life and death were set before him which if he would not consider nor doe his endeavour therein by choosing of evill he might loose all those good gifts The second part of the knowledge of a mans selfe namely before justification standeth in this that a man acknowledge a right the state of this fall sin and mortalitie For that free liberty of choice which God permitted to the will of man he abused and kept not the law of his justice but swerved therefrom and therein transgressed the commandement of God insomuch as he obeyed the devill and those lying speeches of his and gave credit unto them and performed to the devill such faith and obedience as was due to God alone whereby he stripped and bereaved himselfe and his posteritie of the state of perfection and goodnesse of nature and the grace of God and those good gifts of justice and the Image of God which in his creation were engraffed in him he partly lost them and partly corrupted and defiled them as if with horrible poyson one should corrupt pure wine and by this meanes he cast headlong both himselfe and all his off-spring into sinne death and all kinde of miseries in this life and into punishments eternall after this life Wherefore the spring and principall author of all evill is that cruell and detestable devill the tempter lyer and manslayer and next the free will of man which notwithstanding being converted to evill through lust and naughtie desires and by perverse concupiscence chooseth that which is evill Hereby sinnes according to these degrees and after this order may be considered and judged of The first and weightiest or most grievous sinne of all was without doubt after that sinne of Adam which the Apostle calleth Disobedience for the which death reigneth Rom. 5. over all even over those also which have not sinned with like transgression as did Adam A second kind is originall sin naturally ingendred in us and hereditarie wherein we are all conceived and borne into this world Behold saith David I was borne in iniquitie Psal 51. Ephes 2. and in sinne hath my mother conceived me And Paul We are by nature the children of wrath Let the force of this hereditarie destruction be acknowledged judged of by the guilt and fault by our pronenesse and declination by our evill nature and by the punishment which is laid upon it The third kinde of sinnes are those which are called Actuall which are the fruits of Originall sinne and doe burst out within without privily and openly by the powers of man that is by all that ever man is able to doe and by his members transgressing all those things which God commandeth and forbiddeth and also running into blindnesse and errours worthy to be punished with all kinde of damnation This doctrine of the true knowledge of sinne is of our men diligently handled and urged and to this end were the first and second Tables of the Law delivered to Moses of God that men especially might know themselves that they are conceived and borne in sin and that forthwith even from their birth and by nature they are sinners full of lusts and evill inclinations For hereof it commeth that straight even from the beginning of our age and so forth in the whole course of our life being stained and overcome with many sins men doe in heart thoughts and evill deeds breake and transgresse the commandements of God as it is written The Lord looked down from heaven to behold the children Psal 14. Rom. 3. of men to see if there were any that would understand and seeke God all are gone out of the way they have been made altogether unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one And againe When the Lord saw that the wickednesse of man was great in the Gen. 6. earth and all the cogitations of his heart were onely evill continually And againe The Lord said the imagination of mans heart is evill Gen. 8. even from his youth And Saint Paul saith We were by nature the children of wrath as well as others Ephes 2. Here withall this is also taught that by reason of that corruption and depravation common to all mankinde and for the the sinne transgressions and injustice which ensued thereof all men ought to acknowledge according to the holy Scripture their own just condemnation and the horrible and severe vengeance of God and consequently the most deserved punishment of death and eternall torments in hell whereof Paul teacheth us when he saith The wages of sin is death And our Lord Christ They which have Rom. 6. John 5. done evill shall goe into the resurrection of condemnation that is into pains eternall Where shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth They teach also that we must acknowledge * Looke the first observat upon this confession our weaknesse and that great miserie which is ingendered in us as also those difficulties from which no man can ever deliver or rid himselfe by any meanes or justifie himselfe that is procure or get righteousnesse to himselfe by any kinde of works deeds or exercises seeme they never so glorious For that will of man which before was free is now so corrupted troubled and weakened that now from henceforth of it selfe and without the grace of God it cannot chuse judge or wish fully nay it hath no desire nor inclination much lesse any abilitie to chuse that good wherewith God is pleased For albeit it fell willingly and of it owne accord yet by it selfe and by it owne strength it could not * Looke the second observat upon this confession rise againe or recover that fall neither to this day without the mercifull help of God is it able to doe any thing at all And a little after Neither can he which is man onely and hath nothing above the reach of this our nature helpe an other in this point For since that originall sin proceeding by inheritance possesseth the whole nature and doth furiously rage therein and seeing that all men are sinners and doe want the grace and justice Rom. 3. of God therefore saith God by the mouth of the Prophet Esaias Put me in remembrance Let us be judged together count thou if Esa 43. thou have any thing that thou mayest be iustified thy first father hath sinned and thy interpreters that is they which teach thee justice have transgressed against me and a little before speaking of works in the service of God after the invention of man he saith Thou hast not offered unto me the Ram of the burnt offerings neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices I have not caused thee to serve with an offering nor wearied thee with incense And unto the Hebrews it is written Sacrifice and offering and Heb 10. burnt offerings and sinne offerings thou wouldest not have Neither did dest thou approove those things which were offered according to the Law This also must we know
to us in the word of God Wherefore we mislike the rash speeches of such as say that if by the providence of God all things are governed then all our studies and endevours are unprofitable It shall be sufficient if we leave or permit all things to be governed by the providence of God and we shall not need hereafter to be carefull or to be taught in any matter For though Paul did confesse that he did saile by the providence of God who had said to him Thou must testifie of me also Acts 23. 11. at Rome who moreover promised and said There shall not so much as one soule perish Neither shall an haire fall from your heads Yet the mariners devising how they might finde a way to escape the same Paul saith to the Centurion and to the souldiers Vnlesse Acts 27. 34. these remaine in the ship ye can not be safe For God who hath appointed every thing his end he also hath ordained the beginning and the meanes by which we must attaine unto the end The heathens ascribe things to blinde fortune and uncertaine chance but Saint James would not have us say To day or tomorrow we will Iames 4. goe into such acitie and there buy and sell but he addeth for that which you should say if the Lord will and if we live we will doe this or that And Augustine saith All those things which seeme to vaine men to be done unadvisedly in the world they doe but accomplish his word because they are not done but by his commandement And in his exposition on the 148. Psal It seemed to be done by chance that Saul seeking his fathers Asses should light on the Prophet Samuel but the Lord had before said to the Prophet to morrow I will send unto thee a man of the Tribe of Benjamin c. Of the Creation of all things of the Angels the Devill and Man CHAP. 7. THis good and Almighty God created all things both visible and invisible by his eternall word and preserveth the same also by his eternall spirit as David witnesseth saying By the word Psal 33. 6. of the Lord were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth And as the Scripture saith All things that the Lord created were very good and made for the use and profit of man Now we say that all those things doe proceede from one beginning and therefore we detest the Maniches and Marcionites who did wickedly imagine two substances and natures the one of good the other of evill and also two beginnings and two Gods one contrary to the other a good and an evill Amongst all the creatures the Angels and men are most excellent Touching Angels the holy Scripture saith Who maketh Psal 10 4. 4. Heb. 5. 14. his Angels spirits and his Ministers a flame of fore Also Are they not ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes which shall bee the heires of salvation And the Lord Iesus himselfe testifieth of the Devill saying He hath beene a murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him When he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own for he is a liar and the Father thereof We teach therefore that some Angels persisted in obedience and were appointed unto the faithfull service of God and men and that other some fell of their owne accord and ranne headlong into destruction and so became enemies to all good and to all the faithfull c. Now touching man the Spirit saith that in the beginning he was created good according to the image and likenesse of God that God placed him in Paradise and made all things subject unto him which David doth most nobly set forth in the 8. Psal Moreover God gave unto him a wife and blessed them We say also that man doth consist of two and those divers substances in one person of a soule immortall as that which being separated from his body doth neither sleepe nor die and a body mortall which notwithstanding at the last judgement shall be raised againe from the dead that from thenceforth the whole man may continue for ever in life or in death We condemne all those which mock at or by subtill disputations call into doubt the immortalitie of the soule or say that the soule sleepeth or that it is a part of God To be short we condemne all opinions of all men whatsoever which thinke otherwise of the creation of Angels Devils and Men then is delivered unto us by the Scriptures in the Apostolike Church of Christ Out of the Confession of BASILL VVE also beleeve that God made all things by his everlasting Artic. 2. word that is by his onely begotten Sonne and and that he upholdeth and worketh all things by his Spirit that is by his owne power And therefore that God as he hath created so he foreseeth and governeth all things And albeit man by the Artic. 3. same fall became subject to damnation and so was made an enemy to God yet that God never laid aside the care of mankinde The Patriarks the promises before and after the Flood likewise the Law of God given by Moses and the holy Prophets doe witnesse this thing Out of the FRENCH Confession THis one onely God hath revealed himselfe unto men first Artic. 2. both in the Creation and also in the Preservation and government of his workes c. Looke the rest in the first Section of the Scripture and the second Section of God We beleeve that God the three persons working together by Artic. 7. his vertue wisedome and incomprehensible goodnesse hath made all things that is not onely heaven and earth and all things therein contained but also the invisible spirits of which some fell headlong into destruction and some continued in obedience Therefore we say that they as they are through their owne malice corrupted are perpetuall enemies to all good and therefore to the whole Church but that these preserved by the meere grace of God are ministers for his glory and for the salvation of the Elect. We beleeve that God hath not onely made all things but also Artic. 8. ruleth and governeth them as he who according to his will disposeth and ordereth whatsoever happeneth in the world Yet we deny that he is the author of evill or that any blame of things done amisse can be laid upon him seeing his will is the soveraigne and most certaine rule of all righteousnesse but he hath wonderfull rather then explicable meanes by which he so useth all the devils and sinnefull men as instruments that whatsoever they doe evilly that he as he hath justly ordained so he also turneth it to good Therefore while we confesse that nothing at all is to be done but by the meanes of his providence and appointment we doe in all humility adore his secrets that are hid from us neither doe we search into those things
