of these is like that of the false Apostles which came from Iudea vnto Antioch and taught the Brethren that vnlesse they were Circumcised after the manner of Moses they could not be saued Whome the Apostles Paul and Barnabas first and afterwards Peter Iames and the rest at Ierusalem both zealously did resist and in their first Synod or conuocation powerfully suppresse The latter as bad as that hath bin the mother of many hereticall assertions and horrible conclusions I haue read and many there be aliue which will iustifie it how it was preached in a Mercate towne in Oxfordshire that to doe any seruile worke or businesse on the Lords day is as great a sinne as to kill a man or to committe adultery It was preached in Sommersetshire that to throw a bowle on the Sabboth day is as great a sinne as to kill a man It was preached in Norfolke that to make a Feast or wedding dinner on the Lords day is as great a sinne as for a Father to take a knife and cutte his childes throate It was preached in Suffolke I can name the man and I was present when hee was conuented before his ordinary for preaching the same that to ring moe Bels then one vpon the Lords day to call the people vnto Church is as great a sinne as to commit murder When these things I read and heard mine heart was strucken with an horror and so is it still when I doe but thinke of them and calling into minde the Sabboth doctrine at London printed for I. Porter and T. Man an 95 which I had read afore wherein very many things are to this effect I presently smelt both whose disciples all those preachers are and that the said doctrine had taken deepe impression in mens hearts and was dispersed while our watchmen were otherwise busied if not asleepe ouer the whole kingdome 23. It is a comfort vnto my soule and will be till my dying houre that I haue beene the man and the meanes that these Sabbatarian errors and impieties are brought into light and knowledge of the State whereby whatsoeuer else sure I am this good hath ensued namely that the said bookes of the Sabbath comprehending the aboue mentioned and many moe such fearefull and haereticall assertions haue beene both called in and forbidden any more to be printed and made common Your Graces predecessor Archb. Whitegift by his letters and Officers at Synods and visitations an 99. did the one and Sir Iohn Popham L. chiefe Iustice of England at Burie S. Edmonds in Suff. an 1600. did the other And both these most reuerend sage and honorable Personages by their censures haue declared if men will take admonition that this Sabbath doctrine of the Brethren agreeth neither with the doctrine of our Church nor with the lawes and orders of this kingdome disturbeth the peace both of the Common-weale and Church and tendeth vnto Schisme in the one and Sedition in the other and therefore neither to be backt nor bolsterd by any good Subiect whether hee bee Church or Common-weale man 24. Thus haue errors and noisome doctrines like boiles and Botches euer and anone risen vp to the ouerthrowe of our Churches health and salfety if it might be but yet such hath beene the Phisicke of our discipline as what by launcing purging and other good meanes vsed the Bodie still hath beene vpholden and preserued from time to time And well may errors like grosse humors and tumors continue among vs as neuer Church was or will be quite without them while it is militant heere vpon earth yet are they not of the substance at all of our Religion or any part of our Churches doctrine no more then ill humors which bee in are of the Bodie or dregs in a Vessell of wine bee any part either of the Vessell or Wine which remaneth as at the first most sound and vncorrupted and so continued euen vntill the dying day of that most illustrious religious Princesse Queene Elizabeth The verie Brethren themselues doe write that In regard of the common grounds of Religion and of the Ministerie We are all one We are all of one Faith one Baptisme one Bodie one spirit haue all one Father one Lord and be all of one Heart against all wickednes superstition idolatrie haeresie and we seeke with one Christian desire the aduancement of the pure Religion worshippe and honor of God We are Ministers of the word by one order we administer prayers and Sacraments by one forme we preach one Faith and substance of doctrine And wee praise God heartily that the true Faith by which we may be saued and the true Doctrine of the Sacraments and the pure Worshipe of God is truly taught and that by publike authoritie and retained in the booke of Articles Hitherto the said Brethren And this was their verdict of our Churches doctrine in the last yeare saue one of Q. Elizabeths raigne then which nothing was euer more truely said or written And this Vnitie and puritie of doctrine shee left with vs when shee departed this world 25. Nowe After Elizabeth raigned Noble Iames. Who found this our Church as all the world knoweth in respect of the groundes of true Religion at Vnitie and that Vnitie in Veritie and that Veritie confirmed by publike and regall approbation These ecclesiasticall ministers therefore though a thousand for number who at his Maiesties first comming into this kingdome either cōplained vnto his Highnes of I know not what errors imperfections in our Church euē in points of doctrine as if shee erred in matters of Faith or desired that an Vniformity of doctrine might be prescribed as if the same had not alreadie bin done to his hands or as weary belike of the old by Queene Elizabeth countenaunced and continued desired his Maiestie to take them out a newe Lesson as did the the 71. Brethren of Suffolk are not to be liked Neither can we extoll the goodnes of our God sufficiently toward our King and vs all for inspiring his royall heart with holy wisedome to discerne these vnstaied and troublesome spirits and in abling his Highnes with power and graces from aboue to decree orders and directions for the generall benefit and peace of the whole Church neither suffered hee his eies to sleepe nor his eie-lids to slumber nor the temples of his head to take any rest till he had set them downe afore all other though neuer so important and waightie affaires of the Crowne and Kingdome 26. My selfe haue read and thousand thousands with an hundred thousand of his Subiects besides haue either read or heard of Proclamations after Proclamations to the number of sixe or seauen at the least of bookes and open speeches of his Maiestie vttered in the Parliament house and all of them made vulgar within a yeare and little more after his happie ingresse into this kingdome taking the administration of this most famous flourishing Empire vpon himself
Neuserus and Siluanus beleeued by Mahomet and therefore he reuolted from Christianitie vnto Turcisme Others confesse that wee are saued by the name of Christ but either not by the right and true Christ for they said themselues and euery of themselues were Christ as in old time did Saturninus Manes Desider Burdegal and Eudo de Stella and of late yeares at Basil Dauid George and in England first one Iohn Moore and afterward William Hacket the former was whipt for the same at Bethlehem in the second of Queene Elizabeth the other hanged and quartered in Cheapside An. 1591. Or by the true Christ but either distinguish betweene Iesus and Christ saying Iesus was one man and Christ another as did the Marcionites Or say there be two Christs one reuealed alreadie in the daies of Tiberius the Emperour who came for the saluation of the Gentiles another yet to come for the redemption of the Iewes so thought the same Marcionites Nestorius held also there were two Christs whereof one was very God the other very man borne of a woman Or publish how none were saued by the true Christ til the 15. yeare of the foresaid Tiberius an heresie of Manes and his companie Others besides as the Familie of Loue vnderstand all things written of Christ allegorically and not according to the letter of Gods word For they teach that whatsoeuer is written of Christ must in vs and with us be fulfilled Others haue thought yea haue spoken blasphemously of the constant and holy Martyrs who for the name of Christ gaue their liues in England in the raigne of Queene Mary some saying They were stark fooles as did Christophet Vitel a chiefe Elder in the Familie of Loue others as Westphalus and Marbachius that they were the Diuels martyrs 19. Article Of the Church 1 The visible Church of Christ 2 is a congregation 3 of faithfull men in the which 5 the pure word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duly ministred according to Christs ordinance in all those things that of necessitie are requisite to the same As 6 the Church of Ierusalem Alexandria and Antioch hath erred so also 7 the Church of Rome hath erred not onely in their liuing and manner of ceremonies but also in matters of Faith The Propositions 1. There is a Church of Christ not onely inuisible but also visible 2. There is but one Church 3. The visible Church is a Catholike church 4. The word of God was and for time is before the Church 5. The markes and tokens of the visible Church are the due and true administration of the word and Sacraments 6. The visible Church may and from time to time hath erred both in doctrine and conuersation 7. The Church of Rome most shamefully hath erred in life ceremonies and matters of faith 1. Proposition There is a Church of Christ both inuisible and visible The proofe from Gods word A true saying is it the Lord and he onely knoweth who are his For to man the Church of Christ is partly inuisible and visible partly The inuisible are all the Elect who be or shall be either in heauen triumphing or on earth fighting against the flesh the world and the Deuill These as members of the Church are said to be inuisible not because the men be not seene but for that their faith and conscience to Godward is not perfectly knowne vnto vs. The members of the visible Church are some of them for God and some against God all of them notwithstanding deemed parts of the Church and accōnted faithfull so long as they make no manifest and open rebellion against the Gospell of Christ. And all this wee gather from the holy Scripture where mention is made of the Church inuisible and triumphing Rev. 2.26.28 3.5.12 7 14.55 inuisible and militant in the epistles of S. Paul Peter and booke of S. Iohns reuelations also of the Church visible and mixed with good and bad by the parable of the sower of the Marriage and of the Virgins as also by the saying of our Sauiour Christ and of S. Paul The Churches beare witnes hereunto The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth This truth hath many adversaries whereof Some renounce our Christ the Sauiour of mankind and so thinke his people are not the Church as the Iewes Turkes and heretikes haue done Some acknowledge no triumphing state of the godly in heauen but dreame of an euer glorious condition in this world as the Familie of Loue Some thinke the church Catholike to be visible as the Papists Some imagine the Church militant is not visible at all as the Libertines Some giue out that the visible church is deuoid of sinne and sinners as did the Donatists and doe the Anabaptists Familie of Loue Brownists and Barroistes 2. Proposition There is but one Church The proofe from Gods word When wee doe say that the Church is visible inuisible and that there is a Westerne East Greeke Latine English Church wee meane not that there be diuers Churches of Christ but that one and the same Church is diuersly taken and vnderstood and also hath many particular Churches as the Sea many riuers and armes branching from it For the visible Church is not many congregations but one companie of the faithfull Wee being many are one Body in Christ and euery one one anothers members Wee that are many are one Bread and one Body For as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of the body which is one though they be many yet are but one body euen so is Christ. For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body c. Now ye are the body of Christ and members for your part For as wee haue many members in one body and all members haue not the same office so wee beeing many are one body in Christ and euery one one anothers members There is neither Iewe nor Grecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for yee are all one in Christ Iesus All Gods people agree with vs in this point The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth The adversaries vnto the 18. article be also for a great part adversaries vnto this truth Furthermore although it be acknowledged by many and they too baptized for Christians that there is but one Church yet the same persons doe erre which condemne so many as no members of Christs church which ioyne not with them in their singular and priuate opinions arrogating the stile and title vnto themselues onely and denying all other men to be either the Church or members of the body of Christ. Such are The Russeis who boast how themselues with the Grecians are the onely Church of God themselues onely are the men who shall be saued all Christians beside
the pure preaching of Gods word and the administration of the Sacraments among Protestants to be the markes of Christ his visible Church and affirme the tokens hereof to be antiquitie Vnitie Vniuersality Succession c. as doth Stapleton Bristow Bozius Hill and Alabaster 2. Of the Brownists who make discipline and that too of their owne deuising such an essentiall argument of the visible Church as they thinke where that is not the magistrates there be Tyrants the ministers false prophets No Church of God is Antichristianitie doth raigne 3. Of the same Brownists and Barrowists who neither allow frequenting of sermons and ministring of the Sacraments nor haue any Sacraments administred among themselus 4. Of the Familie of Loue which haue in vtter contempt and derision both the Preachers and the Sacraments scornefully tearming the Preachers Scripture learned men Ceremoniall and Letre Doctors and the water at Baptisme Elementish water Neither doe wee approoue them who for these visible and externall put downe inuisible and spirituall tokens of the visible Church as Faith in Christ Iesus and Loue towards the Saintes which thing I. K. doth 6. Proposition The visible Church may and from time to time hath erred both in doctrine and conuersation The proofe from Gods word Had not this bin most true it had neuer bin auouched both by our Sauiour Christ and S. Paul Our Sauiour saith vnto his disciples concerning doctrine Take heede c. Beleeue it not Beware of the leauen of the Pharisies and of the leauen of Herod euen of the doctrine of the Pharisies and Sadduces Many shall be deceiued yea the very elect if it were possible Shall he finde faith on earth And concerning conuersation and manners hee prophecied that iniquitie shall be encreased and the loue of many shall be cold S. Paul writeth touching doctrine that Wee knowe in part Antichrist sitteth in the temple of God c. whose comming is by the working of Satan with all power and signes lying wonders and in all deceiueablenes among them that perish beuause they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued and therefore God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeue lies Beware of dogs beware of euill workes beware of concision And touching conuersation Restore c. least thou also be tempted I doe not the good thing which I would but the euill which I would not that doe I If I doe that I would not it is no more I that doe it but the sinne that dwelleth in mee There is a fight euen in the best men and members of Besides that Churches visible and glorious haue erred it appeareth euidently by the superstitioÌ„ heresies yea and Atheisme nowe raigning at Hierusalem Alexandria and Antioch This with vs the Churches in their confessions do acknowledge Errors adversaries vnto this truth The premises will not be graunted for true neither by the Papists which maintaine that in faith doctrine the church meaning thereby the visible Church whose Rector is the Pope of Rome neuer erreth neuer hath erred and neuer can erre Nor yet by these which say the Church cannot erre for manners such were the Donatists and are the Anabaptists with the Familie of Loue 7. Proposition The church of Rome most shamefully hath erred in life ceremonies and matters of faith The proofe Iustly is the church of Rome condemned of vs and all churches reformed because shee hath erred and still very badly euery way doth offend 1. In life For. At Rome the harlot hath a better life Then shee that is a Romanes wife O Roma à Roma quantum mutata vetusta es Nunc caput es scelerum quae caput orbis eras If yee spell Roma backeward saith I. Bale yee shall finde it to be Amor Loue in this prodigious kind For it is a preposterous Amor Loue out of kinde Hence the Pasquil poets Roma quid est Quod te docuit praeposterus ordo Quid docuit Iungas versa elementa scies Roma Amor est Amor est qualis Praeposterus Vnde hoc Roma mares Noli dicere plura scio Againe Roma vale vidi satis est vidisse Reuertar Cùm Leno aut meretrix Scurra cynadus ero 2. In ceremonies which are for number infinite Gerson writeth how diuers men haue runne into desperation others haue killed themselues finding that they were not able to keepe and performe the ceremonies of the Romish church For vse a so they are vaine and impious as their leading vp and downe of an Asse on Palme Sunday their battering of hel ther buriall of the Crosse c. yea and damnable because Romish ceremonies are held both necessarily to be obserued as well as the lawes of God and also to merit heauen For sinnes veniall say the Rhemists be taken away by sacred ceremonies 3. In doctrine For proofe hereof see the popish errors in euery article almost if not proposition of this booke Againe looke wee vnto the heads of the Antichristian synagogue and wee shall finde that of them Some haue bin Coniurers Sorcerers and Inchanters as were Pope Martin 2. Siluester the 2. and third Benedict 8. Iohn 19.20.21 Sergius 4. Gregorie 6. and 7. and such were all the Popes euen 18. for number from Siluester the second vntill Gregorie the seuenth Some Heretikes For Siricius Calixtus Leo 9 and Paschalis condemned the marriage of Preists Liberius was an Arrian Marcellinus an Idolater Honorius a Monothelite Iohn the 22 held many errors whereof W. Occam wrote a booke one wherof was that the soules of the wicked should not be punished till the day of iudgement Pope Iohn the 23. denied the soules immortalitie And some worldly prophane and deuilish Atheists For Sixtus 4. builded a Male stewes Paul 3. receiued a monethly pension for 45000. whoores at Rome Leo the 10. made a Fable of the Gospell of Christ Hence it proceeded that Rome hath bin called Babylon both by S. Augustine and Hierome and by Pope Pius S. was said Magis gentilizare quam Christianizare rather to gentilize or to be a citie of Heathens rather then of Christians S. Bernard said how the Romanes in his time were hatefull vnto heauen and earth yea and hurtfull vnto both wicked against God rash against holy things and seditious among themselues Genebrard himselfe an Antichristian Romanist writeth that 50. Popes successiuely within the space of 150. yeares departed from the virtue of their Elders and shewed themselues Abâ—urers of Christianitie and Apostataes rather then catholike Bishops The Pope was proclaimed Antichrist at Rhemes by the Councell there vnder Hugh Capet Errors Adversaries to this truth What the Papists are then it appeareth whose doctrine as hath bin shewen is
