God that men especiallie might knowe themselues that they are conceiued and borne in sinne and that forthwith euen from their birth and by nature they are sinners full of lustes and euill inclinations For hereof it commeth that straight euen from the beginning of our age so forth in the wholl course of our life being stained ouercome with manie sins men doe in heart thoughtes and euil deedes breake and transgresse the commandements of God as it is written The Lorde looked downe from heauen to behold the children of men to see if there were aâ—â— that would vnderstand and seeke God all are gone out of the way they haue bene made altogether vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one And againe When the Lorde saw that the wickednes of man was great in the earth and all the cogitations of his heart were onelie euill continuallie And againe The 〈◊〉 saide the imagination of mans heart is euill euen from his youth And Saint Paull saith VVe were by nature the children of wrath as well as others Herewithall this is also taught that by reason of that corruption and deprauation common to all mankinde and for the sinne transgressions and iniustice which ensued thereof all men ought to acknowledge according to the holie scripture their owne iust condemnation and the horrible seuere vengeance of God and consequentlie the most deserued punishment of death and eternall torments in heâ— whereof Paull teacheth vs when he saith The wages of sinne is death And our Lord Christ They which haue done euill shal gâ—â— into the resurrection of condemnation that is into paines eternall Where shal be wailing and gnashing of teeth They teach also that we must acknowledge our weakenes and that great myserie which is ingendered in vs as also those difficulties from which no man can euer deliuer or ridde himselfe by any meanes or iustifie himselfe that is procure or get righteousnes to himselfe by any kinde of works deeds or exercises seeme they neuer so glorious For that wil of man which before was free is now so corrupted troubled and weakened that now from hence forth of it felfe and without the grace of God it cannot chuse iudge or wish fullie nay it hath no desire nor inclination much lesse any ability to chuse that good wherewith God is pleased For albeit it fell willinglie and of it owne accord yet by it selfe and by it owne strength it could not rise againe or recouer that fall neither to this daie without the mercifull helpe of God is it able to doe any thing at all And a litâ—â— after Neither can he which is man onelie and hath nothing aboue the reach of this our nature helpe an other in this point For since that originall sinne proceeding by inheritance possesseth the wholl nature and doth furiouslie rage therein and seeing that all men are sinners and doe want the grace and iustice of God therefore saith God by the mouth of the Prophet Esaias Put me in remembrance Let vs be iudged together count thou if thou haue any thing that thou may est be iustified thy first father hath sinned and thy interpreters that is they which teach thee iustice haue transgressed against me a litle before speaking of works in the seruice of god after the inuention of man he saith Thou hast not offered vnto me the Ramme of the burnt offrings neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices I haue not caused thee to serue with an offering nor wearied thee with incense And vnto the Hebrewes it is written Sacrifice offering and burnt offerings and sinne offerings thou wouldest not haue Neither didest thou approoue those things which were offered according to the law This also must we know that the Lord God for sinne doth permit and bring all kindes of afflictions miseries and vexations of minde in this life vpon all men such as are heat colde hunger thirst care and anguish sore laboures calamitie aduersitie dolefull times sword fire diseases griefes and at the last also that intollerable and bitter death whereby nature is ouerthrowen as it is written Thou shalt die the death Againe Cursed is the earth for thy sake in sorow shalt thou eate of it all the daies of thy life thornes also and thistles shall it bringforth to thee And yet it is taught that men must ought to beare all these punishments patientlie seeing that they owe vnto God haue deserued a farre more cruell punishment Yet they must not be so perswaded as though they deserued any thing by suffering this punishment or should receiue from God any grace or reward in recompense for the merit of these punishments seeing that Paull speaking of a much more worthie crosse and sufferings which the true beleuers take vppon them for Christs sake saith that they be not comparable to the glorie which shall be shewed vnto vs And these punishments are laied vpon vs are patientlie to be borne that we may acknowledge the greatnes of our sinne how greeuous a thing it is there withal our own weakenes needes and miserie and that by experience we may knâ—â— how wicked foull and bitter athing it is euen aboue all thâ— we are able to conceiue for a man to forsake the Lord 〈◊〉 God as saith the Prophet And moreouer that they whiâ— beeing plunged in these miseries and oppressed with these burthens may againe be stirred vp to repentance and â— seeke for fauour and helpe from God which is a father 〈◊〉 of mercie and compassion Howbeit this is also expresselie added that the laboures and torments which holie men doe suffer for the name of Christ that is in the cause of eternall saluation for the holie trueth of Christ are an acceptable and pleasant sacrifice to God and haue great and large promises especiallie in the life to come the which thing also did euen so fall out with Christ our heade of whome the epistle to the Hebrewes speaketh thus that for the ioy that was set before him he endured the crosse who also by himselfe consecrated and hallowed the crosse to them euen to this ende thaâ— those sufferings which we indure for Christ his names salâ—â— might be pleasant and acceptable vnto God OVT OF THE FRENCH CONFESSION VVE beleeue that man being created pure and vpright and conformable to the image of God through his owne fault fell from that grace which he had receiued and therby did so estraunge him selfe from God the fountaine of all righteousnes and of all good things that his nature is become altogether defiled and being blinde iâ— spirit and corrupt in heart hath vtterlie lost all that integritic For although he can somewhat discerne betweene good and euill yet we affirme that whatsoeuer light he hath 〈◊〉 straightwaies becommeth darkenes when the question is of seeking God so that by his vnderstanding and reason he can neuer come to God Also although he be endued with
substance and laying holde on thinges to be hoped for from the good will of God doth send out of it selfe charitie and then verie excellent fruites of all vertues yet doe we not attribute anie thing to these workes although they be the workes of godlie men but that saluation which we haue obteined wee doe whollie attribute to the verie grace of God And this indeed is the onelie true worship of God to wit a faith moste fruitfull of God workes and yet not putting anie confidence in workes OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BASILL WE confesse the remission of sinnes through faith in Christ crucified and though this faith doeth without intermission exercise and shew forth it selfe in the workes of charitie and by this meanes is tried yet we doe not attribute righteousnes and satisfaction for our sinnes vnto workes which are fruites of faith but onelie to a true confidence and faith in the blood of the lambe of God shed for vs. For we doe vnfeignedlie professe that all thinges are giuen vs freelie in Christ who is our righteousnes holines redemption waie trueth wisdome and life Therefore the faithfull doe worke not to satisfie for their sinnes but onelie that they maie in some sorte shewe them selues thankefull vnto God our Lorde for great benefits bestowed vpon vs in Christ And in the margent vpon the word Thankfull Thankefullnes consisteth in requiting of benefites receiued but we can requite nothing to God because he wanteth nothing Therefore we haue an eie to those thinges which he requireth of vs and those aâ—e faith and the workes of charitie he requireth Faith toward him selfe Charitie toward our neighbour OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BOHEMIA Of Christ our Lorde and of Iustification by Faith CHAP. 6. THE sixth point of Christian doctrine in our Churches is as touching sound and liuelie faith in Iesus Christ our Lorde 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 sauing and wonderfull works which Christ brought to effect by faith to beholde those things which according to the meaning of the holie scripture are in a steadfast faith to be beeleeued and professed such are these The comming of Christ from heauen his conception natiuitie torments death buriall resurrection ascending into heauen his sitting at the right hand of God and his comming againe from thence to iudge the quicke and the dead In these principall effectes as in a chest wherein treasure is kept are all those sauing fruites of true iustification laide vp and from thence they are taken for the elect and faithfull that in spirit and conscience by faith they maie be made partakers thereof all which shall hereafter be perfectlie and fullie giuen vnto them in the daie of that ioyfull resurrection These thinges are also 〈◊〉 in the sixth Section so farre soorth as they describe the workes of Christ and the fruites thereof Out of this foundation of this iustifying faith and of true and perfect iustification thereby according to euident cleare testimonies in the scriptures we are further taught First that no man by his owne strength or by the power of his own wil or of flesh bloode can attaine vnto or haue this sauing or iustifying faith except God of his grace by the holy ghost by the ministerie of the gospell preached do plant it in the heart of whome he list and when he list so that that heart maie receiue all things which are offered to saluation and made knowne touching the same by the publike preaching of the worde and by the sacraments instituted of Christ Hereof holie Iohn Baptist saith Man can take nothing to himselfe except it be giuen him from aboue Also our Lord Christ himselfe saith No man commeth to me except the Father which sent me do drawe him And a litle after Except it be giuen him of my Father that is from aboue by the holie ghost And to Peter Christ said Flesh blood hath not reueiled this vnto thee Now this faith properlie is an assent of a willing heart to the wholl trueth deliuered in the Gospell whereby man is lightned in his minde and soule that he may rightly acknowledge and receiue for his onelie Sauiour his God and Lord Iesus Christ and vpon him as on a true â—ocke he maie builde his wholl saluation loue followe and enioie him repose all his hope and confidence in him and by this valiant confidence he maie lift vp him selfe and trust that for him and his onelie merite God is become to him louing gentle bountifull also that in him and for him he assuredlie hath and shall haue for euer eternall life according to his true promise which he confirmed with an othe saying Verelie I saie vnto you he that beleeueth in me hath eternall life And This is the will of him that sent me that he which seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him should haue eternal life and I wil raise him vp in the last daie Also This is life eternall that they know thee the true God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ And Isaiah saith By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie manie This faith alone and this inward confidence of the heart in Iesus Christ our Lord doth iustifie or make a man iust before God without any workes which he maie adde or anie merite of his of which faith Saint Paull saith But to him which worketh not at all but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the wicked man his faith is imputed for righteousnes And before he saide But now is the righteousnes of God made manifest without the lawe hauing witnes of the law and of the Prophetes to wit the righteousnes of God by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue And in another place He that beleeueth in him is made righteous And this righteousnes or iustification is the remission of sinnes the taking awaie of eternall punishment which the seuere iustice of God doth require and to be clothed with Christs righteousnes or with imputation thereof also it is a reconciliation with God a receiueing into fauour whereby we are made acceptable in the beloued and fellow heires of eternall life For the confirming of which thinges and by reason of our new birth or regeneration there is an earnest added to wit the holie Ghost who is giuen and bestowed freelie out of that infinite grace for Christ his death blood shedding and his resurrection All these thinges hath Paull described verie excellentlie in his Epistle to the Romanes where he bringeth in Dauid speaking in this wise Blessed are they whose iniquitie is forgiuen whereof he speaketh in that wholl Chapter And to the Galathians he saith God sent forth his Sonne that we might receiue the adoption Now because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne crying in your hearts Abba Father For whomesoeuer God doth
when as once we doe acknowledge his mercie through faith then we flie vnto God we loue him we call vpon him hope in him looke for his helpe obeie him in afflictions because we doe now know our selues to be the sonnes of God and that this our sacrifice that is our afflictions doth please God These seruices doth faith bring forth Verie well therefore saide Ambrose Faith is the mother of a good wil and of iust dealing Our Aduersaries wil seâ—e verie honourablie to set out the doctrine of good workes and yet concerning these spirituall workes to wit faith and the exercises of faith in praier and in all matters counsells and daungers of this life they speake neuer a worde And in deede none can euer speake wel 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 works is cast as a myst before mens eies the mindes especiallie such as be not well instructed are led aware from beholding these inward exercises Now it is verie requisite that men should be taught and instructed concerning these inwarde workes and fruites of the spirit For these they be that make a difference betweene the godlie and hypocrites As for externall worship externall ceremonies and other outwarde workes the verie hypocrites can performe them But these seruices and duties belong onelie to the true Church true repentance feare faith praier c. These kindes of worship are especiallie required and commended in the Scripture Psal 49. Offer vnto God the sacrifice of praise and Call on me in the day of trouble c. Thirdlie by this faith which doth comforte the heart in repentance we doe receiue the spirit of God who is giuen vs to be our gouernour helper that we should resist sinne and the deuill and more and more acknowledge our owne weakenes and that the knowledge and feare of God and faith maie increase in vs wherefore our obedience to God and a new life ought to increase in vs as Saint Paull saith We must be renued to the knowledge of God that the new lawe maie be wrought in vs and his Image which hath created vs be renued c. Fourthlie we teach also how this obedience which is but begunne onelie and not perfect doth please God For in this so great infirmitie and vncleannes of nature the Saints doe not satisfie the law of God The faithfull therefore haue neede of comforte that they maie know how their slender and imperfect obedience doth please God It doth not please him as satisfying his lawe but because the persons themselues are reconciled made righteous through Christ and doe beleeue that their weaknes is forgiuen them as Paull 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 Lawe yet it is righteousnes and is worthie of a rewarde euen because that the persons are reconciled And thus we must iudge of those works which are indeed highlie to be commended namelie * that they be necessarie that they be the seruice of God and spirituall sacrifices and doe deserue a rewarde Neuertheles this consolation is first to be held touching the person which is verie necessarie in the conflict of the conscience to weere that we haue remission of sinnes freelie by faith and that the person is iust that is reconciled and an heire of eternall life through Christ and then that our obedience doth please God according to that saying Now ye are not vnder the law but vnder grace For our workes maie not