantage another way by an odde and a newe deuise of theirs in a speciall article of their classicall instructions For while these Worthies of our Church were employing their engins forces partly in defending the present gouernment Ecclesiasticall partly in assaulting the Presbytery and newe Discipline euen at that verie instant the Brethren knowing themselues too weake either to ouerthrowe our holds and that which we hold or to maintaine their owne they abandoned quite the Bulwarkes which they had raised and gaue out were impregnable suffering vs to beate them downe without any or very small resistance and yet not carelesse of their affaires left not the warres for all that but from an odd corner and after a newe fashion which wee little thought of such was their cunning set vpon vs a fresh againe by dispersing in printed bookes which for tenne yeares space before they had bin in hammering among themselues to make them complete their Sabbath speculations Presbyterian that is more then either Kingly or Popely directions for the obseruation of the Lords day This Stratageme of theirs was not obserued then neither I feare me is regarded as it should be yet and yet did since hath and doubtlesse in time to come if it be not timely seene vnto with vnsound opinions and paradoxes will so poison many as the whole Church and Common-weale will find the danger and inconuenience of them so plausible are they to men either popularlie religious or preposterouslie and iniudiciouslie zealous 21. In this their fallie as I said before they set not vpon the Bishops and their calling their Chancelars c. as Popish and Antichristian they let them alone seeing and knowing they are too well backt for them to subuert but which are of great all and almost of the same antiquitie with Bishops diuers of thē and I had almost said as necessarie they ruinate and at one blowe beate downe all Times and daies by iust authoritie destined to religious and holy vses besides the Lords day saying plainely and in peremptorie words that the Church hath none authoritie ordinarily or from yeare to yeare perpetually to sanctifie any other day to those vses but only the Lordes daie They builde not Presbyteries expressedly though vnder hand if it be well marked they doe erect them in their exercises of the Sabbath but they set vp a newe Idoll their Saint Sabbath earst in the daies of Popish blindnes S. Sunday in the middes and mindes of Gods people By the former they haue opened not a gap but a wide gate vnto all licentiousnes libertie and prophanes on the Holie daies which is readily and greedily apprehended of all sorts of people euerie where especially of their fauorites to the hie dishonor of God decay of deuotion hinderance of Christian knowledge and wisedome in all sorts especially in the vulgar multitude and poore seruants aduantage of the common enimies and grosse contempt of the necessarie and laudable orders of our Church By the latter they haue introduced a newe and more then either Iewish or Popish superstition into the land to no small blemish of our Christian profession and scandall of the true seruants of God and therewith doctrine most erroneous dangerous and Antichristian 22. Their doctrine summarilie may be reduced vnto these two heads whereof the one is that the Lords day euen as the old Sabbath was of the Iewes must necessarily be kept and solemnized of all and euerie Christian vnder the paine of eternall condemnation both of bodie and soule The other that vnder the same penaltie it must bee kept from the highest to the lowest both of King and people in sort and manner as these Brethren among themselues haue deuised decreed and prescribed The former
cloake their inueterate and rooted pertinacie howe the purpose if not doctrine of our Church is of late altered from that it was And therefore though they can be wel content to allowe of the old doctrine and auncient intention yet vnto the old doctrine and newe Intention of our Church they cannot subscribe might they either gaine much or loose whatsoeuer they haue thereby Besides this newe Intendement contrarie to the old purpose if not doctrine of our Church is become nowe the maine principall obstacle why they cannot subscribe vnto the booke of Cōmon prayer booke of Ordination as earst they some of them foure times haue done when aswell the Intention as Doctrine of our Church was pure and holy Lastly they seeme not obscurely to intimate vnto the State that were they sure or might bee assured that the purpose of our Church were the same which it was neither varied from the doctrine they would be prest and as readie euen foure if not fortie times moe to subscribe vnto the fore mentioned bookes of Common prayer and of Ordination as afore times they did when they were out of doubt the Intention of our Church was correspondent to her Doctrine that it was sound good I haue foure times subscribed saith a Brother to the booke of Common prayer with limitation reference of all things therein contained not vnto the purpose only or doctrine only but vnto the purpose doctrine of the church of England Yet cannot the same man with a good conscience so much as once more subscribe which formerly and that with a good consciēce had subscribed foure times His reasō is Because the purpose if not doctrine of our Church to which hee referred his subscriptiō appeareth to him by the late Canons booke of cōference some speeches of men in great place others to be varied somewhat from that which he before not without reason tooke it to be 35. The purpose of our Church is best knowne by the Doctrine which shee doth professe the Doctrine by the 39. Articles established by Act of Parliament the Articles by the words whereby they are expressed and other purpose then the publique Doctrine doth minister and other Doctrine then in the sayd Articles is contained our Church neither hath nor holdeth and other sense they cannot yeeld then their words doe impart The words be the same and none other then earst and first they were And therefore the sense the same the Articles the same the Doctrine the same and the purpose Intention of our Church still one the same If then her purpose be knowne by her Doctrine and Articles and their true sense by their very words needes must the purpose of our Church be the same because her Doctrine and Articles for number words sillables and letters euery way be the very same And so our Churches intention in her publique Doctrine and Articles reuealed being good at the first it is to still For her purpose continuing one the same cannot be ill at the last which was good and so beleeued and acknowledged euen by the Brothers subscription at the first or good in good Queene Elizabeths and ill in illustrious King Iames his daies 36. If the premisses sufficiently explane not the constancy of our Churches purpose in professing religion sincerely then cast we our eies vpon the Propositions which she publiquely maintaineth and if wee find them the same which euer they haue beene then neede wee not doubt the Brethren themselues being Iudges but the Articles againe their sense the Doctrine purpose and Intention of the Church of England the Propositions interpreting as it were the said Articles is the very same it euer was Now that the Propositions pregnantly and rightly gathered and arising from the articles be the same for substance vnaltered though vpon good considerations some fewe be added to the former and all of them approoued for true and Christian by the lawfull and publike allowance of our Church the booke here ensuing plainly wil declare and so demonstrate withall not the Doctrine onely but intention also of our Church to be the same and not changed and being vnchanged the bookes then of common prayer and of ordination too cōsidered in the purpose and intention of the Church of England and reduced to the Propositions as the Brethren would haue them be well allowed and authentically approoued and the said brethren with as good conscience nowe againe and afresh may subscribe vnto all the Articles euen concerning the Booke of common praier and of ordination aswell as of the Kings supremacie and of Religion as afore often and alwaies they did 37. Fot my selfe most reuerend Father in God what my thoughts be of the religion in this realme at this instant professed and of all these Articles if the premisses doe not that which here followeth will sufficiently demonstrate Twentie yea 22 yeares agoe voluntarily of mine owne accord and altogether vnconstrained I published my subscription vnto them my Faith is not either shaken or altered but what it then was it still is yeares haue made those haires of mine gray which weare not and time much reading and experience in theologicall conflicts and combates haue bettered a great deale but not altered one whit my iudgement I thanke God Nothing haue I denied nothing gainesaid which afore I deliuered Thē Propositiōs are and yet not many moe the method altered quotations added both for the satisfaction of some learned and iudicious freinds of mine requesting it at mine hands and for the benefit both of the common and vnlearned of the studious and learned Reader The whole worke expresseth aswell my detestation and renunciation of all adversaries and errors opposite crossing or contradicting the doctrine professed by vs and protected by our King or any article or particle of truth of our religion as my approbation of that truth which in our Church by wholesome Statutes and ordinances is confirmed There is not an heretike or Schismatike to speake of of any speciall marke that from the Apostles time hitherto hath discouered himselfe and his opinions vulgarly in writing or in print against our doctrine but his heresie fancie or phrensie may here be seene against one propositiō or other The Sects and Sect masters adversaries vnto vs either in the matter or maine points of our doctrine or Discipline to one of our Articles or other wholly or in part which here be discouered to be taken heed of and auoided are many hundres 38. This and whatsoeuer els here done either to the confirmation of the truth or detestation of heresies and errors I doe very meekely present vnto your Grace as after God and our King best meriting the patronage thereof My selfe am much the whole Church of England much more bound vnto your Lordship yea not wee onely nowe liuing but our successors also and posteritie shall haue cause in all ages while the world shall continue to magnifie almightie God for the