wherby the doctrine in this land allowed publiquely graced imbraced of all sorts at his entrance into the Realme hath been not only acknowledged to bee agreeable to Gods word sincere and the very same which both his Highnes and the whole Church and kingdome of Scotland yea and the primitiue Church professed but also by his authoritie regall and paramont as one of the maine pillers supporting his Estate ratified to continue and all hope either of allowing or tolerating in this kingdome of any other doctrine religion or faction whatsoeuer opposite or any way thwarting the Faith and confession of the Church of England in most plaine pithy and peremptorie words and speeches cut off The yeare 62. was not more famous for the Vniformitie of doctrine in religion then concluded then the yeare 604. is memorable and will be for seconding the same neither gotte the Clergie in those daies more credit in composing the Articles of our Vnitie in Faith then did the last Conuocation whereat your Grace then Bishop of London was present and President in ratifying the Acts and Articles of their Antecessors neither was Q. Elizabeth more honoured in establishing them at the first then is our K. Iames renowned and more and more will be for approouing vnder the great Seale of England the late and last Constitutions and Canons ecclesiasticall 27. Whereby no person shall hereafter be receiued into the ministery nor neither by Institution or Collation admitted to any ecclesiasticall liuing nor suffered to preach to catechize or to be Lecturer or Reader of Diuinitie in either Vniuersitie or in any Cathedrall or Collegiat Church Cittie or Market towne Parish Church Chappell or in any other place in this realme except c. and except hee shall first Subscribe to these three Articles c. Whereof the third is that he alloweth the booke of Articles of Religion c. Nor any licensed to preach Read Lecture or Catechize comming to reside in any Diocesse shall be permitted there to preach read lecture catechize or minister the Sacraments or to execute any other ecclesiasticall function by what authoritie soeuer he be thereunto admitted vnlesse he first consent and Subscribe to the three Articles Neither shall any man teach either in publike schole or in priuate house except he shall first subscribe to the first and third Articles simply c. Neither shall any man be admitted a Chancellar Commissarie or officiall to exercise any ecclesiasticall iurisdiction except c. and shal Subscribe to the Articles of Religion agreed vpon in the Conuocation in the yeare 1562 c. And likewise all Chancellours Commissaries Registers and all other that doe nowe possesse or execute any places of ecclesiasticall iurisdiction or seruice shall before Christmas next in the presence of the Archbishop or Bishop or in open Court vnder whome or where they execute their offices take the same Oathes and Subscribe as before is said or vpon refusall so to doe shall be suspended from the execution of their Offices vntill they shall take the said Oathes and Subscribe as afore said 28. In which Constitutions the wisedome of his Highnesse sheweth it selfe to be excellent who indeede as exceeding necessary both for the retaine of peace in the Church and preuenting of newe doctrine curious speculations and offenses which otherwise daily would spring vp and intolerably encrease calleth for Subscription in testimonie of mens cordiall consent vnto the receiued doctrine of our Church but exacteth not their Oathes as some doe much lesse Oathes Vowes and Subscription too but onely in a particular respect and that of a very fewe in publike office as our neighbours haue done Againe hee requireth Subscription but not of ciuill magistrates not of the Commons as else-where some doe not of euery man yea of womē aswel as of men as did the persecuted Church at Frankeford in Q. Maries daies not of Noble Gentlemen and Courtiers as in Scotland was exacted in our Kings minoritie but onely of ecclesiasticall Ministers Teachers and spirituall Officers or of those which would be such and so doe the reformed Churches in France and Germanie at this very day Last of all his Maiestie calleth for Subscription vnto Articles of religion but they are not either Articles of his owne lately deuised or the old newely turkened but the verie Articles agreed vpon by the Archbishopes and Bishops of both Prouinces and the whole Clergie in the Conuocation holden at London and that in the yeare of our Lord God 1562 and vnto none other euen the same Articles for number thirtie nine no moe no fewer and for words sillables and letters the verie same vnaugmented vndiminished vnaltered 29. And beeing the same the whole world is to knowe that the Church of England is not in religion changed or variable like the Moone nor affecteth noueltie or newe lessons but holdeth stedfastly and conscionably that truth which by the Martyrs and other Ministers in this last age of the world hath bin restored vnto this kingdome and is grounded vpon Gods written word the onely foundation of our Faith And being the same all men againe may see that we are stil at Vnitie both among our selues at home and with the neighbour Churches abroad in all matters of cheifest importance fundamentall points of religion though our adversaries the Papists would faine beate the contrarie into the common peoples heads And being the same there is nowe as also from the first restauration of the Gospell among vs there hath beene an Vniformitie likewise of doctrine by authoritie established which at the King his first arriuall among vs was so much desired by the Brethren And finally being the same let vs not doubt but perswade our selues that we shall find the Antichristian Church of Rome too the same which for the same doctrine and for none other cause prosecuteth all Christian churches but ours of England especially with sworde fire and powder in most hostile yea and hellish manner the effect of whose hatred against vs as we haue often seene so especially had wee felt the same the next yeare after our Kings ratification of these Articles had not our euer mercifull God most miraculouslie detected both the Treason and Traitors For which his fauours his holy Name be glorified of vs and our posteritie throughout all generations 30. So our Church is the same But be the Brethren the faithfull and godly Brethren too the same nowe which they haue also beene If they bee then will they not denie which an 72. they writ that We hold the substance of religion with them nor which an 602. they published is afore remembred that the true Faith by which we may be saued and the true doctrine of the Sacraments the pure worship of God be truly taught and that by publike authoritie and retained in the booke of Articles And in this Confession I pray God they may constantly perseuere Howebeit euen these men which in a
generalitie doe allowe the doctrine of our Church being called by authoritie to acknowledge their assent vnto euerie Article thereof in particular they doe not a little debase the estimation of this doctrine of our◠and shewe themselues but too apparent and professed disseruors from the same And though all of them doe and will approoue some yet not one of them will subscribe vnto all and euery of the Articles For vnto the Articles of religion and the Kings Supremacie they are willing to subscribe And they may subscribe as afore hath beene noted vnto such of them as containe the summe of Christian Faith and the doctrine of the Sacraments But vnto the same Articles for number 39. agreed vppon in this Conuocation at London an 62. they neither will nor dare nor may subscribe For neither the rest of the Articles in that booke nor the Booke of common prayer may bee allowed no though a man should be depriued from his ministerie for it say the sayd Brethren in a certaine Classical decree of theirs The late Politician is not affraide to mooue the high and most honorable Court of Parliament that Impropriations may bee let to Ferme vnto Incumbent ministers viz. which faithfullie preach in the Churches the true doctrine of the Gospell according to the Articles of religion concerning Faith and Sacraments meaning that such Ministers as preach the same doctrine if they proceed to the rest of the Articles Concerning either Conformitie in externall and ceremoniall matters or Vniformitie in other points of doctrine contained in that booke should not be partakers of that benefit or of Benefices Impropriat 31. If it be demaunded what the causes may be why they will vnto some but will not vnto all or why they will vnto those Articles which concerne Faith and the Sacraments but will not vnto the rest subscribe The reasons hereof be two whereof The one is for that in their opinion there is no Law to compell them to subscribe vnto all For say the brethren resiant I know not where Wee haue alwaies beene readie to subscribe to the Articles of religion concerning the doctrine of Faith and of the Sacraments which is all that is required by Lawe Also the Brethren in Deuonshire and Cornewale Wee are readie say they to subscribe to the third which concerneth the booke of Articles of religion so farre as wee are bound by Statute concerning the same viz. as they concerne the doctrine of the Sacraments and the confession of the true faith And the 22 London Brethren tell K. Iames to his head how the Subscription which he calleth for is more then the Lawe requireth Their other reason is because as the Lincolnshire doe say sundry as the London Brethren affirme many things in that booke be not agreable but contrary to Gods word 32. If these things be true which they doe alleadge surely then are those men to be chronicled for the Faithfull the godly and innocent Brethren indeede whome neither present Benefices can allure nor the angry countenance and displeasure of a king euen of the puissant and powerfull king of great Brittaine can force to doe any thing at his beck and pleasure either against Lawe or for which there is no law and who had rather to forgoe all their earthly commodities liuings yea to goe from their charges and ministery and to expose themselues their wiues and children to the myseries of this world grieuous for flesh and blood to endure then to approoue any thing for true and sound by their hands which is opposite or not agreeable to the reuealed will and Scriptures of God But if these allegations of theirs be but weake and sinfull surmises or rather apparently most false scandalous and slaunderous imputations to their Prince their mother Church and this State then doubtlesse as they euen Christians now liuing cannot but take them so the ages to come will euerlastingly note and censure them both for disloyall Subiects that so traduce a truly and most christianly religious King il deseruing children that so abuse their honourable and reuerend Fathers and superiors of State and authority turbulent spirits not peaceable men which raise such broiles troubles and diuisions in the Church and kingdome the issues whereof no tongue can foretell and are fearefull being thought of without cause and finally neither faithfull nor godly Preachers but vngodly broachers of vntruthes and slaunders and the very authors and fautors of horrible cōfusion faction in Gods Church whose peace they shold seek promote euē with their deerest blood 33. Since the Statute for Vniformitie in rites and doctrine was first enacted moe then 35. yeeres haue passed in all which space neither the Brethren nowe being nor the Brethren afore them liuing haue hetherto shewen of the 39. Articles for names and titles Which for number Howe manie the Articles be which ecclesiastical Ministers necessarily must howe many which they may not or neede not vnlesse they list subscribe vnto which I am sure they or some of them at one time or other would haue expressed had the Lawe fauored their recusancie and they beene able to haue iustified their Maxime which is That they are not compellable by subscription to approoue them all Againe since the first establishment of that Statute Lawe the most reuerend Fathers and truely reformed Ministers of this Church sound for iudgement profound for learning zealous for affection sincere for religion faithfull in their Churches painefull in their charges more profitable many waies of as tender consciences euery way as any of these Brethren combined according both to their bounden duties and as they are perswaded to the very purport and true intent of the said Statute haue alwaies both with their mouthes acknowledged and with their pennes approoued the 39. Articles of our religion for truthes not to bee doubted of and godly Yea and the Brethren too themselues which nowe so scrupulouslie when they are orderly called thereunto doe holde backe their hands and will subscribe but choisely vnto some of them euen they with their mouthes which is equiualent and all one haue that according to the Statute or else their liuings be void vpon their first entrance into all and singular their ecclesiasticall benefices openly both read and testified their consent vnto the said Articles for number euen nine and thirty acknowledging them I say all of them to be agreeable to Gods word whereof the people in there seuerall charges be ready witnesses to testifie so much before God the world 34. Againe of these Brethren that will subscribe but vnto which they please of these Articles there be some who faine would beate into mens heads if they could tell howe to make it credible that the Doctrine of our Church is altered from that it was in the raigne of Queene Elizabeth But this assertion being too grosse egregiouslie vntrue and no way iustifiable they secondly giue out and report so industrious be they to inuent newe shifts to
inestimable benefits which wee haue and shall receiue from your selfe and your late Predecessors D. Whitgift Grindall Parker Cranmer of famous and honourable remeÌ„brance Bishops of our Church Archbishops of the See of Canterbury for this vniforme doctrine by some of your Lordships drawen and penned by all of you allowed defended as agreeable to the Faith of the very Apostles of Christ and of the auncient Fathers correspondent to the Confessions of all reformed Churches in Christendome and contrariant in no point vnto Gods holy and written word commended vnto vs both by your authoritie and Subscriptions Now the all mercifull God and heauenly Father which so inspired them and your Lordship with wisedome from aboue and inabled you all to discerne truth from falsehood sound religion from Atheisme idolatry and errors vouchsafe of his infinite goodnes to encrease his graces more and more vpon your Grace to his owne glorie the Churches benefit and your owne euerlasting comfort And the same God which both mercifully hath brought and miraculously against all hellish and diuelish practises of his and our enemies continued the light of his truth among vs giue vs all grace with one heart and consent not onely to embrace the same but also to walke and carrie our selues as it beseemeth the Children of light in all peaceablenesse and holinesse of life for his Sonne our Lord and Sauiour Christ his sake At Horninger neere S. Ed. Bury in Suff. the 11. of March â—n 1607. Your Graces poore Chaplaine alwaies at commaund Thomas Rogers Constitutions and Canons ecclesiasticall an 1604. WHosoeuer shall heereafter affirme that the Church of England by Lawe established vnder the Kings Maiestie is not a true and an Apostolicall Church teaching and maintaining the Doctrine of the Apostles let him bee excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but onely by the Archbishop after his repentance and publike reuocation of this his wicked error Can. 3. Whosoeuer shall heereafter affirme that any of the 39. Articles agreed vpon by the Archbishops and Bishops of both Prouinces and the whole Cleargie in the Conuocation holden at London in the yeare of our Lord God 1562. for the auoyding of diuersities of opinions and for the establishing of consent touching true Religion are in any part superstitious or erroneous or such as he may not with a good conscience subscribe vnto let him be excommunicated ipso facto not restored but only by the Archbishop after his repentance and publike reuocation of such his wicked errors Can. 5. Whosoeuer shall heereafter seperate themselues from the Communion of Saints as it is approoued by the Apostles rules in the Church of England and combine themselues in a newe Brotherhood accounting the Christians who are conformable to the Doctrine Gouernment Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England to be prophane and vnmeete for them to ioyne with in Christian profession let them be excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but by the Archbishop after their repentance publike reuocation of such their wicked errors Can. 9. The Titles of the 39. Articles with the Pages where to find euerie of them in this booke Art 1. OF faith in the holy Trinitie Page 1. Art 2. Of the Word of God which was made verie man Page 7. Art 3. Of the going downe of Christ into Hell Page 15. Art 4. Of the Resurrection of Christ. Page 17. Art 5. Of the holy Ghost Page 21. Art 6. Of the sufficiencie of the Scripture for saluation Page 26. Art 7. Of the old Testament Page 33. Art 8. Of the three Creedes Page 39. Art 9. Of Originall or birth sinne Page 41. Art 10. Of Free will Page 47. Art 11. Of the Iustification of man Page 50. Art 12. Of good workes Page 56. Art 13. Of workes before Iustification Page 56. Art 14. Of workes of Supererogation Page 59. Art 15. Of Christ alone without sinne Page 62. Art 16. Of sinne after Baptisme Page 65. Art 17. Of predestination and Election Page 69. Art 18. Of obtaining saluation onely by the Name of Christ. Page 82. Art 19. Of the Church Page 86. Art 20. Of the authoritie of the Church Page 98. Art 21. Of the authoritie of generall Councells Page 112. Art 22. Of Purgatorie Page 118. Art 23. Of Ministring in the Congregation Page 131. Art 24. Of speaking in the Congregation in such a tongue as the people vnderstand not Page 141. Art 25. Of the Sacraments Page 142. Art 26. Of the vnworthines of the Ministers which hinder not the effect of the Sacraments Page 160. Art 27. Of Baptisme Page 165. Art 28. Of the Lords Supper Page 170. Art 29. Of the wicked which doe not eate the body and blood of Christ in the vse of the Lords Supper Page 178. Art 30. Of both kindes Page 179. Art 31. Of the oblation of Christ finished vpon the Crosse. Page 181. Art 32. Of the marriage of Priests Page 185. Art 33. Of Excommunicate persons how they are to be auoided Page 189. Art 34. Of the Traditions of the Church Page 193. Art 35. Of Homilies Page 192. Art 36. Of Consecration of Bishops and Ministers Page 196. Art 37. Of the ciuill magistrate Page 201. Art 38. Of Christian mens goods which are not common Page 215 Art 39. Of a Christian mans Oath Page 217. FINIS ¶ THE CATHOLIKE Doctrine beleeued and professed in the Church of England 1. Article Of faith in the holy Trinitie There is but 1 one liuing and true God euerlasting without bodie parts or passions of infinite power wisdome and goodnes 2 the maker and preseruer of all things both visible and inuisible 3 And in vnitie of this Godhead there be three persons of one substance power and eternitie the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost The propositions 1. There is but one God who is liuing true euerlasting c. 2. God is the maker and preseruer of all things 3. In the vnitie of the Godhead there is a Trinitie of persons 1. Proposition There is but one God who is liuing true euerlasting without bodie parts or passions of infinite power wisedome and goodnes The proofe from the word of God THat there is but one God who is c. is a truth which may be gathered from the al-holy and sacred Scripture is agreeable to the doctrine of the reformed Churches For both Gods word giueth vs to knowe that God is one and no moe liuing and true God euerlasting without bodie parts or passions of infinite power wisedome and goodnes and Gods people in their publike confessions from Ausburgh Heâ—uetia Bohemia France Flanders and Wittemberge testifie the same Errors and adversaries vnto this truth Then impious execrable are the opinions of Dragoras Theodorus who fasly denied there was any God Of Protagoras and the Machiuilian Athiests which are doubtfull whether there be a God Of such as fained vnto themselues diuers and sundrie gods as did
