faith and secondly that such a faith which is onely in saying and bringeth foorth no woorkes cannot saue where you are to note that he proposeth to himselfe the confutation of a vain and idle faith which is only in saying and that he doth not enter to entreat of this question whether faith onely being true and liuely do iustifie or so far to prefer workes that they iustifie or saue vs with or without faith And this meaning doth all the order of his reasoning declare First ver 15.16.17 where he teacheth that as to make a shew of liberalitie in wordes and in deede to minister nothing doth beway but a counterfait liberalitie So faith without woorkes is dead in it selfe where marke that he saith in it selfe or by it selfe for thereby he sheweth that if it were the true iustifying and liuely faith in it selfe it would bring foorth liuelie fruits to declare the same and hereupon he openeth the meaning of his proposition ver 18. that a man is to shewe his faith by his workes namely that it is a thing which a man will aske for of him that saith he hath faith then ver 9. he sheweth that such an idle faith is that of the diuell which beleeueth there is a GOD and trembleth So these vaine pratlers may haue a generall beleefe and sometime tremble to thinke vpon Gods power and yet neuer haue the true faith in Iesus Christ which iustifieth wherewith whosoeuer is rightly endowed he hath Christ a Rom. 8. ver 9.10 dwelling in him by his spirit by whom the bodie of sinne is slaine and the life of righteousnes is as it were a new created as it is said else where b 2. Cor. 5.17 if any be in Christ he is a new creature but the diuels and wicked men destitute of this true faith are voide of this grace and therefore doo not bring foorth good workes Nowe then Saint Iames bringing in the storie of Abraham offering vp his sonne vpon this proposition and order of reasoning and namelie prefixing these woords But wilt thou vnderstand O thou vaine man that faith without workes is dead What other thing can hee meane by the woord iustified except he abruptlie goe contrarie to all his owne former speech but onlie the declaring shewing and making knowen of his faith not to bee dead vaine or onelie in saying and not that workes make a man iust before GOD which appeareth by his reason in this example in that he sayth Faith wrought with his workes and through workes was faith made perfect which signifieth that in offering vp of his Sonne his faith wrought to bring foorth this worke and that this worke being atchieued it made manifest that hee had a true and perfect faith his workes then in Saint Iames meaning perfected his faith that is made it appeare perfect but it did not meddle with the making of the man Abraham to be iust and righteous in the eies of GOD by that worke so wrought And then adding The scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnes he vnderstandeth that the offering vp of his Sonne did make manifest that Abraham beleeued in deede and a right and therefore that scripture was approoued true that God imputed righteousnes to him not for a vaine saying and hypocriticall dissimulation but for a true beleefe and an vnfayned faith in Gods promise In the same sense verse 25. hee alleageth the storie of Rahab Nowe lastely the conclusion being by a comparison of a mā to be dead which hath not a spirit that so faith without works is dead sheweth that there is a spiritual working of faith which if it appeare not by works it declareth that faith is dead in it selfe So that Saint Iames speaketh onely against a dead faith meaning not by any termes to derogate from a liuely faith as though it had helpe of workes in the matter of iustification before God Further if we consider the story of Genesis out of which it is taken you shall finde that Saint Iames could not haue any other meaning For it was before a Gen. 15.16 17.11.25 21.5 22. Ismaell was borne that Abraham was iustified by his faith without respect of workes Then Ismaell was fourteene yeeres ould when Isaack was borne and Isaack was of some pretie yeres that he was able to beare a bundel of wood wherewith he should haue been burned therefore it must needs be between twentie and thirtie yeeres after the time of Abrahams iustifying that he offered vp Isaack which being so it cannot be vnderstood that that worke iustified him least it should destroy and b Read Rom. 4 10.11 Gal. 3.17 disanul his iustifying by faith so long before And therfore God himselfe doth expresse the power and vse of this worke not any whit to iustify him but only to make his faith to be knowen where hee saith c Gen. 22.12 Now I knovv that thou fearest God seeing for my sake thou hast not spared thine onely sonne And therefore doth the holy ghost interpret it thus d Heb. 11.17 By faith Abraham offered vp Isaack when hee was tried c. teaching