the Church like doting follies to those of the Pelagians And we say that all men since the fall of our first parents which are borne by the coupling together of male and female doe together with their birth bring with them Originall sinne as Paul saith Rom. 5. By one man sinne entred into the world and by sinne death And Ephes 2. We were by nature the children of wrath as well as others Neither doe we dislike that usuall definition if it be well understood Originall sinne is a want of Originall iustice which ought to be in us Because that Originall justice was not onely an acceptation of mankinde before God but in the very nature of man a light in the minde whereby he might assuredly beleeve the word God and a conversion of the will unto God and an obedience of the heart agreeing with the judgement of the Law of God which which was graffed in the minde and as we said before man was the temple of God That Originall iustice doth comprehend all these things it may beunderstood by this saying Man was created after the Image and likenesse of God which Paul doth thus interpret Ephes 4. Put ye on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse where undoubtedly by true holinesse he understandeth all those vertues which shine in our nature and are given by God not ascited by art or gotten by instruction as now those shadowes of vertues such as they are in men be ascited because that then God dwelling in man did governe him And when we consider what Originall iustice doth signifie then the privation opposite thereunto is lesse obscure Therefore Originall sinne is both for the fall of our first parents and for the corruption which followed that fall even in our birth to be subject to the wrath of God and to be worthy of eternal damnation except we obtaine remission for the Mediatours sake And this corruption is to want now the light or the presence of God which should have shined in us and it is an estranging of our will from God and the stubbornnesse of the heart resisting the law of the minde as Paul speaketh and that man is not the temple of God but a miserable Masse without God and without justice These wants and this whole corruption we say to bee sinne not onely a punishment of sinne and a thing indifferent as many of the Sententiaries doe say That these evils are onely a punishment and a thing indifferent but not sinne And they doe extenuate this Originall evill and then they feigne that men may satisfie the law of God and by their owne fulfilling of the Law become just The Church must avoid ambiguities Therefore we doe expressely name these evils Corruption which is often named of the ancient writers Evill concupiscence But we distinguish those desires which were created in our nature from that confusion of order which hapned after our fall as it is said Ier. 10 The heart of man is wicked And Paul saith The wisedome of the flesh is omnit is against God This evill Concupiscence we say to be sinne and we affirme that this whole doctrine of sinne as it is propounded and taught in our Churches is the perpetuall consent of the true Church of God Of Free Will Artic. 4. NOw let us make manifest also the doctrine of free will Men truely instructed in the Church have alwaies distinguished betweene discipline and the newnesse of the spirit which in the beginning of life eternall and they have taught that in man there is such freedome of will to governe the outward motions of the members that thereby even the unregenerate may after a sort performe that outward discipline which is an externall obedience according to the Law But man by his naturall strength is not able to free himselfe from sinne and eternall death but this freedome and conversion of man unto God and this spirituall newnesse wrought by the Sonne of God quickning us by his holy Spirit as it is said If any man hath not the Spirit of Christ the same is not his and the will having received the holy Ghost is not idle And we give God thankes for this unspeakable benefit that for the Sonne his sake and through him he giveth us the holy Ghost and doth governe is by his Spirit And we condemne the Pelagians and the Manichces as we have at large declared in an other place Of the difference of sinne Artic. 10. SEeing it is said that sinnes remaine in the regenerate it is necessarie to have a difference of sinnes delivered unto us For out of that saying Luk. 11. He went and tooke unto him seven other spirits worse then himselfe and they enter in and dwelt there c. And of such like sayings it is manifest that some who are regenerate doe grieve and * Looke the 1. Observer upon this confession shake off the holy Ghost and are againe rejected of God and made subject to the wrath of God and eternall punishments And Ezech. 18. it is written when the righteous man shall turne from his righteousnesse and commit iniquitie he shall die therein and when the wicked man shall turne from his wickednesse and doe iudgement and iustice he shall live therein Therefore it is necessary that those sinnes which remaine in holy men in this mortall life and yet doe not shake off the holy Ghost be distinguished from other sinnes for the which man is againe made subject to the wrath of God and to eternall punishments So Paul Rom. 5. distinguisheth betweene sinne that reigneth and sinne that reigneth not And Rom. 8. he saith If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye mortifie the deeds of the body by the spirit ye shall live And in the first Epistle to Timothy Chap. 1. he giveth a rule Fight a good fight keeping faith and a good conscience Therefore when a man doth not keepe the faith but either wittingly or by some errour looseth some part of the foundation that is some article of faith or alloweth Idols as many doe which are deceived with false opinions or doe not uphold themselves by the comfort of faith but are overcome by doubting or by despaire or against their conscience doe breake any commandement of God he doth shake off the holy Ghost and is made againe subject to the wrath of God and to everlasting punishment Of these men faith Paul Rom. 8. If ye live according to the flesh ye shall die And 1 Cor. 6. Neither fornicatours nor adulterers nor Idolaters c. shall inherit the kingdome of God And that the oath Ezech. 18. doth cleerely say As I live saith the Lord I do not desire the death of a sinner but rather that he be converted and live In this oath two parts are joyned together conversion and life God doth desire and that with an oath the conversion of man therefore they doe not please him which retaine a purpose to sinne Now in
according as Saint John saith The Word was made flesh John 1. And thus of these two natures their properties not being changed nor confounded yet by a wonderfull communication thereof there is made one indivisible person one Christ Immanuel our King and Priest our Redeemer our Mediatour and perfect Reconciler full of grace and truth so that of his fulnesse we all doe take grace for grace For the Law was given by Moses but grace and truth was given and exhibited by Iesus Christ being God and man in one person This grace and truth are our men taught to acknowledge and by faith to behold in all those saving and wonderfull works or affections of Christ which according to the meaning of the holy Scripture are by a stedfast faith to be beleeved and professed such as are his coming down from heaven his conception birth torments death buriall resurrection ascension unto heaven sitting at the right hand of God and his coming again from thence to Iudge both the quicke and the dead In these principall affections as in a chest wherein treasure is kept are all those wholsome fruits of our true justification laid up are taken out from thence for the Elect and those which doe beleeve that in spirit and conscience they may be partakers thereof through faith which all hereafter at the day of our joyfull resurrection shall be fully and perfectly bestowed upon us And towards the end of that sixth Chapter these words are added In this Chapter also particularly and for necessary causes to shun and avoyd many pernicious and Antichristian deceits it is taught concerning Christ his * Looke the first obsâ—rvat upon this confession presence namely that our Lord Christ according to his bodily conversation is not amongst us any longer in this world neither will be unto the end of the world in such sort and manner as he was here conversant amongst us in his mortalitie and wherein he was betrayed and circumcised nor yet in the forme of his glorified body which he got at his resurrection and in the which he appeared to his disciples and the fortieth day after his resurrection departing from them ascended manifestly into heaven For after this manner of his presence and company he is in the high place and with his Father in heaven where all tongues professe him to be the Lord and every faithfull one of Christ must beleeve that he is there and worship him there according to the Scriptures as also that part of the Catholike Christian faith doth expressely witnesse which is this He ascended into heaven he sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almightie Also that other Article from thence shall he come that is from an higher place out of heaven with his Angels to iudge both the quicke and 1 Thes 4. the dead So doth Paul also say The Lord himselfe shall descend from heaven with a shoute and with the voice of an Archangel and with the trumpet of God And Saint Peter saith Whom heaven must containe Act 3. Mar. 16. untill the time that all things be restored And the Evangelist Marke But whâ—n the Lord had spoken with them he was taken up againe into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God And the Angels which were there present when he was taken Acts 1. up into heaven said This Iesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come againe as you have seene him goe into heaven Furthermore this also doe our men teach that the selfe same Christ very God and very man is also with us here in this world but after a diverse manner from that kinde of presence which we named before that is after a certaine spirituall manner not object to our eyes but such a one as is hid from us which the flesh doth not perceive and yet it is very necessary for us to our salvation that we may be partakers of him whereby he offereth and communicateth himselfe unto us that he may dwell in us and we in him and this truly he doth by the holy Ghost whom in his own place that is instead of his own presence whereby he was bodily amongst us hee promised that he would send unto his Church and that he would still abide with it by the same spirit in vertue grace and his holesome truth at all times even untill the end of the world when he said thus It is good for you that I goe Matth. 