be set against the wrath and iudgement of God But the terrours of sinne and death must be ouercome 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 euerie one which seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him should haue life euerlasting and S. Paull Being iustified by faith we haue peace with God and the Church alwaies praieth forgiue vs our trespasses And thus do the fathers teach concerning the weaknes of the saints and concerning faith Augustine in his exposition of the 30. Psalm saith Deliuer me in thy righteousnes For there is a righteousnes of God which is made ours when it is giuen vnto vs. But therefore is it called the righteousnes of God lest man should thinke that he had a righteousnes of himselfe For as the Apostle Paull saith To him that beleeueth in him that iustifieth the â—â—ked that is that of a wicked maketh a righteous man If God should deale by the rule of the law which is set forth vnto vs he must needs be condemned If God should as it were deale by the rule propounded in the law whom should he deliuer for he findeth al men to be sinners So saith Paul Al haue sinned stand in need of the glory of god What is this to stand in need of Gods glorie That he should deliuer thee not thou thy selfe For thou canst not deliuer thy selfe Thou hast need of a Sauiour Why doest thou vaunt thy selfe what maketh thee to presume of the law and of righteousnes Seest thou not that which doeth fight within the doest thou not heare one that striueth and confesseth his weaknes and desireth aide in the battell O miserable man that I am c. Now it may easilie be perceiued how needefull this doctrine is for the Church that men may know that they doe not satisfie the law of God and yet may haue true comforte knowing how their imperfect obedience doth please God This doctrine hath beene horriblie darkened and suppressed heretofore by certeine fond perswasions wherein vnlearned men haue imagined against the authoritie of the scripture that they can fullfill the law of God and that they are iust through the fullfilling of the law c. And that Monkes are perfect and doe performe more notable worthie workes then the law doth require In the meane while there is not a worde how the Mediatour Christ is to be apprehended by faith but they willed man to doubt or else to trust in his own workes But as touching this obedience we doe teach that they which commit mortall sinnes are not iust because god requireth this obedience that we should resist sinnefull lusts They then which striue not against them but obeie them contrarie to the commaundement of God and doe things against their consciences they are vnrighteous and doe neither retaine the holy spirit nor faith that is confidence and trust of gods mercie For confidence which seeketh remission of sinnes cannot so much as be in such as are delighted with their sinnes and remaine without repentance Fiftlie this point is needfull also to be taught by what meanes men maie doe good workes We shewed a litle before how our workes doe please God In this
his time Ceremonies were appointed for this cause that they should be admonitions of the Mediatour of the Doctrine of Faith of free remission for the Mediatours sake But they feigned that sinnes were forgiuen for those rites and sacrifices and by this superstition they heaped vp sacrifices and forgot the Mediatour and were without true comfort and without true inuocation The same thing hapned also after the Apostles time the light of the gospell being lost wherein is propounded free remission for the Mediatours sake and that to be receiued by Faith They sought remission by Monasticall exercises by single life by diuers obseruations by the offering in the Masse by the intercession of dead men and manie monstrous superstitions were deuised as the histories of the wholl Church which succeeded the Apostles doe declare Against these errours the infinite mercie of God hath oftentimes restored the voice of the Gospell And as among the people of Israell he did often raise vp Prophets which should purge the doctrine diligentlie so in the Church after the Apostles time when the writings of Origen and Pelagius and the superstition of the people had corrupted the puritie of the gospell yet notwithstanding as in a mist the light of the gospell was againe kindled by Augustine and him followed Prosper Maximus and others who reprooued the false opinions touching this Article Afterward when the Monkes were sprong vp and that opinion which faigneth men to merit by their workes was a fresh spread abroad yet there were some of a better iudgement although they added stable to the foundation as Hugo Bernard Gilbert William of Paris Tauler Ambrose Wesell and others in other places And now by the voice of Luther the doctrine of the gospell is more cleered and more euidentlie restored and the Lambe shewed vnto vs as the Baptist saith Beholde the lambe of God that takâ—â—â— awaie the sinnes of the world He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath eternall life he that beleeueth not the wrath of God abideth on him This same voice of the Gospell our Churches doe puâ—lâ—â—â— and that without corruption and we doe discerne that discipline or righteousnes which a man not regenerat maie performe from the righteousnes of faith and that newnes whereof the gospell doth preach We saie that all men are to be restrained by discipline that is by that righteousnes which euen the vnregenerate ought and after a sorte maie performe which is an obedience in externall actions according to all the commaundements of God apperterning to all men Because that God left this libertie in man after his fall that the outward members might after a sorre obeie reason and the will in stirring vp or omitting outward motions as Achilles maie draw his sword or put it vp into the sheath Scipio maie restraine his members so that he meddle not with another mans wife as in their place these thinges are trulie and copiouslie declared Now it is moste certaine that this discipline is commaunded of God and that the breaking thereof is punished with present and eternall punishments euen in those which are not conuerted vnto god according to those sainges The law was made for the vniust He that taketh the sword shall perish with the sword Also Forniâ—atours and adulterers the Lorde will iudge Also Woe vnto thee which spoilest because thou shalt be spoiled And although all men ought to gouerne their manners by this discipline and God doth seuerelie commaund that all kingdomes should defend this discipline and he by horrible punishmentes doth declare his wrath against this outward contumacie yet this externall discipline euen where it is most honest is not a fulfilling of the law neither doth it deserue remission of sinnes neither is it that righteousnes wherby we are accepted before God nor that light shining in the nature or men as righteousnes shined in vs in our creation or as new righteousnes shall shine in vs in the life eternall But all this discipline is an externall gouernment such as it is like vnto the leafe of a figge tree wherewith our first parentes after their fall did couer their nakednes neither doth it anie more take awaie sinne and the corruption of nature and death then those figge leaues did Hence it is that Paul doth so often crie out that sinne is not taken awaie by the law Rom. 3. By the workes of the law no flesh shall be iustified in his sight And Rom. 8. When it was impossible to the law to iustifie c. And Gal. 2. If righteousnes doth come by the law then Christ died in vaine And Tit. 3. Not by the workes of righteousnes which we haue done but according to his mercie he hath saued vs. And it is a reproch vnto the Sinne of God to imagine that anie our workes are merittes or the price of remission of sinnes and that they are propitions for sinnes Therefore we do openlie condemne those Pharisaical Pelagian doting dreames which faâ—gne that that discipline is a fullfill ng of the law of god also that it doth deserue remission either of congreitie or of conâ—â—gnity or that it is a righteousnes whereby men are made acceptable to God And after a few pages in the same Article Seeing that the minde is raised vp by this faith it is certaine that remission of sinnes reconciliation and imputing of righteousnes is giuen for the ment of Christ alone and that Christ is effectuall in vs and doth by his holie spirit quicken the beleeuers and deliuer vs from eternall death and withall make vs heires of eternall life So saith Paul Rom. 3. We conclude that man is iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe Also we are iustified freelie by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whome God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood And Act. 10. To him giue all the Prophets wiâ—nes that all that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes Now the wordes are knowne and manifâ—st Faith doth signifie not onelie the knowledge of the historie for that is also in the Deuilles of whome it is said The deuilles do beleue and tremble but it doth signifie to embrace al the Articles of Faith and among those this article I do beleâ—e the remission of sinnes neither do I beleue that it is onelie giuen to others but to me also This faith is also a confidence resting in the Mediatour according to that Beeing instified by faith we haue peace So that Paull speaketh of faith which consenting to all the articles of the Creede doth beholde and imbrace the promise for it ioyneth together faith and the promise Rom. 4. Therefore it is by faith that the premise might be sure In expounding the word Iustified it is vsuallie said To is iustified doth signifie of vnrighteous to be made righteous which beeing rightlie vnderstood doth agree also to our purpose Of vnrighteous to be made righteous that is acquitted from the guilt for the sonne of
Moreouer to giue an euident token of his confession he found fault with the other which cursed Christ These thinges are done by him because this verie Messias beeing partner with him in his punishment in a woâ—de doth teach his minde and by 〈◊〉 some comfort the Worde is effectual in him and through 〈◊〉 the eternall Father doth poure the holie ghost into the heart of this hearer that he may kindle in him ioye loue inuocation hope of eternall life and other vertues Of Rewardes PAull saith Rom. 6. Eternall life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lorde and they that are reconciled or iustified Are heires annexed with the Sonne of God and that for his sake not for their owne merittes Faith receiuing remission of sinnes and iustification and the hope of eternall life doe relie vpon the Sonne of god the Mediatour as it is said Ioh. 6. This is the will of the Father that â—â—erie one that beleeueth in him should haue eternall life And Rom. 5. Beeing iustified by faith we haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom we haue accesse through faith vnto this grace wherin we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of eternall life He ioyneth faith and hope together and affirmeth that either of them doth relie vpon the Mediatour And it is manifest that hope ought not to relie on our workes because it is saide Psal 142. No man liuing shall be iustified in thy sight But as they which repent are accounted iust by faith for the onelie Sonne of god his sake and for him and thorough him are quickned so for him and not for our merites is eternall life giuen vnto vs as the theefe on the crosse heareth this promise To daie thou shalt be with me in Paradise Luc. 23. Neither must we dreame that the Sonne of god did merit or giue vnto vs a preparation onelie to eternall life but let that most comfortable saying of Hosee be alwaies in our sight O death I will be thy death O hell I wil be thy destruction For the Sonne of God thorough him we are deliuered form eternal death translated into life eternall as he saith I giue vnto them eternall life And. 1. Ioh. 5. He that hath the Sonne hath life And let hope be sure firme as Peter saith 1. Pet. 1. Hope perfectlie that is looke for eternall life not with doubtfull opinion in an assured hope to wit for the Mediatours sake And Augustine saith well in his booke of meditations The certainetie of our whole confidence consisteth in the blood of Christ Let vs holde both these points assuredlie that he which repenteth doth freelie by faith receiue remission of sinnes and iustification for the Sonne of god his sake and that he is an heire of eternall life as Paull saith Rom. 8. As many as are led by the spirit of God they are the Sonnes of God And if they be children they are also the heiresof God Yet notwithstanding this also is true that they which doe shake of the holie ghost falling from faith or sinning grieuouslie against their conscience and doe not returne vnto God by repentance are not heires as it is saide Gal. 5. They which do such things shall not inherit the kingdome of God And. 1. Tim. 2. Fight a good fight hauing faith and a good conscience which some haue put awaie and as concerning faith haue made shipwracke And Math. 25. I was hungrie and ye gaue me not to eate And These shall goe into euerlasting punishment but the righteous shall goe into life eternall Now although life eternall life is giuen to the regenerate for the Sonne of god yetwithall it is also a rewarde of good workes as it is said Your reward is plentifull in heauen as a patrimonie is the reward of the laboures of a sonne although it be giuen to the sonne for an other cause Moreouer god hath added vnto good workes certaine promises of his and therefore euen for the good workes of holie men God doth giue spirituall and corporall gifts euen in this life and that diuerselie as it seemeth good to his vnspeakable wisedome 1. Tim. 4. Godlines hath the promises of the life present of that that is to come Marc. 10. They shall receiue a hundred folde in this life but with tribulation and after this life eternall life Mat. 10. Whosoeuer shall giue vnto one of these little ones to drinke a cup of colde water onelie in the name of a disciple he shall not loose his rewarde Luc. 6. Giue and it shall be giuen to you Exod. 20. Honoure thy Father and thy Mother that thou maiest liue long vpon earth Isa 33. Bread shal be giuen him and his waters shal be sure they shall see the King in his glorie that is for obedience and good workes God doth giue quiet common weales an honest meeke gouernement c. Isa 58. Breake thy breade to the hungrie and thou shalt be as a garden that is watered c. The example of the widow at Sarepta is well knowne and the Psalmist saith Substance and riches are in his house For seeing that God in this mortall and miserable life doth gather his Church and will haue it to be an honest congregation he giueth there unto many places of entertainement he giueth nestes to godlie poore families for the bringing vp of their children and for the spreading abroad of doctrine to conclude he will preserue the societie of mankinde householdes and common weales and that to this ende that a Church may be gathered Therefore he giueth sometime a gouernment not troublesome peace a fruitfull land other good thinges for the prayers of holie men for their diligence and for common necessities sake as for Ioseph Naaman Daniel those kingdomes wherein they liued â—lorished the more And Ierem. 19. The banished in Babylon are commaunded to praie for the peace and holsome gouernment of that place where they were intertayned So also often times punishments are heaped vp for the sinnes of the Chuch as is to be seene in the punishment of the tribe of Beniamin Dauid and others Now god will haue vs to vnderstand that these benefits are necessarie for the bodie and to know that they be giuen of god in asking of them he will haue our faith to be exercised as we shall declare more at large in a fit place At this time we haue therefore added these few thinges that in this confession there might be also a Testimonie in our Churches that this true and necessarie doctrine touching good workes is faithfullie laide open OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF WIRTEMBERGE Of Iustification CHAP. 5. WE beleeue and confesse that to do and practize such righteousnes as is acceptable to God these vertues be necessarie Faith hope and loue and that man can not of him-selfe conceiue these vertues but doth receiue them of the fauour and grace of God and that faith doth worke by loue But we think that their iudgement doth