vs that this was a fruit of the iust mans faith and not a worke to make him iust or meritorious in Gods sight Therefore we may boldly conclude that Saint Iames in saying Abraham was iustified by workes when he offered vp his son doth onely contend for this that it was of necessitie that faith shoulde be declared and made knowen by woorkes because our father Abraham did so by workes shew himselfe to be iustified by faith therefore we his children are bastards and not sons if our faith be idle and vnfruitful euen as Christ saith to the Iewes a Ioh. 8.39 If ye were Abrahams children ye would doe the workes of Abraham which wordes doe directly shew this article we haue in hand First that Abraham did workes approouing his faith and secondly that this also is to be looked for of his children that is of all beleeuers that they quite themselues to haue a true faith by their good life and obedience to God or els they bee no beleeuers or children of Abraham The same faith doth the church of England professe namely b Articl 12. of good workes Good woorkes are the fruits of faith and follow after iustification they doo spring out necessarily of a true and liuely faith in so much as by them a liuely faith may be as liuely knowen as a tree discerned by the fruit and againe c Apolog. cap 20. diuis 1. A true faith is liuely and can in no wise bee idle d Exod. 20. Moses consent in this doctrine may be found where God pronounceth the lawe of the ten commandements teaching all dueties of good workes to God and man saying I am the Lorde thy God and vpon this inferreth all their obedience to those commandements for what is I am the Lord thy God but the
couenant of faith to be their God in the promise of Christ vpon this he requiring obedience in a godlie life doth insinuate that they which professe the faith that God is their God must declare their faith by obedience to his commaundements and therefore he saith in an other place e Deut. 6.11 Beware thou forget not the Lorde thy God not keeping his commandements c. which sheweth plainlie that where disobedience is there is no faith for how can he haue faith that forgetteth him in whom hee should beleeue Hereupon all their disobedience rebelling and prouoking of God in the wildernes is said to be this a Psal 78.22.32 Heb. 4.1 They beleeue not God And this doth Moises aime at when hee saith Thou hast set vp the Lord this day to be thy God and to walke in his waies and to keepe his ordinances c. whereby it appeareth that vnto faith in couenanting with GOD this is an inseperable consequent that if we embrase God by faith we ought to follow his commandements by our deeds and he that doth not this latter bewraieth that he hath not with a true hart and faith receiued the former Therefore the prophets which expound the law in the person of God say thus a Mat. 1.6 A sonne honoureth his father and a seruant his Master If then I bee a father where is my honour and if I be a master where is my feare c. Nowe we know that wee are sonnes no way but by faith Therefore this prophet intendeth that we are not ioined to the Lorde by faith either as his people children or seruants or that hee is our God father and Lorde except our deedes shew the vnfainednes of our faith in honor and feare Therefore saith an other prophet b Psal 116.10 I beleeued and therefore I spake making it a most assured thing that a liuely faith cannot bee secrete and idle but will shewe it selfe by the outwarde deedes and namely profession Therefore a iust and righteous man in the prophets is thus described a Psal 37.30 The mouth of the righteous will speake of wisedome and his tongue will talke of iudgement for the law of his God is in his heart c. Who is righteous but the beleeuer and how are we righteous but by faith this teacheth then that the beleeuer hauing the law of his God in his heart cannot but bring foorth good workes both in worde and in deed euen as the vnbeleeuer cannot bring forth any other but euill deeds therefore by the prophetes euill doers and beleeuers are made contraries as it is written b Verse 9. Euill doers shall be cut off but they which waite vpon the Lord shall inherite the lande And againe c Psal 32.10 Many sorrowes come to the wicked but he that trusteth in the Lord mercie shal compasse him But the Gospell doeth shewe this yet more brightly as namely where it is said d Gal. 5.6 In Iesus Christ neyther circumcision auaileth any thing neither vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue that is to say faith doeth not onely take holde on Christ for righteousnes but also buddeth out before God and man the sweet blossoms of loue in the workes of pietie and honestie And therefore Christ challengeth them for no beleeuers in him which walke disobediently saying e Luk. 6.46 Why call ye mee master master and do not the things that