28. Iohn 16. Iohn 14. hence for except I goe hence the Comforter will not come unto you but if I goe away I will send him unto you And againe I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that is another kinde of comforter then I am that he may abide in you for ever even the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth in you and shall be in you I will not leave you comfortlesse but I will come to you namely by the selfe same spirit of truth Now then even as our Lord Christ by his latter kinde of presence being not visible but spirituall is present in the Ministers of the Church in the Word and in the Sacraments even so also by the selfe same Ministers Word and Sacraments he is present with his Church and by these meanes doe the Elect receive him through inward faith in their heart and doe therefore joyn themselves together with him that he may dwell in them and they in him after such a sort as is not apparant but hidden from the world even by that saith spiritually that is to say in their souls and hearts by the spirit of truth of whom our Lord saith He abideth with you and shall be in you And I will come againe unto Iohn 14. you This judgement and declaration of our faith is not new or now first devised but very ancient Now that this was commonly taught and meant in the Church of old it is plaine and evident by the Writings of the ancient Fathers of the Church and by that Decree wherein it is thus written and they are the words of S. Augustine Our Lord is above untill the end of the world but the Iâ— Io. Tract 30. truth of the Lord is here also for the body of the Lord wherein he rose againe must of necessitie be in one place but his truth is dispersed every where Out of the FRENCH Confession VVE beleeve that whatsoever is requisite to our salvation Artic. 13. is offered and communicated unto us now at length in that one Iesus Christ as he who being given to save us is also made unto us wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption in so much as whosoever doth swarve from him doth renounce the mercie of the Father that is our onely refuge We beleeve that Iesus Christ being the wisdome and eternall Artic. 14. Son of the Father tooke upon him
by the infinite goodnesse and wisdome of the Godhead is appointed a Mediatour and Redeemer I know that the commandement of God is immutable so that every one may determine in these griefes that he is assuredly received into favour for Christ his sake This is the proper voice of the Gospel this Decree is brought by the Son out of the bosome of the eternall Father and is sealed up by his blood and resurrection Not to assent to this Will and Decree is to contemne the Son of God and concerning this sinne John saith cap. 3. He that beleeveth not the Sonne the wrath of God abideth on him But he that beleeveth that his sins be forgiven for this Mediatours sake he doth now certainly receive remission of his sins for Christ his sake which is effectuall in him and quickneth and sanctifieth him by his holy Spirit and being now reconciled he is undoubtedly accounted just for the Mediatours sake and is heire of eternall life Either to omit or to corrupt or to dislike this necessary comfort touching conversion is as much as manifestly to extinguish the gospel As touching this faith absolution ought both to admonish us and also to confirme it as David was confirmed when he heard this absolution 2 Reg. 12. The Lord hath taken away thy sinne So know thou that the voyce of the Gospel doth declare remission unto thee also the which remission is namely propounded to thee in absolution Doe not thou feigne that the Gospel doth nothing at all pertaine to thee but know that it was therefore published that by this meanes men imbracing the Gospel might be saved and that it is the eternall and immutable commandement of God that thou shouldest beleeve it He that doth not by this faith imbrace the Gospel but is stil doubting he doth in vaine heare the absolution When as by this comfort the hearts are quickned and are now made the dwelling places of God Then is it necessary that they should now begin a new obedience as is said before But to returne to wicked deeds is to shake off God and again to lose that righteousnesse and life as Iohn saith 1 Ioh. 3. He that doth righteousnesse is righteous he that committeth sinne is of the devill But we have before rehearsed the summe of the dectrine of new obedience Of Satisfaction Artic. 17. NOw what a confusion there is in their doctrine of Satisfactions which they tearme workes not due injoyned by the Church it were long to rehearse and few before these times have understood it but we doubt not but that this whole part also is truely and cleerely expounded in our Churches It was a custome among our first fathers that they which defled themselves with murther Idols or filthy lustes should be barred their company and chiefly from their sacrifices This custome both the Synagogue retained and other nations also which were not altogether savage in Asia and in Greece In the meane time they which were defiled wandred up and downe being branded with the markes of their guiltinesse as Orestes Adrastus and many others This custome in the beginning did the Church also keepe Those that were defiled it severed from the mutuall society afterward it did not suddenly receive those again that did repent that it might be knowne that they did unfainedly aske pardon and for examples it might profit others but for certaine daies absolution was deferred that they might be seene to aske pardon publikely So was that incestuous Corinthian debarred and afterward received againe not without deliberation 1 Cor. 5. This whole custome was appointed * Looke the 4. observation for examples sake and is politicall nothing at all pertaining to the remission of sins But afterward through superstition it so increased that fasts and forbearing the company of man or wife were injoyned for many yeeres When these burthens had increased too much the Bishops did release them againe and this release of such rites was called Indulgence The Monks not considering the history of these things feigned that eternall punishment might be recompensed by the punishments of Purgatorie or other punishments of this life and they added that Satisfactions were injoyned of the Church that those punishments might be mitigated and that satisfactions should be workes not due by the law of God We reject these Monkish fables which even they themselves doe not understand and we retaine most sure rules to wit That eternall punishments are remitted together with the fault for the Sonne his sake not for any our satisfactions according to that which is written in Hosea Chap. 13. O death I will be thy death O hell I will be thy destruction Also Rom. 5. Being iustified by faith we have peace Secondly we say that these not due workes whereof these men speake are not any worship of God or satisfactions but that they doe pertaine to this saying Matth. 15. They doe in vaine worship me with the commandements of men And * Looke the fifth observat upon this confession certainly the power of the keies hath no commandement to injoyne such punishments Also we feare that this applying of indulgences by which the Pope doth apply the merits of Saints unto others is but counterfeit and that the indulgences in times past were nothing else but a releasing of the Canons which did nothing appertaine to those satisfactions whereof the Monks do speake Now it is another thing to speake of satisfaction which is due as of the restoring of theft of that which hath beene gotten by usury of another mans wife or his good name This restitution is a worke that is due pertaining to new obedience as Paul saith Ephes 4. Let him that hath stolne steale no more He that withholdeth another mans wise hath neither contrition faith nor new obedience Neither are the commandements of God touching due satisfaction which we say ought to be made to be mingled with those trifling songs of Popish satisfactions Also this we confesse that in this life many horrible punishments are spread over the Church over Empires and over families for certaine sinnes of many men yea even of the Elect as the sedition that was raised up against David did not lightly afflict that whole civill regiment and many holy families Therefore we distinguish betwixt eternall punishment and the punishment of this life and we say that eternall punishment is remitted onely for the Sonne of God his sake when we are justified and quickned by faith And albeit that even temporall punishments * Locke the 6. Observat are chiefly mittigated for the Sonne of God his sake who is the harbour for the Church because this weake nature cannot sustaine the greatnesse of the wrath of God as Daniel prayeth Chap. 9. For the Lords sake heare thou us and have an eye unto our helpe c. Yet we teach this also that even for the very conversions sake our punishments are mittigated because that in the Saints the legall promises being added to their
