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A34245 The confession of faith, of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands with the formes which they use ... translated out of Dutch into English.; Belgic confession. English Brès, Guy de, 1522-1567. 1689 (1689) Wing C5784; ESTC R12576 43,584 48

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unto God for those good works which we do do and not he unto us since it is he that worketh in us both to will and to do according to his own good pleasure Let us therefore take notice of this saying which is left upon record When ye shall have done all these things which are commanded you say wee are unprofitable servants wee have done that which was our duty to do Yet wee do not deny that God rewards the good works but it is through his grace that he crownes his Gifts Moreover though wee act good works yet wee do not build our salvation thereon for wee can do nothing which is not defiled by our flesh and worthy of punishment and though it were otherwise yet the remembrance of one sin is sufficient to make God reject it So wee should always be doubtfull and floating to and fro without any certainty and our poor consciences be vexed continually if they did not rely on the merits of the sufferings and dying of our Saviour XXV Wee believe that the Ceremonies and Figures of the Law are ceased at the coming of Christ and that all shadows are finished wherefore the use and practise of them ought to be abrogated among the Christians yet the truth and substance of the same remaines with us in Christ Jesus in whom they are fulfilled in the mean while wee make use of the Testimonies of the Law and the Prophets to confirm us in the Gospel and to order our life and conversation in all honesty to the Glory of God according to his will. XXVI Wee believe that wee have no acces unto God but by the onely Mediator and Advocate Christ Jesus the righteous who for this cause is become man uniting together the divine and humane nature that so wee might have acces unto the divine Majesty for otherwise our acces would be barred up But this Mediator whom the Father hath given us to interceed between him and us must not deter us through his goodness and cause us to seek for another according to our fancy For there is none in heaven nor in earth among the Creatures who loveth us more then Jesus Christ who thô he was in the form of God yet made him self of no reputation and took upon him the form of a man and a servant for our sakes and is made like unto his Brethren in all things Now if wee were to seek for another Mediator that might be favourable unto us whom could wee find that would love us more then he who laid down his life for us even whilst wee were his Enemies And if wee look for one that is mighty and majestious who is more conspicuous then he that sits at the right hand of his Father having all power in heaven and earth Who shall bee sooner heard then the welbeloved Son of God Therefore it is onely by a mistrusting that this practice was introduced of dishonouring the Saints instead of honouring them doing that which they never have done nor required but constantly and according to their duty rejected as appeares from their writings And it ought not to be objected here that wee are not worthy for it is not intended that wee should offer up our prayers on the account of our worthiness but onely because of the Excellency and worthiness of our Lord Jesus Christ whose righteousness is become ours by Faith. The Apostle therefore to take away from us this foolish fear or rather mistrust tells us that Jesus Christ is made like unto his Bretheren in all things that he might be a Mercifull and faithfull High Priest to purify the sins of the people For in that he him self hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted And to give us more encouragement to go to him he tells us Seeing then that wee have a great High-priest that is passed into the Heavens Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our profession For wee have not an High-priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like wee are yet without sin Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of grace that wee may obtaine Mercy and find grace to help in time of need The same Apostle saith that wee have liberty to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus Let us draw near saith he in full assurance of saith c. Item Christ hath an unchangeable Priesthood wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them What do wee then want more since Christ him self sayes I am the way and the truth and the life no man cometh to the Father but by me Why should wee look for another Advocate seeing it hath pleased God to give us his Son for an Advocate Let us not leave him for to take another or rather to seek for another without ever sinding him for when God did give him unto us he knew very well that wee were Sinners Therefore according to Christs commandment wee call upon our heavenly Father through Jesus Christ our onely Mediator as wee are taught in the Lords prayer being assured that what ever wee pray for to the Father in his name it shall be given us XXVII Wee believe and profess one onely Catholick or universal Church which is a holy Congregation of true Christian believers who expect their salvation altogether in Christ Jesus being washed by his blood and Sanctifyed and sealed by the holy Ghost This Church hath been from the beginning of the World and will continue to the end of it as doth appear by Christ his being an everlasting King who cannot be without subjects And this holy Church is kept and preserved by God against the rage of the whole World although somtimes she may become very small and almost vanished in the eyes of men as when the Lord during the dangerous Reign of Achab had kept seven thousand men who had not bowed their knees before Baal Moreover this Holy Church is not situated in or bound or limited to a certain place or to certain persons but she is spread and seattered through the whole World being neve theless joined together and united with heart will and the same Spirit by the power of Faith. XXVIII Wee believe seeing this holy Congregation is an Assembly of those that are saved and that without it there is no salvation that none of what condition or quality soever ought to keep him self separate or to rely upon his own person but that it is the duty of all men to join and comply with it preserving the unity of the Church submitting them selves to the Instruction and Censure thereof bowing their neeks under the yoke of Christ Jesus and serving to the edification of the Brethren according to the gift which God hath assorded them as mutual members of the same body and to the better compassing of these ends it is a duty