of the Church We therefore disalow them which haue taken from the faithfull one part of the sacrament to wit the Lordes cuppe For these doe verie grieuouslie offend against the institution of the Lorde who saith drinke you all of this which he did not so plainlie saie of the bread VVhat manner of Masse it was that the Fathers vsed whether it were tollerable or intollerable we doe not now dispute But this we saie freelie that the Masse which is now vsed throughout the Romish Church for manie and moste iust causes is quite abolished out of our Churches which particularlie we will not now recite for breuities sake Truelie we could not like of it because that of a moste wholsome action they haue made a vaine spectacle also because it is made a meritorious matter and is said for monie likewise because that in it the Priest is saide to make the verie bodie of the Lorde and to offer the same reallie euen for the remission of the sinnes of the quicke and the dead Adde this also that they doe it for the honor worship and reuerence of the sainctes in heauen c. OVT OF THE FORMER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of the Lords Supper WE saie that the supper is a mystical thing wherein the Lord doth in deede offer vnto those that are his his body blood that is himselfe to this end that he may more more liue in them and they in him not that the bodie blood of the Lord are either naturallie vnited to bread and wine or be locallie here inclosed or be placed here by anie carnall presence but that bread and wine by the institution of the Lord are signes whereby the true communication of his bodie and blood is exhibited of the Lord himselfe by the ministerie of the Church not to be meate for the bellie which doth perish but to be nourishmet vnto eternal life We doe therefore vse this holie meat oftentimes because that beeing admonished hereby we doe with the eies of faith beholde the death and bloode of Christ crucified and meditating vpon our saluation not without a taste of heauenlie life and a true sense of life eternall we are refreshed with this spirituall liuelie inward foode with an vnspeakeable sweetnes and we doe reioyce with a ioye that cannot be expressed in wordes for that life which we haue found and â—e doe whollie and with al our strength powre out thankesgiuing for so wonderfull a benefit of Christ bestowed vpon vs. Therfore we are most vnworthelie charged of some who think that we do attribute very lâ—â—le to these holy signes For these thinges be holie and to be reuerenced as those which were instituted receiued of our high Priest Christ exhibiting vnto vs after their manner as we haue said the things signified giuing witnes of the things done representing verie difficult things vnto vs and by a certaine wonderfull Analogie of thinges signified bringing light to those moste euident mysteries Moreouer they minister aide helpe euen to faith it selfe and to conclude they doe serue in stead of an othe to binde him that is entered into the profession of Christianitie Thus holilie doe we thinke of the sacred signes But we doe alwaies attribute the force and vertue of quickning and sanctifying to him whoe is life it selfe to whome be praise for euer Amen Out of the declaration of the same confession Of the holie Supper of the Lord. THe Supper of the Lord is a Sacrament to wit the holie institution of the Lorde whereby he doth renue and witnes vnto vs his bountifullnes to wit the communion of his bodie and bloode and that by a visible signe For by bread and wine he doth declare vnto vs what he giueth namelie himselfe to be the nourishment of our life for he by his bodie and bloode doth feede vs to life eternall Therefore the verie gift of God that is the bodie and bloode of the Lord to wit the bodie of the Lord deliuered vnto death for vs and his blood shed for the remission of sinnes is the chiefest parte of this Sacrament For the bodie and bloode of Christ is thus made or prepared to be the liuelie meate of our soules The Sonne of god doth die in the flesh for vs that he might quicken vs he poureth out his bloode that he might clense vs from our sinnes To conclude he raiseth vp his bodie from the dead that our bodies maie receiue hope and strength to rise againe Thus therfore doth the Lorde offer himselfe to be eaten and possessed of vs and not a certaine false imagination of a man or an idle picture in his steade For beside him there is nothing in heauen or in earth that maie feede and satiate our soules Now we do indeed eat the bodie and we do indeed drink the blood of our Lorde but not so rawlie as the Papistes haue hitherto taught to wit the breade being chaunged into naturall flesh substantiallie that is corporallie or carnallie or the bodie being included in the bread but spirituallie that is after a spirituall manner and with a faithfull minde The Lorde is eaten indeed and with fruite by faith that now he maie liue wholie in his and his in him Moreouer these holie gifes of God which are not giuen of anie other then of the Lorde himselfe according to the institution of the Lord are represented vnto vs by visible signes to wit breade and wine and offered to our senses not that we should rest in them but that our weakenes maie be helped and we maie lift vp our heartes vnto the Lorde knowing that here we must thinke vpon greater thinges to wit not of eating bread or drinking wine but of receiuing the Lord himselfe with all his giftes by a faithfull minde Therefore when the guestes see the bread on the borde they set their 〈◊〉 vpon the bodie of Christ when they see the cuppe they set their mindes vpon the bloode of Christ when they see the breade broken and the wine poured out they consider how that the bodie of Christ was tormented and his bloode poured out for their sakes as by breade the bodies are nourished and strengthened as by wine the mindes are made merie so the godlie doe beleeue that by the bodie of the Lorde deliuered vnto death for them they are fed to euerlasting life also that by his blood poured out vpon the crosse their consciences are renewed to conclude they do feel the quickning power of Christ which doth confirme them In this sorte is the supper of the Lord accomplished spirituallie thus are the bread and wine a sacrament vnto vs and not bare and naked signes Hereupon now ariseth a verie great reioycing and thankesgiuing for so great benefits also apraising and confessing of the name of God here those workes which the Lorde once finished are renued and represented but especiallie the death of the Lorde is repeated which although it once hapned and now is past yet vnto the faithfull it is
both administer and receiue the diuine sacraments that is the holie Supper of Christ By these things which are thus in deede as we haue set them downe your sacred Maiestie O most gratious Emperour doth know how falselie our aduersaries doe boast that our men doe change the wordes of Christ and teare them in peeces by humane glosses and that in our Suppers nothing is administred but meree bread and meere wine and also that among vs the Supper of the Lord is contemned and reiected For our men doe verie carefullie teach and exhort that euerie man doe in a simple faith imbrace these wordes of the Lorde reiecting all deuises of men and false glosses and remoouing awaie all kinde of wauering doe wholly addict their minde to the true meaning thereof and to conclude doe oftentimes with as great reuerence as they may receiue the Sacraments to be the liuelie foode of their soules and to stirre vp in them a gratefull rememberance of so great a benefit the which thing also vseth now to be done among vs much more often and reuerentlie then heretofore was vsed Morouer our Preachers haue alwaies hitherto and at this daie do offer themselues with al modestie and trueth to render a reason of their faith and doctrine touching all those things which they beleeue and teach as wel about this Sacrament as about other things and that not onelie to your Sacred Maiestie but also to euerie one that shall demaunde it Of the Masse CHAP. 19. FVrthermore seeing that after this manner Christ hatâ— instituted his Supper which afterward beganne to be called the Masse to wit that therein the faithfull being fed with his bodie and bloode vnto life eternall should shew forth his death whereby they are redeemed our Preachers by this meane giuing thankes and also commending this saluation vnto others could not chuse but condemne it that these things were euerie where neglected And on the other side they which do celebrate the masses do presume to offer vp Christ vnto his Father for the quicke and the deade and they make the Masse to be such a worke as that by it alone almost the fauour of God and saluation is obteined howsoeuer they doe either beleeue or liue Whereupon that most shamefull twise thrise impious sale of this Sacrament hath crept in and thereby it is come to passe that nothing at this daie is more gainefull then the Masse Therefore they reiected priuate Masses because the Lorde did commende this Sacrament to his Disciples to be vsed in common Whereupon Paul commandeth the Corinthians when they are to celebrate the holie Supper to staie one for another and denieth that they doe celebrate the Lordes Supper when as euerie man taketh his owne Supper whilest they be eating Moreouer whereas they boast that they doe offer vp Christ in steade of a sacrifice they are therefore condemned of our men because that the Epistle to the Hebrewes doth plainlie witnes that as men doe once die so Christ was once offered that he might take awaie the sinnes of many and that he can no more be offered againe then he may die againe and therefore hauing offered one sacrifice for sinnes he sitteth for euer at right hand of God waiting for that which remaineth to wit that his enemies as it were a footestoole may be troden vnder his feete For with one oblation hath he consecrated for euer them that are sanctified And whereas they haue made the Masse to be a good worke whereby any thing may be obteined at Gods handes our Preachers haue taught that it is repugnant to that which the Scripture doth teach in euerie place that we are iustified and receiue the fauour of god by the spirit of Christ and by faith for which matter we alledged before manie testimonies out of the Scriptures So in that the death of the Lorde is not commended to the people in the Masse our Preachers haue shewed that it is contrarie to that that Christ commaunded to receiue these Sacraments in remembrance of himselfe and Paul that we might shew forth the death of Christ till he come And whereas many doe commonlie celebrate the Masses without all regard of godlines onelie for this cause that they may nourish their bodies our Preachers haue shewed that that is so execrable a thing before god that if the Masse of it self should nothing at al hinder godlines yet worthely by the commaundement of God it were to be abolished the which thing is euident euen out of Esay onely For our God is a Spirit and trueth therfore he cannot abide to be worshiped but in Spirit and trueth And how greeuous a thing this vnreasonable selling of the Sacraments is vnto the Lord our Preachers would haue men thereby to coniecture that Christ did so sharplie and altogether against his accustomed manner taking vnto himselfe an external kinde of reuengement cast out of the Temple those that bought solde wheras they might seme to exercise marchandize onely in this respect that they might further those sacrifices which were offered according to the law Therefore seeing that the â—iâ—e of the Masse which was wont to be celebrated is so manie waies contrarie to the Scripture of God as also it is in euerie respect diuers from that which the holie Fathers vsed it hath bene verie vehementlie condemned amongst vs out of the pulpit and by the worde of God it is made so detestable that manie of their owne accorde haue altogether forsaken it and elsewhere by the authoritie of the Magastrate it is abrogated The which thing we haue not taken vpon vs for anie other cause then for that throughout the whol Scripture the Spirit of God doeth detest nothing so much neither commaund it so earnestlie to be taken awaie as a feigned and false worship of himselfe Now no man that hath anie sparke of religion in him can be ignorant what an inâ—uâ—â—able necessitie is laid vpon him that feareth God when as he is perswaded that God doth require a thing at his handes For anie man might easilie foresee how many would take it at our hands that we should chaunge aâ—y thing about the holie rite of the Masse neither were there anie which would not rather haue chosen in this point not onelie not to haue offended your sacred Maiestie but euen anie Prince of the lowest degre But when as herewithal they did not doubt but by that common rite of the Masse God was moste grieiouslie prouoked and that his glorie for the which we ought to spend our liues was darkened they could not but take it awaie lest that they also by winking at it should make themselues partners with them in diminishing the glorie of god Trulie if god is to be loued and worshipped aboue all godlie men must beare nothing lesse then that which he doth hate and detest And that this one cause did constraine vs to chaunge certaine things in these points we take him to witnes from whome no
Epistles especially in those to Timothie Titus And with the same Apostle we account the doctrine of such as forbid mariage or do openly dispraise or secretlie discredit it as not holie or cleane amongst the doctrines of Deuills And we do detest vncleane single life licentious lusts and fornications both open and close and the continencie of dissembling hypocrites when as they are of all men most incontineut All that be such God will iudge We doe not disalow riches and rich men if they be godly and vse their riches well but we reprooue the sect of the Apostoliques c. OVT OF THE FORMER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of holie wedlocke WE thinke that wedlocke beeing appointed of God for all men that be fit for it and are not called to some other thing is nothing repugnant to the holynes of any degree The which as the Church doth consecrate and establish with a solemne exhortation and praier so it is the duetie of the Magistrate to see that it be worthelie kept and mainteined and that it be not dissolued but vpon iuste cause Therefore we doe farre reiect this Monasticall single life and this wholl slothful kinde of life of superstitious men which is nothing else but an abhominable deuise as beeing as much repugnant to the Church as to the common wealth OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BOHEMIA Hitherto perteineth first that which is set downe in the 19. Chap. of this confession in these wordes FOr this cause it is thought to be good and well standing with wisdome so farre vndoubtedlie as may be done by conscience that Priests to the end that they may so much the more diligentlie exercise them-selues in the studie of the holie Scriptures and may the more readilie and profitablie serue the Church of God be free and exempted from all affaires and burdens of ciuill conuersation seing that it behooueth them to fight valiantlie for the faith of the gospell of God and if it may be to be also free from wedlock to this end that they may be the more ready and free to do that which is for the increase and furtherance of the saluation of the people and that manie harmfull impediments may be turned from them which doe concurre with that kinde of life do often times withhold and hinder the due workes of the ministerie For which causes our ministers think that they are more readie prest and more fit for the Ecclesiasticall Ministerie which are vnmarried yet they meane such vnmarried persons as haue this peculiar gift giuen to them of God that they maie remaine such and so giue them-selues whollie to the Ministerie This thing is so obserued among vs as is meet yet is it neither taken for a sinne neither doth anie man disdaine at it if Priests vpon iust and lawfull causes be married For holy Paull teacheth how such ought to be chosen to this function yea the holie Ghost himselfe doth permit that Byshops and Elders should haue their lawfull and honest wiues and he doth in no case giue them libertie contrarie to order and the discipline of God to entertaine concubines or otherwise so to liue as that they maie thereby giue offence to others And concerning marriage it is thus written It is better to marie then to sinne so manie waies and to burne with so great dishonestie for which sinnes not onely the Priest but also euerie Christan without respect of persons both ought and shall worthelie by excommunication be cast out of the Church Also CHAP. 19. Of single life and of Wedlock COncerning the condition of single life virginitie and widowhead our Preachers do teach that euery man hath free libertie either to chuse it