that God doth give a reward to our good deeds yet withall we teach with Augustine that God doth crowne in us not our deserts but his owne gifts And therefore whatsoever reward we receive we say that it is a grace and rather a grace then a reward because those good things which we doe we doe them rather by God then by our selves and because Paul saith What hast thou that 1 Cor 4. thou hast not received If thou hast received it Why dost thou boast as though thou hadst not received it And that which the blessed Martyr Cyprian doth gather out of this place That we must not boast of any thing seeing nothing is our owne We therefore condemne those who defend the merits of men that they may make frustrate the grace of God Out of the former Confession of HELVETIA NOw we attaine unto these so divine benefits and the true sanctification of the spirit of God by Faith which is the meere gift of God not by any either our strength or merits which faith being a sure and undoubted substance and laying hold on things to be hoped for from the good will of God doth send out of it selfe charitie and then very excellent fruits of all vertues yet doe we not attribute any thing to these workes although they be the workes of godly men but that salvation which we have obtained we do wholly attribute to the very grace of God And this is indeed the onely true worship of God to wit a faith most fruitfull of good workes and yet not putting any confidence in works Out of the Confession of BASILL VVE confesse the remission of sinnes through faith in Christ crucified and though this faith doth without intermission exercise and shew forth it selfe in the workes of charitie and by this meanes is tried yet we doe not attribute righteousnesse and satisfaction for our sins unto works which are fruits of faith but onely to a true confidence and faith in the blood of the Lambe of God shed for us For we doe unfainedly professe that all things are given us freely in Christ who is our righteousnesse holidesse redemption way truth wisdome and life Therefore the faithfull do worke not to satisfie for their sinnes but onely that they may in some sort shew themselves thankefull unto God our Lord for great benefits bestowed upon us in Christ And in the Margent upon the word Thankefull Thankefulnesse consisteth in requiting of benefits received but we can requite nothing to God because he wanteth nothing Therefore we have an eye to those things which herequireth of us and those are faith and the workes of charitie he requireth faith toward himselfe Charitie toward our neighbour Out of the Confession of BOHEMIA Of Christ our Lord and of Iustification by Faith CHAP. 6. THe sixth point of Christian doctrien in our Churches is as touching sound and lively faith in Iesus Christ our Lord and of true Iustification by this faith And a little after Our men are taught to acknowledge this grace and truth and in all the saving and wonderfull workes which Christ brought to effect by faith to behold those things which according to the meaning of the holy Scripture are in a stedfast faith to be beleeved and professed such are these The comming of Christ from heaven his conception nativitie torments death buriall resurrection ascending into heaven his sitting at the right hand of God and his coming againe from thence to judge the quicke and the dead In these principall effects as in a chest wherein treasure is kept are all those saving fruits of true justification laid up and from thence they are taken for the Elect and faithfull that in spirit and conscience by faith they may be made partakers thereof all which shall hereafter be perfectly and fully given unto them in the day of that joyfull resurrection These things are also found in the sixth Section so farre forth as they describe the workes of Christ and the fruits thereof Out of this foundation of this justifying faith and of true and perfect justification thereby according to evident and cleare testimonies in the Scriptures we are further taught First that no man by his owne strength or by the power of his owne will or of flesh and blood can attaine unto or have this saving or justifying faith except God of his grace by the holy Ghost and by the ministery of the Gospel preached doe plant it in the heart of whom he list and when he list so that that heart may receive all Rom. 10. 2 Theff 3. things which are offered to salvation and made known touching the same by the publike preaching of the word and by the sacraments instituted of Christ Hereof holy Iohn Baptist saith Man Iohn 3. can take nothing to himselfe except it be given him from above Also our Lord Christ himselfe saith No man cometh to me except the Father Iohn 6. which sent me doe draw him And a little after Except it be given him of my Father that is from above by the holy Ghost And to Peter Christ said Flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee Matth. 16. Now this faith properly is an assent of a willing heart to the whole truth delivered in the Gospel whereby man is lightened in his minde and soule that he may rightly acknowledge and receive for his onely Saviour his God and Lord Iesus Christ and upon him as on a true rocke he may build his whole salvation love follow and enjoy him and repose all his hope and confidence in him and by this valiant confidence he may lift up himselfe and trust that for him and his onely merit God is become to him loving gentle bountifull and also that in him and for him he assiredly hath and shall have for ever eternall life according to his true promise which hee confirmed with an oath saying Verily I say unâ—o you he that beleeveth in me hath Iohn 6. eternall life And This is the will of him that sent me that he which seeth the Sonne and beleeveth in him shall have eternall life and I will raise him up in the last day Also This is life eternall that they know thee the true God and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ And Isaiah saith By his knowledge shall my righteous servant iustifie many This faith alone and this inward confidence of the heart in Iesus Christ our Lord doth justifie or make a just before God without any workes which he may adde or any merit of his of which Saint Paul saith But to him that worketh not at all but beleeveth in him Rom. 4. that iustifieth the wicked man his faith is imputed for righteousnesse And before he said But now is the righteousnesse of God made manifest Rom. 3. without the law having witnesse of the law and of the Prophets to wit the righteousnesse of God by the faith of Iesus Christ unto all and upon all that beleeve And in
another place He that beleeveth Acts 13. in him is made righteous And this righteousnesse or justification is the remission of sinnes the taking away of eternall punishment which the severe justice of God doth require and to be clothed with Christs righteousnesse or with imputation thereof also it is a reconciliation with God a receiving into favour whereby we are made acceptable in the beloved and fellow heires of eternall life For the confirming of which things and by reason of our new birth or regeneration there is an earnest added to wit the holy Ghost who is given and bestowed freely out of Ephes 1. that infinite grace for Christ his death bloud shedding and his resurrection All these things hath Paul described very excellently in his Epistle to the Romanes where he bringeth in Rom. 4. Psal 32. David speaking in this wise Blessed are they whose iniquitie is forgiven whereof he speaketh in that whole Chapter And to the Gal. 4. Rom. 8. Galathians he saith God sent forth his Son that we might receive the adoption Now because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son crying in your hearts Abba Father For whomsoever God doth justifie to them he doth give the holy Ghost and by him he doth first regenerate them as he promiseth by the Prophet saying I will give them a new heart and I will put my spirit Ezech 11. and 36. Rom 5. in the middest of them that as before sinne had reigned in them to death so also then grace might reigne by righteousnesse unto eternall life through Iesus Christ And this is the communion or participation of the grace of God the Father of the merit of Iesus Christ our Lord and of the sanctification of the holy Ghost this is the law of faith the law of the spirit and life written by the holy Ghost But the lively and never dying spring of this justification is our Lord Iesus Christ alone by those his saving works that is which give salvation from whom all holy men from the beginning of the world as well before the law was published and under the law and the discipline thereof as also after the law have and doe draw have and doe receive salvation or remission of their sins by faith in the most comfortable promise of the Gospel and doe apply and approper it as peculiar to themselves onely for the sole death of Christ and his blood-shedding to the full and perfect abolishing of their sinnes and the cleansing from them all whereof we have many testimonies in the Scripture Holy Peter before the whole countrey at Hierusalem doth proove by sound arguments that Salvation is not to be found in any other then in Act. 4. Christ Iesus alone and that under this large cope of heaven there is no other name given unto men whereby we may be saved And in another place he appealeth to the consenting voyces and testimonies of all the Prophets who spake with one minde and by one spirit as it were by one mouth and thus he said As touching this Iesus Act. 10. all the Prophets beare witnesse that through his name all that beleeve in him shall receive remission of sins And to the Hebrews it is written He hath by himselfe purged our sins and againe We Heb. 1. Eph. 1. 1 Jâ—h 2. have redemption through his blood even the remission of sins And St. John saith We have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation or attonement for our sinnes and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world And againe to the Hebrews We are sanctified by the offering of the body Heb. 10. of Iesus Christ once made and a little after he addeth with one only offering hath he consecrated for ever them that are sanctified namely of God by the spirit of God Therefore all sinners and such as are penitent ought to flie incontinently through their whole life to our Lord Iesus Christ alone for remission of their sins and every saving grace according to that in the Epistle to the Heb. 4. Hebrews Seeing that we have a great high Priest even Iesus the Son of God which is entered into heaven let us hold fast this profession which is concerning Christ our Lord and straight-way he addeth Let us therefore goe boldly unto the throne of grace that we may receive mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of need Also Christ himselfe crying out saith He that thirsteth let him come to Joh. 7. me and drinke And in another place He that cometh unto me shall not hunger and he that beleeveth in me shall never thirst Now they Joh. 6. that attaine to this justification by Christ our Lord are taught to take unto themselves true and assured comfort out of this grace and bountie of God to enjoy a good and quiet conscience before God to be certaine of their owne salvation and to have it confirmed to them by this means that seeing they are here the sons of God they shall also after death in the resurrection be made heires In the meane time they ought both to desire to be brought Rom. 8. Gal. 4. to this that they may receive the fruit of perfect salvation and also cheerefully to looke for it with that confidence according to the promise of the Lord that such shall not come into judgement Joh. 5. but that by making away they have already passed from death into life Of all other points of doctrine we account this the chiefest and weightiest as that wherein the summe of the Gospell doth consist Christianitie is founded and the precious and most noble treasure of eternall salvation and the onely and lively comfort proceeding from God is comprehended Therefore herein our Preachers doe labour especially that they may well instruct the hearts of men in this point of doctrine and so sow it that it may take deepe root Of goods works and a Christian life CHAP. 7. IN the seventh place we teach that they who are made righteous and acceptable to God by faith alone in Christ Iesus and that by the grace of God without any merits ought in the whole course of their life that followeth both altogether joyntly and every one particularly according as the order condition age place of every one doth require to performe and exercise those good works and holy actions which are commanded of God even as God commandeth when he saith Teach them to observe all things which I have commanded you Now these good works or holy actions are not certaine affections devised of flesh and blood for such the Lord forbiddeth but they are expressely shewed and propounded unto us by the spirit of God to doe the which God doth binde us the rule and chiefe square whereof God himselfe is in his word for so he saith by the Prophet Walke not in the Ezech. 20. commandements of your Fathers and keepe