Apostles and Euangelists but doe not appeare vnto vs in these daies It was also one of Matthew Hamants heresies that the Sacraments are not necessarie in the Church of God Which thinke the Sacraments are but onely ciuill and ceremoniall badges of an outward Church such generally be all Atheists and hypocrites particulary the Mesâ—alians and Familie of Loue who thinke that for obedience sake to magistrates the sacrameÌ„ts are to be receiued but are to none effect to the perfect ones in the Familie 2. Proposition The Sacraments be certaine sure wittnesses and effectuall signes of grace and God his Goodwill toward vs. The proofe from the word of God Infinitely doth God declare his vnspeakable and incomprehensible good will to man ward yet in these daies by none outward things more notably and effectually than by the Sacraments For. Of Baptisme saith Christ Hee that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued and Peter Amend your liues and be baptized euery one c. for the remission of sins and Paul Husbands loue your wiues euen as Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it that hee might sanctifie it and cleanse it by the washing of water through the word c And of the Lords supper saith our Sauiour Christ touching the Bread this is my body which is giuen and broken for you and of the Cup this is my blood of the new Testament that is shed for many for the remission of sinnes This truth doe the purer Churches of these daies euery where acknowledge The adversaries vnto this truth Contrary hereunto the Papists erroneously doe hold that The Sacraments of the newe Law doe conferre grace ex opere operato The Sacraments of the old and new Testament in this doe differ for that the Sacraments of the old Testament did onely shadow forth saluation but the Sacraments of the newe doe conferre and worke saluation and doe iustifie not onely signifie God his good will toward vs by reason of the worke done which is the outward Sacraments 3. Proposition By the Sacraments God doth quicken strengthen and confirme our faith in him The proofe from Gods word Be baptized euery one of you in the Name of Iesus Christ for the remission of your sinnes and ye shall receiue the gift of the holy Ghost saith S. Peter Christ he gaue himselfe for the Church that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it by the washing of water through the word The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ saith Saint Paul The same is affirmed by the reformed Churches Howbeit this Faith is not necessarily tied vnto the visible signes and Sacraments For Without the Sacraments many haue liued and died who pleased God and are no doubt saued either in respect of their owne faith as wee are to thinke of all the godly both men who were borne and died afore the institution of Circumcision in the wildernesse and in the time of grace yet by some extremity could not receiue the seale of the couenant and women who afore and vnder the lawe for many yeares were partakers of no Sacrament and neuer of one Sacrament or that they be heires of the promise Some haue faith afore they receiue any of the Sacraments So had Abraham the Iewes vnto whom Peter preached the Samaritanes the Eunuch Cornelius the Centurion haue the godly of discretion wheresouer not yet baptized Some neither afore nor at the instant nor yet afterward though daily they receiue the Sacraments will haue faith such are like vnto Iudas Ananias and Sapphira Simon Magus the old Israelites and the wicked Corinthians In some the Sacraments doe effectually worke in processe of time by the helpe of Gods word read or preached which engendreth faith such is the estate principally of Infants elected vnto life and saluation an encreasing in yeares The adversaries vnto this truth Therefore doe they erre which teach or hold that They neuer goe to heauen which die without the seales of the couenant so thinke the Papists of Infants which die vnbaptized They are damned though they receiue the Sacraments that will not receiue them after the receiued and approued manner of the Church of Rome There is no way of saluation but by faith herby excluding infinite soules from the kingdome of heaueÌ„ which depart from this world before they doe beleeue None beleeue but such as are baptized say the Papists as heare the word of God preached say the Puritanes The Sacraments giue grace ex opere operato and bring faith ex opere operato The Sacrament of Baptisme is cause of the saluation of Infants 4. Proposition Christ hath ordained but two Sacraments in his Gospell The proofe from Gods word A Sacrament according to the etymologie of the word as the Schoolemen doe write is a signe of an holy thing which beeing true then haue their bin and still are by so many aboue either two or seuen Sacraments as there be haue bin aboue two or seuen things which are signes of sacred and holy things But according to the nature thereof a Sacrament is a couenant of God his fauour to man-ward confirmed by some outward signe or seale instituted by himselfe which also hath bin sometimes speciall either to some men that extraordinarily by things naturall sometimes as the tree of life was to Adam and the Rainebowe to Noah and sometimes by things supernaturall as the smoaking furnace was to Abraham the Fleece of wooll to Gedeon and the Diall to Ezekiah or to some Nation as the Sacrifices Circumcision and the Paschall Lambe was to the Iewes And sometimes generall to the whole Church militant and ordinarie as in the time of the Gospell And then a Sacrament is defined to be a ceremonie ordained immediately by Christ himselfe who by some earthly and outward element doth promise euerlasting fauour and felicitie to such as with true faith and repentance doe receiue the same And such Sacraments in the newe Testament we finde only to be Baptisme and the Lords supper This is the iudgement also of the Churches Protestant The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth In a contrary opinion are diuers and namely The Iewes and Turkes for they denie all the Sacraments of the Church as wee doe hold them The Euchytes who say that prayer onely and not the Sacraments are to be vsed The Schwenkfeldians who contemne not only the word preached but the Sacraments also as superfluous depending wholly vpon reuelations The Bannisterians who thinke there will be a time and that in this world when wee shall neede no Saraments The Papists who publish That wee leaue out no lesse then sixe of
THE FAITH DOCTRINE and religion professed protected in the Realme of England and dominions of the same Expressed in 39 Articles concordablie agreed vpon by the reuerend Bishops and Clergie of this Kingdome at two seuerall meetings or Conuocations of theirs in the yeares of our Lord 1562 and 1604 THE SAID ARTICLES ANALISED INTO Propositions and the Propositions prooued to be agreeable both to the written word of God and to the extant Confessions of all the neighbour Churches Christianlie reformed THE ADVERSARIES ALSO OF NOTE AND name which from the Apostles daies and primitiue Church hetherto haue crossed or contradicted the said Articles in generall or any particle or proposition arising from anie of them in particular heereby are discouered laid open and so confuted Perused and by the lawfull authoritie of the Church of England allowed to be publique Rom. 16.17 I beseech you bretheren Marke them diligently which cause diuisions and offences contrarie to the doctrine which yee haue receaued and auoide them PRINTED BY IOHN LEGATT PRINTER to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1607. TO THE MOST REVErend Father in God his right honorable good Lord Richard by the diuine prouidence Archb. of Canterburie and Primate of England and Counselar to the most high mighty Prince Iames King of great Brittaine France Ireland MOst reuerend Father in God there is no one thing in this world that of men truly zealous Christian in these latter daies of the world with greater earnestnes hath bin desired then that by a ioynt common consent of all the Churches rightly according to the canons of the sacred Scriptures reformed there might be a draught made and diuulged containing and expressing the summe substance of that Religion which they doe all both concordablie teach vniformely maintaine That holy man of happie remembrance D. Cranmer who sometime enioyed that roome in our Church which your Grace nowe worthily possesseth in the daies of that most godly young Prince King Edward the sixt employed a great part of his time and studie for the effecting of that worke and imparted his thoughts with the most principall persons and of rarest note in those daies for their wisdome pietie and credit among the people of God throughout Christendome M. Caluin vnderstanding of his intent addressed his letters vnto the sayd Archbishop and offered his seruice saying that might his labours stand the Church in steede ne decem quidem maria it would not grieue him to saile ouer ten Seas to such a purpose 2. But this proouing a worke of much difficultie if not altogether vnpossible in mans eies especially in those daies to be brought about the next course and resolution was that euerie Kingdome and free state or principalitie which had abandoned the superstitious and Antichristian religion of the Church of Rome and embraced the Gospell of Christ should diuulge a Briefe of that religion which among themselues was taught and beleeued and whereby through the mercie of God in Christ they did hope to be saued Which to God his great glorie the singular benefit comfort of all Churches both present and to come as the extant Harmonie of all their confessions doth most sweetely record with no great labor was notablie performed This worke of theirs tolde the Churches in those daies and doth vs and will enforme our posteritie that not only in euery particular State Kingdome but also throughout Christendome where the Gospell was entertained the primitiue and Apostolicall daies of the Church were againe restored For the multitudes of them that did beleeue I speake both ioyntly of all and seuerally of each reformed people not of euery particular person fantastique False-apostles and peruerse teachers or professors in any Church who were not wanting euen in the Apostles daies touching the maine and fundamentall points of true religion were then of one hart and of one soule and did thinke and speake one thing and liue in peace 3. The said Archbishop for vnto whom better after God and the King can we ascribe the glorie of this worthy act hee wrought this Vnitie and Vniformitie of doctrine in this kingdome in the Halcyon daies of our English Iosias K. Edward the sixt of that name and the same doctrine so by his meanes established in the time of peace a notable worke of peace like a manly haeroicall and heauenly Capitane vnder our Generall Iesus Christ he resolutely euen with his heart blood in the fierie torments afterwards confirmed in the daies of persecution A certaine learned man speaking of the Religion heere then professed and wrighting vnto the Lords of our late Queenes Counsell doth say he meaning the Papist his aduersarie who charged our Church with discord and disagreements about matters of religion He ought saith he if hee had bin able to haue brought out the publike Confession and Articles of faith agreed in K. Edwards time and haue shewed any in England that professing the Gospell dissenteth from the same So esteemed hee and with him many thousands of learned and iudicous men of the doctrine then ratified by authoritie and professed in this kingdome But those daies of our Churches peace continued not long through our vnthankefulnesse and sinnes neither on the other side was our persecution permanent through the goodnes of god though for the time exceeding vehemt violent For nubecula fuit cito transiit it vanished away quickely as do many raging stormes euen vpon the suddaine yet not through the power of Gunpowder and treasons but through the force of ardent praiers vnto the Almightie For arma ecclesiae preces 4. Wee finde that M. Latimer that sacred and reuerend Father addicted himselfe very seriously in those daies vnto the exercise of prayer and his principall and most vsuall praiers were first for himselfe next for the afflicted church of England and lastly for Lady Elizabeth the deceassed K. Edwards and Q. Maries sister For himselfe hee praied that as God had made him a minister and Preacher of his truth so hee might constantly beare witnesse vnto the same haue the grace and power to maintain it in the face of the world euen till the hower of his death For the church of Enlād hee praied that God would be pleased once againe to restore the free Preaching of the Gospell to this realme and this withall possible feruencie of Spirit hee craued at the hands of God And for Lady Elizabeth that hee would preserue and make her a comfort to his then comfortlesse people in England And the almightie and our heauenly Father both heard and granted all and euery of his petitions M. Gualter that learned painfull excellent diuine at Tigure dedicating his holy and Christian comments vpon the lesser Prophets vnto D. Parkhurst Bishop of Norwich who in the daies of the forementioned Q. Mary voluntarily had exiled himselfe so farre as Switzerland for his preseruation if it might be vnto better times
see at all or Ouersee and what likewise the points of doctrine newly now reuealed their aeternum Euangelium which without great danger may not be preached in England no more then the doctrine and Articles of the Church of England may bee preached at Rome and for defence wherof they ought to afford euen their very liues weare they so many as the haires of euery of their heads is and bee they demonstrate themselues to be most childishly vaine and idle in their imaginations which they take yet to be illuminations of the spirit 13. For all their doings and discourses to say the best of them are but to erect a newe which they tearme a true ministerie and their Discipline among vs. Themselues doe say The controuersie betwixt them and vs is not as the Bishopes and their welwillers they would beare the world in hand for a Cap a Tippet or a Surplesse but for greater matters concerning a true ministerie and regiment of the Church according to the word the one whereof that is a true ministery they shall neuer haue till Archbishops and Bishops be put downe and all Ministers made equall the other also will neuer be brought to passe till Kings Queenes doe subiect themselues vnto the Church and submit their scepters and throwe downe their Crowes before the Church and lick vp the dust of the feete of the Church and willingly abide the censures of the Church that is of the Presbyterie For as the Church is subiect vnto the ciuill magistrate in respect of his ciuill authoritie so must the magistrate the King and Queene subiect themselues and bee obedient to the iust and lawfull authoritie of the Church The ciuill magistrate is none officer at all of the Church For Church officers bee non Magnates aut Tetrarchae not gracious or honorable Lords but Ministers of the Church The Presbyterie is the Church and euerie Congregation or Church should and must in it haue a Presbyterie This is the Light which indeede the Martyrs neuer sawe the Religion which our Brethren striue for the Truth which they may not preach not Childish doctrine like the Bishops Articles but the wise Gospell the maine and materiall points of religion nowe in these last daies last of all yea after the eight Thorowe breaking of H. N. his Euangelium regni reuealed and for furtherance whereof they are to lend and spend euen all their liues if occasion be ministred 14. Strange and strong delusions First to take these and other such assertions for Truths and heauenly mysteries which are but the fancies of troubled braines not grounded nor truly gathered from Gods word Next to teach one another and al their fauorers howe they should be as readie and prepared euen for these matters to giue ouer their liuings and to giue their liues were they as many as the haires of all their heades as Cranmer Ridley Latimer did and Parker Grindall and all other Preachess would and euery Christian man and woman should if they bee called thereunto for the Apostolicall and Catholique doctrine of our Church which all Gods people doe knowe and the Brethren themselues as afore hath bin noted doe confesse is originally from God and his written word These and many moe too many heere to be recapitulate such phantasies of theirs or phrenesies rather this first subscription brought first to light and yet happie had it bin for Gods Church and people they had neuer bin broached 15. Semblablie the next Subscription called for by the last