inestimable benefits which wee haue and shall receiue from your selfe and your late Predecessors D. Whitgift Grindall Parker Cranmer of famous and honourable remeÌ„brance Bishops of our Church Archbishops of the See of Canterbury for this vniforme doctrine by some of your Lordships drawen and penned by all of you allowed defended as agreeable to the Faith of the very Apostles of Christ and of the auncient Fathers correspondent to the Confessions of all reformed Churches in Christendome and contrariant in no point vnto Gods holy and written word commended vnto vs both by your authoritie and Subscriptions Now the all mercifull God and heauenly Father which so inspired them and your Lordship with wisedome from aboue and inabled you all to discerne truth from falsehood sound religion from Atheisme idolatry and errors vouchsafe of his infinite goodnes to encrease his graces more and more vpon your Grace to his owne glorie the Churches benefit and your owne euerlasting comfort And the same God which both mercifully hath brought and miraculously against all hellish and diuelish practises of his and our enemies continued the light of his truth among vs giue vs all grace with one heart and consent not onely to embrace the same but also to walke and carrie our selues as it beseemeth the Children of light in all peaceablenesse and holinesse of life for his Sonne our Lord and Sauiour Christ his sake At Horninger neere S. Ed. Bury in Suff. the 11. of March â—n 1607. Your Graces poore Chaplaine alwaies at commaund Thomas Rogers Constitutions and Canons ecclesiasticall an 1604. WHosoeuer shall heereafter affirme that the Church of England by Lawe established vnder the Kings Maiestie is not a true and an Apostolicall Church teaching and maintaining the Doctrine of the Apostles let him bee excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but onely by the Archbishop after his repentance and publike reuocation of this his wicked error Can. 3. Whosoeuer shall heereafter affirme that any of the 39. Articles agreed vpon by the Archbishops and Bishops of both Prouinces and the whole Cleargie in the Conuocation holden at London in the yeare of our Lord God 1562. for the auoyding of diuersities of opinions and for the establishing of consent touching true Religion are in any part superstitious or erroneous or such as he may not with a good conscience subscribe vnto let him be excommunicated ipso facto not restored but only by the Archbishop after his repentance and publike reuocation of such his wicked errors Can. 5. Whosoeuer shall heereafter seperate themselues from the Communion of Saints as it is approoued by the Apostles rules in the Church of England and combine themselues in a newe Brotherhood accounting the Christians who are conformable to the Doctrine Gouernment Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England to be prophane and vnmeete for them to ioyne with in Christian profession let them be excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but by the Archbishop after their repentance publike reuocation of such their wicked errors Can. 9. The Titles of the 39. Articles with the Pages where to find euerie of them in this booke Art 1. OF faith in the holy Trinitie Page 1. Art 2. Of the Word of God which was made verie man Page 7. Art 3. Of the going downe of Christ into Hell Page 15. Art 4. Of the Resurrection of Christ. Page 17. Art 5. Of the holy Ghost Page 21. Art 6. Of the sufficiencie of the Scripture for saluation Page 26. Art 7. Of the old Testament Page 33. Art 8. Of the three Creedes Page 39. Art 9. Of Originall or birth sinne Page 41. Art 10. Of Free will Page 47. Art 11. Of the Iustification of man Page 50. Art 12. Of good workes Page 56. Art 13. Of workes before Iustification Page 56. Art 14. Of workes of Supererogation Page 59. Art 15. Of Christ alone without sinne Page 62. Art 16. Of sinne after Baptisme Page 65. Art 17. Of predestination and Election Page 69. Art 18. Of obtaining saluation onely by the Name of Christ. Page 82. Art 19. Of the Church Page 86. Art 20. Of the authoritie of the Church Page 98. Art 21. Of the authoritie of generall Councells Page 112. Art 22. Of Purgatorie Page 118. Art 23. Of Ministring in the Congregation Page 131. Art 24. Of speaking in the Congregation in such a tongue as the people vnderstand not Page 141. Art 25. Of the Sacraments Page 142. Art 26. Of the vnworthines of the Ministers which hinder not the effect of the Sacraments Page 160. Art 27. Of Baptisme Page 165. Art 28. Of the Lords Supper Page 170. Art 29. Of the wicked which doe not eate the body and blood of Christ in the vse of the Lords Supper Page 178. Art 30. Of both kindes Page 179. Art 31. Of the oblation of Christ finished vpon the Crosse. Page 181. Art 32. Of the marriage of Priests Page 185. Art 33. Of Excommunicate persons how they are to be auoided Page 189. Art 34. Of the Traditions of the Church Page 193. Art 35. Of Homilies Page 192. Art 36. Of Consecration of Bishops and Ministers Page 196. Art 37. Of the ciuill magistrate Page 201. Art 38. Of Christian mens goods which are not common Page 215 Art 39. Of a Christian mans Oath Page 217. FINIS ¶ THE CATHOLIKE Doctrine beleeued and professed in the Church of England 1. Article Of faith in the holy Trinitie There is but 1 one liuing and true God euerlasting without bodie parts or passions of infinite power wisdome and goodnes 2 the maker and preseruer of all things both visible and inuisible 3 And in vnitie of this Godhead there be three persons of one substance power and eternitie the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost The propositions 1. There is but one God who is liuing true euerlasting c. 2. God is the maker and preseruer of all things 3. In the vnitie of the Godhead there is a Trinitie of persons 1. Proposition There is but one God who is liuing true euerlasting without bodie parts or passions of infinite power wisedome and goodnes The proofe from the word of God THat there is but one God who is c. is a truth which may be gathered from the al-holy and sacred Scripture is agreeable to the doctrine of the reformed Churches For both Gods word giueth vs to knowe that God is one and no moe liuing and true God euerlasting without bodie parts or passions of infinite power wisedome and goodnes and Gods people in their publike confessions from Ausburgh Heâ—uetia Bohemia France Flanders and Wittemberge testifie the same Errors and adversaries vnto this truth Then impious execrable are the opinions of Dragoras Theodorus who fasly denied there was any God Of Protagoras and the Machiuilian Athiests which are doubtfull whether there be a God Of such as fained vnto themselues diuers and sundrie gods as did
Iniunctions precepts and Traditions as doe the Papists For of their doctrine say the Rhemists whatsoeuer the lawfull Apostles Pastors or Preists of Gods church preach in the vnitie of the same Church meaning the newe church of Rome is to be taken for Gods owne word To the same purpose but more blasphemously StapletoÌ„ As the Iewes were to beleeue Christ so are wee simply in euery thing to beleeue the church of Rome whether it teacheth truth or errors Whatsoeuer by the authoritie of the Church is commanded ought of all men to be esteemed as the very Gospell saith Abbat Trithemius of Popish precepts and our English Rhemists He that despiseth the Churches or her lawfull Pastors precepts And of their Traditions He that refuseth ecclesiasticall traditions deserueth to be throwne out of the church among the Heathen as well as he which refuseth the Gospell saith Didacus Stella and the counsell of Trent with like affection of godlines and reuerence embrace wee and worship the bookes of the old and new Testament and ecclesiasticall Traditions saith the Counsell The like opinion haue the Moscovites of Traditions To them finally are we adversarie which aboue the Scriptures doe preferre their owne 1 inuentions as did the Philosophers whereof one said of Moses That good man maketh a trimme discourse but prooueth nothing and the Graecians to whome the Gospell is foolishnes 2 and imaginations as did the Manichies David George and doe the Turkes and Familie of Loue 3 or Traditions as doe the Papists who more cruelly doe punish the violators of their owne Traditions and ordinances then they doe the breakers of Gods commandements 4 or Statutes Edicts Iudgements Proclamations c. proceeding from the braine of man as Macâ—hiauell doth and his schollers 2. Proposition All the bookes in the volume of the Bible are not Canonicall but