I speake Whereupon the blessed Apostle is not afeard to say that he which is not a new man in holines righteousnesse but runneth greedily after his lusts in wickednesse hath not f Eph. 4.10.11 learned Christ as the truth is in Iesus And S. Iohn speaking of the hope of Gods children what they shal be at the ioyful appearance of Christ constantly affirmeth that i 1. Ioh. 3.3 euerie man who hath this hope purgeth himselfe euen as he is pure And againe k Vers 10. In this are the children of God knowen the children of the Deuil whosoeuer doth not righteousnes is not of God neither he that loueth not his brother So that as clearely as the sunne is seene to shine in the middest of the day it is most apparant both by Abraham Moses and the prophetes and also by Christ and his Apostles that our faith and doctrine taught in England touching workes is most sound and catholicke namely that works necessarily follow faith declare it to be a true and a liuely faith and he that liueth licentiously and wickedly hath not faith The ninth Article of the meanes of religion which is the word of God 9 The word of God is the onely perfect rule of religion teaching all things whatsoeuer is necessarie vnto saluation and the same is fully wholy and onely contained in the holy and canonicall scriptures of the old and new testament IN this Article it is first necessary to know distinctly what is this word of God For some men confound this with the second person in the trinitie because the sonne of God is called the word by the holy Euangelist a Ioh. 1.1 1. Ioh. 5.7 S. Iohn Where they are to know that we consider in God two things what hee is in himselfe and what outwardly he doth or commeth from him Now the worde which is the sonne of God which is the second person in the trinitie is alwaies in God verie God as we truely say The father the word or the sonne and the holy ghost are ouer the same God But the word of God which wee heere speake of is the knowledge and reuelation of Gods wil touching godlinesse therfore called Gods word because it commeth not nor can come by the will or vnderstanding of man or any creature but by God himselfe is deliuered to his saintes as it were spoken by Almightie God as wee see in our first parente b Gen. 3. Adam after his fall hee was deade in sinne he had no will wit nor vnderstanding touching saluation till God called him and taught him by his word and gaue him the promise of Christ saying The seed of the woman should breake the serpentes head For which cause it is called c Eph. 1.9 Colos 25.26 The mystery of Gods will Which God in diuers maners in diuers times hath reueiled to his church d Numb 12. c. 7.8 2. Pet. 1.21 In darke speeches by dreames and vision openly and plainly as vnto Moses and by inspiration of the holy Ghost Of which it is thus written e Heb. 1.1.2 At sundrie times in diuers manners God spake in the olde time to our fathers by the prophetes in these last dayes he hath spoken to vs by his son And therfore these phrases in the prophets are plentifull The f Esai 1. Hier. 1. Lord hath said The word of the Lord came c. And many such like as all men know â—hich are acquainted with the holy scripture Now this being vnderstood we are to obserue
the light of his word to make all things manifest that it might be said of vs as by prerogatiue it was once spoken of Israel Psal 147.19 He sheweth his worde vnto Iacob his statutes his iudgements vnto Israel he hath not so dealt with euerie nation c. The entrance of her Maiesties raigne a most blessed day vnto England There was a day of darkenesse a day of great blacknes sorrow when the people of this land were made slaues vnder the thraldome of spirituall Aegipt and Babilon when they knew not aright the true and liuing God nor the power grace of our Lord Iesus Christ but were led after vaine things in whom there was no helpe and men by a iust plague of God were giuen ouer vnto their owne lustes and fancies yea euen vnto most abhominable idolatrie But the day of her Maiesties most royall coronation was a day of light and glorie a day of cleare and perfect ioy in that day did the sunne of righteousnes arise shined from on hie hee cast forth his bright and pleasant beames and enlightened all the land Then fell away the grosse misse of palpable foolishnesse and ignorance and the vaile of mans presumption was taken from our hartes Then humane deuises and the greeuous yoke of the apostaticall bondage in tradition voluntary seruice of men was taken from our necks Then were our hearts opened and the light of the knowledge of the glorie of God and his bright shining countenance in the face of Iesus Christ did shine into our soules It was a day that the verie Angels of heauen did reioyce and sing because of the sweet blessed tidings of great ioy vnto al the people of this land For the grace of