many disputations in Saint Augustine And these are his words Forsomuch as by the law God sheweth to man his infirmitie that flying unto his mercy by faith he might be saved For it is said that he carrieth both the law and mercy in his mouth The law to convict the proud and mercy to iustifie those that are humbled Therefore the righteousnesse of God through faith in Christ is revealed upon all that beleeve And the Milevitan Synole writeth Is not this suficiently declared that the law worketh this that sinne should be knowne and so against the victory of sinne men should flie to the mercy of God which is set forth in his promises that the promises of God that is the grace of God might be sought unto for deliverance and man might begin to have a righteousnesse howbeit not his owne but Gods Of good workes VVHen as we doe teach in our Churches the most necessarie doctrine and comfort of faith we joyne there with the doctrine of good workes to wit that obedience unto the law of God is requisite in them that be reconciled For the Gospel preacheth newnesse of life according to that saying I will put my lawes in their hearts This new life therefore must be an obedience towards God The Gospel also preacheth repentance and faith cannot be but onely in them that doe repent because that faith doth comfort the hearts in contrition and in the feares of sinne as Paul saith Being iustified by faith we have peace And of repentance he saith Rom. 6. Our old man is crucified that the body of sinne might be abolished that we might no more serve sinne And Isaiah saith Where will the Lord dwell In a contrite and humbled spirit c. Secondly among good workes the chiefest and that which is the chiefest worship of God is faith which doth bring forth many other vertues which could never be in men except their hearts had first received to beleeve How shall they call on him in whom they doe not beleeve So long as mens mindes are in doubt whether God heareth them or not so long as ever they thinke that God hath rejected them they doe never truely call upon God But when as once we doe acknowledge his mercy through faith then we flie unto God we love him we call upon him hope in him looke for his helpe obey him in afflictions because we doe now know our selves to be the sonnes of God and that this our sacrifice that is our afflictions doth please God These services doth Faith bring forth Very well therefore said Ambrose Faith is the mother of a good will and of iust dealing Our Adversaries will seem very honourably to set out the doctrine of good works and yet concerning these spirituall workes to wit faith and the exercises of faith in prayer and in all matters counsels and dangers of this life they speake never a word And indeed none can ever speake well of these exercises if the consciences be left in doubt and if they know not that God requireth faith as a speciall worship of his And when as that huge shew of outward workes is cast as a myst before mens eyes the mindes especially such as be not well instructed are led away from beholding these inward exercises Now it is very requisite that men should be taught and instructed concerning these inward workes and fruits of the spirit For these they be that make a difference betweene the godly and hypocrites As for exernall worship externall ceremonies and other outward workes the very hypocrites can performe them But these services and duties belong onely to the true Church true repentance feare faith prayer c. These kindes of worship are especially required and commended in the Scripture Psal 49. Offer unto God the sacrifice of praise and Call on me in the day of trouble c. Thirdly by this faith which doth comfort the heart in repentance we doe receive the Spirit of God who is given us to be our governour and helper that we should resist sinne and the devill and more and more acknowledge our owne weakenesse and that the knowledge and feare of God and faith may increase in us wherefore our obedience to God and a new life ought to increase in us as Saint Paul saith We must be renewed to the knowledge of God that the new law may be wrought in us and his Image which hath created us be renewed c. Fourthly we teach also how this obedience which is but begunne onely and not perfect doth please God For in this so great infirmitie and uncleannesse of nature the Saints doe not satisfie the law of God The faithfull therefore have need of comfort that they may know how their slender and imperfect obedience doth please God It doth not please him as satisfying his law but because the persons themselves are reconciled and made righteous through Christ and doe beleeve that their weaknesse is forgiven them as Paul teacheth There is now no condemnation to them which are in Christ c. Albeit then that this new obedience is farre from the perfection of the law yet it is righteousnesse and is worthy of a reward even because that the persons are reconciled And thus we must judge of those workes which are indeed highly to be commended namely * Looke the 7. Observation that they be necessarie that they be the service of God and spirituall sacrifices and do deserve a reward Neverthelesse this confolation is first to be held touching the person which is very necessary in the conflict of the confcience to wit that we have remission of sinnes freely by faith and that the person is just that is reconciled and an heire of eternall life through Christ and then our obedience doth please God according to that saying Now ye are not under the Law but under grace For our workes may not be set against the wrath and judgement of God But the terrours of sinne and death must be overcome by faith and trust in the Mediatour Christ as it is written O death I will be thy death And Iohn 6. Christ saith This is the will of the Father which sent me that every one which seeth the Sonne and beleeveth in him should have life everlasting And Saint Paul Being iustified by faith we have peace with God And the Church alwaies prayed for give us our trespasses And thus do the Fathers teach concerning the weaknesse of the Saints and concerning Faith Augustine in his exposition of the 30. Psalme saith Deliver me in thy righteousnesse For there is a righteousnesse of God which is made ours when it is given unto us But therefore it is called the righteousnesse of God lest man should thinke that he had a righteousnesse of himselfe For as the Apostle Paul saith To him that beleeveth in him that iustifieth the wicked that is that of a wicked maketh a righteous man If God should deale by the rule of the law which is set forth unto us
beleeved God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Here certainly Augustine by faith doth understand confidence which receiveth remission of sins and that which is said in Genesis and in Paul he doth altogether understand it as we expound it And in his booke De spiritu litera he saith By the law we feare God and by faith we flie to his mercie Bernard in his Sermon De Annunciatione saith First of all it is necessarie to beleeve that thou canst not have remission of sins but by the mercie of God But adde thereunto that thou maist also beleeve this that through him thy sins be forgiven thee This is the witnesse which the holy Ghost doth give in our heart saying Thy sins be forgiven thee For so doth the Apostle thinke that a man is iustified freely by faith In this sentence the judgement of our Churches is plainly and properly alleadged and like testimonies are to be found in this author Basil also in his Sermon of Humilitie doth most properly set forth our judgement in these words He that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lord saying that Christ is made unto us of God wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption as it is written He that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lord. For this is perfect and sound reioycing in God when as a man is not puffed up by reason of his own righteousnesse but doth acknowledge that he doth stand in need of the true righteousnesse and that he is iustified by faith alone in Christ Seeing therefore that by this which hath been spoken it is manifest what the word Faith doth signifie in this proposition We are iustified by Faith hereupon we may understand that the Monks and others doe dangerously erre which doe command those that are turned to God to doubt whether they doe please God This common errour of doubting is evidently refuted by these words Being iustified by Faith we have peace with God Also Therefore is righteousnesse of faith that the promise might be sure For so long as mens hearts are tormented with doubting they flie from God they doe not rest in God nor call upon him and the promise becometh unto them but a vaine sound because they give not consent unto it To conclude it is the eternall and immutable commandement of God that we should beleeve in the Son of God according to this saying The spirit shall convince the world of sinne because they beleeve not in me Also 1 Joh. 5. He that beleeveth not God maketh him a lyer Now it is a foolish cavill when they say that we must doubt in respect of our unworthinesse and not in respect of mercie For the promise was therefore given therefore the Son of God was appointed our Mediatour because we are unworthy and that for his sake having suffered being raised up againe and now making intercession for us and dwelling in us and cloathing us with his righteousnesse the Father might undoubtedly be mercifull to this miserable lumpe of ours being unworthy and full of filthinesse according to that saying There is now no condemation to them which walke in Christ Jesus Also it is absurd which they say that we must doubt by reason of our unworthinesse For we are not to doubt whether our unworthinesse doe displease God but with true sighes let us confesse that we are unworthy let us lay to the promise whereunto God hath commanded us to assent Neither is that saying Eccles 9. fitly applyed to this doubting Man knoweth not whether he be worthy of love or of hatred It is madnesse to imagine that Salomon should have any such meaning that neither the just nor the unjust ought to determine with themselves whether they please or displease God seeing it is most certaine that they which persevere in wicked deeds againe their conscience doe displease God But Salomon doth withdraw us from externall shews to the word of God as though he should say Doe not determine with thy selfe that by reason of thy prosperitie thou art in favour with God or by reason of thy adversitie thou art out of favour with him Alexander doth not therefore please God because he is a Conquerour and enjoyeth a large Empire Let not Iob in his calamitie nor David in his exile thinke that they be forsaken of God because they be miserable let them not judge according to these events or outward shews but by the word of God and then even in the middest of our miserie we shall receive this comfort As I live I will not the death of a sinner c. God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne that every one that beleeveth in him should not perish c. To conclude This errour of doubting is altogether heathenish and doth abolish the Gospel and in true conversion taketh away comfort from them that feele the wrath of God Men are rather to be taught that this is undoubtedly the voice of the Gospel that we should beleeve the Sonne of God and be assured that grace doth abound much more then sinne and therefore let us withstand doubting by wrestling get the upper hand and by faith overcome it that we may have accesse to God invocate him and give him thanks These chiefe points of worship are fearefully hindred when mens mindes are shaken with the waves of doubting as experience teacheth Hereof it is evident why it is necessary that the Decree of the Tridentine Councell which confirmeth the errour of doubting should be reprooved Also by all that which hath been said it may be understood that we doe justly finde fault with that Synecdoche whereby some interpret Pauls words after this sort We are iustified by Faith that is by a formed love as they speake For they understand the word faith onely of knowledge and thinke that this is the meaning We are iustified by Faith that is we are prepared to righteousnesse that is to other vertues to wit obedience and fulfilling of the Law So this is it onely which they say Man is righteous for his own vertues then they will him to doubt whether he be furnished with those habits whereof they speake Now we have declared before that by Faith is signified a confidence resting in the Sonne of God the Reconciler for whom we are received and doe please God not for our vertues or fulfilling the Law And seeing that in this same comfort the confidence whereby we doe rest in the Sonne of God is indeed a motion kindled by the holy Ghost whereby the heart is quickened and freed from eternall death this conversion is called regeneration Ioh. 3. Except a man be borne againe of water and of the spirit And now man is made indeed the dwelling place of God who is effectuall in him as it is said Ioh. 14. If any man love me he will keepe my word and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and will dwell with him The eternall Father and the Son by the