some are That some bookes and namely those aboue mentioned are Canonicall it hath bin graunted by the best learned and most godly of long time And as all reformed churches in the world are of the same iudgement with vs so in their publike Confessions some haue so accounted and iudged of them as we doe Adversaries to this truth Therefore to speake first of the canonicall bookes of the old Testament much haue they offended which either reiected all or allowed but some of the bookes of the old testament of the former sort were the Seuerians Basilides Carpocrates and the Manichies are the Catabaptistes of the latter were sundrie whereof Some receiued no moe but onely the fiue bookes of Moses as the Sadduceis Some of all the bookes in the old testament reiect the workes of Moses and namely his foure last bookes as the Moscovites Some embraced the Law onely and the Prophets as the Samarites Some esteemed neither the Law nor the Prophets as the Appelleans Some had in contempt the booke of the Canticles as Sebastian Castello And some the booke of Iob as the Anabaptists 3. Proposition The third and fourth bookes of Esdras the booke of Tobias c. be Apocrypha That diuers and namely these bookes mentioned are Apocrypha we are neither the first that said nor they alone which affirme the same For so iudge of them did the auncient councel at Laodicea and doe the Churches reformed and name-in France and Belgia c. Aduersaries vnto this truth So that they are to be held and taken heede of as Seducers which vpon the Church would thrust either other mens workes and deuises not comprised in the Bible as would Some the new Prophets Barrobas and Barrolf of Basilides the heretike Some the manifestations of Marcion the heretike Some the mysteries of Manichie the heritike Others Esaias Ascensorium of Hierax the heretike Others the Gospel after the Egyptians after S. Andrew S. Iames the lesser S. Peter S. Bartholomew the 12. Apostles Barnabas Nicodemus Thaddeus The Canons of the Apostles others Others the Acts of S. Abdie S. Andreas S. Paul Peter Philip Thomas Others the Reuelation of S. Paul Peter Steven Thomas Others the bookes of the Anabaptists of H.N. with Popish Legendes and the like Or the bookes Apocrypha within the volume of the Bible as the Papists who therefore anathematize and curse so many as take them not for Canonicall 4. Proposition Of the newe Testament all bookes are Canonicall Although some of the auncient Fathers and Doctors accepted not all the bookes contained within the volume of the newe Testament for Canonicall yet in the end they were wholly taken and receiued by the common consent of the Church of Christ in this world for the very word of God as they are at this day almost in all places where the Gospel is preached and professed Howbeit we iudge them Canonicall not so much because learned and godly men in the Church so haue and doe receiue and allowe of them as for that the holy Spirit in our hearts doth testifie that they are from God They carrie a sacred and diuine authoritie with them and they doe also agree in all pointes with the other bookes of God in the old Testament Errors adversaries vnto this truth Therefore in admitting all and euery of these bookes acknowledging them to be Canonicall we demonstrate our selues to be against Such as reiected all the newe Testament as did the Iewes our Matthew Hamant Such as allowed part but not the whole new Testament and these were of diuers sorts whereof Some allowed of the Euangelists onely Matthew as the Cerdonites and Ebionites others onely Luk as the Marcionites others onely Iohn as the Valentinians Some accepted onely the Acts of the Apostles as the Tatians others of all other bookes reiected the said Actes as the Manichies and the Seuerites Some of S. Pauls epistles tooke the epistles vnto Timothie and Titus onely to be Canonical as Marcion the heretike Some as Apocryphal refused the epistle vnto Philemon others the epistle vnto the Hebrewes the epistle of S. Iames as Althemerus others the first and second epistles of Iohn with the epistle of Iude as Wigandus others the epistle vnto the Hebrewes of Iames the two last of Iohn and of Iude as Cardinall Caietane Some reiected the booke of S. Iohns reuelations or the Apocalypse as Heshusius we are also against them which allowed neither the whole newe Testament nor those bookes wholly which they embraced as the Marcionites who defaced all those places in the Gospell after Luke and in the epistles which concernd either the diuinitie or humanitie of our Sauiour Christ And lastly are wee against them which receiue the whole new Testament but deface and put out such textes as mislike them as the Turkes who scrape out whatsoeuer they finde touching the passion of Christ alleadging how it was added purposely by the Iewes in
derision of Christians 7. Article Of the old Testament 1 The old Testament is not contrary to the new For both in the old and newe Testament euerlasting life is offered to mankinde by Christ who is the onely mediatour betweene God and man being both God and man 2 VVherefore they are not tr be heard which faine that the old Fathers did looke onely for transitory promises Although the law giuen from God by Moses as touching 3 Ceremonies and rites doe not binde Christian men 4 nor the ciuill precepts thereof ought of necessitie to be receiued in any Common wealth yet notwithstanding 5 no Christian man whatsoeuer is free from the obedience of the Commandements which are called morall The Propositions 1. The old Testament is not contrary to the newe 2. The old Fathers looked for eternall happinesse through Christ as well as for temporall blessings 3. Christians are not bound at all to the obseruation of the Iudaical ceremonies 4. The Iudiciall lawes of the Iewes are not necessarily to be receiued or established in any common wealth 5. No Christian man whatsoeuer is freed from the obedience of the lawe Moral 1. Proposition The old Testament is not contrary to the new The proofe from Gods word THat the old Testament is not contrary to the newe it may be prooued by many inuincible arguments yet it is most apparent in that our Sauiour Christ very God and very man as aboue art 2. hath bin declared is offered vnto mankind for his eternall saluation by them both For We learne that there is one and no Christs moe in the new and we learne the same in the old That Christ is the Sonne of God in the newe we learne the same in the old That Christ is very man in the new we learne that he should be so from the old That Christ was borne at Berhelem in the newe we learne that he should be so from the old That Christ was borne of a virgine in the new we learne that he should be so from the old That Christ was honoured of wise men in the new we learne that he should be so from the old That he road vpon an Asse vnto Ierusalem from the newe we learne that he should so doe from the old That he was betraied in the new we learne that he should be so from the old That hee suffered not for his owne but for our transgressions in the newe we learne that he should so doe from the old In the newe that he rose againe from the graue from the old that he should so do And in the newe that he ascended into heauen and in the old that he should so doe The adversaries vnto this truth Wee are then adversaries to all them which reiect as of no reckoning the old Testamēt as did both old heretikes as Basilides Carpocrates and the Manichies and the newe Libertines who say the old Testament is abrogated 2. Proposition The old Fathers looked for eternall happines through Christ as well as for temporall blessings The proofe from Gods word The old Fathers to haue looked not onely for transitorie promises but also for eternall happines through Christ the holy Scripture doth manifest S. Paul saith Brethren I would not haue you ignorant that all our Fathers were vnder the cloude and all passed through the sa and did all eate the same spirituall meat and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of the spirituall Rocke that followed them and the Rocke was Christ. By faith Noe was made heire of the righteousnesse which is by faith By faith Moses when he was come to age refused to be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter and chose rather to suffer adversitie with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season esteeming the rebukes of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt for he had respect vnto the recompense of the reward c. All these through faith obtained good report and receiued not the promise God providing a better thing for vs that they without vs should not bee made perfite Abraham reioyced to see my day Abraham aboue hope beleeued vnder hope that hee should be the father of many nations Of which saluation the Prophets haue inquired and searched This truth was neuer doubted of in the church of God and is publikely acknowledged by some confessions The adversaries vnto this truth They are not then to be heard which thinke the Fathers faithfull people before Christ his time hoped onely for temporall not for spirituall if for spirituall yet not for etetnall happines as did many of the Iewish Atheists and Sadducis and doe the Familie of Loue which make the promises of happines by temporall blessings to be accomplished in this transitorie life Hence H. N. very strangely allegorizeth of the land of promise when he calleth it The good land of the vpright and concordable life and saith that The louely being or nature of the Loue is the life peace