God which bringeth saluation vnto all men did then appeare and the beautifull feet of the messengers of peace which brought tidings of good thinges and said vnto euery elect soule Thy God raigneth had then a merrie and comfortable passage and safe trauell ouer all the land the embassadors of God brought vnto vs the wholsome word of reconciliation Then did the Lorde plant his vineyard and build his holy temple among vs and hee became our strong sanctuarie and visited vs with his rich mercie and saluation his blessings spirituall and corporall most plentiful flowed down from heauen vpon our land So that our enemies being Iudges it must needes be said God hath done great things for vs and hath giuen vs all things aboundantly to enioy In which time many nations round about vs in greeuous darknesse and bloudy miserie euen mourning dayly before our eyes might well haue counted themselues happie if they had part of our peace We haue lent and not borrowed wee haue giuen and not taken we haue beene a refuge for the poore and a place of succour for the persecuted our men and money haue beene a reliefe to the oppressed and deliueraunce to many in great daunger and distresse Our prince hath bin an hyding place from the wind as a refuge for the tempest as riuers of waters in a drie place and as the shadow of a rocke in a wearie land My pen is insufficient and I am vnworthie and vnable to rehearse the manifold and constant goodnesse and fauours of God vpon vs these many yeares O let vs loue the Lord and serue him let vs praise and glorifie him who hath beene so beneficiall and bountifull vnto vs. Hee hath deliuered our soules from death our eyes from teares and our feet from falling hee hath brought vs out of the horrible pitte and mierie clay and set our feet vpon the rocke and ordered our goings hath put in our mouthes a newe song of praise vnto our God many that haue seene this haue reuerenced the Lord and put their trust in our God All Englishmē are bound to loue the Queenes most excelent Maiestie And who can but loue the blessed and worthy instrument of our peace and ioy whose heart is not inflamed with her desire If wee were tenne thousand times more then wee are and euerie man had a thousand liues who would not willingly lay them downe at her feete in the cause of truth to shewe his thankfull mind vnto her Maiestie who hath constantly passed through many hazardes of her life for loue of Gods truth and care of his Church whose hart is not greatly moued to glorifie God who hath giuen vs so faithful constant a nurse louing mother so wōderfully defended and preserued her and by vnder her most happy gouernment hath made vs so many yeares together without feare the free possessors of most vnspeakable ioy in the participation of incomparable heauenly treasure and most flourishing earthly prosperitie We are to consider whether we haue rendred to the Lord according to his kindnes toward vs. But O my deare mother my good reuerend fathers and brethren haue wee rendred to the Lorde according to his kindnesse haue wee with reuerence receiued with thankfulnesse acknowledged and with care conscience vsed these mercies of our good and louing God and mercifull father in Iesus Christ O that I could boldly and faithfully so say that our siluer were not become drosse and our wine mixt with water And that the vine which God hath planted with good and pleasant plants did not in stead of grapes bring forth wild grapes and men did not neglect yea forsake the word of the Lord and follow the foolish imaginations of their owne heartes O that it might not be iustly said that the Lord hath a controuersie with this lande because there is no truth nor mercie nor knowledge of God in the land By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whooring they breake out and bloud toucheth bloud And that men did not encourage one another in their wicked and vicious liuing saying come and let vs bring wine and wee will fill our selues with strong drinke and to morrow shall bee as this day and much more aboundant let vs eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die O that men would consider and that their hearts would smite them in remembring and forethinking what a fatherly watch word our tender and louing God hath giuen vs by many and sundry most mild and kindly tempered corrections and chastisementes at many times but especially within these eighteene yeares last past when hee beganne at his sanctuarie and lightly touched his holy remembrancers when he caused a great and cloudie mist to couer the verie heauens so that many bright starres were not seene to shine for a certaine season Then did the windes burst out shaking our houses ouer our heades as vnworthie to dwell vnder so good and plentifull grace our bodies and liues were assailed with grieuous pestilence dearth scarsitie and the threatning sword did aduance themselues against vs. Thousands haue gone forth and returned but by hundreds And now seeing all these things haue not made vs to turne to him that smiteth