incumbent on all believers according to the Word of God to separate them selves from those that are not of the Church and to join to this Congregation in what place socever God hath constituted the same although it were contrary to the decrees of Magistrates and Princes even on pain of corporal punishment or death Wherefore all those who separate them selves from this Church or do not join with it act against the ordinance of God. XXIX Wee believe that it is requisite to search diligently and with a circumspect care to discerne from the Word of God which is the true Church since all Sects that are in the World now adayes do cover them selves with the name of the Church Wee do not speak of the company of Hypocrites who are mixed in the Church amongst the good ones without belonging to the Church thô outwardly they are in it but wee say that the body and Communion of the true Church ought to be distinguished from all Sects who call them selves the Church The marks to know the true Church by are these If in the Church there is a pure preaching of the Gospel If the pure administration of the Sacraments so as it is instituted by Christ him self is made use of If the Ecclesiastical censure is exercised for the punishment of sins In a word if the conversation is according to the pure Word of God rejecting all things contrary thereunto and holding Jesus Christ as the onely head By these tokens one may certainly know the true Church and none ought to separate themselves from the same And as for those that are of the Church they may be known by the marks of the Christians viz. by their Faith and when they have received the onely Saviour Jesus Christ avoiding sin and pursuing righteousness loving the true God and their neighbour not declining neither to the right nor to the left hand and crucifying their flesh with its deeds Nevertheless they may be attended with great weakness but they sight against it through the Spirit all the dayes of their life having continually recours to the blood death susterings and obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ in which they have remission of sins through Faith in him As for the false Church she ascribes unto her self and her ordinances more power and Authority then to the Word of God and will not submit unto the yoke of Christ she administers the Sacraments not after such a Manner as Christ hath instituted in his word but she adds and takes away according to her pleasure She relyeth more upon men then upon Christ she persecutes those who live a holy life according to the Word of God and who rebuke her faults coveteousness and Idolatry These two Churches may easily be known and distinguished XXX Wee believe that this true Church must be governed according to the Spirituall policy which our Lord hath taught us in his word viz. That there must be Ministers or Pastors for to preach the Word of God and to administer the Sacraments as also Overseers and Deacons to make up together with the Pastors an Ecclesiastical Councel and by this means to maintain the true Religion and to procure a free course for the true Doctrine likewise that the Transgressors be punished and restrained by Spirituall means that the poor and distressed be also relieved and comforted according to what they stand in need of Through these means all things will proceed well and orderly in the Church when such persons are chosen who are faithfull and according to the rule which St. Paul preseribes in his Epistle to Timothy XXXI Wee believe that the Ministers of the Word of God and the Elders and Deacons ought to be chosen to their respective offices by a lawfull Election with invocation of the Name of the Lord and in good order as the Word of God teacheth Every one therefore must take care of intruding him self by undecent means but ought to stay untill he be call'd by God that so he may have a testimony of his calling and be certain and assured that it is of the Lord And as for the Ministers of the Word where ever they-are they have an equal power and Authority being all Ministers of Jesus Christ the one general Bishop and onely head of the Church Moreoever least the holy ordinance of God be violated or despised wee say that every one ought te have a speciall respect unto the Ministers of the Word and the Elders of the Church for their works sake and to live in peace with them without murmuring strife or dissention as much as possibly can be XXXII In the mean while wee believe although it may be serviceable and good that those who govern the Church do institute among them selves certain ordinances for the maintenance and supporting the body of the Church yet that they ought to take heed of departing from any thing which Christ our onely master hath ordered And therefore wee reject all manner of humane inventions and Laws which any might introduce in the Worship of God thereby to bind and compell the consciences Admitting of nothing but what may serve to the nourishing and preservation of Concord and Unity and to keep all in the obedience of God unto which the Excommunication is required according to the Word of God and the circumstances belonging thereunto XXXIII Wee believe that our gracious God having regard on our meanness and infirmity hath assorded us the Sacraments for to be seales of his promises and pledges of the kindness and grace of God unto us and thereby to nourish and sustain our faith having joyned them with the Word of the Gospel that so he might propound to our outward senses both that which he signifies unto us by his Word and that which he workes inwardly in our hearts assuring us of the salvation which he doth impart us For they are visible signs and Seals of an inward and invisible thing by which means God worketh in us through the power of the holy Ghost Therefore the signs are not invain or empty to be deceived thereby for Christ Jesus is the truth thereof without whom they would signify nothing at all Moreover wee are content with the number of the Sacraments which Christ our Master hath instituted being but two to wit the Sacrament of Baptism and that of the holy Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ XXXIV Wee believe and confess that Jesus Christ who is the end of the Law hath made an end by the shedding of his blood of all other sheddings of blood that might be made for the propitiation and satisfaction of sin and that having abrogated the circumcision which was done with blood hath instituted instead thereof the Sacrament of Baptisme by which wee are received in the Church of God and become separated from all other people and strange Religions that so wee may be fully addicted to him and bear his Mark and Ensign And it serves us for a testimony that hee will be our God and