and ioy mentioned Rom. 14.6 and the land of promise wherein hony and milke floweth spoken of Exod. 3. a. 13. a. Deut. 8. b. This and more a great deale to this effect hath H. N. 3. Proposition Christians are not bounde at all to the obseruation of the Iudaicall ceremonies The proofe from the word of God That neither the whole law ceremoniall of the Iewes nor any part thereof is necessarily to be obserued of vs christians the holy Scripture teacheth vs by Peters vision the Apostles decree and by the doctrine of S. Paul As all beleeue so some Churches publikely acknowlege the same Errors Adversaries to this truth In a wrong opinion therefore be they who are of minde either that the lawe Ceremoniall whollie is to continue be in vse or that part thereof is yet in force and must be The former of these was the opinion of the false prophets the Cerinthians the Ebionites and is of the Iewes Armenians and Familie of Loue the latter is an error of our home Sabbatarians For say they The Sabboth was none of the Ceremonies which were iustly abrogated at the comming of Christ When all Iewish things haue bin abrogated onely be their very words the Sabboth hath continued still in the Church in his propet force that it might appeare that it was of a nature farre differing from them Whereas all other things were so changed that they were cleane taken away as the Preisthood the Sacrafices and Sacraments this day meaning the Sabboth day was so changed that it yet remaineth which sheweth that though all the other were ceremoniall and therefore had an ende This Sabboth was moral and therefore abideth still The Commandement of sanctifying euery Seuenth day as in the
Mosaicall decalogue is naturall morall and perpetuall is their doctrine 4. Proposition The Iudiciall lawes of the Iewes are not necessarily to be receiued or established in any Common wealth The profe from Gods word The truth hereof appeareth by the Apostles decree which sheweth wherevnto onely the primitiue church necessarily was tied By the Apostles doctrine which enioyneth Christians to yeeld obedieÌ„ce vnto the ordinaÌ„ces of their lawfull gouerners and commanders whosoeuer By the Apostles example and namely of the blessed S. Paul who tooke benefit and made good vse of the Romane and Emperiall lawes Adversaries vnto this truth This truth neither is nor euer was oppugned by any Church Only among our selues some thinke vs necessarily tied vnto all the Iudicials of Moses as the Brownists For they say The lawes Iudiciall of Moses belong as well vnto Christians as they did vnto the Iewes Others that wee are bound though not vnto all yet vnto some of the Iudicialls as holdeth T.C. and Philip Stubs 5. Proposition No Christian man whosoeuer is freed from the obedience of the law Morall The proofe from Gods word Thinke not that I am come to destroy the Lawe or the Prophets I am not come to destroy them but to fulfill them For truly I say vnto you saith our Sauiour Christ till heauen and earth perish one iot or one title of the law shall not scape till all things be fulfilled whosoeuer therefore shall breake one of these least commandements and teach men so shall be called the least in the kingdome of heauen c If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandements c. Thou shalt nor kill thou shalt not commit adulterie thou shalt not steale thou shalt not beare false witnesse Honour thy father and thy mother Doe wee make the lawe of none effect through faith God forbid yea we establish the Lawe Circumcision is nothing and vncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the Commandements of God The publike confessions of the Churches of God in France and Belgia agree with this Doctrine The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth Whereby are condemned as most wicked and vnsond the opinions Of the Manichies who found fault with the whole Lawe of God as wicked and prooceeding not from the true God but from the Prince of darkenes Of Brownist Glouer whose opinion was that Loue now is come in the place of the tenne commandements Of Iohannes Islebius and his followers the Antinonies who will not haue Gods lawe to be preached nor the consciences of sinners to be terrified and troubled with the iudgements of God Of Banister among our selues who held how it is vtterly euill for the Elect so much as to thinke much lesse to speake or heare of the feare of God which the Law preacheth 8. Article Of the three Creedes 1 The three Creedes Nicene creede Athanasius creede and that which is commonly called the Apostles creede ought thoroughly to be receiued and beleeued For 2 they may be prooued by most certaine warrants of holy Scripture The propositions 1. The Nicen Athanasian and Apostolicall Creedes ought to be receiued and beleeued 2. The three creedes viz. the Ni. Athan. and of the Apostles may be prooved by the holy Scripture 1. Proposition The Nicen Athanasian and Apostolicall Creedes ought to be receiued and beleeued THis Proposition the Churches of God both aunciently and in these daies doe acknowledge for true The adversaries vnto this truth Therefore much out of the way of Godlinesse are they which tearme the Apostles Creede A forged patcherie as Barrowe doth and Athanasius Sathanasius creede so did Gregorius Paulus in Polouia and in the newe Arrians and Nestorians in Lituania My selfe some â—8 yeares agoe heard a great learned man whose name vpon an other occasion afore is expressed to whose acquaintance I was artificially brought which in private conference betweene him and my selfe tearmed worthy Zanchius a Foole an Asse from his booke de tribus Elohim which refuteth the newe Arrians against whose sounders the Creedes of Athanasius and Nicene were deuised Him attentiuely I heard but could neuer since abide for those wordes in deede I neuer sawe him since 2. Proposition The three Creedes viz. the Ni. Athan. and of the Apostles may be prooued by the holy Scripture The proofe from Gods word Than this assertion nothing is more true For the Creedes I meane these three Creedes speake first Of one and the same God whom wee are to beleeue is for essence but one in persons three viz. the Father the Creator the Sonne the Redeemer the holy Ghost the sanctifier Next of the people of God which we must thinke and beleeue is The holy and Catholike Church The communion of Saints Pardoned of all their sinnes And appointed to arise from death and to enioy eternall life both in body and soule Aduersaries vnto this truth Therefore wee are enemies to all adversaries of this doctrine or any whit of the same in them comprised whether they be Atheists Iewes Sadduces Ebionites Tretheites Antitrinitarains Apollinarians Arrians Manichies Nestorians Origenians Turkes Papists Familists Anabaptists or whosoeuer 9. Article Of Originall or Birth sinne 1 Originall sinne standeth not in the follwing of Adam as the Pelagians doe vainely talke but 2 it is the fault corruption of the nature of euery man that naturally is engendred of the offspring of Adam whereby man is very far gone from originall righteousnesse and is inclined to evill so that the flesh lusteth against the spirit and therefore in euery person borne into the world it deserueth Gods wrath and damnation 3 And this infection of nature doth remaine yea in them that are regenerated whereby the lust of the flesh called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VVhich some doe expound the wisedome some the Sensuallitie some the affection some the desire of the flesh is not subiect to the law of God And although there is no condemnation for them that beleeue and are baptised yet the apostle doth confesse that 4 Concupiscence and Lust hath of it selfe the nature of sinne The propositions 1. There is Originall sinne 2. Originall sinne is the fault and corruption of the nature of euery man c. 3. Originall sinne remaineth in God his deere children 4. Concupiscence euen in the regenerate is sinne 1. Proposition There is Originall sinne The proofe from Gods word In the holy Scripture we finde of Originall sinne the cause the subiect and the effects the cause thereof is Adams fall partly by the subtill suggestions of the deuill partly through his owne freewill and the propagation of Adam his corrupted nature vnto his seede and posteritie Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdom of God saith our Sauiour Christ As by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne and so death