but by the holy ghost as Christ plainly a Ioh. 3.5 expoundeth saying No man can enter into the kingdome of God except he be borne againe by the holie ghost Abraham doubtles being taught the true meaning of these words who spake and of whom and what maner of promise this was and how it shoulde be performed could not but behold therin learne the most excellent misterie and doctrine of the trinitie And in this sence and meaning doth the church of England hold this article of religion with Abraham as may appeare not onely by the vniuersall and notorious knowledge of our profession but also by fower Creedes set downe in the booke of Common praier to be heard learned and confessed of all men The Apostles creed Te Deum Athanasius creed and the Nicen creed and in the first article of religion agreed vpon by our church and established by lawe Ann̄ 1562. Moses consent in this article is to bee seene in these words b Deut. 6.4 Here O Israel the Lord our God is Lord only Where this word Lord being in Hebrew Iehouah noteth out the true God being all sufficient of him selfe and therfore Moses was c Exod. 3.14 taught to call him Eheie that is I am or shal be meaning a continuance without beginning or ending Secondly this clause our God in hebrew is * Elohenu a word of the plurall number noteth out the pluralitie of persons then adding in the singuler number that he is Lord or Iehouah onely signifieth that although there is pluralitie that is three persons yet there is but one God And therefore that which is spoken Psal 95. of the tempting of God out of Deut. 9. ver 8. where is said by Moses they prouoked Iehouah to anger the prophet d Esai 36.10 Esay the epistle e Heb. 3.7 to the Hebrewes expound it to be the tempting of the holy ghost f 1. Cor. 10.5 and S. Paul to bee tempting of Christ so that Moses by these places is to bee vnderstood to haue taught the same doctrin of the Trinitie namely one all sufficient Iehouah the same three persōs God the father God the son God the holy ghost The prophets who are the true and perfect interpreters of Moses doe vtter this doctrin yet more plainly speaking in the person of God g Esai 44.6 I am the first and I am the last and beside me there is no God h Cap. 4.3.13 Before the day was I am there is none that can deliuer out of mine hand i 45.21 a iust God and a Sauiour and there is none beside me k Malach. 3.6 I the Lord change not l Nahum 1.5 The mountains tremble for him and the hils melt c. And as touching the Trinitie in plaine termes thus m Hag. 2.5.6 I am with you saith the Lord of hostes with the word wherewith I couenanted with you when you came out of Egypt and with my spirit remaining among you where you see the father by excellencie called the Lord of hosts the son being the mediator of the couenant is called the word by whom and for whom God couenanteth and the holy ghost his spirit placed in his church by his manifold gifts and mightie works Heb. 2.4 the like place is in a Esai 63.7.8.9.10 Esay where in the person of the father is shewed Gods mercie loue and kinde prouidence ouer his people and he pointeth out the second person by the name of the angel of his presence who saued them and the holy ghost he calleth his holy spirit whom they vexed But the new Testament is plainest of al. First Math. 3. where the father witnesseth of the son and the holy ghost in the shape of a doue commeth vpon him and Christ commandeth to b Math 28.19 Baptise in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy ghost And c 1. Ioh. 5.7.9 S. Iohn calleth this the witnes of God that there are three which beare record in heauen the father the word and the holie ghost and these three are one In which article wee must vnderstād the three persons not as we do three persons of men who though they be but of one nature which is the nature of man yet are they in such sort 3. persons in one nature as they are also 3. diuers men But in God is a more neere vnion namely that they being 3. persōs distinguished in property the father begetting the son begotten the holy ghost proceeding yet these three so distinct in person are not onely of one kind of nature which is to be God for so they might be vnderstood to be three gods as Peter Iames and Iohn though of one nature are yet three men but also of one and the same essence in vnitie of number namely that the father son and holie ghost are all in one God and do make and be all but one and the same God of the same inseperable power eternitie wil wisdom and goodnes as is very excellently expounded in the creed of Athanasius The second article is of the Cause of Causes 2 By the decree of God all