to himselfe or to refuse it for by waie of a law nothing is commaunded of God to men touching these things neither is this thing appointed of God neither is it on the other side forbidden for which cause no man ought to be enforced thereunto against his wil nor be driuen from it And as concerning the Church and certaine men chiefly the ministers of the church our men haue taught from the begâ—nning and do now teach first that the gift of chastitie by the peculiar goodnes of God and of the holie ghost both in times past was giuen at this day also is giuen to some for the singular vse and profit of the Church as Christ his speach doth euidentlie witnes Euerie man saith he doth not receiue these wordes that is that a man should keepe him-selfe single without a wife but they to whome it is giuen And holie Paull also doth both place and celebrate this amongst peculiar giftes and whereunto some are peculiarlie called And moreouer the examples of certaine in the Propheticall and Apostolicall writings and of Iohn Bapist and of many ministers and weomen ministers of the Church do witnes this thing In the second place they teach that this gift is not of flesh and blood for the Lord by distinguishing doth remooue and seperate from hence that vnablenes which is in this kinde but of the spirit which is ielous who from his heart hath a care and pleasure in the glorie of God and in his owne and his neighbours saluation and also in the Ministerie of the Church and for this cause he doth of his owne accord absteine from wedlock Therefore the Lord saith Those which haue made them-selues Eunuches for the kingdome of heauen that is who be such as might be maried yet they do omit and absteine from it because of the affection of the inward heart and their loue toward God and his word and for the pleasure and ioy which they receiue thereof and through this gift of the spirit whose vertue and power doth ouercome the motions of nature they do preserue the purenes as well of the spirit as of the bodie howbeit this thing is not in them without labour and difficulty euen as it is a thing of no small labour and difficultie for all Christian men to forsake and to want the vse of other pleasant things and also such as are profitable for this life as friendes riches and monie Thirdlie that single life is to be chosen and taken with a true intent and a godlie meaning that is not to this end or with this purpose that a man would by this meanes merit or get vnto himselfe or to another remission of sinnes and eternall life and so consequentlie saluation it selfe For ther is no continencie or chastitie nor anie humane action or other vertue which can merit the onelie innocencie and death of the onely begotten Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ doth performe and perfit this thing Neither must the thing be receiued with this meaning as to think that some dignitie is added to the holie ministerie of the Church by reason of this gift or that the workes of those that be vnmaried in this ministerie are to be preferred in merit and dignitie before the works of
will whereby he is mooued to this or that yet insomuch as that is altogether capâ—iuated vnder sinne it hath no liberty at al to desire good but such as it hath receiued by grace and of the gift of god We beleeue that all the ofspring of Adame iâ— infected with this contagion which we call Originall some that is a steine spreading it selfe by propagation and not by imitation onelie as the Pelagians thought all whose errors we doe detest Neither doe we thinke it necessarie to search how this sinne may be deriued from one vnto an other For it is sufficient that those thinges which God gaue vnto Adam were not giuen to him alone but also to all his posteritie and therefore we in his person being depriued of all those good giftes are fallen into all this miserie and cursse We beleeue that this steine is indeed sinne because that it maketh all and euerie man not so much as those litle ones excepted which as yet lie hide in their mothers wombe guiltie of eternall death before God We also affirme that this staine euen after baptisme is in nature sin as concerning the fault howbeit they which are the children of God shall not therfore be condemned because that God of his gracious free goodnes and mercie doth not impute it to them Moreouer we saie that this frowardnes of nature doth alwaies bring forth some fruites of malice and rebellion in such sorte that euen they which are moste holie although they resist it yet are they defiled with manie infirmities and offences so long as they liue in this world OVT OF THE ENGLISH CONFESSION WE saie also that euerie person is borne in sinne and leadeth his life in sinne that no bodie is hable trulic to saie His heart is cleane That the moste righteous person is but an vnprofitable seruant That the law of God is perfect and requireth of vs perfect and full Obedience That we are hable by no meanes to fulfill that law in this worldlie life that there is no mortall creature which can be iustified by his owne desertes in Gods sight OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF BELGIA WE beleeue that God of the slime of the earth created man after his Image that is to saie good iust and holie who had power by his owne free will to frame and conforme his will vnto the will of God But when he was aduanced to honour he knew not neither did he wel vnderstand his excellent state but wittinglie and willinglie dâ—d make himselfe subiect to sinne and so consequentlie vnto eternall death and malediction whilst that giuing eareâ—o the wordes and subtelties of the deuill he did transgreâ—â—e that commaundement of life which he had receiued of the Lord and so did withdraw and alienate him-selfe from God his true life his nature being altogether defiled and corrupted by sinne whereby it came to passe that he made him selfe subiect both to corporall and to spirituall death Wherefore being made wicked and peruerse and also corrupt in all his waâ—es and endeauours he lost those excelleâ—â— giftes wherewith the Lord had adorned him so that there were but a few litle sparkes and small steps of those graces left in him the which notwithstanding are sufficient to leaue men without excuse because that what light soeuer we haue is turned into palpable darkenes euen as the scripture it selfe teacheth saying The light shined in darkenes 〈◊〉 the darkenes comprehended iâ— not For there Iohn doth manifestlie call men daâ—kenes Therefore whatsoeuer things are taught as touching mans free will we do worthelie reiect them seeing that man is the seruant of sinne neither 〈◊〉 he do anie thing of himselfe but as it is giuen him from heauâ—â— For who is so bolde as â—o bragge that he is able to performe whatsoeuer he listeth when as Christ him-selfe saith No man can come vnto me except my father which hath sent me dâ— draw him Who dare boast of his will which heareth that All the affections of the flesh are enmities against God Whoe will vaunt of his vnderstanding which knoweth that The naturall man can not perceiue the thinges of the spirit of God To conclude whoe is he that dare bring forth anie one cogitation of his owne which vnderstandeth this that we are not Able of our selues to thinke anie thing but That we are sufficient it is altogether of God Therefore that saying of the Apostle must needs remaine fiâ—me and steadfast It is God which worketh iâ— vs both to will and to doe euen of his good pleasure For no mans minde no mannes wil is able to rest in the wil of God wherin Christ himselfe hath wrought nothing before The which also he doth teach vs saying Without me ye can do â—â—thing We beleeue that thorough the disobedience of Adam the sinne that is called Originall hath beene spred and poured into all man kinde Now Originall sinne is a corruption of the whol nature and an hereditarie euill wherewith euen the verie infantes in their Mothers wombe arâ— polluted the which also as a moste noysome roote dâ—tâ—â— branch out moste aboundanlie all kinde of sinne in man and is so filthie and abominable in the sight of God that it alone is sufficient to the condemnation of all man-kinde Neither are we to beleeue that this sinne is by baptisme vtterlie extinguished or pluâ—ked vp by the rootes seeing that out of it as out of a coâ—rupt fountaine continuall floâ—des riuers of iniquitie do dailie spring and flow how be it to the children of God it doth not tend neither is it imputed to condemnation but of the meere fauour and mercie of God it is remitted vnto them not to this end that they trusting vnto this remission should be rocked a sleepe in securitie but that it may stirre vp often sighes in the faithfull by the sense and feeling of this corruption and that they should somewhat the more earnestlie desire To bedeliuered from this bodie of death Therefore we doe condemne the error of the Pelagians which affirme that this Originall sinne is nothing else but a certaine kinde of imitation OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF AVSPVRGE ALso they teach that after the fal of Adam al men descended one from another after a naturall manner haue originall sinne euen when they are borne We meane by originall sinne that which the holie fathers and all of sounde iudgement and learning in the Church doe so call namelie that guilt whereby all that come into the world are through Adams fall subiect to Gods wrath and eternall death and that verie corruption of mans nature deriued from Adam And this corruption of mans nature comprehendeth both the defect of originall iustice integritie or obedience and also concupiscence This defect is horrible blindnes and disobedience that is to witte to want that light and knowledge of God which should haue beene in our nature beeing perfect and to want that vprightnes that
is that perpetuall obedience that true pure and chiefe loue of God and those other gifts of perfect nature Wherefore those defectes and this concupiscence are things damnable and of their owne nature worthie of death And this originall blot is sinne indeede condemning and bringing eternall death euen now also vpon them which are not borne againe by baptisme and the holie Ghost They condemne the Pelagians who deny original sinne and thinke that those defects or this concupiscence are things indifferent or punishments onelie and not of their owne nature damnable and dreame that man maie satisfie the law of God and maie for that peculiar obedience bâ— pronounced iust before God These thinges are thus found in another edition ALso they teach that after Adams fall all men begotten after the common course of nature are boâ—e with sinne that is without the feare of God without 〈◊〉 in him and with concupiscence And that this disease or originall blot is sinne indeed condemning and bringing eternal death euen now vpon all that are not borne agaâ—â—â— by baptisme and the holie Ghost They condemne the Pelagians and others that deny this originall blotte to be sinne in deede and that they maie â—â—tenuate the glorie of the merit and benefits of Christ they do reason that a man maie by the strength of his owne reason be iustified before God Concerning free will they do teach that mans will hath some freedome to performe a ciuill iustice and to malâ— choise of things that are within the reach of reason but iâ— hath no power to performe a spiritual iustice without the holie spirit because Paul saith The naturall man perceiueth 〈◊〉 the things which are of the spirit of God and Christ saith without me ye can do nothing Now this spiritual iustice is wrought in vs when we are helped of the holie Ghost And we receiue the holy Ghost when we assent vnto the word of God that we maie be comforted through faith in all terrours of conscience as Paul teacheth when he saith That ye maie receiue the promis of the spirit through faith These things almost in as manie words saith Saint Augustine lib. 3. Hypogâ—ess We confesse that there is in all men a free will which hath indeed the iudgement of reason not that it is thereby apt without god either to begin or to performe anie thing in matters pertaining to God 〈◊〉 only in works belonging to this present life whether they be good or euill In Good works I affirme those to be which arise of the goodnes of nature as to be willing to labour in the fielde to desire meate or drinke to desire to haue a friend to desire apparell to desire to build an house to marie a wife to nourish cattell to learne the art of diuerse good things to desire any good thing pertaining to this present life all which are not without Gods gouernment yea they now are and had their beginning from God In euill thinges I account such as these to desire to worship an image to desire manslaughter This sentence of Augustine doth notablie teach what is to be attributed to free will and doth put a plaine difference betweene ciuill discipline or the exercises of humane reason and spirituall motions true feare patience constancie faith inuocation in moste sharpe tentations in the middest of Satans subtill assaultes in the terrours of sinne In these surelie we had great neede to be guided and helped of the holie spirit according to that saying of Paull The spirit helpeth our infirmitie We condemne the Pelagians all such as they are who teach that by the onelie powers of nature without the holie spirit we may loue God aboue all and fullfill the law of god as touching the substance of our actions We doe freelie and necessarilie mislike these dreames for they doe obscure the benefits of Christ For therefore is Christ the Mediatour set forth and mercie promised in the Gospell because that the lawe cannot be satisfied by mans nature as Paull witnesseth when he saith Rom. 8. The wisedome of the flesh is enmitie against God For it is not subiect to the law of God neither in deede can be For albeit that mans nature by it selfe can after some sort* performe externall workes for it can conteine the handes from theft murther yet can it not make those inward motions as true feare true faith patience and chastitie vnlesse the holie ghost doe gouerne and helpe our hearts And yet in this place also doe we teach that it is also the commaundement of God that the earnall motions should be restrained by the industrie of reason and by ciuill discipline as Paul saith The law is a schoolemaster to Christ Also The law is giuen to the vniust These things are thus found in another edition As touching free wil they teach that mans wil hath some libertie to worke a ciuill iustice and to chuse such things as reason can reach vnto But that it hath no power to worke the righteousnes of God or a spirituall iustice without the spirit of God Because that the naturall man perceiueth not the things that are of the spirit of God But this power is wrought in the heart when as men do receiue the spirit of God through the worde These thinges are in as many wordes affirmed by Saint Augustine Lib. 3. Hypognost c. as before They condemne the Pelagians and others who teach that onelie by the power of nature without the spirit of God we are able to loue God aboue all also to performe the commaundements of God as touching the substance of our actions For although that nature be able in some sorte to do the externall workes for it is able to withold the hands from theft and murther yet it cannot worke the inward motions as the feare of God trust in God chastitie patience Touching the cause of sinne they teach that albeit God doth create and preserue nature yet the cause of sinne is the will of the wicked to wit of the Deuil and of vngodlie men which turneth it selfe from God vnto other things against the commaundements of God when he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his owne This is found thus in an other edition TOuching the cause of sinne they teach that albeit God doth create and preserue our nature yet the cause of sinne is the will of the wicked to weete of the Deuill and of vngodlie men which will beeing destitute of Gods helpe turneth it selfe from God as Christ saith Ioan. 8. When he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his owne OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SAXONY ANd seeing the controuersies which are sprong vp do chiefly pertaine vnto two articles of the creed namelie to the article I beleeue the remission of sinnes and I beleeue the Catholike Church we wil shew the fountaines of these controuersies which beeing well weighed men may easilie vnderstand that our expositions are the verie voice of the Gospell and that our