went ouer all men forasmuch as all men haue sinned saith S. Paul d. As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that yee may grow thereby saith S. Peter And S. Iames Of his owne will begate he vs with the word of truth that we should be as the first fruits of his creatures And the fore-mentioned Apostle Paul againe You that were dead in trespasses and sinnes c. and were by nature the children of wrath as wel as others But God which is rich in mercy through his great loue wherewith he loued vs euen when we were dead by sinnes hath quickned vs together in Christ c. The subiect thereof is the olde man with all his powers minde will and heart For in the minde there is darkenes and ignorance of God and his will and in the will and heart of man there is concupiscence and rebellious affections against the law of God And the effects of this Birth or Originall sinne are first actuall sinnes and they both inward as vngodly affections and outward as wicked lookes prophane speech and diuelish actions next an euill conscience which bringeth the wrath of God death and eternall damnation All churches of God beleeue this and some in their publike confessions testifie so much The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth Thus armed with authoritie and forces from the word of God and assisted with the neighbour churches we offer battell 1. To the Iewes Carpocratians and Familie of Loue who flatly denie there is any originall sinne 2. To the Papists which say that Originall sinne is of all the least sinne and lesse then any veniall sinne Originall sinne is onely the debt of punishment for the sinne of Adam and not his fault Originall sinne is not properly sinne all this hath Ruardus Tapperus Such as are infected onely with Originall sinne are free from all sensible punishment 3. To Florinus and Blastus who make God the author of sinne 4. To the Sabbatarians among vs who teach that The life of God in Adam before his fall could not continue without a Sabbath The Sabboth was ordained before the fall of Adam and that not onely to preserue him from falling but also that being holy and righteous still he might haue bin preserued in the fauour of God which D. B. deliuereth in his Sabboth doctrine 5. We are also adversaries to the like curiously affected who enquire Whether it was Gods will that Adam should fall Whether God enforced our first parents to fall Why God stayed not Adam from falling c. 2. Proposition Originall sinne is the fault and corruption of the nature of euery man c. The proofe from Gods word Originall sinne is not the Imitation of Adam his disobedience For the Scripture speaketh of no such thing neither doth Gods people so thinke and some Churches by their extant Confessions with vs denie the same as the Church in France and the Lowe countries but it is partly the Imputation of Adam his disobedience vnto vs and partly the fault and corruption of mans nature as the Churches also acknowledge The adversaries vnto this truth Aduersaries vnto this truth are The Pelagians and Familie of Loue who say that Originall sinne commeth not by propagation but by Imitation Such as ascribe Originall sinne in no sort vnto man but either vnto God as did the Hermogenians or vnto the deuil as did the Valentinians The Manichies who preached that this sinne is another and a contrary substance within vs and proceeded no◠from our corrupted nature The Appollinarians who held originall sinne to be from nature The Papists who affirme that some persons and namely the virgine Mary is free from this Originall sinne sinne 3. Proposition Originall sinne remaineth in God his deere children The proofe from Gods word I allow not that which I doe for what I wouid that doe I not but what I hate that doe I saith S. Paul The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh so that yee cannot doe the same things that yee would Euery man is tempted when he is drawen away by his own concupiscence and is entised Dearely belooued I beseech you as strangers absteine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule Nothing is more true in the iudgement of Gods people The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth We stand therefore in this point Against the Papists who say that Originall sinne was not at all much lesse remained in the Virgine Mary Against Giselbertus whose doctrine is that Baptisme once receiued there is in the baptized no sinne at al either originall or actuall Against the Familie of Loue who affirme that the elect and regenerate sinne not Against the Carpocratians whereof some boasted themselues to be euery way as innocent as our Sauiour Christ. Against the Adamites both old and newe who said they were in so good a state as Adam was before his fall therefore without originall sinne Against the Begadores in Almaigne affirming they were impeccable and had attained vnto the very top and pitch of perfection in vertue and godlines 4. Proposition Concupiscence euen in the regenerate is sinne Concupiscence in whomsoeuer lusteth against the Spirit fighteth against both the soule and the lawe of the minde and therefore but that there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus it bringeth death and damnation Mortifie therefore your members which are vpon earth saith S. Paul vnto the Colossians fornication vncleanes the inordinate affection euill concupiscence c. for the which things sake the wrath of God commeth on the children of disobedience And vnto all Christians S. Peter I beseech you as strangers abstaine from fleshly lusts To the same purpose is both the doctrine and Confessions of Gods people Errors adversaries vnto this truth Therefore wee mislike their opinions as vnsound which say that cōcupiscēce either is no sinne at all or but a veniall sin the former was an assertion of the Pelagians and is of the Papists that latter was one of Glouers errors Francis the Monke of Colen counted concupiscence no sin but said it was as naturall and so no more offensiue before God for man to lust then for the Sunne to keepe his course Petrus Lombardus saith that Concupiscence afore Baptisme is both a punishment and a sinne but after Baptisme is no sinne but onely a punishment The Church of Rome both teacheth that the power of lusting is not but the vse of wicked concupiscence is euill and numbred amongst most greiuous sinnes and decreeth how Concupiscence is not sinne but proceedeth from sinne and inclineth vnto sinne Glouer the Brownist said that the intemperate affections of the mind issuing from Concupiscence are but
false Apostles in Asia and at Ierusalem The Pharisaicall Papists who against the iustification by faith alone doe hould a iustification by merits and that of Congtuitie dignitie condignitie The said Papists teach besides that life eternall is due vnto vs of debt because wee deserue it by our good workes They teach finally that by good workes our sinnes are purged 12. Article Of good workes Albeit that good workes which are the fruits of faith and follow after iustification cannot put away our sinnes endure the seueritie of Gods iudgement 1 yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ 2 and doe spring out necessarily of a true liuely Faith insomuch that by them a liuely Faith 3 may be as euidently knowne as a tree discerned by the fruite The propositions 1. Good workes doe please God 2. No worke is good except it spring from Faith 3. Good workes are the outward signes of the inward Beleefe 1. Proposition Good workes doe please God The proofe from Gods word THough God accepteth not man for his workes but for his deere sonnes sake yet that good workes after man his iustification doe please God it is a cleere truth euery where to be read in the holy Scripture For God hath commanded them to be done and requireth righteousnesse not onely outward of the body but also inward of the mind and hath appointed for the vertuous and godly rewardes both in this life and in the world to come and to the wicked punishments spirituall corporall and of bodie and soule eternall in the pit of hell And this is beleeued and acknowledged by the Churches The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth This truth is oppugned by adversaries of diuers kindes For Some hold that seeing man is iustified by Faith he may liue as he listeth as the Libertines Some thinke that to attend vpon vertue and to practise good workes is a yoake too heavie and intollerable as the Simonians Some vtterly cast of all grace vertue and godlines as did the Basilidians the Aetians the Circumcellians and doe the Macchiuilians and Atheists Some permit though not all manner yet some sinnes so allowed was both whordome and vncleane pollutions by the Carpocratians and Valentinians and is of the Iesuits and Papists and periurie in the time of persecution by the Basilidians Helchesaites Priscillianists Henricians and Familie of Loue and violaters of promise yea and oaths made vnto heretikes as they call them Some as the Turkish preists called Seiti and Chagi take it to be no sinne but a worke meritorious by lies swearing yea forswearing to damnifie Christians what they can Much like vnto these are the aequiâ—ocating Iesuits in deluding and deceiuing Protestant Princes their officers by their doubtfull speeches euen when they are sworne to answer plainely and truly by their lawfull magistrates Some suppose that God is pleased with lip seruice onely outward righteousnesse as the hypocriticall Pharisies or Pharifaicall hypocrites 2. Proposition No worke is good excepâ— it spring from faith The proofe from Gods word All which man doth is not pleasing vnto God but that onely which proceedeth from a true faith in Iesus Christ so saith God in his word They that are in the flesh cannot please God In Iesus Christ neither Circumcision auaileth any thing neither vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue Vnto the pure are all things pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure Without faith it iâ— vnpossible to please God And although the workes of the Beleeuing doe please God yet are they not so perfect that they can satisfie the lawe of God Therefore eueÌ„ of the regenerate iustified saith our Sauiour Christ pray forgiue vs our debts say wee are vnprofitable seruants and S. Paul Wee know that the lawe is spirituall but I am carnall c Wee which haue the first fruits of the spirit euen wee doe sigh in our selues c. and haue infirmities Ye cannot doe the same thing that ye would Which is the faith and confession of the Churches Errors adversaries vnto this truth Therefore wee mislike and condemne the opinions of the Valentinians