thinges were fore ordained how they should be and concerning man who should be saued by faith in Christ and who should be damned for their sinnes THis doctrine GOD teacheth Abraham two waies first in the promise d Gen. 12.3 how al the families of the earth should be blessed in which there is the reuelation of Gods decree what should become of all nations in the world namely that they of al nations which attaine blessednes shoulde haue it by Christ and all other should be damned then e Cap. 17. when he seperateth the Iewes by circumcision kept out the gentils till the fulnes of times it argueth that according to his decree he dispenseth the times and seperateth the nations and that in the matter of the saluation and damnation of men euen as saint Paul expoundeth it saying f Eph. 1.9.10 And hath opened to vs the mistery of his will according to his good pleasure which he had purposed in him selfe that in the dispensation of the fulnes of times he might gather together in one all things both which are in heauen which are in earth euen in Christ The other way is in trying of Abraham whē he was so olde before he had his son Isaac for hauing made the promise to Abraham generally First a Gen. 12.3 cap. 15.5 In thy seed and secondly So shall thy seed be Sarah finding her selfe barren b Gen. 16. gaue her maide to Abraham thinking to haue the seed that way and he went into her and she brought him foorth a sonne when he was fower score and six yere olde and he called his name Ismaell But after this God c Cap. 17.15 commanded Abraham to change his wiue Sarahs name from Sarai to Sarah because he would giue her a son and blesse and
statutes and iudgements Here you see that the prophets hauing the same spirite of truth to leade them and their pen which Moses had in his writings auouch the perfection of Gods word in Moses bookes so farre as they would be vnderstood to doe or speake nothing that should not agree vnto that worde so written and whosoeuer did otherwise had not the light in him Now because Moses and the prophets agreed in their writinges in declaring and making manifest the same truth and word of God which he would haue to be the knowen canon and rule of religion Our Sauiour Christ reiecteth all c Math. 15.3 new deuises writing traditions and customes of men sendeth vs to the d Luk. 16.29 cap. 24.44 law and the prophets bidding vs to e Ioh. 5.39 search the scriptures Which also to bee a most certaine rule Saint Peter saith We haue a most sure worde of the prophets And Saint Paul a 2. Tim. 3.16 The whole scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach vs that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes What can be a more perfect rule or touchstone then that which is most sure inspired of God profitable euery way in righteousnes by which a man may be absolute perfect vnto all good workes And hereof it commeth that the writinges of the new testament are not a new Canon or additament of rule in religion but onely a more plaine reuelation fulfilling of that which was before taught by Moses and the prophetes and therefore you shal find that Christ and the Apostles euery where do approue their doctrine by the testimonies of the scriptures of the olde testament Wherefore Paul acknowledgeth that b Rom. 16.26 God commanded the preaching of the gospell to bee by the scriptures of the prophets and Peter c Act. 3.22.24 appealeth to Moses and to all the prophets from Samuel and thenceforth that they foretold of those daies that is of the time of the gospell and the things which should bee manifested therein And therefore Paul protested that he d Cap. 26.22 witnessed both to small and great no other things then those which the prophets and Moses did say should come Wherefore the whole scriptures of the olde and new testament is one and the same rule of religion Although peraduēture as is before declared there may be some difference in ceremony and maner of gouernment yet is the first euen in those thinges a witnesse of the last and the last a true and faithfull expounder and fulfiller of the first Hereof it is that Mathew and the other Euangelists do confirme all the doctrine and doings of Christ by seuerall scriptures Yea those thinges which in forme order differ are yet proued that so they ought to be by Moses and the prophetes as the ministerie of a Math. 3.3 Iohn Baptist b Act. 2.16 and of the Apostles c Heb. 7.1.12 the priesthood of Christ and his changing of the lawe d 1. Cor. 9.9.13 prouiding for the ministerie though not by tithes and many such like But as for the most substantiall parts of the doctrine of faith and saluation I hope it shal appeare to the godly Christian by reading this Chapter throughout that there is but one canon and rule of truth Therefore to conclude let the reader obserue that this writing of Gods word is done by the spirit of God to this vse and ende that we might bee sure to know and how to trie and finde out what is the worde of God by examining all things wee heare by the Canon of the scripture As did e Act. 17.11 the noble men of Berea Wherefore Saint f Cap. 1.3.4 Luke affirmeth that the ende of this writing was that wee might acknowledge the certaintie of those thinges whereof wee haue beene instructed And Saint Paule saith that for the Church g Philip. 