and eternall death but this freeâ—â—me and conuersion of man vnto God and this spirituall newnes wrought by the sonne of God quickning â—s by his holie spirit as it is saide If any man hath not the spirites Christ the same is not his the wil hauing receiued the holie Ghost is not now idle And we giue God thankes for this vnspeakeable benefite that for the sonne his sake and thorough him he giueth vs the holie Ghost and doth gouerne vs by his spirit And we condemne the Pelagians and the Manichees as we haue at large declared in another place Of the difference of sinne Artic. 10. SEeing it is said that sinnes remaine in the regenerate it is necessarie to haue a difference of sinnes deliuered vnto vs. For out of that saying Luc. 11. He went and tooke vnto him seauen other spirites worsse then himselfe and they enter in and dwell there c. And of such like sayings it is manifest that some who are regenerate doe greeue and shake of the holie ghost and are againe reiected of God and made subiect to the wrath of God and eternal punishments And Ezech. 18. it is written when the righteous man shall turâ—â— from his righteousnes and commit iniquitie he shall die therein and when the wicked man shall turne from his wickednes and dâ—â— iudgement and iustice he shall liue therein Therefore it is necessarie that those sinnes which remaine in holie men in this mortall life and yet doe not shake of the holie Ghost be distinguished from other sinnes for the which man is againe made subiect to the wrath of God and to eternall punishments So Paull Rom. 5. distinguisheth betweene sinne that raigneth and sinne that raigneth not And Rom. 8. he saith If yee liue after the flesh yee shall die but if yee morâ—ifiâ— the decdeâ— of the bodie by the spirit yee shall liue And in the first Epistle to Timothie Chap. 1. he giueth a rule Fight a good fight keeping faith and a good conscience Therefore when a man doth not keepe the faith but either wittinglie or by some error looseth some part of the foundation that is some article of faith or alloweth Idoles as manie doe which are deceiued with false opinions or doe not vpholde themselues by the comfort of faith but are ouercome by doubting or by dispaire or against their conscience doe breake anie commaundement of God he doth shake of the holie Ghost and is made againe subiect to the wrath of Gâ— and to euerlasting punishments Of these men saith Paull Rom. 8. If ye liue according to the flesh ye shal die And 1. Cor. 6. Neither fornicatours nor adulterers nor Idolaters c. shall inherit the kingdome of God And that the oth Ezech. 18. doth clearely saie As I liue saith the Lord I doe not desire the death of a sinner but rather that he be conuerted and liue In this oath two parts are ioyned together conuersion life God doth desire and that with an oath the couersion of man therefore they doe not please him which retaine a purpose to sinne Now in this number we comprise both the sinnes of assectate omission that is affectate negligence in a duetie which is contrarie to that saying This is required that we be faithfull And also affectate ignorance such as is Pharisaicall and is to be seene in an infinite multitude which endeuoreth not to search out the doctrine of the Church and ignorantlie retaineth Idolls or doth also further the rage which is vsed in the defence of Idolls Thus much of those falls whereby the holie Ghost is shaken of There be also other sinnes in the regenerate who keepe faith a good conscience which doe not corrupt the foundation neither are sinnes against the conscience but are the reliques of Originall sinne as darkenes doubting carnall securitie wandring flames of vitious affections and omissions or ignorances not affected Some extenuate these euills and name them deformities beside the lawe of God But this blindnes is greatlie to be reprooued and we muste consider both the greatnes of the euill in this wholl pollution which is contrarie to the lawe and will of God and also the greatnes of the mercie and benefit of the Sonne of God whoe couereth these great and lamentable woundes in this miserable nature And Paull commaundeth vs to Resist those euilles by the spirit that is Atticus and Scipio doe bridle their corrupt affections by reason but loseph and Paull doe bridle them by the spirit that is by the motions of the holie Ghost by true griefe true faith feare of God and inuocation Paull feeling in him selfe doubtes and other wandring motions is sorowfull and by faith perswaded that this pollution is couered by the Mediatour and by the feare of God â—oth staie himselfe that he giue no place to anger or to oâ—â—er wandring motions and there withall he doth inuocate God and desire his helpe saying O Lord create in me a new heart When we doe after this sorte withstand that corruption which as yet remaineth in the regenerate these euills are couered it is called sinne that doth not raigne or veniall sinne and the holie Ghost is not shaken of It is euident that this doctrine concerning the difference of sinnes is true plaine and necessarie for the Church And yet manie know what manner of intricate disputations are to be found in the bookes of our a duersaries touching the same c. Hauing thus brieflie declared the summe of the doctrine of iustification we should now also declare and confute the arguments which are obiected against this iudgement of ours but because diuers men doe obiect diuers things we haue onelie recited our confession and offer our selues to larger declarations in euerie member of the confession OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF WIRTEMBERGE Of sinne CHAP. 4. WE beleeue and confesse that in the beginning man was created of God iust wise endued with free will adorned with the holie Ghost and happie but afterward for his disobedience he was depriued of the holie Ghost and made the bondman of Satan and subiect both to corporall and eternall damnation and that euill did not state in one onelie Adam but was deriued into all the posteritie And whereas some affirme that so much integritie of minde was left to man after his fall that by his naturall strength and good workes he is able to conuert and prepare himselfe to faith and the inuocating of God it is flatlie contrarie to the Apostolike doctrine the true consent of the Catholike Church Rom. 5. By one mans trespasse euill was deriued into all men to condemnation Eph. 2. When ye were deade in trespasses and sinnes wherein in times past ye walked according to the course of this world and after the prince c. And a litle after We were by nature the children of wrath as well as others He saith Deade in sinnes and the children of wrath that is straungers from the grace of God But as a
Christ is and that afterward in the daie of resurrection this soule shall be ioyned againe with the bodie to take full possession of that ioy and eternall glorie which can not be expressed in words For they shall not câ—â—e into condemnation but by making a waie through it they shall passe from death into life The epistle to the Hebrewes to stirre vs vp to vse such exhortations saieth Exhort your selues among your selues exhort ye one another dailie so long as it is said to daie Let no man among you be hardned by the deceit of sinne For we enter into the rest which haue beleeued that is which haue obeied the voice of God while wee had time giuen vs. On the other side we must also holde this moste assuredlie that if anie man beeing polluted with sinnes and filthie deedes manifestlie contrarie to vertue do in dying departe out of this worlde without true repentance and faith that his soule shall certainlie goe into hell as did the soule of that rich man who wanted faith in the bottomeles pit whereof there is no droppe of grace and that in the daie of iudgement that moste terrible voice of the Sonne of God sounding in his eares shall be heard wherein he shall saie Departe from me ye curssed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Deuill and his Angells for they which haue done euill shall come forth to the resurrection of iudgement Therefore in teaching they doe continuallie vrge this that no man differ repentance and turning vnto God till he come to be olde or till he lieth sicke in his bed and in the meane time doe boldelie practise his wantonnes in sins and in the desires of the flesh and the world because it is written Doe not saie The aboundant mercie of the Lord will purge my sinnes for mercie and wrath doe hasten with him and his indignation shall lie vpon the sinners Make no tarying to turne vnto the Lord and put not of from daie to daie For suddenlie shall the wrath of the Lorde breake forth and in thy securitie thou shalt be destroyed and thou shalt perish in time of vengeance But that especiallie is a moste daungerous thing if anie man after he hath receiued the gift of the grace of God and that in the testimonie of a good conscience doth of set purpose and wantonlie sinne and contemne and make no account of all those exhortations and allurements proceeding ouâ— of a louing heart and that to this ende that he maie in time thinke on that which is for his health and repent and moreouer doth persist in a bold and blind perswasion of the mercie of God and trusting thereto doth sinne and doth confidentlie abuse it and goeth forward in that sort withouâ— repentance euen vnto the last pinch and then beginneâ—h being forced thereunto by the terrours of death and the feare of infernall punishments so late to conuert himselfe and to call for the mercie of the Lorde as when the seuere and intollerable anger of the Lord waâ—eth hotâ—â— and punishments rush and breake foorth as doth the great violence of floodes which can not be resisted Therefore of such a man which thing we speake with sorowe it is hard to beleeue that he can trulie repent and therefore it is to be doubted lest that be fulfilled in him which the Lord doth threaten by the Prophet Micheas That insteed of grace he shall feele the wrath of God and that it will come to passe that the wrath of God shall sley him For in a fearefull speach doth he saie thus Then shall they crie to the Lord but he will not heare them but he will hide his face foâ— them at that time because they haue continuallie liued wickedlie Yea the Lord himselfe saith Although they crie in mine 〈◊〉 with a loude voice yet will I not heare them seeing they would noâ— heare my voice when as all the daie long I spread out my hands to them and gaue them large time and space for grace For the which cause the holie Ghost crieth out and saith Todaie if ye will heare his voice harden not your hartes as in the giâ—uing in the daie of that tentation in the wildernes Therefore according to all these thinges our men doe diligentlie and out of the groundes of the Scripture exhort that euerie man do in time vse and follow this faithful counsell and necessarie doctrine that so he maie turne awaie the feare of this moste heauie daunger yea that he doe not betraie the health of his owne soule For vndoubtedly this horrible daunger is greatlie to be feared lest whatsoeuer here that doth rashlie or stubbornelie condemne or neglect this time of grace so louinglie graunted of the Lord he doe receiue and that worthelie that rewarde of eternall punishment which is due thereunto euen as saint Ambrose also amongst manie other thinges which he handleth diuerslie to this purpose doth thus write and in these wordes If any man at the verie point of death shall repent and be absolued for this could not be denied vnto him so departing out of this life dieth I dare not saie that he departeth hence in good case I do not affirme it neither dare I affirme or promise it to anie man because I would deceiue no man seeing I haue no certeintie of him Doe I therefore saie that be shall be damned neither doe I saie that he shall be deliuered For what other thing I should say I know not Let him be commended to God Wilt thou then O brother be freed from doubting repent whiles thou art in health If thou will repent when thou canst not sin thy sinnes haue left thee and not thou thy sinnes Yet that no man maie dispaire they teach this also that if anie man in the last hower of his life shew out signes of true repentance which thing doth fall out verie seldome for that is certainlie true which is written in the epistle to the Hebrues And this will we also doe so that God giue vs leaue to doe it that such a one is not to be depriued of instruction comforte absolution or remission of sinnes For the time of grace doth last so long as this lise doth last wherfore so long as we liue here it is meete that we should thinke of that Propheticall and Apostolicall sentence To daie seeing yee haue heard his voice harden not your heartes Now herein doe our men labour and endeuour them selues moste earnestlie that all men maie obeie this louing commaundement and counsell and that they speedelie repent before the sunne be darkened after a strange manner and the hilles be ouerwhelmed with darknes that laying sinne aside they would turne them selues to god by flying vnto him in true confidence and with a constant inuocation from the bottome of the heart and that they do their faithful indeuour that they be not repelled from the glorie of eternall life but that they maie liue with Christ
his Church in this life for a time and in the other life for euer Amen OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF AVSPVRGE TOuching Repentance they teach that such as haue fallen after Baptisme may finde remission at what time they returne againe And that the Church is bounde to giue absolution vnto such as returne by repentance Now repentance or the conuersion of the vngodlie standeth properlie of these two parts The one is contrition that is a terror stricken into the conscience through the acknowledgement of sinne wherin we doe both perceiue gods displeasure and are greeued that we haue sinned and doe abhorre and eschue sinne according as Ioell preacheth Rent your heartes and not your garments and turne vnto the Lord your God c. The other parte is faith which is begotten in vs by the Gospell or by absolution doth beleeue that the sinnes are vndoubtedlie forgiuen for Christ sake and doth comfort the conscience freeing it from feares Of which faith spake Saint Paull when he saieth Beeing iustified by faith 〈◊〉 haue peace with God Afterward there must follow the good fruites of repentance that is obedience vnto God according to that saying We are debters not to the flesh to liue after the flesh For if ye liue after the flesh ye shall die But if by the spirit ye mortifie the workes of the flesh ye shall liue They condemne the Nouatians which would not absolue them which hauing fallen after baptisme returned to repentance They condemne also those that teach not that remission of sinnes commeth freelie by faith for Christ sake but labour to prooue that remission of sinnes commeth by the worthines of contrition of charitie or of some other works and would haue mens consciences in time of repentance to doubt whether they may obteine remissiō doe say plainly that this douting is no sin Likewise they condemne those which teach that Canonicall satisfactions are necessarie to redeeme eternal paines or the paines of purgatory Though we are of that minde that the calamities of this life may be asswaged by good workes as Esaie teacheth Chap. 58. Breake thy bread vnto the hungrie and the Lord shal giue thee rest continuallie Besides they condemne the Anabaptists who denie that they that are once iustified can againe loose the spirit of God Also they condemne those that stiflie holde that some may attaine to such a perfection in this life as that they cannot sinne any more This eleuenth Article we finde in some editions placed in the twelfth place and after the first periode we finde these wordes Now repentance consisteth properlie of these two partes one is contrition or terrours stricken into the conscience through the sight of sinne The other is faith which is conceiued by the gospel or by absolution doth beleue that for Christ sake the sinnes be forgiuen and comforteh the conscience and freeth it from terrours Then there must follow good workes which are fruites of repentance They condemne the Anabaptists who denie that men once iustified can loose the spirit of God doe stiflie holde that some men may attaine to such a perfection in this life that they can sinne no more In like case the Nouatians are condemned which would not absolue such as had fallen after Baptisme though they returned to repentance They also that teach that remission of sinnes is obteined for our owne loue or good works and such as teach that Canonicall satisfactions are necessarie to redeeme euerlasting or purgatorie paines are whollie misliked of vs. Concerning confession of sinnes they teach that priuate absolution is to be reteined still in Churches though it be a needeles