brethren according to the measure of gifts which God hath bestowed upon every one Moreover to the end that these things may the better be observed it is the part and dutie of every faithfull man to separate himselfe according to Gods word from all those which are without the Church and to couple himselfe unto this company of the faithfull wheresoever God hath placed it yea though contrary Edicts of Princes and Magistrates doe forbid them upon paine of corporall death presently to ensue upon all those which doe the same Whosoever therefore doe either depart from the true Church or refuse to joyn themselves unto it do openly resist the commandement of God We beleeve that with great diligence and wisdome it ought to be searched and examined by the word of God what the true Artic. 29. Church is seeing that all the Sects that at this day have sprung up in the world doe usurpe and falsely pretend the name and title of the Church Yet here we doe not speake of the company of hypocrites which together with the good are mingled in the Church though properly they doe not pertaine to the Church wherein they are onely present with their bodies but onely of the manner how to distinguish the Body and Congregation of the true Church from all other Sects which doe falsely boast that they be the members of the Church Wherefore the true Church may be discerned from the false by these notes First if the pure preaching of the Gospell doe flourish in it if it have the lawfull administration of the Sacraments according to Christ his institution if it doe use the right Ecclesiasticall discipline for the restraining of vice Finally to knit up all in one word if it doe square all things to the rule of Gods word refusing whatsoever is contrary to it acknowledging Christ to be the onely head of the same By these notes I say it is certaine that the true Church may be discerned From the which it is not lawfull for any man to be severed Now who be the true members of this true Church it may be gathered by these marks and tokens which be common to all Christians such is faith by the vertue whereof having once apprehended Christ the onely Saviour they doe flie sinne and follow righteousnesse loving the true God and their neighbours without turning either to the right hand or to the left and doe crucifie their flesh with the effects thereof not as if no infirmitie at all remained still within them but because they doe fight all their life long against the flesh by the power of the spirit having often recourse unto the blood death passion and obedience of our Lord Christ as unto a most safe refuge in whom alone they are assured to finde redemption for their sins through faith in him But on the other side the false Church doth alwaies attribute more unto her selfe to her owne decrees and traditions then to the word of God and will not suffer her selfe to be subject to the yoake of Christ neither doth administer the Sacraments so as Christ hath prescribed but at her own will and pleasure doth one while adde unto them another while detract from them Furthermore she doth alwaies leane more to men then to Christ and whosoever doe goe about to lead a holy life according to the prescript rule of Gods Word whosoever doth rebuke and reproove her faults as her covetousnesse and idolatry those she doth persecute with a deadly hatred By these marks therefore it is easie to discerne and distinguish both these Churches the one from the other Out of the Confession of AUSPURGE ALso they teach that there is one holy Church that shall continue alwaies Now to speake properly the Church of Christ is a congregation of the members of Christ that is of the Saints which doe truely beleeve and rightly obey Christ though in this life there be many wicked ones and hypocrites mingled with this companie and shall be to the day of judgement Now the Church properly so called hath her notes and marks to wit the pure and sound Doctrine of the Gospel and the right use of the Sacraments And for the true unitie of the Church it is sufficient to agree upon the Doctrine of the Gospel and the administration of the Sacraments Neither is it necessary that humane traditions or rites instituted by men should be alike every where according as Saint Paul teacheth There is one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all These things are thus set down in another Edition ALso they teach that there is one holy Church which is to continue alwaies Now the Church is a Congregation of Saints in which the Gospel is purely taught and the Sacraments rightly administred And unto the true Vnitie of the Church it is sufficient to agree upon the Doctrine of the Gospel and the administration of the Sacraments Neither is it necessary that humane traditions and rites or ceremonies ordained by man should be alike in all places as Saint Paul saith There is one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all Out of the Confession of SAXONY Of the Church GOd will have us to understand that mankinde is not borne by chance but that it is created of God and created not to eternall Artic. 11. destruction but that out of mankinde he might gather unto himselfe a Church to the which in all eternitie he might communicate his wisdome goodnesse and joy and he will have his Sonne to be seene for whom and through whom by his unspeakable wisdome and infinite mercie he hath repaired this miserable nature of men Therefore amongst men he would at all times have a companie whereunto he delivered the doctrine concerning his Sonne and wherein the Sonne himselfe did institute and preserve a ministerie to keepe and spread abroad that doctrine by the which he hath been is and will be effectuall and hath converted many to himselfe as Paul doth manifestly teach The Gospell is the power of God to salvation to every one that beleeveth But it is to be marvelled at and to be lamented that the greatest part of mankinde being carried away with a horrible rage should contemne this voice and testimonie of God and the Son of God and that in this company which hath the name of the Church there have been alwaies many divisions and that the true Church hath been overcome by forreine and domesticall enemies When men doe looke upon these dissentions and doe see that they which imbrace other doctrines repugnant to the Gospell doe get the upper hand in kingdomes multitude and glory they doubt whether there be any Church of God which it is what manner of Church it is and where it should be And for prophane men it is a hard matter to judge hereof but the true Church doth certainly know out of the divine Testament whence these so great furies of men doe arise and yet that amongst them the Church of God
pleasure he doth manifestly and malapertly against our Lord who instituted this Sacrament and committeth a thing cleane contrary to his holy Testament and last will which was declared in his owne words and that expressely Also this Sacrament ought to be received and administred without adoration and without that worship which is due to God alone yet with a due kinde of religion and reverence and chiefly with that which is the chiefest of all namely with faith and examination of himself which in this action is most acceptable to Christ our Lord and most profitable for men which also St. Paul taught the first Church and exhorted it hereunto saying 1 Cor. 11. Let every man trie or examine himselfe and so let him eate of that bread and drinke of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily doth eate and drinke his owne iudgement or condemnation because he discerneth not the Lords body And in another place Prove your selves whether ye are in the faith examine your selves 2 Cor. 13. know ye not your owne selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates Now I pray unto God that ye doe no evill If so be that any man approach to this table without such a tryall and not making himselfe worthy who hath not first examined himselfe what manner of faith he hath with what purpose he came to this Sacrament or how he had prepared himselfe hereunto I say such a man should greatly prophane and reproach this Sacrament yea the whole institution hereof appointed by Christ For which cause the Ministers of our Churches doe admit none to this Sacrament neither give it unto any but to such as are noted to come unto it seriously and doe so much as in them lyeth prepare themselves hereunto after such a manner as becometh Christian godlinesse Now when the Congregation doth come together to celebrate the use of the Lords Supper and be partakers thereof then according to the example of the Primitive Church our Ministers doe teach in their holy Sermons concerning Christ and concerning the grace which through him and in him is given to sinners and especially concerning his death the sheading of his blood and the redemption and salvation purchased thereby After that the whole Church doth joyne together in faithfull prayers unto God to obtaine this that they may indeed use this Sacrament worthily * Looke the 3. Observat Moreover in the next place absolution from sinnes is lawfully administred the words of the institution are rehearsed and the people by exhortation is stirred up to a reverent consideration of this mysterie and to a cheereful and serious contemplation of the benefits of God the Sacrament is reverently with all godlinesse distributed and the people of the faithfull * Looke the 4. Observat most commonly falling downe on their knees doe receive this Sacrament with thankesgiving with gladnesse with singing of hymnes or holy songs and they shew forth the death of the Lord and admonish themselves of all his benefits to the confirmation of their faith in a true communion with Christ and his bodie And all this we doe according to the meaning of those things which are commanded in the holy Scripture especially according to the saying of Christ Doe this in remembrance Luc. 22. 