3.1 it was a sure thing and this sure thing is expounded by the Euangelist who sayth h Ioh. 20.21 These thinges are written that yee might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the sonne of God and that in beleeuing yee might haue life through his name Therefore as Moyses which first wrote shewed the absolutenesse of this Canon of Gods worde written by i Deut. 4.2 forbidding all adding to and taking from So the last booke of this Canon sealeth vp all the writinges of God with the like admonition saying e Reuelat. 22.18 I protest to euerie one that heareth the wordes of the prophesie of this booke If any man shall adde vnto these thinges God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke Now in both partes of this Article agreeing to all these testimonies of holy scripture is the iudgement and profession of the Church of England For we say b Artic. 20. of the authoritie of the church It is not lawfull for the Church to ordaine any thing that is contrarie to Gods worde written c Articl 6. the doctrine of holy scripture Holy scripture containeth all things necessarie to saluation so that whatsoeuer is not read therein nor may be proued thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be beleeued as an article of the faith or bee thought requisite and necessarie to saluation c. d Apolog. cap. 9. diuis 1. We receiue and embrace all the Canonicall scriptures both of the old and new testament c. they bee the verie sure and infallible rule whereby may be tried Whether the Church do swarue or erre and whereunto all ecclesiasticall doctrine ought to bee called to account and that against these scriptures neyther law nor ordinance nor any custome ought to be heard c. In all which wee doe acknowledge this most absolute canon of Gods word agreeing with Abraham Moses the Prophets Christ and his Apostles The tenth Article of the people who follow the right religion that is the Church of God 10 There is but one Church of God and the same is catholike and spread ouer all the world holding onely the true faith of Christ and it is made visible and knowne by the profession of the same faith which is in the preaching of the pure word of God and right administration of his holy sacraments IN this Article is a double description of Christes Church first in regard of the nature and second in regard of the visible markes The nature is in three things vnitie and vniuersalitie and faith The markes are declared by their profession which is preaching and administring the word sacraments By vnitie wee vnderstand that God hath not diuers Churches of diuers sectes in diuers places or times but howsoeuer times and places may haue some externall and temporal differences yet in all times and places the people whom God alloweth and accepteth to bee his church are but one misticall bodie wherof Christ is the head and as
to worship God onely and namely to praie to him alone THis article is plaine needing no explanation And we may see it clerely in the story of Abraham that he being called from the b Iosh 24.2.3 woorship of strange Gods for euer after woorshipped the onely true and liuing God c Gen. 12. ver 14. 15. 17. c. to him he made his alter and called vpon his name swore by his name and in all religious woorship as sacrifice circumcision and vowes he did stil keepe himselfe alwaies to worship God onely Such is the minde of the church of England For we say d Artic. 22. of purgatorie The Romish doctrine concerning purgatorie pardons worshipping and adoration as well of images as of reliques and also inuocation of Saints is a fond thing vainely fayned and grounded vpon no warrant of Scripture but rather repugnant to the word of God For hereby we vnderstande that the Scripture teacheth that wee should worship God onely and pray to him onely and therefore we condemne al woorship and praiers which are not made giuen and directed to God onely and therefore we commaunde the ten commandements to be read in our churches to teach men to acknowledge one god and him onely to worship Moses also if we will heere him sheweth the same truth First in the affirmatiue he saith e Deut. 6.13 Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him and sweare by his name which wordes our Sauior Christ f Matth. 4.10 alleaging in their meaning sheweth that they commaunde vs to worship and serue God onely And in the negatiue Moses a Deut. 4.14 c. cap. 12.2.3 c. cap. 13. 