Archb. your L. predecessor an 84. discouered euen the verie thoughts and desires of those Brethren before but nowe stiled faithfull Brethren which haue and doe seeke for the Discipline and reformation of the Church Many Treatises afore but nowe and diuers yeares ensuing they flewe about and abroad like Atomies and by them the same things which afore but in a differing sort and in other words they publish For touching Church officers they name who and howe many sorts they be of them viz. Doctors Pastors Gouernors Deacons and Widdowes no moe no fewer They say Euerie Church must be furnished with a Teacher and a Pastor as with two Eies with Elders as with Feete with Deacons as with Hands Euerie Congregation must haue Eies Hands and Feete and yet neither all nor at all any Congregation is to haue an Head answerable to those Feete Hands and Eies The doctor by their doctrine must be a distinct minister from the pastor and onely teach true doctrine and neither exhort nor apply his doctrine according to the times and his auditorie nor minister the Sacraments For these things the pastor is to performe Which pastor also whensoeuer he administreth the Sacraments must necessarily make a Sermon or els he cōmitteth Sacriledge And concerning discipline by their doctrine euery Congregation must haue absolute authoritie to admonish to censure to excommunicate and to anathematize all offending persons yea euen Kings and Princes if they be of the Congregation And no Prince but must be of some parish and vnder one Presbytery or other alwaies Where this power is not in their iudgements one of the tokens of a true Church is wanting For this Discipline with them is a Marke of the Church and numbred among the Articles of their Faith 16. This say they is the great cause the holy cause which they will neuer leaue suing for though they should be a thousand Parliaments in their daies vntill either ther obtaine it or bring the Lord in vengeance and blood against the Stare and the whole land for repelling the same The Discipline is Gods holy yoke Gods sceptre the kingdome and throne of Christ. Our controuersie say they is whether Iesus Christ shall be King or no. Againe the end of all our trauaile is to build vp the walles of Ierusalem in to set vp the Throne of Iesus Christ our heauenly King the middes thereof the aduauncing whereof is a testimonie vnto vs that wee shall haue part in that glorie which shall be reuealed heereafter So learne we nowe from their said bookes learned and demonstratiue discourses which the Fathers and our fore fathers neuer sawe nor had learned both that their Discipline established and exercised is a visible marke of a true Church and to desire the aduauncement of the same an inuisible token of an elect childe of God so as neither is that a Church at least no true Church where their Discipline is not neither they but titular christians no true christians indeede which either sigh or seeke not to haue it established and Presbyteries in euerie parish to be aduaunced 17. The Articles of our religion concluded vpon by the reuerend Clergie of our Church with these learned and all seeing Brethren are but the Bishops decrees the Articles of the Conuocation house and reueale some little truth but these wise Brethren so faithfull haue they bin betweene God and his Church they haue not failed to shewe vs the whole counsaile of God And
haue a Quaternitie of persons not a Trinitie to be worshipped so did Anastasius the Emperour command the Apollinarians did hold Some doe graunt and acknowledge the names of three in the God-head but denie their persons such were the Noëtians Praxeneans and Hermogenians This did say how the same God was called by diuers names in the holy Scripture and therefore that the Father became flesh and suffered because one and the same God is called the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost For which cause they were tearmed Patripassians In this number was Sernetus Againe some doe grant the names and persons of three and yet depriue not onely the Sonne and holy Ghost of their diuinitie but the whole Trinitie also of their properties For they say there be three in heauen viz. the Father the Word and holy Ghost howbeit say they the Father onely is very God the word is the breath of the Father and the holy Ghost is the spirit created by God of nothing through the word spoiling so both the Sonne and holy Ghost of their deitie and the whole Trinitie of their properties Such were the Arrian and Macedonian heretikes hence by-named Pneumatomachons because they waged battel with the holy Ghost And some doe bring in other names of deitie besides of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost as did the Priscilianists 2. Article Of the word of God which was made very man The Sonne which is 1 the word of the Father begotten from euer-lasting of the Father the verie and eternall God of one substance with the Father 2 tooke mans nature in the wombe of the blessed virgine of her substance so that 3 two whole and perfect natures that is to say the God-head and man-hood were ioyned in one person neuer to be diuided where-of is one Christ very God and verie man ◠who suffered was crucified dead and buried to reconcile his Father to vs and to be a Sacrifice not onely for originall guilt but also for all actuall sinnes of men The propositions 1. Christ is very God 2. Christ is very man 3. Christ is God and man and that in one person 4. Christ is the Sauiour of mankinde 1. Proposition Christ is very God The proofe from Gods word IN the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and that Word was God This is written of Christ. Therefore Christ is God Christ was begotten of the Father from euerlasting Therefore verie God This is life eternall that they knowe thee to be verie God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ They shal call his name Emanuel which is by interpretation God with vs Christ he is the brightnes of the glorie and the engraued image of the Father his person and beareth vp all things by his mightie hand Therefore verie God And this both hath bin of the auncient Christians and is the Faith of the reformed Churches The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth Miserably therefore doe they erre which either denie or impugne the deitie of our Sauiour as did certaine old heretikes viz. The Arrians whereof some were called the Douleians because in scorne they tearmed the onely begotten of God the Fathers seruant The Cerinthians The Ebionites among whome some said that Christ Iesus was a meere man others acknowledged him to be God but not from euerlasting The Eunomians The Samosatenians who thought that Christ was not the Sonne of God before his incarnation The Nestorians whose opinion was that Christ became God by merit but was not God by nature The Macedonians which vtterly denied the Sonne to be of one substance with the Father The Agnoites who held that the diuine nature of Christ was ignorant of some things Againe some late heretikes euen to the death neuer would acknowledge Christ Iesus to be the true and verie God as namely Certaine Catabaptists Blandrat Matthew Hamant burnt at Norwitch an 1579. one of whose heresies was that Christ was a meere and sinnefull man Francis Ket burnt also at Norwitch an 1588. who most obstinatelie maintained that Christ was not God til after his resurrection Dauid George sometime of Basil who affirmed himselfe to be greater for power then euer Christ was In oppugning the deitie of our Sauiour with these heretikes ioyne the Iewes and Turkes which say that Christ was a good man such as Moses and Mahomet were but not God Hence Amurath the great Turke in his letters vnto the Emp. Rodolph the second an 1593. tearmed our Sauiour in derision The crucified God vnto whome may be added the Familie of Loue 2. Proposition Christ is very man The proofe from Gods word HOlding the humanitie of Christ wee ioyne with the blessed Prophets and Euangelists who either prophecied of his future incarnation and conception in the wombe of a virgine or plainely auouched and writ both that the virgine Marie was his mother and that as verie man he grewe and increased in strength endured hunger and thirst wept and slept and suffered death Hence the auncient Fathers and Christians I beleeue in God the Father almightie c. and in Iesus Christ c. which was conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgine Mary suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried The right faith is that we beleeue and confesse that our Lord Iesus Christ the Sonne of God is God and man God of the substance of the Father begotten before the world and man of the substance of his mother borne in the world Perfect God and perfect man of a reasonable soule and humane flesh subsisting Equal to the Father as touching his Godhead and inferiour to the Father touching his manhood I beleeue in one God the Father almightie c. and in one Lord Iesus Christ c. who for vs men and for our saluation came downe from heauen and was incarnate by the holy Ghost of the virgine Marie and was made man c The verie same testifie Gods people in Heluetia Basil Bohemia the Lowe countries France Ausburgh Wittemberg Suevia with many moe besides The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth Therefore most wicked were the opinions of those men which held viz. that 1. Christ really and indeed had neither bodie nor soule but was man in appearance onely as the Manichies the Eutychians the Marcionites and the Saturnians 2. Christ had a bodie without a soule as thought the Eunomians the Arrians the Apollinarians with the Theopaschites 3. Christ tooke not flesh of the virgine Marie so did the Valentinians thinke and so thinke the Anabaptists and the Familie of Loue who make an allegorie of the Incarnation of Christ 4. Christ tooke flesh onely of the virgine but no soule as the Arrians 5. Christ tooke flesh not
same doe all reformed Churches beleeue and confesse The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth The premises doe make Against the Tretheites which affirme the holy Ghost to be inferior vnto the Father Against the Arrians who said the holy Ghost was inferior to the Sonne Against the Macedonian heretikes who held the holy Ghost to be but a minister and seruant of the Father and the Sonne yet of more excellent maiestie and dignitie then the Angels Against many erroneous spirits which deliuer the holy Ghost to be nothing els but The motion of God in his creatures as did the Samosatenians A bare power and efficacie of God working by a secret inspiration as the Turkes and certaine English Sadduces doe imagine The Inheritance allotted to the faithfull and the beeing or vertuous estate of Christ as dreameth H.N. The affection of charitie or Loue within vs an error of Petrus Lombardus Gods loue fauour and vertue whereby he worketh in his children so thought Ochinus and Seruetus 3. Proposition The holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne The proofe from Gods word The proceeding of the holy Ghost from the Father and the Sonne we gather from the holy scripture which teacheth how The Father sendeth the comforter which is the holy Ghost in the name of the Sonne and the sonne sendeth the comforter the spirit of truth from the Father he proceedeth of the Father and is sent of the Sonne So with vs say the auncient Fathers and Christians He proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne The holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Sonne neither made nor created but proceeding So there is one Father not three Fathers one sonne not three sonnes one holy Ghost not three holy Ghostes which is the faith of the moderne christians Errors and aduersaries vnto this truth This discouereth all them to be impious and to erre from the way of truth which hold and affirme That the holy Ghost proceedeth neither from the Father nor the Sonne but is one and the same person that Christ is as the Arrians doe That the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father but not from the sonne as at this day the Graecians the Russians the Moscouites maintaine That there is a double proceeding of the holy Ghost one temporall the other eternall an error of Peter Lombard vncontrolled hitherto and therefore well liked of the Papists 6. Article Of the sufficiencie of the holy Scripture for saluation Holy Scripture 1 containeth all things necessarie for saluation so that whatsoeuer is not read therein nor may be prooued thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be beleeued as an article of the Faith or be thought requisite necessary to saluation 2 In the name of the holy Scripture we doe vnderstand those Canonicall bookes of the old and newe testament of whose authoritie was neuer any doubt in the Church Of the names and number of the Canonicall bookes Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomium Iosue Iudges Ruth The 1. Booke of Samuel The 2. Booke of Samuel The 1. Booke of Kings The 2. Booke of Kings The 1. Booke of Chronicles The 2. Booke of Chronicles The 1. Booke of Esdras The 2. Booke of Esdras The Booke of Esther The Booke of Iob. The Psalmes The Proverbs Eccles. or the Preacher Canticles or song of Salomon 4. Prophets the greater 12Prophets the lesse 3 And the other bookes as Hierome saith the Church doth read for example of life and instruction of manners but yet doth it not applie them to stablish any doctrine Such are these following The 3. Booke of Esdras The 4. Booke of Esdras The Booke of Tobias The Booke of Iudith The rest of the Booke of Hester The Booke of wisedome Iesus the sonne of Sirach Baruch the Prophet Song of the 3. children The story of Susanna Of Bel and the Dragon The praier of Manasses The 1. Booke of Macchabes The 2. Booke of Macchabes 4 All the bookes of the newe Testament as they are commonly receiued we doe receiue and accompt them for Canonicall The propositions 1. The sacred Scripture conteineth all things necessarie to be knowen and beleeued for the saluation of man 2. All the bookes in the volume of the Bible are not Canonicall but some and namely those here specified are 3. The 3. 4. bookes of Esdras the booke of Tobias c. are apocryphal 4. Of the newe Testament all the bookes are Canonicall 1. Proposition The sacred Scripture containeth all things necessary to be knowne and beleeued for the saluation of man The proofe from Gods word THe holy Scriptures to be sufficient to instruct vs in all things necessary to be knowen and beleeued for mans saluation the word of God teacheth Ye shall put nothing vnto the word which I command you saith the Lord neither shall yee take ought therefrom Whatsoeuer I command you take heed you doe it thou shalt put nothing thereto nor take ought therfrom Thou shalt not turne away from it to the right hand nor to the left that thou maist prosper whither soeuer thou goest Euery word of God is pure c. Put nothing vnto his words least he reprooue thee and thou be found a liar These things are written that ye might beleeue c. and that in beleeuing yee might haue life through his Name The whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute beeing made perfect vnto all good workes If any man shall adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke and if any man shall diminish of the wordes of this booke God shall take away his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy cittie and from those things which are written in this booke Hereunto Gods people both alwaies haue and at this present doe subscribe The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth Therefore adversaries be wee to all adversaries to this truth especially To such as scorne and contemptuously reiect the booke of God as both did the Circumcellians which defaced and burnt the holy Scriptures and Pope Leo the tenth who tearmed the holy Gospel A fable of Christ and doe the prophane Atheists Also to such as debase the credite and estimation of the holy Scriptures as Dauid George did and both doe the papists who haue an opinion that the scriptures of God are not sufficient to instruct mankinde vnto saluation and the Anabaptists which deeme not the holy Bible to be the word of God with the Familie of Loue in whose bookes nothing is more frequent then the tearming of Gods reverend ministers and preachers Scripture learned Also to them which with Gods word doe equall their owne doctrines