1 Cor. 11. of me and Paul saith So often as ye shall eat of this bread and drinke of this cup ye shall shew forth the death of the Lord till he come Out of the FRENCH Confession VVE affirme that the holy Supper of the Lord to wit the Artic. 36. other Sacrament is a witnesse to us of our uniting with our Lord Iesus Christ because that he is not onely once dead and raised up againe from the dead for us but also he doth indeed feed us and nourish us with his flesh and bloud that we being made one with him may have our life common with him For although he be now in heaven and shall remaine there till he come to judge the world yet we beleeve that by the secret and incomprehensible vertue of his Spirit he doth nourish * Looke the 1. observation upon this confession and quicken us with the substance of his body and blood being apprehended by faith But we say that this is done spiritually not that we may counterfeit an imagination or thought instead of the efficacie and truth but rather because this mysterie of our union with Christ is so high a thing that it surmounteth all our senses yea and the whole order of nature to conclude because that it being divine and heavenly cannot be perceived nor apprehended but by faith We beleeve as was said before that as well in the Supper as Artic. 37. in Baptisme God doth in deed that is truly and effectually give whatsoever he doth there sacramentally represent and therefore with the signes we joyne the true profession and fruition of that thing which is there offered unto us Therefore we affirme that they which doe bring pure faith as it were a certaine vessell unto the holy Supper of the Lord doe indeed receive that which there the signes doe witnesse namely that the body and bloud of Iesus Christ are no lesse the meate and drinke of the soule then bread and wine are the meate of the body Also out of the 38. Art a little after the beginning And also that that bread and wine which is given us in the Supper is indeed made unto us spirituall nourishment in as much as they doe offer unto our eies to behold that the flesh of Christ is our meate and that his bloud is our drinke Therefore we reject all those phantasticall heads which doe refuse these fignes and tokens seeing that Christ our Lord hath said This is my body and This cup is my bloud Out of the ENGLISH Confession VVE say that Eucharistia that is to say the Supper of the Artic. 12. Lord is a Sacrament that is an evident Representation of the body and blood of Christ wherein is set as it were before our eyes the death of Christ and his Resurrection and whatsoever he did whilest he was in his mortall body to the end we may give him thankes for his death and for our deliverance and that by the often receiving of this Sacrament we may daily renue the remembrance thereof to the intent we being fed with the body and blood of Christ may be brought into the hope of the Resurrection and of everlasting life and may most assuredly beleeve that as our bodies be fed with bread and wine so our soules be fed with the body and blood of Christ To this Chrysost ad Eph. sâ—rm 3. cap. 1. Banquet we thinke the people of God ought to be earnestly bidden that they may all communicate among themselves and openly declare and testifie both the godly society which is among them and also the hope which they have in Christ Jesus For this cause if there had been
9. VVE beleeve and confesse that the Eucharist for so it pleased our forefathers to call the Supper of the Lord is a Sacrament instituted of Christ himselfe and that the use thereof is commended to the Church even to the latter end of the world But because the substance is one thing and the use thereof another thing therefore we will speake of these in order Touching the substance of the Eucharist we thus thinke and teach * Looke the 1. observation upon this confession that the true body of Christ and his true blood is distributed in the Eucharist and we refute them that say that the bread and wine of the Eucharist * Looke the 2. Observat are signes of the body and blood of Christ being onely absent Also we beleeve that the omnipotencie of God is so great that in the Eucharist he may either annihilate the substance of bread and wine * Looke the 3. observation or else change them into the body and blood of Christ but that God doth exercise this his absolute omnipotencie in the Eucharist we have no certaine word of God for it and it is evident that the ancient Church was altogether ignorant of it For as in Ezech. where it is said of the Citie of Hierusalem described on the out side of a wall This is Hierusalem it was not necessary that the substance of the wall should be changed into the substance of the Citie of Hierusalem so when it is said of the bread This is my body it is not necessary that the substance of bread should be changed into the substance of the body of Christ * Looke the 4. observation but for the truth of the Sacrament it is sufficient that the body of Christ is in deed present with the bread and in deed the very necessitie of the truth of the Sacrament doth seeme to require that true bread should remaine with the true presence of the body of Christ For as to the truth of the Sacrament of Baptisme it is necessary that in the use thereof there should be water and that true water should remaine so it is necessary in the Lords Supper that there should be bread in the use thereof and that true bread should remaine whereas if the substance of bread were changed we should have no proofe of the truth of the Sacrament Whereupon both Paul and also the ancient Ecclesiasticall Writers doe call the bread of the Eucharist even after consecration bread 1 Cor. 11. Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that bread c. And Whosoever shall eate this bread and drinke this cup of the Lord unworthily c. And Augustine in his Sermon to young children saith That which you have seene it is the bread and the cup the which thing also your eyes doe witnesse unto you but that which your faith desireth to learne is this the bread is the body of Christ the cup is his blood Now as touching the use of the Eucharist first although we doe not denie * Looke the 5. observation but that whole Christ is distributed as well in the bread as in the wine of the Eucharist yet we teach that the use of either part ought to be common to the whole Church For it is evident that Christ being nothing at all terrified by any dangers which afterward humane superstition invented or by other devises gave unto his Church both parts to be used Also it is evident that the ancient Church did use both parts for many yeeres And certaine Writers doe clearely witnesse that they which doe receive bread alone doe not receive the whole Sacrament Sacramentally for so they speake and that it is not possible to devide one and the self same mystery without great sacriledge Wherefore we thinke that the use of both parts is in deed Catholike and Apostolike and that it is not lawfull for any man at his pleasure to change this institution of Christ and a ceremony of such continuance in the ancient and true Church and to take away from the Laitie as they call them one part of the Eucharist And it is to be marvelled at that they who professe themselves to defend the ceremonies of the ancient Church should so farre swarve from the ancient Church in this point Moreover seeing that the word Sacrifice is very large and doth generally signifie a holy worship we doe willingly grant that the true and lawfull use of the Eucharist may in this sense be called a Sacrifice howbeit the Eucharist according to the institution of Christ is so celebrated that therein the death of Christ is shewed forth and the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ is distributed to the Church and so it is truely called an applying of the merit of the passion of Christ to wit to them which receive the Sacrament Neither doe we condemne godly lessons and prayers which use to goe before and to follow consecration as they call it and the dispensation of the Eucharist yet in the meane time it is not lawfull for us to dissemble or to allow of those errours which have been added to this holy Sacrament rather by the ignorance of private men then by any lawfull consent of the true Catholike Church One errour is this that of the worship which ought to be common to the Church there is made a private action of one Priest who as he doth alone to himself mumble up the words of the Lords Supper so also he alone doth receive the bread and wine For Christ did institute the Eucharist not that it should be a private action of one man but that it should be a communion of the Church * Looke the 6. observation Therefore to the right action of the Eucharist two things at the lest are requisite to wit the Minister of the Eucharist who blesseth and he to whom the Sacrament of the Eucharist is dispensed For when Christ did institute this Sacrament he did not eate thereof alone but he did dispense it to his Church which then was present with him saying Take ye eate ye c. And Drinke ye all of this c. This institution of Christ the ancient and true Catholike Church did so severely observe that it excommunicated them which being present whilest this holy Sacrament was administred would not communicate with others Anacletus in his first Epistle saith After that consecration is finished let all communicate except they had rather stand without the Church doores And he addeth For so both the Apostles appointed and the holy Church of Rome keepeth it still Also the Antiochian Councell cap. 2. saith All those which come into the Church of God and heare the holy Scriptures but doe not communicate with the people in prayer and cannot abide to receive the Sacrament of the Lord according to a certaine proper discipline these men must be cast out of the Church Dionysius in his book De Eccles Hierarc saith The Bishop when