and Papists The Valentinians say that please God doe Spirituall men which are themselues onely not by Faith but onely by their knowledge of diuine mysteries and Naturall men do please him by their bodily labour and vpright dealing The said Valentinians fained three sorts or degrees of men the first spirituall who through bare knowledge the next Natural who by labour and true dealing shall be saued the third they call Materiall meÌ„ vtterly vncapable of diuine knowledge and religious speculations who must perish both in soule and body The Papists teach that They onely are not good workes which God commandeth but they also which be either voluntarily done of our selues or enioyned vs by preists They are good workes and acceptable before God which are done without faith Workes of themselues without respect vnto Christ please God Men perfectly may keepe the Lawes of God in which error also be the Anabaptists and Familie of Loue 3. Proposition Good workes are the outward signes of the inward Beleefe The proofe from Gods word Many are the reasons why good workes are to be done in part cited afore pag. 49. yet not the least cause is that men may be knowne what they are For the Scripture saith and sheweth that thereby are knowne the good trees from the bad the wheate from the chaffe the tâ—ue disciples from the false the sonnes of God from the children of Satan the regenerate from the vnbeleeuers Hereunto the Saints and Churches doe subscribe Errors adversaries vnto this truth The faithfull shewe their workes yet neither to haue them seene of men as did the hypocriticall Pharisies nor therby to merit heauen as doe the Pharisaicall Papists whose doctrine is that Good workes are meritorious Good workes as Contrition Confession and satisfaction done in penance not onely do merit but are besides a Sacrament for to attaine reconciliation with God and forgiuenes of sinnes Life eternall is due vnto good workes by the iustice of God 13. Article Of workes before Iustification VVorkes done before the grace of Christ and the inspiration of his Spirit 1 are not pleasant to God forasmuch as they spring not of Faith in Iesus Christ 2 neither doe they make men meete to receiue grace or as the schoole authors say deserue grace of congruitie yea rather 3 for that they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done we doubt not but they haue the nature of sinne The Propositions 1. Workes done before iustification please not God 2. Workes done before iustification deserue not grace of
from Gods word THat Christ was pure from sinne it is abundantly to be seene in the holy Scriptures For Hee was both conceiued and borne without sinne Hee appeared to loose but not to fulfiâ—l the workes of Satan He liued and was tempted yet without sinne and did no sinne knewe no sinne nor had any sinne in him He died a guiltlesse and iust man euen by the testimonie of Paul Peter Stephen yea of his advsrsarie and iudge Pilate As ours such is the confessions of the purer Churches m. Errors Adversaries to this truth Cursed therefore before God are the Iewes which said that Christ was a violator of the Sabboth That hee taught being not lawfully authorized therevnto That he forbad tribute to be giuen vnto Caesar That hee was the destroyer of the law That he ouerthrew all religion and moued the commons vnto rebellion In this state with the Iewes are The Marcionites which said that he dissolued the Law the Prophets and all the workes of God The Saturnians which blazed that his comming into the world was to ouerthrow the God of the Angels Our newe Heretikes viz. Matthew Hamant in England which divulged that Christ was a sinfull man and an abominable Idol and Leonardus Vairus among the Papists which hath written that Christ was Veneficus or a common poisoner of men and women 2. Proposition All men besides Christ though regenerate be sinners The proofe from Gods word All meÌ„ either be regenerate or vnregenerate the vnregenerate be all sinners vnrighteous sin in whatsoeuer they do The regenerate also be not without their sinnes both originall and actuall Besides there is no man iust in the earth that doth good and sinneth not saith the preacher yee cannot doe the same things that ye would Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners of whome I am cheife saith S. Paul In many things we sinne all is S. Iames saying and S. Iohn If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues the truth is not in vs Pray therefore Forgiue vs our debts A truth beleeued and confessed by all Churches expressedly by some The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth Many adversaries hath this truth had and hath as the Papists the Manichies the Catharans the Donatists the Pelagians Familie of Loue Marcionites Adamites and Carpocratians For The Papists say that the blessed virgin was pure from all sinne both Originall and actuall For these are their owne wordes Our Lady neuer sinned Our Lady sinned not so much as venially in all her life she exactly fulfilled the whole Law that is was without sinne Also of S. Francis they write that for virtue and Godlines he was like vnto Christ and hath fulfilled euery iot of the Law The Manichies and Catharans thought they could not sinne so much as in thought The Donatists dreamed how they were so perfect as they could iustifie other men Some were of opinion as the Pelagians and Familie of Loue how they were so free from sinne as they needed not to say Forgiue vs our trespasses Which Familie also teacheth how there be men liuing as good and as holy as euer Christ was An error of Christopher Vitels a cheife Elder in the said Familie and that Hee which is a Familist is either as perfect as Christ or els a very Deuill Some deemed themselues as pure as Paul Peter or any men as the Marcionites yea as Adam and Euah before their fal as the Adamites yea as Iesus Christ himselfe as the Carpocratians 16. Article Of sinne after Baptisme 1 Not euery deadly sinne willingly commited after Baptisme is sinne against the holy Ghost and vnpardonable VVherefore the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sinne after Baptisme 2 After we haue receiued the holy Ghost we may depart from grace giuen and into sinne and by the grace of God wee may rise againe and amend our liues And therefore they are to be condemned which say they can no more sinne as long as they liue heere 3 or denie place of forgiuenes to such as truly repent The propositions 1. Euery sinne committed after Baptisme is not the sinne aganst the holy Ghost 2. The very regenerate may depart from grace giuen and fall into sinne and yet rise againe vnto newnesse of life 3. No men vtterly are to be cast off as reprobates which vnfainedly repent 1. Proposition Euery sinne committed after Baptisme is not the sinne against the holy Ghost The proofe from Gods word THough euery sinne in it selfe considered deserueth damnation yet is there a sinne which shall be punished with many and a sinne which shall be punished with few stripes a sinne vnto death and a sinn not vnto death a sinne against the Father and the Sonne which shall be forgiuen and a sinne against the holy Ghost which neuer shall be forgiuen So in their extant confessions witnesse the Churches in Bohem Saxonie and Heluetia Errors adversaries vnto this truth Diuerslly hath this doctrine bin oppugned For Some haue thought all sinnes to be like and equall as the Stoikes Pelagians and Iouinians Some haue taught as Manes the heretike how none of the godly fathers and others from the beginning of the world till the 15. yeare of Tiberius the Emperour though earnestly they did repent were saued but were all punished alike with vtter confusion Some giue out that such persons be vtterly out of Gods fauour and condemned which depart out of this world either afore they are baptized as the Papists doe or afore they come vnto yeares of discretion as Hieranites did 2. Proposition The very regenerate may depart from grace giuen and fall into sinne and yet rise againe vnto newnes of life The proofe from the word of God That the Regenerate may fall into sinne and yet rise againe it is a doctrine grounded vpon the Scriptures For in them wee euidently may see that fall they may partly by the admonitions of our Sauiour vnto the man healed of the Palsie and vnto the adultresse of S. Paul vnto the Ephesians Colossians Hebrewes and Timothie and of S. Peter vnto all the godly and partly by the examples of Dauid Salomon Peter who egregiously and very offensiuely did fall and that they doe fall it is most euident by the fift petitioÌ„ of the Lords praier were nothing els to prooue the same but see afore 9. art Prop. 3. art 12. prop. 2. art 15. propo 2. Next that being fallen they may rise againe and be saued it is apparent both by the exhortations of the Angell vnto the Churches of Ephesus Pergamus and Thyatira and by the examples of Peter who denied and