veniall sinnes 10. Article Of Freewill 1 The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such that he cannot turne and prepare hâ—mselfe by his owne naturall strength and good workes 2 to faith and calling vpon God wherefore we haue no power to doe good workes pleasant and acceptable to God 3 without the grace of God preuenting vs that we may haue a good will and working with vs when we haue that good will The Propositions 1. Man of his owne strength many doe outward and euil workes before he is regenerate 2. Man cannot doe any worke that good is and godly being not yet regenerate 3. Man may performe and doe good workes when he is preuented by the grace of Christ and renued by the holy Ghost 1. Proposition Man of his owne strength may doe outward and euill workes before he is regenerate The proofe from Gods word WEe denie not that man not yet regenerate hath free will to doe the workes of nature for the preseruation of the body and bodily estate which thing had and haue the bruite beastes and prophane Gentiles as it is also well observed in our neighbour churches Besides man hath free will to performe the workes of Satan both in thinking willing and doing that which euill is For the imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart are onely euill continually euill euen from his youth A truth confessed by our brethren d. Errors adversaries vnto this truth A false perswasion is it therefore that man hath no power to moue either his body so much as vnto outward things as Laur. Valla dreamed or his minde vnto sinne as the Manichies maintained affirming how man is not voluntarily brought but necessarily driuen vnto sinne 2. Proposition Man cannot doe any worke that good is and godly beeing not as yet regenerate The profe from Gods word The wisedome of the flesh is enimitie against God for it is not subiect to the Law of God neither indeede can be They that are in the flesh cannot please God The naturnll man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned No man can saie that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost Wee are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiencie is from God Without mee ye can doe nothing saith our Sauiour Christ Which is the confession of the godly reformed The adversaries vnto this truth Adversaries vnto this truth are all such as hold that naturally there is Free will in vs and that vnto the best things So thought the Pharisies the Sadduceis the Pelagians and the Donatists and the same affirme the Anabaptists and Papists For say the Papists Man by the force power of nature may loue God aboue all things Man hath free will to performe euen spirituall and heauenly things Men beleeue not but of their owne free will It is in a mans free will to beleeue or not to beleeue to obey or disobey the Gospell of truth preached The Catholike popish religion teacheth freewill 3. Proposition Man may performe and doe good workes when hee is preuented by the grace of Christ and renued by the holy Ghost The proofe from Gods word In a man preuented by the grace of Christ and regenerate by the holy Spirit both the vnderstanding is enlightened so that he knoweth the secrets and will of God and the minde and the minde is altogether changed and bodie enabled to doe good workes To this purpose the Sriptures are plentifull I will put my lawe in their inward parts and write it in their hearts No man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whome the Sonne will reuiele him Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas for flesh and blood hath not revelled it vnto thee but my Father which is in heauen No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost To one is giuen by the spirit the word of wisedome and to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit and to another faith by the same spirit and to another the gifts of healing by the same spirit and to another the operations of great workes and to another prophecie and to another the discerning of spirits and to another diuersities of tongues and to an other the interpretation of tongues c. God he purifieth mans hearts worketh in vs both the will and the deed the spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray as wee ought c Such were some of you but yee are washed but yee are sanctified but ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of our God Vnto you it is giuen for Christ that not onely yee should beleeue in him but also suffer for his sake And this doe the Churches of God beleeue and confesse 11. Article Of the iustification of man VVe are accounted righteous before God only for 1 the merit of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ 2 by faith and 3 not for our owne workes or deseruings VVherefore that we are iustified by Faith onely is a most wholesome doctrine and very full of comfort c. The propositions 1. Onely for the merit our Lord and Sauiour Christ are we accounted righteous before God 2. Onely by Faith are we accounted righteous before God 3. Not for our owne workes or deseruings are we accounted righteous before God 1. Proposition Onely for the merit of our Lord and Sauiour Christ we are accounted righteous before God The proofe from the word of God BY Christ his blood onely wee are cleansed Hee is the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinne of the world Wee are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus Wee are bought with a price euen with the pretious blood of Christ the lambe vndefiled and without spot which cleanseth vs from all sinne By his onely righteousnes wee are iustified By the obedience of one many be made righteous Christ is the ende of the Lawe for righteousnesse vnto euery one that beleeueth He of God is made vnto vs wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption and wee are made the righteousnes of God in him And therefore from heauen we looke for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ And this is the faith and Confession of all Churches reformed Errors Adversaries to this truth This truth is neither beleeued nor acknowledged Of the Atheists who are neither perswaded of the life to come nor vnderstand the mysteries of mans saluation through the merits of Christ. Nor of the Pharise is and their followers who thinke that by ciuill and externall righteousnes we are iustified before God Nor of Matthewe Hamant
false Apostles in Asia and at Ierusalem The Pharisaicall Papists who against the iustification by faith alone doe hould a iustification by merits and that of Congtuitie dignitie condignitie The said Papists teach besides that life eternall is due vnto vs of debt because wee deserue it by our good workes They teach finally that by good workes our sinnes are purged 12. Article Of good workes Albeit that good workes which are the fruits of faith and follow after iustification cannot put away our sinnes endure the seueritie of Gods iudgement 1 yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ 2 and doe spring out necessarily of a true liuely Faith insomuch that by them a liuely Faith 3 may be as euidently knowne as a tree discerned by the fruite The propositions 1. Good workes doe please God 2. No worke is good except it spring from Faith 3. Good workes are the outward signes of the inward Beleefe 1. Proposition Good workes doe please God The proofe from Gods word THough God accepteth not man for his workes but for his deere sonnes sake yet that good workes after man his iustification doe please God it is a cleere truth euery where to be read in the holy Scripture For God hath commanded them to be done and requireth righteousnesse not onely outward of the body but also inward of the mind and hath appointed for the vertuous and godly rewardes both in this life and in the world to come and to the wicked punishments spirituall corporall and of bodie and soule eternall in the pit of hell And this is beleeued and acknowledged by the Churches The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth This truth is oppugned by adversaries of diuers kindes For Some hold that seeing man is iustified by Faith he may liue as he listeth as the Libertines Some thinke that to attend vpon vertue and to practise good workes is a yoake too heavie and intollerable as the Simonians Some vtterly cast of all grace vertue and godlines as did the Basilidians the Aetians the Circumcellians and doe the Macchiuilians and Atheists Some permit though not all manner yet some sinnes so allowed was both whordome and vncleane pollutions by the Carpocratians and Valentinians and is of the Iesuits and Papists and periurie in the time of persecution by the Basilidians Helchesaites Priscillianists Henricians and Familie of Loue and violaters of promise yea and oaths made vnto heretikes as they call them Some as the Turkish preists called Seiti and Chagi take it to be no sinne but a worke meritorious by lies swearing yea forswearing to damnifie Christians what they can Much like vnto these are the aequiâ—ocating Iesuits in deluding and deceiuing Protestant Princes their officers by their doubtfull speeches euen when they are sworne to answer plainely and truly by their lawfull magistrates Some suppose that God is pleased with lip seruice onely outward righteousnesse as the hypocriticall Pharisies or Pharifaicall hypocrites 2. Proposition No worke is good excepâ— it spring from faith The proofe from Gods word All which man doth is not pleasing vnto God but that onely which proceedeth from a true faith in Iesus Christ so saith God in his word They that are in the flesh cannot please God In Iesus Christ neither Circumcision auaileth any thing neither vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue Vnto the pure are all things pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure Without faith it iâ— vnpossible to please God And although the workes of the Beleeuing doe please God yet are they not so perfect that they can satisfie the lawe of God Therefore eueÌ„ of the regenerate iustified saith our Sauiour Christ pray forgiue vs our debts say wee are vnprofitable seruants and S. Paul Wee know that the lawe is spirituall but I am carnall c Wee which haue the first fruits of the spirit euen wee doe sigh in our selues c. and haue infirmities Ye cannot doe the same thing that ye would Which is the faith and confession of the Churches Errors adversaries vnto this truth Therefore wee mislike and condemne the opinions of the Valentinians and Papists The Valentinians say that please God doe Spirituall men which are themselues onely not by Faith but onely by their knowledge of diuine mysteries and Naturall men do please him by their bodily labour and vpright dealing The said Valentinians fained three sorts or degrees of men the first spirituall who through bare knowledge the next Natural who by labour and true dealing shall be saued the third they call Materiall meÌ„ vtterly vncapable of diuine knowledge and religious speculations who must perish both in soule and body The Papists teach that They onely are not good workes which God commandeth but they also which be either voluntarily done of our selues or enioyned vs by preists They are good workes and acceptable before God which are done without faith Workes of themselues without respect vnto Christ please God Men perfectly may keepe the Lawes of God in which error also be the Anabaptists and Familie of Loue 3. Proposition Good workes are the outward signes of the inward Beleefe The proofe from Gods word Many are the reasons why good workes are to be done in part cited afore pag. 49. yet not the least cause is that men may be knowne what they are For the Scripture saith and sheweth that thereby are knowne the good trees from the bad the wheate from the chaffe the tâ—ue disciples from the false the sonnes of God from the children of Satan the regenerate from the vnbeleeuers Hereunto the Saints and Churches doe subscribe Errors adversaries vnto this truth The faithfull shewe their workes yet neither to haue them seene of men as did the hypocriticall Pharisies nor therby to merit heauen as doe the Pharisaicall Papists whose doctrine is that Good workes are meritorious Good workes as Contrition Confession and satisfaction done in penance not onely do merit but are besides a Sacrament for to attaine reconciliation with God and forgiuenes of sinnes Life eternall is due vnto good workes by the iustice of God 13. Article Of workes before Iustification VVorkes done before the grace of Christ and the inspiration of his Spirit 1 are not pleasant to God forasmuch as they spring not of Faith in Iesus Christ 2 neither doe they make men meete to receiue grace or as the schoole authors say deserue grace of congruitie yea rather 3 for that they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done we doubt not but they haue the nature of sinne The Propositions 1. Workes done before iustification please not God 2. Workes done before iustification deserue not grace of
congruitie 3. Workes done before iustification haue the nature of sinne 1. Proposition Workes done before Iustification please not God The profe from Gods word BEfore men doe please God nothing that they doe can please him But men please not God being not renued and iustified by the Spirit For before men be regenerate they are not grapes but thornes nor figs but thistles not good but euill trees not liuely but dead bowes not engraffed but wild oliues not friends but enemies not the sonnes of God but the children of wrath which bring forth no good fruit As the Churches also acknowledge Errors Aduersaries vnto this truth Hereby the vanitie of them is perceiued which thinke before mans iustification his deedes doe please God such are the Papists and were the Basilideans The Papists teach that Workes done without faith doe please God Good works not in respect of Christ onely but in theÌ„selues considered please God The Basilidians placed the doers of ciuill and philosophical righteousnes performed without faith in Christ in the very heauens 2. Proposition Workes done before Iustification deserue not grace of congruitie The vnregenerate not yet iustified haue nothing in them to moue God to be gratious vnto them and being as they are old not newe creatures enemies not fauourers of Godlines The children of wrath not of God sinners not vertuously bent Infidels and not beleeuers of congruitie deserue no grace at Gods hands which is the faith too and confession of other Churches Errors and Adversaries vnto this truth This ouerthroweth the Popish assertions concerning merits of congruitie and that by good workes man is iustified before God and made heire of eternall life As euill workes deserue hell fire so eternall happines is deserued by good workes 3. Proposition Workes done before iustification haue the nature of sinne The proofe from the word of God Whatsoeuer men doe not yet iustified before God it is sinne For of such persons the best workes which they euen their Fasting praying almes-deedes sacrificing vnto God prophecying and working of miracles euen in the name of Christ yea all their actions whatsoeuer are abhominable before God And this is agreable to the Confessions of our brethren The adversaries vnto this truth Erred therefore hath the Councell of Trent in pronouncing them accursed which hold that all workes of men whatsoeuer done before his iustification are sinne 14. Article Of workes of Supererogation Voluntary workes 1 besides ouer and aboue Gods commandements which they call workes of Supererogation cannot be taught without arrogancie and impietie 2 For by them men doe declare that they doe not only render vnto God asmuch as they are bound to doe but that they doe more for his sake then of bounden dutie is required whereas Christ saith plainely when yee haue done all that are commanded to you say wee be vnprofitable seruants The propositions 1. Workes of Supererogation cannot be taught without arrogancie and impietie 2. Workes of Supererogation are that subâ—ersion of godlines and true religion 1. Proposition 〈…〉 arrogancie and impietie The proofe from Gods word WOrkes of Supererogation which are voluntary workes besides ouer and aboue the commandements of God are often condemned in the holy Scripture where wee are commanded to walke not after the lawes of men but according to the Statutes of God and to heare not what man speaketh but what Christ doth say he teaching the dutie of christians setteth before them as their rule and direction the lawe and word of God and more then that hee doth neither vrge nor require And against mans Iniunctions They worship mee in vaine saith hee who for doctrine teach the commandements of men Teach them to obserue all things whatsoeuer I haue commanded you My sheepe here my voice and know not the voice of strangers Which doctrine ordinances workes whatsoeuer besides ouer and aboue that which God hath reuealed and imposed is called of the Apostle somtimes ordinances of the world voluntarie religion sometime the doctrine of Deuills and cursed And the same is condemned in all Churches reformed after the word of God The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth Therefore both arrogant and vngodly be the Papists which teach and speak in the commendation of such workes and namely Petrus a Soto the Rhemistes yea and the CouÌ„cell of Trent 2. Proposition Workes of supererogation are the subversion of godlinesse and true religion The proofe from Gods word Where the workes of Supererogation are taught and in regard the Law of God there is broken against the will of Christ that mens traditions may be obserued The holy Scripture must be contemned not as sufficient enough to bring men vnto the knowledge of saluation which S. Paul saith is able to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes God who is onely wise is made vnwise in not prescribing so necessarie workes Faith and other spirituall most special virtues are brought into oblivion Perfection is imputed not vnto Faith in Iesus Christ but vnto workes and which is most detestable vnto the workes too not commanded but forbidden of God ordained by men The Lawe of God is thought to be throughly satisfied and moe duties performed then man needed to haue done The same thinke our brethren of these workes The adversaries vnto this truth Contrariwise the Papists of supererogatorie workes they doe merit say they remission of sinnes and that not for the doers of them onely but for others besides They are tokens of the forgiuenes of sinnes so well as Baptisme yea deliuer fom the wrath of God so well as Christ Are greater and more holy then are the workes commanded in the Decalogue or Law morall And so preferring their owne works and inuentions before God his Law Sacraments and the blood of Christ both ought this doctrine of workes supererogatorie to be counted the doctrine of Deuills and the maintainers thereof taken for the subuerters of godlines and true religion 15. Article Of Christ alone without sinne Christ in the truth of our nature was made like vnto vs in all things sinne onely except 1 from which he was clearely voide both in his life and spirit He came to be the Lambe without spot who by sacrifice of himselfe once made should take away the sinnes of the world and sinne as S. Iohn saith was not in him But 2 all wee the rest although baptized and borne againe in Christ yet offend in many things and if wee say we haue noe sinne wee deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. The propositions 1. Christ is truly and perfectly righteous 2. All men besides Christ though regenerate be sinners 1. Proposition Christ is truly and perfectly righteous The proofe