21.8 Num. 6.24 testifying that God shewed the people no image of the likenesse of any thing whatsoeuer forbiddeth them the making of all images of the likenesse of any thing whatsoeuer and the worshipping of any such image or likenesse of any thing whatsoeuer directing them in all causes to turne to him to pray to him and to blesse in his name To this also accorde the Prophets in whom God speaketh on this maner b Psal 50.15 Call vpon mee c. c Esai 42.8 I am the Lord this is my name and my glorie will I not giue vnto an other neither my praise to carued images d Cap. 45.23 I haue sworne by my selfe the worde is gone out of my mouth in righteousnes and shall not returne That euerie knee shall bow vnto me and euerie toonge shall sweare by mee And therefore on the one side hee reprooueth them e Zepan 1.5 which woorship and sweare by the Lord and Malcham that is doe any way communicate Gods worship to others and on the other side teacheth vs to pray onely to God as it is written f Psal 62.8 Trust in him alwaie yee people power out your hartes vnto him for GOD is our hope g Psal 95.6 Let vs vvorship and fall downe and kneele before the Lorde our maker And this is also the rule of the Gospell as where our Sauiour teacheth vs to pray h Matth. 6.9 Our father which art in heauen c. saying when yee pray pray after this maner there you may perceiue all other excluded For wee cannot say to any other Our father which art in heauen or Thine is the kingdome the power and the glorie therefore if this be the maner of prayer wee must pray to none other but to God And the Apostles in their doctrin i Act. 14.15 1. Thess 1.9 called men from dumme idols to worship and serue the liuing God And that I may not vse many wordes in so manifest a matter I onely obserue this that this phrase k Reuel 19.10 22.9 Act. 10.25.26 Rom. 1.23.25 Worship GOD in the newe Testament shutteth out all creatures men and angels from all maner of religious worship which seruice being due to him should bee giuen or done to none other And so it is verie apparant that in this article wee are of the most auncient and Catholike faith with Abraham Moses c. The twelfte article of certaine speciall exercises of religion and markes of the church that is the Sacraments 12. A Sacrament is a signe and a seale ordained of God to assure vs of the couenant of mercie which is in Christ Iesus And there be two Baptisme and the supper of the Lord. The first is a signe and a seale of our first entrie into the fellowship of God and his church and of our adoption and regeneration The seconde is a signe and a seale of the communion of the bodie and bloud of Christ continually strengthning vs and confirming vs in all the graces of God vnto eternall life IN handling of this article if I declare two things First that these three times of the fathers of the law of the gospel agree in the description of the nature of a sacrament and herein that these two Baptisme and the Lords supper are only for the new Testament and namely according as they are here described no otherwise And secondly that herein the church of England agreeth with the holie scriptures of all these times as a true obseruer of Gods woord therein I shall sufficiently prooue that the church of England holdeth the most auncient true and catholike faith In the first there are three things to be shewed the nature the number and the special difference of the sacraments In the nature wee see what is general and common to all Sacraments and this is in two points who made them and whereof they consist the first is they are ordained of God and this is so farre off the nature of a sacrament that none can be so without God be the author for who can giue man a special signe and seale of Gods fauor c. but God himselfe amongst men he is guilty of treason that will make a seale of a princes letters patents in the kings name except he haue the seale deliuered him by the prince for that purpose So and much more for so much as God is more excellent and honorable then any prince of the earth and his will more vnsearchable and the freedom and glory therof more hie and heauenlie no man may or can ordaine a sacrament to assure vs of Gods good will whereof he hath no warrant or authority from God For if as the Apostle saith No man doth knowe the things of God 1. Cor. 2.11 but the spirit of God surely much lesse can any man ordaine a Sacrament which is such a thing as by it we may be assured of Gods free grace and mercie in Iesus Christ Therefore you shall find that in all times the church so long as it was obedient and not idolatrous neuer aduentured to make a Sacrament as you may see in Abraham who had sacrifices and circumcision although we may be assured that by the spirit of prophesie he was instructed in these things yet shall