the sects and opinions of other nations Iohn assembled his flock at Ephesus and taught the Gospel and by the use of the Sacraments the whole companie did declare that they imbraced this doctrine and did invocate this God who delivered the Gospel and that they were separated from the worshippers of Diana Iupiter and other Idols For God will bee seene and have his Church heard in the world and have it distinguished by many publique signes from other nations So no doubt the first Fathers Adam Seth Enoch Noe Sem Abraham had their meetings and afterward the civill government of Israel had many rites that their separation from the Gentiles might be more evident Also God gave a peculiar promise to his congregation Matth. 18. Wheresoever two or three be gathered together in my name I will be in the middest of them Also Whatsoever they agreeing together shall desire it shall be done to them And in the 149. Psalme His praise is in the Church of the Saints And the promises wherein God doth affirme that he will preserve his Church are so much the sweeter because we know that he doth preserve and restore the publique ministerie in well ordered meetings as also in the very words of the Supper this promise is included where he commandeth that The death of the Lord should be shewed forth and this Supper distributed till he come c. Hitherto also pertaineth the last part of the 12. Article of this Confession where these things are found touching the revenues of Monastories IN many places the Churches want Pastours or else Pastours want living These men ought chiefly to be relieved out of the revenues of rich Monasteries then the studies of those which be poore must thereby be furthered and in some places Schooles may be erected especially seeing that it is necessary that the Church should discharge the expences of many poore that they might learne that so out of that number Pastours and Ministers may be chosen to teach the Churches Also hospitals are thence to be relieved wherein it is necessary that the poore which have beene sick a long time should be nourished A great part of the revenues in these countries is by the goodnesse of God transferred to such uses which are indeed godly to wit to nourish Pastours the poore and Schollers to erect Schooles and to relieve Hospitals that which remaineth is bestowed in every Monasterie upon the guiding and ordering of things pertaining to their houses and to think that this is not very sumptuous it is but foolishnesse As for the richer Abbots in these dayes upon what uses they lavish out the revenues the examples of many doe declare whom we could name who do both hate learning Religion and vertue and do waste these almes ravenously and either set no Pastours over their Churches or if they have any they suffer them to starve Out of the Confession of WIETEMBERGE Hitherto pertaineth first the 11. Article Of this Confession VVE think that it is most profitable that children and young men be examined in the Catechisme by the Pastors of their Church and that they be commended if they be godly and well instructed and that they be amended if they be ill instructed The rest is to be seene in the 14. Sect. where the confirmation used in Papisticall Baptisme is handled Hitherto also pertaineth the 16 Art ss 2. Of Prayer BY Prayer God is invocated and true invocation is a worke of faith and cannot be done without faith Now faith doth behold Christ and relie upon his merits onely Wherefore except thou shalt apply unto thy selfe the merit of Christ by faith prayer will stand thee in no stead before God Now prayer is necessarily required for this purpose that by a due consideration of the promises of God faith may be stirred up and kindled in us Therefore it is not absurdly said that sins are cleane taken away by prayer yet must it not so be understood as though the very worke of prayer of it own merit were a satisfaction for sins before God but that by prayer faith is stirred up and kindled in us by which faith we are made partakers of the merit of Christ and have our sinnes forgiven us onely for Christ his sake For before that we doe by prayer invocate God it shall be necessarie to have the merit of Christ applied to us and received by faith Therefore it cannot be that prayer should be such a worke as that for the merit thereof we might obtaine remission of our sins before God Psalme 108. Let his prayer be turned into sinne But it is not possible that prayer should be turned into sinne if of it selfe it were so worthy a worke as that sinne thereby should be purged Isa 1. When you shall stretch out your hands I will turne my eyes from you and when you shall multiply your prayers I will not heare you But God would not turne away his eyes from prayer if of it owne worthinesse it were a satisfaction for our sins Augustine upon the 108. Psal saith That prayer which is not made through Christ doth not onely not take away sinne but also it selfe is made sin Bernard de Quadrages Ser. 5. saith But some peradventure doe seeke eternall life not in humilitie but as it were in confidence of their own merits Neither doe I say this let grace received give a man confidence to pray but no man ought to put his confidence in his prayer as though for his prayer he should obtaine that which he desireth The gifts which are promised doe onely give this unto us that we may hope to obtain even greater things of that mercie which giveth these Therefore let that prayer which is made for temporall things be restrained in these wants onely also let that prayer which is made for the vertues of the soul be free from all filthy and uncleane behaviour and let that prayer which is made for life eternall be occupied about the onely good pleasure of God and that in all humilitie presuming as is requisite of the onely mercie of God Of Almes CHAP. 18. VVE do diligently commend almes and exhort the Church that every man help his neighbour by every dutie that he may and testifie his love But whereas it is said in a certaine place That almes doe take away sinne as water doth quench fire we must understand it according to the analogie of faith For what need was there to the taking away of our sins of Christ his passion and death if sins might be taken away by the merit of almes And what use were there of the ministerie of the Gospell if almes were appointed of God for an instrument whereby the death of Christ might be applied to us Therefore that Christ his honour may not be violated and the ministerie of the Gospell may retaine it lawfull use we teach that almes doth thus take away sinne not that of it selfe it is a worthy worke whereby sinne may either be purged or the
the use of the keyes which Christ spake of private admonition betweene private persons to wit Thou hast gained thy brother Vpon the same Those ancient customes were in time worne out of use Be it that Obser 6. pag. 132. those painfull punishments and satisfactions which cannot especially at these times be brought into use againe but that they will doe more hurt then good be worne out of use yet notwithstanding this doth nothing hinder but that every Church as it knoweth what is expedient may appoint a certaine kinde of Censure or Ecclesiasticall discipline which it may use where need so requireth that the Church may be satisfied as we have noted before in the first observation upon the Confession of Bohemia and hereafter in the 10. Section and in the third observation upon the Confession of Bohemia Vpon the same We give men warning of this also c. How temporall punishments Obser 7. pag. 132. may be said sometime to be deferred and sometime to be mitigated by good works we have declared a little before to wit in the third observation upon this confession Moreover the word merit both in the words which follow Repentance deserved that God should alter his purpose touching the destruction of Ninive and also in other places wheresoever either this or other Confessions doe use it it is without doubt thus to be taken for that which we say to obtaine and to get as it is often times used among the ancient Latine divines And whereas God here is said to have changed his minde we doe not doubt but that our brethren doe understand it as spoken after the manner of men as when he is said to repent him of some thing or else it is to be referred to the outward preaching of Ionas For as concerning God himselfe it was onely a threatning and not a sentence decreed Vpon the confession of Saxonie VVE affirme that the Ceremonie of private absolution is to be Observ â— page 134. retained in the Church How farre we thinke that this private confession and absolution is to be retained in the Church we have declared a little before to wit in the first observation upon the Confession of Bohemia Vpon the same In true Confession there must be these changes a mortification Observ 2. pag. 134. and a quickning Rom. 6. c. This is most truly said but in a divers sense For neither is contrition or a sense of sinne which is a fruit of sinne common to all signified by the name of mortification insomuch as it is a gift of the holy Ghost proper to the Elect but an abolishing of the old man or of the flesh or of that naturall corruption which taking it beginning of that contrition or sorrow which is according to God whereof that place Psal 5. 19. and Esa 66. 2. is understood is by little and little perfited in the elect and is the beginning of true conversion whereunto on the other side quickning is answerable that is a certaine restoring as it were from death unto life of the minde which was before in a manner dead in that corruption and being perswaded of the free remission of sinnes in Christ by faith it beginneth to hate sinne wherewith it was delighted to love God whom it hated and to conclude to will well and to do uprightly Vpon the same To shake of God and againe to loose c. Looke those things Observ 3. page 136. which are noted in the first observation of the 4. Section upon this Confession Vpon the same This whole custome was appointed for examples sake and is politicall Observ 4. page 137. c. We doe thinke that this custome of publique satisfaction before the Church is in such sort politicall that notwithstanding it may be referred to the Ecclesiasticall order and may altogether be distinguished from those punishments which are meerely civill and from those which are to be inflicted by the civill Magistrate For although such a publique kinde of acknowledging and detesting of sinnes being made in the Church is in no case to be thought to be of any value before God for the ransome of our sinnes much lesse that it should be a Sacrament yet we doe not doubt but that this abasing is both acceptable to God and commodious for the edifying of the Church and that in such places wherein it may be fruitfully used Vpon the same Hath no commandement to inioyne such punishments c. But it Obser 5 pag. 137. hath a commandement lawfully to binde and to loose and to try by diligent search which is true repentance Concerning which thing looke what we have spoken a little before in the 2. observation upon the confession of Auspurge and is hereafter taught more at large in the 11. Section where we doe expressely intreat of the power of the Keyes Vpon the same Are chiefly mitigated for the Sonne of God c. Where the Obser 6. pag. 138. question is of the Church of God we say that all blessings without any exception are bestowed upon it and the members thereof not chiefly but onely for the Sonne of God his sake And these words Even for the very conversions sake our punishments are mitigated because that in the Saints the legall promises being added to their works are not without their effect but have their rewards c. ought as they seeme to be thus taken by adding to them this interpretation They are not without their effect but that must be of meere grace and in respect of Christ alone in whom God doth vouchsafe even to reward both the Saints themselves and also good works having no regard to the blemishes of their works as we have said before in the 3. and 7. observations upon the confession of Auspurge Vpon the same It doth onely pronounce this sentence c. To wit according to Obser 7. pag. 138. the Ecclesiasticall judgements and censures whereof we made mention before and not by any civill authoritie as Officials as they be tearmed in Papacie use to doe Vpon the Confession of Wirtemberge ALthough we thinke that it is not necessary to salvation to râ—ckon Obser 1. pag. 141. up sins c. yet we endeavour that a generall confession of sins may be retained in our Churches c. Seeing that these things pertaine not to the Doctrine of faith but unto the use of Ecclesiasticall discipline of the libertie whereof in particular Churches we have oftentimes spoken else-where we doe not thinke it good that this law should be brought into our Churches being made and received in other places beside the word of God and the custome of the ancient pure Church which did never require private confession of every one of those which did professe the Christian Religion but onely of them of whose sins knowledge was taken in the assembly IN THE NINTH SECTION Vpon the Confession of Bohemia BVt such works as are taught of men what shew soever they have