thing in confession to make a rehearsall of the sinnes For it is an impossible thing to reckon vp all a mans offenses according as the Psalmist saith Who doth vnderstand his faults c. This twelfth Article we finde in the place of the eleuenth in some editions and it is word for word the same but that the last wordes are thus set downe Though a reckoning vp of al sinnes be not necessarie For it is impossible as the Psalmist saith c. Art 3. Of abuses Of confession THe Diuines and Canonists haue cast a great myst of darkenes chieflie vpon this point of Christian doctrine touching repentance as not onelie their bookes doe testifie but also the consciences of al the godlie which doe confesse that the intricate and endles disputations of the diuines and the infinite traditions about the matter of repentance was euen a fearefull racking of their consciences For they doe no where teach any certaintie how remission of sins is obteined And as for faith there is no word amongst them Yea they bid men to be alwaies in doubt of remission of sinnes Afterward they torment mens consciences with a harsh reckoning vp of their faults and with satisfactions For what a snare vnto a mans conscience was the tradition which requireth them to reckon vp all their sinnes As for satisfactions they did obscure and darken the benefit of Christ because that euen the learned among them did imagine that eternall death was recompensed by them But the vnlearned were perswaded that forgiuenes of the fault was purchased by such deedes What that their seruices for the most part were not commaunded of God as babling of praiers inuocation of Saints Pilgrimages and such like stuffe Thus was the pure doctrine of repentance ouerwhelmed with an huge heape of vnprofitable and euill opinions And it is manifest that the godly in manie ages past haue greatlie wished that this doctrine had beene more purelie taught Furthermore it is especiallie needefull that the doctrine of repentance should be taught in the Church most purelie and sincerely Therfore our Diuines haue laboured to cleare this point as much as might be And surelie they haue so opened and cleared it that the soundest euen amongst our aduersaries do confesse that in this matter they haue weldeserued of the Church for we do simply and plainlie without anie Sophistrie laie sorth that which the Gospell teacheth touchingrepentance that men may perceiue how they must returne vnto Christ by what meanes remission of sinnes is obteined what worship what workes doe please God First we teach that contrition is requisite thatis the true terrors and sorrows of the minde which feeleth the wrath of God is grieued for sinne committed and ceaseth to do euill And though these sorrows be requisite yet must we know that remission of sinnes is not graunted for the worthines of contrition or of these sorrowes but we must ioyne faith with them that is a trust and confidence of mercie promised for Christes sake and we holde that our sinnes are freelie forgiuen for Christes sake When we once are comforted in these terrours by faith we do vndoubtedlie obteine remission of sinnes as we haue said before And this faith our mindes do conceiue by the Gospell also by the absolution which preacheth and applieth the Gospell vnto the distressed consciences
And for this cause do our diuines teach that priuate Absolution is to be reteined in the Church and they set out the dignitie of it and the power of the keies with true and verie large commendations namelie because the power of the keies doth dispense the Gospell not onelie to al in general but also to euerie * one in particular as Christ saith Thou hast wonne thy brother c. and because we must beleeue the voice of the Gospell which is dispensed vnto vs in absolution by the ministery of the Church no otherwise then a voice sounding from heauen This wholl benefit of absolution and of this ministerie hath heretofore beene whollie obscured with the false opinions of such as taught that absolution was naught worth without sufficient contrition and did afterwards wil men to misdoubt of absolution because no man knewe whether his contrition were sufficient or not What els was this but quite to take awaie from all consciences the comfort of the Gospell and to remooue out of the Church and cleane to abolish the ministery of the Gospel or the power of the keies whodoth not see that these pernitious errors are worthely reprooued Now seeing that confession yealdeth a place where to bestowe absolution in priuate and this custome doth vpholde the vnderstanding of the power of the keies and remission of sinnes among the people besides seeing that this conference auaileth much for admonishing and instructing of men therefore we doe duelie retaine Confession in our Churches yet so as that wee teach that reckoning vp of the faultes is not necessarie by Gods lawe and that mens consciences are not to be clogged with it For there is no commaundement in all the Apostles writinges sounding that way Againe this rehearsing of all ones sinnes is a thing impossible according to that in the Psalme Who can vnderstand his faultes And Ieremie saieth The heart of man is corrupt and vnsearchable But if no sinnes could be forgiuen but such as are reckoned vp mens consciences could neuer be at rest because they neither see nor can call to minde the greatest number of them Whereby it maie easilie be gathered that the ministerie of absolution and remission of sinnes doth not depend vpon the condition of numbring them vp all The auncient writers also doe testifie that this counting of sinnes by tale is a thing needles Chrysostome on the Epistle to the Heb. saith Let vs recken of it that we haue sins and let not the tongue alone vtter it but the conscience within vs also And let vs not barelie saie we are sinners but let vs recken vp our sinnes particularlie I doe not bid the to bewraie thy selfe openlie nor to occuse thy selfe to other but to followe the saying of the Prophet Laie open thy waies before the Lord confesse thy sinnes before God vtter thy sinnes with praier before the true iudge not remembring them with the tongue but with the conscience then in deed maist thou hope to finde mercie That sermon of Chrysostomes teacheth not onelie what is to be thought of reckoning vp of sinnes but doth also verie wiselie ioyne contrition and faith together as they are ioyned by vs. First he will haue vs acknowledge our sinnes vnfainedly and abhorre them from our heartes In the next place he teacheth to adde thereunto praier faith which maie assure vs that we are forgiuen Elsewhere he saith Acknowledge thy sins that thou maist as them away If thou are ashamed to shew thy sins to any man then vt them euerie day in thy heart I say not goe confes thy sins to thy fellow seruant that may vpbraide thee with them butconfes them vnto god that is able to cure thē The glosse vpon the dercees touching penance the 5. distinct graunteth that Confession was ordeyned of the Church and is not commaunded in the scriptures of the olde and new Testament of the same iudgement are manie of the Doctors Wherefore our iudgement touching the doctrine of confession is neither new nor without reason Lastlie there is moste need of all that the godlie shoulde be admonished touching satisfactions For there was more hurte and daunger in them then in numbring vp of sinnes in as much as they darkened the benefit of Christ because that the vnlearned thought they did obtaine remission of the guilt of sin for their owne workes sake and besides mens consciences were much distressed if aught were omitted that was inioyned for satisfaction Againe ceremonies and pilgrimages and such like fruitles workes were thought meete for satisfaction rather then thinges commaunded of God And forsooth their teachers themselues dreamed that eternall death was fullie redeemed by them Therfore we thought it needfull that godlie mindes should be set free from such errors and we teach that their canonicall satisfactions which they call workes not due c are neither auaileable for the remission either of the fault or euerlasting punishment nor yet necessarie It was a custome long since in the Church that in publike penance such as had fallen did returne to the Church againe should not be receiued without some punishment laid vpon them for examples sake from which custome these satisfactions did spring But the fathers minde was by such examples to fraie the people from sinnes they did not account that Ceremonie to be a iust recompence for the fault or for eternall death or for purgatorie paines These things were afterwards coyned by ignorant and vnlearned men But those auncient customes were in time worne out of vse and laid aside As for vs we doe not burden mens consciences with satisfactions but this weteach that the fruites of repentance are necessarie and that obedience the feare of God faith loue chastitie the wholl renuing of the spirit ought to increase in vs. We giue men warning of this also that sinnes are eftsonnes punished euen by temporal punishments in this life as Dauid Manasses manie others were punished and we teach that these punishments maie be mitigated by good works the whol practize of repentance as Paul declareth If we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged of the lord And repentance deserued that is obteined that God should alter his purpose touching the destruction of Niniuie Thus whereas before the disputations were intricate and endles and full of grosse opinions now that doctrine beeing purged is deliuered to the people so as it maie be vnderstoode and auaile much vnto godlines We doe still holde and set forth the true partes of repentance Contrition Faith Absolution Remission of sinnes Amendment of the wholl life Mitigation of present punishmentes and wee are in good hope that the godlie will not onelie not reprehend anie thing in this place but also will giue them thankes which haue purged this pointe of Christian doctrine which is requisite and profitable in all Churches to be expounded moste plainlie and set out moste clearelie Christ saith that the Angells in heauen doe reioyce whensoeuer they set
griefes that he is assured lie receiued into fauour for Christ his sake This is the proper voice of the gospel this decree is brought by the Sonne out of the bosome of the eternall father and is sealed vp by his blood and resurrection Not to assent to this wil and decree is to contemne the Sonne of God and concerning this sinne Iohn saith cap. 3. He that beleeueth not the Some the wrath of God abideth on him But he that beleeueth that his sinnes be forgiuen for this Mediatours sake he doth now certainelie receiue remission of his sinnes for Christ his sake which is effectuall in him and quickneth and sanctifieth him by his holy Spirit and being now reconciled he is vndoubtedly accounted iust for the Mediatours sake is heir of eternal life Either to omit or to corrupt or to dislike this necessarie comfort touching conuersion is as much as manifestlie to extinguish the Gospel As touching this faith absolution ought both to admonish vs and also to confirme it as Dauid was confirmed when he heard this absolution 2. Reg. 12. The Lorde hath taken awaie thy sinne So know thou that the voice of the Gospell doth declare remission vnto thee also the which remission is namelie propounded to thee in absolution Doe not thou feigne that the Gospell doth nothing at all pertaine to thee but knowe that it was therfore published that by this meanes men imbracing the Gospell might be saued and that it is the eternall and immutable commaundement of God that thou shouldest beleeue it He that doth not by this faith imbrace the Gospell but is still doubting he doth in vaine heare the absolution WheÌ„ as by this comfort the hearts are quickned are now made the dwelling places of God Then is it necessarie that they should now begin a new obedience as is saide before But to returne to wicked deedes is * to shake of God and againe to loose that righteousnes and life as Iohn saith 1 Iohn 3. He that doth righteousnes is righteous he that committeth sinne is of the deuill But we haue before rehearsed the summe of the doctrine of new obedience Of satisfaction Arti. 17. NOw what a confusion there is in their doctrine of Satisfactions which they tearme workes not due inioyned by the Church it were long to rehearse and few before these times haue vnderstoode it but we doubt not but that this wholl part also is true lie and cleerely expounded in our Churches It was a custome among our first fathers that they which defiled themselues with murther Idolls or filthie lustes should be barred their companie and chieflie from their sacrifices This custome both the Sinagogue reteined and other nations also which were not altogether sauage in Asia and in Greece In the meane time they which were defiled wandred vp downe beeing branded with the marks of their guiltines as Orestes A drastus many others This custome in the beginning did the Church also keepe Those that were defiled it seuered from the mutuall society afterward it did not sodenlie receiue those againe that did repent that it might be knowne that they did vnfeignedlie aske pardon and for examples sake it might profite others but for certaine daies absolution was deferred that they might be seene to aske pardon publikelie So was that incestuous Corinthian debarred afterward receiued againe not without deliberation 1. Cor. 5. This wholl custome was appointed for examples sake and is politicall nothing at all pertaining to the Remission of sinnes But afterward thorough superstition it so encreased that fastes and forbearing the companie of man or wife were inioyned for manie yeares When these burthens had increased too much the Bishoppes did release them againe and this release of such rites was called Indulgence The Monkes not considering the historie 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 inioyned of the Church that those punishments might be mitigated and that satisfactions shoulde be workes not due by the law of God We reiect these Monkish fables which euen they themselues doe not vnderstand and we retaine moste sure rules to wit That eternall punishments are remitted together with the fault for the Sonne his sake not for anie oâ—â— satisfactions according to that which is written in Hosea Cap. 13. O death I will be thy death O Hell I will be thy destruction Also Rom. 5. Being iustified by faith we haue peace Secondlie we saie 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 Mat. 15. They doe in vaine worship me with the commaundements of men And certainelie the power of the keies hath no commaundement to inioyne such punishments Also we feare that this applying of indulgences by which the Pope doth applie the merites of Saintes vnto others is but counterfeit and that the indulgences in times paste were nothing else but a releasing of the Canons which did nothing appertaine to those satisfactions whereof the monkes doe speake Now it is another thing to speake of satisfaction which is due as of the restoring of theft of that which hath bin gotten by vsury of another mans wife or his good name This restitution is a worke that is due pertaining to new obedience as Paull saith Eph. 4 Let him that hath stolne steale no more He that withholdeth another mans wife hath neither contrition faith nor new obedience Neither are the commaundements of god touching due satisfaction which we saie ought to be made to be mingled with those trifling songes of popish satisfactions Also this we confesse that in this life manie horrible punishments are spread ouer the Church ouer Empires ouer families for certaine sins of manie men yea euen of the Elect as the sedition that was raised vp against Dauid did not lightlie afflict that whol ciuil regiment many holy families Therfore we distinguish betwixt eternall punishment and the punishment of this life and we saie that eternall punishment is remitted onelie for the Sonne of God his sake when we are iustified and quickned by faith And albeit that euen temporall punishments are chieflie mitigated for the Sonne of God his sake who is the hearbour for the Church because this weake nature can not susteine the greatnes of the wrath of God as Daniel praieth Chap. 9. For the Lordes sake heare thou vs and haue 〈◊〉 vnto our helpe c. Yet wee teach this also that euen for the very* conuersions sake our punishments are mitigated because that in the Saints the legall promises being added to their workes are not without their effect but haue their rewardes Such a promise is this Giue and it shall be giuen vnto you And when Paull saith 1. Cor. 11. If we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged he speaketh of wholl repentance not of those moste