themselues are no better then Turkes The Papists also which say that The present Church of Rome is Gods Church Gods catholike church the mysticall body of Christ Papists Catholikes and true christians are all one Muncer and the Anabaptists tearmed themselues cleane opposite to the church of Christ the elect of God and said that all other men were wicked and worthie to be slaine The Familie of Loue who publish how themselues onely are the Church and all other men are Heathen and Beastes themselues onely are the Catholike Church of God the Saints of God and his acceptable people and that such as are no Familists they haue no liuing God and shall perish The Puritanes finally they say If God haue any Church or people in the land no doubt the title Puritane is giuen them Notable wordes either God hath no Church in England or Puritanes are the Church The Marprelate is not afraide to vtter this speech They against whome I deale namely the ecclesiasticall officers as Bishops and their fauourers and partakers haue so prouoked the anger of the Lord and praiers of his Church as stand long they cannot others of the said Bishops and the like write thus they bidde battell to Christ and his Church and it must bid defiance to them till they yeeld 3. Proposition The visible Church is a Catholike Church The proofe from Gods word The visible Church properly vnderstood is but a part of the Catholike yet forasmuch as it is a Congregation of the faithfull who are for calling Gouernours and subiects noble and base rich and poore teachers and learners for sexe men and women for age old and young for nation Iewes and Gentils Grecians and Barbarians for time and continuance in all ages euen from our first parents it may rightly be called a Catholike Church This is groūded vpon Gods word where wee finde that excluded is no calling no sexe none age no nation and that the Church as it hath bin from the worldes beginning so shall it continue to the end And this is the confession of the Churches Errors and Adversaries vnto this truth Vnsound be they in religion therefore which haue and doe as it were tie the church to a certaine country as the Donatists did to Africa a people as the Iewes to themselues persons place calling or time as doe the Papists To certaine persons when they say The Church is founded vpon Peter and his successours All that will be saued must of necessitie be subiect to the Bishop of Rome The true Church is vnited to the obedience of the Pope of Rome To a certaine place when they say The Church of Rome is the Catholike Church The Church of Rome is the mother of the faith To a certaine calling by their Petrus a Soto to Bishops and Prelates To a certaine time as when the said Papists affirme how The time was when holynes was onely in the virgine Mary when faith rested onely in the virgine Mary when all the faith was lost saue onely in our Lady It is a bold assertion also and very presumptuous of Apostata Hill that in England al men were Papists without exception from the first Christening thereof vntill the age of K. Henry the eight 4. Proposition The word of God was and for time is before the Church The proofe from Gods word Forasmuch as the visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of men either in the eies of God or in the iudgement of the godly faithfull it followeth that the word of God must be afore the Church for time as likewise for authoritie For time because Gods word is the Seede the faithfull the Corne and the Children Gods worde is the Rocke or foundation the faithfull the House For authoritie also the word is before the Church because the voice of the Church is the voice of man who hath erred and may erre from the truth but the voice of the word is Gods voice who cannot deceiue nor be deceiued Of this iudgement be the Churches reformed Aduersaries vnto this truth This maketh to the strengthning of vs against those Popish assertions of Vignerinus and such like viz. that the Church was before the word for time and is aboue the word for authoritie 4. Proposition The marks and tokens of the visible Church are the due and true administration of the word and Sacraments The proofe from Gods word There is the visible Church of Christ where the word of God sincerely is preached and the Sacraments instituted by our Sauiour are duly administred Hence is it that our Lord and Sauiour calleth them his mother and his brethren which heare the word of God and doe it and saith Hee that is of God heareth Gods word also My sheepe heare my voice and how shall they heare without a preacher saith S. Paul Likewise the Apostle S. Iohn He that knoweth God heareth vs he that is not of God heareth vs not Again they are of the world therefore speake they of the world and the world heareth them And touching the Sacraments first of Baptisme Goe therfore teach all nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost teaching them to obserue all things whatsoeuer I haue commanded you Wee haue bin baptized into Iesus Christ yee are washed yee are sanctified By one Spirit are wee all baptized into one Body Next of the Lords supper The Lord Iesus in the night that hee was betraied tooke bread and when he had giuen thankes he brake it and said take eate this is my body which is broken for you this doe in remembrance of me After the same manner also he tooke the cup when he had Supped saying This is the new Testament in my blood this do as oft as yee drinke it in remembrance of mee The Christians in all reformed churches acknoledge these things Some and they also many of them very godly men adde ecclesiasticall Discipline for a note of the visible Church But because the said Discipline in part is included in the markes here mentioned both wee and in effect all other well ordered Churches ouer passe it in this place as no token simply of the visible Church Neither tie wee the Church so strictly to the signes articulate that wee thinke all those to be without the Church and no Christians which neither doe heare the word ordinarily publikely read and preached nor participate in the Sacraments if so be they would and yet can neither heare the one nor receiue the other as it falleth out sometimes especially in the times of blindenesse and persecution The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth Wee renounce therefore as altogether vnsound Antichristian the opinions 1. Of the Papists who both denie
that the church of Rome neither hath nor can erre Erraverunt aliae ecclesiae saith Di. Stella other churches as of Antioch Alexandria Constantinople c. haue erred sed nunquam ecclesia Romana but the church of Rome neuer yet erred Id constanter negamus saith Costerus the Iesuit we constantly deny that christ his Vicars Peters successors the Bishops of Rome haue either taught heresies or can propound errors God preserueth the truth of christian religion in the Apostolike sea of Rome and It is not possible that the church meaning the church of Rome can erre or hath erred at any time in any point say the Rhemists 20. Article Of the authoritie of the Church 1 The Church hath power to decree rites or ceremonies 2 and authoritie in controuersies of faith And yet it is not lawfull for the Church 3 to ordaine any thing that is contrarie to Gods word 4 neither may it so expound one place of Scripture 5 that it be repugnant to another VVherefore although 6 the Church be a witnesse and a keeper of holy writ yet as it ought not to decree any thing against the same so 7 besides the same ought it not to enforce any thing to be beleeued for necessitie of saluation The propositions 1. The church hath power to decree rites or ceremonies 2. The church may not ordaine what rites or ceremonies shee will 3. The church hath authoritie to iudge and determine in controuersies of faith 4. The church hath power to interpret and expound the word of God 5. The Analogie of faith must be respected in the exposition of the Scripture 6. The church is the witnesse and keeper of Gods written word 7. The church may not enforce any thing to be beleeued as necessarie vnto saluation that is either contrarie or besides the word of God 1. Proposition The church hath power to decree rites or ceremonies The proofe from the word of God THe churches authoritie to decree rites or ceremonies is warranted in the word of God first by the example of the Apostles who did ordaine rites and ceremonies among other things that In the church men should not be couered Women should keepe silence and be couered A knowen tongue vnderstood of the common auditorie should be vsed with other things Next by the generall and binding commandement of God himselfe who at all times will haue euery thing in the church to be done vnto edifying honestie and by order as beeing not the author of confusion but of peace All churches protestant confesse the same Errors adversaries vnto this truth This power being giuen by the Supreame authoritie vnto the Church they doe greatly offend which doe condemne either generally all or particularly some rites and ceremonies orderly and lawfully established of the former sort are 1. The Familie of Loue who say of themselues how they are a free people in bondage vnto no creature nor to any created thing they haue no seuerall distenting or variable religions either ceremonies 2. The Brownists who teach that euery Christian is to ioyn himselfe vnto that people among whome the Lords worship is free and not bound or withholden with any iurisdiction of this world 3. The Puritanes whereof some would haue all matters of ceremonies to be left in christian libertie vnto euery man Others would haue both temples to be left without seruice Sermons and Sacraments and Princes to be scared with the feare of vproares and sedition and all because they would be freed from the obedience vnto ceremonies not impious of themseluees imposed by the Church the Father of these men was Illyricus of whome Melancton writeth Of the latter kinde be 1. The Familie of Loue againe who vtterly dislike our Churches or Temples also our Liturgies formes of seruing our God and finally our designed times of meeting together for the worshippe of God Our Churches there blasphemously tearme Common houses and so we tearme Brothell houses or the stewes Our Lyturgies and manner of seruing of God they call Foolishnes of taken on seruices false and seducing Gods seruices of no man to be ordained nor to be obeied or vsed when they are established with these ioyne the Barrowists who doe write that to haue Leiturgies and formes of common praier is to haue another Gospell and another Testament Our Sabboths they contemne yea they condemne for they say There ought to be no Sabboth day Our Sabbatarians goe not so farre yet come they neere unto these Familists when they divulge that The Church hath no authoritie ordinarily and perpetually to sanctifie any day but the seuenth day which the Lord himselfe had sanctified The church cannot take away this libertie of working sixe daies in the weeke These assertions are against all holy daies lawfully established Barrow yet goeth further then doe these men for he saith how the obseruing of times as it is in our church is an error fundamentall They also be alike culpable who approouing some rites and ceremonies do yet tie the church or people of God to the obseruation of the ceremonies either Mosaicall as many haue donne and doe or of the Romish Church as doe the Papists and the halfe papists the Familie of Loue Finally they are out of the way which thinke that either one man as the Pope or any certaine calling of men as the clergie hath power to decree and appoint rites or ceremonies though of themselues good vnto the whole church of God dipersed ouer the vniuersall world 2. Proposition The Church may not ordaine what rites and ceremonies shee will The proofe from Gods word As it is a cleere truth that the church may ordaine ceremonies so true is it also that the church hath no power to appoint what rites or ceremonies shee will For shee must decree none which be Either for their owe nature impious like the ordinances manners and Idols of our forefathers teachers of vanitie and of lies Or for vse superstitious like the brazen Serpent which king Ezekiah brake in peices Or for their weight ouer heauie and greiuous to be borne like the Iewish constitutions Or for their worthines in the eies of the ordainers either of equall price or of more account then the very ordinances of God so as for the performance of them the lawes of God must be left vndone such were many of the Pharisaicall tires and traditions Or against the libertie of christians and to the entangling of them againe with the yoake of seruile bondage Or last of all any way contrary to the commandements word and will of God But the rites ceremonies and constitutions of the church they must make altogether and tend both to the nourishing and encrease of loue friedship and quietnes among christians and also to the retaining of Gods people in the holy seruice worship
and feare of God according to the rule of the Apostle afore mentioned let all things be done honestly by order All churches reformed consent hereunto Errors and Adversaries vnto this truth The premises beeing as they are most true most false then is it which the Papists doe publish viz. that The church hath power to change the Sacraments ordained euen by Christ himselfe Whatsoeuer the Apostles and Rulers of the Church command is to be kept and obeyed The authoritie of the of the Church is greater then of the Sacred Scripture 3. Proposition The Church hath authoritie to iudge and determine in controuersies of faith The proofe from Gods word Authoritie is giuen to the Church and to euery member of sound iudgement in the same to iudge in controuersies of faith and so in their places to embrance the truth and to auoid and improoue Antichristianitie and errors and this is not the priuate opinion of our Church but both the straight commandement of God himselfe particularly vnto all Teachers and hearers of Gods word and generally vnto the whole Church and also the iudgement of our godly brethren in forraigne countries The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth Vnsound therefore in iudgement are the Papists For first they maintaine That the Pope of Rome hath the power to iudge all men and matter but may be iudged of no man to decree without controlment against the epistles of S. Paul to dispense euen against the new Testament and to giue the sense and meaning of the holy Scripture to which sense or Interpration of his all and euery man without contradiction must yeeld and obey Next they publish hold that the power to iudge of religiō points of doctrine is either in Bishops onely as some of thē doe thinke or in their Clergie onely as other deeme and in the Church of Rome onely as all of them suppose 4. Proposition The Church hath power to interpret and expound the word of God The proofe from Gods word To interpret the word of God is a peculiar blessing giuen by God onely to the Church and companie of the faithfull though not to all and euery of them For No man knoweth the Sonne but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Sonne and he to whom the Sonne will reueale him It is giuen to you to know the secrets of heauen saith our Sauiour vnto his disciples but to them it is not giuen The manifestation of the Spirit is giuen to euery man to profit withall For to one is giuen by the Spirit the word of wisedome c. and to another Prophecie If any thing be reuealed to another that sitteth by let the first hold his peace saith S. Paul vnto the Church at Corinth Yee haue an ointment from him that is holy and yee haue knowen all things c. yee neede not that any man teach you saith the Apostle Iohn Hereunto subscribe the Churches in Heluetia Wittemberg Boheme The errors and Adversaries vnto this truth Many sundry are the adversaries vnto this truth wherof Some thinke that to expound the word of God is so easie a matter as any Student endued with a good naturall wit by diligence and industrie of his owne may doe the same Some teach how to interpret the Scriptures is too hard a thing for any mortall man to attaine vnto so did Iohannes de Wessalia and doe many Anabaptists Some though they acknowledge that diuers haue the gift to open the sense of Gods word yet that some say they are not the knowen Preachers writers in the reformed and Christian assemblies whom the Familie of Loue in scorne doe tearme the scipture learned For saith the said Familie It is meere lies and vntruth c. whatsoeuer the Scripture learned through their knowledge out of the Scriptures institute preach and teach They preach the letre c. but not the wotd of liuing God but themselues onely haue that gift neither euery one of the Familie but the illuminate Elders For to them it is giuen to knowe the truth they are the Elders of the godly vnderstanding and of the manly wisedome the Primats or principalls in the Light Some doe suppose that to interpret the holy Scriptures is not so much a speciall gift of God vpon some chosen persons as an ordinary power annexed to the state and calling of Popes Bishops and Clergie men Others be so farre from giuing the people of God not being of the Clergie power to expound as they will not suffer them to read nor so much as to haue the Scriptures by them in a vulgar tongue except it be their owne most corrupt and barbarous translation which but of late yeares neither and that in part too is granted by the Papists but in place thereof they thrust vpon the Laitie their most idolatrous and blasphemous Fustinals Legendes Rosaries Horaries and Psalteries of our Lady as falsly they called her 5. Proposition The analogie of faith must be respected in their exposition of the Scripture The proofe from Gods word Forasmuch as no prophecie is of any priuate motion and whatsoeuer interpretation man giueth if it agree not to the analogie of faith which S. Paul gaue in commandement to be obserued is a priuate interpretation speciall heede is to be had that one place of Scripture be so expounded as it agree with another and al to the proportion of faith The Churches reformed approoue this assertiō by their subscriptions Errors Adversaries to this truth Of another iudgement are many For Some doe thinke the Scriptures may be expounded in what sense and to what purpose men list as the Pharisies the Seuerians and Papists among whome there be which from this opinion doe tearme the most holy word Scriptures of God most reprochfully A shipmans hoase a Leaden rule a Nose of waxe Some doe mislike all interpretations and written Commentaries vpon the Scriptures as vnnecessary and vaine such were Seruetus Valdesius Coranus with others of late yeares and are the Libertines Scwenkfeldians and Familie of Loue Some depend wholly vpon visions revelations as did the Enthusiasts Nicholaus Storch Thomas Monetarius the Anabaptists and our late English reformer Hacket Some dislike of the literall and preferre the Allegoricall sense of the Scriptures and thereby deuise what them list most monstrously from the word of God as did the Originists and doe the Libertines and Familie of Loue hence teaching on the other that the spirituall vnderstanding is the worde of God and that to embrace the literall sense is to commit Idolatrie Some of euery place of Scripture will haue an exposition both Analogicall Allegoricall historicall and morall as the curious Thomists and Monckes Some are addicted to an interpretation which they cal