his most pretious blood vouchsafe to deliuer you from paines c They haue ratified the doctrine of purging soules after this life in the Councell of Trent It is further to be noted how the same Papists sliding back from the truth of God haue fallen into many noisome and diuers opinions in the matter of Purgatorie agreeing among themselues Neither about the place where purgatorie should be some placing the same in the bottome of the sea some neere vnto the mount Hecla in Ireland some vpon the mount Etna in Sicil others in the Centre of the earth others in Hell whereof they make fower roomes the first of the damned the second of Infants dying vnbaptized the third Purgatorie the fourth Limbus patrum whereinto Christ descended and others in a mind tossed and troubled betwixt hope and feare Neither about the Tormentors there who are thought of some to be holy Angells of others to be very deuills Neither about the torments For some dreame how they are tormented there with fire onely as Sir Thomas More some with water and fire as Roffensis and some neither with fire nor water but with troublesome affections of Hope and Feare as Lorichius Neither about the causes of Purgatorie torments because that some doe thinke that onely veniall sinnes others that veniall and mortall sinnes too for which in this life men haue donn no penance are there purged Nor about the time which they that be tormented shal abide in Purgatorie For some haue giuen out how the poore soules there be continually in torments till the day of Iudgement as Dionis Carthusianus others as Durandus doe thinke they haue rest sometimes as vpon Sundaies and holy daies others are of minde that in time they shall be set free at libertie because their punishment is but temporarie and others that at any time they may be deliuered if either their friends will buy out their paines or the preists will pray or say any Masse for them or the Pope will but say the word Nor finally about the state of soules in purgatorie For Our English Papists at Rhemes doe thinke the soules in purgatorie to be in a more happie and blessed condition then any men that liue in this world and yet say the same Rhemists that purgatorie fire passeth all the paines of this life Thomas Aquinas holdeth how the paines of hel fire and of purgatorie are all one and in nothing differ but that the one is but temporall and the other not so And others put in choise either to tarrie in Purgatorie one day or to endure the miseries of this world an 100. yeares haue chosen to suffer the troubles of this life an hundred yeares together rather then to abide the paines of purgatorie but on short winters day Therefore in this contrarietie of opinions some of them the Papists themselues cannot denie must be wee say all of them are fond and contrary to the word of God Besides they nourish most cursed and damnable errors as That all the soules of the faithfull separated from their bodies are not at rest That all sinnes in their owne nature be not mortall or deadly and that some deserue not euerlasting torments They are purged in purgatory That one sinful man may saue and satisfie the wrath of God for another and that easily by praying saying or doing some thing for them That if friends in this word will doe nothing for the poore soule in purgatorie paines yet may the said soules come at length vnto happines by abyding their deserued torments vntill the last howre or day of iudgement in Purgatorie Finally that the Pope is God in that he can at his pleasure discharge guiltie soules both from the guilt of sinne and from the punishments due for the same 2. Proposition The Romish doctrine concerning pardons is fond and not warranted by the holy Scripture nor consonant but contrary vnto the same The proofe from Gods word Such hath bin the exceeding mercie and loue of God towards mankind that as hee hath purged vs from all guiltines of sinne by the blood so hath hee pardoned vs from the euerlasting punishment due for sinne by the paines of Iesus Christ. For There is saluation in none other For among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby they must be saued Through his name all that beleeue shall receiue remission of sinnes Hee hath purchased the Church by his owne blood With his stripes wee are healed Hee that beleeueth in him shall neither be condemned nor ashamed Therefore Come vnto mee all yee that are wearie and laden and I will ease you c. and yee shall finde rest for your soules saith our Sauiour Christ If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt beleeue with thine heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saued saith S. Paul Errors Adversaries to this truth This beeing the doctrine euen of God himselfe wee may euidently perceiue how not onely vain but besides not onely besides but against the word of God the Romish doctrine concerning pardons is For that doth teach vs. 1. To seeke saluation not at God alone but at the hands of sinfull men For would wee haue a pardon for the sinnes of 40. daies A Bishop may giue it For the sinnes of 100. daies A Cardinall may grant For all our sinnes committed or to be coÌ„mitted From the pope wee may haue it Hence be his pardons if you respect time for 40.50.100.1000.10000.50000 c. yeares if offenses Homicide Parcide Perâ—urie Sodomitrie Treason and what not c. 2. That wee may be our owne Sauiours So did that of Purgatorie 3. How the pretious blood of Christ was shed in vaine For corruptible gold and siluer with our owne deedes workes may and will saue vs if we will 4. That repentance is not of necessity vnto the saluation of man For without the same a popish pardon may saue But without either a Pardon from the Pope or such like or Absolution of a Priest there is no saluation by the doctrine of the Church of Rome A further manifestation of the vanitie and impieties of the Romish pardons from a booke of the Papists intituled Horae beatissimae virginis Mariae secundum vsum Sarum Quicunque in statu gratiae existens dixerit deuotè septem orationes sequentes cum septem Pater noster totidem Aue Maria ante imaginem pietatis merebitur 56 millia annorum Indulgentiarum Iohannes Papa 12. concessit omnibus dicentibus orationem sequeÌ„tem transeundo per caemiterium tot annos indulgentiarum quet fuerunt ibi corpora iuhumata à constitutione ipsius caemiterij Oratio pro defunctis Auete omnes animae fideles quarum corpora hic vbique requiescunt in puluere Dominus Iesus Christus qui vos nos redemit suo
Apostles and Euangelists but doe not appeare vnto vs in these daies It was also one of Matthew Hamants heresies that the Sacraments are not necessarie in the Church of God Which thinke the Sacraments are but onely ciuill and ceremoniall badges of an outward Church such generally be all Atheists and hypocrites particulary the Mesâ—alians and Familie of Loue who thinke that for obedience sake to magistrates the sacrameÌ„ts are to be receiued but are to none effect to the perfect ones in the Familie 2. Proposition The Sacraments be certaine sure wittnesses and effectuall signes of grace and God his Goodwill toward vs. The proofe from the word of God Infinitely doth God declare his vnspeakable and incomprehensible good will to man ward yet in these daies by none outward things more notably and effectually than by the Sacraments For. Of Baptisme saith Christ Hee that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued and Peter Amend your liues and be baptized euery one c. for the remission of sins and Paul Husbands loue your wiues euen as Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it that hee might sanctifie it and cleanse it by the washing of water through the word c And of the Lords supper saith our Sauiour Christ touching the Bread this is my body which is giuen and broken for you and of the Cup this is my blood of the new Testament that is shed for many for the remission of sinnes This truth doe the purer Churches of these daies euery where acknowledge The adversaries vnto this truth Contrary hereunto the Papists erroneously doe hold that The Sacraments of the newe Law doe conferre grace ex opere operato The Sacraments of the old and new Testament in this doe differ for that the Sacraments of the old Testament did onely shadow forth saluation but the Sacraments of the newe doe conferre and worke saluation and doe iustifie not onely signifie God his good will toward vs by reason of the worke done which is the outward Sacraments 3. Proposition By the Sacraments God doth quicken strengthen and confirme our faith in him The proofe from Gods word Be baptized euery one of you in the Name of Iesus Christ for the remission of your sinnes and ye shall receiue the gift of the holy Ghost saith S. Peter Christ he gaue himselfe for the Church that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it by the washing of water through the word The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ saith Saint Paul The same is affirmed by the reformed Churches Howbeit this Faith is not necessarily tied vnto the visible signes and Sacraments For Without the Sacraments many haue liued and died who pleased God and are no doubt saued either in respect of their owne faith as wee are to thinke of all the godly both men who were borne and died afore the institution of Circumcision in the wildernesse and in the time of grace yet by some extremity could not receiue the seale of the couenant and women who afore and vnder the lawe for many yeares were partakers of no Sacrament and neuer of one Sacrament or that they be heires of the promise Some haue faith afore they receiue any of the Sacraments So had Abraham the Iewes vnto whom Peter preached the Samaritanes the Eunuch Cornelius the Centurion haue the godly of discretion wheresouer not yet baptized Some neither afore nor at the instant nor yet afterward though daily they receiue the Sacraments will haue faith such are like vnto Iudas Ananias and Sapphira Simon Magus the old Israelites and the wicked Corinthians In some the Sacraments doe effectually worke in processe of time by the helpe of Gods word read or preached which engendreth faith such is the estate principally of Infants