as they beleeue assuredlie that God is appeased towards them for Christes sate as Paul teacheth Rom. 5. Beeing iustified by faith we 〈◊〉 peace with God This doctrine doth whollie belong to the conflict of a troubled conscience and can not be wel vnderstood but where the conscience hath felt a conflict Wherefore all such as haue had no experience thereof and al that are prophane men which dreame that Christian righteosnes iâ— naught else but a ciuill and philosophicall iustice are 〈◊〉 iudges of this matter In former ages mens consciences were vexed with the doctrine of works they neuer heard any comfort out of the Gospell Whereupon conscience draue some into Monasteries hoping there to merit fauour by a monasticall life Others found out other workes whereby to merit fauour to satisfie for sinne There was verie great neede therefore to teach this doctrine of faith in Christ and after so long time to renew it to the end that fearefull consciences might not want comfort but might know that grace and forgiuenes of sinnes and iustification were apprehended and receiued by faith in Christ Another thing which we teach men is that in this place the name of Faith doth not onelie signifie a bare knowledge of the historie which maie be in the wicked and is in the Deuill but it signifieth a faith which beleeueth not onelie the historie but also the effect of the historie to weete the article of remission of sinnes namelie that by Christ we haue grace righteousnes and remission of sins Now he that knoweth that the father is merciful to him through Christ this man knoweth God truelie he knoweth that God hath a care of him he loueth God and calleth vpon him In a worde he is not without God in the world as the gentiles are As for the deuilles and the wicked they can neuer beleeue this article of the remission of sinns And therefore they hate God as their enimie they call not vpon him they looke for no good thing at his handes After this manner doth Augustine admonish his reader touching the name of faith and teacheth that this word faith is taken in the scriptures not for such a knowledge as is in the wicked but for a trust and cofidence which doth comfort and cheare vp disquieted mindes Moreouer our deuines do teach that it is requisite to doe good workes not for to hope to deserue grace by them but because it is the will of God that we should do them And because that the holie spirit is receiued by faith our hartes are presentlie renued and doe put on new affections so as they are hable to bring forth good workes For so saith Ambrose Faith is the breeder of a good wil and of good actions For mans powers without the holie spirit are full of wicked affections and are weaker then that they can do anie good deede before God Besides they are in the deuilles power who driueth men forward into diuers sinnes into profane opinions and into very hainous crimes As was to be sene in the Philosophers who assaying to liue an honest life could not attaine vnto it but defiled themselues with open and grosse faultes Such is the weaknes of man when he is without faith and the holie spirit hath no other guide but the naturall powers of man Hereby euerie man maie see that this doctrine is not to be accused as forbidding good works but rather is much to be commended because it sheweth after what sorte we must doe good workes For without faith the nature of man can by no meanes performe the workes of the first and second table Without faith it cannot call vpon God hope in God beare the crosse but seeketh helpe from man and trusteth in mans helpe So it commeth to passe that all lustes and desires and all humane dâ—uises and counsells doe beare swaie so long as faith and trust in God is absent Wherfore Christ saith Without me ye can do nothing Ioan. 15. and the Church singeth Without thy power there is taught in man and there is nothing but that which is hurtfull OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SAXONY Of the remission of sinnes and of Iustification WE said before that these controuersies doe pertaine to the interpreting of two Articles of the Creede I beleeue the remission of sinnes and I beleeue the holie Catholike Church Neither doe we speake of not necessarie or sight thinges It is moste necessarie that in the Church the doctrine touching sinne should be propounded and that men should know what sinne is and that there should be an euident difference betweene politâ—call iudgements and the iudgement of God But seing our aduersaries doe not teach aright what sinne is they confirme in men an euill securitie and manie false opinions Againe what can be more miserable then either to obscure or to be ignorant of this great benefit namelie the Remission of sinnes and deliuerance from eternall death seing that there is no difference betwixt the Church and other men when as the light is extinguished concerning free Remission of sinnes for the Sonnes sake and concerning Faith whereby Remission must be receiued neither is there anie other comfort drawing vs back from eternall death neither can there be anie true Inuocation without this comfort God himselfe hath so often commaunded that his Sonne should be heard and the Gospell kepte which is a wonderfull decree brought forth out of the secret counsell of the Godhead when it was hidde from all creatures therefore it is moste necessarie that the true doctrine touching remission of sinnes should be kept vndefiled But in all ages euen from our first fathers time the deuils haue scattered subtill delusions against the true doctrine concerning the Sonne of God and especiallie in this article whome notwithstanding God hath oftentimes refuted good teachers being againe raised vp that the Church might not vtterlie perish Adam Seth Noe Sem Abraham Isaac Iacob and others after them did shewe the true difference betwixt the Church of God and other men and taught that to the Church was giuen the promise touching the Mediatour the Sonne of God and touching Remission of sinnes and that this Remission is to be receiued freelie for the Mediatours sake And they tied Inuocation to this God which had manifested himselfe by giuing a promise concerning the Mediatour and they had externall rites giuen them of God which were signes of the promise and the sinewes of the publike Congregation These rites did a great parte of the multititude imitate omitting the doctrine of the promises faith and when they had deuised this persuasion that men by obseruing these rites might deserue remission of sinnes they heaped vp manie ceremonies and by litle and litle boldnes went so farre as commonlie it commeth to passe that diuers men deuised diuers Gods So the heathen departed from the true Church of god and from the knowledge of the true god and the promise of the Redeemer The same thing also hapned after Moses
God his sake that is laying holde by faith vpon Christ himselfe who 〈◊〉 our righteousnes as Ieremie Paul do saie because that by his merit we haue remission and God doth impute his righteousnes to vs and for him doth account vs iust and by giuing his holie spirit doth quicken and regenerate vs as it is saide Ioh. 5. This is life in his Sonne He that hath the Sonne hath eternall life he that hath not the Sonne of God hath not life And. Rom. 3. That he may be iust and a iustifier And although newnes is withall begunne which shall be perfect in the life eternal wherunto we are redeemed yet neither for the new qualities nor for any workes is any man in this life made iust that is acceptable to God and heire of eternall life but onelie for the Mediatours sake who suffered rose againe reigneth and praieth for vs shadowing and quickning vs. For although vertues are here begunne yet be they still imperfect the reliques of sinne do sticke in vs. Therefore we must holde this comfort that the person is accepted for the Sonne of God his sake his righteousnes beeing imputed to vs as it is said Rom. 4. Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnes Also Blessed are they whose inicâ—ities be forgiuen and whose sinnes be couered Therefore this saying must be vnderstood correlatiuelie We are iustified by faith that is we are iustified by confidence in the Sonne of God not for our quality but because he is the reconciler in whom the heart doth rest in confidence of the promised mercie for his sake Which confidence he doth raise vp in vs by his holie Spirit as Paull saith Ye haue receiued the Spirit of the aâ—â—ption of the sonnes by whom we crie Abba Father Here also we must speake of the exclusiue member Paull doth often repeat the word Freely by which it is moste certaine that the condition of our merites is excluded Therefore it is saide in our Churches We are iustified by Faith alone which we so vnderstand and declare Freely for the onelie Mediatours sake not for our contrition or other our merites we haue our sinnes forgiuen vs and are reconciled to God For although contrition and many other vertues are together with Faith or with this confidence kindled in vs yet these vertues are not the cause or the merit of the Remission of sinnes neither doth the person please God in regarde of them according to that saying No man liâ—ing shall be iustified in thy sight but the person hath remission and doth certenlie please God by reason of the Mediatour who must be apprehended by faith as it is saide Eph. 3. Bâ— whome we haue boldnes and entrance with confidence by Faith in him This wholl doctrine is more manifest in the true conuersion and dailie inuocation of the godlie When we are in great feare by the knowledge of the wrath of God this one comfort is fâ—rme and sure to flie to the Sonne of God who saith Come vnto me all ye that labour and are loaden and I will refresh you Also As I liue I will not the death of a sinner but that he returne and liue Also Grace aboundeth more then sinne In these griefes if man be taught to doubt of the remission of sinnes sorrow will haue the vpper hand and then follow moste greeuous murmurings against God and desperation and eternall death but if man be taught that doubting is to be ouercome by faith then shall he vnderstand that by the worde Faith is not onelie signified the knowledge of the storie he shall know that confidence doth relie vpon the onelie Mediatour and he shall perceiue what is meant by these wordes Freely for the Mediatour sake remission is receiued by faith alone and so the person is made acceptable This wrastling hath at all times instructed some For though Origen manie other â—ritâ—â—s 〈◊〉 sententiaries haue brought forth an impuâ—e kinde of doctrine yet in Augustine and certaine others we â—eede diuers sentences which shew that they also receiued comfort out of th se true fountains Who although they dâ—e 〈◊〉 speake vnproperlie of thinges vnlike because they were 〈…〉 negligent in speaking yet we maie 〈…〉 what was their perpetuall iudgement if we will iudge 〈◊〉 Augustine â—â—on the Psal 31. saith Who be happieâ— not they â—n whome god shall not sinde sinnes for those he findeth in all men For all men haue sinned and are destitute of the glorie of God Therefore if sinnes be found in 〈◊〉 men it is euident that none are happie but those whose sinnes it forgiuen This therefore the Apostle did thus commend Abraâ—aâ— beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnes Here certainlie Augustine by faith doth vnderstand confidence which receiueth remission of sinnes and that which is said in Genesis and in Paull he doth altogether vnsterstand 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 〈◊〉 saith First of all it is necessarie to beleeue that thou canst not haue remission of sinnes but by the mercie of God But aâ—â—â— thereunto that thou maist also beleeue this that through him thy sinnes be forgiuen thee This is the witnes which the holie Ghost doth â—iâ—e in our heart saying Tâ—y sinnes be forgiuen thee For so doth the Apostle thinke that a man is iustified freelie by faith In this sentence the iudgement of our Churches is plainlie and properlie alledged and like testimonies are to be sound in this author Basill also in his sermon of Humilitie doth most properly set forth our iudgement in these wordes He that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lorde saying that Christ is maie vnto vâ— of God wisedome and righteousnes and sanctification and 〈◊〉 aâ— it is written He that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lorde For this is perâ—â—ct and sound reioycing in God when as a man is not puffed vp by reason of his owne righteousnes but doth acknowledge that he doth stand in neede of the true righteousnes and that he is iustified by faith alone in Christ Seeing therefore that by this which hoth bin spoken it is manifest what the worde Faith doth signifie in this proposition We are iustified by Faith herereupon we maie vnderstand that the Monkes and others doe daungerouslie erâ—e which doe commaund those that are turned to God to doubt whether they doe please God This common errour of doubting is euidentlie refuted by these wordes Being iustified by Faith we haue peace with God Also Therefore is righteousnes 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 vpon him and the promise becommeth vnto them but a vaine sound because they giue not consent vnto it To conclude it is the eternall and immutable commaundement of God that we should
beleeue in the Son of God according to this saying The spirit shall conuince the world of sinne because they beleeue not in me Also 1. Ioh. 5. He that beleeueth not God maâ—eâ—h him a lâ—er Now it is a foolish cauill when they saie that we musâ—e doubt in respect of our vnworthines and not in respect of mercie For the promise was therefore giuen therefore the Sonne of God was appointed our Mediatour because we are vnworthie and that for his sake hauing suffered being raised vp againe and now â—â—king intercession for vs and dwelling in vs and cloathing vs with his rightâ—â—â—sâ—â—s the Father might vndoubtedlie be mercifull to this 〈◊〉 lumpe of ours being vnworthie and full of 〈…〉 to that saying There is now no condemnation 〈◊〉 them which talke in Christ Iesus Alâ—o it is aâ—sude which they â—ore that we muste doubt by reason of our vnworthines For we are not to doubt whether our vnworthines doe displease God but with true sighes let vs confesse that we are 〈◊〉 and let vs ley to the promise whereunto God heth commaunded vs to assert Neither is that saying Ecclâ—â— 9. â—â—tlie applied to this doubting Man knowâ—th not 〈…〉 worthie of loue or of hatred It is madnes to imagine that Salomon should haue anie such meaning that neither the iust nor the vniust ought to determine with them selues whether they please or displease God seing it is moste certaine that they which perseuere in wicked deedes 〈◊〉 their conscience doe displease God But Salomon doth withdraw vs from externall shewes to the woâ—de of God as though he should saie Doe not determine with thy selfe that by reason of thy prosperity thou art in fauour with god or by reason of thy aduersitie thou art out of fauour with him Alexander doth not therefore please God because he is a Conquerour and enioyeth a large empire Let not Iob in his calamitie nor Dauid in his exile thinke that they be forsaken of God because they be miserable let them not iudge according to these euents or outwarde shewes but by the word of God and then euen in the middest of our misâ—â—ie we shall receiue this comfort As I liue I will not the death of a sinner c. God so loued the worlde that he 〈◊〉 his onelie begotten Sonne that euerie one that beleeueth in him should not perish c. To conclude This errour of doubting is altogether heathenish and doth abolish the gospel in true conuersion taketh awaie comforte from them that feele the wrath of God Men are rather to be taught that this is vndoubtedlie the voice of the gospell that we shoulde beleeue the Sonne of God and be assured that grace doth abounde much more then sinne and therefore let vs withstand doubting by wrastling get the vper hand and by faith ouercome it that we maie haue accesse to God inuocate him and giue him thankes These cheife pointes of worshippe are fearefullie hindred when mens mindes are shaken with the wanes of doubting as experience teacheth Hereof it is euident why it is necessarie that the decree of the Tridentine councell which confirmeth the errour of doubting should be reprooued Also by all that which hath bin saide it maie be vnderstood that we doe iustlie finde faulte with that Syneâ—doche wherby some interpret Pauls words after this sort We are iustified by Faith that is by a formed loue as they speake For they vnderstand the worde faith onelie of knowledge and thinke that this is the meaning We are iustified by Faith that is we are prepared to righteousnes that is to other vertues to wit obedience fulfilling of the law So this is it onelie which they saie Man is righteous for his owne vertues then they will him to doubt whether he be furnished with those habites whereof they speake Now we haue declared before that by Faith is signified a confidence resting in the Sonne of God the reconciler for whome we are receiued and doe please God not for our vertues or fullfilling the lawe And seeing that in this same comfort the confidence whereby we doe rest in the Sonne of God is indeede a motion kindled by the holie Ghost whereby the heart is quickned and freed from eternal death this conuersion is called regeneration Ioan. 3. Except a man be borne againe of water and of the spirit And now man is made in deed the dwelling place of God who is effectuall in him as it is saide Ioan. 14. If anie man loue me he will keepe my worde and my Father will loue him and we will come vnto him and will dwell with him The eternall Father and the Sonne by the holie Ghost doe quicken our heartes when as by faith they are raised vp in this comforte as Paull saieth Galat. 