mysticall and propheticall as Brocardus Morelius and others Some are of minde that the Gospell or Euangelicall word cannot be committed to letters and wrighting saith Lindanus Some doe thinke as afore also hath bin shewen how that is the olde and onely true sense of the Scriptures which is made and giuen by the Church and Pope of Rome Some doe maintaine that as the Church in time doth alter so the interpretation of the Scripture also therwithal doth vary wherby that which in the Apostles time was a truth in these daies shall be a falsehood In which error was Cardinall Cusanus 6. Proposition The Church is the witnesse and keeper of Gods written word The proofe from Gods word Though the Church hath authority to heare and determine in controversies of faith yet hath the Church power neither to iudge the word of God nor to iudge otherwise then Gods word doth iudge For it is saide to the Church and people of God I beseech you brethren marke them diligently which cause diuisions and offenses contrarie to the Doctrine which you haue learned and auoid them Here him To him giue all the Prophets witnesse Search the Scriptures whosoeuer trangresseth and abideth not in the the doctrine of Christ hath not God yee are c. built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets And of the holy Scriptures Thy word is the the truth They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them saith our S. Christ. Wee haue also a sure word of the Prophets saith Saint Peter And S. Paul The whole Scripture is profitable to teach c. If any man teach otherwise and consenteth not to the wholsome wordes of our L. Iesus Christ he is puft vp and knoweth nothing c And so with vs doe other Churches conceiue both of the Scriptures and Church yet all of vs do grant that the Church as a faithfull witnesse may yea of necessitie must testifie to the world what hath bin the doctrine of God his people from time to time and as a trustie Recorder is to keepe make knowne what the word of God which it hath receiued is which truly hath bin perfomed afore the word was written by the Patriarchs and after the same was committed to writing before Christ his incarnation by the Iewes in Christ his life time in the primitiue Church From the Apostles time by the godly Christians thoroughout the world Errors adversaries vnto this truth Be it farre therefore from vs to thinke which the Papists do not stick to write and say namely that The Church is to iudge the Scriptures and not the Scriptures the Church The Scripture is not of the essence of the Church Because without it a Church may be though not very well So said Card. Cusan The Scripture because in their opinion it is vnperfect cannot obscure may not ambiguous ought not be the iudge So Lindan Latomus Petrus a Soto Pighius Coster c. He is an heretike that cleaueth to the Scriptures So said Iacobus Hocstratus Againe the carefull keeping of the holy Scriptures by Gods people from age to age and time to time declareth first how the mother Church of Rome is not the onely keeper of the holy writ and next that cursedly they doe offend which either as greatly esteeme the Ethickes of Aristostle as the commandements of god the Odes of Pindar as the Psalmes of Dauid the workes and bookes of men as the writings of God which the Councell of Trent doth or before and aboue the scripture prefer vnwritten Traditions Hence Petrus a Soto Tradition saith hee is both more auncient and more effectuall the◠the holy Scripture and Lindan The scriptures would be of no validitie neither had continued till this day but for traditions 7. Proposition The Church may not enforce any thing to be beleeued as necessary vnto saluation that is either contrarie or besides the word of God The proofe from the word of God Yee shall put nothing vnto the word which I command you neither shall yee take ought there from Put nothing vnto his words least hee reprooue thee and thou be found a liar Though it be but a mans couenant when it is confirmed yet no man doth abrogate it or addeth any thing thereto If any man shall adde vnto these things God shall ad vnto him the plauges that are written in this booke And if any man shal diminish of the words of the booke of this prophecy god shall take away his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy cittie and from those things which are written in this booke And so witnesse with vs the Churches reformed Whatsoeuer also is grounded vpon Gods written word though not by our common and vulgar tearmes to be redde therein wee doe reuerendly embrace which maketh vs for doctrine to embrace the Consubstantiality of our Sauiour with the Father and the holy Ghost which the Arrians would not a Trinitie of persons in the Godhead which the Sabellians would neuer doe the iustification by faith Onely which the Papists will not the baptisme of Infants and young children which the Anabaptists dare not and for discipline not to refuse of Church officers the names Archbishops Patriarches Primates Metropolitanes Suffragans Parsons Vicars c. of ecclesiasticall censures the tearmes Suspension Excommunication of Ceremonies none at all which tend either vnto order comelines or edification But from the heart wee abhor in matters both of doctrine and disciple whatsoeuer either agreeth not with the canon of the Scripture or is not grounded thereupon The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth Hence detest wee both all the old heretikes and their fancies with the newe prophets of Basilides the Manifestation of Marciō the mysteries of the Manichies the Iobolia of the Sathiās the Symbonia of the Archōtikes the Cabala of the Iewes the Alcaron of the Turkes and also all newe heretikes and Schismatikes with all their cursed opinions as first the Anabaptists and namely the Libertines the Dauigeorgians and Familie of Loue and all the codeified Elders thereof as Henry Nicholas Eliad Fidelitas Christopher Vitell Theophilus the Exile and the rest Next the Papists whereof Some haue commanded that all the Popes decrees should be taken as confirmed by the mouth of God himselfe so did Pope Agatho the first Some write as Busgradus that if the Pope beleeue there is no life to come as some Popes haue done wee must beleeue it as an article of our faith Some say if the Pope carrie innumerable soules with him vnto hell yet he may not be iudged so did Pope Boniface the 8. Some as Bellarmine conclude that it is a point of faith to hold that the Bishop of Rome hath succeeded Peter in the vniuersall regiment of the Church Others as the Iesuites perswade their Catholikes
Iesus was bound led away and deliuered vnto Pilate A councell iudged our S. Christ to be both a deceiuer and a blaphemer A councell corrupted the Souldiers and willed them to tell a Lie A counsell withstood Peter and Iohn and commanded them that in no wise they should speake or teach in the name of Iesus A councell both caused the Apostles to be beaten and commanded them also that they should not preach in the name of Iesus In auncient writings of credit wee may read how contrarie to Gods word by Councells Arrianisme hath bin confirmed as by the Councell at Ariminum By councells the traditions and bookes of foolish men haue bin made of equall authoririe with the word of God as by the counsell of Trent By councells hath bin established both the adoration of images as by the second councell of Nice and the Inuocation of creatures as by the Tridentine councell By councells the authority of princes hath bin empaired the Pope and Clergie advanced aboue all earthly Princes as by the Councell of Lateran The consideration of the premises and the like mooued S. Hilarie to call the Synode of Mediolane The Synagogue of the malignant and S Augustine to write vnto Maximinus Neither ought I to obiect against thee the Synode of Nice nor thou against mee the Synod of Ariminum and Nazianzene openly to pronounce that Hee neuer sawe any good end of a Councell and The French king his Embassadour to say vnto the chapter of Trent that scarsely any good at all or very little came by Councells vnto the state of Christendome and Cornelius Bishop of Bitonto to breake out into these words in the face of the Councell at Trent I would that with one consent wee had not altogether declined from religion vnto superstition from faith vnto infidelitie from Christ vnto Antichrist from God vnto Epicures Aduersaries vnto this truth This notwithstanding the Papists doe continue in an opinion that councells cannot erre 4. Proposition The things ordained hy generall Councells are so farre to be embraced and beleeued as they are consonant to Gods holy word The proofe from Gods word Generall councells we simply condemne not yet doe wee not ground our faith vpon any councell but onely vpon the written word of God Therefore in generall Councells whatsoeuer is agreeable vnto the written word of God we doe reuerendly embrace but whatsoeuer is contrarie vnto or besides the will of God reuealed in the holy scriptures wee doe carefully auoid And so are wee commaunded to doe euen by God himselfe Whatsoeuer I command you take heed you doe it thou shalt put nothing thereto nor take ought therefrom Walke ye not in the ordinances of your fathers neither obserue their manners c. I am the Lord your God walke in my statutes and keepe my iudgements and doe them Though that wee or an Angell from heauen preach vnto you otherwise then that which wee haue preached vnto you let him be accursed As wee said before so say I now againe If any man preach vnto you otherwise then that yee haue receiued let him be accursed And so thinke the Churches reformed with vs The adversaries vnto this truth Contrarie hereunto are the opinions of the Papists For of them Some doe thinke that the decrees of Councells doe binde all nations as Pope Hormisda decreed they should Some as Pope Gregory the great supposed that some coūsells and namely the councell of Nice of Constanstinople Ephesus and Chalcedon some as Campian thought that all councells were of equall authoritie with the word of God Others as the Guisiā faction in Frāce be resolued in matters of religion to follow the footesteps of their ancestors though Gods word and a thousand councells decree to the contrary 22. Article Of Purgatorie The Romish doctrine concerning 1 Purgatorie 2 Pardons worshipping and adoration as well 3 of images as 4 of Reliques and 5 also Inuocation of Saints is a fond thing vainely inuented and grounded vpon no warrantie of Scripture but rather repugnant to the word of God The Propositions The Romish doctrine concerning 1. Purgatorie 2. Pardons 3. Worshipping and adoration of Images 4. Reliques 5. Inuocation of Saintes is a fond thing and not warranted by the holy Scripture nor consonant but contrarie vnto the same 1. Proposition The Romish doctrine concerning Purgatorie is fond and not warranted by the holy Scripture nor consonant but contrary vnto the same The proofe from Gods word IT is granted as well by the Romish or false as by the true Church that none vncleane thing can enter into the kingdome of God And because all men either haue bin or be still vncleane therefore they must be purged from sinne But in the manner of purging them who are vnpure they doe greatly differ For the true church looking into the word of God doth finde that wee are sanctified or made cleane in diuers respects diuersly as by Baptisme by the word preached by the blood of Christ and by the spirit of God and that in this life and not in the other world For in the sacred scripture there is mention but onely of two waies one leading vnto destruction the other bringing vnto life of two sorts of men whereof some beleeue and they are saued some beleeue not and they are damned and of two States one blessed where Lazarus is the other cursed where Diues doth abide A third way or sort or state cannot be founde in the word of God And therefore the Purgatorie in another world both denied hath alwaies bin by the Greeke Churches and neither is nor will be acknowledged by any of Gods reformed Churches in this world as their Confessions do testifie Adversaries vnto this truth Erroneous therefore and not warrantable by Gods word concerning Purgatorie is the doctrine both of the old Heretikes the Montanists who thought there was a purging of soules after this life and of the newe and renued Heretikes the Papists For They thinke it to be vnsound doctrine and not sufferable in any booke for Christians to diliuer that it is vnpossible for godly and faithfull men or women to be punished after they be dead Therefore deleatur say they Blot out such doctrine They teach by their Catechismes that to doubt whether there is a Purgatorie or no is a breach of the first commandement Thus doe they pray for the soules of the faithfull as they fancie boyling in the torments of purgatorie Auete omnes animae fideles quarum corpora hîc vbique conquiescunt in puluere Dominus Iesus Christus qui vos nos redemit suo pretiosissimo sanguine dignetur vos à poenis liberare c. that is All haile all faithfull soules whose bodies doe here and euery where rest in the dust The Lord Iesus Christ who hath redeemed both you and vs with
otherside too highly as if the dignitie of their calling were cause good enough that what they doe or say ex opere operato take happy effects These things from the Scriptures are manifest which teach vs that wicked ministers euen the Scribes and Pharisies sitting in Moses chaire and preaching Christ though through enuie strife and contention are to be heard and may administer the Sacraments as did the ordinarie Priests among the Iewes whereof very many both afore and after that our Sauiour came into the world were most wicked men and the best which be are the ministers of God and Gods labourers Also the purer Churches beare witnesse hereunto Neither is hee whosoeuer that planteth any thing neither hee that watereth but God that giueth the encrease saith S Paul And a signe of a good Spirit is it to regard not so much who speaketh or ministreth as what is vttered and offered from God Errors Adversaries to this truth The due consideration of the praemises will both settle vs the more firmely in the truth and make vs the more carefully to abhorre all adversaries thereof as in old time were the donatists and the Petilians who taught that the Sacraments are holy when they be administred by holy men but not els also the Apostolikes or Henricans who had a fancie that he was no Bishop which was a wicked man Among the Fathers also Cyprian and Origen were not â—ound in this point For Cyprian published that no minister could rightly baptize who was not himselfe endued with the holy Ghost hee further deliuered that whosoeuer doe communicate with a wicked minister doe sinne Origen held that in vaine did any minister either binde or lose who was himselfe bound with the chaines of â—inne and wickednes Such adversaries in our time be the Anabaptists the Family of Loue the disciplinarians vsually tearmed Puritants the Sabbatarians the Brownists and the Papists For The Anabaptists will not haue the people to vse the ministerie of euill ministers and thinke the seruice of wicked Ministers vnprofitable and not effectuall affirming that no man who is himselfe faultie can preach the truth to others The Familie of Loue doe say that no man can minister the vpright seruice or ceremonies of Christ but the regenerate also that wicked men cannot teach the truth The disciplinarian Puritans doe bring all ministers which cannot preach and their seruices into detestation For their doctrine is that Where there is no Preacher there ought to be no minister of the Sacraments None must minister the Sacraments which doe not preach The Sacrament is not a Sacrament if it be not ioyned to the word of God preached It is sacriledge to seperate the ministration of the word preached from the Sacraments Of these mens opinions be the Sabbatarians among vs. For their doctrine is to the common people that vnlesse they leaue their vnpreaching ministers euery Sabboth day and goe to some place where the word is preached they doe prophane the Sabboth and subiect themselues vnto the curse of God So the Brownists No man is to communicate say they where there is a blinde or dumme ministerie The Papist doe crosse this truth but after another sort For Pope Hildebrand decreed and commanded that no man should heare Masse from the mouth of a preist which hath a wife The Rhemists doe publish how The Sermons of heretikes and so tearme they all Protestant ministers must not be heard though they preach the truth Their praiers and Sacraments are not acceptable to God but are the howling of wolues 2. Proposition Euill ministers are to be searched out convicted and deposed but orderly and by the discipline of the Church The wicked and euill ministers must not alwaies be endured in the Church of God For they are the euill and vnprofitable seruants the Eies which doe offend the vnsauorie salt which are carefully to be seene vnto and if admonitions will not serue deposed yet orderly and by the discipline of the Churh For that God which appointed a gouernement for the ciuill state hath also giuen authoritie vnto his Church to punish offenders according to the qualitie of their transgressions And so may we read in the word of God Tell the Church saith our Sauiour Let such a one by the power of our Lord Iesus Christ be deliuered vnto Sathan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saued in the day of the Lord Iesus saith S. Paul So the neighbour Churches Adversaries vnto this truth Then deceiued and out of the way are the Brownists and Barrowists which are of minde that Priuate persons in themselues haue authoritie to depose vnmeete ministers and to punish malefactors Euery particular member of a Church in himselfe hath power to examine the manner of administring the Sacraments c. to call men vnto repentance c to reproue the faults of the church and to forsake that church which will not reforme her faults vpon any priuate admonition For want of the due execution of discipline against persons offending and malefactors both women may leaue their husbands as some haue done and husbands their wiues and goe where it is in force See more in Art 33. Prop. 1. 27. Article Of Baptisme 1 Baptisme is not only a signe of profession and marke of difference whereby christian men are discerned from other that be not Christened but 2 it is also a signe of regeneration or newe-birth whereby as by an instrument they that receiue Baptisme rightly are graffed into the Church the promises of the forgiuenes of sinne and of our adoption to be the Sonnes of God by the holy Ghost are visiblie signed and sealed Faith is confirmed and grace encreased by vertue of prayer vnto God 3 The Baptisme of young children is in any wise to be retained in the Church as most agreeable with the institution of Christ. The Propositions 1. Baptisme is a signe of Profession and marke of differeÌ„ce whereby Christians are discerned from other men that be no Christians 2. Baptisme is a signe or seale of the regeneration or newe birth of Christians 3. Infants and young children by the word of God are to be baptized 1. Proposition Baptisme is a signe of Profession and marke of difference whereby Christians are discerned from other men that be no Christians The proofe from Gods word HOw the Sacraments are tokens and therefore that Baptisme is a signe of the true Church which be Christians it is apparent from Gods word in the 5. proposit of the 19. article afore going and the same doe the Churches of God acknowledge Errors adversaries vnto this truth This declareth vs to be sound Christians and. Not Nazarens who were with the Iewes circumcised and baptized with Christians and so as Hierome writeth of them were neither Iewes nor Christians Mot