elected vnto life and saluation an encreasing in yeares The adversaries vnto this truth Therefore doe they erre which teach or hold that They neuer goe to heauen which die without the seales of the couenant so thinke the Papists of Infants which die vnbaptized They are damned though they receiue the Sacraments that will not receiue them after the receiued and approued manner of the Church of Rome There is no way of saluation but by faith herby excluding infinite soules from the kingdome of heaueÌ„ which depart from this world before they doe beleeue None beleeue but such as are baptized say the Papists as heare the word of God preached say the Puritanes The Sacraments giue grace ex opere operato and bring faith ex opere operato The Sacrament of Baptisme is cause of the saluation of Infants 4. Proposition Christ hath ordained but two Sacraments in his Gospell The proofe from Gods word A Sacrament according to the etymologie of the word as the Schoolemen doe write is a signe of an holy thing which beeing true then haue their bin and still are by so many aboue either two or seuen Sacraments as there be haue bin aboue two or seuen things which are signes of sacred and holy things But according to the nature thereof a Sacrament is a couenant of God his fauour to man-ward confirmed by some outward signe or seale instituted by himselfe which also hath bin sometimes speciall either to some men that extraordinarily by things naturall sometimes as the tree of life was to Adam and the Rainebowe to Noah and sometimes by things supernaturall as the smoaking furnace was to Abraham the Fleece of wooll to Gedeon and the Diall to Ezekiah or to some Nation as the Sacrifices Circumcision and the Paschall Lambe was to the Iewes And sometimes generall to the whole Church militant and ordinarie as in the time of the Gospell And then a Sacrament is defined to be a ceremonie ordained immediately by Christ himselfe who by some earthly and outward element doth promise euerlasting fauour and felicitie to such as with true faith and repentance doe receiue the same And such Sacraments in the newe Testament we finde only to be Baptisme and the Lords supper This is the iudgement also of the Churches Protestant The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth In a contrary opinion are diuers and namely The Iewes and Turkes for they denie all the Sacraments of the Church as wee doe hold them The Euchytes who say that prayer onely and not the Sacraments are to be vsed The Schwenkfeldians who contemne not only the word preached but the Sacraments also as superfluous depending wholly vpon reuelations The Bannisterians who thinke there will be a time and that in this world when wee shall neede no Saraments The Papists who publish That wee leaue out no lesse then sixe of
that the king of Spain and their Catholike faith are so linked together as it is become a point of necessitie in the Catholike faith to put all Europe into the handes of the said King otherwise the Catholike religion will be vtterly extingvished and perish Others of them haue published a new Gospell called Euangelium aeternum Spiritus sancti which they say doth so farre excell the Gospell of Christ as the Cernell surpasseth the shell the Sunne the Moone light darkenes The author whereof was one Cyrellus a Carmelite And lastly the Puritanes and all the speculations of Brown Barrow Greene Penrie Marprelate T.C.E.G.R.H. A.C. I.B. with the newe Sabbatarians and their fancies 21. Article Of the authoritie of generall Councells Generall Councells 1 may not be gathered together without the commandement and will of Princes And 2 when they be gathered together forasmunch as they be an assemblie of men whereof all be not gouerned with the Spirit and word of God they may erre and 3 sometimes haue erred euen in things pertaining vnto God wherfore 4 things ordained by them as necessarie vnto saluation haue neither strength nor authority vnlesse it may be declared that they be taken out of holy Scriptures The propositions 1. Generall Councells may not be gathered together but by the commandement and will of Princes 2. Generall Councells may erre 3. Generall Councells haue erred euen in things pertaining vnto God 4. The things ordained by generall Councells are so farre to be embraced and beleeued as they are consonant to Gods holy word 1. Proposition Generall Councells may not be gathered together but by the commandement and will of Princes The proofe from Gods word GReat is the power and authoritie of Kings and Princes by the word of God For as the defense of Religion is committed vnto them so must they see that all men doe their duties That these things the better may be performed they are as iust occasion is offered not as men vnder the power of others to Simon but as Supreame gouernours within their own terretories and dominions to command all sorts of men to meete together and that either to the implanting of the truth where it is not or to the suppressing of sinne errors idolatrie and superstition where or in whomsoeuer it doth arise or is rooted Such Councells were holden both in the time of the Moisaicall gouernement by the commandement of the most godly Kings Dauid Salomon Asa Ezekiah and Iosiah and since the Gospell hath bin receiued into kingdomes and Commonweales by Christian Princes kings and Emperours who gathered Councells both Generall as the Nicene was by Constantine the great the Councell of Constantinople by Theodosius the elder the Counsell of Ephesus by Theodosius the younger the councell of Calcedon by Marcian Nationall and Prouinciall so the Counsell at Frankford Rhemes Taron Arelot and Moguntia by the will and commandement of Charles the great at Matison by Gunthranus at Paris and Orleance by the direction and appointment of Childebert were kept and holden And neuer yet hath there bin a councell either Generall or nationall or whatsoeuer I only except the councells held by the Apostles and Apostolicall men in a troublesome state and time of the Church there beeing then no Christian Princes Emperours to countenance the truth either begun or ended to the glorie of God but it hath bin I say not called onely but confirmed also by some godly Emperour King or Queene This in effect is granted by all reformed Churches The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth This assertion hath bin oppugned and that diuersly both by the Papists and Puritanes For the Papists they say Emperours and kings be the Pope his Summoners but of themselues are no absolute and powerfull commanders and callers of Councels There ought no councel to be kept without the determinate consent of the Bishop of Rome No councell euer yet had firme and lawful authority which was not confirmed by the Bishop of Rome The Popes of Rome and not Christian Princes haue the authoritie and power of making lawes ecclesiasticall and of calling Councells And the Puritanes do thinke that priuate persons without the leaue or priuitie of Princes may summon assemblies about Church causes at their pleasures and consult about the publike affaires of the Church Of this minde was Beza and be the disciplinarians both of South and North Brittaine Others aduersaries to both Puritanes and Papists are of minde that were the Pope a good man as he is nothing lesse he might and hee being wicked other good Bishops though subiect vnto Kings and Emperours may summon Counsells at their discretions An error of Seluererus The Muscouites haue a fancie that since the seuenth generall Counsell that was neither Prince nor Pope nor any other men els haue power to call a generall counsell 2. Proposition Generall coucells may erre The proofe from Gods word Generall Councells consisting first of men who may erre nothing more easily for all the imaginations of mans heart are onely euill continually euen from his youth but God onely is true and all men are yea and euery man is a Liar Next of men differing in yeares riches learning iudgement calling and authoritie whereby distractions of opinions often doe arise Thirdly of many mē wherof the wicked be for nūber commonly the maior part and the better in outward countenance of the world Lastly of men not al nor alwaies either gouerned with Gods holy Spirit and word or gathered together in the Name of Christ none of sounde iudgement in Religion do doubt but they may erre If Paphmitius had bin absent at Nice that Councell had erred If Hierome had bine away at Calcedon that Councell had erred At any time if some be beleeued be the Pope of Rome not present at such meetings either per se or per Legatum by himselfe or his Legate no Councell but must erre Therefore Councells may erre That which one Counsell doth establish another will disanull They will not wee must thinke reuoke that which is well decreed Therefore councells may erre The adversaries vnto this truth Therefore erre doe the papists which say that the holy Spirit is the director of all Councells and That councells cannot erre 3. Proposition Generall Councells haue erred euen in things pertaining vnto God The proofe from Gods word Councells both generall and particular haue erred and that in matters of Faith For in the holy Scriptures wee finde that it was ordained If any man did confesse that Iesus was the Christ hee should be excommunicate which could not be but by a Councell A councell was gathered to suppresse Christ and his doctrine A councell consulted how they might take Iesus by subtilty and kill him A councell sought for false witnesse to put him to death By a counsell