3. That ye might receiue the promise of the spirit through faith Therfore we doe not speake of an idle faith and the vnskilful are deceiued whiles they thinke that remission of sinnes doth happen to such as are idle without a certaine motion of the minde without wrastling and without a feeling of comforte in true griefes in that age which now is able to vnderstand the voice of doctrine according to that saying Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God and because that in repentance we propound comforte vnto the conscience we do not here adde questions of predestination or of election but we lead al readers to the worde of God and exhort them to learne the will of God out of his worde as the eternall Father by expresse voice commaunded Heare him Let them not looke for other reuelations Hitherto also pertaineth the fift Article Of new obedience THe wholl benefit of the Sonne of God is to be considered for he will so take awaie sinne and death and deliuer vs from the kingdome of the Deuill that sinne being altogether abolished and death vanquished he may restore vnto vs eternall life wherein God maie communicate vnto vs his wisedome righteousnes and ioye and wherein God maie be all in all This great benefit he doth beginne in this miserable lumpe of ours in this life as it is written 2. Cor. 5. If so we shal be found clothed and nor naked Also Mat. 10. They that shall continue to the end shal be saued Therefore when we receiue remission of sinnes and are reconciled and sealed by the holie Ghost it is a horrible madnes to waste these good gifts as these wasters are discribed in the parable of the house that was made cleane and in the second Epistle of Peter Cap. 2. it is saide If they after they haue escaped from the filthines of the world are yet tangled againe therein and ouercome the latter ende is worsse with them then the beginning Now these good giftes are wasted or powred out if a man doe not holde the foundation that is the Articles of Faith and either willinglie or being deceiued imbraceth wicked opinions or Idoles also if a man doe fall greiuouslie against his conscience
was sufficientlie confirmed by such miracles as that wounderfull gift of tongues did cease so also the ceremone of laying on of handes whereby that gift was giuen did altogether as touching this thing cease Otherwise of a shadowe we must make a general Sacrament of the Church and those that are sicke must be shadowed ouer because that manie were healed by the shadowe of Peter In like sort we must make a generall Sacrament of the laying one of napkines because that manie were healed of their diseases when Paulls napkins were layde vpon then and we must â—e vpon the dead because that Paule by stretâ—ching himselfe vpon a young man did raise him vp from death And yet the Pastours of Churches must not haue libertie to haue no regard to instruct children and youth iâ— that doctrine which is in deede Godlie but they must be forced hereunto to teach the Catechisme verie diligently OVT OF THE CONFESSION OF SVEVELAND Of Baptisme CHAP. 17. AS touching Baptisme we confesse that which the Scripture doth in diuerse places teach thereof that we by it are buried into the death of Christ made one body and doe put on Christ that it is the fonte of regeneration washeth awaie sinnes and saueth vs. But all these thinges we do so vnderstand as Saint Peter hath interpreted them where he saith To the figure whereof Baptisme that now is â—â—swering doth also saue vs not by putting awaie of the filthe of the flesh but the profession of a good conscience toward God For without faith it is impossible to please God And we are saued by grace and not by our workes And seeing that Baptisme is a Sacrament of that couenant which God hath made with those that be his promising that he will be their god the god of their seede and that he will be a reuenger of wronges and take them for his people to conclude seeing it is a token of the renuing of the Spirit which is wrought by Christ therfore our Preachers do teach that it is to be giuen to Infants also as well as that in times past vnder Moses they were circumcised For we are in deed the Children of Abraham and therefore that promise I will be thy God and the God of thy seed doth no lesse perteine vnto vs then it did to that auncient people THE FOVRTENTH SECTION OF THE HOLIE SVPPER OF the Lord. THE LATTER CONFESSION OF HELVETIA Of the holie Supper of the Lord. CHAP. 21. THE Supper of the Lord which is also called the Lords table and the Eucharist that is a thanksgiuing is therefore commonlie called a supper because it was instituted of Christ in that his last supper and doth as yet represent the same and in it the faithfull are spirituallie fed and nourished For the author of the supper of the Lord is not an Angell or man but the verie sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ who did first of all consecrate it to his Church And the same blessing consecration doth stil remaine amongst all those who celebrate no other supper but onelie that which the Lord did institute at that do recite the words of the supper of the Lord and in all things looke vnto Christ onelie by a true faith at whose hands as it were they doe receiue that which they do receiue by the ministerie of the ministers of the Church The Lord by this sacred rite would haue that great benefit to be kept in fresh remembrance which he did for mankinde to weet that by giuing vp his bodie to death and shedding his blood he hath forgiuen vs all our sinnes and redemed vs from eternall death and the power of the deuill and doth now feede vs with his flesh and giueth vs his blood to drink which things being apprehended hended spirituallie by a true faith doe nourish vs vp to life euerlasting And this so great a benefit is renued so oft as the supper is celebrated For the Lord said Doe this in remembrance of me By this holy Supper also it is sealed vp vnto vs that the very body of Christ was truelie giuen vp for vs and his blood was shed for the remission of our sinnes lest that our faith might somewhat wauer And this is outwardlie represented vnto vs by the minister in the sacrament after a visible manner and as it were laid before our eies to be seene which is inwardlie in the fonte muisiblie performed by the holie Ghost Outwardlie bread is offered by the minister and the wordes of the Lord are heard Receiue eate this is my bodie take it and deuide it amongest you drink ye all of this this is my blood Therefore the faithfull do receiue that which is giuen by the minister of the Lord do eat the bread of the Lord drinke of the Lordes cuppe But yet by the working of Christ through the holy ghost they receiue also the flesh blood of the Lord and do feede on them to life euerlasting For the flesh blood of Christ is true meat drink vnto euerlasting life yea Christ himselfe in that he was deliuered for vs and is our sauiour is that special thing and substance of the supper and therefore we suffer no thing to be put in his place But that it maie the better and more plainlie be vnderstood how the flesh and blood of Christ are the meat and drink of the faithfull and are receiued by the faithfull to life euerlasting we will adde moreouer these four things Eating is of diuerse sortes for there is a corporall eating whereby meat is taken into a mans mouth chewed with the teeth and is swallowed downe into the bellie After this manner did the Capernaits in times past think that they should eat the flesh of the Lord but they are confuted by him Iohn 6. For as the flesh of Christ can not be eaten bodilie without great wickednes crueltie so is it not meat for the belly as all men do confesse We therfore disalow that Canon in the Popes decrees Ego Berengarius de consecrat Distinct. 2 For neither did godlie antiquitie beleeue neither yet doe we beleeue that the bodie of Christ can be eaten corporallie and essentiallie with a bodilie mouth There is also a spirituall eating of Christs bodie not such a one whereby it maie be thought that the verie meat is changed into the spirit but wherby the Lords body blood remaining in their own essence and propriety those things are spiritually communicated vnto vs not after a corporall butafter a spiritual manner through the holy Ghost who dothapply and bestow vpon vs those things to wit remission of sinnes deliuerance and life euerlasting which are prepared for vs by the flesh and blood of our Lord which were giuen for vs so as Christ doth now liue in vs and we liue in him and doth cause vs to apprehend him by a true faith to this end that he maie become vnto vs such a spirituall meat and drink that is
deserue remission of sinnes and iustification Thirdlie traditions brought great daunger to mens consciences because it was not possible to keepe them all and yet men thought the obseruation of them to be necessarie duties Gerson writeth that manie fell into despaire and some murthered themselues because they perceiued that they could not keepe the traditions and all this while they neuer heard the comforte of the righteousnes of faith or of grace We see the Summistes and diuines gather together the traditions and seeke qualifications of them to vnburden mens consciences and yet all will not serue but som times they bring more snares vpon the conscience The schooles and pulpits haue bene so busied in gathering together the traditions that they had not leisure once to touch the scripture and to seeke out a more profitable doctrine of faith of the crosse of hope of the dignitie of ciuill affaires of the comfort of consciences in perilous assaultes Wherfore Gerson and some other diuines haue made grieuous complaints that they were hindered by braules about traditions that they could not be occupied in some better kinde of doctrine And Saint Augustine forbiddeth that mens consciences should be burdened with such kinde of obseruations doth verie wiselie warne Ianuarius to know that they are tobe obserued indifferentlie for so he speaketh Wherefore our ministers must not be thought to haue touched this matter vnaduisedlie for hatred of the Bishops as some do falselie surmise There was great need to admonish the Churches of those errours which did arise from mistaking of traditions for the Gospell driueth men to vrge the doctrine of grace and of the righteousnes of faith in the Church which yet can neuer be vnderstord if men suppose that they can merit remission of sinnes and iustification by obseruations of their owne choice Thus therefore they haue taught vs that we can neuer merit remission of sinnes and iustification by the obseruation of mans traditions and therefore that we must not thinke that such obseruations are necessarie dueties Hereunto they adde testimonies out of the scriptures Christ excuseth his disciples Math. 15. which kept not the receiued tradition which yet seemed to be about a matter not vnlawfull but indifferent and to haue some affinitie with the washings of the lawe and saith They worshippe me in vaine with the precepts of men Christ therefore requireth no vnprofitable worship and a litle after he addeth All that entreth in at the mouth deâ—ileth not the man Aagine Rom. 14. The kingdome of God is not meat and drinke Col. 2. Let no man iudge you in meate or drinke in a Sabboth or in an holie daie Againe If ye be dead with Christe from the rudiments of the world why as though yee liued in the world are ye burdened with â—raditions Touch not tast not handle not Act. 15. Peter saith why tempt ye God laying a yoke vpon the neâ—ks of the disciples which neither we nor our fathers were able to beare but by the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ we hope to be saued as did also they Here Peter forbiddeth to burthen the consciences with manie rites whether they be of Moses or of anie others appointing and 1. Tim. 4. he calleth the forbidding of meates a doctrine of deuills because that it is flat against the gospel to appoint or do such workes to the end that by them we maie merit remission of sinnes or iustification or because that there could be no Christianitie without them Here our aduersaries obiect against vs that our ministers hinder al good discipline and mortification of the flesh as Iouinian did But the contrarie maie be seene by our mens writings For they haue alwais taught touching the crosse that Christians must suffer afflictions This is the true earnest and vnfeigned mortification to be exercised with diuerse afflictions and to be crucified with Christ Moreouer they teach that euerie Christian must so by bodilie discipline or bodely exercises and labour exercise and keepe vnder himselfe that fulnes and slouth do not prick him vp to sinne nor that he maie by such exercises merit such remission of the fault or of eternall death and this corporall discipline must alwaies be plied not onelie in a few and those sette daies according to the commaundement of Christ Take heede that your bodies be not oppressed with surfeting Againe This kinde of deuill is not cast out but by fasting and praier And Paul saith I chastâ—â—e my bodie and bring it vnder subiection Where he plainlie sheweth that he did therefore chastice his bodie not that by disscipline he might merit remission of sinnes but that his body might be apt and fit for spirituall things to do his dutie according to his calling Therfore we do not condemne fasts themselues but the traditions which prescribe certeine daies and certeine meates with daunger to the consciences as though such workes as these were necessary duties Yet many of the traditions are obserued among vs which tend vnto this end that things may be done orderlie in the Church as namelie the order of lessons in the Masse and the chiefest holie daies But in the meane time men are admonished that such a seruice doth not iustifie before god and that there is no sinne to be put in such thinges if they be left vndone so it be without offence This libertie in humane rites ceremonies was not vnknowne to the fathers For in the East Church they kept Easter at another time then they did in Rome and when as they of the Church of Rome accused the East Church of schisme for this diuersity they were admonished by others that such fashions should not be alike euerie where And Ireneus saith the dissagreement about fasting doth not breake of the agrement of faith Besides Pope Gregorie in the 12. distinction insinuateth that such diuersitie doth not hurt the vnitie of the Church and in the Tripartite historie lib. 9. many examples of different rites are gathered together and these words are there rehearsed The minde of the Apostles was not to giue precepts of holie daies but to preach godlines and a good conuersation What is then to be thought of the Lords day and of such like rites vsed in Churches Hereunto they answer that it is lawful for the Bishops or Pastors to appoint ordinances wherby things may be done in order in the Church not that by them we should merit remission of sinnes or satisfie for sinnes or that mens consciences should be bound to esteme them as necessarie seruices and thinke that they sinne when they violate any one of them though it be without the offence of others So Paull ordeined that weomen should couer their heads in the congregation that the Interpreters of scripture should be heard in course or order in the Church Such like ordinances it behooueth the Churches to kepe for charitie and quietnes sake so farre forth that one offend not another that all thinges maie be done in order and without tumult in