world The spirituall was giuen vnto them afterward in their second birth through the word The life carnall and corporall is common to all men good and badde and is maintained and preserued by earthly and corruptible Bread common also to all and euery man The life spirituall is peculiar onely to Gods elect and is cherished by the bread of life which came downe from heauen which is Iesus Christ who norisheth and susteineth the spirituall life of Christians being receiued of them by Faith Which spirituall Bread that he might the better represent hee hath instituted earthly and visible Bread and wine for a Sacrament of his Body and Blood Whereby he doth testifie that as verily as wee receiue the Bread with the hands and chewe the same with the teeth and tongue to the nourishing of this life temporall euen so by faith which is in place of hands and mouth to the soule wee verily receiue the true Body and the true blood of Christ our onely Sauiour to the cherishing of the spirituall life in our soules And heerein there is a goodly consent with the most of the reformed Churches and vs The aduersaries vnto this truth Ioyntly we withstand the aduersaries thereof whosoeuer as The Capernaites which thought the flesh of our Lord might be eaten with corporall mouthes The Synusiastes or Vbiquitaries which thinke the Body of Christ so is present in the supper as his said Body with bread and Wine by one and the same mouth at one and the same time of all and euery communicant is eaten corporally and receaued into the Belly The Metusiastes and Papistes which beleeue the substance of bread and Wine is so changed into the substance of Christ his body as nothing remaineth but the reall Body of Christ besides the accidents of Bread and wine The Symbolists Figurists and Significatists who are of opinion that the faithfull at the Lords supper doe receiue nothing but naked and bare signes 5. Proposition To reserue carrie about lift vp or worship the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is contrarie to the ordinance of Christ. The proofe from Gods word The true and lawfull vse of this Sacrament hath bin afore set downe And there it may suffice vs to be remembred how the Lords Supper was ordained that the bread should not only be broken and eaten the cuppe should onely be giuen drunken and all this done in remembrance of Christ And so also testifie the Churches reformed Adversaries vnto this truth But contrarie to the institution of Christ the Papistes abuse this holy Sacrament For They reserue the same and not only so but take it to be a Catholike a pious and a necessarie custome so to reserue it and besides they thinke euery peece and particle of the Sacrament so reserued is the very Body of Christ They carrie it about both vnto sicke folkes Hence saith the Festiuall As often as any man seeth that Body at Masse or some other good praier in worship of his soueraigne Lord. And also thorough cities and townes For whensoeuer the Pope goeth any iourney the Sacramentall bread is carried before him on an ambling Iennet as the Persian kings haue before them carried their Orsmada or holy fire In Spaine euen at this day in the time of the peace between the two mightie Kings of great Brittaine and Spaine those English men as meeting the Sacrament in the streetes will neither doe reuerence therunto nor goe aside nor turne into some house doe fall into the danger of the not holy but bloody Inquisition They worship it and for the same haue ordained a certaine set and solemne Feast called Corpus-Christi-day on which the Sacrament is borne about lifted vp and most idolatrously adored 29. Article Of the wicked which doe not eate the Body and blood of Christ in the vse of the Lords Supper The wicked and such as be voide of a liuely faith although they doe carnally and visibly presse with their teeth as S. Augustine saith the Sacrament of the body blood of Christ yet in no wise are they partakers of Christ but rather to their condemnation doe eate and drinke the siigne or Sacrament of so great a thing The proposition The wicked and such as be void of a liuely faith doe not eate the Body nor drinke the Blod of Iesus Christ in the vse of the Lords Supper The proofe from Gods word S. Paul doth shewe how the Supper of the Lord is receiued of some worthily which do examine and iudge themselues and discerne the Lords Body as also doe abstaine from the table of deuills How these doe participate of the Body and blood of Christ it hath alreadie bin shewen in the last mentioned article prop. 4. Againe of others the same is vnworthily receiued that is to say which themselues doe not examine nor iudge neither discerne the Lords body and doe communicate at the Table of the Lord and at the Table of deuils These may receiue the Sacrament but not the true Body of Christ. The reasons be for that They lacke the wedding garment which is Faith and the righteousnesse of Christ. They are no members of the true Church the Head whereof is Iesus Christ They haue no promise of heauenly refreshing because they are without a liuely faith Therefore they procure vnto themselues most heauie punishements as diseases death guiltines of the Body and Blood of Christ and therewith damnation Of this iudgement be other Churches Christian and reformed besides Errors adversaries vnto this truth The adversaries of this dorine are The Vbiquitaries both Lutheran and Popish they saing the very Body of Christ at the Lords Supper is eaten aswell of the wicked as of the godly these affirming that al Communicants badde and good doe eate the very and naturall Body of Christ Iesus they saying that the true and reall Body of Christ In With Vnder the bread and wine may be eaten chewed and digested euen of Turkes which neuer were of the Church these maintaining that vnder the forme of Bread the same true and reall body of Christ may be deuoured of Dogs Hogs Cats and Rats 30. Article Of both kinds The cuppe of the Lord is not to be denied to the lay people For both the parts of the Lords Sacrament by Christs ordinance and commandement ought to be ministred to al Christian men The Proposition The people must be partakers not only of the Bread but also of the Wine when they approach vnto the Lords Table The proofe from Gods word OVr Lord and Sauiour Christ hath instituted his Supper as he will haue not only the Bread but also the Cup to be deliuered vnto all Communicants So find wee in the word of God namely That the Bread must be giuen to All and eaten of All The Cup is to be giuen to All and to be
Prophets that prophecie vnto you and teach you vanities they speake the vision of their owne heart and not of the mouth of the Lord. Ier. 23.16 Beware of false prophets Matth. 7.15 Beware of dogges beware of euill workers Phil. 3.2 The sheepe knâ—w the shepheards voice and they will not follow a stranger but they flie from him for they know not the voice of strangers Ioh. 10.4 5. Be not carried about with diuers â—nd strange doctrines Heb. 13.9 Beware least you be also plucked away with the errour of the wicked and fall from your owne stedfastnes 2. Pet. 3.17 If there come any vnto you and bring not this doctrine receiue him not to house neither bid him god speed 2. Ioh. 10. c â—f any shall say vnto you Loe here is christ or ther beleeue it not For there shâ—ll arise false Christs and false prophets Matth. 24.23 24. I speake as vnto them whiâ—h haue vnderstanding iudge ye what I say 1. Cor. 10.15 Trie all things keepe that which is good 1. Thess. 5.21 d Confess VVittemb ar 32. Suevica ar 15. a Dist. 40. â— Si Papa b Carol. Ruinus c Panorm Extra de divertiis d Hernaeus de potestate Papae e The mysteries of religion are committed to the trust of Bishops plebi tantum sâ—iendum est quod ad mores formandos vitam pertinet the common people are onely to know that which pertaineth vnto manners and good behauiour saith Frier Laurence a Villanniâ—ence de Forman concâ—â—â— l. 1. cap. 10. Nec gratia nec interior aliquâ— virtus requirenda est in membris vel ministris Ecclesiâ—e praeter publicam professionem fidei It is sufficient for the members and ministers of the Church to make open profession of the faith more is not required of them neither grace to iudge of doctrine nor any other inward vertue saith Petrus a Soto assert cath de Ec. f The common and faithfull people may in a generalitie refuse and forsake all newe doctrine dissenting from thâ—t which they haue learned and embraced Non autem vt doctrinam in particulari ex causis fundamentâ—â— suis examinetur sic proprio iudicio discutiant quid verum quid falsam sit But they haue none authority to examine any doctrine in particular from the very causes and grounds and thereby search out what is true what false quod proprium est Ecclesiâ—rum magistâ—â—s this they must leaue to the masters of Churches to whome properly it belongeth saith Stapleton Antiâ— cua in Mat. 7. g Sacrae sâ—ripturaes â—â—â—â—nativus indulitatus ab ecclesia catholica est peteÌ„dus saith the forementioned Petrus à Solo. The natiue and true sense of the sacred Scripture is to be fetch from the Câ—tholike Church of Rome Assâ—rt Cath. â—e Eâ— The whole Church throughout the world knoweth that the holy Church of Rome hath power to iudge of all matters neque â—â—iquam licebit de 〈◊〉 iudicio iudicare neither is it lawfull for any man to giue any sentence of her iudgement Gelasuis 9. q. Cuncta a Matth. 11.27 b Matth. 13.11 c 1. Cor. 12.7 d 1. Cor. 14.30 e 1. Ioh. 2.20 21 27. f Confess Helv. 2. cap. 2. g confess VVittemb cap. 30. h Confess Bohe. cap. 1. a Aeneas Sylv. b H.N. euang c. 33. § 11.12 13 c Idem 1. â—xhor cap. 16. § 18. d Idem in his Prov. c. 21. § 2 e Sp. land cap. 7 § 10. f 1. Exhort c. 14. § 1. g See the proposit rect immediat aforegoing a 2. Pet. 1.20 b Rom. 1â— 6 c Confess Helv. 1. ar 2. 2. c. 2. Gal. ar 7. Sax. ar 1. VVittem cap. 30.31.33 Suev ar 1. a D. Iren. lib. 4. cap. 25. b Eus. eccl hist. lib. 4. c. 29. c Pighius controuer 3. de Ec. Hierarch l. 3. c. 3. 〈◊〉 aâ— praef Ceâ—s Colon. d Beza epist. 59. e Ibid. f H.N. 1. exhor cap. 16. § 4. g â—â—eod haeret fab l. 3. h D. Maior in Dom. 8. post Trinit homil fol. 440. i Arthing sedâ— p. 17. k Calv. contra Anabap. l Allens confes m Lib. 1. c. 23. n Haereâ—â—ci Scripturarum cognitionem intâ—â—ligentiam extra Ecclesiâ—m poâ—unt nos aâ—tem Papista volumus Ecclesiae Romanae esse annexam nec ab ea separari patimur Stapl. antid Euang. in Joan. 19.23 p. 418. Sicut Christo Iudaei sic nos Ecclesiae Romanae simpliâ—iter credere debemus saith Stapleton Antid in Lucae 10.16 When the uthoritie of the Church leaueth the holy Scripture then are they of no more account then Esops fables VVolf Herman o Si Papam qui Christi vicarius est et eius omnimodam potestatem habet in terris consulerent non errarent haeretici saith Stella in Lucae 9. fol. 499. p Cusam ad Bohemos epist. 2. a Rom. 16.7 b Matth. 17.5 c Act. 10.43 d Ioh. 5.39 e 2. Ioh. v 9. f Eph. 2.19 g Ioh. 17.17 h Luke 16.29 i 2. Pet. 1.19 k 2. Tim. 6.16 17 l 1. Tim. 6.3 4. m Confess Helv. 2. cap. 1. Bohem. cap. 1. Gal. ar 5. Belg. ar 7. VVittemb ar 30 31 32. Sax. ar 11. n Luke 4.17 o Act. 13.27 Act. 15.21 2. Cor. 3.15 2. Cor. 8.18 a Io. Maria Verractâ—s Pighius in controvers de Ec. b Card. Câ—san epist. 2. ad Boh. c Lind. l. 1. c. 1. d Contra Biuer e De S. Scrip. f Eccl. Hierar l. 1. c. 4. g Enchir. de S. Scrip. c. 1. h Ang. Polit. i Ses. 4. k Confess Cath. de Eccles. l Lind. l. 1. c. 4 5. a Deut. 4.2 b Pro. 30.6 c Gal. 3.15 d Reu. 22.18 19 e Confess Helv. 1. ar 4. and 2. c. 2. Basil. ar 10. Bohem. cap. 1. Gal. ar 5. Belg. ar 7. Saxon. ar 1. VVittemb cap. 30.33 Suevica ar 1. a Gra. dist 19. Sic. b Decr. lib. 3. tit 2. Crantz lib. 8. c. 36. c Bellarm. de Pontif. Rom. l. 2. c. 12. d Spar. disco of the Eng. Jes. p. 7. a 1. Chr. 13 i 2. b 1. king 8.1 c 2. Chr. 15.9 d 2. Chr. 29.4 e 1. Chr. 24.29 f Ruffin l. 10. c. 1. Euseb. de vita Const. l. 3. c. 6. g Theod. l. 5. c. 9 h Euagr. l. 1. c. 2. i Leo epist 43.53 k Aventin Carranza summa Concil Carion lib. 3. l Turon l. 8. c. i0 m Magdeburg eccles hist. Cen. 6. â—ap 9. n Confess Helv. 1. ar 26. 2. c. 30. Bohem. c. 16. Belg. ar 36. Saxon. ar 23. VVittemb c. 35. Sucâ—icain perorat a Harding confut par 5. cap. 6. § 3. b Harding c Duraeus cont VVhitak l. 2. Cardil in dâ—fe Concil Triden disp 1. d Test. Rhem. an Matth. 16. e Perplaâ—et autem mihi quod de conuentu absque vlla principum aut civitatum authoritate priuaâ—im instituendo scâ—ibis Beza epist. 68. pag. 292. f VVitnesse their Classicall assemblies at Commencements Faires c. See Discipline groundes g The approbation or disallovvance of a general Assembly hath
that the king of Spain and their Catholike faith are so linked together as it is become a point of necessitie in the Catholike faith to put all Europe into the handes of the said King otherwise the Catholike religion will be vtterly extingvished and perish Others of them haue published a new Gospell called Euangelium aeternum Spiritus sancti which they say doth so farre excell the Gospell of Christ as the Cernell surpasseth the shell the Sunne the Moone light darkenes The author whereof was one Cyrellus a Carmelite And lastly the Puritanes and all the speculations of Brown Barrow Greene Penrie Marprelate T.C.E.G.R.H. A.C. I.B. with the newe Sabbatarians and their fancies 21. Article Of the authoritie of generall Councells Generall Councells 1 may not be gathered together without the commandement and will of Princes And 2 when they be gathered together forasmunch as they be an assemblie of men whereof all be not gouerned with the Spirit and word of God they may erre and 3 sometimes haue erred euen in things pertaining vnto God wherfore 4 things ordained by them as necessarie vnto saluation haue neither strength nor authority vnlesse it may be declared that they be taken out of holy Scriptures The propositions 1. Generall Councells may not be gathered together but by the commandement and will of Princes 2. Generall Councells may erre 3. Generall Councells haue erred euen in things pertaining vnto God 4. The things ordained by generall Councells are so farre to be embraced and beleeued as they are consonant to Gods holy word 1. Proposition Generall Councells may not be gathered together but by the commandement and will of Princes The proofe from Gods word GReat is the power and authoritie of Kings and Princes by the word of God For as the defense of Religion is committed vnto them so must they see that all men doe their duties That these things the better may be performed they are as iust occasion is offered not as men vnder the power of others to Simon but as Supreame gouernours within their own terretories and dominions to command all sorts of men to meete together and that either to the implanting of the truth where it is not or to the suppressing of sinne errors idolatrie and superstition where or in whomsoeuer it doth arise or is rooted Such Councells were holden both in the time of the Moisaicall gouernement by the commandement of the most godly Kings Dauid Salomon Asa Ezekiah and Iosiah and since the Gospell hath bin receiued into kingdomes and Commonweales by Christian Princes kings and Emperours who gathered Councells both Generall as the Nicene was by Constantine the great the Councell of Constantinople by Theodosius the elder the Counsell of Ephesus by Theodosius the younger the councell of Calcedon by Marcian Nationall and Prouinciall so the Counsell at Frankford Rhemes Taron Arelot and Moguntia by the will and commandement of Charles the great at Matison by Gunthranus at Paris and Orleance by the direction and appointment of Childebert were kept and holden And neuer yet hath there bin a councell either Generall or nationall or whatsoeuer I only except the councells held by the Apostles and Apostolicall men in a troublesome state and time of the Church there beeing then no Christian Princes Emperours to countenance the truth either begun or ended to the glorie of God but it hath bin I say not called onely but confirmed also by some godly Emperour King or Queene This in effect is granted by all reformed Churches The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth This assertion hath bin oppugned and that diuersly both by the Papists and Puritanes For the Papists they say Emperours and kings be the Pope his Summoners but of themselues are no absolute and powerfull commanders and callers of Councels There ought no councel to be kept without the determinate consent of the Bishop of Rome No councell euer yet had firme and lawful authority which was not confirmed by the Bishop of Rome The Popes of Rome and not Christian Princes haue the authoritie and power of making lawes ecclesiasticall and of calling Councells And the Puritanes do thinke that priuate persons without the leaue or priuitie of Princes may summon assemblies about Church causes at their pleasures and consult about the publike affaires of the Church Of this minde was Beza and be the disciplinarians both of South and North Brittaine Others aduersaries to both Puritanes and Papists are of minde that were the Pope a good man as he is nothing lesse he might and hee being wicked other good Bishops though subiect vnto Kings and Emperours may summon Counsells at their discretions An error of Seluererus The Muscouites haue a fancie that since the seuenth generall Counsell that was neither Prince nor Pope nor any other men els haue power to call a generall counsell 2. Proposition Generall coucells may erre The proofe from Gods word Generall Councells consisting first of men who may erre nothing more easily for all the imaginations of mans heart are onely euill continually euen from his youth but God onely is true and all men are yea and euery man is a Liar Next of men differing in yeares riches learning iudgement calling and authoritie whereby distractions of opinions often doe arise Thirdly of many mē wherof the wicked be for nūber commonly the maior part and the better in outward countenance of the world Lastly of men not al nor alwaies either gouerned with Gods holy Spirit and word or gathered together in the Name of Christ none of sounde iudgement in Religion do doubt but they may erre If Paphmitius had bin absent at Nice that Councell had erred If Hierome had bine away at Calcedon that Councell had erred At any time if some be beleeued be the Pope of Rome not present at such meetings either per se or per Legatum by himselfe or his Legate no Councell but must erre Therefore Councells may erre That which one Counsell doth establish another will disanull They will not wee must thinke reuoke that which is well decreed Therefore councells may erre The adversaries vnto this truth Therefore erre doe the papists which say that the holy Spirit is the director of all Councells and That councells cannot erre 3. Proposition Generall Councells haue erred euen in things pertaining vnto God The proofe from Gods word Councells both generall and particular haue erred and that in matters of Faith For in the holy Scriptures wee finde that it was ordained If any man did confesse that Iesus was the Christ hee should be excommunicate which could not be but by a Councell A councell was gathered to suppresse Christ and his doctrine A councell consulted how they might take Iesus by subtilty and kill him A councell sought for false witnesse to put him to death By a counsell